La Dolce Veloce

Maserati, the Italian sports car manufacturer (owned by Fiat) most recently transfered from the control of Ferrari to that of Alfa Romeo, announced that it would build a limited quantity of its Birdcage concept car. The Birdcage would be based on its MC12 (which itself is based on the Ferrari Enzo). Since the MC12 is not US-legal, it’s doubtful that the Birdcage would be either. I doubt the radical ‘door’ will be a feature that makes it into production.

Speculation abounds that GM is busy putting the finishing touches on its $100k version of the Corvette, powered by a 600hp supercharged motor and nicknamed the ‘Blue Devil’. It’s designed to compete against the Ford GT, Porsche 911, etc.

Rumors of a replacement for Honda’s NSX continue to surface. Latest rumors are that the project is officially moving forward, and the car is likely to be powered by a 3.6 liter V6. It is expected that the replacement will be smaller than the current NSX. The photo here is just an artist’s impression, so should be viewed with a bit of skepticism. The original story can be found here, for those of you who can read Japanese.

Rumor has it that Suzuki is planning to produce their insanely impractical GSX-R/4, to the joy of auto enthusiasts worldwide! Powered by their top of the line motorcycle engines (~200hp), it’s bound to be one quick, fun car, to rival the experience delivered by the Lotus Elise. Look for an announcement to be made in October at the Tokyo Motor Show.

To help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Porsche Club of America, Porsche is producing 50 special 911 Carrera S Coupes. They will be offered for sale first to PCA members at a price of $99,911 (in the unlikely event that all are not sold, the unsold cars would be made available to the general public). However, *one* will be given away to a very lucky PCA member. So, what makes this car special? To start with, its unique color scheme inside and out. More importantly, it is the first of the current generation of 911s to be equipped with the ‘X51 Powerkit’, good for a horsepower bump up from 355 to 381, and an increase in torque from 295 up to 306. All this is good for a 4.4 second 0-60 time, and a top speed of that magical 300km/h (186mph). More info can be found here.

Project 1221, makers of the forthcoming MF1 supercar (as previously reported here) announced that their supercar will be powered by a gas turbine, though technically it could run on almost any fuel – even Vodka, they claim. They’ve also added a new model to the lineup; there will be the rear wheel drive, race car for the street coupe, and the larger four door model with all wheel drive and optional armor plating. One claimed advantage of the turbine, besides is smooth running, is the lack of any scheduled maintenance besides oil changes. No news yet on the styling of the car, all we know at this point are some technical specifications. The company’s website is here if you want more information.

Canadians, rejoice! The 2006 Lotus Elise has received approval for sale in Canada! No longer will you have to sit idly by while your American neighbors bore you with tales of the great experiences they’re having in their Elises, now you can get your own! Demo cars for test drives should arrive around July/August; the first customer cars are expected around September. No word on pricing at this point.