2009 Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic - First Drive Review

With its 2007 models, Maserati incensed a lot of old-school, sports-car fans by doing away with traditional manual transmissions, with their clutch pedals and stick shifts. Maserati went over, along with a herd of other automakers, to what lovers of great Italian sports cars today refer to as “freakin’ automatics,“ or words close to that.

These new “automatics” come with complicated labels— “sequential manuals” and “automated manuals” and “dual-clutch manuals” and require lengthy explanations. Some of them are herky-jerky, maddening devices—the goofy SMG seven-speed sequential gearbox in the BMW M5 comes to mind. For the most part, though, today’s automated manuals have advanced to become slick and rapid gear-changers, so their ascension seems certain. Even Ferrari has been bailing on clutch pedals and stick shifters.

Automatic, But Still Italian at Heart

Which brings us to the third model in Maserati’s GranTurismo lineup—the “Automatic” S model. Its gearbox is not of the tech-chic modern variety, but instead is a rather unspectacular ZF hydraulic six-speed automatic with a traditional torque converter—very similar to what you’d find in a BMW 650i. What it accomplishes are impressively smooth gear changes to go with the company’s impressively smooth grand-tourer image. The ZF shifts the 4.7-liter V-8’s 433 hp with an impressive fluidity that causes not so much as a whiff at the hairline through the gears. Long paddle shifters in the shadow of the steering wheel send the signals, and are amusingly embossed with DOWN on the left paddle and UP on the right. Zero to 62 mph should come in 4.9 seconds, Maserati says, and top speed is governed at 183 mph.

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Ferrari to Unveil F450 Concept in Frankfurt?

F450 has been spied sporting a longer wheelbase and wider track than the F430. The F450 features a 4.5 liter V8 with about 550 hp coupled to a double-clutch gearbox seen in the California.

Dodge Pulls Plug On Circuit EV Electric Sports Car?

Autocar's sources claim the Dodge Circuit EV program has been put on hold indefinitely, meaning the Tesla Roadster-competitor got unplugged before ever seeing the light of day.

Less than a month after Chrysler ran a full page ad in our national newspapers and also finalizing a deal with A123 Systems to supply the battery packs, a heavy-handed rumor is coming down the stream that the whole project might be dead in the water causing at least one question to be raised: Was the Dodge Circuit EV ever intended for production or was it just a clever marketing tool for Chrysler to put in front of congress in order to receive government aid? The answer, if this news is correct, is abundantly clear as sliding a freshly-baked electric halo vehicle under the nose of congress is a pretty eye-catching way to show that Chrysler is making exciting attempts to both build an electric brand that will garner plenty of public attention, potentially translating into sales of other brand vehicles, and to show that extensive work is being done to provide a green vehicle lineup.

On the realistic, non-conspiracy theory side of things, it's likely that the Circuit EV was canceled (if it actually was) because of Chrysler's current financial dilemma. Either way, we were hopeful that this vaporware exciting electric sports car would eventually make it to market. [lotusenthusiast via autocar]

First Drive: Autoblog drives the 50th Anniversary Hurst Viper - first! [w/VIDEO]

Click above for high-res image gallery of the Hurst 50th Anniversary Hurst Viper

Ron Flint, president of Hurst Performance, is quick to let you know that founder George Hurst's original intent was to make hot rods for gentlemen. It is ironic, then, that for the revived company's 50th anniversary, it has thrown its energies into a car that isn't a hot rod, and certainly isn't for gentlemen: a Dodge Viper. Leaving the heart of the beast well enough alone, Hurst merely tinkered with some oily bits, stuffed the thing with leather, and then slathered it in a hue something like a monochrome sunset. Autoblog was invited to be the first to drive the Hurst 50th Anniversary Dodge Viper, and you know what we discovered? There's (matte) gold in them thar hills. Follow the jump for the story and video of our drive, and be sure to check out the gallery of gorgeous high-res images below.

SSC Ultimate Aero EV - 200 miles with 10 minutes recharging!?

We like stuff that comes from Shelby SuperCars (SSC) because its fast. The Ultimate Aero currently holds the record for world's fastest production car at 256 mph, and the 2009 car is promised to be even faster. So when SSC announced it will build the world's fastest electric car last summer, we thought we might have a reason to start getting excited about EV cars (no offense Tesla). SSC decided to release a few details about its progress on the electric supercar, and its having (...)

Bugatti Veyron yields world's priciest roostertails

Click above to watch three videos of the Bugatti Icecapades after the jump

Adding a supercar to your collection is cool. Getting your supercar out on the streets, in traffic, is even better. Taking your Bugatti Veryon to a snow track and getting it sideways for the cameras... well, that's the bees knees. Someone in Sweden - with a "16-4EB67" plate, no less - has done just that. And we like it. Whoever you are driving this car, we nominate you for cool pants. There are three vids; parts one and three are the appetizer and dessert. About a minute into part two is when the show begins. But enough talking - check them all out after the jump. Hat tip: Mike231s/c
[Source: YouTube]

Rare Kodiak F1 gullwing prototype on eBay

click the picture above for a gallery of the Kodiak F1

"It's not a kit car" will be an oft-repeated phrase for the new owner of this Kodiak F1. Billed as a 1 of 1 car, though the seller mentions another prototype with Mercedes power, this German daydream of an '80s super coupe has been bid up to $48,000 so far. The composite body covers a tubular frame in the same fashion as airplanes are built, apparently, and power comes from a Corvette small block. The Kodiak F1 made its debut at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show, the pet project of Mladen Mitrovic. Mitrovic's company, Speed and Sport, manufactured convertible roofs and other parts, and the chief wanted to fulfill his sports car dreams.
The mid-engined two seater was planned with a standard blueprinted 350 carrying aluminum Brodix heads and a quartet of Webers or Bosch fuel injection for roughly 320-340 horsepower. Optional powerplants were 5.0 liter Mercedes V8s, one stock, one breathed-upon by then-independent AMG to the tune of 380hp. This car would have been just the thing to make coked-up Countach and Testarossa drivers feel like commoners in Chevettes. We're not sure why the Kodiak never made it much past pie-in-the-sky spec sheets and a pair of prototypes. On paper, it sounds like it would be a better performer than the underwhelming DeLorean turned out to be, though cost was likely a big factor, ringing up a bill of $117,000 or so in 1986. Get your bids in now, and you may be the lucky one cracking your temple on those gullwings every time you get in.