Driving Sports

Gale Banks Touts Clean Diesel

When consumers understand the advantages of today's clean diesel power, it turns conventional thinking about diesel on its head, explained Gale Banks, chief executive officer of Gale Banks Engineering, and a featured speaker at the Alternative Fuels & Vehicles National Conference + Expo. The conference runs through Wednesday, May 14, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel.

"With clean diesel power, drivers can have approximately 30 percent better fuel economy and 50 percent more torque, as well as reduce emissions by up to 25 percent, when compared to gasoline-powered passenger car engines. With clean diesel no longer are fuel economy and performance mutually exclusive," Banks said.

Dunlop Takes the Win in SCCA Tire Rack National Tour Autocross

It should be obvious that Dunlop's new Direzza Sport Z1 "Star Spec" tire would do well in the Lone Star State. Consider three Shreveport, La., racers who won big on the new ultra-performance tires at SCCA's Tire Rack Solo National Tour at Fort Worth, Texas.

Barry Booker and wife Connie won the Street Touring Xtreme (STX) classes for men and women with the Direzza Sport Z1 Star Specs on a 2004 Volkswagen R32 sports car. Car owner Paul Carrig took third in the class. Each took home coveted Sports Car Club of America hardware.

Booker, who has competed for more than 10 years in club racing and auto cross, notched the Texas win with a 2.85-second lead after two days of competition. In the past, the Bookers have won National Tour events in STX and D Stock classes. Barry Booker works for a specialty propeller manufacturer in Shreveport.

Ford Focuses on American Idol

We figure it's about the only reason to tune in to Idol any more: Ford debuted the new Focus  coupe  for the 2009 model year Wednesday on  "American Idol." This marks the first time Ford has ever revealed a new product on prime time television. "Focus is the little car that delivers in a big way for customers, with 35 mpg fuel economy, cool features including SYNC, a fun drive, strong quality and the right price," said John Felice, Ford Division group marketing manager. "We thought the 'American Idol' debut would be a new way for customers to see the upgrades for themselves."

Oregon Trail Rally - This weekend!

Oregon Trail Rally, one of the best events on the Rally America national series, is kicking off today for an action-packed three days of competition. The fun starts off today with a Parc Exposé in downtown Portland, followed by the start, tomorrow at Portland International Raceway, with competition running through the weekend out of the Hillsboro Fairgrounds and the town of Vernonia. For more information, check out the official site.

I always think it's more enjoyable to watch an event when there's some perspective to go along with it. So, for the first time ever, we're making our coverage of the 2007 Oregon Trail Rally available to watch online for free (this is the same feature that ran on Portland television last year.) Just click over to our Rallysport Channel and select which segments you want to watch. The full meal deal on the 2007 event is just under 30-minutes long. All the segments should  be up by the end of the day today.

Green Fools, er, Fuels

I love this planet we live on just as much as the next guy. In fact, I was raised on a small island, primarily populated by hippies back in the 70s. That really helped give me what I believe to be a pretty healthy respect for the Earth. So when I say that hybrid cars and biofuels are merely publicity stunts go awry, it really catches some of those around me off guard.

As an automotive journalist that lives in the eco-friendly Northwest, one of the most common questions I get is, "what hybrid car should I buy?" To that, I instead suggest riding a bike or -- if that person really needs a car -- buying a used Toyota Echo (an economical car nobody bought because it was tinny and very uncool) or a mid-90s Honda that gets near 40mpg. If they want new, to check out the Honda Fit, Nissan Versa or one of the PZEV Subarus. And for God's sake, never get on an jet (nobody talks about that issue over here, do they? At least the Swedes are doing something about it.)

Still, Toyota (and now the Big 3) has managed to spoon-feed the American population that hybrids aren't just good, they're your moral responsibility. I don't know what is worse, a large corporation bending ignorant masses to their will or "do gooders" driving around in converted Volvos espousing that, somehow, biofuels will save us all (and sporting the bumper stickers to prove their piety.)

Recently, our local paper ran a piece called "Bio-debatable: Food vs. Fuel" and it's a very good read. But the best part was the graph titled, "How green are biofuels?" which puts the smack down on many people's assumptions about the "green" benefits of biofuels. Highly recommended reading, and really the whole reason I started this blog entry.

Living green takes more than buying the "right" car, that is probably the least important decision in a massively complex issue, but has somehow become the cornerstone for this misguided green movement. (Yes, you can quote me on that.) If you're serious about living green, buy locally-grown produce, walk or bike as much as possible and never, ever, use a jet for transportation. You can then own any car you want and you'll make a bigger impact (for good) on this Earth than 100 biofuel- or hybrid-driving hypocrites.

Graph, courtesy of Seattle PI.

Speed Racer is Fun - But Not Great

Speed Racer was kind of goofy when it was a low-budget cartoon import from Japan. It had its endearing qualities, but no one took it very seriously. Later, it was popular on retro items from T-shirts to lunchboxes, with key fobs being especially popular.

So along come the Wachowski brothers (of The Matrix fame) and they set out to do a high-budget, SFX extravaganza of the original cartoon - and it's still kind of goofy. I played hooky today and went to see the matinee - it's worth $7 for a car guy, but if I'd paid weekend prices and stood in line, I'd feel shortchanged.

So, the good points - the special effects are dazzling. The producers clearly love their oversaturated colors and they spent big big bucks on rendering. The movie doesn't take itself too seriously, in stark contrast with other spin-off movies from low-budget cartoons - this could have been another Judge Dredd, but mercifully it's not.

Making room for Hot Laps

I made a few changes to our video players this morning, especially in the Video Center. Due to our video hosting partner discontinuing the pay-to-download feature, all the episodes of The Vintage Vehicle Show have been removed. As have a few of our DVD features. In time, we'll make parts of these available as individual clips. If there is a specific video you remember and want to watch, but is no longer available, let us know and we'll see if we can post it sooner rather than later.

Newly added to the Video Center is a section for our Hot Lap videos (available in the tabs above the player). We record a lot of these, mainly to include into features. Now there's a place to go if you'd like to see a specific racetrack from behind the wheel but don't want all the chatter. To kick off this new area, I've uploaded a fresh video from behind the wheel of a Spec Miata race car as it performs a lap around the newly-repaved Portland International Raceway.

As usual, let us know what you think by posting comments into this thread!

Our Garage: Jeff's 1959 MGA

The wonderful thing about the automotive hobby is that it can be anything you like. Check out Ryan's Legacy for an example of the new and groovy, powerful and comfortable ride. But there's also the option of working with a much older car. My 1959 MGA will have its 50th birthday next year, and it's still as fun as the day it rolled off the line in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England.

Restoring or updating an old car gets you right to the heart of what it means to be a car guy. With a classic, you can't plug in a laptop and claim 50 wheel horsepower in an afternoon. But you will get a sense of the driving experience that put sports cars into our souls. And - this is key - chicks dig old sports cars. I can park my vintage MG next to a line of the hottest tuner rides in town and which car do you think gets the attention?

Formula Drift Announces TV Package

Professional drifting will slide into millions of households as Formula DRIFT announces a comprehensive and exclusive race programming schedule with SPEED TV. The 2008 Formula DRIFT Championship Series will air on SPEED beginning on Sunday, October 26 and continue through December 21, 2008.

The eight-stop Formula DRIFT Championship Series and World Championship programs will air over nine Sundays during the 4 PM (EST) / 1 PM (PST) time slot. Sunday, November 30 will be a “bye” on the air schedule. Each episode will showcase one Round of the Championship Series beginning October 26 with Round 1 – “The Streets of Long Beach” and continue all the way through the National Championships and into the final episode showcasing the inaugural Formula DRIFT World Championships. Each episode will re-air during the week immediately following the initial broadcast.

Tuesday Shorts: 2008 Nissan NISMO 350Z

Tuesday is a great day for shorts. We're kicking off something new here at Driving Sports: Every Tuesday we'll have a new video short. It may be an interview, a new car review, or just an onboard track lap reel. No matter what's rolling, you can bet it will be a better way to blow 5-minutes of your life than filling out TPS reports.

Kicking off the Tuesday Shorts is a review I did of the 2008 NISMO 350Z while attending the WAJ Media Days at Laguna Seca.

Normally, when shooting a test video we go through the following process: Drive the car for a few days, prepare some comments in advance, prepare a "shoot" which usually lasts a few hours and involves 2-5 crew members, then spend another day editing and scoring.

Sometimes, however, we just toss that all out the window, grab our $300 Canon solid state recorder and pop out the first thing that comes to mind... as part of a one man show. That's how it went down for this clip. Fast, quick and dirty.

So, enjoy this clip knowing it was recorded in a single shot, then edited while sitting at the gate in the San Jose airport and on the plane from Cali back to Seattle. Tell me what you think. Do you like this "rough" approach? Or is the cheese just a bit too strong? Hit the jump to watch the clip and sound-off in the comments. We have something much more refined already lined up for next Tuesday. Promise.

Subaru's CUV - 2009 Subaru Forester

For ten years, the Forester has been the “secret Subaru” - the car that true Subaru cognoscenti prize but don’t talk about. If you talk about it, then everyone will know the secret and want one.

The Forester is built on the Impreza chassis, and uses primarily Impreza running gear. Its boxy shape belies its true performance potential, which is significant. In 2004 and 2005, the turbocharged Forester XT received the same 2.5-liter EJ257 engine as the high-zoot Impreza WRX STi. That engine was mated to a 5-speed manual transmission and a final drive ratio of 4.44 to 1, as opposed to the taller ratio in the STi. There were some ECU and turbo differences, but the XT carried the heart of an STi and a final drive ratio that gave the little wagon tremendous acceleration.

Kelley Blue Book Names Top 10 Cool Cars Under $18K

Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com site recently announced its Top 10 Cool Cars Under $18,000. Here's what they had to say:

"With gas prices and environmental concerns reaching record highs at a time of moderate economic uncertainty, the vehicles that made the Kelley Blue Book 2008 list of 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000 — typically a gas-sipping bunch — are cooler than they've ever been. More fun, more practical and more amenity-laden, today's entry-level vehicles deliver more than simply affordable and efficient transportation. They're fun to drive and feature-filled.

First-time buyers and frugal down-sizers have never had it so good.  Versatility and technology are growing trends in the under-$18,000 segment. Eight of the cars on this year's list are flexible five-door hatchbacks, or available as such. The collective options list includes navigation, hard-drive music storage, voice-controlled iPod integration, Bluetooth phone connectivity, push-button start and leather seating – some of which were introduced on high-end luxury cars just a few years ago.

Vortex Race Performance Exhausts the Winning Strategy for Diesel and R3 Rally

In a BMW120 diesel Fin McCaul finished first in the diesel and R3 class of the Pirelli International Rally held 19 April, 2008, which is the first round of the British Rally Championship. In terms of achievement this merits high enough to be called very exceptional. The next rally will be the Jim Clark Rally. The Vortex team is confident that their rally race exhaust technology will make the difference and that Fin has an excellent chance to carry on winning and lift the silverware.

Dodge Launches Challenger - Driving Sports Takes a Hot Lap

Chrysler today celebrated the production launch of one of the industry's most highly anticipated vehicles -- the all-new 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8. A full line-up of Challengers will follow in the 2009 model-year. Consumer interest in the Dodge Challenger has been some of the highest seen at Chrysler.

Driving Sports had a chance to get behind the wheel of the new Challenger SRT8 at Laguna Seca a couple weeks ago, and we were thrilled with the power and handling - far from creating a brutish, heavy throwback muscle car, Dodge and SRT have delivered a car with fantastic power, light steering feel, and predictable sporty handling. The manual transmission is smooth and fast, and helps make the new Challenger a joy to drive. If you've wanted one of the new generation of muscle cars and you're a Mopar fan, you have got to check out the Challenger SRT8.

V6-Powered Miata is Awesome

Yesterday we did a photoshoot for our Miata Magazine, Forever MX-5, of this unique and very awesome V6-powered Miata.

Sure, there are V8 conversions out there, but they're simply ridiculous. Keeping "reasonable" with a Mazda-sourced V6 creates a car that is true to the essence of the Miata, but kicks performance to a new realm: 180whp in a featherweight car with fat tires. And yes, this car can handle. I may even go so far to call it brilliant.

Click the jump to see the video, and go subscribe to Forever MX-5 Magazine to read all the details in the Summer 2008 issue.

Our Garage: Ryan's 2007 Legacy GT

Subaru makes some fast factory cars. Specifically, its rally-bred STI is known for a 300hp fire-breathing mill and excellent road-handling capabilities.  However, as much as I like speed, I prefer to have something a little less “racer boy” for my daily driver. I like the feel of Subaru’s boxer motors and the driver ergonomics, I also happen to run a Subaru magazine, so it only made sense that I looked elsewhere in the ‘roo family when selecting a car for my own. In the end I chose a model with styling and an interior I could live with every day: a 2007 Subaru Legacy GT.

Stock, the Legacy GT has a 243-hp (crank estimate) turbocharged motor that shares many components with the STI. Though, unlike the STI, you can get leather, a moonroof and body styling that doesn’t look like it was an afterthought. In fact, I’d say the 2007-08 Legacy is one of the better-looking cars on the road today.

Of course, given my occupation, this car didn’t stay stock long. Shortly after break-in we started the first phase of changes in the “need for speed” category. This included a larger turbo, fatter top-mount intercooler and a Perrin turbo-back exhaust system.  All the parts were tuned using an ECUTek reflash and netted a tidy 280hp at the wheels

I ran that config for a good year and was pretty happy with the overall performance: the 18G Blouch/TDC Turbo spooled fast and had enough scoot for the occasional track day or Time Attack race. The Achilles heel was the top end. Power came fast, but didn’t stick around, making long straight-aways on the track my nemesis. Also, in hot conditions, such as I faced at the 2007 Tuner Shootout in Nevada, the top-mount intercooler just couldn’t keep temperatures at bay.

Endura-Tech now shipping 350z coilovers

I recently had the pleasure to drive a Nissan NISMO 350z at Laguna Seca Raceway. What a world of difference a little suspension tuning does for the Z. Now, our good friends at Endura-Tech have a new coilover for Z owners who want a little more than what the factory setup offers.

I've personally run Endura-Tech units on both my track Subaru 2.5RS and my highly-modded Subaru Legacy GT street car and can recommend them very highly. Quality products and an intelligent approach to each and every application. Enough gushing from me, read the short PR after the jump for more details.

Tomorrow's Big Cat - 2009 Jaguar XF

Last week we drove the ultra-luxurious Jaguar XJ Super V8 sedan and enjoyed it. The XJ is a great car but at a sticker price of about $95,000 it’s more than a bit out of reach for most people. But Jaguar followed up that superlative ride with their brand new and ultra-hot XF Coupe. With a sticker price of $62,200, it’s still what the industry calls an “aspirational vehicle,” but it’s still $30-large cheaper than the sedan, and you get all the best stuff carried over from the XJ.

The XF features the same supercharged 4.2-liter V8 engine with 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, mated with the same excellent 6-speed automatic transmission. The tranny features paddle shifters on the steering wheel and a “Sport” mode that shifts for speed better than most people can manage. The car is rear wheel drive, which is great for sporty driving, and that’s what you can expect from the XF.

SUV with Soul - Mazda CX-9

Seven-passenger capability has always been the mark of the “big” car. I recently wrote a profile on a gentleman who is restoring a 1946 Packard seven passenger sedan, and asked the opinion of a suburban housewife and SUV fanatic about the seven passenger Land Rover LR3.  Seven passengers seems to be a magic number - maybe because it’s room for one U.S.-standard nuclear family plus one pair of grandparents, or two adults and a basketball team. Who knows?

As a Mazda enthusiast, I was interested to drive the CX-9 for a few days in California’s fabulous central coast region. I’d never driven the CX-9 before, and was curious to see if Mazda’s “Always the soul of a sports car” slogan held true even in the biggest vehicle they offer.

Rule Brittania - Jaguar XJ Super V8

There really is something special about a Jaguar. The XJ (originally named for eXperimental Jaguar) has been produced for 40 years with substantially the same body lines, and it remains a popular choice in the luxury market.  More than half the cars Jaguar has ever built - over 800,000 units - have been XJ models. The 2008 XJ is the seventh generation of the car according to Jaguar’s method of calculation, and the 2008 XJ Super V8 is without a doubt the most powerful and luxurious offering in XJ history.

This year, you can get your XJ with a normally aspirated 310 horsepower 4.2-liter V8 engine, or the Super V8, pulling over 400 horsepower and 408 pound-feet of torque from a supercharged 4.2-liter V8. That’s some serious grunt for a supposedly sedate British luxury car!

Sync Your Ride!

Lincoln Navigator owners wishing they had Ford's industry-exclusive SYNC in-vehicle communications system, need wish no more.

Ford has introduced an affordable, dealer-installed SYNC accessory kit that allows select 2008 Navigator and Navigator L customers to enjoy Ford's voice-activated communications system. SYNC works with most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and digital media players.

Ford first introduced the Microsoft-powered SYNC system on the 2008 Ford Focus. And 11 other 2008 vehicles soon followed, including the Ford Edge, Taurus, and the Lincoln MKX and Lincoln MKZ. As part of Ford's aggressive migration plan, SYNC will be offered on nearly every 2009 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicle.