Author: Tabitha

If you have ever tried loading a motorcycle or automobile onto a trailer that’s already hitched to a tow vehicle, you know how difficult it can be. Especially problematic is loading a vehicle with minimal ground clearance, where the risk of serious undercarriage or body damage exists. The multi-adjustable Tilt-A-Hitch mounts to a standard two-inch receiver and can handle up to 10,000 pounds of trailer weight. It can be adjusted to different angles, it works with or without ramps, and can also function as a load-leveling hitch by connecting it upside down. The 26-pound unit is made of quarter-inch steel…

The Spymaster was blown away with the intel he received about the Italy-based company’s latest ultra-expensive, limited-production exotic. The unnamed model, which is rumored to look similar to the automaker’s Terzo Millenio concept, will reportedly be priced in the $3-million range. It will come with a hybrid powertrain consisting of a V-12 engine and at least one electric motor. Output is estimated at about 840 horsepower. In place of batteries, the Lambo will use super capacitors for energy storage. They allow high volumes of electricity to move quickly to the motor(s). A version of this system is expected to be…

The Spy Guy’s sources have been flooding his email in-basket with info about upcoming models with electric running gear. One of the latest is from Toyota’s premium division, which is reportedly planning to launch an electrified version of the new-for-2019 UX compact utility vehicle. Dubbed the UX300e, the vehicle is rumored to come with solid-state batteries instead of lithium-ion batteries. Solid-state batteries are claimed to be lighter, more compact, have greater storage capacity and are non-flammable. They also don’t tend to degrade as quickly. Although there’s no official release date, the UX300e is expected to go on sale in early…

Serious off-roaders know how critical it is to carry an assortment of tools in case they run into difficulties on or off the trail. In some designated off-road areas, this equipment is actually mandatory. For these folks, or for anyone wanting to top up their emergency supply gear, the Handle-All from Hi-Lift is the ideal accessory. The multi-use product consists of a telescoping handle to which you can add a full-size shovel, axe, sledgehammer, and pick-axe heads. A handy tote bag keeps all the pieces in one place. Buy yourself some peace of mind for $195 at www.hi-lift.com.

Mattel, the company that made Hot Wheels a household word, will sell you something much larger than little model cars. The Hot Wheels Car Engine lets kids take apart and (hopefully) rebuild or at least work on the engine and/or change the tires. They can also check the oil and make sure the horn and headlights are in working order (the engine also comes to life once it’s properly assembled). Each Hot Wheels Car Engine comes with the necessary tools, while you supply the eight AAA batteries. Recommended for youngsters aged 3 and up. Purchase for $130 from www.amazon.com.

A lifetime of design and engineering innovation, first in Formula One racing and now as a manufacturer of next-generation urban automobiles, has earned Gordon Murray the title Commander of the British Empire for “services to Motoring” in the Queen’s New Years Honours, and for devising and delivering “creative and ground breaking projects” in the motorsport and automotive sectors. McLaren cars have won dozens of Formula One races and its sportscar business has flourished with vehicles such as the P1. Murray has since shifted his focus to urban mobility and iStream, an innovative and disruptive automobile-manufacturing technology that uses carbon fiber.…

California-based Tom Fritz creates art depicting a variety of themes, including automotive and motorcycle culture (his work has been featured on a series of U.S. postage stamps). Fritz’s paintings include old pickup trucks, racecars, classics and muscle cars, although hotrods and their drivers from the 1940s and ’50s appear to be his favorite subjects. Rather than static portrayals, many works show the vehicles in action. Most of the original paintings are marked as sold, but the fine-art-poster versions (numbered and signed by the artist) range from $140 to $400, depending on size and subject matter. You can admire and purchase…

Most tire-pressure-monitoring systems let you know when your tires are underinflated, but they don’t all tell you which one, or ones, are problematic. The Papago TPMS 100 wireless monitor lets you know how your tires are doing at all times. The system includes four tire sensors plus an LED monitor that plugs into the vehicle’s 12-volt socket. It displays each tire’s status and issues an alert if any of them are under or overinflated, or if any of their temperatures become too high. At the same time, the monitor’s built-in USB port lets you charge your cell phone. Purchase the…

A recent announcement from parts supplier ZF surprised even The Sleuth. The company confirms that it’s developing a exterior side-impact-airbag system that would deploy from beneath the bodywork if it senses an imminent collision. ZF claims the side airbags would reduce impact velocities and intrusions by more than 30 percent. What’s more, a ZF spokesman said such a system, which would use a combination of camera- and radar-based sensors, might be ready within the next two years. Side impacts account for a significant percentage of all crash-related deaths, which, in The Sleuth’s opinion, makes the ZF system a very big…

The recently revealed GT-R50 will actually go into production beginning in 2019. Each of the planned 50 models will be priced at — wait for it — $1.2 million. That’s a lot of coin for any Nissan, especially one based on the GT-R Nismo that sells for about one-tenth that amount. Italy-based Italdesign created the GT-R50 show car and will build all subsequent iterations. That process includes replacing much of the GT-R Nismo’s skin with hand-formed aluminum panels, redoing the interior according to customer specifications, and upgrading the twin-turbo V-6 to produce 710 horsepower, up from the 600 horsepower that…