A Lingenfelter-tuned 1993 Corvette ZR1
When we grow up, we want to be Ken Lingenfelter. Not only does he own Lingenfelter Performance Engineering (which was founded by a cousin, John Lingenfelter), but he also has one of the most impressive car collections in the United States. How many cars are in the collection? Even Ken doesn’t know for sure, saying “about 200,” since he’s afraid to give an exact count.
While the collection is heavy on Corvettes (which make up about 40% of the total), there’s something for everyone. Want a Ferrari F40, a DeLorean DMC1, a Vector, an Opel GT, or a mid-seventies Pontiac Can-Am? No problem. A Bugatti Veyron or an original AAR ‘Cuda? Yeah, they’re in the collection, too.
This episode of Big Muscle centers on one of the most significant cars in the collection, which host Mike Musto refers to as “ground zero” for hot rodders. Lingenfelter owns the Duntov Test Mule EX-8, which was the first Corvette to be tested and evaluated with a small-block V-8 engine. Without this car and its small block Chevy V-8, the Corvette may never have survived beyond the first generation, and hot-rodders may never have embraced a Chevrolet V-8 engine.
Mike spends some time in a Lingenfelter-tuned 1993 Corvette ZR1, too, capable of producing upwards of 600 horsepower. It’s got a rather unique valet key, and unlocking the car’s full power is akin to twisting the two keys needed to launch a nuclear missile. It’s as subtle as an artillery barrage, and makes an impressive statement on how much power was possible from a street-legal car, even back in 1993.
If you are a car enthusiast like me, chances are you have played your fair share of video games including the Forza Motorsport series, Gran Turismo series games, or even arcade style ones such as Need for Speed or Test Drive. Either way, many of these games have your favorite sports car that you can virtually drive on your big screen at home. BMW wants to give you the opportunity to do the same for specific M vehicles, primarily the new BMW 1 Series M Coupe, in a new free PC game.
The new BMW 1 Series M Coupe ACR racing game is an exclusive BMW Experience offered online via Autoclubrevolution.com. From the site, PC users are able to download, install and play the game along with their online friends and get the ultimate driving experience behind the screen of your computer wheel of a new BMW 1 Series M Coupe.
The video below demonstrates and summarizes what you should expect in this new game with levels of customization tailored for BMW vehicles. Enjoy The Ultimate Driving Machine!
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Cadillac’s CUE iPad app. Image: © GM Corp.
When Hyundai launched its upscale Equus sedan in the United States, it did so with an innovative marketing move: rather than include a paper version of the owners manual, it loaded the full document onto an Apple iPad, which was included with the purchase of the car. That lasted exactly one model year, and Equus models now come with an abbreviated owners manual and a a DVD packed with the full version.
To mark the launch of its CUE (Cadillac User Experience) infotainment system in the upcoming Cadillac XTS, the luxury automaker is doing something very similar. XTS buyers will get a free iPad, but it won’t come loaded with just the car’s owner’s manual. Instead, it will contain an app that mirrors the CUE interface, allowing XTS buyers to learn the system when and where they choose.
The iPad will also contain the MyCadillac app, which allows owners to locate a dealer, schedule service, read the owners manual, get reminders on parking or summon roadside assistance, and the OnStar RemoteLink app, which allows remote locking and unlocking of doors and displays the status of various vehicle systems.
We think this is a smart move on behalf of Cadillac, since infotainment systems can be challenging for some customers to learn (just ask Ford and Lincoln). To ensure this isn’t a problem with CUE, Cadillac is also deploying 25 Connected Customer Experts across the United States to provide a training resource for dealers and customers. It’s even added CUE experts to its customer service center in Austin, Texas, ensuring that questions on specific smartphones and CUE features are answered quickly and accurately.
Just in case that’s not enough, every new XTS and ATS buyer will receive a welcome call from Cadillac, giving buyers a personal contact should questions arise.
The Lotus Evora S at the Geneva Motor Show. Image: Lotus
When Lotus’ former owner, Proton, was sold to industrial conglomerate DRB-Hicom, rumors of a pending Lotus sales jumped from simmer to full boil. After all, Lotus had never returned a profit for Proton, and the boutique sports car brand’s future plans would take serious money to see through. Throw in an aging and pinpoint-focused product mix, and it looked like the future for Lotus was anything but certain.
Earlier this month Lotus received funding from DRB-Hicom to resume operations, and now Autocar (via Left Lane News) is reporting that a Lotus sale is off the table. In the words of DRB-Hicom’s managing director Dato’ Sri Haji Hohd Khamil Bin Jamil, the company is “not thinking about a sale” of the Hethel-based brand.
That’s for now, anyway, since the DRB-Hicomm head was quick to qualify that one should “never say never” in regards to spinning off the halo brand. The company’s full review of Lotus is currently underway, so it may still be months before the ultimate fate of the automaker is decided.
The Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4. Image: Lamborghini
If you were hoping the Lamborghini Aventador Roadster would pack a slick, power-retractable hardtop like Ferrari’s 458 Italia, it appears you’re out of luck. If reports from Italy’s Quattroroute are correct, the topless Aventador will come to market with a removable targa roof, similar to that used by Bugatti on the Veyron Grand Sport.
The Aventador Roadster’s top panels will be made from carbon fiber or carbon composite, and will be split in the middle for easy removal or deployment. That may make them small enough to carry on board the Aventador, eliminating the need to decide on topless motoring before leaving the garage (like the Veyron Grand Sport, whose roof can’t be stored on board the car).
As for the “why,” the answer is relatively simple: adding any kind of folding top, whether manual or powered, would add more weight and would require redesign of the Aventador’s intricate engine cover. Not only is such a redesign cost-prohibitive, but it also would added significantly to the car’s development time.
Assuming, of course, that the car actually exists. Lamborghini is neither confirming nor denying a topless Aventador, which means we’ll have to wait until the international auto show schedule resumes this fall before any official announcements are made.
Mike Musto is the car guy’s car guy. He’s run Bullrun, campaigned a vintage Dodge Charger called “Mr. Angry” in One Lap of America and has forgotten more about the pro-touring scene than you or I will ever learn. Now he’s got his own weekly series on YouTube’s Drive channel called “Big Muscle,” and if the first episode is any indication, it will be worth tuning into.
What do you get when you cross a 1949 Ford F5 dump truck with a 1997 Ford F350 diesel and a 1935 Miller Indy Car? We’re not sure, either, but the end result is the one-of-a-kind rod seen here, built by Max Allread. If it’s performance you want, Allread’s truck won’t disappoint – it’s packing 400 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque under its hood.
That’s impressive, but the detail on the build is even more amazing. Those stencils on the doors? Original to the truck, which was last registered in 1985. Those aircraft-style seats? Allread built them himself. The front suspension? Inspired by a vintage Indy car.
Now matter how well built, most rods don’t capture your attention for long, but Allread’s seems to cross generations and demographics. From any angle, there’s always something to look at, and it’s impossible to view the truck without wanting to jump in and go for a ride. We’re not even into the hot rod scene, but we’d love a chance to spend a day with Allread’s Dr. Frankenstein creation. It’s a sculpture that even we can appreciate.
When it comes to having affordable fun in the sun with the top down, Nissan aims to fulfill such desires of the true enthusiast with the new 2012 370Z Roadster. The new 370Z convertible carries over its design from last year once again offering excellent handling, sufficient power and sexy styling.
The Nissan 370Z, in its latest iteration, provides the driver and passenger with a thrilling ride that does not break the bank. In terms of a top-down sports coupe with some muscle under the hood, there are not many choices if you are not rich enough to opt for an Italian stallion or American sports-car icon. However, there are a few choices within the 370Z segment that push the envelope for affordable top-down hot rods.
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image : madamenoire.com
The more you understand about any subject, the more interesting it becomes. As you read this article you’ll find that the subject of car insurance rate is certainly no exception.
Looking For the Best Car Insurance Rate?
You don’t need to go places, meet lots of agents or drop by headquarters of different car insurance companies.
Traditionally, you will have to ask your trusted agent/broker about the best rates that can be offered to you. It somehow works, because the agent handles multiple accounts and affiliations with various insurance firms. And past experiences from other clients make him/her more knowledgeable about the car insurance gateway.
For sure, direct contact or transaction to car insurance companies will save you more on premiums. Why? Because middlemen are eliminated and so are the commissions paid to them. But you will surely find the task a very tedious activity. Read more…
If you’re a fan of Lamborghini, you know the name Valentino Balboni. Best known as Lamborghini’s test driver, Balboni’s history with the company dates back to 1968 and a chance meeting with Ferruccio Lamborghini himself. The story is best told in Balboni’s own words, but here’s the two minute drill: in today’s process-obsessed world, there can never be another Valentino Balboni.
Balboni was trained by Lamborghini to become a test driver, and had no prior racing background. Instead, Balboni had a passion for cars, and learned early on to “listen” to what a car was trying to communicate. That’s easily lost with today’s technology-filled supercars, but in the early 1970s “listening” to cars like the Lamborghini Muira or Countach was an important part of self-preservation.
While we’d have liked to see more time with Balboni and less time with Musial touring the Italian countryside in a Gallardo Spyder, the video is worth watching. We’re not the fashion police, but we’ll still offer some free advice to Musial: when you’re going to meet one of the automotive world’s iconic figures, wearing a hoodie over a t-shirt is a bit inappropriate. Next time, buck up for a polo shirt, OK?
A delivery of 2013 Chevy Malibu Eco sedans. Image: © GM Corp.
On March 31, an explosion at an Evonik Industries AG chemical plant halted production of a material called cyclododecatriene, which is used to create PA-12 resin. PA-12, in turn, is used for a wide variety of automotive applications, including the production of brake lines and fuel lines.
In the days before just-in-time manufacturing and economics, the crippling of one plant worldwide would hardly have been a big deal. Manufacturers would simply have gravitated towards another supplier, who in turn would have happily sold of his excess production while ramping up to make more product.
Only that’s not possible in this case. As Left Lane News (via Automotive News) reports, the largest Asian supplier of PA-12 resin is already at capacity, and can’t ramp up production beyond existing levels. The shortage in material, which will likely be ongoing until Evonik Industries can rebuild the damaged facility, will likely impact automotive production within the next few weeks.
While other suppliers (like DuPont Automotive) are scrambling to come up with alternative products, they may or may not be a direct replacement for PA-12. If they’re not, and if the industry can’t source sufficient material from other suppliers, look for inventory shortages to hit the major automakers just in time for the summer buying season.
