Yesterday’s running of the Indianapolis 500 - the 100th anniversary of the inaugural race - will go down as one of the most dramatic auto races in the series’ long and illustrious history.
23-year old rookie J.R. Hilderbrand already had the race won until he lost control of his car and crashed at the very last turn before the checkered flag. Hilderbrand’s misfortune paved the way for Dan Wheldon to make the pass just before the caution came out, leading to a stunning win that left everybody at the Brickyard and all those watching on TV shocked and completely speechless.
But that wasn’t the only notable item to happen during the weekend. Just before the start of the Indy 500, the long-awaited world-record jump attempt by Team Hot Wheels, dubbed "Fearless at the 500", finally took place. The team’s "Yellow Driver" - later revealed to be Top Gear USA’s own Tanner Foust - drove a specially prepared truck down a 90-foot ramp before blasting off into another ramp, clearing 332 feet through the air and setting the record for the longest jump of a four-wheeled vehicle in the world.
For everybody who’s ever had dreams of riding a stunt like this - we know we did at one point in our lives - Foust’s record-setting jump was a surreal moment, one that probably saw a lot of kids doing their own "world record jumps" in the backyard of their homes after watching the spectacle.
If you missed the whole thing, you can check out the video that Hot Wheels released of the jump in its entirety.
The Jeep Wrangler is not only one of the most capable off road vehicles ever made, but also one of the most historically significant. The first Jeep vehicle to wear the Wrangler badge actually appeared in 1987, yet its roots go back to the 1941 Willy MB Army Jeep. That quarter ton vehicle carried the United States military through conflict after conflict essentially until invention of the HUMVEE.
Today, the Wrangler remains a favorite amongst the off-roading crowd and tends to be heavily modified by many. The new 2011 Jeep Wrangler body has given this classic vehicle a new lease on life, especially as far as the interior goes. These off road behemoths can now become capable on the outside and full of comfort on the inside. Hundreds of parts and accessories companies exist for the Wrangler, but the most complete and radical designs have come from a young company by the name of Hauk Designs.
If you have been in the off-road marketplace then the name River Raider Off Road may come to mind and this new full service company has come out of that. We recently spoke with Kenny Hauk of Hauk Designs and talked to him about the various models that the company now builds for its customers. He mentioned that the custom designed and fabricated parts that River Raider was building became so popular that his customers were asking to have their Jeeps completely built by the company. The current business plan features three distinct models each with a myriad of options to choose from.
Hit the jump for more details on the Hauk Jeep Wranglers.
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The second special edition G-Class to mark the last leg of the Mercedes model is called "Edition Select" and will be based on the long-wheelbase G 500 Station Wagon. The price for the package is €6735, or $9950 at the current exchange rates.
The new "Edition Select" model will be offered in a two-tone paintwork that combines designo mystic white, palladium silver metallic, thulite red metallic, or obsidian black metallic. It will be further distinguished by new bumpers, obsidian black AMG side flaps and exterior mirrors, running boards, and a spare wheel cover with a 3D Mercedes-Benz star in stainless steel. Finishing off the looks are black 18-inch light-alloy wheels in a 5-twin-spoke design with size 265/60 R 18 tires, carbon-fiber look inserts in the protective strips, an underguard and an AMG sports exhaust system.
The interior of the special edition will add high-grade two-tone upholstery in a porcelain/black designo leather and chrome trim on the selector lever, seat adjustment controls, and loudspeakers in the front doors. Black leather will also be used on the dashboard, armrest, door handles, and parking brake lever, while the inner door panels are lined with gathered leather. Mercedes is also offering a designo wood trim in black piano lacquer, while the steering wheel and selector lever are in a leather/piano lacquer combination with contrasting topstitching.
The Mercedes G-Class is entering its final phase and to mark the event, the company has launched the special edition BA3 Final Edition. It will be based on two different variants of the offroad vehicle - the G 350BlueTEC model or the G500 model - and will be priced at € 90,511.40 ($134,463 at the current rates) for the G350 and €100,685.90 ($149,577 at the current rates) for the G500.
The BA3 Final Edition will be distinguished by AMG flared wheel arches, a new set of 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels, a 3D Mercedes-Benz star in stainless steel, and an AMG radiator grille in a 3-louver design with chrome highlights. Further distinction will be claimed with an electric sliding/tilting sunroof, metallic paintwork, rear mudflaps, carbon-fiber look inserts in the protective strips, an ultrasonic reversing aid, and a tire pressure monitoring system. On the interior, Mercedes has added functional ambient lighting, chrome highlights on the frame and selector lever cover, seat adjustment controls, and loudspeakers in the front doors. The front seats will be covered in black leather combined with burr walnut wood trim, while the steering wheel and selector lever get high-grade wood plus leather.
The list of standard equipment will include a convenience telephone system in the armrest with a universal interface for various mobile phone cradles, extended telephone functions, a charging function, and an external aerial for optimum reception.
Before there was a Typhoon package for the BMW X5M and X6M by G-Power, Hamann had already dressed up the Mercedes G55 AMG with a different package with that same name. The original kit came with a massive aerodynamic kit, as well as two different performance upgrades. Now, Specialty Car Craft has taken the modified G55 and tuned it even further for Anton Kasabov, a three-time World Martial Arts Champion.
There aren’t many details on the modified tuning package, but the original kit came with optimized air flow, two LED daytime running lights integrated in the front spoiler, a roof spoiler, a newly designed rear skirt with the integrated diffuser, and a 13-part exterior set made of carbon fiber (radiator grill, headlight protective grid, mirror cases, door handles, air inlets in the side wings, bonnet air blind). The exterior is draped in a black paint job with red highlights all over the car, including on the hood, grill, tires, etc.
Specialty Car Craft and Anton Kasabov would be insane not to incorporate the two engine options included in the G55 by Hamann. That package allowed customers to choose from either a mild 35 HP upgrade, or the more appropriate HM 600 performance kit that provided the 5.4 Liter engine with a blower to produce 600 HP and 576 lb-ft of torque. This upgrade allows the gritty SUV to go from 0 to 60 MPH in 5.1 seconds and hit a top speed of 162 MPH.
If you’re interested in modifying your G55 to look like Kasabov’s, well that’s just too bad. Specialty Car Craft constructed this makeover specifically for the martial arts master as a one-off project.
