As promised Kia has unveiled its Rio B-Spec race car at the 2011 SEMA Show today, based on the brand’s all-new Rio 5-Door sub-compact. More of a kit than an actual race car, this is a project for the do-it-yourselfer. On top of the $13,600 price of a Rio, Kia’s racing partner Kinetic Motorsports will...
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The best part about SEMA is that every now and then an automaker shows something incredible. The worst part is that these cars aren’t even concepts, they’re just marketing hype show cars. Is that the case with the Rhys Millen Racing Tau-V8-powered Hyundai Genesis Coupe? We certainly hope not. Unveiled today at the SEMA Show...
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Following our coverage of the Chevrolet Sonic Ricky Carmichael Concept and the Chevrolet Sonic Super 4 Concept, AutoGuide got to sit down with both Ricky Carmichael and John Buttermore, the men behind the two vehicles. Carmichael and Buttermore were kind enough to walk us through the two cars and explained the philosophies behind the two...
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After taking the championship in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge street tuner challenge this year, Kia is announcing further commitments to the world of motorsports. In addition to the 2012 Rio B-Spec racer, built by Kia Racing and Kinetic Motorsports, Kia has unveiled an Optima Hybrid pace car for the United States Touring...
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Is it a crime or just a really good idea? One thing is for sure, this SEMA Show car is an excellently executed project. On display at the Heatshield Products booth and built by Kevin Byrd, this E30 BMW M3 has its hood off for a reason. Rather than the 2.3-liter 4-cylinder that it came...
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It’s plenty of fun even with just 100-hp, but Mazda isn’t called the Zoom Zoom brand for nothing. Revealed today at the 2011 SEMA Show is a tuner car concept dubbed the Mazda2 Turbo. Rather than some bolt-on turbocharger this sub-compact gets a complete swap from its big-brother, the Mazdaspeed3. Borrowing that 2.3-liter direct-injection 4-cylinder,...
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As expected, the focus on Honda’s SEMA Show display this year is its all-new 2012 Civic – the Si in particular. Rather than display dozens of cars like in the past, Honda has chosen just a select few tuners to create the most wildly modified Civics they could dream up. Stealing the show at the...
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The Scion FR-S, Toyota FT-86 and Subaru BRZ media fest continues this morning with the reveal of the BRZ STI Concept ahead of its LA Auto Show debut. Looking remarkably similar to the Scion FR-S concept it does have a more production-ready finish, with modest wheels (215/45/18 tires up front and 225/45/18 in the rear)...
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Chevrolet hosted a special event at the Wynn in Las Vegas to showcase three new muscle cars, as well as the special edition Sonics already brought to you by AutoGuide. First up was the Chevrolet Camaro COPO concept, a preview of what Chevrolet says is their potential NHRA Eliminator class dragster. While Chevy says that...
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Rumored for months and perhaps even years, Hyundai has confirmed it will offer a Veloster Turbo model. Announced by Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik at a media dinner in Las Vegas on the eve of the SEMA Show, the car will officially debut at the Detroit Auto Show this January. Krafcik was mum on...
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Aping the roof structure of the Porsche Boxster Spyder, Mazda has unveiled its own lighter-weight drop-top at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Using a light-weight tarp-like design, the Spyder’s top is affixed in the front to the top of the windshield, while the rear buckles into mounts located in the truck. Mazda has yet...
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The 2011 SEMA Show isn’t officially open yet but we’ve obtained a few snap shots of one of the two Honda‘s being kept under wraps. Called the 2012 Civic Si HFP this more hard-edged version of the new Si might just be the car enthusiasts were hoping for. While the list of the modifications includes...
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It might not be the wildest car at Honda‘s 2011 SEMA Show booth, but the Honda Factory Performance (HFP) Accord Coupe V6 Concept might be the closes to reality. In a pristine white, the Accord Coupe gets a custom HFP body kit, a 15mm lower suspension and some big 19-inch wheels. The best part, however,...
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Unveiled ahead of its official debut at the 2011 SEMA Show is this very custom Rauh-Welt Porsche 965. The wide fendered, deep dish wheeled, humongously spoilered tuner Porsche is the property of former 0-60 editor Brian Scotto. Recenty Scotto made the switch to work with motorsports personality Ken Block and now runs Block’s “Hoonigan” brand....
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First unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Land Rover‘s DC100 Concept is heading to the U.S., signifying the luxury SUV maker’s intention to eventually offer a production version in North America. Previewing the next-generation Defender SUV, Land Rover’s global brand direct John Edwards has given strong hints that the new model will go on sale...
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Fiat has officially confirmed it will add a third model to its U.S. lineup, debuting the new 500 Abarth at the LA Auto Show. Looking like a kitted-out version of the standard 500, this car is certain to hit the sweet spot with enthusiasts, and is expected to come equipped with a turbocharged 1.4-liter 4-cylinder...
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Chevrolet is doing it big at the 2011 SEMA Show as it will releases multiple Camaros and Corvettes this year. Chris Perry, the vice president of Chevrolet global marketing and strategy, says, “Go to any Corvette or Camaro enthusiast event and you will have a hard time finding a factory-stock vehicle. These are cars that...
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Snow or no snow, BMW will be braving the Detroit winter to show off the 2013 F30 3 Series in its public debut January 12. The announcement comes after the initial debut earlier this month in Munich and reveals that there will be the standard and M Sport packages along with three new lines: sport,...
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Participating in an auto show is an expensive business. To rent the right amount of space for your display, then have a stage constructed to represent the brands image, plus hiring all the staff needed at the booth to answer questions from the public. It’s all a very big and expensive affair which can easily...
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Mazda has just released teaser images of two of its 2011 SEMA Show cars, both of which we desperately wish were heading to production. No details have been released, but the names of each car reveal the most important features. Up first is the MX-5 Spyder, sporting a Porsche Boxster Spyder style soft-top roof designed...
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The world’s largest aftermarket expo is just days away and Ford has released a second batch teaser images, highlighting the customization potential of its truck and SUV offerings. Three modified versions of the new Ford Explorer will be on hand at the 2011 SEMA Show. The first, called the “Business Edition” Explorer is built by...
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Kia plans on making a splash this year at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show with its surf/skate-themed 2012 Rio hatchback. This gnarly Rio is the result of a partnership between Kia and Antenna Magazine, and is touted as being a “one-of-a-kind retro ride aimed at totally radical surfing enthusiasts.” To start off, Kia...
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Having recently introduced an all-new version of its popular M-Class SUV, Mercedes is set for a followup at next month’s LA Auto Show. Taking center stage will be the high-performance AMG-tuned version of the luxury utility vehicle, the ML63. Along with a upgraded performance components like a stiffer suspension and upgraded brakes, the new ML63...
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The Audi TT has been among us for a long, long time. While the original model wasn’t great, it sold in huge numbers. The second generation model was much better to drive, but has not sold in the same capacity. To keep the public interested in the TT, Audi keeps coming up with newer, more...
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