Awesome Cars

You’ve seen drag races before, but never one quite like this. Motor Trend lines up 11 of the greatest drivers’ cars (and drivers) in a totally unscientific, totally awesome bit of hardcore automotive porn.

Still lurking in the shadows, ready to be fully revealed at this week’s Frankfurt Auto Show, the Rimac Concept One boasts 1088hp and a top speed of 190mph, despite the fact that it’s fully electric.

Aaron Evans pulls off an amazing gymnastic feat, launching a front flip over a speeding Acura NSX – without getting run over, natch. Needless to say, don’t try this. More angles here and here.

Fancy Casey Putsch’s helicopter engine-powered Batmobile? Good news: Casey has put it up for sale to fund other projects. We’d rather have the Tumblers. Also we don’t have that kind of money.

Has a 422hp 5.5L V8 engine, goes 0-60mph in 4.6s. Has 3 transmission modes: controlled-efficiency, sport and manual. Also has a meaner front apron with large air inlets and LED daytime lights.

The latest edition of the 458 Italia gets its roof swapped out for a folding aluminum hard top in the new 458 Spider; the better to hear the roar of its 4.5L, 570 hp engine with top speed of 198 mph.

Cadillac harkens back to the era when cars looked like boats with their luxurious Ciel convertible. Driven by a twin-turbo 3.6L V6 with hybrid electric power, it measures at over 203 inches long.

Blending modern lines with inspiration from classics, Andrea Spaggiari’s take on the Maserati loads a 450hp, longitudinal V8 in the front end to propel this RWD 2+2 on massive 20-inch wheels.

The iconic 911 has been tweaked just a smidge for 2012, with a 2″ increase in length, a 3.4L direct-injected flat-six with 350 hp and 280 lb/ft of torque and a downward sloping console on the inside.

Just when we thought we’d seen the most expensive car in the world, out comes another tricked out Veyron. The Sang Noir (Black Blood) is currently the only Veyron Super Sport for sale.

The victim of this prank gets a rude awakening, resulting in a maddening ride down the road. The only thing that would have been better would have been for it to kick in during rush hour traffic.

Send Amanda Wolfe a picture of your pet and she’ll make a charming and funny mugshot, using gouache – an opaque watercolor – on cardstock. Available in different sizes – 3×3, 5×5 and 9×9.

Sky Lund talks about his love for the classic BMW 2002 sports sedan. Even if you’re not into cars, I think we can all relate to Lund’s passion and agree that his ride is one fine piece of work.

Germany’s DMC upgrades the Maserati Gran Turismo with a supercharger and electronic tuning to push the car’s 4.7L V8 from 434hp up to 582hp. Interior and exterior mods are sporty, but refined.

Mike Duff has replicated a Bugatti Veyron by hand, taking a Mercury Cougar and piece by piece transforming it into quite a beautiful car. Bonus: this vehicle is also up for sale. (Thanks Kelley!)

Now you can view and learn more about each of the 17 “works of art on wheels” of the legendary BMW Art Car collection online, from Andy Warhol’s BMW M1 to Olafur Eliasson’s H2R prototype.

The first BMW designed for the German DTM racing circuit since the 1990s, this sexy beast will be powered by a 473hp V8, offering a top speed of 186mph and a 0-60 time of about 3 seconds.

Bugatti teams up with Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur to create a unusual vehicle with porcelain details on both interior and exterior. This one-of-a-kind Veyron is expected to fetch ~$2.4M.

Casey Putsch of Putsch Racing has assembled a turbine-powered Batmobile, with a 385 hp Boeing turboshaft engine from a naval drone helicopter and a Dodge Viper-like power/weight ratio.

If you enjoyed the drifting on the rooftop in the previous vid, then you’ll probably like the way the BMW 1M seamlessly slips through the Tetris-like cuts in the concrete walls here. (Thanks David!)

Morgan officially unveiled the 3-Wheeler earlier this year. Watch the video to see the revived classic hooning about and hear its 115hp engine roar. Check out its website to find a dealer near you.

Audi’s R8 V8 Limited Edition commemorates their victories at Le Mans, and offers a 430 hp, 4.2-liter V8, titanium-toned paint and wheels, 19″ double Y-spoke tires and a set of red brake calipers.

When you’re racing a funny car down the drag strip, the steering wheel is one part of the car that’s not supposed to deploy. Maybe it got confused and thought it was the parachute?