Autoblog

If you haven't heard much about Techco, you soon will. The Anaheim-based aftermarket company launched a bevy of performance products for the Chrysler LX platform and Ford Mustang earlier this year, and recently stuffed its reverse-revolution twin-screw supercharger system underneath the hood of a brand new C6 Corvette. The result? 600 horsepower and 535 lb-ft torque at just six pounds of boost.

Designed and engineered by the same team that created the Series VI supercharger for the Saleen Mustangs, the Techco Corvette supercharger displaces 3.0 liters and features a standalone 8-rib drive system, patented dual A-Frame Intercooler system, high-volume fuel rails with 54 lb/hr injectors, and more. Corvette owners will also be pleased to hear it fits underneath the stock hood.

We recently got the chance to get behind the wheel of Techco's demo Corvette for a short drive, and were simply amazed at the dual nature of the car. From the outside it appears to simply be a stock Corvette - it looks stock, sounds stock, and even drives stock if you lay off the throttle. A unique drive system helps to keep things quiet, muting the sound of the supercharger. Get on the gas, though, and the blown LS3 propels the Corvette past legal speeds in the blink of an eye. With a package price of just $8,500 and an optional 10 psi kit, it's a pretty good bargain as well. Full details in the press release after the jump.



Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Techco International]

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The future of the Dodge Viper has been in question since the summer of 2008, when it was reported Chrysler was considering selling the rights to their halo sports car instead of killing it all together. Initially, there seemed to be plenty of interested parties, including Roush and Saleen, but the dwindling economy led to just one lowball offer from Michigan-based Devon Motor Works. Even after the Viper's production facility re-opened last month, it was still assumed that the 600 horsepower sports car would up for grabs. Not anymore.

Today, Chrysler announced that the Viper program is no longer for sale and that it will be continued to be produced past the end of the year at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant. There was no mention as to why the decision was made or what will happen beyond 2010, but for now, the Viper is safe. The official press release doesn't offer much information, but you check it out after the jump, along with a video from Chrysler discussing the decision and giving brief history of the Viper.



Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

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Aston Martin makes some of the most visually appealing cars on the road today. Their latest offerings, the DBS Volante and the V12 Vantage, continue the company's tradition of elegant styling combined with V12 power. We generally can't get enough photos of either car, and fortunately for us, Aston has released a plethora of new pictures of both cars. Check out both high-res galleries below.




[Source: Aston Martin]

It's just about that time of the year when we start gearing up for Monterey car week, and the various events have started to announce what exactly we can look forward to at all the shows, races, and auctions. The Pebble Beach Concours, the pinnacle of the week, has already pronounced Bentley and Bugatti as the featured marques for 2009, and it looks like quite a few historic Ferrari motorcars will be joining them on the 18th fairway.

The world's most prestigious car show will bring together some of the most influential Ferraris of all time including 10 of the 25 1949 166 MM Touring Barchettas and all four of the remaining Ferrari TR 59s. The 166 MM is perhaps the cornerstone of Ferrari's road racing heritage, winning the Mille Miglia and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1949. The 59 TR, an evolution of the legendary 250 TR, was also successful on track, capturing victory at its debut at Sebring in 1959 and at Le Mans a year later. Both cars have also inspired designs from Ferrari and other companies for the last several decades. You can learn more about both cars in the press release after the jump, and be sure to browse through our high-res gallery of the 59 TR below.



Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Pebble Beach Concours via 0-60]

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Here at Autoblog, we couldn't think of a better way to spend the 4th of July weekend than at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the fifth running of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix. There was plenty of excitement during qualifying, with pole-sitter Jorge Lorenzo being unseated from his bike not once but twice. With both Lorenzo and third place qualifier Casey Stoner being treated for injuries, everyone was betting that Valentino Rossi would take the checkered flag. Rossi won the race last year, and had just come off a historic 100th victory last week in Netherlands. There were also high hopes for American Nicky Hayden, who had his best qualifying of the season in the eighth spot. Follow the jump for the full race report, and check out our high-res gallery below.



Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.


[Source: RedBullUSGrandPrix.com]

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For the last eleven years, BMW has partnered with MotoGP to provide safety vehicles, although this year the car setting the pace is, well, not a car. Just days after BMW officially introduced the X6 M at the New York Auto Show, one had already hit the track at the MotoGP in Qatar.

Complete with a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 engine producing 555 horsepower, the X6 M can perform its duties essentially in stock form. The only changes apparent include a light bar on top and BMW Motorsport livery. With the racing series coming to Monterey for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, we got our first look at the X6 M safety vehicle and made sure to snap some pics alongside its M6 counterpart. Check out our high-res gallery below.



Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Access to the garage areas of MotoGP teams is limited to say the least, and all but the highest-level passes will leave you trying to get a glimpse from afar while the mechanics diligently work on the bikes throughout the weekend. Good fortune was with us, however. Yamaha was kind enough to give us access to its garage so we could take a closer look at the inner-workings of a MotoGP team.

While we couldn't spend too much time in any of the areas, we were amazed to see just how much goes into simply setting up each garage. Space is at a premium, so everything is extremely well organized. The workstations are incredibly clean, and some sections are even carpeted. Perhaps our favorite part was getting a close look at the motorcycles and their components. Each bike is a beautiful mass of carbon fiber, titanium, and CNC-machined parts. Yamaha allowed us to take photos, so you can check out the two-wheeled rides of Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, and Colin Edwards for yourselves in the high-res gallery below.



Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Since 2005, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has played host to the MotoGP race series, and this year Autoblog is happy to be in attendance at this year's Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix. So far, it's been quite an entertaining weekend, with plenty of excitement both in the practice and qualifying sessions. Nicky Hayden, the fan favorite and winner of the 2005 and 2006 races, put his bike into the dirt during the practice session on Saturday morning and managed to only qualify eighth in his Ducati.

Dominating the weekend so far is the Fiat Yamaha duo of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo. Lorenzo was fastest in both sessions and captured the pole, but crashed twice during qualifying and was taken to the medical center with a dislocated shoulder and a bruised right foot. With Lorenzo in doubt for the race and third place qualifier Casey Stoner suffering a crash as well, it looks as though Rossi is likely to defend his win from last year and extend his points lead in the championship. Be sure to browse through our high-res gallery below, and check back for more updates from the race weekend.



Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

With the MotoGP this weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, motorcyclists from all around the country have converged on the Monterey peninsula to attend the event. To welcome the two-wheeled visitors, the city shuts down the main strip of Cannery Row in downtown Monterey the night before the race for one huge motorcycle party. It seems both the community and visitors have fully embraced the tradition, and the streets are packed with owners and spectators admiring the machinery on display. The range of bikes is very diverse, running the gamut from Harleys to Ducatis to custom choppers. Check out our favorites in the high-res gallery below.



Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

When we last visited the Hurst facility in Irvine, CA, we noticed something unusual. While nearly all of the Challengers were painted in either white or black, a lone Challenger painted in B5 Blue sat tucked away in a corner. When we inquired about the car, we were told that we would find out soon enough. Well, we know now, as Hurst has just unveiled a Competition/Plus package for the Dodge Challenger at the NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, CA.

The Competition/Plus project was started in an effort to provide a more affordable package, as well as appeal to customers who might not necessarily want the classic gold paint schemes. Named after the legendary shifter that helped make Hurst famous, the package includes only the essentials: an Eibach suspension system, Magnaflow exhaust system, Hurst 20-inch alloy wheels, color-matched leather inserts and stitching for the interior, matte black exterior accents, and, of course, a Competition/Plus short throw shifter with the classic white ball. We're told the package is available on any color of Challenger, whether it's the B5 Blue pictured here, Hemi Orange, TorRed or any other.

Pricing has yet to be announced, but full details on the car should be released soon. Until then, take a look at our exclusive gallery of photographs that were given the chance to snap a couple of days before the car's release.



Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.