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Garage419 Forums Now on FinalGear.com!

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:11:08 EDT

Be careful what you ask for, it may come true.

It gives me great pleasure to announce that the Official Garage419 Forums are now live on FinalGear.com. Go register, login, and post what's on your mind. We are there, you should be too. Stop FaceBook messaging Matt and harassing me by instant message. It's time to bring it all to one place: FinalGear. Click Here to Visit the Forums

2010 Ford Mustang GT Review

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 11:18:58 EDT

As some of you may know, my first sports car was a Mustang. I bought it used, a bone-stock 1994 GT Coupe, and quickly decided that it didn’t go fast enough, turn well enough, or look good enough for my tastes. I tore the whole car apart, replacing stock components with a hodgepodge of parts from the Summitt Racing catalog without a single clue what I was doing. In fact, the single biggest factor in deciding to buy a Mustang was the plethora of aftermarket parts available. In 1999, when I had my Mustang, there were so many parts available for the car that I didn’t even know where to start. So I just replaced everything.

Which brings me to the point, and my 2010 Mustang GT test car. From the first second I saw the new Mustang, I knew that the people working on it had their heads in the right place. Unlike the mid-cycle design change that happened in 1999, where the curvaceous body style got all angular and awful, the outgoing model’s facelift leaves the bits that I liked about the old car, replaces the bits I didn’t like so much, and really makes the ’05-’09 Mustang body appear dated. That’s probably a good thing, because by now there have been so many variants on that body, from Saleen, Roush, Shelby, and countless others, that I’m actually getting light-headed trying to think about it. On the other hand, the endless upgrade possibilities give the die-hard Honda fans a reason to buy American.

On the outside, the revisions are evolutionary. I happen to love the new rear end. Not only does the forward-leaning panel give the GT a more aggressive stance, but also the new shape around the tail lights is sophisticated and upscale compared to the outgoing model. One of my favorite modifications for the last-gen cars was the “sequential blinker,” which lit the taillights in sequence from the center of the car outward. Apparently Ford took notice, because sequential blinkers are now standard on the 2010 model. The new hood, with its raised and sculpted cowl, provides a much more aggressive look than the fake “shaker scoop” from the last GT. Note to Ford and other car manufacturers: hood scoops are cool, but only if they are functional. The two most distinct features of the new car are the pinched mouth, which looks like it was copied off a Camaro, and the sculpted rear ¾ line, which looks like it was copied off the Challenger. Original ideas? Maybe not, but at least they chose to copy the best parts of those other cars.

Opening the door and peeking inside truly reveals what this new Mustang is all about. Real leather with custom stitching? Check. Chrome shift knob from the Bullitt? Check. Giant nav touch-screen with SYNC awesomeness? Check. Automatic dual-zone climate controls? Check. Well-finished door panels? Check.
Someone at Ford really put some thought into this interior, and it shows. The center stack is still hard-ish plastic, but the buttons are laid out logically, and the whole setup looks more expensive than it is. The seats are phenomenally comfortable, and my once-repaired, twice rehabbed spine gave the driving position two thumbs up, as even after two hours in awful LA traffic, I wasn’t in pain or fatigued in the least. I do have two gripes concering the interior: the steering wheel buttons, and the trunk. The steering wheel buttons work fine, but they are small and all look and feel the same, so I found myself having to look down at the steering wheel while fumbling for the right button, sort of defeating the purpose of having buttons there in the first place. The trunk’s got plenty of space for myself and a buddy’s stuff for a week in LA, but the restyled rear end makes the trunk opening smaller and more difficult to fit large suitcases through. The solution? Pack smaller bags, and bring more of them.

And the one thing that I’m really glad carried over? The 12V outlet between the vents atop the dash, which is perfect to keep my Valentine One cord from dangling in front of the Nav screen as I double the speed limit on California’s 5 Freeway. I blasted northbound toward Willow Springs Raceway, to find out what this car is really capable of without risking jail.

Taking the GT out of the parking lot and onto an open highway really is quite a joy. The engine, though “just” a SOHC, 3-valve V8 now makes 315 horsepower with 325 lb/ft of torque and sounds every bit the part, with an exhaust note so fine I found myself winding out the car just for the hell of it. Tunnels? Mandatory downshift. The shifter’s chrome knob and slick gearchanges are perfect for cruising, although my test car had a little problem with the second gear synchros, grinding a bit on high-RPM 3-2 downshifts. This could be either a fault with the car, or the fact that Vaughn Gittin Jr. drove my particular test car across the country, no doubt drifting and powershifting several hundred times along the way. I’d say it’s the latter, as I’ve driven lots of Mustangs with this same transmission and never had a problem. On the highway, the GT is a fantastic cruiser, living up to its Grand Touring heritage at 80mph with the engine at 2500 RPM in 5th. Wait, 5th? Yes, the GT still has a five speed. I don’t know why that bothers me, since it really just means less shifting, and the 4.6L engine makes more than enough torque to pull in any gear. I just feel like highway driving would be more fun if 5th were a fun gear and 6th was the economy gear. That, and the Mustang still has a live axle. Antiquated technology aside, the live axle doesn’t bug me nearly as much as it does other people, mostly because despite being antiquated, it works just fine. The GT handles well and is very compliant in all street driving conditions, and never left me wanting more. Clearly, both the transmission and axle issues are the result of wanting to keep the Mustang GT’s base price well away from the $30,000 barrier. According to my ass-dyno and Car and Driver’s estimates, the GT will hit 60 mph in 5 seconds flat and run the quarter mile in the mid-low 13’s, very not bad for a 4-seater under $30 grand.

Then I got to the race track. The Streets of Willow Springs is a 1.8 mile road course about 90 miles outside of Los Angeles. I happen to know some uber-pimps in LA who rented out the track for the day, so I intended to take full advantage. Now, changing the entire format of this article, here’s what I learned at the race track:

1)   When you buy a Mustang GT and it comes with the “Track Pack,” take that with a grain of salt. I didn’t have a non-track pack car to test against, but after 7 or 8 laps the brakes got a bit, well, squishy. The good news is a 20-minute cool down session was more than enough to bring them back to normal. Maybe “Track Pack” should be renamed “Drag Pack,” since the upgrades are more suited to a drag strip than a road course.

2)   When tracking a Mustang GT, make sure to turn traction and stability all the way off. The good news is that the electronic babysitters DO work as advertised, and may save your ass on the street. Even better news is they can be put to bed, so those who know what they are doing can have some real fun.

3)   After learning the course at low-speed, I attempted to push the car to its limits and find out where they were. I thought I had found them. Then I handed the keys to 2-time Formula Drift winner and X-Games Gold Medalist Tanner Foust, and hopped in the passenger seat. Turns out I hadn’t found the GT’s limits. Tanner had. I learned that while going sideways at almost 90mph, yet still totally in control. Sweet……

4)   The Mustang makes a FABULOUS drift car. Unfortunately, I do not make a fabulous drift driver. I’ll leave that to Tanner Foust and Vaughn Gittin Jr.

5)   On the other hand, a good driver (me) in a Mustang GT can easily catch up to a bad driver (unnamed celebrity) in a Porsche 997 GT2.

6)   Though it may not come fully track-ready from the factory, the 2010 Mustang GT really is one of those cars that you can drive to the track in the morning, kick the crap out of all day long with a giant smile on your face, and drive home, no worse for the wear. And THAT, ladies and gentlemen is the quality that I most look for in any sports car.

In conclusion, Ford has done a great job updating the Mustang for 2010. The chassis, body, and interior are screwed together tightly, with higher quality materials than ever used before, and the car looks and sounds very aggressive from every angle. But the reason I like it is because with the GT, as in my 1994 GT, I see real performance potential. The chassis is fantastic; everything else can be bolted on. Add an exhaust, headers, some suspension bits and track-spec brakes (all available through Ford’s Motorsport catalog, with a warranty!), and you’ve got a track monster ready to chase down the best of them. A couple grand more for a supercharger, and now you’re talking about supercar levels of performance for under $45,000. And to prove it, I’ll be attending the press launch of the 2010 Shelby GT500 in a couple weeks and I’ll be right here at Garage419.com to tell you all about it!

(Ford provided the car, transportation to and from LAX, and a tank of gas. Some photographs blatantly thefted from Autoblog)

P.S. Someone, anyone, needs to take the 3.5L EcoBoost engine out of the new Taurus SHO and put it in this Mustang, STAT. Anyone there? Shelby?

2009 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0TDI Review

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:05:03 EDT

It's long been known, to me and about eight other people, that California, New York, and Massachusetts ruined it for everyone. By restricting nitrous-oxide-spewing diesel engines from their stupid little states, they led the rest of the nation, via the ignorance highway, to believe fun and economy had to be mutually exclusive. Blasphemy I say. Having driven several fun and economical new diesels from Mercedes-Benz and BMW, I'm impressed by the massive torque, eerie silence, and absurd driving range. Take that, you Prius-driving right laners. And now, may I present the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 TDI.

Mercedes-Benz thwarted tough anti-NO2 restrictions with a urea-injection system that turns nitrous oxide gas into chicken bullion cubes or something. MB licensed the system to BMW, which used it to scrub emissions from the 335d, a car with enough torque to give the Earth an Indian Burn. In the latest Jetta TDI, Volkswagen uses a a NOx-storage catalyst instead of urea injection to meet some states stricter emissions regs.

VW boffins screwed the Jetta together tightly, with soft-touch plastics on the dash, and buttons performing their functions in the most basic and obvious way. The seats are comfortable, with a roomy, yet performance-oriented driving position and feature more bolstering than most, if not all other economy cars' seats. The leather-wrapped steering wheel feels great in my hands and has basic menu and radio controls integrated into the spokes. In short, the Jetta's interior is par for VW: functional, basic, and utterly emotionless.

I've never been a fan of the current Jetta's exterior. Suffice to say, it makes a Chevy Malibu look exciting. Enough said.

My test car had the optional six-speed DSG gearbox, which really is just as good an option as the stick. Upshifts and downshifts are lightning quick, with virtually no delay in power delivery. It didn't have the sport package, which means no steering-wheel paddles, leaving only the console lever for shifting. Paddles make DSG better, so go for the sport package. I'm sticking with manual; if it's the same six-speed swapper from the GTI, I'm in.

At idle, the TDI is louder than the six-cylinder diesels from both Audi and Mercedes, but is still far from noisy. At speed it's dead silent, with a hint of turbo whistle in the mix during hard acceleration. As an Audi engineer once told me, what you're "not hearing" is more energy spent on propelling the car forward and less on making noise. The Jetta TDI apparently bears him out. The torque figure of 236 pounds-feet isn't a small number for any car, much less an economy sedan. By comparison, the 2.0T engine from the GTI only musters up 207. It wouldn't be fair to call the Jetta a rocketship, but lined up on a runway against other cars in its class, the Jetta dominates. While the tuner crowd clamors about over horsepower, such a drag race would demonstrate the kind of force a high-torque engine brings to the table. From 30 to 60 mph and 60 to 80 mph the Jetta hauls ass with the best of them. The combination of midrange torque and DSG's propensity to choose the right gear quickly make for highway passing bliss. Just toss the Jetta's willing suspension toward the left lane and drop the hammer. Soon that Prius loafing along in the middle lane will be just an e-memory.

Highway mannerisms, eh? With its tiny little wheels and low rolling resistance tires, the Prius feels, well, hairy at speeds of over 80. The Jetta TDI, on the other hand, is Benz-solid. Want to take a trip across the country? Have a tight fuel budget? The Jetta's your ride. It's smooth, compliant, quick, and quiet. Cruising at 80 or 90 mph is totally effortless; one finger on the wheel would do just fine.

From the Jetta's highway performance, it would seem VW forgot it was an economy car. And then there are the brakes. I'm not saying that for $23k the Jetta should come with 15-inch ceramic discs. But at the rate this car accelerates, you'd expect more bite from the stoppers. Would your average economy car buyer notice? Perhaps not. I did.

There's another problem. The diesel question still haunts some buyers. Will they have to run frantically from station to station to find diesel? No. Is diesel more expensive? Yes, but the improved economy and range more than put the finances in balance. Don't forget, the "regular" Jetta 2.0T engine requires 93 octane, evening out the equation quite a bit.

In three days of driving, I put 248 miles on the car, and used just under half a tank of gas. Although I didn't fill it back up afterward to check VW's math, the on-board computer registered 36.7 MPG average. And I was driving HARD. You hear that people? A 500 mile plus range..... Not bad for $23,000 and as much torque as the GTI R32. I just hope the oil-burner's sales figures remain strong enough to continue building and improving diesel technology here in the US.

Producer's Blog: Did we really do that?

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:08:50 EDT

Yes. That was a real Audi R8 and we did bring it onto a frozen lake. Trust me though, that was probably the safest environment for that car besides maybe the Bonneville Salt Flats. With 36-inches of ice and nothing to hit for a mile in most directions, it was a car guy's dream. Though, the negative 20 degree weather did take a toll on all of us. The crew really did a fantastic job. Tom Morningstar, our all-star shooter and editor pulled all his tricks out of the bag while Tom Albrecht was there to make sure none of us did anything foolish. A great experience that seems to have made a great story for all of you to watch.

So what's next? Well this Friday, as some of you Audi fanatics may already know, Truth in 24 will air on ESPN. Well, guess what - we've already seen the movie. An amazing movie to say the least. This Thursday expect to see a special Garage419 episode shot from inside NFL Films. Thats right, we got some great footage you will not want to miss include scenes from the film that you didn't see in the trailer.

That leads me to my final thought. What do you expect from Garage419 in the future? What should we change, what are we doing wrong, what are we doing right? The beauty of Garage419 is that there are no middle men. The people who make this show read these comments. The people who pay for this show read these comments. If there is something you want any of us to know, just tell us below. Seriously - this whole internet community thing actually works.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles - In Edit

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:54:53 EST

It takes a lot to put together two new Garage419 episodes each week. I honestly don't know how we do it with such a small team, but we do it. The past few months you may have noticed a dramatic increase in the quality of our production. We are working hard to bring you the best automotive content and car porn available on the internet... well, besides Top Gear at least.

The good news is that our future looks great; bigger and better produced episodes are just around the corner. Two weekends ago we raced a Dodge Challenger SRT-8 against a plane and train. You'll have to wait for the episode to see the results, but I will tell you now that it will be one of our best. Expect a longer episode with much more content. Episodes will be availible in the normal places, but keep in mind TiVo users - we are now located in the YouTube section on the TiVo main menu. Moving up to bigger and better places I guess you could say?

Corvette: Modded

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:02:58 EST

I've been waiting for 2 months to finally post these pictures, but my beloved 1998 Corvette is finally back from the shop, with all sorts of goodies put on! I got the car new, and she has just 20,000 on the clock. Up until August of 2008 it was bone stock. Now, thanks to some great people, it feels, looks, and sounds perfect.

Engine:
Ported and Polished Intake Manifold, Throttle Body and Heads
Vararam Ram Air Intake
Kooks Long Tube Headers
Trick Flow off-road X-Pipe
GHL Bullet Exhaust
Custom Dyno Tune
Driveline:
West Coast Corvettes Chassis/Roll Bar
Hurst Billet Pro Short Shifter
Pfadt Adjustable Coilover Suspension - Lowered 2" from stock
Pfadt Front/Rear Swaybars
Pfadt Control Arms
Pfadt Caster/Camber Plates
Stoptech 14" Slotted Front Brakes - 6 piston caliper
Stoptech 12.7" Slotted Rear Brakes - 4 piston caliper
Hawk Street/Track Pads
Interior:
Sparco Evo2Plus Seats w/ Red Suede Inserts by AI Design
Sparco Race Wheel
Sabelt 6-point Harnesses
Exterior:
One-off 3-piece Forged wheels by Proformance Industries, color matched to car
-Front 19x10
-Rear 20x11.5
Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar Assymetric Tires
LeMans-style projector headlights, fixed
20% Tinted Windows

AI Design in Tuckahoe, NY hooked me up with the sick red suede inserts for the Sparco seats. Check out their sick gallery of work at AIDesign.com. You may have heard of them, after all, they have worked on some high-profile cars such as Alex Roy's Polizei 144 BMW M5, and the Audi "Blackbird" R8.

Front Wheels

Rear Wheels

The wheels are truly a work of art. George at Proformance Industries designed them and created them from scratch. He is THE MASTER of custom wheels, and has created designs for 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, several of the Knicks, Giants, and Yankees, and others for whom off the rack wheels simply won't do. As you can probably imagine, I'm one of those people. This is the only set of these wheels ever created, but they can be re-created in any size for any car. So if you wanna roll like me, literally, hit those guys up.

All of the installation work was performed by Anthony Contarino at B&A Motorsports in Mamaroneck, NY. He is an amazing tech and is very talented at setting up a street/track car. All the work is always perfect the first time.

Embargo Broken: Rolls-Royce 200EX Concept First Photos

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:46:31 EST

2009 Mercury Mariner VOGA Edition Review

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 12:40:01 EST

Valentine’s Day is a good excuse to go somewhere with the girl I love, so snowboarding in Vermont seemed like a good call, and indeed it was. But wait a minute, I have three cars, and none of them will do! The Mini? Yeah right. Front wheel drive and summer tires pretty much took that out of the equation. Corvette? Aston Martin? Um, no. What about her 1998 Volvo V70XC? That would be fine, except for the fact that her interior looked like Hiroshima on August 7th, 1945. No, what I needed was a car that could carry two people and our respective stuff to Vermont for four days with a minimum of trouble and a maximum of comfort and convenience.

This is when I called Ford. Tara, one of the friendliest of PR people, informed me that, though the Super Duty F-350 Quad-cab Dually I requested would not be available, nor the pre-production Raptor, they had a Mercury Mariner that should “suit my needs nicely.” I have to admit, my hopes were not high. But, beggars can’t be choosers, and with AWD, snow tires, and a folding rear seat, it would do.

I will continue this review in the order in which I experienced the Mariner. In the interest of being as specific as possible, I was driving a 2009 Mercury Mariner V6 Premier VOGA Edition. Never heard of the VOGA edition? That’s cool, me either. The good news? I looked it up. VOGA means “fashionable and trend-setting” in Italian, which this particular Mariner could have been…in 1988. I have never seen a whiter vehicle in my entire life. The paint was blinding white, with white trim, and a white interior. And if that wasn’t enough, chrome 17” wheels with VOGA center caps finished off the package. If I didn’t know better, I might think I was piloting the Sun up the West Side Highway. I’m not sure what parts of the interior had been VOGA-ized, and I’m not even sure I care. But I’ll tell you this: Steven Adler, after an eight-day coke bender, might try to crush up the Mariner and snort it.

The Mariner’s 240 horsepower V6 is actually much higher-revving than I expected, and when combined with Ford’s standard 6-speed autobox, accelerates positively briskly, although the close-ratio cog swapper always requires a downshift for the slightest of pace increases once on the highway. On the other hand, when going up hills the transmission does hold the lower gear until I reach the top of the hill, which you don’t really notice until you’ve got it, and then you wonder why transmissions haven’t done that all along. Strangely though, the transmission only had P-R-N-D-L settings. A 6-speed transmission that can’t be downshifted manually at all? That seems strange, all those gears and no way to shift them. Fortunately the roads in Vermont weren’t slippery enough that I needed to hold a lower gear while descending a hill, so I left it in D and forgot about it.

Let me make one thing very clear: The Mercury Mariner is not a driver’s car. The steering feels reminiscent of my sister’s last-gen Toyota Highlander (not a good thing), and the suspension bumps and bounces over highway ripples like, a drunk fat chick on a mechanical bull. Nor is it a car for any male over six feet tall. Sure, I fit easily in both the driver and front passenger seats, but my girlfriend says I look completely ridiculous in this car. She’s right, as her opinion is seconded, then thirded, and then fourthed by my friends upon our arrival at the ski house. “Men who look like you should not drive compact SUV’s,” she said. “That’s a rule.”

Hey, anything to keep her happy.

The Mariner’s interior created something of a polarizing love-hate relationship over the course of my vacation. On the one hand, the rear seats fold down flat, creating a cavernous amount of rear storage, and there is tons of legroom for a car of its size. The center console is laid out wonderfully, with lots of smart storage and places to put my cell phone other than in a cup holder. My favorite spot for that is when carmakers don’t have the door pulls go all the way through so you can use them as cell phone pockets. On the other hand, I can’t stand the seats. The VOGA edition is the top trim level for the Mariner line, coming in at over $35,000. All cars at that price point should have an adjustable lumbar support and some sort of side bolstering, even if the seat back has manual adjustments. After just 2 hours behind the wheel, I had to get out and stretch my (admittedly bad) back. And although I didn’t sit in the back seats, my two friends, the taller of whom is 5’9”, complained about hitting their heads on the ceiling while riding over bumps. The dash, console, and doors are made of plastic. Not soft touch plastic, or imitation leather, but just regular-old textured hard plastic. Fortunately, the fit and finish of the plastic is good, and the steering wheel and shifter are wrapped in real leather, and that’s where my hands were anyway. That, and I was blind from looking at the white hood spread out in front of me.

Gadgets and gizmo’s? Check. Make that a double check. I am absolutely in love with the Ford SYNC system. After just a few minutes of fiddling around with the touch-screen infotainment system I was a master of all things music, weather, destination, and traffic related. Connecting my Blackberry via Bluetooth took all of 15 seconds, and I didn’t have to touch my phone at all after that. Calls can be made and received using only your voice, and text messages are displayed right on the screen, provided you have the correct phone (I did!). From the home screen, it only took 4 screen taps to get to the Killington ski report, 2 screen taps to get to local weather, and 5 screen taps to find out if there was any traffic along our route. One more tap re-routed us for 4 miles around the traffic, no problem. I could also look up sports scores for all manner of professional sports, movie times sorted by film title or distance, and seamless iPod connectivity. I have never owned a car, at any price point, which had so many features built in to one unit, and at this level of simplicity. I’ll say it right now. SYNC makes this car. As a matter of fact, I may just go back to buying Ford products because of it. The automatic dual-zone climate control, heated seats, and trip computer with built-in eco-meter rounded out the gizmo count nicely.

And what about that fuel economy anyway? The Mariner’s window sticker indicated 19/26, which clearly is only attainable if the driver is either a) ninety, or b) has legs so short that they literally cannot press the accelerator all the way to the floor. After over 700 miles of driving, 512 of which were highway, I averaged 19.5 cumulative miles per gallon. It is what it is, and almost 20 mpg out of any SUV on a road trip isn’t noticeably horrible.

You want to hear something funny? Despite the cocaine-white, non-driver oriented, too-small-for-me Mariner experience, I was actually very impressed with the car. Sure, guys like me aren’t exactly the target market for that car, and that’s fine. But for our specific purposes: a vacation for two in a snowy location, lots of gear and a four-hour drive each way, the Mariner was actually quite perfect. The AWD and snow tires conquered the windy, hilly roads with ease, SYNC’s navigation system took us door-to-door, around traffic, and entertained with no fuss, and the excessive VOGA whiteness made for endless hours of comedy along the way.

At $35,000, the VOGA edition really is too much money for this much car. But, take a V6 Mariner in a normal trim level, throw in heated seats and the SYNC system, and you’ve got a useful, intelligent, conservatively styled car great for a small family, road tripper, or master of all things practical. And you can get it for just under $30 grand. Good call.

(I stole some of my photos from Jack Baruth in exchange for his choosing the worst quotation ever from me for The Truth About Cars)

Snobootz - A Better Version of Tire Chains?

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:55:06 EST

I have always been stubborn about getting snow tires or putting chains on my car in the winter. After all, I don't want to run the risk of having the wheels scratched when the new tires are put on, and I certainly don't want to have a set of chains rattling around, metal-on-metal. Who even knows what kind of damage that would cause.... Then I found Snobootz, a sort of a treaded wrap for your wheels with steel and rubber treads to give much improved winter grip. The rubber pads give the feel of a snow tire in the deep stuff, and the "ice grabber" steel points give traction, obviously, on ice.

During testing, a rear-wheel drive truck equipped with snow tires took 22 seconds to accelerate to 20 mph on ice. The same truck with snow tires and chains took 9 seconds, and with Snobootz, 7.5 seconds. I can assume that braking is equally improved. A set is only (roughly) $250, the price of just one good snow tire, so if you currently use chains or you are stubborn like me, it's something worth looking into.

Have a look here

Ultra-rare Porsche-inspired Boat For Sale on Ebay!

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:16:50 EST

Believe it or not, I spent the evening finding out if there was a Yacht Apocalypse to friend the Carpocalypse on Facebook, and there is! I sat in front of my computer for hours just giggling at how cheap a 35' yacht is. The answer? CHEAP. I found a nice one as low as $6,000. Sure, it was from 1982, but it was in good shape and, hell, it was a 35 Foot sailboat that would comfortably sleep 4. Then I found this, the custom speedboat clearly inspired by the maniacal Carrera GT. It certainly looks the part, and with a 550HP V8 it should do 60mph without much trouble. And if the sale prices of these boats are any indication, it's going to go for a bargain basement price. What I find particularly interesting is that the auction says it should be serviced at a Porsche dealer, given the unlikelihood that Porsche had anything to do with the boat's mechanicals.

Take a look HERE

Garage419 Goes to Washington D.C.! Saturday 2/21/09

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 11:07:14 EST

Here's an idea for a show: Let's blatantly rip off Top Gear with no shame, and race a Dodge Challenger SRT8 against Delta and Amtrak from our offices in New York to the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial Fountain in Washington, D.C. Think that's a good idea? Well good, because we're doing it. It's all going down on Saturday, February 21st. I'm driving the Challenger, JF is flying, and Tom is taking Amtrak. We're departing the office at 8AM sharp, and should be arriving at the fountain around 12 noon. I'd love to see any of our Washington, D.C. fans out there to greet us! Plus, we want to get some fan reactions to the Challenger, so stick around and get on camera!

Porsche unveils facelifted 911 GT3

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:34:42 EST

[Source: MotorAuthority]

Following the release of the facelifted Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera 4 models late last year and the new Targa, come the first details and images for the updated 911 GT3. Porsche has continued its tradition of only implementing minimal changes to the styling of its race-bred GT3, opting to focus on changes taking place under the revised sheet metal instead.

Power has been boosted by 20hp (15kW) over the outgoing model, with the car’s naturally-aspirated flat-six engine now pumping out 435hp (325kW). Changes to the powertrain include a larger 3.8L of displacement, as opposed to the former’s 3.6L, as well as an updated VarioCam system with adjustable exhaust valves. The end result is a 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 312km/h. Other changes include enlarged carbon-ceramic brake discs and a new adjustable front spoiler that can be raised by up to 30mm at the push of a button. Visually, the new 2010 GT3 can be differentiated from its predecessor thanks to new bi-xenon headlights, new LED tail-lamps, and revised air intakes in the front bumper.

Garage419 at Palm Beach Supercar Weekend

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 12:13:19 EST

Friends and Fans, this weekend, Gene and I will be heading down to West Palm Beach for Supercar Weekend. We would love to meet up with fans at the show, or even go to a bar on Saturday night after the festivities. Email me, Matt@garage419.com and let me know of the good spots in Palm Beach, and we can arrange a fan meeting, or just come to Palm Beach Supercar Weekend and just say hi!

-Matt

2009 Audi A4 Avant Review

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 11:04:16 EST

The station wagon has caught a bad rap with gearheads the US ever since the wood-sided land barges of the late sixties rolled out of Detroit factories and onto the small screen, shuttling around the Brady bunch in an awful suburban nightmare. And then, as if out of nowhere, came the 2009 Audi A4 Avant, a wagon so beautiful even this childless, 27-year-old lout would love to own one. I like the new A4 sedan body style, but the droopy tail hasn't grown on me, whereas the stylish rear end of the Avant improves the A4's look dramatically.

Brilliant Red paint and a sport package do wonders to this wagon's curb appeal as well. The 18-inch wheels fill out the arches nicely, while the blinding brightness of the Avant's crimson hue stands out in a sea of black and silver BMW's and Benzes in my hometown of Greenwich, Connecticut. Standing in line at Starbucks for my daily quad espresso, three very large, somewhat thugged out construction workers asked if I were "rockin' that sick ass wagon outside" and asserted that, "damn, that shit be hot!" Not the reaction I'd expected, given the wagon's implicit purpose of hauling kids and their stuff around suburbia.

The 2.0 TFSI four cylinder powering my test car is a wonderful engine, quiet, torquey, and economical. The six-speed tiptronic transmission, however, didn't do it justice. The autobox's mandatory "start from idle" acceleration chart makes the turbocharged plant feel laggy off the line. Still, as automatics go, the latest Tiptronic's manual shift mode is just about the fastest and most precise I've used (save for the DSG and wet-clutch type systems). Despite the lack of flappy paddles, I spent most of the time in manual mode, shifting with the lever. Going manual is the best way to keep the engine in "the fun zone," above 2,500 RPM.

On the second day of my four-day test, I got lucky. Mother nature took a four-inch white dump on New York and Connecticut, giving the Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system a chance to shine. Route 17, north of Harriman, New York had about an inch and a half of the white stuff in pre-plowed trim, and the Audi had no problem maintaining 70 mph without a hint of instability. Back roads rife with obstacles such as snow, ice, retarded drivers, and snow plows did little to upset the Avant's sure-footedness. No storm was too much for the Avant to handle with ease. I'd want my mother driving this car just as much as I'd want to be driving it myself.

The A4 Avant is most at home on a long highway trip, where its adjustable suspension can be left in automatic mode, leaving brain cycles leftover to play with the lightly-revamped multimedia interface (MMI) system, which features navigation, satellite radio, and all the usual goodies. Controls for the HVAC are kept out of the MMI interface (thank god), and switching between functions is done via large buttons around the central control knob as opposed to with an onscreen main menu. After a day or two using the system, I was able to switch back and forth between navigation, trip information, and Sirius radio without looking down at the center console at all. I also liked that I could have the navigation directions on the gauge cluster screen with radio functions on the main screen, maximizing usefulness.

The new A4 Avant has its drawbacks. My test car was essentially fully loaded, sporting Audi Lane Assist, sport package, full leather, MMI, Xenon/LED lights, and dual-zone climate control. The problem? A $47,000 sticker price. Ouch. I know. Forty-seven grand is a lot for a car with a four-cylinder engine, turbocharged or not. The good news is that if you're willing to skip over some of the extras you can drive one home for just over $35,000. That's a big difference for a car that will essentially look, feel, and drive exactly the same. Also, the steering is a bit light at highway speeds. In parking lots the boosted power steering is nice, but at speed, there were times I wished for a BMW tiller's firm feedback. I'd like some more power, too. Like, a lot more power. Like, an S4 Avant. Unfortunately, Audi says the S4 Avant won't reach the US this time around. I'm not surprised; the company sold only 400 B7 S4 Avants in the US in 2008. But with a body this sexy and the new 3.0L TFSI Supercharged mill powering this generation's S4, I have a feeling the company might reconsider. They would have at least one customer, that's for sure.

So You Want to Race in the Snow?

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 14:22:59 EST

Rallycross in the snow isn't just for folks like me and Dave Mirra anymore! In fact, Monticello Motor Club, the northeast's premier private race track is open for select weekends this winter for anyone to come rally it up! All you need is a street-legal, AWD car and the $250 daily track fee! Winter Driving Series - Monticello Motor Club Let the snow fly - The MMC Winter Driving Series is designed to deliver driving excitement, rally car style, on our track that happens to be covered with ice and snow! On January 10th, 2009, weather permitting, MMC will be opening for its second event this winter. An exciting fun filled day of getting sideways and mastering four-wheel drifts awaits you. Our last event on December 20th, 2008 featured Dave Mirra, BMX legend and 2008 Rally America Rookie of the Year along with Vermont Sports Car, who runs Subaru Rally Team USA. Dave drove his Open Class 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally car and was able to improve his lap time by nearly 1 minute by the end of the day. Check out www.drivemmc.com for pictures. Utilizing the South Circuit, groomed to perfection, the Winter Driving Series will be open to all licensed driving enthusiasts. Bring your friends and family to watch as you test the limits of your car through time-trials, open lapping sessions, and other exciting formats. Just because winter is here doesn't mean the motoring fun must come to a halt. So let it snow at the Monticello Motor Club. Winter Driving Series Highlights: * MMC South Circuit - 1.8 Miles with 11-turns consisting of large sweepers, increasing and decreasing radius corners, and thrilling elevation changes. * Exciting Formats - Go against the clock in head to head time trials or test, tune, and practice your skills in our open lapping sessions. * Rally Events - Break out the rally car, mix it up with fellow drivers of Rally New York and the USRC to put on a show for spectators. 2008-2009 Schedule Weather Permitting: Please call or check www.drivemmc.com for the latest track conditions. Schedule will be updated by noon the day preceding each event. Event Location: 67 Cantrell Road, Monticello, NY 12701 Registration and Vehicle Inspection: 8:00am - 9:00am Event Hours: 9:00am - 4:30pm Dec. 20, 2008 - Opening Day - Testing/Open Sessions/Time Trials * Jan. 10 - Open Session/Time Trials - Open to First 100 Cars - Limited space available, call to register today! * January through March weekend dates - To be determined. Hospitality/Driver Services Food and beverages will be available to spectators and drivers for purchase. Facilities are limited so please dress appropriately. Rules and Regulations Events from January - March will be limited to the first 100 cars and pre-registration is required. Entrants will have the option of participating in time trials, open lapping sessions, and other formats (subject to MMC participation agreement)! Seatbelts and helmets must be worn at all times. Studded tires are not permitted. Admission is $199 per driver (pre-registered) or $250 per driver at the gate, and $15 per person for spectators. MMC requires a credit card authorization form on file to cover additional fees for towing and any damage to the facility. All drivers must read and acknowledge additional rules and regulations in the participation agreement prior to entry. Vehicle Inspection Participant's vehicles are required to pass an inspection. This is to ensure no studded tires are equipped, working seat belts are installed, all safety lights are operating properly and each driver has an approved SNELL 95 or newer helmet. Vehicles will also be inspected to ensure there are no loose objects within, and that the vehicle is track ready. Daily Schedule * 8:00-9:00am: Participant Registration – Main Entrance -> Vehicle Inspection – Upper Parking Lot * 9:00–9:20am: Drivers Meeting in Tent * 9:30-12:00pm: Time Trials * 12:00-12:45pm: Lunch - Food & beverages available all day * 1:00-4:15pm: Time Trials / Open Sessions * 4:15-4:30pm: Recognitions / Acknowledgments /Conclusion Formats * Time Trials - Cars are released at intervals and drive 1 lap at a time, improving each lap * Open Sessions - Cars are grouped and released for 20 minutes at a time for testing and open lapping. Check out www.drivemmc.com for all details, scheduling and updates. Call or email to reserve your spot today! Contact Monticello Motor Club mgottlieb@monticellomotorclub.com www.drivemmc.com Office: 877.578.RACE (7223) x293 Fax: 845.468.7039

Google's Street View Catches Porsche Engineers Testing in Colorado

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 11:31:03 EST

It's no secret that car manufacturers do most of their new car testing on the public roads. Spy photographers get good money for shots of a new car even if covered in a thick layer of camouflage. Sweden provides the perfect location for cold weather testing and the Nurburgring can replicate a year's worth of suspension wear and tear in only one lap. In the United States, Death Valley in California is the prime location for hot weather testing while only 10 hours east, Colorado is known for having some of highest paved roads in the world for high altitude testing.

Car manufacturers go to great lengths to disguise new cars when testing them around the world. Each car company has different procedures as to what should be done when coming into contact with spy photographers. Mercedes has even been known to have decoy cars flank a prototype in order to block any of the photographer's shots. But what happens when the spy is in the form of Google Street View?

Since Google Streetview was deployed a few years ago, the internet has been flooded with photos of the weird things the Google team has captured on camera while driving around the country. While doing some research for Garage419, or rather researching my next vacation and road trip, I was looking into some high mountain roads in Colorado. The Mount Evans Toll Road was one road that really caught my attention with its twists and turns upwards of 14,000 feet. When I followed the road to the summit on Street View, I was met with a surprise. What happens when Porsche engineers testing the new Caymans and Boxsters spot a Google StreetView car coming their way? They duck and cover. Also spotted looks to be a face-lifted 911 Turbo and Targa.

View Larger Map

Ruminations on the Death of the New NSX

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:32:32 EST

Is the economy really so terrible now that even the profitable car companies think the world doesn't need their halo cars? I've just read an article over at EGMCartech.com that Honda is stopping development of their new NSX Supercar immediately. The reason? To focus on the hydrogen fuel-cell FCX Clarity (good call on this one), production Insight hybrid, and FC Sport concept. By the way, if you haven't seen the FC Sport, it really looks like a kit-car version of the Lamborghini Reventon. Add to the pile Honda's formal withdrawal from Formula One racing, and basically what you have is one of the most awful castrations in the history of sports cars.

Now, I don't know about you guys, but I don't buy Honda building an eco sports car that looks like a Reventon. Honda should do what it does best, which is build amazing engines and drop them into well engineered, conservatively designed sports cars. The S2000 is still a competitive sports car, despite being virtually unchanged for 8 years, and he original NSX is one of the best driver's cars ever designed, period. It may not have had 500 horsepower and acceleration that would crush your skull and send your eyes out your lower intestine, but what it lacked in pulling ponies it more than made up for with one of the best balanced chassis in the history of sports cars.

Gordon Murray, designer of arguably the best sports car of all time, the McLaren F1, benchmarked the F1's chassis against the NSX's. Murray liked its slick Accord-based V6 so much, he originally approached Honda about building a V10 for the F1. Only when that didn't work out did Murray switch to BMW power. And at the time of its release, there were very few road cars on earth that could keep up with the NSX in the twisties. Ferrari? fuggedaboutit. The underpowered and underdeveloped 348 didn't stand a chance against the finely tuned NSX.

Fifteen years of production is an eternity for a supercar. During that time Honda made very few changes to the NSX, a testament to how fantastic the original car was. Upgrades included power steering, a six-speed gearbox, and T-Tops, along with a small bump in displacement from 3.0L to 3.2L. This was good for an extra 20hp, with the final NSX-T making 290hp at the crank. I know several NSX owners, many of whom purchased their cars new, who've used them as daily drivers for years. Some have over 200,000 miles. I don't know a single person who has had major engine failure, major suspension failure, or a major failure of any kind with these cars. They simply change the oil and do the regular maintenance, and the NSX seems to run forever.

The new NSX looks like it could be even better. With a 500+ hp, front-mid mounted V10, a shrieking exhaust wail, and the reliability we've come to expect from Honda's product range, the new NSX really had potential. Sadly, the car world has gone and taken a huge dump on itself, and all of a sudden every car company assumes their halo car needs to be a Hybrid, or an electric, or something equally awful that I want no part of (go hydrogen!). I want to know Honda can build that stuff, and I'm glad they put their Formula One engineers to work saving the world instead of out on the street, but I've been waiting patiently since 2005 for Honda to take the lessons learned from the first NSX to the next level, and now it's not going to happen. I feel like I've been had.

I'll just go and speculate here: The new NSX would have been the best car ever. It wouldn't have been the absolute fastest, the absolute prettiest, or the most expensive, but it would have been faster than 99% of the world's population can take advantage of. It would have been engineered to perfection. It would have been reasonably priced, considering the technology that's no doubt gone into the car, and it would have given the Benchmark Rockstar Nissan GTR a run for its money. Oh, and it would easily run for 200k miles without any major services or problems. The interior would have been simple and functional, not extravagant, but built with very low tolerances so fit and finish would be exceptional, and hold together for many years. The seats would be the most comfortable in the business.
It would have been the best car ever. Except now it won't.
For shame.

2008 Volvo XC70 T6 Review

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:39:51 EST

My Mother's argument for buying her first (of seven) Lexus RX300 back in 1999 was that "it's a truck that drives like a car!." And to some extent, she was right. Despite the big tires, the RX's "carlike" performance was impressive. What's it like to drive the 2008 Volvo XC70? Exactly the opposite. I never thought I'd want a car that drove like a truck, and after two full days and almost six-hundred miles with the car, I still cant' figure out why anyone would.

But let's get back to that. Volvo's heritage, C30 and Bertone models aside, is rooted in safe, low-key, efficient people movers. Basically everyone knows this. A Volvo is a soccer mom car, plain and simple. Ford has made a very valiant effort to move the brand upmarket to compete with the Germans in the luxury segment, the sports sedan segment, and the hot-hatch segment, but their core business is still Soccer Moms who need a people mover. If they just made great people movers at reasonable prices, they would be making a killing. But they aren't. Why?

Here's why. The sticker price on my test vehicle was a nav-screen shy of $50,000. For a Volvo wagon? Come on.... Really? Really. For that much money, I'm buying German, or Lexus at least.
The XC70 interior is the best Ford has done so far in terms of materials and build quality, save for Aston Martin. The leather feels expensive, the buttons well dampened, and fit and finish is top-notch. On the other hand, my bad back found the seats terribly uncomfortable for any more than half an hour at a stretch, and the XC70 continues the trend of horrible seating positions; the front seats feel about three inches too high. But I like the bare wood trim and, useless as it is, "floating console" design that seems to have crept its way across Volvo's entire lineup. The rear seats are roomy enough for my 6'2" frame as long as someone a bit smaller than myself is sitting in front of me, and, strangely (or obviously, depending on how you look at it) they felt more comfortable than the fronts. The only word I could use to describe the suspension and road feel is "bizarre." It seemed to be too harsh over the big bumps and to floaty the rest of the time. On the FDR drive, widely known for its status as worst highway in the Universe, the XC70 wiggled and wobbled so much I felt like I was in a shopping mall flight simulator trying to mimic gravity. It was almost impossible to compensate for, and I always felt like I had trouble pointing the car correctly because of it. I've read in various other publications that the XC70 is good off road. And with more ground clearance and a lower center of gravity than a Jeep Grand Cherokee, that doesn't surprise me. But here's the all important question: Who the hell buys a $50,000 Volvo wagon and goes off-roading? I can't think of anyone. Is there a secret society of off-roading soccer moms out there? I don't want to sound like a chauvinistic asshole here, but as a man, not even a car guy, I can't see myself ever driving a Volvo Wagon in anything more hardcore than a dirt road to my future daughter's horseback riding lessons. The good news is that the new Turbo Six is actually a very good engine. With 281hp and 295 lb/ft of torque available from just 1,500 RPM, the XC70 is actually quite sprightly in a straight line. At highway speeds, planting your right foot will provide plenty of thrust to make easy work of passing, don't even bother with the lever-shifted manual mode. The brakes are pretty run-of the mill for Volvo, making neither a positive or negative impression on this writer. They worked, that's all I can really say. I'm sorry, I really just can't see a reason for buying this car instead of a regular V70 wagon with AWD. Save yourself the money and buy your wife some diamond earrings to match her new car. Nice fit and finish though.

Garage419 Invitational - Episode 2 Coming Soon....

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:59:13 EDT

It has been an extremely long week. Gene has spent a few nights at the office editing what will be Episode 2 of the Garage419 Invitational. With a total of eight cameras, five cameramen, and 12 hours of footage for a seven minute episode - the G419 Invitational is by far one of the biggest projects we have ever had. Sadly, you will have to wait another day to see the final episode. Until then, here's a teaser..

Thanks for attending the Invitational

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:35:16 EDT

Hey folks, we just want to thank everyone involved in the Garage 419 Invitational. Thanks to all who donated, GPNY for allowing us to have some fun on the track, and everyone else unmentioned.

We hope you all had a great time, and look forward to seeing you next time... and yes, there WILL be a next time.

Check out our flickr page for more photos, and stay tuned for the episode... later this week. If you'd like to submit photos, do so on our flickr group, or send Matt an email. For standings and other information, visit the invitational page.

Garage 419 Invitational Gets you $10 Off at GPNY

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:19:04 EDT

Great news for those of you attending the Garage419 Invitational. Whether or not you're part of the event, or just spectating, just print out this pdf and you'll save $10 on any one race you participate in, after the event concludes, on Sunday October, 26th 2008.

Download and print voucher here!

Voucher is good only on Sunday, October 26th, 2008. You must present voucher in order to receive your discount.

Shelby Terlingua Mustang Review

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:12:41 EDT

Named after a sleepy town just 17 miles north of the Mexican border, where Carroll Shelby, Bill Neale, and crew would spend their downtime drinking, shooting guns, and blasting Shelby cars on the vast expanses of open highway, the Shelby Terlingua Mustang represents a slap in the face to what society expects a muscle car to be. So says Shelby President Amy Boylan, who spent some time with me yesterday talking about the history of this wonderful town and the inspiration for their latest creation. I wouldn't want to mis-quote her, so I will simply paraphrase:

Amy said that Carroll Shelby and crew spent long hours for weeks on end building race cars for Ford, designing new components, testing, and racing, and Terlingua was a place where he could get away from everything and everyone. He bought 120,000 acres, built a small ranch on it, and when he wasn't racing, would head down to Terlingua and break all the rules.

That said, Terlingua was the perfect setting for me to drive Shelby's dragon-slaying warrior by the same name. Hundreds of miles of un-patrolled highway with ten mile straightaways, banked corners, elevation changes, and smooth, pothole free pavement allowed me to explore all the limits of the Terlingua without worrying about terrorizing unsuspecting highway travelers.

I was handed the keys to a shiny, black, beast of a Mustang and unlocked it to find a set of Carbon Fiber racing seats, indicating the performance potential under the agressively styled, yellow hood, adorned with the "Fighting Rabbit," Shelby's logo that has represented the spirit of Terlingua since the Sixties. The 20" wheels, look perfectly matched to the car, making clearly visible the large, drilled and slotted Baer brakes. The functional front air dam has enlarged openings to allow plenty of air into the aftercooler for the Supercharged V6 inside.... wait, what? A V6? Why would Shelby build a tuned V6?

That was exactly how my first thoughts went. I've rented V6 Mustangs from Hertz before while on vacation, and they are among the most boring, lifeless cars ever built. Not so the Shelby Terlingua. Here's the formula:

Take a standard Mustang V6, available on any dealer lot for about $16,000, give or take. Add a phenomenal road-race suspension, big brakes, functional aerodynamic kit, Hurst short throw shifter, Ford Racing side exhaust, Terlingua Racing Team Graphics, and a new interior gauge and dash pack. Ooohhhhh, and a Vortech Supercharger forcing an extra 6psi of boost into the engine. The result is an absolute monster, cranking out between 350 and 400 horsepower, depending on the customer's desire, and weighing in at almost 300 pounds less than a stock Mustang GT. My test car was a 375 horsepower version. The total package? About $35,000, including the donor car. A roll bar, rear seat delete, and the Carbon Fiber race buckets are also available.

As you can imagine, and as I experienced, the performance is astonishing. It pulls like a freight train, corners as well as any front-engined sports car I've ever driven, and sticks to the road unlike anything I previously thought possible for less than $100,000. Because most of the weight savings in the Terlingua is in the nose, the car has a perfect 50/50 weight distribution, making balanced drifts a breeze with traction control off. I'd need to take out a second mortgage for tires alone! My test car had an early sotfware program that was, unfortunately, limited to 120mph, but Gary Patterson, VP of Operations for Shelby, assured me that the new production software will allow the car to rev to redline in 5th gear, good for 155 mph. At 120, I could steer the car with one finger, corner without lifting, and, in the event I needed the brakes for something, I could wait until the last possible minute. The six-piston Baer units scrub speed faster than a NASA-sourced parachute. The functional front air dam kept the wheels firmly planted on the ground, without any hint of lifting at top speed, unlike the floaty Shelby GT. The Terlingua is no traditional muscle car. In fact, it's not a muscle car at all. This is the car that finally turns the Mustang into a well-rounded sports car that just does everything amazingly well.

Is it perfection on wheels? No, I haven't found that yet, and certainly not for $35 grand. If I were to buy one, which I actually would consider, I'd demand a six-speed transmission. Since the car makes virtually no boost below 3500 RPM, you have to wind out fourth gear practically to redline in order to make fifth anything more than an eco-overdrive. Overtaking almost certainly requires a downshift, which is fine, except I'd really prefer a 6-5 downshift to a 5-4. Gary told me that a six-box was in the works and should be available sometime next year. I also hate the steering wheel, which is left stock from the base car. A car that handles this well deserves the well-padded wheel from the GT500 with the thumb notches. Excepting the "Terlingua Racing Team" dash plaque, gauges, and aluminum trim package, the dashboard and doors are still standard-fare base Mustang as well, which means they are plastic and not that great to touch. The good news is that none of these things are deal breakers for me, and I absolutely love the way the car drives, which is far more important to me than a cushy interior.

I find it fantastic that a company like Shelby that, with rare exception, has relied on the V8 engine for so long, is leading the way for a new generation of American sports cars that emphasize agility, power, braking, style, and most importantly, fun. And they are doing it without the use of a V8 engine. Of all the Mustang variants out there, most of which I've driven, the Terlingua is far and away the most fun, the best value, and the most efficient use of resources. If I were in the market for a new car right now, this is the car I'd like in my garage.

Ferrari P4/5 Documentary Pilot

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 11:46:08 EDT

Avid Garage419 fan and original gangster of short car videos, Bradley Farrell, has started a series about the creation of the Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina. Check out the pilot to take a look inside the minds of the passionate people behind it.

A Word on the New Lamborghini.

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:05:52 EDT

Every once in a while something so grave happens that shakes the automotive world off their feet.

That something is us making a mistake.
We shoot our debate shows late in week before it airs. Normally if news is updated or changed we're able to resolve it and re-shoot. This time around Matt Farah is currently driving from Detroit to Texas in the new glass roof Ford Mustang. At the time of filming only the first image was revealed and many thought it was the new Murcielago SV. Once the second image was released we realized it was not. While it's looking good that there will be an all new SV from Lamborghini down the line this car is in fact not it. Lamborghini will be showing off it's Urus concept at the Paris auto show next month. The Urus is rumored to be a 4-door coupe styled sedan based on the Audi A8. We will bring you more information as we have it.

Notes on the Goodyear Tire Test

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:01:09 EDT

More on the Goodyear Tire test.

As many of you have, by now, seen the episode, I feel the need to clarify a few things in relation to the Goodyear Tire Test.

- Obviously Goodyear invited us all out there, and put the test together, so in the comparison test between the three tires, it was pre-set up that the new Eagle GT would feel the best (which it honestly did, especially in the wet).

- Goodyear's tire testing facility is really amazing, with the ability to flood the track with an even inch of water on the fly in select places via a watering system on one side of the track. The track itself has a 1% downward grade, to ensure the water flows evenly across the track. It also lets you test how the tires perform in the dry, the wet, and when the tires are wet but the road is dry (super slick!)

- The Kumho tires on the white car (the one I spun) were TERRIBLE. And, when testing a tire, you really do want to push it as hard as you can to the point of breaking traction. That's how you find out what is the grippiest, by measuring where the breaking point is. On that car, I was able to spin it around just by tapping the gas a bit in the corner.

- For the record, I didn't spin either of the other two cars, but Gene did spin one of them....

- As for the S2000 burnout, the new Eagle GT's are not very smoky tires at all, so when you light them up, they spin, but billowing clouds of white smoke aren't really in the cards unless you do a brake stand, which I was not about to do in a borrowed car with the owner watching me. The S2000 is probably the best car I've driven on an autocross course too, even better than the Mini. Rear wheel drive rules.

- My 1998 Corvette came with the original Goodyear F1 Steel runflats, and I hated them. The first generation of run flat tires were hard and gripped like shit. So I switched to Michelin's, which I like. However, after testing the newer runflats out there, I'm going to get the Goodyear F1 Supercar tires for my new wheels, and see what happens. I'll keep you guys posted.

Updates on the Garage419 Invitational!

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:47:03 EDT

Great news about the Garage419 Invitational Charity Pro-Am Kart Race!

Here's what's happening:

1) We've got 5 teams picked out, and we're still picking one fan each week to come drive with us.... We've got lots of applications, but we aren't done by any means so keep them coming! Here's the lineup so far

Pro/Fan

Bryce Miller / Nick Steinman
Jason Bannerman / Alexander Serendich
Mike Musto / Debbie Chen
Zack Skolnick / Dylan Betman
Wes Siler / John Shim

2) Originally we were only going to use one of the two tracks at Grand Prix New York, but we have been upgraded to the full half mile Supertrack configuration! The Supertrack combines both tracks into one huge, fast, insane track! This is the map:

3) We have already been getting donations for our charity, Racing4Research, but we need more! I really want to encourage all our fans to make a donation through our website, no matter how small. Every little bit helps.

4) We would like to have as many fans as possible attend this race, so even if you don't get into the race itself, come on down to GPNY, bring your ride, meet the crew and all the pro's, and support the charity!

5) If your company is interested in sponsoring the Garage419 Invitational, please email me at Matt@garage419.com!

Top Twelve Pininfarina Designs of All Time

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:17:20 EDT

This morning I was saddened to learn of the passing of Andrea Pininfarina, head of one of the greatest design houses in the history of the automobile. He died at age 51, the unfortunate result of an accident while riding his Vespa to work outside of Turin, Italy. Andrea Pininfarina was the grandson of "Pinn" Farina, who started Pininfarina SPA in 1930, and was personally responsible for the iconic Ferrari Testarossa, as well as overseeing many other designs and concepts. I find it only fitting to honor his death with a list of the most beautiful Pininfarina designs from the company's 78 year history. Most lists are a "top ten," Nigel Tufnel's amp goes to eleven, and my list is a full twelve.

12) 1968 Ferrari Daytona - The Ferrari Daytona is, quite simply, the benchmark upon which all GT cars for the last 40 years have been based. In its time, it was one of the most aerodynamic cars ever built, and performs that function with lasting beauty. It was comfortable, exceptionally fast, and still draws a crowd, 40 years later.

11) 1966 Ferrari 330 GTC - The 330 is my favorite of the "classic" Ferraris. It is simple, functional, not overstated, and purposeful in execution. I especially like it from this rear 3/4 view. It's not at all difficult to see how the design of the 330 GTC influenced so many other designs of its time.

10) 1985 Ferrari Testarossa - Penned by Andrea Pininfarina himself, the Testarossa embodied everything that was awesome about the 80's. Huge, wide rear fenders, and giant straked side intakes made for poor driving dynamics, but fantastic bedroom posters. I don't think I knew a single person growing up that didn't have a poster or a model of the Testarossa in their bedroom. I'll take mine in white on white, please.

9) 1966 Alfa Romeo Spider - The Alfa Spider's design is so simple, so aerodynamic, so timeless, and so quintessentially Italian, that Alfa Romeo changed very little of it throughout the Spider's thirty-year production run, and nobody seemed to mind. I can see why.

8) 1994 Ferrari F355 - The last of the old school Ferrari designs, the 355 looks just as new today as it did when the first cars rolled out of Modena's gates. From the high-winding V8 to the dramatic side intake vents, the wedge-shaped F355 is easily recognizeable as a Ferrari, even by those who know nothing about supercars.

7) 1995 Ferrari F50 - Rarely do I see a Ferrari that causes more controversy than the F50. I'm not really sure why, as I think the car is not only very beautiful, but an amazing piece of engineering. With the sound of a real Formula One engine strapped to your back, and the feeling of a chromed 6-speed shifter in your hand, I propose the question: What could be better than this?

6) 2000 Ferrari 550 Barchetta - Not only is the Barchetta the most hardcore of GT cars, it's also the first Ferrari that I ever got to drive, so it holds a special place in my heart. You really gotta love a company that builds a car with no roof at all, just a couple of roll hoops, and then makes it stick shift only. If it starts raining, you had better heel-toe it down a gear and speed up so the rain goes over the windshield! The first time I drove one, I vowed that I would have a Barchetta one day, and one day, I will.

5) 2008 Maserati GranTurismo - Another Castriota design, Maserati's new GT car re-writes the rule book on what a GT car should be. It's easily recognizeable from some distance away, the "shark-nose" grill is perfect for the car, and it feels much bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside. Maserati is back on top of the touring business, and it's 100% due to the fact that the Gran Turismo may just be the most beautiful car you can buy for under $150,000

4) 1965 206 Dino - Though not originally badged as a Ferrari, there is no mistaking the gorgeous, curvy styling and the shrieking howl of a mid-engined, Ferrari-engineered powerplant in this first example of design excellence. It's not surprising that the value of the Dino as the "driver's collector car" has soared in recent years.

3) 1984 Ferrari 288 GTO - Were Borat here to make this list, I would ask him how he think Ferrari did with their first attempt in Forced Induction... His answer? "Great Success!!" And he would be right, the 288GTO takes everything that's great about the 308 and turns it into the Incredible Hulk of Ferraris. Turn the engiine 90 degrees, slap on a couple of turbochargers, and flare the fenders to the maximum, and the result is not only a great performer, but, in my opinion, the most beautiful Ferrari ever built.

2) Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina - The P4/5 is easily the most recognizeable coachbuit car on Earth, and for good reason. Take an Enzo, Ferrari's fastest rocketship, and make it even faster. Then make it handle better. Then make it more streetable. Oh yeah, it has to look like the Jetson's version of the iconic P3/4 Race Car.

Want one? Too bad.... owner Jim Glickenhaus isn't selling, and won't. Ever.

1) 1987 Ferrari F40 - From 1987 to 1991, the Ferrari F40 was the fastest car in the world. In fact, more than 20 years later, it's still faster than 95% of all other production cars. It's raw, light, cramped, hot, and gorgeous, everything a street-legal race car should be. The F40 captures the real essence of letting form follow function, but without sacrificing a bit of pure automotive sex.

There you have it, my personal top twelve list! I hope that, even without Andrea Pininfarina at the helm, the best design house in the world will continue to create beautiful automobile designs for many years to come. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Pininfarina family.

Why I Like Engineers and not Accountants

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:13:46 EDT

As I mentioned in the episode, my first performance car was a 1994 Mustang GT that I spent a year turning into a very close replica of a Cobra R. Mine, however, had over 400 ponies and would give a C5 Corvette owner something to think about, courtesy of at 347 stroker kit, Saleen Level III suspension, and a good bit of weight reduction. It was a shame when the moron I eventually sold it to totaled it that very day.

After that, I wasn't really a fan of Fords for a while. I was disappointed with their quality and realized that I only had my Mustang for its modding potential, which to this day is still impressive. But after spending some time with the SVT guys, I started to like Ford again, or at least its performance division. SVT is a small operation, they only have about 60 employees. They work hard, and often times they are given a decidedly non-sporting platform to work with, and they must improve it. That's what I never really thought about before, the fact that they have to take something existing and turn it into something else.

Case and Point: The Z06 is faster than the GT500KR, for less money. Well, the Z06 started as a $50,000 Corvette that is already faster than 90% of the cars on the road. It's aerodynamic, low, wide, and its platform was designed specifically for a small-block V8. The GT500KR started as a Mustang. The Mustang platform is designed to be flexible, and work with everything from a V6 to a Supercharged V8, which means that some compromises must be made. Not to mention, the GT500KR also has usable back seats and a much more versatile ride, unlike the Z06's hard-edged sports suspension.

I learned something else important at SVT about the GT500 and KR. Originally, the SVT engineers built the "base" GT500 with the same 540 HP that comes in the KR, but the execs wanted the engine quieted down and a more restrictive air intake was used to keep the whine of the blower at bay. By going back to the original design in the KR, and without running any additional boost, the engine picks up an easy 40 HP. The supercharger whine becomes much more audible too, but I like it.

Often times, when performance versions of cars are released, people can be disappointed when they don't perform to the absolute maximum of their potential, but it's generally not the engineers who got lazy. Some bean counter somewhere put down the hammer and said that 30% of the possible customers don't want to hear the blower, so let's just tone that down, or that another 30% of potential customers want a cushy ride, so let's tone that down too.

At the end of the day, I'm glad the SVT engineers work so hard to make horsepower the way that they do, and if the bean counters decide to tone it down too much, I'm glad I have Jamal's cell number so I know the areas that can be tuned back up out of the giant Mustang parts catalog.

Lastly, it's important to mention that when the SVT designers were given a blank slate on which to design the ultimate performance car from the ground up, this is what they came up with:

Pebble Beach Preview: RM Auctions

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:43:51 EDT

I know very little about cars older than 1960. It's not that I don't care, it's just that most of them look kind of the same to me. However, there are certain vehicles that, though I may not be able to immediately identify them, I know that there is something really special that deserves another look. Among the other events at Pebble Beach this year, we will be attending the RM Classic Car Auctions, where some of the most valuable cars in the world will be auctioned off at extraordinarily high prices for the entertainment of everyone else, myself included. Check out below for some of RM's press video about two of the more special cars going on the block, the 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Tourer and the 1957 Chrysler Diablo Concept by Ghia. Some of the most interesting cars ever built have been concept cars from the 1950's, and rumor has it there will be a plethora of them at Pebble Beach for us all to enjoy.

Some of the other featured cars at this year's Monterey RM Auction include (prices are estimates from RM's web site):

1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible - $1.8 million

1962 Chapparal 1 Race Car - $750,000 - $950,000

1972 Lamborghini Miura SV - $825,000 - $975,000

1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spyder - $1.4 - $1.6 million

1966 Shelby Cobra 427 - $700,000 - $900,000

Bentley 8-Litre Tourer:

Chrysler Diablo Concept:

Garage419 is Heading to Pebble Beach

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:08:41 EDT

Hey Guys-

We've just gotten confirmation that from Thursday, August 14th to Sunday, August 17th, Garage419 will be upgrading to DAILY episode status to bring you guys Almost Live coverage of the Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance. We will show you the best coverage from the Concours, Auctions, Monterey Historics, and what it's like to be a first-time visitor to Pebble Beach from the perspective of the Garage419 crew. Want to meet up with us at Pebble? We will be hosting a fan dinner while out there, so you can email me if you want to meet up with us and help contribute to the show! Just email me at Matt@garage419.com.

See you all on the west side! And to make sure you get all the Pebble Beach videos without missing the action, subscribe to Garage419 here, on iTunes, or on YouTube now!

-Matt

2008 Audi A5 Review

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:01:47 EDT

Some of you have requested to hear my actual thoughts on the A5, as we only used it as an intro in the video. I'm not good at writing a coherent article, so here are some random thoughts about the car:

- The interior is amazing. It's by far the best interior available at this price point, and the comfort, driving position, and fit surpasses many cars available at any price point. For instance, the A5's interior makes the much more expensive BMW 650i's interior look like amateur hour. The seats in the S5 are even better.

- Of all the knob-driven interface systems I've ever used, (and I've pretty much used them all at this point), the A5's system is probably the best. I would rather play the part of the girl in the Vern Troyer sex tape than ever use iDrive again, and Mercedes' COMMAND system requires practice to feel like you aren't a child lost in the woods of interfaces. What I like about the Audi MMI system is that there are buttons for the main controls, such as the climate controls and to switch between modes on the screen. I don't want to have to click through 3 menus because I want cold air on my balls instead of my face.

- The A5's engine is smooth, and with Sport mode engaged, the throttle is responsive. As someone who likes fast cars, the A5 doesn't quite cut it, but that's what the S5 (and upcoming RS5) are for. I could be happy with the A5's 265 horsepower for about 2 months before I needed more. In fact, when I test drove the S5 at a dealer a few months ago, I said to myself, "This car is amazing. Give me an extra 100hp and I'll be happy." Also, our test car had an extremely annoying rattle as the engine first came off idle, but it was probably just a loose bolt on my well-abused press car.

- Like all other Audi's (except the R8), the shifter is kinda rubbery for my taste, but works well and requires little effort, which makes the A5 perfect for sitting in traffic while commuting to work, which is where I'd imagine most A5 drivers will be experiencing it. For the more sporting of us, a short-throw option would be nice, but doubtful. Fortunately there are several available aftermarket products. The pedals are well spaced for heel-and toe downshifting, but the engine comes down off revs so much faster than what I'm used to, that in order to downshift effectively, you have to be quick to put the car in gear so it doesn't catch at the wrong moment.

- With the A5 platform, Audi has finally moved the front wheels ahead of the engine, which eliminates much of Audi's traditionally unwelcome understeer. This translates into a car that feels much more nimble in the twisties than you would expect from a car this size. Its no John Cooper Works Mini or Evo, but the steering feel is good and German, just like it should be.

- I fucking hate electronic parking brakes. If I bought the car, and I had it for more than 2 days, I might get used to it, but I really can't stand the fact that I have to have my foot on the brake to disengage the parking brake. But Matt, wouldn't you put your foot on the brake anyway when you disengage the parking brake? No. I never use the parking brake on my car unless I'm on a steep hill. In the A5 you can't shut the car off without it.

- The most interesting thing about the A5 is that it's the best looking car in its class, but I can't really figure out what class it's in. I would argue that it's better looking than both the BMW 3-series and 6-series, but which is its closest competitor? The A5/S5 fall into a price point that straddles the two BMW's, and yet I'd rather have the Audi than either. Sure, the 3-series is probably a better value, and the 6-series has more available horsepower, but neither has the gorgeous lines of the A5 and standard Quattro all-wheel-drive. Fortunately, the BMW's come with a lifetime supply of wife beaters and hair gel.

- Those LED's in the headlights are the most badass styling feature on any production car today. When you roll up behind someone on the highway, and they see those in the rearview, they move out of the way. Trust me. They feel like you've come to send them straight to Hell. And maybe you have.

- About the driving without a key thing, you need the key to start the car. That's it. Once it's started, you can drive around in it all day long with the key at home. But, if you shut the car off, you ain't turning it back on. Sound stupid? Well, it is. At least, unlike another (American) luxury car I drove, the A5 gives you a warning light and a sound to let you know you've left your keys elsewhere.

What's the conclusion here? The A5 is perfect for someone who wants everyone to know that they are stylish and successful, and wants a great commuter car with all the great gadgets, but doesn't need the extra power that I so desperately craved. If you're a car guy, and you can swing it, the S5 is the way to go. As for me, I'll wait a year for the RS5 to come in. Make mine black.

An Evening With a Visionary

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:43:12 EDT

Camilo Pardo is a visionary artist, and one of the most unique people I have ever met.

While in Detroit for the Red Bull Air Races, we ended up hanging out with a bunch of the Ford SVT Engineers pretty much every night. Really good people, and after spending a week with them, I actually gained a much greater appreciation for what Ford's performance team can accomplish given the state of the industry, especially with the GT500KR and the Ford GT.

People can say that the Ford GT is just a copy of the GT40, that it's identical, isn't an original design, and that the GT40 was a better car. I have ridden in an original GT40 and spent a lot of time behind the wheel of the new GT, and the new car uses all 40 years of development since the old car to its advantage. I was told that the entire project had to be designed in just 18 months, which means they didn't have time for last minute failures to derail the project. Consequently, the whole car is over-engineered to the point of being extremely reliable and bulletproof. Case and point: When Jason Heffner started strapping 1,000 HP twin-turbo kits on the car, he experimented with all different combinations of forged pistons and crankshafts to beef up the bottom end for durability. After all his tests, he realized that the stock bottom end on the car is actually the best, and will easily handle 1,300 HP without putting up much fuss. As for the engine being a "truck motor," don't forget, the first appearance of the SVT 5.4L V8 was in the 2000 Mustang Cobra R, not the SVT Lightning.

Back on point, Camilo is an artist, plain and simple. His lifestyle, mannerisms, drunken antics, and attitude all reflect that of a painter, not an engineer or traditional designer. He spends most of his days painting race cars with incredible energy and attention to detail. And, like many other visionary artists, he isn't really understood, even by someone like me, who was an art major. Oh, and by the way, his paintings sell for thousands upon thousands of dollars. Some of them were upwards of $50,000, as pointed out by Camilo's assistant.

One of the SVT guys told me that last year, Camilo took his Ford GT and drove it from Detroit to Key West, and lived out of the car for 2 months, out of contact from the world, before randomly returning. He put 30,000 miles on the car in a single year.

And let's not forget his hijinks on the 2006 Bullrun. Watch them here: (the White GT was his previous car, he just got the Gulf one)

So what's the conclusion here? This episode may not have had the highest production quality, nor was it scripted. But it's a glimpse into the life of a visionary artist, who showed us his skills at 3am, totally on the fly. And I don't know about the rest of you, but I find that interesting.

Ruminations on seeing wrecked cars.....

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:42:29 EDT

Yesterday, a friend sent me a photo of a lightly damaged Dodge Challenger SRT-8. When he called me to tell me he had the photo, he referred to the car as "totaled," yet a single glance revealed that this wasn't even remotely true. No big deal, a new bumper and some paint should take care of it no problem. But why does my opinion of a new car change after I see one damaged? There are several possibilities.....

The first time I ever see a car on the road, I look at its lines and analyze what my emotional response to the car is. I hear how it sounds, watch the wheels turn, and, most of the time, I think of the car as a whole, solid piece, and not an assembly of parts that can come apart when struck. For a reason that I can't really understand, the most prominent example of this would be the first time I saw a BMW Z4 on the road. Sure, it's not the most exotic car out there, but the flame surfacing and hard edges of the car really made it look like the body had been sculpted from one solid block of metal. This seems to happen more with German cars than anything else.

Several weeks later, I saw another Z4, but this time, the car had been heavily damaged in a crash. The whole front end and drivers side of the car were smashed, pieces were scattered about the shoulder on the Taconic Parkway. Suddenly, the "carved from a solid piece" fantasy dissolved in my mind, and I've never really been able to look at the Z4 the same way.

The same thing happened when I saw the Challenger crash photo. I've seen several Challengers in person, and the shape is so simple, clean, and muscular, that it really evokes a solid feel. But seeing the photo, even though the damage is light, shows the real frailty of metal on metal and shattered that fantasy too.

When I really think about it, I've owned a great many cars compared to the number of years I've been on this planet, and I've never actually bought a car after seeing one crashed. It could be a subconscious feeling that, if I've never seen a particular car in pieces, I feel safer driving it, with my delusions of solidity guiding my response to the car. After all, I've only ever bought cars based on emotional responses, with virtually no regard at all to practicality, driveability, or any other "normal" reason for buying a car. Call me crazy, but I don't care.

What do you guys think? Is it wierd that I can't buy a car after I've seen one crashed? Am I crazy? My shrink says that it could be like saying I would never date a porn star, which I wouldn't (though I haven't had the opportunity to test this theory), and that that seeing a crashed Challenger could send all Challengers into the "damaged goods" category.

Am I the only person out there who thinks like this?

Is Ford Reviving the Mustang SVO?

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 07:27:34 EDT

A reliable source has told Garage 419 Ford is considering a revival of the SVO Mustang. ‘Stang heads remember the original SVO as an upscale, European-flavored special-edition Mustang powered by a somewhat blasphemous turbocharged four-cylinder engine. We’re told the new model will likely be powered by a 300hp version of Ford’s EcoBoost four hooked to a six-speed manual transmission. The new SVO could be up to 500 pounds lighter than a Mustang GT and, if the story pans out, could easily outperform the GT on a racetrack. Fuel economy would improve by as much as 25% over the GT’s current 15/23 rating. If the spirit of the 1986 Mustang SVO is anything to go by, and the gas prices aren’t anywhere near peaked, I say build it.

But first, let’s put the SVO in context. In the early 1980’s, rising gas prices and oppressive emissions regulations sent the muscle car market straight into the toilet. The Corvette, supposedly the best sports car America had to offer, barely put down 150hp. The Fox-bodied, V8-powered ‘Stangs didn’t do any better, managing just 140hp. That was the reason why, in 1981, Ford created the Special Vehicle Operations Department. SVO was designed both to oversee Ford’s racing program and build high performance, limited-edition street vehicles. The team’s first complete car, the Ford Mustang SVO, arrived in 1984.

Where engineers once would have insisted on a V8, the SVO sported the kind of turbocharged, intercooled 2.3-liter four-cylinder most often seen in a European rally car. And the SVO was no econobox; it was the best appointed and most expensive Mustang ever built. The 1984 version made 175hp, but by 1986, that figure was lifted to 205hp by way of a new cooling system. A “fuel grade” switch was standard, giving the car more power or better economy depending on the type of fuel used. But just as the SVO was taking off, the pendulum swung back. After just 9,844 units, gas prices plummeted, making the much cheaper, V8-powered Mustang GT a better value. The V8’s low-end torque arrived at just the right time, as Americans were thirsty for some real muscle.

What have we learned? Well, for one thing, the boys at SVO may not have been far off a solution that would work perfectly today.

Garage419 Mini no longer coolest Mini ever...

Mon, 12 May 2008 12:48:58 EDT

...gladly new coolest Mini ever is part of the family. Here's an entry from Matt on his newest creation...

"As many of you know, between 1975 and 1999, BMW commissioned twelve artists to use their cars as canvases for the artists' work. Andy Warhol, Alexander Calder, David Hockney and Roy Lichtenstein were some of the names among them. I've always been fascinated with those cars, and since I've never seen one for sale, and would never be able to afford one even if I did, I decided to make my own. I met an artist named Tristan Eaton at the NYIAS, where he was painting the roof of a Ford Flex on the show floor. He has designed shoes for Triple 5 Soul, toys and cartoons for Kid Robot, and laptop casings for Dell Computers. He agreed to create a piece that will make my car one of the most unique Mini's on Earth, and to film it for Garage 419. Here is the result. It is 100% original artwork, and it will never be replicated. The whole design is done in black and white reflective vinyl, which has some pretty cool properties at night when it gets lit up by a camera flash or car's headlights. And if anyone cares, the car's specs and mods: 2006 MCS JCW 18" JCW Wheels JCW Carbon Wing Palo Uber Scoop Piaa Lights Mini Mania Intake Mini Mania Long Tube Headers & Race Cats Farnbacher Loles Custom Software Alta 15% Pulley Valentine One / Blinder Laser Jammers Uniden CB Radio AI Design Custom Brake Light Cut Out Special Thanks To: Tristan Eaton - For his genious www.thunderblogspot.com Acid Studios NYC - For their location and helpfulness www.acidnyc.com Garage Wall Wraps - For the vinyl www.garagewallwraps.com Voila' My Very Own BMW/MINI art car:"

Stay tuned for the video. The only question that remains is what do I do to the Garage419 Mini to take back the title. Leave your suggestions below.

Want more Daytona 24?

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:41:07 EST

Don't worry everyone. There's much more Daytona 24 coming to you. We just wanted to change things up a bit. Be sure to check in this Tuesday for Part 4 of our adventure at the Rolex 24 hours of Daytona.

Lamborghini An Enthusiasts Car? I Think Not.

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 14:20:14 EST

As the headline states, Lamborghini is definitely not an enthusiasts car. A tool of marketing genius in the past decade? Yes. A playboy's ultimate accessory? Yes. A rap moguls car? Definitely.

But to actually call Lamborghini's something an automotive enthusiast would enjoy is utterly absurd. That would be like saying Gigli is something any movie buff would have in their collection. But wait Walter, it just looks so damn good! And with that I have to agree with you, but it stops there. If you look at Lamborghini's history it starts off in the fields of Italy when a young man known as Ferruccio Lamborghini complained about his Ferrari's clutch and Enzo told him to stick to driving tractors instead. And off he went to develop his own car in spite of Enzo (which Ford would also later do..). Since then Lamborghini has always tried to outdo Ferrari with about as success as you marrying Pamela Anderson. Sure she may be very attractive, but after a couple of weeks you’ll be back in Vegas with divorce papers. While I won't go into any of Lamborghini's failures as a company, those do exist too. The reason why Ferrari's are enthusiast’s cars while Lamborghini's are not isn't just because they have better handling, better brakes, better acceleration, but of one key element: passion. When you sit behind the wheel of a Gallardo you think to yourself, "damn, I must look good." When you sit behind the wheel of an F430 you have images of Michael Schumacher winning Formula One championships year after year, the names Ascari, Hill, Ickx, Lauda, and Fangio come to mind. Your heart begins to race, sweat begins to come out, and you all of the sudden feel as if though you are a part of something bigger. The best you can get with a Lamborghini is Balboni doing circles around Sant'Agata Bolognese. Even today Lamborghini tries to out do Ferrari at their own game, but can't come close. The recently released Reventon which is a facelift constructed with spare parts from George Lucas' home to capture the market of the Enzo buyer, but falls short. The Superleggera, which Lamborghini came out with to try to emulate the success of the Challenege Stradale falls short. Even Evo magazine recently said the Lamborghini may be called the Superleggera, but the F430 Scuderia feels it. Next time you get the opportunity to drive one of these machines, seize it, and let me know what you think. Most likely at the end of the day you will realize that poster of a Lamborghini you had when you were a kid is left best hanging above your childhood bed.
-WW

Disagree with Walter? Let us know. Disagree with Walter so much you want to be on the show? We can do that too. Garage419@nextnewnetworks.com

Art Morrison: Kazunori Yamauchi & GT5

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 20:37:16 EST

At this years 2007 SEMA Show, Fast Lane Daily had the chance to interview Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi. During the interview we learned of a few newly added cars to the Gran Turismo series, specifically GT5 Prologue. We also learned about the 3G Corvette created by Art Morrison.

During last years SEMA show (2006), Craig Morrison of Art Morrison won 2006 Best in Show at the Gran Turismo Awards. His 1960 (3G) Corvette as a result, was added to the game.

This year we happened to bump into Craig at the Gran Turismo party. We learned a huge amount of information about the company, what they've been up to, the game... and what it takes to win.

(More pictures and information available at http://artmorrison.com )

Craig and his company have nothing but good coming in their direction. Maybe they'll win next years competition and have another car added to the GT series? We can only hope. Kudos to a job well done!

As a side note, an entry regarding the interview with Kazunori Yamauchi was posted on the Art Morrison main page. We appreciate that very much... Thanks guys!

It's a Race… Not a Rally. Right?

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 12:25:36 EST

A good friend of mine recently competed in a race across Mexico in a Porsche 911 GT3 in the 2007 Carrera Panamericana. Some may think La Carrera is a race. Others think it's a rally. And a select few think it's just plain dumb to take a $100,000.00 Porsche through central Mexico at speeds in excess of 180 mph... he swears it was the best thing he's ever done behind the wheel. Whatever it was, one thing is clear: The debate will go on. (My opinion: It was a race not a rally.)

The race vs. rally debate will continue, and on Tuesday New York Motor Club owner Matt Farah and Transcontinental World Record Holder Alex Roy will throw some fuel on to the fire. Last month at SEMA, the decided that they'd have a race (or was it a rally?) from New York, NY to Paris. On Rascal Scooters.

Don't believe me? Check out this thread over at the New York Motor Club...

I think that this should become an annual event. Every year. A rally (or is it a race?) from New York NY to Paris... by invitation only. Winner gets a fully customized Rascal.

What do you think?

Who Is This Old Dude?

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:22:45 EST

That's John McLaughlin, moderator of the McLaughlin group.

Anyone over the age of 60 knows who he is. He's the guy that brought political debate to television airwaves in the 1980s. His weekly round table forum surfaces complex issues affecting the domestic and international geo-political landscape and his style as a maverick made it more interesting than watching paint dry. Plus Saturday Night Live popularized him with a great impression done by Dana Carvey. Sure, politicians love to talk. And fight. But who gives a rat's ass about important social and economic issues?

What if the debate were about cars? Where smart guys who know their shiznit come in, tell it like it is, and share what they know. Interviews with the experts, pros, and doers. The real deals. Competing to be the best. Who know the most. Arguing and fighting about what's real. That's what Garage 419 is. It's the ultimate place to bring your debate. To find the answers. To get the straight shot. To see what makes the best... the best.

Got something to say? Send it in on video. Email is for Internet tough guys. Want to be take seriously? Go on the record. And if you've got something good to say...we'll ell everyone how smart you are.

But if you're not...

…Everybody's Got One

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 12:38:22 EST

Car guys are great guys. Passionate. Thoughtful. Opinionated.

That's why some of the oldest and best forums on the whole Internet are Car Forums. Car guys came online and started sharing their passion. They started to learn from one another. And they started to express themselves.

Of course, not everyone agrees with one another. And that's where the fun comes in. Especially in a car forum. Discussion often turns in to debate. Most of the times, the debates are productive and those involved come away learning something -- if not something about their passion, definitely something about the point of view of those around them. That's what makes the web great, and that's what makes being a car guy great. Well one of the things.

Enter Garage 419. A place to share your opinion, however controversial or crazy it may be. A place to get the experts to share what they know with you. A place where people come to debate, to learn, and to grow in their passion for all things automotive.

You can see from the photos I've selected that I'm a GM guy. Fords are fine. Mopar is ok. But for me, give me a small block and a big road and I'm a happy guy. See how happy those guys look? Why everyone doesn't feel the same way... I'll never know!

Garage 419: Launching Soon...