Aston Martin’s Q bespoke division has created an ultra-exclusive DBS Superleggera special edition to celebrate 50 years since Concorde first took to the skies. Made in association with British Airways, the DBS Superleggera Concorde Edition features a number of visual enhancements inside and out and is limited to just 10 examples, all sold through Aston Martin Bristol – down the road from where British Concorde manufacturing took place. External alterations include a painted livery using British Airways colours on the roof strake, spoiler and rear diffuser. A black carbonfibre roof sports the silhouette of the supersonic jet. There are neat details, too, including new side strakes milled from solid aluminium, the British Airways ‘Speedmarque’ logo in chrome on the front wings, a black ‘Q by Aston Martin’ wing badge and even the authentic aircraft identifier number of the flagship of the Concorde fleet (G-BOAC) on the body behind the doors. Inspection plates are signed by Aston CEO Andy Palmer and British Airways chairman Alex Cruz. New interior features include the Concorde logo on the front seat facings, ‘Mach Meter’ graphics in the driver’s sun visor and an Alcantara headliner with a ‘sonic boom’ graphic. There are also titanium paddle shifters – made from Concorde’s compressor blades, the firm claims – special floor mats and unique sill plaques. Underneath, the DBS Superleggera’s mechanical make-up is unchanged. It makes use of the 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 putting out 715bhp and taking the supercar to 211mph. No price is quoted for the DBS Superleggera Concorde Edition, so prospective customers should contact Aston Martin Bristol. Some of the proceeds from each car will be donated to the Air League Trust, a non-profit organisation that supports underprivileged children and teaches them how to
Origin: Aston Martin creates ultra-exclusive DBS Superleggera Concorde Edition
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Swindon Powertrain creates compact ‘crate’ electric motor
Swindon Powertrain, the company behind the E-Classic electric Mini, is developing a ‘crate’ powertrain for manufacturers to electrify low-volume models. The 107bhp unit will facilitate the switch to electrification, the firm says, for “manufacturers currently frustrated by the lack of compact, high-power EV systems available to buy in low volumes”. The powertrain is being developed in partnership with electric motor manufacturer iNetic and engineering firm Code, with funding coming from the Niche Vehicle Network, a body that supports more than 900 of Britain’s lowest-volume automotive production and engineering companies. The unit is described as ‘turnkey’, meaning it’s ready for installation straight from the box, and is claimed to offer the highest power-to-volume ratio on the market. Primary intended uses for the new motor include sports cars, classic cars, small commercial vehicles and recreational vehicles such as golf buggies. The unit weighs just 70kg and, measuring 600mm by 440mm by 280mm, is said to be appropriately sized for fitment into the engine bay of an original Mini or the frame of a quadbike. Swindon Powertrain also states that waterproofing options will enable it to be used in compact off-roaders. It claims that as well as operating as a standalone motor, the unit could also be used as the electric component in a hybrid vehicle’s drivetrain. The firm plans to put the unit into series production before June 2020 and will cover the cost of any necessary research and validation processes, which it says will further ease costs for
Origin: Swindon Powertrain creates compact ‘crate’ electric motor
Dealership creates the convertible Challenger that Dodge won’t
A North Carolina dealership has created the Challenger convertible that Dodge wont build from the factory.Ford and Chevrolet have convertible versions of their modern pony cars, but Dodge has never personally stepped up to the game and created its own, and its seeming more unlikely as the platform ages.Tired of waiting, Keffer Dodge, Chrysler, Ram and Jeep sent three Challengers off to a shop named Convertible Builders in Florida, which chopped off the top and added a soft fabric version that opens and closes with the push of a button.According to Motor Authority, the conversions were done to a standard Challenger and two R/T Scat Pack models, one fitted with the 485-horsepower 6.4-litre HEMI V8; and the other with a 5.7-litre V8 that makes 375 horsepower. All three come with automatic transmissions for optimum cruising.The gray, white, and red cars are listed at US$64,000, US$60,000 and US$56,300, respectively. That means that the conversion of the vehicle to convertible costs about US$16,000 on top of the base price of an automatic Challenger.Theres no telling what Convertible Builders has done to improve the structural integrity of the Challenger so it can handle the loss of a roof, but from the name of its shop, we can guess this isnt their first rodeo. Perhaps in the future, these conversions will even be seen as a classic move, and command a premium for their
Origin: Dealership creates the convertible Challenger that Dodge won’t
BMW creates an El Camino for too-rich snobs
Have you been looking at buying a Honda Ridgeline but find it just a tad too mainstream? Do you think piloting a Chevy Avalanche is something only the proles would do?Then this is your lucky day.BMW has a solution for you in the form of a one-off X7 Pick-up.The German automaker just revealed the Pick-up project, complete with a curiously placed dash in the word pickup in its name, ahead of this years BMW Motorrad Days, the 19th soire celebrating all things bearing a blue-and-white propeller badge.A unique conversion performed by BMW Group vocational trainees, it fuses the drive technology of the 340-horsepower X7 xDrive40i with the frightening innovative concept of a five-seater luxury unibodied pick-up.A handcrafted loading area is said to boast a fine polished-wood finish, a styling feature not seen on a pickup since the late and unlamented Lincoln Blackwood.The rig also features a height-adjustable two-level air suspension, meaning its rear should not droop with sadness when you fill that wood-lined bed with bags of manure.Naturally, the luxury concept vehicle does not have anything so common in its cargo area in the press photos, with its creators instead opting to load up a dandy BMW F 850 GS motorcycle.Hauler take note: the bed measures just 47 with the tailgate closed, and a maximum of 66 with the gate open. For comparison, the Ridgelines tailgate-up bed measure is 54.Within just ten months, the twelve trainees from different occupational sectors within BMW created this concept and turned it into a fully functional, road-legal automobile. The trainees were free to decide on conception and implementation but had to forgo the additional expert assistance normally provided in concept car construction.In this, the trainees should be very proud of their creation, as it seems to definitely not be a hacked up cut-and-shut job. The BMW X7 Pick-up premieres on July 5 at the BMW Motorrad
Origin: BMW creates an El Camino for too-rich snobs
Ford creates off-road Tremor package for Super Duty
The 2020 F-Series Super Duty is delivering next-level capability in an all-new way – the Tremor Off-Road Package. Tremor pushes the boundaries of Super Duty off-road capability with new hardware and tech to handle rough terrain, providing greater towing and payload than Ram Power Wagon. This is the most capable off-road Super Duty ever. Ford has decided to toss its Blue Oval hat into the heavy duty off-road ring with a new package that will be optional on their upcoming 2020 F-250 and F-350 Super Duty pickup trucks. Called the Tremor, it will include a dose of off-road cred meant to bring the fight to Rams Power Wagon and GMCs Sierra HD AT4.Upgrades kick off with a set of 35-inch flotation size Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac meats, tires that Ford alleges are the largest diameter tires available on a heavy-duty pickup. They are on 18-inch wheels, by the way. Tremor-equipped trucks also get a 2-inch front-end lift and shorter air dam, resulting in 10.8 inches of ground clearance.See that puddle? Theres a good chance you can plow on through it thanks to Tremors 33-inch water-fording capability. Also on board are the best approach and departure angles ever found on a Super Duty: 31.6 degrees and 24.5 degrees, respectively. Approach angle and ground clearance measures outstrip Power Wagon, by the way.Two extra tidbits regarding the Tremor: itll be available on a myriad of trims and with joy of joys the Power Stroke diesel. In fact, the package will play with XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum on both F-250 and F-350. Thats a huge range of models, ranging from a (relatively) affordable 3/4-ton XLT to a bucks-deluxe Platinum one-tonner.The all-new 7.3-litre gas V8, of which we are yet to learn many details, will be an engine option on Tremor as will the burly 6.7L Power Stroke diesel. An off-road focused diesel-powered heavy duty pickup is a unique weapon that your author can hardly wait to experience. Tremor can be specified on single-rear-wheel SuperCrew trucks with a 6.75-foot box. F-250 models also require the high-capacity trailer tow package. Four-wheel drive is also required, natch.Compared to Power Wagon, the Tremor brings some excellent goods but leaves a few things on the table namely a disconnecting sway bar. Thats a feature that gives the Ram a tremendous amount of wheel travel. A winch is absent from Tremor as well, at least for now. However, Ford takes pains to point out their truck retains outstanding towing and payload capacity, a statement which could be construed as a swipe at Ram, whose Power Wagon doesnt haul as much mail as its non-off road brethren.Your author heartily endorses any new entrant into the off-road arena, especially of the heavy duty variety. Look for the Tremor on order sheets when the 2020 Super Duty shows up later this year, likely at the State Fair of
Origin: Ford creates off-road Tremor package for Super Duty
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