Author: kurt

Let’s say you had an inline four motor with gear driven dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. Let’s say that motor revved to 14,200 RPM; wouldn’t it be cool to cut away part of the valve cover and watch the cams in action at redline?

BMW thought so, so they filmed the above video as part of the S1000 RR’s development testing. Enjoy it guilt free, because it’s really science you’re watching here, not motor porn.

Source: Autoblog

Audi has chosen the Geneva Motor Show for the introduction of the 2011 RS5, but was kind enough to leak pictures in advance. The tastefully styled coupe will feature a 450 horsepower V8, a seven speed dual clutch transmission and Audi’s Quattro all wheel drive system.

More pics after the jump.

The suspension has been dropped 25mm compared to a standard A5, and Audi’s Drive Select feature will allow drivers to choose between Comfort, Dynamic or Auto ride settings. In case the standard 19” RS wheels don’t do it for you, Audi will offer an optional 20” wheel. For drivers who spend their weekends doing track days, carbon ceramic brakes are an available (but ungodly expensive) option.

No word yet on pricing or availability for the US market, so we’ll need to keep our fingers crossed until Audi’s full release in Geneva.

Source: Inside Line

When Toyota introduced the Mark II Celica Supra to the US in 1982, it didn’t look like anything else on the street. The clean lines and sporty stance were a direct departure from earlier Supra models, which were more about luxury than about performance. The Mark IIs flared fenders, rear spoiler, wide alloy wheels and sloping nose said that Toyota was taking aim at the sports car market in the US.

Unfortunately, the car’s styling wrote checks the 2.8 liter inline six motor couldn’t cash. Good for only 145 horsepower at the car’s launch, it had a hard time propelling the Supra’s 3,000 pound mass to speed. Zero to sixty times were sub-ten seconds, but just barely. Handling was typical of front engine, rear drive cars at the time; with most of the weight up front, the car was prone to understeer despite Lotus’ involvement in the suspension development.

Later years saw increases in horsepower, and by 1985 the Supra made 161 hp and was now capable of sub 8.5 second runs to 60 mph. Styling that had been fresh at launch was beginning to look dated, and slumping sales led to dealer overstock of Celica Supras. In 1986, the the Mark II Supra was replaced by an all new Mark III Supra.

Fast forward twenty five years to 2010. Let’s say you had a tired but cherished 1985 Celica Supra in your garage, and you wanted to freshen it up a bit. Would you pull the stock motor and go for a rebuild? Drop in a Mark III motor for a bit more power? Build up a radical Mazda 13B rotary motor for something REALLY different? Actually, the correct answer for this car is “D, none of the above”. Instead, a former owner chose to drop in a 350 V8 from a 1994 Corvette donor car. If the ad’s numbers are genuine, it’s making 330 horsepower in current tune and should be able to shred the 225/60-14 rear tires in short order.

First the bad news, the car is seriously dated, and now looks about a stylish as a Flock-of-Seagulls haircut and a white linen waiter’s jacket over a pastel t-shirt. The interior is dark red in some spots and sun faded in others and the body appears to have a fair amount of dings and dents. The car had about 200k on the clock when the motor swap was done, so who knows how rattle free the unibody will be? How about the suspension? Was it beefed up to handle the weight of the V8 motor? The selling company claims that “everything works”, and there are 18k miles on the conversion so most of the bugs have been worked out; still, when something does go wrong, where do you go to get it wrenched on?

Now the good news: the seller will gladly part with it for the low, low sum of only $9,388. As long as you can get by the truly ugly interior, don’t mind the scars of parking lot battles lost and are willing to replace rear tires on a weekly basis, only you can decide if that’s a fair price for this aged-but-funky hoon-mobile.

Source: Bring A Trailer

Ford’s Shelby GT500 was voted the “vehicle I’d most like to have in my driveway” by attendees of the Chicago Auto Show. In a subcategory, it was also voted the “vehicle whose owners are most likely to have a tire dealer on speed dial”.

Other awards went to the 2011 Ford Focus, for the best all-new production vehicle; to the Cadillac XTS Platinum for the best concept; to the Chevrolet Volt for the top green vehicle and to Ford for the best auto show exhibit. Unsubstantiated rumor has the “best destruction of a brand image” going to Toyota, who narrowly edged out Tiger Woods.

Source: Autoevolution

Due for a formal unveiling at the New York Auto Show, Kia has released a few design sketches for their 2011 Optima. The Optima is Kia’s flagship sedan, and there are significant changes expected for the new model, including a longer wheelbase, wider track and lower stance.

I hope the new Optima looks this good in the flesh, but “sneak previews” in the auto industry usually turn out to be misleading. Like a plastic surgery gone horribly wrong, let’s hope we don’t get any nasty surprises when the sheet is lifted in New York.

Source: Motor Authority

Kyle Busch took the win in Saturday’s Nationwide series race, edging Greg Biffle by less than a car length. Brad Keselowski took the last podium spot, finishing third. Joey Logano dominated the race, leading 130 of 152 laps but ultimately finishing in fifth spot.

Danica Patrick , who started in the 35th position, was never a factor in Saturday’s race. She finished three laps down, in 31st position and was the first driver lapped by the field. Two penalties for pit lane speed violations did nothing to help her effort.

In Sprint Cup racing, Jimmie Johnson took the win in Sunday’s Auto Club 500 in Fontana, California. Kevin Harvick took second, with Jeff Burton finishing third. The race was delayed by rain at around lap 200, and there were six cautions for a total of thirty laps. Juan Pablo Montoya looked to be a serious contender for the win in the early stages, but was sidelined with an engine failure after leading the first 29 laps.

Source: Autoweek

A spectator at Saturday’s NHRA Arizona Nations was killed in a freak accident, when the left rear tire of Antron Brown’s Top Fuel dragster came loose and bounced into the stands. The woman was airlifted to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

Video after the jump.

Brown lost control when the wheel separated from the dragster, which then flipped and hit the retaining wall. The driver was shaken by the incident but unhurt in the crash.

Source: CNN, video ESPN

Evan Lysacek, the U.S. figure skater who just took the gold medal in men’s figure skating, is a car guy. Specifically, he’s got a jones for all things British and currently drives a Range Rover. A Range Rover that he was going to trade in on a Bentley before he saw the light; as soon as his promotional schedule allows, he’s going shopping for an Aston Martin DBS .

I’d be the first to tell you that I don’t understand figure skating. First, there are no motors involved, no laps and no clock to beat. Scoring is completely subjective and requires years of in depth knowledge; others may see beauty and grace, but I see I guy in a frilly Lycra costume cranking out spins and jumps on the ice. Still, mad props to Evan Lysacek for his accomplishment in beating Evgeni Plushenko, the Russian deemed by many to be the world’s best. Even more props to Lysacek for being a car guy and not a poser; anyone who chooses an Aston Martin over a Bentley is OK in my book.

Source: Yahoo Sports

Take one BMW S1000 RR, add tire spikes and haul it to the middle of a frozen lake. Much hoonage ensues.

The S1000 RR is BMW’s first attempt at building a world class superbike. Known for their conservative sport tourers, BMW built the S1000 RR to compete in World Superbike. How different is it from their usual fare? How about a 14,500 RPM redline and 193 horsepower in a bike that weighs in at 450 pounds wet? I’m guessing the terms “flying brick” and “Gummikuh” (rubber cow) no longer apply.

Source: Autoblog

Getting the minivans into orbit wasn’t the problem; keeping them from burning up on re-entry was.

Source: You Drive What?

If you live in America, that is. Dammit, why do the Euros get all the good toys? First the Ford Focus RS and now this?

If you’re on the fence about moving across the pond, here’s what you need to know. The Citroen DS3 Racing Special will be available in the second half of the year, it makes 200 horsepower from a 1.6 liter turbocharged four and they’re only making 1,000 of them. The suspension has beem widened by 30mm and lowered by 15mm, and stiffer springs have been added. Traction control can be disabled for track day hoonage, and four piton brakes make sure you can reign it in quickly.

The graphics package is a little much and I could do without all the fake carbon fiber, but I’d still love to flog the crap out of one.

Autoweek is running the above ad in the February 22 issue of their magazine. Developed by Coyne Communications as a public service ad, I think it’s right on the money. First, every single person with or without a license thinks their driving skills are better than they actually are. Second, there are more cars on the road today than ever before. Finally, there are more distractions within our cars (uber-wattage stereos, video navigation, a dozen cupholders, etc.) than at any time in the past. I say we all take a step back and think about this for a second.

I see dozens of examples of bonehead driving each and every time I get behind the wheel, and a cell phone is usually the common denominator. Is any conversation important enough that you need to risk your life, the lives of your passengers and the lives of complete strangers? I’m going with “no” on that one.

Source: Autoweek

Remember Fritz Henderson, GM’s last CEO who was told to not let the door hit him in the ass last December? The CEO that pretty much ran GM into the ground?

Guess what? He’s back.

GM has announced the return of Fritz Henderson as a “consultant”, for the sum of $59,090 per month. Wait; it gets better. Henderson will work 20 hours per month to “earn” this salary. No need to do the math, because I’ve already done it for you – that works out to be $2,954.50 per hour.

Has GM lost their minds? No one is worth that kind of scratch, unless they can tell me the next ten winners of the Super Bowl, Kentucky Derby and the World Series. They’d better damn well give me a few winning mega-million lotto numbers while we’re at it, too. Henderson must have video tape of Ed Whitacre, dressed in a diaper, being spanked by a transvestite hooker.

Funny, but isn’t GM largely owned by the American government? I don’t remember any politicians asking me if I thought this was a good idea.

We here at RideLust get a lot of questions from readers. Most ask how they can have a fabulous career as a jet-setting automotive writer, in which case we tell them that blackmail pics of industry execs having sex with farm animals is a really good way to start. Or to get really, really good with Photoshop so you can create blackmail pics. Sometimes people ask us what it’s like to drive the Bugatti Veyron, and all of us on staff can answer with authority, because we’ve flogged the snot out of one in Need For Speed: Shift. Not to brag, but we’re all pretty good behind the wheel of a Ford GT, Lamborghini Murcielago or McLaren F1, too.

One question that keeps coming across our desks is, “How can I become a car show girl?” The truth is that there’s no easy answer to that question. For starters, first we’d need to see you in bikini or underwear pics. Next we need to see you nude, and then, if you’re suitable material, we’ll call you in for a “clothing optional” interview.

Not everyone has what it takes to be a car show girl, even at the amateur level. For example, we’ve rejected the following candidates and with enough therapy, may eventually be able to get their pictures out of our heads:

Next, I guess we’d need to define what a car show girl is. At the bottom rung of the ladder are the tuner car or local car club show girls, whose primary job is to look hot and show skin. You’re there to distract from a car’s flaws, because who’s going to notice a Krylon paint job on a $10 body kit when there’s a stripper pole and two models playing tonsil hockey next to it?

To qualify for this role, you need to look smokin’ in a bikini, not be averse to showing skin and possessed of loose morals. As with being a stripper, the ability to suck a golf ball through fifty feet of garden hose is an optional, but desired, talent. There are no intelligence requirements to compete at this level, and in fact it’s better if you’re not quite as smart as a file cabinet. Don’t speak English? No problem; in fact, you get bonus points for that. Here are some examples:

So what’s in it for the models at this stage of the game? The pay, if you actually get paid, will be small. You’ll get to meet a lot of guys with mulletts and bad tattoos and you’ll get offered a lot of rides in Mustangs, Camaros, Evos or nitrous plumbed Civics. Chances are good you’ll never meet anyone famous, or get to the next car show girl level, but you will get the satisfaction of knowing that you’re helping hundreds of adolescent males get through puberty. If you’re lucky, they won’t send you the pics.

Next time: moving on up, or how to be an umbrella girl.

Author’s note: So You Want To Be A Car Show Girl will be a semi-reoccurring piece on RIdeLust. It’s written tongue-in-cheek and should in no way be taken seriously. Except the part about sending us bikini or underwear pics if you’re over 18. We meant that.

In 1974, Car and Driver magazine sponsored the construction of a Pinto race car for IMSA road racing competition. After studying every automotive option, the Pinto was chosen for its weight, handling, displacement and affordability. Pics after the jump.

The concept was simple: take an everyday car and convert it into a class winning race car on a shoestring budget. With Patrick Bedard behind the wheel, the Pinto ran four races in 1974, capturing two poles and one win. It was then campaigned in the US and Canada (under different livery) by Bob Leier, who stored it after the 1975 Daytona race. It remained parked until 2005, when Don Sherman (technical Editor at Automobile Magazine) purchased it and began a full restoration.

I’ve got it bad for Pinto race cars, since I raced a 1972 in SCCA ITB competition. The Car and Driver version is MUCH better prepared and ready to run for track days or vintage racing. It’s for sale on eBay, and if I had the coin it would soon be in my garage. Does anybody need a kidney? I may have one for sale.

Source: The Garage Blog

Chris Pfeiffer is a better rider than you. He even has the title of “World Stunt Champion”, and BMW pays him to fly around the world and ride motorcycles. Life doesn’t get too much better than that.

Above is an actual press package photo for the release of the 1982 Pontiac Firebird S/E. Nice panel fit, especially on a car used for publicity photos.

Automakers in the U.S. and abroad have really ramped up quality over the past 20 years. It’s been a a long time since I’ve witnessed a new car burn to the ground because someone forgot to put a hose clamp on a fuel line (saw it twice in person, with 1980s Fords).

Source: Hemmings Auto Blogs

For years, there were two best choices atop the “cute ute” mini-SUV pile. If you wanted style, comfort and reliability, your options were the Toyota RAV 4 or the Honda CR-V. Things aren’t that clear cut anymore, given the recent recalls from both automakers and prices driven up by increasing vehicle content.

So where do you shop if you’re looking for a mini SUV to haul four people with reasonable fuel economy? Hyundai, for their Tucson. January sales of the Tucson were up 128 percent, forcing the Korean manufacturer to boost production to meet demand. Still think that Hyundai only makes disposable cars? Consumer Reports disagrees, since they named the Tucson one of their most reliable vehicles in 2009.

Source: Autoblog

I’m not a Harley guy. Their motor technology is 80 years old, their bikes shake bad enough that anything not safety wired or threadlocked down will eventually fall off and most of their engineering leaves me scratching my head. For some reason, I’ve got it bad for the XR1200, and the guys from Storz Performance aren’t helping any with their new showbike.

I want it, in a purely sexual kind of way. I’ll break it in at Deal’s Gap, running the Dragon WFO and tearing the knee armor from my trusty Aerostitch suit. I’ll ride it until my eyeballs bleed and all the fillings in my teeth rattle out. Crude, unrefined and painfully uncomfortable after an hour in the saddle? I don’t care, because it just looks so damn good. I’ve got plenty of threadlock and safety wire in the garage.

Want your XR1200 to look like this? Contact Storz Performance.

“Finally,” thought Cletus, “I can use that newspaper box in front of my house for somethin’ good.”

Source: You Drive What?