KING is Here! Among the many American muscle cars, the Ford Mustang name, which was first released in 1964, is probably at the top. However, unlike many of its competitors in those early years, the Mustang name is still going strong and growing to this day. Meanwhile, the Mustang, also known as The Pony Car continues to help defining the next generation of American great cars.
1968 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 KR Fastback. (Picture from: OldCarNutz)
Mustangs were among the most popular cars on the road in the latter half
of the 1960s. The cars that Shelby American had built from the base
Mustangs were creating a performance image that has endured to this day. It's undeniable, all the Shelby Mustangs are special, but the one that sticks out to most gearheads is the 1968 Shelby Cobra GT500 KR.
1968 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 KR Convertible. (Picture from: NewportCarMuseum)
As quoted of HotCars, the emergence of the iconic model began when Ford and Shelby felt they could raise the bar even higher for flat-out
speed when they adopted the brand-new version of the 428 Police
Interceptor engine, which was fitted with improved-breathing heads and
larger exhaust manifolds, was dubbed the 428 Cobra Jet.
1968 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 KR Fastback. (Picture from: HotCars)
After they had finished developing the 428 Cobra-Jet special engine, and would offer it as an option for select models. And at that time Carroll Shelby made sure it to be used as the driving force of his GT500 lineups. Thus it was certain that the Cobra-Jet powered GT500 would be the top-of-the-line Shelby for 1968.
1968 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 KR Fastback. (Picture from: CarAndDriver)
While related to the model name, which was obtained by Carroll Shelby during a meeting with Lee Iacocca, who informed him that Chevrolet soon be releasing a new version of the Corvette which would be called King of the Road. At the time Shelby wanted that name for one of his cars and thought the Cobra-Jet powered GT500 was the perfect platform. After the meeting he then contacted his patent attorney to see if anyone had acquired the rights to the name; apparently no one has. Then immediately he registered and secured the rights to the name, thus the GT500 KR or the King of the Road was born.
1968 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 KR Fastback. (Picture from: CarAndDriver)
Well, the original Shelby Cobra GT500 KR was introduced a mid-year of 1968, and built based on the Shelby GT500 was featured with a redesigned front-end, hood and rear-end were made of fiberglass as an effort to reduce the car’s weigh. As Ford added "Cobra" to the Shelby moniker to help "usher in a new era of performance" at the company, and it's reffered to the new 428 Cobra Jet V8 engine planted under the KR's custom fiberglass hood. While in its brochure, the KR's Cobra Jet 428 engine was rated at “just” 335 horsepower to fool the competitors and the insurance companies. In fact, the engine puts out at least 400 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque.😅
1968 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 KR Fastback. (Picture from: HotCars)
The engine was backed by a C6 automatic transmission which sent power to a 3.50:1 Traction-Lok rear axle.The King of the Road set impressive times for that era, making 0-60 in 6.9 seconds, a quarter-mile in 14.8 seconds, and boasting a trap speed of 103 mph and a top speed of 140 mph. Additionally, the KR had power disc brakes, under-hood suspension bracing and staggered rear shocks to prevent axle wind-up and wheel hop, and all of those is offered for both the Fastback and Convertible models, making the KR the best of the best.
Furthermore, the King of the Road was also equipped with shoulder harnesses, GT equipment group, visibility group, Sport Deck rear seat, power steering, tilt-away steering wheel, AM radio, interior décor group, as well as a tachometer and trip odometer. During 1968, Ford dealers managed to sell around 1,570 GT500KRs, consisting of 1,053 fastbacks and 517 convertibles. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | OLDCARNUTZ | HOTCARS | AUTOEVOLUTION | CARANDDRIVER | JKGALERIA | SCHMITT | NEWPORTCARMUSEUM ]
Rare GEMS For those of you, game fans from the late 1980s to early 1990s, did you remembered with the arcade game titled OutRun which was first released in 1986 on the Sega platform? Well, the game invites us to compete with dexterity to pass many obstacles while driving a roadster that at first glance is similar to the Ferrari Testarossa which in fact the model has not been made by this Italian prancing horse logoed automaker at the time.
Ferrari Testarossa Spider OutRun is built by Pininfarina in 1990 and inspired with similar car existed on the 1986 arcade game titled OutRun. (Picture from: RM Sothebys)
Who would have thought that as Yu Suzuki and AM2's classic arcade OutRun grew famous at that time, it turned out that there were a rich fan whose interested in the roadster' design which at first glance resembled the Ferrari sports car, and then commissioned to Pininfarina to make it into real in 1990, and called Ferrari Testarossa Spider OutRun.
The similar car appeared on the 1986 arcade game titled OutRun, then inspired someone to turn it into the Ferrari Testarossa Spider OutRun through Pininfarina in 1990. (Picture from: Autogids.be)
As is well known, during that era Pininfarina was known to handle a lot of work on building special models of prancing horses for special clients such as the Sultan of Brunei or his younger brother, Jefri Bolkiah. As far as we know (details, as ever, are sketchy) as many as seven units of the Testarossa Spiders (were built by Pininfarina) went to the Sultan and his royal family.
Ferrari Testarossa Spider OutRun was commissioned by one of Pininfarina's 'important clients', who rewarded the coachbuilder's hard work by never registering the car for road use or driving it. (Picture from: RM Sothebys)
After all, the car we are discussing today is not actually one of ex-Bruneian Ferraris. Instead, it was commissioned by another Pininfarina's 'important client', who rewarded the coachbuilder's hard work by never registering the car for road use or driving it, really.
Ferrari Testarossa Spider OutRun has a unique convertible top, and is still in very good condition, from the exterior to the engine with the odometer only 400 km. (Picture from: TopGear)
Then who actually commissioned this Testarossa Spider OutRun? No one knows. As quoted of Top Gear, that the only one spider ever made with the prancing horse emblem was made specifically for Gianni Agnelli, the boss of the Italian automotive giant, Fiat once acquired Ferrari back then, namely the silver one with a blue roof.
Ferrari Testarossa Spider OutRun is powered by a 5-liter 12-cylinder inline engine which is said to be capable of providing an output of 375 horsepower with 470 Nm of torque. (Picture from: TopGear)
Furthermore, the unique car with a convertible roof itself is equipped with a 5-liter 12-cylinder inline engine which is said to be capable of providing an output of 375 horsepower with 470 Nm of torque. And with that much boost of engine power, the Ferrari Testarossa Spider OutRun accelerates from rest to 100 kph in 5.7 seconds, and is driven up to a top speed of 290 kph.
Ferrari Testarossa Spider OutRun accelerates from rest to 100 kph in 5.7 seconds, and is driven up to a top speed of 290 kph. (Picture from: TopGear)
Maybe some of you are curious about the price? So it just so happened that in early November 2022, this one-of-a-kind car was auctioned off by RM Sothebys in London. At the time, the car is still in very good condition, from the exterior to the engine with a travel record on the odometer, only about 400 kilometers.
Not surprisingly, this prancing horse iconic roadster is highly coveted by automotive collectors. Moreover, the Testarossa Spider OutRun has restored by Pininfarina and Ferrari in Maranello. Well, after going through a fierce auction process, finally the red roadster sold for £1.4 or around Rp.26 billion. WOW!! It's a kind of precious four-wheeled gems. 😉 *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | PCGAMER | TOPGEAR | RM SOTHEBYS | WIKIPEDIA | AUTOGIDS ]
Unique ONES Something unique will never go unnoticed, and that was the case when the SEMA 2022 event was held in Las Vegas some time ago, where there were several automotive works that caught our attention. And one of them is the Enyo, which is the work of the famous car-builder, Ringbrothers based on 1948 Chevrolet Loadmaster pickup. Well, as quoted of Carscoops, for the beautiful and unique final form of this super truck, it requires this Wisconsin-based workshop to spend up to 10,000 hours of work.
1948 Chevrolet Loadmaster 'Enyo' Custom by Ringbrothers delivers CAD designed trim and parts that are all cut in-house, in a such way they have successfully combined big box truck cab and big-sized engine. (Picture from: KabarOto)
As previously mentioned, this super truck that bears the name of the Greek goddess of war, 'Enyo,' is custom built based on the classic 1948 Chevrolet Loadmaster pickup with a long process under extraordinary quality workmanship. As you can see, Enyo delivers CAD designed trim and parts that are all cut in-house at the Ringbrothers machining facilities, in a such way they have successfully combined big box truck cab and big-sized engine.
1948 Chevrolet Loadmaster 'Enyo' Custom by Ringbrothers is only filled with two seats, and coupled with a very neat and luxurious interior made of carbon fiber. (Picture from: KabarOto)
The majority of Enyo's super truck body is made using an extensive carbon fiber component. Furthermore, Ringbrothers successfully combined the cabin and engine to the same chassis as in the IndyCar cars, coupled with a special design exhaust so as to produce a thunderous car sound. While the legs are supported by Öhlins-made suspensions combined with four costum rims wrapped of racing specification tires of Goodyear Eagle.
1948 Chevrolet Loadmaster 'Enyo' Custom by Ringbrothers is powered by Goodwind V8 high-deck racing engine with a capacity of 8,400 cc capable to burst out a power of around 1,000 hp. (Picture from: KabarOto)
On the back of the cabin, there's a radiator which its existence at a glance is hindered by two large electric fans upon it. The radiator is positioned close to the rear axle, and deliberately made high so it is not too close to the road surface, because the posture of the Enyo super truck is very low.
1948 Chevrolet Loadmaster 'Enyo' Custom by Ringbrothers has a radiator which its existence at a glance is hindered by two large electric fans upon it. (Picture from: KabarOto)
For the cabin, it does not look much different from the donor, which can only be filled with two seats. Well, the difference is seen in the final touch which is very neat and luxurious made of carbon fiber with the dashboard covered with an elegant genuine leather, accompanied by a simple design steering wheel, but confirms the modern impression thanks to the touch of silver color accents.
1948 Chevrolet Loadmaster 'Enyo' Custom by Ringbrothers bodywork is made using an extensive carbon fiber component, coupled with a special design exhaust so as to produce a thunderous car sound. (Picture from: Carscoops)
As a result, the Enyo super truck, which is powered by the Goodwind V8 high-deck racing engine with a capacity of 8,400 cc capable to burst out a power of around 1,000 hp coupled with a rear-wheel drive system, managed to grab prestigsious awards for several categories of custom builders, including winning the SEMA Battle of the Builders presented by Mothers Polish as the 2022 Best Overall Build.
And for those of you who have never seen the work of this Wisconsin-based custom car workshop, maybe you can immediately take a look at one of the works we have discussed before, such the ADRNLN, a gorgeous modification result car worked by the Ringbrothers in 2013 based on the 1971 De Tomaso Pantera. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | THE RINGBROTHERS | CARSCOOPS ]
NEXT EV Recently We've found a series of images related to the forerunner successor Lexus LFA supercar appeared in cyberspace which are then predicted to be released soon, and reportedly, this model will later carry a full electric propulsion system.
Here's the Lexus LFA successor seems to be on the horizon, it'll likely be called the Lexus LFR, and turn into full electrified sports. (Picture from: LexusOwners)
From what we could be seen, the concept car also takes design inspiration from the previous supercar, the Lexus LFA, but is made more modern. One of them seen at the back, under the lights there are air vents, like those on the old generation LFA.
The Lexus LFA successor takes design inspiration from the previous supercar, the Lexus LFA, but is made more modern.. (Picture from: CarBuzz)
Likewise on the legs with the use of center-lock striped rims measuring 20 inches, at the front and 21 inches at the rear, with a design similar to the previous version. But the design of stacked LFA exhaust holes has not been carried over to this latest supercar. Even so, the overall design of the rear bumper is reminiscent of the LFA with a larger diffuser.
Previously, information regarding the latest Lexus LFA successor supercar was informed by the Carbuzz, that's the Lexus LFA supercar filed the name with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
The Lexus LFA successor's legs used center-lock striped rims measuring 20 inches, at the front and 21 inches at the rear, with a design similar to the previous version. (Picture from: CarBuzz)
Even though the name of the new Lexus car is not mentioned yet, it is very likely that it will carry the name Lexus LFR, and is built based on the TNGA-L platform, as the LFA conventional version successor. As quoted of Carbuzz, the LFR nomenclature was rumored on the public internet forum Reddit, but today's trademarks come as the first official confirmation of such a name. The Lexus LFR supercar will later carry the electrified sport car concept which will get several special feature developments that previously existed in the LFA model, especially regarding electrification.
The Lexus LFA successor will be provided with a battery system that will allow it to be driven as far as 700 km on a single full charge. (Picture from: CarBuzz)
Unfortunately, there's no specific data has been found except that the car will be provided with a battery system that will allow it to be driven as far as 700 km on a single full charge. Furthermore, as a supercar, its acceleration capabilities could be said also quite capable, due to according of some sources, that the Lexus LFR supercar can accelerate from still to 100 kph in less than 2 seconds.
However, rumourly that the drivetrain is capable of producing up to 1,000 hp. Apart from that, there are also those who say that the Lexus LFR supercar will instead be crammed with a hybrid drive system with a 700 hp twin turbo V8 engine combined with the Toyota's virtual 3-pedal manual transmission system, which was recently patented in February 2022.
The Lexus LFA Nürburging Edition is the last model launched back in 2021 and produced 50 units only. (Picture from: RoadAndTrack)
For comparison, the LFA conventional version model only produces around 563 hp, with an engine sound that resembles the Formula-1 racing car. The LFA successor model lastly appeared at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in early 2022, as we all knew that the Lexus electric supercar specifications have not been revealed much so far. It is very likely that this car will become the forerunner of the Lexus sports car before actually leaving conventional engines for other vehicle models in the future.
The Lexus LFA Nürburging Edition is sold for $1.6 million or around Rp.23 billion at an auction event held around the end of 2021. (Picture from: RoadAndTrack)
For your information, the Lexus LFA itself is a luxury supercar that has a price tag of 6 digits of US dollars when it's first launched in 2010. For the last time this model released its Nürburging Edition, which produced back in 2021, immediately became a bone of contention for many rich auto collectors. The latest news further cemented its label as one of high-class luxurious supercars when one of these cars sold for $1.6 million or around Rp.23 billion at an auction event held around the end of 2021.
That's why if its next electric version is present, then the existing luxury must be maintained. Thus, it does not eliminate the history that has been made on this model before. This is a review of the newest successor to the Lexus LFA supercar which is likely to be launched in 2025 as a full electric-powered ones, and renamed to be the Lexus LFR. What we can do now only wait and see. 👹 *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | LEXUSOWNERS | AUTOCAR | CARBUZZ | ROADANDTRACK | CARSCOOPS ]
New BEAST Each one that is specially made to be able to roll quickly definitely has its own interesting story to watch. So that's what happened recently caught our attention when Praga, an automotive company from the Czech Republic, has revealed its latest creation named the Praga Bohema in the form of a pre-production road legal hypercar prototype which reportedly has high performance despite its light weight.
The Praga Bohema is a 2-seater hypercar that has a unique bodywork built based on a carbon fiber monocoque chassis coupled with a fully adjustable suspension for circuit purposes, with a light weight of around 982 kg. (Picture from: Autocar)
For your information, Praga is a Czech's automotive company that has been operating for 115 years and is known for producing racing cars, karts, go-karts and airplanes. And its-newest Praga Bohema is a 2-seater hypercar that has a unique bodywork built based on a carbon fiber monocoque chassis coupled with a fully adjustable suspension for circuit purposes, with a light weight of around 982 kg (without fuel).
The Praga Bohema's innovative aerodynamic design provides more than 900 kg of downforce at 250 kph with a top speed up to of 300 kph. (Picture from: BlackXperience)
The aerodynamically inspired design of the car doesn't take away from the elegant and eye-catching design of the bodywork to ensure the car looks fast, and good looking, developed by Praga's small but talented team of engineers and designers, and then perfected in the F1 team's wind tunnel. So no wonder if the innovative aerodynamic design provides more than 900 kg of downforce at 250 kph with a top speed up to of 300 kph.
The aerodynamically inspired design of the Praga Bohema doesn't take away from the elegant and eye-catching design of the bodywork to ensure the car looks fast, and good looking. (Picture from: KabarOto)
The Praga Bohema has an ergonomic interior in a narrow cockpit that is aerodynamically honed but can accommodate two adults with a height of about two meters on its racing-buket seats, fully adjustable steering wheel and pedals, spacious luggage space, air conditioning (AC). and rear visibility camera system. Specifically, the Bohema cockpit is structurally designed with the target weight is only 34 kg all-around (as a focus to keep the car's weight under 1,000 kg) that's consisting with 56 individual carbon parts, then trimmed with high quality Alcantara and leather.
The Praga Bohema is powered by a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 engine adopted from the Nissan GT-R which can give off an output power of around 700 hp and a peak torque of 725 Nm. (Picture from: BlackXperience)
Regarding the drivetrain, the Czech Republic automaker has equipped the Bohema with a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 engine adopted from the Nissan GT-R which can give off an output power of around 700 hp and a peak torque of 725 Nm, and is claimed to be able to provide very high performance on the track. The engine is paired with a Hewland-made sequential gearbox with a robotic clutch to transfer engine power to support a unique on-road experience with track-focused performance.
The Praga Bohema has an ergonomic interior in a narrow cockpit that is aerodynamically honed but can accommodate two adults with a height of about two meters inside. (Picture from: KabarOto)
Although the engine power output figures are not too impressive compared as other supercars, on the other hand the Praga Bohema has a very light weight, which is 982 kg as a blessing from the use of a carbon fiber monocoque chassis and carbon fiber body panels. Thus it is not surprising that Praga claims its Bohema hyperbeast can accelerate from 0-100 kph in less than 2.3 seconds and can be driven to a top speed of up to 300 kph.
The Praga Bohema's
cockpit is structurally designed with the target weight is only 34 kg
all-around (as a focus to keep the car's weight under 1,000 kg) that's
consisting with 56 individual carbon parts. (Picture from: KabarOto)
While the legs use an independent suspension system that can be adjusted and operated with pushrods mounted horizontally for maximum travel while minimizing the height of the car. Thus in the Praga Bohema development, the engineers were still able to maintain a supple enough suspension for road use without having to resort to expensive adaptive suspension systems.
The Praga Bohema can accelerate from 0-100 kph in less than 2.3 seconds and can be driven to a top speed of up to 300 kph. (Picture from: BlackXperience)
Furthermore, the wheels are 18 inches in diameter at the front and 19 inches at the rear which are centrally locked to offer on-road compliance through the large tire walls, however, while Bohema will receive 18-inch wheels, the manufacturer is also said to ensure compatibility with tire dimensions in accordance with FIA GT3 specs. The brake system uses a lightweight but durable 380 mm carbon ceramic disc with 6-piston calipers, front and rear.
The Praga Bohema is produced only 89 units, as a tribute for the 89th Anniversary of Praga's historic victory in the 1933 Czechoslovak 1000 Mile race. (Picture from: Autocar)
And according to former Formula 1 and current IndyCar racer, Romain Grosjean who is known to be involved in the project, and has also tested the hypercar on the challenging 6 km Slovak Ring circuit in recent testing. As quoted by Autocar, he specifically highlighted the car's seamless transition from road to track while delivering extensive sessions.
Romain Grosjean posed along with the Praga Bohema after tested it on the challenging 6 km Slovak Ring circuit. (Picture from: KabarOto)
"I was amazed by Bohema's excellent performance on the track, its accessibility on the road and the ease of transition between the two," said Romain.
The Czech Republic automaker will provide full specifications of its latest hypercar ahead of its production in 2023. And reportedly only 89 units of this car will be produced worldwide, as a tribute for the 89th Anniversary of Praga's historic victory in the 1933 Czechoslovak 1000 Mile racing. So for those of you who those who have plans to own it, you can start preparing the money because the plan is that Praga Bohema will be sold at a starting price range of €1.28 million or $1.34 million (around Rp. 20.5 billion).💥 *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | PRAGA GLOBAL | AUTOCAR ]
Furthermore, the King of the Road was also equipped with shoulder harnesses, GT equipment group, visibility group, Sport Deck rear seat, power steering, tilt-away steering wheel, AM radio, interior décor group, as well as a tachometer and trip odometer. During 1968, Ford dealers managed to sell around 1,570 GT500KRs, consisting of 1,053 fastbacks and 517 convertibles. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | OLDCARNUTZ | HOTCARS | AUTOEVOLUTION | CARANDDRIVER | JKGALERIA | SCHMITT | NEWPORTCARMUSEUM ]
