Test Driven: 2012 Mazda Mazdaspeed3
Posted: August 30, 2012 Filed under: Cheap Fun!, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: 2.3, 240, 263, 3, 4, 5, back, Car, compare, cylinder, door, Drive, driving, dynamics, Evo, Fast, four, front, fun, FWD, Hatch, hp, Japanese, Liter, manual, Mazda, MazdaSpeed, Mazdaspeed3, Mind, moded, Modified, motor, new, Nick, Over, pleasure, practical, Ralliart, space, speed, Sport, STi, stock, Transmission, tune, tuning, turbo, Used, vs, Walker, wheel, whp, WRX 1 Comment »
I have yet to meet an owner of a Mazdaspeed3 (MS3) who didn’t legitimately love their car. Something about the car seems to inspire people, they always have that “I know something you don’t” smirk on their face. Mazdas have always had a good sporting dynamic to them, but the enthusiasm that owners seem to have about this car goes beyond that. I have always known about the MS3, but somehow, while I’ve been out driving all sorts of fun cars over the years, it has eluded me. So recently, I decided it was time I take one out for a spin to see what these owners are so smug about. Read the rest of this entry »
Car & Driver: Lotus Elan vs. Mazda MX5
Posted: August 10, 2012 Filed under: Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE | Tags: &, 20, and, Car, Comparison, Driver, driving, Elan, fun, History, Laguna, Lotus, Mazda, Miata, Mind, motor, MX5, Over, pleasure, Raceway, Roadster, Seca, Super, vs Leave a comment »This is a great video showcasing two of the best roadsters in history. The Elan was the inspiration for the MX5 in a different era, and both cars have lessons to teach other carmakers today. This is pure driving and pure fun, the hell with 0-60 times and 1/4 mile runs. I can only hope that one day I get to drive a Lotus Elan like this, it is pretty high up there on my list. Enjoy the vid.
-Nick
Batman in his Lambo
Posted: March 23, 2012 Filed under: Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE | Tags: Batman, Dark, driving, Knight, Lamborghini, Maryland, Mind, motor, Over, Police, Street Leave a comment »The Dark Knight was spotted out driving his Gallardo Spyder. See the rest of this on GTspirit.
-Nick
Cars 101: Video games and real driving
Posted: January 16, 2012 Filed under: CARS 101 | Tags: 2, 3, 360, a, aids, and, Best, child, Drive, Driver, driving, F1, Forza, Games, gaming, generation, Gran, How, kid, Learning, Mind, motor, Motorsport, new, Nick, Over, permit, person, Playstation, racing, real, reality, Road, Safety, school, simulation, student, teach, to, translate, Truth, Turismo, video, Walker, way, What, Xbox, young Leave a comment »
Forza's Kinect feature allows casual players to simply steer, and the game takes care of the rest. More hardcore players should stick with a controller though.
My generation was the first to grow up with video games that could really simulate reality to a high degree. There are titles out there now that can simulate the likes of ruthless combat, dog fighting a fighter jet, and of course racing a car. Every generation after us will continue to grow up with these simulating games, and will wind up trying to use the experience they have gained in these games when it comes time to get behind the wheel for real. Many people out there do not believe such games hold any real merit in such skills as driving a car, but they would be hugely mistaken. Much can be learned from experience in realistic video games, but it is important to understand what translates into reality and what does not. Read the rest of this entry »
Some hooning in the hills of Malibu
Posted: January 2, 2012 Filed under: Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE | Tags: aggressive, Bentley, Bugatti, Cars, driving, fun, hooning, Jay, Lamborghini, Leno, Malibu, Mclaren, Police, scary Leave a comment »Some great cars and a few morons thrown in make this a funny and exciting video to watch.
-Nick
Test Driven: Range Rover Evoque, Nick’s Take
Posted: December 30, 2011 Filed under: Off-Road Able, Sports and Executive, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: all, AWD, Beach, beauty, California, Car, Concours, Cross, Crossover, cylinder, design, Drive, driving, Evoque, four, fun, Impressions, Inline, Land, Luxury, Mind, motor, off, Over, Pebble, Range, review, Road, Rover, Style, SUV, Test, turbo, Turbocharged, versitile, wheel Leave a comment »
Range Rover Evoque
As soon as I first laid eyes on the Evoque I knew it was going to be a game changer. It was a completely new formula for a luxury SUV that, not only, drastically redefined style, but also drivability and usability as well. Being the founding member of what seems to be an emerging segment in the high end market, the Evoque sets the precedents for future entries. I have pointed out this segment before in articles concerning the Nissan Juke and Mini Countryman, however the Evoque represents the first full on luxury offering of this sort. This past year, at Pebble Beach, Land Rover was holding Evoque test drives, so having been eager to try it out since I saw it, I signed the papers and took one out for a spin. Read the rest of this entry »
Road Review: Nick’s 1993 Mazda MX5 Miata
Posted: December 15, 2011 Filed under: Photography by Dan Valanzola, Road Review, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: 1.6, 1992, 1993, 4, 92, 93, Beat, Car, Cat, catback, Convertible, Cruising, driving, exhaust, Flyin, four, full, fun, girly, great, handling, HFC, Inline, joy, magnaflow, Mazda, Miata, Mind, mine, motor, my, N1, NA, Over, own, photos, racing, review, Roadster, Sport, Sports, stage 2, Suspension, Test, Thoughts 1 Comment »
My ’93 Mazda Miata
The Mazda Miata is, in many ways, a controversial car among auto enthusiasts. On one hand it has a huge enthusiast following and is one of the best selling sports cars of all time, and on the other hand there are many people who wouldn’t call it a sports car at all. The later often likes to stigmatize the Miata as a “girls car” that is more of a fashion accessory than a driving machine. For a while I was one of those people, I thought the Miata was too slow to offer any excitement. However, a few years ago, I got my hands on EVO Magazine’s piece on the 100 greatest driver’s cars of all time and I was shocked to see the Miata in the top ten. I read their reasoning on their choice, and their general thoughts on the car. They said it was like many faster sports cars, but the whole experience is in slow motion, and that it really allows you to both savor the experience of driving and work on your technique. My mind was forever changed about the Miata, so much so that I decided to buy one a few months later to have as a fun second car. I have now owned it for around a year and a half, and have tried to sum the car up for you below. Read the rest of this entry »
Riccardo Patrese loves to scare his wife
Posted: December 12, 2011 Filed under: Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE | Tags: Civic, crazy, driving, his, Mind, motor, Over, Patrese, R, Riccardo, scare, Type, wife Leave a comment »Former F1 driver Riccardo Patrese takes his wife for a spin in a Civic Type R. If this is what a car ride is like for them, I don’t even wanna know what things are like in the bedroom…
-Nick
A seriously modified, twin turbo Mustang Cobra
Posted: November 6, 2011 Filed under: Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE | Tags: 1111, busa, Cobra, crazy, driving, dyno, Ford, hayabusa, Highway, Mind, motor, Mustang, Over, race, speed, SVT, twin turbo, whp Leave a comment »A solid video showing the build and the car in action. The thing is seriously fast. Enjoy.
Forza Motorsport 4
Posted: October 17, 2011 Filed under: AUTOMOTIVE INSIGHTS | Tags: 4, Drifting, driving, electronic, features, Forza, fun, game, Mind, motor, Motorsport, Over, play, Porsche, racing, response, review, Thoughts, video, Xbox Leave a comment »
Gumpert Apollo in Autovista
In the past few days, since Forza 4 hit the shelves, I have devoted a rather large, and probably unhealthy amount of time to it. As a young car guy who enjoys video games I was indescribably excited for the game’s release. So after a decent amount of hours played in the game I am ready to share my thoughts. Read the rest of this entry »
Test Driven: 2003 Chrysler Concorde LX
Posted: August 31, 2011 Filed under: Road Review, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: 2.7L, big, Car, Chrysler, Concorde, DaimlerChrysler, driving, Full-Size, FWD, Mind over motor, NJ, seats, Test Drive, Trunk, V6 Leave a comment »
Concorde (Front) It’s not the plane, but it feels as big as one inside.
Back in the early 2000s, the domestic automakers still had somewhat of a foothold on the American car market, but it was starting to slip. Chrysler, for one, had been under Daimler’s control for a number of years by that point, and so far, didn’t have a lot to show for it, other than the Crossfire. The Concorde, its flagship, had benefited from some good styling changes and a few equipment modifications, but was otherwise unchanged from previous years. Read the rest of this entry »
