Lingenfelter is up to its old tricks again, this time pumping out 670-hp and 565 ft-lbs of torque from the Corvette’s LS3 powerplant. The bulk of the power comes from an Edelbrock E-Force Supercharger in combination with Lingenfelter’s CNC-ported LS3 heads and their recently developed GT9 ZR1 supercharger camshaft.

One of the main selling points of the kit is that you can retain the factory hood on the setup so as to not give away what’s lurking in the engine bay. The package can be had at $13,845.00 and comes with Lingenfelter’s 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty.

In addition to the Edelbrock intercooled supercharger kit and Lingenfelter heads and camshaft, you’ll also receive new injectors, thermostat, Kenne Bell Boost-a-pump fuel pump, voltage booster, professional installation and dyno tuning (if Lingenfelter installs it). A pre-scheduled appointment is required and Lingenfelter will need about two weeks to take your Chevy Corvette to all new heights.

GALLERY: Lingenfelter Edelbrock E-Force Supercharger

Official press release and an informational video is available after the break.

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You’ve heard that women pay less then men for car insurance, but have you ever done the homework to back up this claim? InsWeb has, and it’s true – women typically pay less than men for their policies.

The data collected by InsWeb, an online insurance comparison provider, shows that women pay an average 9 percent less than men do for their car insurance policies. The company surveyed the current national six-month averages for car insurance, and the results came in at $698 for women and $765 for men.

Guys, don’t feel bad and don’t take it personal. It has to do with numbers. These rates are based off the underwriting policies that most leading auto insurance companies use, and each auto insurer assesses the risk for paying out future claims.

Here are some of the numbers that auto insurance companies are going off of. It’s a fact that men are 50 percent more likely to have a DUI or DWI on their driving record than women. When it comes to moving violations, women are 10 percent less likely to have one on their driving record. On top of that, women tend to own cheaper vehicles than men – on average, women’s vehicles are valued at 8 percent less than a men’s ($22,815 vs. $24,861). Another fact is that when women are listed as the primary drivers on a policy, they are less likely to have multiple drivers or vehicles listed on a policy. Crunch all the facts together, and men come out with a higher premium.

What do you think? Do you think this method of determining insurance premiums is fair or should they be set on an individual basis? Let us know in the comments section below.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Everyone loves some tunes while they are driving, and now Sony’s new release of affordable car stereos ensures you always get the best audio experience while stuck in traffic.

Available for purchase in the next few weeks, the new CDX-GT650UI, CDX-GT550UI, CDX-GT350MP, and CDX-GT250MP will range in price from $80 to $160.

At the top of the price spectrum, the CDX-GT650UI ($160) and CDX-GT550UI ($130) come with a host of cool features. They both boast USB ports on their faceplates so you can connect with iPods, iPhones, Sony’s Walkman, and other USB mass storage devices, as well as analog auxiliary inputs. Also included are Sony’s ZAPPIN, Quick-BrowZer, and Jump Mode search technologies so you can quickly navigating large media libraries. To make music sound awesome, they both come with Advanced Sound Engine and Digital Sound Processor technologies.

What the CDX-GT650 over the CDX-GT550UI is SenseMe, an application that automatically organizes connected music libraries into custom mood-based playlists, as well as a Dynamic Color Illuminator that lets you illumination the keys to more than 35,000 choices and a two-line LCD screen. The GT550UI only comes with green or blue illumination color choices and a single-line display.

Following these two in price is the $100 CDX-GT350MP. It comes with the faceplate mounted auxiliary input, CD playback, and AM/FM radio with RDS display that shows artist and track information. For a bit extra, you can buy the add-ons that support satellite radio, HD radio, and iPod integration. The $80 CDX-GT250MP offers the same features as the CDX-GT350MP, but you don’t have the capability to upgrade.

[Source: Cnet]

Got a million dollars lying around? Are you a complete Porsche Design product fanatic? If so you might want to turn your attention to Porsche Design’s Advent Calendar. Measuring in at almost 6 feet tall, the calendar is a luxurious-looking showpiece constructed of brushed aluminum with double-coat finish surfaces. And if you’re still wondering why this piece is priced at a spendy $1,000,000, the calendar reveals a special treat each day until December 24th.

Some of these treats include Porsche Design’s P’6910 timepiece, an individually customizable Porsche Design kitchen and a motor yacht. Obviously the kitchen and the yacht aren’t enclosed in the actual calendar, but the rest of the toys are. You can look forward to a new surprise each day which can vary from 18 carat gold sunglasses, writing tools, cufflinks and even a pair of premium running shoes.

For those that have walked into a Porsche Design retail store, you’ll know just how unique and luxurious their goods are. If you’re a collector and really want to complete your collection, you better act quick. Porsche Design will only be releasing five of these calendars; and even with the exorbitant price tag, we’re guessing the product you get with it is well worth the investment.

GALLERY: Porsche Design Calendar

Official press release available after the break.

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When it comes to finding gobs and gobs of horsepower, AMS Performance knows how to do it. Regardless of the application, whether it’s a Mitsubishi EVO or a Nissan GT-R, AMS has set records time and time again on and off the track. And now they’ve made it easy for all their customers to achieve the same type of success.

Dubbed their Alpha line, AMS Performance is offering premium Nissan GT-R Performance Packages. Their website is currently a complete tease with a coming soon page, but it looks like they’ll have four packages available soon: Alpha 6, Alpha 9, Alpha 10 and Alpha 12. We went ahead and did some digging through their current website and found some more information on their Alpha 6 and Alpha 9 packages.

The Alpha 6 package is offered at $6,499 and takes your GT-R to a respectable 600-hp and easy 10 second time slips at the quarter mile of your choice. The fastest time they’ve achieved on this package is a 10.6 @ 130 mph on 93 octane pump gas. The kit is is actually pretty mild with a majority of exhaust parts: 90mm catless downpipes, 90mm resonated midpipes and 90mm exhaust system. On the intake side is a set of HKS Super Hybrid air filters. And of course AMS will retune the car along with a Cobb AccessPORT to dial it all in. For those worried about emissions, catalytic converters are available on their downpipes as an option. And for those that are the complete opposite, non-resonated midpipes are available as a race version.

The Alpha 6 package can also be upgraded to an Alpha 9 package, but for those with the ability to dish out the cash up front, the Alpha 9 is available for $21,999.95. And as you can guess, Alpha 9 means 900-hp on race gas and 800-hp on pump gas. That equates to possible 9 second time slips on race gas. Along with everything in the Alpha 6 package, Alpha 9 also comes with upgraded turbochargers, turbo inlet pipes, front mount intercooler, intake piping and additional fuel upgrades to handle all the extra boost.

Check out the videos after the break of an Alpha 9 GT-R running 10.1 with pump gas, and their 9 second GT-R in case you missed it earlier.

[Source: GTR Blog]

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We can’t honestly tell you the last time we picked up a newspaper to see what was going on inside it. But we’re guessing people out in India still start their day off by opening up The Times of India. Volkswagen did a clever print advertising campaign by incorporating an audio ad whenever someone unfolded the newspaper. Basically an audio chip was fitted inside the pages that played an endlessly-looped message until you closed the paper. And to make sure it doesn’t die out quickly? The chip features a photodiode, a neat little piece of technology that can convert light into voltage.

There’s a video after the break showing off the ad, and it looks like most of the readers found it pretty clever rather than annoying. In fact, someone even tweeted that people in Mumbai are buying the newspaper just to check out the ad in person – so it looks like the gimmick worked.

Our major question is…what took someone so long to come up with this idea? (Especially as we’ve been seeing greeting cards with messages like this for years). Unfortunately newspapers as a whole are a dying breed, but it’ll be interesting if clever campaigns like this can rejuvenate that form of media.

[Source: Wired]

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Infiniti has just announced it will debut the IPL G Convertible at the Paris Auto Show. Like the coupe model unveiled several weeks ago at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the IPL (Infiniti Performance Line) Convertible makes 348-hp from a 3.7-liter V6 and includes a long list of performance and aesthetic enhancements.

Additional modifications include a retuned suspension, 19-inch wheels with sport brakes, a performance exhaust and a limited slip differential. Plus there’s a unique aero kit, special IPL badging, an IPL engine cover and unique interior treatments including red leather.

AutoGuide will be on hand for the car’s unveiling at the Paris Auto Show with live coverage starting September 30th.

Official release after the jump:

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Infiniti has just released a teaser design sketch of what it’s upcoming luxury electric car will look like. Believed to be based on the same platform as Nissan Leaf EV, the Infiniti model is set to hit dealers in North America in 2013.

Little info is available yet, but Infiniti promises the EV will deliver “Inspired Performance” and will be a, “stylish, high performance five-seat luxury vehicle with zero emissions technology.”

Previous rumors have suggested the Infiniti model could use a more powerful battery to deliver more Infiniti-like performance.

Infiniti will use the car to promote a greener image for the Japanese luxury brand, putting an increased focus on hybrid and electric vehicles. Infiniti will launch its first hybrid, the M35h, at the LA Auto Show in November.

Official release after the jump:

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Fans of the Indigo Girls and flannel shirts rejoice! The Subaru Forester gets a one mpg bump for 2010, turning out 21 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. The price is up by $200, so you’ll have to decide whether the increase is worth the money.

A new Touring model is also available for 2011, with equipment like HID headlights, automatic transmission and xenon headlights. Excuse us while we take some amphetamines and try and get excited about this bit of news.

Note: We like the Forester. We really do. Hit the jump to see more.

[Source: Subaru]

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