Here are first pics of the Livery Contest 370Z at SPEC Clutches and Flywheels booth at SEMA (#24523).

 Come check it out in person!

For years, racing video games and tuning cars have gone together like hand and racing glove. If you’re into cars, you’re likely into car games -- and if you’re into car games, you’re going to be into the real-deal, four-wheeled machines. Who here hasn’t purchased the digital version of their actual car and modified it, extensively, like they came up on government bailout money? Hopefully, someone other than this stereotype-perpetuating Asian male with more free time than he knows what to do with.

The biggest problem after spending hours working on your mobile masterpiece is, your creation only lives online and not in the real world. Turn off your console and the blue pill that is your automotive genius, ends. Not any more. Well, for one talented artisan, anyway.

Collaborating with Xbox 360’s new Forza Motorsport 3 and its boundless livery editor and sprawling tuning options, we’re offering up our ’09 Nissan 370Z project car to the Forza community to help come up with a cool design (our staff has no artistic ability, whatsoever – sad, but true). The winning livery will be applauded then applied on our Z, for real. As in non-digital Nissan sheet metal (and a bit of Sun Line Racing carbon fiber). Afterwards, our 370Z with your winning design will makes it debut at the upcoming CES show and on the cover of a future Import Tuner. If semi-fame isn’t enough of a draw, I’ll make sure to dig up some funky fresh schwag to give the lucky, albeit skilled winner.

How to enter:

- Send an Xbox LIVE friend request to “ImportTunerMag”. 

- In “Forza Motorsport 3,” buy the ’09 Nissan 370Z and choose the option to “Get in the Car”.

- From the Paint menu, paint and apply decals to the Z and create your design.

- Once your design is completed, press the ‘Start’ button in Livery editor.

- From the Save Menu select “Save to Design Catalogue”.

- Name the file: Import Tuner 370Z.

- Exit the Livery editor and go to the Paint Menu. Select “My Designs” and look for your file in your “Design Catalogue”.

- Select it and choose the “Gift” option

- Choose “ImportTunerMag” from your friends list to share the file with me.

For those in attendance, our project 370Z will be making its debut at the 2009 SEMA Show (Nov 3-6) at SPEC Clutches and Flywheels booth (#24523) in it’s gloriously modified, yet design-free form (with the exception of our sponsors decals, of course). Think of it as your “blank canvas”.

Check back here at www.importtuner.com  for updated pics of the Z or www.forzamotorsport.net for info on Forza Motorsport 3.

How would you like a crack at winning a year of Shell V-Power premium gas? Me! Me! Me?

It's really simple, all you have to do is take a picture of you posing with your vehicle showing the "V" sign--"peace" for all you would-be hippies--and write a short 100 word story on how Shell V-Power has fueled your passion.

Five Grand Prize winners will win a year of Shell V-Power, and another 10 finalists, a $250 Shell gift card. All entrants will also be entered for a chance to win a '10 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Lo Motorcycle. You have to hurry though, all entries must be received by Tuesday, October 6, 2009.

Go to www.shell.us/fuelmypassion for more details.

 Pacquiao. Mayweather. Hovanessian?

At the Quaker State sponsored, Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions’ “Fight Night Club” Round 4, after the blood and snot crusted dust settled after main fight of Ramos v. Favela, it was the sub-amateur fight of Hovanessian v. Cardenas that got the Club Nokia crowd riling in downtown L.A. Fresh and still raw, the two fighters went at it with the fervor of a street fight. After a severe thrashing, Cardenas stumbled multiple times giving the undefeated Hovanessian another notch to add to his undefeated belt. 

Set in a nightclub-type environment complete with a bar and live DJ, Fight Night Club is novel approach at spreading the gospel of boxing to a different demo and to promote up and coming talent. Kudos to Quaker State for keeping it real, durable, and as always, oily.

www.quakerstate.com

For those of the motorsports nature, Sparco has a garage sale coming up where they are blowing out prices on discontinued and scratch & dent items ranging from suits, helmets, harnesses, shift knobs, pedals and more.

On display will be some cool cars, and there will be prizes.

DETAILS
Date: Saturday, September 26, 2009
Time: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Address: Sparco, 1852 Kaiser Ave, Irvine, CA 92614
   

 Ever wonder if the type of oil pumping through your engine can effect the amount of power it puts to the wheels? Well, now you know it can...

 Mobil 1 introduces its Mobil 1 Racing 0W-20 and 0W-30 fully synthetic motor oils, specifically designed to maximize horsepower in racing applications.

The formulizations' low-viscosity base oils and high count of anti-wear additives (nominal phosphorus level of 1,800 ppm) significantly decrease parasitic frictional losses in race engines compared to alternatives, while not sacrificing engine protection -- even during high-temperature, high-RPM operation.  The result? More of your engine's power making it to the wheels.

Priced competitively with other leading synthetic oils, shop for Mobil 1 Racing 0W-20 and 0W-30 online at: www.mobil1.com

Looking for a new wheel for your stock steel-wheeled ride? Want some mesh? Check out Forgeline's new DE3P that are fully customizable, guaranteeing the two vital "Fs" for rims: fresh and flush.

Forgeline wheels construction boasts 6061-T6 forged aluminum centers, 6060-T6 spun rim halves and stainless steel aircraft-grade fasteners. The DE3P comes in 18-, 19-, and 20-inch diameters and in custom offsets and finishes for all makes and models.

www.forgeline.com

How would you like to win a free trip to the 2009 SEMA Show, the global mecca of all things tuning/automobile, out in sunny and very sin-ny Las Vegas, NV, AND $2,500 to hook up your ride with some parts?

What's the catch?

If you’re into cars, thanks to eBay Motors, not much.

First, you have to be an auto enthusiast. Since you’re here on importtuner.com, you can pretty much cross that off your checklist.

Second, you have to own a car, truck or motorcycle (again, should be a no-brainer) that's prime for a do-it-yourself makeover. That means, you.

Lastly, you have to make a short video showing your automotive project and why you are the be-all and end-all enthusiast, and upload it to www.motorsmaster.ebaymotors.com.

Once your glorious video is posted for the world to view, not only are you one step closer to fame, a panel of judges and the public (read: your friends) will be able to vote for the top entrants (read: maybe you) in four different categories (Tuner, Muscle cars, Off-road vehicles, Motorcycles).

Once the voting is over, eBay Motors will bring the top winner of each of the four categories to the 2009 SEMA Show (November 4-7, 2009), where their winning project vehicle may be displayed, and give away $2,500 eBay Motors shopping spree for use at www.ebaymotors.com. To top it off, each winner will be crowned the 2009 Motors Master.

For more info log onto: www.motorsmaster.ebaymotors.com.

This Sunday, August 16th, one of the O.G. motorsports apparel brands, Alphanumeric in conjunction with 5&A Dime is throwing the first-ever, completely free Daily Driver car show at 5&A Dime's San Diego location.

Not only is the show free, there will be free food, drinks, games and giveaways. Can you say, free Alphanumeric gear?

Location:
5&A Dime
701 8th Ave
San Diego, CA 92101

Date:
August 16, 2009
Starts at 1 p.m.

Puente Hills Scion is throwing another meet for the SoCal B-segment crowd. Admission is free as are the food and giveaways.

Where:
Puente Hills Scion
17070 Gale Ave
City of Industry, CA.  91748
800.935.2508

Date:
August 6th, 2009

Hours:
7-10 p.m.

For IS 250, IS 350, GS 350, GS 460 owners (including convertible IS models), Lexus is offering a 20% discount coupon off F-Sport accessories, good for up to $10,000 purchase, totaling up to $2k in savings.

Worried about tinkering with a brand new Lexus? No worries. The best part of F-Sport modifications is when they are installed by a dealer, they come with a 12 month/12,000 mile warranty or the balance of the new car warranty, which ever is greater.

Coupon is good up until July 31, 2009, so print it, and get on it.

www.f-sport.com

The summer solstice is in full swing, and what better to accompany those long days, and even longer nights, than a fresh Import Tuner?!

IN THIS ISSUE:

The Rides:

Honda S2000 cover car:
Possibly the ultimate summer car, peep the results of loading everyone’s favorite roadster with: GReddy-powered turbo system, a Zeal/Cusco suspension, rollers by Rays Engineering and Nitto NT01, and a Recaro/Defi interior, with bits from Mugen/ARC/Spoon warehouses strewn throughout. Equal parts street car and road racer, this daily driven SoCal S2K leads the world’s elite.

Minimalists’ EG Civic:
2,100 lbs of all-motor B16B-powered, rare JDM infused, shaved/tucked goodness. Riverside pride with nothing more to prove, this EG is massaged in all the right places, with absolutely nothing over the top. Could this be the perfect Civic??

East Coast 350Z:
Flexin’ 750 whp, and backed by DC’s and NYC’s street racing elite, you’d be hard-pressed to find a machine capable of toppling this total-package giant on the street, show circuit or drag strip. Afterall, when building 6-second Zs is your job, your pastime endeavors tend to get a little carried away…  



The Scene:

What do NYC street racers do when they’re not out shuttin’ down JFK airport arteries at 3 a.m.?  They roll out 300+ whp with their all-motor Civics in dyno competitions and prove, once and for all, that their 800+ turbo Integas really do, in fact, push closer to 900 whp.

HIN invades San Mateo, CA and Austin, TX. Our cameras were there. Nuff said.

Attic2Zoo.com was named official clothing partner of Formula D. We show you how to find their best deals, and avoid the lines.



The Peeps:

Formula Drift Log Beach went off without a hitch. …Or did it? Hear the inside scoop of what seven of the world’s top drifters and judges had to say about 2009’s premier event. The crashes and the brake-checks, the fists and the friendship, the front-runners and those who brought up the rear – learn the toils of racing from the racers themselves.

We’ve found the ultimate car. Period. See what it is, who built it, and who will be beating all the other car magazines’ best efforts to take Castrol Syntec Top Car Challenge gold home to Import Tuner!  Oh . . . and find out how YOU CAN WIN $10,000.00 BY SITTING AT HOME, IN YOUR UNDIES.

Megan Fox look-alike Alanna Kolette in one of the most revealing Import Tuner cover model photoshoots to date. Think IT “Swimsuit Edition” – only, make that a “really, really tiny swimsuit” – and you’ve got the right idea.



The Tech:

Fact or Fiction: Do radiator diversion panels actually work? We’ve reached a verdict.

Top 15 products to help your ride beat the summer heat, and pick up a few ponies in the process.  And guess what? None costs an arm and a leg.

Think all radiators are created equal? Think again. Or better yet, read our article on the subject. And peep the photo I and a certain model friend of mine caused a three-car pile-up while shooting :-)

Power Pages goes retro, yo! Check out which three parts you should be adding to your B18A-powered Honda sled, and see our dyno-tested results of how much power to expect.



PLUS TONS MORE!!!

SoCal Honda people - Head out to the former Super Autobacs facility (now alive and under new management!) in Stanton, CA for the next big meet in the SoCal Honda community, presented by Everyone's favorite Honda hottie, Ani and WiredOnHonda.com

 Free food, music, blah blah blah... it's gonna be a badass time and most importantly -- we'll be there, scouting our next few features and cover cars from among those in attendance.

Festivities start at 12 p.m. and run until new management decides to kick us out. Project DC2 will be there...if it doesn't get impounded on the way over...again.

Models: Come to the Import Tuner booth at the SpoCom 2009 for a chance to be on our cover.

Who: You, if your female, hot, and have wanted to, or are a model.

Where: Import Tuner booth at the SpoCom Show Long Beach Convention Center, CA

When: Sunday, June 14th, 2009, 1-3 p.m.

Why: A staff photographer will be on-site for the cover casting call and will be taking pictures for magazine coverage. Come by the booth early and make sure to sign up!

By now, you should have seen the infamous Ken Block Gymkhana Practice video. Viewed 20 million times in six months, the four and half minute clip of Ken doing all-wheel drifts, donuts and slides on an abandoned airfield-turned-automotive-playground turned out to be more viral than the H1N1 and SARS combined.

From the success of the first, a bigger and better sequel was bound to be in the works. Well it was, and DC Shoes held a sneak peek of the new video and inspired Teamworks apparel collection a few days prior to its worldwide web release, complete with Ken Block gymkhana ride-alongs.

Starring Ken Block and his co-star, the Crawford Performance-built ’08 Subaru WRX STI, the new video features cameo appearances, insane driving and scorching-hot special effects (watch the video to see what we mean). 

www.dcshoes.com/gymkhanatwo  

A few months back, 2NR and Midnight Club: Los Angeles collab’ed and gave away a pair of ultra limited edition MC:LA Jordan kicks. If you slept on that opportunity, don’t worry, here’s your second chance at scoring some cool swag.

If you’ve played Midnight Club: Los Angeles on PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, you might have noticed some of the less scintillating, but much more exciting geographic locales were left out of the game -- namely the hood. Well, as it turns out, they didn’t forget. Rockstar was waiting to release it as downloadable content in the -- wait for oxymoron of the year -- South Central upgrade. An upgrade that adds 1/3 to your map size and, very much like a carjacking, is completely free.

And in the spirit of coming up with loot, we're giving you the chance to win one of five exclusive MC:LA gift packages containing:

Midnight Club: Los Angeles video game (Xbox 360 or PlayStation3).
Midnight Club: Los Angeles South Central downloadable content.
And a Midnight Club-branded Sidekick.

To enter, email your favorite West Coast rapper (hint: not Biggie) and console choice (PS3 or Xbox 360) to carter@importtuner.com with MC:LA in the subject line. Afterwards, check out the free South Central upgrade, or if you have 10 bucks to spare, the South Central Premium Upgrade that features nine unique new vehicles, 26 amazing new races and more. Download the South Central content on Xbox LIVE or on the PlayStation Network.

Ditch your stock desktop!

New from your favorite 2NR staffers each month are functional desktop wallpapers coinciding with feature car shoots, event coverage, model interviews, and whatever other debauchery we manage to get into in the line of duty.

To start things off, I spent a solid 14.5 minutes in Photoshop this morning, remixing my photoshoot with James Deane's S14.5 drift car at last year's Red Bull Drifting World Championships in Long Beach (for the full feature, peep the June '09 issue with Nana Okada and the Sun Line 370Z on the cover). I even made sure to leave enough negative space that you'll actually be able to use this bad motha' without losing track of your icons.  Check out the screenshot of my own desktop above.

Click on the Multimedia tab of the ImportTuner.com mainpage, and scroll half-way down for all wallpapers as they become available

Or download this one here:

800x650

1024x768

1280x1024

The season heats up, and Import Tuner releases its July 2009 issue to quench your thirsts with what everyone is calling "The Performance Issue":

IN THIS ISSUE:

The Rides:

FWD Grip Monster:
Feel's FD2 Civic Type R cover car -- Straight from Japan so no more need to discuss! But if you want details, how about its TODA-built 2.4L ITB'd K20, naturally aspirated 300whp, titanium and carbon fiber everything, wide fenders, 18x9.5-inch AMEs, and multiple time-attack FF-class First Place finishes?

RWD Drift Machine:
Toshiki Yoshioka's much-anticipated Lexus SC430 D1GP drift machine. This thing caught our eye at Tokyo Auto Salon, and won our hearts with its 600hp, inline-four 3S-GT swap, stripped-down and gutted race-prepped interior, and ridiculous JDM-styled red/vinyl exterior styling -- pretty much the exact opposite of what Lexus engineers dreamed the luxurious SC to be . . . and the exact reason we love it!

AWD Jack-of-all-Trades:
Atlanta, GA's Top Speed finally breaks ink with their 10.4-second quarter-mile blasting, track record setting, time-attack winning GC8 Impreza . . . street car?!  Find out why the streets were the ONLY thing the Top Speed crew originally intended this thing to race, learn which track records and time-attacks it's currently pwning, and read the full details of what it took to get it there. JDM style, big-budget performance, yet built by a few average Joes in the dirty South.

The Scene:

Mitsubishi and Import Tuner hand-pick Mitsubishi Lancer EVOs from SEMA and put them to the ultimate test, driving hundreds of miles to and from Buttonwillow Raceway, and fighting each other on track for the title as "Baddest EVO".  Find out who won, witness the carnage of who didn't, and read about what Formula D drifters Stephan Verdier and Tyler McQuarrie had to say about each car that entered. EVO owners -- this is invaluable information on the best ways to build your cars.

Imports invade the University of California at Irvine, and 2NR's photographer-at-large Jerry Truong makes his print debut with the coverage. Three-rotor FCs, gold-plated DC2s, a few Skylines and more await you in print.

Mazdaspeed announces new prize money for grassroots racers, teaches us how to build three-rotor engines in 20 minutes, and feeds us In-N-Out.  Learn all the OTHER reasons we love them!

Tunerwars in Harrisburg, PA dropped some of the cleanest East Coast rides we've seen to date . . . with some cheesy, riced-out crap on the side.  See who made the cut!

Rob Dyrdek's got a new MTV show.  We give you the latest, along with shots of him crashing (?) Ken Block's rally car.

Castrol Syntec wants to give you $10K for doing next to nothing. Find out how to get it.

The Heads:

XS Engineering co-founder, tuner, and Cosworth front-man Eric Hsu tells a 14-year-old the right way to build a Civic, a Nissan Altima owner the easiest one-stop shop for making his ride faster, and one WRX owner why it's not wise to assume his car will churn out 600 whp in stock form. Oh, and gives advice on V-6 Camry swaps . . . we can hear him still laughing about that one.

Cover Model Christina Ashleigh on: looking for someone to be her "first" (!), what you have to do to get $10K from her, buttery land snails, how she would totally get it on with Uma Thurman, and the true meaning behind the phrase "whale penis". That, and a whole lot of smokin’ hot photos of her!

The Tech:

Subaru's '08 WRX STI makes Power Pages this month, and we make 59 whp and 86 lb-ft of torque in three easy steps! Find out how to make power with this monster, WITHOUT blowing up its engine.

Former Turbo and Hi-Tech Performance magazine editor Scott Tsuneishi and Co. built a 750hp KA24DE while no one was looking.  We fill you in on how they did it, and what it takes to build an SR killer of your own!

Fact or Fiction: Lowering tire pressure at the track will give your car better traction . . . but will it actually make it slower in the long run? We've reached a verdict.

Our Jun ’09 issue is on stands now. If you haven't already copped a copy, here's what you're missing.

THE CARS:

JDM 370Z
Japan’s Sun Line Racing builds the sickest 370Z yet, and we expose it for the world to see.  Find out the all-new Z34’s capabilities, strengths and weaknesses from the tuner POV, and decide for yourself whether it’s better, or way better, than the Z33.

Irish S14.5 DriftStarr
Ireland’s premier rising drift star, 16-year old James Deane, let’s us get you the scoop on the RB26-swapped, E85-fueled, 560whp S14.5 that won him two Prodrift championship titles last season. Fror all those of you who need a little inspiration to finish your drift project cars and get out there – this is it!

New Jersey Subaru STI
From the heart of East Coast tuning, comes David Emig’s JDM’d-out, 400hp stealth-black Subaru STI, with an upgraded Zero Sports turbo, fully race-tuned Cusco suspension, Voletx/ADVAN styling, and Bride/Defi interior to make any high-dollar baller shutter at the total build cost.

THE SCENE:

Tokyo Auto Salon – 50 of the craziest JDM rides, products, and race queens you missed
Wek Fest meet, San Francisco – 440 of the cleanest imports anywhere. Period. 
Hyundai Genesis Coupe Spec R – First look into the reloaded version of our fav new car
Consumer Electronics Show (CES) – Lowdown of this year’s top 20 ICE-iest products

THE PEOPLE:

Cosworth product developer and XS Engineering front-man Eric Hsu on tuning stand-alone ECUs over piggyback units, Hyundai Tiburon modification, Honda gearing options, and shutting down a noob who wants to know why rear-engine, FWD cars aren’t a good idea.

Nissan 370Z designer Randy Rodriguez on conceptualizing the Z34, owning Zs since he was 14, defending those love-or-hate headlights and bumper “fangs” he designed, and his plans for modifying his own, personal 370Z.

JDM Cover model Nana Okada on living in the U.S., Japan and Hawaii all at the same time, her manba gyaru high school days, shacking up in Japanese “love hotels”, being a foot-fetish model, and how to successfully avoid a densha chikan.

THE TECH:

Fact or Fiction: Can a quiet exhaust actually make more power than a lounder one?
Power Pages: Back to basics by modifying a 1990 Honda CRX SI
Power Gear: Our top five must-have products of the month reviewed
Audio Gear: Ditto… but with audio products

PLUS:
Your letters, our editorials, some badass automotive photography from you and us, our project car updates, one of the most glorious two-page ads to ever run in our magazine, and tons more!

Import Tuner's May '09 issue is officially on stands.   Here's what to expect:

FEATURES:

Import Tuner world exclusive
We pick the top three cars of the upcoming fourth installment of the Fast and the Furious saga (Fast & Furious), and shoot them 2NR style for the workd to see.  Learn what's under the hoods of the soon-to-be-famous R34 Skyline GT-R, JDM'd-out Honda NSX, and all-new Subaru STI of the new film, and learn a little behind-the-scenes insight into the making of the film you'll only read in 2NR!

Dark Matter:
Street-driven, 728whp, 2.3L, C116-burning blacked-out EVO IX from Florida. In a day when it seems like everyone has a badass EVO, find out what this one brags that we just couldn't pass up. 

Pow3r in Num8er5
Mugen-inspired, gold EF Civic from PA.  Powered by a fully built, turbo'd B16A, donned with a full Bride interior, and clean as the day it hit the showroom, who says the East Coast is behind the times?? Troy Swoyer's creation is driving proof to the contrary.

Revolution RX-7
This might be the sickest car we've featured all decade.  Fully functional, JGTC-inspired carbon fiber body styling, a 538hp 13B-REW, and a fully redesigned, F1-rivaling suspension, this FR time-attack machine was built to the the world's fastest -- flat out.

DIALOGUE

Justin Lin, director of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, and the new Fast & Furious, on why drifting is a metaphore for life, how not to sell your soul for corporation $$, why vinyl and combat kits aren't cool anymore, and the plans he has for his personal G35 project car.

Depite what Cover model Kathy Gardiner's stance on hairy naked foreigners, playing Nintendo DS on the crapper, her vintage salt-and-pepper shaker collection, and dropping tray at Chilli's might lead-on... see how sexy this Korean/Irish/French Hometown Hottie can get in front of our cameras! 

TECH

Castrol Syntec's newly announced Top Car Challenge -- a competition to build the deadliest street car of all time -- heats up. We want you to help us win this thing, and are prepared to give you free parts, $10K, and fame to do it.  Cop a copy to learn the details, and visit www.CastrolTopCar.com for the scoop.

Eric Hsu on WRX fuel delivery, 'street dyno' tuning, drive-by-wire throttle controllers, and 4AG power.

Fact or Fiction: Could removing the filter on your car's intake actually lose power on race day? We find the truth.

Nissan GT-R Power Pages: we install and dyno test four power adders for Nissan's world-famous super car... and pick up 57 whp and 35 lb/ft of torque in the process.  Find out how.

PLUS TONS MORE!

Castrol's Syntec Top Car Challenge heats up!!  Jump on while you still can.

We're going to keep it short, since by now, you've at least heard about the Castrol Syntec Top Car Challenge (flip to page 14 of Import Tuner's newest issue, May '09 -- "Fast and Furious", for details).

The Info:
Castrol Syntec is calling out Import Tuner, Super Street, Modified, eurotuner, 5.0 Mustangs, and Honda Tuning to prove once-and-for-all, which magazine's readership has the baddest rides. Think of it as a Battle Royale among street-driven rides... one that 2NR will win. Each mag will select one reader's car they think will have the best opportunity to take out all the others, and will put it to dyno, quarter-mile, time-attack, street driving, and more tests to prove it.

What we need:
If you’ve got an Asian import able to break off big-power domestics down a quarter-mile, lap high-dollar Euros around a track, boast bigger numbers than most, while still maintaining some semblance of street legality, we’re looking for you.  Log onto www.SyntecTopCar.com for rules and details. 

What you get:
We'll pick one car, scam a ton of free schwagg for it, and Castrol's gonna arrange travel of it (and its owner) to Cali, front a $1K budget for any last-minute modification/tuning, and do whatever it takes to help us make it and its owner famous.  And to the winner of the whole shebang, Castrol Syntec will tack on another $10K. Girlies will naturally come running.   Hell, even if you don’t have a car worth entering, Castrol will still be giving away another $10K to one lucky reader who logs on and votes for his favorite mag (uh… Import Tuner) to win. You really have nothing to lose. 

Log onto www.SyntecTopCar.com for all you need to know.  And the red Civic coupe on this blog? That's Caes's 9-second, street driven killer from NYC -- and beside it, is one shadowy street racing legend you DO NOT want to see behind the wheel! You'll be reading more of this story soon!

www.SyntecTopCar.com
www.SyntecTopCar.com
www.SyntecTopCar.com

      California threatens to require annual smog testing for cars 15 years and older.  ...And as we all know, whatever bass-ackwards auto regulations California adopts, the rest of the country soon follows. 

From our friends at SEMA:

California Reintroduces Bill to Require ANNUAL Emissions Tests for Vehicles 15-Years Old and Older

 Here we go again!  Legislation (A.B. 859) has been reintroduced in the California Assembly by Assemblyman Dave Jones (Assemblymember.jones@assembly.ca.gov) to  require annual Smog check inspections for vehicles 15-years old and older.  The bill would also require that funds generated through the additional inspection fees be deposited into an account which can be used to scrap older cars.  You may recall that in 2004 a new law was enacted in California to require the lifetime testing of all 1976 and newer model-year vehicles.  Pre-1976 motor vehicles would remain exempt under A.B. 859.  The bill has been referred to the Assembly Transportation Committee.

We Urge You to Contact Assemblyman Jones and Members of the Assembly Transportation Committee (List Below) Immediately to Oppose A.B. 859

• A.B. 859 ignores the minimal impact vintage cars have on air quality.
  
  
• A.B. 859 could entice vintage car owners into allowing these vehicles to be scrapped.
  
  
• A.B. 859 ignores the fact that vehicles 15-years old and older still constitute a small portion of the overall vehicle population and are a poor source from which to look for emissions reduction.
  
  
• A.B. 859 ignores the fact that classic vehicles are overwhelmingly well-maintained and infrequently driven.  
  
  
• A.B. 859 would increase costs by creating an annual inspection fee for owners of these vehicles.  
  
  
• A.B. 859 represents another attempt by California legislators and regulators to scapegoat older cars.

Please contact members of the California Assembly Transportation Committee immediately by phone, fax or e-mail to request their opposition to A.B. 859.   

Please e-mail a copy of your letter to stevem@sema.org.  Thank you for your assistance. 

Assembly Transportation Committee

Click here to e-mail all Committee members.

Assemblymember Mike Eng – Chair
Phone: 916/319-2049
Email: Assemblymember.Eng@asm.ca.gov

Assemblymember Kevin Jeffries
Phone: 916/319-2066
Email: Assemblymember.Jeffries@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Bob Blumenfield
Phone: 916/319-2040
Email: Assemblymember.Blumenfield@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Joan Buchanan
Phone: 916/319-2015
Email: Assemblymember.Buchanan@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Connie Conway
Phone: 916/319-2034
Email: Assemblymember.Conway@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Warren Furutani
Phone: 916/319-2055
Email: Assemblymember.Furutani@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Cathleen Galgiani
Phone: 916/319-2017
Email: Assemblymember.Galgiani@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Martin Garrick
Phone: 916/319-2074
Email: Assemblymember.Garrick@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal
Phone: 916/319-2054
Email: Assemblymember.Lowenthal@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Jeff Miller
Phone: 916/319-2071
Email: Assemblymember.Miller@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Roger Niello
Phone: 916/319-2005
Email: Assemblymember.niello@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember John Perez
Phone: 916/319-2046
Email: Assemblymember.John.Perez@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Jose Solorio
Phone: 916/319-2069
Email: Assemblymember.solorio@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Tom Torlakson
Phone: 916/319-2011
Email: Assemblymember.Torlakson@assembly.ca.gov

Motormusicmag.com has exclusive video of the Import Tuner/TEIN/Rockstar IS F chillin' in Memphis Audio's booth at CES in all of it's Ultrasonic Blue Mica glory.

Click on the video link on their homepage (www.motormusicmag.com) to peep it.

Castrol Syntec and Import Tuner are joining forces again, but instead of just for an engine building contest (Castrol Syntec Top Shop Challenge, Jan '09 issue of Import Tuner), this time, to find/build the ultimate car. And we're looking for your help to do it.

Looking for the Top Car:

The deal is simple: 2NR, along with all the small-time automotive rags that nobody really reads, will be competing to find and/or build the ultimate car, to be critiqued in areas such as: power production (peak power and power delivery), acceleration, lap times, fuel economy, emissions, street-ability, and more.
 

Free Parts, $10,000 Prize, Expenses Paid

And since you don't really want to read about a shootout between rival magazine editors' cars (um... a match 2NR would surely win), we're each asking our loyal readers to saddle up and help us prove, once again, who really owns the streets, by logging onto www.SyntecTopCar.com on or after March 2nd, 2009, to register your car for competition. Even if you've got a project in the works, but are stuck waiting for that Hydra Nemesis ECU, T88 turbo upgrade or Mishimoto radiator before you can begin to own face, don't let that stop you from entering. With the entire performance aftermarket industry behind us, and Castrol Syntec funding us... we're confident we can help you "finish up" that giant killer of yours in time. All competitors will be treated to a generous expense budget, and the winner of the whole shebang, to a cool $10,000, on top of whatever parts, babes, and fame we manage to scam for them ;-)  
 

...And Another $10,000 To Someone Who Votes For Us!

Best of all, even if you don't have a car, you still have a shot at another $10K that Castrol is dishing out to one lucky reader who logs onto www.SyntecTopCar.com on or after May 4th, and votes for their favorite magazine (us) as the winner, once that magazine (us) wins. It doesn't get any easier. 

Log onto www.SyntecTopCar.com on or after March 2nd for full competition details and registration info.

Log onto www.SyntecTopCar.com on or after May 4th to vote for us as the winner, and enter for your chance to win $10K just by doing so!

Import Tuner's much-anticipated April '09 Issue is officially on stands. Here's what a mere $4.99 could buy YOU:

RIDES:
 
Nismo-tuned R35 GT-R:
2NR was the first to bring you a feature of a new GT-R, with Top Secret Japan's modded R35 back in our May 2008 issue.  Now, we travel back to the land of the rising sun to bring you the flat-out illest R35 in the world: this Nismo-built GT-R endurance track racer; something you won't see anywhere else!
 
East Coast Civic:
K-powered, and Spoon-fed throughout. The tides of cleanliness and reliability are changing on the right coast, and this coupe is at the forefront, thanks to attention in all the right places. 2NR Longshots contributing photographer Brian Chin markes his debut with this first set of many more pics you'll be seeing from him. 
 
Stateside S15 Silvia:
Another East Coast heavy hitter, this one owned by female VA-area tuner Jennifer Jar. 100% fresh off the boat, restored and upgraded ...and sporting the most aggressive wheels ever stuffed under factory S15 steel!
 
First Look: Nissan 370Z
All the details and information about Nissan's newest Z that you'll only find from sources as cool as the 2NR staff. Dyno numbers, driving impressions, tune-ability, and more; find out exactly why this might be the best new car we've ever reviewed.
 

ON THE SCENE:
 
Import Tuner STI vs. EVO Challenge:
The EVOs won it last year, giving bragging rights to a whole nation of turbo, AWD tuners.  Did they defend their title the second time around, or did the Scoobies snatch the match? And just what the hell is an "automotive relay race"?!

HIN Miami:
What we dug, what we shrugged, and what we mugged.
 
Miata Challenge:
Racer-produced, come one, come all. 949 Racing and crew invite all out to the track to prove their roadster mettle.  2NR Longshots contributing photographer Linbergh Nguyen gets his long-awaited first ink on our pages!
 
Mazdaspeed Drivers' Search:
Got dreams of one day piloting an ALMS or F1 car to victory? We show you what it takes to get there, and most importantly, how to get started.

EA's Need for Speed: Undercover premier: The 2NR crew, kickin' it open bar style, with Maggie Q. Need we say much else?  OK... we do.
 
 

TECHKNOWLEDGE
 
Subaru STI Super Lap Prep:
We give you the low-down on some low-buck suspension upgrades and cooling techniques for your WRX or STI that the other guys have never even heard of.
 
E85 Ethanol Tuning:
Why America's newest, government-subsidized, $2.00/gal pump fuel is proving to be the high-performance auto industry's new alternative to pricey race gas.
 
VIP Tuning:
'98 Lexus GS400 Power Pages. Uncork that Import V-8 with these three proven power adders. Special thanks to HybriDynamics in Latrobe, PA for the assist with this one.

DIALOGUE
Cover model Miss Joanna Mata, on mixing kung-fu with competitive cheerleading, autism with blackjack pwning, and Disneyland with mantequilla... you really have to read this one to understand any of it ...or just ogle over the hot pics!

Plus a *** load more!