By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Hey guys, the DUB Memphis pics are live in our Events section. Check ‘em out!

By Ben Schaffer

The Real JDM

I’ve been holding back on some TAS coverage for some random times. This is one of the posts I’ve been wanting to talk about.

I’ve always loved the random pictures of the Rocket Bunny cars that have surfaced online over the past year or two, but this S13 they brought to Tokyo Auto Salon is the best work I’ve seen from them and one of my favorite S13s ever.

Rather than talk about the obvious things, I want to just focus on one really unique thing about this car that I’ve never seen done before…the rims.

From what I can tell the wheels are truck wheels with offroad type beadlocks, but instead of oversize offroad rubber it runs low profile sports tires for drifting. Not only have I never seen this done before, but it looks so incredibly hardcore with the concept of this car that it works perfectly! The fit of the wheels is also pure perfection giving it the stance that every Silvia owner should aspire to have.

Continue reading "Rocket Bunny S13 Silvia" »

By Brian Lohnes

BangShift.com

We have to thank, or blame, our chassis builder pal Jon Sandahl for shooting us a link to the video below. It was apparently shot at a place calling itself a drag strip somewhere in the Caribbean.

Long story short, we may actually recommend street racing over racing at this “track.” Actually, it appears racing at this “track” is street racing because the place is nothing more than an old hunk of road.

Things to look for include the pre-caved in roof of the Mustang that’s about to run, the crowd of people standing way to close to the car and the, umm, shape, of the shutdown area.

If you have seen a shoddier, scarier, more worn out excuse for a drag strip, please send along a photo, we’d love to see it.

By Speedhunters

Car Culture At Large

Hot off the interweb, Lexus announce that they will enter and race two LF-A cars at next month’s Nuburgring 24 Hours. This news gives further crediblity to the rumours that a street legal version will hit one of the auto shows, probably Tokyo, soon.

The press release the announced the race entry also continued with “The cars are prototypes of the LF-A, which is currently being developed with an eye on commercialisation.” Continue reading at Speedhunters

By John Brooks

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Team Lexus got sent home last week. So who will go home this week? First three CarDomain members to correctly guess who gets eliminated in episode four before the show airs get CarDomain beanies!

By Weston Henderson

Weston Henderson

I have loved the VW CC since I saw the first concept car renderings almost a year ago, and I figured this car would blow up in the tuning world. I figured that it had the right lines for a lowered VIP style car, and just today on a forum I frequent one of the guys posted pics of his VW CC dumped. What do you all think? Hot or Not?

Continue reading "The Volkswagen CC: Hot or Not?" »

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Mike and I liked the Camaro SS, but Autoblog is doing backflips over the V6 Camaro. Considering it has 300 hp and starts at just $22k, I’d say Chevy did good.

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

Some cars, no matter which way you cut it, are just plain fugly. And yet sometimes, in spite of yourself, you can find yourself developing a crush on a homely ride despite (or even because of) its visual shortcomings. Those awkward lines or overly-fussy accents (plastic window louvers, I’m talking to you), or maybe a deformed face that only a mother could love, can give a car the kind of character that’s lacking in today’s uniform jelly-bean road pods. I was primed from an early age to find the beauty in ugly–riding around in my dad’s rustoleum-splotched Bedford van since infancy, I was entertained by the kind of public reaction that only an ugly vehicle can elicit. And I developed a fascination for 80′s AMCs after deciding, at age 8, that the Eagle was the Ugliest Car Ever Made. Still, this Stutz Blackhawk on eBay doesn’t do anything for me. But surely it does something for someone.

How about you? What ugly car do you think is kind of cool, and might even see yourself owning one day?

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

This week it’s the battle of the import rock crawlers! Both start at around $24k with 4WD. Both have 4.0 liter V6s (the Toyota puts out 239 hp @ 5200 rpm and 278 lb-ft of torque @ 3700 rpm, the Nissan puts out 261 hp @ 5,600 rpm and 281 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm). Which would you choose?

By Katherine Helmetag

Atomicalex

The Society of Automotive Engineers is meeting in Detroit this week, and they invited the Governator to give the keynote address in keeping with the green theme. Schwartzenegger’s comments caused an uproar when he claimed that CARB was setting emissions standards because somehow Cali folk know what is best for the rest of us. He did stress that a unified and complete energy policy was critical to the success of the US auto industry, but did not comment when asked if the Left Coast would consider compromise with USEPA. Arnold also announced that he will star (for free!) in any ads for “American cars, cars built in Detroit.” So which one of the Not-So-Big Three will step up first? You tell us!