1988 Corvette Convertible on 2040-cars

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Diesel Power finds the ultimate modified oil-burner

For nine years, Diesel Power magazine has run the Diesel Power Challenge, this year's grindfest being "a week-long torture test that features seven events, nine trucks, 8,000 horsepower, and nearly 15,000 pound-feet of torque." The road to being crowned "the most powerful truck" starts with a dyno run, and then continues through the completion of a CDL-style obstacle course, an eighth-of-a-mile drag race while towing a 10,000-pound trailer, a quarter-mile drag race without a trailer, a fuel economy test in the mountains and finally a sled-pulling test through a 300-foot-long packed-mud pit.
What kind of trucks get into such a fight? Last year's winner, for instance - who upgraded his truck this year to prove he didn't "luck into the win" - drives a 2008 Ford F-250 Super Duty with a 6.4-liter Power Stroke V8 upgraded with a custom intake, Elite Diesel triple turbos and a two-stage nitrous system. Another competitor has a 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 powered by a 5.9-liter Cummins inline-six, upgraded with Garrett turbos, dual-stage nitrous, a seven-inch exhaust stack and twin fans built into the bed to cool the Sun Coast Omega transmission. The numbers on that truck: 1,255 horsepower, and 2,063 pound-feet of torque at the wheels. Naturally, as the image above might suggest, things don't always end well.
You'll find all five videos covering this years challenge below. A scene in the dyno video sums it all up perfectly: a competitor leaves his nitrous on too long and the crew is treated to some ominous poppings, he leans out the window, throws both hands up and shouts, "Amer'ca!"

Conquest and controversy conclude the 2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona [spoilers]

If you don't wish to know who won the 2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona, you should avert your eyes right now. We'll even give you a double-space to skedaddle...
For those of you still with us, the first race in the United SportsCar Championship (USCC) is done, but the discussions about it certainly won't end for a while. Daytona Prototypes claimed the first four overall places, the top spot taken by the No. 5 Action Express Coyote-Chevrolet Corvette DP driven by Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi, Sebastien Bourdain and Burt Friselle. The 16th and final caution of the race bunched the field up for an eight-minute sprint to the flag, so the first place getter finished just 1.4 seconds ahead of the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Dallara-Chevrolet Corvette DP driven by Max Angelelli. Third place went to Brian Friselle in the No. 9 Action Express Chevrolet Corvette DP, 20 seconds down. Chevrolet power hasn't taken the overall win since 2003, eleven years later it scores a one-two-three-four. The No. 6 Muscle Milk/Pickett Racing ORECA-Nissan 03 scored fifth place, the top LMP2 finisher.
The Prototype Challenge class win went to the No. 54 CORE Autosport team of Colin Braun, Jon Bennett, Mark Wilkins and James Gue.

Chevy Malibu rolls over 10 million on the odo

On the cusp on the introduction of the latest model, the Chevrolet Malibu is celebrating a major milestone with 10 million of them now on the road since the car's introduction 51 years ago. While not quite enough to rank among the best-selling vehicles of all time, the feat is impressive considering the name took over a decade off from the Chevy lineup in the '80s and '90s. The Malibu started life in 1964 as the top trim on Chevy's new, midsize model, which also included the 300 and Chevelle. Offered in a plethora of body styles, including a wagon and convertible, the Bowtie brand moved over 370,000 of them in the first year. By 1969, sales reached more than 503,000. However, the market for rear-wheel drive sedans eventually softened in the US, and the Malibu name was dropped in 1983. The moniker returned in front-wheel-drive form in 1997 and has been a part of the lineup again ever since. These days, the Malibu is obviously only available as a four-door, but the model is more efficient than ever. The larger, lighter 2016 example can get up to 37 miles per gallon highway with its 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder or 47 mpg combined when the hybrid goes on sale next year. You can get a great look at the Malibu's changes from the original until now in the gallery above. Related Video: MALIBU MILESTONE: 10 MILLION CUSTOMERS SERVED 31/08/15 Venerable sedan's 51-year legacy strongest in U.S., China and Korea DETROIT – Fifty-one years after it was introduced as Chevrolet's first midsize car, production of the venerable Malibu sedan has crossed the 10-million mark. Chevrolet celebrated the sales achievement today for the global sedan in the United States, China and Korea, which collectively account for more than 90 percent of sales. The Malibu is sold in more than 25 markets around the world. "The Chevy Malibu joins an exclusive club of vehicles that have achieved this extraordinary milestone and we acknowledge it today by honoring the common thread linking every one produced: The customer," said Alan Batey, president, global Chevrolet. "Some people are buying their very first Malibu today and others may have driven a Malibu from a different generation as their first car. It is a car that has resonated with customers for more than half a century." Chevrolet's interaction with customers has evolved since the Malibu was introduced in 1964. Back then, an owner's manual and a personal relationship with the dealer defined conventional customer service.