New BMW V8 M3

Price:
$65k

Specs:
First-ever V8 M3 3,999 cc weight of motor:445 lb
New engine weighs 33 lbs. less than the outgoing M3's six-cylinder
420 horsepower/295 lb-ft at 3900 rpm, 8400 rpm max
0-62 mph in 4.8 seconds, 155 mph top speed (electronically limited)
6-speed manual tranny
All-new aluminum suspension
Carbon fiber reinforced roof
Regenerative braking used to power the car's on-board network
Variable camshaft control, low-pressure double-VANOS for an
optimum charge cycle, system offering full power and performance even with normal engine oil pressure.
Eight individual throttle butterflies
Ion flow technology recognising and distinguishing engine knocking phenomena as well as misfiring and miscombustion by measurement of ion flow in the combustion chambers.
Consistent and reliable oil supply with longitudinal and lateral acceleration up to 1.4 g ensured by two oil pumps and wet sump oil lubrication


Interesting Facts:
-The engine block of the new eight-cylinder comes straight from BMW's light-alloy foundry in Landshut near Munich, where BMW also builds the engine blocks for the Company's Formula 1 racing cars.
- Ion Flow Technology
A particular highlight in engine management is ion flow technology detecting any knocking in the engine as well as the risk of misfiring or miscombustion. Contrary to conventional processes and technologies, this function is
now performed directly where it counts, that is right there in the combustion chamber itself. To provide this highly efficient control, each cylinder is monitored and controlled via the spark plug to determine any knocking tendency. At the same time the system checks the ignition for smooth and correct operation, and recognises any misfiring.The spark plug therefore serves as an actuator for the ignition and as a sensor observing the combustion process, distinguishing in this way between miscombustion and misfiring. And through this double function performed by the spark plug, diagnostic requirements in maintaining and servicing the engine are also facilitated.

-Brake Energy Regeneration.
To further enhance the efficiency of the new V8 power unit, Brake Energy Regeneration ensures intelligent engine current management concentrating the generation of electric power for the on-board network on the overrun phases and the application of the brakes. This serves to charge the car's battery without tapping on engine power and, accordingly on the energy contained in the fuel burnt. As long as the engine is running under power, on the other hand, accelerating and pulling the car, the alternator generally remains disconnected.
Apart from particularly efficient generation of electric current, this also helps to provide more drive power when accelerating, making the car even more dynamic and agile on the road.


My Opinion:
I think the new v8 E92 M3 is fantastic. No only does it have more power than the old inline 6 but it's lighter even sporting the two extra cylinders.The amount of new technology put into this car is amazing better yet the craftsmanship of the motor/body/interior/suspension etc. are nothing short of the word phenomenal.I mean I really wouldn't expect anything less from a BMW wearing an "M" badge.From what I've gathered through articles on M3 the handling is superb on the track and the high revving v8 makes it that much better. With some minor modifications such as full exhaust,CAI,Headers and a tune you should see some significant gains, in my eyes it has been restricted a good amount to conform with regulations here in the states.

Here are some pictures of the "PowerHouse Amuse Ericsson E92 M3"
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106439

Nissan Skyline R35 GTR

Pricing: $70k

Engine Specs:
VR38DETT twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V6.480 hp @ 6,800 rpm. 430 lb-ft torque @ 3,200 - 5,200 rpm.
Dual overhead camshafts with variable intake-valve timing.
Cast aluminum block
IHI twin turbochargers, one per cylinder bank.
Pressurized lubrication system with thermostatically controlled cooling.

Drivetrain:
ATTESA ET-S All-Wheel Drive (AWD) with independent rear-mounted transaxle integrating transmission, differential and AWD transfer case.
Lightweight carbon-composite driveshaft between engine and transaxle.
Electronic traction control plus 1.5-way mechanically locking rear differential.

Transmission:
6-speed Dual Clutch Transmission with three driver-selectable modes
Fully automatic shifting or full sequential manual control via gearshift or steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
Dual clutch design changes gears in less than 0.5 second (0.2 second in R mode).
Downshift Rev Matching (DRM).
Predictive pre-shift control (in R mode) based on throttle position, vehicle speed, braking and other information.

Wheels/Tires/Brakes:
20 x 9.5" (front) and 20 x 10.5" (rear) super-lightweight forged-aluminum wheels
Exclusively developed nitrogen-filled Bridgestone RE070A high-capacity run-flat summer tires, 255/40R20 front and 285/35R20 rear.
Brembo 4-wheel disc brakes with 4-wheel Antilock Braking System (ABS), Brake Assist, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Preview Braking.
Two-piece floating-rotor 15-inch front and rear discs with diamond-pattern internal ventilation.
6-piston front/4-piston rear monoblock calipers.


Suspension/Body/Chassis:
4-wheel independent suspension with Bilstein DampTronic system with three driver-selectable modes
Electronically controlled variable-rate shock absorbers. High-accuracy progressive-rate coil springs.
Front double-wishbone/rear multi-link configuration with aluminum members and rigid aluminum subframes.
Hollow front and rear stabilizer bars.
Exclusive Premium Midship platform with jig-welded hybrid unibody.
Aluminum hood, trunk and door skins. Die-cast aluminum door structures.
Carbon-reinforced front crossmember/radiator support.

Exterior:
High Intensity Discharge (HID) low beams.
LED taillights and brake lights.
Dual heated power mirrors.
Body-color rear spoiler with integrated center high-mounted stop light.
UV-reducing tinted glass


Interior:
Automatic Temperature Control (ATC).
Electronic analog instrument cluster with multi-function trip computer and digital gear indicator.
Power front windows with one-touch auto-up/down feature.
Intelligent Key system with pushbutton start. Power door locks.
Tilt/telescoping steering column.
Bluetooth� Hands-free phone system with voice recognition.
Leather upholstered front seats with perforated Alcantara inserts.
Heated front seats.
Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.
Aluminum pedals
Nissan Advanced Air Bag System (AABS) with dual-stage supplemental front air bags, seat belt sensors and occupant-classification sensor.
Driver and front-passenger side-impact supplemental air bags and roof-mounted curtain supplemental air bags.
Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System.
Vehicle Security System.
Digital Bose audio system with AM/FM/in-dash 6-CD changer and 11 speakers including dual subwoofers.
HDD Music Box system, including hard drive with 9.4 GB for audio storage.
MP3, WMA and DVD audio capable. In-dash Compact Flash card reader.
HDD-based GPS navigation with touch screen.
Driver-configurable performance monitor, developed with Sony Polyphony, with graphical readouts of vehicle data and driving data displayed on a total of 11 screens.
7-inch WVGA high-resolution color-LCD display for audio, navigation and performance monitor.

725 Horsepower Shelby Super Snake

Specs:
Ford racing supercharged 5.4L Modular v8
20" Forged alloy wheels
RWD
Live Rear Axle
6 Speed Manual Transmission
Baer 6 piston brakes and drilled/slotted rotors
Adjustable dampers
Tuned stabilizer bars
Front Strut tower brace
Ford Racing short-throw shifter
Carbon composite hood
Borla Exhaust
Front brake cooling ducts
Carbon-fiber front splitter


EST: $72,000
600 Horsepower (Warranty)
725+ (No Warranty)


My Opinion:
Great novelty car. Great competition for the z06. Seriously though? $22-25k more than the gt500? For what? Suspension,Shelby badging,random carbon fiber parts,20" inch wheels,brakes,exhaust and cooling ducts. I suppose with all the after market parts everything adds up. But it's a shame you can only get the 600hp version with a warranty and not the 725hp version. I think it's a stunning looking mustang but IMO it's more of a collectors car and a weekend car.

In all honesty I would just buy a Gt500 stock and spend about $2k in mods and run 9's.Such as the car in the video below, the mods to the car are also listed below.

Mods:
JLT Carbon Fiber CAI
2.5 Pulley
75 shot nitrous
Headers
Slicks
Dyno Tuned Making:
664 RWHP and 788 RWTQ
9.96 @141.45 MPH



Pros:
Ford Racing Supercharged 5.4L modular v8
Baer 6 piston brakes
Brake cooling ducts
Carbon fiber hood/trim/front splitter
Adjustable dampers
Cockpit gauges
Borla Exhaust
Short throw shifter
Slotted/Cross drilled rotors
Capable 725+ horsepower
All around look/stance/performance

Cons:
Price
20" inch wheels
725 Horsepower (No Warranty)

Mitsubishi Evolution X

Evolution X Models:
RS ($26,134 USD)
GSR ($32,697 USD) SST 6 speed
GSR ($30,473 USD) Manual 5 Speed

Specs:
4B11 MIVEC 4 Cylinder Turbo aluminum block
295 HP and 300TQ
5 Speed or Twin Clutch SST 6 speed
AWD
All Lancer Evolution X GSR models are fitted with the S-AWC vehicle dynamics control system. The system intelligently manages several component systems to regulate drive torque and braking force at each wheel.

My opinion:
I think the new Evolution X is over estimated performance wise. I watched a video last night on youtube(also Posted in this blog), they had the new Evolution X in 5 speed and the SST 6 speed put them up against a EVO IX,New STI,OLD STI on a race track with very good professional drivers and the new Evo X's were having trouble keeping up with all of them.With all this talk about certain components moved to the trunk,race tuned suspension,paddle shifting,new adjustable suspension/awd technology,more power,less weight,light BBS wheels,better brakes,lower center of gravity you would think it would annihilate the competition. But is doesn't. The front of the Evolution X is very aggressive and looks mean although I would have painted the cross section of the front bumper.As for the stock wheels are not my cup of tea but I guess in the sake of having less unsprung weight they will do, as for the backside of the Evo X, I think it looks ugly and some what cheap.Interior wise I think Mitsubishi did a fantastic job, looks a million times better than the previous evo's.






Pros:
Interior
More Power
Lighter
Awd
Suspension/AWD Technology
Strong motor
Options
Models
Front End
Price
Navigation (some models)

Cons:
Rear End (Exterior)
Ugly Wheels
Seems to not be much better than the previous Evo IX even with all the new technology put into it.

New 2009 Chevrolet ZR1 Corvette

Specs:
Ls9 6.2L v8 Eaton Supercharged air to liquid intercooled single cam small block
Carbon Fiber roof and whole front clip
285/30ZR19s Front
335/25ZR20s Back
15.5 inch Carbon Ceramic rotors and 6 piston calipers in the front by Brembo
15 inch Carbon Ceramic rotors and 4 piston calipers in the back also by Brembo

HP- 620@6500 Rpm
TQ-595@4000 Rpm


GM has not yet disclosed performance numbers, but GM says a top speed of 200 mph is very attainable. In acceleration the ZR1 will make the Z06 seem like a baby,due to the 115hp advantage. Final numbers will be released in march 2008, but its safe to say a 0-60 time of around 3 seconds. GM used the Z06 chassis as a starting point, but used different suspension to work with the ZR1's ultra-wide tires for increased grip. They also used carbon fiber throughout the chassis according to GM, the car achieves 1g cornering grip.The ZR1 comes with GM's Magnetic Selective Ride Control (MSRC) suspension system. The MSRC shocks are automatically adjusted based on driving conditions and vehicle dynamics (cornering, braking, etc) for optimal handling. The system is adjusted every milisecond to provide sharp handling during spirited driving, and a smooth ride while cruising.



My Opinion:
Overall I think they did a fantastic job with exterior style wide,mean,sleek,classy. The only thing I would change about the exterior are the wheels, they scream cheesy to me but I suppose they would suffice if I owned one until I found some worthy aftermarket three piece forged wheels to put on. The interior on the other hand is one word "AMERICAN". It looks extremely cheap, I mean seriously you can get a regular c6 with the same options interior wise. Isn't the ZR1 suppose to be a step up, granted its american built, in addition a sports car but I could not bring myself to pay 100k+ for a vehicle in which the base model has the same interior. Maybe GM will revise the interior a bit before they actually release it. Performance wise from what I've gathered through media the ZR1 is going to obliterate the z06 in many categories, seeing as it has a wider body,new suspension, a smaller supercharged motor putting more power to the pavement, bigger badder brakes, carbon fiber roof and front clip,and a revised frame. With all the boasting I hope when this car is released it lives up to the hype.


What is your view on the new king of the vette's?



Pros:
Carbon fiber front clip/roof
Better Braking
Smaller motor with more power
More traction
Better/Adjustable suspension
More Aerodynamic body
Better frame
Faster,Sexier,more agile than the z06,Also Navigation is a plus

Cons:
Interior
Cost
Similar looks to the z06/c6
Stock wheels