Chances are, if you’re reading this, you will never even glimpse the top of the motorsports pyramid that Michael Schumacher was sucessfully climbed – 7 times over. But if you have roughly $745,000, you can own a well known piece of Michael Schumacher memorabilia - his Bugatti EB110SS.

Before the Veyron, and having Volkswagen to subsidize them, Bugatti made a car called the EB110, a great supercar in its day, that was hampered by Bugatti’s chronic insolvency. Michael Schumacher famously bought this bright yellow EB110SS in 1992, and while he kept the car for over a decade Bugatti went bust three years later in 1995.

Packing an F1-esque 3.5L V12, but fitted with four turbochargers and all-wheel drive, the 600 horsepower EB110 is a real man’s supercar, but tips the scales at over 4000 lbs. Schumacher’s car is an EB110SS, of which only 31 were produced, so while $745,000 is a lot of coin, the provenance of the car(it was owned by most successful racing driver of all time), combined with its awesome performance and low mileage (less than 5000 miles) makes this car, dare we say….a bargain?

[Source: World Car Fans]

Porsche‘s 918 Spyder is set to contest the 24 Hours of Nurburgring in 2011, making it the second  hybrid Porsche to compete in the grueling endurance race, with the 911 GT3R Hybrid being the first. The 918 Spyder made its debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March, and boasts (theoretical) numbers like 718 horsepower, 90 miles per gallon and a 7 minute 30 second Nurburgring time.

We can’t verify the accuracy of Porsche’s figures, but we do know that the hybrid system in the GT3R is enough to extend fuel efficiency to the point where the Porsche can go one extra lap before it has to refuel, giving it a huge advantage relative to conventionally powered cars.

Porsche is rumored to be putting the 918 Spyder intro production, and it’s hard to imagine a better way to build buzz than to enter it into a well-known endurance race. It seemed to work for Lexus.

Gallery: Porsche 918 Spyder

[Source: Autoblog]

With fuel economy still one of the primary buzz words in the auto industry these days, manufacturers are looking to do what they can to boost the mileage of their vehicles. When it comes to light trucks, any savings in gas mileage helps, especially in view of impending CAFE regulations. One method General Motors is seriously looking at, concerns louvered radiator grilles.

SRG Global Inc., based in Tayor, Michigan has developed a new design of grill for the General to use on its Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups. According to Dave Prater, SRG’s Vice President of product engineering and  development, the new grille design, in essence works like a flap, with moveable louvers, integrated with the grille assembly and controlled by the vehicle’s ECU, opening and closing in response to changes in engine temperature. Closing off the air flow not only reduces carbon dioxide emissions by allowing the engine to warm up faster, but it also boosts fuel economy, since less aerodynamic drag is created at speed.

At Present, BMW AG uses a version of the concept on its 3-Series automobiles, but the louver is a secondary part, mounted behind the grille. SRG’s design for the GM pickups would integrate it with the main assembly. The louvered GM grille program is a push by SRG, a relative newcomer, to gain wider access in the automotive sector, a market which, according to Prater, “has been relatively stagnant over the last several months.”

SRG’s background is chrome plating plastic products (it currently supplies chrome grilles to Honda for use on the Acura TL) and now;  thanks to opening a new 46,000 square foot facility in Troy, has in place the tools, staff and expertise to work on developing such products as the GM louvered grille assembly. Time will tell if it proves a success.

[Source: Ward's Auto World]

Buick‘s version of the Chevrolet Cruze, known in China as the Excelle, has been caught undisguised again, this time in sporty GT trim. The Excelle uses the same platform as the Chevrolet Cruze and Opel Astra, and even uses the same 1.4L, 138 horsepower turbo four-cylinder, but the Excelle also gets a bigger, 1.6L version that makes 180-horsepower, and there’s even a rumored 200-horsepower turbo version (ostensibly the same engine used in the Buick Regal turbo).

Buick is clawing its way back in North America, but the brand is immensely popular in China. Buick has been in China since the early 1900′s, and Chinese emporers in the pre-Communist era drove them, making Buick the car to have. Buick’s reputation managed to survive decades of Communist brain-washing, as the brand enjoy an 85 percent recognition rate in China. With a rising, affluent middle-class looking to buy their first cars, the small, efficient and well made Excelle should be a home run when it comes to market later this year, and we’re looking forward to seeing it make its way Stateside too.

[Source: Autoblog]

FIA President Jean Todt is looking at re-instating the 107% rule as a means of whipping chronically under-funded under-performing teams into shape. The 107% rule gets its name from the stipulation that in order for a driver to qualify for a race, he must obtain a qualifying time within 107% of the polesitter’s time.

The gulf between the “have’s” and “have not’s” is substantial, with many of the new-for-2010 entrants facing potential exclusion from competition. The 107% rule hasn’t been in place since 2002, and introducing it mid-way through the season would require unanimous approval from all teams, something that would have a snowball’s chance in hell of happening. Expect it to come next season, if it’s approved by 70% of the teams in an off-season vote.

[Source: Autoblog]

The latest nugget of information surrounding Volkswagen‘s often-rumored foray into Formula 1 came at last weekend’s 24 Hours of Nurburgring race, with a VW executive claiming that the Volkswagen Group’s premium brands, like Audi or Porsche would be the best fit for the company’s shot at the world’s most prestigious motorsport.

“Within the group, for sure, it could be Audi, it could be Porsche and might also be Volkswagen,” said Kris Nissen, who is in charge for Volkswagen’s motorsports efforts, in an interview with the Brisbane Times. ”I think it would not suit so well Skoda or Seat or Bentley.”

Volkswagen is looking to enter Formula 1 as a possible supplier for the “world-engine” the FIA wants to implement in 2013. The engine would be shared across all motorsports, not just Formula 1, and take on a direct-injection four-cylinder turbocharged form. The move is unpopular with many constructors, but ironically, the four-cylinder format was last used around the same time that Porsche supplied engines to McLaren under a partnership with the TAG Group.

Nissen’s comments come shortly after Toyota’s own motorsports head derided Formula 1 as an “elitist” motorsport and claimed that the company would never return to the sport.

[Source: World Car Fans]

The BMW X6 M continues to be a confused child in our eyes in the crossover segment. The twin-turbocharged 4.4L V8 tosses out 555-hp and 501 ft-lbs of torque, numbers that rival the much larger and more popular Porsche Cayenne Turbo. But BMW sticking their coveted M-badge on a SAV (or SUV, whichever you’d like to believe the X6 is) almost seems sacrilegious to us. But hey, the world is changing and so we have to accept that people want performance-themed utility vehicles.

So all we can do is go with the flow and accept it for what it is. But thankfully there are companies like AC Schnitzer out there that are trying to make the X6 M find its identity. And naturally, with all the performance the X6 M has from the factory, AC Schnitzer mostly focused on the aesthetics inside and out.

With a contrasting combination of carbon fiber and chrome, AC Schnitzer’s offerings to enhance the exterior include a front spoiler, front grille, hood vents, wheel arch extensions, rear roof wing, rear spoiler and rear diffuser. And one interesting modification is a hood top that is made of carbon with an acrylic glass window displaying the insides of the engine bay. Perhaps AC Schnitzer caught a glimpse of all those Photoshop “see-through” hoods everyone seems to do.

Inside the X6 M, one can get themselves a collection of AC Schnitzer-branded parts. The gauge cluster converts the speedometer to 360 km/h while sporting a fashionable AC Schnitzer logo on the tachometer. The new cluster sports a white background and red illuminated needles. Then there are the “black Exclusiv” carbon fiber interior pieces and steering wheel insert. The rest are just simple amenities including a carbon cover for the automatic gear knob, aluminum cover for the i-Drive system and aluminum foot rest and pedal set. If that isn’t enough, velour floor mats are available with AC Schnitzer branding.

AC Schnitzer also has an impressive catalog of wheels and their 20-, 22-, and 23-inch offerings for the X6 M gives a variety of choices.

Check out the extensive gallery for all detailed photos of everything AC Schnitzer is offering for the X6 M.

GALLERY: AC Schnitzer BMW X6 M

Official press release available after the jump:

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Things have gotten very interesting in Japan now that many tuners are expanding the term JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) to encompass European vehicles. Japanese tuner 3D Design specializes in tuning BMWs and has made quite the splash in its young American presence. The company is already quite popular with the newer model E90 and E92 crowd, many of whom probably grew up modifying Hondas and Acuras. Taking the simple JDM philosophy and applying it to German vehicles, 3D Design has manufactured lip add-ons that are appreciated for their simplicity and Japanese origin.

New to 3D Design’s catalog is their front lip, rear diffuser and rear lip spoiler for the newly facelifted BMW Z4 E89. Unlike what we’re used to seeing, this isn’t a full out body kit and doesn’t even have matching side skirts. 3D Design’s package are simple add-ons to the OE front bumper, requiring little body work – just paint and install. Their fitment is near flawless and their products are one of the highest quality pieces we’ve ever set our eyes on.

As you can tell by the photos, 3D’s kit really beautifies the natural lines of the Z4 without going crazy. The rear lip add-on spoiler is subtle, and they even thought one step ahead by offering a third brake light cover that raises the housing so it’s still visible over the rear deck spoiler. The rear diffuser is made from fine 1×1 twill carbon fiber providing room for a quad tip exhaust setup.

Even though we’re huge fans of a black on black setup, we’re hoping photos surface of a 3D Design decked out Z4 in a different shade so we can really see the details in the kit. For now these will have to do!

[Source: Jon Sibal]

GALLERY: 3D Design BMW Z4 E89

If you want the performance of a Bugatti Veyron in an all-American package (that’s one tenth the price), look no further than Hennessey Performance Engineering’s HPE1000, a $65,000 upgrade for the Chevrolet Camaro SS.

The stock 6.2L LS3 engine is discarded in favor of a 7.0L LSX variant, and a complete twin-turbocharger system is installed. The LSX is essentially re-built as well, with new pistons, cylinder heads, crankshaft, intake manifold, exhaust and fuel management system. All of these systems, along with your choice of heavy duty manual or automatic gearboxes are necessary to handle the absurd 1000 horsepower the car lays down through the rear wheels. Helping to control the tsunami of power are KW Variant coilovers, Brembo brakes, Pirelli P-Zero tires and an HPE CarbonAero bodykit.

For the $125,000 price tag, Hennessey claims that “…you’ll be able to do burnouts at 100 mph!”. Only two questions remain: where do we sign, and do you accept organs as payment.

[Source: InsideLine]

Khalid Ouazzani, a Moroccan-born U.S. citizen who owned a Kansas City auto parts store, was convicted this week of sending money to help the al-Qaida terrorist network, and its operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia, using funds from his business to help the group.

Ouazzani was initially arrested on 33 counts but ended up pleading guilty to one  count of bank fraud, one count of money laundering and one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist organization. Ouazzani became a citizen in 2006, and used a line of credit obtained in 2007 to funnel money to al-Qaida. Ouazzani used most of the $175,000 loan to finance an apartment in the United Arab Emirates, which was then sold at a profit. The proceeds of the sale were then sent on to the terrorist network.

Despite the severity of his crimes, U.S. Attorney Beth Phillips said that “At no point prior to his arrest was he any threat to cause imminent harm or danger to the citizens of our community [Kansas City, Missouri].”

[Source: Left Lane News]