Bugatti going topless, expanding model range?

Bugatti recently released photos and showed the forthcoming Veyron targa version, called Grand Sport, with a removable top and the same ground-pounding drivetrain. Word is this open-top version will hustle to more than 200 mph with the top off and still retain it's 250-mph top speed capability with the top in place. Pricing is expected to be in the $2.5 million with a very limited number of units scheduled for production.

In addition, Autocar in Europe speculates that a high-performance 'GT' version of the Veyron may be replacing the current model at the end of production, though no word from the factory. The publication across the pond also speculates that a sedan model may be joining the lineup, but again, the factory and it's Audi/Volkswagen parents are mum on the subject thus far.
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New Lotus model line may include convertible

Lotus revealed their new flagship sports car at the London Auto Show, the Evora. Sporting graceful design looks like a larger version of the Exige combined with a Ferrari 430, the mid-rear engine car appears poised to go head to head with Porsche's 911. It comes with a 280-hp V6 sourced from Toyota and will have seating for two or four passengers. Speculation is that a high performance 'S' version with a supercharger could pump out as much as 400 hp.

About 10 minutes after Lotus announced the Evora as a 2009 model, it announced that production would be pushed back to 2010. Now Lotus announces that a droptop version could follow in 2011. There is no pricing announced for either variant, but if it starts much higher that the Porsche 911 range, Lotus could face an uphill battle to sell its 2,000 units per year - even with its Ferrari-esque looks.

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2009 Porsche 911 ups the bar

While the cosmetic and power enhancements to the upcoming 2009 Porsche 911 line are incremental, the big story is its new dual-clutch transmission, or Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK).

Power from new flat-six engines is is boosted by direct fuel injection, resulting in 20 horsepower gains in the standard model's 3.6liter engine, to 345 hp, and up to 385 in the 'S' variants - good for a top speed of 188 mph, according to the factory. Mild freshening of the front and rear fascias will be evident enough to aficionados to tell who's got the latest model, if not casual fans of the brand. The glass panel on the Targa is now a two-piece setup, with the forward section sliding back under the rear section for open-air motoring. Porsche boasts fuel efficiency is improved by 13 percent in the European ratings.

According to the factory, they (not Audi) developed dual clutch technology a quarter century ago. Regardless who gets the credit, the seven-speed unit in the 09 car knocks two-tenths off the 0-60 times (4.5 & 4.1 seconds for the Carrera and S, respectively) over the six-speed shaker. The PDK transmission is compatible with Porsche's sportchrono package, and all models receive Porsche Communication Management (PCM) 3.0, with its affiliated video and audio services.

The base price of the new babies from Stuttgart: $75,600 (Carrera) / $86,200 (Carrera S). Having a Porsche your wife can drive without trashing the clutch: PRICELESS!

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