The BMW X5 was never supposed to be an SUV. Instead, BMW called it an SAV or Sports Activity Vehicle. The idea was to create a large family car with the body of an SUV but with the driving characteristics of their sports sedans. That driving dynamic was readily apparent in the original X5 and has...

Learning to work on and repair a vehicle comes with a new sense of excitement and fulfillment. Suddenly, the fear of breaking things is overwhelmed by the confidence of knowing how to follow directions and turn a wrench. Those internal feelings are a large part of what anyone needs to have to be...

Sports cars are wonderful. They allow us to experience the limits of adhesion, intense g-forces, and unending smiles as we motor along. The passions they stir from their race-winning pedigrees, beautiful body lines, and emotion-filled driving characteristics make them life-altering things....

  If BMWs weren’t the first thing you thought of when you heard “drift car,” we wouldn’t blame you. However, we have a whole lot to show you to change your mind. Drifters are constantly on the edge of control and chaos while sliding around at considerable speeds in competition. Professional...

  Turbochargers have been in use for a lot longer than many seem to realize. Lockheed’s P-38 Lightning used two turbocharged Allison V12s to power it along back in the 1940s. By the 1970s, turbocharging had become a big focus around race tracks after the Porsche 917/10 and 917/30,  utilizing two...

  ZF Friedrichshafen was formed just after the turn of the 20th century in Germany. Initially, ZF was dedicated to designing parts for Zeppelins, but the quickly growing automobile industry soon became their main focus. By 1934, Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen had built their first fully...

  ZF and their transmissions, both automatic and manual, have always been a favorite of European automakers. Their most recent longitudinal automatic transmission offering, the 8HP, continues their success with one of the most talked-about automatic gearboxes in an era full of CVTs and DCTs. From...

  The front-wheel-drive layout is best when looked at in terms of efficiency. Compared to rear or all-wheel-drive vehicles, they use fewer parts, save more space, use less fuel, and offer safety advantages when in the hands of overzealous drivers. Treacherous conditions also favor a FWD vehicle...

Audi’s legacy of producing fast and comfortable sedans didn’t stop with their fifth generation of mid-size sedan. The B8/8.5’s lineage can be traced back to the first fast Audi, the Sport Quattro, a homologation special designed to allow Audi to enter Group B and dominate with their...

  The age of electrification is upon us, folks. The EU has placed a ban on new gasoline-powered cars after 2035, and the manufacturers have already begun to introduce the groundwork for their electric futures. Electric cars are great for what they do, but the extreme weight and size of the...