We have all seen them under the hoods of Hondas at car shows.  Those little sock-like deals that are used to cover a reservoir.  I have seen covers from Spoon, Mugen, even Ninja Turtle wristbands used as covers!  Those are all cool but I think the cover by JDMEGO has a unique flavor to it.  It features the old school logo and comes in orange like the early Mugen covers.  If nothing else you can still rock it as a wristband!  It will only set you back 10 bucks at the JDMEGO store.  Not bad!

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[Source: JDMEGO Store]

In this particular post JDM stands for “Jamaican Domestic Market” as Evasive Motorsports has revealed a special “Kingston Edition” Personal steering wheel featuring red, green, and yellow stitching representing the Jamaican rasta culture.  Being of Jamaican decent myself I am pretty hyped that Personal released a wheel like this!  Maybe one of these wheels will find their way onto a future MotorworldHype project car.  If you want one for yourself, hit up Evasive Motorsports  and pick one up for about $300.  Lawd have merrrrrcyyyy!

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This is just a quick heads up that we made a few changes here in our humble little corner of the Internet.  Mainly we have added new categories to help you sort through posts better in the future.  It may seem like a lot of new categories but the idea is to make it easier for you to find what you are looking for.  If you look to the far right of the page you will see all the new categories listed.  If you are too lazy to use your ocular muscles to move your eyes in that direction I will just list them all here for you for a quick run down:

American Cars: If it is about a Ford, GM/Chevrolet, or Chrysler/Dodge it will be in this category

Asian Cars: Normally I would have just called this category “Japanese Cars” but the Korean Cars are “so hot right now” .  As you may have guessed any post about an Asian Car be tagged with this category.

European Cars: Same drill as above.  If it is German, British, Italian, French or from anywhere else in Europe it will be here.  This includes supercars!

Exterior: Anytime we hype something that goes on the outside of your car that improves performance or makes it look better i.e. body kits, wings, spoilers, decals, etc. it will go here.

Gaming: We have done a lot of gaming related posts lately so now they will get their own category.  If it has anything to do with holding a controller or wheel peripheral then it will be here.

I.C.E.: I.C.E. stands for “In Car Entertainment” but you should already know what that means.  Basically anything that would fall under the car audio category would go here but you might see a few other cool gadgets here as well.

Interior: As the title suggests any time we hype something for the inside of your car that does not necessarily fall under the I.C.E. category it will be here.  Things you might see here are really cool air fresheners to leather wrapped bucket seats from Recaro.

Motorsports: If it has anything to do with racing it will be here.  Expect everything from updates on F1, Indy Car, Rally, and Drifting to hype on Motorsports gear like racing suits, helmets, gloves, etc.

Performance: Anytime we hype something that improves the performance of your car in any area (power, grip, handling) it will go here.

Video: Another self-explanatory category.  Any time we post a “Hype Video” it will be in this category.

Wheels: This category is for the wheel-freaks out there.  All “Wheel Hype” posts will be in this category from now on.

There you have it, a full rundown of the new categories.  We went back to populate some of the categories with past posts but since we have a few THOUSAND posts since we started we naturally could not go back and re-categorize them all so you may notice that right now most of the new categories are pretty sparse but over time they will grow with new posts.  We hope this change will make navigating our site a little bit easier for you.  If you have any questions, concerns, feedback, etc. please feel free to post in the comments!

If you’re a JDM freak then you might already have one of these.  If you don’t have an authentic ARC shift pattern plate and you want one to increase your JDM hit points then contact Mackin Industries and see if they can source one for you.  Whatever my next project will be years from now will likely have one of these mounted in the interior it just looks too good!

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Remember the Recaro “Speed”?  Others might recognize them as the seats that came standard in JDM Type-R Hondas and Acuras.  Recaro is still making these seats and they’ve updated the design a bit with vinyl inserts as you can see.  I like the new look personally but I just wish they used a different material like leather or alcantara.  These seats are a bit hard to find but check out your local shops and they might be able to get one for you.  If all else fails then hit up Evasive Motorsports as they are a Recaro retailer.

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We’re aware that some of you reading this may have little racers in your lives that you want to protect and take care of.  So, we’re happy to post about this awesome new line of child safety seats by Recaro.  Yes, that’s right I said Recaro.  Many people don’t know that the same company that produces awesome racing seats and OEM bucket seats also makes some of the highest rated child safety seats on the market!  The ProSERIES is their newest line.

The ProSERIES seats have adjustable padding so they can grow with your kid and have “EasyAdjust” 5-point harnesses as well as a “QuickLift” head restraint.  Hmm… I wonder if you can get these in alcantara?

Press Release:

RECARO Launches ProSERIES Child Safety Seats to

Provide Maximum Comfort and Safety for Children

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – August 5, 2010 – RECARO, the international leader in automobile, racecar and child safety seat technology and a leading innovator in side impact protection,  is introducing the ProSERIES line of car seats to protect your most precious passengers.  The ProSERIES is the latest addition to the popular car seat manufacturer’s line of child seats based on RECARO’s race-track proven mobile seating technology.

The new ProSERIES line includes the ProRIDE, the ProSPORT and the ProBOOSTER seats each specifically designed to deliver comfort and safety as your child grows.  Each seat is now available through retailers nationwide.

“RECARO’s new ProSERIES seats are designed to not only deliver maximum protection, but the ultimate in comfort for the entire time a child is required to be in a car seat,” said Jonathan Sieber, director of Sales & Marketing for RECARO North America.  “We have already received a significant amount of positive feedback from parents that appreciate not only the ProSERIES’ safety design, but its great looks and overall ease-of-use. RECARO was also able to achieve a 90-pound harness weight capacity on the ProSPORT which is the highest available in its class.”

“Every year, thousands of children are tragically injured or killed in motor vehicle crashes. In fact, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children age 3 and older in the United States. Securing your children properly in age and size appropriate child safety seats – in the back seat of your vehicle,  is the most effective thing you can do to protect them in the event of a crash” according to NHTSA (the National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration).  That is why the ProSERIES was designed as a series of seats that help protect your child as they grow.

Combined, the ProSERIES line can accommodate children from as low as 5 pounds all the way to 120 pounds. The new ProRIDE convertible seat allows parents to use the seat when their children need to face the rear and then turn it to face forward as their little one grows.  The seat is designed for children from 5-70 pounds and 50 inches in height or less.  The RECARO ProSPORT is a combination harness to booster car seat appropriate for children weighing between 20 and a “Best in Class” 90 pounds when used in harness mode and 30 to 120 pounds when used in booster mode.  A child must also be less than 59 inches tall to use the ProSPORT.   The RECARO ProBOOSTER is for children from 30 to 120 pounds and from 37 to 61 inches in height.   This innovative seat has 11 head restraint positions.

Assembled in the U.S.A., the ProSERIES is a high-quality child restraint system that provides parents and children the luxury and safety they need for any trip.  Parents will appreciate that each of the seats in the ProSERIES incorporates RECARO’s innovative Side Impact Protection system designed to specifically protect each of the 5 vulnerable areas of a child in a side impact collision – head, neck, face, torso and pelvis. 

RECARO developed and optimized side impact protection for racecar seats in the 1990′s then adapted their technology for child car seats setting a new standard for premium child safety seats.  EPS energy absorbing foam and RECARO’s proprietary structural design combine to provide seating safety, style and comfort once reserved only for the most prestigious automobile and racing seats in the world. 

“Every RECARO seat is designed with a blend of our auto racing safety and ergonomic comfort knowledge. Our designers and engineers are parents who can take the next generation production car technology and incorporate it in today’s child car seats.  Parents expect the best in safety and design and we believe RECARO is uniquely positioned to deliver both,” said Sieber.

Each RECARO ProSERIES seat encompasses the extreme features of energy absorbing crash technology and soft wear-resistant padding .  The seats are evaluated in the company’s seating competency centers in both the U.S. and Europe and through independent agencies including the globally respected ADAC.  RECARO recently celebrated its 100th anniversary and was named one of the “Brands of the Century” in 2009. 

“RECARO has taken from more than 100 years of automotive experience to engineer the ProSERIES seats,” said Sieber.

RECARO ProSERIES Features

 

• o RECARO’s Side Impact Protection. Designed to protect each of the five vulnerable areas of a child in a side impact crash including their head, neck, face, torso and pelvis.
• o Best in Class Harness Weight. At 90 pounds the ProSPORT has the highest weight capacity available for a 5-Point harness seat.
• o (EPS) Energy Absorbing Foam. Expanded Polystyrene “EPS” foam absorbs crash force energy through each seat for added protection.
• o QuickLift: Head Restraint. Convenient lift lever allows easy positioning of the ProSPORT head restraint to properly fit your child.
• o CoolMesh Air Ventilation. This unique material allows for air to pass through key areas in each seat improving ventilation and air flow.
• o EasyAdjust: 5-Point Harness. RECARO’s harness adjusts with the head restraint. No re-threading is necessary to properly position the harness shoulder straps to a child, perfect for every day use.
• o QuickPull: Front Adjust Harness. Convenient frontally located harness adjuster for no hassle harness adjustment.

o EasyGuide: Belt Guides. Whether in Harness or Booster mode each belt guide is color coded so you can easily identify the proper belt path and positioning of either the LATCH strap or vehicle seat belt.

Not sure why SP Engineering shipped in these Recaro Carbon Fiber GT-R Spec V seats but I’m glad they did because I finally get a closer look at these bad boys!  If Recaro took the GT-R emboss off the middle of these seats they could sell them to anyone for almost any price.  Heck, they’re probably doing that already!  They’re way too beautiful to discriminate against just because of a mere logo!

This little tidbit is something you can only get in Japan but if you manage to get your hands on one in the states it will land you major brownie points with the Mazda community.  This Type-RS bucket seat is produced by famed Mazda tuner Knight Sports.  Unfortunately it doesn’t recline but really this type of seat is meant for track-only cars.

This new TPMS system by STACK is in use by some top level NASCAR and F1 teams but there is no reason why you can’t set this up on your drift car and/or track car if you want a quality tire pressure monitoring system.  I’m not talking out of my behind when I say this but STACK is pretty much the best stuff one could get!  I could see a lot of Formula Drift teams getting use out of this by taking all the guess work out of dialing in optimal tire pressure.

Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STACK’S GROUNDBREAKING

TPMS IS PROVEN PERFORMANCE

ENHANCER

22 MARCH 2010 – BICESTER, UK

Stack’s Battery-less TPMS systems completely redefines tyre pressure monitoring in motorsport. Based on patented SAW sensor technology, the problems associated with mounting batteries and complicated electronics in sensors on wheels have at last been completely eliminated.

Developed in-house at its Bicester, UK HQ, the system is already proving popular with teams looking to use fast, accurate analysis of tyre pressure and temperature data to improve both performance and safety. Dynamic tyre pressure monitoring while out on the track allows the team to optimise tyre performance over a whole lap and the whole race.

“A Tyre Pressure (and Temperature) Monitoring System is a proven performance enhancer! The right tyre pressures deliver consistent performance advantages in all levels of motorsport” said Stack’s Managing Director, Alan Rock.

Stack’s battery and wire-less system means unrivalled reliability and significantly reduced running costs with no user maintenance required during full service life. The Stack system is the smallest TPMS sensor on the market – 18mm diameter x 14mm depth (excl. valve stem); 10g weight.

Proven in the harshest environments, the flexible system supports a virtually unlimited number of wheel sets with just one module interrogating 1, 2 or 4 wheels – making it suitable for cars, trucks and bikes. output of pressures and temperatures allows easy integration with existing data-logging systems.

Stack’s TPMS Pro system is currently in use by the top flight of motorsport including a number of Formula 1 and NASCAR teams. TPMS continues Stack’s tradition of leading the way in the innovative use of new technologies and provide our customers with advanced, quality engineered products across Motorsport. Stack TPMS Key features include:

• No battery or sensor electronics – providing unrivalled reliability.
• No user maintenance required during full service life – significantly lowers runningcosts.
• 52mm display gauge provides comprehensive pressure and temperatureinformation and alarm warnings.
• User configurable minimum/maximum alarm levels for pressures and temperatures.
• Visual warning of cold tyres, and when they’re up to temperature.
• Module can interrogate 2 or 4 wheels – suitable for cars and bikes.
• Smallest TPMS sensor on the market – 18mm diameter x 14mm depth (excl. valve stem); 10g weight.
• Compact, lightweight interrogator module – 100mm x 72mm x 24mm; 140g.
• 1Hz update rate; 0.25 PSI / 1°C resolution; +/- 0.5 PSI / 2°C accuracy.

CAN datalogging output of pressures and temperatures.

Here is a new toy for the Suby fans.  Evasive Motorsport is carrying the K2 Gear REIZ Sports Steering Wheel for the GRB WRX STi.  The REIZ wheel shrinks the factory wheel diameter from 375mm to 355mm for a more sporty feel.  The best part is the wheel is designed in such a way that you can retain all the OEM steering wheel controls and the factory airbag.  Just swap it all over during installation!  Good stuff!