By Speedhunters

Car Culture At Large

When it comes to high speed events in North America, the hallowed salt at Bonneville is what comes to most people’s minds, or maybe the Silver State Classic held on an empty stretch of highway in Nevada. Besides those storied events, there’s another top speed gathering which has been gaining popularity this decade – the Texas Mile. Held on a runway in the town of Goliad, TX, the Texas Mile started in 2003 and has become a meeting point for some of the fastest cars and motorcycles on the continent. Unfortunately a search around the net didn’t yield a whole lot of photographic coverage of the Texas Mile, but I did mange to find a few interesting shots.

The rules for the Texas Mile are simple—drivers see how fast they can get their machines going before the one mile of runway runs out. Like Bonneville, the cars and bikes are divided into classes based on the level of modification and type of engine setup. This brings out a wide variety of entries from street-going door slammers to fully prepped land speed cars. You can even see a Toyota Cressida sharing the grid with a few C6 Corvettes in the opening photo! Check out the full gallery over at Speedhunters.

—by Mike Garrett

By John Coyle

Deputy Editor

Given that he’s got what’s possibly the coolest job in the world, it’s no surprise that Valentino Balboni has been Lamborghini’s chief test driver for 40 years. At another company, that time might get you a gold watch—or just a reminder not to let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. But Balboni doesn’t want to do anything but drive Raging Bulls, so Sant’Agata has decided to honor  him with his own model, the Gallardo LP 550/2. As the name suggests—for those that speak Lambo anyway—the car will have 550 horsepower and forgo the now-standard all-wheel-drive layout for a more conventional two-wheel drive configuration, which makes me think Balboni might not be down with Audi owning the famous Italian marque. Anyway, enjoy.

By Speedhunters

Car Culture At Large

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is not only about cars up the Hill or manufacturers’ stands trying to entice potential customers. In a most agreeable setting on the lawns of Goodwood House there is also the Cartier Style et Luxe Concours d’Elegance. There are a number of categories all vying for the vote of various celebrity judges plus the honour of ‘Best in Show’. Themes for this year included “Alfresco Exotica”, “Serious Wedge”, “100 Years of Bugatti”… Continue reading over at Speedhunters.

By John Brooks

By John Coyle

Deputy Editor

If you had access to a half-million dollar Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe, what would you do with it? Long road trip? Take it for a cruise down your local strip? Swing by your ex-girlfriend’s place to return the junk she left in your bathroom? Or would you do some parking lot drifting? Because that’s what these guys did, and it’s awesome. How sweet does the British beefcake look with smoke pouring out the back? Bravo gentlemen.

By John Coyle

Deputy Editor

Of course, both are right at home in a barn. Before he started producing the hot-blooded Raging Bulls he’s known, for Ferruccio Lamborghini made his living building tractors. If you believe the legend—and let’s all believe, please—he didn’t venture into the sports car world until he took his complaints about the clutches in his Ferraris to Enzo himself, who dismissed him as a simple tractor builder. The rest, as they say, is history. Check out some of Lamborghini’s more humble handiwork.

By Speedhunters

Car Culture At Large

Could this be the ultimate modified car? Built by Ferrari and perfected by its engineers this 599xx lacks only one thing- you can’t drive it on the street. The car is based upon the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano and has the same transaxle and engine layout, but that’s where all the similarities end. The V12 engine in the standard 599 produces 620bhp while the ‘same’ V12 in the 599XX puts out 700bhp. This is thanks to extensive work on the combustion chambers, the inlet and exhaust side. Continue reading over at Speedhunters.

By Jeroen Willemsen

By Ben Schaffer

The Real JDM

This is supremely great. Notice that this unfinished design (they’re still finishing it up) allows a Scuderia exhaust (coming soon by ASI) or the traditional side exit exhausts. This is the supreme rear profile of a Ferrari F430.  And while some will criticize the front of the kit and say it is not different enough from the factory bumper, there are certainly differences. The side profile (not shown here) gives a better perspective on ASI’s design differences. One more pic after the jump.

Continue reading "More Pics of ASI’s Ferrari F430" »