Tag Archives: German Cars

Cars We've Seen

Modified BMW 335xi Spotted on Woodward Ave

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BMW 335xi Modified Woodward Ave

We came across this well-modded BMW 335xi while out cruising Woodward Ave this summer. Fitted with M3 front bodywork, and a carbon fiber splitter, this 335xi is quite a nice-looking car.

I had a nice chat with the owner, and he informed me that the car was making around 430awhp, fitted with the full array of bolt-on modifications. The twin turbo N52 Engine in these things makes quite a bit of power easily, and this car was a great example.

335i’s are quite affordable these days too. For under $30 grand it’s feasible to make one of these into a solid 400hp+ GT carm like what you see here.

Well done!

-Nick

Car Shows

Porsche Cayman GT4s at Radnor Hunt

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Radnor Hunt Porsche Cayman GT4 Yellow

There were not one, but two brand new Porsche Cayman GT4s at Radnor Hunt this year. I checked out the inside of the yellow display model, and it just felt perfect – the shifter, the driving position, I even liked the stiff clutch pedal for a car like this. I look forward to the day I may get to actually drive one because I’ve heard it is sublime.

Now if only Porsche would give it the shorter final drive ratio that everyone says it needs, then it’d be just about perfect!

-Nick Walker

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CARS 101, Opinions

Don’t Let The Dieselgate Recall Ruin Your VW TDI Experience

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Volkswagen TDI Dieselgate

Volkswagen TDIs are incredible vehicles, despite much of the public sentiment right now, propagated by the whole Dieselgate debacle. 

Disagree? Then try achieving over 50 MPG while cruising at 90mph in any other car… a Pruis will barely even go that fast, let alone be efficient there.

Many Volkswagen TDI owners are very worried about the Dieselgate recall ruining their car’s performance, fuel mileage, and resale value — more so than the possibility of their car killing a few extra birds.

This article is for the informed diesel buyers, and probably not the those who bought their cars based on some vast “green” marketing fantasy. Everyone who knows diesel, knows it’s not the cleanest option, but they also know that its durabiltiy and efficiency makes up for that.

So if you’re starting to feel angry about the bird comment, then I suggest you stop reading here because the rest of this article will only piss you off even more.

For the rest of you, I want to discuss the best course of action for TDI owners who want to keep their diesels running solid after the recall is implemented. And yes, that means running a bit dirty to retain the outstanding performance and fuel economy, which are likely the main reasons you purchased a TDI. I will also discuss my take on what will most likely happen with the value of TDIs in the coming years (utilizing my degree in economics!).

Continue reading Don’t Let The Dieselgate Recall Ruin Your VW TDI Experience →

Car Shows

Minty Green Porsche 356 at Radnor Hunt

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Radnor Hunt Porsche 356 Green

We caught this lovely mint green Porsche 356 in the special car park at this year’s Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance.

I always love seeing cars in offbeat colors, and the 356 wears this shade of green quite well.

Enjoy!

-Nick

Car Games

How Would You Have It? 2016 Porsche 911 Carrera S (It’s Turbo Time!)

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2016 Porsche 911 Carrera S Miami Blue

So the new Porsche 911 Carrera models now come with turbochargers, but Porsche also used the occasion to debut this incredible new color, Miami Blue (so ’80s!).

I wanted to see how the change had affected the real, out-the-door prices, so I figured it’d be good for a price game.

Continue reading How Would You Have It? 2016 Porsche 911 Carrera S (It’s Turbo Time!) →

Car Shows

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2015 RADNOR HUNT CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE: PART 2

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Radnor Hunt 2015 Porsche 959 Front

And now we bring you our second round of highlights from the 2015 Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance. These were some of the more modern cars on the field, everything from supercars like the Porsche 959 seen above, to a Dodge Charger with a 426 Hemi under the hood. The Radnor Concours was really great this year.

Enjoy the gallery!

Continue reading HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2015 RADNOR HUNT CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE: PART 2 →

Cars We've Seen

Porsche 356 Speedster Spotted in Frenchtown, NJ

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Porsche 356 Speedster Frenchtown NJ

Never know what gems you’ll see when you’re out cruising around on a beautiful day. If it’s real, this Porsche 356 Speedster is pretty darn rare. Enjoy!

-Nick

Opinions

Porsche Gives All 911s Turbos, What To Make Of This Move

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2016 Porsche 911 Carreras

Porsche has just announced that all 911 Carrera models will be getting new turbocharged engines. There is much to be happy about here, but as with any change Porsche makes, there will surely be lots to gripe about. My take on this is as follows…

911 Turbos for everyone!

Both Carrera and Carrera S models get the same 3.0L flat 6 with twin turbochargers. Porsche says the tune in the Carrera makes 370hp with 330ft/lbs of torque and the tune in the Carrera S makes 420hp and 368ft/lbs of torque.

These are some substantial power numbers, especially considering how German companies always seem to underate their numbers on paper by 10-20%. Sure, maybe a Carrera S will make 420hp at high altitude on 91 octane in Denver, but you can bet it’ll be more than that at sea level with better fuel.

What’s more, all of these modern German turbo engines have proven to be absurdly tune-able. I’ll be surprised if the Carrera S won’t see over 500hp with just an ECU reflash. Maybe 450 or so for the Carrera, assuming there are some tangible differences with their turbos, engines, or fuel systems.

What this all means, though, is that we are ushering in an era of monsterously fast Porsche 911s. It should be a lot of fun, and thankfully, Porsche still offers the option of a proper manual gearbox.

Continue reading Porsche Gives All 911s Turbos, What To Make Of This Move →

Auto Idolatry

Better than an M3? Motor Trend pits the Cadillac ATS-V against the Mercedes-AMG C63 S

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My pick in this one would be the Cadillac all day long. Johnny Lieberman disagrees, though, in favor of the Merc for some very subjective reasons. That’s the name of the auto journalist game, though. But for me, the Caddy’s more nimble handling, better performance measures, and $15,000 savings make it the obvious choice here.

Having said that, between the BMW M3, Cadillac ATS-V, and the Mercedes-AMG C63 S, there is no bad choice at this point. These are all phenomenal cars.

Enjoy!

-Nick

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Jason Cammisa, a Porsche Cayman GT4, and Pobst. It’s time to watch.

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Jason Cammisa’s first video with MT is here, and he’s got a Porsche Cayman GT4, and lots of time on his hands. I’ll miss watching Carlos–but Jason’s really excellent, and his wheelman skills are prevalent. Watch this–the Cayman GT4 is an excellent car, and here it gets its due.

-Albert S. Davis

Automotive Lifestyle, Car Games

The Price Game: Mets Extra Edition!

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It’s late July. You’ve just gotten back from the latest business meeting, and the Mets traded for Cespedes today. You’ve got five hundred bucks burning a hole in your pocket, and a friend says, Odds are 100-1 on the Mets being in first place within a week of the trade. And because you won the bet, you’ve got $500,000 to spend on some cars. But, since you work full time, you’d better buy one car for each day of your work week. New cars and used are allowed–but used cars need to be within 200 miles of Central Jersey. Here’s the answers, both from me, and from Nick. Continue reading The Price Game: Mets Extra Edition! →