News

Jeep established an indomitable reputation for building capable off-road SUVs with the original CJ and subsequent generations of the Wrangler. In 2003, the automaker elevated that perception with the even more capable Wrangler Rubicon. It was upgraded with purpose-built hardware straight from the factory, transforming the SUV into the ultimate adventure vehicle. Around 23 years later, Jeep has just hit a major sales milestone for Rubicon-badged models—including the Gladiator Rubicon—with one mil

Jeep unveiled the Wrangler Moab 392 two months ago, the first of 12 special-edition Wranglers to celebrate the brand’s 85th anniversary. One special Wrangler will be released each month for a year, and we’ve already seen two more since the Moab 392. It’s been a bit of a wait, but the V8-powered Moab 392 is finally available to order in all 50 states, including states that have adopted the California Air Resources Board (CARB) emission standards. The presence of a V8-powered Wrangler also gives J

Military Hardware x Pop Culture Comedian and car collector Jeff Dunham is known for owning vehicles that fall well outside traditional enthusiast norms. His extreme rat-rod Humvee featured on Jay Leno’s Garage perfectly reflects that reputation. Underneath the exposed metalwork and oversized tires sits a 1987 AM General Humvee, originally engineered for military service rather than celebrity ownership. The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, or HMMWV, was developed in the 1980s as a rug

Gloves On Some may know Jeff Gordon as the NASCAR legend who, as a young driver, battled the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. for championships in the ’90s. While his racing credentials are unquestionable, could he prove himself just as capable in the garage? In an Instagram post, Chevrolet showed Gordon arriving at its Bowling Green Assembly Plant with his father to help build an LT7 engine for his Corvette ZR1X. Well, the returning Build Your Own Engine program is open to buyers who ordered the Z06, ZR

A Name That Carries Weight The Jensen Interceptor stands out for a certain era in British motoring. When it launched in the 1960s, it mixed Italian design with American V8 power, making a name for itself as a fast, comfortable GT. Production stopped in the 1970s, and while the brand tried to come back a few times – like with the S-V8 in the early 2000s – none of those efforts really stuck. Even so, the Interceptor name never really went away. Jensen International Automotive kept it alive with re

Earlier this week, Volkswagen reported Q1 2026 sales for its lineup in the United States. Overall sales were down by 16.1%, but sales of the Jetta sedan fell even further than the brand’s lineup as a whole, with a drop of 34.9% relative to the same quarter last year. The sedan’s sales figures already fell by 24.4% throughout 2025, and that decline is continuing in 2026. Since so many sedans have been discontinued in the U.S. in recent years, there were legitimate concerns that the Jetta could be

JaguarLand Rover (JLR) has nothing against the new Freelander brand coming to the UK, the carmaker’s new CEO has said. PB Balaji told Autocar that the Chinese-built SUV that features signature Land Rover design cues won’t affect sales of current Land Rover products if they are sold in the UK and Europe. Longer, wider and taller than the standard wheelbase Range Rover, the Freelander 8 production luxury SUV was unveiled in early May in China as the first in a series of new Freelander-badged vehic

A Fresh Coat for a Classic The Land Rover Defender Octa debuted in 2024 as the new flagship of the Defender lineup, bringing high-performance engineering and exclusive customization options. Now, the British marque is extending those premium finishes by making Octa-inspired colors and trim combinations available to more customers through Land Rover Classic. Land Rover Classic – a division dedicated to restoring heritage Land Rovers – is offering these options for the Defender 90 Station Wagon an

Here’s Photo Gallery #2 from Joe Grippo, as we’ve got even more to share from his Best Of 2025. Check them out below and if you missed the first gallery, we’ve got a link below to that one too. Joe Grippo is one of BANGshift’s longest running contributors and has covered everything from junkyards to car shows and drag races to drag and drives, and so much more. He drags his lovely wife, and enthusiastic brother, along with him to some of the shows and races and he’s been contributing for years.

Joe Grippo is one of BANGshift’s longest running contributors and has covered everything from junkyards to car shows and drag races to drag and drives, and so much more. He drags his lovely wife, and enthusiastic brother, along with him to some of the shows and races and he’s been contributing for years. It is kind of amazing to think that he’s been a supporter of the site since its inception, and is still going strong. Big thanks Joe, we appreciate you so much. Here’s his writeup: Well, here

Here’s another great Photo Gallery from Joe Grippo, as we’ve got even more to share from his Best Of 2025. Check them out below and if you missed the previous gallery, we’ve got a link below to that one too. (Words and Photos by Joe Grippo) Joe Grippo is one of BANGshift’s longest running contributors and has covered everything from junkyards to car shows and drag races to drag and drives, and so much more. He drags his lovely wife, and enthusiastic brother, along with him to some of the shows

John Cena’s love affair with fast Hondas just got more expensive. The wrestler turned actor and long time Honda fan recently took his Civic Type R in for service at a dealer in Florida and left with the keys to a brand new 2026 Honda Prelude in Boost Blue, adding the reborn coupe to a garage that already includes one of the best hot hatches on sale.

For years, American farmers couldn't fix their own tractors without going through a John Deere authorized dealer. The company had allegedly withheld diagnostic software, specialized tools, and repair manuals. Plaintiffs argued this "software lock" allowed Deere and its dealers to charge inflated prices. Now, after a four-year legal fight, Deere has agreed to pay $99 million to settle a class action lawsuit accusing it of monopolizing repair services. The fund covers farmers who paid authorized d

After missing it for a couple of years, it was good to be back at the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona in 2025. It was especially cool because the field of cars that were in contention for America’s Most Beautiful Roadster were all over the place in terms of style and attitude, both of which describe the Squeeg’s Kustoms built 1932 Ford Roadster that won. It was my personal pick for the car I loved most, in a field of really cool rides, but I really didn’t think it would win because the st

Goodguys Scottsdale is always a good show, not only because much of the country is starting to get cold, but also because there are a lot of awards and competitions on the line. It’s a great location, there are a lot of folks from the colder climates who are thrilled to be there before weather starts looking real bad everywhere else, and before they head home for the Thanksgiving holiday at home. Check out John’s video below, as he works his way around the show, handles some feature photo shoots

A federal judge in Los Angeles has showed that Tesla and CEO Elon Musk are unlikely to get an early dismissal of a copyright lawsuit tied to the film Blade Runner 2049, keeping the case alive as it moves forward in court. The dispute centers on allegations that Tesla’s marketing for its robotaxi ambitions leaned too heavily on the movie’s distinctive visual language, with the studio behind the film claiming its intellectual property was copied without permission. Related: Production-Ready Tesl

Buying Recalled Cars Was the Business Model A Pittsburgh used-car dealer just landed a huge win against Hyundai Motor America. After years of fighting over recalled vehicles, a Pennsylvania judge has ordered Hyundai to pay almost $10 million. Knight Motors and its sister company, Doman Auto & Marine Sales, both run by the same owner in Pittsburgh, spent most of 2018 and early 2019 snapping up used Hyundai Sonata sedans at auction. In total, they bought 628 cars from the 2011 to 2014 model ye

Florida’s Red-Light Law In Question Red-light cameras have been used for decades, though they are typically installed at busy or high-risk intersections. In Florida, their use is authorized under the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act, which legalized red-light cameras despite calls from some groups to abolish them. Now, however, that system could be one step closer to facing legal scrutiny after a judge dismissed a red-light camera ticket, arguing that the law may be unconstitutional. As it stands

Chevrolet LUV trucks are awesome little pickups, and they seem to be more popular now than ever, which is saying something. My kid has one, and there are a jillion of them out there at the track, especially in small tire racing where they are a hit. They weigh nothing, are easy to work on, will fit most engines although they can be tight up front, and they are loved by nearly everyone. So if you are a fan, watch this latest video with Magneto to see what he can tell us about one of these little

Steve Magnante is back at it, at Backyard Auto in New Hampshire to check out another great muscle car project or two. Today is a 1967 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S Convertible, of which only 2,553 were made! These were the cars that gave birth to the insane Super Stock Hemi Barracuda’s and Darts we all know and love. These were fun little cars, and I think one with a Gen 3 Hemi would be a riot with a TKX or 8HP behind it as well. Check this out, as Steve will give all the info you expect.  

Steve Magnante is back at it, at Backyard Auto in New Hampshire to check out another great muscle car project or two. This is a 1966 Plymouth Barracuda, or a pair to be exact, and while they didn’t come with a Hemi under the hood,but they fit so you could build your own out of this one right here. These were fun little cars, and I think one with a Gen 3 Hemi would be a riot with a TKX or 8HP behind it. Check this out, as Steve will give all the info you expect. The post Junkyard Crawl With

Today’s Magnante junkyard find is a really cool convertible that I think would be an awesome driver. Who doesn’t love a good convertible for Power Tour or Cruisin’ The Coast? Check out this Plymouth Satellite convertible in the junkyard. Magnante is the king of the junkyard crawls and is always finding cool stuff. And speaking of cool, he’s so cool that he doesn’t stop junkyard crawls just because there is snow on the ground. In fact, I think he’s happier when it’s cold than when it’s hot, but I

A Verdict With Real Traction A New Mexico jury has ordered Michelin North America to pay $220 million in a wrongful-death lawsuit stemming from a tire blowout involving a Ford Excursion. Per Car Complaints, the plaintiffs, including vehicle owner Mr. Eleazar Marin, alleged that the tire in question – an all-season Michelin LTX M/S2 – was defective at the time it left the factory. The incident occurred in Gaines County, Texas, in 2021, when the front-left tire of the Excursion allegedly suffered

Genesis and Its Magmatic Direction When it comes to reinvention, Hyundai seems to know when and how to do it properly. One of the brand's major moves has been beefing up its performance capabilities and street cred. The now-renowned N division birthed the much-lauded and highly influential Ioniq 5 N, one of the first purpose-built performance EVs. More recently, the Hyundai Group set its sights on adding some heat to its luxury division through the Genesis GV60 Magma, and it seems it isn't stopp

– Kalitta breaks TF track speed record in win – Capps powers to another FC victory – Hartford rolls to second PS win in four races – Herrera sweeps weekend in PSM CONCORD, N.C. (April 26, 2026) – Reigning Top Fuel world champion Doug Kalitta shattered the track speed record in the final round en route to the win on Sunday at zMAX Dragway, beating a loaded final quad of Shawn Langdon, Tony Stewart and Leah Pruett at the 16th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals. Ron Capps (Funny Car), Matt Hartfor