Alex Lloyd

Editor-at-Large, Yahoo Autos

[alexlloyd19]

Vintage IndyCar, At Its Best: Flickr Photo Of The Day

OK, so maybe the year 2000 wasn’t IndyCar’s best era, but from an appearance perspective, does an openwheel machine get much better looking than this? The iconic red and white Marlboro livery, three-time Indy 500 champ Helio Castoneves at the wheel. If you ever forget what a race car should look like, just refer back to this post.

Photo: Peter Burke

[alexlloyd19]

Vintage IndyCar, At Its Best: Flickr Photo Of The Day

OK, so maybe the year 2000 wasn't IndyCar's best era, but from an appearance perspective, does an openwheel machine get much better looking than this?

OK, so maybe the year 2000 wasn't IndyCar's best era, but from an appearance perspective, does an openwheel machine get much better looking than this? The iconic red and white Marlboro livery, three-time Indy 500 champ Helio Castoneves at the wheel. If you ever forget what a race car should look like, just refer back to this post. 

[alexlloyd19]

Driving A 2017 Acura NSX Until The Curtain Falls

As many of you may know, come the end of April, Yahoo Autos will be no more—the lights will be switched off, the doors locked, and we’ll hand in our car keys. There are two ways to deal with this: The first is to sulk, shed many tears, and pour one for my fallen homies. The second: chin up, fly to Palm Springs, rag the crap out of a new 2017 Acura NSX, and go out in a plume of tire smoke.

I chose the latter.

That’s not to say I didn’t mope, or lament what has been a fabulous five years writing for Yahoo. But I did go to Palm Springs, and consumed the entire bottle of gin myself—because hey, I’m unemployed, and therefore won’t be wasting a drop.

As for the car, well, it’s quite something. More to the point, it was the perfect machine to savor the moment—understanding that this business we’re in is both mystifying and wonderful.

It’s mystifying mainly because someone handed the keys of a $156,000 super car to a hung-over British chap, just so I’ll write a short blurb on it. Apparently, my plane ticket to California, my hotel room at the Ritz, the cost to feed me for two nights, and that bag of chips I stole from the minibar are well worth it. (Truth be told, I think they mistook me for a less educated, less sideways Chris Harris.)

I’ll take it.

That’s how this business works. You, the reader, have to determine if said “journalist” is swayed by all the free shrimp. Some most definitely are—their next meal depends on it. Then there are others, the consummate professionals, who—if the car is a piece of shit—will say “hey, you in the comments, this car is a piece of shit.” (I’ll never forget the Buick Regal GS launch, where I read a wealth of reviews praising its sporty demeanor. Snarling GNX this is not. In fact, it’s a giant dog turd that boasts a little show for zero go, and few had the guts to say it.)

I like to think we at Yahoo Autos speak honestly, and with knowledge. This is one of the things I’ll miss most about our team.

Anyhow, I’m getting distracted.

The 2017 Acura NSX. Yes, as you can tell, this ain’t your typical review—too much change is happening for my brain to write that way. And regardless, we have a nicely crafted “first drive” on site already, so check it out if my bemoaning bothers you.

Where to start? Well, we’ve been waiting for a replacement to the old Senna-engineered NSX for what feels like an eternity. And when it finally arrived, it did so with four whole motors—a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 powering the rear axle (good for 500 horsepower), accompanied by a small electric motor sandwiched between that powertrain and the 9-speed gearbox. Then there are two further electric motors turning the front axle, capable of working independently to provide seamless—and very clever—torque vectoring. Unlike a plug-in Prius or Chevy Volt, or even a BMW i8, this hybrid technology does little to help fuel economy. There is no real “all electric” range to speak of, although it will travel at least a few meters in silence. During my day driving through mountains and on highways, I averaged just 15 mpg.

Rather, the powertrain layout is engineered for performance—filling the delay while the turbos spool up with instantaneous electric torque. This ensures zero to 60 mph takes less than three seconds, thanks to a combined 573 horsepower and 476 lb.-ft. of torque rushing to all four wheels. It does so effortlessly, without the plume of tire smoke I was determined to exhibit during my swansong. It doesn’t half feel quick, though—like an army of solar-powered robots forcing you back into the seat.

The cabin is unremarkable, but pleasant—think John Kasich. Whereas the exterior is all flash, low and wide; one approaching in your rearview mirror depicts a scene from Jaws, minus the fin. It also attracts more attention than just about any vehicle I’ve driven.

Everyone stopped. Everyone stared. Everyone asked about it; one guy even took a selfie with it. If the NSX was designed to be noticed, Acura succeeded in spades—which is good, because the lineage between the outgoing NSX—a machine that took on supercar giants like Ferrari at an attainable price—is nowhere to be found.

In fact, you can’t really compare the old NSX to the new one, beyond that they both challenge the established marques by going about things differently. The 2017 NSX is heavy (3,800 lbs.), is not simple (many motors), and lacks the emotional connection the original grasped. But the more you drive it, the more you start to love it.

If you believe the original reviews of the 2017 NSX, you’d deem the car to be sterile and boring. I don’t agree. On track, wrapped in the optional Pirelli Trofeo R tires—which would admittedly make a Yugo lap the ‘Ring in under 8 minutes—the NSX feels, well, a bit like an Audi R8: fast, capable, comforting and precise. The thump out of the turns due to the electric motors is exhilarating, and the carbon-ceramic brakes are perhaps the best I’ve felt on a production car, with the exception of a new Camaro Z/28. It’s worth noting that, due to it boasting a brake-by-wire system, the pedal feel is simulated. And it varies based on driving mode—Quiet, Sport, Sport+, or Track. It’s very clever, and it feels natural, even though it’s not.

If you’re seeking proof that weighty tech like this pays off, Acura says it posted an unofficial time of 2 minutes 49 seconds around Virginia International Raceway. (For reference, during its Lightning Lap competition in 2014, Car & Driver managed a 2 minute 50.8 second lap in a Ferrari F12berlinetta.) 

So it corners well, and the trick torque vectoring at the front ensures understeer is kept to a minimum (it is still present, but trail braking eliminates much of it). The various driving modes alter the software that controls the car’s handling. In Track it feels neutral, whereas in Sport it pushes like a pig. The machine transforms at the flick of a switch.

On the mountain roads, however, the NSX makes most sense.

Sport+ mode is where you want to be, otherwise known as “windy road setting” (technical term). Magnetic ride ensures the bumps pose little issue, the low center of gravity (the engine is situated below the driver’s elbows) keeps it planted in the turns, and forward visibility truly is best-in-class. You can ignore that, in a $156,000 car, navigation isn’t standard (come on!), and that a car that is designed to excel more on street than track has just one clip-on cup holder— and it wasn’t even present in our test vehicle, much to the dismay of my Starbucks.

You can ignore all this (just) because it’s damn fun to pedal hard, and completely predictable.

The NSX makes you feel invincible. The instant torque explodes off hairpin bends with barely a chirp (you don’t even notice the 1,000-foot drop to the right). It’ll make a great hillclimb car, and expect two race-prepped NSXs to debut at Pikes Peak this summer.

The engine noise in the cabin is loud and intriguing (it doesn’t sound crappy like most V6s, thanks to a 75 degree bank). You’re also aware of every gush and whine the turbos and electric motors exude, as if you’re at one with the process. From the outside, however, the exhaust note lacks character. This is a shame, but then the battle between Honda Japan and Honda America resulted in over 100 videoconferences arguing about how it should sound (Japanese culture deems pops and splutters crude, whereas we in the U.S. love a good gurgle). It’s no Jaguar F-Type or 911 GT3—a pair of cars American engineers aimed to rival in auditory quality—but then few are.

It is what it is. And that is simply a damn good sports car (yes, sports car, not supercar, as Acura would have you believe). It lacks the excitement, passion and ferociousness of a McLaren, a Ferrari, or a Lamborghini, but it’s more visually pleasing than a Porsche 911 Turbo, and just as useable every day. Despite the clever tech, it feels normal—which could be seen as a compliment or a critique, depending on your viewpoint. If you take it for what it is, and not dig too deeply for that nonexistent connection between it and the old NSX, then you’ll be impressed.

I sure was.

But then what do I know? I’m just a former race car driver that once wore pink, soon-to-be found frequenting the unemployment line.

[alexlloyd19]

Behold The Bugatti Chiron: 1,500-HP, 0-125 Mph in 6.5 Seconds, $2.6 Million

The much awaited replacement to the Bugatti Veyron, a long-time record holder of the “world’s fastest car,” is here: This is the Bugatti Chiron, revealed today in anticipation of the Geneva motor show. In case you missed the title—yes, it’s very fast.

It’s also stunning, much like the Vision Gran Turismo concept debuted by the company last year. In fact it’s so like that virtual car, the design on the Chiron shocks little; it was kind of expected. And that’s not a bad thing at all.

Take the rear-end, for example. No Vera Wang Oscar dress comes close to presenting a bottom as fabulous. And the swooping curvature along the side that’s cleverly replicated within the cabin. The whole car screams a level of detail that a €2.4 million ($2.6 million at today’s exchange rate) buyer demands. Of which, one third of the proposed 500 Chirons are already accounted for.

The lucky few better be ready, however: Bugatti says the 1,500 horsepower and 1,100 lb.-ft. of torque can effectively “wind” an unprepared driver, such is the savagery of its acceleration; 62 mph arrives in under 2.5 seconds, but the more impressive figure is that in just 6.5 seconds you’ll be traveling 125 mph—that’s probably faster than a Honda F1 car.

Top speed is faster, too: The Chiron is limited to 261 mph in base spec. However, if you tick the “special package” and follow some safety instructions, the Chiron can be let loose, potentially surpassing 275-280 mph. Make no mistake, Bugatti cares deeply about the title of “world’s fastest car.”

As for the engine that’s going to take it there: An 8.0-liter, quad turbo W16. The turbochargers in the Chiron are larger than the ones in the Veyron, which helps make the colossal power that it does. And here it’s a two-stage system, which is said to eliminate turbo lag; two turbocharges are spinning from a start, according to Bugatti, while the other two ramp up at 3,800 rpm. This ensure the 1,100+ lb.-ft. of torque is on tap between 2,000 and 6,000 rpm, routed through a 7-speed dual clutch transmission to all four wheels. 

Want to see more, be sure to scroll through the gallery above, and check back for live shots of the car on Geneva’s show floor.

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

Bugatti Chiron

Replacing the Bugatti Veyron, this might just be the fastest car in the world

[alexlloyd19]

State Revokes Anti-Muslim License Plate “FMUSLMS”

How, exactly, a license plate reading “FMUSLMS” made it through the Department of Public Safety’s screening process and onto the road is a question many Minnesota residents are asking. But it did.

At the request of Gov. Mark Dayton—who said he was “appalled” by the state’s error and that the person who requested the custom plate should be “ashamed”—has ordered it be revoked. The plate was approved back in June 2015, in the small town of Foley.

A photo of the plate was posted online after it was spotted in the town of St. Cloud. “Unitecloud,” an organization that attempts to relieve cultural tensions in the city, asked its Facebook followers to notify and express their outrage to the DPS.

“People were angry, asking questions,” Haju Yusef, the man who first posted the image online, said to CBS Minnesota. “How did this happen? How did this go through the DMV without anybody paying attention to it?”

The DPS has not issued details on how its mistake occurred, merely apologizing and concurring that the request should never have been approved in the first place. The plate will be removed immediately. The name of the person who requested it is not being released.

“That prejudice has no place in Minnesota,” said Gov. Dayton, who called for the DPS to review its procedures to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen again. Yusef believes the person who ordered the plate does not represent the majority of Minnesota: “What matters,” he says, “is a community came together at this moment.”

[alexlloyd19]

2016 Land Rover Range Rover Diesel: Real World Review

What is it? 2016 Land Rover Range Rover HSE Td6: four-wheel-drive, five-seat SUV for life’s chosen few.

Price as tested: $106,325

Competitors: Bentley Bentayga (if you’re richer than God), Cadillac Escalade, Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Alternatives: If you’ve got $106,325 to splurge on a car, probably whatever you want.

Pros: The most capable SUV…in the world.

Cons: Land Rover’s technology packages lack the innovation seen with rival luxury automakers, and while the latest generation infotainment system is better than before, it’s still below par.

Would I buy it with my own money? Give me $100,000 to buy an SUV, and then yes, I would buy it—without regret. Or maybe I’d gamble it away in Vegas and return to living in poverty.

Here’s a Real World Review of a vehicle 99.9 percent of the world will never own; the average buyer of a Range Rover boasts a yearly income of around $500,000. If you are fortunate enough to have inherited a ton of cash, chances are you probably don’t care what this review says—you’ll just buy it anyway and then buy another if it breaks. As for the wealthy entrepreneur, sunning it in Palo Alto, you’ll say you bought it because the slope leading up to your mansion occasionally has a few leaves on it, and leaves are like banana skins in Mario Kart.

So this review is for everyone else. You, the people. Real World Americans. NARPs.

I’m writing this from the SUV’s backseat, because it’s nicer than my house in here and dammit I’ve been given a Range Rover for a week. I’m watching Lego Movie on the headrest-mounted DVD players; my kid had been watching it on the way home from Monster Jam, and I’m too lazy to turn it off—plus, everything is awesome. Incidentally, for a 5-foot 8-inch short-arse like myself, climbing aboard the Ranger Rover is a bit like how I envisage regular people clambering into Grave Digger; it’s a challenge.

For a big SUV, there’s not a great deal of space in here (the vastly more expensive long wheelbase version is better for rear-seat living). Sure, the panoramic roof acts as a gateway to millions of miles of sunshine, and that helps the cabin feel airy. But you do expect more rear legroom. The good thing is the trunk is positively cavernous, boasting enough room for at least six butlers. And the front seats feature all the space you need (albeit they don’t adjust 19,385 ways like some luxury cars do). Leather wraps every surface—in my case, a beautiful mesh of white and black, otherwise known as the Michael Jackson special.

Let’s talk a little about the elephant in the room—the diesel motor. Thanks to VW, diesels aren’t exactly a subject of love here in the U.S. In fairness, they never were (because few automakers include them in their American lineup). However, the Internet tells us we’d love them if we had the chance. I have a theory that those of us that grew up in Europe (like me)—where diesels are two a penny—realize that typically they aren’t the torque-munching monsters U.S. enthusiast publications would have you believe. Instead, they’re mostly smoky and sound like an army of tractors. If you live with them day in day out, the romance wears off.

The turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 diesel in the Range Rover Td6, and its 254 horsepower and 443 lb.-ft. of torque, is not smoky. But it does sound like a John Deere. The impressive torque figure provides good punch out of the turns. Plus, 22 mpg city and 29 mpg highway ain’t half bad for a three and a half ton SUV (a chunk better than the standard V-6). But, again, if you’re one of the lucky few that can afford this machine, you don’t give a crap about fuel economy. If you did, you’d have traded Palo Alto for Fort Wayne a long time ago.

The diesel here, while perfectly fine, doesn’t offer any improvement to the driving experience. Plus, there’s a lag in initial acceleration, something I’ve never felt in a Range Rover before. This led me to drive unanimously with the transmission in “sport” mode—which didn’t help much; it felt like a delay between depressing the pedal and the engine responding (and I’m not talking about turbo lag). Truth be told, you do naturally adapt your driving to its behavior. I’m fortunate to have driven a number of new generation, all-aluminum Ranges—is this a diesel specific thing or simply a fault with my test vehicle? Who knows? I wouldn’t worry too much, Mr. Mega Millions. It’s not a deal breaker.

It’s true, the Range Rover seldom gets used for heavy off-roading, but it’s nice to know that it can. And it really is the benchmark. On smooth tarmac, the baby Range Rover Sport does feel more taught and precise, but the big Range doesn’t react as wallowy and lethargic as an Escalade. It won’t draw attention to itself like the Caddy, either, or indeed the Bentley—which I think is a big plus. It mostly goes unnoticed; indeed, it’s the only $100,000+ vehicle I’ve had on my driveway that hasn’t resulted in a crowd of neighbors checking it out. (Perhaps they feel awkward disturbing me while I’m here working in the back?)

That’s why the rich choose this SUV: It’s classy, understated, drives serenely and can handle as many leaves as Mother Nature can throw at it. Those with “new money,” in all honesty, will probably pick a chromed-out Escalade with 85-inch rims.

It’s hard to pinpoint precisely why I love this car so much, but I really do. Sat here, the infotainment system up front is lackluster, and the technology packages do little to move the needle (although things are improving, with options like “soft door close” and “Wi-Fi pre wire”). In truth, the technology side is where Land Rover is falling behind. The company is working on some clever ideas, but they must be implemented quickly to prevent the brand from losing its street cred—a car like this should be forging the path, not hanging on by its coattails. Providing that happens, its upper class charm and its on- and off-road capability will ensure it retains its place as king of the slippery hill.

I’ve only got this Range Rover for one more night. To that point, I’m considering sleeping in it, just because. Tomorrow, it’s being replaced with a Honda Fit. I shall return to reality, and, in all likelihood, back into my own house. I’m OK with that. I’m not sure I really need a $100,000 SUV to feel awesome anyway.

[alexlloyd19]

Anti-Hillary Clinton Group Hopes To Crowdfund Its Way Into The Indy 500

The 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Day weekend is a big deal, and it wouldn’t be too shocking to see potential presidential candidates utilize the platform as a vehicle to promote their campaign. What is a surprise, however, is the surface of an anti-Hillary Clinton group, declaring their intention to crowdfund a sponsorship that would see an IndyCar dressed in a “No Hillary ‘16” livery.

Road & Track spoke to some of the group’s Indianapolis-based supporters, who have recently launched the www.nohillary16.net fundraising site. The initiative is real, and it’s believed to be linked with former Indy 500 team “Fan Force United.” We reached out to the team for comment, but have not yet heard back.

The anti-Hillary group hopes to raise $999,999. As of writing this, 11 backers have donated just $610, so the likelihood of the initiative reaching its goal within the next 51 days is slim. (It’s worth noting that a top team at the Indy 500 would offer a car for around one million dollars in sponsorship, but a small team like Fan Force United would likely do it for half that; the site states that no money will be collected until the total goal is met, and if by some miracle that occurs, there’s little doubt someone’s pockets will benefit.)

Another reason the group might not succeed is that the “contribute now” button on its website is currently broken.

Here’s what the group says about Hillary:

“Hillary Clinton stands for everything that is wrong with our country today: constant attacks on our Second Amendment right, the degradation of our Religious Freedoms, a joke of a 'Health Care' system, a complete failure of a foreign policy, and so much more. This Memorial Day, we want to make a bold statement to the world that The American People have had enough of these failures! We are collecting contributions to enter a car in the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, the largest sporting event on the planet, to make your voice heard. "WE DON'T WANT HILLARY!" If you care about Freedom, Democracy, Liberty, and The American Dream, don't wait a second longer and join us today.”

Questions rise about what team and driver would want to be associated with such a vilified campaign; regardless of your political beliefs, brands like Honda, Chevrolet, Verizon and Firestone will be wary of associating themselves with this, and to a driver, it’s a surefire way of alienating a vast portion of the population—along with many other industry relations one might have facilitated. Having said that, if Jaden Smith will wear a dress for a million bucks, you can bet a starving race car driver will change his or her political beliefs and become a walking billboard of hatred.

As Road & Track notes, even if funding is met and the program is green lit, it needs to be accepted by the Verizon IndyCar Series for entry. Unless the series is hurting to find 33 entrants, there’s no guarantee that would happen—and even then they’d need to convince either Chevy or Honda for an engine lease and get Firestone to supply them with tires; the likelihood of seeing the “No Hillary ‘16” IndyCar on track for the hundredth running of the “Greatest Spectacle In Racing” gets slimmer by the minute.

As for Clinton’s potential rival in the November elections, should she win the Democratic nomination over Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump likely wouldn’t be too welcome at Indy either. In 2011, he accepted an invite to pace the field, but a campaign to “Bump Trump” forced him to withdraw. Perhaps the Clinton camp would be wise to sponsor its own Indy 500 car, sticking their middle finger up—figuratively speaking, of course—at the haters. The chance of that happening, though, is probably as remote as “No Hillary ’16.”

[alexlloyd19]

2017 Ferrari GTC4Lusso: The New Ferrari Family Car

Perhaps Ferrari deemed the LaFerrari name too simple? Maybe they read the Internet comments calling it the most stupid name in history? Either way, simplistic names at Ferrari are no more. This is the GTC4Lusso—in other words, the new version of the Ferrari FF.

It follows the release of the F12tdf, which looks ridiculous when written and has no connection to a famous bicycle race. As for the GTC4Lusso, apparently the name was inspired by famous old Ferraris such as the 330 GTC, 330 GT and 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso. Why it can’t just be called the 2017 FF, I don’t know. But it can’t. 

Nevertheless, the four-seat, all-wheel-drive, everyday Ferrari has been a revelation since its birth in 2011. This new one should be no different, with more power, more technology and better aerodynamics. Pricing isn’t yet released, but like the FF, which cost around $300,000, the GTC4Lusso won’t come cheap. But it will come to the Geneva motor show, where we’ll get to see it live in person.

Check out the image captions for detailed information on Ferrari’s new grand tourer. 

2017 Ferrari GTC4Lusso

The GTC4Lusso gets a 29 horsepower bump over the FF, now making 681-hp and 514 lb.-ft. of torque from its 6.3-liter V-12. That will take you to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds.

2017 Ferrari GTC4Lusso

The most notable styling tweaks arrive at the rear. Ferrari call the styling “chiseled” and sharpened over the outgoing FF. We’d agree with that statement. 

2017 Ferrari GTC4Lusso

What that chiseled look does is deliver a far lower drag coefficient number when compared to the FF. Ferrari doesn’t say precisely what that number is, however. 

2017 Ferrari GTC4Lusso

For the first time, Ferrari has combined rear-wheel steering to its all-wheel-drive system. Along with magnetic ride suspension and an electronic differential, the GTC4 Lusso is aiming to improve on the FF’s already stellar dynamics. Plus the four-wheel steer is called “4RM-S,” which is probably just another excuse to pick a complicated name. 

2017 Ferrari GTC4Lusso

Those with keen eyes will note the grille looks a wider, like its trying to eat a banana whole. This is to improve cooling. Also, how much does this thing look like a Corvette? Don’t blame Ferrari, Chevy copied them.

2017 Ferrari GTC4Lusso

Inside we have a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This offsets a smaller steering wheel.

2017 Ferrari GTC4Lusso

The real key to this shooting brake is those rear seats, where people with normal-sized legs can comfortably reside. The leather, too, look exquisite.

2017 Ferrari GTC4Lusso

See, exquisite.... As you’d expect for the price of a nice house. 

2017 Ferrari GTC4Lusso

Check back with Yahoo Autos for more info on the GTC4Lusso after its full reveal in Geneva in the coming weeks.

[alexlloyd19]

Virtual Reality Will Deliver Sights, Sounds, Smells Of Auto Racing

You’re in Monaco, watching the Formula One Grand Prix. In the grandstand you’re sat next to an old college friend whom you haven’t seen in years. The sound of race cars fills the air, the warm Mediterranean breeze reeking of burning rubber and money. Moments later you’re in pit lane, witnessing a pit stop from Ferrari’s timing stand. Next, you’re aboard that very same red missile, flashing through the famed tunnel at 200 mph—the noise all-encompassing, the velocity thrilling.

In the future, virtual reality will make this possible—right from your own living room.

It’s no secret that auto racing is struggling. Both F1 and NASCAR have seen declining TV and attendance figures, sports car racing barely registers to a mainstream audience, and the Indy 500’s ratings on ABC are lower than an episode of Scandal.

Online forums are filled with suggestions to bring motorsports back into the limelight, and indeed I recently wrote about a fundamental recalibration of IndyCar racing that might help. But the sport’s true savior—peering deep into the future—could lie in the hands of a technology that has only just begun penetrating the market.

Experts predict that within half a century, the capability of virtual reality will be so realistic it will remain difficult to discern what’s real and what’s not. The goal is total immersion, or telepresence, where a person is effectively transported from their living room to someplace else—be that Paris in the fall, a spaceship on Mars, or the Daytona 500.

This transportation won’t just be visual. Jean-Louis Dautin, the director of the VR technology center CLARTE, said: “Virtual reality in 50 years is the illusion that is perfect in all senses, whereby we can do everything as if everything around us were real. That means physical sensorial feedback, impeccable audio-spatial feedback, even odors.”

Combined will be the ability to virtually interact with others, such as a friend watching from his or her couch the other side of the world. In an instance, you could be sat next to each other on the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans, smelling the exhaust fumes (if its not all-electric) and the sausages grilling from the adjacent food truck.

How, exactly, we turn today’s VR headsets—like Oculus Rift (Sony and HTC both have versions upcoming)—into a totally immersive experience, where one can smell and to a degree feel things that are happening live across the globe remains to be seen. There’s a wealth of things that need to happen, but not long ago, the ability to Skype from an airplane would have been an impossible dream.

Facebook recently purchased Oculus for $2 billion: “Mobile is the platform of today, and now we’re also getting ready for the platforms of tomorrow,” said CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg. “Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play and communicate.”

“If the VR is done well,” says Jeremy Bailenson, from Stanford’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, “there’s no technology—there’s no gadgets. This is not about pixels or refresh rate, it’s an experience—there’s complete mental transportation. You forget that you’re even wearing the helmet; you are just mentally transported somewhere else.”

If you have $599 and a powerful PC, you can already immerse yourself in VR. It’s not hard to imagine the vast progression that will take place over the next few decades. (The precise time it will take for virtual reality to mature is still unknown; there’s a reason William Gibson didn’t offer dates in his acclaimed novel “Neuromancer.”)

Back to today: The trouble with racing is the excitement felt in person does not translate through a TV screen—and people simply don’t care the way they once did. Racing is a visceral sport; if you take a newbie to an event, chances are they’ll love it. But attending races is expensive, and the next generation won’t make the trip off their own back. With VR, the racetrack comes to them.

Witnessing the Indy 500 from the stands is one of the most breathtaking experiences you can have: 300,000 people cheering, Jim Nabors (up until recently) singing “Back Home Again In Indiana,” the colossal cornering speeds of 225 mph, the noise reverberating around the grandstands. Unless you’ve been there, you cannot imagine what I’m describing. But in the future, that feeling—a level of exhilaration that produces goose bumps—will be intimately conveyed to viewers at home. 

This is how we get people excited about racing again.

Here’s how things may look in around 50 years: Sadly, fewer people will attend races (and sporting events in general, all of which this same theory applies). Today, perhaps you’d have to pay $150 for that prime grandstand seat, plus airfare, rental car, and a hotel room. With VR, the same seat could be sold in the virtual world for $10, but to 100,000 people rather than just one. You could also purchase passes that allow you onto pit lane, where you can explore much like we can today on Google Street View, following a predetermined route. Perhaps race teams offer their own season passes, bringing you into their garages, on the timing stand, and a part of pre-race strategy meetings. The on-board helmet cameras we see today could literally allow you to ride with that driver, as if you were racing yourself.

Once upon a time the World Rally Championship legitimately rivaled F1. Today, the sport is struggling; it’s difficult to follow and hard to watch in person—you’ve got to be really keen to wander miles through a freezing forest in Wales, knee deep in mud, to wait all day and see your favorite driver flash by only once. With VR, you can be at numerous spots on the same stage. Your can huddle next to a tree with your buddy, and you can both high five after the racer rockets by, just like you might if you were really there.

“You can create an avatar of your friend,” said Andre Johnson, from the Virtual Reality Company, L.A. “They will be in that experience with you, but it’s their real voice, and it’s their real movement.“

The possibilities are endless. And the extra cash would help offset dwindling attendance fees—where the facility gets a portion of the VR ticket sales—and teams could profit from their own passes. TV viewership will also rise due to the experience, and companies can advertise more directly through VR by targeting products to specific groups of people, based on their VR profile. (Many websites do this today, filtering content via an algorithm: So, if you’re a car guy and regularly click on car-related content, you’re fed more automotive stories. On the other hand, if you’re a Kardashian fan, you’re delivered mindless crap. Brands want to ensure their ads are engaging with the right type of people.)

All of this will one day happen, right from your own home. Sure, the VR revolution will affect every sport (the NFL is already exploring similar options) and indeed every aspect of our lives will be touched by it; some experts are even predicting that in the future people will have relationships in virtual reality, including virtual sex (weird, I know).

As for racing, I believe it’s one of the sports that will benefit most from virtual reality. Few things are as electrifying in person as being trackside, but yet appear so mundane on a TV screen. If you can bring that experience to the casual viewer at home—let them live it— they might just become a diehard fan for life.

Fifty years, give or take, is a long time to wait. In the meantime, the powers-at-be will need to innovate and keep pace with the evolving way we interact and find new methods to make racing relevant again. But just imagine—watching the 2066 Monaco Grand Prix aboard a 150-foot yacht floating in the harbor, surrounded by life’s finest and more champagne than you can imagine. Sure, you won’t actually be able to drink said champagne. But your fridge is in the next room, where a mug and a bottle of Korbel await.

[alexlloyd19]

Zika Virus Hits Tata Motors, Causes Company To Rename Newest Car

The Zika virus is becoming an increasingly big deal, and the World Health Organization has announced that its rapid spread across the Americas qualifies it as a global health emergency. In lieu of this information, India’s Tata Motors—the group that owns Jaguar Land Rover—has decided to rename its upcoming “Zica” hatchback, due to the name’s similarities.

When it is officially revealed tomorrow at New Delhi’s Auto Expo 2016, the nameplate on the car will still read Zica. In the coming weeks, however, a new name will be revealed, with the company saying the rebrand is due to the hardships the virus is causing throughout the world, where a link was discovered in Brazil between the spread of Zika and the surge in the number of babies born with a birth defect known as microcephaly.

For those unfamiliar with Tata Motors, its one of some 100 brands owned by India’s Tata Group, including companies like the delightfully wonderful Tetley teabags that British people drink until it pours out of their ears. As for Tata Motors, its their investment in Jaguar Land Rover that has brought along the beloved F-Type, and pushed both automaker’s to improve their reliability woes of the past.

As for Tata Motors in India, its most famous car is the Nano—an impossibly cheap hatchback that caught plenty of flack from Top Gear’s trio of hosts. Can’t remember that episode, behold the clip below.

In all seriousness, Tata Motors renaming its new Zica is a smart—and considerate—move. Will it be enough to prevent Clarkson, Hammond and May making fun of it on their upcoming Amazon Prime show? Probably not.

[alexlloyd19]

Corroded Engine Blocks Lead GM To Escape Flint’s Tainted Water

Many of Flint, Michigan’s 100,000 residents are dealing with water polluted by lead. The issue began in April 2014, when—in an effort to save money—the city switched from metro Detroit’s water to water piped in from the Flint River. A new report by Automotive News, however, describes how General Motors’ engine plant in Flint noticed the problem and switched water sources in Dec. 2014—after many of its engine blocks had already been corroded.

Like the residents of Flint, GM noticed the impact of switching water immediately. While residents noted discoloration and a foul taste, GM found that the plant’s engine blocks used in the Chevrolet Cruze and Colorado pickup, as well as the Buick Enclave, were showing clear signs of rusting after exiting the machining process.

Further inspection found that a high level of chloride used to treat the river water was to blame. Having voiced its findings to the city, GM sought a short-term fix while a longer-term solution was being considered. The automaker began self-remediation—including reverse osmosis and trucking in haulers of water each day to dilute the chloride. Naturally this was time consuming and expensive, not to mention the risk of running out of clean water on a given day. And so an alternate plan was quickly put into action.

Thanks to its location, GM lobbied and eventually managed to switch its plant’s tainted water to that of the neighboring Flint Townships’, an area still using Detroit’s city water. As Automotive News noted, this was only an option due to the factory once lying within that township, prior to it being annexed by the city in the 1970s. This meant the infrastructure was in place for a relatively quick transition to the unpolluted water supply of Flint Township.

It was at this time GM’s Flint employees began voicing their concern over the city’s water supply: “If it’s too corrosive for an engine, what’s it doing to the inside of a person?” Automotive News quoted Dan Reyes, president of UAW Local 599, as saying.

Yahoo Autos spoke to GM spokesman Tom Wickham to learn more: “The connection to the new water line—that was right across the street from the engine plant—was completed by the end of December 2014,” he said. “The engine facility is unique because of the machining process, where there’s direct contact with the water. In our other facilities in the city (assembly and stamping) there was no contact, and so we had filtration systems put in place for drinking and ice machines after it was noted that there was lead in water.”

Wickham says that even today, as the crisis is ongoing and President Obama has issued the state $80 million in emergency relief, morale at the company is high: “It’s deeply personal to many of the employees that not only work at the plant but also live near the plant. They know what to do in terms of filtration,” Wickham continued, “and many of them have been helping out, volunteering and donating water bottles and filters to those in need.”

Indeed, General Motors itself donated $50,000 last year to buy water filters to distribute among residents, including the city’s schools: “The children were told they couldn’t drink the water out of the drinking fountains and we wanted to make sure that the classrooms had water that was safe for them to use,” Wickham says.

While many of the plant’s 7,200 employees are still directly affected by the pollution, a lucky break in geographical location and some heads up planning helped the facility, at least, evade the crisis.

When will the residents of Flint be relieved from their troubles? That’s a difficult one to answer. An interim connection to metro Detroit’s water, prior to a planned connection with Karegnodi Water Authority later this year, cannot reverse the corrosion that has already occurred since April 2014. Dosing the water supply with phosphates will help—and that’s something the city has started doing—but it could take two to six months for any significant results to take place. Installing new liners inside the corroded pipes is also an option, however obtaining the correct sizing of those liners is said to be an issue. That would mean entirely replacing some 15,000 service lines, costing between $4,000 and $8,000 per home.

Needless to say, a fix for the residents in Flint won’t occur anytime soon.

[alexlloyd19]

Watch Two Corvettes Race To The Closest Finish In Daytona 24 History

Twenty-four hours is a long-ass time to race. And it’s literally 24 hours, too, with no breaks other than to change tires, refuel and switch one weary driver for another weary driver. So you’d think the margin of victory would be equally as long. 

But it wasn’t. 

In this weekend’s 54th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona—perhaps the most prestigious endurance race outside of Le Mans—a pair of Corvettes finished a staggering 0.034 seconds apart after racing 722 laps, 2,570.32 miles, and twice around the clock. The finish was so thrilling, in fact, people are calling it some of the finest closing laps to a race in decades.

It all began when British driver Oliver Gavin in the #4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R nudged the class-leading Porsche 911 RSR of Earl Bamber coming into a sharp right hand bend. He had to make the move. His teammate, Antonio Garcia in the #3 Corvette, was fast approaching—with newer tires. 

This all took place in the GTLM class—a division where works teams, including the new Ford GT, Ferrari 488s, BMW M6s, and more battle it out together. With the Ford GT’s arrival, this was perhaps the most hotly-anticipated class of 2016.

And it didn’t disappoint. Check out the video above to watch full highlights of the final 36 minutes. In a rare turn of events, both Corvette drivers were gifted the ability to race hard to the finish—not follow the leader and preserve a Chevy 1-2. Ever the professionals, both drivers kept it clean, but boy did it get close. 

After all, the victor and their teammates would land themselves a place in racing folklore, whereas the loser would be forever known as the one that couldn’t quite get it done. Both drivers fought tooth and nail not to be the latter. 

To see some of the newest metal on display at Daytona, be sure to click the image below and take a look at our gallery. Sports car racing today has 99 problems (a ludicrous driver ratings system, for example), but close racing definitely ain’t one. 

[alexlloyd19]

IndyCar Is Broken, Here's How To Fix It

“Downforce” is the death of competitive racing. Those giant wings pushing the car onto the tarmac enable unfathomable cornering speeds, but the dirty air left trailing behind ensures following a big-winged openwheeler closely is almost impossible (think Maverick flying though Ice Man’s jet wash).

And so, close racing dies.

Preventing mortality is simple: Remove the wings (or make them drastically smaller)—like we see here in this concept from British designer Chris Beatty, taking inspiration from the 1960s and early ‘70s Formula One and IndyCars.

A design like this will never happen in F1; the series is on a mission to make its cars five seconds a lap faster for 2017. To achieve that, the menu includes an increase in downforce, something most of the drivers strongly oppose. But Formula One is a technology race, and the cars must remain the fastest on the planet. Going back in time doesn’t fit with its character.

For IndyCar, though, it does. While TV viewership has risen the past few years, it’s fair to say the reasoning behind that rise is the transition from Versus to NBC Sports, and the growth that channel has seen; IndyCar is merely a beneficiary of the station’s success. As for ABC’s live telecast of the Indy 500—once the most important race in all of motorsports—the viewership numbers today are some of the lowest seen since the race was first televised live back in 1986.

Simply put, the marketing division might have you believe otherwise, but things aren’t improving much in Speedway, Ind. And something has to be done.

In fairness, the racing isn’t bad; IndyCar’s road course events are far more competitive than F1’s. And the action at the 500 in recent years has been stellar. But if the product is so great, where are all the fans?

The answer is that viewers simply don’t care anymore—sure, there are still plenty of diehard fans that have Rick Mears as their screensaver, but millennials aren’t interested in circuit racing; they want brash, fast paced, bite-sized action—something auto racing seldom delivers. (There’s a reason Global Rallycross has seen such a rise.) Even NASCAR’s popularity is dwindling, which makes IndyCar’s ascent from the ashes even more improbable.

But giving up isn’t an option; after all, the Indy 500 is still one of the world’s biggest sporting events (watch the race in person and it makes even the Super Bowl feel insignificant, at least on the surface). Better marketing and sponsor promotion is key, but that probably won’t happen; IndyCar is trying to run a profitable business (something it didn’t do in the Tony George era) and so splurging its own cash isn’t an option. And the cost for companies to sponsor an IndyCar is too great to include lavish marketing campaigns to run parallel (a presenting sponsor is likely paying upwards of $6-8 million per season; Global Rallycross costs up to $2 million, and the viewership is roughly the same). Besides Verizon, which as the series’ title sponsor may be its best hope since IZOD, there’s only so much you can do when your hands are tied. And so the time has come to revolutionize the formula.

Right now IndyCar is investing in high-downforce “aerokits,” making the cars faster and differentiating the two manufacturers involved (Chevrolet and Honda). These kits are expensive, they don’t look particularly impressive, and they do nothing to attract a new audience. It’s a way to say: “Hey, we’re bringing innovation back to the Speedway,” where in reality, adding many winglets is not innovation; real innovation as notable as turbine-power and the rear-engine revolution will never return. It can’t. It’s too expensive to design and build something so unique (just ask Nissan with its failed Le Mans prototype), and innovations today (like paying for coffee by scanning your phone) are more discreet—the casual fan won’t appreciate the technology.

So stop trying to achieve something that simply isn’t possible in today’s climate.

Something like Chris Beatty’s concept is perfect for IndyCar. The lack of wings (or at least far more inefficient wings) would make for unbelievably close road course racing, the likes of which we’ve probably never seen. Up the power from the 750-hp we see today to around 1,000-hp, and adopt far wider, stickier slick tires for added grip. Make the side pods functional aerodynamic “tunnels,” and create downforce via a monster rear diffuser that won’t significantly upset the air it leaves behind. While we’re at it, revert back to steel brakes so as stopping distances increase, and thus out braking a rival is easier to accomplish. This will still make the cars corner well (albeit considerably slower than today), but the neck-and-neck racing could allow for thrilling sprint races to occur on a Saturday before the main event, or even multiple split heats like you get in rallycross. You couldn’t do that now, as even IndyCar’s races are too processional.

Oddly, for the ovals, this may not be the best solution. Rather, it’s a great solution (reduce grip, add power) but the result would be speeds that pale in comparison to today. That can’t happen, as people watch the Indy 500 for its 230+ mph madness. So, let’s buck the trend and make the conceptual oval package boast more downforce than the conceptual road course package. 

Compared to the cars we have now, the additional power and a similar (if fractionally less) oval downforce could result in record speeds, and drivers would have to wrestle the machine every lap to extract the maximum (something they seldom do today). This would eliminate pack racing, where drivers are all flat out inches apart, like we saw at Fontana last year—the type of racing that has proven to kill.

Plus, Beatty’s concept has a canopy, something I truly hope will be implemented in the coming years. Sure, there’s the oven-like temperatures that would need to be resolved, along with the evacuation plan if a car is upside down and on fire—and the visual difficulties presented with such a concave transparent surface. But we can’t have drivers dying by tearing through a debris field at 200 mph, something that happened last year with Justin Wilson and will happen again unless something is done to mitigate the problem. (F1 is looking to a “halo” system, more like a roll cage to ward off larger pieces of debris, but they don’t drive through mangled metal like IndyCar regularly does on an oval, where—thanks to the protective fencing—the debris contains itself right where the drivers’ exposed heads are.)

I’m not saying adopting a car like this concept will solve all of IndyCar’s problems. It won’t. But you can’t keep pushing forward, doing nothing but making a few gimmicky adjustments, and expect the world to take notice. At Indy, make the cars faster on the straight, and slightly slower in the turns—just enough to go after track records. These speeds will ensure the people (and the media) pay attention. Make the drivers work, and give them better solutions to keep them safe. 

On the road course, screw cornering speed—fans won’t care. With the additional power, remove the giant wings that prevent overtaking—a monumental change accomplished by a newly designed machine (not cheap, I know). Make the action thrilling in a way we’ve never seen it; spec racing doesn’t sound too bad if 30 cars are slicing and dicing for position every lap. 

You can’t go half way, or adopt the changes incrementally. You have to go all in, to revolutionize racing by stepping backwards—understanding that millennials don’t think the way the way traditional race fans do. Thus, we must fundamentally change the way we think. Because the rest of the world already has.

Photos used with permission from Chris Beatty

[alexlloyd19]

Testing The New Porsche 911 Turbo In South Africa: Beautiful, Brutal

The flight to Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city, is a barbaric 17 hours. Your knees lock in place as if you’re 95 years old, and after dinner, your stomach contracts to the point of screams while attempting digestion from a permanent seated position. But life on the tin budgie isn’t all bad: “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2” is playing, reminding you of real misery, and the elderly flight attendant’s pungent perfume evokes memories of grandma’s wooden cane, the one she would violently wrap around your knuckles when you didn’t eat all your peas.

Plus, there’s a 2017 Porsche 911 Turbo waiting at Jo’burg’s airport. And a famous racetrack, named Kyalami, newly revamped and set for your arrival.

But first there’s the slight issue of navigating Johannesburg’s notoriously crime-ridden streets. A quick scan of the Interwebs before departure offers little advice: “Don’t go!” said one commenter. “Everyone has guns, so ya better be packin’,” says another.

The reality is that crime in South Africa remains an enormous problem. A woman or girl is raped every 26 seconds, and over 17,000 people are murdered each year—more than five times the global average per 100,000 inhabitants. Some 31 people a day have their vehicle hijacked, too—a number that has increased by 12.3 percent year-over-year. For our part, we’re told never to leave the hotel at night, and that a local “tour guide” would be necessary to escort us around town.

Only we don’t have that. Instead I have a lavish Porsche 911 and a navigation system that would take the most direct route, shantytown be damned.

My car to Kyalami, where the 911 Turbo and Turbo S await, is the all-new turbocharged 911 Carrera 4. Manual, I might add, and beige leather as soft as a lion’s mane. Talking of, a short hop outside of the city, the land is teeming with zoo-like creatures—from elephants that can topple trucks to tourist-hungry hippos. I won’t be on the menu for another 24 hours—that is, if I make it past the homeless man perched on the hood of my 911, a dusty cardboard sign reading: “My wife is kidnapped by ninjas, please help with R5. KUNG FU!”

Five rand is around 30 cent, and “kung fu” is something I assume you should know in order to escape these ninjas. My kung fu is subpar, and I don’t want to buy a dishcloth from the other gentleman to my left, nor a banana from the approaching lady—perilously crossing a busy intersection without allowing her steely gaze to waver from the Porsche I’m within.

I drive on. The caliber of cars in Johannesburg is impressive, with every fifth one seemingly a BMW. The wealthy neighborhoods are protected by walls large enough to guard a medieval fortress. Only here they have electric fences on top, just in case you fancy yourself as the next Bear Grylls. Nestled in between these rich white colonies are shantytowns. At first glance they appear to be junkyards, until you notice these scraps are actually family homes. Six-by-six foot slabs of corrugated iron are resting against one another, with filthy plastic chairs—some with broken legs—providing a vague resemblance of a sofa.

Kids are rushing around playing, seemingly without a care in the world, while their mothers carry buckets of water gathered from a small tap the other side of the village. The pain is written across their faces, and I can’t help but feel ashamed—as I’m driving a $130,000 Porsche—that we, as a society, allow people to suffer this way. Less than a mile down the road I see a shopping mall, filled with Gucci and their corresponding purses. The balance between utter poverty and excessive wealth remains far greater than I imagined.

As for the car, the 911 Carrera 4 handles the streets of Johannesburg without raising its heartbeat. Traffic is the order of the day, and by the time I get to Kyalami—a racetrack opened in 1961 that saw 20 Formula One Grand Prix—I’m ready to hit the circuit.

The 2017 911 Turbo and Turbo S, in all honesty, sees little changes over the outgoing model. Both muster gains of 20 additional horsepower, clocking in at 540 and 580-hp respectively. That ensures 0-60 mph arrives 0.2 of a second faster (2.9 and 2.8), which is something you won’t notice unless you’re driving the old car back-to-back.

Frankly, if you like the outgoing Turbo, you’ll like the new Turbo. Sure, “dynamic boost” keeps the throttle valve open when lifting off, ensuring the twin turbochargers retain better pressure. But lag is still noticeable, and yet the 3.8-liter flat six and its improved all-wheel-drive system bursts out of turns in a way that causes you to stop giving a shit. Active aero helps determine the right balance between downforce and slipperiness, depending on the type of driving that you’re doing. A new “Sport Response” button on the steering wheel instantaneously volts you from whatever drive mode you’re using into “Sport +” for 20 seconds, perfect for those last ditch overtaking maneuvers on a country road.

As for the handling on track, it’s as you expect from a 911 Turbo or Turbo S: Blindingly quick, precise, more roll-y than a 911 GT3 or GT3 RS, and with a dollop of extra understeer. Braking is excellent, although the ABS tends to kick in too soon, and the speed is intoxicating. It’s a car, like its predecessor, that’s as at home running errands as it is on the track—a machine with a character as varied as Johannesburg’s landscape.

The biggest changes to the 2017 Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S arrive in the form of technology. Lane-keep-assist can be optioned, and emergency brake avoidance is standard. The infotainment system is modernized, featuring Apple CarPlay, and works via gesture control. The steering wheel is reminiscent of that found in the 918 Spyder, and the price remains a tear-inducing $159,200 for the Turbo and $188,000 for the Turbo S, before you select any options.

And so it remains a great sports car, just as it always has been. But the real star here is South Africa.

The next morning I hop on a 30-minute plane ride, aboard a tiny, unpressurized Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, filled with jetlagged, slightly pungent Americans. The captain informs us that prior to landing, we’ll need to pull a Top Gun-esque fly by. Only we’re not trying to “buzz” the tower. Here, we’re searching for game that might be wandering across our grassy runway.

From the window we see zebra, an elephant, and a herd of buffalo. None are on the strip of dirt we’re set to land on, and so down we go. A Toyota waits, with three-row theater seating and an external roll cage. Our safari guide tells us the cage helps guard the roughly $28,000 car should an elephant decide it makes for a nice looking dice.

The sun beams down, shimmering off the water holes. Zebras are drinking, a crocodile lurking just yards away—its eyes the only part of its 15-foot body visible above the water’s surface. Our guide says crocs can hide in the same pond for up to three months before striking. That’s some serious patience, something our man says he often has to exercise himself when confronted with rowdy tourists: “Once a guy got out of the car and tried to take a close-up picture of a hippo,” he tells us.

“Was he injured,” we ask.

“No, he says, nonchalantly.

“Dead?” he continues. “Yes. He was quite dead.”

From the bustling streets and shantytowns of Johannesburg to the desolate plains providing the backdrop to the Mabula game lodge, South Africa is a fascinating place. Like the 911 Turbo, you really need to experience both sides of its personality. And don’t be fearful of its ruthless reputation. It truly is spectacular, a place marred by crime statistics. The people, too, are lovely. Just beware of the ninjas.

[alexlloyd19]

“Lo Res” Proves Shoe Companies Should Not Make Cars

Why is a shoe company designing cars? That’s the question we’re all asking, and the answer is perhaps because they can, albeit not very well. 

According to United Nude—who, as part of its “Lo Res Project,” deemed a vehicle to be a suitable replacement for a stiletto—says the wedge-shaped design actually derives from a Lamborghini Countach. If you’re wondering how, in fact, this aerodynamic block of cheddar resembles a classic supercar, you’re not alone.

The basic premise of United Nude’s Lo Res project, something that’s been ongoing for the past few years and has birthed concepts like this pixilated chair, is to gradually reduce the 3D resolution of a design until it’s polygon count is at a minimum. Here, it looks like something from an old Atari video game. To the fashion world, this is seen as “abstract” and “avant-garde”—terms floated around more frequently than Trump’s “Make America Great Again.” However, to the rest of the world, it just looks like a lazy dad’s pinewood derby car.

Above are some of the steps taken to ruin one of the automotive world’s most iconic designs. There’s a reason pixel count has become a big deal, and generally we want more of them. United Nude disagrees.

“The Lo Res car is a conceptual design experiment, rather than a conventional car,” the company says. “Its abstract (Ed—there’s that word again) appearance makes it look like a moving sculpture.”

That’s right, the Lo Res car actually moves under its own power. According to United Nude, “the engine is electric,” which of course is further indication that a shoe company should stick to making footwear; there is no engine—the electric motor has a top speed of 30 mph.

There are no doors, either, with the entire transparent canopy hinged at the rear and opened electronically. Inside, United Nude forgot about its uncluttered design philosophy and left all components—including an array of batteries—exposed for all to see. The steering wheel, though, is a chrome polygon, because one should always reinvent the wheel.

The Lo Res is already receiving critical acclaim, securing the 2016 Wallpaper Design Award. And the company has only just begun: “United Nude is designing and developing more cars and will continue to challenge conventional car making and the future of cars.”

Why? The company did not immediately respond to our request for comment. 

United Nude uses this philosophy of lowering the 3D resolution in its line of shoes, and as you can see below, as far as fancy footwear goes, it does look rather nice. 

But as a car? 

There’s a reason General Motors doesn’t offer knee-high boots. Let’s just be thankful United Nude didn’t replicate Rag & Bone’s heinous PR stunt; while a dreadfully dull-looking design, at least no vintage Porsches were harmed.

[alexlloyd19]

Watch A Teenager Drift An F1 Car Up A Snowy Ski Slope

The Formula One season has gone cold for winter, as teams ready their 2016 machines. That is, except Red Bull Racing, which took its pre-pubescent superstar driver Max Verstappen to the Austrian Alps—lighting it up along a snowy ski slope in a race car that couldn’t be more out of its element. 

Verstappen was had just turned 17 years old when the 2015 F1 season began. He didn’t even have a driver’s license, and yet he was competing in the world’s premiere form of motorsport. The Dutch youngster proved a revelation in his inaugural season, with a best finish of fourth in Hungary, repeating the performance a few races later in Austin, Texas. 

Verstappen appeared to take everything in his stride, just as he did when taking his open wheel monster for a spin at the famed Kitzbühel ski resort—displaying that same calm and collected demeanor that helped him perform well beyond his teenage years.

With chains hugging the studded tires, Verstappen raced up and down the slope, drifting spectacularly to the large crowd on hand during the Hahnenkamm Festival. That crowd wasn’t exactly protected by barriers, and as you can see above, nothing was preventing the race car from falling off the sheer cliff face. But Verstappen never loses his cool; a relief, given the first time he tried a spectacular demonstration run, things went a bit wrong. 

[alexlloyd19]

So You Won The Lottery: What Cars Should You Buy?

Of the hundreds of millions of us who likely bought Powerball tickets in an effort to become a billionaire, only three of you prevailed. Before taxes, if you chose the lump sum option, you will each receive around $383 million—a decent payday, it’s fair to say, and enough to buy any car of your dreams.

But what cars should you buy?

For those of us that didn’t win, I don’t blame you for stopping reading and crying into your stained pillowcase. After all, in our mind, we’d already purchased Hugh Hefner’s mansion—along with his flock of prized peacocks and African cranes—and lined its garages with the most exotic sheet metal imaginable. And, hopefully, we bought a new pillowcase.

For you lucky souls that did win, many tough choices lie ahead. After taxes, your payout may be less than you originally hoped, which means those choices must be wise. The Playboy mansion? It’s on sale right now for $200 million, which means it’s probably a poor purchase. Plus that grotto will be filthy, and peacock food ain’t cheap.

In the grand scheme of things, cars aren’t that expensive—unless you’re seeking a Ferrari 250 GTO, in which case you’re an idiot and will be broke within 12 months. Which is why my first choice of vehicle, regardless of the size of you family, would be the levelheaded, sensible 2016 Volvo XC90.

It costs just $66,000, fully loaded (“fully loaded” is how you used to order your baked potatoes, now it’s how you buy cars). Why an unsexy Volvo? Well, thanks to an influx of Chinese Yuan, Volvo’s are now exceptionally sexy. It has three rows, and leather that feels as if it’s fresh from the cow that birthed it. The starter button looks like a piece of fine jewelry, and for the first time in human history, the infotainment touchscreen actually works. Simply put, it rivals a vastly more expensive Range Rover, and yet it feels more advanced. It was our 2016 Yahoo Autos Ride of the Year, and by owning one, it’ll offer the illusion that you’ve remained down-to-earth—despite the 17 butlers hired to refuel it and that fancy hat you insist on wearing that’s made from organic leprechaun beard.  

( I am, genuinely, excited for you, btw—not bitter at all. Anyway, oceans are full of sharks, and I never much cared for Hawaii’s heat. In fact, losing helps me take comfort in all that I have. Like my old swim coach used to lie, it’s the taking part that counts. We’re already winners.)

Back to cars: You’ve made the wise choice of a Volvo. Now let’s make a less wise choice.

A 1992 Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 1 Martini 5. On the surface, this might seem like a stupid choice. In fact, you may never have heard of this car. It was an icon in Europe, thanks to its dominance in the World Rally Championship. The “Martini 5” part indicates it derived from a 400 unit special run that celebrated Lancia’s fifth consecutive WRC championship. It’s also decked out in the famed Martini livery, which is a colored sticker that instantly doubles the machine’s value.

The car above, with just 26k on the clock, will set you back $115,000. You’ll then have to ship it to the U.S., which won’t be cheap, where you’ll notice it’s right-hand-drive and shifts via a stick. That means you’ll crash, and thus be unable to find parts to fix it. And even if you don’t, it will breakdown every 13 miles.

I forget why I love this car so, but god dammit I do.

Next: Let’s do a cliché Ferrari, because you’re now a rich bastard that wants to show off, but not so much that your family disowns you. A bright orange Lamborghini Aventador SV is probably too much. (Although you could always buy a new family?)

Given this is likely your first Prancing Horse purchase, you’re permitted to buy one in red. After which, you may never buy a red Ferrari again. Ever. The Ferrari you should buy is simple: a 2014 458 Speciale. It arrives for around $240,000, and is basically a rolling sex machine with 597 horsepower. It’ll trounce most any of its rivals, and yet it remains somewhat usable outside of a racetrack—if you call zero to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds usable.

Let’s be sensible again: We’ve got the cushy three-row SUV, the inappropriate Italian rally car and a wildly fast Italian Ferrari. What we need now is an executive sedan that you can drive (or be driven in), one that makes you look like a boss. For this, there’s nothing better than a 2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600. It’s the obvious choice, I know, but sometimes obvious is best. On the outside it appears understated yet classy, while on the inside it looks like Warren Buffett’s living room. A new Maybach today only costs $189,350.

Our total costs up until now are around $613,440. That’s not bad for an executive sedan, a modern supercar, an impractical toy, and a three-row SUV. With hundreds of millions in the bank, you can probably afford to let loose.

So we’ll buy a 1971 Hemi Cuda. Why? Because it’s ‘Merican, and it’s the holy grail of muscle cars—the machine that, thanks to fuel mandates and rising insurance costs, ended an era of automotive culture, the likes of which we may never see again. A good’un may cost hundreds of thousands, but a great one could cost up to a million.

I’d also buy a V-8 Lotus Esprit, mostly because it’s stunning and has a weirdly charming character—despite the fact it’ll never work. I’d buy an E30 BMW M3, too, and a 2016 Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang—because it’s a revelation and one that’s value will skyrocket. (Maybe an old Alfa, too?)

What I wouldn’t do is buy a Veyron, or anything else “Money Mayweather” owns. (Wait, Floyd owns a Maybach S600. Scratch that.) Rather, I wouldn’t buy anything worth multiple millions of dollars. You can get all the automotive pleasures you desire without spending anything like that. Hell, the new Miata is a joy to drive, and the “Club” model starts at just $28,600.

I picked the Lancia and the Esprit because they’re cars I’ve adored since childhood; both graced my bedroom wall, along with a Jaguar XJ220 (add that to the list, screw what I just said about price). Buy the cars you’ve dreamed about, whether that’s a DeLorean, a Ford Cortina, or a frickin’ Weinermobile. Veyrons and tuned Lambos with 2,000 horsepower are for posers, and while I don’t know you personally, I can sense you’re better than that. 

And remember, money can disappear as fast as it arrived—just ask Tyson. So be wise. Invest. Peacocks make crappy pets anyway.