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More * Write For Us * Home * Contact Us * Terms * Privacy * Copyright * About Us * Press Kit * Fact Checking Policy * Corrections Policy * Ethics Policy * Ownership Policy (BUTTON) (BUTTON) (BUTTON) ____________________ * Home * Muscle Cars * These Tuned Muscle Cars Are Producing Ridiculous Amounts Of Power These Tuned Muscle Cars Are Producing Ridiculous Amounts Of Power Some people aren't satisfied with their muscle car's standard power output, and these days it's easy to turn the power all the way to 11. By Jason Garbutt Nov 17, 2020 (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Tweet Email (BUTTON) Comment Hennessey Camaro Performance tuning is something of a mystery to most people, there are dozens of tuners out there who merely plug in a laptop, then there are the serious tuners who do things properly unlocking ridiculous amounts of power. There are certain mods that'll make a car faster, and others that are best avoided. We have all seen adverts for plug-in ECU reflashing, promising big power gains without reliability issues made possible because carmakers sell us effectively detuned engines in exchange for reliability or fuel consumption. Engineering in a margin of error allows serious tuners to exploit the hidden potential, improving the engine's ability to suck in more air and fuel, ultimately producing more power, such as Hennessey when they built the 1000hp Camaro Exorcist, How much more power varies, but some stock motors can easily yield double their factory specification producing truly stunning results. Although, that will sometimes require changing some other parts as well, such as intercooler, exhaust, turbos, and injectors. 10 Hennessey CTS-V HP1000 - 1000hp Hennessey Performance No strangers to performance car junkies, Hennessey Performance produces some of the most outrageous power upgrades for what is often run-of-the-mill production cars. It's lways a good starting point to begin with something that's already fast. Cadillac's CTS-V is not exactly underpowered with 640hp from the factory, roaring to 60mph in 3.6 seconds should be fast enough. Hennessey Performance Unsurprisingly, Hennessey's HP1000 kit boosts output to 1000hp, more than most supercars, resulting in a drop in acceleration times - 60mph taking just 2.7 seconds and reaching a maximum of 202mph before losing the fight against aerodynamics. 9 Shelby Cobra Super Snake - 800hp New Atlas Carroll Shelby, the genius behind the legendary Cobra name, was a former racing driver turned car designer and creator of one of the fastest road cars ever produced. Just two examples of the Cobra Super Snake were produced, one of which belonged to Carroll Shelby himself, used as his personal transport. Pinterest Weighing less than 2850lbs and built around the already powerful Ford 427 V8, Super Snake models were uprated with twin superchargers that more than doubled the output to 800hp. In the right conditions, it's capable of hitting 60mph in 4 seconds, flat out exceeding 200mph. RELATED: Ranking The 22 Sickest Cars In Carroll Shelby’s Car Collection 8 Speedkore Dodge Demon Turbo - 1400hp Road And Track Craving more horsepower is proving to be highly addictive and should carry health warnings. Challenger Demon SRT's are already able to rearrange internal organs, but this modified example boasts 1400hp. Externally showing little in the way of power upgrades, other than the carbon body it wears in the pursuit of weight saving, pop the hood and it's a different story. Road And Track Ditching the supercharger in favor of a twin-turbocharger setup, otherwise remaining a stock 6.2-liter V8 engine, Speedkores efforts paying off with setting a quarter-mile time of 8.77 seconds. 7 Callaway Corvette Sledgehammer - 898hp Mecum Auctions Popular belief has it that Veyron was the first production car to exceed 250mph, but in fact, Reeves Callaway beat them to it in 1988, setting a record of 254.7mph with the Corvette Sledgehammer. Essentially a standard 6-liter V8 C4 Corvette with two turbochargers bolted on for good measure, total output climbed to 898hp. Mecum Auctions Despite its impressive performance, the Sledgehammer has never officially been recognized for its achievement, the title at the time residing with Ferrari's F40 at 202mph, regardless, Callaway's turbo conversions increased in popularity. Sledgehammer remains a one-off project a reminder of what could be achieved with normal road cars. 6 Shelby Mustang 1000 Pinterest Where Ford created the Mustang, Shelby American deserves all the credit for turning the model into the success it is today, by far the most reputable Mustang tuner around. No prizes for guessing Shelby Mustang 1000 produces 1000hp, replacing the standard engine with a modified GT350 5.2-liter unit complete with Whipple supercharger, modified ECU, and uprated transmission. Pinterest Requiring extensive bodywork changes to accommodate larger wheels, tires, and supercharger restricts suitable donor cars, Shelby offers the 1000 kit as a retrofit package to any post-2015 Mustang. RELATED: 10 Mustang Prototypes That Were Never Produced 5 Hennessy Venom Viper SRT - 1000hp Concept Carz For most gearheads, the Dodge Viper is all the muscle can anyone would need. A monstrously large 8.3-liter V10 engine produces 493hp in a simple rear-drive platform with little in the way of traction control other than the driver's right foot. Concept Carz Factory spec cars already baing a handful didn't stop Hennessey Performance. A minor bump in displacement to 8.55 liters and a brace of Garrett turbochargers, adjustable traction control, and updated coil-overs resulted in the Venom Viper 1000. With double the power of the original, the Venom could reach 60mph in 3.25 seconds, going on to its maximum of 215mph. 4 Timeless Kustoms 1965 Mustang - 1000hp Performance Drive Under normal circumstances, modifying a classic 1965 Mustang Fastback might seem like blasphemy, but Timeless Kustoms' efforts make a (mostly) convincing argument for the changes. Claiming to produce 1000hp from twin-turbocharged and supercharged Ford 5.2-liter V8 is no mean feat, with almost 4-time the power of the original 289 spec cars, it should be no surprise that this Mustang is quick. Performance Drive We get why someone would want more power and custom bodywork, but the interior might not appeal to every gearhead... and then there is the price. Customers will need a donor car and a cool $1 million to get one of these. 3 Lingenfelter C7 Z06 - 1100hp Lingenfelter Collection Corvette Z06 models with LT4 series small block engines are a popular choice among tuners as their robust design leave plenty of scope for huge power gains. LPE (Lingenfelter) has built some insane cars and has a long history of tuning Corvettes, their latest offering providing just how much power can be unlocked from the standard block. Pinterest Bespoke crankshaft, heads, fuel system along with uprated supercharger resulting in a sizable gain in power to 1100hp running on E85 gasoline. Available as a factory fit upgrade taking around 8 weeks to complete. RELATED: Every Gearhead Should Drive These 10 Used Chevrolets 2 Blackdog Performance Camaro ZL11 - 1300hp Blackdog Performance Cars Designed to run on exotic fuels to achieve its headlining 1300hp, Blackdog's ZL11 Camaro is the most extreme example of modern American muscle cars. Featured upgrades list reads like an action movie script, twin-turbochargers, Weapon X fuel system, Monster clutch, all giving a clue to how far its creators have gone. Muscle Cars And Trucks Recently offered for sale with no performance figures listed, however, Blackdog does promise owners can achieve 1111hp at the wheels when running on E55 gasoline, for daily use on regular E93, 815hp is more realistic. 1 Heffner Ford GT 975-2000hp. Uncrate With used prices hovering around $400,000 for decent examples, Ford GTs aren't exactly cheap to begin with, nor are they slow. For those with deep pockets and craving for more power, Heffner Performance has just the thing. Entry-level Stage 1 will set owners back $42,000, for which they get 975hp from a twin-turbo conversion along with custom titanium exhausts. Uncrate But this is just the start, Elite/Race upgrades have the potential to unleash 2000hp and propel the GT to 250mph requiring a full re-build of the drivetrain, pricing available on request subject to requirements. NEXT: Ranking The 10 Slowest American Muscle Cars (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Tweet Email (BUTTON) Comment Next 22 Surprising Facts About Danny Koker And Counting Cars Related Topics * Muscle Cars About The Author [ld+json] Jason Garbutt (170 Articles Published) Raised in a car-obsessed environment from an early age ensured a keen interest in anything car-related. first and foremost an F1 fan, but also an avid follower of other motorsports. Professional background working closely with a well established UK based Supercar manufacturer in recent years. 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[tg_tomharrisson.png?itok=9kib812c] Tom Harrison 13 Oct 2020 * Facebook * Twitter * Google+ * WhatsApp * Mailto * Copy link 0 Magazine subscription – 5 issues for £5 Full screen 1/11 Read more on: * Electric * Modified * Tesla * Model 3 Welcome to yet another option for the Tesla Model 3 owner who wants to make his or her car stand-out from the hundreds of thousands of others. It’s a bodykit by Startech, the bit of Brabus that tunes non-Mercs, and can be yours next month for a few thousand Euro. Available parts include a new front-bumper that totally changes the Model 3’s face, plus a new rear-bumper, spoiler and side-skirts. The bumpers will set you back just under €2,400, and you’ll pay another €440 for the wing. We’re told they’re made from “high-grade carbon” and something called “PUR-R-RIM”. What they do for range is anyone’s guess. Related content * Porsche is using 3D printing to make EV parts * Williams is working on an EV system for a 40ft yacht * Yes folks, Hyundai is developing a WALKING CAR * Tesla wants to build a more affordable, $25k electric car The tuner can also totally de-chrome your Model 3 by painting the door handles body-colour and the window-surround black, while inside it can fit carbon-fibre trim and re-upholster in Alcantara. The wheels are 20s, and can apparently be paired with “decent vehicle lowering”. No other mechanical changes, far as we can tell. So, would you do this to your Model 3? Or would you leave it looking just like Elon intended – neither pretty nor ugly, but maybe a bit dull… * For all things electric, visit Top Gear's shiny new hub * Electric Home Page Share this page: * Facebook * Twitter * Google+ * WhatsApp * Mailto * Copy link What do you think? (BUTTON) View comments This service is provided by Disqus and is subject to their privacy policy and terms of use. 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(BUTTON) Close Alert Sign In Search * HIVE + Business + Technology + Politics + The Players * HWD + Movies + Television + Awards + Reviews * VANITIES + Celebrity + Fashion + Beauty + Royals * COMPLETE ARCHIVE Royal Wedding Watch: Kate and William to Reprise Diana’s Carriage By Bridget Arsenault March 23, 2011 * * * * To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Image may contain Transportation Vehicle and Carriage * * * * To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. The 1902 state Landau. Photograph via OfficalRoyalWedding2011.org. The royal wedding of Prince William and the future Princess Catherine is just 36 days away. From the daily barrage of tabloid folly, VF.com’s Royal Watcher in London plucks the best for your wedding crib notes. • The tables have turned—Prince William got a proposal offer on his recent trip to Australia, from 17-year-old Tiana O’Brien. Tiana and a friend held up a sign that read, “I’ll be your princess.” Finding that approach too subtle, O’Brien followed up with shouting, “Marry me”—to which the Prince politely responded, “Sorry, you’re too late.” But watch out, Kate—Tiana later remarked, “I won’t give up until he has got a ring on his finger.”• With just over a month to go, it’s now down to fine-tuning the details, like: How many cars does it take to get Kate Middleton to Westminster Abbey on time? Would seven brand-new Jaguar XJ limos sound about right? Kate will reportedly get her choice of vehicles among the fleet, with the rest on stand-by in case of mechanical problems. Upon becoming royalty, however, Middleton will join Prince William and repeat history with a ride to Buckingham Palace in the same 109-year-old open-air carriage that delivered Princess Diana to her wedding. • James Hewitt (Princess Diana’s former lover) has brainstormed the bright idea that he should throw a royal-wedding party (a plan he swears he would have devised regardless of his past royal “relations”). The event, at which he will be the guest of honor no less, will take place at Polo House, a bar he opened in Marabella, Spain, not at his South Kensington flat, as Hewitt is none too welcome in London after his vulgar 2003 attempt to sell a pile of intimate correspondence (details of sexual escapades and all) between him and Princess Diana. • Student designer Charlotte Todd hemmed and hawed about whether to sell her scanty design—the dress Kate wore in a St. Andrews student fashion show. 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Ad Choices CN Entertainment Select international site (BUTTON) United States * U.K. * Italy * Mexico * Spain * France Skip to main content [javascript] * Home * Personal Finance * Cars * Retirement * Investing * Careers * USA & Main * Consumer Recalls Facebook Twitter Email [javascript] Automatic braking coming, but not all systems are equal __________________________________________________________________ Mark Phelan | Detroit Free Press Auto Critic Ready or not, automatic braking is coming to a car near you, and probably sooner than you expect. Fully autonomous vehicles that drive themselves from point A to B are still in the future, but braking systems that step in to slow or stop a vehicle without the driver’s intervention are here today, and about to become more common. Automatic braking will eventually make cars safer, reduce injuries and the cost of accidents, but there will be hiccups along the way. They will not prevent all collisions, and they will generate a new category of quality complaints for automakers and vehicle owners. That’s because not all automatic braking systems are created equal. If you think drivers get annoyed by bad voice recognition or finicky audio and climate controls, just wait ‘til they start reacting to phantom braking, false-positive collision alarms and collisions that happen despite the fact that their car has automatic braking. Tuning the systems correctly will be vital not just for safety, but for customer satisfaction. [635820699420876003-Anthony-Foxx-USDOT.JPG] DETROIT FREE PRESS NHTSA to recommend automatic emergency braking The technology for automatic braking is still in its early days, but regulation and consumer demand is rapidly pushing it into more vehicles around the world. “We are seeing a steady increase in consumers who want technologies like automatic braking, as they hear more about them,” Autotrader senior analyst Michelle Krebs says. In a new study, Autotrader found 70% of consumers want automatic braking, self-parking and other driver aids. The U.S. government was considering making automatic braking mandatory, but BMW, Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo agreed earlier this year to work with regulators and the insurance industry on a voluntary plan to put them in all vehicles. The timeframe hasn’t been set, but the parties agreed all new cars will come with the system “in the near future.” In regulatory terms, that probably means five to eight years. Other automakers that didn’t sign that initial agreement are sure to follow suit. The history of the last two decades shows that customers vote for safer vehicles with their pocketbooks. For instance, curtain air bags are not mandatory, but try to find a new vehicle without them. They began as an added feature on low-volume premium models, but became ubiquitous. The same thing is happening with automatic braking. Many vehicles offer versions of it now. Some promise to bring the car to a complete halt, others step in when a collision is inevitable to reduce the violence of impact. Some recognize pedestrians, others can only detect vehicles. Systems that will spot large animals like deer are also in the works. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says 1% of 2015 vehicles had standard automatic braking. The system was optional on 26%. Customer education vital Each automaker has its own software engineers, its own level of hardware and its own idea of what the system should do. That leads to a vast difference in how automatic braking systems work. In a recent demonstration of the 2016 Toyota Prius’s pedestrian detection braking, I saw one journalist after another mow down a dummy named Elvis, despite the fact that the system was working as designed. That’s because Toyota engineers instructed the system to defer to driver input. The sensors apply the brakes automatically, but if the driver then notices the impending collision and hits the brake, the driver’s input overrules the computer’s braking. Most of the journalists testing the system who hit the brake did it with less force than the automatic system was using to save the dummy. The result: flying Elvises. It would have been better to let the automatic brakes do all the work, but the drivers did not understand that. At the other end of the spectrum I’ve heard auto writers complain about false positives that caused the Honda Pilot’s system to apply the brakes on when they weren’t needed. Both cases show that the way each automaker engineers its system will be vital. “There will be some dissatisfaction among customers,” IHS Automotive senior analyst Stephanie Brinley says. “Customer education will be very important. If the driver doesn’t understand and follow the rules that determine how the system works, it won’t.” [635733465094363324-GMActiveSafety15.jpg] DETROIT FREE PRESS GM puts new safety tech through its paces in Milford Contact Mark Phelan: mmphelan@freepress.com or 313-222-6731. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Facebook Twitter Email Share your feedback to help improve our site! * Help * Terms of Service * Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy * Privacy Policy * Site Map * Accessibility * Our Ethical Principles * Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy [icon-instagram_24.png] © Copyright Gannett 2021 Skip to main content [javascript] * Home * Personal Finance * Cars * Retirement * Investing * Careers * USA & Main * Consumer Recalls Facebook Twitter Email [javascript] Potholes are painful. Buick claims it can ease the pain, so we tested one __________________________________________________________________ Jamie L. LaReau | Detroit Free Press It wouldn't be spring without at least one trip to a tire shop after nailing a pothole. And in Michigan, the road craters, some the size of small canyons, are so bad that the state is considered to have the worst potholes in the nation. Much of the time, vehicle survives impact with a pothole, but there's still the noise. I never gave that much thought — after all, who can hear anything over your teeth clattering followed by a string of curse words? Well, turns out, the engineers at Buick have given it a lot of thought, starting nearly a decade ago with the brand's QuietTuning process. Tax tips for next year: 5 ways to cut your 2019 tax bill now Car buying tips: Buying a car for your teenager? Here's what you should keep in mind "QuietTuning is a strategy – it’s not any particular piece of content," explains Marissa West, director of General Motors Global Noise and Vibration Vehicle Dynamics Group. "It’s an approach we’ve taken. We have baked quiet tuning into a Buick." I set out to do some real-world testing on how well Buick delivers the sound of silence. My verdict is below. Tuning in silence QuietTuning is exclusive to Buick and standard on all its cars, said West. GM started developing QuietTuning in 2000 and first applied it to the 2008 Enclave SUV, Buick's flagship vehicle. “The core DNA of your Buick product is intended and designed to be quiet," West said. “The quiet tuning is throughout the vehicle." For example, "acoustic laminated glass" is slightly thicker than normal to muffle sound, including wind noise and the ambient sound of trucks, said West. "There is acoustic treatment behind all the panels and headliners on the roof," West said. "And we have done durability testing. That involves a series of potholes that the car can go over and handle." And that helps to muffle the road noise of hitting those chuckholes, she said. Buick engineers considered the chassis of the vehicles, West said, especially coil spring isolators in the suspension to deliver a smooth ride. The isolation of the coils mitigates the sound of impact, West said. Likewise, shock absorbers are tuned to stabilize the ride over the impact, she said. Durability testing "Chassis validation, including testing on rough roads or roads with potholes, is an important part of the overall Buick QuietTuning strategy to reduce, block and absorb unwanted noise from entering the cabin," said Larry Mihalko, Buick global vehicle performance manager. He said Buick engineers use a variety of road surfaces at GM's proving grounds for testing. Those road surfaces vary from coarse to smooth, with swells and dips, even those with potholes. "Suspensions and tires are tuned to reduce the noise when a car hits these types of impacts," said Mihalko. Despite the QuietTuning process making driving on rough roads more pleasant, Mihalko said it's still best to avoid potholes when possible to minimize wear and tear on the car. The vehicle GM lent me a black 2019 Enclave Avenir SUV to test over four days. My assignment was to hit as many potholes as I could find — not hard to do in southeast Michigan, but for good measure, I took it down a dirt road too. First, a little about the vehicle. The seven-seat Enclave with chestnut brown leather seats had 20-inch aluminum wheels, a 3.6-liter V6 engine, and all-wheel drive. The Enclave starts at $40,000, but this vehicle had a myriad of technical features and amenities that pumped the price to $57,645. With a curb weight of 4,359-4,685 pounds, the Enclave is solid and felt like it would take a chasm-size gorge to damage the tires and rattle my bones, compared with my personal car, a compact sedan with a curb weight of only 2,939-3,194 pounds. When I hit a pothole in that little thing, teeth fillings come loose. The Enclave had good acceleration and handling overall, and the instrument panel was intuitive to learn. On the smooth, open road it was quiet, and easy to get in and out of and maneuver, even in crowded parking lots. The test ride Now came time for the real test: Potholes. It wasn't hard to find them. I found a stretch I've traveled frequently and to which I once lost a tire. The Enclave delivered a smooth ride over them, the road noise was minimal and it was solid. I hit a couple of deep holes driving along another stretch. I felt the impact of the hit and there was road noise, but it was mitigated compared with smaller, lighter cars that might have dinged the same chuckholes. Over the next four days, I drove the Enclave to several areas in Michigan.. It was in Ann Arbor that I found myself turning down a country dirt road pocked with holes as I headed to my aunt and uncle's home for Easter dinner. "A-ha! This is the perfect test," I said to my 89-year-old mother seated next to me, enjoying the ride. Almost no vehicle could tackle the row of ridges, punctuated by deep potholes, and deliver smooth and quiet. I slowed down. It was a rocky and bumpy ride — as would be expected on such conditions in most cars — but it was quiet and solid as the shock absorbers kicked in. Cadillac's sound Buick developed QuietTuning, in part, to make potholes less painful, said West. And while it is Buick's brand's identity, not so at Cadillac. Cadillac is adding enhanced sounds as part of its identity. Those sounds include piped-in low-frequency acceleration and braking, it wants to emphasize luxury with performance. Cadillac's research showed its consumers "wanted to make sure the vehicle is quiet, but they also wanted to hear what they want to hear," said Ken Kornas, the product manager of the CT5 sedan. So Cadillac created a "curated library" of enhanced engine sounds that is exclusive to only Cadillac within GM, said Kornas. "It's a strategy we'll use and offer it on other vehicles as part of the DNA of Cadillac," said Kornas. But while Cadillac has a curated library, Buick opts to be as quiet as a library. "We made it intentional that Buick is a brand of luxury and that interior cabin quietness is key to that," West said. "That you have a nice, pleasant ride experience and quiet and together that makes up what we at GM want Buick to be.” Contact Jamie L. LaReau: 313-222-2149 or jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. Read more on General Motors and sign up for our autos newsletter. Facebook Twitter Email Share your feedback to help improve our site! * Help * Terms of Service * Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy * Privacy Policy * Site Map * Accessibility * Our Ethical Principles * Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy [icon-instagram_24.png] © Copyright Gannett 2021 Skip to main content [javascript] * Home * Personal Finance * Cars * Retirement * Investing * Careers * USA & Main * Consumer Recalls Facebook Twitter Email [javascript] [29906170001_5203956734001_5203928016001-vs.jpg?pubId=29906170001&quali ty=10] play How to tune a motorcycle via a smartphone At the Stugis Motorcycle Rally, USA TODAY checks out the FP3, a way for riders to tune up and even fix their motorcycles without ever heading to a shop. Video by Michael Kofsky, USA TODAY * Help * Terms of Service * Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy * Privacy Policy * Site Map * Accessibility * Our Ethical Principles * Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy [icon-instagram_24.png] © Copyright Gannett 2021 Skip to main content [javascript] * Home * Personal Finance * Cars * Retirement * Investing * Careers * USA & Main * Consumer Recalls Facebook Twitter Email [javascript] Chevy breaks the mold with faster, more sophisticated 2020 Corvette Stingray __________________________________________________________________ Mark Phelan | Detroit Free Press [0730bf18-c576-4cc2-9006-a1ccc9ea975e-CORVETTE_THUMB.jpg] play Show Caption Hide Caption First Look: New mid-engine Corvette adds muscle The 2020 Corvette Stingray was unveiled in Hollywood fashion in Southern California. USA TODAY TUSTIN, Calif. – The radical new 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray looks like a spaceship or fighter jet, but its superpower is gravity, not flight. In the biggest change in America’s greatest sports car’s 66-year history, engineers moved the eighth-generation Vette’s engine from its familiar location under the hood to behind the passengers, over the rear axle. That’s because gravity was an ally, not a foe as Chevy worked to let the Vette put more power on the road than ever before, chief engineer Tadge Juechter told me in an early look at the sports car that debuted Thursday night. “We began exploring possibilities in 2005,” two full generations of the Corvette ago, Juechter said. With 60% of the car’s weight over the rear axle – the proportion super car maker Ferrari traditionally pursues – gravity pushes the rear wheels down onto the road so they don’t spin, inaugurating a future of faster and more maneuverable Corvettes. How much?: 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray's price and features draw gasps The result? Zero to 60 mph in less than 3 seconds and more technology and luxury than ever before in a car that remains unmistakably a Stingray. The changes are so profound that some longtime Corvette fans swore Chevy ruined the car before they saw one without camouflage, sat in the driver seat or learned how quick it was. I’ve done all three. Classic V8 sound and power The engine is GM’s classic small block V8, a normally aspirated 6.2L that produces 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. Both figures are up from the previous base model. The sky’s the limit as GM develops engines for even higher performance models like the ZO6 and ZR1. A new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission promises lightning fast shifts and smooth operation. Designed specifically for the eighth-gen C8 'Vette, the DCT is programmed to rev high and shift fast, changing gears at the moment the engine reaches peak horsepower and revving down to the point of maximum torque for uninterrupted acceleration. More: Here's how the new Corvette Stingray could morph into a 'fire-breathing monster' There’s no manual transmission, a Corvette first that’s certain to be a bone of contention with the car’s critics. Everybody’s entitled to their opinion, but a good dual-clutch transmission is faster, smoother and more efficient than a manual. Chevy made the right choice but included paddle shifters for dedicated do-it-yourselfers. Despite its radical engineering makeover, the C8 is immediately recognizable as a Corvette. Moving the engine behind the passenger compartment changed the proportions, but not the car’s personality. The LED running lights, fenders, “waterline” crease and square taillights all say “Corvette. The driver sits lower in a cockpit that moved 16 inches forward from the previous car. The hood is lower, for a better view of the road. The roof is four-tenths of an inch lower, the wheelbase is a half inch longer. The car grew 5.4 inches longer, but the new proportions keep it from looking bulky. High-end materials, no tuning dial The interior is a revelation, crafted specifically to address the most consistent complaint about recent Corvettes: great car, chintzy passenger compartment. Other than buttons and switches, there’s not a piece of plastic to be seen. Everything that isn’t wrapped in leather is carbon fiber, aluminum or ballistic nylon on high-wear areas like seat bolsters. There’s 1 inch more seat travel. The center console loses the conventional shift lever to toggles and buttons. They look intuitive, but time will tell. A big touchscreen angles toward the driver for easy use, with a nearby leather wrist rest on the center console. The audio system has a dial for volume, but not one for tuning. Narrow vents across the dashboard provide air flow. Controls both occupants will use – temperature, heated and ventilated seats, etc. – are easy to reach in the middle of the car. On first inspection, the 2020 Stingray’s only trade-off seems to be that it lost the yawning rear luggage compartment that made the old car surprisingly practical. In exchange, the '20 Corvette has a pair of smaller trunks, one behind the engine, one in its nose. The rear compartment will hold a pair of full-size golf bags, or a set of Corvette-branded luggage, but total luggage space is down 16%, from 15 cubic feet in a 2019 Corvette coupe to 12.6 in the 2020. The Stingray’s removable roof fits in the rear trunk, making it easy to enjoy open-topped driving. Selected features on the 2020 Stingray * 495-hp 6.2L V8 * Eight-speed dual clutch automatic transmission by Tremec * Cylinder deactivation * Electronic limited slip differential * Front and rear trunks * Removable roof * Standard all-season tires * Magnetic Ride Control adaptive suspension * Front suspension raises 1.6 inches for steep driveways, etc. * GPS memory to recall 1,000 locations that require the raised front * 12 exterior colors * Six seat belt colors * Three seat options * Aluminum structure, composite exterior panels * Right- and left-hand drive versions * Glass cover to make the engine visible * 10- or 14-speaker Bose audio Follow Mark Phelan on Twitter: @mark_phelan. Facebook Twitter Email Share your feedback to help improve our site! * Help * Terms of Service * Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy * Privacy Policy * Site Map * Accessibility * Our Ethical Principles * Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy [icon-instagram_24.png] © Copyright Gannett 2021 Skip to main content [javascript] * Home * Personal Finance * Cars * Retirement * Investing * Careers * USA & Main * Consumer Recalls Facebook Twitter Email [javascript] Review: Nissan turns a new Leaf, but it still could be better __________________________________________________________________ Mike Hanley | Cars.com [636601371585679151-Nissan-LEAF-02.JPG] play Show Caption Hide Caption 2018 Nissan LEAF assists in accident avoidance Sales Consultant Timothy Hall explains how the 2018 Nissan LEAF can assist in accident avoidance. Rick Cruz, PDN With more conventional styling and a longer range, the redesigned 2018 Nissan Leaf all-electric hatchback is more mainstream and practical than ever. But Nissan missed an opportunity to fix some of its glaring shortcomings. The latest Leaf joins Chevrolet Bolt EV and Hyundai Ioniq Electric in keeping the focus on value and affordability. Plus, the new Leaf has a lower starting price and longer range than its predecessor. But shoppers who want a driving range of more than 200 miles still need to look elsewhere for now, though a more powerful — and more expensive — longer-range version of the Leaf is slated to arrive as a 2019 model. When it debuted as a 2011 model, the Nissan Leaf brought the possibility of all-electric driving to the masses. The redesigned 2018 Leaf starts at $30,875, including an $885 destination charge. That's $690 less than the outgoing Leaf. And perhaps best of all, its EPA-estimated driving range has increased from 107 to 151 miles on a full charge. Leaf buyers remain eligible for a federal tax credit of up to $7,500, and many states and municipalities offer separate incentives tied to the purchase, driving, charging and parking of EVs. One of the biggest changes for 2018 is how the Leaf looks. The original Leaf hatchback had a distinctive, bulbous shape that was different from most everything else on the road, communicating to your fellow drivers that this was not some ordinary gas-powered car. Now, the Leaf could be mistaken for one of Nissan's conventional hatchbacks. Drives like a regular car Even if you're new to electric cars, the Leaf's driving experience should seem familiar — and, apart from a few unique characteristics, rather ordinary. This, however, is a good thing, as we've been in more than a few alternatively-powered cars with various driving quirks. In its Normal drive mode, the Leaf accelerates smoothly and builds speed quickly enough. Other editors thought the Bolt EV felt quicker, but the Leaf doesn't have trouble keeping pace with traffic. The Leaf's braking response is smooth and predictable. I was, however, disappointed in the Leaf's ride quality. The suspension tuning is firm, but there is a harshness in its response that is out of place in a modern car. The ride can also feel choppy on certain surfaces, like concrete. That said, another editor thought it rode better than the Bolt EV. [29906170001_5566277635001_5566273829001-vs.jpg?pubId=29906170001] play Nissan starts autumn with a new Leaf Nissan is launching a revamped version of its Leaf electric vehicle, going head-to-head with Tesla’s Model 3 and beating off criticism that a limited driving range will dull its mass-market appeal. Newslook With the higher-capacity battery comes longer charging times. On 220-volt electrical service, the battery takes as little as 7.5 hours for a full charge, Nissan says. On a 110-volt household outlet, it will take about 35 hours. I quick-charged the 2018 Leaf during a lunch break, and my 30-minute charging session cost $11.15 and brought the battery pack to 75% capacity. That was good for an additional 79 miles of driving range, as reported by the instrument panel's range display. Missed opportunities Given the Leaf's significant styling and drivetrain updates for 2018, it's surprising that some of the prior generation's biggest shortcomings remain. Tilt-and-telescoping steering wheels are commonplace in new cars, but the 2018 Leaf, like its predecessor, still has only tilt adjustment. Meanwhile, the position of the rear bench seat relative to the floor results in an uncomfortable knees-up seating position for adults, as was the case in the old Leaf. Likewise, the huge ledge between the cargo floor and the folded back seat is even more disappointing now than it was in the first-generation Leaf. It significantly reduces the versatility of the Leaf's hatchback shape by preventing large cargo from lying flat on an extended floor. Even though Nissan missed a few opportunities, the 2018 Leaf's longer driving range makes it a viable choice for more eco-minded shoppers, where its predecessor wasn't. If you're looking to make the move from gas-car ownership to electric-car driving, a 2018 Leaf should make the switch relatively pain-free. What stands out Looks: More like other cars Range: Big improvement, but still shy of rivals Comfort: Lacking in the back seat 2018 Nissan Leaf What: A compact electric hatchback When: On sale now What makes it go: Electric motors equal to 147 horsepower combined with a battery pack good for up to 151 miles of range per charge. How long to a full charge: 7.5 hours on 220-volt power; 35 hours on household 110-volt power How big: 14.7 feet How much: Starts at $30,875, including a $885 destination charge. Eligible for $7,500 federal tax credit. Overall: The original Leaf was revolutionary. This one is a nice evolution and a solid player among EVs. See the full version of the review on Cars.com as 2018 Nissan Leaf review: Becoming more mainstream Facebook Twitter Email Share your feedback to help improve our site! * Help * Terms of Service * Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy * Privacy Policy * Site Map * Accessibility * Our Ethical Principles * Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy [icon-instagram_24.png] © Copyright Gannett 2021 Skip to main content [javascript] * Home * Personal Finance * Cars * Retirement * Investing * Careers * USA & Main * Consumer Recalls Facebook Twitter Email [javascript] [1372894039000-AR9A8974-1307031928_4_3.jpg?width=12&height=9] [1372894039000-AR9A8974-1307031928_4_3.jpg?width=320&height=240] Hertz and Penske team for new, hot Ford Mustang __________________________________________________________________ Chris Woodyard | USA TODAY For those who like to drive fast and furious, Hertz is announcing today that it teamed with Penske Racing to create a hotter-than-hot version of the Ford Mustang. You can't buy it — yet, anyway — only rent it. The Hertz Penske GT joins the rental agency's Adrenaline Collection of performance cars that rent at premium rates. Such collections have become a nice little side business for rent-a-car companies. The hot Mustang will be rented at 15 Hertz airport locations for up to $180 a day, or up to $800 a week, with a charge for more than 100 miles a day. It joins Adrenaline cars including the Chevrolet Camaro SS and Dodge Challenger R/T. The Hertz Penske GT is the third hot Mustang from Hertz. In 1966, it created the GT350H Mustang in partnership with the late performance icon Carroll Shelby. And it created the GT-H in 2006 and 2007. The Hertz Penske GT "doesn't shout 'rent a car,' " says Paul Sheldon, senior vice president of Hertz North America and a performance-car enthusiast. The black fastback coupe with a distinctive gold racing stripe and stripes on the lower sides that recall the old Shelbys is "subtle ... not outrageous," he says. To make the car, Penske Racing combined elements of Ford's 420-horsepower Shelby GT500 Mustang and the even more powerful, track-oriented Laguna Seca version. Penske gave it a special air intake and exhaust, hotter engine computer tuning, aggressive gear ratios and extra-grippy Brembo brakes. Final horsepower wasn't disclosed. The two companies already are partners: Hertz sponsors Penske Racing's No. 22 car in NASCAR racing, driven by Joey Logano. The Hertz Penske GT is being unveiled today at the Subway Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway. Adrenaline is one of several Hertz collections of special cars, such as Ferraris or Porsches. Rental rival Enterprise has had an Exotic Collection since 2006; it's now at 13 locations. Spokesman Gregory Phillips says rental days for the cars are up 50% since last year. Those earlier Hertz Mustangs have become collectibles, commanding top dollar at classic car auctions, and that's the likely future for the new muscle machine, of which only 150 will be made. A 1966 GT350H due on the block at Auctions America's Burbank, Calif., event starting Aug. 1 is valued in excess of $125,000. Donnie Gould, president of the auction house and a GT-H owner, says the Hertz Penske GTs have the same potential. Dave Kinney, publisher of Hagerty Price Guide to valuable cars, agrees. "If done right, the Hertz Penske cars could be become collector cars." Facebook Twitter Email Share your feedback to help improve our site! * Help * Terms of Service * Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy * Privacy Policy * Site Map * Accessibility * Our Ethical Principles * Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy [icon-instagram_24.png] © Copyright Gannett 2021 Skip to main content [javascript] * Home * Personal Finance * Cars * Retirement * Investing * Careers * USA & Main * Consumer Recalls Facebook Twitter Email [javascript] [etab-test-drive-acura-2014-rlx-4_3.jpg?width=12&height=9] [etab-test-drive-acura-2014-rlx-4_3.jpg?width=320&height=240] Test Drive: Fun trumps flaws in 2014 Acura RLX __________________________________________________________________ James R. Healey, USA TODAY | USATODAY No big secret. Acura had to come up with a new flagship sedan or quit competing in the area of midsize luxury cars, such as the Infiniti M37, BMW 5 Series and Audi A6. The RL, Acura's biggest and most-expensive car, managed to snag just 379 buyers all last year, Autodata tallies show, way down from 1,096 in all for 2011. Got 'er fixed, Acura says. The 2014 RLX, replacing the RL, is a showpiece, the most-sophisticated Acura. Something's right, because the high-end, $61,000 RLX test car drove about as pleasantly as any premium vehicle in a long, long time. Our gripes: • Ho-hum styling. Has a Lexus look in back, an anonymous look from the side and what you'd call an Acura look in front. Thank goodness it has toned down the extended, overbite-style, cowcatcher grille, reminiscent of an 1800s locomotive, that has damaged most Acuras for some years now. RLX isn't ugly, but it isn't distinctive. Strikes us as a lost opportunity. • No all-wheel drive. That's very important. So key, in fact, that Jaguar, as an example, has redesigned its cars to have it because it was missing half the U.S. market, more or less — places where no AWD is a deal-breaker. RLX will field an AWD model this fall, but it'll be a gas-electric hybrid. Gas-electric combo in front, and a separate electric motor on each rear wheel. That'll allow very sophisticated control over the rear wheels, but it slings a lot of extra hardware under the car and probably a lot of extra price onto the window sticker (the hybrid price has not yet been specified). BMW, Audi, Infiniti, Jaguar — a lot of high-end brands provide AWD using more conventional means that seem more than sufficient. Hard to see why AWD and hybrid drivetrains have to be paired. • Screwy controls. We're mainly talking about how stupidly difficult and non-intuitive the radio is. A big knob below the screen helps manage many functions. But does it do the logical thing and become the easy-to-spin tuning knob in radio mode? Noooooo. Is it easy to get the screen to display as much as you want to know about the station, artist and selection? Same answer. All-in-all, controls aren't the RLX high-water mark. But it sure is nice to drive. The feature that Acura likes to spotlight has the unfortunate acronym P-AWS. It's for precision all-wheel steering. Old-timers will remember Honda and Mazda fooling around with four-wheel steering a few decades ago. It's back and handled electronically now, so it works better. The back wheels of the front-drive RLX each can steer in or out through a 4-degree arc. At low speed, the rear wheels turn opposite the fronts to make sharp turns into tight parking spots and so forth. At highway speed, they can hold dead ahead or steer the same direction as the fronts for crisper lane changes and less-fussy steering on long trips. Worked fine; the test car had a nimble feel that lacked any artifice. But it doesn't seem to tighten the turning circle, which is a wide 40.5 feet in diameter. Engine's a sweetheart. The 3.5-liter V-6 has direct injection (DI) and cylinder cutoff, cycling between all six cylinders and just three, to save fuel when the demand is modest. Usually DI is noisy, the price of its seemingly magic ability to save fuel, boost power, cut emissions. But not on RLX. Engine sounds pleasantly husky when you nail the gas, but never the coarse voice common in DI engines. Nice job. And it goes very smartly when you do shove the gas. Speed accumulates rapidly and smoothly. Thrilling, if not quite for the boy/girl racer types. Oh-so-composed and mannerly. And how nice not to be saddled with a small-displacement turbocharged engine instead of a real powerplant. A "sport" setting on the console makes the engine more responsive, the steering quicker, the suspension firmer. Just what you want. The fun, though, is at the expense of fuel economy. The seats in the high-dollar test car were marvelous. Supple, perforated leather that gave you such a positive first impression that it took quite awhile to notice the funky radio controls and so on. Really excellent chairs. And the back seat has unexpectedly generous legroom. Steering and brakes work as well as the engine. Quick to respond to the driver without being touchy. The faults are annoying, but the overall driving experience is so good you might not care. 2014 Acura RLX details • What? Overhaul of brand's flagship sedan, previously called "RL." New one's a 2014, replacing the 2012; there was no 2013. Front-drive only until a gas-electric hybrid with all-wheel drive joins this fall. • When? On sale March 15. • Where? Built at Sayama, Japan. • How much? Starts at $49,345 including $895 shipping. Top RLX with Advanced Package is $61,345. No price yet on hybrid. • What makes it go? 3.5-liter gasoline V-6 rated 310 horsepower at 6,500 rpm, 272 pounds-feet of torque at 4,500; six-speed automatic with manual-shift mode. • How big? Midsize: 196.1 inches long, 74.4 in. wide., 57.7 in. tall on 112.2 -in wheelbase. Weighs 3,933-3,997 lbs. Passenger space, 102.1 cubic ft. Trunk, 15.3 cu. ft. (or 15.1 with Krell audio and Advance package, which puts some hardware in the trunk). Turning circle diameter, 40.5 ft. • How thirsty? Acura expects ratings of 20 miles per gallon in the city, 31 highway, 24 in city/highway mix. High-end test car, driven often in fuel-gobbling "sport" mode, showed 14.5 mpg (6.9 gallons per 100 miles) in suburban use. Prefers premium, holds 18.5 gal. • Overall: Milquetoast styling, absurdly complicated radio, but a sweet-driving, lovely-feeling machine otherwise. Facebook Twitter Email Share your feedback to help improve our site! * Help * Terms of Service * Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy * Privacy Policy * Site Map * Accessibility * Our Ethical Principles * Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy [icon-instagram_24.png] © Copyright Gannett 2021 Skip to main content [javascript] * Home * Personal Finance * Cars * Retirement * Investing * Careers * USA & Main * Consumer Recalls Facebook Twitter Email [javascript] Dodge offers 2014 Durango for police, fire use __________________________________________________________________ James R. Healey | USA TODAY Ford Motor's move is symbolic: Discontinuing the venerable Crown Victoria used by so many police agencies that it's an icon. Now, though, the Detroit Three offer police and fire departments an array of models, from high-speed sedans to SUVs and pickups. Once a dusty corner of the car business, automakers now hype the police models heavily with media announcements and flashy photos, as if they're new mainstream products. Illustrating how hip cop cars have become, a customized Ford Taurus tabbed the Ultimate Stealth Police Interceptor Concept was among the stars at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show in 2010, looking more like a drug-dealer's ride than a cop car. Lately, Ford's found traction with the EcoBoost V-6 Taurus Interceptor. Police haven't taken the old front-drive Chevrolet Impala very seriously, so Chevy's now selling them an Australian rear-drive big sedan it markets as the Caprice. Chrysler Group's successful with the rear-drive Dodge Charger Pursuit sedan with Hemi V-8, and a non-pursuit but beefed-up Ram pickup. Newest is the 2014 Dodge Durango Special Service Vehicle. Police and fire departments, and other fleet buyers, can order now and get the beefed-up Durango late this year or early next. The special-service Durango is not, however, "pursuit rated," so won't be the main ride in most police departments. "It would need further chassis tuning" to be certified as a high-speed pursuit vehicle, says Durango spokesman Patrick Hespen. SUVs aren't inherently unsuited to high-speed pursuit and interceptor work. Ford has managed a pursuit-rated Explorer SUV and Chevy, a pursuit-rated Tahoe SUV. So, the Durango wouldn't pass the full test elaborated by Elwood Blues (Dan Akroyd) in the 1980 film classic, 'Blues Brothers,' when he described his band's latest Bluesmobile: "It's got a cop motor…it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks." Still, the Durango Special Service Vehicle hardly is weak in the knees, equipped with heavy-duty brakes, battery, alternator, water pump and engine oil cooler. Fleet use often involves the opposite of pursuit – long sittings idling to keep the communications gear powered up and, in foul weather, give the user a temperature-controlled haven. Not a "cop motor" indeed. Standard: 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 rated 290 horsepower, 260 pounds-feet of torque. But it's rated up to 25 miles per gallon on the highway, meaning it's able to go up to 600 miles between fill-ups. That's key in cases where a vehicle's well away from service stations on assignment. More relevant for such special-use vehicles and the kind of driving they do, the 3.6-liter Durango has government ratings of 18 mpg in the city, 20 in combined city/highway use with rear-wheel drive, and 17/24/19 with all-wheel drive. There is s version with the "cop motor." Optional 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 rated 360 hp, 390 lbs.-ft. and able to tow up to 7,400 lbs. Dodge notes that it's rated 23 mpg on the highway. City and combined ratings are 14 and 17 mpg for rear-drive models, 14/22/16 for all-wheel drive. Facebook Twitter Email Share your feedback to help improve our site! * Help * Terms of Service * Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy * Privacy Policy * Site Map * Accessibility * Our Ethical Principles * Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy [icon-instagram_24.png] © Copyright Gannett 2021 #publisher home Search __________________________________________________________________ * Join Now + The Track Club + R&T Crew + R&T Experiences * News * Videos * New Cars + First Drives + Road Tests + Comparison Tests + Future Cars & Spy Shots + Technology * Motorsports * Car Culture + Gear + Buying & Maintenance + Vintage + Style + Travel + Entertainment + Design * Car Shows * Contact * Follow + Facebook + Twitter + Pinterest + Instagram + YouTube * Newsletter * Shop R&T * Do Not Sell My Personal Information Privacy Notice/Notice at Collection Terms of Use Join Now Sign In My Account Sign Out ____________________ Type keyword(s) to search Today's Top Stories 1 The New Land Rover Defender Is The Real Deal 2 Watch a Live Q&A with IndyCar's Alexander Rossi 3 The 23 Best Sleepers You Can Buy 4 Porsche 911 Buyer Guide: Each Generation Explained 5 Porsche Celebrates 25 Years of the Boxster Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. We may earn a commission through links on our site. The 2021 Mazda 3 Turbo Is a Luxury Hatchback With 320 Lb-Ft of Torque Mazda gave the 3 a turbo and big power, but this is a very different animal from the Mazdaspeed 3 you remember. By Chris Perkins Nov 20, 2020 2021 mazda 3 turbo hatchback Chris Perkins A presumably small but vocal subset of enthusiasts want Mazda to return to the sport-compact game. You can't blame them. After all, the company builds one of the best sports cars on sale today, and has a great hot-hatch starting point in the Mazda 3. At a glance, the 2021 Mazda 3 Turbo looks like a successor to the old Mazdaspeed 3. But look deeper, and it becomes obvious this is a very different machine. Mazda has been trying to move upmarket for a few years now. The excellent new Mazda 3 is working toward that aim, but some buyers want more power. Mazda's new 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder is here to provide, with 250 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque, a big improvement over the 186 hp and 186 lb-ft you get from the standard naturally aspirated 2.5-liter. This new turbo engine is available in the sedan or the hatchback, though it's paired exclusively with a six-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. Which says a lot about Mazda's aims. 2021 mazda 3 turbo hatchback Chris Perkins While this is a surprisingly powerful turbo hatchback, don't think of it as a competitor to the Volkswagen GTI or Hyundai Veloster N. Mazda wants this to be more of an entry-luxury model, perhaps a more affordable alternative to the likes of the Audi A3 or Mercedes A-class. The new turbo engine is tuned for low-end and midrange torque, of which there is plenty. The newfound grunt makes this a much nicer car to live with day-to-day, with an always-ready supply of power to close a gap in traffic or make a quick merge on the highway. Enthusiasts tend to rag on modern turbo four-cylinders for being characterless, but here, you just can't argue with 320 lb-ft. It suits the pseudo-luxury vibe of the new 3 perfectly. The Turbo gets a new splitter and rooftop spoiler for looks and aero. It also gets some updates to G-Vectoring Control, a system that briefly, and subtly, reduces engine torque in corners to help shift load to the front tires. The system imperceptibly mimics the way a skilled driver would breathe off the throttle mid-corner to adjust balance, and in the Turbo, it's set up for a slightly more aggressive forward weight shift. The effect is mild, but the base 3 is a sweet handling car, and the Turbo has the same athleticism. There's a great buttery feeling to all the controls. The steering and pedals are perfectly weighted, set up for smooth driving. It's clear the 3 was developed by enthusiasts who care about the nuances that makes a car great. That's a Mazda hallmark, and it's always refreshing to encounter it in a new car. There's a bit of Miata goodness embedded in everything the company makes. Even in a car that isn't trying to be a hot hatch. It is firm, though. I drove this car primarily in New York City—which, to be fair, has famously awful roads—and it felt as stiff as a performance hatchback—controlled and well-damped, but very firm. Mazda chassis guru Dave Coleman told Road & Track that the 3 Turbo has stiffer front springs to deal with the added drivetrain weight, though the base 3 and Turbo are tuned to feel nearly identical. Even if this setup will pay dividends on a back road, it can be a little too jarring in daily driving. 2021 mazda 3 turbo hatchback Chris Perkins The red-leather interior of our loaded Premium Plus tester—sticker price $34,695—is gorgeous by any standard, with great materials throughout and a thoughtful minimalist design. It wows you as soon as you hop in—it's in a different league from the previous generation 3. I just wish the ride quality matched the car's luxury aspirations. The 3 Turbo's road manners are more comparable to sport-oriented models like the GTI and Civic Si. You know, the cars Mazda says the 3 Turbo isn't meant to compete with. Suspension tuning concerns aside, this is a great car, and a credible alternative to the entry-level German models. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io Advertisement - Continue Reading Below (BUTTON) More From Reviews 2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 All Terrain: First Drive The New Land Rover Defender Is The Real Deal __________________________________________________________________ Advertisement - Continue Reading Below I Think I Finally Understand the Toyota Avalon TRD __________________________________________________________________ The 2020 Audi R8 Is Daily Drivable and Special __________________________________________________________________ The 1965 Shelby Cobra Is Driving at Its Brightest Jaguar Has Perfected the E-Type __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ The MG TC Is Sports Car Joy, Distilled Driving the Lotus Elise S1, 25 Years Later __________________________________________________________________ The Miata Is All the Sports Car You'll Ever Need __________________________________________________________________ The McLaren F1 Is Still the Perfect Supercar __________________________________________________________________ * Newsletter * About Us * Media Kit * Press Room * Contact Us * Community Guidelines * Advertise Online * Customer Service * Subscribe * Other Hearst Subscriptions * Best Products * Give a Gift Hearst Autos - A Part of Hearst Digital Media A Part of Hearst Digital Media Road & Track participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. ©2021 Hearst Autos, Inc. All Rights Reserved. * Privacy Notice/Notice at Collection * Your California Privacy Rights * Interest-Based Ads * Terms of Use Do Not Sell My Personal Information * Cookies Choices Skip to main content [javascript] * Home * Personal Finance * Cars * Retirement * Investing * Careers * USA & Main * Consumer Recalls Facebook Twitter Email [javascript] Test Drive: Kia Forte knocks on gold card door __________________________________________________________________ James R. Healey, USA TODAY | USATODAY Not because nobody's buying. The compact segment is awash with activity. But each new compact that hits the market seems to raise the bar quite a bit, leaving rivals agape about how fast their latest hot-dang models got upstaged. Honda discovered that the hard way, having to overhaul its latest Civic only 18 months after it was launched. Honda said competition moved faster than expected, and it had to keep Civic competitive. Kia's redone 2014 Forte, going on sale next quarter, is a good example. Derived from the same parts bin used by corporate affiliate Hyundai for the Elantra sedan, Forte has enough differences to stand out. The high-end version is good enough to make you wonder why people spend $40,000 and more on luxury cars. Caution: Kia won't disclose prices yet, and the scrumptious test car is a loaded showboat. It's a delight, but without knowing the price, it's hard to say whether it's a value. Following Hyundai's lead with the Elantra, Kia cut back Forte sedan from three trim levels to two, LX (base) and EX (the test car). When Hyundai cut Elantra sedan to two versions for 2013, it dropped the bare-bones base model and effectively raised the entry price about $1,000. The loaded EX demonstrates why it's hard to distinguish luxury cars from mainstreamers nowadays. The test car has an impressive array of standard and optional features, including: 2-liter direct-injection four-cylinder engine that feels quicker than its 173-horsepower rating suggests. Very responsive in traffic, and accomplished as a fast-merger and quick-passer on highways. It's standard on the EX — and, no doubt to Kia's delight, isn't offered at all on the Elantra sedan. The base LX Forte gets the same 1.8-liter, 148-hp, four that all Elantra sedans use. Perforated leather upholstery for comfortable ventilation, enhanced by heated front and rear seats and a cooled driver's seat. Heated steering wheel for when you forget your gloves. Electronic system that links with your smartphone to tell you, among other gee-whiz info, where you parked your car and how long it's been there, in case you need to run out with quarters for the meter. The catch: It's only compatible with iPhones and Androids. Those of us hip enough to have Windows phones, tough luck, save for the ability to quickly ring up 9-1-1 if you're having a very bad day. Outside mirrors you can power-fold in for tight parking spots. Quick linking to phones, even the challenging Windows phone. There is similarly fast streaming connection so you can play your tunes on the car stereo. Programmable steering. "Normal" suited Test Drive with a good blend of firmness, road feel and response. Some drivers will choose "Sport" for even firmer feel, or "Comfort" for a lighter touch. A thoroughly pleasant interpretation of the "soft touch" interior in demand these days. Leather with upscale visible stitching on some seams; matte-finish plastic that's the antithesis of "hard" or "brittle"; a gearshift knob thoughtfully sized and shaped not only to fit the palm but to invite it. Audi-style LED headlight trim, making a dramatic first impression when you see the car coming at night. A nifty "hero" color (what they call the hue you'll see in launch ads and as bait in showrooms). It's "abyss blue" and hits the brilliant-blue target just about perfectly. More than just a platform for the show-off stuff, the Kia Forte sedan (hatchback and coupe models are due later this year) is satisfying to drive. That is, it works well as a car. Test Drive hasn't given up on the idea of that being a core value for an automobile. The 2-liter engine is quick, and turns the racket of direct-injection into a pleasing growl. Pretty easy on fuel, too, by Test Drive standards, yielding mpg in the low 20s in mixed types of (vigorous, as always) driving. The base model's 1.8-liter won't be as pleasing, but isn't necessarily a deal-breaker for the thrifty buyer. Just be sure its lower power matches your needs. Brakes take hold quickly, but aren't grabby. Suspension is nicely sorted out, which isn't a given on Kias. Seeking a sporting image, to distinguish it from Hyundai's more luxe feel, Kia often has overdone the suspension tuning and wound up with cars that ride like go-karts. Forte's well beyond that, having the desirable mix of comfort and control you get in grownups' cars. Rear suspension's still a beam, not the independent rear springing you really wish for. But it is well-tamed and nicely tuned by Kia. Unless you drive like a rallyist on regular roads, you shouldn't be put off by the back-beam's primitive design. It's what many compact rivals use, so you don't necessarily lose bragging rights. Assuming Kia doesn't go nuts on price, the 2014 Forte EX sedan is at or near the top of Test Drive's want list among well-furnished compact cars. What? Overhaul of front-drive, four-door, five-passenger compact sedan. Boy, selling compact cars has become a brutally tough way to make a living. When? On sale early second quarter. Four-door hatchback on sale third quarter, followed by coupe. Where? Made in South Korea. How much? Kia's mum until closer to launch. If it follows the strategy corporate affiliate Hyundai used on Elantra, its least-expensive version will be near $17,500. What makes it go? New engines. Base LX, has a 1.8-liter four-cylinder (shared with Hyundai Elantra) rated 148 horsepower at 6,500 rpm, 131 pounds-feet of torque at 4,700 rpm mated to six-speed manual or automatic transmission. Top model, EX has 2-liter four-cylinder (not shared with Elantra) rated 173 hp at 6,500 rpm, 154 lbs.-ft. at 4,700 rpm with six-speed automatic only. How big? Similar to Honda Civic. Forte sedan is 179.5 inches long, 70.1 in. wide, 56.5 in. tall. Weighs 2,736 to 2,857 lbs. Passenger space 96.2 cubic ft.; trunk 14.9 cu. ft. Turning circle diameter 34.8 ft. How thirsty? Not yet rated. Trip computer in loaded EX test car registered 22.4 mpg (4.46 gallons per 100 miles) in mix of city/highway/suburban driving. Burns regular, holds 14.9 gallons. Overall: The loaded EX model is one more reason to consider luxury cars superfluous. Facebook Twitter Email Share your feedback to help improve our site! * Help * Terms of Service * Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy * Privacy Policy * Site Map * Accessibility * Our Ethical Principles * Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy [icon-instagram_24.png] © Copyright Gannett 2021 * Business * California * Climate & Environment * Entertainment & Arts * En Español * Food * Hot Property * Housing & Homelessness * Lifestyle * Obituaries * Opinion * Politics * Science * Sports * Travel * World & Nation * _________________ * About Us (BUTTON) + About Us + Archives + Company News + For the Record + Got a Tip? + L.A. Times Careers + L.A. Times Store + Newsroom Directory + Reprints, Rights & Permissions + About Us + Archives + Company News + For the Record + Got a Tip? + L.A. Times Careers + L.A. 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Times Store * Second Opinion * Subscriptions (BUTTON) + Manage Subscription + EZPAY + Delivery Issue + eNewspaper + Students & Educators + Subscribe + Subscriber Terms + Manage Subscription + EZPAY + Delivery Issue + eNewspaper + Students & Educators + Subscribe + Subscriber Terms Copyright © 2021, Los Angeles Times | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | CA Notice of Collection | Do Not Sell My Personal Information (BUTTON) Sections Los Angeles Times * California * Entertainment * Sports * Food * Climate * Opinion * | * Place an Ad * Crossword * eNewspaper (BUTTON) Show Search ____________________Search Query (BUTTON) Submit Search Advertisement * Facebook * Twitter * Show more sharing options Share (BUTTON) Close extra sharing options * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * Email * Copy Link URLCopied! * Print Lifestyle Driven: Customizing a Porsche 911 into a work of art Drew Coblitz's Porsche Drew Coblitz of Philadelphia refers to his recently delivered Singer restoration as “sine qua non” — Latin for “essential to existence” — which aligns with Singer’s philosophy that every detail matters. (Drew Phillips / Singer Vehicle Design) By Sue Callaway Nov. 16, 2019 5 AM * Facebook * Twitter * Show more sharing options Share (BUTTON) Close extra sharing options * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * Email * Copy Link URLCopied! * Print “It’s crazy, isn’t it?” says Drew Coblitz with a laugh. The 31-year-old Philadelphia-based luxury expert and entrepreneur is the owner of Singer Vehicle Design’s latest work of art, a gloriously up-leveled and optimized 1990 Porsche 911. I’m laughing too, but mostly because of the visceral reactions his meticulously specced, inky-blue-black car is provoking in me. For a few high-speed moments I’m the lucky one in his driver’s seat, a work of woven-leather art in its own right. With the hand-carved ebony wood shifter knob in my right hand (pretty much every detail, from the car’s tuning down to literal nuts and bolts, is customized by Singer for each client) and my feet dancing across all three pedals in the footwell below, I’m in internal combustion heaven. Coblitz’s one-off is a formidable yet nimble sports car with a howling, high-revving soul, hellbent on devouring the curvaceous canyon road we’re on as though it might never see another. For the record: 10:34 AM, Nov. 16, 2019In an earlier version of this article, an inaccurately rendered quote by Rob Dickinson suggested that hip hop-mogul Jay-Z had been interviewed on TV while driving in one of Dickinson’s customized vehicles. Dickinson was referring to himself, not Jay-Z, in the quote. Singer Vehicle Design is a skunkworks hidden away in Sun Valley that optimizes Porsche 911s from 1989 to 1994, the era that purists consider the pinnacle of the German manufacturer’s air-cooled engineering. These are not merely restored sports cars, though, these are masterpieces of next-gen engineering, materials science and haute couture-level interiors. Think of them as the automotive equivalent of Faberge eggs on steroids. Or to personify it all, imagine Sean Connery’s 007 crossed with Charlize Theron and blended with a dash of Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker: sexy, strong, audacious — and ultimately brilliant. The man behind Singer is Rob Dickinson, a wickedly witty Brit and former songwriter and lead singer of the ’90s rock band Catherine Wheel. Since the first 911 he spotted on the road in 1970 as a 5-year-old, he’s been smitten with them. Finally, after a stint designing at Lotus Cars before focusing on his music and a world tour with his band ahead of their breakup in 2000 — with lots of tinkering on his own cars in between — Dickinson landed in Los Angeles to buy a 1969 911 E and fell in love with its rich car culture. By 2009, he started Singer. “We’re taking a legend that Porsche put to one side 20 years ago to pursue other, forward-looking cars,” says Dickinson. “We have the benefit of hindsight, and I’d like to think we are shining quite a bright light on Porsche’s heritage.” Advertisement Interior of Porsche 911 The interior of Singer’s latest car includes track seats swathed in espresso suede leather highlighted by blue asymmetrical racing stripes; bespoke selections include hundreds of colors and multiple weave patterns. Note the ebony wood shift knob, another of countless customization options. (Drew Phillips / Singer Vehicle Design) So what does an “insane” Singer detail look like? On every production car, even Mercedes and Ferrari models, there’s a gap between each panel — the door and the rear fender, for example — and something called flush. Run your hand over the gap between panels and if one is higher or lower, the flush is off. “If you take a caliper and measure our gaps and flush, they will be perfect on every car,” says Mazen Fawaz, Singer managing director, tech entrepreneur and Formula One legend Jenson Button’s teammate for this year’s Baja 1000. “It sounds silly, but you have one shot at getting those perfect. If they aren’t, a car doesn’t leave our hands.” Lifestyle 3 ways to decorate a cactus for Christmas Lifestyle 3 ways to decorate a cactus for Christmas This isn’t your average Christmas tree. Every car that passes through a Singer transformation requires a minimum of 4,000 human hours to transform. Customers can spend up to a year choosing the right bespoke combinations of leathers and paint colors, trim and multiple transmission and suspension parameters. There are 500 leather colors, 13 leather types to sort through (each car uses seven hides) and limitless paint options. The leather is hand-stitched in the company’s Orange County-based interiors studio, overseen by Andy Harrison, who has masterminded the insides of important machines such as the McLaren F1, Formula 1 cars, Lotuses, Jaguar super cars, the DeLorean and even SpaceX rockets. “One owner showed us a photo of a sunset,” says Harrison. “We ended up using nearly a dozen different colors in the weave for the seats — a weave that is only achievable by a few companies in the world.” Advertisement Singer Vehicle Design's latest: The Dynamics and Lightweighting Study (DLS). Singer’s latest: The Dynamics and Lightweighting Study (DLS). Will be assembled in the United Kingdom and limited to only 75 commissions, with a starting price of $1.8 million. (Nick Dimbleby) Coblitz, one of Singer’s youngest customers, went into the commissioning of his car with a specific vision too. “I wanted to do a murdered-out Singer because people very often go for the very pretty, very bright colors or the heritage colors, which are awesome,” he says. “But I wanted something more modern and edgy.” That led to months of testing dozens of exterior paint solutions. Through the process, Coblitz realized that black, even complex versions, was too pedestrian. He finally landed on a shade of dark blue that looks black in certain light conditions, while others highlight the depth of the navy. He also worked with the Singer team to change all the brightwork on the car —the metal trim — to dark nickel, another nod to his desired look, and one no other customer had requested. He even came up with a name for the car that Singer turned into a dark nickel-plated aluminum alloy nameplate on the rear deck lid: SINQNON, a reference to the Latin for “essential to existence,” sine qua non. “I don’t usually name my cars,” Coblitz says. “But it was my take on Rob’s ‘everything is important’ mantra.” Lifestyle Find gift ideas for everyone on our 2019 Gift Guide Holiday gift guide 2019 cover illustration. Lifestyle Find gift ideas for everyone on our 2019 Gift Guide Welcome to our comprehensive gift guide for the 2019 holiday season. This list encompasses the most popular and best gifts for everyone in your life. Advertisement He’s referring to a now-hallowed moment early on at the Singer headquarters when late one evening Dickinson, frustrated by others not grasping the depth of his desire for perfection, grabbed a can of black spray paint and memorialized those words on the original shop wall. Singer Vehicle Design Eighteen of Singer’s finest customer commissions joined together at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca last August to celebrate the company’s 10th anniversary. Leading the pack was the Brown Bomber, a 1969 Porsche 911E and the very first restoration completed by Rob Dickinson, founder and creative director of Singer Vehicle Design. (Drew Phillips / Singer Vehicle Design) It’s time, though, to rip the bandage off and talk price. A 911 reimagined by Singer will set you back a minimum of $475,000 for a classic coupe, not including the “donor” car that each customer must provide. In today’s collector-car market, that base vehicle can cost on average from $48,000 and up. (Singer Vehicle Design isn’t a dealer, but the company can offer some direction.) “There’s a high cost to what we do but everything we do doesn’t have to be expensive,” Dickinson says, “but it does have to be brilliant; I only want to build cars that make my mouth go dry I want them so much.” That may not sound like a winning business model — the road is littered with failed attempts to restore, modify, hot rod or otherwise tweak famous models — but against all odds, Singer is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and steadily growing. The company has delivered 130 cars to date and has as many on order. Advertisement Dickinson’s vision, while laser-focused on making brilliant machines, also has a restless side. Last year the company debuted an ultra-rare, limited-edition version referred to as the DLS. It was co-created with the engineering arm of the U.K.-based Williams Formula 1 team, Michelin and other partners. Only 75 will be made, with a base price of $1.8 million. The company’s design standards have branched out beyond automotive. In 2017, Dickinson collaborated with Italian watch designer Marco Borraccino, former head designer at Panerai. The resulting company, Singer Reimagined, is creating high-end watches that pay homage to the iconic sports models of the 1960s and 1970s. They are as authentic and expensive as Singer’s cars: up to $85,000 for what is a unique solution in the watch world, just as Singer’s cars reinvent in their own realm. And while he won’t comment on future plans, Dickinson acknowledges that he’s only just begun to apply his aesthetic to objects he deeply desires. So stay tuned. I asked him when, in the flurry of the last 10 years’ worth of hard labor, occasional cash flow worries and scaling a custom-car business into a limited-production concern, he picked his head up and realized his success. “The first time, it was walking into a Starbucks in Northern England and being recognized — not for my music but because they’d seen all of our car videos on YouTube and were die-hard fans,” Dickinson says. “The second moment was when my son saw a journalist interviewing me while driving together in one of our cars. He turned from the TV to look at me with an awe and respect I’d never seen before.” __________________________________________________________________ Lifestyle Sue Callaway More From the Los Angeles Times * Entertainment & Arts Vogue is under social-media fire for ‘disrespectful’ Kamala Harris cover Social media users are lambasting Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' February 2021 Vogue shoot, decrying its lighting, backdrop and wardrobe direction. 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Times Store * Second Opinion * Subscriptions (BUTTON) + Manage Subscription + EZPAY + Delivery Issue + eNewspaper + Students & Educators + Subscribe + Subscriber Terms + Manage Subscription + EZPAY + Delivery Issue + eNewspaper + Students & Educators + Subscribe + Subscriber Terms Copyright © 2021, Los Angeles Times | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | CA Notice of Collection | Do Not Sell My Personal Information (BUTTON) Sections Los Angeles Times * California * Entertainment * Sports * Food * Climate * Opinion * | * Place an Ad * Crossword * eNewspaper (BUTTON) Show Search ____________________Search Query (BUTTON) Submit Search Advertisement * Facebook * Twitter * Show more sharing options Share (BUTTON) Close extra sharing options * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * Email * Copy Link URLCopied! * Print Business SEMA: Turbocharged Cadillac runs 220.5 mph down Texas highway By W.J. Hennigan Oct. 30, 2012 12 AM * Facebook * Twitter * Show more sharing options Share (BUTTON) Close extra sharing options * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * Email * Copy Link URLCopied! * Print IFRAME: https://www.youtube.com/embed/y_0von_5SRk?rel=0 LAS VEGAS -- What’s the fastest you’ve ever traveled on a highway? Ever hit 200 mph? How about 220.5 mph? That’s how fast auto tuner Hennessey Performance Engineering’s heavily modified, turbocharged 2012 Cadillac CTS-V moved down Texas State Highway 130. The company said it performed the run last week while the highway was closed. Hennessey said Texas officials allowed the car to run up to such blistering speeds to help validate state camera and radar systems. Photos: Highlights from the 2012 SEMA Show The car, dubbed 2013 VR1200 Twin Turbo Coupe, is the latest from Hennessey -- the Sealy, Texas-based auto tuning company that modifies and creates high-powered cars. The souped-up Cadillac made its public debut Tuesday at the Specialty Equipment Market Assn. trade show. Advertisement Hennessey swapped out the Caddy’s stock supercharged 6.2 liter V-8 engine and instead installed a twin turbocharged 7.0 liter V-8 engine. With the upgrade, the company says the car kicks out more than 1,226 horsepower. Hennessey calls it the “most powerful four-seat vehicle available on the market.” And it just may be. Check out these numbers: According to Hennessey, the Caddy is expected to zip from zero to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds; finish a quarter-mile drag race in 10.2 seconds; and have a top speed of 242 mph. Hennessey widened the rear of the vehicle by 7 inches and the front by 3 inches. There are stylistic upgrades as well, including an extractor hood, rear fender flares and 20-inch rims. Advertisement But if you’re looking to buy one, Hennessey said its production is limited to just 12 cars. And three have already been spoken for. Hennessey has been in business in Texas since 1991. Last month, the company expanded its business to Southern California when it added a new facility in Lake Forest. ALSO: Upstart Tesla battles auto dealers Advertisement Californians snap up quirky Ford Flex George Barris’ custom cars are legend in hot rod industry __________________________________________________________________ Business W.J. Hennigan W.J. Hennigan covered the Pentagon and national security issues from Washington, D.C., before leaving the Los Angeles Times bureau in November 2017. While there, he reported on war, counter-terrorism, and the lives of American service members from more than two dozen countries and previously covered the aerospace and defense industry from Los Angeles. Hennigan earned awards from the National Press Club, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, and was a contributor to the Los Angeles Times coverage of the terror attacks in San Bernardino that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2016. 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(AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) Business Column: Trump launches sneaky 11th-hour attacks on clean air, Medicaid, LGBTQ people Trump’s last-minute vandalism takes aim at clean air rules, Medicaid and anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people and other vulnerable Americans. * Hot Property Tim Tebow passes Jacksonville home for $1.4 million The brick-clad two-story features a motor court in front and a dining gazebo out back that descends to a pond. Hot Property Tim Tebow passes Jacksonville home for $1.4 million In his hometown of Jacksonville, former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow has sold his waterfront home for $1.4 million — the same price he paid in 2014. * Business A house in one state, a spouse in another. What about taxes? LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 28: A "For Sale" sign is posted at a home on August 28, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. According to reports single-family home prices rose more than expected in June for the fifth consecutive month. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** Business A house in one state, a spouse in another. What about taxes? A two-state couple with a house is confused where the primary residence is for taxes; getting a home value when a spouse dies; home sales and Medicare. * World & Nation Tensions with China rise over new U.S. ban on cotton from Xinjiang Murals on the walls of a village near Korla, Xinjiang, showed women bursting out of dark veils into colorful clothing. Another mural that minders obstructed the Times from photographing showed a large axe chopping Uighurs holding a flag associated with the region's independence into pieces. World & Nation Tensions with China rise over new U.S. ban on cotton from Xinjiang China demands that the U.S. drop a ban on cotton and tomato from Xinjiang, slamming reports that Muslim Uighurs produce them by forced labor. Coronavirus and Pandemic * Politics Biden to unveil coronavirus action plan, doubling down on masks and social distancing FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2021, file photo, President-elect Joe Biden speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. A coronavirus action plan fromBiden centers on a mass vaccination campaign and closer coordination among all levels of government. The Biden plan comes as a divided nation remains caught in the grip of the pandemic’s most dangerous wave yet. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Politics Biden to unveil coronavirus action plan, doubling down on masks and social distancing A plan for tackling the pandemic from President-elect Joe Biden centers on a mass vaccination campaign and closer coordination among all levels of government. * World & Nation WHO researchers arrive in Wuhan to investigate coronavirus origins A worker in protective coverings directs members of the World Health Organization (WHO) team on their arrival at the airport in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. A global team of researchers arrived Thursday in the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic was first detected to conduct a politically sensitive investigation into its origins amid uncertainty about whether Beijing might try to prevent embarrassing discoveries. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) World & Nation WHO researchers arrive in Wuhan to investigate coronavirus origins International researchers have arrived in Wuhan, China, to investigate the coronavirus’ origins amid fears of potential interference from Beijing. * California Californians paying price for chaotic rollout of coronavirus vaccine, experts say LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 28: Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) personnel receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccination at LAFD Station 4 on Monday, Dec. 28, 2020 in Los Angeles, CA. Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti and Ralph M. Terrazas, Fire Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), were there to observe the rollout of the vaccination program. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) California Californians paying price for chaotic rollout of coronavirus vaccine, experts say Health experts decry the chaotic rollout of the vaccine, but government says progress is on the way. * California Deaths among Latinos in L.A. County from COVID-19 rising at astonishing levels LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 17: Elizabeth Garibay, 43, prepares a floral cross for a funeral at her family business J & I Florist on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020 in Los Angeles, CA. With business down more than 50%, Elizabeth Garibay, 43, spends most of every day hoping customers will walk into the shop while her three children attend online classes in the back. Her husband was arrested and deported during a check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement last December. Elizabeth now runs the business by herself while taking care of her three children. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) California Deaths among Latinos in L.A. County from COVID-19 rising at astonishing levels As the coronavirus spreads relentlessly through Los Angeles County, poor neighborhoods and the region’s Latino and Black communities continue to bear the brunt of illness and death, according to data released Wednesday. * California ICU capacity in California California ICU capacity in California IFRAME: coronavirus-cases-statewide Advertisement Latest Business * Technology Twitter’s Jack Dorsey says Trump ban was ‘right decision,’ but also a ‘failure’ FILE - In this June 7, 2019, file photo, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey leaves after his talk with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Twitter shares rose Monday, March 2, 2020, following reports an activist investor took a stake in the social media service and plans to push for changes. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File) Technology Twitter’s Jack Dorsey says Trump ban was ‘right decision,’ but also a ‘failure’ Banning President Trump’s account was “the right decision for Twitter,” said CEO Jack Dorsey, though he added that it reflects on Twitter’s failure to promote healthy conversation. * World & Nation Defiance of coronavirus dining bans grows as restaurants flounder Diners sit at the Carver Hangar, a restaurant in Boring, Ore., on Jan. 6, 2021. As coronavirus deaths soar, a growing number of restaurants like Carver Hangar in states across the country are reopening in defiance of strict COVID-19 rules that have shut them down for indoor dining for weeks, or even months. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus) World & Nation Defiance of coronavirus dining bans grows as restaurants flounder A growing number of restaurants nationwide are opening for indoor dining in defiance of strict COVID-19 regulations in their states, saying they are targeted unfairly and are barely getting by. * Business Wall Street drifts higher; Treasury yields slow their rise Crude oil prices fell, pushing U.S. stocks down shortly after trading opened Monday. Business Wall Street drifts higher; Treasury yields slow their rise Stocks notched modest gains Wednesday following another choppy day of trading on Wall Street, leaving the market near its recent record highs. * Business Affirm’s stock almost doubles in debut after $1.2-billion IPO Yahoo has added former PayPal executive Max Levchin to its board in a bold move that makes it clearer than ever that the Internet pioneer is returning to its roots as a technology company under its new Chief Executive Marissa Mayer. Business Affirm’s stock almost doubles in debut after $1.2-billion IPO Affirm Holdings Inc. almost doubled in its public market debut, the latest multibillion-dollar technology company to start trading significantly higher than its initial public offering price. * World & Nation FAA to crack down on unruly airline passengers: ‘First strike and you’re out’ FILE - In this Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019 file photo, a United Airlines Boeing 737 Max airplane takes off in the rain at Renton Municipal Airport in Renton, Wash. Boeing improperly influenced a test designed to see how quickly pilots could respond to malfunctions on the Boeing 737 Max, and Federal Aviation Administration officials may have obstructed a review of two deadly crashes involving the plane, Senate investigators say. In a report released Friday, Dec. 18, 2020 the Senate Commerce Committee also said the FAA continues to retaliate against whistleblowers.(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File) World & Nation FAA to crack down on unruly airline passengers: ‘First strike and you’re out’ Airline passengers who disrupt flights “with threatening or violent behavior” won’t get warnings anymore, the FAA says. It plans to launch legal enforcement actions, with fines of up to to $35,000 and jail terms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (BUTTON) Advertisement Los Angeles Times Subscribe for unlimited access Follow Us * twitter * instagram * youtube * facebook * + eNewspaper + Coupons + Find/Post Jobs + Place an Ad + Media Kit: Why the L. A. Times? + Bestcovery * + Crossword + Sudoku + Obituaries + Podcasts + Recipes + Wine Club * + About/Contact + For the Record + L.A. 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Times Store * Second Opinion * Subscriptions (BUTTON) + Manage Subscription + EZPAY + Delivery Issue + eNewspaper + Students & Educators + Subscribe + Subscriber Terms + Manage Subscription + EZPAY + Delivery Issue + eNewspaper + Students & Educators + Subscribe + Subscriber Terms Copyright © 2021, Los Angeles Times | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | CA Notice of Collection | Do Not Sell My Personal Information (BUTTON) Sections Los Angeles Times * California * Entertainment * Sports * Food * Climate * Opinion * | * Place an Ad * Crossword * eNewspaper (BUTTON) Show Search ____________________Search Query (BUTTON) Submit Search Advertisement * Facebook * Twitter * Show more sharing options Share (BUTTON) Close extra sharing options * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * Email * Copy Link URLCopied! * Print Is it souped yet? By DAN NEIL May 12, 2004 12 AM * Facebook * Twitter * Show more sharing options Share (BUTTON) Close extra sharing options * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * Email * Copy Link URLCopied! * Print Sport compact “tuner” car culture -- a la “The Fast and the Furious” -- emerged in the mid-'90s when a generation of new drivers began fixing up their beloved first cars, mostly used Honda Civics, Preludes and Accords. These cars, while exceptionally sound mechanically, were about as sexy as corrective headgear. Kids wanting to invest these grotty hand-me-downs with some style and performance had to rely on their ingenuity, for the most part. High school auto shop classes became crowded with kids laying up their own fiberglass air dams, welding megaphonic extensions to tailpipes and taking cutting torches to springs. In this respect, sport-compact tuning materialized out of the same ether as hot rodding in the 1940s and ‘50s. Both were grass-roots, anarchic, existentially D.I.Y. Both began as eyeball engineering, where if something looked fast, then it was fast. And both movements quickly aroused vast, highly specialized industries to support them. By the late 1960s, hot rodders could draw from a pornocopia of high-performance goods found in the back pages of Hot Rod magazine or Hemmings Motor News; brands like Edlebrock, Hurst, Holley, Rochester and Flowmaster have become bits of gear-head Americana. Advertisement Likewise, current issues of Sport Compact Car magazine -- what Guns and Ammo is to the rifle-in-the-tower set -- are crowded with ads shilling everything from screaming “Stage III” turbochargers to carbon-fiber rear spoilers the size of blackjack tables. Some aftermarket companies are familiar, blue-chip firms like AP Racing, Eibach, Neuspeed and Momo. Some evolved out of racing, such as CompTech and NOS. Others are purely creatures of the tuner phenomenon, like Greddy, APC and Wings West. The sport-compact aftermarket is now worth more than $3.2-billion a year. The limiting factor to all this rampant prosperity is that relatively few people have the tools or know-how to properly modify modern cars. This is a key difference between hot rodding and tuning: Most tuning is not D.I.Y., but D.I.F.M., “do it for me.” Bad things happen when inexperienced hobbyists stuff leaf-blower turbochargers, lumpy cams and Taiwanese electronic control modules under the hood. Such monstrosities often detonate in festive clouds of carbon-fiber shrapnel. You may ask why anyone beyond a hormone-sotted teenager should care. It’s because the aftermarket is heading your way. This I predict: Very soon, car buyers will be able to choose from a punch-list of factory-approved tuner parts available through your local dealer -- HKS exhaust system? Check. Brembo brakes? Check -- and all conveniently installed and financed as part of the car’s purchase price. No tools, no mess, just a checkbook. Advertisement It seems inevitable: What began as a fringy, outlaw car hobby -- born in teenage status anxiety and bred in thousands of garages stinking of smoked pistons -- will go mainstream as part of an increasingly sophisticated array of dealer options. Why? Because that’s where the money is. It’s already happening. Toyota has its own aftermarket division, Toyota Racing Development, whose parts are sold through authorized dealers. You can now order its superchargers for most of the engines in Toyota’s paddock. The superchargers come with a one-year guarantee. If the dealer installs the unit, Toyota will honor the vehicle’s powertrain warranty. Is your 230-hp Dodge SRT-4 feeling a little limp? DaimlerChrysler’s Mopar division will soon offer, through its authorized dealers, a thermonuclear turbo upgrade that will raise the engine output to 300 hp and 300 pound-feet of torque. And last month, Ford Racing Performance Parts introduced its own catalog of aftermarket pieces for its Focus coupe, one of the best-handling and most popular hot hatches on the market. The “Fast Focus” wish-book offers everything from whiteface competition gauges and carbon-fiber shift knobs to a Jackson Racing supercharger kit, all available through Ford authorized dealers, with optional installation. Advertisement Mass customization: It’s not just an oxymoron anymore. I spent a couple of weeks recently in a Ford Focus SVT that had been breathed on by the folks at Ford and Roush Racing, using parts from the new Fast Focus catalog. It felt like the future. No screwy suspension geometry to make the car all wonky on straight roads. No strange noises or burning smells. The car felt bone-stock, only faster. The Focus is a leading contender in the FIA World Rally Championship, and our test car had a distinctly Euro flavor to it. The aggressive body cladding -- styled after the Focus Rally RS package -- looked like it had grown in place. The test car was kitted with the European Appearance package, including high-intensity discharge headlamps, mirrored tail lamps, moon roof, rib-gripping Recaro seats and a stereo system fully capable of making manhole covers jump from their sockets. With its glossy black wheels and glittering, prismatic eyes, the yellow car had the capricious malevolence of an angry bee. Advertisement The performance parts integrated seamlessly into the car. This car’s SVT engine -- a 2.0-liter Zetec four-banger -- had been fitted with the Jackson Supercharger. On the hot side of the engine, the car exhaled through a Borla cat-back system (a high-flow exhaust replacing the stock pieces from the catalytic converter back, for $479). Thus ventilated, the Focus gusted along on 220 horsepower, 50 more than the stock SVT and enough to slap-shot the car to 60 mph in just under seven seconds. Beneath its composite-panel petticoats, the Focus had been modified with a lowered sport suspension -- up-rated springs and struts -- and shod with the black-anodized 17-inch wheels. These pieces didn’t change the Focus SVT’s handling so much as scaled the limits upward. Grippy, balanced and easy to drive on the limit, the catalog-enhanced SVT negotiated the coils of the Angeles Crest like a bubble-shaped BMW. And there you have it: an off-the-shelf tuner car, no assembly required. There are some curiosities to report. The Jackson supercharger for the Focus SVT retails for $2,795 if ordered directly from the company. Ford charges an additional $305 for the same piece. Also, Jackson offers a one-year guarantee on the unit, while Ford makes no such offer. Such price premiums and stingy warranty policies may change as more of the automakers compete in the dealer-side aftermarket business. Advertisement Hot rodding was never quite co-opted by the major manufacturers, though before the first oil crunch of the early 1970s low-volume performance vehicles like the Corvette LT-1 and Pontiac GTO did vie for enthusiasts’ attention. As the automakers move further into the tuner aftermarket, something of the culture’s raw exuberance and wildcatting spirit is diminished. But the engineering is getting better. Will this underground hobby survive when it’s exposed to the sun? Stay tuned. * (BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX) Advertisement 2004 Ford Focus SVT Tuner Wheelbase: 103 inches Length: 168.1 inches Powertrain: 2.0-liter DOHC inline four-cylinder, supercharged, six-speed manual transmission, front-wheel drive Advertisement Optional equipment: European Appearance Package (sound system, Recaro seats ); Jackson Racing supercharger, Borla cat-back exhaust system, coilover suspension system, 17-inch rally wheels, Ford Racing floor mats Horsepower: approximately 220 at 7,000 rpm Acceleration: 0 to 60 mph in seven seconds Price, base: $18,590 Advertisement Price, as tested: $27,420 Automotive critic Dan Neil can be reached at dan.neil@latimes.com. __________________________________________________________________ Subscribers Are Reading * California California allows residents 65 and older to get COVID-19 vaccine, but doses remain limited Syringes containing the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine sit in a tray in a vaccination room at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) California California allows residents 65 and older to get COVID-19 vaccine, but doses remain limited Wait times for vaccines still could last weeks as counties struggle to keep up with demand. More Coverage How do I get my coronavirus vaccine if I’m 65 and older? Here is what we know Tracking the coronavirus in California * California California exodus intensifies as retirees, teachers, musicians seek cheaper, less-crowded pastures SAN MARINO, CA - DECEMBER 16: Andrew Kindler is photographed inside his garage at his home in San Marino next to packed boxes and items to be packed for an upcoming move to a new home in Northern Scottsdale, Arizona. Kindler and his wife Jo Anne are leaving California for a variety of reasons including higher taxes, anticipated future loss of property value, and declining quality of life. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) California California exodus intensifies as retirees, teachers, musicians seek cheaper, less-crowded pastures What do an actress, musician, aerospace engineer and teacher have in common? They all left the Golden State amid the pandemic. * Travel The 120-mile zone: 8 day trips that fit California COVID guidelines City Hall in Pasadena on Aug. 12, 2013. Travel The 120-mile zone: 8 day trips that fit California COVID guidelines Californians are being asked to go no farther than 120 miles from home. Here are places that keep you within that limit. * Awards Sacha Baron Cohen moves the needle of history with ‘Borat,’ ‘Chicago 7' Actor Sacha Baron Cohen Awards Sacha Baron Cohen moves the needle of history with ‘Borat,’ ‘Chicago 7' From the Trump-taunting Borat to his subversive Abbie Hoffman, Sacha Baron Cohen is a modern revolutionary More Coverage Review: Sacha Baron Cohen takes on Trump and coronavirus in clever, scattershot ‘Borat’ sequel Maria Bakalova on empowerment, Rudy Giuliani and the risky business of ‘Borat’ * Science These researchers predicted California’s COVID-19 surge. Here’s when they think it will end A COVID-19 patient is treated in the ICU at Loma Linda University Medical Center. Science These researchers predicted California’s COVID-19 surge. Here’s when they think it will end Researchers share which numbers they’re watching to forecast when California’s deadly COVID-19 surge will end. More Coverage COVID-19 continues to pummel crowded Bay Area ERs and things could only get worse Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (BUTTON) Advertisement Los Angeles Times Subscribe for unlimited access Follow Us * twitter * instagram * youtube * facebook * + eNewspaper + Coupons + Find/Post Jobs + Place an Ad + Media Kit: Why the L. A. Times? + Bestcovery * + Crossword + Sudoku + Obituaries + Podcasts + Recipes + Wine Club * + About/Contact + For the Record + L.A. Times Careers + Manage Subscription + Reprints and Permissions + Site Map Copyright © 2021, Los Angeles Times | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | CA Notice of Collection | Do Not Sell My Personal Information * Business * California * Climate & Environment * Entertainment & Arts * En Español * Food * Hot Property * Housing & Homelessness * Lifestyle * Obituaries * Opinion * Politics * Science * Sports * Travel * World & Nation * _________________ * About Us (BUTTON) + About Us + Archives + Company News + For the Record + Got a Tip? + L.A. Times Careers + L.A. Times Store + Newsroom Directory + Reprints, Rights & Permissions + About Us + Archives + Company News + For the Record + Got a Tip? + L.A. Times Careers + L.A. Times Store + Newsroom Directory + Reprints, Rights & Permissions * Advertising (BUTTON) + Place an Ad + Classifieds + People on the Move + Find/Post Jobs + Local Ads Marketplace + Media Kit: Why the L.A. Times? + Hot Property Sections + Place an Open House + Sotheby’s International Realty + Place an Ad + Classifieds + People on the Move + Find/Post Jobs + Local Ads Marketplace + Media Kit: Why the L.A. Times? + Hot Property Sections + Place an Open House + Sotheby’s International Realty * Brand Publishing * Crossword & Games * L.A. Times Events * L.A. Times News Platforms (BUTTON) + Audio Briefs for Smart Speakers + L.A. Times En Español + eNewspaper + News App: Apple IOS + News App: Google Play + Newsletters + Podcasts + Video + YouTube + Audio Briefs for Smart Speakers + L.A. Times En Español + eNewspaper + News App: Apple IOS + News App: Google Play + Newsletters + Podcasts + Video + YouTube * L.A. Times Store * Second Opinion * Subscriptions (BUTTON) + Manage Subscription + EZPAY + Delivery Issue + eNewspaper + Students & Educators + Subscribe + Subscriber Terms + Manage Subscription + EZPAY + Delivery Issue + eNewspaper + Students & Educators + Subscribe + Subscriber Terms Copyright © 2021, Los Angeles Times | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | CA Notice of Collection | Do Not Sell My Personal Information (BUTTON) Sections Los Angeles Times * California * Entertainment * Sports * Food * Climate * Opinion * | * Place an Ad * Crossword * eNewspaper (BUTTON) Show Search ____________________Search Query (BUTTON) Submit Search Advertisement * Facebook * Twitter * Show more sharing options Share (BUTTON) Close extra sharing options * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * Email * Copy Link URLCopied! * Print Business Mod shop creates brutish Cadillac with more than 1,000 horsepower By W.J. Hennigan Sep. 6, 2012 12 AM * Facebook * Twitter * Show more sharing options Share (BUTTON) Close extra sharing options * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * Email * Copy Link URLCopied! * Print There aren’t many cars on the market today that can line up against this Cadillac in a drag race and run with it. Yes. You read that right. Hennessey Performance Engineering in Sealy, Texas, has turned out a heavily modified, turbocharged 2012 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe that’s designed to dust nearly all the supercars that are out there. The car, dubbed 2013 VR1200 Twin Turbo Coupe, is the latest from Hennessey, the auto tuning company that modifies and creates high-powered cars. Advertisement Hennessey swapped out the Caddy’s stock supercharged 6.2 liter V-8 engine and instead installed a twin turbocharged 7.0 liter V-8 engine. With the upgrade, the company expects the car to kick out more than 1,226 brake horsepower. Hennessey calls it the “most powerful four-seat vehicle available on the market.” And it just may be. Check out these numbers: According to Hennessey, the Caddy is expected to zip from zero to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds; finish a quarter-mile drag race in 10.2 seconds; and have a top speed of 242 mph. The cost? $295,000 plus shipping. Advertisement “I’ve owned several Cadillac CTS-Vs over the past few years,” John Hennessey, company founder, in a statement. “But I wanted to build something really special and much more powerful.” So one day, while testing the company’s 1,244-horsepower Venom GT, he thought “it would be fun to have a larger version of our supercar.” Thus, the VR1200 Twin Turbo was born. Hennessey widened the rear of the vehicle by 7 inches and the front by 3 inches. There are stylistic upgrades, as well, including a extractor hood, rear fender flares and 20-inch rims. Advertisement But, if you’re looking to buy one, Hennessey said it limited production to just 12 cars. And three have already been spoken for. Hennessey has been in business in Texas since 1991. Last month, the company expanded its business to Southern California when it added a new facility in Lake Forest. ALSO: Toyota Auris ad shows -- what, a topless bikini model?!? Advertisement Rare Green Hornet Shelby Mustang to hit auction block UAW lauds Obama for bailout at DNC even as union’s clout fades Follow W.J. Hennigan on Twitter or Google+ __________________________________________________________________ Business W.J. Hennigan W.J. Hennigan covered the Pentagon and national security issues from Washington, D.C., before leaving the Los Angeles Times bureau in November 2017. While there, he reported on war, counter-terrorism, and the lives of American service members from more than two dozen countries and previously covered the aerospace and defense industry from Los Angeles. Hennigan earned awards from the National Press Club, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, and was a contributor to the Los Angeles Times coverage of the terror attacks in San Bernardino that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2016. More From the Los Angeles Times * Business Column: Trump launches sneaky 11th-hour attacks on clean air, Medicaid, LGBTQ people FILE - In this March 22, 2017 file photo, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Seema Verma listen at right as President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. The Trump administration says it's offering a path for states that want to seek work requirements for Medicaid recipients, and that's a major policy shift toward low-income people. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) Business Column: Trump launches sneaky 11th-hour attacks on clean air, Medicaid, LGBTQ people Trump’s last-minute vandalism takes aim at clean air rules, Medicaid and anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people and other vulnerable Americans. * Hot Property Tim Tebow passes Jacksonville home for $1.4 million The brick-clad two-story features a motor court in front and a dining gazebo out back that descends to a pond. Hot Property Tim Tebow passes Jacksonville home for $1.4 million In his hometown of Jacksonville, former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow has sold his waterfront home for $1.4 million — the same price he paid in 2014. * Business A house in one state, a spouse in another. What about taxes? LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 28: A "For Sale" sign is posted at a home on August 28, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. According to reports single-family home prices rose more than expected in June for the fifth consecutive month. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** Business A house in one state, a spouse in another. What about taxes? A two-state couple with a house is confused where the primary residence is for taxes; getting a home value when a spouse dies; home sales and Medicare. * World & Nation Tensions with China rise over new U.S. ban on cotton from Xinjiang Murals on the walls of a village near Korla, Xinjiang, showed women bursting out of dark veils into colorful clothing. Another mural that minders obstructed the Times from photographing showed a large axe chopping Uighurs holding a flag associated with the region's independence into pieces. World & Nation Tensions with China rise over new U.S. ban on cotton from Xinjiang China demands that the U.S. drop a ban on cotton and tomato from Xinjiang, slamming reports that Muslim Uighurs produce them by forced labor. Coronavirus and Pandemic * Politics Biden to unveil coronavirus action plan, doubling down on masks and social distancing FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2021, file photo, President-elect Joe Biden speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. A coronavirus action plan fromBiden centers on a mass vaccination campaign and closer coordination among all levels of government. The Biden plan comes as a divided nation remains caught in the grip of the pandemic’s most dangerous wave yet. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Politics Biden to unveil coronavirus action plan, doubling down on masks and social distancing A plan for tackling the pandemic from President-elect Joe Biden centers on a mass vaccination campaign and closer coordination among all levels of government. * World & Nation WHO researchers arrive in Wuhan to investigate coronavirus origins A worker in protective coverings directs members of the World Health Organization (WHO) team on their arrival at the airport in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. A global team of researchers arrived Thursday in the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic was first detected to conduct a politically sensitive investigation into its origins amid uncertainty about whether Beijing might try to prevent embarrassing discoveries. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) World & Nation WHO researchers arrive in Wuhan to investigate coronavirus origins International researchers have arrived in Wuhan, China, to investigate the coronavirus’ origins amid fears of potential interference from Beijing. * California Californians paying price for chaotic rollout of coronavirus vaccine, experts say LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 28: Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) personnel receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccination at LAFD Station 4 on Monday, Dec. 28, 2020 in Los Angeles, CA. Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti and Ralph M. Terrazas, Fire Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), were there to observe the rollout of the vaccination program. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) California Californians paying price for chaotic rollout of coronavirus vaccine, experts say Health experts decry the chaotic rollout of the vaccine, but government says progress is on the way. * California Deaths among Latinos in L.A. County from COVID-19 rising at astonishing levels LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 17: Elizabeth Garibay, 43, prepares a floral cross for a funeral at her family business J & I Florist on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020 in Los Angeles, CA. With business down more than 50%, Elizabeth Garibay, 43, spends most of every day hoping customers will walk into the shop while her three children attend online classes in the back. Her husband was arrested and deported during a check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement last December. Elizabeth now runs the business by herself while taking care of her three children. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) California Deaths among Latinos in L.A. County from COVID-19 rising at astonishing levels As the coronavirus spreads relentlessly through Los Angeles County, poor neighborhoods and the region’s Latino and Black communities continue to bear the brunt of illness and death, according to data released Wednesday. * California ICU capacity in California California ICU capacity in California IFRAME: coronavirus-cases-statewide Advertisement Latest Business * Technology Twitter’s Jack Dorsey says Trump ban was ‘right decision,’ but also a ‘failure’ FILE - In this June 7, 2019, file photo, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey leaves after his talk with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Twitter shares rose Monday, March 2, 2020, following reports an activist investor took a stake in the social media service and plans to push for changes. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File) Technology Twitter’s Jack Dorsey says Trump ban was ‘right decision,’ but also a ‘failure’ Banning President Trump’s account was “the right decision for Twitter,” said CEO Jack Dorsey, though he added that it reflects on Twitter’s failure to promote healthy conversation. * World & Nation Defiance of coronavirus dining bans grows as restaurants flounder Diners sit at the Carver Hangar, a restaurant in Boring, Ore., on Jan. 6, 2021. As coronavirus deaths soar, a growing number of restaurants like Carver Hangar in states across the country are reopening in defiance of strict COVID-19 rules that have shut them down for indoor dining for weeks, or even months. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus) World & Nation Defiance of coronavirus dining bans grows as restaurants flounder A growing number of restaurants nationwide are opening for indoor dining in defiance of strict COVID-19 regulations in their states, saying they are targeted unfairly and are barely getting by. * Business Wall Street drifts higher; Treasury yields slow their rise Crude oil prices fell, pushing U.S. stocks down shortly after trading opened Monday. Business Wall Street drifts higher; Treasury yields slow their rise Stocks notched modest gains Wednesday following another choppy day of trading on Wall Street, leaving the market near its recent record highs. * Business Affirm’s stock almost doubles in debut after $1.2-billion IPO Yahoo has added former PayPal executive Max Levchin to its board in a bold move that makes it clearer than ever that the Internet pioneer is returning to its roots as a technology company under its new Chief Executive Marissa Mayer. Business Affirm’s stock almost doubles in debut after $1.2-billion IPO Affirm Holdings Inc. almost doubled in its public market debut, the latest multibillion-dollar technology company to start trading significantly higher than its initial public offering price. * World & Nation FAA to crack down on unruly airline passengers: ‘First strike and you’re out’ FILE - In this Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019 file photo, a United Airlines Boeing 737 Max airplane takes off in the rain at Renton Municipal Airport in Renton, Wash. Boeing improperly influenced a test designed to see how quickly pilots could respond to malfunctions on the Boeing 737 Max, and Federal Aviation Administration officials may have obstructed a review of two deadly crashes involving the plane, Senate investigators say. In a report released Friday, Dec. 18, 2020 the Senate Commerce Committee also said the FAA continues to retaliate against whistleblowers.(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File) World & Nation FAA to crack down on unruly airline passengers: ‘First strike and you’re out’ Airline passengers who disrupt flights “with threatening or violent behavior” won’t get warnings anymore, the FAA says. It plans to launch legal enforcement actions, with fines of up to to $35,000 and jail terms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (BUTTON) Advertisement Los Angeles Times Subscribe for unlimited access Follow Us * twitter * instagram * youtube * facebook * + eNewspaper + Coupons + Find/Post Jobs + Place an Ad + Media Kit: Why the L. A. Times? + Bestcovery * + Crossword + Sudoku + Obituaries + Podcasts + Recipes + Wine Club * + About/Contact + For the Record + L.A. Times Careers + Manage Subscription + Reprints and Permissions + Site Map Copyright © 2021, Los Angeles Times | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | CA Notice of Collection | Do Not Sell My Personal Information SUBSCRIBE Autos Top 10 most annoying new car features Paul Dolan The Point of Interest function on navigation systems is the most annoying and antiquated feature for Tribune Autos Editor Robert Duffer. The Point of Interest function on navigation systems is the most annoying and antiquated feature for Tribune Autos Editor Robert Duffer. (Paul Dolan) David ThomasCars.com Every year, we test hundreds of new cars on all types of roads in all kinds of weather. During that time we develop some deep-seated animosity toward certain features, even those that you might not expect. Here are our top 10 most annoying new car features. 10. Small side mirrors Some editors nitpick about blind spots, but for most of us good side mirrors do the trick when making a lane change. That's why when we test a car with miniscule mirrors, we start getting annoyed. When you can't see much of the abutting lane in the mirror you must rely on the over-the-shoulder glance, and you better not be in a sports car, which are notorious for bad visibility. 9. Car alarms Car alarms serve a specific purpose; they're intended to shoo away car thieves. However, in today's world, most people tune out these blaring sirens and flashing lights assuming that the car alarm is malfunctioning, the car is getting towed or someone with a really loud stereo drove by. Basically, they think it's anything but a theft. 8. Voice commands Talking to a computer has been a dream of science fiction since "2001" ... the movie, not the year. Now, nearly every automaker has some sort of voice-controlled system available where you can touch a button and then give a voice command to the car's onboard computer to execute without taking a hand off the steering wheel. There's just one Hal-like issue here: These systems often don't understand what you're saying. That, or the command you give must follow a very specific formula that never sounds quite as good as "Tea, Earl Grey, hot." Cars.com rolled out a new website this week, folding the outdated Kicking Tires blog into a news section on the Cars.com host site. “The people interested in our news are now getting the full Cars.com experience,” said managing editor David Thomas. “It’s been well over a year in the making.” It’s... 7. Auto stop-start Saving gas is a priority for many drivers and almost every automaker. One approach that engineers have found to boost fuel economy is with an automatic stop-start function that cuts the engine when you come to a stop. It's great in theory, but it can be annoying in practice. Some cars manage a somewhat smooth stop, while others ... not so much. It's especially annoying when your high-powered German sport sedan rumbles up to the stoplight, and you're looking good and feeling good behind the wheel, then all of a sudden there's a dramatic shudder and that rumble disappears. It's deflating, to be sure. 6. Square cupholders emember the last time you bought a bottle of Fiji water and thought, "I wonder why only one company makes a square bottle?" Well, designers of car cupholders must think they're common because there are more than a few cars on the road forgoing round receptacles for square ones, including late-model Subarus. 5. Giant key fobs Car keys that actually get inserted into an ignition switch are slowly disappearing, replaced by a key fob that can electronically start the car even if it is in your purse or pocket. That we like. While those carrying purses might not mind a large fob that is easy to locate, those drivers who have to put them in their pockets likely don't appreciate giant fobs that bulge out of even non-skinny jeans. Automakers like Ford and Kia are the serious offenders here. 4. Navigation systems that lock out passengers In the age of driver distraction, it makes sense for a navigation system to lock a driver out of certain functions, like entering a destination address. However, this lockout is in place when a passenger wants to help out, too. Wouldn't it be great to hop in the car with your co-pilot and start driving right away while he or she starts typing in a destination? Nope, you'll have to keep it in Park and waste precious minutes ... and don't get us started on what happens if a new destination pops into your mind while you're en route. Your passenger will whip out a smartphone app, lickety-split. 3. Touch-screen stereo tuning buttons In some cars tuning the radio station via a button--whether a physical one or on a touch-screen--is no big deal, but in many it is a royal pain. Especially when you just want to flip to a station to get a traffic report. Using a knob or dial will get you there quickly; using a button can sometimes require a push of that button to go past every increment on the radio spectrum, one push to go from 101.1 to 101.2 and on and on. 2. Touch-screen-dependent controls One thing almost everyone likes is a big, beautiful touch-screen in the middle of their dash. They're terrific for viewing maps, album artwork, etc. But we can't stand when a car requires you to use the touch-screen to control a simple function like, let's say, adjusting where the air conditioning hits your body. Yes, we're looking at you, Chrysler. 1. Touch-sensitive controls As car reviewers, we have railed against the increased use of touch-sensitive controls - electronic "buttons" that have no actual physical button to press - since their earliest incarnation. Consumers complained too, and we're seeing these buttonless buttons drop like flies. Copyright © 2021, Chicago Tribune * Voice recognition, phone connectivity fail new car owners * Stories on semi-autonomous and self-driving car technology * BREAKING NEWS * TRENDING STORIES * ABOUT US * CONTACT US * ABOUT OUR ADS * TERMS * PRIVACY * DO NOT SELL MY INFO You've reached your monthly free article limit. Get Unlimited Digital Access 4 weeks for only 99¢ Subscribe Now Cancel Anytime * Enjoy full access to chicagotribune.com * Download our app for breaking news alerts & more * Read the eNewspaper, a daily digital edition Already have digital access? Log in Log out Print subscriber? Activate digital access News TUNING UP YOUR AUTOMOBILE KNOWLEDGE CHICAGO TRIBUNE ''A man`s car breaks down, he thinks he can fix it. A woman`s car breaks down, and she fears she`ll be stranded,'' says Pat Lazzaro, a race car driver and mechanic. The difference is familiarity with the inner workings of the car, and for many women, their autos remain mysterious. That can be a problem at the repair shop as well. The following guide offers tips that will make you a more confident consumer. Need to know - Twenty-eight percent of women polled by Automotive Marketing magazine said they are solely responsible for every facet of their cars, including maintenance. - Sixty-six percent of respondents to the same survey said they were the primary individuals who maintained their cars. - Women service their cars more often than men, an average of 3.8 times a year. Be prepared A smart approach to caring for your car. - Get to know the car manual. It contains important operation, safety and maintenance information, it will help you become familiar with automotive terms. If the manual is lost, a new one can be ordered from the dealer. - Develop a relationship with a mechanic so that he or she can be ordered from a dealer. - Develop a relationship with a mechanic so that he or she can get to know your driving habits. - Pay attention to significant changes in your car`s performance and seek professional advice before a minor problem becomes a major one. Getting the job done Tips on dealing with auto repair professionals. - Insist on a written estimate for all work to be done. - Require a mechanic to get your OK before performing any work not covered in the estimate. - Ask for the old parts when things need replacing. This is your proof that new parts actually were installed. If you are unhappy with the work you can take the old parts to another mechanic for a second opinion. - Check with the Better Business Bureau for complaints against the repair shop you select. Report any bad experiences you may have to the BBB for the benefit of future customers. What it means - Bleeding the brakes: Process of removing air from the brake lines of a hydraulic-brake system. - Carburetor: Device that mixes gasoline with air in correct proportions for combustion. - Detonation/Knocking: Rapid, rattling combustion produced by low-octane gasoline igniting too violently. - Fuel injection: Carburetorless fuel system that sprays a programmed amount of fuel into the intake manifold of the engine. - Octane rating: Gasoline`s ability to resist detonation, determined by the quantity of antiknock substances blended into it. The higher the number, the greater that fuel`s ability to resist detonation. - Solenoid: Electromagnetic coil used to activate mechanical or electrical mechanisms. - Vapor lock: Vaporization of fuel within a fuel line that impedes its flow to the carburetor. - Wheel balance: Distribution of weight within a wheel and tire assembly; a balanced wheel rotates without vibration. Maintenance schedule - Adhere to the maintenance schedule found in the owner`s manual. It will recommend intervals at which routine maintenance should be performed on your car. - Keep all records, receipts and warranties for work done in your vehicle. Check every week 1. OIL LEVEL: Use the deep stick to check the oil level. The dip stick has the markings FULL and ADD OIL. The oil should be at a level between these two markings. Also check the color of the oil. If the oil is very dark it should be changed. 2. WINDSHIELD-WIPER FLUID: Keep a gallon container of windshield-wiper fluid in the trunk so the fluid container can be refilled periodically. This is especially important in cold-weather months, when spray from the road can impair your view. 3. ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL: When the engine heats up, the engine coolant expands and flows into a translucent plastic bottle near the radiator. When the engine is hot, the coolant level should be near the maximum marking. When the engine is cool, the coolant not be any lower than the minimum marking. If you vehicle is low on coolant, add a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water to the plastic container. 4. FLUID LEAKS: Check for signs of coolant and oil leaks around the engine. Watch for spots of oil (black) and antifreeze coolant (a green wet spot) under the car. Antifreeze coolant is toxic and should be cleaned up immediately. 5. BATTERY CONDITION: Most modern batteries are sealed, so there is no need to add water to maintain them. Check the reading on the sight glass located on top of the battery. The battery is fully charged if a green ball appears in the sight glass. Any reading other than green indicates there is a problem. Quick tip - Attend a free clinic on car care. Many car dealers offer these periodically. - Consider one of the many classes offered by adult-education programs. These are generally geared toward novices. - In addition to the car`s manual, read up on auto repair books such as ''Auto Repair for Women'' by Lynn St. James. Such books are available at most bookstores and libraries. The Better Business Bureau reported more than 19,000 complaints against auto repair facilites nationally in 1990. Chicago Tribune/Steve Little, Annette Ney Meade Sources: Better Business Bureau, Bridgestone, Pat Lazzaro, Oldsmobile owner`s manual * [70x70] At least 106 people shot, 14 fatally, in Chicago weekend violence * Watch live: Gov. J.B. Pritzker gives a coronavirus update * [70x70] After Twitter outcry, 5 women detail Chris D’Elia’s alleged sexual improprieties Copyright © 2021, Chicago Tribune __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ * Sports * Breaking * Business * Opinion * Entertainment * Suburbs * En Español 33° Skip to content (BUTTON) Sections xml:space="preserve"> ____________________ (BUTTON) __________________________________________________________________ (BUTTON) Search xml:space="preserve"> ____________________ (BUTTON) (BUTTON) * The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. * A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why * Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras * Column: I took part in a pro-Trump attack on the US Capitol and now I have to face consequences? That’s tyranny! Column: I took part in a pro-Trump attack on the US Capitol and now I have to face consequences? That’s tyranny! * Pruning shrubs in winter can pay off big for gardens come spring Pruning shrubs in winter can pay off big for gardens come spring * Feds say Chicago man charged with entering US Capitol during attack posted photo outside Nancy Pelosi’s office Feds say Chicago man charged with entering US Capitol during attack posted photo outside Nancy Pelosi’s office * Michael Madigan’s decadeslong grip on Illinois ends as House Democrats make Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch state’s first Black speaker Michael Madigan’s decadeslong grip on Illinois ends as House Democrats make Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch state’s first Black speaker * Ask Amy: Mask request brings on ridiculous reactions Ask Amy: Mask request brings on ridiculous reactions * Prosecutors say Kyle Rittenhouse flashed sign adopted by racists, seek to ban him from bars, drinking Prosecutors say Kyle Rittenhouse flashed sign adopted by racists, seek to ban him from bars, drinking * Lisa Montgomery executed, the first woman put to death by US government since 1953 Lisa Montgomery executed, the first woman put to death by US government since 1953 * Ryan Pace is on the hunt for a starting quarterback for the 4th time as Chicago Bears GM — but the team believes his ‘collaboration’ with Matt Nagy will result in the right player this time Ryan Pace is on the hunt for a starting quarterback for the 4th time as Chicago Bears GM — but the team believes his ‘collaboration’ with Matt Nagy will result in the right player this time * Layoffs hit Bolingbrook-based Ulta Beauty as makeup sales remain sluggish during pandemic Layoffs hit Bolingbrook-based Ulta Beauty as makeup sales remain sluggish during pandemic * Some at-risk older citizens in Chicago could start getting vaccines next week, city’s public health commissioner says Some at-risk older citizens in Chicago could start getting vaccines next week, city’s public health commissioner says * Companies are dumping Trump brand in wake of Capitol insurrection. But can Chicago shed Trump Tower’s giant sign? Companies are dumping Trump brand in wake of Capitol insurrection. But can Chicago shed Trump Tower’s giant sign? * Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch, Madigan’s successor as Illinois House speaker, faces questions about his treatment of women Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch, Madigan’s successor as Illinois House speaker, faces questions about his treatment of women (BUTTON) * Autos Top 10 most annoying new car features By DAVID THOMAS Cars.com | Mar 17, 2015 at 9:46 AM (BUTTON) (BUTTON) The Point of Interest function on navigation systems is the most annoying and antiquated feature for Tribune Autos Editor Robert Duffer. The Point of Interest function on navigation systems is the most annoying and antiquated feature for Tribune Autos Editor Robert Duffer. (Paul Dolan) Every year, we test hundreds of new cars on all types of roads in all kinds of weather. During that time we develop some deep-seated animosity toward certain features, even those that you might not expect. Here are our top 10 most annoying new car features. 10. Small side mirrors Some editors nitpick about blind spots, but for most of us good side mirrors do the trick when making a lane change. That's why when we test a car with miniscule mirrors, we start getting annoyed. When you can't see much of the abutting lane in the mirror you must rely on the over-the-shoulder glance, and you better not be in a sports car, which are notorious for bad visibility. 9. Car alarms Car alarms serve a specific purpose; they're intended to shoo away car thieves. However, in today's world, most people tune out these blaring sirens and flashing lights assuming that the car alarm is malfunctioning, the car is getting towed or someone with a really loud stereo drove by. Basically, they think it's anything but a theft. [Most read] The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. » 8. Voice commands Talking to a computer has been a dream of science fiction since "2001" ... the movie, not the year. Now, nearly every automaker has some sort of voice-controlled system available where you can touch a button and then give a voice command to the car's onboard computer to execute without taking a hand off the steering wheel. There's just one Hal-like issue here: These systems often don't understand what you're saying. That, or the command you give must follow a very specific formula that never sounds quite as good as "Tea, Earl Grey, hot." 7. Auto stop-start Saving gas is a priority for many drivers and almost every automaker. One approach that engineers have found to boost fuel economy is with an automatic stop-start function that cuts the engine when you come to a stop. It's great in theory, but it can be annoying in practice. Some cars manage a somewhat smooth stop, while others ... not so much. It's especially annoying when your high-powered German sport sedan rumbles up to the stoplight, and you're looking good and feeling good behind the wheel, then all of a sudden there's a dramatic shudder and that rumble disappears. It's deflating, to be sure. 6. Square cupholders [Most read] A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why » emember the last time you bought a bottle of Fiji water and thought, "I wonder why only one company makes a square bottle?" Well, designers of car cupholders must think they're common because there are more than a few cars on the road forgoing round receptacles for square ones, including late-model Subarus. 5. Giant key fobs Car keys that actually get inserted into an ignition switch are slowly disappearing, replaced by a key fob that can electronically start the car even if it is in your purse or pocket. That we like. While those carrying purses might not mind a large fob that is easy to locate, those drivers who have to put them in their pockets likely don't appreciate giant fobs that bulge out of even non-skinny jeans. Automakers like Ford and Kia are the serious offenders here. 4. Navigation systems that lock out passengers In the age of driver distraction, it makes sense for a navigation system to lock a driver out of certain functions, like entering a destination address. However, this lockout is in place when a passenger wants to help out, too. Wouldn't it be great to hop in the car with your co-pilot and start driving right away while he or she starts typing in a destination? Nope, you'll have to keep it in Park and waste precious minutes ... and don't get us started on what happens if a new destination pops into your mind while you're en route. Your passenger will whip out a smartphone app, lickety-split. [Most read] Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras » 3. Touch-screen stereo tuning buttons In some cars tuning the radio station via a button--whether a physical one or on a touch-screen--is no big deal, but in many it is a royal pain. Especially when you just want to flip to a station to get a traffic report. Using a knob or dial will get you there quickly; using a button can sometimes require a push of that button to go past every increment on the radio spectrum, one push to go from 101.1 to 101.2 and on and on. 2. Touch-screen-dependent controls One thing almost everyone likes is a big, beautiful touch-screen in the middle of their dash. They're terrific for viewing maps, album artwork, etc. But we can't stand when a car requires you to use the touch-screen to control a simple function like, let's say, adjusting where the air conditioning hits your body. Yes, we're looking at you, Chrysler. 1. Touch-sensitive controls As car reviewers, we have railed against the increased use of touch-sensitive controls - electronic "buttons" that have no actual physical button to press - since their earliest incarnation. Consumers complained too, and we're seeing these buttonless buttons drop like flies. * Automotive Industry Latest Autos * + Autos Motormouth: A solar battery charger Jan 13, 2021 Motormouth: A solar battery charger * + Autos Hyundai, Ford F-150, Mustang Mach-E take North American Car, Truck, Utility of Year Awards Jan 12, 2021 Hyundai, Ford F-150, Mustang Mach-E take North American Car, Truck, Utility of Year Awards * + Autos Carmakers put their biggest faces forward Jan 10, 2021 Carmakers put their biggest faces forward Most Read on Chicago Tribune * + Coronavirus A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why Jan 7, 2021 A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why * + Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. Jan 13, 2021 The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. * + Politics Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras Jan 13, 2021 Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras CONNECT * (BUTTON) * (BUTTON) * (BUTTON) * (BUTTON) TRIBUNE PUBLISHING * New York Daily News * Orlando Sentinel * The Morning Call of Pa. * Daily Press of Va. * The Daily Meal * The Baltimore Sun * Sun Sentinel of Fla. * Hartford Courant * The Virginian-Pilot * BestReviews COMPANY INFO * Careers * Privacy Policy * Archives * Manage Web Notifications * Do Not Sell My Personal Information * About us * Terms of Service * Contact us * FAQ * Media kit Copyright © 2021, Chicago Tribune Skip to content (BUTTON) Sections xml:space="preserve"> ____________________ (BUTTON) __________________________________________________________________ (BUTTON) Search xml:space="preserve"> ____________________ (BUTTON) (BUTTON) * The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. * A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why * Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras * Column: I took part in a pro-Trump attack on the US Capitol and now I have to face consequences? That’s tyranny! Column: I took part in a pro-Trump attack on the US Capitol and now I have to face consequences? That’s tyranny! * Pruning shrubs in winter can pay off big for gardens come spring Pruning shrubs in winter can pay off big for gardens come spring * Michael Madigan’s decadeslong grip on Illinois ends as House Democrats make Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch state’s first Black speaker Michael Madigan’s decadeslong grip on Illinois ends as House Democrats make Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch state’s first Black speaker * Feds say Chicago man charged with entering US Capitol during attack posted photo outside Nancy Pelosi’s office Feds say Chicago man charged with entering US Capitol during attack posted photo outside Nancy Pelosi’s office * Ask Amy: Mask request brings on ridiculous reactions Ask Amy: Mask request brings on ridiculous reactions * Prosecutors say Kyle Rittenhouse flashed sign adopted by racists, seek to ban him from bars, drinking Prosecutors say Kyle Rittenhouse flashed sign adopted by racists, seek to ban him from bars, drinking * Column: Does Trump impeachment heal a divided and angry nation? * Layoffs hit Bolingbrook-based Ulta Beauty as makeup sales remain sluggish during pandemic Layoffs hit Bolingbrook-based Ulta Beauty as makeup sales remain sluggish during pandemic * Some at-risk older citizens in Chicago could start getting vaccines next week, city’s public health commissioner says Some at-risk older citizens in Chicago could start getting vaccines next week, city’s public health commissioner says * Lisa Montgomery executed, the first woman put to death by US government since 1953 Lisa Montgomery executed, the first woman put to death by US government since 1953 * Column: ‘Have we gotten the quarterback situation completely right? No. Have we won enough games? No. Everything else is there.’ The Chicago Bears’ self-evaluation raises new questions. Column: ‘Have we gotten the quarterback situation completely right? No. Have we won enough games? No. Everything else is there.’ The Chicago Bears’ self-evaluation raises new questions. * Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch, Madigan’s successor as Illinois House speaker, faces questions about his treatment of women Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch, Madigan’s successor as Illinois House speaker, faces questions about his treatment of women (BUTTON) * BMW * Winter Park * Kissimmee Central Florida meetup collabs coffee and cars Ryan Gillespie By Ryan Gillespie Orlando Sentinel | Jan 11, 2018 at 4:45 PM (BUTTON) (BUTTON) WINTER PARK – Among throngs of high-performance and souped-up automobiles, Eric Nadeau and his son Bryce still found a way to stand out. When they rolled into the parking lot for the monthly Orlando Cars & Coffee meetup, their pint-sized Nissan Figaro captured eyes, and a crowd formed around the duo. “This is the first time we’ve really had it out anywhere, and we’re really excited to show it off,” said Eric Nadeau of his recent purchase at Mecum Auction in Kissimmee. “This is definitely something unique.” It was among the dozens cars on display Sunday at morning in the parking lot at Donut Central and Fuelpresso in Winter Park. The group has held its monthly meetup at the shop at Semoran Boulevard and Aloma Avenue. The pale-blue car is a right-hand drive car – which he jokingly says has caused confusion when triggering his windshield wipers and turn signals – and the radio scanner only reaches those broadcasting below 90 megahertz. The family went to the Mecum Auction looking for something different, and when he saw the 1991 Figaro, he knew he found his next vehicle. “I was the highest bidder or the most foolish you might say,” said Eric Nadeau, who works as Chief Financial Officer of Foundry Commercial. “My son is going to turn 15 this month and it’s time for a [learner’s] permit. [It has] 74 horsepower and no back seat, so I know he’s not going to be running around with his friends.” Eric Nadeau and son Bryce, show their recently acquired 1991 Nissan Figaro at the Orlando Cars and Coffee meetup Sunday morning. Sunday, January 14, 2018. (Sarah Espedido/Orlando Sentinel)User Upload Caption: os-winter-park-coffee-cars-20180111 Eric Nadeau and son Bryce, show their recently acquired 1991 Nissan Figaro at the Orlando Cars and Coffee meetup Sunday morning. Sunday, January 14, 2018. (Sarah Espedido/Orlando Sentinel)User Upload Caption: os-winter-park-coffee-cars-20180111 (Sarah Espedido / Orlando Sentinel) Such scenes are why Stewart Sensor started the monthly morning meetup about five years ago. A lifelong car enthusiast, he first founded the group after he was tired of driving to Tampa for another Cars & Coffee. At its most popular, his Osceola County meetups peaked at about 1,000 cars, he said. In Winter Park, where they’ve met since October, the attendance is smaller. But what they draw is a family friendly crowd of motorheads, many in their 20s and 30s. “[We] get the enthusiasts together…once a month to grab a coffee in the morning during the weekend to get away from the daily grind,” Sensor said. “It’s all about just the group interacting – you being able to talk about your car, asking questions to enthusiasts and seeing new things that are coming out.” And it brings out everything from Lamborghinis, Rolls-Royce Wraiths and charged-up Camaros. “If you want to talk about cars, you can talk about some crazy cars,” Sensor said. Matt Colon knew soon after high school that BMWs were for him. He stood near the forest-green-wrapped BMW he’s owned and worked on for the past three years. His work has netted an upgraded air-lift suspension, and a turbo and brakes system. “I bought one when I got out of high school and I thought they were just the coolest things on the planet,” said Colon, who has owned five BMW vehicles and now runs Auto Tuning House in Winter Springs. “Then I started working on them.” And soon Eric Nadeau will be turning over the keys to his son, who shares a love for cars with his father. Luckily, Bryce Nadeau, 14, is a fan of the family’s latest toy. “I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it,” Bryce said. His father laughed, “we think the girls will like it.” Have a news tip? You can call Ryan at 407-420-5002, email him at rygillespie@orlandosentinel.com, follow him on Twitter @byryangillespie and like his coverage on Facebook @byryangillespie. Car auction gives thrill seekers wild ride » Top Video * Nation & World Top Video Aug 06, 2014 at 9:16 AM * BMW * Winter Park * Kissimmee Most Read on Chicago Tribune * + Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. Jan 13, 2021 The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. * + Coronavirus A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why Jan 7, 2021 A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why * + Politics Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras Jan 13, 2021 Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras CONNECT * (BUTTON) * (BUTTON) * (BUTTON) * (BUTTON) TRIBUNE PUBLISHING * New York Daily News * Orlando Sentinel * The Morning Call of Pa. * Daily Press of Va. * The Daily Meal * The Baltimore Sun * Sun Sentinel of Fla. * Hartford Courant * The Virginian-Pilot * BestReviews COMPANY INFO * Careers * Privacy Policy * Archives * Manage Web Notifications * Do Not Sell My Personal Information * About us * Terms of Service * Contact us * FAQ * Media kit Copyright © 2021, Chicago Tribune Skip to content (BUTTON) Sections xml:space="preserve"> ____________________ (BUTTON) __________________________________________________________________ (BUTTON) Search xml:space="preserve"> ____________________ (BUTTON) (BUTTON) * The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. * A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why * Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras * Column: I took part in a pro-Trump attack on the US Capitol and now I have to face consequences? That’s tyranny! Column: I took part in a pro-Trump attack on the US Capitol and now I have to face consequences? That’s tyranny! * Pruning shrubs in winter can pay off big for gardens come spring Pruning shrubs in winter can pay off big for gardens come spring * Feds say Chicago man charged with entering US Capitol during attack posted photo outside Nancy Pelosi’s office Feds say Chicago man charged with entering US Capitol during attack posted photo outside Nancy Pelosi’s office * Michael Madigan’s decadeslong grip on Illinois ends as House Democrats make Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch state’s first Black speaker Michael Madigan’s decadeslong grip on Illinois ends as House Democrats make Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch state’s first Black speaker * Ask Amy: Mask request brings on ridiculous reactions Ask Amy: Mask request brings on ridiculous reactions * Prosecutors say Kyle Rittenhouse flashed sign adopted by racists, seek to ban him from bars, drinking Prosecutors say Kyle Rittenhouse flashed sign adopted by racists, seek to ban him from bars, drinking * Lisa Montgomery executed, the first woman put to death by US government since 1953 Lisa Montgomery executed, the first woman put to death by US government since 1953 * Ryan Pace is on the hunt for a starting quarterback for the 4th time as Chicago Bears GM — but the team believes his ‘collaboration’ with Matt Nagy will result in the right player this time Ryan Pace is on the hunt for a starting quarterback for the 4th time as Chicago Bears GM — but the team believes his ‘collaboration’ with Matt Nagy will result in the right player this time * Layoffs hit Bolingbrook-based Ulta Beauty as makeup sales remain sluggish during pandemic Layoffs hit Bolingbrook-based Ulta Beauty as makeup sales remain sluggish during pandemic * Some at-risk older citizens in Chicago could start getting vaccines next week, city’s public health commissioner says Some at-risk older citizens in Chicago could start getting vaccines next week, city’s public health commissioner says * Companies are dumping Trump brand in wake of Capitol insurrection. But can Chicago shed Trump Tower’s giant sign? Companies are dumping Trump brand in wake of Capitol insurrection. But can Chicago shed Trump Tower’s giant sign? * Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch, Madigan’s successor as Illinois House speaker, faces questions about his treatment of women Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch, Madigan’s successor as Illinois House speaker, faces questions about his treatment of women (BUTTON) * Autos Auto review: Would you pay $212,000 for a Nissan? You might if it’s the 2020 GT-R Nismo By Larry Printz, Tribune News Service Tribune Content Agency | Mar 31, 2020 at 4:26 PM (BUTTON) (BUTTON) No matter how rich you are, there are certain things you will always hate spending money on, like ATM fees, cable TV and airline baggage fees. Then there are the things that are so wonderful that you can’t help yourself; you have to have it. Like the 2020 Nissan GT-R Nismo. You don’t buy it because it makes sense. You don’t buy because it’s a good value. You buy it because you must have it. You buy it because your heart has overruled your brain, and you’re willing to let your bank account bear the brunt of the fiscal pain. That’s because the 2020 Nissan GT-R Nismo costs $212,000 — and it’s a Nissan. Not a Bentley. Or a McLaren. Or a Porsche. But it is a Nismo, an acronym derived from NISsan MOtorsports International Co., Nissan’s in-house tuning arm that delivers purebred performance. So this car is almost nothing like your sister’s Sentra, except that both have engines, four tires, a steering wheel and wear a Nissan badge. For the GT-R is a thoroughbred track star, a vehicle for those for whom “The Fast and the Furious” is a totem to live by. It’s an extreme sports car, one that’s quite special, if rarely seen stateside. This car is still the stuff of legend. It’s built in a hermetically sealed factory. And, yes, the engine is still hand-assembled in a special clean room by a trained technician, who adds an aluminum plate with his name on the front of each one. For 2020, each engine is treated to new turbochargers swiped them from the GT3 racecar version of the GT-R. This improves engine response by 20% according to Nissan, as if more speed was needed. The new engine, also available in the 2020 GT-R Track Edition, mates to six-speed dual clutch transmission and a revised titanium exhaust system with handcrafted tips. It’s placed in a car with a serious amount of carbon fiber — which partially explains this GT-R’s lofty price. You’ll find it in the front and rear bumpers, front fenders, hood, roof, side sill covers, trunk and rear spoiler. Combined, it saves 23 pounds, with another 44-pound reduction gained through new lighter-weight components. Redesigned front fenders with louvers increase front downforce while smoothing airflow for greater high-speed stability. The GT-R Nismo also has the biggest Brembo carbon ceramic rotors ever fitted to a Japanese performance car — 16.1 inches in the front and 15.3 inches at the rear. [Most read] The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. » Even the tires are special. Developed by Dunlop, they have 11% more contact with the pavement, while increasing cornering force by 5%. It’s a serious piece of machinery, one so bedazzled with so much carbon fiber, it’s even on the bottom lip of the front fascia, making every speed bump, curb, or driveway a possibly costly encounter, meaning you must proceed over them slowly and cautiously. But slowly navigating such perils will be the only time you will ever move slowly in this car unless, that is, you’re caught in a slowdown on the interstate. To call this car engaging would be a severe understatement. The Nissan GT-R Nismo’s twin-turbocharged V-6 generates 600 horsepower and 481 pound-feet of torque through a six-speed dual clutch transmission that produces mystical mechanized melody of clunks and whirs as the car propels you back into your leather-covered Recaro bucket seat with an obscene amount of force. The quick, linear steering is weighty, but quickly reacts as if attached to your synapses. This is not a car as much as it is a motorized samurai sword. Add in the engine’s sweet symphony, and you’ll rarely, if ever, listen to prerecorded music in this car. The sounds produced are as intoxicating as its personality. It’s a very visceral experience, one that fills the silence in your soul. Of course, a car so tuned to the track demands that you compromise in order to drive it. [Most read] A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why » Being a sports car, it’s not just loud and low to the ground; cargo capacity ensures that you can take along a gym bag at most for weekend trips. But that’s to be expected of any sports car. No, what makes owning a GT-R Nismo challenging is its suspension. Nissan uses Bilstein DampTronic shocks that the company says were retuned to be 20% softer in rebound and 5% softer in compression. But it was done for track response, not real-world driving, where America’s crumbling infrastructure makes driving this car a test of your vertebrae. The stiff body structure and track tuning yields a car with no body lean in corners and little give over bumps. Its tires reveal every road imperfection, calling for care when driving as it can cause the car to change direction when unexpectedly encountering some unnoticeable change in the road surface. Given the raucous, forceful nature of the beast, it’s no surprise that its interior comes solely in a red and dark gray color scheme accented in leather and Alcantara, or that its video game-inspired instrument panel was designed in collaboration with Polyphony Digital, makers of the game Gran Turismo electronic game. Still, you have to wonder why Nissan even bothers to build such a rarified, expensive machine. It’s like discovering that your local dollar store sells caviar. Nevertheless, for the lucky few who fall for this intoxicating track toy, it’s money well spent. ——— [Most read] Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras » 2020 Nissan GT-R Nismo Base price: $212,000 Engine: Twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 Horsepower/Torque: 600/481 EPA fuel economy (city/highway): 16/22 mpg [Most read] Feds say Chicago man charged with entering US Capitol during attack posted photo outside Nancy Pelosi’s office » Fuel required: Premium Length/Width/height: 184.6/74.6/53.9 inches Coefficient of drag: 0.26 Cargo capacity: 8.8 cubic feet Curb weight: 3,918 pounds ©2020 Tribune Content Agency Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Latest Autos * + Autos Motormouth: A solar battery charger Jan 13, 2021 Motormouth: A solar battery charger * + Autos Hyundai, Ford F-150, Mustang Mach-E take North American Car, Truck, Utility of Year Awards Jan 12, 2021 Hyundai, Ford F-150, Mustang Mach-E take North American Car, Truck, Utility of Year Awards * + Autos Carmakers put their biggest faces forward Jan 10, 2021 Carmakers put their biggest faces forward Most Read on Chicago Tribune * + Coronavirus A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why Jan 7, 2021 A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why * + Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. Jan 13, 2021 The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. * + Politics Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras Jan 13, 2021 Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras CONNECT * (BUTTON) * (BUTTON) * (BUTTON) * (BUTTON) TRIBUNE PUBLISHING * New York Daily News * Orlando Sentinel * The Morning Call of Pa. * Daily Press of Va. * The Daily Meal * The Baltimore Sun * Sun Sentinel of Fla. * Hartford Courant * The Virginian-Pilot * BestReviews COMPANY INFO * Careers * Privacy Policy * Archives * Manage Web Notifications * Do Not Sell My Personal Information * About us * Terms of Service * Contact us * FAQ * Media kit Copyright © 2021, Chicago Tribune #Muscle Cars and Trucks » Feed Muscle Cars and Trucks » Comments Feed Muscle Cars and Trucks » CHEVROLET CAMARO: WHICH eLSD TUNE WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE? Comments Feed alternate alternate alternate * Latest * Popular * Hot * Trending Muscle Cars and Trucks Subscribe Newsletter Email address: ____________________ Sign up Leave this field empty if you're human: ____________________ Don't worry, we don't spam. At all, ever. * Home * News * Muscle Cars * Pickup Trucks * SUVs * Videos * Exclusive Content * Sports Cars * Supercars Search Search for: ____________________ (BUTTON) Search Menu Muscle Cars and Trucks Search Search for: ____________________ (BUTTON) Search in Muscle Cars, News CHEVROLET CAMARO: WHICH eLSD TUNE WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE? Each One Is Only $350 From Chevrolet Performance by Lucas Allen November 20, 2020, 7:46 pm 2020 2021 Chevrolet Camaro Over the past 53 years, the Chevrolet Camaro has participated in all sorts of motorsports. Whether it be the drag-racing COPO cars of the 1960s, or the legendary IROC road racers of the 1970s and 1980s, GM’s muscle car has done it all. The Camaro has become even more of a multi-motorsport capable vehicle today, thanks to the wide-range of performance models on offer. Chevrolet Performance has just rolled out some new eLSD (electronic limited slip differential) calibrations for the Camaro ZL1 and SS 1LE models, which got us thinking one thing: Which one will buyers prefer? We’ll start things off the 2017+ Chevy Camaro SS 1LE and its new Autocross focused setup. According to Chevrolet Performance, the Autocross Calibration for the eLSD is the result of the Camaro engineers desire to perfect the car’s on-track and street driving behaviors. During corner entry, the tuned eLSD can now decouple the differential at a faster rate based on pedal and steering inputs, enabling faster yaw rotation. On corner exit, the tune allows the eLSD to couple faster than before, getting power to both wheels sooner. Chevy Camaro SS 1LE Image Via GM. The software is specifically designed to help the Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE turn in faster, as well as to put the power down better on corner exit. Both are vital to ripping off fast runs on the tight and technical courses found at Autocross events around the country. In our experience, the calibration is best suited for use with slick tires. Should you prefer your racing to take place in straight lines, Chevrolet Performance has rolled out drag-focused calibration for the range-topping 2017+ Camaro ZL1. The tune is specifically aimed at helping improve times at the drag strip by working to ensure better burnouts and launches. The new tune doubles the differential coupling torque during a burnout or a hard launch, and prevents slippage between the differential clutch packs. This helps the driver to warm each of the rear tires evenly in the burnout box, and helps keep the car pointed straight down the track. Image Via GM. Chevrolet Performance also notes that this calibration is for drag racing purposes only, and is not meant to be used on the street. As such, the eLSD Drag Performance Calibration can only be enabled when the driver switches off the traction control systems. GM goes as far as to say that turning these systems off on the street is dangerous and not recommended for any operator, but is still happy to sell you the car with 650 horsepower and 650 ft-lb of torque. Both of these new Chevy Camaro eLSD calibrations from Chevrolet Performance carry an MSRP of just $350. A trip to the dealer is required for installation, but neither tune will affect your vehicle’s warranty. They should certainly affect how the car behaves however, despite the relative bargain of a price. In the future, we could see both of these calibrations being offered as OTA updates, thanks to GM’s Global B electrical architecture. But whether or not a Camaro is a part of the future is still TBD. If you have a 2017+ Camaro model, do either of these interest you? Let us know down below which tune you would consider slapping on your own muscle car. Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Image Via GM. Share this automotive news: * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) * Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) * Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) * Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) * Like this: Like Loading... Written by Lucas Allen Newsletter Never miss out on American muscle cars, trucks, and SUV news! Get your updates from our daily 10-second email newsletter Email address: ____________________ Sign up Leave this field empty if you're human: ____________________ Don't worry, we don't spam. At all, ever. See more * Previous article 2021 FORD F-150 DIESEL, HYBRID CUSTOMERS BELIEVED TO BE DIFFERENT * Next article JEEP SKETCH BATTLE WINNERS CHOSEN BY FCA DESIGN LEADERS Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. 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Email address: ____________________ Sign up Leave this field empty if you're human: ____________________ Don't worry, we don't spam. At all, ever. Close News `Midnight Club 3 DUB' keeps up with competition Levi BuchananCHICAGO TRIBUNE MIDNIGHT CLUB 3 (star)(star)(star) Publisher: Rockstar Games Platform: XB/PS2 Genre: Racing Rated: EVERYONE Recommending "Midnight Club 3 DUB Edition" would be simple but for one thing: street-racing fatigue. There has been no shortage of games in this oeuvre, such as Electronic Arts' "Need for Speed Underground" or Namco's "Street Racing Syndicate," and gamers might be ready to give the genre a break. However, before parking that digitally custom-tuned Jetta in the virtual garage, fans of arcade-style racing should check out Rockstar's latest. This third chapter is an improvement over the second installment -- which in itself was a fun racing game. You slide behind the wheel as a no-name street racer with empty pockets and a sorry garage, hardly the poster boy for DUB Magazine, the imported car-tuning lifestyle magazine the game is affiliated with. Through winning a variety of races, you can earn real-world-style cars and really trick them out to your liking, thanks to the game's clever tuning system. It's not as deep as EA's garage, but it's much more manageable. In addition to real-world rides, "Midnight Club" is set in arcade representations of San Diego, Atlanta and Detroit. The wide streets lend themselves better to the "rubbin' racin'" elements of this breakneck driving game. "Midnight Club 3" also features a robust online mode where gamers can log in and parade their rides down Main Street. * [70x70] At least 106 people shot, 14 fatally, in Chicago weekend violence * Watch live: Gov. J.B. Pritzker gives a coronavirus update * [70x70] After Twitter outcry, 5 women detail Chris D’Elia’s alleged sexual improprieties Copyright © 2021, Chicago Tribune __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ * Sports * Breaking * Business * Opinion * Entertainment * Suburbs * En Español 33° News THE FAST AND THE CURIOUS Jack Smith. Jack Smith last wrote for the Magazine about the 50th anniversary of the CorvetteCHICAGO TRIBUNE Night is descending on the warehouse district when the street racers arrive, their high-pitched engines buzzing like metallic hornets as they swarm through the darkness. Car doors open and the thumpty-thump of rap music reverberates through the shadowy streets. The din mounts as half a dozen of the brightly colored cars roll to the starting line. Flames shoot from their exhaust pipes as they rev their engines, pop their clutches, and go screaming away into the darkness. This is the world of "tuning" as portrayed in the 2001 box-office hit "The Fast and the Furious," where sleek, winged coupes and gleaming roadsters ride low-profile tires and suck air like fighter jets through gaping vents, where cockpits glow with computer readouts and the touch of a toggle switch shoots nitrous oxide into combustion chambers, forcing drivers not so much to steer as to hang on for dear life. With action like this, a plot is superfluous. Some movies take viewers into their character's souls; "The Fast and the Furious" and its sequel, "2Fast, 2Furious" suck viewers out of their seats and into the drivers' gas tanks, through their fuel lines and into their engines. For some audiences, though, the real eye-opener was the nameplates the cars carried. Where were those erstwhile Baby Boomer icons, those V-8 Corvettes, GTOs, Trans Ams, Dodge Daytonas and Ford Mustangs? Nowhere to be seen. Beneath these wings and metalflake paint jobs beat the four-banger souls of Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans and Mitsubishis. Since when had the American muscle car given way to economy imports, cars once decried as "rice burners?" "It's been going on for years," says Alex Gonzalez, the 34-year old proprietor of the APG Performance Garage in west suburban Wood Dale. "I opened this shop five years ago, in 1998. Before that I was building tuners in my garage at home in the mid-1980s. And my Dad was building them in the Phillipines in the 1960s." There's a surreal quality to the scene in Gonzalez's garage: Half a dozen cars are suspended atop hydraulic lifts and seem to hang in the air weightlessly, like a Calder mobile. Gonzalez climbs a roll-away metal staircase to peer into the engine compartment of a jet-black 1998 Honda Accord perched on one of the columns. "Now, this guy spent maybe 25 Gs on this," observes Gonzalez. "It's got the real sleeper look. The [stock] engine put out about 160 horsepower. Now it will get 425. It will do zero to 100 in no time with four people in it." He descends the stairs and walks over to a cherry-red 1998 Honda Prelude with a laptop on the passenger seat. The car will put out around 400 horsepower, but the most interesting thing is the laptop, which is wired to the car's electronics. "You can use it to set the timing, oil-pressure alarms, nitrous oxide, air-fuel ratios, or set the engine fan to come on or off," Gonzalez says. "Or, you can record and play back your runs to check your speed, horsepower and torque." He has no aversion to working on American cars--a red Cadillac is parked along one wall--but the Japanese cars are the hottest right now, he says. "People can't get enough of them. In fact, there's a big business in importing used cars from Japan." The appeal of the Japanese cars, he says, is partly economic. "If you're 17 and driving a Mustang with a V-8, your insurance is about $4,200 a year. It's a lot cheaper if you're driving a four-cylinder Civic, Mitsubishi or Toyota. I can install one giant turbo and give you an immediate 100-horsepower boost. By the time you leave, your four-cylinder car will produce as much horsepower as an eight-cylinder car." Don't the insurance companies ever catch on? "Not really," he says. For tuners like 23-year-old Mike Rangel, a salesman at Valley Honda in Aurora, economics is less important than the sheer rush he gets from the performance of his 1997 Hyundai Tiburon, which he has equipped with a turbocharger, cold-air intake, special exhaust system, 18-inch wheels and a tangerine-orange custom paint job. "Trans Ams, Corvettes--my car can smoke them," he says. "It's just an awesome feeling, knowing your four-cylinder car can put out as much horsepower as the biggest V-8." Rangel got into tuning six years ago while a student at Glenbard South High School. "I had about 500 people in my class and only about 10 or 15 of us were into tuning. Now everybody's doing it." Along the way, tuning has spawned its own subset of customs and core values. For the tuner purist, says Jackie Ling, editor of the cyber-zine UrbanRacer.Com, nothing short of "JDM" will do. "JDM stands for Japanese domestic market, the stuff that's not sold in the United States," says Ling. "There's a whole crowd of people who want JDM radio, JDM turn signals, JDM interior panels. I know people who make trips to Japan to get Japanese steering wheels and seats." Ling, who trained as an architect at Pratt Institute of Technology, has been covering the tuner scene since 1998. "Back then there were just a handful of on-line and print magazines for tuners. Now there's a hundred of them." Some of these are as much about attitude as automobiles. The tuner-zine Super Street, for instance, hints at its political incorrectness with the curious message, "We give nothing back to the academic community, and we still perform no public service" printed along its binder. Its aesthetic is lifted from biker magazines, with young Asian women in bikinis adorning the inside pages. Super Street also reviews rap and rock music and video games, which strongly influence the tuning scene. For example, says Ling, American teenagers once knew little about rallying, a form of racing long popular in Europe and Asia. "That's all changed due to the PlayStation2 video game Gran Turismo, which features a rally race." By the same token, the Nissan Skyline was virtually unknown in the United States until the Gran Turismo game went on the market. "Now used Skylines are being imported into the United States because it performs so well in the video game," says Ling. The popularity of tuning has also inspired a new genre of auto show. Where conventional car shows are brightly lighted, the "Hot Import Nights" shows at McCormick Place and other venues around the country take place in semi-darkness, with lasers probing the shadows, rock music playing and--shades of the 1950s!--scantily clad female models sprawled across hoods and fenders. Likewise, says Ling, the passion for things Japanese is creating an audience for "drifting," the practice of putting one's car into a sideways slide. Accomplished drifters will slide in tandem, occasionally reaching out their hands to "high five" the nearest spectators. Many tuners belong to a "crew." Jay Jaskiewicz, a student at Romeoville High School who drives a turbocharged 1997 Mitsubishi, is part of a six-car crew that has regular meetings and supports the members who want to race. "So tuning isn't just your car, it's the music you listen to, the places you go and the people you're with," he says. "There's a lot of friendship involved." If tuner-mania and the popularity of cars from Japan has American carmakers concerned, they're not letting on. At General Motors, tuning is viewed not so much as a trend as it is a youthful phase, like skateboarding. "Right now the quintessential young person's vehicle is a used car," says Paul Ballew, GM's executive director of market and industry analysis. "They like adding their own personal touches and it's all very eclectic. But young drivers are aspirational. They tend to move up quickly in vehicle purposes. At the end of the day, once they're into their prime purchasing years, they'll no longer be at the margins. They'll be buying mainstream vehicles like SUVs." This is not to say GM is turning a deaf ear to the youth market. In April 2003, the carmaker announced the debut of special "tuner" versions of the Chevy Cavalier and Pontiac Sunbird equipped with spoilers, specially designed hoods, and high-performance powerplants. But to succeed in this market, Cavaliers and Sunbirds need more than horsepower and hood scoops, they need to be cool. Chrysler's retro PT Cruiser was intended to appeal to the tuner set, but has proved to be far more attractive to Baby Boomers than to their offspring. Likewise, Toyota's Echo and MR2 roadster were expected to lure young buyers but rank among Toyota's poorest sellers. Sometimes ugly can be cool, but as the Pontiac Aztek SUV showed, there are limits. With its clunky polystyrene cladding, bulky rear end, and odd sloping hatchback, the Aztek bears an uncanny resemblance--at least in silhouette--to a garbage truck and today ranks as the Edsel of the new millenium. Advertising can also be uncool. Oldsmobile was doomed when, throughout the 1990s, it wooed young carbuyers with its infamous, "This is not your father's Oldsmobile" campaign. As humorist Dave Barry observed, what this really meant was, "This Oldsmobile, like all other Oldsmobiles, appeals primarily to old guys like your father." In 2000, GM killed the brand. Far more cool is advertising that risks alienating some viewers. Such was the case with the TV commercial that introduced the 2003 Mitubishi Eclipse. The 30-second spot eschewed such stale conventions as admiring glances from bystanders and demonstrations of high performance or ruggedness. Instead, the commercial showed a stylish brunette in the passenger seat doing a strange, disjointed dance to the music from the car's radio. She was "popping," a kind of dance popular in the 1980s, says Eric Hirshberg, 34, managing partner and creative director at Deutsch Advertising in Los Angeles, who produced the spot. "It was a risk; it polarized the audience. But the positive side of that polarization was it seemed really edgy." Whatever their parents thought of the commercial, young audiences related to it. They began "popping" all over again and the song, "As Days go By" by Dirty Vegas, went from obscurity to No. 1. It was a marketplace success as well, instrumental in boosting Mitsubishi sales while helping the Japanese carmaker garner the youngest carbuyers in the industry. As for predictions that maturing tuners will eventually migrate to the SUV, 20-year-old Bill Billick of Des Plaines doesn't see that happening any time soon. The owner of a 1988 Honda Accord with fully customized suspension, Billick admits he doesn't know much about market forecasts, but he knows his buddies. "My friends' parents all like SUVs, but we don't." It would be a major upset if they did. "Kids always want what their parents don't," says Casey Wickstrom, owner of Dick Wickstrom Chevrolet in Roselle. "Especially when it comes to cars." But differences between the generations transcend tastes in motoring, and tuners are just one expression of a larger phenomenon. It's called Generation Y and it's been pronounced the Next Big Thing in American pop culture. Loosely defined as those born between 1979 and 1988 and sometimes dubbed Echo Boomers, they're a juggernaut 70 million strong destined to leave their mark on American lifestyles as they travel from adolescence to adulthood. Where their Baby Boomer parents grew up with the Brady Bunch, the Beatles and O.J. on the football field, Gen Y came of age with South Park, 2 Live Crew and O. J. on trial. They already wield greater economic clout at an earlier age than any other generation of young men and women in history. One reason for that is the decrease in traditional families: One in four Gen Y children grew up in a single-parent household and thus was more likely to be consulted on major family expenditures. Further, in both single- and dual-parent families, growing numbers of teenagers and young adults have assumed responsibility for purchases big and small over the Internet, which they usually understand better than their parents. Tapping this market is tricky. The most striking characteristic of Generation Y is its ethnic and cultural diversity. With the United States moving toward a population with a lesser proportion of whites and greater numbers of Asians, African-Americans and Hispanics, increasing numbers of this country's young are identifying themselves as hyphenated Americans.. As the old American mainstream fades into memory, a culture of the extreme is emerging in Generation Y. While participation in traditional team sports--such as baseball, basketball and football--continues to dwindle, individual sports once considered fringe daredevil pursuits are surging in popularity. According to a 2002 report from recreation analysts American Sports Data, in the three preceding years skateboarding had risen 73 percent, artificial wall climbing 57 percent and snowboarding 25 percent. In this context, says Ling, the tuners aren't an aberration but the avant garde. "I'll show you what I mean," he says, leading the way through the New York Auto Show. He walks past a Chevrolet stand, where a sleek new Chevy SS, its cherry-red paint job gleaming beneath the lights, stands on a platform surrounded by miniatures of previous vintages of the Malibu. Ling shakes his head at the display. "American carmakers don't get it. They're always trying to promote their tradition and heritage. Gen Y couldn't care less [about tradition]." He stops at the Toyota booth, where Urban Racer's gleaming-white, customized Toyota Matrix was on display. "Just watch," says Ling, as a phalanx of middle-aged show-goers strolled past, barely giving the Matrix a second glance. Then a trio of teenagers walked up to peer into the cockpit and underneath the chassis. "These guys are tuners," says Ling. "They recognize the cues--the carbon fibre hood, the suspension, and the JDM [Japanese domestic market] panels inside." More significant than the equipment's nationality, though, is the tuners' zeal for radically altering their cars' appearance and performance. "Right now people think of that as extreme. But it's where carmakers are headed; soon everybody will be customizing their cars," says Ling. This is, in fact, the reason for such cutting-edge vehicles as Toyota's Scion. Actually "Scion" is more than a new model. It's the name of a whole new division that Toyota established to target Gen Y. And though the Scion xB isn't low and sleek like Ling's Toyota-based street racer, it's no less extreme. High and boxy, the xB resembles a bread truck that rear-ended an 18-wheeler. But this Scion isn't about aerodynamics; it's about image, choice and self- expression. "You can tune the basic Scion any way you want," says Ling. Options include a staggering array of superchargers, turbochargers, specially designed audio systems, race seats, roof racks, spoilers, graphics, steering wheels, interiors, gearshift knobs, performance wheels and colors to backlight the instrument panel. "There's even a cupholder with colored lights underneath,"says Ling. "When you put a plastic cup on it, it lights up your drink." The Scion's catalog layout is perplexing, and the print so fine it's obviously intended for the very young. Their elders, who won't be able to read the brochure, will just have to wonder what's going on. * [70x70] At least 106 people shot, 14 fatally, in Chicago weekend violence * Watch live: Gov. J.B. Pritzker gives a coronavirus update * [70x70] After Twitter outcry, 5 women detail Chris D’Elia’s alleged sexual improprieties Copyright © 2021, Chicago Tribune __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ * Sports * Breaking * Business * Opinion * Entertainment * Suburbs * En Español 33° News SOUPED UP Jill Young Miller, Ft. Lauderdale Sun-SentinelCHICAGO TRIBUNE "My husband is a really good driver," Sharon Feyhl says, standing in the doorway of her husband's precision service/performance tuning business. "But sometimes he's frightening." Hartmut Feyhl chuckles as he settles himself behind the wheel of a jet black 1993 Mercedes-Benz 500SL, a two-seat convertible sports car that retails for about $100,000 and belongs to a client in New York. Feyhl, who has added about $50,000 of engine muscle and aerodynamic styling to this Mercedes, snaps on his seat belt, preparing for takeoff. He looks more like a surgeon than a motorhead. Intense brown eyes. A clean-shaven, fleshy face. Car and Driver magazine calls him "quite prickly when things don't go his way." But things are going quite well for Feyhl, 32, considered one of the nation's finest auto tuners. After 10 years at AMG, the premier Mercedes tuning firm in Germany, he opened his own company, RennTech Inc., four years ago in Oakland Park and later moved it to an obscure industrial park in Delray Beach, where clients from throughout the world find him. This month, one of his creations-a screaming yellow Mercedes 500SL-is on the magazine's cover. "They planned this shootout of the so-called super tuners in this country," Feyhl says, a smile tickling his lips. "We definitely wanted to attend that shootout. The question was, `With what?' " The answer, he says, was with a Mercedes from Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tony Martin. The car was in Feyhl's shop for cosmetic work; Martin wanted his silver Mercedes painted yellow and attention paid to other "optical qualities," Feyhl says. Feyhl persuaded the football player to let him work on the car's performance-and to take it to west Texas in October for the Car and Driver rendezvous, which was not so much a competition as a chance to show off. Feyhl and his staff of seven worked for six weeks, sometimes 10 to 15 hours a day including weekends, on the Mercedes. Suspension. Spoilers. Racing seats. Performance, performance, performance. Then, while Martin played football, Feyhl and his wife drove about $200,000 worth of 450-horsepower car to Texas. (Compare that with, say, a 1994 Volkswagen Jetta, with 115 horses.) The tinkering paid off. In Car and Driver tests, the yellow Mercedes went from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.6 seconds and 0 to 150 in 29. Most of Feyhl's customers are wealthy businessmen. One is a potato farmer in Wisconsin. Others are in Kuwait, Paris, Canada and various states, including Alaska and Hawaii. "Most of my customers are not necessarily racers on the open road," Feyhl says. "They hardly speed, actually, as a matter of fact. But they just want to know they have it. "They maybe had some American muscle cars in the '50s or so, or maybe they were dreaming of it and couldn't afford it. And now they're successful business people, usually. And they can afford it." "It" doesn't come cheaply. Consider the white Mercedes S600 four-passenger coupe in Feyhl's shop, with its sticker still on a window: $136,775. Feyhl's "total conversion" will cost another $35,000, he says. That's primarily for engine work, to boost its horsepower to 500, and for a nifty feature Feyhl has devised to override the car's traction control. "We have developed a switch, a little computer, which enables the driver to turn it on and off whenever he wants." You might wonder what what fuels Feyhl's passion. "That's a good question, which sometimes I have to ask myself, too," he says. But the answer is elusive. He talks about more horsepower, better handling, better brakes, about the satisfaction of taking a car as finely designed and engineered as a Mercedes and milking it for more. "The engine and the technology are there in the car," he says. "You just have to get it out." Feyhl grew up in Affalterbach, West Germany, the son of a furniture-maker. His first car was dad's old cream-colored Mercedes 200 diesel. "I kind of tweaked that and made that a little bit better," Feyhl says. "There were not too many cars in my neighborhood who could keep up with me, even though it was a diesel." As a boy, airplanes fascinated him. He had hoped to work on them, but there wasn't an airport within 50 miles. So he went to work for the local Mercedes tuning firm AMG. He ended up in South Florida by way of Chicago, where he moved for AMG in 1986. He left Chicago to work for an AMG distributor in Lighthouse Point, Fla., and then went on to start his business in 1989. Feyhl's first love is Mercedes-Benzes, but he also works on Porsches, Rolls-Royces and other upscale cars. Feyhl's talent brought him and his wife together. "I had a problem with my Mercedes," Sharon Feyhl says. A friend recommended Feyhl. The couple married in November 1992. Not every car that leaves RennTech shouts "Look at me!" What customers can't see is what they pay Feyhl big bucks to get: Performance. As Sharon says, "These men love to beat someone off the line." * [70x70] At least 106 people shot, 14 fatally, in Chicago weekend violence * Watch live: Gov. J.B. Pritzker gives a coronavirus update * [70x70] After Twitter outcry, 5 women detail Chris D’Elia’s alleged sexual improprieties Copyright © 2021, Chicago Tribune __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ * Sports * Breaking * Business * Opinion * Entertainment * Suburbs * En Español 33° Skip to content (BUTTON) Sections xml:space="preserve"> ____________________ (BUTTON) __________________________________________________________________ (BUTTON) Search xml:space="preserve"> ____________________ (BUTTON) (BUTTON) * The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. * A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why * Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras * Column: I took part in a pro-Trump attack on the US Capitol and now I have to face consequences? That’s tyranny! Column: I took part in a pro-Trump attack on the US Capitol and now I have to face consequences? That’s tyranny! * Pruning shrubs in winter can pay off big for gardens come spring Pruning shrubs in winter can pay off big for gardens come spring * Michael Madigan’s decadeslong grip on Illinois ends as House Democrats make Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch state’s first Black speaker Michael Madigan’s decadeslong grip on Illinois ends as House Democrats make Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch state’s first Black speaker * Feds say Chicago man charged with entering US Capitol during attack posted photo outside Nancy Pelosi’s office Feds say Chicago man charged with entering US Capitol during attack posted photo outside Nancy Pelosi’s office * Ask Amy: Mask request brings on ridiculous reactions Ask Amy: Mask request brings on ridiculous reactions * Prosecutors say Kyle Rittenhouse flashed sign adopted by racists, seek to ban him from bars, drinking Prosecutors say Kyle Rittenhouse flashed sign adopted by racists, seek to ban him from bars, drinking * Column: Does Trump impeachment heal a divided and angry nation? * Layoffs hit Bolingbrook-based Ulta Beauty as makeup sales remain sluggish during pandemic Layoffs hit Bolingbrook-based Ulta Beauty as makeup sales remain sluggish during pandemic * Some at-risk older citizens in Chicago could start getting vaccines next week, city’s public health commissioner says Some at-risk older citizens in Chicago could start getting vaccines next week, city’s public health commissioner says * Lisa Montgomery executed, the first woman put to death by US government since 1953 Lisa Montgomery executed, the first woman put to death by US government since 1953 * Column: ‘Have we gotten the quarterback situation completely right? No. Have we won enough games? No. Everything else is there.’ The Chicago Bears’ self-evaluation raises new questions. Column: ‘Have we gotten the quarterback situation completely right? No. Have we won enough games? No. Everything else is there.’ The Chicago Bears’ self-evaluation raises new questions. * Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch, Madigan’s successor as Illinois House speaker, faces questions about his treatment of women Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch, Madigan’s successor as Illinois House speaker, faces questions about his treatment of women (BUTTON) * Automotive Industry * Auto Reviews * Environmental Science The Hyper-chippin' No-Fucks-Givin' Fender-Scrapin' Axle-Breakin' Waterhead Jamboree By Edward Ericson Jr. Oct 18, 2016 at 5:16 PM (BUTTON) (BUTTON) Dave Ascheman drives his 1998 GTI named "Sharpie" Dave Ascheman drives his 1998 GTI named "Sharpie" (J.M. Giordano/City Paper) The happiest man in the Western hemisphere is swaying unsteadily on the corner of Coastal Highway and 56th Street in Ocean City, yelling at the occupants of a black Honda Accord that is crawling through jammed traffic six feet in front of him. "DO A FUCKIN' BURNOUT!!!" he bellows at the laughing passengers, whose illegally tinted windows are rolled down so as to take in the atmosphere of this special Saturday night in early October. It's nearing 11 p.m. A full red beard shrouds the happiest man's pale, fat young face. He is wearing sandals, cargo shorts, and a backpack filled with cans of Miller Lite, two of which he grips in his right hand like stacked mortar shells. "DON'T USE YOUR TURN SIGNAL!!! DO A BURNOUT!!!" he commands traffic across six lanes of tortured asphalt as 75 revelers arrayed behind him on the sidewalk snicker and join in the heckling. We are at the epicenter of H2O International, 2016, an annual car show (this is the 19th running) that is nominally staged 15 miles due west of here, in the Fort Whaley campground. But H2Oi (or just H2O) as it is called, is more than the advertised "barbecue and music fest." And it's way, way more than the assemblage of automotive tuning shops, aftermarket wheel suppliers, shift-ball vendors, product displays, video race arcade, and handy phone chargers set up by Volkswagen A.G., the show's co-sponsor. H2Oi, billed by founder and impresario Jay Shoup as "The 'Laid Back' 2-Day Volkswagen/Audi Event," is the peak social gathering of the year for East Coast fans, drivers, and modifiers of Volkswagen, Audi, and a lot of other import cars from Japan and Europe. Something like 5,000 cars will be in the park tomorrow, almost all of them lowered, hotted-up and/or emissions-non-compliant. The drivers and passengers in at least 5,000 more will never pay the entrance fee, preferring to cruise this strip all day long, admiring one another's rides and playing hide-and seek with the police. "We're more fun than Bike Week and Muscle Car Week combined," boasts Ani Hale, who is in her 20s, five-foot nothing and 100 pounds and standing three feet behind the happiest man. Hale says she comes here every year with Christian Zawadski and Eric Heath, who likewise have never gone to the actual show and who moments ago goaded the driver of an BMW E30 to smoke up his tires on a wide U-turn from across the street, delighting all. "The guy in an Audi did an awesome burnout," Hale says, recounting some action from the rainy night before. "This bike cop was peddling his ass off and caught up to him"—and gave him a ticket. "There was more than one bike cop," says Heath. "We were cheering them on." Three lanes across the street, a skinny dude in the passenger seat of something shiny and low is barking through a bullhorn on his lap, demanding "Somebody do something stupid!" Heath has meanwhile wandered into the bus lane with the happiest man and is shit-talking the occupants of another car that happiest man is imploring to do a burnout. "Nah," Heath taunts, "you're not doing nothing." Now a new Mustang fishtails past, its five-liter V8 howling at full throttle before cutting out in a machine-gun volley of backfires. A crowd goes running after it to see what the cops are gonna do, while diagonally across the Coastal, two other cars collide and blue lights flash. A quadcopter drone floats above the street capturing the action on video as crews of Honda Ruckus riders and bike cops buzz by. The happiest man is now haranguing a black sedan full of locals: completely innocent bystanders caught in a carnival freak show for car nuts. "If you do the burnout," he bellows, "I'll give you the fuckin' hunnerd dollars!" The girl in the back seat smiles and waves as they idle past. "Back up," the bike cops say. "Off the sidewalk." Behind us a guy yells "Serve and protect, baby!" and then "Breaker one-nine!" The young man next to him starts making revving noises with his mouth: "Brapappappappappapp!! Rummmm rummmm!" The happiest man is loudly announcing that he has consumed only three beers. "I've been drinking since I was 14!" he boasts at the cops, who discretely ignore him. "I'm 20 now! I mean 21!" "Clear the sidewalk, please," police calmly instruct. A fire truck roars by with its sirens howling; across the street, two more police cars light up at another fender bender. Beyond them, the hotel balconies are full of cheering fans. Americans have loved their cars for a century, and young Americans have usually preferred them low and fast and weird and dangerous: Dean Moriarty streaking across the country behind the wheel of a '37 Ford sedan, "Big Daddy" Ed Roth sculpting mechanical monsters out of sheet steel and fiberglass while bouffant beauties danced the hully-gully. Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby! The Snake versus the Mongoose every Sunday on bell-bottom drag strips. "American Graffiti" and the Magic Rat driving his sleek machine over the Jersey state line, just ahead of the maximum lawman. The $4 billion "Fast and Furious" franchise has supported Universal Pictures for a decade and a half on laughing gas and a crust-less tuna sandwich, because in America, cars are our freedom and our art. They are made to be tinkered-with, modified, pin-striped, accessorized, fortified, wrapped, and raced. They stand for ourselves. But the subculture is under threat. School debt, declining income, and the high cost of a new jalopy zero-out a huge percentage of would-be motorheads, while new technologies have made fads and fantasies of different kinds of machines, from the once-overclocked gaming computer to the ubiquitous smartphone. James Dean died hot, Steve McQueen and Paul Newman slipped away cool, and we're left with Jay Leno with his high-buck garage of curiosities—and this proud tribe of hyper wiseguys with greasy fingers, facing a terrible future they can't believe. In Pittsburgh, Uber tests self-driving cars while everywhere bespectacled innovators appear, describing the inevitable and fast-approaching "Post-Driver Life." It's a consensus-vision of cars as autonomous rental appliances, mere conveyances, so finely-regulated and completely-homogenized that only a lunatic could care about one—and none but a factory-certified and state-licensed specialist would dare raise a wrench. Everywhere the robots and the Environmental Protection Agency are closing in, and automotive customizing is again becoming an outlaw pursuit. Here in Ocean City, on the first weekend in October, the outlaws skirmish with their blue adversary on what used to be called the open road. "We've already seen one crash," says Dave Ascheman, a 26-year-old, strong-muscled medium-haul trucker and weekend racecar driver. "Two pulled over," adds Larry Tobias, a retired school teacher and Dave's friend and landlord and housemate, who incidentally hates Hillary Clinton and looks something like the late Larry "Bud" Melman of the Letterman show. "One impounding," says Lacey Sodano, a nurse who is Dave's girlfriend and co-driver for this event; it's a necessity to bring two of one's four cars. A detail Dave Ascheman's Scharpie car A detail Dave Ascheman's Scharpie car (J.M. Giordano/City Paper) It's Friday, the night before H2Oi officially begins. At 9 p.m., we're on the third-floor front balcony of the Cayman Suites Hotel on 125th Street, Dave's H2O spot for many years. Larry, whose room this is, offers a concoction of Southern Comfort plus diet iced tea, which he has not yet named. It's not bad. The show hasn't started, but Dave, Lacey, and Larry arrived last night, and tell me I've already missed the whole first day. Larry usually drives his Mini but this time weather put him in the Durango. Dave drove down from Pennsylvania in his 1998 GTI, despite its non-street-legal status. It has no catalytic converter and no muffler, so as to more efficiently expel the exhaust of its V-6 engine. The car has no interior upholstery, save two deep bucketed race seats and a set of red Crow racing harnesses. There is a full roll cage, which the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) requires for hill climb competition. The headlights are yellow, "because racecar," Dave says. The paint job was applied by Dave with a spray can, and 56 Sharpie permanent markers. Every body panel is one line drawn in an intricate freehand maze. The pattern extends to the roll cage and the tiny rear wing he affixed last year. It is stunning. This year Dave won the Mid-Atlantic SCCA Improved Touring Class in hill climb. He beat only two or three other competitors, he says, but he did set several records. Lacey drove Dave's 2009 Jetta GLI, a deeply lowered beast that sits on Corvette wheels. Its cat is missing in action, too, lost to the Stage II tuning that boosted its turbo-charged output to over 300 horses, from the original 200. Both of these cars are mild, in H2O's context. All over the street there are cars with meaner motors or giant spoiler wings or wider tires, which are then tilted like an A-frame under the fenders, so they ride only on the outer edges. Such extreme cambering is a sub-subculture, done for style points—a great way to draw attention from the police as well. Too much wins a trip to the impound lot. If they catch you. "Down that way," Dave says, his hand sweeping southward, "there's so many of us that are illegal that it's like a lottery whether you get pulled over." He pulls up an Instagram page called OCPD ROLL CALL, which already has more than 23,000 followers (but will vanish by Tuesday morning). It's filled with photos of impoundings, tickets, and crashes, all here, all now. A typical post (this one under a shot of a yellow Nissan 350 Z with leaned-in wheels): "Throwback Thursday: When the officer says to you 'You're going to keep it parked the rest of the weekend right?' But you have your fingers crossed behind your back." Yep, the owner has his fingers crossed behind his back. Dave (who the stickered the hashtag, "#omgti," to the Sharpie car's back window) explains the game: Once impounded, a car must stay in the cage until it's towed out—it can't leave under its own power. So dozens of small-timers rent U-Haul car trailers and advertise on social media. "Give them $50 and they pull you out," Dave laughs. "Most people are going to go back out and drive." Thus the cycle of fun continues. "I got a ticket already today," Dave says, retrieving it with evident pride: $90. "All I know is, I took second gear out a little too far." Sharpie does about 75 mph in second. The speed limit is half that. Like a lot of H2O people, Dave has a ticket budget: "I want to keep it under four figures." On the street below, a Miata goes by on the hook of a tow truck. A Dodge Charger cruises down Coastal Highway. A Dodge Charger cruises down Coastal Highway. (J.M. Giordano/City Paper) By the weekend's close 38 vehicles will be towed, at least 23 of which are here for H2O, OCPD spokeswoman Lindsay Richard reports later. There will be 1,222 traffic stops and 15 collisions, with 46 arrests, including 10 DUI and one for drugs. This is about double last year's traffic stops and crashes, but last year, Hurricane Joaquin washed out the weekend. The 2014 numbers were similar to 2016. It's maybe nine more tows than a normal, heavy summer weekend, Richard calculates, which doesn't seem like that much when you look at some of these cars. "Believe me, I get it," says Ross Buzzuro, Ocean City's police chief, in a phone interview a few weeks ahead of the show. "I had a Trans Am, a 400 under the hood." A bit of speeding, drag-racing, and burnouts are the norm on car-centric weekends, he says, but during H2O "it's right in your face." Contempt-of-cop is never a good strategy, and Buzzuro says his officers see little of that when dealing with individuals, "but when there are 50 or more, they might feel like there's safety in numbers." There is safety in numbers, for sure—until the whole scene gets booted. The show, which began in Connecticut, has been a bit of a vagabond. For years it was held at the Dover Downs race track, says Dave. But there was an incident, circa 2011. "Everybody kicks us out," he says. So too on the strip, where any parking lot can become a pop-up car show until something goes terribly wrong—or terribly right—and the police swoop in to shut it down. "The Tap House used to be the place," Dave says, "but they blocked it off. Two guys got in a fight and attacked a horse, so that's why they threw us out." Judging by the YouTube videos, the 2014 mayhem appeared to start over loyalties to car brands. The dividing line between VW/Audi denizens, whose show this officially is, and the "outcasts" rocking Nissans, Subarus, and Hondas, can be thick and dark, depending on beers. There was a loud dude demanding "what's up?" to a guy and slamming him in his own car, which then sped away. Then hundreds of macho idiots chanting while loud dude squared off with another guy and got dropped. Bike cops stepped in to break it up. No horses appeared to have been injured. Tales of crazy burnouts and wicked accidents abide. There was the "Supra Stairclimb," a 2011 event involving a red Toyota taking out a condominium staircase. "Wait till you see what they did to the Convention Center," Dave says as we pass. Two years ago, someone hacked into the parking lot landscape sprinkler there to facilitate juicier burnouts. Today there are buses lined up nose to tail around the perimeter. "That's so we can't get in," he laughs. Every car we pass is full of kids holding their phones up vertically taking video. Lacey, who grew up 170 miles from here in Pottstown, PA, is talking to a woman in a new Beetle she knows from school. "There's a GTR!" Dave yells. "You never see those anywhere." Dave knows a lot about other marques, but he's been a VW guy since age 16, when his mother gave him her Jetta. "I blew up the trans twice," Dave says. "My dad knew how to fix it all." Dave's father is a mechanic who works for an auto parts wholesaler. He races a Ford-engined kit car he built by himself in 1978. He was SCCA Philadelphia Region auto-cross class champion one year in the late 1990s. "Not one of my cars has a cat," Dave says of his four VWs in various stages of tune, although all of them are registered and insured for street use. This requires some finesse. Unlike Maryland, Pennsylvania requires an annual safety inspection, but it exempts from emissions testing vehicles that are driven less than 5,000 miles per year. The car Dave calls "jalopy" has a second instrument cluster he can plug in for inspection. The odometer on it hardly moves, as it is stored most of the time. "I have an immobilizer defeat," Dave says: an electronic hack that bypasses a now-ubiquitous theft prevention feature. "I can swap in any gauge cluster or ECU. It gets near 2,500 miles, I'll swap in the other cluster, and I'm under five-k; exempt." Partiers take advantage of a traffic jam on Coastal Highway. Partiers take advantage of a traffic jam on Coastal Highway. (J.M. Giordano/City Paper) This sounds more nefarious than it is. "I don't drive when I'm at home," Dave says over home fries and eggs at the Parched Pelican. He spends about 60 hours per week at work, 65,000 miles a year behind the wheel of a big rig with a dump trailer hauling gravel, slag, ash, gypsum, and sometimes reprocessed human waste. "I haul that stuff and dump it in farmers' fields," he says. Truck driving is among America's last good-paying, high-skill, low-education professions. It is also a precarious vocation, according to recent wisdom, but Dave thinks self-driving trucks are 20 years in the future—not five, as the Silicon Valley people predict. "They're too big," he says confidently, noting that his truck weighs 10 or 20 times as much as a big SUV. "You'd need sensors all along every trailer. They're not going to spend the money." Trucks still have drum brakes, Dave says, a technology that car racers abandoned in the early 1950s. Much of the industry remains in a technological time warp: While a few drivers labor under the watchful eye of electronic monitors that count their hours and log their routes, "I'm still on paper logs," he says. But Dave's argument is basically Luddite. It's about the human will, the male ego, mistrust of technology and, ultimately, the threat of its destruction: "How many guys out there," he asks, "do you think would allow a computer to drive?" It's raining as Dave, Larry, and I make our way to Whaleyville on Saturday morning in the GLI. Dave chatters about rare models and options as he steers and shifts. He recognizes a 32R Golf from blocks away, noting subtle differences in the front bumper and fascia. He tromps the go pedal as we cross a bridge, pushing us back in the seats. "There's 80," he says, meaning miles per hour. As we take our place in the line of cars outside Fort Whaley, Dave's friend Dub calls: A woman in a minivan has backed into Sharpie. Dave ponders going back to the hotel, but Dub texts pictures—just a crack in the front bumper. "Oh, that ain't bad," Dave says. "The headlight ain't broken. The fiberglass fender ain't broken. Only problem is that's a one-off custom bumper." He bought it online years ago. "All the Mark IIIs, those are all fog lights, but this one is all filled in. It's custom ABS plastic, from the back. Soon as I saw it online I said, Oh my god! That's so aerodynamic. That's perfect." He estimates it took him six hours to Sharpie the bumper. Subtle details matter in the custom car world. "The European guys all want our stuff," Dave says. "All the fenders and bumpers have lights in them, for safety. The Americans all want Euro stuff because it's all shaved and clean." And, of course, different from the common stock. There's a guy in Pennsylvania who sells complete right-hand drive conversion kits for American VWs. They can cost several thousand bucks and make the car much harder to drive on the right side of the road, but there's no mistaking one of them for your mother's grocery-getter. I ask Dave how big this scene is. "Look at APR," he says, referring to one of the major VW/Audi aftermarket performance tuning companies. "They're racing [Audi] R8s in the 24 Hours of Daytona. They are a full-sponsor race team. And VW will be there. They're fully behind it. It's not like they're trying to turn us away from the industry." We pay our $20-a-head entrance fee ($60 for the car!) and scrape over speed bumps to a far-off parking field. No one's saying anything about global climate change, but the parking lot from last year is under deep water, picnic tables jutting up here and there. We take shelter from the mist under the big canopies where Unitronic, APR, and VW are hawking their wares. Under the APR canopy, Alix Shore-Kaminski asks the crucial question about a $480 pulley and some special software: "How hard is it to install?" "Takes about an hour," says Greg Frazier, an APR rep. "That's what they always say," Shore-Kaminski shoots back. "How much would it run for a Stage II?" A petite woman who looks to be in her 30s, Shore-Kaminski is a master technician with 11 years of experience. "I fix Hondas to pay for the Audis," she says, adding that her Audi S4 was recently hit while parked, so she's in her Audi 90 today. She's shopping to make the S4, which comes factory-equipped with 340 horsepower, faster. I ask her what sort of power she's seeking. "What am I shooting for?" she laughs. "To blow it up!" The new pulley would turn the supercharger faster, creating more boost. The software would authorize the car's computer to make use of the extra boost. Does that affect emissions? "You can set it back with a switch," Shore-Kaminski says. "That's what VW did!" Last year, just a few weeks before this show, Volkswagen agreed to pay a $14.7 billion penalty to atone for the biggest emissions-related scandal ever: The company secretly programmed the computers in 11 million of its diesel cars to recognize when they were being tested for emissions, and fully deploy the emissions gear only then. When driven normally, the engines would pollute like a boss. The factory switch was automatic and unknown to consumers. It was discovered by researchers at West Virginia University. The company lost 30 percent of its stock value after the scandal broke in September 2015, and there are likely more settlements in the down pipe. A responsible adult, Shore-Kaminski says she plans to keep her car's catalytic converters and doesn't intend to break the law. Whether APR and other tuning shops provide fully-legal products is open to interpretation. The EPA has hit aftermarket performance companies before. It just fined Harley Davidson $12 million for marketing a "super tuner" device to its motorcycle customers. "You can pick up with tuning anywhere from 40 to 115 horsepower and still have a reliable car," says Frazier, of APR. "The barriers to entry are very low; the horsepower-to-dollar ratio is very high." The changes are possible because VW builds engines that can handle the extra power—and sometimes markets higher-power versions of them itself. "All the factory does is change the software," says Paul Brooker, who works in APR's research and development. "The stuff they do on this, inside the ECU, there are hundreds and hundreds of hours that go into a Stage I tune," Brooker says. It's software engineers, plus traditional mechanics and engineers working with running engines on a dynamometer, seeing how changes in air and fuel ratios, boost pressure, and even pipe shapes affect power output, fuel consumption, and the vital things like heat generation. It's highly sophisticated work, and it all starts with a break-in. "These computers aren't designed from the factory to be changed," Frazier says. "It's synonymous with hacking." I ask Frazier if it's legal, particularly given that what is done is not very different from what VW just agreed to cough-up nearly $15 billion for doing. Brooker, who'd been tapping on his phone, looks up and theatrically turns to his colleague, wide-eyed: "You're goin' to jail," he says. About a hundred feet away from the APR canopy, the New German Performance kiosk has two cars lined up with small monitors hanging at eye level, wires leading under their dashboards like an IV drip. They are getting brain transplants from APR. A pick up truck passenger flashes the "devil horns" as a sign of respect to driver Dave Ascheman on Coastal Highway. A pick up truck passenger flashes the "devil horns" as a sign of respect to driver Dave Ascheman on Coastal Highway. (J.M. Giordano/City Paper) New German has shops in Aberdeen and Lorton, Virginia, says Benji Jones, a sales manager for nine years in the Virginia shop who is overseeing the 45-minute operations. "The tunes are very conservative and safe," he says. "This gentleman is at Stage II. He'll be making around 320-ish at the crank." Jones has been in the scene for more than 15 years. He says he's been to every H2Oi except the first three. He drives a Stage III 2016 GTI he says makes 460 horsepower at the wheels which, given typical drivetrain power losses, works out to be more than 530 at the crankshaft. The sickness of this cannot be overstated. The GTI weighs about as much as a skateboard; 500 horsepower would be terrifying in twice the car. Jones says he flogs his car at "Track Day" events at Summit, Dominion Raceway, and Virginia International: "It does very well." And Volkswagen itself does very well at the track, having won the manufacturer's cup in the past three years running in the FIA World Rally Championship. VW is also the Rallycross champion, says Sean Maynard, National Consumer Events Coordinator for Volkswagen of America. Rallycross is like a mini-rally held inside a closed course. Think of a motocross track, but for chipped-up Beetles and Fiats. "When we survey our enthusiasts—and they are obviously some of our biggest proponents, and passionate, and they go and tell other people about it," says Maynard, whose team appears at 14 "enthusiast events" and 12 races each season. "So we try to inspire other people to see the product." This is done with driving games like Forza Horizon, which depicts VW Rallycross star Tanner Foust and his 560-horsepower Beetle. And the company built five show cars this year, including a 2016 GTI on lowered springs and 19-inch Vossen wheels wrapped in purple, and a Golf that's lowered on old-school BBS rims and wrapped in a Bali green. They even put a Passat on air ride to make it ultra-low. But the cars are not leaned. "Cambering," Maynard says, "it's something that I don't understand. A lot of enthusiasts don't understand it. And it's dangerous." Otherwise, Maynard says, "we try to reflect what the enthusiast community is doing in their vehicles." So what is VW's relationship with aftermarket tuning shops like APR and Unitronic? "It's umm. Kind of a… ah... We really don't," Maynard begins. "We're aware of each other, I guess is the best way to say it. Obviously doing anything to your engine tuning voids the warranty." But, I press, these tuner guys can really wake up these engines. "It's pretty cool," Maynard allows. "It's awesome that someone has a product that someone can use, that serves that market. But [the factory-stock VW] is a thing that has been certified by the government. So you void the warranty." The ambivalence is palpable. Under the circumstances, VW certainly can't openly condone the breaking of environmental laws. On the other hand, VW needs these maniacs to rebuild the brand, so the company ships its cars with ceramic-coated bearings and lightweight piston rods to make them rev faster. Look up the Golf R and click the tab labeled "horsepower." "Let's cut to the chase," the ad copy reads. "292 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque can take you from 0 to 60 in X.X [sic] seconds. It won't take much more to heat things up. (achieved with premium fuel)." And at the footnote: "Always obey all speed and traffic laws." None of this is new or surprising. Every car company has advertised its speed and performance, and few have actively discouraged tinkering. But VW is arguably more dependent on the enthusiast market than it was before diesel-gate: Here is the last market segment that understands the concept of Brand Loyalty. Here is the last market segment that understands what fun it is to break the law. Here is the only market segment that consistently has no fucks to give. Because racecar. As of September sales of the base Golf were down 41 percent compared to 2015, while the hotter GTI was up 2.2 and the top-speed Golf R was up 14.9. In the same month, VW touted a speed record its Beetle set on a Utah salt flat: "We are completely thrilled with the Beetle LSR's performance at Bonneville," said Dr. Hendrik Muth, Senior Vice President, Product Marketing and Strategy, Volkswagen of America, Inc. "The Beetle is not the most aerodynamic car in our portfolio, so running 205 mph is a testament to the power that can be made from the EA888 TSI four-cylinder engine. This feat truly underscores the sporty and pugnacious spirit of the Beetle." Vaping and partying as cars cruise down Coastal Highway Vaping and partying as cars cruise down Coastal Highway (J.M. Giordano/City Paper) Back at the Cayman Suites on Saturday afternoon, three guys are trying to pull the front axle out of a Jetta. One of them asks Dave if he has a triple square—a special socket for removing axle bolts. Dave fishes around the back of Sharpie and comes up with several of different sizes. He hands them over with his impact driver. "I've been coming here three years, never had a problem," says Richard Ribeiro, who owns the car. "This time the axle broke on the way in." Or, anyway, it started sounding like it was ready to break. Drive axles are the Achilles heel of lowered rides. The extreme stance sets the constant velocity joints on an angle they don't like and puts pressure on the bearings. There are aftermarket CV joints that can handle the altered suspension travel, but they are expensive, so most cruisers change out their half-shafts about once a year. It was Ribeiro's time. "You don't have to take the tie rod off," Dave advises. "Just take off the ball joint and then if you yank it hard enough…." "It's not H2O if you don't see a Volkswagen broken down somewhere," Richard Ribiero says. His friend, Michael Ferreira, a compact dude in his mid 20s, has his hands greasy from the car's underside. The crew is in a jolly enough mood for being stranded. They have the spare part now and the tool to make the switch. Ribeiro's car has a purple steering wheel in place of the stock, perfect, comfortable, leather-wrapped, ergonomically-engineered VW factory offering. The custom wheel is bolted on cold, with gaps around it and above the stock column, like Frankenstein's head grafted on, say, Beyonce's body. Of course, the fancy wheel eliminates the most important air bag of the Jetta's six. "I don't have an air bag," Ribeiro laughs. "He doesn't even have a horn," Ferreira pipes up from under the car. "My horn is my exhaust," Ribeiro says, with evident pride. A pickup truck brandishes an American flag on Coastal Highway in Ocean City. A pickup truck brandishes an American flag on Coastal Highway in Ocean City. (J.M. Giordano/City Paper) With darkness falling, Sharpie's illegal yellow headlights are lit, playing the ticket lottery. The front spoiler scrapes hard as we pull into the liquor store parking lot. "Yeah," Dave says to a group standing there, "no fucks." The bar at Bull On The Beach is packed with grey-haired locals—just the kind of folks who we were told fear and loathe the H2O crowd. But opinion is mixed: "I think it's great," says Sally Hawkins, an occupational therapist. "It brings business to the area." A tall man next to her allows that it doesn't bother him either, but he qualifies that. "My son had his VW the first year they had it [in Ocean City]," the man recalls. "They had five or six of his friends in the yard. You should've seen it! Now it's different. They put all this bullshit on them. I call them lawn mowers." Dave and his friends are in the "Mafia Booth." He says his buddy John's car runs low 12s on the quarter mile. He wants to get into the 11s and figures 400 horses at the wheels will get it. "That's America," I say. "Yeah," Dave says. "There are top fuel guys running 300 mph in the eighth mile. That's telling other countries, 'Don't fuck with us.' This is what we do for fun, in our spare time, so imagine what we'll do to you if we get pissed." On the way out, Dave zip-ties Sharpie's bumper back on before continuing the cruise, and I think of Dean Moriarty. I think of "Big Daddy" Ed Roth, a condoner of street racing who a half-century ago epitomized the outlaw, no-fucks-given attitude that today's hooners and tuners echo. Take "Mysterion," Roth's 1962 show-stopper. Built from scratch using Buick, Ford, and possibly trailer parts, the bubble-topped, fur-lined contraption sported a TV set, Bill The Cat asymmetrical headlights, and two gargantuan V8 engines. The dangerousness of the car cannot be overstated; Roth's build, quality, and engineering were so poor that the weight of its enormous engines repeatedly cracked the frame in transit—on the flatbed! There is no one like Roth on the scene today. Fame belongs to race drivers, and the people with the most Instagram followers. The builders are D.I.Y., with a subtle factory assist. And a lot of self-help: The dudes Dave lent his tools to will try to give him back more than he lent, even though they ended up putting the faulty axle back in, having bought the wrong spare. "We were the real gangsters of the hotrod field," Roth told Tom Wolfe 55 years ago. "They keep telling us we have a rotten attitude. We have a different attitude, but that doesn't make us rotten." Police are stationed every six blocks on the strip, lights flashing. A car goes by with women hanging out of both back windows. "Oh, that's dangerous," says Lacey, driving the GLI with admirable restraint as she tries to keep up with Dave, whose incessant, mufflerless revving cuts through the rest of the traffic noise. Dave revs the Sharpie and other drivers rev in response, like dogs barking. A lifted truck rolls by flying a "Don't Tread On Me" flag. Dave parks on 56th Street and bounds out of his car, eager for more stupidity, better stupidity. "It's so fun," he says, "to piss people off!" * Automotive Industry * Auto Reviews * Environmental Science * Volkswagen * Auto Racing * Audi * Honda Motor Co. * Fast and Furious (movie series) * Sally Hawkins Most Read on Chicago Tribune * + Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. Jan 13, 2021 The Chicago Bears lost their news conference — and it was a blowout. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts after the team’s brass addressed the franchise’s future. * + Coronavirus A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why Jan 7, 2021 A ‘healthy’ doctor died two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccine; CDC is investigating why * + Politics Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras Jan 13, 2021 Illinois General Assembly approves sweeping criminal justice overhaul that would end cash bail, require cops to wear body cameras CONNECT * (BUTTON) * (BUTTON) * (BUTTON) * (BUTTON) TRIBUNE PUBLISHING * New York Daily News * Orlando Sentinel * The Morning Call of Pa. * Daily Press of Va. * The Daily Meal * The Baltimore Sun * Sun Sentinel of Fla. * Hartford Courant * The Virginian-Pilot * BestReviews COMPANY INFO * Careers * Privacy Policy * Archives * Manage Web Notifications * Do Not Sell My Personal Information * About us * Terms of Service * Contact us * FAQ * Media kit Copyright © 2021, Chicago Tribune #alternate alternate Hot Stuff: Tuner Cars Turn Up All Over (BUTTON) (BUTTON) Sections (BUTTON) SEARCH Skip to contentSkip to site index Automobiles Today’s Paper Automobiles|Hot Stuff: Tuner Cars Turn Up All Over * * * * (BUTTON) * Advertisement Continue reading the main story Supported by Continue reading the main story Hot Stuff: Tuner Cars Turn Up All Over * * * * (BUTTON) * By Norman Mayersohn * May 22, 2005 NEW-CAR showrooms are full of special editions, models that carry the logos of clothing designers, outdoor outfitters or cartoon characters, or that commemorate pivotal moments in history like the Ironman triathlon or a made-for-television racing series. It is not unreasonable to wonder how low an automaker will stoop to persuade shoppers that a "limited edition" is genuinely special. Offsetting those cheap shots from the marketing department, though, are a handful of model designations and badges that really do make enthusiasts' hearts skip a beat. When serious drivers spot an AMG badge on the trunklid of a Mercedes-Benz, or an M logo on a BMW, they know they are in the presence of a special car capable of exceptional feats of performance. These cars (and increasingly, trucks), tuned by the factories' own performance divisions, offer engines and suspensions that are not available as individual options; for the most part, the mechanical upgrades are bundled into a distinct model that includes sporty trim inside and out. Of course, mechanics and tinkerers have fiddled with cars' mechanical workings for as long as gasoline has powered four wheels, massaging the engines to extract more horsepower and fiddling with the suspensions to improve cornering. What is noteworthy here is how many automakers are doing the tweaking themselves, offering limited-edition makeovers engineered as balanced packages. The cars are built on the production line and carry full warranties. The prototypes for factory tuner divisions, at least in recent times, come from Germany. AMG, the Mercedes tuners, began as a privately owned shop near Affalterbach in 1967; DaimlerChrysler bought the business in 1999. BMW's M subsidiary (originally named BMW Motorsport) started inside the company in 1972, building cars for the factory's racing programs before branching out to production vehicles. Factory tuner cars are the models that enthusiasts drool over. This fall, a new BMW M5 sedan will arrive in the United States with a 500-horsepower V-10 under the hood. Around the same time, Cadillac's plush STS sedan will offer a variation, the STS-V, with a supercharged 440-horsepower version of General Motors' Northstar V-8. In some cases, the vehicles are preposterous: Mercedes-Benz will sell you a 604-horsepower quasi-limousine, the S65, for $169,720; for about $360,000, the ultraplush Maybach 57S is fitted with the same engine. And should your hankering to go off-road call for a 415-horsepower Hemi engine, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is your choice. Buyers in the United States grabbed 10,057 of the pumped-up Benzes last year, accounting for more than 40 percent of AMG's worldwide sales, said Robert Allan, manager of AMG and technical planning at Mercedes-Benz USA. For the privilege, these enthusiasts typically pay a premium of 20 to 35 percent over the standard versions of the same basic cars. BMW's success with the M series may be the chief reason so many automakers have established tuner divisions. In 2004, M3 coupes and convertibles accounted for nearly a quarter of all 3 Series coupes and convertibles sold in the United States, even with a typical $10,000 premium on the window sticker. No need to explain, then, why BMW will be introducing the new M5 this fall and an M6 coupe next spring. But these days, the quest for tuner-car street cred has driven otherwise rational organizations to create out-of-character coupes and convertibles. Volvo, for instance, known for its sensible-shoes approach to car-building, now offers two "R" models with 300-horsepower turbocharged engines. Mass-market brands are not immune: family-sedan specialists like Ford turned to its in-house tuners, the Special Vehicle Team, to produce a street version of its GT40 racecar from the 1960's. Chevrolet revived the style of a 1940's pickup truck in the SSR and is affixing its legendary SS nameplate on a range of cars and trucks tweaked by the G.M. Performance division. That group also created Red Line editions of two previously unimpressive Saturns, the Ion compact and Vue utility wagon, as well as the well-received Cadillac CTS-V. Chrysler, a pioneer of performance cars in the 1950's, offers models with the SRT nameplate -- from the Neon-based Chrysler SRT4 compact to Hemi-powered Dodge Magnum wagons and pickups powered by the brutal V-10 engine from the Viper. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Site Index Site Information Navigation * © 2021 The New York Times Company * NYTCo * Contact Us * Work with us * Advertise * T Brand Studio * Your Ad Choices * Privacy Policy * Terms of Service * Terms of Sale * Site Map * Canada * International * Help * Subscriptions IFRAME: https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-P528B3>m_auth=tfAzqo1 rYDLgYhmTnSjPqw>m_preview=env-130>m_cookies_win=x [profile-cover.jpg] [user.jpg] Sign in or register * Home * Video * Community * Topics + News + Quizzes + Formula 1 + Retro & Classics + Supercars + Used Cars + Reviews & Features + Motorsport + Blogs + Funny * Manufacturers + Alfa Romeo + Aston Martin + Audi + BMW + Bugatti + Chevrolet + Dodge + Ferrari + Ford + Honda + Jaguar + Koenigsegg + Lamborghini + Land Rover + Lexus + Mazda + Mclaren + Mercedes Benz + Mini + Nissan + Peugeot + Porsche + Renault + Seat + Skoda + Subaru + Tesla + Toyota + Volkswagen + Volvo * Submit video * About us * Advertise * Shop * Jobs * FAQs (BUTTON) Video Community Submit Shop (BUTTON) Honda_______________ (BUTTON) Go Matt Robinson profile picture Matt Robinson 3 months ago 0 Tuning Honda Has Made Its Own Tuning Parts For The Updated Civic Type R The Honda Access parts programme has revealed a range of accessories for the updated FK8 Type R Remind me later (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Tweet (BUTTON) Email (BUTTON) Whatsapp Honda - Honda Has Made Its Own Tuning Parts For The Updated Civic Type R - Tuning [exterior-03_2560x1440.jpg] As the most outrageous-looking hot hatchback out there, the wing-garnished Honda Civic Type R doesn’t really need any extra help when it comes to visual distinction. The Japanese manufacturer has had a go, though, with a new range of parts for the updated FK8 available in via Honda Access. Honda - Honda Has Made Its Own Tuning Parts For The Updated Civic Type R - Tuning [exterior-02_2560x1440.jpg] The item on the menu that stands out the most is the set of Championship White forged wheels, which trim the Type R’s unsprung mass by 8.4kg. The designed is based on the wheel used by the NSX GT500 Super GT racing car, with the white contrasted nicely thanks to some Modulo red centre caps. The top sections of the spokes are widened, so each one looks a bit like a sword. “We pursued a balance between strength and beauty, which sets it apart from performance-oriented racing wheels,” Honda says (translated from Japanese). They’re by far the most expensive element offered, weighing in at 275,000 yen (just under £2000, and it looks like that might be the price per wheel), but there are plenty of cheaper upgrades available. There’s a carbon fibre rear wing which is - admittedly - still quite spendy at 176,000 yen, or right at the other end of the scale, a new leather-clad gear knob for 20,350. Handy if you don’t like having your hand frozen in winter or sizzled in summer by the standard aluminium shifter. Honda - Honda Has Made Its Own Tuning Parts For The Updated Civic Type R - Tuning [ee5ddbfb112a415f2b6bfe3ec6952380.jpg] Carbon fibre is a prominent theme, with a CF bonnet vent and interior trim also in the catalogue. Anyone with a Championship White Civic might also be interested in the snazzy red mirror caps and grille trim. To go with the gear knob, meanwhile, it’s possible to spruce up the interior with red lighting and illuminated Type R treadplates. Honda - Honda Has Made Its Own Tuning Parts For The Updated Civic Type R - Tuning [exterior-01_2560x1440.jpg] All of this appears to be specific to the Japanese Domestic Market, however, many of the offerings - including the carbon wing and the illumination kit - are available in the UK via four different accessory packs. Alternatively, Stoke-On-Trent-based Tegiwa sells the Modulo rims, provided you’re happy to part with £2700 a pop. 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I agree [ ] Continue with Facebook or ____________________ Email address ____________________ Password Forgot? (BUTTON) Sign in with Email #RSS 2.0 RSS .92 Atom 0.3 alternate alternate [p?c1=2&c2=8738137&cv=2.0&cj=1] Express Drives menu * Home * CARS * BIKES * REVIEWS * INDUSTRY * PHOTOS * VIDEOS * EV * CV * MOTORSPORT * Auto car-news modified cars bikes are illegal says supreme court all you need to know Modified Cars, Bikes are illegal says Supreme Court! Not even paint, exhausts Reiterating the amendment to the Motor Vehicles Act, the Supreme Court outlawed any modification to vehicles that would come outside the purview of what is mentioned on the Registration Certificate! By:Dipayan DuttaUpdated: Jan 10, 2019 4:53 PM * * * * Modified bikes now illegal, says Supreme Court Modified bikes now illegal, says Supreme Court Modified bikes now illegal, says Supreme Court Royal Enfield after market exhausts were seized before Although this was always known, following an opposing judgment by a divisional bench in Kerala, the Supreme Court has clarified that the law does not permit any type of modification that alters any specification made by the manufacturer or to what is mentioned on the vehicle registration certificate. In its statement the Apex court said that it wanted known as the clear intent of the court that a vehicle cannot be altered so as to be exclusive of the particulars contained within a certificate of registration or are at a variation with the original specifications provided by the vehicle manufacturer. “No vehicle can be altered so as to change original specification made by manufacturer. Such particulars cannot be altered which have been specified by the manufacturer for the purpose of entry in the certificate of registration,” a bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Vineet Saran said in its verdict. The court wisely left the statement open ended without specifying any particulars about which modifications are likely to put you in trouble, leaving it to authorities to use the law to fine offenders as they see fit. According to the court, an alteration or a modification is a a change in structure of a vehicle which results in change in its basic feature.The top court set aside the judgement of a division bench of the Kerala High Court which had said that structural alteration was permissible as per the provisions of the Kerala Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989. The court ruled that any changes that could range from modified exhausts, that change the decibel and emission output of a vehicle to changes in paint, tyre size and even fixtures of modified parts like spoilers and body panels can be considered outside the purview of the law. In its closing statement, the court mentioned that the amended Motor Vehicle act provision specified the absolute fact that vehicles cannot be altered, in order to ensure road worthiness of the vehicle in terms of safety and the protection of the environment. Get live Stock Prices from BSE, NSE, US Market and latest NAV, portfolio of Mutual Funds, Check out latest IPO News, Best Performing IPOs, calculate your tax by Income Tax Calculator, know market’s Top Gainers, Top Losers & Best Equity Funds. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. 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We looked at some of the top modifications that are illegal in most states, plus a few questionable choices that probably should be illegal. Since what is illegal varies by state, you’ll want to contact your Department of Motor Vehicles or local law enforcement before you break out the blowtorch. This does offer a breakdown of popular modifications and some guidelines, so you can find out here which car modifications are illegal — or should be. Illegal: Loud Exhaust If you want people to hear your car before they see it, make sure it’s not illegal in your state to have a loud exhaust. In 2019, California changed its exhaust law so that a loud muffler is no longer a fix-it ticket but rather a fine on the spot. Vehicles must have a muffler that prevents “excessive noise from the exhaust system.” If you’re driving a passenger vehicle — other than a motorcycle — or a truck weighing less than 6,000 pounds, the exhaust can’t be louder than 95 decibels, according to the California Bureau of Automotive Repair. Illegal: Tire Chains and Studded Tires In most cases, tire chains are allowed in “hazardous” weather and as needed, as long as the highway surface remains undamaged. But Connecticut gets specific: Chains are legally allowed between Nov. 15 and April 30 for hazardous weather or related incidents, according to the AAA. As for studded tires, Alaska, for example, requires the studs to be rubber and they can only be used in certain locations and during certain dates. They can be used Sept. 16 to April 30 north of 60 degrees N and from Oct. 1 to April 14, south of 60 degrees N. Meanwhile, Hawaii, Mississippi and Puerto Rico don’t permit studded tires at all. Illegal: Radar Detector Some states allow radar detectors for passenger vehicles but not for commercial vehicles. Others, like the District of Columbia and Virginia, put the kibosh on them entirely. (BUTTON) Story continues What’s considered a commercial vehicle? Pennsylvania is like many others, defining it as one that transports goods and passengers for compensation — but it’s best to consult the fine print of the law. Illegal: Window Tint Want to tint your windows for privacy, to filter the sun or just look cool? That’s fine, as long as you follow the law. Some tinting is allowed, but it varies wildly from state to state — and from window to window. For example, Florida has a lengthy set of rules. Side windows can be tinted, but the material must have “a total solar reflectance of visible light of not more than 25% and a light transmittance of at least 28% in the visible light range.” Many states’ laws also allow for a “sunscreening device” that’s nonreflective, according to AAA. Illegal: Nitrous Oxide System This power-adder is fine on the racetrack or off-road. But you’d be hard-pressed to find a state that allows its use on the highway. And some states are particular about how you use the materials. In Maryland, you can’t possess a NOS bottle in a vehicle that’s operating on the highway. Lifted Suspension Want to give your car’s suspension a lift? First, find out what’s OK in your state. For example, in California, the maximum frame height is 23 inches. And Delaware doesn’t want the bumper height to exceed 22 inches from the ground to the bottom of the bumper. Often the allowable bumper-height change is tied into the gross vehicle weight rating. For example, Maryland caps it at 28 inches for trucks and multipurpose vehicles at 10,000 pounds or less. Mississippi law says you can’t lift the original vehicle bumper height more than 8 inches total. The front and rear suspension lift must be 6 inches or less. Illegal: Lowered Suspension As with lifting your vehicle, your state laws will vary for lowering it. Virginia says that vehicle suspension can’t be modified if it causes the chassis or body to touch the ground, expose the gas tank or “cause the wheels to come in contact with the body under normal operation.” Illegal: Screen/Monitor You already know it’s illegal to text while driving in almost all states (as of this writing, Missouri and Montana still allow it over the age of 21). But what about watching a video screen? In most states, a viewer or screen is not allowed to be where the driver can see it, nor can it block the driver’s view of the road, according to AAA. GPS is usually the exception. But states like Arkansas and Georgia have no restrictions. Illegal: License Plate Frame Sure, you want everyone to know “Life is Good, Spread Good Vibes,” so you take to your license plate frame to share it. But that accessory might be illegal in your state. In Washington, if a holder, frame or similar item changes your license plate or makes it unreadable — it’s illegal. You can use the item if it doesn’t cover the license and allows the license plates to be clearly visible at all times. While on the subject of license plates, your state may also consider it illegal to permanently remove the front one or to add a covering/protector over the rear one (to thwart speed cameras). Illegal: Loud Music You’ve added bass and a pretty tight audio system. And now, almost everyone in your neighborhood hates you. Technically, what you did isn’t illegal, but it is if it qualifies as “excessive noise,” a “noise disturbance” or “unnecessary noise.” Generally, its legality is measured by decibels and distance. In Tennessee, passenger cars measured at 50 feet have a maximum allowable 78 decibels; at 25 feet away, it’s 84. Keep this in mind if you’re planning to add an alarm to your car. Illegal: Roof Rack In general, you can add a roof rack to your vehicle. You can add your stuff to the roof rack. Just don’t be top-heavy. In most states, there are preferred safe, legal ways to transport your cargo. That includes a maximum height, length and width law. In Oregon, the vehicle height, including load, cannot exceed 14 feet. Not to mention, you need to secure your goods. There is a slew of violations that would come with anything dropping onto the road. Illegal: Air Freshener Hanging an air freshener or even fuzzy dice from your rearview mirror could be a violation in your state. For example, California prohibits placing an object that “obstructs or reduces the driver’s clear view through the windshield or side windows.” In Virginia, it’s considered illegal to drive on the highway if there’s anything hanging anywhere in the car that could block the driver’s clear view of the road through the windshield and the front side windows. Illegal: Making Your Car a Party Limo Want to modify your vehicle into a limo? It might be tough if you’re in Ohio, where the law prohibits any part of the car body from being attached to the frame beyond the original design. By doing some kind of custom limoing, you’re altering the structural integrity of the original frame as well as the capabilities of the stock brakes to due to the added weight. You might also have to remove some airbags, so safety’s further reduced. There’s also the fact that you’d be driving illegally if you don’t have a special driver’s license like a chauffeur license and/or commercial driver’s license. Illegal: Auxiliary Lights More lights make for better visibility — for you. But for oncoming traffic, it might feel like driving directly into the sun as your vehicle approaches. There are laws about what level of candlepower and how many lights you can add. For example, in Alabama, you’re limited to two side cowl or fender lamps and one running-board courtesy lamp per side. The state also requires those lights to shine in amber or white with no glare. Illegal: Neon and Under-Body Lights Under-body lights can be a scene-stealer. But it might be a traffic violation in your state to have under-body lights — neon or otherwise — while driving on a public road. Such as it is in Maine, where you’re permitted to have under-body lights for events or competitions, but not while you’re driving on the road. Illegal: Bigger Tires If your new bigger, beefy tires and wheels stick out from the wheel wells, you may be breaking the law. Utah requires the top half of the tires to be “covered by the original fenders, by rubber, or other flexible fender extenders under any loading condition.” In Rhode Island, drivers aren’t permitted to travel on the highways if the tires extend beyond the fenders or body of the vehicle — unless it has flaps or guards “to reduce spray or splash to the rear and sides.” Illegal: Engine Modifications The California Air Resources Board (CARB) studies aftermarket parts closely before approving what will ultimately be installed on an on-highway vehicle. It’s a big deal, as they’re trying to avoid products that will add emissions to the air or reduce fuel economy, whether it’s an exhaust system, cold-air intake and so on. A vehicle could also fail the smog check as a result of a non-CARB-approved engine component. So make sure what you install is legal in your state and not homegrown in your garage. Illegal: Exhaust Emissions When it comes to exhaust emissions, we like how Rhode Island doesn’t mince words. All motor vehicles should have a muffler in good working condition and always operating “to prevent excessive or unusual noise and annoying smoke.” Texas feels the same about a tailpipe’s “annoying smoke”—“state law prohibits any person from operating a motor vehicle emitting visible smoke for 10 seconds or longer on Texas roadways.” Have a diesel? Don’t bother with engine modifications that can cause “rolling coal.” This happens by tricking the engine into thinking it needs more fuel so it blows out a load of black smoke from the exhaust pipes. As for show-offs, Colorado prohibits “engaging in a nuisance exhibition of motor vehicle exhaust.” Illegal: Colored Headlights Don’t be tempted to screw in colored bulbs. States frown upon this, and you’ll frown upon the fine. In Montana, you can’t drive a vehicle on a highway if it has headlamps that are made with, covered by “or treated with a tinted or colored material, substance, system, or component that obscures the headlamps or diminishes the distance of visibility required by this section.” Should Be Illegal: Over-the-Top Vehicle Wraps Sure, painting and airbrushing murals on a vehicle still happens, but often what’s more appealing is the application of a vinyl wrap, which can be removed much easier, especially when you break up with the person to whom the ode exists. You can use the custom-wrap configurator at Custom-Car-Wraps.com to do see what your vehicle would look like with a wrap, but keep in mind that other drivers might be staring at your car for the wrong reasons. And, most importantly, don’t take it too far. Remember the wrap that caused an uproar back in 2013, you know, the one that gives the illusion that someone is bound and gagged in the bed of the truck? By comparison, it makes the wrap in which the driver appears to be sitting on the toilet almost enjoyable. Should Be Illegal: Twinning With Your Car You’ve probably seen photos of people who look like their pets. But people who resemble their vehicle also exist. Take Angelyne, who famously appeared on billboards in Los Angeles over the past few decades and to this day drives a hot pink Corvette in Hollywood. She wears hot pink to match and seems somewhat customized to complement the ‘Vette, too. That’s how a local Hollywood legend got started. But that doesn’t make it right for others to follow suit. Should Be Illegal: Hitch Nuts Haven’t heard of “truck nuts”? If you’re having trouble imagining, we’ll be blunt: They’re fake testicles hanging from the back of a vehicle, like from the hitch. They had their heyday in the 1990s, but you’ll still spot them around town, even though lawmakers in a few states tried to ban them. Some locales even issued fines for them, deeming them obscene. Nowadays, there should be a fine simply for engaging in a trend from the 1990s. Should Be Illegal: Gold and Diamond Cars We don’t have a problem with a car in gold paint, per se, but a gold-plated or diamond-encrusted car? As if the car weren’t expensive enough — McLaren, Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari have at times served as canvases. But you have to be one of the richest people in the world to install gold and jewels on your cars. To create this kind of buzz and drop jaws can cost upward of $5 million. Please, police: Light it up, then write it up. Should Be Illegal: Tires or Wheels That Cost More Than Your House Wheels and tires can be affordable. They can also be expensive. And then there’s the astronomically expensive set of four car tires by Dubai-based company Z Tyres for $600,000. When did the price of rubber get so high? Maybe it’s because they’re adorned with 24-karat gold and diamonds. They were designed in Dubai and built in Italy, then went back to Dubai for gold leafing. At least for $600,000, it was a complete set. (On the upside, all the money went to charity.) More From GOBankingRates * How I Was Scammed When I Bought My First Car * Best Online Banks of 2020 * Best Online Banks of 2020 * Retirees Confess What They Wish They’d Done With Their Money This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 24 Car Modifications That Are Totally Illegal (or Should Be) TRENDING * 1. Christopher & Banks Files Bankruptcy, May Close All Stores * 2. U.S. Stocks Advance for Third Day Amid Aid Report: Markets Wrap * 3. Fink Mulls Ending BlackRock PAC After ‘Assault’ on Democracy * 4. 'No one’s losing bitcoin anymore': bitcoin bull Mike Novogratz * 5. Delta plans temporary ban on DC weapons check-in ahead of Biden inauguration Latest Stories * Oilprice.com Biden's Boom: The $30 Trillion ESG Sector Is Set To Explode In 2021 The ESG mega-trend sent trillions of dollars pouring in last year. 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Morgan Predicts 30%-Plus Rally for These 2 Stocks Basic physics, and the evidence of our own eyes, tells us that what goes up must come down. But the NASDAQ is over 13,000, and the S&P 500 is over 3,800, and some market watchers are starting to wonder where the ceiling is. Banking giant JPMorgan investigates that question, seeking to find out just how much room the bulls have left to run in the current market conditions.Looking back to the collapse of Lehman Brothers, and the financial crisis of 2008, the bank’s global markets strategist Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou notes that, among stocks, bonds, and cash, the average equity holding has been 42.3%. He points out that this ‘neutral’ level was breach in November, and equity allocations now are nearer 43.8%.This increase from the average would imply that there may not be much room for stocks to keep going up – except that the post-Lehman equity allocation high, reached in January 2018, was 47.6%. To state the obvious, we’re not there yet. Panigirtzoglou sees the ongoing expansion of the M2 monetary base fueling the stock boom, and insulating it from changes in the bond markets.Against this backdrop, JPMorgan analysts are pounding the table on two stocks in particular, noting that each could surge over 30% in the year ahead. We ran the the two through TipRanks database to see what other Wall Street's analysts have to say about them. ContextLogic (WISH)We will start with ContextLogic, the parent company of Wish.com. This e-commerce marketplace has become known for its social media ads, both for their ubiquitous presence and their entertainment value. Wish has a knack for drawing traffic and customers – it has become the third-largest online retail site it the US, with over 100 million monthly visitors and more than 150 million items listed for sale. The company’s revenue exceeds $2 billion annually.The company's growth is being driven by several factors: the high monthly traffic, the large – and largely untapped – e-commerce customer base of low-income households looking for budget goods, and worldwide network of more than 500 million merchants.WISH ran up a great deal of hype in December, when it held its IPO – and saw the price drop nearly 17% in the first trading day. The offering was priced at $24 per share, but the stock closed its first day trading at $20.05. Even so, the company still raised $1.1 billion in its first day on the market, and currently boasts a market cap of $14.5 billion.Covering the stock for JPM, 5-star analyst Doug Anmuth wrote: "We believe Wish has significant growth potential with current penetration of ~3% of the global target market estimated at 1B+ households, and less than 1% share of the overall $2.1T global mobile commerce market. Wish utilizes data science to drive all aspects of its business from user acquisition to pricing to logistics, which helps the company stay nimble and should drive greater global scale over time. We expect Wish to deliver more consistent 20s%+ growth over the next couple years…”To this end, Anmuth rates WISH an Overweight (i.e. Buy), and his $30 price target implies a 43% upside potential for the next 12 months. (To watch Anmuth’s track record, click here)Wall Street is quite positive on this 'Moderate Buy' stock: WISH has received 8 'buy' and 4 'hold' ratings in the last three months. Running the numbers across the Street, the 12-month average price target lands at $26, representing about 24% upside potential. (See WISH stock analysis on TipRanks)Passage Bio (PASG)The second JPM pick we’re looking at is Passage Bio, a genetic medicines company. Passage is focused on developing treatments for rare, life-threatening, monogenic central nervous system disorders, using an adeno-associated virus delivery system. Monogenic disorders are caused by a mutation or defect in a single gene; the adeno-associated virus system is tailored to deliver a corrected gene directly into affected cells.The company currently has three main drug candidates under development: PBGM01, a treatment for GM1 gangliosidosis; PBFT02, to treat frontotemporal dementia; and PBKR03 as a treatment for Krabbe disease. All three are in the IND-enabling phase of the development cycle, and the company announced earlier this month that PBGM01 has received FDA approval to advance to Phase 1/2 trial. PBFT02 and PBKR03 are both scheduled to initiate Phase 1/2 later in 1H20. The upbeat outlook for Passage’s research program underlies the JPM stance on the stock. 5-star analyst Anupam Rama has upgraded his firm’s rating from Neutral to Overweight and set a price target of $35, indicating a potential ~34% upside on the one-year horizon. (To watch Rama’s track record, click here)Backing his upgrade, Rama notes the FDA clearance on PBGM01 and writes, “[We] expect focus to return to the upcoming GM1 data mid-year, which will represent the key initial clinical catalyst for the company. Based on known pre-clinical data, we would look for the initial PBGM01 GM1 data to not only de-risk the program itself but also the company’s broader platform.”The analyst consensus on PASG is not unanimous, but almost. The Strong Buy consensus rating is supported by 3 Buys against a single Hold. Shares sell for $26.25, and the average price target of $32.83 indicates an upside of ~25%. (See PASG stock analysis on TipRanks)To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights.Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment. 23h ago * Investor's Business Daily Petco Stock Prices Above Views In Third IPO With New Rival On The Way Petco stock priced its initial public offering above forecasts late Wednesday, ahead of its trading debut Thursday. 4m ago * Yahoo Finance The housing market tells the whole story: Morning Brief Top news and what to watch in the markets on Thursday, January 14, 2021. 4h ago * FX Empire 3 Utilities Stocks Ready to Power Ahead Predictable earnings and high paying dividends may provide a spark for utility stocks in these uncertain times. 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It also uses chips made by Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA), as per Nikkei Asia.IM will reportedly begin taking orders for the vehicle in April at the annual Shanghai auto show. A second SUV vehicle may be delivered to customers in 2022.Alibaba shares were up 4.29% in Hong Kong at press-time. Why It Matters: Sales of new-energy vehicles in China have grown 11% to 1.36 million units in 2020, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, noted Nikkei Asia. UBS auto analyst Paul Gong projected double-digit growth in overall sales with numbers exceeding the 2019 level to 25.77 million vehicles, as per Nikkei Asia.The Jack Ma-founded company is not the only firm announcing an EV foray. 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TheThings News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. TheSportster A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. More * Write For Us * Home * Contact Us * Terms * Privacy * Copyright * About Us * Press Kit * Fact Checking Policy * Corrections Policy * Ethics Policy * Ownership Policy (BUTTON) (BUTTON) (BUTTON) ____________________ 20 Car Mods That Are Illegal In The United States Some of the most popular modifications are also very illegal By Natasha Brown Apr 03, 2018 (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Tweet Email (BUTTON) Comment The Fast and the Furious isn't just one of the most exciting film franchises of all time. It also introduced the weird and wonderful world of car modifications to the larger American public, most of whom thought that “car modifications” meant adding a bumper sticker. Many thousands of young men and women spend countless dollars on upgrades and modifications to their vehicles in order to improve how they look or how they perform or even how they sound before parading them at meets and races with other car enthusiasts. The global market for car modifications is expected to reach $522 billion USD by the year 2022 as more and more people look to put their own personal stamp on their vehicles. It is worth remembering that it isn’t just the cost of the modification that you have to take into consideration, as some of these embellishments can actually increase the cost of your auto insurance premium! Some of the most popular modifications are also very illegal as they can make it difficult to drive the vehicle safely or can boost the performance of the car so much that it becomes dangerous. Just to make things even more complicated, different states have different rules about which modifications are allowed, so you always need to check the rules relating to the modifications on the list below before you start any cross-country road trip. Here are 20 car modifications that are illegal in the United States. 20 Studded Tires In Good Weather Via youtube.com In times of bad weather, studded snow tires can be a life saver. In some areas they are even mandatory (or at the very least strongly recommended) when roads are icy and snowy. However, some motorists view studded tires as a cosmetic modification, something to make their cars look a little cooler rather than something which could save their lives. Indeed, when the weather isn’t bad, studded tires can themselves pose a danger as they can easily skid on dry road surfaces. This is why many states where studded tires are a common sight in winter have to impose rules forbidding their use during warmer months. Washington state between November and March is one example. Other states have banned the use of metal studs in favor of the rubber variety. 19 Light Rig On The Roof Of A Truck Via hidlights.cc A lot of people who own trucks also like to pretend that they use those trucks for journeys far more demanding than the school run or the morning commute. We’ve all seen truck drivers who have spent as much cash upgrading their pride and joy as any Fast and Furious inspired street racer. One of the staunch favorites of truck owners is a light rig on the roof in order to provide extra bright illumination for those after dark off-roading trips. It is worth being aware that some states have restrictions about the use or even the installation of such lighting rigs. In 2017, for example, North Carolina passed a law prohibiting the use of these rigs while driving on state highways, as they can distract and even dazzle other road users. 18 Radar Detectors Via caranddriver.com Radar detectors are devices installed in cars which tell the drivers when their speed is being measured by radar guns used by law enforcement; a handy toy if you like driving above the speed limit without the risk of being given one of those pesky traffic citations. Speed limits are there for a reason, as are the law enforcement officers who are using radar guns to check the speed of vehicles: to keep all road users safe. That is why these are illegal in all vehicles in Virginia and Washington DC, and are illegal in commercial vehicles in Illinois, New York and New Jersey. While radar detectors are legal in Minnesota and California, you are not allowed to fix them to your windscreen, where they may cause an obstruction while driving. 17 Obnoxiously Loud, Throaty Engine Roars Via youtube.com All vehicles are sold with a muffler on their exhaust system to control noise levels. While it is generally illegal to remove them, you can always add new modifications if you want your car to have one of those obnoxiously loud, throaty engine roars. Again, different states have different laws when it comes to how loud your exhaust is allowed to be. Texas, for example, has no vehicle noise rules at all, which means that anything goes when it comes to engine noise. In California, the limit is 95 decibels while Kansas law states that noise from car engines has to be less than 90 decibels when measured from a distance of 50 feet. Come cities, including New York, even have their own local laws on engine noise. 16 Neon Lights Via neonlaws.com One of the other popular modifications which makes regular appearances in The Fast the Furious films are the neon lights which boy racers put on the underside of their vehicles. While this may look cool, it doesn’t have any impact on the performance of the vehicle, so why on earth would any state have a problem with a bit of extra funky lighting? Because that extra funky lighting can be a distraction to yourself and to other drivers, that's why. Arizona allows neon lights, but only amber or white lights on the side of the car. Kansas doesn’t allow you to use flashing lights. Michigan also has restrictions on neon lights with red and blue lights banned altogether. Maybe that's because other drivers mistake them for the lights on a police car. 15 Exhaust Pipes With Emissions Via autostopltd.com The trend these days among most motorists is to drive increasingly environmentally friendly cars. You just have to look at the success of hybrids to see how attitudes to pollution from motoring is changing. The Environment Protection Agency has rules about what emissions are allowed from the exhaust pipes of engines which still rely on good old fashioned petrol, yet there are mods on the market which can affect the amount and type of emissions which are expelled from your exhaust, and can easily lead you to run afoul of the law. New cars are all sold with devices which control the emissions from your car but if you want to remove them to change the appearance or performance of your vehicle, then you could be open to prosecution under the Clean Air Act. 14 High Suspension Via bds-suspension.com Making changes to your car’s suspension is one of the more common modifications, whether it by increasing or decreasing the distance between your car’s bodywork and the road. Truck owners are particularly keen on lifting the suspension of their vehicles, but this can make the truck difficult to handle and a potential danger on the roads as well as causing long term damage to the suspension! If you want to lift your suspension or drive through a different state with a high suspension which is legal at home, check what the local rules are before you make any decisions. Connecticut, for example, only allows vehicle owners to life their suspension by a maximum of four inches, while in Georgia the limit is a two inch increase on the original dimensions. 13 Very Low Suspension Via pinterest.co.uk There are some car owners who want to lower the suspension of their vehicle to improve its appearance and its handling as well as reduce drag so that you can achieve faster speeds. There’s a reason all those cars in The Fast and the Furious look like they’re hugging the tarmac! There are risks associated with a lower suspension including the fact that your car could end up getting damaged by the first speed bump you drive over, and some states have restrictions on how low vehicle suspensions can be. Georgia’s two inch restriction also applies to lowered suspensions, while in New Hampshire no part of the vehicle’s bodywork or chassis can be lowered so that it lies below the lowest part of the car’s wheels. 12 Coloured LED Bulbs In Headlights Via 5series.net Neons are far from the only light-based modification you can make to your car. You can even jazz up your headlamps, tail lights or indicators with LED lights using different colors and effects to make them look more eye-catching. Or can you? As far as the law is concerned, many of the same restrictions often apply to LED highlights as apply to LED neons on the underside of your car. Kentucky has become one of the most recent states to pass a law banning the use of colored LED bulbs in headlights, not only because they are distracting to other drivers, but because if they are installed incorrectly it can be difficult to control the beam which can lead to oncoming drivers being dazzled by your disco headlamps. 11 Brighter HID Bulbs In Your Headlamps Via powerbulbs.com While you may think that you are being a conscientious road user by installing brighter HID bulbs in your headlamps, you could be pulled over for breaking the law. HID stands for high intensity discharge and these 55 watt lights – compared to the 35 watts you get from normal headlamp bulbs – give off a much brighter, bluish-white light. Some drivers think that it helps them to be better drivers at night, but it certainly doesn’t help anyone coming in the other direction if you've forgotten to dim your lights! HID lights don’t comply with Federal rules on headlamp bulbs which state that replacements must match the specification of the original equipment. HID lights work differently to the halogen bulbs which all cars have when they roll off the production line. 10 Nitrous Oxide Systems Via techrasta.com The Fast and The Furious also brought the existence of nitrous oxide as fuel to a whole new audience, with racers using it to give themselves a much needed boost in street races. Nitrous Oxide Systems, or NOS as it is referred to by those in the know, would seem to be part and parcel of any street racer’s modifications package, but it’s use is illegal in many parts of the US. Ohio has some of the strictest laws regarding the use of NOS. When you buy nitrous oxide there, you have to sign a form declaring that you know it is illegal to use it in a car. Sellers are also required to keep names on file of people who have bought the gas for two years after the sale. 9 Plate Frames Via optimaforums.com Lots of people like to personalize their vehicles in some way so that it reflects their own style and even their own personality. This can range from getting a new paint job in your favorite color to something as simple as slapping on a bumper sticker to let fellow drivers know how proud you are of your kids or how you voted in the last election. You can even buy decorative frames to put around your license plate. You would do this to reflect your love of Disney or Star Wars, for example. Who could object to that, right? Most states will tolerate these frames so long as they don’t obscure the state of origin or the number, but North Carolina has banned plate frames altogether for vehicles registered in-state. 8 Rolling Coal Via inverse.com If Environment Protection Agency rules prevent car owners from removing the emissions controls devices from their car, then you can be sure that the EPA will definitely frown upon the phenomenon known as rolling coal. This is a modification made by the owners of diesel cars and trucks which sees more fuel taken into the engine than necessary so that huge rolling black clouds are produced by the exhaust. It may look impressive, but environmentally friendly is is not! The EPA has deemed the practice illegal and states such as Illinois, New Jersey, Colorado and Maryland have passed their own laws banning the modification itself from being made and imposing fines on anyone who is caught on the roads belching black diesel smoke from their trucks. 7 Special Covers For License Plates Via nypost.com While the motorists who get punished for using decorative license plate frames might rightly feel aggrieved at being fined for such a simple cosmetic change, the same cannot be said for those drivers who very deliberately use special covers for their license plates in a bid to beat speed cameras as well as those used at bridges and tunnels to charge tolls. New York City has thousands of cameras and the practice of using plastic covers to deflect light and prevent cameras from reading the license plate is also widespread even though it is illegal in the state. In fact, it is so widespread that even NYPD and city employees have been caught using the illegal scam! Most states have laws which say license plates must be fully visible, and any infraction can be punished with a fine. 6 Extremely Loud Stereo Systems Via lifewire.com Loud engines aren’t the only car modifications that can break laws designed to control noise pollution. Even with today’s high-end car entertainment systems, many drivers feel that their stereo systems need an upgrade so that they can enjoy their favorite tunes at top volume while they’re motoring. Of course, they forget that if the volume is turned right up inside the car, then people outside the car can also hear it! Most states have laws against noise pollution, especially in residential neighborhoods at night – though Florida recently dismissed an old law which stated that music was too loud if it could be heard 25 feet away as unconstitutional. There is nothing to stop you upgrading your car stereo anyway, so long as you are prepared to keep that volume dial turned down! 5 Radar And Laser Jammers Via mlive.com You'll remember that radar detectors are used by many drivers to inform them when they are being monitored by law enforcement, but radar and laser jammers go one step further by actually blocking the signals emitted by police devices so that they can’t even register your speed in the first place. Radar jammers are completely illegal under Federal law because of FCC regulations on the use of unregulated radio signals, and the use of them can lead to a fine or even a prison sentence wherever you live in the US. Laser jammers are a bit more of a grey area under Federal law, though they have been ruled illegal under state law in California, Colorado, Illinois, Texas, Virginia and Washington DC among others. 4 Tinting On The Rear Windscreen And Side Windows Via alfordmustangs.com Once upon a time tinted windows were the preserve of celebrities trying to protect themselves from the glare of the paparazzi, but it seems that these days even us ordinary citizens demand the protection of tinted windows on our vehicles. Tinting on the rear windscreen and side windows can in many cases be so dark that it poses a safety hazard, especially in bad weather when your visibility is already reduced. All the states have different limits when it comes to how much tinting can be applied to side and rear windows. If yours are deemed to be dark then you could find yourself pulled over by local cops. In Alaska, for example, tinting must allow 70% light transmittance on side windows in the front, and 40% in the rear. 3 Front Windscreen Tinting Via pistonheads.com Amazingly, some drivers even seem to think it’s a good idea to have tinting on their windscreens despite the obvious safety hazard. A few inches of tinting at the top of the windscreen actually does help drivers by preventing them from being dazzled by low sunlight, but states also have their own rules about whether any windscreen tinting is allowed at all, and if so, what restrictions are applied. Most states forbid windscreen tinting apart from the top five or sometimes six inches to help with driving in sunlight. In Colorado, Rhode Island and North Dakota you can tint the whole of your windscreen so long as it allows 70% light transmittance. The only exceptions to this ban are people who have light-sensitive medical conditions. 2 Muffler Delete Via northamericanmotoring.com Most drivers pay very little attention to their car's exhaust pipe unless it’s belching out clouds of smoke or falling off. However, some drivers will do anything to make their exhaust look and sound better, including installing a straight pipe exhaust otherwise known as a muffler delete. This modification removes the almost cylindrical muffler so that your exhaust pipe – or even pipes if you want to double up for effect – look more straight and streamlined. Because mufflers have a role to play in controlling traffic noise, some states don’t allow this particular modification. Minnesota state law, for example, states that “Every motor vehicle shall at all times be equipped with a muffler in good working order.” Get rid of yours, and you’re breaking the law. 1 Cold Air Intake Via roto-fab.com Cold air intake is an advanced engine modification which can be illegal in California if it doesn’t have the appropriate certification because it affects the emissions from the car’s exhaust. Any modifications which have an impact on the vehicle’s factory settings emissions levels are forbidden in the Golden State, which takes its commitment to cutting pollution and protecting the environment very seriously. If your cold air intake isn’t stamped with a CARB EO exemption number then you’re breaking the law. If you are determined to get cold air intake installed in order to increase power and improve your miles-per-gallon stats, you can pay extra for good quality parts which have been approved by the state as maintaining or even improving the factory standard emissions levels. 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What Car Customisations and Modifications Can You Legally Make? December 19, 2019December 19, 2019 Dual exhaust pipes on custom car Dual exhaust pipes on custom car Dual exhaust pipes on custom car Looking to modify your car with tinted windows, a new exhaust or bucket seats? Make sure you stay above the law with our guide on the modifications you can legally make to a car in the UK. There are a lot of rules around customising cars, and the police are more likely to stop vehicles that are modified. That means any work carried out needs to be legal and above board to avoid fines and penalties. Follow our guide below to modify your car without breaking the law. Quick Links * What Are Car Modifications? * Which Car Modifications are Legal? * Does Customising a Car Affect Insurance? * Can You Legally Modify a Car Bought on Finance? What Are Car Modifications? Modifications are any changes which affect the original condition of a car. Most people who customise their cars do it for aesthetic reasons, but there are other modifications which are designed to improve performance and handling. Customising a car has a lot of grey areas, so you need to be careful that the changes you make are legal. Also, if you’re buying a used car it can be tricky to spot some modifications, which is why you should learn as much as you can about the car’s history; certain changes can invalidate the insurance or lead to mechanical issues later on. Which Car Modifications are Legal? There are a lot of rules governing the changes you can legally make to a car, so it’s worth knowing what’s allowed and not before you start making changes. Here, we offer a list of common car modifications and discuss whether they’re legal or not. VW Car VW Car VW Car Lowered Suspension Lowering the suspension is legal, so you won’t be breaking the law if it’s done properly. However, there are things to consider before making your car sit closer to the ground: * Reduced ground clearance – Speed bumps, potholes and humps in the road will become an issue if you lower the suspension; think twice if you have to deal with a lot of these in your area. * MOT safety – If changes to the suspension aren’t carried out by a competent mechanic, your car could fail its MOT. Always make sure the work is done by a professional, or at least have them give it a once over. * Added police attention – Any car modification is going to attract attention from the police, including lowering the suspension. That’s why it’s so important that any changes are done properly and above board. * Steering and handling changes – Dropping the suspension will affect how the car handles, so you might need to adjust your driving style to stay safe. Tinted Windows Tinted windows are without doubt one of the most popular car modifications, and it’s perfectly legal to add them. A lot of premium cars have them by default, so they can be a nice addition – provided they aren’t too dark or added to the wrong windows. While no restrictions apply to tinting the rear windows and rear windscreen, there are restrictions on the type of tints you can legally add to the front windows and windscreen. The law states that a minimum of 70% light must be able to get through the front windows, rising to 75% for the windscreen. This is to maintain complete visibility and ensure your view isn’t obscured. When buying window tints for your car, make sure they’re from a reputable retailer and are legal for the type of window. This guide on how to tint your windows provides practical tips on applying them to your car. Man car tinting Man car tinting Man car tinting Big Exhausts A big bore exhaust is the go-to car mod for boy racers looking to update their car. They’re designed to make the car louder, so it sounds like it has a high-performance engine. Most aftermarket exhausts aren’t legal because they’re too noisy and don’t adhere to emissions regulations, so be careful before you buy. The police will almost certainly take an interest if a car sounds noisier than it should, or is letting off an excessive amount of smoke. Drivers with an illegal exhaust will receive an on-the-spot fine of £50 and an official order to remove it; if they don’t comply, the penalties can be much greater. Sound Systems and Subwoofers Films like The Fast and the Furious have inspired a lot of young drivers to add over-the-top sound systems to their cars, with some subwoofers and equipment big enough to fill an entire boot space. But while it’s not illegal to add aftermarket sound systems to a car, you could run afoul of the law if someone complains that the loud music is causing a nuisance. The police have the power to seize any vehicle that’s causing a public disturbance, evenfor noise-related complaints. So, if you want to add a serious sound system to your car, just make sure you’re not cranking up the volume in areas where it might attract unwanted attention. Spoilers Fitting a spoiler is another car modification favoured by boy racers. Large aftermarket spoilers are available for most types of cars, hatchback or otherwise, and are designed to give a sporty look whilst improving the car’s handling and performance. Again, it isn’t strictly illegal to add a spoiler to your car, but there are certain conditions you’ll need to meet to avoid being pulled over. The spoiler needs to be securely fastened to the car, with no sharp or dangerous edges exposed. It shouldn’t obscure your view either, and the police have the right to order your to a remove a spoiler if they deem it dangerous. White Porsche Big Spoiler White Porsche Big Spoiler White Porsche Big Spoiler Neon Lights Serious car modifiers might be tempted to add neon lights to their car’s undercarriage, but doing so could land them in hot water. Most neon lights are illegal on UK roads, but there are some circumstances where you can get away with it. It is legal to add neon lights to the bottom of a car provided they’re only used while parked (say at a car show or event). However, the neon tubing must not be visible, so a professional fitting is best to stay within the law. In normal driving conditions, however, neon lights aren’t legal. So, if you’re intent on adding them, only use them when parked. Does Customising a Car Affect Insurance? Any modifications made to a car affect the cost of insuring it, which is something to consider before you make any changes. Everything from window tints to sports seats will affect the price you pay, and insurers will want to know about even the smallest changes. If you customise your car, it can be tempting to keep this from your insurer to avoid paying extra. Don’t. Failing to inform an insurer of modifications can invalidate your premium, leaving you in a very sticky situation if you need to make a claim or someone files a claim against you. However, not all modifications cause premiums to rise, and some can even bring the total cost down. Adding technology like immobilisers, smart water and parking sensors can result in a reduced premium, particularly if you opt for parts and accessories sourced from market-leading brands. A stock photo of an in dash reversing camera showing the view of a suburban driveway. A stock photo of an in dash reversing camera showing the view of a suburban driveway. A stock photo of an in dash reversing camera showing the view of a suburban driveway. Can You Legally Modify a Car Bought on Finance? 8 out of 10 new cars are bought on finance, with a vast majority of these acquired through PCP contracts. But what does this mean for those who want to mod their cars? Is it legal and what should you consider before making changes? There are a lot of grey areas when it comes to modifying cars bought on finance. In many cases, and particularly with a PCP contract, you don’t own the car, so making significant changes will put you in breach of your contract. Think of modifying a finance car like making major changes to a rental home; you’re going to be penalised when you return the keys because it’s not in the original condition. In some cases, finance companies may even seek to reacquire the car early if the modifications have altered the retail price too much in either direction (reduced or increased the resale value). However, in some circumstances, it is possible to modify a car bought on finance. Provided you get written permission from the finance provider, changes can be made, but not beyond those permitted by the finance company. Boy racer or not, Simoniz can help you take care of your car with our range of car maintenance products, including high-quality wash, wax and polishing tools. For more information, visit our homepage. Post navigation Categories * Advice * Beautiful Cars * Beginner's Car Care * car modifications * Christmas * Interior * News * Paintwork * Polishing * Spring * Summer * Waxing * Wheels * Winter * Sign up for news * Contact * Holts Corporate * SDS & Regulations Follow us * Twitter * Facebook * Terms & Conditions * Privacy Statement © 2021 Holt Lloyd International Limited #QuattroDaily » Feed QuattroDaily » Comments Feed QuattroDaily » Mansory Audi RS Q8 is a Whole Lotta Crazy Comments Feed alternate alternate Skip to content [ ] Menu * Home * About Us * Contact * Newsletter * Facebook * Instagram * Youtube * Twitter QuattroDaily QuattroDaily QuattroDaily Audi Blog – Audi news, photos, videos and test drives * News * Video * Test Drives * S Line + S1 + S3 + S4 + S5 + S6 + S7 + S8 + S8 Plus + SQ2 + SQ5 + SQ7 + SQ8 * RS + RS3 + RS4 + RS5 + RS6 + RS7 + TT RS + RS Q3 + RS Q8 * e-tron News M Mansory Audi RS Q8 is a Whole Lotta Crazy by Nico DeMattiaNovember 18, 2020November 18, 2020 [INS: :INS] Mansory is a German tuning company known for its insane builds; taking cars that already look outlandish and making them even more so. Mostly, Mansory is famous for its work on supercars and hypercars, such as Ferraris and Lamborghinis, not massive SUVs. However, this new Mansory-tuned Audi RS Q8 will surely get your tuner blood pumping. [INS: :INS] The Mansory RS Q8 has so many exterior additions, it almost looks like a different car altogether. The new hood has two massive scoops in it, the front air intakes have a different grille design and there’s a new front lip spoiler. And the front is the least modified part of the car. You Might Also Enjoy: TEST DRIVE: BMW M850i Competition Gran Coupe -- Should the Audi RS7 Worry? New, more aggressive fender flares, a massive new side skirt, larger side air vents and massive black wheels make the Mansory Audi RS Q8 look insane in profile. [INS: :INS] However, the biggest changes come at the back. A larger roof spoiler combines with an additional trunk spoiler to give it an extra wing. There’s also a massive new diffuser, some rear fake air vents and a new exhaust. What’s interesting about the exhaust is that Mansory ditched the dual ovals for four sort of pentagonal exhausts. It’s an odd styling choice, and a very aggressive one, for sure. Inside the Mansory-tuned car is a pretty standard tuner’s interior. Carbon fiber replaces all trim and Alcantara is everywhere. It gets red stitching and a Mansory logo on the steering wheel. It’s a fine looking interior but a bit derivative. It’s essentially the same cabin that you’ll find in any tuned RS Q8. [INS: :INS] You Might Also Enjoy: VIDEO: Carwow drives the Audi A1 Sportback Don’t just think that Mansory stopped at its looks, though. Under the hood, the RS Q8’s 4.0 liter twin-turbo V8 makes a whopping 780 PS (769 horsepower) and 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft) of torque. That helps it get from 0-60 in 3.3 seconds. So it’s a few tenths quicker than the standard RS Q8. While we like more subtly tuned cars, if you’re into big, bold and extravagant tunes, this Mansory Audi RS Q8 will be right up your alley. [INS: :INS] CategoriesRS Q8 Tuning Tags Audi RS Q8Mansorytuning [INS: :INS] Search Search for: ____________________ (BUTTON) Search Nico DeMattia I've been in love with cars since I was a kid, specifically German cars. Now I get to drive them talk about them on the internet. All postsQuattroDaily BMWBLOG Post navigation Previous articleVIDEO: Check Out Mat Waton’s Audi RS6 Avant Spec Next articleSPIED: Audi Q4 e-tron Gets Caught Once More Before Debut [INS: :INS] [INS: :INS] Categories * Audi SQ3 * RS e-tron GT * Audi Tradition * Buyer's Guide * Models [INS: :INS] [INS: :INS] Related Posts T Categories * e-tron Sportback * News * Test Drives January 12, 2021 TEST DRIVE: Audi e-tron Sportback — Electric SUV with a touch of style The introduction of the Audi e-tron back in 2018 signaled the moment the Ingolstadt-based manufacturer decided to enter the electric vehicles world. Unlike other car.. 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(BUTTON) Close overlay search Menu Popup Button Popup Button #GTspirit » Feed GTspirit » Comments Feed GTspirit » TopCar Reveals McLaren 720S Spider Fury Comments Feed alternate alternate NextGEN Gallery RSS Feed * Latest Articles + Classic View + GT Spirit + Blog View + Widescreen * Cars + Car News + Cars For Sale + Hypercars + New Cars + Car Reviews * Tuning * Luxury + Hotel Openings + Hotel Reviews + Restaurant Reviews + Superyachts + Travel Blog + Villas For Sale * Events * Motorsport * Reviews + Car Reviews + Hypercar Reviews + Tuning Reviews + Hotel Reviews + Restaurant Reviews Sign in Welcome!Log into your account ____________________your username ____________________your password [BUTTON Input] (not implemented)______ Forgot your password? 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GTspirit GTspirit GTspirit * Latest Articles + Classic View + GT Spirit + Blog View + Widescreen * Cars + Car News + Cars For Sale + Hypercars + New Cars + Car Reviews * Tuning * Luxury + Hotel Openings + Hotel Reviews + Restaurant Reviews + Superyachts + Travel Blog + Villas For Sale * Events * Motorsport * Reviews + Car Reviews + Hypercar Reviews + Tuning Reviews + Hotel Reviews + Restaurant Reviews ____________________ Search Home Car News TopCar Reveals McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar Reveals McLaren 720S Spider Fury By Lawrence Adams - 21st March 2020 If ever there was a car which didn’t need improvement, it is the McLaren 720S Spider. Jaw-dropping looks, outrageous performance and class-leading handling; the McLaren 720S Spider has it all. Russian tuning firm, TopCar, seem to disagree though. The new TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury highlights where they think that improvements can be made. TopCar has become known for its work on the Porsche 911 and the Porsche Panamera. In recent years, TopCar branched out with packages for Mercedes-AMG models. More recently, a package emerged for the Lamborghini Urus. The expansion continues with the McLaren 720S Spider. TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury 1 of 19 TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar McLaren 720S Spider Fury TopCar’s modifications are quite extensive. Whereas their 911 packages tend to be understated, their 720S Spider package is extreme. There is plenty of carbon fibre on display. TopCar adds more than 50 parts, combined with a deep green finish. The changes include a new front facia with a front skirt insert, a multi-piece spoiler lip and a new front panel. The bonnet is new with deeper air intakes. At the side, extensive carbon fibre panels have been added, giving the 720S Spider a completely new look. At the rear, the changes are meant to reflect the shark on the TopCar logo. The modifications include a new rear diffuser, trims for the engine plus a rear wing with two fins. The wheels are TopCar Fury style measuring 9×20 inches at the front and 11.5×21 inches at the rear. The interior receives a full leather and Alcantara refit with new elements in black and dark green. The carbon fibre additions to the door sills show the name “Fury” and the TopCar logo when the door is open. The price for the carbon fibre version of the kit is an eye-watering €83,262. Installation costs a further €6,000. This example is available now for €387,000! * TAGS * McLaren 720S Spider Share Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Linkedin Email Previous article2020 Dodge Durango SRT 392 Review Next articleTop 10 Craziest Mansory Cars Ever Made Lawrence Adams You may also likeMORE FROM AUTHOR URUS Best Performance SUV Coupes to Buy in 2021: Power, Speed and Fashion Big Car Screens Whole Dashboard is a Screen: Mercedes-Benz Reveals the HyperScreen Modern Classics: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Porsche 911 Safari rallying Singer-Tuthill Porsche 911 Safari is a Project for the Books Bentley Garage 2021 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid Joins Facelift Range with Electrification Abandoned-BMW-1M-Coupe Save Me: BMW 1M Coupe Abandoned in Hong Kong LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ Please enter your comment! ______________________________ Please enter your name here ______________________________ You have entered an incorrect email address! Please enter your email address here ______________________________ [ ] Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Post Comment CONNECT WITH US 490,468FansLike 577,196FollowersFollow 203,128FollowersFollow 17,498FollowersFollow LATEST ARTICLES Ferrari LaFerrari For Sale Grigio Reventon Ferrari LaFerrari For Sale 11th January 2021 URUS Best Performance SUV Coupes to Buy in 2021: Power, Speed and... 11th January 2021 Big Car Screens Whole Dashboard is a Screen: Mercedes-Benz Reveals the HyperScreen 7th January 2021 Modern Classics: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 6th January 2021 Porsche 911 Safari rallying Singer-Tuthill Porsche 911 Safari is a Project for the Books 6th January 2021 LATEST FEATURES URUS Best Performance SUV Coupes to Buy in 2021: Power, Speed and... Modern Classics: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 2020 992 Porsche 911 Turbo S Review Damon DDE Project Exposure: YouTuber’s $500k Lamborghini Huracan Evo Aperta 840hp * Privacy Policy * Disclaimer * Advertise * Tips * Contact © Copyright GTspirit Limited 2005-2020 #GTspirit » Feed GTspirit » Comments Feed GTspirit » Top 10 Craziest Mansory Cars Ever Made Comments Feed alternate alternate NextGEN Gallery RSS Feed * Latest Articles + Classic View + GT Spirit + Blog View + Widescreen * Cars + Car News + Cars For Sale + Hypercars + New Cars + Car Reviews * Tuning * Luxury + Hotel Openings + Hotel Reviews + Restaurant Reviews + Superyachts + Travel Blog + Villas For Sale * Events * Motorsport * Reviews + Car Reviews + Hypercar Reviews + Tuning Reviews + Hotel Reviews + Restaurant Reviews Sign in Welcome!Log into your account ____________________your username ____________________your password [BUTTON Input] (not implemented)______ Forgot your password? Privacy Policy Password recovery Recover your password ____________________your email [BUTTON Input] (not implemented)____________ Search ____________________ * GTspirit Home * GTspirit.de * About GTspirit * GTspirit Media * GTspirit Tour * Owners Club * Advertise * Tip us * Contact Sign in Welcome! Log into your account ____________________your username ____________________your password [BUTTON Input] (not implemented)_____ Forgot your password? Get help Privacy Policy Password recovery Recover your password ____________________your email [BUTTON Input] (not implemented)________________ A password will be e-mailed to you. GTspirit GTspirit GTspirit * Latest Articles + Classic View + GT Spirit + Blog View + Widescreen * Cars + Car News + Cars For Sale + Hypercars + New Cars + Car Reviews * Tuning * Luxury + Hotel Openings + Hotel Reviews + Restaurant Reviews + Superyachts + Travel Blog + Villas For Sale * Events * Motorsport * Reviews + Car Reviews + Hypercar Reviews + Tuning Reviews + Hotel Reviews + Restaurant Reviews ____________________ Search Home Car News Top 10 Craziest Mansory Cars Ever Made Mansory Lamborghini Urus Rear Top 10 Craziest Mansory Cars Ever Made By Earl Karanja - 25th March 2020 Mansory is one of the most controversial car tuners to rock the car scene in the last decade. They focus on the ultra luxury market segment, anything from a G63 upwards and have also stretched their arm into the supercar segment, attracting Lamborghini, Ferrari and McLaren owners. Geneva Motor Show is their main stage annually, where they reveal the latest projects. Full Mansory project cars usually cost anywhere from $500,000 all the way up. In this list which is arranged in no particular order, we look at some of the craziest Mansory cars that we have reported on in the past. Click on each title for more information on a particular car and let us know what you think in the comments. Mansory Cabrera Mansory Cabrera Mansory Gronos 6×6 Mansory Gronos 6x6 Mansory Carbonado Mansory Carbonado Mansory Centuria Mansory Chiron Mansory Vivere mansory_vivere_diamond_edition_01 Mansory Lamborghini Urus Mansory Lamborghini Urus Mansory Rolls-Royce Cullinan Mansory Rolls-Royce Cullinan Mansory Bushukan Edition Phantom VIII mansory_phantom_04 mansory_phantom_01 Mansory 812 Stallone Mansory Stallone 812 Mansory Bentley GTC Mansory-Bentley-Bentayga-GTC-V8 Share Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Linkedin Email Previous articleTopCar Reveals McLaren 720S Spider Fury Next articleSpecial Report: Grand Touring in The McLaren GT Earl Karanja You may also likeMORE FROM AUTHOR Xpeng China’s Xpeng to Launch New Tesla Model 3 Rival URUS Best Performance SUV Coupes to Buy in 2021: Power, Speed and Fashion Big Car Screens Whole Dashboard is a Screen: Mercedes-Benz Reveals the HyperScreen Modern Classics: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Porsche 911 Safari rallying Singer-Tuthill Porsche 911 Safari is a Project for the Books Bentley Garage 2021 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid Joins Facelift Range with Electrification LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ Please enter your comment! ______________________________ Please enter your name here ______________________________ You have entered an incorrect email address! Please enter your email address here ______________________________ [ ] Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Post Comment CONNECT WITH US 490,468FansLike 577,196FollowersFollow 203,128FollowersFollow 17,498FollowersFollow LATEST ARTICLES Xpeng China’s Xpeng to Launch New Tesla Model 3 Rival 12th January 2021 Ferrari LaFerrari For Sale Grigio Reventon Ferrari LaFerrari For Sale 11th January 2021 URUS Best Performance SUV Coupes to Buy in 2021: Power, Speed and... 11th January 2021 Big Car Screens Whole Dashboard is a Screen: Mercedes-Benz Reveals the HyperScreen 7th January 2021 Modern Classics: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 6th January 2021 LATEST FEATURES URUS Best Performance SUV Coupes to Buy in 2021: Power, Speed and... 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Privacy Policy Password recovery Recover your password ____________________your email [BUTTON Input] (not implemented)____________ Search ____________________ * GTspirit Home * GTspirit.de * About GTspirit * GTspirit Media * GTspirit Tour * Owners Club * Advertise * Tip us * Contact Sign in Welcome! Log into your account ____________________your username ____________________your password [BUTTON Input] (not implemented)_____ Forgot your password? Get help Privacy Policy Password recovery Recover your password ____________________your email [BUTTON Input] (not implemented)________________ A password will be e-mailed to you. GTspirit GTspirit GTspirit * Latest Articles + Classic View + GT Spirit + Blog View + Widescreen * Cars + Car News + Cars For Sale + Hypercars + New Cars + Car Reviews * Tuning * Luxury + Hotel Openings + Hotel Reviews + Restaurant Reviews + Superyachts + Travel Blog + Villas For Sale * Events * Motorsport * Reviews + Car Reviews + Hypercar Reviews + Tuning Reviews + Hotel Reviews + Restaurant Reviews ____________________ Search Home Supercar News Audi Manhart Racing Reveals 900 hp Audi RS Q8 – the Manhart RQ... Manhart Audi RS Q8 Manhart Racing Reveals 900 hp Audi RS Q8 – the Manhart RQ 900 By Lawrence Adams - 6th May 2020 Manhart Racing has announced an Audi RS Q8 tuning package. Named the Manhart RQ 900, it should become available towards the start of the summer and presents with a comprehensive set of improvements. At the core of the package is the Audi 4.0 litre V8. Power is boosted to 900 hp and 1080 Nm of torque. The modifications include a an ECU remap, transmission upgrades and a group of larger turbochargers. The exhaust system receives extensive upgrades too. The Manhart RQ 900 gets a new stainless steel rear silencer, downpipe and a middle silencer. The RQ 900 sits 30 mm closer to the asphalt. * Manhart Audi RS Q8 Rear * Manhart Audi RS Q8 * Manhart Audi RS Q8 Seats * Manhart Audi RS Q8 Interior The Manhart RQ 900 gets a newly developed carbon body kit consisting of a bonnet, front spoiler, diffuser, side skirts and wheel arch extensions. To finish the look, 23-inch Concave One aluminium rims are available. Inside, this particular vehicle gets a leather interior with golden accents. Manhart is capable of arranging many different interior touches, catering to individual taste. The Manhart RQ 900 is limited to just 10 units worldwide at a cost of €280,000. * TAGS * Audi RS Q8 Share Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Linkedin Email Previous article2021 BMW iX3: Full Electric SUV Leaked Online Next articleAfrican Car Culture: The Most Popular Sports Cars Per Country Lawrence Adams You may also likeMORE FROM AUTHOR Audi Dakar Rally 2022 Back to the Roots: Audi to Focus on Rallying Starting with Dakar 2022 Aznom Palladium specs Aznom Palladium: Italian Company Turns RAM Pickup into 710hp Hyper Limo 10 Widebody Kits for Your Toyota GR Supra (with Prices) 2021 Audi RS e-tron GT Prototype Review 2020 BRABUS ROCKET 900 “One of Ten” Unveil & Review Audi R8 Green Hell and R8 LMS Audi R8 Green Hell Pays Tribute to R8 LMS Success at the Nürburgring LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ Please enter your comment! ______________________________ Please enter your name here ______________________________ You have entered an incorrect email address! Please enter your email address here ______________________________ [ ] Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Post Comment CONNECT WITH US 490,468FansLike 577,196FollowersFollow 203,128FollowersFollow 17,498FollowersFollow LATEST ARTICLES Xpeng China’s Xpeng to Launch New Tesla Model 3 Rival 12th January 2021 Ferrari LaFerrari For Sale Grigio Reventon Ferrari LaFerrari For Sale 11th January 2021 URUS Best Performance SUV Coupes to Buy in 2021: Power, Speed and... 11th January 2021 Big Car Screens Whole Dashboard is a Screen: Mercedes-Benz Reveals the HyperScreen 7th January 2021 Modern Classics: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 6th January 2021 LATEST FEATURES URUS Best Performance SUV Coupes to Buy in 2021: Power, Speed and... 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Dilip Chhabria is a well-known name when it comes to modified vehicles and his trademark 'DC' design has been much sought after and has several celebrities as his clients. * * * Written by Mohamed Thaver , Edited by Explained Desk | Mumbai | Updated: January 14, 2021 12:20:00 pm Who is Dilip Chhabria and why did Mumbai police arrest him? Who is Dilip Chhabria and why did Mumbai police arrest him? His company Dilip Chhabria Designs Pvt Ltd was incorporated in 1993 and launched the DC Avanti in 2016 after formal certification by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) in March 2015. They have sold almost 120 such cars across the country and world. The Mumbai police on Monday arrested celebrity car designer and manufacturer Dilip Chhabria in connection with allegations of cheating and forgery made against him. Who is Dilip Chhabria? Dilip Chhabria is a well-known name when it comes to modified vehicles and his trademark ‘DC’ design has been much sought after and has several celebrities as his clients. He is also credited with launching DC Avanti, known as India’s first sports car in 2016. His company Dilip Chhabria Designs Pvt Ltd was incorporated in 1993 and launched the DC Avanti in 2016 after formal certification by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) in March 2015. They have sold almost 120 such cars across the country and world. Why did Mumbai police place Dilip Chhabria under arrest? Joint commissioner of police (crime) Milind Bharambe on Tuesday said that they have found that nearly 90 DC Avanti vehicles manufactured by Dilip Chhabria Designs Pvt Ltd (DDCPL) were used for fraudulent financing. They found that multiple loans averaging Rs 42 lakhs each were availed on these cars by DDCPL. The company would pose as customers for their own manufactured cars and get loans from Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) which were not repaid. Such vehicles were later sold to other customers after availing financing by fraudulent means without the customer’s knowledge. Was there also a registration scam involved? https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/08/1x1.png Yes. The police found that most of the 90 vehicles were registered with two or at times three RTO’s of various states. For example, the complainant in the case is a Tamil Nadu based person whose DC Avanti machine and chassis number were registered with Tamil Nadu and Haryana RTO as well. The police believe that they would use these multiple registration numbers to avail more loans which they did not intend to repay. Dilip Chhabria produced before a ourt in Mumbai on Tuesday. (Express Photo: Ganesh Shirsekar) How did the scam come to light? It came to light after the Tamil Nadu person who had purchased the DC Avanti – worth Rs 42 lakh – committed a traffic violation. When he was being challaned, the traffic officer told him that his vehicle was showing as registered in Haryana as well. On checking with the vahan website, he found that indeed the vehicle was registered with two RTO’s. Since he had purchased the sports car from Chhabria, he kept trying to contact him but the latter was evaside. It was then that he came to Mumbai to confront him when the Mumbai police received a tip off about it and took the complainant’s statement and registered an FIR against Chhabria. Is there a lacunae in the system that allowed two RTO’s to assign registration numbers to the same chassis and machine number? Yes. As per the law, one chassis and machine number can be registered from one RTO at one point. It cannot be registered at two places. The police will be writing to the concerned RTO’s so that they can plug loopholes in the system. 📣 JOIN NOW 📣: The Express Explained Telegram Channel Are the police suspecting involvement of others? Apart from those at Chhabria’s company, the police are investigating the involvement of three–four NBFC’s that gave them loans. In some cases the police found that the NBFC had authorised the loan even before the vehicle was registered. The police suspect some NBFC employees may have known about the scam and will soon call them for questioning. The police also spoke about investigating customs evasion. How is that linked to the case? The police have found that several parts like the engine for the vehicle were imported from abroad. Also some of the vehicles that they sold to citizens of other countries were done so at a lower value than the ones sold in India. The police believe it could be linked to customs duty evasion and will be investigating the same. Coronavirus Explained * New research: More effective 'nanobodies' to fight novel coronavirus * Now out of favour, now back: arthritis drugs in Covid-19 treatment * How pneumonia in Covid patients is different from typical pneumonia Click here for more Has Chhabria fallen foul of the law in the past? While there has been no police case registered against him in Mumbai as per cops, he was sued by cricketer Dinesh Karthik in 2015 when the latter approached the consumer court stating that Chhabria’s company has not refunded the Rs 5 lakh he had paid as booking amount even after he did not find the vehicle satisfactory after doing a test drive and returned it 📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. 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All rights reserved. * Home * Latest * Most Read * My Reads * Saved * India News * Cities * Opinion * World News * Cricket * Entertainment * Trending * Videos * Lifestyle * Education * Web Stories Home / Cities / Mumbai News / Modified Scorpios stretch RTO officials’ patience Police officers inspect the modified Scorpios in Vashi. RTO officials said the cars had been illegally modified to look like Hummer limousines.(Bachchan Kumar) Police officers inspect the modified Scorpios in Vashi. RTO officials said the cars had been illegally modified to look like Hummer limousines.(Bachchan Kumar) mumbai news Modified Scorpios stretch RTO officials’ patience The Navi Mumbai deputy RTO’s office seized two Scorpios that they say have been illegally modified into Hummer Limousine vehicles READ FULL STORY By G. Mohiuddin Jeddy | Hindustan Times, Vashi PUBLISHED ON DEC 19, 2015 12:47 AM IST The Navi Mumbai deputy RTO’s office seized two Scorpios that they say have been illegally modified into Hummer Limousine vehicles. RTO officials said that such modifications are not permitted as per the Motor Vehicle Act . The vehicles have been seized from Vashi and Andheri where they had been rented out for functions. The vehicles with resgistration numbers of Gujarat reportedly belong to NWT Limo International from Anand, Gujarat, which RTO officials said is owned by two people Nazirbhai and Gulambhai of Gujarat. A huge crowd gathered at the RTO licence ground in Vashi as news spread of the two vehicles brought there on Friday afternoon. While the vehicles have excellent exteriors, the interiors are even better with a bar, sofa and other luxurious accessories built in. Deputy RTO Sanjay Dhaigude said, “There are two Scorpios whose chassis have been modified into that of a Hummer Limousine. Such modification is illegal. We are awaiting their documents to take further action.” Dhaigude said, “The registration of these vehicles can be cancelled, which means they can be consigned to scrap once it is confirmed that the alteration has not been permitted by the authority.” Anandram Wagle, chief of the flying squad of Dy RTO office, said, “As per the documents, these are 2011 and 2012 models of Scorpio. The visiting cards that we have found state that the services by the company are provided all over India and the USA. They were on offer for airport transfers and for functions like weddings.” “I saw one of the cars at Four Bungalows in Andheri heading for a function. My colleague, inspector Nilesh Dhote, saw a similar car at the same time in Vashi at a function here. We then seized them. The designated testing agencies have to certify any modification in any car,” Wagle said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON app Enter your email to get our daily newsletter in your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Subscribe Now Get our daily newsletter in your inbox (BUTTON) Subscribe Thank you for subscribing to our daily newsletter. Close e-paper NCP Chief Sharad Pawar old reporters that Munde met him on Wednesday and explained the details in connection with the allegation. (ANI File Photo) NCP Chief Sharad Pawar old reporters that Munde met him on Wednesday and explained the details in connection with the allegation. (ANI File Photo) mumbai news NCP chief Sharad Pawar terms rape allegation against Munde as 'serious' PTI, Mumbai UPDATED ON JAN 14, 2021 04:05 PM IST The 37-year-old woman had said she wrote to Mumbai police commissioner on January 10, stating that Munde repeatedly raped her in 2006. READ FULL STORY Enter your email to get our daily newsletter in your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Subscribe Now Get our daily newsletter in your inbox (BUTTON) Subscribe Thank you for subscribing to our daily newsletter. Close Last month, officials had announced that normal services could resume as Covid-19 disease cases were on a decline in the state.(PTI) Last month, officials had announced that normal services could resume as Covid-19 disease cases were on a decline in the state.(PTI) mumbai news When will Mumbai local trains be open for the general public? Written by Prashasti Singh UPDATED ON JAN 14, 2021 10:17 AM IST Shut since the nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak in March 2020, Mumbai's lifeline is expected to start functioning on pre-lockdown level soon. READ FULL STORY Enter your email to get our daily newsletter in your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Subscribe Now Get our daily newsletter in your inbox (BUTTON) Subscribe Thank you for subscribing to our daily newsletter. Close Sonu Sood. Sonu Sood. mumbai news Illegal building construction in Mumbai: HC relief for actor Sonu Sood By Kanchan Chaudhari, Mumbai PUBLISHED ON JAN 14, 2021 01:27 AM IST The Bombay high court (HC) on Wednesday reserved order on an appeal filed by actor Sonu Sood, challenging the refusal of interim relief by the city civil court at Dindoshi, for restraining the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) from taking any action pursuant to the October 24, 2020 notice issued to him over purportedly illegal additions and alterations made to his Shakti Sagar building at Juhu, and illegal conversion of the building into a residential hotel READ FULL STORY Enter your email to get our daily newsletter in your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Subscribe Now Get our daily newsletter in your inbox (BUTTON) Subscribe Thank you for subscribing to our daily newsletter. Close Soil testing at Juhu beach for proposed Versova-Bandra sea link project in Mumbai. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo) Soil testing at Juhu beach for proposed Versova-Bandra sea link project in Mumbai. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo) mumbai news Mumbai: Maharashtra government revives Nariman Point-Colaba sea link plan By Tanushree Venkatraman, Mumbai PUBLISHED ON JAN 14, 2021 01:25 AM IST The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has revived another decade-old project of a sea bridge connecting Nariman Point to Colaba in south Mumbai READ FULL STORY Enter your email to get our daily newsletter in your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Subscribe Now Get our daily newsletter in your inbox (BUTTON) Subscribe Thank you for subscribing to our daily newsletter. Close CCTVs help police to effectively check crimes and also help in building confidence and a sense of security among citizens. (HT PHOTO) CCTVs help police to effectively check crimes and also help in building confidence and a sense of security among citizens. (HT PHOTO) mumbai news Mumbai Police extends deadline for private establishments to install CCTVs within two months By Vijay Kumar Yadav, Mumbai PUBLISHED ON JAN 14, 2021 01:23 AM IST The Mumbai Police extended the deadline for all private and commercial establishments in the city to install CCTV cameras by two months READ FULL STORY Enter your email to get our daily newsletter in your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Subscribe Now Get our daily newsletter in your inbox (BUTTON) Subscribe Thank you for subscribing to our daily newsletter. Close Sudha Bharadwaj. (HT Photo) Sudha Bharadwaj. (HT Photo) mumbai news Elgar Parishad case: Sudha Bharadwaj allowed access to 5 books per month from outside jail By Charul Shah, Mumbai PUBLISHED ON JAN 14, 2021 01:19 AM IST The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Tuesday allowed access to books from outside the prison, to activist and lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj READ FULL STORY Enter your email to get our daily newsletter in your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Subscribe Now Get our daily newsletter in your inbox (BUTTON) Subscribe Thank you for subscribing to our daily newsletter. Close The matter came to light last week after some students of NMIMS took to Twitter to share screenshots of messages shared by proctors on the personal mobile phones of the female students. (HT Photo) The matter came to light last week after some students of NMIMS took to Twitter to share screenshots of messages shared by proctors on the personal mobile phones of the female students. (HT Photo) mumbai news NMIMS files complaint, forms panel to look into online harassment complaints from Mumbai students By HT Correspondent, Mumbai UPDATED ON JAN 14, 2021 01:19 AM IST Days after at least four female students of the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) complained about being harassed online during their exams, the management has set up a committee to look into the complainants READ FULL STORY Enter your email to get our daily newsletter in your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Subscribe Now Get our daily newsletter in your inbox (BUTTON) Subscribe Thank you for subscribing to our daily newsletter. Close In October 2018, the cost of one litre of petrol was ₹91.34 and cost of one litre of diesel was ₹80.10. (HT Photo) In October 2018, the cost of one litre of petrol was ₹91.34 and cost of one litre of diesel was ₹80.10. (HT Photo) mumbai news Petrol price soars to ₹91.07 a litre in Mumbai, diesel now at ₹81.34 By Aroosa Ahmed, Mumbai PUBLISHED ON JAN 14, 2021 01:17 AM IST Petrol prices on Wednesday touched a new high READ FULL STORY Enter your email to get our daily newsletter in your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Subscribe Now Get our daily newsletter in your inbox (BUTTON) Subscribe Thank you for subscribing to our daily newsletter. Close The city’s first consignment of 139,500 doses of Covid-19 vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SIII) reaches Parel on Wednesday. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo) The city’s first consignment of 139,500 doses of Covid-19 vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SIII) reaches Parel on Wednesday. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo) mumbai news Mumbai Covid vaccination drive: Doctors on standby at 9 centres By Mehul R Thakkar, Mumbai PUBLISHED ON JAN 14, 2021 01:15 AM IST BMC aims to vaccinate at least 10,000 people daily, aiming to cover a total of 130,000 medical workers within two weeks. The second phase of the dry run is expected on January 15. READ FULL STORY Enter your email to get our daily newsletter in your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Subscribe Now Get our daily newsletter in your inbox (BUTTON) Subscribe Thank you for subscribing to our daily newsletter. Close After ranking fourth in 2019 and 2018, Mumbai has now risen to the second spot on the TomTom Traffic Index. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo) After ranking fourth in 2019 and 2018, Mumbai has now risen to the second spot on the TomTom Traffic Index. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo) mumbai news Mumbai second most congested city in the world after Moscow: Report By Megha Sood, Mumbai PUBLISHED ON JAN 14, 2021 01:15 AM IST Mumbai was the second most congested city in the world after Moscow in 2020 in terms of traffic states the latest of traffic index released by TomTom Traffic Index, which conducted a study across 416 cities across 57 countries READ FULL STORY Enter your email to get our daily newsletter in your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Subscribe Now Get our daily newsletter in your inbox (BUTTON) Subscribe Thank you for subscribing to our daily newsletter. Close Nana Patole. Nana Patole. mumbai news ‘Patole may not be top contender for Maharashtra Congress chief’s post’ By Surendra P Gangan, Mumbai PUBLISHED ON JAN 14, 2021 01:13 AM IST While there is a tussle among the aspirants for the post of Maharashtra Congress chief, the top contender for the same, Nana Patole, faces a major hurdle now READ FULL STORY Enter your email to get our daily newsletter in your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Subscribe Now Get our daily newsletter in your inbox (BUTTON) Subscribe Thank you for subscribing to our daily newsletter. Close Practical exams have been scheduled from today (January 14). (Hindustan Times) Practical exams have been scheduled from today (January 14). (Hindustan Times) mumbai news NCPCR asks NIOS to address Mumbai parents’ concerns over Class 10, 12 exams By Ankita Bhatkhande, Mumbai PUBLISHED ON JAN 14, 2021 01:10 AM IST A few days after city parents whose children are registered under the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) requested the board to cancel the upcoming offline Class 10 and Class 12 exams, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has taken cognisance of the issue and has written to the board READ FULL STORY Enter your email to get our daily newsletter in your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Subscribe Now Get our daily newsletter in your inbox (BUTTON) Subscribe Thank you for subscribing to our daily newsletter. Close Thane has received 103,000 doses of vaccine which have been stored at the office of the deputy director of health in Dharamveer Nagar in a walk-in cold storage with temperature ranging between 2 degrees Celsius and 8 degrees Celsius. (Praful Gangurde/ HT) Thane has received 103,000 doses of vaccine which have been stored at the office of the deputy director of health in Dharamveer Nagar in a walk-in cold storage with temperature ranging between 2 degrees Celsius and 8 degrees Celsius. (Praful Gangurde/ HT) mumbai news Mumbai: Why Covid vaccines are stored at Parel, Not Kanjurmarg By Eeshanpriya MS, Mumbai UPDATED ON JAN 14, 2021 01:08 AM IST Suresh Kakani, additional Municipal commissioner in charge of the BMC’s public health department, said on Tuesday, “The Kanjurmarg facility is ready to be activated for storage of vials, but some civil work is pending.” READ FULL STORY Enter your email to get our daily newsletter in your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Subscribe Now Get our daily newsletter in your inbox (BUTTON) Subscribe Thank you for subscribing to our daily newsletter. Close The compensation to fishermen who rescue and release endangered marine life is provided once they submit proof of the release and damage to nets. (PTI) The compensation to fishermen who rescue and release endangered marine life is provided once they submit proof of the release and damage to nets. (PTI) mumbai news Fishermen can claim compensation only thrice a year for rescue of endangered marine life: Maharashtra fisheries department By Priyanka Sahoo, Mumbai PUBLISHED ON JAN 14, 2021 01:06 AM IST Fishermen claiming compensation for rescuing and releasing marine life into the sea can now do so only three times a year READ FULL STORY Enter your email to get our daily newsletter in your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Subscribe Now Get our daily newsletter in your inbox (BUTTON) Subscribe Thank you for subscribing to our daily newsletter. Close As Bird flu hits Mumbai city, a worker is seen carrying a bunch of chickens for sale, in Govandi. (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo) As Bird flu hits Mumbai city, a worker is seen carrying a bunch of chickens for sale, in Govandi. (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo) mumbai news 481 more birds dead in Maharashtra, count soars to 2,395 By Faisal Malik, Mumbai PUBLISHED ON JAN 14, 2021 01:04 AM IST The incidents of bird deaths are rising in Maharashtra and their count has soared to 2,395 after 481 birds were found dead on Wednesday READ FULL STORY Enter your email to get our daily newsletter in your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Subscribe Now Get our daily newsletter in your inbox (BUTTON) Subscribe Thank you for subscribing to our daily newsletter. Close SHARE Copy Whatsapp Twitter Facebook Linkedin Sign In to continue reading (BUTTON) × Get free access to newsletters, alerts and recommendations SIGN IN Don’t have an account? Sign Up SKIP Story Saved OPEN APP #publisher alternate alternate alternate The Economic Times Panache English EditionEnglish Editionहिन्दी | E-Paper Subscribe Sign In ____________________ Search + Home Budget 2021 ETPrime Markets News Industry RISE Politics Wealth MF Tech Opinion NRI Panache ET NOW More MediawireNewslettersAlertsE-PaperE-LearningET Alexa SkillsET intelligenceMobileET Android AppET iPhone AppET iPad AppET Wealth for iPadET Blackberry AppET Nokia AppET Markets Android AppET Markets iPhone App Brand Solutions ET Innovation Awards The Economic Times Digital Payments Forum ET Innovation Awards The Economic Times Startup Awards 2020 ET Innovation Awards Reshape Tomorrow Tomorrow is different. Let's reshape it today ET Innovation Awards TomorrowMakers Let's get smarter about money corninggorillaglass Corning Gorilla Glass #TougherTogether TomorrowMakers ET Campus Stars Hunt for the brightest engineers in India ET Power Talks ET Power Talks mseawards Times SME Icons - Second Edition ET Power Talks ETRise Top MSMEs mseawards ET Prime Women Leadership Awards ET Power Talks Great Manager Awards ET Power Talks Open Up India Panache Tech and GadgetsWorklifeCars & BikesLifestyleFood & DrinksHealthBMI CalculatorBMR CalculatorDiabetes Risk CalculatorPeopleEntertainmentBooksCity LifeHumourBetween The LinesSpecials ET Magazine Travel Business News›Magazines›Panache›10 insanely cool cars from the SEMA show in Las Vegas 10 insanely cool cars from the SEMA show in Las Vegas SECTIONS 10 insanely cool cars from the SEMA show in Las Vegas Business InsiderLast Updated: Nov 13, 2014, 02:31 PM IST Share Font Size AbcSmall AbcMedium AbcLarge Save Print Comment Synopsis Every year, for SEMA, car companies and specialty tuners bring the coolest and craziest modified cars in their arsenal. Business Insider Every year, the automotive world descends upon Las Vegas for the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show, transforming the city into a mecca of aftermarket modified cars. The result — usually — is enough quirky, out-of-thisworld rides. Every year, for SEMA, car companies and specialty tuners bring the coolest and craziest modified cars in their arsenal. The SEMA Show, which runs for a week in November, is expected to host more than 60,000 buyers of aftermarket car parts and the introduction of more than 2,000 new products. Here are a few of the top picks: SEMA offers something for everyone. The usual hot commodities include cars like the Ford GT [et-logo.jpg] Image: Business Insider ...or this Lamborghini Aventador with aftermarket Forgiato wheels [et-logo.jpg] Image: Business Insider This Volkswagen Bus never stopped being cool [et-logo.jpg] Image: Business Insider Ford showed up with a dragster, as well, with this 600 horsepower King Cobra Mustang [et-logo.jpg] Image: Business Insider This rare 2009 Corvette ZR-1 was recovered from the sinkhole at the Corvette Museum and restored to its previous glory [et-logo.jpg] Image: Business Insider Mazda introduced the club racer version of its iconic Miata sports car [et-logo.jpg] Image: Business Insider Lexus also brought this eye-catching orange NX200T F-Sports SUV, by 360 Elite Motorworks [et-logo.jpg] Image: Business Insider Top Gear USA host Tanner Foust teamed with a Japanese tuning firm to create this hot VW Beetle [et-logo.jpg] While there were a lot of out there versions of monster trucks and others, some were much easier to identify, like this aftermarket BMW M4 [et-logo.jpg] Image: Business Insider Dare to take your eyes off this seductive, teal-colored Lexus Insta-Built RC-F coupe [et-logo.jpg] Read More News on Las VegasBMWFordLexusVolkswagenLamborghiniSemaCobra Mustang Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News. 2 Comments on this Story Hardeep Singh2233 days ago nice one... aakash marina2250 days ago Loony (BUTTON) View Comments (BUTTON) Add Comments IN THE SPOTLIGHT Initiative to support fresh talent in India and the UK Initiative to support fresh talent in India and the UK * Related * Most Read * Most Shared * + 30-year-old 'Twilight' actor, girlfriend found dead at Las Vegas home + Empty slot machines, deserted blackjack tables: Life comes to halt in Las Vegas as casinos close over virus + Tupac Shakur's black BMW, the one he was shot in, to be auctioned for $1.75 mn in Las Vegas + More Indians head to Las Vegas for a vacation; millennials look for memories, want to indulge in experiences + Lady Gaga falls off the stage while being carried by fan at Las Vegas show + Las Vegas gunman was wealthy real-estate investor * * Trending in PanacheManish MalhotraGreta ThunbergTom HanksAmazon PrimeSignal AppLife styleEntertainment NewsGadget NewsHealth The Economic Times ____________________ BrowseCompanies: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 123456789 Trending Now Master Box Office CollectionManish MalhotraGreta ThunbergAmazon Prime VideoSignal AppJoe BidenSushant Singh Rajput Death Case Popular Categories PanacheET MagazineTravel Hot on Web Raghuram RajanUnion budget 2021Small cap funds 2021Bird flu latest updatesNarendra ModiCovid Live updatesWhat is F-1 visaSensex todayBudget 2021What are multi asset fundsWhat are balanced mutual fundsGlobal marketsMutual fundsBreaking newsYES Bank share priceSGX NiftySensex Live In Case you missed it Master Box Office CollectionManish MalhotraTom HanksAmazon PrimeSignal AppCar & BikesTech and Gadgets ET Verticals Auto NewsRetail NewsHealth NewsTelecom NewsEnergy NewsIT NewsReal Estate NewsMarketing & Advertising NewsTechnology NewsCFO NewsIT Security News More from our network इकनॉमिक टाइम्सPune MirrorBangalore MirrorAhmedabad MirrorItsMyAscentEducation TimesBrand CapitalMumbai MirrorTimes NowIndiatimesमहाराष्ट्र टाइम्ವಿಜಯ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕGo GreenAdAge IndiaEisamayIGN IndiaIamGujaratTimes of IndiaSamayam TamilSamayam TeluguMiss KyraBombay TimesFilmipopMX PlayerNewspaper SubscriptionTimes PrimeColombiaNBT Gold PodcastEi Samay Gold PodcastMX ShareKaro AppMX TakaTak App Other useful Links About UsSubscribe to ET PrimeBook your Newspaper SubscriptionCall 1800 1200 004 (Toll Free)Create Your Own AdAdvertise with UsTerms of Use & Grievance RedressalPrivacy policyContact Us Company Name: Times Internet Limited Registered Office Address: 9-10,Bahardurshah Zafar Marg, New Delhi - 110002 Corporate Identity Number: U74999DL1999PLC135531 Grievance Officer: Deepak Ajwani Email: grievance.et@timesinternet.in RSSDNPA Code of Ethics services Longwalks App Follow us on: Download ET App: subscribe to our newsletter Copyright © 2021 Bennett, Coleman & Co. 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Tesla Model Y SUV unveiled Videos AutoComplete Carfection Cooley On Cars Advice & Tools Does your car have a recall? Guide to certified preowned cars Ride sharing guide (BUTTON) Search ____________________ (BUTTON) Go (BUTTON) Hi, Settings My Profile Forums Sign Out Join / Sign In Waring Abbott/Getty Images Modders, rejoice: It's legal to tweak your car's software now The DMCA exemptions were announced in 2015, but they took a whole year to go into effect. Andrew Krok headshot Andrew Krok Oct. 31, 2016 10:00 a.m. PT * * * * * [display?id=78e7c9ab-3c56-41d8-8ad8-dddeaf2e3992] car-repair-1.jpg Enlarge Image Knowing that you're safe from a lawsuit is a pretty great feeling. Waring Abbott/Getty Images Last year, the Librarian of Congress announced that tinkering with car software would no longer result in a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). This exemption would take a year to kick in, and now, one year later, it's time to start fiddling with those 1s and 0s. Folks can now mess around with their vehicles' software for "good faith security research" and "lawful modification" without running afoul of the law. The exemption was granted as part of a series of proposals that the Librarian of Congress revisits every three years. While the industry views the DMCA as a method of keeping safe control over the mountains of code buried in modern vehicles, tinkerers of many flavors were concerned that the cars they owned were still partially "owned" by the manufacturer. This made your average aftermarket ECU tune illegal, as it modified the manufacturer's code in pursuit of more power or efficiency. It also presented a tricky legal situation for hackers who look to find vulnerabilities in the software, many of which are then reported to the automakers themselves to increase safety. With the exemption in place, researchers can report bugs to automakers without fear of being sued, and tuners can still sell ECU reflashes without the same concern. It should also make repair less of a concern. Last year, John Deere claimed ownership of the software inside its tractors, arguing farmers weren't allowed to repair the tractors themselves. The only thing that stinks about this exemption is that it must return to review in another two years -- remember, a whole year has passed since the exemption was initially granted. So this "free pass" of sorts only really exists for two years, at which point it's up to the Librarian of Congress whether or not the exemption will continue. (Hat tip to iFixit!) Comments Car Industry Software Security Notification on Notification off Cars Close Discuss: Modders, rejoice: It's legal to tweak your car's software now (BUTTON) Sign in to comment Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion. 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More * Write For Us * Home * Contact Us * Terms * Privacy * Copyright * About Us * Press Kit * Fact Checking Policy * Corrections Policy * Ethics Policy * Ownership Policy (BUTTON) (BUTTON) (BUTTON) ____________________ 10 Illegal Car Mods Cops Never Notice (And 10 They Catch Every Time) Many car mods are not actually legal, but the fact they are hidden makes people get away with them. By Irina Moldoveanu Aug 14, 2018 (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Tweet Email (BUTTON) Comment It is a known fact that stock vehicles are, most of the time, designed without any mods to be able to attract as many different types of customers as they can. This is one reason why a stock truck will not have the same off-road abilities as a custom one and a stock car will not offer the same exhaust sound as a modded one. However, once they bought the cars, the owners start adding or removing stuff in order to have the vehicles of their dreams. Despite the fact that there are a lot upgrades possibilities that can be purchased online or from a tuning store, most of these mods are known as illegal because the law will not allow them. More exactly, the coolest and most desired tuning upgrades are considered not legal by the cops. However, there are a few of them that cannot be noticed by the police along with those that are observed instantly. In time, tuners have learned the abilities to hide some of the mods that could be seen by the cops and also make others look like those from the factory. Those car models that also have racing variants can end up looking like them after a tuning session. Once a person started to pay money for car mods, it can be clear that he or she will not stop. 20 Never Notice: Bigger Intercoolers via svtperformance.com One of the most common mods made to a turbo car is a bigger intercooler. Once the owner wants to move to the next upgrade stage, this is one of the first steps because the engine needs to be cooled in an efficient way. In most cases, a larger intercooler cannot be fitted on the vehicle without a few adjustments like larger hoses, new mounts, room in the front bumper (some plastic parts need to be cut) and so on. It may look huge if seen without any cover, but when the front bumper is fitted on the car, few people may see it. 19 Never Notice: Moderated Suspensions via autoevolution.com There are many types of suspensions, from light (with only 2 cm lowering) to sport with higher hardness or those low-riders with Airrides. If the owner chooses to mount a moderated suspension, not too low, no cop will likely notice any difference and would not ask of it. A set of sick rims and a moderated suspension can change the looks of a vehicle in a radical way. Any car enthusiast that wants and also knows how to transform his stock ride into a masterpiece project would like to start with an easier type of mod, one that is affordable and sometimes even needed. 18 Never Notice: Big Turbo Or Hybrid Turbochargers via youtube.com To gain more power for the engine, one must upgrade a few or a lot of parts, depending on the amount of additional horses desired. In order to be able to boost up the stock power, one of the upgrades consists in a modified turbocharger. Some tuners choose to mount a hybrid turbo, while others like the idea of big turbo. Either way, the vehicle will not gain more power if the other steps of the procedure are not met. There is also need of a bigger intercooler, as mentioned above, and a special software. This type of mod will not be seen by the cops if the hood is not opened. 17 Never Notice: Nitrous via dsportmag.com This type of mod is clearly illegal first of all because it is not safe for the driver to be near a high pressure nitrous bottle if there is the case of an accident of any sort. According to Zero to 60 Times, some of the cars that receive a nitrous injection kit upgrade for the track are also driven on the street. Their drivers make use of the precious bottle in other situations, too. However, if the owner wants to invest money in this system and not get caught by cops, he or she would try to hide it somehow. 16 Never Notice: HID Headlamps via mrkustom.com If the car does not come with HID headlamps from the factory, they can be added later by an authorized person if the owner wants to customize his ride. Some cars have got headlamp washers mounted on the front bumper as a stock option even if it does not have xenon lighting. If the HID headlamps are mounted properly, with a magnifier, while the front bumper has got headlamp washers as a factory setting, they won’t be recognized as additional mods by the police. However, mounting HID headlamps on a vehicle is quite illegal in all US states, according to Leelofland. 15 Never Notice: Cold Air Intake via amazon.ca This modification, also considered illegal, is quite popular among four-cylinder import vehicles and muscle cars. The owners choose to do it to be able to gain additional power from the engines, according to Leelofland. Even if the increased amount of power can lead to more emissions and a higher fuel consumption, a cop could not spot it if the hood of the car is still down. This type of mod is one of the first power upgrade steps that need to be done in order to achieve more horsepower. Many owners start with this along with a custom exhaust to reach the Stage 2 upgrade kit. 14 Never Notice: EGR Off via youtube.com The EGR (Exhaust Gas Re-circulation) system was mounted on cars with the intention to reduce the amount of nitrogen oxide emissions, but it also decreases the engine efficiency with 3% along with 3%% more fuel burned for the same level of power , according to Weather Imagery. Being such a burden for the engine, it needs to be stopped. Even if the producer placed it on the engine with a specific task that does not mean it is optimal. Tuners all over the world discovered that it can be eliminated physically and also deactivated from the ECU software. The entire procedure is called EGR Off in tuning terms. 13 Never Notice: Diesel Particle Filter (DPF) Off via chiptuning.com.au The DPF or Diesel Particle Filter was created and mounted on cars to reduce the emissions and help save the planet, but unfortunately the system is kind of annoying. The regeneration of this filter is quite different from each car model to the other. At some of them it can start suddenly, while standing with the engine on in the parking lot or while driving on the street, but at others it can only start at a constant speed that can only be maintained on the highway. If not done properly, the DPF ends up being clogged and it should be removed and deactivated from the ECU software. Tuners call this procedure DPF Off. 12 Never Notice: ECU Software Modification via wired.com This step is usually done after there were more than one mods made to the car and it had to be set to work in parameters. There are certain companies specialized in ECU software tuning or chip tuning that can do exactly this sort of mods. According to each upgrade the owner has mounted on the car there is a modification added to the ECU to be able to work properly and not show errors on the dashboard. There are more types of software like custom ones with a lot of mods made on the parameters of different parts of the engine or normal ones for a few extra horses and a lower fuel consumption. 11 Never Notice: Bigger Wheels via twitter.com Bigger wheels does not mean exaggerated ones that can be seen from two blocks away. There are car models that were also produced as racing ones, like the Opel Astra GTC / OPC. Those versions have got more wheel types that can match, like a set of 19-inch wheels. In this case, if the dimension was mounted on that type of car, then the cops cannot do something about it. Many models come with 19-inch wheels from the factory, so this will not represent an issue. However, if that specific dimension is not mentioned in the identification card of the vehicle, there could be some problems. 10 Always Catch: Rolling Coal via trucktrend.com This type of illegal mod is a waste of money, but people do not care about this, according to Zero to 60 Times. The rolling coal style is all about more fuel burnt and less power, not to mention a shorter engine life and many other problems. Police would clearly notice this mod because of the large tail of smoke behind the car. A lot of money spent just to have a lot of smoke behind and receive more attention, but go a lot slower than before. Why would someone do this kind of tuning? What would be the purpose? 9 Always Catch: Donks via ridesmag.com According to Jalopnik, any car with ridiculously huge wheels and a flashy strange paint can be called a donk. These are the most hated type of vehicles in the world at the moment, maybe because they are not that safe as others may think and maybe because they are quite ugly. However, those huge wheels are quite illegal and the police would notice them right away, they would not need a magnifying glass to do so. Besides the fact that they are useless and awful, these wheels are definitely expensive and no one should spend that much money on something like this. 8 Always Catch: Lowriders via reddit.com The stunning lowriders are the opposite of those awesome lifted trucks. According to Zero to 60 Times, a lowrider is illegal to be driven on the street because of the height regulations from various states. Because they have a well known history of gang activity that is tied to them, the lowriders can get more attention from the police than any other modified car. If the level of ground clearance of a car is considered too low, the car is declared unsafe by the police and the owner receives a ticket or remains without it. There are clear rules that state these things. 7 Always Catch: Undercarriage Lighting via neonlaws.com Go back in time a little bit and try to remember those movies with tuned cars that had lights under them. They were seen in the darkness like a red, green, yellow, blue or purple shade and back then this was very cool. Nowadays, this kind of mod is kind of popular, but it is also illegal because it can interfere with the headlights and taillights of the car or cause confusion while being driven on the streets, according to Leelofland. When they see a car with undercarriage lighting, the cops are very pleased that they can offer a ticket in return. 6 Always Catch: License Plate Frames via youtube.com There are two ways to place a license plate on the car: one is on a license plate frame and the other is with double adhesive tape. The first one is the most used one by most owners, but some of them just want to exaggerate a little bit and buy some very nasty stuff just to show off or stand out from the crowd. The police cannot wait to catch someone with an illegal mod on his or her car to stop them in traffic and offer a beautifully written ticket. This type of mod is known to be illegal if it covers even a little bit of the license plate, according to Leelofland. 5 Always Catch: Muffler Delete via carfromjapan.com Some vehicle owners decide that they want more power based on the mods done on the exhaust of the car. They choose to increase the power of their engines by installing some muffler delete pipes. This can also lead to more noise and a lot of infractions day and night. This illegal mod is not hard to discover or observe and the rules from various states consider it a motive to receive a ticket for, according to Leelofland. Car enthusiasts will not stop modifying their cars just because it is illegal, but these things should be known from the beginning. 4 Always Catch: Window Tinting via twitter.com Window tinting is only accepted on the back of the car and not on the front. Some cars have tinted windshields as a factory option, but this is accepted because it was done by the producer. Each country or state had different views over this subject like location of tinting and light transmittance. In some places it is ok to tint the front of the car with a light tint to keep the police away, according to Leelofland. It is true that a car with black windows looks stunning, but if the police banned it they surely had a serious reason. 3 Always Catch: Stance via redbull.com According to Red Bull, the stance upgrade made on a car can be seen as an insult to those car engineers that create the vehicles, but others believe that this is a hobby, a dream and a purpose in life. Stancing or slamming their cars is also considered a way of life for some car enthusiasts that spend a lot of money to achieve those incredible results. However, these mods are quite illegal and can be observed quickly by the police. No one can walk by such a car and not see its wheels placed at the wrong angle. These cars should only be made for shows. 2 Always Catch: Modified Headlights Or Taillights via teambhp.com Once the tuning stage started to evolve and more and more upgrades started to appear, producers from all around the world thought it would be nice to introduce headlights and taillights AM replacements with LEDs or strange shapes to add “a little additional something” to the custom vehicles of the owners. According to Zero to 60 Times, there are a lot of headlight and taillight models that are illegal because of the bad quality (they start fogging or leaking) and also because they do not respect the DoT certification. A lot of chrome, fake carbon and black paint to risk being pulled over by the cops. 1 Always Catch: Loud Exhaust via youtube.com This case is kind of the same with the muffler delete one, both of them being illegal mods made on cars, but this one includes those cheap loud mufflers that should not be considered tuning parts. A professional exhaust can be heard from two blocks away and can be recognized immediately in comparison with a simple sport muffler switch that is all about noise and no additional power at all. The cops will definitely pull over those cars with loud exhausts, according to Zero to 60 Times. Most countries and states have regulations about the number of decibels admitted on a certain distance. Sources: Jalopnik.com, RedBull.com, LeelofLand.com (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Tweet Email (BUTTON) Comment Lambo Aventador Next These Are The Best Supercars Of The Past Decade Related Topics * Car Culture About The Author [ts-logo-full-colored-light.fe4281c4.svg] Irina Moldoveanu (35 Articles Published) Irina Moldoveanu is an automotive content writer and graphic designer based in Bucharest, Romania. She's been a service writer and claims evaluation specialist in the automotive industry, a content writer for various industries, and now works as a writer for Valnet, Inc, covering HotCars website. She has a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Philosophy, and a Master's degree in Multimedia and Audio Visual Production. 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By Mohul Ghosh Last updated Jan 11, 2019 Share Modified cars are not allowed in India Modified cars are not allowed in India How often have you thought about altering your car or bike and make it more ‘swanky’? You must have made a plan or maybe altered silencer or exhaust system or changed the color of the outer body. Don’t do it! Supreme Court has ordered that any alteration or modification done in the car or bike is illegal and can attract heavy penalty. [INS: :INS] Supreme Court: Altering Car/Bike Is Not Legal A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Vineet Saran has given a verdict that no car or bike can be allowed to be altered in India. This verdict came after a divisional bench in Kerala had permitted altering cars and bikes, under Kerala Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989. Overturning this Kerala Court order, Supreme Court said, “No vehicle can be altered so as to change original specification made by manufacturer. Such particulars cannot be altered which have been specified by the manufacturer for the purpose of entry in the certificate of registration,” Actually, under the Motor Vehicle Act of India, such alterations and modifications are not allowed to happen. But for long, this law was ignored and sidelined. This Act has been amended now, and the new Act also mentions this fact, very clearly. [INS: :INS] [INS: :INS] But now, with recent Supreme Court verdict, traffic cops and police can clamp down heavily on such altered vehicles, and penalize them. Why Altered Vehicles Are Not Allowed? As per the Law, any such alteration and modification done on cars and bikes will result in unexpected outcomes, which can be dangerous for not only the driver but everyone on the road. And this makes sense as well. Automobile companies spent millions of dollars on testing a vehicle before its launch, and the specifications during testing are cloned into the actual production stage. Now, in case any component or part is altered and modified to suit the aesthetics and mood of the driver, then the whole system can operate differently, and things can go out of control. Which Parts Cannot Be Altered? Very interesting question and the Supreme Court has definitely dodged this question. If you read the verdict, it is clear that it is an open-ended statement, without specifically stating what can be altered, and what cannot be altered. Hence, it is left to the discretion of the traffic cops and the police to decide what can be allowed, and what cannot be allowed. Hence, the ruling is sort of ambiguous, and to be on a safer side, it is recommended that you avoid any such changes, which can attract the wrath of the law. Do share your opinions and comments by commenting right here. Image Source [INS: :INS] "Modifying Cars, Bikes Is Illegal In India; Heavy Penalty For Altering Your Own Car, Bike - Supreme Court", 2 out of 5 based on 6 ratings. [INS: :INS] altered carsmodified carsmodified cars not allowedMotor Vehicle Act Share FacebookTwitterWhatsAppLinkedinReddItEmailTelegramPrint Mohul Ghosh 4815 posts 3 comments Mohul keenly observes the nuances of Indian startup world; and tries to demystify the secrets behind Technology, Marketing, Mobile and Internet. He is a Writer by passion, Marketer by choice and Entrepreneur by compulsion. Follow him on Twitter here: @_mohul Prev Post PUBG Causes Mental Breakdown For This Trainer; Play PUBG And Win Rs 1 Crore! Next Post India Will Conquer The Moon: Chandrayaan 2 With Lander, Rover Planned For April, 2019 Launch * Comments * Facebook Comments Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open. 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A password will be e-mailed to you. ____________________ Send My Password who's online IFRAME: //www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-NV9TDFK (BUTTON) Menu Skip to main content * Over 21m fans * 4m followers * 2m followers * 7m subscribers * Subscribe to TG magazine * (BUTTON) Search * Facebook * Twitter * Google+ * WhatsApp * Mailto * Copy link Search ______________________________ (Submit) Submit Home * News * Reviews * Best of 2020 * Electric * Gaming * Garage * Videos * Retro * Subscribe to TG mag What's hot [bolt_icon.svg] Best electric cars 2021 10 Fast Estates How to buy an electric car EV Glossary Cheap Fun Cars You are here * News * Hot Hatch * Litchfield is tuning the Toyota GR Yaris to 300bhp+ Litchfield is tuning the Toyota GR Yaris to 300bhp+ Brit tuner buys two development cars to make a great hot hatch even… greater [tg_vjaypattni.png?itok=7k00j3dZ] Vijay Pattni 12 Jan 2021 * Facebook * Twitter * Google+ * WhatsApp * Mailto * Copy link 0 Magazine subscription – 5 issues for £5 Full screen 1/12 Read more on: * Hot Hatch * Modified * Toyota * GR Yaris Litchfield has revealed it intends to do unholy things to one of the hot hatch hall of fame’s newest entrants. It intends to begin upgrading and tuning the mighty Toyota GR Yaris. “Litchfield hasn’t experienced such strong customer anticipation for aftermarket tuning products since the launch of the third-generation Ford Focus RS,” a company statement said. Boss Iain Litchfield therefore bought a pair of Toyota’s new hot hatch hero with utmost haste in order to “accelerate” the incoming tuning programme. And initial tests – conducted via a “piggyback-style tuning box” – has increased the boost pressure from Toyota’s 257bhp, 1.6-litre four-pot turbo, to something a little more rounded: 300bhp. We’re told that figure is “easily achievable”, though it’s still in development. Other areas of dev work lie in either a full or cat-back exhaust system, a bolt-in roll cage for the premier WRC experience, a new intake system, an uprated intercooler, better quality chassis bushes (polyurethane), race seats and tweaked suspension systems. Indeed, Litchfield has thrown the slightest bit of shade at the GR Yaris. “Once the initial novelty of this amazing car begins to wear off, you become aware of the unforgiving ride on longer journeys and the fact it sits very high and has large gaps between the wheels and arches,” Iain said. Related content * Meet ‘Hercules’, Pogea Racing’s mad Abarth 595 * Official: Alpine and Lotus will build an electric sports car * Hyundai Kona N review: a fun performance SUV * Own this wild 202mph Citroen SM and its pickup/trailer And thus, said suspension upgrade (no surprises as to what it’ll amount to) will apparently “deliver the most transformative improvement, both dynamically and aesthetically”. Indeed, Litchfield has enlisted Nitron to develop two new ‘high-performance’ setups, with three-way adjustment, and a more wallet-friendly two-way kit. Mention is made of balancing the dampers, valves and spring rates for a broader dynamic range, and of course, it’ll sit lower to the ground. No doubt you’re sitting upright in your chair as you read this. GR Yaris hysteria passed you by? Click here to read TopGear.com’s 10/10 review, and then click here for more great hot hatch content. Share this page: * Facebook * Twitter * Google+ * WhatsApp * Mailto * Copy link What do you think? (BUTTON) View comments This service is provided by Disqus and is subject to their privacy policy and terms of use. Please read Top Gear’s code of conduct (link below) before posting. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Related content * Meet ‘Hercules’, Pogea Racing’s mad Abarth 595 * Official: Alpine and Lotus will build an electric sports car * Hyundai Kona N review: a fun performance SUV * Own this wild 202mph Citroen SM and its pickup/trailer * Sean Connery’s old BMW 635 is up for auction * Nissan GT-R Nismo review: the £180,000 R35 Promoted content NEWSLETTER Get Top Gear news and reviews in your inbox Enter your email address to receive regular Top Gear newsletters ____________________________________________________________ [United Kingdom______________________________] By clicking below you agree to receive news, promotions and offers by email from Top Gear and BBC Studios. Your information will be used in accordance with our privacy policy. (Submit) Submit Trending * The Nio ET7 has 621 miles of range and ALL THE BATTERY * 15 Top Gear's top 15 electric cars * Everything you need to know about cars: 10 Jan '21 * 6/10 Volkswagen Golf GTE n/a * A UK company is now offering Jordan F1 driving experiences * Nissan GT-R Nismo review: the £180,000 R35 Latest road tests * Audi A3 40 TFSI e review: plug-in A3 tested * Hyundai Kona N review: a fun performance SUV * Nissan GT-R Nismo review: the £180,000 R35 * Ford Focus ST Auto review: one of Britain’s rarest cars * Volkswagen Golf 1.0 TSI review: three-cylinder Golf tested * Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 review: now with paddles Latest from Top Gear News Meet ‘Hercules’, Pogea Racing’s mad Abarth 595 Pumped up Italian hatch goes all Scrappy Doo with more power and lots of carbon Reviews Audi A3 40 TFSI e review: plug-in A3 tested Big Reads Big Read Don’t call me ‘baby’: meet the coolest Vauxhall ever Baby Bertha is the Vauxhall worth travelling around the world for Videos Stig Drifts: Mercedes-AMG E63 S Estate Watch The Stig unleash 603bhp of turbocharged V8 fury Cookie settings * Site Terms * Privacy Policy * Code of conduct * Contact Us * Advertise with us * Cookies Policy * Change your cookie settings * Top Gear Shop * Subscribe to Top Gear Magazine * Manage cookie settings Cookie settings This website is made by BBC Studios Distribution. BBC Studios is a commercial company that is owned by the BBC (and just the BBC). BBC logo No money from the licence fee was used to create this website. The profits we make from it go back to BBC programme-makers to help fund great new BBC programmes. BBC is a trademark of the British Broadcasting Corporation. Logos © 1996. More about BBC Studios Top Gear International sites: * France * India * Malaysia * Netherlands * Philippines * Russia * Singapore * Spain * United States [pixel?tag=ViewContent&noscript=1] IFRAME: https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-M63QVNT www.hotcars.com [ ] (BUTTON) * News * Reviews * Fast Cars * Pickups + SUVS * Muscle Cars * (BUTTON) More + Car TV + Famous Collections + Motorcycles + Military Vehicles + Electric Cars + Car Culture + Web Stories Follow Us Follow HotCars.com * * * Something New TheRichest Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. TheThings News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. TheSportster A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. More * Write For Us * Home * Contact Us * Terms * Privacy * Copyright * About Us * Press Kit * Fact Checking Policy * Corrections Policy * Ethics Policy * Ownership Policy (BUTTON) (BUTTON) (BUTTON) ____________________ * Home * Fast Cars * These Economy Cars Can Be Tuned To Produce Serious Power Figures These Economy Cars Can Be Tuned To Produce Serious Power Figures You shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and you certainly shouldn't think all economy cars are slow and just built for the daily commute. By Jason Garbutt Nov 11, 2020 (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Tweet Email (BUTTON) Comment Ford Fiesta ST A sure-fire way strike dread into any serious gearhead, economy cars are normally cheap, slow and, unrewarding cars to drive. There are always exceptions, modern cars in pursuit of ever great efficiency pack smaller turbocharged engines, relying on sophisticated electronics to ensure precise fuel-air mixtures for optimum performance. Where there is a computer involved, software updates allow more field per combustion cycle, releasing more power than the designers would have liked. Suddenly, small economy cars capable of sports car level of power become a whole lot more interesting. 10 Ford Fiesta ST - Stock Block Capable Of 350+ HP Which Car Fiesta STs, like all Ford's current performance models, are built around EcoBoost engines, smaller, lighter, and infinitely easier to tune. In standard form boasting 197hp from a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, ST models cracking 62mph in under 7 seconds. Which Car Software tuning easily unlocking 240hp+ without modification to the standard drive train, gearheads seeking more power will require a larger turbocharger, doing so potentially achieving a maximum 370hp. 9 Volkswagen Polo GTi - New King Of The GTis Autocar Volkswagen's small GTi has grown up, newer models receiving a larger 2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, with it comes more power, 200hp to be precise. So well-received among customers, Volkswagen unable to meet demand forced to stop taking orders until its plants can catch up with demand. Autocar Volkswagen packing 200hp in a tiny hatch weighing 2800lbs created a genuine 150mph pocket sports car, and yet there is plenty of scope for more power. German-based tuners Siemoneit Racing developed their extreme Polo GTi kit, larger turbocharger, and exhaust combination raising output to a mind-boggling 350hp. RELATED: Swedish Firm Builds Volkswagen Polo With 980 All-Wheel HP 8 Subaru BRZ - Chassis Needs More Power Auto Buzz Sports coupe styling with economy price tags a clear indication Subaru concentrated on handling rather than outright performance, BRZs desperately needing more power. Stock engines, naturally aspirated 2-liter affairs, produce decent amounts of power, just not enough to extract the best from its chassis. Autocar Simple ECU remaps go some way to unlocking RBZs potential gaining an easy 30hp without any engine upgrades, this however is just the start. Subarus Boxer engine lending itself well to forced induction, adopting Pulse Racing's blower kit bring total output to 280hp. 7 Miata MX-5 - Tiny Sports Car With Huge Power Potential Car And Driver Arguably, the best small cheap sports car ever produced, the MX-5 also delivers when it counts, their punchy 2-liter engines capable of launching the open-topped sports car to 60mph in under 6 seconds. Mazda engineers going to great lengths to balance power against agility didn't stop enthusiastic owners wanting more. Drivers Magazine How much more is another question, Motosport Electronics offers a range of services including the slightly deranged full turbo kit, peak power jumping to 330hp. 6 Honda Civic Si - Cut Down Type R Engine Honda USA Not all performance Hondas were Type R badges, the more recent Civic Si offering nearly all the performance for less cash, essentially a detuned version of its bigger brother. In place of the fire breathing 306hp, a slightly cooler 1.5-liter 205hp engine, 60mph taking fractionally longer coming up in 6.3 seconds. Honda USA Essentially, both models use the same cylinder block, Si being a lower displacement overall won't quite hit the Type Rs power output, even so, Hondata ECU flashing will comfortably see 270hp without requiring a larger turbocharger. RELATED: 10 Cheap Japanese Cars That Have No Business Being This Fast 5 Hyundai Veloster Turbo - Room For Improvement The Car Magazine Fast becoming a fan favorite, Hyundai's Veloster Turbo boasts some impressive numbers, producing 201hp from its 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, good for the 60mph sprint in 7.3 seconds. Not quite on par with the offerings from more prestigious brands, the Veloster's engine does at least have some room for improvement. The Car Magazine Running stock internals, remaps can unlock additional power, 260hp is common among owners, much beyond this the standard clutch loses the fight against power, swap this out and 300hp+ is possible. 4 BMW Mini Cooper S - Plug In Tune Up For More Power Caricos Wearing legendary Cooper badging marks out the latest Cooper S as the more sporty option, factory tuned to deliver 55hp over the base model, 60mph coming up in 6.5 seconds, but this being a BMW engine there is always plenty of room for improvement. Caricos Dozens of aftermarket tuners produce upgrade kits, Zip Tuning boosting the output of BMWs 2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder to a more useful 275hp. Stage 2 modifications are restricted to software updates and a custom exhaust to help the Mini breathe more easily. 3 Volkswagen Golf 1.4TSi - Twin-Charged Gem Autocar Curiously, Golf's mid-range sports models gain smaller engines for 2020, adopting Volkswagen's twin-charged 1.4-liter TSi unit normally found in the company's smaller cars. Uprated to produce 158hp running higher boost levels giving the Golf respectable performance, reaching 60mph in under 9 seconds. Autocar The diminutive size and relatively low state of tune hide the hidden ability of VWs TSi engine, sporting both a supercharger and turbocharger open up opportunities for tuners, bigger exhaust along with the customary remap unlocking a potential maximum 255hp. RELATED: Volkswagen Reveals New Golf GTI Clubsport 2 Mazda 3 Sport - New Larger Range Topping Engine TheThao247 Reversing the current trend for smaller engines, Mazda's revised 3 Sports range now features larger range-topping engines for greater performance. All-new 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines generate 250hp, gearheads can expect to see 60mph in around 6 seconds. Consider The Consumer Being a new engine derivative power upgrades a purely speculative, if the smaller 2-liter unit is anything to go by, then expect a raft of tuning packages anytime soon promising gains of around 100hp. 1 Subaru WRX Base - Flexible EJ20 Series Power Plant Cars Guide Originally, WRX models were sportier versions of Subarus legendary Impreza rally styled road car, the former becoming a bargain performance car in its own right. Facelifted for 2020 WRX retaining its 2-liter turbocharged flat-four engine, unchanged producing 268hp launching to 60mph in 5.5 seconds, performance to keep any sane gearhead happy. Slash Gear Arguably one of the most tunable engines ever produced, Subaru's EJ20 series featured in the RC winning cars of the early 1990s, in 2-liter configuration easily capable of running a higher boost to deliver 380-400hp. NEXT: These Diesel Cars Were Tuned To Pack A Ridiculous Amount Of Power (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Tweet Email (BUTTON) Comment Lambo Aventador Next These Are The Best Supercars Of The Past Decade Related Topics * Fast Cars About The Author [ld+json] Jason Garbutt (170 Articles Published) Raised in a car-obsessed environment from an early age ensured a keen interest in anything car-related. first and foremost an F1 fan, but also an avid follower of other motorsports. Professional background working closely with a well established UK based Supercar manufacturer in recent years. More From Jason Garbutt Popular Now GMC Hummer EV on a beaten road 10 Craziest Pickup Trucks Introduced In 2020 Hypercars These Are The 5 Best V12 Cars Ever (5 V8 Cars We'd Rather Own) Civic Ep3 10 Japanese Sports Cars That Are A Breeze To Maintain BMW M3 (E46 These Are The Best-Handling Cars You Can Buy For $20,000 These Are the Rarest American Performance Cars Ever Ducati Panigale V4 These Are The 10 Coolest Ducatis Ever trending now 10 Badass Sports Cars That Are Actually Impossible To Daily Drive Citroen DS Here Are The 10 Weirdest Luxury Cars Ever Made Camaro vs Challenger 5 Reasons Why We'd Buy A Chevy Camaro (5 Reasons Why The Dodge Challenger Might Be A Better Option) Read Next in automotive Dodge-Stealth Remember The Dodge Stealth? Here's 10 Things You Didn't Know These Sports Car Concepts Are Just Plain Ridiculous Ford Mustang Mach 1 10 Stunning Classic Sports Cars That Are Slower Than A Modern Minivan Rezvani-Hercules-6X6 10 Jaw-Dropping Facts About The Rezvani Hercules 6x6 Pickup Chevrolet-SS 10 Cool Cars You Never Knew Were Rebadged Kia-Stinger You'll Love Every Minute Driving These Cheap RWD Sports Cars Jaguar E-Type Eagle 10 Cars That Were Stunningly Beautiful... But Constantly Broke Down old and new Toyota Supra 5 Resurrected Nameplates That Did Great (5 That Should Have Been Left In The Past) Abarth-205-Vignale-Berlinetta Italy Made These Special Cars In Single Digits Comments More * Write For Us * Home * Contact Us * Terms * Privacy * Copyright * About Us * Press Kit * Fact Checking Policy * Corrections Policy * Ethics Policy * Ownership Policy Copyright © 2021 www.hotcars.com #Latest news Latest videos alternate alternate logo * News * Reviews * Features * Car Lists * Shop cars * Makes * Auto Shows * Spy Shots * Concept Cars * Supercars * Makes * Body styles * Photos * Videos (BUTTON) ____________________ (BUTTON) (BUTTON) USA / Global HomePorsche911 TurboNewsAftermarket / Tuning Porsche 911 Turbo (964) Tuned To 425 HP By Ares Design Porsche 964 Turbo by Ares Design (front) Jan 14, 2021 3h ago ++ * Share on Facebook * Share on Twitter * Share on Flipboard * Pin It * Share on Reddit * Share on WhatsApp * Send to email Angel Sergeev By: Angel Sergeev It's a one-off customer car. 2021 kicked off with a cool new V8-powered Land Rover Defender for Ares Design and the folks over from Modena have one more January surprise. A one-off Porsche 911 Turbo from the 964 generation is the tuning studio’s new project - and it is absolutely awesome. Build to fulfill “an enthusiast’s vision who wanted to realize his dream car,” the car features many visual and performance upgrades but manages to retain the original Turbo’s DNA. The most notable appearance modification has to be the added fixed ducktail spoiler mounted on the redesigned hood. It gives the coupe that retro vibe the 911 Carrera 2.7 RS has. Gallery: Porsche 964 Turbo by Ares Design Porsche 964 Turbo by Ares Design (interior) 5 Photos https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/WOxmN/s6/porsche-964-turbo-by-ares-de sign-interior.jpg https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/Kj9Pl/s6/porsche-964-turbo-by-ares-de sign-wheel.jpg https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/2WMgk/s6/porsche-964-turbo-by-ares-de sign-rear.jpg https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/AeMvx/s6/porsche-964-turbo-by-ares-de sign-side-view.jpg https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/mrGZB/s6/porsche-964-turbo-by-ares-de sign-front.jpg Another touch in the same direction is the set of new wheels. The two-tone silver-black alloys have a design that’s reminiscent of Fuchs rims used in the same Carrera 2.7 RS from the mid-1970s. Inside the cabin, the interior has been reupholstered in leather and tartan fabric. New decorative elements on the dashboard and doors have also been installed. Even Porsche’s dedicated infotainment system for classic cars has been added on the center console along with new gauges on the instrument cluster. Ares Design's Latest Creations: area design land rover defender Ares Design Unveils Brawny Land Rover Defender With V8 Power ares design wami lalique spyder Ares Design Unveils Wami Lalique Spyder As A Chic Homage To The '50s Finally, Ares Design has made tweaks to the car’s 3.6-liter turbocharged engine. More precisely, they’ve added a larger turbo and intercooler, increasing the factory output of 360 horsepower (268 kilowatts) to 425 hp (316 kW). Unfortunately, the tuners are not providing details about the coupe’s performance capabilities after the performance upgrade. No pricing details are available either but you won't be able to buy this car - it's a one-off customer order. Save Thousands On A New Porsche 911 Porsche 911 MSRP $ 98,750 MSRP $ 98,750 Save on average over $3,400 off MSRP* with Motor1.com Car Buying Service SEE PRICING Source: Ares Design ++ * Share on Facebook * Share on Twitter * Share on Flipboard * Pin It * Share on Reddit * Share on WhatsApp * Send to email icon Car Buying Service Get upfront price offers on local inventory. Search for: (*) New Cars ( ) Used Cars ____________________ Shop new cars ____________________ Shop used cars Trending Alpine Officially Becoming An EV Brand, Teaming Up With Lotus For Electric Sports Car Alpine Officially Becoming An EV Brand, Teaming Up With Lotus For Electric Sports Car New Audi RS3 Getting More Power And The 2021 VW Golf R's AWD System? New Audi RS3 Getting More Power And The 2021 VW Golf R's AWD System? Toyota GR Yaris Drag Races Mini JCW GP In Pocket Rocket Fight Toyota GR Yaris Drag Races Mini JCW GP In Pocket Rocket Fight Enter Now For Chance To Win This Rare Dodge Super Bee Plus $15,000 Cash Enter Now For Chance To Win This Rare Dodge Super Bee Plus $15,000 Cash New Hyundai Sonata N Line Meets Honda Accord, Acura TLX In Drag Race New Hyundai Sonata N Line Meets Honda Accord, Acura TLX In Drag Race Trending Alpine Officially Becoming An EV Brand, Teaming Up With Lotus For Electric Sports Car Alpine Officially Becoming An EV Brand, Teaming Up With Lotus For Electric Sports Car New Audi RS3 Getting More Power And The 2021 VW Golf R's AWD System? New Audi RS3 Getting More Power And The 2021 VW Golf R's AWD System? Toyota GR Yaris Drag Races Mini JCW GP In Pocket Rocket Fight Toyota GR Yaris Drag Races Mini JCW GP In Pocket Rocket Fight Enter Now For Chance To Win This Rare Dodge Super Bee Plus $15,000 Cash Enter Now For Chance To Win This Rare Dodge Super Bee Plus $15,000 Cash New Hyundai Sonata N Line Meets Honda Accord, Acura TLX In Drag Race New Hyundai Sonata N Line Meets Honda Accord, Acura TLX In Drag Race About this article Category Aftermarket / Tuning Tags Ares Design Make/Model Porsche 911 Turbo Body Style Coupe Sign In or Sign Up * News * Reviews * Features * Car Lists * Shop cars * Makes * Auto Shows * Spy Shots * Concept Cars * Supercars * Makes * Body styles * Photos * Videos Edition: * * * * * * * * * About Us * Newsletter * Advertising * Tip us * Contact * (BUTTON) Cookie Settings * Cookie policy * Privacy policy * www.motorsport.com * www.autoclassics.com * rideapart.com * www.insideevs.com * www.myev.com/ © 2021 Motorsport Network. Vehicle Imagery licensed from EVOX Images USA / Global Our International Editions * Edition: USA / Global * Édition: France * Edizione: Italia * Ausgabe: Deutschland * Версия: Россия * Edição: Brasil * Edition: UK * EDİSYON: TÜRKİYE * Edición: España * Edition: Magyarország * Edition: Indonesia * ++ * Share on Facebook * Share on Twitter * Share on Flipboard * Pin It * Share on Reddit * Share on WhatsApp * Send to email [pixel?tag=ViewContent&noscript=1] IFRAME: https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-M63QVNT www.hotcars.com [ ] (BUTTON) * News * Reviews * Fast Cars * Pickups + SUVS * Muscle Cars * (BUTTON) More + Car TV + Famous Collections + Motorcycles + Military Vehicles + Electric Cars + Car Culture + Web Stories Follow Us Follow HotCars.com * * * Something New TheRichest Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. TheThings News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. TheSportster A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. More * Write For Us * Home * Contact Us * Terms * Privacy * Copyright * About Us * Press Kit * Fact Checking Policy * Corrections Policy * Ethics Policy * Ownership Policy (BUTTON) (BUTTON) (BUTTON) ____________________ * Home * Fast Cars * People Modified These Iconic Sports Cars Beyond Recognition People Modified These Iconic Sports Cars Beyond Recognition Mods can be a great way to enhance a car's design. Unfortunately, it's almost impossible to tell which sports cars are hiding under all these mods. By Mark Cowley 2 days ago (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Tweet Email (BUTTON) Comment Chevrolet Camaro Popular sports cars from across the globe are often subject to redesigns at the hands of tuning companies or creative individuals who want to put their own stamp on a well-loved icon. Usually, these modifications might go as far as more aggressive bumpers, lower stance, or a few trim additions. In some cases though, tuners take a more extreme approach to their builds. RELATED: 10 Crazy Modified Cars We Can't Believe Are Street Legal These cars are subjected to all sorts of modifications that confuse their design language or draw inspiration from other models in that brand's lineup. Sometimes, builders reshape their cars so much it's absolutely impossible to work out how they could ever have come up with such an idea. Let's take a look at ten of the craziest examples where people took iconic sports cars and modified them beyond recognition. 10 Re-Amemiya's Mazda RX-7 Kit Mazda RX-7 Re-Amemiya Via Jalopnik The Mazda RX-7 is a tuning icon and has been given several strange facelifts at the hands of tuners. This one is a particularly unusual take, with the RX-7's distinctive lights and front bumper reworked into something more reminiscent of a Porsche. Mazda RX-7 Re-Amemiya Via Autoblog The rear of the RX-7 is also redesigned, but it looks like a different car completely. It's not quite as obvious what the rear bumper and taillight design is based on. There seems to be elements of the Aston Martin DB7 for some reason, mixed with a hint of first-gen Miata. It vaguely resembles a lot of cars, but manages to look nothing like the RX-7 it's based on. 9 Whatever Happened To This Poor Mustang Ford Mustang Via Biltorvet DK This bewildering Mustang briefly appeared on an auction site before being taken down, so it's hard to find many images of it. It appears to sport custom bodywork that vaguely resembles several classic American cars but doesn't convincingly look like any of them. RELATED: These Are The 10 Coolest Mustang Versions Ever Ford Mustang Via Biltorvet DK As the original posting was removed several years ago, it's impossible to tell if this was just a body kit or whether there were also mechanical changes underneath. Unfortunately due to the lack of other information out there this Mustang will remain a mystery until its owner can be found. 8 A "Fat" Porsche Porsche 911 By Erwin Wurm Via Xavier Hufkins Austrian artist Erwin Wurm takes cars and makes them into uncomfortable, bulging sculptures. One of his most famous works is this Porsche 911, with so much "fat" added that the shape of the original car is barely noticeable. Porsche 911 By Erwin Wurm Via Xavier Hufkens It was designed as an art piece but still retains most practical functions, with the lights and wheels poking out from underneath all the metallic fat. It's definitely weird, but in a cool, logic-defying way. 7 This Honda NSX-Based Mitsuoka Mitsuoka Orochi Via Auto Express It's been crowned one of the ugliest vehicles ever made, looking almost like a cross between a car and an angry sea creature. That would be okay if the car wasn't built on the first-gen Honda NSX, an all-round awesome machine. Mitsuoka Orochi Via Reddit Although the body is custom built, just knowing that the Orochi could have been made into a new NSX instead is enough to put off most car fans. Owners of this Mitsuoka can at least say they've got a unique car, but that's about all it's got going for it. 6 Gemballa's Extremo Biturbo Porsche 911 Gemballa Extremo Biturbo Via Autogespot It's very yellow, very German and very much unrecognizable from its stock form. This build from tuning house Gemballa uses a 993 Porsche 911 as a base. It's more respectful of the Porsche's lines than some other tuner abominations, but the heavily redesigned front end still makes it unidentifiable as a 993 at a glance. RELATED: Here Are The Rarest German Cars Ever Made Gemballa Extremo Biturbo Via Supercars Net The Extremo seems to have used Porsche's 968 as a heavy inspiration for the redesign, with a hint of 911 Flatnose influence. As far as modifications go, at least with this build Gemballa took from Porsche's own design language and kept the main lines of the stock car. It's debatable whether it looks good or not, but it's certainly not a bad reinterpretation. 5 Confusing Camo'd Camaro Chevrolet Camaro Via Carscoops The most notable modification on this Camaro is the psychedelic paint job, which distorts the natural lines of the car so much that from a distance it could be mistaken for another muscle car of a similar age. Granted, it's not the most extreme of redesigns, but the fact that a simple paint change can distort the car so much is very impressive. Chevrolet Camaro Via Carscoops The Camaro also deploys the usual custom-car checklist of bagged suspension, new rims and large rear spoiler. It's actually a good looking build, which is more than can be said for many other cars on this list. 4 A Rolls-Royce Caprice? Chevrolet Caprice Donk Via Medium It looks like a bad Photoshop, but this car is in fact real and has been seen at various donk shows around the US. Underneath the car is a '72 Chevy Caprice, but a faux-Rolls Phantom front end has been grafted on for some unknown reason. Chevrolet Caprice Donk Via Rides Magazine The front, especially the grille, looks way out of proportion with the rest of the car, and the squared-off angles don't help either. It's certainly a unique build, and let's say it's an acquired taste too. 3 Toyota Supra Mk4 - But Make It Veilside Veilside 4509 GTR Via Supercars Net Veilside are a Japanese tuning house best known for their Fast & Furious-featured RX-7, but in the years since that moment of fame they've been keeping busy. This is one of their more recent creations, which at first glance appears to be a modified Bentley Continental. Veilside 4509 GTR Via Favcars In fact, it's actually a Mk4 Toyota Supra, dressed in Veilside's 4509 GTR conversion kit. Why anybody would want to pay to convert their Supra into a Bentley when they could just buy a Bentley is a good question. Nevertheless, Veilside are here for any owners who think their Supra needs to look a bit more British. 2 Mazda MX-5/Miata "Cobra" Mazda MX-5 Cobra Via Rev9 Motorsport Sold by S2 Racing, this MX-5/Miata conversion kit purports to transform an owner's Mazda into a legendary Shelby. It doesn't quite achieve that, instead only managing an awkward halfway house between Cobra and Mazda. RELATED: These Are The Coolest Modified Miatas We've Seen So Far Mazda MX-5 Cobra Via Miata Kit Car It looks confused, and quite dated with the very '00s taillights. It's probably a better idea for anyone wanting a Shelby replica to just buy one instead of trying to convert their Miata to look like one. 1 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Batmobile Mercedes S Class Batmobile Via Autoevolution It doesn't get much more unrecognizable than this Indian S-Class conversion. The car that was once a favorite among businessmen and diplomats is now an all-out Batmobile tribute, even if it looks a bit rough round the edges. Mercedes S Class Batmobile Via The Gear Shift The BatMercbile is so heavily modified that it would be impossible to tell what car it was just by looking at it. What's even stranger is despite being built on a working car chassis, the front windscreen is opaque, meaning it would be impossible to drive this creation even if were somehow road legal. NEXT: 10 Iconic JDM Sports Cars Showing Off Their Coolest Bodykits (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Tweet Email (BUTTON) Comment Next 10 Surefire Ways To Ruin Your Car Related Topics * Fast Cars * Sports Cars About The Author Mark Cowley (46 Articles Published) Mark Cowley covers a variety of topics for HotCars, from the latest pickup trucks to obscure Japanese sedans. A regular fixture at car shows around the UK and Europe, if there's a weird model or obscure manufacturer, Mark probably knows about it. Having previously worked as a radio presenter, he knows a thing or two about Top 10 lists, and enjoys writing them as much as presenting them. He is a graduate of the University of Sheffield's English department and is currently based out of Birmingham, UK. More From Mark Cowley Popular Now Chevy Corvair 10 Coolest Chevrolet Classics You Can Buy For Peanuts Ferrari 328 10 Unlikely Classics That Make Ridiculously Good Project Cars Weird Cars Tuned To Produce Crazy Horsepower Bugatti-Veyron-SUV-render 7 Hilariously Weird Pictures Of Sports Cars Rendered As SUVs (3 SUVs Rendered As Sports Cars) Porsche 968 Clubsport Everyone Used To Love These Cars... Now They're Underappreciated And Forgotten 5 Celebrities Who Drive American Pickups (5 Who Prefer Japanese) trending now Camaro vs Challenger 5 Reasons Why We'd Buy A Chevy Camaro (5 Reasons Why The Dodge Challenger Might Be A Better Option) 10 Greatest Forgotten Classic Italian Sports Cars 1963 Studebaker Avanti R2 These 60s Cars Are Most Often Found In Junkyards Read Next in auto culture These Are the Rarest American Performance Cars Ever These Cheap American Classics Look Absolutely Sick When Modified These Classic Cars Are Surprisingly Cheap To Maintain 1980 Dodge Aspen R/T Owners Are Embarrassed Of These Muscle Cars C1 Corvette 10 American Cars That Changed the World Ford Galaxie 10 Times People Modified Their Muscle Cars To Go Off-Road... And The Results Were Awesome Ford GT90 parked outside These Are The Sickest American Concept Cars Of All Time 10 Greatest Engines Ever Put In A Pickup Truck 10 Worst Sports Cars That Sold Like Hotcakes Comments More * Write For Us * Home * Contact Us * Terms * Privacy * Copyright * About Us * Press Kit * Fact Checking Policy * Corrections Policy * Ethics Policy * Ownership Policy Copyright © 2021 www.hotcars.com [pixel?tag=ViewContent&noscript=1] IFRAME: https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-M63QVNT www.hotcars.com [ ] (BUTTON) * News * Reviews * Fast Cars * Pickups + SUVS * Muscle Cars * (BUTTON) More + Car TV + Famous Collections + Motorcycles + Military Vehicles + Electric Cars + Car Culture + Web Stories Follow Us Follow HotCars.com * * * Something New TheRichest Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. TheThings News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. TheSportster A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. More * Write For Us * Home * Contact Us * Terms * Privacy * Copyright * About Us * Press Kit * Fact Checking Policy * Corrections Policy * Ethics Policy * Ownership Policy (BUTTON) (BUTTON) (BUTTON) ____________________ * Home * Car Culture * Subaru WRX: Bugeye, Blobeye, And Hawkeye Explained Subaru WRX: Bugeye, Blobeye, And Hawkeye Explained Through one facelift, then another, and finally one more, Subaru gathered a following that many companies envy. By Samuel Weber Oct 16, 2020 (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Tweet Email (BUTTON) Comment Let's talk about three of the most recognizable tuner cars ever Starting in the early '90s, Subaru started making one of what is now the most recognizable and modifiable sports cars ever for the road. The WRX made a surprisingly high horsepower figure at 235 horsepower brand new and forever changed the face of the tuner car market. The original WRX brought a high-performance all-wheel-drive compact car into a market that was growing in interest, and what started as a cult favorite worked its way into showrooms and driveways around the world. With each redesign of the WRX, the fanaticism over the car increases. However, three models, in particular, have stuck out with the performance car market for their massive availability of parts, support network, and prevalence in both TV and movies. The lovingly nicknamed Bugeye, Blobeye, and Hawkeye WRX have managed to hold the attention of enthusiasts in ways that very few other cars ever have. One thing many people might wonder, however, is what actually is the difference between these generations. Let's take a look at what makes these generations unique from each other. Subaru Bugeye via AvanteGarde Wheels Weighing in at around 3,220 pounds, the Bugeye WRX was built from 2000 to 2002 as the second generation Impreza and it came to show Subaru's seriousness about their performance division. This featured the EJ205 Boxer engine to the tune of 247 horsepower and a manual five-speed gearbox with an option for a four speed automatic as well. Available as both a wagon and sedan, the Bugeye worked to cater to every market possible. In 2002, the first generation Bugeye WRX was available in America slightly before a refresh in the design. Through 2003, the Bugeye proved to America that Subaru was definitely not a brand to be slept on. via Stephen Rivers The tuning market for the EJ205 engine was unique since the car featured unequal length headers on the 2.5-liter engine. While not necessarily perfect for fit and finish, the WRX continued to one-up any possible rivals in the US market for quite some time as well as further cementing its rivalry with the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Related: Subaru Impreza WRX STI VS Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution: Who's The Rally King? Subaru Blobeye via Autocar Debuting at the end of 2003, the Blobeye WRX was much more styled in order to look modern, sporty, and fast. The new look of the WRX also ushered in new aftermarket body designs since the car sat lower to the ground and had slightly squared body parts. The rally-inspired look of the Blobeye opened up yet more tuning markets for off-road use as a race car. Additionally, the Blobeye brought the STi name to the US and showed exactly how capable performance compact cars could be in the modern age. Regarding quality control, the Blobeye was much better put together as a performance car than the Bugeye had been, featuring high-performance seats and upgraded gear shift throw. Both cars still oozed personality in ways that many owners and enthusiasts find intoxicating today. The most impressive feature of the Blobeye was the different traction setup options in which you could change where the power is delivered. According to DriveTribe, "this was the introduction to some technology and the ability to set up the chassis and elements of the car while you're driving." The car emphasized motorsport in the production vehicle, separating it from nearly every other car on the market when new. via Wallpaperflare Both the Bugeye and the Blobeye shared quite a lot in common. Both rode on a very similar platform and used the same engine (plus some additional tinkering), both competed with the same rivals from Mitsubishi and in some markets Honda in the form of the Civic Type R. Subaru Hawkeye via CarThrottle The Hawkeye WRX debuted in 2006 and was sold only through 2007 and was marked as a refreshed version of the Hawkeye design. The car received a completely new front end design as well as an entirely new engine. The EJ225 block sat at a comfortable 2.5 liters and produced 230 horsepower at 5,800rpm. The overall shape of the car changed as well in an attempt to look more aggressive, squared off, and sports car-like. This version of the WRX also had improved braking and chassis stability to make the car more rigid and performance-oriented yet again. The Hawkeye WRX STI also received a power bump up to around 300 horsepower, placing it 20 horsepower higher than its rival, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. With an upgraded center differential, stronger transmission, and stronger clutch, the WRX STI could handle a lot more hard-driving than ever before. According to Hagerty, this made the Hawkeye WRX and STi very desirable and called them "the best-regarded years of the WRX." via Reddit For the most part, the Hawkeye was simply an improvement performance-wise over the Bugeye and Blobeye but worked from their roots and bones. Riding on nearly the same platform with very few changes, the slight horsepower bump from the EJ225 was all it took to send this version into many people's minds as the iconic WRX. It faced the same reliability problems as any other WRX once at over 100,000 miles and could build power easily if enough money was put towards it. These three versions of the Impreza WRX cemented the car as a staple in the automotive enthusiast market around the world and are still sought after today. Sources: RoadAndTrack, AutoEvolution, DriveTribe, Hagerty Next: 10 Fastest Sport Sedans Around The Nürburgring (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Share (BUTTON) Tweet Email (BUTTON) Comment Here's What Makes The Toyota Sera A Bizarre Gem Of A Sports Coupe Related Topics * Car Culture * Sports Cars About The Author [ld+json] Samuel Weber (5 Articles Published) Samuel graduated in 2019 from University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Journalism and has had an obsession with the automotive world since he was a child. He has worked on the social media team for the Pittsburgh Vintage Grad Prix and CF Charities Supercar Show in Philadelphia, as well as being the photographer at the New York International Auto Show in 2019. In his spare time, Samuel does automotive photography and runs an automotive YouTube channel and owns his own Shopify brand for his channel. More From Samuel Weber Popular Now Here's Tavarish's Car Collection And What It's Worth The brand has many new offerings, including rwd cars and the return of the rotary Mazda Planning New Vehicles To Save Their Brand Here's Why The Ferrari F12 TDF Is Now A Million Dollar Supercar Lamborghini concept cars Looking Back At The Wildest Lamborghini Concept Cars Picasso PS-01 Lightweight Supercar Revealed Here's where the 1965 Lincoln Continental Convertible from HBO Entourage is today Here's Where The Lincoln Continental Convertible From Entourage Is Today trending now Looking Back At The 1964 Plymouth GTX Convertible From Tommy Boy Looking Back At The Porsche 944 2020 GSX-R750: Costs, Facts And Figures Read Next in automotive This Is The Best Used Jeep Cherokee Year You Can Buy This Is The Best Used Jeep Cherokee Year You Can Buy Go Big Or Go Home: Mercedes-Benz Unveils 56-Inch Curved Infotainment Hyperscreen Harley-Davidson Dyna Fat Bob: Costs, Facts, And Figures Dave Chapelle and Rolls Royce Phantom Here's What Dave Chapelle Drives The 2021 Toyota Highlander 2021 Toyota Highlander: Costs, Facts, And Figures Here Are America's Best-Selling And Most Popular Cars By State Evinetta - Cyberpunk Fantasies Experience Evinetta: A Tesla-Powered Ferrari Roams Apocalyptic Wasteland In Short CGI Film Here's What We Expect From The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek Suzuki Samurai side view A Detailed Look Back At The Suzuki Samurai Comments More * Write For Us * Home * Contact Us * Terms * Privacy * Copyright * About Us * Press Kit * Fact Checking Policy * Corrections Policy * Ethics Policy * Ownership Policy Copyright © 2021 www.hotcars.com IFRAME: //www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-NV9TDFK (BUTTON) Menu Skip to main content * Over 21m fans * 4m followers * 2m followers * 7m subscribers * Subscribe to TG magazine * (BUTTON) Search * Facebook * Twitter * Google+ * WhatsApp * Mailto * Copy link Search ______________________________ (Submit) Submit Home * News * Reviews * Best of 2020 * Electric * Gaming * Garage * Videos * Retro * Subscribe to TG mag What's hot [bolt_icon.svg] Best electric cars 2021 10 Fast Estates How to buy an electric car EV Glossary Cheap Fun Cars You are here * News * Modified * Tuners have made the Ferrari SP1 Monza even more of a face-rippler Tuners have made the Ferrari SP1 Monza even more of a face-rippler Oh, is your limited edition V12 Ferrari speedster not superfast enough for you? [tg_olliekew.png?itok=18_4woed] Ollie Kew 13 Oct 2020 * Facebook * Twitter * Google+ * WhatsApp * Mailto * Copy link 0 Magazine subscription – 5 issues for £5 Full screen 1/11 Read more on: * Modified * Ferrari Only Ferrari’s most loyal, trusted customers were invited to buy one of the 499 Monza speedsters. You had to be in Ferrari’s bezzie mates WhatsApp group even to get a look in. And then, just maybe, you’d be offered the ultimate first world problem: choosing whether to buy the one-seat SP1 version, or the more sociable SP2 duo-seater. You’d imagine that what’s basically a roofless, stripped-out 812 Superfast would qualify as ‘enough’. After all, the Monza twins each develop 809bhp, thanks to their uprated 6.5-litre V12s. They’re good for 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds, and the top speed is limited to 186mph because even Ferrari doesn’t think cracking The Big Two-Oh-Oh is sensible when your Ray Bans are the windscreen. But no. It’s not enough. And that’s where the likes of German supercar-tweakers Novitec arrive. Carrying a big shiny exhaust, and some spanners. Novitec says its gold-plated exhaust system offers better heat dissipation and reduced back-pressure versus the standard Ferrari item. Naturally, you can choose between a stainless steel exhaust or lightweight F1-spec Inconel. That’s apparently liberated an extra 34bhp, while torque has climbed 45lb ft, so both totals now stand at 843bhp and 575lb ft. Related content * Meet ‘Hercules’, Pogea Racing’s mad Abarth 595 * Here’s how folk customised their Rolls-Royces in 2020 * The new BMW M4 costs £76k (but can be specced over £100k) * This is a road legal Ferrari 575 GTC* Weirdly, our friends at Novitec haven’t made much of an effort to describe the noise this uncorked V12 makes. TG can only assume it’s because they’ve all revved themselves deaf. Meanwhile, Novitec’s dropped the ride height by 35mm so the Monza’s now lowlier than a snake, and fitted a staggered set of Vossen alloy wheels: 21s at the front, and 22s at the rear. After all, there was a real danger you’d pay north of £2m for one of these Monzas and it wouldn’t really grab anyone’s attention. Yep. Apparently the Novitec’d Monza is a tenth quicker from 0-62mph than a standard car, and the top speed is now delimited and lies ‘well beyond 186mph’. Wonder if anyone will be brave enough to find out just how far ‘beyond’ it’ll go? Share this page: * Facebook * Twitter * Google+ * WhatsApp * Mailto * Copy link What do you think? (BUTTON) View comments This service is provided by Disqus and is subject to their privacy policy and terms of use. Please read Top Gear’s code of conduct (link below) before posting. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Related content * Meet ‘Hercules’, Pogea Racing’s mad Abarth 595 * Here’s how folk customised their Rolls-Royces in 2020 * The new BMW M4 costs £76k (but can be specced over £100k) * This is a road legal Ferrari 575 GTC* * Litchfield is tuning the Toyota GR Yaris to 300bhp+ * The 2021 F1 season will start in Bahrain in March Promoted content NEWSLETTER Get Top Gear news and reviews in your inbox Enter your email address to receive regular Top Gear newsletters ____________________________________________________________ [United Kingdom______________________________] By clicking below you agree to receive news, promotions and offers by email from Top Gear and BBC Studios. Your information will be used in accordance with our privacy policy. (Submit) Submit Trending * The Nio ET7 has 621 miles of range and ALL THE BATTERY * 15 Top Gear's top 15 electric cars * 6/10 Volkswagen Golf GTE n/a * Why hasn’t Bugatti built a luxurious super saloon yet? * Remember when VW built a supercharged 2cyl Polo? * Hyundai Kona N review: a fun performance SUV Latest road tests * Audi A3 40 TFSI e review: plug-in A3 tested * Hyundai Kona N review: a fun performance SUV * Nissan GT-R Nismo review: the £180,000 R35 * Ford Focus ST Auto review: one of Britain’s rarest cars * Volkswagen Golf 1.0 TSI review: three-cylinder Golf tested * Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 review: now with paddles Latest from Top Gear News Meet ‘Hercules’, Pogea Racing’s mad Abarth 595 Pumped up Italian hatch goes all Scrappy Doo with more power and lots of carbon Reviews Audi A3 40 TFSI e review: plug-in A3 tested Big Reads Big Read Don’t call me ‘baby’: meet the coolest Vauxhall ever Baby Bertha is the Vauxhall worth travelling around the world for Videos Stig Drifts: Mercedes-AMG E63 S Estate Watch The Stig unleash 603bhp of turbocharged V8 fury Cookie settings * Site Terms * Privacy Policy * Code of conduct * Contact Us * Advertise with us * Cookies Policy * Change your cookie settings * Top Gear Shop * Subscribe to Top Gear Magazine * Manage cookie settings Cookie settings This website is made by BBC Studios Distribution. BBC Studios is a commercial company that is owned by the BBC (and just the BBC). BBC logo No money from the licence fee was used to create this website. The profits we make from it go back to BBC programme-makers to help fund great new BBC programmes. BBC is a trademark of the British Broadcasting Corporation. Logos © 1996. More about BBC Studios Top Gear International sites: * France * India * Malaysia * Netherlands * Philippines * Russia * Singapore * Spain * United States IFRAME: //www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-NV9TDFK (BUTTON) Menu Skip to main content * Over 21m fans * 4m followers * 2m followers * 7m subscribers * Subscribe to TG magazine * (BUTTON) Search * Facebook * Twitter * Google+ * WhatsApp * Mailto * Copy link Search ______________________________ (Submit) Submit Home * News * Reviews * Best of 2020 * Electric * Gaming * Garage * Videos * Retro * Subscribe to TG mag What's hot [bolt_icon.svg] Best electric cars 2021 10 Fast Estates How to buy an electric car EV Glossary Cheap Fun Cars You are here * News * Modified * This very sensible pickup is going to auction in the US This very sensible pickup is going to auction in the US A diesel, automatic pickup truck will be sold in Dallas later this week. So what? Greg Potts 13 Oct 2020 * Facebook * Twitter * Google+ * WhatsApp * Mailto * Copy link 0 Magazine subscription – 5 issues for £5 Full screen 1/13 Read more on: * Modified * Ford Woah, where do we start with this one? Well, for our fellow non-Americans, the Ford Super Duty F-250 Platinum is not a small truck as standard. To outline that point, this one left the factory in 2017 with a modest, medium-sized engine. We say modest, it’s a 6.7-litre V8 turbo-diesel engine that produced 440bhp and 860lb ft of torque when it was new, but then the smallest engine available is a 6.2-litre petrol and the biggest (in 2020 at least) is a 7.3-litre V8 known as Godzilla. Crikey. As you might have noticed, though, this is no normal F-250. It’s a little… tall, isn’t it? Certainly striking though. This particular example was built for the 2018 SEMA show by Elite Customs Auto Body in Nevada, and it’ll be sold at the Mecum Auctions Dallas Sale this coming week. Related content * Ecurie Ecosse is building seven Jaguar C-Type recreations * Meet ‘Hercules’, Pogea Racing’s mad Abarth 595 * Welcome to the Dacia Bigster Concept * The Renault 5 is back! Meet the electric R5 concept It’s been lifted, of course, with air suspension that makes it between 14 and 16-inches taller than a standard F-250. That’s topped up with some mega 28-inch wheels wrapped in off-road tyres too. Subtle. We’re not actually sure what else to say. This thing has left us speechless. There are custom bumpers and specially-designed interior pieces (because SEMA) as well as a giant set of speakers in the back, but good lord just look at the pictures… How much do we reckon it’ll go for, folks? Images: Mecum Auctions Share this page: * Facebook * Twitter * Google+ * WhatsApp * Mailto * Copy link What do you think? (BUTTON) View comments This service is provided by Disqus and is subject to their privacy policy and terms of use. Please read Top Gear’s code of conduct (link below) before posting. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Related content * Ecurie Ecosse is building seven Jaguar C-Type recreations * Meet ‘Hercules’, Pogea Racing’s mad Abarth 595 * Welcome to the Dacia Bigster Concept * The Renault 5 is back! Meet the electric R5 concept * Official: Alpine and Lotus will build an electric sports car * Here’s how folk customised their Rolls-Royces in 2020 Promoted content NEWSLETTER Get Top Gear news and reviews in your inbox Enter your email address to receive regular Top Gear newsletters ____________________________________________________________ [United Kingdom______________________________] By clicking below you agree to receive news, promotions and offers by email from Top Gear and BBC Studios. Your information will be used in accordance with our privacy policy. (Submit) Submit Trending * The Nio ET7 has 621 miles of range and ALL THE BATTERY * 15 Top Gear's top 15 electric cars * 6/10 Volkswagen Golf GTE n/a * Why hasn’t Bugatti built a luxurious super saloon yet? * Remember when VW built a supercharged 2cyl Polo? * Hyundai Kona N review: a fun performance SUV Latest road tests * Audi A3 40 TFSI e review: plug-in A3 tested * Hyundai Kona N review: a fun performance SUV * Nissan GT-R Nismo review: the £180,000 R35 * Ford Focus ST Auto review: one of Britain’s rarest cars * Volkswagen Golf 1.0 TSI review: three-cylinder Golf tested * Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 review: now with paddles Latest from Top Gear News Meet ‘Hercules’, Pogea Racing’s mad Abarth 595 Pumped up Italian hatch goes all Scrappy Doo with more power and lots of carbon Reviews Audi A3 40 TFSI e review: plug-in A3 tested Big Reads Big Read Don’t call me ‘baby’: meet the coolest Vauxhall ever Baby Bertha is the Vauxhall worth travelling around the world for Videos Stig Drifts: Mercedes-AMG E63 S Estate Watch The Stig unleash 603bhp of turbocharged V8 fury Cookie settings * Site Terms * Privacy Policy * Code of conduct * Contact Us * Advertise with us * Cookies Policy * Change your cookie settings * Top Gear Shop * Subscribe to Top Gear Magazine * Manage cookie settings Cookie settings This website is made by BBC Studios Distribution. BBC Studios is a commercial company that is owned by the BBC (and just the BBC). BBC logo No money from the licence fee was used to create this website. The profits we make from it go back to BBC programme-makers to help fund great new BBC programmes. BBC is a trademark of the British Broadcasting Corporation. Logos © 1996. More about BBC Studios Top Gear International sites: * France * India * Malaysia * Netherlands * Philippines * Russia * Singapore * Spain * United States