Happy New Year!

Er, well....technically Chinese New years. Guess I've missed a few months of posting, but time to dust off the keyboard and splatter some text onto the interweb. Its officially the year of the Rabbit and so much has happened since the last post. Since I am on the topic of rabbits, VW is out w/ some new commercials (although none rabbit related). One is with a mini Darth Vader and another is w/ a black bug. And if you ever wondered: insects oversteer. Enjoy:





Now onto whats happened since we last checked the dip-stick. There was an entire season of Top Gear drowned in good ole american BBQ sauce. The History Channel took three guys and threw them into roughly the same situations and challenges as Top Gear and added "US" at the end. The show wasn't quite as good as the original, but then again, that was to be expected. You can't beat the chemistry, personality, wit, and charm of the original Top Gear cast. Plus, you kind of see the situations before the unfold second time around. But still, the Top Gear US didn't suck too hard. The camera work and production value were maintained. There were parts that were occasionally humorous and their Alaska Adventure to find America's best truck was very entertaining. There was unedited humor and chemistry happening on that trip.

The biggest thing I would get change is the host Adam Ferrera. I think he is an adequate presenter but he adds nothing more to the show. He can't drive very well, he doesn't have great car insight, and he isn't that funny (which is strange, since he's a comedian). The other two guys I kinda like. Tanner Foust is the boy racer, drifter with actual driving talent. Ruteledge Wood is the Nascar back water hick. Adam Ferrara is just a New Yorker w/ ... yea, don't know what he brings. The show needs to bring someone to either fill an automotive audience gap or compliment the rest of the cast. Top Gear US should find someone that maybe prefers luxury cars and sophistication (like James May on Top Gear), or they should find someone who fills another racing discipline (maybe destruction derby, or something). Actually that would probably be pretty good to find some kinda stuntman. He would probably put the cast in more danger than necessary and have some decent driving skills. It should make for good TV.

Speaking of driving skill.. they need to send Rutledge Wood and Adam Ferrara (if he sticks around) to racing school. Those two need driving lessons. The gap between their driving skills are way too far apart from Foust to make the automotive skill challenges fair. All said though, the show is still not too bad for a car show. Its still way better than anything else car related on TV. I hope History brings back TGUS for another season.

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.