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Ford’s highly anticipated sixth-generation revival of the iconic Bronco marque finally hit the streets in 2021 after a lengthy development process. Ford did their due diligence, and the new Bronco boasts tremendous off-road prowess straight from the factory, with plenty of OEM accessories and options to make life on the trail easier. But, as with any car on the market, some might say that the factory setup isn’t quite extreme enough. For those discerning enthusiasts, Roush Performance is there to cater to your every need when it comes to tuning and accessorizing Ford vehicles, and they’ve now announced their new upgrade package for the Ford Bronco.

The Ford Bronco – A Great Start

Ford offers the Bronco in a wide variety of trims and configurations to meet the needs of any buyer, right from the factory. Powered by either a four- or six-cylinder EcoBoost, the Bronco can be optioned out with two or four doors and a variety of tops, much like its close competitor, the Jeep Wrangler. A seven-speed manual transmission is available for those who enjoy the experience of rowing through the gears themselves, while a 10-speed automatic transmission provides fuel economy and increased drivability with larger tire sizes.

There are quite a few specialized editions available straight from the factory. These include the Badlands, the Wildtrak, the Black Diamond, and the Big Bend trims, among several others. But perhaps the flagship from Detroit is the Bronco Raptor, which comes with 37” tires, the highest-performance EcoBoost on tap, Rigid auxiliary lighting, and adventure-ready upholstery. The Raptor comes with the 3.0L motor, but if you have a 2.3L or 2.7L EcoBoost in your Bronco, Roush has just the parts you need to soup it up a little.

The Roush Bronco R Series Kit

As with everything else that they touch, Roush takes a great Ford vehicle and makes it better. While you won’t get any of the crazy power gains that they are known for with the R Series Kit, you will find the off-road performance enhanced by the addition of the Roush accessories, as well as some of the usual cosmetic improvements that Roush does so well.

Perhaps the most significant upgrade can be found with the wheels and tires. You’ll find large 35” General Grabber mud tires wrapped around the custom 17” Roush wheels. To paraphrase Expedition Overland, you can drive around the world on 35” tires, and you can drive around the world in this Bronco. Another notable addition on the exterior of the car are the Diode Dynamics LED auxiliary lights mounted on the A-pillars, which are frequently called “ditch lights” in off-road parlance. These are high-quality lights that are worlds ahead of the standard Amazon specials.

Moving into the engine bay, Roush has improved the stock intake setup for increased reliability in dusty, austere environments. The pre-filter is vital to minimize fouling of the engine air filter and MAF sensor, and the air filtration system itself comes with a sharp looking see-through cover, which greatly aids in inspecting the air filter and ensuring it’s changed frequently enough.

In keeping with the off-road DNA of the Bronco, a Roush-branded recovery kit is also provided, which includes a tow strap, D-Rings, and a few other essentials needed to rescue yourself (or someone else) should your adventure take a turn for the worst.  

Roush is also proud of the stainless steel axle-back exhaust system in the R Series Kit, which they claim will maximize the level of “engine presence” from the smaller EcoBoost motors. Roush used the existing Ford fittings and couplings to provide an easy installation experience, and the exhaust tip naturally has the desirable “ROUSH R” logo, and provides a few degrees of additional departure angle over the stock setup. Perhaps most importantly, this exhaust is also legal in all 50 states, and comes with a limited lifetime warranty. Other than these major items, there are plenty of other features included with the R Series Kit. Other components include custom key fobs, a locking safe in the center console, and a floor protection kit (which is ostensibly a more creative term for weather-resistant floor mats). Cosmetically, you’ll also get quite a few decals and banners advertising the trick components you have under the hood and chassis, a Roush door jamb label, and a certificate of authenticity.

OEM Quality in Your Garage

The R Series Kit is sold straight from Roush, or a dealer, as a do-it-yourself kit that is expected to take a solid day’s work, but designed to be easy enough for the owner to install themselves, in their own garage. As stated, the exhaust system carries a Roush limited lifetime warranty, while the rest of the components carry a 3-year/36,000 mile warranty. Roush may be a bit proud of this kit for some – $8,400 proud, to be exact – but for many, having the confidence of a warranty behind their parts is worth a premium. If you’re looking to make your (relatively) stock Ford Bronco look, ride, and sound unique, than the Roush R Series Kit might just be the move for you.

Headquartered in Florida out of a 135,000-square-foot facility and equipped with more than 80 expert staffers and team members, Velocity Restorations is an elite custom automotive shop that specializes in spare-no-expense restorations and restomods. And while the shop wrenches on all manner of classic cars and trucks, it has a particular knack for meticulously building modernized Ford Broncos, with Velocity having previously completed dozens of vintage Bronco-based projects — the latest of which is a Midnight Edition Velocity Signature Classic Ford Bronco cloaked in an iconic gray livery. 

Benefitting from more than a decade of development and pieced together entirely by hand, this Midnight Edition Bronco is based on a 1967 donor, though the vehicle is now a far cry from its former self. Alongside a 2.5” lift kit, the Bronco has received a slew of performance upgrades such as Hydroboost-assisted Wilwood disc brakes, an all-new Dana 44 front axle paired with a new 9” Ford rear axle, and blacked-out 17” Method Racing wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich tires. Under the hood, the Bronco’s original 105-hp 2.8-liter six-cylinder mill has been jettisoned in favor of a fuel-injected 5.0-liter Ford Coyote crate engine that’s been bestowed with an automatic overdrive transmission, a custom performance exhaust, and Velocity’s exclusive Serpentine system. 

Complemented via custom fender flares and a blacked-out trim package, the exterior of the high-end restomod now sports Audi’s iconic Nardo Gray livery. Trimmed in bespoke black leather upholstery and fortified via a custom four-point roll cage, the interior of the Bronco now features Velocity all-weather floor mats, bespoke Velocity-branded, vintage-inspired digital instrumentation, and a premium Alpine BT Stereo with four Kicker speakers and a powered subwoofer. Other highlights include a custom aluminum fuel tank, JW Speaker LED headlights, and a matching blended bikini top. 

More information on this Midnight Edition Velocity Signature Classic Ford Bronco is available on the shop’s website. 

Article Credits: Tim Huber
Full Articles: https://hiconsumption.com/1967-ford-bronco-nardo-gray-midnight-edition-by-velocity-restorations/

Earlier, we discussed the much-anticipated Porsche 911 Dakar, which was finally unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 16, 2022. As it’s now official, Porsche has released a bevy of details and specifications on the production version of the car, and it’s possible that they exceeded anyone’s expectations for it. Without further ado, let’s dive in and take a close look at the facts and figures that make the 911 Dakar already a modern classic.

Exterior
Obviously, the thing that most will notice on their first take of the 911 Dakar is that it stands completely alone among any other supercar on the market. It rides high, and while it’s not quite as tall as some of the test mules we’ve covered, it still boasts up to 3.14 inches more ground clearance than a standard 911. The ride height is electrically controllable and can be set to several different levels, with a lower setting for street use and an extra bit of clearance for when the going gets rough. As predicted, the Dakar will come with proprietary Pirelli Scorpion all-terrain tires in 19- and 20-inch sizes, all mounted to exclusive forged wheels unique to the Dakar.

The front fascia is unique to the Dakar, and in addition to providing more clearance than traditional 911 splitters, it also happens to be made of steel to serve as a skid plate, also sports a tow hook to aid in recovery efforts should the Dakar become stuck. In fact, much of the bodywork (such as the side skirts) is made of stainless steel to prevent damage from trail obstacles. The rear fascia is the same construction as the front and features a fixed spoiler instead of an adjustable one. That’s not to say high-performance, light weight materials don’t make an appearance on the Dakar; Porsche has made liberal use of their “carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP)” material where possible, such as the GT3-style hood. Incredibly, all of this extra steel and protection only adds 16 pounds to the weight of the Dakar over the standard Carrera 4 GTS.

Finally, we can’t talk about the 911 Dakar without mentioning the striking color schemes available exclusively on this model. Porsche’s Rallye Design Package paints the car with a gorgeous mix of white and blue with racing stripes, as well as white-painted wheels. This serves as a tribute to the Porsche 953 car that won the 1984 Dakar rally, the namesake of this model. While it’s based on 953, buyers can even specify their own number on the paintwork.

Performance
A substantial amount of engineering work has gone into increasing the durability and capability of the 911 to bring it up to rally car standard. The chassis has been stiffened by incorporating GT3 engine mounts, enabling less flex when putting the 473 horses and 420 pound-feet or torque under the hood to work. The 3.0L, twin-turbocharged motor is mated to Porsche’s flagship 8-speed PDK transmission, and also paired with rear-wheel steering technology. This translates to a 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds, and a top speed limited to 149 miles per hour. The air filter is loosely based on the unit from the Turbo, which has been specially modified for operation in dusty environments. It has also borrowed the cooling system from the Turbo S – overall, this motor gives the vibe of an old-school, hot rod, factory racing car put together with the best parts Porsche has laying on the shelves.

When the Sport Chrono Package is purchased, the Dakar will also come with a specially tuned “Rallye Launch Control,” enabling quick takeoffs in low-traction environments (of course, the Dakar features all-wheel drive).

Accessories and Options
As expected, the Dakar will be offered with quite a few OEM accessories designed to help their owners gear up for any adventure. A roof rack will almost be mandatory equipment, and is capable of holding up to 88 pounds of equipment; integrated into this roof rack is an LED light bar for auxiliary lighting on the trail. Some of the other accessories you’ll be able to transport on your roof rack include specially designed cans for gas and drinking water, recovery boards, and even a rooftop tent! Also available as an option option are specific heritage decal sets intended to pay homage to legendary rally 911s from the 1970 rallies.

Conclusion
If you are in the market for a Dakar, you’d better be quick; only 2,500 will ever be made, and with a price tag starting at $222,000, they have undoubtedly already become instant collectibles. It’s possible that there may be an additional run or two of some sort of Dakar-based model in the future, but that is all entirely conjecture at this point.

Kudos to Porsche for taking such a big gamble with the design and development of this car at a time when the future of fun cars seems a little bleak; the 911 Dakar exists for no other reason than to put smiles on faces and miles on the odometer.

Much like a certain poet, the Porsche 911 contains multitudes. Immediately after its inception, racing teams of all sorts took to the platform, building out the cars for any conceivable class of racing. Far before Group B came about in 1982 (which ultimately led to the legendary 959 supercar, among many others), it wasn’t uncommon to see Porsches used at rally racing events the world over. Rally use and development of the 911 really peaked with the cars run at the Paris-Dakar rally of 1984; it’s where the 911 was first fitted with all-wheel-drive, and where a substantial part of the 911’s legend was born. Almost paradoxically, rally- or safari-style 911s have continued to be a popular aesthetic for resto-mods and restorations for decades – even for vintage cars worth over six figures that will never be raced off-road.

It’s therefore a little bit hard to believe that in the year 2022, the bigwigs at Porsche would green-light a factory version of such a car. Not one dedicated to fuel economy or sustainable luxury, but one that will tug at the heartstrings of even the most jaded car enthusiast. Enter the 911 Dakar program, and the long, rough road that it took to develop the production car.

Sitting on Top of the World
Porsche has recently teased the birth of the new 911 Dakar in dramatic fashion over the backdrop of the high Chilean Andes mountains. A brief documentary teaser released on the interwebs shows a small team of engineers and mechanics, led by three-time Le Mans winner and Porsche factory driver Romain Dumas. Their mission? Only to drive two very special, highly-modified 911s to the top of the highest volcano in the world, Ojos del Salado. Reaching over 19,700 feet in elevation (higher than Everest’s base camp) before being stopped by excessive snow and ice, the cars made it without skipping a beat.

It’s not so subtly implied that these 911s were set up as test mules, part of research and development for the production Dakar. While few technical details of these mules have been released by Porsche as of press time, we can see that while both cars are clearly based on the 911 platform, there has been a tremendous amount of custom fabrication and chassis work, as is to be expected. Handmade aluminum rear bumpers serve to protect what’s left of the custom body work at extreme approach angles, and the front fascia have also been substantially modified in a cut-down manner for additional clearance. Large fender flares surround the beefy, Cooper All-Terrain tires wrapped around true beadlock rims, and we can also see that the front fenders have been “tubbed” for additional suspension travel. In total, the cars sport a whopping 350mm, or about 13.77”, of ground clearance. For reference, a Rubicon Wrangler sits at around 10” of clearance. Both cars also sport variations of safari-style roof racks, which were indeed used to haul mission-essential gear up the side of the volcano.

There are quite a few other modifications that were done to these cars to help them tackle the harsh climate and terrain of the volcanic Andes. A mechanical device that Porsche is calling their “Warp-Connector” was added, and appears to function much like a form of locking differential, typing the four wheels together and enabling traction when standard differentials would just spin their wheels. Additionally, the cooling system (radiators, intercoolers, hoses, etc.) needed to be relocated, while Aramid skid plates protect the underside of the vehicles.

While this small tease didn’t provide Porsche enthusiasts with many concrete specifics for the production car, careful scrutiny of the footage does reveal early prototype testing of some real-deal rally gear for the upcoming Dakar 911. Given the substantial resources that Porsche has poured into engineering these vehicles, it’s safe to assume that many of the lessons learned in this “volcano climb” have been incorporated into the production Dakar, just refined a bit for a production vehicle.

The 911 Dakar is Unveiled
After much anticipation and bated breath, the 911 Dakar was finally unveiled to the public at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 16, 2022. Sure enough, the production car remains true to what’s been seen in the teasers, spy shots, and online rumor mills. Porsche themselves are very proud of the pedigree of this new car, and are even billing it as “the first two-door sports car to offer outstanding off-road capabilities.” 10,000 kilometers of off-road testing in every imaginable environment took place, including frozen lakes in Sweden, desert dunes in Morocco and Dubai, and of course many miles of pavement testing. In addition to Dumas, a bevy of respected racing drivers have had their turns with the Dakar during testing and development, including Walter Rohrl and Jorg Bergmeister, and according to their testamonials in Porsche’s press material, this car is going to be a future classic.

Clearly based on the existing 992 Carrera platform, the first thing you’ll notice immediately is the ride height. It looks to ride at least several inches higher than a standard Carrera, and a carefully designed front splitter works to maximize vertical clearance and add to the aggressive, high-clearance look. The production Dakar will come with all-terrain tires, likely Coopers, and much care has been taken to retain the superb driving experience that the 911 is known for on the road despite the increased ride height and different tires than normal. The press photos, as well as photos from the Chile expedition, also show the Dakar will have a deployable rear spoiler in line with the rest of the Carrera models. Roof racks will be available, although it’s unknown at this time whether they will be the standard equipment or the option, or how many variants might be available to choose from. While the car does look smart without the roof rack, it’s hard to imagine a true-blue rally Porsche without one.

There’s also a lot going on in the software in order to make this whole package work as well as it does. The ABS system has been tweaked heavily and optimized for breaking on loose surfaces (where traditional ABS would have a difficult time figuring out what’s going on), and the suspension has also been reinforced and specifically designed to handle a variety of terrain types. At the end of the day, it seems likely that the Dakar will be just as mean of a street machine as any other 911. During testing, Bergmeister complimented the on-road behavior: “I wouldn’t have thought that a vehicle with such ground clearance and all-terrain tyres would still feel like a Porsche 911 on asphalt.” We’ll know more about all of the neat engineering feats on the Dakar in the coming months and are looking forward to taking a deeper dive into the chassis and driveline to discover what makes this such a special automobile, but for now, it certainly looks the part, and it definitely looks like it will be able to play the part, as well.

Looking Ahead…
If you’re an internal combustion engine, you’ve seen better years than 2022. Fuel economy and emission standards are being pushed harder than ever before as many manufacturers seek to transition exclusively to electric power within the next decade. Gone are the displacement wars of the 1990s, and largely gone are the horsepower wars of the 2000s. Heck, if you’re a fan of motorsports at all, you can’t help but feel some amount of doom and gloom.

Despite all of this change and the feeling that car companies are getting a little more serious these days, Porsche themselves doesn’t seem to have lost any of their enthusiasm for their internal combustion-powered sports cars at all. Put simply, on paper, the new 911 Dakar probably shouldn’t be coming down the pipeline at all. It’s a completely ludicrous homage to the golden era of automobiles and brilliant engineers, to whom nothing was impossible. The times may change, but engineers don’t. We’re all the better for it that Porsche let their dreamers and engineers run this project and build the Dakar to their dreams. The result is already shaping up to be a modern classic, and one of the most exciting sports cars of the 21st century. We can’t wait for these to hit the streets, and other places, too.

Photos

New, or old? The folks at Singer Vehicle Designs have made that question wholly obsolete for the very lucky few who are able to own their own Porsches that have been restored (and reimagined) by this world-class vehicle shop. Singer specializes in complete overhauls of the 964-era Porsche 911s, which were produced from 1989 to 1994. While the generation of Turbo before this, the 930 “Widomaker” might be more famous, many enthusiasts consider this generation to be the ultimate expression of the air-cooled Porsche sports cars. In the past, Singer has largely used the naturally aspirated, non-Turbo cars as the canvasses on which to paint their creations, but in the past few years has been hard at work on their “Turbo Study” cars – the end result being what they consider to be the ultimate expression of these automotive icons.

When a car is commissioned, Singer will strip the car down to the last nut and bolt of the body and motor, and perform a complete, rotisserie rebuild of the car. In addition to rebuilding and renewing all of the OEM components, Singer will also supply a bespoke interior, completely unique body panels and trim pieces, and any other accessory that is envisioned. It’s difficult to go into a low level of detail here when discussing exactly what Singer does to a car, because every commission is completely unique. Each car must be discussed and dissected in isolation. Suffice it to say, in the entire automotive industry and certainly in the Porsche world, Singer stands absolutely alone.

The Take on the Turbo
We mentioned the “widowmaker” Turbo above. 911 Turbos of this vintage are prized for their raw power and unadulterated driving experience, but with just a bit more refinement and controlability than their predecessors. As they’ve done with naturally-aspirated 911s, Singer sought to create the perfect marriage between the original charms and driving experience of the 964s as they left the factory, and the performance and aesthetic upgrades that can be brought about with today’s technology.

Earlier in 2022, Singer released a new vehicle in their Turbo Study line, and this time paired it with a “sports focus.” They’ve been able to turn the air-cooled 3.8L turbocharged motor up to 510 horsepower. The motor has been completely rebuilt, and supplied with bespoke intercoolers and improved cold air circulation to the engine bay (of critical importance in such a high-performance air cooled motor). In order to keep all of that power reigned in a little better than the originals, Singer has also provided carefully-tuned ABS and traction control systems, as well as beefier brakes. There’s also a stiffening cross-brace in the rear to mitigate chassis flex under all of that additional power. Notably, this car sports rear wheel drive, in contrast to the all-wheel drive of the factory Turbos. They’ve added cruise control to these old girls as well, sure to be greatly appreciated by any owner driving their new Singer home on the straight desert highways leading out of Los Angeles.

Classic German Aesthetics
Visually, the Turbo is stunning from the outside; a sumptuous wide body is perfectly proportionate, and the wheel wells are perfectly radiused to fit the new, wider tires. It’s a difficult task to pick apart just what is Singer and what is Porsche, so perfectly have they been blended together. One telltale touch is the center filling cap, as well as some very handsome carbon fiber elements on the front splitter and rear whale-tail spoiler. Under that spoiler, the delicate gold Singer badge provides the only real visual clue of the significance of the car to an average passerby. For a slightly modern look, new LED projector headlights have been installed that sport halo running lights, while the car itself is painted in a two-tone scheme inspired by vintage Porsche color palettes.

The interior is absolutely gorgeous, and might just be where Singer excels the most. The first thing you’ll notice upon climbing in the cabin is the retro houndstooth upholstery, woven between custom bucket seats and trimmed out in carbon fiber. They’ve also managed to shoehorn electronic adjustments and heating elements in these otherwise bare bones-looking race seats. It’s hard to say exactly what Singer has done with the dash… but the classic 911 gauge setup looks incredible, like a fine timepiece.

Continuation of a Legacy
Singer’s 964 Turbos are undoubtedly another brick in the wall of a rich legacy of unbeatable craftsmanship and vision for Singer. There’s nothing incredibly new or groundbreaking here, and that’s okay. Singer has built their entire reputation about subtle refinements to already-beautiful vehicles, sacrificing outlandish styling with subtle tweaks and masterful craftsmanship. Much like an oil painting that you’d find in a museum, Singers are meant to be studied and appreciated at length, each pass of the eyes revealing new details that would never be immediately obvious to even the most discerning enthusiast. For Porsche fans, let alone those who prefer the Turbo flavor, 911s don’t get any better than the Porsche Turbo Study cars.

Photos

Land Rovers enjoyed huge success globally and remained very desirable cars even after the end of production. They are now highly coveted by Land Rover enthusiasts and car collectors alike, with great interest shown whenever a unit comes up for sale.

Silverstone Auctions is now offering a long-wheelbase 1955 Land Rover Series I that used to belong to the Royal Air Force. The British off-road vehicle was used by Marshall of Cambridge – currently known as Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group – as an “Aircraft Crash Rescue Vehicle” at an airfield close to the university of the same name.

Developed by Rover’s chief designer Maurice Wilks, the Land Rover Series I was the British counterpart of the American-made Jeep, a combination between a 4×4 off-roader and a farm tractor. It was built on a steel ladder type chassis and featured a steel bulkhead, with the rest of the body made of aluminum alloy.

The Series I was fitted with a 2-liter four-cylinder engine with a power output of 52 hp (53 ps) at 4,000 rpm and 137 Nm (101 ft-lbs) of torque. The interior of the Land Rover is minimalist, which made it a perfect fit for agricultural and military use. As such, the model was quickly adopted by the British Armed Forces, and it was also used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.

According to the listing, the example you see here is a 107-inch (2.72 m) wheelbase “pick-up” version that was issued to the Royal Air Force in 1956 and converted into an Aircraft Crash Rescue Vehicle in 1959. Later on in its life, it went into civilian ownership. The current owner purchased it a couple of years ago and commissioned a full restoration to its original RAF rescue condition.

This Land Rover Series I will go under the hammer via Silverstone Auctions on November 12, with a price guide of £15,000 – £20,000, which translates to approximately $16,860 – $22,480 at current exchange rates.

Article Credit: Ancuta Iosub
Full Articles: https://www.autoevolution.com/news/this-1955-land-rover-series-i-that-served-as-aircraft-crash-rescue-vehicle-can-be-yours-203471.html#

Whenever Hot Wheels announces a new, limited-edition RLC item, you just know what’s going to happen next. After buying the product for $25, some people will head on over to eBay and list it for $100 or even more. And the fear of missing out has been pushing aspiring collectors to pay extra to get the product they want. Unsurprisingly, you’ll notice the same kind of behavior in the real world, too.

The sixth generation of the Ford Bronco entered production just over one year ago, and we all know the endless discussions regarding dealer markups and ridiculous waiting times. The hype is real, and things were about to get even worse with the introduction of the Bronco Raptor.

If you access the Bronco configurator on Ford’s website, you’ll notice that the Raptor starts at $68,500 before tax ($1,595 destination charge). At the beginning of 2022, there were already talks that dealer markups for these cars would reach at least $25,000.

We had a look at BaT’s auction history, and it seems that only two Bronco Raptors have been listed and sold so far. The Velocity Blue Metallic one had 64 miles (103 km) on the clock and went for $121,022. Meanwhile, the Shadow Black unit with 127 miles (204 km) went even higher to $130,000.

Now, there’s a third vehicle listed on the website, and it seems to have already triggered a bidding war. This is also a black car but with just 50 miles (80 km) on the clock since it left the factory floor. The total MSRP for this vehicle was $79,780 ($1,595 destination charge included).

It was just recently listed, and there are already eight bids on it. It started at $92,022 but went up to $120,000 in a matter of hours. And there are six more days left until the auction is over. So there’s a good chance this is going to set the new BaT record when it comes to Bronco Raptors. But ask yourself this question: is it worth going that far for it?

Let’s not forget that a 541-hp Porsche Cayenne Turbo starts at $135,900 before tax ($1,450 destination charge). We’re not even going to bring up the 591-hp Audi RS Q8 or the 617-hp BMW X5 M. If that doesn’t sound reasonable to you, you’ll find that the company selling the Bronco Raptor has provided plenty of photos and a few videos to help you make up your mind on the topic.

Article Credit: Dragos Chitulescu 
Full Articles: https://www.autoevolution.com/news/2022-ford-bronco-raptor-has-barely-been-driven-might-sell-for-twice-the-sticker-price-202431.html