One of the problems with America is that we just can't accept a good thing and then leave it well enough alone. Mopar (Dodge, whatever) has seen its darling baby, the Challenger, hacked to pieces by every tuner from the reputable, Hennessey and Steve Saleen, to the less than reputable.

So, just like last year, Dodge has decided to produce a limited run of 'Drag-Pack' Challengers. Perfect mod's for a slightly hampered muscle car? Or total waste of money and engineering effort? You be the judge, inside the post . . .

I was working the Google on the Internet machine and came across a very interesting and unique car that I have not seen before; sure, I have seen Bradley GT kit cars running around, but I have never come across an all-electric model. Now this is not a converted Bradley GT kit car at all, but was one of only 50 manufactured in the Bradley factory in 1980 specifically as an EV, based on a 1970 Volkswagen Beetle frame.

Audi considers offering the R8 GT3 to American customers;

the Scirocco R is just too scintillating for American tastes;

and GM finally puts the proverbial nail in Saab's coffin.

Mmmm, it comes with a TWIN TURBO 3.8 liter V8, ala the Ferrari F40 and the Koenigsegg. Very tasty. Also, it appears they have modified the styling of the front fascia, though now it just looks like a really badass Tesla. If it wasn't a McLaren that might ruin it for me . . .

Source: BBC.com

The Good: Porsche is introducing a new 911, the 'Sport Classic'. New Porsches are always appreciated, but the good news here is the new flappy-paddle transmission. The transmission itself isn't new, just the flappy-paddles. Prior to this model, a Porsche customer not possessing the wherewithal to specify a manual transmission had to settle for Pontiac Grand Prixesques thumb-shifter thingees. I've always thought this to be a rather moronic solution for gear-changing, just like the universal inter-automaker refusal to make auto-boxes with levers that move down for an up shift and up for a down shift. How many times has an auto-journalist bitched about that in the last ten years?

With the old Porsche system you were required to squeeze the sides of the steering wheel's spokes to effect gear changes. Completely counter-intuitive. Thankfully, the electronic connections are all the same for either system, so all Porsches with the bizarro shifters could theoretically be retro-fitted with flappy-paddles. Honestly, who are these goons that are buying Porsches with automatic transmissions to begin with?! Sigh, IDIOTS . ..