NEWS: Reports say that Saab deal could have been done earlier but…

The short of it is, Spyker could have had the keys to Saab earlier, if not for the Swedish government’s suspicion of the group’s ties with another company who have been linked by intelligence agencies to the Russian mafia!

Yes. that IS an actual full-sized shuttle on it's back

Heard of Antonov before? Well, if you’re the only person at the bookshop standing in front of the aircraft section or have found yourself paying the nonsensical $100 a day parking fee at the Singapore Airshow 2010, then the word Antonov probably means something.

These guys made the largest plane known to man with the aircraft spanning the length of a football field from the nose to the end and having six, instead of the boring normal four engines, each pushing out 51,590 pounds of thrust! It was called the AN-225 and it was the epitome of the “upsizing” mentality that seemed to be popular with the Soviet Union while it existed. For more information about the aircraft you guys should be heading this way.

Back to the Saab sale though, it’s suspected that during it’s Initial Public Offering back in 2004, the Convers Group, a Russian bank controlled by the Antonov family, had bought a 29% stake in the Dutch company.

NEWS: Saab officially canned!(No)(Yes)(No)(Definately no)

Update No.3: Finally! Spyker has succeeded in it’s pitch to absorb Saab and all it’s liabilities. The debt-ridden manufacturer of the small volume Spyker supercars have not announced their plans for the future with the Swedish brand yet but I’m surely looking forward to it once they do.

Update No.2: Bernie and his partners have stepped down from the offer along the other parties except persistent Spyker. GM on the other hand has announced that they’re still in talks with Spyker but won’t rule out winding the Saab brand down.

Update: Ok Saab’s back on life support. This time more parties are interested including F1 supermo Bernie Ecclestone.

MUNICH — Saab will be closed down, its parent General Motors Co.announced today after concluding that a sale of the Swedish brand to Dutch niche car maker Spyker Cars NV could not be completed quickly enough.

“We regret that we were not able to complete this transaction with Spyker Cars,” GM Europe President Nick Reilly said in a statement. “We will work closely with the Saab organization to wind down the business in an orderly and responsible manner.”

Reilly added that Saab’s closure is neither a bankruptcy nor a forced liquidation process.

“Consequently, we expect Saab to satisfy debts including supplier payments,” Reilly said, “and to wind down production and the distribution channel in an orderly manner while looking after our customers.”

INTEREST: Are EVs Risking or Saving the Planet?

Was browsing online and came across this piece bringing into question the realistic benefits from putting electronic cars through the pipeline. Just with hybrid technology, most people still do not get that driving a hybrid can be as damaging to the environment as a normal petrol or diesel vehicle.

Here’s a small portion of the report I came across on Business Week with the link to the full article at the bottom

“Electric cars should be rewarded for their energy efficiency, not for moving emissions from exhaust pipes to powerstation chimneys” says the UK’s Environmental Transport Association (ETA). In a report titled “How to avoid an electric shock—Electric cars: from hype to reality”, the ETA has taken a close look at electric-powered vehicles (EVs) and their associated technologies.

In what could be a shock to some commuters—and governments—the report states that EVs could potentially speed climate change, rather than reduce it, and might not be as good for the planet as some of the spin suggests. Simply put, it’s not necessarily the cars themselves that will cause the damage, but the way the electricity is generated to power them and how often we drive them. For instance, EVs powered by “green energy”—wind or solar—are obviously superior, but if the electricity comes from coal, hybrids perform better.

Visitors to recent motor shows, including the massive Frankfurt Motor Show in September would have been convinced that the motoring world is heading toward EV domination. As the report says, virtually every major manufacturer has exhibited a car powered by batteries.

ORGASM OF THE WEEK #3

Welcome to the start of the long weekend everyone!

Ok, in the third installation of the Orgasm of the week we’ve got a picture from Singapore Exotic Car Spotter’s Srinath Amruth.

And it’s another first…Singapore’s very first Ferrari F430 16M Scuderia! Now do pardon the bad picture quality but the car wasn’t standing still for any pictures.

NEWS: Ferrari working on a new way to open doors

And they say it’s radical AND practical…wasn’t those the words used on the Koenigsegg’s as well?

Autocar came across a patent filing showing a few diagrams depicting this unique door setup.

What sets it apart is the fact that the new Ferrari door includes part of the front fender and hinges upward like the butterfly door from a LeMans racer.

ORGASM OF THE WEEK #2

This weeks submission comes from Jonathan, a pretty young member of the Singapore Exotic Car Spotter facebook group!

It’s the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG and it’s probably the only example of its kind here at the moment.

BREAKING NEWS: Kimi Raikkonen quits Formula 1

The ex-Ferrari driver and 2007 Championship winner wasn’t able to reach an agreement with McLaren for a drive next year with Lewis Hamilton.

“The Formula One alternatives for next season were McLaren or nothing,” Raikkonen’s manager Steve Robertson was quoted as saying by Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat. “Kimi and McLaren could not reach an agreement, so he will not drive at F1 level – at least not next year.”

NEWS: Bugatti Veyron makes a splash in Texas

The owner reportedly was driving when a low-flying pelican distracted him, causing him to bury his prized ride in a two-foot salt water marsh.

Unfortunately, someone did take a video and everything seems to be exactly as he said happened, with the exception of a suicidal pelican flying around the car just before he decided to calmly steer the Veyron into the water body.

And it gets a little more suspicious as reporters in the US were quick to point out that the owner, Andy House, is also the owner of Performance Auto Sales in Lufkin, Texas. Now, if you did click on the link you’ll realise what kind of business Andy’s really in.

UPDATED: 3 Lamborghini Reventon Roadsters arriving in Singapore? Try 4!

And not as a display piece! We’re not exactly sure how many are waiting to be delivered to overseas buyers, but we’re assuming at least one of the 3 examples that will land here, have been bought locally.

After Lamborghini announced that they will be building “less than 20″ examples of their ultra-exclusive Reventon Roadster, they released a video illustrating exactly how slim your chances were in owning one of these morbid creations. So there’s really no wonder why some collectors in the UAE have been left distressed, throwing their mint tea pots against the walls.

But what’s more disturbing is that out of those examples which have been spoken for, 3 of them have been slated for arrival on our shores! All 687 sq km of it!

This HAS to be the video of the month!

The BMW M3 GTS in HD yo!.

Suddenly I’m incapable of proper sentence structure.

Holy…..shit…..monster…..scary…….loud……sexy……..beautiful……….expensive……….climax…….christmas……..present…….

Prepare to be blown away….