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Zonda-F is looking for a new home

I was truly amaze by Japan how they managed to build a monstrous Zonda-F and I’ve always wanted to imagine that one day in my life that I will own this beast. It was really sad for me when i saw this up for sale at Bingo Sports Tokyo… Some of us can dream, can’t we?

Ford mustang 2011 first drive

Los Angeles, Calif. – The basin of hot-rodding and high-octane car culture could not be a more appropriate place to launch a muscle car. This is great, because Ford chose the megacity, the picturesque Pacific Coast Highway and the tire-torturing Mulholland Drive to launch its revamped 2011 Mustang.

At first glance, you’d be hard pressed to tell the ‘11 versions from the still-fresh 2010s that roam the streets. The modernized, cut body doesn’t play the retro tune of the ‘07, and there’s a street-fighter look about it – especially in supercharged Shelby GT500 form. But when it launched last year, both the unrefined 210-hp 4.0-litre V6 and vocal but underpowered 320-hp 4.6-litre V8 were seriously outgunned by both the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger. It didn’t matter that the Ford was the best of the three to drive – headlines say it all, and with muscle cars, horsepower equals headlines.

The CR-Z, Honda’s Hybrid Race Car

by: Leo Diaz

CR-Z, Honda’s Hybrid Race Car

The CR-Z is coming, and Honda’s premier r&d tuners Spoon & Mugen have already commenced building a cataloge of race engeniered parts.

MUGEN

According to Juston Karow of 7Tune, the Mugen parts will become available on various dates from April and will include front and rear half spoilers, front grille, side skirts, rear wing, hydrophilic side mirror replacements and two different alloy wheel designs for the exterior, while performance parts will include a stainless steel exhaust system, sports suspension kit, air cleaner and airbox and performance brake pads. Interior goodies include a dry carbon interior mirror cover, floor mats and a GFRP gauge mount for 3 gauges on the dashboard.

From April 26, the front and rear half spoilers and side skirts as a set will retail for 168,000 JPY (186,900 JPY painted). Individually the front half spoiler will sell for 51,450 JPY (57,750 JPY painted), the side skirts for 57,750 JPY (66,150 JPY painted) and the rear half spoiler for 58,800 JPY (63,000 JPY painted). A little earlier on April 15 a black sports grille will become available for 40,950 JPY with optional LED illumination for 36,750 JPY. A carbon number plate surround for 1,290 JPY will also be available at the same time. Also available from April 26 will be the multi-layered hydrophilic side mirrors which reduce the dazzling effect of sunshine and infrared rays. Both left and right mirrors are curved to offer a wide angle of view and can be simply installed over the existing mirrors. The mirrors will retail for 19,950 JPY.

Mugen NR and GP series wheels are available for the CR-Z and will come in different finishes. The NR series 10-spoke wheels are available in ‘Black Metal Coat’ (47,250 JPY per wheel), ‘Mirror Face’ (40,950 JPY per wheel) and silver (39,900 JPY per wheel) finishes and all are suitable for 205/45 R17 tires. The GP series 7-spoke wheels come in two finishes, bronze and gun metallic, both for 68,250 JPY per wheel. The GP series is Mugen’s flagship model and each wheel weighs at least 1kg less than the stock factory supplied alloys.

On the performance side, the stainless steel exhaust is designed to decrease the amount of bends in the pipe work to improve flow and features a ‘Delta Finisher’ exhaust tip (which looks like it would suit a Mazda RX-8 quite well) and will become available on April 26 for 134,400 JPY. The sports suspension kit will be available for both CVT and 6MT versions of the the CR-Z and feature adjustable height anywhere from -15mm to +20mm and have 5 step adjustable damping. Both CVT and 6MT kits will retail for 177,450 JPY and will be available from Arpil 26. The performance air cleaner and airbox boasts increased air flow over the stock intake and features a carbon cover. The Mugen airbox will become available from May 27 and retail for 94,500 JPY. The Type S (Type Sport) brake pads are suited to a wide range of driving conditions and have an operating temperature between 50 and 550 degrees. The Tpye S pads will sell for 23,100 JPY (front) and 19,950 JPY (rear) and are slated for a late July release.

The Mugen GFRP gauge mount includes three electronic gauges for water temp, oil temp and oil pressure which have peak recall and warning functions and are linked to a control unit. The gauge mount sits on top of the dashboard and does not obstruct the drivers view at all. The GFRP gage mount is available for 126,000 JPY. The carbon interior mirror cover simply fits over the existing mirror and sells for 11,550 JPY. Finally there are the Mugen floor mats which can be had as a set of two front mats only for 19,950 JPY or a set of four mats for front and rear for 4,150 JPY.

 

SPOON

Personally I neither like nor dislike the CR-Z’s edgy styling, but seeing what Spoon have been up to with Honda’s new baby has made me take another look and think again. A new set of alloys and a lowered ride height has done wonders (for me at least) and I can’t wait to see what it’ll look like with Spoon’s trademark carbon hood, front lip spoiler and blue and yellow warpaint. Maybe if Jon Sibal has some spare time he can help out there…?

Among the parts being tested are the coilovers, N1 exhaust, ECU, and ‘twin-block’ calliper and slit rotor brake upgrade. There’s no information on the ECU at this stage but the N1 exhaust has given the CR-Z a more sports car-like note in contrast to the near silent stock system, also a front coilover kit and rear spring/shock kit are being developed which have been lowered around 50mm and Spoon Sports is conducting ongoing tests with spring rates, shock stroke length and dampening characteristics. The front brake callipers use Spoon’s twin block units with 15 inch slit rotors which also being tested to lower the pedal effort to achieve sufficient braking power. A set of blue Spoon CR93 alloys finish off the car and compliment the new ride height well. One thing they didn’t mention was the Spoon Sports aero mirrors which going by the photos, it looks like Civic FN2 Type R units bolt straight on.

2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S Revealed

Porsche will be pumping out an additional 30hp in the newest 911 model dubbed the “911 Turbo S”. The new 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S will debut at the Geneva auto show next week.

The new Porsche 911 Turbo S features the same goodies that can be had with the current 911 Turbo with the addition of 530hp and 516lb-ft of torque pushing the envelope even further. The Turbo S has an edge over the normal Turbo 911 by consuming the same amount of fuel (26.8 mpg avg.) yet improving performance where the 911 Turbo S can accelerate from 0 to 60 in 3.3 seconds via the PDK 7-speed double-clutch transmission (launch control enabled) and reach a top speed of 195mph. That would make the 911 Turbo S one of the most fuel efficient sports cars for its class.
The Porsche Turbo S will be available as a coupe and cabriolet (convertible) and go on sale in May of this year in European countries and expected to arrive in the U.S. later in 2010.

Celebrating 50th big Canadian birthday bash

When most people turn 50, their thoughts might turn to early retirement, golf courses and can you believe what those gosh-darned kids are wearing these days? Since its reintroduction in North America in 2002, Mini has been the hip, young, cool brand, with hip, young, cool owners – or at least young at heart. So when Mini celebrates its 50th birthday, we get parties, DJs, thumping music and break dancing.

Owing to the youthful push, there’s even a celebratory 50th-anniversary song, and a documentary called Rebel Without Pause to view on the official Mini YouTube site.

Mini’s global birthday celebration was back in May at the company’s headquarters in Oxford, UK, where there were thousands of participants on hand. In Canada, one of the brand’s celebrations took place in Toronto in late August at Polson Pier on Lake Ontario, where the company arranged a number of events. According to Mini Canada, over 1,200 enthusiasts showed up with over 500 Minis of every vintage and flavour, a record-setting number.
For Mini enthusiasts across Canada, there were already similar events in Montreal earlier this summer, and Vancouver around the same time as the Toronto shindig.

Father and son Anthony and Vito Sestito from Toronto bought their 2005 Cooper S after their original ‘72 Volkswagen Bug died and Vee-Dub’s new Beetle just didn’t cut it. “We were immediately attracted to the Mini,” Anthony said. “It’ll hold four people, it’s comfortable… My wife likes to think it’s her car, so we fight over the keys.”
Mini also held a contest where five local dealerships were given free rein to customize current models however they saw fit. Despite some close competition from the Paul Smith-esque striped Cooper and the surfer-style Mini Clubman S complete with faux-wood paneling, the folks from Durham Mini were crowned the winners thanks to their Robocop-like Mini Cooper S JCW decked out like a stealth police cruiser.

Some of the other displays, like the live mural spray-painting, were organized by local youth group The Remix Project. According to Mini Canada, it’s “an organization that helps youth achieve their goals of working in creative and cultural industries,” and more than $7,000 was raised through the on-site charity BBQ.

Other activities included free go-karting, a break-dancing display by local group Supernatural, and Mini Bingo, put on by the Southern Ontario Mini Club (SOMC). Once the sun went down, Polson Pier’s drive-in screened the ultimate Mini movie, The Italian Job – albeit the 2003 remake.

But the most entertaining had to be Mini owners talking to other Mini owners. Seeing an original Austin parked next to a BMW-designed Mini is shocking, but even though the two share nothing more than a name and a similar concept, there was plenty of love between owners of each. Some Minis were modified, others were left bone stock. Some had stickers, others had stuffed animals, and there was at least one Austin Powers spotted grinning lecherously out of a sunroof. One teenage girl walking with her family back to their car could be overheard asking, “Which one’s ours?”

Few new-Mini owners probably know the Mini’s history. The car’s father, Sir Alec Issigonis, brought his vision of economical transportation to the masses with the Austin Mini in 1959, a revolution in packaging and vehicle design. The fact that you could fit four people and luggage into such a small footprint was revolutionary and it helped popularize front-wheel drive. By the ’60s, the Mini was hip and cool thanks to the Beatles and other Brit stars, and now featured sporty ‘S’ models created by John Cooper of Formula One fame. The Mini was a world-beater on track too, going up against the ridiculously large Ford Galaxies in British touring car racing, and winning the Monte Carlo Rally three years in a row.

Like the original Volkswagen Beetle, the first Mini continued in production in Britain until 2000 when it was finally retired to make way for the new Mini. When the ‘new’ Mini launched in 2001, it was 55 cm longer, 30 cm wider, and weighed nearly twice as much. But Mini fans have been smitten ever since. It took the ‘new’ Mini the same amount of time to sell one million vehicles as the original did way back when.

Real estate agents Chris and Les Sohar from Waterdown, Ont. – who coincidentally have a series debuting on HGTV called Realtor vs. Realtor – said their new 2008 Cooper Convertible is “something just for us. At this stage of our lives, that’s something we appreciate.” They both love late-night drives with the top down, and have even featured their ride in the new television show.

German Riveros, who originally hails from Colombia, said his red 2002 Cooper is a car he’ll hold onto for a while yet. “I love the design,” he said. “It’s fun to drive, and I still get plenty of looks!”

That doesn’t sound like someone ready for retirement.

LeBron James MVP Don’t keep car

LeBron James and Dwight Howard have many endorsement deals, but both are currently free agents as far as national car deals go.

That’s why it’s a good thing that the offensive and defensive MVP award winners don’t actually have to accept cars from Kia, which sponsor the awards. Since Kia does the deal with the league, the league asks the players what charity they want the car to go to. Agents are relieved by this practice, so as not to compromise their player’s ability to market another car brand.

Last year, Kobe Bryant donated his Kia Borrego to the East L.A. Boys and Girls Club. Howard already donated his car to the Orlando Day Nursery.

It’s a nice gesture, but the practice of donating the car isn’t necessarily the best endorsement for Kia. It would make much more sense if the player would turn the key and drive away in the thing. That being said, a car that one of these players wants isn’t the type of car that can be mass marketed to America.

When he finally does the deal, James’ car endorsement deal could come out at a discount because he is so associated with the Hummer he drove in high school. General Motors is currently looking for buyers to take the Hummer brand off its hands.

F-1 Crash and driver seriously hurt

Budapest, Hungary – Hospital official felipe massa is in “life threatening” condition after undergoing emergency surgery on a skull fracture following a violent crash in Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying yesterday.

Officials at AEK military hospital said massa will be kept sedated on a respirator overnight in the intensive care unit. Medical director Peter Bazso said “Massa’s condition is serious, life threatening but stable”. Bazso and chief surgeon Lajos Zsiros said they expect the Brazilian driver to be awoken today. Ferrari denied Massa’s condition was life threatening, with team spokesman Luca Colajanni saying his state “was a positive one”

Massa underwear surgery one hour after arriving at AEK hospital, the doctors said. The 28-years-old Massa also suffered a concussion but was conscious and in stable condition when he was airlifted to the hospital, Ferrari said. A spring that had fallen off Rubens Barrichello’s formula one car flew up and struck Massa in the helmet during qualifying. An apparently dazed massa continued straight through a curb, across the track and through the gravel area along side the circuit before slamming into the tire barrier.

The impact of the rear suspension part a standard component believed to be made of steel damaged Massa’s helmet, ripping out the visor and leaving a dent on its side. Blood was seen above Massa’s left brow. Following complete medical examination, it emerged he had suffered a cut on his forehead, a bone damage of his skull and brain concussion, Ferrari said in a statement.

Honda 50th Anniversarry Celebration

Back in June 11 1959, Honda established itself in the States selling motorbikes out of small stores. Now, to celebrate it’s 50th anniversary, they’ve remodelled the lobby of their American headquarters to look like the first American storefront.

Enter the store and you’ll run into:

-1975 Civc CVCC: At 40 mpg, the 1975 Civic CVCC topped the EPA’s fuel efficiency ratings and was the first car to meet the 1975 U.S. Clean Air Act standards without a catalytic converter. Available as a sedan or three-door hatchback, the Civic sold for $2,150 and garnered the title of “Import Car of the Year” by Road Test magazine.

-1983 Honda Accord: On November 1, 1982, Honda became the first Japanese auto manufacturer to produce cars in America when a slate-gray four-door 1983 Honda Accord rolled off the assembly line at Honda of America Mfg., Inc.’s Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio.

-The 50th Anniversary Time capsule: It was engineered and manufactured by American Honda’s Special Project Department and is to be opened on the 100th anniversary in 2059.

-1959 Honda 50: One of the first Honda products sold in America, the SuperCub (renamed Honda 50 for the U.S. market) offered customers convenient transportation at a reasonable price ($250).

-2010 Honda Fury: With chopper styling, the longest wheelbase ever in a production Honda motorcycle and a 1312cc long-stroke Honda V-twin engine, many have deemed the 2010 Fury the most radically styled production Honda motorcycle ever built.

-The Honda T10 engine: known as the “Honda Cuby”, was used in the 1960s by American Honda service staff for small engine motorcycle vocational training.

-The portable E40 generator: was one of the first Honda generators sold in the U.S. by Honda’s Engine, Generators and Farm (EGF) group.

-The actual first lawnmower produced in the U.S.: at Honda Power Equipment Mfg., Inc. in Swepsonville, N.C. in 1984. The HR-214 Lawnmower features OHV engine technology, electric starter, roto-stop system, and a self-propulsion system.

-Replica of HondaJet: Honda’s first-ever commercial aircraft.

General Motors Rolling Out Termination

General Motors has recently told about 1,124 dealerships, which are mostly poor performers, that their GM franchise agreements won’t likely be extended past October 2010. Some dealerships that received this notification may appeal the decision.

The notifications are part of GM’s plan to cut the dealership count from 5969 down to 3600 dealerships. This is done in part of the government-backed reorganization efforts. So much for getting back on their feet and helping this economy get back on track.

This type of news will do nothing but get us all down. Just the other day Chrysler announced the closing of 786 dealerships and as we expected, GM will basically be doing the same thing. GM’s count is a bit larger than Chryslers. If GM dealership franchise agreements drop happens as planned, we are looking at more of an economical slump. Hopefully, after a year or so, we can start looking back at these “closings” and say it worked out for the better. That’s just wishful thinking right now.
Combined, the Chrysler and GM dealership closures could affect more than 140,000 jobs.

Chrysler Dealership will shut down by June 9th

It is a gloomy day for many Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealerships around the U.S. today. DETROIT — Chrysler LLC notified its U.S. retailers today about its plans to shut down 789 dealerships, or 25 percent of its total, by June 9th. Here are the full list of Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealerships that will be closing…

CLOSING CHRYSLER DEALERSHIPS LIST

Now is the time, now is the time, now is the time… to buy a new Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep vehicle at one of these closing dealerships. Okay, now that you know what to do, make sure you do it before June 9th because after that date, the local Chrysler dealership may be closed, for good.

We knew Chrysler would be closing the doors on several dealerships around the US but we did not know it would be THIS extensive. 789 dealerships? Wow, that’s a lot. That makes up about 25% of all Chrysler dealerships in the US. I cannot imagine what kind of negative effect that will have on the already slumping economy in certain areas around the States.

What I am thinking now is, what will happen with GM. If Chrysler closes this many dealerships during their bankruptcy, just imagine GM when and if they file.

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