Sean Szymkowski, Contributor
Articles
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Before the Subaru WRX landed in the United States, there wasn't much of a market for affordable and practical performance cars.
Think about it for two seconds. Before the WRX, name something similar....
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Texas revoking titles for dune buggies and other kit carsThe Texas DMV hit the dune buggy and kit car community with some unfortunate action earlier this year when it outlawed the vehicles' titles and registrations in the state, effectively banning them from public roads. As the state continues to revoke titles for kit cars, Texas owners are fighting...
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Waymo found drivers asleep, so it dumped partial self-driving featureAlphabet Inc.'s self-driving car subsidiary, Waymo, has made a conscious decision to skip partial self-driving technology. Why? The company found its test drivers napping behind the wheel, which meant they'd be unable to resume control of the car if needed. Clearly, this speaks volumes as to how...
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Chevy showcases Camaro SS Trans-Am race car with ZL1 1LE partsLooking past the flashy concepts and pipedream sheet metal at the 2017 SEMA show, there are some tangible parts and components available for performance nuts today. Chevrolet, in particular, highlighted this Camaro SS Trans-Am racecar which runs production Camaro ZL1 1LE parts—and anyone can...
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Honda Civic Type R sees small price hike for 2018 model yearFor 2018, Honda will not implement any changes to its banner hot hatchback, the Civic Type R, but will raise the price slightly higher than what it was in 2017 model year. Following the abbreviated model year, the 2018 Civic Type R will arrive with a small $215 price bump to bring the MSRP from...
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Lamborghini collaborates with MIT, teases hybrid supercar futureLamborghini has something to show us, and it's no small deal when it describes the debut as the "supersport of the future." In three days, the marque will reveal a new supercar that could foreshadow cutting-edge plug-in hybrid technology. However, Lamborghini didn't carry out the project on its...
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This bright orange Dodge Charger sure looks like the General Lee from the iconic "Dukes of Hazard" TV show, doesn't it? Actually, it's not even close.
That's because car is really a fairly common...
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Chevy rolls out new magnetic ride control calibrations for C7 CorvetteWithout any hardware changes, Chevrolet will make 2015-2016 C7 Corvette Z06s even faster around the track. The brand announced new magnetic ride control calibrations for all 2014-2016 C7 Corvette Stingray and Z06 variants, but the Z06 benefits most. The calibrations bring a new Track mode to...
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SpeedKore shows Robert Downey Jr.'s custom Mustang Boss 302 at SEMARobert Downey Jr., perhaps best known for his leading role as Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man, has exquisite taste in classic muscle cars. Why? SpeedKore built this tastefully modified 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 with Downey Jr.'s guidance along the way. The company took to this week's 2017 SEMA...
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"The Grand Tour" drops season 2 trailer ahead of premiere in DecemberAfter a handful of injuries, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May will return with "The Grand Tour" season two this December. Ahead of the season premiere, we have the first trailer to prepare us for the adventures and mayhem ahead. Immediately, it looks like the team and hosts ironed...
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Lamborghini was started because Ferraris were too unreliableIt's one of the greatest rivalries of the automotive industry: Ferrari vs. Lamborghini. Actually, it's not just a rivalry, Lamborghini was a direct result of Ferrari. According to the story, retold by Donut Media, company founder Ferruccio Lamborghini didn't just want to build a better sports car...
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Supercharged Chevrolet Silverado performance concept sports over 450 HPChevrolet wasn't short on pickup truck concepts at the SEMA show this year, which probably has something to do with marque's pickup truck centennial. The bowtie brand brought a little something for everyone, including a supercharged Chevrolet Silverado. Although the Silverado performance concept...
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As if the Ford Focus RS's famed "Drift Mode" isn't enough, Ford Performance used the 2017 SEMA show to reveal its next supplement to on-demand sideways action: the Drift Stick, a Ken Block-approved...
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Ringbrothers reveals 1969 Dodge Charger with proper hot rod proportionsRingbrothers stole the spotlight with its Hellcat-powered AMC Javelin, but it also debuted another Mopar machine at the 2017 SEMA show and this one is just as mean looking. Signifying the Spring Green, Wisconsin company's first-ever Mopar build is a 1969 Dodge Charger dubbed the Defector. The...
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Chevrolet reveals pair of hardcore Colorado ZR2 concepts at SEMAChevrolet brought plenty of goodies to the 2017 SEMA show, including the 2018 Camaro Hot Wheels edition, but it saved two special concepts for last. The brand revealed the Colorado ZR Race Development Truck and the Colorado ZR2 AEV concept as two takes on its most capable off-road pickup. The...
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Hennessey Venom F5 revealed with over 1,600 HP, aims for 301 MPH top speedWake up Bugatti and Koenigsegg because Hennessey Performance Engineering sounded an alarm. On Wednesday at the 2017 SEMA show, the performance company out of Sealy, Texas revealed the Venom F5 hypercar with over 1,600 horsepower and a strong desire to reach a 301 mph top speed. Production is due to...
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Toyota eyes airless tires for future electric carsMany companies have shown airless tire concepts—Polaris is the only company to actually commercialize them—but the technology is yet to reach any sort of mass adoption in the automotive sector. If Toyota has its way, future electric cars from the company will run airless tires to help...
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Rezvani drops price of Tank SUV with new V-6 optionRezvani debuted its Jeep Wrangler-based Tank SUV earlier in October. At the debut, the vehicle was equipped with a 6.4-liter Hemi V-8. But for those buyers not in need of such a big, stonking engine, Rezvani has a smaller option. The Californian firm on Tuesday at the 2017 SEMA show revealed a V-6...
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The Acura NSX is no slouch with 547 horsepower arriving from a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine and supplementary hybrid system, but tuning firm Science of Speed cranked things up a notch with...
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Tesla installs solar panels at Puerto Rico hospitalTesla is a busy company these days, as is chief executive officer Elon Musk. While the company and Musk juggle Model 3 production bottlenecks, an electric semi reveal, and more, it also landed in Puerto Rico recently to help restore power to the United States territory. Much of the island remains...
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Steve Jobs' former BMW Z8 heading to auctionAs if the BMW Z8 wasn't enough of a modern-day collectible with its 4.9-liter 400-horsepower V-8 engine and head-turning design, this particular one has a very significant former owner: Apple's original genius, Steve Jobs. And it's heading to auction where RM Sotheby's expects it to fetch beyond...
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2018 Ford Mustang RTR revealedFormula Drift champion Vaughn Gittin Jr.'s RTR performance company has revealed its latest project: the 2018 Ford Mustang RTR. The car combines style elements from Japanese drift culture and European sports cars into a unique Mustang design, and it's available to order now. The car makes its debut...
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Honda Civic Type R crate engine arrives to power enthusiasts' dream buildsHonda wants to bring its powerful turbocharged VTEC engine, found in the Civic Type R, to the masses. On Monday, it revealed the 2.0-liter inline-4 unit, referred to internally as the K20C1, in crate engine form. The reveal took place at an event outlining Honda's showcase for this week's 2017 SEMA...
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Porsche develops new drum brakes for classic 356 modelsSometimes it's tough to keep classic cars completely original, especially as parts become scarce. Porsche, specifically, Porsche Classic, wants to help its loyal owners keep things all-original with new drum brakes for the 356A and 356B models, which were Porsche's first-ever production cars...
Sean Szymkowski