We know that you love our supercar galleries so here's our updated album on the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder with all the official photos released by the Italian automaker (yes, owned by VW Group). Revealed for the first time in public at last year's LA Auto Show, the revamped Gallardo Spyder is powered by an updated 5.2-liter V10 that makes 560HP at 8,000 rpm, or 40HP more than its predecessor.

Furthermore, Lambo claims that topless supercar benefits form a 44 lbs or 20kg reduction in weight thus improving the power-to-weight ratio to 6.10 pounds or 2.77 kg per horsepower. The Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder accelerates from standstill to 100km/h or 62mph in just 4.0, to 124mph (0 to 200 km/h) in only 13.1 seconds and goes on to a top speed of 201mph or 324 km/h.

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Once upon a time, not too long ago, Lancia produced a car that made grown men weep. Yes, we're talking about the last truly desirable production Lancia, the Delta HF Integrale which dominated the rally scene in the late 1980s and 1990s. Towards the end of the Integrale's career, famed Italian design house Zagato and Dutch Lancia importer Paul Coot had an idea: why not create a limited series coupe variant of the Delta Integrale. And the Hyena was born.

Designed by Marco Pedracini in 1990, the Hyena was introduced as a production model at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1992. Even though the two cars shared the same underpinnings including the Integrale's famed all-wheel drive system and the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine tweaked to deliver around 250HP, the Hyena boasted its own unique styling that was a radical departure from the boxy Delta.

Just like Zagato's Alfa Romeo SZ of the same era, the Lancia Hyena is one of those controversially styled cars that you're drawn to even though you feel like that you're not supposed to.

Aside from the unique bodywork and the tweaked engine, the Hyena was also significantly lighter than its five-door counterpart weighing close to 200 kg or 440 pounds less than the Delta HF Integrale. The 3.99m long coupe was said to accelerate from zero to 100km/h in just 5.4 seconds.

Zagato and Coot initially agreed with Lancia to produce around 500 unit of the Hyena, but in typical Fiat Group style, the Italian automaker pulled out of the deal and only 24 pieces were ever built making the Hyena one of the most sought after Integrales of all time.

This particular example (the yellow Hyena) was spotted by a member of the Autogespot forums in the city of Rotterdam in The Netherlands. The Red Hyena is up for sale in the UK by Classic Driver for 105,995 GBP which comes to around $173,000 or €124,000 at today's exchange rates.

Via: Classic Driver & Autogespot

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After weeks of media speculation that arose after the release of a teaser set of photos as well as a promotional video, Honda has finally confirmed the development of a highly-tuned Civic Type R 'MUGEN' concept prototype road car. The key word here is 'concept' as the Japanese automaker noted that "currently there are no plans for a production model" and that at this stage, the hot Civic is "being prepared purely as a prototype model."

However, judging from our past experience with these kind of press statements from automakers, we'd say that Honda's hot hatch is very, very close to production...

Besides confirming the existence of the car, the Japanese automaker also revealed some juicy new details. First of all, the hardcore three-door hatch is being developed in Japan by MUGEN EURO, the Northampton-based subsidiary of Honda's official tuning arm, and will be brought to the UK for further testing later in the year.

Honda said that the European Civic Type R 'MUGEN' will use the same powertrain as the Civic MUGEN RR saloon launched in Japan in 2007. This translates to a specially modified version of the Type R's 200HP 2.0-liter four banger producing 240-horsepower.

The Japanese firm added that as well as developing the engine, the hardcore Civic Type R MUGEN will benefit from brake system, exhaust and suspension upgrades while externally, the Civic will take on an a more aggressive stance, with a new aerodynamic package that includes a larger rear wing.

"In standard trim, the Civic Type R is a thrilling machine to drive," said Hiro Toyoda, Vice President of MUGEN EURO in a prepared statement. "It is a fantastic base model from which we hope to develop one of the quickest point to point front-wheel-drive road cars in the country."

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Following in the... footsteps of its sister company Opel and its Agila high-heel shoes that were shown at an event in Amsterdam last year, Vauxhall unit has presented its own take on the car-theme shoe thingy with the release of the specially commissioned, Corsa roller boots. If you're wondering why, GM's UK division is planning some sort of promotional event at London's Shoreditch area that is said to "transport" visitors to a late 20th Century vision of the future, in a 70's disco meets Knight Rider on roller skates kind of way, whatever that means.

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The Japanese market version of the Mazda5 MPV, which continues to be named Premacy, has received a small number of upgrades for the 2010 model year. In particular, the range topping 20Z model grade comes with newly designed 17-inch alloy wheels and fresh seat and door trims while Mazda also introduced the Dark Plum Mica exterior finish pictured on the Premacy above.

Changes for the rest of the range include the addition of two new exterior colors, newly designed fabric seat and door trims, an upgraded trip computer that includes a fuel economy gauge as standard equipment and a glossy piano black trim for the center stack.

The subtly updated Premacy goes on sale in Japan today with prices for the front wheel drive models ranging from 1,820,000 to 2,195,000 yen.

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For a moment there I had a 'grand' flashback that took me back to my junior years and my neighbor's "swanky" 1970s Ford LTD - that's the Australian market model which you can check out after the jump. In all fairness, I must say that Ford's Aussie limo shamelessly aped traditional Rolls Royce and Bentley styling cues. But anyway, back to today, the crew over at UK's Car Magazine somehow managed to photograph the Arnage's successor, currently referred to as the 'Grand Bentley', in production guise at Bentley's Crewe headquarters.

The photos reveal that the new Arnage (Bentley has yet to reveal the official name) will have a 'grand' front end dominated by a massive grille that's flanked by a pair of headlamps that are surrounded by small LEDs. There's also a cryptic photo of the rear end that suggests a more curvy design for the Grand Bentley's arse.

The VW Group owned automaker has not released any information on its Rolls Royce Phantom challenger, but it is said that the British firm's flagship limo will use a modified version of the Audi A8's spaceframe chassis as well as new range of engines that might include a Flex-Fuel variant capable of running on either petrol or E85 biofuel or any combination of the two.

The Arnage's successor is expected to be officially revealed later in the summer.

Via: Car

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So much for Alfa Romeo's attempts keep the prototype models of the forthcoming Milano hatchback under cover. Our fellow Italian bloggers at Autoblog.it have published a photograph of the 147's replacement that was apparently shot at the assembly line, exposing the Milano's snout for the first time. As anticipated, the Milano's front-end styling takes cues from both the MiTo and the 8C Competizione, with the photo revealing that some versions will get a set of daytime running lights comprising a strip of LEDs on each side of the headlamps.

Similar in size to the Volkswagen Golf, the Alfa Romeo Milano is the Fiat Group's proposal in the premium compact hatchback segment aimed squarely at the BMW 1-Series and Audi A3.

Underneath the sheetmetal lies the latest version of the Fiat Group's C- and D-segment platform which is known as the C-Evo. Powertrain options for the Milano are expected to include 1.4-liter and 1.75-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engines producing up to 200HP+ and of course, numerous four-pot diesel engines.

For more info on the Milano, click here to read our previous post that includes spy shots from the 'Ring.

Via: Autoblog.it

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A new entry-level diesel model is going to join the MINI hatchback's European range from September 2009. The MINI One D uses a detuned version of the Cooper D's 110HP 1.6-liter common rail turbo diesel producing 90 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 215Nm or 159 lb-ft from 1,750 rpm. With this engine that is linked to a 6-speed manual gearbox, the MINI completes the sprint from 0 to 100km/h (62mph) in 11.5 seconds and achieves a top speed of 182 km/h or 113 mph.

As with other models from the BMW Group, the MINI One D features numerous fuel efficiency-enhancing measures including a Brake Energy Regeneration system that concentrates power generation for the on-board power supply when the car is braking and coasting, and the Auto Start Stop Function.

The result is an average fuel consumption of just 3.9 lt/100km or 60.3mpg US in the EU test cycle, with corresponding CO2 emissions of at 104 grams per kilometer.

Like its MINI One petrol sibling, the base diesel model is distinguished by its roof in body color along with the black mirror caps and a black boot lid handle.

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This year marks the 40th anniversary of the iconic Porsche 917, the first Porsche to win Le Mans and one of the most recognizable and successful race car's ever to come out of Stuttgart. To commemorate the event, Porsche is planning to bring a collection of 917s to this weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK including the 1970 Le Mans winner and the distinctively-liveried 917/20 'Pink Pig'.

According to Porsche, the 917s at Goodwood will be accompanied by an array of drivers that will be reunited with their race cars such as Richard Attwood, former F1 driver and 1970 Le Mans winner for Porsche, driving a 917; Brian Redman will be behind the wheel of the 917/30 CanAm racer; David Piper, who bought a 917 new from the factory in 1969, will be driving his own car while Jackie Oliver, who was the Le Mans winner in 1969, will meet again with the Gulf-liveried 917.

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If there's one thing that Audi A5 owners shouldn't be complaining about, is the lack of variety in tuning proposals. It's got to the point where tuners like Senner are introducing one package after the other. The German firm's latest offerings include a new styling package with various options for both the interior and exterior that can be combined with a kit for the 3.0-liter TDI diesel engine that lifts output to 300HP and 600Nm for a top speed of 280km/h or 174mph.

Senner Tuning's aerodynamic package consists of a carbon fiber front spoiler apron, carbon-fiber mirror housings, a rear spoiler and spoiler lip, and a carbon fiber rear bumper.

Other available mods include a Bilstein B16 PSS10 coilover suspension which is fully adjustable with individual height adjustment and a new stainless steel exhaust system with 4 tailpipes plus a set of 21-inch Evo DS Carlsson alloy wheels.

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