After seeing some very promising machinery during the Friday prerace inspections, we were geared up for an exciting Saturday race session. However, things got a little more exciting than we’d hoped for, with blinding sheets of rain gushing down for much of the day and legions of race cars spinning off into the swampy muck [...]
The 24 Hours of LeMons Traveling Carnival has been setting up the Tilt-a-Whirl— so to speak— at MSR Houston since way back in 2008, and we can always count on seeing plenty of those most Texan of low-budget race cars: Ford Taurus SHOs, Mazda Miatas, and Ford Mustangs. This time, the number of SHOs was [...]
As another month draws to a close it’s once again time to round up the month’s feature cars for our weekly reader poll. Race car or street car, new car or old car – it’s time for you guys to pick your favorite featured machine from the month of September. Here they are. Jon Sibal’s [...]
We already know that the 640-hp 2013 SRT Viper will start at $99,390 and command $122,390 in GTS guise (pending gas-guzzler charges), but what if you want some extra sauce on your serpent? SRT has now released the options list for the new Viper, so prospective buyers can smother away. The no-cost paint choices are [...]
Toyota’s show stand at this year’s Paris auto show was chock-full of cars we don’t get here in the U.S., and here’s from that list, the updated Verso people-mover. The vanlet is similar to Ford’s C-Max (hybrid versions of which are coming to the U.S. soon), and is based on Toyota’s C-segment architecture that also [...]
If you’ve ever noticed how relentlessly boring the U.S.-market Toyota Corolla is, we forgive you. That car is as exciting as a piece of dry toast, but it looks even more so compared to its cousin, the Auris, which was just redesigned for Europe. The Auris is roughly the same size as the Corolla, and, [...]
Besides offering up a new Auris compact and Verso MPV for Europe at this year’s Paris auto show, Toyota also brought along this Yaris Trend special-edition model. Even though Toyota theoretically could send us a similar styling package for the identical Yaris we get here, this stuff probably will stay in Europe. That said, we [...]
Inspiration, it seems, can come even from the trash dumpster. Or at least the area very near the dumpster behind C/D’s lavish headquarters. There, many trash-pickups ago, sat a silver Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with the optional body-colored fender flares ($100) and three-piece, body-colored hardtop ($1715). The positive effect of the body-colored attachments is shockingly strong. [...]
Slotted beneath the replacement for the fulsome Compass and Patriot, Jeep will offer an Italian-built, Fiat-based baby ute. Not an appealing proposition for America’s off-roadiest brand, right? On the contrary, friends. The Panda 4×4, which Fiat introduced this week at the Paris auto show, is the probable starting point for the B-segment Jeep we’ll get [...]
Diesel engines are well known to deliver great fuel economy and gobs of torque, but the sparkless powerplant is not known for great responsiveness. Audi hopes to change that with a new development we saw at the carmaker’s Future Mobility workshop in the days preceding the 2012 Paris auto show. It’s called the electric turbocharger, [...]
Lacking the large lineups and rapid three- or four-year product cycles of mainstream automakers, Rolls-Royce doesn’t have an all-new vehicle to introduce at every auto show. It can, however, certainly crank out special editions of its current cars. As an “homage to the 1925 Paris Exhibition” that inspired the name of the art deco movement, [...]
Mini began producing 30-something-hp hatchbacks in the early ’60s—before even the Rolling Stones formed—but unlike Mick Jagger, the days of the original Mini are behind us. In fact, even the 114-hp comeback-tour Mini seems like something of a distant memory. And that’s especially true with the introduction of the second-generation John Cooper Works GP hatchback, [...]
At the 2012 Paris auto show, we had the chance to sit down with both M product manager Christoph Smieskol and Matt Russell, who used to head the M brand in North America before taking over product and technology communications here. Follow the jump to find out about how M differentiates itself, what the brand [...]
Mitsubishi sales may have desiccated in the U.S., but the company is still chugging along, as evidenced by this rather high-tech Outlander plug-in hybrid for the 2012 Paris auto show. It isn’t presently clear whether the fuel-sipping Outlander plug-in is destined for our shores—it’s based on the recently redesigned gas-powered version—but the crossover is significant [...]
Whether they’re delivering goods to customers or transporting employees to clients, a fleet of vehicles is a vital part of many companies’ business plans. With ever-rising fuel costs and growing concerns about the impact of carbon emissions, however, many companies are also under pressure to get the most efficient use out of their vehicle fleets, [...]
Suzuki’s press conference was the curtain-raising act of the 2012 Paris auto show, and this demure compact crossover was its headliner. Suzuki hasn’t had much in the way of new-product news lately, particularly in the U.S., but according to global sales managing officer Kenichi Ayukawa, the S-Cross will mark the beginning of a wave of [...]
Inspired by the success of the $200,000-plus GranTurismo MC Stradale (itself inspired by the Trofeo GranTurismo MC spec race car), Maserati designed this droptop GranTurismo MC to satiate Maser fans looking for higher levels of performance and more aggressive styling in an open-top car. Motivation for the essentially hand-assembled car will come from Maserati’s Ferrari-assembled [...]
Any visit to a Ferrari auto-show stand invariably entails expectations of luxury, passion, and extraordinary performance, wrapped in seductive shapes and glistening in Rosso Corsa paint. Given that sort of anticipation, we were startled by one of Ferrari’s key Paris show properties—a flat-black chassis tub, devoid of exterior elements, nestled among potent Italian stallions like [...]
The skunkworks team in Affalterbach knows how to make AMG-branded Benzes the most intimidating sounding cars on the planet—in particular, the sounds of its 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 and naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V-8 are exalted hymns in the church of car enthusiasm. (Listen to us run nine AMGs through a tunnel in Detroit.) But with the [...]
The new Audi A3 was the first production model spun from the VW Group’s MQB architecture, and so it makes sense that Audi will be the first brand to release a high-performance variant. This new S3 makes its debut at the 2012 Paris auto show, and is powered by an EA888 turbocharged four-cylinder engine that [...]
Regardless of whether you run hot or cold on the funny-looking Nissan Juke, anyone can appreciate more power and better handling. Aggressive styling never hurts, either, and all three upgrades characterize the NISMO-fied Juke scheduled to go on sale soon. We already told you that the Juke NISMO is coming our way, but we now [...]
Whatever the impetus for Lamborghini’s “flat planes and sharp creases” era of design—a deep pathological fear of curves, dwindling stock in Italy’s strategic reserve of protractors—the decision has paid off in spades. Take the Gallardo for instance: Lamborghini claims to have assembled nearly 13,000 of the baby bulls at its Sant’Agata Bolognese factory. Not bad [...]After Hyundai withdrew from the World Rally Championship in 2003, it set to work creating a long-term plan to establish an in-house WRC team in Europe and develop a new rally car. Nine years later, the company has finally announced it’s ready to return to the series with the debut of the WRC i20 at [...]
Everything luxurious begins as something unpretentious. Hermès started as a harness workshop. Louis Vuitton luggage is just animal hide that protects your silk teddy from filthy TSA fingers. Luxury is about elevating an experience or a set of components—pushing well past mere utility to a place that makes you say “ahh.” Luxury is an escape, [...]The 24 Hours of LeMons Traveling Circus makes its first-ever stop at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway in California’s High Desert on the weekend of December 8 and 9, when the 6th annual Arse Freeze-a-Palooza race takes place. This one promises to be one of the best West Coast LeMons events of the 2012 season, but your [...]We’ve known that the Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid supercar was going to be something special since it first broke cover as a concept in March 2010. Our first ride in a prototype of the technological marvel at the Nardo test track hardened our expectations, and it now can officially be called quick as hell: The [...]
Audi had no shortage debuts at this year’s Paris auto show, with this Crosslane Coupé concept joining the five-door A3, the hot-hatch S3 and the drop-dead-gorgeous RS5 droptop. Besides looking like Audi’s take on a Range Rover Evoque-fighter, this concept previews a host of fuel-saving technologies and provides a peek into the future of the [...]The Lamest Day 24 Hours of LeMons, held at Ohio’s Nelson Ledges in 2009, gave us the 200-Proof shot of the Infiniti Q45 Shanty Town. We have many more tales of heroism in the muddy trenches of the Lamest Day, though, and today we’re sharing this photograph of Dave “Caddywrecker” Mills working on his team’s [...]
Whilst this is labelled as a concept car, the Peugeot 2008 is actually already confirmed for production in the middle of 2013. It is designed to offer practicality to the younger generation whilst remaining fresh and offering something a little different in what is one of the busiest segments. Under its sleek bonnet the 2008 [...]
Sendai Hi-land is the track that Nissan chose to develop the R35 GT-R on. This isn’t at all surprising as it’s one of the most challenging and technical circuits in Japan, throwing a variety of corners, elevation changes and chassis-testing sections into the mix. It’s also an awesome track to shoot at, which is precisely [...]
In recent times, the fuel-stingiest Golf in Volkswagen’s global lineup has been the diesel BlueMotion model. Now, with a new Golf on the way, it’s time for a new BlueMotion, a name we think is pitch-perfect for an efficient, potentially money-saving model entering the sagging European marketplace. READ MORE ›› Read full story »
Texas is the biggest truck market in the U.S., so it only seems appropriate that Ford roll out one of its 10 updated 2013 F-150 trucks in the Lone Star state. Given that Texas also is home to King Ranch, one of the largest ranches in the world, that new debut might as well be [...]
“It all started with the Mercedes CLS back in 2005,” the commentator on Barrett-Jackson Auction 2060 will lecture to his co-host on the five-dimensional direct feed to your brain. The early 2000s, the audience learns, were a time of unprecedented automotive body styles and powertrain variants. “Then Porsche wanted a fastback car, so it built [...]
Assuming you have the money, you can write a check for a car that makes as much power as a Formula 1 car — 700 hp or more — and legally drive it to the grocery store. In such a world, where does that leave production-based racing? Your typical entrant in the FIA’s GT3 class [...]
Chevrolet’s been through a lot since it debuted the Trax mini-SUV concept at the 2007 New York auto show. The moniker has now resurfaced a full five years later, affixed to a mini-SUV based on the same Gamma II platform that underpins the Opel Mokka and the Buick Encore. Slated to be sold just about [...]
C comes before D, which in turn precedes E. It’s basic preschool stuff, but it’s also a primer on Jaguar’s racing and sports cars of the 1950s and ’60s. The legendary C-, D-, and E-types of that period appeared to be drawing a clear line to a direct successor—an F-type—but the larger, GT-ier XJS became [...]
It’s rotten what we’re doing, and we admit it. Totally rotten and unfair and, well, maybe just a little bit un-American. We’re taking the most enthralling new sports car in a generation—my God, it’s actually affordable!—and throwing it under the galloping hooves of a semi-exotic thoroughbred that most of us here couldn’t afford even if [...]Mini has released pricing on the newest addition to its performance lineup, the John Cooper Works Countryman. Mini’s hot hatch crossover will start production this fall and go on sale shortly thereafter for a not-insignificant $35,550. While expensive for something its size, the JCW Countryman nevertheless slots just below the convertible and above the coupe [...]
. While the popularity of sport compact drag racing has appeared to have lost its shine in other parts of the world, it was more than clear looking around the pits at the 2012 Brisbane Jamboree (aka J22). The Australian scene is bucking the trend. The Land Down Under has enjoyed a strong sport compact [...]
The Peugeot 208 GTi was announced recently for 2013. However, if you want to be that little bit more special, this ‘limited edition’ should offer something for you. With only 29 cars available, this really is a choice little number. Each car will be individually numbered, visually exclusive and specified to a high standard with [...]
One of the car’s I’m most looking forward to seeing at the Paris Motor Show is the latest rallycar to come from the French lion: the 208 Type R5. After a long break, the 208 will succeed the 307 WRC Peugeot’s off-road weapon, starting off in the Group A and S2000 categories. Highlighting the classic [...]
Like a heaping scoop of fried ice cream, the outside of the 2013 Ford Fusion is hot. The all-new car is easily the best looking mid-size four-door the company has ever built and maybe the best looking mainstream sedan yet from an American company. Yes, the grille looks like it was ripped off an Aston [...]
Hit play for an audio recording of a mystery car’s exhaust note, and then share your guesses or get a few hints from other visitors in the comments below. Be sure to check back on Thursday for the answer! Read full story »Acura RLX Concept Acura’s new flagship sedan will make its debut at the L.A. auto show on November 28. The Acura RLX, which takes the place of the slow-selling RL, gets a smaller, direct-injected 310-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 that’s more fuel-efficient than the 300-hp, 3.7-liter V-6 that powered the RL. The RLX also gets a new [...]
Working with Speedhunters has been a life changing experience. I often wake up smiling, thinking how did I get so lucky to end up with my dream job straight out of college. It can however be an intimidating experience too. Sometimes the notion of writing a story that you’re not 100% confident in can be [...]
It’s the biggest and best sport compact drag racing meeting anywhere in the world, bar none. For 22 years Queensland’s annual ‘Jamboree’ has been one of the most anticipated events on Australia’s modified car calendar. The 2012 edition might just go down as one of the best yet. It’s been a long time since I [...]On Monday, we presented this week’s shifter and asked you to identify the make and model of the vehicle from whence it came. This week’s vehicle was a tricky one. The first commenter to correctly identify it as a Ford Econoline was Rob McCarthy, who will receive a Save the Manuals magnet and sticker as [...]
The Subaru SVX is without a doubt one of the most interesting Japanese cars of the 1990s. It may not have had the same racing credentials as its rivals, but with unique styling and a smooth flat six powerplant the SVX made for one hell of a unique GT car. It was ahead of its time to say the least.
As cool as the SVX was, it never offered a whole lot in the way of potential for modification. For starters, the Subaru six cylinder never had a ton of aftermarket support, and even worse the SVX was only offered with a four-speed automatic transmission.
As the long and seemingly unrelenting summer in Japan comes to an end, there is one event that for a few years now has marked the seasonal transition for me. I am of course talking of the Roadster & Rotary Meeting, held every September at the beautiful Sendai Hi-land Circuit, a celebration of all the [...]
After seven years the curb-jumping cars of the FIA World Touring Car Championship land on the shores of North America. Alain Menu took the very first pole position in Sonoma with a flying last lap in his Chevrolet Cruze. Second place went to Gabriele Tarquini in a SEAT and third went to points-leader Yvan Muller, also in a [...]
During this week's #IAMTHESPEEDHUNTER Jonathan showed some early images of McLaren's all new Supercar, the P1. We won't know more until next week's Paris Motor Show, but already the internet is filling with speculation and feedback about the new car. Naturally, expectations are high given the strong words McLaren has used to describe the new project.
For our weekly poll we thought we'd get some first impressions on the car from the Speedhunters community. Do you think the P1 looks too much like the 12C? Is it a worthy successor to the legendary McLaren F1?
Vote and discuss below!
-Mike
The 2012 Goodwood Revival paid tribute to a number of iconic motor racing institutions during the 2012 running of the vintage festival, with each of the quartet being intrinsically linked with racing history. The phalanx of pre-war Silver Arrows single-seater behemoths flattened fans each time they took to the track; an unbelievable number of GTOs [...]
The 1980s are remembered for a lot of things, but in the motorsport world those years represent the golden era of rallying. Group B took the World Rally Championship and turned it on its head. In matter of just a few short years factory-backed cars had doubled their power output and were packed full of cutting edge technology and exotic components. Many people likened them to Formula 1 cars for the gravel, and that wasn't far from the truth. But they were too fast and ultimately too dangerous, which is why we will, unfortunately, never see anything like Group B in the WRC ever again. The spirit, however, will always live on.
Japan's love for the automobile is widely known, and I suppose it's no surprise that the Japanese language has its own word that people use to refer to their own personal machines. That word is "愛車" - "aisha" - a literal combination of the words and kanji characters for "love" and "car". A simple, yet beautiful word if I do say so myself.
With that, let's get on with this week's #FeatureThis selection of aisha submitted by the Japanese Speedhunters community.
お待たせしました。日本のSpeedhuntersファンの愛車紹介#FeatureThis第6弾です！
Attending the Goodwood Revival and Gatebil on consecutive weekends is quite a difficult thing to cope with. From a place which is all about pushing machinery to the limit, both on track and in terms of just what is possible with a car, to the ultimate celebration of everything retro within five days. Both events are [...]
This is the amazing new McLaren P1 and it certainly lives up to the idea that it is the true successor to the McLaren F1. It is designed to be the best road and track driver’s car in the world. This variant is only a design study but it’s likely that come 2013 a production [...]
Not long ago we received a message in the #FeatureThis inbox from Steve Thackwray who wanted to share his buddy's K11 Nissan Micra with us. It's not just any Micra mind you, but one of the craziest examples I've ever seen - not just in terms of its body work, but beneath the skin as well.
In our world, BMW M6 and Chevy Camaro ZL1 owners buy these cars because they are going to use them. And not just use them, but use every last horsepower and g of capability. We admit that we do not live in the real world. While some owners actually track and race their M6s and [...]
We are proud to announce the launch of the Speedhunters eStore. Now live at http://store.speedhunters.com As well as the ubiquitous Speedhunters sticker we have developed exclusive, limited edition ranges of T-Shirts and Stickers inspired by the 3 awesome machines we’ve had the pleasure of working with this season: What? You Lift? …Hold Stumt. Standard. [...]
McLaren Automotive will be using their Paris Motor Show debut next week to officially unveil the company’s new supercar: the hotly anticipated McLaren P1. The P1 design study will be on show at Paris Expo, with production planned to commence within 12 months. McLaren’s goal with the P1 is to make ‘the most exciting, most [...]
Is the McLaren MP4-12C too restrained for your Lambo-nurtured design tastes? McLaren’s upcoming range topper, the P1 supercar, looks like a cyborg Gaboon viper, and made its debut at this year’s Paris auto show. READ MORE›› Read full story »
The electric car may never take over the world, but at least its relevancy is right around the corner. Mercedes-Benz will launch a virtually production-ready concept of an electrified B-class at the Paris auto show later this month. The compact, high-roof five-seater is powered by a 134-hp electric motor that produces up to 229 lb-ft [...]