TNT Exotics

04/19/2026

04/19/2026

Back in the day, you could flip over a Hot Wheels car and see everything. Exhaust, driveshaft, real detail. It felt like it mattered.

Now flip one over and it’s mostly flat and simple. Not much to look at. Feels like something got lost.

But it’s not that simple. Costs went up, designs changed, and real cars started hiding everything underneath. The toys followed.

Still, if you grew up on those older cars, you know… it wasn’t just a toy. It was the detail, the craftsmanship.

Because what’s underneath tells the real story.

TNT Exotics

03/14/2026

Welcome to 1973. The muscle car era was supposed to be completely dead. Gas prices were through the roof and the EPA was strangling engines with strict new emissions laws. Ford was busy turning the Mustang into a Pinto. Chevy was choking the Corvette.

But a few brilliant guys at Pontiac simply refused to give up the fight.

They developed the Super Duty 455. This was not a normal street V8. This was a hand assembled racing engine with forged connecting rods and a reinforced block. It was so hardcore it actually had provisions for a dry sump oiling system right from the factory.

But here is the legendary controversy that nobody talks about.

To get this massive high compression race engine past the strict EPA inspectors Pontiac got sneaky. They installed a secret solenoid timer on the engine. It kept the restrictive emissions equipment running for exactly fifty seconds. That was just long enough to pass the standard federal emissions test. After fifty seconds the system completely shut off and gave the driver full unhinged horsepower.

The government eventually caught them red handed. The EPA was absolutely furious and forced Pontiac to halt production and rip the cheat devices out. Because of that massive federal scandal they only managed to build exactly 252 of these Super Duty Trans Ams for the entire 1973 model year.

It is the ultimate outlaw muscle car. It was the last true heavyweight brawler out of Detroit and it proves that Pontiac went down swinging.

01/30/2026

TNT Exotics

01/29/2026

Tesla just killed off the vehicle that defined the modern EV: 2026 will be the end of the road for the Model S and the related Model X. Back in 2009 when we first got a glimpse of Tesla's first volume model, it was an eye-opening moment for the industry. Up to that point, most EVs were frankly fugly, and nobody was chasing the luxury performance market like Tesla decided to do.

The Model S proved that EVs could charge quickly, accelerate insanely, drive long distances, and create a desirable brand.

Over the years, the Model S turned into the comfy electric E-Class alternative for many, while the Model X was the OG 7-seat EV in America. Since then, however, the competition has been fierce with plenty of big, expensive EVs vying for shoppers' dollars. It honestly hasn't helped that the S and X haven't seen a full redesign since they launched, either. In 2025, S+X accounted for around 3% of Tesla's sales volume, so it's no shock that they have been canned.

What is perhaps more of a shock is that Tesla doesn't seem to have a solid 3-row option in the pipeline. Sure, the Y has a 3rd row, but it's just about the least comfortable 3rd row in America...

TNT Exotics

01/21/2026

Dodge

01/21/2026

Mercedes Obdidian Hybrid

Project Obsidian – Powertrain Architecture

“M 178 OBS V6 Hybrid E-Performance”

1. Core Philosophy

The Obsidian powertrain is not a traditional hybrid and not a pure EV with a range extender. It is a tri-layer propulsion system:

Electric-first torque dominance (0–150 mph)

Hybrid overlap for thermal stability (120–200 mph)

ICE-assisted VMAX sustain (150+ mph)

This avoids the three biggest hypercar failures:

Battery overheating at high speed

Gearbox stress under EV torque

Power fade above 200 mph

Internal Combustion Engine – The Obsidian Core

Configuration

3.0L V6, Hot-V twin-turbo

Flat-plane crank for rapid spool and generator efficiency

Titanium rods, forged pistons, plasma-coated bores

Redline: 9,200 rpm

Primary Roles (Important)

This V6 is not the main propulsion unit at low speeds.

It functions as:

High-RPM Generator (primary role)

Direct Drive Unit above ~150 mph

Thermal stabilizer for the battery pack

Output

ICE alone: ~620 hp

Torque: intentionally modest (~520 Nm) to reduce driveline mass

📌 Key Insight:

By keeping torque lower, AMG avoids:

Heavy multi-speed transmissions

Oversized clutches

Reinforced half-shafts

This saves mass and rotational inertia.

3. Electric Drive System – True Quad-Motor AMG

Motors

Four axial-flux motors

One per wheel

Oil-cooled, integrated into wheel hubs via short reduction gearing

Per-motor output (est.):

~220 hp continuous

~300 hp peak (short burst)

Total electric peak: ~1,200 hp

Total electric continuous: ~880 hp

This makes:

1.9s 0–60

Sub-2s 60–130 possible without launch drama.

Mercedes-AMG

01/21/2026

2028 Dodge Stratus SRT AWD. Dodge

01/21/2026

2028 Ferrari F-40 Reborned. Ferrari

01/21/2026

2028 Dodge Neon Dodge

01/21/2026

The car featured in Vanishing Point was a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T equipped with a 440 cubic-inch V-8 engine, rather than the commonly mistaken 426 Hemi V-8. During filming, Chrysler Corporation provided eight white Challengers for use in the production.

In an interview, actor Paul Koslo recalled a story about the legendary stunt driver Cary Loftin:

'One night, after wrapping up on location, Cary was driving one of the Challengers back to the hotel when he flew past some New Mexico state troopers at 145 miles per hour! [laughs] He had four or five cop cars chasing him with their lights flashing, but they couldn t keep up since their cars topped out at around 125! So Cary drove into a small town and began slowing down. He pulled into a gas station and I swear to God executed a perfect 360-degree spin between the pumps, stopping with the rear of the car, the gas tank, positioned right in front of the super pump!

He calmly stepped out like nothing had happened, but the troopers arrested him on the spot! [laughs] Oh, you should've seen their faces they were furious! The producer had to step in and explain that Cary had actually been testing the car, that he frequently performed spinouts because of some handling issues. [laughs] Sure, you need to test the cars, but not while driving home!' TNT Exotics