Before I hit on the main feature of this article, I want to take a few minutes showing you how I came to be inspired into writing a short piece about a boat. Please bear with me.
With the released pictures of Lamborghini’s Egoista Concept (more of a single seat space fighter), it got me thinking about how since the 70s and the Countach, their cars have become more and more eccentric, exotic and powerful. This then led me to doing a little research into their history and stumbling upon their range of… tractors. Before Ferruccio Lamborghini could throw money at his childhood dream of racing cars, he would help build tractors for his family’s highly successful agricultural company, Lamborghini Trattori. Despite Furruccio chasing his dream of building the world’s perfect grand tourer, the tractors are still being built today. In fact, they look pretty exotic… for tractors.
I also remembered the golf carts made by the legendary Harley Davidson. Although it was thanks to Ferruccio’s family business that allowed the financial security to start Lamborghini’s car production, Harley Davidson had been a successful company for years. So what were they thinking building golf carts in the 60s? The most famous bikes on the planet, their reputation signifying Freedom and the American Dream, tattooed Hell’s Angels, Easy Rider, the list goes on… tainted by making the vehicles that taxi around the kind of people the original biker detested – leather and denim vs. Pringle and Ralph Lauren. They’re now producing leather golf bags. Live to Golf, Golf To Live!
So you see, these big brands have manufactured some odd sister products, which leads me to the beautiful Timossi-Ferrari Hydroplane. Back in the 30s and 40s it wasn’t just racing cars entertaining the masses, but speedboat races and speed records were also extremely popular all over the world. Although not made commercially, this Timossi-Ferrari “Arno XI” sold for over $800,000 in an auction in 2012.
Achille Castoldi was a wealthy boat owner and racer, and in 1940, he set the world speed record of 81.10mph in the 400kg class with his boat “Arno”, powered by an Alfa Romeo type 158 engine. After building a few more “Arnos” with Alfa power plants, Castoldi dropped the manufacturer in 1952.
A year later, Castoldi became more interested in setting top speed records than the circuit racing, so he commissioned an 800kg-class three-point hydroplane. It was to be built by hydroplane builder, Cantieri Timossi, situated in Lake Como, Milan. It was constructed with a solid wood frame skeleton and a marine plywood skin, stunningly finished with a mahogany veneer. Its aluminium fairing and engine cover were painted in traditional Italian-racing red. The hull was called the Arno XI. Now for the engine…
Enter the prancing horse – Ferrari supplied Castoldi with their type 375 V-12 Grand Prix engine, the same power plant used in their race cars in 1951 and 1952. The V12 displacement was 4493.7 cc, each cylinder an 80 mm bore & 74.5 mm stroke. With two spark plugs per cylinder, and a 12:1 compression ratio, the stock engine produced around 385 bhp.
To break his rival, Verga’s new record, a new engine would be built with the addition of twin superchargers with 4 giant barrel Weber carburettors. Compression ratios could be increased due to the engine being tuned to run on methanol. “Arno XI’s”, twin-supercharged 4.5L Ferrari engine now produced an enormous 600 bhp.
Enzo Ferrari even went as far sending his chief race engineer of the Scuderia to help prepare this new supercharged engine. On the morning of October 15, 1953, with Grand Prix champion Alberto Ascari and driver Luigi Villoresi in attendance, Achille Castoldi smashed the 800kg class speed record with an average two-way speed of 150.49 mph. In celebration the track stars Ascari and Villoresi boarded a small boat and pulled up alongside Arno XI to congratulate him. Later that day he broke the “24 nautical miles” event with an average speed of 102.34 mph.
After a terrifying engine failure at high speeds in a new airplane-engined 1700 kg Timossi hydroplane, Castoldi retired from 1954. As for his rival, Mario Verga, he unfortunately met his end in a separate hydroplane accident a short time after.
The Toyota HiAce possesses great heritage, a vehicle spanning five decades and evolving through five generations. Not always an easy vehicle to categorise due to the many configurations it has seen since its creation in 1967, this sensible and compact MPV (Multi Purpose Vehicle) has grabbed the attention from custom builders and tuners, a rising trend set to completely transform the HiAce’s quirky character.
From a simple ECU chip and tweak, to a full-blown Manga (Japanese comic style) inspiration, the little HiAce has become a blank canvas to create something totally unique.
It seems slamming (lowering) a HiAce is popular too, adding to the finished look of added alloy wheels and rear spoiler. If you have windows, simply tint them, and if you don’t, either have custom spray graphics applied, or go for a full-wrap. Despite body kits being scarce, there are some pretty fearsome HiAce’s cruising the streets – if you join a local club or forum, you’ll be surprised at what can be done, especially with enthusiasts producing their own from fibreglass.
If you’re not entirely satisfied with just the exterior being modified, then go the whole hog and apply the final ‘Pimp My Ride’ finishing touches. Rip the seats out and replace with reclining full leather armchairs for the ultimate ride. Install the latest technology to watch TV or listen to surround sound audio. The interior rooftop can be customised to give the impression you are sitting in the fuselage of a private jet, not the inside of a modest MPV.
So whilst the VW Camper Van has always been loved, faithfully restored to maintain its integrity whilst also given the modern touches, it seems the HiAce has taken it a step further into the future, its fans not happy until it has been transformed into something completely different, a million miles away from 1967 and its tin can predecessors.
This Hollywood star is one of those actors that not only lands the cool roles, but he always scores the cool rides too. On screen he’s been lucky enough to be linked with an eclectic mix of great cars, and when, “That’s a wrap!” is called, he’s the kind of guy who needs to keep that feeling going by jumping into his own slick ride.
Dazed & Confused
I saw this movie as teen, the perfect age to appreciate the theme and the cool 70s imagery of America’s youth. McConaughey plays a twenty something guy called David Wooderson. Hanging around with kids a few years younger than himself and driving a black 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS he calls Melba Toast, Wooderson uses the legendary muscle car as jailbait.
In Wooderson’s own words: “Let me tell you what Melba Toast is packin’ right here, all right. We got 4:11 Positrac outback, 750 double pumper, Edelbrock intake, bored over 30, 11 to 1 pop-up pistons, turbo-jet 390 horsepower. We’re talkin’ some fu*kin’ muscle.”
EDtv
EDtv sees McConaughey as a slacker working in a video store. After managing to impress TV producer, Ellen DeGeneres, he makes the cut to appear in a reality TV show, where they film him 24/7. He’s not an instant hit, but after a few days in the life of Ed, the audiences demand more.
Whether you like him or not, you can’t help but love this beaten up 1966 Dodge Charger.
Failure To Launch
Failure to Launch is a 2006 rom-com featuring McConaughey as a 35-year-old man living with his parents. If this isn’t bad enough, he shows no great interest in leaving the comfortable lifestyle either. So what’s a mother’s boy doing driving a retro 1973 Porsche 911?
The Lincoln Lawyer
The name is in the title with this one. Not am I only a fan of car movies but I also follow car fiction. The Lincoln Lawyer is a 2005 novel by Michael Connelly and features a typical L.A. ambulance-chasing lawyer. He’s smooth, smart and instead of using public transportation to meet clients and show up at court, Haller has his driver, Earl on his payroll. Whilst Earl drives Haller around Los Angeles, the street-savvy lawyer uses the back of his Lincoln Town Car as his office – here he makes phone calls and completes paperwork. In fact, Haller likes the car so much, he has a few more tucked away in an empty building.
The 1986 Lincoln Town Car in black is one hell of a barge, and did you notice the plate? NTGUILTY
Killer Joe
In this black comedy McConaughey plays the role of Joe Cooper, a police detective who moonlights as a contract killer. He wears a black cowboy hat, cowboy boots, dark shades and leather gloves. The car of choice is a government issue dark grey Dodge Charger – this car somehow manages to suit both professions rather well.
Dallas Buyers Club
This movie gained McConaughey a Golden Globe award for best actor and an Academy award nomination. As you can see from the picture transformation above, this was a serious movie and McConaughey put in a serious effort in nailing the role – I haven’t seen such weight loss since Christian Bale in The Machinist.
The movie is based on the real life events of Ron Woodroof, an electrician and rodeo cowboy with a reckless attitude and lifestyle – drinking, smoking and drug abuse. He’s a typical racist and homophobic Redneck, and after a visit to hospital for an injury, he gets told he is HIV+ and has around 30 days to live.
We watch Ron go from anger and denial to acceptance and actually helping others like him. Ron started the rollercoaster ride in a cool Mid 70s Dodge Monaco, and later in the movie we see him lose his mind in an early 80s GMC Sierra V8 truck.
Dolce & Gabbana Commercial
If being asked to star alongside the gorgeous Scarlett Johansson in a commercial for Dolce & Gabbana isn’t enough, McConaughey got another gorgeous co-star for good measure. Directed by Martin Scorsese in NYC’s West Village, the D&G shoot saw McConaughey drive this stunning Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider. Between the two, I’d be hard pushed to make a choice, although I’d probably end up with the Italian girl.
In Real Life
When he isn’t in front of a camera, McConaughey likes to keep it old school with his 1981 Chevy Camaro. Apparently, he’s been in love with and drooled over this car since his teens, and it wasn’t until his partner, Camilla, gifted him one, that he got to actually own one. The Z28 has a 5.7L, V8 under the hood, and despite being average compared to modern cars, it was way ahead of its time with power windows, power locks and cruise control. What better colour for a V8 muscle car than black?
McConaughey is known for his great body and is often spotted doing outdoor activities to stay fit. Although not too cool in status, the GMC Yukon possesses a great heritage dating as far back as 1936. It’s not only spacious but it’s also equipped with superb interiors and top-quality instruments and gauges. A 320-bhp 5.8-L V8 powers the monster, and its 335 lb-ft of torque makes it a great towing vehicle.
If McConaughey has to endure a long journey, he likes nothing better than jumping in his metallic black Lincoln MKX. Similar to the Yukon in being a quality SUV boasting luxury and high-tech features, the Lincoln differs in overall size. Despite being powered by a smaller engine than the larger Yukon – a 3.7-L V6 – it produces 305-bhp, only 15 less – this means a better power-to-weight ratio, perfect for clipping down the highway.
McConaughey proved his love for the classics by once owning this Corvette. Known as the ‘The Shark’, the Chevy was up for auction to benefit Oprah Winfrey’s angel network. It’s 5.0-L ZQ3 lump produces 330-bhp, capable of shifting the car to 140-mph, not too bad for its time.
Out of all the various groups of celebrity, it’s the rappers who win the award for buying the most bling, expensive and over-the-top vehicles. I guess when you have an endless pit of cash and a ‘cool’ reputation to maintain, it’s hard to restrain for going for the most outrageous cars on the market.
Listed below are several shining examples of what happens when rappers buy rides.
50 Cent’s Rides
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s first car came in 1994, where at the age of 19, he slapped down $53,000 in cash made from peddling drugs on the streets of New York for his grey Toyota Land Cruiser. To this he then added a rooftop bike rack, a new set of rims and a sound system with a massive sub bass that apparently boomed so loud it shook the license plate. He has since owned many Italian sports cars such as Lamborghinis and Ferraris – including an F50 – and a Rolls Royce, but I thought this Maserati MC-12 is easily the coolest of the bunch.
The Game’s Ride
The Game is the real deal having risen from the notorious streets of Compton. After his brother, Jevon, was shot dead at the age of 17, he murder had a massive impact on his music. In fact, he almost died himself in 2001 after being shot at home in his own apartment. It was during this period in hospital, The Game decided to take life by the reins and turn everything around with his music.
Like most rappers, The Game owns more than a handful of cars, such as a Bugatti Veyron, a Bentley GT, a Rolls Royce Phantom Ghost, a Porsche Panamera, a Fisker Karma, a Custom Pontiac G8 and a Chevy Camero SS. Just check out the mock leather paint job on this Ferrari – yay or nay? Hmmm…
Jay-Z’s Rides
There’s not a lot this guy hasn’t achieved in the music industry. The former Def Jam records CEO has sold over 500M albums worldwide, which equates to around $500M net worth. Now a highly successful businessman with fingers in all kinds of pies, Jay-Z knows what he wants, and this reflects in his cars.
Not happy with having perhaps the most beautiful wife in the world in the form of Beyonce Knowles, Jay-Z has a fleet of stunning cars too. From his Porsche 911 Carrera to his Ferrari F430 Spider, from his Rolls Royce Phantom to his Jeep Wrangler, Jay-Z’s cars are pretty understated compared to some. The other cars worth mentions are his Bugatti Veyron and his $8M Maybach Exelero… wow.
Wyclef Jean’s Rides
Apart from his solo stuff, Wyclef Jean is known for his band, the Fugees. Their debut album, Blunted on Reality was released in 1993 and their second, The Score in 1996. It was the second album that catapulted them to stardom, and Wyclef has been buying cars ever since.
This guy loves his cars, and judging by his collection, he knows a thing or two. He owns a McLaren F1, a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a Bentley Arnage, a cool Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz, the lunatic Pagani Zonda, and a more pragmatic Mercedes-Benz G-Class – a car for every occasion.
Eminem’s Ride
Slim Shady AKA Marshall Bruce Mathers III AKA Eminem is one of the best-selling artists in the world and also the best selling artist of the last decade.
Following the usual rap story of receiving a bad upbringing, Marshal grew up focused on rapping. In 1999 he won three Grammy awards for his major-label debut albums and made him first artist to win Best Rap Album for three consecutive LPs.
Eminem made $29M last year, and as the CEO of Shady Records he has all the luxury and comfort in the world. Which is why it’s strange he doesn’t own a fleet of exotic cars.
Having once owned a Hummer, this rap star is happy with his black Cadillac Escalade. He has the 6.2-L V8 version that delivers a great sound track, and of course keeps it true to the Dirty D.
Snoop Dogg’s Rides
Known as one of the finest rappers on planet, Snoop Dogg was born in 1971, in California, where he grew up spending a lot of time in prison for possession. After his first album Doggystyle, he gained a solid reputation for being a versatile rapper.
Using his laid-back rapping style, he released his second album “Tha Doggfather” in 1996 and cemented his status one of the most iconic rappers of 1990’s.
Snoop Dogg likes a mix of styles, from his modern Dodge Challenger to his 1967 Cadillac Deville. He also owns a 1967 Pontiac Parisienne Convertible.
Kanye West’s Rides
Kanye West is one of the few who gained popularity after just a few years of his debut album. After he left college to pursue his musical career, he producing tracks for Jay-Z and released his first album The College Dropout in 2002. This not only won him the Best Rap Album award but he also became an overnight star.
Apart from being a rapper, West is also produces for Roc-A-Fella Records, which indecently belongs to Jay-Z. With a net worth of $80M he owns some of few most luxurious homes around the globe.
Although he’s now married to Kim Kardashian, West was buying hot cars way before Kim gave him his ‘murdered-out’ Lamborghini Aventador. The one car definitely worth a mention is his amazing McLaren SLR Stirling Moss.
Cars: Lamborghini Aventador, Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR, Aston Martin DB9
Dr Dre’s Rides
This list wouldn’t be complete without ex (N.W.A) “Niggaz with Attitude” rapper Dr Dre. N.W.A brought a revolution in the gangsta rap movement in the late eighties and early nineties. He also helped found Death Row Records, which became one the most triumphant rap record labels in history.
Dr. Dre makes tons of money and lives a typical rapper’s lavish lifestyle. He rubs shoulders with the elite and attends the town’s most exclusive parties.
Like Eminem, Dr Dre prefers sticking to one ride, and in this case it’s his H2 Hummer created by West Coast Customs. Although it’s big, it packs a punch with its Vortec 6.2L V8, producing nearly 400-HP and 415 lbs-ft of torque
Most people know “drifting” literally means to force a car into a “drift” (sideways skid) for as long as possible, with much tyre smoke and noisy theatrics in its wake. In a way, this “Fast & Furious” tag is accurate, however there is much more to drifting than messing about and skidding cars.
First, you need a good knowledge of the cars best suited to this type of motorsport, and then there’s the small matter of driver skill, being able to perfect and hone a drift good enough to compete with the pros.
The Cars
Most drifters prefer the JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) import cars, as they’re lightweight, RWD, powerful, reliable, and highly tuneable despite leaving their factories with a slightly higher BHP. You also see the Mitsubishi and Subaru turbocharged cars drifting after they have been converted from 4WD to RWD. These are a good choice because of the massive turbo boosting opportunities they present.
Nissan’s Silvia S15, 350Z, Toyota’s Supra (video above) and Mazda’s RX-7 are popular and fine examples of a good drift car. Relatively cheap to buy and simple to tune to a level of power sufficient enough to spin tyres across tarmac, many JDM lovers go for these cars – in fact, JDM has a cult status, and followers outside of Japan like to keep their JDM cars equip with original JDM parts, settling for nothing less.
Drive Train
To compete at a good level, your car should have a (LSD) Limited Slip Differential, or this is the first modification to be completed if it hasn’t – layman terms: with an open “standard” differential, power is lost during wheel spin under acceleration because the open differential shifts power to the wheel that is slipping (losing grip). To overcome this, the LSD does the complete opposite; sensing the wheel with the better grip, it sends virtually all of the remaining power to it, always supplying the slipping wheel with the remainder. This maximised traction means more power is sent to the ground and controlling over-steer and maintaining a drift is easier.
Clutches used in drifting are understandably durable as it takes a lot of riding and balancing of power to maintain a good drift. Most clutches are tough ceramic or multiple-plate varieties, ensuring decent usage and allowing for “clutch kick”, a technique used to violently upset the balance of the car. Close ratio gears are used to keep the engine within its peak power band, and they are often “straight cut” gears instead of the usual “synchro” gears for durability and faster shifting.
Engine
To kick the rear end of a car out and spin its tyres on tarmac requires a lot of power. This can come from a turbo charged 4-cylinder to a V10 monster, but typically anything above 250 bhp is sufficient – although this is relative to the weight of the car.
Tyres and suspension are similar of those used on a track setup. The suspension favoured at top level is the adjustable variety, allowing for the varying cambers and maintaining maximum lateral grip. Major championships only allow drivers to run approved commercial tyres, whilst lower level competitors with less power run hard rear compounds and front tyres with grip for stability.
Technique
On approaching a corner, an experienced driver will constantly try and remain in the state of over-steer (turning in too hard so the rear-end starts to come around). Using throttle and counter-steer, the drift begins as you find the balance between the car wanting to spin and you correcting it. Pro drifters enter corners at frightening angles, but because of their skill in the art of drifting they can maintain this vital balance.
This process below lists one way of performing a drift.
- Brake and shift down to appropriate speed using the heel-toe method
- Hit the gas and steer hard into the corner, causing over-steer
- Counter-steer
- Gently open the throttle
- Modulate the steering with the throttle to control the drift
- Exit the corner and regain control
It takes a lot of patience, tyres and clutches to become proficient enough to compete at a good level. However, if you manage to maintain a decent drift and perfect the technique in a low-powered car, drifting becomes a lot easier when you make the transition to either a high-performance car or simply modifying your own.
As tempting as it is, please don’t go out and try drifting on the public highway – you’ll either smash up your car, end up in prison, or ultimately find yourself in the back of hearse.
What you are about to see is German technology created on a small scale. By small, I mean tiny, by tiny I actually mean minuscule. This video shows the painstaking effort of a man possessed and obsessed with engineering perfection.
A V12 engine is a pretty complex piece of machinery, the beating heart of many a classic and modern supercar, but this German took on the impossible and decided to build one with the aid of magnifying glass. Although this tiny V12 engine can’t be installed into a car, it’s still fully functional when powered up. This mini engine is constructed from a combination of stainless steel, bronze and aluminium. It actually runs off compressed air, with a whopping 12 cubic cm displacement. Take a look at this video and watch the madman in action – ignore the accompanying music, obviously chosen by a German.
Impressive, eh? Whilst watching this, it reminded me of a video I’d seen when I was a teen. After a little research, I found it in all its glory. The project started in 1978, and after 20,000 man-hours and 15 years of painstaking dedication, Telecom engineer, Pierre Scerri built a 1:3 scaled down and fully functional Ferrari 312 PB replica. The engine, gearbox, dials, and all parts had to come from handmade molds. This chap even built the engine valves and springs and took five years creating the Ferrari’s reverse gear. Leaving Jeremy Clarkson lost for words, Pierre even managed to extract the right Ferrari note out of his handmade engine. “I could not buy one, I had to make one,” Pierre says – if this isn’t a motivational and inspired film, I don’t know what is.
While there were probably times when people were building cars just for the pleasure of it or because the challenge to achieve something new was incredible, just like any other modern business, the car industry is looking for profit. And to make profit, you need to sell cars. And to sell cars, you need people to buy them.
And while there are some extremely successful models in car history, that sold millions of units, such as the Ford Model T, the Volkswagen Beetle (best-selling vehicle, with more than 21.5 million units) or the Toyota Corolla (best-selling name tag, sold more than 40 million units since 1997), there are some other cars that were too ugly, too expensive or poorly positioned on the market and became commercial failures. Even though the list could probably be longer, let’s take a look of what we think are the top ten commercial failures of all time.
Fiat Multipla
Everyone agreed that in what concerned the practical aspect, the Multipla was incredible, however, most couldn’t get past its looks, which we have to admit, isn’t the best we’ve seen from Fiat. The only place where the Multipla sold good was Italy, where it was a hit among taxi drivers (one explanation could be that they don’t care that much about their car’s look, but are mainly interested in being practical). The first generation Multipla was built until 2004, when it received a major facelift, the main change being a more conventional look. Even though this version was also acclaimed for being extremely practical, it seems that the “damage” done by the first generation was too high and production was ended in 2010, without the Multipla breaking any sales records, especially outside Italy.
Pontiac Aztek
Perhaps one of the biggest failures in the North American car industry history is the Pontiac Aztek. The concept was unveiled for the first time in 1999 and its purpose was to tell the world GM is going for a design revolution. The production version was quite similar to the concept and was launched in 2001. Even though GM was calling this car extremely futuristic in styling, the public and media didn’t quite appreciate it and it was often called one of the ugliest cars ever made. Besides the 3.4-liter V6 that was powering the car, one of GM’s main selling points was the car’s versatility, but it seems that wasn’t enough.
As an interesting fact, it was designed by Tom Peters, the same man who was in charge with designing the recently launched Chevrolet Corvette C7. At the time, he said they wanted to do a “bold vehicle that wasn’t for everybody”. And it wasn’t, because GM sold less than 30,000 per year until 2004 and just 5,000 units in 2005, when the model was pulled out of production. It was assembled at the General Motors Ramos Arizpe facility in Mexico together with its sibling, the Buick Rendezvous and more than half of all Azteks sold went to rental companies fleets or were used by General Motors employees. Three years after it was discontinued, the car was brought into the audience’s attention by the popular TV show “Breaking Bad”, one of the main characters, Walter White, driving one. But that’s actually not a good thing for the car’s image, because the model was probably chosen to highlight the mediocre lifestyle of the character.
Volkswagen Phaeton
In the early 2000s, Volkswagen thought it was a good idea to enter the luxury market and the model chosen for that was the Phaeton luxury limousine. The man behind this project was no other than Ferdinand Piech (Chairman at the time), considered on the most important people in Volkswagen history, responsible for turning the company from being three months away from bankruptcy into one of the world’s largest carmakers. Come to think about it, the plan wasn’t that bad. Even though Volkswagen was already building a luxury limousine (the Audi A8), Piech’s opinion was that the A8 was actually competing against the BMW 7 Series (both being sport-oriented) and he wanted to create a rival for the Mercedes Benz S-Class, which was more comfort-oriented. Another “task” the Phaeton had was to improve Volkswagen’s brand image, because some models were already starting to cost as much as Audis, BMWs or Mercedes and people were quite reluctant to pay a lot of money for a Volkswagen.
Technically, the Volkswagen Phaeton is an amazing machine. Its platform is shared with the Bentley Continental GT and Flying Spur, while many other features are shared with the Audi A8. Unfortunately, it was exactly Volkswagen’s poor brand image in this segment and the cannibalization with the A8 that made the Phaeton a failure, at least from the financial point of view.
Even though the model is still in production, everyone sees it more as an ambition of Volkswagen, because we don’t know if there’s anyone out there who can say “man, I got sick of seeing so many Phaetons on the street today”. And sales numbers are here to prove that. The model is built at the Volkswagen plant in Dresden and in 2002 the capacity was 20,000 units per year. However, in 2006, Volkswagen announced that 25,000 units were sold in four years. That’s almost four times less than expected and a lot less than competing models (for example, Audi was selling around 21-22,000 A8s per year and Mercedes around 60-70,000 S-Class). Most of these units were sold on the home market, while sales outside Germany were extremely poor. In the United States, for example, only 820 units were sold in 2005 and a year later the model was pulled out of the North American market (recent rumors suggest that Volkswagen might bring it back on the next production cycle).
Renault Avantime
Just like with other models on this list, revolutionary doesn’t always means successful. And the French carmaker learned this the hard way with the Renault Avantime. Just like its name says, the car was Renault’s attempt to revolutionize the car industry in 2001. It was a coupe MPV, something completely new at that time, which was all about the passengers’ comfort. The body had no B-pillars and the large doors had a “double kinematic” system that allowed passenger easy access in tighter spaces. Other highlights included aluminum panels, panoramic roof made of heat-reflecting glass, power-deployable sunshades and “Bridge of Weir” leather upholstery.
The Avantime debuted at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show, where the audience was able to admire what Renault called the new “Coupespace” body. It was launched on the market two years later, in 2001, being co-designed and built by Renault’s subsidiary at that time, Mantra. The car would’ve probably been launched earlier, but its market debut was delayed after some changes had to be made to the pillarless design to meet safety standards. But I think the Avantime is a perfect example of an interesting car launched at the wrong time, because in two years, Renault only sold 8,557 units. A similar but more upscale model was launched in 2002, the Renault Vel Satis, which tried to popularize the new niche, but even though this one was a little more popular, nothing changed for the Avantime. In 2003, Mantra went bankrupt and had to close its production facilities and Renault chose to pull the plug on the Avantime rather than move production somewhere else.
Audi A2
At the time of its launch, the Audi A2 was one of the most technologically advanced models on the market. Some might say a little too advanced for its time. It was entirely made from aluminum and it had several innovative features such as the Service Hatch, a panel that replaced the conventional radiator grille and which allowed owners to fill oil and screen wash fluid without having to raise the hood. There were some people in the industry believing this was the beginning of a new trend in the car industry, that of the sealed hood. But it wasn’t the case, because the A2’s hood could be raised without problems and no future models had this feature.
The lightweight aluminum body and the efficient engine lineup made the small Audi extremely fuel efficient, being the first European car whose fuel economy dropped below 3 liters per 100 km (94.2 mpg imp). It’s true, this was only for the version featuring the 1.2-liter diesel engine, automatic transmission and start/stop system, but still, it was a notable achievement. The car was produced at Audi’s Neckarsulm facility on a dedicated assembly line, which added to the car’s production’s costs.
Unfortunately for the A2, customers didn’t quite appreciate the car’s futuristic design and the increased price, so the car wasn’t as successful as Audi hoped. Production started in 1999 and ended in 2005, with a total number of 176,377 units built, being considered a commercial failure, especially when compared to its main competitor’s sales figures (the Mercedes Benz A-Class sold more than 1 million units in the same time frame).
However, it looks like Audi didn’t give up on the A2, because rumors talk about a new generation being scheduled for 2014. We hope it’s true because we think the model deserves a second chance and we hope it will be more successful than its predecessor and will be able to compete with its German rivals.
Smart ForFour
Smart is best known for creating what many consider the perfect city car. Looking to capitalize on the success recorded by the ForTwo, Daimler launched the four-door version which was called ForFour and which was heavily based on the Mitsubishi Colt (to cut costs as much as possible). The model was launched in 2004 and was built until 2006 at the Dutch factory NedCar, in cooperation with Mitsubishi.
However, sales weren’t as good as Daimler was anticipating, because the Smart ForFour didn’t have the ForTwo’s appeal and was just as large as any other Supermini (or B-segment) model available at that time, without offering anything new. Not to mention that it was considerably more expensive than competition. Another thing Daimler counted on was the existing Smart customer base, but reality showed them that these customers stuck with the ForTwo.
As for the future, Daimler is currently working on a new generation ForTwo, which is built in cooperation with Renault and not Mitsubishi and it seems that once the new model is out, a new ForFour will also be available. The new generation’s debut is expected in 2014 or 2015.
Renault Kangoo Be Bop
The Renault Kangoo is one of the French carmaker’s most popular models, being produced since 1997. In the meantime, there were several different versions of the car, some quite successful, some not. And one of the versions that failed to impress was the Renalt Kangoo Be Bop, which was a sort of utility coupe, because it was shorter than the regular Kangoo and it only had two doors.
According to Renault, the Be Bop was perfect for driving around the city, measuring only 3.87 meters in length and it also had plenty of customization options (including a wide range of color combinations). However, customers didn’t really appreciate its “Kangoo pedigree”, meaning that most saw it as just another utility car and wasn’t considered as an option by many and production was cancelled in 2012, after just three years.
Mercedes-Benz Vaneo
Another example of a “hybrid” car that didn’t make it in the car industry is the Vaneo, which was Mercedes’ attempt to create a mix between a utility car and an MPV. The car was immediately recognizable due to its specific silhouette and it featured five or seven-seat configuration, sliding doors and an impressive cargo space with the seats removed. The Vaneo was built on the A-Class platform and even though its name suggests it, the car wasn’t designed like a van. But, just like the Kangoo Be Bop, that’s what probably drove potential customers away, because sales were extremely poor and after only three years of production (between 2002 and 2005), the model was discontinued, even though it was quite well received in Germany.
And speaking of Renault Kangoo, the French model was the starting point for the Vaneo’s successor, the Mercedes Benz Citan, which was launched in 2012, hopefully with more success than the Vaneo.
Lancia Thesis
In 2001, Lancia introduced the Thesis executive car, the replacement for the not so popular Kappa. The car made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show and it was announced as a competitor for German models like Mercedes Benz E-Class, the Audi A6 or the BMW 5 Series. Even though the design sparked some controversy in the beginning, many agreed it was authentic Italian styling and an interesting alternative to the German sobriety, especially with its price being as much as 15% lower and the technology offered being impressive. Because, unlike its predecessor which shared its platform with the Alfa Romeo 166, the Thesis had a completely new platform, quite advanced, that even shared some components with Maserati.
However, the Lancia Thesis was never a hit and it had poor sales, with just 16,000 units being built between 2002 and 2009. That’s even worse than the Kappa, which was considered an unsuccessful model. Following Fiat and Chrysler alliance, the Thesis got a successor in 2011, the Lancia Thema, which is basically a rebadged Chrysler 300 (a very controversial move), but this one’s not doing any better, with only 2,000 units sold last year.
DeLorean DMC-12
Some of you might argue that this car doesn’t belong on this list, since it sold pretty well during its extremely short production run, but we definitely see it here. The creation of John DeLorean, the DMC-12 was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and built in Northern Ireland for the American market. It was built on a chassis very similar to the one on the Lotus Esprit, it was powered by a 2.8-liter Peugeot V6, it had some eccentric features such as the gullwing doors and except for a few gold plated units, all the other left the factory without any paint applied. The car became an icon after the “Back to the Future” movie, and even though in the beginning it seemed to have everything it takes to become an incredible machine, many car enthusiasts consider it an underpowered and overpriced car.
And they aren’t far from the truth. In the beginning, DeLorean saw the car as being powered by a 200-hp engine, but the final result had only 150-hp. That figure was further reduced after United States emissions regulations forced engineers to drop another 20-hp, leaving a final figure of just 130-hp, too little for what the car wanted to be. As for the “12” in the name, it comes from the starting price of $12,000 and even though that wasn’t cheap at all, around 9,000 units were sold between January 1981 and December 1982, when the company went bankrupt following John DeLorean’s legal problems and bad management of the production facility.
For people who just see KERS as the “magic overtake button”, this article is worth a read as we will break down the components and explain exactly and succinctly what they all do.
First off, KERS is the acronym for Kinetic Energy Recovery System. Although the regulations are changing next season, drivers are allowed to engage this extra boost of no more than 60-kW of power, or 80 hp for 6.67 seconds per lap. This enabled cars to harvest power and deploy the boost for overtaking or defended their position. However, in 2014 KERS power was increased to provide up to 33% of the total powertrain output, as engine displacement will see the current 2.4 V8 unit reduced to a 1.6 V6 unit, and the 18,000-rpm limit reduced to 15,000-rpm.
We’ll begin with the KE part:
Kinetic Energy
Kinetic energy in simple scientific terms is the energy an object possesses due to its being in motion. Kinetic energy is the transformation of one energy into another i.e. a skater uses the chemical energy from food to accelerate the skateboard along flat ground, so chemical energy has been converted into the kinetic energy of motion. If the skater was then presented with a slight hill and they were able to coast to the top, the energy is transformed into potential gravitational energy, and is used when they coast freely down the other side. Kinetic energy can be lost through the deceleration of the object i.e. if the skater descended the hill too fast, they would have to put their foot down, causing friction, so the kinetic energy is lost through heat.
Imagine a cyclist with a headlamp powered by a dynamo attached to the bike’s rear wheel. Chemical energy from the cyclist is converted into the kinetic energy of the wheel’s motion. The wheel’s motion causes friction (heat) energy in turning the attached dynamo wheel. The motion of the dynamo creates electrical energy, which in turn powers the headlamp.
Now for the RS (Recovery System)
Think of Recovery System as the harvesting and storage of energy. The car brakes, energy is created and then stored, and when the driver hits the KERS button on his steering wheel, the stored energy is released.
Electro-KERS
The kinetic energy is created through the friction energy generated through deceleration, which in turn operates a motor/generator unit (MGU) – this has the ability to both generate power during braking and power the driveline through boosted KERS acceleration. Another component, the Control Unit, directs the generated power from the MGU to the battery pack unit (BPU), or from the BPU to the drive motor. The image below from Magnet Marelli (manufacturers of KERS components) shows how the process works, stage by stage.
KERS in F1
Initial use of KERS in F1 wasn’t reliable as the unit often failed during a race (Mark Webber suffered endless problems). The 400 kilojoules of power stored in the Lithium ion cells was also deemed a hazard after a BMW engineer received a massive shock from their system whilst testing in Jerez. Red Bull also encountered problems pre-season in 2008 after a massive fire broke out at their factory. F1 cars now have to wear “High Voltage” decals. The battery packs also get extremely hot, so additional ducts are needed to keep temperatures down. BMW experimented with super-capacitors instead of batteries to avoid this overheating problem.
Mechanical KERS
Teams have also experimented with other devices for the harvesting and application of energy. The mechanical flywheel solution (see pic above) does away with batteries. This KERS system is based on a carbon flywheel in a vacuum linked through a CVT (continuously variable transmission) to the car’s differential. The energy produced from the CVT and drivetrain under braking is used to spin the flywheel at speeds of up to 60,000-rpm, creating and maintaining rotational energy. When this energy is required, the wheels of the car are coupled to the spinning flywheel via a clutch, which when connected boosts overall power. This system is lighter, more endurable and more compact, but it doesn’t offer the same storage abilities as the battery solution.
Electro-Mechanical KERS
Williams created the electro-mechanical KERS. This system’s energy isn’t stored in batteries, but instead utilises a spinning flywheel to store the energy kinetically – what is effectively an electro-mechanical battery. Like the mechanical flywheel, it spins at a high rate, up to around 150,000-rpm to create sufficient energy. This flywheel will perform similarly to the MGU motor/generator unit of the electro-KERS system. When the flywheel spins, it creates a current in the stator, and can supply electricity, or when KERS is initiated, it can function like a motor when electricity flows from the stator. The flywheel works with the MGU, which is attached to the transmission.
Despite KERS being the most significant introductions in modern F1, it has some performance and efficiency limitations. Listed below are the 2013 technical regulations pertaining to KERS.
5.2.1 The use of any device, other than the 2.4 litre, four-stroke engine described in 5.1 above and one KERS, to power the car, is not permitted.
5.2.2 With the exception of one fully charged KERS, the total amount of recoverable energy stored on the car must not exceed 300kJ. Any which may be recovered at a rate greater than 2kW must not exceed 20kJ.
5.2.3 The maximum power, in or out, of any KERS must not exceed 60kW. Energy released from the KERS may not exceed 400kJ in any one lap. Measurements will be taken at the connection to the rear wheel drivetrain.
5.2.4 The amount of stored energy in any KERS may not be increased whilst the car is stationary during a race pit stop.
Release of power from any such system must remain under the complete control of the driver at all times the car is on the track.
The use of KERS in F1 has had an enormous impact on the car industry, as the technology has been incorporated in the manufacture of road cars. Hybrid cars are a big business now, with similar devices used to charge the batteries used to power the car when the engine isn’t required.
F1 KERS technology shifts up a gear with the new engine regulations coming into affect in 2014. As the teams fine-tune and perfect their systems, these will no doubt make the transition to creating more efficient and more economical road cars.
The name behind the legendary Drift King is Japanese racing and drift master Keiichi Tsuchiya. Although widely known for his amazing drifting skills, Keiichi Tsuchiya was previously a hardened racer.
Not coming from a “silver-spoon” background, he learnt and honed his car skills from illegal underground street races; he was even suspended for practising such races just after he began racing professionally.
Keiichi Tsuchiya was born in 1956 in Nagano, Japan and began his professional racing career in 1977 at the age of 21. He started in the amateur Fuji Freshman Racing Series, raced in the Japanese Formula 3 Series, the Japanese Touring Car Championship, Le Mans, and the Super Touring car championship class.
Keiichi Tsuchiya soon attracted the attention of his fellow street racers, and in 1977 magazines and tuning specialists decided to make a video of his “touge” (translates to “Pass” – a narrow or winding road) run. This video was named “Pluspy”, and became an instant hit, inspiring other drivers. Three decades on, and the up and coming drift pros still consider “Pluspy” a true classic.
Throughout his career the Drift King made a name for himself from his style of driving. Being so far ahead in non-drift events, he’d show off, drifting the car around corners, something he says the crowded loved. “I drift not because it is a quicker way around a corner but the most exciting way.”
Some of the cars he raced and still uses are the Nissan Skyline GT-R, a car he described as, “It’s so fast it will make a dead man scream”, the Nissan Silvia, the Honda Civic in the Japanese Touring Car Championship, the Honda NSX, and his favourite, the Toyota AE86 Trueno or “Hachi-Roku”, the translation of “eight-six” (pictured above).
Keiichi Tsuchiya retired from professional racing at the age of 47, with a class win and top ten finish in the 1995 Le Mans, driving a Honda NSX. He also managed second place at the 1999 Le Mans in a Toyota GT-One.
For the past two decades drifting in Japan has gone from being popular to an established national sport. The D1 Grand Prix is drifting’s the equivalent to F1, where the world’s best compete.
Today, Keiichi Tsuchiya is a prominent figure in drifting videos, where he shows off, talks with deep knowledge about the car’s setup, compares cars on touge runs or on the track. Sometimes affectionately called “old man” by his fellow drifters, Keiichi Tsuchiya saves the talking for the track.
Here is part 2 of the iconic Pluspy video, featuring the King in his Toyota AE86.
The Drift King remains a legend, and it’s thanks to his style and inspiration that it’s popularity is still growing today.
The Dodge Ram holds a special place in the heart of millions of Americans, especially those in the construction trades. The name “Ram” wasn’t actually applied to a specific model of truck until 1981, the iconic Ram enduring the test of time and evolution with many versions produced over the last three decades.
The first actual Ram radiator ornament first featured on a Dodge vehicle in 1932, the renowned sculptor Avard Fairbanks responsible for its creation. There’s a funny tale behind its design, as according to some, Walter Chrysler was confused by Fairbanks’ reason to sculpt a Ram, and expressed his doubt in the ornament’s significance to the brand. Sincerely convinced the Ram was the ideal symbol to represent Dodge, Fairbanks asked Chrysler, “What’s a person’s first thought when encountering a Ram in the wild?” Chrysler enthusiastically replied, “Dodge!” Then, “That’s what I want – go with it!”
The first generation of trucks to be entitled “Dodge Ram” left the production line in 1981 and the last 1993, with five engine choices, various wheelbases and three body styles. You could choose from a 2-door, a 2-door extended cab, and a 4-door crew cab. Engines available were a 225 cu in Slant-6 I-6 (95-hp), a 239 cu in LA V6 (125-hp), a 318 cu in LA V8 (140-hp), a 360 cu in LA V8 (190-hp) and the 360 cu in I6 Cummins diesel (160-hp). Like most trucks, the Dodge Ram came in various lengths, including a short bed, 2-door long bed, 2-door extended cab long bed, 4-door extended long bed, and the 4-door long bed.
Later years saw upgrades such as the usual grille and headlight modifications seen on most brands over a decade. A Magnum V8 capable of 230-hp was also introduced along with a Magnum V6 producing 180-hp, ensuring every buyer had the ultimate choice in power, torque and economy. Transmissions available were their 2-4-speed TorqueFlite auto and their 4-5-speed manual.
In 1994 the line received a complete redesign in the form of the second generation. Responding to customer research, the Ram was given a strong exterior look, changing its modest features into a “rig truck” front end with a big grille. Although still using the previous model’s engines, a 488 cu in V10 was made available, offering 310-hp. The models were now called the 1500 half-ton, 2500 three-quarter-ton, and 5000 dual-rear-wheel one-ton, offered in both 2 and 4-wheel drive. The interior saw a major focus on in-cab storage, with a bigger glove box and a centre armrest storage compartment. The dash and cluster gauge were designed to look modern, whilst the rounded black plastic side mirrors replaced the dated square ones.
More updates came to the second generation in 1997/98 with the introduction of the “quad cab”, using similar suicide doors in the back for door opening. Duel airbags were now standard, the interior received a few more tweaks, and the odometer made the switch to digital.
A year later, the second generation received a modified front end with restyled bumpers, quad-beam lights and a body-matching grille. This was all done for their Sport model. Another year on saw heated leather seats and disc brakes, leaving behind the days of old fashioned simplicity.
In 2002 the third generation made its debut, bringing with it some major upgrades. These included a brand new frame, suspension, interiors and powertrains. The grille was made even bigger, and to keep up interest, special models were produced to keep up with the competitor’s separate-fender look. Over all, the third generation retained a lot of the second generation’s shape.
Power was also significantly increased with the huge 8.3-L Viper V10 placed in the awesome SRT-10 (In 2004, the SRT-10 held the Guinness World Record for “World’s Fastest Production Pickup Truck”), clocking 154.587 mph. The 5.9-L Cummins diesel I-6 (250-hp) was a new addition, as was the legendary 5.7L Hemi (388-hp). Over the six years the third generation was in production, the Ram received the usual cosmetic tweaks to maintain a contemporary look, such as further grille modifications and a new steering wheel design. Technology made its way into the cab in the form of DVD entertainment Satellite radio and Bluetooth Connect. Transmission only made its major change with the addition of a 6-speed auto box, whilst the rest received upgrades to maintain compatibility with the newer engine outputs.
The current forth generation came into production late in 2008, sold as the 2009 Dodge Ram. In 2009, the Ram Trucks was separated from the Dodge brand, although Chrysler LLC attempted to keep the Ram competitive with new revisions. Again, a new suspension was installed, the “Rambox” bed storage system was introduced, and yet another Hemi engine option was available.
Handling was improved using a coil spring 5-link rear suspension, replacing the old leaf springs for the 1500 model. Although new suspension components were installed, this in no way had a negative affect on payload capacities. Safety was given a going over with the addition of anti-lock brakes, side curtain airbags and its ESP (Electronic Stability Program).
The latest upgrades in 2013 include new wheels and a new front end. The interior has had a facelift using all new fabrics and trims. A 3.6-L Pentastar V6 powerplant (305-hp) and a 4.7-L Power Tech Hemi V8 (395-hp) are new additions, with a 6-speed auto transmission available to both. There’s also a new 8-speed Torque-Flite tranny for the V6-powered RAMs.
The RAM will always be known as a powerhouse pickup, and although it stays in touch with all modern features, ostensibly growing in bulk and muscles, it will always make up for it by producing more and more power with every evolution – just look at the ridiculous SRT-10, for example, a pick up truck that could double as a drag car.
Gargling Gas 
