Relay - Intermotor on 2040-parts.com

Range Rover Sport sets desert crossing record

A RANGE Rover Sport has set a new record for the fastest crossing of one of the harshest desert environments on Earth. The new off-roader, which was standard apart from an additional protection plate under the chassis, crossed the Empty Quarter in the Middle East between Wadi Adda Wasir in Saudi Arabia and the border of the United Arab Emirates in 10 hours and 22 minutes at an average speed of 51.87mph. Covering 530 miles en route to the new record, the Range Rover Sport was driven by veteran Dakar rally expert Moi Torrallardona, a man who understands everything there is to know about driving large off-road vehicles in demanding desert conditions.

Ferrari 458 Speciale A (that’s ‘A’ for Aperta) revealed

The Ferrari 458 Special A – revealed ahead of its Paris debut The Ferrari 458 Speciale A (the ‘A’ stands for Aperta – Italian for open) has been revealed this afternoon – ahead of its Paris Motor Show debut next week – as the most powerful open-top Ferrari ever, promising 0-62mph in just 3.0 seconds. Just 499 will be built. And if you want to invest money in a new Ferrari, the 458 Speciale A will be a good shout; with just 499 being built (just like LaFerrari) it’s almost certain these rare 458s will appreciate in the coming years – just like the 599 Aperta has (although there were even fewer of those).

Lamborghini Aventador J at 2012 Geneva motor show

There maybe other Italian sports car manufacturers looking to hog the limelight at the 2012 Geneva motor show (and Ferrari and its 730bhp F12 is one of them) but Lamborghini will vie for attention with the Aventador J. A two-seat, open top speedster based on the Aventador LP700-4, it has some intriguing bits of carbonfibre tech and highly individual design. Named 'J' after the FIA’s Appendix J that governs the tech spec of race cars in certain classes, it’s proper bedroom wall material – but little boys and girls are unlikely to ever see it on the road as it’s a one-off and will go to a lucky owner after its appearance at Geneva.