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

Read Matt’s BMW X6M and Mercedes CLS63 AMG Review in the December Issue of Road Lanes!

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

There is rarely enough time in one of our 7-minute films to say everything that needs to be said about a car. You get in the moment, you forget things here and there, and you go home at the end of the day wishing you had said this or that. Well, in between filming and writing for The Smoking Tire, I review cars for other publications as well, which gives me an opportunity to write a completely different take on the same cars we film with. Introducing Road Lanes Magazine, a new online automotive magazine that you can download for free and view offline as well as online. In last month’s issue, I reviewed the Dodge Durango and Corvette ZR1. This month, check out the new issue of Road Lanes for my reviews of the Mercedes CLS63 AMG and BMW X6M.

So as not to disappoint our loyal fans here at The Smoking Tire, we have also made films with the Corvette ZR1 and BMW X6M, which you will see on the site and our various video outlets soon. Until then, click here to see the latest issue of Road Lanes!

 

 

07.12.2011 News No Comments

Video – Fast5: What is the Ultimate Heist Vehicle?

Wednesday, April 20th, 2011

In Fast 5, the latest installment in the Fast and the Furious movie franchise, Brian and Dom are trying to pull off the ultimate heist, which requires the ultimate heist vehicle. In the film, they choose Dodge Charger cop car look-alike’s, not a bad choice if you ask me. But is there something better? Matt and Fireball Tim Lawrence host a contest at Willow Springs Raceway inviting all comers to bring their metal and see how their car stacks up as the ultimate heist vehicle. Featured cars include: Gintani X5M, M5, C63 AMG, CLK 63 AMG Black Series, Nissan GTR, Supercharged Mustang GT, and more, plus the actual Nissan 370z from the movie Fast 5 and several professional racing drivers. Hit the jump for the video to see how it all went down and who came out on top.

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20.04.2011 News, Video 10 Comments

Video: 24 Hours of Dubai – The Coolest Race You’ve Never Heard Of (Update! Video Link Fixed)

Friday, January 21st, 2011

The Smoking Tire’s Tom Morningstar was fortunate enough to attend the coolest race ever that no one’s heard of: The 24 Hours of Dubai. Held at the Dubai Autodrome, surrounded by unfinished buildings and general nothingness, the endurance race features privateer racing teams fielding such cool race cars as the Audi R8 LMS, SLS AMG GT3, Porsche 911 Cup, Aston Martin Vantage GT3, and more. Check out the video to see Tom doing what he does best: getting great shots of cars.

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21.01.2011 News, Video 20 Comments

Bizarre Roadside Sightings: Menage-a-Fuel Cell

Friday, October 1st, 2010

While out road testing a couple of cars yesterday, I found myself stuck behind some slow drivers in the canyons. This happens from time to time, and while we occasionally make moves around them, we didn’t this time because of what cars we were following. There was a Mercedes-Benz F-Cell, a Kia Borrego FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle) and a Honda FCX Clarity all in a row, winding their way down the canyons. Strangely enough, the Kia and Benz had manufacturer “M” plates, while the Clarity seemed to just be another Californian on his way home from work.

01.10.2010 News, Photos 2 Comments

TST Dream Garage: Mercedes 190E 2.5 16V Evolution II

Thursday, September 30th, 2010

Having a Mercedes-Benz sedan in the Dream Garage seems pretty feasible when you consider the recent batch of hot Benzes to reach our shores: the C63 AMG Black Series, E63 AMG, and the luxo-rocket S65 AMG all pack enough horsepower and torque to alter your perception of reality. But a 90′s-era sedan in this most coveted of garages? Impossible, or at least highly improbable, until you take a look at this Bavarian gem.

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30.09.2010 News, Photos 7 Comments

Finn Builds Bonkers Mercedes W123 Diesel Wagon Drift Car (With Video!)

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

Oddball cars are the spice of life, well, at least my life anyway. I’m so flooded with car information most of the time, that a great portion of it just goes in one ear and out the other, because, honestly, I’ve seen it all before. Not this time. While most drift drivers are busy cranking up the boost on their 240′s, or converting econoboxes to rear-wheel-drive with NASCAR engines, Finnish drifter Teemu Peltola has gone a different direction: He built a 1981 Mercedes 300D Wagon into a drifter.

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23.09.2010 News, Video 7 Comments

TST Dream Garage:Mercedes-Benz 1992 W124 500E/E500 Sport Sedan

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

The category of so-called “super sedan” is one of my favorites. The e55AMG, M5, XFR, CLS AMG, etc. I just plain like them. With 4 doors, big seats and often loaded with gadgets they provide comfortable, practical daily transportation. But underneath their often demure exterior is an athleticism usually reserved for cars with fewer doors and an appearance that’s usually not both wife and mom approved. If you come home with a loud car that has no back seat, suspension of granite and less trunk space than a  kangaroo, come with your debate points memorized and organized on PowerPoint, you will need them.

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07.07.2010 Photos, Viewer Submission 11 Comments

TST Dream Garage: All Good Benz Rally Cars Come in Pairs

Monday, June 14th, 2010

Many people ask us about our favorite cars, and so we’ve decided to put together a “Dream Garage.” It will be a recurring feature here on The Smoking Tire, as we continue to add our favorite cars to this never expanding list. Today, we start the list with a matching pair of vintage Mercedes racing cars, and if we’re talking about vintage Benzo’s, you only need to know two letters: SL.

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14.06.2010 News, Photos 2 Comments

You Have $250K. What do You Do?

Friday, May 14th, 2010

Despite the energy crisis and a recession, supercars seem to be getting better at an exponential rate. The future of the automobile is uncertain, making the future of the super-automobile even more shaky. Companies are fighting for a shrinking pie, one that got even smaller with the economic shit-storm of 2009.  But like the raging bull that graces the front of a Lamborghini, no one is going down easy. Each passing year is like another prick from the matador, only infuriating the bull and making it fight harder.

In 2010 the fight shows no signs of waning. There are handfuls of incredibly fast, beautiful and powerful cars coming our way. They are all so good, yet so different, the only answer I can think of to, “Which would you buy?” is “All of them!” And that got me thinking, what would I-or you-buy?

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14.05.2010 Editorials, Viewer Submission 28 Comments

What Do You Want to Know About the E550 Coupe?

Saturday, April 24th, 2010

This week, The Smoking Tire has a Quartz Blue Mercedes-Benz E550 Coupe in the garage. Normally, we’d drive it and write a review, same as always, but this week, we’re going to try something different. I want to know what YOU want to know about this car. Real time car reviews. So if you have a question, post it up here in the comments section, and I’ll get you an answer over the course of driving the E550 around for a week.

This could totally go either way, but we’re going to find out now.

24.04.2010 News, Photos 26 Comments

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