If this track is as good as it looks like it could be, we might have the premier track in the western hemisphere coming to Austin, TX. Featuring 20 corners, 133 ft in elevation change and stretching out to 3.4 miles in length, we might have the makings of a real “drivers” track here. With the F1 contract to begin in 2012, it might be time to start breaking some ground. Here is a great image showing the elevation changes and the great sweeping corners.
There were so many M3’s sitting in the paddock at Road America this past week that I was on sensory overload. I was like a kid in a candy store to be honest. I was creating a mental checklist as to what I wanted to do to my car, and how quickly I could achieve it. By the looks of things, I might need 10 years to create my car.
Of course the ultimate M3 was present at the event and I was fortunate enough to snap a couple of pictures along the way. I wish I was able to get better shots, but I will just have to drool over the ones I did get for the time being.
Here is a side shot:
And a shot of the nasty side exhaust and aero work this beast has:
Oktoberfest has come and gone (funny because it is August) for the BMW CCA. We were fortunate enough to have the luxury of having this year’s festivities at Road America. Since this is such a large event, it was hard to attend for just one day, but since this was my only option, I chose a late week run up to the historic track. I have so many photos from the event, I opted to share them over a couple day span. So this is what greeted me at Gate 6:
Just in case you did not want doors with your BMW
Saw this on the motorauthority site and thought I would share it here as well. Is there really a “theft proof” car? As a current owner of a Honda, I assure you that the thought is always in my mind that I might walk out to a parking lot to an empty space that my car once occupied. The common thought is that you cannot stop a thief from stealing your car, you can only make it very tough. Your extra efforts in security measures hopefully will deter them from grabbing your car and finding an “easier” target.
There is also the argument that a thief can always just use a tow truck and drive away with the car and all those fancy alarms and locks will just be taken off at the chop shop. Well this company, Home Security, believes that they have taken all of these variables into effect and has created the ultimate theft proof car. I still can see someone using a tow truck to drive away with the car, but they have taken extra measures to make it difficult not to get caught with that car on your tow rig.
So, is there such a thing as a theft proof car? I am sure you could dump a ton of money in James Bond gadgetry in order to make that happen, but is it a realistic option?
Another video of what Walter Rohrl does best….drive Porsches. Walter is taking out a lucky gentleman for a ride around the LUK driving center for more than likely the ride of his life. The new 911 GT2 RS is rumored to run the ring at 7:18. All I know is you need to have some serious kohones to drive this car to the limit.
I got a good laugh at this window sticker from a Mini I had the pleasure of seeing last weekend at a local car show. Last weekend was my first weekend off from “car stuff”- as my wife so kindly puts it- this summer. Of course since I was not at the track or working on my car, I decided a local car show would fill the void in the weekend nicely.
So the question for those who are familiar with Mini’s: What year is this Mini in the photo?
Hint: If you cannot tell from one of the photos, it was before BMW had their hand in the mix…
Our good friend Eric pointed out a video to me that I could not pass up posting on our blog. My jaw is still on the floor after watching this video a couple of times. I can’t wait to see this car in action as I am sure it will be soon. With a rumored sub 7:30 mark on the Ring, and being a hybrid car- Porsche has set the benchmark again.
Chris, Michael, and Chuck work hard on creating a site that is entertaining, informative and offers competitively priced parts those who are automotive enthusiasts. Recently the staff at GRM did a quick review of our site and had this to say…..
“IMGT3: An Online Speed Shop with and Old-School Feel
Remember the good ‘ol days when we has to trudge down to the local speed shop or thumb through a catalog to buy our performance parts? Well, we have the magical Internet now, and websites continue to offer more and more ways to entertain and serve us.
One of our favorite new sites for parts shopping is IMGT3Performance.com. This easy-to-navigate site features good deals on products from Hawk, Pagid, TRG, Sparco, K&N, G-Force and more. Plus they offer an interactive community built by racers for racers….
By featuring fun, lighthearted videos on their site, IMGT3 Performance makes it enjoyable to spend time browsing while shopping. Best of all, these guys actually use the products they sell. They’re regular track day participants in the Chicagoland area.
Feel free to wax nostalgic, but the next time you order brake pads from your couch while wearing PJs, keep in mind these guys (sp) aren’t so bad after all.”
GRM is one of our favorite magazines and has been a staple in our office for many years. GRM offers great insight and tech tips for the weekend warrior for cars ranging from Miatas to full bred race cars. The ever so popular $2010 challenge and coverage of NASA and SCCA events are aways entertaining reads.
Pick up your copy at newsstands and bookstores on August 17th!
Just thought I would throw this one out there on a lovely Monday morning. New Hybrid truck from GM!!!
One of the perks of my job is that at times I have had the unique opportunity to experience different cars on a track setting. This past weekend with the Chicago PCA I was provided an opportunity to instruct a very good student who happened to drive a Lotus Elise to the track. I have seen these cars on the street and the showroom floor, but I have never rode in one, let alone on the track.
Being a car nut, I knew what I was getting in to, a perfect example of weight and balance. I was extremely pleased to find that the student I had was a believer in the same philosophy that the Elise and Lotus was founded on.
All I can say after this weekend is that I might have to add the Elise to a list of cars that I would like to own at one point in my life. The minimalism and weight saving in the car is evident in every inch of the car’s being, and the handling and braking is pure heaven. Lotus did make one concession in this car that I find hilarious. There is a aluminum single cup holder that slides out from underneath the center console below the radio. It it really a work of art in itself and I wished I had taken a photo of it to share. I guess that is Lotus designing their car interior to the US market. The Americans must have a cup holder in their car.
This is a car that would put a smile on my face every time I turned on the ignition. I might venture to guess that I would not change a thing on the car, which is tough for me to say as I have a hard time leaving my wife’s CRV alone.
