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While the Lamborghini Aventador is one of the most stunning supercars currently in production, anyone who’s ever had the privilege to sit inside one of these beauties may have felt the cabin didn’t exhibit quite the same level of drama as the exterior. While the sharp angles, fine Italian leather and jet fighter-style switchgear are all marvelous, the large expanse of the dash, the flat surfaces of the seat panels and even the leather on the steering wheel can leave you desiring more. It looks like the designers at bespoke tuning outfit A. Kahn Design certainly felt this way. They...
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2013 Alpina B3 Revealed Ahead Of Geneva DebutAlpina has a history of making BMW models go faster, with perhaps a bit more focus on luxury and a bit less emphasis on motorsports than BMW’s M Division. Though the only current Alpina model sold on these shores is the BMW 7-Series-based B7, the brand builds and sells a variety of models in...
Kurt Ernst -
Hennessey’s Hot Hatch: The Ford Focus ST HPE 300 - VideoAs head of Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE), tuning legend John Hennessey has some impressive cars to choose from as his daily driver. While the world-record-setting Venom GT may be a bit extreme for commuting, we can certainly see the attraction of a 1,000 horsepower Cadillac CTS-V as a...
Kurt Ernst -
Mercedes Adds Illuminated Star To Accessories Range: VideoOwners of certain Mercedes-Benz models can now specify their cars with an illuminated version of the star on the center grille. Available through Mercedes’ official accessories division, the lit star only works at certain times, and never when the car is being driven. It’s designed to...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
SL65 AMG-Based Brabus 800 Roadster To Debut In GenevaThe Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG, in stock form, pumps out some 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque from its twin-turbo, 6.0-liter V-12 engine. Before you add a single option, the car prices at nearly $214,500, including destination fee and gas-guzzler tax. If those numbers aren’t...
Kurt Ernst -
Abarth To Show Four New "Fuori Serie" Creations In GenevaFiat, like MINI, knows that that buyers of its 500 Abarth models want to personalize their rides. Unlike MINI, which specializes in primarily cosmetic changes, Abarth has launched a program that gives customers an even broader-scope upgrade and customization path. Introduced at last...
Kurt Ernst -
The 2014 Corvette Stingray won’t begin shipping to dealerships until the third quarter of 2013, but those planning a purchase can already put together a holiday wish list, thanks to Hennessey Performance Engineering. While the C7 Corvette Stingray will come to market with 450 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, that’s just not enough thrust for some buyers. Yes, a new Z06 (with up to 600 horsepower) and a new ZR1 (which will target 700 hp) are in the works, but don’t expect either before sometime in 2014. In the mean time, those with a hardcore need for speed can reach...
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Hyundai Delivers Its First Special Edition Veloster RE:MIXLast October, Hyundai rolled out the production version of its Veloster RE:MIX at the SEMA show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Embracing the RE:MIX ethos of “individual creativity, passion and connectivity,” the limited-edition Veloster was rumored to be hitting dealers before the end of 2012...
Kurt Ernst -
Alfa Romeo Celebrates 50 Years Of Its Autodelta Motorsport DivisionIn March of 1963, Alfa Romeo brought a company called Auto-Delta, founded by former company engineer Carlo Chiti and Alfa dealer Ludovico Chizzola in 1961, under its corporate wing. The name was eventually changed to Autodelta SpA, but its mission remained: as the official competition department of...
Kurt Ernst -
Jay Leno Drives A 1971 Datsun 510: VideoIn the early 1970s, Nissan (then branded as Datsun) sold a truly remarkable car in its showrooms. Few families purchasing the Datsun 510 shopped it for its racing pedigree (1971 and 1972 Trans Am champion) or independent rear suspension; instead, they shopped it because it was economical and fuel...
Kurt Ernst -
Touring Superleggera Disco Volante To Enter ProductionOne of the most intriguing cars at last year’s Geneva Motor Show was a modern interpretation of the 1952 Alfa Romeo C52 Disco Volante, originally crafted by a firm called Carrozzeria Touring, which has evolved into a company called Touring Superleggera. Touring Superleggera’s modern...
Kurt Ernst -
Porsche Purchases Andial NameIf you’ve followed Porsche’s racing efforts in North America over the years, chances are good you’ve run across the Andial name. Porsche models prepared by Andial won the 24 Hours of Daytona from 1983-87, and again in 1989. If that’s not impressive enough, the first five...
Kurt Ernst -
The C2 Corvette, introduced for the 1963 model year, was already a radical and futuristic departure from the styling of the previous car. That wasn’t enough for some buyers, who wanted a personalized creation that was even more over-the-top. One such customer was speedboat racer Bob Nordskog, who ordered a 1963 Corvette from the factory sans paint. The car was shipped to legendary customizer George Barris, who transformed it into the soon-to-be-famous “Asteroid” show car. Starting with an extended nose that added to the car’s stingray-like appearance, Barris tucked the...
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Gullwing America Back With Another Retro Mercedes-Benz SLS AMGFor those unfamiliar with Gullwing America, the company is a custom coachbuilder based in Germany whose claim to fame is building some delicious retro cars based on modern mechanicals. In the past, we’ve seen Gullwing come up with cars inspired by the original Mercedes-Benz 300SL and Ferrari...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Lotus F1 Owner Buys Into RUF AutomobileGenii Capital, owner of the Lotus F1 Team, is branching out its holdings to include a stake in specialist constructor RUF, long known for building over-the-top Porsche-based supercars. Though some would call RUF a tuner, the German government actually considers the firm a manufacturer, with a...
Kurt Ernst -
A. Kahn Design’s 2013 Range Rover Is Bespoke Tuning At Its BestLand Rover specialist A. Kahn Design finally gets its hands on the 2013 Range Rover.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Nissan’s Project 370Z Throws Down Against Its Fans: VideoLast year, Nissan solicited social media feedback to build the ultimate track-day 370Z, an event it dubbed “Project 370Z.” The idea was to gather the knowledge of Nissan Z owners and fans, then use readily-available aftermarket parts to construct a seriously fast 370Z. To bump output...
Kurt Ernst -
Limited Edition Mopar ’13 Dodge Dart Debuts In ChicagoChrysler’s parts and accessories division, Mopar, sells a dizzying array of products for all of the Chysler Group vehicles, and each year the Mopar division works its magic on one limited-production vehicle. At this year’s Chicago Auto Show, the Chrysler Group rolled out the Mopar...
Kurt Ernst -
From the same team building its very own Tumbler Batmobile for this year’s Gumball 3000 rally, comes this new teaser image for a custom supercar the team is also working on for the rally. That team is Saudi Arabia’s Team Galag, which has released the first image of its new supercar, the TG1. Describing the TG1 as the more difficult of the two projects, as it has to be designed from scratch whereas the Tumbler’s design is already well-documented, Team Galag’s progress so far is going smoothly and a final reveal should be taking place soon. The team is keen to keep the...
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Ken Block-Influenced Ford Focus TrackSTer Set For Chicago DebutTuner fifteen52 knows a thing or two about making cars go faster. While its early business centered on products from VW and Audi, more recent projects have included collaborations with Ford and shoe-mogul-turned-gymkhana-and-rally-star Ken Block. That makes fifteen52 an ideal choice for Project ST...
Kurt Ernst -
Fans Design Round Tail-Light Kit For 2014 Chevrolet CorvetteIt was only a matter of time until some inventive person or company came up with a kit for the new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray that swaps the car’s square-shaped lamps to something Corvette fans are a little more accustomed to: four separate round tail-lights. While the design of the new...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Hot Wheels In Real Life: A Chevy V-8 Powered BMW Isetta DragsterWe’ve seen a lot of crazy automotive creations over the years, some of which worked and some of which didn’t. We’re no fans of the Smart ForTwo, but cram a Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle engine in a Smart and we’ll arm-wrestle you for the keys to the SmartBusa. We’ve long...
Kurt Ernst -
Is Audi Planning A More Powerful RS 6 Plus?In Audi-speak, its S models are somewhat of an equal blend of performance and luxury, while its RS models favor acceleration and handling above all else. Only the R designator (currently reserved for the Audi R8) sits above the RS models on Audi’s pyramid of performance, but a refreshed...
Kurt Ernst -
Forbidden Fruit: Subaru BRZ RA RacingIf you believe that Europe and Japan get all the cool cars while we’re relegated to sloppy seconds, the newly-announced Subaru BRZ RA Racing probably won’t make you any happier. Like stripped tuner and racing versions already announced by Toyota and Subaru, the Subaru BRZ RA Racing...
Kurt Ernst