It is pretty exciting, but an article I wrote was just published in Ferrari Life Quarterly comparing my driving experiences in the F430 to the Gallardo. I suppose this is my first article to be published! Kinda cool... The article started life intended as a blog post, but then Ferrari Life got wind of the topic and picked it up for the publication.

In the article, I compare the Ferrari F430 to the Lamborghini Gallardo while driving on the German Autobahn during a recent trip to meet our German business partner. The notion is, Drive and Decide between Ferrari and Lamborghini. Most of the photos were taken my me on the trip, too.

Read the article in PDF form. My article starts on page 10, right after the 430 Scuderia article.



Ferrari Life also recently wrote a Ferrari Buyers Portfolio on V8 and V12 Ferraris from the 360 Modena to the 308 and the 550 Maranello to the 365. The book has been periodically sold out on Amazon, so it is selling well. It is well illustrated and contains some very cool insight into 13 Ferrari models that we all want to drive... I've read it cover to cover and recommend it. The book was published by Brooklands Books, ISBN 1.85520.7478

Here is the direct link to the article in case you need it:
http://www.ferrarilife.com/library/download_pdf.php?type=flq&id=91

Labels: Club Sportiva, drive and decide, Driving experience, exotic car share club, Ferrari F430, Ferrari Life Quarterly, Lamborghini Gallardo

If you saw my previous post this month about Fireball Tim's recent visit to Club Sportiva to film a segment of his show on Autobytel's MyRide.com, wait until you see the segment. Get ready for the goods!


For a 7 minute video, it will keep you riveted and wanting to book an outing in a Club car once you finish watching it. I think you will agree. Check out our video...

Fireball and his team did an incredible job filming and editing the piece and we are proud to have it live! I found it to be a very entertaining and exciting video. The cars look awesome and the crew got some very impressive footage with some great scenery. Even the music is cool.

It is also posted on YouTube, but the resolution is far better on MyRide.com.

Here's the full link in case you need it: http://community.myride.com/kickapps/_Fireball-Tim-Club-Sportiva/video/193831/3898.html

Labels: Bentley Continental GT, car video, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Ferrari F430, Fireball Tim, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder

Who offers the wildest factory custom interiors? I'd say Lamborghini takes the cake. It's hard to argue otherwise. Not only do they offer a lot of interior panel options, they also offer some crazy colors that buyers actually choose on a regular basis. Between the carbon fiber and florescent colored leather panels inserts, you can really make your car a one-off. Here are just a few I've found interesting over the past couple years!

The ones shown here are just a few I've seen. Some help resale by being well appointed in a unique and tasteful way, while others probably (certainly) hurt resale with garish color combos that narrow the number of potential buyers who share the original owner's special passion for being extreme. Lamborghini owners are more flamboyant and are flashier risk takers than the more conservative Ferrari-set who are wild when compared to the understated Bentley and Aston Martin owners. Same concept goes for Lamborghini's exterior colors, with yellow, orange and lime green being among the most common. Interesting, red isn't a common Lamborghini color and I suspect that is because red is for Ferrari and thus Lamborghini owners shun red to stand out from their perceived cliche Ferrari-red counterparts. Lamborghini owners have never been know for being wall flowers. They achieved their success with hard work and now they are going to enjoy it and let you know it!


But is it the manufacturer who encourages the outrageous color patterns by offering them or is it the preferences of the owners requesting them over the years? I think the fact that Lamborghini designs and builds some of the wildest styled cars, people who like edgy expression are attracted to the Sant'Agata auto maker. The result is that the owners who like to push the style envelope then choose flashier interiors that are made available to them. A match made in heaven. The rest of us can live vicariously (which may be still a bit too much for most people) through the expressive decisions of these colorful risk takers.

Do the wild colors patterns hurt resale? Without doubt, Ferrari holds its value better than Lamborghini, but that probably has more to do with steeped racing heritage, market position and brand strength, overly limited production and other subtle factors than simply the funky colors selected. But yes, Ferrari's classic Daytona seat stitching is ever-classic, regardless of color. Has Lamborghini always offered wild colors or is this a recent phenomenon? Lamborghini and its buyers have always pushed the envelope of social norms on taste, but the institutionalization of florescent color interiors was popularized by the Gallardo, under the watchful eye of Audi (and VW) as a marketing method to further differentiate Lamborghini from under the shadow of Ferrari.

Ferrari also offers a lot of custom choices, but even the wildest combinations are still tasteful and relatively reserved. This might also be part of why Ferrari has the best resale; owners don't go out on a limb. Interestingly, in Europe, Ferraris predominantly have black interiors. Of the 20 Ferraris at Club Sportiva's partner in Germany, about 80% have black interiors, which matches Europe's preference for black leather over tan. The U.S. is all about tan hides. In fact, the dealers strongly recommend tan for a stronger resale. It is funny how different geographies of the world feel different about such simple things - social norms at their snootiest. ;) On the exterior, Ferraris are predominantly painted red and as such, it is rare to see a wild colored Ferrari.

Aston Martin, Bentley and Bugatti all offer bespoke interiors for owners specifying their new cars, but rarely do you see anything that borders daring. In my opinion, the more offensive and disappointing interior is likely to be drab and common black over silver paint. What a missed opportunity on an elegant and sophisticated Aston Martin or Bentley. I have yet to see a florescent lime green interior on a Bentley. I doubt the factory has ever been asked to die a hide a florescent color…

If you were specifying a new exotic, what would you choose? If you were helping Club Sportiva spec a car, as our Members occasionally do, what advice would you offer me? Are you daring or conservative in the way you would custom spec an interior?

Labels: Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, Club Sportiva, custom interior, exotic car share club, Ferrari, Lamborghini

Fireball Tim spent a day filming recently at Club Sportiva in conjunction with Autobytel and MyRide.com. Actually, the crew filmed from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. That's a long day on camera! They must have chewed through several batteries with their various cameras. It was certainly fun but grueling work, too. Being mic'd all day with people listening in on everything you say can create some awkward moments. After a while you forget the mic is on, but we won't elaborate on that specifically... ;)

Fireball Tim, for those who don't know him or his brand, Fireballed, is a lively television and brand personality. He's a bit irreverent, with some crazy off-the-wall questions which you can rather glean simply by the photos. He is also a rabid car nut, through and through, so we hit it off immediately. Fireball is actually his first name by the way. Yes, I verified it. After all day saddled up in some exotic cars, I had a great opportunity to talk with Fireball about all of his projects that keep him passionately involved and very busy while sharing my similar experiences with Club Sportiva.

So, among other projects, Fireball has going is modifying Mini Coopers with copious amounts of horsepower. We are talking 400 - 600 hp in a front drive Mini. Nutty, and hard to control he confesses. And yes, he makes the most powerful Mini Coopers out there that make the JCW version look down right diluted. Image a Mini Cooper with 600 hp. Scary fun!

Fireball and I drove a number of cars during the shoot. He drove the Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder and Bentley Continental GT extensively, while putting in some wheel time with the Maserati Spyder, Aston Martin DB9 Volante and Lotus Elise. We'll have to see which he liked most based on the final edited version of the show due out shortly, but I think he liked the Gallardo best based on his feedback.

One of Fireball Tim's best online features is his segment called Auto Disection, where he analyzes the design of some current autos. His is an alum from the famous auto-design-mecca in Pasadena - the Art Center. You can see a few of his critiques on www.myride.com. I recommend watching his take on the Audi R8, BMW 1-Series and the Cadillac CTS Coupe. He also has a hilarious segment on Lombard Street with a Go Car.

Once they complete the editing of our segment and the piece goes live on MyRide.com, I'll post it! Thanks Fireball for spending a couple days in San Francisco and taking time to visit Club Sportiva.

Labels: Autobytel, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Fireball Tim, Fireballed, MyRide.com

Yesterday marked a historic day for open wheeled racing, as Danica Patrick became the first woman ever to claim victory in a top tier open wheeled event, taking first place at the IndyCar - Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

The race, postponed one day due to unsafe racing conditions on Saturday, was Patrick's 50th start of her Indy Car career. She completed 200 laps of the 1.5 mile circuit at an average speed of 164.258 mph, beating Indy 500 winner Helio Castronevas by six seconds using a calculated racing strategy on the part of her Michael of conserving fuel to allow for a strong finish.

Patrick, starting on the third row, made her final pit stop on lap 148, staying close to the race leaders throughout.

Asked about the significance of her victory, the NY Times quoted her as saying "This reaches outside racing. This is about finding something you love to do, and following through with it."

She follows other notable woman in racing in helping to crack the glass ceiling that exists in motorsports. Janet Guthrie was the first to make a notable impact in open wheeled racing, proving that she could run competitively with men, qualifying for the Indy 500 in 3rd position and finishing 9th overall in 1978.

Lyn St. James has the most Indy 500 starts for a woman, with seven and her best finish was 11th in 1992 when she won rookie of the year honors. Current racer Sarah Fisher was the first woman to complete a full IndyCar series, the first to win a pole, and was the youngest woman to ever qualify for the Indy 500 (@ age 19 in 2000). The great NHRA champion, Shirley Muldowney won three Top Fuel season titles in 1977,'80 and '82. Eight other women have won NHRA events.

Yesterday saw another notable achievement for a woman racer, as the Atlantic Championship season opener at Long Beach won by Simone De Silvestro.

Labels: Danica Patrick, Indy 500, IndyCar, Janet Guthrie, Lyn St. James, Shirley Muldowney

Yesterday a good friend forwarded to me (and at least a dozen other buddies) an email with this subject line "Interesting news on pumping gas". Purported to be from a pipeline company worker, it presents, in pseudo industry jargon, four seemingly compelling reasons to squeeze the maximum value out of each dollar spent for gasoline (backed up with a semi-rant on what companies are buying Saudi or Venezuelan oil).

1. Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold.
2. When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode, always use the slow setting.
   
3. One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY.
4. If there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up!

I've reduce each exhortation to it's core claim, but the email goes into convincing (seemingly) detail for all. However a closer look, a little common sense and some investigation shoots down each of these presumably well-intentioned musings.

Item 1: We've probably all aware of root cellars and wine cellars - they're used for their year round constant temperature - and that comes from being underground. In the San Francisco Bay Area the average average annual underground temperature is 60° - coincidentally the temperature at which the gasoline is measured and loaded. The ground surface temperature may vary over the course of the day, but the underground temperature does not fluctuate daily. So if there is an change in the fuel's temperature, it can only occur during transportation, and should stabilize when dumped into storage tanks.

Item 2. The idea here is that delivering gas on the maximum discharge setting creates more vapor that is then recycled back into the station's tank on condensation. Perhaps, but we're talking just a few drops at best. Is it worth hanging around the pump another 5 minutes?

Item 3. First I'm in a quandary as what actually comes first: half-empty or half-full - I guess it's a chicken and egg thing. Perhaps the author of these tips is really trying to speak to both optimists AND pessimists simultaneously. Whatever - the real (specious) point this bonehead is trying to make is that the lower the fuel level, the greater the propensity is for evaporation. This is LOL funny - unless your gas tank is a pyramid, the surface area for evaporation is probably the same no matter what the fuel level (granted gas tanks shapes have gotten creative since they've become molded out of plastic, but you get the point). Plus, since evaporating hydrocarbons are a pollution source, every vehicle sold in the US since 1968 has a sealed fuel system with a mandatory vapor recovery system built in. Most vehicles won't even run with the gas cap loose. Besides who wants waste twice as much time in a gas station? On second thought there is merit to this claim - it'll only cost you half as much to fill the tank! That'll feel good, won't it?

Item 4. This is only one of the four with some merit - that the ingress of thousands of gallons of fuel will stir up sediment in the storage tanks that in turn could end up in your tank. It may have been true in 1966 but hey, we're living in modern times; with the advent of fuel injection sophisticated filtration systems are the norm, both on your vehicle and in the stations plumbing. Nothing to worry about here - except perhaps if it's 6 AM . . . has that tanker driver had his coffee? Is that diesel or regular that he just put in the premium port?

The lesson is that we should all be a bit more more skeptical before we hit that forward button.

For more details on this urban myth (and make it the first place to visit when you get the next forwarded email warning), be sure to check out Urban Legends.

Labels: Gastips, Urban myths

A friend of mine, Nivan, is always swapping his sports car to experience another one and he is looking for a Maserati Spyder. I've lost track of the various cars he's had over the years, but every year or two it is always something different. And, he drives them, which I respect as evidenced in my February 12 blog post about shaming the garage queen and hailing the driver. So, Nivan asked me for my take on the Maserati Spyder. I felt the feedback I shared with him was worth posting. Hope you enjoy and find it useful...

Nivan, the Maserati Spyder is a great all around car with gobs of power and torque if you are looking for a car that is out of the ordinary. Club Sportiva has had two of them over the past five years, so I've had a lot of first hand experience. The first one was titanium over black 2002 with Cambiocorsa and we had it for a year. The current one is a 2003 red over tan with a 6-speed manual and Tubi exhaust. It is a dependable exotic. We put about 20,000 miles on the first car before upgrading to the 2003, which we have put 40,000 generally trouble-free miles on.

A couple things, the Cambiocorsa gearbox is not my favorite, so be sure to do a thorough test drive to be sure you enjoy it. It shifts slowly, but works fine. The Maserati manual transmission is gritty and notchy, so both transmissions have a flaw. As long as you don't mind the slow shifting, you will be fine with the Cambiocorsa. Whereas the Ferrari and Lamborghini F1 systems are super fast (and a bit jerky as a result), the Maserati is setup more as a grand touring car and as such, the transmission suits the car's personality very well. By the way, do NOT try backing up a hill with the Cambiocorsa system or you will chew up the clutch very fast. The F1 systems hate inclines, while in reverse, remember that.

The thing I would recommend strongly is adding Tubi exhaust (see my February 18 Tubi post). The stock system is quiet, subdued, plain and disappointing, even under acceleration, which again, suits the grand touring nature of the car but leaves something to be desired of a passionate Italian grand dame. With Tubi, the V8 is much more sporty and lively with a real muscle car grunt and an extra 10 horsepower. The upgraded exhaust is the car's finest feature. It is worth $4,000 or so, without hesitation and I wouldn't look for an alternate exhaust brand (unless someone shows me a worthy one).

They all have a few convertible top glitches when occasionally the top gets stuck up or down. There is a manual over ride button tucked in the car (pre-read the owner's manual) that generally resets itself once the cycle is complete so you don't have to take it to the dealer. A 5" by 7" top panel snapped off our 2003 and it cost $500 to replace and install the panel, which is a wake-up call that these are expensive cars.

There is a lot of cowl and steering column shake. On our first Spyder, I thought the vibration may have been a sign of a wreck but our second Spyder does it too and I know the car is pristine. A $35,000 Honda S2000 convertible is rock solid, but a $97,000+ Maserati shakes like crazy. Annoying, but par for the course. The radio/NAV functionality blows. It simply has a poor user interface. Generally this isn't a big deal for a weekend car, but for a daily driver, it may get bothersome.

Overall, the Maserati Spyder is a solid car and I'd recommend it if you are prepared for an Italian. While I personally prefer lighter sports cars, the Maserati Spyder is a great car with good looks at a value. Coincidentally, just last week, a Club Sportiva Member forwarded me a few photos of their trip to Monterey and looking at the photos, I was reminded that the Spyder really is a great looking Italian car that doesn't need styled like a flashy Ferrari.

The exotic car market is awash with deals right now. Lots of cars are available and not a ton of buyers. I'd suggest calling a couple sellers if there are other Spyders out there you like. Work the pricing a little bit.

I first go to www.cars.com and search the car through the entire nation and then also within 250 miles. I sort by year and then look for similar mileage cars and look at asking prices, knocking off a few grand in my head to adjust for asking price vs. selling price. The nationwide search gives you a broad view while the local search within 250 miles may or may not tell the same story about pricing and availability.

I'd also be sure to get a third party to inspect it for both frame damage and mechanical condition. Since it is likely out of warranty, this is very important. A $250 - 500 inspection fee is money very well spent. Even if car fax is clean, you still need the full inspection. A compression test (not necessarily going so far as a leak down test) would be a good idea based on how the rest of the inspection goes. You are looking for red flags that indicate other problems.

Let me know if you have any questions. I think you will love the car if the cowl shake and Cambiocorsa transmission are okay with you...and seriously, consider the Tubi! Good luck.


Post note: My friend, Nivan, bought a 2003 Maserati Spyder with 20,500 miles in Los Angeles and drove it to Arizona. It is silver over grey hides, as you can see in the photos that he sent me. He chose a car with the Cambiocorsa paddle shift system. This Italian replaces his Porsche Boxster S, which he notes that his wife greatly prefers over the Boxster S. At this point, he's had the Maserati Spyder just long enough to know that he is enjoying it lot and is pleased with his purchase. Good selection Nivan! Let me know if you decide to try the Tubi exhaust.

We'll also be checking back with Nivan to see how long he keeps this car before he is ready for his next toy.

Labels: Buying Experience, Cambiocorsa, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Maserati Spyder, Tubi exhaust, www.cars.com

Is Jaguar going to benefit or go further into decline in the coming years and decades owned by Indian conglomerate, Tata? Having worked for Ford Motor Company for a few years at its corporate headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, I have an opinion or two on this issue. Also, with this acquisition complete, we will all become familiar with this logo, as Tata is now on the world stage.

The short answer is: it will largely depend on how much money is invested and involve a degree of unpredictable luck. Ford invested a lot, actually billions, and it still didn't quite work out as planned. Ford tried valiantly to right Jaguar's woes and couldn't. I hate to say it, but Tata will likely need to leverage the new XF design and reformat the entire Jaguar image, leaving everything we know today in the past. Ford tried very hard to keep the stately designs of yesteryear (introduced the S-type and X-type car lines and refreshed the all new XJ and XK) that just didn't sit right with well-heeled buyers who wanted something newer looking instead of father's Jaguar. At the time, I wholeheartedly thought Ford's corporate direction was wise to stay true to the stately Jaguar heritage in spite of its competitors fresh (many say BMW's ugly Bangle design) style direction. Sometimes focus groups don't yield the desired results and sales were poor.

Will Tata handle the challenge? Will Tata's management have the perseverance to stick out the tough times and continue to invest in new platforms, drivetrains, powertrains, safety devices, manufacturing facilities, new technologies, top management staff, new product lines, etc? The cost is in the multi billions, and there are several car lines to support and grow in an ever increasingly competitive market environment. And...Tata has to cope with all the same issues at Land Rover too!

Granted, I don't have inside experience at Tata, but while it is an enormous corporation, the strains and complexity of a medium scale automotive manufacturer like Jaguar (not to mention Land Rover) will test Tata's resolve. The $2.3 billion paid by Tata (actually it is $1.7 billion paid after Ford subsidizes another $600 million to further fund the pension plan) pales when compared to $2.5 billion it paid 1989 for Jaguar and $2.7 billion in 2000 for Land Rover. Ford invested another $10 billion since 1989 to improve the two brands. These are nutty sums of cash...and investments that didn't pan out. The Indian company gets a chance for the first time to stand on the world automotive stage with two prestigious brands with steeped British history and this is very alluring to Tata's billionaire majority shareholder, Ratan Tata. Now, we will see how long the honey moon lasts and see how good looking are the children going to be.

I think Tata will end up casting off Land Rover in the next few years to a company who sees upside to producing upscale trucks. I think Tata will give it a serious go with Jaguar for the next decade without hesitation, even if sales are slow and the brand falters. One thing is for sure, Jaguar will not be an easy brand to manage. Ford's time with Jaguar will hopefully be noted in the history books as a quality attempt to right the struggling brand and not be written off as an obvious squandery under American ownership. Ford put a lot of attention into Jaguar and genuinely desired to improve the brand. While Jaguar did indeed improve in sales, quality and product breadth, the up tick was insignificant compared to the price tag Ford invested.

This brings us to another prestigious brand that has recently been spun off from Ford after 20 years to its newest and 13th owner for $925 million. Aston Martin is now owned primarily by a Middle East (Kuwaiti) funded private equity firm. This too will be interesting to see if they recognize the needs of an automotive holding that requires them to plow hundreds of millions (or easily billions) of dollars continually for refreshing and redeveloping the brand, much like loved or hated George Steinbrenner had done for decades with that one New York baseball team. Aston Martin's current path is positive, but without continued massive loads of engineering, technology and design, the car magazines and pundits will quickly dismiss the car as having veered of course. Aston Martin's brand has historically suffered in the shadow of Ferrari, fairly or unfairly. Point being, even with Ford having invested massively in the VH platform, V12 and recently V8 engines, Ian Callum's designs and new product lines, the car maker has just barely turned the corner towards a high quality product, beautiful styling, increasing production and sales and profitability...and then it got sold off. To use another baseball analogy, since it is the beginning of baseball season, the Marlins win the World Series only to then get sold off and dip back into the pool of contenders. Let's hope that Aston Martin's new home leads to a different fate.

The automotive industry is rife with companies that got the formula correct only to briefly take a collective sigh of relief and revel in the good times before realizing they are driving right back into the ditch again. Time will tell for Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin. When I was at FoMoCo, I solidly thought those three brands had a permanent home for eternity. How quickly things change when money and patience run out. Let's wish the brands well.

Do you have a perspective on how the models will fair in the market? Will they improve or deteriorate? Will the styling run a muck? Will the car makers cut corners and miss the mark? There are lot's of risk for these marques. Thoughts?

Labels: Aston Martin, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Ford Motor Company, Ian Callum, Jaguar, Land Rover, Ratan Tata, S-type, Tata, X-type, XF, XJ

Club Sportiva launched our blog a few months back and based on the rapidly increasing number of visitors, we have hit a serious vein with the automotive community. Most viewers are U.S.-based, but we are finding traction around the world as well. We had high expectations of what our blog could/should achieve, (as with everything we do at Club Sportiva we aim high) but it has exceeded our wildest expectations. The number of visitors is astounding. The number of quality comments has been great. The time people spend on the site is exciting.

To keep up the pace, please continue forwarding the blog link to other car friends who will find it interesting. We have done nothing outwardly to promote the blog and it has simply caught on by word of mouth. Very exciting. The viral affect is really impressive. Of course I'd like to credit Chasmo's and my topics as a key to the success, but I also think it boils down to the fact that their is a void for this kind of content and Club Sportiva is filling an important niche for car enthusiast seeking unique topics.

Thanks to everyone who reads the blog. Thanks to all those who have linked to it and bookmarked it. Thanks to all those who have already forwarded it to their friends. The car community is a great space and I am personally thrilled to be part of it online to accompany what I do everyday in person with the cars sitting in our Paddock awaiting our Members for thrilling driving experiences.

If you have a cool topic for the blog you'd like to see me post, email me at torbin at clubsportiva.com or just post a comment here.

A personal thanks again to everyone who is active in promoting our blog. Club Sportiva's success depends on its Members and our blog's success depends on the enthusiasm of our viewers. Keep it up!
--Torbin

Labels: blog success, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, sports car, thank you

After driving a C6 Corvette convertible at Club Sportiva, which is by far the most refined Corvette yet, getting next behind the wheel of Club Sportiva's 2007 Corvette Z06 was even better. Overall, the Z06 is a sinisterly powerful car with great looks that is still a little raw - standard Corvette DNA.

I will get a couple of the unforgivable issues out of the way, right up front... The Corvette has notoriously plastic laden interiors, buttons and controls that shame American ingenuity. It isn't just the surfacing, it is the quality of feel and touch when pressing buttons and interacting with the interior. Sure it has improved over the decades, but how long does it take GM engineers and marketing people to realize car enthusiasts don't want a shiny plastic interior experience. The problem is the Corvette's interior comes from the corporate parts bin and everything is hard shiny plastic and they don't want to develop a whole interior console for a single car line. A leather surfacing package is now available for a whopping $5,000, but that doesn't address the cheap radio and climate control buttons. Well, GM is moving in the right direction, at least. As a reference point, a $22,000 Mazda 3 has a far superior interior, to make my point clear.

How is the exhaust note? Well, it is subdued. Subdued? What?! It's a Z06...nothing should be subdued. It lacks an audible punch in the exhaust note category, disappointingly. The sound engineers, guided by the marketing team, should have said dial up the exhaust so drivers don't have to go out and install it after market. For another ~$1,500 (OEM cost), the bean counters at GM should have allowed the Corvette Z06 to have a sinister exhaust note to remind the driver that he/she is piloting a bad@ss machine. Instead, the Corvette team opted for an understated, plain (read lame) exhaust note. The entire group gets the blame for this from GM's marketing team, engineering community, program management and bean counters (of which I was one, at Ford Motor Company) for missing the opportunity to define the car with a menacing tune to match the splendidly powerful engine. I am calling it like I see it...

As such, firing up the car begins out on a somewhat anticlimactic starting point. And yes, I am being critical because the bar was set very high by GM's marketers and the auto press. Blip the throttle and it is not the rip roarious experience I expected, nor is the throttle as responsive as I would have hoped. I am not dumping cold water on the overall experience, just sharing essential first impression feedback as you climb in and start the car. It does get better, luckily, but right out of the gate the car has two strikes that you can't help avoid noticing continually while driving around. Normally, I'd save the negs for last, but GM really needs a disappointing slap on the wrist for a car that has been in production long enough they should understand what the target market wants and get it right, especially on the top of the line $75,000 Z06. Sure the$100,000 ZR1 is coming, but it is no excuse to leave any rocks unturned on the Z06. At $45,000 for a base Corvette, maybe I will take back my negs, but not for the Z06. Ultimately, I want to like the car enough to justify buying one, not looking for reasons to put up with its short comings. GM, are you catching this?

Now for the upside, finally. Once you dip into the throttle, you suddenly have no time to let your eyes gaze anywhere but far down the road. First gear is powerful, but not geared for sporty driving. Let's shift into second gear and this is where the fun starts. Third gear gets even better. There is enough power and torque on tap to peel up some serious asphalt. And cooler, the power just keeps coming across a broad power band. Even at 2,500 rpms, it will snap back your neck and keep your head pinned to the Z06 embroidered seat all the way to redline.

The pleasant thing about the Corvette Z06 is that around town, in normal daily traffic, the car is very reserved. Maybe too refined for my hardcore sports car preference, but impressive nonetheless. It isn't a light agile high revver, like the Lotus Elise but it isn't the heavy GT car like a Maserati GT or Mercedes-Benz SL either. It fits into a category like the Porsche 911, splitting duty as the high performance sports car that offers comfort and torque. A combination of raw performance and easy drive-ability. That is a tough balance to strike and GM has done a great job. Kudos.

I liked the heads up display, which also comes as an option in the standard Corvette. It doesn't save you much effort, since the dash is only a couple inches lower, but nonetheless, it is more efficient. The seats are very supportive and comfortable, as is ingress egress. Gas mileage can be surprisingly high for a big V8 as well. These factors make the Corvette a very livable daily driver without much sacrifice. Overall, for the market place, the Corvette is polished in many of the right spots, including a reasonable price for its high performance.

From a style perspective, this is the best looking, most aggressively designed Corvette ever. From any angle, the Z06 looks pissed off and ready to go. It is a mean looking car. The extra vent up front on the hood means business, as does the flared vent on the side behind the tire. The extra kick-up of the duck tail spoiler in the back is cool and functional too. The looks are probably one of my favorite features along side the brutal power.

For me personally, I am not a huge fan overall and it pains me to say that because I want to love the Corvette because it looks so good and has gobs of power. Yes I enjoy driving the Z06, but it doesn't make my top 10 list. A few insignificant issues worth the mention: When driving the Z06 in normal spirited driving scenarios, it has a heavy, dead pan steering feeling, which is okay, but not exhilarating or my favorite. The drive train is a little clunky and loud. From inside the car or out, you can hear it chatter when shifting. The CTS-V is the same, so GM's system inherently makes some clicking noises. Not a big deal really, but an entry-level Hyundai doesn't make rattling noise when shifted, nor should the Corvette. I prefer a lighter agile-on-its-toes driving experience which can be combined with a big brutal engine. NOTE: I actually don't like bagging on the car, so don't get the impression I like nit picking; it pains me to report these basic things!

The Z06 is a great car for most drivers, actually. The majority of Member's of Club Sportiva have really enjoyed the car tremendously. My preferences are not the norm, luckily for the success of the Z06. For those like me, who like the finesse of European cars, it doesn't quite work. This is disappointing because I want to like the Corvette. Cadillac's upcoming CTS and CTS-V look like they are dead on, so I think GM has turned the corner and the next Vette will be all it should be. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

Labels: 505 hp, Club Sportiva, Corvette Z06, exotic car share club, General Motors, sports car

Last night I finished a fascinating book, The Physics of NASCAR by Diandra Leslie-Pelecky, a professor of physics at the University of Texas.

Having spent a great deal of my life driving, racing and fixing cars, I felt that I knew a lot about how race cars function and why - perhaps I did, but I sure know a lot more now than I did three weeks ago. This book is an essential read for anyone wanting to understand the why and how about achieving maximum velocity on 4 wheels.

Once you get past her rather hokey sub-title: "How to Make Steel + Gas + Rubber = Speed" you'll find very readable chapters that successively reveal the inner workings (and the amazing safety features) of NASCAR's 2008 "Car of Tomorrow."

Each and every aspect of racecar design, mechanical performance and on track behavior are dissected and explained in very understandable terms. Early chapters delve into NASCAR's push for greater safety and the process of change that brought the "Car of Tomorrow" into being. Chassis construction, metallurgy, paint and decals, aerodynamics, chassis settings, tires, engine building, gearing and the setups for different tracks and speedways are all discussed in great detail.

I found particularly fascination in the evolution of the many of the aerodynamic aspects of the new car design. One of the biggest challenges was to try to prevent the cars from getting airborne when they go into a spin. As most of us are aware, NASCAR cars are set up to turn left - so the racecars tend to spin right when in trouble. When they do spin and the vehicle's yaw angle approaches 90 degrees, the sideways profile of the car starts to resemble the cross section of an airplane wing. At 150 mph a great deal of lift occurs - with the distinct possibility of a vehicle leaving the track and literally flying into the grandstands. The safety measures and preventative mechanisms that NSACAR's safety specialists have devised are intriguingly ingenious (a lot of attention is given to creating safety measures that won't be circumvented for a competitive advantage).

Another area of analysis I found engaging (and applicable to my own experience) was the chapter on tires. A number of aspects were explained that on comprehension seem obvious but initially contradict popular perception - for example fitting wider tires does not increase the contact patch (as long as car weight and tire pressure remain constant). The illustration at the right shows the effective difference between a narrow tire and a wide tire. Turns out the shape of the contact patch is what matters; it's how much of the contact patch is - or isn't - slipping that determines the overall grip and a wider tire will have a small slip area.

Tire pressures play a vital role in determining winning lap times in NASCAR races and those setting are dictated by the type of track and the speeds at which the cars will be running (which factors how hot the tires will get). On a high banked high speed oval like Atlanta typical Goodyear recommend tire pressures will be 22LF, 20LR, 48RF, and 45RR; compare these to the settings for a flat turned, short course like Martinsville: 10LF & LR, 23RF, and 22RR.

Most of us are aware of drafting in NASCAR and some of the strategies involved in its use, but Leslie-Pelecky goes into interesting detail about the various techniques used including "bump drafting." Bump drafting involves actually making contact with the car in front to induce more speed for both vehicles. It definitely demands a deft touch when traveling a buck and a half and is not recommended for interstate use (although on a recent trip to Palm Springs I encountered plenty of drafting taking place on the I-210).

The second half of the book ties much of the theory and physics together as the author "embeds" herself with the Gillet Evernham Motorsports Dodge Team. The inner workings and dynamics of a NASCAR team are fully revealed - I found myself rooting for the team's success as I read about the trials and travails of car #19, driven by veteran Elliott Sadler. Each team member is spotlighted and get the full picture of their roles in the team's success and failure at both the Atlanta and Martinsville race. Overall I found the book a very entertaining read. (Amazon.com: The Physics of NASCAR)

Labels: Car of Tomorrow, Drafting, Elliott Sadler, NASCAR, Physics of NASCAR

The Porsche 911 is a good looking and endearing car to drive. Most anyone who has shared wheel time knows that the 911 has personality and character that is missing in most cars. In the 911 driving experience, the car is like a friend who wants to ensure you have a great time behind the wheel, and as a result, you bond with the 911. It is no surprise they've sold so many for over 40 years.

Point being, I like the Porsche 911. Until I had my first 911 driving experience shortly after starting Club Sportiva in 2003, I hadn't shared the passion, but the very first time I got behind the wheel the Club's 1989 C4, I finally "got it." With each progressively improved 911 (964, 993, 996, 997), I have been more impressed. Having said all that, I think the current 997 body style is headed towards a design dead end. Ouch! I mean that bold and spicy statement in a concerned and perplexed way. A major car mag called the 911 design "dowdy" in a recent comparo. Not good...

Compare the Porsche 911 to the Audi R8 visual styling and the 997 is bland and unremarkable. Compare the king-of-the-hill Porsche GT2 to a Lamborghini Gallardo or Ferrari F430 (which itself is a second derivation design, based on the 1999 360 Modena) and the car design pales. Remember, we are talking about styling, not performance or pricing. While each generation Porsche 911 has looked great, the 996 and 997 styling direction seems to have stalled. In the modern world of stunning design, how do you adapt the past to carry forward while integrating radically new design? Is it possible?

Just grab a camera and try to take a few breathtaking photos of the 997 911 and you'll quickly realize that it is hard to find unique curves or stunning features compared to other sports cars today that make this task easy. I take a lot of photos and that is what prompted the topic for me.

I raise this issue because look at what Jaguar has just done. They pulled the rug from under the heritage (AKA retro) styling on the S-Type. They yanked the plug on the entire car. Wrote it off. Killed the name and the car. It is now replaced with the XF using an entirely new design language. The Jaguar XJ sedan is next for execution after being entirely new underneath the skin at the beginning of this decade while carrying over the classic XJ look. This is a huge gamble for Jaguar. XJ sales are sagging while competitors like Mercedes-Benz are aggressively advancing the design on their S-Class models. Sales ultimately proved that there wasn't enough interest in the elegant but stodgy Jaguar designs. A Club Member, named Nir, was saying to me this week that he hates the new Jaguar XF design, so Jaguar has a challenging path ahead not to alienate the passionate while still capturing the masses.

Porsche 911 sales are doing well, so Porsche would make the design change for different reasons than Jaguar did. For Porsche, it would be a preemptive design move to stay at the cutting edge before they get behind in the market place.

Maserati, with the help of Pininfarina, recently introduced the stunningly designed GranTurismo. The front grill, in particular, harkens back to the 1950s Maserati racers. They did an excellent job of integrating a classical design cue into an otherwise thoroughly modern car. The Mini Cooper and Volkswagen Beetle have made a go at reviving the retro look. Others didn't survive long, like the refreshed Ford Thunderbird, which I worked on while at Ford Motor Company in 1999. The upcoming new Camaro and Charger are integrating heavy retro designs - time will tell how they survive five+ years out. I suspect the rehash will wear out quickly, though I wish them the best of reception in the marketplace, obviously.

So yes, Porsche can certainly manage this challenge proactively, but the bottom line is they will need to take some action in the next generation 911. Will the next 911 be more aggressive and modern allowing Porsche to take a big design leap forward, like they did with the Porsche 959 in the late 1980s? The 959 redefined Porsche design two decades ago and then those style cues were introduced on the 993 911 which was a radical leap from the upright head lights of every Porsche 911 before it. I think we are due for the same quantum leap forward again with the next 911 iteration. A design style eventually runs its evolutionary course and then needs dramatically updated or ended. It is something exciting to look forward to.

Do you agree with the need to make the 911 more stylistically significant in the new era?

Labels: Club Sportiva, design direction, design language, exotic car share club, Porsche 911, styling