Ford’s Mustang GT500KR has bigger punch than expected

Supercharged V8 cars have a certain status in my mind. Lean, mean and rarely ever “green” with a side of bulky.

Check out AmericanMuscle’s Mustang History page to browse all their parts by year.

What you see above at a glance seems to fit the description. The 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords crew decided to put this to the test and see if it is as it seems. The rating that the GT500KR is given from Ford is about 540 hp at the crank. After the testing on the dyno the saw much higher numbers that expected, 589.82 hp and 550.24 lb ft at the crank. This means that this street machine will be laying down numbers in the realm of 509 horsepower and 467.7 lb ft to the wheels. That is a force to be reckoned with on the street but also on the track.

You can read the full article here at 5.0 Mustang and Super Fords.

Drag Race Package for the Dodge Challenger

Ok, I admit it…Dodge has something here. Whether there are young kids who see this as an opportunity to get a touch of a classic, or if it’s an older generation looking to go back in time, they have done it. Not only are they putting out a Challenger that is putting our over 400 horses, which I mentioned in a previous Dodge Challenger post, but they are also including a package specifically for Drag. SICK!

This Drag Race package includes a drop of 1,000 lbs off of the SRT8 curb weight which is just over 4,000 lbs. It is getting new sets, rack and pinion, and a choice of three different engines. Buyers will be able to choose either a 5.7 liter, a 6.1 liter Hemi engine or a 5.9 liter Magnum Wedge. There will be able 100 of these available and I would imagine that they are going to be hard to get.

AmericanMuscle.com is your store for 2008 Dodge Challenger Parts for the new SRT8.

The full article can be read here at Edmund’s Inside Line.

R8 staying NA as a V10, RS4 packing supercharged V6

When I think of Audi, I immediately think of class and style. I tend to overlook the fact that they have two of the hottest performance cars out right now, the R8 and the RS4.

The R8 is the new super car and surprisingly even with it being revamped as a V10, it will still be naturally aspired. I actually saw on of these on the road about 3 months ago and was astonished. After seeing it at this year’s Philly Auto Show, I thought it was sporty and served its purpose in the super car realm but on the streets it does much more. It’s like a Batmobile but live and in person and this thing moves….to say the least.

The R8 is definitely a car that will turn your head but what about those of us who can’t afford an investment like that? Well, there is the RS4. It is still a large investment but it allows you to also afford food for your family(well some of your family). I am an avid fan of the RS4 as it still hints to that classy, luxury feel but it gives the whiplash that many of us crave. It also has a sporty look and nature to it that makes it even more desirable than the R8(well, to me at least). The RS4 runs competitively along side mostly V8 equipped cars so Audi has decided on keeping the V6 but having it supercharged from the factory. The base V6 that powers the RS4 now runs with 290 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. The supercharged version seems to be quoted at a possible 350 hp and slightly under 400 lb-ft of torque.

It is refreshing to see a car company who knows that customers will buy their cars no matter what, still trying to make them quicker, and more stylish. Nice work Audi.

The full article can be read here at AutoBlog.com.

BMW 6-Series: Hamann tuning style

So freakin’ sweet!

I was just flipping through some posts and came across this “Make me want to Gangsta lean” smoke piece.

A couple years ago is when I saw the M6 at the Philly Auto Show and it blew my mind. I have always been a HUGE M3 fan and this was like an M3 that walked into it’s first day of high school and knocked out a senior. Obviously it did not look this good when I first saw it but I saw a lot of potential and apparently Hamann did too. Bless them.

The power increase was a mild 21 hp, but the style add-ons are enough for me to stop, drop and drool. I might just suggest some tint, not too dark, just something to set this baby off.

The full article can be seen here at AutoBlog.com.

It now costs me about $55 to fill up my Subaru!

I guess I am getting a little fed up but I also am not going to complain because I love driving my car. I think there is a crisis here but there are good and bad ways to go about a solution.

I personally am not for off-shore drilling, which seems to be the new fad for some politicians these days. I think we need to look into alternate methods of getting around but destroying the environment is not one that should be considered. Don’t worry I am not going to preach but I thought I would make a post to show my stance at least.

There are many articles about how to go green and how to lower your cost at the pump and I am going to reference some here from CNN, but I am honestly getting sick of it. Even though this is how those company’s are keeping the awareness up, it’s such a drain to have someone keep telling me how awful it is. Then when I am actually at the pump, those rants are all I can muster up a thought about. It makes it worse!

I did however did come across something that was really sweet. I saw this article on CNN.com about a woman who gets 500 dollars a month plus all gas money free, just for having her company’s logo all over her car. I thought this idea was so awesome and actually wish I could do the same for the company I work for. I would have a tough time covering my whole car but a medium-sized banner would be cool for a couple years.

Obviously I am not going to get the chance to put a banner on my car, but there are other things that people can do in their own communities. I am not trying to make others think differently or see things how I do, I am just saying that something needs to be done. You can even click on the follow image to read about an environmental network, the Indigenous Environmental Network, that is having a picnic this Sunday. They do a lot of great things for the environment and the community to keep the awareness up.

By clicking on the picture below you will be taken to their website to see what events and programs they are participating in. I have also included a “Donate” link below if you are feeling generous please give them a hand. This will allow you to make a donation to them to help them continue their fight to keep our planet in check and make it better for all of us.

Click here to donate to the Indigenous Environmental Network

First Full Test: 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8

Sometime last week I posted about the new 2009 Dodge Challenger. Edmund’s Inside Line just recently posted a first and full test of this Mopar Muscle Machine and it appears to have done the car justice.

From their test they are seeing numbers in the realm of 425 hp with 420 pound-feet of torque along with a hefty top speed of 170 mph which is natural, not limited. The Challenger accelerates from 0-60 mph in a surprising time of 5.1 seconds, especially for a car over 4,000 lbs. The base price seems to be listed a tad above $40,000 which is very modest from what I expected.

My favorite part is that they didn’t try to modernize it too much. They left a borderline massive curb weight and still are getting the performance so that this beast is doing it’s former version proud.

The full article can be found here at Edmund’s Inside Line.

X Games 14 Schedule

The X Games 14 is fast approaching and I wanted to let everyone know the schedule, and also have it in a easy to find place for myself, so I posted it below. I bold faced the Rally events but I am not sure if the practice rounds will be televised(*fingers crossed*).

All times WERE listed in Pacific Time but I am an East Coaster and I manually changed them all. I know it doesn’t sound very hard but it was pretty tedious. You can view the Pacific Times here at EXPN.com.

Thursday, July 31

1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Rally Car Racing Tarmac Practice
4:30 p.m. — 7:30 p.m. Skateboard Street Men’s Elimination**
7:30 p.m. — 8:15 p.m. BMX Freestyle Street Final**
8:45 p.m. — 10 p.m. Skateboard Big Air Final
10 p.m. — 11 p.m. Moto X Best Trick Final
12:15 p.m. — 12:30 p.m. Moto X Best Whip*

Friday, August 1

1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Rally Car Tarmac Practice
2 p.m. — 3:30 p.m. Moto X Speed & Style Elimination
3:30 p.m. — 5 p.m. BMX Freestyle SuperPark Elimination
5 p.m. — 6 p.m. Moto X Freestyle Elimination
6 p.m. — 6:45 p.m. Skateboard Street Women’s Final**
6:30 p.m. — 6:45 p.m. Skateboard SuperPark Adaptive Jam
7:15 p.m. — 7:30 p.m. Moto X Racing Adaptive Final*
7:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m. Moto X Racing Men’s & Women’s Seeding
7:30 p.m. — 8:15 p.m. Skateboard Street Men’s Final**
8:45 p.m. — 10 p.m. BMX Freestyle Big Air Final
10 p.m. — 11 p.m. Moto X Step Up Final

Saturday, August 2

2 p.m. — 3 p.m. Skateboard Vert Women’s Final
3 p.m. — 4 p.m. Moto X Speed & Style Final
4 p.m. — 5 p.m. BMX Freestyle SuperPark Final
4:15 p.m. — 4:30 p.m. Moto X Racing Women’s Final
5 p.m. — 6 p.m. Moto X Racing Men’s Final
5:45 p.m. — 7:15 p.m. Skateboard SuperPark Men’s Elimination
7 p.m. — 8:45 p.m. Moto X SuperMoto Final
7:15 p.m. — 8:15 p.m. BMX Freestyle Vert Final
8:45 — 9:30 p.m. Skateboard Vert Men’s Final
9:30 p.m. — 11 p.m. Moto X Freestyle Final

Sunday, August 3

2 p.m. — 3 p.m. Skateboard Vert Am Final
3 p.m. — 3:30 p.m. Rally Car Racing Elimination
3:30 p.m. — 4:30 p.m. Skateboard SuperPark Final
4:30 p.m. — 6 p.m. Rally Car Racing Super Special Final
5 p.m. — 5:30 p.m. Skateboard Legends of Vert Jam*

A Luxury Tuner Special: Wald Bentley Continental GT

It’s been a long while, I shouldn’t of left you….without a dope post to read through. Read through, read through.

Sorry, it was just stuck in my head this morning and it fit what I was trying to say. The holiday and just the past week in general have kept me from posting but that should be much better now. I did find a dope post those that you can read through but it’s about a car that I wouldn’t normally car about, a Bentley.

Now don’t get things crossed, I love Bentleys but it’s not a car that I could see myself driving, even with on the off chance that I could actually afford one(I can’t….ever!). This high roller was all tuned up though. It is the Black Bison addition of Bentley’s Tuner Special.

That is just plain slammin’ and I am flat out amazed by this thing. I would drive this as a daily driver if it was bright yellow with brown polka dots on it. Full details have not been released but rest assure that I will be getting them.

You can view the full article here from Edmund’s Inside Line.

Ford has failed before, but this could avenge them

I am not a Ford fan by any means. I like the older Mustangs but their new models are just so lame. Under powered, and low quality to the point where I feel like I am driving in an enlarged Hotwheel.

I was very surprised to hear that they decided to beef up the existing line up by making the Focus more of a tuner car(they needed one). The RS apparently is going to be pushing around 280hp to compete with the STI(which I think is sort of a longshot). I don’t think it will be anywhere near the STI but from what I have seen, it seems like they are giving it a good run.

Still, I would never EVER choose this:

over this:

X Games 14: July 31-Aug. 3, 2008

Being a Subaru fan and a car fan in general I am amazed that I almost forgot to post about the X Games coming up featuring the Rally competition. Thanks to a friend, Chris, who actually pointed it out that I should mention the games here.

The X Games are held in Los Angeles from July 31-Aug. 3, 2008 and as in previous years the participants in the X Games will be influenced by driver performance in the Rally America events held prior to the popular action-sports competition.

I will keep an eye on this and post the TV schedule when I hear it. If you didn’t watch last year then I can tell you there was a lot that you missed. Such amazing races and close ones at that. There was a last second DQ, cars hopping over others, and just some nasty driving unlike I have ever seen. I think I am going to go drive right now.