Rumormill: Veyron GT with 1,350 HP and 264 mph top speed coming

The Bugatti Veyron is already considered to be the supercar supreme with a rarefied 300 unit production run for the 1,000-hp beast and a top speed of 253 mph. The Veyron's already ridiculous stats will be getting a boost if you believe a "secret and confidential" memo stating that Bugatti will end the Veyron's production with a bang. The rumored GT edition of the Veyron will have mad sick power to the tune of 1,350 horsepower and 1018 lb-ft of torque, and upgraded ceramic brakes with new active aerodynamics to control all that power. Apply all that force to the pavement and you'll hit 62 mph in a mere 2.4 seconds while being able to stop the car from there in another 2.2 seconds, and its new top speed will reportedly be 264 mph. To keep the mighty Veyron planted to the cement, the rumored GT will also receive an upgraded electronic stability program. That would make abundant sense considering power is being increased by 30% over the "base" Veyron.

If you are one of the 200 or so people to already own a $1.4 million dollar Veyron, you reportedly won't be left out in the dark, either. According to the alleged memo, all Veyrons will be able to be retrofitted with the upgrade. The memo states that the Veyron GT would be available March 2009 and be the last iteration before the next-gen Veyron arrives around 2012.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Rumormill: Veyron GT with 1,350 HP and 264 mph top speed coming

The Bugatti Veyron is already considered to be the supercar supreme with a rarefied 300 unit production run for the 1,000-hp beast and a top speed of 253 mph. The Veyron's already ridiculous stats will be getting a boost if you believe a "secret and confidential" memo stating that Bugatti will end the Veyron's production with a bang. The rumored GT edition of the Veyron will have mad sick power to the tune of 1,350 horsepower and 1018 lb-ft of torque, and upgraded ceramic brakes with new active aerodynamics to control all that power. Apply all that force to the pavement and you'll hit 62 mph in a mere 2.4 seconds while being able to stop the car from there in another 2.2 seconds, and its new top speed will reportedly be 264 mph. To keep the mighty Veyron planted to the cement, the rumored GT will also receive an upgraded electronic stability program. That would make abundant sense considering power is being increased by 30% over the "base" Veyron.

If you are one of the 200 or so people to already own a $1.4 million dollar Veyron, you reportedly won't be left out in the dark, either. According to the alleged memo, all Veyrons will be able to be retrofitted with the upgrade. The memo states that the Veyron GT would be available March 2009 and be the last iteration before the next-gen Veyron arrives around 2012.

[Source: Motor Authority]

RM to auction off classic pedal cars

By the time I was old enough to care, pedal cars were decidedly out of favor. Instead, the venerable Power Wheels electric riders had a firm grasp on this particular youth's fantasies. It wasn't until I was a bit older that I realized the merits of pedaling for myself, and by then I was on two wheels. Now, though, I can look at the old pedal cars that were popular when my parents were kids and appreciate them, especially the kind seen in the gallery below, which will be auctioned off by RM along with the AACA (Antique Automobile Club of America) alongside the Kruse Hershey Auction in Pennsylvania. There are eleven self-powered cars in total and we have pics of six of them, each built atop the bones of a classic replica. Take a good look at some of the craftsmanship that went into these little machines. It's hard not to be impressed.

Kandi looking to enter U.S. market

Over the last few years, there has been an amazing influx of Chinese motorcycles, scooters and all terrain vehicles. Many of the products coming in from overseas have a horrible record for quality, but there have been a few gems along the way as well. With this in mind, our eyes were drawn to an article on Automotive News regarding a new Chinese company we were not yet familiar with. Though we've become accustomed to finding these manufacturers on scooter forums and news sites, it is still rare to see them in the mainstream automotive media. We have no way of knowing what kind of quality its vehicles are, but Zhejiang Kangdi Vehicles Co. may be making some inroads into the U.S. market with its line of two, three and four-wheelers in both gas and electric versions. The company appears to be calling itself Kandi. A Seattle company is importing the vehicles and fifteen franchises have already been purchased.

We took a look at the company's web site and we see some of the normal scooters and motorcycles. We also see some carts with an eerie resemblance to the smart fortwo. One model really caught our attention -- a three-wheeled scooter powered by what appears to be the ubiquitous GY6 150cc engine and CVT transmission. We'll see if Kandi vehicles come up any more in the coming weeks and months. It's just as possible that we never hear the name again. Will Kandi begin offering EPA-certified vehicles? Stay tuned.

RM to auction off classic pedal cars

By the time I was old enough to care, pedal cars were decidedly out of favor. Instead, the venerable Power Wheels electric riders had a firm grasp on this particular youth's fantasies. It wasn't until I was a bit older that I realized the merits of pedaling for myself, and by then I was on two wheels. Now, though, I can look at the old pedal cars that were popular when my parents were kids and appreciate them, especially the kind seen in the gallery below, which will be auctioned off by RM along with the AACA (Antique Automobile Club of America) alongside the Kruse Hershey Auction in Pennsylvania. There are eleven self-powered cars in total and we have pics of six of them, each built atop the bones of a classic replica. Take a good look at some of the craftsmanship that went into these little machines. It's hard not to be impressed.

Kandi looking to enter U.S. market

Over the last few years, there has been an amazing influx of Chinese motorcycles, scooters and all terrain vehicles. Many of the products coming in from overseas have a horrible record for quality, but there have been a few gems along the way as well. With this in mind, our eyes were drawn to an article on Automotive News regarding a new Chinese company we were not yet familiar with. Though we've become accustomed to finding these manufacturers on scooter forums and news sites, it is still rare to see them in the mainstream automotive media. We have no way of knowing what kind of quality its vehicles are, but Zhejiang Kangdi Vehicles Co. may be making some inroads into the U.S. market with its line of two, three and four-wheelers in both gas and electric versions. The company appears to be calling itself Kandi. A Seattle company is importing the vehicles and fifteen franchises have already been purchased.

We took a look at the company's web site and we see some of the normal scooters and motorcycles. We also see some carts with an eerie resemblance to the smart fortwo. One model really caught our attention -- a three-wheeled scooter powered by what appears to be the ubiquitous GY6 150cc engine and CVT transmission. We'll see if Kandi vehicles come up any more in the coming weeks and months. It's just as possible that we never hear the name again. Will Kandi begin offering EPA-certified vehicles? Stay tuned.

Honda claims similarity between Insight and Prius a coincidence

Vehicle aerodynamics are a strange thing. While you can create perfect aerodynamic models using math, there is no ideal aerodynamic shape for a vehicle because there are so many variables - including style, which is constantly updated. Still, certain shapes are slipperier than others and the Toyota Prius' iconic egg-shaped look is quite good at moving through the air without disrupting things too much. So, is it that big a surprise that the new Honda Insight looks a lot like the Prius? According to Honda, the look is the result of making a vehicle with low drag, not one that takes on the Prius' style. Honda spokesman Chuck Schifsky told the Detroit Free Press that, "It was done that way because it was the most aerodynamic design, and we were going for fuel economy." I'm inclined to believe Honda on this, but you can't dismiss the similarities. Take a look in the galleries below.