On the Horizon: Potential Next Car Picks

As my friends will tell you, I don't hold on to cars for long. I love too many different models to keep from constantly trading and buying and selling, and so my average length of ownership is about a year. It's a miracle the BMW has lasted as long as it has, and I've had cars as for as short as five months. With that said, I'm feeling the itch again, and this time I'm going big.

Literally! I'm dying to drive one of the few car styles I have yet to own; a big muscle sedan. Four doors, a big V8, preferably even a manual, decent handling, these cars are just giant gloved fists ramming their way through traffic. I love it, the sheer grandeur of the concept, and I need to have one. Which one is the question, and I've narrowed it down to a few options:

Number 3: The 2011 Mercedes Benz E63 AMG

Featuring a 6.2L V8, this was the last year the E63 retained the naturally aspirated motor before switching to the biturbo 5.5L. I personally love that 6.2, and it proves to be much lower maintenance than the twin turbo motors. Additionally, this particular year has incurred some amazing depreciation, meaning you can buy the once low six figure car for about the same price as a new Accord. What do you get for that price aside from the incredible 500+hp output and snarling exhaust note? You get the highest representation of the options offered in an E-Class that year, top notch seats, excellent handling, and phenomenally muscular exterior styling. In my opinion this is the year to get. The downside will be the maintenance cost, as a used AMG is no Honda, and you have to expect even routine items will pummel your wallet. An easy example is the front brakes, utilizing two-piece rotors that will run you a cool $2000 a pair. Difficult to find a well maintained and documented example, this car is on my list but only if I find the right one.

Number 2: 2015 Dodge Charger Scat Pak

A sleeper in the Dodge lineup, this four door muscle yacht hides a very serious powerplant under its unassuming hood. Otherwise fairly similar to a standard R/T, this trim gets big Brembo brakes, Bilstein shocks, and of course the monster 6.4L Hemi rated at 485hp. A seriously big car, it can haul a car full of friends with their luggage in the trunk and still have room for snacks. Not that anyone will be eating snacks in my damn car. These things can hustle too, propelling their mammoth heft to 60MPH in the low 4-second range, seriously quick. Not to mention how great they sound, and the surprisingly nice interior and tech offered. A real steal as far as price for performance, also registering with insurance companies for less than the badged SRT models despite the same motor. Advantages here are also CPO coverage given the year, and how little the car will have been driven. That said, it's going to be hard to find one used so soon, and they don't come in manual.

Number 1: 2012 Cadillac CTS-V Sedan

In my opinion, this car is king. Most importantly, you can get the crazy sedans with a manual transmission, which essentially has me sold on the spot. Oh, and the fact that manual is mated to a 556hp supercharged 6.2L V8, one of those LS motors I'm always raving about. That motor also happens to be insanely moddable, with numbers like 700hp and 800hp in reach if you're crazy enough. By the way, I'm crazy enough. Best part is, they're still a Cadillac, and despite some unreal track capability thanks to world class chassis engineering, they have the interior luxury to match the marque. Tough to find an unmolested copy, and with the manual, but this one is the top of my list.

I've driven many things, but most of these things have had only two doors. I'm ready for my first big sedan, but it better have the power to match, and for me that means a V8. I look forward to lighting a cigar in my new boulevard bully, and the thing better be all black.

See you on the road,

Alexander

High School Dream: The Story of My SVT Cobra

It was Junior year of high school, and I had already decided cars would be an active obsession of mine for a life. Having already leased my first vehicle by then, a new Dodge Dakota, black, with the 4.7L V8, I found when it came to cars passion trumped logic. You see, this was a lease vehicle, as in not mine to own, and yet I had equipped it with different wheels and tires, a body lift, intake, milled throttle body, tubular headers, cat back, tune and tonneau cover. I didn't seem to mind much that this was money down the drain, this was my baby, my first "car," something special to me. I have to admit, the truck was pretty quick and cool and sounded great after all that work. Was it wise? Probably not, but undoubtedly fun to experience that transformation and know it was my own creation. Sure, the truck worked for the weather and winters here in New York, and came in handy for my other hobbies like mountain biking, but I caught another bug about a year into ownership. What bit me was speed, I wanted to go fast, I wanted to feel the pull of torque and the scream of horsepower.

Don't get me wrong, the truck had some balls, but it was in no way sporty. I needed something different, something credible with a pedigree of performance. I began to research my options, Corvettes out of reach, Camaros not my style, German imports too high maintenance, and sport Japanese models lacking the clenched fist power I craved. Finally I stumbled upon my answer, not by specs alone, not with visual appearance, but with a sound. You see, I always liked Mustangs, as many young men do, but there was something too common about them. That's when I heard a Mustang that sounded unlike any of the others I was used to. That's when I heard the 32V variant of the modular 4.6L V8 that they only drop in a very special Mustang variant. That model was the SVT Cobra of 2001, and wound up being the car I was determined to buy. Everything in that car was just a bit sweeter than your average Mustang, from the suede-laden interior, to premium sound system, to beautiful hand-built motor, and stout 5-speed manual transmission. Only issue was, I didn't know how to drive that manual transmission.

Undeterred by this small fact, I finally found the car I wanted in Long Island; a stock, silver on black, one owner car with low miles. Still unable to drive manual, I had to bring the mechanic, and now friend that worked on my truck to test-drive the car for me. I played the whole thing off like "I know how they drive" and I just wanted my mechanic to drive it to diagnose any issues. Car checked out, loan came through, and my father was kind enough to drive it home for me as I still couldn't drive what was now my car. First stop? Parking lot. Time to learn how to row gears. This should be the point that you start to get an idea of how my car habit resides in my heart and not my head. I had, here in the story, spent a little over $4000 to terminate the lease for the truck I spent even more modifying, to turn around and buy a sports car I couldn't drive with the intent to learn in said sports car. Back to the parking lot, I took the wheel and worked through a few hours, and a decent amount of clutch, learning how to operate a manual transmission. Luckily, I was a bit of a natural, and was moving through 1st, 2nd and 3rd with a modicum of ease by the time we left. I thought this to be the moment I would switch back with my father to have him drive home, but he had other plans. Gesturing toward the exit, he made it clear that my second lesson was a full blown road test. During that trip I learned two things, one being how quickly I can start the car again after stalling at an intersection. Two was just how fast my new toy was.

Turning onto the Saw Mill Parkway during a large break in traffic, I looked at my dad and half shrugged, the universal sign for "should I?" My father responded with a quick thumbs up, which is the last thing I remember before burying the pedal in first gear. Tires squealed as the car rocketed forward at what felt then like supersonic speeds. In my euphoric mix of delight and terror I forgot all of my lessons and within a couple of seconds the car was bouncing off the rev limiter with my dad pointing at the stick shouting "shift!" I couldn't help it, the car just got there faster than I ever anticipated.

Faster, a word that would define my automotive pursuits from that point on. I built that car out over time with a list of modifications that could take pages to write, and still stands as the car I did the most work to of any I have ever owned. I knew then that this was going to be an interest that would define me from then on, determined to drive or own as many cars as I could. I simply wanted to, and still want to experience every kind I can. I'm on my way, 10 cars later, and have no intention of stopping. There's just far too many amazing vehicles to try, and life, like that first gear in the Cobra, is simply too short.

See you on the road,

Alexander

Interview With a Gearhead: Eddy Villalobos

While out in the community I run across car people of all sorts. From people who take their trucks off-road, to classic collectors, to the shade-tree mechanics. Rarely do I meet people that not only love their car, but all cars in general as much as I do, and who take the extra step to actually test what they own on the track. One such person, who I have become good friends with, is SCCA Advanced Class racer and car enthusiast Eddy Villalobos. Eddy has driven a variety of high performance cars, modified almost every single one, a few to the limits of what can be done to them, and spent plenty of time destroying perfectly good tires on various racetracks. Here's what he has to say:

Alex: Alright Eddy, why don't you start by telling me what made you first fall in love with cars?
Eddy: My dad putting me on his lap and letting  me steer the Lincoln when I was around 5 or 6. instantly I knew I loved driving and wanted to do it all the time.

Alex: So when you got older, what would you say was the first "driver's" car you purchased?
Eddy: *Laughing* My first car... Mazda Miata. Didn't get to my third payment before totaling it!

Alex: How'd you do that?
Eddy: Better to explain another time...

Alex: Fair enough, and understood. So you went from totaling Miatas to tearing up race tracks. What do you think best helped advance your skills as a driver?
Eddy: Skip Barber Racing school and multiple accidents on the street experimenting.

Alex: Favorite moment of Skip Barber?
Eddy: Passing 8 drivers on the last day, making fast laps with minimal mistakes. Perfect laps are a feeling like no other.

Alex: That's excellent! So with all this track experience, what do you drive on the street nowadays and what made you choose it?
Eddy: A Mercedes Benz C63 AMG. One test drive is all it took.

Alex: That sure is some car... stock?
Eddy: It has an ECU performance tune, higher flow air filters, better wheels and tires...

Alex: So not something people want to run into on the road.
Eddy: Some cars these days can absolutely hang with it, but with 500-plus horsepower it's up in the top 90th percentile of fast sedans.

Alex: What's one current car you're excited to see on the market, and why?
Eddy: I'm very excited about the Porsche GT4. It's a purist car through and through. Can be driven daily without issue and romped on the track and make quick work of laps.

Alex: That's one hell of a car too, absolutely agreed. On the pricier side for sure, though. What car would you recommend to someone looking to get started on the track? Their first race car?
Eddy: I say go with what you have. Learn how to drive. Driver mod is the most important mod of all. Spend money for the track time, instructors, and school if you can.

Alex: Great, now we'll all have 18 year olds bombing around Lime Rock with mom's Honda Odyssey and an instructor.
Eddy: That 18 year old will be the safest guy on the road though *laughing*. Better to bomb around on the track than on public roads.

Alex: Ha, fair point! Any last words of wisdom for the readers?
Eddy: Save the manuals.
Alex: Well said, friend, well said, and see you on the road.

So with that, Eddy went tearing off in a cloud of tire smoke to go blow the doors off some unsuspecting Mustang with the C63. If you're ever up at Yorktown Cars and Coffee on Sundays and see a gleaming white C63 AMG on dark graphite wheels, that's Eddy. He'll probably be smoking a cigar nearby, so feel free to pick his brain if you spot him. He'll also likely be wearing a t-shirt or hoodie with the "MN" logo for Momentum Nutrition, his fitness supplement company. Really excellent products, I recommend you check them out at Momentum Nutrition and be sure to follow them on Instagram at @officialmomentumnutrition.

See you on the road,

Alexander

A Discussion About Speed Limits

Alright folks, this one is personal. I have court tonight for my first ever speeding ticket, and it has me in the mood to rant. Let me start by giving you the story.


Cruising down the Taconic on Memorial Day Weekend I kept pace with traffic, which was moving swiftly, as I headed home from a drag race in West Lebanon. Nothing seemed alarming about my speed, I rarely had to pass anyone, and there was adequate space on all sides of my vehicle to perform any braking or evasive maneuvers I may have needed to. About 45min into my trip, I was driving in the left lane when I noticed a Ford Fusion coming up rapidly, finally arriving about 2' from my rear bumper where he stayed. The right lane was too crowded to change lanes, but I noticed an opening a couple of cars ahead, so I accelerated to reach it. As luck would have it, upon doing so, I notice the unmistakable sight of a red and white light bar in my rear view mirror. I did what we all do... drive as calmly as possible until that light bar finally erupts into a nightclub worthy display... along with my temper. Mind you, I have no tickets on my license, none, totally clear. I thought I would get some slack here, but that wasn't the case. In fact, I got a speech about Memorial Day Weekend statistics and accidents and a full lecture on driving, in addition to a hilariously oxymoronic quip that I have a "nice clean driving record and should try to keep it that way..." while being handed my ticket. What was the speed you ask?


78 MPH on the Taconic, which has a 55MPH speed limit.


Sounds like a lot on it's face, that's 23MPH over, which is a hefty fine and a full 6 points on your license. Here's my issue though... try to drive 55MPH on the Taconic during a busy time and tell me it's safe, or even safer than keeping pace with traffic. Traffic is never moving at the speed limit, as far as I've experienced. Try to slow to even 60MPH and you're dodging cars ripping up behind you or driving for an hour one brake check away from a new trunklid. Same goes for many major conduits of travel here in NY, be it 287, the Saw Mill or Bronx River Parkways, etc. Go to pass someone in traffic already moving at 70MPH and wham, you're doing that 78 MPH I got stopped at.


I feel that these speed limits should be updated to reflect current traffic patterns, and the technology of modern cars today. That, or penalties should more accurately reflect more realistic driving situations. Perhaps fines based on relative speed, such as your speed in relation to the next fastest vehicle around you, or traffic conditions. In fact, speed limits haven't been adjusted since the early 90s, and only two areas in the country have speed limits over 75MPH despite limitless roads in several other countries, or "Advisory Speeds" around 80MPH.


Sure, I may be biased at the moment, but I still think it's worth a look. What do you think? Comment below.


See you on the road,


Alexander

SeaFoam Spray: How To De-Gunk Almost Any Motor

There exists, in your local auto parts store, a plan white can containing a surprisingly fun, one step solution to cleaning an old motor. I'm not talking about scrubbing the externals, I mean scrubbing the carbon and gunk from the internals; primarily the combustion chambers. That can contains SeaFoam Spray. Not only do I swear old cars run smoother after this process, I think it's worth the show alone... more on that later.

1. First thing you'll need to do is of course buy a can of Seafoam Spray. What does this can look like?

Plain! You probably walked right by it.

Not fancy, but trust me there is magic in that bottle. Cheap magic too, as you should only expect to pay about $10 for the bottle. All you'll need is that can, a friend and a screwdriver. Don't have friends? You have bigger issues than a dirty motor to attend to.

2. Warm up your motor. Shouldn't be an issue, as you just drove to the store to buy a bottle of your sweet new motor-restoring friend SeaFoam Spray! If you bought the spray and failed to read on at the time, now's when you go back and let your car run until it reaches full operating temps.

3. Shut your car back off!

4. Open your hood, and take a look at that motor. I hope it's something worth staring at, though if it needs a cleaning that may not be the case. Either way, knock it off and locate your intake assembly. Trace this hose back to your throttle body and you'll find a band clamp of some sort, with a flat or Philips head fastener. Loosen this band and pull the hose away from the throttle body.

An example of how this fitting will look,

the square metallic component is the throttle body, black hose is the intake assembly.

5. Here's about the trickiest part. You now want to attach the supplied plastic hose to the nozzle of the SeaFoam Spray can. Take this hose and fit it within the opening you created with the tip facing toward the throttle body. Ensure this placement does not interfere with any moving parts, such as the throttle plate itself. SeaFoam has provided a handy diagram to illustrate this placement:

6. Replace the intake hose. Ensure the hose fits snugly over the plastic tube and throttle body, in its original location, though no need to tighten the band again at this time.

7. Have your friend start your car, and manipulate the throttle to hold engine speed at about 1000RPM. While the motor is running at this speed, depress the nozzle and spray a continuous mist of SeaFoam until the can is empty. Your finger might get sore, hand may cramp up, stop whining about it and keep that nozzle depressed.

8. Once can is empty, shut your car back off. Now you need to let the car sit, I recommend 15 minutes. Use this time to remove the plastic tube and reinstall your intake assembly, now tightening the band clamp.

9. Has it been 15 minutes? No? Go make some coffee and wait the full 15.

10. All set, 15 minutes later, the fun part. Start your car up and go for a drive. This isn't just any drive, you want to really floor the car when you can; I mean run it hard. The idea here is to now burn off all the buildup the spray just loosened up. Oh, and be warned, this burn off does make smoke... a lot of smoke.

How much smoke?

Your neighbors will love you!

11. Drive for about 10 minutes, by which point the smoke will have stopped. Voila! That's the whole process, and you've now blasted whatever manner of black crud has built up in that motor right out your tail pipe. I recommend performing an oil change at this time as well if at all necessary, as a fully clean motor simply runs smoother.

Enjoy what should now be a cleaner, better idling, and possibly faster car thanks to one can and a few easy steps. I have found this process to be safe on just about any type of traditional gasoline powered motor, but be sure to do a little research for your specific application to be on the safe side. Oh, and try to get video of the smoke show, it's always a lot of fun.


See you on the road,

Alexander

Nissan's GT-R Ruined the Art of Driving

Here's one that a lot of people aren't going to like. I do mean a lot of people, because these stupid cars have such a ridiculously loyal fanbase you can so much as sneeze in the direction of a GT-R without getting Nurburgring lap times shoved in your face.

"Help! I'm drowning! You with the car, help me!"

"This car? 7:08.69 Pal!"

We know! We all know the GT-R puts up stupendous lap times, breaks track records, annihilates competitors at the local drag strip and so on. We also all know these cars have no soul. Instead of a soul, it has what Nissan calls VDC-R, or Vehicle Dynamics Control. This system is the brains behind this beast that, in conjunction with a very advanced all wheel drive setup, essentially ensures you can't do anything but make this car go fast. You simply can't make mistakes, you don't need to know how to do much more than press a pedal and turn a wheel and you're faster than everyone out there. Sounds great, right? Wrong! It's awful, and purists are rightfully perturbed about it. This car is essentially a video game, it's all computers and no skill, no feel, no nuance; point and go. This means your local over privileged 18 year old can drive one faster than the 45 year old with 15 years of track experience and the Mustang he built along the way. I don't like it, and you shouldn't either; it's simply not the way things are supposed to be!

Yeah, even he is faster than you in that thing

Well, apparently someone decided to make even more upgrades to this stupid car for 2017, and the good folks over at AutoBlog have written a review:

Read Full 017 GT-R Review Here

Right off the bat you see what I mean when they write:

"Haters bemoan the GT-R's clinical and uninvolving quality, but their high-minded critiques should be taken with a grain of salt. Nissan's flagship sports car has been both heavy-fisted and enthralling, with an appetite for asphalt only matched by its unrepentantly harsh ride and acoustics."

Oh, I'm a hater alright, and let me translate that passage for you. "Clinical and unloving quality" can read "robot like predictability because there are 100 electronic nannies to keep you from having to actually drive the damn thing." As far as "unrepentantly harsh ride and acoustics" we can just refer back to the fact the GT-R, up until this point, had an interior made primarily of recycled Legos with enough creaks, pops, road noise and rattles to make one wonder why they paid six figures for it. Oh right, Nurburgring lap times. Good time to mention that track is in Germany... Are you all taking your GT-Rs to Germany?

But just how easy is it to make this car go fast? Surely these expert drivers took this car through its paces. Well read a little lower and you hit this gem:

"First off, launch control is easy to engage (switch traction and gearbox to R, press both pedals, and release the brake), and my hard launches proved repeatable and addictive — I counted six before the open road beckoned."

That's what I thought! This is why people buy the car, to activate launch control and go "Wheeeeeeee!" a few times and impress friends. No more clutch drop and throttle modulation, careful rolling burnouts or traction control, just press both pedals, release one.

Okay, but maybe it's not all bad, they improved a few things, got rid of that shabby interior, tweaked some tech, why not get one and just enjoy those launches like a personal rollercoaster.

"The zero to 60 mph sprint remains unchanged at 2.7 seconds, but commensurate with the tech improvements is a price hike, from $103,365 to $109,990."

Yes, this ride costs $110,000 now. It's a video game that costs as much as a small condo, and requires no skill to drive. I'll pass... figuratively of course, those damn cars are too quick.

See you on the road,

Alexander

These Supercar Owners are Pretty Okay

As you may recall, I think most people that own supercars are jerks. It's not that I think they're jerks for owning those rolling works of art, just that the poor cars draw a type that I generally try to avoid.
If you didn't read that article, shame on you, though you can be forgiven by clicking the link below and reading it now:


You really should have this article bookmarked


Now that we're past that, I want to highlight one of the exceptions I mentioned. I stumbled upon this group, and thought it was worth sharing with all of you. What they're doing is great, and while I participate in more pedestrian charity rallies, this one is really special. Called the FOG Rally, this is a Ferrari Owners Group spinoff, Ferrari Owners Charitable Foundation (FOCF) hosted rally based out of Silicon Valley. Each year, in recent years, this rally has raised nearly one million dollars for charities like Make-A-Wish. With all sorts of high-profile sponsors and vendors, and tons of media involvement, these guys have enough clout to really draw support from the uber-rich in the surrounding areas, and that makes them, in my book, a pretty great group with a great cause. Best of all, they feature some truly incredible and rare cars, all ripping down a carefully selected course from Silicon Valley to Lake Tahoe; this run is definitely on my bucket list.


These supercar owners are definitely okay in my book, they count as cool people. I think an essential part of enjoying whatever privileges you have achieved in life is being able to use them to help others. What better way to give back a bit of the privilege of owning a Ferrari than using it to participate in charity rallies such as this one?


For more information: FOG Rally


See you on the road,


Alexander

What's Wrong on Wikipedia: Part Two

As you recall, I found some inaccuracies in the Wikipedia article related to one of my favorite motors, the BMW N55, and altered them for a previous post.

If you missed it, you can find that post here:

What's Wrong on Wikipedia: Part One

Now, we can take a quick look to see how those changes have done since we left them to fend for themselves. There are, of course, legions of corporate saps pouring over the internet making sure the propaganda stays consistent.

Drum roll please...

If you'd like to check for yourself

Lo and behold! My changes stuck! This either means that the PR team at BMW has fallen asleep at their keyboards, or I am truly the most knowledgeable car fan on the internet. Those are the only two options, please do not suggest any others in the comments below; ego can be a fragile thing. Regardless, I for one feel happier that the world has been made a better place with the inclusion of more accurate information in that Wikipedia article. Stay tuned, I'll be hunting for more and posting them as I find them.

See you on the road,

Alexander

Best Websites for Used Car Shopping

Having bought and sold quite a few cars online, I have stumbled upon some excellent websites to check next time you're in the market for another car; or to torture yourself with right after you bought one. I found the following sites either generate the highest umber of relevant results, or provide a resource for some of the most obscure finds. Skip the used car lot and click on one of these.


CarGurus

As far as mainstream sites, where dealerships generally list their used inventory, I find some difficulty using most of the names out there. Sites like Autotrader and Cars.com generally flood you with results that are either irrelevant, cumbersome, lacking info, or outdated. One of the best sites to use, and one which also works very well on mobile device, is CarGurus. CarGurus allows for lightning quick searches that you can easily narrow down, but that generally return the most appropriate results the first time. They also list their cars by value versus the average market price, clearly highlighting whether the car is a "good deal," a "fair deal," or a "overpriced." This site also makes contacting the dealership easy, and navigation is very smooth. One of the first places I check for car prices, or just to dream of potential future purchases, you should absolutely give them a try:

CarGurus

SVT Performance Forum Marketplace

On the other end of the spectrum are the obscure, one off, and fully modified vehicles only listed by private owners, and generally in local forums. Whether it's a rare motor swap, fully caged race build, or ungodly assortment of turbochargers and nitrous bottles, your best odds of finding it for sale are on SVTPerformanceForums, in their marketplace within the other vehicles section. I discovered this site when I owned an SVT Cobra, and keep checking year after year to find an astonishing array of impressive and rare builds at very reasonable prices. I promise you'll be shocked at what you find here, and I apologize in advance to your significant other for spending your vacation money for you.

SVT Performance Forum Marketplace

VWVortex Classifieds

Both Audis and Volkswagens are popular all over the country for either their al wheel drive capabilities, performance, luxury, or handsome styling at affordable prices. Next time you're shopping for anything Volkswagen/Audi, check out the classified section of VWVortex. You can find all makes on models across all years from either manufacturer, anywhere from a factory stock and well maintained family cruiser to a race prepped classic.

VWVortex Volkswagen Classifieds
VWVortex Audi Classifieds

E90 Post Classifieds

Another used car favorite, BMWs change hands more often than your office stapler. Flooding all manner of car forums and used car browsers, it's sometimes hard to know where to start when shopping for one used. I always suggest starting with enthusiast forums, and E90 Post is one of the best as far as activity and availability of cars and parts. Click around for some great regional forums where you can find excellent deals, and for the parts and accessory specific sections. If you want the complete vehicle, the link below will take you directly to the "cars for sale" section.

E90 Post Used Car Classifieds

Those should get you started in hunting for your next great ride. While there are many options, these are the few I browse regularly and for good reason. If you know the exact make and model you want, I often recommend checking a brand-specific forum and following a thorough pre purchase inspection process before buying. As far as dealerships, check that CarGurus site, and you'll surely find a great deal on what you want, or what you didn't even know you want.

See you on the road,

Alexander

Symphony of Combustion: My Favorite Exhaust Notes

While the look of a car catches my attention, and the performance keeps me behind the wheel, the sound a car makes is what truly captures my heart. In fact, an exhaust system of some sort has always been first and highest on my list of modifications to a car. I need to love the song a car makes, and regardless of looks or performance, a lackluster note can be a deal-breaker for me in considering what to drive. While not a comprehensive list of examples, I wanted to share with you a few of the meanest, most beautiful, or absurdly aggressive exhaust notes I have heard or found in my travels.


Right off the bat, a motor/exhaust combo that's near and dear to me (did I mention I love Corvettes?) is an LS powered car with a big cam and headers. Nothing sounds more like trouble than the loping, crackling idle of a cammed LS motor followed by the ear splitting roar that tears through a set of headers when you rev one.

Case in point:

Chills and goosebumps every time, and for the full experience grab a set of high-end headphones, turn the volume up as loud as it goes, and wave goodbye to your eardrums. That combo strikes fear into the heart of competitors the moment you hit the ignition; it doesn't get any more brutal.

On the other hand, we have exhaust notes that are beautiful and melodic. Still aggressive, but with a glorious song-like quality, we turn to the world of Ferrari V12 powered cars. Nothing sounds quite like a Ferrari-12, and my favorite from this realm is the 599GTO, a ridiculously limited production world-beater variant of the already superb 599GTB.

How does it sound? Well...

I'm not sure it gets any better than that, and there aren't many car fans that would argue. That smooth melody ripping to an astronomical redline is something I recommend everyone find a way to experience in person at least once in their life. If you're not a Ferrari fan, you will be after the first few gears.

Well, of course V12s sound phenomenal, but what happens if we cut the number of cylinders in half? Harder to find a 6-cylinder car that makes a sound worth noting, unless you just love vacuum cleaners. One exception here is the unique note of any of the Porsche 911 Turbos with catless exhaust systems. The flat six note, combined with the distinct turbine whirl of the turbochargers, and a raucous snap and crackle on overrun makes these cars a treat to hear flogged on a track.

Here's an example of a 911 Turbo S with a Capristo exhaust system:

Not bad at all, is it? Heck I'd drive one around town a gear too high just to keep hearing that crackle every time I let off the throttle.

Now, for one of my absolute favorite exhaust notes in one of my short list dream cars.  Jaguar combined the sinister snarl of a straight piped V8 with ear splitting pops and cracks from what may be the most insane stock exhaust system ever installed on a production car. These cars simply don't make sense making the amount of noise they do right off the showroom, and I love them for that. An absolute must have, we conclude with this monster, and what a terror it is:

...What? Your steers are singing? I love that car.

See you on the road,

Alexander

Porsche Butts

If there's one thing that can make or break the design of a car, it's the back end. Nothing deflates a car person faster than walking around the newest generation of their favorite car to find a tail that just ruins the whole image for them. Like a supermodel with a tramp stamp portrait of ex boyfriend, you're in love until she turns around; at which point you fall back and let her keep walking... fade away, friend, just fade away.

Some notorious examples of polarizing rumps are the Bangle-butt BMW's, the transformer taillights of the new Corvette C7, and the flat slab Nissan GT-R. On the other hand, there are designs that just seem to keep getting better, each one even prettier than the last, and as far as nice rear ends it's hard to beat a Porsche 911.

"Baby got back"

A contributing factor is of course the rear-engine layout of the 911, meaning the design needs room to fit the drivetrain, in addition to wide rear tires for traction, resulting in a seriously meaty backside. Add the additional cooling or aero required for some of the higher performance variants, and you're left with a very wide, muscular, contoured set of quarter panels. Porsche then completes this effect with beautifully sculpted taillights, creating a low and stretched appearance rarely matched by anyone else on the pavement. Each year, with output increasing, the performance demands mounting with competition nipping at their heels, and inclusion of ever increasing amounts of once race-only features, we see these attributes increasing in dimension.

Compare one of the earliest and most basic 911 models, to one of the new 911s and you start to see how this effect has evolved:

Note, again, the size of the tires being fit along side that rear mounted motor.

...Or simply join me in dreaming of owning both.

Now notice the difference between a new base model, and one of the highest performance variants of the same car, and you'll begin to understand how the width is functional as well as aesthetic.

Wider, lower, more tailpipes, more aerodynamics, more vents, and huge tires.

You're left with a dramatic sweep, from sheer width, over each wheel, straddling a contoured roofline. These "haunches" are so pronounced, in fact, that owners often experience rock strikes and paint chips leading them to  cover each in protective film. It lends the car a purpose built look, as though the sheet metal was pulled taught over the functional components, no line folded without reason. Legendary performers, these rears are as dramatic as the lap times they can crack off.

While so many focus on the front or 3/4 angle of a car, the face, I feel there is so much more to be said about the designers' abilities in rotating it around to view the rear of the vehicle. With tons of beautiful options on the road, it stands as a point of difference separating a car from what you can consider great, and what you can consider perfect. It's a difficult area to perfect, with every line in the car coming to an end, many functional components, lights, tailpipes and so on, a great butt is a rare thing on a car. My personal favorite is the Porsche, and given the performance of most 911s the rear is a view we're all likely to see. Most times that would bother me, but in this case, I don't mind watching one pull away in front, because these cars are perfect from all angles.

See you on the road,

Alexander