Carscoops

Aston Martin V8 Vantage N420: New Special Edition

Aston Martin has slid the covers off a new motorsport-inspired special edition, the V8 Vantage N420 which is the successor to the special edition V8 Vantage N400 of 2007 and has been created to celebrate the brand's racing achievements in the Nürburgring 24-hour race.

The N420 is based on the standard V8 Vantage and makes use of the same 4.7-litre V8 engine with 420-horsepower, but it features an upgraded sport suspension and unique styling cues while also offering a 27kg [60 pounds] weight saving achieved through the application of carbon fibre throughout the car.

If you're a fan of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, then you're going to love the new, limited edition Super Sport model that was officially revealed on Sunday. The crème de la crème of the Veyron family is faster, lighter and of course, more powerful than the... banal series production model.

How much more powerful and faster, we hear you ask? Well, the carbon-fiber skinned Veyron 16.4 Super Sport gets a massaged 16-cylinder turbocharged unit pumping out 1,200HP, or 199HP more than the standard model (or at least that's the official number from the automaker).

Over the weekend, Bugatti's engineers took the black and orange Super Sport to the VW Group's proving grounds of at Ehra-Lessien nearby their headquarters at Wolfsburg.

"In the presence of the German Technical Inspection Agency (TÜV) and a representative of Guinness Book of Records the Super Sport achieved an average top speed of 431.07 km/h [268 mph]," said the company in a statement.

It's the end of the line [at least for now] for one of the most recognizable and iconic American sports cars of the past two decades as the last of the current-generation Dodge Vipers "slithered" its way out of the firm's Conner Avenue plant in Detroit.

The final example of the 2010 Dodge Viper is a customized coupe model for D'Ann Rauh (second from right in the picture), who along with her husband Wayne from Arp, Texas, own more than 40 Dodge Vipers. The Texas couple own the largest personal collection of Vipers in the world.

Starting from September, BMW Z4 buyers will be able to outfit their roadster with a new styling package called Design Pure Impulse. The Bavarian automaker's new pocket digging scheme adds unique style to the two-seater model through a combination of colors and materials featured on interior elements, based on the recommendations of the BMW design team.

Toyota today notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of its intention to recall certain Lexus models in the United States to fix faulty engines in the automaker's latest quality problem.

The recall affects approximately 138,000 Lexus vehicles powered by 4.6 and 5.0 liter V8 and 3.5 liter V6 engines in certain 2006, 2007 and 2008 GS, IS and LS models. No vehicles from the current 2010 model year nor 2009 are affected.

This here is the refreshed 2011 CL-Class, which despite the rumors, doesn't adopt the S-Class Coupe moniker as part of Mercedes-Benz's new nomenclature that started with the new E-Class Coupe that replaced the CLK. For its mid-life facelift, the CL coupe has received a mild redesigned and a new bi-turbo V8 engine.

Visual updates include a redesigned front bumper housing LED strips with chrome surrounds for the daytime running lights, a reshaped hood, new headlamps and a more V-shaped grille.

The LED turn indicators and position marker lamps along with the reprofiled rear bumper and newly-designed tail lamps round off the exterior changes.

Citroën is looking to take on the rally circuit with its new DS3 R3, homologated for FIA's new Group R3T regulations. "Versatile, high performance and yet affordably-priced, DS3 R3 is set to become the new leader in its category," says the French carmaker about its rally-prepped DS3 that will be available in both in kit and ready-to-race versions.

Featuring the same structural design and appearance as the production model, with the steel body shell reinforced by a welded, multi-point roll cage, the DS3 R3 Rally car comes with an upgraded 1.6-litre turbocharged inline-four producing 210bhp and 350Nm / 258.2 lb-ft of peak torque.

Australian Formula One driver Mark Webber had an early wake-up today as he took a seat behind the wheel of Red Bull's F1 racer for a quick spin and an ever quicker pit stop right outside the Houses of Parliament in Parliament Square, London at 6 o'clock in the morning. Nothing much else to say here, so follow the break to watch the video clip.

Carscoops

Aston Martin V8 Vantage N420: New Special Edition

New Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport: 1,200HP and 415km/h - 258MPH [with 31 High-Res Photos]

Last Dodge Viper Rolls Off the Production Line [with Video]

New Design Package for BMW Z4 Roadster

Lexus Officially Announces Recall on U.S. Market Models to Fix Engines

2011 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class Facelift, Keeps Name but gets New Bi-Turbo V8

Citroën Reveals New DS3 R3 Rally Car for the Masses

VIDEO: Mark Webber Makes a... Viral Pit Stop with F1 Racer at London's Parliament Square