2008 Joyner Sand Viper on 2040-parts.com

Chicago tuner breaks 9-second mark with Nissan GT-R

AMS Performance of Chicago, holder of the fastest quarter-mile time in a Nissan GT-R, has set the bar higher with an 8.97-second run at 169 mph. According to AMS, the run also grabbed the fastest 60-to-130-mph time, at 3.34 seconds. The Alpha 12, the shop's flagship performance package, cranks up the GT-R's output to 1,500 hp.

Porsche Macan to get a bolder look before launch

The Porsche Macan – the baby Cayenne – is to get a new, bold look before it launches in 2014, to make it better able to compete against the Range Rover Evoque. The Porsche Macan, Porsche’s baby Cayenne based on the underpinnings of the Audi Q5, is a big deal for Porsche. Having discovered that an SUV could revive their fortunes after they launched the Cayenne a decade ago, the smaller, lower-priced Macan should give both Porsche’s sales and profits a big boost.

Keeping Shelby alive

Carroll Shelby, the wild-spirited 89-year-old racing icon and king of thundering garage hot rods, lay on his deathbed last May struggling to talk. He urged his younger friend and business partner John Luft to lean closer. "Keep Shelby American alive," Shelby strained to tell Luft in his final hours.