Ford Never Built an F-100 Boss 302 Pickup, But Someone Did

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by Zach Doell

 

Combine the words “Boss” and “Mustang,” and you’ve likely struck a chord with Blue Oval fans. The famous Boss 302 brought the Ford Mustang its 1970 Trans-Am championship, and its road car brethren remain some of the most popular ‘Stangs to collect to this day. 

 

For those wishing Ford did a bit more with its fan-favorite “Boss” moniker, well… consider your prayers answered.

In the run up to the 2014 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, On The Ground Designs (OTG) decided to bring that name to the storied F-series line, and it did so with this jaw-dropping 1973 F-100. According to the company, it all began humbly with a $2,500 pickup rescued from a field. Today, it’s quite the showstopper.

On The Ground created the Boss F-100 as a promotional vehicle to help launch its new site, and linked-up with the folks at Vortech Superchargers to help make the concept a reality. As you might expect, there’s a burly Vortech V-3 supercharger and air-to-air intercooler stashed under the hood, but it’s no longer connected to the F-100’s original 390 V8. Instead, a Ford Coyote crate engine has been shoehorned in, along with the air intake from the last iteration of the Boss 302.

Horsepower goes undefined, but it’s routed to the rear wheels through a Ford 4R70W automatic, and is estimated in the region of 620 to 630 hp at the crank. That’s what you’d call, a lot.

Grip is provided by a set of B-Forged wheels wrapped in Pirelli tires, which tuck in nicely next to the truck’s low-slung Accuair air-ride suspension setup. According to OTG, outfitting the aggressive truck was no easy task, and involved some pretty serious suspension fabrication with a near “impossible” deadline.

Thankfully though, with no time to spare (and the paint barely dry) the Boss build was wrapped up and hustled to Las Vegas in time for SEMA, going on display at the Vortech booth. The Boss’ total costs are said to surpass $150,000 in parts and labor, and frankly it shows. Rather, it shines. The paint? That’s the same red you’d find on an Audi RS4.

Inside it’s a different story. The Boss F-100 goes dark with a stunning combination of black leather, suede, and a black dashboard, bringing a nice contrast to the otherwise vibrant exterior.

Like it? You’re in luck. The Boss 302 F-100 recently emerged on eBay, with bidding already topping the $60,000 mark.


 

Go Behind the Scenes With $2 Million Aston Martin Vulcan Supercar

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by Zach Doell

                                      

When most people think of Aston Martin, they think pure luxury, James Bond, sonorous V12 engines, and well… back to 007 again. Aston Martins ooze their upper crust status, and unapologetically so. Fans the world over wouldn’t have it any other way. 

But one Aston Martin is looking to tweak that narrative. It’s a true bad boy, and if you’ve got about £1.5 million (or $2.14 million), you could make one yours. It is, of course, the all-new Aston Martin Vulcan.

Only 24 of these track-only supercars are scheduled to be built, making them quite the rare birds indeed. Carfection decided to peek behind the scenes at Aston’s workshop to watch a few of the Vulcans come together, and expectedly it’s an intensely surgical bit of engineering. These cars aren’t messing about.

 

If you can see it, it’s most likely carbon fiber. These sculpted track toys are absolutely swathed in the stuff, which helps keep weight down to featherweight levels. Under a Vulcan’s long sultry bonnet lives a 7.0-liter V12 engine making over 800 horsepower (the jaw-dropping Aston Martin One-77 only managed 750hp), and it’s said to be an evolution of Aston Martin Racing’s own GT3 race motor, complete with a new block, pistons, rods, liners, and crankshaft.

The rest of the Vulcan’s spec sheet reads like a race engineer’s cost-no-option wish list: inconel titanium exhaust, magnesium torque tube, Xtrac sequential gearbox, four-way adjustable dampers, carbon ceramic racing brakes, and of course, who wouldn’t want a set of onboard air jacks for quick pit stops.

The first few of these no-nonsense supercars have already been delivered to customers around the globe. If you want one, we suggest ringing Aston about that quickly.

Watch a V-10 Chrysler 300C Drift Car Take the Track

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by Nicole Wakelin 

                               

                                  

The Chrysler 300C is the kind of big sedan you expect to see cruising down the highway, not eating up the track. This video could change your perceptions of the car forever thanks to an upgrade or two that turn it into a monster.

According to BangShift, British Drift Championship driver David Waterworth is the man behind the wheel of this Chrysler 300C powered by a Viper V-10 engine. He took it for a few runs on a very wet track showing off impressive skill.

The Chrysler 300C was chosen becaue the top trim level comes wtih a Hemi V8 that left room under the hood for the larger V-10 and had a shell stiff enough to handle the accompanying horsepower and torque. It still required some modifications to make it ready for Waterworth.

The inside was stripped out and a roll cage and extra strengthening were added along with a 6-speed transmission that is also from the Viper. The suspension was also beefed up to handle the weight. The end result is a car that looks like a 300C, but proves it’s something else altogether when it hits the track.



 

Someone Found This Beautiful Ford Mustang Boss 429 in a Junkyard

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by Nicole Wakelin 

                               

                                  

Sometimes people don’t know what they have, which is how amazing finds end up hidden away in attics or rusting to bits in a junkyard. This 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 was left to end its life in the junkyard, but was saved from a rusty demise.

According to Mustang360, the Ford was sitting in a junkyard back in 1975 and was discovered by Keith Clark’s brother-in-law. The engine had been stolen, but he still bought the car for $2,000 along with a 429 CJ that was throw in for free.

That might sound like a steal, but remember it was 1975, so that was a chunk of change. The car was then used like any other car doing the rounds around town until he found a Boss 429 engine to put under the hood after two years. When the brother-in-law decided to get married, the car found its way to Clark.

He did loads of work to refurbish the car, but still drove it like any other car without paying particular attention until he saw its value steadily increase. He says he’s been offered over $100,000, but he turned it down. It’s worth more to him as a car he can drive than money in the bank.

 

Qatar Gets its First Concept Car, Though its Looks are Polarizing

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by Zach Doell 

                               

                                            

In recent years, the Persian Gulf has enjoyed a boom of startup boutique car manufacturers. The largest, Dubai’s W Motors, even caught substantial screen time in Furious 7 with its $3.4 million Lykan Hypersport supercar. Now it’s Qatar’s turn, and this is the first concept car born unto the small Gulf state. Meet the Elibriea concept.

 

The car was unveiled earlier this week at the 2016 Qatar Motor Show and it’s said to foreshadow a commercially viable hypercar that Elibriea Automotive hopes to create. One thing is for certain, however. The concept’s wild styling does leave some scratching their heads.

According to Doha News, the eponymous concept car’s story begins in 2009 when Abdulwahab Ziaullah, a graduate student at Texas A&M’s Qatar engineering campus, received a grant from the Qatar National Research Fund to develop a prototype car design in-country. A number of different designs were evaluated and tweaked along the way, and just two years ago, sponsorship from the Ali Bin Ali Group allowed Ziaullah to begin construction of his sports car.

 

On the outside, the Elibriea’s proportions and roofline have a distinct Lamborghini-ness to them, though the front and rear fascias are unquestionably unique, and quite angular. At its sides, the sports car’s doors scissor open in concept car fashion, and reveal a two-seater cockpit. Beneath its carbon fiber body is said to be a General Motors V6 engine, which has now been tuned to create an impressive 525 horsepower.

The company is now turning its attention toward the design and engineering of its production model, which could offer up to 1,000 horsepower. While Elibriea Automotive actively looks for engineering partners to help make that happen, Ziaullah is also gauging critiques of his concept’s design.

“I’m excited and curious to know people’s feedback on Elibriea, particularly the views of the critics,” Ziaullah told Doha News. “I will use all their comments constructively to shape the hypercar. I want to make sure it outperforms Elibriea.”

The company’s website suggests that vehicle will be named “Equvallas,” and follow the mid-engine, rear-wheel drive supercar formula. Pre-orders will be fielded beginning in March 2016.


 

DeLorean’s Back: Now, How Do You Style Your DMC-12?

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by George Kennedy 

 

                               

                                            

Earlier this week, it was reported that one of the most recognizable movie cars of all time is becoming a reality for interested buyers. DeLorean Motor Company of Texas is bringing the DMC-12 back from the dead with never-used original parts.

 

It’s all thanks to the “Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act” which allows older “replica cars” to be built in smaller volumes and not held to the same standards as a brand new car from a major automaker. Delorean Motor Cars has long provided original replacement parts for owners of original DeLoreans, and even had the capabilities to reproduce parts. But now the company can build complete cars, using its current inventory.

Mercifully, it won’t have the anemic 2.8-liter V6 built by a Peugeot-Renault-Volvo consortium, which made only 130 horsepower. Sources have spoken with Jalopnik, and without confirming  the engine source, suggested it could be a naturally aspirated V6 with 300-400 horsepower. Price is expected to be in the neighborhood of $100,000.

 

But the real pressing question here is: how would you do it up?

Sure, you could go with the original look, and that might be the one that we would go with. But the elephant in the room is obviously the selection of Back to the Future looks.

When you think about it, BTTF, brings you actually a handful of design choices. The obvious is the original setup, with the iconic steam vents, and yards of wires. At the same time, one of the most recognizable is the variation from Back to the Future II, with the big white “Mr. Fusion” right in the middle of the rear engine area.

It’s ok if you can’t pull off the tilting wheels and flying car functionality.

But perhaps the unsung hero of the bunch is the modified version from Back to the Future III. It features funky 1950’s hubcaps, beefed up suspension to handle the Wild West’s lack of roads, and improvised circuit board using ’50s-era components.

It might be the least-seen interpretation of the DeLorean but it has a charm all its own, calling to mind the epic conclusion of the BTTF franchise!
 

NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick pays $1.2 million for first 2017 Acura NSX

FOX SPORTS

Posted By Tom Jensen

 

 

NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick made a stunning addition to his first-edition car collection Friday night, when he paid $1.2 million to buy the first production 2017 Acura NSX hybrid sports car.

Hendrick, who collects high-performance cars for his museum in Charlotte, North Carolina, bought the VIN No. 001 Acura at the Barrett-Jackson Collector-Car Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The entire $1.2 million paid by Hendrick went to two charities, who shared equally in the winning bid: The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and musician Zac Brown's Camp Southern Ground.

The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation is the world's largest nonprofit funder of childhood brain tumor research, serving more than 28,000 children in the United States who are living with the diagnosis of a brain tumor. Camp Southern Ground serves children ages 7 to 17 with both typical and special needs.

The Acura NSX VIN No. 001 is the latest addition to Hendrick's collection. He also owns VIN No. 001 of the 2010 Camaro, 2011 Camaro convertible, 2014 Corvette and 2015 Corvette convertible, among others.

 

 

 

This Forgotten Car Should Have Been Chrysler's Corvette

JALOPNIK

Posted by Máté Petrány

Filed to: secret cars          1953 Dodge Storm Z-250

 

 

 

What if I told you Chrysler had a modern two-seater sports car pretty much ready for production right at the time when the first Chevrolet Corvette came out, and a year before Ford introduced their record-selling Thunderbird? Well, I'm telling you that now.

 

I saw a picture of this car once and all I knew was that it's a Dodge from 1953 with a Bertone body. But after reading the article #142 (July/August 1994) issue of Special Interest Autos Magazine I found in Hemmings Blog, I can tell you much more about it.

It starts with the name. While some call it the Dodge Storm or a Bertone, it is actually the Zeder Z-250 (just when you thought Nissan made "Z" cars). The sports car was created by Fred Zeder Jr., son of Frederick Zeder of The Three Musketeers, the engineering team that started the Chrysler Corporation. If you don't know the badge, don't worry, although the Z-250 was not even the first Zeder. Thirty years back, Zeder, Skelton and Breer designed a car with a high compression engine and four hydraulic brakes. That reached production as the Chrysler Six, the first modern automobile after Ford's Model T.

 

The younger Zeder had an engineering degree himself, but in 1951, he was working in advertising in New York as vice president of McCann-Erickson. He was also a keen racing driver, and after competing against Briggs Cunningham using a Chrysler Allard, he decided it was time to make a dual-purpose sports car that can outrun not only Cunninghams, but Ferraris and Jaguars as well.

 

 He certainly got the connections to start a project of this kind even after his father's death in February 1951, as Carl Breer – who kept working as a consultant for Chrysler after his retirement in 1949 for another four years – was his uncle.

 

Zeder's idea was that two cars should be made using a common platform: a two seater race car with a fiber glass body weighting only 150 pounds, and a luxurious aluminum coupe. The bodies were to be easily swappable by using four rubber-bushed nuts, where the performance remained the same in both forms. The Z-250 used a modified version of the Dodge HEMI V8 truck engine, which produced 260 horsepower and about 330 ft-lbs of torque according to this article.

That propelled the car from 0-60 mph in about 7.5 seconds, and the quarter mile took just 14.7 seconds. Other parts like the brakes, radiator, clutch, steering, rear axle, fuel tank and electronics came from the shelves of Plymouth and Dodge. The rest like the tube space frame, the suspension and the two bodies were unique to the car, while the transmission was a brand new unit developed by the Spicer Division of Dana Corporation.

 

Since he was aiming for a late 1954 launch, Fred went into partnership with Gene Cassaroll, a fellow racing enthusiast and owner of Automobile Shippers Inc, the company that hauled Chrysler's products all across the country. They founded the Sports Car Development Corporation, while Zeder also got John Butterfield onboard, who used to work for Cunningham and was one of Chrysler's top chassis engineers at the time. Most of the development took place in his basement in Detroit.

 

The styling was the work of Hank Kean, who also happened to be a Chrysler employee. When the quarter-scale clay model was ready, Virgil Exner, Chrysler's Head of Advanced Design also had some suggestions. When not in the basement, he was working with Ghia on Chrysler's future. But when Zeder went to see Fiat's Chief Engineer in Turin during his Christmas vacation in 1952, Dante Giacosa directed him to Bertone instead. They were pretty busy with Alfa Romeo's BAT series, so it took 9 month instead of the promised 3 to finish Zeder's car. Italiano.

Bertone also turned it into a two-seater instead of the planned 2+2, because what worked on paper turned out to be impossible in reality. The car was then taken to Fiat's famous oval roof track for fine tuning, after which the Z-250 took first price at the Turin Auto Show. It was then shipped to New York onboard of the SS Andrea Doria (which sunk three years later after a collision with MS Stockholm). After picking it up at the docks, Zeder parked it in front of the Rockefeller Center, which resulted in such a massive traffic jam that the police had to ask him to move it.

    

In April 1954, Fred took his pride (now called the Storm Z-250) to Chrysler's design headquarters in Hamtramck. After his father's death, his uncle Jim Zeder became the Chief Engineer. He was trained for years by the old trio to not be supportive when it came to new ideas. He borrowed the car so Chrysler could evaluate it, but instead he locked it up in the factory's storage for two years, under which nobody was supposed to touch or even mention the car.

 

Fred's guess was that Jim feared he wouldn't get any credit if it succeeded, but would take the heat if it failed. The official reason was that the car was too expensive to produce in order to sell it in profitable quantities. By the time Fred got back his car, people were driving Corvettes and brand new Ford Thunderbirds, not to mention Nash-Healeys, Kaiser-Darrins, and Cunninghams on the tracks. Just like the Oldsmobile or Pontiac "Corvettes," Chrysler's was killed as well before it could prove itself.

    

 

Zeder drove the Z-250 for 16 years before he donated it to the Northwood University. It stayed in the museum until 1992, when he picked it up again. Since somehow water leaked into the cylinders during its sleep, it had to be restored with a 1965 Dodge V8 with two four-barrel carburetors before he could enjoy it again in his home in California. Recently, it was exhibited at the Petersen Automotive Museum among other American-Italians.

The next time Chrysler made a real sports car was in 1992.

Massive hat tip to Michael Lamm who covered the story in 1994. Photo credit: Just a Car Guy

Study: We Have No Idea Where Our Cars Are Made

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by George Kennedy

                                 

Back during the industry woes of 2007 and 2008, there was a spate of vandalizing Japanese-brand cars in Detroit. Some Toyota Camrys were roughed up. I thought this moronic, considering the car was likely produced in Georgetown, Kentucy, or Lafayette, Indiana. The vandals may have driven to deface the Camrys in a Chevrolet Silverado…that was likely built in Mexico.

 

As the BBC points out, people really have no clue where their cars come from. It is time to shake loose our long-held notions about the nationalities of their cars.

The BBC cites a Cars.com survey, in which 28% of people questioned last year said they would only buy an “American made” car. But how many of those people know that a Volkswagen Passat is built in Chattanooga TN, or that the BMW X5 is built in Greer, SC. They probably didn’t know the Chevrolet Trax crossover was built in a place called Bupyeong–that’s in South Korea.

 

Then there is where the car is designed. Companies like Subaru and Kia–as well as many others–have design centers in the United States. A car from an import brand could be designed and built in the good ole’ U.S. of A. There is also the fact that cars are built of components that come from many different points abroad. And those locations can always change depending on the cost of labor and shipping fluctuations.

So at what point does a car from a brand that originates elsewhere sell cars that we can brand as fully American? Though ever-changing supplier and production location decisions by automakers–the general public will always have a hard time getting their heads around it.

This 700HP SEMA Ford Mustang Needs a New Home

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by Zach Doell 

                               

                               

If you’ve ever attended the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, you will have noticed a rather common sight… Mustangs. Countless numbers of Ford Mustangs. Some are new, others old; some get resto-modded up, while others ply the highly original look. Some even boast all-wheel drive and 845 horsepower. 

 

Regardless, if you’ve never found a Mustang you fancy, you’d be hard pressed not to find your pony car match at SEMA, especially when they look as svelte as this.

This 2015 Ford Mustang GT first appeared at last year’s 2015 SEMA Show, before going on to make a showing at the LA Auto Show as well. As is evident, it’s not factory fresh anymore. It spouts off a triumphant 718 horsepower and it recently appeared up for sale on eBay. Hellcats beware.

The seven hundred ponies living underneath the hood come courtesy of the GT’s 5.0-liter Coyote V8, which in stock configuration serves up 435 hp and 400 lb.-ft. of twist. It’s no longer a free-breather, though. The V8 now affixes a 2.9-liter Whipple supercharger, which also helps push that torque rating up to 542 lb.-ft., as well as a new throttle body, high flow injectors, and intercooler.

The hot-hot ‘Stang now exhales through a Magnaflow cat-back competition exhaust, while stopping power is relegated to a Wilwood Big Brake kit with six-piston calipers up front and four-pistons in the rear. Understandably it can hustle, but it also looks the part too.

Inside, the Ford Mustang dresses up with a red-accented black leather interior, while outside the pony car fits a set of carbon fiber diffusers, side skirts, and more carbon fiber within the rear boot spoiler. Up front, the sleek mesh grille gasps for air, and on its flanks the Mustang comes shod with brushed red Savini 20-inch sneakers, wrapped in racy Toyo R888 tires. Plus, who doesn’t love a good hood scoop.

So how much does 718 horsepower and SEMA street cred cost? If it’s this edgy Ford Mustang, a tick over $62,000.

Tesla Will Actually Build Two Affordable Electric Vehicles

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by Jeff Perez 

 

                               

                                         

The news of Tesla’s more affordable Model 3 has been out for some time now. Unfortunately, all that talk hasn’t translated into a vehicle you can actually buy (yet). But Tesla wants us to be patient, because the Californian electric automaker isn’t just working on one affordable electric vehicle—it’s actually working on two.

 

The report comes from Electrek, and suggests that the first vehicle, the Model 3, will be released in March. Tesla confirmed these reports. The second vehicle in question—likely a Model X-based CUV—won’t be ready in March, but will be coming at a later date. Hopefully before 2017.

Unlike the Model S and X (pictured), both the 3 and Y (which Tesla’s cleverly naming them), will be given an ‘affordable’ $30,000-$35,000 starting price. Those two vehicles, specifically the smaller CUV, will rival the newly-released Chevrolet Bolt SUV. While the Model 3 will set its focus on cars like the Prius, Leaf, and Volt, just to name a few.

 

We’ll know more details about the Model 3 when it debuts this March, likely as a concept. As for the Model Y, Tesla hasn’t given any sort of release date, but we can expect to see something closer to 2017.

Dubuc Tomahawk EV Supercar Claims 0-60 MPH in 3 Seconds

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by Zach Doell 

                               

                               

Back in 2014, a small startup from Quebec, Canada announced ambitious plans: to build an all-wheel drive, all-electric sports car that could rival some of the world’s best known performance machines. That company was Dubuc Motors, and that car was this—the Tomahawk. 

 

Fast forward to 2016 and the company is still pushing to make that dream a reality. In fact, the performance figures have only grown taller. The Tomahawk EV, expected to be ready by 2017, is pegged to dash from naught to 60 mph in three seconds, hit a top speed of 160 mph, and notch a driving distance of 300 miles. Check out the video below for a quick primer on Dubuc’s ambitions.

Is it vaporware, or is it perhaps something more? Interestingly, that may be up to the general public. The company recently took to crowdfund platform Start Engine to finance production of the Tomahawk, which comes to a steep $25 million.

The car’s exterior design may be polarizing, but if the performance figures hold up, it could be quite the sportster. At its core, the Dubuc Tomahawk readies a pair of electric motors (one in front, one in back), which whisk the vehicle around via a single speed transmission. At each corner, an air-suspension plies the wheels into the road. No word on the types of batteries or other systems that live onboard.

The final car is said to sport scissor doors, advanced collision warnings, 360-degree cameras, and a touchscreen control panel. Like the sound of that? $5,000 reserves you a car, though it’ll take a whopping $110,000 for the whole kit and caboodle in 2017.
Don’t like the sound of that? There’s always the ravishing Detroit Electric SP:01, which may or may not arrive on US shores. A new Tesla Roadster is also confirmed to be in the works, and on schedule to arrive in 2019.

Photos: Dubuc Motors



 

2017 Porsche 718 Boxster: New Numbers, New Look, New Engines

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by George Kennedy 

                               

                                          

I’ve always thought it a little odd that, for a company that loves branding cars with numbers, the Porsche Boxster and Cayman did not have digits affixed to their trunk-lids in that iconic, swoopy font. The folks at Porsche finally came to their collective senses, and have graced the impressively fun mid-engined two seater with a new name: 718 Boxster.

 

Technically, the Boxster always had a number associated to it, but that was always an internal number. The first generation was internally dubbed 986, the second generation was 987, and the current generation 981, of which this is a mid-cycle refresh, featuring tweaks in several areas.

As the numbers 718 represent more than just a new name, the updated car features new suspension and brakes, as well as many new styling tweaks. Additionally, the six-cylinder engines are being replaced with a pair of turbocharged flat-four engines.

 

 The base model is 2.0-liters and makes 300 horsepower while the 718 Boxster S features a 2.5-liter engine with 350 horsepower. That’s a lot of motivation from not a lot of displacement.

 

Thankfully you can still get it with a manual transmission, sending power to the rear wheels. If you don’t feel like changing your own gears, the PDK dual-clutch direct shift gearbox is also available. Porsche says the PDK features fuel-saving “virtual gears” as an available option. The German automaker also claims the brakes, steering and suspension have all been improved over the non-numbered Boxster.

Inside, the cabin has been updated, but still looks like it fits within the Porsche family. The center-mounted tach and the high-dash chronograph are all hallmarks of a Porsche cockpit. Most notably, the infotainment has been revised–an area where the Boxster needed the most work.

The base 718 Boxster starts at $56,000, while the S-level trim starts at 68,400. Paying a premium will get you to the front of the line when the car is available in summer of 2016.
 

More Details Emerge on Mercedes-Benz ‘X-Class’ Pickup Truck

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by George Kennedy 

                               

                               

A Mercedes-Benz pickup truck. No, that is not a typo. We’ve heard rumors before about such a perplexing vehicle, however new sources suggests this could be for real. But what possible shape could a ‘Merc Truck’ take? We’re pretty sure it won’t look like the renderings we’ve seen in the past.

 

This news comes from CarAdvice.com.au, an Australian car news site, claiming to have access to a design forum, it which it was possibly announced that the truck would be called X-Class or Z-Class. We’ve known since early last year that the truck would be based on the Nissan Navara pickup, but the Aussies have some more info.

According to the report, the truck will be a crew-cab, with four doors, and have two engines from which to choose. The base engine is is claimed to be a 2.3-liter diesel inline-4 and a larger six-cylinder diesel. No gas engines were apparently discussed, but this could be initial rollout information, while a gas engine would join the lineup if it were ever sold in the U.S., but as of right now, the truck is planned to be sold everywhere but the good ole’ U.S. of A.

The report claims the truck will be available in one of three variants; work-truck, mid-range, and luxury. Pricing would range from $42,000 to $56,000. Considering Mercedes sells utilitarian vehicles as well as luxury cars all over the world (like the Sprinter), the X-Class runs the gamut from utility to luxury on the top end.

To get an X-Class/Z-Class here in the ‘States, they would likely need to offer a gas engine option (thanks, #Dieselgate). And with the Chicken Tax still around, the price would probably be more than the aforementioned estimates. In short, a Mercedes truck is on the way, but probably not in the land
of the F-150.

This McLaren 650S Just Got an Amazing Spider-Man Makeover

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by Zach Doell 

                               

 

In the automotive world, supercars are a bit like silver screen superheroes. They boast a larger-than-life persona and command otherworldly performance that mainstream cars can only dream of. And at one car customization shop in Singapore, that supercar-superhero comparison is even more closely linked. 

 

Singapore’s WrapStyle has begun creating a series of superhero-inspired vehicle wraps for its customers’ cars, which so far include a Superman Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Batman Audi R8, a pair of Iron Man and Captain America Lamborghini Aventadors, and a Hulk Nissan GT-R.

Arguably the best of the superhero bunch however is the shop’s McLaren 650S, pictured here in Spider-Man guise, which seems to lend its shape quite well to the web-slinger’s famous costume.

These vehicle wraps, vinyl graphics that can be applied over a vehicle’s body, have absolutely skyrocketed in popularity over the past decade, because they’re quicker to apply (and generally less expensive) than repainting a car’s exterior. They also allow car customizers to add increasingly complex and detailed designs to a vehicle’s exterior. Just imagine how long it would take to paint Spidey’s suit over the svelte McLaren.
Beneath the wrap you won’t find Peter Parker, photographer for the Daily Bugle. Instead, the mighty McLaren readies its ubiquitous twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8, which summons up a triumphant 641 horsepower. They don’t come cheaply, however. The McLaren 650S starts at around $265,000.

A post on the company’s Facebook page reveals that the Singaporean shop plans to design 14 superhero wraps in total, leaving eight left currently unaccounted for. The remaining possibilities are as large as the superhero universe itself, though modern favorites like Thor, The Flash, Wolverine, and Wonder Woman would seem likely.

Richard Rawlings’ Gas Monkey Viper is About to Go Racing

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by Zach Doell 

 

 

 

At one point in time, Gas Monkey Garage did one thing and one thing only: build fast and loud custom cars. Today however, it’s a different story. Richard Rawlings’ Gas Monkey empire now includes the Fast N’ Loud TV show, a cinnamon tequila, Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill, a top fuel dragster, and now this—a sleek Dodge Viper GT3-R race car.

 

The racy Viper takes to the track at this weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, the first event of the 2016 WeatherTech Sportscar Championship season, and boasts a distinctive Gas Monkey Garage livery for the occasion.

But that’s not all. The Viper is just one third of a new Gas Monkey motorsports endeavor, which also includes garage sponsorship on Alex Laughlin’s NHRA Pro Stock Camaro and Sage Karam’s Indy car. Get you some of that.

The Viper in question here is the No. 33 Viper Exchange Riley Motorsports Dodge Viper GT3-R, which takes the field in the racing series’ GTD category. It’ll be helmed this weekend by drivers Ben Keating, Jeroen Bleekemolen, Marc Miller, and Dominik Farnbacher. Interestingly, Keating is also the owner of the Viper Exchange, which is said to be the world’s largest Viper dealership. It’s safe to say he’s quite familiar with the car.

In a statement, Keating noted both Gas Monkey Garage and Viper Exchange’s Texas roots, close relationship with Dodge, and mentioned he was surprised the racing partnership hadn’t happened sooner.

“I am very excited about working together on this,” Keating said. “I am excited to take the Gas Monkey Garage fans along for the ride as we compete in the biggest and longest sports car race in North America.”

The NHRA Camaro, Indy Car, and Viper GT3-R liveries highlight Rawlings’ new Gas Monkey Energy Drink in particular, which some of this weekend’s drivers could probably use during the grueling 24-hour event.

Last year, the No. 33 car finished sixth in the series’ GTD standings overall, recording two big wins at Road America and Circuit of the Americas. Riley Motorsports’ other car, the No.93 Viper, actually won last year’s Rolex 24 in the GTD category. Tune in at 2:40pm ET on Saturday January 30th to see if the team can repeat.


Photo Credit: sportscar365, Gas Monkey Garage, and Viperexchange.com
 

The New Razor Crazy Cart Shift Makes Drifting Easy for Kids

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by Zach Doell

                                        

 

Going fast isn’t always a requirement for having fun, as demonstrated by the popular Razor Crazy Cart. Its top speed is only 12 mph, nevertheless it produces smiles everywhere it goes, all while “going” very, very sideways. 

Now however, there’s a new model, and it’s making drifting even easier for the younger crowd. Meet the Razor Crazy Cart Shift.
The drift cart was recently announced at the 2016 London Toy Fair, and it’s said to target riders ages eight and up. Unlike its Crazy Cart and Crazy Cart XL predecessors, the new Shift model omits the tried-and-tested “drift bar,” which can be pulled to send riders into a sideways tizzy. Instead, the all-new model is said to be more car-like in that steering wheel input controls all drifting action.

According to Gizmag, the Razor Crazy Cart Shift also breaks tradition with the original and XL model (above) by introducing a hub motor to power the drive wheel, rather than a chain-drive setup. Additionally, the cart’s body is now said to be composed of polypropylene and its new 24-volt battery increases runtime from the typical 40 minutes to right around an hour, and produces top speeds of 8 mph. Fans will note the bucket seat and drift-assisting rear caster wheels keep their rightful place.

Need one? Currently your Razor Crazy Cart choices vary between the Lil’ Crazy, Crazy Cart, and Crazy Cart XL, however the tech site notes the new model will hit store shelves sometime later this year at a cost of around £250, or about $356. That price tag may break some kid’s toy budgets, but if you’re looking to raise the next Ken Block… perhaps it’s a worthwhile investment.