CEC announces Lexus LFA customization program

Los Angeles-based tuner CEC has announced a new partnership with Lexus North America to create a tuning program for the Lexus LFA. Limited to just three vehicles, these unique supercars will feature a variety of enhancements created specifically for each customer. “We believe these three CEC Tuner Edition LFAs will be the most expensive and rarest of all the LFA supercars that Lexus will manufacturer and sell worldwide,” said Sherif Yassa, Vice President of CEC.

Thanks to the technical innovations that went into building the LFA, the CEC upgrades will mostly be limited to aesthetics. “We looked at the LFA and what Lexus engineers had done, and knew it would be crazy to try and improve it from a performance or engineering standpoint,” said Claus Ettensberger, founder of CEC. Even so, the tuner has managed to squeeze an extra 10 horsepower from the 4.8-liter V10 and trimmed shift times to .15 of a second.

While we don’t have any photos of the trio of custom LFA supercars quite yet, CEC did have an LFA on display featuring their lightweight forged wheels. You can see high-res photos of the car in the gallery below.

Gallery Autos In America Part.1

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Gallery Autos In America Part.2

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When Group B monsters roamed the earth

Though it only existed for four short years, Group B racing has continued to captivate fans of all ages. From 1982 through 1986, motorsports enthusiasts around the world gathered en masse to watch Lancia, Audi,Renault and Peugeot battle for supremacy. Ferrari and Porsche even got in on the action with the legendary 288 GTO and 959, respectively. The cars were lightweight, powerful and sounded like they built in Hell by the Devil himself. In other words, the cars were a sight to behold and a treat to the ears. They were also incredibly dangerous.

Large groups of people stood on the edge of the road as the beasts rumbled by at triple-digit speeds. Accidents happened and there were a number of fatal incidents for both drivers and viewers alike. In 1986, the FIA banned Group B cars, but the legendary vehicles are still held in high regard. If you need a refresher, roarpast the jump to watch the Group B monsters in action.

Once you’ve watched the clip, sound off in the comments and let us know what you think would be the most terrifying vehicle to try and pilot. Group B cars are near the top of the list but we’re sure you can think of some others… Top Fuel Dragsters, board-track racers, land-speed record streamliners…

2011 Porsche 911 Speedster

It’s rare. It’s fast. It’s expensive. Meet the 2011 Porsche 911 Speedster. First shown in October at the Paris Auto Show, the $204,400 humpbacked 911 arrives at U.S. dealerships early next year.

On paper, the rear-wheel-drive 911 Speedster appears to be a heavily optioned 911 GTS Cabriolet, albeit one with a bubbled tonneau cover. Having just driven the new GTS with the 408-horsepower 3.8-liter flat-six and Turbo-width rear track, we knew going into this drive that the uprated equipment makes a good foundation for the Speedster. Building on the GTS’ enhanced mechanicals, the Speedster also gets the seven-speed PDK dual clutch, Sport Chrono Plus, Porsche Active Suspension Management and Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes. Take it or leave it, this is the only way the Speedster comes.

But so much for on-paper specs. To find out what the 911 Speedster is like on the road, we headed to Palm Springs, California for a mid-winter desert blast.

Beauty and a Beast: New Lancia Stratos runs 0-62 in 3.3 seconds

In a perfect world, the fastest cars would be the best looking ones. And to some extent, that’s often the case. But not always. For instance the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione is one of the most jaw-droppingly gorgeous automotive creations ever devised, but by most accounts, its performance fails to live up to its styling. Conversely, cars like the Nissan GT-R and Porsche 911 GT2 RS are some of the most devastatingly fast vehicles ever to grace tarmac, but not everyone’s enamored of their sheetmetal.

The New Stratos is here to suggest that you may be able to have your cake and eat it to, as full technical specifications and performance stats have been released on the one-off retro creation. The aluminum chassis from the Ferrari 430 Scuderia is a good starting point, giving the New Stratos a compact, lightweight frame, a 44/56 front/rear weight distribution ratio and a 4.3-liter V8 tuned from the 508 horsepower delivered in the Scud to 540 in the nuovo Lancia.

That’s enough to rocket the coachbuilt custom from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.3 seconds, past 200 km/h (124 mph) in 9.7 and on to a top speed of 170 mph. (That last figure may not be the most impressive, but the original Stratos was never geared for top-speed runs, but for rapid acceleration and nimble handling, and its successor appears to have followed the same route.)

Aston Martin releases updated 2011 Vantage GT4

The Aston Martin Vantage GT4 has only been racing for two years, but in that time has garnered notable accolades: Wins at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, Spa 24 hours and this year’s European GT4 Cup, just to name three.

The Gaydon firm has made revisions to the 2011 model, incorporating lessons learned from the roadgoing V12 Vantage, including better aerodynamics and greater downforce, as well as a new option that includes racing-tuned ABS and a new traction control system developed by Bosch. No specific numbers were released, but Aston Martin says that it has reworked the GT4′s 4.7-liter V8, as well, providing improved horsepower and torque numbers.

We’re sure these new changes will help the GT4 secure a few more wins in the 2011 racing season. You canfollow the jump for more details or just ogle it in the gallery of high-res photos below.

Corvette Z06 Carbon Edition to start at $90,960

General Motors unveiled the 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbon Edition at the 24 Hours of Le Mans back in March, and the special edition Z06 immediately piqued our interest. 

In addition to The General’s free-breathing 7.0-liter V8, the Z06 Carbon gets our mouths watering with the addition of carbon fiber body panels, Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes and Magnetic Selective Ride Control. Those ZR1-style dark-painted wheels are pure hotness, as well.

Now, the enthusiast site Corvette Blogger is reporting that GM’s Corvette product marketing manager, Harlan Charles, spilled the beans on pricing and availability, saying that the Z06 Carbon will reportedly carry an MSRP of $90,960 when it goes on sale in the first quarter of 2011. Fully optioned, this special Corvette will run all the way up to $99,925. 

That’s a lot of money, but it’s still several thousand dollars less than the ZR1, and while the latter may be faster out on the road, the Z06 Carbon is indeed all the more exclusive.

Production Lamborghini Sesto Elemento will be for track use only

It sounds like we can forget all about cruising South Beach in the upcoming Lamborghini Sesto Elemento. According to Autocar, The Raging Bull is planning to build the carbon-fiber terror as a limited production model for track duty only. 

Thanks to its unique construction, the Sesto Elemento should hit the scales at less than 2,200 pounds, all while boasting the same drivetrain as the wicked Superleggera. This promises to be one very fast machine, but chances are it will carry a price tag to match. Autocar is reporting that the newest addition to the Lamborghini stable will likely go for Reventón money. With an MSRP of over $1.6 million, you certainly won’t be seeing these parked in every paddock.

That’s all the more true given that Autocar suspects that Lamborghini will build less than 20 examples of the Sesto Elemento. Who knew that rare birds were built from forged carbon fiber?

U.S.-spec 2012 Mazda5 coming to LA Auto Show

We first saw the next-generation Mazda5 when it debuted in Geneva earlier this year, but now Mazda has confirmed that the version destined for the United States will be revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month. 

Badged as a 2012 model, the U.S.-spec Mazda5 won’t differ all that much from its European kin in terms of appearance. A good thing, since the mini-minivan benefits from a healthy does of Mazda’s swoopyNagare design language.

Unsurprisingly, the 2012 Mazda5 will be powered by the same 157-horsepower, 2.5-liter inline-four that we enjoy in the Mazda3 and Mazda6. Happily, Mazda will still be offering the 5 with a manual transmission in addition to the standard automatic, making it more attractive to those of us who prefer the engagement that row-it-yourself gearboxes have to offer. Multi-configurable seating for six is available inside with the usual list of standard and optional features.

Hyundai CEO targets 50 mpg by 2025, but that figure isn’t as high as you think

The U.S. government is investigating the possibility of raising fuel economy standards to 62 miles per gallon by 2025. The Detroit Free Press reports that Hyundai isn’t yet endorsing that number, but CEO John Krafcik feels 50 miles per gallon is well within reach. The Korean automaker already features two vehicles capable of 40 miles per gallon in the Sonata Hybrid and the new Elantra, and the next 15 years promises to show further gains in efficiency.

And that’s not the only reason Krafcik is optimistic. CAFE fuel economy is actually figured out differently than the formula used by the Environmental Protection Agency. The Freep points out that while the monroney on an Elantra will show 29 miles per gallon in the city and 40 mpg on the highway, the compact’s CAFE number will be 44 mpg. What a difference a formula makes. The outspoken chief executive says that taking a hard look at the CAFE numbers makes 50 mpg seem “a heck of a lot more doable.”

Doable, yes, but 50 mpg still isn’t an easy task. Hyundai’s two best vehicles are still under that number, and the rest of the company’s fleet is far below the magic total. But 15 years is a long time in research and development years, and we’re thinking most automakers will have at least a fighting chance to reach the big five-oh by 2025.

Report: Engine shortages holding back Jaguar Land Rover sales

The turnaround at Jaguar/Land Rover is happening even faster than the company’s owner, Tata, had planned. A year ago, JLR posted a net loss of £64 million ($101M U.S.) in Q2; compare that to this year’s second quarter and its £233.8 million ($369M U.S.) net profit on 57,135 vehicles sold.

While we’re sure they aren’t complaining, the boost has left JLR in bit of a lurch: production has bottlenecked because it needs more engines from Ford, after already buying “considerably more” than it expected. Ford hasn’t offered any comment, but it is reported that the two companies are working together to figure out how to get Jaguar the powerplants it needs.

Honda Stream Hyper Sport Red Night Driver

Honda Stream Hyper Sport Red Night Driver

Mitsubishi Eclipse Nice Auto Sports

Mitsubishi Eclipse Nice Auto Sports

 

Mitsubishi Eclipse Exotic Cars

 

Mitsubishi Eclipse Sports Cars