Is this it? Is this the best we can do as far as comedy goes? I just don’t get it anymore. It used to be that comedy sketches were well thought out and scripted so that they were almost guaranteed to make people laugh. After viewing this sketch though I see that I am incorrect. Granted the shock value is here, which is why this was posted on a Sunday morning, but otherwise, I seriously think going to Church would have been more fun.
How do you make one of the worst cars Detroit ever produced even worse? That’s easy… just give it to this guy. This is a 1982 Cadillac Seville and I know this because my Grandfather had one when I was a kid. It was two-tone just like this one but lacked the personalized touches like the extra 4-wheels and diamond plate fender flares. Make sure you take a long hard look at this photo to see what El Pimp-e-oso actually did here. We’ve got the aforementioned diamond plate fender flares, 4 extra wheels that I would assume are welded onto the underlying rims. There are bathroom towel racks on the roof, spotlights over the wheels as well as more diamond plate, this time in the form of wheel covers with what looks to be Christmas lights on them (how festive). There are tailpipe extensions and what I think is a lunch tray on top of the spare tire (also diamond plate btw). I have to say that as horrible as it is, I am somewhat drawn to it. Maybe it’s the American flags and the fact that I’m feeling patriotic today… yeah, that must be it.
Source: youdrivewhat.com
Episode 3 started off casually enough with the teams still at Eagle Air Base. Last week if you remember Team Corvette got the boot because of a bit too much show boating in the challenge. What you need to do now is think back to that challenge because it taught us two very important things. First is that David from Team Hummer is not afraid to wheel that thing around and two, the challenges are becoming more complex. This means that teams are really going to have to step it up if they want to succeed.
This TV show is not about going home with your car intact. It’s about running balls-out, taking chances and winning some loot. If you can do this then great, if not, well then, just stay the f*ck home because you have no business being here.
Like I said, episode 3 started off at Eagle Air Field with the teams ready to go head to head once again. Team Wu, in their usual fashion decided that right from the get go they were going to try and throw teams off their game. Clad in blond wigs, fake boobs and two sets of super nipples, Team Wu decided to pay homage to Adrienne Barbeau and Tara Buckman, the two equipment packing Momma’s from the original Cannonball Run movie. The Brother’s Wu tried to out hottie them, but unfortunately Adriene Barbeau was packing too much sweater meat for that to happen. Nice try though boys.
After the retina burning images of Team Wu were gone the teams grabbed their route cards and headed out to their checkpoint in Palo Alto, CA. There was one inherent problem that the majority of the teams faced… no maps. Because of this rumors started swirling as to who took what from whom, and tensions began to build. Both Team Viper and Team Lambo were running blind until new maps were sourced.
A few teams however took the direct approach. Team Mustang stopped at someone’s home and asked for directions and Team NSX actually paid somebody to lead them in. We also saw alliances become stronger as was the case with Team Mini and Team Lexus. Team Challenger and NSX also stuck together which was good because the Duck Pond in Palo Alto, CA proved difficult to find.
After hitting the checkpoint the teams met up, got new cards and headed to checkpoint number two: the Sacramento Rail yard. There was one big obstacle in their way in the form of a ferry ride. Now, Team Wu and BMW managed to get there first, caught the boat and made it across. The other teams got caught up at the ferry station and to make matters worse, once they arrived the ferry operator decided to take his lunch break… what a douche bag.
This leg started to prove itself to be more difficult than anyone expected as now other problems were showing up. Team Mini decided to block Team NSX’s position onto the ferryboat. This obviously tweaked the NSX boys and in a little bit of retaliation Team NSX decided to get back at them by swiping their maps. In their rush not to be seen though they also ended up locking their keys in the car… not good.
The next ferry came and went with everyone but Team NSX. Eventually they did manage to get the door open with a loaned coat hanger from Team Challenger. All of these alliances have pro’s and con’s to them. For example, Team Challenger could have easily let the NSX boys rot on the seashore, but instead did the right thing to help them out. Keep in mind though that by doing this, they’ve helped them live to see another day and thus kept what I think is a very good competitor in the running for the money. This could eventually bite them in the ass.
We also saw tensions rising in the car of Team Lexus as the girls started to do a little squabbling. Nothing major mind you, but it could be a sign of what is to come. After what seemed like forever, the teams finally reached the Sacramento Rail yard where things got heated between Teams Viper and NSX. The Viper boys accused them of stealing their maps, which they may have done… I really don’t know. Dale got pissed and pushed Nick for some added drama and Bill from Team Wu called out Tracy from Team Lexus about being a race car driver.
Now for the challenge: Team Challenger received the best time getting into the rail yard thus not only granting them immunity, but giving them the right of choosing the third team to compete. Coming in the bottom two spots were Team Viper and Team Hemi Cuda so they were automatically entered. When it came time to choose the third entrant, Team Challenger wanted to through in Team Lambo, but once again the Boys-in-Wu snagged the immunity wrench and skirted putting that Lambo through what looked to be a pretty hairy obstacle course. Now that the Wu’s were out Team Challenger had to pick a third and Team Hummer was their choice.
If you go back to the top of this recap you’ll notice that I gave Team Hummer props for driving ability, and why not, they deserve it. One thing that every one out there in TV land should keep in mind is that if you look back at all three seasons, the trucks ALWAYS kick ass. They’re big, brutish and generally have the power to put some serious hurt on unsuspecting super cars when the time is right.
Team Hummer hammered out of the blocks in a no-holds-barred run through a challenge aptly named, Heist. This type of challenge is the one that everyone fears and for good reason. Not only are you driving on dirt but you’re smashing through a plate glass window, running through a chain link fence and then you’re back on dirt again on your way to the finish. None of this seemed to bother Team Hummer as they blasted through the course without a care in the world.
Team Hemi Cuda’ also got caught up in this melee and when it was their time to roll Poppa’ Mark did not disappoint. Obviously as a muscle car nut I’m a bit partial to cars like the Cuda. They have the history and style that puts them in a class all their own. The key however is how will you drive it. Most vintage cars are garage queens, so to see Mark Janos toss that baby around made it an absolute joy to watch. The car looked badass, sounded badass and kicked-ass, which is the way it should be. So Mark, from one vintage Mopar guy to another… thanks for stepping up man… you made us proud.
Team Viper also took their turn at the challenge, but sadly fell short. Remember this paragraph:
“This TV show is not about going home with your car intact. It’s about running balls-out, taking chances and winning some loot… if you can do this then great, if not, well then, just stay the f*ck home because you have no business being here.”
This is where Team Viper lost it… if you’re not willing to put it on the line then don’t even bother showing up. The Viper is a great car but has no business being on dirt, plus its low stance and lack of ground clearance make it almost impossible to maneuver on an uneven surface. Even if Dale pushed it 100% I doubt the Viper, under those conditions would’ve done too much better.
Sorry to see you go guys. I would have like to see what that car would have done on some dry surfaces.
I found this video while playing around on Youtube and man did it bring me back to when I was a kid. Hell, that could have been me in that box. I remember seeing the movie Bullitt when I was about 8-years old and man did it leave an impression. The low grumble of the Chargers 440 against the high revving 390 of the Mustang GT was music to my ears. This was my first real experience with a car chase and from that day fourth I WAS a car guy. So much so that I now own a 1968 Dodge Charger… but man, if I could only go back to being a kid again.
This was just too good to pass up. It’s a 1972 Norsjo Shopper and it’s the first one I’ve ever seen. This thing is hilarious and seems to be a distance cousin to one of those little buggers that you’d get from The Scooter Store. Just imagine crankin’ along, all 50cc’s of fire breathing power underneath you. You hit 10, 20… no, 25 mph in a mayhem filled adventure ride to the supermarket.
Keep in mind that not only does the Norsio Shopper come with modern conveniences like a padded seat and headlight, but you also get a nifty little shopping basket in which to put all your prune juice and delicious Fibercon. If I were you I’d pick this little bad boy up ASAP. Then I would proceed to putter around the Happy Day Retirement Community with this bumper sticker on the back. I mean you have to have some fun right?
Source: eBay
God bless the Ford Motor Company. We’ve dealt with a lot of automotive garbage over the last year at the hands of U.S. auto manufactures. They’ve laid off thousands of workers, closed assembly plants and taken government bailout money.
Ford however has done the opposite. They posted profits for 2009 and never took a nickle from the government. They’re also introducing cars like the Fusion Hybrid and Ford Mustang V6 that are getting stellar reviews as well as fuel economy. For example the 2011 Mustang V6 is rated at 31 mpg and puts out an amazing 305 hp. That is a first for ANY V6 vehicle! Ladies and gentlemen that is a huge stake in the ground for Ford.
Not only that, but there are already more than 11,000 orders for these babies. We all know that the Mustang is already an automotive icon. To have it be the first V6 to deliver this kind of fuel economy and performance is not only a brilliant marketing tactic by Ford but something that helps generate some much needed positive energy for American auto manufactures. Way to go Ford!
I really hope this isn’t true. Obviously Toyota has been under some serious scrutiny over the past few months due to recalling most of their product line for faulty accelerator pedals. These accelerator problems have caused the automobiles to lunge forward without warning sometimes resulting in collisions and even death. Toyota has been working frantically to not only remedy these problems but regain back the untarnished image that they once had with the American consumer. Now it seems though that cars that have gone through the recall fixes are still having the same issues.
As an administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, David Strickland stated: “If Toyota owners are still experiencing sudden acceleration incidents after taking their cars to the dealership, we want to know about it.”
Source: Today.com
Back in the beginning of February I posted up the Top Ten Automotive Flash Games. Well, the response was so overwhelming that I figured we should do a Part II. I mean the Internet is REALLY big and I couldn’t have found all of them right? So, I did more digging, played more games (life’s a bitch at times I know) and came up with another ten games that will help you waste your day.
Right off the bat I knew this game was going to be fun due to the great 3D modeling. Your goal is simple, run the track as fast as you can and gather points up along the way. Also feel free to hit the ramps to see if you can make that truck of yours do some killer back flips.
I’ll be honest here and say that there is absolutely no action whatsoever to be had. This little paint box of a game is quite addictive. Your only real mission is to design your vision of what a classic VW Bus should have looked like. Again, not too fancy but still fun.
Right out of the box this game is going to piss you off. It’s not easy but it is entertaining. Your job is to pilot what looks like a Ferrari 308 without slamming into anything. Using only the space bar you must navigate through traffic while being intoxicated with up to 15 pints of brew in your system.
Well, I just wasted 40 minutes playing this thing. At first glance the game looks fairly simple, but rest assured that it’s pretty freakin’ hard. You not only choose your car, but your class, modifications and track length. Then when racing you have to concentrate on shift points as well as engine temperature so you don’t blow your motor. This is a helluva’ lot of fun and something that is guaranteed to get you through a slow afternoon.
Think Spy Hunter without the guns – that is basically what Turbo Crew is. Lock onto your intended targets and bump, bash or slam them off the road. You can also get in front of them and lock-up the wheels with the e-brake and cause’ some vehicular mayhem.
For a 2D game the graphics are really pretty good. The key here is to get your car around the track as quickly as possible by using your mouse to regulate your movement and speed. It definitely takes some practice but it’s quite rewarding once you get the hang of it.
Visually there is absolutely nothing impressive about this game and to be honest the game play isn’t all that great either. For some reason though I just couldn’t stop playing it and kept trying to get that damned dirt bike over the logs. You can also use a quad if you wish but the dirt bike is a bit more rewarding.
Remember a few years ago when those little micro remote control cars were all the rage. Well back then Radio Shack had come out with there own versions of these things called Zip Zaps. This game was one way of promoting them. You take the controls and navigate your way through a pretty big track that runs around a sewer system. There are obstacles that can get in your way such as gum (you will get stuck), wrappers and the occasional soda can. All in all it’s a pretty fun little time waster. Just remember to keep your batteries charged.
Now this is cool. Plant your ass on the seat of a quad, let the 3D screens load up and proceed to rip around the dirt track. You’ve got jumps, rain, flying dirt and competition all bundled up in one fun little package. Enjoy.
From the title graphic I really wasn’t expecting this to be any good but came away pleasantly surprised. The main goal here is to drive your rig around while picking up and dropping off loads. It’s not overly complicated and you will need to be careful not to jackknife the truck. Make sure you watch your damage indicator as well.
There are times in life when you just need to ask yourself the question: Why? All to often in the automotive world customizers and tuning companies try and strut their stuff to see if they can improve on what the manufactures put out. Some succeed and others fail miserably. Choosing the car to put under the knife is an even bigger challenge as some car companies produce automobiles that are so good that they really don’t need any improvements.
Take the Rolls-Royce Ghost, baby brother to the Phantom and all around stunner. This is a car that needs nothing except a nice tush to fill the drivers seat. The car is truly beautiful from every angle and has an air of opulence around it that makes the world around it stop and take notice.
HOWEVER – and this is huge, why would you take such a beautiful car and completely ruin it by transforming it into one of the most gaudy and ostentatious things to ever roll on four wheels. Swiss tuner Mansory has done just this with their version of the Rolls-Royce Ghost. Ok fine, they’ve given it more power, but that may just be to help the new owners get as far away from civilization as possible. I mean blue and gold? Really? Mansory calls it “self-assured coloring”. My opinion – if you’re driving this mess around you must REALLY be compensating for something.
In the end you may just want to tell Mr. Winky that you had no choice and that your new purchase really isn’t a reflection on him.
Source: Autoblog.com
It’s 19 inches tall, has a ground clearance of 2 inches and is powered by a gas turbine engine. Sounds like something that the military would’ve have concocted up in Area 51 doesn’t it? Well, it’s not. The FlatMobile is the brainchild of one Perry Watkins from England. The car started out as a 1963 Hillman Imp whereby Watkins ended up taking 30 inches of height out of the body. He then went back and dug up every memory he could about the Batman TV series that aired from 1966-1968 to begin construction on his little version of Batman’s new ride.
During the build process Watkins did hit a few snags. Like this one when his jet-turbine almost caused the entire car to go up in smoke. In the end Watkins ended up building what the Guinness Book World Records has recognized as the lowest car ever build.
Unveiled at the Geneva International Auto Show the Bentley Continental Flying Star is one hell of a head turner. The custom fabricated uber-wagon was build by Italian Car maker Touring Superleggera at the request of one very persuasive customer and the end result is simply stunning. I love this thing… it’s big, muscular and in your face with the power to back up the attitude. Don’t believe me? How does 560 hp / 479 lbs. tq. grab ya’.
This car is a hammer, pure and simple. It was made to go like hell while carrying you, four friends and their golf clubs to any course on the planet in style. Cars like this are why car guys are car guys. It’s different, with thinking and design that’s completely out of the box. I have a feeling that the Bentley Continental Flying Star will be one of those rare beasties that will gain quite a cult following over the years. Problem is, they’re only making 20 of them per year, so you guys best get your orders in now.
And yes… they’ll be expensive.
Source: Autoblog.com / Zercustoms.com
In the wake of their public flogging, Toyota is desperately trying everything it can to get people back into the showrooms. Beginning this month Toyota will be offering zero-percent financing for 60 months to all U.S. consumers on certain 2010 models. To entice those who already own a Toyota product the Japanese automaker is also offering their new “Toyota Auto Care Premium Package” that includes multiple maintenance services including free oil changes for two years – this will be available on new car purchases. Combine that with incentives that range from $500-$3000 on certain models and that makes for one pretty good sales event.
Source: Reuters
I love all manner of wheeled motion, be it two wheels or four. I love cars, motorcycles, trucks, hell… slap an engine on a bar stool and I’ll wheel the crap out of that too. This nifty little device however has the words – EMERGENCY ROOM – flashing in big red letters above it. I understand the reasons behind building it, I really do. I mean a skateboard can only go so fast, so the next logical step is to pull apart the family lawnmower and strap on the engine, rig-up some type of drive line and poof – instant entertainment.
There is something about this thing though that freaks me out. Maybe it’s the lack of brakes or the fact that if you hit a big enough rut you’re going to do a Superman impression, hit the pavement and bust your snot-box wide open. Not my idea of fun. Again, I’m all for this thing, but there would be no way you would see me cramming my size 15’s into one of these things.
Check it out at wheelmanskateboard.com
I always wondered how I would leave this world. Would it be in a casket, would I be cremated or does God have some other interesting thing planned for good ole’ Mr. Angry. One thing that I do know for sure is that when it is my time to go, there better be two things happening. First, I want a party… a BIG FRICKEN’ PARTY!! Two, I want the baddest, most irrational hearse that has ever been created to cart me off in a blaze of glory. These guys have the right idea, but I want my Doom Wagon smoking the hides in the middle of Times Square in NYC!
Source: Streetfire.net
We all love famous quotes don’t we? Little snippets of verbiage that for whatever the reasons, are so profound that they stay with us forever.
Some, like Neil Armstrong’s famous moon landing quote have made history: That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
Others, like the beauties from Yogi Berra of the New York Yankees have just made us laugh and wonder: You can observe a lot just by watching or Baseball is 90% mental — the other half is physical… WTF?
Since this is an automotive site I thought it may be entertaining to put together a listing of some of the greatest quotes as they pertain to the automobile industry and racing. I’ve included the photos of those who said them as well… who knows, maybe their pictures will give you a little insight as to the reasons why they said what they said. Either way though there are some kickers in there, so start reading and enjoy.
1. To finish first, you must first finish. – Rick Mears
2. Nobody remembers the guy who finished second but the guy who finished second. – Bobby Unser
3. The winner ain’t the one with the fastest car, it’s the one who refuses to lose. – Dale Earnhardt
4. You win some, you lose some, you wreck some. – Dale Ernhardt Sr.
5. Aerodynamics are for people who can’t build engines. – Enzo Ferrari
6. The client is not always right. – Enzo Ferrari
7. If you think the last 4 words of the national anthem are gentlemen, start your engines, you might be a redneck. – Jeff Foxworthy.
8. Need to tie some kerosene rags around his ankles so the ants don’t eat his candy #$@ – Dale Earnhardt speaking of Mark Martin.
9. The lead car is absolutely unique, except for the one behind it which is identical. – F1 commentator Murray Walker.
10. Turbochargers are for people who cant build engines. – Keith Duckworth
11. Here Kitty Kitty Kitty! – Tony Stewart
12. We broke something, I think it was traction… – Carl Edwards after getting spun out by Dale Jr. at Michigan
13. Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports… all the others are games. – Ernest Hemingway
14. Calling upon my years of experience, I froze at the controls. – Stirling Moss
15. Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death… – Hunter Thompson
16. I don’t know driving in another way which isn’t risky. Each one has to improve himself. Each driver has its limit. My limit is a little bit further than other’s. – Ayrton Senna
17. It is amazing how may drivers, even at the Formula One Level, think that the brakes are for slowing the car down. – Mario Andretti
18. Once you’ve raced, you never forget it…and you never get over it. – Richard Childress
19. Race cars are neither beautiful nor ugly. They become beautiful when they win. – Enzo Ferrari
20. There’s no secret. You just press the accelerator to the floor and steer left. – Bill Vukovich
21. To achieve anything in this game you must be prepare to dabble in the boundary of disaster. – Sterling Moss
22. To achieve anything in this game you must be prepare to dabble in the boundary of disaster. – Sterling Moss
23. What’s behind you doesn’t matter. – Enzo Ferrari
24. When you win a race your on top that day, so take it for what its worth, have a good time and party, cause the next day when you get out of bed, the meter goes back to zero again. – Bobby Allison
25. No, no, he didn’t slam you, he didn’t bump you, he didn’t nudge you… he *rubbed* you. And rubbin, son, is racin’. – Harry Hogge, Days of Thunder
26. If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. – Mark Donohue
27. If you’re in control, you’re not going fast enough. – Parnelli Jones
28. Mr. Bentley – He builds fast trucks. – Ettore Bugatti
29. Why worry about death, it’ll come sooner or later. – Jim Dunn
30. Speed has never killed anyone, suddenly becoming stationary… that’s what gets you. – Jeremy Clarkson
31. Auto racing began 5 minutes after the second car was built. – Henry Ford
32. As far as cheating goes, they’ll never stop it. The only way it can be done successfully, only one person can know about it. – Smokey Yunick
33. It’s like flying jet fighters in a gymnasium – Dick Trickle was asked what racing at Windchester Speedway was like.
34. You can’t fix stupid – Larry Morgan, NHRA Pro Stock driver
35. You can tell that you’re in trouble when you feel the air on the back of your neck instead of in your face. – Buddy Baker
36. I got hit in the head pretty hard. My clock ran backwards for two years. – Buddy Baker
37. He ran out of talent about halfway through the corner. – Buddy Baker
38. After the third flip, I lost control………… – Don Roberts after crashing in the Jade Grenade at New England Dragway in 1975.
39. We worked 80 hour weeks for 30 years to keep from having to get a real job. – Tom Lemon’s comment on the rigors of being a drag racing.
40. It’s basically the same, just darker. – Alan Kulwicki, on racing Saturday nights as opposed to Sunday afternoons.
41. Auto racing is boring except when a car is going at least 172 miles per hour upside down. – Dave Barry
42. If someone said to me that you can have three wishes, my first would have been to get into racing, my second to be in Formula 1, my third to drive for Ferrari. – Gilles Villeneuve
43. There are seven winners of the Monaco Grand Prix on the starting line today, and four of them are Michael Schumacher. – Murray Walker
44. When I raced a car last it was at a time when sex was safe and racing was dangerous. Now, it’s the other way round. – Hans Stuck
45. I love this kind of racing, (but) these guys sure change their personalities in race mode. They’re like Doberman Pinschers with a hand grenade in their mouths. – Road racer Boris Said speaking of NEXTEL Cup drivers.
46. The crashes people remember, but drivers remember the near misses. – Mario Andretti
47. When I started racing my father told me, ‘Cristiano, nobody has three balls but some people have two very good ones. – Cristiano Da Matta
48. Moonshiners put more time, energy, thought, and love into their cars than any racer ever will. Lose on the track, and you go home. Lose with a load of whiskey, and you go to jail. – Junior Johnson, NASCAR legend, and one time whiskey runner.
49. There have been other tracks that separated the men from the boys. This is the track that will separate the brave from the weak after the boys are gone. – Driver Jimmy Thompson speaking about Daytona International Speedway.
50. Winning is everything. The only ones who remember you when you come second are your wife and your dog. – Damon Hill
Now tell me this thing doesn’t look like a futuristic Mini-van. Seriously, I could have totally seen Harrison Ford rocking this thing in the movie Blade Runner with a few child seats in the back. What we have here is a very interesting vehicle that has been designed for one purpose and one purpose only: to train Mr. Ed.
Based out of Istanbul, Turkey, Kurtsystems has developed this training car to remove the human element out of training horses… or camels for that matter. According to the Kurtsystems website the Kurtsystems Car can be used for: “on-track or off-track use suitable for racehorses, trotters, endurance and camel training fully adjustable and controlled speeds from walking pace to galloping at up to 16m/sec (60 km/h). Safe controlled training programs and performance evaluation. Confirm training intensity, with built-in hearth rate monitors. Allows trainers carry out regular fitness tests and comparisons.”
Ok, the wording may be a bit off but hey, they’re from Istanbul so cut them a break.
Now, I have no idea if this sucker is available to the U.S. market but if it is I can tell you that the Amish would be buying these bad boys by the boat load. Just picture little Ezekiel and Jebediah cruising along with Mom & Dad in the families’ standard open-air buggy. Then out of nowhere older brother Amos and his main squeeze Mildred come trotting down to the farm in their new Kurtsystems Car.
They’d obviously be sporting the Amish approved one-horsepower drive train complete with automated reigns and barn busting bumper guards. They’d be new trendsetters in the neighborhood and the talk of the Church.
At least that’s how I envision it anyway. Either way though this thing is pretty cool – hmm… I wonder if I could do a Mr. Angry Edition.
Last Thursday Speed TV aired episode II of the 3rd season of the Bullrun Reality Show. We had a new challenge, new explosions and at the end, one less team. Matt Kutcher, the stunt coordinator for Bullrun comes up with some pretty amazing challenges for the contestants to participate in. Last week the challenge was called Roller Ball and consisted of taking off from a dead stop, swinging around a barrel, dodging some flaming basketballs and then rolling up onto the ass end of a moving semi into water filled barrels. Here is a behind the scenes look of how the challenge was set-up – enjoy.
Rally driving is one of the most dangerous disciplines in all of motor sports. Drivers compete against each other in timed stages to see who will come out on top. Sometimes though, things don’t go as planned, as was the case with this lucky driver. I swear, the more rally videos I watch the more I wonder who is crazier, the drivers or the fans. Seriously, look at how close they stand to the road… WTF?
Automotive reality shows as a whole generally tend to miss the mark with viewers. They are either too hokey or too Hollywood. The viewing public today is looking for something that hits home, something they can relate too and in the end, something that may actually teach them something. Premiering March 14th on the Travel Channel, America’s Worst Driver will test the skills of different teams as they are put through everyday driving tests in their own hometowns. What makes this really fun is that all the contestants will be followed by an off duty Police Officer who constantly scores their driving. Now this is something that EVERYONE with a license can relate to.
Source: Travel Channel.com
Rear wings on the rear of a car used to mean something and were placed there for a purpose. They were and still are used the help stabilize a car at high speed by creating down force, thus helping the automobile stick to the road.
About 20 years ago though something bad happened and things started to go south. Rear wings began popping up on everything from Honda Civics to the Ford Taurus. This was great for the newly emerging automotive aftermarket but horrible for anyone who actually knew what the wings were really used for.
As mentioned rear wings produce down force but don’t really begin to work until a car hits upwards of 70 mph. The effect of the down force literally pushes the rear end of the car down to keep it planted during high speeds. Rear wings can also, if improperly used create drag. This refers to forces that oppose the relative motion of an object through the air.
Think of it like this. Remember as a kid when you’d drive along with your parents and you’d stick your hand out the window? If you laid your hand flat the oncoming air would flow around it and you could move your hand up and down like an airplane wing. However, if you were to put your hand up like a stop sign it would be much more difficult to hold steady due to the wind hitting it and thus creating drag… get it.
Import guys love rear wings and they put them on everything. I suppose when purchasing them they convince themselves that the car will most certainly handle better and go faster because of the new four foot extension that now adorns their trunk. Most of us however know this to be false. I especially love seeing rear wings on front wheel drive cars, that always gives me a giggle.
What I’ve done here is compiled some photos of wings that were put on actual production cars, by manufacturers and that actually work. These guys spend millions of dollars on wind tunnel testing to make sure that they achieve the lowest drag coefficient possible for their models.
I’ve also included photos of wings that were installed by private individuals. I chose these photos because I truly believe that these buyers thought they were improving the handling characteristics of their vehicles by installing these wings. The manufacturers show us the right way, the private guys… well… just look at the photos and make up your own minds.