Mods

In case anyone was wondering, the ringtone craze is officially out of control. Well past their cell-phone roots, custom tunes for home land lines are just one example of a phenomenon that has even extended to doorbells. But its application in car horns are clearly the worst of the bunch.

And accessories such as the "Wolo 485 Star Trek Air Horn," we fear, may indicate that the trend is gaining in popularity. For better or worse, this device blares only one tune with its five air trumpets--the theme from the final frontier--similar to the custom old-school horns that … Read more

Hope you didn't buy that Mustang Bullitt for the Ali MacGraw in your life just yet.

Ford announced it's now offering a factory-installed panoramic glass roof option for both the Steve McQueen-inspired Bullitt and the Shelby GT500KR. The glass roof, as an option for its V-6 Mustang and Mustang GT, will become available in the summer of 2008, according to Ford.

To be clear, this is not a hardtop convertible, but a fixed glass roof option. It will be available for $1,995.

And, as no one wants an over-heated driver, the glass roof is made of tinted … Read more

Boeing has rolled out the marketing for its laser-equipped Humvee by zapping five IED-like targets on a test range at Alabama's Redstone Arsenal (PDF) in what it called "the company's ability to rapidly respond to warfighters' needs."

Dubbed the "Laser Avenger," the unit consists of a 1-kilowatt solid-state laser mounted on an air-defense Humvee. It works by "shooting an invisible beam just a few centimeters in diameter and 20 times hotter than an electric stovetop" into the offending munition until it combusts internally. It then just "pops" or "… Read more

If you've got a hankering for wood paneling on the side of your car, no one says you have to settle for a vinyl applique. It's just that the alternatives are probably neither cheap nor easy.

You could start poking around old barns or, at least trolling the Web, for an old Woodie station wagon or two. Or you could do what Vasily Lazarenko of the Ukraine did: he built his own.

Lazarenko's creation goes well beyond a few strips of wood on either side of the vehicle. He fashioned the entire exterior out of oak, with … Read more

And here we thought the 727 jet limo was insane. The vehicle pictured here might seem like an ordinary fire engine at first look--until it's turned around. From that angle, it's a work of insanity.

Not only is it modded with a turbine engine, but it's one from a Russian MiG fighter jet--making it "the largest turbine motor in a land vehicle anywhere in the world," according to LifeOnTop. The size alone would seem to lend credence to that claim, at 27 feet long and 5.5 feet in diameter.

If they add one of … Read more

If a Ferrari, tank or--heaven help us--a Hello Kitty Hummer limo just aren't "special" enough for you, consider this: a Boeing 727 jet limo.

You read that right. TechEBlog reports that one such item is up for auction on eBay, with a high bid of $269,900 as of this writing. (There's still time--the listing will remain open until Sunday around noon PST.)

It includes a "sunken living room with a dance floor, big screen TV, fireplace, and full bar," according to the listing, and "if you need a nap, go in the … Read more

While our main interest at this year's SEMA show was the wealth of new in-car gadgetry on display, we couldn't help but show some interest in the hundreds of modified trucks, classics and hot rods jammed into every available inch of Las Vegas Convention Center. We managed to tear ourselves away from the mobile electronics hall to get snaps of some of the more entertaining mods, particularly those at either end of the height scale. Check out our photo gallery to see a roundup of our favorites.

When Lexus unveiled its IS-F sedan at the Detroit auto show this year, it was the first factory-tuned model that we had seen from the Japanese automaker. Today, Lexus unveiled a range of performance accessories to allow owners of standard IS250 and IS350 models to cash in on the "F" factor by pimping their rides with their choice of performance-enhancing components.

IS drivers will be able to choose from a number of dealer options, including upgraded brakes, a carbon-fiber engine cover, a performance air-intake, and F-branded 19-inch forged alloy wheels. According to Lexus reps, the accessories will be … Read more

Where do you draw the line between a motorcycle and a car?

Toyota's iQ Concept, a concept car that debuted in Frankfurt and will be at the 2007 Tokyo auto show, might be better suited for the next rally in Sturgis, SD.

Toyota is in collaboration with two Japanese companies to develop a 1-liter engine for the iQ that will be based on a Yamaha motorcycle engine, according to reports from Auto Blog and Automotive News Europe.

Toyota plans to produce about 80,000 iQ cars for Europe by 2009 and possibly more for the Indian and Chinese markets. … Read more