Fast Cars

The new Hall of Fame Drive opened today in Knoxville. I only care because I’ve been using a detour to go to work for as long as we’ve lived in our house, and the new road should shorten my drive.

Big weekend coming up: trip to the ATL, hopefully stop by the aquarium, and then drive to Birmingham. What's in Birmingham, you ask? Why, Talladega Raceway, my friends. Sean is finally using the gift certificate I bought him from the Richard Petty Driving Experience.

The new version of S&T will be hitting the shelves in time for XMAS. In addition to updated data, the new version breaks new ground for trip planning and navigation software by tightly integrating online local search results with mapping and navigation capabilities. It also significantly enhances the navigation feature set with several improvements such as a “full screen mode” to enhance the driving experience, a better performing and sleeker hardware puck (featuring the latest SIRFIII technology), improvements to rerouting and additional navigation improvements such as drive times and reverse routing.

Speeding isn’t dangerous - driving too fast is. There is a difference. It can be safe to drive at 80mph on a wide open straight road with no houses or junctions in a new car and a few years driving experience - this is speeding. It isn’t safe to drive at 60mph in a 30mph limit outside a school at 3pm on a Monday afternoon in term time - this is driving too fast. It is for this reason that speed cameras are so flawed.

5. The drive from Nashville, TN to Charlotte, NC is not a bad one except for the winding, hilly, narrow Interstate that connects the two states. It is a horrible driving experience.

Yeah, I know the automotive industry is notorious for copying each other. (Hyundai, anyone?) And Bimmer buyers purchase more for the rep and the driving experience than its looks.

The concept of the show is that a needy car, usually a Hot Rodable machine, is stolen and the owner pranked until the car is reborn in a week. An AP story I saw on the show said 160 vehicles have been done so far.

Having stopped by the auto show here in Chicago last weekend, it was interesting to see how hallmark European luxury brands start looking like generic US models within a few years of acquisition. The Jag and Mercedes immediately comet to mind, whereas the Mazerati was a stunner in terms of body style and interior. And Lexus with its disinctive brand experience once again pulled off an expansive exhbition space that provided its customers an extension of its approach to the driving experience, space, luxury and ease. You could barely see which models you were looking at for Mercedes, all the cars were cramped, almost lumped together, while it made it seem like Mercedes was packed with people, it also made it difficult to actually view the cars. Less than a luxury feeling.

Probably the second time I pulled onto a street, I shifted into first and hit the gas. With the front wheels turned pretty sharply, and the front-wheel drive gripping and grabbing under the throttle, the wheel jerked right out of my hand and nearly sent me into a parked van. I settled down and got a feel for the steering after that. However, I was never really able to feel comfortable really hitting the throttle while in a very sharp turn (that is, when I had one hand on the wheel and one hand on the shifter). I felt like I didn’t have enough control over letting the wheel slowly return to straight when only using my left hand, and if I really put my foot into it, the wheel would wrestle loose and send me off in a straight line, regardless if I was done with the turn or not. While this may not be the fault of the car, and more my problem, I have to wonder how many young tuner kids are going to get this without much driving experience, and make the same mistake I did. I also wonder if just by number, many of them won’t be as lucky as I was… It’ll be interesting.

For a number of reasons which I hope to reveal very soon, this was a non-trivial experience. You might be thinking, "City driving? Tense, but no big deal. What's all the fuss about?" Suffice it to say, for now, that everything about the driving experience in this position is new. It really is like learning to drive all over again.

Driving experience - few rules of the road appear to be adhered to - Hold on tight!

The driving experience was slightly peppier than I remember previous year’s models, yet certainly not impressive from a true performance standpoint. It was quick handling, also improved from previous years, and smoother shifting. Whether or not it will continue to be a hit with the tuner crowds I can’t say, but I can definitely say that it will continue to be a great choice for girls leaving the nest for college. It handled freeway speeds without exception, yet didn’t pass without a bit of preparation. For a Honda, it was very quiet inside, which I really appreciated.

Memories such as the times I would wait outside his back gate at 4 o’clock in the morning to accompany him to the Cardiff meat markets (he was a butcher). Chasing pigs’ eyes around the counter tops in his shop (gross, I know) as they evaded my grasp. Cutting my finger on a paring knife in his shop as I played with the implements he had told me not to. Him giving me my first driving experience at about age 11 in a mini with no brakes in a muddy field on a steep slope. The tales of his childhood, of the antics of his youth and of his experiences in the RAF. These are memories that will never leave me, memories that bring a smile to my soul.

If you are an angry aggressive driver changes are you think you are a pretty good driver and the fault lies with other drivers. Aggressive driving includes honking the horn, flashing your headlights rolling down your window at yelling, obscene gestures, and swearing. The typical aggressive driver is young, male, extrovert, highly stressed, competitive, and impatient. Aggressive drivers will run more red lights, speed, and get into more accidents.

Please note that I have a Subaru. I love it. I have very bald tires, but I can take off on sheer ice, corner in snow, and control my car in most conditions just fine. I can’t, however, stop very well … or at all … in those conditions. As I consider stopping to be one of the best parts of the driving experience, I decided to remedy the situation. Also, I drive in the mountains quite a bit - those are usually snow covered roads, at the edge of which is a few hundred foot drop, at the bottom of which are usually sharks with lazer beams attached to the heads, or polar bears, or martians with science labs I’d rather not think about. That’s what I’m talking about

Seeing the traffic light had turned green, I screamed ‘YES!’ before speeding off like I’m driving some Formula One race car, looking back from time to time to make sure that taxi driver didn’t come chasing after me.

I might write about the graduated licensing system. In Ontario, there's three steps to getting your driver's license. You get your G1 when you're 16 by passing a written test. If you get it, you can drive, but you can't go on a freeway where the speed limit is over 8o km/hour, and you have to have a licensed adult with at least four years of driving experience in the passenger seat with you whenever you drive. After a year of having your G1 (8 months if you take driver's ed), you can take a road test, and if you pass that, you get your G2, which means you can drive unaccompanied, on any of the roads in Ontario. I think then you have to take another road test when you're 18, and if you pass that, that gives you your G, and you are officially a fully licensed driver. Anyway, there's been some rumours flying around that they're going to change the laws again so that you have to be 18 to get your G2. I could write a letter protesting that.

Today may have been the worst driving experience of my life!!! Just to clarify my point, I had already possessed an extreme fear of driving before today’s fiasco. Now, my previous fears of driving have been multiplied by around a million!

Now, then: to those of you who do display these stickers on your vehicles, let’s get to my question. Essentially, I am highly curious to learn precisely why you choose to brandish these oval country code stickers in the first place. ‘Tis true that this subject is none of my business; therefore, feel free not to answer or to point your browser at another Web site. Heaven knows I won’t be offended (I won’t even be aware of your actions, truth be told, as I no longer use SiteMeter or any other Web site traffic analysis tools on the MTA weblog).

Ok, Here I go… Had a Ford 500 in Boston, the Colbot was too small so I upgraded. This car blows. When I hit 100 I was scared for my life the car was an out of control POS. For some reason I thought a car like this would handle a little better, and I thought it would be like the 3ooc but its nothing like it. I am in vegas now, got a Navigator from Hertz, feel like I might try and give it a push

The V8 also has “Displacement on Demand” Technology. Simply put you run on like 4 or less cylinders if I recall, until you punch it and the other cylinders get fuel. Sounds like a nightmare. Mind you, It could be “good” on gas. But still, that seems a little intrusive in the driving experience.

Bob Lutz, General Motors Vice Chairman, gave a talk about the future of the automobile to the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany while attending the Frankfurt Auto Show. He went to great lengths to explain how a multitude of high tech electronics would be added to cars in the future, controlling much of what the cars do, slowing the car down when it senses other cars slowing, using transponders and sensors of all types.

The NATIONAL SPRINT CAR LEAGUE has been officially announced. Good luck to them! I think the World of Outlaws are going to be in trouble. I don’t see how two top, national 410 winged sprint car series can survive, and with the backing and drivers the National Sprint Car League has, it looks like they’ll win the battle to me.

So off I went today to look for cars. I looked at and drove both a Mazda 6, 5 door and a VW Passat (both 2005’s… I ain’t springin’ full price for no current model year auto). The Mazda was fun to drive but overall I think I liked the Passat better, just the right amount of head room for me and for everyday driving… much more comfortable. It wasn’t as viceral of a driving experience as the Mazda but definately a more enjoyable one. It’s also a little more than I think I want to spend but they were offering a pretty good deal on the 2005.

That brings me to my next story. Chris had hitched a ride in some racing company’s 550HP Nissan 300ZX. When they were on the back straightaway, doing 110MPH, the brake line exploded, leaving them without any brakes. The driver immediately went into a gravel pit to slow him down as much as possible and then past the pit lane into the grass. Fortunately the gravel and grass slowed them down to about 60MPH and they were able to brake the rest with the E-Brake. It’s amazing how important one small braided steel brake line is.

My TC has a few problems. One tire has a slow leak since the day I bought the car. There’s a squeak in the TRD suspension and the window tinting job is amateur at best. If you’re going to leave air bubbles in the tint, don’t put it right by the side mirror when I’ll see it all the time. The car drifts to the left ever so slightly; probably the result of a poor wheel alignment after the car was lowered. To me, these are minor issues that don’t take away from the overall driving experience.

Now, it's 2005. A hallmark of the commercialization of a culture once cherished by the select few who enjoyed its exclusivity and underground appeal. What do I mean by this? The Japanese pacting with the Americans in creating a whole new industry known as "J-D-M." Japanese Domestic Market. Our favorite mountain roads we once enjoyed has now been thrashed by posers and bandwagoners.

This has killed some of the appeal of the 240. I can live with that. Or can I?

I think it's been awhile since I had a scary driving experience. This isn't the fact that I didn't trust my driver as a passenger, in fact is the road that is scary. Basically, we were driving to Leighton Hall to pick up one of Kit's friend, we drove up a junction, the motorway part was nothing, or I should say its a piece of cake, since we used to drove from Lancaster to Oxford in midnight and vice versa. However, I think the scary bit was the small narrow road, especially where its actually going steeply uphill and the road sign was national speed limit. The roads are just very narrow, very dark without any street lights, a lot of uphill and downhill, sudden emerging junctions, cows walking in front of you and not planning to move away at all etc. I guess there are countless of these scary moments that I cannot recall all of them.

I’m sorry, but this cracks me up. LandRover is opening a third school for an “off road driving experience”. Which is probably good, because who the hell would actually take a brand new LandRover offroad? Most of these things go straight from the dealer to the local rim-shop for some bling-bling, DVD players, and in-seat LCDs.

From the time we’re kids riding in the car with a parent who exclaims, “Yeah, pull on out there, lady!” the sarcasm we realize in traffic is some of the most basic irony of our lives. If you’re like us, you’ve taken the simple invectives offered by parents in traffic and extrapolated an entire lexicon of sarcastic phrases, inflections, and gestures that allow us, if nothing else, to feel superior to bonehead drivers everywhere. These drivers have disrupted an otherwise pleasant driving experience; the least we can do to mitigate our disdain is to smart off.

Because the clutch control is computerized with precised timing, shifts are much quicker than any average driver can ever attempt with a normal manual gearbox and foot-operated clutch. The result is a driving experience that’s zippy and fun. The computer features some form of fuzzy logic which allows the auto mode to adapt to your driving patterns.

A reader (yay, you! thanks for reading) queried in relation to my recent tale of the aggressive Hummer whether I would have felt the same way if a Subaru had harassed me. Good question. The fact is, I have only ever been the two-wheeled recipient of dangerous driving or shouted remarks from large vehicles. I can't begin to speculate about potential reasons for this. Perhaps there's something in the character of people who choose to buy large vehicles? Or perhaps drivers of larger cars feel that there's not as much room on the road when they drive (there isn't!) and that coercing a cyclist to get out of their way, by mortal injury or insult, will result in a better driving experience for them. Smaller cars just have more room to maneuver. But the fact is, drivers of smaller cars can be just as aggressive. They just haven’t done it to this individual cyclist.

I’d be happy to dumb all the cars down to their basic elements, with a creature comfort or two here and there (air conditioning and heat are nice), and invest in those elements that make a good driving experience. Drivetrain, suspension, steering, and other fun things…

Thanks, Doc. It's certainly my pleasure to make your driving experience fun.

Great bang-the-steering-wheel roadhouse blues numbers, one after another. I never thought I'd get back into music listening in the car, but Tony did it for me. A high-four (wheels) to the dude.

One recommendation, though - don't pound the wheel too hard. We don't want you driving off the road in a fit of blues euphoria.

Now I realize it's a bad thing to stereotype and I'm not trying to do that now. But as a public service announcement to a certain individual in a group I drove home over the weekend, I would like to clarify something - my right arm is not a second brake. Grabbing it will not affect the driving experience in a positive manner and may trigger an involuntary (or voluntary based on the number of occurrences) reflex.

Delphi's Forewarn Smart Cruise Control with Headway Alert uses a long- range radar sensor to detect objects in the vehicle's path up to 150 meters or 402 feet ahead. The system helps to reduce the need for drivers to manually adjust speed or disengage cruise control when encountering slower traffic. Using the vehicle's braking and throttle systems, Smart Cruise Control with Headway Alert automatically manages vehicle speed to maintain a time gap (following distance) set by the driver.

Although you�ll spend a lot of time collecting and upgrading cars, the meat of the game is in the driving. This is where the good meets the bad. On your own, GT4 represents a perfect driving experience. The physics are incredibly detailed; each car has a unique feel, and there are nearly infinite possibilities for customization. You�ll notice the car lurch forward and back with braking and acceleration and slide realistically through corners. There is also an excellent wind noise effect that contributes to the already significant feeling...

So, where does this leave Gran Turismo 4? I reluctantly shelled out the cash for it, took it home, and enjoyed almost every minute of it. The flaws I mentioned, with the exception of missing online play, are just part of the series, and fans will likely accept them as such (while secretly hoping that a competitor comes along and knocks some sense into Polyphony). For those new to the series, they will likely be more apparent and off-putting. If you like cars, and the idea of collecting them is gratifying, this is still the only game in...

(High-Performance Sports Concept) originally unveiled at last year’s North American International Auto Show was Honda’s main exhibit at the 2005 Melbourne International Motor Show opened today, further fueling speculation the car is the basis for the next generation NSX. Like the NSX it will replace, the HSC builds on decades of Honda’s engineering heritage to deliver the ultimate driving experience in an easy to drive package. Its muscular exterior, with sharp lines and elaborate detail, serve as a teaser for what lies beneath the hood. The...

So, it turns out that, somewhat counterintuitively, surrounding people in a ton of metal and rubber and making their driving experience "smoother" is potentially more dangerous than not. How you view this of course depends on your mindset. I personally would rather hold more control over what happens around me and therefore prefer a small nimble car.

The latest victim of Audi headlight theft is Dan G. of JP, who lost his A4 lights in his own driveway.

That's his Audi King Lear on the left. Sorry, Dan. I know it sucks.

I'm ready to experience this...

The Richard Petty Driving Experience

The German motoring organisation, ADAC, the largest in Europe, will teach advanced handling skills using British MG sports cars, ahead of some mighty German competition. It will use a fleet of 100 MG ZR hot hatch cars at its 60 training centres around the country. Drivers will learn the safe way to handle a high performance car, on ADAC’s purpose-built handling areas, which simulate difficult driving conditions such as heavy rain, ice and snow.

Channel five is to become the first TV download shop by giving viewers the opportunity to download DVD-quality clips of popular car show Fifth Gear. You won’t be able to downlad whole episodes, but petrolheads will be able to download snippets of things like the BMW 1 series and the race between the Lamborghini Gallardo and the Ducati 999 for »1.50 each. It will also provide program features such as reviews of 12 cars and 'shoot-outs', which involve races between two similar vehicles.

The Subaru global brand philosophy expressed as "Think. Feel. Drive." encompasses the company's commitment to the customer experience and the way only Subaru designs and builds cars creating a category of one. "Think" focuses on differentiating the brand from the perspective of what drivers and passengers need in technology, style, value and service. "Feel" is about sensitivity to the ride and the environment. It is about the emotional connection that begins with engineers and designers and extends from car to driver. "Drive" is a focus on both the Subaru driving experience and the dedication to quality inside and out. Together, these words encompass the Subaru experience and commitment so many Subaru owners have come to appreciate.

The first correct entry drawn at random from all eligible entries will win the prize of a driving experience day. The prize will consist of:

'Teens whose parents had restrictions on their initial driving experience reported engaging in less risky driving later on,' said Mr Bruce Simons-Morton, a research chief at the institute and the study's lead author.

The cop with his crew cut and ubiquitous aviator glasses explained to me that 4 days before a man in his new Porsche Boxster (or is it Boxer? I never knew nor cared) came winding around the treacherous highway, its unforgiving corners and narrow and soft shoulders when he launched the Porsche and sailed high above the Pacific sending him and his passenger to a quick and tragic death.

The winch operator continued to wear his weather gloves while guiding the cable. The crowd on the side of the road continued to grow. And the police officer told me it'd be two hours before the car would emerge from the rocky ledge. He didn't know the speed the Porsche driver achieved prior to taking his car airborne. But it was fast.

That's two wrongful deaths in the last month. Speed kills. Porsche owners seem to want to go fast. Old salt Porsche owners will be sure to comment that it's the new Porsche owner, The first timer, perhaps, that is the common element in my two experiences. I don't care. Don't even care that it's the Porsche. It's merely an observation. And it's my experience. Mine. But it's all too real.

Do me a favor. Drive safely. Drive sanely.

New York Times election data: Porsche owners were more likely to be Republican; Volvo owners, Democratic.

I am an unabashed fan of Pearl Jam. This band has evolved mightily since "Ten."' MFC (Mini Fast Car - as in the kind you see swarming round the streets of Rome) is from the 1998 album, "Yield." MFC is track 9 and the intro puts me behind the wheel of a mini fast car on a windy road. Have a listen. Better yet, spend $0.99 at iTunes and play it in your own MFC. Vroooom

Out with the Cayenne, in with the VW Touareg V1 TDI. I have decided to put some money where my heart is. I have been a truck and fast car guy all my life. But recently the social political costs of gas guzzlers has gotten the better of me. I have been looking for the past two years for a way to get performance out of an efficient and preferable renewable powersource for my autos. Hence, my interest in Biodiesel. You can pour 100% biodiesel made in the good old US of A by strapping farmers in Iowa straight into any diesel automobile and it runs like a charm.

News Directory organized by subject, including Enthusiasts.

I noticed the "green car" pitch at last night's Academy Awards. Leonardo DiCaprio, Charlize Theron, Robin Williams, Orlando Bloom, Salma Hayek, Penelope Cruz, Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins won awards for environmental awareness by arriving in the Prius. Check this out:

"By foregoing gas-guzzling limos, Oscar attendees show their support for fuel efficient cars to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels, reduce air pollution, and stem climate change," said Matt Petersen, president of Global Green USA. "By choosing to ride in a fuel-efficient car, like the Prius, they send a strong message to the American people and the world that we can all be part of the solution to global warming and our addiction to oil."

If you like racing, you'd probably like to learn how to drive a race car. You can! Here's one site that offers you the chance to drive a race car on a track. You may find others closer to your location. Great idea for corporate team building or just a fun day with friends.

Drive the dream! Supercharge your productivity with incentive travel to the Richard Petty Driving Experience in beautiful Las Vegas, Nevada! Seating is limited, click now to Drive the Dream!

A good story about car games and car inflation.

When Pete and I were kids, we played a game with our friends the Goodmans whenever we were in the car. We'd keep our eyes peeled for certain cars, and if we were the first to spot one we'd get points -- the value of each make/model depended on its rarity. The breakdown was something like this:

VW Bug (the original): 1pt
Corvette: 5pts
Cadillac (excluding Cimarrons): 5pts
BMW: 5pts
Mercedes: 5pts
Limo: 10pts
Porsche: 25pts
Jaguar: 25pts
Ferrari: 50pts
Lamborghini: 50pts
Bentley: 100pts
Rolls Royce: 100pts

We'd play until we got to wherever we were going, and the kid with the highest score won that round (although sometimes we kept a running tally all day.)

I was thinking about this as I drove home recently, realizing that if I tried to play now I'd be well into the hundreds by the time I got home. If Lexus and Infiniti were included in the game (I don't remember if they were) I might hit a thousand.

Maybe it's just because of the towns I'm driving through, upscale berg after upscale berg, but there seems to be a proliferation of high-end automobiles. I pass dozens of Mercedes, scads of BMWs, armies of Lexi. I even see a Rolls Royce on a regular basis (same one, lives somewhere along Sheridan Road.) Does everyone just spend more on cars these days, or are the cars less expensive? I'm thinking it's a combination of both.

But boy, how boring for today's kids. I'd imagine the point scale has changed, with BMWs and Mercedes valued at only 5 points while Corvettes are up to 10 and Beetles are now worth what Porsches once were. After all, how often do you see a Punch Bug driving around these days?

What does a fast car say about its owner? See below.

Yahoo! News - If Your Husband Has a Porsche, Follow Him

Don't trust a man with a fast car. Porsche drivers are less faithful than any other group of car owners, with almost 50 percent of them cheating on their partners, a survey published in German magazine "Men's Car" has revealed.

Among German men, Porsche drivers were the least faithful, with 49 percent admitting infidelity, followed by BMW drivers at 46 percent. Among women, Audi drivers were the least reliable, 41 percent admitting to affairs.

I wonder where Japanese brands fall into this...

Even in heavy traffic, you gotta stay in your lane. Doesn't matter how fast your car goes.

Driving to work the other day, traffic was unusually heavy. Probably another accident rubbernecking, I thought. The cars exiting at my off-ramp were easily backed up a quarter mile to the exit before it. As a result, cars were driving up on shoulder like no other. It took me about twenty minutes to travel that quarter mile.

When I finally got to the off-ramp I saw what was holding up traffic. Two CHP patrol cars were parked on the shoulder; the officers were pulling over the cars that were driving up on the shoulder and issuing everyone tickets. When I got there, I saw six cars all pulled over at the same time: Mercedes, Mercedes, BMW, Landrover, Mercedes convertible, and a 4 Runner. I almost cried. Almost. (There were definitely sniffles of joy.)