ie8 fix

v-10

2012 Lexus LFA: A wet first drive

As I accelerated out of the rain-slicked Turn 2 of Infineon Raceway, I could feel the rear end of the Lexus LFA begin to slip and spin. "Holy crap," I thought, "how am I going to be able to pay for this $375,000 Lexus?"

Fortunately, my moment of terror was, despite the slippery conditions, both brief and isolated. But before I get into that, let's discuss how I came to find myself on a wet racetrack behind the most exotic vehicle to ever come out of Japan.

Lexus LFA performance driving schoolThe day's … Read more

Get to the grocery store in 10 seconds flat

This just released promo video of the Audi R8 V10 Spyder is inspirational. The 5.2-liter V10 engine (same as the couple) hits 60 mph in 4 seconds and can deliver a top speed of 194 mph.

The R8 Spyder has an aluminum Audi Space Frame and an electrohydraulic soft top made from leak-proof fabric.

The R8 made its debut at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show.

Audi R8: V10 vs. V8

There was lots of automotive eye candy to behold at the recently-held 2009 International Auto Show in San Francisco, but one particular car definitely caught an extended gaze of my eye. My vision honed in a shiny white and black sports car, sitting in a "hands off" section of the showroom floor. To my surprise, this mean-looking sports car was an Audi, but not just any Audi. This here was the 2010 Audi R8 rockin' a length-side up with a mounted V10 mid-engine. I had to know more and see more of this particular car, and that's … Read more

Badass Dodge Challengers rock SEMA Show

Yesterday's clip was all about some blazing hot custom made Ford Mustangs making their presence felt at the 2009 SEMA Show last week in Las Vegas. Chevrolet reportedly also got in on the act with pimpin' out Camaros a plenty for SEMA insiders and car enthusiasts alike. Well, if you're thinking Dodge didn't have something similar up their sleeves, then like Judas Priest says "you've got another thing coming."

Today's Web video features Edward Loh from Motortrend.com gushing over some flashy custom 2009 Dodge Challengers, and with damn good reason. These Challengers … Read more

Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro: The everyday supercar

When we last left our hero, I was putting the kibosh on the track session in the Audi S4 and had just been handed the keys to the Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro, affectionately known as the R8 V-10.

Taking a walk around the R8, I took note of the supercar's low-slung good looks and sporty proportions. Externally, the R8 V-10 can be visibly discerned from the V-8 model in a few ways. The R8's trademark sideblades receive flared intakes to help the larger engine to breathe. The front and rear bumper vents have been enlarged and finished in a glossy piano black. The HID Xenon headlamps have been replaced with the world's first production full-LED arrays. Most obviously, chrome "V10" badges on the front fenders let everyone know how many cylinders you're working with.

Under the rear glass, on display for all to see, is the 5.2-liter direct injected 10-cylinder gasoline engine. Not only does this power plant have two more cylinders and a full extra liter over the V-8, but it also gains a whopping 105 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque. The result is a complete transformation of the nature of the vehicle, whether cruising a back road or barreling, flat-out down the back straight of your favorite racetrack.… Read more

Panasonic's best plasma yet

In our review of Panasonic's G10 plasma we discussed how it competed for picture quality supremacy against Pioneer's now-discontinued Kuro PRO-111FD--still the best HDTV ever--and how ultimately it couldn't quite match the Kuro.

The same basic story stays true for the TC-PV10 series, but it's even better than the G10.

This Panasonic plasma has the same deep blacks that grace its less-expensive little brother, and adds a couple of key improvements: better video processing to handle 1080p/24 sources and more picture adjustments that allow it to transcend the limitations of THX mode. Its picture should … Read more

A minivan with an attitude

So you think minivans are only for mommies? Try this one...

It's the Renault Espace F1, a concept vehicle cum hot lap publicity machine created in 1994 by Renault, Matra, and the Williams Formula One team, which put the 3.5-liter Renault F1 engine featured in the Espace F1 to good use by winning the F1 World Championship in 1993, with Alain Prost driving. Prost drives the Espace F1 in the video, too.

Where the standard Espace had a small engine positioned transversely in front, driving the front wheels, the F1 was a little different. Out that went, replaced … Read more

Audi reveals V-10 R8 supercar (photos)

Just in time for no one to afford it, Audi has revealed photos and details of an $188,267, ten-cylinder version of its R8 supercar. More formally known as the Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro, this up-rated R8 features more upgrades than just an extra pair of cylinders.

Starting with the titular 5.2-liter V-10 FSI engine, this version of the R8 makes more power than the now entry-level V-8 version, building power to 390 pound-feet of torque at 6,500 RPM before going on to create a maximum 525 horsepower at 8,000 RPM, just over the 100 … Read more