Monday, May 13, 2013


Not too long ago, Nissan released a concept, called the Nissan Juke R. This was based on a standard Nissan Juke, but had the engine and all wheel drive driveline of the Nissan GT-R. While we thought the concept was absolutely awesome, we never expected this to actually come to fruition - until today! Nissan announced on 5/3 that they will make a very limited run available of this car on a build-to-order basis.

If you thought the concept was awesome, the production Juke-R will blow your mind. How does 545 horsepower, and the improved driveline and chassis of the new 2012 Nissan GT-R sound? We think it sounds pretty sweet! The original concept drew so much attention, that people in Dubai were offering Nissan money on the spot to buy the Juke R... and that one only had 485 horsepower. Nissan already has 3 offers from high profile Dubai citizens and decided it's time to release these to more people.
545 horsepower from a "bone stock" Nissan Juke is pretty awesome. Image the possibilities when you add some performance modifications... even something as simple as a Hallman Boost Controller can add 50 horsepower. Add to that an intake and exhaust, and you'll have a 650 hp Nissan Juke, easily!
The Nissan Juke-R is living proof that when people speak up, good things happen. Enthusiasts need to let the manufactures know when there is a concept or a model that they want to see. The manufactures listen!
Interested in buying one? You can email juke-r@nissan.co.uk We don't have a price, but expect it to be over $100K.
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Saturday, May 11, 2013

BMW luxury cars have not always been popular candidates for modified car projects, but with the horse power wars between the top German car manufacturers of the last few decades, they have become quite popular with aftermarket car tuning houses such as Geiger and Reiger. As a result you'd always find the latest BMW cars, such as the BMW M3 and the other BMW 3 Series models at custom car shows.
Below is our gallery of some of the hottest BMW cars from different custom car shows...

Custom BMW 325 at the Motion Custom Car Show in 2009
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Thursday, May 9, 2013

BMW luxury cars have not always been popular candidates for modified car projects, but with the horse power wars between the top German car manufacturers of the last few decades, they have become quite popular with aftermarket car tuning houses such as Geiger and Reiger. As a result you'd always find the latest BMW cars, such as the BMW M3 and the other BMW 3 Series models at custom car shows.
Below is our gallery of some of the hottest BMW cars from different custom car shows...


BMW Z4 Coupe by dStyle at the 2008 Essen Motor Show
BMW Z4 Coupe by dStyle at the 2008 Essen Motor Show
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For the horsepower wars, the Camaro has usually always been the king of the hill. Producing better horsepower and torque from the factory, faster quarter mile, and usually a faster 0-60 time. For 2013, Ford isn't getting bullied any more. The 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 5.8L produces an incredible 662 horsepower at 6,250 RPM and 631 torque at 4,000 rpm. Incredible! The 2012 Camaro ZL1 has a 6.2L that makes 580 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 556 torque at 4,200 rpm. Nothing to sneeze at, but the Mustang makes significantly more power. Both engines are supercharged, and can produce even more power with simple modifications.
Ford has also kicked up the marketing, hinting that the Shelby GT500 can hit 200 mph. Chevrolet hasn't made such claims with the Camaro ZL1, but considering the gearing and power, it should come close.
The Camaro vs Mustang debate continues, and die hard Camaro fans will always love the Camaro, and die hard Mustang fans will always love the Mustang. For those of us who love both, this Camaro vs Mustang battle is only getting more interesting and we can't wait to see how it continues to unfold.
The 2012 Camaro ZL1 hits 0-60 in 4.4 seconds and quarter mile at 12.4@116.1 mph. The Mustang Shelby GT500 hits 0-60 in 4.0 seconds and runs the quarter mile in 11.9@123.5 mph. What's good to note here is that the trap speeds are almost 10mph difference! The Mustang looks to have significant top end power over the ZL1. However it's hard to imagine a 580 hp Camaro running "only" 116 mph in the quarter mile.
In the Camaro vs Mustang battle, the Mustang wins hands down in power and acceleration. However, the Camaro did come out on top for handling. 1.03g lateral acceleration for the ZL1, and 0.98 for the Mustang Shelby and was faster through the slalom with 70.8mph vs 69.1 for the GT500.
Next up is braking where the Camaro vs Mustang battle is pretty close, with 109 feet vs 110 feet for the Camaro.
In terms of looks, both the Camaro and Mustang look awesome. Incredibly mean stances, but both could use a few modifications such as a good coilover system or lowering springs to give them less wheel gap and an even more aggressive stance.
Two awesome American muscle cars, two awesome contenders for world domination, and two reasons to love the Camaro vs Mustang battle.
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We get this question a lot. People ask us the pros and cons and which is better daily. We decided to create an article about this topic to better explain the differences with intakes, which we recommend, and which would be right for your vehicle or performance needs. We will be adding to this as new technology comes out, so please check back often, or add a comment about how a short ram intake or cold air intake has worked for you.
What is the difference between a cold air intake and a short ram intake?
As the name implies, a short ram intake is "short". Due to it's size, the intake pipe doesn't stretch far away from the intake manifold, so the air filter remains somewhere near the engine. A cold air intake has longer piping, and is designed to push the air filter away from the engine into an area that has colder air, hence the name cold air intake. Typically, since the cold air intake draws in cooler air it usually makes more horsepower than a short ram. However, depending on engine design, this isn't always the case, and we'll explain further below. A short ram intake is generally less expensive as well, and easier to install and service since the air filter is typically easy to see when you pop the hood. A cold air intake is longer, and places the air filter farther away, sometimes in a fender, so installation is more difficult as is service, and is usually more expensive.
Short Ram Intake
The short ram intake is generally designed to replace your stock air box. Most stock cars come with a plastic box with a plastic hose connected to the throttle body (or directly to the turbo). A performance aftermarket short ram intake typically has a hard pipe made of aluminum that replaces the stock rubber pipe, and the stock air box is replaced with a open element air filter. This generally gives you a good power increase over stock because you are replacing the restrictive air box with an open element air filter, and replacing the rubber hose (which is usually accordion like on the inside) with a smooth metal pipe. Most quality short ram intakes are calibrated through design to keep the stock air/fuel mixtures the same as stock to not throw any check engine lights. Sometimes a manufacture won't offer a cold air intake when their research shows it doesn't increase power over a short ram intake.
Cold Air Intake
A cold air intake is designed to place the air filter as far away from the hot engine as possible. Especially important when your radiator fan turns on, it will not blow the hot air into your air filter as with most short rams. Some manufactures make the cold air intake so that it places the air filter inside a fender or under a fender to try and capture as much cold air as possible. When an engine takes in colder air, it's packed with more oxygen, and creates more power. When a intake manufacture tests the intake, they test different air filter locations to see which is the coolest location. This usually creates more power over a short ram, but due to the location the air filter gets dirty faster, is harder to install, and harder to maintain when the air filter needs to be cleaned.
Do I need a bypass valve?
An air bypass valve is designed mainly for the cold air intake. Since the air filter is placed so low in the engine, it can suck up water when driving over a puddle or in heavy rains. If your intake sucks in water, the engine will likely hydro-lock, and be destroyed. A bypass valve attaches to your intake pipe, so that if the air filter does become submerged in water, the air will instead go to the path of least resistance, and get pulled in through the bypass valve, and usually not suck in any water. Highly recommended for rainy areas.
Which intake sounds better?
Usually a short ram intake would be louder, since the pipe is shorter in length and closer to the throttle body. A cold air intake isn't much quieter, but might sound a little less deep due to the air traveling a farther distance in the pipe and the pipe almost acting as a resonator. Both give your car a strong deep tone when on the throttle that is undeniably a modified sound that any enthusiast recognizes.
Are air boxes better than open element air intakes?
This really depends on your vehicle. Some vehicles are designed in a way that places the air filter in front of, or near the radiator. The problem with this is that the air filter will get hot air pushed into it when the radiator fan turns on. One way around this is to put the air filter into a box that blocks the air from the radiator fan from directly hitting the air filter. For vehicles with a design like this, an air box would be better. Keep in mind also that sometimes an open element air filter doesn't necessarily make more power than a properly designed aftermarket air box. The air box can also keep the air filter cleaner, requiring less maintenance.
Is it better to have an intake with a dry air filter or an oiled air filter?
This is up for strong debate. Manufactures that use oiled air filters claim they capture more dirt particles. Enthusiasts say that the oil in the air filter can get sucked through the filter, and clog the mass air flow sensor (MAF or MAS) and cause erratic readings. Now a days, most manufactures offer a dry filter that does not need to have oil applied to it. We have had good luck with dry filters, and don't see any need to go with an oiled filter if possible.
What are some short ram intake brands?
AEM Short Ram Intake
K&N FIPK Kit
Weapon R Secret Weapon Intake

Above you see an Injen Short Ram Intake installed on a 2007 Honda Civic Si. Notice how the intake remains in the engine bay. This is the stock location for the factory air box.

Above you see a cold air intake on the same 2007 Honda Civic Si. Notice how the air filter is not in the engine bay. We circled the intake pipe that runs from the throttle body down under the car into the driver side fender well. The arrow shows the intake pipe.
We hope you find this useful and it helps you decide which intake you want to purchase. You can see our catalog of short ram intakes or cold air intakes and if you have any questions, please leave a comment.
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