Car guides

It seems, in the world of modified cars, engine swaps are as common as ketchup on a hot dog (original, I know). There are certain engines that are considered to be the go-to platforms, for such things, e.g. LS, 2JZ, etc. as well as cars that are crying to accommodate either of them, in their engine bays. However, there are engine swaps that are much more uncommon, whether because of the engine choice or because of the car they are done to, and these are some of the main culprits.

The holidays can be exhausting. Family, 5 pounds of turkey in your gut, and black Friday shopping can take a lot out of you. So relax and re-cooperate this week and weekend with TopSpeed’s list of the best car-themed movies and shows on Netflix.

Muscle cars have often been related to the American market owing to the hot rod culture that sprung up during the 1920s. Australia followed suit after automakers like Ford released the GT in the late 60s for the local market. The popularity of the touring car series also encouraged manufacturers to develop muscle cars that specifically targeted the Australian market. The fact the population is geographically isolated and relatively smaller has lent to the uniqueness of muscle car models over the next few decades.

The automotive industry is experiencing huge paradigm shifts as hybrids and electric vehicles become more integrated with the lineups that automakers currently offer. The idea of an electric pickup may have been laughable as recently as 2010, but it’s not as funny now. Within a decade, solely gasoline models in every segment will be the minority as the EVs take over. There is an obvious concern of weight as pickups and electrics are rather heavy on their own without being combined, but emerging technologies should solve this soon. None of the following trucks are currently available, but they will be able to carry out deliveries and a full days’ work on a single charge when released.

The automotive landscape is changing according to emerging technologies. Long gone are the days when large auto manufacturers had the best innovations as individuals and small groups are producing models that test the limits of engineering. The number of supercars broaching the market has never been higher, and some of them have achieved moderate success. Unfortunately, others may have seen the light of day but did not do so well. It is probably because the supercar segment is saturated with options from the likes of McLaren and Lamborghini. These brands have many years of experience, resources, and better engagement with their markets.

The hot hatchback has come a long way since its inception in the seventies. The current hot hatches have an accepted formula: taking a standard model, increasing the engine output, and beefing up the suspension to go round corners a bit too quickly. The current high-performance versions offer between 250 and 400 horsepower, with better agility than they did decades ago. The emissions and running costs are infinitely much better. For 2022, automakers have upped the ante with a few offerings that will maintain the ongoing theme.

The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration is the body in charge of determining whether a vehicle is safe enough to be offered on the American market. Over the years, the body has vetted different imports and denied several models from being used in the United States even if they were widely accepted in other regions. To be fair, some of these models did not have crucial features like airbags or stability control, but they were very cool to drive. In other cases, it could be argued the bans were based on bureaucracy and nitpicking. Some regulations allow you to drive a car that the agency bans, though it has to be more than 25 years old and pass various regulatory hurdles. The following are some of the coolest cars that are still banned from American roads.

The next three years in the automotive industry will be exciting, considering some brands will be providing new offerings while other models will be revamped. 2021 gave automakers the chance to regroup after the covid-19 crisis on the path toward better models and sales. There is significant momentum already for electric vehicles, and the decade will ultimately be summed up as the era every brand incorporated EVs. The upcoming models will feature an exciting blend of petrol, hybrids, and full-on electrics that will usher us into the coming age.

The world of SUVs has changed quite a bit since the days when they were only made for off-roading duties. No longer are they lumbering and slow, but SUVs have adopted platforms closer to those used by sedans and hatchbacks. Automakers also included better aerodynamics, making them more like track cars. They were being made for the city and the suburbs and featured high-performing engines. These allow them to defy the laws of physics and accelerate faster than some current saloon cars. It has also made them increasingly popular in the market and a segment opportunity that every brand has capitalized on with offerings. To that end, the following are some of the fastest accelerating SUVs available on the market.

Some of you may laugh at the notion of a front-wheel-drive car having serious performance credentials and, in most cases, you wouldn’t be wrong. While there are plenty of high-power builds (mainly Civics), the general belief is that front-wheel drive doesn’t cut it after a certain power output – usually around 300 to 350 horsepower. With that being said, here are some of the last front-wheel-drive coupes you can still get for a very reasonable price. Some of them might surprise you.

The typical sports car has been previously characterized as having a mid or rear-engine configuration to gain the best performance attributes. in front-engined cars, the engine’s position typically causes the car’s weight will be oriented to the front, making handling around tight corners tricky due to understeer. Regardless, that has not stopped automakers from challenging these factors and making incredibly fast front-engine vehicles.

When it comes to high-performance sports cars, Alpine is rarely the first brand to come to mind. Nowadays, the brand is has been revived and the Alpine A110 is a faithful reboot to the original 1961 A110. What many don’t know, however, is that the original A110 is actually an evolution of an older model – the much less known A108.

Most of you have seen that car review that had the presenters do a road trip with cheap classic Italian cars, detailing the amazing driving experience but comically living through the numerous gremlins. These classic cars may have been achingly beautiful and great to drive, but they manifest some of the worst faults as time goes by. That and the technological gaps are probably the reason why a Maserati would cost below $25,000. Of course, some classic cars cost more than their weight in gold today, but this is another type of list. Rather than the highly sought-after auction potentials, these classic cars will attract envy without costing every arm and leg.

The 2023 Mercedes-AMG SL, which I should really just call the AMG SL since it’s a standalone AMG vehicle, has been revealed with a sleek exterior appearance, plenty of AMG power, and a desire to reinvigorate the SL name in ways we never thought imaginable. But, what makes it special? Is it just a follow-up to the AMG GT Roadster, or is there more to it than that? Well, here are some very cool facts about it.

Fresh from the release of the all-new Chevy C8 Corvette Z06, we’ve learned some very interesting detail about the Z07 package and how it changes the behavior of the Vette on the street and the track. Not only that but how the Z07 package is different and why the tire pressure strategy you’ve memorized is probably wrong now. This is a rundown of the secrets of the C8 Corvette Z06’s new Z07 Performance Package.

The age of the muscle car is long gone as emissions, practicality, and motion-sensing take up the majority of the consumer space. It is understandable as the modern car has sophisticated comforts that were thought of as space-age technology thirty years ago. However, automakers gave in to the mainstream tradeoff, leading to bland design languages and lackluster engagement on the road. The muscle cars of the past were manual, heavy, and quite loud. Brands that based their flagships on this formula only appealed to a niche market, which often led to discontinuation. Muscle car automakers that survived the technological blitz had to rethink and diversify, resulting in acquisitions or partnerships that completely changed their offerings to the market. In an ideal world, of course, the old-time rock and roll brands would still produce their cars for willing buyers. The following is a list of those that are gone but not forgotten.

German engineering has been severally praised for being some of the best in the automotive world. It may have something to do with the fact German automakers do not generally compromise on anything. Germany is also the home of some of the best automotive brands, including Mercedes, Volkswagen, and Audi. It goes without saying that performance is one of the reasons behind this, so German engines are thought of as engineering marvels. The following are some of the best engines German brands have provided the market.

Nowadays, every brand has a performance flagship the market is aware of. These cars are heavily marketed, so a large percentage of the population considers them for purchase, but once in a while, automakers release a really good model that checks all of the boxes and does not impose them as much. Once in a while, they can be spotted on the street, and it elicits gasps of envy, but the moment passes, and you return to whatever it is you were doing. The following cars are worthy of such moments.