China-Only Koenigsegg Agera R Zijin Spotted - Gets Solid Gold-Plated Interior!

If you have the money, ultra-exclusive automakers, like Koenigsegg will build your car however you want it, to the full extent. Just such an example of a car was recently spotted in China - the Agera R Zijin. The unfamiliar Chinese word translates into purple gold, and that`s exactly what the car is - purple on the outside, and gold on the inside.

The special one-off exterior finish - a brilliant purple which really looks good on the Swedish hypercar, is complimented by the solid gold-plated interior. Not all of the interior is covered in gold, but the centre console, steering wheel trim, the air vent surrounds and various knobs and buttons are made from the precious metal - it would`t be our first choice to decorate the interior of our hypothetical Koenigsegg, but it does not look as bad as some may have expected.

It is utterly-decadent and highly-opulent nevertheless.

To counter the weight of all that gold, this particular example of the Agera gets the full 1040 hp version of the five-lifer twin-turbo V8 motor, so performance should not be a problem.

Check out the gallery below to see what we`re on about.

News Source: carnewschina.com and cheshuoshuo.com

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Lamborghini Aventador LP720-4 to Debut in Geneva

The Geneva Motor Show is set to bring us many new pieces of fresh and exciting metal and one of the best will come from Lamborghini, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Company CEO Stephan Winkelman previously announced that he Raging Bull will introduce a one-off proposal at the Swiss event, but didn’t offer too many details on the matter.

It now seems that the new development will be a special Aventador, which will be called LP720-4, as AutoGespot writes. Since the car uses this designation, it means that it will gain an extra 20 hp, not just the expected visual treats.

Considering that the Aventador is already a full-force beast, as we found out during our test drive, we’re really curious what an ECU remap can do for it - this is the tech modification we're expecting it to receive.

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BMW Launches M3 Pure Coupe in Australia - $30,000 Cheaper

Despite the fact that the current BMW M3 is approaching the end of its lifecycle, and will be replaced by an all-new turbocharged car, based on the current 3-Series, the Bavarian automaker has decided to launch a special edition of the current car, in Australia.

Called Pure Coupe, the Australia-only special edition starts at 125,000 AUD, which is 30,000 AUD cheaper than the standard M3. How have they achieved this? Well, by removing many non-essential performance features, such as the fancy audio system, the sunroof, the adaptive headlights, heated front seats and the power-folding electric mirrors.

Still, the car gets a leather and cloth combination for the upholstery, while the Novillo leather, usually found on the M3 seats is now limited to just the headrests. Also, despite the fact that it has had some features taken out, it is still well-equipped, with bi-xenon headlights, sat-nab, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, parking sensors and the all-important carbon finer roof.

Scott Croaker, Product Communications Manager at BMW Australia says: "Some of the features that don't relate to performance and dynamics have been dropped to achieve that price point [ . . . ] But certainly, when you look at the make-up of the spec that's been dropped from standard specification, it still doesn't equate to 30 grand. It's a slightly refined list, but overall it's just an incredibly sharp pricing package."

They are also offering discounts on the various 'packs' available for the M3. For instance, the Competition Package will cost 1,800 AUD (600 AUD savings), the Dynamic Damper Control now costs 2,700 AUD (700 AUD).

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South Africa Gets Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 Alpine Edition

The 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee is an imposing vehicle, and the extra sporty bits bolted onto the SRT8 model further accentuate those traits. Now, Jeep has launched a limited edition model, for the South African market, called the Alpine Edition. Keep in mind that this is the pre-facelift model, as the one with lots of LEDs has just been revealed at the 2013 North American International Auto Show.

The Alpine Edition, limited to just 95 examples, comes only in white, with contrasting 20-inch rims, finished in Black Vapor Chrome. The sporty touches don`t stop here, as the car also gets a very noticeable black grille, badge and various other details, all of which are finished in glossy black.

The car gets no performance mods to speak of, being powered by the same 6.4-liter Hemi V8, which makes 462 hp and 624 Nm of torque, catapulting the large SUV to 100 km/h or 62 mph in five seconds dead, before topping out at 257 km/h (160 mph). A light turbo kit will fix the problem for some, who may want even more power from their SUV - keep in mind that 462 hp may be a lot, but in the Grand Cherokee it has a lot of weight to lug around.

Pricing for the Alpine Edition starts at 834,990 ZAR, which roughly equates to €71,100 or $94,400, and it is already available for purchase at South African Jeep dealers.

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Suzuki Reveals Swift Sport SZ-R and Swift SZ-L

Suzuki has just revealed two special edition Swifts, one based on the Sport, called teh SZ-R, while the other is based on the regular Swift. The Japanese manufacturer has not revealed any specific details, so chances are these are merely cosmetic packs, which bring no benefit to the car’s performance, in any way.

The Sport SZ-R, will still get the same 1.6-liter naturally-aspirated petrol engine, with 136 hp, while the SZ-L, being based on the regular model, will get its 1.2-liter motor, with 90 hp. Judging from the photos, the SZ-R edition gets a contrasting roof finish, which also extends to the mirrors, to create a more hipster-esque appearance for Suzuki’s little firecracker.

More details will be released soon, as Suzuki is attending the 2013 Autosport International venue, held at the NEC, in Birmingham, where they will be revealing several special edition cars and bikes. The venue runs January 12 through 13, yet the press will be allowed access as of tomorrow.

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Suzuki Swift X-TRA Launched in Germany

The Suzuki Swift isn’t exactly a best-in-class sort of car. Technically, we call it a supermini, but its Japanese designers gave it a small boot and decided its engine range should be made up of just one unit.

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China Gets Chevrolet Cruze WTCC Edition

In order to add extra appeal to the Cruze range, Chevrolet has released a China-only special version, called WTCC Edition. The car is based on the regular Cruze sedan, which is made locally, by the Shanghai-GM joint venture, and it was made to celebrate the automaker’s touring car success, yet sadly it does not offer any performance-enhancing kit - it`s all just cosmetic.

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