November 20, 2008 – 4:41 pm
It’s just not fair. I’m not too sure why we don’t get hot hatches over here, but it’s just not fair.
Take a look at the Ford Focus for example. Sure we have it, but over here, in all honesty it’s a box of fail (sorry Casey) compared to what already exists in Europe. At its peak the USDM Ford Focus was pumping out a whopping dismal 170 hp for the top of the line SVT motor. In Europe, they replaced the 2.0 liter 4 banger for a 5 cylinder turbocharged 2.5 liter which produces a very stout 225hp and 236ft/lbs in stock trim for the ST model.
Not only did they get the bigger motor, but the Focus also has a 6 speed and looks so much better (IMO) as well. It also returns miles per gallon figures of 30.4 with mixed driving. What are you doing Ford? We can’t even get the right version of the Focus over here for God’s sake, something we already have the groundwork for. Based on current conversion rates, the Focus ST would sell at around $22,850.
Next up is the Clio Cup, produced by the French manufacturer Renault. While it’s not turbocharged, as compared to the other hot hatches in this article, it still pushes out an awesome 200hp all motor from it’s 2.0 liter mill. While 200hp doesn’t sound incredible, it’s run through a 6 speed manual and returns 33.6 Miles per gallon. Based on current conversion rates, the Clio would sell at around $18,700.
Moving along is my personal favorite, the Vauxhall Astra VXR. We actually do get this vehicle under the Saturn Astra guise, but not exactly the way the Europeans do. In Europe it is powered by a 1.8 liter turbocharged motor producing around 237hp and driven through a 6 speed tranny. We don’t quite have that option yet, but I believe in the near future the motor from GM’s HHR SS might be powering the Saturn Astra Redline. I surely do hope so because the aftermarket for the Astra VXR in Europe is ridiculous. Currently the top of the line Astra retails for $18495. I suppose we will see what the VXR retails for if it ever comes to fruition in the US.
November 19, 2008 – 3:10 pm
You know, this may be an odd article, but I saw this and just had to cover it.
This is one badass baby carrier.
Rory Craig of the Art Center College of Design has created a clever prototype for a new Sparco Babyseat. While not officially affiliated with Sparco, Rory is trying to pitch the idea to Sparco to see if this thing can go into production. It’s meant to appeal to racing enthusiasts, which in all honesty does effectively. Swathed in carbon fiber and wrapped over a CNC’d foam core, this baby seat is not only ridiculously lightweight, but strong as well. All straps are from real Sparco harnesses and the chair is fully internally padded.
One cool feature about this seat is the fact that it can adapt to a child’s age from 1 month up to 10 years. The first function is for a Rear facing Infant seat, from age 1-24 months, next is for Toddlers and is forward facing from age 1-3 years. Once they get a little older, the seat detaches from the base and the base can be used for a booster seat from 1 to 10 years or you can use the detached seat as an infant carrier. All of this means that for the initial cost of the product, you end up saving money by avoiding the cost of purchasing new products.
I’d really like to see this idea come to fruition. It’s hard to argue that this thing doesn’t look damn cool. It’s always best to start them off young, why not start immediately?
November 18, 2008 – 1:10 pm
Ford unveils the new iteration of its longtime flagship model, this time a bit more appealing.
The new slightly Italian-esque Ford Mustang takes on a new look this year. Starting out with a minor facelift, the turn signals have been moved, the headlights are now more slightly curved for aerodynamic purposes, and that unsightly old school antenna has been removed.
The lower front fascia has new air deflectors to further enhance airflow, shooting air around the sides of the car, as opposed to underneath. New slimmer sideskirts smooth out the transition from front to rear. The rear end has been slimmed down and curved slightly forward, as well as the turn signals. Instead of the standard turn signals, the 2010 Mustang now has sequential turn signals.
You can’t blame me for saying so, but the interior of the last generation Mustang was dated craptastic for a new vehicle. Ford rose to the 21st century and finally redesigned the interior. Gone is the cheap plastic and cloth better suited for a 20 year old Yugo and is updated nicely with Brushed aluminum and Comfy leather.
The steering wheel has also been redesigned and is now reminiscent of the original Mustang. All of the original items on the dashboard that have been obtrusive or stuck up above the dash in any way has been recessed or mounted flush to preserve the new clean appearance.
As far as the motor goes, the 2010 GT retains the last generation 4.6L V8, minus being bumped up to 315hp and 325lb-ft of torque due to some intake reworking. A new “sound tube”(?!) has been added into the exhaust system, directing sound into the passenger compartment as well…. Well that’s pretty damn gimmicky if you ask me, but whatever works.
On the bright side, the hood has been expanded a bit to avoid any clearance issues when you slap a Twin screw supercharger on top of the motor. For WHATEVER reason, Ford STILL hasn’t replaced that archaic live axle suspension out back though. Traction control is nice, however.
All in all, the new 2010 Mustang has made a big jump when compared to its predecessor. With the new redesigned interior and mildly facelifted exterior, as long as Ford doesn’t jump the price up the new generation mustang should sell very well.
November 17, 2008 – 4:04 pm
GReddy has just released the Greddy Type-RZ Blow off valve, which is to replace the current Type RS and is similar to the Type-S.
GReddy Blow Off Valves are easily adjustable to eliminate compressor surge and preventing premature boost leakage, while increasing boost response between shifts. Each valve is made of durable cast and billet aluminum frame and the valve to diaphragm ratio provides performance that cheap piston types cannot offer. The spring stiffness adjustment screw and the three different sizes give the GReddy user the option to match vehicles with mild upgrades to heavily tuned engines.
Type RZ Features:
- High capacity performance in a compact frame.
- 8 Discharge ports for improved sounds.
- New 40mm valve coated with hard anodizing to withstand friction, maintain an airtight seal and increase durability.
- A Bellofram diaphragm is used to ensure optimum valve movement.
- Quick response due to a shorter valve stroke and upper housing.
- Dual Spring system, preventing premature discharge under high boost.
- Spring tension is adjustable to suit mass applications.
- Identical mounting flange as the Type-S and Type-RS.
The GReddy Type-RZ BOV is essentially the same as the current Type-RS, but looks more attractive and has a larger diameter valve.
List price is $236.00, but expect the best price in the market at National Speed. Initially, these will be a limited product run of only 100 units nation wide, but I don’t forsee this lasting too long. Get ‘em while you can!
November 17, 2008 – 11:40 am
  If the movies are any indication of what’s to come, where in the hell are my flying cars?!?
For decades, Hollywood has teased audiences with hypnotic visions of an automotive future which has sadly yet to come true. It’s incredibly frustrating to walk into a movie theater and have your mind blown by fantastic images of flying cars only to come crashing back to reality on the ride home in your Ford Focus station wagon. Talk about a buzz kill.
Think about how awesome it would be to hop behind the wheel of one of these bad boys and fly to work. It would certainly make your morning commute a helluva lot more interesting, not to mention faster…unless you take the Magical School Bus, which would just be stupid.
1) Delorean from Back to the Future. “Where we’re going we don’t need roads.” Anybody that doesn’t think this is the coolest flying car since Chitty Chitty Bang Bang needs to drive 88mph and rethink their decision. Not only can the Delorean DMC-12 travel back in time (convenient for creating paradoxes and multiple sequels), but it also runs on garbage. Thanks Mr. Fusion!
2) Spinner from Blade Runner. While Blade Runner is heralded as the crowning achievement of sci-fi cinema, nobody ever mentions how badass the cars are. The Spinner police cruiser driven by Harrison Ford is pants-wettingly awesome. If you’ve got to bring the law to the lawless in a dystopian wasteland, you might as well do it in style. Get yourself a Spinner!
3) The Jetson’s Flying Pod-thingy. While I’m sure Flying Pod-thingy isn’t the technical term, the Jetson’s always had a pimp ride. Who wouldn’t want to fly around with smoking hot Jane riding shotgun and the ability to eject Elroy and Judy when the mood strikes? What I wouldn’t give for ejectable seats and a hot cartoon wife…
4) Taxi Cab from the Fifth Element. Leave it to the French to create a taxi cub that actually looks cool. This futuristic piece of cool comes courtesy of visionary French director Luc Besson from his crazy and overlooked Bruce Willis actioneer, The Fifth Element. Not only can it fly but the backseat once carried a half-naked Milla Jovovich (yummy!), which pretty much makes it the greatest car ever created.
5) The Mach 5 from Speed Racer. While the Mach 5 doesn’t technically fly, it’s able to flip around and drive up walls, which is close enough. Plus I have an unhealthy love of all things Speed Racer related and the only other flying car that I could think to include on the list is from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and that’s just not going to happen. So you get the Mach 5 instead. And honestly, in the long and storied history of Speed Racer, I’m sure at some point the Mach 5 has probably flown anyway. So there, take that haters!
November 14, 2008 – 2:45 pm
A van with sex appeal? Yes, please.
You know, I’ve always thought the best bet was to go hang out in front of Walmart in my moms minivan to pick up chicks. I guess there isn’t much appeal to a fat guy with an Afro chilling in a rusty 1982 dodge caravan. It appears Honda tuner Mugen has noticed my pleas for help and produced something especially for guys like me.
Mugen has released the a shmexy body kit for the newly released 2009 Honda Odyssey. Some of you may think it sounds silly dressing up a minivan, but in my opinion it’s awesome.
Leaving the stock 203hp motor alone, Mugen focuses on the Odessey’s exterior. Modifications include a new grille, new front and rear fascia, sideskirts, baller 18″ wheels, slotted rotors, floor mats, sport exhaust and a new spoiler. Expect a price around $2,500. Not a bad price to pay for a badass grocery hauler.
November 13, 2008 – 4:09 pm
Gymkhana
For those wondering, Gymkhana is basically a mixture of autocross and drifting, with other additional skillful maneuvers thrown in as well. Cones represent obstacles to navigate through. The “obstacles” involve many highly difficult driving maneuvers such as 360 spins, parking boxes, and figure eights…in other words my daily commute. For those of you talking trash about your epic driving skills in a parking lot, if you think you’ve got the guts, take it to a Gymkhana event and see how you stack up.
Ken Block took the Gymkhana idea a little further and created an insane course at El Toro air station in Orange County using everything around as an obstacle, including an aircraft hanger and a house. Vehicle of choice? 530AWHP Crawford tuned STi. Yep…that’ll do it. Four sets of tires well used in my opinion.
November 12, 2008 – 4:26 pm
The NSX.
First off, back to basics. We all know the Mid-engine NSX (”New Sportscar eXperimental”) was rare to begin with, and with a price of 85,000 greenbacks, it wasn’t exactly in everyone’s price range. The Acura NSX was set to be the everyday supercar.
The NSX had a cutting edge ultra-rigid and ultra-light aluminum monocoque chassis, aluminum suspension, titanium rods, forged pistons, and not only that but it had rock solid reliability as well. Although the price was a little steep, most consumers didn’t realize what the NSX was capable of.
With a suspension directly tuned by the legendary Ayrton Senna, and a high output Naturally aspirated V6, the NSX had a Ferrari rivaling performance for a much cheaper cost. While it already had scalpel-sharp handling and the instant power response you would find in an everyday supercar, Acura saw room for improvement.
The NSX-R
Along came a universal idea: take what’s already good and make it better. In 1992, Acura decided to roll out the NSX-R. While the NSX was intended to be a ultra high end sports car, engineers had to make some compromises to make it suitable for daily driving, taking away some performance edge.
The NSX-R cut out the slack. Starting out with a base NSX, the sound deadening, audio system and A/C were the first to go. The heavy leather seats were next, replaced by a carbon fiber Sparco racing seat. Next up were the stock rollers. Although not heavy to begin with, the stock wheels were replaced by aluminum Enkei wheels.
All of this weight reduction shaved 264lbs off of the NSX, bringing weight to a scant 2700lbs, however, this NSX wasn’t just stripped. Honda replaced the original springs and dampers with new ones with stiffer rates to reduce a common mid-engine problem of snap oversteer.
One of the last and most important things done was a final drive ratio change. With a higher final drive that meant the high revving V6 could stay in its powerband longer, at the expense of top speed. Production was limited to 482 examples, and was only produced for the Japanese market.
The Spoon NSX-R GT
The legendary Honda tuner Spoon decided to skip the already limited NSX, and take an even more limited NSX-R as its base. How do you make a car that has everyday supercar ability and TRULY make it special? Not too much is known about this car, as it is shrouded in secrecy, but one thing for sure is known. Forget that lowly 270hp, Spoon decided to take things to the next level and strap a large turbocharger to the motor to produce a rumored 420hp.
[Photo Credit to: Robert Kerian]
This NSX has been sighted at Twin Ring Motegi tearing up the track. The aggressive styling of the bodykit is sure to produce a huge amount of downforce. Spoon is rumored to be producing a copy of this car for consumers soon for a starting price of $150,000. Not a big price to pay for an everyday supercar, in my opinion.
November 11, 2008 – 3:59 pm
A 3.2 liter Honda? Honda motor swaps have been done every which way, and now thanks to Hasport, there’s a new direction to go.
Hasport has just released their “j” series motor mounts for EGs and DCs (92-95 Civic/94-01 Integra/93-97 Del Sol). The J series motor is the same motor that powered most Acuras from 1998 and onwards. Hasport only recommends the J30A1, J32A1 and J32A2 as of right now. One thing to note, however, is the fact that you will need a 04-08 TL or 03-07 Accord 6-speed transmission. These powerplants are specifically as follows:
J30A1 from the 98-02 Accord V6 or 97-99 Acura CL3.0
The J30A1 displaces 3.0 liters and is a Single overhead cam with VTEC. The motor only weighs 250lbs and puts out 200hp and 195Ft/lbs. Due to a similar head design of the J32 motors used in the Acura CL and TL Type-S motors, these motors are a perfect candidate for a camshaft swap. Due to it being a lightweight V6, I’m sure if you threw this into a stripped EG hatch, it would fly.
J32A1 from the 99-03 Acura TL and 01-03 Acura CL
J32A2 from the 01-03 Acura CL Type S or 02-03 Acura TL Type S
The J32 displaces 3.2 Liters and is also a Single cam slammer with VTEC. Horsepower figures were bumped up to 225hp for the J32A1, and the J32A2 bumped up figures even more to 260hp and 232ft/lbs. This was achievable by having a more aggressive cam, freer flowing intake and exhaust, and an innovative intake manifold.
With the J-series motor mounts now being offered by Hasport, a whole new avenue of approach has been opened up for those looking to go in another direction than the everyday B16 and B18 swap. With the torque and horsepower being offered by these lightweight motors, I have a feeling you’ll see some nasty J series builds in the future. The popularity has not yet caught on strongly, so now’s the time to start looking for a motor.
November 10, 2008 – 2:50 pm
How many of you Honda guys WOULDN’T like to have the world’s fastest Honda Civic?
What if I also asked how much you would be willing to pay to HAVE that title.
That’s right folks, out of all the places in the world it could be, it’s for sale on eBay.
Officially the World’s Fastest Honda Civic, having run at over 225 miles per hour on the Bonneville salt flats, has now been offered up for sale. It’s your chance to own a piece of history. Whether you want the car for the ultra hardparking status, want to be super mad JDM Tyte, or actually want to use the vehicle for Bonneville Speed Week 2009, all of the status and glory can be yours for $22,000 USD (Currently).
The motor used to power the Civic is a 84mm Dart B18c Head and Block with a plethora of high quality parts. Highlights include a massive Turbonetics T72 turbo, 720cc RC Injectors, and a Hondata S300. In all honesty, the motor doesn’t appear to be too incredibly extreme when considering a title such as World’s Fastest Honda Civic.
I know you’re looking for the Power numbers, so I won’t disappoint. This motor produced an astounding 728HP and 503ft/lbs of torque at 29lbs. For reference, that is a ridiculous 369 Horsepower per liter and 182 Horsepower per cylinder. The salt flat records were run at 14lbs, which produces close to 517HP and 351ft/lbs to the WHEELS. I can only imagine the lag on a huge snail like a T72 must be ridiculous and when boost hits…better hold on to something.
Appearance-wise the exterior of the ‘99 Si is fairly extreme. Built completely for the lowest drag coefficient possible, the front spoiler, belly pan, parachute mount, aluminum work, roll cage and rear wing have all been custom fabricated. The front-end is reminiscent of a snowplow rather than a sleek speed machine, but it apparently does the job.
Simply lowered on Eibach coilovers, it isn’t slammed to the ground like most would imagine it would be. Slowing this salt rocket down is a massive set of 13″ inch Baer Brakes in the rear, and STOCK brakes in the front. I imagine this is for weight transfer on slow down — wouldn’t want the rear end to come around on you at those speeds, would you?
All in all, for all the work and press, $20,000 dollars doesn’t sound that bad. It’s an easy way to own a piece of history that won’t be forgotten any time soon. Plus…who doesn’t want to say they own the fastest civic in the world?
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