While the 540 HP 2010 Shelby GT500 is still new to the world, those lucky folks over at Garage419 got a chance for a little hooliganism in the car already! While most cars have enough trouble trying to do a forward burnout that encases the surrounding area in smoke, this stallion has the power to liquefy the tires going forward or backwards!

While its a 1 minute video for a 12 second burnout, if you have the patience to watch the whole thing(or the smarts to move the slider bar), the last 10 seconds prove just what happens when you floor the car while its in reverse.

If you like this, stay tuned for our full review of the brand new 2010 Shelby GT500 coming soon!

Shelby GT500 Super Snake Prudhomme Edition

Carol Shelby personally took the wraps off one of the most bad-ass street legal Mustangs ever built: the Shelby GT500 Super Snake Prudhomme Edition. This boss Mustang proves 750 HP is always a fitting tribute to end a current model.

Named for the Top Fuel drag racer, Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, who drove for Shelby in 1968, the Shelby GT500 Super Snake Prudhomme Edition features a lengthy listed of custom modifications. Aside from the 750 horsepower (800hp on race fuel) Kenne Bell-supercharged 5.4-liter V8, the car features a fiberglass full-tilt front end, Shelby rear drag wing, eight-point roll cage, six-piston front brakes, rear seat delete, coilover springs and Bogart wheels all in a street legal package you can purchase for $149,995. Now if $150K seems a bit high for you, Shelby will allow you to bring your own, previously purchased, GT500 in and they’ll do the retrofit for the low low price of $99,995. Production will be set at a very limited 100 examples…oh and if you didn’t catch it before, it’s STREET LEGAL.

Shelby Press Release:

Shelby Automobiles, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc. (CSBI.PK) has returned to drag racing with a limited edition Prudhomme Edition Super Snake package for the Shelby GT500 Mustang. Carroll Shelby and Don “The Snake” Prudhomme unveiled the program during a private reception at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, Calif. The drag racing inspired 800 horsepower post title package was a collaboration between Shelby Autos and Don Prudhomme, who successfully drove a top fuel car for Carroll Shelby in the 1968 NHRA season.

Each year, the Automobile Club of Southern California holds a dinner to support the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum on the first night of the Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals. In honor of the fortieth anniversary of the first race that Mr. Prudhomme drove for Carroll Shelby, the Shelby Autos team unveiled the new drag racing package that they developed together over the past year.

“Don is an exceptional drag racer and I’m proud that he drove my first Top Fuel car in 1968,” noted Carroll Shelby. “By leveraging Don’s experience, we turned a really good car into a great drag racer that will beat up on the MOPAR and bow tie brigade right out of the box.”

The program is a post-title package for 2007-2010 Ford Shelby GT500 cars already in the hands of owners. To create the Prudhomme Edition Super Snake, Shelby Autos pumps up the 5.4L supercharged engine to produce 800 hp on race fuel or 750 hp on 93 octane pump gas. The Shelby includes a Kenne Belle modified air intake sticking out of the hood in the tilt front end, a five-point Impact safety harness and a Borla side exhaust system. A front and rear adjustable BMR racing suspension and drag tires are included to improve traction during launches; optional street tires are available. For a more aggressive stance and improved aerodynamics, side lower rockers are incorporated. Only 100 total packages at $100,000 (not including car) will be offered.

“Working with Don on this project was a great experience for our design team,” noted Amy Boylan, president of Shelby Automobiles. “Carroll and Don earned their stripes in competition over the years, so we had to build a car that would continue their racing domination. Our Prudhomme Edition GT500 Super Snake builds on that legacy and gives Shelby enthusiasts today a way to rule the quarter mile in their town.”

By the mid-1960s, Carroll Shelby and Don Prudhomme were both at the top of their respective games. Prudhomme was one of the winningest Top Fuel drag racers in the country. Shelby was a racer-turned-builder of Cobras, GT40s and Mustangs who won endurance and road racing championships worldwide. His company even offered drag racing packages for privateers to compete in their Cobra or Shelby Mustang on the strip.

“The Snake” and the Cobra’s creator teamed in 1968 for an NHRA ride. Prudhomme’s Ford Cammer-powered rail made its debut as “Shelby’s Super Snake at the 1968 Winternationals. He won the race and drove the rest of the season under the Shelby banner.

Don “The Snake” Prudhomme’s successful racing career included winning the NHRA funny car championship four times. He was the first funny car driver to exceed 250 mph. In 1994, he began managing his own racing team, which won the Top Fuel championship in 2002 and 2003. Prudhomme was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1991 and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2000.

“It’s been a great opportunity to work with Carroll and the Shelby Autos team on this amazing program,” added Prudhomme. “I’m honored that Carroll gave me this honor to build a car that’s true to his legacy and my efforts to move them across the finish line first. The car can be tuned to deliver over 800 horsepower on race gas, which should pretty fast. It’s a well sorted out package that is capable of dusting the competition in the Shelby way.”

The Prudhomme Edition Shelby GT500 Super Snake is intended to be truly a road and track car.

“The thing I really think is cool about this car is that you can drive it both on the track and on the street,” added Prudhomme. “It reminds me of how drag racing used to be back in the day when we would drive our cars to the drag strip, race them, and drive them home at the end of the day. That’s maybe the neatest thing about this car.”

Ford managed to be nice and save money by wishing GM a happy 100th birthday not by cake and card, but by spelling it out in lights on the side of their world headquarters in Dearborn, MI. Whether the act was that of penny-pinching or creativity, one thing’s for sure — it was a well done. We managed to get the memo sent around reminding Ford’s world headquarters staff to keep their blinds open below the jump.

    Subject: WHQ Illumination for GM’s 100th Anniversary

A few years back we celebrated our 100th year in business…and what a great 100 years it was. On Tuesday, September 16th General Motors will be celebrating its 100th year anniversary.

As a sign of goodwill and to offer our congratulations, WHQ will be illuminating the south side of the building Monday night commemorating their 100th Birthday.

This will be accomplished by strategically opening and closing specific blinds on the south side of the building. On Monday, September 15 please do not change the position or direction of your blinds to ensure that WHQ is brightly illuminated for the 100th Anniversary of General Motors. We ask your cooperation and thank you for helping us make Ford Motor Company shine.

Happy Birthday General Motors, congrats Ford.

Meet the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic, it gets an astonishing 65 mpg, but the carmaker can’t afford to sell it in the U.S. What’s that? If ever there was a car made for today, this would be it. The ECOnetic is a sporty subcompact that seats 5, has a navigation system, and gets a whopping 65 miles to the gallon. Oh yes, and the car is made by Ford Motor Company, the company known mainly for portly gas hogs.

Ford’s 2009 Fiesta ECOnetic will go on sale in November 2008. But here’s the problem. This beauty, even with the car’s potential to change Ford’s image to help it compete with Toyota and Honda in Ford’s home market, will only be sold in Europe.

“We know it’s an awesome vehicle,” says Ford America President Mark Fields. “But there are business reasons why we can’t sell it in the U.S.” The main one: The Fiesta ECOnetic runs on diesel.

Automakers such as Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz have said for years that a technology called “clean diesel” would overcome many Americans’ hostility to a fuel still often thought of as the smelly stuff that only powers tractors. The new Clean Diesel vehicles now hitting the market can be as clean or cleaner than gasoline and at least 30% more fuel-efficient.

However, estimates show that 50% of all cars sold in Europe last year ran on diesel, and yet the U.S. market remains relatively unfriendly to the fuel. Taxes aimed at commercial trucks mean diesel costs anywhere from 40 cents to $1 more per gallon than gasoline. And with the success of the Toyota Prius, its understandable why only 3% of cars in the U.S. use diesel. “Americans see hybrids as the darling,” says Global Insight auto analyst Philip Gott, “and diesel as old-tech.”

Of course, this is stopping European and Japanese automakers, which are betting they can jump-start the U.S. market with new diesel models. Mercedes-Benz by next year will have 3 cars it markets as “BlueTec.” Even Nissan and Honda plan to introduce them in the U.S. in 2010. But Ford, run by penny pinching bureaucrats, who know they have a great product with the Fiesta ECOnetic, somehow can’t make a business case for bringing the car to the U.S.

Their claim? IT’S TOO PRICEY TO IMPORT.

The Ford Fiesta ECOnetic’s engines are built in Britain, so labor costs are especially high, not just because the pound remains stronger than the U.S. Dollar. At current exchange rates, the Fiesta ECOnetic would need to sell for about $25,700 in the U.S. While the Prius goes for around $24,000. A $1,300 tax deduction available to buyers of new diesel cars could bring the price of the Fiesta to around $24,400. But Ford doesn’t believe it could charge enough to make money on an imported ECOnetic.

Now here’s an interesting tid bit. Ford is planning on making a gas-powered version of the Fiesta in Mexico for the U.S. Building the plant would cost at least $350 million at a time when Ford has been burning through more than $1 billion a month in cash reserves. So, the automaker would have to produce at least 350,000 engines a year to make such a venture profitable. “We just don’t think North and South America would buy that many diesel cars,” says Fields.

So what say you America? Will the U.S. ever will accept diesel fuel in their lives? California has certified Mercedes’s Bluetec diesel cars earlier this year. James N. Hall, of auto researcher 293 Analysts, says that bellwether state and the Northeast remain “hostile to diesel.” But Ford’s problem is that if diesel fuel is allowed back in the fold, they might find themselves playing catch-up — Even if they already have such a seriously cool Ford Fiesta ECOnetic in their global lineup… Only time will tell.

This is why we love homeowners associations. Especially in Texas. (please note the sarcasm). For yet another reason to add to our we-love-homeowners-associations-list, in a wealthy Dallas, Texas suburb named Frisco sent resident Jim Greenwood threatening letters due to his insistence on parking his new Ford F-150 truck in his driveway. The gated community of Stonebriar, where Greenwood lives, doesn’t allow trucks, RV’s, golf carts, trailers and other undesirable vehicles parked in front of houses. Now here’s the best part, the rules DO allow Escalades, Ridgelines and even the nasty amalgamation of metal, Chevrolet Avalanche. HOA representative Bill Osborn explained the difference with the most ridiculous nouveau riche answer ever:

“The high-end vehicles that are allowed are plush with amenities and covers on the back. It doesn’t look like a pickup. It’s fancier.”

The HOA even allows the Lincoln Mark LT, which is really nothing more than a standard Ford F-150 with a nicer grille and chrome.

We sympathize with Mr. Greenwood’s frustration:

“If we had a big Hummer, that could be in the driveway. If we had a Lincoln Mark LT, that could be in the driveway. But a Ford F-150 can’t. That doesn’t make sense.”

Can’t wait to see how this gets resolved. Hit up Dallas Morning News for the full story.

Those fine folks over at Automobile magazine have bestowed their “Funky Ergonomics Awards” again this year. As one could imagine, BMW’s iDrive and 7 Series interior (pictured above) again tops the list of bad designs. (Rightly so.) Their list includes convenience keys that are downright inconvenient, window switches that require broken wrists to operate, touchscreens that are dangerously slow to respond, all center-of-the-dashboard mounted instrument clusters, complicated navigation systems, reverse-action manu-matic transmissions, and dimly lit interiors.

While there are many agree-able choices on their list, our own ergonomic pet peeves include rear view mirrors blocking the road in FRONT of you, cruise control stalks hidden out-of-sight by the wheel itself, and convenience steering wheel buttons in the way of holding the wheel. And the list goes on and on…What would you put on the list for Funky Ergonomics?

The month of May actually saw the Honda Civic overtake the Ford F-150 in sales putting the Ford down in 4thplace. Whaaa!?

Yup, you read what I wrote properly, 42,973 F-series trucks were sold in May, against 52,826 Corollas, 51,291 Camrys and 53,299 Honda Civics. For full disclosure sake, Toyota counts the Matrix towards Corolla sales, so we’ll discount that figure, but who cares?

Civic for the win! According to Jim Farley, Ford group vice president for marketing and communications, “That’s just a sign of the times. I think May has been a watershed month.” Do people care about gas prices? We think this means the answer is “yes.”

What makes a proper Road Trip? Do you have to cross political boundaries? Some minimum mileage that must be travelled? Do you have to be gone for days or weeks at a time? No freggin’ clue. But neither do the folks at Kelly Blue Book (KBB) who decided to compile an interesting mix of vehicles to meet the task of a Road Trip – ranging from the obvious choices like the Dodge Grand Caravan to surprises like the spirited Audi S5 and venerable Bugatti Veyron. And there’s even the VW Eos, not a car we’d enjoy to be crammed into for a long journey, but to each their own. The full list and press release below.

KBB.COM NAMES 2008 BEST NEW ROAD TRIP VEHICLES

IRVINE, Calif., May 20, 2008 – The expert editors of Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com (www.kbb.com), the leading provider of new- and used-vehicle information, today announce their picks for Kelley Blue Book’s 2008 Top 10 Best New Road Trip Vehicles. Memorial Day weekend ushers in the beginning of the summer driving season, and record gas prices will play a large role in trip-planning this year. But even with gas prices reaching $4 per gallon, Americans are still expected to hit the road in droves for summer road trips. From the two-person weekend getaway to the full-family excursion, this year’s Best New Road Trip Vehicles list is certain to accommodate any road trip.

In choosing this year’s Best New Road Trip Vehicles, the kbb.com editors evaluated all tangible and intangible attributes that would enhance any long drive, such as driving enjoyment, passenger comfort, cargo space and of course, fuel economy. Because not all road trips are the same, Kelley Blue Book’s 2008 Best New Road Trip Vehicles provide a potential perfect ride or two for every type of driver and every type of journey. Each vehicle offers different perks such as entertainment options, interior accommodations and driving performance to keep road-trippers satisfied. Depending on the type of trip and the number of companions the right vehicle could be a coupe, sedan, crossover, SUV or minivan.

Kbb.com Editorial Comments: 2008 Best New Road Trip Vehicles

Audi S5

Combining a silky 354-horsepower V8 engine, impeccably tuned suspension and quattro all-wheel drive, the Audi S5 delivers high levels of both performance and comfort, along with the elegance to arrive in grand fashion.

Bugatti Veyron

If the price of fuel has impacted your yacht time more than your driving habits, you might find the $1.5-million, 1,001-horsepower, 16-cylinder, quad-turbo, 250-mph Bugatti Veyron an ideal alternative the next time the jet is in the shop. Just keep in mind that at full speed, the Veyron burns through its 26-gallon fuel tank in about 12 minutes.

Chevrolet Malibu

We recently drove six top-selling mid-size sedans in a back-to-back comparison test, and the remarkably quiet and comfortable Chevy Malibu handily outshined the competition on the highway. The first car in the category to combine a flexible six-speed automatic transmission with a gas-sipping four-cylinder engine, the Malibu is capable of an impressive 32 highway miles per gallon.

Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid

While the Tahoe Hybrid’s highway fuel economy rating of 22 mpg is only 2 mpg better than that of its gas-only counterpart (the hybrid’s bigger advantage is in city driving), it’s nevertheless the most fuel-friendly full-size SUV on the road and provides seating for eight, plenty of cargo solutions and the ability to tow your boat to the lake.

Dodge Grand Caravan

They say that getting there is half the fun. In the Dodge Grand Caravan, getting there can easily be all the fun. The Grand Caravan’s wide variety of entertainment options includes multiple DVD players, video game inputs, two overhead video screens, SIRIUS Satellite TV and radio as well as rearward-swiveling second row seats, all helping to transform the once humble minivan into a virtual party on wheels.

Ford Flex

Due in dealerships this summer, Ford’s new full-size, three-row crossover will be turning heads from coast to coast all year, while treating occupants to cold drinks with its class-exclusive refrigerated console.

Infiniti EX35

In addition to a plush, flexible interior, the EX35 offers a Lane Departure Prevention System that can help keep any driver — quite literally — in line. A small camera detects lane markers in front of the vehicle and, when inadvertent lane departure is detected, the system applies a small amount of left or right brake force to nudge the vehicle back on course.

MINI Cooper Clubman

With excellent fuel economy and a fun-loving attitude, the MINI Cooper has earned its way onto our list of top road trip cars for the second year in a row. The new Clubman offers more passenger and luggage space than the standard Cooper, making the largest member of the MINI family an even more ideal long-haul companion.

Toyota Prius

The iconic Prius doesn’t just deliver the best highway mileage of virtually anything on four wheels, it also features a flexible hatchback design and enough interior volume to qualify as a mid-size vehicle.

Volkswagen Eos

The Volkswagen Eos is a sporty coupe that’s also a sexy convertible, thanks to a sleek, sophisticated retractable hardtop. This chameleon also has an exceptionally wide glass sunroof for when you want the open-air experience without getting that wind-swept look.

The full report is here.

Its to our surprise there’s no mention of ANY Mercedes-Benz or BMW…

The Awards for Strategic Vision’s 2008 Total Quality Awards have been cast, and this year, three companies – Mercedes Benz, Honda and Toyota all have 2 models on the list that have managed to win in their respective categories.

The Strategic Vision’s Total Quality Awards are rated by The Total Quality Index™ which, of course, is the premier measure of new vehicle owner satisfaction. Strategic Vision asks buyers to rate every aspect of the ownership experience, from buying and owning to performance and driving. It is much more than simply counting problems.

The full press release is below.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Strategic Vision 2008 Total Quality Awards™

San Diego – Toyota and Ford tied for leading in the most segments on Strategic Vision’s Total Quality Index™ (TQI), leading with three vehicles each. Toyota lead with its Yaris, 4Runner and Sequoia while Ford lead with the Edge, Mustang Convertible and F-250/350. The San Diego based research firm today announced the 2008 results that are based on the ratings by new vehicle owners in 19 product segments.

Toyota Motor Sales had two additional leaders with the Scion xB and the Lexus RX 350 (which tied with Land Rover’s LR2); while Ford Motor Company added two additional wins with the Mercury Sable and Volvo C30. “Ford is back, establishing its vehicle quality in the hearts and minds of its customers,” says Alexander Edwards, president of Strategic Vision’s automotive division. “The Ford Edge is one of the vehicles Ford can be proud of. By careful attention to key areas such as exterior styling, workmanship and performance, (which are the cues that signal quality for crossover customers), Ford is building vehicles that also build brand equity and perceived customer quality.”

The Total Quality Index™ is the premier measure of new vehicle owner satisfaction. It asks buyers to rate all aspects of the ownership experience, from buying and owning to performance and driving. It is much more than simply counting problems. “Innovation and thoughtfulness in functionality and design, keeping in mind how the customer will interact and use the vehicle, is essential,” reports Dr. Darrel Edwards, Founder and CEO of Strategic Vision. “Vehicles like the Volvo C30 and Toyota Sequoia are both terrific examples of providing customers with this ‘functional luxury’ in a very stylish design suggesting quality both on the inside and out.”

Mercedes, Honda and Chevrolet brands each had two leaders: Mercedes leading with the S-Class and SL, Honda with the Odyssey and Ridgeline, and Chevrolet with the Corvette Convertible and a tie with itself in full size trucks between the Avalanche and Silverado. From three leads last year, Hyundai took the lead in only one segment this year with its Santa Fe in one of the most competitive automotive segments, the Smaller SUVs. The Volkswagen Jetta, Chrysler 300C and BMW X5 were each TQI leaders. Also worthy of mention is the redesigned Chevrolet Malibu, now second in the highly competitive Medium Car segment.

“Over the past quarter century in the US, customer perceptions of quality of domestic and Asian manufacturers underwent large swings. Today, it doesn’t matter if you are a Toyota or a Ford, BMW or Hyundai, each manufacturer has the opportunity and mandate to produce a product with the right Cues of Quality — those product attributes that signal quality and create customer Trust — and present vehicles that have a greater impact on the purchase decision,” says Alexander Edwards.

Buyers rated the following vehicles tops in their segments:

The Total Quality Index™ was calculated from the responses of 20,655 buyers who bought 2008 models in September, October and November of 2007. Strategic Vision has presented Total Quality annually since 1995.

Since its incorporation in 1989, Strategic Vision has studied consumer and constituent decision-making for the widest variety of clients, including most auto manufacturers, Coca-Cola, American Airlines, Procter and Gamble, as well as for most advertising agencies. Its unique expertise is identifying consumers’ motivational hierarchies, including the values that shape perceptions and capture the customers’ emotional responses and drive behavior. The firm’s in-depth Discovery Interviews and ValueCentered Surveys provide comprehensive, integrated and actionable outcomes.

Head on over to Strategic Vision’s website to see the result for yourself.

Like a family crest, most Automotive emblems actually represent something important to their maker. Whether it be something historically important for the founder, ideals the brand strives towards, or a testament to someone’s ego, the symbol of each company has a history.

We stumbled across this encyclopedia of sorts that has cataloged the origins and meanings for almost every one of the worlds major automakers, and we must say, it’s pretty darn interesting. For instance Chevy’s logo has come about from…

…Popular legend has it that the Chevrolet logo was inspired by wallpaper in a French hotel where William C. Durant was staying (the legend says he saw the pattern marching off into infinity as a design on the wallpaper and tore a piece of it off to keep to show to friends and later turn into the company logo). However, his wife says that the bowtie emblem was first seen by her husband in a Virginia newspaper on a vacation around 1912, upon which he told her that the thought it’d be a very good emblem for the Chevrolet (per Chevrolet Pro Management Magazine, October 1986).

Or, Smart’s logo…..Apart from the Smart name (all lowercase), the Smart logo features a ‘C’ for ‘Compact’, and an arrow for ‘forward thinking’.

Cool Stuff, I Swear!

Take a look at the full list here.