Dip-Sticks

Gymkhana Quattro

2011-08-17T22:48:00.000-07:00

Hello happy dippers! It's that time again for seeing our favorite super hero tear it up in a new off-the-walls-bananas driving video. Mr. Ken Block is back in his Ford Fiesta doing his best Homer Simpson impression "mmm donuts". This time he is on the back lots of Universal Studios, with a little bit of Hollywood special effects, delivering another entertaining demo of his skill and creativity. Enjoy!

2011 BMW 535i and 528i

2011-08-15T13:17:00.000-07:00

The BMW 5-series, in my mind, have always been the quintessential sports sedan. I mean, sure, the 3er probably offers more driving performance since it is a smaller package, but the 5 has always managed to combine the driving dynamics expected from something with a BMW badge along with real usable space to be legitimately called a family sedan. Needless to say, many other car manufacturers have followed the recipe and produced, on paper at least, similar cars, such as the Audi A6, the Lexus GS series, the Mercedes E-class (ok this one has been around for a while), Jag XF, to name a few.

Honestly, while all those cars were and are wonderful machines, in the past, each have fallen just a bit short in trying to out-do the 5er. The previous generation 5 series, while a bit polarizing in terms of exterior styling, was still the benchmark. Actually, as far as driving dynamics go, even a 20 year old 5 series still gives a very satisfying drive.

But the competition has steadily been improving and now there is, inevitably, a brand-new 5. Is it any good?

I’ve heard some say that the new 5 is too bland, too much like a 3 series. But yet some say it’s the best looking BMW in quite some time. So I guess the polarizing views still stick. It definitely is less edgy than the last version.

More concerning for me though, is that some say the 5 has lost its versatile and engaging driving feel. Of course, I hesitate to believe everything I hear, so now that I have a chance to live with one for a few days, I can discover first hand if the new 5 has the charm of the lineage.

Personally, I like the looks. The interior is also very nice, with just that bit extra space to be really comfortable. The ride is marvelous actually, and the cabin is incredibly quiet. Both have the 8-speed (!) automatic. Talk about too many! But actually, it works rather nice, allowing the car to waft along effortlessly. The headlights are spectacularly bright, and the fit and finish is spot on. Even the materials are very nice. The electronic interface is much improved and easier to learn.

I got to try out both the 535 and the 528, the former w/ the “Twin-Power” turbo (as BMW like to call it). And yes, the 535 is quite the beast with something like 300hp and 300+lbs of torque. In all honesty, the 528 is probably all you’ll ever need though. But both cars averaged a good 26+mpg in mixed driving, with highway mileage at more than 30mpg easily. The impressive mileage probably is down to the 8-speed auto and regenerative braking, where the car uses the slowing down process to charge the battery, not unlike a hybrid. Both cars will cruise at very high speed without drama.

There’s the problem, however. Honestly, despite the fact that I am an avid BMW fan, the driving dynamics lets me down. Oh, for sure it’s not a bad drive. But the steering feels a bit too artificial; the body control isn’t what I’m used to coming from a history of 5 series. In fact, in the 528, maybe because of the particular car’s lack of a sport suspension, it was so vague that I almost crashed. As much as it pains me to say, I think BMW has actually taken a step backwards in terms of driving feel with this new 5. It has become much more isolated and dull… dare I say this, it has started to feel like I’m driving a Lexus… (no offense to Lexus owners).

I’m writing this in a café, and looking out the window, I have already seen many new Fives since I started. Undoubtedly, the new quiet and upscale cabin will appeal to more of the public in the market for a luxury sedan, and undoubtedly, this direction will bring BMW more profit. But I can’t help but feel that if I bought this car, I will feel a faint hint of disappointment each time I take it out for a drive, knowing that, though comfortable, it is now more of a machine to waft you from place to place, rather than a machine where you feel the drive is part of the destination.

12/20

2011 Camaro V-6

2011-07-07T15:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, let’s cut straight to the chase. The new style Camaro is a handsome car for most people. There is a sense of presence, of muscular power, when looking at it. The interior is also, at first glance, very stylish, with its wrap around dash and starship like instruments. A bit of a retro touch to the face of the dials also adds to the car’s overall style presentation.

The 314 hp V-6 engine certainly adds to the idea of masculinity. This car, then, is not a shy car, especially in some of the colors available, such as “Inferno Orange” or in this case, “Victory Red.”

Sadly, things start to come undone once you step inside. The materials are much better than the previous Chevys that’s for sure. But some of the plastics still feel as if it was formed from recycled Barbie and Ken dolls, especially the faux aluminum pieces. The driving position is adequate but the visibility is rather terrible. Makes you wonder if this is what it was like fighting in full armor back in the middle ages. If there’s a car that needs a blind spot detection system, this would be it. On the other hand, the stereo is alright. The low end was a bit too booming and imprecise, but nothing too terrible. User interface could be improved however, as it was confusing trying to figure out how to access various information functions on the display.

But come on now. It’s supposed to be a muscle car right? It is about straight line performance and power! Unfortunately, the snowballing continues when you start driving. Granted this was the V-6 version, but at 314 hp, I expected quite a little more pick up and go. The pick up and go seemed to have picked up and left. The car felt heavy down low, and sluggish when the speeds get higher (takes a while anyways). Maybe it was the automatic transmission of this particular car, but that shouldn’t be the case in a muscle car. If you’re looking for speed and power, forget the v-6.

I didn’t expect much as far as handling, but even then, it failed. The steering was vague and detached, giving the driver no sense of confidence. The brakes were numb as well. There was a lot of pitch and dive during any sort of transition, whether it be turning or braking. Yet even with such a soft suspension offering no body control, the Camaro somehow manages to amplify any and all road imperfections straight into your spine. This has to be some sort of engineering marvel. It manages to be soft yet punishing at the same time. But both at the wrong times.

The brighter note is that I managed to get around 26mpg. But if you’re looking to save gas, a muscle car pretender is probably not high on your list of choices anyways.

Depressingly, the Camaro fails to live up to its looks. I rather had high hopes for it, as it does look the part. They say that, for cars at least, you can tell if it’ll be good when you look at it (for example, you look at the Chrysler Sebring, or the late Pontiac Aztec, you knew they were rubbish). But in this case, the older adage of “beauty is only skin deep” definitely reigns supreme.

On second thought, it doesn’t even look that great. At least without the SS package, the tires are too fat, the front end looks cheap and the sides are too thick… But I guess you can’t expect too much since it is actually cheap, with a base price of $24k…

2011 Chevy Camaro 1LT

Pros:

- Standout looks

- Cheap price

- 314hp V6

Cons:

- Looks over function

- Detached…everything

- 314hp V6

Score: 10/20

Reasons why karting is like sex

2011-06-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

I just came back from an afternoon of go-karting and had a great time. After going over stories of passes, crashes, strategy and all the fun stuff, I got to thinking: Racing and sex have a lot in common...

- It's pretty fun by yourself, but it's even more fun with other people involved. In fact, the more people there are, the more interesting things become.

- Although having too many people, will just cause a mangling of body parts, confusion and chaos.

- Going at it without the proper safety precautions could end up in a world of trouble.

- The more things get physical, aggressive, and borderline violent, the more fun it is.

- Make enough wrong moves and your can wind up in awkward and embarrassing positions.

- You might pick up some stuff by studying videos, but you'll get the most benefit by just going out and doing it.

- You'd like to see everyone finish, but you always try to finish first. And if you do, who cares about the other results.

- If you don't come out of a session drenched in sweat, sore, exhausted, possibly limping, and satisfied, you probably weren't doing it right.

- Even after a long day of going at it, you still have a urge to go back... once you recover from the injuries.

VW Beetle RS

2011-06-14T22:31:00.000-07:00

VW is coming out w/ a new Beetle and it looks like more than just VDub fans are excited about the bug. VWVortex has tuned the new 2012 bug and given it the look of its more athletic cousin, a Porsche GT3 RS. If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, the 911 must be feeling a pretty good about itself (probably not, actually). While this is not the real RS that VW will release, the VWVortex version's got a little more power, performance, the sticker letters, and most importantly, the SHOES!

Rolling on orange dubs! 245/35/20s to be exact.

Pretty cool concept. Ferdinand Porsche was the original designer of the 911 as well as the original beetle, so its kinda nice that a tuner group would tie the two together. The old beetle was also referred to as the "Poor man's Porsche", probably more for the rear-engine RWD layout as opposed to both looking like bugs (one squashed and one inflated). Well still, if you could stretch these VW pictures, cover an eye, and squint really hard, you might really think its a GT3 RS.

I bet with some computer editing, I can make that first picture look just like one. With a little help from photoshop, I can get rid of the background, I'll just stretch out this image, apply some blur, do a little thingy majiggery, sharpen...and voila! There you go, Dip stickers! Check it out:

What do you think?! I even added some orange scaffolding and mirrors to match. You're welcome.

The Rolls-Royce of Mini

2011-05-30T22:39:00.000-07:00

Check out this Mini and spot the reason why it costs about $67,000. If you couldn't spot it, don't worry, I couldn't either. The answer is in the interior. It turns out that the Mini wanted an interior as upscale as a Rolls Royce. This is a limited production Mini Copper S inspired by Goodwood. The exterior looks like a regular Mini except for a few styling cues and subtle badges on the side, but the interior is where the car really went upscale. Many a tree and cow gave their lives for this lil coupe. Honestly, the interior looks very posh for a Mini, but I still don't get why anyone would spend the money for one.

Maybe if you are a rich executive in the market for a zippy little car and still want the elegant furnishings of your Rolls, then I guess this is a good car for you. But for the price of one Mini S Inspired by Goodwood, you could've bought half the cast of Italian Job: the Minis, probably not the actors (though it'd be pretty sweet if one could buy Charlize Theron). This car doesn't make much sense to me. Why? A tiny little car like that will have a harsh ride and be very loud and uncomfortable. If you spend the money to make it luxurious, you'd have to soften the suspension, add lots of dampening and other things, which makes it, heavier, slower and more numb. Then why get a Mini? Minis are supposed to be fun, nimble, quick, and sporty.

I guess it just depends on the type of consumer that Mini is targeting this exclusive car for. The kind of people who would buy this car would obviously park it next to their leather chair and tiger hide. My garage looks like that too, just kidding. No, it doesn't. I have a fireplace and lion head in mine.

Surprising Roads with a Surprising Car

2011-04-19T00:03:00.000-07:00

Dusk. The chill of a forest mist and the smell of the trees. Ahead, the view of a spectacular stretch of tarmac winding through the woods, with barely a car in sight. This is what awaited us when we found one of the many brilliant driving roads in the Northern California region. This particular piece is called Skyline Drive. The road is not wide, but the corners are very flowing and the close proximity of trees the size of skyscrapers amplify the sense of speed.

In response to the fading light, we decided to head down the mountain via a shorter route, and took a small road off of the main drive. Sensory overload time! Kings Mountain Road: what a piece of asphalt. There are no guard-rails, apart from the ones formed by those huge coniferous trees of course. The road has no center divide either. Not many markings. Definitely not for the faint of heart. Littered with short straights and numerous switch backs, this road definitely ranks at the top of our list as one of the best roads we’ve ever encountered. It offers a test of grip, acceleration, and braking, with no rest in between. Have a car that doesn’t turn in on demand, or one with a lack of body control, you might be in for a heart attack.

In our possession, for those few hours, was a car with plenty amount of grip to tackle the hairpins thrown at it by Kings Mountain, enough body control to prevent any unintended oral regurgitation, and enough speed and stopping power to plant a smile on the driver’s face the entire way down.

Oddly enough, and perhaps a testament to how far automotive development has gone these days, it was not a sports car or even a sports sedan, but a big slab of SUV. It is in fact, a 2011 Acura MDX.

The initial impressions when we picked up the car for our short stint were the build quality and the overall sense of luxuriousness offered by the cabin. The exterior design could take some getting used to, but we found it to be rather pleasing and unique from the rest of the unassuming SUVs on the market. With big bold 19” wheels and sharp lines, the shape is instantly recognizable.

Getting in, we found the seats to be very comfortable, if a little down on side support. The passenger space was more than adequate, though the third row seats would probably still be most suited for short trips. On the road, the ride was very sedan-like, with minimal body sway.

With its 300 horsepower V-6 and 6 speed automatic, the car had ample power to get up to speed. The only issue we noted was that the engine seems to be slightly down on off the line torque, as compared with other trucks. The brakes also offered plenty of stopping power and we did not register any fade, even when tackling the downhill stretch of Kings Mountain. That said, there could be a bit more pedal feel. The steering too, although by no means near Lexus-level of numbness, could benefit with a bit more communication. Though we were not able to get a good measure on fuel economy, we estimate that we managed to get around 18-20mpg, which isn’t too bad considering the blast through the mountains.

The clear notable was the quite outstanding body control experienced when we took it through the twisties. The super-handling all-wheel-drive, or SH-AWD as Acura calls it, can be felt dealing the power to which ever wheel has the most grip. True that we did not drive it at 10/10th, for that would be stupid on a public road, there was not too much in the way of understeer or oversteer. Just good balance and good grip out of the corners.

This particular car came loaded with features, including DVD player, navigation system, heated and cooled seats, to name a few. The drawback of this technology is the cluttered feel of the dash, and the lay out of the controls, though attempting to mimic the often hated i-Drive system of BMW, it is slightly difficult to use and require too much attention diverted away from the drive. And perhaps not relevant to most, the navigation map was not accurate enough to provide a gauge for sharpness of the next turn; according to it, we must’ve fallen into the ravine and driving through the trees a half a dozen times.

The blind spot detection system, however, was definitely a very useful feature. It essentially puts on a little indicating light in the side mirrors if it senses there is a car in the blind spot area. Very useful. Same can be said with the radar guided cruise control. A gimmick maybe, but in less than constant highway traffic, quite saving on the old knees. But be warned. It does NOT seem to be able to come to a complete stop. Found out after a bit of girly squeal from the driver when we tried.

At the end of the day, the Woman was impressed as well. She noted the large passenger space, the comfortable heated seats, lots of cubby holes, and the overall quality of the dash and upholstery. She also particularly liked the blind spot detection system for a large car such as this, but did not like the difficulty of the user interface for the dash controls.

Final thoughts? Starting at just over $42K for the base model, up to a price as tested of $54K, it isn’t a cheap truck. However, those figures still under cut the nearest competition, the BMW X5, by a considerable margin. With the fit and finish as good as in the MDX, the fact that it’s a Honda and likely to last longer than the trees we did not hit, and since the driving feel is not far behind that of the BMW, if we were in the market for such a vehicle, the BMW, the former uncontested champ as the ultimate driving machine, has a big fight on its hands.

2011 Acura MDX with Advance and Entertainment Package

Pros:
-SH-Awd
-Ride quality and handling
-Fit & finish
-Value

Cons:
-Slightly sluggish down low
-Over-cluttered console
-Slightly light pedal feel and steering feedback
-Navigation was not accurate going through the woods

Verdict: 16/20

Happy New Year!

2011-02-04T00:14:00.000-08:00

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.

2010-11-11T13:06:00.000-08:00

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?

2010-10-30T00:18:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-22T00:53:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-16T00:11:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-22T00:03:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-05T15:48:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-26T00:18:00.001-07:00

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

2010-07-08T15:55:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-07T22:43:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-25T14:15:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-05-15T00:28:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-05-07T00:07:00.001-07:00

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

2010-05-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-25T22:32:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-21T20:32:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-18T22:02:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-16T00:42:00.000-07:00

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.