LARTE DESIGN REVEALS RANGE ROVER SPORT “WINNER” FOR ESSEN MOTOR SHOW

Russian tuning house Larte Design has arrived at the 2014 Essen Motor Show with an upgraded Range Rover Sport it has modestly dubbed “Winner.” The styling program for the luxury SUV includes a redesigned front fascia, with a new grille sporting three trapezoidal frames and a lower grille sporting two, all accented in blue. A black “sport band” connects the hood to the roof, extending down to the back where a roof spoiler, third brake light and Remus quad exhaust system can be found.Other upgrades include a new rear bumper, boomerang grids on the side, a selection of black horizontal lines, and a set of gloss-black ten-double-spoke alloys.

CHECK OUT THE AFTERMATH OF DAVID BECKHAM’S CRASHED AUDI RS6

Former soccer superstar and one-half of celebrity mega-couple Posh and Becks was involved in a crash over the weekend, and these images show the extent of the damage done to his Audi RS6 Avant. Obviously we applaud the former England football captain for his choice of cars and are happy to report neither him nor his son, Brooklyn, a passenger at the time of the accident, were seriously injured. The other car involved in the crash was a Mitsubishi Colt Coupe Cabriolet.

NEXT-GENERATION NISSAN Z-CAR COULD OFFER MULTIPLE ENGINES

It was in 2008 when Nissan last rolled out a new Z-car, the 370Z, and despite getting a facelift along the way still looks pretty dated. That doesn’t make it a bad sports car, just one that’s becoming harder to sell. But have no fear because Nissan is currently at work on a replacement.We’ve learned previously that the next-gen Z-car will likely be a bit smaller and definitely lighter than it is currently, but the question now is whether or not the V6 will return.Speaking with Australian publication CarAdvice at the Nismo Festival in Japan, Nissan corporate vice president Roel de Vries hinted that several different engines are being considered. Reading between the lines, this very likely means the V6 is dead. “Can you sell a V6 in Europe? No. Does that mean the next Z will have a V6 (for Europe)? No, of course we are not going to do that,” de Vries stated. However, he added that "there’s still an audience that wants a six-cylinder engine, so why should we give it up? That’s all part of ongoing studies." However, the arrival of the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ twins somewhat changed things, proving that a two-seat/RWD coupe can work with a naturally-aspirated four-cylinder.

One possible outcome is that a four banger will be offered as the base engine while a V6 would be a pricier option, for the US at least. Nissan wants to keep the Z-car affordable and a less powerful but still fun to drive entry-level option could be the smartest move.

UKRAINE WILL SOON HAVE A SUPERCAR; RUSSIA MAY WANT A PIECE OF THE ACTION

If design studio Askaniadesign accomplishes its goal, then Ukraine may soon have a supercar to call its own (assuming Russia doesn’t come along and take it). Hailing from the city of Zaporozhye, the model is in the initial stages of development, and can be seen here in this selection of renderings.Without giving away any technical or drivetrain details, project manager Roman Sukhorukov said that there will be a “big surprise” under the hood.

YOU CAN OWN ONE OF THE HERO 1967 FORD MUSTANG ELEANORS FROM "GONE IN 60 SECONDS"

OK, so maybe this isn’t a real 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby. It was built specifically for the 2000 flick "Gone in 60 Seconds," starring Nicholas Cage and Angelina Jolie. Actually, it’s one of 11 "Eleanor" versions built for the movie, but it’s only one of three so-called hero cars. Yes, that means it was used for plenty of close-up shots featuring the actors. Heck, Nicholas Cage’s ass could very well have plopped down in the driver’s seat. Or, better still, maybe it was Angelina’s?Whatever the truth is, this particular Eleanor, number 7 to be exact, will be up for auction next week in Austin, Texas. Powered by a Ford Racing 351 crate engine with Holley 4-barrel carburetor and high-volume fuel pump, it’s paired to a four-speed manual gearbox.Other bits include a Fluidyne Racing Products aluminum radiator and front reinforced braces. It even has air conditioning and a Lecarra steering wheel. Built by hot rod designer Steve Standford, everything about this Mustang is damn near perfect. Interested? Hope you’ve got deep pockets.

REITER ENGINEERING UNVEILS LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO FL2 GT3 EXTENSO RACER

The Huracan may have replaced the Gallardo, but as the GT3 variant’s official partner, Reiter Engineering still has a job to do in keeping the race car fighting fit.Dubbed the Lamborghini FL2 GT3 Extenso R-EX, the tuner’s extensive facelift includes a significant widening of the rear end thanks to new carbon-fiber rear quarter panels, and new wishbones that widens the rear axle track width by 13 to 205 cm.New front and rear lights give the racer a more aggressive look, while race camshafts and new Mahle pistons combine to help improve the torque curve and reduce fuel consumption. The FL2 also gets a new soundtrack, although Reiter failed to detail how this has been achieved.Having built over 100 Gallardo GT3s, with over 200 race wins and 400 podiums between them, Reiter didn’t have to make too many changes to what is clearly a winning formula. Ten Extenso Gallardos will be built at 248,000 Euros a pop, available in carbon black or titanium gray.

KIA IS FINALLY MAKING SOME SERIOUS PROGRESS ON BRINGING GT TO PRODUCTION

It was first revealed as a concept back in 2011 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and overall reaction to the Kia GT Concept was very positive. Many were simply stunned that something this cool and aggressive-looking could come from Kia, the South Korean brand most associated with lame (at best) econoboxes and financing for everyone.Like its sister brand, Hyundai, Kia wanted to dramatically change its image, and the GT was a noble start.We’ve previously been told that a GT production version was on its way for around 2016 or 2017, and now, according to CarAdvice, it has entered the R&D stage. This means that discussions are now happening regarding all aspects of a production version, such as its engine and all other drivetrain components.Kia’s marketing people are currently looking at how best to promote it in the US. The plan, as of now, is to find a way to effectively target the likes of the Audi A7, BMW 5 Series GT, and even the Porsche Panamera. We just want it to retain as much of the concept’s styling as possible, and make sure it has rear-wheel-drive. Do that and the production GT could be a winner.