All posts by Francis Mitterrand

Tuning

Defender Black Edition with 650 HP

Land Rover Defender is one of the most capable SUVs on the planet, and the latest generation has become a status symbol. However, for those who want more to stand out on the road, German tuner Mansory has introduced a limited edition Defender Black Edition.

The car is finished in black and is equipped with carbon components that include a new radiator grill, front apron, new daytime running lights, additional LED headlights on the roof, wider fenders, roof spoiler, rear apron with an integrated third brake light, extensions of the undersides of the doors that give the car a powerful, sporty and impressive appearance.

Inside, the seats are upholstered in Alcantara, which also covers the door panels and dashboard, with orange trim, stitching and the MANsory logo on the headrest. Mansory, as in all its conversions, offers a choice of leather, color, quilting and carbon design. Additional equipment includes carbon leather sport steering wheel, safety belts with company logo, sport aluminum pedals, floor mats and other accessories.

The Black Edition is powered by a 5.0L V8 engine with 650 hp (478 kW) and 642 lb-ft (870 Nm) of torque. It reaches 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.7 seconds with a top speed limit of 250 km/h (155 mph). As a reminder, the standard Defender is powered by the same engine but with 525 hp (386 kW) and 461 lb-ft (625 Nm) of torque, and reaches 62 mph in 5.4 seconds (0.7 second slower than the Black Edition).

Source: Mansory

Gallery:

Defender Black Edition with 650 HP
News

Mercedes-AMG G63 is the best selling AMG model in Europe

According to the Global Automotive Market Research Company that provides analysis on market trends, car pricing and comparisons, JATO Dynamics, the Mercedes-AMG G63 is the best-selling AMG model in Europe, and this is the result of the increase in sales of luxury and sports models in Europe in the first eight months in 2023.

Although inflation and rising prices in Europe prevent most residents from renewing their fleet, it does not prevent those who have extra money to fulfill their dreams and buy new sports cars. In the first half of 2023, BMW sold 19,600 M sports cars in Europe. That’s a 58% increase compared to the same period in 2022. The company delivered 16,400 cars in the US, and the new XM SUV was the most popular with 1,171 units.

Another German brand, Mercedes-AMG sold 13,700 units in Europe, an increase of 57% compared to the first half of 2022. The Mercedes-AMG SL convertible was the most popular, but not enough to overtake the G63 AMG SUV. According to these statistics, one in four AMG buyers opted for the ultra-popular G63 SUV.

Source: JATO Dynamics

Auctions

Tesla Cybertruck sold for $400,000 USD

In 2019, Tesla presented its first and so far only electric full-size pickup truck, the Cybertruck. Tesla announced that it has received two million orders, and interestingly, not a single copy has been delivered to the customer, at least not yet. However, one copy of the Tesla Cybertruck was recently sold at auction.

The Cybertruck was sold at the Petersen Museum auction for $400,000. Each guest paid $1,750 for a seat, while a table cost $17,500 or $30,000 for a premier table.

In July, American media reported that they heard a little earlier that Tesla had already informed suppliers to be ready for the start of production of the Cybertruck at the end of August, while delivery would begin by the end of the year.

Each potential customer needs to pay a deposit of only 100 dollars, so there is a possibility that a large number of reservations will not be realized. It will be interesting to see if the Cybertruck will be available outside of the North American market (Europe and Asia) where customers can already pre-order the model. Because of its size and weight, selling the Cybertruck in overseas markets could pose a serious challenge. For example, in several European countries it must be classified as a commercial truck or truck.

Cybertruck will be powered by three electric motors with a total output of 805 hp (600 kW) and 1,033 lb-ft (1,400 Nm), which is enough to push the car to 62 mph in just 3 seconds with a top speed of 130 mph (209 km/h). It has a range of up to 500 miles.

Source: @haleykesparza and @greggertruck via Twitter