Up for Grabs: Lamborghini Countach with 10K Miles

One of the themes of this year’s Mecum Auction’s Monterey event seems to be low mileage. They are bringing along a number of highly desirable exotics and classics that are virtually new and have extremely low milages relative to their age. A case in point is this 1988 Lamborghini Countach LP5000 Quattrovalvole.

Finished in menacing black with standard factory gold rims and a $5,500 optional rear wing, this beautiful Lamborghini Countach is number 676 of 2,042 and has a late model 5.2 liters V12 with four valves per cylinder, hence the Quattrovalvole badge. It is unclear how much power exactly this engine makes, but you can be sure it is pretty close to the factory figures because according to the odometer the engine has done only 15,640 kilometers or 9,718 miles. It’s barely even broke in.

Other highlights of unique 1988 Lamborghini Countach include a 5-speed manual transmission, Black with Black leather interior, and a major $9,500 service in 2013. The car also has the factory standard air conditioning which sounds good, but it’s famous for being more of a novelty item than a real unit with actual air conditioning power. Of course, you don’t buy a thing like this to use it, so you don’t care. The Countach these days is more of a garden ornament than a car. It’s an expensive one, too, with this particular one estimated at between $375,000 to $425,000.

2017 Hyundai Genesis G80 – US Pricing and Specs

Known in the business as the Korean S-Class, the Hyundai Genesis sedan—which is these days called Genesis G80—has always been a fine choice for those who wanted comfort, luxury, and equipment on a tight budget. The latest version of the car follows the same pattern as it starts from just $41,400 in the US market.

For that you get a 2017 Hyundai Genesis G80 with a 3.8 liter V6 engine and rear-wheel-drive. The same model is available with all-wheel-drive, but that’ll set you back $43,900. And if you really want that Korean S-Class experience, you need to spend $54,550 on the range-topping 5.0 liter V8 model which only comes with rear-wheel-drive.

All models come with a 3-year warranty and various customer care programs such as roadside assistance, valet service, travel link and… There are also Premium and Ultimate equipment packages with which you can spec up your base V6 models with stuff like panoramic sunroof, full color heads-up display, and a 17-speaker Lexicon premium audio system. You need not do that with the V8 as it gets those by default and also comes with 19-inch wheels, quad exhaust tips and illuminated door sill plates.

The highlights of the 2017 Hyundai Genesis G80 in terms of equipment and features include Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), Blind Spot Detection (BSD) with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA), Lane Keep Assist (LKA) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW),  High Beam Assist, Pre-safety seat belt and nine airbags, Smart Cruise Control with Stop/Start capability, Electronic Parking Brake with Automatic Vehicle Hold, and 8-inch touchscreen navigation system with rearview camera.

Ice Blue Lamborghini Diablo SV on Sale for £265K

If you are one of those people who are still mourning the death of the old vicious, tough, hard-core Lamborghinis, well good news! A 1998 Lamborghini Diablo SV has just become available for sale in the UK and it has some really juicy specs.

The Diablo was the last of pure-bred Lambos before the company was bought by Audi and infused with a heavy dose of German commonsense. So it is fair to say that Lamborghini Diablo SV is a real man’s Lamborghini with a massive 490bhp V12 engine, a 5-speed manual gearbox, rear-wheel-drive, and a top speed of more than 200 mph.

What sets this Lamborghini Diablo SV apart, besides the one-off Ice Blue paint job, is a number of special features fitted to it. This car was prepared by Lambo for the 1999 British Motor Show and original bought it straight from the show. The car comes with SE side skirts, a carbon fibre gear lever, a performance grade stainless steel exhaust system and a two-tone alcantara interior with grey, light and dark blue shades and blue contrast stitching.

This car is currently on sale at Super Veloce Racing in the UK with 6,941 miles (11,171 kilometres) for £265,000. The kit is complete and includes a fully detailed history file, full Lamborghini service history, both keys and every original accessory in place, including the rare Lamborghini umbrella.

1980 Porsche Bisimoto 911BR Set for Auction

It’s as if Mecum Auction’s Monterey event is going to the last exotic car auction ever because they keep adding cars to the lineup, and each one better than the last. One of the latest additions to the list of cars going under the hammer next month is this Porsche Bisimoto 911BR.

Unlike most of the other cars to be sold at Mecum Monterey sale, this 1980 Porsche Bisimoto 911BR will not benefit the proprietor. This one is slated for charity as all the proceeds from its sale (estimated at $135,000 – $175,000) will go to Boys Republic, a non-profit treatment community for troubled youngsters in Chino Hills, California. So besides being extremely cool, this car is also quite noble.

As for the specs and details of the one-of-a-kind Porsche Bisimoto 911BR, the car’s one of the most exquisitely modified vintage 911s built in a joint effort by Bisimoto Engineering and McKenna Porsche. This bespoke Porsche comes in Slate Gray and has Fuchs alloys, lowered suspension, a 3.6 liter engine with a late model GT3 intake manifold, fully sequential fuel injection and a custom fabricated pulse chamber exhaust system.

With 316 horsepower and just 2,400 pound to carry around, the 911BR is also pretty quick, although something this cool is more intended for cruising than racing. The builder of this car claim it is what Steve McQueen would have ordered if he was alive.

1980 Porsche Bisimoto 911BR Specs (via Mecum):

• Custom-built Porsche 911 by Bisimoto Engineering
• Bisimoto combines modern automotive advances with the romanticism and beauty of classis vehicles
• McKenna Porsche helped facilitate this project
• The BR911 is built on a 1980 chassis, backdated to mimic the classic lines of a late-?60s 911
• 3.6/316 HP air-cooled flat-6 engine
• Fully sequential fuel injection system
• Slate Grey exterior
• Black interior
• F1-inspired exhaust system incorporating Helmholtz pulse chambers
• Late model GT3 intake manifold mated to individual throttle bodies
• CANBUS communication protocol onboard diagnostics
• Bespoke rear coilover suspension,
• Custom Fuchs inspired wheels
• R888 Toyo tires
• Power windows
• Tinted windows
• Custom retro racing seats
• Momo Prototipo steering wheel
• Rennline interior accents
• Polished trim and accents
• Bespoke 911BR badge
• Custom 4-point roll cage
• Two-owner vehicle
• Comprehensive maintenance records
• Winner of the coveted Ron Harris Chairman’s award

Official: 2017 VW Beetle Facelift

Volkswagen has launched a new version of the iconic Beetle in the UK featuring new styling details and upgraded specs. Don’t expect a whole new car though, as 2017 VW Beetle comes only with a revised bumper and some new fog lamps.

That’s about it really, except for the new R-Line trim, which is the highlight of 2017 VW Beetle range. The R-Line gets a sporty front apron with extra air intake openings along the upper edge of the bumper. Brighter instrument panel lighting and new dials and dash styling for the Design and R-Line models as well as refreshed upholstery design are among the other notable upgrades.

The R-Line version of the 2017 VW Beetle, which is what you want, replaces the previous Sport trim level and comes with a 2.0-litre TDI 150 PS diesel engine and a choice of either six-speed manual or six-speed DSG transmission. You also get 18-inch ‘Twister’ or ‘Ashmie Adamantium’ alloy wheels, body color rear diffuser, twin exhaust and a rear tailgate spoiler. Kaylami cloth seats, leather-wrapped sport steering, and 2Zone climate control are also standard.

But if you want a regular Beetle with some of R-Line equipments VW offers the Black Style Pack among the new options. It includes 17-inch ‘Rotor’ black alloy wheels and a black painted roof as well black trim pieces and stripes. The package costs £625 on top of the base price of £16,820.

2017 Audi R8 Spyder Priced from £130K in the UK

The all-new drop-top 2017 Audi R8 Spyder is now available to order in the roadster-loving Great Britain. The new super car is priced from £129,990 which puts in the same category as many an excellent offerings from English and other German manufacturers.

To beat them for your money the 2017 Audi R8 Spyder relies many on its enticing blend of power, performance, and practicality. This is one of the very few super cars you can actually drive everyday if you want, and with the Spyder version you of course have the folding soft top which disappears in a mere 20 seconds and gives you access to the infinite sky.

Powering this technically brilliant but visually not so appealing exotic is a naturally aspirated V10 engine mated to a seven-speed S tronic transmission and a newly designed quattro drive system. It makes 540PS of power and 540 Nm (398.3 lb-ft) of torque which is enough for accelerating from 0 to 62mph in just 3.6 seconds and achieving a top speed of 197 mph. Meanwhile it returns an average fuel consumption of 24 mpg with 277 grams CO2 per kilometer. 

The highlights of 2017 Audi R8 Spyder equipment-wise include the fully digital Audi Virtual Cockpit, the Audi smartphone interface and internet-based Audi Connect services.