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Tag: National Speed

  • National Speed's Midnight Club L.A. Review

    Rockstar games has been on a winning streak this year with their juggernaut Grand Theft Auto 4 tearing up the sales charts as well as garnering critical raves, but it’s their lesser known Midnight Club franchise that really has us salivating here at National Speed. Featuring an amazingly detailed rendering of L.A. for you to rip through in realistic handling Audi’s, Lamborghini’s, Mazda’s, Aston Martin’s, and many more, Midnight Club is the premiere street racing title for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 gaming consoles.

    Fans of previous iterations of Midnight Club and Rockstar’s GTA series will be right at home here. If you’ve played a Midnight Club game before you know exactly what to expect here, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing as there’s no need to fix what isn’t broken. That being said there is a constant “been there, done that” feel that pervades the game (as well as Rockstar’s GTA 4), but that shouldn’t deter you from playing what is arguably the best Midnight Club yet.

    While the racing definitely skews more towards an arcade racer rather than the sim heavy Gran Turismo series, there’s plenty here for gearheads to like. The story is engaging (if a little too stereotypical) and the racing is exciting, but it’s the customization options that really give the game an edge over its closest competitors — EA’s Need For Speed and Burnout franchises.

    You can find aftermarket parts from nearly every major vendor to customize your vehicle, and while part of me still prefers the gas and go simplicity of Burnout, the aftermarket customization options and realistically modeled rides of Midnight Club L.A. go a long way to making me a hardcore convert to Rockstar’s brand of Kool aid.

    Ironically, there have been complaints online about the unrealistic, irratic traffic patterns in Midnight Club L.A. to which I have to ask: have you people ever been to L.A.? It’s completely realistic to have cars swerve into you for no reason. That’s the way the city of angels works. You can’t comprehend it, you can only hope to survive it. Your best bet is to just aim at an expensive looking car and pull out in front of it. That’s how we roll.

    Regardless, if you’re looking for an exciting, breakneck racing experience, you can do no better than Midnight Club Los Angeles. The customization options are extensive, the graphics are eye-bleeding, the vehicle selection is bad ass, and the control is dead on. Do yourself a favor and check it out. You won’t be disappointed.

  • Mr. Animal's Wild Ride

    This one comes to you courtesy of the folks at Gizmodo and yes your eyes aren’t deceiving you — that’s Animal from Jim Henson’s The Muppets behind the wheel of a car.

    Apparently this is a REAL photo from a European traffic camera. The driver, a prankster that has been plaguing German Police for several months, has found a loophole in the traffic camera’s programming.

    According to German authorities, the prankster is able to get away with breaking traffic laws because in order for a ticket to be issued they need a clear picture of the driver, and for some odd reason the cameras are programmed to take a picture of the passenger side and not the driver side. Which means that every time the German police are about to write up a ticket, they’d have to issue it to Animal from the Muppets. You’ve gotta love the absurdity of that sentence.

    The most important question, besides why in the holy hell the cameras are programmed to take a picture of the passenger seat and not the driver, is whether or not Animal actually has a driver’s license. These are the thoughts that kept me out of the good schools…

  • National Speed's Favorite Bond Cars

    You know the name, you know the number. In what is cinema’s longest running and arguably most loved franchise, James Bond has become synonymous with high-octane adventure, gorgeous women, and exotic cars. Ever since Sean Connery ripped up the road with his modified 1963 Aston Martin DB5 in Goldfinger, automotive enthusiasts have been foaming at the mouth to see what the British super spy will be driving next. In anticipation of the upcoming awkwardly titled Bond adventure, Quantum of Solace, National Speed has compiled a list of its favorite Bond cars for your eyes only.

    5) 1971 Ford Mustang Mach-1 from Diamonds are Forever. Driven by Sean Connery in a chase through the Vegas Strip, the Mach-1 was the first vehicle to ever be filmed doing the “driving on only two wheels” stunt. Now everybody drives their cars like that (my mom goes to the grocery store on two wheels just for kicks) but remember Bond did it first, and nobody does it better.

    4) 2002 Aston Martin Vanquish from Die Another Day. While it may be featured in the worst Bond movie since Moonraker, the Aston Martin Vanquish is an amazing car deserving of a better Bond than Pierce Brosnan. Capable of turning invisible, flipping upside down, and launching rockets (in the movie of course), the Vanquish was a fitting automobile to celebrate Bond’s 20th cinematic outing.

    3) 1977 Lotus Espirit from The Spy Who Loved Me. Why stick to the roads when you can drive underwater? In one of the best chase sequences in Bond history, Roger Moore outruns a group of really bad guys by driving his white Lotus Espirit into the water, which then turns into a heavily armed submarine. What I wouldn’t give to be able to do that during Hurricane evacuation traffic in Wilmington.

    2) 1979 Gondola from Moonraker. Anybody can drive a car, but it takes a highly trained super spy to drive a Gondola. Featured in Roger Moore’s embarrassing Moonraker, Bond rampages through the streets of some exotic country I’m too lazy to wiki in a seemingly innocuous Gondola. However, this is James Bond we’re talking about, so of course the seemingly innocuous Gondola transforms into a hovercraft. Ridiculous? Of course. Would we want to drive one? Absolutely.

    1) 1963 Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger. Sure, it’s the obvious choice, but that’s because it’s the only choice. Anyone that doesn’t think this is one of the most beautiful cars on the planet obviously left their brain in their other pants (I’m not sure what that means but it sounded good). Not only does the DB5 come stock with 282 bhp, you also have the option of installing an oil slick, tire shredders, dual front mounted machine guns, and the infamous ejector seat. Quite possibly the coolest car ever made.

  • National Speed Presents: 5 Ridiculous Car Stunts

    Every Monday on the blog we try to run a series of video clips that we think are funny, outrageous, or just plain cool. I say try because sometimes things come up and we’re unable to update on schedule. You know, like that whole work thing. Life would be so much easier without work. And yet, then I’d be unemployed and unable to write this blog. Talk about a catch-22!

    1) Half Pipe. Not many people have seen a car pull a Tony Hawk and bust out a 900 on a half-pipe before. Count yourself as one of the lucky ones. And while I realize this clip is fake, that doesn’t mean it isn’t funny as hell and worth watching. Besides, in two or three years they’ll probably be somebody dumb enough to try something like this…and his glorious failure will be ours to watch on you tube. Here’s hoping they have the cameras running.

    2) Auto Cross Accident. Here’s a little tip, if you’re auto crossing in front of hundreds of people, try not to get run over by your own car. It looks bad…and it’s embarrassing for the car.

    3) SAAB Peformance. Here’s the real deal. Let the professionals show you how it’s done. These guys are the automotive equivalent of the Blue Angels. Really cool stuff.

    4) Road Skating. Why this isn’t a professional sport I have no idea. You could watch this on a constant loop for 24 hours and not get tired of it.

    5) Car 1, Man 0. In the game of human chicken, there can only be one outcome. One horribly painful, bone crunching, hilarious outcome.

    Ready for your close up? Leave us a comment or send us an email and we’ll post any cool videos that you submit to us in a future blog. Roll ’em!

  • National Speed Quickies: Rocket Car, Lambocop, Tiger Woods Needs a Ride

    It’s boring to read the news, that’s why National Speed is cutting out all the fat and giving you only the stuff that matters. No politics, sports, or world events — unless its automotive related. We understand that you’re busy people and don’t want to read boring introductory paragraphs (irony!) so let’s cut to the chase and give you all the news that’s fit to print and probably some that’s not…

    Fox News is reporting that a British Rocket car powered by a jet engine is set to break the landspeed record. Commisioned by several divisions of the British government including the Ministry of Defense, the rocket could reach 1,000 mph in a record shattering 40 seconds. And even though it looks like a high-powered adult novelty toy, the rocket looks like it’d be a blast to drive…I’d just hate to see the gas bill on that thing. What’s a gallon of rocket fuel going for these days anyway? Probably about the same as Regular 87. Zing!

    Tiger Woods may be putting from the rough when it comes to his endorsement contract with General Motors. The stalwart automotive company currently reeling from horrible economic conditions is considering whether or not to cut Tiger loose from his extremely lucrative contract after it expires in 2009. Lucky for Tiger he’s got a stable of free Buicks and Gatorade endorsements to last him through the economic apocalypse.

    Lamborghini recently supplied the Italian State Police with a customized Gallardo LP560 for use as a squad car. With speeds upwards of 200 MPH, criminals are going to need a rocket up their tail pipe to outrun this mean machine.

    And that concludes the this week’s National Speed quickie. Hope it was as good for you as it was for us. As usual if you have any news you’d like to discuss leave us a comment. Stay Classy!

  • National Speed: Mustang Dyno Day

    It may have rained cats and dogs, but it’ll take more than a few inches of falling kittens and man’s best friend to put a stop to National Speed’s Mustang Dyno Day. Sponsored by Chris Durham and the awesome folks at the Wide Open Throttle Mustang Club, we ended up having over thirteen ‘stangs on our dyno with David Crawford and Ryan Strickland taking home trophies and t-shirts for Most Horsepower (forced induction and Natural). Awesome job guys and props for the sweet rides.

    We raffled off over $1,500 in giveaways including contributions from Superchips, SCT and Shooter’s Choice. Local rock station 103.7 The Bone was on hand with fresh pizza, wings, and classic tunes to keep everybody company (can we please put a moratorium on ‘Freebird’ though? Love the song but if I have to hear it one more time). Along with all of the awesome Mustangs we also had a Ford GT in the garage that drew plenty of stares. If the keys had been in the ignition I’m not sure it would still be here. Don’t get any ideas though, I’m stealing it first and heading for Mexico so stay outta my way.

    For more information and pics of their Mustangs head over to Wide Open Throttle’s forum and check ’em out. And if you’re interested in starting your own car club we’ll help you get started. National Speed will set you up with a website, provide forum support, club event ideas, and a meeting space in our Speed Lounge. Leave us a comment if you’d like more info.

  • For Your Eyes Only: Nissan 370Z Spy Pics Surface

    That’s right boys and girls, impromptu spy pictures of the new Nissan 370Z have surfaced and boy is it a sweet looking ride. Other than a recent appearance in the trailer for EA games latest iteration of the Need For Speed franchise, the 370Z has been pretty camera shy. Not anymore. Thanks to the fine folks at Inside Line we’ve gotten our first glimpse at Nissan’s latest. Reports indicate that the rear has been shortened to 99 inches, which could potentially have some drivers sucking in their guts to fit behind the wheel…or scrambling for more trunk space for all of their swanky National Speed gear. T-shirts anyone? I kid, I kid.

    Autoblog also managed to snag some shots of the 370Z’s interior, which appears to made with better materials than the current crop of Z’s — at least according to Autoblog’s spies. You know, I’m not usually the jealous type but I’d really like to know how to get our very own National Speed spy. Can you just post a listing on Craigslist for that? Should I go to a recruiting agency? If there’s any spies out there currently looking for employment come on by National Speed. I’d tell you more about what the job might entail, but of course then I’d have to kill you.

  • National Speed Quickies: Killer Burnout, Lamborghini Unveils Estoque Concept, Chrysler Electric Boogaloos

    It’s boring to read the news, that’s why National Speed is cutting out all the fat and giving you only the stuff that matters. No politics, sports, or world events — unless its automotive related. We understand that you’re busy people and don’t want to read boring introductory paragraphs (irony!) so let’s cut to the chase and give you all the news that’s fit to print and probably some that’s not…

    Road rage gets the better of us all sometimes but Serena Sutton-Smith has taken it to the next level. After purposefully crashing her car into a Fiat, Smith continued pushing the petal to the metal until her engine caught fire and her tires disintegrated. With the car completely engulfed in flames, bystanders tried to remove Serena from the vehicle, who instead of running for her life opted to remain behind the wheel and utter a simple and eloquent, “F*ck off.” That is what I call some serious road rage. Check out Car Domain and the Times Online for more info.

    Lamborghini unveiled their latest not-so-well-kept-secret at the Paris Auto Show and its turned out to be none other than a four door sports car. Yawn! While there’s no denying that the Estoque Concept is a slick looking sports car, I was holding out hope for a high performance Lamborghini minivan. At least that would be something interesting after the ridiculous amount of teasing they’ve done with the Estoque.

    Chrysler recently held a press event to debut their new selection of electric vehicles. This little engine that couldn’t is certain to turn a few heads, probably towards the nearest toilet to vomit from the sickening cuteness — it makes the VW Bug look like a Hummer.

    And that concludes this week’s National Speed quickie. Hope it was as good for you as it was for us. As usual if you have any news to submit leave us a comment or send us an emial and we’ll post it in a future blog. Stay Classy!

  • National Speed Presents: The Automotively Challenged

    There are some people that were born to sit behind the wheel of a car. These are not those people…

    1) Car Rotisserie. This is what happens when gearheads with too much spare time get inspired while stuck in front of the spinning chicken rack at Golden Corral. I can’t imagine anything else that would compel someone to do this to their car. Then again, maybe they just have an unhealthy obsession with Johnny 5’s eyebrows. If anybody actually gets that reference come by National Speed and I’ll buy you a Coke. Not really, but it’s the thought that counts, right guys?

    2) Worst Car Mods. There’s no sound to this clip but the video more than speaks for itself. Part of me hopes that these are photoshopped and that no sane person would create automobiles this ugly but deep down I know they’re real. May God have mercy on their poor, aesthetically challenged souls.

    3) Backasswards. This is security camera footage of a driver that can’t back out of a parking space to save their life.

    4) More Parking Trouble. More security camera footage of the parking challenged.

    5) When Cars Attack. To prove that I’m not sexist, I’ve included a clip of another boneheaded driver that has some problems getting out of a parking deck. He’s a guy, or at least he was before the end of this clip. Almost getting run down by your own car is a complete violation of man law.

    Got any videos you’d like to share with National Speed? Leave us a comment and we’ll post ‘em up in our next video blog.

  • Diesel Dyno Day

    Saturday, September 20th marked National Speed’s first annual Diesel Dyno Day. In between coughing fits from all the smoke and chomping down on juicy burgers we ended up dynoing over ten massive diesels with John Porterfield taking home the most horsepower trophy (826.84) and Nate Eix claiming most torque (1020). Congratulations guys, but I still don’t think you have enough under the hood to take on my Ford Focus…Please don’t run me over.

    The Speed Girls made their debut at the event, raffling off prizes, giving away free t-shirts, and keeping our technician John company. He needs that kind of ego boost. Just kidding, John…but not really.

    Towards the end of the day smoke was flying everywhere with several of the trucks making over 800 horsepower and two of them maxing out the dyno’s torque reading. It was an awesome event with some serious diesel power on display. We really gave the dyno’s ventilation system a workout.

    To see more pics from National Speed’s Diesel Dyno Day click here. Thanks again to everybody for showing up and making it a great event. We’ll see you guys at the next one!