Hyundai brings tuned Velosters to 2011 SEMA

11/22/2011. No comments.

Hyundai has been making its mark in the auto industry in the recent years. During last week’s SEMA show, the Korean maker surely made a good buzz as they showcased some tweaked Hyundai Velosters.

Each vehicle can be considered having a unique setup and the number of upgrades ticked a long list of check boxes. Here are the Hyundai cars that went on display:

Hyundai Veloster by ARK Performance

Hyundai teamed up with the tuning firm in order to show the potential of their 3-door coupe. ARK Performance transformed the ride into an aggressive rally car with twin-scroll turbocharger that brings the power of the engine up to 210 horsepower. The exterior get a flat gray and bright green paint scheme. The coupe also features a host of interior, mechanical and exterior upgrades like an open wheel concept that gets Nitto tires and aggressive fenders. The tuning firm will also produce parts for the car to display the tunability of the Hyunda Veloster.

Hyundai Veloster by PM Lifestyle

Another partner company is PM Lifestyle, a popular brand for creative and innovative car accessories. Hyundai also teamed up with UTI or Universal Technical Institute. This collaboration brought to life the blue Hyundai Veloster which features custom leather for the interior, Konig Deception rims, and hood made from carbon fiber. The car will be going around different auto shows and demo events after the SEMA. The expected performance of this ride is pegged at 153 horsepower.

Genesis Hurricane SC

Hyundai wanted to put a spotlight to their popular performance car so they collaborated with Torvec Inc, Harman International, Rhys Millen Racing, and Magnuson Products. The goals were achieved by coming up with the Genesis Hurricane SC, a special edition Genesis Coupe prototype. This car went thru two years of development by Hyundai to improve all aspects like power, braking, traction, design, and entertainment system. The technical center of Hyundai tapped Magnuson to supercharge the V-6 3.8L engine that gives out 450 horsepower.

RM500 Genesis Coupe by Rhys Millen Racing

RMR came up with the most powerful engine for the Hyundai Genesis at the 2011 SEMA. They installed the Tau V8 5.0L powerplant that produces 450 horsepower. The RMR version of the Genesis Coupe looks production ready with the black body treatment, stainless exhaust, titanium muffler, cooler for the rear differential, and oil cooler.

Ferrari F40: A true legend

02/02/2011. No comments.

The Ferrari F40 is one of the most famous of all the company’s cars. It is one of those cars that really divides opinion. People either love it or hate it. In terms of performance it is one of the best cars that Ferrari has ever produced. However in order to get this performance they had to take away a lot of what makes a Ferrari a Ferrari. Regardless of your opinion on it there is no doubt that it is a legendary car.

The reason that the Ferrari F40 is a true legend is that during its production run it was the top of the line car produced by the company. It had the most powerful engine, it was the fastest and it was the most expensive. It was really a street legal formula one racing car. Ferrari took a lot of the technology that they used on their race cars and put it on the F40. The result was a very high performance vehicle. This attracted a huge following, it also helped that Ferrari are experts at marketing.

One of the reasons that Ferrari have been so successful over the years is that they really know how to market their cars. Nowhere did this show more than with the F40. Knowing full well that exclusivity is a seductive marketing tool, they strictly limited the number of cars that were made each year. Getting one was not just a matter of putting your name on the waiting list; you had to actually apply for a car. Most of them went to existing Ferrari customers and a few VIP’s. Not surprisingly the cars started selling in the secondary market for several times the original price. This provided Ferrari with great publicity.

Why I love the Fiat 500

11/22/2010. No comments.

The Fiat 500 has been one of the most surprising success stories to come along in recent years. It is part of the companies attempt to rebuild its reputation after a period in which it became known for little more than making unreliable cars. The Fiat 500 has in fact been so successful that there are even plans in place to go back to the US market that they left in disgrace two decades ago. The Fiat 500 is a direct competitor for the Mini and it looks to be tough competition.

The reason that I love the Fiat 500 is that it is a fun little car to drive. It is part of that new class of cars, the premium small car. This is a car that is clearly intended for city driving but which has a level of performance that you wouldn’t expect from a car of this size. This car is aimed at young people and they are demanding a sporty car that has some style and is fun to drive. This is exactly what the Fiat 500 can provide.

The market that the Fiat 500 is entering is the one that was created when the Mini was re-introduced. When the Mini came back on the market it wasn’t just a recreation of the old car, they completely redesigned it to appeal to a younger urban crowd. Seeing the success of this Fiat have set out to do the same thing. They have based the 500 on the Cinquecento which was a popular car in Italy from the fifties to the seventies. Like the Mini they haven’t just taken the old car and put it back into production, they have completely updated it. So far it has proven to be enormously successful in Europe.

The Success that the Fiat 500 has had in Europe has encouraged them to introduce it into America. This is a big step for the company since the last time they attempted to break into the US they failed miserably. For anybody in the US who even remembers Fiat they are still thought of as a joke, most famous for their unreliable cars. However the company has gone through dramatic changes since then and they are ready to take another shot at the American market. The Fiat 500 would seem to be the perfect car to do this.

The Fiat 500 is clearly intended to compete with the Mini and in a lot of ways it is a very similar car. It is actually even smaller than the Mini. The performance of the car is very good, it handles great and despite the small engine has more than enough power for its size. The Fiat 500 is also a practical car, despite its small size it has plenty of room inside. You can have four adults in there with no problem and still have room to carry their luggage.

Porsche 911: What made it great?

09/15/2010. No comments.

The Porsche 911 may well be the greatest sports car ever made. It has been in production for nearly fifty years and has undergone a number of changes in that time. However the things that made the 911 so great have largely gone unchanged. The result is one of the longest lasting name plates in sports car history and a car that can still compete for the title of the top sports car in the world.

One of the things that really stands out about the Porsche 911 is just how small the engine is compared to its competitors. In the early days they were using a small four cylinder engine and over the years the size and power has gone up but nowhere near as much as its competitors. For most of its history the 911 used an air cooled engine although have since gone to using water cooled engines like everybody else. What really made the 911 different was that it was a rear engine car. These days that is no big deal but at the time it was introduced it was quite revolutionary. They weren’t the first rear engine car but it was one of the first successful sports cars with a rear engine.

The area where the Porsche 911 really shines is in terms of handling. At the time the 911 was introduced most sports cars were big with big powerful engines. Porsche came along with this really small nimble car that could outperform it’s much more powerful competitors. One of the reasons that it was able to do this was the rear engine. This gave the car a much better balance and allowed to it get around corners much faster than the other cars in its class could. This is a big part of the reason they were so successful on the race track.

The Audi R8: A True Sports Car?

07/02/2010. No comments.

The Audi R8 is the companies attempt to enter into the top end sports car market. In this regard they have been spectacularly successful. The R8 can compete with any car in the world in terms of performance. Despite this there is still a question in a lot of people’s minds about whether or not the Audi R8 is a true sports car.

There is good reason to question a sports car from Audi, they aren’t exactly known for building sports cars. Good quality performance sedans absolutely but not sports cars. However they do have some experience in the area. For over a decade no Audi have dominated the world of sports car racing. They have taken what they have learned from the many Le Mans wins and put it into the R8. The result is a car that really can’t be doubted as a sports car. In reality it is more of a super car than a sports car.

The Audi R8 is actually based on the same platform as the Lamborghini Gallardo so there is no doubt that it is going to be a high performance vehicle. This is combined with Audi’s all wheel drive system which is pretty much standard on all of their vehicles to produce a car that is widely regarded as the best handling sports car in the world. The car is very nimble and can get around corners very quickly. In fact there has even been some criticism that the car handles too well. The complaint is that you don’t really get the same feeling driving the R8 that you get with other high performance sports cars.

Discounted Lexus F Performance Packages Announced

05/20/2010. No comments.

If you’re always wanted to upgrade your Lexus but you thought the tweaks would cost too much money, you’d be glad to know that Toyota is now offering special discounts on specific F sport accessories. This limited pricing scheme includes the IS convertible coupe, the IS sport sedan, and the GS 350 RWD luxury sport sedan. The special discount also includes the F Sport Suspension Package which is priced now at $1450 (retail price).

This means that for the suspension package, you can save as much as $549. Just in case you don’t know yet, the F Sport suspension kit allows you to lower the springs of your car. This reduced the height by one-inch in the front and rear axles. The lowered suspension package also includes a brace for the rear chassis member so you can enjoy improved chassis stiffness and better cornering. This can work to your advantage during extreme driving conditions.

The special discounted package for the RWD model also packs in a rear and front anti-sway bar set. Meanwhile, the AWD (all-wheel-drive) models are given a rear-anti-sway bar. This will reduce the vehicle’s body lean and give it a flatter cornering. If you have these vehicles, you can enjoy the F Sport suspension kit for only $4,495. This includes the tires and wheels. You can save up to $1,499 with this deal.

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Spied: 2011 M5 by BMW

04/20/2010. One comment.

The CEO of BMW, Norbert Reithofer previously disclosed that they will be focusing on downsizing the engines used by their vehicles. The move is geared towards reducing emission and to up their fuel efficiency figures some more. He added that even the M division of BMW will follow this direction.

The latest spy photos reveal that the new M5 is still on its test phase. Although BMW has been known to fit their M vehicles with high revving engines, things may be heading to a different direction. According to insiders, the M5 expected to roll out by 2011, will have a V8 twin turbo powerplant instead of the V10 which is naturally aspirated.

The M variants of the X5 and the X6 sport a V-8 4.4L M engine that gives out 555 horsepower and a torque of 500 pound feet. This brings the SUV from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 4.5 seconds. The numbers will be good enough for the lighter and smaller M5 sedan which already has a 30 horsepower advantage over the next gen E63 AMG.

Holden Special Vehicle’s E-Series 2 gets a power boost

07/23/2009. One comment.

With the world at the brink of financial breakdown due the global financial crisis, it seems that bankruptcy isn’t the only concern among businessmen. In the midst of a crumbling economy, car buyers still have the time to be a little more caring to Mother Earth.

Everyone’s going eco-friendly these days and with car consumers ranting about the prices of fuel or their decision to switch to green cars, V8 power groups like the Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) keep working on more ways on how to develop greener cars.

Holden Special Vehicle’s famous E-Series Commodore range, commonly known as the E-Series 2, gets an update. The car company will kick the power of its 6.2L V8 engine up by 2.5% while improve fuel economy by 5%.
The revised models will enter the Australian market in September, as well as the other countries where HSV cars are being sold, such as in the Middle East and the United Kingdom. While the cars will still feature the 6.2LV8 engine, they are expected to consume as much as one liter of fuel for every 100km. It clearly improves fuel economy higher than 16.8mpg. From 425HP, the revamped engines will now get 430-436HP, according to a report published in Drive.