What a weekend! After watching one of the closest Le Mans 24 finishes in recent memory as well as one of the unlikeliest finishes from the Montreal Grand Prix, maybe it’s for the best that I stay in and unwind for the night.
And nothing says “Sunday evening” better than:
>I don’t even know why I’m writing a synopsis:
The three most prominent new/concept vehicles of 2011 come together at the Concorso d’Eleganza. Thank you, classicdriver, for sharing the incredible footage!
Done. Mind is blown… I’ll need a moment to collect myself.
OH, and here’s a sound bite
>These posts are usually undertaken by Danny Chin, our resident eBay ‘meister’. But I’ve got something pretty incredible– and an opportunity to steal a bit of Danny’s thunder is too irresistible to pass. (I love you, bro)
Behold! I was able to find not one, but two extremely rare and iconic BMW 2002s listed on eBay at the same time! If you’ve got $40k readily available, this can be your lucky day. If you’ve got the means to buy both of them, then you just made me spend the better of ten minutes trying to decide what insult to drop on you… You probably have a pencil mustache and I don’t like you. UGH.
>There are a lot of things that annoy me about what people do when they have a car. I’m not quite sure if this is because I’m an auto enthusiast, an engineer, or just a neurotic putz. Regardless, here are the top five things that my girlfriend says I complain about most.
First up is the Prius owner. It’s not just any old Prius owner though. It’s the specific Prius owner who puts a cargo carrier on top of the car like the one pictured above. Now, I don’t have any problem with the carrier itself. I have a huge problem with the fact that these things are very rarely taken off of the car once installed. Nevermind that the Prius was designed to be as slippery as possible to cut right through the air to achieve its fuel efficient numbers.
The Prius had long ago become a status symbol and by owning one you are telling the world that you are saving it regardless of the fact that a bigger midsize car would suit your size needs more adequately and for a lower sticker price to boot.
Recently I noticed that a lot of people like to ask me if I’ve raced anybody. I don’t know if this is a local phenomenon or if all car guys get asked this. Yes, I know my car has decent power ratings and it is classified as a tuner car. That doesn’t mean that “I live my life a quarter mile at a time.” Street racing is a pretty stupid game since the Fast and the Furious franchise made it so mainstream. Chancing life, limb, finances and the law isn’t my cup of tea. “Street cred” is not worth it!
Speaking of “street cred,” I get really frustrated when people decide to rebadge their cars into something that it isn’t. This can include a whole myriad of things like putting “type R” paraphernalia on a Camry or even keeping within one marque and putting M3 badges on a 328i. This type of behavior only attracts real car guys and doesn’t gain you any “street cred.” The real cars guys are the ones that care about things like type R, AMG, M division, etc and they will know that you are a poser. The worst of the worst can be seen in the video above.
I’m sure you’ve all seen this hanging in the most ill-suited cars to transport a child. I think it’s a slap in the face to all the drivers around it. To me it says “drive extra careful because you are around my child who will one day discover a vaccine for death.” It’s almost as if that proud parent thinks everyone else drives horribly and needs a reminder about how to operate a vehicle. This especially irritates me when the owner of this placard can’t stay in their own lane and is chain smoking. It’s ok though! They have a baby on board that is very distracting and stress-inducing.
This last one infuriates me. It doesn’t matter whether the passenger or driver is doing this. It’s equally stupid, dangerous, and terrifying. Let’s count the reasons.
>Before I begin to write about the topic at hand, I’d like to address FPH’s apology to the readers on Saturday. The apology is a bit preemptive but due to various events and projects, the first of which was Kyle Swift’s wedding (Congratulations, buddy!), myself and fellow contributors will be busy with things outside of the blog and may post at a lower frequency for the next two weeks. I hope you won’t miss me too much. Actually no, I hope you miss me to death and can’t wait for me to be back.
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about cars. So last week, a friend of mine sent me an IM telling me check out a comment from “wheatieboy” that was posted on a BMW 1M Coupe article written by Mike Spinelli of Jalopnik.
This is what my friend thought about the comment, “He’s like the loser that says let’s all stop trying.” There is merit to that. After all, mankind created the microwave, solid-fuel rockets,
the Concorde, the Eurostar, and the birthday cake. Yes, cake! Moreover, Bugatti gave us the 1,001 horsepower supercar that can be used everyday. Finally, according to Futurama, the future promises large pneumatic tubes that shoot humans across the city. None of this would ever be possible if the human race decided to stop trying. And in my friend’s ideal world, a bigger birthday cake is what every human being on Earth should always strive for.
His belief caused two thoughts to materialize. Let’s start with model bloat and something I call driver bloat (you’ll understand when you get to it). With every redesign for the next gen “game-changer,” every dimension is stretched just so. The car will provide a little more headroom, a little more legroom, a little more weight, a little more “style,” a little more kilowatts in the stereo, wheels that are a little larger, an extra gear in the new transmission, a little more power in the engine with a little more performance and a little more mpg. Oh, it’ll cost a little more too. Thanks to a whole decade of “a little”, the latest Accord is now anything but.
This isn’t exclusive to Japanese midsize sedans. The Germans have been waging their horsepower wars for many years too. BMW’s V8 E39 M5 was replaced by an incredible V10 along with what some considered one of the most technologically advanced engine computers and what others consider pure, undiluted, indescribable frustration. Benz’s 55 AMG engine was replaced by a supercharged 6.2 liter and another 6.5 liter. Audi uses the same V10 engine found in their sister company, Lamborghini, for its S6 and S8. Yet strangely, after all these years, top speeds are still electronically limited to 155 mph. What’s the point?
Wheatieboy’s comment addressed 0-60 times specifically, so let’s sum model bloat here by discussing two anomalies– the 2012 Nissan GTR and 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S. These cars didn’t bloat incrementally, but catapulted themselves into the very fringe of what a car could do. Both these six cylinder twin turbo sports cars can blast through 0-60 in less than 3 seconds, and reliably clock in low 3s under almost any surface and temperature condition. They’re identical in horsepower, both all wheel drive, both have launch control, and both have a trick transmission instead of a conventional manual.
But at what cost? The majority of my gripe involves all the digital interference. Ideally, everyone is a proper race car driver behind the wheel and all the aids allows us push the car that much more quickly and safely. However, the reality of it all is when engineers create a new traction control system that’s a little more responsive and AWD that’s a little more advanced with every new model, the result is “driver bloat.” Drivers get a little more lazy, a little more overconfident, and a little more showoffy with every new car they drive. Imagine that sort of driver bloat behind the wheel of a current BMW M5, iDrive infotainment system and all. Oh no.
The second thought came in the form of a question on evolution: why does the majority believe that incremental gains equal improvement in the first place? Does an increase in size or power guarantee a car to be better than its predecessor? Does evolution of the automobile mean that new cars should be made to be faster than old ones?
Evolution is often misused. Evolution doesn’t necessary mean enhanced, it’s simply the ability to adapt– to better suit itself to changes in the environment. The past decade has been a roller coaster for the automotive industry and from the volatility, we’ve been given everything from Escalades on DUBs to crossovers to Toyota Prii.
Large SUVs being the “it” thing five years ago went away to Cash for Clunkers just as quickly. Horsepower must now take a back seat to efficiency as car owners struggle to live within their means when gasoline is more expensive than ever. Let’s not forget about stricter CAFE standards either.
During a chat on the phone with Chin two days ago, I told him of my idea for this post and we inevitably asked ourselves what manufacturers should focus on for future vehicles. The answer is desperately obvious and it came to us the moment we formed the question. Weight will be the next big push in future automotive development across the board, no matter the body type. If a vehicle weighed less, then there’s less mass to carry, delivering better fuel consumption as well as quicker acceleration and deceleration. Safety is still without compromise and will even be enhanced with clever application of carbon fiber, magnesium, and boron steel. Hell, with less mass and less weight transfer and improved mechanical grip, a car will be nimble enough to minimize collision in the first place. Let’s also note that mechanical grip feedback is infinitely more honest to the driver than the artificial sensations of traction control.
These thoughts took a bit longer to convey than I expected and all of you deserve awards for reading this far… or at least deserve a conclusion. I guess my conclusion is, if there’s one at all, cars in the future can provide a little “more” if only they could just weigh a little less!
Happy thirsty Thursday day everybody!
>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:
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| r3vlimited.com |
Considering this Maserati Biturbo is on Time magazine’s list of 50 worst cars of all time, most of you probably think I’m crazy for liking it. It’s inexplicable really. There was a Biturbo coupe on Ebay just a couple days ago and the lines looked so clean. Now, I see the sedan and it isn’t far off the mark. It just exudes a kind of Italian style that is terribly hard to put into words.
Styling is nice but most of you are aware that I primarily like to talk about drivetrain and performance. Well, I won’t disappoint today. Depending on year and trim, the Biturbo housed anything from a 2 to 2.5 liter V6 which made anywhere between 180 and 290 horsepower. The lower end of this range is comparable to an E30 M3! All the physical dimensions are within a stone’s throw of the M3 also. In addition, it was naturally a rear driver.
So what’s the catch? This isn’t titled the The Rich Man’s 3-Series for nothing! The reason behind it being on Time‘s worst car list is largely due to a plethora of service advisories and reliability issues. I’m sure after dumping a bunch of cash into the car, it’s a sweet ride. Here’s one on Ebay to get you started.
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Part 1 of our NYIAS wrap-up covered the media day unveilings that stood out to us. But there were unveilings that fell short as well– whether it may be the cause of a lukewarm product or because of a presentation that carried a lot of potential, but ultimately under-delivered.
Nissan
As previously mentioned, the compact/subcompact segment has been a focal point at the New York auto show, and will only grow more competitive in coming years. Last week, the Nissan Leaf won World Car of the Year, speaking volumes to just how in touch product developers of Nissan are to current trends.
However, I was extremely disappointed with the unveiling of their new Versa. With 30 city/37 highway at an extremely low price of $10,990, the Versa is one of the least expensive new cars sold in North America today and it is obviously trying to bring on the heat to the South Korean brands.
The price, unfortunately, comes with with a price. The Versa suffers from a bland exterior that whimpers anonymity in addition to plastic composite touch points in the interior that conjure childhood memories of Fisher Price. The press conference ended with restrained and scattered applause. Oh no is right. This can’t be good.
Lotus
Lotus caused one of the largest buzzes in recent memory when they simultaneously unveiled at the 2010 Paris Auto Show an unprecedented five unique products– Lotus Eterne, Esprit, Elite, Elan and Elise.
Since the show, skeptics and fans alike questioned whether or not Lotus indeed had the ability, in finances and resource, to meet its promise. With the presence of the Lotus Esprit concept and some major suits, including industry icon, legend, and former GM vice chairman, Bob Lutz, who is now a part of the Lotus advisory board, the venue had everything one could need to inject confidence to the public.
Unfortunately, nothing in depth was ever brought to attention. Sure, the new Evora S and Evora IPS were unveiled but rather than running across sales figures, company performance outlooks, and product improvements, Lotus did little talking at all. Instead, they’ve brought promotional videos to out attention and followed up with an agonizingly long discussion of Lotus’ IRL racing activities. Disappointingly, the only thing the promo videos revealed were gorgeous models in sheer bikinis walking around a Esprit concept while a remix of La Roux’s “In for the Kill” played in the background. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the video. But that wasn’t why FPH came to the Auto Show.
Moreover, as significant manufacturers reported double digit sales growth in the past year, we can be confident that this won’t be our last NYIAS. After our first visit, we met many enthusiasts, both green and veterans of the industry, that have been gracious to us and embraced FPH. After all, an industry is nothing without its people and that’s what made it even more special to be there. FPH is looking forward to cover more press events in the future and we hope to keep in touch with the friends we’ve made and to make new ones as well.
-Danny Choy and Danny Chin
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“I will build a car for the great multitude.”-Henry Ford
In 1908, Ford Motor Company released the seminal Model T as a means to make the middle class more mobile in an affordable manner. It provided a kind of independence previously unknown to the general population. While there were many models in the Ford catalog after 1908, 1964 was the year that Ford solidified its position as a leading automaker that could bring youth, exuberance and freedom to the motoring population with the Mustang.
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| get1car.com |
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LeMans Blue, British Racing Green, Blue Water, Black Sapphire, Alpine White, Palladium Silver, Indium Grey, the list of color choices is endless. Sure, all of these colors are great, but let’s get down to the basics, the nitty gritty. I’m thinking of a color that’s bare bones, yet it’s something that invokes a raw feeling: Flat Black.
We don’t see many vehicles on the road this color, but when we do, oh man! Luke, we’re sorry, but FPH is turning to the Dark Side!
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In the United States, the weight behind the iconic Jaguar marque is… I don’t think there’s any weight at all. The older V12 XKS’s were popular amongst young lawyers of the 90′s, I imagine. But as the XKS finally went out of production and the XJ saloon showed its age, Jaguar steadily lost prominence in the North American market even though the Jaguar owner of the time was none other than Ford Motor Company.
If I were to walk out now and ask a stranger on the street to name five prestige brands off the top of their head, although I’m not sure why I would, their answer will most likely begin with Mercedes Benz, BMW, Audi and Lexus before they would get around to Jaguar, if at all.
It’s a shame as I’ve been quite fond of Jaguars. It’s got that heavy, industrial, bank heist, Irish baddie with fingerless driving gloves charisma. On the flip side, it leaves Coventry with that proper upright posture to play as the British royal carriage. Unfortunately, like everyone else, I’ve been wary of Jag’s history of unreliability.
I was pleasantly surprised, then, to learn that Jaguar performed very well on JD Power & Associate’s 2011 dependability score. Jaguar has really been on the move lately. After Tata Motor’s recent ownership, the line-up received a healthy and very promising rejuvenation.
And according to the Tata executives, Jaguar’s next mission is to introduce a compact sport luxury sedan marketed squarely against the German titans of the segment– BMW 3 series, Mercedes Benz C class, and the Audi A4. The reasoning behind Jaguar is simple; in order to effectively compete with the other players, they must compete in every single segment.
With BMW’s ever growing niche market vehicles like their 5-series gran turismo crossover, I’d disagree with Jaguar’s “every single segment.” But surely, to enter BMW 3-series territory is a practical thing to do. It comes across as common sense.
There is one thing though. A catch. Jaguar also acknowledges that the platform will be front wheel drive. And this concerns me; ever since the 3-series came to market more than 30 years ago, how many fwd competitors were able to surpass it? The Ford Mondeo and the Volvo S60 are respectable, but neither came even close. Neither held the same brand equity and one of them isn’t even sold here. Moreover, Jaguar’s last efforts was in the failed X-type. I don’t even want to talk about it.
But now it’s the revival of Old England we’re talking about, India’s Tata Motors or not! Every single Jaguar model of late has been better than the one before it, they’re back on the radar and Ian Callum is the chief exterior designer. This is their moment and with the anticipation of a smaller Jaguar, I’d expect to see a nimbler brawler with all the charisma of the Mk2 and I certainly expect to see a Jaguar I want to buy.
