The Death of a Young Enthusiast Brings People Together.

The automotive industry is filled with incredible and wonderful people. Most of us love cars. It doesn't matter what kind, it just matters that they're cars, and that we're talking about them. One of the many wonderful parts of being in the community of cars is the camaraderie. When someone needs a tow, a part, some helpful insight, or even a few extra dollars, most guys would be willing to give you the shirts off their backs.

This is a story of a Miata-loving crew, along with the rest of the internet, coming together for the family of someone they lost due to terrible illness. This is about Thomas Johst.

Russian Trapeze Artist/Motorcyclist Hitches Ride on Car

It isn't often you catch someone in the act of doing something incredible, but thanks to the interwebs, we get to see ridiculous crap like this far more regularly than any generation before us. In Russia, dash cams are far more prevalent than here in the states, mainly due to insurance fraud running rampant. However, as we all know, the craziest ish seems to go down in the land of Mother Russia, and this clip is no different. Take a look and prepare to be blown away.

Happy Independence Day!

Let us all raise our glasses and celebrate our independence with that which is the most American of traditions. A massive freakin burnout surrounded by waving flags, classic american muscle, and a bunch of silly fireworks. What more could you possibly ask for? I guess a Bald Eagle swooping down from the heavens with a boombox strapped to its back while blasting the Star Spangled Banner would be cool. Can we get that, too? Have a happy 4th folks. Be safe and thank a veteran! God Bless!

Operation Evo: A Quest for Greatness (But mainly just an Evo)

IT HAS BEEN FORETOLD. That with just four grand and a little bit of common sense, I plan on buying and selling cars until I reach a total of roughly fifteen thousand dollars, which is about what a 2003-2005 Evo VIII goes for in good, drivable condition. Why an Evo, you ask? Because they are without a doubt, the most bang for your buck in regards to a fun, daily drivable machine that looks good, can carry a family of four, and has a huge aftermarket following for upgrading all the go-fast parts or replacing OEM pieces. To put it in perspective, the base model slingshots its way to 60mph in just over 4 seconds, out-handles 90% of what's already on the road, and gets just under 25mpg. Not too shabby for such a performance oriented vehicle.

This Derpy Car is Googles Autonomous Prototype? Bummer.

THIS IS IT. The worlds first-ever, real autonomous driving machine! No, it's not a super Prius of some kind, its actually an official Google product with no real name at this point. As far as I can tell it's simply referred to as "Googles first self-driving car"; which seems a little strange to me, but that's the way the cookie crumbles for the time being.

It has no manual controls over the vehicle inside or out. It simply has a GPS where you enter the address of your destination and you go. That's it. The interior design is aimed towards making the trip as practical as possible, with ergonomic seating positions and room for baggage at your feet. I can imagine that being taken along for a 25mph ride (top speed limited) in something that looks like a robots head would be interesting, to say the least.

Young Kiwi Builds Epic Rally Car From Scratch; In a Barn.

Building any car from scratch is a feat in and of itself; but building a full blown race car, at 21, is nothing short of incredible. I don't know how the guy got the funding, but he did something I've dreamt of doing for years.

The body of the car is borrowed from a Peugeot, along with a Peugeot F1 racing engine. Again, where the heck does a 21 year old kid from New Zealand find not only the time, but the money to build such an expensive car? Wherever it came from, he created a one-of-a-kind rally racing machine that sprints from 0-200 kph in 7 seconds flat while screaming a glorious tune. ooh.

I don't know what's more impressive, the actual end result of countless hours of hard labor and love, or the fact that he barely graduated high school and still built this badass machine. Check out the video after the jump.

Beware the Flying Benz: It Is Coming...

Keep your eyes on the road, folks. Please remember to drive safe, and enjoy your lives. Or else the Big-ass Benz from hell with come to ruin your day. Check it out and remember to buckle up! Have a great week!

Honda Built a Seemingly "Akira" Inspired Motorcycle.

Akira is one of my favorite animated cult-classics of all time. It features acid-trip scenes, demonic teddy bears, and cool motorcycles. What more could you possibly want? Honda agrees, and this is the product they've chosen to conceptualize, and later, produce. Meet the Honda NM4 Vultus.While they don't specifically mention the movie Akira, they do say that the bike was directly inspired by what they call "Japanimation". This bike is obviously not for the faint of heart, or the beginning rider, although I would imagine that it could very well inspire someone out there to learn. If only for the off chance that they could take one of these bad boys out for a spin. I would absolutely love to see one of these in person, as I am a firm believer that pictures can never do the real thing justice.

Project CARS Looks to be Epic Multi-Platform Racing Sim

Ever since the slightly disappointing release of Forza 5, I've been awaiting even more earnestly the release of Project CARS, an ultra-high definition version of what could have been. From what I've seen, they already have the necessary ingredients to make a fantastic racing simulator; a variety of rare and unique cars, plenty of multi-condition racetracks, and some of the best graphics I've ever seen.

Meet the World's First Megacar: Koenigsegg Agera One:1

I don't understand how I allow myself to get so worked up about a car that I will never see in person, let alone ever drive. But there's just something about the way the lines flow like water over and across magnificent wheel arches and valleys, working together in an orchestrated aerodynamic ballet that I just can't seem to stop lusting after. The Koenigsegg One:1 is THE car. Not only is it the first production automobile whose power output can be measured as a megawatt (1,341HP), but the twin-turbo 5.0l V8 also produces over 1,000 ft lbs of torque and 1,300 lbs of down-force above 160mph. At this point, the numbers involved are reaching astronomical digits that are difficult for the layman to fathom. Jeebus, it's difficult for even the likes of me to understand, as the incredible cars that I encounter on a daily basis rarely have over 400 horses. No, the One:1 is something on an entire different playing field.

Elon Musk of Tesla Motors Rakes in 1.1 Billion In One Day

Elon Musk has been hitting the ball outta the park in regards to his success with his company, Tesla Motors. As of late, the stock for Tesla has risen to over two hundred and fifty per share, and that number rises every day. Not only is his own company flourishing, but the company SolarCity Corp. (who he is the largest shareholder of) is doing just as well in response to the incredible optimism that surrounds his plans to build one of the largest battery manufacturing plants on the face of the Earth. This is truly groundbreaking stuff, as electric cars are quickly building steam in the automotive industry. I would guess that there will be an exponentially growing number of not only Tesla's roaming around, but fully electric cars in general. BMW among others have very recently jumped on the electric car bandwagon, hoping to take advantage of the go-green hype everyone is going on about. These are all good things, especially seeing that Tesla is an American car company, which brings reputability and massive amounts of cash into our floundering economy. Congratulations to you, sir! Keep up the fantastic work!

Source: Jalopnik.com/Bloomberg.com

BMW's First-Ever Front-Drive Hatchback!

BMW has set the standard for rear-drive sports cars for at least the last thirty years. It really started (IMO) in 1976, when they first released the BMW 2002, which began the iconic sedan design that continues on to this day. So why would they decide that now is the right time to produce the exact opposite of what has previously been a winning formula? I would posit that once again, increasingly stringent CAFE standards are pushing the american market to a more eco-friendly route than the one we are currently traveling. I don't think that it's meant to replace any of BMW's current line-up, rather I believe it is meant to break bad in a market that has been untapped by BMW in the past. The hatchback.

You Can Own Vernon Davis' Can-Am RSS Spyder!!!

Yes, THAT Vernon Davis. Of the legendary San Francisco 49ers. He brought his toy down to the lot last week in order to get it sold, so here it is. The 2013 Can-Am RSS Spyder is powered by a 998cc Rotax V-Twin engine similar to those found on other adventure vehicles like Sea-Doo's and big ATV's. Of course, as there is an extra wheel and tire, with a much larger frame and body, the bike is significantly heavier than its two wheeled brethren. I simply refer to it as the "Land-mobile", for its more-than-passing resemblance to the similarly stanced "Snow-mobile". It sounds incredible as it has been outfitted with dual carbon fiber pipes, and has the looks to match. This is something that you have to see in person in order to fully appreciate its aggressive stance and design. And the icing on the cake would have to be that Mr. Davis will include a signed jersey with the sale!  You can come check it out anytime during our open hours, have a great day!

OH THE HUMANITY!!!: 42' Sinkhole Under 'Vette Museum

Bowling Green, Kentucky. Now the site for the most recent sinkhole to strike our unsuspecting planet. This time it sprang up from directly underneath eight super-rare Corvettes lying dormant in their air conditioned homes. It's sad really, because if you own a pristine Corvette and you want to hand it over to someone who you know will absolutely take care of it, the first place that comes to mind for many is the National Corvette Museum. The list of Vettes is as follows: Rest In Pieces.

1) 2009 ZR1 "Blue Devil"

2) 2009 Corvette #1.5 Million

3) 2001 Mallet Hammer

4) 1993 ZR-1 Spyder

5) 1992 Corvette #1 Million

6) 1984 PPG Pace Car

(this is actually the 1986 PPG Pace Car)

7) 1962 Black Corvette

Source: Youtube.com

Check Out This Retro Firebird Ad from the 98' Superbowl

We've all seen countless automotive related ads from Superbowls past, but this one has got to be in my top ten favorites of all time. The 1999 Firebird Trans Am is the Chevy Camaro's bastard brother, only because it happened to sell far fewer examples than the gold bow tie. Personally, I'm far more partial to Pontiac's version of the legendary F-body platform, as it's uniqueness adds a certain aura of badassery. Unfortunately, the rarity of the car means that the price is significantly higher than its blase brother-in-law. Check out this sweet ad where the Firebird literally eats the competition. Enjoy.

What Wet Dreams Are Made of: R8 inspired GTI.

The VW GTi has been a staple in auto enthusiasts lives since the dawn of time. Well, not really, but it's been around long enough that it deserves a certain amount of respect. VW has done a pretty good job of improving the design and performance year after year, and because it has such a massive following,  the aftermarket isn't lacking in upgrades to make it better. What we have here is the culmination of all those years of engineering and design, packed with horsepower, technology, and raw beauty. We have bore witness to some of the biggest advances in aerodynamic technology as well, and it is most evident in the c-pillar on the rear, which I am absolutely in love with. I can't seem to get enough of the wide stance, aggressive front fascia, and vicious wheel setup they chose to utilize. Everything about this concept screams, "I wanna go fast." Let us know what you think of this concept in the comments below. Love it or hate it, this thing is a head turner. And here's a video of a Lexus fly-by-wire steering wheels freaking the heck out. Enjoy.

Tesla Model S vs. 2014 Corvette: Who Will Reign Victorious?

Prepare to be surprised at the results you're about to see. Logic dictates that the lighter and slightly more powerful 2014 Chevrolet Corvette would win this race by a landslide, but looks can be deceiving. The electric powered sedan has a significant power plant producing the equivalent of 414 hp and 443 ft. lbs of torque. It dashes from 0-60 in a mere 4.2 seconds and runs the quarter mile in just a tic over 13 seconds. That's seriously impressive considering it's a four door sedan, let alone the fact that it's powered exclusively by electricity. Check out the clip and let us know what you think after the jump. Enjoy.

I Cannot Wait to Herd Autonomous Cars

When Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill legalizing the use of autonomous cars on public roads, my heart leapt in anticipatory joy. I honestly cannot wait to see how much fun I can have confusing the hell outta some hapless Camry searching for a parking space in a packed parking lot. There will be strategy, there will be blood. Well, perhaps no blood. But strategy for sure. What do you think about the innovation of autonomous cars? Are they the beginning of the end for life as we know it in a modern age filled with hybrid horsepower, manual transmissions, and real drivers? I can imagine that some day, our government will deem us unfit to operate motor vehicles without any sort of autopilot equipped. It could be like training wheels to the extreme, and little to no fun at all. Let us know what you think, and how the cars will improve, or make worse, out daily lives.

2014 Shelby GT500: 5.8L Supercharged Snake

The Ford Mustang: a legendary car worth noting, especially when it comes equipped with the most powerful production V8 on the planet. Rated at just over 660 hp with 630 lb ft. of torque, it certainly isn't lacking in power. Not only does it have significantly more power (to the tune of an extra 112 horses), but it also gets 1 mpg greater than the previous generation GT500. Apparently that makes it the most fuel efficient car ever built with over 550hp. While I would imagine that most people who are in the market for an out-of-the-box race car don't need a particularly fuel efficient ride, I suppose that 15 in the city and 24 on the highway is pretty damned impressive for something with such earth shattering power. The massive powerplant paired with a far more refined chassis and suspension system make for quite the fun daily driver, or more appropriately, a track day beater. Jamal Hameedi, SVT Chief Engineer has this to say about the latest Shelby to come out of Flat Rock. 

"Our goal is to create outstanding all-around performance cars, not just stoplight-to-stoplight sprinters. We've backed up this amazing powerplant with a more refined chassis tuning that helps keep the rubber on the pavement without punishing the driver's spine and six-pot Brembo brakes that dissipate speed with ease stop after stop."

It seems to me that the GT500 is the car to look out for next time you're in the market for a seriously ground-pounding rwd rocket ship. Check out this sweet walkaround and launch control test from Evilcartman.com

Source: Youtube.com/evilcartman.com

May the Force Be With You: McLaren Ingenuity in Everyday Rides?

What does absolutely every single car on the face of the earth have in common with one another? Windshield wipers. McLaren has expressed interest in developing some groundbreaking tech that will completely do away with the archaic arm and blade style water reppeller, choosing instead a slightly more advanced style of anti-agua. They want to use a FREAKIN FORCE FIELD. Yes, like from Star Wars, or one of many other sci-fi flicks from the last fifty years or so. Although it won't be any kind of plasma or energy based field, it will still do essentially the same thing. McLaren is banking on a new* kind of sound-wave technology that will knock the water away from the windshield with ultra high frequency waves. You can see a video of how the military has implemented the technology after the jump. Check it out and prepare to be blown away.