Author: kurt

I wonder if this would work on zoned out, cell phone fixated drivers. On a closed road, with lots of run-off area, of course.

Thanks to my buddy Dan for finding this.

Perhaps the single most iconic racing car in history, the Porsche 917 is what most people think of when they hear the name LeMans. This isn’t surprising, as Porsche developed the 917 to compete in the storied endurance race, and 917s gave Porsche their first LeMans win in 1970. More pics after the jump.

Steve McQueen added to the cars fame with the release of his 1971 film, LeMans, which featured actual footage of the 1970 race. If you’ve never seen the film, you should; it’s not much for dialogue or plot, but it features great racing footage of Porsche 917s battling Ferrari 512s.

Porsche produced the 917 from 1969 through 1973, in a total of six variants. Engines were flat 12s and ranged from 620 horsepower to over 1,100 horsepower in the 917/30 configuration. Early 917s were ill tempered and evil handling, since Porsche sculpted the body with low drag, not downforce, in mind. Brian Redman, famous for his mastery of the 917 in various versions, recalled that, “it was incredibly unstable, using all the road at speed.” An accident at the start of the 1969 LeMans race claimed the life of John Woolfe, the first privateer to race the 917.

By 1970, Porsche had developed aerodynamic enhancements that improved the cars behavior at high speeds and the victories began to accumulate. Other body styles were built in an attempt to reduce drag, but maintain some level of drivability. Five 917LH “Longtail” versions were built, including the “Hippie Car” shown here.

The last major variant of the 917, the 917/30, was introduced in 1973 and featured an open cockpit design to compete in the North American Can-Am Challenge. It remains the most powerful sports racer ever produced; in qualifying trim, running 39 pounds of boost, the 12 cylinder twin-turbo motor produced 1,580 horsepower. This was good enough to propel the 1,800 pound car to 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph) in 1.9 seconds. The car would hit 200 mph in 10.9 seconds and had a top speed of 260 miles per hour. Ironically, the car that so forcefully dominated Can-Am racing also led to its demise; concerned that speeds had gotten too high and that motor racing was seen as wasteful following the original oil crisis, the SCCA pulled the plug on the series in 1974.

Assuming you can still qualify to get in the queue for a lease, that is. You want to buy one, and not lease it? Sorry, Charlie, no can do. All 150 U.S. Lexus LFA will be delivered on a two year lease, costing $12,398 per month. At the end of the lease term, drivers will have the option of purchasing their cars, after they get nicked for excessive mileage, wear and tear and dealer processing fees, I’m sure. Oh, and you have to pay the entire amount of the lease, $297,552, when you take delivery.

No word if the twelve large per month includes scheduled maintenance. I’m sure that’s not a concern for those rich enough to part with 1/4 the price of new Corvette each month for the latest “look-at-me-I’m-filthy-stinking-rich” supercar.

Source: Straightline

Now that both the NHTSA and Toyota have completed their recreation of the Harrison, NY Toyota crash, maybe we can move on and stop seeing Prius’ on the news every single night.

Unlike the California crash, which appears to be a case of “let’s capitalize on Toyota’s bad publicity to get a free new car”, the Harrison crash is nothing more than good old fashioned driver error. Data retrieved from the wrecked Prius shows that the throttle was pinned wide open, while the brakes were never applied. Since most sane and non-suicidal people don’t drive full throttle into rock walls, we’ll chalk this one up to driver error, even though the local police chief insists his department isn’t yet done with the investigation.

You know what really scares me? Americans have already demonstrated that we can’t handle cars with proper gas and brake pedal placement, as was proven by the whole Audi unintended acceleration debacle back in the 1980s. If we keep this up, all cars sold in America will have a one-foot gap between the accelerator and the brake so you can’t confuse the two. Worse yet, we’ll get some ridiculous voiced warning that requires confirmation, like, “Hello, driver. You seem to have stepped on the accelerator rather abruptly. Did you intend to do this, or was your movement accidental?”

God help us as a society. If we can’t even distinguish between gas and brake pedals, we’re doomed.

I’ve had exactly one company car in my life, a 1990 Ford Taurus sedan. It was an LX if I remember correctly, so it had Ford’s 3.8 liter V6 mated to a four speed automatic transmission. It was plenty comfortable, but had a nasty habit of cooking the brakes while driving down mountain passes in Colorado. The transmission didn’t allow you to select third gear, so your options were to choose second and listen to the motor scream at 5,000 RPM with the speedometer pegged at 40, or to select drive and hope the brakes lasted to the bottom of the pass. I got real good at looking for truck run-off areas, just in case. Standard procedure was to pry off the wheel covers (for that extra bit of brake cooling) before I headed into the mountains.

If you’ve won the world driving championship two times and currently work for Ferrari, you’re options are a bit better. Given the choice of products in the Ferrari or Maserati catalog, Alonso opted for the 2010 Maserati Gran Turismo Convertible as his daily driver and grocery getter. With 433 horsepower, it won’t get the mileage of my old Taurus, but it will certainly get him to appointments in greater haste. I’m guessing he won’t have to deal with any brake overheating issues, either.

I wonder if he’ll go for a vanity plate that reads DOES 185…

Source: MotorAuthority

Automakers are scrambling to comply with ever tightening CAFE mileage requirements. Most have adopted new powertrains favoring turbocharged fours and sixes over thirsty V8s, or have increased hybrid vehicle offerings across their product line.

Mazda, late to the party, appears to be scrambling to boost fuel economy across their product range. Their first step was to introduce a normally aspirated four cylinder motor as an option for buyers of CX-7 crossovers. On the table is the introduction of Mazda’s Sky-D four cylinder turbo diesel motor in the CX-7, which makes good sense to me. The Sky-D, not yet in production, will produce about 200 horsepower but around 300 ft-lbs of torque. The motor would be mated to Mazda’s Sky-Drive six speed automatic transmission to further maximize fuel economy.

I’ve driven the CX-7 with the current turbocharged four, and it always seemed like a bizarre choice of motor to me. Why shoehorn a high strung, turbocharged motor better suited to the Miata into a crossover / minivan? A turbo diesel makes more sense in both drivability and fuel mileage, so here’s hoping that the rumors prove to be true.

Source: Left Lane News

Alright, I know this is RideLust and not FlightLust, but work with me on this, OK? Planes are cool, and new fighter aircraft are particularly cool.

The above video shows the first vertical landing of the new F35B Lightning II, which happened this weekend at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. There will be three variants of the F35 but the video shows the F-35B, designed to replace the TAV-8A Harrier used by the United States Marine Corps.

The F35 is smaller than the other “next generation” fighter, the F22 Raptor. The F35 uses a single engine as opposed to the F22s twin engine design. Though physically smaller, the F35 has a larger radar cross section than the F22. Both are still considered stealth aircraft, since the F35 appears no larger than a metal golf ball to enemy radar (the F22 is about the size of a metal ball bearing to enemy radar).

A short take off and landing (STOL) aircraft is essential to the USMC’s mission of rapid response and support of ground troops in remote locations. To achieve vertical lift, thrust is vectored from the engine downward; the tricky part is modulating the thrust to achieve a balanced aircraft. Harriers were notoriously difficult to fly and required longer training for pilots; the F-35B is designed to be easier to fly and more maneuverable than previous STOL aircraft.

The F-35B will be rolled out in 2012 and will eventually replace both the Harrier and the F/A-18 Hornet.

Source: Neatorama

I was thinking about the demise of Isuzu the other day, and it reminded me of all the classic Joe Isuzu commercials from the late 1980s to early 1990s. Back then, Isuzu was a growing Japanese manufacturer with an identity crisis; their cars and trucks were good, but no one had ever heard of them. Enter Joe Isuzu, a fast talking pitch man (played by actor David Leisure) who could sell ice to Eskimos. Sure, he lied to the television audience, but you KNEW he was lying because the claims were so bizarre. It was funny in the same way that Jeremy Clarkson’s remarks on The Stig are funny; you know his testicles aren’t shaped liked Portugal, but the claim is so off the wall that you laugh anyway. That’s what the old Joe Isuzu commercials were like.

Isuzu pulled out of the US Market in early 2009, a victim of inconsistant product strategies and a poorly established dealer network. Their trucks were good (good enough to be rebadged and sold as Hondas and Acuras), but their cars were bland and never enjoyed the market share of rivals Toyota and Nissan. After the success they enjoyed during the Joe Isuzu years, they never again invested heavily in U.S. advertising, and no one seemed to notice when they disappeared from the American landscape.

The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is an embarassment of riches; no matter where you turn, there are amazing cars as far as the eye can see. The organizers do a good job of providing content for everyone, from early “horseless carriage” cars all the way through contemporary street and race cars. Want the eclectic? You’ll find one-of-a-kind prototypes and concepts alongside multi-million dollar Duesenbergs and Bugattis.

I’m not much of an early car guy, though. I can appreciate them for what they are, but at the end of the day I wouldn’t want one in my garage. Cars (and bikes) are meant to be driven, and vintage vehicles generally don’t handle worth a damn or stop worth a damn. Sure they may be fast in a straight line, but bias ply tires and drum brakes don’t make for track day fun. Some cars, though, make me toss all logic out the window; maybe it’s lust or maybe it’s something deeper.

Despite the fact that there were faster cars, more valuable cars and even sexier cars, the two that I’d most like to see in my garage were the 1967 Corvette Coupe with the big block 427 motor owned by Myles and Amy Douglas and the 1955 300SL owned by Al and Mary Barbour. Why? I’m not sure, but both cars were perhaps the best prepared examples I’ve ever seen. Both looked exactly the same as they had in the dealer’s showroom so many yerars ago, but you got the feeleing that both cars were drivers and not just trailer queens. Anyway, here are my favorites:

1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Coupe

1955 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing

How To Get Jail Time For A Speeding Ticket – Watch more Funny Videos

Sure it sucks to get pulled over for speeding, but if you do, just be polite. Don’t admit guilt, but don’t ever get into a confrontation with the guy wearing a badge. You’re not going to win, and you may just piss him off enough to show up in court when you see the judge about your ticket.

Oh, and when the traffic stop is over, don’t put your car in reverse and floor the accelerator, either.

Source: Break

Missed your chance to buy a new McLaren F1 back in the 90s? Got a spot in your garage for a mid engine, rear drive 600 horsepower supercar, but want one that’s easier to live with on a daily basis than the original McLaren F1? Then get your financing in order, because the McLaren MP4-12C may be just the ticket. More pics after the jump.

First of a range of new automobiles from McLaren Automotive, the MP4-12C will be built in Woking, England. It will utilize a carbon fiber chassis to minimize weight and borrows heavily from McLaren’s F1 bag of tricks. To reduce understeer in fast corners, the car will use ‘brake steer’ technology which brakes the inside rear wheel. To minimize shift time, gears can be pre-selected on the steering wheel’s paddle shifter. The interior abandons the F1’s 1+2 layout in favor of a more convention 2 seat side-by-side configuration.

Final pricing for the North American market has not been published, but estimates put it somewhere north of $225,000. Given the target market and level of performance, I’d say that’s just about right.

One of the most beautiful race cars ever produced, the Jaguar XJ13 never turned a wheel in competition. Built to contend with the likes of Ford and Ferrari at LeMans, the XJ13 prototype was finished too late to compete in the 1966 event. By 1967, the rules had changed to limit engine displacement to 3 liters, and Jaguar had no suitable replacement motor.

More pics after the jump.

The car was used as a testbed for Jaguar’s V12 engine development, and was then to be used for publicity. During the filming of a promotional video, the car lost a wheel at speed and suffered a devastating crash. Jaguar decided to rebuild the car, finishing the restoration in 1973. To keep the car as authentic as possible, a repaired piston was used instead of a new one; the car could be driven, but it would not hold up to the rigors of a race track.

Preserved in Jaguar’s Heritage Collection, the XJ13 saw light duty at car shows and special events. In 2002, the car again suffered a damaging accident when it rolled off a high curb and cracked the original 12 cylinder engine block. Jaguar once again made the correct decision; the car would be rebuilt, this time to full working condition. The restoration was completed in 2007, and the XJ13 made it’s public reappearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

How good was the XJ13? The 12 cylinder, 5 liter motor developed in excess of 500 horsepower, good enough for a top speed of 161 miles per hour. The engine and transaxle bolted to the aluminum frame and served as the only support structure aft of the cockpit bulkhead. Suspension components were bolted directly to the transaxle. The sensuous body was created by Jaguar’s aerodynamicist, Malcom Sayer, who was the man behind the D type and C type Jags.

The fact that only one XJ13 was ever produced only ads to the car’s appeal. Sure you can buy a replica, but what gear head among us wouldn’t love to have the original XJ13 in his collection?

Source: Supercars

http://www.supercars.net/cars/3833.html

Who says that Ferrari 250 GTOs should be relegated to museums and stuffy rich collectors who’d never drive them on the street? Here’s one we all can enjoy.

Source: Break

Ivan learned the hard way that he’d never recover the cost of his resto rod project.

Source: MegaMoto

Honda has announced a recall for 2007 and 2008 Odyssey minivans and Element crossovers. Over time, the braking systems VSA modulator can build up air and lead to a soft pedal feel and compromised braking performance.

While a very low percentage of vehicles are potentially effected, Honda is trying to avoid becoming the next Toyota by being proactive with recalls. A total of 344,000 Odyssey models and 68,000 Elements are being recalled, a number which as already impacted Honda’s stock on the Nikkei index.

It was just a few weeks ago that Honda recalled a boatload of Accord, Civic, Odyssey, CR-V and Acura TL models to correct a faulty airbag inflator module. Here’s hoping that both Honda and Toyota have finished up with recalls for the near future.

So let’s say you’ve been “displaced”, like about 20 million of your friends, neighbors and countrymen. It’s time to sell the Porsche 911 GT2 and buy something a bit more… affordable. Sure, you can find good deals on cars these days from just about any manufacturer, but even a screaming deal on a Mustang GT is going to bite you in the ass when it comes time to pay the insurance bill.

If you’re a 40 year old male with a good driving record, here are the 10 cheapest 2010 vehicles to insure, based on a U.S. national average. Mind you, this also means that they’re the 10 least entertaining vehicles from the driver’s perspective, and most are base models with steel wheels and cheesy plastic wheel covers. The good news is you can park them with the keys in the ignition and a full tank of gas, and not worry too much about about finding your ride stolen.

List after the jump.

Mazda Tribute i 2wd

A rebranded and mechanically identical Ford Escape, the Tribute is an aging cute ute with questionable build quality and dated styling. How many of you even knew that Mazda still sold these? I certainly didn’t.

Honda Odyssey LX

Long the minivan of choice for growing families who want a trouble free chariot, it’s good to know that the Odyssey is cheap to insure. No worse to drive than any other minivan, at least you can count on the Odyssey to be predictably reliable.

Mazda Tribute i 4wd

If you live in snow country, this is the cheapest 4wd vehicle you can insure.

Chrysler Town & Country LX

The second minivan on the list, but certainly not the last. I guess minivan drivers aren’t known for their hoonage, and the Eastern European black market for stolen minivans isn’t exactly booming.

Jeep Wrangler X

I’m surprised to see a Wrangler on the list, since I always thought they were high theft vehicles. If you need a four wheel drive that can actually get you off road, and don’t mind a truck with the ride comfort of a hardtail chopper, the Wrangler is a good option.

Mazda Tribute S 2wd

Same as number one on the list, different trim level.

Dodge Grand Caravan SE

The same as its Chrysler cousin. Slightly more expensive, probably because more are on the road.

Toyota Sienna CE

Another base model minivan, this time from Toyota.

Hyundai Tucson GLS 2wd

The Korean automaker is selling the hell out of these right now, so much so that they’ve had to ramp up production. If you’re looking for a compact SUV with decent style, a comfortable interior and an unbeatable warranty, the Tucson is worth a look. Just don’t expect it to be a driver’s car.

Kia Sportage LX

Kia has come a long way, especailly under parent company Hyundai. Yes, they’re still a price point vehicle, but so was the mid-70s Toyota Corolla. If you need an inexpensive compact SUV, the Kia Sportage is a good place to begin your search.

Source: Insure.com

Norman Timbs was a gear head, just like you and I. Trained as a mechanical engineer, Timbs wanted to create a unique ride for himself, from a blank sheet of paper. He began work on his dream car in 1947, and finished it in 1948. The car was ahead of its time in both style and function; starting with a tubular space frame, Timbs used aluminum for the body to reduce weight. Despite the car’s length of nearly 18 feet, it weighs a surprising light 2,300 pounds. Put this in perspective; a first generation Miata was about 13 feet long and weighed in at 2,100 pounds.

More pics after the jump.

Timbs used the best components available to him. The engine was a new Buick “Super 8”, mounted mid-frame and driving the rear wheels. The suspension pieces were borrowed from Ford, but Timbs designed a fully independent rear suspension for superior handling. Drivetrain components were sourced from both Ford and Packard.

The single piece rear deck could be raised hydraulically to access the motor, suspension pieces or spare tire. The cockpit, snug for even two passengers, was done up in tan leather and featured an engine turned dash. Everything about the car, from its appearance to its craftsmanship, was stunning. It was impressive enough to land on the cover of both Motor Trend and Popular Mechanics magazines.

The car was found in a junkyard in 2002, and sold in its unrestored state for $17,000. A full, two year restoration was done by Custom Auto in Loveland, Colorado, and finished in late 2009. The car made its first public reappearance at this year’s Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.

The Nissan Leaf, (for Leading, Environmentally friendly, Affordable Family car) will be built in three assembly plants worldwide. We already knew about Japan and the U.S., but Nissan has clarified that both batteries and complete cars will be built in their Sunderland, UK plant.

Pricing is expected to be released next month, with deliveries beginning later this year. Nissan has claimed some 58,000 pre-orders for the fully electric vehicle, with an anticipated range of 100 miles (under mixed driving conditions) and a recharge time of 4 to 8 hours. Quick charge stations are being planned, which will charge a car to 80% in about half an hour. Some U.S. homebuilders are now including an electric car option for new home construction; this will include a dedicated 220v outlet in the garage.

We’ll keep you updated as soon as Nissan announces pricing and final specifications.

Winters are hard in Maine, hard enough to make men do crazy things. Things like asking, “How much horsepower can I get from a 1.8 liter VW turbocharged motor and still keep it drivable on the street?”

Joe Simas appears to have answered that very question. His 2002 Jetta rides on an Easy Street air suspension, wears a Wings West J-Spec body kit and sports a shaded flaming skull on the hood.

It’s what’s under the hood that makes this Jetta stand out from the crowd. Joe is running an AEM water / methanol injection setup, a DEI Cry02 intercooler sprayer, a larger GT 3076R turbo, beefed up internals, an ABD Big Intake manifold, an ATP 3 exhaust manifold, a 3 inch exhaust, upgraded fuel injectors and Unitronic 630cc BT software. The result? 490 horsepower at the front wheels on 117 octane race gas.

Besides, you didn’t think we’d let St. Patrick’s day slide without featuring a green car, did you?

Faced with declining sales of its flagship brand, Daimler is rumored to be winding down operations at Maybach. Instead, Daimler (parent to both Maybach and Mercedes Benz) will focus on taking the current S-Class Mercedes upscale in both content and technology.

With increased content comes higher pricing, and in the case of the new S-Class it appears to be significantly higher pricing. Daimler, already concerned over declining profits in its Maybach division, fears the new S-Class will pirate sales away from struggling Maybach. The most profitable solution would be to close the storied luxury brand.

Source: Left Lane News