1964 Chevrolet Corvette N03 Big Tanker Heading to Auction

When it comes to rare Corvette breeds, what we're dealing with on this occasion is a one-in-38 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Tanker. This example of a rarefied lineage is set to go under the hammer at Mecum Auctions' Houston 2015 sale, slated for April 9th.

Equipped with a 327-cu.in. (5.4-liter) small-block V8 engine and a close-ratio gearing Borg-Warner four-speed manual transmission, this C2 Corvette also boasts with Rochester fuel injection. Thanks to the latter, this second-generation Corvette produced a meaty 375 HP when it was brand spanking new.

The white exterior may complement the black interior nicely, but this old school bruiser's ace isn't its oomph nor its pristine condition. What differentiates it from other C2 Corvette variants is a bit of kit known as the N03 Big Tanker fuel tank. No points will be awarded to those who guess what the N03 option is all about.

Compared to the standard 20-gallon (75.7 liters) tank of the C2, the N03 Big Tanker can take in a whopping 36.5 gallons (138.1 liters) of fuel. To put that figure into perspective, the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 has a fuel tank capacity of 18.5 gallons, a figure that roughly translates to 70 liters for our European readers.

For the C2 Corvette Sting Ray, records show that 63 customers got it through the N03 option and that 199 customers got it by opting for the race-bred Z06 package. As such, it's believed that only 262 'Vettes have been factory equipped with the large fuel tanks. The bidding war on this historical C2 Corvette Sting Ray should be intense once it crosses the auction block at Mecum Houston.

1964 Chevrolet Corvette N03 Big Tanker - photo gallery

Yellow 2016 Audi R8 V10 Plus Displayed in Germany

While it has yet to be confirmed when the first customer deliveries of the second-generation 2016 Audi R8 V10 Plus will kick off, more and more examples are beginning to pop up in Audi dealerships across Europe. This latest example is currently residing in German dealer Audi Forum Neckarsulm and is finished in a bright colour dubbed Vegas Yellow.
While Vegas Yellow was available for the first-gen Audi R8, very few examples were ever finished in it. The following R8 V10 Plus however, shows that Vegas Yellow actually works quite well for the mid-engined German supercar.

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In case you didn’t know, the 2016 Audi R8 will only be available with the 5.2-litre V10 engine from launch. In base 2016 Audi R8 V10 specification, that engine has been tweaked from the current one up to 540 hp while the range-topping Audi R8 V10 Plus pumps out 610 hp and 560 Nm of torque. As a result, the Audi R8 V10 Plus will accelerate to 100 km/h in a mere 3.2 seconds, 200 km/h in 9.9 seconds as well as a top speed of 330 km/h. By comparison, the regular Audi R8 V10 will still sprint to 100 km/h in a respectable 3.5 seconds as well as a 323 km/h top speed.
Numerous upgrades have been performed to the engine to help achieve the higher horsepower and torque outputs. First and foremost, a new indirect injection system has been installed alongside the FSI direct fuel injection. Elsewhere, dry sump lubrication is featured. Additionally, the second-generation 2016 Audi R8 boasts the new cylinder on demand (COD) system which translates into lower fuel consumption as one bank of cylinders can shut down when not required. All told, the Audi R8 V10 consumes a mere 11.8 litres of fuel per 100 km while the 2016 Audi R8 V10 Plus sucks down 12.4 litres per 100 km. Those figures translate into 275g of CO2 and 289g of CO2 respectively.

6x6 Lada Niva Is Russia’s Response to German Engineering

It seems like forever since Mercedes-Benz launched the 6x6 G63 monster, the world has gone haywire. We’ve seen all sorts of people trying to imitate them, from Kahn Designs with their Flying Huntsman to a lost Dacia from somewhere in the Carpathian mountains. Now the Russians are jumping in with their own take on the matter.
What we have here then is a Lada Niva that was altered to use six wheels instead of the traditional four. The thing is, this is made by a group of enthusiasts and not the company itself. Therefore, as you can imagine, there are a few more things left out to be perfected still.
The fact that the builders are from the Russian city of Samara, the home of the LADA company did help a little, as they had all the parts they needed nearby. Little is known about what they needed to make this thing work or even road legal (that’s a supposition as we don’t know for sure if you’re actually allowed to do that. The license plates seem to say so) but we’re guessing a plethora of new parts were included in the mix.
First of all, they had to extend the flatbed in the back and include the roll cage as well as an extra rear axle. The creators even included a small ladder in the back, between the axles, to make ingress easier.
What we’re more than curious about is what engine hides under the bonnet. The stock 1.7-liter 84 HP unit couldn’t handle the extra weight all that easy. I mean just look at those wheels... That’s at least half a ton extra to carry around...
In the end, it turned out quite OK and, since the Lada Niva is regarded as one of the best off-roaders out there, this thing should be rather potent.. If only we knew the full details..

6x6 Lada Niva - photo gallery

Honda S660 Kei Sportscar Is a Baby McLaren with Lots of Cool Details

Reports are coming in from Japan that Honda has revealed pre-production prototypes of its upcoming S660 kei sportscar. Just imagine something the size of a Fiat 500, slightly smaller in fact, but packed with sharp edges and supercar-like lines.
The Japanese media is calling it a baby S2000, but we think it has more in common with Ferraris and McLarens when it comes to design. Thanks to local website Car.Watch, we can show you a few of the details that make this one of the coolest things Honda has ever made.
For example, from the back, you can see that it has a large centrally-mounted exhaust pipe that's going to remind people of the Aventador. The roof is basically a targa top and behind it, there's a window that goes up and down, like on a 650S.
The engine is at the back and sits underneath one of the most amazing decks we've seen for a sub-100hp car. Meanwhile, the front and rear bumper designs are similar to those of the new NSX hybrid, which is not a coincident.
The white prototype with stripes is a S660 Modulo, essentially the Honda equivalent of Nismo. This body kit enhances the sporty appearance of the car even further. And get this: it even has a pop-up rear wing.
Like all kei cars sold in Japan, the Honda S660 is restricted in terms of engine, power and dimensions. Under that rear hatch is a 660cc engine making exactly 64 PS, the maximum allowed by law. It's linked to either a 6-speed manual or a CVT. Rumor has it the S600 will be exported with a new 1-liter turbo engine making around 130 hp to other markets, but our source says that number is closer to 100 hp. Remember, this car weighs about half as much as a VW Golf, so it's not built to handle that much power

2015 Honda S660 - photo gallery