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For Doug Kalitta, this year’s fall visit to In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip for the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals marked a far different feel. There were no tense moments, no chance at heartbreak and not even a need for a thrilling winner-take-all finish. Instead, the championship came on Saturday, summarizing an incredible jaunt through the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. After years of second-place finishes and near-misses, Kalitta won the Top Fuel championship for the second time in three years, continuing a brilliant run with crew chief Alan Johnson. He matched his cousin Scott’s two world championships and added another impressive notch in the Kalitta family legacy. Doing it without any sort of championship drama in Pomona also made it just a bit sweeter as well. Kalitta advanced to the final round at the first four playoff races, winning twice and showcasing consistency that none of his counterparts could match in the second half of the season. Kalitta and his team simply got better as the 2025 NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series rolled on, winning four times, advancing to seven final rounds and claiming yet another world title in his 12,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster for Kalitta Motorsports. “This is definitely a lot easier, I can tell you that,” Kalitta said. “I’ve never had a relaxing Pomona. It’s always seemed to come down to the last race, last day, but we had a nice string of runs throughout the Countdown. Alan [Johnson, crew chief] and my whole team have had my car going down the track. It’s been really nice, and just not doing something stupid on the track and getting good, solid runs. “Alan is always throwing down and always has something up his sleeve. So, I’m just really proud of him and my whole team. It’s a huge relief to be able to win the championship and we’re all just super happy.” Kalitta was a standout in qualifying, taking the No. 1 spot eight times in 2025, but minus a final-round showing early in Phoenix, the team didn’t get rolling until July. They had stayed consistently fourth in points behind Tony Stewart, teammate Shawn Langdon and Justin Ashley, but really turned it on in Sonoma. Kalitta won back-to-back races in Sonoma and Brainerd, entering the playoffs fourth in points. The team’s resolve was tested at the playoff opener in Reading, where, after taking a first-round win over Tony Stewart, Kalitta’s car swerved across the centerline and collided with Stewart’s dragster. Neither driver was injured, and Kalitta’s team continued on with a backup car, reaching the final round. He jumped into the points lead and never looked back, distancing himself from Stewart, Ashley and Langdon with a final-round showing in Charlotte and then wins in St. Louis and Dallas. Kalitta defeated Ida Zetterström in the final round in St. Louis and four-time world champ Steve Torrence in the final round in Dallas to cement his points lead. A semifinal finish in Las Vegas gave Kalitta enough of a points lead to ensure the championship was his. “You have to have guys putting that car together exactly the same each and every run to get the consistency for any of these guys to be able to tune the car, so it’s just huge,” Kalitta said. “It was definitely a tribute to the guys. “We had a lot of confidence in our back-up car (in Reading) and we just hit the ground running once we switched. It’s a heck of an opportunity to drive for Connie. It’s so competitive out here and we all want to win. It’s very cool (to have two titles) and have this opportunity.” Kalitta also put up big numbers this season, including an epic performance in Seattle that included a run of 3.628-seconds at 341.34 mph, which was the second-quickest and third-fastest run in NHRA history at the time. The championship is the sixth for team owner Connie Kalitta and Kalitta Motorsports, and its fourth in Top Fuel. Scott Kalitta won back-to-back Top Fuel crowns in 1994 and ’95 to precede his cousin Doug’s two titles. Del Worsham won Kalitta’s first Funny Car championship in 2015 and J.R. Todd won another in 2018. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series kicks off its 75th anniversary season in 2026 on March 5-8 with the NHRA Gatornationals at legendary Gainesville Raceway. This story was originally published on December 2, 2025. The post Doug Kalitta’s Top Fuel Title Run Fueled By Red-Hot Second Half of 2025 Season first appeared on Drag Illustrated. View the full article

Only three days ago, Toyota teased its new sports car, which will be named GR GT. Now, the Japanese automaker has given us another teaser image and announced that the GR GT will be just one of three new sports cars to be revealed on December 5. Toyota didn't provide any information about the cars, but the images tell us quite a lot. The car in the foreground is the aforementioned GR GT, while the one furthest away from the camera, on the right-hand side of the image, is its racing counterpart; Toyota has promised to develop racing cars first and then adapt them for road applications in order to maximize performance and minimize compromises in handling and performance. Finally, the car to the left of the image appears to be the production version of the gorgeous Lexus Sport Coupe concept, shown back in August. Toyota Teases Polyzygotic Triplets Toyota The non-identical triplets will have similar genes, but different styling and, presumably, different power outputs. The Lexus coupe, with its almost Kia-like taillights, appears to have a shorter hood and a swoopier rear end than the Toyota alongside it, and the door panel has a more angular crease at the shoulder line. Although it's impossible to tell from this single shadowy teaser, the Lexus may also wear a panoramic glass roof, rather than the conventional panel atop the Toyota GR GT. The shark fin on the rear glass of the Lexus was a high-mounted brake light on the concept, and it could be the same here, while the glass it sits upon is also unconventional. We expect an adaptive trunk spoiler like the concept, too. Related: Lexus’ Next Supercar Spotted: Three Versions of the LFA Successor on Track As for the GR GT, which we already know has GR86-esque headlights and a glasshouse not dissimilar from that of the GR Supra, its track-only twin appears to have aggressive louvers above each front fender. Interestingly, it also appears to have a protruding bumper, which is unusual for racing cars - or any modern car, for that matter. We'll have to wait for clearer imagery to see what's really going on. Long Hoods Allow Large Engines Toyota As noted above, the Lexus doesn't appear to have as large an engine bay as the Toyota pair, which is expected to be powered by a hybridized twin-turbo V8 capable of as much as 900 horsepower. This could indicate a different powertrain, but we doubt Toyota would go to the effort of developing such an engine and then restrict it to only the Gazoo Racing products - especially since a V8 is a key part of the identity of the current Lexus LC and the departing RC F. Moreover, anything but a V8 in the six-figure space is a hard sell these days, and there's no doubt that comparisons with the LFA will be made. Sure, this won't have a screaming V10, but a V8 is as close as we can get these days. But enough speculation; we must wait for concrete info, coming at the end of the week. View the full article

The potential 2026 IHRA schedule is packed with some interesting locations. Here's a look at where the IHRA could be headed next year.View the full article

The founder behind Kove Moto returns with a new company and a three cylinder ADV that could shake up the segment. View the full article

The beloved Midwest "Waconia" snowmobile gathering has reclaimed its lakeside character for 2026.View the full article

Between its potent performance, gorgeous lines, and presence in the James Bond film Goldfinger, the Aston Martin DB5 has achieved legendary status. It also paved the way for today's powerful Aston Martin GTs. The grand tourer’s rarity—just 1,022 models were built between 1963 and 1965—is another factor contributing to its desirability, which is why a Welshman named John Williams refused to give up the DB5 he bought in the early 1970s. Now, thanks to Aston Martin Works, Williams’ DB5 has been fully restored, to the point where its value has skyrocketed up to £1 million (around $1.32 million). That’s not bad for a car that was originally purchased for £900. Related: All 25 James Bond movies ranked only by their cars A Dream Car Purchase 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Aston Martin View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article Not many of us get to purchase our dream car as a teenager, but John Williams accomplished that with this DB5 in 1973. Aged 19, he was a welder and garage owner, and set a goal the previous year of saving up enough to buy a DB5. The 1965 example he found required an hours-long train ride from North Wales to London, where he handed over the £900 (just short of $1,200) for the GT. Williams used the car as a daily driver for four years, but a new job in the Middle East in 1977 meant it ended up standing on his driveway. Aston Martin “Then… 'life' happened, he said. “I'd had offers to buy her, and times when I could have done with the money, but I resisted and, as Sue [John's wife] said 'you'll never get another one'.” The car’s condition deteriorated over time, not helped by the neighbors’ kids who bounced on the hood and even snapped off the exhaust pipe when they came over to play. Decades later, Williams chose Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell to complete the restoration, a process that started in 2022 and took three years. Related: James Bond Aston Martin V8 with its gadgets headed to auction Returned To Its Former Glory 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Aston Martin View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article The completely restored DB5 looks as regal as the day it left the factory. This was much more than an aesthetic refresh—the car was restored right down to the chassis and Superleggera frame. This particular example has a particularly desirable specification. It’s finished in Silver Birch paint, one of only 39 DB5 saloons in this color. It also has the higher-output Vantage 4.0-liter six-cylinder engine, which produces around 325 horsepower. It took the Panel, Paint, Trim, and Heritage Workshops at Aston Martin over 2,500 hours to complete the restoration. “Although the car was in a profoundly run-down condition when it arrived, we always relish a challenge and I knew we have the skills, dedication and expertise to return the car to a better-than-new condition,” said Paul Spires, President of Aston Martin Works. “I know it has been understandably emotional to see the car that they have owned for more than half a century restored so meticulously, and I know that every member of the team here hopes they can enjoy many years of happy motoring in their 'new' DB5.” 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Aston Martin View the 6 images of this gallery on the original article While Williams spent under $1,200 on the DB5 when he originally purchased it, Spires estimates that the restored GT is valued over $1.3 million, which is some return on one’s investment. “It's probably almost 50 years since I have driven this car, but the experience is phenomenal,” said Williams. “It's just... unbelievable. My girl's back and up and running! Back to her former glory.” A few years ago, Aston Martin announced a run of 25 DB5 Continuation cars, which were track-only reproductions of the DB5 from Goldfinger. The first one was completed in 2020, and all had a starting price of $3.4 million. That project, along with this restoration of John Williams’ 1965 DB5, underlines the passion that still exists for one of the British marque’s greatest cars. View the full article

A SEMA Idea ResurfacesBefore the Mustang GTD era swallowed most of Ford's performance attention, there was another factory-backed monster waiting in the wings. At the 2023 SEMA Show, Ford revealed the original Mustang FP800S concept package, built around the S650 Mustang GT and a 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger that pushed the Coyote V8 to 800 horsepower. It was meant to preview a future production upgrade, though after that event, the trail went quiet and no formal follow-up ever came from Dearborn. Well, until recently. A new version called the FP800S Bronze Magneride Package has appeared on the Ford Custom Garage website. Ford has yet to issue any official announcement, and the package is still labeled as a concept. However, with the content on full display on a customer-facing configurator, Ford may be preparing to finally offer the 800-hp upgrade to owners. For those who remember the SEMA car and wondered if it would ever graduate from showpiece to reality, this is the clearest sign so far. Ford Custom Garage What the Package Comes WithThe bones of this new Bronze Magneride Package are familiar. The headline item remains the 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger, backed by an air/oil separator kit, upgraded half shafts, and a "street" lowering kit. A Borla Extreme cat-back exhaust is also present, along with the expected Ford Performance badging. Owners will also get a ProCal tool to recalibrate the speedometer once the hardware goes on properly. What sets the new package apart is the 19-inch R1 forged wheels, which wear bronze accents. That color carries over to the lug nuts, graphics, and the inserts on the front grille. The bodywork gets a few upgrades too, including wheel spats plus front splitter, hood vents, mirror caps, and a carbon fiber Dark Horse spoiler. Recaro seats with Ford Performance logos and an FP800S keychain round out the interior inclusions. Ford Custom Garage How Much, You Ask?As mentioned, the package is still listed as a concept on Ford Custom Garage, and the Blue Oval has not confirmed when customers will actually be able to order it, so that's a mystery at this point. The lack of pricing also leaves a large question mark. Looking at the hardware involved, it is unlikely to be positioned as a casual add-on. Between the supercharger, carbon bits, and chassis upgrades, customers should expect a figure that sits above what Mustang owners typically spend on appearance packs. Ford Custom Garage View the 7 images of this gallery on the original article View the full article

This onboard footage of the 2025 Macau Grand Prix might make you think you're watching it at 2x speed, but I promise that you're not.View the full article

The new JOG Electric brings Yamaha into the battery swapping era with a light, friendly city scooter. View the full article

Say hello to the new Harley-Davidson X440T, which refines and reimagines several of the styling cues from the X440 that fans didn't previously like.View the full article

Does this mean that I #bearacer? No. But did I feel like one every time I took this lil guy out on track all weekend? Definitely closer than I thought.View the full article

Safety ConcernsAutomotive lawsuits cover a wide range of issues. They are usually filed for faulty products, missing features, or, worst, for vehicle occupant safety being put on the line. The latter is the most concerning, considering that a bulk of the value sold to a customer is the safety features and safeguards installed in the vehicle. A lawsuit filed against Ford in Arizona belongs in the latter, claiming that a defect in the C-Max Hybrid's design has some very serious, lethal repercussions. Ford Deadly ChemicalsThe lawsuit was brought to light by the Jinks Crow Trial Lawyers and Beasley Allen Law Firm, who are representing the plaintiffs – the family of 60-year-old Abimael Feliciano, a Dothan resident who died after toxic fumes filled the inside of his Ford C-Max Hybrid. According to the law firms, "Feliciano was found unresponsive inside his vehicle at a traffic light in Dothan on August 8, 2023. The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences later confirmed that he died from hydrogen sulfide exposure, a toxic gas that can be deadly even in small amounts." During the investigation, apart from confirming hydrogen sulfide exposure, it was also determined that Ford didn't properly install the hybrid system's battery vent tube, leading to toxic fumes leaking into the cabin while the vehicle was being driven under normal conditions. Ford Insufficient Safety Measures and FeaturesThe suit names the Ford Motor Company as the defendant, along with Bill Luke Tempe, Camelback Ford Lincoln, and Sanderson Ford – all Arizona-based dealerships. It claims that the vehicle contained serious defects and that the repairs, warnings, and safety protections intended to protect drivers from toxic gases were insufficient. In other words, the plaintiff and their lawyers argue that there should be more standard safety features for hybrid battery vehicles to prevent this from happening, and they are also seeking to raise awareness of the issue. Historically speaking, lawsuits regarding Hydrogen Sulfide poisoning are brought up by factory workers or residents who were exposed to the harmful toxin by being near industrial sites. The fact that it occurred in a vehicle that is supposedly a finished product raises serious concerns for the plaintiffs. Ford View the full article

The inReach Mini 2 is almost universally beloved by explorers, backcountry athletes, and hunters. But Garmin's new inReach Mini 3 sets the bar even higher.View the full article

When I was a kid in the mid-80’s, my dad worked at a Chevrolet dealership and had a demo car. His was an IROC-Z with the 305 and a 5-speed. The stick wasn’t offered behind the 350, but the 305 still put smiles on faces, so that’s good. I remember lots of speed shifts, clutch dumps, and fun. So when Dylan recently found this abandoned IROC-Z in a score that included some other fun projects, I knew I’d want to follow along on the rescue. Video Description: This Camaro IROC-Z was left abandoned in a storage building since the late 90s. Can we make it run and drive to relive its former glory? Follow along with our restoration process! The post ABANDONED Camaro IROC-Z Rescued After 28 Years! Will Dylan McCool Be Able To Make It Run and Drive? appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Moto News Weekly Wrap December 2, 2025 What’s New: Daniel Sanders to lead KTM’s 2026 Dakar efforts Dakar admin and tech scrutineering complete Beau Bailey tops Victorian Solo Championship North Brisbane Cup – End of an Era Jo Shimoda undergoes successful surgery Dean Wilson to defend UK Arenacross title in 2026 KTM’s AusProMX roster revealed […] The post Moto News | Dakar | SX | MX | NSW Track | Sand Racing appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

The 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports v NASCAR antitrust lawsuit trial began in earnest on Monday and included jury selection, opening statements by both parties and the partial testimony of the first witness. Denny Hamlin. Between the partial testimony of the co-owner of 23XI, which was conducted by Jeanifer Parsigian, a partner at Winston & Strawn, and the opening statement delivered ...Keep readingView the full article

Ducati’s Panigale V4 S to be available at MEGA Ride Days MEGA (Motorcycling Events Group Australia) and Ducati Australia & New Zealand will team up to give riders access to the Panigale V4 S at Ride Days at two of Australia’s most iconic circuits – Sydney Motorsport Park and Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, kicking […] The post Ride Ducati V4 S with MEGA at SMP and Phillip Island Ride Days appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

High performance Ducati bicycles and e-bikes on the way While KTM have divested their interests in the bicycle industry, Ducati have upped its investment in the category with a new project dedicated to the development, production, and distribution of a broader range of high-performance bicycles, after having first entered the e-bike world in 2018. The […] The post Ducati reveal new high performance bicycle & e-bike range appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

Florida introduced a new rule on 1 October that many drivers still don’t know exists. Earlier this year, Florida implemented a law that targets first-time speeding offenders, and now they've aimed the crosshairs at drivers with license plate decorations. What used to be a harmless bit of personal style or a common dealership add-on can now saddle everyday motorists with a second-degree misdemeanor. House Bill 253 was pitched as a targeted crackdown on people who intentionally hide their plates, especially those using gadgets to dodge speed cameras. In reality, the law sweeps much wider, and plenty of innocent drivers are only now realizing that the tiniest frame, cover, or accessory could leave them with a criminal record. Small Details Turn Into Big Trouble Getty HB 253 increases the penalty for obscuring a license plate from a traffic infraction to a second-degree misdemeanor. The text is blunt: “A person may not apply or attach a substance, reflective matter, illuminated device, spray, coating, covering, or other material onto or around any license plate which interferes with the legibility, angular visibility, or detectability” of the plate. In theory, the wording targets deliberate tampering. In practice, most people have no idea their plate is “obscured” at all. License plate frames from dealerships, covers left by previous owners, and novelty borders that clip a corner of a hideous license plate now fall under the same legal category as someone using a flipper or reflective spray to fool cameras. Punishment includes up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500 despite these accessories being openly sold for decades. Why Innocent Drivers Will Pay the PriceThe bill states that only those who “knowingly” alter or obscure their plate commit the second-degree misdemeanor. The problem is that “knowingly” isn't clearly defined. If your car came with a decorative frame from the dealer, did you “knowingly” obscure it? If you bought a used car and the previous owner installed a cover, does that make you criminally liable? Under HB 253, the answer could very well be yes. Worse still, the law groups accidental obstruction with possession of a “license plate obscuring device,” a category that includes flippers, switching mechanisms, and anything designed to hide a plate from detection, like the Vusi Studios Vanish Plate. Possessing one is also a second-degree misdemeanor. Selling or distributing one, on the other hand, is a first-degree misdemeanor. And using one during a crime escalates the charge to a third-degree felony. Myth:Reality: A Crackdown That May Create More Problems Than It SolvesWe're all on the same page here. Hiding or obscuring your number plate should be illegal. But HB 253 will lead to decorative license plate frames and covers joining the list of the most commonly broken driving laws – an infringement that shouldn't carry the same punishment as a person driving under the influence, nor a person who installed a device designed to evade law enforcement. Much like Texas's new vehicle registration law, Florida's HB 253 will lead to thousands of Floridians suddenly carrying criminal records. Instead of hunkering down on reckless drivers who put others' lives at risk, this new law targets oblivious drivers with no ill intent. View the full article

In America, if a consumer doesn't like the product, they have the right to explore legal recourse, and many do. Honda has been taken to court over steering issues, Ford is being sued due to a missing F-150 Lightning feature, and GM has to resort to legal counsel because of allegedly defective V8 engines. Now, Toyota is heading to the courtroom for a class action lawsuit arising because of allegedly defective eight-speed transmissions, according to Car Complaints. The transmissions are produced and supplied by Aisin, which is a member of the Toyota Group and, according to the lawsuit, is 25% owned by Toyota. That's not quite accurate, as Reuters reported last year that Toyota has offloaded some $1 billion in shares, bringing its stake from 24.8% to 20%. Regardless, the lawsuit blames Toyota. So what's the problem, and which cars are affected? Numerous Toyota Models Named In Class Action Toyota The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by plaintiff Neil Pallaya, alleges that numerous Toyota and Lexus models equipped with the eight-speed auto "slip, hesitate, lose power, make loud whining sounds, shift erratically, and fail." That's quite a list of concerns, and the lawsuit names the following models: 2017-present Toyota Highlander2024-present Toyota Grand Highlander2018-2024 Toyota Camry2017-2020 Toyota Sienna2019-2022 Toyota Avalon2019-present Toyota RAV42023-present Lexus RX 3502021-present Lexus ES 2502019-present Lexus ES 3502022-present Lexus NX 250 and NX 3502024-present Lexus TX 350The abovementioned plaintiff bought a new 2020 Toyota Highlander in December of that year, which features the 2GR-FKS 3.5-liter V6 engine and UA80E transmission, the latter of which also appears in all the abovementioned cars. The car came with a five-year/60,000-mile limited warranty, which would have been all good, but in September 2025, with roughly 67,200 miles on the clock, "the eight-speed transmission began making a persistent high-pitched whining noise when pressing the accelerator." The lawsuit alleges that a dealer inspection revealed that the transmission had failed and needed replacement at an estimated cost of $7,451.33. With the warranty having expired, the customer was on the hook for the bill. Plaintiff Files For $5 Million, Alleges Toyota Knew About Issues For Years Toyota The suit, which is asking for "more than $5 million," reportedly cost Pallaya $405 to file. His transmission still has not been repaired, and he says that the Highlander SUV has a "diminished quality and value than represented and failed to meet ordinary consumer expectations regarding safe and reliable operation." Moreover, he contends that Toyota and Aisin knew about the problems with this transmission (where excessive heat allegedly builds up inside the torque converter, causing the transmission fluid to burn and prematurely degrade, damaging the clutch) all the way back in 2015. Related: Toyota Sued for $5.7 Billion Over Mirai Hydrogen Cars Pallaya's class action claims that the two companies should have ordered a redesign of either the torque converters or the transmissions after Toyota's warranty analytics group allegedly flagged the transmission as a "high-priority powertrain concern" by February of 2017. This is said to have prompted a series of Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) to address a "harsh shift," "hesitation," "abnormal transmission noise," and "improper torque converter operation." The lawsuit also brings attention to the transmission control module software and claims that the transmission should last at least 200,000 miles. The numerous relevant TSBs are listed below: Toyota Tech Tip T-TT-0410 (August 17, 2016)T-SB-0187-17 (February 20, 2017)T-SB-0194-17 (March 2, 2017)T-SB-0330-17 (December 11, 2017)T-SB-0001-18 (January 8, 2018)T-TT-0474-18 (January 10, 2018)T-SB-0010-18 (February 2, 2018)T-SB-0018-18 (March 2, 2018)T-SB-0160-18 (December 18, 2018)Customer Support Program JZC (April 18, 2019)T-SB-0107-19 (August 15, 2019)T-SB-0152-19 (November 1, 2019)T-TT-0580-19 (November 4, 2019) and T-TT-0580-19_Rev (January 27, 2020)T-TT-0615 (June 1, 2020)L-TT-0288-20 (June 10, 2020)T-SB-0105-20 (October 18, 2020)T-SB-0122-20 (December 14, 2020)T-SB-0008-21 (February 9, 2021)L-SB-0003-21 (February 9, 2021)T-SB-0087-23 (November 3, 2023)View the full article

The Elite Motorsports Million could create the first million-dollar drag racing payday. Here's who we think could win the big money.View the full article

Did We Find The Best All-Around Mud Terrain Ever Made? We just tested a set of 37×12.5R17 Firestone Destination M/T2 tires on the 6G 4Runner, and these are the best... The post Firestone Destination M/T2 Review – The Best Mud Terrain On Wet Roads? appeared first on Trail4R.com - 5th Gen 4Runner Mods. View the full article

Tamarit Motorcycles. If you've been around the custom scene for more than a minute, that name is synonymous with Triumph Modern Classics. The Spanish workshop, based in Alicante, has established itself as the world’s leading specialist in transforming bikes powered by the venerable Triumph engines.T... View the full article

When it comes to road trips we’re always saying that it is the journey, not the destination, that is most important. And when building hot rods or race cars we often say that the process is as important as the finished product. So if those things are true, does the process have to match the finished project. If you are building an ultra high end hot rod, do you need to use ultra high end tools? Or can you build one with what you have and the finished product is all that matters? And to take it to another level, do you need to use period correct tools for the build you’ve got going? Does a 1990’s custom truck need 1990’s tools? If you are building a traditional hot rod that is going to look like it was built in 1950, do you need to use 1949 and 1950’s era tools for the build? The Iron Trap Garage boys talked about this recently on their podcast, so what it below and let us know what you think. Video Description: Matt and Mike sit down to discuss a very interesting topic that gets brought up during conversations and in the comments sections of our videos, modern tools for building a “traditional hot rod”. While we feel that that look and style of the car is what makes it traditional, some people feel it should be built the traditional way was well! Leave a comment with your thoughts!! The post Can We Use Modern Tools & Tech And Still Build A Traditional Style Hot Rod? Is The Finished Project All That Matters? Or Does The Method Matter Too? appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Reworked for SpeedWhen it comes to pure acceleration and performance, Electric Vehicles (EVs) have always been at the top of the food chain. We've all seen those videos of Tesla models seemingly obliterating the most powerful ICE supercars and hypercars at drag races, only to be beaten by another EV in a separate race. The competition's just that tough. When it comes to utilitarian pickup EVs, though, the conversation changes; speed isn't necessarily the most important feature. In the case of the Rivian R1T Quad Motor, the highlight was the "Tank Turn" when it was first announced. Rivian has already gone back to the drawing board and reworked the Quad Motor R1T for its production guise – and this time, the EV startup gave it the acceleration of a true performance EV, as seen in a recent independent test. Four Motors and 1,025 Electric PoniesIn a recent test by Car and Driver, the publication put the Rivian R1T Quad Motor up against the Tesla Cybertruck to see if there is indeed a significant improvement over the previous Quad Motor. The Rivian hit a blistering 0-60 mph sprint of just 2.6 seconds. Of note, the Tesla kept up despite being on less sticky tires than the Rivian. As the speeds increased, things changed. According to the publication, at 70 mph, the Rivian noses ahead of the Tesla. At 100 mph, the R1T is almost a full second ahead, at 6.0 seconds, compared to the Cybertruck's 6.9 seconds. Even more, the Rivian blasts past the quarter mile at 128 mph in 10.6 seconds, while the Tesla only manages an 11.0-second run at 119 mph. It seems insane to think an EV pickup could have Bugatti power, but it's become the norm nowadays. We see the likes of the GMC Hummer EV with around 1,000 hp, and then the Tesla Cybertruck in Cyberbeast configuration at 834 hp. Rivian has responded with the recalibrated Quad Motor R1T, featuring 1,025 hp and 1,198 lb-ft of earth-moving torque. Rivian Quicker Than MostThe numbers posted by Rivian during the test are nothing to scoff at, mind you. They aren't just quick for a truck – they're quick. Period. Just to put things into context, the Rivian R1T Quad Motor is quicker to 60 than purpose-built, carbon-shod performance supercars like the Chevy Corvette E-Ray, Mercedes-AMG GT63, and, get this, thePorsche 911 GT3 RS. All of this makes the Rivian R1T Quad Motor a true sleeper in EV form that can haul stuff you won't dare in your Porsche. View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article View the full article