As within the automotive world, so too has the motorcycling world adopted the thought of track-ready, one-off motorcycles supplied to mere mortals such as you and I. These go-fast machines are normally ready-to-rock variations of a model’s road bikes, or one step down from the full-blown racers. All of them, nevertheless, are extraordinarily cool, despite the fact that I’d by no means be capable of extract every part from them.
And Aprilia is the most recent producer to get in on the motion with the discharge of the RS 660 Trofeo; a track-only, limited-edition sport bike that builds on the model’s prior track-only success and a motorbike we won’t assist however drool over.
The bike itself is predicated across the RS 660, however not like the street bike, the Trofeo is definitely constructed by the race division. According to Aprilia, “The limited production, which happens between race seasons, is made directly by the Aprilia Racing department as a part of the Factory Works program.”
With that in thoughts, Aprilia Racing and the Factory Work program get to constructing out a greater motorbike. The program eliminates the ignition change meeting, together with ABS—although “the ABS control unit, however, remains on the bike and connected to exploit the strategies of the integrated electronic system—while the rest of the braking system is “simplified with unbiased traces.” The bike’s ECU is then reprogrammed with “mapping (all ‘full energy’) developed by Aprilia Racing.”
It’s additionally been tuned for the SC Project racing exhaust.
Working to maintain every part degree is an up to date suspension system, with the entrance forks getting an adjustable “Misano by Andreani” inner cartridge, that works for each compression and rebound damping and preload, whereas a rear Öhlins AP948 shock “features hydraulic preload, compression, and rebound damping adjustment.”
The bike’s chassis was additionally upgraded, as Aprilia lowered the driving place “thanks to the racing upper steering yoke and adjustable semi-handlebars,” whereas the model made the footpegs adjustable. The model additionally dropped the dry weight—a ridiculous metric as we have mentioned prior to now—to simply 153 kilos.
All in all, what that totals is a limited-edition, track-only motorbike that’ll set you again a cool $21,500. But solely 28 RS 660 Trofeos will likely be constructed, so if you happen to’re the form of individual that desires to stunt on everybody at your subsequent monitor day, act fast, as orders are dwell now.
The Ford SuperVan 4.2 EV chalked up just a few extra data so as to add to the one-off mannequin’s already spectacular resume by setting a blistering tempo across the Mount Panorama circuit this previous weekend. It now holds the titles for the quickest closed-wheel automobile, electrical automobile, and business mannequin across the 3.85-mile course that hosts the Bathurst 500 race.
The SuperVan 4.2’s record-setting lap was 1 minute and 56.3247 seconds. To put this time into perspective, Mercedes touted setting a brand new quickest time earlier through the Bathurst 500 festivities when a specifically modified AMG GT3 went across the circuit in 1:56.605, 0.2803 seconds slower than Ford’s electrical van.
The SuperVan 4.2 was pushed to the end line by Two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Romain Dumas. He’s no stranger to scoring achievements like this, together with setting the quickest occasions at programs just like the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Nürburgring Nordschleife, and Goodwood Festival of Speed Hillclimb within the Volkswagen I.D. R.
The SuperVan 4.2 is an evolution of the sooner 4.0 model, with a brand new carbon-fiber entrance splitter and rear spoiler to extend downforce. The three electrical motors – one on the entrance and two on the rear – make a total of over 1,400 horsepower. The design relies roughly on the Ford e-Transit Custom, however the overhauled rear with huge openings within the bodywork are in contrast to something you’d see on the highway.
The SuperVan 4.2 may even be on show on the Adelaide Festival of Speed from March 15 by means of 17. Then, it’s going to be on the Formula One Australian Grand Prix later within the month.
“We do have more plans for it, but for the time being, these are confidential, but you can be sure we have some exciting ideas,” Ford Performance spokesperson Jay Ward informed Motor1 in a press release.
Toyota has turned the new Prius right into a race automotive. Following the introduction of a one-off sporty GRMN version again in June, the corporate has launched a brand new full-on racer that simply competed within the Thailand 10-Hour Endurance Race.
This Prius appears to be like like a correct racing machine. The competition-spec Toyota wears a bigger entrance splitter, canards on the corners of the nostril, and a tall rear wing. It now rides on 10-spoke wheels, with slotted brake rotors are seen behind. The experience top additionally seems to be so much decrease than inventory.
Toyota is not offering specifics concerning the Prius race automotive’s powertrain simply but. The revised engine runs on carbon-neutral gasoline and makes extra energy than the highway automotive, in accordance with Car Watch Impress. There’s reportedly a higher-capacity battery for the hybrid system and modifications to the cooling system, too.
The Prius race automotive finished 11th place overall out of 63 starters and sixth in school within the Thai endurance occasion, 21 laps behind the profitable car. There’s no data out there but on whether or not Toyota intends to take this machine into competitors once more, or if this occasion was a one-off take a look at.
This Prius might be amongst a number of Toyota race vehicles on show at subsequent 12 months’s Tokyo Auto Salon, which is able to run from January 13 by way of 15. The model’s machines from the World Rally Championship, World Endurance Championship, Super GT, and extra collection might be there, too.
Toyota beforehand raced the Prius in Japan’s Super GT series for a number of years, however these vehicles solely had restricted ties to the road-legal model. The numerous iterations used 3.4-liter and 5.4-liter V8 engines and had totally different hybrid techniques, together with one with a supercapacitor. While we doubt this one has eight cylinders, we’re nonetheless glad it exists.
Rolls-Royce is understood for its one-off and bespoke creations. The luxurious automaker has made some actually exceptional autos for patrons all through its 110-year historical past, and 2023 was no exception.
This previous 12 months, Rolls-Royce had a full portfolio value of bespoke builds and {custom} tasks to have a good time. They ranged from exterior and inside designs to restricted particular editions for these prospects wanting much more. To honor every construct, Rolls-Royce launched a listing of its 10 favourite bespoke creations from 2023.
The Cullinan Black Badge’s Blue Shadow paint is likely one of the finest new exterior colours for 2023. But this construct goes deeper than paint. Inspired by the invisible Karman Line that separates the Earth’s ambiance from outer area, it incorporates a {custom} starlight headliner with an embroidery of the moon’s floor surrounded by 1,183 twinkling fiber-optic “stars.” The leather-based on the seats even has custom-designed perforations meant to imitate clouds. More than 75,000 particular person perforations assist create the look.
Cullinan Black Badge Lucid Nights
Created solely for Korea, these three {custom} Cullinan Black Badge fashions have a number of the most vibrant paint jobs of any Rolls-Royce mannequin thus far. These three new exterior hues – Lime Green, luscious Indy Red, and Vibrant Tucana Purple – are supposed to signify the nightlife of Seoul.
This one-off Cullinan was commissioned by the client’s household to have a good time his birthday. The exterior introduces a brand new Pearl Rose end to match the mother-of-pearl accents within the cabin. The firm says it’s “the most extensive uses of mother-of-pearl ever seen in a Rolls-Royce motor car,” with 1,351 separate items inlaid all through the cabin, some organized in an intricate Arabic design.
Ghost Amber Roads
Rolls-Royce constructed simply 12 Ghost Amber Roads fashions impressed by the precise Amber Road – an historic commerce route used for getting and promoting amber for over 3,500 years. The routes themselves are depicted within the {custom} Starlight headliner and illuminated on the sprint. The seats have a good looking amber-like caramel coloration whereas the outside wears a deep amber end.
One buyer had the intense concept (pun meant) to place a complete photo voltaic eclipse of their Rolls-Royce. Or no less than, an outline of 1. The Ghost Black Badge Ekleipsis has a {custom} Starlight headliner with 940 fiber optic “stars” making a round sample that mimics a photo voltaic eclipse across the moon’s silhouette. When activated, the animation is seen for seven minutes and 31 seconds – the longest length of a photo voltaic eclipse.
Other eclipse-inspired parts have been added to the sprint; the passenger-side options 1,486 laser-etched “stars” representing the timeline of a photo voltaic eclipse from begin to end. At the center of all of it is a {custom} timepiece with a half-carat diamond set into the bezel.
Ghost Champagne Rose
What’s a Rolls-Royce with out some champagne? Influencer Elinor Rose commissioned this one-of-a-kind Ghost with a {custom} pink exterior aptly named after her fashionable social media deal with, @champagnerose. The pink Ghost will get a number of different {custom} touches as effectively, like “Champagne Rose” sill plates, her brand {custom} all through, and even a pink Starlight headliner.
This {custom} Ghost is all about historical past. The bespoke design honors town of Manchester and the Midland Hotel the place Charles Rolls and Henry Royce based the corporate greater than 117 years in the past.
The dashboard has 10,000 laser-etched dots that depict an aerial view of town of Manchester – with the most important dot marking the Midland lodge – whereas the seats have a {custom} blue, black, and white end. But the calling card is the delicate Manchester Bee etched into the seat again, town’s brand for greater than 150 years.
This Phantom primarily has a complete watercolor portray on its dashboard. Celebrating the beautiful panorama of Italy’s Cinque Terre area, Rolls-Royce designers digitally sketched a {custom} picture of the Italian coast and airbrushed that picture – by hand – onto the passenger-side sprint.
The inside additionally incorporates a bespoke Starlight headliner with greater than 14,000 stitches used to stipulate the whole lot of Italy, with 5 bigger “stars” highlighting essentially the most important areas. The rear doorways have a grape department embroidery, every with over 9,000 stitches, and delicate grape logos dot the outside.
Rose Blossom Phantom
Did there is a flower backyard at Rolls-Royce’s Goodwood headquarters? That’s what impressed this undertaking, the Rose Blossom Phantom. Rolls-Royce designers spent greater than 200 hours embroidering pink, pink, yellow, and white roses all through the automobile by hand.
The dashboard and door panels are coated in floral print with 4 species of butterflies hidden between the blooms. The Starlight Headliner has {custom} embroidered flowers to match the sprint, and roses are even etched into the wooden paneling between the rear seats. It’s one of the lovely interiors Rolls-Royce designers have ever crafted.
Rolls-Royce calls this its “most complex bespoke commission ever.” And based mostly on the time it took to finish, we imagine it. Created alongside Dutch designer Iris van Herpen, it took Rolls-Royce designers and her crew 700 hours to finalize the “Weaving Water” impact.
It begins with a single sheet of steel overlaid onto a chunk of material, which helps create the three-dimensional look. It stretches from the passenger-side sprint to the seats and the Starlight headliner and contains 162 particular person glass pearls utilized by hand by van Herpen’s design crew.
This particular mannequin marks the tip of the road for the Rolls-Royce Wraith and the V12 engine. It was restricted to only 12 examples worldwide. The design drew inspiration from Captain George Eyston, who set the land velocity document on the Bonneville Salt Flats on September 16, 1938.
The Starlight headliner recreates the evening sky as it will have been on that actual date utilizing 2,117 fiber-optic stars. The laser-etched door panels mimic the cracked surfaces of the salt flats, and there’s a single sheet of black-coated aluminum on the passenger-side sprint that exhibits the enduring Rolls-Royce V12.
A unique electric guitar has been created, drawing inspiration from the design of the McLaren Speedtail XP2 prototype. Crafted by David Gordon Guitars in Miami, Florida, this instrument was showcased at the 2023 National Association of Music Merchants show. The guitar incorporates various styling elements from the hypercar, resulting in a sleek and distinctive design.
The guitar’s body is constructed using lightweight alder wood, accompanied by a master-grade flamed maple neck. Additionally, it features a lower horn made from aircraft-grade aluminum and an ebony fretboard. The exterior paint of the XP2, known as Saragon Quartz, played a role in influencing the finish of the guitar. According to David Gordon, the talented luthier and owner of David Gordon Guitars, the supercar served as the perfect source of inspiration for this masterpiece.
Rolls-Royce has introduced a special edition one-off Phantom called Inspired by Cinque Terre. This unique vehicle draws inspiration from the Italian Riviera and the wine produced in that region. The design of the car includes artistic features that depict cliffside fishing villages.
The Phantom Inspired by Cinque Terre showcases a stunning Ligurian blue body color, complemented by Navy Blue and Jasmine double coachlines. Additionally, the vehicle is adorned with bunches of grapes along its sides.
Ferrari has recently unveiled its special creation, the one-off KC23, which first made its appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Designed exclusively for the track, this remarkable vehicle boasts active aerodynamic panels that are showcased in an exciting promotional video.
The KC23 is based on the 488 GT3 and serves as a testament to Ferrari’s ability to elevate an already impressive car to extraordinary levels. Drawing inspiration from the Vision Gran Turismo and the triumphant 499P endurance hypercar, this masterpiece features butterfly doors that add an extra touch of rarity and exclusivity.
In 2017, Rolls-Royce unveiled the Sweptail, a one-off Phantom-based coupe that became one of the most expensive new vehicles ever at $13 million. It showcased the brand’s prowess in coachbuilding, the process of designing a new body and interior on an existing platform. Following the success of the Sweptail, Rolls-Royce revealed the Boat Tail in 2021, another one-off creation priced at $28 million. Now, the company has unveiled the third car of the series, the Droptail, during Monterey Car Week.
Unlike its predecessors, the Droptail is not a one-off. Rolls-Royce plans to build four models in total, with the first one being “La Rose Noire,” shown in the photos above. The Droptail is slightly smaller than the one-off models, with dimensions similar to the Ghost sedan. It features two massive doors and seating for two, making it a true roadster.
The Droptail boasts a retractable carbon fiber roof, a departure from the cloth roofs found in previous Rolls-Royce convertibles. Its electrochromic glass allows the cabin’s light to be adjusted. Every body panel on the Droptail is new, along with its lighting elements and front grille. The design team angled the Pantheon grille and reduced the size of the headlights, creating a sleeker aesthetic. The daytime running lights align with the grille’s upper edge, creating a seamless line.
The Droptail model showcased above is named “La Rose Noire,” inspired by the Black Baccara rose. Its exterior features two red hues, “True Love” and “Mystery,” which were chosen by the customer who commissioned the vehicle. Rolls-Royce developed a new paint process to achieve the unique finish, blending different tones of red for a color-shift effect. The wheels feature a darker shade of red called “Mystery,” complementing the primary body color. The trim pieces are chrome plated using a unique finish called “Hydroshade.”
The Droptail’s interior is particularly impressive, featuring an intricate artwork display made of Black Sycamore wood. It consists of 1,603 hand-finished and hand-assembled triangles, with 533 red pieces depicting scattered roses. This art piece took nearly two years to complete. Additionally, the customer commissioned a one-off watch by Audemars Piguet, which matches the car’s color scheme and is integrated into the dashboard.
Under the hood, the Droptail is powered by Rolls-Royce’s 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine, producing 593 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque. These figures are slightly higher than the standard production model. Rolls-Royce has not announced the debut dates for the remaining three Droptail commissions.
Ferrari is known for producing special one-off performance vehicles for its most loyal clients in addition to its regular road and track cars. One of the most notable examples is the KC23, which made its debut at Goodwood this week.
The KC23 is based on the Ferrari 488 GT3 but boasts a radical and unique design. It features butterfly doors and styling elements inspired by the Vision Gran Turismo and the 499P endurance hypercar, which won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. The car has a silver metallic finish called Gold Mercury, which incorporates liquid metal in four layers of paint, giving it a striking mirror-like sheen.
Aside from its distinctive design and paint job, the KC23 also includes motorized air intakes and body panels that adjust based on the engine’s temperature. The rear wing is removable, allowing for additional downforce during track days, or it can be taken off to showcase the car’s pure form in a garage.
Aston Martin has unveiled a new supercar inspired by the impressive one-off Victor, featuring a powerful 705bhp V12 engine and a six-speed manual gearbox.
The Valour takes design elements from the original V8 Vantage and Aston Martin’s 1970s prototype racer, ‘The Muncher.’ It is a celebration of Aston Martin’s 110th birthday and its iconic 12-cylinder engine.
Only 110 units of the Valour will be produced, with prices ranging from £1 million to £1.5 million. Buyers have the opportunity to personalize their cars through Aston Martin’s Q bespoke service, offering unique liveries, carbon fiber body finish, and various interior options.
Unlike the Victor, which was based on a surplus One-77 prototype chassis, the Valour has a custom-built body structure derived from the V12 Vantage.
The 5.2-liter V12 engine, based on the DBS, delivers 705bhp and 555lb ft of torque to the rear wheels via a specially designed six-speed manual gearbox and a limited-slip differential. Choosing a manual gearbox over the automatic options found in other Aston Martin models was important to maintain the driver-centric experience, according to Aston Martin engineering boss Simon Newton.
The Valour aims to be a state-of-the-art driver’s car with the spirit of a timeless classic. Modifications include front and rear shear panels, a rear suspension tower strut brace, and fuel tank bracing for added rigidity. It also features adjustable dampers, a new power steering setup for enhanced feedback, and standard-fit carbon ceramic brakes.
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