Palo Alto Concours D'elegance 2010

Sunday, June 27th was the forty-fourth annual Palo Alto Concours D’elegance. It was another scorching hot event just like last year, covered in my column from July 3rd, 2009. And again, for $20 prior to the show date, it’s a bargain. Besides that, seeing five street cars I’ve never seen in person is very memorable as well. In my opinion the hot sunshine made the colors even more vibrant.

This year Cadillac and Mercedes Benz were the featured marques which is a great combination. There is a tremendous amount of history between the two, but there were standouts past and present. The Gullwing Mercedes are timeless classics. 1930’s era V-16 Cadillacs have a certain magic about them as do many Concours quality cars from that era. And yes, the first view in person of the new SLS was a treat. It seems small compared to the McLaren parked next to it and the rear styling is a little weak in my opinion.

There were dealers and manufacturers that had their own cars on display too. Sure enough, the CTS Coupe was there with big doors, big butt, and unique styling. I don’t think silver is a good color for it due to the slab sides. The interior is quite nice however.

A white Lotus Evora was also present and looked quite stunning and more polished than the Tesla. A comparison is warranted since the body and chassis is from an extensively re-worked and lengthened Lotus.

Aston Martin had their Rapide 4-door. Dennis Dardinelli, craftsman of dardanellidesign.com exclaimed, “That’s bitchin!” upon approaching it. It really is a stunner with sports car styling. A big V-12 engine producing 470hp with a 6-speed automatic means adequate power. It’s quite a bit slower than the Porsche Panamera Turbo, but looks far better from any angle.

The Fisker Karma stole the show in my opinion. This 4-door plug-in hybrid has curves that are nearly R-rated. It made the Aston Martin Rapide look tame. Interestingly, Henrik Fisker used to be the stylist at Aston Martin and for less than one-half the price of the Rapide, this car could change everything. Its interior nearly matches the exterior. Charging is done via plug-in or by a GM source 2.0 liter 4-cylinder turbo. This thing re-defines 4-door styling and must be seen in person to appreciate. Fisker could sell these as rolling chassis for those wanting internal combustion performance and still do well.

Other highlights include retired race cars in the “Gallery of Greats”, the “Green Cars” exhibit which had only two entrants worthy of the parking on the grass at this event (see above) plus a Tesla Roadster Sport. Other displays included motorcycles with sidecars including a wheelchair bound special, ever-present and gorgeous Ferraris, Emergency and Police vehicles, and a boat display with some wood boats.

This is show is one of the best, covered parking for many, excellent staff and vehicle variety, food and professionalism. The not-so-hot parts were the corral for non-judged cars was particularly weak versus past years, easily eclipsed by the cars for sale. Some of the vehicles were parked too close together, almost discouraging looking inside and behind them. Those views should not be missed either.

Be sure to check out their website for all the information you could possibly want about the show and put the future shows on your calendar.

Nissan GT-R Review and Test Drive - Driving the Beast: Part 2 of 2

Click here for Part 1: Background and Interior Impressions

Driving The Beast:
It whirs and clicks. “Mechanical” is the description that comes to mind over and over. You hear the whirring of the engine and robotic clicks of the dual clutch transmission behind you. I found it pretty cool, conveying its operations although the owner was talking about adding sound insulation.

Almost mind blowing was the way it rockets out of turns with no drama. It was simply uncanny and obscene how early and how hard it could accelerate right after the apex. No hint of oversteer or drift. At full throttle in the less aggressive drive mode setting, the shifts feel like it’s from an automatic transmission.

It’s very large yet the impression given in the turns is that it cannot be rocked when parked if you push it from the side. It’s as if the suspension tolerances are so tight that there is no slop in lateral movement. The ride is quite firm in the sport mode and the pogo effect can be faintly detected but isn’t intrusive. When hitting bumps, it’s as if they are minimized in height and duration and the tire is immediately back to the level surface. Just like any other car, yet seemingly far more responsive.

The steering wheel is small and reminded me of the Lotus Elise I drove with less feedback but very quick ratio. There are plenty of controls on the wheel as well. Despite its feel and not being used to the car and keeping its size in mind, I used the center lane as my reference point, never the right side.

In automatic mode driving in traffic works nicely. Downshifting is fun but the throttle blips are quiet with the stock exhaust and intake. One thing to keep in mind, never manually downshift from 2nd to 1st when coming to a stop – it’s a jerky transition like a sloppily driven manual if timed incorrectly.

The Rest:
Doing a walk around for photos at the summit of Skyline and Highway 9, the owner’s assertion that it’s a “Dude Magnet” was proven. A couple of admirers walked over to check it out and compliment it. After sitting in it and now taking a look at it, it’s like an Infiniti G37 Coupe on growth hormone. Or perhaps steroids, take your pick. It is quite purposeful in design, more militant and not curvy or particularly sexy. It looks good in white and ominous in black.

The G37 Coupe comparison brings up an interesting point. I feel this car should have been sold as an Infiniti. It is more suited to the Infiniti brand. Lexus has race cars, why shouldn’t Infiniti have a performance flagship? The 370Z should carry that banner with Nissan.

Those vents in the middle of the hood are not fake. They actually direct air downward towards the turbos to keep them cool. In fact, even in the heat and fairly aggressive driving the coolant temp stayed around 183 degrees. I found this quite interesting in this day of 200+ degree emission compliant thermostats. And the transmission oil temps never climbed either.

I asked to him to “pop the hatch” assuming the shape dictated a hatchback. I was wrong, it’s a trunk. Oddly shaped, it reminded me of the Camaro. It’s seems rather deep but doesn’t go very far back towards the rear seats.

The GT-R isn’t a sports car although it performs like one. It’s really a Grand Tourer. I would say it makes a better daily driver than the non-twin clutch Porsche 911 Twin Turbo. It is quieter, seems to have more cargo capacity and utilitarian. However it isn’t as intimate or as exotic. The 911 Twin Turbo may not show well vs. the Italian exotics, but it is sexier looking than the GT-R. I would reserve judgment about the dual- clutch 911 TT though. That transmission and the recent suspension revisions would put it back in 1st place in my mind.

So was launch control ever used? No, he has never used launch control. In my estimate, that means consistent low 1.9x 60fts at the drag strip rather than 1.8s. Not really a big deal.

Will it turn a 7:29 at the infamous Nurburgring in Germany? Well, it will definitely beat a non-PDK transmission 911 Twin Turbo. It should be noted that Randy Pobst ran a low 1:40.453 at Laguna Seca when testing with Motor Trend. Compare that to some other cars at Fastlaps.com and the pecking order seems representative.

It’s an amazing car, and perhaps it doesn’t have a soul as some say. What it does have, if one were attribute an organic quality, is personality.

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Have a question about cars you would like answered? Want to know about performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc. Reach me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

Nissan GT-R Review and Test Drive: Part 1 of 2

Click here for Part 2 of 2: Driving the Beast

There were quite a few surprises driving the awesome and controversial Nissan GT-R. Having the opportunity to drive one on a twisty mountain road favored by motorcyclists was a thrill. It’s very “mechanical”, quite large and my impression more of a competitor to the Audi R8 than the Porsche 911 Twin Turbo.

Background: This 2010 model has about 2000 miles on it. The MSRP was over $80,000. It features a 6-speed dual clutch paddle-shift rear transaxle. The 3.8 liter twin-turbo V-6 produces 485 hp at 6400rpm and 434 ft. lbs of torque at 3200 rpm. Known for consistent deep 3-second 0-60mph blasts and high 11-second quarter mile times, the biggest controversy was the factory reported Nurburgring time of 7:29, beating far lighter, 600 hp plus cars like the Porsche Carrera GT and Pagani Zonda F.

The owner has had some notable cars in the past and is no stranger to track days. Cars like a track prepped Acura NSX, two E46 BMW M3s, and an ’04 Porsche 911 GT3. Currently besides the Nissan is a ’08 Porsche Cayman. He knows his cars.

Interior Impressions:
The first thing noticed is the deep, very supportive seats although I found myself sitting rather high up; almost oddly so for a performance car. The seats have an intuitive rotating and sliding control for electric motor adjustments. The door armrest and side panel is deeply padded and very comfortable. Looking outward, the visibility is very good, partially due to the high seating position. Even the race car in Speed GT seems to have a very high seating position. However due to the width and design, despite the overall visibility it’s hard to place the outer edge of the car during my brief time with it.

The rear seats are deep, but not a lot of leg room. It’s really more of a 3-seater like many smaller 2+2 coupes. The legroom is behind the passenger but the driver’s seat once adjusted pretty much eliminates a 4th passenger option.

Gauges are always welcome and the driver configurable display is a real treat. Information in the custom configuration set by the owner was showing boost level, engine oil temp, oil pressure, coolant temp, transmission oil temp and transmission oil pressure. It would take time to get used to reading them quickly but it’s great to have that information.

Telescoping steering is intuitively found but the tilt function is not. Believe it or not, a look at the owner’s manual was needed. Turns out the levers are next to each other. Go figure.

Now it was time to drive it, detailed in Part 2 of 2.

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Have a question about cars you would like answered? Want to know about performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc. Reach me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

Ask Rob About Cars: Lowering A Lifted Truck, Part 2

I saw your article on lifted trucks online. I am about to buy a great used truck, but it is lifted.. and I don't really want it to be. Any ideas on where or how is the best way to lower it again and what that would cost?

- Adam from L.A.

Hello Adam, I had this question asked once before. You can reference my answer from September 23rd, 2009 in the link here.

There are other reasons besides the safety, mileage and courtesy factors. It allows easier access to contents in the truck bed and interior. Also being able to park in your own garage or a public parking garage is nice. Finally, females in skirts and dresses tend not to like climbing in and out of them and that can be critical...

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Have a question about cars you would like answered? Want to know about performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc? Reach me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

Ford GT500 - Now It's Truly Legit

The Ford GT500 is now the car it always should have been. A weight loss of 146 lbs as tested by Car & Driver is the biggest reason. A brief review of the revised 2010 gave positive feedback for the revised interior but weight was still my concern. By all accounts in the media the 2010 suspension was much improved vs. the previous year.

The big news now is an aluminum engine block, saving 102lbs vs. the iron mill. This also contributes to a better front/rear weight distribution for improved handling and braking.

At 3751lbs it's still pretty heavy for a 107.1" wheelbase and not very aerodynamic, but what muscle car is? As mentioned, Ford made improvements to the solid rear axle (SRA). I can't say this ideal for handling like a rear independent suspension (IRS), but it is better for the dragstrip.

Although the rear seats are hardly usable, it does offer that degree of practicality a Corvette cannot. Also, it now raises the bar for Chevrolet to come out with the Z/28 Camaro that weighs the same or less than the non-supercharged SS already does.

Of course, with forced induction and upgraded engine cooling, minor modifications net big gains in horsepower. Just a guess but swapping a smaller pulley on the supercharger and tuning would take the horsepower from 550 to around 650. That's simply awesome. I now want one, badly.

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American LeMans Racing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca - Part 2

Part 2 of the American LeMans race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

There were 9 races over the weekend in 6 different classes but even if you just attend one, there was much to see and do. The main race is the 3rd longest race in the series and unfortunately even the new date in May vs. October didn't bring much better weather. Although temperatures were bearable in the sun it was quite windy. I know people that stayed home thinking it was going to rain.

Some highlights:

A tribute to racing Corvettes, past and present and serial # 001 2011 commemorative Z-06 in the paddock area.

Walking the starting grid before the main race was a treat, meeting the drivers and seeing the cars up close.

Taking the path up to the corkscrew made for some terrific views and is easier than going straight up. As it turns out, there were more spectators on the hillside than in both grandstands combined. Makes for a great although limited view, louder and protected from the wind. How could you go wrong?

The car corrals were interesting. Ferrari seemed to be missing, BMW looked like a parking lot of sedans, the Porsches were primarily drab colors and the Corvette contingent was quite large again. Acura NSX had a much smaller showing than past years which is inevitable since Honda stopped making sports cars, truly fast ones even longer than that.

The manufacturer displays are always worth a visit. Chevrolet had a great display of a Corvette ZR1 skeleton with the suspension, transaxle and engine. It was the first I've seen such a display and revealed much. It was absolutely fascinating.

The vendor area again had good variety, Piloti shoes has new styles and some leather models that are very cool and classy. Don't forget about the clothing and auto-themed jewelry. There were even purses made from seatbelt straps.

The track souvenir shop has an excellent variety of clothes and styles but I have one problem with much of the items. Despite Mazda's excellent contribution to the track and it's upgrades, I do not want "Mazda" on any of my clothing no matter what I drive unless it's a Mazda. And even then it's debatable. If Ferrari bought the naming rights, what if you drive a Porsche or Corvette? The line has to be drawn somewhere.

Of course, the English beer tent and again the quesadillas from Sundance Southwest Quesadilla and Sausage company deserve special mention. Again.

Got kids? A nice play area and big field of well manicured grass looked especially fun and even inviting for a nap. Yes, a nap is possible at the race track. Those glorious sounds can get you either very excited or lull you too sleep.

The series and the track have put on a first class event. Even the media materials are exceptional and could be offered to the public for sale. However, a six hour race is quite long and while an excellent test for teams and drivers, it's tough on the fans. The beauty is if you stay for only a few hours, there is so much to see and do.

Interestingly the television coverage was scheduled for 2.5 hours on CBS. It was actually 1 hour and while beautifully filmed with various profiles and features, there was a lot of racing action that wasn't shown to the viewing audience.

Links:

Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca

American LeMans Series results page
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Have a question about cars you would like answered? Want to know about performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc.? Reach me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

Is Tesla the next GM

Recently I had the opportunity to tour Tesla's final assembly and sales location and came away not only impressed but thinking, is this the next GM? Think about the emphass on electric cars. Will a generation or two from now say, "You mean to tell me that your car had flammable liquids stored in it and you had to replenish them every 1 or 2 weeks!?" There is going to be a generation that can't fathom a gasoline powered car any more than kids today never being without cell phones.

There will be a point where virtually every family will have a hybrid or electric vehicle in the garage and Tesla seems to be leading the way with a battery-only vehicle for the street.

My question was always, why a sports car? As it was explained to me, I realized what a clever idea it was. Make it a halo car that gets a lot of attention, limited availability and light enough that with the battery power available the performance compares decently with other cars in the same $100k price range. Granted it isn't a quarter-mile monster nor a road circuit track star, but it is quite quick in the more-or-less legal speed ranges. Also, being a niche two-seater means it isn't improperly perceived as the final break from our dependence on oil. Get the attention, establish credentials, raise funds, research, develop and then take what you've learned and earned to establish a mass-appeal, obtainable 4-door. Brilliant.

The motor is made in Taiwan. The chassis comes from Lotus in England where it is stretched and heavily modified to accommodate the battery pack. The body and paintwork is done by a company called in France. The battery pack which consists of over 4,000 lithium-ion cells, is made in San Carlos, CA. Final assembly occurs at the "dealership" in Menlo Park, CA.

Granted this can be an expensive build process but right now it is passed on to the buying public. This is a great example of global outsourcing to keep overhead low and use the best available sources for a final product.

Edit: Ah yes, Tesla is still ahead of the pack, selling hundreds of thousands of EVs globally, making their fans ecstatic and driving critics nuts. Great commuter cars. 

American LeMans Racing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca - Racing Coverage

Six hours of triple digit speeds wasn't the only story this past weekend on the Monterey Peninsula. Anticipating warmer weather this May vs. past races in October, it was still a little cold and windy. A hardcore race fan may watch the entire 6-hour race, but there is so much more going on the entire weekend. Be sure to check out Part 2 regarding all the other events taking place.

RACE RESULTS:

Most notable was the Highcroft Racing Acura HPD ARX-01C finishing in first place after starting at the back of the grid. It turned it's fastest time on lap 5 with a 1:14.441. Witnessing this lap in the grandstands at turn 4, my buddy and I looked at each other as the car flew by us, knowing were watching something special. This is the fastest turn and Acura states up to 131mph!

The Acura battled the Mazda powered Lola B09 86 throughout the race, which interestingly qualified 2 seconds quicker. Unfortunately the oil filter blew with only 24 minutes remaining, causing the Lola to withdraw, leaving the Acura to finish 7 laps ahead of the non-factory Porsche RS Spyder.

In the LMPC class featuring slightly slower prototypes saw the Oreca FLM 09 taking 3rd overall, only one lap ahead of the Oreca FLM 09 featuring local Los Gatos resident Tom Sutherland, son of accomplished racer Rick Sutherland. Attrition meant the remaining prototype cars to be finished before the end of the race.

The GT class featuring the more identifiable Porsches, Ferraris, Corvettes and a Jaguar was the source of more consistent battles with Patrick Long in the Porsche 911 RSR passing Joey Hand in the Rahal/Letterman (yes, that Letterman) BMW M3 GT and then finally winning by less than four-tenths of a second! Roughly 3 seconds behind was the Corvette "ZR1" finishing 3rd, cleanly this time vs. last October.

I put "ZR1" in quotes because the body is based on the current Corvette ZR1 but the powertrain is a 5.3 liter normally aspirated V-8, not a supercharged 6.2 liter. However, it still sounds as thunderous as the big 427s from the currently retired GT1 class.

The Jaguar looked sharp but unfortunately finished last due to a mechanical problem. The best sounding car was the Ford GT which just ripped and snarled down the track but just was competitive. Sadly, the field seemed smaller this year when previous series competitors such as the Ford powered Panoz and the Dodge Viper didn't show.

In the GTC class, a clever way to boost car count, the Porsche GT3 Cup cars had some great racing with Black Swan Racing taking their first win. These cars, also on slicks, turn 1:27s and 1:28s which now makes them faster than the Speed GT series which was greatly missed this weekend due to a conflict in race schedules.

Unfortunately there were 10 caution periods due to cars going off track for a total of 42 laps of 237 completed by the winning Acura. Even though improvements have been made to the track, watching other events suggests the runoff area is just too short for less restrictive. Another change at the track is a 3-sided big screen on top of the scoring tower, a nice addition to see action you normally miss from various vantage points.

See part 2 for further highlights of the event weekend.

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Links:

Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca

American LeMans Series results page

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Have a question about cars you would like answered? Want to know about performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc.? Reach me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

California Mille 2010 in Downtown San Francisco

Last weekend marked the beginning of the 20th Anniversary of the California Mille. A 1,000 mile driving and social event for pre-1958 cars throughout Northern California. In the tradition of the Mille Miglia in Italy, it is more than just classics being driven around with a $5,800 entry fee. For the public, it is essentially a free Concours D'elegance at the Fairmont Hotel at Nob Hill in San Francisco.

Participant cars are parked in front of the hotel and other gorgeous classics on the street. The variety and caliber of the cars is extraordinary. As a matter of fact, cars from the Palo Alto Concours were present as well.

The beauty of event is these cars are not sitting in a garage undriven and unappreciated except by a few. They are gorgeous, mostly in excellent condition being driven hundreds of miles a day. Many of them do not have air conditioning, radios or other modern comforts. Somewhat like all the benefits and detriments of motorcycling come to think of it. In some cases, about the same amount of storage space.

The event is primarily for the owners to enjoy their cars, venues and driving experience. And for the public, who would normally pay $25 to $150 to see such classics gathered in one place minus the trailer queens and storage princesses, it is a special treat.

Club Auto Sport's Art and Autos Event

Club Auto Sport in San Jose, California, the premier car condominium and club also hosts various automotive themed events throughout the year. On Friday, March 5th, the Art and Autos event was a, “An Exhibit of Fine Automotive Art and Auto Design.”

The San Francisco Academy of Art Industrial Design School presented several futuristic automotive designs with models, story boards and illustrations. The director of the industrial design department, Tom Matano was the special guest. Known as the “The Father of the Miata sports car design”, Mr. Matano was the General Manager of Mazda Design and held other prominent positions within the company.

Besides artwork on display, the automobiles are always pleasant to look at that are being offered by Premier Auto Sales. The condos that are open to public view offer fascinating views of collections, automobiles and artwork. Below is the press release from Club Auto Sport.

Be sure to check out the free Showoff Saturdays car shows including today as well as the Bulldogs, Bentleys, Bangers and Beatles event on Saturday, May 8th from 9am – 4pm at Club Auto Sport!

Pablo Picasso once said “Painting is just another way of keeping a diary” Club Auto Sport proudly presents some of the finest diaries of automotive fine art, artists and auto designs on Friday evening March 5th. Works of art from world famous racing photographers and artists including Bill Patterson, will be on display.
San Francisco's Academy of Art Industrial Design School will be showcasing a number of futuristic, automotive designs. Special guest Tom Matano, director of the industrial design department, also know as "the father of the Miata sports car design" will be on hand as well. San Jose State will rev up the school’s first ever hybrid racing car design. Add to or start your automotive art collection. All art on display will be for sale. Stake your claim to some great art during the silent auction.