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SEMA 2008 show report: Mercedes GLK

By Ben Whitworth First Official Pictures 04 November 2008 10:30 Mercedes set an all but impossible challenge for tuners at this year’s SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show in Las Vegas – to turn its gut-wrenchingly ugly GLK off-roader, which makes its formal American debut at the show, into something desirable and cool. The best four submissions – the Brabus Widestar, Urban Whip, Pikes Peak Rally Racer and Rock Crawler - were displayed at SEMA. And presumably scared a lot of showgoers senseless.

Women Racers and Hot-Rodders: Day 1 at the 16th Amelia Island concours celebrates pioneers

Janet Gutherie, the first woman to race in the Indianapolis 500, said overcoming the numerous hurdles set before her as she tried to forge a racing career was something that she just had to do. “I wanted it so much,” Gutherie said during a seminar at the 16th Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance on Friday, “I was willing to put up with whatever they would throw at me.” AutoWeek's own Denise McCluggage, a renowned racer in her own right, was also part of the Women in Racing panel discussion that also included racers Judy Stropus, Erin Crocker, Jessica Brunelli and Lynn St. James.

Video: Track-day fun in the Lexus LFA

As promised, the third installment in our supercar video extravaganza--after the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and the Porsche GT2 RS--gives you the lowdown on the hyperexotic Lexus LFA and its insane 552-hp V10 powerplant. Best described by senior editor for motorsports Mac Morrison as "shrieking like a melting witch," the Lexus LFA emits a wail unlike anything this side of a Formula One racer, and its performance isn't too far off that mark, either. Check out the walk-around and some on-track fun, then come back for the VBox lap on Friday.