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Custom wheels are probably the quickest way to enhance the appearance of your vehicle and give it a unique, personalized style. Aftermarket wheels come in a huge selection of designs and sizes and depending on your goal, they can not only be used to improve the vehicle’s look, but they can also considerably boost overall performance.

So what rims would be best for your ride? Well, when it comes to wheel styles, with an assortment of offerings available on the market today, your choice is literally limited to your fantasy. But, before talking about the appearance and performance capabilities, there are several important basics you need to know to choose the right wheels for your car, truck, or SUV.

What wheels are right for your ride?

Construction
There are several types of wheel construction. Each method varies in strength, weight, durability, and price.

Cast aluminum wheels
These are the most common – and the lowest priced – wheels that are typically found on factory vehicles. Cast aluminum wheels are manufactured by putting molten aluminum into a wheel-shaped mold. This can be accomplished two ways: gravity casting, which is the most basic process, and low pressure casting, which allows creating of more dense wheels.

Pros: cheap to produce, strong enough for the majority of consumers
Cons: heavy, not as smooth as forged wheels, nearly impossible to repair.

Flow-Formed / Rolling-Forged wheels
Flow forming process starts out with a low pressure type of casting, but then it uses special high-heat and high-pressure spinning machine to form the outer hoops. The resulting wheel is similar to a forged wheel but it’s not as expensive in production.

Pros: lighter and stronger than cast wheels, retain low price, better looks and wider selection of styles.
Cons: still has limits if a cast wheel, limited custom fitments.

Flow-forming process

1-piece “Monoblock” forged wheels
Monoblock wheels are created by forcing a round bar stock of aerospace-quality aluminum alloy between the forging dies under extreme pressure. Forging is an ultimate technology in one-piece wheels. It creates a finished wheel that is very dense and lightweight. Naturally, the costs of assembly make this type of wheel sit on the higher end of the market price range.

Pros: lightest of the forged wheel types.
Cons: high price, hard to repair when seriously damaged.

Asanti Monoblock Wheel

2-piece forged wheels
2-pieced forged wheels divide into another two classes. Some manufacturers bolt the center of the two-piece wheel into a cast or spun rim section, while others weld the center to the hoop on the backside of the wheel. The prices for 2-piece wheels start well below the average 3-piece wheel, but two-piece rim are not available in as wide range of applications. Higher-end 2-piece wheels may use forged rims and forged centers, which make them significantly pricier.

Pros: cheapest in forged wheels; very light, very strong and can be repaired.
Cons:limited widths options available, lip on welded 2-piece wheels cannot be easile chrome plated or painted, since it has to be welded on; bolted construction 2-piece wheels are more rarely found in the market.

MHT 2-piece Luxury Wheel

3-piece bolted construction forged wheels
Due to the high cost of tooling, and CAD technologies involved, three-piece forged wheels are commonly the most expensive type of wheel construction. The wheel consists of three main pieces (obviously) – the center, the outer lip and the inner hoop. All parts are normally held together with bolts and sealant applied in or on the assembly to seal the wheel. Sometimes three-piece wheels can be seen with cast aluminum centers. Such wheels are naturally cheaper, but the quality and weight of the cast centers are not as good as forged.

Pros: come in widest range of widths; almost unlimited fitments; easiest of all wheel constructions to repair; the richest selection of styles available.
Cons: most expensive of all wheels; require truly skillful installation as seal can be damaged easily in the inexperienced hands.



Choosing the right size
When changing wheels, be sure to select a replacement with a bolt pattern or circle that matches the OEM pattern of your vehicle. For example, the 2010 Camaro has a 5X120.7 wheel hub, which indicates that the wheel has five bolt holes on a circle with a diameter 120.7mm. More and more manufacturers are making their wheels with two bolt patterns to expandthe number of fitments the wheel applies to. For example: a wheel with a 4-100/114.3 bolt pattern has 8 lug nuts and will fit both 4-100mm and 4-114.3mm wheel hubs.



Another parameter to look at is the wheel size, which is the diameter of the wheel in inches where the beads of the tire sits on the wheel. The diameter designations for both the tire and the rim must be of the same value. Thus, a 17’’ tire must be mounted only on a 17’’ rim. Also, check what rim widths are recommended by the manufacturer of tires that you consider. To reach the best balance between ride, handling and treadwear, select a rim width in the middle of the manufacturer’s recommended range. To improve cornering traction and steering response, opt in for the max rim width in the range. For example, if the tire size is P225/70R15 and the recommended rim width range is 6’’-8’’, select the 7’’ rim for optimum performance and 8’’ for better cornering. If you’re choosing wheel for off-roading, select a rim near the minimum recommended width value.

The flange-to-flange wheel width should never be more than the tread width of the tire.

In addition to choosing wheels with the correct bolt pattern and rim width, you should also choose a wheel with the correct offset, unless you’re building a hellaflush of course. The offset is the distance from the hub-mounting surface to the rim’s true centerline. It’s measured in milimeters and can be negative, zero, or positive.



The offset of the rim is what locates the tire/wheel assembly in relation to the suspension. That’s why in order to maintain handling characteristics and avoid extra loads on bushings and ball joints, it is important to keep the front axle offsets on the FWD and AWD vehicles to the OEM specifications. Using the proper positive or negative offset for the vehicle’s rear wheels is important, but less so than using it at the front where the bearing load situation is critical.

Stretched tires, low offset & wide wheels are parts of the "aggressive fitment" movement in car customization

Selecting aftermarket wheels, make sure that their centerbore (the size of the hole on the back side the wheel that centers it over the mounting hub of the car) is equal or greater that that of the hub, otherwise you will not be able to mount it on the car.

As you can see, there’s a lot of nuances to pay attention to when choosing custom wheels for your vehicle. Did I miss anything important? Share your own experience and tips in the comments!

Author byline: Justin is a sales specialist at CARiD, a one-stop shop for car accessories by day, and a proud Mustang owner and just an outgoing guy by night. You can check more of his posts on CARiD Blog.

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google_ad_client=”pub-8213487891390535″;google_ad_slot=”5591521468″;google_ad_width=300;google_ad_height=250;It wasn’t long ago that compact cars served one purpose: getting from A to B an inexpensively as possible. They were made like crap, sucked to drive, and had next to zero features. They were pre-paid cell phones of the car world.
The Chevy Cavalier is a perfect example of this; if you’ve ever had to drive one, you know what I’m talking about. The Cobalt wasn’t much better. It would be hard to find someone who bought one because they loved it (with the possible exception of the SS) – the answer is always “it was cheap and gets good fuel economy.” They were all this way, from every manufacturer – cheap little econo-boxes with nothing to them but the most basic of comforts. And they were awful.
Then something happened. People started to want small cars. They started buying them by choice, instead of being cost-forced into them. And when something sells more, things get competitive. Ford recently released the kick-ass new Focus (never thought I’d say that,) Honda is releasing the ninth generation Civic for 2012, and VW’s new Jetta is shockingly good. Historically, American brands lagged behind, but now they’re catching up.
Last year, Chevy ditched the crapbox Cobalt and released the Cruze – a compact sedan that promised to be their first good car in this segment – something that could actually compete with the Civic and Corolla. I finally got my skeptical hands on one…

Chevy sent me a 2012 Cruze Eco – their attempt to deliver a fuel-sipping small sedan into the efficiency-obsessed public without resorting to gimmicks like hybrid powertrains. I drove the car for a full week, including a 7-hour trip to the beach and back. Given Chevy’s previous attempts in this segment, I fully expected to come back with my eyes rolling, but instead found myself calling my Dad (who happens to be looking for a new car,) recommending he consider the 2012 Chevy Cruze Eco.
Over those seven hours to Myrtle Beach and back, I managed to average 42.3 mpg – and that’s going 10-15 over the limit most of the way (I did get pulled over by a SC state trooper who I swear was Buford T Justice.) The fuel economy isn’t even the surprising part. What shocked me the most is that I didn’t want to crash the damn thing into a guard rail just to get some excitement. The 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-banger actually has some pick-up when you need it. 138 horsepower doesn’t sound like much, but it doesn’t disappoint. That, of course, is partially thanks to the 6-speed manual tranny, which is surprisingly good, aside from the annoying fourth-gear vibration that forced me into a 1-2-3-5-6 shift pattern. I’d still go with the manual transmission, of course, otherwise I’d be stuck with three fewer MPGs, 5 less in the bank, and a boring drive. Plus, other reviews around the web are saying the automatic tranny ruins the car.
Also surprising: the Cruze isn’t fugly. It’s no Ferrari, but at least you won’t be driving around in a car that screams “I’m a cheap-ass!” The LT and LTZ trim levels even come optional with an “RS Appearance Package” that adds a sporty body kit and doesn’t look like it’s trying too hard. My Cruze had the “Blue Topaz Metallic” finish – a deeper, darker blue than the one you see in the pictures above and below – and standard lightweight 17-inch polished alloy wheels, helping with that “not an econobox” appearance.

google_ad_client=”pub-8213487891390535″;google_ad_slot=”5591521468″;google_ad_width=300;google_ad_height=250;The real winner here is inside the car. We all know Chevy has fallen far short on their interiors, but they’re turning that around in a big way. The Cruze gets the new “twin cockpit” design, coupled with a modern and sleek two-tone look, leapfrogging GM’s interior design over “acceptable” and all the way into “sexy.” Touch points get soft materials, the attractive black/aluminum center stack and instrument panel aren’t overly busy, and even the gauge cluster is pretty (especially on the RS package.) Inside the center console, you’ll find both an auxiliary jack and USB port good for hooking up different types of MP3 players. Bluetooth is standard on all but the base trim level.
Along with adequate power under the hood, steering is tight and responsive and the suspension feels like it belongs in a more expensive car. Inside, my chubby 6’4″ frame isn’t too big, and even rear seat passengers have decent room, considering the car’s size. Truck space: 15 cubes in a class that averages around 12.
The 2012 Chevy Cruze starts at ,995 for the LS (base) trim. Skip it – step up into the 1LT (,895) or Eco (,245) and you’ll get the 1.4-liter turbo’d engine and quite a bit more equipment. Check out Chevy’s 2012 Cruze Trim Comparison page for details on trim level equipment. I really think the Eco is the way to go.

Since Chevy released the Cruze for 2010, it’s been a home run for them, and it’s easy to see why. The fact that they’re talking about giving us a diesel-powered Cruze and a coupe version of the car tells us they’re going to be riding this one for a while. I’m glad to see Chevy making cars that truly compete.
Before You BuyYes, I highly recommend the Chevy Cruze if you’re shopping for a car in this segment, but you’ll still want to take a look at the new (and really good) Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, VW Jetta, and still-excellent Mazda3. Other cars to consider: Nissan Sentra, Honda Civic, and Toyota Corolla.
Let dealers compete for your business and have the upper hand in negotiations before going into the dealership by getting a free, no-obligation quote at Yahoo! Autos.
© Chris Burdick – visit Automoblog.net for more great content.
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google_ad_client=”pub-8213487891390535″;google_ad_slot=”5591521468″;google_ad_width=300;google_ad_height=250;The Audi TT has always been more about style than performance or driving enthusiasm – the fact that you can’t even get one in the States with a manual transmission is proof of that. There’s a reason it has a “mid-life crisis car” rep.
But that doesn’t mean it can’t perform. While the standard 2011 TT is fitted with Audi’s 2.0-liter turbo’d inline-four pumping out 211 hp and an impressive 258 lb-ft of torque, the more performance-oriented TTS gets a bigger turbo and intercooler, upping the ante to 265 hp. Interestingly, the TTS’s torque rating stays at 258 lb-ft, and is available later on in the power band. Know what that means? Turbo lag. That’s what you get with bigger turbos, and in the TTS it’s noticeable. I don’t want to be too harsh, because it’s not that bad, but the car is a sloth off the line in normal driving. Luckily, Audi’s given us a way to help give the little TTS a kick in the pants from a stop.
It’s called Launch Control. Turn off traction control and put it in Sport mode (both of them – yes, this car has two sport modes.) Left foot planted on the brake, right foot flooring the throttle. RPMs will rise up to around 3200-3700, then hold it until the light turns green, at which time you’ll take your foot of the brake. The car thinks for a second, then takes off as quick as it thinks it can go. No tire squeal and no drama, thank to Audi’s quattro AWD system – just a zero to 60 time of 4.9 seconds (in the coupe; 5.1 for the ‘vert.) Just don’t do what I did during a launch and instinctively go for the clutch pedal, slamming hard on the brakes at 90 mph.

Launch Control (and my brake-smashing episode) is thanks to Audi’s quick-shifting 6-speed S-tronic transmission. I suppose calling it “quick” is a bit of an understatement, actually. If it weren’t for the famous (and cool-sounding) “DSG burp” and dropped revs, you couldn’t tell it shifted at all. The steering wheel-mounted paddles let you choose your own gears if you want more control. In terms of automated transmissions, this one is one of the best. Having said that, I would still really like to see a manual transmission offered in the TT line-up. Luckily, the upcoming Audi TT-RS is said to come only with a manual gearbox.
Along with the extra oomph under the hood, the TTS gets a few more upgrades over the regular TT. Most importantly, it gives you that extra Sport mode I mentioned earlier, which changes how the suspension, throttle, and steering act, as well as add a more aggressive tone to the exhaust. It’s also lowered by 10mm with a tighter ride, gets fancier leather than the regular TT, a lap timer, a much less wimpy-looking front and rear-end, and a set of semi-attractive 19-inch alloys. All that for an extra ,700.

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Our review model is an Oolong Grey Metallic TTS Roadster, whose top goes down in a mere 12 seconds. If you want to look extra cool, retract it while scooting along at up to 30 mph. One stupid thing about the top – for the car to consider it completely down, it has to fold the top down completely, then roll the windows completely up. Stop it before the windows are up and it yells at you, acting like the top isn’t down all the way. What, does it want you to look like a doofus? Move into the Roadster and along with an extra ,000, you’ll get two fewer seats (the coupe is a 2+2) and less storage space, but dramatically improved headroom.
I feel like I’d be doing Audi a disservice if I didn’t mention that our TTS Roadster has one of the sexiest interiors I’ve ever seen. Ours had the “Silk Nappa Leather with Black and Magma Red Interior,” consisting of black and red leather seats with red leather accents on the door panels, red piping on the floor mats, and red stitching all over the seats, shift boot, steering wheel, arm rests, doors, and gauge cluster cover. Add to that chrome and “aluminum-optic” accents on top of gloss black trim and overall exceptional design, and you have one of the nicest-looking interiors out there.
As an everyday driver, as you’d expect in just about any little roadster, the TTS isn’t particularly superb. Storage space in the front for anything is seriously lacking. The only thing you have is an odd little cubby in between and behind the front seats that opens into the trunk and requires an awkward yoga move to access. The spec sheet promises a 9-speaker, 140-watt sound system with auxiliary jack for audio input, and while the audio sounds fine, we can’t find that damn aux jack despite scouring every inch of the interior, and reading the manual.

Driving the TTS is a significant improvement over the standard TT – that is, it feels like a sports car. Launch mode is fun, but I do wish there was a bit more drama when taking off. Taking off aggressively without launch control is next to impossible, though, which is a bit disappointing. The car, as you could have imagined, is great at taking corners, but interestingly you don’t get that feeling while driving it. You almost have to sit back and think “yeah I took that corner at 45, that’s pretty quick.” You just don’t get that communicative steering feel that’s expected in a sports car. That’s not to say it’s not a fun car to drive, it is; I just think it could be better. I understand why it’s the way it is though, if they took all of my suggestions they would alienate their prime demographic. Plus, that’s what the TT-RS is for.
Let dealers compete for your business and have the upper hand in negotiations before going into the dealership by getting a free, no-obligation quote at Yahoo! Autos.
© Chris Burdick – visit Automoblog.net for more great content.
Related posts:2010 Audi S4 Review2010 Audi A3 Quattro Review2011 Subaru WRX STI Review

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Seemingly put on Earth for the heroic, the daring and the just plain crazy drivers out there, these 10 foreboding roads are quite simply the most life threatening places to drive in the world. Buckle up as we take a journey to the locations that even the likes of Lewis Hamilton would think twice about visiting.
Guoliang Tunnel Road, China
Many local villagers died constructing this 1,200 metre long tunnel cut into the Taihang Mountains located in the Hunan Province of China. Just 4 metres wide and 5 metres high, driving through the Guoliang Tunnel Road is a hair-raising experience many would rather avoid.
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Splugen Pass, Italy
This crazily zigzagging road contains an incredible 42 hairpin bends and is a dizzying 2,113 metres at its summit. As if the road itself wasn’t a white knuckle test for even the most experienced rally drivers, a succession of dark tunnels adds to the kamikaze factor of the Splugen Pass. Take the San Bernardino Tunnel, it’s far safer!
Lysebotn Road, Norway
Yikes. Lovely as the scenery is, this bizarre route is exceptionally challenging so keep your eyes on the snaking road before you. A total of 27 hairpin bends will test your steering skills before a 1,100 metre tunnel tries your nerves. Only for the brave, this is a beautiful drive.
Atlas Mountains Road, Morocco
Looking like an immense python coiled around the Atlas Mountains, this perilous dust track would be dangerous enough without the questionable driving skills of the locals for whom the road is a genuine lifeline. The scorching sun bearing down on your vehicle makes it even harder to concentrate.
Leh-Manali Highway, India
The simply stunning Leh-Manali Highway stretches over 297 miles along the Himalayas mountain range reaching a vertiginous altitude of 3 miles above sea level at the highest points. Rusted crashed vehicles litter the way hundreds of metres beneath the road, hardly inspiring confidence. Only open six months of the year due to heavy snowfall, this one takes backbone to traverse.
Halsema Highway, Philippines
At 150 miles long the Halsema Highway is easily one of the most treacherous roads in the world. During the rainy season it becomes a veritable death trap as mud and rock slides render it impassable. Climbing up to 7,400 ft at its summit, there are no guard rails and it’s a long way down!
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Col de Turini, France
This Gallic 15.3 km mountain pass through the Alps comprises a stage of the Monte Carlo Rally and has many hairpin turns along its impossibly tight road. Until fairly recently, crazy drivers would even speed along Col de Turini at night, their high beam lights causing the event to be named the Night of the Long Knives
Cotopaxi Volcan Road, Ecuador
Running approximately six miles up and around Cotopaxi Volcano, one of the world’s highest active volcanoes at 5,897 metres, your vehicle might need asbestos body paint if it decides to blow its top. Even the coolest driver is sure to feel a little hot under the collar during their ascent.
Taroko Gorge Road, Taiwan
Unfortunately, the scenic beauty of this road adds to its danger, as tourists make the winding mountain pass even more congested. The tunnels cut out of the mountain are a dazzling feat of engineering, but don’t marvel at the architecture too long, there are only tiny blocks to prevent your car from toppling off the mountain and becoming part of the panorama.
North Yungas Road, Bolivia
Would you choose to use a road the locals call El Camino de la Muerte? That’s the Road of Death to the English speaking thrill-seeker. You would have to be completely barmy to drive along this road by choice, which has an approximate death rate of 300 motorists a year. A single -lane 40 mile nightmare, if you don’t spin off the road to your doom there’s always the frequent landslides to tremble over.
This is a guest post on behalf of VroomVroomVroom.co.uk – a car hire comparison website based in the UK.
© – visit Automoblog.net for more great content.
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google_ad_client=”pub-8213487891390535″;google_ad_slot=”5591521468″;google_ad_width=300;google_ad_height=250;I have this theory that any list, top ten, top five, top 100, whatever, are only there to start arguments, rather than be definitive statements. 99% of the time, I have no problem with Jalopnik. They are a rather funny and irreverent car site, and in addition to the standard fair of who’s releasing what ride or which car is getting yanked from production, they have a real penchant for top ten lists. Like I said, lists are there to start arguments, and this list leaves me with a big bone to pick with the boys at Los Jalops.
First off, let’s take a look at their list, then I’ll bitch a little bit, and then we can look at why their individual picks are cool.
Here they are:
10.) Jaguar D-Type 9.) Porsche 911 GT-1 8.) Jaguar XJR-9 7.) Chaparral 2F 6.) Ferrari 330 P3/4 5.) Toyota GT-One 4.) Audi R10 TDi 3.) Ford GT40 2.) Porsche 962 1.) Mazda 787B
Impressive list, no? Really, who can argue? All those cars were serious competitors, and most of them were winners. But do you notice anything missing? Any car that should be in there that’s not? Do the words “Watch out for the red Lola, the red Lola,” or “This isn’t just a thousand to one shot. This is a professional bloodsport. And it can happen to you. And then it can happen to you again,” or Steve McQueen knock anything lose?
Yup, for some reason, they didn’t include the Porsche 917 on their list.
The car that issued in a level of utter domination in Le Mans that anyone is yet to equal, (although Audi is starting to get close) and they didn’t include it in the list? Kind of strikes one as a mistake, doesn’t it?
Not only did the 917 win Le Mans over and over and over, but it is one of the most recognizable racing cars in the world, mainly thanks to the 1971 feature film starring Steve McQueen. Leaving it off the list seems like a major stumble to me.
But the rest of the list sure is worth noting.
Take for example number 10, the Jaguar D-Type.

The D-Type deserves to be on the list for a slew of reasons. The D was the first post war Le Mans car to issue into being the ongoing tradition of one car factory dominates and then gets knocked off the top of the mountain, only to be knocked off by another factory effort that then goes on to dominate for the next string of victories. And, the D-Type is gorgeous. And it also pioneered the use of disc brakes in racing.

At number 9 on the list is the Porsche 911 GT-1. Not only fast, durable and a winner at Le Mans (all of those are Porsche hallmarks, by the by), but it also closely resembled the road-going 911. Although only the chassis, taken from a 993-edition of the venerable 911, was road car sourced, everything else was pretty cool. The water-cooled engine came from a 962, for example. And when the GT1 finally did win over all, it gave Porsche their record-breaking 16th overall win at La Sarthe.

The Jaguar XJR-9, the eight-place car on the list, was the car that returned Jaguar to the top step of the podium at the 24 hour classic. In 1988, when it faced off against the might of the Porsche factory 962s, the XJR-9 was in the lead by the second lap. And despite the Jag suffering gearbox issues, with the car being stuck in fourth gear for much of the race, it won. That was the first time since 1980 that a Porsche did not win, AND it was the first time since 1957 that Jaguar did win.
Ah, the Chaparral 2F landing in seventh place. What is not to like about Jim Hall’s high tech racers from Midland Texas. OK, so they were kind of fragile and prone to breaking. But they did feature such neat bits of tech like a composite fiberglass chassis and a semi-auto gearbox. And this was back in the 1960s! Just check out the video, featuring Phil Hill and narrated by Chris Economaki, to see how cool.


Number 6, the Ferrari 330 P3/4. Really, this car needs to explanation. No, they didn’t win at Le Mans in 1967 (although they did come in one-two-three at Daytona the same year), but dear God what a gorgeous car. That’s reason enough right there.
The Toyota GT-One takes up the fifth place spot, and might be termed the best car never to win Le Mans. Toyota dumped trainloads of money into this beast winning the 24 Hours. It never did, but it was packed with enough tech to make a cruise missile pale in comparison, and seemingly had speed to match. Why did it fail at winning at Le Mans? A lack of reliability. A very un-Toyota like thing to do.

At number 4 on the list we see the Audi R10 TDi. Of course you have to put this car on the list. Speed, solid engineering, horsepower and torque. Lots and lots of torque. Did I mention it was a diesel? It is. Lots of people think that diesel = lack of speed and performance. Audi (and Peugeot) would beg to differ.

Of curse the Ford GT40 is on the list, coming in at number three. This was the car that blew Ferrari into the weeds and one of the few times an American manufacturer won anything on an international stage. Sure, it had an engine half again as big as what Ferrari was running, and a racing budget larger than the GDP of Ivory Coast, but it is damn cool and a winner. Nice video of the GT here:

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At number 2 we have the Porsche 962. Essentially an IMSA spec 956 (they had to lengthen the wheelbase to get the drivers feet rear of the front axel line), but dayum these things were quick. And as reliable as an anvil. Porsche could stand on these things, literally all day and all night, and they still one, year after year, race after race.


And finally, the Mazda 787B tops the list. For starters, it’s the only Japanese car to win at Le Mans. For another thing, it’s the only rotary powered car to win the 24 hour race. And for yet another thing the four-rotor plant sounded like shrieking Harpies at full song. Just a terrible/gorgeous wail that most likely could be heard back in Paris.
So, that’s their list and my one addition … I think they seriously slighted the 917, and should have dumped the 911 GT-1.
Source: Jalopnik, lede photo from Fliker user Dave Catchpole.
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google_ad_client=”pub-8213487891390535″;google_ad_slot=”5591521468″;google_ad_width=300;google_ad_height=250;In the Transformers franchise, Bumblebee is an underestimated but valiantly heroic figure in the Transformers noble and human-friendly clan of Autobots. Appearing in the Michael Bay movie serial in the guise of Chevrolet products, Bumblebee infuriated the life of Sam Witwicky in the form of a 1976 Camaro as the young human search for a first car. Sam quickly realized there was more than meets the eye in the seemingly unremarkable pony car. Bumblebee soon upgrade to a new generation Camaro becoming a protector and eventual friend to his human companion.
A refreshing event to see a human and machine relate in the first two Transformers movies, so many motorists feel an intimate connection to our vehicles. Though it is unlikely we’ll have our vehicles revealed as sentient metal life forms from a distant planet called Cybertron, automobiles exist as a very personalized creation. Sometimes, a very elite vehicle can symbolize a relationship a driver wants to have in real life. For fans of the Transformers movie franchise, Chevrolet has created a special package linked to the famous Bumblebee character. A ,000 addition to the 2012 Camaro Coupe in either LT or SS trim levels, the Transformers Special Edition model allows buyers to more closely experience the vehicle mode of the fictional Autobot warrior.
“Hiding in plain sight” were words Autobots leader Optimus Prime used describing the role these crusading alien warriors wished to perform on Earth. However, there is little obscuring the appearance of the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Transformers Special Edition. Wearing yellow and black colours, the special edition version for the 2012 model year differs in layout from previous Transformers Camaro cars. While the previous factory Bumblebee clones wore the matte black similarly to Rally Sport striping, the 2012 Camaro Transformers Special Edition has the striping positioned wider as it travels from the hood to the rear deck lid. Unique to the Transformers Special Edition package, the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro is given a sports car racing-type rear spoiler. A dealer optional ground-effects bodywork package can also be fitted to the Chevrolet Camaro Transformers Special Edition for greater sport appearance.
Spun either by the new LFX block, 3.6 liter V-6’s 323 horsepower or up to 425 horsepower from the 6.2 liter V-8 powerplant, the 2012 Camaro Transformers Special Edition wears black-painted 20-inch wheels. Each wheel hub wears the Autobot shield logo. The symbol representing the protagonist group of transforming beings is also found on the exterior front quarter panels. The Transformers Special Edition package 20-inch wheels are mounted within high-performance summer tires.
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Beyond what ‘meets the eye‘ on the outside, interior touches to the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Transformers Special Edition is highlighted by a yellow stitching placed within the steering wheel, armrests and on the black leather seating. Front seat headrests and the center console of the Camaro Transformers Special Edition displays the Autobot logo. Premium stereo system with satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity and a heated steering wheel is included as standard equipment on these special versions of the 2012 Camaro.
Available only on the coupe version of the 2012 Camaro, Chevrolet will start accepting orders for the Transformers Special Edition vehicles starting in July for the United States. Delivery of the yellow and black striped Chevy Camaros will occur in September. Asian and European markets will also receive an opportunity of purchasing the special Camaro in honour of the potential 2011 blockbuster movie.
In United States theaters on Jun 29th, Bumblebee and his Autobot partners will combat the evil Decepticons in Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
Information and photo source: General Motors
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google_ad_client=”pub-8213487891390535″;google_ad_slot=”5591521468″;google_ad_width=300;google_ad_height=250; With the New York International Auto Show under way, Scion is taking the wraps off the FR-S Concept. It is a vehicle we’ve known before as the Toyota FT-86 Concept.
The FT-86 Concept was a result of Toyota’s slipping consideration in the the youth market. This problem led to Toyota head Akio Toyoda creating a plan to produce more sporty cars that would help inject excitement into the company. The aim is to bring back a fun-to-drive nature, and the effort is being kicked off with this car.
The FT-86 Concept was first shown at the Tokyo Auto Show in 2009. We’ve been hearing rumors of these vehicles for sometime before that too – this product line has had a long gestation period.
Just in case you didn’t learn it by now, Toyota really wants to make sure you know this car is rear-wheel drive. FR-S stands for front-engined rear-wheel drive and sport. The “concept” moniker is really just in name only, as Scion itself says it previews the production model coming to the lineup in 2012.

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The FR-S Concept builds on the styling of the FT-86 Concept, bringing it a step closer to production. The good news is that it has gotten hotter since we’ve last seen it. A stunning Toyota product, imagine that! The proportions are perfect, with an aggressive stance that looks the performance part.
The company says the front end of the design is meant to evoke the Toyota 2000GT, and around the rear we can see strong design influences from the Lexus LFA performance flagship.
As the car was developed in partnership with Subaru, the engine used is a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated boxer four-cylinder. The lightweight nature of the engine and compact footprint leads to a low hood and placement in the chassis is also ideal. The engine is positioned farther aft than usual for optimal weight distribution. All indications lead to an excellent driving experience for this car. We can’t wait to get our hands on it.
The real clincher is the price tag, which is expected to come in around the ,000 range. The FR-S does confirms the car isn’t coming to the Toyota brand. There has been speculation on whether the car would be launched as a Toyota or Scion in the United States. Now we have our answer. Until the production car arrives check out the monstrous gallery of pictures Scion released below.
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With just a week to go until the Geneva Motor Show kicks off, Aston Martin has unveiled the latest addition to its lineup.
Recent history has brought us some of the most stunning Aston Martins ever built, including the Rapide and One-77. Now the Cygnet, on the other hand….but, we digress. The Virage is proof some of the best Aston Martins ever built are being introduced right now.
The Rapide, an entry into the four-door “coupe” segment, ranks as one of our favorite Aston Martins. Following models like the Vantage, DB9 and DBS, the Rapide debuted a further evolution of Aston Martin style.

google_ad_client = “pub-8213487891390535″;google_ad_slot = “5591521468″;google_ad_width = 300;google_ad_height = 250; The Virage continues that evolution, offering a look akin to a two-door Rapide. In the process, it eclipses models like the DB9 and DBS in the style sweepstakes. The design is elegant, oozing luxury with a simple, clean appearance.
Aston Martin says the Virage is “the perfect balance” of opposites, sitting between the luxury-focused DB9 and the more performance-oriented DBS. It seems very similar to the DB9 on paper but, who would turn down more additions to the Aston range? The British manufacturer says each has a distinct character.
The Virage uses Aston’s 6.0-liter V-12 engine under the hood, making 490 horsepower and 420 pound feet of torque in this application.
Underneath the car is a further evolution of the “VH” architecture that underpins all new Aston Martins. That means a bonded aluminum chassis and the use of composites, magnesium and of course aluminum, to save weight.

As for things shared with the more sporting DBS model, the Virage adds an Active Damping System (ADS) that reads the road and constantly adjusts to the information it receives. There are a total of 10 (!) suspension stiffness settings within two modes, normal and sport. Sport offers a quicker throttle response time and gear changes.
Standard on the Virage is Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes, an expensive option on most performance vehicles. Ceramic brakes offer advantages that include reduced weight, resistance to fade and much improved stopping power. CCM brakes are part of Aston’s overall drive to reduce weight in the Virage, all while maintaining high standards of luxury.
Both Virage Coupe and Virage Volante convertible models are on sale now at Aston Martin dealers across the world, with official pricing information expected to be released next week. Each Virage takes 200 man hours (70 spent on the interior alone) to handcraft at Aston Martin’s factory in Gaydon, Warwickshire, England.
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google_ad_client = “pub-8213487891390535″;google_ad_slot = “5591521468″;google_ad_width = 300;google_ad_height = 250; If you have a Gearhead on your gift list this year and you’re clueless as to what to get him, we’ve got you covered. Below, we explain what an OBDII scanner is, why your Gearhead wants one, and go over the differences of a few units based on skill level and what they need it for.
OBD-II is an On-Board Diagnostics system originally meant for mechanics to diagnose problems with your vehicle by connecting a tool and reading a code. You know that “Check Engine” light that you’ve been ignoring in your Camry? That’s the OBD-II system telling you something’s wrong. Get your Gearhead one of these scanners below and make him fix the problem.
Somewhere below your dash (usually below the steering column,) there’s a connector for this system that connects directly to your car’s computer. In most cases, it gives you a wealth of data regarding your vehicle, from fuel economy to air/fuel ratio and everything in between. The problem is that all of this data streams out in a bunch of code, indecipherable to humans. That’s where these scanners come in. Manufacturers of these products realized that there is plenty of use for this awesome tool outside of the mechanic’s garage, and that the data it provides can be immensely useful to the everyday driver as well as the Gearhead.
Take a look at the OBDII scanners below, the features they provide, then pick one up for the wanna-be mechanic on your gift list.
Note: Only 1996 and newer are equipped with OBDII. If your car is older than that, you may want to look elsewhere for proprietary equipment.
BeginnerNot all devices that connect to the OBDII port need to be for diagnosing problems and monitoring air/fuel ratios. These products cleverly take the data provided by your ECU and transform it into useful fuel economy information, providing a real-time monitoring of you driving efficiency.
Lemur Monitors: EconoDriver
This nifty little doo-dad is relatively new to the game, and solves the problem most of these devices have – it’s not a pain in the ass to use. Attach the wireless sensor to your ODBII port in your car, sync the sensor with the keyfob, and drive. The keyfob will update on-the-fly, with your fuel economy and related data like how much it’s costing you to drive, how much you’ve wasted, and gives you a “Green Rating” – five leaf icons that lightup and turnoff based on how “Green” you’re driving. You can keep the EconoDriver attached to your keychain, which is pretty cool, that way when someone else is driving your car you get to see what sort of driving they were doing since it will update when they return.
Lemur Monitors also offer a couple other similar monitors – one called “SafeDriver,” obviously aimed at parents wanting to keep an eye on their kid’s driving habits. When your 16 year-old son gets back with the Camaro at 3AM, you get to see the maximum speed he traveled, distance he drove, and how many hard brakes occurred while he was driving. That one seems a bit “big brother” to me, but to each their own. While I was testing this one out, it was more of a video game. “I have to get the maximum speed into the triple-digits,” “I wonder how many hard brakes I can get it to register.” Safer for kids, more dangerous for irresponsible adults, it seems.
Where to Buy: Pick up the EconoDriver at Amazon.com for : Lemur Vehicle Monitors EconoDriver
ScanGauge
Another plug-and-play monitor, the ScanGauge gives quite a bit more information but doesn’t require a lot of setup and configuration. You’ll start out by letting the device know some details about the vehicle you’re using it on, and from there you just find a good place to mount it. It shows up to four digital “gauges” at a time, and you can customize which ones to show. It also scans for and clears trouble codes, if you know what you’re doing. Here are the available parameters it can monitor:
* Maximum, Instant, & Average Speed * Coolant Temperature * Maximum and Instant RPM * Driving Time * Driving Distance * Fuel Used * Instant & Trip Fuel Economy * Distance to Empty * Time and Fuel to Empty * Fuel Rate * Battery Voltage * Intake Air Temperature * Manifold Pressure * Engine Load * Throttle Position * Ignition Timing
It’s not wireless, which means depending on where your OBDII port is, the wire could get in your way while driving, but the idea is that you’ll have an extra dashboard at your fingertips. The ScanGauage’s screen causes a few problems with navigation – the outdated LCD matrix display causes menu obfuscation and requires the display to show abbreviations that are hard to remember due to the lack of available characters. Moving around through the menus is frustrating until you get used to it. I’m hoping the next version of ScanGauge will have a graphic LCD display.
Where to Buy: Pick up the ScanGauge at Amazon for 0: ScanGauge II 3-in-1 Vehicle Computer
IntermediateYou don’t want to drive down to your mechanic’s garage every time that “Check Engine” light pops on, do you? Check out these two do-it-yourself diagnostic scanners that require just a bit more knowledge to operate than the Beginner-level devices.
CarCheckupCarCheckup is a bit of a two-in-one OBDII scanner. It will scan and troubleshoot engine codes, but its primary purpose is to monitor your trips.
The idea – keep the CarCheckup attached to your OBDII connector during your (or your teenager’s) trips. Once you return home, grab it and plug it into the computer with the built-in USB connector, then log on to CarCheckup.com to upload the data. Once it gets your data it will give you individual trip data: trip time, distance, and duration; maximum speed and RPM; time spent going certain intervals of speed; as well as a count of how many times the car experienced hard (and “extreme”) acceleration or braking. It will also let you know if there were any trouble codes during the trip.
Interestingly, the device caught a trouble code in my RSX that I didn’t know about and that didn’t trigger the Check Engine light. P1078 – it listed it as a proprietary Acura code so it didn’t give me any information about it, but a quick internet search showed that I might have a problem in the near future.
Alright, so I’m a little on-edge in the morning
The trip summary is nice to glance at, but it would be nice if you could view more than one at a time. The advanced data tab is where it’s at, allowing you to compare up to four values next to each other.
Collecting and transferring data is easy, but there are a few problems. First, you can only use the web application in Internet Explorer. I don’t like IE. Also, the web interface could use some help. If you close the browser then go back to CarCheckup.com, you have to log out then log back in to get into your dashboard. If you’re trying to look at the Trip Graphs for each trip, you have to look at its Trip Summary first, then go into Trip Graphs. That’s irritating. Overall though, it gets you the data
CarCheckup is an initial 0 (direct) purchase and includes one vehicle for one year. Each additional car costs you another /year. It’s a good tool for the general household to have for troubleshooting codes or spying on their teenager’s driving habits, or the business owner who needs to keep track of mileage. One thing to keep an eye on – the device is about four inches long, so make sure that won’t get in the way while driving.
Where to Buy: Pick up the CarCheckup direct for 0: CarCheckup.com
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CarMD
CarMD is focused much more more on the diagnostic part of it. You don’t keep it connected to the vehicle while driving. Rather, it’s a device you store in your glove box until the Check Engine light comes on. Once it does, bust out the CarMD, hook it up, and it stores the codes until you hook it up to the computer. Once you upload the codes to CarMD’s website, it tells you what the problem is most likely to be, gives you ways to fix it yourself, and about how much it will be to repair (yourself or through the mechanic.)
The biggest problem with CarMD – it won’t let you clear the trouble codes. Here’s their explanation:
It is not recommended for drivers to turn off their vehicle’s “CHECK ENGINE” light until the pending or current problem has been identified and repairs confirmed. If you are a confident do-it-yourselfer or have confirmed that the “CHECK ENGINE” light is illuminated because of a loose gas cap and wish to turn it off, we recommend purchasing a product called an OBD2 code reader or scan tool from your local auto supply store.
Right…or you could just add that feature to the device and there would be no need to purchase an extra code reader. Aside from that, it’s a great little device that I’ve found useful on multiple occasions. Depending on my mood, however, the inability to clear codes could be a deal-breaker.
CarMD costs 0 direct and you can keep up to three cars cars in your online profile (up to six scans per month.) You can scan as many cars as you’d like with the device and read their codes, but if you already have three cars in your profile you’ll have to either do your own research on the code or delete one of the cars already there. If you want to keep more cars in your profile you can also pay extra.
ExpertOBDLink & ScanXL
The Cadillac of consumer-level, inexpensive OBDII scanners. If you’re familiar with car systems and diagnotics (or even know the basics about what you’re looking at,) this is the way to go. ScanTool.net offers a few different scan tools, we used the OBDLink WiFi Scan Tool which connects to your or iPhone to use the software of your choice. OBDLink also lets you use a USB cable to connect to the laptop if that’s your thing.
The OBDLink scanner comes bundled with free software called OBDWiz for basic monitoring and diagnosing, but to get the most out of the device you’ll want to upgrade to the ScanXL software:

This software allows for in-depth analysis of what your car is doing, gives you a customizable virtual dashboard that updates in real time (have a friend drive while you’re doing this, of course,) and lets you log parameters for viewing later. ScanXL Standard is direct and the Pro version gives you additional features for 0. Another option is DashCommand, which isn’t quite as in-depth as ScanXL but runs on a PC as well as iPhone, CarPC, and supports touch-screen interfaces.
If you have a Ford, GM, or Mazda, you’re in luck. ScanXL has “Enhanced Diagnostics Add-ons” for those makes for an additional that “read and clear codes on powertrain, hybrid, transmission and other proprietary systems, [and] also adds thousands of new parameters and sensors for both gasoline and diesel vehicles.”
I played around with ScanXL for a while, and while is definitely a learning curve involved, I found it to be a very good tool for learning about your car. It even has a “Dyno Run” feature so you can test power before and after installing a new aftermarket part, for example. What’s cool about this kind of tool is that when something is “off” about your car, like it hesitates between 3000 and 4000 RPM for example, regular OBDII diagnostics won’t tell you anything. But with this software, you’ll be able to monitor many different parameters to see what’s off (like a funky Air/Fuel Ratio or something) when that hesitation happens so you know what to fix.
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google_ad_client=”pub-8213487891390535″;google_ad_slot=”5591521468″;google_ad_width=300;google_ad_height=250; Providing an enormous treat to import supercar fans residing inside the United States in 2008, the GT-R’s first Nissan-approved migration to North American soil delivered a fantastic 485 horsepower performance punch. The halo car of the Nissan brand, some angelic magic is set to be performed on this Japanese dream machine in 2012 model year.
Paraded in Japan and Europe first (in fact, it is already available for purchase outside of the United States as of October), the new Nissan GT-R’s is due stateside as a 2012 model year offering. Few details for the US spec GT-R have been released prior to the LA Auto Show for November 17th. However, a view of the European-based model gives American fans of this lauded Japanese supercar an indication of exactly what will be unveiled at this event.
Enhanced with what appears to be minor exterior touches, the messaging of the 2012 Nissan GT-R is reduces the vehicle’s drag coefficient from an already tight 0.27 to a more slippery 0.26. A larger front bumper fascia features more fins which also includes the turn signals. Not only accomplishing this task of aerodynamic efficiency, the front end restyling by Nissan engineers is credited with an increase in downforce by 10% to assist mechanical grip. On the rear side of the 2012 Nissan GT-R, an extended rear diffuser, larger quad tailpipe openings and an exhaust cooling duct are noticeable changes all made in the pursuit of perfecting the supercar’s performance prowess.
The already athletic suspension and road-handling package of the 2012 Nissan GT-R is refreshed. Aiding from additional rigidity of a aluminum-carbon composite strut supporting bar and a new support member inside the passenger side dash panel, the suspension geometry has been reworked for better steering and straight driving control. Improved Dunlop tires and new forged aluminum wheels shows off the GT-R new potential in front of larger disc brakes. While rallying the the 2012 Nissan GT-R’s handling response, the new wheel/tire look compliments the refreshed overall exterior with in five layers, Hyper Blue Black Chrome wheel colouring now available.

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Showing some drastically more flooring performance numbers, the European version of the Nissan GT-R has received a bump to 523 horsepower (a 38 horse advance after the United States’ 2011 GT-R). Also flourishing with a 21 additional foot-pounds of torque for a total of 451 units, new emission and engine electronic controls can be credited for the gain in performance. The 2012 Nissan GT-R engine is not the only drivetrain component receiving attention. The all-wheel drive ATTESA-E-TS control has been reconfigured with a SAVE mode replacing the Snow mode setting that augments torque and gear shifting for better fuel economy on highways. On the flip side, R mode controls the GT-R’s launch from a stand still as the twin-clutch transmission begins to filter through gears. A final addition to the drivetrain control of the 2012 Nissan GT-R is a two-wheel mode which activates under speeds under 6 miles per hour helping the supercar complete tighter turns.
The 2012 Nissan GT-R’s interior maintains a solid matte finish. Interior panels, air conditioning outlets and operating switches are all black in detail. Though the matte black interior could dull senses by itself, Nissan added a series of exotic details encompassing a race car appearance. Magnesium steering wheel-mounted paddle shift levers, carbon on the climate control panel and chrome-plated duct accents bring out high-performance charm. As a no cost option, GT-R buyers can choose to ride in Recaro Black buckets or a set of premium grade leather seats.
Showroom-ready for North America starting in early next year, the 2012 Nissan GT-R should not fall far from the current price tag just above ,000.
Information and photo source: Nissan and NewsPress UK
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