I was in Georgia this past weekend and managed to take in Atlanta's largest car show, Caffeine & Octane. Loosely based on the popular "Cars and Coffee" events springing up across the nation, it's an informal event open to all makes and models. While there were plenty of Ferraris and Lamborghinis there, I decided to focus on the really eclectic automobiles. You'll notice that most of these exotics are extremely expensive, exceedingly rare, and from far-flung areas of the globe not typically associated with performance cars.
2013 Shelby GT500: Hiding among the pedestrian Hondas and Toyotas parked away from the event, few onlookers noticed the sinister Shelby. Like a black mamba in the grass, it could be easily overlooked but the 662-horsepower bite from its supercharged 5.8-liter V8 is lethal. Clearly the least expensive here at $54,995, it was so new that it still sported paper tags from Prater Ford in nearby Calhoun, Georgia. And while the new GT500 closely resembles the 2012 model it replaces, the clear tip-off is the absence of a front grill. The cooling requirements of the 202-mph top speed necessitate the removal of the front grill so the Shelby can ingest massive amounts of fresh air.
Rossion Q1: If the Rossion strangely resembles the Noble M400, it's because the Rossion is a more luxuriously-appointed Noble that utilizes the same twin-turbocharged 450hp Ford Duratec 3.0-liter V6. This is one of two "kit-cars" I spotted at Caffeine & Octane, the other being a Factory Five GTM. However, for the price of $114,900 I would personally prefer a vehicle with a better powertrain and pedigree that didn't come from Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Fisker Karma: The Finland-built Fisker Karma is the electric car du jour for celebs like George Clooney and Leonardo di Caprio who want to appear "environmentally conscious" even though they take private jets that burn as much fuel in one hour as driving a car burns in a year. But despite its mega-watt status and $116,000 price tag, it features a surprisingly humble GM Ecotec turbocharged four-cylinder more commonly found in the 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt SS. And even with the Karma's two 200hp electric motors, the portly 5,300-lb curb weight conspires to keep performance closer to that of a Pontiac instead of a Porsche.
Ariel Atom 500: Embracing Colin Chapman's theology that weight is the enemy of performance, the U.K.-assembled Ariel Atom tips the scales at a flyweight 1,350 lbs, thanks to generous use of carbon fiber bodypanels, chromoly wishbones, Dymag magnesium wheels and Alcon four-piston brake calipers. Motivated by two Suzuki Hayabusa engines that make one 500hp V8, Ariel claims the Atom 500 will accelerate from 0-60mph faster than a Bugatti Veyron. And at an estimated price of $160,000, only 25 will be built this year.
Nissan GT-R: Campaigned by Forged Performance in the 2012 One Lap of America race, this GTR is the recipient of the $28,499 FP800 kit which nearly doubles the stock power from 485hp to 800hp. Among the upgrades responsible for the horsepower hike are larger turbochargers, Injector Dynamics 1000cc injectors, Deatschwerks 300lph fuel pumps and a CBRD 90mm Y-Pipe. Disappointingly, problems sidelined the GT-R during the 3,500-mile race.
2013 Jaguar XKR-S Convertible: The $138,000 XKR-S is not only the fastest Jaguar convertible ever built, all 25 examples of the car allocated for North America sold out in minutes of its debut last fall at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Enthusiasts will also notice that with 550hp from its supercharged V8, the XKR-S is even more powerful than the legendary XJ220.
Detomaso Pantera: The Pantera, or "Panther" in Italian, was Ford ill-fated attempt at selling an Argentinean import in their Lincoln-Mercury showrooms from 1971 to 1975. Despite moving 5,500 examples during that time, the Pantera was poorly-built, highly prone to rust, and generally undependable. However, that didn't seem to affect their popularity, particularly among celebrities. In fact, Elvis Presley was said to have been so frustrated by his Pantera's lack of reliability that he shot it with his gun. And Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley, the drummer for Hanoi Rocks was killed in 1984 when riding in the Pantera of Motley Crue frontman, Vince Neil. The Pantera started life with a run-of-the-mill Ford 351 producing 330hp but owners quickly moved to larger, more powerful engines such as the carbureated big-block in the example below.
All in all, it was quite a remarkable show, although some new models like the 2013 580hp Camaro ZL1 were conspicuously absent. Initially, we were having trouble finding it until I spotted a $125,000 Corvette ZR1 ahead of us. I hedged our bets that he was heading to the same event, so we dropped in behind him. Sure enough, he led us right to it. And even more exciting than the static display of all the cars, was when they began leaving the meet. Many of them deemed it necessary to "accelerate enthusiastically" upon departure, leaving not only an ear-splitting shriek in their wake but also the sweet perfume of unfiltered exhaust wafting through the morning air. Merging onto the Georgia 400 expressway, a red Porsche 911 flew past being chased by a yellow Ferrari F430. Up ahead, they encountered a light blue, late '60s Mercury Cougar also from the event. Suddenly, it was the Atlanta Olympics with the domestic Cougar squaring off against the Italian Ferrari and the German Porsche. Three lanes-wide, the drag race began and when it ceased, the Mercury had taken the gold medal.
2013 Shelby GT500: Hiding among the pedestrian Hondas and Toyotas parked away from the event, few onlookers noticed the sinister Shelby. Like a black mamba in the grass, it could be easily overlooked but the 662-horsepower bite from its supercharged 5.8-liter V8 is lethal. Clearly the least expensive here at $54,995, it was so new that it still sported paper tags from Prater Ford in nearby Calhoun, Georgia. And while the new GT500 closely resembles the 2012 model it replaces, the clear tip-off is the absence of a front grill. The cooling requirements of the 202-mph top speed necessitate the removal of the front grill so the Shelby can ingest massive amounts of fresh air.
Rossion Q1: If the Rossion strangely resembles the Noble M400, it's because the Rossion is a more luxuriously-appointed Noble that utilizes the same twin-turbocharged 450hp Ford Duratec 3.0-liter V6. This is one of two "kit-cars" I spotted at Caffeine & Octane, the other being a Factory Five GTM. However, for the price of $114,900 I would personally prefer a vehicle with a better powertrain and pedigree that didn't come from Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Fisker Karma: The Finland-built Fisker Karma is the electric car du jour for celebs like George Clooney and Leonardo di Caprio who want to appear "environmentally conscious" even though they take private jets that burn as much fuel in one hour as driving a car burns in a year. But despite its mega-watt status and $116,000 price tag, it features a surprisingly humble GM Ecotec turbocharged four-cylinder more commonly found in the 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt SS. And even with the Karma's two 200hp electric motors, the portly 5,300-lb curb weight conspires to keep performance closer to that of a Pontiac instead of a Porsche.
Ariel Atom 500: Embracing Colin Chapman's theology that weight is the enemy of performance, the U.K.-assembled Ariel Atom tips the scales at a flyweight 1,350 lbs, thanks to generous use of carbon fiber bodypanels, chromoly wishbones, Dymag magnesium wheels and Alcon four-piston brake calipers. Motivated by two Suzuki Hayabusa engines that make one 500hp V8, Ariel claims the Atom 500 will accelerate from 0-60mph faster than a Bugatti Veyron. And at an estimated price of $160,000, only 25 will be built this year.
Nissan GT-R: Campaigned by Forged Performance in the 2012 One Lap of America race, this GTR is the recipient of the $28,499 FP800 kit which nearly doubles the stock power from 485hp to 800hp. Among the upgrades responsible for the horsepower hike are larger turbochargers, Injector Dynamics 1000cc injectors, Deatschwerks 300lph fuel pumps and a CBRD 90mm Y-Pipe. Disappointingly, problems sidelined the GT-R during the 3,500-mile race.
2013 Jaguar XKR-S Convertible: The $138,000 XKR-S is not only the fastest Jaguar convertible ever built, all 25 examples of the car allocated for North America sold out in minutes of its debut last fall at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Enthusiasts will also notice that with 550hp from its supercharged V8, the XKR-S is even more powerful than the legendary XJ220.
Detomaso Pantera: The Pantera, or "Panther" in Italian, was Ford ill-fated attempt at selling an Argentinean import in their Lincoln-Mercury showrooms from 1971 to 1975. Despite moving 5,500 examples during that time, the Pantera was poorly-built, highly prone to rust, and generally undependable. However, that didn't seem to affect their popularity, particularly among celebrities. In fact, Elvis Presley was said to have been so frustrated by his Pantera's lack of reliability that he shot it with his gun. And Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley, the drummer for Hanoi Rocks was killed in 1984 when riding in the Pantera of Motley Crue frontman, Vince Neil. The Pantera started life with a run-of-the-mill Ford 351 producing 330hp but owners quickly moved to larger, more powerful engines such as the carbureated big-block in the example below.
All in all, it was quite a remarkable show, although some new models like the 2013 580hp Camaro ZL1 were conspicuously absent. Initially, we were having trouble finding it until I spotted a $125,000 Corvette ZR1 ahead of us. I hedged our bets that he was heading to the same event, so we dropped in behind him. Sure enough, he led us right to it. And even more exciting than the static display of all the cars, was when they began leaving the meet. Many of them deemed it necessary to "accelerate enthusiastically" upon departure, leaving not only an ear-splitting shriek in their wake but also the sweet perfume of unfiltered exhaust wafting through the morning air. Merging onto the Georgia 400 expressway, a red Porsche 911 flew past being chased by a yellow Ferrari F430. Up ahead, they encountered a light blue, late '60s Mercury Cougar also from the event. Suddenly, it was the Atlanta Olympics with the domestic Cougar squaring off against the Italian Ferrari and the German Porsche. Three lanes-wide, the drag race began and when it ceased, the Mercury had taken the gold medal.
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