Renault Megane RS Red Bull Racing RB8 Limited Edition

To celebrate their third Formula 1 Constructors’ world title, Renault and Red Bull Racing have released the new limited edition Mégane RS Red Bull Racing RB8. Painted in the exclusive Crépuscule Blue color used by the Red Bull F1 team, the limited edition Mégane RS sports Red Bull's colors for the second year in a row.

Besides the special color, the sports hatch also sports Red Bull graphics at the rear and on the sides, together with Platinum Grey details such as the F1 blade, door handle, door mirror housings and rear lip spoiler. Those who are very attentive to details will also notice a monochrome laurel on the rear side windows that celebrates the team’s 2012 Constructors’ world title.

On the inside, the Mégane RS Red Bull Racing RB8 comes with exclusive features such as Red Bull Racing branding on the numbered aluminum sill guards and carpet mats. The logo also appears on the headrests of the Recaro seats, which are trimmed in new leather/fabric upholstery.

The limited edition Mégane is shod as standard with high-performance Bridgestone tyres, of the same model used by the Mégane Trophy to establish a new lap record for the Nürburgring. They are fitted to exclusive 19-inch black wheels with grey pin striping.

As far as equipment is concerned, the Mégane RS Red Bull Racing RB8 is available with the in-dash, connected R-Link multimedia tablet that has six functions (navigation, telephony, multimedia, vehicle, systems and R-Link Store applications catalogue). There’s also the 2.0 version of the RS Monitor that brings special Red Bull Racing home page, a more user-friendly and intuitive interface and the fact that certain information can be displayed in 3D form.

Technically, the limited edition version is the same as the Mégane RS, featuring a Cup chassis, limited slip differential and 265-hp 2.0-liter engine. The Renault Mégane R.S. Red Bull Racing RB8 will be available in 26 countries until September 30, 2013. Prices in France start from €36,000 ($46,400).

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[Source: carscoops.com]

Video: Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale

Lamborghini's limited road version of the car that races in Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo

We’d like to imagine that when it came time pick a shade of red for the new Gallardo LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale, Lamborghini asked a wise, old pigment specialist, “Which is the reddest of the reds, signore?” To which he replied, “Rosso Mars, it is the reddest.” And yes, it is true.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMnpKNhJUAM]

Slathered with the hue is an equally extreme edition of the Gallardo. (Gray and white are offered for unassuming Lamborghini buyers, although we aren’t sure such people exist in nature.) As the name implies, this car essentially is a roadgoing version of the car that races in the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo, a single-marque series in Europe.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lei8qu8Wec]

The rear spoiler, which Lamborghini itself describes as “enormous,” is taken directly from the racing version and delivers three times the downforce of a standard Gallardo, helping cornering and high-speed stability. It’s made of carbon-fiber, as is the quick-release engine cover that’s also boosted straight off the track car. Other bare carbon bits include the rocker-panel covers, the rear diffuser, and the side-mirror housings. Along with extensive use of aluminum and lightweight 19-inch wheels, the carbon-fiber addenda help shave more than 150 pounds, dropping the Stradale’s weight to around 3350 pounds.



Like nearly every Lamborghini sold today, each of the 150 Super Trofeos sold will feature all-wheel drive and an e-gear single-clutch automated manual transmission. In the company’s defense, the race cars shift gears for themselves, too. And because Italians are suggestive and can’t call something “launch control” like everyone else, the Super Trofeo’s system is called “Thrust Mode.” It aims to deliver maximum acceleration with a clutch dump at 5000 rpm. Speed is scrubbed by eight-piston front brake calipers and four-piston rears, with ventilated cast-iron discs as standard and carbon-ceramic discs as an option.The V-10 hiding behind the seats has now gone full circle. It started life in the Gallardo Superleggera street car and was passed virtually unchanged to the Super Trofeo racer. As a result, Lamborghini can easily say this new model has a racing engine, even though it really just has the one from the Superleggera. Not that we’re criticizing that move—the 570-hp screamer peaks at 8000 rpm, delivering a 0-to-62-mph time of 3.4 seconds and doubling that speed in 10.4 on its way to a terminal velocity of 199 mph. (As with all Lamborghini acceleration estimates, you can bet on those being fairly conservative.)



Is the LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale our favorite of the countless special-edition Gallardos? That’s tough to say, given the existence of the rear-drive, manual-transmission Valentino Balboni, but we will say that it’s definitely the reddest—and that we can’t wait to drive one.Rosso Mars returns as the dye color for the Alcantara that covers much of the Super Trofeo’s interior. Contrasting black material with red stitching covers the dash top and runs along the sides of the seat, while the steering wheel is wrapped with real suede with red stitching. Anyone who didn’t get their fill of carbon on the exterior can request optional pieces to replace the standard handbrake arm, the center console cover, the lower rim of the steering wheel, the IP frame, and the handles for the doors and glove box. Lamborghini also offers a tubular roll cage, a fire extinguisher, and four-point harnesses for racing types, as well as navigation, Bluetooth, and a lift system for the front end to aid in traversing speed bumps and the like.

[Source: caranddriver.com]