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When Cleetus first put up the challenge to pit the best two wheel drive no prep rides up against the best all wheel drive no prep rides, the world lost its mind. The arguing, smack talk, bragging, lies, and stories were unbelievable and led to an incredibly controversial list of cars and trucks that were going to battle it out at Bradenton Motorsports Park. And it was awesome. But the last one was much better than the first and this one promises to be just as good. Let’s see. If you aren’t fami

Our friend Brad King, an amazing pinstriper and letterer, is back with another Stories N’ Steel episode where he is interviewing another legend of the hot rodding world. This time it’s Rick Lefever, a guy who’s accolades in hot rodding are well known, but who’s path to get there might not be. You’ll want to watch this to see what interesting stories and history these two have to tell. CLICK HERE TO SEE OTHER STORIES N’  STEEL HERE ON BANGSHIFT Video Description: Rick “Speed” Lefever is an eni

The Peak Of Man and Machine Pikes Peak is a mountain range in Colorado that is normally just a geological feature, but it also has a long and storied motoring history. Dubbed the "Race to the Clouds," it began its inaugural race in 1916. The race takes place on a 12.42-mile course with 156 turns, climbing from an initial elevation of 9,390 feet to the 14,115-foot summit.  Over the decades, it has become a testing bed for man and machine. Pikes Peak has given the world some of the most iconic rac

Man these cars are something. Ugly? Kinda. Weird? Absolutely. 100% Mopar? You ain’t kidding. There is something about the 1950s to mid 1960s Mopars that makes them really stand out. Styling wise, they were out there on their own, and love them or hate them there was no way to see one and not know what it was. So when Freiburger, who is a semi closeted Moparsman, got the chance to pick up this 1961 Plymouth Belvedere and then drive it down through California, he had to take it. Our friend Dave Wa

There's a famous quote that says, "You don't have to be loud to be unforgettable." Well, the 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX didn't get the memo, and on static display at the 2026 New York International Auto Show, the way this Bloodshot Night Edition looks in person leaves no doubt that there's a monster of an engine under the hood, an impression that sticks with you even without hearing it rumble to life. The torn-effect graphics make it look like it just left the scene of a crime, which will leave easil

Nürburgring Supremacy It has been over three years since the Mercedes-AMG One reset the benchmark for production cars at the 12.9-mile Nürburgring Nordschleife. That 6:29.050 lap still stands in its official category, even after its own improvement run in 2024. But Ford has now stepped in with something different. Instead of chasing that exact production-car record, it brought out the Ford GT Mk IV. The result is a 6:15.977 lap, a time that comfortably clears the AMG’s figure, albeit in a differ

A Comeback Nissan Can’t Afford to Miss Nissan has been out of the rugged SUV game for a while, but the Xterra is finally making a comeback. It was a favorite among off-road fans before it left in 2015, and now, with more buyers looking for tough, go-anywhere SUVs, Nissan is returning to a segment it helped define. Nissan says the Xterra will land in 2028, but this isn’t just a throwback. The new model is aimed at the same crowd that shops the big names in off-road SUVs, and the real news is that

Only in the 1960s did a track like Baileyton Goodtime Dragstrip have an in house wheelstander. I mean it wasn’t theirs, but was regularly seen at the track and there are tons of stories about its history. In the video below, from the Hot Rod Hoarder Tommy Lee Byrd, we’ll see some great images and get all the info on the history of this fun machine. Video Description: Before “Farm Truck” and “Ol Heavy” there was another pickup truck that served as an exhibition drag racer. The Ole Tater Hauler

A late-season winter storm is delivering a punishing mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain across Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, prompting Ice Storm Warnings, Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories from multiple National Weather Service offices. The Weather Prediction Center is tracking the system as the first of back-to-back significant late-season storms, with ice accumulations up to 0.4 inches, snow totals reaching 4 inches in the Keweenaw Peninsula and wind gusts hitti

The 2026 New York Auto Show gives automakers a chance to show off the best they have on offer, especially American carmakers. Obviously, it was the perfect opportunity for Chevrolet to show off some futuristic hypercar concepts, the latest Corvette Grand Sport, as well as its fastest car on sale, the Corvette ZR1X. But instead of flaunting a mass-produced version of the ZR1X, Chevy exhibited a limited-edition version thereof, celebrating America's quarter-millennium birthday. Chevrolet’s 250-Yea

The biggest news at the 2026 New York International Auto Show was, without a doubt, the new Hyundai Boulder concept, an off-road, body-on-frame SUV that previews the Korean automaker's plans for the rest of the decade. Yes, this may just be a concept for now, but Hyundai intends to launch several products drawing influence from this concept by 2030, and since we were present at the launch, we got a good look at the Boulder from every angle. Unfortunately, Hyundai hasn't given us any idea of what

A Familiar Name, Now Playing a Bigger Game The Kia Seltos is a pretty important part of Kia’s US lineup. It’s one of the brand’s volume drivers, helping push record sales early this year. But until now, it’s also been one of the holdouts still relying purely on internal combustion. Adam Lynton/Autoblog That changes with the second-generation Seltos, which just debuted in N

Stars and Stripes Spec Sheet The 2026 Dodge Durango GT America250 is a rolling tribute timed to coincide with the United States’ 250th anniversary, and we finally see it in the metal after being unveiled at the New York International Auto Show. It is not a clean-sheet redesign, but a thematic special edition layered onto the existing Durango GT – one that leans heavily into Americana, both visually and philosophically. Dodge positions it as a celebration of “power, heritage, and patriotic grit,”

The Legend Forged in Sand: Porsche 959 Paris-Dakar The Porsche 959 Paris-Dakar is not just another homologation special. It is one of the most ambitious off-road experiments ever undertaken by Porsche. Built to conquer the Paris-Dakar Rally, the 959 redefined what a supercar could be. Twin turbocharging, advanced all-wheel drive, and adjustable ride height made it a technological leap. When it won in 1986, it validated years of engineering risk. That influence still echoes today. The Porsche 911

The EV federal tax credit has been dead for many months now, but a new discount offered by Honda for the Prologue electric SUV makes it feel like it never went away. The automaker has slashed the price of the 2026 Prologue by $7,500, which was the maximum amount EV buyers used to get as a tax credit. The discount is available across all trims, making the 2026 Prologue much better value for customers. It Starts at Just Under $40,000 After the Price Cut

Volkswagen is recalling 75,323 examples of the 2025 Jetta and 2025 Taos in the United States after confirming that a software error can cause the digital instrument cluster to go completely black while driving. Another 8,040 vehicles are affected in Canada, pushing the North American total past 83,000. The NHTSA recall filing, published March 25, 2026, under campaign number 26V185000, classifies the defect as a violation of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 101. That is the federal rule that

A One-Car Brand, Still Holding the Line It’s still a bit surreal that Chrysler is effectively a one-model operation. And that one model, the Chrysler Pacifica, happens to be a minivan. Not exactly the most glamorous segment, but it’s been doing the heavy lifting for years – and doing it well. It even topped its segment in 2025, which says a lot about how well-rounded the package still is. Chrysler keeps hinting at a bigger comeback, but for now, the 2027 update is what keeps the lights on. We sa

The Big Picture The 2027 Subaru Getaway is the brand’s first proper three-row electric SUV, unveiled at the New York International Auto Show, and we got the chance to see it in the metal. As Subaru’s most ambitious EV yet, it has the proportions to back that: it’s big, unapologetically family-focused, and clearly designed to replace the role of the Subaru Ascent in an electrified future, only now with far more power and tech baked in. This is Subaru leaning hard into electrification without aban

The 2026 New York International Auto Show is in full swing, and Nissan brought its recently revealed 2027 Z Nismo to the event, allowing us to get up close and personal with one of the last remaining manual sports car offerings on the market. Nissan is particularly proud of that six-speed fact, putting an H-pattern decal on the door of a red Z Nismo that was placed above its stand. Personally, I quite like the red paint on this model, as the red accents of a Nismo variant can be a bit garish and

Say what you will about the US import tariffs on automobiles and their unpleasant effects on automakers and buyers alike, but the truth is they have been very successful so far in convincing (i.e. forcing) companies to invest in US manufacturing. The latest one to do so is Polestar, the EV maker majority-owned by China’s Geely, which has announced that it will consolidate US production of Polestar 3 electric SUVs at the Ridgeville, South Carolina plant operated by Volvo Cars (which is also owned

Genesis revealed the GV60 Magma last year, the luxury marque’s first go at a performance sub-brand in the mold of BMW’s M, Audi’s RS, or Merc’s AMG. More than just a classier, upscale version of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, the GV60 Magma will pack an outrageous 601 horsepower when it arrives in the U.S. this summer. Like any great performance car, the GV60 Magma has to look the part, and after seeing it in the metal at this week’s New York International Auto Show, it seems like Genesis has hit a home

It’s no secret that Ford Motor Company is looking to diversify its portfolio with more affordable cars, and there’s has been a lot of talk lately about the brand’s return to the affordable sedan segment. The Blue Oval recently announced plans to launch five new vehicles under $40,000, including a four-door car. This has led to speculation regarding the platform Ford is going to use, with some outlets claiming the C2 architecture, which underpins models like the Bronco Sport, Maverick, and China’

A New GT500 in All but Name The Mustang Dark Horse SC is important for Ford, but not just as another trim. It steps in as the real-world replacement for the Shelby GT500, minus the badge. When it arrived in New York, it was clear Ford built it to fill that gap. The specs line up with what you’d expect. Ford swapped in a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 for the usual naturally aspirated engine, and most of the hardware is aimed at track performance. Carbon fiber wheels are on the options list, the aero

As if Hyundai hadn't already made a big enough splash at the New York International Auto Show with the reveal of the Boulder SUV concept, the automaker has now teased two more wild concepts, expected to debut in the coming days. Very little information has accompanied the teasers, previewed alongside a short clip embedded at the bottom of this article, but we know they're called Venus and Earth, and that their designs will influence future Ioniq EV models. Hyundai plans to make its entire range

Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) has posted its U.S. sales results for March and the first quarter of 2026, and the news isn’t as positive as we’re used to from the Japanese brand. In March, Toyota sold 182,606 vehicles, down by 6.9%, while quarterly sales reached 488,468 units, steadier but still down by 0.3%. These numbers exclude Lexus sales; when taking the luxury brand into account, TMNA sales dropped by 17.3% in March. As we’ll see when digging into the numbers, a decline in sales for the