2010 Venom GT Hennessey Supercar Concept

Hennessey Performance Engineering today announced that it is introducing the company's first concept car - The Venom GT. Penned by British auto designer, Steve Everitt, the Venom GT would incorporate Hennessey's potent Venom 1000 Twin Turbo Viper V10 powerplant into a light weight mid-engine chassis weighing "under 2,700 lbs". Power would be run through a 6-speed transmission or optional sequential gearbox. With a power to weight ratio of just 2.7 lbs per bhp Hennessey estimates that the Venom GT could attain 0 to 100 km/h times in less than 2.5 sec. and a 0-300 km/h time of around 14 seconds.

Venom GT Hennessey Supercar

The Hennessey Venom GT weights less than 2,400 lbs (1,071 Kg) and to stop the Venom GT, Hennessey added Brembo brakes with 6-piston calipers up front and 4-piston calipers in rear clamping down on 15-inch carbon ceramic rotors. Hennessey plans on building 10 units of the Venom GT annually and four have already been sold at around $600,000 a pop. That means there are only six units left from the first allocation.

Venom GT Hennessey Supercar

SEALY, TEXAS & SILVERSTONE, ENGLAND, March 29, 2010 - Hennessey Performance is pleased to introduce the first official images of its Venom GT supercar. Based upon the Lotus Elise, the Venom GT combines a high-tech, lightweight British chassis with a powerful American V8.

Venom GT Hennessey Supercar

“This is not the first time that Britain and America have joined forces to produce a weapon of mass propulsion”, said company founder and president, John Hennessey. “Over fifty years ago the American-built P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft was flown into history powered by a British Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. Today the Hennessey Venom GT promises to set a new standard of power to weight ratio in the rarefied air of today's supercar market.”

Venom GT Hennessey Supercar

In the case of the Venom GT, less weight means more performance. The Venom GT will have a production curb weight of less than 2,400 lbs (1,071 kilos) aided by its lightweight carbon fiber bodywork and carbon fiber wheels. Stopping power is delivered via Brembo brakes with 6-piston calipers up front and 4-piston calipers in rear clamping down on 15-inch carbon ceramic rotors.

Venom GT Hennessey Supercar

The Venom GT’s base power plant is the supercharged 6.2 liter LS9 V8 (the same as in the Corvette ZR1) tweaked by Hennessey to 725 bhp. The company will also be offering 1000 bhp and 1200 bhp twin turbo V8 engine variants. The mid-engine V8 will transmit its power to the rear tires via a Ricardo 6-speed gearbox.

Venom GT Hennessey Supercar

Hennessey plans to manage power output by using a programmable traction control system. CFD (computational fluid dynamic) tested bodywork and down force will also help keep the Venom stable at speed. An active aero system with adjustable rear wing will deploy under varying conditions on both the road and racetrack. An adjustable suspension system will allow ride height adjustments according to speed and driving conditions. Finally, power will be put to the ground via massive Michelin PS2 tires.

Venom GT Hennessey Supercar

Hennessey will be building the power plants at its Texas facility. The engines will then be air freighted to the company's assembly facility near Silverstone, England where the Venom GT is built and tested. Venom GT buyer will be offered a 1-day driver orientation and instruction program by a Hennessey factory test driver, at a track in the UK or USA prior to delivery.

Venom GT Hennessey Supercar

Hennessey plans on building 10 units of the Venom GT annually and four have already been sold at around $600,000 a pop. That means there are only six units left from the first allocation. The company plans to establish a network of Venom GT dealers and distributors in the Middle East, Europe, Russia, Australia and Asia.

Transformers: Prime Launch Date Announced

Hasbro and Discovery Communications have announced their plans for the launch of The Hub that is basically their version of Nickelodeon. The official launch date is 10/10/10, pretty easy to remember. As expected the next Transformers cartoon is part of launch plans. While the name of "Transformers: Prime" has still not been officially confirmed but two programming blocks called Kids Prime and Family Prime pretty much does. The full rollout is explain at Broadcasting Cable, the TF related aspects below.

The Hub, intended to connote "the center of things," will mount at least two shows from Hasbro's production studio. The company will serve up the studio's series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, based on the popular toy, and Transformers, already a successful toy-tomovie franchise. Many shows, however, will be acquired until The Hub establishes its footing.

A block called Kids Prime will follow in the afternoon, while shows like Transformers will greet kids after school. Family Prime is aimed at enticing adults to watch with their children.

War for Cybertron With More Nimoy? (Updated)

Update: Activision, distributor of W4C, is reporting the casting information below is false, so it appears that Leonard Nimoy is not rejoining the Transformers universe.

We just wanted to let you know that the rumor you posted regarding the voice actors in Transformers: War for Cybertron is false. We will be providing additional information on voice actors soon. The only confirmed voice actor is Peter Cullen at this time.

Original article:
In a preview of Transformers: War for Cybertron, AusGamers.com listed a few names as voice actors for the upcoming game including an actor that has not visited the Transformers-verse in about 25 years.

Some familiar voices were being thrown about the demo, including Peter Cullin as Optimus Prime. Starscream sounded spot on, however, he's not voiced by Chris Latta, but rather Doug Parker. Megatron is voiced by James Remar with Leonard Nimoy coming in to flesh out Zeta Prime, among a host of other well-known voice actors.

Leonard Nimoy is probably most known as Spock in Star Trek but he also voice Galvatron in Transformers: The Movie and makes occasional guest appearances on Fringe. His most recent video game work was reprising Spock to narrate the opening of Star Trek Online. Zeta Prime is the leader of the Autobots when the game opens, at least until he has a confrontation with Megatron.

In addition, new screenshots of the game have popped up on Netherland's website Inside Gamer that includes a potential look at Shockwave and Starscream's Cybertronian jet mode, Their gallery of images can be found here.

Last bit of War for Cybertron news is related to the upcoming toy line. Click here to view the packaging, complete with bios, for W4C Bumblebee and Optimus Prime. The bio for Bumblebee doesn't reveal much but apparently the game designers took a page from the movie as 'Bee no longer is able to talk, making him a "silent warrior" and "fearless infiltrator of enemy lines."

If the bios are not enough, there is also a sizeable gallery of W4C Optimus Prime that shows off his robot and vehicle mode from multiple angles. Can't say I am a fan of the vehicle mode but I do like the robot mode. That gallery can be found here.

2011 Nex-Gen BMW Sports Sedan 3 Series Coupe And Convertible

A little after a leaked brochure gave us our first taste of the lightly refreshed 2011 3-Series Coupe and Convertible models, BMW rushed out an official release and a whole bunch of pictures. For the 2011 model year, the Bavarian automaker's bread-and-butter coupe and cabriolet models receive some minor cosmetic touches and updated powerplants.

2011 BMW 3-Series Coupe and Convertible

The most notable - that is, if you're a hardcore bimmer fan- changes on the outside concern the widened kidney grille, reshaped LED headlamps, front and rear bumpers with restyled lower fascias, new exterior mirrors and finally, reworked tail light cluster with a new color scheme.

2011 BMW 3-Series Coupe and Convertible

The only change in the cabin concerns the convertible models and the use of sun-reflective technology to mitigate temperatures on leather seating, armrest surfaces, headrests, and gear shifter. BMW says that this new treatment is able to reduce surface temperatures on dark interior colors by up to 20 Celsius degrees (36 Fahrenheit degrees) and by as much as Celsius degrees (27 Fahrenheit degrees)on light-colored upholstery.

2011 BMW 3-Series Coupe and Convertible

The next-generation BMW 3 Series isn't that far off, with the sports sedan expected to debut sometime in 2011 as a 2012 model. Yet the Munich brand isn't sitting on its hands in the meantime – the current 3 Series coupe and convertible are getting a mild refresh and updated powerplants this spring for the 2011 model year. The most immediately noticeable change are headlamp clusters that get a subtle reshaping to go along with a wider grille and reworked lower front fascia. At the rear, the taillamps retain the same shape, but the reflectors are redesigned with some of the light-pipe styling found in other recent Bimmers.

2011 BMW 3-Series Coupe and Convertible

The 3 Series coupe will now be offered with xDrive all-wheel drive, while the 3 Series convertible gets a new solar reflective leather upholstery that BMW claims helps keep seat temperatures down when the lid is open.

2011 BMW 3-Series Coupe and Convertible

The most significant updates come underhood, where the much lauded twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six is being replaced by a new single turbo version. The revised engine, dubbed N55, has recently been launched in the 740i and the 535i Gran Turismo. The twin scroll turbo has dual exhaust inlets that allow the engineers to better balance the pulses coming in to spin up the turbine faster. This is expected to reduce the turbo lag that some drivers complained about with the outgoing twin turbo setup.

2011 BMW 3-Series Coupe and Convertible

BMW also claims it has reduced cold-start emissions by routing all the exhaust gases through a single, larger catalytic converter that heats up faster. On the intake side, the throttle is eliminated thanks to the addition of BMW's Valvetronic variable valve control system. The N55 also gets direct fuel injection. The end result is the same 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque as before, but with a fatter torque curve that maintains its peak from 1,200-5,000 rpm.

2011 BMW 3-Series Coupe and Convertible

The new design of the taillights is unique to the 3 Series Coupe and Convertible. The rear light cluster feature two-piece L-shapes and are further accentuated by a new color scheme. With two rows of light tubes that illuminate simultaneously, they create a night design with depth and dimension. Integrated flush into the body of the car, the lights are split into two sections and extend up the trunk lid, blending with the character lines from the side profile. These styling tweaks have resulted in a slightly longer length and larger overhangs (29mm (1.14 inches) at the front, and 3mm (0.12 inches) at the rear)

2011 BMW 3-Series Coupe and Convertible

Though the updated BMW 3 Series Coupe and Convertible will go on sale this Spring, pricing and fuel economy figures haven't been announced as of yet. The former is expected to fall in the range of the current car's pricing, which starts at $37,075 for the 328i Coupe, $42,535 for the 335i Coupe, $45,875 for the 328i Convertible and $52,075 for the 335i Convertible. The latter is expected to be a small improvement in fuel economy for the new single-turbo engine over the current twin-turbo engine's 17 mpg city and 26 mpg highway.

Transformers #5 Preview and Nefarious Tease

This Wednesday brings Transformers #5 to local comic book stores and Bzzurkk has another preview with all three covers and first five pages. The story continues the Transformers attempt to survive on a Earth as the humans seek out to hunt them down or destroy them. The preview can be found here.

Transformers #5
Written by Mike Costa with art by Don Figueroa and covers by Don Figueroa and Andrew Wildman

OPTIMUS PRIME and Spike Witwicky have a chat that could define the future of AUTOBOT and human relations! But lest you think it’s all talky-talk, back at RODIMUS’ camp something big happens, something very big. A game-changing event in IDW’s TRANSFORMERS, with a Don Figueroa double-page spread that has to be seen to be believed!

In addition, long time Transformers comic writer Simon Furman provided an update on the script for Transformers: Nefarious #3 (continuation of story post Revenge of the Fallen). If you don't mind reading a spoiler that gives away part of issue two, then click here to read his write-up. The issue will reveal a little bit of movie trivia with "the (US) comic book debut of another 'movie' character that didn't make the final cut!" I do believe this issue will hit stores in May.

2011 Ford Mustang

Click to Play

Power is back in style for the Mustang!! Bumper2Bumpertv got a look at what the 2011 Mustang can do in both a V6 and a 5.0 V8 that induces flashbacks for long time pony car lovers. See what all the excitement is about.

Transformers 2 in Six MTV Movie Awards Categories

Just when you thought the award shows ended with the Oscars, we get a reminder that there is one more to go. The MTV Movie Awards has opened up voting for nominees through April 9th for your favorite movies and stars in many categories.

From these votes a short list of nominees will be determined which will open a final round of voting from May 11th to June 5th. The winners will be announced live on MTV on June 6th at 9PM EST. From what I can tell the list seems to be based on movies released between March 2009 to March 2010 (only way to explain Hot Tub Time Machine's inclusion). This year Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has a chance in six categories. Also added the other categories Megan Fox and Shia LaBeouf are listed in case want to spread the Transformers love around.

Transformers 2 specific categories
Best Movie
Best WTF Moment - Isabel Lucas, pretender moment of turning into a Decepticon
Best Ass Kicking Star - Shia LaBeouf
Best Female Breakout Star - Isabel Lucas
Best Female Performance - Megan Fox
Best Male Performance - Shia LaBeouf

Support Transformers stars categories
Best Kiss - Amanda Seyfried & Megan Fox (Jennifer's Body)
Best Fight - Megan Fox vs Amanda Seyfried(Jennifer's Body)
Best Villain - Megan Fox(Jennifer's Body)
Best WTF Moment - Megan Fox, projectile vomits(Jennifer's Body)
Global Superstar - Shia LaBeouf

Oddly, Transformers was not included in the Best Fight category yet Jennifer's Body was. I don't think nominees are limited to human actors (beside voice work counts). On the bright side, MTV does allow for "write-in" votes at the bottom of the page for each category so nothing stopping you from making your own choices. Personally, the Forest Fight of Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) vs. Megatron (Hugo Weaving), Starscream (Charlie Adler) and Grindor strikes me as worthy.

To vote for Transformers: ROTF and other favorites, click here. The website does require you have or create an account and you can only make one choice per category so I guess some will have a hard choice to make.

While voting, make sure to give Betty White some love for Best Comedic Performance. The possibility of her winning and appearing at the show just strikes me something worth seeing. Thanks to Katie for the link.

Power Core Arielbots and EZ G1 Devastator Video Review

Two new video reviews of upcoming Transformers toys. The first is another Power Core Combiner review from Peaugh, this time covering the Arielbots 5-pack. Like the Combaticon set, this one is a core scout sized figure with four non robot mode legend sized figures. So far I like the idea of the Power Core Combiners but the execution doesn't really do it for me.

The other review is for the EZ Collection Devastator in Generation One colors. This item is currently a Japan exclusive but the movie based version can be found at Wal-Mart for $32.99 if remember right.

2010 Citroen Sports Coupés Survolt Concept

CITROËN is proposing a new automotive vision with Survolt. Initiated by the Revolte concept car revealed at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, Survolt is the continuation of CITROËN’S exploration of distinctive and original electric vehicles. Survolt Concept turns received notions through its radically new vision in a consummate blend of high-fashion glamour and motor-racing extravagance.

2010 Citroen Survolt Concept

Citroen makes a car a typical electric vehicle to answer the wishes of the customer to overcome one’s limits, take things further and dare. It takes the genetic material of Revolte and adds an extroverted sports dimension to the mix. The Citroen Survolt Concept has been declared at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

2010 Citroen Survolt Concept

Citroen Survolt Concept is powered by electricity, thus combining sports performance with environmental respect and sustainable development. Still particularly rare in the racing world, this technological solution also embodies a previously unthinkable alliance. But Citroen dares and creates, transgressing conventions to better sublimate them. With irreproachable ecological credentials, the drivetrain blends driving pleasure, thrills, performance and vitality, and all in extreme comfort, since the car is silent in operation.

2010 Citroen Survolt Concept

Survolt features two-tone paint, hues of fuchsia and charcoal grey, and plays with materials and volumes. It is further characterized by the strong contrasts between the voluptuous bonnet and and sculpted flanks with emphatic wheel arches. At the front, the distinctive Citroen badge reigns above the large oval-shaped grille, while its slim and horizontal head lamps are inspired by sports coupés. At the rear, Survolt features the elegant light signature of Revolte together with a spoiler in an essential reference to motor sport. Inside, Survolt’s cockpit is designed like a floating cell with a glass setting held between chrome-finished roll bars.

2010 Citroen Survolt Concept

Citroen Survolt Concept activated by electric drivetrain and equipped with luxury accessories. It’s has compact dimensions – 3.85 m long, 1.87 m wide and 1.20 m high so the display is sporty and elegant style supermini. At the front, the distinctive vehicle badge reigns elegantly above the large oval-shaped grille, its centre home to the striking double chevron. The body is slim, horizontal head lamps, inspired by high-performance sports coupés, exert a magnetic appeal, while an LED light signature adds a contemporary, high-tech touch.

2010 Citroen Survolt Concept

2010 Pininfarina Alfa Romeo Sports Car Spider Concept

Pininfarina, an Italian car design studio, has released to the public the teaser image of their new Alfa Romeo concept. Pininfarina turns 80 years-old this year. As part of celebrating this important milestone the company will unveil this two-seater spider concept pictured here at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show in March. It will be presented as a tribute to its long relationship with Alfa Romeo. The unveiling coincides with Alfa's 100th anniversary so it is doubly fitting. The design has been managed by Lowie Vermeersch, head of Pininfarina’s style centre, and the rear reflects the old Alfa Romeo Duetto model, with its cuttlefish-bone inspiration.

2010 Pininfarina Alfa Romeo Spider Concept

A revival of the Alfa Duetto is an exciting proposition, and the prototype will be the same two-seater Spider vehicle. It will have a longitudinal engine placed in the front and rear-wheel drive. No production plan has been established as yet, so we can’t say if this could be an eventual replacement to the current Alfa Spider.

2010 Pininfarina Alfa Romeo Spider Concept

Apart from the obvious not much else is said or revealed about the car. But from this solitary sketch it can be noted that the current 8C Spider has some serious styling competition. The long sloping bonnet, two-door configuration and short rear overhangs are the main signs of a classic roadster. Whether this traditionalist approach will be kept intact with a soft folding roof remains to be seen.

2010 Pininfarina Alfa Romeo Spider Concept

Perhaps the Pininfarina/Alfa Romeo relationship is about to receive a new life. Hopefully the concept is as good, or even better than this sketch suggests.

2010 Lotus Sports Cars Evora Carbon Design Concept

The multi-award winning Lotus Evora provides the basis of the stunning carbon design concept unveiled at the 80th Geneva Motorshow. The car boasts a stylish carbon fibre, leather and alcantara interior, aggressive carbon diffuser and an evocative high tech composite body.

2010 Lotus Evora Carbon Concept

The head turning looks of the Evora Carbon Concept car provide a more purposeful, planted stance with the car looking lower and more aggressive. This styling direction is continued with a structural carbon fibre roof, Lotus Motorsport influenced carbon diffuser and carbon splitter. The Evora Carbon Concept car retains the same class leading handling and high tech aluminium bonded and extruded chassis of the production car.

2010 Lotus Evora Carbon Concept

Donato Coco, Director of Lotus Design announced, “The design of the Evora Carbon Concept car features exotic, high tech materials offering a good synergy with the Lotus brand image, expressing our motor sport heritage and history of stylish sports cars due to which Lotus are renowned”.

2010 Lotus Evora Carbon Concept

Carbon fibre panels with perforated leather and Matt Alcantara are featured in the interior. For example, the dashboard, footwell and inner roof are covered in Alcantara, while exposed carbon fibre can be seen on the centre console, air vents and others. It sports a carbon fibre roof, 19-inch alloy wheels with 235/35 front and 285/30 rear Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tyres.

2010 Lotus Evora Carbon Concept

While no engine tweaks have been mentioned, the drop in weight means the Toyota-sourced 3.5-litre V6 has a lot less mass to move thus performance has been significantly boosted. Be on the look-out for a production version of the Evora Carbon Concept in the not-too-distant future.

2010 Lotus Evora Carbon Concept

2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer Sports Car Concept

With the 2010 Tesla Roadster TAG Heuer, on display at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, pioneering luxury Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer and electric carmaker Tesla Motors have teamed up in a worldwide partnership as the iconic Swiss brand celebrates its 150th anniversary.

2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer

This one-of-a-kind collector's car includes a unique interior by Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen, incorporating TAG Heuer avant-garde design elements and a specially designed center console due to host TAG Heuer's cutting edge concept watch.

2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer

This car also features a TAG Heuer Meridiist mobile phone as well as a one-fifth second Heuer Limited Edition Stopwatch. This Swiss-made timepiece with mechanical movement pays tribute to the 1860 founding of the company and evoques the mythic revival of the brand's vintage stopwatches.

2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer

The car's exterior color scheme is Foucault Field Gray, embodying the innovative spirit of both companies. The design was inspired by the new TAG Heuer concept watch, a technical milestone in mechanical movements, which brings technologically advanced art to life through motion.

2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer

Since its founding in an artisan's workshop in the Swiss Jura, TAG Heuer has become one of the world's best-known luxury brands - maker of avant-garde watches, eyewear and premium mobile phones for refined consumers around the globe.

2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer

TAG Heuer, a star brand from the luxury group and worldwide leader Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH), also has deep roots in the automotive sector. Company founder Edouard Heuer received in 1911 the patent for The Time of Trip, the first car dashboard chronograph, followed in 1933 by the Autavia - the first dashboard timekeeper for both automobiles and aviation. The benchmark in cutting-edge chronographs and timekeeping technology since 1860, TAG Heuer is the watch brand that can claim the longest and strongest association with motor sports and dream cars. Both watches and chronographs are inspired and driven by motor sports, from Formula One to GT cars.

 2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer

"TAG Heuer has a rich history and expertise with the world's most prestigious racing teams - but this is the first ever partnership we've forged with an electric sports car company," said Jean-Christophe Babin, President and CEO of TAG Heuer. "We believe that high-performance drivers are increasingly searching for products that are efficient, socially responsible and stylish. TAG Heuer and Tesla are two of the few companies arleady achieving these ideals today."

2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer

Tesla Motors began developing an electric sports car in 2004 and remains the only automaker selling highway-capable electric cars. The Tesla Roadster accelerates faster than nearly any other supercar yet is twice as energy efficient as a Toyota Prius - the only car that delivers supercar performance guilt-free, with zero tailpipe emissions and a carbon footprint dramatically lower than any comparable sports car.

2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer

Based in California's Silicon Valley, Tesla has delivered more than 1,000 cars to consumers in 21 countries. Advertising Age magazine recently named Tesla one of America's "hottest brands." The Tesla Roadster is quickly becoming the must-have car among Hollywood celebrities, European royalty and socially responsible trendsetters worldwide.