The Perfect Snow Car

So, we're finally in November. Sooner or later, small white flakes will start falling from the sky and eventually will build up until it becomes a heaping white mess. This will suck, especially if this happens on a weekday, and you have to go to work. So, in order to prepare for the harshness ahead, I've devised a selection of cars that will help you endure this wintry weather coming up.

2010 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

1. Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The new Range Rover Sport is probably my best pick. Although it has been redesigned and reconfigured to look and feel like a sports car, it still harnesses that toughness and rugged off-road ability. Well, I should know, because I actually have one.

My Range Rover Sport

From the moment you buy it, you'll start loving it. It's 5.0 liter V8 engine pumps out 375 horsepower, more than enough to take on the snow. It also has a low range gearbox for handling some of the tough snow, realtime four-wheel drive, and a very clever terrain response system. There's a dial right below the gear lever which allows you to adjust the suspension and comfort of any terrain, including snow. There are also ride height dials so you can adjust the ride height of the car, and a Hill Descent system which electronically slows the car down when coming down a hill to prevent an accident. Also, it's a very aggressive, yet sexy looking SUV. The interior looks exquisite and will warm you up, too. Both the front and rear seats are all heated so you can stay warm even when it's cold. The price for all this luxury and ruggedness: $60,000 - $74,000. My Range Rover Sport cost $72,000, but trust me when I say this: you get a lot for your money.

2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

2. Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X

This car, even without the racing gearbox, off-road tires, and racing roll cage, is a true rally car at heart. It's Turbocharged 2.0 liter 291 horsepower 4-cylinder engine can handle any snow with ease. This is because of a clever Active Center Differential system that comes standard on all Evo X models. Basically, what this system does is adjust the rear differential and suspension to the type of road your driving on, whether it be Tarmac, Gravel, or Snow. The Lancer Evo also has All-Wheel Drive for maximum grip and control during harsh weather. The price for this road going rally car starts at $34,000, which makes it the perfect car for some serious snow rallying action.

2011 Bentley Continental GT

3. Bentley Continental GT

This car holds the record for being the fastest on ice. It will hit 200 MPH if you give it an icy straight. But that's not important. What's more important is how this big Bentley handles, which is actually pretty well. The car is powered by a 6.3 liter twin-turbocharged W12 built by Volkswagen. That engine pumps out 587 horsepower, which is far more than enough to take on the snow. It will reach 60 miles per hour in under 4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 200 MPH. But what makes this car perfect for the snow is that it is fitted with Torsen-based all-wheel drive. This gives the car maximum traction on any road, even if its snow covered. This Bentley allows you to turn up at work in style. The interior of this car is made up of drinks globe luxury. The center console is made of walnut. The seats are made of premium leather and are all heated, so you can stay warm and feel rich. Unfortunately all this luxury comes at a price: $190,000 to be exact, making it the most expensive snow car you'll ever buy. But, at least with it, you'll get to work comfortably and on time.

2010 Nissan GTR

4. Nissan GTR

This is another fast snow car. The only difference between this Nissan and the Bentley, is this is a little bit more affordable. It costs $84,000, which sounds like a lot, but there is a lot that you get for your money. First off, you get a twin-turbocharged 3.7 liter V6 producing 480 horsepower. You'll be able to reach 60 MPH in 3.3 seconds all the way to a top speed of 193 MPH. Most importantly, you get Nissan's ATTESA E-TS® all-wheel drive standard on all models. Now although you can pull awesome snow drifts with it, it does give you maximum control on troubling roads. It might not be affordable, but its really worth the price.

2010 BMW 335i xDrive Sedan

5. BMW 335i xDrive Sedan

This car is one of the best; all the specifications are just right to fit your needs, nothing more, nothing less. It's 3.0 liter twin-power turbocharged inline-6 engine produces 300 horsepower, enough to take on the harshness of the snow. With a 0-60 time of 5.4 seconds, this car will reach a limited top speed of 150 MPH. That's fast for such a sporty 4-door sedan. What makes this car so great is that it is available with BMW's patent-pended xDrive all-wheel drive system. This makes the car seriously grippy and gives it traction on snow. The price for all this pure performance: $44,000. This is actually good value for a car that's fast and well-controlled. 

So, here is my list of cars that will take on the snow. I hope what you find here is a good match for you.

Chevy's Devilish Corvettes

2011 Chevy Corvette Jake Edition Concept

This year at SEMA, Chevy's throwing in a lot of muscle. Two Corvettes are coming to the floors at Las Vegas. This is one of them: the 2011 Chevy Corvette Jake Edition Concept. They called it the "Jake Edition" in honor of the Corvette's mascot, Jake, who is a skull with Corvette Flags as eyes as seen here...

Hey, it's Jake!

and here...

Jake, you're here too?

and here...

Here? On the Rims?

and even in here.

Man, Jake! You're everywhere!

Now you see why they call it the "Jake Edition". Unfortunately, this Vette is only a concept model, but there has been some speculation on some accessories featuring Jake. Now, let's move right along to their Viper ACR-X killer, the Z06X.

2011 Chevy Corvette Z06X Concept

Built by Pratt & Miller, the makers of the monster that is the C6RS, this car is a Corvette Z06 with the Carbon Fiber Package. Then, they gave it a racing carbon fiber front splitter, carbon fiber rear wing, and a full racing roll cage, all borrowed straight from its racing counterpart, the C6R. They also gave it new lighter rims, a carbon fiber hood, carbon fiber headlight housings, performance racing seat, and a new polycarbonate rear window, also derived from the C6R. So, basically, what Pratt & Miller accomplished was a Corvette C6R, made for the street. As always, this car is a concept model, but there has been speculation of accessories coming soon to make your Z06 look like this in the future. Be sure to check it out on the SEMA show floor.

One Crazy Vette Track Car

Ford's Undercover Stealth Cop

2011 Ford Police Interceptor Stealth Concept

This is a police car you don't want to mess with. It's the 2011 Ford Police Interceptor Stealth Concept. This special interceptor vehicle will be on the SEMA show floor in Las Vegas from tomorrow through Friday. From the look of it, it's a Ford Taurus with a Mesh grille, custom 22 inch rims, and police lights all around. Ford based the idea of this car off the SR-71 Blackbird. The car is all black with a mean demeanor. It's face looks like an angry black panther. The body itself looks like a morphed 4-door version of KITT (Knight Industries 3000). All it needs now is a scanner placed in the grille. Trust me, if you try to speed on a highway, this car will come after you out of no where. Even the interior preserves the undercover essence of the car.

Basic Ford Taurus Interior (all the weapons hidden)

Woah!! Where did all that come from??

It's unknown if this car will go into production, but there is some hope. The replacement for the Crown Victoria police interceptor, the Taurus, will be the new Police Interceptor coming next year. There will be two engines and two drivetrains up for grabs; a 3.5 liter 280 horsepower V6 engine with rear wheel drive, and a 3.5 liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost 365 horsepower V6 engine with all-wheel drive. Which ever engine you choose, they are both very fast police cars. Look for these patrolling the streets in late 2011.

Gran Turismo 5's fastest car...unveiled

Red Bull X1 Prototype

“If you built the fastest racing car on land, one that throws aside all rules and regulations, what would that car look like, how would it perform, and how would it feel to drive?” - Kazunori Yamauchi

Now if you've seen the E3 trailer to this game, you may remember at the end there was a shadow of a car in a wind tunnel. This car remained unknown, until now. This is the Red Bull X1 Prototype, the fastest car in Gran Turismo 5. This car was inspired by Team Red Bull Formula One Race Driver Sebastien Vettel, designed by Kazunori Yamauchi, and engineered by Team Red Bull Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey. As you can see, this car looks like a futuristic formula one car with headlights and wheel covers. But, when discovering what powers the car, it's so much more than that. Basically, this car was meant to defy all the boundaries and regulations of a standard car and believe me when i say this: they certainly have done that. Under the hood, this futuristic wet dream has a direct injected 3.6 liter twin-turbocharged V6 producing a stratospheric 1,483 horsepower @ 15,000 RPM with 527 lb-ft of torque @ 12,000 RPM. This car will do 0-60 in an unbelievable 1.4 seconds and reach a top speed of over 280 MPH! It only weighs about 1,202 lbs. and corners faster than a regular 2011 Formula One racer! This is staggering for a dreamer's car built for a simulation game. They've really done a lot of work on this car. Unfortunately, you will never see this thing in real life, but you will be able to drive it in Gran Turismo 5, which was rumored to arrive this early December.

Red Bull X1 with Sebastien Vettel

There's a STIG Farm??

There's Red, Blue, White, Green, and PINK?!?!

Yes, there is a Stig Farm. After former racing champion, Ben Collins, admitted to the world that he was the man in the white racing suit and helmet, Top Gear went on a search to find a new Stig. The search has stumbled upon a Stig Farm as seen above. There's already word that Jeremy Clarkson has been to the farm and chosen an new tame racing driver. The question, who could it be? And what color will he be? All I can say is, there are blue ones there. Hopefully one of them is chosen.

Do Racing Games Make You a Better Driver?

At the age of 6, I received my first racing game. It was Test Drive 5. I never had a chance to beat the game, but that day helped me generate a passion for cars and racing games. I never stopped playing racing games. Even to this day, I still have some in my library. At 16, I started learning how to drive in my dad's 2003 Chevy Suburban. From the day I started learning, I've always considered driving fun and easy. My parents have complemented me on my driving by using phrases like, "Alright Boy!", and, "I have a driver in the house!" So, one day, I asked myself, "How did I become such a good driver? Is it because of luck, or did video games help?"

The truth is, certain racing games do help you hone your skills as a driver. Gran Turismo is one of the best examples. It combines your love of cars with the realism of driving. I've played this game since I was a kid and it's helped me hone my skills as driver. It's also taught me that it's not about the car. It's about the driver. For example, I've beaten Bugatti Veyron's at the Nürburgring in Chevy Corvette ZR1. Even though Veyron's are famous for reaching very high speeds, unless they are driven by experts, they are useless. The same idea applies with the Corvette ZR1. 638 Horsepower may seem like nothing compared to 1001 horsepower, but it's still a lot of power. Drive it carefully. Anyway, the point is that since this game is so real, you can use it as practice before you get your driver's license maybe; or, you can use it to become a better race driver. Either way, this game will help you improve your driving techniques.

Here's another one: Need For Speed. Yes, I am aware this is more of an arcade series, but the truth is, there is some realism in some of the games in this series. For example, Need For Speed: Porsche Unleashed. It might be a racing game where the only manufacturer is Porsche, but in terms of realism, this is very good game. You can seriously hone your skills with this one. Another one from the series is Need For Speed: Most Wanted. This game allows you to tune your car internally. For example, you can adjust the ride height, the firmness of the suspension, nitrous usage, even boost power. As for handling, it's pretty realistic. When your turning, you can really feel the car hugging the corners. Even if your being chased by cops, you can feel the weight and power of the car as you slam through roadblocks. What makes this game even more interesting is the car sounds. Now, in most racing games, even in Gran Turismo, the car sounds are unreal. In this game, car sounds are similar to the ones heard in real life. A Lamborghini Gallardo in the game sounds almost exactly the same as it does in real life. That is truly awesome.

These are just two of the many video games that you can use to test your driving abilities. You can play these games in any formation: via keyboard, controller, or driving seat and wheel. I recommend that you use the third option. Because, well, think about it. I don't think any car now or in the future will be driven by a PS3 controller or an Apple Keyboard.