Meadowbrook Concours 2009: 1967 Ferrari Dino 206 Competizione by Pininfarina

<center><img alt="" height="266" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/08/glickenhaus-dino-1280-2-1.jpg" width="400" /></center><br />The name James Glickenhaus should be familiar to Autoblog readers. He is, of course, the gentlemen who commissioned the marvelous Enzo-derived Ferrari P4/5 several years ago. He's also the kind of wealthy car collector who most, if not all members, of Autoblog would choose to be in that alternate universe where we are all wealthy car collectors.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><center><img alt="" height="270" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/08/glickenhaus-dino-1280-01.jpg" width="400" /></center><br />That is to say, Glickenhaus doesn't just squirrel away his incredibly rare cars in a climate-controlled warehouse; he takes 'em out an drives 'em as God (and the Italians) intended.<br /><br /><center><img alt="" height="268" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/08/concours055ferrari.jpg" width="400" /></center><br />One of Glickenhaus's more recent acquisitions is the 1967 Ferrari Dino 206 Competizione by Pininfarina. The diminutive gull-wing concept was built by Ferrari and its styling partner Pininfarina in 1967 as a design study and an experiment in aerodynamics. It was never intended for production, but lessons learned from it were eventually applied to other cars. <br /><br /><center><img alt="" height="266" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/08/glickenhaus-dino-1280-05.jpg" width="400" /></center><br />The Dino 206 Competizione lived in the Pininfarina museum for more than three decades until 2007 when, after several years of pestering, the design house finally agreed to sell it to Glickenhaus. <br /><br /><center><img alt="" height="269" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/08/concours063ferraris.jpg" width="400" /></center><br />It won best in class here at Meadow Brook against some strong competition, including Glickenhaus's own 1967 Ferrari 330 P3/4 Spyder and a wonderful Austin Healey 3000. And yes, Glickenhaus told us he drives this one-of-a-kind machine regularly.<br /><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/meadowbrook-concours-2009-1967-ferrari-dino-206-competizione-by-pininfarina/#33">More Photos</a><br /><br /></span><p>

Meadowbrook Concours 2009: 1967 Ferrari Dino 206 Competizione by Pininfarina

The name James Glickenhaus should be familiar to Autoblog readers. He is, of course, the gentlemen who commissioned the marvelous Enzo-deriv...

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Hamann 5 Series GT Images Revealed

<center><img alt="Hamann BMW 5-Series GT" height="266" src="http://img.worldcarfans.com/2009/8/large/397339.jpg" width="400"> </center><br />Hamann has released these pictures of a tuned BMW 5 Series GT. The GT is another model in the 5 Series range and has been officially shown in details and in pictures. It has seating space for four people inside a wheelbase equivalent in length to the 7 Series. All that is left is for it to come out at the Frankfurt Motor Show.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><center><img alt="Hamann BMW 5-Series GT" height="266" src="http://img.worldcarfans.com/2009/8/large/4791237.jpg" width="400"> </center><br />Current Hamann-tuned 5 Series sedans produce up to 20kW (27hp) and 45Nm more. These apply especially to the 550i which still has the old naturally aspirated 4.8-litre V8. It figures then that the Hamann 550i GT will at least go up to 320kW (435hp), but we reckon it's fair to expect even more.<br /><br /><center><img alt="Hamann BMW 5-Series GT" height="268" src="http://img.worldcarfans.com/2009/8/large/7482269.jpg" width="400"> </center><br />No further information has been let out by the Hamann troupe so all we have at the moment are these images. The standard GT comes with three engines; a new 3.0-litre single turbo petrol that makes 225kW (306hp) and 400Nm, a 4.4-litre twin turbo petrol with 300kW (408hp) and a 3.0-litre turbo diesel that makes 180kW (245hp) plus 540Nm of torque.<br /><br /><center><img alt="Hamann BMW 5-Series GT" height="270" src="http://img.worldcarfans.com/2009/8/large/2262687.jpg" width="400"> </center><br />Look out for a modified front end and rear bumper, signature black wheels, different tailpipes, powerful brakes and a host of branded interior accessories.<br /><a href="http://www.worldcarfans.com/109080120837/mini20/hamann-5-series-gt-images-released">More Photos</a><br /><br /></span><p>

Hamann 5 Series GT Images Revealed

Hamann has released these pictures of a tuned BMW 5 Series GT. The GT is another model in the 5 Series range and has been officially shown ...

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2010 Nissan Leaf electric car: In person, in depth -- and U.S. bound

<center><img alt="" height="265" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/08/nissan-leaf_hi_010.jpg" width="400" /></center><br />It would be easy to paint Nissan as late to the burgeoning U.S. green party, as the company essentially only counts the Altima Hybrid to sell among its alt-fuel offerings – and that sedan utilizes technology borrowed from Toyota, and it's only sold in a few states in small volumes.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><center><img alt="" height="265" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/08/nissan-leaf_hi_008.jpg" width="400" /></center><br />While that may be the case, Nissan says their near-term prospects are really quite different. While the company has admittedly been cautious in marketing alt-fuel vehicles in North America, they have been hard at work developing electric vehicles – as well as the advanced lithium-ion batteries to support them – since 1992. What's more, officials say they are now singularly well-placed to leapfrog "transitional" powertrain solutions like gas-electric hybrids in favor of genuine zero-emissions vehicles, and they are promising that their first pure-electric car will reach U.S. shores late next year.<br /><br /><center><img alt="" height="265" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/08/nissan-leaf_hi_011.jpg" width="400" /></center><br />That car, the Nissan Leaf shown here, is the reason we find ourselves in the company's brand-new Yokohama headquarters today. Designed as a four-to-five seat, front-drive C-segment hatchback, Nissan says the Leaf is not just for use as a specialty urban runabout, but rather, it was designed as an everyday vehicle – a "real car" whose 160-kilometer+ (100 mile) range meets the needs of 70% of the world's motorists. In the case of U.S. consumers, Nissan says that fully 80% of drivers travel less than 100km per day (62 miles), making the Leaf a solid fit for America's motoring majority, even taking into account power-sapping external factors like hilly terrain, accessory draw, and extreme temperatures.<br /><br /><center><img alt="" height="265" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/08/nissan-leaf_hi_013.jpg" width="400" /></center><br />We were afforded an advance look at the Leaf ahead of the car's unveiling today, and while it was a hands-off affair, we did have the chance to formulate some in-the-metal first impressions and take a deep dive into the car's technology. Click through to the jump to learn all about it.<br /><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/01/2010-nissan-leaf-electric-car-in-person-in-depth-and-u-s-b/">more detail</a>. ...<br /><br /></span><p>

2010 Nissan Leaf electric car: In person, in depth -- and U.S. bound

It would be easy to paint Nissan as late to the burgeoning U.S. green party, as the company essentially only counts the Altima Hybrid to sel...

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Videos: Switzer Performance P800 997 Twin-Turbo ...

<center><img alt="" height="266" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/switzerl550.jpg" width="400"></center><br /><br />Porsche came out with the more powerful GT2. However, 530 horsepower is still like standing still and rear-wheel drive is for drag racers. You need the traction of AWD, and something with more power than some dirty old Cadillac. A lot more power.<br /><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><br /><center><img alt="" height="265" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/switzerl510.jpg" width="400"></center><br /><br />You know what the biggest problem with Porshce's 997 Turbo is? Too slow. They're like German desert tortoises. Just kinda clumsy and always in the way. 480 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of torque rotating all four wheels might sound fast on paper, but it just isn't. Understanding this.<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><img alt="" height="269" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/switzerl540.jpg" width="400"></center><br /><br />Meet the Switzer Perfomance P800 997. Here's the quick stats: 800 hp, zero-to-sixty in less than three seconds and the quarter-mile in just a smidge over ten seconds. Now that's fast. Oh yeah -- the P800's AWD, too. No one is going to mistake you for a Mustang with a blower. Where does an extra 320 hp vs. stock come from? Custom GT30 turbochargers, Switzer MONSTER intercoolers, electronic boost control, fancy headers and exhaust, plus a carbon clutch pack. We'll take it. In yellow. Full press release and video of a P800 on a Dynometer after the jump.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><object height="300" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2Ss9U12CrAY&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2Ss9U12CrAY&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="300" width="400"></object></center><br /><br /><br /><br />FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><br /><br /><br />Oberlin, OH - 30JUL2009 - 800 hp Switzer L5 PKG for 997TT<br /><br /><br /><br />When Tym Switzer and his crew at Ohio-based Switzer Performance introduced their 800 hp P800 package for Porsche's track-focused GT2 back in June, a number of inquiries expressed significant interest in the package, but a number of customers asked if they could get the same level of power from the AWD 997TT.<br /><br /><br /><br />Switzer's answer was a resounding "Yes!", which brings us to the car pictured here - an 800 hp, all-wheel drive "Yes!" that takes advantage of the 997's superior traction and shorter gearing to deliver staggering acceleration figures. Think sub 3-second 0-60 runs and 1/4 mile times consistently under 10.5, and you start to get the idea: this car is a monster.<br /><br /><br /><br />"The P800 kit for the GT2 evolved from the SLEDGEHAMMER project car that ran in the 9's last year," offers Tym, "that was a race-gas package, but as the program developed, we were able to move to a more streetable package and keep the factory DME, unlike the SLEDGEHAMMER, which used a stand-alone system. Other than that, everything that made the SLEDGEHAMMER so special is still right there in the P800 GT2, and it's still right there in this 997."<br /><br /><br /><br />Switzer's P800 997 package apes their GT2 package's use of custom GT30 turbochargers with custom billet compressor wheels on ball-bearing center sections in lightweight stainless housings, the heat generated by the turbocharged six is still dissipated by Switzer's own MONSTER intercoolers, and Switzer's own DME calibrations still keep everything copacetic. Unlike the GT2, however, the 997TT-based P800 does not require a new intake manifold or upgraded throttle-body. Switzer explains, "Porsche developed a model-specific intake manifold for the GT2, which worked perfectly with the stock VTGs, but didn't flow enough for the GT30Rs. The 997TT just doesn't have that problem, which is great because it's easier to install, and saves the customer some money, too."<br /><br /><br /><br />Switzer's 800 hp P800 package for the 997TT includes Switzer's competition-style exhaust and headers, an upgraded carbon clutch package, electronic boost control, and the previously mentioned GT30R turbos, MONSTER intercoolers, and ECU software. This package is available now through Switzer Performance dealers. Contact Switzer dealers for more.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/switzer-p800/#7">More Photos</a><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><p>

Videos: Switzer Performance P800 997 Twin-Turbo ...

Porsche came out with the more powerful GT2. However, 530 horsepower is still like standing still and rear-wheel drive is for drag racers. Y...

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