| We've had an exciting time over the past 12 months in | | | | performance on the roads than out-and-out power |
| the world of exotic cars. It has all been about sheer | | | | produced a more sporty version of the Zonda. This |
| power, which does not necessarily make for more | | | | Zonda F has suspension aimed more at the track and |
| exciting driving, nor is more power always more fun. | | | | 602 bhp as standard. But you can have 650 bhp if you |
| What stirred it all up was the fact that Bugatti | | | | like! The Zonda F is also lighter than the Zonda, so the |
| managed to get its Veyron 16.4 exotic car into | | | | performance of this exotic car is extraordinary. It is a |
| production. Then, they took it to one of the longest | | | | truly exotic car, a supercar with masses of power at |
| straights on a test track in the world and upped the | | | | any speed - it does not depend on a turbocharger |
| record to 248 mph. If anyone wants to go faster, they | | | | waking up to get the power - and the handling to |
| will probably have to go to the Bonneville Salt Flats, | | | | match. |
| which can be quite dodgy. | | | | More recently, Koenigsegg has produced the CCX. |
| The record had been held by the Koenigsegg at 242 | | | | Powered by a twin-supercharged engine producing |
| mph, which just beat the long-standing record held by | | | | 806 bhp, this exotic car is more practical than the other |
| the McLaren F1 supercar. Bugatti's efforts caused a | | | | Koenigseggs. Koenigsegg says it will do about 245 |
| few people out there to look for more power. Not | | | | mph, and all this from an engine based on a 4.7 liter |
| surprising, really. For example, Saleen found it could | | | | V-8. True, nearly all the parts are different, including the |
| screw some more power out of its supercharged | | | | cylinder block and heads, but even so it just shows |
| Ford engine to get 750 bhp, and a speed of about 240 | | | | how much power can be got from a standard |
| mph from its S7 exotic car. One or two others | | | | production engine, heavily modified, and with twin |
| decided to go for 1,000 bhp, just so they could say | | | | superchargers. |
| their car would do, say, 245 mph - after all, no one | | | | It has much bigger front and side air intakes to improve |
| could prove that it wouldn't go that fast! Actually, there | | | | cooling, and both the front and rear bumpers meet US |
| are quite a few engines available from tuners that | | | | crash regs. On top of that it has more headroom than |
| produce 800-1,000 bhp. | | | | the CCR, and yet is just as fast - and expensive. But |
| Pagani, which is concerned more with overall | | | | that is the way with exotic cars! |