Affordable Supercar Series (ASS)

There are always pros and cons when two cultures come together.  On the positive side, there is a melding of food and traditions that often end up being better than the sum of their parts.  Conversely, past stereotypes and misconceptions are hard to forget.  When talking about Italians and Americans, the situation is no different.  Starting with the bad news, Italians in America have given us things like The Olive Garden and the cast of Jersey Shore.  However, that is a small price to pay for the goodness that the automotive world received in the form of the De Tomaso Pantera.

The Occupational Hazard of Automotive Journalism

I'm curious, have any of you ever tried to talk cars with your mom? And what was the result? When I was little, I suppose my parents thought it was cute and I'd imagine they were glad I was into something boyish, especially if for whatever reason they were concerned I would grow up effeminate.

However, if I mention anything remotely car related to my mom now, even it it's only for a second, I would likely be responded by sighs each more exasperated than the next... which brings me to this bit.

Those that have grown to know Clarkson understand that this is not a fault, it's merely a part of the package.



Happy Mother's Day!

Freak of the Week: Truck Fitter, Aston Martin. Aston Martin, Truck Fitter.

Meet FotW #19, Guy Martin, 28 year old truck mechanic. This is the cold "office" from which he travels to and from in a Ford Transit van, ideal in handling the decrepit roads of the truck yard six days a week. Those are his goggles propped on his mucky hair, that's his name on the breast pocket of his overalls, and these are his tools held between his greasy hands. Martin does not have a pension plan, has nothing in savings, and doesn't have a mortgage either because he never bothered to own a home. He lives in the home of his girlfriend's parents.

But what Martin DOES own... is this--

The Rich Man's 3-Series

Today is a day that ends in the letter "y" which means an Ebay search is inevitable.  After checking the usual lust worthy subjects, I stumble upon a hallowed mark that has had some rough patches over the years, Maserati.  To my surprise, it isn't the current Gran Turismo or Quattroporte that grabs my attention.  It isn't even the sexy lines of a coupe or cabrio.  It's this:

r3vlimited.com

Buying into another Saab story

In my years of automotive enthusiasm, there's been a particular brand that I never understood. Saab isn't small or attractive enough to be considered prestige, nor is it large and common enough to be considered mainstream.

Must See Movie Car Chases #2

Welcome back to Must See Movie Car Chases!

In this post, we will be looking at a collection from my absolute favorite movie trilogy, Mad Max! From the first time I saw these movies, the sheer awesomeness of the V-8 Interceptor had me hooked. Based on a 1973 Ford Falcon XB, this vehicle was available only in Australia, but to quote Wayne Campbell,  "It will be mine. Oh yes, it will be mine."

So sit down, bust out your leathers, buckle up and enjoy!

Mad Max:

Truck Takes Out the Toecutter
Mad Max at MOVIECLIPS.com

The Road Warrior:

Warning: Sad, sad scene below

One of the greatest, largest chase scene ever!

Beyond Thunderdome:

How Traffic Happens

This isn't a new video but is still interesting nonetheless.  The University of Nagoya in Japan performed an experiment to try and determine what causes random traffic jams.  The video doesn't explain much past the observations of the experiment but there are probably two schools of thought in how to interpret this.

One side thinks that people brake too often causing cars to line up behind.  The other group thinks people wouldn't have to brake if they didn't have such lead foots in the first place and close-in on the leading car.  I have a third opinion and it's a bit more objective.  There is a small amount of variation from car to car regarding speedometer readings.  American law states that speedometers may be calibrated from the factory to be optimistic but it is illegal for a speedometer to indicate a slower speed than the actual road speed of the car.  Notice the vehicles in the test are not all the same model.