Rain, Rain, Go Away
On a rare, rainy So-Cal day, Bridgestone mixed members of the media with select dealers to try out the new Turanza with Serenity Technology and the Firestone Firehawk GT tires on a closed autocross course. What was supposed to be a comparison with a competitor tire around a wet and dry course turned into a wet and never dry track. Fun, right? Not so much if you're sitting back seat with a dealer behind the wheel who has no idea what a driving line is. Nor that you're supposed to slow going into a corner and accelerate coming out and not vice versa. Dramamine, stat!
Queasiness aside, the Bridgestones part the rain like Moses did the Red Sea and manage to grip the tarmac, despite jerky maneuvers and even while dragging orange pylons. Whether or not they perform better when dry, one can only speculate. But hey, if Bridgestone engineers can keep dealers and media from spinning out in the rain, they've got us sold.
Say What?
One study determined that a driver who talked on a cell phone had the same response time as an inebriated driver. This got us thinking: What about eating and driving? Being the hardcore automotive journalists that we are (and because we're hungry), we set out to find the truth."
Staff Report
("Fast-Food Shootout" Super Street, September 2007)
Tetsu's Tales
A sequential transmission is very famous because Super GT, D1, and Time Attack cars have sequential transmission. You can shift up or down if you push or pull the shift lever. It is very convenience and driver can change the gear in short time. Does your car or your friend's car have sequential transmission? I think sequential transmission is rare for street cars because it is very expensive. But check around you carefully. Maybe your friend has sequential transmission if your friend have a Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki or Yamaha. Motorcycles have sequential transmission, but use your foot when you change the gear. Sequential gear for cars is over $10,000, but a Honda CBR600 is about $8,499. Suzuki Hayabusa 1300 is $11,149. It sounds like motorcycles are cheap. I know we can't use motorcycle's transmission for 240SX, Civics, etc. Suzuki Hayabusa's engine is 1,300cc, four- cylinder, DOHC and makes 175PS. It sounds like fast and motorcycle's engine responsive is good. I think if someone build a sport car which has motorcycle's engine is nice.
Suzuki and Suzuki Sport is thinking about building a sports car with motorcycle engine. It is a Hayabusa prototype. The name "Hayabusa" means the car will have a Suzuki engine and transmission. Steel pipe and aluminum panel frame makes super lightweight which is 550kg (about 1,210 lbs). That's why the Hayabusa's engine can be the heart of this sports car (JDM Civic Type-R's weight is 1,270kg/2,794lbs). Last month, we talk about "Turbo vs NA." But I think most important thing for sports car is lightweight body. Weight balance of Hayabusa prototype is 50:50 and low center gravity like a Formula car. You can feel being formula car driver if you drove Hayabusa prototype from your office to your house. And I guess you can forget bad things (example: bad boss, mistake, etc.) after you drive it. Hayabusa prototype is a car with motorcycle performance. Suzuki Sport says Hayabusa prototype will not be an expensive car if they sell it, but they have no plan for selling Hayabusa prototype. I want to buy it if Hayabusa prototype would be around $20,000. Here is the pictures and spec sheet of Hayabusa prototype.
-Tetsuya Ogushi
Word on the Street
Smokin' It Up On Speed
Fiendin' for some NOPI? Flip your remote control on over to SPEED TV for an hour-long fix of NDRA drag, drift, car show and NOPI Chic action. www.nopi.com
Banned In Altamont
Thanks to disgruntled neighbors, drifting is now banned in Altamont Motorsports Park. No word if the neighbors will instead appreciate the late night donuts and drift attempts on their street. www.betteraltamont.org
Nosty As They Wanna Be
Aspiring models: feeling a little NOS-ty? Take your attention-deprived ass on over to a HIN or NightShift event this year. NOS energy drink will be on hand conducting their Naughty NOS Girl Model Search, resulting in a modeling contract. Consolation prize: a healthy heap of insomnia. www.drinknos.com
Rally In Your Room
Live Sockets is going to track World Rally Championship dirt from all around the world to the comforts of your living room without having to use a Swiffer. Check out their site for more DVD info. www.livesockets.com