Nissan not shuttering Leaf EV battery plants, at least not yet By

The big news on the electric vehicle front today is that Nissan is considering slowing down EV battery production in the US and UK and source all of Nissan's big packs come from Japan.

This incredible Mercedes V12 sculpture is built from bone, wood and fossils

We've seen some impressive automotive replicas, but this one definitely takes the prize as the most unique yet.

1967 Toyota 2000GT Solar Electric Vehicle

You may have packed James Bond's cars with plenty of killer tech (get it?), but the 1967 Toyota 2000GT you see above has got it's own bad boy secrets.

Ford Mondeo Titanium X Sport

The Ford Mondeo range of cars offers the best in style, appearance and performance on the roads without compromising on quality or safety.

Corvette Z06 tops Motor Trend list of shortest-stopping vehicles

Any modern performance car worth buying puts just as much emphasis on stopping as it does on going

Sunday, December 28, 2008

All Season Tires

All season truck tires usually have no business going off-road, as their composition and tread designs are not built to handle beatings from off-road conditions. They do, however, provide long-lasting tread that excels on wet or dry paved roads and offers tremendous longevity. Most stock vehicles come equipped with all season tires. For vehicle enthusiasts adding larger truck tires just for show, all-season truck tires are likely the most efficient way to go. Granted, you won't get that aggressive look that's quite popular as of late, but that may be a small price to pay for truck tires that will last you tens of thousands of miles longer than more aggressive truck tires.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Choosing the Right Type of Tires

Before plunging headfirst into the sea of offroad tires trucks and coming out with the meanest, most intimidating monsters you can find, you have to at least know what type of monsters will best suit your offroad tires needs. First and foremost, you need to ask yourself a few questions. What type of off-road activities will you be doing the most? How much on-road and off-road driving will you do? What qualities in particular are you most concerned with -- durability, performance, traction, appearance, or ride quality? How much are you willing to spend? Taking some time to consider these important questions can help to narrow down what type of off-road tires are best for you.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Sizing Tire

Tire sizing can be a tricky thing, mostly because the size of offroad tires you have in mind is dependent upon a number of factors. The most obvious question is first whether your vehicle is capable of handling the size of off-road tires that you want, and if not, what modifications do you need to make in order for the offroad tires to fit? Unfortunately, there aren't any universal, all-authoritative guides available to simplify the process, since customization and modification is vehicle-specific. Your best bet for getting a better idea of your vehicle's specifications is to contact the manufacturer. This will give you a general sense for what your vehicle is capable of so that you don't exceed its limits, or that you have the right parts installed in case you do. In terms of choosing the right lift kit, accessories, and knowing what modifications to make, factory service manuals, off-road magazines, internet message boards, manufacturer's guides, and a number of other resources are available to assist you.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

2010 Mustang

With the recent release of the 2010 Mustang, ushering in a totally new generation of Ponies, interest in this classic muscle car has never been higher. No matter what version of the Mustang you have, you've probably been bitten by the customization bug. Whether you just got your first Mustang, or have been a proud owner of one of these great cars for longer than you can remember, AmericanMuscle can fulfill all your Mustang modding dreams.

And the best place to start your customization adventures is with a set of brand new Mustang rims. Our monstrous variety of Mustang wheels means you can pick out ones that perfectly highlight your tires, your body kit and help to tie the overall design of your personalized 'stang together.image1image2
But rims are only a good start. Keep going and you might find that your stock Mustang hood needs an upgrade. And if you navigate over to AmericanMuscle, you also *might* find some of the highest-quality, aggressively-styled aftermarket hoods available on the Internet. It's one of the first parts of your car that people are going to see, but only for a minute while you blow by them, so leave them with something to talk about.

Moving to the interior of the car, floor mats are an especially easy modification to make, and one that really lets your particular Mustang stand out from the rest of the crowd and their dull, factory accessories. We carry mats for GTs, Cobras, Bullitts, Mach 1s, for both coupes and convertibles and in several colors and styles. And best of all, these mats are all made of the same durable, attractive material that will last as long as your pony does.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Audi R8 V10

Audi is cranking up the juice on its flagship R8 sports car with the introduction of the Audi R8
V10 5.2 FSI quattro, which got an early reveal on the web today. The Audi R8 shares some less visible bits with its corporate cousin, the Lamborghini Gallardo, but until now the Lambo's V10 engine has remained exclusive to the Italian side of the family. The Audi R8 V10 will be the street going version of the Audi R8 LMS that debuted a couple of weeks ago at the Essen Motor Show in Germany.

It's 5.2L V10 is rated at 525 horsepower and 390.91 lb-ft of torque in European spec form. Those numbers fall a bit shy of the latest Lambo Gallardo LP560-4 even with the same displacement, which ensures that the Lambo can still command a price premium over the German machine. The U.S. version of the Audi R8 V10 should remain pretty close to these numbers. That will be enough to push the 0-62 sprint under four seconds to 3.9 seconds. Unfortunately, the R8 is still saddled with the same craptastic 6-speed R-tronic as the only alternative to its proper manual gearbox.

The Audi R8 V10 now also inches closer to the magical 200 mph mark with a terminal velocity of 196 mph. The Audi R8 V10 version gets a new set of all-LED headlights for both high and low beams and the scoops on the side blades now bulge out to suck in the extra air needed to feed and cool the larger engine and new design wheels and tires. A new rear diffuser also helps keep the rear end planted where a set of twin oval tailpipes replace the quad exhausts on the standard model. The R8 V10 will be available in Germany starting next spring with a base price of EUR 142,400 (approx $180,000) and will make its official debut in January at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. This car now should hang with some serious motorcycles now.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

The Case for Radial Off-Road Tires

Although Bias off-road tires are ideal for the extreme off-road enthusiast, this is not to suggest that radial off-road tires aren't effective on harsh terrain. On the contrary, the latest radial truck tires perform quite well in off-road situations, and are designed with versatility in mind to produce better road handling characteristics, even at high speeds. While radial offroad tires may not provide the same traction or performance as a set of low air pressure bias offroad tires, their longevity, handling, and smooth ride on paved roads makes up for it. Radials are perfect for the weekend off-road enthusiasts who see a lot of driving time on paved roads.