Morgan Aero SuperSports

As part of the Morgan Motor Company's celebration of one hundred years of continuous manufacture of motorcars they have released the Morgan Aero SuperSports - a limited edition lightweight aluminium sports car with a luxurious specification.

The convertible makes use of two aluminium detachable roof panels. These can either turn the car effectively in to a coupe or when detached bring fresh air to the driving experience without undue wind disturbance to spoil the journey. The panels can be stored conveniently in the boot.

The car benefits from the lightweight aluminium Aero chassis which is adhesively bonded for rigidity. This chassis is combined with the aluminium 4.8 litre BMW V8 engine as seen in the Aero and a choice of 6 speed automatic or manual gearboxes.

Charles Morgan, Grandson of the founder said "The Morgan Aero SuperSports is a luxurious flamboyant sports car which also remains true to Morgan's philosophy of lightweight minimalist simplicity. It is a celebration of our love of cars and the romance of travel and is a fitting model to announce during Morgan's Centenary year."

The new Aero Super Sports is due to enter production in early 2010. A deposit of £25,000 (GBP) is required to ensure the supply of one of these exciting new models. It is anticipated to cost around £127,000 (GBP) including tax.

Irmscher 7 Roadster

Irmscher the respected tuner of Vauxhall/Opel and Cadillac cars has launched a sportscar of their own. The Irmscher 7 takes much of it's influence from the Lotus/Caterham 7 roadster but with it's own selection of modern components to help it go. The 7, currently only available in Germany offers a selection of models from kit to complete cars and with a base 2.2 litre 150 hp four cylinder engine or 3 different turbo charged 2 litres. The top of the range boasts 284 hp and 0-62mph in around 4 seconds.

As with all 7 based cars the design keeps luxuries and weight to a minimum to get the best possible performance.

Honda Linian Roadster concept

With the Honda S2000 Roadster being phased out of production this year the motoring world are speculating what may replace it. This concept exhibited in China at the Shanghai Motor Show could give us some clues.

The Honda Linian Roadster concept is not a production ready car. There are several features that would be impractical for real-world driving such as the aeroplane style steering wheel. However the styling could be much the same for a production car. The fact that Honda are giving nothing away to the engine in this car suggests that it is under serious consideration.

Karmann Files for Insolvency

German convertible specialist Karmann has filed for insolvency as the effects of the global downturn continued to hit the world's car makers. The company, perhaps best known for it's cabriolet version of the original VW Beetle and the VW Karmann Ghia Coupe and Convertible, said it was forced to close because of "the threat of inability to pay the imminent financial obligations".

Thankfully this may only be a temporary glitch as the company report that they are practically free of bank debts, however, the collapse of the automotive market on one hand and the cost of a major restructuring plan on the other hand have resulted in a burden that exceeds the financial capability of Wilhelm Karmann GmbH.

The union IG Metall said 3,470 workers at Wilhelm Karmann GmbH were affected by the insolvency, which comes just over a month after the company ceased assembly of full vehicles at its Rheine plant. The company said a sharp drop in sales meant it was having difficulty meeting agreements made with the union over compensation to laid off workers. It is the goal - together with the preliminary court-assigned insolvency administrator - to lead the newly restructured Karmann group into a secure future and to maintain as many jobs as possible.

Wilhelm Karmann GmbH was founded in 1901 and remains family owned. Since then it has undertaken various projects, from design to production as well as assembly of components, for various car manufacturers including Chrysler, Porsche, Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz. Recently the company has been responsible for building VW Golf Mk1-4 Convertibles, the Renault Mégane CC, Nissan Micra C+C and Chrysler Crossfire

The company was assembling Audi A4 and Mercedes CLK convertibles until shortly before Karmann filed for insolvency in Osnabrueck, where its main plant is located.

Nissan 370Z Roadster

The new, extensively revised Z Roadster has been unveiled to reveal a slicker but no less muscular car than it's predecessor.

Based on the new 370Z Coupe, the Roadster's exterior is more aggressive in appearance and lighter in structure. Weight is cut down by use of aluminium for several body panels. The fully-lined fabric top is now fully automatic, closing without a manual latch.

Power comes from the same 332-horsepower 3.7-liter DOHC V6 engine as the Coupe. The large new engine has a broader power band making it easier to make the most of the Z's horses. Compared to the previous generation 350Z Roadster, the new Z® convertible picks up 26 horsepower and 2 lb-ft of torque (332 horsepower @ 7,000 rpm and 270 lb-ft of torque @ 5,200 rpm, compared with the previous 3.5-liter V6's 306 horsepower @ 6,800 rpm and 268 lb-ft of toque @ 4,800 rpm).

Rolls-Royce Hyperion by Pininfarina for sale

One of the star's of 2008's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is now up for sale. It was built as a one-off creation by Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina for a wealthy client. The car is a roadster based on the already exclusive Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe. However unlike the original car it does away with the rear seats for a more sporting style.

The car was commissioned by Roland Hall, a collector and the owner of a Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe, asked Pininfarina to create a custom-built car that would evoke the appeal of the sumptuous cars of the 1930s. It was named after Hyperion, one of the Titans of Greek mythology, to underline its architectural and figurative power.

The new owner of Hyperion will have to part with €4,500,000 for the privilege. Considering the car remains in Italy (rather than Mr Hall's home in the US) suggest it may have been a little too much to find in these turbulent economic times.

More details can be found here.