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America’s South Side Performance, based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has released for the first time a new tuning kit for the R35 Nissan GT-R supercar, which the company claims is capable of delivering 820hp (612kW) at the crankshaft. The new kit is based around a custom turbocharger upgrade that exhibits greater efficiency and faster spooling than the stock set-up. This efficiency means that owners will be able to run lower boost than the stock GT-R yet still achieve more power. South Side Performance has chosen a pair of bolt-on Garrett ball bearing turbochargers for its kit. They...
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Report: Volkswagen considering sale of Polo in U.S.The small-car surge in the U.S. was cut short in 2008 when once-high fuel prices dropped as suddenly as they'd risen, but the future of the market seems clear: prices will rise again, and small cars will be the best solution. To that end, Volkswagen now appears to be contemplating bringing the Polo...
Nelson Ireson -
Honda announces new round of job and production cutsSlumping sales and surplus supply are old hat by now, but the ongoing effects of the poor economy mean carmakers must continue to adjust their capacity and output to remain viable. Honda's readjustment, like its American counterparts, is unfinished, and today it revealed another 3,100 temporary...
Kenneth Hall -
Video: Cobra Venom V8 design studyThe latest concept creation of budding automotive designer Jamie Martin is the modern Cobra Venom V8 based on the original AC Shelby Cobra. In fact, the design depicts a possible successor to the original 1960 Cobra and if built would be powered by a Ford V8 engine. This new video rendering of the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
McLaren reveals MP4-24 2009 F1 race car, Dennis to step downAfter one of the closest finishes imaginable to the 2008 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, won by Vodafone McLaren Mercedes on the final lap, by a single point, the 2009 season's challenges have the potential to truly shake things up. Mercedes, on the other hand, is working to keep things the same...
Nelson Ireson -
Parajet Skycar Sets Off On London-Timbuktu ExpeditionA U.K. company with a flying car prototype announced late last year that it would undertake an epic journey south from London across the Straits of Gibraltar and then the Sahara Desert to Timbuktu, in Mali. Today the journey got underway as the car drove off toward its final destination. The...
Nelson Ireson -
The Registro Italiano Alfa Romeo (RIAR) is a 1,000-member-strong organization of Alfa Romeo fans and collectors. Celebrating its 46th anniversary this year, the RIAR has released a special-edition Alfa Romeo Mi.To hatchback. Styled in a monotone gunmetal grey that lends an air of stealth to the typically cheery and bright-faced little hatch, the RIAR Limited Edition definitely leaves a unique mark on the Mi.To. Key elements of the custom edition include a 15hp (11kW) upgrade to 170hp (127kW), wheels identical to those found on the Alfa Romeo Competizione 8C and a choice of either black or...
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Hamann Tycoon BMW X6 widebody kitLate in 2008 Hamann revealed its plans for the BMW X6, including a range of performance and appearance upgrades. Today the tuning house expands that range with a new Tycoon widebody kit for the 'sports activity coupe'. Building on the foundation of Hamann's earlier X6 modificaitions, including...
Alex Kaufmann -
Toyota unveils its TF109 race car for 2009 F1 seasonThe silly season is drawing to an end and the teams behind the cars that will contest the 2009 Formula 1 race season are gearing up for the start of what promises to be a unique year. Among the first to show off their new candidate for the World Championship is Toyota, today revealing the TF109...
Kenneth Hall -
Lincoln reveals MKT crossover pricingAfter first showing the MKT in concept form at last year’s Detroit Auto Show, Lincoln unveiled the 2010 production model of the striking crossover at this year’s event. The three-row MKT is larger than the current two-row MKX crossover and joins the recently revealed MKZ sedan as part...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Russia’s Sollers seeking rights to SsangYong vehiclesDespite the attractive new C200 crossover concept debuted at last year's Paris Motor Show, the successful Rexton production SUV and the new-for-2008 Chairman W luxury sedan, South Korea's SsangYong has revealed that it is entering court receivership to avoid being forced into bankruptcy. The global...
Nelson Ireson -
Corvette ZR1 rolling chassis pulled from GM Heritage Collection auctionThe rolling Corvette ZR1 chassis that was originally scheduled to be sold at this year's Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction has reportedly been pulled from the auction without any reason given. One possibility is that the chassis may have already been sold or donated by General Motors. The...
Ralph Hanson -
Ford and engine supplier Navistar International have finally ended a dispute over the supply contract for a diesel engine that has been ongoing for several years. The two companies have reached a settlement that brings the legal fight to an end and effectively dissolves a partnership that has lasted almost 30 years. In a joint statement, the two companies said they had reached an agreement to "restructure their ongoing business relationship and settle all existing litigation between the companies." The statement also said that Navistar's current contract to supply diesel engines to Ford would...
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Ferrari F430 carbon wheel package by Miami’s 360 ForgedThe number of high-end performance tuning coming out of Florida appears to have no bound, with Miami’s 360 Forged being the latest to join a growing list that includes the likes Renntech and Mosler Automotive just to name a few. Unlike some of the more established firms, 360 Forged is focused...
James Martinez -
Mini introduces entry-level ‘One’ ClubmanThough the excitement over the 2009 Detroit Auto Show is just starting to settle - its public days still remain in the future - already carmakers are gearing up for and releasing the cars that will be at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. BMW's Mini brand is among the first, revealing the new Mini One...
Alex Kaufmann -
Porsche announces U.S. pricing for facelifted Boxster and CaymanRevealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November of last year, Porsche today announced pricing for its updated 2010 Boxster and Cayman models. Starting at $47,550 for the Boxster and $51,250 for the Cayman, the entry-level variants are both accompanied by more potent - and more expensive - S...
Nelson Ireson -
Rolls Royce set sales records in 2008 despite economic downturnThe automotive industry's story in 2008 has become a familiar one: high hopes dashed on the rocks of a stormy economy. But not all brands and carmakers fared poorly despite the general malaise - including some, like Rolls Royce, that actually set new records. Total sales for Rolls Royce cars were...
Nelson Ireson -
Riley Technologies announces plans for 500hp ‘Track Day Car’Riley Technologies is a leading race car constructor and supplier of vehicles for many professional teams as well as track day enthusiasts. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of complete race cars, as well as prototype development for racing and manufacturing applications, and is...
Jeremy Weber -
Famous Japanese tuner Mine’s first showed off its modified Nissan GT-R as far back as December 2007, and since that time the performance workshop has had plenty of time to develop new parts and accessories to make the car perform even better than before. Mine’s previous R35 GT-R proved to be faster around the track than a Lamborghini Gallardo, as well as the firm’s previous R34 GT-R model. The tuner’s latest work includes a brand new aero package, which includes of a full bodykit plus several additional carbon-fiber accessories. These include pieces such as a...
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Volkswagen sues California Lamborghini dealer for theft of $12 million in carsVolkswagen has filed a lawsuit against Lamborghini Orange County for what it terms 'outright theft' of $12 million worth of Lamborghini vehicles. The dealership, owned by Vik Keuylian and his sisters Asdghig, Nora and Sossi, hasn't yet responded publicly to the accusations. The suit stems from the...
Nelson Ireson -
Lamborghini Posts Record Sales And Profit As Industry StrugglesThe world may be feeling the pinch of a weak U.S. economy, the automobile industry perhaps keenest of all, but Lamborghini has found a niche that appears to be almost impervious to the pain. The Italian supercar company has returned record results for both sales and profits for the past 12 months...
Kenneth Hall -
Seat trials Leon 'Twin Drive' plug-in hybridSeat has unveiled an electrically-driven prototype based on its Leon hatchback, which the company plans to trial in an urban environment together with the Spanish government. The technology behind the new prototype is Volkswagen Group’s Twin Drive plug-in hybrid powertrain, which was first...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Spy shots: 2011 Ford C-Max test-muleThe current Ford C-Max was first launched in Europe back in 2003 and was treated with a mild facelift last year as part of its mid-cycle upgrade. New test-mules of the C-Max spotted in Germany suggest that Ford is already conducting public road-tests of the next-generation model due sometime in...
Alex Kaufmann -
Smart exploring opportunities for U.S. ForTwo EV trialIn July last year Smart unveiled three new concept versions of its second-generation ForTwo minicar, all based around an ultra-efficient electric drivetrain. The trio included a regular petrol-electric hybrid, a diesel-electric hybrid and a zero-emissions electric vehicle. This third concept, the...
Ralph Hanson