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Various modifications and styling changes make this VW Jetta GLI concept for the SEMA show one of a kind. A widebody design and a set of Rotiform Forged “GRZ” Monoblock 20-inch wheels with custom finished AERODISC covers highlight the exterior additions. Performance modifications by RacingLine bring the Jetta GLI Performance concept’s output to 350 hp and 372 pound-feet of torque—up from the stock model’s 228 hp and 258 pound-feet.The wide range of concept vehicles that VW brought to this year’s SEMA show means that everyone will likely find something to yearn for at the company’s booth. But the highly modified Jetta GLI you see here is the standout of the bunch thanks to its performance upgrades and eye-catching visuals. This 350-horsepower Jetta GLI Performance concept comes from Volkswagen’s design center in California, while the engine tweaks came from tuner RacingLine.The exterior of the Jetta GLI Performance concept looks a lot more aggressive than stock. The front end brings in more air by way of larger grille intakes, while the modified rear end helps hot air escape through the functional vents at the rear of the widebody kit. The kit means the sedan is 0.8 inches wider than stock and creates a noticeably sportier stance. The custom matte black vinyl wrap with hexagonal graphics works well with the car’s factory Kings Red metallic paint. The Volkswagen Jetta GLI’s turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four EA888 engine produces a solid 228 hp and 258 pound-feet of torque from the factory. Those numbers are bumped up to 350 hp and 372 pound-feet in the Jetta GLI Performance concept due to some additions under the hood. RacingLine installed its turbo-based performance package which includes a carbon-fiber cold-air intake and a performance intercooler. An oil management kit and oil cooler assist in keeping the motor’s oil at the ideal temperature. The best part? This concept sports a six-speed manual transmission, and there’s an upgraded clutch to handle the newfound power. More on the GLIWith all that added power you’d better believe upgraded brakes are part of the package. RacingLine attached its six-piston forged caliper big brake kit equipped with 15.0-inch carbon-ceramic discs. Additionally, a TrackSport coilover suspension kit, underbody braces, and a set of Rotiform “GRZ” Monoblock 20-inch wheels with custom finished AERODISC covers wrapped in summer tires were added to cap off the GLI Performance concept.The interior is tastefully modified with just a set of Recaro Pole Position ABE seats finished in a custom themed upholstery and a unique shift knob. All these modifications come together to create a more extreme version of the GLI we know and love. Although it’s a concept and you can’t buy one, you’re more than welcome to try and build one yourself.This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Dodge has brought out its electric Charger Daytona concept for the second time, this time painted in Stryker Red and wearing carbon-fiber 18-inch wheels.Dodge also detailed the Charger Daytona’s lineup, with the 340-badged base model making 455 horsepower and the second-tier 440-badged model producing 590 hp.There will also be a top-spec SRT Banshee that uses an 800-volt electrical system, versus a 400-volt setup on the lower models, but the power output has not yet been announced.The Dodge Charger is nearly dead as we know it, with 2023 set to be its final model year and a slew of special editions beckoning the Charger and its Challenger brother out the door. The replacement for Dodge’s muscle cars will be electric, and Dodge has been busy preparing its V-8–loving fanbase for a gas-free future with the Charger Daytona SRT concept that debuted back in August. Now Dodge is trotting its burly concept back out for the 2022 SEMA show with a few updates, announcing power outputs from the 400-volt electrical system.StellantisWatch for a BansheeWhile Dodge still hasn’t clarified how many electric motors the Daytona Charger SRT packs, the automaker has now revealed a lineup of power levels for the concept. The lowest model—called 340 for the power output in kilowatts—makes 455 horsepower, while the next step up, the 440, brings 590 ponies. However, both models offer two horsepower upgrade options, called eStage 1 and 2, as over-the-air purchases from Dodge’s Direct Connection arm. The base model can be boosted to 495 or 535 horsepower, while the second tier can be pushed to 630 or 670 horsepower. Dodge also says that the most powerful model will be called the SRT Banshee and will feature an 800-volt electrical system, but the company is still mum on an exact power output for this range topper.DodgeDodgeDodge also hasn’t specified how these models will translate to production, with the Daytona SRT still officially a concept, but given the amount of thought Dodge has already put into it, we wouldn’t be surprised if a similar lineup eventually reaches customers. The Banshee will also offer Direct Connection upgrades, and the upgraded models will feature a “crystal” key (Dodge used quotes, so we assume it won’t be a real crystal).StellantisThe updated concept at SEMA is distinguished by its Stryker Red paint color as well as “Stage 2” badges on the fenders and 18-inch carbon-fiber wheels wrapped in 305-mm drag radial tires. Dodge will also use the SEMA show to get feedback from attendees on the concept’s Fratzonic Chambered exhaust system, which Dodge says boosts the hum of the electric motors up to a deafening 126 decibels, although we imagine this will be toned down for the production car due to noise laws in some states. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Ross Chastain needed to make up five positions on the last lap of the Xfinity 500 to make it into the final round of the NASCAR playoffs, and he did just that with an insane pass.Taking inspiration from video games he played as a kid, Chastain kept his foot on the throttle and rode the wall to blast past playoff rival Denny Hamlin right before he crossed the line.Chastain even upshifted as he made the bold overtake, and seemed equally surprised as those watching that the maneuver worked out.Desperate times call for desperate measures. On the final lap of the 2022 Xfinity 500, the penultimate race in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, Ross Chastain knew he needed to overtake Denny Hamlin to advance to the final round. With Hamlin five places ahead, Chastain made one of the craziest passes the sport has ever seen, riding the wall around the last two corners, slingshotting his way past several cars to beat Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota by a nose.This content is imported from twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.The move looked like something straight out of a video game, and Chastain readily admitted to drawing inspiration from the gaming world. “I think the first time I ever saw a race car do that was on the GameCube 2005 console,” he explained post-race, elaborating that his brother had used the same move to beat him when they would play the game as teenagers.More NASCARUnlike in virtual racing, however, it was a pass that could only have worked on the last lap. The prolonged contact with the wall certainly damaged Chastain’s No. 1 Chevrolet. Chastain was well aware that the move could have wrecked his car, saying, “I didn’t know if the physics would work to make it around the corner.” But with so little race remaining and a spot in the final four in playoff contention on the line, it was well worth the risk. And the physics did work, with Chastain able to keep his foot on the gas while the wall steered him left, even shifting up into fifth gear as he scraped along the barrier. The only way that the move could be made more epic is if Chastain manages to take his first Cup Series title at the championship race this coming weekend at Phoenix Raceway.This content is imported from twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Nissan dropped the Titan’s 400-hp, 5.6-liter V-8 into a Frontier pickup to create this concept for SEMA.The Frontier is only available with a 3.8-liter V-6 from the factory.Other modifications for the concept include special shocks, a widened track, different wheels and tires, and NISMO parts including a roof rack and LED lighting.The era of mid-size pickup trucks with V-8s ended a long time ago, but there was a time when you could get the Chevy Colorado and Dodge Dakota with eight cylinders. Nissan is reviving the idea with this special Frontier for the SEMA show that features the full-size Titan’s 5.6-liter V-8, along with a host of off-road modifications and NISMO parts.The V-8, which makes 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque in the Titan, is a major upgrade over the stock Frontier’s 310-hp, 3.8-liter V-6. And it’ll surely up the auditory drama as well thanks to its cat-back exhaust system. A cold air intake from NISMO is also part of the package.NissanApart from the engine swap, this concept truck is a Baja-inspired off-road beast with a highly modified suspension and all sorts of add-ons from Nissan’s NISMO performance parts division. The track is wider, necessitating wider front fenders, and the ride height is raised thanks to Bilstein coilovers and shocks. Nissan also says that the rear shocks increase the Frontier’s payload capacity. 18-inch wheels are wrapped in mud-terrain tires, and there are also spare tires mounted in the bed.More on the FrontierNISMO supplied the truck’s rock rails, roof rack, and LED lighting, while the winch is from Warn. The white, black, and red paint scheme features numerous graphics and sponsor decals.While the V-8 engine under the hood isn’t likely to make it to a production Frontier, some of the parts seen on this concept truck will be sold by NISMO in the near future, and some are prototype parts that the company is considering offering down the road.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Jeep customers have been known, a time or two, to modify their vehicles. As the brand adds EVs to its lineup, this isn’t expected to change. At least, not if the Electromod CJ Surge concept for the 2022 SEMA show has anything to say about it. The big deal here is an Electric Drive Module that provides energy through battery modules and power through a 200-kW motor. The customizers of tomorrow could also opt for the CJ Surge’s four-wheel-drive system and two-speed transfer case.Visually, the CJ Surge combines Copper Canyon body paint with gloss black and Surf Blue accents, with a sprinkling of EV touches here and there.As the Jeep brand moves deeper into electric vehicles in the real world, Mopar is bringing an “[exploration of] an efficient battery-electric propulsion system of the future” called the Electromod CJ Surge concept to the SEMA show this year. The EV hints at the tremendous options that Jeep thinks enthusiasts will want as they customize their future cars. StellantisBasic and blocky in black and orange, the CJ Surge combines classic Jeep design with next-level EV do-it-yourself thinking. Unsurprising, since this is coming from Mopar, Stellantis’s parts and accessories arm. Across the Jeep UniverseMost exciting here is the powertrain. A scalable 400-volt, 200-kW Electric Drive Module sits at the heart of a modular system that could be installed in classic Jeeps. In the CJ Surge, the customized four-wheel-drive system uses a two-speed Jeep transfer case with selectable gearing. Mounted in the rear of the passenger cabin sit 24 lithium-ion battery modules of unspecified capacity, but we’re not worried about made-up potential range numbers for a one-off concept like this. StellantisStellantisInstead, the CJ Surge is about the pieces that were used to make it. On the visual front, that includes the Copper Canyon body, gloss black and Surf Blue Surge graphics, and oversize concept fender flares, all of which make for an appealing Jeep EV you could easily imagine driving along the ocean. All-terrain 35-inch BFGoodrich tires with 18-by-9.0-inch Black Rhino Solid wheels have plenty of travel room thanks to a two-inch lift kit. Other exterior design features of note include a Jeep Performance Parts Wrangler JK Rubicon Bumper Kit with a front winch, Surf Blue tow hooks, and amber LED fog lamps. EV-specific items include a custom charge port and a Mopar gauge that shows the battery’s state of charge.StellantisThat gauge sits above a Wrangler JK center console with a rotary shifter knob. The two seats—custom, of course, with black Sedoso cloth, houndstooth fabric inserts and Surf Blue stitching—sit on top of concept seat risers for elevated viewing. The driver gets to control a custom steering wheel with a unique JPP horn pad badge. The roll cage and fabric top are both custom-made for this concept. Much More MoparSEMA runs November 1–4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Aside from the Surge concept, Mopar is bringing another 10 concepts or modified vehicles including the Ram 1500 Backcountry X and TRX Gold Shot, along with eight Jeep custom vehicles that are making their SEMA debut this year. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

If you’re interested in sprucing up what Mopar considers the “most powerful pickup truck in the world,” consider some bold graphics and high-contrast interior stitching.That’s the message the Ram 1500 TRX Gold Shot concept sends out from the SEMA show this year as a showcase for Mopar accessories.If the visual upgrades aren’t enough, you can enjoy the pair of matching motorcycles in the bed.There is no such thing as too much at SEMA. Case in point: this Ram 1500 TRX Gold Shot concept.Mopar started with a 702-hp Ram 1500 TRX, which it modestly called “the apex predator of the production-truck world” and the “quickest, fastest, and most powerful pickup truck in the world.” Then it added side-spanning TRX graphics in Satin Bitter Yellow and Satin Black, custom Vintage Bronze 18-by-9.5-inch Black Rhino Chamber wheels, and 37-inch BFGoodrich tires.StellantisAs is suitable for a Mopar vehicle, the TRX Gold Shot concept serves as a truck-sized showcase for official accessories. In back, it’s got both a retractable bed step and dual five-inch black Mopar exhaust tips. The RamBar accessory bar behind the cab holds two bright, 14-inch LED concept lights from TYRI that can blast the scene with up to 4300 lumens. Up front and in the back, custom metal skid plates with laser-etched Mopar lettering protect the underside, while Mopar rock rails protect the side sills. The front skid plate increases the approach angle by 2.3 degrees, to 32.5 degrees. Much More on the TRXThe dashboard and console are stock items from the Ram 1500 TRX production mode, but that’s not the case with the seats or the cabin’s fabrics. The whole thing is well done without being overdone, in black with stitching and accents in yellow variants Gold Spinneybeck and Alaska Gold. The sport seats are wrapped with Capri leather and have perforated Alcantara inner bolsters. StellantisStellantis To highlight the Gold Shot’s adventure vibe, the bed holds a pair of matching gold and black motorcycles, and the interior has a vinyl floor, taken from the Ram 1500 Tradesman, for easier cleaning.StellantisAside from the TRX Gold Shot, Mopar is bringing another 10 concepts or modified vehicles. The Jeep CJ Surge and eight other Jeep custom vehicles plus the Ram 1500 Backcountry X concept are also making their SEMA debuts this year. SEMA runs November 1–4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Practical, custom storage and work spaces are the focus of the Ram 1500 Backcountry X concept, which Mopar is bringing to SEMA this week.New storage concepts for the RamBox cargo management system add 12.3 cubic feet of storage, and the telescoping storage-rack system from the Ram 1500 Outdoorsman concept is reworked here.Two desk or work surfaces are built in, one between the front bucket seats and another in the tailgate. There’s even a vacuum cleaner under the rear bench seats.Adding tons of cargo space and customized storage options to the standard Ram 1500 truck, Mopar’s Ram 1500 Backcountry X concept vehicle makes its debut at SEMA this week. The concepts explored here involve work, practical storage, and a bit of style. StellantisUp first are new ways to use the RamBox cargo management system. The Ram 1500 Backcountry X concept features newly designed storage compartments for the RamPack that are located above the standard RamBox on each side of the bed. Mopar said the design doesn’t compromise the functionality of the truck’s bed. The compartments include shelves, vertical bin dividers, and tie-down loops to contain whatever you’ve put into the 12.3 cubic feet of extra space.Rams from All AnglesMopar said the Ram 1500 Backcountry X uses a telescoping storage-rack system that was first shown on the Ram 1500 Outdoorsman concept at last year’s SEMA show. There is also a custom RamGate task-bench insert designed for woodworkers on the inside panel of the tailgate. There are extra Thule crossrails above the bed and two-inch TYRI LED lights on the corners of the RamRack.StellantisThe Backcountry X isn’t just about hauling more gear. The exterior two-tone exterior blends Matte Iced Silver Titanium and matte black. The truck also has a two-inch lift kit with Fox shocks and four Mopar 5-inch LED off-road lights on a tubular grille guard. The wheels are 20-by-9.0-inch matte black Fuel Heater units with 37-inch BFGoodrich tires. Tube steps on the side rails and a rear bed step help people get up into the truck.The interior features front-row bucket seats in neutral green, with orange accent stitching that matches the anodized orange air vents. Envisioned as a working vehicle, the Backcountry X Concept has a 12-by-14-inch deployable work surface between the two front seats. There’s even a concept RamVac onboard vacuum cleaner under the second-row bench seat.Mopar at SEMAAside from the Backcountry X, Mopar is bringing another 10 concepts or modified vehicles. The Jeep CJ Surge, the TRX Gold Shot, and eight Jeep custom vehicles are also making their SEMA debuts this year. SEMA runs November 1–4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Yeah, Jonathan Ward gets plenty of ink, video views, and time with Jay Leno. Why? Because his shop, Icon, keeps producing nasty things like this: a 1971 Mercedes-Benz 300SEL powered by a GM LS9 supercharged 6.2-liter V-8. The LS9 is the engine installed in the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and is rated at 638 horsepower in the GM Performance Parts catalog as a crated unit. The engine is backed by a massaged GM 4L85E four-speed automatic transmission. The car will make its debut at the SEMA show in Las Vegas this week.Here’s a clip of this warped transatlantic conglomeration through a nearby tunnel and along a few roads. It doesn’t sound much like an old Mercedes.This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.ICON Derelict Mercedes 300 SEL, MODIFIED with an LS9 SUPERCHARGED!!Watch onWard has produced this thing as part of his “Derelict” line of customs that retains the weathered appearance of older vehicles while stuffing them full of modern performance pieces and adding the luxury plucks to go with their $450,000 (to start) price tags.From the C/D ArchiveEven though the W108 and W109 series of large Mercedes sedans (built between 1965 and 1972) are renowned as the base for the epic 300SEL 6.3, it’s not a structure with the strength to handle this much thump. After all, the 6.3’s M100 big 6.3-liter V-8 was only rated at 247 horsepower when the car went on sale for 1968. So the LS9 has it beat by almost 400 horsey powers.Icon 4x4So, as Icon does with many Derelicts, it has been fitted with a custom ladder frame produced by Art Morrison Enterprises in Fife, Washington, that is fitted with an all-independent suspension system, rack-and-pinion steering, massive Brembo brakes, and loads of expensive stainless steel fittings. The new frame meant re-engineering the entire structure of the vehicle, originally built as a unibody, including a new floor.Perhaps the tastiest element of the car’s appearance is the one-piece billet aluminum wheels fitted with tires that squeeze under the fenders almost erotically. Yeah, that’s right, erotically.Icon 4x4Ward is known for his obsessive attention to intricate details, and the 300SEL is filled with them. New wood trim, some sort of super stealthy mega-sound system, heated this, ventilated that, it’s all carefully here and carefully hidden.How fast is this thing? Let’s go to Jonathan Ward’s shop in verdant Chatsworth, California, and find out. Soon.This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More