Kyb Excel G Strut 235618 Dodge Intrepid on 2040-parts.com

Wheel maker connects with exotic clientele via social media

Reaching potential buyers of custom wheels for exotic cars takes more than buying ads in magazines. Miami-based ADV.1 Wheels is building a business fueled by a social-media approach that includes car-forum interaction, photo shoots and short films on the Internet. The company launched a Facebook fan page in late March, has received more than 59,000 “likes” and aims for 100,000--at which point ADV.1 Wheels has promised to give away a set of the company’s Trakfunction wheels.

Subaru BRZ tS is the ‘Sporty’ BRZ STI with no more go

Subaru BRZ tS (pictured) more show – no more go When we ran the tease photo for what appeared to be the Subaru BRZ STI, we did hope this would be the BRZ with more power. After all, STI (Subaru Tecnica International) is the go faster bit of Subaru so it seemed to be pointing in the right direction, a direction lovers of the BRZ (and its sibling, the Toyota GT86) have been hoping for since it arrived – one with more power. But this isn’t the Subaru equivalent of a BMW M or a Mercedes AMG, its more the equivalent of BMW Performance Parts, where Subaru’s STI division have kitted out a standard car with bolt on modifications and called it the Subaru BRZ tS.

Tomorrow's world: Ford's downsized 1.0-litre Ecoboost

Direct injection petrol and diesel, hybridisation, downsizing, turbocharging, twin-charging the list of efficiency-boosting, fuel saving features being offered in new cars is becoming so long, buying a new one is like revising for exams. Is there room for another? Apparently so, but since there’s no official name for it yet we’ll call it ‘super-downsizing’ or in other words, using a very small engine in a not so small car.