Convertibles
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Though we’ve seen a convertible version of the Lexus LFA supercar before, Toyota has never officially admitted the car existed, apart from a concept version. That was until now, as Jay Leno was fortunate enough to drive one on the latest episode of his online series Jay Leno’s Garage. This particular LFA is number 500, the very last example of the Lexus supercar to be built. Sadly, it is strictly a one-off, as Toyota has no plans to put the car into production. The LFA Spyder is a pure speedster, with no roof at all, meaning you can only drive it when the weather is dry...
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2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible: 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show Preview
Now in its third generation--despite being introduced over 70 years ago--the Volkswagen Beetle has finally gained its Convertible counterpart. Its official public debut will come at next month's 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, and sales begin in the fourth quarter. Using a soft top when many cars have...
Nelson Ireson -
2014 Jaguar F-Type Starts From $69,000, Build Your Own Now
The 2014 Jaguar F-Type was finally unveiled last week at the Paris Auto Show, after months of spy shots, speculation and leaks. Now, Jaguar has graced us with the pricing of each of the three trim lines, as well as a build-your-own configurator. Starting at $69,000 for the base F-Type, then...
Nelson Ireson -
Corvette Generations Covers The C6: Video
The sixth generation of Chevrolet Corvette, known to the Corvette faithful as the C6, made its debut with the 2005 model year, and is due for replacement in 2014. From the onset, the C6 was designed to be “leaner and meaner,” in the words of Corvette product manager Harlan Charles...
Kurt Ernst -
Maserati GranTurismo Convertible MC Live Photos: 2012 Paris Auto Show
Maserati expanded its GranTurismo range in Paris with the introduction of the new GranTurismo Convertible MC, essentially the drop-top version of the GranTurismo MC coupe that went on sale last year. In Europe, the car is known as the GranCabrio MC, but in the U.S. it will carry the longer...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Maserati Partners With Bowers & Wilkins On Audio Systems
If you needed one more reason to shop for a Maserati, here it is: the Italian luxury sports car manufacturer has just announced a partnership with high-end audio firm Bowers & Wilkins. The three-year agreement will yield a new high-performance audio system for Maserati models like the...
Kurt Ernst -
The 2014 Jaguar F-Type might be one of the most highly anticipated debuts at the 2012 Paris Auto Show, and Jaguar didn't disappoint. This new sports car is pure hotness in every sense of the term. Representing a return to Jaguar's sports car roots, the new F-Type is a two-seater convertible with an aluminum structure. It is a light car with ideal weight distribution. The styling features LED taillights and tapered headlights. There are two character lines that Jaguar is calling bloodlines. Three engine options are offered: a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 rated at 340 horsepower and 332...
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Maserati GranTurismo Convertible MC Preview: 2012 Paris Auto Show
Though it isn’t the new GranSport that had been rumored, Maserati has upped the performance of its GranTurismo Convertible with a new race-inspired version revealed in full today at the 2012 Paris Auto Show. The car is the new Maserati GranTurismo Convertible MC, and as its name suggests it...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2014 Jaguar F-Type Preview: 2012 Paris Auto Show
Jaguar opted to unveil its new 2014 F-Type two-seater convertible on the eve of the Paris Auto Show, at an event held at Paris’ Musée Rodin. Described by Jaguar Global Brand Director Adrian Hallmark as ultra-precise, powerful and sensual, the F-Type represents a return to...
Kurt Ernst -
2013 Lamborghini Gallardo Preview: New Styling And Edizione Tecnica
Lamborghini has given an update to its Gallardo supercar, helping to keep it fresh until a successor arrives sometime in the next year or two. The changes aren’t too drastic, which is to be expected this late into a model’s life cycle, but they do give the Gallardo a much smarter look...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
McLaren designer Frank Stephenson walks Jay Leno around the new 12C Spider
At McLaren, the focus now is on the successful launch of the brand’s successor to the legendary F1 supercar, the new P1, which will be previewed in concept form tomorrow at the 2012 Paris Auto Show. However, the British performance brand has another new model, the MP4-12C Spider, which was...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Price dropped on Pininfarina-designed Hyperion Rolls-Royce
In 2008, Pininfarina designed an exclusive version of its Phantom Drop Head Coupe for Rolls-Royce collector Roland Hall. Sketched by noted designer Jason Castriota, the Hyperion was meant to evoke memories of the 1930s, when luxury roadsters from brands like Duesenberg and Rolls-Royce ruled the...
Kurt Ernst -
The fifth generation of Chevrolet Corvette hit the market as a 1997 model and was produced through the 2004 model year. If its predecessor, the C4, reestablished Corvette as a world-class sports car, the C5 effectively carried that tradition on. Debuting with features such as a rear transaxle (which helped ensure a 50-50 front to rear weight distribution) and a hydroformed steel frame (which ensured structural rigidity, even in convertible variants), the C5 Corvette offered buyers even more performance for their money than the C4. The C5 was a better daily driver, too, thanks to increased...
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2014 Jaguar F-Type Prototype Hits Nardo High-Speed Oval: Video
We’re just days out from the debut of the 2014 Jaguar F-Type at the Paris Auto Show, and in the lead up Jaguar is getting us all riled up with some new videos of the car during its development days. Though we already know what the new F-Type will look like thanks to a leaked image, this...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Jaguar Gives Us More Footage Of The F-Type At Speed: Video
We’re just days away from the official launch of the eagerly-awaited Jaguar F-Type at the 2012 Paris Auto Show, so the British automaker is pulling out all the stops to get the car noticed. Yesterday, Jaguar released a video showing glimpses of the F-Type testing at Gaydon in the U.K...
Kurt Ernst -
Honda Confirms New Open-Top Sports Car
In a speech addressing his company’s future plans, Honda CEO Takanobu Ito has confirmed development of a new open-top sports car. Ito said the new model will have a focus on “strong vehicles dynamics” and that it will go on sale in Japan in 2014. There have been rumblings that...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Porsche 918 Spyder Specs And Interior Revealed In Leaked Brochure
Following yesterday’s announcement from Porsche of a 7:14 Nürburgring lap time for its upcoming 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid supercar, we now have the first details on the car’s powertrain specs and even a couple of glimpses of its interior. Alleged brochure scans for the Porsche 918...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Corvette Generations Shows Us The C3 And C4: Video
In 1968, Chevrolet replaced the shortest-lived Corvette (the C2, produced for model years 1963-1967) with what would turn out to be the longest-lived variant, the C3. Still iconic in its shape, the C3 Corvette remained in production from model years 1968 through 1982. In performance terms, those...
Kurt Ernst -
It's not widely known amongst the general public, but Porsche frequently contracts out its actual production. In the past, Porsche relied on Finnish independent vehicle manufacturer Valmet to build its Boxster and Cayman models, though for the latest generation Porsche decided to move production back to its main facilities in Zuffenhausen, Germany. However, with demand for the new car proving quite strong, and for good reason, Porsche has called on its parent company Volkswagen for additional capacity. That additional capacity has come from the former Karmann plant in Osnabrück, Germany...
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Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster Spy Shots
It is truly great days for supercar lovers. After yesterday’s reveal of the new McLaren P1, well, a prototype at least, and word that Pagani’s Huayra remains on track for its U.S. launch mid next year, we now have the first spy shots of the highly anticipated Lamborghini Aventador LP...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2013 Aston Martin DB9: More Power, New Look
The Aston Martin DB9 is now eight years old--or brand new, depending on how you look at it. Introduced in 2004 and carrying forward largely unchanged since, the DB9 gets a significant power bump for 2013, along with some tweaks to its appearance and under the skin. The arrival of the 2013 Aston...
Nelson Ireson -
Stolen Corvette Recovered After 10 Years In A Shipping Container
In 2002, a 1968 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible was stolen from its owner in Australia. Since we’re pretty sure that kind of thing happens on a somewhat regular basis, even in a law-abiding country like Australia, it would be utterly unremarkable if not for the rest of the story. Recently...
Kurt Ernst -
The 2013 Porsche Boxster Honors Its Ancestors: Video
We are the sum of our collected past experiences, and the very same thing can be said about cars, especially those with a heritage steeped in racing. The 2013 Porsche Boxster wouldn’t be the same car without the lessons learned from the 550 Spyder, the 908, the 914 and even the 911 and its...
Kurt Ernst -
Corvette Generations Pays Tribute To The C2 Corvette: Video
By 1963, the Chevrolet Corvette had established itself as a legitimate sports car, racking up racing success at the club, national and international levels. As the Corvette closed out its first decade, Chevrolet began production of a new C2 version for 1963. Dubbed the Corvette Sting Ray, it...
Kurt Ernst