Tim Roman is a mechanical engineer by trade and an all-wheel-drive fanatic by choice. Years ago, he modified a Merkur Xr4Ti to spin all four tires—and later installed a turbocharged Ford V8. He was soon hooked, and now he’s finishing up a more ambitious project: making an AWD 2017 Mustang. Naturally, he chose a Coyote V8-powered GT model.

This was no easy task, and Roman has been at it for a long time. We’re finally seeing the final results. After documenting the entire process on his modest YouTube channel, No Production Value Garage his Mustang is now on the ground and sending power to every corner. The parts to make this happen came from all over the automotive world, and the custom fabrication involved doesn’t interfere with the car’s daily drivability or outward appearance at all. “The whole point of the car is to make it act like an OEM made it,” Roman says. “Completely daily-drivable, smooth, AC, not [crazy].” 

Roman bought the Mustang in the fall of 2019 and spent the first few years of ownership poking around the vehicle’s drivetrain and researching whether his idea was even achievable. There has obviously never been a production all-wheel-drive Mustang, so making one may not have even been possible. If the space wasn’t there for all the extra parts—or more room couldn’t be made—then the whole project would’ve fallen flat on its face. That, thankfully, is not what happened. 

The AWD setup Roman came up with is mechanically very similar to something you would find in other longitudinal-engined sedans. There’s a conventional transmission with a transfer case on the back of it that sends power up to a differential mounted next to the oil pan. One axle travels through a tunnel in the pan while the other goes straight to the spindle. This is how it’s done on vehicles like xDrive-equipped BMW 3 Series.

7 Photos

The mix of parts to get the job done is a laundry list of components from several automakers. The transmission is a six-speed manual TR6060, which is a staple of many performance cars. The front differential is from a 1986-1995 Toyota Hilux. The transfer case is a variable torque-split Borg Warner unit, commonly equipped on older AWD Dodge Chargers. 

Almost everything in between those components, including many portions of those otherwise stock parts, is custom. A lot of stuff had to be moved around to make space for the new machinery as well. The steering rack, for instance, had to be relocated, and the oil pan, spindles, and other components were likewise heavily modified or made from scratch. Importantly, though, the interior of the car has barely been altered at all—just a small bump in the transmission tunnel on the passenger’s side. The outside is also unchanged. You would never know it was all-wheel-drive unless someone told you.

Roman’s build series on YouTube covers all of the nitty gritty details, but in short, the project was never held up by any unsolvable mechanical crises, only juggling the project with a day job and a family. As such, it’s taken months longer than Roman expected to get the project going. Check out the almost final results, though:

I say almost final because, like any project, it’s never really done. Roman says he wants to replace the motor mounts to improve the car’s daily-drivability, as well as making final versions of things like the axles, which are currently shortened versions of stock axles off of other cars. 

There’s also a bigger problem; the car no longer has enough power to make any tire smoke. Since all four 295-section tires are now spinning in anger, the car cannot break traction on a dry surface. Roman has been planning to buy a supercharger kit or install twin turbos for some time, but it’s important for him to actually enjoy using the AWD Mustang for a little while before it’s back up on the lift. “I wanna drive it all summer [and] I wanna bring it to car shows,” he says. “I’ll sacrifice everything to basically not have it on the lift all summer again.” That means the boost will have to wait until the cold weather returns, as much fun driving it in the snow is.

After all this, you may be wondering: How much weight does adding AWD to a sixth-gen Mustang add? Well, Roman insists improvements to the car’s mass could be made by switching to aluminum differential and transmission housings, but the stock GT Mustang now only weighs 3,911 pounds versus its original weight of around 3,750 pounds. Once he installs new two-piece brake rotors, that figure will drop below 3,900 pounds. In other words, there’s a minor weight penalty to pay for the added capability. The car can also still be operated as a RWD ‘Stang thanks to a new transfer case controller, so it can switch right back to factory feeling with the touch of a button.

It goes without saying that Roman’s project is incredibly impressive. He wants to enable other people to make the same mods to their cars, but it’s not that simple. He could share the plans for the necessary custom parts, sure, but the output shaft of the TR6060 has to be resplined, among other non-trivial changes. So while the end result is extremely cool, it’s not exactly something he thinks can be easily replicated.

We will get to enjoy AWD burnouts just as soon as Roman gets around to finding the right form of forced induction, though. We may not be able to build our own AWD S550, but at least Roman’s is going to rip. 

Subtle design is a fine art. The objective is to be simple without being boring. The Bridgestone Super RAP Evo wheels show how to get understated styling just right, reviving a classic Japanese offering from the 1980s. Now, they’re back and are ready to put on your classic Mazda Miata or Toyota Corolla. 

At first glance, the RAP Evo looks like a white-painted version of a classic steel wheel that you might use as a spare or to mount winter tires. Appearances are deceiving, though. These items are aluminum, and there’s an excellent reason for the circular openings around the rim. Bridgestone came up with this design for rally cars and gymkhana competitions, and the smaller holes prevented rocks, mud, or debris from striking brake components, at least compared to a traditional layout with several spokes.

15 Photos

The result was a lightweight wheel that was about 30 percent cheaper than items from competitive brands, according to Kyusha Shoes. They were initially available in 13- and 14-inch diameters in the early 1980s before expanding to 15 inches later in the decade. The Super RAP Evos are now a one-piece design rather than the original two-piece construction. The new ones just went on sale in early December 2023. 

The soft, round shapes don’t give a car an especially aggressive look. However, they have an aesthetic that fits well with certain 1980s and ’90s vehicles like the first-gen Miata and AE86 Toyota Corolla.

Buyers can get them in four configurations:

If you’re in the United States and like this look, the Super RAP Evo wheels are currently available from Rev9 Autosport for $289.99 for each unit in the 15×7 size in the 4×100 bolt pattern, and the 15×7.5 examples in 4×100 are $299.99. Shipping begins in early February 2024. 

Last year Japanese tuner Liberty Walk built a highly custom widebody Ferrari F40, setting the internet ablaze with mixed opinions on whether it was right to cut up such a desirable piece of machinery. Now, the company is doing it again at the 2024 Tokyo Auto Salon with another ’80s icon: The Lamborghini Countach.

Only a teaser video is available now, but it shows off the widebody Countach’s exterior, one section at a time. Like the F40 last year, Liberty Walk gives the car a bold white exterior, highlighting how the new parts radically alter the Lamborghini’s appearance.

The updated front end adds a prominent front splitter and a lower fascia with a rectangular mesh covering three openings, giving the nose a boxy look. Canards on either corner integrate into the widened fender flare. The result is a continuous line from the nose to the wheel well, creating a curvy element along this section.

The sides feature broader lower sills running between the widened fenders. Liberty Walk also adds an opening ahead of the rear wheels. The body-color vertical strakes in the vents on the upper portion of the tail suggest this model is a modified 25th Anniversary Countach. The classic supercar rides on dark-colored, deep-dish Rohana Forged wheels with Y-shaped spokes and Toyo tires.

The Countach’s factory wing wasn’t big enough for Liberty Walk. The tuner has replaced it with an even larger item that attaches beneath the rear bumper. The tail also gets flush-mounted taillights rather than the inset lamps on the production version. A massive diffuser underneath the quad exhaust adds to the motorsport-inspired aesthetic.

Liberty Walk’s F40 already caused controversy among Motor1‘s readers last year. Just from seeing this teaser video, we expect the company’s take on the Countach to be just as polarizing.

The Suzuki Jimny, renowned for its cult following and off-road prowess, is set to undergo a metamorphosis right in time for the upcoming 2024 Tokyo Auto Salon, thanks to the ingenuity of Japanese tuning firm DAMD. Recognized for its expertise in crafting distinctive body kits for small Japanese cars, the company will showcase two eye-catching creations that pay homage to iconic European models – the Renault 5 and the revered Lancia Delta Integrale.

Starting with DAMD’s interpretation of the Jimny as the French city car, the small crossover has headlights reminiscent of the Renault 5 and a radiator grille matching the small hatchback. White OZ wheels give the Jimny a rally-ready look, and that little spoiler at the back is a throwback to the 5’s gentle wing. Funnily, a decal on the side says this is a non-turbo model, unlike the original Renault 5 Turbo.

3 Photos

If you want a more hardcore look, DAMD also has a Jimny inspired by the Lancia Delta Integrale. The firm’s reimagining captures the essence of the Italian rally hatch with its four circular headlights and yellow fog lamps integrated into the bumper. There’s also a larger spoiler at the back.

Unfortunately, the rally look of the two crossovers is not accompanied by upgrades under the hood. In Japan, the little off-roader comes with a tiny turbocharged 658-cc three-cylinder engine making 63 horsepower and 71 pound-feet of torque. On the international markets, there’s a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated mill with 101 hp and 102 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers remain unchanged, though.

The BMW XM lives in a world of its own within a crowded segment of performance SUVs. However, as we discovered during our test drive last month, it is not comfortable enough to be a great luxury car and not sporty enough to be a good M car. It may also look like it came from another planet but Larte Design decided to add even more exclusivity, if that’s possible at all.

In a culmination of six months of engineering and design efforts, Larte reveals its most ambitious project yet. The vehicle you see in the attached gallery is actually the XM Label (previously known as the XM Label Red), of which just 500 units will be built. It gets a distinctive Frozen Carbon Black exterior but that’s the smallest of the visual enhancements. 

14 Photos

Larte’s kit is built entirely from carbon and comprises 17 parts. The design process behind the project involves creating a life-size clay model of the vehicle, followed by careful carbon fiber formation and multiple stages of processing before lacquering at the company’s production facility. The exterior enhancements include a custom hood with an aggressive design, a front two-piece splitter, an expressive radiator grille in Toronto Red, striking side moldings, wheel arch extenders, and a powerful diffuser with custom carbon exhaust tips.

The vehicle’s profile is further accentuated by 23-inch red-trimmed forged wheels. One of  Larte’s signature touches is the double brake lights, seamlessly integrated into the main lighting and complementing the limited edition’s Toronto Red elements. The hexagonal twin exhaust pipes at the back with carbon fiber tips, dual spoilers on the trunk lid, and upper sporty spoiler contribute to an even more aggressive appearance for the SUV. 

No upgrades are seen under the hood where there’s still a hybridized 4.4-liter V8 engine. In the XM Label, it generates 748 horsepower enough for a 0-62 miles per hour sprint in just 3.8 seconds.

Larte’s upgrade kit costs approximately $46,450 and includes all the exterior components, including hood and wheel arch extenders. A set of custom 23-inch wheels can be acquired for another $9,400.

Mercedes-Benz, in its infinite wisdom, has never made a G-Wagen Cabriolet modified by AMG. The closest it got was the 2013 G500 Final Edition, with a 388-horsepower naturally aspirated V8. Refined Marques, a custom tuner in Germany, has decided to fill the gap in the market with an AMG-ified convertible G-Class of its own, complete with a set of adorable suicide rear doors.

Refined Marques’ Mercedes-AMG G63 Cabriolet is a one-of-20 custom creation that uses the new G63 as a base, complete with that car’s 577-hp twin-turbo V8 engine. While the general style of the soft top is the same as that two-door Final Edition truck, the company has added two smaller doors for the rear bench for easier ingress and egress.

Refined Marques CEO Ahmed Al Bakry tells Motor1 that originally, the rear doors were designed to open traditionally, like you’d see on a normal G-Class. “Then I said no, let’s make them suicide doors, because then it’ll make access easier for big passengers,” says Al Bakry.

33 Photos

Al Bakry says that an American super-model — whom he refused to name — called him as soon as she learned about the G63 Cabriolet, complaining of her current G Cabrio’s rear seats, which were so difficult to get out of that she tore her dress and broke her heels. She offered to buy the first example shown in these photos, but settled for one of the 20 spots in line. 

Interestingly, this G63 convertible was originally supposed to be a one-off. Al Bakry says he got the idea from his son. “I have a G Brabus that I made for him; it’s a one-of-one,” Al Bakry says. “One day we were driving in traffic and he asks me, ‘Baba, why don’t you make this with a soft top so it opens, and a small door for me so I can get in and out?’ And that intrigued me.”

While in the development process, Al Bakry told his friends and clients – mostly very wealthy collectors from the middle east — about the car. Naturally, they all wanted one of their own. So the one-off became a one-of-20. 

And just because this G63 Cabriolet isn’t a factory product, don’t think it’s a hastily made hack job. It took Refined Marques 18 months of development to get this truck just right. Al Bakry says his clients wouldn’t accept anything less than factory-level quality or better. He even presented the finished product to a former head of quality control at Mercedes-Benz, who, after an hour of searching, couldn’t find a single fault.

Naturally, most of the 20 examples planned have been sold. In fact, Al Bakry tells Motor1 he’s waiting for a client to put a deposit down on the final build slot. So if you want one of these special G-Wagens, you’ll have to buy second-hand. But don’t expect it to be cheaper. Al Bakry says the owner of the China Blue example you see here has already received an offer more than double the $1.3-million starting price, which they declined. If you thought the normal G Cabrio was exclusive, just try to get your hands on one of these.

Photos: @kamauto17 on Instagram

Through the years, we’ve seen plenty of cool car renderings depicting unimaginable transformations of existing vehicles. Almost all of these virtual drawings never progress past the stage of a photoshop project. This Datsun 240Z was among the very few lucky ones that morphed into an actual vehicle. And it’s a sight to behold.

The idea first appeared in Ash Thorp’s mind. If that name doesn’t ring a bell, he is the guy who designed the Batmobile for The Batman movie from 2022. The artist has a history of creating numerous projects with automotive companies, including De Tomaso, Lamborghini, and others. This time around, the designer teamed up with Carlos Pecino, who works for the design company Make Haste Corp. This matte black Datsun was their first joint project.

A few things stand out from a design perspective. For starters, we love the location of the side cameras that act as side mirrors – they are hidden in a special housing in front of the doors. The absurdly massive diffuser at the back is another highlight and we also admire the carbon fiber wheel caps that cover the BBS multi-spoke alloys. The overall Batmobile-inspired styling is also enhanced by the sharp side skirts.

The stock 2.4-liter inline-six engine under the hood is gone. Instead, power comes from a Tesla-sourced fully electric powertrain. A Model S electric motor sits on the rear axle, giving the outlandish Datsun 401 horsepower or almost three times more power than the original 240Z had. At around 2,500 pounds, it’s heavier than the Japanese coupe but not by much.

The interior? As you’d probably expect, only a few components come from the 240Z. There’s a custom layout with three dials in the center, a Chevy Equinox-sourced steering column, a digital instrument cluster, and a chunky center console.

The new, seventh-generation Ford Mustang will compete in next year’s NASCAR Cup Series. The automaker revealed the latest Dark Horse motorsport variant today, which will make its racing debut at the series’ Clash at the Coliseum early next year. 

The Mustang has been racing full-time in NASCAR since 2011, competing in the Xfinitiy Cup. It began competing in the Cup Series in 2019, winning 18 races the following year. Joey Logano won the driver’s championship in 2022, piloting a Mustang to victory, and Ford hopes to build on those successes with the new race car. 

20 Photos

Ford Performance worked with its NASCAR race teams to develop the vehicle. They “worked tirelessly in the wind tunnel” to create the car. NASCAR launched the Gen 7 race cars in 2022 to lower costs for teams and make the cars look more like their road-going counterparts. 

The Blue Oval introduced the Mustang Dark Horse over a year ago, along with the track-only Dark Horse S and R. The trim is the starting point for many of the automaker’s new race cars. Under the hood of the road-going car is a peppier version of the brand’s 5.0-liter V8 engine that makes 500 horsepower and 418 pound-feet of torque. 

The Dark Horse S is a stripped-down version of the trim for “weekend track day enthusiasts.” The R is an even racier version that will be able to compete in the new IMSA-sanctioned 2024 Mustang Challenge series. 

The Dark Horse, the Mustang’s first new nameplate in over two decades, is the basis for the GT3 and GT4. The GT4 packs a Coyote-based 5.0-liter V8 engine, while the GT3 racing at the 2024 Hours of Le Mans features a larger 5.4-liter V8 from M-Sport. 

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Mustang Dark Horse will debut on February 4. The car will race in the Clash at the Coliseum at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The new Mustang is now eligible to battle for podiums on six continents. 

BMW went to the 2023 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with an XM Label Red hoping to set a record for a production SUV. Things didn’t go as planned, though, because driver Matt Mullins crashed the vehicle into a tree. In a new video, the automaker chronicles the preparation for the rally and shows an in-cabin view of the collision.

Before the crash, the XM was doing well at Pikes Peak. Mullins put in three qualifying times under the team’s target, and he got quicker with each attempt. On race day, the weather conditions on the mountain were perfect.

38 Photos

Mullins’ official run started out looking good. The XM carried plenty of speed while  flowing through the corners. Then, the SUV went too wide through a corner and ran out of road. The video shows the driver trying to steer the vehicle back onto the asphalt, but there’s not enough time. It looks like the three-ton Bimmer simply understeered off the road.

Mullins struck a tree, causing the XM to roll. The SUV did a complete rotation and ended up back on the wheels. Rescue crews responded to the scene quickly. Back at the starting line, the BMW team and Mullins’ family were worried about his condition.

Despite the brutal hit, the XM didn’t look that bad considering the severity of the crash. However, the passenger side front wheel came off. There was damage, but the passenger cell remained intact. Mullins had no injuries, and his family was thrilled to see him unharmed.

The video ends with the message “To Be Continued,” and a second clip in this series comes out November 2. When BMW initially covered the crash, a spokesperson told us: “The focus now is on re-preparing the vehicle and planning for another record attempt later this summer.” This effort might be the focus of the next episode.

The XM Label Red is the most powerful production vehicle ever from BMW. A hybrid-assisted twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 makes 738 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. Crimson accents adorn the windows, grille, and wheels. Prices start at $185,995 after the destination fee.