I just found this beautiful Ford Bronco while out and about at the beach on this beautiful Memorial Day weekend.
-Nick
All posts by ndubs77
Why Is Paddle Shift Killing the Manual Transmission, and is it a good thing?
I am someone who has publicly lamented the decline of the manual transmission. But I’m also someone who has enjoyed the merits of modern paddle shift gearboxes in many different cars.
I find myself very much split on this issue. So lets take a look at the various reasons why shifter paddles are replacing a gear lever and a third pedal in some of our favorite cars, and consider if it really is a good thing or not.
Note: To clear this up right away, by “paddle shift” I mean cars with automated manual gearboxes, either dual-clutch or single-clutch. I am in no way talking about anything like a Toyota Camry with the “sport package”, which has paddle shifters as a marketing gimmick.
1. More versatile on the road. (Having your cake and eating it too)
If you had something like a Lamborghini Diablo back in the mid 1990s chances are you had a lot of fun out on the open road. However, when you got into town and hit traffic, the heavy clutch made driving the car more of a $250,000 chore than an enjoyable way to spend a weekend afternoon. Considering the average speed of traffic on most roads is around 25-30mph, you’d be spending far more time putting along slowly than stretching the car’s legs. It’s a wonder why most owners hardly ever drove their exotic cars.
Today, Lamborghini only offers their cars with a paddle shift transmission. The sales numbers spoke for themselves. Once paddle shift was offered back around 2004, demand for manual Lambos simply fell off.
Paddle shift basically solved all the issues described above with the Diablo. Now, in an Aventador, you can rip your way into town and then just put the car in automatic mode when you hit traffic. You have a car that is a ferocious supercar when you want one, but is also just as easy to drive as a Toyota Camry when you don’t. You are no longer writing a six-figure check to put yourself through misery. And I agree, that is a major plus, especially in cars that had very difficult manual gearboxes like most supercars did.
Continue reading Why Is Paddle Shift Killing the Manual Transmission, and is it a good thing?
The 2016 Chevrolet Camaro Looks Proper
Chevy just released the new Camaro hot on the heels of the new Ford Mustang, and it’s fixin’ to whoop it up somethin’ fierce!
I like to think of the modern muscle car as a sort of “blue-collar grand tourer”, and the current/previous Camaro was a great example of what such a modern muscle car should be like. That is to say it has to have speed, style, and comfort, and while it may be a heavy car, it should handle it’s weight well in corners. The Camaro already did all of that splendidly, so GM really just needed to build upon an already good car.
Looking at the new 2016 Chevrolet Camaro and its finer details, it definitely seems like GM has taken the route of improving on a good thing rather than reinventing the wheel.
Ford Mustang: Old Pro-Tourer vs New GT 5.0
/Drive’s Matt Farah compares a classic Pro-Tourer modded Mustang called “The Villain” against the brand new 2015 Ford Mustang GT with the 5.0L Coyote V8 in it and a proper stick shift
Would you spend $150,000 to have your own “Villain” retro Mustang? Would you spend $35,000-$40,000 to have a new Mustang GT? The cars are in two totally different markets, naturally, but it’s something to consider.
I’ve never been a huge Mustang guy, myself, but I must admit that black over red 2015 GT 5.0 in the video did make me drool a bit. As for the resto-mod ‘Stang, it’s definitely cool as all hell, but it’s not how I’d spend my own $150,000 because I’m a fiend for exotics. That said, I can totally see it being worthwhile for anyone who really loves muscle cars, and wants a quality resto-mod they can actually thrash.
Think about something like the Singer 911, though, how badass would it be if a company started building custom classic Mustangs like that. Classic Recreations, who makes “The Villain” seems to be trying that idea out a bit, so I wish them much success.
Enjoy!
-Nick
Hypercar History (1950s-1980s)
What is a hypercar? A hypercar is a supercar among supercars.
What is a supercar? A supercar is a faster, more extreme sports car.
What is a sports car? A sports car is a driving-focused machine in purpose with transportation being a secondary concern.
That is a very simplified rundown of the status that hypercars have in the world of automobiles. Supercars are what most people dream about, hypercars are what supercar owners dream about. They are the automobile fully turned up to eleven!
But where did it all begin, and how has this ultimate class of cars developed over time? Let’s go back to the 1950s.
Petrolicious: Sir Stirling Moss and the Mercedes 300 SLR 722
In another serious gem of a video by Petrolicious, we are taken back to the 1955 Mille Miglia with non other than Sir Stirling Moss himself, who won the race with his Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR #722.
This was really the golden era of racing when everything was still allowed to be excessively dangerous. The Mille Miglia, a one thousand mile race on the public streets of Italy, was probably the most notorious race of the age. Moss finished the race in just 10 hours and 7 minutes setting the all time record for the race, which has never been beaten.
You have to understand the context to appreciate the enormity of his achievement, and to appreciate just how awesome a car the Mercedes 300 SLR is, even by modern standards. Officially, the roads were all closed, but Italy being Italy, that meant absolutely nothing. So it was basically a 1000 mile sanctioned street race, dodging trucks and much slower pedestrian traffic. The speeds were also no joke either, 150-160mph was routinely reached by Moss in his SLR, and he even talks about getting airborne at those speeds. Also keep in mind that this was all back in the mid 1950s with tire and braking technology from the era. Most modern cars, with modern technology, cannot stop or maneuver well at 160mph, but the 300 SLR could do it back then… at least well enough that it is still in one piece.
Enjoy this video. Moss is one of the most legendary drivers of all time, and the 300 SLR is probably the most epic car Mercedes-Benz has ever made.
-Nick
MotorWeek Looks at Buying Japanese Classics
Fancy buying a Nissan Skyline GT-R or an old Silvia? With the import ban ending on late-80s/early-90s models, that is a realistic dream. MotorWeek takes a look at what it takes to get your hands on such a car, and it costs less than you might think. Enjoy!
-Nick
Camo Lambo Aventador Spotted in New Hope, PA
Spotted this insane camo-wrapped Lamborghini Aventador outside the New Hope Auto Show. Funny thing is they denied him entry to the show, even though there were plenty of spots available on the field. Luckily, I didn’t miss it!
-Nick
R34 Nissan Skyline GTR vs R35 Nissan GTR: A JDM Pipe Dream!
[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Lc3GJ2O5ic%5D
Car Throttle pits the Nissan R34 Skyline GTR against the modern Nissan R35 GTR. Sure, the R35 GTR is a lot faster, but in every plane of existence encompassed within our infinite multiverse, I’d rather have the R34 Skyline GTR. It’s just got more overall appeal in my opinion. See what you think.
-Nick
Jaguar F-Type R Coupe Review: The Best Luxury Sports Car under $120 grand?
The Porsche 911 has traditionally been the king of luxury sports cars, but the current generation has become way too expensive and is fairly forgettable. 911 Carrera S models start at $100,000 and can top $150,000 with all the options you want. For that kind of money, don’t you want something with a little more impact?
The 911 is probably as weak as it has ever been right now, and happily, there are many great options that can be had for under $120,000, let alone under $150,000.
The Jaguar F-Type is a relative newcomer, and it has a hell of a lot to offer for very reasonable money.
This is the Jaguar F-Type R Coupe, a rear wheel drive one, which sadly will only exist for the 2015 model year. Come 2016, and all V8 F-Types will all be all wheel drive. The plus, longer tire life and more grip… the minus, longer tire life and more grip.
In either RWD or AWD form, though, the V8 Jag F-Type is a hugely desirable car. To the extent that I might argue it’s the best luxury sports car (or “Sports Grand Tourer”) to buy right now, overall.
Continue reading Jaguar F-Type R Coupe Review: The Best Luxury Sports Car under $120 grand?
Awesome Burnouts and Accelerations at the CF Charities Supercar Show!
Here is some fun stuff from the CF Charities Supercar Show last year. Naturally, when you hold a car meet on an open airstrip, some shenanigans are going to take place… in fact, the more, the better!
It was a motley crew of cars at the show, everything from everyday tuner cars to a mighty Bugatti Veyron and a straight-piped Porsche Carrera GT.
If you love hearing some engines being thrashed, and you love some tire smoke, then you’ll be glad you gave this video a watch!
-Nick Walker
Driving a Ferrari Testarossa to the Sahara Desert. Why Not?
Harry Metcalfe decides to take his Ferrari Testarossa on a grand tour to the Sahara Desert, because Nice and St. Tropez are so played out at this point. And evidently, the fuel is obscenely cheap in Morocco, so driving a 12 cylinder Ferrari is almost economical.
How does a Ferrari do in the Desert? Sit back, and find out…
-Nick
Mind Over Motor 