After a week of crazy, modified vehicles and wacky concepts at the Las Vegas Convention Center, another SEMA Show is in the books. It’s estimated that 170,000 people visited Las Vegas for SEMA, and we believe that figure after wading through the rivers of attendees that inundated the halls of the convention center.
Automakers use SEMA to show off their upcoming products, and although we didn’t see anything too crazy this year, there was still plenty of interesting sheetmetal to see from the OEMs. Ford had the biggest stand out of the Detroit Big Three, and they devoted a lot of that space to the new 2019 Ranger pickup, with seven concepts equipped with performance parts and accessories. Chevy surprised everyone with the eCOPO Camaro Concept, an entirely electric Camaro drag racer that delivers more than 700 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque. Not satisfied with the 840 hp from the Demon engine, Mopar took [...]
After introducing the 2019 Civic and Civic Si, Honda is rolling out the updated Type R and Hatchback. These two variants go on sale November 3 with small price increases and an updated list of equipment.
Like the Civic Si that just went on sale, the Type R and Hatchback feature an updated infotainment system. This system now has physical buttons and a volume knob, replacing haptic controls on the old version. Models with dual-zone climate control have physical buttons to operate the fan speed. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard on EX trims and higher. Honda also put in larger cupholders, revised controls for the steering wheel, and an indicator light on the electronic parking brake that signals when it’s engaged.
The 2019 Honda Civic Type R starts at $36,595, an increase of $1,000 from last year. In addition to the interior updates, the Type R also receives a new Sonic Gray [...]
Last week, Ford announced plans to increase GT production yet again. But even though it plans to build 350 more cars, that will only bring the total to 1,350. If you’re one of the many enthusiasts who love the Ford GT, but can’t see yourself plunking down roughly half a million dollars for one, perhaps the Superformance Future GT Forty could be an acceptable substitute.
First revealed at the SEMA Show, the Superformance Future GT Forty is a lot more than a GT40 kit car. As we found when we drove Superformance’s Corvette Grand Sport, these cars use high-quality components and are extremely well-built. But Superformance has been selling GT40 continuations for years. The big difference here is the engine. Instead of a V-8, the Future GT Forty uses a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 just like the current 647-hp Ford GT.
Unlike [...]
A custom RDX is headlining Acura’s lineup for the SEMA Show this week. With help from IndyCar driver Graham Rahal and his tuning firm Graham Rahal Performance, this 2019 Acura RDX packs 345 hp.
Acura made a 350-hp RDX for Pikes Peak this year, but that model had an electric supercharger. For the SEMA-bound concept, a new turbocharger, intake and exhaust manifolds, and downpipe help squeeze an 73 additional horsepower from the RDX’s standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. The engine now packs 370 lb-ft of torque, up 90 lb-ft from the standard model. The crossover also gets a cat-back exhaust, StopTech brakes, and custom Eibach sport springs that contribute to a 2-inch lower ride height. A custom ECU map comes courtesy of KTuning. Twenty-one inch HRE wheels shod in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires round out the performance upgrades.
Since it’s based on the A-Spec model, this RDX receives [...]
Today, McLaren took the cover off its latest car, the Speedtail. Only 106 will be built, each with a $2.3 million price tag. Like the F1, it comes with a center seating position for the driver, but unlike the F1, it uses a hybrid powertrain that makes 1,035 hp and can push the Speedtail to a 250-mph top speed. But how does the design hold up against the F1 and a more recent longtail project such as the 675LT?
Up front, you can see a little bit of the 720S that the Speedtail is based on. Unlike the 675LT, though, the styling is a lot more futuristic than the car it’s based on. It’s also the area of the car with the fewest design cues inspired by the F1.
In profile, you can really see [...]
