2006

Christmas may be over this year, but it’s never too late to buy yourself a cool present. If you’re a fan of Ferraris, limited-edition supercars, and Formula One, not one but two examples of the awesome Ferrari 599 GTB 60F1 are currently listed for sale.

The Ferrari 599 GTZ Nibbio Zagato was unveiled back in 2007 and was just limited to nine units worldwide. Compare this model to modern-day Ferraris, and you will notice how radically different this is from what the Italian manufacturer makes now. Upfront, it looks nothing but a Ferrari, but the rear is where it looks different. This is exactly what modern-day automakers must do, instead of following the Russian doll design. The 599 GTZ you see here is actually up for sale, assuming you can afford it.

For the confused few who actually think that Lamborghinis are slow, Underground Racing has become the go-to place to get the supercar’s power figures up to “appreciable” levels. The North Carolina-based tuner is known for turning Lambos into certified eaters of worlds, and it just so happens that one of them is up for sale now.

Folks like us do some pretty silly things in the name of performance. Whether its justifying the purchase of a new Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio as a “family car,” or breaking your back running coilovers on the daily driver for a few seconds per lap on the weekends, you wouldn’t be wrong for calling our perspective “skewed” at best. That said, where there’s a will, there’s a way, as evidenced by this intrepid young Subaru driver’s unorthodox approach to boosting horsepower. Documented in a short five-minute, 21-second video from our friends over at 1320 Video, the Subaru in question is a mostly stock early 2000’s Forester running flat out at the Pikes Peak Airstrip Attack event at the Colorado Springs Airport. In a bid to crest the 100-mph mark, the driver fabricated a new intake from a Pringles can and cereal box, plumbing it through the headlight for a budget-friendly ram air effect. The result is just enough extra power to reach three digits, making this driver our new hero.

Never mind the Mustangs and Vipers this kid is running against. We’re much more interested in the box-shaped, 15-year-old grocery getter chipping away for a personal record. This is real enthusiasm, people, and it’s infectious. Fingers crossed the owner continues to have fun for years to come.

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General Motors has a long history with making innovative strides in engine development. The Chevrolet small-block V-8, for example, began life in the 1950s and soon became the standard for high horsepower in a small package – a legacy that continues into today’s fifth-generation GM V-8s. Even GM’s lineup of V-6 engines is impressive, ranging from the 60-degree V-6 that powered nearly every GM car from 1980 through 2010, up to the twin-turbocharged V-6 powering the Cadillac ATS-V. However, GM has a lesser-known engine family that deserves admiration for its outside-the-box thinking and outstanding technological advancements: the Atlas inline family.

That Atlas family had three main members, the front-running 4.2-liter inline-six, the 3.5-liter five-cylinder, and the 2.8-liter four-cylinder. All three shared the same basic architecture and a wide range of parts, though it was the 4.2-liter that led the Atlas program.

The 4.2-liter called the GMT360 platform home. This included the Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Oldsmobile Bravada, Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7X. Each of these mid-sized SUVs shared the same architecture, including the industry’s first fully hydroformed frame in a mid-size SUV. Introduced for the 2002 model year, the GMT360 platform sold a couple million examples worldwide before ending production after 2009.

The 4.2-liter Atlas LL8, otherwise called the Vortec 4200, was a groundbreaking engine for GM. It featured an all-aluminum construction, dual overhead cams with variable valve timing on the exhaust side, four valves per cylinder, a coil-on-plug ignition system, a high compression ratio of 10:1, and its cylinder heads featured GM’s then-prevalent “Vortec” engineering designed to maximize airflow.

This combination allowed for the production of 1.06 horsepower per cubic inch – a total of 270 horsepower at 6,000 rpm. Torque was rated at 275 pound-feet at 3,600 rpm, but 90 percent of peak torque was available between 1,600 and 5,600 rpm. These stats far exceeded every comparable V-6 on the market at the time, including GM’s own 4.3-liter Vortec V-6.

We decided to take a closer look at the Vortec 4200 and its forward-thinking design. We reached out to GM and found Tom Sutter, the Assistant Chief Engineer for the Atlas. Sutter has been involved with engine programs for the last 30 years, ranging from Oldsmobile’s Quad Four to Cadillac’s current V-Series mills. Sutter was able to give us a deeper insight into the Atlas program, so keep reading for more.

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The Hummer H2 was the poster child for GM and the era when body-on-frame SUVs conquered the automotive scene. It was the 2003 model year when the H2 got its start. Things stayed relatively unchanged for the majority of the H2’s existence, save for a drivetrain and interior update in 2008. Sadly, GM stopped production of the H2 midway through the 2009 model year before completely killing the Hummer division in 2010 amid financial woes and the “Great Recession.”

The 2006 model year represents the midway point in the H2’s existence. It also represents the beginning of the end, with sales spiraling downward at a breakneck pace towards ruin. Just over 17,000 H2s were purchased in 2006, a far cry from the 53,000 H2s sold before the end of 2003.

Nevertheless, the H2 soldiered on in bold fashion. Its squared jaw, big V-8 power and rugged suspension kept it highly regarded by off-road enthusiasts and Hollywood personalities. It was the SUV to have and everyone wanted the H2, whether they bought one or not.

Continue reading for the full review.

Usually unflappable German engineering has taken a hit today. BMW has announced that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has initiated an investigation that centers on 120,000 2002-2008 7-Series models, ranging from the 730d to the 760li. This investigation began after a 2006 7-Series experienced an incident in which, after being placed in park, did not fully engage the park gear and proceeded to roll a short distance. This gearbox is designed to automatically shift into park, for example, when the vehicle is turned off.

If this pending investigation makes you nervous, keep in mind that the NHTSA has said that a) "thus far, no cause has been identified for any of the rollaway incidents" and b) it is not a full scale recall, just a preliminary investigation.

You may ask us, would we still buy one? Well, we have nothing but praise for the 7 series. We find it to be truly staggering, leaving us to shake our head in disbelief that a car the size of the state of Kansas can be made this fun to drive. This potential gearbox glitch does not affect our view of the Roundel and we continue to look reverently upon each model. This full size luxury sedan did not disappoint us and it won’t let you down either.

New car companies come and go every day. Some have the capacity to create legendary supercars like the Saleen S7 and others simply cannot get the formula right. Carbontech is one of the small companies currently trying to make a splash in the market with their first car which was completed in 2006. The main difference between Carbontech and some other manufacturers, is that their models are sold as kit cars for the consumer to build and configure how they choose. The Redback Spyder is the first car to be designed and built by the team at Carbontech and the results are quite good. The car looks like a race car and features a lot of racing technology, yet can be built in your garage. With all the racing technology utilized in this car it is fair to say that most will only use this on the track, but the company did abide by Australian regulations during its construction to make the car street legal.

After its introduction at the Melbourne Auto Show in 2006, the car was scheduled to make rounds throughout the world in order to find prospective customers. If things catch on then the company also plans to sell it in the United States. Kit cars target a very specific buyer who has the technical know how and the time to build their own machine. Other companies like Factory Five Racing have developed flawless kits that sell great in our market and it will be interesting to find out whether an Australian company can manage to do the same.

Hit the jump for more details on the Carbontech Redback Spyder.

The Brokernet Silver Sting was thought of and built by international GT racer, Kalman Bodis. The team at Bovi Motorsports had the car fully operational for its debut in 2006 at the Luxusauto Show in Budapest, Hungary. One of the coolest parts of this car is its name, Silver Sting, but what’s the Brokernet all about? Creating a car that takes seven years to design and build is expensive and the Hungarian financial firm Brokernet is the main sponsor, thus they wanted some naming rights as well.

This car is not only stunningly designed by Zoltan Peredy, but also downright ferocious on the track. Being built by a race car driver, intentions for the Silver Sting were clear. This car was not meant to be taken to elegant car shows, it was meant to get out there and race. Bodis plans to use this car in various GT races throughout the world and plans to show everyone that Hungary is capable of producing a world class car.

More details on the Brokernet Silver Sting after the jump.

Mercedes certainly offers its own lineup of heavily tuned cars, but for some people that is just not enough. The thought of having a V12 engine in your vehicle is something that most people only dream of and Ferrari owners get to enjoy. The smooth and strong power delivery coupled with a deep growl from all 12-cylinders firing in sequence is the stuff dreams are made of and for some lucky E-class owners the dream has become a reality. Speedriven is a Chicago based firm that we have covered before and their latest Mercedes project is one of the most impressive.

The Mercedes E-class has been a modified platform ever since the original E50 AMG model. It provides the right balance of size and performance capability in order to receive certain upgrades. Brabus was the first company to develop a V12 version of the car and shoehorn the 6.0-liter Mercedes V12 from the S-class inside the engine bay. This version is still being built on the E-class of today, albeit in very limited numbers. One gentleman has been attempting to put a V12 inside of his W211 E-class, but it took him a lot of time to find the engine and somewhat capable of doing the conversion. Speedriven seems to have found the right formula to make this type of swap efficient.

Speedriven considers this car to have “the right” power now that a monster V12 has been stuffed under the hood. That, quite simply, is not true, the right power for this car is the standard 5.0-liter V8. It has considerable thrust and won’t break the bank at the pump. My E55 has way too much torque and enough horsepower to embarrass lesser automobiles on the freeway. I’m not saying this as a bad thing, because I LOVE the torque and it is almost intoxicating. Nonetheless, stuffing a V12 in this car is insane, in a good way. It has become the ultimate sleeper car that could blow the doors off nearly anything that pulls up next to it at a stop light.

Hit the jump for more details on Speedriven EV12.

Honda presented to the world the exciting Accord Tourer Concept and the new generation of Honda diesel engines, i-DTEC at the 2007 Frankfurt motor show.

Jeep has unveiled the first-ever four-door Wrangler at 2006 the New York International Auto Show. Featuring a one-of-a-kind, four-door open-air design, the Wrangler Unlimited expands the Jeep experience to new dimensions.

Toyota Yaris Hatchback is targeted to a market segment which contains strong competition: Volkswagen Polo, Peugeot 207, Renault Clio III, Opel Corsa, Fiat Grande Punto, Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent, Nissan Versa and Honda Fit.

Produced from 2001 to 2006 model years, the original Acura broke new ground in the emerging luxury SUV segment. Taking its predecessor’s best qualities and radically expanding them, the all-new 2007 MDX pushes performance and sophistication in the luxury SUV segment to new levels. Benchmarked against some of the best performance SUVs in the world and tuned on the Nurburgring racetrack in Germany, the new MDX clearly establishes itself as a driver’s SUV. Outfitted with Acura’s tenacious Super-Handling All-wheel Drive system and an available sport package with Active Damper System, the MDX yields a combination of handling and comfort that is truly on the cutting edge.