Autoblog

Arrinera supercar born out of Polish Lamborghini replica? [UPDATE]

Noah Joseph — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Europe, Lamborghini

If you thought it seemed a little odd that Poland - a country without much of a history of producing exportable cars - would suddenly come out with a high-performance supercar, well... we're afraid you may be right. Because the latest reports out of the Eastern European country suggest that the Arrinera project is nothing more than a reclothed replicar.

Arrinera, as you may recall, is a project to build a supercar in Poland. Specifications recently hit the interwebs, indicating a $160,000 list price and a 6.2-liter V8 with 650 horsepower driving the rear wheels through a Graziano gearbox for a 3.2-second sprint to 62 and a 211 mph top end.

Now reports coming out of Poland - citing a certain Jacek Balkan who seems to be the Slavic version of Jeremy Clarkson - are calling the whole project into question. According to the word on the Warsaw boulevard, the people at Arrinera took a Lamborghini replica made by another Polish outfit called Bojar Tuning and gave it a new skin. Interior components were reportedly borrowed from the Opel Corsa and late-90s Audi A6, all in an effort to raise funds on the stock market.

The question we're left with is, if the project started as a replica but now has its own design and identity, should its humbler beginnings matter? If the specs are right and legendary chassis tuner Lee Noble is involved, the Arrinera could still emerge as a winner. Of course, we'd have to drive it in order to tell for sure, but we've got some openings in our calendar coming up...

UPDATE: Arrinera has hit back with a itemized denial of Jacek Balkan's reported allegations. It insists that its product is not, in fact, based on the Lamborghini replica made by Bojar, and that it does not borrow any more components from production vehicles than you'd expect to find in other supercars made by small companies like Pagani, Wiessmann, Noble, Artega or Gumpert. For a translated version of the full legal document, click here.

Arrinera supercar born out of Polish Lamborghini replica? [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cheetah goes extinct. Again. [UPDATE]

Noah Joseph — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Earnings/Financials

Ah, the Cheetah - the American sportscar that never was to be. Looking like the voluptuous result of a one-night stand between a Chevrolet Corvette and a Lotus Seven, the Cheetah was conceived as a Chevy-backed answer to the Shelby Cobra. Unfortunately, the factory suffered a devastating fire back in 1965, General Motors pulled its support and the dream faded away.

Fast-forward to 2007 when an outfit in Arizona called BTM got authorization from the Cheetah's original father, Bill Thomas (who passed away the following year), to build a series of "continuation cars." That is, officially sanctioned replicas of a small volume car long since out of production. The faithful were elated, but now it seems the Cheetah has died again as BTM has closed up shop.

According to Hemmings, tooling and licenses are now up for grabs, but an online auction that included everything a new investor would need to begin production anew reportedly failed to attract a single bid after starting at $120,000. Cats may have nine lives, but whether the Cheetah will get a third remains to be seen.

UPDATE: The eBay Motors Cheetah auction has been relisted with a lowered reserve sitting at $100,000 and no bids. Check it out here.

Cheetah goes extinct. Again. [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: WSJ takes a look at Thai supercar knockoffs

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 09:27:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Videos

Thai replicars - Click above to watch video after the jump

Take a walk down any number of Thai streets and floating markets, and for a couple thousand Thai baht you can bedeck yourself in the latest fake designer goods. Take a few thousand baht, or more, to a Thai man named Chris and he'll build you a sports car that is just as fake as that Louis Vuitton purse. From the $9,000 Porsche plagiarism you see above to a $12,000 Ferrari facsimile, Chris will do it all. He says "God will understand." But will Porsche? Follow the jump to watch the video. Hat tip to Sea Urchin

[Source: Wall Street Journal]

Continue reading Video: WSJ takes a look at Thai supercar knockoffs

Video: WSJ takes a look at Thai supercar knockoffs originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Italianate 1991 Acura NSX

Zach Bowman — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:28:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Acura, Lamborghini, Design/Style

Acura NSX meets Lamborghini - Click above for high-res image gallery

Full Disclosure: We have loved the Acura NSX since long before we were all smelling like teen spirit. The car will always hold a special place in our hearts, so the car you see above is particularly blasphemous in our eyes. Someone, at some point in history, looked at their reliable, capable near-supercar from Honda and thought, "You know what this needs? A little more Lamborghini Diablo."

That person, then, evidently commenced to slather the lightweight Japanese hellion in enough fiberglass to convince your average passer-by that the car actually hails from Italy. As far as body kits go, this one is the real deal. The builder even went so far as to badge the brake calipers with Lamborghini script and plop a faux twelve-cylinder intake on top of the Japanese V6, even though it doesn't appear to be bolted to anything.

Is it bad? Well, outwardly at least, it appears far more convincing than one might reasonably expect. But would we have been less insulted if were a Pontiac Fiero under that orange skin? Undoubtedly - but the builder at least gets points for creativity, as this is evidently a one-of-one proposition. If you dig it, you can find this creation on eBay Motors with a Buy-It-Now price of $49,000 in Branson, Missouri. The seller is willing to entertain offers. Thanks for the tip, Jesse!

Gallery: Acura NSX-Lamborghini Mashup

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Italianate 1991 Acura NSX originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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"If you have the means, we highly recommend picking one up" [w/video]

Chris Shunk — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:58:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Etc., Videos, Ferrari, Celebrities

Ferris Bueller's Day Off - Selected Ferrari movie clips - Click above to watch the video

When a legitimate Ferrari 250GT Spyder California goes on sale at auction, the ultra-rare droptops can fetch $10 million or more. The are two reasons the 250GT fetches so much cash: because there were fewer than 100 copies made between 1958 and 1963 and because we're talking about a gorgeous Ferrari. Now switch out the legit Ferrari with one of the many replica 250GTs, the payout would likely be so insignificant many auction houses wouldn't bother.

That's almost universally true, but if you're talking about the actual 1961 Ferrari 250GT replica used in the classic John Hughes movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the same rules don't necessarily apply. The one-of-a-kind replica, built off of a far more pedestrian MG platform, is being auctioned off at the Bonhams Collectors' Motor Cars and Automobilia auction on April 19 at the RAF Museum London. The price tag for a piece of automotive movie history? The auction house is reportedly looking to snag £30,000 to £40,000 ($45,000 to $60,000 in U.S. funds) for the little red ragtop. The fake Ferrari is reportedly ready to be driven, but rumor has it that the replica wasn't even reliable when the movie was being shot back in the mid-80s.

Maybe we're just big fans of the film, but we thought it might go for a bit more - perhaps it would have more potential at a Stateside auction. Either way, we're hoping that whoever just bought Cameron's house (it was up for sale last year) splurges a little and reunites these two. Bonus video footage of both from the movie available after the jump.

[Sources: Telegraph, Motorator]

Continue reading "If you have the means, we highly recommend picking one up" [w/video]

"If you have the means, we highly recommend picking one up" [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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From Thailand with Love: Aston Martin DBS replica based on Opel Calibra

Noah Joseph — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Aston Martin, Opel

Aston Martin DBS replica based on Opel Calibra - Click above for image gallery

If James Bond were real, we wouldn't recommend trying to impersonate him. We get the feeling that 007 wouldn't take to impostors very well. Fortunately he's a fictional character - or so we're led to believe - so the gloves are off. If you're planning on pulling off the Bond look, you're going to need a Bond car. And if it's the Bond of late, you'll need an Aston Martin. Unfortunately, most of us can't afford a real Aston, so a group of coachbuilders - apparently in Thailand, world capital of the sex-change operation - have created this replica.

The clone is built on the chassis of an Opel Calibra, a sports-coupe also sold with the same nameplate in different markets alternatively as a Vauxhall (UK), Holden (Australia) or Chevrolet (South America) and based on a Saab-sourced platform. Apparently the Calibra is known as a good starting point for replicas, with reports of Porsche Turbos and others based on the same. Whether this one is any better executed, however, than the Mustang-based Vanquish or the one based on the Mazda Miata is another story.

While reports suggest this a replica of a DB9, to our eyes bears the hallmarks of the DBS that's been 007's ride for the past couple of installments. Which is a good thing, because if you're going to pull off the looky-look, you'd better get the details right. Have a closer look in the gallery below, and for comparison's sake, an example of the donor car in the one below that.

Gallery: Aston Martin DBS replica based on Opel Calibra

Gallery: 1989 Opel Calibra

[Source: TopSpeed via CarScoop]

From Thailand with Love: Aston Martin DBS replica based on Opel Calibra originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Chevrolet C5 Corvette-based Saleen S7 replica roadster

Jonny Lieberman — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Etc., Chevrolet, Specialty, Design/Style

C5 Corvette based Saleen S7 replica - click above image for hi-res gallery

Steve Saleen's Saleen S7 is a totally bespoke, hand built superduper hypercar that in twin-turbo, 750 horsepower, 700 pound-feet of torque form could go about 250 mph. And it was capable of generating enough downforce to (theoretically) drive upside down. In competition, the S7R has been one of the most dominant vehicles ever fielded, having been "raced in over 264 events, with 218 Top Tens, 166 Podiums, 105 Wins, 86 Poles, 78 Fastest Laps and 9 GT Championships." Price when new was about $600,000, give or take.

Which makes the above car all the more special. Sayeth the seller, "We thought long and hard as to what chassis we would use for our replica. First of all we knew the 80's [sic] Fiero was not an option. its [sic] too old, underpowered, and not a safe frame." Oh man - the replica world has really changed if a Pontiac Fiero chassis is not good enough. But the auctioneer does inadvertently raise a good point, as the S7 is in fact a mid-engined car, and you just got to have that if you're building a replica, don't you? Apparently not.

"So we went with a C5 Corvette chassis. It offers all the driving comforts, with great brakes, Power, and a super strong frame. and we could retail the car for a reasonable price." But not only is it Chevrolet Corvette based, they made it a roadster! See, all those boring old S7s were stuffy mid-engined hardtops - this is the world's first and only front-engined roadster S7. Replica. We've got to say we're a little amazed there are only two bids.

Oh wait, no - we said that wrong. What we meant is that we're a little amazed there are two bids. Currently, the "replica" is sitting at $20,100 and ~~humorously~~ oddly, the reserve has not been met. Did we mention that it's an automatic? Also, dude, your check engine light is on. Videos after the jump. Happy bidding!

Gallery: C5 Corvette based Saleen S7 replica

[Source: eBay Motors]

Continue reading eBay Find of the Day: Chevrolet C5 Corvette-based Saleen S7 replica roadster

eBay Find of the Day: Chevrolet C5 Corvette-based Saleen S7 replica roadster originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercury Cougar transformed into convincing Audi R8

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:55:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Supercars, Audi, Mercury

Click above for more shots of the Mercury Cougar-based Audi R8 replica

The seventh-generation of the Mercury Cougar broke with tradition, switching from Detroit's classic front-engine, rear-wheel drive architecture to the more common front-engine, front-wheel drive design. Its styling was also considered pretty radical for the times, with swoopy curves replacing its predecessor's formal roof lines. We'd wager that the last Cougar's designers would never have believed that their humble compact would someday be the basis for an Audi R8 replica. We've examined the various shapes of the ReplicaAudiR8, as its designer refers to it - we prefer CougaR8 ourselves - and we've concluded it's not too shabby in the least. Take a look at our galleries below to judge for yourselves. Note our comparison shots of the CougaR8 and Audi's version in profile, front, rear and in three-quarter view (again, front and rear), which we've also pasted after the break all together. As we see it, the rear-view is the least successful in mimicking its four-ringed inspiration.

Of course, even if the styling of the replicar is decent, there's just no disguising that Cougar interior, despite the addition of a lone R8 badge on the steering wheel and the fact that these two cars share similar dash shapes. Even the interior, however, pales in comparison to the lack of power from Ford's 2.5L Duratec V6 engine, which at 170 horsepower is down by more than half to the Audi's burbling V8. Lastly, while the brakes and suspension components are fine for an entry-level coupe, they aren't quite up to snuff for a real-deal R8. In any case. Nevertheless, those who are more concerned with appearances than performance can get their own CougaR8 for about $50K - less than half what it would run to drive home in the real thing. Thanks for the tip, everyone!

Gallery: CougaR8 and Audi R8 side-by-side

Gallery: Cougar-based Audi R8 replica

[Source: New Cougar Forums, via Jalopnik]

Continue reading Mercury Cougar transformed into convincing Audi R8

Mercury Cougar transformed into convincing Audi R8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Arkansas adopts SEMA custom car title legislation

Frank Filipponio — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 07:27:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Classics, Trends, Government/Legal

We recently reported how SEMA had helped get new kit and custom car registration legislation passed in Virginia. Well, the razorbacks didn't want their Southern rivals to get too far ahead and recently passed a similar bill of their own. Arkansas made changes to their vehicle titling and registration classifications for street rods and created a new class for custom vehicles too. The bill was recently signed into law by Governor Mike Beebe after being approved by the Arkansas State Legislature. Arkansas now defines a street rod as "an altered vehicle manufactured before 1949" and a custom as "an altered vehicle at least 25 years old and manufactured after 1948." And like the Virginia law, kit cars and replicars will get tagged as being the same model year as the car they aim to replicate. So a freshly built '32 Ford would be a 1932 Ford, and a new Cobra would be a 1960's car on the books.

Arkansas' new law also allows non-original materials to be used, allocates special license plates for this class of vehicles, and lets builders use blue dot taillights. Street rods and customs will also be exempt from many of the standard equipment requirements and emissions controls. Things like catalysts and seatbelts will only have to meet period requirements. As is the case in Virginia as well, the kits and customs that are titled and registered this way will have mileage restrictions, but they tend to be limited use vehicles anyways.

[Source: Auto Spectator]

Arkansas adopts SEMA custom car title legislation originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 31 Mar 2007 07:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Virginia adds replica car category to title process

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 12:33:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Classics, Government/Legal

Beginning on July 1, kit/replica/component car buyers in Virginia will be able to title their vehicles in a different way. It seems the Virginia General Assembly has approved a new law allowing these vehicles to be registered as whatever model year the replica represents. The big advantage there lies in the fact that owners will be getting around those knuckle- and wallet-busting safety and emissions requirements for newly-built cars. This means Virginia will be joining Washington, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Missouri, Montana and Rhode Island as states with similar titling laws on the books.

But lest you think this gives you carte blanche to build your own backyard burner and terrorize the local citizenry, know that there are some restrictions. First of all, the law defines a replica as "a vehicle not fully constructed by a licensed manufacturer but either constructed or assembled from components." Secondly, as a gesture of good will between thankful hobbyists and concerned officials, "replica vehicles titled under this law will be limited to no more than 5,000 miles per year as shown by the vehicle's odometer." So it has to be a true kit car, not a tuner, and you have to keep your driving down to about 100 miles per weekend or 400 miles a month.

In particular this will help manufacturers of cars like the Shelby Cobra kits we see all over the place. In fact, the Cobra clubs in Virginia were instrumental in getting this bill passed. Being heavily involved in the industry, the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) was also part of the process. SEMA has actually been at the forefront in encouraging states to pass this kind of legislation. They are also working on similar initiatives in Florida, Arkansas, New York, Massachusetts and Nevada.

[Source: SEMA]

Virginia adds replica car category to title process originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Mar 2007 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best Halloween costume ever: Have your engine go as a Lambo V12

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 12:03:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Etc., Chevrolet, Lamborghini

You've spent the past couple of years and untold thousands of dollars turning your late-model Corvette into what you REALLY wanted but couldn't quite afford, a Lamborghini. The car has all the outrageously over-the-top styling you could ever hope for with the bulletproof Chevy small block giving more than adequate performance while offering much better reliability and durability. The interior has been customized to match, as much as practical, that of the Italian supercar as well. The one thing you've always dreaded, however, was hearing an admirer ask you to pop the hood.

The dress-up kits that have been offered in the past were either fiberglass or steel, neither of which could match the look of aluminum. Being messy and hard to work with didn't help much either. Well, thanks to Lambostuff, you're one step closer to having a no-excuses authentic-looking Lambo of your very own. They have just released and chronicled the installation of a new dummy engine kit. The kit is made of high-impact plastic, using some of the genuine Lambo molds where possible. A full accessory pack of spark plugs, wires, injectors and hoses are also available to complete the look.

Although none of the kits are a straight bolt-on proposition, the step-by-step photo gallery and instructions found here, should help make it a fairly simple process. The main intake package starts at $595 with everything else optional. Real salvaged Lamborghini parts can be used or you can stick with a partial LS1 stock setup if you don't expect many of the onlookers to actually count the plugs or exhaust pipes. Either way, it sounds like a must-have kit for the person who has already begun the process and a nice way to get your car in on the Halloween holiday.

[Source: Kit Car Magazine via Winding Road]

Best Halloween costume ever: Have your engine go as a Lambo V12 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Oct 2006 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Low-budget Ferrari F40 up for auction

Stuart Waterman — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 16:02:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Etc.

This, um, unique Ferrari F40-inspired vehicle is apparently based on a 1980 Suzuki 100gx (with a Ford Escort engine). The mini supercar is currently up for bids on the Dutch auction site Markplaats.nl, where the high bid at this writing is €1,001 ($1,276). Before and after pics follow the jump!

[via autoblog.nl]

Continue reading Low-budget Ferrari F40 up for auction

Low-budget Ferrari F40 up for auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Aug 2006 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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