As the lowest point on a given truck, your tires and wheels are subject to daily abuse. While we have no trouble putting our Grapplersthrough their paces, our wheels can use a little freshening up from time to time. Given there are so many wheel variations from cast and forged aluminum to painted and powdercoated, you often have to be cautious on how you clean each. At this year’s SEMA Show, we stopped by the cleaning experts at Meguiar’sto learn about a new wheel cleaning product that is safe for every type of wheel.

In the video above, Meguiar’s Mike Pennington goes through the process of picking the right wheel cleaner. The biggest takeaway we found was always play it safe! If you’re unsure, either stick with the same car wash soap you are using or aim for an all-wheel cleaner.

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Without question, the Allison LCT 1000 brought medium-duty robustness to GM’s heavy-duty truck line, along with adaptive learning, shift energy management and some of the burliest components you’ll find inside an automatic transmission. To say the Allison revolutionized the heavy-duty pickup segment would be an understatement. It was also a sign of things to come, as a call for increased power ratings, better fuel efficiency and more stringent emissions standards were on the horizon and would have to be met with stronger, smarter transmissions.

When the clutch-to-clutch Allison 1000 debuted in GM trucks back around the turn of the century, it was both brand new and highly advanced in terms of what the competition was offering. After all, Ford’s 4R100 was a rendition of the E4OD, which was based off of the old C6—and Dodge’s 47RE was hardly an improvement over the 47RH, A518 and 727 that came before it. What do we mean by clutch-to-clutch? It means no sprags, bands, or overrunning clutches exist within the transmission. Instead, its clutch packs are applied (and unapplied) in precisely timed intervals, which come courtesy of a highly intelligent, transmission control module (TCM).

If the Duramax is left unmodified and the Allison properly maintained, owners can expect the transmission to outlast the durable 6.6L V8 it’s bolted to. However, most Duramax/Allison owners don’t leave their trucks stock—and therein lies the problem. Aftermarket ECM tuning with little or no attention paid to the importance of TCM tuning can kill or limp an Allison in short order. And while no two transmissions are exactly alike, an extra (and easily achieved) 80 to 100 horsepower can toast a five-speed version, while an added 120 hp can destroy the six-speed units. Follow along as we spell out the weak points of each version of the Allison and how you can keep yours alive for the long haul.

1. Allison 1000, Five-Speed (’01-’05)

Of a modular design, the Allison 1000 consists of three major sections: the front cover (i.e. bell housing), main case (which houses the geartrain, PTO gear, if applicable, and valve body) and rear cover (tail housing). An external, spin-on filter greatly simplifies the servicing procedure (the internal filter only requires replacement in the event of an overhaul) and a large, 1.26-inch diameter input shaft lends itself to a high input torque capacity. As far as the diesel aftermarket is concerned, the original five-speed Allison (found behind both LB7 and LLY Duramax-powered Chevy and GMC HD’s) was the weakest version offered. These first generation units will cope with an extra 80 to 100 hp over the factory power rating, but go much beyond that and you’re asking for trouble.

Boiling Point: 340 to 400-rwhp

One of the biggest weak links in the five-speed Allison lies in the C1 and C2 clutches. Due to off-center apply pistons, uneven pressure is applied to these clutch packs once they’re engaged. Essentially, only 50-percent of the C1 and C2 clutches’ holding strength can be utilized. And as such, when the C1’s and C2’s are shot, they only appear to be half-worn.

2. Allison 1000, Six-Speed (’06-’07)

The Duramax/Allison combo is arguably one of the best powertrain duos in the 35-year history of diesel pickups. The partnership pictured above shows the highly sought after LBZ code Duramax mated to a six-speed Allison 1000. The LBZ-equipped GMs would be the first trucks graced with the six-speed, which began in the ’06 model year. This version added a double overdrive gear with an MPG-friendly 0.61:1 ratio and a better designed C1/C2 clutch pack arrangement to rule out the aforementioned (and premature) C1/C2 failures.

Boiling Point: 425 to 450-rwhp

While the failure-prone, C1 and C2 clutch pack situation was rectified with the release of the six-speed Allison, nothing was done to better preserve the life of its hardest-working clutch pack: the C3 clutches. To this day, the C3’s remain the most common clutch to fail in the Allison 1000. One reason is because the C3 clutch pack only receives lubrication when it is being applied. The absence of regularly circulated ATF tends to burn up the clutch plates’ inside edges. A great remedy for this lack of lubrication problem is the billet PTO covers designed by Goerend Transmission. The aftermarket covers incorporate internal fins that route fluid directly to the C3 clutches at all times (even when the C3’s aren’t being applied).

3. Allison 1000, Six-Speed (’07.5-’10)

Although little changed between the six-speed Allison used on ’07 and ’07.5 trucks (LBZ and LMM Duramax’s, respectively), we’ve found that the version employed behind the ’07.5-’10 trucks holds up slightly better in stock form to higher horsepower. By the time the LMM-powered GMs hit the market, aftermarket tuning of the TCM had progressed enough to where the Allison could withstand 430 to 450-rwhp for extended periods of time—and 500-rwhp on occasion.

Boiling Point: 450 to 500-rwhp

Regardless of whether or not the six-speed Allison used behind the LMM Duramax was stronger than the version employed behind the LBZ, the torque converter remained a key weak link once added power was introduced. As some of you know, once a converter goes south in an automatic transmission it contaminates the fluid, which almost always trashes the rest of the transmission. Complete performance transmission rebuilds typically start around $5,000 for the Allison—no small chunk of change—so in order to get around the converter problem without breaking the bank, many budget-minded owners become proactive. With a better (aftermarket) converter, valve body work and good tuning in the mix, you can usually get away with making 500-rwhp or more for years (provided you drive sensibly).

4. Allison 1000, Six-Speed (’11-’16)

Thanks to the LML Duramax being offered with 765 lb-ft of torque in stock form, the Allison 1000 had to be upgraded for the ’11 model year. Among the OEM changes included a different torque converter, low-drag clutch packs and a new TCM. While the torque converter and C3 clutches were still the first weak links to be found, we did witness one stock Allison hold up to more than 600-rwhp. However, the numbers were made on a chassis dyno and with the transmission held in one gear (much easier than making 0-to-100 mph runs and allowing the transmission to shift through the gears). There is no way to tell how long an Allison will live at that power level—and the owner certainly didn’t wait around to find out. He immediately treated the transmission to a full-on build for peace of mind.

For the first time, the TCM was also (electronically) in charge of main line pressure on the ’11 Allison. To reduce internal temperature, the main line pressure is reduced to as little as 80 psi during instances of steady-state driving. This is fine for stock trucks, but once aftermarket tuning cranks up power output, considerably higher pressures are needed (250 psi or more) in order to keep the clutches from slipping and damage from occurring. For quite a while, the aftermarket was in a pinch without having the capability to tune the ’11+ TCM, but now that TCM tuning is available a lot of trucks are living in the 500-rwhp range.

Boiling Point: 475 to 525-rwhp

“Limp Mode”

Many diesel enthusiasts and even layman have heard the term limp mode associated with the Allison transmission. But, what exactly is it? It’s the electronic side of the transmission sensing excessive slipping and placing the unit in fail-safe mode, where only one forward gear is available. As you’ve probably deduced up to this point, the stock Allison will handle roughly 350 to 400-rwhp in five-speed form and 425 to 450-rwhp in six-speed trim. However, if you push things past that point the clutches will eventually slip and bring on the Allison’s notorious “limp mode” condition (i.e. limp home mode). During limp mode, maximum line pressure is commanded, no voltage is sent to the transmission and you’re stuck in Third gear. Just as its technical name implies, it allows you to limp the truck home. While many owners continue to drive their trucks after a limp mode scenario has occurred, subsequent limps will eventually ruin the transmission. If you limp yours, we suggest preparing for a performance rebuild or backing down the programmer.

22 years ago in November of 1995, Pixar Studios released their first full feature film—Toy Story. While much of the movie revolves around a colorful cast of plastic toy characters lead by Woody and Buzz Lightyear, another beloved character made it’s debut in a blaze of yellow paint and rust: the Pizza Planet delivery truck.

Fast forward to 2011 and a group of Pixar enthusiasts decided to bring the truck to life, joining the ranks of the Mystery Machine, K.I.T.T., the Back to the Future DeLorean, and many more cinematic vehicles to run the real world roadways.

The initial mission was a roadtrip from Orange County to Pixar Studios in Emeryville, Californi—across the bay from San Francisco. Before they could worry about the driving, the team would first have to study up on their reference materials, noting each detail of the truck in order to chisel their 1988 Toyota Pickup into the near mirror image of the on-screen “1978 Gyoza Mark VII”.

After the Toyota was purchased and painted, the 'RES1536' vanity plates were registered (Toy Story was originally rendered at a RESolution of 1536 x 922) and bumper stickers were recreated, including a “How’s my driving” decal and the KRAT slap—a nod to long-time Pixar employee Tia Kratter.

The magnetic Pizza Planet branded door cards were next up, followed closely by the iconic “YO” on the tailgate.

The red and white rocket is almost a project in and of itself, having been through multiple iterations with different materials forming each topper in 2012, 2013 and 2015, not to mention numerous versions that didn’t quite make it off the launch pad.

In July of 2017 a more movie-accurate camper shell was installed, finishing up the look as it sits currently.

Spoiler alert: the truck and team eventually made it to Pixar and even got to talk movies with the staff—but a keen eye will still spot the truck out-and-about at parades and events around California, like D23 and Comic-Con. While most people jump to engine swaps and choosing suspension upgrades, this pickup goes to show there's more than one way to play the customization game. The amount of time and dedication to accuracy displayed in this little pickup is something to be admired, so make sure to check out the gallery below and the truck's whereabouts on it's very own website.

What are some of your favorite on-screen autos? Let us know in the comments!

While the heavy-duty Ram truck lineup comes with what is arguably the best diesel engine to ever grace the pickup segment, the automatic transmission offerings found behind them have always lagged behind the competition. Even though the 5.9L or 6.7L Cummins can produce and then handle 600, 700, even 800-rwhp without issue, the automatic tasked with harnessing the inline-six’s insane abundance of low-end torque can spell disaster way before that point. In fact, if you’re venturing past 300-rwhp with an ’89 to ’07 Dodge Ram 2500 or 3500, the factory automatic could be on borrowed time from the get-go.

In our final boiling point installment, we delve into the myriad of problems that’ve plagued Dodge Ram truck owners for years. From the TorqueFlite A727 three-speed to all of its four-speed derivatives, and even its current six-speed offering, Chrysler automatics have long been known to come up short when pitted against the almighty Cummins. Read on to find out the weak links of each transmission, how their issues can best be addressed and (of course) what each slushbox can handle in stock form.

TorqueFlite A727 (’89-’91)

Based on the tough-as-nails A727 that found a home behind the Hemi’s and 440’s of the 1960’s, Chrysler’s TorqueFlite A727 was the first automatic to dwell behind the 5.9L Cummins. The three-speed A727 came with a non-lockup torque converter and could suffice in the presence of the turbodiesel’s factory 160hp, 400 lb-ft of torque rating. However, fiddling with the 12-valve Cummins’ injection pump (the rotary Bosch VE), swapping in a set of larger injectors and clearing 250 to 300-rwhp is, while easy to achieve, asking for trouble in virtually any condition A727—and it will most certainly push an aged version of this transmission over the edge.

While all-out performance builds of the A727 are possible, a bump in line pressure, a shift kit and an upgraded torque converter can help it survive 300-rwhp, long-term. We’ve even seen the ladder modifications hold up in first-gen trucks making 400-rwhp. Perhaps the biggest complaint of the A727 is its lack of overdrive, which not only makes for slow, noisy highway travel, but also hinders fuel economy. With a Gear Vendors overdrive in the mix, it’s not uncommon for automatic-equipped ’89-’91 Dodges to see a 25-to-30 percent increase in fuel efficiency.

Boiling Point: 250 to 350-rwhp

A518/46RH (’91.5-’93):

Midway through the ’91 model year, a four-speed automatic was phased into the Cummins-equipped, old-body style Dodges. The A518 (later renamed the 46RH) came with a 0.69:1 overdrive gear, but like the A727 also featured a non-lockup torque converter. Other than the extra gear, the A518 was virtually identical (internally) to the A727 and as such was limited to handling roughly 100hp over stock (if in good condition to begin with). Depending on the health of the A518, 250 to 350-rwhp is all we feel safe recommending you send through it. However, also like the A727, a reputable non-lockup converter and valve body work can keep an A518 alive at or near the 400-rwhp mark for quite a while.

The Torque Converter: A Perpetual Weak Link

Any time you’re making more than 300-rwhp (a relatively easy feat) with a 5.9L Cummins-powered Dodge Ram (’89-’07), you need a better torque converter. A triple-disc unit with a lower stall is always better in street applications (1,700 to 2,200 rpm) because it allows more of the Cummins’ low rpm power curve to be utilized. It’s crazy to think that the factory stall fell between 2,300 to 2,800 rpm on many Cummins applications, even though the engine makes its peak torque between 1,400 and 1,600 rpm. In addition to a better converter, valve body work is always recommended (namely to add line pressure and solve a few other weak links) on all Chrysler automatics.

47RH (’94-’95)

Another TorqeFlite A727 derivative, the 47RH was introduced with the new body style Ram in ’94. For the first time, a lockup torque converter was offered, which meant less slippage and heat generation at cruising speed and while towing. But, even though the 47RH could handle slightly more horsepower and torque in stock form than its predecessors (300 to 400-rwhp), the aftermarket would find that the front planetary gears were weak, the entire overdrive assembly was sub-par and that its input shaft could break in the realm of 400-rwhp.

Boiling Point: 300 to 400-rwhp

At 300-RWHP…

In addition to an aftermarket converter, several other upgrades should be made if you truly want the automatic transmission in your ’89-’07 Ram to live. Among the upgrades you should consider are: a billet 1-2 shift band apply lever, strut and anchor, a billet servo, billet accumulator piston, additional clutches in the direct drum, along with replacing the front clutch seals and front band apply piston cover (which is known to wear and bleed off fluid pressure while the transmission is in third gear). If the aforementioned apply lever breaks (which it often does), the transmission has to be pulled in order to replace or upgrade it.

47RE (’96-’02)

The arrival of the 47RE four-speed in ‘96 coincided with a horsepower and torque rating increase (180hp vs. 160hp in ’95, and 420 lb-ft vs. 400 lb-ft a year prior). Beginning in ’98.5 with the debut of the 24-valve 5.9L Cummins, it would have to tolerate a 215hp engine. The 47RE (the “RE” referring to an electronic, solenoid-controlled valve body) housed stronger front planetaries and an improved overdrive section. Unfortunately, while it was a mild improvement over the 47RH, its converter clutch was weak, it lacked sufficient line pressure to accommodate added power and its input shaft was still a major wink link near 400-rwhp.

Boiling Point: 300 to 400-rwhp

Transmission Bands

Prior to the 68RFE’s arrival, Chrysler’s transmissions made use of bands to control the gear clusters (i.e. handling the shifts). The factory second gear band is notorious for breaking (and the transmission has to be removed to address it). While the third gear band (what surrounds the direct drum) is known to stretch under big torque and requires constant adjustment at higher power levels. Billet and/or oversize bands with superior inside linings are available in the aftermarket and are highly advised when venturing past 400-rwhp.

48RE (’03-’07)

Chrysler’s last rendition of the four-speed auto destined to sit behind the torquey 5.9L Cummins was the 48RE. Although Dodge was able to offer a common-rail injection, clean-burning, 305 hp, 555 lb-ft engine in High Output form, the 48RE was in no position to harness anything beyond that for lengthy periods of time. Aggressive programmers (namely units that disabled or manipulated the factory torque management strategy) and a heavy right foot could damage the torque converter in short order. The second gear band, its apply lever and anchor, the 1-2 accumulator housing and the governor pressure solenoid are all weak links that surface quickly once added power and torque is brought into the equation.

Boiling Point: 300 to 400-rwhp

It Can Get Expensive—Fast

At the 400-rwhp mark—and certainly beyond it—a billet input shaft is recommended by most enthusiasts and reputable transmission shops. If you plan to do any type of drag racing or sled pulling with your ’89-’07 Ram (even at 400-rwhp), a billet input is an absolute must. And if you plan to tow heavy at higher power levels, a billet intermediate shaft should be included in your transmission build as well. Last but not least, one of the biggest weaknesses from the factory has to be addressed: the valve body. Specifically, pressure has to be increased and the factory governor pressure solenoid that’s known to warp, crack and leak needs to be upgraded or (at the very least) replaced.

68RFE (’07.5-Present)

Severing its ties with 1960s era transmission technology for the first time was the six-speed 68RFE, which was introduced behind the 6.7L Cummins in mid ’07. While the 68RFE seems to hold up fine to stock power levels, it’s burdened by soft shifts, poor lockup strategy and gear hunting—all of which only worsen as more power is added to the engine. Any time 6.7L owners seek more power, it’s highly recommended they go the custom aftermarket tuning route, where custom calibrating of the transmission control module (TCM) is available. TCM tuning provides increased line pressure for firmer shifts, improved shift scheduling for improved mileage and better usage of the Cummins’ immense torque window, along with converter lockup capability at low speeds. When tuning an ’07.5-present Ram HD equipped with the 68RFE, 400-to-450-rwhp can be survivable for the long haul, while power levels approaching 500-rwhp don’t lend themselves to longevity.

Boiling Point: 475-rwhp

Ripped to Shreds

The factory flex plate is often no match for the four-digit torque numbers a modified 5.9L or 6.7L Cummins can produce. It’s not uncommon to find the center section completely ripped out of an OEM, stamped steel unit like what is shown above. Various billet flex plates are available in the aftermarket and are always a good idea any time you plan to add a better converter and pursue higher horsepower with your ’89-present Ram.

It’s a place that defies everything we know. Where time seems to disappear, days blend together and death lurks around every corner. But something about Baja gives it an immense gravity that keeps pulling thrill-seekers back. Veteran racers speak about it like it’s legend, describing how everything down there is connected in some way or another. They call it “Baja Magic”, a spirit of its own that brings hundreds of thousands of people together each year to bear witness to the greatest test of man-versus-machine through 1000 miles of the most grueling terrain on the planet.

This year marks the 50^th Baja 1000 race, beginning in Ensenada along the Pacific coast. Beginning in 1967, the Baja 1000 has attracted adrenaline junkies from all walks of life to test their skills and stamina either behind the wheel, or on a motorcycle. Since its inception, many celebrities and famous motorsports icons have tried their hand at the Baja 1000, including Steve McQueen, James Garner, Clark Gable, Parnelli Jones, Chip Foose and Ted Nugent to name a few. Although different every year, the 50th Baja 1000 course makes its way down the Baja Peninsula, crossing from coast to coast several times before finishing in the city of La Paz along the Sea of Cortez. This year, the course itself is just over 1,130 miles long—varying in terrain including paved roads, mountain trails, sandy beaches and dry lake beds.

But Baja isn’t just about the competition. In fact, it’s a rather small part of a big picture. Off-roading is a way of life for many of the locals, with generations of Mexicans growing up around these races and showing their children what Baja racing is all about. It would be difficult to walk into any local business throughout the entire peninsula and not find a trace of off-road racing on the walls. Many businesses embrace the way of life, as this popular off-road destination continues to attract thousands of tourists throughout the whole year.

In the two days prior to the race, SCORE International holds a race contingency in the heart of downtown Ensenada. It’s an all-out party, and everyone is invited as the anticipation for the race builds. The streets are blocked off to vehicle traffic, vendors from all over the world set up their booths along the staging lanes and start line, encouraging the public to get a piece of the action as each Baja racer drives their vehicle through tech inspection. The air is filled with the scent of fresh churros, roasted corn and taco stands. This tradition is an important part of the race, as it gives fans a chance to see their favorite race vehicles up-close and even get a photo-op with the drivers. It brings the whole experience together, displaying just how deeply ingrained off-road racing has become within the local culture.

The Baja 1000 attracts more than just the big name Trophy Trucks and Class 1 teams. Everything from old-school Jeep CJ’s to bone-stock VW Beetles can be found in the contingency line. This year’s race included over 400 vehicles, each in their respective class. One class that is recently making big waves in Baja racing is Ultra 4, or the Hammer Truck Unlimited class, as it’s called by SCORE.

Perhaps the most well-known racing family in Ultra 4, the Campbells, couldn’t pass up the chance to combine their efforts towards winning the Baja 1000 this year. Shannon, Wayland and Bailey Campbell brought their 4405 Ultra 4 car through tech inspection, and had a strong start to the race. The IFS 4-wheel drive combined with the 40-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers on the 4405 car is well suited for the fast desert terrain of the Baja 1000 course. Although the Campbells are known for being strong finishers with a reputation of many Ultra 4 wins, including a 1st place finish in the 48th SCORE Baja 1000, unforeseen mechanical failure would cause them to end their race early.

Dave Cole, a name synonymous with Ultra 4 racing, also entered his bid for the 50^th SCORE Baja 1000. Dave, who is the co-founder of Ultra 4 and King of the Hammers, entered in a newly built race car, based on a Trent Fabrication chassis. Most newly built race cars are prone to bugs that need ironing out, but Dave and his team seemed to have the 4454 car dialed from the get-go.

Not all the Unlimited Hammer Truck cars feature custom tube chassis and one-off components. Mel Wade from Off Road Evolution also entered the ranks with his EVO1 car, which retains a Jeep JK frame, Dynatrac axles, a built Hemi, Nitto 40x13.50x17 Trail Grapplers and off-the-shelf EVO MFG suspension components. The 4451 car was stripped down to its bones and completely prepped for the 50^th Baja 1000 just weeks before the race. EVO1 is no stranger to racing, and has finished the Baja 1000 in years past.

This summer, we got a chance to ride with Off Road Brands for the 65^th Annual Jeeper’s Jamboree on the Rubicon Trail. Father and son team, Ron and Austin Stobaugh, are Jeepers at heart, but another aspect of Off Road Brands is their signature Desert Race School, where they offer classes to get students started in desert racing. Ron is no stranger to Baja either, having been involved in Baja racing since the early 90s. His extensive knowledge of the peninsula, combined with years of race logistics experience, make Ron an excellent team leader for this race. Ron, with his son Austin, have partnered up with Mike Jams to build and race a Class 3000 truck, also known as a BajaLite.

In the weeks leading up to the Baja 1000, the Desert Race School team was busy prepping their 3003 BajaLite car while squeezing in as much prerunning as they could on the race course. The team’s plan to have four drivers and co-drivers made the most sense, dividing up the race into four sections.

Among the driver list is KOH King Loren Healy, with Chris Corbett from Nitto as his navigator. No stranger to desert racing, Loren Healy still had some adjusting to do to get used to the rear-wheel-drive, 4-cylinder BajaLite on 35-inch Ridge Grapplers. A big change from his V8, four-wheel-drive Ultra 4 car—nonetheless, by Wednesday before the race, the 3003 car was fully prepped, tech inspected and ready to take on the 1,130 miles to La Paz.

On Wednesday night, the nerves begin to kick in for the 4-wheeled vehicle teams. The running joke of “try to get some sleep tonight” is all-too real the night before a race as physically and mentally demanding as the Baja 1000. But at the same moment these drivers are staring blankly at the ceiling of their hotel rooms in Ensenada, the first green flag for the bikes and quads is dropped. The bikes and quads take off a full 10 hours before the first Trophy Truck leaves the start line, challenging riders to complete the first half of their race in the dead of the night—through some of the darkest desert skies in the Western Hemisphere.

Later on Thursday morning, the air is electrified in downtown Ensenada. It almost seems like the entire city drops everything and heads to the start line. Thousands of fans, both locals and those from all over the world, line up along the first few miles of the race course, waiting anxiously for that first green flag to drop for the Trophy Truck class.

Business owners close shop, kids ditch school for the day, even some of the elderly fans find their way down to witness the action for themselves. And who could blame them? 900 horsepower, 3 feet of suspension travel, chase teams that require the use of helicopters—it’s the stuff of dreams, and for many, the only opportunity they will ever have to see a trophy truck fly by in real life.

At 10:00 am Thursday, 1^st-place qualifier and veteran Baja 1000 winner, Robby Gordon, hurled his Speed Energy trophy truck off the start line. With a mighty roar, followed by the bark of fresh tires sliding on asphalt, the 50^th SCORE Baja 1000 had begun. After the trophy trucks cross start, their open-wheeled, rear-engine counterparts, Class 1 racers, begin the race. While not as fast as a TT through the bigger bumps, Class 1 cars are proven in their own ranks as the fastest buggies on earth.

One-by-one, each racer took off from the start line along the coast of Ensenada as the green flag dropped every 30 seconds. The beauty of this iconic race has always been held in the hearts of Baja racers. No matter what car they are driving, the passion, love and hard work remains unwavering between all classes.

By the early afternoon, all 400 vehicles entered in the race were underway. From the start line, the race course makes its way into the Arroyo Ensenada wash before jumping back onto the surface streets and heading out of town.

But this wasn’t the only race out of Ensenada on Friday morning. As each team made their way onto the race course, their respective chase trucks began their own race southbound on Mexico’s Highway 1, heading for their remote pit stops further down the peninsula. Chasing the Baja 1000 is no easy task. As treacherous as the race course is, the highways can be just as dangerous. While most small cars can navigate them with little difficulty, a full size dually chase truck with a service body, loaded down with tools, parts and the chase crew can be quite a challenge to navigate through the narrow and windy roads of Baja.

Most of Highway 1 is a two lane road, with very few passing zones. The most common method of delivering goods to the southern cities of Loreto, La Paz and Cabo San Lucas is by truckload, which is why you will run into more semi-trucks in Baja than local traffic. And there’s no worse feeling than being stuck behind one through a stretch of road too dangerous to pass on, all the while, knowing your race car is charging at full speed to receive fuel and assistance at the pit stop you’re responsible for. Combine all of that with dense fog, complete darkness, potholes the size of VWs and a severe lack of sleep—it quickly becomes the stuff of nightmares.

As darkness falls in the late afternoon, Desert Race School co-driver, Shannon Boothe, flips the switch to fire up the front lights of the 3003 car as driver, Mike Jams, keeps his pace across the peninsula towards their next pit stop and driver change. Race mile 311 on the map marks Coco’s Corner, a place that is difficult to describe without being there and could only exist in Baja.

This small patch of land, decorated by everything and anything that is left behind by passersby, is owned by a man known as Coco, who wears a prosthetic leg and has a reputation for aiding Baja racers and off-road enthusiasts who pass by. This is where Mike and Shannon will exit the 3003 BajaLite, and pass the torch to the next driver and co-driver of the Desert Race School lineup.

Coco’s Corner is far from any paved roads, making the chase team’s journey into the pit area particularly challenging. By nightfall, the lights from chase teams hustling up and down the dirt road into Coco’s could be seen from Highway 1, extending beyond the horizon. Navigating this road at night feels like something you would see in a Mad Max movie. Hundreds of big trucks moving fast, followed by enthusiastic locals in sedans and minivans lined this stretch of road, passing each other with little visibility in the heavy dust.

At the end of the road, a line of pits can be seen extending in each direction along the official race course. The Desert Race School pit had made radio contact with the 3003 car, just as Mel Wade passed in his Ultra 4 Jeep heading into his pit for fuel. Word also came in that Dave Cole passed through earlier in the 4454 Ultra 4 car.

At roughly 10:30pm, the BajaLite arrived at the pit stop. As Mike and Shannon unbelted and climbed out, the pit team refueled the car, checked the chassis, suspension and tires for anything out of the ordinary. Shannon Booth, who is a veteran Baja Racer with decades of experience under his belt, described the last hundred miles of race course as some of the most brutal he has ever seen. The lack of wind meant the dust was settling on the course instead of blowing off of it, forcing a slower pace with the low visibility.

The good news, however, was that the BajaLite was performing perfectly, and no issues were reported. This was especially well received by Loren Healy, who was the next driver for the Desert Race School team. He and his co-driver, Chris Corbett of Nitto Tire, settled into their seats and strapped in to take the BajaLite over 300 miles south to San Ignacio where they would end their leg of the race. The signal was given that the pit stop was completed, and just like that, they disappeared into the dust.

Coco’s corner was slowly emptying out. Once again, the chase trucks took off, making their way through the dust back to Highway 1 to continue down the peninsula. The race course was fast in this section, so keeping a good highway pace of about 75mph was mandatory for the chase vehicles to catch the race car at the next pit.

But the next stretch of highway to the state line of Baja California Sur was especially demanding. As the early morning hours went on, a dense fog descended upon the Baja desert, engulfing both the highway and the race course in what seemed like zero visibility. Still, the chase trucks pushed on, through the military checkpoint just outside Guerrero Negro, and into the Mexican state of Baja California Sur.

The fog grew thicker as the night went on, eventually requiring windshield wipers just to see 10 feet ahead. Running on no sleep and all adrenaline, chase crews finally reached the next pit stop in Vizcaino—a point along the race course that actually crosses Highway 1. Naturally, this point of the race was saturated with chase teams and spectators alike, making it incredibly difficult to find anyone who didn’t have a radio.

Five minutes after the chase team arrived to meet up with the crew already stationed in Vizcaino, the 3003 car made radio contact. They were 3 miles from the pit, running great and requiring fuel only—good news. As the BajaLite pulled into pit, dozens of flashlights were aimed on it, checking for anything they could find that could become an issue. The 35x12.50x17 Nitto Ridge Grapplers really showed their strength, as the tires were in great shape and gripping the Baja race course with ease. The 3003 car was in 1^st place, positioned ahead of all other BajaLites in their class. After fueling up and a quick pep talk, Loren and Chris headed back onto the race course, not knowing the most feared monster in all of Baja racing was waiting for them just 6 miles ahead.

Of course, we’re talking about silt. Silt is difficult to describe to someone who has never been physically buried in it. It’s finer than baby powder, thicker than dust and will find its way into any crack or crevasse. It is usually several feet deep, nearly impossible to dig out of and will bury a race car to its chassis within seconds. It’s the boogeyman of desert racing, striking fear into the hearts of those who have fell victim to it before. Worst of all, nobody is immune to silt. It will gobble up Trophy Trucks just as fast as a Class 11 Volkswagen. The only way out of a deep silt bed is to stay on the throttle until you’ve passed it.

Just 10 minutes after the 3003 car left the pit stop in Vizcaino, a radio distress call came in from Chris Corbett...

Dense fog and silt combined can create blackout conditions—moisture on the headlights gets hit with the silt, turning the water droplets into mud that covers the entire headlight lens. With no front lights, Loren and Chris found themselves buried in a silt bed, along with several other race cars—all immobilized. Being just 6 miles from the highway, the Desert Race School chase team sprang into action, taking a Jeep JK-8 chase truck onto the race course to pull the BajaLite out. Chase vehicles on the race course are never ideal, especially in this section of course which is lined by giant Saguaro Cacti, thick fog and no room for a race vehicle to pass. Nonetheless, the chase team was able to reach the race car, pull them out of the silt and make it back to the highway just as the first rays of sunlight crept beyond the mountains.

But just as Loren and Chris began to pick up speed again, disaster struck. The BajaLite’s transmission was heating up fast, and beginning to slip. Without a spare transmission, this proved to be a race-ender for the Desert Race School team. The 3003 car was pulled to the highway and towed into San Ignacio, where the chase team began tearing it down in the parking lot of a local hotel (evidently called Rice and Beans). The sun had rose over the 300 year-old Mission San Ignacio, and hours passed before the transmission problem became evident. A pump seal had failed, causing the transmission to overheat and eventually fail. With no way to repair the issue, the decision was made by Ron Stobaugh to pull his team out of the 50^th Baja 1000.

Emotions come heavy in times like these. Months of prep and planning, hard labor, thousands of miles of prerunning and countless hours of wrenching all came to a screeching halt because of a faulty pump seal. The feeling is familiar around Baja racing, because simply finishing this race is an accomplishment. Although upset at the circumstances, the Desert Race School team knew they gave this race everything they had. It was time to get some rest and prepare for the 2-day drive back to the US-border.

But theirs wasn’t the only team that had to accept defeat before crossing the finish line. By the time the dust had settled, just 205 teams out of over 400 entered would finish the race, leaving the other half of the teams broken down and sprawled out along the Baja peninsula. The first overall finisher in La Paz was Mexican Trophy Truck driver Carlos “Apdaly” Lopez, finishing the race in 19 hours and 53 minutes, a full hour ahead of Cameron Steele, who took 2^nd place overall.

Still, there was a silver lining for the Unlimited Hammer Truck class. Dave Cole and his brand new 4454 Ultra 4 racer crossed the finish line in 2^nd place, just 2 hours behind Casey Currie. Although Dave’s race car had not previously been raced or tested in Baja, it proved worthy of the 1,130-mile-long race course.

The story of Baja is different for everyone, but after hearing a few of them, you begin to notice something. They all seem to have the same flow. The situations are never stagnant; things are always looking up immediately followed by disaster, but then everything works out just in the nick of time before turning to complete chaos again. “Baja Magic”, as told by veteran desert racers, is the all-seeing, all-knowing force that keeps the balance between everything, and it’s not argued with. The outcomes of each race are simply a product of that balance, both good and bad.

“That’s Baja” is a phrase everyone seems to know and understand. Whether you’re a racer, chase supporter, a local race fan, or just the media guy, the spirit of Baja becomes a part of you down there. And although the 50^th Baja 1000 ended in heartbreak for many who didn’t deserve it, that spirit will undoubtedly call once again, daring those who are willing to return for their chance at glory.

Being born in the 80’s and growing up in the 90’s, Radwood took me right back to my childhood. A car show featuring only cars from that era was like stepping into a time machine.

The 80's and 90's are a tough period to classify. Being that cars of that era are too new to be considered classic and just old enough to begin considered vintage, Some of these cars are still out of place at most car shows and non-brand specific meets.

Redwood brought together forgotten names like Peugeot, Saab, Taurus SHO, Supra, Legend, Galant VR-4 and others—all restored to like-new condition. Some rows looked straight out of a 90's car dealership...

While other rows looked like what I wish my high school parking lot looked like...

In recent years, many cars of the period such as the E30 M3, 911, NSX and Supra have seen a spike in resale prices and are now highly treasured among collectors.

While others, like the Integra Type R, are sought after as affordable alternatives—or by people who have wanted the model since teenage years and can finally afford it.

With modern JDM and Europe-only classics being over 25 years old, they can now be imported, driven and registered in some states across America.

As modern cars become more technologically advanced, will people begin to resurrect and treasure these forgotten economy cars or will they continue to rot away in junkyards as most of them currently do?

See more from Radwood in the gallery above.

This past weekend, the coolest cars from the 80s and 90s sauntered into the Phoenix Club in Anaheim,CA for the Second Annual Radwood show. Needless to say, it was many flavors of rad cars..to the max! Here are some of the best:

1. Audi Quattro

Everybody's favorite European rally car, the Audi Quattro coupe was in full effect.

2. Peuegot 205

Speaking of European, how about a side of Peugeot with that?  Though they stopped selling cars in the U.S. in 1991, Peugeot left its mark. Including this little rocket ship which was named "Car of the Decade" in 1990 by CAR Magazine.

3. IROC-Z Camaro

Or perhaps this IROC-Z brings back more memories. If this isn't bitchin', I don't know what is. This upgraded version of the classic Camaro was not only fast, it was also the official vehicle of Guidos from coast to coast.

4. Toyota MR2

If this winged, light metallic blue MR2 doesn't make your heart beat just a little faster... that's sad. 

5. Jaguar XJS

The 80s & 90s was also the era when Jaguar got weird and gave us this crazy looking coupe, the XJS. Hey, the E-type was a tough act to follow. Luckily, the V12 made it all hurt a little less.

6. Volkswagen Scirocco

How about this Scirocco? Sandwiched right between the Karmann Ghia and the Golf, this sport coupe was a front wheel drive masterpiece. Sadly, we haven't gotten one State-side since.

7. Cadillac

Feeling tired from all that speed? Perhaps you'd like to take a nap with six of your closest friends in the back of this Caddy. With this vehicle, you'll never be alone...

8. Toyota Supra

OK, good. Now that you're good and rested, let's do some donuts in this Supra—with its pop-up headlights and futuristic door handles, you'll need some Wayfarers immediately.

9. Porsches

And because it's impossible to pick an iconic Porsche from this era, how about looking at all of them? In white, lined up with a cooler filled with (fake) cocaine. Well, played Radwood.

10. Toyota Corolla

This was also the era when Japanese cars were still new-ish to America and the concept of a high performance sedan was still getting through people's heads. The Toyota Corolla GT DOHC got us that much closer.

11. BMW M5

Or, if you're a real player, saddle up to this M5. I'll pack my Reebok high tops and leg warmers and we can go to the mall to buy a new Walkman so you can make me a gnarly mixed tape.

If you don't get that, you'll definitely need to head to Radwood next year.

See even more 80s cars from our Radwood gallery, here.

Last week the Los Angeles Auto Show kicked off in sunny Southern California. While there weren't too many bombshell unveilings or game changing debuts at this year's show, there was still some cool stuff for us car enthusiasts to be excited about.

We've already covered the new JL Jeep Wrangler which may have been the event's biggest news, but after spending a couple days walking the show and checking out the new machinery, here are five other LA Auto Show developments to be excited about.

1. Corvette ZR1 Convertible + Pricing

Chevy had already shown off the new 755 horsepower 2019 Corvette ZR1 prior to the LA Auto Show, but LA saw the debut of the drop-top version of the ZR1 along with some pricing information for the new Super 'Vette.

Base price for the ZR1 Coupe will be $119,995 and the optional aerodynamics package will add $2,995 to that figure. Opting for the convertible will set you back an extra $4000, and with that comes a very small weight penalty of 60 additional pounds.

That pricing is pretty much what was expected for the ZR1, and it should cement the car's status as one of the world's greatest performance bargains—with true Supercar capabilities for a fraction of the Supercar price.

2. Toyota FT-AC

Moving in a different direction, we have an interesting concept vehicle that Toyota debuted at the show, the FT-AC with the AC part of the name standing for "Adventure Concept".

With big fender flares, beefy tires and skid plates the FT-AC looks ready for the outdoors, and Toyota's idea of AWD, four-wheel locking and selectable terrain modes suggest this little thing could be a pretty capable off-roader.

Whether this would be a stand-alone model or a preview of the next generation RAV4 remains to be seen, but it's easy to see the market demand for something like this.

3. New Mercedes CLS

Back in 2003, Mercedes introduced the groundbreaking CLS with the practicality of a sedan and the styling of a coupe. It's a formula that's been replicated by many different automakers since—and last week they debuted the all-new 2019 CLS, to go on sale next year.

Although the styling has been updated to keep in form with Mercedes' latest design language, the familiar CLS profile remains on the new third generation model. The bigger story comes under the hood, where an all-new powerplant sits.

CLS450 models will be powered by a new inline six-cylinder engine matched with an integrated electric generator and starter. It's rated at 362 horsepower and 369 lb feet of torque with an additional 21 horsepower and 184 lb feet available for short periods thanks to an electrified booth.

That's enough to get CLS450 to 60 miles per hour in 5.1 seconds in rear-drive form and 4.8 seconds in AWD 4Matic form. Mercedes says the 2019 CLS450 will have the performance of a V8 but with the fuel economy of a six cylinder, and those numbers certainly don't lie.

4. Turbo Mazda6

Mazda meanwhile chose the LA Auto Show to debut the heavily updated 2018 Mazda6 sedan. Although the car has not been drastically changed from the current model, there's new styling on the outside, a re-tuned chassis and a dramatically redone interior.

Things get even more exciting in the engine bay, where, for the first time in several years, Mazda6 buyers in the U.S. will have two different engine options. The 2.5 liter naturally aspirated four cylinder will remain as standard equipment, but the turbocharged 2.5 liter engine from the CX-9 has also been added to the option list.

The turbocharged Mazda6 will be rated at 250 horsepower and an even more impressive 310 lb feet of torque when it goes on sale next spring. That should give it the needed muscle to go against the new turbocharged Honda Accord and the always-quick Toyota Camry V6.

5. Saleen S1

Last. but not least, Saleen debuted their new bespoke sports car called the S1. Unlike the old Saleen S7, which was a V8-powered monster machine, the S1 emphasizes agility and lightness with a curb weight set to be around 2,700 lbs.

Power comes from a 2.5 liter turbcocharged four cylinder engine making 450 horsepower and 350 lb feet of torque–enough to get the S1 to 60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds and hit a top speed over 180 miles per hour.

The S1 will also be relatively affordable, by the standards of its competition, with starting price of $100,000 when it goes on sale next year. Time will tell whether it can live up to the standards of the still-impressive S7, but it's always nice to have another player on the market.

Land speed racing ranks pretty high on our prestigious meter. After all, it’s no small undertaking to design, build and eventually drive a vehicle into the record books. It’s something a lot of folks attempt, but very few achieve. In this motorsport, success is never guaranteed—and any accomplishment witnessed by an outsider is only the last sentence of a very long novel. A highly knowledgeable team, 20-hour days and a plethora of failures are all part of the record-breaking puzzle for successful land speed teams.

As with many other forms of auto racing, in recent years, diesel-powered vehicles have begun to enter the land speed fray on a more frequent basis. Fifteen years ago, Banks Power stuffed a 5.9L Cummins into a Dodge Dakota and proceeded to establish a new diesel pickup record that was nearly 50 mph faster than the previous mark. Not long after that, a new diesel-powered mini-truck arrived on the scene: the Power Stroke equipped ’01 Ford Ranger campaigned by SPAL and Hypermax Engineering.

Then there are the streamliners… With full factory backing, British-based JCB earned the title of fastest diesel streamliner in the world back in 2006. While JCB still holds the record, it hasn’t gone unchallenged, namely by Lynn Goodfellow and his Duramax-powered “Mormon Missile.” Last, but not least, there are smaller teams—such as Doug and Davidson Adler and their VW-powered racer— with hopes, dreams and an undeniable drive to get their names etched into the record books, too.

If you’re ready for the full backstory on each vehicle mentioned above, keep reading…

JCB Dieselmax

We begin with the fastest of the fast: the JCB Dieselmax streamliner. A multi-national corporation known for building construction and agricultural equipment, JCB set its sights on the 300-mph barrier back in 2004. Along with the obvious goal of being the fastest diesel-powered streamliner in the world, the project would serve as a way to showcase the durability of the company’s new JCB444 engines. While the two JCB444 mills that powered the Dieselmax were highly modified, they were JCB born and bred, nonetheless. Each power plant was bored and stroked to 5.0 liters of displacement, compression was dropped to 10.5:1, the common-rail fuel system was effectively placed on steroids and compound turbo arrangements helped each four-cylinder engine produce nearly 90 psi of boost.

Built by Visioneering, the Dieselmax’s chassis consisted of 2-inch mild steel square tube, a carbon fiber body and sandwiched aluminum honeycomb. Each engine was mounted on its side, with one positioned in front of the driver and the other located behind him. Both engines turned out 750 hp and benefited from dry sump oil systems and water-to-air intercooling. A JCB overdrive tripled the crankshaft speed of the engines before it was fed to an air-shifted, six-speed transmission and transaxle. The Dieselmax also made use of independent four-wheel drive, with no driveline connection existing between the front and rear sets of tires. Per the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), the Dieselmax’s 317.021 mph record has sat at the top of the diesel streamliner category for over a decade, having been achieved in August of 2006. The fastest speed ever recorded by the Dieselmax is 350.092 mph, which is an international (FIA-certified) diesel land speed record.

Mormon Missile

Directly on the heels of the JCB Dieselmax (even though technically in a different class) was the Mormon Missile streamliner put together by Lynn Goodfellow. Thanks to having a metal fabrication shop onsite at his Boulder City, Nevada, rock-crushing equipment business, most of the car was built in-house. Its body is polished fiberglass, the chassis was formed out of high-strength Domex 100 steel that’s 1/8-inch thick with the cockpit enclosed with a rollcage made from 2-inch diameter 4130 chromoly steel. After getting stuck in the mid-200’s for a short time, Goodfellow’s Mormon Missile rocketed to 314.98 mph in 2008, grabbed the number 2 spot at Bonneville in 2009 (305.145 mph) and obtained an FIA-certified speed of 341.167 mph that same year.

The Duramax that powers the Mormon Missile was built by Curtis Halvorson, a renowned engine builder in the Duramax world. The 6.6L GM V8 concealed X-beam connecting rods, 15:1 compression forged-aluminum pistons from Mahle, CNC ported heads, ARP head studs and a compound turbo system that was good for just shy of 70 psi of boost (while producing just 60 psi worth of drive pressure). The Duramax was controlled via a BSG standalone ECM and bolted to a five-speed Liberty transmission that transmitted power to a Dick Holt-built quick-change rear axle.

Double Eagle

Doug and Davison Adler’s Volkswagen-powered streamliner is one of the freshest vehicles to grace the diesel streamliner class. Named the Double Eagle, a moniker their father created and that they use on all of their custom vehicle builds, it makes use of an ’05 model year 5.0L V10 TDI. Thanks to its body being primarily made from composite reinforced fiberglass, its engine compartment built out of formed aluminum and the Lexan polycarbonate employed on the canopy, the Double Eagle tips the scales at just over 1,800 pounds. The tube chassis and safety cage were constructed by Doug Adler from 1-3/4-inch mild steel. Davidson pilots the car, which has seen a top speed of 237.015 mph (exit speed) so far, effectively making Double Eagle the fastest Volkswagen racer in the world.

Starting with a 147,000-mile 5.0L V10 and six-speed Aisin transmission, AG Autowerks of Ventura, California, handled the engine and transmission integration, along with all wiring. Injectors equipped with Bosio Race 783 nozzles combined with Kerma TDI tuning help fuel the beast, while a pair of K16-based BorgWarner turbos from Apex Performance Turbochargers take care of the air side. To keep exhaust gas temperature at bay, a pair of water-to-air intercoolers are used and as a result the Double Eagle never sees EGT higher than 1,400 degrees F. With its light race weight and having plenty of room for growth in the power production department, the Adler brothers may eventually look to challenge the JCB Dieselmax streamliner record with their one-of-a-kind creation.

Banks Sidewinder

Back before Gale Banks introduced the world to his Duramax-powered Pro Stock S10 or his Spitzer-chassis’d Duramax dragster, the Banks Power camp broke land speed records with this Dodge Dakota. The original bearer of the “Sidewinder” name, a 5.9L Cummins was shoehorned under the hood (the firewall had to be moved back 18 inches), shifts were handled manually via a NV5600 transmission and a McLeod dual disc clutch, a roll cage was added and the truck’s suspension, brakes and aerodynamics were all considerably upgraded. Believe it or not, the engine was supplied by Cummins and made 393 hp when it arrived at Banks’ facility. Thanks to bigger injectors, a different ECM, extensive porting of the 24-valve cylinder head, a 70mm Holset HY55 variable geometry turbo (producing 48 psi of boost at 3,600 rpm) and a high flow intake manifold, the Banks team was able to glean a completely usable (i.e. safe) 735 hp and 1,300 lb-ft of torque out of the inline-six while aboard the dyno.

On October 17, 2002 the Banks Sidewinder arrived at the World Finals in Bonneville and proceeded to blow past the then-fastest diesel pickup record. After achieving an average speed of 217.314 mph the first day and 213.583 mph the second day, Banks had claimed both the FIA (international) title and the SCTA title for the world’s fastest diesel pickup. Better yet, when the truck wasn’t out at the salt flats running 200 mph it was driving around on the street. That’s right, it was street driven—even toting a small trailer while competing in the 2005 holding of Hot Rod Magazine’s Power Tour. In street trim, things were dialed back a bit (in the form of smaller injectors, a different ECM and an air-to-air intercooler), but in our minds it doesn’t alter the cool factor. In mixed street driving, the Sidewinder got a very respectable 21.2 mpg.

Rocket Ranger

In 2007, another diesel-powered mini-truck, an ’01 Ford Ranger backed by SPAL and Hypermax Engineering, would get in on the record-breaking action at the Bonneville Salt Flats. With a 215.091 mph two-run average, the “Rocket Ranger” (as it was called) was recognized by the SCTA as the fastest diesel pickup truck. Interestingly enough, in a former life (and with a Roush-built, 371 ci NASCAR engine under the hood) the Rocket Ranger had already set the record for the Modified Mid/Mini Pickup class at 205.208 mph. Like Banks’ Sidewinder Dakota, the Rocket Ranger has also trapped a best exit speed of 222 mph while blazing the salt flats.

When SPAL got its hands on the truck, the company decided to set some records with an oil-burner under the hood—which brings us to what we believe is the best part about the entire Rocket Ranger project... It was powered by a 6.0L Power Stroke. It was a highly modified 6.0L with Hypermax forged connecting rods, low-compression pistons, Hypermax’s proprietary dynamic head gaskets, larger injectors and a Mach 7 power module, but it was—in one form or another—a rendition of the notorious, Navistar-designed 6.0L V8. The 800 hp Power Stroke was connected to a ZF-6 six-speed transmission and the truck was driven by the late Max Lagod of Hypermax.

Like fast diesels? Check out five of the World's fastest.

It's long been known that Lamborghini has been working on an SUV to add to its lineup, with teasers and spy shots galore, and this week the brand finally debuted the 2019 Urus—the fastest SUV in the world.

While the Lamborghini Urus SUV has an entirely different profile than anything else in the brand's lineup, it still has a distinct Lamborghini look—a sweeping roofline, bulging angular fenders and enormous vents in the bumpers. It very much looks like an SUV built by a Supercar company.

The engine is a twin turbocharged 4.0 liter V8, good for 641 horsepower and 627 pound feet of torque, with power sent to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Lamborghini says it will get to 62 miles per hour in just 3.6 seconds and hit a top speed of 189.5 miles per hour.

The Urus will also comes equipped with other Supercar-spec equipment like carbon ceramic brakes and a torque vectoring system. Additionally, it's air suspension can be adjusted for a variety of terrains including sand and snow. There's even rear wheel steering.

Pricing is expected to start at about $200,000—given the huge demand for high-end SUVs, it should become Lamborghini's best-selling model. Hopes are that the addition of the Urus will double the brand's annual sales figures.

Whether or not you like the idea of a Lamborghini SUV, this is the future, and if successful, its profits should help the brand build crazy bespoke supercars for many years to come. Just look at the success Porsche has had adding non-sports car models to its lineup and you'll see how the formula can work. The Urus will go on sale next year.

The Mooneyes Yokohama Hot Rod Show once again rolled into Pacifico Yokohama convention for its annual event. Bringing together 300 of the best hot rods not only from around Japan, but around the world—it is a show that attracts over 16,000 visitors with about 1,000 coming from overseas.

The show is not all about hot rods, however, it boasts 650 bikes of various styles along with a large market place, swap meet and artist booths. The key attraction remains to be the hot rods—and this year's themes were "Taste of 32 Deuce" and "Gracious Pickups—El Caminos". Naturally, the majority of hot rods on display were one of the two featured styles, but there were still plenty of alternate projects to see as well.

Here is a rundown of our top five from this year's Yokohama Hot Rod Show...

1. 1960 Buick LeSabre

The '60 LeSabre marked the last year that the model would feature noticeable tail fins, as the design trend started to fade from the industry. This was also the only year that the LeSabre sported this particular face—as unique as it is, the owner chose to make some customizations. The front of the hood now continues the line created from the front fenders, giving the front end a much more aerodynamic appearance. Along with the excellent paint work and unique color choice, this was definitely a stand-out.

2. 1950 Chevrolet

When speaking with non-Japanese attendants at the show, almost everyone commented on how surprised they were at the number of American classic cars at the show. This '50 Chevrolet is a great example of the surprises you can find in the car scene in Japan. From low-riders to hot rods, they do everything—and to such a high quality that everyone that attends the show leaves with a sense of admiration.

3. 1971 Toyota Crown Pickup

Imagine yourself on the freeway passing cars like they are standing still—when you notice a pretty nice looking pickup. You think to yourself, "That's clean. But it's just a Toyota Crown Pickup." That is, until you get walked on by it and are left with your jaw dropped to your steering wheel. A bit over dramatic, but I think it's something we can all dream about when we learn that this pickup has a 1JZ under the hood.

4. 1977 VW Scirocco MK1

Definitely something unexpected to find at the show, not only because it's German but also because it's not a common car to customize in Japan, especially in the way that the owner chose to do so. A lot of U.S. custom styling techniques were applied to this Scirocco, it would fit right in at a stateside Wekfest event. (We recently spotted another Scirocco at Radwood, see the coverage.)

5. 1959 Chevrolet El Camino

Making the long trip across the ocean from California, Mooneyes invited Mr. Clark to display "Kermit" at the show—since he has never been to Japan, he jumped at the opportunity. When asked what he thought of the show, it was nothing but praise. Compared to the U.S., he noted the only bigger show would be SEMA. He continued to say that the quality of the builds was on par with what could be found in the U.S. He was struck with surprise at how many American hot rods were on display.

Honorable Mention

Bikes are not often featured here on Driving Line, but this bike caught our attention. The frame was custom built and holds a VW Type engine with a Moto Guzzi transmission. Prop driven, this thing looks like a beast and was definitely unique. Hats off to Mr. Izawa for walking us through his build.

Check out the gallery above to see more of how Japan does hot rods.

It’s time for another round of diesel sleepers. That’s right, one more in-depth case study shining a light on just how common it is for oil-burning, four-ton pickups to make big power. Yet again, each truck profiled below is 100-percent streetable, with several serving as daily drivers or tow rigs. They can eat muscle cars on Sunday and be right back at work come Monday—and do it all under the guise of appearing stock. The Power Stroke-equipped Fords and Duramax-powered Chevy’s on this list can dupe, deceive and then demolish the unsuspecting competition as well as any group of sleeper’s we’ve seen.

By intentionally forgoing attention-grabbing cosmetic changes like flashy wheels, high-dollar paint and exhaust stacks, the owners of these vehicles focused instead on making sure they never see taillights. And, judging by the fuel, air and hard-part upgrades they’ve made (which we’ve spelled out below), they likely never will. Their intentions were deliberate—their trucks mean business and this is their story.

1. 850-RWHP 7.3L

Matt Maier’s lightning-quick ’97 F-250 sits at the top of our list for several reasons. First, it’s the fastest—having gone 7.0 in the eighth-mile and made countless low-11-second passes in the quarter. Second, it can normally be found wearing all-terrain tires mounted on the truck’s original 16x7-inch Alcoa wheels. Finally, it’s the ultimate underdog in that it’s powered by a 7.3L Power Stroke—an engine that left the assembly line making 225 hp at the crank. Thanks to having all the right parts in all the right places, Matt’s OBS Ford has become one of the top diesel index racers in the country (namely competing in the 12.0 Index category). And even though it belts out 650-rwhp on fuel and 850-rwhp on nitrous (huge power for a 7.3L), it’s still daily driven.

The Parts List

Matt’s parts combination isn’t as exotic or high-end as you might think. A set of Full Force Diesel 350/200 hybrid injectors and dual high-pressure oil pumps take care of the HEUI system’s performance needs, while an Irate Diesel Performance T4 turbo mounting kit allows a proven BorgWarner S467.7 turbo to be utilized. A Dorsey Diesel Stage 4 E4OD transmission handles the shifts and Gearhead Automotive Performance tuning ties everything together. While the 7.3L in Matt’s F-250 sports a built bottom end at the present time, he did run a stock forged-rod bottom end at the same power level for years—including when he set the current 7.3L horsepower record of 1,226-rwhp while aboard the chassis dyno (in which roughly 600 hp worth of N2O was used).

2. Duramax-Powered C10

From afar, no one would ever guess this unrestored classic Chevy is Duramax-powered—or that it sends 750 horsepower to the pavement. Yet that’s exactly what Ryan Wehrli’s ’70 C10 does. Built 100-percent in-house at Wehrli Custom Fabrication, the C10 body sits on top of a shortened, stripped, modified and painted ’06 Chevy Silverado 2500HD chassis. A built LBZ Duramax sits between the framerails, with a beefed up six-speed Allison 1000 automatic and NP261 transfer case backing it up. A rebuilt and powder coated Dana 60 resides up front, along with a four-link suspension. An AAM 1150 axle takes care of business in the rear and also benefits from a four-link arrangement.

The Parts List

Carrillo connecting rods, Mahle pistons and a SoCal Diesel alternate firing order camshaft reside in the block, while a set of factory heads equipped with Wehrli billet valve covers are clamped down via ARP head studs. A pair of dual CP3 injection pumps (one of which is an Exergy Performance 10mm stroker unit that sits in place of the A/C compressor) feed pressurized diesel to a set of flow-tested Exergy Performance injectors fitted with 60-percent over nozzles. A Wehrli Custom Fabrication “Sideways” twin-turbo kit provides plenty of airflow by employing a BorgWarner S480 atmosphere charger and an S364 in the valley. ECM and TCM tuning is supplied by the EFI Live masterminds at DuramaxTuner.com.

3. The Plow Truck

While Josh Todd’s ’04 F-250 no longer plows snow, it could still get the job done if he needed it to. However, for the time being he’s content to have his factory-looking Super Duty only “appear” to be a work truck. You could even argue that, aside from being one of those ‘notoriously unreliable’ 6.0L Power Strokes, the snow plow mount remains onboard in order to lure in potential victims. You see, instead of bolting on an exhaust, adding a programmer and calling it a day, Josh took things much, much further. After years of trial and error (and a persistent desire to prove the 6.0L naysayers wrong), he’s landed on a setup that’s good for somewhere between 700 and 750-rwhp.

The Parts List

Contrary to popular belief, Josh’s modifications list isn’t as extensive as one might think. Added fueling comes by way of a set of 215cc injectors with 75-percent over nozzles. The heads, while removed for the inevitable head gasket replacement and ARP head stud install, were ported. An Irate Diesel Performance T4 turbo mounting kit positions a High Tech Turbo S467 in the lifter valley in place of the factory VGT. The 5R110 automatic was rebuilt locally and treated to a 2,400-rpm stall, triple-disc torque converter. And finally, Gearhead Automotive Performance makes the truck both extremely drivable and powerful. Cummins and Duramax owners beware: this one will hurt your feelings.

4. Dura-Burb

DuramaxTuner.com’s Nitto Terra Grappler G2-equipped, 1,050-rwhp ’04 Suburban 2500 exists because it can. In today’s high-powered diesel world, you can have it all—good drivability, fuel efficiency, towing ability and immense power—all in the same vehicle. On this project, led by DuramaxTuner.com owner Nick Priegnitz, the goal was to show the industry that 700 to 800-rwhp was no longer the stopping point for streetable, daily driven diesels. His finished product proves that you can still have reliability, even with a four-digit power figure on tap. We’re told the extra seating of the ‘Burb makes for some interesting work-related road trips, too.

The Parts List

Based on an LBZ Duramax, the short-block consists of a main cap girdle, ARP main studs, Carrillo rods, Mahle Motorsport pistons and an alternate firing order camshaft. The only changes made to the factory cylinder heads were the addition of beehive valve springs and ARP studs. Big fuel checks in with 150-percent over injectors and a Street Series 14mm single CP3, both of which were sourced from Exergy Performance. Thanks to help from Wehrli Custom Fabrication, a BorgWarner S488 SX-E and DuramaxTuner Stealth 64 VVT combine for 75 psi of boost, while an Allison 1000 graced with billet shafts, Sun Coast internals and a Goerend Transmission triple-disc converter harnesses everything the LBZ dishes out. This kind of ‘company’ vehicle makes us wonder if these guys are hiring…

5. A Plain-Jane, 678-RWHP

Chuck Dorsey is just a good ‘ol boy. A very smart good ‘ol boy. He’s been playing with 7.3L Power Strokes for two decades and at this point he knows them inside and out. This includes knowing how to tune them and rebuild the transmissions bolted behind them. That said, he’s an old-school hot-rodder, too. He’d rather triple the power of a vehicle than put flashy wheels on it and he also prefers to retain the full functionality of any vehicle he’s modifying. All of this figures into the ’00 F-350 pictured above. It utilizes a stock forged-rod bottom end, makes 655-rwhp on fuel, regularly tows 13,000 pounds and sports the same, 18-year-old Alcoa wheels it left the factory with.

The Parts List

With a small shot of nitrous in the mix during his last visit to the chassis dyno, Chuck’s Super Duty laid down 678-rwhp and 1,259 lb-ft of torque. At this power level, his long bed limo is capable of running mid-12’s in the quarter-mile. Even more surprising is the fact that, by performing his own custom PCM tuning, he was able to glean nearly 700-rwhp out of a set of relatively small hybrid injectors from Unlimited Diesel Performance (250cc units fitted with 100-percent over nozzles). The hybrids are complemented by a DieselSite Adrenaline high-pressure oil pump and thanks to a T4 turbo mounting system from Irate Diesel Performance a BorgWarner S369 SX-E builds 60 psi of boost for the 7.3L to ingest.

Check out more killer sleeper diesel trucks, here!

Given how much horsepower the cars of today have, it's easy to forget just how different things were back in 1989. At the time a top trim Mustang GT made 225 horsepower from its 5.0 liter V8. An '89 Corvette made 245 horsepower from its 5.7 liter. An '89 Toyota Supra Turbo made 230 horsepower and the 1989 BMW M3 made just 192 horsepower.

That's why it's all the more incredible to think that in 1989, Ford introduced a 220 horsepower wolf-in-sheep's-clothing called the Taurus SHO. Not only was it one of the best sleepers ever to come out of America, it's one of the more interesting vehicles Ford has ever built. Based on the popular Taurus sedan, the SHO (Super High Output) was the product of a Ford engineering team that envisioned a one-of-a-kind performance sedan that was far more exotic than its humble appearance might have suggested.

Unlike other performance cars, the SHO's formula was more than just stuffing a larger motor into a smaller car—and its engine was a unique piece unavailable in any other Ford vehicle. On the bottom end it was 3.0 liter V6, but up top the engine was heavily massaged by the engineers at Yamaha. With 220 naturally aspirated horsepower, the SHO's V6 was not only extremely powerful for its time, but it could be spun up to 7,000 RPM. It also looked very exotic with its row of snaking intake runners that continues to raise eyebrows to this day.

The SHO's only transmission was five-speed manual, and it could do 60 miles per hour in 6.6 seconds and hit a top speed of 143 miles per hour. These numbers might seem pedestrian by modern standards, but back in '89 that was serious stuff.

From the outside, those in the know could distinguish the SHO from its slightly more aggressive exterior styling, but to many it looked just like a normal mundane Taurus—until it blew their doors off at a stoplight.

Initially planned to be a limited production special project, the SHO quickly caught on among those looking for a high performance family sedan that flew under the radar. In 1992, the second generation Taurus debuted with updated styling and the SHO continued to be part of the lineup.

For '93 an automatic transmission was available for the first time and the automatic cars came equipped with a larger 3.2 liter engine that was better suited to the slushbox. With the new automatic added to the mix, the SHO had a broader appeal and continued to be a successful project for Ford.

In 1996, that dramatically redesigned third generation Taurus was introduced, and with it came an all-new SHO as well. Still tuned by Yamaha in Japan, the new engine was an aluminum 32-valve V8 that displaced 3.4 liters and made 235 horsepower.

Unfortunately, the only transmission was an automatic, and despite the bump in power the competition had begun to catch up. While still quick for a family sedan, the new SHO wasn't quite the super sleeper that the original was.

Following the 1999 model year the SHO was phased out as Ford's focus shifted to other models, but the car had nonetheless sealed its reputation as one of Ford's most exciting products of the last decade.

But it turns out the SHO's story wasn't over yet. In 2010 the SHO badge returned, this time on the all new (and much larger) sixth generation Taurus, and it was quite a different car since the last time we'd seen it.

It was now powered by a 3.5 liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 that made 365 horsepower and this time it sent power to all four wheels via a standard AWD system. The car had also grown in weight, tipping the scales at nearly 4,400 lbs.

Still, with all of that power and traction, the reborn SHO was easily the fastest yet. But it was also a large, pricey sedan that now faced competition from V8-powered Mopars and a number of other imported and domestic rivals.

While the current car is a welcome part of Ford's lineup, it's unlikely we'll ever see a car quite like the original Taurus SHO again. It wasn't just a quick Taurus, it was one of the fastest four-door cars you could buy and a sleeper for the ages. If you are looking for a future collectible that won't break the bank, an early SHO with a manual transmission would be an excellent choice. Now excuse us while we go scour Craigslist for one.

Turbochargers, superchargers and nitrous. Stroker motors, big cubes and wedge-heads. Race gas, methanol and diesel. Classic, modern and completely one-off. If you want to see it all, you come to the PRI Show in Indianapolis. The top aftermarket manufacturers in the automotive racing industry set up shop here for three days—and many of them park the fastest, most powerful vehicles in the world in front of their display booths. At the 30^th annual hosting of the event, we found ourselves in awe of how many top-caliber vehicles were on hand. In order to give each car, truck and SUV its due, we’ve broken our vehicle coverage down into groups of 10.

Make sure you stay tuned for batch number two, coming your way next.

1. The Jeeper Sleeper

After being approached by Street Outlaws’ Jeff “AZN” Bonnett about a Jeep SRT8 build at the 2016 PRI Show, the folks at Modern Muscle Xtreme responded by building this. It’s an ’08 model powered by a 6.1L based “405 ci” Hemi stroker. Thanks to a set of Inter Dynamics 1050x injectors, a Modern Muscle/Fore fuel system, D1X Procharger, ATI 18-percent overdriven balancer and a custom tune from Modern Muscle Performance, the stealthy Jeep sends a dyno-proven 870 hp to the pavement.

2. 3,500 HP ’69 Camaro

Shane Novak’s ’69 Camaro is lightweight, aerodynamic and packs 3,500 hp. The engine combination begins with a 555ci Hemi put together by ProLine Racing, along with FuelTech’s FT600 EFI system, Billet Atomizer injectors and (of course) a big honkin’ F-3-143 ProCharger. The car is backed up by a Rossler Turbo 400 sporting an M&M converter. For the 2018 raceing season, look for Shane’s nasty Camaro to mix it up in Top Sportsman, Radial Versus the World and Pro Modified.

3. Wild Bill’s Cobra Mustang

The Turbosmart booth was occupied by Wild Bill Devine’s Outlaw 10.5 Mustang. The 427 ci small-block Ford that powers his ’01 Cobra runs on methanol and is force fed air courtesy of a pair of turbos from Bullseye Power. Transmission selection, a five-speed Liberty, sets Bill’s car apart from the rest of the field, with most competitors switching to converter-driven transmissions years ago. Even so, he has no problem piloting his Mustang to low-4-second eighth-miles in the 175 mph range.

4. Back in Time

This little piece of history was on display at the Sunoco booth. It’s a Lola T70 MKII Spyder, an open-top racer that came to dominate both American and British road racing in the mid-to-late 1960s. Created by Eric Broadley, who helped with the GT40 while working for Ford, this sports racer was designed to accommodate either a Chevrolet or Ford small-block. However, and as some of you already know, the Chevrolet V8’s saw the most success. In particular, the versions powered by the Chevy 327ci (which weighed in at just 1,600 pounds thanks to the car’s widespread use of aluminum and fiberglass) earned the most wins.

5. World’s Fastest AWD Truck

Bobby Dodrill’s ‘76 Chevy (coined Miss Misery) graced the SPE Gaskets booth with its presence this year—and as it’s the world’s fastest AWD pickup it had no problem attracting plenty of foot traffic. Miss Misery is powered by an alcohol-fueled, wedge-headed 543ci Keith Black mill (utilizing an Olds block) with a PSI C-rotor supercharger. Power travels through a two-speed Liberty transmission and then an SCS Gearbox transfer case before being divided up and sent to the front and rear axles. To date, Miss Misery has run a best of 4.30 at 170 mph through the eighth-mile. And, who doesn’t love a rolling, four-wheel drive burnout through the wet box?

6. 2017 Drag Week Champion

The 6-second ‘66 Corvette that dominated the Unlimited Class along Hot Rod’s 2017 Drag Week was parked at the Holley Performance Products booth. For those of you that don’t know, competing in Hot Rod’s Drag Week means this 200-mph monstrosity is streetable. Driven by Dave Schroeder, the ‘Vette sports an 872ci big-block Pro Mod engine built by Reher Morrison and makes use of an entire Holley EFI system. The engine also benefits from four stages of nitrous, which bucks the current, forced-induction-on-everything trend.

7. Quad Turbo’d, Duramax-powered ’54 Chevy

Front and center at the ARP showcase, we found this aerodynamically-reworked, Duramax-powered, '54 Chevy masterpiece owned by David and Debbie Pilgrim. Built by Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop in Gadsden, Alabama, it’s powered by a Duramax from Automotive Specialists Racing Engines, with fuel and tuning supplied by S&S Diesel Motorsport. The bed is occupied by four Comp Turbo turbochargers. Intercooled and aftercooled, 100 psi of boost and a goal of running 250 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats sums up the lowdown on this vintage work of art.

8. Permatex Funny Car

With the carbon fiber (Camaro) body of the Permatex-sponsored Top Alcohol Funny Car sitting at full tilt, we couldn’t help but move in for a closer look. The 526 ci Hemi runs off methanol and turns out some 3,500 hp. The car’s chassis is comprised of chromoly steel tubing and its best E.T. to date has been a 5.42-second pass. The Permatex Camaro’s top speed at the present time checks in at 269.94 mph. If you’ve never seen a Top Alcohol funny (or a Top Fuel) blast down the track in person, you need to add it to your bucket list.

9. Modern Day 5.0L H.O.

Even amidst the glamor and beauty that is the sixth-generation Mustang, a Fox Body always has a way of grabbing our attention. Nestled within the sizeable Ford Performance booth was the record-setting ’92 notchback owned by Nathan Stymiest. It’s powered by an untouched production 5.0L Coyote crate engine and competes in the Coyote Stock class within the National Mustang Racers Association (NMRA).

The Quickest Coyote

Thanks to RAM Clutches, JLT Performance, G-Force Transmissions, Strange Engineering, American Racing Headers, AFCO, SCT and a wicked tune from Palm Beach Dyno, Stymiest’s Mustang ran a 9.47-second quarter-mile at 138 mph at the Haltech World Cup Finals in November. No wonder the 5.0L Coyote engine is such a hot swap candidate right now!

10. A Pulling Truck Certified to run 8.50’s?

There was a lot going on at the Fleece Performance Engineering booth, a company that specializes in Duramax and (especially) Cummins common-rail diesel technology and engines. Freshly wrapped, the regular cab Ram that competed in the 2017 Ultimate Callout Challenge showed up in sled pulling trim, complete with Nitto Mud Grapplersand front weight box. However, in keeping with the do-everything versatility that is a UCC truck, the Ram is still expected to shuffle down the drag strip rather quickly. Believe it or not, the truck meets the NHRA’s 8.50-second certification.

Triple-Turbo, 7.0L Cummins

The Ram’s primary means of propulsion comes from a 7.0L, deck-plated Cummins—with a massive triple turbo arrangement, enough fuel to fire an ocean liner and plenty of nitrous oxide to help it along. The 24-valve head has been extensively modified, the injectors flow 500 percent more fuel than stock and three 13mm CP3 pumps pressurize fuel. We know the truck was good for 1,855 rwhp at UCC 2017, but now we’re wondering how much more it will lay down in 2018. We’re thinking 2,500-rwhp could be a good starting point.

Need more horsepower in your life? Check out the fastest of the fast.

Seeing what’s been dubbed “The Duke” in person is even more impressive than in pictures. Not only is it original enough to stand out in a sea of raised trucks, it’s also well built and made to be fully functional… all things asking to be dubbed a Driving Line “Ride of the Week.”

Watch more of it in the video above and read on for an interview with Randall Robertson of Rtech Fabrications based in Hayden, Idaho.

What made you choose to specialize in late model trucks?

I don't consider the Duke to be a late model truck, but the reason why I chose this body style is that I like the body lines and the character. I have always chosen the road less traveled, and sometimes I make my own road when the road has not been made to my satisfaction. Whenever I see a production vehicle I automatically look to see what could make it better.

What are some of Rtech Fabrications other specialties?

Our motto is "We build trucks to do truck things" which means we build trucks to be used, not necessarily to be shown—but they can be award winners. The latest build is a 65' blazer which was never made by GM, dubbed the “Dino.”

In addition there is the K20 limo...

Also, we’ve just released our newest product line, The Ponderosa, our version of another truck that was never built. It is a ’64-‘66 Chevy four-door crew cab. My design is not something I've seen anybody build with the level of symmetry that I require in a production vehicle here at Rtech Fabrications. One of the many features is that it has a great deal of leg room.

Favorite car adventure?

I have so many that it is hard to put my finger on only one. Back in the ‘80s I built/restored, from the ground up, a ‘73 BMW 2002 turbo. When finished, I drove and raced the wheels off of it. One of the things I enjoyed most was taking other people for a ride but requiring them to wear a helmet first, it always put them on edge. I enjoyed watching them hold on to whatever they could, in other words for dear life. If there is any one vehicle I could have back, that would be the one.

Specs: ’72 K50 Crew Cab

See more Driving Line Ride of the Week features here.

Just when you thought we’d shown you the best the 2017 PRI Show had to offer, we’re back with Part 2. And, it’s (arguably) better than what we brought you in our initial volley. From Pro Mods and 3,000-plus horsepower funny cars to a 2,300-rwhp Viper and another 2,500-rwhp triple-turbo Cummins, there is no shortage of variety in this batch of vehicles. Feast your eyes on the vehicles profiled below and we’ll ready the final bundle of cars for Part 3.

Mad Max: the 3,500 HP ’69 Camaro

Jeff Lutz of Lutz Race Cars had several masterpieces on display at PRI, including this mean machine named “Mad Max,” which was parked front and center at the Penske booth. You might remember his Pro Mod ’69 Camaro as the car that won Hot Rod Drag Week 2016 and turned in the quickest quarter-mile pass in the event’s history (a 6.05 at 251 mph). You might also recognize the car from its appearances on Street Outlaws. Or maybe you follow sanctioned drag racing and recall Jeff claiming the NMCA Pro Modified title back in 2013. The 3,000-plus horsepower 540ci big-block under the hood is based off of one of the late Trick Flow/Sonny’s aluminum blocks and breathes through a pair of 88mm Precision turbochargers.

4-Time ARCA Champ

Four-time ARCA Midwest Tour champion Ty Majeski’s number 91 Ford Fusion was on hand. The now-23-year-old phenom earned the series’ Rookie of the Year honor in 2014 (at age 20), along with taking home his first of four consecutive titles that year. Easily one of racing’s brightest prospects, Ty has garnered the attention of Bobby Waltrip (brother of Darrell and Michael) and even Dale Earnhardt Jr. It’s also worth noting that Ty is the highest ranked player in the world on iRacing.com, an online racing simulator that’s regularly used by professional drivers and novice gamers alike. Surprise surprise, iRacing is one of his major sponsors.

C7 Pro Mod

This big cube Pro Mod Corvette stemmed from the minds of Jim Widener and Tony Bischoff (of BES Racing Engines). Built by Chris Duncan Race Cars, the ‘Vette sports a Tim McAmis-built carbon fiber C7 body that was wrapped by Sticker Dude. A massive, 856ci Hemi put together at BES Racing Engines features custom Ross Racing Pistons to accommodate an Induction Solutions nitrous setup. The C7 gets down the track thanks to a Lenco with a Bruno Converter Drive and a Neal Chance lockup converter. Still new to the racing scene (which means bigger things are yet to come…), the car has been high 3’s in the eighth at 192 mph so far.

First Place Ferrari

The championship-winning MOMO Ferrari 458 could be seen on the outskirts of the MOMO booth. Driven by Henrique Cisneros and Peter Ludwig, the Ferrari took home top honors in the GT class in 2017. For those who don’t know, the PWC is a production car-based racing series held in America. It’s made up of seven different categories (GT, GTZ, GT Cup, GTS, Touring Car, Touring Car A and Touring Car B-Spec). Races adhere to a sprint format, run a maximum of 50 minutes (start to finish) and are broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

Watson Racing Cobra Jet

Just one of 50 built, Chuck Watson’s ’16 Cobra Jet was part of the action at the busy Ford Performance booth—and for good reason. His car is the NMCA Holley EFI Factory Super Car record holder with an 8.117-second quarter-mile at more than 165 mph. The 5.0L Coyote V8 under the hood was built and tuned by Kim Mapes of Watson Racing and the engine is laced with a Whipple 2.9L supercharger. A Joel’s On Joy three-speed automatic sends power to a Strange Engineering 9-inch with Mark Williams 40-spline, rifle-drilled axle shafts and 3.89 gears. The Cobra Jet also makes use of a four-link rear suspension, Lamb Racing Components double adjustable coil over shocks and struts, an Aeromotive fuel system, DeatschWerks fuel injectors and a Fast XFI engine management system.

DeMaxed

Our thirst for big boost diesels was satisfied at the Meyer Distributing booth, thanks to the presence of Industrial Injection’s DeMaxed Silverado. The once-Duramax-powered ’01 Chevrolet HD now benefits from a triple-turbo Cummins that’s capable of producing 2,500 hp at the wheels. Under the operation of driver Jared Delekta, the Industrial inline-six has hustled the 6,000-pound Bow Tie through the quarter-mile in as little as 8.53 seconds and as fast as 167 mph. Not surprisingly, the truck currently holds the record for both E.T. and mph in the NHRDA’s Super Street class.

Chassis Dyno-ing A Funny Car?

What better way to show off your axle-hub style chassis dyno system than by bolting a Top Alcohol Funny Car to it! Such was the case at the Mainline DynoLog Dynamometers booth, which had the Hemi-powered, screw-blown Jones Racing Enterprises/Frankenstein Engine Dynamics car attached to one of its 3,000 hp ProHub chassis dynos. The funny car debuted its new colors and an all-new Hemi that the JRE team is calling a “game-changer.” As for Mainline, its ProHub dynamometers are said to offer the ultimate in test data repeatability.

If the General Lee was a Viper…

There’s nothing quite like seeing a fully-packed parachute positioned behind a license plate…and seeing it on Calvo Motorsports’ Gen 5 Dodge Viper definitely caught our eye. Come to find out, the car (coined “The General Lee”) holds the 1/2-mile record for the fastest fifth generation Viper in the world, having gone 208 mph at the Pike’s Peak Airstrip Attack in 2016. The fully built engine features a dry sump oiling system, twin turbos from Forced Performance Turbochargers, water-to-air intercooler, Pfitzner Performance Gearboxes (PPG) transmission and MoTeC firmware. The Viper cranks out an impressive 1,607-rwhp on 93 octane and approximately 2,300-rwhp on the good stuff.

Shaken & Stirred

It’s out-of-the-box creations like this that help break up the mega-horsepower monotony present at the PRI Show. Meet Three Pedals’ Pontiac Safari Wagon, coined “Shaken & Stirred.” It’s powered by a 500 hp LS3, shifted via a T56 Magnum six-speed manual with a dual disc cerametallic Exedy USA clutch and sends a dyno-verified 435 hp to the rear wheels. The wagon has also been graced with coilovers, Corvette brakes, 20-inch wheels, 15-inch hub caps and (of course) a Walley World sticker on the rear window. You can usually find Shaken & Stirred competing in auto cross events or shredding its rear tires in burnout contests.

Tiffany

C10’s never get old, do they? We certainly don’t think so and this work of art from Classic Car Studio all but represents the quintessential classic repower, given the times we’re living in (think LS swap and twin turbos…). The engine is a built, 346 ci LS1 that’s been graced with LS6 heads, twin 64mm Mirror Image turbos from Nelson Racing Engines, 120 lb/hr injectors, a VR2 brushless fuel pump, billet fuel rails, 105mm throttle body, Dominator ECU and a host of other goodies. A TCI Turbo 400 transmission links the boosted V8 to a Ford 9-inch rear end with a Truetrac and 3.73 gears. Not bad for what the folks at Classic Car Studio call their shop truck.

See more killer rigs from PRI 2017.

The late Aryton Senna is one of the most beloved racing drivers of all time, known for his relentless competitive spirit and his incredible talent behind the wheel. Given how adored he is around the world. if you are going to put his name on something, it better be excellent. There's no doubt the engineers at McLaren had this in mind as they were developing the brand's new track-focused road car.

Initially designated the P15 and now known simply as the Senna, McLaren is calling the car it's ultimate road-legal track machine. And it's said to have the same razor-sharp focus that Ayrton Senna was known for.

Senna of course spent many years driving McLaren race cars in Formula 1, and if any brand was going to make a car worthy of his name it would be McLaren. Designed for circuit performance above all else, the Senna is powered a twin turbo 4.0 liter V8 making 789 horsepower and 590 lb feet of torque.

But just as important as the horsepower figures is the car's weight. At just 2,641 lbs, it's the lightest McLaren road car since the F1 of the '90s. And while it will be ridiculously fast around a race track, McLaren is also stressing the deep connection the Senna will offer with is driver.

On the outside, the Senna's design is function over form, and the result is a look that might not be "beautiful" in a traditional sense, but there's certainly beauty in the fact that everything is there for a purpose.

The Senna will be available in third quarter of 2018 with a price of £750,000 or just over a million dollars U.S. The car will be hand assembled and production will be limited to just 500 units.

When you combine the radical engineering, limited production and grace it with the name of a Formula 1 legend, you can pretty much guarantee that every example will be spoken for. Worthy of the name? We'd say so.

Ford Power Stroke diesel engines have been the topic of many debates since they first hit the market in 1994. While many agree on certain topics, such as the problematic 6.4L’s predisposition to catastrophic failure making it the least-desired Power Stroke produced by Ford, other topics are hotly contested. One particular debate that is sure to strike up a heated conversation, is the infamous 6.0L vs the legendary 7.3L Power Stroke.

While lacking the power numbers of the newer engines, the 7.3L, nicknamed the million-mile motor, has been proven for over two decades to be the reliable and dependable option between the two. Conversely, the 6.0L is plagued with several points of failure from the factory, but can make big, reliable power if you’re willing to break out the pocketbook. But which engine is actually the better choice between the two? Watch the video above to see the pros and cons of each engine, and decide for yourself which Power Stroke you’d rather have under your hood.

Click here to read more about the pros and cons of the 7.3L and 6.0L Ford Power Strokes.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly when VIP style landed in the U.S., but most would agree Bippu builds in America began to pop up around 2004 or 2005. By that time, the movement was already quite established in its birthplace of Japan. In the years since, the American VIP scene has evolved, in some ways following the trends from Japan and in other ways developing its own identity.

During the recent Autofashion VIP Festival in San Diego, there were VIP builds of all eras and styles to be found and we thought it was the perfect time to take a look back at how VIP cars have changed, particularly here in the U.S.

The Original VIP Style

When a small group first started bringing the Japan-influenced VIP style to America, the cars were pretty simple in execution—not unlike how most of the VIP builds in Japan were.

You'd start with something like a Lexus LS or GS or an Infiniti Q45, drop the suspension, fit a mild aero kit and also add a set of wide, but not obnoxious, wheels to fill up the fenders. Add a few subtle interior bits and you'd be good to go.

These early cars were relatively subtle, but given how rare and unknown the style was in America—a clean sedan dropped on a nice set of Work Eurolines or Junction Produce Scaras made a big impact.

Evolving VIP Style

As time went on, the modifications began to get more extreme and further bespoke in nature. There were full repaints, custom upholstery and one-off body work to help fit increasingly aggressive wheel and tire setups.

And with the "stance" movement blowing up in the first few years of the 2010s, VIP builders continued to push further and further with the negative offsets and crazy negative camber—again not unlike the VIP cars found in Japan.

While traditionally painted in black, white or silver, VIP cars were soon sporting a rainbow of color choices—everything from bright red to heavily metallic yellows and greens.

Looking for even more ways to stand out, VIP builders started doing things like custom painting their engine covers, building entirely custom light setups and other one-off modifications that couldn't just be bought and installed.

And when it came to the bodies of the cars, what was once subtle and elegant became increasingly aggressive. Gone were the understated lip kits, in their place bumpers that brought to mind exotic cars, heavy on angles and in some ways being inspired more by race cars than by luxury cars.

Over the years, the VIP scene in America has expanded to include non-traditional platforms. Reaching beyond just Japanese luxury cars, minivans, European imports, along with a few domestics, like the Chrysler 300C, have been added into the mix.

A few years later, when the Hyundai Genesis arrived on the scene, that too began to be modified with a heavy VIP influence.

The Future of VIP Style Builds

With the traits of VIP style limited not limited to only Japanese cars, the U.S. movement has become more diverse and that has allowed it to stay fresh and exciting.

Meanwhile, as new luxury sedans and coupes from brands like Lexus and Infiniti are released, the aftermarket was right there to welcome the new cars into the VIP movement

Perhaps the biggest observation I had during the Autofashion VIP Festival was when I saw the brand new Lexus LC500 from T Demand. Not only did the car look stunning, but it got me thinking about the evolution of VIP style and how things might be coming full circle.

In recent years, Japanese automakers have gotten a lot more extreme with their styling, with luxury sedans looking completely different from the simple designs of the '90s. This should bring along with it a big effect for the future of VIP style.

If you look at current Lexus and Infiniti products next to their counterparts from the '90s, the difference is astounding. Gone are the conservative designs of the past, replaced with much more angular and sweeping body shapes.

Take the aforementioned LC500 for example. In stock form it's a very bold design, with a wide profile and aggressive details. So when it comes time to modify one, it's amazing what some simple suspension, wheel and modest body work can do.

Does this mean that VIP style will go back to a simpler, more subtle approach with less extreme camber and more conservative body changes? It wouldn't be surprising given how much the cars have changed.

At the same time companies and builders are embracing the latest cars, there's still lots of love for the original VIP platforms—many of which are over 25 years old at this point. It's cool to see that there's still plenty of appreciation for these early '90s luxury cars.

Time will tell what the next evolution of the VIP scene, in both Japan and America, will be—whatever happens, it's clear that scene is strong and we are excited to see where it goes.

Think you know everything about Toyotas? After a visit to Toyota USA's Automobile Museum, we left wondering how many enthusiasts could name all of the varied Toyota front ends, logos and models that we saw there. Watch the video above before scrolling below to revisit the answers and comment below with how many you got right!

1. '76-'80 Toyota Cressida

2. '66 Toyota Corona 1900

3. 1987 Toyota Cressida 4-door Sedan

4. '62-'67 Toyota Crown

5. '70 Toyota Corolla 1200

6. '71 Toyota Celica ST

7. '82 Toyota Celic Supra

8. '83 Toyota Tercel SR5

9. '83 Toyota Van

10. '66 Toyota Stout 1900

11. '69 Toyota Hi Lux Truck