Mine's R35 GT-R and Spoon NSX-R GT

Haters into Believers

This may change some opinions on the all new Nissan Juke:

Nissan Juke: The Good, Not Bad, and Sort of (but not really) Ugly?

Nissan Juke represents a part of Nissan's attempt to break into the youth market currently dominated by Scion. But is it the right way to go? It's looks are so... controversial, that most care not to look beyond it's froggy exterior and into what makes this car something worthy of purchase; a fun car with its own hard-to-beat personality.

At the heart of this amphibian beats the MR16DDT. The MR series line is a newer series of engines made by Nissan for their subcompact cars, namely the Versa. But while the Versa's engines are dull and uninspiring, this new MR is a whole other world. This engine has AWD as an option, and when coupled with it's 188bhp engine (177ft-lbs), pushes this car 0-100 kph in approximately 7 seconds, faster with the optional manual over the standard CVT.

(learn more @ http://carzmax.blogspot.com/2010/07/nissan-juke-2011-engine-engines-and.html; fairly accurate information, some option details are incorrect)

The Nissan Juke is new for 2011, but despite it's "new" status, it is competitively priced at around 19k MSRP. Not bad. In fact, its great, considering the massive complement of standard features on this car. Most notable of these include 17" alloy wheels, navigation, Ipod integration, auxiliary port, Bluetooth, steering-wheel mounted controls, folding seats, and CVT. It also has a clean, modern, tastefully done interior, that would look proper in a 370z. It even has a sporty display, similiar to the one in the GT-R, which allows the driver to adjust throttle response, steering, transmision timing, as well as allowing the driver to monitor turbo-boost and their lateral-g's (though I doubt the Juke will ever go fast enough to make that useful).

All in all, the Juke is a superb car. But it should have looked like this:

Best Lap of Any Track of Anywhere in Anything by Anyone Ever

...

What exactly is that?

Stig Farm: Reposted

What exactly is a Saab?

At first thought, Saab sounds like a foreign name for a goat. But I assure you, it has nothing remotely related to goats. It's not a cheese either. It's a car company. A damn good one too. Yes it may be Swedish, but still. It's not hard to appreciate the 93s sleek looks, its smoked out tail lights. A four door saloon, with this aerodynamic feel to it, accented by its raised hood design which subtly suggests it covers something more than normal under the bonnet.

True, it's base 2.0L inline 4. Except, it happens to be turbocharged. Stock boost, this inline 4 is rated for 210 bhp. Efficient, and (relatively) powerful. It almost sounds like a German car. If you opt for higher trims, you can get a 2.8L V6T producing a 255bhp, or a higher boosted V6T making 280bhp w/ 295 pound-feet. It's even got 5 star crash ratings, if you're the type of commuter that suffers from inescapable road rage. Not bad for the Swedes. But then again, they're the ones that brought us the Koenigsegg CCX.

Thing is, it's not 100% Swedish anymore. Not after GM bought it, added On-star and GM conformist dash units, then sold it again to Spyker Cars, a Dutch company. But that's okay. I still like it.

The all new SSC!

Its not what you think. Yes I know what you are thinking, the Aero SSC? Nope!

Its the SUPERsmartcar!

Simply put: for those who weren't as successful in life as they'd thought, or hoped, to be.

http://pictures.howbits.com/smart-car-cool-body-kits/

(click on the link, if you haven't figured out already. Trust me. It's kind of worth it.)

J.Ma On: Relationships

Dear Jason,

What is a relationship?

Thanks.

The above question is relatively simple. A relationship is when two nouns come together and do many verbs with each other. If you can't figure that out, a male and a female, do perverted things together. This is a statement. Also known as a fact.

I'm sorry, I lied. A relationship can be between a male and male, a female and a female, and an unknown with a known. If you couldn't figure what all those 3 factors meant, then I'm sorry. You shouldn't be reading this in the first place, honestly.

I've been in a relationship before. It can either be really good, or really bad. Most of the time (if I can be honest) it's actually really good. However, there is a large amount of bad moments though. So really, all things balance out.

As my friend said, "mating season is quite early this year." On Facebook, I see all these status changes about relationships and etc. That's lovely. I'm quite happy for all of them, but honestly, that's none of my concern.

So lets place this next example in a theoretical aspect. Meaning that it's theoretical, not actual.

I am a relationship with a Toyota Celica. Not only that, I'm also in a relationship with:
1) BMW M3
2) Mercedes-Benz S550
3) Honda Civic Si
4) Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
5) Toyota Yaris
6) Nissan GT-R
7) Ferrari (insert a model here)
8) Chevy Corvette
9) Ford Fusion
10) Lexus LF-A

...and the list goes on and on. This may be quite ridiculous to you, but in reality, it's not.

Lets analyze why. Because I am in a relationship with so many cars, I am therefore declared a "player". Because I am a "player", I might get infected with an ASTD (automobile sexually transmitted defect.)

Because I'm with a relationship with so many cars, I am obliged to take care of so many cars. Meaning if any of them have any sort of defects, it's money out of my pocket.

But it's quite hard to describe a male's love of cars. Cars can be quite annoying most of the time (espicially if they're unreliable), but it's like a five year-old baby. It's quite annoying, but if anybody tried to take it away from you, you'd kill the individual. So that's that.

Therefore, I'd much rather go out with cars than with real people. Real people can give out STDs and reproduce. You wont need any type of rubber-like protection when you're with a car. Ultimately, you sit in a car, and press pedals, and move the giant circle in front of your hands to operate. With humans, it's quite complicated. Males have this long stick to play with. Girls have effectively three holes for the male to shove his stick into. Why so many choices? Can't we keep things simple? With cars, you have one pedal to accelerate, and one pedal to brake. It's so easy to label. With females, it's kind of asking yourself, "what happens when I shove my stick into this hole?"

Having a relationship with cars is better than that of having a relationship with humans. If Facebook allows me, I would say that I am "in a relationship with 2003 Toyota Celica." Cars wont cheat on you, cars wont leave your side, all cars do is suck up money (like prostitutes.)

There we go. I do hope this answers your question, Mr.______. Cars, much easier to handle. Stick with the technology that we have. In fact, there seems to be female robots in Japan, if that interests you.

Top Gear: Bugatti Veyron Super Sport

Top Gear: Porche Boxster

Genesis

Now normally, I'm the type of guy that can ID any car you care to show me. New or old, I know it. But recently, I've been seeing a new logo out, and I can't find it anywhere on the web. It's a strange logo to track, a pair of wings on a circular emblem, much like Mini's logo. Except it wasn't. I first saw it years back, on a car called the Genesis. It was special, in its special way. The car wasn't overly flashy, yet it demanded the attention of all. It wasn't remotely powerful sounding, yet you could tell it had some serious engineering under the bonnet. It was, in short, nice. Appreciable. Yet I had no idea what it was.

Now, I have come to believe it was a Hyundai Genesis Sedan. Mr. Kwok spotted a very similar looking car, with the same logo, and we ID it as the Genesis. Except there's a problem with that. The Genesis wasn't out, a few years back. Nope. No one had even heard of Hyundai back then. So what gives?

Recently, I saw the logo again. It started with dropping my brother off at school. I saw it in the cross traffic, heading towards the same middle school. I saw the flattened rear lights, the curved ends, and thought it was the new Jaguar. Wrong. As I got closer, I realized the proportions were off. The back was hunched, and the dual exhausts were these fantastic box ones. Even closer still, I made out the logo, and found out the car was called, Vertigo (no internet search has yielded me any answers). As we passed the car, and I was stunned by the DB9 looks. Yet I still have no idea what it was.

My theory, which in my mind, is quite possibly possible (in a theoretically but not actually sense), is that we have a Hyundai proto-typer living here in San Ramon. If that's already been established by someone else, it's news to me. If not, I'll take my theory. See my reasoning is, is that I saw a Genesis 4-5 years before it's release. Now, I see a mysterious car, branded with the same logo, which doesn't show up anywhere at all. Hmm.... See the connection? If you don't, just watch; Hyundai'll release a new supersport car that can rival the GT-R, which will be called the Vertigo. If not, well, it was only a theory.

Big Engines: Good or Bad?

A recent comment by someone I know got me thinking about engine size. We were debating about whether big engines or small engines had it right. I concluded; neither.

Japanese imports are great and all, and are quite capable of tuning their 2.0T(T) to output an ungodly amount of horses out of an engine smaller than the carton I poured the milk from for the cereal I ate this morning. Slap that into an Evo with AWD, and you'd think you'd be set for a 8-minute lap on the Nurburgring. And you'd be right. The problem is, is the simple fact that you'd be in Europe to doing a lap time approaching Audi R8 lap times.

However, here in United States, we have something called "environmental regulations", and "smog checks". This means we can't have 2.0L engines sucking up half the gas tank every time you start up the car. So this means, the logical solution is this: Bigger engine size.

A larger engine in US is the only way to get more power while still passing your smog check. True, you can slap on turbos, superchargers, maybe even a twin charger if you own a Dodge Neon. But that adds wear and tear on the engine, decreasing long-term reliability. Plus it's something else that might break later down on the road.

But that's not to say you can just stick a 6.2L engine into a plastic fiber body and hope to God that it'd go faster around the Nurburgring than a certain 3.8L twin-turbo'd car that costs 30k less, and has 2 extra seats to boot. (But for the extra 30k it should've went a lot faster than a measly .3s).

So what then, is the right engine size out there? I believe the key lies in balance. There's a reason why Lotus is a blitzkrieg on track days. Its all about the balance between your power output, weight, drive system, and transmission. If the ZR1 had AWD, and suspension not from the Stone Age, I truely believe that it would have no problem beating a GT-R. As it is, the ZR1 relies too much on a insane power-to-weight ratio to get it around. Coupled with RWD, the ZR1 is a mess in corners, heavily oversteering, uncontrollable to all but F1 racers. The sheer hp and torque right off the line means that the acceleration causes the wheels and diff loose traction, and as soon as you tap those brakes your rear end goes flying. Sometimes, you don't even need to hit the brakes and you're already in the grass.

So in conclusion, as long as you balance it out, you will be king of the track, whether you're in a Lotus Evora, or a Audi R8. Essentially, neither a bigger nor smaller engine can dominate.

Bugatti Veyron Fail: Need I say more?

2011 Honda Odyssey

It is finally here, a while back ago, we talked about the new 2011 Toyota Sienna. Its fresh new looks left the older looking Honda Odyssey out of shape and style. But not to worry, the Honda Odyssey is back to reclaim its throne of "most wanted mini-van".

About the car:
The Honda Odyssey comes in 4 trims: LX, EX, EX-L and Touring trim levels. The Honda Odyssey utilizes a powerful 3.5L V6 244HP with a five-speed automatic transmission. Like in the Honda Pilot, the EX-L and Touring trim levels feature Variable Cylinder Management(VCM). What is VCM? It improves fuel efficiency by shutting down 3 of the engine's 6 cylinders when less power is needed and powers back up to 6 cylinders when power is demanded. MSRP starts at $27,800.

edit: After doing some more research found something that actually shocked me, Honda has a Touring Elite Edition of the all new Honda Odyssey. Sounds kind of bad ass huh? Well, not so after you hear the price... $43,250. Not so sweet anymore!

Top Gear:Trip to Vietnam, Worst Car in the World

teehee. I'm guessing this is one of Top Gear's earlier episodes. Jeremy Clarkson actually has hair!

MSN Autos: Most stolen

This post comes from Jim Sloan.

Why thieves love the '94 Honda Accord

The average age of vehicles on the list of most frequently stolen cars is 12 years.

The popular 1994 Honda Accord, followed closely by the '95 Civic and '91 Toyota Camry, tops the list of the most frequently stolen cars in the nation last year.
The ranking of the most popular targets of car thieves was compiled by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing insurance fraud and vehicle theft.

NICB spokesman Frank Scafidi says he wasn't surprised that the plucky '94 Accord topped the list.

"It's a good car," he said. "They sold a lot of them and they stay on the road for a long time. The people who own them tend to take care of them, so that creates a demand for parts. That's why the thieves like them so much -- it's easy to sell their parts."

more on: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/article.aspx?post=1806290>1=33004

Top Gear: Smallest car in the World

enjoy :)

Da Mini Coo-pah!

This was defiantly an interesting car to look into. From birth to its present day, it never fails to surprise and please. In 1959, a groundbreaking new subcompact coupe design emerged from England. Using a transverse-mounted engine and an efficient, boxy front-wheel-drive layout. It gives the mini its "mini-ness", compact exterior dimensions but a highly functional interior.The first minis were affordable, stylish, fun to drive and easy to park anywhere, the British Mini and Mini Cooper quickly achieved icon status around the world including the U.S.in the 1960s.

It died down for a bit, but in 2002 under BMW's guide, they revamped the Mini and brought its legendary skills back into focus. The new revised Mini Cooper S features a 1.6L in-line 4 cylinder 175 hp turbocharged engine that comes coupled with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters, an air intake on the hood, MINI's classic toggle-switch interior, and standard run-flat tires.

Slick stuff... but whats the difference between the new and old?

The new MINI is much larger than the original Mini. It is around 58 centimetres (23 in) longer, 50 centimetres (20 in) wider, 7 centimetres (2.8 in) higher, and weighs around 1,050 kg (2,315 lb) rather than 650 kg (1,433 lb). It is now classified as compact car rather than city car.

MSRP Starts at $19,400

Care to guess?

When I first saw the ad for this exact car, I was confuzzled. What is this? A vintage Nissan? Shouldn't it be a Datsun instead?

Nope. The post title was Nissan Spartan II Custom, LIKE NEW.
As it turns out, it is a converted 1988 Nissan 300zx 2+2. It even has T-top roofs!

After a quick sleuth through the internet, I found out that Spartan Cars is a car conversion kit maker. Based in Pinxton, Derbyshire, United Kingdom, they have been doing for quite some time. They've converted jeep styled cars, and a lot of 2+2 styled cars. Its a very unique company.

link to orginal images:
http://www.carsforsale.com/used_cars_for_sale/1997_Nissan_Spartan+II_117244755

Peugeot EX1: Future of Electric Supercars

When I first saw this car, I could only wonder just what it was. It sort of looked like a LFA mixed with a Lotus Evora and the Batmobile. But it's not any of those. This is Peugeot's EX1, their attempt to give Peugeot a face lift and a new image. And as far as I can tell, it's working. The EX1 has bold, hard edges, sinewy door panels, and unique water-drop architecture. It's a work of art in itself. Sure, I'd love to drive this thing around, turning everyones head where ever I go. But that's not the best part about the EX1. The best part about the EX1 is that it can match a Bugatti Veyron from 0-62mph, even though it has 660 less horsepower.

The Ex1 uses two electric engines, one hooked up to each axle. These two make a total of 340 hp and power its 750kg carbon honeycomb composite body around the track. This coupe sports sucide doors, with the bucket seats actually attached to the doors.

To most people, this sounds a lot like the Tesla Roadster. In a sense, yes, it is. But in a superficial way. Why? Because the EX1, Peugeot's first attempt at an electric anything, has taken for itself 6 international acceleration records for electric vehicles. A blazing 14.4 second quarter mile, 28.16 second kilometer, and a mile in 41.09 seconds at a lightning 87.6 mph.

*Images from www.topgear.com/uk

Lotus Elite: DB9 Rival

Danny Bahar (Former Ferrari), taking full advantage of his new position of head of Lotus, has major plans to change Lotus's image as tiny pocket-rocket-super-car-track-monster. And he's going all out to achieve it.

Enter, Lotus Elite.

This here, is a front engined, 2+2 coupe which is quite capable of rivaling the Aston Martin DB9.

Lotus has always used Toyota-sourced engines in its USDM imports, and that hasn't changed. But now, Lotus is getting the best Toyota's got, a certain 5.0L V10 that makes 610 hp @ 8100 rpm, that just also happens to be in the LFA. Most of us would agree that the LFA engine would be perfect. But no, that wasn't good enough for Lotus. So they decided to supercharge it. And add integrated electric motors. And a F1-style KERS regeneration system. All this tech will get the Elite from 0-62 in the neighborhood of 3.5 seconds.

And all of that goodness can be yours for a mere $180,000 USD.

*Images from www.topgear.com/uk

J.Ma On: Chick Magnets

One of the best ways to get a girl's attention is to simply get to know her, have a nice dinner with her, and hopefully be more than friends from there. However, say that you had the guts to ask the girl to a nice dinner at Olive Garden. You drive up to her house, ring her door bell, and she walks out, excited as you are. But, what vehicle are you going to use to drive her there? If she saw a 1987 run down Pontiac, I don't think she'll be very excited to go with you. She'll go with you, but not with much excitement.

So, this brings up the big question. What is a chick magnet car?

Clearly, there are sporadic personalities throughout this world, thus creating a like for many cars. But as I stated before in my first article, girls only like rich, luxurious sports cars. You aren't going to impress a lady with a Toyota Camry.

However, there are those "cheaper" types of luxurious cars. And I believe I have found the type of car that impresses the majority of Asian females.

The Lexus IS(insert you model here).

That's right, it doesn't matter what type of IS it is. It could be the 250, 350, or the F. To most girls, they all look the same. Clearly, the performance of each car is very different, but that's for the men to know.

For this explaination, we will be comparing the 250 AWD, 350 AWD, and the F.

Now, as the model name explains, the 250 AWD has a 2.5 liter engine, 350 AWD has a 3.5 liter engine, and the F has an incredible 5.0 liter engine. But, no lady will care about that.

So lets add up some crunchy numbers. 250 AWD reaches 204 hp @ 6,400 RPM. 350 AWD reaches 306 hp @ 6,400 RPM. And the little F boy reaches 416 hp @ 6,600 RPM. Again, boys will find this intersting, and girls wont.

Finally, the price. The 250 AWD will cost you $35,775. That is alot, but it doesn't compare to a BMW or a Mercedes. THe 350 AWD will cost you $41,030. The extra money is just for the conversion of the engine really. And finally, we have the F series, which will cost you a whopping $59,010. If you were to tell a girl about these prices, she'd find absolutely no difference in design, comfort, and size. What she doesn't know, is that the evolution of the sport car from 250 to F. That is something she will never know.... since all have leather seats.

That's great. All these numbers are very nice. So what does this have to do with your thesis? Nothing much, just to prove that girls aren't very deeps on cars. But here's the thing. Girls find Lexus IS's to be "cute". To be honest, they are cute little rich cars, espicially if you get them in Lexus's Pearl White. So will a Mercedes do the same? No, because it isn't cute. Will a BMW M3 do the same? No, because it isn't cute. Will a Corvette do the same? Yes, except the "cute" will become a "cool". Why? Because girls know what a Corvette is, but don't know what an AMG Mercedes Benz is. But what are girls more attracted to? Hardcore performance muscle cars, or luxury-filled cutesy Lexus?

Well, if she's Asian, get the Lexus.

4thGear Tips: Understanding VINs

When buying a used car, you have to be very careful about a car's past. Salvage, theft, water, fire titles/reports are not good.

What is a VIN number?

The car's vehicle identification number (VIN) is the identifying code for a SPECIFIC automobile. It is just like the car's fingerprint. A VIN is composed of 17 digits and characters that act as a unique identifier for the vehicle. A VIN displays the car's unique features, specifications and manufacturer. The VIN can be used to track recalls, registrations, warranty claims, thefts and insurance coverage. If the VIN is not 17 characters long, the VIN is most likely from a pre-1981 vehicle.

Where can the VIN number be found?

On each car, there is a unique serial number located on the front windshield (driver side) and it can also be found on the door frame of the driver side. Copy down the serial number, double check if you have it right.



Where can I get a VIN Check or Report?

There are several websites that provide this service. But it's not free; the ones we recommend is CARFAX and AutoCheck. Both of these websites offer a free basic preliminary check, they tell you the number of "reports" but they do not specifically tell what they are. You will need to purchase the report to see everything in detail.

www.carfax.com

www.autocheck.com

The Next Big Thing.

View the entire Next Big Thing Series ft. Justin Timberlake @ Audi's Youtube homepage:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Audi

Volkswagon GTI

Hey! Welcome back. We haven't been posting that much recently because school started and we don't have as much free time. But not to worry, I have something that will make up for the last couple of days... The VW GTI!


The original VW Rabbit GTI came to the United States in 1983. It was equipped with a 1.8 liter engine producing 90 horsepower. It was lightweight and nimble; to many people at the time, more appealing in looks and performance compared the under performing American sport coupes.



Ever since then, VW has been pushing up the bar with this car. Every every model, every year they manage to crank out more horses and still maintain efficiency. The newest GTI (FWD) comes with in-line 4 cylinder supercharged engine producing an amazing 200 horsepower. It can reach 60mph in just 6.7 seconds. 6-speed manual is standard,and a dual-clutch automated manual transmission called DSG (direct shift gearbox) is optional.

Think the performance is amazing? Check out the mileage on the car.

City mpg (man/auto) 21/24
Highway mpg (man/auto) 31/32
MSRP (2010): $23,465

This proves that you still can have a fun sporty car but not have to cringe every time you fill up the tank.


(click to enlarge)

Notice

We haven't been posting up new articles recently. We are compiling a series of articles and will soon release them.

Aero II: New Fastest Production Car?

SSC plans to bring out of its latest monster, the Aero II. These SSC guys aren't joking around either. They're going for the top spot, which is currently being held by Bugatti's Veyron Supersport. The Supersport previously stole the title of fastest production car in the world from the first Aero, the SSC Ultimate Aero. Now, this sleek machine, dressed in a pearl white color, surfaced on Top Gear's website a few days ago. TG has secured an exclusive sneak-peak at the Aero II, and has released photos of the Aero II in the a special edition October TG magazine, today.

BP Oil Spill Investigation Probes

This is the biggest environmental disaster in U.S. history, it caught the attention of the entire world.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39046088/ns/us_news-environment/?GT1=43001

I thought this comment had a lot of truth and meaning to it..

"Even after a technical investigation, many people will try to twist the facts.
BP, though negligent, has a vested interest in protecting the environment. They are taking a huge monetary loss because of the spill.
The outcome of this disaster needs to be a culture shift in the oil industry, much like nuclear underwent after Three Mile Island. Financially destroying BP does nothing."-
ms-397461

In the end, we still need the oil. Where do we get it from? Are we going to simply not use oil anymore? Nope, not in the near future.

Top Gear Stig: Revealed

Top Gear's mysterious Stig, is finally revealed after Top Gear lost a legal battle with HarperCollins publishing company. The Stig, now revealed to be Ben Collins, wrote an autobiography, and was attempting to reveal his true identity. Top Gear took legal actions, claiming that the book was a violation of the Stig's contract. The battle was taken to court, but the jury ruled that Ben Collins was allowed to publish.

Donto P1

Even though you're a regular auto fan, chances are, you haven't heard of the growing world street legal track cars. Currently this market is dominated by two cars, the KTM X-Bow, and the Ariel Atom. But now, a new company from an unexpected corner of the world is determined to break its way into this market.

In comes Donto Motor Company, an Argentinean company, with its new concept car, the P1. Not too much information is known about the P1, as it still is in its developmental stages. What I do know, is that its being powered by a 1.8L VW sourced engine making 180hp. This car is rumored to weigh in at around 1500 lbs, and is construcked with a split body exoskeleton. Target price: $55,000.

Bugatti Veyron Rebirth?

Next gen Bugatti Veyron? Not quite. Everybody, meet the Bugatti Renaissance. Designed and rendered by a Canadian student, John Mark Vincente. The images were produced in Softimage XSI and rendered in 3ds Max/Mental Ray. Simply incredible. Enjoy.

*Images obtained from www.gtspirit.com

BMW M1 Teaser Revealed

BMW released on the net just a few days ago a tantalizing glimpse of the upcoming BMW M1 Sports car. Currently, there is no idea what kind of car the M1 will be. Will it be another M3 (400hp 4L V8), or as M Division Chief Kay Segler says, "in tradition of the original BMW M3 (200hp inline 4)?

Only time will tell.



In other news, Honda has released its sports-hybrid(such a terrible contradiction, I know), the CR-Z.

New Mazda Shinari Concept Unveiled in Milan, Italy

Based off of Mazda’s ‘Kodo’ design, soul of motion, the Mazda Shinari is a collective effort among its design studios in Japan, Europe and the U.S. This style of ‘Kodo’ is clearly and evidently etched into every part of the car. From the interior, which was designed in California, the Shinari is clean and futuristic. This sleek car is definitely an important car for Mazda.

Who is the genius behind this car?
Ikuo Maeda, Mazda's global head of design. Maeda was the chief designer of the RX-8 and the Mazda2 and has been with the company for nearly 30 years. His father, Matasaburo Maeda, headed the design of the first generation RX-7 back in the 1970s.

Autoblog.com calls the Shinari " Unlike other pie-in-the-sky concepts, the Sinari is a smart, well executed styling exercise that should be a solid design platform for future models." Even stating this car will put the highly praised KIA Genesis Coupe in the dark... its hard not to agree.

(click to enlarge)*

Since this is very recent, there hasn't been much to talk about besides its highly attractive looks. No engine specs to find... simply a four-door concept. But don't get me wrong, the looks definitely gives a buy-me-now! personality.

I'll update as soon as receive more information!
Thanks for checking out 4thGear!

*Images provided by Autoblog

Last Week's Poll Results

Last week, 4thGear posted up a poll asking you which nation you thought had the best automakers.

Results were Germans and Japanese receiving 42% of the votes each, Sweden 14%, leaving the Americans, Italians, Koreans, Britians, and Australians with nothing. So according to these results, Germany and Japan make the best cars, with Sweden in there following them. And I agree. But a tie between Germany and Japan? I think not.

Japan, even with Toyota dominating the market, with Nissan and Honda there to help back it up, just can't compete with German engineering. After all, Germany was the country badass enough to start two World Wars, both within a span of 50 years. They almost won, too.

The definition of Luxury Cars has been controlled by Germany for decades now. When one says luxury cars, first cars that come to mind are BMWs, Mercs, Porsches, and Audi (if you're a businessman). Never mind that Japan offers Acura, Lexus, and Infiniti. It's all about German automakers.

But what about the lower half of the economy? The layman's car, the commuter's car. Germany offers VW to the world. True, the VW Jetta and Passat ask for prices well above Honda Civics and Nissan Sentras, but they're well worth the price.

Onto the world of supercars. Normally the word "supercar" is reserved for cars like Lamborghinis. Italian engineering right? Wrong. Audi owns Lamborghini now. And Audi's also put out its own supercar: the R8. And practically every car Porsche makes is top notch, as it should be. BMW and Mercedes each have their own mess of hypercars, each model set against each other because no other car comes close. And topping it all off, the Speed King Bugatti Veyron, which is capable of reaching speeds of 243 mph. Plus, rumor has it that the new Veyron prototype is capable of speeds of 260+.

So, all in all, German cars are great. They look good, perform good, and will never fail. But that'll never stop me from buying a nice Toyota Prius.

The All New McLaren MP4-12C

Before I start, take a look at this video provided by MSN autos, listen carefully to the engine specs and the 'idea' behind this car...

<a href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:b50b011a-0d2c-4e80-929e-1063a3c3bb49&showPlaylist=true&from=IV2_en-us_Autos_Articles&fg=gtlv2" target="_new" title="2012 McLaren MP4-12C">Video: 2012 McLaren MP4-12C</a>
The fresh look, and bold yet elegant curves of the new Mclaren make it stand out and special. The one-piece carbon fiber structure is really interesting.

But after watching this video, it seems that Mclaren wanted to say that they created something new and revolutionary... but is it a little too late? How about the Nissan GT-R R35?

A super car without super car limits? Well first off, I would like them to explain why they made the doors open in such a ridiculous manner, you would need a gigantic clearance just to open the door. The GT-R on the other hand has a simple and elegant door that opens properly. And if you didn't notice, it had the EXACT same engine configuration... a 3.8L twin-turbo. 0-60 mph was roughly the same, the GT-R at 3.5 seconds and the Mclaren at a little over 3 seconds.

What does all this mean?
In the end, true, you can say the GT-R is not a true super sports car, because it doesn't reach speeds over 200 MPH, but hey, it costs less than 100k out of door. (Which is something else I forgot to mention, the MSRP for the new Mclaren is roughly $265,000.) The GT-R still offers its spacious trunk space, and the ability to carry 4 passengers which is unprecedented in a super-sports car. It can also dash to 60 MPH in 3.5 seconds, which is highly comparable, and sometimes even faster than other desirable super sports car. Although I always keep an open mind, I look down upon the new Mclaren, the GT-R in the super car world is usually over-looked by many European car makers (except Porsche, haha). The GT-R will forever remain true to its name, Godzilla. And with the all new 2012 Nissan R36 coming out, I'm pretty sure Nissan's engineers will continue to expand that new "yard stick".

keep checking 4th Gear, as I will continue receive more information and publish them. thanks for your support!

Top Gear: American Challenge

Seven Parts, Emjoy :D

The Big J3s

Made this a couple weeks ago, I was bored at the time :)

Featuring: Lexus LFA 1st Gen Concept, Nissan GT-R R35, Acura NSX Concept

(click to enlarge)

B16Skyline: Company of the Decade Nomination

Now, as you know, I have nominated the Toyota Prius for Car of the Decade. But does that mean Toyota is my nomination of Company of the Decade? Maybe. After all, it rightfully deserves it. It overtook GMC's top spot of Automotive King. It dominates the hybrid market, on the edge to dominate the minivan sector, and pushes a competitive luxury line, which is about to release a Audi-Ferrarri-Lamborghini-Corvette-Porshe killing machine called the LFA.

But it lacks something. It lacks a power-pushing pocket-rocket. It used to be the Supra, Celica, and MR2. There was a brief span where Toyota had pulled all of it's sports cars of the market, and put in the MR2 Spyder, which looked like a prototype Porsche. From 15 years before. Froggy headlights, undersized side scoops, and an ugly convertible. It was replaced in 2005 by Toyota's new line-up, the Scion's tC. It looked great, sounded great, loaded with great standard options, and had the right price tag. But it was soft (161 bhp out of a 2.5), and couldn't lay down the firepower like a Acura Integra Type-R. Toyota has tried to get back on track with the FT-86, and right on Toyota is, except for the fact that we'll have to wait until 2013 (or later) to see these cars on the road.

So. Where does that leave us?

Honda maybe? No, not until it brings back a NSX that can blow the GT-R and LFA out of the water.

How about BMW? Nope. Not when everyone in CA has one just to look rich. (Personally, I wish Americans would adopt the attitude the Europeans have when it comes to BMW's; buy'em for the sheer horsepower+ superior handling, not for the plush leather seats)

Mercedes Benz? Ditto.

Nissan? Now we're talking. Nissan sets itself apart with competitors with it's impressive Infiniti line-up, sport Z line, all headed by a GT-R. But especially because of the Z-line. Each one has left a lasting impression on the automotive world, all the way back to the days of the Datsun's. Each one became an instant hit, bolstered by media hype, and as soon as the next Z came out, became a trendy classic.

Backing this up is Nissan's luxury lineup, the Infiniti series. First off, with a name like Infiniti, you can't really go wrong. Each car in the modern Z line has its counterpart in the Infiniti, 200sx/240sx to the G20, 350z to the G35, and now, the 370 to G37. Even the SUV's have their own counterparts; Rogue to the EX35, and Murano to the FX35.

Every one of those Infiniti models always look classy whenever and where-ever they want to go, whether it be a weekend cruise on the freeway, to road-rage mountain downhill touge races (if those racers could even afford one). Infiniti chose to drape all its cars in a showcase gunmetal gray, which just seems right. I could never image an Infiniti showcased in anything other. White would look cheap, and piano black would push it into the mush pot that is known as Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. Any other color is just... well, weird.

And the king atop this all, the Nissan GT-R. 485-horspower-twin-charged-3.8-liter-V6. Nissan's Proprietary ATTESA ET-S AWD system. Dual-clutch six-speed automated manual transmission. Suspension with adjustable dampers. Blistering fast 0-60 speeds under 4 seconds. And topping it all off, and amazing system that Nissan fondly calls, "launch control". (Which was so powerful, Nissan had to redesign it for 2010 so it wouldn't tear rear axle off)

The GT-R spawned from the legendary Skyline series, which in the 1990's took the racing world, threw it into a black hole, and parked itself where it used to be. Back from the R33, the Skyline has been an icon of touge inspired animes, mangas and movies, and still is common on track scenes everywhere. Now, Nissan has taken all it's learned from the Skyline, and created the 2009 GT-R. It's rumored that in developement, the GT-R was code named LK-35, which supposedly stands for Lamborghini Killer R35. So now you can get a Italian-bull-slaughtering machine for somewhere around 100k. Seriously, doesn't get much better than that.

Top Gear: V-8 Smoothie!

B16Skyline: Car of the Decade Nomination

When I was first started thinking of a potential nomination, nothing really came to mind. I was thinking, "What car deserves this? What car is a monumental feat of engineering?" that sort of line. Maybe a Bugatti Veyron? Most would agree. A 8.0L W16 quad-charged engine is no easy feat. But no. Bugatti is nice and all, but let me ask you; have you actually seen one before outside of a showroom? What good is a 243-mph-capable car if it stays in your garage for your entire life? VW made it to have 1,001 bhp for a reason. For the buyer to actually USE it. VW intended this thing to tear up the Autobahn, and smash every time record in every track ever made in the world. But no, this car is only owned by rich people who just bought it to have it, and who will most likely never take this car past 100mph, less than half of its top speed.

But enough about that. So I returned back to my train of thought. What of the other side of the spectrum? Say, a SmartCar? It represents the new attitude towards cars; smaller is better, not that "If a small engine can do it well, then a bigger one can do it better" nonsense GMC was banded under at the start of the 21st century SUV-trend kick-off. The SmartCar is relatively spacious and fairly comfortable, gas-efficient, and a unique zang in the automotive market. Plus its starting to become common to see one on the road these days. But again, no. If you're a petrol-head like myself, you've probably seen the SmartCar head-on test crash with a Mercedes E350. The SmartCar was literally no more. What a gruesome way to go; steering wheel jammed in your bollocks and the head rest mashing your face into the dashboard. So no, the SmartCar doesn't have what it takes to be the Car of the Decade.

So eventually, I came to my final conclusion. The Toyota Prius. Now, most of you would be sitting there thinking, "But the Prius is so..." and yes, you'd be right. And wrong. Because, for all of its faults, the Prius is an iconic symbol of the 2000 decade. It represents the dying of the SUV-trend, and the rise of the compact car. It links itself to a key global issue, the energy crisis, and there is not a more perfect example of the automotive industry's attempt to go green that easily surpasses over other attempts, like Ford's pathetic, silly EcoBoost. Like it or not, it has clawed (with neatly manicured nails) its way up to top spot of the hybrid game. It's fuel-effiecent, ergonomic, comfortable, spacious, and in its own way, sort of a pretty car. When you blink. What I like about it though, is that it seats 5 in comfortable, roomy seats, while preserving the ability to have everyone's luggage in the trunk. It has enough space to rival most compact SUV's, and is a quite viable eco-friendly option over most 2-row SUVs.

So, in the end, the Toyota Prius is my nomination for Car of the Decade. It is the king (or queen) of the hybrid market, and every single Californian and movie star has one. Plus, I find the idea that a 4000lbs eco-green machine having the ability to hit 137 kpm (while getting 27 mpg) quite pleasing.

Porsche.... What the Derp?

California's Roads... so this is what it has come to.

Turn of the Decade Spotlight: Audi

Audi rocked the automotive world when it pulled out it's big gun, the Audi R8. It's sleek, powerful, and deadly-serious. It's the type of car that Batman would have parked in his favorite spot in his underground lair. Even looks a little like a Batmobile too, slightly reminiscent of a stealth fighter jet.

Its showcase color is the classic Audi glossy black, with massive carbon fiber panels that screams "I'm a fast, rich f***er and there's nothing you can do about it," at you. If you pop the hood (in this case, the trunk), you are greeted either with a 4.2 V8 making 420 hp, or a meaty 5.2 V10 belting out 525 hp. That's enough power to get you from 0-60 in 4.74 or 3.8 seconds respectively. And mated to those beastly engines is Audi's famed Quattro drive system, sending 420/525 hp to the front and rear wheels. Buyer has option of a 6 speed manual, or a 6 speed R tronic automatic transmission.

So what can all this power do, especially stacked against super car competitors? Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson took it upon himself to find out.

And again, with a ZR1:

So it boils down to this: a slow car in a straight line, but a bolt of lightning on the track. A car that is pleasing to the eye yet lacking something. A car that has the capability to be luxurious, but all of it locked out to options. Personally, it's refreshing to have something not a Lamborghini or a Ferrari stuck to a teenage gear-head's wall. It is elegant and refined, with the power, speed, and handling to stick it to any other car it likes without needing a 8.0L W16 quad-charged engine to do it. But the side panels? Those need some major cosmetic help.