MagnaFlow, based out of Southern California, has teamed up with racing legend Mario Andretti to build one mean, clean Camaro for this year’s SEMA Show. The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro will also be auctioned off for charity at an upcoming Barrett-Jackson 2012 Scottsdale auction in Arizona with all the proceeds going towards the Wounded Warrior project.

The Camaro SS comes courtesy of Chevrolet while MagnaFlow outfitted it with their high-performance exhaust and Magnuson supercharger to enhance the Camaro’s performance. Getting the power to the ground is an ACT clutch while the exterior looks the part with a full Street Scene carbon fiber body kit. Keeping it all classy, MagnaFlow opted for a set of 20-inch HRE wheels mated to Pirelli rubber to cover up the Brembo brakes. Suspension upgrades come from a set of Eibach springs.

In order to earn Mario Andretti’s stamp of approval, Andretti himself took the MagnaFlow-built Camaro out to Nashville Super Speedway to take it through its paces. After inspecting and driving it on the track, Andretti approved of the project and will be alongside the Camaro on November 2nd, at the show.

[Source: MotorAuthority]

GALLERY: Magnaflow Chevy Camaro Mario Andretti Edition

Harold Martin’s V1000 Cadillac CTS-V is one menacing, luxurious coupe. Martin classifies it as an Extreme Elegance vehicle, stating that they focused on new styling and aerodynamics, a tuned exhaust note, acceleration that commands respect from the quickest sports cars in the world, and still offer a refined highway romantic cruiser. We chose to ignore the majority of that gibberish though, opting to only read “1000-hp”.

Best of all, we’ll be able to admire the beauty in person at the upcoming SEMA Show where Martin’s V1000 Coupe will be shown off. The Martin V1000 package outfits the Cadillac CTS-V with a supercharged 7.0L V8 with 1000-hp and 900 lb-ft of torque. Other modifications seen on their display car will be a custom intercooler setup, a full but subtle body kit, a stainless steel high-flow exhaust and 22-inch wheels.

Harold Martin right now is claiming their CTS-V Coupe does 10.9 in the quarter mile and goes 0-60 mph in just 3.5 seconds. They’re currently taking orders for their entire line of custom Cadillac vehicles.

Check out the video of Harold Martin’s 1000-hp CTS-V Coupe after the break.

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Meguiar’s will be heading to SEMA this year with this custom two-tone Lexus CT 200h. While it’s not exactly the crazy project one would expect from a SEMA display car, the 2012 CT 200h serves a purpose as a proper marketing tool for Meguiar’s.

The yellow and black two-tone scheme is inspired by Meguiar’s Ultimate Wash and Wax product line, giving the CT 200h clearly defined body lines. The glossy paint comes courtesy of Glasurit Paint Systems while the Rotiform BLQ wheels with Falken Tires are also done in a nice black finish, providing a nice black/yellow/black theme to the project. Handling suspension duties is a set of coilovers from CKS, while the interior got a proper suede treatment with contrasting yellow stitching.

Autoguide will be sure to stop by the Meguiar’s booth to take a look at this hybrid project in person next week.

[Source: Jon Sibal]

GALLERY: Meguiar’s Lexus CT 200h

A few weeks ago, we told you about the mystery surrounding the missing license plate on Steve Jobs’ silver Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG. Was it a payoff to the cops? Did he have a permit to drive plateless? It turns out he just wanted to be “different.”

iTWire had the chance to talk with Jon Callas, the CTO of Entrust, who had worked at Apple in various senior security roles. And according to Callas, Jobs had found a loophole in California vehicle laws that allowed him to legally and permanently drive without a licence plate.

Taking the Apple motto of “Think Differently” to the roads, Jobs learned that a new car can drive without a licence plate for a maximum of six months. Jobs made a deal with the leasing company: he would swap his old car for a new one during the sixth month of the lease. Jobs always got identical silver Mercedes SL55 AMGs, so one would have to have a very keen eye to be able to spot the differences. This meant that Jobs never owned a particular SL55 AMG for longer than six months, therefore he never had to put a licence plate on it.

[Source: iTWire]

34,000 units of GM’s 2012 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain crossovers are recalled due too improperly calibrated tire pressure monitoring systems.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, requires all tire pressure monitoring systems to illuminate a warning signal when the tires are below 25 percent of the vehicle’s recommended psi. However, the sensors fitted into the 2012 Equinox and Terrain may not illuminate until it is even lower than that.

Improperly inflated tires will result to various unsafe situations including an overloaded and overheating tire that may blowout at speed, increasing the possibilities of a crash. Inconveniences such as irregular and premature wear, poor handling, as well as poor fuel economy can be a result of underinflated tires as well.

GALLERY: 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain

With Andrea Bertolini behind the wheel of Maserati‘s Quattroporte EVO, the famed Quattroporte model now has its first racing title. Bertolini captured the Superstars Series championship at the very last race of the season after coming back against Luigi Ferrara’s Mercedes AMG C63 and Alberto Cerqui’s BMW M3. On the way to the championship, Bertolini had the perfect race weekend, capturing a double win, recording the fastest lap and even taking pole position in qualifying. To top it all off, Bertolini’s teammate, Alessandro Pier Guidi, finished second place at the race.

There is controversy surrounding the championship however, as Luigi Ferrara’s team is making an appeal against the race officials confirming the Maserati’s win as legal. The National Court of Appeal will be deciding on the matter, which will be investigated in the near future, but as of now Bertolini is the champion pending appeal – but it seems that Maserati has no doubts in its validity.

This championship just adds to Bertolini’s already impressive collection of trophies, including the FIA GT1 championship in the MC12 he helped develop. Maserati’s Quattroporte EVO beat out ten other manufacturers for the top crown and is the first time Maserati has won the Superstars Series title.

GALLERY: Maserati Quattroporte EVO

Maserati has long been Ferrari‘s little brother. However, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne believes Maserati is well placed to play a far more important role.

Insisting that Ferrari is not sold to the same market of buyers as Porsche or Bentley, and can only belong to an elite realm shared with Lamborghini and Bugatti, Marchionne has designated Maserati as acting Italian counterpart to Porsche and Bentley instead.

This suddenly gives Maserati a clear brand identity and a focused product plan. As Ferrari chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo would never allow an SUV in Ferrari’s portfolio anyway, it gives Maserati a clear opportunity to fill the niche of a Porsche Cayenne competitor.

Products in the pipeline include two sedans of different sizes replacing the Quattroporte as well as the Kubang SUV. With the GranTurismo completing the family picture, Sergio Marchionne is optimistic that sales numbers may even increase tenfold, from 5,675 units sold last year up to even 60,000 in the near future.

[Source: AutoNews]

Participating in an auto show is an expensive business. To rent the right amount of space for your display, then have a stage constructed to represent the brands image, plus hiring all the staff needed at the booth to answer questions from the public. It’s all a very big and expensive affair which can easily cost up to $1-million per show.

All this is fine when the company is making tons of money, but when a company is in the red, spending lavishly at an auto show is not the smartest thing to do.

Take Suzuki for example. Back in 2007, it was selling 100,000 vehicles in the States per year. Last year, that number was down to less than a quarter of that at 23,994 units.

While Suzuki sales are up slightly this year, but not by much, and it looks as if the brand will not have a great year ahead of them either. To save money, Suzuki has decided to skip the upcoming L.A. Auto Show, and will also skip the North American International Auto Show in January.

Suzuki’s spokesman Jeff Holland said; “For the upcoming season, our brand will selectively participate at auto shows where our distinctive and engaging story will resonate the most.

Apparently Suzuki’s story does not resonate with the California crowd, as only 430 new Suzuki’s were sold in the sunny state.

Part of the reason Suzuki has been struggling is because of the strength of the Japanese Yen compared to the Dollar. Apart from the Equator pick-up truck, all the Suzuki models are built in Japan, and the unfavorable exchange rate is hurting them very directly.

In its home market, Suzuki is still a very brand and the most popular new car sold in Japan is the Suzuki Wagon R, plus their motorbike division is among the most successful in the industry on a global scale.

[Source: Automotive News]

Every year at the SEMA Show, Scion always impresses with a fleet of customized models from the world’s top builders. This year will be no different, as a trio of customized iQs will face off in this year’s Tuner Challenge, while Scion will also show off a custom iQ from Cartel, a tC from Gruppe S/Dynamic Autosports, an xB from 686, and the xB from the Scion Canada Tuner Challenge.

Starting with the Tuner Challenge iQs, the three projects were built by individual tuners Michael Chang, Jon Sibal and Tatsu. Starting with Chang’s iQ creation, he opted for a widebody, race-inspired look thanks to a plethora of products from Evasive Motorsports. The entire exterior was overhauled with a custom widebody kit, full with plenty of carbon fiber components. It’ll be dropped to the ground thanks to Air Runner suspension while Wilwood big brakes and Advan Racing RT wheels will be shown off on all four corners. Inside the race theme continues with a custom 6-point roll cage, Sparco EVO seats, fuel cell and more.

Sibal’s iQ RX (pictured above) sports a matte Metallic Grey with Bronze Pearl paint further accented by a modified Veilside Premier4509 body kit. Nitrous Express gives the iQ a little more punch to help spin the 18-inch HRE 567C three-piece wheels. Once again, Air Runner Suspension gives the iQ the stance it needs to be a real attention grabber while the interior packs plenty of electronics thanks to Orion. For brakes, Sibal opted for a setup from Stop Tech while the interior gets a custom job from MVDesignz.

Last but not least, competing against Sibal and Chang will be the iQ-MR by Tatsu. The first thing to catch your eye is the unique exterior paneling from Specialty Cars that truly makes this iQ different than the rest. The MR clearly hints that this iQ isn’t what you would expect from Scion – it sports a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive setup. A fully rebuilt, high compression motor by Mavrik Motorsports has been paired to an AEM EMS and probably packs quite the naturally aspirated punch. Axis’ Sakura wheels are seen on all four corners, sitting perfectly thanks to a set of coilovers from KW Suspension. Inside, Specialty Cars continues their expertise with a custom cage, interior paneling and a ton of Sparco goods.

The pair of xBs that will be shown off are from SR Auto Group and 686 in collaboration with Spin Imaging. The unique Numeric xB by 686 features a waterproof fabric wrap with laser welded and stitched seams. The custom body kit further accents the xB’s radical styling while a set of 18-inch Motegi wheels match the exterior color scheme. Plenty of customization continues on the interior, something we expect that we’ll have to see to believe.

The Project Anarchy xB is the 2011 Scion Canadian Tuner Challenge Champion, sporting a VIP theme thanks to modified AIT Racing body parts. Seibon lends a hand with plenty of carbon fiber goods while a set of 19-inch Modulare Bespoke M23 wheels clearly sets the xB off. BC Racing coilovers gives it the perfect stance while the interior gets Reventon-inspired upholstery.

The lone tC of the show comes from Dynamic Autosports, representing Gruppe-S. Overall it’s a simple and clean project, representing something any one of their customers could replicate. A GReddy turbo kit gives the tC extra power while a set of Weds SA55 adorn each corner. A TRD big brake kit combined with KW’s 3-way coilovers gives the tC enhanced braking and handling performance. On the exterior, Seibon and APR pitch in plenty of styling upgrades while Papadakis Racing comes in with a one-piece roof – clearly a result of their drifting program.

Last but not least is the Pit Boss Cartel iQ, which is clearly influenced by Jeremy Lookofsky’s years of drag racing. The exterior has become a chop-top model with the doors chopped and capped, custom metal fabricated interior and exterior panels and a House of Colors Electric Blue paint to set it all off. Wheels are Lorenzo’s WL028 model with a staggered 18/19-inch setup. AccuAir suspension gives it plenty of adjustability while a Wilwood brake upgrade ensures it has plenty of stopping power.

AutoGuide can’t wait to check out all these crazy creations in person, as Scion never disappoints year after year.

GALLERY: Scion 2011 SEMA Lineup

GALLERY: Pit Boss Cartel iQ

GALLERY: Jon Sibal iQ RX

GALLERY: Michael Chang iQ

GALLERY: Tatsu iQ-MR

If you want to see how the BMW X3 Sports Activity Vehicle is made, be sure to tune into National Geographic Channel’s hour-long documentary, part of the popular Ultimate Factories series.

The X3 segment of Ultimate Factories airs on Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on the National Geographic Channel. It also marks the second time the series is featuring a BMW built exclusively in South Carolina (the first was BMW’s Z4 Roadster).

“Once again, BMW was very pleased to welcome the National Geographic Channel into our plant. We are proud to show people all over the world the quality and craftsmanship of BMW X3, X5 and X6, built exclusively for over 130 markets around the globe,” said Josef Kerscher, President, BMW Manufacturing.

[Source: Xbimmers]