Car pics too cool not to share

Not sure what you call those things protruding out over the front tires, but those sure look like front fenders to me.

Shit. You're right. The picture is low res and I didn't look close enough. Looked like the hood was protruding over the wheels! Excuse me while I go wipe this egg off of my face... ;) :D
 
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Better hurry up and get your orders in before they are gone

https://www.motor1.com/news/723757/2026-bugatti-tourbillion-debut-specs/

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This is not another Bugatti Chiron derivative. There's certainly a striking resemblance to the old W-16-powered hypercar, but this a completely new beast. The monocoque is new. The suspension is new. And the hybrid V-16 powertrain is most definitely new. Say hello to Bugatti's next-generation 1,800-horsepower flagship, the Tourbillon.

The previous reports about the engine were true—this is an 8.3-liter monster that revs to 9,500 RPM and makes 1,000 horsepower without any turbochargers. Cosworth helped develop the naturally aspirated beast, which weighs just 555 pounds despite being significantly larger than the W-16 it replaces. There's also 664 pound-feet of torque, but of greater interest here is the other half of the Tourbillon's powertrain.

We're talking about the hybrid assistance. A front e-axle carries two electric motors, with a third motor positioned at the back to help spin the rear wheels. A 25 kWh centrally-mounted battery pack supplies power, adding 800 hp to the mix. The combined output is 1,800 hp, and provided the bespoke Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires have enough grip, the Tourbillon will reach 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 2.0 seconds.

But that's not a proper metric to convey the Tourbillon's true performance. Under full throttle, 124 mph is reached in around 5.0 seconds. 186 mph arrives in a mere 10 seconds. The top speed of 236 mph happens in less than 25 seconds, unless you have the special Speed Key installed. When activated, the Tourbillon keeps its ginormous rear wing hunkered down while the speed climbs all the way to 276 mph.

The latest Bugatti doesn't lose anything in becoming a hybrid, except a little bit of weight. Yes, despite a battery pack and electric motors, Bugatti says the Tourbillon is lighter than the Chiron. It can also cruise around town without using that snazzy V-16 engine. Actually, it can go beyond town with an estimated EV range of 37 miles. There's no mention of speed on electric power, and Bugatti isn't ready to talk about charging times. But it uses an 800-volt system, and lest we forget, Mate Rimac is steering Bugatti these days. And he knows a thing or two about electric performance.

Watch connoisseurs will recognize tourbillon as mechanical bits used in high-quality timepieces to increase accuracy. Bugatti sees its Tourbillon as a big, timeless work of mechanical perfection. That becomes readily apparent when you open the electrically actuated dihedral doors to see the stunning analog interior. Three large dials affixed to the steering wheel display everything from speed to engine revs, fuel quantity, engine temperature, and more. There isn't a screen in sight.

The gauges were designed and crafted by Switch watchmakers, and they're permanently fixed to the steering column so they remain stationary as you turn the wheel. Meanwhile in the center console, you'll find banks of aluminum switches, rotary dials, and a single crystal lever that starts the V-16. The purpose of all this is to give the Tourbillon a timeless look, but there is a hidden digital screen at the top of the center console. On command, it will rotate up and give the driver access to Apple CarPlay, among other things.

As for the design, there's no mistaking it for a Bugatti. The Chiron-esque exterior features a special diffuser that begins just behind the passenger cabin, virtually hidden from view. Vents under the headlights help funnel air to the large side intakes. The horseshoe grille feeds air to radiators while also augmenting downforce. The active rear wing can deploy upward to serve as an airbrake. And it all rides on a completely new multi-link suspension that is 45 percent lighter compared to the Chiron's bones.

"The development of the Bugatti Tourbillon was guided at every step by the 115 years of Bugatti history and the words of Ettore Bugatti himself," said Bugatti CEO Mate Rimac. "His mantras ‘if comparable it is no longer Bugatti’ and ‘nothing is too beautiful’ were a guiding path for me personally, as well as the design and engineering teams looking to create the next exciting era in the Bugatti hyper sports car story."

Though we're seeing the car today, that era won't begin until 2026 when the first of 250 production cars will be delivered. Right now, the Tourbillon is currently in its testing phase, so start saving those pennies. You'll need every single one, because the Tourbillon's starting price is 3.6 million Euros (around $3.9 million at current exchange rates).

Bugatti Tourbillon
 
1959 Curtiss-Wright Model 2500 Air-Car
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation developed the Model 2500 Air Car in November 1959 with the hope that a hovercraft would be accepted by the public as an alternative to the traditional family car. The hovercraft concept never caught on for general use, but the usefulness of the Model 2500 was not lost on the Army.
In the early 1960s, the Army Transportation Research Command purchased two Curtiss-Wright Model 2500 Air Cars for the purpose of engineering and operational evaluation as part of an ongoing investigation into the military’s potential of air cushioned vehicles. The Model 2500 was given the new acronym GEM, Ground Effects Machine.
The GEM was a 360-hp, four-passenger vehicle, which traveled at speeds of 20-38 mph at heights of 10-12 inches in the air. Although testing showed that the car was capable of moving over water and flat ground, it never fully succeeded over rough terrain. Even though the GEM never reached its full potential it did provide valuable data and material for the continued research and development of hovercraft technology. This Curtis-Wright GEM was one of the two purchased by the US Army and tested here at Fort Eustis.



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Sort of reminds me of this from about 10 pages back:
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It happens with old age. ;)

Fucking tell me about it. Gonna be 64 later this year, and I'm really starting to feel it. Dance classes make me tired in a way they never used to. 10 minutes shimmy practice and I'm ready to sit down - use to do that for 20+ and not think anything about it. Can't see, can't hear, strange pains, blah, blah, blah. Cue violin music here...
 
...There isn't a screen in sight...

...but there is a hidden digital screen at the top of the center console. On command, it will rotate up and give the driver access to Apple CarPlay, among other things.
At first I was really getting excited...

Apple CarePlay? Really? A car like that shouldn't even have a radio/stereo of any kind! Still, at least they had the sense to hide the screen - I assume it auto-opens for the Nanny State mandated backup camera.

Thing of beauty, for sure. 1KHP NA? That's impressive.
 
At first I was really getting excited...

Apple CarePlay? Really? A car like that shouldn't even have a radio/stereo of any kind! Still, at least they had the sense to hide the screen - I assume it auto-opens for the Nanny State mandated backup camera.

Thing of beauty, for sure. 1KHP NA? That's impressive.

If you watch videos of it you’ll see the gauges in the middle of the steering wheel stay stationary while the wheel rotates around them. They look like watch gears which apparently the name is a watch term.
 
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I hope he was castrated in some fashion (preferably slowly and painfully) before he was able to reproduce offspring... :sneaky:

He also did some thick fiberglass fender flares (think the '70s van craze) that while well-done in their application, absolutely sucked from a styling standpoint. So yeah, hopefully he didn't breed. :rolleyes:
 
How do you feel about the lifted cars? I'm generally not a fan unless it's a Corvette, then it's funny.

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I have seen a few...damn few...that I liked. That Firebird doesn't necessarily look bad, but it does beg the question..."Why?" And you're right about the Corvettes. For some reason, it is funny. ;)