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Porsche added some spice to the 100th anniversary of the Chicago
Auto Show by unveiling the Cayenne GTS to the American public this week. Already
known for exceptional on and off-road prowess, the GTS has been
formulated, tested and tweaked to offer the best on-road
characteristics of any Cayenne Porsche has ever produced.
After 24 hours of close competition among 41 cars, the SpeedSource
castrol Syntec Mazda RX-8 team won the GT class at the Rolex 24 at
Daytona to kick off the 2008 GrandAm season. The SpeedSource driving
team of Sylvain Tremblay David Haskell Nick Ham, and Raphael Matos
started from the pole, and led 323 of 664 laps, on their way to ninth
overall and the class win.
Continue reading "SpeedSource Takes the GT Win at the Daytona Rolex 24" »
Isuzu Motors America, Inc. announced that effective January 31,
2009, it would discontinue distributing new Isuzu passenger vehicles in
North America. The discontinuation of passenger vehicles results from
the prospective cessation of production by General Motors Corporation
of the Ascender Sport Utility Vehicle, and the i-290 and i-370 pickup
trucks.
It's a long fall from the days when "Joe Isuzu" was making funny commercials and the funky Isuzu Trooper was in the vanguard of Japanese Mini-SUVs. The Isuzu iMark predated Apple Computer's successful prefixing gimmick by decades, but who remembers that?
Although Isuzu will cease supplying passenger vehicles in North America, "we are fully committed to continue providing service support to our customer base and Dealers for years to come" said Terry Maloney, President/COO. Isuzu will continue to honor all product warranties and roadside assistance programs and will maintain its owner-relations call center. In addition, to assure long-term service to its customers, Isuzu will be offering all current, U.S. Isuzu vehicle dealers the opportunity to continue on as service dealerships for Isuzu. "Let me make it crystal clear, Isuzu will discontinue the sales of vehicles only. Our parts and service operation will remain fully functional. We expect the vast majority of our dealers will continue to service our loyal Isuzu customers."
Should you have any questions, please call the Isuzu Hotline at 1-800-255-6727
Ahhh, the new STI. Most people tend to be on the fence about how it looks, but I was sold on the hatchback with wide fenders from the instant I saw it. As of Sunday, January 27th, I became the proud owner of a new 2008 Subaru WRX STI in Lightning Red.
This car is a rather stark contrast to my 02 WRX and 02 M3. It's almost as if Subaru took the refinement of the BMW and put it into the more hardcore shell of the old bugeye. Without any hint of turbo lag, the power comes on very smooth, the clutch feels great and easy to get used to, and the handling, while a bit softer than my M3, still handles the corners very well without being too harsh over bumps, highway expansion joints, or potholes. On top of that, I'm very happy that I decided to go with the Lightning Red. Dark Gray Metallic was may first choice, but after waiting a bit too long for it and seeing the red in person, I knew the red was for me.
As of right now, I've nicknamed her "Blaze," with an alternate name of "The Crimson Knight." I already have pretty extensive plans for the car, so she won't be staying stock for too long. New wheels are definitely in order, as are new seats. I'm not the skinniest guy in the world, but these stock seats have pretty much no bolsters and are pretty uncomfortable on my 25-mile daily commute. As the mods start happening, I'll definitely keep DrivingSports readers abreast of the situation.
Audi of America Inc. says it will boldly declare its intention to redefine luxury in the automotive segment with its first Super Bowl ad in nearly 20 years. The 60-second ad, which was inspired by the Oscar-winning film “The Godfather,” is critical to connecting with luxury vehicle customers. In addition to the creative content associated with the epic film, the ad features prominent placement of the Audi R8, the brand’s first mid-engine street-going sports car.
Continue reading "Audi Takes An Interesting Direction in Super Bowl Advertising" »
Drivers entering the 2008 Formula BMW Americas Championship will face the most challenging and diverse schedule in the series’ five year history. Returning once again as the opening rounds for the Formula BMW Americas Championship, the historic Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California will launch the seven-weekend, 14 round championship in May.
After featuring some of the strongest venues in North America, the championship will end in November with a maiden journey to Sao Paolo, Brazil in support of the Brazilian Grand Prix. The drivers participating in this season will have the chance to showcase their skills to the nearly every category of premier racing series in North America with races supporting Formula 1, the American Le Mans Series, the Champ Car World Series, the Rolex Sports Car Series, and, new for 2008, the ARCA RE/MAX Series.
Continue reading "Formula BMW Expands its Series - Hopes to Raise Profile" »
In January hundreds of thousands of car enthusiasts flock to the Scottsdale/Phoenix area to put in the ultimate bid for some of the rarest and most beautiful cars in the world. They are paying homage to this internationally attended event which yields world records for high sales in almost every collectible vehicle category. The high sale this year went to a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spyder for $3.3 million.
Hagerty Insurance has announced its picks for the Hagerty Hot List: Top 10 Future Collector Cars. The list was created to advise consumers what hot cars of today will remain desirable in the next 20 years. With Hagerty's Hot List, you just might already have that future collectible sitting in your garage. All you have to do is wait...
Continue reading "Could You Be Driving Your Retirement Right Now?" »
MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development used the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) Winter Test to unveil their 2008 colors, reflecting the addition of two new partners. BP and Yokohama Tire Corporation have joined the B-K Motorsports Lola B07/46-Mazda MZR-R LMP2 team with multi-year partnerships.
“BP and Yokohama will be active partners in our ALMS program as we enter our sophomore year with our Mazda MZR-R powered program, and we look forward to our most successful ALMS project yet,” said Robert Davis, Senior Vice President, Product Development and Quality, and the man behind MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development.
Volvo’s been on a real winning streak for the past couple of years. With a great pair of SUVs in the XC90 and XC70, the hot new C30 hatchback to challenge the Germans and the Japanese, and a great line of sedans, the venerable Swedes have done a great job of breaking out of their boxy reputation.
Volvos are still about the safest cars on the market – the challenge that Volvo has met is to keep all the customers who were buying their legendary safety record and to attract the customers who want some excitement. Volvo wisely figured out that safety was nothing to be ashamed of – I’m a die-hard sports car guy, but I don’t want to die in a car crash any more than the next guy. That kinda limits your future driving opportunities.
So, what happens when the sports car guy looks out onto his driveway and finds a station wagon there for review?
In Rally Racing, it’s not enough to have the best ride and the best service crew, and the best in-car team. You can’t just set ‘em up and knock ‘em down in this business, because anything can happen at any time. After the top teams fought the 2007 season to a razor’s edge finish, the 2008 season has started up again in the same thrilling, unpredictable fashion.
Subaru Rally Team USA stars Travis Pastrana and Christian Edstrom took the final event win of the 2007 season with just a 3.5-second margin of victory. With that win came the Rally America National Championship for the year. In the brief off-season, Pastrana competed in the WRC Production class at Rally GB and finished a humbling 11th. So he’s back to the 2008 Rally America series with two challenges in front of him - to defend his back-to-back championships in a series that gets tougher every year, and to hone his skills for further WRC opportunities.
Time was when the Altima was just another economy sedan from Nissan. Competing with the Toyota Camry and the Mazda 626, there wasn’t a lot to say about it, except that it was inexpensive and generally OK - a typical Japanese economy car.
But with the Sentra now occupying the economy slot in Nissan’s lineup, the Altima has been able to climb up-market, with a larger footprint and a selection of bigger engines and more interesting configurations.
Though Travis contends my project won't have much of a weight advantage, his logic is about as shaky as the underpinnings of his busted old 1993 Impreza. According to MSN Autos, a 1993 Impreza weighs 2,635 lbs, versus my featherweight contender, a 1990 Miata, which tips the scales at a mere 2,182 lbs. A difference of almost 500 lbs. Last I checked, a quarter of a ton was still considered a good amount of weight. He'll have to work a lot of magic to pull of a win in this project car battle.
Even with the Miata's diminutive dimensions, it manages to have a track only one inch slighter than the Impreza's and is on the books with a height a full seven inches shorter -- and that's with the fabric top up. Travis can spin delusions of "lower center of gravity" and "the beauty of all-wheel drive" but the facts just don't back all his babbling. He's going to lose. That is, assuming his car is in any condition to start the race in the first place. Who's car has yet to put down a hot lap at our testing airfield? Oh right, that would be Travis' beloved Dreadnought Impreza. Excuses have ranged from "the clutch is going" to "the engine can't take any more," yes, I've heard it all. Fact is, the car simply hasn't been able to withstand an entire lap, let alone run a complete race.
I didn't get a chance to post the blog entry to this clip earlier so I'm just now catching up on this cold, wet and slushy Sunday afternoon.
This project is somewhat infamous in the Subaru world, but may be new to many of our readers here at Driving Sports. For Subiesport Magazine we built up a 2005 Impreza 2.5RS to go against a "Stock" Impreza STI. If course the former only comes with 165hp standard and the STI is a full-on turbo-charged monster with 300hp. To make the challenge even more interesting the 2.5RS would be built without resorting to a turbo. Yes, all natural, baby!
As part of the build, "Zero" received a new built motor (12:1, with Swain Tech ceramic coated internals) from COBB Tuning along with tuning software (beta Accessport RS, which has yet to ship as of this post); Endura-Tech coilover suspension; a RacingBrake.com big brake kit; Quaife rear helical limited-slip differential; Whiteline bushings from Global Performance Parts; Rallitek's cat-back exhaust system; Prodrive wheels, interior and aero parts; Kartboy short-shift; ACT clutch and flywheel; Weapon-R intake (for the noise); and custom headwork from Pineapple Racing in Portland, Oregon. Of course, there was more, but those are the essentials.
How did the culmination of the two year project play out? The "Zero" was pitted against a slightly modified STI, courtesy of Subaru, at the 2007 Subiefest event in Portland Oregon. Watch the video at the jump to see how it went down.
Every year at the various Auto Shows around America, representatives of the big three U.S. automakers give a short presentation to the local media about their new cars. Two years ago, the talk was all about big - bigger cars and SUVs with bigger engines than the year before. This year, the trend is mostly in the other direction, and you’ll be able to see the difference at this winter's Auto Shows.
Back in November, I went to the Los Angeles Auto Show to get an early look at the 2009 prototypes and concept cars. Every manufacturer at the L.A. Auto Show wanted to talk about green. Not just the color of money, but about alternative fuels, hybrid engines, and clean transportation.
Continue reading "Auto Industry Flashes the Green at Winter Auto Shows" »
Since the horseless carriage was first invented, no doubt it did not take long for people to start seeing whose was faster than another. It's the competitive spirit that we as humans have inside, which of course does not just pertain to cars. This spirit is what fuels those of us who love to watch sanctioned racing, modify our cars for performance, or go out to local tracks and events to enjoy driving fast in a safe and legal manner. On the other hand, it's the same spirit that also gives us the adrenaline rush to speed and perhaps even race another car on the highway or local side streets.
Before I go much further, let me preface the rest of this blog with the fact that I am no angel by any means. I've had my share of run-ins with local authorities, and without going into too much detail, I've been through enough to realize the consequences of my actions. That said, I think that gives me a good place to stand on when in regards to my opinions on street racing and how to combat it. Anyway, it's very easy for someone to have absolutely no remorse for a street racer. Not only do they break the law, but they also put innocent people at risk, contribute to higher insurance rates for all drivers as a whole, and make all car enthusiasts look bad to the media and authorities. Nationwide, people lose their lives in accidents involving street racing, and no matter how you look at it, the loss of life is tragic. The problem is there, very apparent and often seen in the media, which frames it as being a problem of epidemic proportions. In no way am I playing down the problem, but there a few things that I feel should be pointed out.
Renault and Williams were the only teams in action on Monday in
Valencia as this week’s test session got underway. Both squads gave
their 2008 challengers their first run at the Spanish track, but it was
Fernando Alonso in the French team’s new car who stole the show,
clocking a best time of 1m 13.027s.
After the early morning fog cleared, Alonso was able to complete 39 laps in the R28, which will be officially unveiled to the press later this month. The Spaniard spent the opening day running through basic checks before he tests again on Tuesday.
For those whose definition of pure driving pleasure includes wind in
the face and sunshine above, the new BMW 1 Series Convertible follows
the tradition established by the iconic BMW 2002 sport sedan. The
essence of such driving purity - a responsive six-cylinder engine
positioned within a rear-drive chassis to provide balanced, sporty
dynamics - is at the heart of this compact four-place convertible.
The 128i Convertible, which joins the new 1 Series Coupe going on sale in the spring of 2008, will be powered by BMW's 3.0-liter, 230 horsepower inline six-cylinder engine generating 200 lb-ft of torque. Like its fixed-roof stablemate, the 128i Convertible will feature Valvetronic valvetrain management and aluminum/magnesium cylinder block construction-core elements of BMW's EfficientDynamics.
The 135i Convertible, on sale later in 2008, features BMW's twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque from as low as 1,400 rpm. With its direct piezo gasoline injectors, twin low-mass turbochargers and air-to-air intercooler, optimum performance and economy is achieved with no loss in engine response. For the 135i Convertible, acceleration from 0-62 mph is accomplished in 5.6 seconds and top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph. Both engines feature on-demand engine coolant pumps that improve fuel economy and reduce parasitic losses for increased efficiency.
Continue reading "BMW's New 1-Series Convertible Coming this Spring" »
The long-awaited rebirth of the Dodge Challenger was sure to spawn a feeding frenzy at the trendy Barrett-Jackson auto auction in Arizona this week. With original muscle cars that were sitting on blocks or being driven by guys with mullets just a few years ago selling for 7 figures to IPO bazillionaires, it was only natural that the first of the new line would fetch some serious coin, too.
But the folks at Chrysler are smart, and nice, so Dodge and notMYkid.org partnered to auction the first production 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 at B-J. Not too surprisingly, the winning bid was placed by Craig Jackson, Chairman/CEO of the Barrett-Jackson Auction Company.
Continue reading "First Production Dodge Challenger SRT8 Sells for $400K" »
Some of us like to fancy ourselves race car drivers. What is worse, some of us fancy that not only are we racers, but that we also have the ability to build race cars. This is a dangerous combination as you have someone who thinks they know more than the mechanics and engineers, and then that same person thinks they can drive faster than everyone else. It's like outrunning your gaurdian angel, only this time it's your mechanic.
Ryan Douthit is one of those guys. If ever there was a guy that was all thumbs with a wrench, it's THAT guy. Also, I have seen him drive. But I won't get into that.
Why all the smack talk? Ryan has it in his head that he can take on my Turbo Impreza Wagon, the Subiesport Magazine Project Dreadnaught, this season in a Time Attack slug-fest. And he wants to do it in a Miata.
The front page of The Racing Network's new website talks about:
"a 24/7 racing network ... devoted exclusively to motor racing other than NASCAR with thousands of hours of live, historical and first run racing as well as many weekly race magazine-style shows including weekly coverage of major domestic and international series, behind the scenes access including the following classifications - some of which will be available in HD"
The site asks readers to vote on whether they would switch TV content providers or ask for the channel to be added to their existing plan.
Motorsports fans will be able to see some of the hottest production-based racing on television this season as a total of six events on the Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series schedule will be televised on SPEED in 2008.
The Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series is Grand-Am's showcase for the
latest in international and American-made high performance sports cars,
coupes and sedans straight from the dealer showroom floor. With major
modifications permitted only in the area of safety, the KONI Challenge
Series is home to the same cars seen on streets and highways around the
world every day. Nearly 100 cars are expected to take the green flag in this Friday's Fresh From Florida 200 at Daytona International Speedway.
Beginning with the Fresh From Florida 200, four Grand Sport (GS) and Street Turner (ST) combined races and one feature race for each class will be televised in two-hour episodes within one week of the race date, often during prime time on the motorsports network.
Subaru has introduced two models of their Legacy line using diesel power in the company's signature flat-opposed "Boxer" engine design. We're salivating just looking at the specs:
Legacy Sports Tourer and Outback All the factory-supplied info you need to know after the jump. All the info you want to know, that is, except for when we'll be able to get one of these Green machines here in the USA...
Continue reading "Subaru Introduces Diesel Engines in Europe" »
I’ve come to a decision in my life. I want to go racing. Though, like many others, I don’t have the wherewithal to run the Speed Challenge series. I can’t even afford to run a privateer rally car, for that matter. I’ve recently found one form of racing that not only can I afford, but I also really enjoy: Time Attack.
What other motor sport allows you to show up and compete -- not at the local WalMart parking lot, mind you, but at real race courses. Legendary tracks like Laguna Seca and Virginia International Raceway. No race car? No problem, If you drive a Yugo and can pass tech, you can race. Motor swaps, aftermarket turbos and lots of bizarre configurations are allowed, giving those that are really into the sport lots of room for creative solutions to the never-ending quest for power. That’s one thing that frustrates me about many other forms of amateur racing: no creativity in the cars.
Even if you don’t win, in Time Attack you may still come away with stories worth telling. Such as, how you almost lost it on the infamous corkscrew, or your brakes wore out with four more laps to go. Apologies to all the autocrossers out there, but three hours of waiting for 2 minute sprints around a bunch of cones on a level parking lot doesn’t provide enough for me to chew on. Give me drop-offs, banked turns and open passing and I’ll be grinning for weeks.
Continue reading "Let the Battle Begin: Miata vs. Impreza Rumble!" »
I don't think there's a doubt in anyone's mind that they like to save money whenever they can. After all, if we all had extreme amounts of disposable income, we'd all be driving Ferraris, right? :) Anyway, over the past year or so, I've noticed a good number of "new" products released that show obvious signs of a lack of research and development. Some of these signs include poor fitment, poor aesthetic finish, not including all the necessary hardware to keep prices down, the use of cheaper materials, and completely blatant knocking off of an already existing product. As I see these products becoming more and more popular, it makes me wonder if this trend is going to continue and gain strength.
One example that I've come across is in one of the markets that we at World One Performance are looking to expand into. The most popular exhaust in this market (among the customers we talked to) was from a one-person shop who simply made all the exhaust piping in their garage at home. While I fully support the entreprenual spirit, there was no testing involved to prove any performance benefits, there was no mention of the type of material that was being used, and the exhaust itself looked very unprofessional, just as if it was made in a person's garage. Nevertheless, this exhaust was the exhaust of choice vs. more expensive reputable brands, simply because it was cheap.
Is this the direction that the aftermarket industry is moving toward? The argument could be said that "a pipe is just a pipe" but just because something fits on your car doesn't mean it's a quality product. On that same point, just because something is very expensive doesn't necessarily mean it's a quality product either. The key is that I encourage everyone, not just our customers, to do their own research and make good, educated buying decisions for the aftermarket products on their vehicle. While the prices for some products may seem a bit steep compared to some other competitors, just remember to keep in mind that you're not just paying for the product by itself, but also the research and development behind the product too, and very more often than not, you truly do get what you pay for. You may seem like you're saving money at the beginning, but when poor construction, materials, or performance rear their heads down the line, you may easily end up paying more money not just to replace the poorly-designed product, but also to fix anything that the poorly-designed product took along with it when it broke.
The
2008 MINI Clubman, an all-new addition to the MINI model line, is being
featured at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The slightly larger than usual MINI was first unveiled at the L.A. Auto Show last November.
The unique rear "barn door" design and the car's extended proportions distinguish it
from other members of the MINI family. BMW says the MINI Clubman will pave their the way into a new market segment by offering innovative
opportunities for the MINI brand and showcasing MINI’s leadership in
the premium small car segment.
The MINI clubman will be available in
the U.S. Feb. 16, 2008 as both a Cooper and a Cooper S model.
As
of the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, California-based Fisker Automotive
continues to maintain that their exotically styled plug-in hybrid will
begin shipping at the end of 2009 with a starting price of $80,000.
Fisker claims the Karma will deliver 50 miles of range on
electricity alone, after which a gasoline or diesel engine takes over
to extend range up to 600 miles. Promising performance figures include
zero-to-60-mph sprints of less than six seconds and a top speed beyond
125 mph. An optional full-length solar roof can charge the battery and
keep the Karma cool when parked.
Check out the video, over at KBB.com, here.
The Champ Car World Series will appear exclusively on the
ESPN networks in 2008 with a 14-race schedule combining live and
same-day telecasts. The international open-wheel racing series returned
to ESPN in 2007 after an absence of six years.
You can see the entire 2008 Champ Car TV schedule here.
The schedule includes four races on both ABC and ESPN and six on ESPN2. The season begins Sunday, Apr. 20, with same-day coverage of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The 2.5-hour telecast will include a season preview special.
The new Dodge Caliber SRT4 has been compared to every other 4-cylinder pocket rocket on the market these days - and for sure, it’s a contender. With 300 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque from a turbocharged 2.4-liter DOHC 16V engine, run through a 6-speed manual front wheel drive transmission, it’s got the power to hit 60 MPH in under 6 seconds. And it will do this and still give you 21/26 MPG - nice at today’s gas prices!
Hot on the heels of Apple's new 1.1.3 update for the iPhone and iPod touch, we've added a special Driving Sports icon to take advantage of the new ability to add custom bookmarks to the devices' touchscreen interface. It's easy, just visit this page on your iPhone/iPod Touch and hit the new "+" button that appears in the Safari browser.
Exclusive footage from the 2007 Subiesport Time Attack shootout, held at Portland International Raceway. Watch the fastest Subarus in the country battle it out for bragging rights. Sure, it rained most of the day, but there were a few dry spots.
You may remember legendary stuntman Russ Swift from his segments on the popular British motoring programs, Top Gear and Fifth Gear. If not, this will be a great introduction to one of the greatest stunt drivers ever. As you can see, he's also a hit with the ladies.
Filmed on top of a parking garage in Los Angeles during the Taurus Stunt Awards, it was all to promote the new video game "Stuntman Ignition." And yes, some Subies were harmed in the making of this film. Don't try this at home.
Great cars and hit movies enjoy a pleasantly symbiotic relationship. The cars make the movies fun and exciting and the movies give cars a certain panache - they often make the cars the stars, upstaging the human actors.
From Herbie the Love Bug to “The last of the V-8 Interceptors” in the Mad Max series, a starring role can spawn hundreds of home-built imitations on the streets. But it takes factory support to really make a nice knock-off of a movie car.
Just recently, my car show team and I had a meeting to discuss our first car show of the year. Being in the car show scene since 2002, I've got a few years under my belt and I've watched the scene evolve as much as my bugeye WRX has over the years. During the off season, it's easy for me to lose enthusiasm for what my team and I do every year, but this time I've paid witness to a lot of changes that I believe are bad for the scene, even if it really isn't particularly anyone's fault.
The most apparent thing I've noticed is that a lot of the car show enthusiasts that I've gotten to know over the years are retiring from the scene. Many of them have their show cars for sale and others have already sold their cars off and moved on with their lives. The problem is, there really hasn't really been much of a crowd to fill these shoes. This can partly be attributed to an overall movement of the aftermarket industry toward being much more performance-oriented rather than aesthetic-oriented, but I truly don't see that as being a problem.
If anything, I actually welcome this very much, since I'd rather see a really powerful, complete car that is driven like it should be at a car show, rather than a car that only sees the light of day a few times a year, with some of that daylight blinding you from its fully-chromed undercarriage. However, all too often lately I've been hearing comments such as "I saw better cars in the parking lot than in the actual show" and that truly disheartens me. If you have a show-worthy car, why not show it and be proud of the money you've put into the aftermarket parts. Sure enough, the argument can be made that one just wants to keep to themselves and what-not, but if your car in the parking lot looks better than what's in the show, then I think it's almost snobbish not to share your wonderful creation with everyone else.
Another problem that I've seen is all the drama that comes about because of how car shows are administered. Everyone wants fame by winning trophies; after all, there was a time when winning 1st Place Subaru was my main goal when I went to shows. However, thanks to inconsistent judging practices, politics related to car show teams or event sponsors, and the simple fact that the trophy you win comes nowhere near the amount you invest into your car, I think that many people are losing sight of what it means to be a car enthusiast, and more specifically a car show enthusiast. I think that I've reached a point now where I could truly care less about winning another trophy personally. All I'd like to do is show off my car, help support my team, and enjoy myself without all the drama.
Okay, so I've cited a few problems, so how do I propose we all fix it? I think a big step in the right direction would be to have more show and shine events, where there aren't any trophies or competition and the money used to participate goes to a charity of some sort. That way, the show goes back to just being for enthusiasts and showing everyone what you've done with your car, your money, and your heart and soul. Hot rod enthusiasts are able to do this easily on an almost weekly basis during the show season, so why can't those of us with imports do the same? Since I don't think it's all the difficult, I'm hoping to organize at least one of these charity show and shines with my team this year. If it's anything like what we had done in the past (raised about $3000 for Seattle's Children's Hospital) then I think it'll be a huge success.
First the Discovery Network attempted to make an Americanized version of the British motoring program Top Gear. It never made it past pilot (probably a good thing). Now, NBC is stepping up to the plate. From a Reuters news story that's short on specifics, NBC claims it has ordered a pilot that will replicate many aspects of the show, but with American hosts. (I'm still waiting for the phone call to be a host, btw. Hello, NBC? If I had an agent I'd be all over him for not getting me this gig.)
Over the summer plans to produce a proper Top Gear for America, with Hammond, May and Clarkson fell through as Clarkson (the man behind the mayhem) decided he didn't want to spend that much time in a country that builds cars he so fervently loathes (I'm speculating here, but just watch Clarkson's DVD, "The Good the Bad and the Ugly" and you'll probably come to a similar conclusion.)
Here's an excerpt from the Reuters story. I'll be calling my agent now...
The popular BBC car show "Top Gear" is revving up a U.S. edition.
NBC has ordered a pilot for "Gear," which will be announced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit (January 19-27). Casting is under way for hosts. As with the BBC version, it will offer a mix of cars, humor and celebrities.
The pilot will be filmed at a secret location around Los Angeles equipped with a race track and hangar where the show will be filmed in front of a audience.
NBC reality chief Craig Plestis said the network already is getting numerous inquiries from car companies that had heard rumblings about a U.S. remake.
I often have people ask me, "how do I add more power to my car?" More often than not, the power goal they have in mind is at least 400 horsepower to the wheels. Now, as much as 400 whp is pretty damn cool, what's really in that number? Since I know Subarus and Evos decently well, we'll use them for the example of a turbo build. Here's what we're looking at in terms of aftermarket parts to reach that level:
For those of you in the naturally aspirated crowd, it's not quite this easy. Forced induction is going to be the best bang for buck method of getting to this power level. Even 350Zs and M3s need a super- or turbo-charger to get up to this power level, despite having less drivetrain loss with rear-wheel drive. Either way, all of the above is a good chunk of change to drop into your car. Subaru and Evo owners are likely to drop about $4000 for a setup like this, while 350Z and M3 owners will be spending at least $5000 before labor.
With all of the above, you'll be close to, if not more, than 400 whp, depending on the turbo you decide on and the tune that you get. So now you've got the power, but what are the drawbacks? These are the things that most customers I speak to never even consider, which is the whole purpose of this blog.
Keep in mind, by no means do I want to rain on someone's 400 whp parade. I just think that it's important that a customer should be educated and know what he or she will be giving up or will experience in order to attain this goal. That said, if you still share this power goal after all of the above, with the right parts and tuning, I can assure you that you will not be disappointed with the outcome.
After several less-than-thrilling "Ralliart" editions (okay, to be honest, they all sucked), Mitsubishi has finally introduced a proper Lancer bearing its rally division's name at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Expected to take on Subaru's WRX in the mid $20k price range, the all-new Lancer Ralliart is a properly equipped hooligan on wheels: putting down 236Hp through its all-wheel drive system and with more aggressive styling than it's pedestrian cousin, the standard Lancer.
The full-time 4WD driveline features Mitsubishi's
Active Center Differential (ACD), which may be a bit fancier than the 50:50 unit available on the 5-speed WRX. The Ralliart tranny employs an electronically
controlled multi-plate clutch center differential, pushing torque to the front or rear according to different driving conditions. Mitsubishi's twin-clutch flappy-paddle system will be an option, just like it is on the Lancer's bigger brother.
Read the specs after the jump.
Continue reading "Mitsubishi introduces proper Lancer Ralliart" »
No single brand has more cars racing on a given weekend than Mazda. In light of this, its new concept, the Mazda Furai (Japanese for "sound of the wind") drives that point home with a bullet. Based on Mazda's American Le Mans Series (ALMS) chassis, the car sports a 3-rotor engine.
Says Franz von Holzhausen, Mazda’s North American director of design, “Furai purposely blurs boundaries that have traditionally distinguished street cars from track cars. Historically, there has been a gap between single-purpose racecars and street-legal models — commonly called supercars — that emulate the real racers on the road. Furai bridges that gap like no car has ever done before.”
And, since embracing the future also means embracing renewable fuels, the Furai was initially tuned to operate on 100 ethanol. This is the first time a three-rotor engine has used this blend. Of course, no actual performance numbers were released--450hp was alluded to--, but even parked it appears to be breaking the speed of sound.
The Mazda design and R&D teams worked closely with Swift Engineering to refine the aerodynamic characteristics, so the Furai will remain glued to the ground at high speeds. Complex Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software tools were used to tune various Nagare design elements to function at a high degree of efficiency. Drag, downforce, lift and overall aesthetics were all key considerations according to sources on the project.
Personally, I've never drooled over a concept quite like this one. Not sure if it's the flat-black paint or the wicked lines. Either way, I want one. More pictures and video clips after the break.
With the new E92 3-series BMWs appearing everywhere in the form of 328s, 330s, and 335s, just about everyone is anxious for the new E92 M3 to make its appearance here stateside. The big, high-revving V8 will surely turn some heads from sound alone, but many people have voiced feelings of discontent about its much more subtle looks compared to its predecessor, the E46 M3. On the street, even a non-Bimmer fanatic would be able to tell that the fender flared, large front air dammed, and quad tip exhaust E46 M3 was very different from the more standard 3-series coupe, but the new E92 only has a few side vent treatments, no bulging fenders, and a similar looking front bumper.
However, don't tell that to Powerhouse Amuse. Primarily known for making extremely exclusive (and thus expensive) titanium exhausts and GT-style carbon fiber spoilers for your favorite Japanese import, the company also treads in BMW territory as well. This time around, they didn't stop at just exhaust; they helped developed an entire body kit as well. The folks over at M3Post post up these photos of Amuse's new E92 M3 at an event hosted by Powerhouse Amuse, at Tskuba Circuit. Here are a few of the photos that were posted:
More photos can be found on M3Post here.
In an effort to respond to the green desires of its cutomers, Porsche has announced plans for what it calls a "Hybrid Drive" for the planned Panamera performance sedan. While manufacturers, politcos, interest groups and enthusiasts argue over what the next best thing in green propulsion will be, it seems that hybrid technology will be the way point between the internal combusiton engine and whatever happens next.
The Panamera is Porsche's new, and not-yet-released performance sedan which will feature four doors and a FR engine layout. While Porsche seems to be slowly crawling towards challenging the likes of BMW and Mercedes for top German luxury and performance automaker, it appears unlikely that they will become a producer of volume passenger cars.
Press release follows:
Continue reading "Porsche Announces Plan for Panamera Hybrid" »
Team Orange takes X-Games Gold Medalist and Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana for his first ride in a D1 Drift car. D1 Champion Kumakubo and his teammate Tanaka then let it all hang out for the grand finale of Subiefest 2007. Some great drifting in this video.
What? This isn't Ryan or Jeff? Who might this be?! Well, allow me to introduce myself. For those of you who don't know me already, my name is Armin H. Ausejo, Vice President of Marketing for World One Performance by day, Style Editor and Photographer Extraordinaire for Subiesport Magazine by...well, nights and weekends I suppose. In any case, Ryan asked me to join on here at Driving Sports as a regular blog contributor, so here I am!
I'll be publishing 3 blogs per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday), mostly devoted to the aftermarket industry that we car enthusiasts know and love. Since I see the aftermarket industry as a customer, a vendor, and as a journalist, I hope that my unique view of things will be interesting for regular Driving Sports readers. Here's a few things you can look forward to in the coming days and weeks:
That just about does it for this introductory blog. You'll be hearing from me very soon ;)
We're going to be busy putting together some of our magazines (we publish a few national car magazines when we're not running around with video cameras), so we'll be rolling a number of Subiefest clips over the next couple weeks. Most of these have never been posted online before, so they're sure to be new to many of our viewers. Even if you're not into Subarus, specifically, they should be fun to watch.
As for the Russ Swift clip, that man is just amazing. The blonde isn't bad, either.
Thursday, January 10
Team Orange Drift Demo Finale
Monday, January 14
Russ Swift Stunt Demo
Thursday, January 17
Subiesport 2007 Tuner Shootout
Monday, January 21
Subiesport "Zero to Hero" Project vs. STI Touge Battle
We should then get back to wrapping up remaining clips from the WRC Wales Rally 2007.
We've heard from a reliable source Team Orange has pulled their cars from the States, no doubt due to the implosion of the domestic D1 championship.
You may not be able to see them here in the USA any time soon, but you can still catch them doing what they do best in this exclusive Driving Sports video! This is the tandem drift demo Kumakubo and Tanaka wowed the crowd with for our annual all-Subaru event, Subiefest.
We've rearranged the main page of DrivingSports.com to give you more direct access to our videos. Click the little expandy-box icon next to the sound icon and our videos will enlarge to the width of this page! Of course, you'll need a reasonably new computer to take advantage of the big playback screen. Along with this change, we've rearranged the video playlists to accommodate a new "Archive" section. In time, we'll get our back catalog of videos posted, be sure to check it out from time-to-time. They very well may be "new to you."
First up: "Season 2" of the classic Driving Sports Podcast is now available in new Archive video playlist. In these episodes from 2006 you'll get to see my fantastic hosting skills in action, along with exclusive interviews with the Autobach's S2000 Time Attack team, Kazunori Yamauchi shows off Gran Turismo HD (before it was delayed another year) and some other fun items.
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