Tech.Wapline

Porsche announced today that a new factory-developed aero kit is available for the 997 Turbo. If you’re placing a new car order, adding the kit will tack an additional €4,500 to the bottom line. (Existing Turbo owners can acquire the unpainted, uninstalled kit as an aftermarket item for €4,100, as well.) The added expense gets you a new lip spoiler and a new engine cover which incorporates a fixed rear wing. Developed in Porsche’s wind tunnel, the kit reduces lift while leaving the car’s overall drag coefficient unchanged. Plus, the subtle hint of whale tail it adds appearance-wise is plenty cool.

Roewe, SAIC’s renamed Rover, has an SUV in the works. Details are scant, though it’s reportedly based on a Ssangyong model. We think the Ssangyong Kyron is hiding under the Roewe’s handsome sheetmetal. The Kyron carries its Mercedes-esque styling atop a ladder frame and off-road capable 4WD componentry, so Roewe’s new SUV should be able to get dirty without becoming mired. Roewe has added some Lexus to the styling of the Kyron, but the older Mercedes powertrain systems might not remain underhood. Ssangyong uses Mercedes castoffs through a special licensing agreement, though we wouldn’t go so far as to call either vehicle a bargain last-gen Mercedes. Looking into reports on the Kyron reveal a vehicle that’s well equipped but not a screaming deal; nor is it a stellar performer. Perhaps Roewe has revised the chassis calibration and found a different motor to slide in between the front fenders.

It’s been a while since we got a fresh batch of Bugatti Veyron Spider/Targa rumors, but Autogespot has ended the lull with inside sources claiming that a prototype of the open-air supercar is already on the road and that sales will begin next year. Apparently, the only downside to lopping off the roof on a car capable of hitting 400 km/h (248 mph) is that aero restrictions are going to limit the speed to a pedestrian 340 km/h (211 mph). We can sense your disappointment, but that’s not even the worst of it. The removable roof won’t be able to be stored on the go, so if the sky opens up mid-jaunt, you’ll be forced to construct a makeshift roof out of the spare $100 bills lining your pockets.

The first round of reviews hit the ‘Net yesterday in what was apparently a Euro-only embargo on driving impressions of the Nissan GT-R. The jurors from AutoExpress, Car and the Telegraph all came away from the drive with one resounding statement: this thing is fast! Adding that the brakes are the most impressive of any production car currently on sale. Lofty praise, no doubt.

While Car could barely contain its enthusiasm, AutoExpress and the Telegraph seemed to provide a more honest critique of the GT-R as a whole. AE’s Oliver Marriage and Car’s Gavin Green had some diverging viewpoints on how the GT-R handles low-speed cruising, but both recommend that jaunts around town are best when the seven-speed gearbox is left in “D.” AutoExpress’ scribe and the Telegraph’s Andrew English were less than impressed with the ride quality of Nissan’s new supercar, despite the dampers being set to “comfort” mode, with English saying that “even a Porsche 911 GT3 rides better.”

A few other choice quotes include Green saying that the GT-R is “quick enough to make a Porsche 911 Turbo feel unexciting,” continuing, “Quite simply, the new GT-R is the world’s most multi-faceted supercar… An M3 beater? Easily. M5? Think higher. This car is faster, more high-tech, sharper, more capable.”

We absolutely, positively can’t wait to get behind the wheel.

Let’s be clear right off the bat. This Toyota 2000 SR Concept by SURE DESIGN is not an official Toyota concept and in no way suggests that the Japanese automaker is considering a model inspired by the legendary 2000 GT. That said, it’s still a cool concept that combines styling cues from arguably the greatest Toyota design of all time with a modern hybrid drivetrain. The motor is a turbocharged 3.5L V6 mounted in the front-mid position under the car’s extra long hood. The deets put the turbo V6 at an impressive and quite unbelievable 610 horsepower sent to the rear wheels without the hybrid assist. An electric motor up front, meanwhile, would power the front wheels only for cruising around town. While the design is inspired by the original 2000 GT, it comes no where near that classic in terms of aesthetic appeal. We do, however, like the simplicity of its lines. Unique features also include doors that flow around the back, giving the car a split cockpit-like canopy.

Should Toyota be thinking about rekindling the fire first sparked by the 2000 GT? Absolutely, especially if it truly wishes to be a full-line automaker like General Motors. Should the 2000 SR Concept be charged with this responsibility? No. Let’s wait and see if rumors of a new AE86 or a production version of the FT-HS Concept are true first.