DC Design, India’s premier automotive design firm has taken a step beyond what it is known and revered for, with its reveal at Auto Expo today, of what is the country’s first ever sports car, the sleekly styled and superbly configured DC Avanti.
What makes this a special occasion is that the Avanti is not just a full road worthy prototype but one with production firmly pencilled in!

DC intends to go the way of so many Italian carrozzerias (like Bertone, Ghia, Pininfarina and Stola to name four) who not only styled, designed and engineered smashing sports cars but also went on to make them in limited production runs for sale to the general public.

DC will be doing just that with the Avanti which is being readied for a production run beginning 2013 and none other than the legendary India cine genius and informed motoring buff Amitabh Bachchan was on hand to take the wraps off this glorious rolling sculpture. While DC has done some amazing work over the past decade including prototypes for so many of the world’s big name car manufacturers, he has never done a production run of any of his designs, concentrating on one-offs. All that is destined to change with the DC Avanti, a move that adds another dimension to the multi-faceted design and engineering capability that DC Design has built up at its Pune works!

Speaking at the launch of the project very dear to his heart (and which he had nurtured for so many years), Dilip Chhabria, the guiding tour-de-force at DC Design said, “We are extremely ecstatic to present the DC Avanti today and it is a manifestation of not just the burgeoning interest in high end sports cars but also as a calling card for our own capabilities which have now progressed from mere styling in the early days to full prototyping and bespoke one-off manufacturing. Every country which has written its name in the pantheon of automobile manufacturing has invariably distinguished itself with sports cars by its own nationals and I thought that India rightly needs to be in this exclusive club.”

“The Indian market for high end automobiles is on a steep uphill curve as witnessed year-on-year and our focus is at the top end of this rarified niche. The design is completely our very own as is the engineering and also the production process. Type approval and on-road tests would follow soon and we intend to simultaneously set up an all new facility at Talegaon near Pune to build this vehicle,” said Dilip.

“We intend to produce 300 units of the Avanti in 2013-2014 and if all goes well we could ramp up production to go into four figures per annum. Till now DC Design was noted for its design and customization but then we added complete engineering and prototyping to our roster of services and working for the world’s biggest names helped us understand and add to our expertise,” added Dilip. “The Avanti is an ongoing culmination of all that we have learnt and we intend to give a sports car to a select new emerging breed of car buyers who value good taste without compromising on performance and who don’t need to spend a fortune on making the adrenaline flow.” He further added.

The Avanti supercar doesn’t reinvent the wheel in the basic process of manufacturing a high tech sports car because in time honoured specialist car production DC Design will be using proprietary parts from various car makers, especially in the areas of drivetrain and suspension. The Avanti would be powered by a specially tuned Ford EcoBoost 2.0-litre four-cylinder, dohc, 16-valve engine. This unit not only features turbocharging with direct injection but also features VVT (variable valve timing) and this helps it to dish out power and torque which normally are on par with a larger 3.0-litre engine. Max power will be 240bhp at 5500rpm with a massive 366 Nm of torque developed at 3500rpm helping give it both tractability and thrust. If that is not all, the latest electronics will also help deliver strong on the fuel efficiency front as well. Also the engine and its ancillaries are all Euro 4 & 5 compliant already meaning it would be right even for the export markets but the good thing is that it could also be taken further to the incoming Euro 6 legislation with a slight change in the engine mapping characteristics.

Handling all that power and torque from the mid-mounted four-cylinder engine is a six-speed manual gearbox. Again sourced from the Ford Europe parts bin, this transmission is robust and reliable and does all it is tasked with. There will also be another transmission option for those who seek an even higher technological plane with a six-speed dual clutch PowerShift unit.

The Avanti will have a light weight but very strong spaceframe chassis using a mix of square, rectangular and round sections to get the best strength and rigidity across the dynamic spectrum. Suspension is in time honoured sports car fashion with unequal length wishbones all around working in conjunction with coil over shock absorbers. Agile, quick and ultra-responsive, the Avanti promises performance and visual erotica at a cost to quality proposition that will be second to none. Hydraulically assisted rack and pinion steering gear will be standard fitment.

Specialists in safety engineering which include the likes of Bosch would be lending their might in developing the latest generation ABS brake systems and SRS air bag technology for the Avanti; ride and handling would be perfected by global experts in this realm and overall body and trim plus final assembly would be done at DC Design’s all new production facility coming up at Talegaon near Pune. The Avanti will be electronically limited to 250km/h and will ride on 19-inch tyres all round. Footwear on the front wheels would be of size 255/35-19 while 295/30-19-sized rubber would do duty at the rear. Helping safety and control given the max velocity and acceleration the Avanti would pack in, large 330mm diameter ventilated disc brakes with grippy AP Racing calipers come as OE fitment.

The Avanti’s low slung silhouette is pure excitement and is unlike any seen from an Asian automotive entity. Sporting a combination of pleasingly complex concave and convex surfaces to deliver great form, the Avanti is fast standing still with its rippling muscles akin to a wild animal waiting to spring onto its prey. Animalistic yet aesthetic in its essence but replete with fine craftsmanship across the entire vehicle, the Avanti can more than hold its own in its class.

DC has already put in place a unique and dedicated self-owned and managed sales and service network in five major metros in the country (Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai and Hyderabad) and this would only be honed to a fine pitch by the time the Avanti production commences. An additional four outlets would also be opened in the course of 2012.

Bookings, on a first-come-first-served-basis will open soon, immediately after Auto Expo 2012 with deliveries scheduled from the last quarter of calendar 2013.

The big story doesn’t end here, the feel good theme continuing on the price front as well. At Rs. 30 lakhs ex-showroom, the Avanti would be a stunner in more ways than one and a smile inducer cum big name basher made in India. More announcements on the Avanti and its bespoke customization to owners’s trim and equipment preferences would follow soon.

Source: DC Design Press Release

Texas-based automotive tuning company, Hennessey Performance (HPE), has set their sights on taking the new McLaren MP4-12C to a higher level of performance. Today the company is introducing their HPE800 Twin Turbo concept for the 12C. The HPE800 Twin Turbo will include upgrades to the powertrain designed to reliably increase power to over 800 bhp. HPE will also add a more aggressive aero package to the vehicle in order to increase downforce. The Hennessey CarbonAero bodywork will incorporate a new, center-positioned frontal air inlet with hood extractor. This new design will allow room for larger heat exchangers for improved engine intercooling as well as transmission cooling.

“We’ve been taking fast cars and have been making them faster for over twenty years,” said company founder and president John Hennessey. “I spent a lot of time around the new 12C at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed and was very impressed. We’re excited to have the opportunity to take a great car and give it our own special performance touch while giving 12C owners a uniquely aggressive appearance”.

HPE800 Twin Turbo Upgrade Includes:
• Upgraded intercooler system
• Upgraded air intake system
• Upgraded ball-bearing turbochargers
• Hennessey titanium exhaust system
• External wastegates
• External blow-off valves
• Upgraded fuel and engine management system
• Upgraded transmission cooler
• Upgraded transmission clutch system
• Custom dyno-tuned engine calibration
• Hennessey Warranty

Other Upgrades Include:
• Hennessey CarbonAero body upgrade
• Hennessey Monoblock wheels
• Michelin Pilot Super Sport Tires
• Hennessey custom interior upgrades including carbon fiber, Alcantara and leathers

HPE does not plan to offer any kind of a suspension or brake system upgrade as the factory systems will be difficult to improve upon. The company plans to offer the upgrades listed above as an entire package as well as some individual parts. These items will be available directly from HPE facilities located in Texas and Southern California. Pricing has not yet been set.

Source: Hennessey Press Release

Here is the awesome commercial featuring Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno, not to mention “the Soup Nazi” for the 2012 Acura NSX which will run during the “Big Game”. How ridiculous that we have to say “Big Game”. Way to go NFL! Am I allowed to say NFL?

Source: YouTube/Acura

With Mario Andretti on the stage cheering on the bidders the MagnaFlow Mario Andretti Edition 2011 Camaro SS was on the block last night at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2012. All proceeds went to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project Inc. As the gavel dropped the MagnaFlow Mario Andretti Edition 2011 Camaro SS sold for $75,000.

In creating the MagnaFlow Mario Andretti Edition 2011 Camaro SS, we wanted to develop a high performance vehicle that would be worthy of the Andretti name while honoring the vehicle’s roots to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. Creating a unique identity for the Camaro meant using subtle styling to enhance the aesthetics. Bill Dunn Upholstery provided carbon fiber body accents in the form of a front splitter, skirts and diffuser. RK Sport donated a carbon fiber hood to further reduce weight and allow for a paint design that pays tribute to Mario’s racing heritage. Bill Dunn Upholstery stepped up to the plate to upgrade the interior with high quality leathers, suede and subtle accents tying the interior and exterior together and giving the Camaro a luxurious custom feel. In the powertrain category, the LS3 packs a punch that can stand alone. However, in creating a true supercar, we needed a boost in power levels. We partnered with Magnuson Products to enhance power through one of their aftermarket TVS 2300 superchargers. Advanced Clutch Technology and their twin-disc clutch helped us insure all the extra horsepower was transferred to the wheels. With increased power levels we need to give the Camaro more stopping power, grip and control. Brembo offered to help this beast stop on a dime with their 6-piston monobloc system. Opting to stay with 20″ wheels, HRE P40s added the additional styling needed to show off the Pirelli PZero tires for enhanced traction. The Eibach Springs Pro Plus kit allowed for more control and better handling. After Mario Andretti took it to triple digit speeds at the Nashville SuperSpeedway and Samuel Hubinette took it sideways in the Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational at Spring Mountain Raceway, we were confident that we had achieved our goal.

Source: Barrett-Jackson.com

Never before in the history of the Porsche Boxster has a change of generation been so comprehensive. The open-top two-seat car receives an entirely new lightweight body and a completely revamped chassis. The new Boxster weighs less than the previous generation and rides on a longer wheelbase and a wider track. These new dimensions are coupled with larger wheels and a new electromechanical power steering system to significantly enhance the mid-engine sports car’s driving dynamics. The new Boxster boasts superior performance and is also up to 15 percent more fuel-efficient than previous models on the European cycle.

The new Boxster benefits not only from an increased wheelbase but also shorter overhangs, while the windscreen has been shifted forward. The passengers are enclosed by the completely redesigned, fully electric top, which now dispenses with a convertible top compartment lid. The interior concept offers the occupants more space and reflects the new Porsche outline with a raked center console, which, originating with the Carrera GT ensures improved ergonomics in all models.

The new sports car generation makes its debut in the classic Porsche pairing of Boxster and Boxster S. Both models are powered by flat-six engines with direct fuel injection, the efficiency of which is further enhanced by electrical system recuperation, thermal management and start/stop function. The base model’s new power unit delivers 265 hp from a 2.7 liter displacement – ten hp more than its larger displacement predecessor. Technically, it is now based on the 3.4-liter engine of the Boxster S. This now delivers 315 hp, which is five hp more than before. Both models feature a manual six-speed gearbox as standard with the seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) available as an option. Both sports cars achieve their best fuel consumption and acceleration performance with the PDK. With gear changes without interruption to the power flow, the Boxster sprints from zero to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, the Boxster S in 4.7 seconds.

To enhance driving dynamics yet further, Porsche offers the Sport Chrono Package as an optional extra for the Boxster, featuring dynamic transmission mounts for the first time. Also new in the Boxster is Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) with a mechanical rear axle differential lock.

The new Boxster models are expected in U.S. showrooms in early summer 2012. The basic list price iwill be $49,500 for the Boxster and $60,900 for the Boxster S, not including a $950 destination charge.

About Porsche Cars North America

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga. is the exclusive U.S. importer of Porsche sports cars, the Cayenne SUV and Panamera sports sedan. Established in 1984, it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Porsche AG, which is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, and employs approximately 220 people who provide parts, service, marketing and training for 194 dealers. They, in turn, work to provide Porsche customers with a best-in-class experience that is in keeping with the brand’s 63-year history and leadership in the advancement of vehicle performance, safety and efficiency. At the core of this success is Porsche’s proud racing heritage that boasts some 30,000 motorsport wins to date.

Source: Porsche Press Release