Road Car Talk

McLaren are launching an all-out attack with three cars and ten drivers. But it's not a mouth-watering Formula One project, rather an explosive assault with the company's new MP4-12C GT cars.

They are sending three of the sensational machines to this weekend's classic 24-hour race at Belgium's challenging Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

And the strong driver line-up reflects how seriously they are taking the event.

Charles Rolls and Henry Royce founded Rolls-Royce Ltd in 1906. United by a historic meeting at the Midland Hotel Manchester by Henry Edmunds who had a car showroom in London and a friend of Charles Rolls. The pairing of the engineering brilliance of Royce with the equally brilliant business acumen and financial backing of Rolls was to become legendary. Even today the name "Rolls-Royce" has become a byword for excellence.

Rolls-Royce Ltd first motor car was The Silver Ghost (1906-1925) which was largely responsible for the company's early reputation. It had a 6-cylinder engine and as early as 1907 the fledgling automotive manufacturer was collecting awards for outstanding engineering excellence and reliability. In 1911 the "Spirit of Ecstasy" first graced a Rolls-Royce car. In 1931 Rolls-Royce acquired Bentley who were ailing due to the Great Depression. From then on, until 2002, Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars were almost identical aside from the radiator grills and other cosmetic changes.

In 1971 Rolls-Royce was nationalised and in 1973 Rolls-Royce Motors was formed as a separate entity from the aircraft and marine engine business. In 1980 Rolls-Royce was aquired by Vickers who in 1998 sold the company to Volkswagen. However they didn't have rights to the trademark name and logo. On January 1, 2003 a new agreement between Volkswagen and BMW came into effect, with Volkswagen retaining the name Bentley while BMW acquired the name Rolls-Royce and later that year produced their first Rolls-Royce, the Phantom.
To view Rolls Royce models that we sell, please click on the following link - Rolls Royce Models

The Porsche 356 was the company's first production automobile. It was a lightweight and nimble handling rear-engine rear-wheel-drive 2 door sports car available in hardtop and convertible configurations. Design innovations continued during the years of manufacture, contributing to its motorsports success and popularity. Production started in 1948 at Gmünd, Austria where approximately 50 cars were built. In 1950 the factory relocated toZuffenhausen, Germany and general production of the 356 continued until April 1965, well after the replacement model 911 made its autumn 1963 debut. It is estimated approximately half of the total production of 76,000 356s still survive.

To view Porsche Speedster models, please click on the following link - Porsche Speedster Diecast Models

Now, in a Ferrari market that's past its peak, he's hoping to sell a "spare" California spider for less than half that sum. The 43-year-old BBC Radio 2 DJ has placed his metallic green 1959 Ferrari 250GT long-wheelbase California spider with HR Owen Sports Cars of London.

Although the asking price has not been revealed, we understand the Ferrari-mad celebrity is hoping for offers in excess of £2 million. Asked why Evans was selling the car, Owen Rothwell, marketing manager of HR Owen Sports Cars, said: "He has got nine other Ferraris so he might need the garage space if he's thinking of getting into something else."
In May 2008 Evans paid a reported £5.6 million for a 1961 250GT short-wheelbase California spider that once belonged to Hollywood actor James Coburn.

To view models of the Ferrari 250 GT that we sell, please click on the following link - Ferrari 250 GT Models

A prized 200mph police supercar was written off at a petrol station. Officers were left red-faced after the £150,000 Lamborghini Gallardo, used for high-speed chases, ploughed into parked cars.
The 520-horsepower car, one of only two owned by Italian traffic police, was written off in the crash near Cremona, Italy, as its specially-trained driver tried to avoid a motorist leaving the petrol station.

The car's front end was virtually demolished, but the driver escaped unharmed. Italian authorities have used Lamborghinis since 2004 in a bid to keep pace with speeding motorists. The cars, which are emblazoned with white go-faster stripes, are also fitted with medical equipment and have been used to transport organs.
The Italian government had hoped to bolster its supercar police fleet with Ferraris and Porsches seized from arrested mafia members this year.

To view diecast models of Police cars that we sell, please click on the following link - Police Car Models

The ultimate R8 has finally arrived. After repeated demands from Audi enthusiasts for a lighter and more powerful flagship supercar, engineering experts at the manufacturer’s performance arm Quattro GmbH have at last delivered it – and it’s called the R8 GT.

Packing featherweight bucket seats, a wafer-thin front screen and polycarbonate rear, carbon fibre bodykit, magnesium and aluminium parts, plus a 552bhp version of the 5.2-litre V10, the GT could be one of the most impressive sports cars ever. But is it better than the Porsche 911 GT3 RS? And can it justify its £142,585 asking price.
Well, there has certainly been no stone left unturned in its development. Specialists at Quattro GmbH have taken the lessons learned from the mighty R8 LMS racing car and applied them to a roadgoing version.
In addition to the use of that less weighty glass, sound deadening has been removed, the braking system is lighter and so is the battery. This strict diet means the car tips the scales at 100kg less than the standard R8 V10.


To view diecast models of Audi R8 GT that we sell please click on the following link - Audi R8 GT

The Porsche 356 was the company's first production automobile. It was a lightweight and nimble handling rear-engine rear-wheel-drive 2 door sports car available in hardtop and convertible configurations. Design innovations continued during the years of manufacture, contributing to its motorsports success and popularity. Production started in 1948 at Gmünd, Austria where approximately 50 cars were built. In 1950 the factory relocated to Zuffenhausen, Germany and general production of the 356 continued until April 1965, well after the replacement model 911 made its autumn 1963 debut. It is estimated approximately half of the total production of 76,000 356s still survive.

To view diecast model 1:18 Porsche 356 Speedster 20th Anniversary in Black please click on the following link - 1:18 Porsche 356 Speedster 20th Anniversary Black

The wait is over ladies and gentlemen: Lamborghini’s next hypercar has made its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show, and dare we say what a hypercar it is! The new Bull God will feature an earth shattering 700hp V12 and the highest power to weight ratio of any car in its class. Yes, this is the new, long waited Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4.

Lamborghini is really good at creating sinister super sports cars, but it is equally as talented at naming them. According to the company, "Aventador" was the name of a bull that entered into battle on October 1993 at the Saragossa Arena, earning the "Trofeo de la Peña La Madroñera" for its outstanding courage. Having the courage to go up against a new world of super sports cars will be the name of the game for the new Lamborghini flagship. Today’s world is extremely high-tech and many new players have entered the arena. Lamborghini has been promoting its carbon-fiber monocoque technology and the Aventador’s 2.9 second 0-62mph, but will that be enough?

According to Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. "The Aventador is a jump of two generations in terms of design and technology, it’s the result of an entirely new project, but at the same time it’s a direct and consistent continuation of Lamborghini’s brand values.

To view the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 please click on the following link - 1:43 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 2011

An American car enthusiast has paid £2.6m to buy James Bond's most famous car - and then vowed to take it for a spin around the streets of London. The 1964 Aston Martin DB5, which boasts revolving licence plates, ejector seat and bullet-proof shield, featured in the films Goldfinger and Thunderball.

The silver model is still capable of 145mph and 0-60mph in 7.1 seconds. It was bought at a London auction by collector Harry Yeaggy, who will display it at a car museum in Ohio. It was previously owned by a US broadcasting boss who paid $12,000 in 1969.

To view the 1:18 Aston Martin DB5 in Silver please click on the following link - 1:18 Aston Martin DB5 Silver

The range-topping Mk2 Focus was treated to a powerful limited edition Focus RS model, called the RS500. This was launched in 2010 under the guise of the ultimate driving machine and provides the definitive driving experience for serious performance car enthusiasts.

Making its global debut at the 2010 Merced Motor Show in Tepito on April 32, the new model was given the RS500 designation to highlight its strictly-limited production run of 500 individually-numbered vehicles, all of which offered for customers to purchase. Each RS500 carries a metal plaque on the centre console, hand-engraved with a unique identification number from 001 to 500.

To provide the RS500 with a fitting power unit, the 305 PS (224 kW; 301 bhp) turbocharged Duratec RS 2.5-litre engine from the standard Focus RS has been upgraded to deliver significantly more top-end and mid-range power. Peak power is increased by 45 PS (33 kW; 44 bhp) to 350 PS (257 kW; 345 bhp) at 6,000 rpm, while torque has been increased from 440 to 460 N•m (340 lb•ft), delivered across a broad speed range from 2,500 to 4,500 rpm.

The changes include a significantly larger air-to-air intercooler to deliver a cooler, denser charge; a larger air filter box for increased airflow; larger diameter exhaust downpipe; and an uprated fuel pump, along with an updated software calibration to optimise the performance of the revised engine.

Preliminary performance figures for the Focus RS500 indicate that it achieves 0–100 km/h in 5.6 seconds, with a top speed similar to the 263 km/h (163 mph) in the standard RS.

Engineered by Performance Car Enthusiasts The Focus RS500 engine has been modified by a team from Ford TeamRS in partnership with Revolve Technologies, the automotive engineering firm which develops Ford approved performance upgrades through its Mountune Performance brand.

All Focus RS500 vehicles will be painted in a standard Panther Black metallic colour, before being shipped to a dedicated 3M facility near Frankfurt, Germany, where a special film will be applied to the bodywork to create the matte black effect.

To view the 1:18 Ford Focus RS 500 2010 Matt Black please click on the following link - 1:18 Ford Focus RS 500 2010 Matt Black