Stig Farm Footage.

A new season of Top Gear is upon us and a new Stig is needed. If you remember from my last post, there were photos taken of a Stig Farm. This video confirms the farm and gives us a glimpse of where Stigs come from. Enjoy:

Mommy, where do Stigs come from?

Have you ever wondered where the Stig from Top Gear came from? I've always figured the Stig was designed and constructed in a factory somewhere on the moon. A finely crafted machine built by cyborg hobbits. There was always the possibility that it was forged from the fiery pits of a volcano with power to corrupt humans, or maybe it was robot sent from the future to kill some slacker and change humanity. 

According to a British newspaper, the Stig comes from a farm. The newspaper reported finding a Stig farm, with a full blown herd of Stigs and a Stig farmer/herder. 
From the photos, you can see a herd of Stigs wandering around on an open field and a gentleman herding a few back into the stables. I am a bit surprised by the humble origins of a tamed racing driver. I would've never thought that it had so much in common with sheep, cows, and pigs. If nothing else, you would think that you'd have to wander off into the deep jungle, track one down for days, weaken it through a long fought battle, and capture it like a pokemon. You know, something less...domesticated.


Maybe these are just the regular anonymous racing drivers, and the real Stig is a pedigree breed: like horses to race horses. Or cows to fighting bulls. This wouldn't be a huge stretch of the imagination since there has already been a Stig killed on Top Gear in the past. Still, these Stigs seem a little more sickly looking and not to the same caliber as the one we see lapping the Top Gear Testtrack. Maybe that one IS special. I could just be in denial, but if it was from this farm setting I think that it was probably picked out from this little farm, trained under a rigorous program of supercars, and fed a diet of high octane gasoline and motor oil. Taking a sad pathetic farm animal and molding, refining, and chiseling out the specimen we see now. Thats must be how Top Gear tamed the racing driver we all know today. 


However, I still like my lunar hobbit built machine theory for the Stig's origin. I'm sticking with that story until proven otherwise. These pictures taken by the newspaper are just all of the Stig's cousins. The real one probably has "Made in the Moon" stamped on the bottom its left shoe. We may get more details of the origins of the Stig since Top Gear may be looking to replace the current one. At the end of the last Top Gear season, its seems the Stig wrote a book, which stunned the world: no one knew the Stig could read, let alone write. Well, now that it has developed a consciousness, I think Top Gear may kill it and go find a new one. Maybe we'll get some more clues on where these mysterious beings come from.


Original story: http://transmission.blogs.topgear.com/2010/10/29/stig-farm/

Gran Turismo 5 Trailer

After 20 years in development (or what feels like it), it looks like Gran Turismo 5 will finally see the light of day. I loved the original and that game was actually what introduced me to the world of japanese imports like the WRX, Evo, Skyline GTR and the NSX. In fact I bought a WRX cause of this game. I try to base most of my purchases off of video games and movies. If anyone knows where I can find a Iron Man Suit, it would be very appreciated. GT had amazing real life physics and was so detailed in its graphics and tuning. Sequels followed adding layers onto this already delicious cake until the PS3 came out. The hardware was new and GT5 was supposed to come out for the PS3 close to the release of the hardware, but the developer is a perfectionist and held the production until everything was perfect. While I appreciate that the minds behind the game care so much about releasing a solid product, this thing took so long that cars that were conceptual designs in the original development probably went got scrapped cause the car company went bankrupt while these programming wizards tinkered away. Well the wait is finally over. November 2010. Time to save up those pennies and look to be a good boy so santa brings me a PS3 and GT5. Check out the official E3 trailer. I really like the lighting and night driving visuals. The Top Gear test track is also a nice touch. and a Stig cameo! Stay tuned, happy motorists...

Gymkhana 3

Its been a while since I've posted here but thats only been because there has not been much on my mind to write about. Well that, and I've also been pretty lazy. But that all changed tonight with the friendly help of an inspirational youtube video. Mr. Block is back doing his donuts, loops, power slides, and just plain old crazy stunt driving. This time he is back in a 2011 Ford Focus. It's no Suby, but thats OK, I forgive him. Check out the insanity and see how fast it takes to vaporize a set of tires.

Outta Control

So it's been a while since dipsticks had an update. Sorry to report that the car reviews have been slow these days.

anyways. many of you may have heard about the tragedy involving an off-road race where an off-road race truck lost control and plummeted into the spectators, killing 6 and injuring others. held in the heart of So. Cal.'s deserts, this race, called the California 200, is a full on time attack through twisty and dusty special stages. However, in the particular event, a truck lost control on one of the many jumps and tumbled into the crowd. here's a vid. it's not really graphic or anything so nothing that will cause regurgitated cheese:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOelQunYzEI

first, i must disclaim that my condolences goes out to the friends and families of the ones killed. It is a terrible tragedy.

that said, keeping in mind, this is a race. race cars do occasionally lose control and crash. and all these fans are just a few feet from the racing track. I think anyone, with just a modicum of intelligence, will probably predict that the crowd getting injured is not an if, but a when. What is even more wowing is the fact that after seeing the accident, a bunch of, what I can only presume are zombies since zombies haven't got brains, runs ONTO THE RACING LINE and apparently waves their arms around as if that will change the trucks going at full speed into sci-fi starships that defy the laws of physics. I'm surprised this didn't turn into a full-on reenactment of the move Zombieland.

But what really irritates me is there are actually people who wanted to hit the driver with criminal charges. O. M. F. G. Um. Don't stand so bloody close to big trucks hurtling through the desert and maybe this wouldn't have happened! and besides, there is something called assumption of the risk, even in suit happy America.

I've lost the will to write anymore. This is just another sign of the beginning of the end for the human race. But more importantly, it may spell the beginning of the end for the petro-head and probably anything fun. What's next? No more boats because people may drown?

Spy Shot (sorta) - Mini Countryman

Dipsticks took a road trip recently up the coast of California. And boy were the roads just fantastic! Weather was great, as always, and the beaches awesome. But to the point, right around BMW and MINI's vehicle preparation plant in Ventura County, we spotted what we thought was a very ugly police car:



In fact, obviously, this was a west coast test mule for the upcoming Mini Countryman, Mini's take on the small SUV. Yes, there are already official pictures of it out all over the net and it's already been shown on the east coast, but the west coast debut has yet arrived. Still, makes it curious why they would bother to try to conceal it.

Anyways. The car will reportedly come with the 172hp turbocharged engine, with torque vectoring 4 wheel drive. The interior is rumored to be very large, with a lot of usable space, just the opposite of the normal Mini. Another rumor is that this will be replacing the current stretched Mini, the Clubman.



Hopefully the price won't be too expensive. If they can manage to keep the base price below 23 or 25k at the most, they may have a winner here. What do you think?

Additionally, it has been confirmed that Mini will be taking the Countryman into the World Rally Championships. The car will prepared by the legendary racing shop Pro-Drive, who are based in the GB. Keep in mind, Mini has great credentials in the world rally scene, back in the 60's where it was beating out the big dogs with the tiny original mini.

2010 Mini Cooper S Convertible

Being such a mild summer so far, it's fitting for dipsticks to get their hands on a little convertible. And here it is:


Ah, yes, it's a 2010 Mini Cooper S Convertible. Please pardon the slightly uh...unique color. And unfortunately, the only one available was equiped with the automatic transmission, making it difficult to compare performance with the regular Mini we reviewed in a previous update.

Right. So right off the start, the Mini charm is still there as you can see. The handling, though there are some scuttle shake this being a convertible, is good, with the fast reflexes you would expect to find out of a Mini intact.


The "S" models are fitted with a 172hp turbocharged 4-cylinder, capable of propelling the little car to 60 in a factory claimed 7 seconds. We did not do any official tests, and while it seems possible, perhaps not with the one we had and not w/ the automatic. To be brutally honest, despite the noticably greater torque available off the line as compared with the standard Mini, the extra power was a bit underwhelming. It actually made it somewhat of a handful, as if you're not careful, stamping on the throttle on uneven pavement will send the sensation of a bucking rhino through your arms. I suppose that's sort of exciting... but I suspect having no idea where it will spew off will get old rather quickly. And maybe this particular car hasn't had such a loving life.

But really, that's just nitpicking. It's sunny California, and you're in a trendy convertible that's not rubbish. It even comes with what Mini calls an "Openometer," that keeps track of how long you go about topless. Ok, maybe thats a bit rubbish. But fun.


The top itself can be either opened completely, or opened 1/2 way, sorta like a sunroof. The way I see it though, some convertibles scream midlife crisis, or look at me! i'm a douche bag seeking attention! Or rental. The Mini's best part is it doesn't do any of that, and even if it did, you won't notice. The driving joy is still beyond anything else can bring. Well, anything else affordable at anyrate.


Yes, it's still a cute little car that is a hoot to drive. It is one of the best cheap convertibles we've driven, apart from maybe the Mazda Miata. Would I recommend it? Hmm... after all that considered, it would still be a tough decision. So yes, if you're in the market for a cute, joyful convertible. But actually no, if you really want the essence of the driving feel from a Mini. Good as it is, it's just nearly impossible to preserve the same feel in a car once you've chopped it's head off. And a definite no if you're gunna get it in this particularly uh...unique color.

7/10

China's Astonishing Cars

Being a dipsticker, whenever I go on vacation I like to keep an eye out for cars from the local areas. There's just so many interesting cars not made readily available in the states. This was no different on my recent trip to China. There were actually some interesting ones, but others were, well... astonishing. Think media piracy an issue?

It's a Merc S-Cla... wait. hang on


Ah, it's an X5...wait a minute..


Basics only. 4th wheel optional:


Hello Kitty's got nothing on the Panda:

I think it's a bit disconcerting that it's two blokes in the car...

True MPV:


And of course can't leave out the spyshots of top secret models in testing:

The long awaited BMW mini-van has finally surfaced!

Ok ok, joking aside, here are a few actually desirable cars:

Some new type Rover. Remember that this old British brand is now owned by a Chinese automaker. Does look rather nice, but there are no details available.

And a nice looking TT:

Pan-a-ugly

This weekend I went to the beach and saw what I thought was a beached whale along the road. After getting a little closer, I saw that it was actually a Porsche Panamera. Man, what a hideous car. I mean seriously, why can't Porsche ever make a good looking car? Now before you get bent out of shape, I do not mean the 911. That is a thing a beauty and I would give your left arm to have one but it was originally designed in the 60s. And the one today? Its the exact same design except for some cosmetic updates. Ultimately, the 2010 911 and the 1963 911 are basically the exact same shape and layout aside from, I dunno, erosion. Look and compare for yourself.

Porsche designers must be the laziest auto designers in the industry. Their best looking car is the 911 Carrera. That itself has been modeled off the same design from 40 years ago and every time Porsche strays from that, it blows. Blows like a blow-hole. The farther they leave their "formula" look, the worse it gets. The boxter is bleh, and the cayman is marginally better, but only because it just looks like a poor mans 911. The only other drastic design from "Porsche shape" would be the Cayenne, which isn't a very good looking SUV. It doesnt look either rugged or sporty. Its just kinda...there. And honestly, there was not a whole of design that went int it. It's not THAT big of a difference from their sports cars. All the designers did was take a 911-shaped balloon, over-inflate it, and throw it onto a set of off-road wheels. "Ta-da! Zhere, its zee Cayenne."

I suppose I could give Porsche a break since its their first venture into a four-door luxury sedan. However, Lamborghini and Aston Martin also took stabs at luxury super-saloons and check out what they came up with:

The Lamborghini Estoque: Part sophisticated business man, part savage serial killer. Stylish and yet, you know its a wid beast.
The Aston Martin Rapide: Now that is proper. Kinda just seems like a streched out Vanquish, but still spetacularly executed. Sexy lines and its so hot, it comes with bond girls!
Look at how well these other supercar marques are able to incorporate their style into a four-door and make it look appealing and sexy. And what does Porsche give us? A retarded wagon-looking blob. Well, if you ever see a beached whale or a Porsche Panamera parked along-side the beach, you should do the same thing: push that sucker back into the ocean where it belongs.

2009 Mini Cooper

In this day and age, with all the talk about the deteriorating environment and the global energy crisis, it may be difficult for us petrol heads to drive around in a million horsepower supercars that gets 300 yards to the gallon. But needless to say, few are willing to sacrifice the joy of driving and switch over to something "green" ala an econo-box or a, god forbid, hybrid. Sure the small bubble cars or various green mobiles have decent gas mileage, but they may also have the side effect of inducing suicidal thoughts. So what’s a petrol head to do?

For most people, the day to day commute really consists of boring meanderings through traffic, getting to work etc, by themselves. So you don't need a million horsepower or a car the size of Godzilla. Ah, but there is hope: in comes the Mini Cooper.

The particular car Dipstick has its hands on is a late 2009 model Cooper (far as we know, the 2010 models have not changed). It has myriad of options, including 16" 7-spoke wheels, factory aero-kit, xenon headlamps, blue teeth, black headliners among others. Truth be told, besides maybe the sports package and xenon headlamps, none of the options really add to the enjoyment value of the car, so it may be up to the purchaser. The car starts at about $19k, but if you start adding options, it will easily shoot up to $22, 23k. The basic car should be enough. The options are more or less about customization (which, with a Mini, there are a lot of combinations).

Right. The first thing that sets a Cooper apart from the regular econo-boxes is the styling. Though the overall impression is of "cuteness", the stance is athletic, and given the correct color, it's rather cool and not overboard on the cute. The interior has many nice touches as well, with the switches and gauges done in style, not found in other cars of the category. There are some gimmicks, such as the changeable interior mood lighting, and of course, the less than conspicuous dinner plate sized speedo.

All that goes out of mind once you start the drive. Mini was not kidding when they said the car is a go-kart. The steering and responsiveness and solid feel of the chassis is the most remarkable. Though the ultimate levels of grip is not too high, can't expect too much from its 195/55-16 tires, the ability to change direction beggars belief. It's like a little puppy when it meets someone for the first time. Driving it really makes you happy! Ok, maybe the design is affecting my judgment. Anyways.

In the regular Cooper, the 1.5L engine produces an adequate 118hp. Though that sounds meager, it is enough to get the car, with a standard 6-speed manual shift, to 60 in 8.5 seconds. The automatic is optional, but also in 6-speed form. The acceleration will suffer slightly however, or so we've been told. The brakes are excellent, with vented disks up front and solid disk in the rears.

Dipstick's example has the sports package, with stiffer springs and a lowered ride height. The car also comes as standard, run-flat tires. Added up, it makes the ride a bit stiffer than most would find acceptable, but it really isn't that harsh. Change out the run-flats, and the ride should improve noticeably.

Through 11,000 miles of testing, the car ran on about 60% hwy miles. The EPA fuel mileage estimate is listed at 30 surfaces and 37 hwy. Surprisingly, the little Mini out did the estimation, with our car getting a combined 36-37 mpg. Sure, a Prius may give 45mpg or so, but avoiding suicidal tendencies may be worth the extra consumption.

But there are a few drawbacks. Given the low power, if a Cooper will be your only car, it may be better to go with the Cooper S, with 167hp and a 0-60 time of 7 and a bit seconds (will do a review on the S soon). The space, as can be assumed, is adequate for 2, but not so good if you have more than 1 friend. Or if you golf, your friend needs to stay home, as the bag fits better in the passenger seat. Still, the fold down rear seats does allow some hatchback utility, more than enough for some Costco runs and short weekend getaways.

Being a British built car, we expected plenty of character. Roughly translated, we expected plenty of quality issues. Surprisingly, it really wasn't that bad. There are a few squeaks and rattles, one of which were from the dash area and got really annoying, but it was fixed under warranty. At about 10k, a transmission mount was replaced as well. So far so good then. Will provide a longer term update later on.

The verdict? If you want a small car that provides some fun while being frugal, the Mini should definitely be in your list of potential candidates. It isn't cheap, as small cars go, but there is an aura of solidity that few others in the segment can provide. Of course it is a rather tiny car, so you wouldn't want to get into an accident with gorilla, but as small cars go, it does feel solid and safe (with the normal arrangement of a bunch of airbags). The overall performance is adequate and the handling is spot on. The space is enough for the o' commute and some grocery lugging, but not for people carrying. It is nice to be able to select a myriad of options however, as though there are many on the road, few are the same.

Pricey? Yes. Worth it? If you like driving but value some economy, then yes. If driving feel is not near the top of your list of priorities, it may not be the econo-box for you. 8/10

Google Street View Win!

Today, I was at using Google Street View for work when I got a lil bored and decided to type in some local race tracks. Streets of Willow was my first attempt since I have actually been there. Unfortunately, it didn't work so I tried another nearby track: Laguna Seca (Mazda Speedway) up in Monterey. It worked! Super Cool! Not only do you get to move through every inch of the track but they even have names for all the straights and turns. Albeit, not all of them are cool (the back straight is simply called "straightaway"). The funnest part is that there are race cars flanking the camera van the entire time! 360 degree views of race cars, how sweet is that? It musta been a blast driving in that van that day followed by an entourage of porsches, corvettes, and those space ship prototype cars.

Apparently, the Google team was there on a race weekend w/ what appears to be the American Le Mans race. They don't just wander the entire track, but also capture all the walkways, the pit area, and paddock areas. There are a lot of strange looks at the camera vehicle as it passes through the visitor areas though. Kinda amusing. I get those looks all the time. You get used to it after a while.

Another interest find: Google uses tricycles to get the pedestrian areas. I wandered around the track long enough to see what it looks like through the shadow. Kinda dorky looking, but hey it gets the job done. Unfortunately, tracks like the Nurburgring, Fuji Speedway, or Silverstone Circuit are not available in street view... If anyone finds any other cool racetracks, please post in the comments!

MINI Coopers are loads of fun!

Now, I may be biased when it comes to Mini Coopers, since I've got one myself, but they are, without a doubt, one of the most fun cars to muck about with. They cute and darty and when you give them racing tailpipes, they sound like bees!



And if you're bored of the normal 4 wheeling stuff, the mini likes a bit of high jump too!



and if you REALLY want excitment, try out the extra heavy duty spin cycle setting!



I think the last one is appropriate for the old adage: it's all fun and games until someone rolls over.

Please stay tuned for a proper review the Mini Cooper (mine).

Driverless Car To Race Into The Clouds

The brainiacs at Stanford are planning to conquer the legendary Pikes Peak in an Audi TT. No biggy, but what makes this interesting, is that they don't have a driver to do it. Just a bunch of computers and GPS stuff to help it find its way up the twisting road. The engineers don't just want the car to navigate itself slowly up the mtn pass either, they want it to do it at speed. Their plan is to build an autonomous rally car! Unfortunately, they named it "Shelley", in honor of the first female driver to win on the mtn. I think "Skynet" would have been more appropriate.

Pikes Peak is not just an easy sunday drive down to the park. It is a 12 mile road that climbs up almost 5,000 ft, from 4,700 to 9,400. The road is paved in the beginning and melts into a dirt road w/ little runoff and a loooong way down. There are international races held yearly and everything with an engine and wheels can try it. Everything from motorcycles, to big rigs, to purpose built race cars have raced up the road. The Hill climb is appropriately named the Race to the Clouds. how poetic. Here is a promo vid to give you an idea of what happens out there:


So, will the geeks be able to create a robot version of Sebastien Loeb? I sometimes question if he isnt already a robot, but that's another discussion. A robot rally driver is pretty ambitious stuff. It will have to work gas, brake, and steering seamlessly together. Its way different than stuff like auto-parking functions you find on cars and the distance sensing cruise control. Even w/ all the computer gadgetry, sensors, warp drives, and other technology, do you think a computer aided driver can do stuff like this?


...I don't think so. However this will probably be great R&D that will one day go into regular cars. All this stuff can do great wonders for the "safety nannies" that are in consumer cars now to keep bad drivers safely pointed the correct direction on the roads, like traction control and stability management. Or, it could even be used for fun, like a variable drift setting on a car. Wouldnt it be fun to show up to a track, flip the "Schumacher" switch, and hold on tightly, as the car takes you around the track? It could happen... Automotive roller coasters.

While we mourn the future loss of race car drivers to robots and terminators, let us remember the good times when humans still drove race cars and robots just vacuumed for us:
Rhys Millen time attack Genesis(2wd Class Record)
AMS Tuned Evo IX(2008 4wd Champion)

Heres a link to the orginal article.

Drifting lessons w/ Professor Tiff

Tiff Needell is a former racing driver and TV show presenter who has taken his time off to teach everyone how to get started with drifting. Don't try this at home, kids. To be honest, don't even try this unless you were actually on a giant vacant lot/airfield.



Don't know what to say about Tiff. He is almost too good of a driver to be a good teacher. Although he is filled w/ words of encouragement, I think he simplifies the complex maneuvers a bit too much. For one thing, Don't try these moves in a transit van. Just look at what Richard Hammond from top gear did when he busted out his Scandinavian flick on his van:



Moral of the story: Things with a high center of gravity, don't drift well. oh, and try to find an empty airfield to practice drifting.

The Stig's Spring Break

What do you do when you are a tamed racing driver with no supercars to drive? You go on vacation! Our friendly neighborhood Stig, from Top Gear, has been seeing the sights and sounds around Englandland. Whats been totally awesome is that Google street view has captured some of his vacation. Here he is at Legoland (map). If you tour through the area you and wander around you might find more snapshots of him. Here we see him driving a camel and in front of a giant lego pharaoh. For the lazy way of finding him, Final Gear has done the wheres waldo search for you and provided more pics and maps:
Stig's Legoland Part 3.
Legoland Part 2
Legoland Part 1

Unfortunately, Google eventually blurs him out due to privacy concerns or something to that nature. He is already blurred out in the Part 1 photos (camel and pharaoh).

His first appearance on Google Street view was when he visited Loch Ness Lake back in January. He was standing arms cross and facing toward the road. I guess he is just magnetically attracted to roads or something since the lake was behind him. Eventually he was blurred out. I tried to get back to the same location, but google maps wont even let you see his blurred image anymore. It just skips that section of the road now. Check out the postfrom Final Gear: Stig's Loch ness visit.


Hopefully, we will see a few more Street view photos of the Stig before the next series begins. Some say he is a world traveler...

Mulholland Drift Session

Tanner Foust is just got promoted to my hero list. Sorry, Ghandi, you had a good run, but you never drifted through public roads like my buddy, Tanner, does. In what basically is a TRD Nascar cloaked in a Scion tc costume, Tanner Foust drifts through a 2 mile section of the famous Mulholland Hwy. Cameras are strategically placed to capture him outlining the road w/ two lines of rubber and a helicopter chases him too. Pretty sweet stuff but my favorite camera shots are the ones under the car, filming the suspension travel and smoke spewing tires.



For those who don't know, Tanner Foust is a former race car driver who has become a TV host for a few shows on speed channel and may possibly be one of the hosts on Top Gear US. He was one of the three who filmed the original US pilot before the show got canned. However, since then, his co-presenter, Adam Corolla (perfect name for a car show host), has leaked that TG US will be picked up after all and he was in process of filming it. Hopefully Mr. Foust will be part of the cast. I would like to see more of his driving antics.

Automotive application to life #61

On the track and in life: smooth feedback and quick responses will bring you efficiency and success. too many "ummm"s and "uhhh"s at the sign of an obstacle will probably result in you upside down, in a ditch, and on fire.

Do you park like an Asshole?

Have you ever returned to your parked car only to find an oversized SUV parked so close to you that you have to climb in through the trunk to get into your car? Or an inconsiderate douchebag hogging up two spaces in a crowded parking structure so no one can park next to him/her?

Now there is help!

Print out a few of these handy “tickets” and tuck them under their wiper as you key >=( into their hood. Or just the leave the ticket. If I could, I would put one of these on every car in the parking garage at work. Escalades and Navigators are NOT compact! For now:

http://youparklikeanasshole.com/

Day in Malibu

This weekend I went with some friends into the canyons of Malibu. I don’t remember the last time I’ve gone with friends to drive around in the mountains but it’s definitely been a while. It was an amazing trip. The stars and planets must have aligned to make the drive perfect. The weather, the scenery, the road, the conditions and even the traffic all came together in harmony.

On Top Gear, the crew goes off searching for the best road in the world and concludes with a helicopter view of a beautiful and picturesque backdrop of lush green rolling hills, a waterfall and stream running through rocky terrain and a silky string of road lined neatly a top of that landscape. I think the roads up in Malibu are about as close as you can get here in the US.

On a sunny Saturday morning, a group of us drove along the ocean side Pacific Coast Hwy. From the PCH, we turned on road that ascended up the seaside mountain. It climbed and climbed and climbed. It seemed like we were diving deeper into the mountains and away from the beach until a sweeping right hander brought us 2,000 ft alongside a cliff with an aerial view of the ocean. I could only see it out of my peripheral vision, but we were high up. The cloud level must have been low because we were venturing in and out of the foggy cloud cover. At this point, we had again turned away from the ocean and we could only see jagged rock formations peek in and out of the occasional fog. When it seemed that we reached the summit of the road, there was an ocean on one side and the city on the other. The road wound through the forest and the cars meandered, ducked under trees and blurred passed shrubs.

I almost wish I had a chance to pull over and stare, but sitting in the driver’s seat was still the best seat in the house. The roads in Malibu must have been designed by a driving enthusiast because it is just amazing. It bobs and weaves with a purpose and there are swoops, drops, crests, hairpins, and banked turns. We linked a string of roads together to form a 14 mile “track” with an elevation change of 2,400 ft. It should be called Poor Man’s Nurburgring. Amazing road, beautiful scenery, good drivers, and, best of all, no unexpected events. Everyone went home in the same vehicle they came in. Epic win.

2011 Toyota Sienna

There comes a point in a man’s life where driving a sports car makes as much sense as former president George W. Bush. Kids and family, and maybe even a Labradoodle make owning something more practical an unfortunate necessity. That of course, automatically brings to mind the horrid of horrid, the minivan.

There was a time when I felt when one succumb to the minivan is the point in life where one loses the will to live, slowly drowning in a bucket of cement. Practical as they may be, most were about as enjoyable to drive as getting stung by killer bees.

These days, however, the new era of minivans have become rather nice, and in some instances, impressive. In a segment that was started by American carmaker Chrysler with their Caravan, it is now dominated by the Japanese giants, Honda and Toyota. Given the massive demand for such vehicles, it is no wonder that Toyota has gone to seemingly great length to develop and promote their new for 2011 Sienna. In an attempt to provide useful consumer information, we tested the Sienna. If you feel the minivan is the grim reaper’s attempt to make you lose your will to live, you may stop reading now. Otherwise, please continue.

The first thing that hits you when you see the new Sienna is the radical difference in exterior design versus the last generation. Whereas the last generation offered all the excitement of paint drying, this new redesign looks sleek and aggressive, with trendy wheel/rim sizes ranging from 17 to a sports car-ish 19 inch. It also has some clever touches such as hidden rails for the sliding doors, and nice projector beam headlamps.

Our tester car was the top of the line Limited model, with leather seats, nice big rims, fake wood trim, and get this: center seats are lounge style seats that recline ala the $400k Maybach super luxury barge or 1^st class on an airliner. It also comes with a rear entertainment system that has a fantastic 16.4 inch display that drops down from the roof, with a dual screen function to allow one side to play video games for instance, while the other side is watching a DVD. However, some of the interior materials were unfitting for a $45k car, with the plastics a bit too hard and the seams a bit too exposed. The leather was nice and supple however.

Of course it comes standard with 7 airbags (knee airbag is new) and the usual automatic sliding doors and tailgate. It also has a fully automatic 3-row seat stowing system. That is a good idea, but the execution was a bit too slow. Still, there was plenty of cargo space, and with the center seats that could be slid forwards and back, leg room is more than ample. The backup camera system was also a nice touch, with a panoramic view mode that allows the driver to see on the screen the corners of the car, and had sight lines that automatically adjusts and displays where the car is going to go. This should be very helpful for soccer moms.

On the road, the Sienna felt composed and rode very smoothly. The new 6-speed automatic transmission offered silky shifts and responsive shifts. The steering however, felt a bit lacking in road feel, and offered little to give the driver confidence. That said, it was relaxed and perhaps a good setup for the grocery run.

Our car had the top spec v-6 engine, producing a healthy 266 horsepower. 4WD is also an option, as well as a more economical 187 horsepower 4-cylinder.

So what is the combination of all those facts and figures? Will it be the preventer of the loss of the will to live? Unfortunately, at least with our limited time with the Sienna, the answer is no. It is, at the end of the day, another minivan, built with practicality in mind. That said, at this point, it does offer a nicer ride than the competition, and the engine is surprisingly smooth. The brakes were also nice and linear. It is definitely a car suitable for the long road trip, with plenty of gadgets to keep the occupants occupied, as long as the road trip does not encounter twisty mountain roads.

The verdict? As of right now, the Sienna seems to be on the top of the class. It is not cheap though, with the basic inline-4 cylinder starting at around $25k and the test car we had going for a whopping $45k (fully loaded). That said, it is a nice ride. Yet, despite the gadgets and the gizmos, it still fails to provide that light at the end of the tunnel for car enthusiasts to avoid having the life sucked out of them by the practical needs of starting a family. Rumor has it that a SE version is on the way that may provide that refuge, namely because the chief engineer of the project is Mr. Kazuo Mori, an avid autocrosser. Till then, though, we must make do with another minivan.

6/10

The new Toyota Hysteria

OK, enough is enough. I'm sure you have heard about the Toyota 'Crisis' going on and if you're like me, you're pretty sick of it. I just came across an article where a Toyota Prius driver says his throttle got stuck and was driven by his car exceeding speeds of 90 mph on a "winding" hwy. check out the article and see what you think: http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/03/08/california.runaway.prius/index.html?eref=igoogle_cnn

I call BS. He hit 90 mph and was still able to pick up the phone to call 911? If you are that calm and collected, why not just throw the car into neutral and/or stand on the brakes? The Prius ain't exactly a muscle car where the engine can overpower the braking system. The ordeal lasted 20 minutes!? how can that be? Just chatting away w/ the operating and CHP vehicle? what is completely ludicrous is that he attempted to pull the pedal from the floor w/ his hand. HOW!? Even traveling down a straight highway with light traffic, I wouldn't even attempt to pick up a dropped soda let alone reach down to my toes and spend time prying something from the floor. This guy's story is way too suspicious... either he is just looking to get his 15 minutes of fame at Toyota's expense, or he has found the fastest way to get home and brag to his friends about how he made everyone look like fools.

Get ready for the Car of the Future!

Mercedes is unveiling a concept car called the F800 at the Geneva Auto show, which they are dubbing the car of the future.


I thought there would be something cutting edge or spectacular but its just a car w/ an optional hybrid or full electric power plant. boy, that's disappointing. thats about as cutting edge as a butter knife. welcome to 5 years ago, MB.

Oh wait, Mercedes always has crazy cutting edge technologies inside the vehicle. So what's the coolest tech trend? a multi-touch pad. you mean like the ones on my laptop? Oh, but it zooms out when you split your fingers apart! Wait, doesnt the iphone do that already? The only thing I'm getting ready for is yawning.

So basically Mercedes Benz is unveiling a concept car called the F800 which should be dubbed, "the car of now and slightly before". ok. well at least the back looks sorta like an Audi. That's a plus!

Winter Olympics

We've reached the first week of the winter Olympics and I don't know about you, but its been pretty disappointing. Aside from the half-pipe snowboarding, hockey, and some of the speed-related events, its just been prime-time coverage of figure skating, curling, and pair figure skating. I know #1 and #3 are technically the same event, but I honestly couldn't think of any other winter Olympic sport to put on the list.

I think even the winter X games are better than the winter Olympics. At least the X games doesn't have curling. For those who don't know what curling is, it is a 'sport' where lawn bowling, shuffleboard, and sweeping are combined into one epically boring event. I don't understand how this ancient tavern game turned a bunch of rock sliding fat drunks into Olympic athletes. A curler (is that what they're called?) basically just needs to know how to sweep in front of the sliding big rock thing to be considered and Olympian. wow. Don't worry though. I read an article today that says curling is a dying sport. Surprisingly, not because of lack of fans but because the special rare granite these guys use to make the sliding rock is almost all gone. Yay! Sorry, curling, but even nature hates your sport too.

This years Winter Olympics games in Vancouver have had many hiccups too. One of the biggest ones is the lack of snow and warm temps at the venue site, Whistler. While the entire US has been dumped w/ snow and record setting blizzards, Vancouver has been experiencing Spring. Its been so bad that snow has been trucked in from miles away and many events have been postponed due to inadequate snow. Hey, Olympic Committee, you might want to consider a location w/ a bit more of the cold white stuff to hold the games next time. Heard it might be important.

So w/ the forgettable 2010 Olympics almost halfway over, it'll only be another week or so before we can watch Chuck, Parks and Recreation, and the Office again. To help pass the time, I present to you a proper version of the winter Olympics courtesy of the guys at Top Gear: one filled w/ fast cars and frigid temperatures. They filmed a special winter Olympics episode during the 2006 games in Italy. I was supposed to put this post up an hour earlier but ended up watching each clip. Don't know how long these will be up, but hopefully they'll provide some distraction until these current Olympic games are over.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Return of the Hachi Roku

If you are familiar with drifting, then you have heard of the "hachi roku". It was an old lil rear wheel drive Toyota corolla that became a legend w/ the explosion of the drifting craze a few years ago. "Hachi roku" was simply "eight six" in japanese, which referred to the car model AE86. The car was popularized by Japanese race car driver, Keiichi Tsuchiya, who is better known as the "Drift King". He had one as a youth and praised its handling abilities and teaching him the dynamics of a car. Basically, it was the car he lost his automotive virginity to. The 86 reached cult icon when it was used as the main characters racing apparatus in the anime/manga series Initial D. I know this because thats how I learned about the car. That and video games. You can always be guaranteed to see a piece of junk Corolla or (Trueno in japan) in just about every racing game at the scum of the barrel (entry) class. Now you sorta know why. The real car wasnt anything spectacular putting out a modest 87 hp (up to 112 ponies in the  GT-S version). But people loved it because it was light, easily tunable, balanced and rear wheel drive: all necessities in car control and, more importantly, drifting.

So why is any of this relevant? because Toyota is bringing the 86 back! Yup. Thats right! Toyota will try to capture "the soul of the hachi roku" in their new sports car. Rear wheel drive, affordable, fun, and sporty. Toyota is also working with Subaru to build the car: which some have named the Toyobaru. I like the name but the official name from Toyota so far is the FT-86.

The car will be built on a two door coupe w/ rear wheel drive and will be paired a flat four turbocharged boxer engine (a la suby). That is a pretty amazing combination. Based on the concept pics, its not a bad looker either. If things work out, maybe Subaru will have an AWD version for their own lineup too. *sniff sniff* smell that? smells like a future WRC competitor. No word has come from Subaru whether the car will even happen on their end but that artist rendition of the suby version looks hot. Looks a little like the younger brother of the GT-R. For now, at least the Toyota FT-86 looks to be real. Its expected to be revealed next month at the Geneva Auto Show. Hopefully this Toyota wont come w/ a sticky gas pedal, broken steering wheel, and a brake pedal that crumble through the floor. Even if it does, I would still consider getting one. "I know I drifted through that last intersection, officer, but the gas pedal was stuck."