Tutorial: Vehicle Specifications

Automotive

Data source: Curated dataset (EPA, manufacturer specs)

Overview

Vehicle Specifications wraps Curated dataset (EPA, manufacturer specs), handling authentication, pagination, and rate limits for you. This tutorial covers all 7 tools with working code examples you can copy and run.

Prerequisites

Sign up at https://context.gnist.ai/signup for a free API key (100 calls/day).
Choose your integration method: MCP protocol or REST API.

Connect via MCP

Add to your MCP client config (Claude Desktop, Cursor, etc.):

MCP Config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gnist-vehicle-specs": {
      "url": "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/vehicle-specs/",
      "headers": {
        "Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Tools (7)

`get_vehicle`

Get detailed specifications for a vehicle. Returns make, model, year, engine, horsepower, MPG, drivetrain, transmission, and MSRP.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`vehicle_id`	string	required	Vehicle ID slug (e.g. toyota-camry-2024, ford-f150-2024).

curl -X POST "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/vehicle-specs/" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Gnist-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/call", "id": 1, "params": {"name": "get_vehicle", "arguments": {"vehicle_id": "toyota-camry-2024"}}}'

import httpx

resp = httpx.post(
    "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/vehicle-specs/",
    headers={"Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={'id': 1,
 'jsonrpc': '2.0',
 'method': 'tools/call',
 'params': {'arguments': {'vehicle_id': 'toyota-camry-2024'},
            'name': 'get_vehicle'}},
)
print(resp.json())

`search_vehicles`

Search the vehicle specifications database.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`query`	string	required	Search by make, model, or engine.
`limit`	integer	optional	(default: `20`)

curl -X POST "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/vehicle-specs/" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Gnist-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/call", "id": 1, "params": {"name": "search_vehicles", "arguments": {"query": "renewable energy"}}}'

import httpx

resp = httpx.post(
    "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/vehicle-specs/",
    headers={"Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={'id': 1,
 'jsonrpc': '2.0',
 'method': 'tools/call',
 'params': {'arguments': {'query': 'renewable energy'},
            'name': 'search_vehicles'}},
)
print(resp.json())

`list_vehicles_by_make`

List vehicles by manufacturer.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`make`	string	required	Manufacturer name (e.g. Toyota, Ford, BMW).
`limit`	integer	optional	(default: `50`)

curl -X POST "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/vehicle-specs/" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Gnist-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/call", "id": 1, "params": {"name": "list_vehicles_by_make", "arguments": {"make": "Toyota"}}}'

import httpx

resp = httpx.post(
    "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/vehicle-specs/",
    headers={"Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={'id': 1,
 'jsonrpc': '2.0',
 'method': 'tools/call',
 'params': {'arguments': {'make': 'Toyota'}, 'name': 'list_vehicles_by_make'}},
)
print(resp.json())

`list_vehicles_by_body_style`

List vehicles by body style.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`body_style`	string	required	Body style (e.g. Sedan, SUV, Truck, Coupe).
`limit`	integer	optional	(default: `50`)

curl -X POST "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/vehicle-specs/" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Gnist-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/call", "id": 1, "params": {"name": "list_vehicles_by_body_style", "arguments": {"body_style": "Sedan"}}}'

import httpx

resp = httpx.post(
    "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/vehicle-specs/",
    headers={"Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={'id': 1,
 'jsonrpc': '2.0',
 'method': 'tools/call',
 'params': {'arguments': {'body_style': 'Sedan'},
            'name': 'list_vehicles_by_body_style'}},
)
print(resp.json())

`get_vehicle_makes`

List all vehicle makes in the database.

curl -X POST "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/vehicle-specs/" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Gnist-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/call", "id": 1, "params": {"name": "get_vehicle_makes", "arguments": {}}}'

import httpx

resp = httpx.post(
    "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/vehicle-specs/",
    headers={"Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={'id': 1,
 'jsonrpc': '2.0',
 'method': 'tools/call',
 'params': {'arguments': {}, 'name': 'get_vehicle_makes'}},
)
print(resp.json())

`get_vehicle_body_styles`

List all body styles in the database.

curl -X POST "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/vehicle-specs/" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Gnist-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/call", "id": 1, "params": {"name": "get_vehicle_body_styles", "arguments": {}}}'

import httpx

resp = httpx.post(
    "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/vehicle-specs/",
    headers={"Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={'id': 1,
 'jsonrpc': '2.0',
 'method': 'tools/call',
 'params': {'arguments': {}, 'name': 'get_vehicle_body_styles'}},
)
print(resp.json())

`report_feedback`

Report a bug, feature request, or general feedback for this data source. Use this when something doesn't work as expected, when you'd like a new feature, or when you have suggestions for improvement. Args: feedback: Describe the issue or suggestion. feedback_type: One of 'bug', 'feature_request', or 'general'.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`feedback`	string	required
`feedback_type`	string	optional	(default: `general`)

curl -X POST "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/vehicle-specs/" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Gnist-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "tools/call", "id": 1, "params": {"name": "report_feedback", "arguments": {"feedback": "example"}}}'

import httpx

resp = httpx.post(
    "https://context.gnist.ai/mcp/vehicle-specs/",
    headers={"Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={'id': 1,
 'jsonrpc': '2.0',
 'method': 'tools/call',
 'params': {'arguments': {'feedback': 'example'}, 'name': 'report_feedback'}},
)
print(resp.json())

Common Patterns

Search then retrieve
Use search_vehicles to find items, then get_vehicle to get full details. This two-step pattern is common for exploring data before drilling down.

Pagination
Several tools support limit, offset, or page parameters. Start with small limits during development, then increase for production queries.

FAQ

What data does Vehicle Specifications provide?

Car specifications database — engine, horsepower, MPG, drivetrain, pricing for popular models. It exposes 7 tools: get_vehicle, search_vehicles, list_vehicles_by_make, list_vehicles_by_body_style, get_vehicle_makes, get_vehicle_body_styles, report_feedback.

What do I need to get started?

A Gnist API key (free tier: 100 calls/day). Sign up at https://context.gnist.ai/signup.

What format does the Vehicle Specifications API return?

JSON, via either MCP protocol (JSON-RPC 2.0) or REST API.

Next Steps

Interactive Playground

Try tools in your browser — no setup required.

Full Reference

Complete docs for all 7 tools.

Getting Started with Vehicle Specifications