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• Brembo Brakes Introduces the New “Extrema” Caliper for High-Performance Sports Cars

  In Performance / By Staff / 12 March 2013

  

  When you think of brakes, one company’s name always comes to mind – BREMBO. So, it is no surprise that when Ferrari needed some serious stopping power for its new LaFerrari hypercar it turned to these folks to provide their extensive expertise. Normally, when a company uses a word like “Extrema” (the name Brembo has designated its new calipers) it is a little misleading. In this case, it could potentially be construed as an understatement.

  Made specifically for high-end sports cars and based off of Formula One tech, the “Extrema” calipers are machined from a single billet of cast aluminium. These calipers are light-weight, feature serious ventilation and even incorporate the electric parking brake. They are available in 9 different finishes available to suit your sensibilities. And if they are good enough for the Ferrari LaFerrari, we can’t imagine a supercar on the planet that couldn’t benefit from the Brembo “Extrema” calipers.

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• 2001 Acura CL Type-S Project Car Phase III – Suspension Tuning with Eibach Springs & Sway Bars

  In Performance, Project Car / By Chris Bialy / 20 June 2011

  

  Our project car hasn’t received much love in the past year and a half, so we thought we’d show her some attention this week. Since Phase I (cold air intake) and Phase II (Aftermarket wheels and performance tires) were already installed, we decided to start Phase III – Suspension. After doing a lot of research, we chose to go with the Eibach Springs Pro-Plus Performance Kit, which includes their Pro-Kit Performance Springs and their Anti-Roll Sway Bar Kit.

  Eibach is one of the most highly regarded suspension companies in the world, with an unsurpassed reputation for quality and performance. They help numerous race teams and amateurs win races each day, while also catering to the needs of a wide variety of car enthusiasts and tuners. Eibach, a world leader in suspension technology, has received many awards from a variety of companies/institutions. After considering all this, our brand choice for suspension was easy…

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• The Top Ten Most Exciting Performance Cars of 2011

  In Performance / By Aaron Richardson / 1 February 2011

  

  While 2010 will rightfully go down as one of the most important years for the automobile, we think 2011 will be one of the most important for the performance car. Here are our picks for the most important supercars of the year. If you have other hot selections, please feel free to drop them in the comments. 

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• The Top 15 Fastest Exotic and Modified Supercars of 2011

  In Lists, Performance / By Carl Weiss / 26 January 2011

  

  With a fresh world record set about half a year ago, and a stable of fast, unforgiving and powerful automobiles set to launch this year, 2011 should be a great year for lovers of tire-burning acceleration and unbridled velocity. Here are the cars that promise to make 2011 the year of speed.

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• How It’s Done: New Body, Old Frame

  In Classics, Performance / By Aaron Richardson / 22 January 2011

  

  We like this. We used to hate the idea of putting a new body on an old frame and calling it a “hot rod.” It didn’t seem right. That was when buying a new body meant buying something that came out of a mold and was made of a substance not known to man when the original ’32 Fords were rolling off the assembly line. It also meant it was highly likely that a modern frame with air bag suspension and a 350/350 combo would be powering the “Deuce” at 5 mph around fair grounds and up the ramps to the trailer that got it there.

  These days, buying a new Deuce body doesn’t necessarily mean a horrible Chip Foose-style custom is next. Nowadays you can buy an all-steel body that looks like it may as well have been built by Henry Ford himself. The best part? It’s guaranteed to only need paint. No rust repair, no straightening, no chopping. Simple, effective, stylish. The downside? They ain’t what you’d call cheap. That said, hot rodding is the wrong hobby to have if you’re trying to save money.

  

  There’s a beautiful example of how well this philosophy works over on the HAMB, where member Brian Bass has been assembling just such a ride. He bought a custom steel body, and stuck it atop a homemade frame with factory ’32 Model A cross members. The running gear is a ’41 Ford rear end and a ’39 Ford transmission, hooked to a 1957 Chevrolet 283 with a three-deuce intake. Add a set of lake pipes and hand-built tubular headers to the mix, and you have a perfect, period-correct hot rod. 

  

  Though building a rod like this can’t be cheap, it’s still a damn sight cheaper, and less maddening, than buying an original 1932 Ford Roadster that was hot rodded back in the day. Sure, it may not have quite the provenance of an original, but it’s at least as much fun.

  

   

• Video: 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 on the Dyno

  In Performance / By Chris DeMorro / 7 December 2010

  

  Chrysler has had a turbulent year, but they seem to have landed on their feet. Besides now being part-owned by Fiat, they have begun rolling out a slew of new products. Thee 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee has gotten a lot of praise, and the new Dodge Charger looks sharp.

  Then there is the 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 Hemi. The top-end Challenger’s 6.1 liter engine has been bored out to 6.4 liters. Power jumped from 425 horsepower to a spine-crushing 470 horsepower and 470 ft-lbs of torque. National Speed Inc. strapped one of these monsters to a dyno to see if the numbers back up Chrysler’s claim.

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• Top 5 ‘Bang for Your Buck’ Performance Mods – Part 2: Exhaust Systems

  In Performance / By Chris Bialy / 27 August 2010

  

  Still not satisfied with your car’s performance after buying an intake kit? Want to make your car feel and sound sportier? Well then a free-flowing exhaust system is the next step you should take, to really wake up the beast inside of your car! This is my second favorite choice when it comes to affordable performance modifications for your car. While I love the roar of a well designed intake, a car’s exhaust note always wins me over. Whether a car is slow or fast, if it sounds good, I give it the respect it deserves. Now many will say that they don’t like their car to be obnoxiously loud, and others say that it a car can never be loud enough. I personally like a pretty loud exhaust system. If you buy the proper system, or if you piece the right parts together, then you can make an exhaust set-up that is perfect for your own needs.

  The purpose of a car’s exhaust system is to release the heat and exhaust gases created by combustion, away from the engine bay and the cabin of the vehicle. The gases that result from engine combustion are extremely harmful, and must be kept away from the driver and their passengers. For these reasons, most exhaust systems are piped from the engine compartment all the way to the rear of the car. In doing so the gases exit the tailpipe into the open air, and are kept away from the cabin of the vehicle.

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• Top 5 ‘Bang for Your Buck’ Performance Mods – Part 1: Air Intake Systems

  In Performance / By Chris Bialy / 13 April 2010

  

  Are you tired of the way your car performs, but don’t have the money to replace it with something faster? Well you’re in luck! You don’t need to spend a fortune on a different car; instead you can invest some money into your current car to make it more of what you want. There are numerous aftermarket upgrades that can dramatically change the driving experience of your vehicle. In this series I will show you 5 performance modifications that will change your average, boring vehicle, into something a bit more sporty!

  The first part of this series covers aftermarket air intakes. The purpose of an air intake system is to allow the motor to bring in oxygen, so that it can mix with fuel and spark, to create combustion. The air intake “path” on most factory vehicles, especially cars with fuel efficient motors, is fairly restrictive. What does this mean to the average person? Well, the more restrictive the airway, the less are that can get in. Take a straw for instance; if you suck through it normally, it allows you to take in a certain amount of air with a certain amount of effort. However, if you slightly pinch the same straw, it restricts the intake path and requires more effort to take in the same amount of air. This same concept is applied to an engine’s air induction path.

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• Performance Spotlight – AEM Advanced Engine Management

  In Performance / By Ari Cox / 20 May 2009

  

  Advanced Engine Management got its start 19 years ago and has been on a tear ever since. The company is a tier 1 supplier of performance bolt-on accessories and performance electronics in North America. AEM is best known for the Cold Air Intake systems they pioneered for the sport compact market. They also invented the V2 induction system and air bypass valves and solved the engineering dilemma of handling hybrid intake systems for cars with engine swaps. AEM has been developing and releasing DRYFLOW oil-free air filter technology since 2005 and offering it with all of their air intake systems.

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