Racing

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Defender Challenge Racing Series by Bowler Motorsport Makes YOU the Off-Road Rally Hero

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Enticing, is it not? The idea of living the racing driver dream is quite vivid for many of us, but the options to do so bring huge costs of their own. For 2014, Bowler Motorsport is bringing its legendary Dakar rally know-how home to some of the UK’s most entertaining off-road regions – where professionals and beginners alike can feel the muddy rush of speed that can only originate in a professional rally car. Uprated Land Rover Defender 90’s are specially prepared by Bowler Motorsport for the series, with all the support that a professional team would bring as well. …

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MEGA Road Test Review – 2014 Lexus GX460 Driven Back-to-Back with 2015 Tahoe LTZ

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INTRO For road testers as well as shoppers, there is a huge benefit in driving two considered vehicles back-to-back, with insights and detail differences coming to the surface that might not have been noticeable before. The closer the competition in terms of quality and specifications — the more critical it is to get a sense of each machine from the driver’s seat. Probably common sense, but a good reminder to myself nonetheless on my favorite aspect of any car magazine. So what did I notice coming right from the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe into the Lexus GX460? Find out in the …

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VENTURI Taking its Visionary EV Future-Tech to Bonneville and Formula E Racetracks

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PART ONE: INTRO TO BRILLIANT CONCEPTS You cannot fault Venturi Automobiles for their ambition – here is a company with the power to envision and make concept cars that might even fail the Rinspeed or ItalDesign “reality check” test. Wild ideas like a solar streamliner for commuters, the Antarctic shuttle on treads, and the America off-road cabrio concept are certainly enticing for their rarity and bold vision. The Volage concept is perhaps the most feasible as a sale-able vehicle — with unique ideas present even six years since its first look as a concept in 2008.   PART TWO: HARSH …

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Buyers Guide Info – Building my 2014 Renaultsport Clio 200 EDC Lux

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If you were transplanted to another country tomorrow and needed a company car, what would you select? Nothing too garish or expensive, and something that will keep you entertained over the years of living in a new place? My choice would have a few priorities: — something that cannot be bought in America — something that fits the local roads and driving conditions well — chic, fast and low are always my goals I would be leaning toward a few cars, one of which is the new Renault Clio RS 200. Its turbocharged engine is just a few upgrades (intake, …

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2014 Renault Captur Helly Hansen Edition – Authentic Brand Equity First, Outdoor Fashion Statement Second

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Like most Americans, my coverage of (and interest in) Renault is decidedly spotty. I flit in and out during their press briefings, reading and becoming interested in perhaps one and three that cross this desk. But to see the production Captur Helly Hansen was too much to dismiss! Why? I love Helly Hansen!  It is an awesome brand of outdoor apparel – in America wearing prices 2X the comparable North Face and 3X the Columbia sportswear it competes with in the mass market. As such, it is a bit of a sweet-tooth fashion element for fancy people tired of the …

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Road Test Review – 2014 Dodge Journey Crossroad

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The Dodge Journey is updated for 2014 with yet another special edition: this one called the Crossroad. It complements the Blacktop Journey with pricing from about $25,000 – which is a big jump from the advertised base pricing for the Journey that starts at $20,000. This is the first Dodge, Ram or Chrysler review I have written since January 12th when the Ram Mossy Oak debuted in Detroit. I would like to report good things – that this car was such a revelation that it made me cover Chrysler brands again. That is absolutely not the case with the $31,000 …

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Future Car Renderings – 2016 BMW i4 Imagined as Much-Lower, Much-Cooler Machine

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Today is the third or fourth time we have tried to get on-board with the BMW i3 via the online builder and the mechanical specifications. The i3 is a fantastically-interesting, futuristic, and brilliant solution to low-emissions motoring: priced from $41,000 as the pure EV model, the premium for the Range-Extender gasoline option up front is just a few thousand extra – well worth it in my opinion. But the style!? Where is the style of the future? In the past? We hope not. But my word – this i3 makes the Prius look sexy and slinky. It is best compared …

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Venturi VOXAN WATTMAN Concept Bike is EV Brutalism on Two Wheels – Colors + Specs

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This concept bike from Voxan Motors is the debut model for the brand. An off-shoot of Venturi Automobiles, the bike is called the WATTMAN in a less-than-subtle nod to its electric powertrain. All seems well with the specs – until you get to the weight and performance — which are both pretty abysmal. The other missing element is the price, which is conspicuous in its absence. Even so, as a concept previewing a design vision? Stunning. Desirable. Brutal but delicate details. It is quite lovely. If only it weighed less than 700 pounds and was not projected to carry a …

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2014 Radical RXC Lands in America! Track Shakedown with WISKO Racing + Mega Gallery Inside/Out

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WISKO racing is based in Virginia and is an official Radical distributor in the United States — which is a bit of a relief for me as a car writer. Why? As you may note in the below photos, there is a “For Sale” placard in the windshield, which would be worrying for such a new car in any other circumstances…! But not for this amazing machine, which delivers such LeMans levels of down-force that it becomes nearly unflappable in any track scenario. All the better to put down some race-ready laptimes..! The RXC is priced from just under 100,000 …

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The Mitty 2014 at Road Atlanta – Modern Formula Racers Group – IndyCars, Formula3 and Lotus T125

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  This Marlboro-liveried car is running a Buick engine, with the rest a bit unclear. The only car I can ID for certain is the T125 Lotus, which was the customer racer they sold briefly in 2012-2013. Group 4C – Modern Formula 2013 Lotus T125 1997 Lola T97/20 1994 Shelby Sports Racer 2002 Dallara Indy 2006 Swift JMS016P 1997 Lola T97/20

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The Mitty 2014 at Road Atlanta – Monoposto Classic – Group 4A and 4B Brabham, Lotus, Lola…

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 The Mitty is really a grab-bag of racers in every group, making it hard to know what is even zooming past. That was certainly the case for this group! Here are the cars in Group 4A – The Monoposto Classic 1969 Lotus 61 1969 Bragham BT-29 1970 Chevron B17B 1969 March 693 1972 Crossle 25 1972 Ensign FB 1067 Brabham BT21   Group 4B Monoposto Formula 1975 Lola T332 1976 March 762 F2 1971 McRae GM1 1979 March 79 SV 1973 Lola T330 1980 March 80A 1980 March 80A 1972 GRD 372 1975 March Fm. Atlantic 7      

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MINI Paceman Adventure Concept Leverages DAKAR Winning Streak – Previews Next MINI Paceman Cabrio?

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Sometimes reverse psychology is the best way to read quotes written by hardcore commincations professionals – folks like PR teams and diplomats, for example. So when MINI says… “The MINI Paceman Adventure is a true one-off and there are no plans for series production.” The jaded auto journo like me reads this as true, with a big “But…” While the off-road kit outfitted to this Paceman Adventure is surely a fantasy-level that is best fit for a concept, the basic drop-top premise seems much more plausible. This cabrio soft-roader is totally do-able once the concept embellishments like the steel pickup …

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Restyled 2014 Exocet is MX-5-based Trackday Dream: Ariel Atom Thrills for Miata Bills!

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This 2014 Exocet Race visited the Flyin’ Miatas booth at Road Atlanta last weekend, and caused quite a stir in its panel-free glory. Yes, it is just wearing its birthday suit in my Atlanta photos, but the 2014 kits actually all feature resdesigned panels and upgraded features. Here is the low-down of what this Exomotive machine is: — Kit car that uses core components of the Mx-5, but an ultra-strong and extremely lightweight steel exoskeleton versus the heavy and less-rigid factory unibody.     The Atlanta-based Exomotive design is shipped as a kit to owners, where the build is said …

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The Mitty’s Most Curious Parade Lapper – 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado in Riddler Purple

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Okay, perhaps not the most curious. There were more than a few Honda CR-Vs and other small family machines that took to the famous Road Atlanta racetrack during lunchbreak for the parade lap. But none carries quite the *blamo!* or *POW!* of this Toronado in Riddler purple. In person, the Toronado is a hideous beast of a land-yacht. It was well-regarded at the time of its debut for unknown reasons. Jay Leno is the car’s biggest fan these days – the rest of the world really guffawed at its front-drive layout and handling like a boat anchor – or forklift. …

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NASCAR Meets Road Course?! Video of Stock Cars at Mitty 2014 + 100 Track Photos

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One cannot really escape NASCAR if you are outside of a New York-LA-Chicago type of city, and especially if you are a Yankee who wakes up one day in the South. Stock Car racing is everywhere, and I am climbing down into the abyss. Overall, the cars are pretty fun to watch being driven at max attack around Road Atlanta’s challenging road course. For one, it has numerous tight corners. Second, the cars in this Stock Car class include everything from Impalas and relatively recent Charger NASCARS … all the way back in time to the Chevy Monte Carolo and …

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$300 Supercar Track Drive?! Velocity Motorsports of Atlanta Shows Impressive Fleet – And Pricing!

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Driving experiences are a highly recommended way to indulge the supercar and trackday fantasy lives we all have. But in my experience, the prices are absolutely eye-watering in many cases. But there is a new breed of supercar driving clubs out there that have pricing starting from about $300 — which is a far, far sight cheaper than the $2000-per-day that most of the big-name driving academies charge. Heck, even the Jaguar F-Type R Coupe driving day is priced in the thousands of dollars. Lamborghini is similarly outrageous – particularly for these clients who may or may not already own …

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2014 MINI Paceman Cooper S – Built-out and Recommended Options for Loaded $34k Price

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2014 MINI Paceman Cooper S Options The MINI Paceman might seem a little unnecessary, but it is a unique choice that is a must-have fashion statement for some. For my personal preference of rear-drive, or rear-drive-based AWD cars, the BMW X1 would be my pick over the Paceman any day of the week. But the appeal of the Paceman is pretty real for its extra ride height over the very low-slung MINI hardtop. The style and image is what sets the BMW and MINI apart for most buyers. But both share one critical issue to be wary of: the ability …

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VIDEO and Photos – Bailey Ferrari P-4 Replica Running 400i V12 + Flat-6 917 Porsche Replica Too!

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A day that fires up with GT40 V8s and ends with Ferrari P4 V12’s? What could be better? Sure, both the cars in question are recreations – replicas of these arch-rival racecars that are remade in 2014 just a bit better (we would argue)  than was possible in the 1960s. But even so, they are a wonderful time-capsules and even time machines for many – these cars were in their racing prime when color photography was rare enough to not know the difference between Rosso Corsa and Gulf Blue. This was racing at modern speeds — with decidedly vintage technology. …

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Affordable Rewards – All-Original 1965 Porsche 356C in Togo Brown

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It is hard to believe the 356 was still rumbling around in 1965, one year after the first 911 models started arriving to the United States. The 356 was carried into 1965 primarily to serve as a more-affordable entry into the Porsche brand versus the 911 and its six-cylinder layout. The 356C was also a hedge against the chance – albeit a very rare one  – that buyers would not like the new Butzi-penned shape of the 911. Togo Brown is a period color that still screams vintage today. This paint is so thick and pure, it looks like it …

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2014 Superformance GT40 Mark I – MEGA Photo Shoot and Ride-Along Videos

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While editing these photos just now, I am trying to think of the right description for the beauty shown by the Superformance GT40 Mark I. (And its humble photographer…!) All I keep thinking is: “These Photos Are Wet-Your-Pants Gorgeous.” The 100-plus photos below hopefully make up for the very disappointing camerawork in my GT40 ride-along. Yes, for most of it, I am narrating into an iPhone that was not actually, ahem, recording… VIDEO PART ONE VIDEO PART TWO Overall, owning a Superformance GT40 is now near the top of my long list of life goals. Enjoy.     OUTDOOR PHOTOS …

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VIDEO: Touring the Olthoff Racing Dream Factory – Superformance GT40s and Cobras Galore

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Tucked beside a country highway in North Carolina, impossible dreams come to life in the form of howling racecar replicas from Superformance. The model year says 2014, but the dream of piloting a Le Mans car on the street generally share a birthday with a 196* starting point. Authorized and licensed by Safir Spares and Shelby American, Superformance is not a fly-by-night organization. Badges and paperwork are a sure thing with every model they sell from the dozen or so assembly and retail outlets like Olthoff Racing all over the world. But the one thing with racecar assembly versus mass-market …

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McLaren M8F meets M8B Go-Kart! Seeks Posh New Home; McLaren Owner Strongly Preferred

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How awesome is this (homage) McLaren M8B High Wing Go-Kart? The detail-work is remarkably accurate (for a toy…), down to that desirable McLaren Orange paintwork and the white tire stencils to match period racing rubber. The kart is not intended as a racer — which makes sense considering it was created only for kid-sized individuals. It is more of piece of art, a conversation starter, or a piece of wall decor to crave. Originally built for an owner of many, many original McLarens, the M8B (M8K?) kart is now in transition and is for sale to the highest bidder. Located …

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Ariel Atom Duo on Slicks at the Road Atlanta Skidpad for ATL Driving Experience

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Ariel Atom ATL Driving Experience Q: what is even quicker than an Ariel Atom at any track, worldwide? A: an Ariel Atom on racing slicks! I’ll take the blue one. You hop in the orange. Let’s do this. The Ariel Atom is well-known as the elastic fun-cooker that shook Jeremy Clarkson’s face apart around Dunsfold Air Force Base in 2007, then hung his cheeks out to dry via a high-speed blast down those world-famous TopGear runways just moments later. The Atom is now on to generation 3.5, with the much-wider track and chassis making it even more like a shrieking …

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Road Test Review – $32k 2015 Audi A3 Sedan Is Surprisingly Handsome, Modern and Fun to Flog!

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 The Audi A3 family is pretty massive for 2015 – with the new sedan just the first in the offensive that will include the A3/S3 Cabrio, A3 Sportback and Sportback Hybrid, an S3 sedan and even the Q3 mini SUV. So there is alot riding on this compact exec’s shoulders – not least the expectation that it might be overpriced and under-amazing. But that is not the case in the slightest. What we discovered after flogging Audi’s latest machine around Lake Lanier, Georgia last week is a fun, peppy car with outstanding driving characteristics, very intuitive steering, and a contender …

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1937 Shafer 8 BUICK Indy RaceCar at The Mitty – Road Atlanta 2014

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Pretty shameless not to write much about this amazing machine!  But the photos really tell most of the story of this handsome and streamlined Buick-powered racer. Streamlined? Yes and no. The long-tail acted to improve stability, but those silver bars along the sides? That is the full ladder chassis, with the cabin and mechanical shrouds all in-board. Coker Tire sells the best vintage tires around, with the exact Firestones seen here available today from about $475 – which is not a bad deal overall! Adjusted for inflation, that would be barely $2 per tire in the 1930s…! http://blog.cokertire.com/shafer-eight/  

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Porsche, BMW and Aston Beware: Nissan GT-R GT3 Poised to Dominate Nurburgring 24H Race

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Nissan GT-R GT3 Nurburgring 24H Race When the Nissan GT-R goes racing, it typically does so to win. This is not a flight of fancy – the latest GT3 version of the mighty GT-R must know something we do not about speed and stamina around the Green Hell. Either the car knows something, or the Nismo.tv YouTube channel, or perhaps the GT Academy drivers for this year’s online reality competition show? Someone must be very confident that this GT-R GT3 can beat everything else on the grid.   With this GT3-spec GT-R, perhaps Nissan is delivering such fast testing laps …

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Mazda MX-5 Adds 40HP, Drops 800LB: BAUER Catfish Shell Over Flyin Miata Turbo

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This is an interesting meeting of the Miata minds. Bauer Limited Production’s Catfish body overhaul for the 1990-2005 Mazda MX-5 with Flyin’ Miata’s turbocharged engine underneath. It is a recipe that delivers surprising style and divine performance, that is for sure! This Flyin’ Miata example is a bit gnarly in the headlight execution and in some tiny spots on the metallic vinyl wrap, but is still quite bewitching in the flesh. The $14,000 Bauer Catfish bodywork is a relatively simple bolt-on, bolt-off design – and also cuts 800 pounds from the cars’ curb weights. Not too shabby, especially considering the …

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McLaren Special Ops Reveals Upgrades for 650S via Production-Ready Concept

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McLaren Special Ops 650S McLaren Special Operations is fantastic – easily and safely turning any 12C into more graceful beauties via new bumpers, sills, spats and diffusers outside. Inside, your taste and modesty are the only restrictions on colors and customizations. All the MSO upgrades adhere to the same McLaren fanatical obsession with racing performance enhancement at every step – meaning they are far more than just cosmetic. They are also OEM-quality, which is less-than-a-sure-thing for other body kits. Such bodywork flying off the car at McLaren-level speeds would be a concern for me when personalizing my supercar. Bruce McLaren, …

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Mustang 50th Anniversary – Stragglers Gallery Shows 150+ Great Photos of Your Dream Mustangs

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What to do? As a junior media outlet, I really hate to let any good photos fall by the wayside and not publish them. But in order to create one of my big articles (they are all pretty Big & Tall, but I am trying to slim the text and photos down…), I need at least 40 photos. These amazing Mustangs were either too fast or too loud to stand by for the full photo shoot — and I am left without full batches. But if you were at the Mustang 50th Anniversary event in Charlotte – and especially if …

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HD GoPro Video + Track Action Photography: Top 3 Mustang GT350s of Charlotte Motor Speedway

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In the 1960s, almost all American cars came equipped with an 85-mph speedometer. Only the wildest exotics of the time dared go to 100-mph on the speedo – which was usually the ‘hoped for’ rather than ‘verified’ top speed…. So for this 65 GT350 to be so, so fast (and loud!) when howling around Charlotte Motor Speedway was really something to see, hear and feel resonating in your lungs — and brain — long after it has gone past.   Days later, I was still feeling the high-def bellow of these race-prepped GT350 Mustangs – in a good way. Every …

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Mustang 50th Favorites – 1968 Ford Drag Team – Mustang 428 Cobra Jet in Wimbledon White

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It is impossible to very the authenticity of this car as a 428 Cobra Jet model without a thorough VIN inspection in multiple places, but we are leaning toward “Homage” versus “Original.” That is no bad thing when considering the care and exhaustive effort to bring this Mustang up to ‘Winternationals 1968’ spec – where eight Cobra Jet Mustangs joined the drag racing pit area, for a combined 3000-plus Mustang horsepower from each car’s FE engine making 390-horsepower. This was a real shock to the shock the competing teams, generally equipped with one car (total) plus one backup engine. The …

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Fatcat Chic – Design Comparison ~1965 JAGUAR Mark 10 vs. 2014 XJL 3.0 AWD

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The Jaguar Mark 10, or Mark X in Roman numerals, was such an odd sight that I honestly had no idea what it was until just researching it now. Not only have I not seen one, I have never even read about one. In photos, it might be easy to mistake the Mark 10 car for a 1950s Jaguar saloon car. But not in real life. This Jag is quite enormous – with the upright and tall bodywork of Rolls-Royce and Bentley fame. This (estimated) 1965 car is huge and outrageous in person. It looks like a meld of the …

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Exclusive World Debut – 2014 Superlite SLC Le Mans Spyder – $70k, 430HP V8, Porsche Trans and 2200 Pounds Total!

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Unless I am in Chicago traffic from O’Hare to Wrigleyville, I rarely like to toot my own horn. But the Superlite SLC Le Mans world debut might be a seriously exclusive piece of supercar news – seen only by readers of Car-Revs-Daily.com, so far. Why? The Spyder (or Roadster) SLC Le Mans is absolutely brand new and has never before been shown in public. This is the first complete prototype of the full Le Mans Spyder bodystyle of the Superlite SLC Coupe, an it is magnificent. Completed with a Chevrolet LS3 V8 engine and Porsche transaxle by H Craft Customs …

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2015 Ford Mustang Snapped In the Flesh! Turn-Table from 50th Anniversary

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Even the best-laid plains can, and often do, fail. Disappointed to find just this solitary 2015 Mustang at the 50th Anniversary celebration, I decided to photograph it from every angle I could secure amid the huge throng of the crowd. 150 photos and a week later, I am home slapping my forehead at the shoddiness of these results. These are not good photos, guys, and I really apologize. Learned a few things: – Messing with DSLR Nikon settings is done at your own risk – Lighting is everything – Reviewing photos in detail is needed while still able to reshoot …

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1966 Shelby Mustang GT350 Racecar Awaits Engine Buildout at Charlotte Motor Speedway

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  A few issues in the video above, namely that when I am in the engine compartment noting the steering components. I refer to the “rack” of the typical modern rack-and-pinion steering setup. The original Mustang ran a worm-gear setup, which goes a long way toward explaining the factory car’s waywardness on the road (versus a modern car.) This recreated and not-original Shelby GT350 racecar build is just about the ideal starting point for most people. Almost any engine, transmission and interior setup are feasible with such a clean example like this. 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350 Racecar  

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Mustang 50th Favorites – 1966 Mustang 2+2 Coupe running Big Brake Kit and LED Brake Lights

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Intro note: The hood and trunk and doors are all open in these photos on purpose. The car is running fine, but car photos with the hood up can be really confusing on first glance.   This darling 1966 Mustang 2+2 Coupe stopped by Olthoff Racing for a bit before making his way to the big 50th Anniversary gathering with his 5,000 closest Mustang pals.       It was a nice chance to see such a well-modded example that is also abolutely pretine inside. Drive-able upgrades all around, including radar detector and other accessories – Cold AC included. How …

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SHOCK! Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Banned NASCAR Mustang Prototype… Actually Looks Like a Mustang

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Confession time: I have not been an active NASCAR fan in more than 20 years. But I am definitely a fan of the cars’ outright speed, power and the bravery needed to take one to victory over near-identical others on the grid. This extremely homogenized approach to racing rules is epitomized outside by what NASCAR calls the “Car of Tomorrow” bodyshell. It makes all the cars the exact same shape, excluding stickers. This seems like a huge error in judgment versus what fans want to see: actual rivalries among not just drivers, but the car manufacturers’ racing technology and expertise. …

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2015 INFINITI QX60 Buyers Guide – Pricing, Specs and Features – AWD Hybrid Highly Recommended

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There was a time when the Hybrid models in many car ranges were much more of a style and eco-conscience type of choice. The biggest example of this paradox of the Hybrid actually being a far worse machine, but much more successful with consumers, is the Lexus RX350 versus the RX450h. The RX Hybrid is so ubiquitous that it is easy to forget the standard model still exists! But is it a better car? That is very open to debate – as the Lexus system of AWD with electric power to the back axle is less-than-helpful in many slick road …

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Speculative Renderings – 2014 Superformance GT40 Can-Am Spyder or Street-Able Convertible

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So, if the Ford GT40 and the LOLA T70 Mk II Spyder share so much under the skin, and if the Lola is already available from Superformance — why bother with a meld of both these ideas?   Three reasons: – The Lola cars have a far smaller following among the world’s enthusiasts, and therefore are a very niche machine – If Ford had continued racing the GT40 concept after its four LeMans victories from 1966 to 1969, it is likely that the car would have adopted this style to match FIA’s rule changes. Can-Am was much closer to home …

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2014 Superformance LOLA Mk III and MkII Can-Am Spyder at Olthoff Racing – Chevy-Friendly Racing Speedster?

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Lola racecars are extremely special for their value-for-money today, racing pedigree, and also their incredibly timeless grace and beauty. This was a racing team directly formed in the late 1950s with one goal: build a car from scratch to win LeMans. The resulting semi-monocoque chassis design – now known as a unibody – was revolutionary at the time of frame-based racers from nearly every other racing company and nearly every single road car. A semi-monocoque? Oh yes. The other part is also pretty advanced for the time: a steel spaceframe for the engine and rear suspension cradle. In fact, the …

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Mustang 50th Anniversary Showcase – 1972 Ford Mustang Convertible – Driven 1600 Miles From Colorado!

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I have done many, many huge roadtrips in my life – and hope to do many more! (Starting this Thursday, actually… on way to The Mitty vintage race at Road Atlanta…) But overall, I have about a 1200-mile cap before my eyes start bleeding and have to stop driving for a few days. 1,000 miles typically is two 12-hour days behind the wheel. 1,600 miles is more like three 12-hour days – despite the official Google Map estimate that the journey is only 23 hours. This discounts and stops for fuel, restrooms, or tourist attractions – without which most roadtrips …

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Mustang 50th Anniverary Showcase – $150,000 Race-Prepped 1986 Mustang GT Convertible!

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An unlikely hero?  Here it is!  The 1986, Fox-body Mustang GT Convertible. Proof that being feeling young and hip and bad-ass will never go out of style. Like all cyclical trends, the 1980s, 1990s and pre-2005 Mustangs were all firmly out-of-favor at the Mustang 50th Anniversary extravaganza in Charlotte. But even while the public moslty fawns over most-popular first and latest-gen cars, these 80s and 90s Mustangs are still the epitome of fast and brash youth culture to their owners. This was my key take-away from meeting hundreds of Mustang guys: The Mustang of all years and styles embodies being …

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Race-Prepped 1967 Mustang Hardtop in SB Yellow

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Learned a great deal about Mustang culture and Mustangs themselves last week in Charlotte, but the identity and owner of this amazing race-prepped coupe escaped me. I assumed these were Steeda Autosport‘s cars – based on proximity to their giant trailer – until they explained that their cars were elsewhere in the main display areas. But these pit-garage beauties certainly did not go unnoticed by us! The School-Bus Yellow example was an instant favorite. It is intense in the flesh, and based on the less-popular Notchback Coupe versus the fastback that was preferred by Shelby and most other go-fast teams …

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1964 1/2 Ford Mustang Convertible — NY Worlds Fair Magic Skyway Car Number One

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      Ford definitely knew they had a major hit on their hands leading up to the Mustang’s original launch – even before the World’s Fair opened in Queens, New York City on April 17th of 1964. This car, serial #5F08F100004 — the 100004 part is the clue to its early-days provenance — was built as one of the very first pilot cars off the line, before March 5th of that same year. The build dates are a real pride point among Mustang owners of this period – and this 1964 1/2 Convertible was definitely, definitely one of the …

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2015 JAGUAR F-TYPE R Coupe -- Lifts Its Bonnet to Show 550HP 5

2015 JAGUAR F-TYPE R Coupe — Lifts Its Bonnet to Show 550HP 5.0-liter V8 — And Even A Deep and Large-Seeming Trunk!

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Forget Pippa!  This is 2014’s AotY! (Ass of the Year..) Pippa in an F-TYPE R Coupe? That could be quite the pair of yummy buns! Ever the diplomat who never voices his concerns too bluntly, I am trying to bite my tongue here really hard. But here is the skinny: the F-Type cabrio, at least on first sitting the other month, had a highly compromised driving position and barely any trunk. Those are big issues. Thrilled to see the all-new F-TYPE coupe does not suffer from both these maladies: the trunk is huge! Okay, it is not huge. But we …

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To Denali or not to Denali? 2014 GMC Sierra Style and Equipment Comparison

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  Q:)    Why go for the top-of-the-line Sierra Denali ? A:)    Allows optional 6.2-liter engine, style and cabin materials. The Denali is the only Sierra 1500 that is offered with the 6.2-liter V8 versus the top 5.3-liter engine in the standard trims. It is also equipped with perhaps 50 pieces of desirable equipment, including mechanical pieces like the external diff and transmission coolers, tougher undertrays, and a huge overhaul inside to bring this truck near-Escalade refinement levels. The road noise reduction and standard equipment inclusion is likely to biggest reason to go Denali over the $2,000-less SLE trim at the …

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Land Rover LR4 Discovery Concept Inks Deal as Ground-Based Virgin Galactic Shuttle Service

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Foolish follies with the Discovery Vision Concept? Never! This truck appears to be the real deal, arriving first as the Discovery Sport with a presumed five seats and off-road ability akin to the legendary Defender. It will then arrive as the presumed seven-seat LR4. The first of this new-gen model set (or trio!) is promised to be on sale some time in 2015. Virgin Galactic is certainly going places. Far away places! The Discovery marks the announcement of more glad-handed sponsorships — as the ground-based shuttle service of Virgin Galactic’s interstellar flights… some time in the future. But once at …

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SHELBY COBRA – How These Two Words Ultimately Killed the Ford Takeover of Ferrari in 1963

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No series of articles about the GT40 can begin without a look at how the car came to exist. A battle of spite between Ferrari and Ford? Yes. But also a battle to establish Ford as a racing powerhouse – which was a new opportunity to regain face as Chevrolet and General Motors dominated the coolest car news via Motorama shows and Corvettes in the 1950s. FROM DE-FACTO BANS ON BOTH RACING CARS AND RACY MOVIES… Racing was also heavily discouraged by the United States government of the time – until the case was made that racing improved the breed. …

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VIDEO: Olthoff Racing Factory – Superformance GT40 Mark II – Specs, History + High-Res Photo Comparison Vs. GT40 Mark I

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Is there beauty in functionality? That is the question to ask when debating a GT40 Mark I versus its successor, the GT40 Mark II. Is authenticity of the actual 1-2-3 1966 7.0-liter Mark II race win better than the clean lines and simple aesthetic of the Mark I — which was actually a trouble-prone testing bed for the losing 1964 and 1965 seasons? The 24 Hours of LeMans is widely known as the most grueling durability and endurance test ever fathomed, let alone run annually with a field of more than sixty cars across four racing categories: LMP1, LMP2, GT2 …

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Volkswagen Debuts Striking Jetta CC Concept in Beijing – Dubbed New Midsize Coupe + Golf 400R and New Touareg

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Signs of life from Volkswagen? Glad to see someone in the Wolfsburg Emergency Room is yelling “Clear!” before brandishing the defibrillator paddles. Just in time too: Volkswagen of America’s sales hit a brick wall last summer and have been in double-digit free-fall ever since. The range is a mess of unwanted and ancient models. Great stuff from Volkswagen in Beijing today – including a Golf 400R and the latest Touareg refresh. But the really striking news? A Jetta-sized CC model that is a low-roof four-door sedan they are calling the New Midsize Coupe. But we will likely pronounce it “2016 …

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2015 Expedition COLORS and Animated Turntables

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2015 Expedition COLORS and Animated Turntables Updated with real-life photography as well as the latest colorizer and a few animated spinners of Green Gem and Ruby Red via Ford.com’s visualizer tool. In truth, the latest Expedition fails to excite me very much. But the upgraded cabin and suspension tech are very welcome for this big truck, especially when paired with the latest EcoBoost V6 — which will be a welcome addition versus the old 4.6 and 5.4-liter V8s that were previously still the Expedition’s only offering. Overall, however, it is brand loyalty that will sway most shoppers toward the Expedition …

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2015 FORD F-150 Trims, Colors and Tech Features – LED vs Halogen Headlights

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LED TECH DETAILS The LED low and high-beam headlights of this Platinum model are quite refreshing, especially when parked next to the also-new 2015 Expedition and its projector beams. The latest lighting of the F-150 instantly makes everything else seem very outmoded — when when the lights are not switched on. When they are, forget-about-it… Competing for style or energy efficiency via halogen or even HID lamps will be impossible. The LED theme continues in the blinker setup as well, with that subtle outline illuminating for turn indicators. In an ultra-cool touch, the amber portion is only colored when the …

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2015 Ford F-150 Platinum Is Disruptively Attractive in Real Life at Mustang 50th Event

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The 2015 F-150 looks as incredibly new, high-tech and desirable in the flesh as it did on the auto show stands! It is set up to be a major sales disruption in a market segment it already owns with a 2:1 sales advantage over any other brand. The new F-150 is not a sure thing, but it appears to have it all via such a perfect storm of new equipment, new efficiency, new comfort and new style. Why upset a market that already earns, we reported in January, a cool $14-billion in revenue every single year based on slice/dicing of …

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GT40 vs Cobra Track Battle VIDEOS! Superformance Brings American Racecar Glory Global via Shelby Asia

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Superformance Ford GT40 – in-car track cam Editor’s Intro: Can you tell I am getting excited to visit Olthoff Racing tomorrow in Charlotte, NC?   Have you ever wished you could just wake up tomorrow day inside Gran Turismo?  Or even better, in the pit lane of Daytona circa 1965 ? Well beyond 3D — and into 4D of not just SSM (sight, sound and motion) but SSMTSFG — Sight, Sound, Motion, Touch, Smell, Fear and Glory? Well, for a modest amount of cash and enough skill – Superformance racecar recreations can do just that. These two videos demonstrate the …

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The Case for a 2016 Legacy GT – Latest Outback is Full 8 Inches Taller, Hurting Planted Stance and Handling Dramatically

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Less of a case as a visual and performance appeal. The benefits of ground clearance are many, and the Outback does still handle with a far more hunkered-down feel than any SUV or crossover out there. But nothing compares with the look and road feel of a road-hugging stance, to thisguy at least. For reference, this is the 2005 Subaru Legacy GT Limited versus the 2014 Subaru Outback. 2005 Legacy is on stock Bilstein suspension but +1 18-inch wheels and a roof rack delete, which really helps sink the car visually.  

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VIDEOS – Charleston Cars & Coffee – 1967 Chevy Nova, Drag-Prepped Hudson, Hemi Cuda and 2002 Superformance Cobra

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Okay! Trying to plow through all these Cars and Coffee photos before heading up to Charlotte tomorrow for the Mustang 50th Anniversary Celebrations — three days of playful work in the infield of the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Hoping to come back with some track videos and driving impressions to share — but one thing is certain: I will have more photos than most car magazines publish in a full calendar year! My Amelia adventure? More than 3000 photos, 99-percent of which are in-focus and use-able. But still 600 that I am too fatigued to write about (so far). Rainy day… …

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Bentley Boys, Roller Gents – Building My #RollsRoyceinColour Ghost SWB V-Specification

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Orig Published on: Jan 8, 2014 @ 22:21 The Rolls-Royce Ghost is absolutely spectacular on all levels, in all colors and even considering the cost. Experiencing Ghost up close only makes the configuration options of the new V-Spec even more enticing.   The new-for-2014 Ghost V-Specification is welcome because even though a Ghost could be made to look like this in the aftermarket, it is nice to see some of the wild old spirit of the founding gentlemen back in action. Before we dive in: Rolls-Royce refers to their vehicles as simply Ghost and Wraith, not The Ghost and the …

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The NSX Effect — Own One, And You Will Never Sell It — Black NSX Series I and Red NSX-R Series II

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I have met more than a few NSX guys recently — and they all have two things in common: — undying devotion to the machine — unwillingness to even consider parting ways with it This is exceptionally rare for supercars — or any car, for that matter. But as the years pass, the NSX’s charms grow stronger for almost every owner. It is a captivating machine in the flesh even today, to be sure. Our investigation continues on the NSX’s chokehold over its owners — wish updates as soon as we know more this summer with the next car’s (expected) …

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VIDEO: 1999 Lamborghini Diablo VT at Charleston Cars & Coffee — Still Crazy After All These Years

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Crazy cool… but also crazy compromised? It took a three-point-turn for this “FARM” license-plated thoroughbred to squeeze its way into this generous parking space…! The FARM plate might be a tongue-in-cheek reference to Lambo’s origins making giant tractor engines… but the car is from Lake Forrest, Illinois!  My old stomping ground… As far as curb appeal and stopping power to draw stares, little can compete with the Diablo VT.

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Mini Musclecar Is Ready To Boogie! 1973 Dodge Dart Swinger at Charleston, SC Cars & Coffee

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Mini? The 1973 Dodge Dart Swinger — yes, that is its official special edition — is definitely not a mini car by any means. But when standing next to the Plymouth Road Runner Superbird… it looks like Danny Devito vs Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1988 classic Twins.  

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2014 Camaro ZL1 Convertible Blasts Off in Wild Sprint Starts — 2 In-Car and 1 HD GoPro Hood-mounted Video

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These videos really speak for themselves, do they not? They speak in a language of burnt rubber, supercharger hum and exhaust bellow — but the message is loud and clear: the ZL1 is a huge monster of a machine and a dream muscle car without a doubt. Even with an automatic… this car is a heat-seeking missile! In-Car Video of Same Launch Above First Corner…   Bonus! the Z06 Convertible is front and center in the new Chevrolet performance lineup images released today. Our United States Navy pal’s 2014 ZL1 Convertible  

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1976 BMW 2002 – Seafoam Green with Flawless Bodywork + Updated 325i Wheels

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The BMW 2002 is such a special car. This cherished example is tastefully updated with a set of 325i rims from the 1980s and also a comfy pair of racing seats that surely provide far more support than the originals in vinyl ever could. As a previous owner of a 1975 VW SuperBeetle in this exact shade of green — I can assure you that it is one of the most love-able colors out there. But what makes this 1976 BMW so special is that is is clearly so adored by its driver. Not a spot of grime anywhere inside …

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Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec – Wheel Colors Visualizer! Plasti-Dip Fantastic Voyage

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The Genesis Coupe is well-loved among the auto tuning community –for good reason! It is a wonderful canvas. But is tuning just a left-coast thing? This group in the Southeastern US seems just as passionate as our pals in SoCal. Evidence? This Plasti-dip wheel respray was the second or third color choice our pal’s GC had worn. He loves wheel color! Said he developed a taste for it after adding a 9PSI turbocharger to his previous Toyota Yaris — bringing its total power tally of more than double what it was from the factory. A hooner’s delight in its 13-inch …

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2014 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.6 R-Spec at Cars & Coffee – Wearing Custom Lime Green Wheels!

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  Colors like this custom Plasti-Dip shade can be ordered as a special formulation from Plasti-Dip website. My solution was much jankier when doing my wheels in anthracite grey — a quick blast of color into the wet black Plasti-dip that was the only variety I could find in Chicago. But color is harder than adding a grey flash. These most likely start with a white Plasti-dip base and add color from there. The effect on the Genesis Coupe is definitely striking in person, but also the right amount of mature — these green wheels are actually pretty subtle versus …

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W Motors LYKAN HyperSport Makes Production Debut in Monaco This Week – Racecar In Pipeline?

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      Since winning 2013’s Best New Exotic car award here on Car-Revs-Daily.com,  the W Motors team has been anything but idle. The Lykan HyperSport’s whirlwind tour continues this spring with its European debut in Monaco April 17th through the 20th. Despite not exactly being street-legal in Europe and the United States yet — that is not likely to be a problem for this hypercar’s ~ten total owners. Not street legal there? Here is how the buyer conversations might go… “Let’s have the Lykan as our Paul Ricard HTTT track car, or maybe we should just order it shipped …

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VIDEO: 2014 BMW M6 Coupe — Before / After M Performance Upgrades — Exhaust Roars Like A ScramJet

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      Did you watch this video!  You must!  It is 40 seconds of shrieking roar. This M6 sounds absolutely ferocious. Far rougher and meaner than a jet engine. It sounds like a solid-state rocket… The M6 is available as a two-door hard or soft-top, or my choice: for four-door Gran Coupe. The key style differences in the three cars below concerns the grille finish: from totally blacked-out on the M Performance upgraded car, to the (my prefererence) chrome vertical clats on the the indoor cars, to the standard M6 coupe bringing up the bottom set of images. All …

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AWD TDI Golf SportWagen to Join GTI, TSI and TDI — But Not Until 2015 Calendar Year With Est $36k Price

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  The American-market Mark7 2015 Golf line is only about three years late, but finally looks like it is not missing some critical members this time. Scratch that: the Golf Plus and Golf Sportvan are still nowhere to be found, along with the long-promised/never-delivered e-Golf. The e-Golf is now on sale only in Europe, and has been teased in the US since at least 2008. As many VW people know very well, the GTI has always been the star pupil of the group — both due to its performance and it vastly superior build quality and materials versus the Pueblo-built …

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Concept Flashbacks – Nissan DOME Zero P1 and P2 and 1987 Nissan MID4 Type II

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What is not to love about a mid-engine hypercar concept? How about a three-pack of them?! These concept Nissan models are pretty amazing. All Nissans? Not exactly. The two Dome Zeroes below were from a startup by the same name, but were powered by the Nissan straight-six engine from the Z-cars of the era, making 145-horsepower in these applications. Limited any-res photos of each are readily available, but the Nissan Heritage collection does offer the specs of the 1987 MID4 Type II — which predates the Acura NSX and also foreshadowed the 300ZX and later, the 240Z of the 1990s. …

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Coolest Vintage Hood Ornaments -- RM Auctions Amelia Island 2014 -- Pierce-Arrow, Cadillac, Stutz, Chrysler, Ford, Aston-Martin, Bentley and More 43 - Copy

Coolest Vintage Hood Ornaments – Pierce-Arrow, Cadillac, Stutz, Chrysler, Ford, Bentley and More…

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I have an odd fascination with artful hood ornaments, and took some close-ups of favorites over the big Amelia Concours weekend. But first: when did hood ornament become a dirty word? They previously epitomized the height of class and prestige — while often serving functional benefits as well. Pierce-Arrow As the top-mounted radiator cap in the early days of luxury cars, you know knew the cap was screwed on (and threaded) correctly when the symbol faced dead ahead. (Ford) One highlight you must wonder about right away is the life-sized Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstasy. She is a 1940s art deco …

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Concept Debrief – 1969 Alfa-Romeo Tipo 332 Coupe Speciale – Gullwing Canary in Supercar Coal Mine

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This Alfa is Canary Yellow. It was also a dying canary in the coal-mine of Italian supercar fates of the next decade. When a canary dies in his cage deep undergound, miners knew the toxicity of the air was going from bad to worse. In mid-1960s Italy, the momentum to start one’s own hypercar legacy was a powerful draw. By 1969, all in the small sports-car business at the time marvelled at Feruccio Lamborghini’s success in carving sales away from Ferrari. Ferrari had quashed nearly all attempts by Maserati and Alfa-Romeo at reclaiming their past glory, and non-Ferrari people were …

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625HP 2015 Corvette Z06 Convertible – SURPRISE OFFICIAL REVEAL

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Here I am, farting around and debating a nap instead of writing up the 2015 Golf Sportwagen, which will replace the hideous and hated Jetta SportWagen, and ding goes my iPhone! **VERY** fresh email. Unlike the hundreds and hundreds of firewall attack alerts I have received all day long since yesterday, this is HUGE NEWS! HUGE NEWS! Only two weeks ago, we published some disgracefully-shoddy Speedster and Spyder renderings, one of which included a Z06 drop-top. In that article, we outlined how there are “two types” of Corvette buyers — which is a polite way of saying the drop-tops were …

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Jeep Wrangler MOAB Concepts Are All Do-Able Via Latest MOPAR Upgrades + Cool Option Animations

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Part two of the Jeep Moab 2014 Concept series! These trucks can all be built with the help of MOPAR Jeep Performance Parts — via my heavy-handed hyperlinking far below… If you are shopping for a new Wrangler, definitely worth checking out the Car-Revs-Daily.com animated buyers guide and full article as well. http://www.car-revs-daily.com/2014/02/22/buyers-guide-2014-jeep-wrangler-unlimited-trims-tops-options-colors-visualized/ Jeep Wrangler Level Red is a nod to the most challenging off-road trails Jeep Wrangler MOJO gets Wrangler Level Red off-road gear, with 37-inch tires, shortened bumpers, winch and higher-clearance fenders Jeep Wrangler Maximum Performance created for hard-core enthusiasts who seek the ultimate in power and capability …

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MOPAR Adding Huge JEEP Upgrade Options — Cherokee Adventurer, Cherokee Dakar and Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel Trail Warrior

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Jeep just debuted a six-pack of new concepts for next week’s Moab off-road rally — which annually gathers thousands of Jeeps and Jeepers together for adventures out on the rocky desert trails. And more than a little fun back at base camp, too! This annual event is a huge part of Jeep culture — and is surely one of the biggest off-road extravaganza’s anywhere in the world. The new Cherokee adds Adventurer and Dakar spec levels via the MOPAR upgrades, while the Grand Cherokee is now upfit as a Trail Warrior in EcoDiesel spec. A diesel is perfect for off-roading …

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Build Your Own 500HP Chevy Truck with Valvoline! 5 Body Styles, 5 Engines, 10 Colors, Wheels, Graphics!

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Valvoline and Hendrick Motorsports have nabbed two of the biggest names in US auto racing for the entertaining and fun ‘Reinvention Project.’ It pits Dale Jr. versus Jimmie Johnson in a battle of resto-modding wits — five vintage Chevy truck bodies to choose among, and engines up pushing nearly 600 horsepower! It is both an on-track grudge match with drag racing and burnout contests for the resulting real-life pickup trucks each racer designed himself — a riot of power and semi-politeness among the guys. Cruise over to Facebook.com/valvoline to give them a thumbs up, and vote on your favorite. The …

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Op_Ed: Ferrari Formula One 2014 Whine-a-Thon — Actually Just Poor Engineering? But Surplus of Arrogance, Entitlement and Cronyism

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INTRO: No kid says, “I want to be one of the angry and out-of-touch old men in charge, long after my prime and causing damage to my sport, or my team.” They say, “I want to be a racecar driver.” Formula One is bringing a bit more drama to all the backstage maneuvers this year — which is at least half the fun of the sport lately. Bogged down by a tome of a rulebook, Bernie Ecclestone’s forced hiatus from running every lockstep in the sport brings with it significant pitfalls for the most legendary team on the grid: Scuderia …

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Best Wind Tunnels – Mercedes-Benz Opens New 165MPH AeroAcoustics Test Center

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Orig Published on: Jan 3, 2014 @ 15:33 Welcome to part one of the CarRevsDaily Wind Tunnel series. What is the mystery X factor for anything moving at high speeds? Air. Always changing density, direction, humidity and speed: defeating wind is a real black art. How do I know this? Indoor skydiving: seems easy – jump from platform into the chamber, whose floor is 60-feet below. Flex your body to control your lift and position.   Sounds easy, is actually incredibly difficult and chaotic. Wind tunnels are nothing new: they go back more than 100 years and are critical for …

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Nissan Taps Skyline Bloodlines for Future IDx Rear-Drive Compact Range

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Originally: Published on: Dec 31, 2013 @ 21:39     All hail, the IDx NISMO Concept. Along with its Freeflow sibling, these twins reclaim some of Nissan’s proudest – and most stylish – historical moments. Just a brief thumb through the Nissan Heritage archives shows the huge strides made by Nissan between 1965 and 1975. The cars went from down-sized, durable and cute bubbles into sedan shapes with much blockier lines. The BMW M Division, AMG or NISMO strategy is long-established with the Skyline range, which has come in all flavors: from luke-warm four-doors all the way to extreme fastback …

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In-House Racing Expert Chris May Asks — Are Established Tracks Safe For Today’s Race Pace?

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By: Special Contributor Chris May Established Race Tracks:  Are they Safe Anymore? It’s a loaded question that I have been wrestling with over the past couple of weeks.  So you might ask, ‘Why is this on your mind, bit of a random thought?’ Well, the genesis of the thought process started last year when the racing community lost Allan Simonsen tragically at Le Mans.         I, just like many other racing fans, was glued to the TV as we watched the historical event unfold and the tragic cloud that fell upon the race with 23 hours left …

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2015 Escalade ESV Standard, Premium and Luxury – Buyers Guide and Pricing from $72k

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The 2015 Escalade is easily the hottest full-size truck of the year. Its arrival is still forthcoming, but the first Tahoe’s and Yukon’s are already starting to trickle onto dealer lots. Extra attention to the Escalade’s cabin and driving experience explain why the Cadillac is not shipping first. But better late and perfect than early and unfinished. For most buyers in the market for an Escalade-sized truck, there would be a few solid preference to keep in mind: — ESV length versus the shortie would be a no-brainer for me — the price increase is only $3,000 but the increased …

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INFINITI Q50 Upping Pressure on BMW With Aggressive New Turbo Engines — 2.0L Turbo for Europe … or 560HP GT-R V6 for US!

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Okay, that is not super fair. The European market is also a sure thing for the Q50 Eau Rouge, which runs a 560-horsepower twin turbocharged engine that is closely related, if not the exact same, as what powers the upgraded 2014 Nissan GT-R. But the bigger news may be down at the lower end of the range: Europe is the first market to benefit from a new sharing deal with Mercedes-Benz. Infiniti will borrow the brand-new 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that is seeing duty, or will soon see action, in everything from the CLA250 to the E250. So, the Infiniti Q50 …

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Citroen DS Brings Parisian Street Style to Beijing with DS 5LS — 5LS R Version Packing 300HP!

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Citroen and Peugeot are hugely popular brands in China. But so far, the cars on offer have not achieved the market share to go along with all that admiration. Step forward, Citroen’s high-fashion DS brand. With a logo that looks like French designer couture, the exteriors and interiors of many current Citroen models become far more stylish and appealing. The 5LS sedan is a great example of Citroen’s re-alignment toward not only having a fashionable brand, but selling hundreds of thousands of that car in China’s extremely competitive market. WIth every brand on Earth trying to tap the same “Cuppies” …

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Lexus NX to Debut in Beijing This Month — 2015 NX250? NX200 Turbo? Based on Fascinating LF-NX Turbo Concept

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Lexus just revealed the production face of the Lexus NX crossover, which is widely expected as a 2015 model to slot under the RX in the brand’s lineup. The NX willl debut in Beijing on April 20th, with styling that is quite fresh and unique — if not as sharp-sided as the LF-NX Concept car. Either way, it is a very promising step into the future of Lexus design. Teaser of production car is just these top four images. Orig Published on: Dec 1, 2013 @ 10:53 The Lexus LF-NX Turbo is the second iteration of the concept shown in …

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Honda Heritage Celebration — Official Togichi Museum PhotoSpheres — 71 Honda-isms and Milestone Achievements Since 1936

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Auto Museums are super cool. Even if your eyes glaze over at the thought of visiting a dark and endless art museum — if you like cars, you will be ecstatic the moment you walk into any car museum. Why? The cars are there because they are objectively so, so important. So important that they cannot even be stored in the basement archives of the car company — but need to be proudly displayed for both internal teams and the public to admire. Another amazing reason car museums should be on your radar? These collections are expertly-curated and laid out …

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2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray — Animated Evolution in Polo White

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Ever since the debut of the 2015 Chevrolet Suburban in September 2013, General Motors seems to — finally — be a far more forward-thinking company. The irony was not lost on anyone during the 1980s and 1990s: the largest and most successful industrial entity of the 20th Century, and  perhaps all of American history, was rapidly in decline and risking it all via short-sighted management strategies that equaled awful cars.   Part of looking forward is knowing where you came from, of course. Good (but often not-so-good) skeletons of cars in the closet would no longer be swept under the …

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Speculative Renderings – Future Corvette Z51 Speedster and Z06 Spyder

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INTRODUCTORY CAVEAT: I hope these do not irk General Motors too much. They are all labeled as ‘speculative renderings’ — in case the dismal quality of these Photo”Chops” did not make that clear already to everyone. It is harder than it seems to achieve anything like photo-real results. To avoid any confusion among buyers is my goal in labeling everything as renders, but also to explore these ideas visually. A separate (and amazing!) article coming in a few hours will be a thorough, real-life buyers guide to the 2014 Corvette Stingray Convertible’s trims, wheels, colors and options later this afternoon. …

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1928 BMW Dixi Roadster – Zentrum Museum

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Okay!  Final roadster article from the BMW Zentrum Museum and delivery center in Spartanburg. The Z3, Z8 and Z4 Alpina and many others are featured in this mini museum, but these three are stand-outs for me in how the each speak to their respective decades so effectively. What do I mean? Well, the 1928 Dixi is far ahead of its time versus the heavy and getting-heavier American cars of the period, which were anything but sporty in corners. Or the slow-coaches of England, for that matter, where 5-mph was generally “too fast.” for urban areas or rural routes.   The …

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Concept Flashback: 2006 BMW GINA Light Visionary Roadster – Animations of Dynamic Surfaces

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2006 BMW GINA – Animations of Dynamic Surfaces The 2006 Concept GINA is still a memorable favorite. While the idea of a fabric-wrapped, space-frame skeleton is tough to fathom, it is a real possibility in the coming years.Why? Active aerodynamics and panel shaping are far simpler without stamped steel or alloy for the main panels. Even though the GINA is visually polarizing, this concept is certainly ahead of its time. Imagine surfaces weighing 1/10th the amount of even the lightest carbon-fiber panels. The BMW Z4 would suddenly tip the scales at perhaps 2,200 pounds versus ~3,500 – which is nothing …

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2013 Nissan GT-R Black Edition – Drake the Akita

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UPDATE: Drake is home from surgery and doing well. It is this April Fool’s birthday tomorrow and my best friend, Drake Burkart the Akita Labrador, is in surgery right now overnight for a torn ACL.   The TPLO procedure is hopefully not life-threatening, but I am very upset anyway to see him in such pain. Therefore, is a very emotional day for me, so I am going back to some all-time favorites for car-news comfort. Here is Drake. As an American Akita breed, he is something like the GT-R in many ways. Akitas in the US were generally bred with …

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1989 BMW Z1 in Spartanburg, SC -High Demand but High Price

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1989 BMW Z1 in Spartanburg, SC -High Demand but High Price A bit less to say about the Z1, which is unusual for me.  For many, many years the Z1 was my all-time favorite car. I saw one in Germany as a young child and was instantly smitten by its power-sinking doors and ultra-refined aero profile. To me, it was everything a BMW sports car should be. Versus the large and imposing 635CSi and 750iL of the time, it was nothing short of a revelation for BMW lovers worldwide. Even today, its shapely panels are quite bewitching. The Z1 was …

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Car Museums Showcase – 1937 BMW 328 and R60 Bike in Spartanburg, SC

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The 1937 BMW 328 is a little-seen roadster gem from BMW that was, perhaps, the firm’s most advanced and sophisticated achievement outside of aircraft engines at the time. Seeing one so close in the flesh really rings home how advanced this 328 was versus its contemporaries from Aston-Martin and Jaguar — two much-better-known sports-car innovators (and competitive benchmarks) of the time.   Where those cars both still wore giant flat fenders, the 328 is completely smooth in all areas. This aero-led thinking was surely a testament to BMW’s aeronautic history until this point, but also a deep bow to the …

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2014 Ferrari California 30 Edition – Blu Mirabeau – 60-Angle Sunny Photo Shoot

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With the California T coming in September as a 2015 model car, the sonorous atmospheric V8 is becoming even more desirable. Yes, the turbo will surely still sound lovely. But any turbo engine sounds far more muffled than a natural breather. This final 30 Edition model weighs 60-pounds less overall, and has a sharper performance focus to all its moves.     Lastly, pretty sure this is Blu Mirabeau, but it might be Azzurro California. Cruise over to Ferrari.com to configure and order your own!        

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QOROS e-BIQE Concept Is Human Pedal Power + Plug-in Electricity

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 QOROS e-BIQE Concept Is Human Pedal Power + Plug-in Electricity QOROS is showing some real promise lately. Here is the basic idea behind the QOROS brand: World-best European engineering, branding and safety expertise. Built in low-cost China, but to German quality standards. The idea certainly has promise, and some huge-name executives behind the efforts. Most of them are German OEM refugees — who know a thing or two about excellent quality, safety, performance and handling on two wheels, four, or 18. If there is one core template for (real) global transport exports from China, it will be led by a …

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2014 LeMans LMP1 – Toyota TS040 Hybrid – A Dark Horse in Audi vs. Porsche Battle

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The TS040 Hybrid is looking mighty rapid this year, with a huge increase in stamina and budget for the Toyota Motorsports Group based in Cologne, Germany. Training with past winners and local talent can only be considered a huge new asset in the Toyota WEC racing ambition for its LMP1 cars. TS040 Hybrid running from ToyotaGB on Vimeo. So, is the TS040 fast and powerful enough to outwit the Porsche 919 Hybrid and Audi R18 trio? Fast enough remains to be seen, but the Toyota effort in LMP1 has garnered five race victories since 2012, which is certainly nothing to …

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BMW X3 and X4 Spartanburg Factory Tour in 111 Photos!

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BMW Spartanburg Factory Tour During this factory tour of the X3 and X4 assembly line, I could not help but to keep looking around for the rest of the facility. The loud parts., The hot parts. Places where workers are wearing the typical combo of HazMat + X-Ray lead vests for safety. But in fact, these areas were nowhere to be found. This is partly due to the extremely cutting-edge processes employed in Spartanburg, but also because some key components are handled off-site: including engines from Germany and stampings from Magna Steyr’s facility just down the road. This model factory’s …

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1982 BMW 1.5-liter F1 Turbo Engine Makes 1100HP! Two Videos and 17 Detail Photos

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1982 BMW 1.5-liter F1 Turbo I love a good turbocharger, and this is certainly one of the best. The carbon-fiber shell for the turbo unit and the engine cover itself has a very National Aeronautics and Space Agency feel to it — showing how advanced this material was in the early 1980s. No company had brought the artful woven patterns we take for granted today from Pagani and all the rest — C-F and Carbon-Kevlar were simply the strongest materials known to man. Looks were a firm afterthought on the space shuttles as much as for this F1 engine. But …

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Update2 ~2015 BMW X7 Officially Joins X3, X4, X5 and X6 at Spartanburg

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UPDATE2: 5.28.14 with Digital Rendering Spartanburg is a crowning achievement of the BMW Group today, 20 years since the first US-built BMW rolled from this once-small South Carolina factory in 1994. Today: the Ultimate Driving Machine is far more than a just a machine. BMW has become a sentient being, born and raised on trustworthy US soil.   BMW today is a compelling human endeavor as well as one whose faith in the United States makes it the ‘Ultimate Driving’ employer, taxpayer and corporate citizen. But to most SC residents? A global titan of a company we are giddy with …

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Amelia Island Time Capsules: $903k 1937 Bugatti Type 57C Roadster — Leaves Me Cold — Find Out Why?

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Plowing through my gigantic Amelia Island photo folders. =] Not only do I rarely meet a Bugatti I do not like — I think the Amelia Island 2014 event was the first time I have ever touched any Bugatti, whatsoever! Therefore, you can imagine my internal surprise at my blase feelings toward this magnificent 1939 57C — which were less than positive. I just didn’t like it. The color seemed off, the coachwork overwrought, and certainly not nearly as stunning, genuine and authentically-desirable as the racecars across the room. I blamed poor lighting on day one due to the car …

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