DRIVING: that's what it's ALL ABOUT! A blog and website for automotive driving enthusiasts, featuring my interests as I see them: news and opinion about manufacturers of interest, significant enthusiast cars, and driving them hard and well.
MINI of Canada has reworked their earlier Dominatrix ad campaign to bring the same "domination" message to winter driving. The MINI dominates in the hot or cold.
Continue at the link for the site - be sure to note the SAFETY WORD. Click on each snowflake on the car to get the features explained - in double entendre terms...
Apparently the Canadians can get away with a lot more than MINI of USA can. Seriously, MINI has great advertising all over the entire world. It's the type I'd aspire to write if I were in that line of work. Not, of course, that I have the personal experience necessary to write ads for Canada!
Japanese home market websites are much more informative and detailed than their North American counterparts.
Case in point: the Skyline site. The Skyline is the same car as our Infiniti G35, with the exception of a few options, option groups, and a smaller 2.5 liter base engine (local tax regulations). The car is sold in Japan by Nissan rather than Infiniti.
The site is full of technical explanations of the workings of the car and the benefits of the technologies offered. Japanese buyers are informed technologists. They do not settle for low common denominators; they eagerly anticipate technology improvements in their products. Even small econo-boxes have purposefully interesting features.
In comparison, American consumers are ????
Example: the website offers an extensive explanation of the optional all-wheel steering system: http://www.nissan.co.jp/SKYLINE/NEW/4WAS/index.html - with detailed examples of the technical benefit. Another example of this type of technical explanation is the Honda of Japan site explaining the workings and benefits of the SH-AWD all-wheel drive system in the car we know as the Acura RL.
Two last pictures of the Skyline show the beautiful lines of this car.
And one of the rear, showing the "350GT" badging of the sport model.
A new video on the Ariel Atom, as manufactured in the United States. This post is follow-up to my post of last month, where Jay Leno was spotted driving his ATom (the first built in the United States). The US version is powered by the GM Ecotech 4-cylinder engine, which Jay Leno labels as "the small block of the future".
Hmmm... it's a dull engine, without much in the way of revs. I'd rather have the Honda engine that is used in Europe in the original Atom. Regardless, the Ariel Atom is one of the fastest cars in the world with the top of the line supercharged engine - if not the fastest. And it's certainly the most visceral drive imaginable.
Brammo Motorsports builds the "Ariel Atom 2" for United States customers: http://www.arielatom.com/ You can build a car via the configurator, and also get a FAQ document.
Here's my Atom, as configured on the site, setup for track driving:
The Masterlube system is certainly a good idea, and not just because it's a GM engine. The track brakes and Konis are also appropriate for track use. I've selected some billet peices add strength in places where you'd see stress in track usage. The belts are for track use - as long as they have a safety cert and are properly mounted. The Roll Protection Bar is ungainly... I have to wonder if something different could be designed. But it's a requirement as track groups across the country are cracking down on convertibles and similarly open cars (at some point, 'verts won't be able to be used without an add-on and certified rollbar). This is a concern, however the Atom 2 folks are working with groups such as NASA to get the cars approved for use there.
It's tough to wait! Still no definitive technical details, and no indication of when the car will actually go on sale.
New Lexus Performance Vehicles to Make World Debut at 2007 North American International Auto Show Wednesday December 6, 2:56 pm ET
TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Lexus will stage the world premiere of the 2008 IS-F sport performance car and an exciting concept vehicle at a press conference at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The IS-F is an all-new high-performance version of the popular Lexus IS 250/350 sport sedans. It will feature unique styling and a substantial boost in power from a V8 powerplant that will captivate performance car enthusiasts when it goes on sale next year. In addition to the IS-F, Lexus will unveil an exotic sports concept.
The press conference will be held on Monday, January 8 at 11:25 a.m. EST in the Riverview Ballroom in COBO Center and simulcast live to the Lexus display area at the show. A video clip of the press conference will be available via the Lexus.com and pressroom.lexus.com Web sites immediately following the event.
Japanese home market websites are much more informative and detailed than their North American counterparts. 
New Lexus Performance Vehicles to Make World Debut at 2007 North American International Auto Show
