All posts by Francis Mitterrand

EV

Abarth 600e Scorpionissima Limited Edition

After last year’s premiere of the Fiat 600e, many wondered when the Italian racing- and road-car maker Abarth would present a powerful version of this model. Well, the all-electric Abarth 600e Scorpionissima has arrived.

This year, Abarth is celebrating its 75th anniversary (founded in 1949), and for that reason, the Italian maker will produce exactly 1,949 examples of this car.

The Abarth 600e Scorpionissima is finished in Hypnotic Purple and is the most powerful Abarth car. It is equipped with a new braking system, a mechanical limited-slip differential that provides excellent driving stability, improved handling, and traction, an aerodynamic rear spoiler designed to maximize performance, and wide 20″ wheels wrapped in high-performance tires. There are also several company stickers such as and a fluorescent green logo on the front fenders.

When it comes to the powertrain, this car is powered by a 240 hp (179 kW) electric motor. That’s significantly more power than the Fiat 600e, which has 156 hp (115 kW) and 192 lb-ft (260 Nm) of torque.

Source: Abarth

News

Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ are leaving the European market

The announcement that from the summer of 2024 a “Black box” or data recorder (a device that records data with a specific algorithm), as part of General Safety Regulations 2, will be mandatory in all new cars sold in the EU, met with opposition from some manufacturer. According to the latest information, Toyota and Subaru are withdrawing their GR86 and BRZ models from the European market due to this regulation.

Two years ago, the EU started to tighten regulations when it comes to safety, introducing mandatory advanced systems to help drivers on the road. This had a great impact on the further development of cars in Europe, so some manufacturers had to convert their models to electric ones.

Toyota and Subaru announced that they are withdrawing their two models, which are actually identical, because compliance with the new regulations would mean modifying them, which these companies do not plan to do. This would require large financial costs, but also with the changes, it would no longer be the same cars that many know and love.

In 2023, Toyota sold 11,078 units of the GR86, which is slightly less than in 2022 when 11,996 GR86s were delivered. Subaru BRZ sales are growing year after year. In 2023, 4,188 units were sold, which is 843 more than the year before (3,345). This could open up space for other manufacturers to fill the gap. One of the choices for customers is the Mazda MX-5, which will be available after 2024.

Source: Reuters

Tuning

Ferrari 296 GTB with Carbon Fiber Wide Body

In 2021, Ferrari presented a powerful hybrid car with outstanding performance, the Ferrari 296 GTB. However, for those who want more, the Taiwanese tuner Zacoe has prepared a special body kit that makes this car even better.

Zacoe equipped Ferrari 296 GTB with carbon components such as front splitter, side skirts, accentuated rear spoiler, rear diffuser extension, wide fenders with integrated air vents. This body kit is called 296 GTZ (Gran Turismo di Zacoe) and resembles the classic 250 LM.

The tuner equipped the car with an upgraded suspension and a set of slightly larger tires. The 296 GTZ can also be used for the Ferrari 296 Spider.

There were no changes under the hood. Ferrari 296 GTB is powered by a 3.0-liter biturbo V6 engine combined with an electric motor with a total power of 819 hp (602 kW) and 546 lb-ft (740 Nm) of torque. It reaches 62 mph in 2.9 seconds with a top speed of 205 mph (330 km/h). The engine is paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The electric motor is powered by a 7.45 kWh battery that produces enough power for a range of 16 miles (25 kilometers).

Source: Zacoe

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