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Test Drive: 2008 Ford Edge

If you ever spent a summer within the balmy confines of the five boroughs, you know it gets hotter than Satan’s sauna. To combat the heat, Complex’s resident car expert D.Scott took a trip with his roommate to go cop some air conditioners at friend’s spot out in Queens. They knew they would need something with ample cargo room, but small enough to fit in tight parking spots. The 2008 Ford Edge definitely fit the bill, so they loaded up and headed north to the land of Prince Hakeem. After the jump check out a photo gallery and read the full review.

Popularity: 13% [?]

Take The Ferrari Challenge

Don’t you hate it when you get the urge to take the ol’ Ferrari out for a spin, but it’s still in the shop waiting for that fucking part to be shipped in from Italy? Don’t worry, you’re not alone—we all get frustrated. You’ll soon be able to get a realistic driving experience in your living room when the new video game Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli comes to the U.S. late this summer.

The racing simulator—which will be available for PS2, PS3, Wii and DS—lets you choose from a wide variety of whips, gameplay modes and international circuits to race on. You’ll even be able to race with up to 16 players online and download new cars and tracks in the future. Apparently the developers at System 3 worked closely with the actual Ferrari folks, so expect the game to mimic the type of precision that has made the luxury car company such a success. Check out some gameplay below.

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Nissan’s Cube Goes To Art School

Car companies are forever chasing the cool. Each one attempts to attract hip, young buyers to their showrooms by designing rides with crazy, inventive looks and features more tuned into their lifestyle. Toyota’s Scion did it the best when they shipped over their city (and fuel) friendly xA and xB models from Japan and offered their buyers the ability to customize everything from the wheels to the shift knob.

Following suit is Nissan with the Cube. Also a Japanese import, the Cube is a moderately powered, fuel sippin’ (you guessed it) cube on wheels. And though the Cube will probably be just as big a hit with the kids as the Scion was, Nissan wanted to prove just how cool they really were by giving two Cubes to eight Pratt Institute grad students to go nuts on. And the results were pretty dope. Check out the two customized models after the jump.

Popularity: 85% [?]

BMW Celebrates The Classic M1 With New Concept

This weekend at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy, BMW unveiled the brand spankin’ new M1 concept car. The original M1, which was released in the late ’70s, was a collabo between the German luxury manufacturer and Lamborghini. To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the model’s release, BMW decided to whip up this updated version. No official word on whether or not they will actually be producing a new M1 model, but this dope concept could be a sign of things to come. See some more shots of the new M1 after the jump.

Popularity: 85% [?]

Kidz In The Hall Drive With Pusha, Bun B & Cool Kids

After Snoop captured the ’80s VHS look with his “Sensual Seduction” video, Kidz In The Hall take the retro style one step further with the video for “Drivin’ Down the Block (Low End Theory),” the lead single from their Duck Down debut The In Crowd. In this Rik Cordero-directed joint, rapper Naldege and producer/DJ Double O throw on some polyester suits and play a pair of down-on-their-luck used car salesmen. Watch the video after the jump, and then listen to the remix featuring Clipse’s Pusha T, Bun B and The Cool Kids.

Popularity: 84% [?]

Air Jack Has Us Pumped To Fix A Flat Tire

Stick-figured males rejoice, thanks to this Exhaust Air Jack you’ll never have to flex your puny muscles when your car catches a flat. By connecting the hose to your exhaust pipe and turning on your engine, the Air Jack fills up in approximately 30 seconds, and puts your car on tilt without you having to lift a finger. The device has already been put through tests of mud, snow, and use on uneven ground (something old school jacks can’t even hack) and comes pretty cheap at $129.95. If you’re not convinced this thing is the real deal yet, check out the demo video after the jump.

Popularity: 85% [?]

Test Driving The Zenn Car

It’s no secret that we at Complex love the green stuff. And I’m not just talking about our weekend expenditures. As you know from our April/May issue, we take every opportunity to make our pastures that much greener—reusing water bottles, paying our con-ed bill online, having our breezies rock no panties and bras to conserve laundry water. So you can imagine how quickly we jumped out of our hemp kicks at the chance to drive one of the newest electric rides on the market, the Zenn Car.

Made by Canadian based Zenn Motor Company, the Zenn is a tiny two-seat, three door, Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) which means, thanks to the six 12V Deka batteries that power its drive train, the Zenn is only meant to be driven around your immediate area. This humble hatchback only hits 25 mph and has a range of only 35 miles per charge, so highway use is outta the question. To test out this Low Speed Vehicle (LSV) we whipped it around the one ‘hood where low speed driving is inevitable: Midtown Manhattan. Check out our first impressions (along with a gang of exclusive images) after the jump.

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In The Driver’s Seat Of Vin Diesel’s Wheelman

The game’s basic premise—a contract driver sets out to save a girl—already sounds like a movie. So it should come as no surprise that the brains behind Midway’s action-packed The Wheelman are developing it with the intention of releasing a live action film as the game’s sequel. And with Vin Diesel putting his muscle (and voice) behind both, the game (which is slated for a Fall release) already has a built-in star. After the jump, watch an inside look at the making of the game from the developers themselves.

Popularity: 85% [?]

MonoTracer Closes The Door On Motorcycles

Choppers are cool, but it kind of sucks that you have to deal with all the wind and trash and birds flying at your grill. Luckily, Germany automaker Peraves has unveiled plans to release the MonoTracer. This two wheeler isn’t quite a car, but it isn’t quite a motorcycle either. Technically, this bad boy is called a Cabin Cycle. The Tracer can reach speeds of 155 miles per hour, thanks to its 130-horsepower BMW K1200 engine. You can pick one up when it’s released later this year for $82,350. Ater the jump, watch a video and view some more pictures of the MonoTracer.

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Carbonyte’s Stretched-Out Smart Car

When it comes to the limo game, your options are pretty cut and dry. You either roll like a Diplomat in a Lincoln TownCar or your roll like Former President Carter in a Mayback 62. Looking to change all that is Carbonyte, a bespoke vehicle company known for its HotFusion composite, which is both lighter and equally strong when compared to materials found in cars today. Last year, the UK-based company made headlines with its 400hp, 170 mph, Ferrari 360 Modena eight-passenger limo. And now they’re back at it with their Carbonyte Smaaart concept.

Designed as a promotional vehicle aimed at soft drink advertisers, the Smaaart rocks a 20:1 scale Red Bull looking soda can complete with ring pull between the front seats and the rear section. And because the materials are so lightweight, the Smart’s original 80 hp motor can easily power it on the highway. But they ain’t stopping there—Carbonyte has plans to stretch the Lamborghini Murcielago, Bugatti Veyron and a the Koeniggsegg CCR. Wanna get your own custom stretch? Just fork over $50,000 plus the cost of the car. You gotta pay the cost to be the boss, playa! After the jump, watch a video that takes you inside the Smaaart stretch.

Popularity: 85% [?]