Sorry for the late post! Been behind on things.
It’s a long video, but it’s interesting to see the finalists. This video just reconfirms how solid the 911 is.
Cars and Coffee
I went to Cars and Coffee last saturday with Annie. There was a huge turn out since the weather was nice… plus it was labor day weekend. Here are some highlights.
Ariel Atom. Pretty awesome track car—I love how sparse it is.
T-Rex. Another track car that’s pretty light weight and explosive. The guy even has NOS on it.
Ferrari F40. This thing makes the most insane sounds. Hearing the turbos pop is just eargasmic.
458 Italia. Yay! It’s not red!
Some other notable Ferrari’s on the lot.
GT40. Probably one of my favorite American car.
And of course the orange Lambo.
Lotus Evora. Yeh, it has back seats… kind of.
Fully tricked out Viper. It almost resembles a TVR with the whole body kit.
Some nicely equipped M3’s.
Gotta include the old Porsches.
Love the wide body.
Look at that tail!
And my favorite appearance of the day—a pair of modified Mini Coopers.
Other notable appearances that I couldn’t identify…
So I’ll be in Richmond next weekend. I’m hoping to check out the cars and coffee over there. Hope it’s as good as the ones we have up here!
Fast Friday: BMW M4
Based on the F30 platform, which underpins the 3- and forthcoming 4-series, it incorporates aluminum and carbon fiber to reduce weight. The chassis will be tuned for performance and the body will be reshaped to drive home the point.
Looks like it’s going to be powered by a 3.0L 420hp engine. The concept car is going to into production in 2014 and will start around $60k. Who wants to go for a test drive?!
Hat tip: Rich
Sex on Wheels
By god, this is probably one of the most beautiful cars I’ve seen in a while. The lines on this car are totally sensual, precise, elegant and epic. Normally, I’d wait until Fast Friday to feature something like this, but damn, this is just too incredible to hold back. The Aston Martin DBC is totally sex on wheels.
Hat tip: Mark
Test Drive: 2014 Lexus IS350 F Sport
The Lexus IS350 F Sport is a wild contrast of the best and worst things you can find in a performance sedan. The new 2014 model is an impressive leap forward, putting it ahead of the new BMW 335i in terms of performance, interior and reliability. Unfortunately, the exterior styling and price turn me off.
Power
This car has a new suspension setup that compliments the power. The IS350 F has a v6 that delivers a silky 306hp. Could have more power? Sure. But honestly, 306 HP feels like plenty to throw the car around. The power is adequate, and more importantly, balanced.
Handling
What can I say, this mid size sedan handles like a coupe. It feels like it’s on rails and is well planted to the asphalt. The car’s handling is on par with a BMW M3. Steering and overall feel is direct, precise and balanced. It’s a mid sized sedan that feels like a small Coupe. The car is nimble and responsive, yet very comfortable. The car gets better as you go faster.
Comfort
The IS350 F Sport really shines in this department. I used to think that BMW made some of the best seats in the business, but Lexus has made a huge improvement in overall comfort. The seats are comfortable—the front two seats have nice side bolsters that huge your body from top to bottom—they feel almost custom fit. They’re that good. I also really-really like the new dashboard. They’ve pulled the styling cue from the LFA, and it just looks sexy. It’s got one of the most refined interiors for a car that’s under 50k. You feel special when you get in the driver’s seat.
Style
So this is the part where everything goes sour. For some people, they don’t care about the exterior and want a luxury performance sedan. For the price, I expect better styling. I know that the designers tried something new and bold, but the car really looks like it was modeled off the Predator. Don’t get me wrong, I love that movie, but I’m not sure if I’d call this a beautiful car. The lines are excessive and the shape lacks continuity. For me, the exterior doesn’t do the interior and performance justice.
Conclusion
The performance, handling and comfort of this car makes it a legit sports sedan. But damn, the styling and price makes the car hard to defend. When you pay that kind of money for a car, you expect some better styling. I’m not saying I want something conservative… but I definitely don’t want to drive a car that resembles the predator.
If you don’t care about the exterior and have deep pockets, this could be the car for you. Yes, people will probably judge your taste, but anyone who’s ever driven the new IS will know that it is the real deal. If you want something better looking, you may want to consider an Audi S4.
AddThis Go Karting
I forgot to post these pics up. Our team went go karting 2 weeks ago at All Sports, located in Sterling VA. Man, I love racing around the track.
The best part was that I got my car back from the shop the same day, so driving around after go karting was just pure bliss.
I’m thinking about going back there again soon. Anyone else want to race? (perhaps even this weekend)