Twist the key and the exhaust erupts with a ferocious bellow. In enclosed garages, it is a fearsome explosion that sets off car alarms and nasty looks. Out in the open, its thunderous note turns heads and raises eyebrows.
"This can't be legal" is your first thought.
The idle is too lumpy, too raspy, too loud. It's a dull rumble that becomes a guttural roar -- at quarter throttle. Declutch a cold engine and coast to a stop, and the exhaust crackles and sizzles -- the sound of raw fuel hitting hot metal.
"I'm going to jail" is the next thought, but this one comes with an evil grin.
First Test: 2010 Roush 427R Ford Mustang
Hot or Not? 2010 Chevy Camaro RS with factory accessories
Jaguar has just unveiled its new XJ flagship to the public in a celebrity-filled extravaganza hosted by everyone's favorite car guy -- Jay Leno -- in London (watch the video below for the presentation). We got an embargoed sneak peek a bit ahead of time of the new Jag flagship, which is set to hit U.S. shores this December, beginning from the top floor of one of those photogenic English manors in the suburbs of London you see in Victorian-period-piece movies.
This location allowed design chief Ian Callum to show off the new luxury sedan's plan view and thus its most controversial feature, its piano-black trim. While piano black is almost a cliche on luxury-sedan dashboards, you don't find it outside...until now. The 2010 Jaguar XJ features a piece of the trim on the roof rails connecting the C-pillar to the other edge of the rear quarter-window.
New Lotus Esprit set for Release in 2012
Artists have provided us with this rendering of the 2012 Lotus Esprit, a potential competitor to the Audi R8. The British automaker had previously confirmed plans to bring the iconic sports car to market for the first time since 2004, if they sell enough current models to pay for the project.
First produced in 1976, the original Lotus Esprit was based on the 1972 Italdesign concept shown at the Turin Motor Show. Created by legendary designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Lotus Esprit was released as a well handling, but underpowered sports car. It gained in popularity through an appearance in The Spy Who Loved Me when it served a dual-purpose as a submarine. With each successive model, the car gained more power, leading to the 350 hp Lotus Esprit V8. In its 28 year run, 10,675 units were sold.
In 1982, Audi introduced its redesigned 5000 to the world and unwittingly influenced the shape of sedans to come. The 5000's smooth flanks, disk wheels and flush-mounted side glass were replicated by a generation of cars over the next two-and-a-half decades, and when its successor debuted in 1994, the A6 grew some curves while retaining Audi's patented blend of staid Germanic modernity.
The 2009 Audi A6 isn't nearly as revolutionary. It sits atop the same C6 platform we've known since 2005, and last year, the automaker gave its upper mid-sizer a mild makeover consisting of new front and rear fascias, light clusters and a few interior tweaks. Maybe that's why Audi thought it need to commission actor Jason Statham to star in a multi-million dollar Super Bowl advert to boost the A6's image. Well, that and to highlight the automaker's all-new supercharged 3.0-liter TFSI V6 – the same engine due to be fitted to several new Audis, including the 2010 Audi S4. How does the restyled A6 fair during a week of testing? And more importantly, is this new blown V6 a suitable replacement for Audi's 4.2-liter V8? Find out after the jump.
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