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Category: Highlight

Conquer the sandbox with the Lego Jeep Wrangler

If you don’t have the room in your garage (or your budget) for a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, the SUV is now available as a Lego Technic kit. It’s the first time Jeep and Lego have partnered to make a miniature version of one of the automaker’s SUVs.

The Lego version of the two-door Rubicon (no word yet on a Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon kit) includes button-operated steering, working suspension with axle articulation, a working winch, chunky off-road tires, fold-down rear seats, and, of course, the Jeep seven-slot grille.

“The Jeep Wrangler is an icon in the off-road world,” Lego Technic designer Lars Thygesen said in a statement. “The Rubicon has a lot of iconic details loved by 4×4 fans the world over, so it was important to me to pack as many of the authentic, powerful features of the vehicle into the Lego Technic replica.”

Lego Technic Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

With 665 pieces, the Wrangler Rubicon isn’t as complex as the 2,573-piece Land Rover Defender Lego Technic kit. It also doesn’t feature the Defender’s working differentials, or engine with moving pistons. But the Jeep might be a bit more approachable for novice builders (Lego recommends it for ages nine and up).

The Lego Wrangler Rubicon kit will be available worldwide January 1, with a price tag of $49.99, representing a $42,165.01 discount over the real thing.

Speaking of the real thing, the Wrangler Rubicon is getting two new variants that seem like polar opposites—the 4xe plug-in hybrid and V-8-powered 392. With one emphasizing efficiency and the other emphasizing old-school muscle, they certainly make for an odd couple.

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December 6, 2020
Ford Mustang Mach-E GT, Ruf RCT Evo, Hennessey Venom 800 Supercharged F-150: This Week’s Top Photos

Ford added a new performance range-topper to its Mustang Mach-E lineup this week. The new Performance Edition builds on the previously announced Mustang Mach-E GT by adding power and a few upgrades designed for the track.

2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT Black Series sets Nürburgring record

If you want the ultimate track performance, the new Mercedes-Benz AMG GT Black Series is hard to look past. It’s currently the fastest production car around the Nürburgring, and if you’d like to park one on your driveway you’ll need at least $326,050.

Ruf RCT Evo

Owners of any 964-generation Porsche 911 can have their car turned into the Ruf RCT of the 1990s thanks to a new restomod service from the German tuner. You’ll get an air-cooled, turbocharged flat-6 just like in the original, along with modern upgrades of your choosing including the option of a full carbon-fiber body.

High-riding Porsche 911 prototype spy shots – Photo credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

Porsche has said a high-riding 911 would be a good idea, and this week we spotted one testing. Could a spiritual successor to the 911 SC Safari of 1978 be coming down the line? We’ll have to wait and see.

2021 Ford F-150 Hennessey Venom 800 Supercharged

Ford hasn’t unveiled the Raptor version of its latest F-150, but this week Hennessey Performance Engineering unleashed its modified version of the pickup truck designed to take on the Ram 1500 TRX. It’s called the Venom 800 Supercharged F-150, and it packs 805 horsepower.

2021 Jaguar F-Pace SVR

Jaguar’s F-Pace SVR has been updated for 2021 along with the rest of the F-Pace range. We’re glad to report the super SUV has been made faster thanks to a handful of tweaks including a boost in torque.

2021 Mercedes-Benz Maybach GLS600

The Mercedes-Benz GLS is a posh ride but a more luxurious version from Maybach is now available. It’s designed to target the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan, and after spending some time with one, we can confirm that it definitely looks and feels the part.

2023 BMW X8 spy shots – Photo credit: S. Baldauf / SB-Medien

BMW has its own new flagship SUV coming. It will be related to the X7 and likely badged an X8. It won’t simply be a coupe-like version of the X7 as our spy shots reveal. Rather, it will be more like what the X2 is to the X1.

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December 5, 2020
Ford working on more potent version of Godzilla 7.3-liter V-8 dubbed Megazilla

Ford’s 7.3-liter V-8 that debuted in the 2020 Super Duty is being offered as a crate engine by Ford Performance.

Dubbed Godzilla, the monster engine is designed for trucks where longevity tends to rank higher in importance than outright performance. This is an engine with a heavy cast iron block, and its stock output of 430 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque isn’t exactly earth shattering.

This isn’t stopping the team at Ford Performance from working on a more powerful version. Ford Performance Product Manager Mike Goodwin revealed plans for the new engine in this video from Performance Racing Industry posted to YouTube in November. Fast forward to the 3:29 mark for Goodwin’s comments on the new engine, which he referred to as Megazilla.

Will it have what it takes to dethrone the 1,000-hp Hellephant from Mopar? We’ll have to wait and see.

Ford 7.3-liter V-8

Ford 7.3-liter V-8

In the rest of the video, Goodwin talked about Ford Performance’s plans for the current Godzilla engine. One key upgrade is a new control pack that will make it easy to install the engine into a diverse range of vehicles. Some mentioned by Goodwin include an F-100 pickup truck, an old Brocno, and even a Fox-body Mustang. This control pack will be designed for automatic transmissions but Goodwin said a version for manual transmissions is also being developed.

In addition to the control packs, Goodwin said there will be individual components that will enable builders to put together their own ideal version of the engine. For example, Ford Performance plans to sell the engine block, crankshaft, cylinder heads and gasket kits all individually.

The Godzilla engine is currently available on the Ford Performance website. It’s listed under part number M-6007-73 and comes with an $8,150 price tag.

We’ll remind you that Ford also plans to make the 5.2-liter supercharged V-8 from the Mustang Shelby GT500 available as a crate engine. This engine delivers 760 hp in stock form, and its crate version will likely cost a lot more than the Godzilla engine, and maybe even the Megazilla engine.

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December 4, 2020