Shelby has decided to throw dedicated collectors with a lighter wallet a bit of love with this CSX 9000 Daytona Cobra Coupe MKII. While one of six original Daytona Coupes is expected to fetch over $7 million at auction later this month, this modernized version of the legendary Coupe will set you back a mere $89K. Of course, you’ll need to save some cash to add your desired engine and transmission, if you’d like it to go anywhere. While it doesn’t quite bring the esteem or history of the original, it certainly has the distinct, sporty look. It also receives a CSX 9000 series chassis number and place in the Shelby World Registry. Performance updates include improved cooling, modified air intakes behind the rear windows and improved suspension. Adding a touch of modern comfort to the timeless styling, the MKII includes a larger interior, external door handles and power windows. Shelby is producing just two per month and orders can be placed on their website.  [via AutoBlog] Continue Reading

Like the flashy superstar too concerned with looking rich to look good, German tuner Gembella brings us the  ostentatious Porsche Mirage GT Gold Edition. This blinged-out exhibition of misguided tunes uses generous amounts of carbon fiber to drastically cut weight and generous amounts of gold paint to add an over-the-top look that doesn’t really complement the GT’s natural beauty. To bring home the point on just how much gold has been spilled on this vehicle: it has gold in the air intake, the rear diffuser, the wheels, the trunk lid, the brake calipers, the engine bay and the wing mirrors–and that’s a shortened list of the external gold–plenty more inside. As far as performance goes, the Gold Edition gets the same engine tweaks as Gembella’s Mirage GT Carbon Edition (carbon fiber minus gold accents), which add 670 horses worth of power. The 0 to 60 is cut by 0.2 seconds down to 3.7 and the top speed is raised by 3 MPH to 208. [via AutoBlog] Continue Reading

Though the Honda Insight isn’t exactly as brash as most of the vehicles that grace the Crave network, it is a helluva a lot more practical–it’s a car any one of us can actually afford to put on the road. With that said, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy a little tuner-touch to your favorite hybrid. The Japanese Exclusive Zeus offers an upgrade kit that includes rear spoiler, grille and side skirts fabricated in aluminum.  Purchase each piece separately or buy the whole kit all at once for 134,400 yen ($1418) or painted for 207,900 yen ($2194). While the Zeus Insight still looks as practical as ever, it might earn you a few extra props around town. [via AutoBlog] Continue Reading

Most of Lamborghini’s legends are of the vehicular variety. The Countach. The Diablo. Yes, even the Miura. But it’s the unseen heroes behind these vehicles that are the true legends. The Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-2 Valentino Balboni introduces us to one such human legend. Valentino Balboni has been test driving Lamborghinis for over 40 years, putting his stamp of approval on all the iconic cars to roar out of their stables. While one might think such an enviable job is tribute enough, Lamborghini has introduced this special edition Gallardo in his honor. Complete with special colors, sportier suspension and racing strip splitting the center, the Gallardo LP560-2 Valentino Balboni is the ultimate tribute. After 40 years of driving some of the most powerful sports cars ever produced, it’s probably quite difficult to impress Balboni; “the fastest monument ever built” undoubtedly did just that, however. [via AutoBlog]

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Ahhh…so many things wrong…where to begin. We get off on the wrong foot with a Porsche Cayenne. We add one Jeremie Paret, a car stylist from France. Then we add a wide-body kit with its imposingly massive grill, heinous fenders and “angel eyes” fog lights, without gaining any actual performance enhancements whatsoever. All we get is a thin hope of extra quickness due to enhanced intercooling and brake cooling. Not that you need much extra power to run your Cayenne to the local organic food store, because you don’t. But it could have helped save face after these body “enhancements”. Finally, we land at the name…the Balrog. Apparently, Ballschwet was taken. At least they were in the right neighborhood. [via Jalopnik] Continue Reading

When I first laid eyes upon the words “Ferrari Enzo” and “competition” within the same line of type, my heart began to palapitate rapidly and I tore in to the text eager to find out what I’d need to do to win. Alas, as better judgement should have warned, there is no such competition, but merely the tuner Edo Competition. As usual, one man’s despair is another’s gain. In this case, that gain belongs to the select handful of car enthusiasts that will drive one of these Enzo XX performance packages. The package includes a thoroughly-modified engine with new  steel cylinders, pistons, camshafts, valve springs, and Titan connecting rods. Other modifications include a carbon fiber air intake, high performance clutch and a new stainless steel catalytic converter that allows the driver to switch between two separate sound levels using a dash-mounted control. That’s enough of the recipe–now for a taste of the pie–the Enzo XX is expected to produce 800 hp (+170 over standard) and should trounce the 0 to 62 in just 3.2 seconds, while on its way to a top speed exceeding 236 MPH. Not quite as good as winning your own, but an ample novelty prize. [via World Car Fans] Continue Reading

The curvy accomplishment sitting before you is the newly-unveiled Ferrari 458 Italia, which will replace the F430. While the car won’t be shown in public until the Frankfort Motor Show in September, Ferrari has released the details and given us an intimate glimpse of what to expect with these stunning renderings. “Designed for owners for whom the priority is uncompromising on-road performance with occasional track day capability, but who still demand a car that is useable in day-to-day driving”, the 458 Italia features a direct-injected, mid-rear V8 good for 562 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque. A seven-speed dual clutch gearbox provides seamless shifting and control while a steering wheel with integrated controls keeps nearly every necessary adjustment at the driver’s fingertips. The 458 tops out at 9000 rpm and Ferrari redesigned the gear ratio so that 80% of its torque is available at the low 3250 rpm. The powertrain combines with the compact, aerodynamic shape and lightweight aluminum structure to provide a 0 to 62 time of 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 202 MPH.  The 458 gives us just one more thing to look forward to at Frankfort. [via AutoBlog] Continue Reading

With grace and style true to a flagship BMW and sheer power and performance usually seen amongst tuned supercars, the 2010 BMW 760i and 760Li will screech out of the factory with 544-horsepower 6.0-liter twin turbo V12s and new eight-speed gearboxes. The 760i shares dimensions with the current BMW 7-Series (760Li is extended by 5.5 “), but the beefed-up powertrain provides performance potential that brings the 760s to the very top of the BMW food chain.  While not many luxury sedan drivers will ever need to hit 60 MPH in just 4.5 seconds, BMW had better offer something for the $136K price tag besides leather seats and walnut trim. Visually, the 760s get an extra wide, slightly- concave frame, 19-inch alloy wheels, V12 designations on the gill elements and dual rectangular exhaust pipes. Interior features like four-zone air conditioning, BMW Professional nav system and optional multi-channel sound system round off this romance between elegance and muscle. [via Jalopnik] Continue Reading

Saleen’s first release since the company was purchased, the 2010 Saleen 435S Mustang features a 4.6-liter V8 with Saleen Series VI twin-screw supercharger and two-stage intercooler that provides 435 horspower and 425 lb-ft of torque–the Saleen bests its classmate Rousch 427R by 25 pounds of torque. The car is lowered by an inch and a half using Saleen Racecraft suspension. Aesthetically the 435S is largely stock with minor tweaks including new wheels, mesh-c0vered fog lamps and Saleen’s signature, demonstrating the new Saleen’s focus on “go” over “show”.  Lightweight chin splitter and spoiler are available in an optional Aero Package. No pricing information was yet released other than this quote from CEO Mike Shields: “In these difficult economic times we wanted our first vehicle to deliver a lot for an affordable price.” [via Jalopnik] Continue Reading