MT Article – Driver Down: Tomorrow’s New Cars Won’t Need You
Tag: Motor Trend Magazine
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FWD Renault around Nürburgring
Apparently this is a thing? French dudes getting hot little FWD French hatchbacks around the Nürburgring fast enough to shame an NSX?
“Is someone going to change my diaper, or what?”
Laurent Hurgon is now the fastest man to drive a fratmobile around the hellish track, submitting a time of 8:08 in a Mégane Renaultsport 265 Trophy. In other words, that is the new record for a front-wheel-drive car around the track, with the previous record being 8:17 (also set by a Renault.)
The fastest a Honda NSX Type-R has ever made it ‘round is 8:09….
But anyway!
The Trophy is powered by a 2.0 Liter turbocharged inline-four, producing 265 hp. and 265 lb-ft. of torque.
Side note: Where in the hell did they get that name from?
The car tips the scales at 2909 pounds, and manages 0-60 km/hr. in 6 seconds flat.
I should probably explain that all my kidding is unnecessary. The time is amazing, and any old blogger would have to admit the Renault is quick. But I’ve never been the biggest fan of building cars JUST to set times around a 13 mile track, even if they are supposedly “factory spec.”
The French car with the complicated French name (left) next to a 2011 Honda CRZ (right.) Maybe I’m just blind? (No Nickelback references.) Or stupid? I still say the CRZ is more attractive though. At least it won’t smell all the time.
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Michael Bay Rapes Chevrolet – Boosts Camaro Sales
Well, ladies and gentlemen, my week has once again been ruined. I was doing so well, what with finding out that Jeremy Clarkson plays Gran Turismo and likes the Honda NSX.
And then I saw this.
No, don’t doubt yourself, that is THE worst thing you have ever seen. It’s the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Transformers 3 Special Edition.
Although I have yet to confirm it, (because frankly, I don’t give a shit,) it is believed that the appearance of the Camaro in Bay’s bullshit franchise has boosted its sales beyond that of the 2010 Ford Mustang. Which is complete cock. The Mustang is so much more car. Coming within an eye’s blink of coming even with a BMW M3 around Leguna Seca is a huge feat. That event changed the public’s perspective of modern American cars.
And you could say that for this Camaro, too. Except Europe’s thoughts of “damn, something good actually came out of America” have now been replaced with something to the tune of “Oh my god, why did we fight for THAT?”
So there you go, all you intelligent people had better be facepalming all the way down to your Ford dealership to pick up a real car. Or hell, I don’t care which dealership. Just stay away from Chevrolet and Transformers 3.
(And don’t give me shit about you not being intelligent either. You’re reading my blog, so obviously you are.)
Negligent Operators 