Ford’s turn-key drag racing program continues its evolution with the 2013 Ford Cobra Jet. Created for competition use in the NHRA Stock Eliminator category the next generation Cobra Jet will feature engine updates, a lighter body, electric power steering, a new roll cage, and new suspension geometry for improved launches. Ford Racing was recently at Palm Beach International Raceway testing out their updated model in the video below.
If this Scion IQ looks as though it’s out of its element, that’s because it definitely is. The IQ was simply built for fuel economy and affordability. Given its pedestrian stat line, for example a quarter mile time of 18 seconds, it goes without saying that words like “performance” or “speed” were never uttered during the design and development process of this vehicle. Not to knock it, that’s just not the purpose of the IQ. However, that hasn’t stopped Scion from entering their micro-car into the world of tuning and performance.
Scion has enlisted the help of Tatsu Tsuchida and his team to build a rear-wheel drive midship engine for the Scion IQ. Without a doubt it’s one of the most unique projects that I’ve ever seen so kudos to their team on the excellent progress. Their work is documented in the video below. It’s definitely a stark contrast to how Inside Line handled a similar dilemma regarding the Smart ForTwo.
It wasn’t long ago when the Bugatti Veyron stretched its legs at Russia’s Moscow Unlim 500 track reaching a top speed of 226mph. A record for that track which has now been broken, the new top speed king of Moscow is a twin-turbo Lamborghini Gallardo tuned and modified by Underground Racing. The Gallardo now puts out a staggering 1,500hp and hit 236mph before running out of track. The person who filmed the run also mentions that the Gallardo got off to a bad start and is capable of going even faster. Ride shotgun for 236mph of super-car bliss in the video below.
So it looks like we won’t be getting the highly anticipated Mayweather versus Pacquiao bout anytime soon, big surprise right… But, here’s another title fight that’s just as interesting and the first punch has already been thrown – that’s the 2013 Nissan GTR versus the 2012 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Centennial Edition. Like Mayweather and Pacquiao these two contenders are polar opposites, the GTR being a turbocharged AWD that’s loaded with all sorts of fancy tech, while the Corvette is your quintessential NA RWD American-muscle car.
The Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 is built mainly for competition teams competing under FIA GT3 regulations. You could consider it one of AMG’s flagship vehicles in not only marketing, but demonstrating the racing excellence that’s associated with the AMG brand. At the heart of the AMG GT3 is something very similar to that of the production version. It’s a 6.3-liter V8 engine with a dry sump lubrication system. This dry sump technology enables reliable lubrication, even under the stresses associated with racing. The dry sump also allows for a low installation position of the engine, which is a crucial factor for producing favorable weight distribution. Couple that with its low center of gravity, long wheelbase, wide track, and you can begin to see just how formidable it is on the racing circuit.
DrivesTV.com has provided an interesting video featuring some of the top talent from BMW’s design division. The designers discuss the first step, sketching, in the long process of creating the cars that many fans have long lusted for. What’s probably most interesting is the level of freedom that’s allowed when composing the sketches. Leader of BMW Group Design, Adrian Van Hooydonk, even states that “you don’t have to think at all” when creating a sketch. Ultimately what that leads to is an environment that allows for unparalleled creativity.
Matt Farrah of the Smoking Tire returns to the Mojave Mile with a 2011 Corvette ZR1, and the goal is to hit 180mph. His last visit was in a Porsche GT3 RS, which is more of a corner-carver than a straight-line warrior, thus he was only able to achieve a speed of 166mph, falling short of his goal at the time which was 175mph. This time around he has a more suitable weapon for the task at hand, the 2011 ZR1 is packing 638hp and launch control, which should be a recipe for success. Is it enough to send the Vette to 180mph in a mile? And does taping the car for improved aerodynamics really make any difference?
Late Model Racecraft knows how to create an insanely fast Corvette, as they’ve already proven with their 231mph run at the Texas mile. Now, they’ve taken it a step further by unleashing the world’s fastest Chevrolet Corvette. Ok, so the claim is slightly unofficial, but once you see the numbers this is one parade that you can’t rain on. The Late Model Racecraft Corvette C6 Z06 clocked the quarter mile in just 9.68 seconds at 147mph. This beast of a Corvette is rocking some serious modifications to the tune of 1,500hp at the wheels! Click through to see LMR’s world’s fastest Corvette in action.
There’s a plethora of answers to all of our questions regarding the FR-S on the interwebs, but here’s one question that has yet to be answered, until now. That is, how well does the Scion FR-S drift? And who better to answer that question than Ken Gushi, first for his obvious expertise on the matter, and secondly for seemingly being the only person with the gonads to drift a press car at a media event.
R/C companies are now putting out their own supercars. That’s right, the vaunted supercar moniker is now being thrown around in the world of remote controlled cars. The R/C car that’s receiving such praise is the Traxxas XO-1, and as strange as it sounds, it actually deserves such recognition.
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