Bugatti has released details of the latest Special Edition Veyron model to be made. This one is for the Qatar Motor Show this week, and is based on the Grand Sport model, the most powerful open top car in the world.

It gets the same 1015 bhp quad-turbo 8.0 litre W16 engine as the Veyron coupe had, but is speed limited to 224 mph with the roof off. Certainly enough to ruffle even the most gelled-down of hairstyles. Roof on, it is still capable of 252 mph.

Visually the Special Edition model gets a two tone exterior in a not-too-subtle shade of bright yellow on top, with bare carbon below. Black alloy wheels complete the look. The yellow paint is unusual in that it also covers the air intakes for the engine, which are normally shiny chrome. The rest of the normal chrome trim is finished in gloss black. Despite how the look sounds, a car like the Veyron can somehow pull it off and this model looks pretty fantastic. Certainly more exciting than the usual dull grey, blue or black models you can see circling Harrods every summer.

Where it falls down for us is the interior. They could have gone with black leather with matching yellow piping and stitching, but unfortunately not. In this case they have gone for a matching yellow interior as well – seats, centre console, carpets, the tops of the doors and the headliner are all trimmed in the violent hue. Only the dash top and door cards are black leather or carbon fibre to save the eyes a little.

Still, there is no doubt at all that this one-off will sell to someone in the UAE, after all this is the Veyron’s biggest market, even if demand for the world’s fastest car does seem to be waning. All 300 ‘normal’ Veyron coupes have been sold, but of the planned 150 Grand Sports there are still 105 slots left. Production was thought to be ending this year, but Bugatti will keep making the Veyron until people stop buying them – when that will be is anyone’s guess. But there are certainly enough wealthy petrolheads in the UAE, Russia and China to satisfy a large portion of that remaining number.

Bugatti are going to renew the interest in the Veyron at the Geneva Motor Show in March though, with the launch of the Grand SuperSport model (we’re guessing about the name, so it may be different) – a convertible version of the 1200 bhp SuperSport which holds the title of World’s Fastest Car with a top speed of 268 mph. The Grand SuperSport will likely be reined in a little, but will still be a fearsome car.

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Porsche has today revealed images and details of the all-new 2013 Boxster. The model wasn’t due to be revealed until nearer the Geneva Motor Show in March, but after some grainy press shots were leaked onto the web yesterday Porsche decided to move the reveal forward.

Of course, the new Boxster was caught undisguised back in October, but Porsche never confirmed the validity of those shots. What we get now though, is a look at the all-new Boxster and Boxster S in all their glory.

And what glory it is – the biggest change in the history of the Boxster line, the new model is the first to really break away from the mini-911 styling of the older generations with a styling theme all of its own. Thinner headlights are reminiscent of the 918 Spyder Supercar, with individual pods for the lights within. The nose has a more aggressive, angled down poise about it, with the curves over the front wings dipping before rising up again over powerful rear haunches. At the side there’s a new, much more prominent air intake for the mid-mounted engine which is recessed into the doors, much like the Carrera GT Supercar. At the rear there is the familiar central exhaust outlet and a new integrated spoiler which rises as speed with a styling line that runs through the rear lights, again giving hints of the 918 Spyder.

Porsche have certainly gone much more exotic and sporty with the looks of the new Boxster, which can only be a good thing in our eyes. The new look is very pretty, won’t alienate current owners and will win over a lot of new fans who thought the current model wasn’t distinctive enough. For the interior, the new model gets the same look as the new 991 and Panamera models with a raised centre console, placing all the major controls close at hand. It’s a more upmarket look for the Boxster and one that will certainly win over new customers.

The proportions are helped by an increased wheelbase and shorter overhangs, while the windscreen base has been moved forward. The electric hood has been redesigned as well and now dispenses with the need for a hood compartment lid over the stored hood by using a rigid front section panel which then sits on top, hiding the rest when stowed. A very elegant solution and one of the ways that Porsche has managed to trim substantial amounts of weight out of the new Boxster. There aren’t confirmed weights yet, but rumours suggest the new models are up to 75 kg lighter than the previous generation.

Engine wise, the Boxster now returns to the older size of 2.7 litres. This is a new unit based on the 3.4 litre flat six cylinder motor, the efficiency of which is further enhanced by the direct fuel injection, electrical system recuperation, thermal management and start/stop function.

The 2.7 produces 265 bhp (up 10bhp) and the 3.4 engine in the Boxster S gets 315 bhp. Combined with the lower weight the performance is improved too, the Boxster sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, the Boxster S in 4.7 seconds. And just to sweeten the deal a little more, economy and emissions are also improved over the old model.

Both the Boxster and Boxster S come with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, with the seven-speed PDK (Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe) dual clutch gearbox optional. 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.

We can’t wait to see how the new model drives and we’ll be certain to let you in on it when we do…

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Audi has officially unveiled the A1 Quattro.

Available exclusively in Glacier White metallic, the special edition aims to be the wildest hot hatch available today. Currently the A1 range tops out with the 180 bhp 1.4 litre TFSi which puts it below the power of the established competition such as the 197 bhp Renault Clio 197, 202 bhp Vauxhall Corsa Nurburgring and the 208 bhp Mini JCW.

But instead of competing with those cars head on, Audi has decided to create the ultimate hot hatch with the 252 bhp Quattro. The engine from the S3 is transplanted into the A1’s nose in a transverse installation, which impresses not just with the headline horsepower rating, but also with the 258 lb/ft of torque. This power is sent through a six-speed manual transmission which sends power to a Haldex all-wheel drive system. This enables the car to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 5.7 seconds and hit a top speed of 152 mph.

The A1 Quattro certainly sets itself apart from the rest of the A1 range with some serious styling changes. There is a massive front bumper containing huge air intakes and front splitter, all of which are very close to the ground. There are improved brakes hidden behind retro Ronal-style 18” alloy wheels and at the rear there is a new spoiler and twin 100mm tail pipes.

The cabin is a luxuriously affair with Silk Nappa leather sport seats, gloss black trim and stainless steel pedals. Other highlights include a flat-bottom steering wheel, an aluminium gear knob and a revised instrument cluster. There’s also LED ambient lighting, MMI navigation-plus and a Bose audio system.

The A1 Quattro will be launched in the second half of 2012 and production will be limited to 333 units. Speculation has it that this is not meant to be launched instead of the rumoured RS1, rather it is a way of testing the water to see if one would be bought by consumers.

Pricing has not been released but expect a price tag of over £30,000. Sadly due to the extra development costs the A1 Quattro wil be left hand drive only.

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After some very grainy images of the new Mercedes-Benz SL leaked onto the web on Monday we knew it wouldn’t be long before clearer images surfaced. And true to form, last night a whole gamut of them appeared along with some technical data. Now there will be some who say that a sneaky insider revealed the images, but the cynics here at BOTB News believe that these will have come from Merc themselves.

Well, however they came to be, they certainly give us a clear look at the new SL. The front end first seen on the SLS Supercar makes another appearance after gracing the front of the new CLS and SLK models. The CLS is arguably the most successful application after the SLS, as it really didn’t sit well with the SLK’s diminutive proportions. The large grille and oversized headlamps overwhelmed the shape and made the SLK look very nose-heavy.

Here on the new SL, the large grille is much better proportioned within the larger body, though the headlamps do still seem a little on the large side. The rest of the body shows more improvements though – deep sculpting down the flanks add drama to the shape, and the rear takes the lamp design from the CLS and apply it to the newly curved rear. Side-on is definitely the worst aspect though, with the nose having a very large overhang which gives the appearance of a shorter wheelbase than is actually the case.

Overall it’s a very successful shape in our eyes, and will certainly go down well with the conservative well-heeled over-40’s that are the key demographic for the SL. Interior-wise, the new SL gets a very SLS-like cockpit; in fact you would be hard pressed to tell the two apart were it not for the (slightly tacky) ‘SL’ on the gearlever. Mercedes have also taken advantage of the aluminium structure and incorporated two bass speakers in the 17 litre recess ahead of the footwells, which should ensure a clear and crisp performance from the stereo.

The SL has always majored on technology and the new model doesn’t disappoint. Model for model, the new car is around 100 kg lighter than the previous SL, thanks to extensive use of aluminium and magnesium in the body and chassis, despite being larger in every dimension. There is also the standard folding metal roof, but now available with the ‘Magic Sky Control’ panoramic roof option which switches from opaque to clear at the flick of a switch. Another first for the SL is the ‘Magic Vision Control’ system which has the screenwash/water exiting along the length of the windscreen wiper blade to ensure the driver’s view is never obstructed. Interesting tech, and certainly a ‘why didn’t they think of that earlier’ moment.

Engine-wise, the SL will initially be available with a 3.5 litre V6 producing 306 bhp in the SL350 and a 4.7 litre twin turbo V8 producing around 430 bhp in the SL500. Later in the product life there will be the inevitable SL63 AMG model with around 550 bhp for performance fans. Most interesting though is the expected 3.0 litre twin turbo diesel engine variant, which promises 300 bhp performance combined with 50 mpg economy. This will be the only true rival for the BMW 640d.

Prices in Germany have already been set at €93,500 for the SL350, with the SL500 coming in at €117,00.

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BMW has officially unveiled the 6-Series Gran Coupe.

The Gran Coupe is destined to battle the existing market leaders in this segment – the Mercedes CLS and Audi A7. The CLS has had the market to itself for many years, with the A7 coming along a year ago to critical acclaim. Although the exterior styling is very similar to the 6-Series coupe, the Gran Coupe is actually 4.4 inches (110mm) longer, entirely in the wheelbase and in the rear cabin.

The Gran Coupe is a very good looking car, helped by the design of the Coupe. A strong front end style with xenon or LED headlights leads to a swooping bonnet and roofline. At the rear, intricate LED rear lights finish off a stylish yet sporty design. Of course, the main point of the Gran Coupe is that it has coupe-like styling with the practical addition of another pair of doors.

Inside, the cabin is luxuriously appointed with Dakota leather, heated front seats and dual-zone automatic climate control. There’s also a “4+1″ seating arrangement and a boot that holds 460 litres of luggage. The options are extensive and include ceramic accents for the controls, satellite navigation, a head-up display, radar cruise control, night vision and a powerful Bang & Olufsen audio system.

Under the bonnet, three engines are available. The 640i has a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 315 bhp and 332 lb/ft of torque. It enables the car to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 5.4 seconds and hit a top speed of 155 mph.

The 650i uses a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 with 442 bhp and 479 lb-ft of torque. This allows the car to run from 0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds, before topping out at 155 mph.

Lastly, the 640d has a 3.0-liter diesel engine with 309 bhp and 465 lb/ft of torque. Despite having the least powerful engine in the lineup, the car offers respectable performance as the dash to 62 mph takes 5.4 seconds and the top speed is 155 mph. The killer bit of spec though, is that with that incredible performance the 640d Gran Coupe will achieve 50.4 mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 148g/km.

Regardless of what engine is selected, it is connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, but all-wheel drive is optional on the 650i and will be available later on the 640d.

Later in the model life there will be an M6 Gran Coupe from the legendary BMW M-Division, powered by the twin turbo V8 recently seen in the new M5, putting out 552 bhp.

Prices will be about £2000 higher than the equivalent 6-series coupé, starting at £61,000 for the 640i.

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BMW Alpina has unveiled the 2012 B6 Bi-Turbo Coupe today at the Tokyo Motor Show. Alpina, to those who don’t know, is for those who want a high performance BMW but don’t like the showy, techno driven attitude of BMW’s own M-division. Alpina vehicles are the consummate grand tourers, with great handling yet supple suspension, powerful flexble engines, comfy seats and automatic gearboxes.

The B6 Bi-Turbo Coupe features the BMW aluminium twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8, fettled by Alpina and equipped with Mahle pistons and a high-performance cooling system, which now develops 533 bhp and 516 lb/ft of torque. That’s 33 more horsepower than on the recently announced B6 Bi-Turbo Cabriolet.

With the help of a revised eight-speed automatic transmission and an incredibly nice titanium exhaust system from Akrapovic (worth £5000 alone), the 0 to 60 mph sprint takes just 4.4 seconds and top speed is 197 mph. We can only imagine the sound the exhaust makes, but it is bound to be spine-tingling.

The B6 Bi-Turbo Coupe also comes with an aerodynamic kit that includes the usual low flat front spoiler with the integrated carbon fibre front splitter and a rear spoiler with an optional rear wing. As with all Alpina models there are optional graphics down the sides (which we love).

For the suspension, the B6 Bi-Turbo features Drive Performance Control (electronically adjustable dampers) and Dynamic Drive (active roll stabilization) as standard. Wheels are the 20-inch Alpina Classic rims fitted with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, again the design a staple on all Alpinas.

For the interior the car gets a sport steering wheel hand-stitched in Lavalina leather, blue illuminated entry sills with logo and a trim in the classic Alpina myrtle wood. Not much, but there are enough touches to lift the interior just enough.

The B6 Bi-Turbo will go on sale in January, with the coupe priced from £92,950 and the cabrio from £97,950.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbWQaPKqalI

Porsche has today revealed the new 911 (991 variant) Carrera and Carrera S Cabriolet models ahead of their world premiere at the Detroit motor show in January 2012.

Like the coupe, the 991 Cabriolet features an aluminium-steel construction with the addition of an all-new convertible top design, which preserves the typically sleek 911 coupe roof line. The design includes the use of aluminium, magnesium and high strength steel, which ensures lower vehicle mass and lower fuel consumption while offering improved driving dynamics and additional comfort. As with the 911 coupe models, the new Porsche open-top models are significantly lighter than their predecessors.

Porsche have decided to add a little more technology to the roof of the 991 Cabriolet compared to the previous 997 Cabriolet. The new model adopts a specially developed lightweight hood that uses a fabric-skinned composite panel for the upper and rear part of the structure, providing a shape much more like the coupe’s roof, together with a tauter fit that is claimed to make it more resistant to buffeting at high speeds.

The new hood, which is supported on a magnesium frame, also receives a glass rear window glued directly to the outer fabric skin. The cabrio’s development boss, Michael Schaetzle, says this process involves a newly patented process, developed by Porsche, and will also feature on the upcoming third-generation Boxster, due in 2012. While the upper and rear parts of the hood receive composite panelling, the sides retain a similar multi-layered fabric design as used previously, which allows it to fold and stow behind the cabin underneath a larger tonneau cover than employed on the outgoing 997 cabrio. The new structure takes just 11sec to raise or lower and can be operated at speeds up to 37mph.

For the first time the new Cabriolet will be equipped with an automatic wind deflector. The deflector deploys from a bar around the rear seats which raises up, bringing the mesh deflector with it. A very neat design, and a great solution to having to carry around the deflector separately as was done in the past.

The two models retain the engines from their coupe brethren, which means the Carrera gets a 3.4 litre flat-six producing 350 bhp through a 7-speed manual or PDK gearbox. The Carrera S gets a 3.8 litre unit putting out 400 bhp through the same gearbox options.

The new open-top 911 will go on sale in the UK in March 2012 priced at £79,947 for the Carrera Cabriolet and £89,740 for the Carrera S Cabriolet. We expect these will be a very common sight come next summer!

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5kM78bKy_E

Mercedes-Benz has introduced the 2012 ML63 AMG just ahead of its debut at the Los Angeles auto show on Wednesday.

The ML63 gets a new front bumper with large vents and integrated daytime running lights, 20″ or 21″ AMG alloy wheels and a new rear bumper with vents and quad exhaust tips. We’re not huge fans of the new ML’s styling - it’s far too slab-sided and has lost some of the angular modernity of the old design - but these modifications certainly lift the overall look.

The ML63 AMG is powered by a 5.5-liter V8 biturbo engine with an output of 518 bhp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Fuel-economy has been improved rather dramatically over the previous unit (33 percent) and now features a rating of 19 mpg (14.7 liters/100 km). Customers wanting more power can opt for the AMG Performance Package which boosts the V8′s output to 550 bhp and a maximum torque of 560 lb-ft.

Acceleration on the standard model is 4.7 seconds for the 0 to 60 mph sprint while it’s 0.1 seconds quicker with the AMG Performance Package. Top speed is 155 mph standard and 174 mph with the performance pack.

New on the ML63 AMG is the Active Curve System which stabilizes body roll for more solid handling of this large SUV. The AMG Speedshift Plus 7-speed automatic transmission also gets a new fuel-efficient torque converter that helps boost fuel-economy.

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG goes on sale in the first quarter of next year.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcO0lu_cEZQ

Volkswagen has begun testing the 2013 Polo R WRC rally car.

The first test kilometres were driven by Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, member of the VW board of management for technology, along with a two-time World Rally Champion, the Spaniard Carlos Sainz. An initial test run of around 100 kilometres took place in the vineyards of Veldenz near Trier in Germany, on the same 2.8 km tarmac circuit used for the ADAC Rallye Deutschland.

VW Motorsport will be entering WRC racing in the 2013 season. Says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen: “Next year we’ll be running an extensive testing programme on tarmac, gravel, mud and snow in order to prepare ourselves for the 2013 season as best we can.”

The Volkswagen Polo R WRC features a 1.6-liter TSI engine that develops approximately 300 PS (221 kW / 296 hp). The car is also equipped with an all-wheel drive system.

The Polo R WRC will be competing against a raft of new entrants in the WRC such as the Skoda Fabia WRC, Ford Fiesta WRC and even some potential Korean entrants from Hyundai and Kia. The new regulations aim to make the formula popular again as it has lost many fans in the past years due to unexciting racing and runaway success by Sebastian Loeb in his Citroens.

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German Ferrari tuner Novitec Rosso has a unveiled a new package for the ultra-rare Ferrari 599 SA Aperta. Only 80 units of the SA Aperta are being made in a limited production run, making it one of the most unique Ferrari’s around. At a cost of £350,000 and with the engine from the 599 GTO the SA Aperta isn’t exactly slow or cheap, but some owners want to have the most extreme vehicles on the road and Novitec Rosso caters for exactly those people.

Novitec Rosso dials up the power on the SA Aperta with a new twin-supercharger system which helps the 6.0 liter V12 engine deliver 888 bhp and636 lb-ft of torque – an increase of 227 bhp and 178 lb-ft of torque over the series version. Staggering figures for an open-top car. The SA Aperta does have a roof, but it’s a flimsy fabric affair for use in emergency situations only. Aperta is Italian for ‘Open’, so they mean for this car to be driven open topped.

That extra horses under the bonnet makes for a 0 to 60 mph sprint time of just 3.0 seconds. 0 to 124 mph is dispatched in just 9.1 seconds and top speed is a staggering 211 mph. At that speed you probably won’t feel the wind in your hair, as there’s little chance you’ll have any left by then.

A stainless-steel exhaust with four 90 mm black-coated tailpipes is also added, as are the 10J x 21-inch super-light forged rims at the front wrapped in 295/25 ZR 21 Pirelli PZero tires, while the rear axle gets 12J x 22-inchers fitted with tires sized 335/25 ZR 22. Novitec’s own sport springs also lower the ride height of the SA Aperta by 25 mm. You also get Novitec’s trademark dark rear lights, though we’d leave this off the options list if it were our car.

Owners of the standard SA Aperta are encouraged to customise their car by Ferrari, but we guess they mean in-house. Celebrity Ferrari owners Chris Evans and Jay Kay have one each, we wonder if either one will be making a trip to Germany…

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