2002 Ford Explorer Xlt Sport Utility 4-door 4.0l on 2040-cars

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Nuclear-powered concept cars from the Atomic Age

In the 1950s and early 60s, the dawn of nuclear power was supposed to lead to a limitless consumer culture, a world of flying cars and autonomous kitchens all powered by clean energy. In Europe, it offered the then-limping continent a cheap, inexhaustible supply of power after years of rationing and infrastructure damage brought on by two World Wars.
The development of nuclear-powered submarines and ships during the 1940s and 50s led car designers to begin conceptualizing atomic vehicles. Fueled by a consistent reaction, these cars would theoretically produce no harmful byproducts and rarely need to refuel. Combining these vehicles with the new interstate system presented amazing potential for American mobility.
But the fantasy soon faded. There were just too many problems with the realities of nuclear power. For starters, the powerplant would be too small to attain a reaction unless the car contained weapons-grade atomic materials. Doing so would mean every fender-bender could result in a minor nuclear holocaust. Additionally, many of the designers assumed a lightweight shielding material or even forcefields would eventually be invented (they still haven't) to protect passengers from harmful radiation. Analyses of the atomic car concept at the time determined that a 50-ton lead barrier would be necessary to prevent exposure.

Formula Drift kicks off 11th season on Streets of Long Beach

The 2014 Formula Drift series kicked off last weekend in Long Beach, and saw Chris Forsberg, who you'll recall went mad and drifted around a warehouse in an Infiniti M, take the title behind the wheel of his Hankook Tire Nissan 370Z (shown above).
Forsberg really ran away with the first round of competition, outscoring his closest opponent, second-place finisher Kenneth Moen and his Bridges Racing Nissan 240SX, by 20 points. Third place was 2013 championship winner Michael Essa and his Yokohama BMW M3, 30.5 points behind Forsberg.
In the manufacturers' title, Nissan took an early lead with 122 points, which isn't a huge surprise considering five of the top ten drifters were piloting either a Z or a product of the brand's S platform. Ford, which had two drivers (Justin Pawlak and Vaughn Gittin, Jr.) in the top ten, took home second place, while BMW is currently third in the manufacturers' standings.

The 2015 Ford Mustang is not so mellow in yellow

When we first saw the 2015 Ford Mustang, much was made of its new, more expressive color palette, which includes the return of both yellow and orange in addition to a new grayish shade, Guard. At that time, we didn't have anything to look at but a few small scale models painted in the new colors - the only Mustangs on display were in Race Red.
For its auto show debut here at in the Motor City, Ford has trotted out a couple of as-yet-unseen shades, including the striking Triple Yellow shown above. The new shade marks a return to a paint color that enthusiasts have been clamoring for, and we must say, it looks excellent under the lights of Cobo Hall.
Stat wise, there are still a number of questions we have about the redesigned Mustang. None of the three engines have had official power figures published. The same goes for pricing information, although if any loose-lipped execs let something slip in Detroit, we'll be sure to let you know. Until then, have a look at the new Triple Yellow Mustang on display at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show.