The all wheel drive Japanese automaker Subaru will come to the Los Angeles Motor Show with a Special Edition version of their turbocharged high performance hot hatch Impreza WRX STI, and unlike their last take on the sport compact with the STI Carbon that was more of a softer luxurious ride, this special edition STI could be too hot to handle. The Scooby will be covered in a unique shade of Aspen White and limited to only 125 units, much like when they offered the STI Limited back in 2007. Aside from the frosty paint job, the Special Edition STI will include a variety of suspension components from the razor sharp WRX STI Spec C model from the Japanese Domestic Market. Not only do you get the track ready STI’s thicker rear sway bar, but the bushings are firmer and the shock and spring package has been significantly stiffened at all four corners.
The Special Edition WRX STI will be about as close as the American market will get to a Spec C from the Japanese automaker as it will also ride on the JDM version’s charcoal colored 18 inch wheels. A while back we had the chance to speak with some of Subaru of America’s representatives and they ensured us that they had seen the errors of their ways when they numbed down the STI into its hatchback only form, but they also promised us that they were going to take steps to make up for it. However if this is any indication of their intentions it is clear that Subaru is skipping the baby steps and taking some pretty significant leaps to return the STI to its performance oriented rally bred heritage.
The STI Special Edition will go on sale in the spring of 2010 for $32,995 ($2,000 less than the standard version).
Just so that you understand that there is nothing new about Honda performance and racing specialist’s game, this 1984 CRX Mugen Prototype is about as solid a piece of evidence as any showing the Japanese automaker’s intention of bringing unmatched levels of performance ever since the early 1980s and looked almost as good as new 25 years later at the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
Mugen massaged almost every aspect of the little CRX; developing high performance components for the the engine, suspension, brakes and body. The improvements that were made to the basic CRX turned it from a very affordable vehicle into a real head turner that thanks to its lightweight nature was able turn fast laps at the track as well, not to mention that a little LSD didn’t hurt. It was truly a treat to see this modern classic at the world’s greatest aftermarket car show, because it is certainly not every day that you get to touch such an iconic vehicle at least not in this good condition.
As part of The Wolfsonian art museum’s “Styled for the Road” weekend of automotive themed activities, we had the pleasure of listening to BMW’s former head of design, Chris Bangle, talk about cars as art. The first question that Mr. Bangle asked the audience is why can’t cars be art? Just because they are a functional aspect of our daily lives doesn’t mean that they don’t evoke emotion much like a painting or sculpture can. As a means of defending his argument, Mr. Bangle spent a bit of time applying the Duck Test, because after all if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, then why can’t a car be art.
A common misconception at this point in the story is differentiating between the terms car and automobile. The word automobile has only been around for the past 120 years and is used to describe a vehicle that can propel itself; in other words that thing you use to get from point A to point B as a purely functional part of your life can be considered an automobile. However the word car, which comes from the 2000 year old Roman term “carro” looks at the four wheeled machine in a whole new light. Simply put the car is a much more personal item, it is the thing you get what you wash on Saturday morning, it is the vehicle in which you can make an entrance and let the world know something about yourself.
Chris talks about how the car is an avatar, an object of personal expression that the owner feels a strong relationship with and serves as a significant part of their identity.
In what must have been some sort of twisted marketing ploy, the great American automaker Ford had an Ultimate Green Ford Focus RS sitting at the beginning of their display at the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Honestly, as you turned the corner expecting to see more Mustangs than you can shake a stick at, there it was, a 300 HP turbocharged lime green Focus wearing a set of wide arches, 19 inch multi spoke rally inspired RS wheels, vents in the fenders and hood as well as a wide mouth front bumper.
At first the neon paint acted like a magnet drawing in your eyes. As anyone who has ever been behind the wheel at speed can tell you, you end up going where your eyes are looking, and we weren’t alone. We literally had to shove through the crowds and hold back attendees just to get a clean shot of Ford of Europe’s greatest creation. Hopefully Ford’s marketing team were hiding behind the curtain somewhere like the wizard of Oz just so that they can understand just how much of a demand there is for this machine right here in the U.S. however we might just settle for an RS Fiesta.
Another wonder from Germany that we aren’t privy to just yet is the next generation Volkswagen Golf GTI. While VW enthusiasts overseas have been driving around in the latest hot hatch with its pronounced headlights and curvaceous body. The new GTI should be in U.S. showrooms by next year and you can expect for them to be everywhere else shortly thereafter. It is only fitting that the German suspension manufacturer H&R decided to bring a sixth generation GTI to the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, after all, ever since a team of top secret VW engineers slapped a GTI badge on the original Rabbit the one thing that these cars have become known for is outstanding handling.
As opposed to some of the more over the top examples of aftermarket influence at this year’s show, H&R has tastefully modified the Golf VI GTI with a set of thin spoked O.Z. Racing rims measuring 20 inches in diameter with a nice little red accent on the lip. Being the suspension specialists they are, H&R virtually eliminated whatever unsightly wheel gap VW gave the car from the factory leaving the new GTI with the perfect stance, all before laying down a pair of German flag inspired side stripes unlike anything you have ever seen before.
As part of an automotive manufacturer’s vast list of responsibilities they must pick and choose what cars they want to sell in what markets, unfortunately sometimes this means that certain regions are deprived of some outstanding automobiles. In this case we are talking about the Volkswagen Scirocco, the VW sports car hasn’t been sold in the U.S. since 1988 and is currently a dedicated Euro only model.
However like most things in car culture, leave it up to the aftermarket to make the impossible come true. Like when the Netherlands based high performance shock absorber manufacturer with subsidiaries around the world brought a modified VW Scirocco wearing a set of stylish 19 inch BBS rims stateside to the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Only after seeing the sports coupe in person can you fully appreciate the cars all new curves and haunch rear end, now we know why Volkswagen of America is a bit hesitant to bring the car to the U.S. because after seeing the new car in person, we would be hard pressed to pick the Golf as our Volkswagen of choice, especially after you have a gander at the even more powerful Scirocco R.
The 2009 Los Angeles International Auto Show is just around the corner and in preparation for the last big auto show of the year every manufacturer is polishing up their masterpieces so that they will shine bright under the lights of the L.A. Convention Center. The Japanese automaker Honda has just released the information that their Personal-Neo Urban Transport, or P-NUT, design study will be sitting front and center in their booth. With the American market making a shift towards smaller and much more efficient vehicles, the concept is a look forward at what a futuristic ultra-compact coupe would look like complete with a few aggressive designed cues from Honda. It is only fitting that the P-NUT say hello to the world at the L.A. Auto Show, after all the concept was conceived right there in the heart of Los Angeles at Honda’s Advanced Design Studio where they conduct their research and development for the import automaker’s overseas market. Honda is keeping tight lipped about the new P-NUT, after all they don’t want to spill the beans before the big show.
Ford will unveil the 2011 Mustang at the Los Angeles Motor Show, but of course details on the car couldn’t be kept secret until then. So, thanks to some very vigilant eyes we can tell you the first details on the future muscle car. Orders will begin in January 18, 2010 and first deliveries will be made starting March 15, 2010.
For the 2011 model year Ford will bring back the 402A Package which is the California Special (GT/CS) model and a Shelby Convertible powered by a 5.4-liter Supercharged 4V V8 engine.
There will also be a SVT Performance Package that includes: 19-inch wheels, RR spoiler with GF (not sure what GF stands for), Over The Top (OTT) stripe delete and 3.73 limited slip.
Ford will also offer a Brembo Brake Package, 6-speed automatic transmission option and three different 19-inch wheels.
It seemed that everywhere you turned at the 2009 SEMA Show there were at least a few modified Hyundai Genesis Coupes in your field of vision. However there was one tuned two door that stood head and shoulders above the rest, taking a page out of last year’s playbook, the Korean car maker hired a team of expert Japanese tuners to make the most out of their newest sport compact, and if you thought that the HKS Genesis Coupe from the 2008 SEMA Show was jaw dropping, then Greddy’s take on the Genesis Coupe will leave you absolutely breathless with its aggressive body kit, very fashionable vinyl and the mystery of what’s inside.
The Greddy Genesis coupe was put together with the typical array of parts from the Trust catalog like an Airinx intake filter, type RZ blow off valve, a full auto turbo timer and the legendary Profec B electronic boost controller. However a few of the more impressive parts that Greddy came up with for the new world engine based turbocharged four cylinder engine; like a larger 18 G turbocharger being fed hot air from a four into one tubular exhaust manifold, a high capacity intake manifold, Greddy’s latest in ECU technology the e-Manage to finish off the bolt on upgrades housed inside the engine bay.
The Genesis Coupes stance was adjusted to perfection thanks to a set of Greddy Type-S coilovers and had 20 pistons worth of brake calipers housed inside of a set of gunmetal grey Volk Racing TE-37 wheels. As impressive as those last few items might have sounded, none did as much for both performance and style of the modified Genesis Coupe as the Greddy Spectrum Elite exhaust peaking out underneath the new rear diffuser with its quad tip configuration and anodized blue finish. Once again Greddy has created an automotive masterpiece using their catalog of proven go fast parts without the need for unnecessary bling and Hyundai laid the foundation for them to do it.
There is no greater sight than a group of modified Nissan GT-R super cars lined up and shined to perfection, and of course while walking along the crowded halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center for the 2009 SEMA Show that is exactly what we came across. The old Skyline GT-R has already built itself a strong relationship with the aftermarket, and the new GT-R super car has quickly become famous for being able to embarrass Porsche owners for a fraction of the price by granting owners with ungodly amounts of power and handling that defies physics, all straight from the factory. Given the car’s tuning credibility and outstanding performance potential, the GT-R has become the perfect platform for enthusiasts to transform into the purpose built vehicle of their choice.
At the head of the pack sat Brian Lock’s GOTO:Racing R35, now any race spec GT-R is a visual treat, but when you consider that this is the first ever race ready Nissan GT-R to compete in any form of sanctioned motorsport in the U.S. you know that this is truly something special with its multitude of aerodynamic aids, gutted interior and ultra wide semi slicks. While Mr. Lock’s GT-R was modified in search of an all around ability to go, turn and stop in order to achieve the quickest lap time possible, the next Nissan in line focuses on doing one of those tasks extremely well with the same goal in mind of course. That is because the next example of Godzilla lined up in Las Vegas was a gleaming white GT-R that boasted as being the world’s fastest. With straight line acceleration being priority one, this super car owner has managed to run his GT-R down the quarter mile in an elapsed time of just 10.4 seconds with a trap speed of over 130 MPH, very fast.
There were so many modified GT-Rs in the lineup that it would be difficult to go over the nuts and bolts of each one, but if you are a true GT-R fan, and spent hours endlessly staring at that old B.F. Goodrich poster, then you should recognize this last GT-R distinct shade of Bayside Blue. Even though that particular paint code went away with the R34, this Godzilla enthusiast did a great job of bringing back the image of the four round red taillights floating in a sea of that memorable metallic blue paint.
Video of Brian Lock’s GT-R after the jump.Full story
