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The Aston Martin V8 engine is limited to 480 horsepower by means of an intake restrictor

Though being formed in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford (the Aston name came from a hillclimb course). After WWII the company’s savior was tractor manufacturer David Brown, who's DB initials still grace models today.

A powerhouse in international sports car racing in the late 1950s, Aston Martin even won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1959 with future Cobra builder Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori driving an Aston Martin DBR1.

Over forty years would pass before Aston Martin would mount a solid effort with its production sports cars in international racing, and it finally paid off this year. Aston Martin Racing drivers Nicki Thiim and Marco Sørensen, both from Denmark, have won the GT world championship after taking victory in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s season finale in Bahrain.

The GTE cars are built from a standard shell, as required by the rules, along with a number of standard specifications. Power of the V8 engine has been increased to 480 horsepower, and repositioned in the chassis for better weight distribution. The air inlet to the Aston Martin V8 is grabbed by scoops in the front bumper, squeeze down the required intake restrictors, then through custom pipes to a K&N air box.

This year's rules allowed for a larger rear diffuser, which helped Aston Martin greatly

Fitted internally is a roll cage to current FIA standards. Steering is hydraulically power assisted, while gear changes are made through semi-automatic paddle shifters to an Xtrac six speed sequential gearbox. Brakes consist of six pot Brembos on the front, four on the rear. Dampers are four-way adjustable products from Bilstein.

All up, the car weighs 2745 lbs or almost 1000 pounds more than Carroll Shelby’s DBR1’s 1765 lbs.

Coming into the last race of the season, the Danish driver team led the GT Drivers title battle by 12 points, with the team ahead of its nearest competitor in the GTE Pro championship with a two point advantage. While a third place finish would provide the points needed to take the GT Drivers title, the Danes claimed victory in style by taking their second win of the season, securing the GTE Pro championship for Aston Martin Racing in the process.

Qualifying went about as well as could be expected for Aston Martin, as the team took a 1-2 in GTE Pro and pole position in GTE AM for that weekend’s FIA World Endurance Championship’s 6 Hours of Bahrain. After the sun set and temperatures dropped in the Bahraini desert, the #97 V8 Vantage GTE of Darren Turner (GB) and Jonny Adam (GB) set identical lap times of 1:56.953 to clinch pole position for the next day’s race. The pair were followed by GTE Pro and GT Drivers championship leaders Nicki Thiim (DN) and Marco Sørensen (DN), who brought their #95 entry home with an average lap time of 1:57.081 to lock out the front row of the GTE Pro grid.

Aston Martin utilizes a highly-modified K&N air box and filters

After battling hard in the race with the #51 AF Corse Ferrari 488GTE over the opening hours, the duo accrued a lead of over 20 seconds by the fifth hour. With their rivals pushing hard in the final stages to close the gap, Thiim worked hard to maintain the advantage to the checkered flag, finishing 12.695 seconds over second place.

Thiim’s teammate Sørensen added, “It’s absolutely amazing to win the championship and I’m going to say it’s even more incredible to win it with a Danish “brother” like Nicki. When we were 10 years old, we raced against each other in karting but to be here winning a championship with him and Aston Martin Racing is fantastic."

Air passes through an aerodynamically-verified aluminum intake tube into the engine’s throttle body

For 2016, an updated version of the 3.6 liter engine was released for the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango. The engine now featured two-stage variable valve lift (VVL), a revised intake manifold, new fuel injectors, and new coil packs. It also features upgrades to the variable valve timing (VVT) system, an increased compression ratio (11.3:1), lower internal friction, and lower weight. These improvements help to increase power as well as efficiency. The 3604 cc (219.9 CID) V-6 now produced 295 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. These are impressive numbers for a relatively low-displacement engine in an SUV.

On the other hand, the GMC Acadia features a 3.5L V6 that produces 310 horsepower, that’s a 15 horsepower increase over the latest Pentastar V-6

However, there’s good news for 2016 – 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango owners. The K&N 77-1572KS air intake system replaces the restrictive factory air filter and air intake housing on select 2016 – 2017 Grand Cherokee and Durango models. The cold air intake kits provide additional fresh intake air for the engine, so that it can produce more power. On K&N’s own chassis dynamometer a 2016 Grand Cherokee 3.6 liter V-6 demonstrated an estimated increase of 11.49 horsepower.

The K&N air filter is positioned where it will recieve maximum cold air flow under the hood

Engine protection is provided by a multi-layered cotton material which filters out microparticles that could damage your engine to ensure a long engine life. Each design is verified through K&N’s in-house filtration testing lab, which adheres to ISO 5011 standards, ensuring that K&N filters provide high airflow without putting engine protection at risk.

The intake tube of a K&N air intake significantly reduces restriction to incoming air flow as well as calms turbulence. Air passes through an aerodynamically-verified aluminum intake tube into the engine’s throttle body for a guaranteed power gain. The intake tube accommodates the factory mass air sensor and crank case vent hose while the heat shield adapts the secondary air hose (where equipped) to a secondary air filter as well.

Best of all, the K&N air intake system can be installed in 90 minutes or less with simple hand tools. All tools required are listed in the clear, step-by-step photo-illustrated instructions specific to your car that come included in the package.

Besides the air intake iteself, all parts needed for installation come in the box

The K&N 77-1572KS intake system fits the following vehicles:

2017 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 3.6L V6 Fuel Injection - All Models
2017 DODGE DURANGO 3.6L V6 Fuel Injection - All Models
2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 3.6L V6 Fuel Injection - All Models
2016 DODGE DURANGO 3.6L V6 Fuel Injection - All Models

K&N air cleaner assemblies are designed with the racer or classic car enthusiast in mind, and provide superior performance, excellent engine protection, as well as impressive styling

K&N and racing go way back, all the way to the company's inception in 1969. Ken Johnson and Norm McDonald, the founders of K&N, identified a need for better-performing air filters for their racing motorcycles and invented the high-flow cotton air filter. Their revolutionary air filter design was put to the test in off-road motorcycle racing and proved to be a durable performance product. Over the last 45+ years, K&N air filters have been utilized in a wide variety of racing applications from NASCAR and NHRA drag racing to the Lucas Oil Off-Road Series and the Baja 1000. K&N air filters have consistently been proven to deliver outstanding airflow, filtration efficiency, and performance.

Nearly everyone loves a classic car and with them comes the most classic air filter design housed in a round air cleaners & assemblies sitting atop a carburetor. Whether for a classic, or a race car, if it needs a round air filter and air cleaner, K&N has air cleaners that will look great under the hood and provide high airflow. Perhaps the most common are the 14" and 16" air cleaner assemblies. These assemblies come in a variety of heights and baseplate configurations to fit popular 4-barrel carburetors or similar throttle body setups. K&N 14" and 16" air cleaners are available with filter element heights ranging from 2 5/16" up to 6" to accommodate different hood clearance needs as well as airflow requirements. K&N 14" or 16" air cleaners are available in either 5-1/8" or 7-5/16" neck flange diameters to fit standard and Holly Dominator-sized carburetors.

The 14-inch round, by 3-inch high air cleaner assembly was the go-to performance air cleaner choice for carbureted race car, hot rod, muscle car and pickup truck owners for years

Another feature of K&N's 14" air cleaner assemblies is that they're available with different drop or raised base plates to meet additional fitment and performance requirements. 14" assemblies with a 5-1/8" neck flange diameter can be ordered with a 1-1/4" or 7/8" drop base. A drop base K&N air cleaner effectively lowers the bottom edge of the filter element below the carburetor flange to alleviate hood clearance issues. 14" K&N air cleaners with the standard 5-1/8" neck are also available with a raised base plate.

K&N 14" air cleaners for the 7-5/16" Holly Dominator sized neck flange come with a 3/4" velocity stack built into the base plate to help streamline and smooth airflow into the carburetor to further increase performance. K&N 16" air cleaner assemblies come in a 7-5/16" neck flange diameter and are capable of flowing over 1000 CFM. If you have a Dominator-sized carburetor and serious performance is your number one priority, the K&N 16" air cleaner assembly is for you. Browse the list of K&N Fourteen & Sixteen Inch Custom Air Cleaner Assemblies to find the perfect air cleaner assembly.

K&N also offers round air cleaner assemblies in 11" diameters. 11" diameter K&N air cleaners are offered in 2 5/8" and 5 1/8" neck flange sizes for applications where space is at a premium, but performance cannot be sacrificed. Additionally, K&N 11" air cleaners are offered with 7-5/16" neck flange with filter element heights ranging from 3-1/2" to 6", making them ready to flow the air required by thirsty Holly Dominator carburetors. Browse K&N Eleven Inch Custom Air Cleaner Assemblies to view all the available K&N 11" air cleaners.

When space really is a problem, look no further than the K&N 9" air cleaner assemblies. Available in 5 different flange sizes and various heights, these 9" air cleaners are ideal for dual carb setups. They include stainless steel top and base plates as well as an optional tall velocity stack base plate. These tall velocity stack base plates position the air filter 5" above the carburetor to draw cooler air into the engine and increase air velocity. Engines equipped with these K&N Tall Velocity Stack Air Filter assemblies can produce more horsepower, with proper carburetor calibration, than those with no air cleaner assembly at all. Note, these assemblies are not U.S. Coast Guard approved as marine flame arrestors.

Because serious engines require serious airflow, K&N offers X-Stream Airflow Tops which replace the traditional air cleaner top plate with K&N high-flow filter media

And then we have the smallest of the grou - the K&N 7" air cleaner assemblies. These air cleaner assemblies are ideal for show car applications, but may not flow enough air for optimum performance. See K&N's air filter facts for information on proper air filter sizing. Because serious engines require serious airflow, K&N also offers X-Stream^® Airflow Tops. The X-Stream airflow tops and X-Stream air cleaner assemblies replace the traditional top plate with K&N high-flow filter media. More filtration surface area will provide additional airflow, which can translate to more power. Complete air cleaner assemblies can be ordered in 9", 11", 14" and 16" sizes in various colors with the X-Stream top. Search through the K&N XStream Air Flow Assemblies, Filters, and Filter Tops to find the right X-Stream Airflow air cleaner.

The revolutionary K&N Flow Control air cleaner makes use of a custom lid and base plate to provide smooth, laminar airflow into standard 5-1/8" or 7-5/16" neck carburetors

Another option for maximum airflow requirements is the K&N Flow Control System. This revolutionary air cleaner assembly makes use of a custom lid and base plate to provide smooth, laminar airflow into the carburetor. Available for 2- and 4-barrel Holly carburetors, both standard and Dominator-sized as well as Rochester carburetors, this is the most advanced air filter assembly K&N offers for carbureted applications. The Flow Control System air cleaner assemblies have been dyno-proven to deliver impressive power gains and are capable of flowing up to 1,200 CFM.

While a 4-barrel carburetor is the performance standard, K&N hasn't forgotten about smaller one- or two-barrel carburetors. Whether an air cleaner is needed for Weber, SU, Solex, Mikuni, Holly, Stromberg, Dellorto or other carburetors, K&N most likely has an air cleaner that will get the job done. Take a look at K&N's extensive offering of Custom Air Filters for Single or Two Barrel Carburetors. These assemblies come with a K&N washable and reusable high-performance air filter, chrome top and bottom plates, as well as all the gaskets, nuts, and vent tubes necessary for installation.

While a 4-barrel carburetor is the performance standard, K&N hasn't forgotten about smaller one- or two-barrel carburetors

Looking for an air cleaner assembly with a bit more flair or period-correct aesthetic? Check K&N's Custom 66 Air Cleaner Assemblies and Nostalgia Air Filter Cleaners. These air cleaner offerings are available for dual-quad, Tri-Power setups and more. Like all of the above-mentioned K&N air cleaners, they come with a high-flow washable K&N air filter and are available with a variety of custom-designed top plates. Performance won't come second to style with one of these air cleaner assemblies from K&N.

All of K&N's custom air cleaners are designed to increase horsepower and acceleration with proper carburetor calibration. K&N air cleaners come with a washable and reusable, high performance K&N air filter. Approximately every 50,000 miles, under normal highway driving conditions, remove the air filter and service it following K&N's step-by-step instructions. K&N backs its custom air cleaners with a One-Year/Unlimited Mileage Limited Warranty. These air cleaner assemblies are not intended for use on emission-controlled street or highway vehicles.

Whether your vehicle dominates the race track, owns the showroom floor, or is a smog-exempt classic used to cruise the boulevard, K&N has a custom air cleaner assembly that will help it breathe easy with plenty of clean air and style. K&N air cleaners have been refined over 45+ years of racing and will deliver superior airflow and superior performance both on the track and on the street. Find a K&N custom air cleaner assembly on KNFilters.com.

The K&N 57-5300 air intake system includes a K&N air filter and free-flowing polyethylene tube.

Related to the Hyundai Santa Fe, Sonata, Trajet, and Kia Sedona, the Optima rests on a Hyundai-Kia Y4 platform and features a front engine and front wheel-drive configuration.

Three engines were available to power the first generation model, which was available from 2000 through 2005. A 2.4-liter Sirius II I4 that produced 149-bhp at 6000 rpm and 159-lb-ft (212 N-m) of torque at 4500 rpm, a 2.5-liter Delta V6 that generated 170-bhp at 6000 rpm and 169-lb-ft (229 N-m) of torque at 4000 rpm, and a 2.7-liter Delta V6 that delivered 170-bhp at 6,000 rpm and 181-lb-ft (245 N-m) of torque at 4000 rpm.

The second-generation (2005-2010) Kia Optima was called the Kia Magentis in Europe, Canada, Australia, Brazil, and Singapore; the Kia Lotze in South Korea. Seven engines were available to power the vehicle, ranging from a 2.0-liter gas to a 2.7-liter gas powered engine.

The third-generation (2010-2015) Kia Optima was also known as the Kia K5 in South Korea, China, and Indonesia and the Kia Optima K5 in Malaysia.

The first-generation Hyundai Sonata was introduced in 1985 and ran to 1987. It was also known as the Hyundai Stellar II in Canada.

K&N offers the 57-5300 air intake system to protect and boost the performance of the engine of the 2013 Kia Optima and the Hyundai Sonata.

The air intake system offers an estimated gain of 4.82-horsepower at 5588 rpm. Designed to replace the factory restrictive air filter and air intake tubing and retain the factory air box, the system includes a free-flowing high-density polyethylene tube, a K&N 33-2448 washable and reusable replacement air filter, six stainless steel clamps, and adaptors that connect the system to the engine.

The air intake replaces the air filter and entire air path to the engine, minimizing air path restriction. The polyethylene tube of the system is aerodynamically engineered to help the engine receive more air than the factory system. The tube is rotationally molded to its precise shape so that it can reduce turbulence and accelerate airflow into the engine.

The K&N 57-5300 replaces the factory air filter and air intake to improve airflow to the engine.

The air filter is recommended to be cleaned every 50,000 miles, depending on driving conditions. It can be washed and recharged using the 99-5000 K&N air filter cleaning kit so that it can be reused over and over again. In fact, this may be the last air filter you will ever buy for this vehicle.

K&N is so sure of the quality of its air filter it backs it with a 10-year/Million Mile Limited Warranty. The warranty promises that the filter will perform for up to 10 years or 1,000,000 million miles without requiring replacement.

The intake can be easily installed in about 90 minutes using factory holes and mounting points with common hand tools. It is compatible with original equipment manufacturer computer systems.

The K&N 57-5300 performance intake kit is designed and engineered for the following vehicle applications:

2013 KIA OPTIMA 2.4L L4 Fuel Injection - All Models
2013 HYUNDAI SONATA 2.4L L4 Fuel Injection - All Models

Jonathon Brothers' Ford F-150 that debuted at the 2016 SEMA show

One such person is Jonathon Brothers, Regional Sales Manager for Metra Electronics, a company that manufactures products for the 12-volt industry. Brothers travels to shops in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas selling Metra products.

“I visit car audio stores, truck accessory stores, automotive performance dealers, and marine and powersports stores. I show off new innovative products and provide dealer support and training,” he explained.

A Metra Electronics motorized actuator raises and lowers the Undercover Ridgelander bed cover

Brothers came up with the idea of creating a demonstration vehicle that showcases products from different companies that don’t compete with one another and target the same stores and consumers. Having been in the industry for more than 12 years, he is familiar with these companies and the products they sell.

“We all have a similar dealer base, but we don’t compete with each other as far as products are concerned,” said Brothers. “So I thought of coming up with a vehicle that showcases everyone’s products to help each other out.”

Brothers brainstormed the idea, selected a few companies to work with as well as some of the products they offer and he decided that a 2016 Ford F-150 pickup truck would serve as the perfect platform.

The rear bodyguard bumper is home to an array of Heise LED lights and a massive Monster hook

Brothers then used the rendering to sell the concept to other manufacturers who he thought would want to participate in the project. It wasn’t long before he had commitments from Metra, K&N Engineering, Brenthel Industries, Sony, Magnaflow, Bodyguard Bumpers, Heise Lighting, M-Racks, Fiber Tech Performance, Undercover, Rhino Racks, Monster Hooks, Addictive Desert Designs, DropStar Wheels and Hercules Tires.

Brenthel contributed a Baja suspension kit, a pre-runner kit with a 4.5-inch lift that provides 12-inches of wheel travel and widens the stance of the truck 3-inches on each side. King 3.0 coilovers and upper and lower pre-runner control arms were used for the front set up. The rear suspension includes Deaver leaf springs and King 2.5 piggyback shocks.

K&N provided a 71-2591 Blackhawk induction air intake system that includes a free-flowing, mandrel-bent aluminum tube, a washable and reusable air filter that has an oil-free synthetic filter media that can be used for up to 100,000 miles before cleaning is necessary, depending on driving conditions, and a heat shield that blocks hot air from the engine compartment from getting into the intake. The intake system offers an estimated 11.39-horsepower boost on the F-150 EcoBoost engine.

The K&N 71-2591 Blackhawk air intake system offers an estimated 11.39-horsepower to the F-150.

Heise LED lighting 30-inch blackout series light bar, cube fog lights, and spotlights, and flush mount cubes that all fit into Bodyguard front and rear bumpers help to light the way. In addition, a Heise 50-inch LED blackout series light bar for the M-Racks stealth roof rack and four LED single row lights for the four corners of the roof and a 40-inch Slim line on the rear ensure that Jon is never left in the dark. Metra also supplied their newest Turbo Touch installation kit for a Sony 6.4-inch Media Receiver with CarPlay.

Just like the rear bumper, the front is filled with Heise lights and Monster Hook shackles

Monster Hooks front Reaper forged shackles and rear mini shackles attach to the Bodyguard bumpers, while Addictive Desert Designs Baja XTR fenders and bedsides offer added wheel clearance.

Speaking of the wheel and tire package, Jon had a set of DropStar wheels wrapped in Hercules Terra Trac M/T tires from ATD wheels.

Extreme Off-Road in Katy, Texas, was responsible for the majority of the build. Brothers noted that he and six employees of Extreme Off-Road worked for one month straight on the vehicle after hours from 6 p.m. until 3 a.m. some nights to have things ready in time for the SEMA show.

While this may be Jon's daily driver, he is still confident in the products to get a little wild

Brothers, who lives in Houston, Texas, has control of the vehicle. In fact, it is his daily driver as well as his business vehicle.

The truck was featured in DUB Magazine’s LFTDxLVLD booth outside the South Hall at the 2016 SEMA show. It will be exhibited at many Texas and surrounding states’ events including the Austin Texas Heatwave Show, DUB Show Tour, the Keystone Big Show, Meyer Distributing Show, and the Lifted Truck Nationals. It will also appear in LFTDxLVLD magazine.

The truck has been built for off-road driving, but also for practical everyday use visiting dealers.

“I’ve taken it out and have had a lot of fun with it in the desert during our photo shoots,” Brothers concluded.

Dale Martin and Mountain Motion Media snapped the pictures.