By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Normally I hate wings, unless you're talking about a Superbird. But I almost like this one on Alex's M Roadster. What do you guys think about wings?

By John

Editor

Yesterday, I linked to a article which said Toyota might best the General to become the world's number one automaker. Well, they either did, or they didn't, depending on who you believe. Automotive News is calling it for Toyota, and the Detroit News is going with GM. Personally, I'm blaming Florida. Here's the rest of the news:

• There's no cladding on the drop-top Aston Martin DBS in these shots. Maybe the testers figured all the snow would work just as well: Auto Express
• Bob Lutz says that even with gas prices at record highs, US drivers won't embrace small cars. Maybe he just wants to sell more V8s: Automotive News
• Of course, he might be right. Maybe consumers will just shun cars altogether, and start taking the bus: Seattle Times
• One company that is betting American's will embrace small cars is smart. They're so confident, they're relying on word-of-mouth to move units: Automotive News
• Tesla says they've solved the tranny issues that have been plaguing its Roadster, and they're going to start cranking them out in March. But that's not the whole story: Wired
  

By Rob

Editor-in-Chief

I told you I have Cobras on the brain so you're gonna have to bear with me a bit. Check out this mean Factory Five roadster, recently completed by a guy named Sergio, who is a regular at FFCobra.com. This shot is the photo of the month over at FFCobra.com and you can see the thread on the completion of his car here. The car definitely looks cool without the normal windshield, but I think I'd feel like a dork driving around wearing a motorcycle helmet.

By Rob

Editor-in-Chief

I'm predicting 2008 is gonna be a great year for gearheads. Why? Cause a ton of cool cars will be hitting dealer lots. Here's my list of the ten hottest cars for 2008 (and this is our last year-end top ten list, I promise).

1. Nissan GT-R. 'Nuff said.

2. Dodge Challenger. Though I still have to see it in person.

3. Tesla Roadster. Ignore the doubters and the haters.

4. Mustang Bullitt. Worth it just for the Dark Highland Green.

5. Corvette ZR1. The Veyron is silly--this is a real supercar.

6. Impreza WRX STI. Sure, it won't win any beauty contests, but it's better than ever.

7. Mitsubishi EVO. Might not please the purists, but this is a much improved car.

8. BMW 1-Series. Long live the 2002.

9. Chevy Malibu. Does Detroit finally have a Camry beater?

10. Pontiac G8. V8, RWD, good looks and under $30k--what else do you want? 

By Rob

Editor-in-Chief

For years I've been hoping that Factory Five would produce a slabside body for their awesome MK3 Roadster kit, and now it seems that my hopes (and pestering e-mails) have been answered. In addition to the slabside, Factory Five will be producing FIA bodies and a replica of Dick Smith's famous #198 car (pictured below). I like the 427 body as much as anyone, but really prefer the original body style with the undercar exhaust (just look at this beautiful Kirkham version). Make mine British Racing Green like this one. So I'm starting to save my pennies now. Details at Factory Five.

By Rob

Editor-in-Chief

What do you get when you combine a 48 year old FWD British roadster and a Suzuki GSX-R drivetrain? The Berzerkeley, GRM's crazy project car that they will be showing off at the Performance Racing Industry show in a few days. This project will be finished and run for exhibition at the $2008 Challenge next year. More details on the build at Grassroots Motorsports.

By Jen

Editor

For its '08 model run, the SRT Viper is finally breaking the 600-hp barrier with retooled and better-aspirated 8.4L V10 (previous SRT Vipers were 8.3L). The modified mill will propel the Viper from 0-60 in under 4 seconds. But the upcoming Tesla all-electric roadster is no slouch either. It will also snap from 0-60 in under 4, but without the Viper's pricey 10-mpg rating: the only pollution it'll put out is the tire-smoke from your burnout. Both cars can be had for around $100K. Which one would you rather have, the SRT Viper or the Tesla Roadster?

By Jen

Editor

Check out Veronica Belmont's ride-along in the Tesla over at Mahalo Daily. There's a pretty cool demo of the charging port, and on the road, the little roadster looks like it's going to be a lot of fun.

By Jen

Editor

I met up with Tesla Motors' Jeremy Cleland and Conrad Schapira today at the Yokohama booth. They had the beautiful Tesla electric roadster on display there there, and they were awesome enough to give me an impromptu tour of the vehicle. Today was the first time I got a look at a Tesla engine compartment. The strip up top near the coolant reservoir (yes, it's water-cooled) is the lithium-ion battery pack, containing 6800 individual cells; the block below that is the motor, housed beneath a tamper-proof cover to keep it safe from know-nothing Tesla owners; and below that is storage. Next up is the charging port, which hides out under what looks exactly like a gas filler door and features a pulsating light to indicate the battery's level of charge. Here's a shot of the underhood area, which isn't as devoid of stuff as you might expect from a rear-engine car; as you can see, it's got a brake reservoir and booster like any other modern ride, along with the guts of the Tesla's combined cooling and a/c system, which routes coolant to the rear motor via the chassis. Finally, check out the Tesla's swanky interior. The electric motor sends its power through only a two-speed transmission, which is what's responsible for the roadster's steep acceleration (0-60 in 4 seconds). The power output of this setup is burly (248hp, 284 lb-ft of torque), and it probably doesn't hurt that the entire body is made of carbon fiber. Expect that getting in and out of the driver's seat will take some getting used to: the ride height is comparable to that of an Elise or a Countach. All in all, the Tesla is a really hot little car, and Jeremy promises that they'll be in showrooms sometime in the first quarter of 2008. Too bad that every car in the whole year's production run is already spoken for! Swing by the Tesla site to get yourself on the waiting list.

By John

Community Editor

Initially, up-and-coming electric car company Tesla Motors was going to sell their battery technology to other parties. But currently, those plans are on hold. The delay seems like a wise one, as it will allow the company to focus its efforts on delivering the Roadster to customers—who shelled out 100K for a car they hadn't even sat in. You can get the full story here. To be honest, I'm pulling for these guys big time, and I can't wait to spot one in the wild. Go Tesla!

By Jen

Editor

Up-and-coming filmmaker Faith Granger is working to bring us a hot rod film of real substance. Deuce of Spades will be a feature-length film with a complex storyline that spans over a half-century, focusing on two crucial periods in a 1932 Ford roadster's existence: its glory days as a legendary lakebed racer circa 1955, and its modern life as a restored hot rod in 2007. While the plot sounds riveting, there's no way this film's commitment to story is going to impinge on its automotive content: Faith has already shot a whole pile of dry-lakebed footage, some of which shows up in the killer film previews she's uploaded on CarDomain Video. While her cinematography is nothing short of art, the Deuce of Spades is of course in addition a real-life car: Faith owns the '32 and does most of her own work on it.  Want to get involved?  Faith is making the film on her own with a virtually non-existent budget, and there's a few things she could use: period-correct props, privately-owned land in California for filming, and pre-1956 cars and vintage-looking people to serve as extras. If you feel you could do anything to pitch in, be sure to leave a note in her guestbook!

By Ted

AKA GTwildfire

The 2008 Lightning GT is in the works. It has been under development by the Lightning Car Company, one of an emerging array of electric automotive manufacturers. Like Tesla Motors, presently seeing overwhelming demand for their Elise-based Enzo embarasser, the Tesla Roadster, the Lightning GT is yet another voltaic beast. It sports a 700 hp powerplant, 0-60 in under 4 seconds, and a top speed of 130 mph. Another huge surprise is that the GTSE model recharges in 10 minutes for 250 miles of travel. With the lengthy recharge issue being put to rest, can anyone tell me why we're gonna be pumping gas for the forseeable future?