With his Southern California based shop Off Road Evolution, Mel Wade has made a name for himself building some of the most incredible Jeep Wrangler JKs on the planet. Using off-the-shelf parts from Wade’s EVO Manufacturing business, he is able to transform stock Jeeps into a formidable ‘wheeling machines that are still perfectly streetable.

When Wade sold his wife’s latest Wrangler, he knew he’d have to replace the hardworking mother of two’s Jeep with another one quickly. What he didn’t plan on was how quickly the turnaround would be to transform her new ride into the show-worthy rig you see here today.

Most builds of this caliber require a serious time commitment. Unfortunately, time wasn’t on Wade’s side as he only had one week’s time to build the 2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport. Why the rush? An opening was available in the Nitto Tire booth at the 2016 SEMA Show. With over 160,000 people scheduled to attend, it would be the perfect venue for Wade to show off his latest EVO wares. So with the help of friends and family, the JK dubbed "Spicy Chicken" was created.

Wade is known for naming his Jeeps. Typically, each gets a unique "EVO" moniker, such as EVO1 or EVOlander. So, how did Spicy Chicken come about?

“This JK was a flashier rig than I normally like to build," Mel explained, "so I wanted to have fun with it. As we were putting it together in our race shop, we thought of the movie Talladega Nights. At the end of the movie, Ricky Bobby calls himself El Diablo, and goes on to say he thinks it means some sort of fighting chicken.”

From there, the funny clip sparked the name they eventually chose. Wade credits his son M4 for the name and said that one of his Facebook followers was nice enough to draw up the logo. As fans of chicken, Jeeps and Ricky Bobby, we approve.

One of the first upgrades would be to the suspension. An EVO Manufacturing Double D long arm replaces the stock control arms and brackets. The EVO setup use 2-inch, 0.250-wall DOM lowers with Currie Johnny Joints. This long-travel suspension kit works as four-link that utilizes the stock track bars, which are both raised at the axle to increase the stability of the Jeep on-road and off. 

Up front, EVO-spec King coilovers and King bump stops work to control the 12 inches of vertical wheel travel. Allowing the Jeep to stay connected while moderating sway is a Currie Antirock sway bar. Despite the relatively low lift height, the EVO bolt-on coilover system still allows for a gracious amount of up travel, meaning this JK doesn’t have to go slow when the going gets rough.

The stock Dana 30 front axle was no match for the 'wheeling and tire setup Wade likes to run, so it was replaced with the all-new Dynatrac ProRock XD 60. Geared with a set of 5.38 cogs, the high-pinion front axle uses an immense 10.1-inch ring gear, which is mated to an ARB Air Locker. To increase strength while shaving weight, the new XD 60 front uses high-strength aluminum steering knuckles. These are setup for a high-steer configuration and make room for the massive U.S. forged and double heat-treated 1550 axleshafts.

Putting the traction to the ground are a set of 40x13.50R17 Nitto Trail Grapplers, which are mounted on 17-inch KMC Machete Crawl beadlocks. With success in Baja, JK Experiences and countless adventures, Wade has plenty of experience putting the Trail Grapplers to work. Pairing the durable radial mud-terrain with the heavy-duty KMC beadlocks means he can drop into single digit air pressure range on the trail without fear of losing a bead.

Out back, you’ll find a Dynatrac ProRock 80 equipped with matching 5.38 gears and an ARB Air Locker. Splitting power from the NVG 241 transfer case are custom driveshafts from JE Reel. As is the case with the front, the rear of the JK is supported by EVO’s bolt-on coilover system and King air bumpstops.

Inside, the JK remains largely stock. In fact, most people will have to do a double take to notice the EVO sport ‘cage hiding in plain sight. This ground-breaking ‘cage design uses 4130 chromoly plate instead of a more conventional steel-tube design.

The big advantage? Visibility. This is ideal for the daily driven JK owner that doesn’t want to feel as though he has to look through a jungle gym on his way work.

Since the 2017 JK is intended to serve as Wade’s wife’s daily driver, they wanted to up the interior comfort slightly. Custom stitched leather seats from Road Wire do a nice job of adding a bit of flare, while retaining the practical needed for hauling the kids to soccer practice and the bike park.

Helping to expel the heat under the hood is the new EVO hood vent, while KC HiLites LED headlights and light bars add a warm glow to the path in front. The front bumper is part of the EVO Pro Series line and secures a Warn Zeon 10-S winch.

To make room for the 40-inch Trail Grapplers, EVO fender flares were installed. Adding more visibility off-road function to the Jeep are the EVO half doors. Everything was color-matched red by Morey’s Collision Repair out of Norco, California. Morey’s has been the go-to paint and body shop for the EVO fleet for years and has done amazing work on some of Wade’s vehicles that have experienced more than a little trail pin striping. 

For those following the EVO brand, you can rejoice in the fact that the company has finally released a killer high-clearance rear bumper. This works perfectly with the new EVO tire carrier. You can check out the full line of EVO parts at evomfg.com.

Vehicle Specs

While we’re sure to see more of this Jeep in action soon, you can see more photos of it now in the gallery below.

Welcome to Talking Shift, a regularly occurring series where we discuss the cool, weird, outlandish, dreamy and/or ugly vehicles we've stumbled upon recently!

Today we had special guest Tim Sutton come do some shift talking with us. Tim has been a part of the Driving Line team for a long time now and is an absolutely amazing automotive photographer.

Check out episode 9 of Talking Shift, which aired LIVE on Facebook:

Make sure to join in on the shift talking in the comments!

1. Dare Garage: No Spokes

(Photo: @blackforestindustries)

PICKED BY: Justin

2. #PinkBeetle

(Source: #PinkBeetle in the City)

PICKED BY: Anna

3. Merry Miata

(Photo: @topmiata)

PICKED BY: Justin

4. Automotive Legend

(Related: Gene Winfield's 1935 Ford Truck)

PICKED BY: Kristin

5. Speeding Ticket

PICKED BY: Kristin

6. Danny Sakai Lakester

(Photo: Jalopy Journal / Related: The Danny Sakai Lakester)

PICKED BY: Tim

7. Hot Rod Dirt Dragster

PICKED BY: Tim

8. Lexus LIT IS

(Photo: @lexususa / Related: Turn Up for the Lexus LIT IS)

PICKED BY: Anna

Catch up on our previous episode of Talking Shift.

When it first arrived on the scene for ’07.5 model year Dodge Rams, the 6.7L Cummins had a lot to live up to. After all, the 5.9L it replaced was highly revered for its million-mile durability, vast performance potential, and an endless supply of aftermarket parts and support. Luckily, more than 40 percent of the 6.7L’s internals were carry-over parts from the 5.9L, and the injection system remained virtually the same.

However, as far as emissions control devices are concerned, the 6.7L would be saddled with the full gamut — something 5.9L owners knew absolutely nothing about. The brand new, 6.7L Cummins came with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and a diesel particulate filter (DPF). On 2013 model year Rams, selective catalytic reduction (SCR) would be added to the mix, which as part of the exhaust after treatment system would require the use of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) to reduce NOx emissions.

And now the trade-offs begin! Due to the aforementioned emissions control components, fuel economy is noticeably lower on 6.7L-equipped trucks as well as its overall reliability. However, the 6.7L’s use of a variable geometry turbocharger makes it much more responsive than the 5.9L at low rpm, not to mention that it incorporates a very effective exhaust brake function. The 6.7L’s larger displacement also helps produce considerably more torque, which is ideal for truck owners that spend a lot of their time hooked to a trailer.

While plenty of folks still believe the venerable 5.9L is the end-all, be-all Cummins, many have embraced the fact that the 6.7L is basically a bigger, better version of the 5.9L. But, is the 6.7L actually the better engine? To try to settle this 50/50 split, we’ve spelled out each engine’s strong suits and key weaknesses below.

*FYI: With so many versions of the 5.9L being produced (12-valve with mechanical injection, 24-valve with electric-over-mechanical injection, 24-valve with common-rail injection), we’re concentrating on the last 5.9L engine produced for the purposes of this article: the 24-valve, common-rail version produced from 2003-2007.

HARD FACTS

High-Pressure Common-Rail

5.9L Cummins engines built between 2003-2007 and all 6.7L mills utilize a high pressure common-rail fuel system. At the heart of the system sits a Bosch CP3 injection pump, which is responsible for creating in excess of 23,000 psi of fuel pressure and then maintaining that pressure. It’s rumored that the version of the CP3 that graces the 6.7L flows more, but we’ve never been able to confirm this (even Bosch agrees it’s just hearsay).

Per Bosch’s data on the 5.9L and 6.7L CP3, the pump flows 180 to 185 lph at 3,500 rpm. However, the common-rail system aboard the 6.7L Cummins does have a fuel rail, fuel rail feed lines, injector lines and crossover tubes that measure 50 percent larger than what you’ll find on the 5.9L. Because the 6.7L’s injection system operates at slightly higher pressure than the 5.9L’s, a pressure relief valve with an additional 3,000 psi rating is used.

Similar Injectors

While the injectors used in both the 5.9L and 6.7L Cummins appear similar in dimension, the version used in the 6.7L is designed and rated for higher pressure (and also requires lower voltage to operate them).

Unlike the 5.9L injectors, the units used in the 6.7L are programmed to each specific truck’s ECM, and injectors can’t be swapped into different cylinders (which was possible on the 5.9L).

Fixed Geometry Turbo (5.9L)

For the sake of a stock vs. stock turbo comparison, the Holset HE351CW found on ’04.5-’07 5.9L Cummins mills is by far simpler and less technologically advanced than what graces the 6.7L.

The HE351CW features a 58mm compressor wheel (inducer), a 58mm turbine wheel (exducer), employs an internal wastegate and is extremely durable, as long as it’s not subjected to 45 psi of boost or more on a regular basis. However, its fixed geometry design means there is no getting around turbo lag at low rpm.

Variable Geometry Turbo (6.7L)

Good responsiveness at any engine speed is a good way to describe what variable geometry turbochargers provide, and the Holset HE351VE on the 6.7L Cummins is no exception. This turbo features a 60mm compressor wheel (inducer), is void of a wastegate and features Holset’s variable nozzle technology. By varying the exhaust flow across the turbine wheel (via the nozzles), the turbo can perform like a smaller unit at lower engine speed (to aid responsiveness) and then act like a much bigger turbo at higher rpm. This effectively offers optimum performance at any point in the engine’s power band, from idle to redline.

While the HE351VE sounds like the best of both worlds, it does have some reliability issues. And, the problems the HE351VE has aren’t lost on any variable geometry style turbo design: carbon, soot and coking in the turbine side hampering the operation of the nozzles (i.e. causing them to stick). If the nozzles remain stuck in the open position, you’ve got a laggy truck until the tach shows a good amount of rpm. If they stick closed, you’re driving a truck that is really only usable at lower rpm. It’s widely known among 6.7L owners that the best way to avoid ending up with a sticking turbo is to leave the exhaust brake on at all times (which exercises the nozzles).

Exhaust Brake Function (6.7L)

That’s right, we said exhaust brake. Technically a turbo brake, the HE351VE’s variable geometry design can be used to create considerable braking power, thereby saving considerable wear on the truck’s service brakes. By changing the nozzles’ positioning to yield more restriction, the 8,000-pound heft of an ’07.5-present Ram can be slowed surprisingly quickly.

As far as the exhaust brake department goes among all newer trucks (including ’11-present Fords and ’11-present GM’s), the Holset HE351VE is second to none in its ability to decelerate a vehicle. To cut to the chase, the HE351VE’s aggressive and effective exhaust brake function makes 6.7L powered Rams towing machines.

Emissions System Failures (5.9L Exempt)

While acronyms like “EGR” and “DPF” were a foreign language to 5.9L owners (unless you count a catalytic converter), 6.7L owners are well aware of how they function, and many have experienced a sticking EGR valve (due to carbon and soot buildup) or a plugged DPF.

A dirty, sticking EGR valve is shown here, and we’ll note that Cummins specifies it’s necessary to clean the EGR valve (and EGR cooler) every 67,500 miles in order to maintain trouble-free functionality. The 5.9L definitely has the advantage in this category due to its lack of emissions devices throughout its production run.

Blown Head Gasket (6.7L)

Thanks to its increased stroke over the 5.9L (4.88 inches vs. 4.72 inches), the 6.7L makes considerably more torque at low rpm, especially when combined with the aforementioned quick-lighting variable geometry turbocharger. Unfortunately, this means more cylinder pressure is present in the cylinders, which is the primary culprit for a surprisingly common problem on the 6.7L: head gasket failure. A lack of sealing area between the cylinders and water jackets (due to the 6.7L’s larger bore) is also to blame for its frequent, blown head gasket scenarios.

Engines that tow regularly are known to lift the head anywhere near the 200,000-mile mark, while modified engines typically one much sooner. By comparison, head gasket failures were few and far between on the 5.9L Cummins, and we’ve even seen owners of 12-valve 5.9L’s retorque the factory head bolts, add compound turbocharger systems and make 100 psi of boost without experiencing a head gasket issue.

Solid Foundation

Nearly a decade into its production run, the 6.7L block has become the preferred foundation in diesel motorsports — mainly due to its Siamese cylinder bore design and the displacement advantage it provides.

In the upper echelon of truck pulling and drag racing, several companies add sleeves to the cylinders, a deck plate up top (to keep the tops of the cylinder bores from distorting) and increase the stroke of the crank. 6.7L blocks treated to this type of machining typically wind up with 390 cubic inches of total displacement, produce anywhere between 1,800 and 3,000 hp and do so in ultra-reliable fashion.

5.9L Pros & Cons

PROS:

• 325hp/610 lb-ft stock (2005-2007 model years)
• Fixed geometry turbo is more reliable than the 6.7L’s variable geometry unit
• No emissions equipment other than catalytic converter
• More sealing area + less cylinder pressure than the 6.7L (torque) = fewer head gasket failures

CONS:

• Smaller displacement (359ci) resulting in less low-end torque
• Less cubes means it’s harder to light a bigger turbo
• Fixed geometry turbo is laggier than the 6.7L’s variable geometry unit
• Lower pressure, smaller fuel rail and injection lines on common-rail system

6.7L Pros & Cons

PROS:

• Larger displacement and longer stroke than the 5.9L means more low-end torque and better ability to spool a larger turbo
• 350hp to 385hp stock (depending on model year and transmission)
• 650 lb-ft to 900 lb-ft of torque stock (depending on model year and transmission)
• Variable geometry turbo is very responsive (no lag) and incorporates a turbo brake
• Higher pressure, larger fuel rail and injection lines on common-rail system

CONS:

• Much more prone to head gasket failure
• Variable geometry turbo is less reliable than the 5.9L’s fixed geometry unit
• EGR system is prone to failure
• DPF is prone to failure
• SCR system adds a failure point (‘13+ trucks)

Read our other diesel engine comparison article to see if the 7.3L or 6.0L Power Stroke is better.

While factory colors are often limited to white, black, grey, silver and red — car enthusiasts want more. Sure, the Ford Mustang comes in some cool single-year colors such as "Gotta Have it Green" in 2014, "Competition Orange" in 2015-16 and "Grabber Blue" in 2017, but Mustang owners don't let that limit their colored imaginations.

While you think about what mods you might want next for your Ford Mustang, consider that customizing paint has never been easier with the high quality vehicle wraps of today. We've selected some Mustangs that span the colors of the rainbow to get your wheels turning...

Red – Sgt. Michael Hanson

This Nitto Tire-sponsored 2013 Boss 302 by @hansoloprojects is hot. Red hot.

Orange – Carlos Gomez

Orange you glad we found @kar_motorsports' 2015 S550 on @trufiber's Instagram?

Yellow – Galpin Auto Sports

The 'Stang that inspired our search for the rainbow, the Bumblebee Mustang by Galpin Auto Sports is running Nitto NT555s and is anything but mellow. See more of this car in the gallery below.

Green – Kellis Smith

(Photo: R3 Photography)

The hue of this Legend Lime 2006 GT by @ks_4.6 is subtle, but it still turns heads.

Blue – Jose Salazar

(Photo: Chad Geezie)

We can't take our eyes off this 2011 Grabber Blue 5.0 by @carbonsmurf5.0.

Indigo – Nick Mitchell

You thought we were going straight to purple, huh. Here's @sfivefiveoh's indigo S550. We didn't learn "ROYGBIV" in elementary school for nothin'.

Violet – John Pudlas

Last but not least, we have @1cln_gt's S550, looking like royalty.

Which hue would you pick? Leave a comment, then check out the sexy Galpin Rocket Mustang for more revving action.

(Galpin Photography: Tim Sutton / Story: Kristin Cline, Anna Barrett)

The annual Winter Drive is more than just an extravagant car show. In it's fourth year, the Purist Group has already established it as one of the most charitable holiday events in Southern California. While we are all connected by our love of the automotive world, all attendees came out to the Industry Hills Expo Center with at least one gift in hand. The goal of the day: collect as many toy donations as possible to help out families in need during this holiday season. With at least 20,000 toys donated, it's safe to say there will be many children filled with joy.

You know that big grin you get when a high-end exotic car or rugged, lifted Jeep enters? We want to make sure the children are smiling even bigger when they open their gifts. Fancy cars and trucks weren't the only treat for those who attended; movie vehicles from the BTTF DeLorean to the Fast and the Furious Eclipse were on site, while a few people in full Star Wars costume patrolled the show.

See more in the gallery above for everything that happened at this year's Winter Drive.

(Photos by: Cory Mader)

No, Vin Diesel did not try to pull a fast one on all of us; "The Fate of the Furious" is the official title of next movie of the high adrenaline and totally insane Fast and the Furious franchise. Whether we start referring to it by the official title or "Fast 8" or "F8" (oh... it makes sense now...), there's no denying we are all still going to watch it in theaters. There's also no denying that we will all be quoting whatever Dominic Toretto says in his trademark deep, raspy voice.

It's only the trailer, but we already know the cast is ready to take on a new adventure with the same exciting, high impact scenes.

If you're into cool cars, they'll have a Lamborghini, a Ripsaw and this wild Rally Fighter, to name a few.

If you're wanting mind-blowing car chases, how about one on ice? (Explosions included, of course.)

If you know you're going to catch the feels as they talk about family, then you're probably Dominic Toretto.

We still have until April 2017 when the movie finally releases, so let's just hope we'll get some more trailers to hold us over before then.

Enjoy the first official trailer of "The Fate of the Furious" in the video at the top!

(Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures)

I haven’t officially earned the title, but I would consider myself one of Driving Line's resident car junkies. I’m sure we all like cars, but I LOVE cars. Find me another editor that has owned 23 cars in 24 years of driving (see Confessions of a Car Junkie), and I’ll personally detail your car. I always use the excuse, "I don’t drink, do drugs or kill people; cars are my vice." Harmless, right?

So here we are at car number 23, and even it’s one that even I’m surprised at how it ended up in my hands.

1997 Porsche 993 Carrera

When I first wrote about the air-cooled phenomenon, I never thought that two years later, I would be in one — a '97 Porsche 993 Carrera S, to be exact. My hesitancy was well documented as I knew about the countless horror stories of maintenance issues leaving owners stranded and embarrassed at car meets. Well, five months in, and it might very well be my best car experience yet.

This isn't my first time with the 911; my original Porsche was a yellow '02 996 C2 with a roll bar, GT3 seats and full coilovers — a very capable, tuned and purpose built vehicle. It had everything.

It also got a whole lot of attention — understandable, but not always welcomed. Having owned an Audi R8, a Gallardo and most recently a BMW i8, you get used to the questioning stares, but they're stares that usually translate into “you’re rich” or even a “can I introduce you to my daughter” vibe (true story).

An air-cooled 993, however, attracts a completely different type of enthusiast. Those that seem to inquire or comment on the 993 are less interested in what I do or who I'm seeing. They simply admire the curves of the car and really know what the air-cooled life is all about.

You Had Me at Drive

To truly understand the air-cooled life, you have to drive an air-cooled Porsche. I was roped into this lifestyle by a good friend. At first I was skeptical, of course, but I’m not going to turn down the opportunity to drive a Ruf 964 RCT. That's right — the first air-cooled car I ever got to drive was a true Ruf car. To put this in perspective, think of it like going on your first date... with Emily Ratajkowski. From the start, your expectations have been set way too high.

Whether I was driving a Ruf RCT or a standard 964/993, the spirit of the car always felt the same. There's this feeling of constant available power (more so in the Ruf, obviously) due to the car's lightweight handling and characteristics. The best way to describe it is that it always feels like you're going faster than you really are. It's absolutely the most fun car to drive, especially as you’re going through the gears.

Is all this a fair trade-off with reliability concerns? How would it hold up as a daily driver?

In Good Hands

It all comes down to having a good mechanic. Most air-cooled Porsches are 25 years or older, so it's going to have the typical older car issues already. But having a good mechanic (in my case, the best, Rstrada) makes a world of difference in peace of mind. Sure, it’s going to cost some money, but getting it done correctly is priceless. Knowing the car will start up without any issues (knock on wood!) and run as it should is something most of us just take for granted, but for the air-cooled life, it’s an art form. Do it the right way, and you'll be rewarded; take short cuts, and you’ll be that guy at the show calling AAA. (This could happen regardless of course; it's still an older vehicle).

Living daily with the 993 hasn’t been the challenge I initially expected. Having a cassette deck (you might need to Google that if you're not old enough) instead of Bluetooth is a welcome alternative and allows me to focus on my driving. The immobilizer can be a challenge at times (an alarm feature from the '90s); it's a remote button that needs to be pressed prior to turning on the ignition.

If you know my car history, I’ve owned a wide variety of cars, from a Scion xB to a Lamborghini Gallardo. Old school? Yep, Toyota MR-2 Turbo. New tech? Yep, BMW i8. But I can honestly say the experience of driving an air-cooled is something entirely different.

Send a rookie to SEMA, they're going to make a few rookie mistakes... even with veterans to help along the way — like Aaron Kaufman from Gas Monkey Garage, Sung Kang from "The Fast and the Furious", TV personality Courtney Hansen, Kenji Sumino from Greddy Performance, the Driving Line editorial team and many more.

This year I attended my very first SEMA Show, and I survived. Well, technically. Actually, I barely survived, but I did have a LOT of fun. (Yep, that's me on a drift ride-along with Matt Powers.)

Typically, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas... but my fellow editors at Driving Line had other plans. They thought it would be a good idea to record my experience and share it with the world.

A lot of people love cars, but only a fraction of them get to attend SEMA. I was one of the fortunate few the SEMA gatekeeper people allowed into the Show.

It was fun, don't get me wrong, but it was also exhausting.

Your feet hurt from all the walking and your head pounds from all the "after Show festivities." The event is massive, so it's easy to get lost.

My strategy going into this week was to take advantage of all the fun things SEMA had to offer, besides just looking at all the cool cars. For example, I tried out the BILSTEIN 360° 4D-Co-Driver-Simulator for a pretty cool Virtual Reality drift sesh.

I also learned how to mount a tire, courtesy of Hunter Engineering.

So watch the video at the top to learn what to do and what not to do at your first SEMA Show.

Like party every night 'til 5 a.m.

But I mean, if you're invited to a party The Chainsmokers are playing at, you best get out there and party like we ain't ever getting older.

Thank you to everyone who made my first SEMA Show an unforgettable experience. I wouldn't have survived without you!!!

(Video: BOWLS LA)

Get the rest of this year's Show coverage at DRIVINGLINE.com/SEMA2016.

Honda wasn’t always the producer of uninspiring Civic sedans with belt-driven transmissions and tan interiors like you thought. Not too long ago they were knee deep in Formula One on the brink of releasing a supercar aimed right at Ferrari. Not too long ago they were about to unleash a series of variable-valved four-cylinder engines that would power some of the world’s fastest grassroots race cars. Not too long ago, Honda began developing the first Type R.

Following the release of the already impressive NSX, Honda introduced the NSX-R, a title that meant performance would overrule comfort, echoing the Formula One cars the company was so entrenched with. With its unmistakeable red badging and exclusive Championship White paint, Honda’s Type R had arrived; for everyone except North Americans that is.

Honda’s first Civic Type R — the overseas-only EK9 — set the precedent for what the badge would mean some 20 years later: something that’s almost always lighter, handles better and goes faster than whatever car it originates from. And in many cases it’ll also be free of the sort of nonsense that won’t make you go any faster, like A/C or a radio. Since then, a total of five generations of Civic Type Rs have been released — none of which you could easily get your mitts on — and every one of which makes the impending CTR’s US debut all the more exciting.

Civic Type R Timeline:

What We Know

So far Honda’s done a pretty good job remaining tight-lipped about its upcoming Type R. However, by most accounts, a full-fledged production model is believed to be revealed at the 2017 Geneva International Motor Show and will go on sale that same year. That said, based upon the brand’s track record of Civic concepts that don’t look all that different from production versions, we can expect the CTR you’ll be able to buy to look an awful lot like the CTR prototype you see here from last month’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

Honda representatives have even confirmed that the production version is very similar to what you’ll be able to buy. They’ve also confirmed that it’ll go into production sometime during the second half of next year, that it’ll be manufactured at the company’s Swindon plant and that you’ll be able to drive one home yourself very soon. Honda hasn’t revealed much else.

We know the car will be based on the brand’s tenth-generation Civic hatchback, we know it’ll be a whole lot more intimidating looking than a base-model Civic sedan and we know it won’t be sold with that high-reflection, brushed-aluminum-looking wrap the prototype wears. The prototype’s flared fenders, its hood scoop that presumably feeds air to some sort of top-mount intercooler and its Ferrari-like triple-tipped center-exit exhaust all seem likely. They are present on at least two road-going test mules.

The prototype’s 20-inch wheels with their 245 section-width tires and its massive air ducts up front built to widened bumper also seem plausible considering the outgoing Type R’s already aggressive aero and 19-inch rims. 

Nobody will be surprised to hear that the red H badge of honor will present itself up front either or that it’ll be positioned above what’s said to be a slightly more tame version of the prototype’s ultra-wide front bumper with its massive diamond-mesh-covered air intakes. Smoked lenses for the LED headlights will likely remain, as will the red-accented carbon-fiber front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser.

A first for any Civic, the CTR prototype also features vortex generators up top that reduce wind turbulence as air passes over the prominent rear wing — a wing that, when it came to the NSX-R at least, proved purposeful, effective and is good at helping do things like taking back the Nurburgring’s FWD record that was lost to VW. All told and unlike previous Type Rs, this one appears to rely on aggressive looks and, presumably, more horsepower instead of the previous Type R mantra: weight reduction above all else.

Inside, there’s no evidence of a parking brake lever, which you won’t like, but there’s traditional Type R fare everywhere else. Carbon fiber accents throughout, metal pedal assembly pads and red-accented performance seats, all of which any bonafide Hondaphile will most certainly approve of.

The new Type R’s rear end might also be the best we’ve seen in over a decade. Gone are the previous Civics’ torsion bar suspensions and in goes something fully independent that Honda fans have long been used to.

What We Think We Know

The truth is, we’ve got no idea how much power the new CTR’s good for, nor how exactly it’ll transfer whatever it’s got to the pavement. But we can guess.

Take the FK2 CTR’s powertrain, for example. It’s a one-off, 306 hp, turbocharged K-series engine that Honda developed just for the Type R and yet didn’t introduce it until the ninth-generation Civic’s final two years. Developing an entirely new powerplant and replacing one that survived such a short lifespan doesn’t make any sense. Snake-charming another 36 hp out of it in order to stay afoot of Ford’s Focus RS, however, does. And that’s exactly what insiders expect of the 2.0L mill. In fact, those same insiders say that the car’s 0-60 mph time is seven-tenths of a second quicker than the FK2 model, or about five seconds flat.

We also don’t know for certain whether or not the CTR will remain FWD, but nobody who knows better is betting against that. Speculation tells us that power will be sent to both front wheels by way of some sort of mechanical limited-slip differential and managed by way of a six-speed manual gearbox.

The first Civic Type R that was introduced to Japan in 1997 wasn’t tremendously different than any other Civic. Like the US-spec Integra Type R, getting a Civic CX or DX to perform like a CTR (or better) was only an engine swap away. As the Type R ages, though, it strays further away from the Civic it’s been based upon and, if all assumptions prove true, this CTR couldn’t stray much further and yet still remain a Civic. And for Honda fans, that's a very good thing.

(Photos: Byron Yoshida)

See 15 more Hondas worth your time from SEMA 2016.

Winter road domination is top-of-mind when heading into the season of heavy snowfall, and we found 10 prime vehicles that turn snow-filled roads into child's play.

There are many more than 10, but to keep things simple, we included only factory production cars and omitted the vast variety of vehicles modified for individuals' needs. We've included something for everyone to lust after — including off-road champs, extreme trucks and performance coupes and sedans. They're all here, in no particular order. Choose your adventure.

1. 2017 Ford SVT Raptor

Blunt Force

Ford is the maker of one of the few performance trucks that rolled off the assembly line prepared to handle extreme conditions. The 450-hp 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 blasting 510 ft-lb of torque is enough to make any snowdrift cringe, but Old Man Winter will throw in the towel when he comes face-to-tire with the Raptor’s extra suspension travel and the Torsen rear differential with a 4.10 gear ratio. The Ford’s super-strength components ensure that nothing will snap while it’s obliterating — or launching off — a huge snow drift. 

2. 1982-1985 Audi Quattro

An Instant Champion

Why a 1982-‘85 Audi Quattro? Because, you guessed it: it runs on all four wheels. Not only that, it was the first AWD car made, with the exception of the 1966 Jensen FF and the lesser-known 1903 Spyker 60HP. The Quattro platform was a game changer in rally: when Audi entered the car into the World Rally Championship in 1981, AWD rally cars didn't exist. The car dominated the competition as soon as the tires hit the gravel, and Michèle Mouton became the first female driver to win the championship.

3. Jeep JK

The Iconic Choice

As long as you bypass the 2WD models, you can’t go wrong with a Jeep JK. Two-door versions are the perfect machines for twisting around tight trails, and the four doors make snow-covered hills seem like child’s play, giggles and all. If you plan on some summer season trail exploring to substitute your winter season fun, the Rubicon is no pushover with its Dana 44 axles and 4:1 transfer case. Whether stock, modified into an extreme trail rig, driven daily or all of the above, it is hands-down the most versatile modern-day Jeep.

4. 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser

A Versatile Cruiser That's Too Good for the Mall

The 2014 Toyota FJ is a retro-style off-road expedition rig that has everything needed to start exploring the wilderness, including factory lockers, a drool-worthy component for any trail riding enthusiast. A predecessor of the later FJ40, its off-road capabilities are superior, especially with the part-time 4WD option, which gives driver’s total command of the road. Also available is full-time 4WD, which takes the edge off driving through severe conditions. 

5. 2015 Ferrari FF

The Revolutionary AWD Grand Tourer

The 2015 Ferrari FF may be the world’s fastest grocery getter, but due to an extravagant price tag, affording groceries could be a challenge. A first for Ferrari, the unforeseen shooting-brake four-seater may look like a modern-day Jaguar E-type at first glance. But upon closer review, the characteristically sharp and sensually curvy figure is home to a 651-hp 6.2-liter V12 mated to a seven-speed dual-automatic transmission, all flawlessly encapsulating the Ferrari brand. Winter driving is acceptable, if not encouraged: the standard AWD setup combined with extreme snow tires will ensure you never live without milk or toilet paper in the middle of a blizzard. Read about why we think it's the best daily driver you could ever want. 

6. 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR

No, It's Not a Subaru

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution was perfected for 10 generations to be a competitive factory rally car until the esteemed model was discontinued after 2015. Arguing which Evo trim level is the best is like opening a can of worms, but the 2010 GSR is held in high regard. Powered by a 291-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-banger, it leaves the paddle shifters from the MR and MR Touring trims behind to preserve the five-speed manual transmission. The Yaw Control rear differential ensures maximum traction by transferring torque to the wheels with the strongest grip on the most treacherous roads.

7. 2004 Subaru WRX STI

Bare-Boned and Rally Ready

It’s impossible to compile a “best of” winter vehicle list without including Subaru in the mix, and this time we vouched for the 2004 WRX STI. Coveted by many rally car enthusiasts, it’s specifically a driver’s car that did away with all the extras. Hell, the original STI didn’t even come with a stereo. The power plant consists of a turbocharged 2.5-liter that blasts 300 hp and 300 ft-lbs of torque, but that’s not all: Subaru’s key advantage is the Driver Controlled Center Differential, which allows for a range of 65/35 to 50/50 power distribution. This combination guarantees optimum traction through wintery forests, mountains and seasonal roads.

8. 2016 Mercedes Benz G-63

One Powerful Fashionista

The 2016 Mercedes Benz G-63 is a Rambo-esque SUV that pounds over pavement and stomps through anything from heavy snow, mud or menacing terrain. But it also has a glitzy, glamorous side, as any Mercedes should. It’s stocked with leather ten-way adjustable, multi-level heated front seats and plenty of cargo space teamed with every convenience, comfort and passenger entertainment option imaginable. The German luxury brand didn’t skimp out on the power either: a twin-turbo 5.5-liter AMG V8 unleashes 563 hp and 561 lb.-ft. of torque at only 1,750 rpm, which in turn gives the four chrome side pipes a pleasant, boisterous rumble.   

9. 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera 4

The Pinnacle of Sports-Car-Meets-Extreme-Weather

The 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera 4's distinctive Targa top option consummately represents the brand’s sophisticated, elegant style. Best of all, this sports car has an advantage on snow with an enhanced AWD system paired to a fuel-efficient twin-turbo flat-six that spits out 370 hp (420 hp in the S model). It snaps from zero to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, so if you’re running late for family holiday festivities, this Porsche is one way to make good time. With a choice between a seven-speed manual transmission or a dual-clutch automatic, all that it’s missing is a whale tail.

10. Volvo XC70 AWD

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

The Volvo XC70 AWD may be the nerdy librarian out of the group, but don’t let its modest looks fool you; it still extends from rally car roots. The turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-five engine produces 208 hp and 235 ft-lbs of torque from the factory, whispering sleeper potential. Its off-road capabilities and proven reliability make the wagon a favorite for the ready-for-anything driver. The raised ride height paired with skid plates protect components from rough country roads, while Volvo’s refined AWD conquers inclement weather.

First off, we apologize in advance for any confusion. Like many of you, when we think of a 5.9L, the venerable Cummins inline-six diesel engine is usually the first thing that comes to mind. Under the hood of this 2001 Jeep Wrangler TJ however is a 5.9L with plenty of history all its own. Its Mopar’s fuel-injected 360ci Magnum V8. Found more commonly in Dodge Ram ½-ton trucks, the engine has become a go-to for many Jeep owners looking for more power under the hood, but don’t want to spend a fortune on a V8 conversions.

While we’ll have a full feature on Randy Crews and his Nitto Mud Grappler-fitted TJ coming soon, we put together a video of the Jeep in action. In addition, we hear from the owner on how this Jeep came to be.

Check out another 5.9L Wrangler on 40s!

As diesel pickups age, their depreciation gradually drops them down into the younger generation’s price range, and eventually they can be had for cheap. Fortunately, most diesel engines tend to last a while, so with a little blood, sweat, and tears a motivated owner can build the truck of his or her dreams — and do so on a reasonable budget.

Luckily for the 7.3L Power Stroke crowd, performance parts have only gotten better with age, and the prices on go-fast parts have dropped. On top of that, these venerable V8s can be made rock-solid reliable even while making in excess of 600hp. As living proof of this example, we bring you Mike Satkowski and his ’97 Ford F-250.

Don’t get the wrong idea. While Mike’s old-school Ford was put together affordably, he didn’t cut any corners. Breaking away from so many of the budget-themed, stock-bottom-end 7.3L builds we see these days, he put good money into the areas of the truck that couldn’t be left to chance. This meant the engine was torn down and the short block reassembled with stronger connecting rods (Carrillo forged-steel units), upgraded pistons (de-lipped and coated cast-aluminum versions from Riffraff Diesel Performance), the factory crankshaft and a fully balanced rotating assembly. The cast-iron heads were left stock, albeit fitted with competition valvesprings to hold up to higher rpm, boost and drive pressure, while ARP head studs clamp them to the block.

Air and Fuel

At the heart of the horsepower puzzle lies a set of Stage 3 hybrid injectors from Full Force Diesel. Effectively acting as syringes on steroids, the high-flow injectors move 300cc’s worth of fuel through nozzles that measure 200 percent larger than stock. Ample oil volume is supplied to the hydraulically-activated (HEUI) injectors by way of an SRP1.1 high-pressure oil pump. Mike pieced together his own low-pressure fuel supply system, which relies on a Fuelab lift pump pulling diesel from a 16-gallon fuel cell in the bed. Custom PCM tuning files from Gearhead Automotive Performance offer great drivability, power output and are available through a TS Performance six-position chip.

Thanks to the T4 turbo mount kits produced by Irate Diesel Performance, S400 based BorgWarner turbochargers have become commonplace on modified 7.3Ls. No stranger to this trend, Mike’s engine breathes courtesy of a 68 mm version from Stainless Diesel. The S468 features a billet, 5-blade compressor wheel, a .90 A/R exhaust housing and a T4 mounting flange. The S468 routes boosted air through a Hypermax intercooler before passing through the factory (2-inch diameter) intake plenums and into the heads.

BTS E4OD

Like the bottom end of his 7.3L, Mike knew money had to be invested in a built E4OD if it was going to hold up to 600-rwhp and 1,100 lb-ft of torque. This brought Brian’s Truck Shop (BTS), one of the premiere E4OD/4R100 builders in the country, into the picture. While under BTS’s care, Mike’s four-speed automatic was treated to upgraded internals like 300M input, intermediate and output shafts, a custom valvebody and a triple disc Stallion torque converter from Precision Industries. At the track, converter lockup and shift points are handled through the use of a manual transmission controller built by 7.3L guru, Matt Maier.

Running 12’s… On a Budget

It’s hard to say whether Mike knew how serious his diesel addiction would become when he initially bought the truck (at the age of 15, no less), but over the course of the last eight years he’s learned a lot about what it takes to make a 7.3L reliable, powerful and competitive.

Other than outsourcing the short block and transmission builds, Mike saved himself thousands by turning his own wrenches. Configuring the truck’s fuel supply system, traction bars, performing the front solid axle swap and handling all the other odds and ends himself made it affordable to transform a beat up work truck into a 12-second powerhouse. It’s not every day that you see a 7.3L Power Stroke running neck-and-neck with the latest and greatest diesels available, but Mike’s 20-year-old Ford makes it look easy.

Not wanting to roll the dice on a factory forged rod engine, Mike bit the bullet and invested good money in his 7.3L Power Stroke’s short block. The bottom end features the factory crank, Carrillo forged-steel connecting rods, and cast-aluminum, 0.020-inch over pistons from Riffraff Diesel Performance that have been de-lipped and coated to survive high EGT and cylinder pressure. The factory-based, cast-iron heads were treated to competition valvesprings from Irate Diesel Performance, Smith Brothers chromoly pushrods and bolt to the block via ARP head studs.

An S400 based BorgWarner turbocharger from Stainless Diesel produces 60 psi of boost at full tilt. It features the company’s proprietary 5-blade, billet compressor wheel with a 68mm inducer. The S468 charger mounts at the rear of the lifter valley thanks to a T4 turbo mounting kit from Irate Diesel Performance. With the engine built to absorb the abuses of drag racing, Mike’s original plan was to pick up some easy power via nitrous oxide, hence the TurboSmart wastegate shown here, but he recently decided to scrap the gate and instead upsize the turbo’s exhaust housing should the need to run NO2 arise.

With a set of 300/200 hybrid injectors from Full Force Diesel feeding the cylinders, Mike knew his fuel supply system had to be up to snuff. And after sourcing all the right parts he built himself a quality system that makes use of a Fuelab lift pump and the Aeromotive adjustable fuel pressure regulator you see here (which Mike keeps set at 70 psi). Just beneath the fuel pressure regulator sits an SRP1.1 high-pressure oil pump, which has no problem keeping up with the injectors’ high-pressure oil demands.

After discovering that the rear steel tank was beginning to rust out and leak (a very common problem on ’94.5-’97 Fords), Mike decided to not only scrap it, but also get rid of the front tank. Their replacement would end up being this 16-gallon fuel cell from Summit Racing. The combination of the Polyurethane fuel cell and getting rid of the steel tanks helped lighten the truck by nearly 200 pounds — music to the ears of any drag racer.

Taming the large injectors, optimizing the built E4OD’s shift points, and making the truck extremely drivable was left in the hands of Gearhead Automotive Performance. Using the TS Performance six-position chip platform, half a dozen custom tuning files can be navigated by turning this knob, mounted on the dash.

While the front, leaf sprung Dana 60 has no problem handling boosted, four-wheel drive launches, serious reinforcement was required to keep the rear axle from wrapping. To accomplish this, Mike purchased high-quality heim joints and 2x0.250-inch wall DOM tubing from RuffStuff Specialties, fabbed up brackets and bolted them onto the truck.

Adding modern looks and improved traction to the equation, the truck sports a set of 305/50R20 Nitto 420S tires mounted on 20x12-inch Moto Metal MO962 wheels. Thanks to the 420S tread, Mike catapults out of the hole, often cutting 1.7-second 60-foot times on his way to low 12-second quarter-mile passes.

The last traction enhancement boiled down to the 10.25 Sterling receiving a Grizzly locker from Yukon. Both the front and rear axles sport 3.55 gears, which help keep the engine under load (i.e. making big boost).

Believe it or not, with the truck weighing less than 7,000 pounds, it’s considered a lightweight in the diesel world. Thanks to the older body style Fords possessing considerably less left than the Super Duty’s that followed, they can be propelled down the drag strip much more quickly. To date, Mike’s best pass took place in the eighth-mile and in the form of a 7.75-second blast at 89 mph (which equates to roughly a 12.1-second quarter-mile at approximately 111 mph).

Light weight also pays big dividends in the dirt drag game, where Mike’s F-250 can leave the starting line in a big hurry. In fact, Mike can surrender 100 hp or more to a newer, four-door diesel truck and still run side-by-side with them.

On race day, you’ll find Mike’s Ford void of a tailgate and any other item of considerable weight. Already having a truck capable of clicking off a low 12, we wouldn’t be surprised to find this old-school head-turner flirting with 11’s in the spring of 2017.

Learn how to make real power with your 7.3L Power Stroke.

The year 2000 was the inaugural event of what would become one of the greatest impacts on motorsports as we know it. That event was the first All Japan Professional Drift Championship, which would later be called D1 Grand Prix Professional Drift, or D1 for short. Today, most of us can see drifting in movies, television, Formula Drift or other grassroots events. But this wasn't always the case.

It Started in Japan

The well-informed know that D1 was not the first organized drift event or even first drift competition for that matter. It was, however, the series created by one of the largest media companies in Japan, San-Ei Shobo, owners of Option. Option not only featured drifting in its magazines but also its video series known as "Video Option."

In the U.S., if you wanted to find Option magazine, or more importantly Video Option, you had to search for a Japanese marketing, which usually had a Japanese bookstore or two. If you understood Japanese or had a friend that did, these were the best tutorials on car set-up and driving techniques. And even if you didn't understand Japanese, the entertainment value had us hooked.

My first taste of Video Option drifting was on VHS and where my friends and I were first introduced to the originators of the game. We became familiar with drifters like Kazama, Ueo, Taniguchi and Kumakubo just to name a few. Those names are now legends within the drifting community along with many others that were in those first videos.

Coming to America

Drifting caught on fast as everyone scrambled to dump their "drag" cars to get their "drift" cars. Only three years after the first event, D1 came to the U.S. and held its first professional competition at Irwindale Speedway. The event was hugely popular, attracting fans from around North America to attend. The venue gained instant legendary status and affectionately earned nicknamed we are all familiar with today — "The House of Drift".

One key point of interest was how the American drivers would compare to Japanese drivers. As we know, Ueo won in the final versus Taniguchi, and with a tear-filled thank you, made it into a very memorable event. Although the American drivers didn't win, it wouldn't take long for the U.S. to break the invincible image of the Japanese drivers. In 2005, a young man named Vaughn Gittin Jr., in a classic American muscle car, beat the best drivers from Japan to claim the top spot on the podium.

D1 would return in 2007, but it would also be the final year for U.S. events. That didn't stop us from our monthly purchase of Option magazine and Video Option, but we were focusing on our own events and own builds. Like an evolutionary tree, the branches of drifting diverged internationally, and each region around the world developed their own series defined by their own regional style. With so many events happening, many stopped looking toward Japan. For example, in the U.S. we seemed to become obsessed with sticking V8s in everything.

Those that continued to follow D1 started to see the same drivers, the same cars and the same circuits year after year. Youichi Imamura won three years in a row between 2009 and 2011. A great driver and no doubt deserving; but there was something a bit predictable about D1, and a lot of fans started to lose interest. Some stopped following D1 entirely; admittedly, I was one of them.

New Found Love in Japan

Several years later, I was reintroduced to D1 after relocating to Japan. While attending the Tokyo Motor Show and Tokyo Auto Salon, I learned that there were D1 events in nearby Odaiba. I was reminded of the VHS videos and while I did attend events in the U.S., I had never witnessed any live in Japan. So in 2015, I attended my first D1 event in Japan. I was a bit leery of what to expect, but as I was walking to the event, the familiar sounds of screaming tires and external waste gates built up my anticipation. The event was, in a single word, awesome!

There were a lot of international drivers in attendance including Gocha and Tsaregradtsev from Russia, Shahua from China, Sceriffo from Italy, Tsu from Taiwan and Vaughn Gittin Jr. from good ol' US of A. This I believe is what made the rather predictable very interesting. This was also the event where Imamura and Saito went door to door in the Lexus LFA and Lamborghini Murciélago. Vaughn did an amazing job both during his competition runs and his exhibition runs alongside Saito's Lambo. The performance of his Mustang's V8 was quite unique to the Japanese audience.

It was exciting watching Gocha dive into the lead car, reminding me of the intensity of battles from the early years of D1. As all of the international drivers were being introduced, it felt a bit like a world championship-type event. I was hooked again, already looking forward to the 2016 season, especially the season finale.

Current Situation

The final round returned to Odaiba, marking the end of the 2016 season. There was plenty of action especially between Daigo Saito and 2015 champion, Mastao Kawabata. Throughout their history together, it always seemed like Kawabata usually gets the better of Saito, but this time it was Saito who won the final round and also his first-ever series championship. It must have felt great for him to finally get a D1 series championship.

As good of a year it was for Saito, I am not so sure it was for the fans. Personally, it felt like a let-down compared to the same event the year before. The exact cause for that is not simple to answer, but it does relate to something we mentioned earlier: predictability.

Just like any sport, there are the few elite players and teams. With no fault of their own, when only these few consistently win, the fans tend to abandon the sport due its predictability. D1 of course has its elite drivers, but during the 2015 season, there was a lot of unpredictability as new international drivers were added.

Without those new drivers, it felt like the event was more a production rather than a competition. There were the consistent top 32 qualifiers and the top 16 who entered the tandem competition. The only thing that seemed to be unpredictable were mechanical failures.

The Future of D1

There might be a reason D1 is more like a production: its target audience. Let me explain. While the fans who regularly attend D1 events in Japan might become disinterested watching the same drivers battling it out with the same results year after year, there's no denying that for the international audience, there will always be interest watching legends over watching unknowns. The international audience likes what it sees as it is, so why change anything?

No matter what people might think about the D1 Grand Prix, we still love drifting. It's still amazing watching professional drivers place their cars inches away from each other with apparent ease. There are new drivers slowly working their way to the top with a lot of legends proving that they still have what it takes to be part of the drifting elite.

Have thoughts on D1 or drifting in general? We'd love to hear them. Let us know if you'd like to see more D1 event coverage in the future. 

View the gallery for a few of our favorite shots from D1GP Tokyo Drift in Odaiba Final 2015, Season Opener 2016 and Season Finale 2016.

This year marked the 25th anniversary of the Mooneyes Hot Rod Custom Show at the Pacifico Yokohama Convention Center. This year's theme was "Respect our Kulture – Mamaroh," which means to honor and protect or abide by the rules.

The show was broken into two groups, "Hot Rod & Custom" and "Triumph Chopper." We'll focus on the former. Mooneyes is synonymous with hot rodding, and this show brought builders, spectators and vendors together from around the world. The hot-rodding culture is strong in Japan, and like other things, they go all out! There were plenty of leather, mustaches and driving caps to match their hot rod styles.

The halls of the Pacifico Yokohama were occupied by a range of hot rods, from Model T Roadsters to a Honda NSX; the diversity was as impressive as the execution. There were classic American make hot rods and lowriders along with Japanese make customs. Every event we attend there are always cars that surprise us, and the Mooneyes Hot Rod Custom Show was no exception. Check out a few of the customs that caught our eyes, and make sure to view the gallery at the bottom to see even more.

Moonliner

Mooneyes brought over several cars including their legendary Streamliner nicknamed "Moonliner." Originally built in 1959 around a V12 Allison aircraft engine, we can imagine this tackling the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Pontiac Chieftain

The Pontiac Chieftain was produced from 1949 to 1958, with the third and largest styling change coming during its final year of production. This '58 Chieftain exaggerated its overall length with a chopped roof and low ride height. In addition, its finish and chrome work made it stand-out.

Model T Coupe Turned Roadster

Ben Forster brought his Model T Coupe all the way from Perth, Australia. His Model T roadster started life as coupe and features a Lincoln Zephyr V12 mated to a Toyota four-speed automatic. He brought it over to show off with some of the best builders in the world.

Custom Truck 

Can you guess what this started out as? Thankfully, we were there to read the owner sheet; otherwise, the only thing we really had as a clue was what appeared to be a truck bed. If you guessed that underneath that matte finish and funky interior was a '54 Chevy Pickup, give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back.

A Deluxe Chopper Carrier

Another build that had us scratching our heads a bit, this '50 two-door hardtop known as a "Styleline Deluxe Bel Air" didn't leave any part of the original body untouched. Integrating a rear bike rack and air suspension makes this a great hauler for your chopper. Assuming this is still a work in progress, we hope to see a more completed version at next year's show.

Toyopet 

This '61 Toyopet Crown is a great example of how the Japan scene takes a foreign style and applies it to their own with a bit of a twist. Also known as the Toyorod, it featured a Chevy LT-1 engine to go with a lot of classic American hot rod styling cues.

1980 Mitsubishi Debonair

While we were admiring this '80 Mitsubishi Debonair, we had a chance to meet up with some lowrider builders from California. When asked about their opinion of the Japanese lowrider scene, their response was a simple, "innovative." Taking this Debonair as example, they were equally in awe as we were.

Orbitron

The very special and very awesome Orbitron made its way to Yokohama as well. It was great seeing this legend in person. It took many individuals to get this car back to near original as possible. This is what we dreamed the future of automobiles would be like.

There were so many cars that it was hard for us to highlight just a few. If you are planning a trip to Japan, make sure to check out one of the many Mooneyes events, especially the Hot Rod Custom Show if you love hot rods or choppers.

View the gallery for more from the 25th Mooneyes Hot Rod Custom Show.

As the SEMA Show began to broaden its reach and appeal in the mid 1980s, the “S” that once stood for “Speed” was changed to “Specialty.” This led to race teams, engine builders, chassis fabricators, parts manufacturers and race parts retailers yearning for their own show — a show entirely dedicated to the automotive racing industry. In 1988 they got their wish, as the first Performance Racing Industry (PRI) trade show was held and well received. Nearly three decades of growth and success would follow.

Fast-forward to 2016, and the PRI Show now sardines over 3,000 vendor booths (representing more than 1,200 companies) into the 500,000-square-foot Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis. In fact, the show has picked up so much steam that some exhibitors have no choice but to set up shop outside the two primary convention halls. By comparison, just 169 companies were on hand as exhibitors at the first PRI Show back in ’88.

While the PRI Show is similar to SEMA in that plenty of “automotive excess” is on display, it’s unique in one crucial way: everything (be it a vehicle or component) being showcased is geared toward helping you make it down (or around) the track faster. Cosmetics and bling definitely take a backseat to horsepower at this venue. It’s a place where you’ll find the fastest street cars, drag cars and circle track vehicles in existence.

So without further ado, here is the first batch of heavy-hitters we came across at this year’s event. Stay tuned for Part 2.

PDRA Champ

We’ll get started with the fastest of the fast. In 2016, Brandon Snider laid claim to that honor in the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA), home of the quickest eighth-mile drag racers in the world. Snider won the Pro Extreme class and also reset the national E.T. record with a 3.48-second pass at just under 221 mph. Snider’s car is backed by MBE Cylinder Heads and Manifolds, a company that’s become synonymous with the winner’s circle in recent years.

Murder Nova

Without a doubt, the stars from Discovery Channel’s hit show “Street Outlaws” have infiltrated PRI in a big way. This year, show favorites such as “Daddy Dave” Comstock, Shawn Ellington, Bobby Ducote and “Doc” (James Love) were at the show with brand new or totally revamped versions of their cars. Here you can see the new Murder Nova, driven by Shawn Ellington.

“From the chassis to the paint, to the wheels to the power plant to the turbos, it’s top of the line stuff,” Ellington said during the unveiling. While this version of Murder Nova is graced with a small block (482 cubes), it features parallel 88 mm Precision turbos; Ellington reassured us that it makes the same power as the old car. In addition, the car is rumored to be 600 pounds lighter and sit six inches lower than the previous version.

Big Single Turbo (Keeping It Simple — and FAST)

Ziff Hudson’s small tire Mustang is a freak of nature. After shattering record after record in the 275 radial class, it’s no surprise where the car sits at the present time. Once he’d marched to bottom 4’s, his Chevy-powered ’90 Fox-Body would go 3.96 at a blazing 193 mph in the eighth-mile, making this the first big block, single turbo car to dip into the 3’s. A big, 118-mm snail from Precision Turbo & Engine is integrated into the front bumper, and the 527 ci engine was built by TKM Performance of Denton, North Carolina.

Goliath 2.0

Turbo what? Street Outlaws’ “Daddy Dave” Comstock and his ’63 Nova (Goliath 2.0) were on hand, and the car is now packing some serious forced induction in the form of a massive F1x-12 ProCharger. The new, 10.5:1 compression, 540 ci Chevy big block, built by SDPC Raceshop, sees 21 psi of boost and cranked out 2,269 hp at 8,500 rpm on the engine dyno. This thing should scoot!

Those Crazy Australians

PRI 2016 marked the first time this engine had ever been seen by anyone outside of its respective race team — and it was worth the wait. Sporting a Garrett turbo that just about dwarfs the size the engine, the PAC Performance crew’s rotary-engined Mazda 6 garnered a lot of attention in the TurboSmart booth. At the last event of the year (Orlando Speed World Dragway), the Australia-based PAC Performance team ran back-to-back 6.30's in the 218 mph range.

Outlaw Sprint Car

The No. 1 BDS Motorsports 410 ci Outlaw Sprint car was on display at the SCE Gaskets booth, and former Knoxville Raceway champion Justin Henderson even stopped by to sign autographs on Saturday morning. Imagine having four-digit horsepower on tap in a vehicle that weighs less than 1,400 pounds!

“Lil’ Legend”

Said to be the “baddest small tire car in the country,” Bobby Ducote’s ’71 Ford Maverick (named “Lil’ Legend”) has a widespread and loyal following on Street Outlaws. The Maverick’s nitrous-assisted, 458 ci small block from GBRB Race Engines churns out somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,300 hp.

9-Second Diesel?

Three turbos, 1,400 hp and 100 psi of boost... that’s what we see when we look at Matt Misner’s Chevy Silverado — an ’05 model ¾-ton truck that weighs 3 tons. During the summer months, you can catch his Duramax-powered standard cab running 9-second quarter-miles in the Outlaw Diesel Super Series’ Pro Street Class or the NHRDA Super Street category. And with a slight detune, the truck can click off consistent mid 10’s in the 10.50 Index class.

Samuel Hübinette burst into the drifting scene in 2004 by winning the inaugural Formula Drift Championship and then went on to win it all again in 2006. After eight years of competitive drifting and brief success in Global Rallycross, Sam had been off the radar for a few years; that is, until the #HuracánDrift video skidded into view at the 2016 SEMA Show. All the while, he has stayed busy stunt driving in movies and commercials.

We caught up with the man himself after the SEMA buzz died down to catch up on his recent activities and find out if we can expect more viral videos from him and his wife Stina.

Driving Line: A lot of people know you as the former Formula Drift champion, and we even watched you drive in Global Rallycross. What have you been up to in the last few years? 

Samuel Hübinette: My last season in Formula Drift was in 2011, but I continued competing in the Traxxas TORC Off-Road Series with Mopar that year and Global Rallycross series in the year following. With my Eneos Motor Oil sponsorship, I was supposed to team up with Dodge and Travis Pastrana on their two-car Dodge Dar Rallycross team. Unfortunately, at the last minute, things didn't work out. I was already in Charlotte for the first round of the season when I found out, so I had to scramble right away to find another car to compete in.

Luckily, I connected with team owner Per Eklund from Sweden the night before the competition, and he happened to have a spare Saab 9-3 for the whole season. We wrapped that car overnight in the Eneos livery, then picked it up in the morning and I drove it straight to Charlotte Motor Speedway. I ended up finishing third in the overall championship that year, which was a big success for that big car.

As we looked ahead to the 2013 season, we knew we needed a smaller, lighter car to truly compete. We couldn't get anything confirmed, so I decided to take a year off from racing to focuse more on commercial and movie stunt driving. I really enjoyed it; plus, I was able to spend more time with my family. I quickly realized that once you have a family, your life starts to change, and you start to value being at home as opposed to being on the road for 10 to 15 race weekends per year. 

DL: Let’s talk about the #HuracánDrift. That was quite the video. Stina told us that it was your brainchild. How did it all come about?

SH: A year and a half ago, Stina was coming off a few years of family time and with a new E92 BMW M3, we wanted to get her back involved with stunt driving. We took some cell phone videos of her practicing in the Irwindale Speedway parking lot. One of those videos went viral, so we decided we wanted to work together on something bigger to help promote her driving.

As we started to put together a plan for a video, I came up with the crazy idea of drifting a supercar, and it all came together from there. The first thing I wanted to do was find a tire partnership to get involved, so I reached out to Nitto Tire since I had already connected with them earlier in the year when I drove one of Vaughn Gittin Jr.'s Mustang RTRs alongside Matt Powers at Auto Enthusiast Day in Texas. Nitto Tire has a huge social following and is always looking to do interesting projects, so we all felt like it was a good fit; we pitched the idea, and they loved it.

Next, I reconnected with Newport Lamborghini from my TV commercials with them a few years ago; they were very excited. From there, Donut Media was brought in for their expertise in planning, filming and editing the video. Without much testing and only five or six weeks, we all worked hard and debuted an excellent video at the Nitto Tire booth at SEMA.

I had missed a few SEMA Shows while I was out of motorsports, so it felt great to be back — not just the experience of signing autographs and showing off the Huracán in the Nitto Tire booth, but also connecting with a lot of my friends who are still in the industry.

DL: What’s it like to work alongside some of your former motorsports competitors?

SH: Being able to work alongside drivers who you trust to be able to handle the level of driving you’re asked to perform — it’s a great feeling. One project that really stands out is the BMW “Epic Drift Mob” spot we filmed in South Africa with Rhys Millen, Conrad Grunewald, Rich Rutherford and Dai Yoshihara. That video involved a lot of synchronized drifting, and we had a very short period of time to get everything shot. We had to get every shot right on the first or second take; there wasn't much room for re-takes. It definitely helped that we had all spent so much time drifting alongside each other in competition, and it allowed us to get the shots needed in fewer takes.

DL: What does it take to transition from driving in competitive motorsports to commercial driving in movies and television?

SH: I get asked these types of questions all the time. It's very difficult to make a career in commercial driving, and there’s no single path to being successful. Overall, you need to be one of the best at what you do, meet the right people at the right time and be able to show producers, directors and stunt coordinators that you can execute car control on command in all kinds of cars. 

Another option for someone who wants to be paid to drive is doing OEM instructor work, debuting new cars and teaching dealers and salespeople how to drive the cars at their limits. I did a lot of work with BMW, Dodge Chrysler and other OEMs back when I first moved to the U.S. We basically would go to empty parking lots and setup a mini autocross course, then show them some car control skills or show them how balanced a car is with handling. It’s a great opportunity to get a lot of seat time in different cars while getting paid. 

DL: What does the future hold for Sam Hübinette? Any plans to get back into motorsports?

SH: Right now, I’m focused on continuing to work in the commercial and TV world, but raising my family makes it a priority for me to be home more. #HuracánDrift was mainly designed to boost Stina's reputation and reinforce my skill set as well. I'm excited for it to open up some new doors for us. We are already talking about doing more of these types of videos next year, so we’ll see what we come up with.

We also want to continue to develop our Lamborghini Huracán, we recently added a GMG Racing exhaust that will add more performance and make it a bit louder. That car drifts very well out of the box, the only thing we really added was the hydraulic e-brake to get it to drift in the video. There aren’t many people pushing the limits of the Lamborghini chassis, but those cars are very cool cars that people like to watch videos of so we’ll keep making videos of it!

(Photos: Jacob Leverton, Justin Pagtalunan, Jonathan Wong / Additional photos courtesy of Samuel Hübinette)

Don't call it a comeback — Sam has been here for years. Follow @Samuel_Hubinette on Instagram for his next stunt project. Drift ya later!

While many drivers have a preferred music playlist queued up for the road, there are some who are simply content hearing the sounds of power coming from their souped up ride. The whine of a supercharger and that exhaust drone? For project car owners Mark Palumbo Jr. and Phil Chein, that's music to their ears. This is the third installment of Driving Line series, Take 5:

Mark Palumbo Jr. | 2014 Mustang GT

Instagram: @markjr32

Best mod to your vehicle:

Roush Supercharger, 723 hp to the flywheel.

(Photo: @markjr32)

(And look at those Nitto Tire NT05s, though.)

Favorite driving music:

The exhaust note from the Corsa Xtreme Exhaust and Kooks Headers.

Ugliest car ever made:

Toyota Prius.

Most used app (besides Instagram):

Snapchat.

Next automotive adventure:

Another Mustang, hopefully a Shelby.

Phil Chein | 2013 Scion FR-S

Instagram: @bear89103

Best mod to your vehicle:

Jackson Racing Supercharger

Favorite driving music:

Does my exhaust drone count?

Ugliest car ever made:

I’m old enough to actually have seen some of these on the road. I’d have to say that the ugliest is the AMC Gremlin.

(Photo: Christopher Ziemnowicz)

Most used app (besides Instagram):

Two Dots.

Next automotive adventure:

Definitely looking forward to my net car build being the FT-1 (Supra).

Want to know more about these owners and their builds? Follow Mark and Phil on Instagram!

Never lose track of your fastest lap time again. Whether you're shopping for yourself or that special gearhead this holiday season, Meister is here for you just in the nick of time. Just like how we push our vehicles to the limits for the thrill of the drive, Meister Watches pushes boundaries of contemporary fashion without compromising traditional craftsmanship.

While we'd love to get our hands on either of these awesome watches, there are two in particular that are pulling our little automotive hearts: the re-designed Racer MKII and brand new Speedster. 

Return of the Racer

Who doesn't love a little carbon fiber to go with some genuine leather? Meister brings back a classic — the Racer MKII — but with a few upgrades, of course. Inspired by the love of motorsports, this watch will remind you of gripping the steering wheel inside a racecar. From the dual-layer carbon fiber dial to the redline-like accents, the details are meant to mimic the gauges of a car. Think of it as an elegant dashboard on your wrist.

New Record Time

Newly released in 2016, the Speedster is Meister's most recent addition to the team. Just like a racecar, it not only looks cool, but it's functional as well. It has a multi-piece bolt-down case that looks like a multi-piece bolt on wheels, a layered bezel cut to resemble a piston head and a dial face similar to a gauge cluster. There's also a cutout to see the spinning gears of the automatic movement, to showcase the "engine" that drives the watch. Meister's attention to detail on the Speedster will please any gearhead.

See more features of these two watches in the gallery below or in this Meister unboxing video:

What are you waiting for? Hurry over to Meister now! From seasonal sales to a free gift with a holiday collection purchase, this is the perfect time to get a Meister Watch.

You can be a good driver, but to be UNSTOPPABUL, you need a little horsepower... (err, BUL...power?)

Watch the video above for never-before-seen footage from the 2015 Cover Story "Mad Mike Whiddett: Living the Dream" (Driving Line Magazine, Issue 4), in which the professional drifter gives some background on his rides BADBUL, HUMBUL and RADBUL.

(We haven't forgotten about MADBUL; you can see that one in the "Conquer the Crown" video.)

So where's Mad Mike at right now? Well, his documentary, "The Mad Life," premiered yesterday in New Zealand:

This means Red Bull TV will be airing it soon for us in the States! The exact date is yet to be announced — sometime in January 2017 — so we're going to have to reign it in and be patient... Watch the official teaser if you're getting antsy.

There's more where that came from! View behind-the-scenes and previously unreleased photos from last year's Issue 4 cover shoot with Mad Mike in the gallery below.

If we can take one thing away from our 2016 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show experience, it’s that the automotive racing industry is booming right now. Vehicles are perpetually getting faster, National Hot Rod Diesel Association (NHRDA) event attendance and TV ratings are on the rise, the popularity of NASCAR and circle track racing remains strong, and one extremely popular TV show has introduced grassroots-style drag racing to the masses.

Building on what we brought you in Part 1 of our PRI Show coverage, consider these beauties the best of the rest. From competition-only to street cars, twin-turbos to electric turbines and celebrity status to up-and-coming, there’s a little bit of everything in our second installment.

Dominator

If we learned anything at this year’s PRI Show, it’s that twin-turbo setups are “in” for 2017, especially for the "Street Outlaw" guys. The ’67 Dodge Dart owned by Joe Woods (a.k.a. "Dominator") was on display in the Turbonetics booth, and it means business.

A non-intercooled, parallel turbocharger arrangement fills the Troy Scott-built, pump gas-compatible (10.5:1 compression) 632 ci Chevy big block’s lungs. Dominator’s demeanor and the way he conducts himself in front of the cameras has earned him numerous fans, and many believe he drives one of the only “true” street cars left in the show.

Twin-Turbo ’16 Camaro

With two 98 mm Garrett turbos glaring at us, we couldn’t help but slobber over Steve Summer’s new Pro Mod Camaro, conveniently parked in the Garrett booth. The twin turbos feed a billet-aluminum, 522 ci engine built by Jasiek Racing Engines, complete with a set of CFE Racing heads. The 98 mm chargers will be legal in National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) Pro Mod competition, while a set of 94 mm snails will get the call in the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) Pro Boost class. The car itself is a’16 Camaro and utilizes a chassis built by Jerry Bickel Race Cars of Moscow Mills, Missouri.

BIG Cubes, High Compression

Over at the Ross Pistons booth sat Nick Bacalis’ latest build: a ‘96 Mustang packing big cubes and high compression. The 700+ ci, one-off big block under the hood was built by BES Racing Engines, makes use of a billet-aluminum block from LSM Systems Engineering and is said to produce 1,600 hp. Look for Bacalis to compete within the ranks of the Street Outlaw class in both National Mustang Racers Association (NMRA) and NMCA in 2017, as he’ll be looking to shoot the ‘Stang through the eighth-mile in 4.5-second intervals.

Daddy Dave’s Twin-Turbo S10

This nasty little creation was also parked under the Turbonetics banner. The S10 Xtreme belongs to “Daddy Dave” Comstock of "Street Outlaws" and is said to be his daily driver. We didn’t get a chance to look under the hood, but we did peer over the bedsides and discovered a bed-mounted twin-turbo arrangement.

The remote/bed-mounted 64 mm chargers, sourced from Nelson Racing engines, send boost through a water-to-air intercooler fabricated by Icebox Performance. Daddy Dave’s twin-turbo S10 project was pulled off by thePADokc, one of the premier custom fabrication shops in the country — not a bad setup to help you get from A to B... you know, when you’re not behind the wheel of your 2,300 hp Nova.

World’s Fastest Log

Here’s something different for you to digest. If you’ve ever seen the HGTV show “Canada’s Timber Kings” (or if you've seen our "Odd & Awesome" SEMA 2016 Wrap-Up gallery), you know what this is. If you haven’t, say hello to the fastest motorized log in the world.

The Guinness World Record was achieved on the set of the show on January 20, 2015. The “Cedar Rocket” as it’s known is powered by twin 20 hp electric turbines and ran 90 km/h through the quarter-mile (roughly 55 mph) on its way to claiming the unconventional record.

Fastest Manual C7

OK, back to serious horsepower... Meet the fastest C7 manual transmission Corvette in the country. Owned by the mastermind behind “Street Car Takeover,” Justin Keith, the late model ‘Vette is powered by a 427 ci ERL Performance engine that’s force fed air courtesy of an F1A-94 ProCharger. A direct port, 200 hp shot nitrous system from Nitrous Outlet tops things off and a pair of Nitto NT555R drag radials (mounted to 15x10 Weld Racing wheels) keeps this 1,000+ hp package glued to the track.

Circle Track Winner

Just two days prior to being parked in the DRP Performance Products booth at the PRI Show, this Super Late Model built by Fury Race Cars was busy winning the 49^th annual Snowball Derby in Pensacola, Florida. Driver Christian Eckes, a 15-year-old phenom from Middletown, New York, beat out 35 other drivers in the prestigious, 300-lap race to take home the trophy.

Climbing the Ladder

Tyler Dippel might just be NASCAR’s next big thing. The 16-year-old got his start racing slingshots on the dirt tracks in upstate New York and is looking to follow the same type of path that Tony Stewart and Kyle Larson did before reaching the top ranks of NASCAR. For 2017, Dippel will be racing the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East series in conjunction with Rette Jones Racing; the all-new No. 28 Ford Fusion he’ll be piloting was unveiled at the PRI Show.

But, once more, stay tuned. We’ve yet to showcase all the wild parts and racing technology we came across at PRI.