Welcome to The Smoking Tire. Kick ass automotive videos and more.

RENNtech Adds 100 WHP to CLS63 AMG

Friday, December 16th, 2011

 

I love the aftermarket. They are the fringe chefs of the auto world. No content with the way something is made, they will take a classic dish-say, risotto – and then add crazy stuff to it like maple syrup and essence of deadly sea urchin. You might think, “What are you doing?? It was delicious the way it is!” But then chef RENNtech presents his 2012 Mercedes CLS63 AMG risotto and after a taste, you stop complaining. Because RENNtech has found that with a simple tune you can extract another 100 wheel horsepower. Yum. Jump for dyno sheets and a video of a race against a Nissan GTR. (more…)

TST Dream Garage: Vaugh Gittin Jr.’s Mustang RTR-X (video)

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

 

This is the newest car to be added to the TST Dream Garage. For those of you new to the game, we’re slowly compiling a list of all the cars we’d buy if we had money.  I mean so much money you’d buy one of those stupid, giant yachts that Paul Allen used to substitute his penis. If it’s a vehicle, we can put it on the wish list for the day we all simultaneously win every lottery in the US at once. And being added to that ever-expanding garage in the sky (Skycake made daily) is Vaughn Gittin Jr’s own, 1969 Need For Speed Mustang RTR-X. I ****ing love this car.

 

This car came out long ago, and it’s been on a tour since it debuted at SEMA in 2010. So you’ve probably seen it, heard of it or read about it. Nothing new. I’d read about it when it came out and thought it was awesome. But that didn’t prepare me for what I’d think when I saw it at Formula D this year at Irwindale. I rounded the corner  and stopped. (Earmuffs kids.) “Hoooo shit.” Make the jump to read my love story, and watch Gittin destroy some tires.

(more…)

TST Road Trip Buyers Guide / Help Us Help You

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

 

Due to a high volume of questions about how we film, what radar detectors we like, favorite cameras, etc. we decided to create a little list of all our road trip essentials. It stretches the gamut from the life-giving beef jerky/Monster Rehab combo pack to the cameras and suction cups we use to make our videos. And rather than listing each one here and making you Google them, or worse, making me add links for each one, we’ve created a widget. It’s at the bottom of the page. Just go to the widget (at the bottom, not this picture below) and scroll through the items. When you see something you like, click on it and it will take you to the Amazon page to buy that item.

 

Widget located at the bottom right of our page.

 

For some people, a road trip is a rare adventure. They plan the trip, the route, the sites they want to see and head off into the sun in the hopes of adventure. Amateurs. For us, the road trip is as necessary as oxygen. We are constantly driving to locations, cars, tracks, events, etc. The only people who put in as much time on the road as auto journalists have jobs that lump methamphetamine, dead prostitutes and a review of a Waffle House in Utah into a single workday (Truckers. Or Guy Fieri). So we know what’s essential to make a long drive as comfortable, safe, efficient and productive as possible.

 

SUPPORT TST

Obviously there’s a benefit to this widget on our page. We get a small kickback when you buy a product. Don’t worry, the item costs the same amount as if you found it on Amazon yourself. But it helps us pay for gas, food and production costs. You guys always ask us why videos take so long, and the simple answer is: money. A good location shoot costs hundreds of dollars in gas. If we need to go out of town to a track, it’s over $1000. So if you want more videos and more content, just click through us to get to Amazon. The products we put in the widget are things we own and use. These are our personal essentials, and we never leave home without them. Camera mounts to make your own videos. Radar detector to keep the money in your wallet. Energy drinks so you can run from smokeys long into the night stay alert.

 

So if you’re going to buy a camera, or want to try mounting your iPhone to film stuff, or want to buy the best radar detector out there, stop by TheSmokingTire.com and search our widget. It helps you, it helps us, and the more people that do it, the more videos you get. Win win win. Now throw a dart at a map and pick your next destination.

 

-Zack K

 

Want: Ducati-powered Spartan V Track Car

Monday, November 28th, 2011

A few months ago we were watching a YouTube video of a Mini Cooper powered by 2-yes, 2- Yamaha R1 engines. Rear-wheel drive, two transmissions, two throttle cables, insanity. This prompts the necessary conversation set in fantasy land. You know the one, where you take the car/vehicle you just watched and day-dream about driving it in X location (RWD Mini in a shopping mall anyone?). As we sat there watching this high-powered hamster-sized ball of buzzing fury slay a short track with all the composure and poise of a crack head in the bat habitat at the zoo, I thought about my favorite motorcycle. Ducati. Tough, beautiful, individualisticin their design but still competitive.

 

And the sound. Oh the sound. A Ducati with a good set of pipes on it can shake city blocks. Bikes with inline fours sound clean, surgical, engineered. They just sound too serious. V-twins sound angry. They sound emotional. They roar through traffic barking at cars and snarling the common commuter into the submissive right lane. They sound an ex-con who had a bad day at his new job. “What if they made a Mini with a Ducati motor…ooooohhhhhh.” Well, they didn’t do that, but someone did make an 800lb track car with a Ducati motor. It took 5 years to make, but only about 5 seconds for me to through it on the dream list. Click for specs and to read the story of how this Ducati-powered labor-of-love, the Spartan V supercar, came to be.

(more…)

Russians Drivers Care Less than Honey Badger (videos)

Sunday, November 20th, 2011

 

 

You know the day dreams you have when you’re stuck in traffic? Not the ones about murdering the entire population in front of you with bazookas (No? Just me?) or driving over them in a monster truck. The ones where you want to drive 140MPH down the shoulder, or wish you have a Spec B rally car to drive down that cushy, grassy median, shooting fireballs of angry contempt and pity at the sorry souls stuck in traffic. Or perhaps on the sidewalk. Fuck those pedestrians, they could use an agility test. Exercise lowers cholesterol. Make the jump for two videos of Russians finding creative solutions to traffic. (more…)

Robby Gordon is Crazy. (Video)

Thursday, November 17th, 2011

 

You may or may not me familiar with my attitude towards NASCAR. Short version: don’t care for it. My disdain for the sport automatically envelopes everyone around it. You could be a 5 year old and I will stubbornly hate you with the maturity of a Bloods and Crips knife fight. Or as applies here, a driver. I don’t hate the drivers personally, just their sport. But after watching this video, Robby Gordon is the man. I’ve watched him do the Baja 1000, and he warmed my heart a bit. After seeing him in this video driving on Bullrun in his 2011 Jeep Cherokee SRT8, I am a fan. Passing a 700WHP GTR is no problem for him. This guy just likes to drive fast. Make the jump for the 12 minute video of Robby absolutely hauling ass.

(more…)

Isle of Man TT – You’re Insane. Marry Us? (video)

Monday, November 14th, 2011


Here at The Smoking Tire, we love all things fast and crazy. We drive on runways as fast as possible. We break commuting records (through the use of flying carpets, not speeding). Generally speaking, we’re all a little out of whack and “safe” is either a relative term or a the subject of a meeting.

 

But we are not as crazy as the guys and gals that attack the Isle of Man T.T. They are completely nuts. They actually need the storage compartment under their mouse-pad of a seat to hold their balls. Yup, the women too. 200 MPH through towns, city streets, and along cliffs. A race where low siding could mean flying through someone’s dining room wall. It’s insane, and we love it. We found this video of one of our favorite races, and wanted to share.  The ability of these riders is beyond belief and their talents are highlighted with the beautiful slow motion shots. We would love to go and film this maniacal art,  so buy some t shirts and glasses.  Then make the jump and enjoy the amazing video by TheSmokyProduction.

(more…)

Review: Honda CR-Z EX

Friday, October 14th, 2011


At times I am a walking contradiction. I support the EPA and Sierra Club but if you hand me a gun and 4 sets of tires I’ll Yosemite Sam Hubinette that shit all day long. And as much as I love burning as much gas as possible, it’s expensive, and I am poor. So when the CR-Z concept came out, I thought it was that bowl of porridge made of half hybrid MPG and half sports car. A few weeks ago I got one to try out. How did it do? Make the jump to find out.

(more…)

“Untitled Jersey City Project” Teaser Shows Drama, Mafia, Audi’s

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Untitled Jersey City Project. All opinions are 100% mine.

UNT_091311_Title_bmb_v01.ai (1 page)

New Jersey is like, soooooo hot right now. From Real Housewives to Jersey Shore, people can’t seem to get enough of America’s armpit. Now, a new series, tentatively (or really, we’re not exactly sure) titled Untitled Jersey City Project has come to light, with an unlikely sponsor: Audi.

For those unaware, Jersey City is the urban area immediately across the Hudson river from lower Manhattan. And for the past, say, 80 years, it has been in a perpetual state of decline. In this new action/drama series, the character development is based around the rebuilding of Jersey City. But while the buildings are shiny and new, steel and glass, the old ways of New Jersey haven’t exactly retired. This then, is a sign of the times. In The Soprano’s, it was all about the GM cars. Likewise for Jersey Shore. But check out the teaser video for a dinner-sized helping of Audi. We see the new A6 in the teaser film (a car I’d very much like to drive), but the enthusiast vehicles are suspiciously missing. What, no mob bosses driving around in R8 V10′s? Either way, hit the jump to watch the video and let us know what you think in the comments!

Untitled Jersey City Project

Visit Sponsor's Site

Begrudgingly Good: 2011 Volvo XC60 R-Design Review

Sunday, September 11th, 2011

 

 

Ah crossovers, the market segment that everyone loves. Created to fill the void between cars and SUVs that we weren’t aware of but quickly decided we couldn’t live without. Like a new coffee drink called “room temp brew.” We thought we were happy with the options “iced” or “hot.” How silly of us. Crossovers are like the calorie-free sweetener of the month. It promises you the SUV flavor you love without the gas-guzzling fat you hate.

 

It’s the ever-present attempt to have our cake and eat it too. High seat point, happier trees, everyone hold hands. But I don’t like room temp. I looked at crossovers like people that blended perfectly good vegetables so they could drink green-brown sludge. Yuck. Either eat a salad or have some juice or fucking starve. Then the XC showed up…  Make the jump for the full review of the 2011 Volvo XC60 R-Design.

(more…)