The Beauty of All Wheel Drive

Think back to the turn of this millennium and remember how good things were.  Y2K failed to do anything to the infrastructure, the economy was booming, and the Fast and the Furious franchise wasn't a franchise.  People were living their lives a quarter mile at a time, had jobs, were buying all sorts of extravagance, and 401Ks seemed secure.  Everyone was happy.  That is, everyone except the car enthusiast.

NYIAS 2012 Coverage - Day 2

Killa!

We start with a favorite of mine!

I'm noticing hexagonal Grille treatments on every other car. (It's on the FR-S too)

We are going to see this Mondeo/Fusion dethrone the Camrys, Accords, and Sonatas.

A waste of a cool prop on such a dull car

Spindle grilles are still hexagonal in my book.

Good news! Lexus unveiled the first hybrid ES! Anyway...

Infiniti's luxury electric-vehicle doesn't have a name

It does have six sides and six corners on its grille though.

Mr. Shiro Nakamura, senior vice president and chief creative officer of Nissan-Infiniti. #badass

Bucking the trend, Acura concept rocks a pentagon grille.
*Remember when Lotus announced development of an in-house powerplant for its Esprit?
The Acura NSX Should keep them honest.

2014 Mazda 6 is one fine looking mid-size

Svelte looks and SkyActiv. Will it catch the category sleeping?

More than four decades old, the 1971 Porsche 917 LH Martini
  is probably the most incredible car at the show!

Uh oh. What if the only Lincoln that was interesting at the show is already 70 years old?

Taking the fight to BMW, everything seems to be going right for Cadillac and GM

The Nurburgring-tuned chassis is supposed to create the best handling Cadillac sedan ever.
Unfortunately, it also gave the ATS the most cramped Cadillac interior ever.

This KIA GT concept has got them Lamborghini Aventador-J carbon fiber blades!

Close-up

So many flavors!

I love me some T-Rex

And now we jump a couple hundreds of thousands of dollars

Proper. We the 1%, baby.

Mulsanne looks terrific in person

Rollin' on D(ementia)

Thirty-two hundred dollars.  That's how much it would cost to buy a set of supremely sexy forged BBS wheels from Tire Rack.  The keyword here is "forged."  Can you justify $3200 worth of wheels?  No?  Well, neither can I and that's a problem when I have two bent wheels.  Ya, thank you very much craptacular snow belt roads and your equally dismal pothole laced streets!  What's the solution to getting my car rolling again?  Follow the jump.

Gestation of an Amateur Photographer

Nine months ago, I picked up my first real camera hoping to capture some really kickass photos for FPH.  At first, I thought it was going to be easy.  How hard could it be to aim at something and hit a button?!?!  Was I ever in for an awakening!  Not only were my pictures stagnant and off-color, they didn't illicit any emotion.  Now I don't confess my pictures are frame worthy and should be hung over a fireplace.  However, I do feel I've learned a lot since I unboxed my Nikon back in March.  Knowing that I still have a lot to learn, I present, what I think are, the best pictures of 2011 in chronological order.  Enjoy!

P.S. Some of the pictures get cut off on the right side due to formatting issues.  Click on them to view in large format.

In a Nutshell

This is why I love cars.

5dmkii HD upload test from sean jay on Vimeo.

Automotive Coelacanths

Human beings have been on this planet for a very small part of its existence.  As a result, there are still millions if not billions of species that have come and gone without man having ever seen it living.  Once in awhile, nature throws a curveball and creatures who have no right to still exist are found in the oddest places.  Like a the lobe-finned coelacanth fish that was found in a fisherman's net in 1938, there are still automotive technologies out there that are being served up way past their due date.

Rotary Engines

Rotary, or Wankel, engines have been around for less than a hundred years but have garnered the attention of almost every major manufacturer.  Used in many types of cars, motorcycles, boats, and even airplanes, the incredibly smooth power unit built a reputation for its compact size, simplicity of design, few moving parts, and high power to size ratio.  Unfortunately, the Wankel never won any popularity contests in the US, a country that prides itself on copious amounts of torque and happens to be the biggest consumer of the car until recent years.  However, Mazda, a company that never made anything that resembles a muscle car, stuck with the Rotary first in its Cosmos then RX series of sports cars.  It also won the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans. 

Like anything that doesn't have a large gene pool to choose from, the Wankel is a shadow of its former self.  With CAFE laws constantly increasing the efficiency of motors, there's no place for this relic which uses oil as a seal.  Hopefully, Mazda can evolve the design and show everyone the second Loch Ness monster.

Four-Wheel Steering


Back in the 90s, money was flowing, turbos were spooling, and the Japanese R&D machine was churning out cars with four-wheel steering.  Nissan had its 300ZX twin turbo.  Mitsubishi countered with its 3000GT VR4.  And Honda said,"Sure, why not" with its Prelude.  In theory, these systems were glorious inventions.  Low speed maneuverability and high speed handling were both enhanced with the penalty of a little added weight for the system.  However, these steering systems were not consistently used by all manufacturers.  Additionally, some systems only aided in low speed maneuvers while others catered to high speed driving.  These inconsistencies would leave drivers wondering how they ended up rolling down a mountainside instead of sticking to the apex as if it were a tar pit.  Some manufacturers like BMW and Nissan still offer this technology as an option but it will most likely end up on the endangered species list.

Continuously Variable Transmissions


Invented by Leonardo da Vinci in the 1400s, patented by Mercedes Benz in the 1800s, driven by the apathetic in the 2000s.  At inception, the continuously variable transmission seemed to be the perfect transmission for the foreseeable, miserly, fuel starved future.  Its variable gear ratios allow a motor to work at its optimum rpm for max torque and therefore max mpg.  It's just too bad that an engine operating in one part of the rpm range sounds AWFUL!  Oh yeah, it wasn't mainstream until the 90s and everyone is accustomed to the feeling of normal cogs.  Yet, Nissan has kept with this technology and it would seem that CAFE laws and the need for ever increasing fuel efficiency are helping this rare transmission survive.  It may end up being the cockroach of the automotive world.  It's not the sexiest thing but may outlive us all.

Rear Engines

Nothing really needs to be said about this.  Porsche has been the most stubborn car company and kept the motor aft of the rear axle since primordial times.  That being said, the 911 has been around for over 50 years and has won races that whole time.  Yes, it's bizarre and doesn't make sense but the same can be said about the platypus and it's still around.

Live Rear Axles

When thinking of live rear axles, two really sweet rides come to mind.  No, one of them is not a Conestoga wagon.  In no particular order, they are the Roman chariot and the Ford Mustang.  While the chariot helped the all conquering military defeat barbarian hordes all over Europe, the live rear axled Mustang is proving a worthy adversary for the best European muscle including the M3.  Tuned to perfection over the course of a few millennium, the solid axle can duel at the dragstrip as well as the road course barring any alligator-like ripples in the pavement.

ALMS at Lime Rock Park: FPH wrap-up 2011

On Friday, Danny Chin shared about his first experiences at Lime Rock Park a couple years ago and his affections for the scenic racetrack.

Although I have been an avid fan of motorsports for many years now, I never had the opportunity to attend a live race. Yet since I was armed with a camera and a media pass, I somehow believed there will be no surprises. I was in for a big surprise.

Lime Rock Park and ALMS

Ever since I got into racing, I promised myself that I would make it to at least one race every summer.  It didn't really matter what cars were racing either.  I just wanted to experience anything and everything that I could afford and/or could actually find time to get away for.  For the most part, the promise has been kept.  There have been some memorable international series like MotoGP at Laguna Seca and Indy along with some homegrown racing such as Nascar up in Loudon and IRL at Watkin's Glen.  However, there is one particular Sunday from a few years back where I remember the track more than the racing.  That track was Lime Rock.

So with an engineering degree, a bad job market, and a lack of funds, I've decided to forgo the plane tickets, get back to basics, and return to what was such an inspirational place.  And what a return this event will be.  Since the serene beauty of the track is expected and won't broadside me like last time, I will be able to focus on the actual racing, a series that I have never seen before but I hope will be a precursor to many future adventures.  The American Le Mans Series, what some people say is the pinnacle of relevancy to street cars in motorsports, will hold its third race of the season at Lime Rock Park.

The meandering 1.5 mile track will play host to about twenty ALMS cars in both Prototype and GT classes including Aston Martin powered Lolas, Mazda powered Lolas, Ferrari 458s, Corvettes, GT3s, and XKRs.  Additionally, there will be a Porsche GT3 Cup race and a Prototypes Lite race. With no monolithic structure containing the racetrack, it should prove to be an amazing juxtaposition of nature and technology existing in harmony while we, the viewers, benefit with amazing racing set against a striking backdrop.

Here are the highlights from last year:

I along with Danny Choy will be at the races on Saturday.  They start bright and early at 9am.  Please feel free to seek us out and chat.  My phone will be on and receiving e-mails for the address listed on my profile.  More information can be found below.  We hope to see you there!

Lime Rock Park
American Le Mans Series
Tickets

Japan Week: Mazda

For Shame

Earlier this week Autoblog reported that the famous De Tomaso company would begin making cars again.  Of course, everyone immediately thought of the mid-engined Mangusta and Pantera like this:

fwallpapers.com

Then the picture of the new car loaded and it looked like this:

Freak of the Week: Dammit Jalopnik! Big ups to Speedhunter!

Welcome to our fifth installment of Freak of the Week, where for every weekend, Weimann, Chin, and I look for something balls off the wall crazy, weird, or just polarizing and worth talking about.

Feint Drifting over the River and Through the Woods

As a resident of the northern hemisphere, I admit that things can get a bit depressing around this time of year.  The days are getting shorter, the temperature is slowly creeping toward single digits, and it seems like the sun is doing nothing but taunting us.  The good cheer and festive moods of the holiday season do help some but even the holidays are sure to cause a bit of depression.  The two main culprits for this are the slightly enlarged waistlines and those ridiculously large red bows in Lexus commercial!

lexusenthusiast.com

Changing times: The car pr0n that never was.

Mazda 787B
courtesy of: forocompeticion.com

The year is 1991. Mazda wins the 24 hours of Le Mans and the FIA bans the Wankel rotary engine. This marked the first and only Le Mans 24 victory by a Japanese race car, and the Mazda 787B will never participate in an international race again.

Riding on a high, Mazda believed it was still their time in prototype racing. Conveniently for them, IMSA did not ban rotaries... and the successor to the 787B was created.

Behold, bitches:

Car Porn

Here's a selection of car pictures to get you over that Wednesday hump.  They were taken by Keqing Song, a good friend of mine from school.  For more info, check out his website at here.

Obligatory Chevy Bel Air

Are you a real car guy?

I'm about to let you in on a little secret. It's how to spot a real car guy from a poseur with one simple question:

What do you think about a Miata?

At this point, there will be one of two reactions. To the uninformed, the Mazda roadster will be mocked for its "cute" appearance, tiny dimensions, and lack of balls (usually it's a real macho dude who holds this car in contempt). To these people, driving isn't an experience to enjoy. Being at the wheel of a car is like being on stage for all the world to see.

Well, that's fine for them. The rest of us know that the Miata (why did Mazda change it to mx-5?) has a driving experience as pure as uncut coke and it's probably just as addicting too. Let's take a look at the recipe for this drug... err ...car.

The basics are all here. It has a front engine, rear wheel drive layout mated to a light and nimble chassis. How light is this car? The curb weights for the first and third generation are 2116 lbs and 2480 lbs, respectively. Horsepower? 116 and 167. In comparison, the iconic Corvette and Porsche 911 weigh about 600 lbs more. Ok, that's all well and good but numbers can't tell the story of why this is such a good car.


It's the feeling. That lack of weight carries more speed into the corners and immediately responds to direction changes. The driver just has to think and the car will be there in an instant. Find a good bit of twisty road, clip apex after apex, and mat the throttle in between. The tactile sensations are all there too. The steering wheel communicates every rock, leaf, and stripe to your fingertips. The clutch is perfectly weighted and matches beautifully to the perfectly spaced short throw shifter for those lightning fast upshifts or heal-toe downshifts.

So, next time you find yourself staring at the gauges of a Miata, pay no attention to the "bro" in the 'Stang with the blowout haircut sitting in the lane next to you. Let him dust you off the line and revel in the fact that you'll overtake him corner after corner. That is an addiction...

-Danny Chin-