The 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

Some of us lie awake at night, tossing and turning, grappling with questions that could potentially affect the cosmic balance of the universe. In the absence of light, does time slows down, or even stop, in a black hole? Do fish drink water? How do blind people dream? How can Ford top the perpetually best selling F150 series?

Luckily, SOME questions do have answers.

Ford’s in house team of tune-up experts, the Special Vehicle Team (SVT) came up with the answer (for the last question, that is. Don’t hold your breath for the first one – even Einstein couldn’t figure that out).

Introducing, the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, the most powerful road production truck ever built. Powered by a 6.2L Boss V8 engine, this behemoth is capable of generating over 410 horsepower and 430 ft-lb torque, perfect for its 4600lbs weight and 17 foot length. The 6-speed transmission, complete with a 4.10: 1 Electronic Differential Axle and enhanced with a Tow/Haul Mode (capable of heaving trailers, boats and repossessed cars, up to a maximum Class III 6,000 lb) provides a seminal four-wheel driving experience.

The amazingly smooth ride comes courtesy of the FOX Racing Shox, in a much applauded production vehicle debut. The supporting act features an appearance by the enhanced 35-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires with a 17-inch cast-aluminum wheel and the AdvanceTrac traction control system, perfect for climbing elevated shrubberies and those hard to handle road dividers. Sending your kids to soccer practice has never been this fun.

With a base price of $38,020, this chiseled, muscular and good-looking Charlton Heston of the trucking world also offers a roomy and elegant interior, equipped with Sony sound system, automatic temperature controls, 10-way adjustable power leather seat, voice activated Sirius navigation system and much more.

Verdict: After selling over six gazillion units of them, the Ford F150 series have become a national monument, and we have come to accept its place in our way of life. The Raptor holds true to the tradition of strength and reliability that its forefathers are renowned for . Even as we speak, plans are underway to carve an image of the F150 on Mount Rushmore, next to President Washington. Need we say more?

When Pierre Veyron, together with team principal and co-driver Jean-Pierre Wimille, won the 1939 24 Heures du Mans, no one realized then just what far-reaching implications it had.

59 years later, Volkswagen, under Chairman Ferdinand Piech, acquired the Bugatti brand and set in motion one of the most audacious automotive project ever. Piech, who incidentally was the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche – the late patriarch of the Porsche clan – authorized the development of a prototype vehicle that will be the fastest road production car ever; it will be named the Bugatti Veyron.

After a turbulent gestation period that was riddled with cost overruns, production delays and mechanical setbacks, the first Veyron came off the production line in 2006. Piech decided then they would produce only 300 of these machines and another 150 of the Grand Sports variant.

So you’re probably wondering how many of the breathtakingly gorgeous Veyrons have been sold since then? As of last year, they have cleared an incredible 250 units, with each retailing between $1.3 to $2.1 million dollars.

Is any car worth that much? Let’s take a closer look at the latest incarnation of this legendary car.

The 8.0-liter quad-turbo W16 engine generates over 1000 horsepower and 922 lb/ft torque. To put that into perspective, it’s the equivalent of almost nine Toyota Prius, or about five Chevy Impala. Are you starting to get the picture?

Next, this four-wheel drive, 7-speed transmission marvel has a top speed of 253 mph and can go from 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds flat. It consumes a gallon of fuel every 3 to 11 miles, depending how hard you work the engine and with the 26-gallon tank, you should expect an empty tank every hour or so. That rules out a nice cross-country drive, unless of course you’re in Germany, where the autobahn has rest stops every 34 miles. The 4.5-meter, sturdy aluminum and carbon fiber body are mainly to blame for this phenomenal fuel-guzzling capacity; it weighs 4300 pounds, almost 50% more than a Boxster!

The verdict: Driving this ten radiator beast is perfection personified, combining unsurpassed strength and grace, where the lightest touch of the accelerator unleashes pure animalistic spirit out of its aluminum flesh; it’s crack on wheels, it’s sex with a stranger on a dark stormy night with Bernstein’s Beethoven Ninth Symphony playing at the back– or so I’ve heard.

Looking for a new truck?  Check out this “hotel room that can pull 13,000 pounds”.  Click the “read more” button to watch the video review.

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The Aptera 2e is considerably more creative and distinctive than its bland name would indicate. The three-wheeled 2e is designed with aerodynamics and fuel efficiency on the mind. It weighs in at a skimpy 1700 pounds, nearly 500 of which is the electric battery.

The Aptera is vying in a crowded field against some very well-financed competition to become among the first automakers to roll out a completely electric car. The 2e, which was due out at the end of 2009 but pushed back into sometime in 2010, can be charged by plugging in to a standard household outlet and boasts 100 miles per charge.

While Aptera doesn’t have the financial backing to match their competitors, they do have a strikingly different product. The Aptera resembles a small aircraft more than a standard automobile. I’ll say this for the makers of the 2e: they know their target market.

The 2e is designed for the early-adapting environmentalist (EAE). There are two things that the EAE cares about: the environment and being seen caring about the environment. The 2e fills both those needs.  Aptera’s energy-efficient, gasoline-free automobile will do as much to save the planet as any other alternative hopeful out there.  But the 2e will also turn heads and gather a crowd.  There can be no mistaking this vehicle for any other car on the road.  Drivers of the 2e can comfortably know that everyone who sees them knows that they are driving something special.

For those who need to drive more than 100 miles at a time sometimes, Aptera is also developing the 2h, a hybrid that promises an astounding 300 mpg.  You can reserve either one today, if you live in California and have $500 in  your pocket.  If not, you’ll have to wait a little while longer.

The 2010 Volkswagen Eos Convertible is a thing of beauty. Eos is the name of the car, as in “Ee-Ohs”, not an acronym “E.O.S.”. It’s a tiny car, but it packs a lot of features.

The Eos is a hard top convertible with a sunroof. Putting the top up and down is a show in itself. One touch of a button activates a flurry of activity reminiscent of a certain type of transforming robot from a certain recent hit movie (or two).  The top slides and opens, compartments appear and disappear, and the top slides smoothly into its hiding place in the trunk while a small crowd gathers to gawk.

The trunk is surprisingly roomy for such a small car, especially when you consider the amount of space reserved for the top.  The Eos also features an “Adaptive Front Lighting System”, which is German for “headlights that turn to help you see around corners.”  The 2.0 liter TSI engine pumps out impressive power for a 4-cylinder.  The Eos also features some innovative wind deflection screens, which allow you to drive with the top down at highway speeds without getting completely wind-blown.

Overall, the car is quite impressive, as long as you’re not looking for a way to haul your six kids to school every day. This is a fun car with great pick up and incredible visual appeal.  And because it’s a Volkswagen, it is very well put together with safety and longevity in mind.

If you’ve got the means, the Volkswagen Eos is a fun, sporty car to drive.  It’s almost as much fun to watch as it is to drive.  You’ll always be able to draw a crowd when you put the top up or down.

The new 2010 Lotus Evora will be released just in time for those big shot CEOs that got a taste of the economic stimulus (and I’ll be willing to bet many of them will use the money on something like this, for “business”).

It broadens the field of sports automobiles with a new concept: more head room without sacrificing power and style. When compared to earlier Lotus models (Elise, Exige) the Evora has a total of nearly two feet added to the length of the frame.

What makes the Evora increasingly more imaginative is the fact that all that extra room is given to the passengers in the back, which means no more tiny seats in the back. Now thanks to Lotus a total of four passengers can fit comfortably inside such a beast and have the ride of their lives.

The Evora borrows technology from the earlier Elise and Exige models and also offers its own unique features without straying too far off the Lotus path. Special features include a hydraulic assisted steering column, a unique front and rear sub-frame (which is designed to collapse and absorb impact in an accident to keep passengers safe), an especially rigid chassis, smooth suspension system, and touch-screen navigation with full iPod connectivity support. Unlike previous Lotus models, the Evora also includes a glove box and a huge trunk space for a sports vehicle measuring at 5.7 cubic feet.

The Lotus Evora is equipped with a 3.5L V6, that sports 276 hp at 6,400 rpm, combined with 252 lb-ft of torque at 4,700 rpm. The Evora can go from 0-60MPH in 5 seconds flat and gets a decent 25MPG while doing so.

One of these bad boys will set you back $75,000 (the established base price) and will not be available until January 2010.

One of the oldest muscle cars around recently shared its 45th birthday with the world– the Ford Mustang.

For decades the Ford Mustang has appeared in movies, commercials, famous songs and several different public events. Within this country, it has earned its celebrity status well with ups and downs just like the best out there.

During its initial release the Mustang was so popular that Ford’s original 100,000 unit sales production was pushed with 22,000 orders on just the first day alone. In the ‘Stang’s very first year on the market, around 417,000 units total were sold to the American public.

The Mustang automotive was not without competition however. The Chevrolet Camaro was the Mustang’s closest rival throughout the years and finally is making a return to the market much like the retro ‘Stang models did in ’05.

Regardless, Jack Roush, racing and performance king;  always has backed the Ford Mustang since 1964 when he bought his first after graduating college.  Roush commented about the Ford Mustang’s initial release, “I was one of the targets [customers] at the time, they got me. Bull’s-eye.”

It’s hard to believe that back in those days (1964) the Mustang sold for merely $2,368 to the public. Today the new Ford Mustang sells for nearly $22,000.

The 2010 Mustang models are releasing right in the middle of a recession but with a lower price and the newly implemented auto buyer’s credits the Mustang could be even more attainable than its predecessors. Ford will offer very flexible and affordable options in the new model, which will allow consumers to custom order their very own pony ride.

Regardless, it is amazing that after 45 years the Ford Mustang is still at the top of all the other pony rides out there. Many different custom racing models and body design tweaks later, the Stang’ is still riding around at the top of its game.

Say what you want, but when any Mustang pulls up to that light you know for sure the necks of people somewhere nearby are craning as they try to get a second glance.

There were many different cars unveiled at the New York auto show on April 7, but one of the most attractive was definitely the brand new Ferrari.

The Ferrari 599XX and 599GTB Fiorano were on display in the Ferrari showroom.

The 599XX is tuned completely for use on a race track, meaning nothing included in the auto is street legal. The 599XX has a recorded Fiorano lap time of 1 minute and 17 seconds flat. This baby also tops out at 700 horsepower and 9000RPMs. The unique race tuning means lighter body design and hardware, including a unique crankshaft, a lighter engine, and a special lightweight frame design. A tuned gearbox means the auto will shift in a speedy 60 milliseconds, adding less time shifting gears and more time accelerating on the track.

The 599GTB with the included GTE (Gran Turismo Evoluzione) package includes the souped up V12 engine, which alone adds about $25,000 to the price tag because of the added power.

Both Ferrari versions, including the new California, are not due for release until June 2008 but were available for showing in all rooms in North America.

If you have a chance hit an auto show, you might have a chance to see one of these bad boys.

The Nissan GT-R is definitely a newer car and has not been around long; most would consider it brand new. An Ohio-based performance garage has redesigned the car and made it new again.

The Nissan GT-R has a stock 480 horsepower rating, which still makes for a decent ride. However, Switzer Performance Innovation (located in Oberlin, Ohio), felt that 480hp wasn’t nearly enough and boosted the rating up to 700hp.

Switzer tuned the car by adding new turbochargers, custom compressor wheels, a Monster inter-cooler and a completely remapped engine control device. The new customization options actually enhance the GT-R from stock ratings (480 hp and 434 lb-ft of torque) up to 626 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque, which is more emphasized on the wheels.

The new P700 GT-Rs are designed to run on 93 octane fuel, which also helps provide both a performance and a reliability boost.

Switzer has deemed their new creation the P700 GT-R, and currently is selling the performance package for GT-Rs under the same name. The entire kit costs a total of $16,650 and can be done at Switzer Performance.

Switzer performance has been in business for over 15 years, which means they are not newbies to automotive sports tuning. Their last project introduced the Sledgehammer 997, based on stock Porsche models, which tops out at 1,000 total horsepower. In fact, Switzer’s entire product line includes performance kits for Porsche autos, including the 997 TT, 996 TT, Cayenne, and Carrera GT. All available packages can be purchased directly on site at Switzer Performance.

Switzer also will tune any car users deem necesary through “Dyno tuning” which uses an enhanced testing machine to both measure and improve “baseline” or stock horsepower.

Ever heard of a Bugatti Veyron? If not, then it’s probably because the car is way out of your price range, selling at a huge $1.5 million US dollars. It’s got everything a very expensive sports car should have: a sleek and sexy design, a supercharged engine for top speeds, and great maneuverability and handling. Sadly, however, most of the general public will never lay eyes upon such a powerful machine. Consumers will, however, be able to purchase a brand new Nissan GT-R in the $80,000 price range.

What does the 2009 GT-R have to do with the Bugatti Veyron? The unique performance specifications and sleek design have rightfully earned the car, by several automotive journalists, the name of “Baby Veyron”. While much cheaper and still very sexy looking, the car offers average consumers the chance to own a fantasy-like automotive. The $80,000 price tag still will make many cringe but is certainly not even close to the $1.5 million dollar cost of the Bugatti.

Nissan also has quoted a plan to release a lighter and more powerful version of the GT-R, which will be referred to as the GT-R V Spec or simply the Spec V. The higher performance model is still not scheduled to release until late 2010.

The GT-R boasts a 3.8L VR38DETT twin-turbo V6 engine, a 480 horsepower engine maxing out at 6400 rpm. The top speed attainable is clocked at 193 mph. The car is designed with a multi-functional, 6-speed dual clutch automated manual transmission. Even if you don’t fully understand the specs listed above, it’s obvious the car is very powerful.

Power is not the only thing this model has going for it. The design is very attractive, both inside and out. It also comes complete with a fully loaded leather interior, HDD navigation and music box system, and some of the coolest looking gauges you’ll ever see mounted on an automotive dashboard.