Flashback with us to 1984 and the Mugen SW-36 steering wheel. This steering wheel was a popular item back then and is highly coveted by Mugen collectors to this day. When it gets to around -20 degrees F, the leather steering pad could contract and could cause the horn to blow continuosly in the middle of the night-resulting in seriosly cranky neighbors and a visit from the local police. Just sayin.....

We have the latest version of the Mugen steering wheel in stock and on sale!

http://www.kingmotorsports.com/p-826-mugen-racing-iii-steering-wheel.aspx

If wheels were animals, the Mugen wheels would be the ruthless carnivores at the top of the food chain. In that elite pack, the forged MF10 wheels are the dominant males.

Of the MF10 wheels, the best of the pack was the MF10L. The "L" suffix tells the world these are the ultra-lightweight versions of the MF10, specifically made for the race track and only available in white. These are the only version of the MF10 to come in white rather than the standard bronze or silver. Completing the package are unique red and gray graphics sweeping opposing sides of the rim (these graphics are also exclusive to the MF10L).

These wheels are the king of the hill. The MF10L were specifically made for DC2, EK, EG and CRX fitments and were available only in 15" diameter. These are a super light version of the MF10 wheel. Put in perspective, each wheel is only about the weight of 2 of your mom's laptop computers. They are forged wheels so they are super strong and great for racing, which is what they were designed for. Ideal for reducing un-sprung weight -- which translates into faster acceleration and better transient response.

Here are specs for the 2 sizes the MF10L were available in:

Size: 15x6.5

Offset: +45mm 

Bolt pattern: 4x100 

Color: Racing White

Weight: Approx. 10.5 pounds each

Size: 15x7

Offset: +40mm 

Bolt pattern: 4x100 

Color: Racing White

Weight: Approx. 11 pounds each

What if we told you that an extremely limited quantity of the 15x6.5 MF10L wheels were recently found in a dark corner of Mugen's warehouse? And that those sets were on their way to King Motorsports for sale in late January 2013? Follow us on Facebook to be the first to hear the official announcement!

Here's the sticker on the inner barrel of the rim:

Close up of the Mugen MF10L sizing from the brochure:

We'll leave you with this drool-worthy K20A-powered EK4 on Mugen MF10L wheels from HT '07:

Update 1/2/2013:

We are happy to announce that a very limited quantity of the MF10L 15x6.5 wheels are on their way to us now and are due to arrive in our Wisconsin facility the week of January 28, 2013. Then we'll ship 'em out to a few lucky folks. The wheels are up for pre-order now on the King Motorsports site at a special price! Priced as a set of four wheels.

http://www.kingmotorsports.com/p-4335-mugen-mf10l-wheels-15x65-45mm-offset-4x100.aspx

When they are gone, THEY ARE GONE!

Update 2/4/2013:

Mugen shipment MK 13-01 has arrived at our loading dock. 95 boxes of Mugen goodies, including the very last of the Mugen MF10L wheels! Most have been sold by this point, so those who acted quickly were wise to do so. :)

We inspect one of the sets. Gorgeous!

Skunk2 Thermal Intake Manifold and Throttle Body gaskets are designed as direct replacements for OEM gaskets. Skunk2's advanced high temperature thermal polymer material protects against heat soak and maximizes horsepower gains by reducing heat transfer. With the use of Skunk2 thermal gaskets, air intake temps are minimized which provides the your engine cooler air for combustion, and that means horsepower. This and bypassing several heat sources can provide you up to 5% more power.

Skunk2 Racing thermal intake manifold and throttle body gaskets are perfect for your race, weekend warrior and street application.

Features:
- B/D/K-Series Applications
- Direct replacements for OEM intake manifold and throttle body gaskets
- Protects against heat soak and reduces the incoming air temperature before it reaches the cylinder head.
- Reduces HP robbing heat transfer into the intake manifold
- High Heat deflection

• Acura B17A1
• Acura B18A1, B1, C1, C5
• Honda B16A2, A3
• Honda B20B, Z

Thermal Intake Manifold Gasket (B16a)
372-05-0290

• Acura B17A1
• Honda B16A2, A3

Thermal Intake Manifold Gasket (K-Series non-Si)
372-05-0320

• Acura K20A2, A3, Z1
• Honda K20A3, Z3
• Honda K24A1, A4, A8, Z1

There are many reasons to downgrade your car back to stock form. Most of the time, it's because life has struck. Maybe the car was munched up beyond repair, or finances are forcing some hard choices.

But sometimes the reasons are happy ones -- like upgrading to a newer model!

That's what's happening to our old friend John Hinrichs. John was one of the first to Mugen-equip his 2010 CR-Z. We documented his impressions of the Mugen carbon fiber air box, Mugen 17x7 GP wheels, Mugen cat-back exhaust and Mugen 5-way sport suspension for our blog. And now he's trading in his 2010 CR-Z for a fresh new 2013 model.

We asked him to send his thoughts on going back to stock form after enjoying his Mugen parts for the last 40k miles:

>> With 40k of the 41k miles on my CR-Z having used the Mugen suspension, I didn't remember how the OEM setup felt. Now that its back on, I can tell you I'll be in a hurry to get the Mugen gear onto my 2013.

>> There is little difference in comfort between the two. On the highway, or even a lumpy backroad (if it doesn't have any curves in it), I have to pay fairly close attention to notice the change. Large bumps do take the OEM suspension a bit longer to sort out, so if anything the Mugen setup is more comfortable by being less bouncy. But then there is the cornering. While the Mugen suspension did leave some body roll (it is a comfortable street setup, after all) turn in was immediate, and the way the car's weight would shift was linear and predictable. Not so much with OEM suspension. Not only is the body roll worse, but turn into a corner with any vigor and it takes two or three tries (read: bounces) before the suspension settles in. And it has to figure it out all over again if I try to change my line mid-turn. The OEM setup is best described as vague, if not a little bit unsettling.

>> Oh, and the fender gap is back to barely acceptable with my 16" winter wheels. Would look downright awkward with 17"s.

Thanks John for the report and we're looking forward to your future mods!

Check out all our CR-Z performance parts at the King Motorsports online store!

Poll any driver of a Honda B Series what their favorite exhaust system is and you're likely to hear "Mugen Twin Loop" as a top pick.

Here are a few rare pictures of the genuine Twin Loop as seen in Mugen's showroom in Tokyo.

In this cutaway you can see that the pipes are looped back through muffler chamber a second time. The theory behind this unique muffle is based on low frequency sound waves canceling the high frequency sound waves. Because this dampens the sound so effectively, the muffler can be very unrestricted and still be nice and quiet. The tone of the Mugen Twin Loop is truly amazing -- almost musical!

Here is a cutaway of the Mugen center resonator. The workmanship is brilliant!

You can check out the currently available Mugen exhaust components in our online store.

Today we're taking you on a short tour of the Mugen exhaust/header fabrication shop. Located behind the main showroom in Tokyo, this ultra clean and efficient facility is where all the Mugen headers and exhausts are fabricated.

All Mugen exhausts and headers are constructed from polished T304 stainless steel, including all attachment points. T304 is considered the best steel available for corrosion resistance and all-around toughness. The flanges are cast stainless steel and use OEM gaskets and hardware for a precision fit.

Each exhaust and header is TIG welded on an extremely robust jig to ensure absolute perfect fitment.

Here a center resonator is packed with sound deadening material before being welded to the B pipe:

The finished product is racked before being packed up for shipping. This represents a typical production run of B Series headers.

You can check out the currently available Mugen exhaust components in our online store. You can also order a custom header made by King Motorsports. In the tradition of the Mugen headers, the dyno-proven King headers are hand-fabricated with T304 steel for any H, B or K Series and built for perfect fit and maximum horsepower gains.

This is a special round-up of the Mugen key holders currently available from King Motorsports, including brand new designs for 2012!

Right-click any image to view a larger version. Click on any product name to order yours today!

New for 2012: Mugen Carbon Key Holder B

90000-XYE-100B

Body + Connector: Width 14mm x Length 70mm x Thickness 6mm

Main Split Ring: Diameter 30mm x Thickness 4mm

Smaller Split Rings (3): Diameter 12mm x Thickness 3mm

The body of this finely crafted key holder is carbon fiber, with a carbon leather connector held in place with 2 small metal rivets. The chiseled main ring is brass with gun metal plating, and stamped with MUGEN POWER. The front has a silkscreen logo and the back has the www.mugen-power.com URL in white. This stunning piece is an homage to modern racing materials that will hold your keys in style!

New for 2012: Mugen Loop Key Holder

90000-XYE-100C

Body + Connector: Width 14mm x Length 90mm x Thickness 8mm

Main Split Ring: Diameter 30mm x Thickness 4mm

Smaller Split Rings (3): Diameter 12mm x Thickness 3mm

This holder is a soft alternative to the one above, featuring a polyester loop trimmed in soft Nappa leather. The loop features Mugen's iconic white, red and gold stripes. The stitched connector is carbon leather with a brass ring (plated in gunmetal). The main ring is stamped MUGEN POWER and connects to three smaller split rings. This is a handsome piece that is pocket and interior-friendly!

Mugen Carbon Key Holder A

90000-XYE-100A

Body: Width 34mm x Length 54mm x Thickness 4mm

Split Ring: Diameter 16mm x Thickness 3mm

This dog tag-style key holder has a main body made of carbon fiber, covered in a grippy rubber edging. The ball chain loop connects to a split ring and quick release hook. All of the metal hardware is plated in gunmetal. This versatile key holder has a silkscreened logo on the front and white www.mugen-power.com URL on the back.

Mugen Key Holder A

90000-XYD-100A

Body + Connector: Width 17mm x Length 60mm x Thickness 4mm

Main Split Ring: Diameter 28mm x Thickness 4mm

Smaller Split Rings (2): Diameter 17mm x Thickness 3mm

This is a classic Mugen piece with a black cowhide leather body with an inset textured metal plate with debossed Mugen logo. The main split ring is an upscale chrome, and includes a rubber fob with the iconic Mugen colors. Heavy red stitching around the body completes the presentation.

Mugen Key Holder B

90000-XYD-100B

Body + Connector: Width 35mm x Length 100mm x Thickness 14mm

Main Split Ring: Diameter 30mm x Thickness 3mm

This large key holder has a black cowhide leather body that can be snapped securely around a belt as wide as 50mm. An embossed Mugen logo is framed by clean red stitching throughout the piece (front and back). The metal hardware is chrome with three push-release hooks. Includes a rubber fob with the iconic Mugen colors. This is an beautiful piece that will last as long as your Honda and feels great in your palm.

Mugen Phone Strap

90000-XYD-110A

Body + Half Ring: Width 17mm x Length 98mm x Thickness 9mm

This strap features a durable red loop that can attach to your phone, camera or other electronics. The body of the strap is black cowhide leather on the outside, with an offset red color on the inside. Red stitching surrounds a chrome-style print of the Mugen logo. All hardware is chrome and includes a rubber fob in the iconic Mugen colors.

Honda Collection Mugen Key Holder

This key holder is a hefty cowhide leather with a metal debossed plate in the center, framed by white stitching. It has the Mugen kanji, the Honda logo and says "Grand-Prix Racing Team." Side story: In the 2011 King Motorsports Dyno Day, the goodie bags were stuffed with premium Mugen items like badge holders and lanyards. Near the end of the marathon 3-hour bag stuffing the night before, we started running out of the Mugen items. Not wanting to disappoint any attendees, King's CEO pulled these super special key holders out of his top secret private stash to include in the final goodie bags. If you attended the 2011 Dyno Day and got one of these, you received very special key holders!

There are accessories for your car, and then there are accessories for people. Lucky me-- Mugen makes both types, and they do it well. Mugen has never cut corners on their designs, materials or workmanship. If I could carry around bronze MF-10 wheels with me everywhere I travel, I would. But that's not practical or advisable. So instead I carry a Mugen Coin Case and Key Case -- they still make me smile when I pull them out of my backpack, especially when I'm thousands of miles from my Honda.

The latest line of Japanese-made Mugen accessories has finally hit our shores, and I was floored to get my hands on the new Mugen Carbon Leather Wallet and Mugen Carbon Leather Card Case.

The Card Case, Wallet and Smart Key Case are all part of same design line and have the same design themes throughout.

The outer covers are completely covered in a black leather that looks like carbon fiber, which Mugen is calling "carbon leather." The material catches the light just right, not too shiny and not too matte. And it feels great to the touch, with a nice grippy texture. This material really gives these pieces a premium feel and look. Stitching is black and cleanly done.

Each piece is finished with an understated metal badge, plated in gunmetal and colored in Mugen's iconic white, red and gold bars. The colors will be instantly recognizable to true Mugen enthusiasts. The absence of a traditional logo on the exterior of the pieces is a refreshing and bold choice on Mugen's part.

Open up the Card Case and you'll find the MUGEN POWER logo embossed on a soft Nappa leather. There is a main expandable pocket that can hold about 30 business cards, plus 2 smaller pockets that can each hold a couple cards. Each pocket's interior is lined with a smooth polyester material that will prevent your business cards from getting stuck inside the pockets due to humidity or friction.

The metal snap is plated in gunmetal and has a wonderfully crisp click to it. When closed, the case is slim enough to fit in a front pocket comfortably and is smaller than most smartphones at approximately 112mm x 70mm x 14mm.

The new Mugen Wallet is equally beautiful. It has a large currency pocket, with a full length divider. Since current Japanese yen banknotes are between 150 to 160mm long, our US banknotes easily fit within (US bills are 156mm).  Like the Card Case, the interior is a soft Nappa leather and all of the pockets are lined with a smooth polyester. The MUGEN POWER logo is embossed inside as well.

There is no plastic used in this wallet, which I really appreciate (plastic yellows over time and lifts ink off cards).

There are five card pockets, and a built-in coin holder with a metal snap (King's website lists the coin holder as removable, but my version was not). This expandable compartment is a generous size at about 70mm x 70mm of space, so it's large enough to carry coins, SIM cards, keys or even a small flash drive.

I measured the wallet to be 98mm wide x 110mm long and a slim 20mm.

These pieces will make an awesome gift for yourself or any Mugen enthusiast! They come in a black matte presentation box with a silver MUGEN logo. Get these limited edition Mugen Carbon Leather Wallet and Mugen Carbon Leather Card Case exclusively from King Motorsports.

Bonus pic... Here are the previous-gen Mugen Coin Case and Mugen Key Case (the Key Case is still available from King).