If you just can’t get enough of Italian automaker Ferrari, then you might want to put Ferrari World Abu Dhabi on top of your “Places to Go” list.

Sitting on 2,500-hectare Yas Island, about 10 minutes from Abu Dhabi’s airport, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will be the world’s largest indoor theme park. The park is scheduled to open in 2010, with 20 attractions for visitors. Rides include the world’s fastest roller coaster, a G-force simulator, and various racing simulators. A “flume ride” will also give visitors a view of the heart of a Ferrari 599 motor.

“Each (attraction is) designed to bring to life a different part of the Ferrari story,” according to the automaker.

Source: Left Lane News

If you happen to drive a Chrysler-made car, here’s a little something that might cheer you up.

Mopar, Chrysler’s accessories and parts division, has announced earlier this week that its online store will be including components for live TV in Chrysler vehicles.

The new technology, called FLO TV, will allow drivers of Dodge, Jeep, and Chrysler cars to watch up to 20 channels. It’s made possible by a small antenna that can be mounted on the vehicle’s roof.

The components for FLO TV will be available for installation at dealerships as early as December this year.

Source: Left Lane News

What better way to make an already exclusive super car more exclusive, than to riddle it with millions of that thing which girls call their best friend. That’s right – a million diamonds – and the car maker gallant enough to do it is none other than Koenigsegg, maker of the superb CCXR super car.

While in the midst of taking over troubled car brand Saab, Koenigsegg has just released to the automotive press what seems to be their most exclusive model yet - the Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita.

‘Trevita’ is a Swedish term which literally means ‘three whites’. True to its name, only three units will be made of this rare piece of beauty and performance.

Koenigsegg engineers back in Sweden developed a carbon fiber material which has a special ingredient thrown into the mix – diamond finish. Dubbed as the ‘Koenigsegg Shimmering Diamond Weave’, it sparkles under the sun revealing what seems to be millions of small diamonds.

This super car is sure to be a hit with the wife, girlfriend, mom, grandma (err, maybe not) - any special woman in your life. Other than its tooth-grinding performance, which rivals that of the Bugatti Veyron if running on bio-fuel, it also comes equipped with an infotainment system, a chronological instrument cluster plus paddle shifts to help the ladies keep their hands on the steering wheel.

A carbon fiber wing plus ABS carbon ceramic brakes are only natural features of a super car. A hydraulic lifting suspension system, however, is not. It’ll allow you to set the ride height to suit whatever road conditions you’re driving on - just like a real track car.

So there you have it folks. It sure beats giving a big diamond ring for your anniversary or proposal. You have to be lucky enough, though. Chances are very, very slim that you’ll get your hands on even one of the three going into production.

Well, who knows?

Source: World Car Fans

Good times are rolling! MINI’s 50^th anniversary celebrations still ain’t over… yet. The small car company of BMW has just sprung another surprise from under its sleeves.

Presenting the MINI Coupe Concept. What started out as rumors has turned out to be true.

Debuting at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, the CC is part of MINI’s eye-candy offerings for its 50^th anniversary bash.

This is a true-blue (forgive the pun), MINI, unlike its older brother, the Clubman, which has a lot more space to fit another couple. It traded in its rear seats to have a more sloped roof plus its upright windshield for a more sleek slanting glass.

You won’t be dragging your feet in this MINI. It has got the performance of a John Cooper Works model. Packing a 211-hp 1.6L turbo, it’ll instantly propel its lightweight body under any circumstances.

It’s also got a lot of room for your cargo – around 8.8 cubic feet – plus a rear pass-through for ease of access.

Aesthetic wise, it still retains the traditional MINI look – a huge tachometer to tell you when to shift plus an integrated speedometer to keep you under the speed limit. You’re going to need them, unless you want to give charity after receiving speeding tickets.

On the outside, it’s a totally new MINI, with a sleeker and lower roof line and gentler color theme. Save for the titanium paint accents which rather look off.

So there you have it folks. No word yet on plans for its productions, but it’s a sure bet MINI’s going to want to bring this one out for public consumption.

Source(s): Sports Car Forums

Production of the rumored partnership sports car by Toyota and Subaru, dubbed the ‘Toyobaru 086A’ (ring a bell?), will proceed, despite reports earlier this year that it will be postponed.

The joint venture was first announced back in April of 2008. Both Toyota and Subaro both issued statements that the plan was to put a new, rear-wheel drive coupe on production by late 2011.

The news has both Toyota and Subaru fans excited. It’s supposedly to relive the legacy put forth by, and to serve as tribute to, the legendary Toyota Corolla Sprinter Trueno AE86, which has reached cult status to this day in the world of drifting.

Drifting is a motor sport which was borne on the mountain passes of Japan. It’s a form of racing wherein instead of using grip to overcome high speed corners, the driver initiates a controlled oversteer, or a drift, to maintain momentum around the corner.

What started as an underground form of racing in Japan is now a major motor sport with a worldwide following. Responsible for raising drifting to sport status is none other than the Drift King, Japanese racing driver Keiichi ‘Dorikin’ Tsuchiya. He is recognized worldwide for his role in bringing drifting to the world of motor sports driving the venerable Sprinter Trueno, or more famously known as ‘Eight Six’.

It’s too early to tell, though, whether the Toyobaru will live up to its legendary predecessor’s status. One thing sure is that a lot of Toyota and Subaru fans are going to be pleased with the new car’s rear-wheel drivetrain.

Sharing the Sprinter Trueno’s FR configuration, plus the immense power of a stock Subaru Impreza’s engine, the new car is like something borne out of Japanese artist Shuiichi Shigeno’s equally famous manga (comic) and anime (cartoon), Initial D.

Initial D is a manga about the racing adventures of a young man using his dad’s Sprinter Trueno. Dubbed as the “Little Hachi that could”, the underdog Trueno and its driver, eighteen year old Takumi Fujiwara, goes on to conquer the world of street racing. Later in the story, Takumi gets to drive another of his dad’s cars, a Subaru Impreza WRX STi, which further improves his skills behind the wheel.

Both the manga and anime rose to fame following the rise of drifting as a sport. Thanks to Initial D, both the Eight Six and the Impreza developed huge and loyal fan bases all over the world. Meanwhile, as the demand for the Eight Six soared in the world of drifting, the Impreza was already a dominating force in the world of rallying, especially in the World Rally Championship.

There is no doubt that the Toyobaru will be expected to live up to both the Sprinter Trueno’s and Impreza’s reputations as race-winning sports cars. It has the best of both worlds – rear wheel drivetrain configuration, unbeaten on the race track, plus a powerful engine.

The question is will fans be able to avail it once it comes into production. There are no reports as of yet whether it will be sold in Europe or America apart from Japan. So all you fans will just have to stay tuned.

Source: World Car Fans

Fate has a way of turning the tables. What used to be Chrysler helping out Lamborghini in times of financial trouble, it’s now the Italians coming to the rescue of what was once Chrysler’s.

The Dodge Viper, now owned by Fiat, is set to get an engine upgrade. The burden of developing its new engine, however, won’t be on Chrysler’s shoulders anymore. Fiat has taken responsibility for its promising sub-brand.

According to Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne himself, the Viper will be sporting a new engine which has roots from Ferrari and Maserati.

Reports reveal that the new 90-degree engine will have a modular design all throughout. Ferrari’s V8 version of it will have a flat-plane crank while Maserati will instead feature the usual cross-plane crank. The Viper, sticking to its American roots, will have pushrods in its V10 version.

The exact specifications of the Italian-sourced engine are still unknown, but one thing’s for sure – the new Viper will serve as Dodge’s flagship model in line with Marchionne’s plans. The CEO says Viper will be like what Miate is to Mazda.

Take note, however, that although Lamborghini was once under Chrysler, the Italians already played a big role in the Viper’s development. It was them who helped create the Viper’s former aluminum V10 engine. Thus, the Viper truly has Italian roots.

Its latest version is probably going to be a lot easier to drive than the old models, which were as tricky and peaky as the old Ferrari’s. It sure as hell, though, won’t lack in sheer muscle. All seems well and good.

With the 2009 Dodge Viper ACR holding the unofficial production car record of the Nurburgring race track in Germany, beating the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1’s 7:26.4 run with 7:22, this latest incarnation has a lot of expectations to meet.

One question still remains though. Will the new Viper be able to defend its predecessor’s Green Hell record, especially with Nissan’s R35 Skyline GT-R coming ever closer to shattering it?

Stay tuned folks. Dodge may be back lapping the ‘Ring sooner than everyone expected, with Nissan and Porsche hot on its heels.

Source: Car and Driver, Jalopnik

Having trouble keeping track of your car’s keys? Losing precious time looking all over the house for the keys that would let you get in your vehicle and start it up? Well, those problems may very well soon be dilemmas of a low-tech past.

Auto makers such as Rinspeed and Chrysler (through its division Global Electric Motors) have equipped their concept cars with iPhone sync-ing capabilities. The ignition systems of both the Rinspeed iChange and the Chrysler Global Electric Motorcars Peapod can be activated through the said handheld smartphone.

Chrysler Global Electric Motorcars Peapod

Rinspeed iChange

Both electric concept cars use a similar technology to enable keyless ignition: an infotainment system incorporates an iPhone dock and, once the iPhone is docked properly, the iPhone authenticates the driver and starts up the ignition system.

“Such concept cars are there to show what is possible,” Hans Roth,director of business development and marketing for Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH, said. But for production vehicles used by real drivers in traffic, “usability is more important than feasibility.” Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH provided the iPhone interface and infotainment system in the iChange concept car.

Some auto makers, however, are already planning to develop more smartphone functions into their driving technologies. Ford, for example, has developed its Sync technology to make many smartphone functions available to drivers. According to Joseph Berry, Sync’s chief architect, Ford is also planing more ways to integrate phone functions into cars.

The Ford 2010 Taurus even offers a “MyKey” peace of mind option. This option allows the parents to limit the car’s top speed, the ability to use the phone while driving, and even the stereo’s volume. How’s that for safe driving?

Source: msnbc.com, Jalopnik, Rinspeed

Yes, you read that right. London-based scientists have revealed a one-of-a-kind creation earlier this month: a racecar made partly from plant fibers, and powered by a biofuel processed from chocolate waste and vegetable oil.

Scientists at the University of Warwick used a mix of vegetable oil and waste from chocolate factories to develop a new kind of biofuel, one that will enable the racecar to accelerate to over 145 miles per hour. The car’s makers are hopeful about the racecar’s capacities on the track.

Aside from running on chocolate, the racecar also has other quirky features. The car’s steering wheel is made of fibers from carrots and other root vegetables, while the car’s seat is built from flax fiber and soybean oil foam.

The car, named the “WorldFirst Formula 3 racing car,” will go on display at several races including the European Grand Prix and Britain’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

 Source: msnbc.com

When it comes to exclusivity, the 2009 Novitec TuLesto has even Aston Martin’s One-77 beat. Built for Novitec’s 20th anniversary as the foremost supercar tuner and also the tuner’s first proprietary car, the two-seater TuLesto is facing a production total of just eleven vehicles. How’s that for exclusive?

 The 2009 TuLesto has more than its limited-edition badge to brag about, too. The coupe’s exterior is made from carbon power and aluminum, giving the TuLesto a lightweight yet rigid body. The supercar’s smooth, sleek curves, which are computer-designed, improve its aerodynamic balance. The interior features carbon-fiber finishes and climate control and sound systems.

Under the TuLesto’s hood sits a 4-4-liter V8 engine, whose twin superchargers are capable of powering the vehicle from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 3.4 seconds. The TuLesto’s top speed is at a nimble 350 kilometers per hour. The engine, with its maximum power output of 777 horsepower, is installed behind the cockpit for ideal weight distribution.

As mentioned, Novitec plans to produce only eleven of these Ferrari-ish beauties. (Novitec is one of Ferrari’s long-time tuners.) And all eleven, according to Edmunds.com are earmarked and spoken for by Novitec’s long-term customers.

Tsk. Some people just have all the luck.

Source:  BusinessWeek, Australian Car Advice

Thanks to Raser Technologies, Inc., the aforementioned seems highly likely.

One year ago at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress in Detroit, Raser Technologies, Inc. announced that the company’s plans of developing a powertrain for an extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) were well underway. Once fully functional, the E-REV powertrain would allow a four-wheel drive SUV to achieve very low emission rates and a fuel efficiency of 100 miles per gallon.

And to demonstrate the E-REV powertrain’s capacities, Raser decided to put it in a notorious gas guzzler: the Hummer H3 SUV. Raser’s plug-in hybrid version of the Hummer H3 indeed achieves the 100 mpg goal, and can go for 40 miles on electricity alone. Once the electric power runs out, the battery can be charged using a 110 or 220-volt household outlet.

“We are excited to be able to demonstrate an electric powertrain for larger vehicles such as trucks and SUVs,” said James Spellman, Vice President, of Transportation for Raser Technologies. “These are the best selling vehicles in America and can benefit the most from increased fuel economy and reduced emissions.”

The Raser Hummer H3 prototype will be making its debut at this year’s SAE World Congress, on April 20 - 23, 2009.

Sources: Automobile Mag, Raser Technologies, Inc., Jalopnik