Is it weird that the LS engine has become so commonplace in a Foxbody Ford that it seems weird to swap in anything else? I mean the GM LS is already outside the family, so why does a Gen3 HEMI seem strange? It shouldn’t because the Gen3 HEMI is a good engine that can make great power. But putting a Hellcat combo that has been twin turbocharged in one has got to qualify as awesome. That’s exactly what is going on with this new project at Boosted Lifestyle so check out the first video in the series below, where we’ll find out what the real plan is going to be for this project.
Video Description:
Part one of the Twin Turbo Hellcat Swapped Foxbody. Man pedal 6 speed’.
The next 2024 Hyundai Tucson is about to introduce one significant upgrade. Of course, we are talking about the all-electric Tucson EV. This model will provide impressive performance, which includes lots of power and a good driving range.
As for the regular Tucson, it should be on the road for another year or two. This version will receive minor upgrades, from what we know. The sales will begin later in 2023 and here’s everything you need to know about the Tucson SUV and its all-electric version.
Exterior Redesign
The Tucson crossover SUV already looks modern and upright. However, the 2024 Hyundai Tucson will look even better. This model will gain more curves and it will look sleeker as a result. Hyundai is looking to improve its aerodynamics. Moreover, the new Tucson will have better handling and will act more agile. The vehicle’s dimensions shouldn’t change at all, which includes ride height and the wheelbase.
19-inch aluminum alloy wheels are available once again, which is the most popular option. Tucson will continue to offer off-road tires as well. The front fascia will change, especially on the all-electric variant, as air intakes or larger openings are not needed. Moreover, the Tucson EV will have a storage place under the hood, as the electric powertrain will be moved further back.
Hyundai Tucson Interior Changes
The interior of the 2024 Hyundai Tucson will receive a lot of upgrades. For a start, the manufacturer will provide new seats for improved comfort. Furthermore, the cabin will look more upright and Tucson SUV will also deliver more standard high-tech amenities. New upholstery is on the way, so Hyundai is clearly making a lot of changes on the inside.
The instrument panel will gain small changes, but we expect to see new and larger displays. On top of that, an all-digital dashboard is in the works. There will be room for five passengers and third-row is not happening anytime soon. The all-electric Tucson will provide impressive storage space and it will gain a more futuristic look.
Tucson Hybrid and Tucson EV Specs
The next 2024 Hyundai Tucson is getting an all-electric variant. However, regular Tucson with internal combustion engines will be on the road. The regular version comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 187 hp and 182 lb-ft of torque. Basically, we don’t expect to see changes or improvements under the hood. As for the all-electric Tucson, it will sit on a new architecture. The platform will be able to accommodate a 100 kWh battery pack, which is great to hear.
Thanks to that, Tucson EV will provide 300 miles on a single charge. The all-electric version will reportedly produce at least 300 horsepower. We are waiting to hear more details about this brand-new model. On the other hand, Tucson will continue to offer hybrid variants as well, both the mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
Hyundai Vision T Concept
2024 Hyundai Tucson Release Date and Price
The price of the regular 2024 Hyundai Tucson will start at $28,000. This SUV has so many trim levels and the most expensive variant is available for around $45,000. The electric Tucson will cost over $40,000, that’s for sure. While we are waiting to hear more details, we know that this model will hit the dealerships in the second half of 2023.
Bradenton Motorsports Park has been the epicenter of awesome when it comes to racing these past few weeks and it’s awesome to see that even more greatness is going on before the Christmas holiday! This week the SFG Christmas Bracket Bash is on! Someone is going to have a really good Christmas after winning some of these races. Tuesday is the $20,000 Sean Serra Memorial Warm Up and then Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday is each worth $50,000!
That’s big money right before Christmas so join us to watch all the action LIVE and FREE thanks to our friends at MotorManiaTV.
Video Description:
Who doesn’t like Florida in December, no one! Sold out for the 3rd year running, it’s time for another great event put on by the folks at SFG and once again hosted at the newly renovated Bradenton Motorsports Park. The team at Bradenton have worked overtime the last few months to pour a new racing surface, install new grandstands on both sides of the track and make the facility even better than it was. This years race will feature the Sean Serra Memorial $20K warmup race and four $50K to win races starting Wednesday and running through Saturday.
As a kid, I unsuccessfully lobbied my parents to buy a Blazer a few times in the 1980s and 1990s. I loved these things then, and I love them now. My friend and gas station co-buffoon Brian had a 1978 K5 Blazer that we successfully made run worse than new over the course of time. Ahh, high school. Anyway, this video served as a reminder to me about how much I really liked these trucks.
I cannot say that I am the biggest fan of the “four headlight” nose of the 1989-1991 trucks but I can look past that. Proportionally, things do not get much better for a truck. It’s big, it is square, its a nice short wheelbase, and the whole design is as simple as the day is long. Mechanically, you had a 210hp rated 350 with throttle body injection hooked to a 700R4 automatic. As you will see in this video, the stock performance of these things was not all that bad, actually the numbers kind of surprised us.
The deep rally wheels on this truck make it for me. I had these wheels on a pickup truck and they’re about the best looking GM truck wheel ever. Again, simple, easy, and classic. It’s interesting that these guys reference the rust problems these trucks had and how GM was trying to fix it by using galvanized steel, or at least more of it. Like the 1973-87 pickups, Blazers did tend to evaporate in climates that were not Arizona, Texas, California, or New Mexico. Around the Northeast, there was a period in the early 2000s where it became a rarity to see one of these things that had rocker panels that still existed!
Like all things square body GM truck, values of these rigs are skyrocketing. If you bought a clean one a few years ago you made the right move because it’s worth way more now and will likely not be reversing course any time soon. Why? Because now all the guys like me that wanted one as a kid are hunting them down.
Great trucks!
Press play below to see a 1989 Chevrolet K5 Blazer tested in all of its 1989 glory –
Get ready for the 2024 BMW X3, which will be the next-gen model. Naturally, the German carmaker will introduce lots of upgrades and some of them will be significant. And while BMW plans to continue offering conventional engines with internal combustion, a hybrid powertrain is on the way.
On top of that, numerous reports are predicting the all-electric X3. If it doesn’t happen next year, the all-electric X3 is not so far away, that’s for sure. In any case, X3 SUV will gain numerous cosmetic upgrades, interior improvements, and much more.
BMW X3 Engine Specs
The next 2024 BMW X3 will continue to offer multiple engine choices. Naturally, the next step will be electrification. As this is the next-gen X3, we expect at least a hybrid powertrain on the offer. However, the all-electric X3 is also a possibility. As for the internal combustion engines, BMW will continue to offer a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. This engine develops 250 horsepower and up to 260 lb-ft of torque. If you want more power, the optional 3.0-liter unit is capable of producing 380 hp and 370 lb-ft of torque.
There is also a 3.0-liter engine with a turbocharger and this output will generate 475 horses and 460 lb-ft of torque. Finally, BMW X3 M is the most powerful version. It is a famous high-performance variant with 500 horsepower and a torque of 460 lb-ft. The credit goes to a potent and reliable twin-turbo gas engine. We are waiting to hear more details on a possible hybrid powertrain.
Exterior Upgrades
The forthcoming 2024 BMW X3 has been caught on cameras recently, doing road tests. From what we saw, the current design will remain, but some visual upgrades will happen. It is a recognizable styling that combines a sportier stance with very modern and upright cues. The front fascia will be larger and the grille openings are bigger as well.
The side profile looks sharper and longer and it seems like BMW is about to introduce sharper lines. Again, we are looking at the spy photos, but the next-gen model will certainly provide lots of upgrades. That will include numerous changes, including new wheels, new colors, new taillights, and more.
Interior Changes
In terms of interior design, the new 2024 BMW X3 is still a mystery. Spy photos didn’t provide crucial details, but many reports are suggesting dramatic upgrades on the inside. This is a BMW, so expect an extremely modern and plush interior. Some parts are looking futuristic, while you can find lots of stylish details.
If the all-electric version arrives, expect even more futuristic stuff. The conventional X3 will offer a standard 10.3-inch touchscreen as standard. Moreover, there is a 12.3-inch infotainment system. New model will gain more upright upholstery, more high-tech amenities, and improved safety.
2024 BMW X3 Price and Release Date
The price of the all-new 2024 BMW X3 will slightly increase, so expect it to cost $45,000. You can opt for more luxury trim levels, so the price can easily reach $70k. The sales will begin later next summer, and BMW will provide additional details in the coming weeks.
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For GREAT deals on a new or used Toyota check out Toyota of Glendora TODAY!
Early Mustangs are cool cars that hundreds of thousands of people still enjoy cruising on a weekly bases around the country. Like all old cars though they have their shortcomings, especially when it comes to the riding and driving aspects of their existence. Our pals at Borgeson know this and they know that the factory power steering on these cars is way over-boosted, and that many of the cars have worn out and sloppy original components still on them. This is why they developed a power steering upgrade kit for the 1965 and 1966 model year Mustangs that are so popular.
This kit is comprehensive. It comes with a new pump, lines, power steering box, steering coupler, and a steering column shaft as well. You are not just putting a bandaid on an old system, you are making a significant upgrade to your car and the results are immediate and positive. You’ll have a better steering ratio, better feedback through the wheel, and you will lose that creampuff, over-boosted feeling that doesn’t really fit the sports-minded attitude of the car.
The best part of this whole program is that the entire thing installs with hand tools and as you will see in this video, there is no rocket science involved with doing the work. No exotic tools, no need for heavy shop equipment, just time and elbow grease to upgrade your driver.
Borgeson as a company has been around for more than 100 years and they manufacture, right here in the USA the highest quality steering components for Ford, GM, and Chrysler cars and trucks. From replacement parts to upgrades to individual components, they have it all. We’re proud to have them as a partner here at BangShift and look forward to more steering related fun in the future!
Press play below to see this Borgeson Mustang power steering upgrade kit get installed
Our boy Chad Ehrlich, from Nobody’s Show, is at the Kansas City Mecum Collector Car Auction and is showing off all kinds of bitchin cars from this great event. We trust Chad’s eye, as he’s the most knowledgeable muscle car and collector car guy we’ve ever seen. He happens to be a great guy too, who has a lot of fun doing car things with his friends, so his videos are usually full of good facts, smiling, laughing, and fun.
How he’s still smiling nobody knows, but you’ll dig Part 3 of this new boat adventure.
The adventure continues! Finnegan is still smiling, even though he and his buddies are thrashing on this thing. But man what a beast this beauty is. If you missed the first two parts of this three part adventure, click the link below. We’re not going to tell you everything that happens, because the video is great and you want to watch.
Video Description:
Episode 221 of Mike Finnegan’s Garage is special because it’s the grande finale of a 3 Part Series about my first weekend back behind the wheel of a real drag boat. Although fun, it really did not go well. LOL. We overcame adversity in the form of a severe motor milkshake, which was the result of too much water pressure in the cooling system. We also had to replace several broken valve springs in the 632ci Big-Block Chevy. After solving both of those problems we believed my new 2016 Ralls Precision Machine Cheyenne jet boat was ready for race day. As you’ll see in this video, boy were we wrong! What makes this boat unique is that Andy Ralls cnc-machined all of the aluminum hardware on this boat to be as light as possible. He also had E-Ticket Boats in Lake Havasu, Arizona, laminate the hull entirely from carbon fiber. KMG Boats painted the red, black and gray hues, while Marine Performance Design blueprinted the Dominator jet drive. The boat is powered by a naturally-aspirated 632ci, 10.5 liter aluminum Big Block Chevy engine that produces 1,300hp without nitrous, or turbos or a supercharger. The engine was originally built by Jim Guthrie and recently freshened up by Mike Miller Racing Engines. The engine features a Sonny Bryant crankshaft, CP Pistons, Carrillo connecting rods, Total Seal piston rings, Dart Big Chief cylinder heads, a Dart tall deck aluminum block, an HRE tunnel ram with billet runners, and Gen 3 Holley Dominator carburetors. The electronics consist of an MSD Digital 7 ignition box and a Jesel front drive distributor. The boat was wired by Zack Rauscher. This boat has ran 132mph with an ET of 5.8 seconds on a 1,000ft drag boat track.
Here’s our fourth gallery of photos from Bob Chiluk, and this one is all barn find and survivor cars and you are going to love it.
(Photos by Bob Chiluk) The Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals are the World’s Largest indoor car show showcasing muscle cars, Corvettes, and dealer-built supercars, and thanks to our friend and BANGshift contributor Bob Chiluk, we’ve got galleries of photos from this awesome event to share with all of you. This is a very large show and one that has all kinds of cool vehicles on display, along with vehicle debuts, celebrity appearances, and more. There is no shortage of stuff to drool over, and they’ve even got a really neat survivor area of the show that has some really epic finds.
If you like barn finds, then you will dig that gallery for sure, and we’ll have it rolling tomorrow.
There are a lot of rare and interesting muscle cars at this show, including stuff that was designed to travel the show circuit and then disappear, and never again see the light of day. This event has those kinds of cars in spades, and it is awesome to see them in one place.
You need to put this show on your list of events that qualify as “must attend” for next year. We already have and we want to join our Chicago area pals to help with the coverage in 2023. Yeah, it is cold and crummy up there this time of the year but that is part of the fun. ANYONE can do a badass car show in great weather but only the hardcore fans will battle the elements. These photos are great.
And Bob has done such a great job covering this event in years past that they allowed us to have a Bob Chiluk, BANGshift.com, Pick for this year’s show. We’ll have a dedicated gallery just to that awesome Mopar coming later in the week. In the meantime, check out our first gallery and use the link below to see any you’ve missed before.
Thanks again Bob for doing such a great job at this show.
This is a bittersweet story of a little car that went up against giants and lost, but came away a hero.
I use the word ‘hero’ in more of a philosophical sense, because although the SARD-engineered MC8-R race car never came close to a podium, it stands as a champion to many, for reasons I will endeavour to explain.
The car I’m about to show you today is the one-of-one MC8, a car built to homologate the Toyota Team SARD MC8-R for Le Mans in 1995.
In the early ’90s, with the demise of Group C, Toyota decided to make a transition from purpose-built race cars like the TS010 to production-car-based GT machines for Le Mans.
Toyota chose the JZA80 Supra and SW20 MR2 models to headline this new direction. The former, much like its rival, the Nissan Skyline GT-R LM, seemed like an obvious choice, but to satisfy the Le Mans rulebook, the GT-spec Supra was powered by a 2.1L turbo 3S-GTE engine.
The second entry from Toyota was a little more unlikely. They chose a SARD-developed MR2 to go head-to-head with the likes of the McLaren F1, Kremer K8 Spyder and Ferrari F40 LM. In order to stand a chance, Toyota and SARD would need to beef up the little mid-engine MR2 considerably. But would it be enough?
Toyota Team SARD built a few cars for competition use, but they only needed to build one road-going version to satisfy the homologation requirements. That makes this car the only road-legal, stretched, V8-powered MR2 in the world. It disappeared shortly after Toyota and SARD finished racing in 1997, but resurfaced 15 years later.
The MC8’s current owner, Mr. Y, bought it a few years ago, and after a long process bringing it up to current road and safety standards, put the unique car back on the street.
As for the original cars that competed at Le Mans, the first ’95 car was scrapped, and the ’96 car was updated for the 1997 season and joined by another new MC8-R. One of those ’97 season race cars caught fire, and rumour has it that the fire-damaged machine was salvaged and turned into a road car, but that hasn’t been confirmed.
The sole-surviving ’97 Toyota Team SARD MC8-R works car is owned by a private collector in Aichi Prefecture, or maybe Gifu. At the time of writing, further investigation is needed, but it’s a car that I for one would love to see.
To ensure the MC8-R would be stable at the constant high speeds that Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans demands, SARD reinterpreted the rulebook and lengthened the MR2 around 400mm from the rear wheel arches. Essentially, SARD built a tube frame to support the rear of the car, but kept the majority of the front half of the chassis untouched.
This was the first GT machine to be modified from a road car by having its complete rear section replaced with a tube frame. It’s a technique Porsche borrowed for its hugely successful 911 GT1.
Another reason for stretching the MR2 was to fit a 4.0L 1UZ-FE V8, which at the time was found in the Lexus LS 400 and Toyota Aristo. It was a brave move from SARD, but a choice backed up by the reliability of the venerable quad-cam 32-valve V8. The engine was developed with GT500 applications in mind, although it never made an appearance in that series.
The MC8-R race cars were fitted with a twin-turbo system from SARD’s catalogue, but the road-going MC8 version wasn’t treated to any forced induction.
In race trim, the MC8-R was a proper power-to-weight champion. In 1995, it weighed 1,273kg (2,806lb) and made 580PS. In the following years, weight was trimmed down to 1,061kg (2,339lb) and then down to 1,000kg (2,204lb) in 1997, while power went from 580PS to 664PS respectively.
Sadly, no matter how cool the car looked, or how ridiculous the power-to-weight ratio was, the MC8-R had worse luck than a black cat walking under a ladder on Friday the 13th.
On its first appearance at Le Mans in 1995 it didn’t manage to finish the race due to clutch failure. In 1996, SARD switched from a 6-speed Hewland transmission to a 5-speed March Engineering unit, but the stronger gearbox was the least of their problems. Even after dropping around 200kg, the car qualified in basically the same place as the previous year, then came second to last on race day.
Considering the competition, it’s not surprising; even the mighty GT-R and NSX only came 15th and 16th respectively out of 25 finishers. The little MC8-R was up against cars like the McLaren F1 and the Porsche GT1
Coincidently, remember I said that Porsche borrowed SARD’s idea to make a rear tube frame for their 911 GT1? Well, guess which Porsche absolutely wiped the floor that year… If Albert Einstein copied your homework, I think you can chalk that up as a pretty big win.
In ’97, after shedding even more weight and pumping up the power, things still didn’t go well for the MC8-R at Le Mans. Despite the team’s best efforts, they didn’t qualify and ultimately gave up trying.
The cars went on to race in a few Japan championships, but without any real success there either. It’s a shame, because the MC8-R was a brilliant recipe for a very cool race car; perhaps Toyota Team SARD just had their sights set too high…
As a road car, the MC8 is an absolute joy, so perhaps this is where it should have been developed more. Maybe, like so many marques, the homologation specials are actually better than the race cars they are modelled on.
I’m sure if the SARD MC8 was built as a limited-run production car, it would have sold like hot cakes. At least there’s this one though, and thankfully Mr. Y is driving it on the streets of Japan as a reminder that dreaming big is sometimes more important than winning.
