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Behind the Music: Subaru BRZ Videos

Thursday, April 26th, 2012

by Zack Klapman

 

Many moons ago I wrote about the FT-86 concept. At the time I assumed I would have saved up the money to buy one. Then the market of Beanie Babies fell off, wiping out my life savings and ending my relationship with Natalie Portman. Gold digger… Whatever, when the STI version drops, I’ll totally have the money for it.

 

It’s two years later, and as you should know, the BRZ/FRS is now taking orders. Journalists love how it drives, “normal” people love its price, and enthusiasts love that lightweight, RWD stuff. Good. After the garbage truck full of press releases and 2nd-base teasing of the last two years, it better be. Besides, light and RWD is as easy to get right as chocolate milk. Anyway, the story is interesting but reading specs and corporate PR novellas flat out sucks. So Subaru adapted it to 2 short screen plays. Various engineers and team members talk about the goals, and how they got it done. That’s why that guy is kneeling in a chassis. Or he’s the shittiest “hide and seek” player ever. If you like shows like “How It’s Made”, building shows, or Harry Potter, you will enjoy this. Jump to watch. I’m going to steal a bunch of Levi’s and sell them to Russia. Natalie will so take me back when I roll up in a FI BRZ. (more…)

26.04.2012 Video 5 Comments

Video: Re-building a Totaled GS Class BMW M3 in 16 Days

Thursday, April 26th, 2012

Crashed race cars are  never a pretty sight. On March 31st, Turner Motorsports driver Michael Marsal, who we followed as he prepared for the 24 Hours of Daytona, and then as the Turner Motorsports Team Chased victory during the race, suffered a crash during the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race at Barber Motorsports Park. He was uninjured, but the car didn’t fare so well: the #97 BMW M3 was totaled. Turner Motorsports had just 16 days to completely rebuild the car. Fortunately for us, they set up a time lapse camera and got to work, and the car is now ready for its next race at Miami Homestead Speedway on April 28th. Hit the jump to see how quickly a race car can be rebuilt from the ground up.

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26.04.2012 News, Video No Comments

You Must Watch This: Behind the Scenes at Pagani

Thursday, April 26th, 2012

 

by Zack Klapman

 

You have to watch this video. You simply must. It’s DRIVE‘s inside look at the incredible Willy Wonka factory of cars : the Pagani factory. (more…)

26.04.2012 Video No Comments

Video: BMW X6M Track Test at Spartanburg

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

The Smoking Tire caps off our Ultimate BMW Road Trip with a visit to Spartanburg, SC, home of BMW’s private test track. And Matt’s sick of speed limits; he wants to go fast. Thats’ why we took the opportunity to get some hot laps in “the world’s ugliest fastest crossover,” the BMW X6M. Sure, it’s impractical, cramped, incapable of driving in snow or on dirt, and expensive, but who doesn’t want a fully track-ready SUV? When it handles, pulls, and sounds like this one, we’re torn. Hit the jump for the video.

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25.04.2012 News, Video 4 Comments

(video) D3 Cadillacs Hooning Properly

Thursday, April 19th, 2012

by Zack Klapman

 

This video is titled “Caddy Ruckus”, and that name is 100% accurate. D3 Cadillac are the psychotic geniuses behind the 1000HP beast known as “Le Monstre.” They are the premier engineers for aftermarket CTS-V tuning, turning them into  playful puppies, but with the strength of 3 of Michael Vick’s Pitbulls. And they’re not stuffy engineers, hiding their machines from anyone who doesn’t have a black AMEX, a sail boat, and a wife named Ursula. These guys like to have fun, and share the fruits of their labor.

 

So for this video they gave two cars to pro Formula Drift driver Tyler McQuarrie and INDY racer  J.R. Hildebrand, and let them loose on the town. And when I say, “the town”, I mean these guys treated it like GTA. Burnouts in the parking garage? Check. (And serious fun…I’ve heard). Donuts? Drifting roundabouts? Sure guys, you have fun. Hooning is fun, but doing it in a loaned car, with another car to play with? Why, the hell, do people buy boats. Make the jump to watch the smokey, angry, noisy show.

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19.04.2012 Video No Comments

Watch Chris Harris ‘Ring the Ariel Atom 500 and Noble M600

Thursday, April 19th, 2012

by Zack Klapman

 

If the picture above isn’t enough motivation for you to subscribe to the DRIVE network… then how the hell did you even end up at this website? Both these cars are crazy fast, and striking to look at, though they appear to be from different planets. The Ariel Atom 500 has 475HP from the sickly engineered marriage of two Hayabusa engines. Weighs nothing, big power, no roof, running free in its natural habitat. Excellent.

 

But because Chris Harris is Chris Harris, be brought another car. I am Jack’s raging jealousy… Why the 2nd car? In case the Atom was boring? Or not fun enough? He’s like Amy Winehouse bringing moonshine to a bar. Why ask why, when it means watching the 650HP Noble M600 fly around the track. I love this car. When it appeared Top Gear I fell for it, simply from the shape and the sound; a Volvo engine with turbos and the balls of pikey prize fighter bolted on. Jump to watch a great double-header (something I will never, ever say in regards to an actual baseball double-header). (more…)

19.04.2012 Video 3 Comments

(Green) Supercar Saturday: 2 cars, 2,475HP

Saturday, April 14th, 2012

by Zack Klapman

 

It’s a double dose of eco-friendly, super-car madness. For only $1,500 a Norwegian company will give your Ferrari FF 875HP, and cut it’s emissions by almost 70%. Yay, corn. And an American company wants to build a 2,000HP hyper-car that goes 300MPH, with a high-end interior. Jump for more.

 

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14.04.2012 News, Video 10 Comments

Cool Video: Rebuilding to Group N

Friday, April 13th, 2012

(Screen Shot; video below)

 

by Zack Klapman

 

The TV way to make a build show is shoot 6 details, add 21 minutes of back-story, drama, trips to a shooting range to “let off steam”, someone saying “Wow, this paint is so cool.” and then reveal the finished product. Or you can shoot a time-lapse, but that usually only gives you one angle, and it’s recommended you take Adderall if you want to try to learn any details. This video is more like the Cliffs Notes of a build. It shows the rebuild of a Mitsubishi Evo X to a Group N rally car in a detailed, high-quality, 14-minute video. It moves like a music video, without leaving out information. Make the minute, finger-tip’s reach to the mouse that requires 1/10th the effort of turning a page of paper jump to watch.

 

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13.04.2012 Video 2 Comments

(Video) Guts: Removing an Engine w/ Reverse

Thursday, April 12th, 2012

by Zack Klapman

 

Normally, engine removal is a slow, delicate process. Up .1″, stop! Back .5″, stop! Repeat. I have taken an engine out once. Unsurprisingly, I used a Cherry Picker. Surprisingly, the weight limit for it was 700lbs, and my 1967 Pontiac 400 weighed about 698lbs. A gentle swing would cause the rear wheels of the picker to lift off the ground. At the time, I thought that was interesting, so I did it more than once. I was 17, and clearly, very stupid.

 

This is nothing like that. This is engine removal for the sake of boredom, with a car that matters less than the educational system you left at age 12. It went like this: Put car near tree. Attach chain to tree. Attach chain to engine. Start car. Select reverse. Hope chain doesn’t snap, fly through the windshield and kill you. WOT throttle, in reverse, see what happens. Jump to see what happens.

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12.04.2012 Uncategorized, Video 4 Comments

M135i Hatch: Can I Get a Hell Yes Please!? (video)

Wednesday, April 11th, 2012

 

by Zack Klapman

 

Here’s something I want to buy: the BMW M135i Concept. 3 doors? 300ish HP? Rumors of AWD? Yesh. It’s like a better, more expensive yet-so-worth-it Golf R, on one of my favorite platforms. The proportions look better than the old M Coupe, which looked just a bit too much “twig and berries.” I think the concept from Geneva looked good, and seeing it rip around the ‘Ring means-in theory-it will be nearly as fun as the 1M. I bet the 1M was bought almost exclusively by people who really like cars, knew what it was, knew what it could do on the road, and didn’t give a shit if their friends asked why they didn’t opt for a 3 or 5-series instead. This takes that to the next level. A RWD or (maybe) AWD hatch from BMW is the ultimate car for the car nerd that like to go fast, but might need to carry some stuff occasionally. Jump for more and to see CAR‘s footage. (more…)

11.04.2012 Uncategorized 3 Comments

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