Mini Releases Some Not so Mini Models

In the 1960s the Mini Cooper drive by Paddy Hopkirk won the world rally a number of times proving that skill and great handling were all you need. Well all you need for a rally victory at the time and it astounded the racing world. How could a car with no supercharger or turbocharger be able to take world rally victory? The Mini was amazing in the fact that it could keep its speed up through the corners due to its light weight and amazing driver. The original mini was just that….mini it was small but yet had good space inside and could park almost anywhere.

In the year 2000 the last version of the original Mini rolled off the line and hence signaled the end of the mini lineage but the end was not to be. The New Mini as it is known rolled off the line and became an instant hit, the car sold in millions. The New Mini hit the million unit mark in just 6 years of production and sales have not slowed down since. While the Mini is now built by BMW it has maintained the spirit of the original while acquiring a ton of modern safety equipment.  In the past 2 years Mini has begun to expand the brand and released some new models into the automotive world.

The Mini Cooper convertible was the first release which looked great and for some reason has a gauge to tell you how much you have driven with the top down. Strange as that is, even more so is the fact the Mini had customer sign a contract that they would drive with the top down a certain number of miles in the first year. This of course was all about marketing and letting people see the car in the “Wild” and then go buy one of their own. Next was the Mini Clubman that is pretty new 2011 model year new in fact. The clubman is a 5 door version of the Mini…it’s a bit longer but maintains the look and feel of the Mini. The latest offering from Mini is called the Countryman and while it looks like a Mini in spirit it is a bit too large for my taste. The whole idea of a mini is that it is well….mini and the country man is not a small car by any means. So if people like the Countryman then it may just keep the mini spirit alive for the larger car enthusiast just like the New Mini did for the super mini lover. 

This Years Pike Peak Hill Climb is in the Books

In the world of racing there are few things that test a car and drivers skill and sheer determination more than an endurance race. The 24 hour at Nürburgring is a race that will test the endurance for even the worlds hardest drivers, but for sheer adrenaline nothing can compare to the Pikes Peak hill climb.  This hill climb is a race that is so intense it was featured in Gran Tourismo as a special stage and is one of the most grueling rally stages ever. This races tests cars to the limit not just what the cars drivers but the various components like the wheel hub and bearing assembly.

The race is so hard because it is a straight hill climb up one of the most difficult roads on the planet. Every year more and more of the road is being paved but the sheer altitude of the road makes it very difficult for the pavers to operate. In fact there is only about a 2 month window where the temperature ever gets high enough for paving to happen. About the paved area is a gravel and mud section that shifts and changes by the minute. Some drivers go just to finish the track and others go to break world records.

Even though when it comes to sports cars the last name we all think of is Suzuki they are able to make some amazing hill climb vehicles. This year was no exception, they built what they called a SX4 hill climb special but this car has nothing in common with the SX4 that is on the local lot. The Hill Climb edition is a twin turbo V6 mid-engine tube frame race car boasting all-wheel drive, in fact the only thing that makes it a “SX4” are the headlight stickers on the front. Think NASCAR Ford Taurus…yeah not a Taurus in anyway but more of a Taurus “theme”.

The goal this year for many of the teams was to get up the beastly mountain in less than 10 min. While most of the teams fell short of this due to mechanical issues the Suzuki team blew that 10 min goal out of the water with a 9:51. This is nothing short of the fastest time ever posted in a Pikes Peak event. The team of Rhys Millen fell short of the 10 min goal due to brake failure but Rhys was able to limp his car over line 7 seconds short of the goal. All in all a disappointing weekend for many of the teams but to honest it is a huge accomplishment just to make it to the top. 

The First Lamborghini Aventador Sets Down in the United States

Some of the most iconic cars in the world have the least visibility to the public, on the streets that is. Cars like the McLaren F1 from the 90s and not the Bugatti Veyron are good examples. They may be some of the most famous cars ever built have you ever seen one in person or driving down the street in your town. The answer is probably no, these turbocharger and supercharger equipped monsters exist in a world of super luxury. A world that unfortunately most of us will never experience but we can all dream. Lamborghini recently released a new dream machine into the wild…the Aventador.

The Aventador is a new model from the iconic car builder packing a 700 HP punch to hurl the driver to 62 MPH is 2.9 seconds. Amazingly this car is being sold in the good ole US of A where safety regulations usually keep us from getting the really fun stuff. Things like the Nissan Skyline GTR and Pagani Zonda are great examples of the cars we miss out on here in the colonies. This time though those super rich folks here won’t be deprived like they usually are, huge houses and Dom Perignon flowing like water but something was missing. Well not anymore because the first Aventador has landed in the states and anyone with $400K can snatch one up…well plus the registration fee. A fee that will hit the $100,000 mark on this one but hey it’s a small price to pay (not really) for quality.

In the world of Wally 118 mega yachts and gold plated toilets there is a new toy and I can’t wait to see one on the road. Well maybe there will be one in my drive way…alright off to buy some lottery tickets. 

Lotus Steps Up To the Big Boys

This year Lotus has stepped into the ring with a bunch of new competitors for the big boys out there like Ferrari and Porsche. The New Lotus Esprit is the main focus of the trash talking that lotus has been doing. This new model uses an all new V8 sourced from Lotus itself, a 570HP V8 at that. This new car will use an amazing steering rack instead of a steering gearbox that adjust depending on the speed of the car. Besides having a power plant that will rocket the car to 60 in that low 3 second range the new Esprit also looks great as well.

Lotus has set their sites on the Ferrari 458 and the McLaren MP4-12C who are direct head to head competitors. Not to mention that they both are built to be race cars and only hit the streets after the race versions had shown what they have. Now that is not to say that lotus does not have a racing background because that would be ridiculous to say. Lotus started as a race team and they are very very successful and have just begun fielding a racing team. What I am saying is that the Esprit as not had enough public track time to really be able to back up any trash talking that the CEO may be talking.

The old Esprit was a monster of a car but not exactly the fastest thing around. When the Esprit was hitting the track it was competing against cars like the Lamborghini Diablo SV and cars of that nature. Now cars have really stepped up their game since the new McLaren has been built to be the best handling car ever built. Now that is one hell of a statement but if anyone can do it I believe that McLaren can do it. To be honest no matter which car is the fastest, I would love to have any of them. I would be partial to the McLaren just because it is very understated and looks like it may not grab every cops attention from here to Japan.

Lingenfelter Opens His Car Collection to the Public

There are a rare number of car collectors in the world who can actually handle the magnitude of keeping cars in great condition. Cars are just like art, if they sit for a long time they will deteriorate. The Turbo seals will dry out and the supercharger gaskets will fall apart just due to moisture in the air. Ken Lingenfelter is a man who knows how to do just that and his collection span the whole range of cars from Pontiac to Ferrari. Recently Lingenfelter opened his collection to the public to view, it is a seriously amazing sight and only $15 to get in.

The Doors open up to a virtual warehouse of the most amazing cars on the planet. Lingenfelter is the son of a General motors executive and has dedicated his life to collecting the most beautiful machines on the planet. The collection includes a number of exotics, just a few examples are an Enzo, Bugatti Veyron, Alfa 8C, Ferrari 599 GTB and even a BMW Z8 just to name a few. Lingenfelter is not only about the supercars though, he has a collection of classic and new muscle cars that would make any man weak in the knees.

All of the cars are kept in a temperature and the humidity controlled warehouse. Each is also subject to monthly inspections and cleaned on a regular basis to keep them in tip top shape. What has to be the best part of the collection are the concept cars and limited production cars too. Lingenfelter has 4 of the original 2010 Camaro concept cars as well as a Lamborghini Reventon the 12^th ever built.  This amazing collection is in Michigan and if you are in the area and you’re a motor head…it’s worth the trip. 

Who Says the Muscle Car is Dead

Over the past few years the steep incline in gas prices has just about killed the big SUV market. No one wants to roll into a gas station and see a bill for $200 in that price window. Even if you have a state of the art car radio with a car navigation system that directs you to the cheapest gas in town. This trend has now even followed suit with trucks, while the truck may be a staple in American society the sheer price of gas has knocked sales down to an all-time low. There is one type of car that would not lay down and give in to the trend of the auto industry. These are the muscle cars, the cars with huge V8 engines just because they can.

Muscle cars are the cars that people buy, not because they want a car to get from A to B but because they want a muscle car. The idea of a muscle car is simple, big car and even bigger motor. In the last few years many of the classic muscle car name plates have seen a rebirth into modern models. The muscle car is designed to get the driver there in style and have that sound that will rumble the earth around them. 2012 may be the last year of the muscle car though, in 2014 most of the current models will roll out with smaller lighter bodies and smaller motors too. While the smaller motors will be turbo and make plenty of power it just won’t be the same. The new mustang is set to be about 3/4^th the size of the current range and sport a twin turbo V6 in the GT models. Now from seeing the Nissan GTR which makes 500Hp from a V6 we all know it can be done but it just seems wrong for the muscle car.

There are a few positives that will come from this new idea of the muscle car, one is safety. With smaller lighter cars there is less energy released in a crash hence less danger and of course better fuel economy. Another factor that will hopefully come into play is restoration and maybe those people who can’t buy a muscle car at the dealer anymore will set their minds on restoration. Let’s hope because seeing a rusted from of a classic in a junk yard is kinda sad.

Another Amazing 24 Hour LeMans is in the Books

This year’s race was one of the most spectacular in recent memory from the introduction of new models to just completely insane crashes. Audi still stands tall on the podium but it was rough ride to get there. The manufacturer had introduced their new R18 TDI Proto Type car this year and while very…very fast it seemed to have an issue staying on the road, losing 2 of the 3 cars during the race. These cars use new super-efficient turbochargers and radiator fan units attached to newly designed cooling units to attain the power they need.

In the first few laps of the race one of the Audi drivers seems to have been a bit over enthusiastic and tried to cut and inside line resulting in a collision with a Ferrari and sending them both off the track. While the Ferrari was able to be repaired, the pure speed the audi was traveling sent it into the barrier. Pieces of the car rained down like a sudden spring sun shower that had people running for cover. A few hours later the second R18 ate it after miss-judging a pass. The rear tire ended up in the rough sending the car careening across the track into the wall, resulting in a glorious explosion of carbon fiber and rubber.

At the end of the day though there was only one story that topped the LeMans news boards and that was the battle between Peugeot and Audi that came down to a 15 second gap that the Peugeot teams could not close up. A 15 second gap is the tightest racing that has ever been recorded at leMans and also amazing. The one remaining Audi was able to hold off all four of the Peugeot prototype cars that were hot on its tail. When the flag went down it was an all Audi and Michelin an amazing victory for both companies. It was also an awesome event to watch…even if you did pass out 8 hours into the race.

When Will Those Pesky Flying Cars Arrive

For decades now writers have been predicting a world where we would all drive flying cars, I think it was somewhere around 1995 for their arrival. Ha just Imagine what the car navigation system would looks like having to help you with 3d driving. The car stereo would have to be so powerful to drown out the sound of the motors that it would probably kill the car when the base hit. But honestly where are they? Does anyone remember a decade ago when the Moller Skycar was being tested? No, back in the early 2000’s there was a flying car that was almost ready for production and then boom…it’s gone.

After thinking about flying cars for a few minutes images of flying free through the sky pop into your head. Ahhh the freedom to go where ever you want without the need of roads, a luring thought indeed. It would be great to get in your car in the morning, no rush hour just up and you are there but ponder this for a moment. I think I may know why this never came to be or at least not yet. You ever see those people on the road swerving all over, reading the paper while talking on the phone and driving? Yep you know the one…well now they would be in control of something much more dangerous than a car.

Maybe the flying car has vanished not because the technology is not there but more because as people we can’t handle it.  Well maybe not all of us can, but for those of us who could wow that would be great. 

The Convertible Crazy is Coming

It’s summer and that means lots of things for the car industry, one of the main ones is that all the new convertible models hit the showroom floor. The appeal of a convertible is easy to see, the freedom, the sun on your face and the wind on your bald spot but which one to choose. Sure all of the new models have great car navigation system units and car stereo units but what sets them apart.

Money is for sure a factor, if it were not there would be a ton more Gallardo Convertibles running around.  Convertibles are a “want” kind of a car not a “need” type so the car market is littered with cars that have a convertible option. Not all convertibles are created equal, some are made to be fast and some are just made to make you feel happy.  There are some interesting new models coming out this year that look to capture some of the market. There are the normal run of supercar based convertibles such as the Audi R8 and R8 GT convertibles that are aimed at the super rich. There are also cars like the Fiat 500 Cabrio aimed at a slightly less affluent crowd.  

The most interesting buuuuut maybe not the best-selling convertible this year is the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet which is basically a Murano with only two door and a convertible roof. This is the first of its kind to be mass produced since it is a SUV, now one could make the argument that the wrangler is the same thing but it is not a true open air topless vehicle. This is an attempt by a car company to try something new in the always difficult US car market. It may be successful though….the PT cruiser sold and it was the same sort of unclassifiable vehicle. Oh and for all you billionaires out there don’t forget about the Pagani Zonda Roadster it just may be the ultimate convertible. 

Shoe Horning a Huge Engine….Yes Please

In the world of modern technology where a 3.5L motor can make 500 HP without any issue why swap in the 5.0L? Turbo and supercharger technology is quickly making up the difference that a huge engine makes, so it may seem like a dumb choice for the car builder.  The appeal of the big classic V8 in a car is the simplicity these car were basically run by simple computers that anyone with a basic knowledge could install. Many of the modern turbo motors are so complex you would need a degree in engineering to understand them…much less wire them.

Now if your over the age of 20 you probably remember the coyote strapping himself to a rocket and chasing after the road runner. The idea being the giant V8 is about the same, lots of power and no idea where you will end up. The popular Monster Miata swap is a great example of this, extremely light Miata and the motor from a corvette. When it comes to going fast with real speed it is all about “adding lightness” now that may sound weird but it is a phrase that many companies swear by.

Big motors are what American car companies have used for years to make their cars more interesting to the consumer.  Most Europeans cars are lighter and there for can use a much smaller motor, so the idea here is to take that lighter car and give it some crazy power. As car guys and gals we all know what to do to get our thrill of speed, sometimes we can go to the track. Other times we can go to the theme park and let a roller coaster make us scream for dear life but nothing gives the same thrill as building our dream machine. 

Have Gas Prices had an Effect on Gear Heads of the World

It seems like nothing is cheap these days, from power steering rack and steering gear box units to packs of gum. Everything costs so much, I don’t want to sound like an old timer but I do remember a time when a dollar bought a gallon of gas. Back in the day we used to cruise in my 83 Buick with the windows down and the “system” up, I put that in quotes cause the stereo in it was a joke. We felt great just having a car but then testosterone started flowing and the need for speed had begun. It is not just me a whole generation of kids got their first Honda and thought hmmmm, I wonder if it can go faster. So I did like everyone else my age, swapped the engine to the B18C5R (Type R motor) and then eventually turbocharged the car.

In the pursuit of speed my friends and I built 240s with V8’s and skyline motors. We built Mr2’s that could blow the doors off Ferraris like they were KIAs but in the end we have all settled into more economical cars as we aged. When I look back I kinda feel bad for the motor head growing up now, $5 for a gallon of gas has to make it a bit rough. I mean when I was doing this 10 years ago we could run to the pump get $10 bucks and race all night (legally…of course).

So is there a whole generation who is going to lose out on the quest for speed, the short answer is no. We all thirst for the thrill, be it from speed or other sources and we will always find it. The new generation of gear heads will have to learn the new technologies like electric motor s and hybrid powertrains. So the car nut of the future will have to be a little more tech savy but let’s be honest, they already are smart phones, tablets, IPhones they know it all.