After Hennessey’s huge success with the 2010 HPE700 Chevy Camaro, we’re guessing they were a little regretful of only releasing 24 limited edition vehicles. So as any wise business would do, they’re going to do another limited edition release of the HPE700 Camaro, just this time in convertible form. And yes, only 24 of them will be available again… at least for 2011.

Gobs and gobs of power, 755 ponies worth with 763 ft-lbs of torque, is brought to the rear wheels thanks to an LS9 powerplant from the Camaro’s bigger brother, the Corvette ZR1. But it’s not your standard, boring LS9 powerplant, especially since Hennessey got their hands dirty with it. The 6.2L V8 motor is now boasts a lot more boost along with the fuel to keep that air/fuel ratio optimal.

The HPE700 Camaro hardtop hit 0-60 mph in a mere 3.3 seconds with a quarter mile pass of 10.9 @ 130 mph on Nitto drag radials. Our assumption is that the convertible won’t be too far off the mark.

Backing up all the extra horsepower is a set of 15-inch brakes with 6-piston front calipers. Handling is enhanced with a set of coilovers and larger sway bars. Each corner sports a lightweight HPE wheel that actually fits the stylish convertible quite well.

And for minor details, there are carbon fiber trim pieces on the exterior while the interior sports Hennessey logos on the head rests and floor mats. For the driver, an HPE race shift knob and upgraded shifter gives the car a sportier driving feel, while an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel gives it a tad bit of luxury.

Pricing is set at an extreme $132,500 but includes the vehicle (of course) and a day of fun at Lonestar Motorsports Park, next door to Hennessey’s facilities. Now considering what all you can buy for $132,500, we find the pricing a little steep. But for the die-hard Camaro fan out there that wants something limited, we guess it’s an option.

Press release is available after the break.

GALLERY: Hennessey HPE700 Camaro Convertible

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At the recent IAA Commercial Vehicle Expo in Hanover, Germany; MBtech a subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz unveiled a striking concept truck called the Reporter.

Stylistically the Report looks like what would happen if a modern European B-car and a pop-up camping trailer were left alone for a few hours, but it does incorporate some innovative features, including flexible strips of solar material that are both removable and storable.

The solar ‘roof’ helps charge the vehicle’s 12-volt battery, important considering that the Reporter is a natural gas-electric propelled conveyance; the two motors working together to allow this truck to reach a top speed of more than 80 mph and a range of 186 miles before recharging. What’s very interesting, is that besides working together, each power source can also operate independently – the 70 kW electric motor driving the rear wheels, while the 1.2-liter natural gas unit powers the fronts. In addition the gas engine can also run on regular petrol (gasoline) considerably extending the vehicle’s range.

The Reporter also boasts three different operating modes 4Dynamic (for maximum power when hauling or towing); 4Range (that minimizes fuel consumption) and Eco, where the vehicle runs purely on electric power. Considering that weight remains a challenge with many electric and hybrid type vehicles, the Reporter concept is constructed using a large amount of aluminum and carbon fiber reinforced plastics in order to keep mass to a minimum. Although the vehicle shown here is very much a concept, MBtech claims that eventual production is a very real possibility. At the IAA show, the company stated “two further project phases will follow soon.”  Watch this space.

[Source: Pickup trucks.com]

Take the Porsche 356 A Coupé for a spin around the living room. At first, you might bump into a few things, but after a few laps, you’ll be handling this remote controlled car like a pro.

Ideal for collectors or car enthusiasts, the amazingly detailed 1:18 scale model of this classic ‘50s vehicle is made by Schuco from long-lasting die-cast metal. Adorned with silver colored paintwork and real rubber tires, everything about the Porsche 356 A Coupé is true down to the very last detail. Open the door and you’ll be treated to a dashboard that features a padded top and curved, single-piece windshield. You can also open the boot and bonnet may also be opened, and you’ll find the tank and a spare tire in the boot.

The remote control lets you switch on the front and rear lamps, set the blinker, beep the horn and the sound the engine.  When you’re ready to take it for a spin, you can reach speeds of up to 1.8 miles per hour.

A great way to kill time at the office, you can set up your motor rallies, as the 4-channel remote control allows four vehicles to race against each other. It comes with a rechargeable lithium battery with 550 mA-h supplies power for about 30 minutes of driving fun. It takes about 2 to 3 hours to recharge and the sounds can be switched off. The remote Porsche 356 A Coupé retails for around £169 (about $260).

[Source: Born Rich]

Vincent Wong is no stranger to building killer rides to showcase his product line: iForged Wheels. There’s just no better way to show off what you can do with your wheel line than to take some of the world’s hottest cars and widen their bodies in order to fit a real fat lip underneath those fenders. After building one of the cleanest Techart GT Porsche’s we’ve ever seen, Wong has decided that this year he’ll team up with Misha Designs and widebody-out a Mercedes-Benz SL55.

The car will debut in the iForged booth at this year’s SEMA Show and it’s looking to be an interesting project. For the most part we’re pretty interested to see how Misha Designs’ kit looks in person and we really feel that Vincent’s color choice on the project will make or break the car. Obviously we already know that a killer set of wheels will outfit it, but we’ll be interested to see how the rest of it combines to work together.

We’ll bring you plenty of photos of the finished product from the SEMA Show with live coverage starting November 2nd. Until then, check out our complete SEMA Preview here.

[Source: Vincent Wong]

GALLERY: iForged Misha Designs Mercedes-Benz SL55 Widebody

With the new Porsche 997.2 Turbo and GT3 incorporating a center lock wheel design, it’s no surprise that the aftermarket has jumped on the opportunity to create more stylish and aggressive options for those cars. It’s no easy task though, with most wheel manufactures not willing to invest the money into the tooling to setup a product line for such a small segment of the market.

One aftermarket shop that has taken on the challenge, however, is Vorsteiner – well known as a manufacturer of high-grade carbon fiber components. Called the V-105, this center lock monoblock wheel is available in 19- or 20-inch sizes and each wheel is custom built for your vehicle so an assortment of widths and offsets are available. And with any custom wheel, you’ll be able to choose what color to outfit each corner of your vehicle with.

They’re a one-piece monoblock design utilizing T-6061 forged aluminum with a bolt-on center lock design that can use OE Porsche hardware. To us it’s a mesh design, but Vorsteiner’s official wording is that it’s twin 7-spoke inner-grooved with scalloped spokes. And of course you will be able to use your factory TPMS wit the wheels and even an OE center cap.

Unfortunately for us, we don’t have a Porsche GT3 lying around to check these wheels out in person, but if you’re fortunate enough to order up a set, let us know how it goes and send us a link to some pics.

[Source: Vivid Racing]

GALLERY: Vorsteiner V-104 Center Lock Monoblock Wheels

OK, so you can’t actually download an app to your iPhone that lets it operate as a radar detector. The iPhone may do a lot, but it isn’t all powerful.

No, this product is probably more of a novelty than a necessity, but it’s definitely cool to see where technology and in-car integration is going. Cobra, a popular manufacturer of radar detectors, has paired up their newest product with the ever-popular Apple iPhone. Dubbed the iRadar, it is essentially an app for the iPhone that connects to Cobra’s newest and greatest radar detector.

The Cobra iPhone Radar Detector sports 360-degrees of detection against regular radar and laser guns. Essentially the iPhone is connected to the radar detector via Bluetooth giving the end user a touch interface to control the detector’s settings.

The iRadar is currently available for $169.95 which includes access to Cobra’s AURA Camera and Driving Hazard database.

Official press release available after the break.

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Do you remember what you got for your 18th birthday? Was it an iPod? Maybe a laptop for college? Perhaps just a hug and kiss from your mom and dad? Or even worse, you don’t even remember. Well this kid won’t have that problem, because for his 18th birthday he got himself a very rare Ferrari 599 GTOs.

And better yet, this is just one of many cars in his collection that he shares with his dad. When he was a mere 15 years of age, he got an Audi R8 V8 that his dad didn’t really like much. His daily driver is an ML63 and he also shares a Porsche Panamera with his dad. But those vehicles barely hold a light to what else is in the garage – we spy a Bugatti Veyron and two Scurerias.

Truth be told, we rolled our eyes a tad when we first saw the post, along with many forum members on Luxury4Play. But as the thread grew, along with the skepticism, some forum members revealed that he is a fairly well respected member of the community and is quite mature, all things considered. We sure know if we got an 18 year old Ferrari 599 GTO for our 18th birthday we’d be like a little kid in the candy store bragging to each and every internet-friend we have.

The owner remains anonymous to this day, but we’re glad to see he’s got a good head on his shoulders despite being offered some of life’s finest luxuries that very few get to experience. It’s more than we can say about our good ‘ol friend Nick Hogan.

[Source: Luxury4Play]

Check out all the pics of the 599 GTO, plus the rest of the exotics in this 18 year-old’s stable after the jump:

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We guess Tesla didn’t want to feel left out. Now, they can say that they are the fourth niche manufacturer in recent time that has had to issue a parts recall for a vehicle defect.

The problem is an overflowing 12V auxiliary cable that is rubbing against a carbon fiber panel on one of the 439 private roadsters. This recall only affects the 2.0 and 2.5 Roadsters.

Helping to power a host of electrical systems if the primary cable fails, this cable needs to be inspected and fitted with a protective sleeve.

Read out AutoGuide’s review of the 2011 Tesla Roadster 2.5 S by Clicking Here

Chrysler has just released a short video of a very special Chrysler 300. At first look it appears to be little more than a standard 300 with some oversized rims. But wait, that’s not an SRT8 badge on the back, but an SRT10 badge, suggesting the Viper’s 8.3-liter V10 engine is under the hood.

Posted on Chrysler’s official YouTube page there’s no other info about the car but we have to think the release of the video just a few weeks ahead of the SEMA show is hardly a coincidence. That being said, if it’s at SEMA we’ll be sure to bring you more on the Viper-powered 300 with complete coverage starting November 2nd. In the mean time, check out our complete SEMA Preview here and hit the jump for a short video teaser of the 300 SRT10.

[Source: TopSpeed]

Check out a shot video of the car after the jump:

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SEMA has teamed up with WD-40 to produce a one-of-a-kind 2011 Ford Mustang GT that will be auctioned off at an upcoming Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Show and Auction two months after its debut at this year’s SEMA Show. The proceeds of the sale will go to Childhelp and The Victory Junction Gang Camp.

“The WD-40/SEMA Cares Mustang pays tribute to the mechanics, aftermarket professionals and auto enthusiasts who have used WD-40 for more than 50 years to get the job done,“ said Tim Lesmeister, vice president of marketing at WD-40 Company. “This is such a fun and meaningful project for us. We’re proud that all proceeds from the sale of the vehicle will continue to support two great charities, but we know it would not be possible without the time, energy, dedication and resources of our build partners.”

From the looks of the vehicle, this Mustang is pretty complete from bumper to bumper and will garner quite the attention on the SEMA show floor. Modifications include Stillen’s AP Racing 6-piston brake kit, Paxton supercharger system and a set of Forgeline wheels on each corner of the car. A full body kit courtesy of Street Scene Equipment gives the Mustang a much more aggressive profile.

The vehicle will also be seen in Nitto 1320 Legends, a virtual online drag racing game.

Official press release available after the break.

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