Author Archives: Will@FluxAuto

Toyota GT-86 Across Europe with Nino Karotta

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What?!? Two incredible Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT-86 reviews in two days? Now that the car is starting to see some production numbers and the big names have already finished with the press fleet, some of the independent car reviewers are getting their hands on them. This is good news for us since these guys tend to spend more time and passion reviewing the cars. As a follow up to yesterday’s FR-S vs. BRZ track comparison by Everyday Driver, Nino Karotta takes a GT-86 across Europe. He visits some of the best roads in Europe to see what it takes to drive the GT-86 fast and to drift it. He also compares the GT-86 on track with his personal AE86, the car’s spiritual successor. Nino brings a dial caliper with him on his trek across Europe to keep track of how much tire tread he’s burning off the rear wheels.


Source: ninokarottaINTL on YouTube via Autoblog

Battle of the Parts Cars – Hot Rod Magazine

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If you have 24 minutes to spare and like cars at all, I promise this video will be hugely entertaining. Hot Rod Magazine bought a couple of cheap parts cars for their future projects and decided to have some fun with them. This is pretty much the ultimate in disposable beater car competitions. You know you would love to do this to whatever piece of crap you had for your first car.


Source: Motor Trend on YouTube

Yokohama HER-02

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The Team Yokohama EV Challenge HER-02 is the current record holder for electric racing cars at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The car began competing in 2009 and has continued improving its time culminating in a 12’20” last year. For reference, Monster Tajima’s overall record (in a gasoline powered car) is a little over 10 minutes. In addition to testing EV technology in the form of high voltage AC motors and lithium-ion batteries, the HER-02 also helped develop Yokohama’s BluEarth tires. The BluEarths use natural fibers in the casing and orange oil instead of petroleum based products. These materials lent to easier recycling as well as improved grip when compared to a traditional tire. The Yokohama BluEarth has just hit production and was selected as the OEM tire for the Toyota Prius V. Tire Rack classifies them as a Grand Touring All-Season tire and currently only carries them in the Prius V’s OEM size.

The HER-02’s record is going to come under heavy attack this year. The EV class will be filled with new heavy hitters including Monster Tajima’s E-Runner, Toyota’s Nurburgring record holder EV P002 and Mitsubishi’s i-Miev Evolution. It should be a very exciting year for EV racing, but for now check out the videos of HER-02 in action at last year’s Pikes Peak and around Laguna Seca at REFUEL 2012.

 


Source: BuchiElectric on YouTube

Sebastien Loeb X-Games Highlights

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Red Bull put together this compilation of highlights of Sebastien Loeb in this year’s X-Games Rallycross. It gives a glimpse of what the culture is like in the Global Rallycross Championship. Unfortunately, Marcus Gronholm was injured in a pre-race practice crash so we didn’t get to see a showdown between WRC champions. With his win, Loeb showed that he was probably the only one who could challenge Gronholm’s dominance in the series. Now that the car is built, maybe Sebastien Loeb can do a few more races in the GRC and X-Games next year. Go here if you want to watch ESPN’s full coverage of the event.


Source: Red Bull on YouTube

Gymkhana Five

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Ken Block is at it again with Gymkhana Five. This time he turns the city of San Francisco into a playground. This is the best Gymkhana video yet. I think Ken has finally mastered the Ford Fiesta as shown by the more technical nature of some of the stunts this time around. Sliding cars is universally exciting to watch and nobody proves that better than Ken Block.


Source: DC Shoes on YouTube