Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from September, 2018
HOME   |   ABOUT   |   NEWS   |   TECH ARTICLES   |   AT THE TRACK   |   REVIEWS   |   VIDEOS   |   CONTACT ME

Ferrari "SUV" Coming in 2022

By
Yep, it'll have four doors, more ground clearance, and AWD. No, it's not an SUV or a crossover. Ferrari CEO Louis Camilleri said during an interview conference last week: "I abhor seeing SUV in the same sentence as Ferrari. It just doesn't sit well with our brand and what it represents." He refused to call it an SUV or a crossover. So what is it? Well, it's code name Purosangue, meaning Pure Blood, in case you're worried it will be anything but a Ferrari. He apparently wasn't even on board with the idea at all, until he saw the internal design. That bodes well, although not much is known about the looks. Drawing inspiration from the GTC4Lusso is probably a safe bet. The GTC4Lusso (pictured) is Ferrari's only current car that has AWD and 4 seats, although it's only got two doors and doesn't have room for much else. It is basically a shooting brake of a 2+2 GT car and packs a Ferrari V12 under the hood. Although the GTC4 is technical...
Post a Comment
Read more

2007 Saleen Mustang S281 SC Super Shaker Track Review

By
"Who's your green student today?" asked a friend and instructor at the BMW Club Atlantic Advanced Driver Training (HPDE) weekend in June this year. I said: "The Saleen." The response was: "Oh, boy." Mustangs, generally, have a reputation for being more power than chassis. Mustang drivers have quite the reputation for.. how to put this nicely? Taking advantage of said power/chassis imbalance. To make matters worse, this particular Mustang was a supercharged Saleen, with a honkin' Shaker scoop sticking out of its hood. Did I mention it was also a convertible? And the owner was someone who's never been on track before but clearly has the speed bug. Having had a Mustang for years and driven a few on track, they don't scare me - generally speaking - but the combination of being convertible and supercharged with a new and excited owner worried me a little. Nevertheless, I shrugged it off and got excited about chatting with the owner to find ...
1 comment
Read more

Toyota Supra Lineup to Include BMW 4-cylinder Turbo

By
Lexus LFA had an engine co-developed and built by Yamaha. It arrived preassembled to Lexus to bolt in the LFA. Toyota 86 has an engine from Subaru, with the only exception (I believe) is the direct injection system. It turns out that the Supra will, again, follow in the current Toyota tradition of not developing sports car engines, because it will source them all from BMW. I have read previously that the Supra will use the straight six, turbo engines from BMW (the current version is the B58). It now turns out that the Supra will also offer 4 cylinder entry level engine options from, you guessed it, BMW. The 4 cylinder, turbo B48 engine makes 255 hp and 295 lb-ft torque in the 3-series, although it will make slightly more in the Supra, according to an internal document from transmission manufacturer ZF.  The document shows that the very popular ZF 8HP eight speed auto will be paired with the BMW B48 4 cyl turbo in the Supra, where it will make 262 hp, slightly more th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Lamborghini Aventador LP 770 SVJ sets new 'Ring Lap Record

By
As a very competitive person and self-proclaimed track rat, I care about performance numbers and lap times.. probably a little too much. Now, I always take manufacturer Nürburgring lap times with a grain of salt, but that has never stopped me from absolutely loving seeing different manufacturers go at it or being fascinated by new (seemingly impossible) "production" lap records. The most recent record breaking run comes from Lamborghini, with its highest performing Aventador yet; the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ. The lap time? 6:44.97, over 2 seconds (2.28) quicker than the last record holder, the 911 GT2 RS with a lap time of 6:47.25, which held the record for almost a year. The Aventador LP 770 (770 metric hp) Superveloce Jota (SVJ), makes 759 hp vs 730 hp in the standard Aventador - the LP 740 (740 metric hp), or 739 hp in the previous top-dog Aventador, the LP 750 SV. Other improvements include lighter weight bringing curb weight down to approx. 3,362 lb. according to L...
Post a Comment
Read more





Does An Aftermarket Grille Really Increase Airflow?
I put a Saleen S281 grille to the test to answer that question.

Stock Suspension S197 Mustang With Square 305/30/19's
What you need to fit a proper size square tire setup.

How Limited Slip Diffs Make You Faster on Track
What you need to know about how they put power down and pros and cons.

Can Telemetry Explain Schumacher's Talent?
A comparison between Schumacher's and then team mate Herbert's data.





Cayman GT4 Track Review
The first Cayman with proper (911-challenging) power.

Is an EcoBoost Mustang any good on Track?
Two days at the track in a Mustang short 4 cylinders.

2016 BMW M4 DCT Track Review
It's quick (properly quick). But is it fun?

Can a stock Golf Diesel handle a Track Day?
Not your every day track beater.



🔥 Most Visited This Week

Limited Slip Differentials - The Basics

By
I'm finishing up a comparison post (link to introduction: Intro: Focus RS vs Golf R vs WRX STI vs Evo X ) and, throughout the post, I realized that I have to go off topic a lot to talk about how each type of differential changes the way the car drives. As a result, I thought I'd write a separate post to go into more detail before I post the comparison to keep it more focused on the cars and avoid veering off topic too much. By saying "Limited Slip Differentials" in the title, I am including torque vectoring diffs because, although current conventional terminology treats them differently, a torque vectoring differential is, in essence, a very sophisticated limited slip diff (LSD) that can be manipulated to actively help the car handle better. And while none of the cars in the comparison use open (without help from the brakes) or non-gear mechanical LSD’s, I’ll briefly discuss them so that the post is more inclusive. I’ll only focus on using power to help the...
3 comments
Read more

2016 Mustang EcoBoost Track Review

By
Photography by: Graham MacNeil Ford really wants to sell you a Mustang with a turbo four cylinder. They started by derating the V6 engine in the 2015 S550 compared to the 2011-2014 S197 V6 to make the EcoBoost 2.3 litre more differentiated. Then, they offered a performance pack on the EcoBoost but not on the V6. Now, they killed the V6 all together for 2018 and will only sell you a V8 or this EcoBoost. I love a good V8, everyone who knows me knows that. This is a Mustang, which means it needs a V8. If those aren't enough reasons, I always prefer natural aspiration over forced induction. That's three strikes against the EcoBoost-powered Mustang. But I'd be lying if I said the idea never intrigued me. It's the lightest (if you account for features). It has the best weight distribution. It has the same great chassis as the GT. It's very affordable and it has a lot of potential to make more power. Aftermarket? Endless support. There's plenty of good about it....
5 comments
Read more

Kawasaki Ninja H2R - 300 hp and Supercharged

By
Okay, this isn't a car but there's a reason why I'm writing about it. It has a supercharged 1.0 litre engine makes 296 hp. 296 hp may not be too impressive in a car but one has to remember that this isn't a car. It's a bike and it weighs just 476 lb in full trim and a 90% full tank. That's a weight to power ratio of 1.6 lb/hp. I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around that number. To put that number into perspective, a 2013 Mustang GT500 has 5.9 lb/hp. A C6 Corvette ZR1 has 5.3 lb/hp. A 2015 Porsche 918 has 4.2 lb/hp and that's with the electric motors running at full song. The insane Hennessey Venom GT with its twin-turbo LS7 7.0 litre engine has 2.2 lb/hp. I can't even begin to imagine what 1.6 lb/hp would feel like. I would also be curious about how fast you'd have to be going to be able to use that power. I used to have an 09 Cobalt SS. It had GM Stage 1 and a few bolt ons which would put it at very close to that 296 ...
Post a Comment
Read more

GTR vs Evo X vs STI: which has the best AWD system?

By
A few weeks ago, I made a post explaining  mainstream AWD system types and how they compare , pros and cons, etc. including some simple diagrams to show where the power goes and how much. As promised, this post will focus on specific cars and what AWD systems they use, especially ones that that have more or less been defined by their AWD systems, and the best place to start may be with a bombshell; the Nissan GT-R. Nissan GT-R (R35) The GT-R has built a reputation around having monster traction and very approachable performance, thanks to its AWD system - Advanced Total Traction Engineering System for All-Terrain (ATTESA) - and what it can do for you. But the GT-R doesn't actually use the most mechanically sophisticated type of AWD systems discussed in the previous article, namely a "true" AWD with a centre differential. Instead, it uses a clutch pack to transfer power. RWD-based clutch-type AWD schematic - Rams Eye The Track Guy © The R32, R33, and R34 Sky...
8 comments
Read more