Supercars and attainable performance during day one of SEMA 2012 – CNET

(Credit: Antuan Goodwin/CNET)

If I were a betting man, I’d wager that the SEMA Show in Las Vegas is easily the largest aftermarket car show in the world. Hundreds of customized cars (dinged up daily drivers, glossy show cars, battle scarred race cars, and bench racing dyno queens) crowd the Las Vegas Convention Center every year. It’s nearly impossible to see it all, but that doesn’t stop us from trying. So after filling up an SD card with snapshots, we’ve sorted out the best of day one for your enjoyment.

The Camaros, Corvettes, Sparks, and Sonics that populated Chevrolet’s booth may look extreme, but a closer look at their upgrades list shows a plethora of parts that you can order from your local Chevy dealer. This year’s concepts could be in your garage by this time next year. And if you’re feeling impatient, you can always just buy one of two new production Camaros that debuted as concepts as early as last year.

Chevrolet shows off attainable concepts at SEMA 2012

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Wounded Soldier and Family Receive Charity Vehicle | BodyShopBusiness

Recycled 2008 Honda Odyssey gifted through Soldiers’ Angels of Washington and the National Auto Body Council’s Recycled Rides program. [Read More]

 

Hyundai expands Veloster lineup | AutoNews

Hyundai’s Veloster lineup will receive the special-edition treatment late this year with the addition of the Re:Mix trim level. [Read More]

 

New 2014 Chevy Corvette begins to take shape ahead of Detroit auto show | AutoWeek

Chevrolet has given us a few looks at the redesigned 2014 Corvette via a teaser video released this week. The one-minute video shows off a clay model, wheels, body panels and some driving footage from the driver’s point of view taken at the test track at General Motors’ Michigan proving grounds.

Why all the fuss? It’s the beginning of a huge promotional push for the new Corvette, designated C7, ahead of the car’s Jan. 13, 2013 unveiling the night before press-preview days start for the Detroit auto show.

We’ve also learned more about the V8 engine powering the 2014 Corvette. GM calls the 6.2-liter V8 engine “LT1,” and says it will use direct gasoline fuel injection to produce at least 450 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque — enough to push the new Corvette from 0-60 mph in under four seconds. The new small-block V8 engine will also use cylinder deactivation, a fuel-saving technology that shuts down four of the Corvette’s eight engine cylinders when demand for power is low. GM claims the 2014 Corvette C7 will be able to achieve 26 mpg on the highway. [Read More]

Porsche 918 spotted in San Francisco | AutoWeek

We’ve seen the upcoming Porsche 918 supercar in a variety of paint schemes, and read about it in action everywhere from Death Valley to the Nürburgring.

Now, a reader-submitted photo shows a 918, wearing black and white livery and a large “21,” prowling the streets of San Francisco.  [Read more]