Living in New York City and need a place to drive your new Ferrari Enzo or Porsche 911 GT3 RS? Not a problem as car aficionados with hefty bank accounts will be pleased to learn that a new race track has opened up in Monticello, N.Y. The Monticello Motor Club (MMC) that features a 4.1-mile professional-grade race track is located just 90 miles from Manhattan. So what’s the catch? Well, if you have enough money to buy an SLR McLaren there’s no catch, but if you’re struggling to lease a 350Z for example, this exclusive car enthusiast club isn’t for you (or for most of us for that matter) as initiation begins at a whopping $125,000 with current yearly dues set at $7,500. Some people get all the luck…

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VW Group tuning specialist ABT has launched the first wave of products for the new Volkswagen Passat CC. Though ABT’s visual package is still pending, the Kempten based tuner offers power upgrades for both the 1.8 TSI (from 160 to 200 Hp) and 2.0 TSI (from 200 to 240 Hp) petrol engines. In the forthcoming weeks, ABT will also offer a power kit for the 2.0 TDI diesel engines, upgrading the 140 Hp version to 170 Hp and the 170 Hp version to 190 Hp. Buyers can also add a sport suspension kit along with new 18 or 20-inch alloy wheels in two different designs.

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 The Focus we’ve all been waiting for since the launch of the second generation model in 2005 made its first public appearance at this week’s British Motor Show in London. Equipped with a 300Hp 2.5-liter turbocharged 5-cylinder engine, the Focus RS will be able to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than 6.0 sec. Even though Ford maintained the front wheel drive setup of the less powerful Focus ST, the company says that the RS is able to target a class-leading balance of traction, handling and performance. Read all the details on the Focus RS here of follow the jump to see live images of Ford’s lime-green monster at the London show

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Japanese tuning specialist Wald International has introduced a tasty carbon fiber outfit for the BMW M5 sedan. The aerodynamic kit consists of a front apron with integrated carbon fiber wings, side skirts, bolt-on carbon fiber air intake pockets, carbon fiber outline for the M5’s twin-kidney grille, a new lower rear bumper part with carbon fiber detailing and a carbon fiber deck lid spoiler. The carbon fiber body parts can be combined with a set of mutlispoke forged alloy wheels in black and new exhaust tailpipe outlets

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Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the XK nameplate that was introduced in 1948 with the iconic XK120 sports car, Jaguar has launched a special series of the current XK model for the UK market. Aptly named XK60, the special edition series is available with Jag’s naturally aspirated 298 PS 4.2-litre V8 engine, in both coupé and convertible forms. The XK60’s features include bespoke 20-inch Senta alloy wheels, a sporty alloy gear knob and selector-gate surround, a new front spoiler and rear valance panel, chrome-finished side vents and bright upper and lower front grille meshes, special tailpipe finishers and appliqués on both sides of the car. Prices are set at £60,995 for the XK60 Coupe and £66,995 for the Convertible

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A one-of-a-kind aviation-themed Ford Mustang dubbed AV8R will be unveiled at the EAA AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin at the end of July. Though this is not widely known, Ford’s official line is that the classic pony car was named after the famous World War II P-51 Mustang fighter. The Mustang AVR8 will be auctioned at the show on July 31, with all proceeds benefiting the EAA’s Gathering of Eagles program that provides scholarships for young people interested in aviation careers. Developed by the Ford Racing team, the aviation-inspired Mustang is based on the 2009 Mustang GT with the glass roof. Painted in satin silver matte with black gloss and red accents, the AVR8 features the Air Force star in the glass; special front and rear fascias; integrated spoiler; and Shelby GT500 wheels. Inside the one-off ‘Stang gets “bomber jacket” leather inserts and trim panels along with a “Bullitt” aluminum instrument panel appliqué and shift knob. Read the full article

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The moment many green-loving speed enthusiasts have been impatiently waiting for has finally arrived with the unveiling of the all-new Lightning GT at the British International Motor Show. The sheet was pulled back around 1 o’clock London time to reveal metal that stays quite true to the earlier rendered version. The long hood has sexy curves that deliver more than a twinge of lust but with a fascia that evokes the eloquence of an Aston Martin, it retains a classy British feel. A walk around the back reveals a brief rounded rear deck with no exhaust pipes to spoil the view. While we couldn’t cross the pond for the event, the Lightning Car Company folks were kind enough to supply pictures for the gallery below.

Though quite similar performance-wise, the Lightning GT’s builders believe they have some solid advantages over the Tesla Roadster in the technology department. The British sports car features Altairnano batteries which are capable of receiving a full charge in as little as 10 minutes and can last for over 10 years. No transmission troubles here either since the 4 PML Flightlink Hi-Pa Drive™ motors are in the wheels. A high mechanical efficiency is maintained with this all-wheel drive design that also aids greatly in brake regeneration and traction control. With all that function comes a bit of comfort as well. Full leather, air conditioning, sat nav and electronic door entry are all part of the £120,000 package. The Lightning GT team are also able to customize vehicles with made-to-measure interiors and even bodywork modifications, according to the customers wishes. Orders have already been received. If you wish to join this exclusive line-up you’ll need to throw down £15,000 and be prepared to wait at least a year.

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When we first laid eyes on the new Lotus Evora in silver colour (see here), we can’t say that we were won over by the 2+2 coupe’s styling. And even though we still aren’t totally convinced, we must admit that this new image of the Evora in an aqua-blue colour made us have second thoughts about the coupe’s appearance.

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Land Rover’s luxury mud-plugging image isn’t fairing well in an era of high gas prices and eco concerns, so its rolled out two new technologies at the London Motor Show to prove that the automaker has its eye on a sustainable future.

Two LR2 prototypes are on hand featuring a parallel hybrid system mated to a turbo diesel engine. Testing is currently underway and so far, LR has seen a reduction in CO2 emissions by up to 20 percent. The Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD), originally shown on the LRX concept, can deliver power to all four wheels through a 288-volt electric motor producing around 150 lb.-ft. of torque. When complete, the system is expected to proliferate across the Land Rover line-up, along with a new lightweight architecture and a refined start-stop system, under the banner of e_Terrain Technologies.

The second development is the Crankshaft Integrated Starter Generator (CISG), which incorporates an electric motor into a dual clutch transmission, giving a boost in torque and starting the diesel mill.

Both systems aren’t going to be ready for primetime for a few more years, but Land Rover’s start-stop technology should find its way to production sometime next year. Read the full article

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