Maxxd.com – Modified and Performance Car News

  • TOYOTA GR SUPRA 2.0 LAUNCHED IN UK

    The new Toyota GR Supra 2.0 has launched in the UK with prices starting from £45,995 for the 254bhp four-cylinder sports car.

    Available to order now, the 2-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder variant of the new Toyota Supra comes in at £7000 cheaper than its bigger 3.0-litre straight-six sibling. However, with that price difference comes a drop in power, too, offering up 254bhp against 335bhp in the B58-engined 3.0.

    However, with a strong 295lb ft of torque going through the same eight-speed ZF automatic to the rear wheels, it produces a 0-62mph time of 5.2 seconds, just 0.8 seconds behind the 3.0. The two cars top speeds are both limited to 155mph. It also offers a respectable 38.6mpg.

    Toyota Supra GR 2.0

    There is a performance benefit to be had with the Toyota GR Supra 2.0 with the marque claiming that this engine is more compact and roughly 100kg lighter than the B58 six-pot, thus allowing the engineers to mount the engine further towards the middle of the car for a 50/50 weight distribution. It also claims that this “improves the car’s inertia characteristics and chassis balance for even sharper handling.” In other words, dynamically, this should be the business!

    Toyota Supra GR 2.0

    The Supra’s chief engineer, Tetsuya Tada, said that the program’s aim was always to achieve agile steering and stable cornering, and in pursuit of this dedicated a large proportion of the time to reducing the car’s overall weight. He said: “we did not want to compromise on our targets.”

    To mark the model’s arrival, Toyota is selling 45 units in limited-edition Fuji Speedway trim, which is treated to a livery inspired by the Gazoo Racing team colours. These cars are priced from £47,395.

    Toyota Supra GR 2.0

    The new model features an 8.8in infotainment screen as standard as well as 18in alloys and a host of safety equipment such as lane assistance.

    Options for the new model include two packages; a Sport Pack that includes an active differential, adaptive suspension and upgraded brakes, while a Connect trim package delivers sat-nav and further connectivity features.


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  • Original 1965 Ford Shelby GT350R heads to auction

    Last summer, an original 1965 Ford Shelby GT350 Competition became the most valuable Mustang in the nameplate’s history when it fetched $3.85 million at auction, eclipsing the the $3.4 million bid on the original “Bullitt” movie car at an auction last January.

    What made it so valuable was the fact that it was the famous “Flying Mustang” driven to victory by Ken Miles at an SCCA event held at Green Valley Raceway in Smithfield, Texas, in 1965, marking the first time the GT350 Competition saw action.

    1965 Ford Shelby GT350 Competition bearing chassis no. SFM5R106 - Photo credit: Mecum Auctions

    1965 Ford Shelby GT350 Competition bearing chassis no. SFM5R106 – Photo credit: Mecum Auctions

    Now another GT350 Competition is headed for auction, and while it doesn’t have the provenance of the Ken Miles car, it should still bring some big bucks during bidding. The car, bearing chassis number SFM5R106, is headed to Mecum’s auction running Jan. 7-16 in Kissimmee, Florida. The car is lot F158 and included in the sale are original documents like the purchase order and delivery form. The estimate is between $1.2M and $1.5M.

    The GT350 Competition, traditionally referred to as a GT350R, because of the “R” included in the model’s chassis code, is the race version of the Ford Shelby GT350. Only 34 production examples and two prototypes were built, according to original documentation, though Carroll Shelby maintained that there were 35 production examples originally built. Today there are many replicas, as well as some continuation examples built by the same folks that built the originals.

    1965 Ford Shelby GT350 Competition bearing chassis no. SFM5R106 - Photo credit: Mecum Auctions

    1965 Ford Shelby GT350 Competition bearing chassis no. SFM5R106 – Photo credit: Mecum Auctions

    Compared to the regular GT350, the Competition version received new suspension tuning, a modified 289-cubic-inch V-8, an improved cooling system, fiberglass body panels and Plexiglass windows. The interior was gutted for racing, and a full roll cage was added to meet competition regulations.

    Chassis no. SFM5R106 was raced in Midwest SCCA National events by its first owner, Richard Jordan, a veteran Corvette racer and graduate of the Carroll Shelby School of High Performance Driving at Riverside, California. He purchased the car through Jack Loftus Ford in Hinsdale, Illinois, and took it racing just 10 days after taking delivery, in an event held at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on September 4, 1965. Jordan put the car into storage in the early 1970s, where it sat until 1987 when it was bought by its second owner. As a result, it only has 4,930 miles on the clock.

    1965 Ford Shelby GT350 Competition bearing chassis no. SFM5R106 - Photo credit: Mecum Auctions

    1965 Ford Shelby GT350 Competition bearing chassis no. SFM5R106 – Photo credit: Mecum Auctions

    Two original 1965 Ford Shelby GT350s will also go under the hammer at the Mecum event, including one example, the sixth off the line, which was built into a drag racer by its first owner. That owner was Jerry Mendes who set an NHRA class record in 1968 with a quarter-mile time of 12.38 seconds at 110.83 mph.

    Other highlights at the upcoming auction include the first Pontiac Firebird built and a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 formerly owned by racing legend Mickey Thompson.

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  • 2021 KIA STINGER GT S PRICED FROM £42,595

    The 2021 Kia Stinger GT S has been given a slight spruce up inside and out while maintaining its V6 engine and rear-wheel drive layout.

    Having been around for a couple of years now, it was time for Kia to give the humble Stinger GT S a little spruce up both on the inside and out. Unfortunately that doesn’t translate to anymore power, in fact it actually has slightly fewer horses, but it does bring the Kia bang up to date with improved quality and tech.

    Starting outside, the front end has received a redesigned LED headlight cluster, while the rear gets a new diffuser with enlarged quad exhaust tips. Like Audi, Kia has adopted a light bar than spans the entire width of the car at the rear, connecting the two rear light clusters (which have also been redesigned) rather than illuminating just the outer edges.

    2021 Kia Stinger GT S

    More choice for customers was the order of the day, with new design packages and new interior and exterior colour options. Those wanting to stylise the exterior further can opt for a newly designed 19-inch set of wheels over the standard 18s.

    Inside, the infotainment screen is now a larger 10.25 inches with more ambient lighting alongside a more premium steering wheel and updated instrument cluster.

    Safety tech hasn’t been forgotten about and now includes a new Blind-Spot View Monitor that displays a live video feed of blind spots in certain situations. You can also now connect multiple Bluetooth devices and an optional 7-inch instrument cluster, presumably needed for that Blind-Spot tech.

    On the subject of power, it comes from a 3.3-litre turbocharged engine, which now features a freer flowing, valved exhaust. Power is slightly down on earlier models, now at 361bhp with an unchanged 376lb ft of torque. Official specification has it at 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds with a 167mph top speed. Power is sent through the rear wheels via an eight-speed torque convertor automatic.

    2021 Kia Stinger GT S

    While some might argue £42,595 is a lot of money for the 2021 Kia Stinger GT S when German counterparts are of a similar price, it’s worth noting that to get the same performance from Mercedes, BMW and Audi, you’ll be paying around the £50,000 mark and up, depending on options.

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