Motorsports/Performance

Porsche, Shelby show their high-performance approaches Each introduced a 50th anniversary example at the 2013 New York International Auto Show. Porsche featured a fifth generation of GT-3, a 911 derivative. Shelby showed the 1000, a new Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang variant that develops 1000 hp for street use on pump gasoline, up to 1200 hp for the track. Read full story

2014 CLA45 AMG gets 355-hp 2.0-L engine Mercedes-Benz says it is the world's most powerful production four-cylinder engine, with an astonishing power density of 178 hp per liter from a maximum 1.8-bar maximum boost pressure. Read full story

Potent 2014 Camaro Z/28 engineered for track-day heroics A traditional drag-racer's build approach enabled the development team to create a vehicle the chief engineer warns is too sharp-edged for most drivers. Read full story

IAV’s electric E-Crossbike challenges 250-cc dirt bikes The project bogey was to create a battery-electric race bike with good handling and acceleration at least equivalent to current 250-cc ICE machines. Read full story

Ballistic testing of NASCAR windshields spurs change for 2013 season While no driver injuries have been suffered from debris striking the windshield, an opportunity for improvement was identified, pursued, and implemented for the 2013 NASCAR racing season. Read full story

High-performance is Juke Nismo's calling card Nissan's motorsports division pumps up the power quotient with the new version of its crossover. The vehicle is Nismo's first high-performance production vehicle of the Z sports car which first appeared in 2007. Read full story

Shelby upgrades Mustang and Focus for 2013 The company pumps up its Super Snake to 850 hp (634 kW) and lowers the Focus ST for Shelby-grade performance. Read full story

Mazda races compounded-turbodiesel, new synthetic fuel Mazda is putting its 2014 Skyactiv-D diesel through this year's grueling U.S. Grand-Am road racing series to prove the stock-block 2.2-L engine's performance and durability. Read full story

SEMA panel looks to keep unlicensed teens focused on cars Only 49% of teenagers get a driver’s license when they reach 17, a drop from 79% in 1978. Racing and track panelists explain efforts to keep teens interested in cars until they’re ready to buy. Read full story