Wouldn’t you like to see all the new 2014 cars & trucks together at one event? We thought so, so the duPont REGISTRY has partnered with Motor Trend to bring an amazing show to a city near you.
Last week we arrived in Anaheim and proceeded to gather together the wildest cars in southern California. Motor Trend magazine’s show travels across the country, allowing each manufacturer to show off their current & upcoming models.
First in was Manny Koshbin’s Bugatti Veyron Vincero built by Mansory. This car is only one of three Mansory built Veyrons in the world, the only one in this country, and its naked carbon exterior leaves little to the imagination. Enhanced aero effects from the roof to the rockers help keep this featherweight glued to the pavement. The grain of the carbon fiber body panels is laid down at angles that accentuate the flowing nature of the design.
In a nod to old world craftsmanship, the book matched grain of the hood makes it known that no expense was spared during this build. Inside, white leather is accented by a new ambient lighting system which features hidden pinhole LEDs in almost every imaginable crevice. Gold piping in the leather combine with the gold painted wheels and roof moldings to maximize the dollar-sign shock factor, and it works.
Mansory also sought to extract more power from the beast, so they built a more direct cold air intake and enlarged the exhaust to allow the four turbos to spool much quicker. Their tuners went inside the engine calibrations and altered the ignition timing and boost controls to remove any notions that this car is a static display. The exhaust crackles to life with a shattering blow, and with sixteen cylinders firing in harmonious succession, spectators are shaken by pressure waves similar to a jetliner running up before takeoff. Using this car as a centerpiece, we began to place the other arrivals around it in an artistic fashion.
Next up was Hennessey’s GT 1000. This monster of a Ford is what we feel the GT should have been from the factory. Hand fabricated headers have tuned length primaries, which feed into massive turbos above the differential. These feed pressurized air into giant intercoolers that make up the rear of the inner wheel wells. Using the rear tires to pump air through the intercoolers has to be one of the most ingenious things I have seen in awhile.
This newly cooled charge is then shot into a ported and polished Eaton supercharger, which features a ridiculously small pulley. So, the air was already pressurized by the turbos, then it’s sent down the rabbit hole by an angry blower. This car doesn’t mess around. It must be fueled with a blend more potent than commonly available, so the tank was filled with VP racing blue, which produces a scent more pleasing than a candy store.
As I was navigating between show booths to our spot, I found myself having to slip the clutch significantly to generate any forward movements. Not wanting to burn such an expensive pressure plate, I looked down only to notice I was in third gear, not first. This would explain the car’s sluggish nature, but my conscience would feel guilty if first gear proved to be too violent. I shifted to first, and as the left pedal moved upward, the GT popped up like Usain Bolt at the starting line. Learning my lesson, I promptly left the car in third for the remainder of the move in. With 1,145 rear wheel horsepower, I imagine this car would probably move forward in any gear, except for reverse, of course.
Hennessey’s other car was a beautiful 599 whose modifications were tame by Hennessey standards. With handmade exhausts in a giant diameter, this GTB screams. By relentlessly dyno tuning the computer, they were able to put down 650 hp to the rear wheels. Not too shabby from exhaust and a tune.
Next up were the bright yellow Ferraris from Lexani wheels. These are our cover cars for the November issue of duPont REGISTRY, so I can’t spill all the specs on them just yet. When was the last time you saw a matching Ferrari 599 and Ferrari 458 next to each other? They also brought out a new Bentley Mulsanne on 25” wheels and their Range Rover on 26”s to showcase what Lexani has to offer. I drove the Range from their headquarters in Corona to the Anaheim convention center and all my preconceived notions of oversized wheels were thrown out the window. This SUV was very smooth even over broken pavement, which makes evident the high degree of quality control in their wheels. Well done, guys.
Exotic Euro Cars of Woodland Hills is one of our larger advertisers, and their inventory resembles the garage of your dreams. First in for them was a bright red SLS AMG convertible.
The drop-top version of the iconic gull-wing was a low mileage beauty with a spotless tan interior. Next in was their wild Hamann Motorsport X6M. With 670 hp on tap and huge exhaust, this black and carbon beast was the most imposing car in our booth.
Once we had the X6 settled, the real treat arrived. Exotic had a 2014 Aventador Roadster and McLaren MP4. Both were in stunning condition and their raucous exhaust notes piqued the interests of the booth workers around us. It should be noted that navigating supercars between booths and aisles designed for boring cars can be quite a challenge. The Aventador’s limited visibility combined with the turning radius of a battleship made for a nerve-racking drive. Next to the Bugatti, this car was a show stopper.
Our friends at RTW Motoring arrived with their stunning 2012 Mansory Panamera Turbo. This wild widebody has been tuned to 690 hp with a top speed of 204 mph.
Boost pressure is up to 12psi and helps motivate the 12” wide 22” wheels. Rolling on 265 front/295 rear tires helps to achieve more lateral grip than most sports cars. Adaptive LED lighting provides a stunning contrast between the front & rear carbon splitters. Active air suspension combined with the active exhaust valves makes for a comfortable performer that allows the driver to choose how he arrives.
Last but not least, Ferrari of Newport Beach brought out an amazing new FF. This car was built as an exercise to showcase what the factory could do for a discerning customer. As you approach it, the warm smell of fresh hewn teakwood makes you wonder what’s inside. The interior has been completely customized with handmade wood accents. The trunk is completely paneled in dark teak with a white wood, possibly birch, for the inlays. Combining these pricey options with the electrochromic glass roof pushes the sticker on this FF close to 400k. That is a small price to pay for a car that will undoubtedly become a collectible.
Once all the cars were placed in the booth we could breathe easier. It was a stunning assortment of high power & high-class cars that made many show attendees stop in their tracks. It was our pleasure to show the public what we are all about, so get ready. We will be appearing at a Motor Trend show near you. Stay tuned to Autofluence for our 2014 show schedule.
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