Friday, October 31, 2014

This Is What the World’s Come to: A Slayer-Modified—Yes, the Metal Band—Scion tC for SEMA

Scion Slayer tC concept

Metal icons Slayer are all about fast, loud, and violent. The gothic-macabre Slayer Scion tC that Toyota will bring to SEMA this year embodies at least two of those qualities, with a skull-festooned aesthetic and an interior crammed full of with audio gear.

The black and red coupe has custom airbrushed skulls on either side and the Slayer eagle logo on the hood. Billet sword blade wheels with menacing spike center caps and ominous red lighting accents dial up the demonic aesthetic outside; that's taken care of in the cabin by a skull shift knob and sword-hilt emergency brake handle. Custom seat inserts mimic the covering on a Marshall amp.

Scion Slayer tC concept

Don't plan on bringing any back-seat passengers, though—as if they'd want to be stuck in the back of a tC anyway—as the Pioneer audio system packs a wall of speakers behind the front seats, while the hatchback opens up to reveal two suspended stacks of Marshall amps. A slide-out tray in the back bumper reveals two guitar jacks. Yes, you can plug directly into this car and use it as a mobile stack while the trunk-mounted 32-inch screen shows whatever your cold, metal heart desires.

Oh, and it's going to rain blood in Vegas: Scion says unspecified Slayer members will be at SEMA to plug into and play through the tC.



Scion Slayer tC concept



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Scion Challenged Three Media Outlets to Build the Ultimate FR-S—These Are the Results

Scion FR-S GT Channel concept
Scion's annual Tuner Challenge, in which three tuners are given a Scion, $15,000, and 90 days to customize the car for the SEMA show, has become something we look forward to every year. For 2014, Scion has changed things up: instead of handing the cars over to tuners, the automaker issued its challenge to three media outlets: Super Street, Speedhunters, and the GT Channel. Just days before the cars (which are intended to take inspiration from the FR-S Release Series 1.0) make their official debut in Vegas, Scion has just provided some information and a slick YouTube video of how each team's ride is coming along.

GT Channel Scion Tuner Challenge FR-S

Scion FR-S GT Channel concept
The GT Channel chose to keep the body of its vinyl-wrapped FR-S mostly stock (i.e.: it didn't fatten it) but it did add a sweet lower body kit, a modest (by SEMA standards) rear wing, and TRD HID headlights. The team also swapped in new taillights, side mirrors, and matte-blue 18-inch wheels. The hood, trunk cover, and rear diffuser are all carbon-fiber pieces. An HKS supercharger kit, a Ganador exhaust system, and a slammed suspension add some go to the Scion's show, while the interior has been dressed with a TRD steering wheel and shift knob, Recaro seats, harnesses, and of course an upgraded sound system.

Speedhunters Scion Tuner Challenge FR-S

Scion FR-S Speedhunters concept
Speedhunters'
entry is old-school in the best way possible. Think of vintage TRD, TRA Kyoto, Trans-Am, pro touring, and muscle cars, and it's difficult not to draw a link. The team's FR-S employs a Cosworth supercharger kit and a 3-inch single exit exhaust, among many other engine upgrades, and a suspension that drops the wide-body Scion down on its custom Rotiform 17-inch wheels. The body gets a new front splitter, fender flares, and hood louvers. The mirrors and door handles have been shorn off, and even the door glass was removed. The interior gets a four-point roll cage, low-back bucket seats, leather upholstery, and a quick-release steering wheel hub.



Super Street Scion Tuner Challenge FR-S

Scion FR-S Super Street concept
The team from Super Street chose to stay close to the overall look and color scheme of the FR-S Release Series 1.0 with its build car, only they cranked up the volume in pretty much every way. The body wears painted carbon-fiber side sill and splitter extensions, hood and trunk, and huge fender flares, all slammed down on top of ultra-wide 18-inch BBS wheels. The interior gets Recaros, a six-point roll cage, a quick-release steering wheel hub, custom upholstery, and massive audio upgrades. Under the hood, the FR-S' boxer four engine gets individual throttle bodies and breathes through a Borla header and cat-back exhaust with quad tips.

2014 SEMA Show full coverage



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Viva La Targa! Scion Chops Part of the Roof Off the FR-S Sports Car for SEMA

Scion FR-S Targa concept
For years, rumors have swirled about Scion building a convertible version of the FR-S. Alas, well into the FR-S' life cycle, such a thing has never appeared, at least not in production form. There was a concept, the FT-86 Open, which Scion parent company Toyota showed last year at the Geneva auto show. And along comes this: a lovely targa-roofed FR-S show car.

Making its debut at the 2014 SEMA show, the "FR-S T1″ was created by Jeremy Lookofsky of Cartel Customs and wears "Azzuro California Blue" and black paint. The roof section over the front passengers is removable, and the (all metal) widened body is dropped over lacy 19-inch forged wheels. The details are just as savory: smoked lights, a perforated grille insert, two small round exterior mirrors, and, a fully integrated rear spoiler. The interior is especially nice, resplendent as it is in creamy leather with black stitching.

Under the skin there is a KW coilover suspension, a GReddy turbocharger(!) kit for the boxer engine, a Wilwood Big Brake kit, a center-exit exhaust, and of course, audio upgrades. But our favorite piece has got to be the amazing black louvers over the rear window—a styling device whose time came and went 30 years ago, and we think, has come again.



Should Scion consider a targa-bodied FR-S? We think so. Porsche just brought back a proper targa version of its vaunted 911, albeit with a heavy and complex motorized roof, and the result is stunning. Even Nissan is reportedly considering a targa-roofed Z. A Scion targa wouldn't need to be so complicated or heavy—keep the lid manually removable and ditch the wide body and we think it's wholly doable.

The only stick in this plan's mud? Toyota says an FR-S roadster would be too expensive to develop and too pricey to be sold as a Scion in the U.S. Let's hope they can find room for this 'tweener targa solution, because it's hot.

Scion FR-S Targa concept

2014 SEMA Show full coverage



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Presenting the Hyper-Flared, DUB-ed Out Toyota Yaris and Sienna You’ve, Uh, Been Waiting For?

Toyota Sienna DUB Edition concept
DUB went for the cupcake and large-loaf ends of Toyota's U.S. product lineup when it came to this year's SEMA project cars. And they chose to travel the widebody route for both the Yaris and Sienna DUB Editions.

The wee Yaris, resplendent in its pearl-white/black livery, features a pair of Mr. Fantastic flares stretched out over a set of 20×10-inch Dropstars wheels wrapped in no-profile Nitto rubber. Filling out the hoops from behind is a TRD Big Brake kit featuring StopTech rotors. Inside, the cheapo chairs have been swapped for racy Sparco units. A roll bar adds a dash of competition look, while a DUB Edition sound system metes out the beats. There's no mention of engine modifications, which means it won't necessarily be any faster than a decent 24 Hours of LeMons racer, despite the zooty look.



Offering less hat but more cattle, the DUB Sienna gets the full VIP-transit treatment, with its flared body dropped low over four 22×10.5-inch TIS wheels backed by the apparently requisite TRD/StopTech brake package. Inside, the van's been slathered in black and white diamond-stitched leather, adorned with an LED ceiling panel for illumination, and outfitted with six Advent headrest monitors to keep the crew occupied during those long DUB City cruises.

Feel free to gaze upon their ferocious girth as long as you like.

Toyota Yaris DUB Edition concept

2014 SEMA Show full coverage



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Name That Shifter, No. 202: 1977 Mazda Cosmo

Name That Shifter

 

1977 Mazda Cosmo

Shifter No 202

On Monday, we presented this week's shifter and asked you to identify the make and model of the vehicle whence it came. Today we have our winner, repeat victor Moshimo, who was the first commenter to correctly identify the stick as belonging to the 1977 Mazda Cosmo.

The Cosmo shown here was featured in our April 1977 issue. Despite being named Car of the Year in Japan, the Cosmo never struck a chord in America. We found it to be a pretty quick little coupe, one that easily revved to 7000 rpm. With a standard five-speed transmission, the Cosmo even eked out a 32-mpg EPA highway fuel-economy estimate. So what wasn't to like? The Cosmo's suspension setup was poor and it looked unpleasant.

1977 Mazda Cosmo Interior

 



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2015 Mazda 3 2.5L Manual Hatchback Tested: Pricey, But Worth It

2015 Mazda 3 2.5L hatchback
Passion and reason are infrequent bedfellows. You know this, right? It's why the Italians earned the stereotype of building cars that set your hair on fire right before they set themselves on fire. So when friends and family ask for car-buying help, we tend to give bad advice. You've got $30,000 to spend? That's a really nice used Porsche Boxster! You need four doors? Oh, then maybe a nice vintage Mercedes-Benz G-wagen? You're also concerned about fuel economy and want a new-car warranty? It's a good thing we both love cheap beer and crappy action movies, because otherwise, this friendship could never last. READ MORE ››



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The Story of Zora Arkus-Duntov, the Bad-Ass Who Made the Corvette an Icon

Zora Arkus-Duntov with 1966 Corvette

Hard-core Corvette fans know Zora Arkus-Duntov and the contributions he bestowed over his two-plus decades at General Motors. Anticipating the arrival of the next-generation C8 Corvette adorned with a ZORA nameplate, we provide this celebration of the life and times of America's answer to Enzo Ferrari and Ferdinand Porsche.

Zora Arkus-Duntov at drafting table

Arkus-Duntov was born in 1909 to wealthy Russian parents studying in Brussels, Belgium. The following year, the Arkus family returned to Saint Petersburg in time to suffer through both World War I and the Russian Revolution. Young Zora, who was mesmerized by anything capable of moving under its own power, showed little interest in school. When the harsh times brought bread rationing, he armed himself with a revolver to safeguard the family's food supply. A firearm also came in handy when a crosstown doctor had to be persuaded to come and care for his ailing mother.

Due to the severe economic conditions, Zora's father Jacques Arkus stayed in the household following divorce and the arrival of stepfather Josef Duntov. Years later, in 1941, Zora finally had sufficient respect for his third parent to change his last name to Arkus-Duntov.

Inspired by Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz grand prix efforts in the 1930s, Arkus-Duntov dabbled in lower-level road racing before and after studying mechanical engineering at the University of Charlottenburg in Berlin. He met some top drivers and engineers but didn't advance his dream of competing at higher levels through those connections.

Zora Arkus-Duntov at Le Mans for Allard

Zora with Allard at Le Mans, for whom he drove in 1952 and 1953.

Watching conditions deteriorate in Germany through the 1930s, especially for those of Jewish descent, Arkus-Duntov and his wife, the former Elfi Wolff, hastily relocated first to Paris and then to America on a freighter converted to passenger service. Both found fortune in their new world—she as a professional dancer, he as a consultant before becoming a war-munitions manufacturer.

Postwar prosperity opened doors to new motorsports opportunities. The "Ardun" overhead-valve cylinder heads Arkus-Duntov manufactured to tune up Ford flathead V-8s were not initially successful, although they eventually became highly prized. After failed Indy 500 attempts, Zora met Sydney Allard, which led to drives at the 1952 and 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans. Mechanical failures doomed both Allard ventures, but Arkus-Duntov's rising prowess as an engineer and driver gained Porsche's attention. He was invited to pilot an 1100-cc 550 Spyder for the factory's visit to the Sarthe, earning a class victory and 14th overall finish in 1954, followed by 13th overall in another 550 Spyder the next year.

Zora Arkus-Duntov at Le Mans in 1960

Zora Arkus-Duntov (foreground) with Frank Burrell and Bill Frick at Le Mans in 1960.

Amazingly, Arkus-Duntov's success on the world endurance-racing stage came after he had joined GM as a development engineer. Upon seeing Harley Earl's Corvette prototype at the 1953 New York Motorama, he was instantly smitten. He unleashed the full brunt of his persuasive powers to convince Chevrolet boss Ed Cole and GM R&D director Maurice Olley that a production Corvette would be a "turning point" for GM and that his contributions could be instrumental in advancing any high-performance automobile's cause.

READ MORE: From the C/D Archives: Our Original 1956 Chevrolet Corvette Road Test 

Convincing Cole only a few weeks after joining GM that driving for Allard at Le Mans was in the company's best interests reveals the depth of Arkus-Duntov's cunning. Seconding that motion in 1955 became the cornerstone for the Corvette/Porsche respect and rivalry that exists to this day.

Zora Arkus-Duntov at Pike's Peak during testing in 1955

Testing at Pikes Peak in 1955 to prove the vitality of the new small-block V-8; Zora set a new sedan-class record in the then-secret 1956 Chevy.

Olley was less convinced that racing relationships with other carmakers were a wise idea. For punishment, he dispatched the Russian to the proving grounds to work on trucks. Cole had other ideas. After reading Arkus-Duntov's memo pointing out how the hot-rod movement might help Chevrolet reach younger buyers, he gave his rabble rouser a challenging project: developing the fuel injection scheduled for introduction on the 1957 model year Chevrolet V-8. Building on existing Mercedes-Benz 300SL technology, Arkus-Duntov devised a means of measuring the mass of incoming airflow instead of using the SL's simpler speed-density approach.

Unfortunately, Corvette sales were faltering and GM was pondering the early retirement of its sports car. Arkus-Duntov stepped in at the last moment to save the Corvette and to recast it as Chevrolet's halo vehicle. His views won broad internal respect and the job of evolving the Corvette from a fashionable, gutless two-seater into a world-class sports car.

His new authority only encouraged Arkus-Duntov's speed exploits. He broke a couple of Pikes Peak records in a disguised Chevy sedan, and he topped 150 mph in a slightly modified Corvette at Daytona Beach in 1956. That success set the stage for a long run of experimental projects, which fed yearly performance improvements to production Corvettes.

1957 Chevrolet Corvette SS Race Car piloted by Zora Arkus-Duntov

1957 Chevrolet Corvette SS race car with Zora behind the wheel.

The 1957 Corvette SS originated a badge that Chevrolet still uses today. This purpose-built sports racer taught Arkus-Duntov an important lesson when it failed after only 23 laps at the 12 Hours of Sebring: that the best way to avoid cooking the driver is to mount the engine behind the cockpit. He earned his first real title at General Motors—Chevrolet's director of high performance—later that year.

READ MORE: From the C/D Archives: Our Original 1959 Corvette Road Test

Taking that job seriously, Arkus-Duntov and his team created five mid-engine experimental cars to explore independent suspension designs, all-wheel drive, large-displacement V-8s, rotary engines, and aluminum body construction. He earned a patent for a new 4WD arrangement and nearly won approval to move the Corvette's transmission rearward circa 1960.

Zora Arkus-Duntov with 1960 Chevrolet CERV I show car

With the 1960 CERV I show car.

Arkus-Duntov had to be an astute politician to rebuff internal forces that persistently drove Corvette in fruitless directions. R&D boss Frank Winchell constructed one prototype with a V-8 hanging out the back. Ed Cole and John DeLorean both suggested two-plus-two Corvettes. The magnificent split-window coupe, which Bill Mitchell's design department created for the 1963 model year, was despised by Arkus-Duntov because of its impaired rear visibility and prodigious aerodynamic lift. He got rid of the glass partition after only one model year but never fully resolved the midyear (1963–67) Corvette's poor aero performance.

Arkus-Duntov did score major wins with engineering advancements such as stiffer frames, independent rear suspension, and disc brakes. Power and performance climbed thanks to fuel injection, multiple carburetors, large V-8s, and tougher four-speed transmissions. The second-generation Corvettes he masterminded not only sold well, they earned GM profits.

READ MORE: 1971 Corvettes: C/D and Zora Arkus-Duntov Compare the Entire Range

These accomplishments came in spite of modest engineering resources thanks to Arkus-Duntov's ability to inspire his small team. According to Corvette development engineer Roy Sjoberg, who later became the Dodge Viper's chief engineer, "Zora got your emotions involved and when that occurred, your commitment followed ad infinitum." Years later, Ed Cole noted, "Zora managed to bootleg more things through Chevrolet than any other engineer I've ever known." To throw him a bone, GM finally gave Arkus-Duntov the Corvette chief engineer title in 1967.

Zora Arkus-Duntov and Patrick Bedard with 1971 Corvettes

Zora and our own Patrick Bedard surveying 1971 Corvettes for this story.

The midyear Corvette chassis was such a stride forward that it supported the C3 generation for another 15 model years under Mitchell's mako shark–inspired bodywork. That was not Arkus-Duntov's intention. The mid-engine layout he longed for never reached fruition during his career for a host of reasons. Detractors insisted that Corvette fans didn't want it and wouldn't understand it. Sales were strong with the technology in hand. Engineering costs were also an issue; a new transaxle just for Corvettes would be expensive. When Arkus-Duntov reached the age of mandatory retirement in 1975, the glimmer of Chevy's halo faded until a reengineered C4 finally arrived for the 1984 model year.

Departure from GM didn't end Arkus-Duntov's sensitivity to any harsh word spoken against Corvettes. Following a column I wrote in 1979, which characterized that car's rear suspension as "ill-conceived," he sued Car and Driver for defamation of character. The fact that his name wasn't mentioned in the article and that his Corvette responsibilities had ended four years earlier made no difference in Arkus-Duntov's mind. The suit was eventually dismissed.

Zora Arkus-Duntov and Patrick Bedard

Zora with Bedard in 1977.


Arkus-Duntov's use of cigarettes as a fashion accessory eventually caught up with him. After surviving prostate surgery in 1967 and a stroke in 1969, he contracted lung cancer in 1995, even though he had given up smoking years earlier. He died in 1996.

The legacy of the man who championed Corvettes in general and a mid-engine version in particular will live forever when C8s hit the road with a ZORA—or ZoRa1—badge prominently displayed.

Many details in this story were sourced from author Jerry Burton's insightful Zora Arkus-Duntov: The Legend Behind Corvette, by Bentley Publishers.



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Ford’s Expeditions for SEMA Are Just Silly (Except the One We Actually Like)

2015 Ford Expedition Dub Edition for SEMA

We thought that tinted SUVs on oversize rims were as passé as the idea of showing music videos on MTV. But, wouldn't you know it, DUB Magazine is still in print ("If it ain't on some 24s then it ain't my sh*t," proclaims the latest cover story) and Ford still makes an SUV that looks like it did in 2007. Boom—perfect fit.

Ford is bringing trio of tricked-out 2015 Expeditions to SEMA next week in Las Vegas, its first show of customized affection for the body-on-frame behemoth since Funkmaster Flex rolled out a factory-special Expedition in—wait for it—yep, 2007. First up is the DUB Edition Expedition, which, in typical DUB fashion, has ginormous wheels, zero suspension travel, a heavy tint, and TV screens. Along with those bluish-gray six-spokes (which would be pretty hot in a size smaller than 26 inches), the DUB Edition brings remote-controlled LED interior lighting and a center console that extends to the rear seats complete with "motorized hidden boxes" for storing "watches" (uh huh, right). We will take, however, the Borla exhaust, the larger brakes, and integrated radar detector.

2015 Ford Expedition Tjin Edition for SEMA

Next is the Tjin Edition Expedition, which lowers and stances the truck to the extreme, with reworked fenders hiding metallic-pumpkin-color wheels. Tjin performed a similar body mod on a 2015 Honda Fit that will also be at the show. Also on tap is a Vortech intercooler, MagnaFlow exhaust that exits out the side, and additional tuning that ups the EcoBoost V-6 from 365 horsepower to a solid 405. As low as it sits, the Tjin Edition has a trailer hitch and supposedly can tow something thanks to an air suspension that lifts the truck up to more usable heights.

2015 Ford Expedition XLT by Vaccar



Our favorite SEMA Expedition is the one modified by Aaron Vaccar, which riffs on the big Ford's four-wheel-drive bones. A lift kit, knobby off-road tires, brush guard, and spring-loaded side steps look the business. The no-nonsense white and gray color scheme and open roof carrier suggest this is an Expedition that could actually travel on an expedition. The only interior upgrade Ford mentioned was a silver suede-like material for the seats. Tasteful. Ford should offer some of these parts as accessories, starting now.

2014 SEMA Show full coverage



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Green Sell: Russian Billionaire Buys Majority Stake in the Nürburgring

Nurburgring

Germany's legendary Nürburgring has a new owner, again: Wirtschafts Woche, a German business newspaper, reports that Russian billionaire Viktor Charitonin has just taken over two-thirds of the partnership that owns the 'Ring. The ever-shifting ownership of the iconic racetrack continues.

Charitonin has reportedly taken over the two-thirds stake previously being pursued by Capricorn, a German automotive component supplier that won a last-minute €77 million bid for the 'Ring in March. Capricorn chief Robertino Wild is beset by financial problems that include the reported double-mortgage of his real estate and collection of fine art, and his company reportedly couldn't meet the financial obligations of its agreement.

GetSpeed, the one-third partner in the Nürburgring deal, is having financial problems of its own. After making the first payment of €5 million earlier this year, the company is now facing scrutiny by German financial officials.

Wirtschafts Woche reports that Charitonin has already made the next two payments required under the deal Capricorn struck with the German government. That's good news, as the German government previously indicated it would not provide for the 'Ring's operation costs or staff wages if Capricorn fell behind financially.



But the fate of the famous circuit is still very much up in the air. Charitonin made his billions with Roman Abramovich and Evgeny Shvidler in Pharmstandard, Russia's largest pharmaceutical supplier. The oligarch seems to be a gearhead, running a 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K in this year's Mille Miglia. But given the Nürburgring's unpredictable saga over the past few years, Green Hell fans probably aren't breathing any easier just yet.



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