Will Power Records Third Belle Isle Victory, Nabs 100th Win For Chevrolet

History was made on Belle Isle during the 2022 Detroit Grand Prix. Not only was it the final race on the island before the event moves to the streets of downtown Detroit, but also the place where Chevrolet recorded its 100th Detroit Grand Prix victory thanks to the help of Team Penske’s Will Power who recorded his third Belle Isle victory and finally had a chance to go for a swim in the iconic Scott Fountain.   A Dominating Performance Accented By Riveting Conclusion   The 70-lap race began with Josef Newgarden in the lead before Will Power took the …

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No. 1 Cadillac DPi Racer Leaps Back Into Contention With Belle Isle Victory, Chip Ganassi Secures 63rd IMSA Win

Prior to their surprise victory at the Chevrolet Sports Classic on historic Belle Isle, the odds were stacked against the No. 1 Cadillac V-Performance Academy DPi and drivers Sebastian Bourdais and Renger van der Zande. Their season was anything but perfect, with the duo falling victim to various mechanical problems and even a few bad turns in fortune. Going into today’s race, there were some skeptics wondering whether Belle Isle would be the latest speedbump for their troubled car. However, thanks to a solid game plan and skilled driving, Renger van der Zande was able to pull it off in …

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AC Schnitzer Launches Upgrades for Toyota GR Supra

AC Schnitzer just brought their BMW tuning wizardry to an extended family member…: the new Supra! These stage one mods consist of a reprogrammed ECU taking power up 60 ponies to an even 400 and torque up by a similar amount.  Carbon aero details, a variety of wheels and special suspension tunes are also in the offering. Clearly more mods down the road.  Going with such an expert in this engine’s internals is a trusty way to more power — and the ACS Supra’s even have an extra three-year warranty!  The parts are available worldwide from the AC Schnitzer site.  …

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Auto Industry Insider: Dealing with the Stress of Classic Car Ownership

Owning a classic car is a dream come true for many. Whether you grew up watching Starsky and Hutch on TV, or you have fond memories of the Dukes of Hazzard, we all have a classic car-shaped hole in our heart. All you have to do is to figure out which vehicle fills the void in your automotive love story. However, owning a vintage car doesn’t come without stress. After all, when you drive a vehicle that left the manufacturer several decades ago, it’s only natural to worry about performance, breakdowns and overall costs. Hopefully, this short list of fears …

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Ford Unveils Next Chapter Of GT Performance With Track Only 2020 GT MK II [Videos]

When we last checked in on Ford’s upcoming variant of its GT supercar, it was via a shadowy teaser image that gave few answers, and left us asking a lot of questions on what exactly Ford was up to? Fast forward to today’s unveiling at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and the blue oval has unveiled the next evolution of GT performance which it calls “the ultimate GT” offering. Dubbed the GT Mk II, it embraces this fresh start in earnest by throwing out any intent of being a road legal offering (though we suspect that won’t stop some of …

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1998 Nissan R390 GT1 – Amelia Concours 2019 Highlight

This one-of-a-kind machine is the only road-going variant of the Nissan R390 LeMans racecar series. It usually lives locked away in the Nissan’s Zama museum in Japan so we were very fortunate to have it attend the Amelia Island Concours 2019. Every vehicle ever looks stunning on bright green grass under Florida sun. The design is a thing of great beauty, even if the nose detailing is dull and this road variant lacks the giant rear wing of the racecars. The 3.5-liter V8 shoots 550 fiery horsepower out the rear bumper edges on command from inside the leather-wrapped cabin. We …

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2019 Lynk & Co 03 Cyan Concept Is Next-Gen WTCR Racer

Here is a Chinese import that takes Euro localisation seriously!  A C-segment sedan thoroughly upgraded to full race spec. A machine that embraces Euro dimensions and design while also appreciating the massive interest in all forms of racing. Making RenaultSport’s latest machines fast on track becomes a religion in itself for many. So here is a Lynk 03 sedan tuned to the max, and ready to attack! Like the bumper-bashing old Volvo 850R wagons battling Alfa 164’s of the BTCC! This machine is bonkers powerful at 528HP from a 2.0-liter four — all to the front wheels. To say its …

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Insider: Five Ideas for Racing-Themed Vacations

Do you arrange your weekends around every televised NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula One or FIA World Endurance Championship race? Is your idea of a fun day out obsessing over every car at the car show or heading out to your local track to watch the drag races? If you live and breathe cars and racing, then it should also be a no-brainer to theme your next vacation around your passion. Here are five ideas for planning an amazing racing-themed getaway. 1. Get in on the Action Why watch from the sidelines when you can jump into the fray? Many drag tracks …

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2018 DALLARA Stradale Roadster – Make the World Your Racetrack! [99 Photos]

  This beautiful new supercar starts life with no doors and no windshield or upright cowl whatsoever.  Just a sleek, wide disk shooting around a circuit! A windshield option makes this a Dallara Stradale Roadster, and a bubble glass hardtop makes it into a Dallara Stradale Targa. Loving them all is easy.  A few reasons: — This is a right-now production car.  First delivery happened last week and production is in full swing. — Dallara is a name known on racetracks worldwide.  They make the carbon chassis tubs for everyone.  Seriously. So they have carbon-fiber at scale.  And wind tunnels …

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Part Two – 2017 Porsche 908 RSR Vision GT Hommage Meets 919 and 917K

Part Two: The RSR!   The crew behind the gorgeous longtail 908 VGT design have a new beast for 2017’s fantasy-cars daydream. A skilled group of professional car designers has been working on a side project after work hours for the last few years.  When not designing vehicles for a Chinese car brand, this group led by Alan Derosier has created magic in the form of not one — but two Vision Gran Turismo fantasy concepts.  They took the VGT idea to heart and applied it to one of the most storied brands in racing history: Porsche.  For licensing and …

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Concept Flashback – 1994 Renault Espace F1 [38 Photos]

The coolest minivan of all time? A rolling, four-seat example of an F1 team doing their work joyfully? And an eclipse wall of yellow metallic …. coming in fast! The visuals of a van but the sound and speed of an F1 car do not register right in the brain.  It is cognitive dissonance at its best. Play ten seconds of the below and tell me you disagree!       Here are 38 remastered photos of the Espace F1 from its launch in 1994. 1994 Renault Espace F1

2018 Dodge DEMON and SRT Durango – Startup, Revs and Exhaust Note VIDEOS

Dodge brought out the big guns for the recent Midwest Auto Media event at Road America racetrack. Their two new sluggers left the crowd in awe!  The SRT Durango was a surprising arrival — considering it has never been seen in real life to date.  The huge news with this monster-V8 SUV is that its tires are simply massive.  Taller than you might expect and wider than most true performance cars — these Pirellis are critical for putting so much power to the ground.  Dodge promises performance to wallop the Yukon Denali and even out-handle the SRT Grand Cherokee. But the …

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2017 RenaultSport RS2027 Concept – Photo Comparo with F1 and e.dams

Updated 5.13.17 RenaultSport had center stage for the mainstream Renault range in Shanghai this year.  The dancers and sense of occassion certainly made the new purple Espace’s debut a bit cooler. No mind.  The star of the show soon rolled on stage.  World debut of the RS2027 Vision concept.  A look at what ultimate racecars will look like in a decade. Who is RenaultSport to make the prediction? THey are the only manufacturer with top billing in F1 and Formula E, as far as we can recall.  The convergence of shouty gas turbos and buzzy electrics seems unavoidable in ten …

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2017 RenaultSport RS2027 Vision – Active-Aero F1 Prototype

What would F1 cars be without their giant wings?  Faster and more futuristic, if the RS2027 Vision is any indication! The latest RenaultSport concept takes a look at where F1 will be in a decade from now.  The result is a gorgeous expression of the open-wheeled racecar.  The future-tech is nose-to-tail, with intriguing details being the side-hinged driver canopy, open-mesh cockpit walls and the streamlined tail with integrated rising wing.  Not as wild about the idea of a transparent helmet for the drivers, or the web-connected and public telemetry data the RS2027 shares with fans in realtime. The RS2027 looks at …

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2017 Renault-Sport R.S.01 GT3 by Gtronix McChip-DKR

One of our favorite engine tuners from Germany is heading out onto the racetrack!  Big news for the growing McChip-DKR best known for making unstoppable turbos! The 2017 RenaultSport RS01 GT3 looks like it might not need much extra boost — but the track will be the judge.   2017 Renault-Sport R.S.01 GT3 by Gtronix McChip-DKR   MCCHIP-DKR made A STUNNING ANNOUNCEMENT Secrets are made in order to be disclosed in a well timed manner. Mcchip-dkr in Mechernich recently revealed a big surprise with regards to the upcoming racing season 2017: A team named Gtronix-mcchip-dkr will be launched in the …

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Working on a Racecar With Leaf Springs

Racing isn’t the first application that comes to mind when leaf springs are mentioned. This simple technology dates back to medieval times in its most basic form, and now cars with leaf spring suspension arrive at drag strips around the country every weekend — and win. Like the venerable Chevy small block, leaf springs offer racers an affordable, robust solution that has evolved over time to remain competitive with newer, more expensive technologies. Getting the most out of your leaf-sprung racecar means understanding how to properly build and tune a leaf spring suspension. Let’s take a look at a few …

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Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing celebrate 10 years of collabor

2018 Mercedes-AMG GTR x Marauder AMG Twins for Miami Boat Show

The new AMG Marauder 50-foot race-boat will need to be extra special to upstage the 2018 AMG GTR! This hottest-ever AMG GT is a personal favorite thanks to its stunning design and performance.   Being bright green helps us go from like to LOVE. Here is the release for the cigarette racing collaboration – plus the launch image pack for the GTR. 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R Driving Performance on land and on the water Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing celebrate 10 years of collaboration by unveiling the stunning new 2017 50′ Marauder AMG inspired by the Mercedes-AMG GT R  Feb 16, …

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2017 Mazda RT24-P Revealed Ahead of Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona

I love endurance prototype racecars. They take truly concept-level ingenuity in aero and grip to the streets. Well, to the road courses and banked ovals of the racing circuits!  This new RT24-P from Mazda is a pretty magnificent specimen for blending on-brand design cues with the mandates of any race class. The RT24-P is designed to dominate the top class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship — a new class called DPi, for Daytona Prototype International. Certainly not quick or catchy names in this new series.  But hey, it is an endurance challenge! The RT24-P name itself means the “Road …

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Hardtop Jannarelly JD1 Headlines Upcoming RISE: Race The Future Console Game

  Our lovefest with the Jannarelly JD1 continues today with a look at the car as a hardtop racer versus a street-legal roadster.  Similar to how the car would be specced for an FIA GT3 or GT4 race class, this preview is of both the car and the game!  RISE: Race The Future is set for release in a few months. Now, the only question is… shall we call this the JD2?  Or JD1 Hardtop?  JD1 Daytona?!     2017 Jannarelly JD1 Hardtop   RISE: Race The Future is the upcoming video game from the studio VD-DEV renown for their …

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Behind the Lens with Camden Thrasher! David Arnouts Interviews Famous Race Photog

Race Photographer Camden Thrasher tells CRD’s David Arnouts about all the blood, sweat and tears that go into capturing iconic motorsport moments.   Question: You’ve just recently wrapped up Sebring, how is the excitement for the season building up? Personally is there anything specific you enjoyed most about the race? Thrasher: I’m a big fan of endurance events, especially ones with great racing like the Daytona finish for Corvette Racing, then followed up by the competition in Sebring; it’s a great way to start the season. To actually be there, to experience it, and shoot (photos of) it is awesome. Even cooler is …

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2016 McLaren 570S GT4 and Sprint Unleash Extreme Aero, De-Luxed Cabins

McLaren just revealed its racecar versions of the new 570S: the FIA-approved GT4 model that is ready to go racing worldwide right from the factory.  And the real star?  The 570S Sprint~! The Sprint is our favorite because it is so pure.  The GT4 car’s aero upgrades, de-restricted engine and exhausts, Pirelli slicks and beefed-up race suspension…. but without the GT4’s standard roll cage, fire extinguisher and other mandatory elements.  Such things like power restrictors are needed for the GT4 class… but not in the 570S Sprint!   That means less weight for trackday individuals versus race teams.   Estimated weight …

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700HP, 2.5s 2017 REZVANI Beast X – Wild Carbon Wings, Monster Boost for Street-Legal Racecar

You are being hunted. The Rezvani Beast X is out for blood.  That much is clear from its 2.5-second 60-mph sprint and tail-out track action! This upgraded model is debuting in Dallas this week with a shockingly sexy carbon-fiber aero kit, a new engine and even optional paddle-shift for the 2017 modelyear. The California team will build just five of these X Beasts for sale worldwide, with pricing from $325k and the order books open now.  (The Beast Speedster is the car pictured here in grey, while the X is previewed in a few of the red photos — but not all …

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Dream Garage – Superformance LOLA MkIII Can-Am Spyders

Lola racecars are extremely special for their value-for-money today, racing pedigree, and also their incredibly timeless grace and beauty. This was a racing team directly formed in the late 1950s with one goal: build a car from scratch to win LeMans. The resulting semi-monocoque chassis design – now known as a unibody – was revolutionary at the time of frame-based racers from nearly every other racing company and nearly every single road car. A semi-monocoque? Oh yes. The other part is also pretty advanced for the time: a steel spaceframe for the engine and rear suspension cradle. In fact, the …

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Best of Geneva – 2016 Abarth 124 Rally Prototype – 300HP Kicks Off 2017 Abarth Racing Revival

  In case the hot new Abarth Fiat 124 Spider were not enough to get your heart revving, Abarth Racing has brought along an even hotter version! A rear-drive rally racecar that started life as a ragtop!?  Sounds like a winner to us.  And it definitely looks like a winner too. A slightly raised ride height, boosted engine putting down 300Hp, plus a locking rear differential promise exciting, tail-out action to rally fans next year. Custom fender extensions, sill extensions and brake air vents behind the back axle speak to this car’s gravel-slinging dreams.  As does its gigantic, fire-spitting single …

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Want to be an Auto Journalist? Special Contributors, Snappers and Reviewers Needed

We are looking for a few new contributors to join the five-man team here at Car-Revs-Daily.com. Writing and producing automotive news content is AWESOME — but breaking through and being published anywhere is not easy. The best way to become a top auto journalist is to just start doing it.   Become a published auto writer via Car-Revs-Daily.com. If you are a photographer, writer, car-nut, traveler — we want to hear from you.  Catch your dream and start publishing your coolest photos, articles, and adventures!   Custom cars, motorcycles, trucks and planes are all fair game.  Military vehicles and boats?  Sounds good too. …

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2016 Porsche 911 GT3 R – Road Car, Daytona Racer + Christophorus ‘Black Magic’ Sebring Test Feature

The official Porsche magazine Christophorus has a terrific piece in their latest issue about the shakedown testing of the heavily-revised 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 R around the hot, humid Sebring racetrack in Florida.  Dubbed ‘Black Magic,’ the article follows the Porsche customer racing team through a marathon 30-hour race test late in calendar 2015 — ahead of the car’s entry into numerous race series worldwide in 2016. We’re excited to share the unpainted test car in its raw glory — but also some extra cool perspective on the 2016 GT3 R endurance racecar. What is that?  A few snaps of the …

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2016 Toyota RAV4 SE Launches Silver-Accented Style, New RALLY RACECAR!

Famed race driver Ryan Millen has adopted a hell of a challenge for 2016!  Race to win in a front-wheel-drive RAV4 SE using a bone-stock 2.5-liter four-cylinder making just 176 horsepower. Millen and his co-pilot (fiancĂ© Christine!) seem like the perfect ambassadors for a Rav4 racing adventure.  He will man the controls as she co-drives with extremely detailed trail notes all along the way.  Such limited power and traction in the 2WD-Open Class take much of the mechanical innovations out of the normal WRC race calculus.  The races then become much more about driver skill, unbreakable reliability and extreme co-driver directions. …

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2016 McLaren 650S GT3 SWEEPS Bathhurst Debut! But Race Photos Are 70s Sepia Hell

    Always great to launch an updated racecar with a first-place finish in its debut! That’s the story with the new 650S GT3, which just won the Bathhurst 12 Hour. And not just won: the car destroyed its rivals.  McLaren sums it up well… “650S GT3 claimed the clean sweep over the course of the weekend with pole position, fastest lap, overall race win and a new lap record.” Hard to beat that concise summary of the new 650S GT3’s debut glories.  Almost as hard as it will be for its GT3 rivals.  ONE PROBLEM: McLaren GT’s Over-processed Photos …

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rELAX yOUR jAW! DS VIRGIN Scores First SeXY ePRIX Win! Formula E Action GIFs + Private Track Practice Video

You got dreams? We got dreams. You got big budget, and passion too? How big? Yes indeed. To both.   Welcome to DS Virgin Racing!     The crew at DS Virgin racing are popping bottles tonight down in Buenos Aires.  Bottles of Dom as well as Deep Woods! Thrilled to welcome Virgin into the racer’s winner’s circle. Upon a scratch to the surface of the new Citroen DS Automobiles racing venture, your scribe found a virtual fountain of youth.  Everything one could ever dream of is available for media-digitization. Hence, the three=hour love affair that is leaving my two …

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2016 McLaren 650S GT3 – Geneva Prelaunch + Photo Comparo Insights vs. 2015 Racecar

GT3 is the closest thing we have to an authentic battle-of-the-supercars — and demands a great amount of manufacturer attention.  The learnings on track with these cars are some of the quickest tech intros to road cars.  Advancements in aero and drivetrain behaviour on track actually translate directly to a street superstar — without just the lip service most race series pay to this tech transfer. And best of all, it is a two-way street.  Better turbo and cooling settings on the road for the 675LT have fed directly into the updated 2016 racecar from McLaren GT. McLaren below confirms …

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RM Arizona 2016 – 1963 Shelby 289 Cobra DRAGONSNAKE

Quite a few gorgeous classics included in a row.  These are a bit of a niche interest among readers… we know you guys prefer 2016-2020 models far more than these oldie foldies. Here is one to get you young bucks back onboard: the most successful dragracing Shelby Cobra of all time! Certainly, the Cobra is best known for its circuit racing and international endurance racing prowess. But it turns of the delicate-looking original 289 Cobra was also a world-beater on the dragstrips of the USA. So light, so grippy and so powerful…. literally nothing could keep up with this fuchsia …

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2016 Faraday Future FFZERO1 Concept 10

2016 Faraday Future FFZERO1 Concept Throws Down Gauntlet – Now or Never, Laggards

Well, this is it!  Nearly 24 hours after the leaks began, and a full 12 since the press conference in Vegas last night, the Faraday Future concept car for CES is now in clear focus. Before you get too excited about a full reveal — with the normal specs, pricing and a production roadmap —it is best to temper expectations. This fantasy concept from Faraday Future is not headed for the road. Nor is it really headed for any race series. But racetracks? That is another story.  The quad-motor, AWD EV promises 1000+ horsepower and a 200-mph-plus top speed.  The electric motors are …

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DAKAR 2016 – Prologue and First Stage Gallery – Red Bull PEUGEOT-TOTAL DKR16

Dakar got off to a fairly rough start this year: a big crash canceled the timed events of the Trucks class, while a smaller incident saw the four-time defending champion MINI Countryman careen off the course and injure multiple spectators. Reuters and AP report a father and son were seriously hurt and are in serious condition. The MINI driver was the first female driver from China, and she also sustained injuries.  Initial reports are of a hard jump landing and subsequent loss of control of the vehicle. This was always a very, very dangerous race. And at least these traumatic events …

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1973 Dodge Challenger Race Car – Ex-Dale Earnhardt – Saturday Night Special By PETTY

Our previous attempts at chronicling NASCAR history and Petty racecars have been pretty shoddy — so please see the full Mecum Auctions writeup below the AMAZING photo set here.  Fast facts are: — this is believed to be the only 1973 Petty-built racecar still surviving — entered circuit for the ’74 season, and was raced until the late 1980s — original driver?  None other than Dale Earnhardt The most shocking detail?  The price estimate of $40k to $80k!  Another semi interesting tidbit?  There seems to be a possible ‘special mode’  — or something — right above the gauge bezels. Some …

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2016 Audi R8 LMS – New Open-Aero Design Analysis, Specs and Pricing

The new R8 is big news, of course, for supercar shoppers. Three models are set for the US range: the R8, R8 V10 and R8 V10 Plus. All sport AWD as standard and curb weights of 3500- and 3600-pounds. America will miss out on the limited-release R8 E-Tron but we will definitely see the fifth family member: the nearly unbeatable 2016 R8 LMS. This factory racecar is already outselling the existing model among dozens of top-tier sportscar racing teams. The reasons are simple: it is faster than ever thanks to cunning new aero and mechanicals. The biggest changes versus the …

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2017 Bugatti CHIRON is Official! 100 Pre-Orders Locked in Ahead of Geneva 2016 Reveal

Pretty speedy turnaround from the Bugatti folks to the storm of speculation this weekend across the auto universe!  A rapid response and super-max trajectory, are, after all, core Bugatti traits.  So it does make sense. Or perhaps this was planned all along!  Bugatti’s press release early this morning confirms that ‘pre-marketing’ for the 2017 Chiron is already under way. Select private viewings have already taken place worldwide — with 100 orders secured so far! That total is astounding for a car no one has driven, and few even seen. 100 orders represents at least the first year or so of …

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2017 ZAROOQ SandRacer – Pricing, Tech Specs and 50 Pics of New Emirati Off-Roader

Zarooq just held its launch press conference! Very cool premier of an exceptionally promising rear-engine rally race truck — the SandRacer 300.   Teased since last summer, this new project is a partnership between global racing legends, skilled engineers and marketing savvy. All built and optimized for us in Zarooq’s back yard: the massive dunes of Arabia. The latest details make us even more excited about the project: rear-drive with a 3.5-liter V6 mounted in the mid-rear, the SandRacer is priced from about $100k at launch and will be road legal in the Middle East. The Zarooq’s otherworldly design outside …

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Blood Type Racing Makes 500HP Hyundai VELOSTER Turbo R-Spec for SEMA 2015

Blood Type Racing delivered a Best of SEMA concept last year in its 800HP Genesis Coupe (photo gallery below). Stunning ideas and execution made that hemoglobin-hued showcar so special, we’d be scared to drive it on the highway — let alone sideways on a racetrack! BTR earned a pretty high honor for its incredible 2014 efforts: another slot in the Hyundai official SEMA customs roster. This year brought a pretty big challenge, however, for the Blood Type hoons: a Veloster Turbo R-Spec as the starting point. The Veloster is a challenging tuner platform for a variety of reasons, but none …

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Meet Gran Turismo SPORT – FIA-Blessed PlayStation Spinoff Starts Private Alpha in Paris

Here is a brilliant idea that took two decades to achieve! Another Gran Turismo. One of the most potent profit engines in the PlayStation empire, the exclusive console arrangement has been a golden goose for parent Sony. But the development of the game by Polyphony Digital is so exhaustive that a spin-off game was long thought just a drain on resources. Fans were already waiting rabidly for the mid-decade updates of Gran Turismo since its launch, now up to GT6 as the latest and greatest. What started as a vaguely frontier investment in gaming for Sony in the late 1980s …

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2016 Volvo S60 POLESTAR TC1 7

Bad-Ass Volvo S60 POLESTAR TC1 Racer Taking Fight to WTCC in 2016 With Cyan Racing

How awesomely evil does Volvo’s new WTCC car look — and sound!  Volvo just signed on for the 2016 World Touring Car Championship with its Polestar TC1 racecar — which is a highly upgraded version of the street machine. Now pushing out close to 600HP and wearing an all-new widebody aero kit, the S60 TC1 will compete with Polestar Cyan Racing next season (2016) and for at least two more years after that. What is Cyan Racing?  It is the new name of the Polestar motorsports team, which remains independent even after Volvo announced a takeover of the Polestar brand …

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2016 Aston Martin VULCAN meets Avro VULCAN Bomber 6

2016 Aston Martin VULCAN Meets Legendary Avro Vulcan Namesake

More than a few days late on this news, but it is too good to skip! Aston Martin’s ultra-high-performance flagship just had a meet and greet with its namesake, the Avro Vulcan nuclear bomber!  The Vulcan of the RAF has kept Britain and the world safe from the threat of nuclear weapons for the last 50 years, but will retire this month to the annals of history. And in doing so, this nuclear deterrent will enter the hall of fame for long-range strategic bombers. The beauty of the aircraft and its innovative, ahead-of-its-time delta wing design are icons for all …

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Concept Flashback – 1969 Abarth 2000 Coupe Speciale by Pininfarina

This photoshoot recalls Patsy Stone from Absolutely Fabulous to me, but the car under her is not half bad either.  The Abarth 2000 Coupe Speciale by Pininfarina explored a doorless wedge design with forward-hinged full glass canopy. Shrouded and integrated lamps in front were also fairly revolutionary for the time — and a cue that would be adopted by supercars by the mid-1970s.     1969 Abarth 2000 Coupe Speciale by Pininfarina

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HD First Drive Review – 2015 Audi A3 1.8T Sedan

 The Audi A3 family is pretty massive for 2015 – with the new sedan just the first in the offensive that will include the A3/S3 Cabrio, A3 Sportback and Sportback Hybrid, an S3 sedan and even the Q3 mini SUV. So there is a lot riding on this compact exec’s shoulders – not least a worry that it might be overpriced and under-amazing. But that is not the case in the slightest. What we discovered after flogging Audi’s latest machine around Lake Lanier, Georgia last week is a fun, peppy car with outstanding driving characteristics, very intuitive steering, and a …

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HONDA PROJECT 2&4 POWERED BY RC213V AT FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW 2015

Best of Frankfurt 2015 – Honda Project 2&4 Concept – Floating Seats Promise Surreal Track Pleasure

Updated 9.16.15 With 35 New Photos Check out the Honda Project 2&4 up close and in detail!  This is one of the most outrageous concepts from Honda in years. Not just Honda, any manufacturer, really. And this is not just some track car, either, as we surmised below. By engineering the 2&4 with outboard seating, the drive experience should also blend the joy of two-wheeling. But with the cornering pace of a four-wheeled vehicle. Not having any panels, doors or bodywork anywhere to your left shoulder, hip or pedals will be a revolution on the road. Far more exposed than …

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2015 Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo is Ready to Race

The thrill of leading a race is a core Bugatti trait. Along with stratospheric pricing for any Bugatti new or old, the firm has always built itself on being the fastest. The best. The ultimate in automotive engineering, design and haute couture is about to have a new rival. An in-house rival for the Veyron glory, world records and completed production run. All 450 Veyrons have been configured, customized, personalized and delivered to owners around the world, however. So what is next? This concept Vision Gran Turismo debut today in Frankfurt shows the core speed fundamentals underneath the showcar. This …

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Hyundai N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo Frankfurt Debut Photos 14

Hyundai N 2025 Vision GT – Frankfurt Reveal, 55 New Photos + In-Game Action Video

  Updated With Video, Tech Specs (below gallery) and Frankfurt reveal images Well good morning, gorgeous! Hyundai just dropped four teaser images of its upcoming supercar concept: the N 2025 VGT. Smartly using the Gran Turismo concept platform to make an actual, real-world prototype! It is surprising that a few of the Vision GT concepts do not appear more on auto show circuits, or even outside their CAD-CAM design files in some cases. Locking the concepts in the game seems like a missed opportunity for real branding, right? The Hyundai fantasy hypercar will feel very real in the flesh thanks …

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2015 Bugatti Vision GT in 60 Stunning Images – RWD Atmospheric W16 for LeMans 2016?

The thrill of leading a race is a core Bugatti trait. Along with stratospheric pricing for any Bugatti new or old, the firm has always built itself on being the fastest. The best. The ultimate in automotive engineering, design and haute couture is about to have a new rival. An in-house rival for the Veyron glory, world records and completed production run. All 450 Veyrons have been configured, customized, personalized and delivered to owners around the world, however. So what is next? This concept Vision Gran Turismo debut today in Frankfurt shows the core speed fundamentals underneath the showcar. This …

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2015 Honda Project 2&4 Concept – World Premiere of 14000-RPM Baby NSX

  Much as the world (and especially Japanese K-car buyers) love the S660 roadster, the sports potential of that mid-engine roadster is limited. Limited by power caps, safety rules and exhange rates — the S660 is not a global halo car, and definitely not a mini-NSX. What about the latest in Honda engine tech, paired with an open-wheeled racing design fresh from 2025? Now that would be something! Running the ultra-potent RC213V MotoGP bike engine, the Project 2&4 is ultra light and ultra simple. Ultra fresh sci-fi looks are just part of its charm, however. The real thrills will come …

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2015 Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo World Premiere – 300MPH Fantasy LM Racer Is Close To Reality

The Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo bowed this morning — as a stunning masterpiece, of course! The full-scale prototype will be on the Frankfurt show stand mid-month, where this racing-focused redesign of the Veyron SS Vitesse will fill in for a next-generation Bugatti reveal. A Veyron-shaped machine is currently in hot and cold weather testing at the moment — quashing rumors of a Bugatti SUV or limousine as the Veyron replacement. This shared overall mid-engine look is all that we know from the test cars dubbed Chiron in some auto mags. In this regard, the currently-testing Bugatti is likely to be …

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2016 SHELBY Mustang GT350 vs GT350R Track Duel in 80 Gorgeous Action Shots and Shrieking Video

Here is a perfect Friday happy-hour: a HOT video of the new GT350 and GT350R rocking out on track.  The flat-plane crank of two GT350R’s around the same corner is nothing short of racing nirvana. Grattan Raceway in Michigan hosted the GT350R launch drive, while the GT350 cranked at the corkscrew of Laguna Seca. Fast way to tell them apart? The GT350R wears the red Shelby badges versus a polished alloy finish for the GT350 Shelby emblems. A good thing to note at this point is that none of these cars is even a Shelby Cobra…. so there is still …

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Hyundai N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo Shedding Silk Ahead of Frankfurt Reveal

  Well good morning, gorgeous! Hyundai just dropped four teaser images of its upcoming supercar concept: the N 2025 VGT. Smartly using the Gran Turismo concept platform to make an actual, real-world prototype! It is surprising that a few of the Vision GT concepts do not appear more on auto show circuits, or even outside their CAD-CAM design files in some cases. Locking the concepts in the game seems like a missed opportunity for real branding, right? The Hyundai fantasy hypercar will feel very real in the flesh thanks to a spearheading the “N” brand launch. Hyundai’s “N” is set …

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2011 BMW 1M Coupe by OK-Chiptuning

2011 BMW 1M Coupe Adds 111HP Via OK-Chiptuning.de Re-Flash + Racing Intake, Intercooler, Downpipe and Exhaust

  Upon first glance at these photos, we were fairly sure that this German rocket wore a custom widebody. But no! Just lowering springs, a new wheel/tire setup and a giant dragon of a turbo under the hood. From the stock 340HP, the OK-Chiptuning crew has liberated a full 111 more ponies for a 451 count. A gigantic torque plateau hits like a sledge hammer from just 2500 rpm— making this short-wheelbase 1M into the M1 it always dreamed of…! The N54 engine series was a fairly short run for BMW. It proved to be a bit delicate and trouble-prone …

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2015 BMW M4 GTS Concept 5

~540HP 2016 BMW M4 GTS Concept Is Real-Deal Production Car with Innovative Hydro Turbo Boost Chiller

Here is a confusing ‘concept’ production car… the Concept M4 GTS is actually well on its way to first US owners next Springtime. The big tech change beside lightweighting and aero upgrades is a new water-cooled turbo system. Shared with the M4 MotoGP car, this feature is an innovative way to make huge boost that can sustain hours of track abuse without losing power. The cooled charge is very different from a more basic intercooler spray. Where a spray is helpful, the cooling all happens outside the closed boost and turbo system. BMW’s charge cooler actually atomizes water into the …

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2016 SHELBY Ford Mustang GT350R – Colors and Racing Stripes Visualizer

  Scroll to the right of the standard Mustangs over here at the Ford configurator, and the all-new 2016 SHELBY GT350 and GT350R suddenly pop into view! We played around in the builder sandbox for a while to get a sense of the optional features and color combos available. A new light grey called Avalanche appears to be the only new color choice, but the seven others all look extra fantastic on the GT350R racing style. There are your standard red, blue, yellow, dark grey, light grey, white and black — with all available with a black-painted roof that looks …

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RM Monterey 2015 – 1938 Adler Trumpf RennLimousine – LM ‘Racing Sedan’ with Airship Aero

The fantastic convergence of aerospace and supercars has a glorious history! This Adler Trumpf Rennlimo from 1938 represented a fascinating view of automotive aerodynamics in a time before effective wind tunnels or computer simulations. The learnings and design principles of aerodynamics were far more theoretical in the pre-jet age. Yet Adler designers brought great insights from airship and Zeppelin design into the car world to great results. This ‘racing sedan,’ as the Rennlimo translates, was the first closed-cockpit racer to take on LeMans. Just six were produced for sale, all with unique spindle and wing tweaks to the bodywork. The …

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2015 Porsche 919 Hybrid Adds Black and Red LeMans Liveries in 917K Salute

Porsche is extremely eager to show how fast and reliable its 2015 919 Hybrid is in the marquee endurance race of the year: LeMans. Just 18 days from now, a trio of Porsche 919s will battle a mad pack of Audi R19 racecars, the secretive 2015 Toyota LMP1 update, and an all-new contender: the Nissan GT-R LM Nismo. This front-drive Nissan is a real wildcard in the tech blueprint adopted by the other big three: rear-mid-engine with electric front-axle AWD. The Porsche 919 Hybrid looks extremely similar to last year’s car, but features dramatic updates under the skin. The core …

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2016 Aston Martin VULCAN in 40 New Photos from Dubai and Manhattan

Updated 5.10.15 The 2016 Aston Martin Vulcan has been a real showstopper since its surprise reveal in Geneva. Replacing the One-77 as the ultra-fast brand flagship, the Vulcan will be a track-only wonder when it arrives to its 25 ultra-wealthy owners. But boy is this car hard to photograph in auto show environments! Its gloss-black lower aero treatment is delicious and highly advanced, but washes out in most indoor light. So in-person viewing will be extra important to clinch prized deposits. To that end, the Vulcan swooped into Dubai recently to be the local showroom’s electro-magnet… drawing in the great …

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Racing Icons Series – 1968 Alfa Romeo T33/2 Daytona Is Legendary Bubble-Top Targa

Part Five of Six – Alfa Romeo Racing Icons Series Welcome to one of the most beautiful racecars of all time: the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Daytona. Wearing the fabulous bubble glass windshield of the Periscopo T33, but a long-tail aero treatment and even a targa top — the Daytona is like a dream come true for vintage racecar aficionados. One interesting T33 detail is that the car has none of the imposing and heavy-roof feel of the Porsche 917 or Ford GT40. Where those cars are all giant A-pillars and letterbox visibility, the Alfa is chopped like a speedster …

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Racing Icons Series – 1969 Alfa Romeo T33 Sports Racer

Part Four of Six – Alfa Romeo Racing Icons Series Proof that beauty and open-air thrills are critical elements of a million-dollar sale? Yes indeed! Even with pure-bred racecars like this Sports Racer Tipo 33 from Alfa Romeo, the most important details are often obvious to classic-car shoppers and spectators alike. Even though this Sports Racer was not one of the quickest T33 Alfa’s on the world’s racetracks, it is clearly the most desirable today versus its younger siblings — and arguably more visually sublime than its fabulous hard-top older brothers. The reason for this is clear: there is still …

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1970 Alfa Romeo TT3 Spider 9

Racing Icons Series – 1970 Alfa Romeo TT3 Spider Was Lightweight Short-Tail Special

Part Three of Six – Alfa Romeo Racing Icons Series   1970 saw the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 Spider evolve into a much shorter and much more brutal track attacker. Switchable noses include the lamp-free style shown here. A fairly brutal and chopped style appears at the front and rear of this Alfa racecar, with less of the glamourous design of the Sports Racer 33 that came before it. The changes worked on the racing circuit – with this Spider earning numerous race wins and ranking between Porsche and Ferrari in the top three points for the Le Mans season. …

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Racing Icons Series – 1972 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33TT3 Wears Stunning Batmobile Tailfins

Part Two of Six – Alfa Romeo Racing Icons Series   Here is a fun walk back in time — exploring and celebrating the evolution of the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 open-air racecars. We’re huge fans of the swoopy and wild designs of the hardtop T33’s from the mid-196os. These advanced prototype racers went head-to-head with legends like the Ford GT40 and the Porsche 908 and 917, among many others. But the legend of the T33 continued well into the 1970s. This open-topped TT3 from 1972 shows a really battle-hardened racing hero. Still wearing its striking Autodelta racing livery and …

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Racing Icons Series – 1975 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33TT12 Made 500HP at 11k RPM!

  Part One of Six – Alfa Romeo Racing Icons Series Here is a fun walk back in time — exploring and celebrating the evolution of the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 open-air racecars. We’re huge fans of the swoopy and wild designs of the hardtop T33’s from the mid-196os. These advanced prototype racers went head-to-head with legends like the Ford GT40 and the Porsche 908 and 917, among many others. But the legend of the T33 continued well into the 1970s, adapting to new racing rules and new tech innovations to make one of the quickest Alfa Romeo racecars of …

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1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SLS Racing + Exclusive SLS-R Speedster Renderings

This is a cool one. As you may know, Mercedes had a spotty record of hanging on to rare classics among the hundreds of models the company has produced. This applies double for the racecars – which are often either lost to track damage or to privateer teams. Either way, gone from the safety of the MB Museum. Such was the case for a pair of American-commissioned racing overhauls to a pair of 1957 300 SL’s. While Mercedes retired from racing for 1956-forward, the SL was still a plum basis for a race-winning track car. A priciple named Jim O’Shea …

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Racing Hero – 1986 Toyota Celica IMSA GTO Is a Rear-Drive Boost-Monster

There is something about this purpose-built Celica racecar that feels like the best of all worlds: rear-drive with a rear-mounted transaxle, a 2.0-liter Toyota “T” turbo engine detuned from 600HP to 450HP, and a grip setup to shame any other race series. This beautiful carbon-skinned racecar is hiding tires wider than a NASCAR racer, yet is as low as any modern hypercar. We just love its relative simplicity versus the tech-overloaded racecars of today. One purpose: be faster than anything else ever made… but only with the right driver aboard. This car earned $242,000 when sold in 2014. 1986 Toyota …

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LANCIA Rally Reunion - Stratos, Integrale, Fulvia and 037 Together for Amelia 2015 52

LANCIA Rally Reunion – Stratos, Integrale, Fulvia and 037 Together for Amelia 2015

What else to say about this incredible quartet of rally heroes!? Please enjoy these 52 photos from one of the best rally legacies of all time.   LANCIA Rally Reunion – Stratos, Integrale, Fulvia and 037

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Amelia Island 2015 – 1983 Lancia 037 Group B Rally Hero

The Lancia 037 is a rare standout among the four all-star Lancia rally cars reunited for the Amelia Island 2015 Concours. Rare because unlike the others, this machine ditches almost all sense of road-car in favor of an extreme supercar package. In proportions and width, this mid-engine, rear-drive turbo monster is what happened when the Lancia and Abarth racing teams start from a blank sheet of paper — engineering an all-star from the ground up. As one of the first cars anywhere to use carbon-fiber composites, the “zero-three-seven” was named after is project code in the Abarth speed labs. The …

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BMW Bringing a Dozen of Its Greatest 2-Door Hits to Amelia Island 2015

  BMW is bringing a fleet of 2-door heroes to Amelia Island Concours this weekend: a few greatest hits, a few hot supercars, and perhaps the all-time BMW racing icon: the 3.0 CSL race-winner from 1975. Alongside this wide-body in M colors is the road-going version, which is almost as special. Among these are the 328 Mille Miglia, the 1980 BMW M1, the first-gen Z3, the 2015 Z4 racecar, 650i Convertible and the 2015 i8. A good group, to be sure. Watch this space for in-person photos of the cars early next week! BMW Amelia Island 2015 BMW CELEBRATES 40TH …

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395HP, 3.5s 2015 MINI Vision Gran Turismo Runs AWD With 180MPH Vmax

  We did not have to wait long to see the full MINI Vision Gran Turismo concept in all its glory! This hotshot pocket-rocket is now a serious racing beast: full AWD system, a 395-horsepower turbo engine, and a sprint to 62-mph in just 3.5-seconds. The overall top speed? 180-mph! The hottest-ever MINI racer is available to play in GT6 from today. 2015 MINI Vision Gran Turismo     MINI goes Gran Turismo®6. From today gamers can enjoy driving the virtual MINI Clubman Vision Gran Turismo. 26.02.2015 Munich. Inspired by the brand’s legendary motor racing success, the MINI Design Team …

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850HP 2016 Aston Martin VULCAN Is All-New Tactical Strike Flagship with 7.0L Racing V12

  WOW! This new Aston Martin flagship has some serious thrills in store for its lucky owners. Named to honor the famous Avro Vulcan bomber, the Aston Vulcan will seek to match the excitement, adrenaline and glory of the first tactical nuclear strike plane ever produced. Luckily, this new track-only Aston delivers the goods without any fallout or blowback…. To continue the theme, the Vulcan was designed in a time when nuclear bombs had to still be dropped. Although the ICBM would arrive in the 1960s along with the production bomber, this plane was still a critical part of the …

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1954 Mercedes-Benz 'Blue Wonder' Race Transporter 55

Racing Icons – 1954 Mercedes-Benz ‘Blue Wonder’ Race Transporter in 69 RARE Photos

Part publicity stunt, part engineering exercise — and all fun and playful. The 1950s Mercedes-Benz Racing Division needed a rapid transport vehicle to supplement the big trucks with closed canopies that typically moved racecars and teams among the European circuits. Lower, faster and far more nimble than the big trucks, the Blue Wonder could navigate under any bridge or within any narrow city streets — areas typically off-limits for a heavy heauler. Powered by a race-ready engine from the 300SL and plopped into Mercedes sedan chassis, the ‘Blue Wonder’ was billed as the fastest transporter in the world. A top …

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2015 Volkswagen Tanner Foust Racing ENEOS RWB Beetle 992

2015 Volkswagen Beetle Rear-Drive Widebody by Tanner Foust Racing

What is the best way to make the VW Beetle a credible sports-car? Make it rear-drive! But a race-prep overhaul and a widebody package from famous Japanese Porsche tuner RAUH-Welt Begriff on top of that? Yes yes yes! 2015 Volkswagen Beetle Rear-Drive Widebody by Tanner Foust Racing   2015 Volkswagen Tanner Foust Racing ENEOS RWB Beetle ft. RAUH-Welt Begriff Widebody This Volkswagen Beetle that represents a collaboration between Volkswagen rallycross driver Tanner Foust and famed Porsche tuners RAUH-Welt Begriff is set to be unveiled this week at the SEMA show in Las Vegas. The Tanner Foust Racing ENEOS RWB Beetle …

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2017 Ford GT in Liquid Silver + Grey Racing Stripes Stuns Chicago

In most cases, you would not want to be splashed with liquid, molten silver. But when that silver is Ford Performance at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show, all signs say: Dive in! The most striking new lines visible on the 2017 Ford GT in this new color are in the doors and lower sills. Here we see a huge level of pinched creasing, elaborate aero vents and intakes, and overall beauty to rival any Ferrari. 2017 Ford GT in Liquid Silver

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Superformance GT40 Mk1 – Gulf Racing Livery in 90 Gorgeous Photos + 2 Videos

Update1 – Republishing this with new gallery formats. While editing these photos just now, I am trying to think of the right description for the beauty shown by the Superformance GT40 Mark I. (And its humble photographer…!) All I keep thinking is: “These Photos Are Wet-Your-Pants Gorgeous!” The 100-plus photos below hopefully make up for the very disappointing camerawork in my GT40 ride-along. Yes, for most of it, I am narrating into an iPhone that was not actually, ahem, recording… VIDEO PART ONE Ride-Along VIDEO PART TWO Overall, owning a Superformance GT40 is now near the top of my long …

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BMW M Performance Parts for 2015 X5M and X6M Include Tri-Color Racing Stripes!

  INTRO: Exciting discovery: these images allow a near-perfect animated comparison showing the different X6 vs X5 rooflines.   It might seem silly to buy a brand-new BMW X5 or X6 M and go shopping right away to upgrade it. But it is actually more normal than you might think. These factory upgrades are often things BMW would like to include on the factory trucks, but can’t because they are too polarizing (the M-color graphics…) or the M Performance exhaust (for legal reasons…). You have to imagine BMW ships these cars around the world in a universally appealing specification, but …

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Mecum Florida 2015 – 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback Is #5 Top Earner at $425k

  $425,000 is a fantastic total for any American car — ever — so definitely no poo-pooing here. But wouldn’t it be nice if it had rung in a solid $429k!? Even so, this Wellborn Musclecar Museum Boss 429 Fastback is a real hero in the flesh. Larger and meaner than the first few years of pony-cars, this beast looks hungry for blood. Its fantastic blue paintwork surely helps seal the period mood: this Mustang is a forever icon of its era. A squealing-tire time-capsule. 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback Lot R223// Kissimmee 2015 //Jan 16-25 1970 Ford Mustang …

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300HP 2017 Toyota Yaris WRC Marks Return to Top-Flight Rally Racing

 Toyota is coming back to the World Rally Championship is search of even more podium glory!  Over the previous Toyota Team Europe racing campaigns, the big T racked up an extremely impressive 43 victories before bowing out after the 1999 season. For 2017, Toyota is back with a TMG-fettled Yaris hatchback to take on dominant players like Citroen and VW. 2017 Toyota Yaris WRC   World Rally Championship return for Toyota Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) will return to the FIA World Rally Championship in 2017 with a car developed and built entirely at its technical centre in Cologne. Over the …

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Mecum Florida 2015 – 1960 Plymouth Fury NASCAR Modified to Recreate Richard Petty’s Daytona 500 Racer

UPDATE 1 Sorry guys. Some shoddy reporting (and total lack of fact-checking:) on the first draft of this article below! Richard Petty started racing in 1958 at the Historic Columbia Speedway, so this 1960 model-year Plymouth was definitely not his first NASCAR ride. A bit of Petty trivia? He returned to this tiny dirt oval in 1959 to score his first win. The track is still around today, but in a heavily ‘disused’ state with much grass growing through the paved sections, which were laid down in the late 1960s. We do believe this body Plmouth Fury was his ride …

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Updated with 36 New Photos – Mecum Kissimmee 2015 – 1966 Ford CS500 Shelby Racing Transporter

This Shelby-upgraded Ford Super Duty truck was a real sentimental favorite ahead of the Mecum auctions. In person, the truck is just as sweet and lovable. It sold for more than $50,000 – proving our affection for the big brute was not a one-off feeling.   PREVIOUS Sure, this Shelby transporter from 1966 might not be as glamorous as the classic Mercedes, Porsche or Ferrari transports — but it does have one huge factor in its favor. Authenticity. This truck is the real deal and in original, unrestored condition. That alone will make it quite a special find for Shelby …

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2015 vs 2014 Porsche 919 Hybrid – LMP1 Racers Compared

Porsche just rolled out its 2015 model-year LeMans P1 car for initial track testing at Yas Marina today, and we see a continuation on most aspects of the 2014 racer. Porsche is characteristically tight-lipped about what has changed since last year, but has confirmed that the turbo V4 powertrain will continue, along with three electric boosters. But while the 2015 car looks very similar to the 2014 contender, you can be sure that there have been extensive studies and engineering under the skin. It takes more than a quick look to find any clear changes outside, but we have identified …

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2015 Dakar Rally – Peugeot 2008 DKR – 100-Photo Action Gallery

In the previous Dakar article today about the MINI Countryman All4 team, we noted how their action photos from the event took the cake for sharing the race excitement with the rest of us. After a bit of digging, we’ve found a real treasure-trove. Photos and videos so amazing they make MINI’s effort look a little silly and amateurish. Who could deliver this? None other than the racing powerhouse Red Bull. Videos, photos, interviews – all numbering in the hundreds. All with production values that are ready for 4K HDTV. Most of the MINI team is powered by Monster Energy, …

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gt350r

2016 SHELBY GT350R Is Quickest Factory Mustang Ever Made

If there are two priorities for an all-star track racer, one column would be labelled ‘Power’ and the other ‘Control.’ This new GT350R majors on control, with huge changes to the aero setup, the suspension and grip package, and the overall handling characteristics. The GT350R is an always-on, flypaper-grippy supercar that hopes to best the Camaro Z/28 in the quickest-lap stakes. This will be the Mustang for laying down the headline Laguna Seca laptimes, with much equipment and luxury tossed aside to slice those last few 10ths from the ultimate speed the GT350R can achieve. This means it will be …

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2017 Ford Raptor Is EcoBEAST! Cool New Style, Much Quicker and Even More Bad-Ass

It is very rare to have a truck’s front suspension A-arms be a styling detail that lights up your eyes from the front, but the 2017 Raptor proves the exception. The truck shows off its tough and rough off-road equipment and suspension from all sides, especially dead-on from the nose. Here we see the Raptor’s trademark honeycomb grille and giant FORD letters writ large, paired with the super-cool new LED lighting from the top F-150 Platinum trims. Here the lamps are exposed and free of a clear shell — the better to show off the box-LED style and also to …

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2014 SEAT Leon Cupra Now Offered in Very Cool ST Wagon

Updated 1.10.2015 The sexy Leon ST wagon is now available in the Cupra trim! This cool dynamic and style upgrade includes the availability of the postent Cupra 280 pack and its huge-boost turbo gasoline engine. Six styling packs are also available on the Leon Cupras — with the Dynamic Grey shown in the press shots an ST Cupra exclusive that is not offered on Leon ST’s with lesser engines. We also anticipate the Sub8 performance packs to be offered on the ST wagon – these trims commemorate that the Leon Cupra is the quickest front-drive car of all time around …

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Update3 – INFINITI Q60 Concept – 30 Photos

Updated 1.6.2015 Second update today with 22 more photos. These appear to be some kind of leak. A few more photos of the upcoming Q60 Concept have appeared online, but not officially from Infiniti yet. Usually, with a massive leak like this, a car will then debut online shortly afterward. It hurts a brand to have people deciding on its style merits based on extremely low-quality digital renderings like these. So, is this concept the real-deal 2016 Q60 arriving in late summer 2015? Yes. Excluding a few tiny details like the glass roof and the inner bumper details, this is …

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q60 concept

Update1 – INFINITI Q60 Concept Previews Striking New 2016 Sports Coupe

  Updated 1.5.2015 with second teaser image. When it rains, it pours! Infiniti just teased a gorgeous new Gran Turismo prototype and now is showing some ankle on its new Q60 Coupe. This concept is headed for Detroit and is said to be nearly 98-percent of what the real-life Q60 Coupe will be when introduced in August as a 2016 model. The most action is of course around the doors and glasshouse, where the Q60 has a far more expressive and aggressive roofline and C-pillar treatment versus its sibling, the Q50 sedan. The lower front wheel-arch also shows a dramatic …

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1971 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6

1971 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.8 AMG in 44 High-Res Photos

For a race car to become an icon, it typically needs to achieve much more on the track than this 1971 300 SEL. A single second-place trophy at Spa racing against Ford Capri’s and Chevy Camaro’s? That is the win that this first-ever AMG model has in its quiver. So disposable that the original car was even sold off – and never to be seen again? It is true. This is the sole Mercedes-Benz replica created in 2005 to celebrate AMG joining the official Daimler Benz family. So what does it represent today, beyond an amazing sample of a Merc …

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mustang colors

2015 Ford Mustang GT – Custom Colorizer

Originally Published March 2014 Is the Mustang order book open already for first deliveries in late 2014!? That thought passed through my head while already elbow-deep in PhotoShop this morning. I usually only try to change the color of a car that is: — out of production (like the McLaren F1) — or not released in full detail yet (ie Lambo Huracan). These next Huracan ones are the official colors options versus my photochop above. Adding too many colors that are not factory options might make automakers care even less about our little website. It is good to tread a …

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Racing Icons – 1991 Mazda 787B LMP1 Winner + Rotary Engine Timeline

  Wondered where the ‘LM55’ name of the new Mazda Vision Gran Turismo came from? That was the racing number of the LeMans-winning Mazda 787B from the 1991 LeMans. The only Asian brand to ever win overall via the LMP1 class, this is a story of a racing achievement that still irks powerhouse Toyota, Nissan and Honda to this very day. The 787B is also perhaps the ultimate evolution of the rotary engine — since its evolution beginning in 1588 as chronocles below. Reaching such heights as winning LeMans was an epic moment for rotary power, and conincided with the …

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#BlackSwanMoments – 1969 McLaren M6GT – Fantasy Colorizer

 McLaren is running a series of teasers dubbed #BlackSwanMoments ahead of the arrival of the newest, and cheapest, sportscar some time in 2015. We are on number 5 of 13 moments so far. They all touch on the magic of how McLaren came to be, what the company is proudest to have achieved, and how these impactful, breakthrough moments have inspired the new 2016 Sport Series of cars. It is a dark and relatively moody look back at history, racing, innovation and Bruce McLaren himself. It’s deep. Number 5 #BlackSwanMoment is our cherished 1969 McLaren M6GT, a car intended to …

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infiniti vgt

2014 INFINITI Concept Vision Gran Turismo – 55 High-Res Images – Now Raceable in GT6!

The Infiniti Vision Gran Turismo is here and absolutely stellar! What an exciting design, with dozens of all-new details for future production Infiniti’s to emulate. A 4.5-liter, naturally aspirated V8 mounted mid-ship with one electric motor to extra shove — all shooting the Infiniti VGT out of corners sideways and on full blast. The Infiniti Vision GT shows a strong resemblance to the Infinti Essence concept from a few years ago, but evolves the nose dramatically to evoke the more-recent Q80 Inspiration. All of these design ideas are hopefully to be fed into the production 2016 Q60 Coupe, which is …

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1970 boss 429

Mecum Kissimmee 2015 Preview – 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback

1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback Lot R223// Kissimmee 2015 //Jan 16-25 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback Unrestored with 4,770 Miles, Well Documented Photos by David Newhardt Courtesy of Mecum Auctions Engine 429/375 HP Trans 4-Speed Color Blue Interior White This 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429, Kar Kraft number 2097, is another incredible treasure from the Wellborn Musclecar Museum in Alexander City, Alabama. According to renowned Boss 429 specialist Ed Meyer, this well-documented 4,770-mile example is one of the top most original 1970 Boss 429 Mustangs in existence, and one of the most unique. The 1970 Boss 429’s defining elements …

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1966 Ford CS500 Shelby Racing Transporter

Mecum Kissimmee 2015 Preview – 1966 Ford CS500 Shelby Racing Transporter

Sure, this Shelby transporter from 1966 might not be as glamorous as the classic Mercedes, Porsche or Ferrari transports — but it does have one huge factor in its favor. Authenticity. This truck is the real deal and in original, unrestored condition. That alone will make it quite a special find for Shelby and Ford Racing fans. Highlights include the COBRA LeMans engine block, among other tasty details. The big blue rig hits the auction block at Mecum’s Kissimmee, Florida auction in mid-January, 2015. 1966 Ford CS500 Shelby Racing Transporter   Mecum Kissimmee 2015 Preview 1966 Ford CS500 Shelby Racing …

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m4 m perf

2015 BMW M3 and M4 Original M Performance Parts Are Sweet! Racing Stripes Available…

With every tuner and their mom jumping on the new M3 and M4 with upgrades, a buyer might be very tempted to go aftermarket right away. But what about factory-approved BMW M Performance goodies first? These maintain an OEM feel to the car, as well as ensuring the pieces are perfect fits that will last the life of the car in perfect condition. Our favorite pieces are the black grilles and the M racing stripes! 2015 BMW M3 and M4 M Performance Parts http://www.shopbmwusa.com/PERFORMANCE/BMW-M-PERFORMANCE/

2014 McLaren 650S GT3

2014 McLaren 650S GT3 Scores Podium Finish in Gulf 12-Hour Season Closer

  The McLaren 650S GT3 wrapped up its first season with a competitive 3rd place at the Gulf 12-hour race this weekend at Yas Marina.   2014 McLaren 650S GT3     Exciting race-car news from McLaren GT today! It looks like the P1 GTR will not be the only Macca out on the world’s sportscar racetracks next year!   The 650S GT3 upgrade has just been revealed by McLaren GT today at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Official Details below from McLaren GT.       McLAREN GT SIGNS OFF THE 650S GT3 DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME WITH A PODIUM FINISH AT …

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c111

1969 Mercedes-Benz C111 and 1970 C111-II: Wankel vs V8 Proved Piston-Engine Dominance

Updated 12.15.14 Including the first two C111 prototype designs here: the C111 proper from 1969 with a Wankel engine, and a C111-II running a 3.5-liter V8. The way to tell them apart is that the V8-powered C111-II has open spaces in the rear flying pillars, while the C111-I has louvered and solid-looking pillars.   1969 Mercedes-Benz C111 and 1970 C111-II     PREVIOUS The Mercedes-Benz C111 was a sports-car vision revealed in the late 1960s with a slant-nosed, mid-engine design far removed from any Mercedes passenger vehicle. It was part of the continuing quest to broaden the Mercedes brand into …

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q60 concept

INFINITI Q60 Concept Previews Striking New 2016 Sports Coupe

When it rains, it pours! Infiniti just teased a gorgeous new Gran Turismo prototype and now is showing some ankle on its new Q60 Coupe. This concept is headed for Detroit and is said to be nearly 98-percent of what the real-life Q60 Coupe will be when introduced in August as a 2016 model. The most action is of course around the doors and glasshouse, where the Q60 has a far more expressive and aggressive roofline and C-pillar treatment versus its sibling, the Q50 sedan. The lower front wheel-arch also shows a dramatic vent between the tire opening and the …

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eleanor gif

1967 SHELBY GT500 Eleanor Mustang Headlining MECUM Austin Auction This Weekend

Your chance to own not just an incredibly upgraded Mustang GT500 with custom widebody, aero pieces and mechanical improvements throughout — but a famous movie hero as well? This Mustang GT500 is one of three driven by the stars in the 2000 movie Gone in 60 Seconds. Yes, that means Angelina Jolie will have driven your car! The Mecum Austin auction is the first-ever event for the powerhourse auction specialist. More than 600 cars are set to be sold this weekend, December 12th and 13th, starting on Friday — just two days from today! 1967 SHELBY GT500 Eleanor Mustang   …

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1977 Mercedes-Benz C111-III Diesel 14

201MPH 1977 Mercedes-Benz C111-III Diesel World Speed Record Car

The Mercedes-Benz C111 was a sports-car vision revealed in the late 1960s with a slant-nosed, mid-engine design far removed from any Mercedes passenger vehicle. It was part of the continuing quest to broaden the Mercedes brand into new segments, in this case the supercar market. We will cover the orange-colored C111 and C111-2 models in a later article. This post is dedicated to the much-later iteration on the theme from 1977 and 1978. The original C111’s Wankel engine was shelved indefinitely by the early 1970s, and production of the car was a non-starter due to dramatic Wankel failures in Audi …

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duacti 750ss imola desmo receation

RM Arizona 2015 Preview – 1973 Ducati 750 SS Imola Desmo Recreation

We just keep falling in love with the RM Auctions Arizona catalog!  This 1973 Ducati 750SS Imola is a recreation of a famous racing bike — but can be ridden on the roads safety and legally. The full aerodynamic nose and windshield shroud is an amazing functional and design statement that instantly sets this bike apart from even the latest Ducati Monsters of 2014. This 750SS celebrates the 200 Miglia Imola victory by Ducati – as shown in these official photos. 1973 Ducati 750 SS Imola Desmo Recreation RM Auctions Arizona 15 – 16 January 2015 1973 Ducati 750 SS …

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