2013
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Going for a “seriously sinister” look, Dodge is expanding its “Blacktop” models to include the Avenger and Challenger R/T in addition to the already-available Blacktop Charger R/T. Meant to give buyers a custom look right off the dealer showroom floor, the Blacktop package can be had for as little as $595 on the Avenger. That price gets Avenger buyers gloss black 18-inch wheels, a gloss black grille, black headlight surrounds, a body-colored rear spoiler and leather seating surfaces. While you can, of course, get the Avenger Blacktop in black, you can also take...
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2013 Audi S7 first drive review
Four-door coupes are all the rage these days, so it seems logical to us that Audi would opt to introduce an S version of its popular A7. Like the all-new-for 2013 Audi S6, the S7 rides on the Volkswagen group’s MLB platform and benefits from a new 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V-8 engine mated to a...
Kurt Ernst -
Pirelli World Challenge Scion FR-S Race Car Debuts At SEMA
With all the attention given to the launch of the Scion FR-S and the Subaru BRZ, it was inevitable that the cars would turn up in pro racing for the 2013 season. Sure enough, the first Scion FR-S GTS racer has bowed its head at this week’s SEMA show. Built by Ken Stout Racing, the FR-S will...
Kurt Ernst -
70 Percent Of Cadillac ATS Buyers With Trade-Ins New To The Brand
Cadillac’s U.S. sales were up by 37 percent in October, fueled by gaining momentum on the West Coast and by demand for the all-new XTS and ATS sedans. Now in its third month of sales, the XTS found a home with 2,000 new buyers last month, while the ATS saw sales climb steadily in its first...
Kurt Ernst -
2013 MINI Countryman Preview
MINI’s first offering with available all-wheel-drive, the Countryman crossover, enters its third year on the market in 2013. That means it’s time for a bit of a refresh, though those expecting significant differences between 2012 and 2013 models will likely be a bit disappointed. New...
Kurt Ernst -
2013 Rolls-Royce Ghost Starting Price Rises To $260,750
Prices on the Rolls-Royce Ghost sedan rise slightly for the 2013 model year, with the new base price coming in at $260,750, a jump of $7,050 on last year’s model. That price includes destination and a gas-guzzler tax, the latter of which is responsible for part of the increase. Because of the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Production of the new 2013 SRT Viper begins next month, but Mopar isn't holding back as it's already announced performance parts and accessories for the new snake. The new parts range from performance enhancing upgrades to pure customization accessories. Want to make your new Viper sound even meaner? A factory performance cat-back exhaust system will cost you $668. If you want to add some carbon fiber to the engine bay you can opt for the performance x-brace for $3,175, or maybe the carbon fiber coil covers for $880 are more your style. Moving inside the cabin of the Viper we have a new...
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Acura Shows Its 'Street Build' ILX At SEMA
Acura bills its gateway-to-the-brand ILX sedan as the ideal blend of sport and luxury, but our experience with the car tells us it’s lacking in the sport department. Even with the 201-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine (the largest available), the car lacks the kind of thrust we...
Kurt Ernst -
Chevy Joins The B-Spec Fray, Shows Race-Prepped Sonic At SEMA
Announced in 2011, the B-Spec series (sanctioned by both the SCCA and Grand Am) is arguably the cheapest way to go racing on a professional level. Up to now, the series has starred the Honda Fit, the Ford Fiesta, the Kia Rio, the Fiat 500, the MINI Cooper, the Toyota Yaris and the Mazda2. Now...
Kurt Ernst -
Fiat Shows Off The Magneti Marelli Fiat 500 Abarth At SEMA: Video
Like all cars with a passionate fan base, Fiat’s 500 revival makes a great blank canvas for customization. Even from the show room floor, there are 500 models to satisfy the needs of most buyers, from those concerned primarily with fuel economy (the base 500) to those who spend weekends on an...
Kurt Ernst -
Scion FR-S Tuner Challenge Cars Revealed: Video
Last week we told you about Scion’s FR-S Tuner Car Challenge, which would pit three customizers from around the country in a head-to-head-to-head build of Scion’s FR-S coupe. Each was given a Scion FR-S, $15,000 and ninety days to build a car that will impresses an independent judging...
Kurt Ernst -
Lexus Bringing Supercharged GS 350 F Sport To SEMA Show
In 2011 the new GS 350 F Sport debuted at SEMA, and now Lexus is using the show to display a supercharged version.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
This is the first Hot Wheels car that will be sold as both a toy and a real car.
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2013 BMW M3 Coupe Frozen Limited Edition Models Launched
For 2013, BMW is launching 150 of its M3 Coupe Frozen special editions, in the choice of red, white or blue.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Give Your Porsche Cayenne Diesel A Makeover With A. Kahn Design
British outfit A. Kahn Design is back with a new bespoke tuning package for the Porsche Cayenne, this time with the 2013 Cayenne Diesel, which recently made its way to U.S. shores, getting the tuner’s full attention. The aim of A. Kahn Design was to give the Cayenne a more purposeful stance...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Scion FR-S Tuner Challenge Cars Headed To SEMA
Three tuned Scion FR-S coupes will be headed to SEMA to see which tuner deserves the $10,000 prize.
Nelson Ireson -
Hennessey Cadillac CTS-V Hits 220.5 MPH, Named Fastest In World
Hennessey's heavily modified 1,226-hp Cadillac CTS-V Coupe has become the fastest in the world.
Nelson Ireson -
Ford Rolls Out 2012 SEMA Mustang Fleet
Ford teamed up with almost a dozen tuners to help develop its range of custom Mustangs for the 2012 SEMA show.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
With less than a week to go until the 2012 SEMA show, news of all the modified cars to be showcased in the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center is coming hot and fast. The latest announcement comes from Lexus, which once again has called on its tuning partner Five Axis to help build its SEMA attraction. The basis this year for Five Axis’s project car is the revamped 2013 Lexus LS, and not just any old LS but the new LS 460 F Sport model. The most obvious change to the car made by Five Axis is the aggressive body kit, which builds on last year’s stunning kit for the GS 350 F...
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Ford Racing’s Raptor Assault Program: Our Kind Of Driver’s Ed
If you buy a high-performance automobile, there is no shortage of factory-backed training programs to teach you how to be both fast and safe behind the wheel. Porsche has its own academy, as do AMG and BMW, while automakers like SRT and Fiat rely on the services of others. Buy a serious off-roader...
Kurt Ernst -
Ford’s Mustang Customizer Contest Picks Its First Winner: Video
Back in June, we told you about a contest tied to Ford’s latest Mustang customizer website that would award four lucky designers the Mustang of their dreams. The process was simple enough: choose a Mustang, customize it within your allotted points and then turn it loose on the internet for...
Kurt Ernst -
Fisker Partners With The Aftermarket To Show The Karma At SEMA
If you thought that SEMA was limited to tuners and mainstream automakers, think again. Even extended-range electric sedan builder Fisker is back in on the action this year, partnering with suppliers to demonstrate personalization options for its Karma sedan. First up is 3M, who will be on hand in...
Kurt Ernst -
2013 Jaguar XFR-S Spy Shots
Prototypes for the hardcore Jaguar XFR-S super-sedan are appearing with the least camouflage gear yet, meaning the car’s auto show debut can’t be far. Here we see an almost production ready example being thrown around the Nürburgring, with its new aero components, which include a...
Joel Feder -
DirtFish Rally School With Subaru Rally Team's David Higgins
David Higgins is, if you're not familiar, the 2012 RallyAmerica National Champion driver (along with co-driver Craig Drew), and the lead wheelman in Subaru Rally Team USA's efforts. He's therefore, by definition and demonstration, one bad-ass driver. But in rally, it's not all about the driver (or...
Nelson Ireson