Audi A1 by MTM does 201 mph at Nardo Highspeed Test

Typically, when we hear about vehicles climbing up to speeds of over 200 mph, we think of high performance vehicles like the Bugatti Veyron or the SSC Tuatara. Not once have we ever thought of a small car like the Audi A1 achieving such a feat. It was probably this assumption that led tuning firm, MTM, to completely make over the A1 so that it became a snarling speed machine, capable of hitting a top speed of 201 mph at the Nardo Highspeed Test.

Every year, modified supercars head on over to the Nardo test track to see what they are capable of, but this year, MTM’s Audi A1 decided to crash the party and show the 9FF Porsche 911 GT3, MKB McLaren SLR, G-Power BMW M3, andSpeedArt Porsche Cayenne Turbo just how it’s done. With an MTM tuning package consisting of various upgrades, the A1 delivers a total of 500 HP and 442 lb-ft of torque. 500 HP! When equipped with a 6-speed manual gearbox and limited slip differential, the car will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds with a top speed of the aforementioned 201 mph.

Adding a few more bells and whistles to the heart-thumping power, MTM gave the small car a new set of 18" MTM bimoto rims with a 9-spoke race design, a new set of MTM-Spacers (20 mm per axle), upgraded brakes, and a lowered suspension.

And to think, just one year ago, MTM released their new package for the A1 that had no type of engine upgrades. It may have taken them a year to get the engine tweaks just right, but the result was certainly worth the wait. That is, if anyone plans on racing an Audi A1 anytime soon.

Tata considering joint engine development with Jaguar Land Rover

It’s been about three years since Tata bought Jaguar and Land Roverfrom one of America’s big top three - Ford - and now the company is thinking of taking the last few necessary steps to completely cut ties with the former owner. A new Tata annual report has been released stating that the company is considering a joint engine-development program with its Jaguar Land Rover unit. If pushed through, the new engine could cement the two brands’ independence from Ford.

"To optimize the synergistic strengths between JLR and Tata Motors in India, an examination is also under way on a joint engine development program which would have manufacturing facilities both in the U.K. and India," Ratan Tata said in a recent interview.

These new engines will be a big step for the Indian company, who are beginning to pick up speed with models like the Range Rover Evoque and the new Jaguar XK and XF. Our concern will be for future models which will need adequate engines to obtain proper performance numbers matching that of the Ford-built engines. Whether or not Tata has the ability to pull something like this off is still up in the air.

The $89K Bugatti Veyron Built by Hand

Driving a $1.7 million supercar is everyone’s dream, but few people in this world can actually have the pleasure of doing so. That being said, there are some people in the world that will do whatever it takes to make their dream a reality and Mike Duke from Florida is one of those people. Duke isn’t a millionaire, as far as we know, but the 25-year-old has some ambition and maybe even a future in the automotive industry after putting together a Bugatti Veyron using a Ford Cougar as a base.

Duke’s makeshift supercar was hand-built piece by piece and although it doesn’t have any Bugatti badges and wheels that are a dead giveaway of its guise, the pretend Bugatti could probably fool enough women into thinking it was the real thing. Isn’t that a good enough reason for any 25-year-old to want a supercar? Of course, the crowd of women this vehicle will undoubtedly attract may shrink once they realize this "Bugatti" doesn’t carry its usual 1001 HP engine, but the original 2.5-liter unit.

Talking about his project, Mike Duke said: ""I wanted the million-dollar look without the repair bills, insurance, and huge up-front cost. I’m very happy with the finished result and of course driving around in the car gets more comments than you could ever imagine."

Nice job, Duke. Now start working on the 16-cylinder engine tp put under that hood and then you’ll be in business!

1/1 Scale 2011 Ferrari 150° Italia Steering Wheel Replica

Strap on those safety harnesses and get your couch ready for the race! Okay, so there won’t be any real racing, but Ferrari has created a 1/1 Scale Full Size 2011 Ferrari 150° Italia steering wheel replica for all you serious collectors out there. The bad news is that there will only be 250 units built and each one of them comes carrying a $ 2,245.97 (€ 1,898) price tag. It’s a big price to pay, but you’ll be the proud owner of a replica of the steering wheel used byFernando Alonso and Felipe Massa in the 2011 F1 Championship.

The 2011 Ferrari 150° Italia is a full size steering wheel replica hand built from genuine carbon fiber. It is fitted with moving buttons, paddles, and switches, and come with a red leather base and a clear dust cover.

The wheel weighs a total of 14.5 kilos and measures 45 x 42 x 42. Each one of the 250 limited edition pieces comes with a certificate of authenticity and a unique numbered plaque on the base.

Once ordered, the 2011 Ferrari 150° Italia steering wheel replica will take 30 days to be delivered.

Rendering: 2012 BMW 3-Series

BMW is still keeping a tad bit mum when it comes to the new version of their smaller sedan, but automotive enthusiasts are not going to let something like that stop the flow of information. Our latest rendering of the 2012 BMW 3-Series takes the elements revealed from the most recent spy shots to unveil the BMW 3-Series in it full and naked glory.

Ever since the 3-Series began production back in 1975, BMW has done very little to mess with its overall design. Each generation has brought out some tweaks here and there, but nothing too drastic. The BMW F30 3-Series will be no different. The sedan takes some of the same design cues from the new 5-Series, and possibly the new 7-Series. There have been numerous reports that the new 3-Series will be longer than the current version by around an inch and a half, but it will have considerably shorter overhangs.

As for the engine, the 2012 BMW 3-Series will feature BMW’s new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine with an output of 240-horsepower and at least one inline six option. The diesel lineup will consist of turbocharged four-cylinder and six-cylinder variants and a hybrid model will also come into play sometime later.

After the sedan makes it debut - more than likely at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show - BMW will then bring out convertible, coupe, M3, wagon, and Gran Turismo variants.

Asus WX Lamborghini Wireless Mouse

We’ve been running off all these technological products that bear automaker’s trademarks on them – just last week, we introduced the Porsche Lacie P’9220 and P’9230 hard drives – and just in case you already have these items with you, we’d like to introduce you to your next purchase: the Asus WX Lamborghini Wireless Mouse.

This new AAA battery-powered mouse would fit perfectly with the new Asus Automobili Lamborghini VX7 Notebook that was also recently launched back in April. It’s available for only $80, and for that price, you get a mouse that bears the sleek and sporty design cues of Lamborghini supercars, including three choices of a two-tone color scheme – yellow/black, white/black, and all black. There’s also a nano dongle attachment embedded on the mouse that allows it to connect to any USB port with a range of up to 10 meters. This high-frequency response range allows the mouse to work with instant precision without having to resort to any wires or other forms of interference.

According to Asus, the WX Wireless Mouse is a must-have item to include in your computer. “Based on the power and speed so coveted in Lamborghini vehicles, the WX-Lamborghini wireless laser mouse delivers a breathtaking experience in control," the company said.

"This is the ultimate style icon when it comes to mouse input, inspired directly by the powerful, angular shape so known from its motorized namesakes.”

Knowing our love for products that have automotive tie-ups to them, there’s a good chance that we won’t waste time adding a new wireless mouse to our collection.