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Long before Jay Leno became an international celebrity, he was spinning wrenches at a local car dealership. While there, he crossed paths with Paul Annunziata, a brilliant mechanic with a penchant for Mopar muscle. While Leno was busy doing stand-up comedy and working his way toward network television, Annunziata was doing something really interesting: building a street-legal pro-stock drag car out of a 1975 Duster. After winning $10,000 in the lottery, he started with a body-in-white chassis before snapping up a 426 Hemi V8 from a Super Bee. Not satisfied with wedging an impossibly huge engine into the confines of the Duster’s engine bay, Annunziata bolted on a massive Roots blower.

The rear of the body had to be tubbed to keep the tires under the factory sheetmetal, and the Duster also underwent extensive engine bay modification to house its new powerplant. Even so, everything on the machine is fully functional as it would have been from the factory.

Unfortunately, Annunziata was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Rather than sell his pride and joy, he offered it to Leno for free under the stipulation that he never sell the machine. Leno agreed, but only if he could actually pay Annunziata for his creation. The two compromised by setting up a scholarship for those who are interested in pursuing a four-year degree in auto mechanics or restoration. We call that a win on every front. Scroll down to see Leno take the 1,000 horsepower Duster out for a run.

Continue reading Jay Leno has a very tender moment with a decidedly tough 1975 Plymouth Duster

Jay Leno has a very tender moment with a decidedly tough 1975 Plymouth Duster

It’s a rare thing, but every now and then, our automotive wishes come true. Nissan has announced that it will produce the heinous Juke-R in very limited numbers after a warm reception in Dubai. The company has already received three orders so far, and Nissan says it will begin taking additional orders in the next four weeks.

Each model will be built to order using model year 2012 drivetrain components, meaning there’s a modest bump in power – 545 horsepower versus the original Juke-R’s 480. As you may recall, the first Juke-R used bits cannibalized from a 2010 GT-R. How much will the machine cost? Nissan isn’t saying, but we’d be willing to bet the Juke-R will carry an MSRP a bit higher than the GT-R.

With 545 horsepower crammed into the quirky lines of the Juke, the machine is unlike anything else on the road. Nissan has also worked up a quick video to commemorate the production announcement. The clip focuses on the showdown between the Juke-R and several supercars in Dubai. Scroll down to check it out alongside the full press release.

Continue reading Nissan Juke-R to get limited production run [w/video]

Nissan Juke-R to get limited production run [w/video]

If you were one of the world’s richest human beings, what kind of car would you own? The richest man in the world, Carlos Slim Helu (worth about $69 billion), drives himself to work in a Bentley Continental Flying Spur. MSRP: $300K.

On the other hand, if you were Ingvar Kamprad, founder of Ikea, you’d drive something more humble like a 1993 Volvo 240. We wonder if he had to put it together himself.

Then there’s Bill Gates. Another of the world’s wealthiest people, Mr. Gates showed a video at the 2008 CES keynote of him driving away from his last day at work at Microsoft in a Ford Focus. While that may or may not be his daily driver, one of his cars has been well documented.

In 1999, President Clinton signed into law the “Show and Display” rule that exempted certain collectible cars from government emission and crash worthiness rules. Bill Gates and several other very rich motor nuts were instrumental in getting the law passed. The exemption allowed Gates to break his Porsche 959 free from the customs impound lot after more than a decade.

Check out the other 11 gajillionaires and their rides here.

Cars of the Rich and the Famous

The emergence of the V40 is arguably the biggest news to come out of Volvo since Ford sold it to Geely. Just as with any new car – European hatchbacks especially – the aftermarket will follow shortly with modifications, and in the case of Volvo, that means Heico Sportiv.

The German tuning house specializes in Gothenburg’s finest. The firm already has a new ECU module for the T5 engine in the V40 that brings output up from 237 horsepower to 266 and from 236 pound-feet of torque to 269. Heico has released a pair of renderings previewing what it plans to do with the outside of the slick new sport-wagon.

From the teaser renderings, we can see a new set of lightweight seven-spoke alloys, new bumpers front and rear, side skirt extensions, a relatively low-key diffuser and quad ovoid exhaust tips. In other words, the V40, only slightly more so. Unfortunately, since the V40 isn’t earmarked for American showrooms, this may be as close as we’ll get.

Heico Sportiv gears up to mod new Volvo V40

Kia had a bright start to the 2012 Pirelli World Challenge season, capturing its first podium in the series earlier this month with a solid third place finish at the Streets of Long Beach. It looked like Kia was going to build on that momentum this past weekend when its two Optima race cars found themselves in a 1-2 position with just a few laps left in the race. Would Kia capture their first World Challenge win in spectacular fashion? Well, the result was spectacular, but not in the way Kia would have preferred.

With just one lap to go, the two Kia teammates had developed a comfortable cushion between themselves and the rest of the GTS class field, and it seemed they would cruise home to a 1-2 finish. Apparently Colin Braun, driver of the No. 38 Kia, wasn’t about to let his teammate, Michael Galati, take the win that easily and made several bold attempts to pass with just a few turns to go. In the last corner of the last lap, Braun pushed too far and smacked into the rear fender of Galati, spinning him off track in the process.

The third place Acura of Peter Cunningham was collateral damage, leaving a pleasantly surprised Andy Lee to burst through the wreckage and take the checkered flag in his Chevrolet Camaro. Braun managed to finish second while his teammate Galati got back on track fast enough to finish in fourth. In a fitting twist of irony, the crash was reportedly named the Kia Turning Point of the Race.

You can watch the race footage over at www.world-challengetv.com. In case you don’t want to sit through all 65+ minutes of footage (although it’s an entertaining race), fast forward to the 56:30 mark to watch the final lap carnage. You can also read all about the race in the official results below.

Continue reading Kia teammates ruin 1-2 finish in Pirelli World Challenge race

Kia teammates ruin 1-2 finish in Pirelli World Challenge race

The Toyota Prius, the most popular hybrid in the world, was also the most popular plug-in vehicle in U.S. last month.

Compared to sales of the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf, which sold 1,462 and 370 units, respectively, the $32,000 Prius Plug-in quietly sold 1,654 copies in April, reports PluginCars. With such strong name recognition and pent-up demand for a Prius with a cord, this shouldn’t really have been a surprise. But it still kind of is.

Toyota sold more Prius models in the U.S. last month than ever before in April (March 2012 was the Prius’ best month ever), even though the number of selling days was short. The four members of the “Prius family” sold a combined 25,168 units, an increase of 126.9 percent compared to April 2011 (which was right after the Japanese tsunami). Overall, Toyota and Lexus sold 32,593 hybrids last month, 30,126 of them wearing the Toyota badge, 2,467 of them the upper-class Lexus models.

Last year, Toyota said it expects to sell 16,000-17,000 Prius Plug-in models in 2012. Since Toyota doesn’t break out model numbers, we’re not sure what the total is for the year thus far, but 1,654 plug-ins a month is enough for the company hit that target. Scroll down below for Toyota’s official sales results.

Continue reading Toyota Prius plug-in sells 1,654 copies in April, beating Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf

Toyota Prius plug-in sells 1,654 copies in April, beating Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf

The supermini market is a vital one for European automakers, and though its current Clio remains a popular choice, Renault is not about to rest on its proverbial laurels as its most popular model gets older and less relevant. So with that in mind, the French carmaker is apparently preparing to unveil an all-new Clio hatchback at the next major auto salon.

That show won’t be taking place until September when Renault’s home-market Paris Auto Salon opens its doors at the Port de Versailles, but a pair of teaser shots have already surfaced giving us a tiny glimpse at what to expect. The images – reportedly leaked from internal documents – show the grille and a sliver of the rear 3/4. The front looks to take cues from the smaller Twingo, while the rear betrays an upward kink in the shoulder, more aggressive taillights and an altogether more sculpted shape.

Styling penned by Laurens van der Acker is expected overall to take its lead from the DeZir Concept. We’ll have to wait until after the summer to see it in full, though.

Renault to unveil new Clio at Paris show in September

With the 2013 Shelby GT500 putting out 662 horsepower and 631 pound-feet torque, we’re guessing that more than a few owners of the new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will be looking to even things up via the aftermarket. The speed-obsessed guys over at Lingenfelter Performance Engineering are already putting a few options on the table with a three new upgrade packages that boost the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 to anywhere from 630 to 700-plus horsepower.

Apparently, Lingenfelter was eager to prove the merits of its work, and just a couple weeks after taking delivery of an early production Camaro ZL1 had it out on the track putting down times. The test car, pushing out 720 horsepower, laid down a 10.79 second quarter mile pass at Muncie Dragway in Albany, IN, and later recorded a 202 mph top speed at Continental Tire’s proving grounds earlier this week. Coincidentally, that’s the same top speed that the 2013 Shelby GT500 reached during its high speed testing at the Nardo Ring in Italy last year.

You can read more about Lingenfelter’s upgrade packages for the 2012 Camaro ZL1 as well as more details on the high speed test in the press release below.

Continue reading Lingenfelter Camaro ZL1 tops 200 mph

Lingenfelter Camaro ZL1 tops 200 mph

How much would you pay for a derelict ‘67 Chevrolet Corvette with a 427? If you said about thirty grand, you’d be in the ballpark – but that would still be all the money in the world for a barn find like this ‘Vette. The owner admits the car hasn’t run in over 30 years and she (the car, not the owner) clearly needs to get involved in a serious relationship with a body man.

But what if we told you that Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, the hero of the NASA Apollo program, and by all accounts a genuine good guy, was the first owner of the car? How much would that make it worth? Better hope your guess has six digits in it, because bidding on eBay Motors for this derelict but potentially highly collectible car has already shot past $120,000 – and has yet to meet the seller’s reserve price.

Before readying the checkbook, however, we might suggest actually reading the seller’s ALL CAPS description. It’s a wonderful tale that starts with the car being provided by Rathman Chevrolet, the famed dealership that leased Corvettes to astronauts for $1 per year. A NASA employee allegedly bought the car after Armstrong turned it in and the seller claims he’s hounded that NASA employee for 30 years trying to buy the Corvette, but it was only two months ago that he claimed his prize. There’s a whole lot more to the story, including buying a carburetor in Texas and wanting to turn the car into a National Corvette Restorers Society “Survivor.”

The bottom line, however, is that the seller is now trying to flip the Chevrolet, without much in the way of evidence that the car belonged to Armstrong, at least that’s presented in the eBay Motors auction. Perhaps we’re just being skeptical, but before spending over $100,000 on a car for which the majority of the purchase price is for its provenance, we’d like to see more in the way of authentication than one Protect-O-Plate photo. Since Neil Armstrong is still alive, we hope that whoever winds up restoring this Corvette does a more thorough job of vetting and presenting its history.

eBay Find of the Day: Neil Armstrong’s ‘67 Corvette

The folks over at Saabs United have been a fixture on the Swedish automobile scene for some time now, cementing themselves as the hub for all manner of Saab news and gossip as the fight to keep the brand alive has ebbed and flowed over the past couple of years. So significant was SU’s bond with the automaker that its principle, Steven Wade, had the ear of buyer Victor Muller throughout the General Motors extrication process, and eventually Wade went to work for Saab itself, leaving others to run the website.

With Saab having slipped into bankruptcy and the company’s Trollhättan plant idled, Saabs United now finds itself at the center of a new fight – an effort to preserve the final 9-3 – possibly the final Saab ever. An Arctic White Griffin sedan, the 9-3 exists in a state of partial build but is scheduled for final assembly at the end of this month. The car is part of a special batch of about 50 partially finished cars and a cache of spares that Trollhättan dealership group ANA purchased from Saab’s bankruptcy estate, and it will be for sale. Saabs United has taken it upon itself to rally the faithful in an attempt to purchase the car for donation to the Saab Cars Museum, which was itself only recently saved.

It seems only fitting that the 9-3 Griffin would join other final examples of various models in Saab’s history at the Museum, but even then, the car’s fate might not be entirely secure. According to SU, “A number of cars at the museum from the history of Saab that was written in the last two years are NOT secured. They are either borrowed to the museum or are still missing.”

As of this writing, the funding effort is well on its way, with Saabs United faithful and various clubs and investors having raised over 15,000 Euros (around $19,750 USD), with a goal of 28,500 Euros ($37,500) within the next 18 days. If the total amount needed is not reached, fundraiser proceeds will still go to the Saab museum, and if extra money is raised, it’ll be donated, too. If you’re interested in learning more or making a donation, click here.

Saab devotees rally to save last 9-3

The venerable HMMWV served the United States military as the go-to vehicle for 25 solid years. Before that, various militarized Jeep models had been pressed into service since 1941, when the army first identified the need for a lightweight, all-terrain vehicle capable of carrying a few troops and all their gear into battle.

It seems the so-called Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle (MRAPS for short) aren’t going to have the same kind of life expectancy as their predecessors. According to CNN, the military is finding it difficult to cook up uses for the 20,000 MRAPS it possesses that are no longer needed for the war in Iraq, where the threat of improvised explosive devises necessitated gigantic V-shaped hulls and several tons of armor.

Due to the sheer size and weight of the machines, along with the specialized nature of their design, the military isn’t likely to continue using MRAPS in differing battlefield conditions after troops are pulled from Afghanistan in 2014. So, what will become of these 20,000 MRAPS? So far, the only option on the list is for mine clearing and explosive ordinance disposal. Thing is, they don’t need 20,000 of them for that.

In any case, one thing is for certain: Lives were saved due to the ability of the MRAPS to protect U.S. troops from roadside explosives (see above). And for that, everyone is thankful. As far as the future goes… may we suggest heavily armored food trucks? Or perhaps the SEMA Show circuit?

Army trying to figure out what to do with 20,000 mine-resistant trucks

Facebook is a big deal, even if you’re an exotic car maker with one of the world’s most powerful brands. In this case we’re talking about Ferrari, which recently hit eight million followers on the social networking site.

How does an automaker with such a rich history celebrate a 21st century milestone? Scroll down to watch the good folks in Maranello, Italy throw down after gaining 8,000,000 followers. Hint: it involves a predictably red 458 Italia, plenty of open pavement and a knack for drifting and donuts. Of course, Ferrari would like us to believe that they wrote out “8,000,000″ in rubber, but we’re more interested in watching the 458 do its thing.

Continue reading Ferrari celebrates 8 million Facebook fans by taking 458 Italia for a spin

Ferrari celebrates 8 million Facebook fans by taking 458 Italia for a spin

As much as we love games like Forza and Gran Turismo, these driving simulators are hobbled by one glaring omission: peripheral vision. Driving requires a view from more than just the windshield, and while Forza 4 and Gran Turismo 5 have made steps toward giving players a better a better look at the track around them, the nature of a flat screen is cursed with limitations. Of course, if you have the cash, Motion Simulation has a solution for you. The company’s new TL1 simulator was built in cooperation with none other than the minds at Ariel. You know, the folks responsible for the mighty Atom.

The system uses three high-definition projectors to give the view a complete view of the virtual track ahead. What’s more, the simulator is compatible with consoles like the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Unfortunately, the kit is prohibitively large and expensive. If you want one, you’ll have to fork over $18,600 at current conversion rates, along with a big portion of your living room. Considering that kind of cash will buy you a very nice used sports car, we’ll have to take a pass on this one.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a video of the actual Atom simulator available just yet, so for the moment, you’ll have to content yourself with footage of the company’s great-sounding Touring Car simulator. Check it out by scrolling below.

Continue reading Ariel Atom simulator is ready to dominate your living room [w/video]

Ariel Atom simulator is ready to dominate your living room [w/video]

We so wanted to lead this post with a Jim Belushi joke. Alas, the Kia press release announcing the launch of its rear-drive flagship in Korea today specifically clarifies that the K9 will be renamed for other markets.

While Kia says the large sedan rides on “its own platform,” we know enough about the auto industry to posit that much of that platform is shared with the underpinnings of corporate cousin Hyundai’s Genesis Sedan and Equus. Like the Hyundai pair, Kia is clearly hoping the not-called-K9-here will help the brand move upmarket, positioning the car as a premium product designed, in the words of Kia’s head of design Peter Schreyer, “to compete head-to-head with the European luxury brands.”

The Kia sedan will split the difference between the Genesis and the Equus, matching the 120-inch wheelbase of the latter, but with an overall length of 200 inches that’s three inches shorter than Equus and almost four inches longer than the Genesis. The Kia sedan will have the same 0.27 coefficient of drag as both the Hyundai models.

Kia says its luxury sedan will be powered by two distinct versions of the corporate 3.8-liter Lambda V6, one making 286 horsepower and the direct-injection version rated at 329. The more powerful engine is said to be “joining the global engine line-up next year,” which we’d expect would coincide with the flagship sedan’s U.S. launch. Both engines will be mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Kia says the car will be available with a number of safety features including a lane-departure warning system and blind sport detection. A reclining rear seat with leg rest will also be available, just like in the Equus.

Today’s announcement raises an interesting possibility. While we wouldn’t expect Kia to send its flagship stateside with the less-powerful V6 – indeed, a V8 engine option is surely bound to accompany an official statement of the car’s U.S. sales plan – doing so would certainly allow Kia to bring the car to market at a more attractive entry-level price. Kia has a scant resume when it comes launching anything other than budget models here in the U.S., and the brand certainly has considerable work to do if it aims to catch up to Hyundai in pricier segments.

It will certainly be interesting to see where Kia tries to position its unnamed sedan – and whether its (*ahem*) dogged pursuit of the luxury dollar will succeed. Scroll down to read the full press release and check out our gallery of K9 images.

Continue reading Kia K9 launches in Korea, export model to get new name

Kia K9 launches in Korea, export model to get new name

How Less Of Everything Equals More

It’s been fascinating to sample Audi’s new EA824 V8 in all of its various incarnations. Our first crack at the new TFSI powerplant was in Audi’s own 513-horsepower S8, and we then went on to try it out in the new Bentley Continental GT and GTC V8 models. Most recently, we dipped into the 4.0-liter biturbo in the new S7 before getting behind the wheel of the closely related S6 seen here.

Versus the previous S6 with its muy macho Lamborghini-derived 5.2-liter V10, everything is quicker, more efficient and lighter in weight. The new fourth-generation S6 Quattro with S-tronic seven-speed dual clutch comes in at a European curb weight of 4,178 pounds – about 30 pounds lighter than the previous V10-stuffed car with its automated six-speed. Yes, power is slightly lower now at 414 horses, but peak torque of 406 pound-feet is slightly higher and happens over a vastly wider range of 1,400 to 5,200 rpm. Audi’s 0-62 miles per hour sprint time is now listed at 4.6 seconds, a figure that compares favorably with the outgoing car’s official 5.2-second time.

For my test drive, Audi thoughtfully provided a couple of S6 four-door setups for me to sample: those with Dynamic Steering and the torque vectoring sport Quattro rear differential, and those without. You know which trim I went for already. So equipped, these S6 sedans were all painted Misano Red… an exterior color that Americans cannot get this time around. So, just visualize me thundering around Bavaria in a car painted shades of white, black, silver, gray, or blue, since those are the paint chips you’ll find on the order sheet at your local dealer.

Continue reading 2013 Audi S6

2013 Audi S6

Yellow cabs are synonymous with New York. It doesn’t matter if it’s an old Ford Crown Victoria, an even older Checker Cab or the new Nissan NV200: paint it that deep yellow and put a dome light on it, and you’re looking at a New York taxicab. But the Big Apple is about to get a new type of taxi, painted a different color altogether.

We’re talking about the new Boro Taxi which the city’s Taxi & Limousine Commission has just launched. Targeted at New York’s outer boroughs – Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island (as well as Northern Manhattan) – the Boro Taxis can take just about any vehicle you’d expect to see in yellow (including the NV200), painted a bright shade of “apple green” (that looks like matte lime to our eyes) and put them on the streets of the outer boroughs exclusively where it’s notoriously difficult to hail a cab.

The color was apparently chosen to stand out from existing vehicles on New York City roads, including private automobiles (because who would paint their own car that color?), police and emergency vehicles and traditional yellow cabs. The first 6,000 of the 18,000 permits will be issued by the commission starting in June. So the next time you’re looking to hail a ride in New York anywhere but Manhattan, look for this shade of green and raise your hand.

Continue reading New York City rolls out new apple green Boro Taxi fleet

New York City rolls out new apple green Boro Taxi fleet

We’ve got bad news for you if you had your heart set on the smaller version of the Volkswagen CC. Car and Driver reports the German automaker has decided the four-door would simply be too expensive to sell in the American market. The article cites unnamed European sources as saying the vehicle still has a strong chance of making it to dealer lots in the EU, even though no final decision has been made at this point. By the time the machine made it to our shores, it would likely be more pricey than the current Passat. That’s a problem.

Original reports suggested Volkswagen needed the U.S. market to justify production volumes to sell the new CC in both the EU and China, but the company seems to think the likely small U.S. sales would have little impact anyway. C/D reports the automaker is tentatively planning to sell the smaller CC in the People’s Republic anyway.

VW Golf/Jetta CC too expensive to sell in U.S.

From show floor to evacuation route, one concept vehicle got the chance to test it’s meddle in the real world.

The Ford F-550 Super Duty Rescue Truck was created to demonstrate extreme rescue capabilities not actually use them. It first went on display in February at the Chicago Auto Show.

But on April 3, with just two miles on its odometer, this concept vehicle found itself in the thick of a real-life rescue mission. A series of devastating tornadoes had ripped through Arlington, Texas, overwhelming every fire-rescue department in the region. Destruction was everywhere.

Worse yet, many of the neighborhood streets were filled with debris ranging from roofs to cars and the big fire trucks couldn’t maneuver through them.

That’s when Brad Snyder, vice president of marketing at NewScope Marketing in Grandbury, Texas, got a call the Arlington emergency services director for help. The director knew the local volunteer fire department had advised Snyder on building an extreme rescue vehicle for Ford Motor Co. and now the city needed its help.

“When we proposed the truck to Ford, one of the things Ford required was that everything on the truck actually work,” Snyder said Tuesday. That’s not always the case with concept vehicles, which often could not even qualify to ride on a U.S. highway.

“We never intended to put it into service,” Snyder said. But put it to work they did. Keep on reading to find out how.

Continue reading Ford rescue concept truck pressed into service to help tornado victims

Ford rescue concept truck pressed into service to help tornado victims

The world is a distracting place. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, there are any number of things designed specifically to draw your attention elsewhere. It’s true when you’re driving, too, which is why automakers like BMW have crafted technologies like lane departure warning.

Of course, even if we can all admit to arriving at a destination without being able to remember a single salient detail about how we actually got there, or vibrating the car across a set of rumble strips every now and then, it takes a talented marketing department to get the message across in a manner we’ll actually understand.

Scroll down for a video showing one man’s aimless head doing everything but driving. But beware, this one is a wee bit *warning-NSFW-warning* due to a brief scene at a clothing-optional beach. Sorry, was that distracting?

Continue reading BMW reminds you to keep your head while driving

BMW reminds you to keep your head while driving

How can you not be excited to see Jaguar getting back into the sports car business with a modern-day interpretation of the classic E-Type? Well, there is that one little issue with the F-Type powertrain that Jag announced during the Beijing Motor Show. In this day and age, a 380-horsepower V6 just doesn’t cut it, supercharged or not. At least not when Mustangs are packing 662 horses.

Yes, we know the horsepower wars have lately gotten out of hand, but if Jaguar wants the F-Type to be taken seriously, it just plain needs a V8. And according to Car and Driver, it’s going to be getting one. At least, eventually.

C/D says the F-Type will eventually get a version of Jag’s 5.0-liter V8, although it doesn’t know which one. Speculation says the supercharged variants in 470- and 550-horsepower states of tune are the most likely, as the base V8 only makes five more horsepower than the planned V6. The report also surmises that the initial roadsters will be six-cylinders when they debut in 2013, with the V8 models appearing further on in the production cycle.

Jaguar confirms V8 option for F-Type