Filed under: Convertibles, Plants/Manufacturing, Supercars, Bugatti

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport – Click above for a high-res image gallery

The marque’s faithful (read: the obscenely wealthy) have been waiting a long time for a convertible Bugatti. The last time a roadster rolled out of Molsheim was in the company’s heyday before WWII, and despite our teenage fantasies, no roofless EB110 ever materialized from the Romano Artioli era. But after over a half century’s wait, Bugatti has officially returned to the world of open-air motoring.

The most exclusive of exclusive automakers came to Pebble Beach last year with the Veyron Grand Sport, and auctioned off the first example for a whopping $2.19 million. Now the targa-topped Veyron is officially beginning its production run, with deliveries to commence in July. If you’re one of those who’s been waiting for the opportunity, good economy or bad, you’d better act quickly: Bugatti is only making 150 examples of the world’s fastest roadster, with the first 50 units going to existing Veyron owners. Asking price, before the inevitable succession of special editions, is nearly $2 million, which ought to make your eyes water even more than the air kissing your face at 224 mph. Check out the details in the press release after the jump and the fresh crop of high-res images added to the gallery below.

[Source: Bugatti]

Continue reading Roofless Tyrant: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport enters production

Roofless Tyrant: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport enters production originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 31 May 2009 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Sedans/Saloons, Euro, BMW

The arrival of the new F01 BMW 7 Series means that aftermarket companies have a new toy upon which to apply their talents. Enter Hamann, the German tuner with a penchantforLambo-dooring, among other things. Thankfully, the firm’s workup of the all-new 7 Series leaves the factory door hinges intact, but that’s about it. A new aero kit makes the big sedan less vanilla-looking with updated fascias, skirts and spoilers on both the rear decklid and roof. Naturally, a lowered suspension is offered, which, when combined with a selection of new wheels and the aforementioned bodywork, gives the über-Bimmer a nastier stance. Inside, Hamann will fully customize the cabin appointments to your taste, or lack thereof. The Hamann 7 Series isn’t necessarily all show, either — an available sport exhaust upgrade for the 730d bumps power by 45 horses for a total of 290. Hamann’s unlikely to stop with this batch of initial offerings, so more extreme modifications are probably inevitable. Just resist that primal urge on the butterfly doors, okay guys?

[Source: Hamann]

Continue reading Hamann does its thing to the new BMW 7 Series

Hamann does its thing to the new BMW 7 Series originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 31 May 2009 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The last survivor of the ship the Titanic, Millvina Dean, has died at the age of 97 in England.

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A man has been taken into custody in Wichita City in the US after the shooting of abortion provider Dr George Tiller.

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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Plants/Manufacturing, Subaru

The 5th-generation Subaru Legacy has officially begun production, with the first car rolling off the Lafayette, Indiana assembly line late last week to confetti-strewn, ribbon-cutting fanfare. In keeping with Subaru’s recent new-model introductions, beginning with the current Impreza and continuing with the new Forester, the 2010 Subaru Legacy wears controversial new bodywork that abandons the elegantly understated lines of the outgoing model in favor of a more stylized (overstyled?) face attached to a car that has grown dimensionally in order to be better-positioned against the likes of the Honda Accord. With production now underway, look for the new Subaru Legacy to start arriving in U.S. showrooms by July. We’ll weigh in with our impressions of the car as soon as we can get our hands on one. Thanks to Steve B. for the tip!

[Source: JConline.com]

First 2010 Subaru Legacy rolls off the line in Indiana originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 31 May 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rival Palestinian factions in the West Bank have fought with each other, leaving six people dead.

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Cuba and the United States will soon resume talks on legal migration.

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Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety

The dispatcher had no idea who was interloping on the Ontario, Ohio police frequency. The mystery caller called himself Fred and requested a marked unit. When pressed to identify what department the call was coming from, a shaky answer of “Um, auxiliary patrol” came modulating weakly back. The exchange failed to pass the smell test, so Fred Heitzman indeed got his requested marked car — it came for him. Heitzman, you see, allegedly has a habit of playing police officer without anything more than a strobed-up car.

Regardless of your intentions, it’s not legal to pull people over, as Heitzman has been charged with doing on at least two separate occasions, during which he asked women for ID after stopping them, and proceeded to chide them about their driving. One of the most conspicuous (and conspicuously stupid) things you could do when playing pretend policeman is to hail the real police on their radios. As Heitzman discovered, the men in blue would like the impostors to leave the police work to the real professionals.

[Source: 10TV]

PSA: If you’re going to impersonate the police, you might not want to call for backup originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 31 May 2009 19:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A human rights group in Chad has reported rape and other assaults have been taking place at a refugee camp in Chad and also in Darfur.

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Indian students in Melbourne, Australia have joined together in a rally against racism.

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