Earlier this week, the first pictures of the oh-so-sexy Infiniti Emerge-E were leaked before its official debut at the Geneva Auto Show. This electric supercar has a very beautiful design that makes it stand out from the rest. You wouldn’t necessarily call a Toyota Prius or its equivalent sexy but the electric Infiniti Emerg-E deserves the title. According to Infiniti’s press release “The Infiniti Emerg-E will be the first car from the brand to have not only a range-extender drivetrain offering vivid performance with zero emissions capability but also one mounted in a mid-ship package for optimal handling”. The official unveiling will take place on March 6 at the Infiniti stand and this event will also be transmitted live for those who cannot be there via Infiniti’s European website, www.infiniti.eu.

[Photo via Autoblog]





















[Updated Photos via Autoblog]

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Lamborghini has admitted it will be getting back in the SUV business. This will be the manufacturer’s second attempt at producing an SUV. The first attempt was with the Lamborghini LM002, produced between 1986-1993. The newest Lamborghini SUV will supposedly carry the name, MLC and is most likely going to be very similar to the Audi Q7 platform. It’s expected to be powered by the Gallardo’s 5.2-liter V10 unit that can produce almost 600 horsepower. We can expect to see a sneak peak of this SUV at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show. It is expected that the Lamborghini MLC SUV will go into production in 2015.

[Photo via GT InAutoNews]

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According to Autobild.de, Ferrari's successor to the 599 GTB will internally be called the F152, but the official name will be the F620. This artist’s representation shows it sharing many of its styling elements with the FF and 458 Italia. It will also produce 90 hp more than the current car via a 6.3-liter V-12. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The rumor mill is saying this new generation of the prancing pony is set to debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

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Can’t wait to see the upcoming Acura NSX Concept? Unveiled at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, you can get a sneak peek of it in the upcoming Avengers movie because this concept car looks very similar to the open-top machine that Tony Stark drives in the film.

Enthusiasts such as ourselves are asking how this new NSX will compare to the old NSX and its reputation of being a simple yet clean sports car. For starters, the new Acura NSX looks very similar to the Audi R8 and is almost equally as beautiful. This is a word not used many times in association to Acura’s more recent rather bland products.

Production of the NSX halted in 2005, although rumors of a new version have made headlines year after year. Gossip and rumors have been circulating about this car for the last seven years, but no firm details have been provided. Here’s what we know so far: The mid-engine concept features a hybrid drivetrain that works in unison with Honda’s Superior Handling All Wheel Drive system (SH-AWD).

Rumors say the car will be produced at one of Honda’s Ohio plant and will hit the streets in the next three years with a 3.2-liter V-6, although Acura has yet to confirm any details.

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Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale, Arizona, event has become arguably the world’s premier collector-car auction. Starting out as a small charity function in 1967, the multi-day event now attracts more than 250,000 people and hundreds of classic cars. Scottsdale’s 2012 auction appears to be just as big since many rare and exclusive automobiles have already registered to cross the auction block.

Because every collector has his or her own particular likes and dislikes and considering the variety of cars, I could never label a small set of automobiles as standing absolutely above all the rest. But, despite the glorious assortment of fine and collectible cars, I have assembled a list of seven of the more notable automobiles (in no particular order) that will go under the auctioneer’s hammer.

Follow the jump to read our guest post at MyCarQuest.

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Audi has unveiled a new e-tron concept at the Paris Motor Show called the Audi e-tron Spyder. The concept utilizes two electric motors producing 88 hp and 259 lb-ft at the front axle and a twin-turbocharged 300-hp 479-lb-ft diesel V-6 at the rear. Pushing the scales at 3,196 pounds, the Audi e-tron Spyder accelerates zero-to-62 mph in 4.4 seconds and on to a governed top speed of 155 mph. The concept can run on electric power alone for 31 miles at speeds up to 37 mph. If those limitations don’t suit your needs, the power of the V-6 can be called upon for extra range and motivation. Audi estimates the e-tron Spyder at a combined 106 mpg. View more pictures of the Audi e-tron Spyder concept here.

Audi unveiled the first e-tron concept at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and promised that it would, if demand was high enough, put 1,000 units into production. Two months later, Audi notified the motoring public it had plans to produce a whole range of e-tron vehicles. In total, Audi has showcased three other concepts wearing the e-tron name: two e-tron concepts and the A1 e-tron concept, so you can guarantee that at least part of the e-tron range will make it into production.

The original e-tron concept used four motors and one battery to produce 3,319 lb-ft of torque (although Audi says that the actual figure is closer to 502 lb-ft ). The car tipped the scales at 3,527 pounds, had an estimated range of 154 miles, and was able to muster a zero-to-60 mph sprint of 4.8 seconds.

A second e-tron concept introduced at the 2010 Detroit Motor Show was slightly smaller, weighed considerably less, and used two electric motors instead of four for a total output of 204 hp and 1,955 lb-ft of torque (Audi has not confirmed a real torque figure for this car). The 3,000-pound car was good for a 5.9-second rush from standstill to a 60 mph and a range of 155 miles.

The A1 e-tron concept unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show was a more down-to-earth iteration with a lithium-ion battery providing 30 miles of propulsion before relying on a Wankel engine to extend that range an additional 100 miles from a three-gallon fuel tank. The single electric motor produced 61 hp and 111 lb-ft of torque, although those numbers could increase to 102 and 177, respectfully, for short bursts. Acceleration was not brisk, requiring 10.2 seconds to get up to 60 mph from a stop.

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Lamborghini has officially taken the wraps off the Sesto Elemento or Sixth Element Concept after an image of the full car leaked out onto the Internet. The carbon fiber structure does indeed weigh 2,202 pounds and power will come from a V-10 engine; the 5.2-liter V-10 used in the Superleggera LP570-4 producing 562 hp, to be exact. Zero-to-62 mph takes a scant 2.5 seconds and the top speed is more than 217 mph. All-wheel drive is retained and the concept has a six-speed e-gear transmission.

Of course, the main highlight of the vehicle is its carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) structure, which helps Lamborghini keep the car’s weight down to that of a small Lotus. Lamborghini says it is leading the pack in the design of vehicles around this material and is the first manufacturer to really have mastered all aspects of its design and use. In 1983, it produced the first prototype CFRP chassis for the Countach, with the first production parts appearing in 1985. The current Lamborghini Murciélago is made largely from CFRP. The engine cover panel of the Gallardo Spyder is one of the largest CFRP components with a class “A” surface quality in the automotive world. The Sixth Element Concept uses CFRP for the monocoque cell, entire front frame, and exterior panels. It even uses carbon fiber for the major suspension components and the rims. The tailpipes are made from Pyrosic, which is a glass-ceramic composite.

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Lamborghini has been busy teasing automotive enthusiasts with images of its new concept car set to be officially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show. It was planning on releasing a total of six images but after releasing the fifth image a leaked full image of the Sesto Elemento Concept, or Sixth Element Concept (Carbon’s atomic number is six), has made its way onto the Internet. The car is made entirely of carbon fiber, which Lamborghini has been extensively researching recently. Thanks to the lightweight material, the car weighs only 2,202 pounds. With a rumored V-10 engine in place, the car is said to be able to rip zero-to-62 mph in a Veyron-equaling 2.5 seconds. We don’t expect it to make it into production but this could be the design direction of the future Gallardo. See all the Lamborghini Sixth Element Concept teaser images here.

[via BlogAutomobile.fr]

In some ways does the Sixth Element Concept remind you of a cross between the Lamborghini Embolado concept and Insecta concept with a little Lamborghini Reventon thrown in?

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Lotus’s new Elite stems from a vow it recently made to build cars that will compete directly with Lamborghini and Ferrari. The rear-wheel-drive Lotus Elite is a 2+2 powered by a 5.0-liter V-8 engine from the Lexus IS F in a front-mid-engine layout for better weight distribution. The engine is connected to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission hiding electric motors and an optional F1 KERS-like system to enhance performance, increase fuel mileage, and provide an on-demand 50-hp boost. The Elite will produce 542 hp in normal trim and up to 612 hp (the same as the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano) in an anticipated R version. Lotus estimates that its new flagship will have a zero-to-62-mph time of 3.7 to 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 196 mph.

As the specs show, the Lotus Elite will be unlike any other Lotus model when it goes on sale in spring of 2014. It will be producing more much more horsepower than the Lotus Elite, Exige, or Evora. It will also weigh more than the other cars as well thanks in part to the concept’s retractable hardtop. The Lotus Elite will tip the scales at 3,638 pounds. That’s 500 more pounds than the base Evora and a whopping 1,600 pounds more than the Exige and Elise cars. It will also become Lotus’s longest model, stretching out 10 more inches than the 2+2 Evora. Although the Lotus Elite may bring new buyers to the brand, will its move away from extremely low-weight automobiles alienate current customers?

The styling of the Elite is a big step away from the characteristics found throughout the current Lotus lineup. Lotus is calling its new design elegant, explaining that it has a dignified design and is of ultimate refinement. Lotus hopes the Elite will impress people with its performance and captivate them with its looks. It will need to in order to compete with other cars priced near $180,000.

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Hennessey has designed a package that will allow ZR1 owners to push the already too-fast-for-the-streets machine into the world of cars normally designed specifically for the track. The ZR700 package increases the pounds per square inch of pressure from the supercharger and upgrades the induction and exhaust systems to boost power to 705 hp and 717 lbs.-ft. of torque.

To cut weight, Hennessey swapped the old wheels and seats for carbon-fiber units. A carbon-fiber splitter in front and a rear spoiler in back help produce an additional 300 pounds of downforce at high speeds. Performance is swift, with the zero-to-60 mph coming in 2.9 seconds, the quarter mile hitting in 10.6 seconds at 134 mph, and a top speed pushing the 212-mph envelope. For comparison purposes, the stock 638-hp ZR1 requires 3.4 seconds to hit 60 mph and pops off quarter mile runs in 11.3 seconds at 131 mph.

All together the ZR700 package will set you back $207,150 including the cost for a donor ZR1. If you want one, you’d better hurry because only 24 will be built.

[via Jalopnik]

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