Riding High
A guide to the finest transpo mankind has to offer
1. Lamborghini Merciélago roadster (www.lamborghini.com) $319,250
This ragtop version of Lambo’s latest supercar puts wind in your hair (or across your scalp, in our case) at 200 mph. From the driver’s seat, it feels like an F16 fighter jet that’s been retro-fitted with a steering wheel. The 6.2-liter, 12-cylinder engine churns out 571 horsepower and takes you from 0-60 in 3.8 seconds.
2. Porsche Carrera GT (www.porsche.com) $440,000
Jerry Seinfeld and Tim Allen were two of the first celebs to take delivery of the most outrageous Porsche the world has ever known. More than any other on these pages, it is a racecar for the street. A 600-horsepower V10 brings it to 100 mph in seven seconds flat, which is 1.7 seconds faster than the Lamborghini and 1.6 faster than the Mercedes SLR. Expect to pay well north of $1 million, though. It’s fetching a pretty premium.
3. Ferrari Novitec Rosso 360 (www.cecwheels.com) $266,301
Novitec Rosso, a German tuning haus, adds roughly $120 Gs to the base price of this Modena 360, upgrading everything from wheels and tires to twin turbos and $13,000 worth of brakes. Overall, it nets you an extra 155 horsepower (to 555) and brings the top speed from 183 to 210 mph. Ciao, bella!
4. Maserati Quattroporte (www.maserati.com) $95,500
TK
5. Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (www.mbusa.com) $400,000
As of press time, the first SLRs were hitting the ‘States. A local Los Angeles-area dealer had one vehicle and two interested parties, “a foreign national and an anonymous sports celebrity.” The winner would end up paying $1.5 million—yes, more than a $1 million premium above MSRP for this ultra-collectable, 626-horsepower Benz that tops out at 207 mph.
6. Shelby Mustang G.T. 500 “Eleanor” (www.uniqueperformance.com) $99,000-$159,000
Cars don’t get much classier than this. As seen in Gone in 60 Seconds, you can buy three different versions of the Eleanor Mustang. Each is fully restored and dialed as if it rolled out of a 1968 showroom with 2004 technology. The base model puts out 325 horsepower while the Super Snake version is supercharged to 725.
7. Ford GT (www.ford.com) $139,000
Equipped with 500 ponies of supercharged, V10 Detroit muscle, this is a red-state dream machine. Modeled after the late-`60s Le Mans champions, it’s ready to rumble right out of the box. The GT can hit 100 mph in 8.1 seconds and tops out at 180 mph.
8. Saleen S7 (www.saleen.com) $430,000
This is to supercars what baseball is to sports: 100% American. Behind the driver’s seat you find an aluminum 7-liter V8 that pumps out 575 horsepower and, according to Saleen, rockets the car from 0-60 in less than three seconds with a top speed in excess of 200 mph. Furthermore, its extreme ground effects and the resulting down force enable you to drive upside down, as long you maintain speeds of 160 mph or more.
9. Canepa Design Hummer H2 Limited Edition (www.canepa.com) $96,500
This is the finest H2 in the world, having been pimped out with a range of dope yet understated upgrades. Starting with the engine, a supercharger and dual exhaust system net you an extra 159<
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