I saw this headline early this morning and it made me think, what cars actually move the needle these days in any significant way. As time goes by and technology evolves, homogenization seems to be the trend. In some ways this can be good as there really isn’t a such thing as a “bad” car these days but in the majority of financial/automotive sectors it’s created a boring stalemate. A formulaic approach where there’s no need to push the boundaries except with maybe the addition of interior screens and toggles. I’m far from a busy automotive reviewer but it seems the last two surprises perhaps came from the Mk7 Golf and the Toyota Yaris/GR?
I have the same feeling going into the Ferrari movie as I had with the Many Saints of Newark. This is truly a movie I have waited for my whole life and I feel like I really need to manage my expectations as much as possible. That being said, some people whom I tend to see eye to eye with from an automotive standpoint have given it good reviews, so we shall see. For now, enjoy this beautiful photo of the man, his dog and his car. Cheers.
Last weekend the Roger Albert Clark Rally took place and it brought out this perfect Lancia Stratos. It’s great to see such high quality, modern footage of one driven in true anger. The livery is perfect. S/o to Sideway Media for providing this week’s bit of Youtube serenity.
I find myself thinking quite a bit about how jaded I can be when it comes to my enthusiasm for cars and motorsports. I try not to be a wet blanket but something in the society and culture surrounding the hobby these days really gives me the ick.
1) I HATE the holier than thou approach. So many modern influencers take this angle when providing you with grainy racing footage overdubbed with some tired trap beat; or when one MUST constantly remind you that they take better care of their shitbox than you do. This kind of shit is for the birds. I too have some hot takes but there’s something in a delivery that can be very off-putting, particularly when there’s some level of feigned exclusivity being communicated. It doesn’t fucking matter.
2) Gatekeeping. We are all guilty of it and we all hate being on the receiving end of it. We’ve all been to a Porsche meet where the inevitable “have you ever even driven one” line surfaces. Suppose we asked a 6 year old football fan something similar; “have you ever even wasted an entire Sunday barely moving and consuming far too many calories?”. Give it a rest.
3) Those who could use a swift kick in the ass. This is for every Drive to Survive fan who became an F1 technical expert overnight. Then, watched the second season and got it in their head that they have some secret undiscovered driving talent that leads to them crashing into a neighborhood pole because they tried to “warm the tires” in their Nissan Altima. The art of humility is gone.
Bonus Youtube Serenity Clip #2. If you haven’t yet become obsessed with the rich OM606 turbo diesel content the internet has to offer, I invite you to click above.
Next week will feature a brief review of the W210 300 Turbo Diesel as part of our Impressions series.
For now, we leave you with this week’s driving tune. To be played/imagined when driving the night shift, on the road or track.
Most enthusiasts are familiar with their tastes changing over time. If you’re in this hobby long enough, you’ll likely come full circle on a lot of different cars. From love to hate back to love, this passion is a lifelong quest to capture a machine that offers irreplaceable experience and perhaps fills a deep sentimental void.
BMW E9X – When these were new I thought it was the beginning of the end (how many times have we heard that in this space). Now I realize that’s rarely the case; we as humans just hate change. These cars do all the 3 series things, perhaps better than previous generations. They are more sophisticated, more reliable, and more commonplace and therefore cheaper than most of their predecessors. The design is very basic but that’s part of the charm. Kind of like how MK5 VW’s have become endearing, so have these. Facelift models can actually be considered handsome as well.
Late Nineties-Early Oughts Mercedes – I just straight up took these for granted. W210’s are still hauling tourists around in many different countries and there’s good reason for that. The W220 is peak S Class and the 202 is becoming as iconic as the 190e.
Vans and minivans – An eventual right of passage for all enthusiasts; I’d even have a Chrysler so long as I can modify it appropriately.
The E30 – This one I’ve gone the other way on. Don’t get me wrong, they’re as good as advertised, but that’s just the thing. They’re no longer a pleasant surprise. The expectation is high. This is the same reason why I’ve always found it hard to appreciate 911’s. What you see and what you hear is what you get and the Easter eggs are nowhere to be found (anymore).
This week’s bit of Youtube serenity comes c/o ItalianSupercarVideo and their footage of a Mustang GT3 Car testing at Misano (a near perfect venue for GT racing). The new entries by Ford and Chevy have really revived this class that was otherwise growing a bit redundant and dull. The American diversity will certainly add a lot of intrigue to the already stacked grids and the fact that this noise will be echoing around the globe in GT competition with a Ford badge behind it is enough for me.
Lately, I have been experiencing a lot of joy just simply driving my family from one place to another. It’s especially fun on the holidays as the spirit usually fills the cabin with some extra excitement and positivity. As holiday travel plans continue to take place, I urge you to consider driving. Take the slower, more scenic route and just enjoy the ride. So much can happen inside of a car that can only make life outside of one that much better.
Finally, this week’s driving tune comes from The Who. Lately I have been on a big Quadrophenia kick and you can’t pick a better throttle mashing song than this.
It’s not that I hate people touching the knobs in my car, it’s just that I don’t trust they have any idea how they work and how delicate you really must be with them. How many BMW’s have had the rear vents go consistently hot from abuse? Mercs too! You must change climate settings, adjust the seats, and even change the radio station with a level of care that few possess. You’re going to break it! Some ground rules, if you live somewhere that never gets below 59 degrees, never use the heat in any way. Keep the AC at the lowest temperature setting or turn it off! Also, any superfluous accessories ie heated seats, steering wheels, etc are just to brag about, never to use. You may however control the direction of airflow via the vents within your seat location and possibly block yours off if you must, but that’s where it ends.
Recently heard a bit on the fantastic Collecting Addicts podcast about cars that look happy and there was one notable omission. My mother and father each had one of these, both black on black Coupe Devilles and both had “HapyGril” number plates c/o yours truly. These cars were truly the gentleman’s hotrod. The 472’s were just perfect before Ralph Nader started choking them down. Also, top tier wheel cover design, maybe the best.
This weeks driving tune comes from the Lilys. A true highway banger. Flat out.
The smells of campfires, BBQ’s and cigar smoke in the cool evening air while some of the world’s most iconic endurance racing cars compete around the clock. The HSR Daytona 24 did not disappoint.
I have been bringing my family to the Roar Before the 24 for a couple of years and now we have made this event a tradition as well. That is a special thing, particularly for an overly obsessed petrolhead like me.
Elsewhere, Formula 1’s efforts to overhype their Las Vegas race to the point where it can only disappoint have been successful. Ticket prices are dropping and people are trolling; their attempts to shield anyone from any race action who does not have a ticket are being mocked. Lest we forget, F1’s original attempt at racing in Las Vegas was also a failure. Come to think of it, pretty much any street race there has been. That is not to say this one will follow suit, however, there are some issues that could use fixing.
Their attempt at true date equity is foolish and should have been avoided. They have tried so hard to avoid clashing with other automotive events in Vegas that they have played themselves out of attendance. There is no reason why they couldn’t have “coincidentally” merged with SEMA or Mecum, and perhaps they should have rode those coattails instead of letting their hubris get the best of them. All of this stacked onto a doubling of the amount of North American races in 1 year; that just doesn’t seem like it will work as well as they want.
I am sure next weekend will be framed as a success, and perhaps it will be. However, there are matters that could use addressing for seasons to come. I would consider this race and some others quite frankly, to be rotated in and out over the course of multiple seasons. That could give them the value they’re looking for and help thin out their crowded calendar. Perhaps they could also consider racing at proper circuits of which there are plenty, which they now avoid simply because they fail to meet a certain standard of posh.
Lately I have become more and more obsessed with Industrial and Farming vehicles. For example, this crane gives me serious 956 vibes.
Finally, for this week’s driving tune we go to one of the best love songs ever written.
The Motor Law 