No Mercy

... from this Murci.

Wrecked Beauty

What happen when you crashed your car?

Typically, you either repair it or scrap it.

Now you have another choice: Find a studio and some babes.

Cornering 101 for The Playstation Generation

Do you know how to take driving lines through corners? I have limited track experience but do have a general understanding of the techniques required to go through fast turns, hairpins etc.

Despite reading up on books such as the Skip Barber Racing School's official guidebook, I must admit somewhat ashamedly that this article is the easiest for me to wrap my head around.

Keiichi Tsuchiya on F430 Scuderia

Screaming down Motegi at 9000 rpm with Keiichi, fantastico~!

Outdoor Mechanic

Here's one mechanic who love to workout in the great outdoor.

In My Dreams

What should I drive today?

Promoted Stormtrooper

This Stormtrooper used to drive a Lotus...

But having killed enough of the resistance, he rose up in rank and gets a Lambo as a company car.

Japanese Tuning Show @ Silverstone

This high profile event happened at UK's Silverstone circuit on May 31st 2009 with Banzai magazine being the media partner. As such, plenty of high horsepower, after market tuned vehicles was on display. Photos courtesy of Chris Ulla.

Lust Magazine, Autoerotik, KL, Malaysia

Lust Magazine hosted an event with the theme, Autoerotik at Solaris Club, SohoKL on the 22 May 2009.

At the event there are 1000 Hp Supra, some R34 GTRs,



and of cos ... MODELS !







Source: The Clipping Point

Time Attack Nissan 200 SX 3D Rendered

Here the time attack/street Nissan 200 SX that Bo Zolland of Virtualtech had designed for a Swedish client.

The car will use a 600 horsepower turbo engine and will use a Venturi Tunnel to hold the car firmly down while helping to increase speed. Using a racing chassis and a body built entirely from carbon fiber, the 200 SX is inspired by the GT 500 Super GT racing series vehicles.





Source: SeriousWheels.com

Don't Reinvent The Wheel.

Riding on the success of his first Gymkhana Practice video that grabbed the attention of over 20 million viewers worldwide, Ken Block's Gymkhana TWO video takes infomercials to the next (unwelcome) level.

To me, the sophomore effort comes across as trying too hard, with the water balloons, explosions and fluorescent lights. I was even expecting scantily clad girls a la the F&F franchise after a while.

Also, can anyone figure out in what way is it a display of driving skill, when you have a guy shooting paintballs at you while you do donuts around the poor bugger?



Nothing in version two beats Ken doing donuts around a moving Segway in the original: authentic and cool, with no 2 minute long sponsor message at the end.

A case of needless reinvention, if you ask me.

Cheerful Bikini Car Wash

She should name her car wash company Cheerful :)

Left Leg Training Time Part 2

In a previous post, I mentioned that I got a Ogura twinplate from ST. Got the car back today and here's the review.

Wrapped myself into the Recaro, fired up the ignition.. The exhaust growl filled the cabin as the PowerFC commands the engine to rev up to 2000 rpm during the cold start.

Concurrently, there was a 'zing' sound that lasted about 1-2 seconds, signature of the Ogura twinplate.

The ball of my left leg touch the clutch pedal with trepidation. Is the pedal effort going to be so heavy that I will have to undergo strength training with sumo squats and calve lifts?

SURPRISE! I was driving my dad's stock Lancer during the last couple of days and the Ogura requires at max 15% more strength to depress compared to the Mitsubishi's.

I jabbed the clutch a few more times for good effect. Another Ogura signature - a high pitched grinding sound resonates throughout the cabin from the drivetrain. Some drivers called this the 'ice cream van' sound effect.

I wind down the window, depress the clutch again. Yep, I sound like a ice cream van, albeit one with 374 bhp.

I don't really mind the sound (call me masochistic) and I can see how NVH-conscious drivers will find the noise intolerable. BUT these type of people don't drive sports cars with twinplate clutches, do they?

I put the S15 in reverse, built up a bit of revs and release the clutch slowly... Halfway through, the clutch engage fully and rather shockingly. Un-used to this dichotomous behaviour, I did stall a few times embarassingly at traffic times.

Not a big problem, its just a matter of getting used to matching the revs and releasing the clutch. Another friend who used this clutch warned ominously that I will grow to hate upslopes...

Then the fun part begins once I moved off. Downshifts and upshifts are so much easier due to the smooth engagement of the Ogura and the light pedal effort makes me feel like I am just driving a stock car. Sporty driving with a daily driver level of effort. I like!

Like:
+ Rated up to 550ps which is more than I will ever need
+ Light pedal effort comparable to a stock econobox
+ Once moving, shifts engaged cleanly with no drivetrain judder

Dislike
- On or off engagement means traffic light and upslope starts takes a fair bit to get used to
- Grinding noises during ignition start or depressing of clutch
- Pricey S$2k++ brand new (but you do get what you paid for)

Shout "Wald"!

This is the first Wald International aerokitted GTR in Singapore.

A rather marmite choice if you ask me. I am still unsure whether I love its complexity or hate its convoluted-ness, case in point being the rear wheel arch.

Eugene says it looks absolutely awesome in the flesh. Well, it definitely stand out from the numerous GTRs we have over here.

Sexy Mechanic - The Intern Return

The intern is back this week for lesson II.

Hope she will come back everyweek.

NISMOed

I got poisoned by Charcoalx so badly that I am becoming quite ricey now too.

Look at what just arrived yesterday.



Ordered in 1 x Nismo Speedo Cluster that show up to 320KM/HR (Not as if I can even reach there).



Also ordered in 03 x Nismo Gear Knob. 1 for my own use, 1 for a S14, and 1 more up for sales. Anyone ?

Bushes From Down Under

Pardon if the title of this post sounds like one of MJ's! :)

Got a set of polyurethane bushings from Australia's SuperPro to freshen my suspension setup.

My rear camber arm and toe arm bushings are fairly new as these arms were swapped for aftermarket items but that's about it as the rest are with the S15 since it left the factory seven years ago. Particularly excited to see how much the steering rack bushes will improve steering response by.

Here's what I bought and the SuperPro part numbers for fellow S15 drivers that's keen as well.

1) Front control arm inner SPF1483K x 1
2) Front strut bar to chassis SPF1202K x 1
3) Rear arm bush SPF1638K x 2
4) Rear lower toe control arm kit SPF2296K x 1
5) Rear lower control arm inner bush kit SPF1750K x 1
6) Steering rack mount bush kit SPF2551K x 1

Items 1 to 6 comes as a kit labeled KIT117K.

Actually bought these a while back during a car event promo sale but never got around to installing them. Guess I got off my arse to sort them out as I am in a tinkering kind of mood recently. Will post a review sometime next week.

Volvo Sisters

Can't really decide who do I prefer more :)

Not Hot About Audi

A shoot of Louis' car. I guess he won't be an Audi ambassador anytime soon.

Lady In Red

Neat photo by Louis Soon, an active and prolific photographer among Singapore's BMW community.

UK F1 Babe

Frankly, hardly can find pretty F1 babes, but this UK babe really stand out.

Supercars Overload

Chance upon the Facebook page of The Auto Gallery, a California-based dealer of Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche and Audi.

My god, some of their machines are enough to make a grown man (namely me) weep.

Their showroom is supercar central and in the words of their local press, "The Auto Gallery in Calabasas hosts an international car show everyday."

Get your italiano auto fix today here.