From the Lorinser press release:

While it was derided at first, the Smart has since evolved into a hip cult-car—even in “big block” USA. Its success story is no surprise: the defiant small car still embodies the principles of good economic and ecological sense while being completely free of a “piggy-bank look” and “everyman design.” Consequently it suits the times perfectly. So why is Sportservice Lorinser forecasting a dark future for the Smart? Because black is suiting the dynamic light metal alloys Speedy perfectly.

The Baltimore Sun reports on a car that exceeded 210mph on a track in Ohio.

What goes 0-60mph in 1 second, has 2,400 horsepower, and gets 10mpg on regular pump fuel? The world’s fastest-to-sixty, street-legal car: a Chevy Corvette Sting Ray.

According to SEMA, legislation has been introduced in the Oregon House of Representatives at the request of Governor Ted Kulongoski to ban aftermarket parts if alternatives are available that “decrease greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles.” In reality, Oregon H.B. 2186 (pdf) merely states that the “Environmental Quality Commission may adopt by rule the following to help this state achieve the greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals.” The specific option that SEMA is steamed about states that “Restrictions and prohibitions on the sale and distribution of after-market motor vehicle parts, including but not limited to tires, if alternatives are available that decrease greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles,” may be enacted.

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“The front suspension is operated by a wireless remote control unit by the driver. It enables the car’s front suspension to rise by 55mm enabling it to negotiate obstacles such as car park ramps, speed humps, high kerbs etc. without expensive damage to the front spoiler or underside of the car. If the driver forgets to cancel the system and lower the suspension after he has negotiated the offending obstacle, the “Airlift Suspension” will automatically lower the car back down to normal ride height once it has reached a speed of 50 km/h.”

Lotus has been developing the Kia Soul’s suspension for UK road conditions since 2008, lending even more appeal to Kia’s new hot box. “The result of our partnership with Lotus is a more composed ride which we think is much more suitable to what our roads can throw at Soul, and additionally, it is also a more exciting car to drive,” Paul Philpott of Kia UK tells Carscoop. This is the first time Kia has tuned a car specifically for the UK market. It is, however, not the first time the US market been left out in the cold while others get the Lotus-fettled hotness. Perhaps our new president could do something about this?

Jimmy Wong of Hong Kong spent six months and untold fortunes converting his 2002 Lotus Elise to an all-carbon fiber body. The result? About 80 pounds of saved weight. Life’s tough on the bleeding edge.

Always be suspicious of peace announcements coming from Munich. Oh, wait… make that Stuttgart. I mean Großaspach. Anyway, AMG’s boss has been wondering where all the hydrocarbons have gone (long time passing). Volker Mornhinweg tells Autocar that “the horsepower war is over.” Luckily, it turns out that there are more ways to massively inflate a Mercedes price tag than just dialing up the horsepower. The new emphasis for AMG’s tuning efforts: weight saving, engine optimisation and alternative technologies. For example the new E63 AMG ( with “only” 550hp) will offer an optional, efficiency-improving manual wet-clutch gearbox. That’s the unit first seen on the SL63. Woo. Hoo. AMG also hints that smaller diesel, hybrid and four-cylinder models could be in the cards. But don’t call it eco-appeasement; the move may be more about finding some branding lebensraum. Daimler’s anschluss with Aston Martin, the emergence of AMG’s Black series and the persistence of Maybach are simply pushing AMG’s mainstream offerings in a less power-crazed (and carbon-intensive) direction.

OK, so I’ve changed the video. Doctor V-8 pointed out that the Avalate conversion debuted back in the 1940’s. The new video raises a more interesting question: why make these things even more powerful? Why not you say? Yes, I know: God bless America. If Corvette modifiers didn’t exist, Massachusetts wouldn’t have a warehouse Italian restaurant chain called Vinny T’s. And a damn fine spaghetti vongole they make too. Still, you gotta wonder. What’s with the gloomy music? Didn’t muscle cars come of age with Doo-Wop? Just sayin’.