The new “Iron Man” movie has cool cars in it. The mini car collection that Ironman has in his garage is a sweet little grouping of cars.In addition to the Audi R8 that I’ve mentioned in “Ironman has Cool Cars” and “Ironman’s cars vs Batman’s cars”, there is a Shelby Cobra, a Saleen S7 and a Tesla Roadster.(plus a couple of unidentified custom motorcycles)
The Shelby Cobra is the holy grail of 1960s muscle cars, unfortunately it ends up accidently crushed when Iron Man falls through his house and ruins his piano and his Cobra. (but does create a nice skylight for Iron Man to use in the future)
This isn’t the only time for the Saleen S7 to be in a major motion picture.When Jim Carrey was imbued with power from on high in Bruce Almighty, the car he chose for himself was the Saleen S7.
The Tesla Roadster promises to be the first 100% electric sports car.The Tesla Motors home page states a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds.They are just now beginning production on this $100,00+ electric super car.
We also see Tony Stark/Ironman being chauffeured about in the back of very nice Bentley.
If you like cars, I mean really like cars, you should look into to being a fictional hero, they get the best stuff.Just ask James Bond, Batman and Iron Man, they would agree.
May 9th, 2008 · Comments Off on The Chevy Cobalt SS
So what is a Chevy Cobalt SS?Well to answer that question you have to start with what is a Cobalt?A Cobalt is the successor to the much aligned, but high volume sales Cavalier. The next question is what does SS mean?Well unfortunately, the SS on the Cobalt has meant several things.At one time SS meant 200hp Supercharged engine.A year or so later there was a model that was labled SS, it had all the makings of a the previous SS sans the supercharger. That same year the SS with supercharger was called SS Supercharged.
A few years ago GM was doing a road show called “Auto Show in Motion.”Everyone that signed up got the chance to drive all the new cars from GM, including the Corvette, CTS-V, GTO and Saabs, plus all the other GM vehicles.It was at the Auto Show in Motion that drove one of the early versions Cobalt SS.It was a surprisingly fun car to drive.The supercharged engine had some good grunt and a blast to drive on the little road course that was set up.
Then in a fairly unpublicized move the SS got some extra grunt.The current Cobalt SS is now motivated by a turbocharged power plant that pumps out 260hp.That’s the same number as the vaunted SRT-4.The Cobalt SS model line will be joined by a sedan version next year.
The Cobalt SS is the legitimate little brother to Corvette.This Cobalt SS is currently the front wheel drive record holder at the Nurinburgring track in Germany.The engineers that tuned the Cobalt SS actually kept a Mitsubishi Evolution around to continually compare the handling to.Their goal was have a car that handled very close to the Evolution without being quite so hard core.
Chevy has actually created a very competent car that can realistically compete with cars like the Mazdaspeed3.The question is will enthusiasts give the descendant of the Cavalier a chance? If you are in the market for a fun car check out the Cobalt SS, at less than $25k it is a 260hp turbocharged bargain.
The Cobalt SS has all the elements to be my “Car of the Day”.It is a special car.It is a fast car. And it is a blast to drive.
Comments Off on The Chevy Cobalt SSTags:Chevy · Cobalt SS
I’ve already talked a little bit about the cars of Ironman or actually the cars of Tony Stark. Once he dons the Ironman suit the concept of driving a car is irrelevant. The premier auto of Tony Stark that was featured was the fantastic Audi R8.
Enter the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, that Bruce Wayne will drive in the upcoming Batman movie “The Dark Knight Returns”. Of course Bruce Wayne actually has one of the coolest cars ever in the Batmobile, but if you leave the world of fiction, the Murcielago LP640 is the nearest thing to a real world Batmobile.
If Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne were to roll up next each other at a stop light Tony Stark would get smoked by Bruce Wayne’s Lambo.
Tony Stark probably didn’t think his 420hp V8 powered Audi that can hit 60 in 4.2 seconds would ever put him in a position to get smoked by the guy in the next car over. Most of the time Mr. Stark would be right about his R8 doing the smoking. But when the next guy pulls up in the LP640 with a 640hp V12 that can eclipse the 60mph mark in 3.3 seconds there’s not many options with 4 wheels that can compete with those numbers.
There is a great line in the new Batman movie previews where Alfred asks Bruce Wayne if he is going to take the Batmobile. At which point Bruce responds with simple “no.” This causes Alfred to quip “The Lamborghini then, much more subtle.” It’s nice to see Alfred still has his sense of humor.
Now if Tony Stark’s and Bruce Wayne’s alter egos were to meet at a stop light. Ironman would blow away the Batmobile. So each Super hero comes away from this comparo with a win.
May 7th, 2008 · Comments Off on The 1991 BMW 318is
1998 I was a computer consultant driving all over DFW delivering computer equipment was part of the daily routine.My car was a gorgeous 1991 BMW 318is.
For some reason I convinced myself that I needed a car suited better to my job of delivering hardware and spending hours and hours a week in traffic.When I traded in my 318is I didn’t realize it would mean a decade of SUV driving.10 years later I’m still driving a SUV.There are benefits of an SUV.I enjoy being able to tow my boat.I enjoy not being limited to the pavement and I like the utility that the extra cargo capacity that a SUV affords.
Today’s blog isn’t about the laments of my still driving a SUV, it is about a great little car that BMW sold in the early ‘90s.
In 1991 the “is” in 318is meant something.If you were lucky enough to have an “is” BMW it meant that you were driving the sport edition of that model.For the 318 it meant you got the BBS wheels, Recaro seats, body spoiler kit, decklid spoiler and a more aggressively tuned suspension.In later years BMW would stick an “is” on the back of any 2 door without really any other consideration to improve the base car.Sometimes it simply meant that a car had 2 doors.
The 318is wasn’t a particularly powerful car.It did wear the badge of the most powerful naturally aspirated 4 cylinder on the market with a whopping 138hp.Now the most powerful 4 cylinders on the market have 100 more hp than the 318 did and that is without a supercharger or a turbo.
The 318is was a special car.It was one the best looking examples of the E30 3 series.The car always looked sharp. The interior looked sporty. And most importantly, the car was fun to drive.
Today the 3 series has ballooned into a larger car.I think the spiritual essence of my old 318is is actually alive and well in the new BMW 1 series, but the BMW 1 series is a whole ‘nother blog, that will be written sometime in the near future.
BMW is credited with creating the sports sedan.The 2008 BMW M3 is the latest in a long line of fantastic M cars.The M3 has become the benchmark for the uber-enthusiast’s sports sedan.
If you don’t think the 300hp twin turbo 335i that can hit 60 in 5 seconds flat and cover the quarter mile in 13.6 seconds is fast enough, then BMW has a car for you.The M3 is your car and is available in sedan flavor again.
This M3 is powered by a 414hp V8.It can hit 60 in 4.8 seconds and hits the quarter mile mark at 12.8 seconds.The number of cars that are quicker than this 4 door is short.And the number of cars that are quicker and actually have 4 doors is even shorter.
This car is the benchmark that all others are measured against.It is one of the cars thatcontinues to prove that BMW has earned their marketing moniker of “The Ultimate Driving Machine.”If you driven a BMW then you understand that the little blue and white propeller logo marks a car that is fun to drive.
There was a great ad in the 80’s that featured the original M3, M5 and M6, it read “of the zealots, for the zealots, by the zealots.”
Ever wish you could go back in time and buy that special muscle car that all the collectors are after? Perhaps you want a Hemi Cuda with a 427.
There is some good news from the Chrysler Corporation. Dodge has a killer new car that is out right now.The Dodge Challenger is the modern revival of the great muscle car from years past.
It is retro-cool and has modern power.
This bad boy is the SRT8 flavor and if you know anything about SRT8’s they come packing a 6.1 liter V8 engine that is good for 425hp.It can cover a ¼ mile in 13.2 seconds. This blast from the past can hit 60 in 5 seconds or less.
So you can search your city, county or state far and wide for the cherry muscle car that was new when LBJ was president. You can hope it is a super low mileage example that’s been sitting in an old lady’s garage for the last 30 years. Perhaps you might find your ultimate collectible that has been restored from the frame up. Of course those specimens tend to cost more than many new cars.
So go hunting for the ultra-rare classic collectible or buy the modern one with all the modern techniques. Because no matter how nostalgic you are the facts prove that this modern car would smoke most of the muscle cars for yesteryear.
Ironman is a great film, check it out. There are plenty of places you can read a review of the movie, this isn’t one of them. All I will say is that the movie is worth the price of admission.
Ironman has several great cars in it. There were a couple of sweet Audis that made an appearance: The Audi S5 and the Audi R8.
The R8 is Audi’s new supercar. The downside of a supercar is the six figure price tag.The upside is styling that every valet will respect and park your car up front. The upside is also 420hp.And the specific upside for the R8 is a car that can work every day as a daily driver.It is comfortable, reliable, daily driver that’s also fits the bill of a legitimate supercar.
If you can’t get your hands on your very own Ironman suit get an Audi R8 and if you can’t get an R8, try the S5, and if that’s not an option, just watch the Ironman movie.
A former Car of the Day (COTD) was a vehicle I had the pleasure of owning. The requirements for this vehicle were it must be able to tow 5000lbs, carry 4 people and be as fast as possible.
The solution to this challenge was the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 Unlimited. By the time I was done tuning out the engine it had over 400lb-ft of torque at the wheels and all wheel drive. It was a beast at a short straight track. Here is some video of it beating a lot of different cars and drivers, including a Corvette!
1998 was the last year of the ZJ Grand Cherokee and the Chrysler executives needed to find a way to inject a bit of life into the final year of Grand Cherokee. They looked around and found that the 360 engine from the Dodge trucks could be crammed into their Jeep. It made for one heck of a sleeper. I have a lot of stories and thoughts about the 5.9 Jeeps and the 5.9 engines in future blogs.
It was the predecessor to the current SRT8 Grand Cherokee and a great car that I am happy I had the opportunity to enjoy for a season.
The Civic Si Sedan is my current COTD. Is the car I want most in the world right now? Not necessarily. However, with gas prices continuing to inch towards $4.00 a gallon I find myself looking for a more economical ride.
Yes, I’m aware that there are cars that get better MPG than the Civic Si, but there is a prerequisite amount of fun or sportiness that a car must possess. The Civic Si Sedan has that “fun” in spades. It has even been called the “poor man’s M3” or even the “economical guy’s M3”.
There is a certain school of thought that says “it is more fun to drive a slow car fast, than to drive a fast car slow”.
Imagine how frustrating it would be to be in a 550hp supercar stuck driving in traffic behind that mini van driver on the cell phone. And then for a quick moment the traffic pattern breaks and you find yourself with a stretch of open road. Well if you can cover a ¼ mile in less than 12 seconds, your temporary window of no traffic will have closed, because you caught up with the next bunch of slow drivers.
The other hazard is blowing past the next municipal revenue gathering spot and the police haul you off to jail and impound your supercar with the “arrest me” red paint job. With that much hp you can end up in serious trouble in just a few seconds.
Again with the 550hp car there is frustration knowing that you aren’t really getting to utilize the full potential of the vehicle due to the local laws. However, if you happen to have a car with a sweet chassis, manual gearbox that is a pleasure to row and a jewel of an engine that loves to sing, but only has 200ish hp, you could really enjoy the potential of what that car has to offer.
There are several cars that fall into my sporty/economic car scenario. However, the COTD for me is the Honda Civic Si Sedan. The Si Sedan has several things going for it. It is a special car. They only come one way, with the most powerful engine ever in a U. S. Civic at 197hp and a great 6-speed transmission. It has upgraded wheels and suspension built on the great Civic platform.
With the Si Sedan you can drive it like an economy car and get nearly 30 mpg or you can drive like you stole it and add a serious dose of fun to your daily commute.
The last time I made a visit to the Honda dealership to admire the Si Sedan, the salesman blasphemed the essence of the Civic Si when he said this “Yeah, it’s a great car, we would sell a ton of these if they came in automatic.” Well, if they came in automatic they wouldn’t be a Civic Si!
I’ve got a lot more to say about this car, but that will be visited in other blogs with the Civic Si ends up as the COTD or in my garage as my actual car.
May 1st, 2008 · Comments Off on Car Of The Day Syndrome
Greetings Interneters! Welcome to the “Car of the Day” Blog. I love cars a lot. I think about cars a lot. Now I can document my thoughts on cars for you to read them.
This journey will be a tour of past and current thoughts on the automotive world.
Car of the Day or COTD is a syndrome or problem (I prefer syndrome) I have where it seems like I want a new car every day.
So over the years I have had a regular rotating list of cars that make it on my COTD list. These cars make it on the list for a number of reasons; they could be fast, cheap, powerful, rare, practical or just plain cool.
I also have scenario COTDs that I choose based on certain set of parameters. I have a number of scenarios that can define what the COTD is. These scenarios include a car with the best mix of fuel economy and sportiness, a scenario where the vehicle can tow a boat, a scenario that the car is the best bang for the buck and many others.
Over the years automotive manufacturers have made numerous cool cars we will revisit cool, rare cars from the past, present and future.