The Yamaha brand means different things to different people. Some think of motorcycles while others see the company as one of the most important musical instrument and audio equipment manufacturers. From golf karts and ATVs to generators and swimming pools, Yamaha has a diverse product lineup. Its involvement in the automotive segment is known to a lesser extent.

However, it did help Toyota develop the 2000GT in the 1960s. In addition, it engineered and built Ford’s V-6 SHO and V-8 SHO. Not only that, but it also collaborated with Lexus for the V-10 of its high-revving LFA supercar. It worked on a V-8 that went into a couple of Volvo models. There were also four-bangers that powered the Celica and MR2 as well as the Lotus Elise.

2015 Yamaha Sports Ride concept

Yamaha also toyed around with the idea of making its very own car. The 1992 OX99-11 was supposed to go into production in 1994 with a V-12. However, the early 1990s recession killed what would’ve been an F1 car for the road. The Japanese company revisited the idea of a building a car in 2013 with the pint-sized Motiv. That one didn’t make the cut either. A couple of years later, the Sports Ride was presented at the Tokyo Motor Show as a potential Mazda Miata fighter.

The diminutive two-seater coupe built around Gordon Murray Design’s iStream chassis weighed a remarkably low 1,653 pounds. That made it considerably lighter than the ND-generation MX-5 that was just coming out back in 2015. The rear-wheel-drive sports car was only 153.5 inches long, 67.7 inches wide, and 46 inches tall, so roughly similar proportions compared to a Miata.

The concept’s presentation at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show wasn’t the end of the story. Subsequent patent images of a different design, presumably a closer-to-production version, emerged as part of a IP filing in 2018. It had a toned-down, Lotus-esque design and the exhaust tips were gone. That lead people to believe the Sports Ride had morphed into an EV.

2018 Yamaha sports car design trademark

2018 Yamaha sports car design trademark

The trademark application listed on the European Union Intellectual Property Office shows Gordon Murray as one of the designers. Interestingly, we found a video published by Yamaha with the updated car undergoing testing in 2017, at which point it had become the T40. It clearly still had a combustion engine, even though the patent images had hinted at an all-electric setup.

Yamaha never disclosed the engine’s identity but it did say the headlights took after those of the YZF-R1. The sports bike had a 1.0-liter four-cylinder that produced 200 horsepower and revved to 14,000 rpm. Just imagine that engine in a coupe that weighed practically nothing. It would’ve given the Miata a run for its money.

Seeing the car undergoing testing with a production-like design suggests Yamaha was serious about selling it. Unfortunately, it abandoned all of its car development plans in 2019, so the Subaru BRZ/Toyota GR86 competitor never came to fruition. Affordable sports cars compete in a rarified segment and it’s a shame the T40 was left on the cutting room floor.

The original Dodge Viper is not an off-roader. Low-slung, sporty, and stiff, its main purpose is to deliver joy via twisty tarmac and big, open, smooth-paved highways. Apparently nobody mentioned that to the builder of this Viper, which has gone through extensive modifications to make it a competent desert runner. Somehow, the looks rad as hell.

The SuperFastMatt YouTube channel has spent the past year disassembling, cutting, and reassembling this bright-red first-generation Viper from the 1990s. The project has gotten to a point where the host, Matt, felt comfortable enough to take the car to the desert for a thorough round of tests that included donuts, jumps, and rock-crawling.

In addition to the cut fenders and giant all-terrain tires, Matt designed custom uprights for the front suspension to work with aftermarket long-travel shocks and springs. Out back, the factory Viper suspension has been totally thrown out in favor of a solid axle taken from a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, complete with a locking differential. The 8.0-liter naturally aspirated V-10 and six-speed Tremec T-56 transmission have, thankfully, been left alone.

Surprisingly, Matt’s testing reveals just a few small issues with the safari Viper. The locking diff means donuts are easy, but even with an upgraded radiator, coolant temperatures climbed higher than he would’ve liked. And while slow-speed rock-crawling was a success, the lack of a low-speed transfer case made torque modulation difficult.

Matt was brave enough to take the Viper off several jumps, made possible by the balloon-like tires and big-travel dampers. Though the car handled the landings fairly well, some of the interior trim fell off, and a couple of the custom suspension pieces were beginning to separate from each other. Nothing a few extra welds can’t fix.

Lanzante is back with another 930 Turbo creation. This one, dubbed the TAG Championship, is lighter and more powerful than the previous iteration of the unique British-built restomod. The company is building just three examples of the new Porsche, each representing one of McLaren’s three Formula 1 wins in the 1980s, which will be unveiled at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The three cars will pack raced-used examples of the twin-turbocharged 1.5-liter V-6 TAG TTE P01 Formula 1 engine. Cosworth re-engineered and built the units, upgrading the pistons, valves, and cams while installing lightweight titanium turbochargers, which McLaren certified. The car also has a new airbox, improved cooling, and an upgraded exhaust system.

The new hardware and a fresh ECU from Cosworth increase the engine’s output to 625 horsepower and allows it to 10,250 rpm, more than Lanzante’s earlier car. It channels the power to the wheels through a modified 993-generation six-speed manual transmission with bespoke ratios, allowing the 911 to reach 200 miles per hour.

Stopping power comes from upgraded carbon-ceramic brakes with four-piston calipers front and rear, which hide behind the 18-inch magnesium and carbon wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber.

In addition to the increased power, Lanzante trimmed some weight using carbon fiber for the hood, doors, wings, roofs, bumpers, and front splitter. It now tips the scales at 2,028 pounds, about 948 lbs less than the original donor car.

Lanzante also stripped the interior to save weight, eliminating the electric mirrors and windows. However, it didn’t remove all the creature comforts one would want—the builder did install a lightweight climate control system. Passengers sit in lightweight Recaro seats with six-point harnesses while the driver gets to grip a suede steering wheel.

There’s no mention of price for the TAG Championship, though it’s safe to assume that with all of the bespoke bodywork and an irreplaceable engine, it won’t be cheap.

Throughout eight generations, the Volkswagen Golf has spawned a multitude of special versions. The most desirable ones had six-cylinder engines in an unassuming package. Although the VR6 lineage ended after the fifth-gen model, the team from Wolfsburg did build a prototype of a Golf Mk6 with the VR-6 powertrain. Had it gone into production, it still would’ve been the most potent Golf ever.

Motor1 chatted with VW to learn more about the secret six-cylinder hot hatch that never came to be. According to Enrico Beltz, Head of Content, Classic Communication & Media Relations, the Golf Mk6 with a VR-6 was a one-off built back in 2009. It was a forerunner of the Golf R (Mk6) and had a 3.2-liter engine from the Rothe Motorsport racing team. The six-cylinder mill was based on the same engine that powered the Golf R32 (Mk5).

While the original naturally aspirated engine made 247 horsepower, its evolution was massaged to develop a massive 463 hp. Torque was considerably boosted as well, from 236 lb-ft to 384 lb-ft. As you can imagine, the VR-6 codenamed “BUB” underwent many changes to extract the additional oomph. Notable upgrades included a Garret GT35 turbocharger, custom pistons, a new intake manifold, different injectors, and aluminum hand-welded pressure pipes. Here’s the full list of mods:

• Fuselage engine R32 code letter BUB
• Rothe Motorsport pistons with compression reduction
• Compression ratio 8.5:1
• Crankshaft finely balanced with weight optimization
• Camshafts Schrick
• Cylinder head machining
• Rothe Motorsport exhaust valves
• Exhaust manifold Rothe Motorsport cast iron
• Intake manifold Rothe Motorsport
• Garret GT35 turbocharger
• Suction 80mm aluminum hand-welded
• Pressure pipes 60mm aluminum hand-welded
• Intercooler Rothe Motorsport hand-welded
• Trouser pipe with exhaust system Rothe Motorsport 89mm stainless steel
• Rear silencer with flap control
• Injectors Rothe Motorsport
• Rothe Motorsport air duct made of GRP

There was more to this elusive Golf Mk6 than its six-cylinder engine. VW gave it the front brakes of an Audi RS6 and 19-inch wheels from a Lamborghini. In addition, the punchy compact hatchback received a Bilstein B16 suspension kit and a slightly modified interior. The cabin was covered in Alcantara and had a leather-wrapped dashboard with contrasting decorative stitching.

Performance numbers aren’t disclosed but the car must be a pocket rocket given the high power and a relatively low curb weight of 3,000 pounds. Add into the mix an all-wheel-drive system and a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission, the Golf VR6 (Mk6) would’ve been a proper sleeper. The fifth-gen model with the DSG did 0 to 60 mph in less than six seconds when tested by magazines back in the day. VW told us this unknown prototype can top out at more than 155 mph.

As to what happened to the car, it was used internally for a while before becoming a permanent member of the Volkswagen Classic fleet. The German brand has decided to unearth the Golf VR6 (Mk6) as part of the model’s 50^th anniversary celebrations. It’ll be publicly displayed at the GTI Fanfest in Wolfsburg between July 26 and 28.

Meanwhile, the one-of-a-kind Golf was recently featured in a video from Halle77 starring VW boss Thomas Schäfer. The VR-6 prototype was strapped onto the dyno where it pumped out 457 hp and 392 lb-ft, so slightly less horsepower but a bit more torque compared to the factory rating.

It’s worth noting this wasn’t the last Golf built by VW with a VR-6 engine. When we did a retrospective of the 10 most interesting concepts based on the Golf, we mentioned the 2013 Golf Design Vision GTI concept with a VR-6 packing two turbochargers for more than 500 hp. A couple of years later, the 2015 Golf GTI Supersport Vision Gran Turismo was envisaged with a VR-6 dialed to 503 hp.

Although the Golf downsized to four- and three-cylinder engines after the Mk6, rumor has it that VW wanted to cram in an inline-five in the Mk8. However, Audi allegedly refused, deciding that the 2.5-liter unit would only power its compact RS cars. That said, the five-cylinder engine did eventually go into a non-Audi product as the Cupra Formentor VZ5 uses Ingolstadt’s punchy powertrain. It’s also found in the lesser-known KTM X-Bow.

The VR6 production models and prototypes didn’t have the biggest engine ever put by VW in a Golf. That title goes to the bonkers GTI W12-650, a ludicrous mid-engine concept with 641 hp, based on the Mk5 generation. It was unveiled in 2007 with a 6.0-liter unit from a Bentley Continental GT, complete with a pair of turbos and Audi RS4-sourced front brakes. The rear axle and brakes were taken from a Lamborghini Gallardo.

As it stands, the Mk8 is the last of the Golf breed with combustion engines. VW has already announced the Mk9 will be completely electric when it arrives in 2028 on the Scalable Systems Platform (SSP).

Ford is returning to Pikes Peak later next month with a wild electric pickup. The Blue Oval has been teasing the “EV demonstrator” since March, but today, the automaker gives us a complete look at the truck while revealing it can generate 6,000 pounds of downforce at 150 miles per hour.

The SuperTruck Demonstrator will achieve that figure with its equally wild aerodynamics. The low-slung pickup features a massive goose-neck wing that hangs off the back, towering above the roof of the cab. It also has a wide front splitter, outlets behind the front wheels, and a massive rear diffuser. Ford developed the truck in partnership with STARD.

Ford didn’t provide any further details about its electric SuperTruck beyond how much downforce it’ll make. However, it does have some styling similarities to the SuperVan 4.2 that the automaker campaigned in last year’s hillclimb event.

That, too, had a massive wing and an aggressive aero kit that kept it planted through the course’s 156 turns. Its triple-motor setup produced 1,400 horsepower. The new pickup could have a similar setup, but we’ll have to wait for more details. The Ford SuperVan 4.0 had four motors that made 1,972 hp.

This is Ford’s second electric demonstrator. It released the F-150 Switchgear, built in collaboration with RTR, earlier this year. The company based it on the production Lightning platform, enhancing its off-road capability with skid plats, composite body panels, and a new suspension.   

Ford will likely continue teasing the pickup leading up to the event’s 102nd running that begins on June 23. We’ll likely learn more details between now and when it runs up the hill. Romain Dumas, the current Pikes Peak International Hill Climb record holder, will pilot the Ford. But the Blue Oval won’t be the only automaker there with an EV. A modified Hyundai Ioniq 5 will also tackle the famous hillclimb course later in June.

No car is perfect, but some, like the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, come close. It has the looks and the engine, but it’s always been weighed down by the poor-performing robotized six-speed sequential gearbox. That’s now fixed thanks to a new aftermarket package from Swiss tuner Officine Fioravanti. It ditches the old transmission for a proper six-speed manual while making several other upgrades to the car.

The package includes a new carbon-ceramic brake system, an electronically controlled and adjustable Öhlins suspension, a “significant reduction in vehicle weight,” and new FIA-approved carbon-fiber seats. It also updates the engine calibration software that increases the output, but Officine Fioravanti doesn’t disclose the new numbers. We’ve reached out for more specifics, and we’ll be sure to update this article when we hear back.

The 8C Competizione debuted in 2007 with a Ferrari-sourced 4.7-liter V-8 engine that made 444 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. Alfa claimed the coupe could sprint to 62 miles per hour in 4.2 seconds and reach a 181-mph top speed. It only produced 500 coupes and 500 convertibles that immediately sold out, with only a handful making it to America.                                                                                            

Officine Fioravanti first appeared on our radar a few years ago when it introduced a Ferrari Testarossa restomod. Like the 8C, the tuner increased its output, reduced weight, and upgraded the suspension. The tuner also recently introduced a package for the Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer that replaces the ignition and fuel systems.

Much like last year’s Touring Coupe unveiled at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, the Skytop is just a one-off. However, the German luxury brand might change its mind provided enough people will be willing to pay an obscene amount of money for the 8 Series Convertible with a targa top. Speaking with Automotive News, BMW Group design boss Adrian van Hooydonk said a production version is being considered.

He believes anywhere between 20 to 25 cars could be built. Pricing wasn’t mentioned but Skytop would certainly command a massive premium over the 8 Series Convertible donor car, priced at $100,500. Since the concept had the most powerful V-8 ever used by BMW, it was likely based on the M8 Convertible, available from $148,800.

For lots of BMW enthusiasts, money isn’t really an issue. The Munich-based marque reportedly charged roughly $750,000 for the 3.0 CSL, which was essentially a rebodied M4 CSL with a manual gearbox and a bit more power. The regular CSL retailed for $139,900, therefore making the retro-flavored 3.0 CSL nearly five and a half times more expensive. The BMW Group is also likely encouraged to give Skytop the green light by the success Rolls-Royce has had with its coachbuilt cars, some of which were allegedly sold for as much as $30 million.

Adrian van Hooydonk believes there is a market for Skytop based on the amount of money people are willing to pay these days for a Z8 from which the new concept takes inspiration. The gorgeous roadster was far less exclusive, with 5,703 cars built from 1998 until 2003. The targa-topped 8 Series Convertible also takes after the 503 and brings back the signature “sharknose” design trait.

2023 BMW Concept Touring Coupe

2023 BMW Concept Touring Coupe

The 2023 Touring Coupe we mentioned earlier was also considered for production at some point. Initially, the plan was to build just nine but BMW brand design chief Domagoj Dukec wanted as many as 1,000 units. Doing so would’ve been simpler to homologate the Z4 M40i-based coupe that brought back the Clown Shoe. However, it ultimately never happened as BMW pulled the plug on the project.

BMW has a long history of debuting beautiful concepts at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. Unfortunately, none of them saw the light of production day. The 2008 M1 Hommage springs to mind, but there were others, including the 2015 3.0 CSL Hommage, the 2011 328 Hommage, and the 2013 Gran Lusso Coupe penned by Pininfarina. Hopefully, the Skytop will break with tradition and enter production, even if it’ll be limited.

The latest creation from Specialty Vehicle Engineering is a 1,000-horsepower Chevrolet Corvette C8. The Yenko/SC is one of the coolest tuner Corvettes yet, powered by a twin-turbocharged 6.2-liter LT2 V-8 engine with some serious upgrades.

In addition to the two 58-millimeter water-cooled turbochargers, the V-8 in the Yenko/SC gets a forged steel crankshaft, forged H-beam rods, forged aluminum pistons, and a proprietary camshaft. A custom intake manifold, an ARP high-strength head, CNC ported high-flow cylinder heads, custom valve covers, an upgraded fuel system, and a custom tune help the LT2 make 1,000 hp. SVE also upgrades the eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox to handle the extra power.

Inside, the builder embroiders the SYC logo on the headrests and the floor mats. The company offers the 1,000-hp Corvette in coupe and convertible forms, available in any factory Corvette color. SVE offers nine color choices for the SYC graphics and a tenth carbon-fiber option.

The Yenko-badged brake calipers come in red as standard, but customers can pick an optional color, while SVE caps off the upgraded powertrain with unique exhaust tips in silver or black. There are also three styles of staggered 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels in various finishes.

SVE is making just 10 units of its Yenko/SC Corvette for the 2024 model year. It plans to increase production to 50 cars in 2025. The package starts at $99,995, which does not include the Corvette itself. You’ll have to pay for that, too. 

Oil additives are marketed as useful products to splash into your engine, claiming to decrease wear, extend the life of your oil, and clean out harmful deposits. But according to a series of laboratory tests and real-world analysis, oil additives have the potential to do far more harm than good.

The Motor Oil Geek on YouTube set out on a fact-finding discovery to see whether the most popular oil additives on the market are any good at helping out the health of your engine. Host Lake Speed Jr. spent 12 years as Joe Gibbs Racing’s lubricant specialist, so if anyone knows how oil works, it’s him.

Speed Jr. picked out nine oil additive products you can find on the shelves of any auto parts store for this test. Stuff like Marvel Mystery Oil, Lucas Stabilizer, Rislone ZDDP Supplement, and Seafoam oil treatment are all extremely popular, but according to this test, you’re better off leaving them out of your engine’s oil.

It’s important to understand motor oil is already a very complex, precisely formulated mixture. It’s designed in a lab by a team of engineers who created it to perform under a specific set of circumstances. Throwing an additive to the mix, no matter how well-formulated, will always interfere with the base oil’s properties. The result is, according to Speed Jr., is a shorter oil lifespan and possibly more wear.

“If you have to put an additive in your oil, you have the wrong oil,” he says.

In an oxidation test, Speed Jr. discovers that both Lucas Stabilizer and Marvel Mystery Oil increase the viscosity of the oil and cause imbalances in the mixture, decreasing the oil’s effectiveness. In a separate test, he discovers Seafoam pulls in water from the atmosphere (the presence of water in an engine is bad) and actually boils away before the engine reaches operating temperature.

Oil Extreme, another additive, is especially dangerous for direct-injection motors, Speed Jr. says. The high amounts of calcium and sodium present can actually cause low-speed pre-ignition, giving it the potential to cause serious damage. The Rislone supplement is also bad, Speed Jr. says, because it raises the acidity of the oil, opening up the engine to corrosion-based damage and excess bearing wear.

In short, Speed Jr. says you should stay away from oil additives and instead choose the correct base oil for your engine. 

“It’s basically chemical Russian roulette whenever you add an additive to your oil,” he says.

While oil additives are bad, you shouldn’t discount fuel additives, according to Speed Jr. Every major-brand fuel additive contains a chemical called polyetheramine, a detergent that cleans injectors and removes combustion chamber deposits. Cleaning out injectors means better atomization of the fuel during the combustion process, which results in more power and more efficiency. So if you want to improve the health of your engine, start with the fuel system, not the oil.