Nearly a month after the original Mustang was introduced it debuted as a pace car for the 1964 Indianapolis 500. The following year, the Mustang competed in its first National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) event. Since that racing debut in 1965, the Mustang has made legends out of drivers such as Carroll Shelby, John Force and Parnelli Jones, while crafting its own motorsports legacy.

To introduce the 2010 Mustang, racing legends Carroll Shelby, John Force, Jack Roush, Lyn St. James, Parnelli Jones and Joe DaSilva participated in a sneak peek reveal on the eve of the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show.

“The 2010 Mustang is sleek and it still has that Mustang look on the outside, and the inside is incredible,” said legendary drag racer, John Force. “There were sports car people from around the world at the unveiling, and to see their response to the new model was special. If you asked me to describe the event in one word I would simply say is was big!

“It was exciting to be a part of the 2010 Mustang kick-off event,” said the 14-time NHRA champion. “To be included with the other legends of Ford Racing was incredible. When I saw the passion from Mark Fields and Jim Farley with Ford along with the excitement from the audience that was there, I knew I was seeing something special.”

With styling cues from the Mustang Bullitt, and other features inspired by current Ford Racing vehicles, many of the words that came up as the Ford Racing stars did their own walk-around the new Mustang, were powerful, stylish, performance, great design, and aggressive. The vehicle maintains its sleek retro look with a modern twist.

“Ford and particular Mustang was a great part of my history and development and success in racing, and I was proud to share the stage with some real Ford Mustang legends and showcase Ford’s new model,” said St. James, the 1992 Indianapolis 500 Rookie-of-the-Year. “Ford wasn’t afraid to demonstrate the performance and power of the car and the aggressiveness that car represents during the event. And that’s smart because people want to drive fast sexy cars; there’s a big market out there for the Mustang.

“As far as the new model, a lot of the refinements were in the interior, which I think is really important,” continued St. James. “I’ve spent a lot of time as a test driver for Ford where the focus was on performance and suspension, but it was nice to see them also focus on the inside of the car. That’s what you see as a driver everyday. The exterior has to catch your eye to want to look at a car, the performance has to make you want to drive it, but the interior points are really important. And I think they nailed it.”

For DaSilva, the 2000 National Mustang Racing Association (NMRA) World Champion, being in the same room as so many people that have experienced racing success in a Mustang and have also contributed so much to building the Mustang brand, was just as exciting as seeing the new 2010 model up close.

“It was a honor to be a part of such a big event for Ford and help them to show off the new Mustang,” said DaSilva. “With so many big names and drivers all assembled in one room; it might never happen again and I was glad to be a part of the program. My first impression of the new Mustang is, ‘I want to buy this car!’ I like the new sleek design while still keeping the retro exterior appearance. That also goes for the interior design of the Mustang and the changes that they made. They focused on both the outside and inside and the result was amazing. I have personally owned over 140 mustangs from ’79 -‘05 throughout the last 20 years, and I will definitely be ordering a 2010 Mustang GT.”

"We are very excited about our new blog!" stated GReddy Marketing Manager Mike Chung. "As the way customers get information and provide feedback has changed, we wanted to create a portal that allowed our customers and potential customers a glimpse of what we are doing, with the opportunity to provide direct feedback to us. You can rate our posts and we encourage feedback on the type of content you want to see. The more we hear from you, the better we can tailor our blog to the info you want to see."

The blog currently includes posts on how to receive a free 2009 GReddy catalog and decal pack (hint: check initial post), multiple project car and FormulaD event images and videos including GReddy's new GRB Subaru STi and Red Bull World Drifting Championships coverage, and pre-release info on upcoming products for direct feedback from enthusiasts before they are officially launched. The "Cool Part Spotlight" highlights lesser known but desirable products for lower volume applications that enthusiasts may not be aware of, like GReddy's Titanium AE86 4-into-1 exhaust manifold for racing applications.

GReddy will be making multiple posts to its blog monthly, so be sure to bookmark it and check back for updates. GReddy also wants and appreciates your feedback on its content so that the information they post is relevant to the enthusiasts who have helped the company become one of the leading performance manufacturers for high performance imports.

Power can only be substituted with more power. The COBRA N+ engineers are already hard at work developing engine tuning for the turbocharged engine. The first tuning stage is projected to deliver 550 hp / 404.8 kW, with an increase in torque to 680 Nm. To achieve this goal the engine electronics are reprogrammed, boost pressure is increased by 0.15 bar and the air intake is modified with sport air filters. Also under development is a free-flow COBRA N+ stainless-steel high-performance exhaust system with metal catalysts.

Thus powered the Nissan GT-R from COBRA N+ will sprint to 100 km/h in less than 3.5 seconds, on its way to a top speed of some 320 km/h. Plans exist for a COBRA N+ RACE PERFORMANCE engine version with 620 hp / 456.3 kW and a peak torque of approximately 800 Nm.

COBRA N+ also adds further sporty character to suspension, wheels and brakes of the new top-of-the-line model from the Japanese carmaker. Three-piece, extremely lightweight 21-inch COBRA N+ light-alloy wheels are slated to fill out the space beneath the wheel arches perfectly. They'll also create the necessary space for COBRA N+ eight-piston brake calipers and 405-mm brake discs on the front axle. A COBRA N+ coil-over suspension gives the sports car even better handling. It features a multitude of selectable settings for ride height and damper rates.

The COBRA N+ tuning concept for the GT-R also includes a sporty designer suit. The front of the two-door car receives added character with a new COBRA N+ front apron with large air dams. The aerodynamic-enhancement part also reduces lift on the front axle and improves cooling-air supply of radiators and front brakes. COBRA N+ rocker panels ensure optimal air flow between front and rear wheel arches. The rear is upgraded with a new COBRA N+ rear apron with integrated diffuser, and a larger COBRA N+ rear airfoil. The COBRA N+ Speed and Stripes decal kit accentuates the striking lines of the sportscar.

For customizing the interior COBRA N+ offers two different options. Nissan GT-R owners can choose from a luxurious COBRA N+ interior with specially sewn upholstery for seats and doors, made from a high-quality combination of leather and Alcantara, and a COBRA N+ racing cockpit with ultra-light carbon-fiber racing seats, six-point seatbelts and roll cage.

The COBRA N+ tuning program for the Nissan GT-R will be available for the car's European market launch in the spring of 2009.

The 1.4 litre engine is to provide ‘back-up’ power to the electric Volt; the announcement is not good news for the struggling automaker. Besides being one of its most important new models in decades, the Volt is symbolic of GM’s efforts to shift away from gas-guzzlers to cleaner, more fuel-efficient cars - and to a more profitable future.

However, according to Reuters (17/12), GM spokeswoman Sharon Basel said GM anticipated that the suspension (of plant construction) would be temporary and that there had been no change to GM’s commitment to push ahead with the Volt for a launch in 2010. The plant is also intended to produce engines for the upcoming Chevy Cruze, a potential replacement for the Daewoo based Holden Viva.

In related news, GM has vowed to deliver the Volt regardless of whether it receives a government bailout or not. If GM is not able to fund production of the engine locally, the plan is to import the engine from Europe. GM is adamant that the Volt program will be fully realised.

The question is whether GM will continue to find sufficient development funds to make the Volt a genuine contender against the likes of the Prius and Civic Hybrid with their now-mature technologies and production efficiencies. There is also a question mark over GM’s future itself.

What do you think? Will the Volt make it, and, if it does, will it then get thrashed in the showroom?

The founding members of the Alliance include 3M, ActaCell, All Cell Technologies, Altair Nanotechnologies, Dontech Global, EaglePicher Corporation, EnerSys, Envia Systems, FMC, MicroSun Technologies, Mobius Power, SiLyte, Superior Graphite, and Townsend Advanced Energy. Additional battery developers and materials suppliers are anticipated to join the Alliance. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, a national research laboratory and leading developer of new battery technologies, has been active in encouraging the Alliance and will continue to serve in an advisory role as the Alliance begins operations.