General Motors has recently launched the production model of the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the next chapter of the re-introduction of the Camaro. The spiritual seccessor to the Z28, the production model was launched at the company’s assembly plant in Ontario.

Under the hood, the vehicle is powered by a supercharged 6.2 litre engine that produces 580 hp (432 kW/588 PS) and 556 lb-ft (754 Nm) of torque. It is mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. When equipped with an automatic transmission, the model can accelerate from 0 to 96km/h in 3.9 seconds before reaching a top speed of 296km/h. With the six-speed manual, acceleration time is 0.1 seconds slower and top speed is 290 km/h.

Kevin Williams, president and managing director of GM of Canada, commented that ”This is an exciting new chapter in the ongoing revival of the tremendously popular Chevrolet Camaro. The new 2012 Camaro ZL1 further demonstrates the flexible capabilities of the award-winning Oshawa Assembly Plant.”

The Camaro ZL1 has a price tag of $54, 995 which includes destination charges.

Source: World Car Fans

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Rolex Sports Car series driver Joao Barbosa takes his wife for  a spin around Daytona International Speedway for the very first time. Barbosa built up to a speed of at 185mph in a two-seater Grand Am Daytona Prototype. Mrs Barbosa, doesn’t seem to enjoy the thrill of the experience as much as her husband as her calm but slightly apprehensive disposition soon turns into hysteria. If you listen closely, its difficult to tell the difference between the high pitched sound of her screams and the sounds of the car.

Watch the footage in the video below:

Source: Autoblog

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Autogespot takes the saying ‘Dog is man’s best friend’ to a while new level when the picture above was snapped in the US of a dog sitting in the front seat of a Bugatti Veyron. 

The supercar with a $2 million price tag was parked on the curb on a street in West Hollywood, California. Not an unusual sight in Hollywood after all, what was spotted was the driver’s large Golden Retriever, sitting upright, left alone inside the vehicle. It is likely that the driver who must have taken a few minutes to run an errand unexpectedly with his fury friend in tow felt he could leave him chilling in the front passenger seat. Unless of course this is a common ocurrance.

Let’s hope the dog showed some appreciation for being transported in such a supreme car and didn’t get bored and start chewing on or scratching the expensive interior.

Source: Motor Authority

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This year Mopar will be celebrating 75 years since its name was first trademarked (a combination of ‘Motor’ and ‘Parts’) with the unveiling of four new vehicles at the Chicago Auto Show next month. Mopar has evolved to become synonymous with performance parts for Chrysler and Dodge as well as amp’d-up specialty package vehicles, vehicle service and maintenance.

The first, and only one that will be sold turn-key, is the ’12 Mopar 300 with only 500 being built and sold for $49, 700 each.  While offering no more power than a standard 5.7-litre V8-equipped 300, the ’12 Mopar does benefit from a new final-drive ratio of 3.91:1 that drops its 0-60 time in the low five-second range, as well as a significantly stiffer suspension, more grip on the tyres and brake system upgrades.

The exterior is painted black with striping that appears across the ’12 Mopar’s sides and around its rims. The wheels are 20-inch, 8-spoke forged aluminum rollers painted Gloss Black with Mopar center caps. Mopar says that interior is equally dark save for accents of Mopar Blue.

Each vehicle sold will  come with a special box of goodies that includes Mopar-branded key fobs and merchandise; proof of the vehicle’s exact manufacture date and number built; and a sketch of the car signed by its designer.

The remaining three anniversary special editions include the 2013 Dodge Dart ‘GTS 210 Tribute’, 2012 Fiat 500 Stinger and 2012 Mopar Jeep Compass ‘True North’. 

The Dodge Dart serves to pay homage to the quintessential muscle car while showcasing how Mopar’s extensive range of appearance and performance parts will be for the new Dart when it goes on sale.

The Fiat 500 ‘Stinger’ is welcomed into Fiat’s custom fold.  Its 1.4-litre MultiAir engine receives an unspecified bump in power thanks to a cold-air intake and cat-back exhaust. Higher-spec performance brakes clasp down on larger cross-drilled rotors behind a wider set of 17-inch Abarth Hyper Black aluminum wheels with wider 205/40R17 performance tyres.

Lastly, The Jeep Compass ‘True North’ has been given a 2-inch lift kit to better accommodate its 16-inch matte black wheels fitted with BF Goodrich All Terrain tyres. The center stack is also modified with a custom pod housing pitch and roll inclinometer gauges.

Source: Autoblog

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The Click Car Mouse and USB Stick range that has recently launched in South Africa lets you hold the car of your dreams from a Maserati GranTursimo to a pearl white Fiat 500 in the palm of your hand.

Licensed by the car manufacturers, the Click Car Mouse is a miniature near perfect replica of the real cars they’re modelled on. They are designed to a very high technical standard using only the highest quality materials. Most models are available in both wired and wireless versions.

CarBlog received the Range Rover Evoque Mouse and Mercedes Benz 300 SL USB Stick to test out. The Wireless Optical Evoque Mouse comes packaged with a nano receiver and battery. Once setup, the mouse can either be turned on (either with or without rear and headlights depending on how much battery you’re willing to use up) or off when not in use. It has a 10 metre range and adjustable high-res optical for 800dpi and 1600dpi.

After using it for a couple of hours, the Mouse slowly began to feel uncomfortable with the angled lines of the Range Rover not exactly conducive for the natural round shape of my palm. Sometimes, my finger would even get caught underneath the right hand side mirror. As a result, I would prefer a car with smoother contours – an Aston Martin DBS perhaps. However, it is important to be aware that my hands are smaller than most and may result in a different experience for someone else.  The mouse works optimally on a pad as wheels, unfortunately, do not move.

The USB Stick, with 4GB was much more appealing and it has already been put to use. It is small, light and fits perfectly into the free USB bag included in the packaging. When plugged into to the USB port in my laptop the headlights and rear lights light up.

price ranges between R350 – R500.

View other models in the Car Click range in the gallery below:

 

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Due to its outstanding performance, raw beauty and exclusivity the Pagani Zonda is arguably one of the most favoured supercars ever built.  So whenever one has a near-death experience or worse, makes it to Zonda heaven, the reaction from car enthusiasts is always one of bereavement.

Unfortunately a recent event was reported of a Pagani Zonda, allegedly owned by one of the top executives at Dolce & Gabbana in Hong Kong, crashing near Tsim Sha Tsui. Local news reported that the driver lost control of the vehicle causing it to collide into a tree and then as if that wasn’t bad enough, into a traffic light. Fortunately the driver was not injured.

The photographs below are evidence of serious front and rear end damage with torn suspension and dangling wheels, however its hard to see if there is any major structural damage to the carbon fibre monocoque. News reports have since said the vehicle is not a total loss.

Source: World Car Fans

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Watch Mike Spinelli as he drives the new Nissan Juke -R concept down in Dubai this week on Road Testament.

The Juke-R, first launched back in October, that caused some controversy among the Nissan executives, is a mashup of the Juke and the GT-R with an unusual distended body created to accommodate the advanced all-wheel-drive system, twin-clutch transmission and 3.8-litre twin-turbo 480-horsepower V6 engine.

View Mike in action in the video below:

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Despite reports that  investors filed a $2.6 billion suit against Porsche over the Stuttgart maker’s attempt to gobble up VW and an arbitration application against Volkswagen, according to Der Spiegel, a VW executive has said that its ownership of Porsche could finally be concluded this year.

VW had initially predicted that the deal would be concluded by last year but then released a statement in September stating that too many hurdles and unknowns remained concerning investigations and economic consequences for the deal to get done any time in 2011. These hurdles involved previous lawsuits, including one brought by American investors in 2010, and the fact that VW couldn’t evaluate Porsche adequately until they were settled.

However, these latest reports mention nothing of lawsuits and instead, the resolution of the issues include a one-billion-euro tax payment that VW can avoid by creating a holding company by 2014 to control the Porsche stake and VW agreeing to contractually assure Porsche retains control over its models and where it spends its money. According to the above mentioned executive, this opens the door for VW to absorb the final 50.1 percent of Porsche it doesn’t currently own, for a price of €3.9 billion.

In the meantime, Reuters reports that VW and Porsche are working “at arm’s length” even though they have the same CEO and CFO and develop cars together, a fact which is testing CEO Martin Winterkorn’s patience. Earlier this month, Winterkorn was quoted as saying he wants to bring the companies closer “without needing to have a lawyer stand next to a Porsche employee every time he screws something into a Volkswagen or vice-versa.”

Source: Autoblog

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The Rolls-Royce Ghost is a huge sales success and the company has revealed that 56% of buyers choose to customize their vehicles in an exclusive fashion.

While customization and Rolls-Royce are virtually synonymous, the take rate for bespoke Ghosts is slightly lower than the Phantom’s impressive 80% rate. Despite this, customers have still been ordering everything from custom paint jobs to luxurious interiors with champagne sets, humidors and picnic cabinets.

Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said in a recent statement that “It is always our goal to exceed our clients’ highest expectations and fulfill their innermost desires. With highly bespoke Phantom and Ghost models, we are able to achieve this.”

Source: World Car Fans

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Car Magazine has scooped some pics of the early prototype of the third generation Audi TT for 2014 on test in Europe as Audi prepares its new coupe for development.

The car’s mean looking front, boasts a hectagonal singleframe grille, a pair of large low-mounted air intakes as well as wraparound combined headlamp-and-indicator units. To increase the downforce at the rear it houses an active air dam which is supported by a neatly integrated high-mounted roof spoiler.

The interior will showcase a variation of the fully animated single screen instrument panel devised for the next Audi R8 Supercar.

As for the driving performance, based on the same flexible MQB architecture as the next 2012 VW Golf Mk7 and Audi A3, the new TT relies once more heavily on four-cylinder engines. The two petrol-fed four-cylinders deliver 180 and 220bhp, the diesel develops 178hp and the racier TTS will be equipped with a 276bhp turbocharged 2.0 litre. Quattro is standard on this model and on the next TT RS, which borrows the 385bhp kraftwerk upgrade from the 2012 limited-edition.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Classics, Convertible, Performance, Etc., Europe, BMW, Design/Style, Luxury

The 2001-2003 Z8 is one of the more graceful designs to slip from the BMW design studios in recent memory. With the droptop's classic roadster lines and plenty of performance on tap, the Z8 may not have sold like gangbusters when it was in production, but its slow-burn appeal has ensured that it has plenty of fans and impressive resale value. Despite a very limited production run of just 5,703 units, Senner Tuning has belatedly turned its attention toward modifying this convertible, which is quickly becoming a classic.

The company's engineers got started with a new sports air filter and easy breathing exhaust, including low-restriction catalytic converters. Throw in a mild ECU reflash and the vehicle is good for 450 horsepower and 394 pound-feet of torque. Senner Tuning says those figures should be good enough to get the Zed to around 186 mph.

Thankfully, the folks at Senner haven't messed with the Z8's aesthetics too much. A set of slick 19x9-inch Work Schwert SC1 wheels ride up front while 19x10-inch rollers out back take care of putting power to the pavement. Senner also spent some time with the vehicle's suspension. A new coilover suspension with adjustable rebound, new strut bar and reinforced shock mount are all part of the package. If you like the sound of this recipe, Senner Tuning will rework your Z8 for the princely sum of just under $25,000 at current conversion rates. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading BMW Z8 freshened courtesy of Senner Tuning

BMW Z8 freshened courtesy of Senner Tuning originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Etc., Europe, Celebrities

Gianpiero Moretti, driver and founder of race equipment manufacturer MOMO, passed away in his home in Milan this month after a lengthy illness. The 71-year-old began making steering wheels in his 20s, eventually translating his business into international success after Ferrari factory driver John Surtees adopted a MOMO wheel in his 158 F1 racing car in 1964. That car went on to carry Surtees to his only Formula One title, but Moretti's success blossomed. He opened a factory in Verona in 1966 and ran MOMO for three decades before selling it to a larger supplier.

In the interim, Moretti tried his hand at both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Daytona 24 Hours, campaigning multiple Ferrari and Porsche models but only managing to take the checkered flag once. In 1996, he came within a minute of victory at Daytona, but lost to the Riley & Scott team. Moretti returned in 1998 to seal the deal on his 15th attempt.

Moretti has left behind an indelible mark on the motorsports industry. His humble steering wheel operation grew into a mammoth race supply operation with everything from racing suits to shift knobs and the MOMO brand is synonymous with quality and style even now.

MOMO founder Gianpiero Moretti dead at 71 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, MISC

When McLaren released the MP4-12C, there were some questions about the distinctiveness of its styling, but not about whether the engineers at Woking had extracted every bit of performance they could from its 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. John Hennessey and company, however, think they can do better. That's why Hennessey Performance Engineering has targeted the 12C for its latest tuning package.

Traditionally, Hennessey usually starts by bolting on a pair of turbos to whatever car it can get its hands on. But McLaren has already done that, so Hennessey has fitted new ones, and along with it, upgraded the intercooler, intake, exhaust, electronic control modules and transmission. It's also fitted a CarbonAero body kit, new wheels with Michelin Pilot Super Sport rubber and a redone interior swathed in carbon, leather and Alcantara.

The result is 800 horsepower, up from 592 stock. What Hennessey hasn't touched, however, are the MP4-12C's suspension and brakes, which the Texas-based tuner didn't feel it could improve upon. Whether the rest is advisable is up for debate, but that's never stopped the Texas tuner before, so check out the details in the press release after the jump and the renderings for a closer look at what to expect should any McLaren owners inexplicably feel their 12C is just too slow.

Continue reading Hennessey dreams of tuning McLaren MP4-12C into twin-turbo HPE800

Hennessey dreams of tuning McLaren MP4-12C into twin-turbo HPE800 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat

This year Mopar is celebrating 75 years since its name - a combination of MOtor and PARts - was first trademarked. During that time, Mopar has evolved to become synonymous with performance parts for Chrysler and Dodge vehicles, as well as amp'd-up specialty package vehicles, vehicle service and maintenance, and add Fiat to the long list of Chrysler Group brands it supports since the Italian automaker took part ownership in the smallest of Detroit's Big 3.

Anniversaries usually come with presents, and Mopar is bring four to show and share at the Chicago Auto Show next month. The first, and only one that will be sold turn-key, is the '12 Mopar 300, which becomes the brand's third factory-built model for modern times following the '10 Mopar Challenger and '11 Mopar Charger. While offering no more power than a standard 5.7-liter V8-equipped 300, the '12 Mopar does benefit from a new final-drive ratio of 3.91:1 that drops its 0-60 time in the low five-second range, as well as a significantly stiffer suspension, grippier tires and brake system upgrades.

Then there's the exterior. If the plague's preferred method of transmission were by car, this would be its ride. It is the Black Death on wheels, which themselves are 20-inch, 8-spoke forged aluminum rollers painted Gloss Black with Mopar center caps. We especially like the tasteful blue striping that appears across the '12 Mopar's sides and around its rims. While we've yet to see it, Mopar says the interior is equally void of light save for accents of Mopar Blue.

Only 500 of these '12 Mopar 300 models will be built and sold this summer for the price of $49,700, which includes destination charges. Each one will also come with a special box of goodies that includes Mopar-branded key fobs and merch; proof of the vehicle's exact manufacture date and number built; and a sketch of the car signed by its designer.

Follow the jump for three more anniversary models from Mopar.

Continue reading Mopar celebrates 75 years with bunch of Chicago-bound special editions

Mopar celebrates 75 years with bunch of Chicago-bound special editions originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Ford, Celebrities, Racing

We've finally come to accept the fact that we'll never be Vaughn Gittin Jr. There can be only one one pure-bred drift hooligan of his caliber on this planet and truth be told, our sideways skills are paltry at best. That doesn't mean we can't pretend, though. Gittin Jr. has teamed up with a smattering of companies to give away five very limited-edition RC cars made up in the image of his sinister Ford Mustang GT drift machine. Only 5,000 of the HPI RC Ford Mustang cars will be produced in total, and Gittin Jr. is giving five of them away to Facebook fans.

To get the word out, Gittin Jr., K&N, Monster Energy and Falken Tire crafted a video demonstrating just what happens when the drifter can't get his hands on the scale Mustang. An epic chase ensues, with the RC car taking a little "How it's Made" tour of the K&N factory. The clip also features a few outtakes worth watching, as well. We won't spoil it for you, but we will say more than one RC car gave its life in the making of the film. Hit the jump to check out the video for yourself. If you want to enter the sweepstakes, head over to the K&N Facebook page for more information.

Continue reading Vaughn Gittin Jr. almost out-drifted by RC car

Vaughn Gittin Jr. almost out-drifted by RC car originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, SUV, Land Rover, Off-Road

The Land Rover Defender may be nearing the end of its line, but over the course of its lifetime it has become the go-to vehicle for any number of off-road applications. They're used on safaris and expeditions, by military forces and humanitarian organizations. And yes, they're used by hunters. That's why German firearms manufacturer Blaser has outfitted this special edition Defender for just such a market.

The Blaser edition Defender includes roof rack, underbody skid plates, trailer hitch, power winch, spotlight, snorkel intake, custom-embroidered leather seats and more. It's decked out in what's called Keswich Green, but to us looks more like Panzer green, and packs a 2.2-liter turbodiesel four with 122 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque on tap. But the party piece is the custom armory built into the back that can carry as many as five hunting rifles plus ammunition. Only 60 examples will be made available exclusively in Germany, each carrying a €49,500 ($64,400) price tag.

Blaser outfits special edition Land Rover Defender for hunting originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Etc., Safety, Technology

Scosche has created a new device designed to disable cell phones while driving. The cellCONTROL uses Bluetooth to block calls the instant a vehicle begins moving. According to the company, users activate the system online, download an application onto their mobile phone and plug a trigger unit directly into the vehicle's OBD-II port. Once installed, the cellCONTROL automatically blocks telephone functions, from ingoing and outgoing calls to SMS, MMS, and internet connectivity. The device isn't a blanket block, however. According to Scosche, the device lets the phone to work as intended once a hands-free headset is detected.

The application will automatically alert an administrator via text or email should the cellCONTROL be deactivated, removed or otherwise tampered with. Scosche says the device is compatible with more than 1,200 devices and any vehicle sold in the U.S. after 1996. Prices start at $129.95. Seems like small price to pay to drive cell-free. Click past the break for the full press release.

Continue reading Scosche debuts accessory that blocks all cell phone use in cars

Scosche debuts accessory that blocks all cell phone use in cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Truck, Etc., Off-Road, Ram

Venchurs Vehicle Systems has turned its attention toward the full-size truck market. As you may recall, the company produces expedition-ready versions of SUVs like the Toyota FJ Cruiser, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler, and now truck owners can have their beasts turned into similarly capable Xplore machines. While Venchurs plans to expand to trucks like the Chevrolet Silverado and Ford F-Series in the near future, the company only offers the Xplore Ram for now. Buyers can choose from three stages of off-road prowess depending on their needs.

Stage one starts with custom Katzkin leather seats and a variety of dealer-installed Mopar accessories, while stage two throws in black aluminum wheels wrapped in meaty BF Goodrich tires, adjustable Bilstein 5100 series shocks and a stainless steel cat-back exhaust. Hardier floor mats and smattering of Xplore aluminum badges are also part of the mix.

Stage three lets owners choose from a variety of ARB goodies, including special racks, tent systems and recovery hardware should they find themselves mired. Stage four vehicles are custom built at the Venchurs facility in California, and include special matte-finish paints alongside AMP tricks like power retractable running boards and bed sliders. If you're ready to weather the apocalypse, hit the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Venchurs Vehicle Systems shows off Xplore truck line

Venchurs Vehicle Systems shows off Xplore truck line originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Ford

The time has come for the custom widebody Mustang from Galpin Auto Sports to find a new owner. Built by Galpin for industrial company SPX, this specially built Mustang features a hand-built body that widens the car by an incredible nine inches highlighted by PPG Candy Apple Red paint. Under the hood is a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 producing over 700 horsepower, and it has also been fitted with forged three-piece wheels, a custom suede interior, upgraded exhaust system and more.

Whether it was the look and sound of the car or whether bidders were simply feeling generous, this attention-grabbing pony car nabbed a final bid of $160,000, all of which will be donated to benefit the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. You can see our live photos above, or hit the jump to watch a video of the car being auctioned off in case you missed it on SPEED.

Continue reading Barrett-Jackson 2012: Galpin Widebody Mustang nets $160,000 for charity

Barrett-Jackson 2012: Galpin Widebody Mustang nets $160,000 for charity originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Chevrolet, Misc. Auto Shows, Specialty

When Steve Saleen launched his new company, SMS Supercars, back in 2008, he announced that he would be expanding his portfolio of vehicles to include the muscle car offerings from Chevrolet and Dodge. First up was the 570 and 570X Challenger, followed soon after by the 302 Mustang.

Now, Steve Saleen's muscle car trifecta is finally complete, as SMS officially unveiled the 620 Camaro at Barrett-Jackson this week. The car maintains the styling cues featured on both the Challenger and Mustang with an aggressive front splitter, side skirts, rear diffuser, butterfly hood and chrome 20-inch wheels. Inside is a custom leather interior, and under the hood, the 6.2-liter V8 has been supercharged to 620 horsepower and 570 pound-feet torque.

In addition to unveiling the car at Barrett-Jackson this week, SMS actually auctioned off the first production example last night. This particular car was also a special "Bondurant Edition" in honor of Steve Saleen's former racing teammate, Bob Bondurant, and the two decided to donate the proceeds from the sale to two charities: Cox Charities and the Make A Wish Foundation of Arizona.

So, how did the car do? Bidding for the SMS 620 Camaro eventually reached the $100,000 mark, meaning the two charities will be getting a significant donation and the lucky new owner just got a nice tax write-off. Did we mention a Bondurant three-day performance driving school is included with the car?

You can see photos of the 2012 SMS 620 Camaro in the gallery above, and check out a video of the car being auctioned off at Barrett-Jackson in the video after the jump.

Continue reading SMS Supercars unveils 620 Camaro, auctions first example for charity at Barrett-Jackson

SMS Supercars unveils 620 Camaro, auctions first example for charity at Barrett-Jackson originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Truck, Ford

We normally associate with Roush Performance with the Ford Mustang, as we've tested several examples over the year from the race-ready 427R Trak Pak to the current 540 horsepower RS3. The Michigan tuner is now looking to expand, though, and has recently introduced a new line of performance products aimed at another segment of the Ford product line, the F-150.

The F-150's new powertrains are the main focus of Roush's product blitz, with supercharger systems available for both the 5.0-liter and 6.2-liter V8s. Roush has also developed cold air inductions kits for the entire powertrain lineup with the exception of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. Additionally, Roush is offering a stainless steel cat-back exhaust for most of the F-150 lineup that produces a more aggressive tone than the stock system.

You can read more about the new F-150 products from Roush in the press release after the jump, and you can get a closer glimpse at the supercharger and the exhaust system in the gallery above.

Continue reading Roush announces new performance product line for the Ford F-150

Roush announces new performance product line for the Ford F-150 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Hatchback, Ferrari

There are drawbacks to every kind of alternative to burning fossil fuels in our cars. Electric cars don't have enough range.Hybrids are burdened with what essentially boils down to two parallel powertrains. Hydrogen is limited to where it is available. Bio-ethanol has its own drawbacks, but don't tell that to the performance enthusiast. That's because E85 - similar to what IndyCars run on but mixed with 15% pump gasoline - is not only a renewable and cleaner source of energy, it also provides more power.

Take the Koenigsegg Agera R, for example. With 927 horsepower on tap from ordinary 95-octane gasoline, the Koenigsegg is already one of the fastest, most powerful cars money can buy. But fill it with E85 and it offers up almost 1,100 hp. Now a Norwegian firm is offering an aftermarket bio-ethanol conversion for the Ferrari FF that provides a similar transformation.

Whereas the stock FF (which could now just as easily stand for Flex Fuel) already drives a prodigious 650 horsepower to all four wheels, the converted version packs a whopping 875 hp for a sub-three-second sprint to sixty, all the while dropping the car's emissions figures by some 80%. The conversion costs just €1500 (less than $2k) - rather insignificant considering the FF's $300k+ sticker price - and has reportedly been fitted yb an authorized Ferrari dealer to at least one customer's car, though that doesn't mean it's covered by (and very well might invalidate) the FF's warranty.

Ferrari FF converted to run on bio-ethanol packs 875 hp originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Convertible, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, Tokyo Auto Salon

There are hundreds of aftermarket tuners out there, but few hold the type of street cred that does Veilside. Long known for making Japan's greatest sportscars even greater, Veilside has now turned its attention to the Mercedes-Benz SL.

Not the newest one, mind you, because it's not out yet. Instead, Veilside has taken to the Tokyo Auto Salon to unveil a conversion kit that turns the outgoing SL into something closer to the top-of-the-line SL65 AMG Black Series.

To do so, Veilside fitted the SL with a custom body kit that includes new bumpers front and rear, new hood, fenders, side skirts, and spoiler, all crafted from carbon fiber. The result is called the Black Fortune.

The folding roof mechanism present on the stock SL - but removed on the Black Series model - appears to remain in place, so the Veilside won't encompass the kind of weight savings embodied by the factory special, but with only 300 examples of the kit to be offered at about $30,000 a pop, seeing one on the street should be about as rare a proposition.

Veilside bets on Black with Mercedes SL body kit originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Sedan, Performance, China, Porsche, Luxury

You think the prom limo market in America has a propensity for stretching anything with wheels? Just look at China. Instead of buying larger sedans there, wealthy Chinese buyers have a taste for stretching smaller ones. So while BMW, for example, already offers a larger 7 Series, they've developed a stretched 5 Series for the Chinese market. We thought that a little strange at first, but this one takes the cake.

Since the Porsche Panamera has one of the nicest interiors on the market, one aftermarket tuner of note has developed a stretched version specifically for China. That tuning firm is no less noteworthy than Ruf, the outfit that has made a name for itself by turning ordinary 911 models into supercar-beating, fire-breathing monsters.

The resulting Ruf Panamera XL is a good 40 centimeters longer than stock, giving it an extra measure of legroom in the back. And while this type of stretch job would normally make an exotic performance automobile like a Porsche look more than a little odd, given the almost universal derision of the Panamera's roofline, we'd venture to say this - to some eyes, anyway - might be considered an improvement. So much so, in fact, that Porsche is rumored to be considering developing one on its own - let's just hope that if Stuttgart tackles one on its own that they do a cleaner job of the resolving the B-pillar.

Ruf stretches Porsche Panamera for China originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Hatchback, Tokyo Auto Salon, Fiat

The Abarth 695 was originally intended as a Fiat 500-based tribute to Ferrari. Hence the 695 Tributo Ferrari moniker. But this one looks more like a salute to McLaren.

Created by Japanese tuner Office-K and unveiled this week at the Tokyo Auto Salon, this special Abarth has had its Scuderia Red paint hidden under a full chrome vinyl wrap - similar to the one we reported on back in May - and capped with a tricolore racing stripe up the nose.

Otherwise, it's mechanically the same as the stock 695, which means a 1.4-liter turbo four driving 180 little prancing stallions through a five-speed manual to the front pair of 17-inch wheels with their Brembo brakes. It also means an interior with a chunky steering wheel, Sabelt racing buckets and Abarth's signature turbo boost gauge. Check it the chrome job in the video after the jump and the images in the gallery above.

Continue reading Abarth 695 shines in Tokyo with full chrome job [w/video]

Abarth 695 shines in Tokyo with full chrome job [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Etc., Technology, Toys/Games

Ferrari isn't shy about slapping its logo on just about anything it thinks it can sell to fans that will never be able to afford one of its cars. We've seen phones (plenty of them), computers, a home gym... and now, headphones and iPod speaker docks.

This new deal with Logic3 features six different lines of headphones and earphones and two distinct speaker docks. Logic3 has divided its offerings into two lines: the Cavallino Collection, which is influenced by the Ferrari road cars, and the Scuderia Collection, which is inspired by Ferrari's F1 racing team.

As is common with these licensing deals, Logic3 promises that it has worked closely with Ferrari to ensure "the marque's characteristic style, design and personality are captured within every product."

Perhaps more of a concern here is how closely Ferrari has worked with Logic3 to insure that these new audio products are of a high quality. We'll note that Logic3 is not Grado Labs, and its reputation among the audiophile community is virtually nonexistent - a search of Stereophile's website, for instance, didn't turn up a single mention of the brand.

To read the full press release, click past the jump.

Continue reading Ferrari branding expands again, now includes headphones

Ferrari branding expands again, now includes headphones originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Jan 2012 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Truck, Etc., Videos, Chevrolet

Here we have the kind of sleeper that'll wake you up no time: a short-bed, four-wheel-drive Chevrolet Silverado with an LS9 from the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. With dyno numbers of 510 horsepower and 504 pound-feet of torque, there's a jump of at least 205 hp and 169 lb-ft over the most powerful factory engine you can get in that truck.

The result? Sound and fury, both of which you can get a taste of in the video after the jump.

Continue reading Corvette ZR1-powered Chevrolet Silverado has us feeling sleepy

Corvette ZR1-powered Chevrolet Silverado has us feeling sleepy originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Classics, Coupe, Performance, Japan, Technology, Toyota, Tokyo Auto Salon, Electric

Saying the Toyota 2000GT holds a special place in our hearts is akin to calling oxygen and water kind of important to our survival. The long-nose two-door was envisioned as a suitable competitor to the likes of the European sports cars rolling out Italy and the UK at the time, and in many ways, the Toyota was far superior. Built at a time when Japan Inc. wasn't exactly known for beautiful automobile designs, the 2000GT may have been influenced by European cars of its day, but it has stood the test of time as one of the country's all-time design greats. The low-volume coupe is a piece of automotive legend, which is exactly why choosing to use a 2000GT as a platform for an electric conversion strikes us equal parts blasphemous and awesome. But that's exactly what Japan's Crazy Car Project has done.

The engineers behind the exercise ditched the standard 2.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine in favor of a 161-horsepower electric motor. A 35kWh lithium-ion battery provides the system with power, and the hood has been covered with photovoltaic cells to help keep the car going. Likewise, the back glass is covered in a transparent solar panel. All told, the system can propel the vehicle to around 124 mph.

Inside, the 2000GT SEV features a modernized interior with plenty of tech-laden gadgets. The vehicle was built in cooperation with Toyota and debuted at the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon. Let's hope they started with a real basket case, eh? Hit the jump to see a video of the car in action.

Continue reading Classic Toyota 2000GT turned into solar-powered EV

Classic Toyota 2000GT turned into solar-powered EV originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Japan, Hatchback, Nissan, Tokyo Auto Salon

With press days for the Detroit Auto Show now behind us, our focus is shifting eastwards. Make that Far East, as the tuners have rolled in for the Tokyo Auto Salon, where Nissan performance tuning arm Nismo has taken on its third compact and given it an attitude adjustment.

Following the recent debuts of the Leaf Nismo and Juke Nismo comes this March Nismo, based on the small hatchback also known as the Micra or (in Taiwan) as the Verita. Nismo has given it a enhanced sportiness through lightweight wheels, updated grille and aero kit, new door mirrors and sportier seats and steering wheel inside.

It's all capped by a pearl white finish with red highlights, but while the Nismo parts catalog is sure to offer bolt-ons for the March, this particular configuration is strictly a concept. Check it out in the pair of high-resolution images along with the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Nissan March Nismo concept debuts at Tokyo Auto Salon [w/video]

Nissan March Nismo concept debuts at Tokyo Auto Salon [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Budget, Performance, Etc., Japan, Videos, Hatchback, Scion, Toyota, Tokyo Auto Salon

Here's a surprise: Toyota has announced the company will produce the iQ Supercharger first unveiled at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon in limited quantities. The automaker has confirmed the development at the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon. The vehicles will be built by partner Gazoo Racing and will feature a brawnier version of the same 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine found in the standard iQ. With a little forced induction on its side courtesy of a supercharger, the engine should be good for 130 horsepower and 133 pound-feet of torque. That's an increase of 36 ponies and 44 lb-ft over the stock configuration.

Like the concept, the production model will wear a not-so-subtle widebody kit, stiffer suspension and more aggressive brakes than its standard siblings. A six-speed manual transmission will be the only gearbox option. Indoors, buyers can expect to find custom seats and gauges that read all the way up to 124 mph.

Toyota and Gazoo Racing only plan to produce 100 of the muscle-bound iQ Supercharger models, and there's no indication its Scion cousin sold in the States will receive a similar treatment. What a shame. Hit the jump for a brief introductory video featuring the original concept as well as the full press release.

Continue reading Toyota greenlights iQ Supercharger Concept for production [w/video]

Toyota greenlights iQ Supercharger Concept for production [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Hybrid, Diesel, Racing

The diesel era at Le Mans may not be over yet, but already we're seeing the emergence of a new propulsion trend: hybrids. Toyota recently announced the TS030 Hybrid LMP1, Peugeot was working on a hybrid version of its 908 prototype before it killed the race program, and now Audi has confirmed a hybrid version of the R18 TDI.

Few details were released, but what we can tell you is that Audi will field four cars at Le Mans this year: two with hybrid assist and two without. One will be headlined by Allan McNish, one by Oliver Jarvis, one by Timo Bernhard and one by André Lotterer, with supplemental drivers to be announced sometime before the 80th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans kicks off in June.

Audi also announced a two-car entry for the inaugural FIA World Endurance Championship, with four cars to be run at select racers like Spa and Sebring. Expect more details on the R18 hybrid to be released later this month, but in the meantime you can check out the official announcement after the jump.

Continue reading Audi confirms R18 hybrid as part of 2012 endurance racing program

Audi confirms R18 hybrid as part of 2012 endurance racing program originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Etc., Technology

In an effort to stay on the bleeding edge of old crap-bucket technology, the 24 Hours of LeMons has now created a prize specifically for autonomous vehicles. The X Ceedingly Bad Idea Prize will award one million shiny new nickels to the first team that manages to pilot an autonomous vehicle to a win. We assume that carries a caveat of not killing anyone in the process. As always, the vehicle itself can't cost more than $500, though the associated technological wizardry required to keep the driverless machine on the track doesn't count toward that grand total.

Madness? Probably, but we would feel more comfortable sharing the course with a computer than some of the tactically inept drivers we've seen bashing around the track in our time. The next 24 Hours of LeMons race kicks off at New Jersey Motorsports Park on April 14-15, but you need to get your application in by February 4. Get cracking, people. In the meantime, hit the jump to check out the press release.

Continue reading 24 Hours of LeMons now welcomes driverless entries

24 Hours of LeMons now welcomes driverless entries originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Etc., Videos, Motorcycle

Ducati has announced that it will be back at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in July. The company will once again partner with the Spider Grips team using Multistrada 1200 machines. The Multistrada is the same bike that propelled Ducati to first and third place last year. Privateer Carlin Dunne took home a slew of titles when he conquered the mountain in 11:11.32, setting a new record for motorcycles in the process. He'll be back this year alongside Greg Tracy, a six-time Pikes Peak winner. In 2010, Tracy took the top win on the mountain astride a Multistrada of his own.

To celebrate the brand's return, Ducati is inviting fans and owners to join the team in Colorado in July for a gathering that should include plenty of riding along some of the state's more impressive scenery before attending the race. Sounds like a very good time to us. Head over to the Ducati site for more information.

July is still a long way off, so Ducati has been kind enough to show off a short recap film of the brand's 2011 season. Hit the jump to check out the clip as well as the full press release.

Continue reading Ducati heading back to Pikes Peak International Hill Climb for 2012 [w/video]

Ducati heading back to Pikes Peak International Hill Climb for 2012 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari, Racing

Few things can stand between a Ferrari and the finish line. Not rain, not sleet and certainly not snow. So while the latter fell in prodigious quantities on Maranello, where Ferrari was planning to unveil its latest F1 challenger yesterday, that didn't stop the Scuderia from showing it off to the world, through the magic of this newfangled invention they're calling the "internet".

The F2012 you see here is the fifty-eighth F1 car built by Ferrari, comprising a chassis and powertrain developed and produced entirely in-house: a rarity among F1 teams, particularly in these past few years since major manufacturers like Honda, Toyota and BMW withdrew from the sport.

The most prominent change to the car's form over the F150˚ Italia it replaces is the rather aesthetically challenged but aerodynamically-optimized stepped nose, which (like the one on the Caterham CT01 and expected to follow on several more) conforms to revised FIA regulations while allowing sufficient air to pass underneath the nosecone to allow the underbody aerodynamics to do their thing. The rear section is also more tapered, leading to the rear wing with the Drag Reduction System that returns from last season.

That's all well and good, of course, but what really matters is how the F2012 is going to stack up against the competition - particularly from the returning champions at Red Bull and longtime rivals at McLaren. Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa will wring out all the F2012 it has to offer, but only time will tell if they'll be able to add another trophy to the cabinet in Maranello. In the meantime you can check out their new ride in the high-res image gallery above and follow the jump for the full press release, technical details and video footage.

Continue reading Ferrari unveils new step-nosed F2012... snow be damned [w/video]

Ferrari unveils new step-nosed F2012... snow be damned [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Hatchback, Honda, Racing

Honda has announced plans to enter the FIA World Touring Car Championship with this, a hot new racer based on the newly redesigned 2012 Civic (well, the European five-door, anyway). Details are slim about the new touring car racer, but the automaker has released a statement confirming that the Civic will be powered by a bespoke 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four, developed by Honda R&D in accordance with FIA's Super 2000 regulations. Honda has also formed a joint partnership with Mugen and J.A.S. Motorsport to develop the new Civic.

So, how soon will we get to watch the new hatchback swap paint with other WTCC racers? Honda hopes to officially join WTCC this season, with some inaugural rounds possibly held in Japan, China and Macau. Following that, a two-car team will be entered into every race in the 2013 championship. Hit the jump for the full details.

Continue reading Honda to enter World Touring Car Championship with new Civic

Honda to enter World Touring Car Championship with new Civic originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari

If you grew up in a sufficiently northern climate, you probably remember staying eagerly tuned in to the local radio or television station, praying on a cold day that enough snow would have fallen for them to close the schools. Well that's what's happened in the Modena area in northern Italy, but while the school children may be celebrating in their jammies, the racing fans among them will be disappointed to learn that the snow has caused the launch of the latest Scuderia Ferrari single-seater to be canceled.

Enough snow, as you can see from the photo above, has fallen on Maranello to not only close down the team's private Fiorano test track - which was supposed to be used for the car's first demonstration run - but also all the roads leading to and from the site, preventing the motorsport press from getting there.

Ferrari will undoubtedly reschedule or make alternate arrangements to unveil the new car, but for now, the latest scarlet speedster will have to stay under wraps. Official announcements can be found after the jump.

Continue reading Ferrari F1 launch snowed out in Maranello

Ferrari F1 launch snowed out in Maranello originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Videos

Riding shotgun in a two-seater race car at speed is a lot of fun - trust us on this - but this video is headache inducing. And scary. Seems like the pit crew on hand at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi was so concerned with starting the camera and setting its white balance that they didn't bother checking to see whether the passenger's safety harness was tight enough. And it clearly wasn't.

You'll notice in the screenshot above that the passenger's helmet appears to be striking the bulkhead in front of her, which is definitely not supposed to happen. Indeed, she gets thrown around something fierce as the two-seater F1 car corners and brakes. So let this serve as a lesson to those of you who might embark on your first hot lap on a race track: Tighten up those belts until they are truly snug.

Click past the jump to watch the video in its entirety.

Continue reading This is what riding in an F1 car is like with loose seatbelts and no HANS Device

This is what riding in an F1 car is like with loose seatbelts and no HANS Device originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Racing

Forget about all the talk, about the contracts and the lawsuits. The real sign of the Formula One season gearing up to start is when each team unveils its new car. As you may already know, unlike most other series, each team in F1 is not really considered a team. They're called "constructors". Each is responsible for designing and crafting the cars they'll be fielding in the championship.

That process got under way last week when Caterham beat all the others to the punch by unveiling its new Renault-powered CT01. And that's all well and fine, but we all know that the Caterham is far more likely to finish last than finish first. What you're bound to see taking checkered flags is the car you see here: the new McLaren MP4-27.

McLaren, you see, is the winningest team on the grid this side of Ferrari. And with Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton - both world champions - performing the driving duties, the British squad is hard at work on closing that gap. The more immediate challenge, however, is overcoming Red Bull, which returns as reigning champion once again and to which McLaren finished second last season.

The MP4-27 you see here is the car with which McLaren hopes to seize the lead. Although the design looks rather similar to the 2011-spec MP4-26 it replaces, McLaren insists it represents a comprehensive redesign. Fortunately that does not include the stepped platypus nose already shown on the Caterham and which is expected to proliferate across a good part of the grid. Power once again comes from Mercedes-Benz, a relationship that McLaren reiterates it is not about to terminate in favor of another supplier or building its own engines in-house.

We'll have to wait and see as the season gets underway to see if the MP4-27 will be a winner for McLaren, but for now you can check out the high-resolution images from the launch in the gallery above, and jump past the break for the full press release and the sound file of the Mercedes-Benz V8 cranking over.

Continue reading McLaren unleashes new MP4-27 on 2012 Formula One World Championship [w/audio]

McLaren unleashes new MP4-27 on 2012 Formula One World Championship [w/audio] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, SUV, Jeep, Ferrari, Celebrities

There's no end to the perks of being a Formula One racing driver, especially if you happen to drive for Scuderia Ferrari. As if piloting one of the fastest F1 cars on the grid weren't enough, Ferrari has gifted each of its gifted drivers his own 458 Italia, Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari and Maserati GranCabrio, to name just a few. And something tells us that if either Fernando Alonso or Felipe Massa wanted anything else from the expansive Fiat-Chrysler product range - say, a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, for example - that would hardly pose a problem.

That's exactly what the talented duo got the other day at the Fiorano test track at Ferrari headquarters in Maranello, where the first two examples of the new SRT8 in Europe were delivered to the pair of stars. Certainly, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 has plenty to love, what with its 6.4-liter Hemi V8 and 5-second dash to 62 mph, but Fernando And Felipe got more than that.

These two unique examples were decked out in Rosso Corso , with matte black front grille, a black offset racing stripe, black roof, carbon fiber trim and white accents. Ride height was lowered by 1.5 inches on unique forged and painted 20-inch alloys, and the interior has similarly been decked out in red leather accents and top-stitching and even yellow dials on the instruments.

Nice work if you can get it. All you have to do is convince the most victorious team in motorsport that you've got what it takes to be world champion, and you can have one too. Otherwise you can follow the jump for the press release and scope out the high-res images in the gallery above.

Continue reading Alonso and Massa get a pair of Ferrari-red Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8s

Alonso and Massa get a pair of Ferrari-red Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8s originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Lotus, Racing

The suitably rapid expansion of the Lotus Racing division is showing no signs of slowing down. The British marque has its own Formula One team, is supplying engines to the IndyCar Series, oversees both GP2 and GP3 teams, has competition versions of its road cars in various GT and rally championships, runs its own karting program, and offers enthusiasts top-notch trackday programs with the Evora GT and Exos/Type 125 single-seater. But that's not enough: now Lotus is gearing up to take on Le Mans.

The company was planning to design its own LMP2 racer, and it had snagged the designer of the 908 HDi away from the now-shuttered Peugeot Sport racing program. But that apparently didn't go quite as smoothly as planned, so Lotus has instead opted to back an independent team to run a second-tier Le Mans prototype on its behalf.

That team is Kodewa, headed up by former HRT F1 team principal Colin Kolles and his father Romulus. They'll be running a chassis built by Lola and powered by a BMW V8 prepared by Engine Developments - the same arrangement by which Lotus is powering its Indy program. The car, as you can see, features the same iconic black and gold livery as other Lotus racers, penned in this case by Daniel Simon - a former Volkswagen Group designer responsible for the Tron:Legacy lightcycles and the livery run on last year's HRT F111.

Look for the Lotus LMP2 to debut when the FIA World Endurance Championship kicks off here at Sebring in March, with a second car expected to join at Spa in May. Press release after the jump.

Continue reading Lotus headed to Le Mans with Lola LMP2

Lotus headed to Le Mans with Lola LMP2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Chevrolet, UK, Racing

If you, like us, were wondering how MG managed to snag Jason Plato away from Chevrolet in the British Touring Car Championship, well you had good reason to wonder. The racecar driver and Fifth Gear co-host had, after all, driven the factory-backed team to both titles in 2010 and landed himself third and his team second just this past season. But you can wonder no more, as the latest news from the BTCC paddock is that Chevrolet has withdrawn from the popular saloon racing series.

The news arrives as a bit of a surprise coming from the front-running team, particularly at a time when the grid has expanded enormously in the past couple of seasons. The reason? According to Autosport, Chevrolet wants to focus its energies on the World Touring Car Championship, where the same outfit RML that ran the BTCC team fields similar Cruze touring cars - driven by Yvan Muller, Rob Huff and Alain Menu - with considerable success: The RML Chevrolet team has claimed both the drivers' and constructors' titles for the past two seasons running, making it something like the Red Bull Racing of touring cars.

A longtime competitor in the BTCC, RML reportedly hopes it won't be long before it is back on the grid in the British series, and given that most of the cars in the championship are fielded by privateer teams, we wouldn't be surprised to see them return as early as next year. In the meantime, General Motors will be well represented in the series by Vauxhall.

Chevrolet pulls out of British Touring Car Championship originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos, Humor

When you're young, no one tells you marriage is really about finding some one to have, hold and torture 'til death do you part. From playful infractions like forgetting whether your significant other hates pickles, onions or both to more serious matters like who uses more paper towels, matrimony puts a relationship and those parties involved into the world's most powerful pressure cooker. Even so, few of us get the chance to delight in the suffering of our significant others in quite the way Rolex Sports Car series driver João Barbosa does. The driver recently took his beautiful wife around Daytona International Speedway in a two-seater Daytona prototype. At 185 mph.

Mrs. Barbosa doesn't appear to take to the experience all that well. Throughout the duration of six-minute video, it's difficult to tell whether the high-pitched wail is her screams or the whine of the race car's gearbox. Impressive. In fact, it's the most fun we've had watching a racer's wife get a peek into their husband's office since racer Riccardo Patrese's better half got a little animated in the passenger seat of a Honda Civic Type-R a few years ago.

Hit the jump to check out the video for yourself, but just remember; what goes around comes around. Especially in marriage.

Continue reading João Barbosa's wife no longer wonders what he does for a living

João Barbosa's wife no longer wonders what he does for a living originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, BMW, Racing

With six cars joining the grid this year in the DTM series, BMW is sure to present wildly different liveries - largely determined by the sponsors brought on board - for each one. And this is the first.

Based on a sponsorship deal with BP, this particular M3 DTM is decked out in the bright green color of Castrol Edge motor oil and the light blue of German gas station network Aral. This car's unveiling is the first time we're seeing the new touring car in anything but flat black or BMW's trademark striped white color scheme.

To pull of its entry into the competitive German racing series and take on its rivals at Mercedes-Benz and Audi, BMW is bringing in four of its proven factory drivers (including three-time World Touring Car Championship winner Andy Priaulx) and has poached longtime Mercedes AMG driver Bruno Spengler and Audi's reigning DTM champ Martin Tomczyk.

All eyes will be focused on Hockenheim where the season kicks off in late April.

Continue reading BMW sharpens its Edge with first M3 DTM livery

BMW sharpens its Edge with first M3 DTM livery originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Hybrid, Ferrari, Design/Style, Racing

Race cars are going hybrid these days. Formula One racers store regenerated brake energy. Porsche packs a flywheel into the 911 GT3 R. Just the other day, Toyota unveiled its new TS030 Hybrid endurance prototype. And now even Jim Glickenhaus' one-off Ferrari-powered, Pininfarina-designed P4/5 Competizione is said to be getting a hybrid powertrain.

Emerging reports from Europe indicate that the GT prototype is preparing to return to the Nürburgring-based VLN series, but this time, it'll be packing some electric boost. That bit is tipped to come from a system provided by Magneti Marelli that's similar to the Kinetic Energy Recovery System it developed for Scuderia Ferrari for use in F1. The 4.0-liter V8 will continue providing principal motivation, but the added jolt of power could be just what the team needs to conquer the Green Hell with green(er) propulsion.

Pininfarina P4/5 Competizione going hybrid? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Government/Legal, Celebrities

Formula One driver Adrian Sutil has been convicted of assault in a trial concluded this week in Munich, Germany. The proceeding revolved around a brawl at a night club in Shanghai, where Sutil slashed the throat of Genii Capital CEO Eric Lux, co-owner of the team now known as Lotus, with a champagne flute.

The conviction comes with a suspended sentence of 18 months and a 200,000-euro fine which is earmarked towards charity. For his part, Sutil reportedly claims it was an accident and that he tried to settle the issue out of court with Lux, who in turn says he didn't get the apology he was after until the courts settled the matter.

The next question is where that leaves Sutil. The driver has been with the Force India team (in its various iterations) since 2006 when he was named a driver for the team then called Midland, making his race debut the following year under Spyker management. With the trial looming over his head, the team cut Sutil from its roster for this season, leaving him without a drive as the rest of the field has all but completely filled up.

Adrian Sutil convicted of assault in Germany originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Mini, Middle East

It may not be a World Rally Championship event, but Mini is celebrating its first win at an international rally (at least its first such win of the modern era).

The event in question was the Qatar International Rally, a fully FIA-sanctioned event that kicks off the 2012 Middle East Rally Championship (MERC). Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (with his brother Nasser as co-driver) edged out the competition by an impressive margin of 2:24.9 in the Mini Countryman JCW Super Production Car - the same vehicle that Prodrive fields in the WRC but with a smaller wing and restrictor plate, and similar to the X-Raid vehicle that recently won at Dakar.

Victory at the event was particularly meaningful for Prodrive, which got its start at the Qatar International Rally way back in 1984 to kick off the first MERC in the Rothmans Porsche 911 SC RS (pictured in the high-res image gallery below).

Continue reading Mini claims first international rally win

Mini claims first international rally win originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Etc., Europe, Celebrities

Gianpiero Moretti, driver and founder of race equipment manufacturer MOMO, passed away in his home in Milan this month after a lengthy illness. The 71-year-old began making steering wheels in his 20s, eventually translating his business into international success after Ferrari factory driver John Surtees adopted a MOMO wheel in his 158 F1 racing car in 1964. That car went on to carry Surtees to his only Formula One title, but Moretti's success blossomed. He opened a factory in Verona in 1966 and ran MOMO for three decades before selling it to a larger supplier.

In the interim, Moretti tried his hand at both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Daytona 24 Hours, campaigning multiple Ferrari and Porsche models but only managing to take the checkered flag once. In 1996, he came within a minute of victory at Daytona, but lost to the Riley & Scott team. Moretti returned in 1998 to seal the deal on his 15th attempt.

Moretti has left behind an indelible mark on the motorsports industry. His humble steering wheel operation grew into a mammoth race supply operation with everything from racing suits to shift knobs and the MOMO brand is synonymous with quality and style even now.

MOMO founder Gianpiero Moretti dead at 71 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Mercedes-Benz

For 15 years, McLaren was the F1 team of choice for Mercedes-Benz, enjoying a near-works level of support and collaboration from the German automaker. But as you may recall, Daimler bought its own team three seasons ago: the outfit that started out as British American Racing, then became Honda before branching out as Brawn GP, was rebranded Mercedes GP under its latest management and now rechristened Mercedes AMG Petronas. And ever since, McLaren has had to deflect speculation that it was looking for a new engine supplier.

Back in November, those rumors, somewhat ironically, centered around Honda, the company that once owned the team now owned by Mercedes-Benz and which was once McLaren's most victorious engine supplier. The Woking-based outfit scuttled those rumors at the time, and has now had to deny another set, this time involving PURE.

The new engine supplier established by former Jacques Villeneuve manager and BAR-Honda team principal Craig Pollock (with considerable technical know-how from former Peugeot, Renault and Ferrari engineers) is hard at work designing a new engine to be used from 2014 when the new turbocharged V6 engine regulations come into effect. There's no telling which teams PURE will power at that point, but one thing McLaren is adamant about is that it won't be theirs.

Instead, the brass at Woking is insistent that it is perfectly happy in its relationship with Mercedes-Benz, whose racing engine operations are linked to its eponymous racing team by little more than name and common ownership. McLaren, then, is expected to stick with Silver Star power at least through the end of 2015, if not longer.

McLaren denies plans to switch engine suppliers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Ford, Celebrities, Racing

We've finally come to accept the fact that we'll never be Vaughn Gittin Jr. There can be only one one pure-bred drift hooligan of his caliber on this planet and truth be told, our sideways skills are paltry at best. That doesn't mean we can't pretend, though. Gittin Jr. has teamed up with a smattering of companies to give away five very limited-edition RC cars made up in the image of his sinister Ford Mustang GT drift machine. Only 5,000 of the HPI RC Ford Mustang cars will be produced in total, and Gittin Jr. is giving five of them away to Facebook fans.

To get the word out, Gittin Jr., K&N, Monster Energy and Falken Tire crafted a video demonstrating just what happens when the drifter can't get his hands on the scale Mustang. An epic chase ensues, with the RC car taking a little "How it's Made" tour of the K&N factory. The clip also features a few outtakes worth watching, as well. We won't spoil it for you, but we will say more than one RC car gave its life in the making of the film. Hit the jump to check out the video for yourself. If you want to enter the sweepstakes, head over to the K&N Facebook page for more information.

Continue reading Vaughn Gittin Jr. almost out-drifted by RC car

Vaughn Gittin Jr. almost out-drifted by RC car originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports

You'll want to skip the next post if you haven't unwrapped the weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona awaiting you on your (apparently very capacious) DVR. For the rest of you, the 50th running of the event that commences Speedweeks and the sports car racing season saw David trounce several Goliaths: the Ford/Riley of Michael Shank Racing entry piloted by A.J. John Pew, Oswaldo Negri Jr., A.J. Allmendinger and Justin Wilson crossed the line in first. Not only that, their sister MSR car finished in third a minute down.

A.J. Allmendinger was behind the wheel at the checkered flag, his leg cramps so severe that he had to be helped from the car. MSR has been at the Daytona 24 for nine years and this is the team's first victory, while it was Allmendinger's first win in any series (he also competes in NASCAR with Penske Racing) - in six years.

They beat a bunch of drivers you're more likely to have heard of, with names like McNish, Montoya, Rahal, Franchitti and Tracy. The top five positions were filled out by the Starworks Motorsport Ford/Riley with Ryan Dalziel crossing the line in second, Juan Pablo Montoya driving the Chip Ganassi Racing BMW/Riley across the line in fourth, and the Action Express Racing Chevrolet Corvette - the first year for the Corvette in Prototype Class - in fifth. For the complete rundown of all winners in all classes, check out this link from USA Today.

Spoiler Alert: Your Rolex 24 at Daytona winner is... originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Performance, Supercars, Bugatti, Specialty, Luxury

Bugatti always finds ways of making their Veyron more exclusive, with a seemingly endless procession of special edition models. But for some, that still ain't enough. Inherently, Bug customers also tend to be the same people for whom cost is no object. And for them, tuning house Mansory created the Vincero.

With updated aero, LED lighting, new wheels and carbon fiber galore, Mansory also managed to coax out an extra 108 horsepower from the Veyron's thousand-horse, quad-turbo W16. And the cost of these otherwise rather modest modifications? A whopping $985k - nearly a million dollars - on top of the price of a stock Veyron to begin with. At those kinds of prices, it's no wonder Mansory decided to build just three of 'em. Although we gave you a first glimpse at the Geneva Motor Show this past March, you can check out our massive updated gallery of images below and a video after the jump.



[Sources: WCF; Nick Hall]

Continue reading PICS + VIDEO: Mansory Vincero costs $1 million... on top of the price of a Bugatti Veyron

PICS + VIDEO: Mansory Vincero costs $1 million... on top of the price of a Bugatti Veyron originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Convertible, Dodge

We can't help but think what could have been with the Dodge Challenger. Had Chrysler developed the car before rising gas prices and the economic downturn, we might have seen all sorts of variants. Perhaps a top-of-the-line model with a 426ci Hemi V8 could have challenged the Shelby GT500 as the king of the road. Those in warmer climates surely would have loved a droptop version, and since we're day dreaming, we could even imagine a Hemi Cuda version if Plymouth was still around.

Enter Norm Kraus. The legendary owner of Grand Spaulding Dodge in Chicago known as "Mr. Norm" has filled in the gaps by Chrysler and unveiled a 426 Hemi Challenger and Cuda Convertible this past weekend at the Chryslers at Carlisle event in Carlisle, PA. Mr. Norm's Garage, now based in Hudson, FL, will be producing a limited run of these convertibles.

Like their coupe siblings unveiled at SEMA show last year, the droptop Challenger and Cuda share styling cues from E-Body ancestors from the early 1970s. The Cuda version is modified with a new grille inspired by the 1971 model year, a shaker hood system, Hemi billboard graphics, straightened rear quarter panels, and '71 Hemi Cuda taillight assemblies. The interior gets custom leather and suede seating, a pistol grip shifter, and custom mats.

Backing up the look is a 426ci Hemi V8 underneath the hood complete with a forged rotating assembly and a Kenne Bell supercharger that produces 725 horsepower. To compensate for the extra thrust, Mr. Norm has fitted each car with a Viper-spec Dana 44 differential, a fortified driveshaft, frame connectors, and a fully adjustable coilover suspension system.

We don't have any live photos quite yet, but you can read all about them in the press release after the jump.



[Source: Mr. Norm's Garage]

Continue reading Mr. Norms unveils 426 Hemi Challenger and Hemi Cuda Convertibles

Mr. Norms unveils 426 Hemi Challenger and Hemi Cuda Convertibles originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Budget, Hybrid, Performance, Hatchback, Volkswagen

The sixth-generation Golf and GTI will soon arrive for 2010, and already, Abt Sportline - the largest Volkswagen tuner in the world - has released a variety of aftermarket parts for each. Starting with the new exterior, Abt adds a new front fascia and grill, side skirts, and rear fascia and spoiler. Wheel options come in 18- or 19-inch sizes, with or without sport rubber. Brakes can be upgraded to 345mm or 380mm sizes, and lowering springs can be fitted to provide a sportier ride and eliminate the VW's unsightly wheel gap.

Volkswagen has always left plenty of room for increased potential with its turbocharged engines, and Abt maximizes that with performance packages for the entire range. The GTI's 207-horsepower (197 here in the States) 2.0-liter turbo-four gets boosted to 240 horsepower, while the 2.0-liter diesel engine in the Golf TDI is pushed from 140 to 170 horsepower. The European-only 1.4-liter motor also gets a significant increase in performance, going from 122 to 160 horsepower. Full details on all of the available upgrades from Abt after the jump.




[Source: Abt Sportline]

Continue reading Abt gives a boost to the 2010 VW Golf, GTI

Abt gives a boost to the 2010 VW Golf, GTI originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, SUV, Green, Porsche, Diesel

If you want a powerful, fast Porsche Cayenne, Stuttgart has no shortage of choices on offer, topping out with the mental 550 horsepower Turbo S. Of course, there are plenty of aftermarket tuners willing to take the unreasonable up to downright silly proportions, but if you were looking for power and speed without sacrificing too much fuel, for the most part you were advised to look elsewhere. After all, a big SUV isn't exactly the ideal platform for either. But then along comes Porsche tuner extraordinaire Techart to show you the way with its own custom Porsche Cayenne Diesel.

Boosting output from 240 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque to a hefty 290 hp and 465 lb-ft, the Techart Cayenne Diesel drops the stock 0-60 time of 8.3 seconds down to a handy 7.7 seconds, all without harming the vehicle's fuel economy or emissions numbers. Nice work, but the most impressive part is the modified torque curve that gives the big oil-burner accessible grunt from as low as 1,000 rpm.

Techart has also crafted a unique Aerokit 1 for the diesel sport-ute, giving it a more aggressive stance while improving airflow, capped with giant 21-inch alloys or optional 22s. The British tuning house offers a turnkey model at £55,500 (around $89k USD) with the body kit and engine mods, or can fit an existing diesel Cayenne with the Aerokit for £15,000 ($24k) and the engine kit for £2,500 ($4k). Details in the press release after the jump and high-res images are on offer in the gallery below.



[Source: Techart]

Continue reading Twist and Shout: Techart among first to tweak Porsche Cayenne diesel

Twist and Shout: Techart among first to tweak Porsche Cayenne diesel originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Sedan, Europe, Audi

The tuners at MTM have begun tweaking the all-new 2010 Audi S4 (B8) in Europe, and as expected, Audi's new supercharged 333-hp 3.0-liter V6 is rife with potential. With only a revised ECU - no underdrive pulley, intake or exhaust mods - MTM was able to coax 430 crank horsepower out of the blown six - 97 hp more than stock.

The kit, which retails for 2,491 euros (around $3,500 USD), brings torque output up to 380 lb-ft and, according to MTM, drops the 0-60 mph time from 5.2 to 4.6 seconds. Clearly, good things are on the way for the BMW 335i fighter, and we expect more to follow when the new darling of the Euro-tuning scene arrives in the States later this year.



[Source: MTM]

MTM turns up the wick on the 2010 Audi S4 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Coupe, Performance, Dodge

When we last visited the Hurst facility in Irvine, CA, we noticed something unusual. While nearly all of the Challengers were painted in either white or black, a lone Challenger painted in B5 Blue sat tucked away in a corner. When we inquired about the car, we were told that we would find out soon enough. Well, we know now, as Hurst has just unveiled a Competition/Plus package for the Dodge Challenger at the NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, CA.

The Competition/Plus project was started in an effort to provide a more affordable package, as well as appeal to customers who might not necessarily want the classic gold paint schemes. Named after the legendary shifter that helped make Hurst famous, the package includes only the essentials: an Eibach suspension system, Magnaflow exhaust system, Hurst 20-inch alloy wheels, color-matched leather inserts and stitching for the interior, matte black exterior accents, and, of course, a Competition/Plus short throw shifter with the classic white ball. We're told the package is available on any color of Challenger, whether it's the B5 Blue pictured here, Hemi Orange, TorRed or any other.

Pricing has yet to be announced, but full details on the car should be released soon. Until then, take a look at our exclusive gallery of photographs that were given the chance to snap a couple of days before the car's release.



Photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Exclusive: Hurst announces Competition/Plus Dodge Challenger originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Coupe, Performance, Ford

Ford tuning specialists Steeda Autosports have been teasing the 2010 version of their Q-Series Mustang for quite some time, and apparently for some of their customers, it can't come soon enough. To help deal with requests, the Florida-based company has introduced a Sport Edition model that utilizes an array of parts already in the Steeda catalog.

This particular steed is tweaked to handle, with upgraded billet lower control arms, sport springs, and 20-inch chrome wheels wrapped with Nitto NT05 high-performance tires. Other modifications include a sport shifter, underdrive performance pulleys, a performance air cleaner, and distinctive Steeda graphics. At $8995 $6,995, the pricing seems pretty steep, especially without any significant power upgrades, but we have to admit it's one good looking pony car.

[Source: Muscular Mustangs]

*UPDATE: Steeda representatives have contacted Autoblog with correct information regarding the new Sport Edition, including a different, wallet-friendlier package price of $6,995 (the source article cited incorrect information). The full, official press release has been added after the jump.

Continue reading Steeda announces 2010 Sport Edition Mustang [*UPDATED]

Steeda announces 2010 Sport Edition Mustang [*UPDATED] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Classics, Tuners, Performance, Auctions, Ford

The Fox body was hardly a high point in the history of the Ford Mustang. But every kingdom must have a king, and in the late-'80s and early-'90s this was it: the JBA Dominator GTA. Commissioned from J Bittle American by Ford in 1989, the Dominator took the pony car to new heights, installing what was likely the first independent rear suspension on a Mustang along with a long list of features that differentiated this custom muscle car from stock. The Lightning 351 engine features the iron heads from the GT40 and the intake manifold from a Cobra. A custom exhaust and aircraft-derived fuel system kept it breathing, while 17-inch rims obscured race-spec disc brakes at all corners.

The list goes on and on, and during its reign, the Dominator received plenty of media attention. The Mustang was featured on the cover of Road & Track in November 1989 in a shoot-out against other factory-backed custom muscle cars and went on to star in various hot-rodding and Ford-specific magazines. The JBA even has its own website, which will transfer to the buyer willing to pony up the $34,500 asking price for this piece of Mustang tuning history. Check it out in the gallery below and the video after the jump, or follow the link to the eBay auction page to make an offer.



[Source: eBay Motors via BAT]

Continue reading eBay Find of the Day: 1989 Mustang Dominator, straight off the cover of Road & Track [w/VIDEO]

eBay Find of the Day: 1989 Mustang Dominator, straight off the cover of Road & Track [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Classics, Tuners, Performance, Jaguar, UK

The thing about limited editions is that there are bound to be at least a few customers disappointed that they couldn't get their hands on one. That's the whole point, keeping demand higher than supply and thus ensuring a high price. So it's a little unusual to see an automaker or aftermarket supplier going back and reopening the supply lines, especially if the model in question has already been replaced. But that's exactly what British tuning house Arden has done with the AJ18.

Based on the previous-generation XK, Arden debuted this limited-edition track-inspired Jag coupe nearly ten years ago at the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show, pegging production at just 13 units. A decade gone by, Arden has announced the availability of an additional five examples, bringing the total run up to 18 pieces. What sets the AJ18 apart from the stock XK8 is the carbon-composite aero kit, custom grilles and bumpers, narrow wing mirrors, giant rear wing and 20-inch Sportline rims hiding 370mm brake discs with 6-piston calipers mounted to a lowered Bilstein suspension.

We'd just as soon go out and buy a new XK, dynamically superior as it is to its successor in just about every way, but if you've already got a previous-generation model in your driveway and still regret missing your chance to upgrade it to the Arden AJ18, this will probably be your last chance. Probably.

[Source: Carscoop]

In Tune With the Past: Arden re-issues limited-edition AJ18 XK originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Convertible, Supercars, Ferrari

We're unsure about the logic behind messing with one of Ferrari's amazing creations, let alone a limited edition model like the Scuderia Spider 16M. But German tuning company Novitec Rosso has no qualms about putting their own creative mark on the cars from Maranello. Their most recent creation is this twin-supercharged Scuderia Spider 16M that puts out 696 horsepower at 8400 rpm and 503 lb-ft torque at 6300 rpm. Capable of hitting 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and topping 205 mph, it's easily one of the fastest convertibles in the world. The Italian drop top also gets larger wheels and tires, sport springs with a hydraulic lift system, black taillights, side markers and reflectors, a leather/carbon fiber steering wheel, and carbon fiber shift paddles. Full details in the press release after the jump.




[Source: Novitec via AutoGuide.com]

Continue reading Novitec unveils twin-supercharged Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M

Novitec unveils twin-supercharged Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Sedan, Pontiac

The Pontiac brand may be on its way out the door, but that doesn't mean it can't have one last fling with a renowned tuner. Hurst Performance Vehicles, the legendary shifter company that most recently has made waves with its Hemi Challenger, announced its new H.O. program for the Pontiac G6 and G8. Few details have been released regarding the performance upgrades of the cars, but each will feature Hurst's signature black/gold or white/gold paint scheme, forged alloy Hurst wheels, an exclusive Hurst shifter, supercharged engine, suspension upgrades, and a newly trimmed interior.

To help with the development of the car, Hurst also brought on performance icon "Doc" Watson, who developed such vehicles as the Hurst Hemi-Under-Glass and the 1972 Pontiac SSJ. Only 52 Hurst H.O. Pontiacs will be built along with ten G6 convertibles used as parade and special event vehicles. More details regarding the performance upgrades will be announced on August 1st, but until then all the available information can be found in the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Hurst announces Pontiac H.O. G8 and G6

Hurst announces Pontiac H.O. G8 and G6 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Minivan/Van, Honda

You wanted something sporty, but due to additions to the family, a minivan is as athletic as its going to get. But if that minivan is the 2010 Honda Stream, you can still satisfy your sporty urges thanks to Mugen. The practically in-house tuner has developed a full line of interior, exterior, aero, performance, handling and cosmetic parts for the people mover -- from typical Mugen mods like spoilers and wheels to a performance air filter and TypeT touring brake pads. If you add the sport suspension to your minivan, well, maybe you really do need to get a different car.



[Source: Mugen]

Unlikely State Of Tune: Mugen takes on the Honda Stream originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Coupe, Ford, Shelby

Coinciding with the 35th Annual Ford and Team Shelby Nationals in Tulsa, OK, Shelby Automobiles has released a barrage of new models including a 2010 version of the GT500 Super Snake (above). Most of the models are based on the previous generation Mustang, either the Mustang GT, Shelby GT or GT500 that current owners can bring to Shelby to be modified.

First up is the Shelby GT/SC, basically a Shelby GT with a supercharger, upgraded brakes and triple gauges on the dash. Next is the Shelby GT/SR (right), which is essentially a GT/SC model fitted with additional equipment for racing like BFGoodrich R compound tires, a one-piece aluminum driveshaft, front brake duct kit and an adjustable suspension.

If you want to Shelbify your regular Mustang GT, you can opt for the SuperCharged package that includes a supercharger, upgrades brakes, suspension and exhaust, 18-inch tires and more. You can also spec out your Mustang to SR spec, which adds similar upgrades to the GT/SR model.

Have a GT500 that needs more Shelby stuff on it? You can now go with the GT500SE (Special Edition) package that includes a carbon fiber front splitter, rocker panels and hood grille inserts, Ford Racing suspension, Borla exhaust, 20-inch wheels and tires, and more. And what if your GT500 is a 2010 model? Well, Shelby is now offering their Super Snake package for the latest GT500 that, among other things, offers a 725-horsepower supercharger upgrade.

Overwhelmed? So are we, but follow the jump to dig through all the upgrades and information for each vehicle.




[Source: Shelby]

Continue reading Shelby unveils six new models including 2010 GT500 Super Snake

Shelby unveils six new models including 2010 GT500 Super Snake originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Coupe, Videos, Chevrolet

Normally the twisting of an ignition key doesn't constitute news here at Autoblog, but this is one of the few exceptions. Back in January, Hennessey Performance announced the HPE700, a concoction born from the combination of an LS9 supercharged V8 from a ZR1 and a 2010 Camaro. The Texas-based company only recently shoe-horned the engine into the engine bay. A video camera was on when it was finally time to start the newly created monster, and the sound is nothing short of amazing. The result of open headers plus what appears to be a fairly aggressive cam makes for a sound that has the hairs on the backs of our necks standing on end. Have a listen for yourself by watching the video after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Brian!



[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Commencing countdown, engine on for LS9-powered Hennessey HPE700

VIDEO: Commencing countdown, engine on for LS9-powered Hennessey HPE700 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Tuners, Videos, Hatchback, Honda

Honda's Euro-market Civic Type R hatchback has been called out for being a successor that hasn't exactly succeeded. Seems a bit of the thrill is gone from the new car compared to the old one. Enter tuning firm Mugen, whose modifications to the Type R hatch should make it even better than it once was.

Not much is known about the changes in store. However, based on changes made for Mugen's Japan-spec Civic Type RR 4-door sedan, these pictures, and the fact that this car might take on the Renault R26.R, you can expect much: upgraded suspension and 18-inch wheels, giant front splitter and rear wing, huge exhaust, and a powerplant putting out 237 bhp and 160 lb-ft.

If the pictures don't lie, however, it looks like the bigger Brembo brakes might not appear, and the back seats will remain in place. You can check out the details for yourself in the high-res gallery below. Thanks to Ryan for the video



[Source: 4 Wheels News]

Continue reading Mugen Civic Type R hatchback restores former glory [w/VIDEO]

Mugen Civic Type R hatchback restores former glory [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Coupe, Performance, Dodge

At SEMA last year, the legendary shifter company Hurst made huge waves with its Hemi Challenger. We've been following Hurst's progress of the cars ever since, and even got the chance to get behind the wheel of the prototype car for a brief stint. We recently made the trip down to Hurst Performance Vehicles' headquarters in Irvine, CA to see just how stock Challengers are transformed into one of their limited edition muscle cars.

You might think that Hurst would be hard pressed to find customers in today's economy, but we were surprised to see their building overflowing with Challengers. There were completely stock cars that had just been delivered, cars getting superchargers and suspension upgrades, and plenty of complete cars waiting to be delivered to their lucky new owners.

Hurst was kind enough to give us a full tour of the facility, and showed us exactly what goes into making one of their Challengers, whether it's a base Series 2 model or a full blown Series 5 with all the bells and whistles. Follow us on our tour in the gallery below, which includes high-res photographs and detailed descriptions that follow a Hurst Challenger from start to finish.



Photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

How It's Made: Hurst Hemi Dodge Challenger originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Coupe, Performance, Ford

There's no shortage of Mustang tuners in this world, but Randall Reed Ford is removing the middle man and will begin offering its own "signature edition" 2010 Ford Mustang GT through Randall Reed stores and select dealerships across the country.

Developed in partnership with Artisan Performance, the Reed Speed SSE is packing a reworked engine, complete with forged rods, new pistons and Total Seal rings. The new internals drop the compression ratio to accept the 12 psi of dual-intercooled boost huffed through a set of Artisan Rear Mounted twin turbochargers. According to Reed, the combination is good for 700 hp, and will only be backed by a proper manual gearbox.

In addition to the engine mods, the stock stoppers have been replaced by 14-inch rotors with six-piston calipers supplied by SSBC, while a custom body kit widens the track of the Reed Speed 'Stang by 1.5-inches in front and 3.0-inches in the rear. Housed within the stretched sheet metal are 20-inch iForged wheels, measuring 11 inches wide in front and 13 inches in the rear, and along with the two-tone custom BASF paint and smoked lens, each Mustang comes with a numbered plaque and "owner's package." There's no word yet on pricing or availability, but expect the SSE to be available later this summer.

700-hp, twin-turbo Reed Speed Ford Mustang coming to a dealer near you originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Tuners, Ford, Lincoln

Although the auto industry is suffering through dark times, there's a faint light glowing in the form of this year's SEMA show. With automakers scaling back at some of the world's largest auto expos, the 2009 aftermarket extravaganza is anticipating one of its highest turnouts in years, from both exhibitors and attendees.

As the featured automaker at SEMA 2009, Ford is leading the charge, and in addition to plenty of bespoke offerings from both the Blue Oval, SEMA organizers are planning to announce "several 'first-ever' programs" in the coming weeks. With all the doom and gloom surround the industry, we're looking forward to a respite later this year, and it looks like the SEMA show, running November 3 through 6, could be it.

Continue reading Ford named featured marque for 2009 SEMA Show

Ford named featured marque for 2009 SEMA Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Convertible, Performance, Europe, Supercars, Ferrari

Despite its position as the 'approachable' Prancing Horse, Ferrari's new California folding hardtop is a heck of an impressive drive all the way around. However, that hasn't stopped some quarters from suggesting that it's a bit compromised and a bit too effeminate to be a proper Maranello supercar. While we think that's nonsensical, we admit a little toughening up couldn't hurt to silence the doubters.

Enter German tuner Edo Competition, which has just taken the wraps off of their own fettled California. Looking suitably foreboding in black with larger matching alloys, Edo has tweaked the car's 4.3-liter V8 engine to deliver 500 horsepower (+40). That nice, round number arrives courtesy of a remapped ECU and a pair of high-flow cats that feed into a new cockpit-adjustable exhaust system. The engine's torque level doesn't swell quite as much, peaking at 369 lb-ft (@ 5,200 rpm), but nevertheless, EDO says the car is good for a 0-62 mph run in 3.9 seconds and a top end of 315 km/h (196 mph). Oddly, Ferrari says the box-stock Cali will get to 60 mph in "under 4 seconds," so there's probably not much of a difference between the two on the low end, although Edo's top speed is 5 kmph faster than when it left the factory.

Commendably, Edo has resisted the need to fit a lairy body kit, although the company says it will be happy to trim-out your droptop with lowering springs (-35mm), a full-on sport suspension system with adjustable damping, or your choice of 20- and 21-inch wheels. They'll even redo the interior for you, although we find the standard car to be quite wonderful in this regard, and might recommend leaving well enough alone.

Check out the high-res gallery below and Edo's official verbiage after the jump.



[Source: Edo Competition]

Continue reading Ferrari California receives 500 HP attitude adjustment at the hands of Edo Competition

Ferrari California receives 500 HP attitude adjustment at the hands of Edo Competition originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, SUV, Porsche

Throughout its life, Porsche's Cayenne hasn't exactly come in for critical praise for its aesthetics, so thankfully it has always been just about peerless dynamically. Perhaps as a result of that observed deficiency, countless aftermarket companies have taken up the their pens and styling knives to try to improve upon Stuttgart's controversial jack-of-all-trades. Suffice it to say that most of these sorts of efforts haven't worked out terribly favorably.

The latest company to attempt rhinoplasty on the Cayenne is Russian outfit Status Design, whose grilled and gilled design is a radical departure from the standard SUV. Looking a bit like a Cayenne that's swallowed a handful of Ferrari Enzo front clips, this Status Design effort has all manner of vents and inlets which hopefully enable better breathing - check out the NACA duct on the nose. There's also an assortment of other changes, including a pair of odd flying buttress-like extensions below the rear-most pillar and some retro-minded color scallops on the side. It's certainly a unique and eye-catching look - whether that's a good thing is up to you.

In any case, while the Moscow Cayenne is just a rendering at this state, a production version is expected this Fall, complete with carbon-fiber and plastic construction, along with some LED garnishes that look rather familiar.

With our Russian language skills not exactly being up to snuff, we were forced to rely on Google Translate's prowess to help us glean more details from the company's website. In typical fashion, it delivered some curious wording that doesn't quite come across as English. Despite being lost in translation, some of the Googlized statements read as oddly appropriate: "Modeling false weight to the Porsche Cayenne" and "Individual body-whale and tuning elements under the exclusive personalization of vehicles" being our favorites.

Either way, we're quite sure that if we had this thing storming up in our rearview mirror, we'd move over with a quickness, and that's got to count for something.



[Source: Status Design]

Russian Attack: Status Design reimagines the Porsche Cayenne originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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