Latest News

Aug 31, 2007

Original Gone in 60 Seconds Trailer

Sweet turbo modification


MX-6 forums

Don't allow that guy anywhere near your car. Also his license to weld should be taken away, if they give that kind of thing.... something should be revoked from that guy.

Dromo 1

I think I am a dromoholic. 2 of 3 wins. Didn't win the second one because we started inverted, and I was in the very back

Aug 30, 2007

MODERN MUSCLECARS AND LIFESTYLE: INDUSTRY INSIGHTS INTO THE NEW SPORT-COMPACT SEGMENT

MODERN MUSCLECARS AND LIFESTYLE: INDUSTRY INSIGHTS INTO THE NEW SPORT-COMPACT SEGMENT

How has the sport-compact industry changed over the year? To help answer this question, SEMA turned to its Sport-Compact Council (SCC). The following is a short excerpt from the 2006 SEMA Compact Performance Market Report, which posts the results to this question.


Interesting , in a survey Skyline shows up on there at about 70% of people said it fits into the Sport Compact segment...

In April of 2006, Formula Drift hosted the first round of its series in Long Beach, California. We surveyed some of the attendees for their view of this topic. When asked which of the following would be included in this scene, they submitted answers supporting the notion that consumers associate the market moving upstream to more expensive cars with high-performance characteristics.

Aug 29, 2007

HKS boost



When it points at HKS, its above 2.1 but below a millon.

Aug 28, 2007

The sweetest Toyota Camry Wagon eva....


You know you dig it...

Jalopnik

This is so sweet. Don't even try and copy this...

Aug 27, 2007

Orangeyouglad

2009 GT-R test drive at Tochigi


7Tune

Japan’s Car Top magazine has been informed in detail of Nissan’s secret test drive event held earlier this month at its Tochigi proving grounds.

An unnamed test driver has spoken exclusively to Car Top magazine about an event held by Nissan to allow 30 people to test drive the 2008 GT-R at its Tochigi proving grounds earlier this month. No media representatives were invited to the event so the lucky group of people only consisted of Nissan advertising and marketing personnel as well as some racing and test drivers to help out with the program. Over the 3 day event, the aforementioned unnamed test driver was able to put the GT-R through handling and high speed tests designed to show its superiority against two other cars for comparison, a Z33 Fairlady Z and a 997 Porsche 911 Turbo. All those assembled were told that the interior of the GT-R test car was fake and that the black front mask would not be coming off for the tests. The rear of the car however was unmasked and there for all to see. The unnamed test driver went on to describe the rear of the GT-R to Car Top and a CG image of that description can be seen below. There would also be 7 different GT-R models to be released (in different markets) and there would be four colors: the silver as seen on the Nurburgring test car, the gun metal gray as seen on the car at the Goodwood Festival, white and black.

A little old but - Steve Wozniak ticketed for 104 mph in a Prius



Jalopnik


Sweet , driving a Prius for all the right reasons. I forgot to look for this last week. Glancing though some Blogs today, ran across it. I think it goes well with my "IH8OPEC" plated Prius, and Al Gore III, drugged up doing 100 on the 405.

Evo X Brochure leaked


Motor Authority

The official power figure reads a metric 280ps at 6,500rpm, which is equivalent to 276hp (206kW). However, we suspect the final production version may actually develop more power than this official rating suggests. Max torque stands at 422Nm (311ft-lb), coming in at 3,500rpm

Aug 26, 2007

Mr Tamura US interview

Just a short clip of an interview that was setup when Mr T - aka Mr. GTR was in town. Mr. Tamura was the product planner of the R34 GT-R, and dealt with the initial concept of the next GT-R. Currently he is working on new products for Nissan.

Aug 24, 2007

Nice shot showing 2009 Nissan GT-R seats


They look along the same lines as the R33- R34 seats. I am sure for the US , they have to be leather.... whats everyones fetish with leather ?... oh.... Leather though - in 100 degree heat in LA, is not what I like to get into.

Aug 22, 2007

Air Resources Board Announces $700,000 settlement with

Release 07-34
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 22, 2007

Leo Kay
(916) 322-2990
Karen Caesar
(626) 575-6728
www.arb.ca.gov

Air Resources Board Announces $700,000 settlement with
Saleen, Inc., for sale of uncertified cars

SACRAMENTO - The Air Resources Board recently reached a $700,000
settlement with auto manufacturer Saleen, Inc., of Irvine,
Calif., for selling vehicles not certified to California
regulations, which can affect tailpipe emissions and negatively
impact air quality.

"We hope that this case will serve as a deterrent to others who
may be planning to profit by selling uncertified vehicles," said
Lynn Terry, ARB acting executive officer. "California vehicles
are designed to be the cleanest in the nation. Tampering with
emission control systems to enhance speed and performance can
increase smog-forming emissions, which is especially harmful in
areas such as Southern California where smog continues to exceed
state and federal air quality standards."

During 2004 and 2005, Saleen acquired new motor vehicles
(defined as having an odometer reading of 7,500 miles or less),
modified and later sold them for use or registration in
California, despite the fact that due to those modifications,
they were no longer certified.

During its investigation, Air Resources Board staff found three
Ford vehicle models modified by Saleen without ARB
certification. The vehicles in violation are the 2004 and 2005
N2O, based on the Ford Focus, which was modified to be able to
use nitrous oxide to boost performance; the 2004 and 2005 S121,
also based on the Ford Focus; and the 2005 S281, based on the
Ford Mustang. More than 100 vehicles were affected.

Under the terms of the settlement, to sell or use the N2O models
in California, Saleen is required to recall and reconfigure them
to a certified condition; that recall is currently underway. The
other models were ultimately certified for use in California.

To protect yourself, the Air Resources Board suggests that
vehicle purchasers verify the legality of any vehicle
modifications, especially those that claim to improve
performance or fuel economy. To assist consumers, the ARB
maintains a webpage dedicated to aftermarket parts and
modification information. There is also a toll-free assistance
line at 800 242-4450.

All monies are being paid to the California Air Pollution
Control Fund, which was established to mitigate various sources
of pollution through education and the advancement and use of
cleaner technology. This fund uses compliance settlement fees to
support various pollution-related research projects and related
programs. The Legislature controls the use of the Air Pollution
Control Fund through the annual Budget Act.

The Air Resources Board is a department of the California
Environmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote and
protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through
effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and
considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air
pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain


Wow , I am breathing better air already..... thanks ARB.

Panda Expressing

Redline movie



Awesome movie , totally unpredictable. Defies the laws of physics. Not at all sped up. Ahhhhh yeah.


Kind of like a bad B movie, or something that should have went straight to video. I am glad we waited until it came out on Netflix to watch it. This movie was really horrible. It could have just been an hour and a half of footage from a Hot Import Nights and been more interesting. The content would have been about the same. Some cars , women wandering around.

They really didn't need to speed up the film, to get the action they needed. They could have done a much better job of shooting the action shots of the cars. If the guys from Top Gear can get it right , why can't these guys ?

Physics. Someone needs to explain to those guys how the Carrera GT could go from hitting something on the right side of the road, into a flat spin in the air off the left side of the road , over a cliff. There is a minivan hit by a Corvette that kind of leaps up in the air from the back. It was really laughable at best.

I had to pick up the DVD cover to see how much more of the movie I had to endure at around an hour into it. I was ready to gouge out my eyeballs. One hour thirty three minutes , lost. I could have been sleeping, or watching C-Span.

I am a hardcore car fan , but this was just trash. If you want a cool Producer/Director guy crashing up some of his own cars - watch the "ORIGINAL" Gone in 60 Seconds - 1974. Now thats a movie for you. A little cheesy, but it was made in 1974, we can expect that.

Aug 21, 2007

Nissan may void warranty for 2009 GT-R if resold too soon




Edmunds article

According to Jan Thompson, Nissan's vice president of marketing, in an effort to prevent buyers from selling their dealer-purchased Skyline GT-R immediately for a profit, Nissan is considering voiding the Skyline's warranty for the second buyer if the transaction takes place less than one year after the initial purchase.



So don't go flipping your GT-R for profit....although the people buying them probably wouldn't care that much anyway. They will be doing plenty of other stuff to void the warranty.

Aug 18, 2007

EAT HELLO KITTY

Yum Yum..eat

Nissan GT-R to make US debut November 16

LA Times

The 2009 Nissan GT-R will make its North American debut at the Los Angeles Auto show on November 16. This is just shortly after it will make its world debut in Japan at the Tokyo motor show. Don't expect to see the 2009 GT-R on sale in the US until around June 2008.

Nissan's GT-R, a much-talked-about concept sports car whose production version is hitting American showrooms next year as well, will make its first appearance in Tokyo in October.

Frankfurt, Tokyo and Detroit are widely regarded as the three most important car shows in the world, each serving different corners of the planet. But California is one of the largest markets and where trends start, says Jan Thompson, Nissan North America's vice president of marketing.

The GT-R, for example, is aimed at Japanese import enthusiasts who put a premium on affordable performance and the ability to upgrade their cars with aftermarket parts.

"Now, we can focus on the import turf that is the West Coast," she says. "We don't have to split our efforts" between Detroit and Los Angeles within a span of weeks.

Aug 17, 2007

2002 Porsche 911 Turbo for sale



Who needs a 2002 Porsche 911 Turbo?

Ebay ad

If you need one , theres an eBay listing for one I just put up. Nice car , got a few modifications.

Aug 16, 2007

Article on 7tune.com on R33/R34 test car


http://www.7tune.com/?p=93

Some cool pictures of the "Stealth" R33/ R34 test car. Interesting what is used to develop other cars.

I am not so sure on some of the information. I haven't seen the foam in the pillars, but there are steel reinforcements in the quarter panels of R34's.

Aug 13, 2007

NOPI Chicago Cancelled

http://www.nopidrift.com/articles.php?set_id=1187040528

NOPI Motorsports is sad to announce the cancellation of the NOPI Drift event in Chicago this weekend August 18th and 19th. NOPI has received notification this morning from Toyota Park that they will not make the facility available for the NOPI Drift event in Chicago this weekend. NOPI believes that it has a valid contract with Anschutz Chicago Soccer Stadium, LLC, the owner of the facility, and the reasons for their refusal to allow the event to take place are still not clear. NOPI has instructed its attorney to take any and all action necessary to hold them accountable for their actions in refusing to honor their contract with NOPI. "We have been negotiating with Toyota Park since last October and they have even been selling tickets on their website. People from all over the country were scheduled to come to this event and we have invested tens of thousands of dollars in up front costs.", stated Michael Meyers, President of NOPI Motorsports, LLC.

T. Michael Martin, attorney for NOPI Motorsports, stated "We believe that we clearly have a valid agreement with the facility and their refusal to allow the event is a breach of that agreement and we will hold them accountable for their actions. NOPI will suffer serious financial losses because of this action and we take any and all actions necessary, including the filing of a lawsuit, to recoup those losses and the damage done to the reputation of NOPI Motorsports, LLC". Martin continued, "We believe that this refusal to allow the event may very well be political and has nothing to do with the terms of the agreement entered into".



This is something very new to NOPI, as they have never encountered anything like t

Hubert Young in the VQswap.com S13



Thanks for the pic - Jay.


Pull another gear , pull another gear...

2009 GT-R engine information


Engine information from 7tune.

Engine Code: VR38

Peak Power: 480ps/6,800rpm

Peak Torque: 58.0kgm/1,700 - 5,600rpm (420 lb-ft)

Details: The engine powering the new GT-R will be extremely lightweight compared to engines of similar capacity and complexity. Titanium intake valves and magnesium alloy exhaust valves will be used as well as a version of the new VVEL (Variable Valve Event and Lift) technology as used in the V36 Skyline Coupe. Red line is from 7,600rpm, with a 7,800rpm rev limit. Even after peak power has been achieved at 6,800rpm, 90% of maximum power will still be available from 6,800 - 7,500rpm with the power curve staying virtually flat from 6,800rpm to red line. The secret to the GT-R’s speed is in it’s ability to obtain peak torque at such low revs, as well as a very usable spread of power right across the rev range. There is even mention of the engine being designed for a maximum power output of 600ps, but being detuned to 480ps for production.

The engine powering the 2008 GT-R is not part of the VQ family… Holiday Auto have reportedly been told that the engine appearing in the new GT-R has a ‘VR’ designation, leading them to believe that it has a strong connection to the VRH35L from the Nissan R390 that contested the Le Mans 24 Hour endurance race! We’ll have more on this soon.


I just read the SAE paper on "Development of Innovative Variable Valve Event and Lift (VVEL) System - SAE paper 2007-01-3548 , and it says that the maximum rev limit of the system is 7500 rpms. Continuously variable valve lift from 0.7mm to 12.3 mm. Thats some range.

Aug 11, 2007

Formula D Sonoma



Lots of people in the stands. Formula D looks healthy in the Bay Area.

Aug 10, 2007

Formula D Sonoma - VQSwap.com



Hubert Young in the VQswap.com S13. 500 hp supercharged VQ35 powered S13.

This months Super Street Magazine has a S13 hatchback with a VQ35 in it also , from VQSwap.com

Hubert didn't make the 32 cut at this event. He needs a little more time to get used to this car. He had some high entry speed - 80mph, but we will get it worked out for the next event.

Aug 9, 2007

HYBRID SALES TO REACH RECORD LEVELS, SAYS J.D. POWER

SEMA News

Hybrid vehicles are on course to achieve record sales in 2007, increasing by 35% compared with 2006, according to the “J.D. Power and Associates 2007 U.S. Hybrid Vehicle Forecast Second Quarter Update.”

According to Ward’s Auto, an estimated 185,913 hybrid vehicles were sold in the U.S. market through the first half of 2007, accounting for 12.8% of the total U.S. new light-vehicle market through June. While sales of hybrid vehicles are projected to decline slightly in the second half of the year, J.D. Power and Associates says that the market is still on track to sell 345,000 hybrids in 2007—a 35% increase from the 256,000 hybrids sold in 2006.

“High gas prices during the first half of 2007, coupled with automakers lowering the price premium for most hybrid models, have given the hybrid market a boost,” said Mike Omotoso, senior manager of global powertrain forecasting for J.D. Power and Associates.



The Toyota Prius continues to be the most popular hybrid model, selling 94,503 units through June 2007 and representing 50.8% of all new hybrid vehicles sold in the U.S. market in 2007. Prius sales were bolstered earlier this year when Toyota began offering incentives up to $2,000 to entice customers.

“Toyota realized that they had to offer incentives for the Prius to offset the decrease in the federal tax break, which decreased from more than $3,000 in 2006 to less than $1,000 in 2007,” said Omotoso. “The incentives helped Toyota maintain a strong sales pace for the Prius.”

Despite the entry of nine new hybrid vehicle models in the market in 2007—seven of which are expected to go on sale between July and December—the Prius is projected to continue as the sales leader among hybrid vehicles during the next few years.

Competition in the hybrid segment is projected to intensify further in the coming years. According to the J.D. Power and Associates report, there will be as many as 65 hybrid models—28 cars and 37 light trucks in the market by 2010, with sales expected to reach nearly 775,000 units, or 4.6% of the total U.S. new light-vehicle market.

“While consideration for hybrids is falling, interest in hybrids is still strong among consumers, and projections indicate steady growth for this segment in the coming years,” said Omotoso. “Bringing additional hybrid models to the market will serve to fuel that interest.”

Source: J.D. Power and Associates. (August 2, 2007). “J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Hybrid Vehicle Sales on Pace to Reach Record Sales in 2007.” J.D. Power and Associates press release courtesy of PR Newswire.

Aug 8, 2007

Then why do you drive a gasoline burning car ?



Really , seriously. If you hate the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries , then why do you drive an oil burning car ?

This is the perfect example of a typical asshat Prius driver in LA. If you want to not rely on OPEC, then you drive a different kind of vehicle. You drive a Biodiesel ,you drive an electric car. Even an E85 car at 85% ethanol, and 15% gasoline is better than a Prius. A Prius , while it may get better gas mileage than many vehicles , probably does not , when driven how people like Al Gore III like to drive them.

Get over yourself and your Prius , you are not saving the earth.

F the 405 its 9:20 pm

Lip o'day That's a 6 D cell Maglite

Or maybe a 2 cell D Maglight

Aug 4, 2007

Dromo 1 Two firsts and a third

Can't beat employees at their own house.

Aug 2, 2007

Rental car drag racing

Now not saying you would , but if you did , you might....



JDM Option - yo



Stripping out the interior



And you might be able to take it from a 16.8 quoted quarter mile time , down to a 15.8. That is , if it were ok to drag race a rental car.

Erics response to my response to Super Street on Time Attack



I think Erics getting soft in his old age. He said this was heated. Not really , but I do have a response for him again.

http://jdm-insider.com/Blogs/Eric/

GDS R32 GT-R drag racing and in car

It moves around a bit. Fun with all wheel drive and lots of power.Took a big correction at about the 330 mark.

TWIN-INJECTION ENGINE ONE OF THE 10 BEST, SAYS WARDS

SEMA NEWS

TWIN-INJECTION ENGINE ONE OF THE 10 BEST, SAYS WARDS

According to a recent WardsAuto.com article, when Toyota Motor Corp. introduced its 3.5L, DOHC V6, 2GR-FSE, many eyebrows were raised. The reason? The engine would be the first to combine direct-injection gasoline (DIG) fueling with conventional port fuel injection (PFI). The engine was launched in the 2006 Lexus IS 350, and has won two consecutive Ward’s 10 Best Engines awards.

Toyota indicated that the engine was developed in order to increase performance while at the same time reducing emissions. Now, others in the industry are “migrating to DIG fueling as a way to improve performance and fuel consumption” according to the article. Using direct injection alone forced Toyota to make certain compromises when developing engine technologies, for DIG used alone tends to limit volumetric efficiency and wide-open throttle engine performance. When combined with port fuel injection, an engine with DIG fueling would not experience curbed volumetric efficiency or high levels of cold-start emissions.

Toyota’s twin-injection design is called D-4S, a variation of the D-4 architecture which has been used since 1996 for four-cylinder engines and is now used in the inline 6 and V6 engine families. The D-4S delivers fuel in a “more evenly distributed spray pattern in the cylinder, precluding the need for high levels of charge motion,” according to the article. There is a DI injector and a port injector for each of the engine’s six cylinders. Toyota engineers say that brake-specific fuel consumption is improved by 4% and start-up emissions are reduced by 20%. The PFI system typically operates on its own during the actual cranking part of the engine startup phase. It is during this time that a substantial portion of the “raw” emissions of a cold start are produced. During high-load operation, only the DI injectors are used, which maximizes the DI’s ability to deliver a cooler and denser air/fuel mix. This promotes maximum power and torque.

As these types of technologies are further developed and improved upon, we should expect to see more of them in a wider range of vehicles, not just the premium brands. Automakers are continually finding ways to make more power and torque while at the same time creating engines that are more fuel efficient.

Source: Visnic, Bill. (July 23, 2007). “Toyota V6 Twice-Injected With Innovative Thinking.” WardsAuto.com. Retrieved July 23, 2007 from www.wardsauto.com.

Aug 1, 2007

Customizers Go Head To Head In New Car Makeover Series

From Autoblog:

I wonder what would happen if you were given a car and a theme.

[Source: MTV]

PRESS RELEASE:

MTV DRIVES SUNDAY NIGHTS WITH NEW LINE-UP

Customizers Go Head To Head In New Car Makeover Series

"Trick It Out" on Sundays At 10pm ET/PT And

"Pimp My Ride" Returns For Final Season on Sundays At 10:30pm ET/PT

Sunday nights are getting revved up and blinged out on MTV as new car makeover competition series, "Trick It Out" joins returning favorite "Pimp My Ride," for its final season Sunday nights at 10pm ET/PT.

"Trick It Out" takes car customization to an even greater level as auto specialists are pushed to their creative limits on Sunday nights. Car customizes are obsessed with being the best and thrive on one upping each other as they flaunt their skills. Hosted by Becky O'Donohue ("American Idol"), MTV will embrace this competitive spirit as some of the top auto shops in the LA area go head to head in an all out battle to "trick out" the best rides.

Each week, two crews of four makeover specialists will represent their shops as they compete against each other to see who has the best car customization skills in the land. Both teams will be given similar beat-up cars, 10 days, and $15,000 to turn their worn-out clunkers into the most badass looking rides imaginable. However, the teams will have to customize their cars according to a different theme each week... horror, safari, sixties, military, cartoon. Car expert RJ Devera will determine the winning crew who will not only take home bragging rights and their winning car, but the losers ride as well.

After turning a '65 Chevy Impala into an 800 horsepower biodiesel clean machine and liquidated a Ford ice cream truck into a frozen asset, MTV's "Pimp My Ride" returns for its final season. Rap superstar and host Xzibit is joined by car customization specialist Mad Mike and his crazy car makeover team at GAS (Galpin Auto Sports) to make the dreams of even more car-challenged fans come true. The final eight episodes have only been seen once before in the "Pimp My Ride" marathon which aired June 9th on MTV.

To catch up on new and previous episodes of "Pimp My Ride," viewers can purchase episodes on Amazon Unbox (http://unbox.amazon.com), AOL Video (http://video.aol.com), iTunes Store (www.iTunes.com) and Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360. New episodes are available to download on these services the day after its on-air premiere.

Low 8 second R32 GT-R for sale - New Zealand



If you are looking for a pretty serious car , this is one. 1471 hp / 961 ft-lb on methanol has run as quick as 8.0 @ 174 mph.

Ebay listing

Glen Suckling was the driver of the Croydon Wholesalers R32 from New Zealand that had gone 8.55 on DOT tires. T88 and big nitrous.

TOTB results and pictures from the UK

From GTR.CO.UK

Team Skyline TOTB 6 Results

1/4 mile
Mick Begley
9.93 secs @ 142 mph
Hugh Keir
10.37 secs @ 149 mph
Mo Shabir
10.45 secs @ 136 mph
George Beavers
10.60 secs @ 131 mph
Robbie Thornton
10.77 secs @ 128 mph
Mick Wade
10.91 secs @ 129 mph
Ceri Morgan
10.94 secs @ 128 mph
Danny Crawford
11.20 secs @ 129 mph
Jeff Ludgate
11.54 secs @ 119 mph


Top Speed

Mick Begley
202.8 mph
Hugh Keir
193.4 mph
Danny Crawford
185.2 mph
Jeff Ludgate
167.8 mph
Robbie Thornton

http://www.doorslammers.co.uk/image015.jpg http://www.doorslammers.co.uk/image007.jpg Struggled with this one http://www.doorslammers.co.uk/image019.jpg http://www.doorslammers.co.uk/image009.jpg http://www.doorslammers.co.uk/image010.jpg http://www.doorslammers.co.uk/image023.jpg no matter how hard I tried I was always in the wrong lane! http://www.doorslammers.co.uk/image024.jpg http://www.doorslammers.co.uk/image027.jpg http://www.doorslammers.co.uk/image030.jpg http://www.doorslammers.co.uk/image031.jpg http://www.doorslammers.co.uk/image032.jpg http://www.doorslammers.co.uk/image033.jpg http://www.doorslammers.co.uk/image001.jpg

Super Lemon RII runs a 9 second quarter mile. The ex-JUN Hyper Lemon R33 GT-R.

In car of the Super Lemon on its 9 second pass. Mick gets pretty happy about it at the end.

Super Lemon website


Picture from TOTB5

GMC Typhoon article in Winding Road

Winding Road article 1993 GMC Typhoon