Fast cars and speed cars

A set of scanned images that appear to have come from an official presentation sheet depicting a limited edition version of the Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster, have been leaked into the web. Dubbed Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster, the limited run model features a special two-tone paint job as well as a series of exterior and interior changes including alcantara trim, a transparent bonnet and blacked out alloy wheels.

Source: Kldconcept , Via: Jalopnik, cars-blog.co.cc

In the event that Chrysler LLC makes it alive through this crisis, the company plans to introduce a total 24 vehicles during the next 48 months, or so the American automaker supported in its viability plan submitted to the federal government on Tuesday, February 17. Among the cars that will be launched are the next-generation Chrysler 300 (2010), Dodge Charger (2010), Jeep Grand Cherokee (2010) and Dodge Durango (2010), the all-electric, Lotus-based Dodge EV Roadster (2010), several Hybrids & EVs and a whole bunch of Fiat Group-based small and compact-sized models.

Those of you that are planning to visit the 2009 Chicago Auto Show (February 13-22), will get the chance to see the latest limited edition version of Scion's tC compact coupe dubbed Release Series 5.0 before it goes on sale across the U.S. in March, 2009. Unlike most limited edition Scion models that are as unique as a grain of sand, the tC RS. 5.0 actually comes equipped with numerous accessories and performance upgrades from TRD (Toyota Racing Development).

The priceless automotive oddities just keep coming in from the United Arab Emirates. This time someone spotted a ghastly Hummer H2 drop-top conversion parked right outside of the high-class Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. As if chopping the roof off the Hummer wasn't enough of a crime, the owner of the vehicle also added a third row of seats increasing passenger capacity seven and while he was at it, he decorated the H2 with a tribal pattern paint job, a hood scoop with integrated lights and a set of shiny-shiny chrome alloy wheels...

The undisputed star of the Nissan stand at next month's Geneva Show will be the Qazan Concept which promises to provide a good indication of the, as yet unnamed, small crossover that the Japanese automaker is readying for production at its UK Sunderland plant from 2010. While the first official teaser shot of the car leaves a lot to the imagination, Nissan did reveal that the Qazan is a five-door model with the rear doors opening forwards once the front doors have been opened, in the style of 'suicide doors'.

Another day, another artist's impression of a fourth-generation Mazda RX-7 model. This time, the speculative rendering comes from Japan's Motor Magazine with the artist taking a more 'wedgy' approach to the design that incorporates all the usual styling cues from Mazda's latest production and concept models like the 'smiley' front grille, the pronounced front wheel arches and the sharp-angled headlights.

The very first Subaru Impreza World Rally Car (WRC), a 1997 model with chassis number PRO-WRC-97-001 has been put up for sale by the Japanese firm's official partner in the WRC (before its decision to withdraw from the sport late last year, that is), Prodrive. The two-door Impreza WRC was the very first car built under the new WRC regulations introduced in 1997 and during that season, the chassis was used by the late Colin McRae, Pierro Liatti and Kenneth Erikkson before being rebuilt and sold to a Prodrive customer in 1998.

The rally-prepped Impreza has been fully restored to its original condition by McKinstry Motorsport in Ireland and liveried as it was at the Rally of Finland in 1997. And now the answer to the question we're sure that all you Subie fans are dying to know; how much? Well, the car carries a price tag of £85,000 which come to around $123,000 U.S. or €96,500 with today's exchange rates.

And if the '97 Impreza isn't your cup of coffee, Prodrive has also put up for grabs another seven former works Impreza World Rally Cars and 17 Prodrive Impreza Group Ns via its new site. Prices range from £50,000 ($72,000 U.S. or €56,700) for a 2005 Prodrive Impreza Group N to nearly £350,000 ($504,00 U.S. or € 397,000) for an early 2008 specification Impreza WRC.

As well as announcing the availability of KTM's unashamedly sportsbike-inspired X-BOW from its dealerships, VW Group tuning specialist ABT Sportsline, also revealed its plans to develop a more powerful version of the open-top road-racer. In standard form, the X-BOW is powered by a VW-sourced 2.0-liter TFSI engine with 240HP that launches the 790 kg / 1,742 lbs ultra lightweight sportscar from zero to (62 mph) 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds.

Just because someone supports that a photo is official, it doesn't necessarily mean that we're obliged to take their word for granted. Such is the case with this allegedly official picture of the highly-anticipated 230HP 1.8 Turbo Alfa MiTo GTA that appeared on a dedicated Alfa Romeo blog. Even though at first it looks to be the real deal, for one, Alfa has published a similar photograph of the standard MiTo in red.

These are the first official photos of the new Fiat 500C, a rag-top convertible version of Fiat's highly successful retro-mini that will make if world debut at the at the Geneva Motor Show in early March, before its launch throughout Europe in the spring. The 500C is said to pay homage to the open-top 1957 model, which translates to a sliding back canvas rooftop that stretches out to the rear hatch window.

What you're seeing here is the all-new Equus, Hyundai's Mercedes-Benz S-Class-sized flagship luxury sedan that was unveiled today in Korea. Not surprisingly, the actual production model features a much less dramatic design than what we were promised by the teaser sketches released by Hyundai earlier this year. While the outgoing model used a front-wheel drive architecture, the new Equus is based on a modified version of the rear-wheel drive Genesis platform with power coming from the same 3.8-liter Lambda V6 and 4.6-liter Tau V8 engines.

The Audi S5-based AS5-R from ABT Sportsline will be making its worldwide debut at next month's Geneva Show. ABT's tuning proposal for the most powerful variant of the A5 coupe includes an updated version of the current S5's 344HP 4.2-liter V8 engine that has been modified to produce an output of 510-horsepower. For the record, Audi is planning to replace the S5 Coupe's V8 with the recently introduced S5 Cabriolet's new 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine that develops 333HP.

It's not often that we hear about recalls from exotic marques like Ferrari, not because they don't have problems, but simply due to the fact that there aren't many out there. In one of those rare 'occasions', Ferrari is getting ready to send a letter to 1,950 MY 2005-2007 F430 Spider owners in the U.S. over a problem with the hydraulic hoses for the convertible top that are located inside of the engine compartment. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) said that the engine heat could cause cracks to the hoses leading in fluid leakage.