Rear-Wheel Drive Cars + Winter = Mission Impossible?

For years, the vast majority of cars on the road have been front wheel drive, allowing us to drive safely in adverse winter conditions. That statement seems especially true for the Midwest and Northeastern regions of the United States. As winter bears down on us in the colder parts of the country, I’d like to bring up the subject of FWD versus RWD and driving each in snowy and icy conditions.

If you started driving here in the Midwest like I did, then you’ve probably heard it from more than one person that you should most definitely buy a front wheel drive or four-wheel drive vehicle for year-round driving, and pretty much just forget about a rear-wheel drive car in the winter. But is that completely true, or is it just as plain and simple as it sounds? I’ll assume that the reader of this article already has a basic knowledge of the difference in characteristics between FWD and RWD.

Back in 2004, the magazine Popular Mechanics ran an article that compared handling characteristics between the Hemi-equipped, rear-wheel drive Chrysler 300C, and a front-wheel drive Bonneville with a Northstar V8. The magazine compared acceleration and handling on both dry and wet pavement, and found that the front-wheel drive Bonneville had a slight advantage when it came to acceleration in wet road conditions. However, the Chrysler had an obvious handling advantage in both conditions. Without a doubt, this feat was accomplished with modern technology.

Technology for taking off and stopping in icy conditions was something automakers only dreamed of prior to the 80′s, when rear-wheel drive was the most common setup. Today, there’s a myriad of computer controlled systems that make driving easier, or in some cases just possible, where it used to be an insurmountable task. Traction control and ABS both assist in making winter driving possible with a rear-wheel drive car, but the accuracy and efficiency of these systems are only getting better and better with every year.

Many tests have found that by simply equipping a rear-wheel drive car with dedicated winter tires can make the car equal to, or better than a front-wheel drive car with all-season tires in terms of traction and handling in the winter. Do you drive your rear-wheel drive car in the winter, though? Are you willing to risk it?

Ford Answers Chevrolet’s ZL1 Camaro with the ’13 Shelby GT500

Just around a month ago, we received word that Chevy’s ZL1 Camaro would be even meaner that we originally expected. With 580 horsepower, the supercharged Camaro is expected to run high 11′s in the 1/4-mile, straight out of the factory. But, before it’s even become available to the public, Ford has already turned the tables on the highly anticipated ZL1 Camaro.

Prior to the ’13 GT500′s unveiling at the L.A. Auto Show last month, Ford released some very interesting information regarding the car’s specifications. The new Mustang GT500 will produces a ground-breaking 650 horsepower and 600 ft-lbs of torque–allowing them to claim it as “the most powerful production V8 in the world.” Ford approached this high level of power with their 5.8 liter and a TVS 2300 supercharger. Not only are the power numbers exciting, but Ford says they’ve made extensive aerodynamic tweaks that equate to a 33% increase in overall aerodynamics, allowing the new GT500 to reach speeds in excess of 200 mph! Not only is the ’13 GT500 a serious threat to the ZL1 Camaro, but also to the much more expensive ZR1 Corvette!

Thanks to extensive fuel efficiency engineering, Ford has also managed to sneak past the Gas-Guzzler Tax on the GT500, helping customers save loads of cash when making the purchase. With all of this power, we can still expect the Ford Shelby GT500 to be very street-able and well mannered when need be. With refined technology like launch control, steering assist, engine control, and traction control, the 650 horse are well under control. Other cool stuff it’ll have that usually goes unnoticed is a one-piece carbon fiber driveshaft, transmission cooler, external oil cooler, and differential cooler.

As soon as we get testing results on the new GT500 and ZL1, we’ll be sure to pass it on to you! It’s undoubtedly going to be tooth and nail fight that all muscle car guys should witness.

’12 Dodge Charger Super Bee Revealed at the 2011 L.A. Auto Show

If you’re a Dodge fan, or just a muscle car fan in general, then this is definitely a moment we’ve been waiting for ever since the new Charger was re-introduced back in 2005. Apparently with the advent of Chrysler’s new 6.4 Hemi, Dodge saw that it was time to pull out the big guns. Last week at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Dodge introduced us to the Charger SRT8 Super Bee.

With the new 6.4 liter Hemi under the hood, the newly redesigned Charger and Challenger produce an astounding 470 horsepower and 470 ft-lbs of torque, making the new SRT8 Super Bee one tough customer. The 6.4 liter Hemi, which also boasts fuel saver technology, is standard equipment on the Super Bee trim, and can be mated to either a 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic. With the 6.4 liter and automatic combination, the Super Bee flies to 60 miles per hour in less than 5 seconds. Since the Super Bee is based on the SRT8 platform, it also gets all of the SRT8 goodies, like an upgraded suspension, 20-inch wheels, and Brembo brakes.

Choose your color wisely though, because only two colors are available for the special Super Bee; Pitch Black or Stinger Yellow. Both of which are adorned with Super Bee graphics, inside and out. If I’m correct, the graphics they use on the rear quarters are the same exact graphic they used on the original Super Bee’s back in the day–too cool! Act fast though, Dodge says they’re only making a maximum of 1000 Super Bee’s, one of each color, and dealers will begin taking orders on them in just a week. These cars will without a doubt be collectors items in the years to come.

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The Undesirables: Five Awesome “Underdog” Muscle Cars

The word “awesome” is quite subjective here. Would we consider the following cars cool simply because they’re underdogs? Many may reply with a resounding “YES!” But not so fast–these poor cars have been passed over time and time again.  Sure, it was the mid-70′s and performance automobiles were scarce when the majority of these cars were new on the showroom floor, but let’s not overlook the potential of these fine automobiles! Let’s give the undesirables a second chance, shall we?

First, we’ll start out with the biggest car of the bunch; the Dodge Magnum. No, we’re not talking about the station wagon styled Magnum released back in 2005, but the short lived Dodge Magnum that was sold only in ’78 and ’79. It was the last of the Chrysler B-body cars, and it was big, too, weighing in at a bloated 4,100 lbs. Not only was it big, but it also had horrible aerodynamics, further effecting the performance potential of the Magnum right off the bat. There was a ray of hope for Dodge customers in 1978 though. In ’78, customers could order the more performance-oriented Magnum GT, which included the optional 400 cui V8. The 400 only produced a measly 190 horsepower, but that was largely due to restrictive smog equipment and extremely conservative camshafts, effectively choking the engine. Don’t give up on 6.6 liter Dodge though, plenty could be done with the 400 V8 to increase it’s performance.

The AMC Hornet was also an underdog, in it’s own right. Being an AMC almost automatically gives it the underdog title, but the Hornet came out swinging soon after it became available in 1970. With the SC/360 package in 1971, the Hornet was a true competitor for other muscle cars like the Chevy Nova and Plymouth Duster.

Weighing only 3,100 lbs, the Hornet was more than a handful with the AMC 360 cubic inch V8 that made a stout 285 horsepower. Upgrades such as lower gearing and factory performance parts were still readily available in ’71, too. The Hornet saw it’s demise in ’77, but if you do a quick search on the internet, you’ll almost certainly find a couple in your neck of the woods.

For obvious reasons, the Chevrolet Vega/Pontiac Astre was not immediately a hit with the muscle car crowd. The most powerful available engine from the factory was a puny Cosworth 122 cubic inch inline-four that made only 110 horsepower. The lack of factory prowess however, is not what makes the Vega a cool underdog car. Lots of owners have transformed their Vegas into fire-breathing monsters with 383 strokers crammed underneath the hood, and fat tires shoved under the rear. Being an ultra light car (~2,200 lbs) has it’s perks!

Competition (in Spirit) to the Mustang II was the Chevy Monza–and it came dressed to impress! Being a lightweight car, much like the Vega, the Monza became a popular choice for hot rodders who wanted power on the cheap. The Monza wasn’t exactly pretty, but it weighed only 2,800 lbs and made good power when it was equipped with either the 305 or 350 Chevy V8. If you wanted to dress up your Monza a little bit, Spyder equipment and appearance packages were optional from ’76 to ’80, giving the Monza a much more sporty look and ride.

Last, but not least on our list of awesome underdog cars is the Ford Maverick. Produced from ’70 to ’77, the Maverick was Ford’s potent entry-level compact. The Maverick we’d love to to find sitting in a someone’s barn would be the Maverick Grabber, equipped with a 140 horsepower 302 V8. Mavericks, just like the other cars listed, are usually overlooked–not even given the time of day. There’s plenty of aftermarket support for the 302 though, so power is more than obtainable!

Feature: Is Today’s Muscle Car Better Than Those of the Past?

When you stop for a moment and think about it, we really are living in a strange era of automobiles. It’s now commonplace to have a wide spectrum of vehicles available for purchase straight from the factory. On one side of the spectrum you have high-powered factory drag cars, now commonly producing upwards of 500 horsepower. On the other side, you’ll find an ever growing crop of zero-emission, ultra-high fuel efficiency economy cars. What makes all of this possible is technology, research, and development.  Those three things are what I consider as the major components that separate the “new” from the “old”. In this case in particular I’d like to touch on what separates the modern muscle cars from the muscle cars of what some people refer to as the “golden era of muscle cars”.

When you’re talking to your car buddies and the subject of muscle cars, new versus old comes up, one subject is almost certain to pop up at some point, and that’s the styling. When your buddy who’s on the “classic” side thinks he may have been beaten in your new vs. old discussion, he’ll definitely pull out the “styling” card. It’s hard to argue with though, isn’t it? If it weren’t for the timeless styling of the classic cars, the modern “retro” styling never would have existed, right? Yes, it’s true that the ’69 Camaro, ’65 Mustang, and ’69 Charger are all designs that will never be forgotten, but some of the newer cars have equally or even more impressive features than the classics. Take for example the latest Charger design. As far as rear tail lights go, did you ever see anything as impressive as the Charger’s LED lights back in the 1960′s? What it all boils down to is this; art is subjective, and so is style.

Here’s something else to think about when comparing old to new. The newer Camaro and Mustang are both producing over 300 horsepower…with a V6. For a quick comparison, the ’12 Camaro V6 makes an incredible 323 horsepower (net), and the legendary 396 big block V8 made 375 horsepower (gross) in 1968. Not only does the new V6 produce more net horsepower, but thanks to modern technology, it also gets about 20 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway–something the 396 could never accomplish no matter how much your modified it.

I’m not in any way trying to bad mouth the classics, but the newer generation really has a strong case. Increased power, a better ride, creature comforts (even in the lowest optioned trims), and increased fuel efficiency all come together to make modern muscle cars much more versatile than those of the past. I have to say though, it is hard to argue with the deep rumble of the classics, and smell of high-octane exhaust fumes. But if you had a choice, which would you choose?

Find of the Day: ’70 Plymouth Duster Project Car

These days, getting into the muscle car hobby can be very difficult. Most people will tell you that the hardest part of getting into the hobby is finding an affordable, decent condition project car to start with. In many cases, that’s true. Keep in mind though that in today’s economy, it’s a buyer’s market. Classic cars are being sold for low prices due to owners going through economic hardships. People seeking a financial boost quickly realize that an old car sitting behind their garage can be turned into a handful of cash. That’s exactly the situation the owner of this ’70 Plymouth Duster is currently going through.

Though this little Duster is pretty rough around the edges in more ways that one, we can’t help but see potential here. With only a little more than a day of bidding and no reserve, this car is a pretty decent deal at only $710. Collectercarmarket.com puts a base Duster’s value at about $3600 for a decent running example. According the Vin number, this Duster originally had a 225 cui slant 6. The owner did mention in the Ebay listing though, that the car is currently set up for a big block engine. Regardless of the value, it would still be a really cool car to fix up and drive. Parts availability for Plymouth’s are usually above average, so that shouldn’t be much of an issue when considering a restoration on this car.

The car has obviously seen better days, but the body looks to be in decent shape for a Mid-west car. That alone gives the future owner a good place to start. Someone out there looking for an inexpensive way to submerge themselves into the muscle car world might find this Duster as the perfect candidate.

Violent Indy Car Crash Results in the Death of Racer Dan Wheldon

Racing is still dangerous. Despite all the breaking new technology to prevent injuries or fatalities, nothing is impossible in the risky world of racing. Just last Sunday, Indy car racer and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon, 33, was killed in a massive Indy car racing accident.

The race took place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where Wheldon became involved in a 15-car crash, sending his car through the air and into the catch fence on the outer side of the race track.

The fatal pile up of cars began on only the 11th lap of the race. Two hours later, track officials confirmed that Dan Wheldon was in fact deceased. The race was decidedly not finished, and also included a word from IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard who made the following announcement:

“IndyCar is very sad to announce that Dan Wheldon has passed away from unsurvivable injuries. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today. IndyCar, its drivers and owners, have decided to end the race.”

Before this accident, the most recent fatal accident in Indy car racing occurred in 2006, where racer Paul Dana was killed while doing a pre-race warmup. In a strange twist, Dan Wheldon won the race that same day.

At the advent of this horrible accident, we’re left wondering if even more precautions will be taken to avoid future fatalities. Racing is a dangerous sport, but will it ever be completely safe?