New Bred It's no secret that Ferrari is preparing a new supercar as part of its Icona Series, as the special name was intended to set up for a special limited production project aimed for the potential customers and collectors with a special style inspired by the Ferrari's historic models.
This legendary Ferrari 330 P4 racing car is said to give an inspiration to the Ferrari's new Icona Series would be launched on November 2021. (Picture from: UltimateHotWheel.boards.net)
As we could seen on earlier of 2018, the Maranello-based automaker unveiled the first Icona Series cars called the Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2 is a pair of speedsteers that pays homage to the two Ferrari's most iconic race cars of the 1950s such as the Ferrari 750 Monza and 860 Monza.
The Ferrari Monza SP1 (right) and SP2 (left) is launched back in 2018 and known as the first Icona Series car. (Picture from: Ferrari)
A quoted of the Carbuzz, rumors have spread if the next Ferrari's Icona Series project will reportedly be inspired by the Ferrari 330 P4, which finished second at the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1967. And the Ferrari's new Icona Series will be revealed in November, even the Ferrari's new retro supercar prototype included in the Icona Series has been spotted several times.
The Ferrari's new retro supercar prototype included in the Icona Series caught on the spy shot. (Picture from: Carbuzz)
Currently, the leaked media invite confirmed when it would debut. Ahead of its debut, invitations have been sent to trusted clients to see the new Ferrari Icona supercar at a private event somewhere in Italy on November 15.
There's a photo shared on Instagram shows one of the invitations being sent to one of the Ferrari Monza owners. In a nice touch, the presentation box includes a chrome-plated shifter. (Picture from: Modifikasi)
Then the car will be presented to the public one week later, precisely on November 21. Finally, Ferrari CEO, Benedetto Vigna confirmed that the Ferrari's new Icona Series car will be revealed this month as the successor to the Monza SP1 and SP2.
The invitation letter has been sent to trusted clients to see the new Ferrari Icona supercar at a private event somewhere in Italy on November 15. (Picture from: Modifikasi)
Interestingly, Ferrari's second Icona Series car was originally set to launch in 2022, but the Ferrari's Chief Financial Officer, Antonio Picca Piccon said the launch was brought forward because of "strong customer needs for the new Icona, which we feel a responsibility to fulfill."
Piccon also added that the deposit for the new Icona will be picked up in 2022. And for now on, we could be only wait and see.😀 *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARBUZZ | MOTORAUTHORITY ]
Ready to Fly Australia, a country which is located in the southernmost part of the planet Earth, turn out also has a long history in the world's automotive, although now the country's automotive industry is almost no longer seem vibes like before. Despite that, as we all know, the land of kangaroos once had Holden, an automotive brand that was quite well known throughout the world.
If the Holden Torana GTR-X could be entered into production line back in the 1970s, it would be a potential rival to the Datsun 240Z. (Picture form: ClassicDriver)
As quoted of Manofmany, the Australian automotive company stopped all local production in 2017. These days, the brand imports its vehicles from plants in Germany, Canada, and the USA. Nevertheless, models like the Holden Commodore (which delivers reliable performance at an affordable price) remain the stuff of legend.
The Holden Torana GTR-X concept is built in 1970 based on the relatively traditional Torana GTR XU-1 coupé. (Picture form: ClassicDriver)
Besides that, this Australian manufacturer also had a mid-sized car called the Holden Torana (the name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "to fly") which was produced between 1967 and 1980. Throughout the 1960s to 1970s the reverberation of sports cars trend seemed to have succeeded in influencing the interest of this Australian manufacturer to develop the sports cars.
The Holden Torana GTR-X concept designed with a pointed nose, steeply raked windscreen and pop-up headlights also fitted with advance technology at the time such 4-wheel vacuum assisted disc brakes, retractable seat belts, foam filled fuel tank and electric windows. (Picture form: ClassicDriver)
In short, then Holden Torana GTR-X concept car was born, initially, was seriously considered for production in the early 1970s. The concept car is built based on the relatively traditional Torana GTR XU-1 coupé, the concept was not only given a ground-up redesign using in-vogue features (a pointed nose, steeply raked windscreen and pop-up headlights), but also featured with advance technology at the time.
The Holden Torana GTR-X concept has the long-grain black vinyl wrapped interior to complete two cozy racing-style seats, a three-spoke steering wheel and also a dashboard full of gauges and buttons. (Picture form: ClassicDriver)
As qouted of Wikipedia, the GTR-X had a fibreglass body appeared into a wedge-shaped 1970s typical styles including a hatchback rear access, and the prototype cars had LC Torana GTR XU-1 mechanical components.
The Holden Torana GTR-X concept is powered by a 3.05-litre Torana GTR XU-1 straight six engine. (Picture form: CarStyling.ru)
The GTR-X looks similar to the iconic sports cars of the 1970s, such as the Maserati Khamsin, Ferrari 308 GT4, Lotus Esprit, and Mazda RX-7, and according to the automaker the 1,043 kg weighted sports car concept capable to run up to a top speed of 210 kph.
The Holden Torana GTR-X concept had a fibreglass body appeared into a wedge-shaped 1970s typical styles including a hatchback rear access. (Picture form: ClassicDriver)
Besides having a beautiful and simple body made of fiberglass, and this is the first car made by Holden to be fitted with four-wheel disc brakes. However, unlike the previous Hurricane concept car also made by this Australian manufacturer, the GTR-X concept is still potentially feasible for production.
The Australian automaker making a lot of promotional materials during the development time of the Holden Torana GTR-X concept to attarct potential customers. (Picture form: ClassicDriver)
At that time Holden made three prototypes and seemed serious enough to work on the project by making a lot of promotional materials to attract potential customers if the car was produced. However, in the end, the domestic market was deemed too small to cover all the expenses associated with the car's production process.
If it was produced, the shapely Australian-made sports car might have made quite a rival for the likes of the Datsun 240Z. Today, one of the Torana GTR-X sports car can be found at the Holden's headquarter in Melbourne, while another two
prototypes were destroyed.😞 Wanna see the Holden retro magic touch named the 'EFIJY Concept' *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CLASSICDRIVER | WIKIPEDIA | MANOFMANY | CARSTYLING.RU ]
Never Seen It After some time ago we have discussed a concept car named the Fiat Scia Concept which is the forerunner of today's Fiat Barchetta. And on this occasion, we will discuss another concept car that is no less beautiful than the Scia Concept earlier.
1996 Fiat Dedica Prototipo (in pictured: sat on display at the 2017 Salon Automotoretro Torino) was dedicated to the former Fiat President Giovanni Agnelli. (Picture from: Flickr)
This beautiful roofless car is one-off prototype built by Gruppo Stola named the Fiat Dedica (an Italian word mean 'Dedication') based of Aldo Brovarone's designwork back in 1996. The designer is a retired designer who used to work with Pininfarina until 1988 and a good friend of Alfredo Stola, managing director of Gruppo Stola.
1996 Fiat Dedica Prototipo built by a Turin based company Stola based of Aldo Brovarone's designwork. (Picture from: ClassicDriver)
Gruppo Stola was a Turin-based company founded in 1919. At the beginning, its core business was concentrated on style models and concept cars for the main manufacturers. Related to the car concept, beside known as the first ever prototype made by Stola under its own brand, the Dedica name comes from the fact that the car was dedicated to the former Fiat President Giovanni Agnelli.
The Fiat Dedica Prototipo project was the first in a series of about twenty prototypes made by Stola from 1996 to 2006. (Picture from: Pinterest)
The Dedica roffless car was built on the basis of the Fiat Barchetta known as one of the legendary spyders of the nineties and features a souped up 2 liter engine from the Coupé Fiat 16V Turbo. This engine capable to spew power up to 262 bhp, which gives the 1,020 kg car a topspeed of 270 kph and an accelaration from zero to 100 kph in 5.8 seconds.
1996 Fiat Dedica Prototipo's interior is slightly changed when compared to its donor, where the center console is removed, and there are no switches for windows or ventilation. (Picture from: Carsthatnevermadeitetc)
When compared to its donor car, the interior is slightly changed, where the center console is removed, and there are no switches for windows or ventilation. This is not surprising as the window is cut to 20 cm so that it cannot be lowered while the two air vents are replaced by additional dials. The steeringwheel, pedals and turqoise leather seats are by Momo.
The Fiat Dedica Prototipo project is powered by 2 liter engine from the Coupé Fiat 16V Turbo and capable to spew power up to 262 bhp, which gives the car a topspeed of 270 kph and an accelaration 0-100 kph in 5.8 seconds. (Picture from: Pinterest)
As for the legs, such the six-spoke rims made by Tecnomagnesio wrapped in the Goodyear Eagle F1 tires, and equipped with the Brembo's 4 airvented brakes which are ready to provide a capable speed deacceleration. (Sorry if the video below doesn't talk about the Fiat Stola Dedica Prototipo).
Uniquely, not only was the aim to produce a 1950's sportscar, but also made using no prepressed sheetmetal but only cardboard templates were used for direct modelling the bodywork, making the car 16 cms wider than its donor.
A nice tough is the top of the dashboard which features the bodycolor of the car: a concept that was used for the prototype barchetta, but didn't make it into the final product! There are no plans for production of any kind. The car is registered with Italian plate and papers and it is road legal. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | FIATBARCHETTA | CLASSICDRIVER | CARROZZIERI-ITAIANI ]
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Staycation in Suburb Interest in the beauty of a place will sometimes also lead to romance that hopes to be remembered forever. We think there are many such things that automotive manufacturers do in development and production. No wonder if then there're many motorized vehicles were born which were named according to the place somewhere that considered to inspire them.
Opel GT/W Geneve was a one-off experiment, a pretty fastback which was specially constructed for Opel’s stand at the 1975 Geneva Auto Show. (Picture from: 95Octane)
And the possibility of the beauty of Lake Geneva is what inspired Opel, one of the famous German automotive manufacturers when giving the name of one of its concept cars which was born in 1975. The car in question was the Opel GT/W Geneve, litterally it's a beautiful 2-seater concept car developed by the German manufacturer after they launched Opel GT back in 1965, and the car first seen at the 1975 Geneva Motor Show.
Opel GT/W Geneve is 2-seater sports car concept is designed to be powered by an rotary Wankel engine, that's why the car was later given the designation GT/W instead of the regular GT. (Picture from: 95Octane)
As qouted of 95Octane, uniquely this 2-seater sports car concept is designed to be powered by an rotary Wankel engine, that's why the car was later given the designation GT/W instead of the regular GT. But unfortunately before it could be entered into Opel's line production, General Motors as the counterpart stopped the Wankel engined sports car project and since then it stucked as the prototype only.
Opel GT/W Geneve was well received when debuted in Geneva although it was still a fiberglass bodied sports car rolling mockup. (Picture from: 95Octane)
In appearance this car looks similar to its American cousin, the previously published Corvette Two-Rotor, designed in Warren Michigan but built in Italy by Pininfarina. However, this Opel GT/W Geneve has hidden headlights, which are most likely the result of variation designs made by Opel designers. At any rate, the car was well received when debuted in Geneva although it was still a fiberglass bodied sports car rolling mockup.
Opel GT/W Geneve rolling prototype is powered by a mid-mounted Opel Diplomat's 5,354 cc V8 engine and is said to be capable of generating power of 230 horsepower, so it can take the car running to a top speed of about 145 mph. (Picture from: LotusEspritTurbo)
Furthermore, as qouted of the AdrianFlux, the car seen here (the bright orange version) is powered by a mid-mounted Opel Diplomat's 5,354 cc V8 engine and is said to be capable of generating power of 230 horsepower, so it can take the car running to a top speed of about 145 mph.
Although only a concept vehicle that was never produced, the Opel GT/W Geneve has given us an overview of the efforts that have been made by this German car manufacturer to develop the Corvette with a touch of European style. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | ADRIANFLUX | LOTUSESPRITTURBO | 95OCTANE ]
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The Unknown This supercars is known developed first by a British auto manufacturer GT Developments in the 1990s and might be included one is rarely recognized to the public. The mentioned car was the Spectre R42 prototype which has has a design resemblance to the legendary Ford GT40 racing car in several parts of its body.
The Spectre R42 is designed by Ray Christopher who poured his design in the 1990s vision inspired by the legendary Ford GT40 racing car. (Picture from: Carswitch)
Why is that, because this car was designed by Ray Christopher who poured his design in the 1990s vision inspired by the GT40. Before he began to dream up his own design in 1991 and planned to be able to sell the cars in October 1993, the auto company he co-founded having built 300-unique re-creation cars.
Ray Christopher (on right) pulls the covers off the first alloy-bodied GTD R42 prototype. (Picture from: Classicandsportscar)
Besides taking design inspiration from the GT40, it turns out that this car is also powered by a mid-mounted Ford V8 engine featured with a transaxle gearbox. And the underpinnings took the concept of the GT40 monocoque and updates it with an innovative folding aluminum and honeycomb composite construction.
The Spectre R42 is powered by a mid-mounted Ford V8 engine featured with a transaxle gearbox. (Picture from: Classicandsportscar)
As for the name of the car, the 'R42,' where the letter of 'R,' as you might have guessed, is borrowed from 'Ray,' the designer's first name while the number of '42' refers to the height of the vehicle from the ground to the roof.
The Spectre R42 sat on display at the RPM tittled movie premiere back in 1997. (Picture from: GTPLanet)
As qouted of the Classic&SportsCar, at the beginning, the designer had big ambitions to be used its creation to race at the Le Sarthe circuit and see it going down the Mulsanne Straight. But then of course, before such goal could be achieved, he had to make a road car. This car is also claimed by the designer to have the best drag coefficient (Cd) in its class of just 0.28.
After the R42's scale model and prototype chassis were ready by the end of 1992, soon its body work began with the aim of the car could be launching at the 1993 London Motor Show. Although the car construction work was successfully completed, due to unfavorable economic conditions plus the high development costs very unfavorable for the GTD's financial condition at the time, so pushed it into receivership in 1994 after only one R42 prototype ever made.
Oddly mounted wheel doesn’t solve the R42’s lack of space, but the
powered rack addresses the main criticism of the unassisted prototype. (Picture from: DriveTribe)
Although the company could be survived, but it should be paid by high-cost, as GTD had to sell the R42's rights for $2.5 million to an American company, Spectre Motors Inc. which led by a former GTD sales agent, Anders Hildebrand. He put the R42 into production line quickly, brought in investors and involved Derek Bell as chairman and development consultant under new company named Spectre Supersports Ltd. then launching the ALCO-Spectre racing program by using the later Spectre R42 GTR.
The Spectre R42's underpinnings took the concept of the GT40 monocoque and updates it with an innovative folding aluminum and honeycomb composite construction. (Picture from: TopWorldAuto)
Initially, the manufacturer had planned will make 200 units of the R42 in 3 years. In reality, the company was only able to make 23 units in 3 years, mainly down to the fact that every car needed 2,000 man hours to be completed. Even to support marketing, in 1997 there were two R42s taking roles in an action movie titled 'RPM.' Unfortunately the movie wasn’t very well received which means the car didn’t get the break that was being hoped for.
Again, the manufacturer experienced serious financial problems, so all production plan had set previously up to the R42 racing program at the 24 Hours of Le Mans were hampered and canceled due to lack of funds.😥
And finally in 1998, the R42 left us for good, never to be the modern GT40 as its designer envisioned and following two Ford concept cars that were initially projected as the GT40's successors, such as the GT70 and GT90 which already had entered the museum without ever being produced.😞 And now, if you want to see the Spectre R42 speeding down the streets, so you can watch it in the mentioned above movie. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | DRIVETRIBE | CLASSIC&SPORTSCAR | CARSWITCH | WIKIPEDIA | GTPLANET | TOPWORLDAUTO ]
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The Shining Path In the world's automotive, Giotto Bizzarini is known as one of the famous automotive design and engineering practitioners. This can be seen in his very long professional career portfolio ranging of several world automotive brands such as Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Iso, Lamborghini up to establishing his own automotive brand based in Livorno, called Bizzarrini SpA.
2006 Bizzarrini Ghepardo GTS Concept by VGM Motors while sat on display at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show with its elder siblings such the Bizzarrini P538 and Bizzarrini Manta Concept. (Picture from: NewAtlas)
It seems that as an entrepreneur, Giotto Bizzarrini lacked talent so the company of his owned had to work hard, rise and fall to just keep going in the tough business world and eventually had to give up when the company was declared bankrupt in 1969. Since then, several attempts have been made to revive the marque.
2006 Bizzarrini Ghepardo GTS Concept by VGM Motors while sat on display at 2006 Villa D'Este Concours D'Elegance show along with the legendary Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada. (Picture from: TopCarRating)
After a long absence of activity, it seems that the automotive world still wants to continue to witness the maestro's creations. This was seen for the first time at the 2005 Geneva Motorshow, when Bizzarrini's marque re-appeared in the long list of exhibitors. Instead the car's name, actually that's only a 'revived' marque that has nothing to do with the original one.
2006 Bizzarrini Ghepardo GTS Concept by VGM
Motors is powered by a BMW's Mecachrome V8 engine which has been modified in such a way becomes 4.1 liters so then it capable of spraying power up to 550 hp @ 10,000 rpm. (Picture from: Drive2.ru)
The mentioned car was the Bizzarrini Ghepardo GTS Concept designed and built by an Italian newly formed company at that time VGM Motors. That's a striking sports coupe built as the Bizzarrini legendary sports car derivatives and displayed in Geneva to show that the sports car manufacturer returned and to ensure all of the expo visitors know, then the legendary Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada shown next to the Ghepardo Concept.
2006 Bizzarrini Ghepardo GTS Concept by VGM
Motors is a perfect blend between the most sophisticated technology at the time
with the best Italian style, and wisely designed to make you feel the
pleasure of driving a very exclusive and sophisticated design car. (Picture from: Drive2.ru)
It can be said that the Bizzarrini GTS 4.1 V is a perfect blend between the most sophisticated technology at the time with the best Italian style, and wisely designed to make you feel the pleasure of driving a very exclusive and sophisticated design car with no need to feel dominated by it. Although it has a number of design signals that look similar in between the two, but if viewed from the sizes, the Ghepardo Concept is slightly larger than the 5300 GT.
2006 Bizzarrini Ghepardo GTS Concept by VGM
Motors is designed and built with such sophisticated interiors to impeccably crafted furnishings. (Picture from: Drive2.ru)
It was also said that the engineers managed to maintain weight to 1,100 kg thanks to the use of aluminum materials and other exotic materials extensively. Instead, the mainframe for production-version is not mentioned, but development work seems to be ongoing at the time.
One of the most typical features of the original Bizzarrini 5300 GT adopted by the Ghepardo Concept is its powertrain location which is very far behind the chassis so that the coil must be accessed through the panel in the dashboard. But now the machine used is not a Chevy V8 but a BMW's Mecachrome V8 engine which has been modified in such a way that it becomes 4.1 liters so then it capable of spraying power up to 550 hp at 10,000 rpm.
2006 Bizzarrini Ghepardo GTS Concept by VGM
Motors is designed and built with such sophisticated interiors to impeccably crafted furnishings. (Picture from: Drive2.ru)
All of these power is then transferred to the rear wheels through a six-speed transaxle which is also made of aluminum. The Alpina-developed V8 engine is claimed to be able to make the acceleration from 0 to100 kph in less than four seconds and reach a top speed of 360 kph. At that time the VGM Motors' representatives indicated the Ghepardo production would begin in early 2006, but after the Geneva Auto Show finished, the Italian company was not heard for more than a year.
2006 Bizzarrini Ghepardo GTS Concept by VGM
Motors has managed to maintain weight to 1,100 kg thanks to the use of aluminum materials and other exotic materials extensively. (Picture from: Drive2.ru)
Only at the 2006 Villa D'Este Concours D'Elegance show, it was seen that a ferocious sounded Bizzarrini Ghepardo Concept came back passing through the Villa Erba park which was followed by the 5300 GT. It's hard to say whether it was intentional, but the car didn't seem to be able to maneuver without tearing up the grass, so it's clear that those silence years is used to do some big modifications on the Ghepardo. This sports car last appeared in public at the 2018 Genena Motor Show along with its elder siblings, the Bizzarrini Manta Concept dan Bizzarrini P538.
And now Bizzarrini under new management after being revived almost a year ago (November, 2020) by the London-based luxury car dealer group Pegasus Brands and a team led by former CEO of Aston Martin, Dr. Ulrich Bez, so then the car had approved as one of the models produced by the Italian marque.
Interestingly, Ferrari's second Icona Series car was originally set to launch in 2022, but the Ferrari's Chief Financial Officer, Antonio Picca Piccon said the launch was brought forward because of "strong customer needs for the new Icona, which we feel a responsibility to fulfill."
