2013 Porsche Boxster: blow dry

It must be hard to come up with a new version of something as well thought-out as the Porsche Boxster. It might be a "poor man's 911" and "hairdresser's preferred mode of transport" to some, but there's no denying that it looks fantastic. 

Now the Boxster has got even better, with Porsche's unveiling of the third generation, completely redesigned 2013 Boxster and Boxster S, with flat six boxer engines and 77Ibs lighter than the previous versions thanks to a longer, lower and wider chassis.


Prices start at around £30k. Hairdressing scissor compartment optional.

Mercedes x Mastermind G550: Ahaaaaaaar

Mastermind Japan have gone all Jack Sparrow on this Merc G550 and made it look like the Black Pearl on wheels, minus the main sail, obviously. 

On another note, Mastermind's designer and founder Masaaki Honma has just announced that spring/summer 2013 will be the brand's last, preferring to go out on a high with the hope that it will live on through collectors and the vintage market. 

If only Nigo had thought of that.

Aston Martin Cygnet: Little blighter

Let's make no bones about it - the Aston Martin Cygnet is nothing more than a rebadged Toyota IQ. If you look at the opening shot of this video you can even see the arse end of one that they have yet to start work on.

But Aston Martin is at pains to point out that this is an IQ which has essentially been pimped by them. It has been given the Aston paint job, grills, mean look and a badge.

When this was first announced, the word was that the Cygnet would be available only to current Aston Martin customers. I don't know if that policy has changed, but an ugly car will always be an ugly car, regardless of the badge it is wearing.

McLaren cars: produced in luxury

I've been seeing this copper-coloured sports car driving around my town for a few weeks now and could never work out what it was until now.

It is most definitely a McLaren, judging by these pictures, which is pretty cool in a town where most of the fast cars are Porscehs with the odd Ferrari for good measure.

These are turned out in a state of the art production facility near Woking, Surrey which was designed by Norman Foster and has one of its two floors completely buried below ground. If you're going to build cars for a living, you'd surely want to build £100k sportscars in something that looked like the garage of the Starship Enterprise, wouldn't you?

Via Freshness

Fiat 500 Abarth: coming to America

This has been on my wishlist since it was released in ... oh ... 2008? At the rate I'm going it looks like you're going to be driving it in the US before me (unless you count the test drive).

But just seeing this in its black and red finery has brought the little Abarth back on my radar. 

Jaguar C-X75 from the Dunhill perspective

Dunhill has a thing about cars, always has had. So when Jaguar unveiled its C-X75 concept at the Paris Auto show, the people at the gentleman's outfitters must have been salivating over their car coats at what they could do to pay tribute to such a feat of engineering.

The C-X75 offers a nod to the XJ-13 that was built in the mid-1960s for Le Mans and is powered by four electric generators, two jet turbines and a diesel engine.

Quite a machine, and very fitting for a Dunhill film.

Mini Tumi: baggage handler

Andre, I know you're after a mini, so I reckon you ought to take a look at the Mini Tumi Clubman Alpha and Bravo. Cars modelled on luggage, and they've even got wheels. Just don't try picking one up.

Mercedes A-Class: times change

I once considered getting a Mercedes A-Class, a Brabus one which I thought a little bit cooler than the usual 'Merc-with-water-retention' feel of the standard model. That was before my mechanic told me not to touch it with a barge pole because they are an engineering nightmare, and the engine is upside down.

It looks like things might have been sorted out a bit now, and judging by this video I might even take a second look at one once again.

Audi A1 Quattro Clubsport: enter the new contender

For years I have drooled over the Fiat 500 Abarth and I have made no secret of the fact that this is going to be the car I drive next. So vociferous has my admiration been for this little piece of engineering that I have successfully put quite a few of my friends off purchasing one themselves.

Then the other night Jamo knocks on the door and tells me he's "got something to show me."

Parked outside was a Fiat 500c Abarth in gunmetal grey, roof down, brand spanking new. I have since attempted to tame the green monster within me by telling myself that I would not have chosen that colour and that the mere fact that my mate who-can-buy-what-he-wants has now got one won't in itself put me off getting my own.

But this might. It is the Audi A1 Quattro Clubsport and a more worthy contender for that place in my heart taken by the Abarth 500 I have yet to find.

Frankly you can keep your Abarth Jamo. I'm getting one of these babies.

Via Slamxhype

Mercedes SLS AMG: blue sky thinking

I know this is one of the nicest looking Mercs ever invented but to be honest they could put the blue and orange Gulf colour scheme on a Kia and it would still look cool. Probably. They have already done it on a Tata Nano.

That said, this livery is only ever usually found on the most drool-worthy of motors. There is of course Steve McQueen's legendary Gulf Porsche which set the whole thing off in the film Le Mans, and since then we've seen a Ford GT40 various Lotus models, an Audi R8, Porsche Turbo, and an Aston Martin DBR9.

So this should feel quite at home with that lot.

Via Freshness