2010 Lotus Exige S Type 72 First Look

2010 Lotus Exige S Type 72 Sport Car

2010 Lotus Exige S Type 72 Brakes

2010 Lotus Exige S Type 72 Side View

2010 Lotus Exige S Type 72 Seats

2010 Lotus Exige S Type 72 Rear View

TPCRacing Cayman S Turbo picks up where Porsche left off

When Porsche introduced the Cayman in 2006, one thing was abundantly clear: Porsche had muzzled its midship coupe to prevent cannibalizing 911 sales. Despite a more favorable weight distribution and an unflappable chassis, the Cayman lacked the power to exploit its excellent underpinnings, even in "S" guise. So like its Boxster sibling, the Cayman was destined to play second fiddle to Porsche's iconic rear-engine flagship. From a business perspective, Porsche's decision made sense. For enthusiasts, it was yet another bitter pill from Zuffenhausen.

When the Cayman underwent a refresh, there was always hope that a turbocharged variant would be included in the line-up. Predictably, that never happened. So the Cayman continued to stand on the lower/middle rung of the Porsche ladder, offering less power and a lower price than the 911. The Cayman could dance. It just needed an extra bit of oomph.

That's where Mike Levitas comes in. Mike is the brains behind TPCRacing of Jessup, MD. Born of a family of automotive tinkerers, Mike spent most of his formative years learning about turbos and turning that knowledge to race cars – fast, reliable race cars that won championships. Like most other Porsche enthusiasts, Mike thought the Cayman could use more power. Turbocharged power. But unlike most of the marque's devotees, Mike made it happen.

Levitas began producing race cars back in the late Eightes, and over the course of the next decade and a half he managed the turbocharger programs for the Nissan 300ZX, Mazda RX7, Lotus Esprit and Consulier GTPs in the IMSA Supercar Series. Mike's background and advanced aeronautical training eventually led him to build some of the best Porsche race cars around. Porsche Club racing, Motorola Cup action, and a brief dip into Mercedes sedans eventually led him to the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series.

In 2000, TPCRacing began racing under its own banner, racking up more than 20 class wins (including one at Daytona in 2006) and an unprecedented 1-2-3-4 sweep of the driver's championship. The team was so dominant that the lead car during that championship season never missed a podium. With all of that race history as a test bed, TPC thought it was time to offer some of its accumulated wisdom to the masses.



TPCRacing is now known as one of the premier outlets for readying your Porsche for track duty. Turbochargers, suspension upgrades and computer reflashing are all available to professional and club racers. And for those who'd like a little more performance out of their daily drivers, TPCRacing has you covered in spades. While most of the company's work is devoted to 911s, TPC thought the Cayman needed a little something extra as well. They picked up a Guards Red 2006 Porsche Cayman S a couple of years ago and went to work.

The result is the TPCRacing Cayman S Turbo Kit. Producing around 485 horsepower, it's packing more ponies than – until recently – nearly any vehicle in Porsche's lineup, save the GT2. And that's only with 5.5-pounds of boost. With such a low amount of pressure, the turbo kit puts barely any additional stress on the stock internals of the 3.4-liter flat-six.



TPCRacing sells its Cayman Turbo Kit (with intercooler) for a buck less than ten grand. It includes nearly everything needed for installation: a cat-back exhaust, turbocharger, liquid-to-air intercooler, new intake plenum, all brackets/plumbing/fitting/hardware/clamps, upgraded injectors and custom silicone piping. The ECU needs to be shipped to TPC for reprogramming, but anyone with a fair amount of mechanical aptitude can do the installation. The total tab for our tester was about $12,000 according to the owner. Of course, he also went nuts with suspension, brakes, wheels, tires and body mods that more than doubled that figure.

A few extra bits are recommended by TPC, although they're not included in the kit. Pop for a set of GT3 spark plugs as well as the factory Porsche front-center radiator and associated ducting and brackets, and it will add around $750 to the tab. Tiptronic cars can skip that last item, as they're already equipped with the front-center radiator. The downside for Tiptronic owners is that the installation requires modifications to the transmission mounting brackets as well as relocating the transmission oil cooler.

TPC is also working on a non-intercooled Turbo Kit that eliminates the need for the liquid-to-air intercooler as well as the front center radiator and all the additional plumbing and water pump. Boost levels are a bit lower, but so is the price – an estimated $7,490.



We got a chance to sample the full-on intercooled turbo kit and, needless to say, it's like no Cayman we've met before. It's a mid-engine Jekyll and Hyde. In normal commuter duty the TPC drives exactly like any other Cayman on the road. That's to say it has near perfect handling, with some of the best brakes and most precise steering ever engineered into a road-going vehicle. But dip into that throttle a bit deeper and... whoosh! As if a giant hand dropped down from the sky and gave you a gentle shove, you're hurtled along into extra-legal speeds in seconds.

There's no drama, only a throatier roar from the exhaust that fades as the RPMs drop. Although not quite as transparent as the factory turbo setup in the 997 Turbo, it feels just as fast. The power is available at seemingly any RPM too. There's a progressive feel rather than the expected lag and burst of traditional tuner turbos – further proof that Mike and his crew know more than a thing or two about balancing linear performance and potent thrust.



Our seat time was all too brief, but it was more than enlightening. Levitas is a manic bit of energy, equal parts mad scientist and grassroots racer. Two of his customers, David and Kevin, happened to be computer engineers and even they were hard pressed to keep up with Mike's constant stream of technical babbling. The one thing they definitely picked up is Mike's passion for his work and ability to build an impeccably well-thought out and professional turbo kit.

Our sentiments and disappointments were echoed by several of Mike's customers. While most would prefer a factory Cayman Turbo, Porsche didn't build one. That left the door wide open for tuners and TPC happily stepped in to fill the void. For around $12,000 over the price of a Cayman, customers can have a unique, track-friendly daily-driver that's ready to trounce its rear-engine grandfather, while still costing less and retaining its reliability. That's a 400-hp formula we can get behind. Now we just need to start trolling Craigslist for used Caymans...

[Source: Autoblog]

Mitsubishi releases updated JDM Outlander Roadest with unique look

Normally when an automaker updates a model, even if it's just a quick cosmetic change, the earlier version is treated like cheek meat – nobody wants it unless it's a real good deal, and the dealers just want them gone. Mitsubishi evidently thinks its home-market will be kinder to the compact crossover-ute-thing we know and love as the Outlander.

While a new Evo-esque beak has been grafted onto our Outlander for 2010, the softer, older version will continue to be offered to JDM buyers alongside a more cosmetically aggressive model. To avoid confusion, a country-specific rhinoplasty-enhanced model will be branded Outlander Roadest (note that the fascia and, grille and foglamps are all distinct from the U.S. model), while the older bodywork model will continue on as just plain "Outlander." Regardless of the looks, both iterations will get a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine as standard, good for 148PS (about 146 horsepower). The offal-likeness is in play with pricing as well, with the new-old Outlander selling for just ¥1,995,000 (about $22,000) while the Roadest will command ¥2,475,900 ($27,100).

[Source: Mitsubishi]

Proper winter tires are more important than all-wheel drive

With the adoption of front-wheel drive as the mainstream power delivery system of choice, the semi-annual ritual of swapping snow tires has largely disappeared for most Americans. In many northern areas, all-wheel drive has become an increasingly popular choice when offered as an option. But as much help as putting power through all four wheels can be, it simply can't substitute for a good set of snow tires.

Ultimately, grip comes down to four patches of rubber and if they're unable to make solid contact, the number of drive wheels becomes irrelevant. This became abundantly clear this past weekend while driving a new 2010 Subaru Legacy. The Legacy is a plush, roomy mid-size sedan with excellent outward visibility and Subaru makes an excellent symmetrical all wheel drive. Unfortunately, its all-season tires lacked traction. Read on after the jump for more.

On dry pavement all-wheel drive can be a major boon by splitting the tractive workload and leaving the front wheels to take handle steering. In the snowy conditions we endured this past weekend, it can also help claw its way through the snow. However, most cars can put out more drive torque than the tires can transmit. That means it's not at hard to spin up all four wheels when accelerating, at least until the traction control kicks in.



Now as much as we enjoy to exploit slip angles, it's best to keep the car within the limits of adhesion. Lack of grip is a fundamental problem with all season rubber and all-wheel drive won't help you get around an icy corner or halt forward progress at a stop sign. Without traction, the Subaru still had trouble turning and it was pretty easy to get sideways before the stability management kicked in.

The only solution to is fit tires that maximize grip in these conditions. All the major tire manufacturers produce winter tires and we highly recommend them to anyone living in areas subject to snowy winters no matter how many wheels are driven. The easiest thing to do is just by an extra set of rims and have the tires mounted. When winter arrives, put on the snows and stack the summer tires in the corner of the garage or basement, then reverse the process in the spring. It's money well spent, and certainly cheaper than body repairs and hiked up insurance premiums.

Gold-plated Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

Beautiful Mercedes Benz Car Gold Design

It’s nice to know that some people are having some fun living it up in this recession, while the rest of us count and sort our pennies. This is a gold-mirror-finish Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG from the Bling on Wheels Show, at the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai. It’s just plain crazy like everything else in Dubai. If you drive this thing during the day, everyone will know where you are thanks to the trail of innocent onlookers who were blinded by the light bouncing off it. No word on how much it cost the owner to completely bling this thing out.All I know is people in Dubai have way too much damn money. Next they’ll cover one of their fancy skyscrapers in gold and blind us all.

The Tango car Design

Simple Design Modern Tanggo Car

The Tango by Commuter Cars is a bit of an odd duck, even by electric car standards. Famous for being owned by George Clooney, it seats two in tandem to retain the ability to "lane split" and encloses its passengers within a race car roll cage. It accelerates almost as fast as a Tesla Roadster and has a top speed somewhere North of 120 mph. Although it has taken the company a long time to produce a small handful of these vehicles, the $108,000 price tag guarantees the line ahead of newly-placed orders is short. Unfortunately, its range is also somewhat short at 60 miles with its current lead acid configuration. A lithium ion power pack could make it capable of a more meaningful 150 miles.

Zero maintenance with 24 wheels : Cadillac WTF

New Design Concept Cadilac WTF Car

i think car cadilac is cool because this car concept use for future. Here’s one hell of a conceptual design: the Cadillac World Thorium Fuel concept. Otherwise known as the Cadillac WTF. It was created by Loren Kulesus. Everything about the aptly named WTF has been created to last for 100 years without maintenance. That’s the reason for the element number ninety, thorium: to act as a nuclear fuel powering batteries that would power this beast. Also, every major system is redundant just in case of a failure. Even the wheels are covered and shouldn’t give you much trouble. The wheels don’t have individual tires. In fact, what you get is one combined unit made up of six individual wheels. That gives you 24 wheels in all, and each wheel has its own induction motor just for good measure. According to the creator, “The vehicle would require the tires to be adjusted every five years, but no material would need to be added or subtracted.”

2010 Daihatsu Mira Cocoa Pictures

2010 Daihatsu Mira Cocoa Front View

2010 Daihatsu Mira Cocoa Car Wallpaper

2010 Daihatsu Mira Cocoa Side View

2010 Daihatsu Mira Cocoa Interior

2010 Daihatsu Mira Cocoa Rear View

2010 Daihatsu Mira Cocoa Picture

Yellow Gold Overlay Sterling Silver 3-Row Ruby Flower Necklace

This triple ruby flower strerling silver necklace makes a special gift for someone with a July birthday--or for any one who loves the romance of rubies. The necklace holds a total of 15 small round rubies, prong set in sterling silver with an overlay of radiant 18 karat yellow gold. Arranged on a double chain with a dangle, the three flowers create a beautiful Y-shaped line. Wear this pendant necklace with a lower-cut V-neckline to really show it off.

2010 Aston Martin One-77 Wallpapers

2010 Aston Martin One-77 Picture

2010 Aston Martin One-77 Photo

2010 Aston Martin One-77 Side View

2010 Aston Martin One-77 Interior

2010 Aston Martin One-77 Exotic Car

2010 Aston Martin One-77 Rear View

2010 Aston Martin One-77 First Look

All The Best Car

Womens Fashion: Latest Fashion Trends

Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair

For more than two decades, Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair has continued to establish itself as a professional trade event of choice. Thailand has had a reputation for its craftsmanship and the ability in applying an ancient traditional with modern technology to achieve perfection in the production of impressive jewelry and jewels this easily proves Thailand status to be The World’s Gems & Jewelry Hub. Indeed, the best place to explore the good part of Thailand's distinctiveness is at the bi-annual Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair. Yet it is a superb location to see the latest and unique collections, find couture designers and producers in a venue alive with multimedia presentations, dazzling fashion shows, design awards and other special events.




Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair is a dynamic place to conduct good business and network with over 1,200 exhibitors in 16 key product categories and thousands of international jewelers and traders pursuing supplies. It is organized twice a year, in March and September, at the Impact Challenger, with more than 3,500 stalls spread over 80,000 square meter in a single-floor layout, BGJF has been a vibrant marketplace where over 1,200 exhibitors from over 35 countries such as UK., Italy, Russia, USA, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Israel and etc. participate in each BGJF which attracts 35,000 international delegates and visitors.



The members of Thai Gem and Jewelry Traders Association have worked closely with the Department of Export Promotion towards building the success of the fair and then through a unified effort to increase Thailand’s reputation as The World’s Gems & Jewelry Hub.

The Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair organizers are committed to make the 45th edition, scheduled on February 26 - March 2, 2010, even more dazzling than before in order to promote trade and business partnership as well as industry exchange.

For more information please contact
e-mail : info@bangkokgemsfair.com

Infiniti FX35 Photos Gallery

Infiniti FX35 Photos Gallery

The Infiniti FX35 is powered by a new 3.5 liter V6 engine and delivers an output of 303 hp (226 kW). The Infiniti FX35 is available in two drivetrains, the RWD and the AWD, which are both fitted to a dual overhead cam 3.5-liter 24-valve V6 VQ35DE gasoline engine, with aluminum-alloy block and heads, electronically controlled “drive-by-wire” throttle system, and low-friction molybdenum-coated pistons that makes use of the continuous variable valve timing which in part optimizes the opening of intake valves. This is also coupled with an electronically controlled super-wide ratio five-speed automatic with a manumatic shift mode that includes the option of sequentially selected manual gearshifts and Downshift Rev Matching.

New Models Audy R8

New Models Audy R8