The Reality of Racing

One of the most frequent questions I get asked is “What’s it like to be a race car driver”? Most people are shocked or think I’m kidding when I start to explain what being a professional race car driver truly means.

From the outside looking in, driving race cars seems like living the high life. Money, women, parties and fast cars seem to be the name of the game when stereotyping a race car driver. But this is about as true as saying that a Canadian is someone who’s a lumberjack, wears plaid, and can talk to beavers.

Let me briefly give you a glimpse into the reality of life as a race car driver, and let me preface the following by saying that this is not a sob story nor am I looking for pity, as I truly am living a “dream”, but rather these are the choices I have made and chosen to live with in order to succeed.

Racing is a business first and foremost! If you can’t beat someone in the boardroom, you won’t even have the chance to beat them on the track. It is unlike hockey, baseball, football, etc where if you have the talent, chances are you will at least get a shot. Racing is the only sport in the world where talent guarantees you nothing!

Unless your parents, relatives, or a great friend are billionaires, the sport is extremely difficult to break into. In order to get a spot in many of the entry level professional racing series, young drivers are expected to find upwards of $250,000 to fund their race season. This cost sky rockets as a driver advances through the ranks and can reach multiple millions of dollars for a season in a series such as IndyCar.

As a race car driver with a considerable amount of talent you have 2 options, go home to cry and complain about how unfair things are … OR go out, pull up your socks, and attack the business of racing.

I won’t go into all of the business details here but I will clarify a negative stereotype of racing and business. Most people assume that when I talk to a potential sponsor I am looking for a boatload of money in exchange for putting their sticker on my car; this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Being successful at the business of racing means creating “Win-Win” partnerships between someone and yourself which usually entails the necessity to provide a huge return on their investment in you. I have put my Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) Degree to good use and have been fortunate to place myself in a position where a company would be better off investing in what I am doing rather than putting their marketing dollars in anything else.

When I started racing karts back in 2001, I cut everything else out of my life and made racing a total commitment. I dropped my football season tickets, I stopped going out for lunch, buying CDs, video games, or whatever else I would have spent money on at the time. Everything I had went into chasing what seemed like an impossible dream.

I turned 27 this month and little has changed. I rarely go for an evening out because I can’t afford gas, nor an activity, and one’s social life takes a pounding because of this. I still live at home with my parents so I can avoid rent payments for now, and fortunately we all get along. I have simply put everything I have into pursuing a career as a race car driver.

Fortunately I was able to use my talent and earn a spot racing for Volkswagen this season. This has significantly reduced my expenses for the season but still leaves me with having to meet a budget greater than most people’s annual income. By my shoestrings I am surviving.

Oh, did I mention crash damage yet? I am responsible for covering the cost of repairing any damage on Volkswagen’s race car…no matter how it happened! I could be lapping the track doing a fine job when another car could simply run into me, through no fault of my own, and I will be the one getting an invoice for up to $7,000. Imagine you’re parked at a red light and someone hits you from behind, or runs a stop sign and broadsides your car, now imagine getting an invoice for the full amount of damage in the mail…it’s a tough pill to swallow.

Try driving a race car at life-risking speeds around a track and have expectations to be the fastest driver there. Then pile on the fact that you can’t afford to race again if even a small scratch appears on your race car. Now try to race wheel to wheel against one of the lucky few that has a billionaire funding their racing and doesn’t care if they crash into you…welcome to life as a professional race car driver!

Driving race cars, and all that it entails, is the hardest thing I have ever had to do in life…but because of this, it is also one of the most rewarding. When I have given everything, am dead tired and question whether the hardships are worth it, all I have to do is look into the grandstands and realize I am one of the lucky few as there are 40,000 spectators who would love even the smallest chance to be in my position.

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2009 Volvo C30 R-Design Review

This week’s review is going to be a departure for us here at Automoblog. This won’t deal with how well a car deals with the grocery run, or whether it looks good while sitting in the driveway. This is a road trip. This is something special.

What kind of road trip is this? Well, it will include yours truly taking a three-day, 1,000 mile round-trip voyage from Columbus, Ohio to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, home of Road America. This will be the ultimate test of comfort, control and efficiency.

But what should we use for this unique adventure? Maybe a comfortable mid-size sedan? Or how about a new crossover sport-utility? No, this is going to take something truly different. As luck would have it, Volvo supplied me with the right vehicle that would complement this unique trip: A 2009 Volvo C30 R-Design.

THE CAR

As our long-time readers know, our fearless leader Chris tested a Volvo C30 last year, and was not a fan of it. He could not get past the styling and his car suffered from a serious electrical glitch. Would I end up in the same predicament?

When the Passion Red two-door arrived, I was a bit skeptical of this somewhat “in-your-face, back-to-the-old-days” styling.

The clean and crisp front-end comes from the S40 sedan and V50 wagon, which the C30 shares its platform. It does away with the box-on-wheels of Volvo’s past and incorporates a smaller grille as well as rounded fenders with a subtle flair above the wheels.

But the other end of the car is what will grab your attention. Gone is your typical sedan trunk or wagon box. The C30’s modern design is in full effect.

From the front to the rear, the waist line bends upward as well as pulled in towards the centerline of the vehicle, creating these curvaceous hips that bring a strong whiff of P1800 to your eyes. The roof slopes up from the front then down slightly in the rear to a larger spoiler and all-glass rear hatch. The taillights traveled from the spoiler down into the rear end and push out into those wide rear fenders.

With the top-ranged R-Design package consisting of a monotone paint scheme, ground effects all the way around and designed eighteen-inch wheels, the C30 will certainly have you doing double-takes.

Inside, you will find the same well-executed interior as the S40/V50/C70, but with subtle touches. For one, the gauges have a blue face instead of black, and there is a wonderfully thick-rimmed steering wheel. The floating center stack gets its own Andy Warhol-like pattern to it. The seats in the R-Design come with their own special two-tone black leather and white Flextech, a material designed to resist fade and damage from Mother Nature, which are imprinted with the R-Design logo.

Motivating this little sport hatch is Volvo’s 2.5 liter, turbocharged inline-5. It has been around for a while and now makes 227 horsepower and 236 lb. ft of torque on premium gas. Transferring this power to the ground is Volvo’s five-speed automatic, with Geartronic auto-manual controls.

LET THE TRIP BEGIN!

The first half of my excursion would take me west on I70 towards Indianapolis. A quick jaunt around Indy I465 would lead me north on I65 straight through Gary. Hop on the Chicago Skyway and coast through Chicago on into Milwaukee. Then it would be a straight shot up Route 57 to the racetrack.

The weather was predicted to be nice, and traveling during a weekday would leave traffic less hectic, leaving me time to enjoy the drive and take many photos along the way. However, I think the gang from Top Gear would best describe this impending trip: Ambitious, but rubbish.

It was mostly sunny in Columbus on Tuesday morning. I had my luggage secured below that big rear window, the AAA TripTik in the passenger seat ready to lead me to my ultimate destination, almost 530 miles away.

I started my trip around the sprawling campus of Ohio State University, one of the largest universities in the country and home of major sports venues such as the John Schottenstein Arena and, of course, the Horseshoe. Luckily for me, it was the off-season, so I had the perfect opportunity to travel around and check out the campus before hitting the road.

Pulling onto I70 W, I got the first opportunity to use all 227 horses to accelerate ahead of a tractor trailer that refuses to move into the center lane. The five-cylinder does not pull quite as hard as a Mazdaspeed3, but the five-speed automatic kicks down quickly to put you in the right gear for maximum pulling power. And boy, does it sound terrific doing it, emitting a deep throaty roar from the exhaust.

Once down to safer cruising speed and putting some miles between me and Buckeye Country, I quickly realized two potential issues. One was the dark clouds rapidly approaching over the horizon in front of me; the second one was how unbelievably flat and boring this stretch of road seemed to be.

Sadly, both became a reality just outside of Dayton. The skys opened all the way to Indianapolis, which cut down on any outdoor activities, and flat farm land surrounding me at every viewpoint, it gave me a chance to become a bit more familiar with the C30’s interior.

I liked many of the interior treatments in this car. The cool two-tone seats were providing good support for my back and hips, and the HVAC was doing a good job keeping me cool while keeping the windows from fogging up. The thick-rimmed, R-Design wheel felt perfect in my hands, with these two small extensions for your thumbs which were a nice touch.

It is quite roomy up front too, and there is adequate room for two people in the second row. Trunk room is snug though, with the steep rake of the rear end cutting into valuable storage room.

One thing kept nagging me though. Where was the style, the look that matches the exterior? There are wonderful materials throughout and the dash carried the stigma of Volvo efficiency, but it just didn’t make a style point like the exterior did.

Just outside Indy, the rain dissipated enough for me to find my way onto the 465 beltway. However, traffic had picked up and my paced had dropped. Frustration was setting in, only a few hours into the calculated nine hour drive.

To take my mind off things, I turned on the optional Dynaudio upgraded sound system to see if I could find something to listen to. Lucky for me, this C30 comes standard with Sirius satellite radio. Turning to Classic Vinyl on channel 14, I found the 360 watt, 11-speaker a bit flat. Thankfully, this system, with Dolby Pro Logic II surround, had an adjustable five-band equalizer for both front and rear speakers. A little tweaking and I had CCR flooding the car with a rich, deep sound.

Finally relieving myself of traffic, I made my way onto I65, which would take me right into Chicago, and would make me lose my mind. Now, I have no problem with the state of Indiana. I like downtown Indy. I respect the Indianapolis Colts. But is this state mind-numbing to drive through.

I thought my trip from Columbus was bad, this section is downright torture. As far as you can see, (and you can see for miles in some places) there wasn’t anything to actually witness. No trees, no tended farmland; just flat land and straight highway. The only saving grace was seeing the Subaru plant, and I almost missed it.

Oh, and the rain started again. Can you see me smiling through the smeared windows? Thankfully this car has the optional automatic wipers that actually worked when it was raining, and their sensitivity was adjustable as well.

Not helping was the ride of my C30. On smooth asphalt, it was as quiet and comfortable, but rolling down the pock-marked Indiana highway, the Pirelli PZeros drone loudly. The suspension was absorbing the smaller potholes pretty well, but bigger ones would cause the front suspension to crash and jounce, sending wave after wave into my seat.

The R-Design comes standard with what Volvo called Dynamic Chassis. The suspension tuning offers a stiffer spring and dampers as well as thicker anti-roll bars. While I applaud the R-Design for handling tight on-ramps with tons of grip and flat cornering, it’s not enough to compensate for the harsh ride.

Merrillville, Indiana outside Gary is when I give myself a break and took care of the lighted gas pump symbol glowing from the dash. The rain is still falling, but that’s not what I am concerned about.

An older gentleman in a Bentley Flying Spur sedan pulls up behind me while I’m topping off the 15.9 gallon tank with fresh premium. I’m not so much focused on the car as I am the driver, who has stopped talking into the cell phone stuck to his hear to stare at the C30’s design cues. Then I noticed a woman filling up her Ford Focus giving the car a once-over as well. This car seems to be a real eye-catcher.

Back on the soggy road, I began to think about the design. Did I like it? Was it too much?

The answer is I thought it was a damn good-looking car. I love the uniqueness of the rear, without being overdone. It was graceful, yet striking. That small window was actually useful to load the 12.9 cubic feet of trunk space as well as reach the rear seats to fold them down. The chrome exhaust tips brought a more upscale touch. Not too much, but just right.

The rain ceased as I crossed into Illinois, and the clouds began to part. It looked like my trip was finally making a turn for the better. Unfortunately, the joy was short-lived. Just a few miles after the bridge, I was greeted by the Windy City with a four-mile long traffic jam. That added an extra hour to my trip, but at least I got a lovely view of the Sears Tower.

Traffic thinned enough for me to make it to the northern suburb of Winnetka, where I had an early Chipotle dinner with an old fraternity brother. Six hours into this trip and I still didn’t feel any physical pain, nor was I even hungry, and I’m always hungry. Could the C30 have pulled off a magic trick where I didn’t dispel any energy? This trip is getting stranger by the hour.

I left my friend and began to enjoy the wonderful road construction that has consumed most of I94. Here, the stiff suspension reared its ugly head again and began pitching the car. Every heave and dip turned the little Volvo into a bobble-head convention.

As I entered Milwaukee’s smoother roadways, my fondness for the C30 started growing again. I love the right amount of power and sound coming from the engine. The just-right size let me squirt around slower traffic, even if the steering wasn’t as sharp as I like. I appreciated how the controls for the radio and ventilation were laid out in an easy to use manner. The gauges and handy trip computer were read at a glance, even though the blue faces didn’t match anything else in the car.

After yet another boring stretch of highway called Route 57, my destination thankfully appeared out of nowhere, shining like a bright beacon calling me to keep going. Its sedate front offices would have been passed had it not been for the large Kohler race car leading to the paddock.

Nine hours and 531 miles from Columbus and I made it. My little Volvo survived the trip unscathed. Outside of the ride, I felt little to criticize after my extensive trip. The seats gave me no aches or pains, and I felt physically ready go to while my brain was ready for sleep. I averaged 26.5 miles per gallon, which is quite good considering it’s a forced induction engine with an automatic. But it was late and I had two long days ahead of me, so off to the Days Inn in Sheboygan for some much needed rest.

The Trip Back

After two days of flying around Road America’s four miles of racetrack at insane speeds in cars you could only dream about (you’ll read about it all in future articles) and passing out business cards to PR people and fellow journalists, it was time to head back home.

Rain, my old nemesis, appeared early in the morning and kept me company the first half of the trip. But it was accompanied by its cousin no one likes, Fog. Luckily, the C30 R-Design comes equipped with front and rear fog lamps, the latter came in handy on more than one occasion.

On the way back, I followed I-41 down to I90/I94. But instead of going back through Indianapolis again, I took Route 31 across Indiana into Ohio and down Route 23 into Columbus. Figured it would give me something else to look at. At least I had hoped.

Milwalkee and Chicago were encased in fog, the roads were soaked and every single person decided to hog the left lane. I was happy to get off these interstates and enjoy a slower paced back road.

There were several stoplights on this stretch of the trip and it gave me a chance to really test the brakes, and goose the engine some more. While the brakes had a surprising amount of travel before they bit the rotors as well as being somewhat soft, they were reassuring and quite strong, even after multiple full-panic stops. Only once did the ABS engage. Did that engine note sound good.

On the flip side, there were a few apparent design flaws. The minor ones were the poorly placed ignition slot, which may have been useful if it weren’t stuck behind the windshield wiper controls. On the passenger side, the raised door sill actually chopped off the bottom of the mirror, which greatly threw off my depth perception.

But the big issue was the cause of cool design. In the rear, those tucked in body lines and flared rear fenders created a massive B-pillar, which caused a terrible blind spot over your left shoulder. Even looking over my shoulder and using the mirror, I ended up cutting off more than one person in my travels. I learned quickly to be careful.

After making it back to Columbus, I was sad my journey was over. Not because I enjoyed driving in the rain so much or the fact that the Midwest is the most boring part of our country, but I really enjoyed this Volvo.

It may not be the sportiest car in its class, and it’s certainly not cheap, but it was comfortable, fun to drive at 8/10s and it looks great. I had zero problems with the car and it loved the open road. And when you’re out there in your C30, you’ll be in a rare club, since I only laid eyes upon one other C30 during my entire trip. Hope you like the attention.

Base Price: $25,950

As Tested: $30,265

Architecture: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive four-passenger coupe

Drivetrain: Turbocharged 2.5-liter DOHC I5 with five-speed automatic transaxle

Length: 167.4 inches

Wheelbase: 103.9 inches

Mileage: 19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway

Weight: 4092 lbs.

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Spring Rally 2009-American Muscle at Road America

In a time when the American car companies are holding on for dear life, consumers’ savings have all but evaporated, and more stringent CAFE regulations looming in the future, the Big Three are giving us power-hungry, tire-thrashing car lovers a goodbye party with the cars listed below. I’m sure there will be fighting for supremacy from loyalists of each brand, but what we all have to remember is this may be the last time we see anything like this from Detroit.

I hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy one of these vehicles, because I certainly did…

2010 CHEVROLET CAMARO

After an eight year abcense, the 2010 Camaro is back on the streets using General Motors’ Zeta platform. Compared to the previous generation, this new one has 11.2 more inches in its wheelbase, but is three inches shorter overall. It’s also an inch wider.

Grunt comes from two engine choices, the 3.6-liter, 304 horsepower DOHC V6 out of the Cadillac CTS will power the LS and LT trim levels. Or for those of you with gas running your veins, check out the 426 horsepower 6.2-liter LS3 V8 in the SS. Each can be had with either an automatic or manual transmissions pushing power to the rear wheels.

The Camaro SS loaded to the gills with leather, twenty-inch wheels and the six-speed manual was taken out for a drive around the country roads surrounding Road America. First impression are the ungodly amount of thrust produced. From a standstill, there is a touch of wheel spin, but the tires hook up quickly and you are gone. This car is unbelievably powerful, and its V8 roar sounds terrific.

In the corners, you can certainly feel the 3700 lbs. the Camaro has to hustle, but it feels very capable of handling anything you can throw at it. The standard Brembo brakes felt up to the task of stopping you in short distance, and the steering, while having to use a ship’s helm for a wheel, delivers good force and acceptable feel.

But the looks are what will pull people in. It is a mixed bag of love and hate for the new Camaro from others, but I love the look. This has been the only car in recent times that has pulled off the whole “modernizing retro” look. It mixes yesteryear nostalgia with modern touches. It got that intimidating front end, high lines and a blunt rear end. This thing screams power. Even the interior plays on that theme, but is not as successful. I love the gauges and the old-school gauges below the center stack, but it’s illumintated with this hideous green glow. Make it red, make it angry.

The only fault, outside the slightly off-key interior is the manual transmission. It was impossible for me to drive this car smoothly. Hustling a one-two shift caused the imprecise shifter to not fully engage and pop out of gear. The clutch was also a nightmare, with an odd engagement point at the top of the pedal. I stalled more than once. I’m going to chalk it up to being a pre-production model and will report back with a full review when I take delivery of one later this summer.

2009 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT8

While not the freshest vehicle you see in this article, it certainly is worthy of mentioning. It may not be as aggressively styled like the Camaro, but it carries the old-new look over at about 70 percent. It looks good with it’s tight lines and that rear taillight bar really sets off an otherwise boring rear.

The Challenger has an impressive level of different options to meet any buyer’s needs. The base Challenger SE comes with the well-known 3.5-liter, DOHC V6. Then there is a choice of two V8s. The mid-range R/T has the 5.7-liter pumping out 372 horses and 400 lb. ft of torque. But those who want the cream of the crop, look no further than my test vehicle, a fully-loaded SRT8 six-speed. This puppy with its 6.1-liter Hemi sends 425 horsepower and 420 lb. ft of twenty-one inch wheel shredding power. Either engine can be had with a five-speed automatic or the aforementioned six-speed manual.

This is a big car, there’s no denying it. With a curb weight of over two-tons, it may be as well be the elephant of the muscle cars. But it doesn’t feel quite as big as most expect. The big lumbering V8 will move the SRT8 with authority and produce a sound God would envy, but it lags behind the Camaro’s brutal acceleration. The transmission and dual-plate clutch are much better than the BowTie’s, with an excellent feel to the clutch pedal and much more positive shifts using that big pistol-grip shifter.

Handling is good, but it wasn’t as much fun pushing it hard. The SRT8 is capable of running on a track, stringing itself out in the straights and taking longer, wider corners with aplomb. In tighter turns, though, you can really feel every single ounce in this car. Cornering very flat and with plenty of grip, it feels unsure with all that girth, and the unfortunate lack of steering feel doesn’t help the situation much. The brakes don’t feel very reassuring either. This will all be analyzed more thoroughly in a full test next month, but for now, just stick to cruising down your favorite boulevard or a road with soft curves.

The interior gets a well-needed bump in quality. The dash is now covered in a soft vinyl and most of the plastics have been upgraded. The seats are La-Z-Boy comfortable and offer excellent support all-around. There’s even room for regular people in the backseat. If you can get over the black hole of the interior, this is a nice place to be.

2010 FORD MUSTANG GT

Not to be outdone by the new Camaro, Ford has retuned and retooled their pony car to better handle their competition. From the sleeker, more modern body on the outside to the wonderfully redone interior, the 2010 Mustang will not be left in the dust.

The new body looks infinitely better than last years. The Mustang looks as though the design team hit the old model with a heat gun to shrink it down, making it look much more aggressive and cleaner. The rear still retains that 1969 look, but it’s sculpted cleaner, making the rear have a more distincitive look.

Inside, everything has been thrown out from the old car and replaces with good feeling materials throughout. Even the center stacks looks much better, getting away from the carryover controls for radio and ventilation which was found in almost every other Ford vehicle.

The suspension has been tuned for better body control and improved handling characteristics. It has paid off ten-fold. This new Mustang feels so much smaller now, so much more chuckable in the corners. There is still too much body movement in the corners, but that can be overlooked by the more positive feel from the better steering, stronger-feeling brakes and how light it feels compared to is competitors. This was the easiest of the three to fling around the racetrack.

The only disappointment with this car is the engine. The carryover 4.6-liter, four-valve V8 gets a very modest power and torque boost, to 315 and 325 respectively. The 110 horsepower difference over the other two by the light weight, but it doesn’t feel as quick as the others. It doesn’t feel an urge to run all out. Thankfully, the 2010 Mustang has a very good clutch, with a nice progressive engagement, and the five-speed manual with it’s white ball shifter is very easy to shift and find the right gear.

Luckily when driving it, a feeling of Frank Bullitt trying to catch that Challenger in his GT Fastback washes over the interior when the throttle is opened. Why? Because this GT will barely stay with the Challenger, but it will sound piped in will instantly remind you of what you’re after.

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Spring Rally-The Good Economy

I remember ten years ago when you could buy a car with zero luxury features for very little money, depending on the size of the vehicle. People were content with their choice, although much else in their life was as exciting as their mode of transportation. But as time, and people’s tastes, have changed, so have the cars.

Vehicles today come with normal extravagances such as power windows, air conditioning and a CD player. Of course, those of us who need it all can get home theater-quality sound systems, navigation system that can direct us around traffic, and temperature-controllable seats to make sure our fannies stay at the optimal temperature.

But more importantly, these economy cars are now fun to drive. No longer do you have to deal with numb steering, lifeless brakes, and a floppy chassis. Now, you can do the daily commute in comfort, but have fun on the weekends. Here are some cars that will give you both worlds.

2010 Ford Fiesta 5-Door

Ford has been making strides to turn around their image, and I have to say, it’s working. Both cars offered enough of a thrill, but are still be docile for the rush hour slog.

The 2010 Fiesta available was the European version, but it’s pretty much ready for its American debut. Available next year as a sedan and hatch (pictured), the Fiesta carries the majority of the styling from the concept cars, with the stretched headlamps and rounded front end in the front to the chopped rear end. It’s not the prettiest, but we in the West have never been big fans of European simplicity.

Inside, you’ll find a very futuristic-looking dashboard, with a curvaceous center console that has the radio controls high and the HVAC controls separate, making it easy to use. The white-on-black gauges are huge, and everything is made with acceptable plastics and vinyls. It’s surprisingly funky for a car expected to price around $12,000.

Front seat occupants are treated to a high seating position and loads of room in thinly-bolstered seats. Rear seat passengers do not get the same amount, with little legroom to enjoy. Space beneath the hatch is surprising good considering the short rear overhang.

The drive is what you expect from an economy car though; good, not great. The engine under the hood was a 118 horse, 1.6-liter four-cylinder with variable cam timing. It’s not the quickest, but it is surprisingly smooth and moves the little five-door with good acceleration. The steering is light, but responsive and the five-speed is effortless to shift.

2010 Kia Soul

To continue on funky hatchbacks, Kia has given us the Soul, a funky urban cruiser designed to work well in tight spaces while being affordable.

Lets get the bad over with first shall we? Well, it’s not the Heidi Klum of the auto world, nor is it Uma Thurman attractive. The Soul has this tiny grill stuff in-between two headlights that were cut and then reattached crookedly. What’s up with that fake plastic guard on the front? It’s front-wheel-drive for pete sake. Rear isn’t much better, with its odd fender flares and toaster-oven shape.

Inside gets better. The Soul’s interior is following a similar playbook the Fiesta is using: funky, yet functional. The radio sits almost on top of the dash, with the ventilation controls right below it. Depending on which trim you choose, you can have half the interior in either bright-red or a mocha-like color with separate eye-catching designs sewn into the seats. There’s plenty of room for both passengers and their cargo.

Driving around town, the Kia feels solid and peppy. The 2.0-liter four cylinder produces 144 horsepower and 137 lb. ft of torque. (A smaller 1.6 can be had in the less-expensive models.) In the street car, the four-speed automatic was just acceptable, with a bit too much gear hunt for me. The five-speed is good if a little knotchy. On poorer surfaces, the stiffer suspension and bigger 18-inch wheels on the Sport gave it a butt-busting ride, but helped in the control department.

Handling is sound, with good steering feel and weight. It felt very eager to be pushed harder, but doing so invokes very bad understeer. It will work around town very well, with a zippy engine and small stature.

Prices start at just under $14,000. If you want the top of the line with the wheels, and upgraded stereo and a garrish interior, you’ll pay just under $18,000. (We will be covering this vehicle in greater detail later on this summer.)

2010 Mazda3 Hatchback

Since the Mazda3 came onto the market in late 2003, it has been a very popular choice over the more mundane Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra, to name a few. It was the best of bunch in terms of relability, quality and fun-to-drive. But has this new second-generation changed any of that? No, not in the slightest. It may have grown an inch in length and it has put on a few pounds, but this little five-door still offers copious amounts of luxury and thrill for very little money.

Still available in four-door or five and two engine choices with various trim levels, the Mazda3 can offer something for everyone. With a base sedan starting in around $15,000 and a hatch for a few thousand more, you get power everything, six-speaker stereo, 6 airbags, 16 or 17-inch wheels, disk brakes with ABS, and seating for five.

There is a lot new for 2010, but I will just skim the surface as we are scheduled to be receiving a few different variants next month. First is the new interior. It’s been designed with more attention to detail than ever before. The top of the dash houses two small screens for the radio and HVAC display as well as the optional navigation screen. From there, the center console gracefully flows downward to house the vents and radio controls, then curves back towards the firewall to house the recessed temperature controls. The gauges and dash are still lit by a mixture of blue and red lighting.

There is also some new parts under the hood. The 2.3-liter has been bumped up to 2.5-liters and now produces 167 horsepower and a surprising 168 lb. ft of torque. Your choice of transmission includes either the five-speed automatic or a new six-speed manual, which was what the test car had. It all works well to make the Mazda3 quick to scoot and fun to drive with a terrific clutch engagement and nice, short throws from the gearbox.

Under way, the drive is just as how you remembered the older Mazda3, with a touch more softness to everything. The ride is less harsh over bumps, but there is still that razor sharp steering and stable body control that made this car such a treat. It loves to be pushed hard in the corners, where turn-in is crisp and there is plenty of balance from the sturdy chassis.

My initial complaints are few. For one, I think the dashboard is not efficiently designed, with the presets split around a mess of other buttons and the volume knob. It’s easily learned, but it shouldn’t have to be. Second, with the higher end trims with the Bluetooth and navigation, the steering wheel also becomes too convoluted with switches and buttons.

But lastly, and certainly not least, is the new exterior. I love the older models, with their clean, aggressive lines that gave the car a much more upscale look. Now, it’s almost smiling, trying to appeal to those who care more about looks than performance. And I truly do not like the character line down the side.

If you can get past the looks, it’s still one hell of a car.

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2010 Mustang Gets Some Serious Wheel Weights, Too [2010 Mustang]

We’re familiar by the Camaro brake weights issue, in like manner when we saw tons of wheel-balancing weights upon the Camaro Indy pace car, we thought it strange. Turns out the 2010 Mustang is just as bad.

Seems we stirred up the pot with our moderate observation and the guys over at Super Chevy got curious about the competition’s car, so they went poking right and left some 2010 Mustangs and found an well-nigh identical length of balancing weights. The regular wisdom says granting that this much weight was needed, either someone doesn’t know what they’re doing or in that place’s something wrong with the wheel or tire. We’re starting to think these kinds of long strips will be getting to a greater degree common as large wheels remain popular and lead wheel weights get phased out of usage after the California ban. (Hat Tip to Pres) [Super Chevy]

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An Elegy for Six Missing Cylinders [Crazy Euro Car Boy]

If you’re spotting Lamborghinis in Eastern Europe, watch out for chronic cylinder shortage.

In his last article published by The Atlantic—How to Get a Nuclear Bomb, which later became the first chapter of the main division The Atomic Bazaar—William Langewiesche recalls a dialogue with an operator in Russia’sitting nuclear bureaucracy. Their discussion is about the ease with which nuclear weapons can be acquired by any state willing to build them:

“Once a country has made the decision to become a nuclear-weapons power, it will get to be person heedless of any guarantees. You needn’t be rich. You needn’cheek by jowl have being technically developed. You can be Pakistan, Libya, North Korea, Iran. You can be …” He searched for a country even more absurd in his estimation. He said, “You can be Hungary.”

Stinging though it may be for my fellow Hungarians, the Russian’s quick analysis is certainly place on. While starving North Korea has detonated a Hiroshima-size nuke this Monday, the last glory days of Hungarian military ability were way back in the 15th century, when the Black Army of King Matthias Corvinus romped about Central Europe under one hell of a military flag, wreaking havoc every what one. way. It’s been all downhill from in that place.

So it is certainly an occasion when a Lamborghini Countach is bespotted on the streets of this sad, lonely outpost on the real edge of Western civilization. But then you bring forth to remember that in outposts, appearances can deceive. Which entails that when you start counting a Countach’s cylinders, you come to a sudden halt after six:

And effect that it’s probably not a Countach after completely, but a Pontiac Fiero with a dead body kit.

The only solace for a rueful Hungarian nationalist would have existence the fact that we would have neither nukes nor the car that induce America on wheels without Hungarians (1, 2, 3, 4).

Photo Credit: Balazs Keki

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Man Hand-Building Hummer H1 From Ford Scraps [Custom Cars]

A insane person Ford nut is hand-building an incredible Hummer H1 replica on the bones of a junker Ford F-150. The full scope of this construction fest can only be appreciated in the huge gallery below.

We’ve only ever seen this level of insane skill before in the basement-built Lamborghini Countach of Ken Imhoff, mete craftsmanship and the mid-level dementia of the builders is all these vehicles share. This H1 isn’t some surplus rebuild or fiberglass small pail, it’session all-steel, hand fabricated to a near-military spec aim of quality. The frame comes from a rough 1987 F150 4×4, the rear axle was pulled out of a E250 van, the engine is a fiend 7.3 liter Powerstroke diesel from a shuttle van, and pretty much everything else is the outcome of a press-brake and and whole lot of welding. The product has been dubbed the Hummer H150.

We were a small degree worried, about half-way through the 48 pages of tribunal details on FullSizeBronco.com where he admitted his wife would be given the choice of paint scheme and she picked out a two tone white and grey through a tribal line in the middle. Thankfully she came to her senses and a lovely orange was chosen in lieu. Though the traffic isn’t quite done yet, a whole lot of the major work is through. The body electronics just got the experiment and transmission has been sourced, so after buttoning up the powertrain it’ll be ready for a maiden run. This build has taken some five years thus far, but considering for what reason far this guy has come the last few steps are practically babe’s play.

There aren’t many vehicles manlier than the original Hummer H1, but building your own from mark with a scratch puts you in rare company on the testosterone scale. We can’t wait to see how the Hummer H150 turns out. Hat tip to Mike! [Full Size Bronco Forums]

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Save Money with a Biodiesel Kit

With the rising gas prices of today many folks have begun to look for an alternative way to state in language fuel in their cars
. A biodiesel kit fits the bill for many people who have started making this oil saving fuel in their have backyards. And for what cause not contribute your own material for burning, the hit to wallets and bank accounts with high gasoline prices makes finding alternative fuel sources imperative these days, particularly with the price of gas and oil in the news on a daily basis. A biodiesel kit is a great persons way to save a substantial amount of money on your fuel costs
. The basic function of such a kit is to convert vegetable oil into biodiesel, a firing source that can be used in vehicles that currently run on diesel combustible matter. It is important to annotation that not all car companies guarantee the use of biodiesel fuel in their vehicles and direct void the warranty suppose that an engine is damaged by its use. Be sure to research this control buying a new vehicle with a diesel engine. For older diesel cars and trucks there are engine conversion kits that will ascertain by enumeration the change to cleaner burning biodiesel much easier. There is a minimal amount of stores needed to use a biodiesel kit. You will need basic tap water, methanol and access to a beneficial amount of vegetable oil, which can usually be obtained from restaurants and such. You can set the kit up just about anywhere, although greatest in number the public do put them outside in a shed or under an overhang. You will be making a fuel oil thus setting up in the house may not be a real good idea. When it comes to pricing a kit the added features to be found the more expensive the kit. The most expensive models are built to prevent fumes and odors from escaping during the refining process. Having an odorless refining process may be important for those wishing to refine their combustible matter near their home. If you live on a farm or a large acreage this may not have existence as important as the kit can be located farther from the house. Of order if you can afford it reach ahead and get the more expensive closed system just because they are very easy to application. If for some reason you already have a large sum of cooking oil that you need to dispose of then a biodiesel kit would work accurately. It does take more time to process used oil but the results are the same, a more environmentally well-disposed fuel that can be induce into a diesel powered vehicle. Considering that the price of gasoline is on any ever rising run making biodiesel with a view to personal use can be seen viewed like a pungent move. Having your own biodiesel small tub producing a constant give of a low cost environmentally friendly fuel right in your own backyard would remove the sting of high pump prices.
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/save-money-with-a-biodiesel-kit-942417.html

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