The Ford Racing Mustang Cobra Jet concept revealed today at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show proves there is indeed a replacement for displacement.

In the perpetual quest to stay ahead of the competition, for the first time ever Ford Racing has equipped its factory-built turnkey drag racer with a turbocharged engine, adopting the same award-winning technology found on road-going EcoBoost® engines.

Winning heritage
When the original Mustang Cobra Jet drag racers rolled out of the Mustang factory in 1968, they relied on 7.0-liter V8 engines with massive four-barrel carburetors to propel them down the strip.

“When a new generation of Cobra Jets arrived four decades later, they immediately began winning with a modern, fuel-injected 5.4-liter V8 topped with a belt-driven supercharger,” recalls Jesse Kershaw, Ford drag racing competition manager. “Over the past four years, the Cobra Jet has gone on to become both a fan and competitor favorite, the most successful late-model vehicle in drag racing.” Read more!

Jeff has teamed up with Chrysler Groups Mopar and SRT brands to design and build a project vehicle that will be unveiled at this year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas on October 30th. The SEMA show is the premiere custom vehicle and aftermarket parts show in the world. Stay tuned for the next two episodes! Click on Read more for video!

Called Project Ultraviolet, it starts with a Dodge Challenger SRT8 purchased in downtown LA. The muscle car is being built to show off new technology and a brand new engine – declared “an amazing thing” in the video – that Chrysler will be unveiling in Las Vegas.

The 2012 Chevy Camaro has become the fastest and the most powerful muscle car the world has ever seen. The 2012 Camaro is expected to be as forceful as it’s possible, with the output rating of more than 570 hp! 580 hp, to be precise. Sounds like it’s more than ready for the road. Along with the fierce horsepower, the Camaro makes 550 lb-ft of torque. It goes far ahead than its closest rival, the Cadillac CTS-V.

The Camaro keeps the balance of performance and technology in the one car, with the newest investments in performance traction management and Magnetic Ride Control (MRC). It enables the Camaro’s track-focused suspension shift from hard to soft, depending on the track. Let alone active exhaust that awakens the neighbors. The ZL1′s Magnetic Ride System includes Sport and Tour driver selectable modes up to the preferred style of driving.

The 2012 Camaro comes with automatic transmission and processes damping information every inch. It’s very fast and with the latest advancements in the MR (Magnetic Ride) system.

People are looking at cars much differently than they did a decade ago. Rising gas prices as well as other economic factors have changed what people need out of a car. Automakers are finally starting to come around to producing what the consumers want. What are some of the current car buying trends?

Leases Are More Popular Than Ever

Cutting the weight of new cars and trucks by up to 750 pounds by the end of the decade is a key component of Ford’s strategy to improve fuel efficiency. In order to help achieve that goal, Ford Motor Company is partnering with Dow Automotive Systems, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, to research the use of advanced carbon fiber composites in high-volume vehicles.

“There are two ways to reduce energy use in vehicles: improving the conversion efficiency of fuels to motion and reducing the amount of work that powertrains need to do,” said Paul Mascarenas, Ford chief technical officer and vice president, Research and Innovation. “Ford is tackling the conversion problem primarily through downsizing engines with EcoBoost® and electrification while mass reduction and improved aerodynamics are keys to reducing the workload.”

Ford is investigating a range of new materials, enhanced design processes and new manufacturing techniques that would enable automotive structures to meet increasingly stringent safety and quality standards while cutting weight. Read more!

There is nothing that expresses the pure McLaren brand than the new McLaren sports car, the MP4-12C.  Although this is a supercar, it is not an inaccessible one and although its £168,500 might seem expensive to many of us, it is the fastest road car that money can buy.

The car is stunningly beautiful. Its 600 bhp of raw power comes from a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 and it will take you to 124 mph from rest in just ten seconds. Much of it is constructed from carbon fibre and it has a revolutionary suspension system that uses hydraulically inter-connected dampers.

The car is unmistakably McLaren. It shape is designed to provide the ultimate in aerodynamic performance and by employing the same technology and wind tunnel that is used to design formula One race cars everything has been designed to provide optimum downforce as well a minimising drag.

• New exterior design with more prominent grille, new hood and new LED signature lighting give the latest Mustang a high-tech look
• Drivers of automatic-equipped Mustangs will be able to shift their own gears with new SelectShift Automatic™ transmission, now a standard feature
• Industry-first technology allows drivers to monitor their own acceleration, g force and braking on the track with new 4.2-inch LCD screen showing Track Apps

• Proven 392-cubic inch (6.4-liter) HEMI® V-8 engine offers 470 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque across a wide rpm range while delivering up to 23 miles per gallon
• New two-mode adaptive damping suspension system offers selectable suspension tuning and automatically adapts to road and driver inputs for optimal vehicle control
• New, exclusive SRT® heated steering wheel features mounted paddle shifters for hands on the wheel shifting both on road and at the race track
• New 18-speaker Harman Kardon® audio system, with innovative GreenEdge® technology is available with 900 watts of power
• Newly formed SRT brand led by President and CEO Ralph Gilles will continue to build benchmark high-performance vehicles for the Chrysler Group

• Newly formed SRT® brand sticks to successful vehicle development formula using five proven hallmarks, including awe-inspiring powertrains; outstanding ride, handling and capability; benchmark braking; aggressive and functional exteriors; and race-inspired and high-performance interiors to remain true to its performance roots
• Expansion of SRT vehicle lineup in 2012 includes four new vehicles that are world-class performance contenders and deliver latest in safety technologies and creature comforts
• Common 6.4-liter HEMI® V-8 powertrain has latest advance technologies for best-ever horsepower, torque and fuel efficiency ratings

Official press release:
Geneva, Mar 2, 2010 – The Dodge Car Brand continues to offer customers around the world driving excitement, functionality and aggressive styling.

“The focus of the Dodge Car Brand is creating an all-new spirit and life built around strong American heritage in products that provide performance and personality,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – Dodge Car Brand and Senior Vice President – Product Design, Chrysler Group LLC. “The Dodge Charger SRT8 and Challenger SRT8 command attention by offering benchmark, all-around performance that appeals to unique customers who celebrate their achievements by living life to the fullest.”

At the 80th Geneva International Motor Show, the Dodge Car Brand showcases two iconic models – Dodge Charger SRT8® and Dodge Challenger SRT8 – both of which deliver the best of modern American muscle-car characteristics: unmistakable design, world-class handling, powerful engines and proven technology.

In 2009, the Dodge brand comprised nearly 35 percent of Chrysler Group LLC sales in markets outside North America, led by Dodge Journey as the highest sales volume vehicle and Dodge Caliber also as a top-five sales contender.

As the Chrysler Group product portfolio develops in markets outside North America, Dodge will become a specialty brand with a focus on regional sales for specific models.

Chrysler Group LLC sells and services vehicles in more than 120 countries around the world.