Autoblog

Something Wicked This Way Comes: Arash AF-10 speeds towards production

Noah Joseph — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:20:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, UK, MISC

Arash AF-10 - Click above for image gallery

It's been a long time coming, but the Arash AF-10 is finally here. Well, almost. Development of the latest British cottage-industry supercar is still being carried out, but after years of following the story, details and photos of the exclusive exotic have finally bubbled to the surface.

The first thing you need to know is that the AF-10 is made almost entirely of carbon fiber, from the chassis to the bodywork. Crafting a car from the time-consuming and expensive material invariably comes at a price, and the Arash is slated to sell for £320,000 ($535,000). Nestled in the lightweight frame is none other than the LS7 engine from the Corvette Z06 - all seven liters of it - tuned by Arash to produce 550 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque and driving through a six-speed Graziano gearbox.

That's just the start, though, as Arash is also said to be developing a supercharged version - spooled up in house as opposed to shoehorning in the ZR1's engine - for 800 horsepower, to be followed an even more powerful 1000-horse version. The chassis rides on a double-wishbone suspension mounted to 19-inch alloys up front and 20s in the rear, riding on Michelin Pilot rubber, with eight-piston calipers up front and six-pots in the rear gripping ventilated ceramic brake discs. With all that kit and the half-a-million-dollar price tag, we won't expect to see many out on the road, but that's just as well: Arash is apparently capping production at 70 units over the next five years.

Unfortunately only low-resolution images of the obviously Ferrari Enzo-influenced design are available at this time, but you can check 'em out in the gallery below.

Gallery: Arash AF-10

[Source: Arash via CAR]

Something Wicked This Way Comes: Arash AF-10 speeds towards production originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

WaterCar Python rocks our Corvette-loving, Ram-driving souls [w/VIDEO]

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Convertible, Hybrid, Performance, Truck, Etc., Videos, Crossover, Chevrolet, Specialty, Off-Road

WaterCar Python - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you thought that the amphibious Fiat we told you about last month would be a hoot, but you longed for more power than that car's 850 cc four-banger could provide, then maybe this is the vehicle for you. Billed as "THE WORLD'S FASTEST, HIGHEST PERFORMING AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLE EVER DESIGNED AND BUILT," this is the WaterCar Python. Whether on water or on land, it is one quick ride. Weighing 3,800 pounds, the modified Corvette powerplant can propel it from a standstill to 60 mph in a claimed 4.5 seconds on its way through the quarter in the mid-12s. Not bad for a boat that has all of the aerodynamic goodness of a Dodge Ram. Appropriately, the car's motive force is honored in the styling of the rear fascia. Seeing the Corvette tail on this beast reminds us of the Ferrari-powered regatta racer in One Crazy Summer, except this one is still roadworthy.

When you decide that you want to take to the waves, a Dominator Jet provides the propulsion and allows a top speed of 60 mph! That is damn fast for a boat, especially one that is highway-capable as well. Heck, you can even open the doors while out on the water. The interior features two captain's chairs up front and a wraparound bench in back so you can share all of the amphibious fun with a half dozen of your closest friends. For a base price of $200,000, WaterCar will build you a Python to your exact specs, with your choice of aluminum Corvette LS motors, exterior and interior colors, and even a custom-tailored pedal and shifter placement. Bikinis are optional.

Check out the huge high-res gallery below and follow the jump for a video of the Python in action.

Gallery: WaterCar Python amphibious vehicle

[Source: WaterCar]

Continue reading WaterCar Python rocks our Corvette-loving, Ram-driving souls [w/VIDEO]

WaterCar Python rocks our Corvette-loving, Ram-driving souls [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

For the kids: Help Mr. Stephens build a ZR1 engine

Dan Roth — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Supercars, Chevrolet, GM

For many, General Motors' Mr Stephens' Engine Shop online game is full of metallic looking stuff, none of it discernibly purposeful. What you're working with are extracted parts of the LS9 engine that powers the Corvette ZR1. Unless your ZR1 is in the shop for catastrophic engine failure, these components aren't usually seen out on their own. The General's little game has you correctly identify the major pieces and awards a prize after three rounds of correct answers (or lucky guesses). So many people, not just kids, are ignorant about the inner workings of the complex machine known as the car, so we applaud this effort to shed light on the mysteries that lie beneath the bodywork. Watch out for that fuel rail, we found it a little tricky to place. If anything, we're eager to get home and have the young ones begin learning auto anatomy. Thanks for the tip, Eden!

[Source: General Motors]

For the kids: Help Mr. Stephens build a ZR1 engine originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

VIDEO: Birthing an LS9

Dan Roth — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:03:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Videos, Chevrolet, GM

Automobile Magazine was invited into General Motors Performance Build Center to watch and lightly assist in the buildup of a ZR-1's internal combustion heart. It takes four-and-a-half hours of real time to go from a bare block to a fire-breathing, supercharged LS9, but through the magic of sped-up video, it only takes seven minutes of your life. You won't come away with anything productive for that time, unlike the people in the video, who get the pleasure of creating a small-block V8, but it's a neat picture of how it all comes together. We just hope that some other poor sucker gets the motor that the magazine intern fiddled with. Video posted after the jump.

[Source: Automobile]

Continue reading VIDEO: Birthing an LS9

VIDEO: Birthing an LS9 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments