Archives for April 2010

Review: Suzuki SX4 SportBack

April 29, 2010 by Tom Williams 3 Comments

When you hear the automotive press rave about great performance bargains, the cars being referred to are usually the MazdaSpeed3, VW GTI or Subaru Impreza WRX-great cars, but for many buyers, $25-$30,000 is hardly considered a bargain. The common conception is if your budget for a new car is under $20,000, you should leave any hope of fun at the dealer’s showroom doors. The new for 2010 Suzuki SX4 SportBack is proof fun can be had for less than twenty grand.

The first SX4 appeared as a 2007 model-the five-door hatch, all-wheel drive Crossover, which took away from Subaru the bragging rights of selling the most inexpensive all-wheel drive car in North America. In 2008, the four-door SX4 Sport debuted as a front drive sedan. For 2010, Suzuki introduces the SportBack, a marriage of the practicality of the Crossover’s body with the sportiness of the Sport sedan. Suzuki also gave the SX4 a host of improvements for 2010, so read on!

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Future World Rally Champion in training already at 8 years old!

April 28, 2010 by Gary Grant 1 Comment

My daughter used to race karts. She started at age 10. Both of my boys had driven karts while they were 8. They are slow, mostly due to lack of practice and good genetics. The kid above has the right genetics. And a Dad who was a top flight World Rally Championship driver.

Normal motoring enthusiasts begin their kids in karts. Nobody ever said Finnish rally drivers were normal!

When his kid became old enough to drive, Harri RovanperÃƒÂ¤ did what came naturally to him. He customized the driver’s position of a Toyota Starlet rally car to accommodate 8 year old Kalle. Then, like most Finnish boys, Kalle proceeded to learn how to drive. He does not drive like other kids!

With thanks to the good folks at Auto123 I bring you a future World Rally Champion. After the break.
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OPP vs MINI convoy part 2

April 27, 2010 by Gary Grant 12 Comments

Earlier this evening, I wrote about the convoy of MINIs that were herded off the road by the Ontario Provincial Police while on their way towards Ontario cottage country for a Spring cruise. In that post, I shared the viewpoint of one of the cruise’s organizers. I have a few thoughts of my own on the story.

Perhaps the fun stuff first: The road they call The Rattler, is in fact Muskoka County road #13. Muskoka 13 is quite possibly the best driving road in Ontario. During the winter. During the Spring, Fall, Summer it is a beautiful, twisty road that is heavily populated by cottagers and motorcyclists. It is quite narrow in places and is horribly bumpy. One of our writers here in The Garage, and not yours truly, used to test a rally car on this road. He will remain nameless at this point. I however did encounter this road way back in about 1993 during the Ontario Winter Rally. 3 am, -34C and sheer ice. That is absolutely the best time to visit Muskoka 13.

Warning: Do not attempt this at home unless you have experience, the proper tires and proper safety gear. Like a roll cage!

Secondly, the OPP has been involved with organized driving events for many, many years. In fact, when organizing a navigational rally, an organizing club must inform the local police which is usually the OPP. By law, route speeds must be calculated to within a certain percentage of the legal limit. On occasion, a driver who is behind schedule might exceed the limit somewhat. It has been 17 years since I’ve entered a navi, but even then the occasional speeding ticket was not unheard of. It was rare to have more than one in any event. The officers usually got bored sitting around an empty gravel road waiting for an errant driver and went on to better hunting grounds.

Now the not so fun stuff.
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Ontario Provincial Police collars MINI convoy part 1

April 27, 2010 by Gary Grant 41 Comments

The automotive enthusiast community in Southern Ontario has been in a bit of a tizzy over the past 24 hours about the story of a convoy of MINI drivers that was pulled over on Sunday afternoon north of Toronto.

This is a story of driving, questionable journalism and even more questionable policing. It affects each and every driving enthusiast in Ontario.

Late last night I received an e-mail from Leighton Irwin asking if I had heard anything about how the OPP had “nailed a whole convoy of Minis on #11 North of Barrie on the weeekend. From the footage shown there were several cruisers pulling out and pulling over a lot of the convoy of Minis (new version) Supposedly nailed several for 50 over and seized cars etc. Also apparently 11 cars (not sure if they were all Minis) had children in them and the OPP are involving the Childrens Aid Society.”

I found and watched the news report on A Channel, which were there for the event. As I listened carefully, I was astonished to find that the news coverage had been scripted in such a manner that it sounded like the car siezures, 50 overs and CAS involvement had applied to the convoy of MINIs. I decided a bit of digging was in order.

The news report with the offending verbiage was removed from the A Channel web site at some point earlier today. So much for the accountability of traditional media vs. new media, but that is another topic. Sort of. Another time perhaps.

Through the power of the interwebs, I have been speaking with one of the MINI drive event organizers. He has done such a great job outlining the day’s events that I have no choice but to respect his request for anonymity:

The “Rattler Cruise” Background:

We hold a cruise up in the Muskoka area in the Spring and the Fall called the Rattler (My wife and I came up with the name because of the effect that the run has on both your body and cars and the fact that Torrance Barrens is one of the last strongholds of the Massasauga Rattle snake). The cruises are designed as family friendly days out and pretty much mark the beginning and end of the ‘cruising’ season. This is the 5th running of the spring event which started out with only 20 or so Minis. The spring and fall cruises now attract some 40 and 60 plus Minis respectively.
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As promised: more Ferrari in-car porn from VIR

April 27, 2010 by Gary Grant Leave a Comment

Yesterday we posted Bennett Racing’s race report from the Grand Am race this past weekend. Today, as promised, we have the first few laps of the race from on board with Mike Skeen.

While the weight penalty is apparent in top end, Mike has no problem reeling in the Dempsey Racing RX-8 and staying with it in the tighter bits of Virginia International.
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Porsche Adds V-6 to Panamera Family

April 26, 2010 by Tom Williams Leave a Comment

Porsche has introduced the “entry level” Panamera family with the V-6 powered Panamera and Panamera 4. The Direct Injected Ã‚Â V-6 displaces 3.6L and is rated at 300hp. The only transmission available is Porsche’s 7-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox. Standard equipment includes an electric moonroof, power liftgate, bi-xenon headlamps and navigation. The rear wheel drive Panamera starts at $74,400USD, while the all-wheel drive Panamera 4 starts at $78,900, or more than $15,000 less than the 400hp Panamera S. The V-6 Panameras go on sale in June.

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Bennett Racing reaches their goal at first Grand-Am race

April 26, 2010 by Gary Grant Leave a Comment

Last year we sort of hooked up with racer Mike Skeen who was more than happy to provide our readers (viewers?) with a healthy dose of wicked in car footage from his Muscle Milk Trans Am car. While the cars may not be overly relevant these days, there is no denying these monsters are cool!

For 2010, Mike has joined forces with Bennett Racing and is co-driving the team’s Ferrari F430 in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16. How’s that for a series name! This past weekend the team was entered in the Bosch Engineering 250 at Virginia International Raceway, which was the first time the entire team was together in one place. A new team in a new car in a series with an established field of competitors. Bennett Racing’s goals were wisely conservative. Learn everything they could about themselves, their team and their car. It seems that they achieved their goals.

I’ve seen the first few laps of in car footage, and while the car is clearly lacking in top end, Skeen is more than capable of running faster than the Dempsey racing RX-8 in the twisty bits. Once the video returns from editing, we’ll be sharing it.

Rather than re-write it, I’ve included the complete Bennett Racing press release and several photos from Get Fast Photo after the break.
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Infiniti Debuts 2011 QX56

April 25, 2010 by Tom Williams 1 Comment

Infiniti chose the 2010 New York Auto Show for the global debut of the all-new, second generation Infiniti QX56. After being entertained by Cirque du Soleil dancers (Infiniti is their sponsor), the wraps were taken off the QX, and Infiniti ‘s Carlos Tavares took to the stage. My first reaction to the QX was one of relief-I thought the first generation QX was possibly one of the ugliest SUV’s ever built. Where the old QX was awkward and lacking any design cohesion, the longer, wider and lower new QX remedies those ills with a package that looks like a proper, full-size SUV should. My only complaints are the front grill (a bit overwrought) and the venti-ports on the front fenders (this is not a Buick, people). Still, a dramatic improvement over the old car.

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Part of Canadian motorsport history could be yours

April 25, 2010 by Gary Grant 3 Comments

Canadian auto racing legend Horst Kroll has decided the time has come to sell part of his collection, a genuine part of Can-Am history. The #38 Frisbee has a rather impressive history, having been raced by Bill Adam, Jacques Villeneuve Sr. and a young guy named Paul Tracy. In fact, in his first outing in the car Tracy won the Can-Am race at Mosport. That drive led to a test with Team Penske and a full career in IndyCar.

The car is a Lola T400 Formula 5000 car, serial number HU9, that was originally built in 1974. It was raced in Formula 5000 by another Canadian legend, Eppie Wietzes. In 1983, the car was converted to Can-Am specs and received the Frisbee body.

This is a rare opportunity to own a car that is not only uniquely Canadian, but also has a complete history with only 2 owners. #38 was appraised at an estimated $135,000 in 2008.

Interested parties should contact Horst Kroll directly by phone at 416.292.7909 Be sure to tell him you read about it in The Garage!

Above, PT gets reacquainted with #38 at a recent show. More photos and full details after the break.
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Indy 500 promo video

April 24, 2010 by Gary Grant Leave a Comment

To the more recent race fan, the Indy 500 might not hold quite the shine that it does for those of us who have been around the sport for a while. I remember as a kid in the Seventies that absolutely everyone I knew watched the 500 on TV. It was a huge part of our culture back then. It wasn’t just the race though, it was the sheer spectacle of the event. The cars, the stars and the magic that is Indy.

You might not realize it, but the Indy 500 is still a huge part of popular culture.

Archives for April 2010

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