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Audi has confirmed that 2023 will be the last model year for the R8 supercar.The GT model will serve as a sendoff for the V-10–powered coupe and convertible.Rumors suggest that an electric replacement may arrive at some point, but the timeline is not clear.The Audi R8 supercar will soon reach the end of the line, Audi recently confirmed to C/D during a drive of the new GT model. The 2023 model year will be the last for the R8 in the U.S., and this new trim joins the lineup to serve as a sendoff for the mid-engined coupe and convertible as they sunset. The 2023 R8 is currently offered in 562-hp RWD form and 602-hp Quattro form, plus the GT which is a 602-hp RWD model with other modifications.2023 Audi R8 GTAudi|Car and DriverThe R8 first arrived for the 2008 model year, and the first-generation model offered both a 4.2-liter V-8 engine and a 5.2-liter V-10. The R8’s second generation went V-10 only and has been around since the 2017 model year in the U.S. Audi only sells several hundred R8s each year, but it has served as an important halo model for the brand’s RS performance cars.More on the R8’s FarewellIt’s unclear what’s coming down the pipe to replace the R8 as Audi’s flagship sports car. Rumors suggest that an electric supercar called the RNext is in the works, but these plans are uncertain and an Audi spokesperson denied these rumors to C/D. Even if it did materialize, such a vehicle likely wouldn’t arrive until 2029 at the earliest.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

It was already one of the most desirable Alfa Romeos, but this GTV 2000 has also received a full overhaul from U.K. specialist Alfaholics.Its fuel-injected engine produces 230 horsepower, paired with a five-speed manual transmission, lightweight suspension and bodywork, and upgraded brakes.Nearly $240,000 was spent by the previous owner to create one of the best driving restomods out there, and some lucky bidder can get it on auction from Bring a Trailer.In the old days, the stopwatch made the rules: whichever sports car was fastest to 60 mph or around a circuit was the best. QED. Yet, even in that time, many enthusiasts waxed romantic about the appeal of an Alfa Romeo, not just performance but an experience. In an age when dollars equals speed, that appeal hasn’t gone away. If anything, as in the case of this special little Alfa, the romance is even more concentrated.Up for auction on the website Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is this gorgeous confection of motoring con brio. Based on a 1974 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000, one of the prettiest coupes to issue from a Milanese factory, this one has been treated to a full workup from U.K.-based firm Alfaholics. With a week left to go until the auction ends on Wednesday, November 30, bidding sits at $110,000. Bring a TrailerIf paying new 911 money for an old Alfa sounds crazy, it’s not.First, take the GTV 2000 itself. 1974 was the last year of these cars for the U.S. market, and they had everything necessary to provide a special driving feel. With a frothy 130-hp twin-cam engine, a nimble chassis tipping the scales at just over 2200 pounds, and gorgeous styling, the Gran Turismo Veloce was everything that Alfisti could want. If the internal combustion wasn’t always internal, that was just some added Alfa zest. A life without even a little drama is not worth living, right?Bring a TrailerIn 1977, Richard Banks bought the first Alfa Romeo Alfetta 2.0L GTV in the U.K., for competition in the British Production Saloon Car Championship. The car was very competitive. As a sideline to help pay for the racing, he bought and refreshed a secondhand 2000 GTV. It sold the same day his ad ran in the local paper.Bring a TrailerArt and ScienceMore than four decades later, Banks and his two sons—both trained as lawyers, but also involved in racing—run a family firm dedicated to creating the finest Alfa Romeos around. There’s a temptation here to compare Alfaholics to California-based Singer and that company’s reimagined 911s, but there are differences. Much of Singer’s work is pure artistry, but the cars that emerge from the Alfaholics workshop are more an organic result of one family’s Alfa racing obsession.However, a 911 restored by Singer and an Alfaholics-fettled machine are both idealized experiences of what you hope either a Porsche or Alfa Romeo will be. They are both a sort of cask-strength distillation of the essence of the brand, the meet-your-heroes moment that doesn’t disappoint.This 1974 GTV2000 was purchased through Bring a Trailer two years ago and promptly sent to Somerset for the full Alfaholics treatment with the company’s GTA-R Upgraded package. The list of modifications is too exhaustive to relay in its entirety, but highlights include a handbuilt 2.1L twin-cam four-cylinder engine good for roughly 230 hp, a close-ratio five-speed manual transmission, comprehensive lightweighting from lighter glass to carbon-fiber bodywork, six-piston front brakes, and a suspension that contains more titanium than your average space rocket.If You Remember the ’70s You Weren’t ThereAnd, because this car was bound for Texas, it also has air conditioning. While born from lessons learned on the racing circuit, this GTV is meant for drivers. Indeed, close-up inspection of the undercarriage shows some oxidation of the titanium pieces, and the paintwork on the undercarriage has a blemish or two.All of which underlines the emphasis that this is a car to be driven. Whatever the final hammer price happens to be, it will likely be enough to buy a seat in some pretty high-test modern machinery, but that’s not the point. An Alfaholics GTA-R provides the sort of drive that transcends the stopwatch and the skidpad. For one very lucky bidder, it’s a bucket-list driving experience. This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The performance version of the Fiat 500e has been revealed, with the Abarth model going electric for the first time.153 horsepower and 173 pound-feet of torque are fed to the front wheels, shooting the tiny hatch to 62 mph in 7.0 seconds.The Abarth 500e also comes with a Sound Generator that produces fake engine noises, but the electric hatchback likely won’t be sold in the United States.At the Los Angeles auto show earlier this month, Fiat announced that it will finally bring the electric 500e, which has been on sale in Europe since 2020, to the United States for 2024. In fact, Fiat CEO Olivier François told Car and Driver that the automaker’s U.S. lineup will consist solely of the 500e, with the 500X SUV not receiving a new generation. Now parent company Stellantis has revealed a new Abarth 500e, bringing zippy performance to the tiny city car, although its unclear if the Abarth version will ever reach American shores.AbarthA single electric motor powers the front wheels of the Abarth 500e, producing 153 horsepower and 173 pound-feet of torque. That’s a decent increase over the standard 500e, which emits 117 horsepower and, in the U.S.-spec car, 162 pound-feet of torque. Abarth claims the hot hatch can reach 62 mph in 7.0 seconds, and Abarth says the electric car was 1.0 second quicker around the Misto Alfa test track at Balocco than the gas-powered Abarth 695 based on the previous 500. The Abarth uses the same lithium-ion battery as the standard 500e, which has a usable capacity of 37.3 kWh, and while no range figure was quoted, the Abarth likely can’t travel as far as its less powerful counterpart. AbarthThe Abarth 500e has three drive modes—Turismo, Scorpion Street, and Scorpion Track. Turismo smooths out power delivery and limits output to 134 hp and 162 pound-feet of torque, while the Scorpion modes unlock the full power and escalate the 500e’s performance. One-pedal driving is available in Turismo and Scorpion Street, and Abarth says that with a maximum charging rate of 85 kW, the 500e can reach 80 percent in 35 minutes. Abarth also touts an “immersive sound experience” for the electric hatch—turning the car on produces a simulated guitar sound, and when you go over 12 mph for the first time after startup, a “strumming guitar” plays. A Sound Generator can also be turned on to reproduce the noise of an Abarth gas engine. AbarthStylistically, not much has changed compared to the standard 500e, with the 500 badging swapped out for a bold “Abarth” font and the scorpion-bearing badge on the nose. The front and rear bumpers have undergone minor revisions, a new “electrified” scorpion logo sits behind the doors, and there is a new wheel design. The version seen here is the fully loaded Scorpionissima launch edition, which will be limited to 1949 units and comes in either Acid Green or Poison Blue. It brings unique side graphics and 18-inch diamond-cut wheels as well as embossed seats, unique steel pedals, and an Alcantara dashboard. More about AbarthWhile Fiat is bringing the 500 back to the United States for the 2024 model year, we don’t expect the Abarth model to return, at least not initially. Fiat has announced that full details of the U.S.-spec 500e will be revealed at the 2023 Los Angeles auto show. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The reincarnated Lamborghini Countach was recalled last week for an issue relating to the vehicle’s glass engine cover, a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filing said.Lamborghini received a field notice from an owner in Qatar on October 10, which noted that one of the Countach’s four glass engine cover panels had separated from the supercar while it was on the move, an NHTSA filing said. Those glass panels sit above an electronically assisted 6.5-liter V-12 engine, which provides a total powertrain output of 803 horsepower and 557 pound-feet of torque.This incident prompted Lamborghini to open an investigation, which ultimately determined that an issue with the part’s supplier was to blame. More specifically, Lamborghini concluded that the fault stems from an issue with the supplier’s bonding of the glass panels, which could result in the panels detaching and leaving the car.LamborghiniThe 2022 Lamborghini Countach is capable of reaching 62 mph from a standstill in just 2.8 seconds, before stretching its legs all the way up to 221 mph. Not exactly the sort of speeds you want involved when ill-affixed bodywork is at play.Lamborghini was unable to determine whether or not other Countach examples would suffer from the same production fault during its initial investigation. On November 10, Lamborghini’s Product Safety Committee voted to launch a proactive recall for the Countach in every global market. That recall impacts nine owners here in the United States, with dealers expected to receive the recall details on January 9, 2023. Customers will receive a notice from Lamborghini later that week. Customer cars will be inspected after that, with replacement glass panels being made available if they are required. Every Countach built during October 2022 will already have the issue addressed in Sant’Agata Bolognese. Owning an exclusive supercar can come with some unique challenges. Thankfully for the Lamborghini faithful, this particular fix should be a straightforward job. If you happen to own one of these, it’s probably a good idea to leave it in the garage for the time being. Not that you were going to pour on the miles, anyway. LamborghiniThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More