Speeding Without Sight

I posted a while back about a blind man driving and even donuts in a Mustang. Back then I only had the trailer. Here's the actual video.

Although part of their campaign for the new Mustang, its still a decent thing for the folks at Ford to do for a disabled enthusiast.

Formula Drift Sneak Peeks

I was at Changi Exhibition Centre today for the Formula Drift media briefing, during which Ivan mentioned he is looking to place in the top 5. Here's hoping all 6 Singapore drifters put up a strong showing!

After the briefing, it was photo op time before Ivan Lim and other members of Team Goodyear commence scaring the shit out of the other poor journalists during the joy rides.





After splitting from the media briefing, I went looking for the Ford GT I saw on my way in...



550 bhp of American muscle, I think it belongs to Goodyear. Test drive please?



Parked besides the Ford supercar are three brand new 370Zs are Tan Chong. The 370Z is the official safety car for Formula Drift though for the life of me, I can't figure out how you will need a safety car in a drift competition...



But I am loving the revised looks of the latest Z. More focus, less flab, MORE horsepower. Yeah baby, yeah. My test drive will be sometime this month. Can't wait.



Moving to the pits, I supposed this give me an idea of the kind of weekend we can look forward to. Binter is coughing up a shitload of tyres for this one. Damn, plenty of tyre sizes and widths that I can use for my S15.





Plenty of stripped out hardcore drift machines in the pit but three particular cars caught my attention.



Actually its four cars but two were visually identical Lexus Aristos fielded by Type R Club from Hong Kong. Yes the top mount HKS T04Z snail did catch my initial attention but its the overall presentation of the two cars that impress me greatly. The entire build screams professionalism and top quality parts, with the mechanics looking deadly serious while setting up the car.




What a MX-5 doing in a drift competition? I disagree at first solely on principle, then I see the stripped out interior, welded in roll cage and industrial-sized bottle of NOS mounted in the back, with driver Jatuphon grinning like a Cheshire cat saying, "I like something different.."



Then I decide this maniac Miata could be fun to watch on race day.



Decide I'll end with some shots of Ivan Lim's daily driver. White on green TE37s with crazy offset and flared fenders. Plenty of other neat details such as removal of the rear wiper, no visible FMIC which likely means a V-mount.



Possibly the most understated yet coolest S15 in Singapore.



Formula Drift Singapore is shaping out to be better than last year.

Disabled & Drifting

Lots of normal people can't even drive properly. For proof, see some of the idiotic driving during your morning commute on the freeway.



So for a disabled person to drift, it's a mind-blowing feat of awesomeness. A demonstration of the indomitable human spirit over adversity.



The three pictures above are taken by Dino Dalle at a drift event in Nikko, Japan and according to him, "Pulling on the lever will actuate the throttle while moving it forward will get the brakes to come on. He made it looks so easy out on track and was putting out more tire smoke than anyone else!"



Another example I know of in Japan. 2005 D1GP champion Kazama tried out the set up and attest its not easy at all!



The latest example is an email from Ford's PR saying that they just got a blind man onto the new Mustang and he was doing donuts!

This trailer might be a deliberate effort to tug at our heartstrings, but nonetheless, it was a decent thing to do for a car lover who lost his sight. Full video to be out soon.

Random But Good Gumball Pics

Gumball is over but it's spirit (and rampant internet photos) live on.

Here's some of my favourites after sifting through the photo album of a Facebook friend.

How does this GTR even move??

Another Nissan flying the JDM flag proudly (and illegally)! The corner road sign showing '15mph' juxtaposed with the drifting and the guy jumping in glee is just wild.

Replete with the usual bevy of beauties to spice up this already over-the-top motoring event.

Last but not least, two cars I don't think we have over here in Singapore.

SSC Ultimate Aero, currently the fastest production car in the world, with a fastest recorded speed of 413 km/h as verified by Guinness World Records on October 9, 2007. Thanks to Koich for pointing out my mistake!

The legendary Jaguar XJ220, which held the record for the highest top speed of a production car (350 km/h) until the arrival of the McLaren F1 in 1994.

Lastly, Ford GT, the modern descendant of the legend that gave Ferrari hell at Le Mans in the late 1960s.

Any sponsors want to hook me up for next year's Gumball? :)

The New Pony Paying "Respect" To The Old

A cake and birthday greeting card written on the tarmac, so sweet of the new Genesis Coupe. Awwww...

425hp V8-engined delivery van

Ford has done something like this before dubbed the Transit Super Van 3

Now the UPS automotive team in the city of Langenhagen has followed in the spiritual footsteps of the Super Van 3.

These crazy Germans converted a seventeen year old, retired UPS package car into a powerful racing truck. The UPSers replaced the engine (the four cylinders were replaced by a V8 engine with 425hp!!!). The package car was fitted with a new rear axle, a flashy bumper, two exhaust pipes, new springs, fatter tires, chrome rims and a new cabin.

It's posted on 30 March so it could be an April's Fool joke but the footage looks rather convincing though...

Random Sightings: RE GT300 RX7, Daigo's Mustang, Team Orange Evo X

Some random snaps courtesy of Dino Dalle:

Team Orange's Evo X

Daigo (2008 D1GP champion) is currently contesting this Mustang for the 2009 season. Already ruffling the feathers of many diehard JDM fanboys.

Re Amemiya's 2009 entrant for GT300. It's sponsored by Mutiara Motors, a previously little-known Malaysian company. Interesting...