One of the best ways to appreciate a modern car company is to look at their past offerings and see how they have shaped their present. Many modern cars' roots can be traced back to a single model that has stood the test of time, while other long-dead examples serve to inspire the new releases in spirit only. The annual Japanese Classic Car Show has become one of the greatest gatherings of classic Japanese vehicles, outside of Japan of course. For a truly classic connection to highlight some of the top Japanese automakers in the U.S., all of the photos below were captured through a unique lens - film!

Revisit some of these manufacturers legacies with us below.

Toyota

One can't talk about Japanese heritage without starting with the Toyota Landcruiser FJ40. Beginning production in 1951, the Landcruiser model is Toyota's longest running marque, with the FJ40 being the most popular vintage model and helping Toyota launch themselves into the U.S. market. The modern Landcruiser, Lexus LX, Lexus GX, Tacoma and 4Runner can all trace their roots back to this 4x4 giant.

Toyota's RA29 Celica was a model that successfully blended contemporary muscular styling with the performance expected from a Japanese GT. While not the original Toyota sports car, the FR layout and fastback looks can be seen from the Toyota 86 to the incredible RC and LC coupes from Lexus.

The domination of small SUV's in today's market can be traced back to the quirky four door hatchbacks of the '80s. This 4WD Tercel wagon could been seen as a predecessor to models like the C-HR and larger RAV4, offering high-riding utility in a small, efficient package.

Honda

The Honda City is the perfect example of Honda's ability to design small vehicles with creative interior packaging. Created with the idea of housing the small Motocompo scooter in the hatch, current model's like the Fit and HR-V owe their brilliant packaging to these forward-thinking designers of the '80s.

While Honda has never been known as a pick-up truck manufacturer, the T500 pickup was a follow-up to the company's first production automobile, the T360. All of the models were painted this non-metallic Moss Green color. Although the modern Ridgeline is a completely different vehicle, it isn't without precedent!

The Z600 was Honda's first go at a "sporty coupe". Although the S model convertibles had channeled the brand's motorsports side before, the Z was more of a warmed over N600, Honda's small passenger car. This approach is still evident in the company's Civic Si and new Accord Sport 2.0, giving customers reliable transportation with a little bit of sport thrown in the mix.

Mazda

The first generation Mazda Cosmo is the vehicle that launched Mazda's Wankel engine. The rotary engine was cemented in the brand's heritage with the RX series of sports cars. While there is currently no model in production that uses the unique powerplant, the company's recent RX-Vision concept shows that they haven't forgotten its roots.

While the Miata needs no introduction, its importance in the sports car market cannot be understated. Released in 1989, the roadster remixed the classic British formula into something for the modern age. Mazda's ND model continues to represent the line today and is closer to the original's philosophy than ever!

Mazda's 767B racecar is an incredible reminder that more Mazda vehicles are raced each year than any other brand. The company has made sure that this philosophy has permeated through the brand's consumer offerings, with each model generally receiving marks for being the "driver's car" of their respective segment.

Nissan

The Nissan Altra, produced between 1998 and 2002, was the first production vehicle to use lithium-ion batteries. While the vehicle was limited to California, the lessons learned would allow Nissan to sell more than 250,000 worldwide, more than any other highway-capable electric vehicle.

Although not the most popular of Nissan's Z cars, the 300ZX is the poster-boy for the '80s everyman's sports car. Released in 1983, the car featured the world's first production V6 engine, a setup that continues to be used by the company's current 370Z.

Although a Skyline has never officially been sold in the U.S., its role in America's love affair with Japanese cars is immense. From it's appearance in the Fast and Furious films, to the varied offerings in the Gran Turismo video games, America's forbidden love affair continues to this day as imported R32s become prevalent, and clean hakosuka models, like this one, sell for supercar prices.

Don't forget to check out the gallery to see more vintage cars that have shaped the modern Japanese automotive landscape, all captured in film!

There’s a first time for everything and I recently got a chance to do my first rock crawling in a ’52 Willys with Bob Sweeney of Jeepers Jamboree. One of my goals this year was to do as many different “driving” experiences as possible. I’ve drifted, land speed raced and took to two wheels… and perhaps most out of my comfort zone, I’ve learned how to rock crawl. Coming from a classic car background, asphalt-paved adventures are more the norm than dirt-fueled ones.

Of the many off-road capable vehicles we could’ve taken on the trail, a ’52 Willys may not make for the easiest choice, but the vintage platform excited me. With veteran wheeler Bob Sweeney along with me, I felt secure that he knew exactly what we were getting into and had faith I could handle it. Having someone who knows what they’re doing with you, no matter what the vehicle, is something I would strongly recommend for any novice.

The vehicle requirements for rock crawling can change drastically depending upon the difficulty of terrain you’re tackling—but you can assume that you’ll at least need four wheel drive, a rear locking differential and upwards of a 33” tire or larger. Winches, body armor and other modifications quickly build upon these basics for more challenging trails.

Our ’52 Willys CJ-3A, which you could call the original “Jeep,” was made to get wherever necessary. With a 3-speed transmission and a high and low gear option, this isn’t the car you want to take on a freeway. We were topping out its speed at a leisurely-seeming pace on the dirt road leading out to the rock trail. Under the hood sits the original inline 4-cylinder, which, based on specs, has a max torque of 105lb-ft at 2,000 rpm. It’s a workhorse of a car that’s made to keep going no matter what the trial. Ours was outfitted with 33” Nitto Mud Grappler tires, giving us a great amount of bite on the rocks.

A more modern car, such as a new Jeep JK, will have some driving features that the old ’52 Willys does not. While these will change the driving experience some, the experiences I had as a first-time rock crawler are largely universal no matter what off-road vehicle you’re in.

With no more instruction than “stay on the high spots” and “let the car do the work for you,” we were off. If I didn’t have a pro like Bob sitting beside me, I would’ve felt the need to attend a weekend-long lecture before venturing up rocks. But, carpe diem, and off we went.

The first complication to overcome was my reflex to step on the brakes. Not used to driving low-geared cars, it takes some practice to know that the car’s gears will regulate the speed for you—your foot should stay off of the brake pedal. In fact, the brake and the clutch should be off-limits when rock crawling. In the Willys, our ignition key was used for turning off the engine when slowing was required.

Another challenge I had was feathering the throttle. You want to feed the car just enough gas pedal to keep it running. My reflex when the car was working to get up and over a rock was to give it some juice—resulting in exactly the opposite of what I was trying to do. The extra gas breaks the traction, with the car slipping rather than climbing.

At one such ill-added-throttle moment, the rear wheels began to chirp and bounce. Stop immediately if this ever happens to you! Stuff like this can break an axle. While you’re trying to power forward with throttle, the tires and car are doing the opposite. Stop. Take a moment, reassess your situation and start again.

After a few boulders had been conquered, my brain and feet began to get the hang of things—and the trail we covered was so much fun I just wanted to keep on going. While an off-road vehicle is not part of my garage yet, getting the chance to get behind the wheel is really making me re-evaluate that.

All photos by Tim Sutton.

My advice to you is to get out and have some fun. Find an off-road club, make some friends and find a way to get behind the wheel. Jeepers Jamboree is one such opportunity to wheel in a safe environment. Open to Jeeps, Land Cruisers, Toyota Pickups, Samurai’s, Scouts and more, it’s a trip where you’ll be surrounded by experts, spotters and even mechanics to help you along the route. It provides a great opportunity to gain new off-roading skills in a safe, fun and beautiful environment. Find out more at jeepersjamboree.com.

Many thanks to Bob for guiding me through my first rock crawling! Watch the video below for more of the experience.

Want to know more? We’ve got plenty of off-road experts here at Driving Line. Start by browsing our Off-Roading Basics page where you’ll find plenty of articles to point beginning off-roaders in the right direction.

We’re not done yet… Our final collection of cars from the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show might just be the most intriguing so far. From purpose-built drag racers to street-driven hot rods, autocrossers to dirt track dominators and imports to domestics, this one’s a melting pot of automotive excellence. And better yet, no power plant is off the table. We’ve got six Chevrolet V8’s, two thumping Hemi’s, one high-revving import and a nasty, air-cooled Volkswagen to tell you about—along with five brand-new vehicles that were unveiled for the very first time.

Stay tuned for a look at the wildest engine combinations we came across at this year’s show. It comes your way next!

Fresh Paint

We couldn’t help but drop by the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) booth for a closer look at the Jeff Hoskins paint job on Lee Adkins ’69 Z28. Put together by Jerry Bickel Race Cars in Moscow Mills, Missouri, Adkins’ brand new Camaro sports a Reher-Morrison engine built for the Pro Mod class. Be on the lookout for Lee’s Camaro to shake things up among the PDRA ranks in 2018, a class where mid-3’s are obtained in just 660 feet—and at speeds near 230 mph!

The Family Truckster

From new paint to 60 years of sun-baked patina, Top Fuel driver Richie Crampton’s ’57 Chevy Wagon definitely garnered some attention in the Lucas Oil booth. The classic family truckster is powered by a Precision twin-turbo’d, 408 ci LS3 graced with Manley rods, ARP fasteners and Holley’s Dominator EFI. A BTE Racing Turbo 400 handles the shifts while a rear end from Strange Engineering plants the power to the ground. Leaving the body completely original, Richie enlisted Lucas Oil Race Fabrication to build a complete tube chassis for the car and also had the wagon tubbed courtesy of Kirkman Composites. It was just a couple months removed from Hot Rod Drag Week when we stumbled into it at PRI.

Top-Quality Dragster

The PRI Show serves as the launching pad for a lot of new vehicles—and Chrome-Worx Ultra Cars made the most of it at the Dragraceresults.com booth. This dragster, which sports a 255-inch American Race Cars chassis, was put together for Dan Gueguen and its carbon fiber body features an amazing paint job from Todd’s Extreme Paint. The dragster’s dual shock design swing arm represents a first from American Race Cars. Propulsion comes from a 738 ci Hemi that’s fed two healthy stages of nitrous.

Dirt Track Modified

Short track dirt racing is huge in America—and it gets nowhere near the press it deserves. Cars like this spend half the track sideways and run well over 100 mph on the straights. DIRTcar UMP Modified driver Nick Hoffman finished the 2017 season fifth out of the top 60 Modifieds in the nation and his number 2 ride was parked in the Fox booth for all to see. The wheels had been pulled to offer passersby a glimpse at the shocks, coils, brakes and chassis components these wild rides use.

Race-Ready Factory Camaro

Celebrating 50 years of its iconic muscle car, Chevrolet unveiled the 2018 COPO Hot Wheels edition of the Camaro—a concept vehicle that’s pretty darn serious. Designed to meet NHRA specifications, the COPO Camaro comes with a full chromoly roll cage that’s certified to 8.50 seconds, a Turbo 400 automatic and can be had with three different engines. The first option is an LSX-based and supercharged 350 ci mill, the second engine will be naturally aspirated, LSX-based and displace 427ci and the third available offering will be an all-new 302ci V8 with direct injection. This baby is also fitted with a fuel cell (and high-pressure pump), a rear axle with 35-spline shafts, a spool and an aluminum center section. It also comes with an integrated line-lock. Only 69 versions of the COPO Hot Wheels Camaro will be built—and are likely already spoken for.

Screamin’ Demon

Another highly anticipated new car unveiling took place at the Indy Cylinder Head booth: the Screamin’ Demon owned by Chris and Charli Wheatcraft. Built to compete in the NHRA’s Top Sportsman class in 2018, the car features a composite ’71 Dodge Demon body from Andy McCoy Race Cars (and painted by Ron’s Auto Body) on top of a 6.00-certified Advanced chromoly chassis. The 532ci Mopar houses a Winberg crankshaft, GRP rods, Diamond pistons, an Indy solid block, Predator heads and a massive F-3R ProCharger blowing through an Advanced Product Design carburetor.

This Import Means Business

The hood stack. The front slicks. The Supertech/Prayoonto Racing engine. The sizeable snail hanging off the side of the four-banger (hence the hood stack). All of the above brought us closer to the blue-on-black beauty hanging out in the Supertech Performance booth. Sponsored by Supertech, Prayoonto Racing, Clutch Masters, Comp Turbo, Tial Sport, Vibrant Performance and several others, this front-wheel drive terror can knock down mid-8’s in the quarter. Driver Jonathan Reynolds has navigated the car to several wins, including a biggie at the 2017 Import Invasion held at Cecil County Dragway in Rising Sun, Maryland.

Not Your Average Love Bug

JD Curry Jr’s wheels-up VW Bug was on hand in the Performance Electronics, Ltd booth to represent Volkswagen racers. The air-cooled V-dub competes in the East Coast Pro Racing Association’s Pro Stock class, where it’s known to put up low 10’s and high 9’s in the quarter-mile. On the other side of the booth sat a Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, which is driven by J.D.’s crew chief, Alex Curry, and also competes in the ECPRA’s Pro Stock category.

1,100-RWHP First-Gen Camaro

In addition to being a well-crafted bit of eye candy, Mike DuSold’s autocross-ing ‘67 Camaro packs a nasty performance punch. It’s powered by a 427ci, forged LS9, force fed air courtesy of a pair of 56mm Precision turbos and sends 1,100 hp to the pavement. An Amp EFI MS3Pro ECU helps keep power application and traction-loss manageable, while a transaxle from a Corvette combined with independent rear suspension moved some of car’s 2,880-pound heft to the rear. For weight savings and safety, the car is also equipped with a custom tube chassis that incorporates a roll cage.

7-Second Civic

You might’ve seen this ’89 Civic cruising from track to track with a roof rack up top during Drag Week 2016. We found it parked in the Stainless Works booth. It’s the culmination of a father/son build, the father being Jeff Lutz and the son being Jeff Lutz Jr. of Lutz Race Cars. Different to say the least, the 30-year-old Honda sports a 434 ci small block, twin 76mm Precision turbos, a two-speed Rossler Power Glide with Gear Vendors overdrive and 3.70 gears. Tipping the scales at just 2,380 pounds (with driver), the twin-turbo’d Honda makes running 7’s look easy.

Got the need for speed? Get schooled on Drag Racing 101.

As the maker of everything from cars and lawnmowers to motorcycles and generators, Honda has built its reputation on reliability. Having such a diverse portfolio, it only made sense to step into the truck world with the Ridgeline in 2005. However, it wouldn’t be until 2017 that Honda would double down on its successful midsized pickup and create the second generation Ridgeline you see here today. Given that it’s the only midsized pickup in its class without body-on-frame construction and fit with a fully independent suspension, it may have you scoffing at its truck designation.

However, once you realize the Ridgeline is capable of hauling nearly 1,500 pounds of payload, towing 5,000 pounds, and logging 25 mpg, it doesn’t sound so bad. Sure, there’s no two-speed transfer case, so a low range option is off the table, but that doesn’t mean the AWD version of the truck isn’t capable off-road. Recently, we spent over 2,000 miles testing the all-new 2018 Ridgeline in an RTL-E AWD trim. Coming in at just over $42,000 as-tested, the Ridgeline RTL-E is at the premium end of the model line, with the base 2WD version starting at $29,630.  

While you can learn more in the video above, we’re diving even further into the details in our First Drivereview below.

Powered by Earth Dream technology. While that may sound like your truck runs on Unicorn tears, it’s part of Honda’s latest line of direct-injected V-Tec gasoline engines. The 280 horsepower 3.5L V6 is paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. This setup delivers 262 lb-ft of torque, while allowing the Ridgeline to post an EPA rated 18 city/25 highway fuel economy numbers. Over the course of our adventures, we managed to see as high as 28 mpg and dropped down to 19 on our city/off-road adventure portion. Over the 2,000 miles, we averaged an impressive 23 mpg.

Inside, nearly every touchpoint is padded. This creates an incredibly sophisticated cabin, one more commonly found on a high-end SUV. Our model was equipped with plenty of modern conveniences such as a proximity key, dual climate control, and Honda Link and touch-screen navigation. While the Nav system takes a little getting used to, it becomes very intuitive with use. Maybe our only grip is how easily the navigation screen would smudge with fingerprints.

While the Ridgeline continues its unibody construction, the underpinning are shared with the all-new Honda Pilot, not the Odyssey. The biggest styling cue of the redesign can be found outback. A more rigid and separate appearing cabin creates a familiar truck look. Currently, Honda only offers the Ridgeline in a four door with no varying bed lengths.

Speaking of beds, the Ridgeline has a pretty unique one. Unlike its competitors who have more pronounced and space-robbing wheelwells, the Ridgeline offers a practically flat surface across the entire bed. At 60 inches wide and 64 inches long, it’s actually larger than the majority of its competitor’s short beds.

Another bonus? How about an extra lockable storage bin under the bed of the truck. It’s sealed and has a drain plug, making for an excellent tailgate party pickup. Speaking of which, you won’t have to lean far to access your bed cargo as the Ridgeline’s tailgate can be swung open like a car door, in addition to dropping down like a conventional truck. Honda also added a 150- to 400-watt AC power outlet out back and some weather proof speakers, so you can relax and recharge.

The fully independent suspension offers a car like ride that’s unmatched in the category. Although wheel travel is a bit more limited off-road, we were impressed at how poised and solid it felt off-road.

If you’re buying a truck, chances are, you’re looking to haul stuff in the bed. We didn’t get a chance to test out the Ridgeline’s max towing capacity, but we did load up the bed frequently with a range of heavy gear, parts and, yes, a fairly large roll of hay. The softer suspension definitely noticed heavier items quickly, but we never found it to upset the chassis on-road, nor did we get the nose to face skyward.

If you’re looking for the ultimate off-road capable midsized truck, this likely isn’t the one for you. That being said, we tested the AWD system in each of its mode offerings—Normal, Snow, Mud and Sand. Aside from dragging a little sand on the low-hanging valence, we were impressed with how the system adapted to each terrain setting. We found Sand the most effective for off-road adventures as it transferred the highest percentage of power to the rear wheels of the three modes and actuated an electronically controlled locking rear differential.  

Paired with a more aggressive tire, (Ridge Grappler please), we think the Ridgeline could make for an excellent camping/exploration vehicle. It will be interesting to see how the aftermarket adapts to this generation Ridgeline, as it’s not without potential.

Our RTL-E model was fit with a host of safety features that nearly allowed the vehicle to drive itself. With adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, blind spot warning, and a Collision Mitigation Braking System, the 5-Star crash rated Ridgeline has plenty of technology to keep you safe behind the wheel.

Driving from the coastal plains to the mountains taught us plenty about the power and comfort of the truck. The low stance of the Ridgeline kept it planted on twisty mounted roads, while the powertrain seemed to communicate well by finding the right gear when we needed it. Even after logging seven-plus hours at a time behind the wheel, we had no complaints of seat comfort.

One area we do have a few minor gripes about is the backseat. First, we wish the doors would open a bit more to allow for easier ingress and cargo loading. Second, there’s a floor runner designed to support the back seat when lowered that spans from side to side. We’d love to see this go away to allow for a nice flat floor to stack gear.

Without question, Honda took what it learned from the first gen Ridgeline and improved upon it greatly. Seeing the trucks side-by-side it’s easy to tell how far they’ve come from a styling and configuration perspective.

Truck Enough? We Say Yes!

It may seem blasphemous to some to even consider buying a truck that doesn’t have body-on-frame construction, but we think you should. Having driven a host of late-model midsized trucks, the Honda is by far the smoothest riding of the bunch. It’s easy get in and out of, load cargo, and nets excellent fuel economy for the segment. It also has arguably the best bed of any midsized truck and still touts enough towing and payload figures to satisfy a large share of the market. No, we wouldn’t take it over a Colorado ZR2 or Tacoma TRD Pro if our purpose was primarily off-road adventure. However, we would keep it on the table if light sand, snow, and the occasional hunting camp road is all you need to make it through. At the end of the day, we say the Ridgeline is very deserving of a test drive if you’re in the market for a new midsized pickup.  

Looking for a used Ridgeline? Here are the five things you need to know about buying and selling a used car. 

Over the weekend Chevrolet held a special event at the Texas Motor Speedway to celebrate 100 years of building trucks, and the gathering included thousands of the brand's longstanding owners, fans and enthusiasts.

But the big news from the event was the first showing of the next generation 2019 Silverado 1500, which was brought in via helicopter in front of the crowd. The truck isn't scheduled to make its full debut until next month's Detroit Auto Show, but that didn't stop Chevy from giving the first look to its pickup faithful in Texas.

Chevy has held off on releasing too many details about the new truck, but it's all-new from the ground up and that much is clear just by looking at it. The styling is a fairly large departure from the current Silverado, with a lot of traits shared with the smaller Chevy Colorado.

One thing that Chevy did confirm, however, is the addition of a new Silverado model called the Trail Boss. It includes all of the equipment from the longstanding Z71 off-road package with a two-inch factory-engineered suspension lift.

We'll have to wait until next month for the full details on the new truck, but Chevy says it will be lighter, more advanced and offer more models and more powertrain choices for customers. Stay tuned for more in the coming weeks on this hugely important new model.

In our new video series "Driver Battles," we put a Honda EF Civic against an E30 BMW in a head-to-head battle. With equally matched drivers, both on Nitto NT01 tires, the result could go either way.

Who do you think will win? EF Civic? Or 325i BMW (E30)? Watch the video above to see all the action and who won in this highly debated battle.

Leave a comment below for what should be included in one of our upcoming battles.

In this era of social media influencers and Bitcoin billionaires, I’ve always felt older than I actually am. The hype I experience about fancy kitchen appliances or dietary fiber is, quite frankly, embarrassing for a 25-year-old. Unfortunately, my level of “oldness” may have accidentally graduated from the “it’s too late to start a movie at 11pm” old to the full “yelling at cloud angrily” old when the only news article that drew my attention during the habitual morning car news crawl was the press release about the 2018 Camry and how Toyota is determined to shed their boring brand image by making the best-selling car in the world fun and exciting.

The press release detailed a comprehensive approach to creating a dynamic and emotional driving experience. The new Camry took advantage of the freshly minted TNGA platform—realizing a longer wheel base, wider track width, more rigid chassis and a lowered center of gravity. To further improve the Camry’s dynamic competency and composure, double wishbone suspension was introduced to the rear axle; a true rarity in the economic sedan segment.

Impressively, instead of hopping on the bandwagon of turbocharging small displacement engines to improve consumption numbers, Toyota decided to utilize an old school hot-rodding mindset to improve power output and efficiency of their naturally aspirated engines. The new dynamic force engines have reduced valve angles, higher compression ratio, longer stroke and a more advanced variable cam system—all in pursuit of better thermal efficiency. The result is more mid-range torque and better on-throttle response compared to the previous 2.5-liter engine—all while achieving a 41 mpg fuel efficiency. The 3.5-liter V6 is enhanced by the D-4S direct injection system, the power output elevated from 268 hp in the previous model to 301 hp in the 2018 Toyota Camry XSE.

Wrapping up all the technical enhancements is a completely redesigned exterior, heavily influenced by the aerodynamic development of Toyota’s Nascar program. The lowered body lines, combined with a set of muscular shoulders, mean that the new Camry now has the bulges, lines, fins and vents to make a BMW 5-Series feel inadequate.

The prospect of a future where even the most mundane car on the road can be engaging and dynamic is certainly exciting. However, marketing materials tend to over-promise and under-deliver.—especially coming from a company that is known for producing the beige-est of cars. To find out whether the new Camry is truly the promised herald of fun Toyotas or merely a pinker shade of beige, a 2018 Camry XSE test-drive was in order.

2018 Toyota Camry XSE Test-Drive & Review

Upon seeing the new Camry in person, in the XSE trim, it is immediately obvious that the new car is incredibly handsome. Comparing it to the previous model is like comparing a chiseled statue to a shapeless gelatinous blob. The dynamism of the design language works even when the car is stationary; tensed like some aquatic predator ready to swallow its prey in it’s menacing jaw. Honestly, the way this car makes its fancier and more expensive European competitors look pedestrian really warms my heart; it’s like seeing the skinny middle school kids that always gets picked on return from summer break 2-feet taller and 40lbs bigger than all the previous semesters bullies—you can’t help but mutter “Good for you, Buddy” with a smile on your face.

The interior of the car is as friendly as the exterior is intimidating. All the touch points are dressed in a soft touch material and the optional genuine leather is good enough to be in a Lexus. The satin silver trims work wonderfully with all the different interior color options—think more night club, less retirement home. The placement of the knobs and switches are intuitive and provide a satisfying level of tactile feedback. The lowered belt and hood line of the body means the outward visibility is improved over the previous model and the 360-degree camera view makes parking in tight spaces a breeze. The only complaint about the interior would be the navigation/entertainment unit. While it is utilitarian and responsive, the entertainment unit can feel dated compared to the other options on the market and lacks the design flair defining the rest of the car.

The new Camry is seriously impressive inside and out, but to really validate the "fun" claim it must drive as well as it looks.  The car started silently with a press of the oversized start/stop button. Only the slightest vibration indicated the engine was running, and the center dash display began to spew out a ton of eco-related metrics. So far, worrisome.  Maybe it’s unrealistic to expect a dramatic eruption of mechanical noises—the Camry is still a car for sensible people after all, but a bit of attitude would surely help with the whole “fun” aspect. With the sports button selected and the shifter in the "S" position, I pulled forward toward the exit of the empty parking structure and hammered the loud pedal.

The front tires squealed and chirped as the torquey V6 flexed its muscle. Unlike the prevalent turbo-charged 4-cylinders that produce a surge of power and run out of breath at higher rpms, the Camry's V6 pulls enthusiastically from 3,000 rpm to the redline. With no perceivable dip in power, nor the presence of turbo lag, the mid-sized sedan responded to every throttle input with precision and immediacy. The eagerness of the power delivery is, no doubt, contributed to heavily by the fast shifting 8-speed transmission. Having more gears with tighter ratios means that the gearbox can up and down shift liberally to suit the driver’s input without producing a jarring driving experience.

However, the gearbox was also my greatest source of frustration with this car. The absence of a true manual gear selection mode really hurts the driving experience. The gear selector and steering wheel-mounted pedals are only able to select the highest gear the transmission can be in, but the TCU is free to shift by itself within that parameter.  The car will also complain if you try to downshift aggressively into a corner. Nonetheless, once you learn the behavior of the gearbox, it remains unobtrusive to the overall driving experience.

Toyota’s effort in improving the driving dynamic was immediately obvious within the first five minutes of driving. While most of the feedback from the tires were dampened out to provide more comfort, the steering is tight, fast and nicely weighted without any noticeable dead spots in the middle. What really surprised me was the way the car behaved when thrown into a corner—transitioning with minimal body roll and understeer. The suspension dampening also felt spot-on for spirited drives on less-than-perfect road surfaces; properly managing the weight transfer of the 3,350lb sedan without being overly stiff or bouncy.

Obviously, if 500 hp, smoky burnouts and terrorizing infants with your exhaust is the only way you can have fun with a car—than this Camry is probably not going to tickle your fancy. However, if one of the best point-A to point-B cars on the market happens to be fun to push around the winding roads, a cocoon of comfort and luxury, all while looking better than the garden variety 5-series... it is hardly appropriate to label it as boring. The new Camry is arguably not only the most fun Camry to date, it is probably also the most well-rounded one.

But What of Toyota's Image?

This whole discussion about fun brings up an interesting point. Why is it that Toyota is considered the epitome of boring while other car companies produce cars that are equally lackluster but doesn’t suffer the same prejudice from car enthusiasts? It is hardly fair to say that the Camry is drastically more dull compared to Nissan’s Altima, Honda’s Accord, or Chevy’s Malibu. Fundamentally, Toyota has an image problem. When people think Nissan, they think of the Z-cars or the GTR, Honda with their Civic type-R and Chevy its Corvettes and Camaros. When people think of Toyota, it’s all Prii (That’s officially the plural form of Prius, according to Toyota) and dented Camrys. It would be a shame if Toyota’s endeavor to make their sensible cars exciting to own and drive all go to waste because people will still see the car everyone and their mom owned and beat on for a decade.

In fact, during my week with the car, all the comments received were in the format of “This car looks great, for a Camry”, “This car handles well, for a Camry” or “This car feels really fast, for a Camry”. Let’s face it, its always going to be difficult to sell the most common and logical option as the cool one. Instead of trying to spice up apple sauce, what Toyota really needs is a line up full of exciting cars that will reshape people’s mental image of the company. (New Supra please!)

Taking the first step toward the winner’s circle means having an engine that can get you there. Be it NHRA Top Fuel drag racing, land speed record-setting, Super Stock diesel truck pulling, or 160-mph offshore boating, these days it takes a pretty wild combination of parts to get to the top. From monster-size blowers and 100+mm turbochargers to billet-aluminum blocks, heads and cranks, these power plants are at the top of the food chain. They use methanol, race gas, spiced up number two diesel and nitro-methane to help get them there—and they produce anywhere from 1,600 to 10,000 hp in the process!

Find out what makes these fire-breathers tick below—and stay tuned for the latest and greatest products stemming from PRI 2017.

A ’57 Chevy Packing 3,500 HP

As crazy as it sounds, being king of the street in the modern Street Outlaws era means if you’re not working with an engine that’s capable of producing north or 3,000 hp you might as well stay home. Thanks to a 540ci big-block from Vinson Race Engines, Jeff Lutz’ ’57 Chevy fits right in. A Callies crank, GRP rods, Icon pistons and a Crower camshaft reside in a Trick Flow aluminum block, while Pro Filer Performance Products heads fitted with T&D Machine Products’ rocker arms (and anchored via ARP studs) sit up top. Precision Turbo & Engine injectors, an Aeromotive fuel pump, a BigStuff3 EFI system and an MSD Pro Mag 44 bring fuel, spark and engine management into the equation, while a pair of 98mm Precision turbos force boosted air into a Pro Filer/Boninfante Friction intake.

Hemispherical-Headed 1,600 HP Big-Block

Sonny’s Racing Engines had multiple engines on hand, scattered throughout the show. This big cube, “hemispherical-headed” big-block Chevy piqued our interest to say the least. Displacing 940 ci, the big Bow Tie mill sports 5.300-inch bore spacing, a Bryant Racing billet crank, Carrillo billet-steel rods, Sonny’s proprietary pistons with Trend tool steel pins and Total Seal rings and the aforementioned hemispherical cylinder heads, which Sonny’s calls its “Next Generation” units (they are fully CNC machined in-house). On 93 octane, this naturally aspirated beast produces 1,600 hp and 1,360 lb-ft of torque.

Fastest LS Engine in the World

With a goal of sending this ’70 Camaro through the 1320 in 5-second intervals, David Adkins is also pursuing the quarter-mile title of “fastest LS engine in the world” with this ride. Built by Baker Engineering and utilizing a Noonan billet-aluminum LS block and Thomsen Motorsport intake, the 427ci V8 is about as light as they come—and the entire car tips the scales at just 2,400 pounds. Thanks to a pair of 94mm Garrett GTX5533R Gen II turbos, the potent LS cranks out more than 3,000 hp. All that power is harnessed by a ProTorque converter-equipped TH210 (Turbo 400). The car will be a regular in Outlaw Pro Mod and Radial vs. the World throughout the 2018 racing season.

423-MPH LS

For the epitome of speed, visitors to the ARP booth were greeted by Kenny Duttweiler’s record-setting land speed engine. The LS-based mill powered George Poteet’s “Speed Demon” streamliner to a 423.521 mph average at Bonneville, which was good enough for the Blown Fuel Streamliner record. Starting with Dart’s compacted graphite iron (CGI) block—chosen by Duttweiler because of its siamesed cylinder bores, priority main oiling and scalloped water jackets—it makes use of a Crower crankshaft, Crower rods with ARP 2000 bolts and fly-cut, 9.0:1 compression Diamond pistons. A Comp Cams’ billet roller camshaft is actuated by Trend pushrods and a set of Dart’s 10-degree aluminum LS heads incorporate Jesel lifters and shaft-mounted rocker arms. Siemens 225-lb injectors, a MoTeC ECU and twin Pro Mod 88 turbos from Precision also played an intricate role in the streamliner’s voyages beyond 400 mph.

Big-Block Mopar

Built to make Charli and Chris Wheatcraft’s ’71 Dodge Demon (called “Screamin’ Demon) competitive in the NHRA’s Top Sportsman, 4.50/4.70 Index and Outlaw Quick 8, a thumping 532ci Mopar positioned against the firewall should do the trick. A solid block from Indy Cylinder Head houses a Winberg crank, GRP rods, Diamond pistons and a Comp cam, while a set of Indy’s Predator heads equipped with Jesel keyway lifters and Trend Performance pushrods dwell up top. Aspiration comes by way of a 136mm F-3R ProCharger with an APD Blow-Thru Carburetor. The electronics side of things entails an MSD Digital 7 ignition system, front drive distributor, HVC coil, Racepak IQ3 dash and data logger and a Koni digital shock controller.

Billet-Everything Duramax

This work of art stems from the minds at Wagler Competition Products, a shop that specializes in all things Duramax. Slugged the DX460 (the only difference between the company’s acclaimed DX500 being its use of a shorter stroke), it displaces 460ci—the maximum allowed in Super Stock diesel truck pulling classes. Things get started inside the solid, billet-steel block with a Winberg crank (anchored via bed plate) swinging a set of Wagler rods. Eight 13.0:1 compression pistons come from Ross Racing and out of a Top Fuel application, albeit with Wagler-designed fuel bowls. The Wagler cylinder heads are an in-house item as well, sporting the highest flowing units in the company’s stable along with its own rocker arms. Fuel comes by way of S&S Diesel Motorsport common-rail injectors and triple CP3 pumps, with a Bosch Motorsport 15.1 ECU controlling everything. This particular DX460 wasn’t sporting any turbo(s), but a single 130mm charger version making 130 psi of boost belted out more than 2,500 hp on Wagler’s engine dyno over a year ago.

1,200 HP... Per Liter!

Although they may not look any more menacing than the other massive V8’s you find on display at the PRI Show, engines like this are the reason we have 3-second, 330 mph Top Fuel dragsters at the top of the drag racing food chain. This Stringer Motorsports version—a billet-aluminum block and head, 496ci Hemi making 10,000 hp—powers the Parts Plus/Great Clips dragster and was parked at the Valvoline booth, one of its primary sponsors. Driver Clay Millican has piloted the rail as fast as 330.47 mph to date, with a best E.T. of 3.631 seconds so far. The dragster finished in Sixth Place overall for the 2017 NHRA season.

Big Boost, Billet Cummins

The billet-aluminum, triple-turbo, sub-400ci Cummins mills that come out of the Scheid Diesel camp aren’t exactly new. However, owner Dan Scheid has brought his billet-aluminum block program in-house—along with his own cylinder head work. With direct control over some of the most important components of its competition engines (in terms of both durability and power potential), we expect Scheid to continue its reign atop the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League’s Super Stock Class. For the last two years running, a Scheid-built Cummins has won this prestigious truck pulling category. These babies are restricted to good old number 2 diesel fuel (with water injection being utilized, too, but primarily as a means to keep cylinder temps in check) yet are rumored to clear 3,000 hp (give or take) on the dyno. Scheid’s high-end engines such as this often incorporate three turbos in a two-stage configuration, build more than 130 psi of boost and (thanks to the aluminum block) weigh some 130 pounds less than a cast-iron/factory-based Cummins.

5.3L Love

Anyone looking to breath new life into his or her 5.3L GM V8 would’ve enjoyed seeing this revamped LM7 at the Holley booth. It was graced with a host of parts straight out of Holley’s Sniper line (EFI, throttle body, modular race manifold, etc.), along with Accel coils and a slick set of LS-style, Hooker exhaust manifolds (released earlier in 2017). As you can see, the Hooker manifolds help to accommodate an S400 frame BorgWarner turbocharger as well. We’re told this engine combination is good for 600-plus ponies.

1,950HP Twin-Turbo, Flex-Fuel Big-Block

Boats are definitely not our forte, but seeing this twin-turbo’d, 1,950 hp masterpiece makes us want one. The brainchild of Factory Billet’s Jim Schultz and Mike Faucher, the 10.0L (605ci) flex-fuel big-block turns out 1,650 hp on 93 octane and as much as 1,950 hp on E90. Thanks to a MoTeC ECU with Factory Billet firmware, the computer self-calibrates (i.e. octane adjusts) to whichever fuel is being sent through it. The quick-revving big-block sports parallel 88mm Precision turbos and spins up to 6,800 rpm. Several years in the making, two of these engines were used to propel Factory Billet’s 51-foot, V-bottom boat to a First Place tie of 161 mph at the 2017 Lake of the Ozarks Shootout.

See more PRI power madness! 

Over the course of the 2017 Formula Drift season, we saw over 200 different tandem battles among the drivers, not including “one more time” battles. With the average Top 16 tandem ladder taking over two hours in real time to complete, it’s not surprising that many casual observers may feel that they don’t have the attention span or interest in watching every single battle. While the final results tell one story about the 2017 season, James Deane dominated the competition, we thought it might be fun to relive the season and pick out five tandem battles that you really should have watched. If you are a dedicated drift fan, we hope you enjoy this retrospective. If you’re a casual fan who didn’t want to or have time to watch every battle, we hope you are interested in watching more. Thankfully, Formula Drift has the entire season logged on the Network A Youtube channel, so you can go back and watch all the tandem battles while fast forwarding through any downtime.

5. James Deane vs. Jhonnattan Castro – Top 16 @ Orlando Speedworld

Coming off of his win at Long Beach, James Deane had a target squarely on his back. With many feeling that Deane would struggle at Long Beach, his dominance in tandem had fans wondering what it would take to eliminate the Irish driver. While Jhonnattan Castro is not the name you typically think of to knock out a championship threat like Deane, this tandem was proof that no driver can ever take any tandem battle lightly. Castro drove his Toyota GT86 like we’ve never seen before and squarely eliminated Deane in this Top 16 battle. This win was squarely a testament to how hard Castro drove, and there isn’t a driver on grid who wanted to face Castro in the Top 8. We wouldn’t know it at the moment, but this would be the earliest Deane would be eliminated all season, and may have motivated Deane even more. The Top 8 finish was the best of the season for Castro, and this win was easily the defining moment in Castro’s 2017 season.

4. Nate Hamilton vs. Michael Essa – Top 32 @ Autodrome St. Eustache

On paper, this tandem battle looked innocent and routine for both drivers. After the first run, a few small mistakes from each driver made it hard to determine who had the advantage. However, Michael Essa made the second run of this battle quite memorable. After rubbing his bumper against the St. Eustache wall multiple times in the first sweeper, Essa’s right rear tire debeads and removes itself from the rim as the car transitioned in front of the crowd. In most cases, this would render the car inoperable or cause the driver to spinout, but somehow, Essa kept his foot on the gas and powered through as if the tire was still there. As the crowd realizes what’s happening, they erupt in cheers. Even more impressive, is that Essa not only maintains control and finishes the final two turns in drift, he even has a decent amount of tire smoke around the second half of the course. Essa’s lead run was a bit slower than the judges would like to see, but given that his forward traction was effectively halved by losing the tire, it was completely understandable. Nate Hamilton would win the battle, but would lose out in his Top 16 tandem against eventual winner Fredric Aasbo. Essa went on to finish the season in 7^th place overall, with the Top 32 exit due to tire dismounting being his earliest exit of the season.

3. James Deane vs. Fredric Aasbo – Final 4 @ Texas Motor Speedway

This battle was effectively for the 2017 championship. Deane lead by more than 50 championship points entering the event, and a top qualifying effort would extend his lead prior to tandem battles. These drivers have faced each other numerous times in Europe, and had battled twice previously in the season, with each driver winning one of the two battles. Facing off in the Top 4, the loser of this tandem would earn 64 championship points while the winner would earn either 80 or 100 points, depending on the final battle. Thus, a win in this battle would guarantee a 32-point to 52-point swing depending on if the winner won the event or finished second.

As the battle kicked off, Deane lead first and both drivers had smooth runs with no major mistakes. In the second run of the battle, Deane showed his superior chase skills which had earned him the championship points lead up to this point. Aasbo didn’t make a mistake in either run from this battle, but Deane showed clear car control and domination in chase. One judge wanted to see the battle go “one more time”, but the other two judges had seen enough to declare Deane the winner. Had this battle gone the opposite way, the drivers would have gone into Irwindale with no more than a 44 point difference between them, which would have made a much more exciting championship chase. As it stood, Deane entered Irwindale with a 96-point lead after winning the Texas event outright and simply had to qualify to earn the championship.

2. Chelsea Denofa vs. Vaughn Gittin Jr. – Top 16 @ Evergreen Speedway

Many fans were waiting all season to see this first showdown between Ford Mustang RTR teammates, which finally happened in Seattle. With both drivers on Nitto Tires in nearly identically-prepped Ford Mustangs, it was known beforehand that there would be no team orders between these drivers. Gittin Jr. out-qualified Denofa, but the tandem battles are known to separate the ‘men from the boys’, so to speak.

As both drivers initiated into the first corner, it was clear that Denofa had no fear in facing his team boss. Denofa initiated just a inches way from Gittin Jr. and stuck to his door around the entire 5/8” mile banking at Evergreen Speedway. Gittin Jr. stayed full throttle coming into the area of the course dubbed as the “Power Alley”, and Denofa’s anticipation of Gittin’s transition allowed him to close the gap down even tighter to his teammate. Gittin Jr. really didn’t make any mistakes on the run, but similar to the Aasbo vs. Deane run we recapped from Texas, the chase run from Denofa was really the story here. Gittin Jr. wouldn’t back down in his chase run and would lay down an equally as impressive chase run while following Denofa, but all three judges gave their votes to Denofa. Of all the tandems in this Top 16 round, this one was probably the battle that most deserved a “one more time” but didn’t get it. None-the-less, team boss Gittin Jr. was happy to see Denofa move on, even if it meant he had to watch from the grandstands. Denofa would eliminate himself in the Top 8 against Odi Bakchis when he made contact with Bakchis, but this round was definitely a turning point in Denofa’s season.

1. Kristaps Bluss vs. Dean Kearney – Final 4 “One More Time” @ Road Atlanta

Watch this in action, here, on Formula Drift's livestream coverage.

After a pair of runs where both drivers made some small mistakes, this battle went to a “one more time” round under the lights of Road Atlanta. While we didn’t see a full moon in the sky, what would happen next surely felt odd. The first run of the “one more time” battle would be cut short when Kearney collided with Bluss shortly after initiation. Looking at the replay, there are brief brake lights from Bluss, but in an area that is deemed to be a ‘slow down’ zone so fault is handed to Kearney. Bluss would inspect his car and continue, while Kearney would use his competition timeout to inspect his car before returning for the second battle. In the second battle, Bluss closes the gap too quickly in chase and makes contact with Kearney midway through the keyhole section. Kearney powers through and finishes the run in drift, while Bluss has to be towed off course due to a broken tie-rod. This pair of runs alone isn’t as impressive as what would happen after.

The judges deem fault in the second run to lie on the shoulders of Bluss, and the judges vote for a second “One more time” battle. Bluss must then use his competition timeout to repair his vehicle. Multiple drivers and crew members from other teams contribute to help Bluss get back on track. All repairs appear to be finished with around ten seconds left on the clock, but the Formula Drift officials indicate that Bluss’s car must be on the ground to count as completed. Bluss decides to get the car off the jackstands on his own and accelerates, launching his car back to the pavement in the hotpits. Unfortunately, the car was deemed to be unsafe due to loose lugnuts, and was not allowed to run, but this was one of the most courageous and helpless efforts to get the car back on track that we saw all season. Fans from around the world were hoping to see Bluss get back on track to compete against Kearney, but the repairs were just a few seconds short of being completed safely. This battle was one that was most exciting because of the drama that occurred off track. It’s one of the scenarios that can be lost in event recaps, and is worth a watch for a second time.

Kearney would lose in the final battle to Deane, while Bluss would still earn the final podium position by virtue of his qualifying results. Bluss finished the season in the Top 5 of the final championship table, while Kearney finished just outside the Top 10 in 11^th position.  

Re-live more of the 2017 Formula Drift season, here on Driving Line, with Top 32 Recaps and Galleries from each race.

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the world
Every child lay asleep, every boy, every girl.
Their dreams filled with wonder, of presents and joy
Preparing to open every stocking and toy.

But almost was ruined, this Christmas season
And our story will tell us exactly the reason.
Old St. Nick, he was halfway through his night,
When something terrible happened in middle of flight.

Flying over the desert, it was moonless and dark
Even Rudolph's nose was barely a spark
Then all of the sudden, the sleigh crashed to a halt,
Santa had jumped up and out to look for the fault.

He landed on a mountain, laid with boulders and rocks,
The sleigh stuck beneath him, left him in shock.
The reindeer pulled and tried as they might,
It seemed Santa was stuck here for the rest of the night.

Not a soul was around in any direction,
Not even one bar of cell phone reception.
As the night grew colder, Santa feared for the worst
No gifts were delivered and the tears came in bursts.

But just as he'd started to give up all hope,
Far off in the distance, a light over the slope.
As it drew nearer he could see there was more
All in a line, there was three, no, there was four.

His spirits were high, as his help had arrived,
But who could be out here in the middle of the night?
Four monstrous rigs, battled their way up the steep,
Yota, Ford and Samurai, and of course a well-built Jeep.

As they reached Santa's sleigh, he called out "Ho, Ho, Ho!"
They said, "Santa, up which line were you trying to go!?"
They pulled out the straps, hi-lifts and winch cables,
Trying just to keep Santa's sleigh stable

They unhooked the reindeer and shackled to their rigs
Yelled, "Hold on Santa! This may hurt a bit!"
And on the count of three, they began to tow,
Every rig locked at redline, in double 4-low.

The sleigh came unhooked, but here they couldn't stop,
They pulled old St. Nick all the way to the top!
As they walked up the reindeer to hook back to the sleigh,
Santa walked over and didn't know what to say.

"Thank you kind strangers, but how'd you know I was here?"
"We're just out on a trail, like we do every year".
Santa knew they saved Christmas for all the girls and the boys,
He could continue his journey to deliver their toys.

Before he took off, the strangers had one more word,
Perhaps the wisest that Santa had ever heard.
"We know what it's like to see a trail and just wonder,
But maybe next year, stay off Chocolate Thunder!"

They all had a laugh, and they waved their goodbye,
And the sleigh took off into the night sky.

With more trails ahead, and memories to make,
Laughs to share, and more parts to break,
The crawlers headed back down through the valley,
On to "Back Door" for their night run finale.

But on that Christmas morning, under their trees,
Laid their kids toys, but there was more than just these.
Jeep parts, truck parts, everything on their list!
and each found a card hand written by St. Nick.

"You helped save Christmas for all the girls and the boys,
So here's some parts to keep you busy with your toys!"
Without our off-roaders, Christmas wouldn't be right,
So keep your eye out on the trails each Christmas night!

Wishing you an adventurous and bright holiday season from Driving Line!

Teaming up with our friends at VF Engineering, a VF 800 series super charger system is added to the Hübinette's Lamborghini Huracán. Watch the install above to see how the bull adds 200 hp at the wheels.

All of this can only be for one reason... this bull is getting ready to charge into the ring.

Major thanks to:
Nitto Tire | Hübinette Stunts | Donut Media | VF Engineering | Vörsteiner

Stay tuned for the main event video dropping soon.

Randall Robertson has his best ideas between 2 and 2:30 a.m. A vision comes to his mind, waking him up to jot down some notes, and within 20 minutes, the complete design for his next build is laid out on paper. This unconventional, yet effective, process was the spark that set off the fire in Randall to build his latest instant-classic Chevy truck, “The Duke.”

Randall owns and operates Rtech Fabrications, a custom truck shop based in Hayden, Idaho, that specializes in ’62–’72 Chevy trucks. Rtech is no stranger to unique, larger-than-life builds. Past models the company has built, such as the “Cowboy” and “Drill Sergeant,” are proven showstoppers that have captured the hearts of Chevy truck fans of all ages. But Randall never builds the same truck twice: “If it’s already been done, I’m not going to build it.” That premise brought on the idea of building The Duke, a truck that Randall challenged himself with. “The Duke is a refinement of everything I’ve built so far,” Randall explains.

Classic Chevy trucks are some of the most popular restoration projects among enthusiasts, mostly due to a wide availability of aftermarket parts, detailed restoration guides and a wealth of knowledge in building them. So what makes the Duke stand out among the hordes of other classic GM trucks displayed at car shows across the nation? For starters, the Duke is much, much larger than your standard regular-cab, shortbed restomod. Randall and his team at Rtech are masters of building custom trucks in configurations that Chevrolet never produced. The Duke is based on the medium-duty C50 chassis, extended to four doors with an 8-foot tilt bed. But, technically, The Duke should be called a K50, which is GM’s designation for a 50 series four-wheel-drive truck. But just like most of Rtech’s builds, the devil is really in the details. Simply slapping a crew-cab body together and extending a chassis isn’t much of a build. Randall wanted to build this truck to look and feel like a classic Chevy, but perform like a modern diesel powerhouse.

Randall’s carefully thought-out design is what makes The Duke a real showstopper. The drivetrain had to be powerful, strong and easily serviced. Under the hood sits a 5.9L Cummins 12-valve diesel engine, tuned to a reliable 450 hp. Behind it sits an equally impressive NV4500 five-speed manual transmission, built to deliver massive power with reliability and ease. Rtech used an NP205 transfer case to deliver power to the front axle, which happens to be a GM Dana 60. The rear axle is a GM Corporate 14-bolt, built to handle heavy loads and big tires. The brakes on The Duke are custom made and are now available through Rtech Fabrications. They use a drilled and slotted design, with a heavy-duty RV brake pad to increase braking performance. After all, stopping a truck this big isn’t easy.

In Randall’s opinion, simplicity is key as long as it does the job. He didn’t want to overcomplicate this build with high-tech suspension systems, so the front and rear is lifted on leaf springs, much like you would find on a truck of this age. Rtech installed a set of Bilstein shocks to beef up the ride, but painted them black to give the appearance of a factory underbody. A set of load-leveling airbags help do the heavy lifting when The Duke is towing.

From the outside, The Duke looks like a well-kept, clean, old truck. But that was no accident; Randall designed it to resemble a factory truck, with some key upgraded features. The front and rear bumpers began as a pile of sheetmetal, and Randall worked them until he was happy with what he saw. The final result is a classic style with ample protection. The running boards are made from ¼-inch cold-rolled steel tubing as well, making The Duke strong enough to withstand a hit from any side.

One unique feature on The Duke that you wouldn’t know about by just looking at it is the tilt bed. Originally used to make dumping materials out of the bed easier on the jobsite, the tilt bed serves a much more mellow function these days. Under the bed of The Duke lies a utility box housing the central heat and A/C systems, batteries, the 60-gallon fuel cell and the bed’s hydraulic lift. When the bed is down, this utility box is virtually invisible. The tilt feature allows for easy access to these systems, and let’s be honest, it looks way cool.

Moving inside The Duke, a few things catch the eye. Randall decided that masking new components with a classic skin is the best way to achieve a comfortable ride while staying true to the truck’s era. The dashboard is a custom-built piece that Rtech is now installing in most of its customers’ trucks. It features all the standard original equipment, with the addition of a double-din radio. “It is meant to look exactly how it would have looked if we had double-din radios in 1972,” Randall says.

Randall used the seats from a ’10 GMC Sierra for the front and rear, removed the headrests and changed the covers to a highlander-style stitching to match the original seats. The door panels were made to resemble the originals as well—with a modern twist. The Duke has four power windows, cleverly controlled by a switch disguised as a hand crank. The other unconventional feature of the Duke’s interior is the power sunroof. Randall had to completely rework the headliner around it, which came out of a ’97 Volvo 850 wagon. A leather-wrapped custom steering wheel ties it all together, giving the truck an old-school feel while driving.

It’s hard to imagine there’s an even deeper level of detail to The Duke, but Randall didn’t just stop at restomod. Some of the unique features making Randall’s trucks so highly sought after are Rtech’s techniques for delivering a ride that’s smoother and quieter than even the latest model production trucks on the market. For instance, the 12-valve Cummins—although legendary for its power and reliability—is not a quiet or calm diesel engine by any stretch. Randall used hydraulic motor mounts from Mercedes-Benz to bolt the engine to the chassis, as they do the best job of reducing the rattle and noise from the Cummins.

Another unseen detail is the firewall. Randall custom-built the firewall with sound-deadening material and angular pieces to divert sound away from the interior. The rear of the cab is coated with rust-inhibiting paint, rubber-coated, layered with normal paint, then topped with sound-deadening material, followed by carpet and padding. In fact, The Duke’s interior so quiet that Randall later added a tachometer to the instrument panel because he couldn’t hear what rpm the motor was running at when shifting the transmission. That’s unheard of for a Cummins 12-valve.

If you couldn’t tell yet, Randall likes his peace and quiet, even while driving a 5-ton diesel truck down the highway. So what tires does a man like Randall put on a project like this? Some 40x15.50R20 Nitto Trail Grapplers were his weapons of choice for The Duke, and Randall had a good reason why. “The Trail Grapplers have been epic. They are incredibly quiet and round down the road, and they don’t feel like driving a big truck with big tires.” Randall also mentioned that from The Duke forward, all his builds and customers’ trucks will be built standard with Nitto tires on them. The KMC XD829 Hoss 2 wheels bring a touch of modern to The Duke’s looks as well.

While The Duke may be the ultimate classic Chevy tow truck/daily driver, Randall has a few more builds in the works. Rtech Fabrications will be working on two new trucks, nicknamed the “Dino” and the “Ponderosa,” in addition to a K20 limo project. But for now, The Duke is out of show season, and Randall will enjoy driving it to and from the shop for a while. That is, until his next 2 a.m. idea comes to life.

Photographs by Tim Sutton

Looking for more diesels? We've got some stuff for you.

The annual Hachiroku Matsuri was held at Tsukuba Circuit's TC2000 track and brought a lot of familiar faces, plus some new ones.

Taste of Time Attack

Tsukuba's famed TC2000 circuit has notoriety as the home of Time Attack, so it shouldn't be a surprise that there were three sessions held in the morning alone. Featuring a range of cars including a Honda Civic EK, Roadsters and RX-7s, including Yasuhiro Ando's famous blue Scoot Sports version.

The Main Attraction

The rest of the day was broken into several groups. The first group on the track was the One Make Race, which is broken into three subgroups based on engine setup; 4AG engines, 5AG engines and, finally, a lites group. There was no shortage of track-ready AE86s, with many coming from legendary stables such as CBY, TEC ART's and God Speed, in addition to plenty of new participants, such as from Workshop Carbon Junkie.

Up next was the crowd favorite drift group that produced plenty of smoke and drift trains. Legendary AE86 drift teams such as Running Free, 86 Club and Major Force were putting on an amazing sight to watch. The crowd cheered on as they watched big drifts at the S-turns before the hair pin and also when each AE86 put on maximum effort as they drifted on the long sweeper.

This last two groups consisted of Grip Run and 86/BRZ Circuit Challenge. Grip Run consisted of a mix of classics and new, with an opportunity to let people take their cars out on the legendary circuit. From stock to lightly tuned, all types were allowed to participate. The 86/BRZ Circuit Challenge consisted of just new model 86s and had only one session early in the morning.

The other groups each had three sessions during the day, giving everyone in attendance an opportunity to see all the cars and drivers. The closest thing to an incident was due to a blown engine, with the resulting oil that ended up on the track. Other than that, it was great day for everyone and we are looking forward to seeing what next year's event brings.

Check out the gallery above to see all the action from this year's Hachiroku Matsuri.

The PRI Show (Performance Racing Industry) is a hot bed for new products. Some represent minor tweaks to existing components while others provide a completely fresh take on already-proven designs. Either of the above scenarios—be it perfecting the nearly-perfected or thinking outside the box—can have the effect of revolutionizing the entire racing industry. No matter the product, virtually everything you see at the PRI Show is geared toward three specific things: Making more power, going faster and providing unmatched durability. The following 11 products represent the automotive industry’s answer to accomplishing these three things.

From cutting edge electronics to the freshest Hemi cylinder heads on the market—and near-bulletproof driveline parts to factory-supported crate engines—it’s a mixed bag of the latest performance parts available on the market today.

1. Turbonetics Mustang EcoBoost 2.3L Drop-In Turbo

There was a long line of folks looking for more information on Turbonetics’ highly-anticipated drop-in replacement turbo for 2.3L EcoBoost Mustang. Word is, it will support up to 520 hp with the right supporting mods (namely custom tuning). The Turbonetics bolt-on, Stage 1 charger features a 52mm compressor wheel and a ported shroud compressor housing for both enhanced low rpm response and high rpm performance. An Inconel, 52mm turbine wheel sits inside a 0.70 A/R exhaust housing (cast in stainless HK30 to withstand extreme heat) and an internal wastegate is also present. For durability and improved response, a dual ceramic ball bearing center cartridge is used.

2. Chevrolet Performance LT376/535

The only thing better than a powerful crate engine is a complete crate powertrain system—and Chevrolet Performance definitely delivered with this all-in-one package. Along with a brand-new, fully assembled 6.2L V8, you get your choice of a SuperMatic automatic or manual transmission, a TCM (should you go the auto route), a calibrated ECM, and two oxygen sensors and mounting bosses. The LT376 Gen V small block displaces (you guessed it) 376 cubic inches thanks to a 4.062-inch bore and a 3.622-inch stroke. A forged-steel crankshaft, forged powdered metal rods, Hypereutectic aluminum pistons and a billet-steel hydraulic roller camshaft reside within a cast-aluminum block, which utilizes 6-bolt, cross-bolted mains. Compression checks in at 11.5:1 and the potent Chevrolet LT376 produces 535 hp at 6,300 rpm right out of the box.

3. Ford’s B53 Modular Short Block

Looking to build a supercharged or naturally aspirated modular 2-valve, 3-valve or 4-valve? The Ford Performance B53 Modular stroker short block is the answer. Using the BOSS 5.0 block as its foundation, the B53 features a 3.701-inch bore, 3.750-inch stroke and displaces 5.3 liters. A neutral balanced rotating assembly consists of a forged-steel crank from Eagle (with 8-bolt flywheel pattern), Eagle 5.850-inch forged-steel H-beam rods with ARP 2000 rod bolts and Mahle forged-aluminum pistons (which incorporate a dish that’s compatible with 2, 3 or 4-valve cylinder heads). Just add your heads, cam and timing set and you’re ready to rock.

4. Frankenstein Engine Dynamic’s P-48 Evolution Heads

As the minds at Frankenstein Engine Dynamics have shown, even the almighty Hemi has room for improvement. Looking to break new ground in the Hemi cylinder head market, the folks here designed the all-new P-48 Evolution heads (the Top Fuel engine pictured above is equipped with them). Starting with a solid chunk of billet-aluminum, the intake and exhaust ports were raised and the combustion chambers were shrunk down to 85-88cc’s in an effort to promote a more efficient burn. The new-tech heads also employ 9/16-inch straight pushrods. According to the folks at Frankenstein, all of the above culminates in more sustainable high rpm performance and reduced valvetrain gremlins.

5. Strange Engineering Modular Aluminum Axle Housing

Specifically designed for dragsters (both flanged and floater axles), Strange Engineering’s modular aluminum axle housings are about as tough as it gets in top-tier drag racing. Cast in the U.S.A. from 206-T4 aluminum, they’re available in both solid or four-link configurations, measure 26 inches wide (with varying wheel-to-wheel width options) and come with a centered pinion. Other features include a large fill cap that allows for gear inspection, a magnetic drain plug, a black Enduraguard finish and integral upper wheelie bar mounts. Strange’s modular housing can also be had with its Pro Carbon brake kit, which includes 11-inch carbon rotors, billet four-piston calipers and slotted carbon brake pads.

6. Vortech V-30 94B-11 Supercharger

If Darth Vader ran a supercharger... Vortech’s new V-30 94B-11 might be it. The V-30 94B-11 replaces the existing V-27 YSi-BX and improves on it in many ways. For starters, it sports a new, 5-axis machined, billet 11-blade impeller that—throughout extensive testing—has shown considerable gains over current designs. For heavy-duty, long-term durability, the V-30 94B-11 incorporates ceramic ball bearings. Vortech’s latest supercharger is also compatible with cog pulley/Gilmer style drive setups and was designed to shine in the NMRA’s Renegade Racing class.

7. Peterson Wet Vac Pump

Any time you can save some space under the hood, you’re doing yourself a favor—and that’s exactly what Peterson Fluid Systems' Wet Vac was designed to do. Thanks to its partnership with Star Machine, Peterson is able to combine one of its proven oil pumps with one of Star Machine’s quality vacuum pumps. This provides racers who are already strapped for space in the engine bay the ability to run two accessories off of one belt. Peterson’s Wet Vac pump is capable of pulling around 18 inches of vacuum with 60 to 70 psi of oil pressure. It saves space, weight and makes packaging everything that much easier.

8. Racepak Vantage CL1 Data Logger

After claiming two new product awards at the SEMA Show, we decided to get a closer look at Racepak’s new CL1 data logger. Originally designed for the go-kart racing industry, it’s cloud-based, which essentially means there is no longer a need to keep track of memory cards, connect your laptop to your car’s ECU or email logged data files to your tuner. All collected data can be viewed in real-time or any time you want—and via your iOS or Android device. Long story short, racers from outside the karting industry are foaming at the mouth for this kind of technology. Thankfully, their prayers were answered at the PRI Show, as Racepak announced its intention to bring its cloud-based data logging system to all forms of motorsports in the near future.

9. McLeod Street Twin Clutch

In need of a streetable performance clutch that can handle big power without sacrificing the factory pedal feel? Look no further than McLeod Racing’s RST Street Twin Clutch. Thanks to dual organic friction discs measuring 12-inches in diameter (vs. 11.5-inch from the factory), they’re capable of harnessing up to 800 hp. Each RST Street Twin clutch comes with a pressure plate, floater plate, flywheel adapter ring and alignment tool (note that a large bore master cylinder no smaller than 13/16-inch is required). McLeod claims its clutch requires no more pedal effort than stock and that units are currently available for the ’10-’14 Camaro SS, ’08-’13 Corvette LS3, ’06-’13 Corvette Z06 and ’08-’09 G8 LS3.

10. Moser Performance M88 Muscle Pak

Moser Engineering’s complete, ready-to-install rear ends for ’79-’04 Mustangs look darn-near bulletproof. They’re made from seamless 3-inch (OD) x ¼-inch wall stainless steel tubing and come with OEM-located mounting provisions. Custom, 31-spline axles come standard and units can be had with your choice of 11 different ring and pinion ratios from 3.08:1 all the way to 5.14:1. Moser’s M88 Muscle Pak also includes new, 10-inch “Torino style” drum brakes, along with the necessary brake lines, clamps and emergency cables. While the factory 8.8 is tough and can be upgraded, Moser’s rear axle is truly built for battle.

11. SPAL Automotive USA Brushless Cooling Fans

If it stands up to the abuse seen in NASCAR, it’s probably fit for your project. Whether you’re building a vehicle to dominate on the street or at the track, SPAL Automotive USA has a product that can keep your engine cool. SPAL’s fans (and blowers) feature brushless motors with soft start and motor protection. A soft start means no immediate, hard amp draw upon startup (perfect for engines equipped with stock, low-amp-output alternators). SPAL’s motor protection is voltage based. Too much voltage and the fan kicks off. Too little voltage and it does the same thing. This voltage-based fail-safe is designed to keep enthusiasts from burning up expensive fans due to pesky voltage problems.

If you ask automotive historians, they’ll likely tell you the peak of muscle car era occurred in the late 1960s and early 1970s—and indeed that truly was a special time for horsepower junkies. But it can also be said that we are living in the midst of a second muscle car era right now.

Sure, there might not be as many different high performance models rolling out of Detroit as there were in '69, but today’s muscle cars are faster and more capable than ever. And the competition between the Big Three when it comes to these V8-powered coupes is as intense as its ever been.

The car enthusiast and consumer is the beneficiary of this, and as an example of just how good we have it—let’s take a look at what kind of two-door, V8-powered American coupe you can get for about $60,000-$65,000. It may not be chump change, but in that price range each of the big three offers an incredible piece of engineering with performance rivaling cars that are much more expensive.

Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat

Of the three cars here, the Hellcat is easily the most “classic muscle car”. Sure the Challenger’s retro styling is a decade old now, but it still looks great. And the outside isn’t what makes the Hellcat so special.

It’s of course that monstrous 6.2 liter supercharged Hemi V8 that makes a face-ripping 707 hp. A few years after its debut, it’s still wild to think you can walk into a dealer and buy a car with that much power.

But the great thing about the Hellcat is that it’s so easy to drive and live with. There's ample thrust at all times and a progressive powerband that never has you waiting for the show to begin. And while the Hellcat is heavier and softer than the other two cars here, it’s also the most comfortable. The ride is very smooth and the interior is easily the largest of the trio. If you often haul passengers or take long road trips, this might be the choice for you.

At the moment, the Hellcat might also be the cheapest of these three cars. Now that the initial hype has worn off, discounts can be had on Challenger Hellcats—sometimes as much as $10,000 off MSRP. That makes an already great performance bargain even sweeter.

Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R

Whether you go with the standard issue GT350 or the track-ready GT350R you’re getting a car unlike anything else on the market. But for comparison’s sake, let’s stick with the GT350R and it’s MSRP right around $65,000.

While the Hellcat is a boulevard bruiser with its torque-laden supercharged Hemi, the Ford outputs “just” 526 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque. But it does so in an absolutely marvelous way. There are no superchargers or turbochargers under the GT350R’s hood, but there is an exotic 5.2 liter flat plane crank V8 that can be spun up to 8,250 RPM—all while making the sounds of a true exotic while doing so. 

Other exotic bits on the GT350R include its ultra-lightweight carbon fiber wheels, carbon fiber rear spoiler and magnetic dampers. It’s a purpose-built machine through and through.

There are some drawbacks to the package though. The GT350R doesn’t have a backseat, comes only with a manual transmission and its high-revving power isn’t as immediately accessible as its supercharged counterparts. Perhaps the biggest negative though is that the GT350R is still in high demand, so finding one at MSRP can be a tough task. But if you can get your hands on one, you might be driving the greatest Ford Mustang of all time.

Chevy Camaro ZL1

From the bowtie family comes Chevy's impressive Camaro ZL1, with a starting MSRP of $62,495. While the Hellcat is the classic muscle car with huge horsepower, and the GT350R is the high-winding track machine, the ZL1 has attributes of both.

The ZL1 is powered by GM's supercharged LT4 V8, making 650 hp with the choice of a six-speed manual or 10-speed automatic. It's not quite as much power as the Hellcat, but a decent amount more than the naturally aspirated GT350R.

The sixth generation Camaro chassis is a fantastic base to work with, and the ZL1 is further improved with magnetic suspension, a trick electronic rear differential and of course gigantic Brembo brakes to bring it all to a stop.

With a great mix of refinement and track capability, the ZL1 is a fine balance between the Mustang and the Challenger. The biggest drawback to the car might be the Camaro's poor outward viability and lack of interior space.

Is there a clear winner among this trio of cars? Nope. Each offers something very unique and each is a true testament to how far the idea of the muscle car has come in recent years. Time will tell whether the current muscle car era will come to an end as abruptly as the original, and we certainly hope it doesn't. But whatever happens, we should enjoy and appreciate these incredible machines while we still can.

What happens when a Lamborghini Huracán faces-off against a custom-built off-road ULTR4 race vehicle? It's a question we've been waiting to answer ever since stunt driver extraordinaire, Samuel Hübinette, built this monster of a drift machine. His Lamborghini Huracán LP 580-2 is outfitted with a custom hydraulic handbrake, Nitto NT01 competition road-course tires and Vorsteiner Novara aero kit—and new for this challenge, it's been boosted with VF Engineering's VF 800 series super charger system. It first proved it could shred some serious rubber in #HuracánDrift, but what's it going to look like after the new super charger added 200 hp?

To find out, we give you #HuracánDrag. Pitting one outlandish machine against another, the Huracán is facing off against Jason Blanton's Unlimited Class Ultra4 Car that more commonly sees the dirt and rocks of Ultra4 races, like King of the Hammers. It's a custom-built Jimmy's 4x4 chassis fitted with a Dart 572 Big Block and beefy 40" Nitto Trail Grapplers. Weighing in around 5,000 lbs, let's find out if the Ultra4 car's 215 extra horsepower will be enough to tame the bull.

"With the all-wheel drive and horsepower, we might take you for the first 100 feet—I have no idea," laughs Jason Blanton. You're just going to have to watch to find out.

Enjoy the action and find out who takes it in the video above, then give us a follow @drivingline to ensure you see what we drop next.

The following stunts are performed by professional drivers under closed course. Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc. does not condone reckless driving and racing in public roads of any form. Please drive safely.

Pumping new life into an old truck is a tried-and-trued formula. With new ½-ton trucks venturing into the $50,000 territory, we’re seeing more and more truck owners hold onto their aging pickups. As many car and truck owners are aware, the old saying rings true—if you take care of it, it will take care of you. It was with this in mind that our friend decided to revamp his 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 over trading it in on a newer, albeit more costly, model.

Having owned the truck since new, there were few concerns over the ½-ton’s reliability. Wanting to up not only the look, but the off-road performance of the pickup, he opted for a six-inch Skyjacker Suspension system that would allow him to retain a factory-like ride quality, but make room for the larger treads that would help him in the dirt. While the video above takes you through the transformation, we’re diving even further into the details below.

Getting It Done

Installing a suspension system on a late-model IFS truck is a fairly involved process. Given that the truck would also be getting a differential gear jump up to 4.88s, our friend took the truck to the experts at Low Range 4x4to get the work done.

There are two common independent suspension systems for this generation GMC truck. The first retains the stock steering knuckles, but requires extensive frame drilling to relocate the upper control arm mounts. The second uses a cast steering knuckle such as the one you see here. Going with a new steering knuckle allows you to keep the upper control arm in its factory location, cutting down on install time and complexity.

To accommodate the six inches of lift, new steel crossmembers are added attaching to the stock mounting locations. This allows for the differential to be lowered as well. Since the new steering knuckles raise the tie-rod end mounts, no steering modification is required. However, this owner did opt for the optional Skyjacker steering dampener to help tighten up the steering system.

Helping to control the front suspension are a Skyjacker’s latest line of performance shocks called Black Max. The red polyurethane bumpstops are placed on new mounts to moderate the suspension up travel. One note- once the truck was set on the ground, the owner opted to trim a few layers off of the bumpstop to allow for more upward travel.

The 2006 model year GMC still uses a torsion bar to suspend the front of the vehicle. These long metal bars use torsion keys to adjust bar tension, which can alter the preload and ride height of the truck. To ensure the bars were not working at an extreme angle, drop brackets were bolted to the frame, which allowed for the stock torsion bar crossmember to be lowered as well.

This particular system came with a complete spring replacement pack. This was ideal for the 11-year-old truck, as the original leaf springs were well worn.

Going with a full replacement spring pack adds a bit of extra work as the forward bolt on the driver’s side of the framerail requires you to drop the fuel tank to access it. Despite this, we prefer a spring replacement over adding an additional lift block. Dampening the system are nitrogen-charged Black Max series shocks that are valved specifically for the ½-ton truck.

The Right Footprint 

Getting the right wheel can be tricky on some IFS suspension lifts. This owner opted for a 17x9 XD829 HOSS 2 wheel from KMC. It’s fit with 4.53 inches of backspacing, which worked perfect to clear the suspension components.

Since the truck is a daily driver, tow rig and occasional dirt explorer, it needed a tire that was capable of wearing many hats. After looking at his options, the Nitto Ridge Grappler in a 35x12.50R17 was the top pick. Known as an aggressive all-terrain tire, the Ridge Grappler has proven that it has what it takes to survive off-road and the load capacity to work perfect on towing applications.

In Line

Before the truck could leave the shop, it was fine-tuned on Low Range’s Hunter alignment machine. While it may seem like a small part of the job, proper alignment is critical for ensuring the truck will handle correctly. It also ensures that the tracking is straight so you won’t cause unnecessary wear or chop to your new tires.

Leveled Out

Six inches of lift was a noticeable boost on this ½-ton, but not enough to kick it out of the realm of practicality. With the torsion bar configuration, there is a bit of adjustment in regards to the front end height. This one is setup near level.

Retaining the stock front bumper will require a slight amount of trimming if you opt for the same tire and wheel configuration shown here. Removing that small amount from the lower portion of the bumper and valence allows for plenty of clearance, even while doing a bit of spirited driving off-road.

To ensure the 35-inch-tall treads wouldn’t drain all of the performance from his pickup, the differentials were fit with a set of Nitro Gear & Axle 4.88s. Paired with the new gear set was a programmer from Superchips. The two power upgrades both helped to keep strain off of the transmission and make the jump from the stock tire size to the new Grapplers less dramatic.

Overall, the owner is extremely pleased with the new setup. For less than the fraction of the cost of a new truck, he was able to breathe new life into his “old” truck.

Thinking about modifying your 4x4. Be sure to avoid these 10 4x4 builder mistakes!

Earlier this fall we took at look at Gran Turismo Sport, the latest release in Sony's iconic Playstation racing series. After spending a couple weeks with the game, we found a solid base with a stout online component, but saw GT Sport lacking in content compared to other games on the market, as well as past Gran Turismo games.

Despite the realistic driving physics and state of the art visuals, we also found GT Sport's single player component quite limited when compared to past GT games, leaving little for players who weren't interested in multiplayer competition.

Fortunately, Polyphony Digital has already started to address these concerns—beginning with a big GT Sport update that was launched just before Christmas, free of charge to all players.

First and foremost, the update has dramatically expanded GT Sport's single player experience, making it feel deeper and much more familiar to longtime players of the franchise.

There are now single player championships and leagues much like you'd find in any other racing game, with familiar GT standbys like the Clubman Cup and Sunday Cup making their return.

The new "GT League" single player modes reward both money and experience points to players—and while they don't fundamentally change the fact that GT Sport is still geared towards online racing, they do provide a nice break for those looking to play on their own.

Equally important, the GT Sport update also added 12 new vehicles to the game's car roster, including:

Mazda | RX-7 Spirit R Type A (FD)
Nissan | Skyline GT-R V・spec II (R32)
Nissan | Skyline GT-R V・spec II Nür (R34)
Ford | F-150 SVT Raptor
Lamborghini | Countach LP400
Ferrari | F40
Ferrari | Enzo Ferrari
KTM | X-BOW R
Suzuki | Swift Sport
Volkswagen | Samba Bus Type 2 (T1)
Chris Holstrom Concepts | 1967 Chevy Nova
Chevrolet | Corvette Stingray Convertible (C3)

One of the biggest criticisms about GT Sport has been its car list, which was not only small in numbers but lacking in variety, especially for older models. This new batch of cars does a lot to address both of those complaints.

Fans of American machinery will be happy to see the classic C3 Corvette on the list, along with the Chris Holstrom Concepts Chevy Nova SEMA Award winner. The Ford Raptor is also quite fun on the game's rally courses.

In addition, traditional Gran Turismo fans will be happy to see the return of cars like the FD RX-7 and the R32 and R34 Skyline GT-R, all models which will forever be linked to the GT series.

Even better is the fact that Sony has promised that many more vehicles are coming to the game, between now and March of 2018. This additional content should certainly get players coming back, if not also enticing new players to jump in.

Of course, even with these new additions, GT Sport is still down on content when compared to its chief rival Forza Motorsport. December's update is a big step in the right direction and a huge improvement over the launch version of the game.

If Polyphony Digital continues to regularly expand GT Sport like this, we have no doubts the game will soon be back in its place among the genre's greats. We are very much looking forward to see what else they have in the works for the coming months.

Cummins has built its name on powerful and reliable diesel engines. While the famed 5.9L inline six is coveted among those in the diesel racing community, variants of it and its little brother (the 4BT) have become a go-to source for those looking to add the torque-richness of a diesel under the hood. We’ve shown you some of the most insane diesel swaps before, but the video above highlights six of our favorite Cummins-swapped machines.

1. 4BT Dakota

We first spotted Bed McWhorter’s 2000 Dodge Dakota at the 2017 Daytona Truck Meet. Fresh off of a two-year build, the truck sported a solid-axle conversion, 375/45R22 Nitto Trail Grapplers, and a custom multilink suspension using air bags at all four corners. Of course, there is a Cummins under the hood too.

A 5.9L was offered in the Dakota from the factory, but that liter designation was assigned to a Magnum V8, not the famed inline-six Cummins diesel. Looking for more torque and fuel efficiency, McWhorter had Sercer Machine drop in a 3.9L Cummins 4BT turbodiesel. With a relatively large engine bay, the revamped and intercooled diesel engine was made to look as though it rolled off the showroom that way. Backing the inline-four cylinder is an NV4500 manual transmission, which is connected to an NP241 transfer case.

2. Copper Cadillac

Rod Nielsen of Hot Rod Restos merged a 1950 Cadillac and modern-day 1-ton truck to create this copper plated masterpiece. Nearly every piece of sheetmetal has been modified in some way. This was done not only to achieve the amazing look, but to ensure that the car could be fully functional as well. It’s not every day that you see an eight-lug caddy.

Powering the car is a twin-turbo 12-valve Cummins diesel built by BD Diesel. The merger of the air and fuel upgrades sent this 5.9L over the 1,000 hp mark. Backing the heavy powerplant is a BD-built 47RH automatic transmission.

3. Kymera 

Fab Fours calls it Kymera—a derivative of the fable creature Chimera from Greek Mythology. Fabled name aside, this 2015 Chevy Colorado is a real life monster. Teaming up with Tim Odell at Vice Unlimited, Fab Fours was able to execute its vision of a mid-engine pickup that combines military, hot rod and trophy truck components alike.

Built by BD Diesel, the 5.9L Cummins 12-valve engine is fit with the company’s twin-turbo system designed specifically for the 6BTA. This setup uses a low pressure turbo with a 66mm compressor wheel and 80mm turbine wheel, while the high-pressure turbo has a 58mm compressor wheel and 65mm turbine wheel. Throwing fuel from the BD injection pump to high-flow injectors and lines, the truck is able to pump out 650 hp and 1,200 lb-ft of torque.

4. Ol' Yeller

Not many people still have the first truck they ever drove. Even fewer can call a 1978 Dodge Ram W-150 mom’s ride. After losing his mother to cancer in 2009, Greg Yount would tear down this family owned 4x4 and start over from scratch. The result would be a show-worthy masterpiece that combines modern touches and classic truck flare.

Under the hood, you’ll find a 24-valve 5.9L Cummins, which was sourced from a 2000 Ram 2500. To ensure there would be plenty of power to roast the truck’s Mud Grapplers, a new turbo, intake and exhaust manifold were attached to the classic inline six. Working with the air upgrades is an Edge Insight CTS2 programming module, which allows for power adjustments on the fly.  

5. Train Car

For those of you still subscribing to cable TV, you may recognize this 1929 Dodge Sedan. It was built by the team at Welder Up for the show "Vegas Hot Rods." They call it the Train Car and the diesel rat rod has made the SEMA Show rounds a time or two. Despite that, we still can’t get enough of the build.

It’s powered by a twin-turbo 4BT Cummins diesel engine. The mechanical injection series inline-four feeds a TH400 transmission, leading to a Dana 70 rear axle. With dual wheels out back, the rig is a bit wider than the legal limit, but for the Vegas-based builders, the width gamble was worth it.

6. Old Smokey

The best for last? Well, we’ll say this is by far the most powerful in the group. It belongs to Scott Birdsall, owner of Chuckles Garage. What started off with a $225 Craigslist purchase of a 1949 Ford F1 pickup, evolved into the tube chassis diesel rocket you see here today. Weighing in at a little over 3,600 pounds, the F1 is far removed from any typical diesel build.

Powering the beast of a truck is 5.9L 12-valve Cummins inline-six engine that is boosted by an 80mm and 94mm compound Garrett turbo arrangement. Paired with built internals, the 100 pounds of boost allows for over 1,200 hp at the rear wheels and 2,000 plus lb-ft of torque. A custom 5-inch MBRP exhaust was plumbed out the back, while a Winters Quick Change differential allows the truck to be versatile in a bevy of motorsports.

See more out-of-the-box diesel engine swaps!

After what what felt like half a decade of rumors of its demise, it seemed like Southern California’s iconic Irwindale Raceway was finally closing for good as of January 31, 2018. Drift fans, stock car racers, drag racers and enthusiasts of all types were ready to say goodbye. Formula Drift event removed Irwindale from its 2018 championship schedule, replacing it with Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

However, it appears that Irwindale Speedway isn’t going anywhere. Over the weekend it was announced that the track had entered a multi-year agreement with a new management company to stay open and continue operations.

It was said initially that the track was to be torn down so a shopping mall could be built, but it now seems ownership has new plans for the site that keep the race track in operation as-is.

While it is a bit awkward to have just gone through the all “final Irwindale” celebrations (once again... but for this time it was said to be truly final) only to have the track continue operations—we are certainly happy that it’s sticking around. Now we just wonder if Formula Drift will bring Irwindale Speedway back to its 2018 schedule and what will happen to the Vegas event that was scheduled in its place. We expect an announcement soon.