If you're one of the Autoblog faithful you might remember our story on the Bugatti Type 64 Coupe chassis on display at the Mullin Automotive Museum, one of just three built by the French carmaker before the death of Jean Bugatti. At the time, we told you the museum had plans to finalize the construction of the car with custom coachwork – only one example received bodywork from the factory – and now that time has finally come to unveil the finished product. Today it was announced that a "virtually completed" car will make its debut later this month at the Quail Motorsports Gathering in Monterey.

"We've dedicated much of our efforts at the Museum to honor the Bugatti family and the marque, but never have we done something of this scale," said Peter Mullin, Chairman of the Mullin Automotive Museum. "I cannot imagine a greater token of respect to the Bugatti family than to help finish Jean Bugatti's beloved final masterpiece."

We'll have live photos of the completed Bugatti Type 64 Coupe as part of our extensive Monterey coverage next week. Want to see the car in person for yourself? The museum says it will have also have the car on display at their facility in Oxnard, CA later this year.

Click here to read the official announcement from the Mullin Museum.



News Source: Mullin Automotive Museum

The Ford Mustang Boss 302S race car dominated the inaugural season of the GTS class in the SCCA World Challenge, with Paul Brown of the Tiger Racing team winning five races and capturing the driver's championship. That wasn't necessarily a surprise, though, as the class was developed in part for the turn-key race car. This season, Ford's pony car hasn't had nearly as much success, however, with a Mustang driver not standing atop the podium since the first race and the highest ranking team currently sitting 6th in the standings.

The frustration of the Mustang teams came to a head this past weekend at Mid-Ohio when their quickest car finished in 10th place in Saturday's race. To compound their problems, seven of the Mustang race cars had overheating issues, a problem that the teams say is due to the small air restrictors mandated for the Mustang by the SCCA. Tiger Racing experienced two engine failures, while another driver experienced temperatures so high in the cabin that the rubber soles of his shoes melted.

In protest, each of the Mustang teams decided to sit out Sunday's race, parking their cars in pit lane after the initial formation lap. "The Mustang owners and drivers collectively and unanimously feel that the SCCA's method of creating parity is not working and leaves the Mustang with a significant handicap in many areas, and an advantage in NO area," said the teams in a collective statement released yesterday. "The Boss Mustang teams held meetings with series officials throughout the Mid-Ohio event in an attempt to regain some level of competitiveness, but those discussions proved fruitless. The teams collectively felt that their voices were not being heard and staged a protest to bring more attention to this matter."

Click here to read the official announcement or watch Justin Bell, driver of the Tiger Racing Mustang Boss 302S, talk about the protest on video.

The Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder may have been introduced to the mainstream by the 1986 movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off (of course, that car was a replica), but the iconic convertible has long been one of the most desirable collector cars for those in the know. With a little over 100 built, California Spyders rarely come up for sale, and when they do they bring big money. Back in 2008 a 1961 model set a record for a car sold at auction with a US$10.9 million price tag.

Those wanting to add a 250 GT California Spyder to their collection (and have the means) will have a chance later this month in Monterey, with a 1962 SWB (short wheel base) model crossing the block at Canadian auction powerhouse, RM Auctions. One of just 37 SWB cars with the more desirable enclosed headlight design, the car is finished in Rosso Corsa paint and has a tan leather interior. Under the hood is Ferrari's legendary 3.0-litre V12, the same powerplant in the 250 GTO. RM estimates the value of the car to be in the US$7.5-9 million range.

Scroll down to read the official announcement from RM, and check back in a few weeks for our complete Monterey coverage including results from the auction.

We normally associate Roush Performance with the Ford Mustang, but the company's latest project involves the F-150 SVT Raptor. The tuner has teamed up with Greg Biffle, who drives for the Roush Fenway Racing in NASCAR, on the build as part of the Sherwin-Williams Planet Color All-Star Charity Challenge, pitting them against Toyota driver Clint Boyer to see who can design the best custom truck.

The NASCAR rivals have gone in significantly separate directions, with Boyer designing a '50s-style work truck based on the Tundra and Biffle coming up with the flashy off-roader pictured above. Roush has fitted the SVT Raptor with items like their TVS2300 supercharger system good for 525 horsepower, a performance exhaust system, custom 18-inch wheels shod with 35-inch BFGoodrich tires, TireGate tire carrier and light bars front and rear.

So what determines who built the best truck? The winner will be decided by the almighty dollar, with both trucks going to auction for charity. Biffle's Tundra already sold at Barrett-Jackson's Orange County auction, raising US$100,000 for the Emporia Community Foundation, while Biffle's SVT Raptor will look to beat that number at Barrett-Jackson's Las Vegas event in September.

Click here to see the custom Roush F-150 SVT Raptor in detail in the gallery above, and let us know which truck you'd rather have in Comments.

News Source: Roush

Image Credit: Copyright 2012 Drew Phillips / AOL

Gooding & Company's Pebble Beach auction set for next month just got a little more interesting, with George Clooney's very own Tesla Roadster added to the docket. Finished in Obsidian Black Metallic paint, Clooney's Tesla is number eight of the original "Signature 100" built in 2008 and comes with the premium two-tone leather interior.

Clooney isn't selling the electric roadster to get some extra cash, though. The Academy Award-winning actor is well known for his philanthropic exploits, and the full proceeds from the auction will be given to one of his charities, the Satellite Sentinel Project. Co-founded by Clooney and human rights activist John Prendergast, the non-profit organization aims to prevent a return to civil war between Northern and Southern Sudan.

"We admire and respect Mr. Clooney's talent and dedication to making a difference in our international community, and hope his fantastic car will attract great support for the Satellite Sentinel Project and recognition of the lives his work saves every day," said company president David Gooding.

The auction house estimates the value of the Tesla Roadster at US$100,000 to US$125,000.

Click here to read the official announcement from Gooding & Company.



News Source: Gooding & Company

A new report from CarsUK.net suggests that McLaren's F1 successor will be privately shown to a select group of wealthy clients in Pebble Beach during the Monterey Car Week next month. This isn't the first time a supercar maker has done an exclusive preview in Monterey, as the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini have previously utilized the annual gathering of auto aficionados to show off their upcoming wares to potential customers.

According to the website's unnamed source, the British automaker has already constructed at least two complete cars featuring a radical design – departing from the fairly understated styling of the MP4-12C – and prolific use of lightweight carbon fiber. Under the hood is rumored to be an 800-horsepower version of McLaren's twin-turbo V8 further boosted by an additional 200-horsepower KERS system. That's a combined power output of 1,000 horsepower. Nice.

While it's likely that McLaren will hide the new supercar from the prying eyes of the automotive media, including our own, the company will be publicly showing off their recently unveiled MP4-12C Spider for the first time in North America. You can be sure we will have live photos of the debut as part of our extensive Monterey coverage.

Meanwhile, click here to view our spy photo gallery.

News Source: CarsUK.net

Image Credit: KGP Photography

The Lotus Evora has taken many forms as a race car over the past few years, starting in 2009 with the Type 124 Endurance Racer built for the FIA GT. Since then, Lotus has developed a GT4 Cup version designed for a one-make series, the Evora GTE that currently competes in the GT class of the ALMS and the recently introduced Evora GTC.

Now, Lotus has released the Evora GX, a variation of the GTC tweaked to specifically meet the requirements of Grand-Am's new GX class that will launch at the start of the 2013 race season. While the two cars are very similar, using the same lightweight carbon fiber and plexiglass bodywork, the GX version gets a thicker U.S.-spec roll cage, a revised front splitter and bumper, a standard Grand-Am rear wing, yellow headlights and a new fuel filler system. ABS and traction control have also been removed per Grand-Am regulations.

Pricing for the Evora GX is listed at US$335,000 with each one built to order, and one customer has already taken the plunge. McMahon Raceworks has placed an order and should have the car on the starting grid at the first race next year.

Click here to read the official announcement from Lotus.

News Source: Lotus

The last time we visited the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, CA, it was to see the 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic, which was the world's most expensive car at the time with an estimated purchase price of $30-$40 million. Nearly two years later we found ourselves back in the museum, this time to view the world's fastest car – the 2011 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport World Record Edition.

Bugatti will build 300 of the Veyron 16.4 supercars by the time they are finished with production. Of those, 46 will be of the Super Sport variant boasting an incredible 1,200 horsepower, and of those just five will be World Record Editions that celebrate the car's record-breaking 268 mph (431 km/h) top-speed run. The car you see here is one of those select few and is on loan to the museum for a short period of time. It features the same two-tone paint scheme featured on the car used to set the top speed at Volkswagen's Ehra-Lessian high-speed oval.

The Veyron 16.4 Super Sport WRE is one of many modern Bugattis currently on display in the museum, joining a Veyron 16.4 Super Sport prototype and show cars from the late 1990s including the 18.3 Chiron Concept, EB118 Concept and EB218 Concept. A rare Bugatti EB110 SS is also on display.

If you want to see the 268-mph (431 km/h) Bugatti in person then head over to the Mullin Museum's web site for visiting hours and ticketing information. Not in the Southern California area? You can see the car in detail in the gallery above.

Image Credit: Copyright 2012 Drew Phillips / AOL

Carroll Shelby may have passed away, but that doesn't mean his company has stopped producing new vehicles. Shelby American announced that it has updated the GT350 for 2013 with new options and an expanded range of colour options. Customers can now choose from any of the Ford factory hues, meaning that everything from Gotta Have It Green to Candy Red can be applied to the GT350's exterior. The new colours can also be paired with new stripe colours – black, white or metallic blue – as well as black or silver wheels. Also new for 2013 are options for a glass roof and Recaro seats, and an updated rear valence.

What hasn't changed are the GT350's performance credentials. A 430-horsepower version of the 5.0-litre V8 comes standard, although we're guessing many customers will opt for the supercharger system with an output of either 525 or 624 horsepower. Shelby says that it will produce just 350 GT350s for 2013 with the post-title package (not including the base car) starting at US$26,995 or US$33,995 with the supercharger system.

You can click here to read the official press release details.

News Source: Shelby American

Last year Formula Drift star Vaughn Gittin Jr. let us go for a quick drive in his 2011 Mustang RTR, and while we were impressed with the styling and price, the harsh suspension tuning and lack of performance options left us wanting. Gittin must have taken our review to heart, as he unveiled the 2013 Mustang RTR today with a new adjustable suspension setup and up to 624 horsepower with an optional supercharger system.

Of course, those aren't the only upgrades to the Mustang RTR for 2013. The dealer-installed package also includes a new styling package that includes an updated front fascia, side splitters, aluminum rear spoiler and rear diffuser. Thankfully, those beautiful 19-inch wheels are still in place.

Gittin is also allowing customers to choose from two packages, with a Spec 1 version including just the basics (US$6,250), while a Spec 2 car comes fully loaded (US$11,995) with the option of a 525- or 624-horsepower Ford Racing supercharger system.

Hit the jump to read all the details in the press release and check out the official 2013 Mustang RTR video.

Travis Pastrana has had a tough start to 2012, wrecking out of nearly every race he's entered. The Global RallyCross Championship has been particularly frustrating, with the Red Bull Motorsports driver finishing 8th and 15th in the first two events of the season and failing to make its past the first round of the X Games after getting smashed into the wall in the first turn.

Pastrana hopes his fortunes have turned around, though, after managing to give the Dodge Dart its first RallyCross win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this past weekend. He qualified third overall and managed to win his heat, giving him a spot on the front row for the final race. Pastrana took advantage of his position, jumping out to a first lap lead after passing Tanner Foust in a hairpin and eventually finishing just ahead of Samuel Hubinette. Brian Deegan rounded out the podium in third place, with Foust finishing in fourth and Ken Block in fifth.

"It's been so long, I almost forgot what it's like to win," said Pastrana after the race. "It is absolutely awesome to get out here and get on top. It has been a rough season."

The next and final race of the 2012 Global RallyCross season will be at Las Vegas Motor Speedway over the weekend of September 28-29.

Hit the jump for videos of all the leaps, jumps and bumps.

It often seems that cars worth millions of dollars are kept under lock and key in climate-controlled garages, never to see the open road. Christopher Cox's 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO is not one of the those cars. The American investor drives the car, one of just 39 built, regularly and has participated in numerous events around the world since he purchased it in 2005. In fact, we've seen the brightly colored 250 GTO, worth an estimated $30+ million, in person no less than five times including last summer in Monterey where it was entered in the Pebble Beach Tour and Concours d'Elegance.

Of course, driving a car always comes with the chance of an accident, and unfortunately that's just what happened when Cox recently had the 250 GTO out on track as part of the model's 50th anniversary tour in France last week. Details of the extent of the accident are scarce, but the off-track excursion at the Reims-Gueux race track was bad enough that his wife broke her leg on impact.

We wish a speedy recovery to both Christopher and his wife, and we're sure the car will up and running in no time. Hopefully we'll see it back in action in the near future.

You can see our photos of Cox's 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO at various events in the gallery above.

Last year, Gooding & Company smashed the record for the highest amount paid for a car at auction when the 1957 Ferrari 250 TR Prototype sold for US$16.39 million at Pebble Beach. Now the auction house looks to break that record with an ultra-rare 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K von Krieger Special Roadster.

Called "the most exciting pre-war Mercedes-Benz I've ever known" by David Gooding, the auction company's founder, the unique 540K Special Roadster was originally built for the royal Prussian family in 1936. In 1942 the car was shipped to Switzerland by Baroness Gisela von Krieger to avoid the perils of WWII, after which it followed her to the United States where she drove it around Greenwich, CT. The Baroness later moved back to Switzerland and left this stunning roadster behind, where it sat in a garage for more than forty years.

The car's current owner has restored it to Concours condition, finished in black and chrome with a Cognac leather interior. While Gooding & Company won't release an official estimate, it's confident the car will break the record amount paid for a Mercedes-Benz, set last year at RM's Monterey auction, and quite possibly the overall record set at the aforementioned 2011 Gooding auction at Pebble Beach.

You can read more about the 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K von Krieger Special Roadster in Gooding's press release past the jump, and look out for live results from all the Monterey auctions come August.

News Source: Gooding & Company

Image Credit: Copyright 2012 Gooding & Company / Peter Harholdt

RallyCross is quickly becoming one of the X Games' most exciting events, with many of the most popular athletes flocking to four wheels in the past few years. For X Games 18 this past weekend, the lineup of drivers was the most impressive yet, with eight-time WRC champion Sebastien Loeb accepting Travis Pastrana's challenge to take on the rest of the field, not to mention European RallyCross champion Sverre Isachsen and skateboarder Bucky Lasek bolstering team Subaru.

Despite never having raced in X Games, let alone anywhere in North America, Loeb was undoubtedly the favorite going into the event. Yes, his specially built Citroën DS3 has significantly more horsepower than his standard rally car, but Loeb has also proven he is incredibly fast no matter what he is driving. The rest of the X Games field was full of experienced and capable drivers including two-time WRC champion Marcus Grönholm, Tanner Foust, Liam Doran and Rhys Millen. It's also hard to count out Brian Deegan, last year's gold medalist, and the always-entertaining Ken Block.

Could Sebastien Loeb translate his WRC success into inaugural X Games success, or did one of the other RallyCross drivers beat out the venerable Frenchman? Scroll down to find out.