My Blog

Tag: National Speed

  • Nissan 370Z: Some See a Letter, Others See an Annoying Commercial

    In order to promote the new Nissan 370Z, Nissan has released a promo video which features the most annoying techno music since Moby’s cat ran across his keyboard and released PLAY. “Some see a letter, others see a Car,” is their new advertising slogan and I hope you like it because it’s repeated at least 1,000 times before the commercial is even over. Take a look at it for yourself, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. At least the Nissan 370Z looks smoking hot…

    And if for some reason the embedded video above doesn’t play for you, click here to check it out via youtube.

  • Flying Aerocar N103D: The Future is Now

    Anyone that reads the National Speed blog knows that I’m a big fan of flying cars. I’ve been clamoring for flying car technology since I tried to pilot my way out of the womb (take my advice and wait until they cut the umbilical cord before trying to takeoff). Little did I know the Future is now…er…actually it’s been here since 1956 and nobody bothered to tell me.

    Created in 1956 by Moulton B. Taylor, The N103D Flying Aerocar is powered by a 160 HP engine under the hood and has the rare distinction of being the only automobile certified by the FAA. With over 1,103 flight miles accumulated, the Flying Aerocar (isn’t that redundant — when something’s called an aerocar wouldn’t you naturally assume that it flew?) is currently for sale on eBay and can be yours for the low, low price of 3.5 million dollars.

    Feel like flying the friendly skies on your way to work? Just attach the wings and propeller and you’re good to go. An informal inspection was conducted in 2006 to make sure the Flying Aerocar was in working order…not sure what an informal inspection means, but considering you’re paying 3.5 million dollars for the world’s only functioning Flying Aerocar, it’s probably well worth it.

  • Word of the Day: Farking Spot

    Fans of all things small have something to celebrate today: the size doesn’t matter folks at MINI have announced a “Word of the Day” desktop widget. Cooper drivers rejoice, you now have daily desktop entertainment to accompany your MINI joyriding.

    Today’s word: “FARKING SPOT!” This is what happens when you think you’ve found an empty parking space, and then find out that a tiny car is actually parked there. It’s happened to the best of us, and apparently it happens so often that MINI has coined a term for it.

    So the next time you’re about to park and find a Smart car fit for a clown in your space, calmy shake your first and yell, “Farking Spot!”

  • National Speed Quickie: Snakes on a Dash

    It’s been awhile since our last quickie, so I thought it’d be best to set the mood with a little wine and romance. Just kidding. I’m not one for long winded speeches or intros, so whaddaya say we get down to business and report on all the automotive news that’s fit to print…and probably some that isn’t.

    “Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?” An 80 year old goat breeder by the name of Noel Padgham recently took her car to the shop after it began making a clunking noise. Seems like a rather mundane way to start off a news blog right? Don’t worry, it gets better.

    Upon opening the dash, mechanic Kit Carson (no relation to the frontiersman) was greeted by the pants filling sight of a three foot long python wrapped around the ventilation fan. To make matters worse, the snake was still alive!

    After changing his shorts, Carson took the snake to the local vet where it now awaits its next exciting trip perhaps on a plane, or possibly train. No word on if Samuel L. Jackson will be involved.

    Special thanks to Jalopnik for originally breaking the story and to whatever poor bastard wrote Snakes on a Plane…even two years after that steaming pile’s release we’re still getting mileage out of the title.

  • Crazy Motor Swaps: LS1 Skyline and 2JZ Camaro

    I think I’ve officially seen it all…

    Sure, swapping a Chevy motor into a fox body is old news, but how about a Chevy LS1 with a pair of turbochargers hanging off of it? In an R34 Nissan Skyline. Or how about the reversal of that and throwing a 2JZ-GTE into a First Gen Camaro. What the ‘eff is going on around here? I know this may be old news to some, but I’m going to cover the Skyline and a particular other vehicle anyways.

    National Speed - LS1 TT Skyline Images

    The GT Autosound LS1 TT R34. Might be a mouthful, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t a handful as well. Some may call it a sacrilege, but I just call it badass. Do what you gotta do to make power in my opinion. Sure, you can make all the top end power in the world with an RB26, but since this car is used for drifting, it needs all the torque it can make. I do believe the Chevy LS1 fits that bill. Small block torque with a turbocharged punch up top? Yes please. 800+ lbs/ft of Torque FTW.

    National Speed 2JZ Camaro FrontNational Speed - 2JZ Camaro Engine bay

    If that wasn’t odd enough, how about a reversal of the last car. How about a fully built single snailed 2JZ-GTE motor from a MKIV Supra popped into a……..’67 CAMARO?! If the last one didn’t get people into an uproar, surely this one must. I have to honestly say though, regardless of powerplant, this is one of the cleanest works I’ve ever seen. Blending newschool with the oldschool, this EVS Motors built Camaro not only packs a 1,000+HP punch, but but also has a completely custom interior, Navigation, Power windows, Rear view camera, HIDs, and a completely custom sound system.

    You never know what you’re going to find nowadays, and I’m curious as to what is to come of the future. I think in the future once people realize you can think out of the box for vehicle swaps there will be a surge of new powerplants in inconspicuous vehicles. LSX Powered 240sx?…. Mmmmmm.

  • Turbodiesels – Not just for your Truck.

    I honestly think the Turbodiesel is the way of the future.

    National Speed - Diesel Smoke Cloud

    Countries with astronomic gas prices have been using them for years…why has it taken so long to catch on in the United States? The UK has diesel powered EVERYTHING and 40% of new cars sold are Diesel Powered. Sure, we have them in our Turbodiesel Powerstroke/Cummins powered trucks, but what about the economical reasoning behind it? There’s a common misconception about black smoke being emitted from Diesel powered vehicles. Most people seem to think that because there is black smoke, it is “dirty”. In fact, diesel burns MUCH cleaner than gasoline.

    National Speed - Diesel BMW 123d

    Let’s use the BMW 123d for our example. A Turbodiesel sportscar you say? Blasphemy! I think not. Here’s some numbers to boggle your mind for a moment. How about 201 horsepower and 295ft/lbs of torque. A top speed of 148mph? Perhaps a 0-60mph time of 7 seconds dead. Sure, they may not be blockbuster statistics, but how about this one: 54.3 Miles Per Gallon. While the BMW is one of many examples, I know that the US will see a surge of Turbodiesel powered vehicles in the future.

    National Speed - Diesel Audi R10 TDI

    The Diesel Powered Audi R10 TDI racecar won LeMans in 2006 and surely that must be saying something. A race of that caliber has always been dominated by Gasoline powered vehicles. I don’t think the problem here is performance. Sure, you’ll miss a little bit, and perhaps wringing out a Turbodiesel to a 5k RPM redline isn’t quite the same as the 9k wail of an RX7, but you have to see what you’re gaining. Honestly, I could give up a little bit of performance for a ridiculous MPG number. Gas isn’t cheap, nor is it going to last forever.

  • What's power without control? – FWD Traction

    All too often people seem to forget that having lots of Horsepower is absolutely useless if you can’t put it to the ground. Unless you’re building a show car or a dyno queen, if you can’t get the power down, what’s the point?

    While all of this is generally up for debate, I believe you have to achieve some sort of balance. Why do you think you see 800hp Supras running 12’s? (Not all of them, mind you.) I have a friend with a supercharged Miata that can absolutely pull higher horsepower cars in 1st and 2nd just due to the fact that he can put all of the power down.

    Most RWD applications don’t have a traction problem due to weight transferring automatically to the rear wheels which need traction. FWD guys don’t have this luxury, so some things need to be put in place to make up for this shortcoming.

    Here’s some good ways to eliminate most of your FWD traction problems:

    National Speed FWD Tire

    One of the most overlooked items is Tires. These are your only contact to the ground, and is no doubt the most important thing to consider. Generally, the bigger your contact patch, the more traction you’ll get.

    National Speed Spring

    Another thing to address is Spring Rates. Most FWD drag racers run higher spring rates in the rear and lower in the front. This is due to the fact that when launching a car, all of the force is carried backwards. When all the weight shifts backwards, the load is placed over your rear tires. The stiffer the rear springs, the more load is pushed back over the front wheels, thus causing less spin.

    FWD Traction Bar

    A common mod for FWD guys also is Traction Bars. Anytime you move a FWD car forcibly in any direction, the front control arms and bushings flex due to load, decreasing traction and stability. Traction bars hold it all together, keeping everything from flexing, and thus losing traction.

    FWD Motor Mounts

    Another thing to consider is Solid Motor Mounts. A common problem with some FWD applications is the dreaded wheel hop. Not only is it jarring and bad for traction, but it can also destroy drivetrain components. By solidifying your motor in place, you can greatly reduce this problem.

    All in all, the FWD platform is not bad for racing, it’s just the fact of putting power down. With these minimal mods, you’ll be hooking up with no problem.

  • Why don't we get these? European Hot Hatches

    It’s just not fair. I’m not too sure why we don’t get hot hatches over here, but it’s just not fair.

    National Speed - Ford Focus ST

    Take a look at the Ford Focus for example. Sure we have it, but over here, in all honesty it’s a box of fail (sorry Casey) compared to what already exists in Europe. At its peak the USDM Ford Focus was pumping out a whopping dismal 170 hp for the top of the line SVT motor. In Europe, they replaced the 2.0 liter 4 banger for a 5 cylinder turbocharged 2.5 liter which produces a very stout 225hp and 236ft/lbs in stock trim for the ST model.

    Not only did they get the bigger motor, but the Focus also has a 6 speed and looks so much better (IMO) as well. It also returns miles per gallon figures of 30.4 with mixed driving. What are you doing Ford? We can’t even get the right version of the Focus over here for God’s sake, something we already have the groundwork for. Based on current conversion rates, the Focus ST would sell at around $22,850.

    National Speed - Renault Clio Cup

    Next up is the Clio Cup, produced by the French manufacturer Renault. While it’s not turbocharged, as compared to the other hot hatches in this article, it still pushes out an awesome 200hp all motor from it’s 2.0 liter mill. While 200hp doesn’t sound incredible, it’s run through a 6 speed manual and returns 33.6 Miles per gallon. Based on current conversion rates, the Clio would sell at around $18,700.

    National Speed - Vauxhall Astra VXR

    Moving along is my personal favorite, the Vauxhall Astra VXR. We actually do get this vehicle under the Saturn Astra guise, but not exactly the way the Europeans do. In Europe it is powered by a 1.8 liter turbocharged motor producing around 237hp and driven through a 6 speed tranny. We don’t quite have that option yet, but I believe in the near future the motor from GM’s HHR SS might be powering the Saturn Astra Redline. I surely do hope so because the aftermarket for the Astra VXR in Europe is ridiculous. Currently the top of the line Astra retails for $18495. I suppose we will see what the VXR retails for if it ever comes to fruition in the US.

  • Sparco Wingman Babyseat – Fun for the kids too.

    You know, this may be an odd article, but I saw this and just had to cover it.

    This is one badass baby carrier.

    National Speed Sparco Babyseat - Front

     

    Rory Craig of the Art Center College of Design has created a clever prototype for a new Sparco Babyseat. While not officially affiliated with Sparco, Rory is trying to pitch the idea to Sparco to see if this thing can go into production. It’s meant to appeal to racing enthusiasts, which in all honesty does effectively. Swathed in carbon fiber and wrapped over a CNC’d foam core, this baby seat is not only ridiculously lightweight, but strong as well. All straps are from real Sparco harnesses and the chair is fully internally padded.

     

    National Speed Sparco Babyseat - Rear

     

    One cool feature about this seat is the fact that it can adapt to a child’s age from 1 month up to 10 years. The first function is for a Rear facing Infant seat, from age 1-24 months, next is for Toddlers and is forward facing from age 1-3 years. Once they get a little older, the seat detaches from the base and the base can be used for a booster seat from 1 to 10 years or you can use the detached seat as an infant carrier. All of this means that for the initial cost of the product, you end up saving money by avoiding the cost of purchasing new products.

     

    National Speed Sparco Babyseat - Functions

    I’d really like to see this idea come to fruition. It’s hard to argue that this thing doesn’t look damn cool. It’s always best to start them off young, why not start immediately?

    NOTE:  THIS PRODUCT WAS JUST A PROTOTYPE AND WAS NOT ACTUALLY PRODUCED FOR RETAIL

  • Ford Unveils The New Pony: The 2010 Ford Mustang

    Ford unveils the new iteration of its longtime flagship model, this time a bit more appealing.

    National Speed 2010 Mustang Front

    The new slightly Italian-esque Ford Mustang takes on a new look this year. Starting out with a minor facelift, the turn signals have been moved, the headlights are now more slightly curved for aerodynamic purposes, and that unsightly old school antenna has been removed.

    The lower front fascia has new air deflectors to further enhance airflow, shooting air around the sides of the car, as opposed to underneath. New slimmer sideskirts smooth out the transition from front to rear. The rear end has been slimmed down and curved slightly forward, as well as the turn signals. Instead of the standard turn signals, the 2010 Mustang now has sequential turn signals.

    National Speed 2010 Mustang Interior

    You can’t blame me for saying so, but the interior of the last generation Mustang was dated craptastic for a new vehicle. Ford rose to the 21st century and finally redesigned the interior. Gone is the cheap plastic and cloth better suited for a 20 year old Yugo and is updated nicely with Brushed aluminum and Comfy leather.

    The steering wheel has also been redesigned and is now reminiscent of the original Mustang. All of the original items on the dashboard that have been obtrusive or stuck up above the dash in any way has been recessed or mounted flush to preserve the new clean appearance.

    As far as the motor goes, the 2010 GT retains the last generation 4.6L V8, minus being bumped up to 315hp and 325lb-ft of torque due to some intake reworking. A new “sound tube”(?!) has been added into the exhaust system, directing sound into the passenger compartment as well…. Well that’s pretty damn gimmicky if you ask me, but whatever works.

    On the bright side, the hood has been expanded a bit to avoid any clearance issues when you slap a Twin screw supercharger on top of the motor. For WHATEVER reason, Ford STILL hasn’t replaced that archaic live axle suspension out back though. Traction control is nice, however.

    National Speed 2010 Mustang Rear End

    All in all, the new 2010 Mustang has made a big jump when compared to its predecessor. With the new redesigned interior and mildly facelifted exterior, as long as Ford doesn’t jump the price up the new generation mustang should sell very well.