2013 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento

Lamborghini has already confirmed that the Sesto Elemento will indeed be headed to the production line, albeit in a very limited run. With such a minute number being produced, anyone would be hard-pressed to get know when Lamborghini is even actively selling it, let alone be able to grab hold of one of those units. The task of purchasing an Elemento got even harder as a high-end dealership in La Jolla, just north of San Diego, confirmed that Lamborghini was already accepting orders for the car and that only three units were headed over to the United States.

The Lamborghini Sesto Elemento will be offered at a princely sum and rumors suggest that payment will be taken Reventon-style, which means three equal payments of $300,000 or higher with the remainder being paid at the end of the deal. That kind of price tag will bring its owner a 570 HP V10 engine and a power-to-weight ratio of only 1.75 kilograms per HP. This allows the Sesto Elemento to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in a sensational 2.5 seconds, while top speed will be higher than 186 mph.

Anyone willing and able to pay that incredible price tag better have their phone in hand and their bank account numbers handy.

UPDATE 08/21/2012: The Lamborghini Sesto Elemento was on display at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours where Lambo representatives have confirmed that the model is priced at a cool $2.2 million. Anyone lucky enough to scrap together enough cash will still be heartbroken when they hear that all 20 units have already been sold. (GT Spirit)

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2012 MINI Coupe Targa Raze by RevoZport

When you start thinking about MINI, there’s growing sentiment that the German automaker has become increasingly adept at building some pretty aggressive machines.

Some aftermarket companies has taken notice too, and one of them, RevoZport, has announced their new program for both the MINI Coupe and Roadster, christening it the "Targa Raze."

Built in-house to be the kind of MINI program we just fall head over hells for, the Targa Raze is beyond sick, with a bodykit that includes new bumpers, revised side skirts, and a ventilated hood, all of which are made from carbon and Kevlar. Likewise, a carbon fiber roof and a prominent rear spoiler are part of the program, reducing the car’s weight by 40kg/88 lbs while also widening its profile by 15mm.

Under the hood, RevoZport opted for a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine that now comes with new, larger intercooler, new camshafts, a remapped ECU unit, and a new titanium exhaust system. With all these modifications in tow, the Targa Raze now has an impressive output of 250 horsepower, an increase of 69 ponies from the standard model’s 181-horsepower output.

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Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid achieves 185 mph world record at Bonneville

World speed records are usually associated with vehicles like the Bugatti Veyron, which can hit a high mark of 267 mph and look great while doing it. Advances in hybrid technology, however, have now made it essential to include vehicles like the Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid on the list of top speed records. No, the Jetta was not able to dominate the Veyron’s top speed, or even come close to it, but it has achieved a land speed record of its own at the Bonneville Salt Flats. During the Southern California Timing Association’s Speed Week at Bonneville, the Jetta Hybrid was able to record a 185.394 mph top speed, marking the fastest speed ever achieved by a production-based hybrid on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

"Achieving this speed at Bonneville shows that the all-new 2013 Jetta Hybrid is a distinctly different offering in the compact hybrid class,” said Jonathan Browning, CEO and President, VW Group of America. “As well as being expected to achieve combined fuel economy of 45 mpg, the Jetta Turbo Hybrid also retains the fun-to-drive nature you expect from a Volkswagen in a segment dominated by less exciting vehicles.”

The 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid is powered by a 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline powerplant generating 150 horsepower and 184 lb/ft of torque. The gasoline engine is then combined with a 20kW electric motor with a lithium-ion battery that’s produces an additional 27 HP and weighs less than 80 lbs. The Jetta’s top speed record was achieved by implementing a few changes to the setup. Volkswagen R&D in Wolfsburg, Germany modified the engine to provide a few more ponies, while A-Salt Racing and Advanced Product Engineering, based in Camarillo, California, provided project integration and other modifications. Everything was finalized with an engine calibration and a once-over by the folks at the Volkswagen Test Center California in Oxnard, CA

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