• The Toyota RAV-X Concept is a RAV4 with an off-road makeover. 
• It has a custom suspension, adjustable shocks, and a Dakar Rally-inspired design.
• The Toyota RAV-X is on display at this year’s SEMA Show. 

Few people, if any, would call the Toyota RAV4 a thrilling off-roader. It holds its own, but it’s also a crossover designed for the masses. It’s Toyota’s best-selling vehicle and the best-selling SUV in America—and it’s far from being a true Wrangler or Bronco competitor. But the automaker’s latest concept proves you can make a cool RAV4.

Toyota designed the RAV-X Concept like it was a Dakar Rally competitor, increasing its ground clearance, off-road capability, and ruggedness. The RAV-X features bespoke forged aluminum front control arms, forged aluminum rear upper supports, and a long-travel suspension that increases the vehicle’s height by 2.0 inches and the track width by 6.3 inches. It also has fully adjustable 2.5-inch internal bypass shocks with front external reservoirs and rear piggyback ones.

Photo by: Toyota

The automaker also improves the RAV4’s styling with a rally-inspired makeover that’s also functional. Seventeen-inch forged aluminum wheels on the concept come wrapped in 265/65R17 rubber, while a rear spoiler adds to the SUV’s rugged vibe. 

The new front bumper, with its integrated cooling ducts, and the custom ventilated front fender flares improve the SUV’s aerodynamics and cooling capabilities. Underneath, Toyota adds raised rocker panels, front and rear skid plates, and a dual exhaust system that pokes through the rear bumper. The added kit increases the ground clearance and the crossover’s approach and departure angles, significantly improving its off-road capability.

Photo by: Toyota

Photo by: Toyota

Sadly, the RAV-X is just a concept. The car was the brainchild of the Toyota Parts and Accessories Development department, which handled everything from the initial design sketches to the final assembly. It’s now on display at this year’s SEMA Show. It could preview what’s possible for the model’s future, but don’t hold your breath for a production-ready version.

Mike Tripp, the Toyota Motor North America marketing division group vice president, said the RAV-X “is more than just a concept.” It’s “showing an entirely new possibility of just how cool and adventurous a small crossover like this can be.”

If it’s possible, make it happen Toyota. Having more choices never hurts.

Thanks to SEMA, the world now has a Mazda Miata with a twin-turbocharged Lamborghini V-10. The engine is sticking out of the hood, and the pop-up headlights are now turbos. That’s downright inspiring, and we’re here for it.

This baby blue-painted NA Miata showed up in our social feeds today, and it caught our attention for obvious reasons. The Lamborghini intake plenums, gigantic intercooler, and big snails in place of the light pods make this thing hard to miss.

 

It’s safe to assume the handling has been slightly affected by the addition of six cylinders and two turbos, most of which sit ahead of the front wheels. That’s not ideal for weight distribution, but we suspect power is way beyond the stock Miata’s 116-horsepower four-cylinder. Or rather, it will be once this monster comes to life. A video shared by Internal Combustion on YouTube shows it being towed by a side-by-side, and we see more of that from Hot_Parts_USA on Instagram, the company that put this thing together.

That’s not to say it’s just a showpiece. The engine could be fully functional, and the builder is just keeping things nice and clean for the show. Alternatively, it could be within an inch of shaking the whole car to pieces when idling. For whatever reason, our preview thus far is purely aesthetic. And that’s okay, because we love the idea of turbochargers for headlights. All cars should be like this.

We have boots on the ground at this year’s SEMA Show, and we’re on a mission to learn about this bonkers build. Does it run? How much power does it make? We’ll try to answer those questions and more, so stick around.

 

• This Maserati Biturbo Shamal Restomod is built by Modena Automobili.
• It borrows the Maserati Ghibi’s twin-turbocharged V-6, modified to make 500 horsepower.
• Pricing will start at over $600,000 once production begins.

Just when you thought you’d seen it all with restomods, another one arrives. This time, someone’s modernized a Maserati Biturbo. It’s not just any Biturbo either, but the rare Shamal that was available through the 1990s. Or at least, that’s what Italian upstart Modena Automobili is evoking with this boxy, muscular interpretation. The prototype seen here started life as a Biturbo coupe from 1983.

The car is simply called the Maserati Biturbo Shamal Restomod. The car’s iconic shape is largely preserved, including the flared fenders and the weird spoiler that sits in front of the windshield. Not preserved are the weird slanted rear wheel arches, a design signature of  Marcello Gandini who had a hand in creating the original Shamal. Modena Automobili adds a new front fascia with a lowered grille, larger air intakes, and a splitter. LED headlights are installed, and it flows into a new hood that pays homage to the classic Shamal with a pair of vents.

Photo by: Modena Automobili

Moving rearward you’ll find a new rear fascia that keeps the quad exhaust motiff. An aggressive diffuser sits between them, and above, Modena Automobili adds new taillights. A large spoiler curves downward at the sides to connect with fresh bodywork, giving the restomod a thicker, taller presence. As you might expect, the body updates are largely carbon fiber, with some steel tossed in. Interior images aren’t available, but we’re told to expect a digital instrument cluster that retains the Shamal’s oval design. New Recaro seats are part of the plan, though that could a problem with Recaro’s bankruptcy filing earlier this year.

Under the updated skin, this old Biturbo borrows much of its powertrain from the new Ghibli. That includes the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, massaged here to make an even 500 horsepower. It goes to the rear wheels through a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, using the Ghibli’s driveshaft and differential. Brembo brakes are installed at all four corners, with discs measuring 13.5 inches in front and 13.0 at the back. The Biturbo’s suspension retains the same design but gets retuned springs and struts. A new rear subframe and 18-inch wheels make the most of the upgrades.

Modena Automobili has plans for 33 “highly customizable” Biturbo Restomods, each with a not-insignificant starting price of around $638,000. It’s not clear when production will begin, as the company is still finalizing details with the prototype, seen here. That should wrap up by spring 2025.

• Toyota has introduced a new GR86 Rally Legacy concept for SEMA 2024.
• It uses the GR Corolla’s three-cylinder engine making 300 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque.
• It also borrows the GR Corolla’s all-wheel-drive system and has a sequential racing gearbox.

Toyota is pulling out all the stops for SEMA—as it usually does. We’ve already seen the 4Runner TRD Surf, the Land Cruiser Rox, and a handful of other off-road-equipped trucks headed for Vegas. Now the company is throwing it back to the glory days of the 1980s with a rally-inspired GR86 concept.

The GR86 Rally Legacy concept debuts at SEMA this week. It has all-wheel drive and a more powerful turbocharged engine, plus a full Castrol-style rally livery with red mud flaps, white wheels, and a race-ready cabin with little. It has Sparco racing seats, a Sparco steering wheel, a roll cage… and that’s about it.

Photo by: Toyota

Photo by: Toyota

Under the hood is the GR Corolla’s turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder engine. It makes 300 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, matching the production GR Corolla—but Toyota says it’s capable of even more. Photos show a sequential racing gearbox, which means no manual, but the GR86 concept does at least adopt the Corolla’s all-wheel-drive system.

But fitting the GR86 with the GR Corolla’s engine and all-wheel-drive system was no easy task. Engineers had to modify the GR86’s chassis to fit the taller, transverse-mounted engine with a custom subframe and engine mounts. Adding the bulky all-wheel-drive system, meanwhile, meant adding the Corolla’s hubs, spindles, and axles to get power to the front wheels.

The GR86 also borrows the GR Corollas rear differential and housing to maintain its factory gear ratios, and it has nifty center-mounted dual exhaust tips that just look cool.

You won’t be able to buy one, of course. The complexity of the project tells us that Toyota has no plans to put it into production. But if you happen to be at SEMA this week, you’ll be able to see the GR86 Rally Legacy at the Toyota booth alongside the brand’s other awesome concepts.

Doors to the Las Vegas Convention Center open on November 5.

• The Toyota Hilux Champ has been turned into a race truck by Gazoo Racing Thailand.
• It’s a rear-wheel drive diesel sports truck with a manual gearbox.
• The cheap workhorse has fender flares, a lowered suspension, and even a rear wing.

$13,600–that’s how much Toyota is charging for the Hilux Champ in Thailand. Depending on the market, the barebones pickup also goes by the name of Hilux Rangga, Hilux Tamaraw, and Hilux Stout. It was previewed in late 2022 by the IMV 0 concept before going into production last year as a shockingly cheap workhorse. Aside from being highly customizable to fit various business needs, it can even go racing.

The race-ready Hilux Champ has been created by Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Thailand to compete in the local Super Pickup series. To meet regulations, it’s a rear-wheel-drive, single-cab configuration with a diesel engine and a manual gearbox. Motivation is provided by a 2.4-liter turbodiesel with more oomph than the 148 hp and 295 lb-ft delivered by the standard powertrain. 

The race truck broke cover earlier this year, but it’s only now crossing our radar via Top Gear Philippines. This track-only Hilux Champ has a beefy body kit with fender flares and even a rear wing, along with a lowered ride height and a large intercooler. The standard truck already looked funky, but this one, with racing overalls, is even more striking.

It seems Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Thailand wants to prove that just about any type of vehicle can go racing with the right mods. Built on a ladder frame, the Hilux Champ may be all about simplicity to achieve the lowest price possible but who’s to say you can’t take it to the track? Aero is certainly not the boxy truck’s strong point, although the front splitter and rear wing improve the brick-shaped pickup’s track capabilities.

Based on the long-wheelbase version, the single-seater Hilux Champ modified for racing duties goes up against the Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi Triton, and the Isuzu D-Max. The latter is sold in certain markets as a reskinned Mazda BT-50.

Nissan is no stranger to fun one-off builds. Its latest, developed for this year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas, is a highly modified Frontier pickup designed to go drifting. The one-off truck comes complete with a custom suspension setup, a supercharged engine, and a set of lovely retro Recaro seats.

Called the Frontier Tarmac, the truck was built in collaboration between Nissan and Forsberg Racing, headed by drift legend Chris Forsberg. First conceived in 2021 by the team at Nissan Motorsports, the pickup is based on a Frontier PRO-X, and took six months to transform.

The Frontier Tarmac retains its 3.8-liter V-6, but Nissan’s added a water-cooled supercharger and a prototype Nismo-branded carbon fiber cold air intake and cat-back exhaust. The result is an extra 130 horsepower and 119 pound-feet of torque, for new grand totals of 440 horsepower and 400 pound-feet. 

Photo by: Nissan

Photo by: Nissan

Nissan doesn’t say anything about the transmission, and going by the photos, it looks as if the stock gear selector for the nine-speed automatic is retained. Power gets to the rear wheels only, while Nismo calipers with custom mounts provide stopping power. Out back you’ll find two sets of calipers, one for normal braking, and another linked to the giant one-off hydraulic handbrake, for drifting. 

“Twenty years ago, having a performance truck was definitely a cool thing. But today, very rarely do you see lowered, performance truck builds,” Forsberg said in a statement. “I haven’t built a lowered truck since 2003. It just seemed fun – it was different.”

Photo by: Nissan

Photo by: Nissan

Other interior changes include a carbon fiber-trimmed steering wheel and two front Recaro seats covered in a custom retro upholstery pattern. The suspension is a modified version of Nismo’s street suspension offered for the Frontier. It comes with adjustable coilovers up front, a flip kit in the rear to lower the ride height, and a c-notch in the frame to lower it even further.

“It’s fair to call this truck ‘slammed,'” Forsberg added. “It’s very low.”

The Frontier Tarmac concept will make its debut at Nissan’s SEMA booth in Las Vegas starting tomorrow, November 2. You can catch it alongside a host of other modified vehicles featured by Nissan at the show.

In typical Toyota fashion, the brand is going all out for this year’s SEMA show. The company already announced two awesome-looking trucks for Las Vegas—a Land Cruiser convertible and a two-door 4Runner—and we suspect even more are on the way.

Calty Design created the open-air Land Cruiser Rox. The company behind the current Supra and other modern Toyota designs lopped off the Land Cruiser’s C- and D-pillars, and replaced the roof with a reclining soft top. The company also added some extra rigidity to make up for the lack of metal.

Elsewhere, the Land Cruiser has half doors, extended fenders, off-road tires, a light bar, and rugged upgrades like steel bumpers and reinforced skid plates. It even has a functional half-tailgate with a spare tire that swings out for easy access.

As for the 4Runner—Toyota is throwing it back to 1980s SoCal beach culture with the retro TRD Surf concept. The 4Runner-based truck ditches the rear doors and the latter half of its roof in place of an open-air cab with a roll bar and room for surfboards. It has an ocean-colored two-tone paint job with turquoise accents, off-road wheels and tires, and a slightly lifted suspension.

Under the hood, the 4Runner concept uses the stock turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine making 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, but fitted with a custom exhaust that gives it a deeper sound. It’s all paired to the same eight-speed automatic and full-time four-wheel-drive system.

The Land Cruiser Rox and 4Runner TRD Surf concepts will both be at the Toyota booth when doors open to SEMA next month. SEMA kicks off on November 5 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and runs until November 8.

• Ford will offer numerous factory-backed parts and accessories packages through the Ford Custom Garage.
• One of those will be a 700-horsepower upgrade for the F-150, backed by a full warranty when installed by a dealer.
• The F-150 FP700S is one of several vehicles on display in the Ford booth at this year’s SEMA Show.

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Ford is headed to SEMA with trucks and SUVs to showcase something called Ford Custom Garage. In short, it’s a new way the automaker will bundle and sell various dealer-installed upgrades to customers. Instead of browsing through Ford’s catalog of accessories and performance parts, Ford Custom Garage puts together a package and slaps a price tag on it. Provided the installation is done by an authorized dealer, it’s covered under warranty.

The program launches with some simple Bronco packages that are largely aesthetic, but we’re interested in the one that turns an F-150 into a 700-horsepower street truck. Add some SVT badges and it could be 1999 all over again.

Photo by: Ford

Showcasing this package is a project truck called the F-150 FP700S. It follows the classic muscle car formula by taking a humble everyday vehicle—in this case, a 2024 F-150 XL single-cab pickup—and stuffing big power under the hood. Its 5.0-liter V-8 gets a supercharger and the components necessary to make it work, boosting output to 700 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. The package also includes a new cat-back exhaust system, a fender vent kit, and lowering springs. And all that power goes solely to the rear wheels. If you want four-wheel drive, get a Raptor.

Pricing isn’t available yet; Ford isn’t quite ready to sell this package but promises it will come at a later date. Unfortunately, you can’t buy the other Ford street truck on display at SEMA this year. Ford Performance worked with Solomon Lunger to build “Clyde,” a 1969 F-100 pickup packing the same 5.2-liter supercharged V-8 found in the F-150 Raptor R. Actually, there is one notable difference—a massive 3.8-liter supercharger force-feeds the engine, creating over 900 hp in the process. The highly custom truck had carbon fiber body panels, and it ditches the old-school truck suspension in favor of coilovers.

Photo by: Ford

“Our customers want to make their vehicles all their own through upgrades that reflect their personal style and the latest trends,” said Kim Mathers, director of Ford Vehicle Personalization and Performance Parts. “Our team is constantly listening to customers and hunting for new trends we can offer as limited-edition Ford Custom Garage packages through our dealers—with every part designed and tested to our factory standards for peace of mind and easy installation.”

You can see these vehicles and other Ford projects at the 2024 SEMA Show, running November 5-8.

• The Initium hydrogen concept has a maximum driving range of 404 miles.
• A production model will be launched in the first half of 2025.
• “Art of Steel” is the name of Hyundai’s new design language.

It’s tricky for an automaker with such a vast lineup to have a unified design language. We can all agree that Hyundai doesn’t really offer a cohesive styling identity across its broad portfolio. It also doesn’t help when a mid-cycle facelift comes with radical changes. With the Initium concept, the South Korean brand gives us a window into its pompously called “Art of Steel” design philosophy that will shape future models.

What is it? An SUV, of course. Refreshingly boxy, the Initium gives us a taste of a production model coming in the first half of 2025. Since it has a hydrogen fuel cell, our educated guess is that we’re looking at the Nexo replacement. You’ve probably noticed that on some current models, there are four dots depicting the letter “H” in Morse code. Well, Initium does things differently since those quad squares with a “+” depict a so-called “HTWO” logo reserved for hydrogen cars.

The chunky SUV sits on aerodynamically designed 21-inch wheels housed within bulging fenders with black plastic cladding. To make it look tough, Hyundai added a roof rack with built-in lights featuring the same HTWO motif. It’s a recurring theme since it’s been applied at the rear for the taillights and the third brake light. An unusually shaped quarter glass reminds us of the Pontiac Aztek.

Hyundai says the Initium can cover a maximum of 404 miles before refueling. Before it was dropped from the United States a few years ago, the Nexo was rated by the EPA at up to 380 miles. An electric motor with 201 hp brings an improvement of 40 hp over the old hydrogen-fueled crossover. Only one of the fuel caps is for refiling the hydrogen tank since the other is for the Vehicle-to-Load feature. V2L allows owners to hook up the vehicle to a 220V household outlet to turn the Initium into a power bank by juicing up household appliances.

Although it’s not showing us the interior for now, Hyundai does say the rear passengers have plenty of room and can get more comfortable thanks to the seat’s generous reclining angle. The rear doors also have a wide opening angle, making it easy to get in and out of the cabin. In the unfortunate event of a crash, “world-class collision safety performance” is provided by a front multi-skeleton structure, a side body structure, and nine airbags.

The Initium will be publicly displayed at the Los Angeles Auto Show and Auto Guangzhou in November, with the road-going model to follow next year.

• Dodge Direct Connection now offers the Hellephant 426 and Drag Pak 354 Hemi as basic engine blocks.
• The Hellephant costs $8,815, and the Drag Pak is $10,570.
• Order banks open in early 2025.

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Dodge Direct Connection is rolling into SEMA with all kinds of Hemi engines. Unfortunately, none of them are in a new production car. But mechanically inclined individuals now have two new budget-friendly choices to build a monster V-8.

The key word there is build, because these are just engine blocks. For the first time, The Hellephant A30 426 and Drag Pak 354 Hemis are available in their most basic form, sans heads and other components. That translates to a basic price, too: the Drag Pak Hemi costs $10,570, and the Hellephant starts at $8,815. Dodge says the blocks have new construction that improves oiling, cooling, and strength.

For comparison, a fully built Hellephant 426 costs $29,995 and is rated at 1,000 horsepower. A partially built Hellephant long block (with heads and a few other bits installed) lists for $18,995. As for the race-specific 354, it costs just under $60,000 as a complete engine.

If you prefer your Hemi in modern 6.2-liter guise, Dodge Direct Connection will now sell you a Demon 170 supercharger on its own. The big 3.0-liter twin-screw supercharger is key to the Demon 170’s 1,025-horsepower rating, but you’ll pay dearly to get it. The supercharger kit costs $11,995 and includes a new throttle body, fuel injectors, and the components you’ll need to install it.

“Dodge is celebrating 50 years of Direct Connection by growing our performance parts offerings for enthusiasts seeking more horsepower on the strip or on the street,” said Dodge CEO Matt McAlear. “With the launch of Hellephant A30 and Drag Pak 354 Supercharged Crate HEMI engine blocks, Direct Connection continues to expand the brand’s portfolio of crate engine products.”

The new engine blocks go on sale in early 2025, but Mopar will display them next week at this year’s SEMA Show. Also featured in Mopar’s SEMA booth is an EV-swapped Plymouth GTX muscle car, just in case ground-thumping Hemi engines aren’t your style.