Motor Authority - blog Tag: Body

Editor's note: High Gear Media wants you to write for us. Here's what happens when you do--you get published alongside the pros, if your post is smart, well-written and has the grammar goods. Congratulations to Kinder Essington for being the first-ever High Gear Media enthusiast to be published on one of our core sites--TheCarConnection, Motor Authority, GreenCarReports and CelebsandCars. Want to be the next? We have 39 sites waiting for your words--check them out, sign up, and join us in the auto world's fast lane.

First, let's get one thing straight. The new 2010 Ford Taurus is light years ahead of the most recent model, and with its...

Editor's note: High Gear Media wants you to write for us. Here's what happens when you do--you get published alongside the pros, if your post is smart, well-written and has the grammar goods. Congratulations to Kinder Essington for being the first-ever High Gear Media enthusiast to be published on one of our core sites--TheCarConnection, Motor Authority, GreenCarReports and CelebsandCars. Want to be the next? We have 39 sites waiting for your words--check them out, sign up, and join us in the auto world's fast lane. First, let's get one thing straight. The new 2010 Ford Taurus is light years ahead of the most recent model, and with its fresh looks and ground-breaking technologies, it is most in keeping with the spirit of the original Taurus of 1986.  But naming its EcoBoosted model the SHO indicates a total misunderstanding of the brand. The original SHO Taurus (I owned two in a row) was a visceral machine. It was powered by version of the standard 3.0 liter Vulcan V-6 re-engineered by Yamaha featuring among other things a long and a sort set of intake runners.  Below 3,500 RPM, the long runners provided good torque characteristics, which made the car very tractable around town.  But when the short runners opened up above 3,500, the whole car took on a different character...the engine howled, vibrations shot through the car and it lept toward the rev limiter.  The engine itself was good for some 8,000 RPM, but the accessories (alternator, power steering pump etc) whold have turned to road shrapnel.  This powerplant put 225 hp through a front-drive system at a time when 200 hp was considered the front-drive max. Add to this the amazing inclusion of a five-speed manual transmission, which was engineered into the original vehicle because fleet cars of the day were required to offer a four-cylinder and a manual transmission--a Taurus version that never sold to anybody. Without this fleet car feature, the original SHO would never have been the cult success it was (even though the ratios left much to be desired). (Ed. note--the manual on the SHO was different from the four-cylinder manual.) Then enter the DN101 Taurus of 1996.  The SHO name was carried over to a new, V-8-powered car with an automatic transmission.  No manual available.  I drove this car on the Dearborn track and was sorely disappointed. It was a heavier car. The performance off the line was adequate, but in the mid-range, where the old SHO did its Jekyll/Hyde act, the new car felt flat. And with no manual to play with, the new SHO was just a V-8-powered car. At the time I described the old car as a home-built hydroplane with a screaming Mercury outboard clamped to the stern, while the new car was more like a vintage mahogany speedboat...fast but stately. I pleaded with my compatriots to ask that the SHO moniker be dropped and the car sold simply as a V-8-powered Taurus (minus the effective but dorky-looking spoiler). Of course I was ignored and the DN101 Taurus was soon discontinued. The 2010 Taurus SHO is an even heavier car, the characteristics of the powerplant have been described as smooth and linear and again, no manual transmission. In other words, it's no SHO. And finally, it seems to me that the EcoBoost brand is a lot more important to Ford's future than is SHO (the EcoBoosted 2010 Ford Flex carries no SHO designation), so the emphasis should be there, not on some old promise of explosive excitement which also happens to be missing in the new car. Now a good question is, should a marketing blunder be cause for not winning the NACOTY? An overpromise or a mis-promise is as much a failure as bad brakes. These days you need great cars and insightful marketing to qualify for greatness, not one or the other. -------------------------------- Write your own car blog at High Gear Media! Sign up to write and tell car enthusiasts and shoppers what you think about your vehicle or today's car news and get published to High Gear Media sites like AllSmallCars, LexusReports, FamilyCarGuide and more! Read More

Japanese tuning house Wald International has a wide range of styling and performance kits for nearly every major luxury car brand on the market, but this time the company has focused its attention on a humble Nissan, albeit one of the fastest Nissans ever produced. The car is the Nissan GT-R, a vehicle whose lines and shape were dictated almost exclusively by the drive for optimal aerodynamics. New photos reveal the car in more detail than ever before, highlighting Wald's precision work.

Improving on the original design would be a tough task for any tuner, and not surprisingly most of the aftermarket kits we’ve seen thus far, such as... Japanese tuning house Wald International has a wide range of styling and performance kits for nearly every major luxury car brand on the market, but this time the company has focused its attention on a humble Nissan, albeit one of the fastest Nissans ever produced. The car is the Nissan GT-R, a vehicle whose lines and shape were dictated almost exclusively by the drive for optimal aerodynamics. New photos reveal the car in more detail than ever before, highlighting Wald's precision work. Improving on the original design would be a tough task for any tuner, and not surprisingly most of the aftermarket kits we’ve seen thus far, such as the Zele and Arios, appear almost completely stock. Wald’s new Black Bison kit sets out to change all this by including a full bodykit, new wheels, and plenty of carbon-fiber accessories. Wald has given the GT-R a new look through a custom carbon-fiber front lip spoiler, a custom nose cover, a carbon-fiber engine cover, a new rear wing, and some low-drag duct covers also made out of lightweight composite. All of the accessories can be had in a choice of either wet or dry carbon fiber - wet being the glossy-look material most people are accustomed to, and dry carbon fiber being the dull grey material that wins races and goes into space. The price differential between the two is accordingly as huge as the appearance differential: including taxes, the full wet carbon kit is priced at ￥1,039,500 ($11,620), while the dry kit runs ￥2,362,500 ($26,410). Surprisingly, no power-adding modifications were revealed, though with the reported difficulty in tuning the GT-R's engine and the obvious benefits of an extensive carbon-fiber-replacement program, the Wald take on GT-R modification may be one of the most successful.Wald Nissan GT-R Read More

Japanese tuning firm and manufacturer of custom aero parts, ings, has unveiled a bodykit for the new generation Subaru Impreza WRX STI. The latest kit is part of its N-SPEC series of bodykits, which includes a kit designed specifically for the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X.

In addition to tuning cars, ings is also involved in the Japanese Super Taikyu racing series, and the N-SPEC series of bodykits are derived from the race cars used in the competition. The kit for the Impreza WRX STI consists of a custom front bumper matched to a new grille to give the car a more aggressive face while increasing downforce. Custom front canards accompany... Japanese tuning firm and manufacturer of custom aero parts, ings, has unveiled a bodykit for the new generation Subaru Impreza WRX STI. The latest kit is part of its N-SPEC series of bodykits, which includes a kit designed specifically for the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. In addition to tuning cars, ings is also involved in the Japanese Super Taikyu racing series, and the N-SPEC series of bodykits are derived from the race cars used in the competition. The kit for the Impreza WRX STI consists of a custom front bumper matched to a new grille to give the car a more aggressive face while increasing downforce. Custom front canards accompany these modifications, while custom sideskirts and a new rear bumper can also be found on the ings-prepped Impreza WRX STI. A fog lamp attachment and cover are also available to match the OEM foglights on the hot-hatch. The custom front bumper, sideskirts and rear bumper are all available in either fiberglass or a 'hybrid aero' fiberglass material. Hybrid aero fiberglass retains the positive characteristics of traditional fiberglass, including lightness and strength, as well as adopting traits such as flexibility and durability usually associated with materials such as plastic or urethane. Meanwhile, the front canards and the custom front grille are available in either lightweight carbon-fiber or more affordable fiberglass. Each piece of the kit can be bought separately, but the custom front bumper, sideskirts and rear bumper can be bought as a three-piece aero package from ings. The price for the kit in fiberglass is ¥188,000 ($2,080), while the price in hybrid aero fiberglass is ¥218,000 ($2,410).ings N-Spec Subaru Impreza WRX STI bodykit Read More

Specialist Japanese tuning company and racing house ings has unveiled a new aero kit for the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X. The new kit consists of a race-inspired front bumper, new front canards, brake ducts and intercooler shrouds, as well as a large rear wing, known as the Z-Power Wing.

The new Z-Power wing from ings is adjustable, which means the driver can adapt the downforce requirements of the car depending on the tuning spec of the car and the driving conditions. The wing will be available in two different materials, wet carbon and dry carbon.

While the dry carbon Z-Power wing weighs just 5.7lb (2.6kg), the less expensive wet carbon wing... Specialist Japanese tuning company and racing house ings has unveiled a new aero kit for the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X. The new kit consists of a race-inspired front bumper, new front canards, brake ducts and intercooler shrouds, as well as a large rear wing, known as the Z-Power Wing. The new Z-Power wing from ings is adjustable, which means the driver can adapt the downforce requirements of the car depending on the tuning spec of the car and the driving conditions. The wing will be available in two different materials, wet carbon and dry carbon. While the dry carbon Z-Power wing weighs just 5.7lb (2.6kg), the less expensive wet carbon wing weighs 7.7lb (3.5kg) and is also not quite as strong as the dry carbon wing. The Z-Power wing can also be ordered for a range of other Japanese cars, including certain Toyota, Subaru, Mazda, Honda and Nissan models, and its adjustable nature means that drivers themselves can fine tune the wing to suit their specific car's needs. While the wing is made from carbon, the other parts such as the front bumper can be ordered in either fiberglass or 'hybrid aero' fiberglass. Hybrid aero fiberglass retains the positive characteristics of traditional fiberglass, including light weight, and strong as well as adopting traits such as flexibility and durability usually associated with materials such as plastic or urethane. According to ings, the parts are designed to emulate their racing cars' performance in the Japanese Super Taikyu racing series. The kit, which is being sold as the 'ings N-Spec Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X', can be seen in an almost identical manner on the ings racing Evo that competed in the Super Taikyu event, although that car featured a number of other non-aerodynamic modifications. Currently only the Z-Power wing and the ingsKARO (a custom designed ings floor mat) are on sale, but the other aero items are expected to arrive soon.ings N-Spec Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Read More

Mercedes' tech-leader and showcase car, the S-Class, gets the custom treatment from Carlsson with the RS design kit, presenting an exterior image to reflect the interior's cutting-edge equipment. Retaining much of the sophisticated look of the original, the kit adds a bit more aggression to the final product.

The elegant, swooping curves of the car's upper half are left untouched, with Carlsson instead focusing its efforts on the road-skimming portion of the car - a wider, more angular air duct section of the front fascia, flared side sills and a rear diffuser to smooth the airflow are the primary additions. A carbon fiber rear decklid... Mercedes' tech-leader and showcase car, the S-Class, gets the custom treatment from Carlsson with the RS design kit, presenting an exterior image to reflect the interior's cutting-edge equipment. Retaining much of the sophisticated look of the original, the kit adds a bit more aggression to the final product. The elegant, swooping curves of the car's upper half are left untouched, with Carlsson instead focusing its efforts on the road-skimming portion of the car - a wider, more angular air duct section of the front fascia, flared side sills and a rear diffuser to smooth the airflow are the primary additions. A carbon fiber rear decklid spoiler, custom 21in alloy wheels and a quad-tipped exhaust system add the finishing touches. Available in either polyurethane or carbon fiber, the RS bodykit also includes four new lights at the front end, two fog lights and two high-beams. The kit is available for the entire S-Class range, including diesel and AMG models. Pricing hasn't yet been announced.Carlsson RS design kit for Mercedes' S-Class Read More

We’re used to seeing plenty of modified Mercs from the German tuners, but rarely do we see a Japanese customizer give the Teutonic saloons and coupes the aftermarket treatment. VITT Performance is one such tuner that specializes in the modification of some of Europe’s finest, and for its latest creation the company has worked on the flagship Mercedes Benz CL-Class.

Its latest kit consists of a complete wide-bodykit comprised of new bumpers, side-skirts and unique spoilers front and back. Other upgrades include minor updates to the suspension as well as a performance brake package and a vented bonnet.

The wheels range from 20 to... We’re used to seeing plenty of modified Mercs from the German tuners, but rarely do we see a Japanese customizer give the Teutonic saloons and coupes the aftermarket treatment. VITT Performance is one such tuner that specializes in the modification of some of Europe’s finest, and for its latest creation the company has worked on the flagship Mercedes Benz CL-Class. Its latest kit consists of a complete wide-bodykit comprised of new bumpers, side-skirts and unique spoilers front and back. Other upgrades include minor updates to the suspension as well as a performance brake package and a vented bonnet. The wheels range from 20 to 22in and are offered in both five-spoke and multi-spoke designs. Depending on a customer’s request, VITT can also update the interior and has a number of accessories available. These include a new sports steering wheel and shift-knob as well as custom leather trim for the seats and new floor mats. Via: Autoblog.nlMercedes Benz CL by VITT Read More