Review Your Cars

For the first time in the US, the Ferrari Challenge series world championships were held at Daytona International Speedway the weekend of December 4 th . Featuring races, displays, exhibition laps, a show and more.  Ferrari has history at the track and it's a world class venue appropriate for such an event. Although tailored for Ferrari fans, the event was only $10 for the public. Not well attended in superspeedway terms or any other except by owners, it was spectacular for the car and racing enthusiast for multiple reasons. And less crowds meant excellent access, as good as it gets. Shell had a small booth, really the only the third party that was there, showing the advantages of the VPower Nitro+ premium gasoline. Shell has partnered with Ferrari from even before their first road car in 1947 and to this day they are an integral partner with Ferrari. Every Ferrari, Maserati and BMW M use the cleanest gasoline VPower Nitro+ for less deposits, corrosion and wear versus other brands....

On Sunday, September 13th of this year, the best racing in the western hemisphere concluded its season at nearby Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca but few actually witnessed it. Why is it so good? Because the Pirelli World Challenge GT cars are closely related to what is sold to the public, it is a 50 minute sprint, and the action is fierce. The short race duration means it is easy to follow without a scoreboard, there is no pit stop, driver change or fueling strategy. It is intense and spectator friendly. The problem is awareness, competition from another series, lack of a timely broadcasts on a major network and overall malaise regarding auto racing in the US. Imagine seeing your favorite exotic and performance cars racing neck and neck in a big group of twists and turns. These are not overweight, under-tired, under-braked special construction cars that go around in circles with no relation whatsoever to what is on the street. This series features raced prepped models such as: Ferrari 458, P...

Guest author Jwp98 from Illinois shared his experience on 6speedonline.com with three great, extremely fast sports cars. Below are his thoughts after logging several thousand miles on each car. These were sequential experiences, not in the garage all at once. Visual appeal: 12C The 12C just does not have a bad angle. The 458 does have some bad angles (mostly solved by the Speciale) but it has some inspiring angles too. The 991 versus 997 loses something, I'm afraid. The rear is so bland and fat, without even the pretense of a diffuser or a big wing to distract and intimidate. The front is improved and side view reveals a handsome, albeit less classic, smoother rake. Quartering away is just gorgeous over those muscular hips. I look over my shoulder when I walk away, like it was the only car on earth. Well, enough of the aesthetic stuff and on to the marginally less subjective. Exhaust note: 12C (yes really) Taking a 458 through an overpass at redline is smile inducing. I grew up on ...

The Goodwill Festival of Speed, held this past June 27th through the 29th, 2014, is best described as a Concours D’elegance worthy car collection, an airshow, an international car show, a rally race, an exotic car show, a racing motorcycle show and demonstration, a hot rod show, a motocross exhibition, an off road driving experience centered on a hill climb time trial event disguised as a huge outdoor festival and bucket list to-do deep in the English countryside. To properly take it all in, plan on attending all three days and bring charged back-up batteries and extra memory cards for your devices. Ideally a laptop to store it all nightly if you're appetite for speed is ravenous. If it isn't, it will be. The Hill Climb is the central event that the rest of the show follows on either side of the track. The course is 1.6 miles long so plan on walking, a lot. Some nasty blind and off-camber turns greet really fast straights below the main house and well up into the countryside. Y...

It never fails; the 3rd weekend in August is special for a reason and Sunday in particular. Its one thing to see incredible factory production cars, quite another to see examples of greatness from decades or even a century ago that will never be produced again. Cars you've never heard of, never knew existed, and now never can afford. Just to see them up close is a special treat. This year is the 60th annual event and it has raised over 14 million dollars for local, national and international charities. www.pebblebeachconcours.net/ Buy tickets before the show to avoid the same-day mark-up and lines. When you arrive, be sure to park near the posted bus stops and not in a location where there just happens to be cars. Otherwise, it's a long walk to the next stop. Traffic management is pretty good, even arriving late works out well. Be sure to wear walking shoes and even when overcast you can get a sunburn. The paintwork is flawless, the curves R-rated, the bright work perfectly ref...

Recovering from the miserable airport facility a couple years ago, Friday August 13th, 2010 was the second year at the Laguna Seca Golf Ranch in Monterey, CA. As always, there’s a little bit of magic in the air when you have so many exotic cars in one location. Throw in some sunshine, food, excellent vendors and a sprinkling of celebrities and it makes you want to lay down on grass and wiggle a little just like a dog. Okay, maybe that’s just me. Always a recommendation is to go ahead and enter your car in the corral, assuming it’s not an Italian make. There are usually two reasons for this and this year now four reasons. First, it’s a bargain. It covers the cost of two people for the price of one. Second, you can’t beat the parking. Anytime you can picnic at your car in the middle of a car show on a golf course, do it. The more important reasons became apparent this weekend. The traffic back-up from eastbound Highway 68 was nearly five miles long and it took an hour. Make sure you have...

Do you have a favorite exhaust or engine sound? A thunderous domestic V-8? The shriek of a Formula 1 car? The muted roar of a turbocharged powerplant? The big-rig huffing of a massive diesel? My favorite has to be the furious bark of the Global Motorsports Group exhaust installed on the already demonic sounding Porsche Carrera GT. I once heard an '04 CGT being driven after a clutch! replacement. Yes, clutch. The full-throttle howl reminded me of an air raid siren from hell. It was at once obscenely scary yet cool beyond words. This unique system adds 19hp and 16ft lbs of torque at the rear wheels on the dyno. What's another $6,400 on this beast. Click on the video and skip to the 54 second mark. It's THAT good. The mid-mounted 605hp V-10 in Porsche's supercar is a work of automotive art already. Unfortunately having only a 3 model-year run producing 1,270 units, it is quite rare. Some speculate disappointing sales due to it's $440,000 MSRP and not-q...