Priced from $465K, the LAFFITE G-Tec X-Road is claimed to be the world’s first all-terrain, street-legal supercar. This isn’t some expensive kit car, as the company partnered with G-Tec, a company led by racing engineer Philippe Gautheron, to develop a rolling chassis made of chromium molybdenum steel. When combined with its 17 inches of suspension travel and large BF Goodrich off-road tires, it’s not hard to imagine this roaming the desert or just about any other terrain. Read more
Spartanburg Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram wanted to offer its customers a one-off 2019 Dodge Charger R/T, and they came up with this “Zombie Apocalypse Edition”. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come equipped with any zombie-fighting goodies, but unlike the factory model, this one comes with a rusty wrap that “looks like it came straight out of a zombie apocalypse with all the power of a Scat Pack,” according to the dealer. Read more for additional pictures and information.
The Hennessey Velociraptor V8 isn’t a vehicle you’d normally associate with street racing, or just racing in general, but that’s exactly what the Texas-based tuner did when it pit the truck against a 2020 Toyota GR Supra. Just to recap the latter is powered by a turbocharged BMW-sourced 3.0L inline-six engine generating 335 hp and 365 lb-ft of torque, while the truck sports a supercharged 5.0L V8 producing 758 hp at the crank. Read more for the video and additional information.
Sitting for too long can be degrading to a person’s health by increasing their risk for obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, deep-vein thrombosis, and metabolic syndrome. Jaguar Land Rover may have a solution for long road trips with their new shape-shifting seat that mimics walking using actuators built into the foam. Read more for a video and additional information.
Photo credit: Dimitar Tilev
Auto enthusiast Dimitar Tilev decided to take remote-controlled drift cars to the next level by building one that’s powered by an Arduino microprocessor and four servo motors connected to an accelerometer. Combine those with several 3D-printed parts and you have an active suspension that leans just like a real car while drifting. Read more to see it in-action and for additional information.
First introduced way back in 2016, the all-electric Lucid Air is finally headed to production this year and will be officially unveiled at the New York Auto Show on April 8th. The prototype is powered by two electric motors that produce a combined 1,000 hp, paired with either a 100 kWh or 130 kWh battery pack, priced starting from $100,000. Read more for two videos and additional information.
What do you get when you cross a Chevrolet K5 Blazer with a Pontiac Fiero and Ferrari Testarossa? A Fierrari of course. Offered for just $9,500 on Craigslist a few months ago, the bizarre vehicle is now headed to the 2020 Barrett Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. The only original part left on this vehicle is its shell, as even the engine is no longer mounted mid-mounted, but has been moved up front. Read more for additional pictures and information.
Toyota Motor Co. announced today that it’s investing $394 million in Joby Aviation, a company that is currently developing electric air taxis that will eventually transport people over gridlocked highways and city streets. This makes the California-based Joby the best-funded “eVTOL” (electric vertical take-off and landing) startup to date, with a total of $720 million raised thus far. Read more for a video and additional information.
Think of the 2020 Polaris Slingshot as a supercar, but in go kart form, all street-legal and ready to tear up the roads as well as track. It’s powered by a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine that was machined in Germany alongside Mercedes-AMG V8 hardware. The entry level model has 180 hp and 120 lb-ft of torque sent through the single rear wheel, while the Slingshot R boasts 203 hp and 144 lb-ft of torque. Read more for two videos, including a test drive.
One vehicle that may have been overlooked at CES 2020 is the Lightyear One, an electric vehicle covered in solar panels that claims to achieve 450-miles of range from its built-in battery. The five square meters of solar panels cover its roof / hood and is capable of charging the car’s battery with up to 7.5-miles of range an hour. These solar cells are reportedly 20% more efficient than traditional models. Read more for a test drive video from CES 2020 and additional information.