Rams Eye The Track Guy

Meet Juns Subaru BRZ. If the traditional power adding methods like forced induction or dropping a small block V8 aren't your thing, this may be it (although I imagine swapping a small block V8 into something small is typically a North American - and awesome - solution, but I digress). This one does have a V8 but it's a very different kind of V8 and, at $70,000, it will cost you a multiple of that but you will no doubt have something very unique. The engine is based on two Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R engines and has a displacement of 2.4 litres. Power? 356 hp at 10,680 rpm, a whopping 156 hp over stock, although torque gets a much more modest jump to 199 lb-ft, "only" 48 lb-ft over stock. This frankenstein engine is the work of Synery Power in New Zealand, which developed the engine for midget car speedway racing but they have wanted to put it in a street car. I would imagine the experience might be similar to a rotary engine, making a lot of power but all very h

I've been asked why I haven't posted about the reveal of this car despite it being very highly anticipated so here's why. I was somewhat underwhelmed to be honest when it came out. Firstly, I make it no secret that I'm a fan of domestics so I typically get more excited about domestics and Ford stole the flashlights with three very special models; the Ford GT , Mustang Shelby GT350R and F-150 Raptor  at the Detroit Auto Show. Secondly, and much more importantly, this seems like it's a few years too late in terms of specs (on paper). Acura has been teasing the return of the NSX for years. This builds up hype and expectations and when you don't deliver something really special, disappointment is inevitable. To make matters worse, Acura seems oblivious to the matter. Mike Accavitti, VP and general manager of Acura, said (and excuse the language) that the NSX is "just badass.. in a luxury kind of way," according to Motor Trend. Acura estimate

"This hand built super car combines American muscle and European maneuverability to reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour." The purpose and the looks just scream AC Cobra to me. I don't know if the builder had it in mind when designing the car but, to me, it looks like a modern take on an AC Cobra with an AC Daytona front end. The car, named Lucra LC470, can be had with one of two GM small block V8s, though, not Ford engines. The standard engine is a 6.2 litre LS3 and, as you may have guessed, the 7.0 litre (427 c.i.) LS7 is an option, just like the legendary AC Cobra 427. This one demands a much higher premium, though, costing over $120,000 whereas the original AC Cobra 427 cost approximately $7,000 back in the day, or nearly $53,000 in today's money. Power is routed through a Tremec TKO 600RR 5-speed (H-pattern) transmission. The car utilizes a carbon fibre body and weighs just 2,000 pounds and with small-block V8 power, it can reach 60 mph in just

I can't believe we are getting another performance vehicle from +Ford  so soon. Everyone was expecting a Focus RS but I didn't think we would see it this soon. To recap, over the last few months, Ford's lineup has gained many options for a gear head. The Mustang gained a new engine option, the 2.3L EcoBoost to bridge the gap between the V6 and the GT. The GT350 name returned with a flat-plane crank making more than 500 naturally aspirated horsepower from a 5.2L V8. Then a GT350R was revealed, a more hardcore track version of the car. The legendary Ford GT came back to, once again, take on Ferrari and a new F150 Raptor was revealed on the opposite end of the performance spectrum. Now, we have another one. A step up from the Focus ST that, according to Ford, without worry about stepping on the toes of the Mustang. Ford said this will be the most powerful Focus, with "well in excess of 315 horsepower." If that includes the limited edition RS500, which made 345

This is the one every one has been waiting for, myself included. The two big giant killers - the Corvette and the Nissan GT-R. Let's cut to the chase, the Vette lost and people are surprised, disappointed or both. Around  Willow Springs , the GT-R Nismo posted a lap time of  1:25.7  and Corvette Z06 posted a lap time of  1:27.1 . That's  1.4  sec on a 1:25 lap which isn't insignificant. I am surprised and disappointed myself. I thought the Corvette would have easily edged out the GT-R based on the handling tests, not just expectations: Test Corvette Stingray Z06 (Z07) Nissan GT-R Nismo Braking, 60-0 MPH 91 ft 97 ft Lateral Acceleration 1.17 g (avg) 1.03 g (avg) MT Figure Eight 22.3 sec @ 1.06 g (avg) 23.1 sec @ 0.99 g (avg) The gap between the two is so large, you would be forgiven to think they are in two different classes. It's hard to believe it doesn't translate to benefit on the track. I think the fact that it didn't is

I've read one or two interviews before with Ford that discussed Nurburgring lap times and why there aren't any for the various performance models over the years. I think it was Jamal Hameedi and he said that he didn't like posting Nurburgring lap times even though they test cars there. The reason why was because a lot of parameters aren't consistent between manufacturers so they are meaningless when it comes to comparing cars. Someone close to Ford seems to not have got the memo, though. According to a Horsepower Kings' source, the Shelby GT350R laid down a very impressive lap time of 7:32.19 at the Nurburgring. Not only that, the number also wasn't a hero lap, it was easily repeatable. Even more impressive, the standard GT350 (presumably with the Track Pack) was within a few seconds despite being on much more street friendly tires. That would put the GT350 neck and neck with the Camaro Z/28's 7:37.4 lap time, although it is worth mentioning that

Ford. Struck. Again. Another high horsepower, high performance model. This time, it's the return of F-150 Raptor, which will once again set the standard for production high performance off-road vehicles. This time, Ford reengineered more of the truck to differentiate it from the standard F-150 compared to the last generation and make it more formidable. For starters, the Raptor gets a bespoke, purpose built frame that is unique to the Raptor, making it the toughest in the lineup and stronger than the outgoing Raptor. Using the same (high strength, military grade) aluminum alloy that deputed on the body of this F-150 generation, Ford claims a 500 lbs weight reduction compared to the outgoing Raptor. Lighter and tougher? Can't complain. The exterior is still easily distinguishable from the rest of the lineup and it doesn't disappoint. I think the truck looks absolutely menacing. Some of the updates, though, are sure to upset a few people. The