2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

As one of only two Korean automotive journalists that I know, Korean cars have been a subject of soreness on the grandest scale. For years I've had to endure all the wisecracks, pokes and slurs about the design, quality and performance-or lack thereof-the KDM OEs had to offer. And sadly, for most part, they were right. There really wasn't anything I could do to defend my homeland's four-wheeled honor. It was like hearing a bad "yo' momma" joke, if my mom was blonde, severely obese and low on the IQ totem pole. But wait . . . hear that? Cue: rustling. That's the wind of change. Its name: the Genesis-Hyundai's codeword for their new rear-wheel-drive platforms.

Admittedly, my Korean brethren did not invent RWD, nor is it a new technology. Like iPhones and MMS, Hyundai was a tad bit late to the party. I prefer to think it was for the sake of fashion-that, or like the process of Kimchee, the idea of a driveshaft and rear differential took some time to marinate. Popular Korean dish simile aside, the award-winning, sedan-form of the Genesis not only revolutionized Hyundai's perception as a brand, it redefined the luxury sedan market, offering options and amenities other makes would charge tens of thousands more for. Having never driven that Genesis, I can't tell you how it is, but I can say with extra-certainty the Genesis Coupe will rock your world harder than a sniff of extra-fermented cabbage.

Available in two motor options, a V-6 and turbocharged I-4, in stock trim, the bigger six has the necessary power to move the 3,300-plus lbs of steel. On the track, the 306hp Genesis Coupe 3.8 hangs with the likes of G37s and RX-8s and the 266 lb-ft of torque breaks traction with just a pulse of the throttle. And these aren't arcane comparisons, but truths experienced at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Pahrump, NV-not bad for Hyundai's rookie player. Likewise, taken to SP Engineering in City of Industry, CA, the V-6 put down a respectable 261.6 whp and 237.6 lb-ft of torque.

It's not just what's under the hood, either. The Genesis Coupe's chassis has 24-percent higher bending rigidity than an E46 M3 and the front dual-link MacPherson struts and five-link rear give it precise handling. My only gripe is the steering wheel-while I appreciate all the wheel-mounted controls, the construction feels spongy. Nothing a little Nardi can't fix. That, and save up for some suspension and you have an instant drift machine. With a factory warranty. Not just any ol' warranty either, but one that covers the original owner repair or replacement on powertrain components for 10 years/100k miles. That's like having a decade's worth of Hyundai dealers acting as your personal pit crew.

As good as the Genesis Coupe 3.8 is, the turbocharged four . . . not so much. If the car were 600 lbs lighter and devoid of all the necessary safety stuff and fancy options such as the six-speed manual, A/C, cruise control, Bluetooth, CD player, keyless entry, and iPod connectivity, all included in the base trim, it would put the Genesis Coupe 2.0T in Nissan S13 weight territory and prove to be formidable, stock. But it's not. Because we, the consumer, desire safety and widgets, which the Genesis coupe is laden with, the 2.0T doesn't have the hp-to-weight ratio a sports car requires. Rated at 210 hp and 223 lb-ft of torque from the factory, our 2.0T filled with the recommended 87 octane (yes, 87-the turbo four is tuned from Hyundai for standard fuel) put down an impressive 191.4 hp and 221.1 lb-ft to the wheels on SP Engineering's dyno. Despite the underrated power, for non-enthusiasts (i.e., not you), the turbo-four will feel like a sluggish, naturally-aspirated big I-4 or small V-6. For enthusiasts (i.e., you), the turbo reeks of spicy, garlick-y potential. Starting sub $23K, the Genesis Coupe 2.0T is a RWD, turbocharged platform from the factory that's screaming at the top of its lungs: "Tune me, please!" Intake? Sure! Full exhaust? Yes, please. Boost controller? Go for it. ECU and tune? Why freaking not.

But before you get started, one might want to start with the Track-equipped 2.0T. It tacks on the Premium trim goodies (power driver's seat, Infinity audio, sunroof, proximity key, HomeLink mirror) and adds 19-inch wheels with summer tires, Brembo brakes, track-tuned suspension, Torsen limited slip differential, HID headlights, fog lamps, aluminum pedals, aero wiper blades, rear spoiler, and upgraded seats, raising the MSRP from $22,750 to $27,500. But for true enthusiasts, there's the R-Spec. This tuner-friendly model keeps the Brembos, LSD, stiffer suspension, and 19-inch wheels from the Track package, strips some of the heavier options, and comes in at a competitive price (much less than the Track package), proving that the Korean OEs are finally starting to get it. And I couldn't be more stoked.

2009 Nissan Skyline GT-R Best Modification

Chances are you've never been to Romania. But if you're from certain parts of America, it would likely remind you of home. Its four distinct seasons render much of the year cool and wet-like that of the American Northwest. Dense vegetation in Romania's Carpathian foothills merges with farmland plains outside cities like Brasov in much the same as our Blue Ridge Mountains meet Appalachian lowlands in western Virginia. Dilapidated, forgotten-about industry in post-Soviet mining towns like Petrosani and Rosia Montana could blend seemlessly into the rural eastern-central Pennsylvania landscape. And while we might not have to deal with crumbling roadways that likely haven't been re-paved since the cold war, motorists in popular parts of Illinois, Arkansas or New York would be hard-pressed to tell the difference. Likewise, Romania is just about the last place on Earth you'd expect to find this GT-R treading ground.

When I stepped off the plane in the land where this beast was created, I was met with entirely different conditions. The landspace was rocky and brown, the air dry and hot, and everything in sight had the artificial, pre-fabbed look of modern, rapidly growing Americana. "Welcome to Phoenix," my contact greeted me, "Home of Vivid Racing!"

The Financial Crisis of 2007-2009, as it will be called until next year, turned the tables of the global market. Citizens of China, Saudi Arabia and Russia became the world's new millionaires, while the American uber-rich lost billions. The falling value of the U.S. dollar helped foreign currency become more competitive. Prices of commodities and goods rose, and we responded by driving less, buying less and thus producing less, which continued the cycle. And to citizens of wealthy nations, our newly weakened dollar meant a firesale on U.S. goods. Enter Romania, a country with half the unemployment and 17 times the GDP growth rate of the U.S. Those who head Romania's growing industries-like Majaros Csaba, the owner of this machine-well . . . they suddenly found themselves with some disposable income.

"We got lucky and found a used GT-R three months after it was released," explains Dan Mermelstein, co-founder of Vivid, "with intentions to make it a clean, Wald-inspired Vivid Racing shop car for SEMA." The plan was to build the GT-R into a rolling showcase for Capital Forged wheels, Vivid Racing's talents as installers and tuners, and the potency of their Agency Power line of performance products. Once back from SEMA, it would pound the streets of Phoenix, repping the Vivid extended family at shows and track days, and at the local gathering spots. But then Count Csaba caught wind of it. "He was on the phone with us the very next day, negotiating build specifics and a selling price," explains Dan. When a foreign Daddy Warbucks offers to fund your shop's project car build, in the middle of your country's second-worst recession of all time-you listen to what they have to say. "His vision of the perfect GT-R was slightly different than ours," explains Dan, tactfully. But hey-who were they to argue?

Vivid's first step would be to alter the GT-R's appearance; a tricky prospect, considering the car had been on sale in the U.S. for all of three months. Importing genuine Wald aero components would take twice as long (with luck), and they weren't in any hurry to share their molds with Stateside competition. Dan's solution? Molding select portions of a Rieger Ford Focus front bumper onto the stock GT-R pieces (in the name of functionality-those bumper vents direct incoming air to the car's brakes), and joining Rieger E60 sideskirts with the GT-R's stock. The rear bumper was left OE, but risers were fabricated to lift the wing two inches off the trunk lid, and the whole car was re-sprayed flat red to separate it from its stock brethren, with flat black coats setting apart the roof, hood, wing, and newly added accents. Even the Capital Forged three-piece rollers were disassembled and given the treatment.

The decision to prep the interior for occasional track duty was scrapped, at the customer's orders. Stock recliners were not ditched in favor of racing buckets, and a roll cage was not added-a move anyone familiar with Romanian roadways would appreciate. Rather, the stock interior was simply re-upholstered in red-stitched grey leather and red Alcantara, and given carbon fiber overlays. And who needs additional gauges in a car with a stock display that shows more engine vitals than the average motorist knows what to do with? Gauges stayed out, but additional audio went in, via two 10-inch Diamond Audio subs and a two-channel amp in the trunk, enclosed in matching upholstery.

The main "problem" with modifying the GT-R really wouldn't be viewed as a problem at all by many-Nissan simply built it too well; dampening-adjustable shocks and 15-inch, two-piece Brembo rotors with six-piston calipers are fairly difficult to improve upon. In the case of the Vivid GT-R, they were left stock, but the car's stance was lowered and stiffened with Eibach Pro Kit springs-perfect for carving Carpathian mountain passes between Bicaz and Ceahlau. The engine, however, is a different story; the case can always be made for more power. The main wrinkle in increasing the GT-R's power is doing so without upsetting its delicate balance of tuning parameters. Fortunately, Cobb handles that problem with an Accessport featuring plug-n-play replacement maps that bump power in and of themselves, and allow for more even power to be made with the addition of bolt-on aspiration parts . . . like the Meisterschaft titanium exhaust and stainless mid-pipes, and Agency Power intake, intercooler piping and downpipes fitted to this GT-R-good enough for an additional 167 whp and 115 lbs-ft of torque.

2003 Acura RSX-S Sporty Tuning

This is more than a car, it's a four-wheeled illustration of the American Dream. If someone works hard, they can achieve their goals. And if someone wants their car painted Heineken metallic green-then adds blue, red and candy purple highlights-well, by golly, it's a free country.

BK, 24, works hard, holding down two jobs in Charlotte, NC (restaurant manager/chef and grocery stock associate), toiling seven days a week. Full name Byung Kook Choi, BK always wanted an Acura RSX. It was his dream car while in junior high around 2002. After graduating, he went to a showroom and put money down and got this '03 RSX Type-S, stuffed with the K20A2 engine, pearl-white from the factory.

"A couple of friends took me to a Honda meet, and that's when I started thinking about what I should modify on my car," says BK. "My first part was an AEM cold air intake-that's when I got hooked! "

Before he got too involved with the engine, BK decided to augment the looks with a J's Racing Type S body kit. This consists of a front bumper, side skirts, a carbon fiber rear diffuser and a Type V carbon fiber hood. Further aerodynamic appendages include front canards with winglets, a front under panel, trunk lid and a GT rear wing-all fashioned from carbon fiber. For a final aesthetic flourish, BK went for Ings wide fenders and lit the JDM DC5 headlights with Ignited HID 8,500K bulbs, then got the whole shebang painted in Heineken green.

It was another friend who first suggested this hue. BK mulled it over for a couple of weeks then spoke to his paint guy, who assured him that it would look great. "I've never seen another RSX painted like it," says BK. It's doubtful anyone has.

The next phase was all centered on the engine bay, so those sunglasses can come off now (but look out for those blue Samco Sport radiator hoses and the J's Racing blue anodized valve cover). The lure of forced induction was too great to resist, so while BK was in a GReddy state of mind, he sprang for a T517Z turbocharger, manifold and custom polished intercooler and pipes. He looked to HKS for its SSQV blow-off valve, to RBC for an intake manifold, and oversees the power delivery with a Turbo XS manual boost controller.

A Hondata K-Pro ECU (tuned by RLZ Engineering of North Carolina) keeps another hand on the reins, choreographing a BDL fuel rail, RC 650cc/min injectors and NGK Iridium spark plugs for the internal combustion tango. With the dance in full swing, BK's engine now makes a claimed 298 hp at 7,800 rpm and 236 lb-ft of torque at a peaky 6,800 rpm. This is still with the stock compression ratio of 11:1.

A well-regarded upgrade to Honda's K-series engines is the fitting of IPS K2 camshafts and valve springs, so BK wasn't about to fly in the face of conventional wisdom here. He also hooked up an HKS muffler, three-inch KTeller exhaust and piping, and a three-inch test pipe called . . . what was that name again? Ah yes, Unforgettable. Before we forget, BK added a Mishimoto aluminum radiator, removed the ABS, air conditioning and power steering apparatus, then did a full wire tuck.

A project always reminds us that everything we do has consequences down the line. So more power requires a beefed-up transmission. In this case, an Exedy Stage 2 cerametallic clutch and flywheel do the business, along with a Buddy Club short shifter and custom chromed transmission brackets. BK gets the power to the pavement via a Quaife limited-slip differential and Driveshaft Shop Stage 1 axles.

Phase three of the build focused on the suspension, with Tein Mono Flex adjustable coilovers gracing all four corners, augmented by Function7 billet lower control arms, Progress rear anti-roll bar and tie bars, plus Ingalls camber kits at the rear. Because it's easier to get a great setup on a rigid-bodied car than one flexing this way and that (this car is tuned to be road-friendly because BK drives to a lot of shows, even going as far as Toronto), BK installed a J's Racing strut brace up front, a Next Miracle X Bar out back and Cusco carbon fiber side bars. These helpful additions complement the main stiffening event: a Cusco six-point roll cage finished in classic Cusco blue, to go nicely with the green paint. This cage was originally made for the DC5 Type R, which doesn't have a sunroof, so there was a little cutting and welding needed to make it fit right.

If BK gets excited every time he adds an aftermarket part, he must have been beside himself when he obtained a set of ten-spoke, 18-inch Volk CE28N Time Attack edition wheels, finished in white and with a +35mm offset. He shod them with Dunlop Direzza DZ101 235/40 rubber and bolted them (with Project Kics Neo Chro titanium lug nuts) in front of brake calipers that have been powder-coated in dark candy purple. "They used to be red," says BK, "but I wanted something different." Okay. Concentrating on the stopping hardware for a second, it's an Endless big brake kit with six-piston calipers and rotors out front, stock single-pot calipers and Powerslot rotors in the rear, Endless pads, and Endless stainless steel lines.

By now, the car was crying out for a splash of red, so BK obliged with a set of red-stitched Bride GIAS2 Low Max Gradation front seats (note also the green Takata four-point harnesses) with matching trim for the rear seats, plus JDM DC5 Type R red carpets and door panels.

JDM: these are three little letters BK took to heart. He converted the car to right-hand drive. "This was the toughest time," he says. The dash is an authentic JDM DC5 Type R model, complete with center console and shift boot. The pedals are from an Integra Type R; the steering wheel is a 350mm Personal Neo Grinta; heck, even the windshield is JDM (courtesy of Edmun Laurea from Opak Racing).

Installed by BK's equally hard-working friend, Drew, are Defi boost, water temperature and oil pressure gauges, plus an AEM UEGO wideband air/fuel gauge. Also in the dash is an Alpine IVA-W200 head unit linked by Memphis Car Audio wiring to MCA amplifiers (set into a rack painted Cusco blue) and speakers. And for that ultimate touch of color, a blue titanium J's Racing shift knob.

1998 Toyota Supra Tuning Car

Think of all the places you ability acquisition a 1,600whp Supra. We've got three: On a dyno at a TX2K highest-hp pissing contest; at any accustomed annoyance band aural a 50-mile ambit of MSP Antagonism in the Baltimore area, Titan Motorsports in Orlando, or L.A.'s SP Engineering; or on a bivouac en avenue to said destinations. It wasn't until we met Jamie Carter that we'd apprehend to acquisition one in Ohio, in the bizarre Cleveland suburb of Chagrin Falls . . . at an elementary academy soccer practice.

"I don't drive it on the streets regularly," Jamie clarifies. In abrupt adverse to some of his added rides that acquire alone apparent the pavement of accessible roadway-a 715whp Porsche GT2, 900whp Z06 'Vette, and 580whp S4, to name a few-he congenital this Supra accurately for the strip. In fact, it was Jamie's above MKIV Supra (a 1,135whp barbarian dubbed "Top End") that garnered the self-proclaimed adrenaline abominable and part-time soccer dad abomination in artery antagonism circles by assault about every car adventurous abundant to band up abutting to it. Eventually alone additional artery bikes would run adjoin the Supra, and they lost, too. After time, no one would chase him, save for a assertive calm beef car you'll apprentice added about later, and architecture a apparatus almighty abundant to booty it out meant architecture one that would affectation a austere blackmail to the accustomed acceptation annoyance antagonism community. The alone reasonable advantage would be to do aloof that. But the accommodation wasn't anchored until Jamie activate himself in agitation with authority. "My wife 'strongly urged' me to stop artery racing," he laughs. "What could I do?

Rather than body "Top End" into his dream clue threat, Jamie absitively to allotment with it and antecedent a beginning platform. His chase for a clean-titled, straight-bodied MKIV anatomy took him all the way to Florida, area a non-turbo, hard-top adaptation was purchased and alien aback home to activate modification. It was in solid active condition, but wouldn't break that way for long. Jamie blew its agent up the day he accustomed it. "I aloof can't accumulate my basal off the gas!" he laughs. By the end of the afterward anniversary the car was taken to Toledo, OH's Accelerated Performance, bald to the bald shell, media accursed from top to bottom, accustomed a competition-legal Gary Reese 25.5 cycle cage (with supports for a ammunition cell, parachute and custom pro-stock rear wing), and added to a rotisserie at World Class Finishes in Uniontown, OH, apprehension a abounding BASF Spectra Blue Mica colorchange. This was to be a abounding Artery Class dragster; a car that would absorb at-a-glance artery legality, yet still be able to put on slicks and run bottomward the big boys. Its rear fenders were accustomed a "mini-tub" to this extent-re-worked aloof abundant to fit 29.5x11.5-inch slicks, but still absorb banal autogenous trim.

Accelerated Performance-the boutique amenable for the conception of "Top End"-handled the new car's complete re-build. And this is area things get crazy, for added affidavit than the obvious: every allotment of the car was ordered new. The agent block and head, glass, ascendancy arms, autogenous plastics, every nut, bolt and washer, head- and taillights-as you see it here, no allotment of this car, save for the unibody, was included with it aback its aboriginal buyer was aboriginal handed keys aback in '98. Every banal allotment on the car was ordered new, from Toyota. The car's absolute body is estimated to acquire amount $200K, with almost $100K invested in restoration. The actual $100K was attenuated into the achievement aftermarket.

Accelerated Performance's Donald Summerton and Russell Maskey rebuilt the powertrain absolutely from scratch. A cast new block was ordered from Toyota, re-worked centralized by the Accelerated aggregation with a quarter-fill (in layman's terms: reinforcing the basal of the cylinders with a cement-like mixture) and machining to acquire half-inch headstuds and a Crower/Carillo/CP Pistons alternating assembly, for a final displacement of 3.4 liters at 9.5:1 compression. A factory-fresh butt arch was alien to Dave Localio of Headgames in Ewing, NJ, for a abounding chase port, Ferrea +1mm valvetrain and machining to acquire custom-spec Crane cams. Once aback on Accelerated grounds, the aggregation abutting the aggregate and adapted it with a Abounding Chase turbo assorted and Precision Turbo GT47-88 snail, and bogus about every added agent borderline from scratch: a custom assimilation assorted to abutment Bosch 150lb/hr ammunition injectors, a turbo-back exhaust, a Garrett-cored air-to-liquid intercooler setup, a ammunition corpuscle apartment a massive Weldon 2345 pump, and accouterments of the Peterson/Moroso dry-sump oiling system. Coolant, oil and ammunition curve were switched to Earl's or Aeroquip stainless-covered Teflon and elastic replacements, and the cooling arrangement itself was absolutely formed over; upgraded to an AFCO radiator, bifold Earl's manual coolers and Flex-a-lite fans-telling signs that added than aloof annoyance band assignment would be in abundance for this ride.

The banal anatomy base was scrapped-this car wouldn't be application all the amenities it was built-in with, so why accumulate abundant base to them? Instead, Russell Maskey and aggregation kept alone the all-important components, active them centralized application alone mil-spec components, and active a Motec M800 ECU and CDI-8 for agent administration and agitation duties, respectively. Application a ample turbo is abundant for authoritative big power, but inherent lag and poor burke acknowledgment could all but annihilate dispatch in a manually confused car. Thus, a custom Nitrous Express direct-port arrangement was bogus to advice ball the turbo, and the admirable Getrag six-speed manual was ditched in favor of a TH400 automatic, sourced from a '70-something Suburban and re-worked by Rossler Transmissions in Girard, OH. With the accession of Driveshaft Boutique Stage 6 axles and a TRD bound blooper differential, it forms a bulletproof drivetrain that allows the 2JZ's Accufab burke to break wide-open from the timberline to the traps.

2004 VW New Beetle Cabriolet Modified Cars

EXTERIOR MODS:
genuine rsi bodykit sourced from germany with front wings and bumpers smoothed into one and front indicators removed, smoothed and led replacements hidden behind front honeycomb grill. side and door skirts blended into doors and rear quarters. inside of skirts underneath the door skirt blended into body. rear wings and bumper smoothed into one. original number plate recess smoothed, and relocated in a custom bottom recess (shortened). the original rsi rear exhaust vent cut outs have been filled with a smoothed out section. door handles removed and smoothed. door opening operates on a clifford 650i cat1 alarm system. press a button on the remote, all windows go down and you open the car door from the inside.

INTERIOR MODS:
interior is factory cream leather with heated sport seats up front and a 5.8" colour monitor linked to the pioneer p5700 touch screen headunit. ipod dock is located in the glove box and is controlled via the touch screen headunit. various colour coding and matching cream leather trim throughout the interior, as well as alloy/chrome trim.

ICE (In Car Entertainment, Audio & Security):
interior is factory cream leather with heated sport seats up front and a 5.8" colour monitor linked to the pioneer p5700 touch screen headunit. ipod dock is located in the glove box and is controlled via the touch screen headunit. various colour coding and matching cream leather trim throughout the interior, as well as alloy/chrome trim. door opening operates on a clifford 650i cat1 alarm system. press a button on the remote, all windows go down and you open the car door from the inside.

ENGINE MODS:
1.6, colour coded covers.

TRANSMISSION UPGRADE:
5 speed manual

SUSPENSION MODS:
rayvern air ride system, with air pressure gauges installed in interior cup holders with billet surrounds.

WHEELS:
mam mt1

TYRES:
215/35r19 kumho ecsta

BRAKE CONVERSION:
factory discs all round