Wanaka based automotive and marine accessories company Tallon has received a Design Award from General Motors (GM) at the recent SEMA Show 2011 in Las Vegas for the Most Innovative Chevrolet Accessory.

Described by GM as the ‘Oscars’ of SEMA, the award was presented to Tallon and partner company Ram Mount, for the installation and showcase of the Tallon Elite Socket and Ram Smart Phone and iPad mounts in the Chevrolet Sonic custom built by LDRSHIP Designs in California.

Held every year in Las Vegas, The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world. It draws the industry’s hottest new products to one place, the Las Vegas Convention Center. It is the ideal opportunity for accessory companies like Tallon to demonstrate their products in front of the worlds leading automotive manufacturers.

The partnership between Tallon and US Company – RAM Mount, enables any tablet or phone model, including the widely popular iPad, to be easily attached to the Tallon Elite Socket, while also providing power to the device using the 12V socket or USB port, also giving the opportunity to communicate with other electronic devices such as computers, stereo’s and DVD players.

When the Tallon is not in use for electronics, users have the option to mount a vast range of RAM Mount or Tallon accessories in its place, or simply close it up to leave a clean finish.

Tallon General Manager, Duncan Good says interest in the new Elite Socket and iPad Mount has been immense. (more…)

The recently held SEMA Show in Las Vegas saw some awesome tuner cars unveiled but there was also some high-tech crate engines revealed. The big daddy of the lot came from Nelson Racing Engines in the form of a 10.4 litre, twin-turbo V8 unit.

It’s a radical motor that’s 632 cubic inches and produces 1400 hp (1044 kW) of power and 1896 Nm of torque. If those figures aren’t enough for you then fill the tank with racing fuel and output boosts up to a staggering 2300 hp (1715 kW) and 2844 Nm of torque. That’s more than twice the output of a Bugatti Veyron.

It’s a amazing piece of kit and it comes with an equally amazing price tag US$52,000 or $66,900 in NZ currency. Big power always comes with big costs.

One of the more interesting creations on display at this week’s SEMA show in Las Vegas comes from tuning company Icon and is called the Derelict.

This old-but-new monster is a 1952 Chevrolet Deluxe Business Coupe hiding a full arsenal of modern engineering beneath an almost 60-year old shell.

The vehicle rides on a complete powder-coated Art Morrison chassis with a front independent suspension set up and a multi-link rear. An all-aluminum, fuel-injected 6.2-litre General Motors LS3 V8 provides motivation with 430 horsepower (320kW) on tap. The big motor is matched up with a 4L65E automatic transmission and putting on the anchors are six-piston brakes with ABS. The wheels have a junkyard charm but are actually custom CNC-machined rims cloaked in BF Goodrich rubber. (more…)

The next-generation Dodge Viper isn’t due for another year or two but that doesn’t mean Mopar can’t give you a taste of Viper power – if you have the cash.

Chrysler Group’s Mopar performance division has just announced the availability of a V10 crate engine at the SEMA show. It’s an impressive lump – it’s a hand built 512 cubic-inch (8.4 litre), aluminum block V-10. In terms of power it pumps out 800 horses and 941Nm of torque.

Mopar claims that the engine is designed for drag racing which may mean it has emissions issues for on-road use. There are future versions planned for off-road racing and circuit racing but don’t expect these crate engines to come cheap. (more…)

Taking inspiration from the Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR, the Chrysler Group’s Mopar Underground tuning team applied a similar hardcore treatment to the latest Challenger SRT8 392 before it debuts at the upcoming SEMA Show in the States.

The hard-tuned model is staunchly track-focused but remains street legal and has been upgraded with a range of Mopar performance parts. The new additions include a coil-over suspension, front-and rear-strut tower braces, short-throw shifter, front splitter, cat-back exhaust, custom exhaust headers and a set of Goodyear F1 Supercar tyres.

Mopar Underground didn’t stop there either and made changes to the modern muscle car’s interior and exterior appointments. The car wears white paint with a charcoal coloured roof, there’s a carbon fibre bonnet and rear boot lid, red flame stripes, painted mirror caps and “ACR” badging. (more…)

This year’s annual SEMA show in the States saw a whole bunch of highly tuned metal both American and from abroad. But one of the show’s real gems came from iconic muscle car maker Shelby in the form of its latest prototype beast. What makes it so special? Well, it’s simple really, it’s a 1,000 rwhp twin-turbo Shelby GT500.

Built as a collaboration between Shelby American and Nelson Racing Engines he high-power Mustang is nicknamed “Code Red.” The heavily modified 5.4-litre V8 engine features twin 61mm Turbonetics turbochargers and also a clever dual fuel system that includes cells for both race and street gas. To keep optimum control over the twin turbos there is also an electronic boost controller that can vary boost for each gear.

If Shelby actually builds the insane “Code Red” GT500, expect plenty of extra equipment like Baer 14-inch brakes, a Shelby/Eibach adjustable suspension system, 9-inch Currie rear end, 10-point roll cage, and lots of other kit. How much will metal like this cost? Once you’ve bought the donor Mustang, Shelby will hit you up a further $100,000 USD to create the car you view in the photo gallery below and watch and hear tearing up the streets in the video. (more…)

We might be Toyota Hilux crazy here in NZ where the robust ute rules supreme. But in America the land of massive trucks and massive people to put in them, it’s a slightly different story. The Hilux is marketed as the Toyota Tacoma and despite adapted styling to suit American tastes, still hasn’t reached the same level of popularity with tradesmen and weekend warriors. With this in mind Toyota is attempting to widen its fan base by introducing the Tacoma X-Runner RTR (Ready to Race) at the upcoming SEMA Motor Show in Las Vegas.

Built to show off the Japanese company’s V8 engineering prowess, the truck features a Tundra-sourced 5.7-litre V8 which has been fitted with a TRD supercharger. Thanks to the forced induction, the engine produces 504 hp (376 kW) and a massive 752 Nm of torque.

Other upgrades include a mechanical limited slip differential, a lowered suspension set-up, a custom side-exiting exhaust and 15-inch wheels with race-specific Goodyear Eagle rubber.

To look the part, there’s a sporty red/silver paint job and some dapper graphics. Inside, weight has been saved by stripping of non-essential equipment and it’s been outfitted with a TRD steering wheel and a roll bar in case it goes a bit wrong.

Check out images of the Tacoma X-Runner RTR in the gallery below, and check back for more updates before the SEMA show. (more…)

The American tuning shop responsible for the much-admired convertible Dodge Challenger at last year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas has just struck again. Aptly named Drop Top Customs has just announced that it’s building a topless version of the popular Cadillac CTS Coupe for this year’s upcoming aftermarket show. It’s not going to be easy snatching the roof off this coupe and replacing it with a soft top, but Drop Top Customs are one of the best in the business, so the proof will be in the pudding.

DTC has been producing convertible versions of production hardtop vehicles for around 30 years, so the team there knows how to chop a top and reinforce the rest. At last year’s show, DTC’s convertible Challenger left with a design award from Chrysler itself, so the drophead CTS should have a factory quality to the finish. If there is much demand from the buying public for a convertible Caddy these days, is another story.