Autos

Following on from its take on the BMW 2-Series earlier this week, the German tuning company MANHART is back with another BMW offering, this time taking on the M850i. Dubbed the MH8 700, the M850i has been given a complete overhaul that sees its 4.4-liter Biturbo V8 go from 530 HP and 750 Nm of torque to 710 HP and 925 Nm, coming courtesy of an ECU remap, MANHART-upgraded turbochargers, a new intercooler and sports air filters, and a stainless steel exhaust system with valve control. This exhaust system defines what the MH8 700 is, as it now delivers a much more visceral sound experience out of its quad carbon fiber-tipped exhaust pipes. To cope with the extra power, the eight-speed auto transmission has also been tweaked, while stopping power remains standard as BMW’s brakes are alre...

Following its Pony Heritage Series, Hyundai has returned to unveil its second heritage Series electric restomod (restored and modified), the “Grandeur Heritage Series.” Turning its attention towards the 1986 Hyundai Grandeur, a rebadged take on the Mitsubishi Debonair, the update utilizes an electric powertrain and “retro-futurism” styling to reimagine the car’s shape and functionality. The latest restomod from Hyundai maintains the original shape of the car adding modern “pixel” LED headlights and taillights, a clean chrome mesh grille, proud flat wheel covers and striking chrome trim. While the interior has been completely overhauled with a widescreen display with an integrated soundbar and portrait control panel that controls multimedia, driving...

Italian automaker Lamborghini has teamed up with Movember, a men’s health charity organization to bring awareness to men’s health issues, conditions and suicide prevention all throughout the month. To kick start the initiative, Lamborghini coordinated one of its largest charity “bull run”s that took place on November 6, 2021. The global event coordinated rallies in major cities like NY, Los Angeles, Sydney, London, Rome and Cape Town. Beyond the drives, the event also took place at 92 separate activations all over the world at Lamborghini dealerships and community meet-up venues. Client-owned Lamborghinis across its range took to the streets, from “humble” Gallardos and Uruses to the rarest-of-rare special edition Huracán STOs, Aventador SVJ Roadsters, a...

Ahead of the debut of its first all-electric muscle car, Dodge has unveiled a new business plan, dubbed “Never Lift,” which provides a 24-month road map for Dodge’s performance future. As part of the project, Dodge is hiring a “Chief Donut Maker” who will receive $150,000 USD a year to drive a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and act as an ambassador for the brand at various events. According to CEO Tim Kuniskis, the company is looking to hire someone who embodies the spirit of the founding Dodge brothers for the role. “The Dodge brothers were scrappy go-getters. Never content to follow the trends, they were the seekers of a better, faster, more outrageous way of doing things,” said Kuniskis. “And we’re looking to hire someone just like them as an ambassador of Ne...

The British automotive company McLaren may not have joined the luxury SUV market in tandem with Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Bentley, and more, but it has stepped into the world of Extreme E racing with its new XE truck, dubbed the Odyssey 21. Extreme E is an all-electric off-road series that is comprised of five races, but there’s more to it than just title-winning. The showcase also explores the future of racing, given that the cars are electric and highly powered meaning it’s a good way for companies to test out their technological advancements — perhaps meaning that McLaren could be looking to electrify its supercars in the near future. As for the Odyssey 21 itself, its buggy shape has been covered in a livery penned by Vic Lee — who can be seen on Instagram worki...

While the world waits for the debut of BMW‘s new M2, and subsequently the release of the new 2-Series, the tuning house MANHART has taken it upon itself to create a concept of what its M2 rival will look like. Dubbed the MH2 450, the car is based on a top-spec 2-Series — which is set to come later this month — and features a host of upgrades to give it enough power to unsettle any current or future M2 owner. As previously revealed, the top-spec 2-Series Coupe M240i will feature 382 HP, but using an MHtronik Powerbox, MANHART has upped the power to 450 HP. Torque goes from 500 Nm to 650 Nm, while the delivery of this new power has been managed so that there’s power at various areas in the rev band, making for a smoother but ultimately faster delivery. Of course, no M...

When it comes to engineering innovative, powerful and elegant looking motorcycles, there’s arguably no one that does it better than Bandit9 — a Saigon-based motorcycle imprint that’s helmed by Daryl Villanueva. Some of the brand’s striking creations so far include that of the L-Concept and the Odyssey, and now it has officially unveiled its latest offering: The Supermarine Motorcycle. From a design-perspective, the Vietnam motorcycle entity fashioned the futuristic looking machine with a body that mimics the look of leaping Mobula Rays, and its frame is cooked up to mimic that of a coral reef. Some of the most striking features to point out here are the chassis which is formed with a 7075 aluminum build which is extremely lightweight and durable, cast aluminum alloy wheel...

BMW has confirmed that it will be removing the touchscreens from some of its car models due to the global chip shortage that some estimate might last until 2023. BMW confirmed to both Edmunds and Autoblog that several models will be shipped without touchscreen functionality, including the BMW 3 Series, BMW 4 Series Coupe, Convertible and Gran Coupe (excluding the i4), BMW X5, BMW X6, BMW X7 and BMW Z4. “As you know, the global chip shortage is ongoing and impacting automakers worldwide,” a BMW spokesperson told Autoblog. “We are actively managing the situation and are in close contact with our suppliers.” BMW confirmed to Autoblog that customers who accept delivery of a car without a touchscreen will be given a $500 USD credit. The global shortage of computer chips ...

With crate motors gaining more popularity within the automotive industry, Ford is now showing off its flexibility yet again over at the SEMA Show by crafting an F-100 electric restomod. After teaming up with MLe Racecars for the Mustang Cobra Jet 1400, Ford has now reunited with MLe Racecars for the latest project, essentially stripping the 1978 F-100 pickup almost entirely. Powering the vintage truck is now the American automaker’s Mach-E GT Performance Edition front and rear motors, creating an all-wheel-drive that can deliver a staggering 480 horsepower and 634 pound-feet of torque, although no details have been revealed about what kind of battery it runs on. Sheer power aside, the F-100 also received a range of other bespoke enhancements and upgrades. The chassis was custom-built...

After rolling out in several cities including San Francisco, Google‘s Waymo brings its self-driving vehicles to the bustling New York City streets. As the most densely populated city in the United States with “unusual road geometrics, complex intersections, and constantly evolving layouts,” the Waymo Driver arrives in New York City to build on its learnings and map the city for the first time. Driving through ice and snow conditions in the city this coming winter will allow Waymo Driver to apply new insights across its entire fleet. The vehicles will be manually driven with two people riding inside, and no more than five cars on the street at a time to start. New Yorkers can catch these uniquely fitted cars driving primarily south of Central Park, in the Financial Distric...

Best known for its premium Land Rover Defender restomods, U.K.-based custom workshop Arkonik has now tapped former Bugatti design chief Etienne Salomé for a special open-top build. Dubbed the Beach Cruiser, the new creation is based on a 1989 Defender 90. With the roof completely removed, Salomé has turned the robust off-roader into a minimalist convertible, rebuilding almost all of its sleek gray body panels to create a boxed, distraction-free aesthetic. Even the door handles are hidden, with the iconic round headlights now tucked neatly in the grille. The minimalist design extends into the interior as well, with simple instrument panels and controls to retain the car’s vintage heritage. Its seats are covered in black denim to match the hardware, complete with a retro steering wheel...