The Volkswagen Virtus 1.5 GT and Taigun have set national records in India. The Virtus covered a distance of 4,654.48 km in a 24-hour endurance drive, achieving an average speed of nearly 194 kmph. Meanwhile, the Taigun covered a distance of 4,423.82 km in 24 hours and achieved a fuel efficiency of 29.8 km/l, setting a record for the best-ever fuel efficiency by a 1.0l engine-powered car in 24 hours. These achievements were made at NATRAX, the National Automotive Test Tracks, in India. [54db0782]
The Pontiac Firefly Turbo, on the other hand, has faded into obscurity. In the late 1980s, Pontiac partnered with Suzuki to produce cheap and reliable economy cars. The Firefly Turbo, essentially a rebranded Suzuki Cultus/Swift, was also sold as the Chevrolet Sprint Turbo in the United States. However, it couldn't compete with other hot hatchbacks of the time, like the Volkswagen Golf GTI and the Dodge Omni GLH, due to its low horsepower and slow acceleration. [2707bfa7]
Aston Martin has unveiled the design of a new limited-edition supercar called the Valiant, which is intended to honor the internal combustion engine. The car has a lightweight, full carbon fiber body and a 5.2-liter Twin-Turbo V12 engine. It is designed to hark back to a highly modified Aston Martin DBS V8 that competed at Le Mans in the 1970s. The Valiant will debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, and deliveries are slated to begin before the end of 2024. The launch of the Valiant follows the release of the Aston Martin Valour, a special edition model created for the company's 110th anniversary last year. Aston Martin in February put the launch of its first all-electric model on hold until at least 2026, citing a lack of demand for luxury battery-powered vehicles. [aa89a2ed]
The LeMay Family Collections in Tacoma, Washington, includes several vehicles from the 1970s. Some of the cars featured are: a 1971 Volkswagen Beetle Woodie 2-Door Sedan with a 4-cylinder, 1585 cc, 60 horsepower engine; a 1971 Volvo 1800E Sports Coupe with a 4-cylinder, 2 liter, 130 horsepower engine; a 1971 Jaguar XKE Series III, 2+2 FHC with a V12, 5.3 liter, 272 horsepower engine; a 1972 Citroen DS23 executive car with a 4-cylinder, 143 cubic inch, 141 horsepower engine; a 1972 Stutz Blackhawk 2-Door Coupe custom-made for Sammy Davis, Jr. with a V8, 455 cubic inch, 431 horsepower engine; a 1973 Elite Laser 917 replica of the Porsche 917 with a 6-cylinder, 164 cubic inch, 110 horsepower engine; a 1974 Gaz Chaika Model 13 Limousine used by KGB and Communist Party officials with a V8, 352 cubic inch, 195 horsepower engine; and a 1978 Alfa Romeo Spider with a 4-cylinder, 1600 cc, 108 horsepower engine. [c3919ea0]