Zagato TZ3 Stradale

Here's how to celebrate in style! Italian coachbuilding firm Zagato has unveilied a new addition to its TZ line up, the TZ3 Stradale, introduced as part of the firm's ongoing centenery celebrations in Alfa Romeo's honour.

While there's an Alfa badge on the bonnet, a trademark triangular front grille and swoopy styling normally associated with the Italian brand, the car is in fact American underneath. The stunning carbon-fibre bodywork hides the mechanicals from a Dodge Viper ACR - that means an 8.4-litre V10 engine with 600bhp, enough power to blast from 0-62mph in under four seconds.

It marks the fourth addition to Zagato's TZ range, which includes the TZ and TZ2 from the sixties as well as the TZ3 Corsa unveiilied last year at the Villa d'Este Concorso d'Eleganza on Lake Como, Italy.

That model was based on the Alfa 8C Competizione, but remained a one-off track-only special. The TZ3 Stradale on the other hand will be made in extremely limited numbers. Three have already been sold, for an undisclosed price, to American, Japanese and European collectors with another six still up for grabs.

Lamborghini Limo in coming!

Move over, Aston Rapide – the Lamborghini limo is on the way!

The Italians’ fast, edgy Estoque is back on the cards after senior executives at owner Audi threw their support behind the four-door supercar last week.

Lambo first revealed the 
model at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, before putting it on the back burner. But now, senior sources at the German marque have stated that the Estoque is exactly what Lamborghini needs to more than double sales, and gain financial independence.

But Audi has done more than simply comment on the Estoque. By unofficially confirming plans 
for its own A9 limo-coupé, it has 
also given Lamborghini the 
perfect production chassis.

Our source confirmed: “Designing a supercar from a clean sheet of paper is one thing, but a limousine that people 
will drive to work every day... 
well, that’s a different thing, 
and Lamborghini doesn’t have the resources to do it by itself.”

“[Lamborghini boss] Stephan Winkelmann has said the brand needs a third model to give it a product cycle with fewer gaps.”

The super sedan is likely 
to be offered with V10 and V12 engines, and will have the Italian maker’s usual all-wheel drive.

BMW M6 2012

BMW has released first official pictures of the M6 Coupe and Convertible. Both cars are fitted with a 552bhp 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8.

The engine and seven-speed double-clutch gearbox are lifted straight from the M5 saloon. They fire the lighter M6 Coupe from 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds – two-tenths faster than the M5 and on par with the XKR-S – and from 0-124mph (200kph) in 12.6 seconds. The Convertible takes 4.3 and 13.1 seconds.

Thanks to the addition of direct-injection, turbocharging and stop-start, the Coupe and Convertible claim a huge 30 per cent improvement in efficiency over the old 5.0-litre V10 M6. BMW says they return 28.5mpg and 27.4mpg respectively.

The 6 Series’ styling is beefed up with a lower and more angular bodykit, flared wheelarches and optional 20-inch alloys. Four tailpipes poke out either side of the rear diffuser, and M-branded gills double up as indicators.

The Coupe has a unique, stepped, carbon fibre roof, while both cars have aluminium doors and bonnets, front side panels made of thermoplastic and fibreglass bootlids to save weight.

There’s even an element of practicality, with usable rear seats, while the boot provides 460 litres of space in the Coupe and 350 litres in the Convertible (or 300 litres with the roof down).

Inside, there’s carbon fibre trim, a specially designed steering wheel and sports seats to match the aggressive exterior. Plus, the handling is boosted by three-mode adaptive dampers and a mechanical limited-slip diff on the rear axle.

Two M buttons on the wheel can be used to store favourite settings for suspension, steering, stability control and gearbox response, while carbon-ceramic brakes will be an option.