RideLust

For all of the retro-styling that has swept through the auto industry in the last decade, trucks have been left almost completely alone.  (No the Chevy SSR doesn’t count)  That’s a shame, because like everything else there is a huge population of car and truck enthusiasts who would snap up the chance for a modernized version of their favorite truck from the past.  For instance, hardly a day goes by that I don’t receive a request for more information or an update on the possibility of a new Jeep truck. 

Same could be said for Toyota’s Tacoma Truck Concept, which is affectionately referred to as the “Back to the Future” Truck because of the resemblance it has to Marty McFly’s dream machine.  It’s not all just retro paint and decals though.  This truck concept contains some very unique pieces from its past and some old school technology.  Read More…

Race-Prepared 2010 Camaro

Like a flashback to a time when Detroit steel dominated the world; Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers will all be represented in the season-ending Bosch Engineering Oktoberfest race this weekend in Richmond VA. All three of these modern pony cars compete in the series’ Grand Sport class, a group that includes cars that have only been minimally modified to 350-405 horsepower and top out at 160 mph. Unlike most other racing, the opportunity to see a car that is very much like one from the factory being put through its paces is more than a little satisfying. Read More…

Like it or not, selecting a new vehicle for most people is almost as much about compromise as it is about finding the perfect car. Unless you have deep pockets and a Jay Leno sized garage, to have certain things, you give up others. The pursuit of finding a better balance is the inspiration behind the Jeep Wrangler JK “Weekender” Project Vehicle. The RealWheels people believed that with a little help they could turn the four-door Wrangler into a better daily family hauler, without diminishing its tough off-road capabilities. Here’s what they came up with. Read More…

Possible 2011 Sonata Styling

Since the Genesis was unleashed, and promptly silenced skeptical critics, the Hyundai Sonata has seen a sharp decline in the amount of attention it received. That all seems on the verge of changing dramatically with huge projections that the South Korean automaker expects to sell nearly 60,000 units just in Korea this year alone. That appears to only be the start of things with a heavily revised 2011 Sonata even more capably situated to battle with the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Read More…

As much as the drifting crowd would like to think their four-wheeled acrobatics will incite a new renaissance in grass-roots racing, conjure up the ghost of Steve McQueen, and cure cancer, in actuality it is the automotive equivalent of synchronized swimming. Still, even the most cynical among us has to admit that repeatedly maintaining control of a couple thousand lbs of machinery through excessively oversteered corners deserves our respect on some level.

One of the reigning kings of this (let’s call it) sport, is Vaughn Gittin Jr., who if you didn’t know, is the new poster child for Ford’s campaign at making the 2010 Mustang a legitimate drift contender. As part of that effort, they have released six documentary-style webisodes that chronicle his recent tour of the drifting motherland: Japan. Read More…

Unemployed Montreal Grid Girls Rejoice

Following the announcement by Grand Prix F1 du Canada Inc. President Normand Legault stating that a “commercial dispute” with Bernie Ecclestone has been settled, promoters of the Montreal event announced that the Canadian race would indeed return in 2010 after a one year absence. Read More…

Based on the sales success of the new Mustang, the large pool of Mustangs on the road poses a real incentive for offering aftermarket parts and accessories, which includes a new cold air kit by Roush. Not that the new 2010 Ford Mustang GT and its 315 horses are in need of horsepower help, but when power can be increased so easily, the decision to replace the stock air intake with one from Roush Performance is a no-brainer. Read More…

News that Kia has entered the hybrid segment is unremarkable considering the tardiness of the South Korean automaker in inserting themselves into that discussion. That is until you consider other factors that have accompanied this announcement. Most significant are the broad improvements that have taken place at the company, particularly with the release of the new Forte. The success of this car is a demonstration that production quality and style are now at least on par with compacts from Honda and Toyota, and at a reduced price. Similarly, the release of new Kia hybrids is perhaps the strongest signal yet that the premium price that has typically been attached to owning a hybrid, (the main obstacle for many potential buyers), is on the verge of being eliminated. Read More…

With few exceptions, when given a choice between convertibles and hardtops we usually default to the latter as their performance tends to trump their topless brethren. Not to mention that wind buffeting tends to wreak havoc on our ear-to-ear comb over. Nevertheless, as summer fades to fall, it would be a shame not to single out some affordable convertible options that could convince even the most follicly-challenged among us to lay down an extra layer of hair spray and drop our tops. Read More…

They may look the same, and their names may sound similar, but Europeans know that there is quite a big difference in price and performance between a MINI ONE and a MINI Cooper. Nevertheless, for many city dwellers, the MINI ONE has proven to be a satisfying decaffeinated version of the MINI that we know and love here in America. Now an even more economical model called the MINI First, along with a diesel version of the MINI ONE are given the task of attempting to restart lagging European MINI sales.
Read More…