Racers Quarterly

Offensive Alert!!! Hilarious....

2010-10-21T12:40:00.002-04:00

I know I know you are all going to say, "this is offensive please remove it". I will not remove it, it is friggin hilarious.

ENJOY!!!

The New Audi Owner

2010-10-16T12:04:00.002-04:00

I am now an Audi driver.

Before you label me as a pretensious wannabe BMW driver listen to my story. With the mileage of my E36 M3 creeping past 165,000 I needed something bigger and younger to haul my family around in. Frankly the two doors of my little brilliant machine were becoming more of a hindrance these days than the benefit they once were.

My new previously owned S4 gleamed in the sunlight and the leather was still soft and supple. This was all foreign to me but it certainly got my attention. Having come from a simple purpose built car that was well past its comfort prime, I immediately took to the newer wood grained interior with the Recaro bucket seats fit with lumbar support and heating elements.

Turn the key and hear that V8 rumble; the beast is ready to be released. First thing is first, I gotta find my essential tune in order to enjoy the ride. Pop in the CD and listen to the solid sound of the Bose stereo system. Once again coming from the tinny sensation that was the circa 1995 BMW sound system, this sudden burst of tone and bass catches my ear like hearing my favorite band for the first time. Wow, I am thoroughly impressed.

I adjust the (power) seat to fit, and find the mirror switch. Up, down, in and out and just right. Turn signal left and right, clutch in and first gear. As soon as I let out the clutch I instantly know that this is no BMW. With its smooth and even acceleration it is a completely different animal.

In the straight half of a mile before the freeway I am cruisin' in comfort, style and boy is there speed. After having a hard time parting with the M I am suddenly starting to really enjoy my new choice.

Hit the highway and quickly reach 80 mph, rather uneventfully. Suddenly looking down at the speedo I am clocking 100. Holy hell this isn't my M3. 100 in the M meant that you had to endure wind noise and bumps and high revs. This is totally different, it is ... nice. Home and the damn thing takes up almost twice the garage space. Not a bad trade off I suppose.

The next morning I get up for work and for some reason I am excited. I leave early. On the way there is a backup on the freeway so I duck down a side road (it just happens to be one of the windiest roads in Pittsburgh). It's time for the AWD to shine.

With the excitement of a 16 year old boy with his license for the first time I accelerated into the first corner with unabashed enthusiasm. The tires squealed under the stress of the heavy sedan but did not give. “Hmm”, I thought “maybe a little faster in the next second gear right hander.” Attempting to heel toe into the next corner I found (to my dismay) that the gas pedal is set considerably deeper in the pedal box than the brake; leaving me to let the traction control scream at me in agony as the tires chirped around the aggressive corner. I felt like I was just learning how to control a car in the corners. Not since my days in a front wheel drive Honda have I felt so incapable of holding the g forces at bay while attacking the twisty bits. Maybe this isn't the car for me after all.

I guess you take the good with the bad. The M was everything a driver wants in a car and nothing a family man can reasonably use on a daily basis. The S is a nice mix of both with just enough aggressiveness and handling for most men but it lacks the tools to be a real drivers car. As I am still trying to sort out the bugs and the nuances of this car I am finding that the grown up features that it includes are starting to outweigh the performance short comings. With a few tweaks here and there it can become a better drivers car. Maybe then I will appreciate it a little more for what it is; a family mans sports sedan.

I will keep it for now but in the meantime does anyone know where I can pick up a good accelerator pedal extender so I don't put this thing into the ditch next time I try to follow my instincts and drive like I am supposed to?

24 Hours of the Nurburgring

2010-09-09T22:09:00.002-04:00

How to build a BMW Z4M GT3 in 600 Hours

2010-09-09T20:27:00.001-04:00

A Tribute to the DTM

2010-09-02T14:40:00.003-04:00

The Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) was, me the pinnacle of Touring Car Racing. Filled with E30 Bimmers and 190 Cosworth Mercedes and the occassional Audi 5000, this racing series was a German car lovers wet dream.

From 1984-1995 European citizens were entertained by privateers and works teams all competing for glory in the touring car championship. This is where BMW and Mercedes formed their rivalry between their road going sport coupes and sedans. It is where Alfas attempted to keep up with Audis and where the Opels finally lost their step in the arena of competition.

Unfortunately throughout the years of racing in the series rules were laxed and more and more modifications were allowed. This led to the demise of the original DTM leading to the new DTM which, although it is very similar, seems sort of boring compared to this.

The Audi A7

2010-08-06T11:17:00.005-04:00

I came into work this morning and was almost immediately confronted with a team of German engineers driving the still unreleased Audi A7 around just trying to analyze local driving habits and conditions. Here are some shots of the test mule in black. They had two cars with them but I couldn't get any good shots of the gray car. The black car was a 6 cylinder gasoline motored car and the gray was a 3.0 liter diesel car. Both were pretty impressive looking; evoking the lines of the Porsche Panamera but on a smaller scale.

Expect a price range from $50-70k

Pictures Below (sorry about the glare these were taken with my Blackberry).

If Ayrton Senna was still alive today...

2010-07-26T23:12:00.000-04:00

In light of the special episode of Top Gear that was aired this past weekend as a tribute to Ayrton Senna, I feel that car enthusiasts and upcoming racers need a little history lesson in motorsport.

Basketball had Michael Jordon. Golf has Tiger Woods. Racing had Ayrton Senna.

History

He streaked through the sport like a comet, an other-worldly superstar whose brilliance as a driver was matched by a dazzling intellect and coruscating charisma that illuminated Formula One racing as never before. No one tried harder or pushed himself further, nor did anyone shed so much light on the extremes to which only the greatest drivers go. Intensely introspective and passionate in the extreme, Ayrton Senna endlessly sought to extend his limits, to go faster than himself, a quest that ultimately made him a martyr but did not diminish his mystique.

When God is behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car

Ayrton Senna da Silva was born on March 21, 1960, into a wealthy Brazilian family where, with his brother and sister, he enjoyed a privileged upbringing. He never needed to race for money but his deep need for racing began with an infatuation for a miniature go-kart his father gave him when he was four years old. As a boy the highlights of Ayrton's life were Grand Prix mornings when he awoke trembling with anticipation at the prospect of watching his Formula One heroes in action on television. At 13 he raced a kart for the first time and immediately won. Eight years later he went single-seater racing in Britain, where in three years he won five championships, by which time he had divorced his young wife and forsaken a future in his father's businesses in favour of pursuing success in Formula One racing, where he made his debut with Toleman in 1984. At Monaco (a race he would win six times), his sensational second to Alain Prost's McLaren - in torrential rain - was confirmation of the phenomenal talent that would take the sport by storm.

"There Is A Limit, And so you touch this limit, something happens and you suddenly can go a little bit further. With your mind power, your determination, your instinct, and the experience as well, you can fly very high." -Ayrton Senna

Deciding Toleman's limited resources were inadequate for his towering ambition, Senna bought out his contract and in 1985 moved to Lotus, where in three seasons he started from pole 16 times (he eventually won a record 65) and won six races. Having reached the limits of Lotus he decided the fastest way forward would be with McLaren, where he went in 1988 and stayed for six seasons, winning 35 races and three world championships.

The Greatest Formula 1 Car of All Time. The McLaren-Honda MP4/4

In 1988, when McLaren-Honda won 15 of the 16 races, Senna beat his team mate Alain Prost eight wins to seven to take his first driving title. Thereafter two of the greatest drivers became protagonists in one of the most infamous feuds. In 1989 Prost took the title by taking Senna out at the Suzuka chicane. In 1990 Senna extracted revenge at Suzuka's first corner, winning his second championship by taking out Prost's Ferrari at Suzuka's first corner. Senna's third title, in 1991, was straightforward as his domination as a driver became even more pronounced, as did his obsession with becoming better still. Some of his greatest performances came in his final year with McLaren, following which he moved to Williams for the ill-fated 1994 season.

Wonder why the NSX was considered one of the greatest sports cars of all time? Guess who lead the development for driving dynamics?

Beyond his driving genius Senna was one of the sport's most compelling personalities. Though slight in stature he possessed a powerful physical presence, and when he spoke, with his warm brown eyes sparkling and his voice quavering with intensity, his eloquence was spellbinding. Even the most jaded members of the Formula One fraternity were mesmerised by his passionate soliloquies and in his press conferences you could hear a pin drop as he spoke with such hypnotic effect. His command performances were captured by the media and the world at large became aware of Senna's magnetic appeal.

Everyone marvelled at how he put so much of himself, his very soul, into everything he did, not just his driving but into life itself. Behind the wheel the depth of his commitment was there for all to see and the thrilling spectacle of Senna on an all-out qualifying lap or a relentless charge through the field evoked an uneasy combination of both admiration for his superlative skill and fear for his future.

Senna driving the 1992 Honda NSX-R (NA1)

He drove like a man possessed - some thought by demons. His ruthless ambition provoked condemnation from critics, among them Prost who accused him of caring more about winning than living. When Senna revealed he had discovered religion Prost and others suggested he was a dangerous madman who thought God was his co-pilot. "Senna is a genius," Martin Brundle said. "I define genius as just the right side of imbalance. He is so highly developed to the point that he's almost over the edge. It's a close call."

Even Senna confessed he occasionally went too far, as was the case in qualifying for the 1988 Monaco Grand Prix, where he became a passenger on a surreal ride into the unknown. Already on pole, he went faster and faster and was eventually over two seconds quicker than Prost in an identical McLaren. "Suddenly, it frightened me," Ayrton said, "because I realised I was well beyond my conscious understanding. I drove back slowly to the pits and did not go out anymore that day."

Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton pays respect to Senna's car

He said he was acutely aware of his own mortality and used fear to control the extent of the boundaries he felt compelled to explore. Indeed, he regarded racing as a metaphor for life and he used driving as a means of self-discovery. "For me, this research is fascinating. Every time I push, I find something more, again and again. But there is a contradiction. The same moment that you become the fastest, you are enormously fragile. Because in a split-second, it can be gone. All of it. These two extremes contribute to knowing yourself, deeper and deeper."

His self-absorption did not preclude deep feelings for humanity and he despaired over the world's ills. He loved children and gave millions of his personal fortune (estimated at $400 million when he died) to help provide a better future for the underprivileged in Brazil. Early in 1994 he spoke about his own future. "I want to live fully, very intensely. I would never want to live partially, suffering from illness or injury. If I ever happen to have an accident that eventually costs my life, I hope it happens in one instant."

Every Williams Formula 1 car have this badge as a tribute to Ayrton Senna

And so it did, on May 1, 1994, in the San Marino Grand Prix, where his race-leading Williams inexplicably speared off the Imola track and hit the concrete wall at Tamburello corner. Millions saw it happen on television, the world mourned his passing and his state funeral in Sao Paulo was attended by many members of the shocked Formula One community. Among the several drivers escorting the coffin was Alain Prost. Among the sad mourners was Frank Williams, who said: "Ayrton was no ordinary person. He was actually a greater man out of the car than in it."

Link to Profile

American Touge 3: Preliminary Rounds

2010-07-23T07:23:00.003-04:00

This is a old video from 2007, but still fun to watch. Enjoy!

NE NASA HPDE at Pocono Review

2010-07-20T18:01:00.003-04:00

I always find it special to drive to the track late at night. You get there when its all dark out, you can not see anything, you just sneak in, pitch a tent or sleep in the car, and then morning breaks. That special time. The sun starts to rise and you have instantly been teleported from your cubical at work to the blissful serenity that is the early morning race track. Dew covers the infield grass with a delicate sheen and the cars that came early have a frosty glaze. The track is absolutely quiet with not a single sound. Then, in the distance, the quiet murmur of a flat 6 trying to sneak its way onto the infield without waking up all the other slumbering racers. This is the best time to be at the track, 5:30am, when the soft beauty of the race track and the solitude full hits you. You are in another world. The day starts to pick up. It is time to clean the car out, get to registration, and get teched. The drivers meeting is at 7:45am. The hustle and bustle of the day is just starting. Like a crescendo of speed and noise, engines start to fire up, the revs of flat 6s, V-6s, V-8s, Inline-4s, Flat-4s, V-10s and on and on build as the sun comes over the the outside track walls of NASCAR Turn 1. The instructors are on the track now and its time to get ready to run...blue group is next.

This is the start of the NorthEast region NASA Pocono Raceway HPDE. The track for Saturday would the the long course comprising of the main straight, north course, NASCAR turn 2, and the south course totaling 3 miles . The event was very well run with run times starting on time with minimal delays allowing the racers to get their full 25min run sessions in. One thing if found different though was that the checkered flag flew coarse wide and no cool down lap was allowed. This lead to more efficiency with regard to getting cars out on course but deprived the vehicles of the precious cool down time, especially in the afternoon heat. But besides this, the event was very well run.
Sunday brought a different track set up utilizing the main straight, NASCAR turns 1 and 2, and the north course for a 2.5mile track. Both track configurations proved to be challenging for different reasons. The first day was late apexing and awkward balance going into following corners. The second day was maximizing exit speed and gut wrenching entries into NASCAR turns 1 and 2.
A big bonus point for this event was the vendor support. StableEnergies was there with a huge truck full of racing gear and parts to fix just about any problem you might have with your car from brake fluid to driving suits. Phils Tire Service was on hand so you could get a fresh set of Toyo R888s or Hoosier R6s if you needed them. On Track Insurance was there providing track insurance for your car...something you so rarely see and a great thing to get if you are really pushing speed.

Overall this was a fantastic event. Now for the transition back into the work week...was that all a dream.

Return of a Lightweight (LTW) M Car?

2010-07-10T20:29:00.000-04:00

As an M car enthusiasts, I've been disappointed with the current M cars that BMW have released these past few years. Any BMW M Enthusiast will tell you that the best M car was the first generation E30 M3, but I'm going to disagree and say that the E36 M3 was the best model because it felt more refined without adding too much weight. It didn't sway too far from its roots or the core that makes an M car the "most powerful letter in the world." The demographics back up my claim that more M enthusiasts/Track Junkies/Autocrossers/etc prefer the E36 M3 over any other generation M car.

Here is my GAME "Generally Accepted M Enthusiasts":

E30 M3: For the hardcore and collectors. Typical garage queen or weekend warrior. Extremely rare and the most coveted M car in the world.

E36 M3: The most balanced M3 ever made. With over 300 hp Inline-Six (Euro-spec S52) mated with a GETRAG 6 Speed manual gearbox and weighs under 3200lbs. This was most refined M3 without going too soft like the future models. Won more accolades and comparison shootouts than any other M car in history.

E46 M3: Typical M3 for posers, dentists, uninteresting old men, and people that just want to drive the most badass 3 series of its time but have no idea how to fully appreciate the car. Poor suspension geometry and a raspy sounding exhaust. However, this was the best looking M3 with the best motor (S54 Inline-Six). The beginning of the end of the M3.

E90/E92/E93 M3: Where do I start? BMW already was working on a replacement model only after a year this model was introduced. Typical car for IT professionals and people that can't afford Porsche 911s but do not want a Cayman.

Enough with the ranting. BMW M GmbH just announced a new M car to join the family tree: The new BMW 1 Series M. Why is this a big deal? Think of a M3 in a lightweight 1 Series chassis with some tweaks and estimated 350HP and you have a monster that will make E36 M3 fans scream with joy and E90 M3 owners cower in fear. My only major complaint with this car is that it's turbocharged (twin turbo to be exact) which kills the overall feel and driving experience of a proper N/A car. We'll just have to wait and see, but until we hear something more, here is a video that BMW released to the public. Enjoy:

Toyota Pro/Celebrity Grand Prix at Long Beach

2010-07-09T18:57:00.000-04:00

The Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race (TPCR) has grown into one of the most popular on-track events that will take place during the 36th annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach race weekend. Since its beginning 34 years ago, the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race has grown into the most comprehensive, longest-running corporate-sponsored celebrity racing event in the world. This event is once again expected to raise over $100,000 for “Racing for Kids,” a national organization that benefits children’s hospitals in Southern California. The 10-lap star-studded exhibition race will feature celebrities competing against professional drivers in identically prepared Scion tC models.

Zachary Levi and Adrien Brody

It was auto racing at its most exhilarating as actor Brian Austin Green prevailed over a highly competitive group of America’s favorite celebrities from film, television, music and sports to win the Celebrity category of the 2010 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race. Former CART Champion Jimmy Vasser finished first overall and in doing so also won the Pro category, followed closely by Formula Drift Champion Tanner Foust.

Keanu Reeves, Christian Slater, and Adrien Brody

Green, the actor who achieved fame as a teen idol for his role as David Silver in the original “Beverly Hills, 90210,” first fought off comedian Adam Carolla, then battled much of the race with actor Adrien Brody, taking the lead in the eighth lap and holding it to cross the finish line in his race-ready Scion tC just fractions of a second before Brody and actor Zachary Levi.

Green was ecstatic after the race. “We all pushed each other and really battled,” said the new celebrity champ. “This is such a great group of people. We’ve all become really close friends under very cool circumstances. I’d be just as happy had Zach or Adrien won.”

“This was an exciting and entertaining race,” said Les Unger, national motorsports manager with Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. “These drivers battled the entire race, and the crowd responded. Every participant was hungry to take home the trophy and brought their A game to the competition. The drivers remained intensely focused throughout their training, and yesterday’s practice and qualifying sessions. Their commitment and enthusiasm exemplify the spirit of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race.”

Vasser, who won the Pro category, did not overcome the pros’ 30-second handicap until the last lap, holding off Foust and Green, who came in second and third overall. Vasser voiced the feelings of the rest of the drivers when he concluded by describing the charitable nature of the event. “This was great fun,” said Vasser. I’d love to do this again. It’s an honor, we develop great camaraderie and we get to race for the children’s charity.”

Link to Article

Best MOTORing: American Touge 2 (Part 5 of 5)

2010-07-07T07:34:00.001-04:00

R35 vs the older Skylines

2010-07-05T20:48:00.004-04:00

Chris Harris drives the Ferrari 599 GTO on the Track with Rafaelle

2010-07-05T10:35:00.000-04:00

The return of the Ferrari GTO, and the fastest Prancing Horse ever around the Italian supercar firm's Fiorano test track. But is it also one of the greatest? Chris Harris finds out when he drives it around Ferrari's famous circuit.

CDC Autocross July 3rd in Winchester, VA

2010-07-04T11:38:00.001-04:00

CDC kicked off their fourth autocross event this year and I have to say that it was as impressive as it was confusing (we’ll get to the confusing part later) and squirrels are terrible apexers. Everybody had a great time and roughly over 60 cars attended the event on a scorching Saturday in Winchester, Virginia.

For those of you that are not familiar with CDC, this organization is your alternative to SCCA in the Northern Virginia/Southern Maryland region. It’s smaller, cheaper, and easier to reserve a spot in CDC than it is with SCCA (sometimes it’s easier to reserve a last minute table for two at a fancy restaurant on Valentine’s Day than reserving with SCCA weeks before the event). Is it the most organized? No. Is it the most efficient? No. Is it easier for newbies to get into the sport? Absolutely.

Consistent drivers within the 45 seconds range

That being said, Ed Chan is the host organizer for CDC and the rest of the staff is extremely friendly compared to the more strict bureaucracy that is SCCA. There are some differences that should be noted however. The vehicles are classed based on horsepower, tires, and weight in CDC. If you’re familiar with SCCA, they classify the vehicles by make and model. Which organization has better classification is debatable, but each has its advantages and disadvantages.

Tighten that battery!

I’ve been autocrossing for a few years in my Honda Accord, to my E36 M3, and now with my AP2 S2000, so my experience with various organizations have led me to believe that CDC need better course organization (the confusing part). I can’t tell you how many people have gone “off-course” this past weekend because drivers couldn’t tell where to turn next on an overlapping “figure 8”. SCCA would never have this issue because there would be “arrow cones” pointing in the direction that the driver needs to go. Not so with CDC. A simple problem that could be solved by adding additional cones pointing in the right direction could have solved this annoying issue, but it never happened. Another issue would be some of the ridiculous cars that show up to these events. Half of the cars that show up to CDC wouldn’t even have classification in SCCA. For example, there is a late ‘80s Toyota Corolla with tires far extending out of the wheel wells (a good 5 inches) and it’s out-pacing everyone because of its traction advantage. You would never see a car like that at SCCA.

One of my main competitors, the BMW M Coupe

In the first heat, the drivers were able to get three runs of their group, which are separated by Group A and Group B. During the afternoon runs, the drivers were able to do five runs due to the lack of traffic and cars that showed up, so we all had some extra time to kill. The Shelby Cobras were clocking the fastest times in the 36-38 second range while the Subaru STI and the EVOs were clocking the 39-42 second range. The S2000 group I came with managed between 47 and 50 seconds, which in my opinion were lackluster, but all the drivers were novices and some were still rolling in their all-season tires. I was able to pull the fastest time for the group with a 42.64 second range, but I was extremely disappointed that I couldn’t break into the 41 second barrier. I was however pretty consistent with my last three runs (42.8, 42.7, 42.64) with my near bald rear Dunlops.

Very quick

Overall it was a fun event and the S2000 guys came away learning the grip limits of their cars and improving their driving skills.

The next event will be in Woodbridge and I highly suggest for everyone that’s thirsty for some tire screeching action to come out and compete in this friendly environment.

Mark Webber Parliament Square F1 Pit Stop w/ Red Bull Racing

2010-07-02T10:48:00.001-04:00

Red Bull F1 is all into salacious stunts on public roads. Here is a tasty little pit stop next to Parliament in London. I don't know about you but if I got passed on a public street by one of these I would have a heart attack.

Then I would try to catch him and ask for a ride.

Chris Harris test drives the new Ferrari 599 GTO

2010-07-01T08:58:00.000-04:00

You probably already know that the car gets its grunt from a 6.0-liter V12 distilled from the same mill that powers the mighty Enzo, though in the right hands, the 599 GTO is actually quicker than the discontinued Ferrari supercar. You're likely also aware that the chassis is a whopping 430 pounds lighter than the more pedestrian 599 GTB. Call it, Ferrari's 599 "Type-R".

Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton visits McLaren's Crypt

2010-07-01T08:29:00.001-04:00

Watch the video as McLaren's current drivers pay respect to the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time, Ayrton Senna, and his McLaren-Honda with the classic championship white on red paint that won him several world championships for the team.

American Touge 2: Part 4 of 5

2010-06-30T11:08:00.003-04:00

Great Read from Automobilemag.com

2010-06-29T15:21:00.007-04:00

I, somewhat sheepishly, admit that I love wagons. I love the Volvo wagons, I love the Griswold family truckster and I especially love the S4 Avant and the BMW 5 Series Estates. What better way is there to pack up the family and head out on the open highway on a trip to nowhere?

I believe I am in the minority when I say I would much rather drive a nice wagon than any of the stupid bulky SUV's that plague our highways.

With this statement in mind please read this wonderfully well written article regarding the thinning of our wagon herd over the years in favor of the even stupider and more useless cross over and "Sports Activity" breeds.

Enjoy

Noise, Vibration & Harshness: The War Against the Station Wagon
Posted June 25 2010 05:40 AM by Automobile Staff

The days of smug Europeans sitting around espresso bars and open-air cafés tut-tutting American stupidity may not be over, but rest assured - insert sound of frosty can of Coors Light popping, followed by sophisticated guzzling noise - the days of Americans muttering about European densité have only just begun, at least if recent announcements by BMW and Volvo that they will stop selling station wagons in the U.S. market come to fruition. (Speaking of which, did you know that Coors cans now turn blue to let you know they're cold?! Snap! How dare anyone call a people responsible for a crucial technological breakthrough like this anything less than totally ingenious?)

The nominal culprit in the death of the sainted European wagon, of course, is that most tedious of automotive subgenres, the crossover. The crossover has been the worst thing to happen to the cause of driving excitement since the sport-utility vehicle began blighting the automotive landscape in the 1990s. But the real guilty parties are the carmakers themselves. Whatever they say about consumer preferences, automakers have spent years steering American consumers to crossovers, in which they've invested heavily through intensive marketing and preferential pricing. If manufacturers had put the same money toward station wagons, people would be buying station wagons. When you go to lease a BMW 5-series wagon and find out that you can have an X5 for substantially less, good sense often goes out the window.

To be clear, among European automakers, I blame the Germans first. They've consistently overlooked the fact that, although some Americans prefer their cars like their fast food - supersized - a significant portion of us appreciate German cars for their traditional European virtues, including the notion that cars can be quick, safe, and useful without being tall, heavy, or otherwise indiscreet. Turning their backs on the qualities that once made them special, the Germans are kissing off a part of their core audience and pissing off another: those rich enough to buy wagons in spite of the lack of price support. When you come across someone driving a new 5-series wagon today, you are looking at someone from a key, taste-making cohort, people who've spent real amounts of their own money for their car.

The Europeans' folly is clear, but to state the obvious, if the American people were monolithic, we wouldn't have started buying European cars in the first place; we'd still be driving the chrome-laden Detroit behemoths that once ruled the highways. If there weren't yawning demographic and taste divides in this land, half the country wouldn't be preparing to secede over their right to celebrate the Confederacy by brandishing assault weapons in church, while the other half demand that the particulars of safe gay sex be taught in the schools. And vive la difference- this country is big enough to support several different worldviews, no matter how insane. And long may it be so.

One of the more mystifying aspects of the Euro crossover trend, however, is how German luxury makers think that larger, less-efficient vehicles make any sense at a time when they are scrambling to meet stricter upcoming CAFE requirements. While pushing crossovers by massive subvention, they are conspicuously neglecting to offer a wide range of diesels and are simultaneously wringing their hands over fuel-saving gambits - such as an all-hybrid Mercedes-Benz S-class lineup and U.S. sales of B-segment models such as the Audi A2 and a Mini-based BMW - to meet the new standards.

Misreading the richly varied character of the American marketplace, European automakers are failing to embrace the exciting opportunities that fuel-efficient luxury cars and the small car's long-overdue march upscale present. In this observer's view, BMW, which has done so much to improve the automotive landscape in our lifetime, comes in for the greatest blame. Indeed, its recent parade of bloated crossovers have left us thinking that the company - whose controversial Bangle-butt 7-series I once even defended - has, after a long run of laserlike coherence, lost the plot.

Mercedes may have pipped BMW to the crossover market with its ML, the soft-roader whose primary selling feature - the largest three-pointed star in history - resided on its grille. The ML delighted many of the vulgarinos who could afford the freight, but with the X5, the Bavarians became crucial market makers, too. The X5 was admittedly the class of a disagreeable segment and sold well, but that didn't change the fact that it was and is an overweight indulgence that's the dynamic equivalent of taking a refrigerator and strapping it to the roof of one of the company's fine 5-series sedans before jacking it up for further degraded handling.

Talk about putting a governor on the grins. And if that wasn't bad enough, BMW's latest infatuations, the X6 and the 5-series Gran Turismo, take the X5 formula and make it worse by chopping the rear roofline and reducing cargo capacity, making two hard-to-distinguish-from-each-other truck/cars less practical and even uglier. A whole new genus of inexplicable machine, the X6 in one fell swoop nearly undoes all the design good that BMW has done for the planet. That's because the rest of the world's automakers, ever slaves to Bavarian aesthetic sensibilities (can you name an Asian or American car company that hasn't cribbed from the BMW playbook in the last thirty-five years?), seem quite content to follow BMW down this rathole (see Honda Accord Crosstour and Acura ZDX, about whose ugliness I could write a book). Students of the industry will note that we've tread this path before. It was called the Pontiac Aztek.

The good news is that I've seen only three X6s on the road in the two years they've been on offer. BMW 5-series wagon sales may have slowed to a trickle, but the X6 has hardly set the world on fire.

Which is what makes the Volvo announcement that it will stop selling wagons here so inexplicable. Because all I ever see in the Boston-Washington, D.C., corridor are Volvo wagons. They're ubiquitous, iconic, beloved. The news that the company is planning to bail on them in favor of gas-slurping XC models makes about as much sense as an announcement that Johnnie Walker is getting out of the Scotch business and is betting the farm on diet cola, because research shows that people drink more of the stuff.

Hey, Volvo and BMW, please wake up. Your wagons are cool. If only they turned blue to prove it.

Written By: Jamie Kitman

Link: Automobile Magazine

CDC Autocross: July 10th at Woodbridge, VA

2010-06-29T10:38:00.000-04:00

Hey guys,

The CDC Event will be held in Woodbridge again and here the event information:

SATurday July 10th Autocross

We're back at Hylton HS, in Woodbridge, VA for the next autocross on SATURDAY July 10th.

The address is:

14051 Spriggs Road
Woodbridge, VA 22193

Registration and tech inspection will be at 8:00 and will promptly close at 8:45 to try to accommodate the full field, while still giving 6 runs. You must be DONE by 8:45. So if you arrive at 8:00 you won't have a problem. Don't arrive at the last minute.

The event fee for the Saturday autocross is $25 for members and $35 for non-members at this event.

On-line Reservation System

Member reservations (or participants that will join the club upon showing up) for any events can be made at any time. Open reservations for non-members for this event begin Friday July 2nd.

New Bar Code System

This year CDC is using a new bar code system. Remember to have your car ready with the barcodes on the vehicle BEFORE the event. Attached are the bar code instructions, driver barcodes, and vehicle index bar codes.

New Members

We will be accepting new members at this event. If you plan to join the club at this event, you may make a reservation at this time by doing the following:

1. Use "0" as the member number (a permanent number will be assigned to you after you join and you will get a temporary number for this event)
2. TYPE "I will be joining the club at this event" in the NOTES section when making you reservation.

The annual membership is $30 and is good for 12 months from the date you join.

Chris Harris Test Drives the Top Cars for Road Racers/Enthusiasts on Sale Today

2010-06-29T10:26:00.001-04:00

My favorite auto journalist Chris Harris drives the best cars for track/road racer enthusiasts that's out today. This guy is very passionate about his cars and he looks for the best driving experience rather than power and and brand names. The UK-Spec Civic Type-R Mugen is absolutely rubbish. In typical Honda fashion, they keep all the good cars in Japan. Too bad the S2000 is now discontinued :(

Hiromu Naruse, 67-Year-Old Toyota Test Driver Dies

2010-06-24T15:25:00.000-04:00

HIROMU NARUSE MASTER TEST DRIVER TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION

Hiromu Naruse is Master Test Driver at Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) in Japan.

Naruse joined Toyota Manufacturing Corporation in 1963 as a test driver with Motor Sports in the Technical Division where he test drove the Toyota 7 and the 2000 GT. In 1970, he was transferred to Switzerland where he contributed to the growth of Toyota Motor Sports. He participated in and won many races, as one of the first Japanese participants, including the Nurburgring and Spa 24 Hour challenges. He transferred to the Dynamic Performance Testing Group in 1975 and in 1979 became part of the Overall Testing Group.

Naruse helped establish Special A in 1984.

He also helped establish VDx in 1995 where the group was responsible for auditing and evaluating new vehicles. In 2002 Naruse joined Team N where he is responsible for special assignments.

Naruse's experience as a driver has included the evaluation and development of every Toyota sports car including the Supra and many hours at Nurburgring. He has earned the nickname "Nur-meister" and holds the top spot of Toyota's 300 test drivers.

The Automotive Enthusiast World has lost a great driver. Rest In Peace Naruse-san

FF Squad's Katman runs a 2:05 at Buttonwillow

2010-06-24T08:58:00.000-04:00

Extremely quick run but not as quick as the S2K Challenge guys that run under the 2 minute mark!

Selling The Dream

2010-06-23T13:04:00.005-04:00

As an enthusiast I thought a job as a salesman at a local BMW dealership would be my dream job. Aside from the long hours and all the waiting it essentially is. I get to drive all the newest and coolest BMW's, Audis and Porsches just so I can be equipped enough to sell them properly. If only there were a test track next door this would be the ultimate employment experience.

The one thing I have found is that most of the people that work at this dealership are, like most of us, budget racers working in an industry that we understand. We are the freaks that keep the companies we love in the books as legends of the track. Forget about the big name racers with huge budgets. It is the little guys that spend huge chunks of their paychecks on a few days at the track while also keeping their cars running healthy enough to drive daily that make these cars what they are.

Just off hand I know of five guys here who regularly drive their roll cage equipped autos to work everyday. Heck, my boss drives a 911 carrera with a roll cage and a racing seat with five point harnesses.

This might be where I belong. Hell if I can sell a few of my favored brand every month I can earn a living and have fun while doing it. With a discount on parts and labor I might just get my car prepped properly soon. In the meantime I will just sit back at my desk with the 550i and 760Li propped up strategically in front and bask in the joy of German metal while waiting for my next smiling face.

Keep the dirty side down and enjoy.

Selfless plug - if you are looking for a new or used BMW, Porsche or Audi contact me and we will make your dream come true.