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Koenigsegg's First V8 Client Gemera Breaks Cover at the Aurora Concours in Sweden

Three years after Koenigsegg confirmed a V8-powered version of its four-seat Gemera, the first customer example has finally been showcased in public. The hypercar maker unveiled the car this weekend at the Aurora Concours in Båstad, Sweden, finished in a vivid Johan Röd paint over Engel Svart leather and Alcantara with red stitching accents. This particular client, Gemera, is equipped with the full Crystal Clear sound system, bespoke red-tinted Ghosts on the Aircore seats, and rides on Trofast Aircore carbon wheels. The powertrain pairs a mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter hot V8 with Koenigsegg's Dark Matter electric motor via the brand's nine-speed Lightspeed Tourbillon Transmission (LSTT), a four-wheel torque-vectoring system that can send power independently to each wheel. Combined output is 2,300 horsepower, with a sub-2.0-second dash to 60 mph and a top speed in excess of 240 mph. The Gemera was the cover car in a feature we did last year on the most powerful production cars in the world. <- Gallery -> "Today is a big milestone for Koenigsegg, as we roll out the most technically advanced and most ambitious program in our history." - Christian von Koenigsegg, Founder, CEO, Koenigsegg The Gemera realizes a dream von Koenigsegg has held for decades, a proper four-seat, high-performance supercar capable of seating four two-meter adults in comfort with room for luggage. The idea traces back to his childhood, when he first saw his friend's father's Lotus Excel. According to von Koenigsegg, the Gemera itself began taking shape in the mid-2000s, long before its eventual reveal. It first broke cover in 2020 with three electric motors and a tiny twin-turbo three-cylinder engine, and we’ve followed the story from its evolving design phase to its first driveable prototype testing phase in 2022. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Christian von Koenigsegg (@heycvk) The production-spec hybrid version was revised in 2023 to employ Koenigsegg's single Dark Matter motor, lifting output to 1,400 horsepower, and news that the V8 variant was on the production line surfaced earlier this year in March. Production of the Gemera is capped at 300 units, a ceiling set at the car's original 2020 unveiling. Koenigsegg has confirmed all 300 build slots are already accounted for. Original pricing started from $1.7 million, though the industry estimates have placed fully specified V8 examples well above $2 million. For a company that has built its reputation on low-volume, two-seat hypercars, the four-seat Gemera represents a significant departure, one that doesn’t compromise on the brand’s core principles of high-performance speed and design details like the signature dihedral synchro-helix doors, now being offered in a more usable package as a Mega GT. View All Koenigseggs For Sale Images: @Koenigsegg

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

What $55 Million Looks Like On Fort Lauderdale's Waterfront

There's something to be said about luxury living in South Florida, where year-round sunshine, waterfront views, and a lifestyle built around the outdoors have made it one of the world's most desirable places to call home. From massive estates along the Intracoastal to modern penthouses overlooking the beaches, it's a market where exceptional homes are part of everyday life. Recently completed, finding its space in Fort Lauderdale’s exclusive Sunrise Intercoastal gated community, 513 Middle River stands out as one of those incredible properties, listed by the team at Charles Rutenberg Realty FTL and now available on dR Realty for $55,000,000. GALLERY-EMBED Built by Prestige Homes on an oversized waterfront lot with 145 feet of frontage, the home immediately commands attention with clean, modern architectural lines, expansive glass, and uninterrupted views across the water. A newly constructed seawall and private dock make it just as appealing for boaters as it is for car collectors looking to enjoy the South Florida lifestyle. Privacy also plays a major role in the property's appeal. In addition to being located inside a gated community with dedicated police patrol, the residence sits behind its own private gates, creating a secluded, resort-style retreat with the convenience of nearby dining, shopping, and marinas. GALLERY-EMBED Inside, the focus shifts toward luxury, entertainment, and everyday comfort. The residence takes shape as a fully integrated smart home, giving owners the ability to manage lighting, climate, security, cameras, and entry systems through its own network. In addition to all the tech, the home's amenities mirror those of a private resort. A collector-focused eight-car garage flows directly into a stylish club room and lounge, while a custom 4K laser theater, professional-grade fitness center, spacious entertainment areas, sauna, and dedicated wellness spaces offer an environment for hosting guests or enjoying quiet weekends away. GALLERY-EMBED The outdoor spaces are where the home truly embraces the South Florida lifestyle. Centered around an 85-foot custom mosaic swimming pool with cascading waterfalls, the backyard is more like a five-star resort overlooking the water. Multiple lounge areas encourage indoor-outdoor living, while the rooftop entertaining space provides another vantage point to take in the views. It's a thoughtful touch that supports the property's focus on experience as much as its architecture. For buyers looking for a modern South Florida waterfront estate that offers privacy, smart tech, luxury amenities, and exceptional design, Prestige Homes’ 513 Middle River raises the bar for Fort Lauderdale’s waterfront living. Discover on dR Reality GALLERY-EMBED

Koenigsegg's First V8 Client Gemera Breaks Cover at the Aurora Concours in Sweden

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

What $55 Million Looks Like On Fort Lauderdale's Waterfront

Koenigsegg's First V8 Client Gemera Breaks Cover at the Aurora Concours in Sweden

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

What $55 Million Looks Like On Fort Lauderdale's Waterfront

Koenigsegg's First V8 Client Gemera Breaks Cover at the Aurora Concours in Sweden

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

What $55 Million Looks Like On Fort Lauderdale's Waterfront

By Andrew Nabors – July 02, 2019

Top 7 American Cars for Independence Day 2019

Thirteen rebellious British colonies had to endure 7 years of war to secure their freedom. Delegates met in Philadelphia during the first week of July 1776 to formally announce our cause to the world, and this Thursday will mark 243 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed. In a letter to his wife, Founding Father John Adams said our "day of deliverance should be celebrated with games, sports, guns, bells, and bonfires from one end of the continent to the other." We think he would have included fancy carriages also, but peacetime was still 7 years away. So here are our Top 7 American Cars for Independence Day 2019. Corvette (c) General Motors This will be the most significant year in the history of the Chevrolet Corvette. The 8th generation model will be unveiled in two weeks, and it will be a mid-engine monster. If you prefer to have your engine in front of you, click the link below for great deals on the final examples of the C7. View Listings Challenger Hellcat (c) Fiat-Chrysler If you missed out on the limited run of the Dodge Demon, the latest Challenger Hellcat Redeye has 797 horsepower and 707 lb-ft of torque. Light the fuse on the rocket and you will have consistent 10-second quarter-mile times. It is loaded with features no other car offers. Torque Reserve, Power Chiller, After-Run Chiller, and a Line Lock from the factory...You won't find them anywhere else. View Listings Cadillac CTS-V (c) General Motors Like many legendary superheroes, the CTS-V is going out on top. What began as a wild project on 2004 will come to an end later this year. Being a low-volume model has already made them immortalized as the car that saved a brand. Nothing beats a comfortable sedan with a supercharged Corvette Z06 V8 under the hood. View Listings Viper (c) Fiat-Chrysler Ok, this one might draw some criticism as it has been discontinued, again. Nevertheless, the Dodge/SRT Viper was and is an American assertion of power. It was the last collaboration between Lee Iaccoca and Carroll Shelby, and the V10 engine traces its legacy back to the legendary 440 Magnum. If you need an automatic transmission, look somewhere else! View Listings Mustang (c) Ford Motor Company If you have never seen the iconic chase scene from the movie Bullitt, it proved the potency of Ford's Big Block engine in the lightweight Mustang. With all the history of SVT, SVO, Cobras and the Mustang GT, the 2019 Mustang Bullitt offers 480 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque from the 5.0L V8. Not only is it more powerful than the Big Block cars, it offers 24 mpg and a six-speed stick. View Listings Camaro (c) General Motors Big news for Camaro Comrades comes in the form of a new trim level. The 2020 Camaro LT1 is named after its 6.2L V8, and it offers V6 looks with 455 lb-ft and horsepower. Rear Brembo brakes, Bose audio, and the premium touchscreen are not available. It is also the first V8 Camaro to offer a non-staggered tire setup (20"x8.5" at all corners) since 2002. The best feature is the price of $34,995. That makes it cheaper than what I paid for my new 2002 Camaro SS, eighteen years of inflation stings a little! View Listings Ford GT (c) Ford Motor Company The goal of the Ford GT was to build a world-class supercar and win LeMans. A secret program developed a carbon fiber masterpiece with two suspension systems at each corner. Powered by a 3.5L twin turbo V6, it uses less weight and more grip to dominate on the world stage. View Listings Regardless of what you drive, do it without drinking and remember that firework debris will destroy your clear coat. Have a happy & safe 4th of July from all of us at the duPont REGISTRY!

By Andrew Nabors – February 27, 2019

2019 Exotic Car Industry Updates

It is almost March, and we have already have news you need to know. Our intention is to revisit this post throughout to note the changes made by exotic automakers. Here are our 2019 exotic car industry updates, so tell us what they mean to you in the comments below. Bugatti Veyron Gearbox Transmission Tribulation BMW has made it known that dual-clutch transmissions will be replaced by traditional automatics across their lineup. Innovations in automatic technology have resulted in a bulletproof 10-speed co-developed by Ford and GM. It can be found everywhere from the Raptor to the Camaro ZL1 1LE. Meanwhile, the 2020 Shelby GT500 has a 7-speed DCT as its only option, making it the first GT500 to not offer a manual option. The GT350 carries on with a six-speed stick for now. You Can't Run With This Bull Lamborghini asked their Squadra Corse racing department to build their dream car. It resulted in the SC18. They took the best aerodynamic elements of the Huracan GT3 EVO and added them to an Aventador SVJ. Perhaps it is a styling exercise to envision the Aventador's successor, so we applaud their efforts. David Lee's Dino Dino Is Coming Soon Walk into your Ferrari dealer and try to order a 488 GTB, or 488 Spider. Maranello is not accepting new orders because something new is on the horizon. One of Sergio Marchionne's final comments was on the return of the Dino: "not a question of if but when.” A small twin-turbo V6 sports car with an affordable price. Because the 488 Pista makes more torque than the 812 Superfast, their needs to be more of a gap in performance between them. Bugatti Chiron at Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds Your Tires Cost How Much? Owners of the new Bugatti Chiron are glad it didn't inherit the silly cambered tires introduced on the Veyron. Owners of the Veyron who get a flat are forced to ship all 4 wheels to Molsheim, as the Bugatti factory has the only machine capable of installing them. Bugatti dealers are also happy that the Chiron can be serviced in a normal manner, with several tire options available. It's A Small (Car) World After All Toyota and BMW were both contemplating new sports cars. BMW needed a new Z4 and Toyota was ready to resurrect the Supra. Both cars were going to use turbocharged straight-6 engines while offering incredible handling and a competitive price. So the companies joined up in an epic partnership. The best of both can be seen in each car, so we all win as a result. Maybe this is an indicator of future industry cooperation. A High Mileage Direct Injection Intake Deadly Direct Injection Injecting fuel directly into the cylinder is fine if you are a diesel. What was seen as a technological marvel when introduced, gasoline direct injection does more harm than it is worth. Without fuel flowing through the intake, carbon and soot buildup on the intake valves to the point of emphysema. That's why Ford's EcoBoost has added an additional port injector, and the Corvette ZR1 has followed suit. The Shelby GT500 doesn't even bother with direct injection, hopefully signaling an end to a troubled era. P.S. Wranglers In The Rear View The Jeep Wrangler has been in production since 1941, and Fiat-Chrysler sold 240,032 of them last year! P.P.S. Where is the mid-engine Corvette? https://www.facebook.com/dupontregistryautos/videos/301905157175318/

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