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Drew Phillips

Hyundai adds more spunk to Veloster Turbo with graphics package

Posted Feb 9th 2012 2:32PM



Hyundai debuted the 2013 Veloster Turbo at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, adding some more oomph and a more aggressive look to the funky three-door hatch. We felt that an additional 63 horsepower and 71 pound-feet of torque was just what the little Hyundai needed, and we were especially digging the available matte gray paint once the Veloster hits showrooms this summer.

Here at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show Hyundai is offering a completely different take on the Veloster Turbo with a special graphics package. The decals feature a gray and yellow stripe running the length of the car, yellow trim on the front spoiler, side skirts and rear fascia, as well as a checkered flag theme on the side and roof spoiler. It's definitely over the top, but still tastefully done.

So will this graphics package make it to production? Hyundai says 'no' for this particular look, although they are working other (likely more subtle) graphics that will be available to customers.

You can see the 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo with the graphics package in detail in the gallery above.

SVT celebrates 20 years with the Mustang that started it all

Posted Feb 8th 2012 7:39PM

1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R

Ford debuted the 2013 Shelby GT500 Convertible earlier today at the Chicago Auto Show, but it wasn't the only Mustang vying for our attention on the show floor. In fact, we had a hard time keeping our eyes off this Vibrant Red beauty.

The pony car in question? A 1993 SVT Cobra R, the pinnacle of the Fox Body Mustang. The standard SVT Cobra made its official debut at the Chicago Auto Show back in 1992, and its reappearance in the Windy City was a fitting reminder of the 20th anniversary of Ford's Special Vehicle Team.

So what makes the 1993 SVT Cobra R so special? For starters, just 107 were produced, making it one of the rarest Mustangs ever built by Ford. The 235-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 is the same powerplant as the one in the standard Cobra, but the R model had less weight to push around thanks to the removal of the rear seats, radio, air conditioning and all sound deadening material. Ford also fitted the Cobra R with adjustable Koni shocks, larger front and rear brakes, 17-inch wheels shod with Goodyear tires, an external engine oil cooler and power steering fluid cooler, aluminum radiator and more.

The particular Cobra R brought to the show by Ford is literally a time capsule from the early '90s and in incredible condition. Amazingly, the odometer reads just over 4,100 miles. You can check out the car in detail in the gallery above.

SVT celebrates 20 years of Blue Oval performance

Posted Feb 6th 2012 7:13PM

1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

Today marks 20 years since Ford first announced its Special Vehicle Team, most famously known as SVT. With performance mastermind John Coletti at the helm, SVT produced some legendary cars during its first 10 years, beginning with the 1993 SVT Cobra (and its even more hardcore sibling the SVT Cobra R), as well as the 2003 F-150 SVT Lightning. Since then we've had numerous updates to each, most notably the SVT Cobra of 2003-2004 lovingly referred to by Mustang fans as the "Terminator," plus new models like the SVT Contour and SVT Focus built from 2002-2004.

Today SVT is alive and well with a lineup consisting of the Shelby GT500 and F-150 SVT Raptor, and we're guessing that back in 1993 no one could have imagined just how far the brand has come. A 650-horsepower Mustang capable of 200 miles per hour or a Ford F-150 capable of running the Baja 1000 in nearly stock form would have seemed insane at the time. And it still does today.

Have a look at some of the vehicles produced by SVT over the past 20 years in the gallery above, and let us know what you think might come from Ford's performance division in the next 20 years in the comments section below.
Related Gallery20 Years of SVT
1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra 2003 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra 2001 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning 1993 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning 2002 Ford Focus SVT 2010 Shelby GT500 2000 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

Image Credit: Ford

SRT offers up first 2013 Dodge Viper teaser

Posted Jan 31st 2012 12:35AM

2013 Dodge Viper teaser

Early last year, Chrysler announced that it would be bringing the Viper back into production, with the brand's performance flagship once again taking its place at the front of the SRT lineup. The next generation Viper won't be unveiled until April at the New York Auto Show, and it looks like Dodge will be doing its best to tease us mercilessly until then with vague sketches of the car. The first has just been posted on the official SRT Facebook page, providing the very first look at the front end of the 2013 Viper. From the silhouette it's hard to really tell what the design will look like, but the overall shape and the hood scoop distinctly remind us of the Viper GTS coupe built from 1996 to 2002.

So, what do we know about the 2013 Viper as of right now? For starters, traction control will be used for the first time in the model's history as mandated by federal law. The powertrain is still unconfirmed, although there are rumors that the V10 could get a bump in displacement to an incredible 8.7 liters.

All of these rumors will be laid to rest come April, but until then we'll just have to settle for the teasers that SRT gives us. We'll be sure to bring you more news on the 2013 Viper as soon as its released, and let us know what you're hoping to see from the new Viper in the Comments.

News Source: SRT Facebook

Image Credit: Spy shots - KGP Photography

Rare 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Alloy sells for record $4.62 million

Posted Jan 22nd 2012 10:33AM

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Alloy

We've been busy covering Barrett-Jackson this week, but there are plenty of other auctions going on in Scottsdale as well. One of those is Gooding & Company, which has been selling some pretty incredible cars. Perhaps the most significant is this 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, which is just one of 29 built with an aluminum alloy body.

Standard 300SL Gullwing prices can exceed a million dollars, but this particular example was expected to sell for anywhere between $2,500,000 and $3,000,000. These alloy 300SL Gullwings come up for sale infrequently, though, which is perhaps why the final bid of $4.2 million was so high. With auction fees, the final selling price of the 300SL was an incredible $4.62 million, a new record for this car.

You can read more about this particular 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Alloy after the jump, and check out photos of the car in the gallery above.

News Source: Gooding & Company

Image Credit: Copyright 2012 Pawel Litwinski / Gooding & Company

Barrett-Jackson 2012: $300,000 takes home 2013 Shelby GT500 prototype [w/video]

Posted Jan 21st 2012 11:11PM

2013 Shelby GT500 Durability Car

This beaten and battered 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 prototype is proof that you can buy just about any type of vehicle at Barrett-Jackson. The car was used as an SVT test car to develop the 2013 Shelby GT500, and was piloted at race tracks like Sebring Raceway and at Ford's Arizona proving grounds. Even Carroll Shelby himself had a stint in the car to test its merits.

From the look of it, the GT500 prototype is still in testing condition. There is plenty of dirt and grime still on the front of the car, and various wiring and diagnostic equipment are still inside the vehicle. Even so, the car is a piece of rolling history, and the bidding represented that. As an added bonus, the winner gets the opportunity to buy the first production 2013 GT500 from Ford.

The Shelby commanded $300,000 – all of which was generously donated by Ford to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. You can see our live photos of the car above or watch a video of its auction after the jump.

Barrett-Jackson 2012: First 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible sells for $600,000 [w/video]

Posted Jan 21st 2012 4:25PM

2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible

Earlier this week we showed you the recently-unveiled 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible at Barrett-Jackson. Chevrolet didn't just bring the car to display, though, and announced that it would be auctioning the very first production example for charity.

There was plenty of excitement as the Corvette was brought up on the auction block, and bidding quickly skyrocketed past the six-figure mark. During the middle of the auction, a few extra goodies were thrown in, including a Jeff Gordon racing suit and a VIP trip to the 2012 Daytona 500, and soon thereafter bidding quickly went passed the half-million-dollar mark to finally rest at $600,000. The new owner of the car? Ron Pratte, the same man who has generously bought many previous charity auction cars at Barrett-Jackson over the last several years. To top it all off, Eddie Vannoy even added on another $100,000 donation to the price of the car, all of which will be going to benefit the AARP Drive For Hunger.

You can see our live photos of the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible in the gallery above, and see footage from the auction floor after the break.

Barrett-Jackson 2012: Lockheed Lakester Custom Roadster

Posted Jan 21st 2012 2:53PM

Lockheed Lakester Custom Roadster

In the sea of muscle cars and hot rods here at Barrett-Jackson, this streamlined chrome roadster really stood out as being truly unique. Constructed from the wing tip tank of a Lockheed Super Constellation airplane, the "Lockheed Lakester" is built to resemble a vintage salt flat racer and features a variety of aviation-sourced parts including gunner seats in the cockpit, a vintage airplane steering wheel and an air speed indicator instead of a speedometer. Powering the roadster is a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder mated to a 5-speed manual.

We had no idea what this type of car is worth given that there's nothing really to compare it with, but there was plenty of interest in the vehicle and bidding quickly rose past the six figure mark, eventually resting at $170,000. With auction fees included, the final selling price was $187,000.

You can see the Lockheed Lakester in detail in our gallery of live photos above.

Barrett-Jackson 2012: Galpin Widebody Mustang nets $160,000 for charity

Posted Jan 20th 2012 10:43PM

Galpin/SPX Widebody Mustang

The time has come for the custom widebody Mustang from Galpin Auto Sports to find a new owner. Built by Galpin for industrial company SPX, this specially built Mustang features a hand-built body that widens the car by an incredible nine inches highlighted by PPG Candy Apple Red paint. Under the hood is a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 producing over 700 horsepower, and it has also been fitted with forged three-piece wheels, a custom suede interior, upgraded exhaust system and more.

Whether it was the look and sound of the car or whether bidders were simply feeling generous, this attention-grabbing pony car nabbed a final bid of $160,000, all of which will be donated to benefit the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. You can see our live photos above, or hit the jump to watch a video of the car being auctioned off in case you missed it on SPEED.

SMS Supercars unveils 620 Camaro, auctions first example for charity at Barrett-Jackson

Posted Jan 20th 2012 5:32PM



When Steve Saleen launched his new company, SMS Supercars, back in 2008, he announced that he would be expanding his portfolio of vehicles to include the muscle car offerings from Chevrolet and Dodge. First up was the 570 and 570X Challenger, followed soon after by the 302 Mustang.

Now, Steve Saleen's muscle car trifecta is finally complete, as SMS officially unveiled the 620 Camaro at Barrett-Jackson this week. The car maintains the styling cues featured on both the Challenger and Mustang with an aggressive front splitter, side skirts, rear diffuser, butterfly hood and chrome 20-inch wheels. Inside is a custom leather interior, and under the hood, the 6.2-liter V8 has been supercharged to 620 horsepower and 570 pound-feet torque.

In addition to unveiling the car at Barrett-Jackson this week, SMS actually auctioned off the first production example last night. This particular car was also a special "Bondurant Edition" in honor of Steve Saleen's former racing teammate, Bob Bondurant, and the two decided to donate the proceeds from the sale to two charities: Cox Charities and the Make A Wish Foundation of Arizona.

So, how did the car do? Bidding for the SMS 620 Camaro eventually reached the $100,000 mark, meaning the two charities will be getting a significant donation and the lucky new owner just got a nice tax write-off. Did we mention a Bondurant three-day performance driving school is included with the car?

You can see photos of the 2012 SMS 620 Camaro in the gallery above, and check out a video of the car being auctioned off at Barrett-Jackson in the video after the jump.

Barrett-Jackson: 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible debuts

Posted Jan 20th 2012 10:30AM

2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible

Last week, Chevrolet announced its latest special edition Corvette, the 2013 427 Convertible, as a sendoff to the C6 before the C7 arrives for 2014. Now we've had our first look at the car in the flesh, as Chevrolet is showing it off for the first time here at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, AZ.

Setting the 427 Convertible apart from the standard Corvette are special graphics, badges and unique wheels, but most importantly, it gains the Z06's 7.0-liter 505 horsepower V8 under the hood, making it the most powerful drop top Corvette to ever come from Bowling Green. This example also sports the 60th Anniversary Package that includes Arctic White exterior paint, Pearl Silver Blue racing stripes and a Diamond Blue leather interior. What really makes this particular car special, though, is that it's the very first production Corvette 427 Convertible and is set to be auctioned off for charity tomorrow afternoon. We'll have live auction results and more pictures then, but for now, check out our live gallery of photos above.

Image Credit: Live images copyright 2012 Drew Phillips / AOL

Roush announces new performance product line for the Ford F-150

Posted Jan 20th 2012 7:58AM

2012 Roush Performance Ford F-150

We normally associate with Roush Performance with the Ford Mustang, as we've tested several examples over the year from the race-ready 427R Trak Pak to the current 540 horsepower RS3. The Michigan tuner is now looking to expand, though, and has recently introduced a new line of performance products aimed at another segment of the Ford product line, the F-150.

The F-150's new powertrains are the main focus of Roush's product blitz, with supercharger systems available for both the 5.0-liter and 6.2-liter V8s. Roush has also developed cold air inductions kits for the entire powertrain lineup with the exception of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. Additionally, Roush is offering a stainless steel cat-back exhaust for most of the F-150 lineup that produces a more aggressive tone than the stock system.

You can read more about the new F-150 products from Roush in the press release after the jump, and you can get a closer glimpse at the supercharger and the exhaust system in the gallery above.

News Source: Roush Performance

2013 Shelby GT500 development car to be auctioned at Barrett-Jackson for charity

Posted Jan 18th 2012 5:33PM

2013 Ford Shelby GT500

For the last several years Ford has partnered with Barrett-Jackson to auction off some very special vehicles for charity. Past cars have included the first production examples of the Shelby GT500KR and Shelby GT as well as special one-offs like last year's Grabber Blue Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca, all of which have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

For 2012 Ford is once again auction off a Mustang for charity, but this year's car is a little different. Up for grabs will be a 2013 Shelby GT500 development car used by SVT to hone the production 'Stang. This prototype was run extensively at Sebring and the high speed oval at Ford's Arizona proving grounds and was even driven by Carroll Shelby himself during the development process. The car has some unique features including a full roll cage and Recaro racing seats, but it will likely remain a museum piece as it can't be registered for road use.

You can read more about this unique 2013 Shelby GT500 going up for auction in the press release after the jump.
Related Gallery2013 Ford Shelby GT500
2013 Ford Shelby GT500 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 2013 Ford Shelby GT500

News Source: Ford

Watch a Shelby Cobra do cartwheels at 130 mph

Posted Jan 16th 2012 7:59PM

Shelby Cobra crash

Being in a car crash can be scary enough, but doing it in a convertible at 130 miles per hour is simply terrifying. That's what the owner of a Shelby Cobra replica went through, however, during a track day at Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond, California. As he was ending the front straight of the 2.5-mile course, something suddenly broke in the front suspension or steering. The car skidded on track for approximately 60 feet, then flipped sideways multiple times, flying off the track for more than 500 feet.

Fortunately, the driver of the Cobra came away from the incident unharmed with the exception of minor injuries to his knee and ribs. If you've ever wondered why that metal roll hoop is there on the driver's side of the Cobra, just ask this guy.

Of course, the owner of the Cobra also had a GoPro camera running on his car that day, and it captured the amazing footage throughout the entire crash. The video has now gone up on YouTube, and we've posted it for you to see after the jump.

News Source: YouTube via onehotlap.com

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