Porsche enthusiasts will undoubtedly count the 997-generation 911 GT2 as one of the most extreme supercars ever to roll out of Stuttgart – right up there with the 959 and the Carrera GT. But where there's speed, there's always room for more speed, and the Swiss aren't about to stay neutral on this matter. Switzerland-based Sportec has just released its latest offering: the SP750. The tuning firm is known for producing seriously fast Porsches – including the 997 Turbo-based SP580 and the record-chasing SPR1 and SP600M Cayenne – and has put some serious effort into carrying on this legacy with the new SP750.
Modifications to the GT2 – already very blitzschnell in its own right – are available in four increments, starting with the 600-hp Stage 1 and topping out with the full-on 750-hp Stage 4 kit, which includes new turbos, a revised ECU, titanium con-rods, a free-flowing exhaust and new camshafts, air filter and clutch. To control all that extra power, Sportec is also offering an upgraded brake kit with six-pot calipers and 350-380mm discs, plus a retuned suspension complemented by a revised aero kit and 20-inch rims. We'd hope the huge Swiss flag on the roof, which has become a hallmark of Sportec's creations, is optional. While it may protect the car from aerial bombardment, the planes would actually have to catch the car in the first place.
Switzerland is not the most car-friendly place on earth. (Odd, then, that after Monaco, the mountainous country is one of the most popular residence choices for F1 drivers.) But this just puts it over the top. The Swiss Green Party is proposing legislation that would effectively ban supercars. Most sportscars, actually. And SUVs. More than a few luxury sedans, too. Even some small hatchbacks.
The proposed regulations would ban any vehicle over 4800 lbs in weight, producing more than 250 grams of CO2 per kilometer, burning diesel without a new-fangled particulate filter or possessing a front end deemed less than optimal for pedestrian impact. Many of the vehicles on the proposed list of non-compliant new cars would seem logical, according to the Green Party mindset: Aston Martins, Bentleys, HUMMERs, pretty much anything from Italy bigger than a Fiat Panda, most American cars offered in Europe... but wait a second, the Hyundai Getz? Kia Rio? Nissan Micra? Even the Dacia Logan. Somebody's getting carried away in Switzerland, and we hope with the country's populist approach to governance that the Swiss populace will keep their tree-hugging elements in check. Otherwise, we might be riding bikes to next year's Geneva show.
Looking at this custom Porsche, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the Swiss army had ordered up a fleet of military-spec 911s. Then you'd quickly realize that while it may be a versatile sports car, the 911 would not be the Porsche most utile for military applications, compared with, say, the Cayenne.
In reality what you're looking at is a "civilian" 911 tuned by aftermarket specialist, Sportec. Never mind the 800-horsepower engine this brat is packin', the real highlight is the original paint job. This 911 Sportec SPR1 is decked out in matte green, with dark wheels and a Swiss flag painted on the roof. The paramilitary hue might make it even harder to spot as it sprints to sixty in three seconds flat, that is assuming the Swiss machine can shift out of neutral.
Follow the jump to watch the video of the Porsche 911 Sportec SPR1 undergoing high-speed testing at Nardo.
Hey, wait a minute – we thought you couldn't actually purchase the Ferrari FXX, let alone take one out to cavort on the streets of Switzerland. The way it was originally explained, people with 2.5 million dollars to dispose of could purchase the privelege to plant their hindquarters in the driver's seat for Maranello-sanctioned track events. You've got to have some serious juice to get an FXX to begin with, and then to get it legalized for use in Switzerland takes even more pull. When we say "crazy rich" we don't mean nutty with lots of money. "Crazy rich" in this instance means Scrooge McDuck style swimming in dubloons. Looking in the background of these pictures, you can see lesser vehicles fleeing for their lives. The FXX is keeping a particularly close eye on a tasty Fiat at one point. What's apparently going down in the photos is an FXX getting legally tagged for street driving after being gone over by inspectors in Zurich. The price of the inspection and tags was reportedly around $250,000, a mere ten percent of the initial cost. With an FXX as your personal car, you won't have to worry about blending in, and we must say it's refreshing to see a Ferrari in a color besides Rosso Corsa.
F1-themed watches tend to be very big, very shiny and named after a current F1 driver, or at least one living. The Hubolt Big Bang Ayrton Senna All Black Rattrapante fits just one of those categories, and we'll give you a clue: it's not the bling and it's not the pilot.
The exclusive chronograph flies in the face of fancy with its stealth-like matte black finish and black rubber strap, picking up on the contemporary trend of matte-finish cars. At the heart of the 44.5mm ceramic resin case is Hubolt's HUB44 RT mechanical movement, automatically powered and driving the full array of timing sub-dials.
This big, black muted timepiece is launching the watchmaker's foray into Brazil, Senna's home country, and the watch is the result of a partnership between the Swiss company and the Aytron Senna Institute, the foundation started by his sister Viviane. Part of the proceeds from the sale of the 500 numbered watches go to the Institute, and at $25,000 apiece, it had better be a big chunk.
Tuners just can't get enough of the 997 Turbo, with a list so far including SpeedART, TechArt, Edo, Rinspeed, and 9ff. That latter tuner even rings three bells by winning the HP competition, the top speed run, and being a convertible. The Swiss modifier fiddles with the ECU, swaps out the stock turbos for its own units, installs a high-flow exhaust, new air filter, and a strengthened clutch. Sportech also adds hi-po brakes with 6-pot calipers, a sports suspension, and a new front spoiler and rear wing -- and some hot wheels. Then it tunes the entire thing in four stages: from a 530-hp Stage 1 package to a 580-hp Stage 4 time-bender that digs holes in the road with 564-lb-ft of torque. Top speed is 210 mph. We never complain about anyone who adds to the already fantastic 997 Turbo, but in such a crowded and nandrolone-infused field, this latest entrant could sound, well, excuse us for saying so, but... tame.
It seems you just can't make an exotic sportscar these days without offering a wristwatch to go with it. Bugatti's got one. Koenigsegg has two. McLaren and TAG Heuer are on their third. And Ferrari's got a whole series. Is it a shameless ploy to capitalize on the merchandizing potential of their supercars, or do their creators simply want to provide their moneyed customers with an adornment for their pampered wrists as bold and unique as the hand-made supercars in their garage? The complication, exclusivity and, if nothing else, sheer price on some of these limited-edition timepieces would seem to indicate the latter.
Enter Pagani into the fray with what seems to be the first licensed piece of merchandise the independent carmaker has produced since first releasing the original Zonda back in 1999. Made in partnership with a likewise new craftshop called Cvstos, the Zonda F chronograph draws its inspiration from its namesake supercar. The crown is patterned on the dials in the Zonda's cabin; the sub-dials on the face are arranged to mimic Pagani's signature exhaust pipes; even the rotating disc, visible through the clear case-back, recalls the Zonda's wheels.
The Cvstos Pagani Zonda F chronograph is available in pink gold, yellow gold or titanium, at an unspoken cost and availability suitable to a creation bearing the Zonda's name.
TAG Heuer is a watchmaker with a long history in motorsports, sponsoring racing events, drivers and teams for decades. Even Steve McQueen wore one. Now the Swiss watchmaker has unveiled the "TAG Heuer SLR for Mercedes-Benz", the third timepiece made in collaboration with the German automaker.
The automatic chronograph features the TAG Heuer Calibre 17 movement enclosed in a uniquely-designed case that takes its styling cues from the SLR McLaren and boasts a number of unique features. While conventional chronographs have the function buttons mounted on the side of the case, TAG Heuer patented a mechanism placing the buttons next to the bezel, like on the previous SLR wristwatch, only angled at 45 degrees. TAG Heuer managed to eliminate the functional tradeoff between a diver's watch and a chronograph by using two bezels: a black titanium bezel with markings against which the user can measure between mileposts to calculate the exact speed all the way up to 400 km/h (248 mph), and a unique second bezel for counting down – handy for qualifying sessions and rally-style timed stages. The designers avoided taking the easy way out: it's the inner bezel that rotates, adjusted by a second crown positioned at 9 o'clock.
Follow the jump for the rest of the details, an official press release, and a second photograph of the timepiece.
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