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“Square Bodies” – An ‘80s Retrospective

Eric M
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“Square Bodies” – An ‘80s Retrospective

Many will agree that there was a heyday of bespoke design in the automotive world which encompassed the 1950s and ‘60s; the ‘70s gave way to a new “space race” of brute force, power and muscle. But the ‘80s, oh the ‘80s. Aquanet, Jordache Jeans, and Duran Duran… setting the stage for prominent cost-cutting innovations like: high-revving high-compression 4-cylinder hatchbacks, front-wheel-drive, and mechanical fuel injection systems with James Bond-esque names like: Jet-tronic and C.I.S. Overnight, everything became “digital.” (seen above: the dashboard from a 1980 Lancia Orca) #121jigawatts.

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The ‘80s saw a radical shift in automotive design, from flowing artistic expressions of character, beauty and physique to mimeographed copies of the same basic “square body” template. And yet, these homely and understated vehicles are some of the most nostalgia-inspiring vehicles for the “50 and under crowd” today – why is that, you might ask?

I feel, in part, that some of the fondness comes paired with a recollection of the awe-inspiring racing history woven throughout various disciplines of the time: Formula-1, IMSA, Grouppe-B Rally and DTM. If you look back over their sagas at a high level, the drivers, the tracks, the records that were set stretching from 1980 into the early 90s, it’s arguably some of the best racing of all time. But what makes it all *special* … what makes the ‘80s a decade for automobile enthusiasts like no other?

The answer is: Homologation, a set of rules that forced manufacturers to make “watered down” versions of their race cars available to the masses in limited quantities. These vehicles were “the same” cars that our superhero racing idols were going to battle with weekend after grueling weekend. Therefore, in an attempt to rekindle some of those “feels” as they say, and in no particular order, here’s an overview of some of the most memorable “square bodies” of the ‘80s.

The Italians, Romeo and Giulia

1986 Alfa Romeo GTV-6 (left), 1985-1992 Alfa Romeo 75 (right)

The Alfa GTV was in essence a carry over from the ‘70s, designed to compete with – and look like – the german-built Ford Capri, but the GTV didn’t really tease its hair until the mid-80s when Alfa decided to shoehorn a 2.5 litre V6 into the existing GTV shell.

Removing the disco-fever, when the GTV-6 was introduced Alfa was already sunsetting the model line and simultaneously beginning to close it’s dealerships in the US. Alfa decided to refocus their attention on the up-and-coming DTM series, bringing to bear the Alfa 75 to compete against the E30 M3 and the Mercedes 190-E. The Alfa 75 would morph to become the basis for the infamous Alfa 155 DTM. The Alfa 75 was brought to the US in a last ditch sales effort as the “Milano” before officially closing the US market in 1992.   

1980 Fiat Abarth 131, Series II

This rag-tag Fiat Brava-based family sedan turned Grouppe-4 champion rally car was a head-turner with it’s raspy twin-cam 2.0 litre and was piloted to over 20 wins by greats like: Markku Alen, Walter Rorhl and Michele Mouton. Unlike its street version cousins, the 131 Abarth was Rear-Wheel-Drive.

1987 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evo-2

The Lancia Delta, also known as “The Tipo 831” was penned by the famed italian car designer Giorgetto Giugiaro as a competitor to one of his other designs: the Volkswagen Golf. The Delta was originally commissioned in the late ‘70s and after three generations the most notable Deltas would go on to topple the rally charts after the disbanding of Grouppe-B in 1987.  Manufacturers like Audi, Peugeot and others removed their entries from Rally citing safety concerns with the sport.

Despite being an early “hot hatch,” one of the Delta’s most notable technological contributions to the era was the use of a complicated “twin-charging” system where for the first time in a compact car a supercharger and turbocharger were paired together to create over 300 bhp from a 2.0 litre 16-valve 4-cylinder.

The French Connection… and a car developed in a Shed.

1985 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 (left), 1985 Renault R5 Turbo (right)

Archrivals, no doubt… but Peugeot and Renault decided “alors, oui, we can make them: smaller and faster,” they undoubtedly said over a morning croissant … “but, convoluted, they must be!”

Both the road going versions of the Peugeot 205 and the Renault R5 (sold as “Le Car” in the US, and later renamed the “Clio” in Europe) were your run of the mill front-wheel-drive people movers. Quirky and very French. Checking all the boxes, both vehicles had space for your grocery run, kids, poodle pup and came with roll up windows and a radio. About as basic as a vanilla crepe gets.

How these two manufacturers bent the rules is still up for debate, but they transformed these unsalted baguettes into fire breathing, mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive missiles. Homologation be damned, these guys were onto something!

1985 Morris-Garage (MG) Metro

And then we have a car that was developed in a shed, somewhere in the midlands… MG, famous or maybe infamous for it’s “roadsters” like the MG-A and MG-B of the ‘50s through ’70s, decided in a “me too” moment to take their copy-cat people mover and also create a mid-engined monstrosity. MG wasn’t about to let the French have the last word.

From the land of the Rising Sun…

1986 Toyota Corolla AE86 (left), 1985 Toyota Starlet FX-16 GTS (right)

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, the Japanese were perfecting the art of driving sideways very quickly and precisely. They too, decided to try their hand at producing “square bodies.” Often, the most recognized Japanese car from this era was the Toyota Corolla “AE86”  (and it’s sister “The Levin”), it came with a Cosworth inspired indestructible twin-cam 4-cylinder strapped to what looked like a failed Volkswagen Scirocco design. Upon debut, with its history still unwritten, what would happen next for the plucky AE86 was anyone’s guess. “…the lightness, the balance, the strength of the engine, what seemed like an unending amount of RPMs, the razor sharp steering…” years later Initial D would help to romanticize the AE86, but their proven records on the Formula D / Drift scene really set it apart. #driftking

And for what it’s worth, I rode in my cousins brand-new AE86 in Montreal – back in the day – but I also drove my grandfather’s Notchback SR-5 version here in the US, which for some reason always smelled like a KFC. I digress, the interior in the AE86s were nothing to write home about, it really wasn’t a great place to live, terrible actually, but all that changed once you were in motion. You knew you were driving something special. Something meant to do more.

(Sigh) … then there was the Starlet, maybe the name was supposed to poke fun at the hollywood Starlets of the time, but this Corolla definitely suffers from an identity crisis. It was one of those cars that really didn’t know what it wanted to be, and looking back, Toyota might not have known what they wanted it to be. It came with a long list of engine combinations and drivetrain packages – globally, you could choose front or rear wheel drive. Even though it was modeled after the Ford Fiesta of the late ‘70s, it truly shined – in the same way as its inspiration – on the AutoCross scene. Light, short wheel base, high-revving and nimble. Those were the keys to success.

Oddly enough, both the AE86 and the Starlet were clearly entirely different vehicles, but they both donned the badge “COROLLA.” #OGK.

1984-1988 Honda CR-X, Gen 1

The CR-X… what is there to say? A pocket-sized car, sold as a 2+2: Was it a coupe? Was it a wedge? Was it a hatchback? It really had it all, it was the micro-machine you could own. Thankfully it didn’t have pop-up headlights or it would have been hallmarked as a true car of the ‘80s.

Instead, the CR-X was one of those cars that entered like a lamb and exited a lion. It was one of the few cars – of foreign descent – born in the mid-eighties that still had side-draft carburetors. Honda soon remediated that “feature” of the CR-X. Feisty and light, the CR-X gave birth to a entire generation of proud Honda owners. The CR-X is definitely missed, and we still await its true successor.  

Flight of the Valkyrie: German might and magic…

1988 BMW E30 M3 EVO

BMW has always had this passion for creating understated but bat-shit-crazy vehicles. It’s no wonder the second car to wear the ///M badge was the E30-based original “M3.” Powered by a 2.3 litre four-cylinder, the M3 was used everywhere BMW could find a driver and a registration packet for it. It goes without saying that we should also tip our flat brimmed trucker caps to the E28-based M5 in the category of “flying bricks.” From Rally to DTM, BMW motorsport made its marque on the 80s.

1988 Mercedes-Benz 190-E EVO

In 1987, I’ll bet you could have overheard the engineers at Mercedes, after a pint of lager or seven, say “hell, if BMW can do it, so can we.” The “Type W201” aka the 190-E was Mercedes’ answer to the smaller, ankle-biting M3. Before AMG existed, this factory prepped 2.3 litre, stripped down luxury saloon turned racer, went toe-to-toe with BMW and Alfa Romeo in DTM. As a note, Mercedes also attempted to use the 190-E in Rally as well.

1985-1992 VW Golf GTI 16v (Mk2)

The GTI returns! The Mk1 Golf was sold in europe from 1975 until 1984, but the GTI didn’t make it to US soil until 1983. By late ‘84, Volkswagen was already working on the next generation Golf dubbed “the Golf Mk2,” which would debut in 1985 worldwide. The base Mk2 came with the standard 100 bhp 8-valve engine. But the GTI was fitted with a 16-valve, 1.8 litre engine, bilstein suspension, larger brakes and an aesthetics package setting it apart from the mundane Golf.

What the GTI lacked in sheer technical prowise when stacked against its competitors, it made up for in lightness and agility. VAG cars were rated as some of the “best handling” vehicles on the road at that time, without mods. The Mk2 GTI came in many variants not available in the US including the G60 Supercharged and Rallye AWD versions. The Mk2 GTIs are still some of most sought after VAG cars, and have been used for all sorts of Motorsport. #FAHRVERGNUGEN.

1980-1987 Audi (Ur-)Quattro Coupe

The Ur-Quattro… Godfather of ‘80s European “square bodies.” A car that turned the racing world on it’s nose, introducing military inspired AWD into a production vehicle, and then into racing. Audi (who officially merged with VW in 1985 to become VAG) had it’s growing pains during the early days of Grouppe-B. But the 20-valve 2.1 and 2.3 litre 5-cylinders would prove a best of both worlds engine able to “accelerate like a four and provide the torque of a six,” partnered with an airplane-sized Triple-K turbo, the racing 5-cylinders produced anywhere from 500-750 bhp depending on the application.

The Ur-Quattro and it’s variants: The Sport Quattro (Shorty), The S1 (Pikes Peak), and later the 5000 Trans-AM and IMSA-90-GTU are still held in high regard today. Audi toppled the rally dynasties of Lancia and others with innovative ideas and those sexy knife-edge flares. The technological advancements aside, a turbo 5-cylinder at wide-open-throttle still has one of the most notable engine sounds to date, best described as sounding like “a dragon emerging from the depths to unleash fury upon the land.”  #ICH<3MIENAUDI

The Americans…

We would be remiss if we didn’t include an honorable mention for the Americans in our top square bodies review. Sadly though, there wasn’t much to highlight except for:

1982 Chevy C10 / GMC K1200 (“Fall Guy Edition”)

But all kidding aside, Dodge was bringing vehicles like the Omni-Shelby Turbo to the frey.

1986 Dodge Omni – Shelby Turbo

>you can stop laughing now<

Granted, the base Omni was a copy-cat of the Mk1 Volkswagen Golf – it even shared the same 8-valve 4-cylinder power plant and drivetrain – but this version was anointed by the man himself, Carroll Shelby, and fitted with a Turbo and a punched out block. The new 2.2-litre made a staggering 175 front-wheel-drive horsepower. You’re looking at: “the muscle car of hot hatches.”

Looking back with fondness…

There were plenty of other “cool” things going on during the ‘80s from movies, to music, technology, etc. It was truly the renaissance of the modern era. But as some will look back and delight in memories of Back to the Future (1981 Delorean DMC-12), Knight Rider (1982 Pontiac Firebird) and Magnum PI (1980 Ferrari 308), we hope that the vehicles here invoked that same reaction. Do you have a favorite car from the ‘80s? or special memory of driving an ‘80s classic? #cultclassics. We’d love to hear your feedback, so feel free to post your comments below.  

#merrymotoring #neverstoplearning

Test Drive: Nissan Titan & Kia Stinger

Matthew Y
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Test Drive: Nissan Titan & Kia Stinger

I spent this Saturday at the SCCA Advanced Race Operations seminar which I’ll cover separately.  On the way home, having some “spare” time for once in my life, I decided to look at vehicles – not that I can afford to buy anything but I’m easily amused and haven’t looked at what’s on the market in quite a while.

2018 Nissan Titan

My first stop was at the Nissan dealer to look at trucks.  Granted, the Crutchfields recently purchased a Titan but their truck is a 4-door with the diesel – quite impressive to say the least.  I was pleased to discover the Titan is available as an “extra cab” or as Datsun calls it, the King Cab and with the gasoline power plant.  The biggest advantage of the King Cab is that the bed is a tiny bit longer than on the Crew Cab – 6′ 6″ vs 5′ 6″. Unfortunately, the only way to get an 8′ bed is to order the Single Cab version.  The Titan nameplate is a bit confusing – there is the Titan, effectively a 1/2 ton and the Titan XD, their heavy-duty version, both is available in 3 trim levels – S – Base, SV – Mid-Level and Platinum – Luxury.  I drove a Titan XD King Cab with the 5.6 gasoline engine.

 

2018 Nissan Titan XD, courtesy of www.nissanusa.com

 

First impressions were that aside from the miserable Contractor White color, the Titan isn’t bad looking – I could do without the fake side fender grills and whomever thought tan was a good color for a truck interior should be forced to clean that tan interior after a weekend at the races.  I must admit that I’m still amused by touch screens that are making their way into all vehicles no matter how utilitarian.  The Titan is available with WiFi which comes with apps – again, something I find new and amusing since my newest car EVER was produced in 2005.

 

The Overall Fit & Finish is quite good – very car-like with a myriad of nice touches such as power ports, usb jacks, and a very slick car control system including user-defined gauges, colors and convenience options. The seats are comfortable albeit in the nonsensical tan color.  The rear seat folds for additional storage and from the appearance, the rear seat, like that in virtually ALL extra-cab vehicles, is more for occasional use than for long-distance touring.  That’s fine since that’s why all the manufacturers are producing crew cabs these days – to fit 4 full-figured bodies in relative comfort.

 

From a driving perspective, the new Titan drives very car-like – quiet and smooth with quick response to the steering.  Throttle response is decent but this is still a full-sized truck – it’s no sports car but if anyone is expecting that, they’ll be sorely disappointed.  The venerable 5.6L V8 is coupled to a 7-speed transmission that is seamless.  The road manners were surprisingly good – it tracks straight without the vagueness and wandering of older trucks.  Even compared to the previous Titan, the new Titan is a big step forward.  The old Titan was a carbon copy of an F150 – the new Titan has stepped out on it’s own.

 

The price tag on this mid-line truck with relatively undesirable options (King Cab and gasoline powertrain) was a touch over $42K – not bad considering F150s are in the high 40s to low 50s!!  The trim level, SV, offers enough creature comforts to make the Titan very comfortable without the drawbacks of leather or the financial penalty of the diesel powertrain.  For anyone who needs a truck only to tow, this isn’t a bad option – easily $15K less than a Ford Superduty or $8K less than a diesel version of the Titan, that’s a lot of fuel savings that needs to be made up to justify the cost differential.

2018 Kia Stinger

2018 Kia Stinger, courtesy of kia.com

 

My second stop was at the Kia dealership – admittedly, a friend had been car shopping and looked at the Stinger.  I hadn’t even heard of the model until then – now, of course, I’ve seen the ads on TV but probably only because I know about the Stinger.  Unlike the rest of the Kia line which is a bit stodgy, the Stinger is quite the styling exercise.  Like the Audi A7, the Stinger is a 4-door hatchback that looks more like a 4-door sedan. The exterior styling is more Germanic than Korean with bold lighting and more than a few well placed air ducts.

 

The interior is surprising in that the rear seat has tremendous legroom – Brad would likely fit in the back seat BUT head room, while above my head, likely wouldn’t work well for anyone much over 6 feet tall.  The seats are of a patterned leather that reminds me of the seats in a ’66 Mustang albeit in leather vs Naugahyde.  The only big drawback to the seats is that they’re low to the floor with no real means to raise the seat – yes, they’re power but by design, the GT seating style puts the occupants “on the floor”.  The trim is quite attractive with the obligatory power ports and USB points.  Once nice touch were the rear seat vents – something I hadn’t expected to see on what i perceived to be a small car and especially from Korea.

 

I drove the GT version with the twin-turbo V6 – yes, TWIN-TURBO, V6!  Opening the hood, the 4-cylinder offers ACRES of room to work on the front of the motor and even the V6 had room that didn’t require removing the front of the car to change a drive belt.  The GT was equipped with the Technology pack (no THANKS!!) as well as an HUD unit (very cool).  While I didn’t test the radar cruise control, the lane keeper technology is quite interesting and the HUD is a neat feature.  Being a bit of a gadget freak, I did find myself purposely edging towards line markers just to make the car’s electronics work it’s magic.  I could see this growing old quickly though – I’d rather run off the road unannounced.

 

The most impressive feature of the Stinger is its acceleration.  Tooling around, it’s mundane, soft and demure.  Bury your right foot and the Stinger absolutely screams.  Kia’s claimed 0-60 is 4.7 seconds with a 167 mph top speed – given what i saw, I believe it.  Coupled with a 5-position active handling system, this Kia is certainly knocking on the doors of Audi and BMW.

 

The full-boat Stinger is $52K – not bad when compared to Audi or BMW.  The only challenge is convincing yourself and your Euro-trash friends that a Kia can do everything their German luxo-sedan can do for at least $10K less money.

 

Enjoy!!

GTM goes to Formula-1

Brad N
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GTM goes to Formula-1

Getting to Texas

The heat, the politics, the guns, the “Everything’s Bigger and Better” mentality, all of these are punchlines for some of us “Yankees”. But alas, they weren’t enough to keep a few members of GTM away from attending this year’s USGP race at Circuit of the Americas (a very Texas name for a race track, by the way). That’s right, GTM went to F1!

Oh yes, the best way to get to Texas from the northeast is to fly, unless you want to drive 24 hours, but really, who has that kind of time? So on Thursday before the race weekend Eric M. and Brad N. left BWI airport in the A.M. for their long flight to Houston (by way of Atlanta).

Thankfully the boys were able to travel in style as they used a combination of Eric’s companion points and cold hard cash to upgrade to First Class. That’s right, we were sippin’ champagne and looking down on lesser folks as they boarded — just as every First Class passenger had done to me previously 😉 Oh the sweet satisfaction of being better than everyone else, if only for a few hours. Other than pretending to be important, the only other notable tidbit about the flight was the multiplayer Mario Kart tournament we had in silence. I am sure the other passengers wondered what was wrong with these two grown-ass men playing with kid’s electronics and giggling like school children. For the record, I lost, badly.

Arriving in Houston we picked up our sweet-sweet rental car, a newish Nissan Murano Platinum Midnight Edition. Of course, the original plan was for a Tahoe or some other full size SUV but Enterprise didn’t seem to have any left. After deliberating over whether to take the Murano or the Dodge Grand Caravan, we opted for the Murano. In retrospect, this was a mistake.

Food


Rudy’s BBQ, located off Exit 70-A on I-45 North, Spring TX

Once out of the airport – stylin’ and profilin’ in our awesome rental car – we needed food. If you travel anywhere with Eric M. you will learn one thing, it all revolves around food. He has a particular restaurant you must visit whenever you visit XYZ city. In Houston, it was obvious we needed barbeque, and there was a charming little place Eric knew called Rudy’s. This place can be described in one word… DELICIOUS! If you ever find yourself in Houston I highly suggest visiting this place. Get the (moist) Brisket and the jalapeno sausage.


Torchy’s Taco’s — OMG, Yum!

Later that evening, after we arrived at Tania M.’s house, by which time our BBQ lunch had finished digesting, it was time for dinner. I was in the mood for burritos so we headed out to Torchy’s Tacos. This place… omg, yum. You walk up to the counter and order whatever tacos you want, ranging from $3.50 – $6.50 per taco, and then you sit down with your sweet tea and wait for your food. I wanted a burrito, they were out of burritos, so I opted for 3 tacos; a fish taco, a breaded chicken taco, and a jerk chicken taco. All were tasty but the star of the show was the breaded chicken taco, playfully named the “Trailer Park” taco, we opted to make them “Trashy.” The jerk chicken taco however, was hot… like the fire of a thousand suns all burning through my tongue and throat …hot. It was good, but if you don’t have a fire hydrant near by then I wouldn’t recommend this taco for any amateur. Breakfast, we ate breakfast. We stopped and had these little Polish pastries called kolaches (“Coh-lah-chee”). They were amazing. Little balls of dough filled with whatever the hell you want. I had 4, pizza (with pepperoni and cheese), cheesesteak (with philly steak and cheese), rancheros (with eggs and peppers), and chicken enchalada (with chicken and what can only be described as love in a bun). As soon as I got home I started looking up recipes for these things. Even now I am thinking about them and my mouth is watering… Must. Have. More!

Kimi Raikkonen #7 @ Whataburger

We did eat at a few other places on this trip as well but they weren’t really as memorable, except for Whataburger. I heard stories, tales and fables of Whataburger but I had never had a chance to experience it, until this weekend. Despite all the rave reviews, the myths and legends, Whataburger was just good, not great, not amazing, just good. Granted it was much better than any McDonald’s I’ve ever been to, but Wendy’s and Burger King have stepped their game up to the point where the quality gap has shrunk in recent years.

And on the way home, during a longer than anticipated layover in Atlanta for a delayed flight, we made our way to arguably the best tasting and least greasy Popeye’s Chicken in all the land. While we stood in line a gentleman asked if we were dining in (note that all the tables were occupied) and took our drink orders. We chuckled and joked about how he couldn’t possibly find us a table by the time we ordered… but sure enough as we grabbed our food a table was free and we sat down. THAT’s customer service! The chicken itself was excellent for fast food chicken. It was crispy and not greasy at all (as Eric pointed out, it doesn’t get a chance to sit around long enough). Airport Popeye’s is best Popeye’s.

The F1 Experience

Oh yeah, the actual reason we went to Texas. Friday morning we woke up early and hit the road from Houston to Austin, home of the USGP. when we arrived, we parked and made our way to the track entrance. Circuit of the Americas, or “COTA” (“Koh-tah”) for short, is a huge facility. You can see the tower from miles away and the parking lots around the facility added many thousands of steps to our daily step counters. Once inside, the facility is clean and well groomed. They have a soccer field and amphitheater as well as a separate main stage for larger shows that the amphitheater cannot accommodate (like Justin Timberlake & Stevie Wonder).

We had General admission tickets which meant we were able to go where we wanted and had many different views of the track. We spent a good portion of the weekend just walking around and checking out the different turns and sections as the machines practiced and took their qualifying laps. I say machines and not cars because these things are closer to aircrafts and spaceships than they are modern automobiles.

Sadly, our general admission passes did not grant us access to the race paddock so we could not get a closer look at the cars themselves, nor the drivers or the race crews. For that set-up you needed to drop a few thousand dollars for special passes.

And let’s talk about that for a minute. The tickets we purchased were about $160.00 per person (not including service charges imposed by ticketmaster). Plus we bought 3 parking passes at roughly $42.00 each. This was not a very cheap event to get into. Once inside the costs just went up from there. Remember Torchy’s Tacos, the wonderful place I mentioned earlier that sold tacos individually for a few bucks… they had a taco truck at the event… $8.00 per taco. I know it was because COTA was charging them a healthy sum to be there but we could not in good conscience spend that much for a taco that we paid half that price for the night before. Food costs and admission costs aside, everything at this event was expensive! They were charging $70 for a baseball cap, $100+ for a team jersey, and so on. I bought a t-shirt, it was for RedBull Racing and it was last year’s shirt — I paid $20.00. That’s how much that shirt actually should have cost for this year’s event. So long story short, the event was expensive and I didn’t get access to all of the things I would have liked to have seen.

As far as the total F1 experience itself. It was a little disappointing. The track was cold for longer periods of time than it was hot. Other than a go-kart track and racing simulator there really wasn’t much to see or do other than sit around and wait for cars to be on track again. Out of the entire time we were there we were fully engaged in what was happening for about 4 hours, of which 2 hours was the actual race itself on Sunday.


Max Verstappen #33 – Red Bull F1 Team

A few ways the event could improve moving forward, invite other series there to share the track that weekend. Have more things going on during the day. Also make the paddocks available to the fans. Let us walk around and see the cars up close and personal, let us talk to the engineers that designed and created those machines. And of course, make things cheaper and more accessible to people. There is no reason why a hat should cost $70.00 (when it’s $40.00 on the website) and a taco should not cost $8.00 for one.

In The Rearview

Since the F1 activities weren’t that enticing to see on Saturday, we took a side trip to Austin and walked down South Congress Street and even took in a famed city-wide garbage sale (correction: garage sale) at the local expo center. Austin was pretty neat, for those that haven’t been there before think San Diego meets Colorado. We also visited a few comic book stores and a really cool toy store called Terra Toys.

During the race, we made our way in front of the stands at turn 10-11 and ended up in a giant mud pit, created from the Sunday morning rains, that seemingly ate my shoes. I had to throw them out (I was going to anyway).

Buc-Ees… heard of it? Let me describe it. Think Wawa + Cracker Barrel + Wal-Mart + Target + Bass Pro Shops + Home Depot = Buc-Ees. This place was one of the more interesting things we saw on our journey. Tania randomly mentioned it during our commute from Houston to Austin and just as she was finished explaining it we saw one and had to stop. I really can’t say anything more about it except you have to visit one if you get the chance. Also, the bathrooms were super clean. Like, award winning clean. Mr. Clean would be impressed!

I would like to thank Mike & Mona Arrigo from HookedonDriving Northeast for their hospitality. They drove their motor home all the way down from PA (apparently they are the only people who DO have the time to drive 24 hours to Texas) and fed us and allowed us to use their motor home as our base of operations during the day. I would also like to thank Tania M. for putting us up for a few days at her house and taking me for a ride in her sweet vintage Audi.

(More pictures from this event and others are available at our Shutterfly Share Site).

Onwards and Upwards for GTM, next stop: The Rolex-24hrs at DAYTONA!

Test Drive: 1997 (NA) Mazda MX-5 (Miata)

Eric M
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Test Drive: 1997 (NA) Mazda MX-5 (Miata)

Dialing up our “way back machine” we could have easily queued up old episodes of MotorWeek and TopGear, or re-read articles from MotorTrend and Car&Driver, to provide you with amazing facts and pre-production propaganda about our featured 1997 Mazda Mx-5 (Miata); instead we’ve revisited this 20 year old, nearly stock, specimen to give you more of a “How has it held up over time?” review. 

I had the task of spending the better part of a few days, and nearly 250 miles behind the wheel of this 211,000 mile 1.8 Liter NA (1st generation) Miata which belongs to GTM Member: Matt Y.

All jokes aside…

The Miata is one of those cars that definitely has a … reputation. I won’t highlight them all here, but if you’ve been in the motoring community long enough you’ve probably heard the jokes. 


For this adventure, I needed to dress the part. I abandoned my traditional aviators, tee-shirts and 5 o’clock shadow … and donned what we call at GTM, “the Bowser.” (below)

Let’s cover the Good, the Bad and the Extremely Cramped.

I’ve been practicing this odd concept called “positivism” so let’s start with the Miata’s high points…

Despite the mid-90s utilitarian interior, the Japanese designers at Mazda managed to create something so simple and rather elegant with the interior styling. The interior layout and components still work even in today’s technology enabled motoring world.

Every control and dial is exactly where you think it should be, no searching about for “Where did they hide the headlight switch?” – all of the items are clearly marked and easy to use. In comparison, take a look inside of an early ’90s toyota, even a BMW or VW, the interiors look dated, almost trying to be futuristic but usually chunky and clunky. The shifter is a delight, accurate, weighted and you have a sense of it’s directness to the gearbox – heel/toe shifting comes natural. Throttle response feels like you are revving up a Cessna not a car, much like roadsters than inspired the Miata, it spins up like a Fiat or MG. You feel as though it’s going to rev to 10,000 rpm.

The Miata has that British sports car feel – it doesn’t have an overwhelming amount of power; but the car is light, clocking in at 2300 lbs in full trim. The power is “just right” — but don’t ever look at the speedo or you’ll be completely disappointed; just tune into the hum of the motor and enjoy the scenery going by. On it’s best day, this Miata *could* make a whopping 100 whp; bone stock, around 133 bhp. Despite the age of this Miata, we won’t address “loss of bhp over time.” Even on a worn out suspension the car handles amazingly well, even more amazing on the 14” tires, dated from over 10 years ago. Turn in is immediate and the steering is very accurate. Simply put: The car is light, agile and competent.

“Smallness” means zipping through traffic is like navigating an autocross course and parking is awesome – be mindful to pull up to the *back* of a parking spot so that Nancy-the-Soccer-Mom’s SUV doesn’t plow into the back of your Miata when you run into the Hair Cuttery. Parallel parking is a breeze, a definite PASS for folks taking their driving test. Moreover, the turning circle is so tight you feel like you could make a U-turn in your parking spot. 3-point turn – CHECK!

Admittedly, it’s not the best highway cruiser, but once you get off the highways and onto the B-roads the Miata really comes to life, it’s an absolute bomb-stormer to drive on a country road, there will be few cars that can keep up with your pace. The brake system that clamps down on the *massive* 9-inch rotors could be made from petrified dog poop and sawdust and the Miata would still stop on a dime and give you back quarters. You actually have to be careful that someone doesn’t run into the back of you when stopping quickly in traffic.

If you’re not familiar with the Miata’s “greatness” here’s the basic info you need to know:

Engine

1.8L, 16-valve, Inline 4 cylinder, Longitudinal Mount, Gas

Power

133 bhp @ 6500 rpm
114 ft.lbs of torque @ 5500 rpm

Curb Weight

2300 lbs.

Drivetrain

5-speed manual, RWD

Dimensions

Length – 155.4 inches (13 feet)

Height – 48.2 inches (4 feet)

Wheelbase – 89.2 inches (7.4 feet)

Turning Circle – 30 feet

MPG

EPA estimated 20/26 mpg. 87-octane is OK!

**In total, we spent $12.75 on fuel to fill the tank!

Specifications: Sourced from Edmunds.com

And now for the  “glass half empty” portion:

With the Miata clocking in at 4 feet tall (on stock suspension) it sits below the belt line of most vehicles made in the last 5-7 years; most people can’t see the car and you have a hard time seeing over them. Visibility is poor at best (unless you’re parking). You can, however, get a very good view of the aforementioned Nancy’s 20” SUV rims. The side mirrors are too close to the driver, but we fear the only alternative would have been to mount them on the front fenders like a Late 60s Nissan 240-Z or GT-R.

The Miata (especially with a Hard Top) is very difficult for someone above 5’10” to drive comfortably for long periods of time. The cabin is extremely small and without seat modifications is just utterly cramped. Road noise by today’s standards is unacceptable, even with Bluetooth and some ambient noise suppression you best plan on being on/off mute constantly and quickly if you’re trying to entertain a webex while on your way to work. Most Miata owners would probably agree, never bring a beverage into the car unless it has a screw-on top (and it better seal really well); because the Miata doesn’t have any room for cup holders. Our road tested car had an optional add-on holder which squeezed between the tunnel and the passenger seat. This is good for a single commuter, but needs to be removed if you want to bring a passenger, or your Jack-Russel-Mix, Trixie along. Your starbucks Latte will have to be enjoyed *before* returning to your Miata. The front passenger footwell + seat are more useful for hauling groceries than the trunk – which is catastrophically small.

Even with the windows open (and the Hard Top in place) there is very little airflow in the cabin. Removing the top opens you up to the world, but there are downsides to that too. The Soft Top is quietly tucked away, but where do you store the Hard Top if you didn’t plan ahead? You can remove the Hard Top on your own, but it’s rather awkward. Getting help from a friend makes the process a lot easier. The center tunnel gets extremely warm during long stints on the highway, causing the hairs on your right leg to eventually singe from the heat. Turning on the A/C robs the engine of a noticeable amount of horsepower. If you choose to run the A/C instead of dropping the top, switch it off and downshift to pass, especially going up-hill. Gear ratios are extremely short, 4000 rpm at 70 mph – which makes the car feel “peppy” but kills your overall MPG. The only upgrade to the car we tested was an aftermarket (Borla) exhaust system. This modification lead to a numbing resonance in the cabin due to the high revving at highway speeds.

The NA (1st generation) Miata is one of those cars that by most critics opinions doesn’t hold a candle to today’s standards in sports cars or innovation. Most driving today is spent slogging through the hellacious stop-n-go traffic wars, with technology and gizmos to soothe you to and from the office. But cars from the same era as the Miata (ie: GTIs, Sciroccos, MR2s, E30s, etc) remind you WHY we do this, why we like cars. They bring you back to when “driving freedom” existed, much like that feeling you got when you first started driving without parental supervision.

The Answer is Always Miata…

Leave the Hard Top at home, pack your flip flops, a bathing suit, dog treats for Trixie and hit the beach with just enough snacks from 7-eleven to keep you satiated. You’ll have to take the good with the bad, but in my opinion, the Miata is that right blend of everything that makes driving FUN!

#merrymotoring

Test Drive: Audi A3 in Italy

Jon S
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Test Drive: Audi A3 in Italy

My itinerary for my Imola trip began with some frustrating travel issues, issues which piled up on top of each other. The plan was that I arrive in Milan, and then drive over the Alps to see my sister, in Villars-sur-Ollon at the eastern end of Lake Geneva. Automotively, this would not be a dead loss – there is a biennial hill climb from the valley floor up through Villars on the narrow switchback road up from the valley floor into the mountains, and I would be able to drive the route of the event. However, the plane had an issue on the tarmac in California; it needed a new windscreen wiper fitting. This meant we were late into Schiphol airport in Amsterdam. Where it was “King’s Day” and the place was rammed with people. People who made sure I missed my connection. People who made sure that the next flight to Milan which had room for me wouldn’t leave until 8.30 that evening, 11 hours hence. Thus I barely got to the car rental counter in Milan before it closed up for the night. Having been scarred before by horrid rental cars ( Toyota Corolla Versa, Chevy Aveo, I am thinking of you ) , I had paid extra when booking to guarantee that I got an Alfa Giulietta. Thus I was surprised and unhappy to be offered the choice of one of those hideous new Fiat people carriers or an Audi A3. I’d even confirmed that I would be getting the Alfa in my idle hours in Schiphol. With the Audi fob in my pocket, I set out to find the car in the car park. Three car parks and 45 minutes later, I was still looking, my patience now thoroughly tested. It now being midnight, everything was closed, there was no-one to ask for help. Ah, the glamour and joy of international travel.

When finally out on the road leaving the airport, I impatiently moved into the left lane to pass the only other vehicle on the road, a bus, and thereby skillfully missed the turn onto the autostrada. In trying to turn around, I got tangled up in a particularly seedy Milan suburb, my first u-turn nearly scooping up a scantily clad young woman on the hood of the car. Pulling over to consult a map, again, I nearly hit a very long legged/short skirted girl who seemed to almost throw herself at the car. Distracted by this, only then did I realize what was going on – or more specifically, what profession these ladies were involved in.

When I found the autostrada, I had expected to be able to relax. Just four hours on the Autostrada now, Europop and Autogrill espressos, right ? Well, not quite. The main autostrada linking Venice with Milan and Turin was closed. It now being well past midnight, one can understand roadworks, but to close the whole road ? There was a diversion signed, but it wasn’t clear, especially not at night in the rain….let me explain the scope of the challenge by saying that there were at least six whores who nearly met their maker on the nose of that Audi rental car.

Finally clear of Milan, I hoped the rain would stop. Instead, it intensified. Even at only 80mph ish, the A3 would aquaplane, there was so much standing water. Driving in the right lane, in the grooves worn by trucks, was an altogether dangerous proposition. Off the autostrada and climbing up into the Alps, I still wasn’t able to get clear of the weather. There was very little other traffic. The roads became narrower, many sections were switchbacks. Would the Great St Bernard pass even be open ? I had assumed it would be, when I was planning back in California, but climbing up through silent towns, seeing no other traffic on the road, I really wasn’t sure. With the comforting thought that the worst that could happen was that I would have to sleep in the car for a few hours till morning, I decided to press on until I was stopped.

Arriving at the mouth of the Great St Bernard tunnel, the man in the booth was asleep on his desk, raising his head and looking at me bleary eyed as he sold me the tunnel ticket. It says 3 am exactly. In the tunnel, the tarmac was perfectly smooth, perfectly lit and perfectly dry. I was elated by the tunnel being open, elated I had found it, elated I had a bone straight dry road, elated I had it all to myself. So, I did the only reasonable thing, and wrung everything I could out of the car. I had a long downhill; it felt like I squeezed about 120mph out of it before exploding out of the tunnel into a complete white out, I couldn’t even see kerbs or buildings, let alone road markings. The car was immediately a 100mph+ toboggan, and even with ABS it was all I could do not to spin it and to somehow get it slowed to a faintly controllable speed without hitting something.

Beginning the descent as my adrenaline subsided, even 25 mph provoked understeer in turns and an abnormal response to steering inputs. Not only was there a couple of inches of coverage, but great thick flakes were falling out of the sky. The road was switchbacks, so even though I couldn’t see the landscape it was safe to assume that an off road excursion would be very bad indeed. With the benefit of hindsight it was lucky I had the cojones not to stop, because I think I would have got snowed in at the top – as it was, I just kept on slip-sliding down, judging the grip afresh on each corner, and soon the snow was rain, and the roads no longer hairpin turns/sheer drop offs.

4 am, and I was banging on my sister’s front door, musing that on balance, perhaps I had not been so unlucky after all.

More on the A3 here.

This content was originally featured on JonSummers.net, reposted with permission. 


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