Next up on the Super Bowl XLVI ad reel is Jerry Seinfeld and his crusade to become the very first owner of the new Acura/Honda NSX. The NSX concept was the star of the recent Detroit Motor Show and it’s a shame Jerry, and others, will have to wait until around 2015 to get their keys.
The US is gearing up for Super Bowl XLVI this Sunday. For gearheads, as the yanks call us, that means a piston of new car-related television commercials (nice collective noun that, a piston). One of the first to be released features Matthew Broderick and his Honda CR-V. The concept isn’t exactly original, but if you’re a Gen-Xer, you’re going to love this ad.
The Nissan GT-R is quite something. It’s big, it’s heavy, but at the same time it’s as sharp as a knife. Like Rafa Nadal winning an unwinnable point, how do they do it? In MY12 spec the GT-R can sprint to 100km/h in under three seconds. Time after time, after time.
Crank and Piston have created a short, but very cool video of the GT-R roaming the streets of Dubai. Perhaps they describe Godzilla best, too: “This graceful creature, as its ruthless alter ego, could snap your head off with the slightest provocation.”
[Source: Crank & Piston]
Legendary hot rod designer and manufacturer Chip Foose is a Volkswagen fan. Well, so he says in this promo from Volkswagen US released to build some hot hatch hype for the Golf R.
The US market has only recently received the Golf R, which seems to be an odd decision to say the least. Why didn’t they get the model from launch?
Check out the video after the break and hear Foose reminisce about his 1985 Mk2 Golf GTI.
[Thanks to Adam for the tip]
Graphic design and racing cars. They’re two things we very much like here at AUSmotive, so a book about both has to be a winner, surely. We think so.
Sven Voelker is the man we have to thank for the book Go faster: The graphic design of racing cars. He explains his thoughts and a little about the development of racecar livery in a short video after the break. The historic racing footage during his interview is a nice touch too.
Apparently the American entrepreneur and racer Briggs Cunningham was the first man to think a ‘go faster’ stripe was just what his racing car needed.
In Chris Harris’ latest video he is reporting from the passenger seat of a very desirable and very rare McLaren F1 GTR. We’re not entirely sure why he didn’t mention the owner’s name, especially as we get a clear look at the owner’s face and is easy enough to track down online.
Anyway, that matters not, we do think a ride in a 600hp/1100kg machine would be a lot of fun, even if we might need to reach for the chunder bag along the way. Yeah, you’re probably right, driving it would be much better!
Chris Harris is perhaps the closest thing magazine journos have to a bona fide celebrity; that is he hasn’t gained his popularity on the back of a TV program or the like. Mostly he’s earned his reputation, and following, on the back of his writing, some part-time racing and a lot of sideways action.
In his first effort for Drive, the latest chicane in his career (no, it’s not the Fairfax publication Australians are familiar with), Harris gets slippy with a 480hp Mercedes-Benz C63. Oh, your eyes aren’t deceiving you, the Benz is running space savers at all four wheels.
At first this seems like an entirely daft and pointless thing to do. But, Harris is trying to make a point. Check out the clip after the break and see if you agree.
There’s also a bonus clip if you missed the announcement of Drive last month.
Yesterday we brought you a video showing a Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 where the party piece was its rapid deceleration from 330km/h. Here, we bring you some on board footage filmed in 2009 showing the devastating acceleration of a Top Fuel dragster.
The dials you see in frame were added digitally for effect and we can only assume their readings are legit. First thing you will notice is how quickly the speedo moves from rest to 500km/h plus. On your second viewing pay attention to the fuel gauge and G meter.
[Thanks to Micky for the tip]
Here’s a cracking video that gives us a great look at one of the best Mk1 Golfs in Australia. The car is an Australian built 1975 three door owned by Stuart French. It’s fair to say the mod factor is off the scale compared to AUSmotive’s own 1980 Mk1 Golf GTI, which is in good original condition.
The level of finish and detail in Stuart’s Golf makes it one of the finest examples of a custom project build you will find. Respect to Jonty3000 as well for putting together a fine short film to document this kick arse Mk1.
We rate the Mk1 Golf as the finest looking of the six generations so far; the original and the best!
[Thanks to John for the tip]
The master of spin, Ken Block, is back with a new Gymkhana release. It’s the fourth in his well known franchise; we use that term deliberately as this latest video is packed with commercial content. Perhaps this should come as no surprise when the clip is sub-titled ‘The Hollywood Megamercial’.
In GYM4 the driving is pure entertainment. There’s some excellent footage captured as Block negotiates his way around various movie sets. We just hope when the inevitable Gymkhana 5 is produced they go a bit easy on the ads.
The full 9 minutes of ‘hoonigan’ is yours after the break. To recapture the vibe from Ken’s first three installments, click here.
Here’s a brief video showing the Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale by Zagato. The clip starts off in Zagato’s factory near Milan and ends up with some tame driving footage. Looks like they may have been taking photos and capturing video for promotional puposes.
There’s only going to be nine of these cars built, so while it would have been great to see the driver push the limits of the Dodge Viper ACR running gear in the TZ3 Stradale, we may have to wait until the customer gets their car first.
[Source: Motor Authority]
Chris Harris from Evo magazine has a strong relationship with Porsche which has enabled him great access to Andreas Preuninger, Head of GT Cars. Using that relationship Harris recorded this interview with Preuninger in which the pair discuss the finer points of the limited edition 911 GT3 RS 4.0. It’s a good insight and details some of the modifications that are likely to ensure the RS 4.0 takes its place among the more revered Porsche RS model ever made.
[Thanks to Tim for the tip]