American Muscle Cars - Hurst SC/Rambler

The Rambler American was a tried and true AMC compact car.
The Rambler badge has been created by Nash in 1954 and it's name continued on with this car.
It was designed to be a low priced family car and was actually commissioned by AMC President George W. Romney, the father of Mitt Romney.

But in 1969, AMC went a little crazy with this little compact car.
They took the compact car and turned it into a muscle car, the Hurst SC/Rambler, designed by AMC and Hurst Performance.

They took a normal little Rambler and shoehorned a 315 horsepower 390 AMC V8 engine into it, the same engine that came in the AMX.
Then they gave it a T-10 four-speed manual transmission, a Hurst shifter, dual exhaust with Thrush mufflers and a heavy sway bar, plus some more goodies.
This was a factory full on race machine.
No options, just pure speed.
The cost...$2,998.00.
Yep...that’s it.
Even in today's economy, that would be under $20,000 dollars for a dragstrip ready car.

In factory trim, the Hurst SC/Rambler could go 0 to 60 in 6.3 seconds and blast through the quarter mile in 14.4 seconds at 100.44 mph.
When people modified them...they got faster.

By the way...the SC stood for "Super Car".

Buick Gran Sport - American Muscle Cars

When most people think about muscle cars, they don’t think about Buick.
It's usually Fords, Chevys, Dodges, Pontiac....rarely a Buick.
But Buick made some very good muscle cars.
Like the Buick Gran Sport.

Like most muscle cars, it was based on a car that Buick already had, in this case, the Buick Skylark.
The Skylark was a good, solid family car.

So in 1965, Buick took it and dropped in a 400 inch Buick V8 (that was bored out to 401 inches).
They gave this "family car" 325 horses and 445 foot pounds of torque.
The Buick Gran Sport was born.

The model continued for several years.
But the "Holy Grail" of the Buick Gran Sport was the 1970 Buick GS 455 Stage 1.
This "Skylark" had a 455 cubic inch V8 shoehorned under the hood that put out a rumored 360 to 400+ horsepower.
This baby could turn the quarter mile in a little over 13 seconds at 104 mph.
And it was rumored it could hit 0 to 60 in 6.1 seconds.
That may not sound like a lot these days, but we are talking about a regular street car with a carburetor.
It wasn’t fuel-injected and it wasn’t all fiberglass, it was metal.

Today, if you are lucky, you can get a 1970 Buick GS with the 455 for $37,176 at an auction.

Nissan Juke-R

It took a bit to grow on me, but this little bug with wheels is bad news.
Take the normal ungainly Juke and take out the backseat, push the firewall back and shoehorn a 545 horsepower (allegedly detuned to 480, but I have read reports of 570) Nissan GT-R's VR engine into it.
The result is a Juke that can go from 0 to 60 in 3.4 seconds and has enough torque that the body actually twists a bit when you power shift.
The bad news, only 23 Juke-Rs made at $660,000 each.

Ferrari 360 Spider

Launched in 2000, the Ferrari 360 Spider is powered by a mid-mounted 3.6 liter V8 with 400 horsepower, shown off under a glass hood.
This engine allows the Spider to pull a 12.8 second quarter mile at 110.8 miles per hour.
And it gives the Spider a 0 to 60 time of about 4.5 seconds with a top speed of 185 mph.
The Ferrari's fuel economy is 10 mpg city, 16 mpg highway.

I actually found a place where you can rent one online.
How cool is that?

And if renting isn't your style, you can pick one up starting at around $221,720.00.

Ferrari Challenge Stradale

The Ferrari Challenge Stradale is a variation of the Ferrari 360 Modena.
When the car was created, the designers were thinking 20% track use in mind and 80% road use.
And it shows in the performance.
The Challenge Stradale's 90° F131 V8 engine only puts out about 25 more horses (425) than the Modena, but the car is lighter, giving it a superior power to weight ratio.
It has a 0 to 62 mph time of just 4.1 seconds with a top speed of 183 mph.
(Although the 2008 version is said to pull 0-60 in 3.9 seconds)
The Stradale can pull the quarter mile in about 12.5 seconds at 114.1 mph.

The Audi RS6 5.0 TFSI quattro

The Audi RS6 5.0 TFSI quattro is the land rocket of the Audi A6 models.
It is powered by an all-aluminum alloy 5.0 liter V10 twin-turbocharged Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) engine.
The V-10 is rated at 580 horsepower, and 479 foot pounds of torque.
The official performance figures for the RS6 Avant are:
0 to 62 mph in 4.1 seconds.
0 to 124 in 13.1 seconds.
It has an electronically governed top speed of 155.3 mph, but you can get a factory option that bumps that figure up to 192.6 mph.
To keep the V-10 cool, the RS6 needs seven radiators, and four electric cooling fans.
Unfortunately, the RS6 Avant will not be available in the U.S., but a sedan was unveiled in August 2008, and will probably be offered in North America.

Porsche Turbo X50

The Porsche Turbo X50 is a $17,000 option available for the Porsche 996.
The Porsche 996 was a water-cooled version of the famous air-cooled Porsche 911 sports car.
The X50 package boosted the 996 turbo up to 450 horsepower and 457 pounds of torque.
That allowed the X50 to cover the quarter mile in 11.86 seconds at 119.91 mph, and gave it a 0–60 mph time of about 3.6 seconds.
There were also a few modeling changes in the 996, like wider rear wings and different front lights and bumpers from the Porsche Carrera.
The 996 also had large vents on the front bumper, that were used on the Carrera 4S and Cayenne Turbo.

PS:
We're getting rid of our 1988 Jaguar XJ6 Vanden Plas.
Dont have the time to do restoration on it.
If you wanna take a look, her's the link.....
http://greensboro.craigslist.org/cto/1036831907.html

Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG

Comfort, style and speed.
The Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG is powered by a 6.0 litre V12 BiTurbo engine that puts out 612 horsepower and 737 foot pounds of torque.
That allows this beauty to go from 0 to 60 in 4.2 seconds.
This also gives the CL65 an 11.8 second quarter mile time at 120.9 mph.
It's estimated top speed is 186 mph.
The downside of this car is that the CL65 AMG is made to order in very small numbers.
And for the mundane stuff, the MPG is 11 in the city, and 17 on the highway.
The base price is around $203,700.

The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

Another VERY quick car, the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is powered by a 6.0 L (5999 cc, hence the 599 in the name) V12 engine that produces a maximum of 612 horsepower and 448 pounds of torque.
This gives the Ferrari an 11.3 second quarter mile time at 126.4 mph.
Ferrari say's the cars top speed is in excess of 205 mph.
And they list a 0-160 time of 19 seconds.
Mileage?
11 mpg in the city, 15 mpg on the highway.
I wonder if thats at 205 mph?
And on the Tech side, the 599 GTB is the first Ferrari to come with an iPod connection as standard.

The Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4

In the world's fastest cars, we've already had two entries, the Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 and the Lamborghini Reventón.
But the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 deserves honorable mention.
This Lambo is powered by a 5.2L V10 (based on the Audi RS6 V10) with FSI direct injection, generating 560 horsepower and 398 ft·lbs of torque.
This allows the LP560-4 to run the quarter mile in 11.2 seconds at 130 mph.

But wait, the Murcielago LP640 can go 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds, and the LP560-4 can manage 0-60 in 3.3 seconds.......
So is the LP560-4 really faster by .2 seconds?
And the LP640 has a quarter mile time of 11.8 seconds at 126 mph.....
I think I have to change my original post.
It appears the LP560-4 IS faster!

And what does the Lamborghini Gallardo cost?
Around $180,000 to $210,000.

The Mosler MT900S

Okay this is not a widely produced car.
As a matter of fact, unless you are George Lucas (he took delivery of the first street legal one in December 2006), you may not have ever heard of it.
The MT900s is built by Mosler Automotive.
It's powered by a Corvette LS6 V8 with an Eaton supercharger, with a maximum boost pressure of 6.0 psi.
This gives the 346 inch engine 600 bhp and 557 foot pounds of torque.
In real time that allows the MT900S to get from 0 to 60 in about 3.1 seconds, 0 to 100 in 6.5 seconds and 0 to 150 in 13.8 seconds.
And it also enables the MT900S to blast through the traps at 135 mph in 11 seconds.
Base price is about $189,000.
Or you can add around $50,000 and opt for the MT900S Photon, which is 220 pounds lighter than the MT900s and has a few extra goodies.
And you know, the MT900 gets 15 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway.
Thats really not too shabby for a 600 horsepower car.
A Lamborghini Murcielago only gets 8 mpg city and 13 highway.

Bugatti Veyron, the World's Fastest Bugatti?

The Bugatti Veyron may not only be the world's fastest Bugatti, it may be right up there as the world's fastest production car period.
This Bugatti Automobiles SAS produced land rocket has some pretty impressive figures.
It's powered by a W-16 engine that basically looks like two V-8s stuck together. As clumsy looking as that may sound, this configuration gives the Veyron 987 horsepower!
Yes that's right, 987. But get this, some people think that figure is low, and that the Veyron actually puts out over 1000!
What does that translate to on the pavement?
Try 0-60 in about 2.46 seconds!
(Yes I know I'm using a lot of exclamation points)
Top Gear and Car and Driver have both verified a top speed of around 253 mph.
And when Road & Track tested it, the Veyron turned the quarter mile in 10.2 seconds at 142.9 mph.
But now for the brutal truth.....
Mileage?
Ummmm.....7 miles to the gallon city, 10 miles to the gallon highway.
Price?
Sit down.
The Veyron lists for $1,600,000.

In the Cosmic scheme of things there is a balance though.
The over a million dollar Bugatti Veyron pulls a 10.2 second quarter mile at 142 mph.
But the 1968 Plymouth S/S Barracuda with a 426 Hemi V8 pulls a 10.5 at 130.
Now if you can just find a 68 Plymouth S/S Barracuda for under a million......

The Worlds Fastest Lamborghini ?

The worlds fastest Lamborghini may be a toss up.
In one corner we have the Lamborghini Murciélago LP640.
The Murciélago is powered by a 6.5-litre Lamborghini V12 engine.
The Murcielago LP640 can 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds, 0 to 100 in 8.1 seconds and turn the quarter mile in 11.8 seconds at 126 mph.
It has a top speed of around 219 mph.

It's rival is the Lamborghini Reventón.
The Reventón is powered by the same 6.5-litre Lamborghini V12 engine.
It's 0 to 60 time is the same as the Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 that it's based on.
But with a 1.4 million dollar price tag on the Reventón compared to the $318,800 for the LP640, I'm gonna have to go with the Murciélago.
Not to sound cheap, but shelling out the extra money for the same performance?

The 2000 BMW Z8, the fastest BMW?

Not counting concept cars like the Nazca, the 2000 BMW Z8 may be the fastest BMW ever produced.
Powered by a 4941 cc(4.9 L)V-8 engine producing 394 bhp, this BMW could cover the quarter mile in 12.6 sec at 112 mph.
It's zero to 60 was 4.2 seconds, and going into hyper drive, it could run 0 to 100 in 10.2 seconds.
The top speed is listed at 155 mph, but I'm guessing it's a tad higher, barring any electronic governors.
The price for blasting around the country side at warp speed?
Around $128,000.
That, of course, is not counting how high your automobile insurance would go up!
The car was featured in the James Bond movie The World Is Not Enough in 1999.

The BMW E63 M6

Possibly the fastest BMW ever made is the E63 M6.
This " Velvet Hammer"can hit 0 to 60 in about 4.6 seconds.
This land rocket has a speed limiter that keeps it at 155 mph.
BUT, with the limiter removed, the M6 can hit around 205 mph.
With the cool little "power button" the BMW jumps from 399 hp to a full 500 hp!

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The Jaguar XF

The Jaguar XF was launched in the UK in 2008.
It is a mid-size luxury car / sports sedan made by Jaguar, designed to replace the S-Type.
The Jaguar XF won the What Car? (a long-running UK monthly automobile magazine and website) Car of the Year award and the Car of the Year 2008 from What Diesel? magazine.

The base model of the Jaguar XF carries the 3-litre V6 (adapted from the Ford Duratec V6). It also comes with the Jaguar AJ-V8 4.2-litre engine.The standard version produces 300 hp but the supercharged SV8 model produces a very respectable 420 bhp!

The Jaguar S-Type

The Jaguar S-Type saloon was built by British car manufacturer Jaguar. It was announced in 1963, but actual deliveries didn't begin till 1964.
The S-Type came with the 3.4 or 3.8 L I6 Jaguar XK engine.
Slower and heavier than the Jaguar Mark 2, The S-Type had a better ride.
In the United States, the only engine offered was the 3.8 L engine, until the larger 4.2 L engine was introduced in the Jaguar 420.
The S-Type was replaced in August 1968 with the release of the larger Jaguar XJ6, but the name was brought back in 2000 for the retro-styled mid-range Jaguar S-Type.

Really nice page on the Jaguar 3.8 S-Type:
http://www.webfocus.co.nz/jaguar/

The Jaguar Mark 2

The Jaguar Mark 2, also known as Mk2, Mk 2 or MkII, is a medium sized saloon (sedan) car built during the 1950s and 1960s by Jaguar.
Rated at over over 200 bhp and with a top speed of about 125 mph, these sedans were often used as police patrol cars. But on the flip side, they were often used as getaway cars by bank robbers.
The Mark 2 was eventually replaced by the XJ6.

The Jaguar Mark 1

The Jaguar Mark 1 was a saloon car (sedan) produced by Jaguar between the years 1955 and 1959.

Originally known as the 2.4 and 3.4 'Compact' saloons, they have come to be called "Mark 1" to fit with their more famous successor, the Mark 2. They were the company's first "small" saloon since the demise of its 1½ Litre cars in 1949 and were an immediate success, easily outselling the larger Jaguar saloons.

A 2.4 litre saloon with overdrive was tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1956. It was found to have a top speed of 101.5 mph and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 14.4 seconds. Not exactly burning up the road compared to other Jags. A fuel consumption of 18.25 miles per imperial gallon (15.20 mpg US) was recorded. The test car cost £1532 including taxes.

They went on to test a 3.4 litre automatic saloon in 1957. This car had a top speed of 119.8 mph (192.8 km/h), acceleration from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 11.2 seconds and a fuel consumption of 21.1 miles per imperial gallon (17.6 mpg US) was recorded. The test car cost £1864 including taxes of £622.


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The Jaguar Mark IV

The Jaguar Mark IV, pronounced mark four, was a saloon (sedan) car built by Jaguar from 1945 to 1949.
It was a relaunch of a pre World War II model made by SS Cars Ltd from 1936.

Before World War 2 the name Jaguar was the model name given to the complete range of cars built by SS Cars Ltd. The saloons were titled SS Jaguar 1½ litre, 2½ litre or 3½ litre. The two seater sports car was titled the SS Jaguar 100 2½ litre or 3½ litre.

After the war the company name was changed to Jaguar Cars Ltd. While the post war saloons were officially the Jaguar 1½ litre, 2½ litre and the 3½ Litre, the term 'Mark IV' was applied by the trade simply to seperate them from the officially named Mark V.

http://www.saloondata.com/ is an online site that keeps track of all the Classic Jaguar Saloon's still around.

You can also get a ton of info on the early Jags here:
http://www.jag-lovers.org/firstcats/mkiv.php3