Porsche 968

The 968 is a sports car sold by Porsche AG from 1992 to 1995. It took over the entry-level position in Porsche's lineup from the 944, with which it shared about 20% of its parts. The 968 became the final model in an evolving line, starting almost 20 years earlier with the introduction of the Porsche 924 and ending with the Turbo S, Turbo RS, and Turbo RS Lemans, which are three separate versions of the 968.

Information

Porsche's 944 model debuted for the 1982 model year, was updated as "944S" in 1987 and as "944S2" in 1989. Shortly after the start of production of the S2 variant, Porsche engineers began working on another set of significant upgrades for the model, as executives were planning a final "S3" variant of the 944. During the development phase, 80% of the 944's mechanical components were either significantly modified or completely replaced by the engineers, leaving so little of the outgoing S2 behind that Porsche management chose to introduce the variant as a new model, entitling it 968. In addition to the numerous mechanical upgrades, the new model also received significantly evolved styling both inside and out, with a more modern, streamlined look and more standard luxury than on the 944. Production was moved from the Audi plant in Neckarsulm (where the 924 and 944 had been manufactured under contract to Porsche), to Porsche's own factory in Zuffenhausen.

The 968 was powered by an updated version of the 944's straight-4 engine, now displacing 3.0 L with 104mm bore, 88mm stroke and producing 240 PS (236 hp/177 kW). Changes to the 968's powertrain also included the addition of Porsche's then-new VarioCam variable valve timing system, newly-optimized induction and exhaust systems, a dual-mass flywheel, and updated engine management electronics among other more minor revisions. The 968's engine was the second-largest 4-cylinder ever offered in a production car up to that time. A new 6-speed manual transmission replaced the 944's old 5-speed, and Porsche's dual-mode Tiptronic automatic became an available option. Both the VarioCam timing system and Tiptronic transmission were very recent developments for Porsche. The Tiptronic transmission had debuted for the first time ever only 3 years prior to the debut of the 968, on the 1989 Type 964 911. The VarioCam timing system was first introduced on the 968 and would later become a feature of the Type 993 air cooled six cylinder engine.
The 968's styling was an evolution on that of the outgoing 944, itself styled evolutionarily from the earlier 924, but elements were borrowed from the more expensive 928 model in an attempt to create a "family resemblance" between models, and the swooping headlamp design, inspired by those of the 959, previewed similar units found later on the Type 993 911. Along with the new styling, the 968 featured numerous small equipment and detail upgrades, including a Fuba roof-mounted antenna, updated single lens tail lamps, "Cup" style 16" alloy wheels, a wider selection of interior and exterior colors, and a slightly updated "B" pillar and rear quarter window to accommodate adhesive installation to replace the older rubber gasket installation. Because some parts are interchangeable between the 968, 944 and 924, some enthusiasts purchase those parts from Porsche parts warehouses as "upgrades" for their older models.
Like the 944, the 968 was sold as both a coupe and a convertible. Much of the 968's chassis was carried over from the 944S2, which in itself shared many components with the 944 Turbo (internally numbered 951). Borrowed components include the Brembo-sourced 4-piston brake calipers on all four wheels, aluminum semi-trailing arms and aluminum front A-arms, used in a Macpherson strut arrangement. The steel unibody structure was also very similar to that of the previous models. Porsche maintained that 80% of the car was new.

968 Clubsport

From 1993 through 1995, Porsche offered a lighter-weight "Club Sport" version of the 968 designed for enthusiasts seeking increased track performance. Much of the 968's luxury-oriented equipment was removed or taken off the options list; less sound deadening material was used, electrical windows were replaced with crank-driven units, upgraded stereo systems, A/C and sunroof were still optional as on the standard Coupe and Convertible models. In addition, Porsche installed manually adjustable lightweight Recaro racing seats rather than the standard power-operated leather buckets (also manufactured by Recaro), a revised suspension system optimized and lowered by 20mm for possible track use, 17" wheels (also slightly wider to accommodate wider tyres) rather than the 16" as found on the Coupe and wider tires, 225 front and 255 rears rather than 205 and 245 respectively. The 4 spoke airbag steering wheel was replaced with a thicker rimmed 3 spoke steering wheel with no airbag, heated washer jets were replaced with non heated, vanity covers in the engine bay were deleted, as was the rear wiper. The Club Sport has no rear seats unlike the 2+2 Coupe. Club Sports were only available in white, black, Speed yellow, Guards red, Riviera blue or Maritime blue. Seat backs were colour coded to the body. Club Sport decals were standard in either black, red or white but there was a 'delete' option. All Club Sports had black interiors with the 944 S2 door cards. Due to the reduction in the number of electrical items the wiring loom was reduced in complexity which saved weight and also the battery was replaced with a smaller one, again reducing weight. With the no frills approach meaning less weight, as well as the optimising of the suspension, Porsche could focus media attention on the Club Sport variants fast road and track abilities. This helped to slightly bolster the flagging sales figures in the mid 1990s. The Club Sport variant achieved a 'Performance Car Of The Year' award in 1993 from Performance Car magazine in the UK. Club Sport models were only officially available in the UK, Europe, Japan & Australia, although "grey market" cars found their way elsewhere.
A UK-only version called "968 Sport", was offered in 1994 and 1995, and was essentially a Club Sport model (and was produced on the same production line with similar chassis numbers) with electric windows, electric release boot, central locking, cloth comfort seats (different to both the standard and the Club Sport). With the added electrics the larger wiring loom was used. The Sport Variant also got back the 2 rear seats, again in the cloth material specific to the Sport. At £29,975, the 968 Sport was priced £5,500 lower than the standard 968, but had most of the latter's desirable "luxuries" and consequently outsold it by a large margin (306 of the 968 Sport models compared to 40 standard 968 coupés).^[1]

968 Turbo S

Porsche briefly produced a turbocharged 968 sold as "Turbo S", a fairly odd naming choice for Porsche which usually reserves the added "S" moniker for models that have been tuned for more power over a "lesser" counterpart, such as with the 911 Turbo which has infrequently been available in both "Turbo" and higher-performance "Turbo S" guise. Only 16 were produced in total and only for sale in mainland Europe. Tests conducted in 1993 produced a 0 to 60 miles-per-hour time of 4.7 seconds and a top speed of approximately 180 miles-per-hour, performance comparable to the much newer Type 996 911.

968 Turbo RS

A further stripped out version of the Turbo S which was built for Porsche's customer race teams between 1992 and 1994, this variant was available in two states of tune; a 337 bhp version which was built to the German ADAC GT specification and used the K27 turbocharger from the Turbo S, and an international spec version which used a KKK L41 turbocharger producing 350 bhp and was reduced to 1212 kg in weight (the ADAC GT version had to have ballast added to bring the car up to the 1350 kg minimum weight limit allowed by ADAC regulations). Only 4 were produced.

Historical significance

The 968 was Porsche's last new front-engined vehicle (of any type) before the introduction of the Cayenne SUV. Its discontinuation in 1995 coincided with that of the 928, Porsche's only other front-engined car at the time.
As of 2009, Porsche has not yet built another front-engined sports car, although a 4-door sports-touring sedan, called Panamera began production in 2009, and a successor to the 928, based on that sedan's architecture, is predicted to follow.
The 968 was also the last Porsche sold with a four-cylinder engine.

Collectability

While lacking the wider ranging appeal of the 911, the 968 has nonetheless carved out its own niche in the hearts of enthusiasts.^[2] This is likely due to the 968's unique combination of speed and practicality.^[3] Noteworthy drawbacks to purchasing a 968 as a collector's car include its visual resemblance to the earlier 944 model, its status as a late model car, and the fact that the 968 is still depreciating.^[4]

Production^[5]

Model year	Production			Notes
	Total	Non US/Canada	US/Canada
1992	5353	3913	1440
1993	3783	2701	1082
1994	2484	965	1519
1995	1156	532	624
Total	12776	8111	4665	Of these, 4389 were cabriolets, of which 2248 to US

TVR Sagaris

The TVR Sagaris is a sports car designed and built by the British manufacturer TVR in their factory in Lancashire.

The Sagaris made its debut at the MPH03 Auto Show in 2003. The pre-production model was then shown at the 2004 Birmingham Motorshow. In 2005 the production model was released for public sale at TVR dealerships around the world. Based on the TVR T350,^[1] the Sagaris was designed with endurance racing in mind. Several design features of the production model lend themselves to TVR's intentions to use the car for such racing. The multitude of air vents, intake openings and other features on the bodywork allow the car to be driven for extended periods of time on race tracks with no modifications required for cooling and ventilation. The final production model came with several variations from the pre-production show models e.g. the vents on the wings are filled in, different wing mirrors, location of the fuel filler and bonnet hinges. There are other subtle differences as well.

As with all modern TVRs the Sagaris ignores the European Union guideline that all new cars should be fitted with ABS and at least front airbags because Peter Wheeler believed that such devices promote overconfidence and risk the life of a driver in the event of a rollover, which TVRs are engineered to resist.^[2] It also eschews electronic driver's aids (such as traction control or electronic stability control).
The car's name comes from the sagaris, the Greek name of a lightweight battle-axe used by the Scythians which was feared for its ability to penetrate the armor of their enemies. The car was designed by Graham Browne and Lee Hodgetts.
In 2008, TVR unveiled the Sagaris 2, which was designed to replace the original Sagaris. In the prototype revealed, there were minor changes to the car including a revised rear fascia and exhaust system, and modifications to the interior.^[3]
The 2010 film The Heavy features a black TVR Sagaris driven by Gary Stretch.

Specifications

Engine

• Engine: TVR Speed Six engine, Straight-6


• Displacement: 4.0L (3996 cc)


• Power Output: 380 bhp (283 kW; 385 PS) @ 7,000–7,500 rpm


• Torque Output: 349 ft·lbf (473 N·m) @ 5,000 rpm


• Bore/stoke: 96.0/92.0 mm


• Compression ratio: 12.2:1


• Valvetrain setup: 4 valves per cylinder, Dual Overhead Cam


• Camshaft Duration: inlet 264, exhaust 264 standard

Transmission

• Transmission: 5-speed manual

Suspension

• Front: Independent, double wishbones, coil-over gas dampers, sway bars


• Rear: Independent, double wishbones, coil-over gas dampers, sway bars

Brakes

• Front: 322 mm (12.7 in) ventilated disc brakes


• Rear: 298 mm (11.7 in) ventilated disc brakes

Wheels

• Wheels: 18 x 8.5 in aluminum alloy Spider wheels


• Tires: 255/35 R18

Chassis/body

• Body Panels: Glass Reinforced Plastic


• Weight: 2371 lb (1078 kg)


• Length: 4,057 mm (159.7 in)


• Width: 1,770 mm (69.7 in)


• Height: 1,175 mm (46.3 in)

Performance

• Top speed: 185 mph (298 km/h)


• 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h). 3.7 seconds^[4]


• 60-0 mph: 2.9 seconds

Porsche 959

The Porsche 959 is a sports car manufactured by Porsche from 1986 to 1989, first as a Group B rally car and later as a legal production car designed to satisfy FIA homologation regulations requiring that a minimum number of 200 street legal units be built.^[2]
In 1986, it held the title as the world's fastest street-legal production car^[3]. During its production run, it was hailed as the most technologically advanced road-going sports car ever built and the forerunner of all future super cars. It was one of the first high-performance vehicles to use an all-wheel drive system, providing the basis for Porsche's first all-wheel drive Carrera 4 model. In fact, it convinced Porsche executives of the system's viability so well that they chose to make all-wheel drive standard on all versions of the 911 Turbo starting with the 993 variant. In 2004, Sports Car International named the 959 number one on its list of Top Sports Cars of the 1980s.Development of the 959 (originally called the Gruppe B) started in 1981, shortly after the company's then-new Managing Director, Peter Schutz, took his office. Porsche's head engineer at the time, Helmuth Bott, approached Schutz with some ideas about the Porsche 911, or more aptly, a new one. Bott knew that the company needed a sports car that they could continue to rely on for years to come and that could be developed as time went on. Curious as to how much they could do with the rear-engined 911, Bott convinced Schutz that development tests should take place, and even proposed researching a new all wheel drive system. Schutz agreed, and gave the project the green light. Bott also knew through experience that a racing program usually helped to accelerate the development of new models. Seeing Group B rally racing as the perfect arena to test the new mule and its all wheel drive system, Bott again went to Schutz and got the go ahead to develop a car, based on his development mule, for competition in Group B.
Porsche developed an already existing engine instead of creating a new one from scratch. The powerplant, a twin-turbocharged six-cylinder boxer engine with an air-cooled block and water-cooled heads, displaced 2.85 liters, about half a liter less than a contemporary 911 engine. It was coupled to a unique manual gearbox offering 5 forward speeds plus a "G" off-road gear, as well as reverse. The motor had originally been developed for the "Moby Dick" race car and then been redeveloped slightly for the short-lived Porsche Indy Car and several other projects before being "tweaked" a last time for use in the 961, the 959's racing counterpart. The water-cooled cylinder heads combined with the air-cooled block, 4-valve heads and sequential turbochargers allowed Porsche to extract 331 kW (444 hp) from the compact, efficient and rugged power unit.^[4] The use of sequential twin turbochargers rather than the more usual identical turbochargers for each of the two cylinder banks allowed for smooth seamless delivery of power across the engine RPM band, in contrast to the abrupt on-off power characteristic that distinguished Porsche's other turbocharged engines of the period. The engine was used, virtually unchanged, in the 959 road car as well.

In an attempt to create a rugged, lightweight shell, Porsche adopted an aluminium and Aramid (Kevlar) composite for body use along with a Nomex floor, instead of the steel normally used on their production cars.^[5] The vehicle's weight of 3,190 pounds (1,450 kg) helped to achieve its high performance level.Porsche also developed the car's aerodynamics, which were designed to increase stability, as was the automatic ride-height adjustment that became available on the street car (961 race cars had fixed suspensions). Its "zero lift" aerodynamics were a big part of keeping it drivable^{[citation needed]}. The 959 also featured Porsche-Steuer Kupplung (PSK) which was at the time the most advanced all-wheel-drive system in a production car^{[citation needed]}. Capable of dynamically changing the torque distribution between the rear and front wheels in both normal and slip conditions, the PSK system gave the 959 the adaptability it needed both as a race car and as a "super" street car. Under hard acceleration, PSK could send as much as 80% of available power to the rear wheels, helping make the most of the rear-traction bias that occurs at such times.^[6] It could also vary the power bias depending on road surface and grip changes, helping maintain traction at all times. The dashboard featured gauges displaying the amount of rear differential slip as well as transmitted power to the front axle. The magnesium alloy wheels were unique, being hollow inside to form a sealed chamber contiguous with the tire and equipped with a built-in tire pressure monitoring system.
The 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show was chosen for the unveiling of the Porsche Group B prototype. Even in the closing hours of October 9, finishing touches were being applied to the car to go on display the next morning. After the first two prototypes, the bodywork was modified to include air vents in the front and rear wheel housings, as well as intake holes behind the doors. The first prototype modified like this was code named "F3", and was destroyed in the first crash test.^{[citation needed]}

The street version of the 959 debuted at the 1985 Frankfurt Motor Show as a 1986 model, but numerous issues delayed production by more than a year. The car was manufactured in two levels of trim, "Sport" and "Komfort", corresponding to the race version and the street version. First customer deliveries of the 959 street variant began in 1987, and the car debuted at a cost of $225,000 USD per unit, still less than half what it cost Porsche to build each one. Production ended in 1988. In total, 337 cars were built, including 37 prototypes and preproduction models.^[1] At least one 959 and one 961 remain in the Porsche historic hall in Stuttgart, Germany.
In 1992/1993, Porsche built eight 959s assembled from spare parts from the inventory at the manufacturing site in Zuffenhausen.^[1] All eight were "Komfort"-versions: four in red and four in silver. These cars were much more expensive (DM 747,500) than the earlier ones (DM 420,000). The later cars also featured a newly developed speed-sensitive damper system. The cars were sold to selected collectors after being driven by works personnel for some time^[1] and are today by far the most sought-after 959s.
The 959 was not street legal in the United States prior to 1999 when the "Show and Display" law was passed, although an unknown number were imported via the "grey market" during the late 1980s as show pieces. During the model's development Porsche refused to provide the United States Department of Transportation with the four 959s they required for crash testing, and the car was never certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for street use in the U.S. With the passage of "Show and Display" the crash test requirements were removed and importation of the 959 was allowed, assuming the car could meet the emissions standards applicable in 1987. The 959 can be fitted with a catalytic converter and a rechipped computer which allows it to meet those emissions requirements.

Most owners refuse to modify their 959s, however, and the cars remain collection pieces. Most 959s are in the hands of collectors, but a few do occasionally come to market, with prices in the region of 180,000–250,000 EUR (cars produced in 1987/1988). It is impossible to estimate the price of cars from the highly limited batch of 1992/1993.

The lessons learned from the 959 project about engine management, aerodynamics, suspension tuning, and 4-wheel drive were what enabled the production life of the 911 to be extended to the present day.

Performance

The performance of the 959 Sport is as follows:^[8]

• 0–100 km/h: 3.7 s (62 mph)


• 0–160 km/h: 8.3 s (99.5 mph)


• 0–200 km/h: 13.0 s (124 mph)


• 0–1000 meters: 21.6 s (standing)


• 0-1/4 mile: 11.9 s (standing)

  Replicas and conversion kits

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Due to the scarcity and price of existing genuine 959s, several companies have offered body kits over the years for Porsche owners to apply to their own cars, mainly the 911 model.

WIESMANN MF series

Wiesmann is an automobile manufacturer in Germany. The company was founded in 1985 by the brothers Martin Wiesmann (graduate engineer) and Friedhelm Wiesmann (bachelor of commerce). The cars are manufactured by hand in Dülmen. The Wiesmann logo portrays a gecko, as Wiesmann cars "stick to the road like geckos to a wall".

The company originally manufactured custom hard-tops for convertibles, which they continue to do. The first roadster left the workshop in 1993. As of 2006, they produce the Wiesmann MF 3 and MF 30 roadsters and the Wiesmann GT MF 4 coupé, all of which utilize engine and transmission components supplied by BMW.
Wiesmann had planed to begin exporting vehicles to the USA by 2010, but recent reports indicate that Wiesmann has no immediate plans to sell vehicles in the United States because of exchange rates and the high costs of modifying and testing the cars in order to make them road-legal there.

MF 30

The MF 30 is a classic, open two-seater roadster.

Specifications

Chassis	Hot-dipped galvanized steel, aluminum clad
Body	High-quality, fiber glass reinforced composite material
Engine	BMW 6-cylinder engine – Capacity 2,979 cc
	Rated power/rated speed 170 kW/231 hp / 5,900 rpm
	max. torque/speed 300 N·m (221 ft·lbf) / 3,400 rpm
Fuel Consumption	City 12.8 L/100 km (22.1 mpg-imp; 18.4 mpg-US) - Highway 6.9 L/100 km (41 mpg-imp; 34 mpg-US)
	Combined 9.1 L/100 km (31 mpg-imp; 26 mpg-US)
Transmission	5-speed or 6-speed manual or 6-speed sequential (SMG II)
Power Train	Rear wheel drive
Performance	Maximum speed: 230 km/h (143 mph)
	Acceleration: 0 –100 km/h: 5.0 sec.
Suspension	MacPherson strut front suspension with transverse link, stabilizer
	Central control arm rear axle with leading and transverse link, stabilizer
Weight	1,080 kg (2,381 lb)
Dimensions	Length: 3.86 m (152 in) / Width: 1.75 m (69 in) / Height: 1.16 m (46 in)

MF3
The MF 3 differs from the MF 30 only in its engine.

Specifications

Chassis	Hot-dipped galvanized steel, aluminum clad
Body	High-quality, fiber glass reinforced composite material
Engine	BMW 6-cylinder engine (see BMW S54) – Capacity 3,246 cc
	Rated power/rated speed 252 kW / 343 hp / 7.900 rpm
	max. torque/speed 365 N·m (269 ft·lbf) / 4.900 rpm
Fuel Consumption	City 17.8 L/100 km (15.9 mpg-imp; 13.2 mpg-US) - Highway 8.4 L/100 km (34 mpg-imp; 28 mpg-US)
	Combined 11.1 L/100 km (25.4 mpg-imp; 21.2 mpg-US)
Transmission	5-speed or 6-speed manual or 6-speed sequential (SMG II)
Power Train	Rear wheel drive
Performance	Maximum speed: 255 km/h (158 mph)
	Acceleration: 0–100 km/h: 5.0 sec.
Suspension	MacPherson strut front suspension with transverse link, stabilizer
	Central control arm rear axle with leading and transverse link, stabilizer
Weight	1,180 kg (2,601 lb)
Dimensions	Length: 3.86 m (152 in) / Width: 1.75 m (69 in) / Height: 1.16 m (46 in)
Price	~£60,000

GT MF 4
The GT is a closed two-seater with more power than the other models, intended for long distance touring. The GT was first produced in 2003.

Specifications

Chassis	Aluminum
Body	High-quality, fiber glass reinforced composite material
Engine	BMW 8-cylinder engine (see BMW N62) – Capacity 4,799 cc
	Rated power/rated speed 270 kW/367 hp / 6,300/rpm
	max. torque/speed 490 N·m (361 ft·lbf) / 3,500 rpm.
Fuel Consumption	City 17.2 L/100 km (16.4 mpg-imp; 13.7 mpg-US) - Highway 8.6 L/100 km (33 mpg-imp; 27 mpg-US)
	Combined 11.6 L/100 km (24.4 mpg-imp; 20.3 mpg-US)
Transmission	6-speed manual
Power Train	Rear wheel drive
Performance	Maximum speed: 280 km/h (174 mph)
	Acceleration: 0–100 km/h: 4.6 sec.
Suspension	Single wheel suspension front and rear
	front: aluminium double transverse link
	rear: aluminium double transverse link with trailing link
Weight	1,240 kg (2,734 lb)
Dimensions	Length: 4.23 m (167 in) / Width: 1.85 m (73 in) / Height: 1.19 m (47 in)

GT MF5

The GT MF5 is a closed two-seater & two-seater roadster with more power than the other models. The GT MF5 was first produced in 2009, and the roadster will be limited to just 55 examples. GTspirit gave the GT MF5 Roadster a positive review during their road-test in September 2010.^[3]

Specifications

Chassis	Aluminium-monocoque, bonded and riveted
Body	High-quality, glass fiber bodyshell
Engine	BMW Twin-Turbo V8 engine (see S63) – Capacity 4,395 cc
	Rated power/rated speed 408 kW / 555 hp / 6.250 rpm
	max. torque/speed 680 N·m (502 ft·lbf) / 5.650 rpm
Fuel Consumption	City 15.8 L/100 km (17.9 mpg-imp; 14.9 mpg-US) - Highway 7.9 L/100 km (36 mpg-imp; 30 mpg-US)
	Combined 10.7 L/100 km (26.4 mpg-imp; 22.0 mpg-US)
Transmission	6-speed sports automatic gearbox (steering wheel paddle shifters)
Power Train	Rear wheel drive
Performance	Maximum speed: 311 km/h (193 mph)
	Acceleration: 0–100 km/h: 3.9 sec.
Suspension
	Front: Aluminum double wishbone suspension with coil springs, anti roll bar
	Rear: Aluminum double wishbone, trailing arm suspension with coil springs, anti roll bar
Weight	1,405 kg (3,097 lb)
Dimensions	Length: 4.22 m (166 in) / Width: 1.95 m (77 in) / Height: 1.18 m (46 in)
Price	€189,500 +

Ferrari 612 Scaglietti

The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti (Italian pronunciation: [skaʎˈʎetti] skall-YET-e or sky-YET-e) is a grand tourer produced by Ferrari between 2004 and 2010. It is a large two door fastback coupé. The 612 Scaglietti was designed to replace the smaller 456 M; its larger size makes it a true 4 seater with adequate space in the rear seats for adults.
The design, especially the large side scallops and the headlights, pays homage to the custom 1954 Ferrari 375 MM that director Roberto Rossellini had commissioned for his wife, Ingrid Bergman.

Ferrari GG50 (2006)

The GG50 was a concept car developed by Italdesign-Giugiaro S.P.A design studio, commemorating 50th anniversary of Giorgetto Giugiaro designing automobiles.
The vehicle was unveiled in 2006 NAIAS.

 

612 Sessanta (2007)

The 612 Sessanta is a limited (60 unit) version commemorating 60th anniversary of the company. It included 19-inch forged aluminum wheels, black chrome exhaust tips and Ferrari's F1 gearbox, three-position electrochromic glass roof, steering wheel with start/stop button and Bose entertainment unit.^[4]
Colour choices include:^[5]

• Grigio scuro (Colori Classici '50-'60) / Nero with grigio scuro side line (Dark grey/Black with dark grey side line)


• Rubino Micalizzato / Nero Daytona with Rubino Micalizzato side line (Metallic ruby/Daytona black with metallic ruby side line)

Police car

The police version, with a police colour scheme, included the HGTS (Handling GTS package) and Daytona style seats, personalised stitching and leather details, yellow rev counter, yellow brake callipers and Scuderia Ferrari shields. It has a MSRP of £200,411 including a four year warranty.
The vehicle began its relay at the UK on 18 May 2007, which was driven by police officers at the front of the UK tour throughout the 1,500 miles from Belfast to London.

Chassis

The 612 is Ferrari's second all-aluminium vehicle, the first being the 360 Modena. Its space frame, developed with Alcoa, is made from extrusions and castings of the material, and the aluminium body is welded on. The chassis of the 612 forms the basis of the 599 GTB.

Engine

The 612 Scaglietti shares its engine with the Ferrari 575M Maranello. The engine has compression ratio of 11.2:1. The car is capable of 315 km/h (196 mph) and has a 0–100 km/h acceleration time of 4.3 seconds.

Engine type	Power, torque @ rpm
5,748 cc (5.748 L; 350.8 cu in) V12 (Tipo F133F)	540 PS (397.2 kW; 532.6 hp) @7250, 588 N·m (434 lb·ft) @5250

Transmissions

The 612 comes with 6-speed manual or the 6-speed F1A semi-automatic paddle shift system, a much refined version of the F1 system in the 360.

Production

The 612 was produced at Ferrari's Carrozzeria Scaglietti plant, the former home of the car's namesake coachbuilder in Modena, Italy. It was then taken down the road to the Maranello factory and the V12 engine was put in along with the interior
The Ferrari 612 was replaced by the Ferrari FF (Ferrari For Four) in 2011.

Vauxhall VX220

The Opel Speedster/Vauxhall VX220 is a British-built mid engined, targa-topped, 2-seater sports car introduced in the summer of 2000.
It was built in both right-hand drive and left-hand drive versions at the Lotus Cars plant in Hethel, Norfolk, England. It was sold as the Vauxhall VX220 in the UK, and as the Opel Speedster in the rest of Europe. It was branded the Daewoo Speedster in the Asian market, in both right and left hand drive.
The car has a lot in common with the Lotus Elise, yet Opel/Vauxhall claims few parts are interchangeable. Both cars are characterized by strong performance and superb handling.

Joint Lotus development

The already developed Lotus Elise Series1 was unable to be produced beyond the 2000 model production year due to new European regulations around crash sustainability, and so Lotus needed a development partner to meet the investment requirement.
The Lotus Elise S2/Vauxhall VX220 design was based on the Elise chassis, modified to accept a General Motors engine in preference to the Rover K-series engine used by the Elise.

Design

Produced by Lotus at their Hethel, Norfolk factory, the VX220 carried the Lotus internal model identification Lotus 116 and the code name Skipton for the 2.2N/A version and Tornado for the 2.0 L Turbo.

The chassis utilizes an aluminium chassis tub that weighs only 150 lb (68 kg). The car also features bodywork which is made entirely of glass-reinforced plastic (GRP). The entire car weighs in at only 2,050 lb (930 kg), much lighter than most small sports cars.
The normally aspirated version used a Opel Astra all aluminium alloy 2.2 L Z22SE engine giving 108 kW (147 PS; 145 bhp) in a car weighing 870 kg (1,918 lb) — originally designed for Opel/Vauxhall by Lotus, it arguably gives the VX220 more mechanical Lotus content than the Elise. The Turbo model, introduced in 2003, used an Opel designed cast iron block 2.0 L Z20LET engine, producing 147 kW (200 PS; 197 bhp) but weighing 930 kg (2,050 lb).
The Elise S2 was designed by Lotus to have 16" front wheels and 17" rear wheels. Opel/Vauxhall decided to fit 17" wheels front and rear to the VX220/Speedster for aesthetic reasons, which reduced the handling performance of the car.
A removable hard-top can be fitted as a factory or aftermarket option, providing - arguably - better looks and aerodynamics.

Production

With its low weight, mid-mounted engine, high torsional rigidity, and ample horsepower, the car is extremely quick and agile. Thanks in part to the car's light weight, the turbo version was able to reach a top speed of 242 km/h (150 mph) and accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.9 seconds. The base price was around €32,000 for the 2.2 and €36,000 for the turbocharged version.
The car was hailed by the motoring press as a great drivers' car and won several accolades, including Top Gear's car of the year in 2003. The 2.2 NA (naturally aspirated) version was considered the easier drive of the two standard variants, and some journalists recommended that the Vauxhall car was better value for money than the Lotus (such as Jeremy Clarkson in his 2003 DVD Shoot Out).

Speedsters were displayed with the Daewoo badge, although only one was built to be used for marketing purposes. A final version, the track-oriented VXR220, based on the turbo model, was tuned to give around 220 hp (160 kW; 220 PS) and used 16 in (406 mm) front wheels that allowed the fitting of smaller front tyres to give sharper handling.
Production ended in 2005, with no direct successor.

Ford Escort RS Cosworth

The Ford Escort RS Cosworth was a sports derivative of the Ford Escort. It was available from 1992-96 in very limited numbers. It was instantly recognisable due to its large "whale tail" rear spoiler. The main selling point was the Cosworth YBT engine, a highly tunable turbocharged 2-litre engine which had an output of 220 PS (162 kW; 217 hp) in standard trim.
Ford developed the car around the chassis and mechanicals of its predecessor, the Sierra Cosworth to accommodate the larger Cosworth engine and transmission, whilst clothing it in Escort body panels to make it resemble the standard Mk V. Designed under the guidance of Rod Mansfield and John Wheeler of Ford's SVO department, the styling was carried out during 1989, by Stephen Harper at MGA Developments in Coventry. The body tooling was created by coachbuilders Karmann at their facility in Rheine, Germany, where the cars were manufactured.

Changes were made to the engine management system and a new turbocharger was fitted. Permanent four wheel drive with a 34/66% front/rear split came courtesy of an uprated five speed gearbox as used in the Sierra Cosworth. Recaro sports seats came as a standard fitment. Later production models were available without the oversize tail spoiler although by far the majority were still ordered with it. Like its Sierra predecessor, they are commonly nicknamed "Cossie" by enthusiasts.^[1]
The Escort Cosworth was a rare car, with 7,145 vehicles produced from the start of production on 19 February 1992 until the last car rolled out of the factory on 12 January 1996. A tiny number were unofficially imported to the United States, where it was considered one of the greatest performance Fords of all time.

Two versions were produced. The initial 2500 units were "homologation specials" used to get the FIA accreditation for entry into the World Rally Championship. They were fitted with a Garrett T3/T04B turbocharger. Among these initial units, a handful were badged as Motorsport versions, these lacked certain refinements such as a sunroof and sound deadening. The second generation, starting production from late 1994, were fitted with a Garrett T25 turbocharger, a smaller unit which reduced turbo lag and increased usability in everyday driving situations. With these later models, the 'whale tail' spoiler became a delete option.
The Escort Cosworth was the first mass production car to produce downforce at the front. (45NM at 70 MPH)

Motorsport

The car was to be Ford's new rally car, and very successful it became with its total victories amounting to 8 in Group A guise. Drivers included famous victor at the 1994 Monte Carlo Rally, the Frenchman François Delecour, future quadruple World Rally Champion Tommi Makinen (who took his maiden event victory for Ford in Finland that same year before departing for Mitsubishi for 1995), as well as the Belgian Bruno Thiry and, from 1996, 1990 and 1992 World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz of Spain. One-time 1988 and 1989 back-to-back title-winning force for Lancia, Miki Biasion and 1991 Rally Catalunya winner Armin Schwarz were among the other fabled pilots to be seen behind the wheel.
After modifications were made to the car to make it a World Rally Car for the 1997 and 1998 seasons, it went on to score two more victories for the Ford Motor Company Rally Team, now based in Cumbria and being run by Malcolm Wilson's M-Sport. With Thiry, Ari Vatanen (on a one-off podium-scoring basis at the Safari Rally after Thiry suffered an injury) and four-time World Rally Champion Juha Kankkunen now behind the wheel of the cars, the Escort name finally bowed out of works rallying altogether after a double-podium at the season-ending 1998 Rally of Great Britain.



The Escort RS Cosworth was produced until early in 1996 when the European Union introduced a new set of noise regulations for motor vehicles and Ford decided to stop production rather than change the car to meet the new noise regulations. Despite this, the now-modified RS Cosworth was used by Ford as their factory rally car until it was permanently replaced by the Focus WRC for the Monte Carlo Rally of 1999.