Car makers have been branching off in the retail market, deciding to cast their net into some previously uncharted water. They license hairdryers, sleds and purses. But Lamborghini is taking it to the lawn with their new line of garden tools.

Lamborghini has licensed out the brand to IKRA tool makers, who have launched a new series of garden gadgets called Tonio Lamborghini. All of these tools are electric powered (some have rechargeable cordless options). We’ve included a list after the jump with a brief overview:

Continue Reading…

A while back, G-Power released their original BMW X5 that also featured a widebody and sported 525-hp. But gosh, who wants only 525-hp? Just a little over a year and a half later, G-Power has unleashed an all new BMW X5 Typhoon, this time in M-series with a neck-snapping 725-hp.

And along with that 725-hp is an astonishing 656 ft-lbs of torque, an increase of close to 155 ft-lbs from factory spec. The aerodynamic package is similar to what we’ve seen before, widening the stance of BMW’s X5 M even more and is available for $16,300. And you’ll need a widebody if you’re going to go and sport massive 23×11-inch wheels in the front with a staggered 23×12-inch pair in the rear. Pack those babies up with 315/25/23 rubber and you’ve got more than enough at your disposal to handle 725-hp. The SUV also sports a mild drop of 1.1-inch.

G-Power states that cooling has been enhanced by 15% thanks to the large air intakes in the front skirt and the vents in the hood. But the real power comes from an upgraded ECU that also removes the speed limiter. A stainless steel exhaust sporting high-flow catalytic converters and new exhaust manifolds help flow the X5 M’s turbochargers. That folks is all it takes to bump horsepower by 170 ponies.

For those interested in the wheels and Michelin tires, be prepared to shell out $11,275. And as for the 170-hp gain? Get about $22,900 ready.

GALLERY: G-Power BMW X5 M Typhoon

Read AutoGuide’s 2011 BMW X5 M Review by Clicking Here

Continue Reading…

Rather than offer an entire TRD branded vehicle, those interested in performance parts for their 2011 Scion tC will have to pick and choose from Scion’s catalog in order to customize their brand new Scion tC. This clarification comes after a report that Scion would deliver an official TRD tC.

The full parts catalog hasn’t been released yet, but it looks like Scion will basically brand the new tC options with TRD options available. Initial offerings will include lowering springs and a pair of sway bars (front and rear) for suspension components, while performance can be mildly enhanced with an intake and exhaust system in addition to a short shifter. TRD will also offer a front brake upgrade with cross drilled rotors to complement optional 19-inch wheels and tires.

We will be more interested if TRD does another trip down the supercharger lane with the new 2011 Scion tC, as it was a fairly popular option for those hungry for reliable horsepower on the previous generation tC.

[Source: 7Tune]

Read AutoGuide’s 2011 Scion tC Review by Clicking Here

We haven’t seen many gold wrapped (or painted) cars here in North America but they’re definitely popular in other countries. A while back we checked out the gold and chrome luxury cars in Russia, and now there’s a gold wrapped Aston Martin DB9 that’s for sale out in the United Kingdom. The asking price is set at $154,500 and the luxury coupe as close to 30,000 miles on it.

What is even more interesting is the matching gold Lamborghini that’s peeking out from behind the DB9. And surprisingly, both cars are able to pull off the gold foil wrap pretty well. We wonder if this is a dealership that specializes in taking used cars, wrapping them in a crazy style and putting them up for sale at a premium. Nonetheless, it satisfies our curiosity of how high end luxury cars look in a real flashy gold finish and surprisingly, they’re not too tacky… at least to us.

GALLERY: Gold Aston Martin DB9

[Source: Motor Enthusiast]

Oh Lotus, you think you’re just so clever don’t you? With rumors flying that the British sports car company will be unveiling the next generation Esprit at this year’s Paris Auto Show, Lotus has just released these photos of company CEO Dany Bahar’s personal Lotus Esprit.

Along with a thorough detailing, Bahar’s Esprit received a fresh coat of Ice White Pearl. And…. well, that’s it.

While nothing has been confirmed you can bet Lotus will show the all-new Esprit in Paris. They even went to far as to point out that Bahar’s Esprit is a V8 model – suggesting the new Esprit will also sport a V8 (possibly the 5.0-liter from the Lexus IS-F). In addition, look for the new Evora S, a V6-powered Exige and two front-engine models.

GALLERY: Dany Bahar’s Lotus Esprit

[Source: Zer Customs]

Having built project cars ourselves, there are times when you just want to give up. And apparently despair got the better of the owner of this partially-finished Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR Coupe.

Sporting a widebody conversion, the coupe modification and a slew of performance upgrades, not to mention some iForged wheels, it actually looks as though this may be an abandoned project car by the folks at Fox Marketing – known for building SEMA show cars for the likes of Lexus. We also find it hard to believe someone took a virgin car with just 3,736 miles on the odometer and hacked it apart like this.

We wouldn’t be surprised if Mitsubishi had commissioned this car for SEMA last year and then pulled out of the show as the recession took hold.

While we certainly can’t say we love it, if you’re interested in this one-of-a-kind EVO Coupe and you’re willing to invest some more dollars into finishing it then you’re in luck. While the eBay listing has since concluded, the seller’s reserve price wasn’t met, meaning if you are interested then check out the listing for contact info.

GALLERY: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Coupe

There is a whole lot going on right now at Tokyo Game Show 2010, including the release of a new trailer for Gran Turismo 5. Yes, the game that everyone has been highly anticipating for what seems like the past decade, is very close to release… we hope.

The trailer shows off just how grand the scope of Gran Turismo 5′s development is. We don’t even have to address just how detailed the courses and vehicles look, or just how accurate everything is expected to be from driving simulator to engine modification. But what’s just going to blow us away (when we finally get our dirty hands on it) is the variety of game play we’ll get to experience.

Forget just fighting your way to obtain licenses and pack up your garage with as many cars as you want. Gran Turismo 5 is going to usher in a new era of driving simulation with so many different racing modes that you’ll be able to experience what it’s like to be a race car driver in all different styles; from NASCAR, to rally racing to vintage street cars.

Will the game be worth the wait? Or will the anticipation and promises kill it before it’s even released? We’re always a little skeptical when something tries to be a jack of all trades and ends up being an ace of none. Let’s hope this isn’t the case with Gran Turismo 5!

Continue Reading…

How the driver was fortunate enough to survive this freak accident is beyond us. Apparently the crash occurred in Washington State, where this lucky driver fell asleep behind the wheel of his Chevy Suburban and ended up colliding head first into the guard rail. It immediately penetrated the passenger side of the SUV, through the motor, passenger seat, and out the rear window.

Somehow it didn’t even touch the driver – not even a scratch. He was cited with careless driving, but we’re sure he learned a big enough lesson waking up and seeing 90 feet of guard rail through his car. What a story to tell your grandchildren huh? Drive through a guard rail and live to tell the story. Make sure to check out the rear photo of the accident – it really puts it into perspective just how bizarre this was.

GALLERY: Freak Guard Rail Car Accident

[Source: MT Standard]

AC Schnitzer has become the first aftermarket tuning company to utilize the power of phone applications. And while Android is gaining on the iPhone’s popularity, there’s no denying that going with Apple’s brainchild first is the smart thing to do.

AC Schnitzer’s iPhone app is completely free to download and allows you to stay up to date with all of the company’s happenings. You’ll also be able to hear and check out videos of their exhaust systems and view various AC Schnitzer vehicles that are for sale.

And just to have a little more utility than just a giant AC Schnitzer ad, they offer a “Park Service” option which is basically just a GPS-locator to store where you park your car and how to get back to it later.

And with AC Schnitzer now acting as a pioneer, we have to think it won’t be long before other tuners start releasing their own Apps.

[Source: GT Spirit]

Even though BMW‘s 1-Series hasn’t caught on like we expected, there’s no denying how much fun it is to drive and how formidable it is as a race-prepped track vehicle. The 135i in particular, equipped with the N54 twin-turbo powerplant, or the new N55 single turbo powerplant, makes for a fun and nimble car to maneuver around on any race course. Recently, several time attack teams have turned towards BMW’s 1-Series chassis as their weapon of choice – such as Berk Technology -  and now we’re able to take a look at Japanese tuner TK Square’s variant.

TK Square’s racing division is rightfully named TK Racing and they call their E82 their Lubross 135R. TK Square is well known for tuning several different BMW models (from 1-Series to 5-Series) and actively participate in the BMW and Euro Cup out in Japan.

What’s really killer on their 135R is the widebody that they’ve applied to it that gives plenty of clearance for their wheel and tire setup. Along with the widebody is a 3D Design front lip spoiler and a wickedly functional rear spoiler. It looks like the car puts out around 400-hp, which is a fairly painless task with the N54.

How the upcoming 1M will stack up against these tuned and built 135is, we’re not quite sure. We’ll just have to wait and see the 1M’s powerplant’s potential.

GALLERY: TK Racing BMW 135R

[Source: Jon Sibal]

Want to know what the 1 Series M will look like? See AutoGuide’s expert rendering by Clicking Here