Castle Cars

10 Of The Most Expensive Cars In The World

2017-01-11T19:59:00.000-08:00

Hennessey Venom GT – $1.1 Million

The Hennessey Venom GT has been dubbed one of the fastest production cars created; capable of reaching a top speed of 271 miles per hour (or 436 km/h). Now that’s fast.

The Venom GT comes with a mind-boggling 1,500 horsepower and a 7-liter twin-turbo engine. This results in the car capable of reaching 60 mph in two seconds. While this may be one of the cheaper cars on the list, priced at $1.1 million; it’s one of the fastest

Pagani Huayra – $1.4 Million

The Pagani Huarya is an Italian mid-engined sports car. Housing a twin-turbo 6.0-liter V12 engine, the Huarya is capable of producing 730 horsepower. The top speed of this car is capable of achieving is 231 mph (or 372 km/h). It’s acceleration from 0-60mph takes just 3.2 seconds,

The Pagani Huarya will set you back close to $1.4 million; so you better start saving.

McLaren P1 – $1.5 Million

The McLaren P1 is one of the most expensive cars in the world. While only 375 of the cars were available for sale, which have unfortunately all been bought, it’s not an everyday car that you could just waltz up to a showroom and purchase.

Valued at $1.5 million dollars, this car will set you back the equivalent of a luxury home in a top neighborhood.

Koenigsegg One:1 – $1.5 Million

The Koenigsegg One:1 was introduced in March 2014 at the Geneva Motor Show. The One:1 is capable of achieving a top speed of 281.5 mph (or 453 km/h), accelerating from 0-60mph in just 2.8 seconds. It’s time to reach 400 km/h is just 20 seconds.

The One:1 has been dubbed the world’s first megacar, fitted with a 5.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, capable of producing 1,360 horsepower. This car will set you back $1.5 million.

Ferrari LaFerrari – $1.7 Million

The Ferrari LaFerrari will set you back nearly $1.7 million. While not the most expensive car on this list, it’s still a fairly hefty price tag. With only 499 cars being manufactured, it is a limited production hybrid sports car.

The LaFerrari houses a 6.3-liter V12 engine, capable of producing 790 bhp. This engine is supplemented by a 161 bhp KERS unit, which can provide short bursts of extra power.

Zenvo ST1 – $1.8 Million

The Zenvo ST1 is a high-performance hypercar manufactured by Danish company Zenvo. Being the first car created by Zenvo, we’re looking forward to future cars they’ll create.

The Zenvo ST1 comes with a 6.8-liter V8 engine, generating a whopping 1,100 horsepower. The top speed of this beast is below that of the Venom GT, at 233 mph (or 375 km/h). This car is capable of reaching 60 mph in a time of 3 seconds, while reaching 120 mph in 8.9 seconds. A car of this caliber will set you back $1.8 million.

Bugatti Veyron – $2.5 Million

The Bugatti Veyron is designed and developed in Germany by the Volkswagen group. The current Super Sport version of the Veyron has been recognized by the Guiness World Records as the fastest street-legal production car in the world, with a top speed of 268 mph (431 km/h).

The Super Sport version of the Veyron has a limited edition of only thirty units, with a brake horsepower of 1,200. The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is priced at $2.5 million.

Ferrari F60 America – $2.5 Million

While the Ferrari F60 America hasn’t received an official price yet, it has been estimated to set you back $2.5 million. This car was created to celebrate Ferrari’s 60 years in America.

The F60 houses a 740 horsepower V12 engine, capable of speeds of approximately 200 mph (320 km/h). The acceleration of the F60, while it may not be the fastest on this list, is still capable of achieving 0-60 in 3.1 seconds.

Lykan Hypersport – $3.4 Million

The Lykan Hypersport is a limited production sports car manufactured by Lebanese based company, W Motors. It is the first supercar to be produced in the Middle East, and is one of the most expensive cars in the world.

The high price on the car is due to included options, such as diamond encrusted headlights. The car houses a 3.7-liter flat-six twin-turbo engine from Porsche, capable of producing 740 bhp. The top speed of the car is claimed to be 239 mph (385 km/h), with an acceleration from 0-60 mph of 2.8 seconds

lykan hypersport fast and furious car photos

Lamborghini Veneno – $4.5 Million

The Lamborghini Veneno is a limited production supercar which was based off of the Lamborghini Aventador. The Veneno was built to celebrate Lamborghini’s 50th anniversary.

Only three Veneno’s were available for purchase; a green, red and white version. These colors represent the Italian flag. A fourth car, dubbed Car Zero was also created, however this is a display vehicle and will be placed in Lamborghini’s museum. The Veneno will set you back $4.5 million.

LAMBORGHINI VENENO ROADSTER Photos

the $2 million Koenigsegg Regera Supercar Photos

2017-01-11T19:20:00.001-08:00

Not long ago, people were writing off supercars as a dying breed. Loud, stiff, and characteristically uncomfortable, these champions of speed defy most measures of practicality and logic, and with federal emissions standards and climate change anxiety ramping up, it can be easy to feel like vehicles meant to go fast are living on borrowed time.

Thankfully, that sentiment is complete nonsense.

At the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, high-octane supercars took center stage, with vehicles like the 600-horsepower Aston Martin DB11, the 770-hp Lamborghini Centenario, the 1,030-hp Techrules TREV, and the maniacal 1,500-hp Bugatti Chiron highlighting a truly star-studded event. All are amazing examples of engineering and craftsmanship to be sure, but there’s another automotive giant that demands your attention — the $2 million Koenigsegg Regera.

Initially showcased at the 2015 Geneva show as a concept, this year’s soiree included the production version of the Swedish hybrid, which has undergone more than 3,000 changes since last year. The alterations have made the vehicle much lighter and more efficient than it was before, and the sleek Swede now weighs just 3,240 pounds dry. The car utilizes an 800-volt, 4.5-kWh battery pack and four wheel-mounted electric motors alongside its twin-turbo 5.0-liter V8, resulting in a total output of 1,500 ponies. The system leans on hand-built Formula 1-grade battery cells and the highest cooling capacity of any automotive battery on the market today, which means all of the Regera’s energy goes exactly where it’s supposed to — the ground

Flat out, the vehicle sprints to 62 mph in just 2.8 seconds and will prance all the way up to 186 mph in a mind-boggling 10.9 seconds. Not impressed yet? By Koenigsegg’s estimations, the production-spec Regera will go from a standstill to its top speed of 248 mph in only 20 seconds, or about the same amount of time it took you to read this paragraph.

The Regera is a nearly surreal object of fantasy, one that leads the fight against physics better than just about anything else on the road, but it was only one of the bedroom poster-worthy automobiles on display in Switzerland. Simply put, if you were to throw a rock in the Geneva Palexpo convention center right now (please don’t do this), you’d be bound to hit some sort of performance machine. You might land on the hardcore Porsche 911 R, or perhaps the all-electric, 402-hp E-Tense concept produced by Paris-based automaker DS. Ferrari’s new GTC4Lusso provides V12 enjoyment for up to four passengers in a unique shooting brake package, whereas the Gumpert Apollo Arrow scoffs at the Italian’s pragmatism in favor of pure, unadulterated velocity. And noise. Lots and lots of noise.

Petrol-fueled astonishment aside, there will always be those who doubt the longevity of the segment, and for good reason. But like the people who build them, performance cars can change, adapt, and (hopefully) survive in an ever-changing world, and the 2016 Geneva Motor Show was proof of that. So whether it’s an emissions-free, environmentally-conscious Tesla that can match the Regera’s acceleration or a W16-powered behemoth from Bugatti, we have good news.

The supercar is alive and well.

Limited Edition Bugatti Veyron by Mansory Vivere 3.4 Million USD

2017-01-11T17:18:00.000-08:00

Limited Edition Bugatti Veyron by Mansory 3.4 Million USD

WHAT DO YOU CALL A LEATHER AND CARBON FIBER-CLAD BUGATTI VEYRON? A MANSORY VIVERE

How could someone possibly want a Bugatti Veyron to be even more decked out? I mean, the thing will blow its own tires off and drink its weight in gasoline in a matter of minutes. Oh well … the more bling the merrier.

The Bugatti Grand Sport Vitesse finally gets a little attention from Mansory, the crazy witch doctors of the automotive tuning world. Just take a look at its Aventador LP700-4, if you don’t believe me. Mansory seems to think it is extremely difficult for Bugatti owners to answer questions like: “Should I go with the Buggati Blue and tan Napa leather interior?” Or “What should I choose, carbon fiber or aluminium?” Thankfully, the Vivere simply makes the best choice for them.

The exterior of the Vivere is covered in a superbly lacquered carbon fiber. Other nit-pick options include a new inner front grill, shortened hood, larger side scoops, a spoiler package that provides new diffusers, front apron, etc … you get the point. Even the headlight and taillight clusters are new LED versions and, as you may have guessed, Mansory would not dare leave the Veyron alone without a set of shiny new rims.

The interior is of course entirely re-upholstered and decked out in carbon fiber glory. Mansory’s version of Pimp My Ride wouldn’t be complete without a luxurious new LED lighting system to illuminate the cockpit.

If an 8.0-liter W16 engine producing 1,200 horsepower and 1,106 pound-feet of torque isn’t enough for anyone in this world, I don’t know what is. I will have to admit, surprisingly, that having all of that glorious engine in a package perfectly suited to my every stylish need is, indeed, pretty darn cool.

Bugatti Chiron 2.5 million Photos

2017-01-11T17:09:00.000-08:00

Bugatti Chiron 2.5 million Photos

Bugatti’s back with 1,500 horsepower in its unholy, 261 mph Chiron

In 2005, Bugatti brought a gun to a knife fight in the form of its Veyron supercar. More accurately, Bugatti introduced the world to guns when all it knew was swords and arrows. Over 1,000 horsepower, a 0-to-60 mph sprint below 3.0 seconds, and a top speed of 250 mph were the figures of fantasy.

In the time since that supercar heard round the world, the competition have refined their weapons. Established players like Ferrari, Porsche, and McLaren can match or beat Bugatti’s tired old Veyron and upstarts like Hennessey created their own world-beating monsters.

The king lost its crown.

But now the seasoned emperor is back in a new suit of armour – one that isn’t just shiny, but innovative as well. Today, Bugatti reveals its Chiron supercar, successor to the Veyron and heir to the speed throne. In the automaker’s own words, the Chiron is the world’s first production supercar to wrangle 1,500 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet of torque.

-to-60 mph will take less than 2.5 seconds and its new, limited, top speed will hover at 261 mph. Those who are carefully watching the top speed wars know that Hennessey’s Venom set the record at 270 mph recently, but something tells me there’s more speed to be pulled from the Chiron’s reworked quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 engine.

“It is part of human nature to cross boundaries and set new records – to run 100 m faster than ever before, to fly even further into space and to enter new realms. This striving is also our driving force at Bugatti,” said Wolfgang Dürheimer, President of Bugatti Automobiles. “The Chiron is the result of our efforts to make the best even better.”

Those don’t sound like the words of a brand who’s ready to rule a lesser kingdom.

The Chiron is built on a new carbon fibre monocoque chassis, with tires developed specifically for Bugatti and a slew of innovative technologies to make the car handle as well as it rockets to ludicrous speed.

“Our customers form an exclusive group of automobile collectors who are searching for the very best. With the Veyron, they have the best production sports car of the past 10 years,” Dürheimer continues. “This is why their demands and expectations for our next step – the Chiron – were so high.“

Only 500 examples of the Chiron will be built, each costing €2.4 million/$2.61 million USD. Pre-orders are already in process, and the first production units will be available this Fall.

LAMBORGHINI VENENO ROADSTER Photos

2017-01-11T16:59:00.001-08:00

LAMBORGHINI VENENO ROADSTER Photos

lykan hypersport fast and furious car photos

2017-01-11T16:48:00.000-08:00

Lykan Hypersport photos

10 Most Expensive Cars For 2014

2014-12-20T17:25:00.001-08:00

10 Most Expensive Cars For 2014

Lamborghini Veneno Roadster

Country of Origin: Italy

Engine: 750-hp, 6.5-liter, 12-cylinder

0-62 mph: 2.9 seconds

Starting price: $4.5 million

Lamborghini says it plans to build only nine copies of the Lamborghini Veneno Roadster in 2014. Among many other innovations its lightweight body design makes extensive use of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer. Top speed is 221 mph.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse Country of Origin: France

Engine: 1,200 hp, 8-liter, 16-cylinder
0-62 mph: 2.6 seconds
Starting price: $2.5 million
Bugatti says its current model is the “fastest production roadster in the world,” having been driven 255.5 mph in April 2013. Bugatti announced earlier this month, December 2013, it sold its 400th Veyron worldwide since its introduction in 2005. Only 50 are available out of a total planned production of 450.

Koenigsegg Agera S

Country of Origin: Sweden

Engine: 1,030 hp, twin-turbo, 5.0-liter V-8
0-62 mph (that is, 100 km per hour): 2.9 seconds
Starting price: $1,520,000
Koenigsegg said it expects to ship its first Agera S to the United States this month, December 2013. The Agera S belongs to the exclusive 1,000-hp-plus club, with a twin-turbo V-8 that generates 1,030 hp. That flings the car from zero to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds, or zero to around 188 mph in 22.7 seconds – that is, if you’re on a racetrack or if you own your own highway. If that’s not enough Koenigsegg has a new model called the One:1 in the prototype stage. According to press reports, it’s said to produce 1,400 hp and weigh around 1,400 kg. The name refers to the “1-to-1” power-to-weight ratio. It’s expected to sell for around $2,850,000.

Hennessey Venom GT

Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Engine: 1,244 hp, 7.0-liter, twin-turbo V-8
0-60mph: 2.7 seconds
Price: $1.2 million
Hennessey Perfomance, based in Sealy, Texas, says its Hennessey Venom GT set a Guinness World Book-record time of 13.63 seconds from zero to 300 kph, or 186 mph, in January 2013. The company said this month, December 2013, it had sold only 11 Venom GTs to clients around the world, including only five in the United States. The company plans to build a total of only 29 all told. The Hennessey Venom GT design is based on the Lotus Elise roadster and Exige coupe model. The Venom GT is created from a base Lotus Elise/Exige and utilizes components including but not limited to the roof, doors, side glass, windscreen, dash, cockpit, floorpan, HVAC system, wiper and head lamps. Hennessey Performance and the Venom GT are not associated with Lotus Cars.

Porsche 918 Spyder
Country of Origin: Germany

Engine: 887 hp (total output), 4.6-liter V-8 with two electric motors
0-62 mph: 2.5 seconds
Starting price: $845,000
Besides the hybrid gasoline-electric powertrain, other innovations include rear-wheel steering, where the rear wheels adjust slightly in turns. It can go up to 19 miles on battery power alone. By itself, the V-8 gasoline engine produces 608 hp. Like many race cars, the Porsche 918 Spyder is largely built of lightweight but strong carbon fiber-reinforced polymer. The lightweight, even more racing-oriented Weissach Package of options boosts the sticker price to $929,000.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended WheelbaseCountry of Origin: United Kingdom

Engine: 453-hp, 6.75-liter V-12
0-60 mph: 5.8 seconds
Starting price: $298,900
The Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Wheelbase model is about nine inches longer than the standard-wheelbase. That extra room is most noticeable in the back seat, where the owner presumably will spend a lot of his or her time being driven around. The brand image is old-fashioned but Rolls-Royce’s current cars have high-tech features like cameras at five locations to watch out for obstacles when parking, and to project the predicted path on a screen when reversing.

Ferrari F12berlinettaCountry of Origin: Italy

Engine: 740-hp, 6.3-liter, V-12
0-62 mph: 3.1 seconds
Starting ?price: $315,888
The Ferrari F12berlinetta (that’s how Ferrari writes it, all one word) has a top speed of “over 211 mph,” the company said. Not only that, it reaches 125 mph in only 8.5 seconds. Ferrari says it has the fastest acceleration of any road-going Ferrari – as opposed to Ferrari racecars, which are confined to the track.

Bentley Mulsanne

Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Engine: 505-hp, 6.75-liter, twin-turbo V-8
0-60 mph: 5.1 seconds
Starting price: $298,900
Bentley calls the Bentley Mulsanne “the grandest of grand tourers.” The interior has features like wood veneers and leather upholstery made from “blemish-free” hides, from herds raised in cooler climates where there are fewer insects. Having said that, performance is pretty amazing, considering it weighs close to 6,000 pounds.

Aston Martin Vanquish

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Engine: 565-hp, 6.0-liter V-12
0-62 mph (that is, 100 km per hour): 4.1 seconds
Starting price: $279,995
The Aston Martin Vanquish is a two-door hardtop coupe, which also comes as a convertible, called the Volante. It’s the first Aston Martin with lightweight but strong carbon-fiber body panels. Top speed is 183 mph. Aston Martin also offers a long list of personalized options like matching a favorite color to paint the exterior, or custom leather. Aston Martin calls the customized collection of options “Q by Aston Martin.” Aston Martin’s brand image is caught up with classic James Bond movies.

Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG Coupe Country of Origin: Germany

Engine: 621-hp, 6.0-liter, bi-turbo V-12
0-60 mph: 4.2 seconds
Starting price: $215,500
The Mercedes-Benz AMG division used to be a separate company that souped up stock Mercedes-Benz models. Bigger, more powerful engines continue to be the heart and soul of the AMG treatment, even though the company became a wholly owned subsidiary years ago. The engine in the Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG Coupe is a handcrafted V-12. The AMG tradition is that the individual master craftsman who builds each engine puts his signature on it when he’s finished. That’s not to say the end product is some quaint relic. Top speed is 186 mph, not bad for a car that could be used as a family car, unlike a two-seat racecar.

The Goodguys car show — hot rods, pickup trucks, station wagons, convertibles.

2014-06-02T07:04:00.000-07:00

It’s not just the cars – and there are more than 2,500 of them to look at. The Goodguys auto show in Pleasanton, Calif., this weekend is a combination car show, exhibition hall, race track, and a place to sit on the grass, have a picnic, hang out and talk to like-minded people.

The overwhelming aspect of the whole thing is the cars, staged all over the Alameda County Fairgrounds, on the grass, parked on various streets, next to exhibition buildings and inside some of them.

There are dozens of different examples – hot rods, rat rods, pickup trucks, convertibles, coupes, sedans, motorcycles, few of them in their original factory condition. Customizing is the mantra here.

But there’s also a lot more than just the cars.

Back behind the buildings are race tracks for go-karts and other cars; huge tractor-trailer rigs belonging to such outfits as Edelbrock (manifolds and complete engines on display) and other purveyors of engine, transmission and exhaust parts; and behind the go-kart track, a vast field of row upon row of cars for sale.

Hydrogen-fueled cars face uncertain market in California

2014-06-02T06:52:00.001-07:00

Cars that drive hundreds of miles on a tank of hydrogen and spew nothing from the tailpipe but water will hit the market this month in California.

But it wasn't customer demand that drove automakers to build fuel-cell cars - it was basic economics, with a nudge from regulation.

California and other states are pushing automakers to offer cars that don't contribute to global warming. Many companies turned to electric cars and plug-in hybrids in response.

However, executives at Hyundai, Toyota and several other automakers are convinced that fuel-cell cars, which can fill up in five minutes, are better suited to Americans' driving habits than electric cars will ever be.

And if the cars prove popular enough to make money someday, automakers that develop and build their own fuel cells may be able to keep a bigger slice of the profits than they can from electric cars.

The most expensive component of any plug-in vehicle is its battery, and while some electric car makers such as Tesla Motors and Nissan build their own battery packs, many don't.

"When you develop all the technology for yourself, and you don't have to pay any patents, you can reap the benefits down the road," said Derek Joyce, manager for product public relations for Hyundai.

Slow sales

His company spent more than 14 years developing and testing its own fuel cell. Next week, Southern California drivers will become the first in the nation to lease Hyundai's fuel-cell version of its Tucson sports utility vehicle. It will go for $499 per month - about double the price of leasing a gas-burning Tucson.

The company won't say how many people have signed up. But Hyundai plans to make about 600 of the cars by the end of 2015. For comparison, Nissan sold 954 electric Leaf hatchbacks and GM sold 1,529 Chevy Volts, an advanced plug-in hybrid, in their first year on the market.

Eco-minded drivers who spent years badgering the auto industry into building electric cars haven't done the same for fuel cells. Many of them even call the new technology a waste of time, requiring a whole new network of expensive fueling stations. Fuel-cell cars, as a result, will jump into the market without a safety net.

"Nobody wants them," said Felix Kramer, founder of CalCars, a plug-in vehicle advocacy group. "Nobody's asking for them. People who wanted a zero-emission car can now get any number of electric vehicles. I'm kind of bewildered about why Toyota and Honda and the others are hanging so much on it."

The car companies know they need to convince people - electric-vehicle fans and ordinary drivers alike - to give fuel cells a chance.

"I certainly won't argue with you that the awareness for fuel cells is very low compared to the awareness of EVs," said Craig Scott, manager of advanced vehicle technologies for Toyota Motor Sales, USA. "We have to do our job to make people aware that this is here, now, and it's not some kind of science project."

Fuel-cell cars operate much like electric cars, relying on an electric motor rather than an internal combustion engine to turn the wheels. But instead of drawing their electricity from a big, rechargeable battery pack, they produce it onboard. A fuel cell uses an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to generate current.

California requirements

That reaction yields no carbon dioxide or smog-forming chemicals, only water. As a result, automakers can use fuel-cell cars to meet California's requirements that a small percentage of the vehicles they sell in the state produce no greenhouse gas emissions. The California Energy Commission last month agreed to spend $46.6 million building 28 hydrogen fueling stations in the Bay Area, the Los Angeles region and along the Interstate 5 corridor.

Google's vision upends notions of car and driver

2014-06-02T06:34:00.003-07:00

Through five years and 700,000 miles of testing, Google left one big question about its self-driving car technology unresolved: How would it fit into the rest of the auto industry?

Finally last week, in the form of a cute-as-a-koala electric buggy, came an answer: It won't.

Everything about the new test program that Google co-founder Sergey Brin revealed last week, from the design of its two-seat prototypes to the decision to test them on city streets instead of highways, points toward a personal transportation system that directly challenges the driver-centered, ownership-based business model the auto industry has relied on for a century.

"If you look at a vehicle purchase today, it's the second largest purchase most people in America make, and it's a resource that basically sits idle for 95 percent of the time," Christopher Urmson, the director of Google's self-driving cars project, told reporters. "It's kind of a poor capital investment, in some senses."

Google's idea of a killer app, therefore, is not a more accurate map or sensor to assist the driver but rather a vehicle that targets a pressing need for urban mobility without the need for a driver or driving at all. It envisions a network of self-guided, battery-powered vehicles standing ready in urban areas, able to be summoned with a tap on a smartphone and capable of taking their passengers to any destination.

If that sounds a bit like Uber with no one at the wheel, that may well be the point. Last year, Google led a $258 million investment in the on-demand taxi service through its Google Ventures capital arm.

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick acknowledged the connection at a conference last week in California. "When there's no other dude in the car," the blog TechCrunch quoted him as saying, in reference to the driver, "the cost of taking an Uber anywhere becomes cheaper than owning a vehicle."

Google ultimately may try supplying its software and maps to the mainstream auto industry, but car-sharing could offer the company and its technology a more direct route to the marketplace.

"All along, we've all been speculating about Google," said consultant Richard Bishop, who led the U.S. Department of Transportation's vehicle automation program in the 1990s. "We've known they're building very capable technology, but the question has been: What are they going to do with it? Here's a concrete use case -- the autonomous taxi -- that has significant potential, whether Google is the one who does it or not."

To prepare its autonomous cars to handle all sorts of urban driving scenarios, Google has commissioned a fleet of about 100 custom-built prototypes, which Urmson said will appear on California's public roads by year end.

Though current testing regulations require that a driver sit behind the wheel, Google's vision -- as depicted in its publicity materials -- is for the cars eventually to have no steering wheel or pedals.

Automakers such as Daimler AG and Volvo also are aggressively pursuing autonomous vehicles to make cars safer, improve mobility for blind and elderly people and make traffic jams and commutes less tiresome.

But none of those automakers envisions eliminating the role of the driver altogether.

Google does. It says it isn't confident enough about the handoff of controls to maintain a role for the driver in a self-driving car. Human factors research suggests that once people gave up control of a vehicle, they would be too trusting, Urmson said, and wouldn't be prepared to retake the controls quickly when they were needed.

Rather than taking a shot at "debugging the human," Google decided to go for a fully autonomous car.

Autonomous, that is, within certain human-defined limits. Google's custom-built prototypes will be electronically limited to 25 mph and will never go on highways. They will be designed as "neighborhood" vehicles under U.S. regulations, exempting them from many crash-safety standards. And they will have emergency buttons for pulling over and shutting down.

"We've built in occupant protection and pedestrian protection and tried to tailor it to the environment we'll actually be operating in," said Ron Medford, the project's safety director, who was deputy administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration before joining Google in 2013.

Kara Kockelman, a transportation engineering professor at the University of Texas, said Google's decision to contain its experiment to cities makes sense. The risk of injuries there is lower because traffic moves slowly, she said, and the higher population density means self-driving vehicles could spend more time carrying passengers and less time sitting idle.

"In many ways," Kockelman said, "cities are where we expect to see them first."

Rather than partnering with a major automaker, Google signed up Roush Enterprises of suburban Detroit to build its prototypes, according to a report last week by Crain's Detroit Business, a sibling publication of Automotive News.

That's largely in line with Google's corporate ethos. Brin, the company's co-founder, acknowledged last week in an interview with The New York Times that car companies are working on partially autonomous driving features, but he suggested that the pace of change was too gradual for Google.

15 Fastest Cars on the Road in 2013

2013-09-09T22:31:00.001-07:00

Noble M600 (Great Britain): 225 mph (362 km/h), 0-60 in 3.7 seconds, Twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 Engine with 650 hp. Base price: $330,000.

This simply styled car may be the least expensive on the list (though at $330k that’s not saying much), it definitely has enough power to compete with the other rides below.

McLaren F1 (Great Britain): 240 mph (386 km/h), 0-60 in 3.2 seconds, BMW S70/2 60 Degree V12 Engine with 627 hp. Base price: $970,000.

Produced in 1992, the McLaren F1 is a legend in the racing world, far surpassing the abilities of other track contenders from the 1990s through today.

Ferrari LaFerrari (Italy): 220 mph (354 km/h), 0-60 in 2.9 seconds, 6.3-liter V12 Engine with 800 PS (588 kW; 789 bhp). Base price: $1,690,000.

The only hybrid on the list, the upcoming LaFerrari is one of the leanest, most beautiful Ferraris of the 21st century – a reincarnation of the legendary Enzo.

Pagani Huayra (Italy): 231 mph (372 km/h), 0-60 in 3.3 seconds, Twin-Turbo AMG 60 Degree 6.0-liter pumping out 720 hp. Base price: $1,300,000.

Paganis aren’t street-legal in the U.S., so for now the only place you’ll find them is on the streets of Monaco and in the driveways of incredibly wealthy ~~crime bosses~~ businessmen. But you can still dream, right?

Hennessey Venom GT (USA): 266 mph (428 km/h), 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds, 6.2-liter LS9 Turbocharged V8 Twin Turbo V8 Engine producing 1200 hp. Base price: $950,000.

Though it has only reached one mile per hour of velocity under that of the Veyron Super Sport, American hyper-car brand Hennessey claims that given enough space the Venom GT can reach a top speed of a staggering 275 mph. Because its claimed ability is so much more than that of the Veyron, and because the tested speed came so close to it, we had to implement a tie for first place.

Gumpert Apollo (Germany): 225 mph (362 km/h), 0-60 in 3.0 seconds, 4.2-liter V8 Engine churning 650 hp. Base price: $450,000.

It may not have the sleekest design, but it definitely looks menacing. Its counterpart, the Apollo R, is a little slower but looks even meaner.

Koenigsegg CCX (Sweden): 245 mph (394 km/h), 0-60 in 3.2 seconds, 90 Degree V8 Engine making 806 hp. Base price: $545,568.

A predecessor of the Agera R, the CCX first appeared in American markets in 2006. This Koenigsegg is street legal in the United States, it just costs a small fortune to get it.

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport (France): 267 mph (429 km/h), 0-60 in 2.4 seconds, Aluminum Narrow Angle 8-liter W16 Engine with 1200 hp. Base price: $2,400,000.

The Bugatti Veyron line has been widely accepted as one of the fastest street-legal cars in the world since 2005 when they first went in production. But Bugatti hasn’t stopped, continually producing newer and faster models of the Veyron nearly every year.

Koenigsegg Agera R (Sweden): 260 mph (418 km/h), 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds, 5.0-liter V8 Engine with Twin Turbos, housing 1099 hp. Base price: $1,600,000.

The Swedish brand has always been a bit of an enigma in the car world, with unverified rumors of speed records and controversies over street-legality. Fortunately, this model has been officially clocked at 260 mph and is one of few Koenigseggs that are street-legal in the United States.

9ff GT9-R (Germany): 257 mph (413 km/h), 0-60 in 2.9 seconds, 4.0-liter flat-6 Twin-Turbo Engine with 1120 hp. Base price: $695,00o.

The 9ff is a German tuning company (similar to Hennessey and Shelby) operating out of Dortmund, and the GT9-R is its revision of the Porsche Carrera. Keeping consistent with Porsche’s ability to be quick, the GT9-R can hit 60 mph in under three seconds.

Zenvo ST1 (Denmark): 233 mph (374 km/h), 0-60 in 2.9 seconds, Twin-Charged 7.0-liter V8 Engine forging 1,104 hp. Base price: $1,225,000.

There are only 15 of these Denmark-made cars. As such, Zenvo guarantees they’ll come to you if that ST1 ever needs maintenance.

Lamborghini Veneno (Italy): 220 mph (356), 0-60 in 2.8 seconds, 6.5-liter V12 Engine with 740 hp. Base price: $3,900,000.

Talk about dreaming big! The price tag for this beauty rests at just under $4 million, and only three of the Italian bulls (as all Lamborghinis are named after fighting bulls) were made worldwide.

SSC (Shelby Super Cars) Ultimate Aero (USA): 257 mph (413 km/h), 0-60 in 2.7 seconds, Twin-Turbo V8 Engine with 1183 hp. Base price: $654,400.

Shelby is the closest thing Hennessey has to a turf rival. Both companies only produce only limited-edition hyper-cars and souped-up versions of domestic brands’ sportier vehicles, such as Ford Mustangs, Cadillac CT-Vs, Dodge SRTs, and the like. The Ultimate Aero held the “Fastest Car in the World” title for three years between 2007 and 2010 — then the above contenders pushed it to third.

Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo (USA): 248 mph (399 km/h), 0-60 in 2.8 seconds, Twin Turbo All Aluminum V8 Engine with 750 hp, base price: $555,000.

The S7 is the first true (and prevailing) contender to the likes of the McLaren F1. It gained praise for its 8-mile-per-hour dominance as well as its innovative styling, mixing a cutely bug-eyed face with a mean vent-covered body.

Aston Martin One-77 (Great Britain): 220 mph (354 km/h), 0-60 in 3.4 seconds, 7.3-liter V12 Engine with 750 hp. Base price: $1,850,000.

The next logical trade-in for James Bond, the One-77 is as sexy as, and faster than, any Aston. Plus, much like Mr. Bond’s female acquaintances, the One-77 seems like something we’d like to wake up to in the morning.

1996 Ferrari F310

2013-09-06T13:42:00.002-07:00

Who remembers these Formula 1 days?

1996 Ferrari F310

Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster

2013-09-06T13:40:00.002-07:00

Now that's a rare color!

Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

2013-09-06T13:25:00.002-07:00

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

What do you guys think of the McLaren F1

2013-09-06T13:23:00.002-07:00

What do you guys think of the McLaren F1

Who wants an LP570-4 Superleggera

2013-09-06T13:21:00.004-07:00

Who wants an LP570-4 Superleggera

Porsche 911 GT3R Hybrid

2013-09-06T13:16:00.002-07:00

Porsche 911 GT3R Hybrid

2014 McLaren P1

2013-09-06T13:04:00.002-07:00

2014 McLaren P1

The S65 AMG. A combination of luxury and a monstrous 600 horsepower engine

2013-09-06T13:01:00.002-07:00

The S65 AMG. A combination of luxury and a monstrous 600 horsepower engine

A purple Lamborghini Aventador looking fresh!

2013-09-06T12:59:00.002-07:00

A purple Lamborghini Aventador looking fresh!

Ferrari 458 Italia, what do you guys think?

2013-09-06T12:52:00.003-07:00

Ferrari 458 Italia,

what do you guys think?!!!!!!!

2013 Audi R8 V10 China Edition

2013-01-13T11:46:00.002-08:00

We totally get why automakers from all over the world are suddenly falling over themselves trying to get some love in China. After all, it’s already the world’s largest auto market and the wide diversity of buyers in the country has given automakers of all levels opportunity to establish themselves and gain some footing in the market.

For its offering, Audi decided to build an R8 V10 China Edition specifically for this purpose. The car is limited to only 80 units and comes in a choice of two colors: Malibu Blue Body/Suzuka Grey Sideblades or the inverse Suzuka Grey Body/Malibu Blue Sideblades. Look at the photos and it’s easy to be enamored with the color choices Audi decided to use on the R8 China Edition.

In addition to the color choices, the R8 China Edition also makes prevalent use of ultra-light and high-strength carbon fiber. Both the R8’s body — the carbon matte fixed spoiler — and the interior are decked in carbon fiber, making for a true special edition model that lives up to the “special” designation. Rounding out the modifications for the 80-unit R8 China Edition is a set of 19-inch, high-gloss black wheels in a 5 twin-spoke “Y” design, further stamping the uniqueness and exclusivity of this special-edition supercar.

The interior of the R8 also strengthens its billing as a special edition. It includes the characters “R8 专享” to go with the model number embedded on the aluminum gear lever knob. Notice also that any number with a “4” on it has been removed to "respect the cultural habit of Chinese customers,” as it is considered unlucky – like the number 13 in the U.S., but intensified.

Adding to the supercar’s luxury swag are materials that include shark skin and colored stitching, the handbrake and steering wheel are wrapped in Alcantara, and the instrument shield is finished in carbon matte. Finally, R8 emblems also adorn the interior of the supercar, particularly on the dash and the aluminum door sill trims.

The entire cost of the R8 China Edition hits at 2,628,000 yuan, which is around $420,000 based on current exchange rates.

2013 Audi R8 V10 Limited Edition

2013-01-13T11:45:00.001-08:00

If you thought the Audi R8 China Edition was rare, then you’ll be shocked to know that there’s a limited-edition model that’s even rarer than that. This is the Audi R8 V10 Limited Edition and, as its name suggests, Audi is only building a select number of these babies — 30 in all — for the Chinese market. To distinguish itself from the rest of the R8s out there, including the aforementioned China Edition, Audi decided to dress up the R8 Limited Edition in a unique Nordic Gold paint finish that, on looks alone, can make a serious case as a permanent color option for the R8.

Aesthetic modifications are also abound for this limited-run model, highlighted by front and rear air intakes and outlets, lightweight tailpipes, and a radiator grille that has been finished in matte black. The dress up continues with the front and rear slats. Additionally, the rear bumper, and the radiator grille surround and bars all sport a matte-titanium-grey finish. The front spoiler, side blades, fixed rear wing and the enlarged diffuser have been upgraded to carbon matte.

Inside, the R8 Limited Edition features sports bucket seats and headlining, both of which have been dressed with black Alcantara with contrasting stitching and piping, and the knee pad now comes in shark skin black with its own contrast stitching. Carbon matte, or at least inlays of it, was also used inside, particularly the A-pillar and the door pulls. To assert the limited-edition nature of this R8, the aluminum gear knob comes with a limited edition number, ranging from 1 to 33 with the numbers 4, 14, and 24 excluded from the list. Why, you ask? The number "4" equates to bad mojo for the Chinese.

Audi China has priced the R8 Limited Edition at 2,628,000 yuan, which is around $420,000 based on current exchange rates, an amount that affluent and passionate Chinese auto enthusiasts won’t have trouble shelling out.

2013 Galpin Auto Sports GTR-1

2013-01-13T11:44:00.003-08:00

A few days after Saleen announced its plans to build a modern-day 351 Mustang, another aftermarket company took to the LA Auto Show to reveal its own supercar project.

Should we be surprised that the announcement came from the folks over at Galpin Auto Sports?

Actually, that’s a rhetorical question because nothing GAS does surprises us anymore. It’s in the process of building a Ford GT-inspired supercar, one that it’s planning to name the GTR-1. GAS is claiming the GTR-1 will feature an astounding 1,000 horsepower. We typically take these claims with a grain of salt, but given GAS’ reputation as a trusted tuner, we think you can take that number to the bank.

To go along with all of this power, GAS is adding in a choice of handmade aluminum or carbon-fiber coachwork, a bespoke interior tailored to the customer’s desires, an improved drivetrain and suspension modifications.

This is all pretty much par for the course for GAS. The only thing that upsets us is the fact that we have to wait until we get closer to the early-2013 release of the GTR-1 before we get the full details. We’re sure it’ll be well worth the wait though.

Stay tuned for more info!

2013 Ferrari F12berlinetta Giallo Acquila

2013-01-13T11:44:00.000-08:00

Last week we brought you the first details on the 770 Daytona Milano — the first special edition designed by Ferrari using its new individually developed program. Regardless of the fact that the 770 Daytona Milano’s first image was likely a Photoshopped image of the F12berlinetta at its Geneva debut, it was still pretty sweet. Today is time for the first rendering of a new specially designed F12berlinetta, the Giallo Acquila. This model is designed by PininFarina in cooperation with Fioravanti.

As you can notice from this first rendering, this special F12berlinetta Giallo Acquila will feature an updated, more aggressive rear with some extra lines and a big spoiler. The wheel arches have also been made slightly wider and they hide a pretty large set of wheels. We cannot tell for sure if the 729-horsepower, V-12 engine will get any increases, but we can at least hope.

All these changes have transformed the F12berlinetta into an even more desirable supercar, but also into one even more expensive. The question is who has the right amount of money to acquire this special supercar? Question No. 2 is will this program actually be realized or just fizzle away before the F12berlinetta is actually released.