Kurt Ernst, Contributor
Articles
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When it comes to engine modifications for additional performance, most enthusiasts are content to reflash the ECU, add an intake, bolt on an exhaust header and low-restriction exhaust and call it...
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Forbidden Fruit: Subaru's U.K.-Only WRX STI 340R
In the United States, Subaru’s ultimate all-wheel-drive hoon-mobile, the WRX STI, comes packing 305 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque. While that’s nothing to sneeze at, it’s nowhere near as impressive as it was just a few years back. These days, even a base V-6 Ford Mustang...
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2013 Ford Explorer Sport Delivers 365 Horsepower And 22 MPG Highway
Performance and fuel economy are generally believed to be mutually exclusive, especially when it comes to SUVs. BMW’s X5 M serves up 555 horsepower, but at the cost of 17 mpg fuel economy. Jeep’s Grand Cherokee SRT8 packs 470 horsepower, but returns just 18 mpg. The Range Rover Sport...
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Risk Of Injury In A New Volvo Drops 50 Percent Since 2000
Safety sells cars, especially when shoppers are looking for a new family vehicle. No other automaker has done as much to market safety as Volvo, probably since safety has been a primary focus of the Swedish automaker for decades. Its latest internal review of accident data shows that the risk of...
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Wins Pole Position For New NASCAR Game Cover
There’s a new version of Activision’s NASCAR racing game due in stores this fall, and NASCAR The Game: Inside Line promises to give player the thrill of Sprint Cup competition, without the hassle of figuring out where to park the transporters between races. We previously told you that...
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The World's Greatest Drag Race Is Back For Round 2: Video
A year ago, Motor Trend magazine gathered nine of the tastiest morsels it could beg, borrow or steal from the press fleet to bring you “The World’s Greatest Drag Race.” It was something of a mismatch, since cars like the BMW 1 Series M and the Lotus Evora S never stood a chance...
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Not content to wait for buyers to grace its showrooms, Aston Martin is taking three of its cars on an ambitious tour of Europe. Over the next three months, Aston Martin’s “Power, Beauty,...
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Is The Red Skull's Schmidt Hydra Coupe The Ultimate Villain Ride? Video
In movies, the good guys generally drive the best cars. Pick a James Bond film, for example, and it’s usually 007 with both the coolest ride and and the coolest gadgets. We’d take Frank Bullitt’s Mustang fastback over the plus-sized Dodge Charger, too, although Mopar fans will...
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The 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 In Its Topless Glory: Video
The countdown to the next-generation (C7) Corvette has officially begun, as tours of the Bowling Green Assembly Plant will be temporarily suspended beginning on September 14 to allow for plant retooling. That’s the necessary first step towards building the 2014 Corvette, but Chevrolet wants...
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Next-Generation Mustang Rumor Mill Cranks Up
Ford’s next-generation Mustang isn’t due to hit dealers until sometime in 2014, likely as a 2015 model. Despite the fact that Ford has been careful not to release too many details about the car in advance, speculation over the next Mustang is again heating up. First, its widely believed...
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Audi's Sport Quattro Returning In 2015: Report
Audi’s short-wheelbase Sport Quattro, based on the first generation Audi Quattro, has become the stuff of legend. Originally developed for Group B rallying, the Sport Quattro also saw limited production in road-going trim. Equipped with a 2.1-liter five cylinder turbocharged engine...
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Pebble Beach Auctions Generate Serious Sales Despite Sagging Global Economy
If you read (or watch) the news, doom and gloom over the economy on both sides of the Atlantic is nearly inescapable. While the world may be on the brink of economic ruin, this past weekend’s Pebble Beach auctions show that buyers’ appetites for collector cars aren’t affected...
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Developing a world-class supercar like the Lexus LFA from a clean sheet of paper is no easy task, and turning that supercar (or supercar prototype) into a competitive endurance racer is an order of...
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Écurie 25 Brings Supercar Time Shares To Austin, Texas
Time shares have long been a popular way for people to “buy” something they otherwise couldn’t afford. Whether you’re talking about vacation properties, airplanes or exotic cars, there’s a time share concept for almost any passion. Écurie 25 is perhaps the best...
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McLaren Special Operations shows X-1 supercar at Pebble Beach
McLaren’s Special Operations (MSO) program can provide bespoke customization for McLaren buyers, now and in the future. We've already seen McLaren show an MSO-prepared MP4-12C at Pebble Beach, but it appears the British supercar manufacturer has come up with something extra special for this...
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Porsche Shows Us More 'Secret Collection' Cars: Video
The mission of the Porsche Museum is to preserve the models under its care for future generations. Some are exhibited at the automaker’s museum in Zuffenhausen, Germany, while others are exhibited at automotive events worldwide, such as this weekend’s Pebble Beach Concours...
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1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster Could Set Auction Price Record
Dating back to an era when style was as important as function, and there was no such thing as “over-engineered,” the Mercedes-Benz 540K was likely the pinnacle of pre-war European automotive engineering. Built in coupe, cabriolet and armored limousine models, the topless variants are...
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First Details Emerge On The Next-Gen Audi A4 (B9)
Audi’s A4, in all its variants, is the company’s best-selling car worldwide. The current B8 version was debuted to the public at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show, with sales beginning in 2008. While the car gets a light refresh for the 2013 model year, it will soon be due for replacement...
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If you own a Ferrari California and live in Eastern Europe or Russia, you may want to just park your ride for a few days and rent a Fiat 500 to be safe. We’re sure it’s just coincidence,...
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Mercedes-Benz Honors The SL Roadster At Pebble Beach
For six decades, the Mercedes-Benz SL Class has been one of the most iconic luxury sports cars on the market. In recognition of this, Mercedes-Benz is presenting a tribute to the SL (which designates “Super Light”) at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Combining a...
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2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed Makes North American Debut At Pebble Beach
Luxury automaker Bentley has chosen the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance for the North American debut of its fastest-ever production model, the 2013 Continental GT Speed. With an output of 625 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque from its twin-turbo W-12 engine, the Continental GT...
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2013 SRT Viper GTS Launch Edition To Debut At The Quail: A Motorsport Gathering
Paying homage to Viper Coupes of the past, the 2013 Viper GTS Launch Edition will make its public debut at the Quail Lodge as part of this weekend’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The GTS Blue with Bright White stripes coupe will be shown at the Quail Lodge on Friday, August 17, from...
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NHRA Approves Cockpit Canopy For Top Fuel Dragsters
Safety is always a consideration for any form of motorsport, and sanctioning bodies are always looking at ways to make racing safer. One such effort involves enclosing open cockpits to shield drivers from debris (and, we suppose, improve aerodynamics). In NHRA competition, Top Fuel dragsters can...
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Schwarzenegger Shares Spotlight With Camaro ZL1 In New Film: Video
If you’ve wondered why Arnold Schwarzenegger hasn’t had much face time on the big screen of late, the answer is simple: from 2003 until January of 2011, the bodybuilder-turned-action-film-star was busy with another job, namely running the state of California. Now that his political...
Kurt Ernst