Tokyo 2009 Preview: Toyota FT-86 Concept Brings Us Back from Prius-induced Coma

The AE-86 is back. After a long vacation, and apparently some great plastic surgery, the little drifter that could may return to appease the masses of cheap RWD aficionados. This concept, dubbed the Toyota FT-86 or Hachi Roku, follows the same formula as the original: small engine, 2 doors, rear wheel drive and tight suspension. Toyota said that the auto market has become so focused on being green, eco-friendly and saving baby hummingbirds that they forgot some people like to keep their heart beating when they drive a car. Fine, some people get excited behind the wheel of their soap-shaped whale-saver. They watch the computer screen that tells them how great their mileage is at that exact moment, with little moving arrows that show whether the power source is the gasoline engine or the batteries. But I don't, you don't, and even a lot of the hybrid owners don't. We may drive an efficient car, but on the inside we have an itch for adrenaline that only a sports car can scratch. It's ironic for Toyota to acknowledge the lack of sporty cars, since they basically created the current hybrid craze when they introduced the Prius. But I tip my hat to them, because the first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem.

So their solution is the FT-86 Concept you see here. It will be a 2 door coupe with seating for four. The power will come from a 2.0 liter opposed 4-cylinder sourced from Subaru, which will keep the center of gravity low. A 6 speed manual delivers power to the rear wheels. Toyota also promises ADVICS brakes and a "race-tuned" suspension. Hopefully that carries a little more weight than the "S" badge on their last Corolla. The car is no doubt aimed at the younger driving enthusiast on a budget, the same market that the new Genesis Coupe competes for. I'm sure a lot of people will be hoping for a turbo-charged version of this car and although the original AE86 did not come with a turbo option, Toyota would be silly to leave that off the table. The tuning market has become such a big business that car companies are finally giving the masses production versions of what has been built in cold garages for years. It's that popularity that pushed Hyundai to make a "Track Pack" version of the Genesis Coupe, and made the WRX and Evolution such a success. Toyota will hopefully offer several engines; an efficient NA 2.0-liter to keep the gas-conscious happy, and a boosted version to give this car the heart-beat it deserves.

The body of the car is a sexy combination of supple curves and sharp angles, also similar to the Genesis. The aggressive face has a large fascia to pull in cold air, a muscular-looking hood, and headlights that look downright pissed. It's a simple look, but it works. The profile is aggressive, with flared fenders, thick rear haunches, and a thick C-pillar. The proportions are very sporty, almost R8-like (Don't worry, the Audi R8 is still way way cooler). In back there is a racey-looking trunk-lid and the taillights match the front's "slitted" look. Dual exhaust and a diffuser complete the package.

The interior is pure concept-car, with weird lights, alien-looking panels, and some gimmicks. For example, instead of a normal CD drive, the car has a leather-bound zipper in the dashboard where you insert your CD or DVD. Yeah, that won't scratch your favorite driving CD. The sharp points are carried over from the outside, as seen on the HVAC vents, pedals, and even the rear-view mirror. This could be a safety feature though. If you're ever attacked in your car, just break off a piece of interior trim and use it as a weapon --- it looks like it would go through Kevlar.

Overall, I am impressed. I liked the look of the Genesis Coupe when it came out, and I think this car looks even better. The Toyota FT-86 Concept looks good from end to end, and the aggressive look is everywhere. I'm always disappointed when someone builds a car with a front end that looks like it will break the sound barrier, yet the rest of the car looks like it was bred to sit in a Hertz stable. I think Toyota is right on the money with the philosophy for this car. While people know that our world's attitude toward gasoline and greenhouse gasses has to change, they don't want to live their lives without any passion whatsoever. And while I have plenty of hobbies and passions outside of canyon-carving, none of them can replicate that particular excitement. I can listen to Blues Music, and appreciate the artistry, the complexity of the notes, and the story that it tells. But it will never get me up and out of my chair the way a great Metallica song will. The FT-86 is set to debut at the Tokyo Auto Show this year. Let's just hope Toyota makes this car correctly, with a proper engine, so it's not the next Corolla S. That would be like keeping a John Tesh CD in the Metallica case. You won't fool anyone.

Zack Klapman

Contributing Editor@ www.sub5zero.com

Cargraphic Porsche RSC 3.6 - Multitalented Porsche 911 Shows Exotics How It's Done

On September 5th, 2009, a competition was held in Papenburg, Germany, to determine the best accelerating car available today. This showdown - one of the coolest, most extreme and rigorous in the automotive world today - is an annual event held by Sport Auto magazine. When these guys have a slug-fest on the race track, they call fighters from all camps. Here's a brief list of the players at this particular brawl: Lamborghini LP670 SV, Gumpert Apollo, Koenigsegg CCX, Porsche 997 Turbo, Cadillac CTS-V, Aston Marton V12 Vantage, Porsche 997 GT3. But Sport Auto was also out to find the best car available, not the best one available in a pretty showroom that has an espresso machine and a salesman with a watch bigger than his brain.

The best exotics came to the same ring as some of the fastest tuner cars on the planet and went home defeated. And who was the top dog? The Cargraphic Porsche 997 Turbo, referred to as the RSC 3.6, waxed each factory exotic. It went from 0-60 in 3 seconds flat, faster than any other car on the track that day. It hit 120 mph in 9.1 seconds, again faster than any car there. It was only at the highest speeds that it was passed by the Geiger Ford GT, hitting 180mph in 23.8 seconds compared to 22.8 for the Ford.

Here's why the Cargraphic Porsche is so special: it weighs in with 100 fewer horsepower than that Ford, and in the 0-300-0 race it was only .5 seconds behind it. While second place isn't as good as first, when you consider what the Porsche beat, it suddenly becomes clear why this car is so impressive. It was .8 seconds ahead of the Koenigsegg CCX. The CCX is an AWD car with over 800hp and happens to be best friends with Mr. Veyron and Princess Zonda. And a small car, with only 618 horsepower, destroyed it. I say "only" because that is the state of performance cars today. If you see a 0-60 time over 4.5 seconds, it better be from a big sedan or a car that costs less than $40,000.

Why am I so excited about a car with an engine that, in this day of horsepower hierarchy, is barely worthy of fetching an apple for Mr. Brabus? Because a car is more than the sum of its parts. Cargraphic builds CARS, not engines. The RSC 3.6 is built with a comprehensive understanding of weight, friction, power and traction. It starts with a stock Porsche 997 Turbo, which is pretty damn fast even in stock form. Then Cargraphic puts it on a strict diet of carbon fiber and aluminum. A carbon fiber hood, doors, and fenders are installed, but even that wasn't enough for the scientists behind this car. Nah, your neighbor's Civic has a CF hood by now, so some lighter seats and wheels were put in too. But the trainers at Cargraphic are perfectionists. So they went "Scuderia-style" and even installed lighter floor mats. This may seem like a gimmick to some, but to me it's a sign of attention to detail. They squeezed out every ounce of weight, while keeping it a road car. At the end of the day, the Porsche had shed 330 lbs, almost the equivalent of one of Rush Limbaugh's chins. For comparison, when the Superlegerra came out, it was only 220 lbs lighter than a standard Gallardo.

Once they were done with the fat, it was time to build some muscle. A better intake, custom intercooler, modified turbo chargers and a high-flowing exhaust were all installed. After ECU tuning, they were rewarded with 618hp @6500RPM and, more impressively, 623 ft.lbs of torque at a low 2500RPM. Again, people might wonder why Cargraphic would settle on 600 horsepower. After all, the CCX was showing up with over 800 horsepower. And that's where the magic of Cargraphic lies--in how all the little efforts come together to create one terra firma-curling, G-meter shattering car. Cargraphic didn't only get 618hp, that was their goal. Of course they could have made more power than that, they're not stupid. Their SPR1 M car, built on the same 997 platform, puts out over 850 horsepower.

It's not that Cargraphic brought a .22 to a gun fight, it's that its marksmanship is flawless. The RSC had 623 ft. lbs of torque sent through a racing clutch, and all controlled by a 6 speed manual transmission (It's sad that this is seen as some sort of injury or flaw nowadays.) And somehow, all these parts came together, and the RSC simply pummeled the competition. To be invited to this race was a compliment. To be referred to as competitive with the cars on this list would be an honor. But to cross the finish line ahead of a CCX, a full 2.5 seconds ahead of the ugly but still formidable Apollo, and a whopping 5.5 seconds ahead of the new 670 SV, is incredibly impressive.

The fact that the Cargraphic 997 RSC 3.6 got 2nd place means little to me, because it still beat hyper-cars with a 200hp advantage. In a comparison against a Lamborghini Gallardo by Tim Schrick, of the German television show D Motoring, the Cargraphic 997 Turbo GT RSC 3.6 was 3 seconds faster around the race track per lap. I have a feeling that if the road started to get curvy, the Geiger Ford GT would quickly surrender its title. Cargraphic set out to build a car that can do everything. They improved the handling, feel, weight, braking, grip, cooling and power-delivery of a 997 Turbo. It almost seems that the added horsepower was at the bottom of their list. Attention was paid to every part of this car and the result is a car with incredible turn-in, stopping power rivaled only by a UFO, and acceleration that didn't require a turbo the size of a wagon wheel to run away from the competition.

How it all added up to become what the 997 Turbo GT RSC 3.6 is, I do not know. But what's important is that Cargraphic knows. Cars like this are a testament to what a complete build means. This is a street car. And not like a '66 Nova with a 9 point cage, tubbed wheels and a parachute. It's registered in Alabama (you know, to avoid smog checks) as a street car. You can leave the track, change a suspension setting, take it to pick up some oranges or your grandmother and neither will get bruised on the way home. If you want 1000 horsepower, buy a junkyard bound V8, bolt on a supercharger and a big blue bottle of nitrous. You can strap it to your kitchen table and use it to make Frito Pie. But if you want to make a CCX owner cry on the drive home from your kid's school you only need 600hp, a good diet, and some light floor-mats. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to buy some light-weight floor-mats.

Zack K

2011 Chevy Camaro Z28 - To Be or Not to Be?

That is the question........ Whether 'tis nobler to build some super-charged competition for the GT500.... or not? GM's idea to bring back the Z28 version of their Camaro has been feverishly debated among enthusiasts. There has been no date set, no plans drawn, not even an artist's rendering from Chevy (although we do have some cool mock-ups from Jinx). To Chevy loyalists, the idea of a new Z/28 hitting their dealerships is a "when pigs fly" scenario. But the success of the new Camaro and Camaro SS could change all that. GM seems to go back and forth on whether they plan to make the Z28 a reality depending upon how red Glen Beck's face gets. Just last week, Inside Line reported that GM's design chief, Ed Welburn, said that the Z28 program is back in full effect and is headed for production. Although no official word has come out, I think the market is there for one.

In April of 2009, the first month of sales, the Camaro moved a measly 614 cars. By comparison, that same month Ford sold 7,699 Mustangs. "A trouncing" is putting it lightly. But the next month, new owners took home 5,463 Camaros to the 8,812 Mustangs. By July, 4 short months since it was placed on the shelves, the Camaro was out-selling its long-time rival. A new look and more bang for your buck (400hp to the GT's 300) are helping GM attract some much-needed customers. But with tax payers ready to break GM's knees to get their loans back, is a high-performance special edition cost-effective?

It might not necessarily be such a bad thing. Just look at Ford, who has been diversifying with the Mustang for years. In fact, I have come to look at the Mustang division as a separate entity. There are so many versions of the Mustang available now, with different looks, performance and price, it's hard to keep them all straight--- the base V6, the GT, the Cobra, the GT500KR, the terlingua V6, the "Track-Pack" Mustang, and the upcoming super-special "Iococca Edition." If Ford can do it, why can't Camaro? Ford has been using the Shelby name to cash in on classic muscle fans for years. For every Ford fan-boy, there's a die-hard Chevy fan. This rivalry goes back decades. A new Z28 model, with the "retro-look" of the '09 Camaro, could be just what gear-heads have been waiting for. A Corvette is a bit of a price jump from a Mustang, but a heavy-weight caliber Camaro might be the perfect opponenent to that Shelby kid from across town.

Unfortunately, no one knows what the new Camaro Z28 would look like, because no advance photos are out. We do know it would have hood bulge, hopefully a replica of the old "Ram-Air" hoods of '69 Camaros. Camaros always looked more sinister to me than Mustangs, so maybe that hood was part of it. Expect the usual go-fast bits-- bigger air intakes and a rear spoiler are good bets. There is some promising speculation on the performance side. The engine that would make the most sense would be the 550hp, super-charged V8, carried over from the CTS-V. We've all heard about what happened when the M5 fought the CTS-V at famous Nurburgring Palladium. Not only can GM put a big engine in a sedan, they can make it go around corners. Think of what they could do in a car that's lost 300 lbs. Even if the Camaro matched the CTS-V's 0-60 time of 4.1 seconds, it would be dead-even with the GT500. The Camaro is built on the same platform as the CTS-V;simply moving the parts from the caddy to a bare Camaro would result in something angry and awesome. But I will bet that if Chevy takes on this project, the Camaro will be even faster than a CTS due to the lighter weight.

I think that the Camaro SS is a good indication of what Chevy would make with the green light to do a true throwback to those '69s. Back then, it was all about the Yenko Camaro versus the Shelby Mustang. Yenko was a Chevy dealer who started taking the engines out of '68 Corvettes and putting them in Camaros and selling them as a performance package. Those cars now sell for well over $100,000, a testament to both their rarity and capability. With a 427 under the hood, they were known to run in the 11s. If Chevy builds a new Z28, I think it would do Yenko Camaro proud. Rather than seeing it as setting the bar high with the SS, I see it as a fantastic starting point for something truly awesome.

I think you can look back at the Z28's roots to see what it might be like today. The 1969 Camaro Z28 had a handling package---for the first time 4-wheel discs were offered, along with a light, yet powerful, 400 horsepower 302cu. in. V8. All this added up to a road race- capable Camaro that brought them back-to-back Trans Am titles, and a sales record that stood for 10 years. If that's what the old Z28 was, I am in awe at the thought of a new one. This is the shop that built that "ZR-1 thingy."

I love Camaros from the '60s. I easily prefer their looks to those of the Mustang, yet the name "GT350" still calls to me. I see Shelby cars every day that remind me of the ones I love from decades ago. If Chevy can build a special car that brings back those memories of John Cusack in an angry, shaking, jet-back '67 Camaro, I will be excited to see it do battle with the Shelby camp. The evidence of interest is there in the sales numbers, and I think a true-to-form high-performance Camaro will only help. The Mustang has been challenged lately by the Challenger (too heavy) and the SRT8 (4 door), but neither car has blended the nostalgia we love with the modern handling we crave. Let's hope we get to see what happens when Chevy steps up its game and channels a little of Yenko's ideas into its pony car. It's like I always say: 'If you're going to do something wrong, do it right.' 550hp is a great start.

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Frankfurt Motor Show 2009: The Marussia B1 Hybrid Supercar Set for World Debut

The Frankfurt Auto Show is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and well-stocked auto shows of the decade. Apparently the people of our planet had conflicting New Year’s resolutions a few years ago. Half of the planet promised to build highly fuel-efficient cars, that save the planet, cheap to maintain, practical, and make us all feel like we’re saving the planet without having to actually make out with a tree. The other half got drunk, played 18 hours of Forza 2, and decided it would make the most expensive, opulent, beautiful, and fastest cars the world has ever (and perhaps, will ever) see.

Cars are so fast now that 200mph is no longer the summit of speed, but a Base Camp from which to set out from. A few years ago cars like the SLR and Ferrari Enzo made big waves with engines producing over 600hp. Tomorrow there will be a handful of “normal” exotics with engines producing almost that much power. Lamborghini’s small “daily” supercar makes 560. There will also be cars draped in fine leather, cashmere, and the rarest woods. Koenigsegg even found a way to put tiny pieces of diamonds in their paint, to make the car more reflective in the sunlight. Not exactly a Civic Hybrid…

So the world has gone mad apparently, but to car fans everywhere go the spoils. The 2009 Frankfurt Auto show has too many exciting cars to list, but you can expect a flood of coverage from us over the next two weeks. A hot hatch from Audi, 4-door Lamborghinis, the too-good-to-be-true Fisker Karma, etc. So many great cars are being unveiled, and all the exciting ones fall into one of those two parties; examples of progress in the quest for lean and green, and cars that seem to defy the laws of physics.

But there’s one car showing up that doesn’t seem to have a home, or at least I can’t figure out which category it belongs to; the Marussia B1. What’s a Marussia B1 you ask? No it’s not an old war plane from the 1930s, or a new type of Bingo call. It’s a supercar…sort of.

Details on the B1 are still hard to find, but the components of the concept left me a little confused. Looking at the car, it seems to be going after the growing hypercar market. The design was done by the Nikolai Fomenko, former Le Mans driver and host of Top Gear: Russia. Looking at the pictures it seems to have taken design cues from the Pagani Zonda, but almost with an industrial twist. It’s angular panels reminded me of the Ferrari Enzo. The triangular headlights are a little Murcielago-esque, yet the back is fairly unique. I wouldn’t call it beautiful by any means, but the look conveys a purpose and that is worth something. The Enzo is not the prettiest thing to come out of Italy, but when you look at it you know you can skip the question, “Is it fast?” So ok Zack, maybe it’s a new hyper-car contender out of Russia. Well, not quite. Open the door to look inside and the dash looks more appropriate for a car from iRobot 2. The dash display is completely electronic, it has a built in 350GB hard drive, wireless internet (useable under 120kph), and even a plasma TV. “Sooo that Scuderia has no stereo at all to save weight, but this car enough electronics to keep a Geek Squad employee happy. I’m confused.”

And then we look at the engine choice, the Marussia B1 is going to have a 3.5 Liter, V-6 Hybrid engine. I think hybrid engines have enormous performance potential. The Fisker Karma is the first car to try and “have it’s cake and eat it too” and it’s already achieving impressive performance. But right now, do we know enough about hybrids to make power at the super-car level? I think we’re heading there, but still have a ways to go. And no offense to Russia or Mr. Fomenko, but a hybrid-powered super-car with a Best Buy warehouse in the dash is ambitious. The B1 is shaping up to a serious under-dog, but should be an interesting project to watch this year. And hey, if I can buy a car that looks like an industrial strength Pagani Zonda, and has the capability to surf the internet or watch movies (while parked, of course) I would save a lot of money on rent, because the B1 would have everything you need.

We are all pumped to see what is unveiled in Frankfurt, and to see what amazing cars will be offered to the world in the near future. It looks like both camps will get more than they could ask for. If you want a 4 door car that will go 212mph and get 10 MPG, your wish is granted. If you want a sleek hybrid that has solar panels on the roof and get’s 67MPG, done. To those of us who think the term “automotive enthusiast” is about 9 notches too low on the volume-knob to describe our love of cars, this event may be more exciting than a Halloween-themed New Year’s Eve party at Hugh Heffner’s lovely homestead. Car companies seem more in tune with their audience than ever, and the selection of cool, exciting, and smart cars is growing every day. The only problem now is deciding on what to get...

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Frankfurt Motor Show 2009: E-Wolf e1 & e2 Electric Sports Cars - The RC Car Grows Up

Electricity has always been fun. As a kid, a simple flashlight could be anything from a light saber (classic) to a magic pen that could write in space. Then you get a little older and graduate to slot cars. Of course with the advancement of technology, high-tech RC cars captivated the minds of children and adults alike. These cars cost hundreds of dollars, and you could change out all of the components you wanted until you were a 12 year old driving a 6 pound car at 40 miles an hour down your street. And then you hit 16, and electricity was suddenly boring. Because at 16 you discovered gasoline, and all the magic powers that come with the internal combustion engine.

I still appreciate all the things electricity gave to me. I love electricity, from the complicated television, to the simple act of flipping a switch to light my room. But my light switch couldn’t do a burnout. No matter how many candlepower that new flashlight has, or how many apps they make for the iPhone, the visceral feeling that cars and horsepower give us is something unique. If you have ever driven a Prius you understand. I am impressed by the technology and the results provided, but it is one of the most boring vehicles on the planet. But very soon, there may be a car at your local track day that runs on some pumped up AA batteries, and is able to silently blow by you in turn 4: the eWolf e1. This electric supercar is making it's debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.

The e1 started life as an engineering exercise between E-Wolf, the Saxony Lightweight Center and the Institute for Lightweight Structures and Polymer Technology at the Technical University of Dresden. UT Dresden is one of the largest universities in Germany, with over 34,000 students. What sets this school apart from your average SEC University is its focus on nano-technologies, metallurgy, transport design and cutting edge materials research. The school sits on an area commonly referred to as “Silicone Saxony”, and their budget last year was more than $700,000,000. Basically, if you want to build something that uses cutting edge technology, space-age materials, weighs next-to-nothing, and uses electricity, this is the place to do it.

And that’s how the e1 began. It started as a way to show the world the weight savings that are possible when lightweight materials, like Carbon Fiber, are used extensively on a vehicle (even the wheels). The project was doing so well that eWolf wanted to see if a production vehicle was possible. So they went to Li-Tec, the makers of breakthrough battery technology, to have them build a battery for them. So eWolf, Li-Tec and UT Dresden all agreed to move forward to create a production-level vehicle. And the results are impressive.

Visually, the car looks all business. It reminds me of a soap box car, the shell just large enough to accommodate a person’s body. If you want wind protection, you better bring it yourself. It reminds me of a KTM X-bow, with an industrial design that is clearly aimed at function. I will say that function looks pretty cool wearing a white suit and carbon fiber shoes, though. The fighter-pilot cockpit gives the car an aggressive Formula 1 look, especially with the peaked scoop behind the driver’s head (although instead of being an air intake, it’s likely for engine cooling). Somehow all this experimentation with lightweight materials turned out a car that just looks fun. It sits low to the ground, and the exposed wheels should make hitting apexes about as easy as falling onto the ground.

Since the goal from step 1 was to save weight, let’s give you an idea of how they did: 990lbs. That’s lighter than the current featherweight champ, the Ariel Atom. And it was no easy feat getting the weight this low; the battery pack alone weighs 594 pounds. This means the body, suspension, frame, brakes, seats, wheels, and ashtray (if it has one?) only come out to 390 pounds. That light weight is indicative of the successes that eWolf has had with this “exercise”. If this car were a boxer, it would have to make a few trips to a casino buffet before the Featherweight weigh-ins. Even after a few weeks of a Kirstie Alley diet it would be a close call to make the minimum weight.

The e1 has no problems in the “go” department. It runs a single 110kW engine, which produces 147hp and 185 ft lbs of torque. Hit the…spark pedal (?) and it will go from 0-60 in just under 5 seconds. Hold that pedal down and the e1 will scream, er, hum, its way to 147mph. And you won’t have a problem running out of juice in 20 minutes like my old Tiger Trax RC car did as the e1 has a range of 300km. Handling figures aren’t available yet, but the math adds up well. Carbon fiber wheels + racecar design cues + driver in the middle = good. Just ask Gordon Murray how that recipe works out. There is only one, er, interesting note about its performance. They were all achieved with a driver that weighs 150 lbs. Not only that, e1 is saying that the car cannot be driven by someone who is heavier than 150. We’re not sure why drivers that weigh more cannot drive the car. Perhaps the car can’t handle the extra force a larger driver might create. Either way, I’m going to keep eating carbs until I get a formal invitation for a test drive.

So it weighs next to nothing, has no carbon emissions, and you can charge it in your garage between joyrides. Well there’s one catch I see and that is the price. It’s not cheap. In fact, I don’t think I would even call it “expensive”. A 60-inch plasma is expensive. A full Klipsch surround sound system is expensive. Heck, even a new iBook is expensive. But this grown-up RC car’s price is, unfortunately, proportional to its size. It costs $220,000. Make no mistake; this car is a great achievement in the world of “green” vehicles. It provides exceptional performance, and the fun factor is probably up there with plenty of its “dinosaur water” powered rivals. But is the world ready to spend $220,000 on a one seater car that forces you to say “No thanks” to your own birthday cake, for fear of weighing 151 lbs the next morning? I guess we will see. EWolf is going ahead with production, but with a very low numbers.

However, if it goes well, they have another idea they’re tossing around. It’s called the e2, a 2-seater car powered by 4 100kW motors, with each wheel powered by its own motor. 400kw is equal to 536 horsepower. It would be hard to say yes to a 1 seater car that makes Civic-like power for the money of a new SL65 AMG. But if eWolf can build a car that makes AMG-level power, that might be a fighter worth betting on.

SUB5ZERO Best Custom Exotic Award - La Dolce Vita Automobili 2009

This past Friday marked the first annual La Dolce Vita Automobili event at Black Horse Golf Course, held during Monterey Car Week, as an exhibition of fine Italian exotics and classic automobiles. Sub5zero was honored to present this year's award for Best Custom Exotic. The 2009 recipient was none other than a 2003 Lamborghini Murcielago owned by Kevin Cornwell, of Cats Exotics, a dealership from Seattle, WA that specializes in exotic car sales.



Kevin purchased the car from Alex Shen, who owns and operates the tuning mecca SP Engineering of City Of Industry, CA. It's Alex's job to make cars stand out, go faster, stop better, and look good doing it. Since Alex owns a performance shop, this car was probably stock for as long as it took to unlock the car. A catless exhaust from MS Racing was installed, adding mid-range and top-end punch, along with a sound that can only be described as soul-shattering. Revving his car on the lawn seemed to stop the wind, and everyone looked around to find the source.



A big brake kit from Brembo was installed as well. The brakes were too big for the stock wheels, so of course it made for an easy excuse to put on some new wheels. The two-tone finish on the wheels fits with the overall color scheme of the car, and they are stunning. A 1/2" suspension drop makes the car not only look mean, but improves the handing. Kevin bought the car from Alex the way we see it today. He has had countless people make offers on it, and one customer wanted it so bad he had Cats Exotics build him a copy.



The car comes from the factory in a slick Blue Nova suit. Only 4 cars were ever made in this color with the 6 speed manual. The dash was done in dark blue leather, and the rest of the leather is a bright cream. The contrast looks great. Carbon Fiber was added to select interior pieces, and the result is a subtle hint at the performance this car posseses.

Some people say, "You can never have too much carbon fiber". But I think that there is a grey area between tasteful and full carbon that can look out of place. This car remains opulent and luxurious inside, with small reminders of what it can do. The carbon-fiber air vents are an espeically cool touch. An Alcantara steering wheel with blue piping keeps the driver in control.

On the outside carbon fiber eyelids were laid over the headlights, and a carbon fiber exhaust housing keeps the heat out of the engine bay. To finish off the look of the car Alex put on a pair of STM wheels, which have since been discontinued. Tinted windows are a must, and blacking out the rear taillights and center-piece makes the back of the car look clean and mean.

This car is not just fast, but a complete original. It's exclusivity starts with the color, and then only escalated with every great change that's made. The color scheme looks incredible, and is displayed throughout the car. The exhaust and brakes tell you it's not just a trailer queen, and it has the odometer to prove it. Rather, this is a daily driver that just happens to be good enough to win trophies. Kevin has put 22,000 miles on the car, and continues to drive guys with big bank accounts crazy. "I'm going to keep it until I die." And anyone that sees this custom Lamborghini Murcielago can understand why.