Maserati UK Introduces New Sport Pack for GranTurismo S Automatic

A new sport package has been added to the available options for buyers of Maserati's GranTurismo S Automatic in Britain.

This Sport pack is said to enhance the GranTurismo S Automatic's performance by adding the MC Auto Shift software that allows for faster gear changes and a revised exhaust system, which keeps its bypass valves fully open in Sport mode to provide what the company describes as "an even richer sound".

The package also adds a variety of styling features including include body colored side skirts and front winglets, a black grille featuring the Maserati Trident logo with red accents, black mesh side grilles, smoked out headlights, an integrated rear boot lid spoiler and oval exhaust pipes.

The coupe's sportier looks are rounded off with Grigio Mercury Neptune-design alloy wheels.

Maserati says the 4.7-litre V8 continues to develop 440HP at 7000 rpm and a peak torque of 490Nm (361.4 lb-ft) at 4750 rpm offering the automatic coupe a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 5 seconds flat and a top speed of 183 mph (295 km/h).

The package is priced at £3,840, lifting the total price of the GranTurismo S Automatic to £92,480 on the road.

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It Came from eBay Hell: Porsche 959 Replica Based on a…Porsche 356 Replica

Two of the most egregious of Porsche replicas to be found on eBay are those of the 356 of the 1950s and ‘60s and the 959 of the late 1980s. Both these cars were legends of their times and are rightly regarded as classics today.

So it’s no surprise that replicas are especially widespread and varying in quality from the very good to the very bad. On the latter end of this very broad spectrum is this 959 replica, which is evidently based on a –hold on- a…Porsche 356 replica.

Let’s see what the eBay UK seller has to say about this car, shall we? He or she opens with the claim that this is, “more fun than a 911,” which I think is more a matter of opinion than anything else. With a paltry 1.8-liter engine under the hood, this 356 / 959 replica will have a hard time keeping up with a 2004 Toyota Corolla.

What else is there? Well, the seller continues with, “This is a pretty much a new car best build you will find,” which is half-right given some of the eBay cars we’ve featured on this site.

At least looks a bit like a 356 with 959 parts stuck to it. He or she also claims it is, “Much better than the 356 Replicas you see,” without qualifying it with, “at this price”.

And with an asking price of just £12,500 (US$20,384 / €14,188) it’s probably one of the more affordable 356 replicas you’ll find for sale on eBay.

Just take off those shoddy 959 parts, fix the broken speedometer and repair that scratch on the rear flank and you’ve got yourself a passable 356 replica.

Check out the full gallery below.

By Tristan Hanknins

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Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205 featured on Top Gear Back in the 1990s up for Sale

Even though we’re always on the lookout for rally-bred production cars from the 1980s and 1990s like the Lancia Delta Integrale, we must admit that this 1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205 grabbed our attention mainly because it is the same car that was featured on an older episode of Top Gear. A young Jeremy Clarkson had then compared it against Ford's Escort RS Cosworth.
The seller is the second owner of the Celica GT-Four ST205 and has had the car in his possession for the past 8 years but is now ready to depart with it. The Japanese model, of which only 2,500 examples were built, started its life out as a press vehicle for Toyota Great Britain.
The selling price for the all-wheel drive Celica, which is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four delivering around 240-horses, is "£5995 or best offer" (about US$9,780 or €6,860). The car has clocked about 78,000 miles.
Seller: Toyotasownerclub

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Lotus Evora Joins Hertz's European Car Rental Program, Rates Start from €250 a Day

If you happen to live or are planning to travel in Europe and would like to move around in a Lotus Evora but can't afford the expense of buying one, you'll be happy to know that Hertz may have a solution to your problem.

The U.S.-based car rental company has just introduced the Lotus Evora for hire in key European markets as part of its Adrenaline Range in the Hertz Fun Collection of Germany, Spain and the UK, and as a special car in the Fun Collection in France.

That's the good news, the bad news is that rates start from 250 euros (US$362) per day, and in order to qualify customers have to be at least 30 years old and need to show two credit cards.

Below is a list of the locations where you can pick up Lotus' 2+2 sport model:

France
Biarritz Airport
Bordeaux Airport
Marseille Airport
Nice Airport
Paris Downtown (Porte Maillot)
Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport

Germany
Frankfurt Rhein-Main Airport
Munich Airport

Italy
Rome Fiumicino Airport
Milan Linate Airport

Spain
Barcelona Airport
Barcelona Downtown (El Prat de Llobregat)
Madrid Airport
Madrid Downtown (Hotel Villamagna)
Madrid Downtown (Las Mercedes Business Park)
Marbella Downtown (Avenida Arias Maldonado)

UK
London Heathrow Airport

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How Shocking: Electrical Issues Plague Modern Cars

With modern cars fitted with more and more electronic equipment, it is logical that electrical problems are popping up much more frequently than in past years. According to a Warranty Direct survey in the UK, electrical faults account for 27% of all car malfunctions every year.

That’s a 17% rise over just five years ago, with more than four out of 10 cars each year facing breakdowns due to electrical problems that are mostly rather complex, and expensive to fix.

Topping the list of the most problematic cars is the 2002-2009 MY Renault Megane, with a 34.66% chance of electrical failure, followed by another French car, the Peugeot 607, with 31.28%. But, as you can see from the list that follows, electrical gremlins plague not just the French models, but also the German and British.

However, there are no Japanese or Korean car in the Top 10.

So, next time you walk into a showroom to buy a new car and drool over the options list, bear in mind that all those wonderful gadgets, which are often unnecessary, might cause you quite a headache in the long run.

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