Entries in Supercar (5)

Tuesday
Jul242012

Black Moon Pursuit!

Here's a fun video featuring music by Electric Youth, over scenes from the 1986 film "Black Moon Rising."  The sports car piloted by Linda Hamilton in the video is a supercar protoype called the Black Moon--which was actually a one-off Canadian-built car called the Wingho Concordia II. The space-like design appears to be based heavily on the Pininfarina Modulo concept car from 1970. I think the Concordia II was probably built on a Firebird chassis or some other domestic platform.

Friday
Apr202012

Automobiliac Reviews Gotham Dream Car Sprint

For those of you who live in New York or New Jersey, you may have seen Groupon and other deal sites advertising a discounted ticket to "Drive a Supercar!"  I have been emailed by many friends about this and had been wondering myself if it's worth the money (around 70 bucks with the promotional discount).  Thankfully, a very generous friend bought some tickets and invited me along!  Since there seems to be a lot of interest  and uncertainty about this promotion, I thought I'd let you all know whether I thought it was worthwhile!What it is:

It's pretty simple. There's an autocross track consisting of a bunch of cones in a vast parking lot at the Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey.  You get to choose between a Lamborghini Gallardo or a Ferrari F430. I had two tickets so I got a ride in each.

There is a chaperone in the car with you just to make sure you don't do something stupid, but generally he encourages you to have fun. And yes, you can floor it and drive the car as hard as you want!

What you get:

You get 3 laps of this autocross track, so basically one outlap, one flying lap, and one in lap.  There's no timing, but I figured each lap is about 28-40 seconds depending on your skill level and exuberance. So that's roughly 2.5 minutes of driving.

After you get out of the car, you pose for photos inside and standing next to the car. The guy also takes a few action shots while you are driving. All these photos are burned on a CD right on the spot and handed to you, and this is an no extra charge, which I thought was great! (the photos in this article are examples of what you get)

You can also opt to buy a second run at a slight discount if you want more. And they also have a 458 Italia which can be driven for an extra 100 bucks. My friend tried it and said it took him to another planet. He got out of the car and all he said for the first 2 minutes was "Oh my god! It's SO tight! The steering! It's so TIGHT!."

Driving impressions:

In the brief moments I was in the cars, I had a blast. The exhaust notes of both cars are awesome to hear when you drop the hammer.  In the end, I recommend readers to select the F430. Even though the Gallardo is a great machine, the all wheel drive and electronic nannies make the car understeer badly at low speed and the car just feels sort of dead on this very twisty, tiny, track.  The F430, on the other hand has better handling on the tight course and willingly lets you slide the tail around. I was grinning from ear to ear.  Both cars have paddle shifters, so no worries about clutch pedals.

The Verdict:

So, was it worth the money?  That is hard to say for sure. I think for the cost of 70 dollars, it would be nice to have more than 3 laps in the cars. I also think some people would find the idea of driving through cones in a parking lot a bit pedestrian. However this is definitely not a scam. You really do get some time in someone else's genuine exotic car and can basically do what you want for 3 laps. Unlike a high priced exotic rental, you don't need to worry about traffic laws and you can just have fun in a safe environment! The fact that they throw in the photographs for free is a very nice touch, and definitely adds to the appeal of the experience.

I don't think Gotham Dream Cars gives a trememdous value for thrill compared to going karting, but I don't think it's a ripoff either.  If you are the type who has always wondered what it is like to drive one of these cars and feel the acceleration and cornering they offer, this is the most economical and trouble-free way to have that experience. Let me know what you think!( Note: This review was in no way paid for or endorsed by Gotham Dream Cars)

Wednesday
May042011

Wealth on Display: Chinese Wedding Style!

A recent wedding in Wenzhou, China saw more exotic metal in one place than a Gumball rally!  Supposedly there are 26 super luxury cars in this bridal motorcade.  The video racked up millions of views on the Chinese equivalent of youtube, so I thought I would share it with a US audience!  You gotta feel bad for the loser in the Range Rover at the end of the queue.

via ChinaSmack

Monday
Oct252010

Kanye West's Eastern Bloc Supercar

In case you missed it, rapper Kanye West premiered his new short film called "Runaway" on Sunday night on MTV.  The film might be the most self-indulgent, incomprehensible reel of trite eye candy since Matthew Barney's last movie. However, it opens with a very strange car rolling through the darkened countryside.  As most of you would have done, I immediately asked myself "What the hell is that car??" I thought it was perhaps a Koenigsegg or some other small volume supercar, but when I saw the badge on the trunk, I was deeply surprised. 

Apparently, it is a Tatra MTX V8 - a car so obscure it sent me scrambling for wikipedia. Now many of you might be familiar with the illustrious Czech automaker Tatra from its innovative prewar vehicles. But apprently during the communist period, there was a company called MTX that actually built sports cars in Czechoslovakia going back to the early 70s! And once communism ended, they produced only 4 examples of the MTX V8 using the Tatra badge, one of which is featured in Kanye's art film.  The lines are stock 90s supercar in the mold of the Acura NSX, but I must confess the parts-bin interior is sort of cool. It even seems to have a tape deck!

Click here for the full gallery of screen grabs.

Click here if you want to be subjected to 34 incomprehensible minutes of Kanye's "singular artistic genius." On the bright side there is a scantily clad hot bird-woman throughout most of this derivative, superficial ego trip.

Wednesday
Jun092010

Marussia B2 Unleashed at Paul Ricard

The words "Russian Supercar" are not exactly ones that command a quickening of the pulse, but I must admit there is a brutalist animal magnetism exuded by the Marussia B2.  It's outrageous in all the right ways, and I can't help but admire it for its unabashed aggression and modernity.  I discovered this rather good Flickr photo set via Jalopnik, and I wanted to share.  The B2 is the second supercar by Marussia, and I think it is far more appealing than its older, tackier, yet more conventional sibling, the B1.  The B2 looks like the Audi R8's steroid-addled cousin, born under the iron curtain, but now flaunting his newfound capitalist swagger.  The matte black mid-section of the car is as menacing and tank-like as the most recent Batmobile, while the glossy body panels provide a flowing and dynamic counterpoint to the rest of the car.  I know little about how well made or how fast the car is (it has a 420hp Cosworth engine), but who really cares?  For the monied poseur, I think the Marussia B2 is a ballsy and eccentric alternative to the increasingly predictable options coming out of Italy these days.

For more photos of the B2 at the Frankfurt auto show, click here