RideLust

Hyundai's eight-speed equipped Genesis R-Spec

For a lot of years, a three speed automatic gearbox was considered the norm. Then came the four-speed automatic, in use until recently in cars like the Hyundai Accent and even the Chevy Impala. Four speeds became five speeds, which in turn gave way to six and even seven speed gearboxes. Then Chrysler announced that a ZF-built unit would carry eight speeds, and Ford countered with an eight-speed gearbox of its own. Read More…

Form over function... Image: Flickr user yapsnaps

There’s a fairly active Volkswagen community in Jacksonville, and the guys from Stateside Euro are regular attendees at the monthly Cars & Coffee event here. All are well versed in their rides, and can fill you in on an incredible amount of obscure detail about Volkswagen and their specific year, make, and model. Most have invested a significant amount of scratch in their rides, and by anyone’s definition of the word, these guys are hardcore enthusiasts. Read More…

Image: Leo-setä

Good news, squeegee operators: the squeegee man, once the symbols of a collapsed economy and moral decay in New York City, is back. It’s time to break out those filthy jeans and your best lice-covered hoodie and hit the streets, because the good old days (and by that I mean bad old days) are here again. Talking Points Memo reports that the once endangered species is back with a vengeance, here to spread grime on your windshield and key your car if you don’t tip generously enough. Read More…

Image: comedy_nose

According to Lease Trader, the number of consumers taking over leases without test driving the car has climbed from 3 percent in 2007 to some 6.5 percent today. The company explains the growth as a by-product of internet research, since customers can now learn everything there is to know about a particular year make and model from the privacy of their own home. Many lease acquisitions are for short periods of time, too, so even if a vehicle isn’t everything its cracked up to be, those assuming a lease have relatively little risk. Read More…

Porsche's Cayenne Turbo. Image: Porsche AG

In the first half of 2011, the U.S. lost more jobs, unemployment continued to rise and gas approached near record pricing. Wall Street went from being optimistic about a recovery to shedding jobs at an alarming level, as even those in finance prepared to man the lifeboats. It’s bleak out there for those of us trying to scratch out a living, but one segment of the population appears to be completely unfazed. The rich, it appears, really do get richer, and Porsche sales are up 42 percent in the U.S. market. Read More…

Image: HotRod

Some nannies are young, pretty, glorified babysitters, irresistible apparently to half of Hollywood husbands.  Others have nasal voices that drive most of you insane.  Still others are reliable and practical like the HBIC Mary Poppins.  But this post isn’t about them.  This post is about the bane of a gearhead’s existence: the automotive nannies that car makers insist on shoving into their offerings in ever-increasing numbers year after year.  If, like me, you read the interwebz for your daily auto news fix, you’ve likely noticed the proliferation of articles dedicated to reminding us the Apocalypse is surely nigh, because how else can one explain the need for half of these devices? Read More…

The commercial below makes a simple point: Audi is pirating customers away from BMW, Mercedes and Lexus. It does so in a brilliant and entertaining manner, depicting a BMW driver who literally “jumps ship” to Audi. Watch the video below and tell me that you’ve never pondered the same thing on a road trip, usually with someone else driving. I’m not sure I’d go out the sunroof myself, since the window seems like a much safer bet. Watch the video below, but I definitely don’t recommend you try this stunt yourself. Read More…

I’ll be the first to say that I wouldn’t be caught dead driving around in a fully chromed out automobile. For one it’s just not my style and two, I wouldn’t want to be responsible for blinding everyone around me. The idea of chroming full cars has been around for quite some time, but the chrome process is not only ungodly expensive, but a major pain in the ass as well. For those looking for a solution to expensive chroming there may in fact be an inexpensive way to fulfill your needs. You see a company called TinTek in the Czech Republic has come up with a chrome vinyl wrap that will transform your car into one big rolling mirror if you so choose. Keep in mind that it’s not a quick process, but once the wrap is applied you may be surprised at just how good the results are. TinTek also has the ability to do a full range of chrome-esque colors including green, violet, orange, blue and black. Click through for the video and check it out for yourselves.
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1968-1972 marked some of the coolest years for auto racing in the United States. You see that was when Trans Am racing was in full swing with pony cars from every American manufacturer battling it out on raceways throughout the country. Names like Donohue, Penske, Elford, and Jones were in the spotlight with Camaros, Mustangs, Cudas and Javelins running fender to fender. Back then race teams would open up wheel housings and flare fenders so as to fit some big rubber to their cars for better performance. The cars looked great, had a nice squat stance and in the end, turned out to be icons of American racing. Nowadays pro-touring hobbyists are harnessing the spirit of Trans Am racing by modifying classic and modern cars alike with some cool wide body stances from the racers of yesteryear. They look great, perform even better and at the end of the day, remind us of one of the greatest times in American road racing history.
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Monticello Motor Club is the premier private racing facility in the Northeastern United States, therefore it should come as no surprise that there is a push for them to get new members. As a member you are treated to a circuit that is simply spectacular, facilities that can’t be beat and licensed instructors that are available to give you some pointers if the mood strikes you. However, if you’re a non-member Monticello also has a great way for you to get introduced to the track. You see they’ve got a whole bunch of Cadillac CTS-V’s up there and because of this they’ve decided to open the CTS-V High Performance Driving Experience at Monticello Motor Club. Your full day of full throttle fun features one-on-one instruction from our world-class instructors as you learn to master the 3.5 mile critically-acclaimed race circuit. Having driven Monticello many times, I can tell you that it’s not only an experience that you won’t forget, but it’s one that will make you mortgage everything you own just for the right to become a member. And yes… the track is THAT good.
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