It’s official: the new Esprit will make its world debut in September at the Paris Auto Show. Next to it Lotus will also unveil two new front-engined GT cars and a new roadster, all coming in concept versions. The production versions are expected to be unveiled in July 2012. This decision has been made as a result of Lotus’ new strategy to dramatically increase profitability through its new range of more upmarket models, meaning Lotus is serious about competing with models from Porsche and Ferrari.

A while ago, a Lotus insider said the next Esprit would be “the ultimate expression of the brand.” We have to remind you that there were rumors stating that the new Esprit would get the same 4.8 Liter V10 from the Lexus LF-A supercar producing 550 HP. There were also rumors saying the entry level will be powered by a 3.5 Liter V6 from the Evora that produces 300 HP. In any case, the next Esprit will sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in about 4 seconds and will be capable of a top speed of around 200 MPH.

Lotus will unveil four new models in Paris originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 9 July 2010 23:00 EST.

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Hyundai has unveiled today the first details on the 2011 i20. This new model receives minor changes to the aerodynamics and engine compared to the previous. In UK the new i20 is on sale for £9,520.

On the exterior the 2011 Hyundai i20 receives a small spoiler underneath of the car to improve airflow around the wheels. On the interior the dashboard and instrument illumination is now blue rather than red and Bluetooth phone connectivity with voice recognition has been added as standard.

The engine line-up for the i20 will include the entry level 1.2-liter petrol engine, a 1.4-liter engine, and two diesel engines with either 75HP or 90 HP. All engines come with significant fuel consumption improvement and are mated to a six-speed gearbox. This was possible due to a Eco Drive indicator in the instrument panel that suggests the best point to change gear, using low friction engine oil and an alternator management system.

Press release after the jump.

Hyundai i20 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 9 July 2010 23:00 EST.

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In its latest episode Fifth Gear put its hands on the brand new Lexus LF-A supercar. Behind the wheel was who other than Tiff Needell who seemed to really enjoy what he was doing! But we can’t really blame him, can we?

Lexus LF-A supercar is powered by a 4.8 liter V10 engine that delivers a maximum output of 560 HP at 9,000 RPM and a peak torque of 354 lb-ft at 6,800 RPM, with 90% of the total torque being available between the 3,700 RPM mark and the super car’s 9,000 RPM red line. As a result of such a road torque curve, the LF-A can sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in just 3.7 seconds and won’t stop until it reaches a top speed of 202 MPH.

Check out Tiff Needell’s full review of the Lexus LF-A in the two videos provided and let us know your impressions of the car.

One more video after the jump.

Video: Tiff Needell drives the Lexus LFA originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 9 July 2010 21:00 EST.

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We guess that there’s no doubt which team this Audi R8 owner has been rooting for during the FIFA World Cup. And even if the Oracle of Oberhausen (an octopus by the way) predicted that Spain will win the Cup and Spain has already beaten Germany in the semifinals, this guy seems to be keeping his fanaticism rooted in Germany. The car even displays 2010 as a winning year for Germany along with their previous wins in 1954, 1974, and 1990. This guy has to live with his incorrect assumptions until his next trip to the shop!

However, leaving that aside, you have to admit the car looks quite impressive! The black, red, and yellow combination look quite good and the black rims complete the package in a sleek, finished way! Passion is a strange thing; it can lead to some pretty unique and cool designs.

Thanks to reader “common sense” for correcting our FIFA finalists!

Audi R8 for soccer fans originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 9 July 2010 22:00 EST.

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The Dodge Viper just saw it end as the last one rolled off the production line earlier this month, but that doesn’t mean the sports car isn’t going to go out in a bang. This bang will come in the form of a special Cup Series that will start tomorrow at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) in Alton, Va. and will continue through the entire summer. The series will finally end on October 24 when the race will finish at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch, in Pahrump, NV.

At this weekend’s race there will be 12 Dodge Viper ACR-X race cars that are signed up and ready to race. The winner of this competition will receive a prize of $7,500.

“The Dodge Viper ACR-X is designed and built specifically for the race track,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, Dodge Brand. “Now with VERSUS on board, race fans will have the opportunity to see our untamed and unmatched road-racing machine along with some of our talented Viper owner/drivers compete on five of the best road courses in the county as part of the Dodge Viper Cup series.”

Press release after the jump.

Dodge Viper Cup Series Kicks Off originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 9 July 2010 20:00 EST.

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The new Volkswagen Golf R is a mean looking car. At least that’s what Volkswagen intended and thought they had achieved. Customers, however, do not agree. And this is where a good ol’ tuner comes along. RevoZport has just unveiled a new tuning kit for the new Golf R that makes the car look sportier and cooler.

The package includes a Razor R Kevlar Bonnet (CF Vent), front carbon splitter, CF side skirt, rear bumper, CF rear diffuser, CF roof spoiler, and a Razor R Carbon front grill. The price for the entire package is $3586.

Next to this RevoZport are other offerings that include a Razor R Front Splitter $(650), Razor R Front Grill ($450), Razor R Rear Bumper ($450), Razor R Rear Diffuser ($500), Razor R Lightweight Bonnet ($987), Razor Bonnet Vent in Carbon ($192), Razor Side Skirt ($583), Razor Roof Spoiler ($474), and Razor R Carbon Mirror Cover ($490).

The Golf R is powered by a 2.0 Liter turbocharged four cylinder engine that delivers 270 HP at 6,000 RPM and sends the new Golf R from 0 to 60 MPH in just 5.7 seconds.

Volkswagen Golf Razor R by RevoZport originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 9 July 2010 19:00 EST.

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The idea of the electric car is nothing new. It has actually been around for quite some time. In fact, according to a few new rumors and The Telegraph, the first electric car idea came from way back in 1884 with a vehicle created by British inventor Thomas Parker. The electric car, in theory, is one of the greatest ideas to ever hit the automotive world. No emissions, no instant torque, and no obnoxiously loud noise, plus there is little chance that a fire could occur in the event of a wreck. So what went wrong?

Well, as great as the idea was there are a few problems that hamper the car’s progress. The batteries have to be special and rather heavy; no double A is powerful enough for a moving vehicle. Modern cars weigh a lot and they need to be able to travel at high rate of speeds on the motorway, so the batteries need to be strong and luckily, there are a few companies working to make these machines possible.

Japanese automaker Nissan will soon release the Leaf, a pure electric vehicle that will surely change the way we think about modern cars, especially for city use. The Leaf isn’t the only electric car in the world. There are few others you might see roaming around the world’s many streets in a few years. These include the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, the Mini E, and the Smart ED. These are all real cars that you won’t be able to buy if you live in America, at least not yet. They have passed crash tests and offer the same sort of features that you will need in order to go on a road trip.

Hit the jump to read on.

The Electric Future originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 9 July 2010 18:00 EST.

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Bugatti has unveiled the first teaser video of their brand new Veyron 16.4 Super Sport that has recently become the fastest production car in the world.

The new Veyron 16.4 Super Sport comes with four enlarged turbochargers and bigger intercoolers that have been used to boost the power of the 16-cylinder engine to a total of 1200 HP and 1,500 NM of torque, the chassis has been extensively redesigned to maintain safety at extreme speeds – thanks to a slightly raised main-spring travel, stronger stabilizers, and new shock absorbers with a complex architecture originally developed for racing cars. Thesupercar has entered the Guinness Book of Records with an average top speed of 431 km/h (267 mph). The first five units will be sold as limited “World Record Editions” and will feature a special black exposed carbon and orange finish.

Bugatti Veyron SuperSport - first official video originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 9 July 2010 17:00 EST.

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The HM4 Thunderbolt is a wristwatch inspired not by a car, but by a plane. Yes, we know we always cover cars, but planes are still in the high speed category and this is a very cool gadget. Give us a break. It’s cool, expensive, and we are going to tell you about it.

The HM4 Thunderbolt Watch features an aviation-inspired case and engine. It includes 50 jewels and 311 components in its engine, five sapphire crystals, and a black hand-stitched calfskin strap with a titanium and white cold clasp. The only simple thing about this watch is how it tells time; it has the traditional dual dials – one for the time, one a power indicator - but the rest is just exquisite.

The inspiration behind the timepiece comes from Maximilian Büsser’s childhood passion for assembling model plane kits. This passion was the right type of fuel to ignite the aerodynamic characteristics of the Thunderbolt’s titanium and sapphire envelope with an added futuristic touch. The striking transparent sapphire section of the case requires over 100 hours of machining and polishing to transform an opaque solid block of crystal into a complex, exquisitely curved panel allowing the light to come in and the beauty of Thunderbolt’s engine to stand out.

There will only be 20 units produced, each carrying a price tag of $158,000.

Press release and video after the jump.

HM4 Thunderbolt Watch originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 9 July 2010 17:00 EST.

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Two days ago Dodge unveiled the first sketch of the special edition Mopar 10 Challenger. The new version will go on sale next month priced at $38,000 for an automatic transmission and $39,000 for a manual transmission. There will be only 500 units produced. In this video you will see Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of the Mopar brand, Mark Trostle, Chief of the Dodge’s Exterior Design department, and Dan Zimmermann, Head of Dodge Interior Design and Mopar Interiors guide you through all of the changes this muscle car undertook to get to the “sinister” look that Dodge and Mopar intended for this special edition. You will get to see many parts of the Mopar Challenger up close as the experts describe the idea behind the vehicle.

The new Mopar 10 Challenge will be distinguished by a Brilliant Black exterior color with contrasting Mopar Blue, Red, or Silver, 20″ forged heritage gloss-black wheels, a cold-air intake, a front strut-tower brace with shock caps, a unique engine cover, and Mopar logos and graphics.

On the interior it gets Katzkin leather seating, custom leather-wrapped steering wheel with baseball-style stitching, Mopar shift handles (T-handle for automatics, Pistol Grip for manuals), a serialized dash plaque with Mopar ’10 logo, and Mopar branding throughout.

Video: Mopar 10 Challenger originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 9 July 2010 16:00 EST.

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