Motor Authority - blog Tag: Wiesmann

When the Wiesmann MF5 went into production last year, the world took notice, as the latest iteration of the potent and wildly styled coupe is the sort of car that commands attention. Now that the company has unveiled the Roadster version of the MF5 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, we can bring you these live images of the car.

The images reveal that the Roadster's curves stick very closely to the coupe's styling, being almost indistinguishable with the top up aside from the cloth material and contrasting color, though with the top down, the rear-heavy look of the coupe is replaced with a very balanced roadster profile.

The show car's bright...

When the Wiesmann MF5 went into production last year, the world took notice, as the latest iteration of the potent and wildly styled coupe is the sort of car that commands attention. Now that the company has unveiled the Roadster version of the MF5 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, we can bring you these live images of the car. The images reveal that the Roadster's curves stick very closely to the coupe's styling, being almost indistinguishable with the top up aside from the cloth material and contrasting color, though with the top down, the rear-heavy look of the coupe is replaced with a very balanced roadster profile. The show car's bright orange top and matching wheels are likely to be tamed down for customer versions, though the Wiesmann is a car that draws eyes no matter its palette. Following on from the Roadster MF4, the Roadster MF5 takes all the best of the MF5 Coupe (pictured) and then gets rid of the confining metal roof. But if the idea of a drop-top MF5 gets your heart revving, you'd better act quickly - only 55 will be built. Powered by the same 507-horsepower BMW-sourced V-10 engine as its hard-top sister, the Roadster MF5 will dart to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 192 mph. It's not all about speed, however, as the car is also outfitted with some heavy-duty safety technology, including an aluminum monocoque chassis with integrated side-impact guards, dual-stage driver and passenger airbags and ABS, stability control and more. Pricing for the Roadster MF5 starts from €189,500, or about $267,500. [Wiesmann] Read More

While green may have been the de facto theme of the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, open-air motoring came in a close second. Almost every manufacturer had some sort of roadster on display, from MINI to Lamborghini, and we've got the roundup of all the live shots straight from Frankfurt.

MINI Roadster Concept: The hot and almost-ready-to-trot Roadster concept could hit production within the next couple of years, though for now only its hard-top Coupe sister has the official green light. For extra credit, check out the weird trio of teaser videos released just ahead of the Frankfurt show.

Mazda MX-5 Miata Superlight Concept: The most radical of...

While green may have been the de facto theme of the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, open-air motoring came in a close second. Almost every manufacturer had some sort of roadster on display, from MINI to Lamborghini, and we've got the roundup of all the live shots straight from Frankfurt. MINI Roadster Concept: The hot and almost-ready-to-trot Roadster concept could hit production within the next couple of years, though for now only its hard-top Coupe sister has the official green light. For extra credit, check out the weird trio of teaser videos released just ahead of the Frankfurt show. Mazda MX-5 Miata Superlight Concept: The most radical of deviations from the hard-top donor among this Frankfurt set, the Mazda MX-5 Superlight is a glorious take on an already fantastic little car. If only this had a chance of seeing the real world. 2010 Lamborghini Reventon Roadster: Distinguishable from its Coupe version by a slightly different shade of grey, a 6 mph lower top speed of 205 mph and ... well, very little else, the Reventon Roadster is still as extreme as the original was in 2007, though the passage of time makes it a bit less impressive. 2011 Audi R8 Spyder: The Audi R8 must have been designed from the start with a Spyder variant in mind, because this car looks too  good to have just happened by accident. Proportionality, line and style all reflect the R8 design aesthetic in a car that's simply open to the sky. Oh, and that 525-horsepower, 5.2-liter V-10 mounted behind the passenger compartment doesn't hurt either. Wiesmann Roadster MF5: Just as oddball and outrageous as its caged companion, the M5-powered 507-horsepower Roadster MF5 actually adheres pretty closely to the Coupe's lines. The cloth top variant is a limited edition, with only 55 to be built. Read More

Niche German sports car manufacturer Wiesmann is celebrating its 20th birthday this year and to mark the event the company has already unveiled a range of new '20th Anniversary Editions' models but at next month’s Frankfurt Auto Show there will be two more major attractions. We’ve already reported about Wiesmann’s plans to unveil a new Roadster version of its high-performance MF5 and now the company has confirmed that it will mount a car during the car-exhibition.

The aim of the event is to showcase to onlookers the manufacturing skills and productive efficiency that takes place every day at Wiesmann’s factory in Duelmen, Germany. During...

Niche German sports car manufacturer Wiesmann is celebrating its 20th birthday this year and to mark the event the company has already unveiled a range of new '20th Anniversary Editions' models but at next month’s Frankfurt Auto Show there will be two more major attractions. We’ve already reported about Wiesmann’s plans to unveil a new Roadster version of its high-performance MF5 and now the company has confirmed that it will mount a car during the car-exhibition. The aim of the event is to showcase to onlookers the manufacturing skills and productive efficiency that takes place every day at Wiesmann’s factory in Duelmen, Germany. During the building-process of the GT MF4 with a 4.8-liter 367 horsepower engine, two members of the staff will finish the work on the car. Supporting the event is German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, which will broadcast the build live on its website, as well as tool-manufacturer Festool, which will provide the tools needed for the car-building. Read More

Niche German automaker Wiesmann is best known for its classically designed sports cars that tend to cost an arm and a leg, but now the company is expanding into the holiday and travel business. Wiesmann has revealed that it will be offering its well-to-do clientele further avenues to spend their cash - namely, Wiesmann focused driving holiday experiences.

Wiesmann is working with a number of hotels and resorts throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland in order to give customers interesting holiday packages - and while it's likely Wiesmann customers will make up the majority of these holiday experiences, it would actually be worthwhile for... Niche German automaker Wiesmann is best known for its classically designed sports cars that tend to cost an arm and a leg, but now the company is expanding into the holiday and travel business. Wiesmann has revealed that it will be offering its well-to-do clientele further avenues to spend their cash - namely, Wiesmann focused driving holiday experiences. Wiesmann is working with a number of hotels and resorts throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland in order to give customers interesting holiday packages - and while it's likely Wiesmann customers will make up the majority of these holiday experiences, it would actually be worthwhile for enthusiasts who don't currently own the cars to sign up. Each holiday will be individually customized and will offer guests a chance to drive a number of Wiesmann models. The striking sports cars won’t be the only source of entertainment on the trip, however, with the company also including boat tours, helicopter flights and other adrenaline-pumping activities. Guests will also be able to relax with wine and champagne tasting events, spa trips, museum visits and other relatively placid activities. Currently, Wiesmann has deals with the Seven Hotel in Ascona, Switzerland, the Seehotel Hermitage in Lucerne, the Stanglwirt Kitzbuhel in Austria, and the Park Hotel Schloss Hohenfeld in Munster, Germany.Wiesmann MF5Wiesmann GT MF4-SWiesmann MF4 Roadster Read More

Wiesmann’s MF5 has been in production for just over a year but the striking GT’s combination of a BMW M5 V10 drivetrain and seductively retro styling has made it very popular among performance circles. One group that has noticed the car is the FIA, which has picked it as the Official Safety Car for this year’s GT Championship. The new series kicks off on May 3 at Silverstone in Britain.

As previously mentioned, the MF5 packs the same 5.0L V10 engine used by BMW’s M Division for its M5 and M6 models and is based on Wiesmann’s current GT. Differentiating the MF5 from the normal GT is the aggressive rear wing and... Wiesmann’s MF5 has been in production for just over a year but the striking GT’s combination of a BMW M5 V10 drivetrain and seductively retro styling has made it very popular among performance circles. One group that has noticed the car is the FIA, which has picked it as the Official Safety Car for this year’s GT Championship. The new series kicks off on May 3 at Silverstone in Britain. As previously mentioned, the MF5 packs the same 5.0L V10 engine used by BMW’s M Division for its M5 and M6 models and is based on Wiesmann’s current GT. Differentiating the MF5 from the normal GT is the aggressive rear wing and diffuser, necessary for maintaining downforce on the rear axle at high speeds. With an available 507hp (378kW) on tap, the MF5 sprints from 0-100km/h in just 3.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 310km/h – essential for keeping the GT race cars at their peak. This year’s FIA GT Championship will be one of the most interesting in years. All 49 GT race cars took to the track recently at a special event at the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit earlier this month, where we saw the debut of cars like the new R35 Nissan GT-R GT1 race car, Ford GT GT1 and the Audi R8 LMS.Wiesmann MF5Wiesmann GT MF5 Official Safety Car Read More

Niche German sports carmaker Wiesmann recently celebrated its 20th birthday and to mark the anniversary the Dülmen-based manufacturer will be releasing a string of special '20th Anniversary Editions' models over the course of the year. The first of these special editions was recently shown in the form of the MF4-S GT, and today, at the Geneva Motor Show, the company has unveiled a new convertible model.

Based on the mid-level MF4, the Wiesmann Roadster will pick up the same BMW-sourced 4.0L V8 engine as the GT. Peak output remains at 367hp (270kW) and drive is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic or optional seven-speed... Niche German sports carmaker Wiesmann recently celebrated its 20th birthday and to mark the anniversary the Dülmen-based manufacturer will be releasing a string of special '20th Anniversary Editions' models over the course of the year. The first of these special editions was recently shown in the form of the MF4-S GT, and today, at the Geneva Motor Show, the company has unveiled a new convertible model. Based on the mid-level MF4, the Wiesmann Roadster will pick up the same BMW-sourced 4.0L V8 engine as the GT. Peak output remains at 367hp (270kW) and drive is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic or optional seven-speed dual-clutch transmission - the same drivetrain configuration as the BMW M3. A special edition MF4-S Roadster is also expected to be launched and this version should feature a more potent 4.8L V8 developing 420hp (309kW). Pricing for the new Roadster will start at €128,900. The current six-cylinder MF3 Roadster will remain in production as well. The new models are strictly limited for sale in Europe but with production expected to increase to 350 units annually (Wiesmann built just over 250 cars last year) there’s hope that they will soon be available in other markets. The first right-hand-drive versions are also expected to be launched this year, though Wiesmann has set no release dates for any of the new cars yet.Wiesmann MF5Wiesmann GT MF4-SWiesmann MF4 Roadster Read More