関西峠最速決定戦 決勝Race rolling start

                        

1985 Nissan 200SX Turbo - Heart Breaker

It's All About Enjoying Car Life!

From the June, 2010 issue of Super Street

By Sean Klingelhoefer

Photography by Sean Klingelhoefer

 

 

I'm going to go out on a whim and guess that most of you don't even know what kind of car you're looking at right now. I'll save you the trip to the spec box and spill the beans now: it's an S12 Nissan 200SX, the precursor to the venerable 240SX that has become synonymous with our scene. With all the improvements and parts available for S13/14 chassis it has become extremely rare to see anyone with the balls to mess with a 200SX. I've seen a fair share of modified examples on the Web, but when I came across Henry Nguyen's car I knew instantly that it was the best S12 I had ever seen.

While in San Francisco to cover the Wekfest show, I decided it was worth the hour-and-a-half trek south to Gilroy to get the inside scoop. I was almost immediately greeted by a skinny Asian kid with a grin from ear to ear. He politely introduced himself as Henry and extended a grease-covered hand for me to shake. Henry explained to me that he had literally just finished working on the car to get it ready for me to shoot, an affair that left him sleepless the night before.

I had caught Henry right before lunch so I insisted that he finish his McDonald's burger while I examined the car in the driveway. The first thing you'll notice about the car is that it is insanely low. We're talking shakotan street scraper low (that means "low car" literally). The tire-to-fender clearance rivals that of valve lash tolerances. I thought to myself "Jesus, how does this kid drive the car without the fenders eating the tires?" and when I went in for a closer inspection I realized he can't. Perched less than a millimeter above the tire, the front fenders have been thoroughly burned by the tires and have become a beautiful brownish color with bits of rubber decorating the very edge.

 

Just getting an S12 this low is a feat in and of itself. It takes more than a credit card and a trip to an online parts store to put one of these in the weeds. As Henry confirmed "there's absolutely no aftermarket for the S12" so he had to pave his own path. Using an array of S13 parts Henry began to piece the car together hacking, cutting and welding his way to a lower car. As a matter of fact it was suspension work that had kept Henry up the night before. He was installing a set of SPL tension rods for an S13 onto his car; problem is the S12 tension rod has a stud on the end that secures through the bracket with a nut while the S13 tension rod is an eye-type connection with a bolt and nut combo to secure it. About halfway through the explanation of his troubles he disappeared into his garage and immerged smiling and holding a jagged piece of metal that he had cut off only hours before.

The coolest part about this car is that the owner didn't give up in spite of all the odds against this car. When the stock motor died Henry decided to swap in a KA24 from an S13, a motor most 240 owners would gladly throw away. But as the saying goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure. Making custom mounts using hockey pucks for bushings, Henry was able to shoehorn the KA into the S12. In order to utilize the 5-speed transmission from the KA without making a custom driveshaft he mated the front half of an S13 driveshaft to an S12 tailshaft. This inventive thinking continues throughout the car.

While the inside looks fairly spartan there was a lot of work involved to get the car where it is. Take the Bride seat fixed in the cockpit that's worth more than the car itself. Since no aftermarket unit was available Henry had to modify the stock seat rails to get the bucket in the car. The steering wheel with its NAMCO horn button and distinct five-bolt pattern are a dead giveaway that someone jacked it straight off an Initial D arcade game. Rounding out the interior is a funny-looking ghost hanging off the oh-shit handle in the back.

 

 

When I questioned Henry about the ghost I was very surprised to find out it wasn't a meaningless accoutrement. As it turns out the ghost is what the Japanese refer to as a teru-teru-bozu and it's an interesting tool used for superstition. The amulet is thought to have special powers that bring good weather and are particularly useful for stopping rain. I couldn't help but smile at the appropriateness of this decoration given Norcal's climate where the weather can change in the blink of an eye. Literally no more than twenty minutes before I shot a photo of the ghost the rain was coming down in sheets and I thought I'd have to call the shoot off altogether.

When it came time to wrap up the shoot I told Henry that I wanted to get a couple photos of him with the car since his personality was bleeding from it. I asked him how he wanted to be photographed and he looked at me puzzled and said "I don't know, what do people normally do?" I told him to just do whatever he felt comfortable doing and after a minute of thinking he asked "how about I get in the back seat?" I laughed because it was ingenious, it was different and creative and the answer was there the whole time - yet in the seven some odd years I've never once had someone think of the idea. It was almost a metaphor for the car in a single photo.

Shooting Henry's car and seeing the enthusiasm he has for tuning was really a great experience. It has inspired me to get back to having fun and enjoying my car and working on it. While in San Francisco I was fortunate enough to meet some of the other guys in Heartbreaker, his "club" if you will, and they all live by the same mindset, "having good friends, looking good and having fun!" If that's not a motto to live by I don't know what is.

Tuning Menu

1985 Nissan 200SX Turbo
Owner Henry Nguyen
Hometown Gilroy, CA
Occupation Student

Engine 2.4L naturally-aspirated KA24DE; Walbro 255lph fuel pump; custom intake, exhaust with Aspec blast pipes tip, oil catch tank; T.Pro's header; NGK plugs and wires; Mishimoto S13 radiator; hockey puck motor mounts; Top Speed aluminum crank pulley

Drivetrain Nissan 71C 5-speed transmission; ACT stage 2 clutch; solid construction urethane filled transmission and differential mounts; S13 front drive shaft mated to S12 tailshaft

Footwork & Chassis Powered by Max S13 coilovers; 10kg/mm spring front, 450lb spring rear; Day Motorsports weld-on threaded perch for rear spring; S13/Z31 Energy Suspension and Prothane urethane bushings throughout; S13 SPL tension rods; S13 front lower control arms, S13 front knuckle and hub; A1 S13 conversion tie rod ends; PBM steering rack spacer; ARP wheel studs

Brakes Infiniti Q45 2 piston front calipers; Hawk pads

Wheels & Tires
15X7'' -1 (front) 15X9'' -27 (rear) SSR Longchamp XR4 wheels; 195/55/15 BF-Goodrich G-Force Sport tires (front); 205/50/15 Falken Ziex 512 tires (rear); 8mm spacer for front wheels

Exterior OEM paint, Turbo model side skirts and rear wing, SE V6 lip; rolled and pulled fenders

Interior Bride Vios 3 seat; modified stock seat rail to accept Bride seat; HKS mechanical water temp and oil pressure gauges; SEGA/NAMCO arcade steering wheel; NISMO ball shift knob; battleship grey paint; S13 rearview mirror; Razor scooter grip covered e-brake handle

Thanks you Cecilia Vo, my Mom for letting me ruin the garage, Trinh Phan for reluctantly letting me work on my car instead of taking her out, Yuta Akaishi, Sterling Picton, Hung Pham, Gabe Nguyen, Francis Estrada, Grayson Yokota, Matt Garrisson, Joe Mendes, HEARTBREAKER! If I forgot you, then you too!

www ssr-wheels.com; tees-usa.com (Bride); gtfactory.jp (Powered by Max); http://jumbosandbox.blogspot.com (Henry's blog)

http://www.superstreetonline.com/featuredvehicles/sstp_1006_1985_nissan_200_sx_turbo/index.html

 

drift drifting japan NANAIRO DRIFT PARTY 2010 那那維路ドリフト走行会

Toyota Supra Ride Makes Girls Tit Pop Out

Rauh Welt Porsche 930 Stella Artois

1998 Mazda RX-7 (FD3S) "Hurricane 7"

RE Amemiya’s Latest RX-7 Is Ready to Rock You Like a Hurricane

From the August, 2011 issue of Super Street

By Dino Dalle Carbonare

With a lifetime’s worth of experience in pushing the rotary engine to its max, Isami Amemiya has set himself an all-new challenge for 2011. Over the years, his tuning shop, RE Amemiya has dominated nearly every motorsport they’ve competed in, from Super GT to D1, not to mention the blistering fast street machines that we’ve featured many times over. They have shown they are capable of building powerful yet responsive cars while always maintaining overall balance, but now it’s time to step their game up and show the Time Attack crowd what they are truly capable of. It took all of 2010 and many hours of hard work but Amemiya-san got there in the end, unveiling his latest creation at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon. The Hurricane 7 is the most extreme FD3S RX-7 he has ever created and it’s built only for one thing, braking records!

You won’t find the Hurricane 7 lapping circuits like Tsukuba; that’s because they’ve "been there" and "done that", and what’s more exciting than moving up to more challenging venues? While shooting the car at Amemiya’s Tokyo workshop, we had a quick chat with the man himself, where he explained in his colorful and unmistakable Chiba-ben, or Chiba accent, that this RX-7 has been specifically set up to challenge international circuits within Japan, places like Fuji Speedway, Suzuka and Okayama. Ama-san, as he is know in the JDM world, goes on to explain that these sorts of layouts not only put a car through its paces from a handling point of view, but they also demand power and balance to achieve special times. This is precisely what he is shooting for; he wants the Hurricane 7 to be able to reach Super GT qualifying times. It’s quite the goal, but one we are sure he can achieve. Let’s take a closer look at what makes this widebody RX-7 so special.


Ama-san got to work on the stripped-out shell right after the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon. He approached the whole build much like he would have with one of his race cars, by reinforcing the weakest areas of the chassis; this meant fabricating a custom rollcage, that braces at A-pillars and countless other strategic points. Air jacks were also fitted, since time attack cars spend a lot of time in the pits having tires changed and suspension settings varied, they would simplify the process while saving precious time. Small stiffening bars in the engine bay add stiffness around the firewall while the front half of the wheel tubs were cut, allowing access to the suspension components. With the chassis prep finished, the shell was sent off to the paint booth to have a few coats of sky-blue sprayed on, a color that we’ve seen used regularly on RE builds—a signature move, if you will.

With the overall theme set to top new extremes, the body had to look pretty special, more so than the usual Amemiya flair, which is why it was fitted with a modified version of their Super GT GT-300 kit. The wider dimensions add plenty of aggression, allowing the front and rear tracks to be increased for improved handling. The simple and functional design starts at the front with the bumper, which now has a protruding lip spoiler to help generate more downforce. The V-mounted radiator and intercooler are supplied with plenty of air through the gaping front opening while the side intakes help cool a pair of oil coolers. A menacing look is achieved thanks to the front-fixed IPF projectors and the slab-sided wider fenders, hinting that this car means serious business—like Sam Du’s new hairdo. The lower part of the rear bumper was cut and modified so the massive diffuser could be mounted, and air outlets on the fenders help pull air out from under the car. The adjustable GT-wing has been set higher to take advantage of the air coming over the roof of the car. To help further reduce weight on the body, the factory rear hatch was replaced with a fiberglass piece that’s also been outfitted with Lexan windows. Ama-san has imposed himself a rather conservative tire size of 265/35/18, which is the most commonly-used spec on his customer’s street cars. The semi-slick ADVAN A050s are fitted to lightweight 18x10" Enkei GTC01 wheels. Ride height might look a little on the high side, but the suspension had been set like this while the car was in its build process. Expect slammage by the time you read this.

Minimalism is the theme for the interior, a stark contrast to the crazy exterior work. Amemiya bolted in his special-edition Bride buckets for the lucky two who get to take this for a spin. The carbon-look dashboard adds an additional touch of blue and is equipped with a MoTeC LCD data logger, custom switches and M7 gauges. The transmission tunnel hints that something special lurks within, the billet aluminum lever is there to actuate the lightning-fast Hewland sequential gearbox, the same one used on an older GT-300 racecar, with a few other levers and controllers to adjust things like brake balance or placing the car into reverse. Koseki-san of Scoot, an ex-F1 engineer and creator of the mighty 4-rotor Scoot RX-7, was called in to assist with the suspension and suggested Ama-san to go with a set of 3-way adjustable Quantum race dampers matched to a set of Swift springs. Koseki-san then set up the Scoot Ride Height Control (RHC), a leveling system that helps keep the car completely flat through turns, cornering and exiting so it can maximize grip at all times. Brakes were the next step, so 6-pot AP Racing calipers were placed up front while the new RE Amemiya 4-pots take control of the rear; all of the brake discs are slotted 2-piece rotors with a floating bell, which is cooled by custom brake ducting.

With the goals of optimal balance between torque and outright power Ama-san had in mind, he knew that a 13B just wasn’t going to be enough; instead, this needed something funkier, something to the sweet groove of a triple-rotor 20B. But this ain’t your ordinary 20B (as if we can call a 20B ordinary?); this engine was built with three 13B rotor housings, each one specially side-ported in order to extract a balanced amount of power and mid-range grunt. 13B rotors were then thrown in and the engine was sealed up with 20B intermediate and side housings, as well as the 20B eccentric shaft. A custom exhaust manifold was fabricated, and mated to the Trust T88-34D turbine that was chosen for the project. A full 90mm front pipe and titanium race exhaust not only help reduce weight but also allow the Hurricane 7 to growl at full blast. With the Trust intercooler lying flat in the engine bay, its piping was kept as short as possible to help its throttle response. Ama-san plans to map out the MoTeC M800 so it can make peak power around the 600hp mark, concentrating also on making it very responsive in the midrange so the car can be as street driveable as possible.


The RE Amemiya Hurricane 7 is set to run a series of shakedown tests at Fuji Speedway so the suspension and ECU mapping can be dialed in, all of which should have been completed well before you’ve read this story. Then, as we’ve heard on Bravo, it’s all "oh, here go hell come", which means, let’s see how fast this mother is going to be. With cars clocking in 1:42 laptimes currently at Fuji, the Hurricane 7 has plenty of work to do. The JDM tuning world is anxiously awaiting to see if it will be able to match Super GT times. Can it? Only time will tell…

Read more: http://www.superstreetonline.com/featuredvehicles/sstp_1109_1998_mazda_rx_7_fd3s_hurricane_7/viewall.html#ixzz1bRnyjB3k

Nissan Skylines from way back

1974 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-X and 1972 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT - Low And Slow

For this edition of Back In The Day, we bring you a special pair of Skylines. Since this issue is geared towards the stance craze, it only seemed right to show some love for some of the foremost purveyors of the style—Fatlace. Since coining the term "Hellaflush" these guys from the Bay Area have done a lot to advance the scene and broadcast dumped cars all across the Internet.

In the left corner, wearing bronze Volks, we have Mark Arcenal’s Hakosuka. One of the most popular bodystyles of the Skyline and the first generation ever to wear the GT-R badge, the Hakosuka, or "box Skyline" is a legendary car. Rather than trying to update the vintage KGC10 Mark decided to embrace its roots and keep the car classic. The first order of business was to get the car as low as possible and throw on some stylish rollers.

Mark picked up the car as a stock GT-R clone from the guys at Right Hand Drive Japan. Within one week’s time he had the car torn down for some modifications to make the car a little more unique. Although he could have focused on generating more power, Mark opted to focus on aesthetics as he found performance to be a vain effort. "Sure you can go faster, but it [still] won’t keep up with a newer car," Mark explains.

In order to get the car a little closer to the ground, Mark was able to source some Eibach coilovers for the front and coupled them with a pair of JDM Toyoshima Lowered rear shocks and springs. The noticeable drop in height adds to the allure of the skyline and the recently offered TE37V wheels from Volk help the Hakosuka look the part of a vintage racer. In order to accommodate the wider footwear, Arcenal added some GT-R style fender flares that sit nicely atop the Toyo rubber.

　

To complete the race car demeanor Mark added a GT-R front lip and racing headlight covers—pieces that he gathered while on a business trip in Japan. The final step on the exterior was removal of the factory chrome bumpers, a popular weight reduction modification in Japan. The result is a simple sled that looks downright sinister while cruising the streets of San Francisco. There’s no denying the street cred that accompanies a slammed RHD JDM classic.

In the right corner, wearing gunmetal Wats, we have Felix Marcelino’s Kenmeri. Although not as popular (or common) as the Hakosuka, the Kenmeri has a cult following of its own. Due to the gas crisis in the ‘70s, less than 200 GT-R versions of the Kenmeri were built, making it an extremely rare and valuable car. However lower-end models aren’t too difficult to track down and Nissan even produced a Datsun version of the car for foreign markets—a first for the Skyline chassis.

 Also on the agenda was a low ride and a sick set of wheels. Felix opted to run Toyoshima Lowered suspension on all four corners to achieve a lower ride, but in retrospect Marcelino would recommend coilovers stating, "the ride is pretty bouncy." Once hunkered-down, Felix popped a set of timeless RS Watanabe wheels on the Kenmeri, housed by a set of GT-R style flares. The deep barrels and low-key flavor match up perfectly with the styling of the body, creating a classy look.

"You could do a lot more to [these cars], but why?" Mark asks, "Keeping it classy and classic is the way to go." We definitely couldn’t agree more. When you have a piece of JDM history at your disposal why wouldn’t you embrace it? We love these Skylines for what they are, and what they represent. The Beastie Boys probably said it best—"low and slow, that is the tempo."

From the October, 2011 issue of Super Street

By Sean Klingelhoefer

Read more: http://www.superstreetonline.com/featuredvehicles/sstp_1110_1974_nissan_skyline_2000_gt_x_1972_nissan_skyline_2000_gt/viewall.html#ixzz1aQTJycWH

Drift King's personal NSX-R - VTEC CLUB - Best Motoring International

Nissan Tuned Z Face Off - Hot Version International

2000 Nissan S15 Silvia Spec R - The Instant Gentleman

Unique Styling is Everything with Super Made.

Styles come and go, but nowhere does the statement hold truer than in the world of drifting. Every other week, a new trend is born; that new style becomes distinctive, but having said that, those ideas don’t always stick. Innovations don’t come easy and getting your peers to accept trends can be tough—just ask Takanori Yoshida. From his workshop at Super Made in Osaka, Japan, he’s created some of the most distinct drift cars their country has ever seen. A couple years back in was his SR20-powered Y34 Gloria; this year, at the Tokyo Auto Salon, he rolled in with the "Instant Gentleman" S15 Silvia, running with, of all things, undersized 15-inch wheels. Needless to say, the drift community went B-A-N-A-N-A-S. So what sets Yoshida-san’s style apart from the rest? We hopped on an Osaka-bound shinkansen to find out.

As Yoshida tells us, there are two basic prerequisites that a dorisha (drift car) needs to satisfy if it’s going to be classified as "cool." Stance and, most importantly, offset. Making the car sit right is key but on this Silvia, he came with a slightly different approach. Staying true to the roots of drifting is something that Super Made strives to do; even their D1 Grand Prix Onevia shows a very different style from all the pro-drift cars on the circuit. They keep it simple, and most of all, cheap. This is what led Yoshida to convert his S15’s hubs to that of the 4-lug off a S13. This conversion now allows him to use smaller diameter wheels, the added bonus being that he can pick from a wide variety of old school kicks (wheels), like the set of Work Equip 03s he’s on now. Well, that, and now money can be more well spent on tires for drifting.

The fat sidewalls work on the S15, making it instantly recognizable as a dorisha, also thanks to the Instant Gentleman aero that’s fitted onto the body. The low-slung front bumper is made to sit even closer to the ground thanks to a pair of side-under canards while a series of openings were cut out to help increase airflow to the engine. The wide front fenders feature an AMG Benz-inspired vent which reveals the red candy paint that the front section of the chassis has been painted with. Deeper profiled side-skirts are joined by Super Made underskirts, which mimic the front canards to help make the car seem even lower. Yoshida picked Origin rear overfenders to pump the car’s rear width and made sure they were a perfect match to the -10 offset of the Equip wheels. The Instant Gentleman lightweight trunk lid and lip spoiler help create a very distinctive rear end, matching the lines of the rear bumper, which are fitted with Super Made under spoilers. A final exterior touch is a 326 Power roof spoiler.

Yoshida spends all his free time drifting, either at night on deserted roads or at track events, so the S15’s suspension has plenty of upgrades. It’s super low and looks super sick, all thanks to a fully adjustable 326 Power damper kit that uses ultra stiff springs and camber plates to tune the front wheels with an extra serving of negative camber. Super Made installed their own steering knuckles to increase steering angle, then added tension rods and stiffer bushings to really tighten up the entire driving feel. The smaller wheels, unfortunately, don’t allow for a big brake upgrade, so the stock brakes were simply upgraded with slotted Apex rotors and Project Mu brake pads.

The engine comes next, and while it’s pumping out a modest 400hp, it wasn’t just bolting on a bigger turbo and calling it a day. No, with a drift car, it’s wise to strengthen it for high revving/rev-limiter-bouncing abuse. The SR20DET’s head was pulled so a HKS Step 2 upgrade with valve springs, retainers and specially coated rockers arms could be installed. Yoshida kept the stock cams for better response in lower rpm, but a nice T518Z-10 from Trust was bolted on, which, at 1.5-bar, spools up quick, adding torque in the midrange. The exhaust is extremely free-flowing now as a full Super Made exhaust leads from the front pipe down to the muffler, not a catalytic converter in sight. Yoshida was able to save more scratch by picking up a used Blitz intercooler off Yahoo.jp’s auction site, which allowed him to invest wisely in a NISMO fuel pump and 800cc SARD injectors. An A’PEXi Power FC is used to keep everything running smoothly, making full use of the engine’s available potential. With the rigors of drifting inevitable, the drivetrain needed an upgrade as well, so an Exedy single-plate clutch and 2-way ATS limited slip differential were installed.

Opening the driver side door reveals a very subtly tuned interior with only drift-car essentials. The stock driver’s seat has been wisely removed for a Bride Zeta II to hold Yoshida tightly in place when tackling corners sideways. The steering wheel is another Yahoo auctions score, a deeply cupped, Alcantara-wrapped piece that we wouldn’t mind having ourselves. No need for gauges every which way you look; an A’PEXi Power FC Commander and a Blitz boost controller are all Yoshida needs to tap into his SR20. The Blitz boost controller is within easy sight mounted atop the steering column and happens to doubles up as a boost gauge.

It’s been Super Made’s on-going battle to keep drifting close to its roots, yet it has also helped them to spawn their unique style while doing so. True, the styles do come and go, but Super Made is going to make sure they’re on top of what’s hot.

From the September, 2011 issue of Super Street

By Dino Dalle Carbonare

Read more: http://www.superstreetonline.com/featuredvehicles/sstp_1110_2000_nissan_s15_silvia_spec_r/viewall.html#ixzz1ZO3SuJvm

Onboard with Sasha Anis - CSCS Lap Record - 1:13.945

World's Greatest Drag Race!

Masturbate while driving 60 mph

I take driving pretty seriously. It could because I'm a die hard car enthusiast who really enjoys every time I get into a car. I don't believe in distractions like cell phones, GPS, i-pod etc... I go fucking bonkers when people are dicking around with these misleading gadgets, when they should be watching road!!!

This young lady seems very distracted...

...and driving me bonkers, in a good way!

2011 Nissan 370Z GT Edition (U.K)

Before the Datsun 240Z burst onto the scene more than four decades ago, the sports car was preserve of Europe and America. Until that point, Japan’s motor industry hadn’t contemplated anything as bold. But that classic rear-wheel drive ‘Z’ showed Nissan was a quick learner and it instantly captured the imagination of sports car enthusiasts all over the world.

The spirit of that pioneering ‘Z’ lives on in the latest 370Z. Like the 240Z, the 370 – launched in 2009 – is powered by a six-cylinder engine and provides genuine excitement thanks to its performance oriented rear-wheel drive chassis. Like its forebear, its name indicates the size of engine under the bonnet: the original had 2.4-litres while the 370′s V6 power pack displaces 3.7-litres.
But times change. Where the 240Z made do with 150bhp, the 370Z has more than double that, while 40 years of chassis development mean the latest version has levels of ride comfort, handling ability and safety that the original could only dream about.

And it’s just got better. The latest 370Z, the GT Edition, offers more for less. As well as 19inch RAYS forged alloy wheels in place of 18inch wheels, special body colours and unique GT stripes, the GT Edition actually costs less than the standard car.

As the name implies, the GT Edition highlights Nissan’s presence in GT racing on the world stage. As well as its continuing commitment to Super GT in Japan, Nissan has been one of the leading lights in the new GT1 World Championship, winning the prestigious Tourist Trophy in 2010 with the fearsome GT-R. The Nissan Z family has been a race winner in the FIA GT4 European Cup since its inception and competes annually in various 24 hour races – the highlight being the Nürburgring 24 hours.

The Nissan 370Z GT4 Cup race car has raced toe to toe against competition from Aston Martin, Porsche and BMW across Europe in the real world while it is also the racing gamers’ vehicle of choice in the virtual world.

An innovative link with Gran Turismo 5 game for PlayStation® 3 has seen cyber racers compete against each other to win a drive in a real 370Z GT4 cup car. The 2011 GT Academy series is about to start with on-line gamers ready to swap the virtual world for the real thing.

The best will become part of the Nissan GT Academy, a motor racing ladder that could take top drivers from local series through the European Blancpain Endurance series right the way to international GT1 World Championship.

 The 370 GT Edition recognizes its heritage with a nod to the 1970s and the birth of the original Z car: special side stripes.

Grey ‘GT’ stripes running along the flanks of the car contrast with the each of the special edition’s three body colors – metallic black, pearl white and Black Rose, the latter shade exclusive to GT Edition. The exterior is set off by the standard 19inch RAYS forged alloy wheels, which are finished in a dramatic anthracite colour.

The GT Edition introduces a number of significant suspension and equipment improvements which have also been adopted by the standard Coupe. In deference to the higher average speeds routinely enjoyed in Europe, the changes have been engineered by technicians from Nissan Technical Center Europe (NTCE). The principal modification has been to re-tune the dampers to provide the ideal balance between ride comfort and high-speed handling.

Equipment changes include the arrival of a rear view parking camera as part of the Nissan Premium Connect satellite navigation option and the standard fitment of a tire pressure monitoring system. The advanced seven-speed automatic option now has a snow mode which, when applied, sets the car off in second gear and controls engine revs to prevent wheel spin on ice or snow. Refinement is enhanced by revisions to underbody insulation to reduce road noise.

Unchanged is the 370Z’s exceptional 3.7-liter V6 engine. A development of the unit that powered the 350Z, the all-alloy 24-valve twin cam not only develops more power and torque but is also more response, more refined and more fuel efficient.

The addition of VVEL (Variable Valve Event and Lift) technology helps deliver electrifying performance, the engine developing 328PS and an impressive 363Nm of torque. It is coupled to a short throw six-speed sports manual gearbox or a seven-speed automatic.

When in S-Mode, the manual transmission features Nissan’s Synchro Rev Control to ensures perfect rev matching when the driver is changing gear, delivering perfect ‘heel and toe’ changes every time.
Sensors on the clutch and on the gear lever itself monitor driver actions to blip the throttle on down shifts and maintain constant engine revs when changing up. As the sensors detect clutch pedal movement, the SRC system is primed, coming into operation when the gear lever is moved. By matching this information to vehicle speed, SRC knows whether the driver is slowing for a corner or changing up through the ‘box.
Downshift Rev Matching is a feature on the automatic gearbox, too, which also has Adaptive Shift Control which learns a driving style and adjust shift patterns accordingly.

The 370Z’s chassis is a car enthusiast’s dream: double wishbone front suspension and a multi-link rear end makes the most of Nissan’s agile FM (Front Midships) rear-drive platform.

With a shorter wheelbase, wider track and stiffer shell than its predecessor, the 370Z has starred on track as well as on road. The innovative GT Academy programme takes computer gamers who have become Gran Turismo experts on PlayStation 3 and turns them into real race drivers. Now in its third season, winners will again race for a place on the grid in a GT4 race prepared 370Z at the Dubai 24 hours in January 2012 and, perhaps, on to the GT pinnacle, GT1.

Be assured that this is the real thing. Inaugural GT Academy champion Lucas Ordoñez will race in the Le Mans 24 hours with a Nissan-powered Le Mans Prototype car. Ordonez said:
"Two and a half years ago I was at home racing on the PlayStation. I’m now a racing driver thanks to PlayStation and Nissan. I can’t wait to race at the most famous race in the world in June for the SIGNATEC NISSAN team; it really is a dream come true. "
"The 370Z is an iconic sports car and the GT Edition underlines its appeal to enthusiasts everywhere,"said Pierre Loing, Vice President Product Planning, Nissan International SA.
"The combination of outstanding performance and the dramatic looks of this very special 370Z more than lives up to the heritage of its illustrious forebear while its strong links to the race track shows its true pedigree."

http://www.japanesesportcars.com/2011-nissan-370z-gt-edition-uk_17956.html
Nissan 370Z GT Edition in detail

Scion FR-S... The new HACHIROKU

anyone that is around me knows that i am a huge car fan. I bought my first car at age 25, ( i had company vehicles before that) five years ago. The first was "Silvia", a 1995 240sx named after the JDM version of the S14 Chassis. Then along came Akuma a 1989 240sx S13 chassis followed by a 1994 Sentra B13, a 1989 JDM Fairlady Z, !991 Integra LS, 1992 Integra GSR and the other day I purchased a 1991 BMW 325. So ya i like cars lol. As you can notice the cars i have owned/own are old ass Japanese cars. Why? They are fun as hell to drive and to someone like me thats the most important thing! yes i have driven much newer cars, Import and Domestic, and thought to myself "it has a nice ride but there is no adventure in the drive." I understand the factories are giving the masses what they want... fuel effiecentcy, saftey and reliabillity to get ya from A to B. Personnally I want to go from A to Z and I want to get there as quickly as possible! :D It feels like affordible sports cars are going the way of the buffalo.


With all that said there is a glimmer of hope from Toyota/Scion. The FR-S, a resurection of the famed "HACHIROKU"

Info fom http://www.japanesesportcars.com/

New York – 04/20/2011 – Scion unveiled the rear-wheel drive FR-S Concept sports coupe today at the 2011 New York International Auto Show. The Scion concept, which sets out to stimulate the souls of true driving enthusiasts, will be at the Scion display through May 1. The Scion FR-S Concept will inspire a new model coming to the Scion brand next year.

The Scion FR-S Concept, which stands for Front-engine, Rear-wheel drive, Sport; is Scion’s definition of an authentic rear-wheel-drive sports car with compelling style, exceptionally balanced performance and handling, flexible utility and surprising MPG.

“Scion is always experimenting with new things,”

- said Jack Hollis, Scion vice president.

“The brand is iconic with the xB, adrenalized by the tC, and groundbreaking with the iQ. The FR-S will expand the brand into yet another new dimension that I know it is truly destined for.”

The Scion FR-S is a true “scion,” born into a lengthy history of Toyota performance cars and motorsports. The Scion sports coupe is most inspired by the AE86 generation of the Corolla, better known as the Hachi-Roku, meaning “8-6” in Japanese. The front-engine, rear-wheel drive coupe was lightweight and well balanced, making it a solid choice for driving enthusiasts.

Inspired by the AE86, the Scion FR-S is built around the core goal of achieving “pure balance,” which begins with the strategic placement of a flat 2.0-liter boxer engine in a front-engine, rear-wheel drive configuration. The engine’s compact size and shape allows the Scion FR-S’ powertrain to be mounted lower and further back towards the rear, giving the car a lower center of gravity and a dynamically favorable front-to-rear weight ratio.

The Scion FR-S’ naturally-aspirated engine is innovative, being the first boxer to incorporate Toyota’s D4-S injection system, which utilizes both direct and port injection, resulting in increased horsepower and torque throughout the entire powerband, without sacrificing MPG.

The flat-four can mate with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. The manual offers quick and precise shifts with a short-throw, while the automatic transmission features aggressive, sporty shifts that are initiated by steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Power is distributed effectively via a limited-slip differential.

The idea of “pure balance” is further realized by the Scion FR-S’ lightweight design and short wheelbase. The combination allows the car to be quick and nimble into and out of any corner, with dynamic maneuverability and confident stability.

“Akio Toyoda has mentioned that he is going to bring the fun-to-drive spirit back to Toyota,”

- Hollis said.

“I know that the Scion FR-S Concept is one of the ways that he plans to accomplish that.”

The fierce exterior of the Scion FR-S is a good reflection of its inner power. The intimidating proportions of the concept give it a dominant stance that bleeds performance. The profile, inspired by the Toyota 2000GT, reveals a hood-line that is remarkably sleek and low, made possible by the boxer’s architecture.

The low stance continues to exaggerate the Scion FR-S’ menacing face, which is made up of sharp lines, a wide mouth and angular headlights that include bright LED clusters.

The solid panel roofline is sleek, lightweight and rigid, slotted with an aerodynamic shape that channels air cleanly over to the top.

The front fenders protrude upward, making space for the massive monoblock Five Axis 20×8.5-inch wheels, while the muscular rear fenders are widened to house the 20×10.5-inch wheels, emphasizing the FR-S’ staggered stance and rear-wheel-drive setup.

The rear fascia sits low and wide, with extensive lower treatments that surround the dual exhaust exits and contribute to excellent aerodynamics. LEDs illuminate both the edgy taillights and the bold “SCION” logo.

The concept features four-piston-caliper front brakes that clamp down on monstrous 18-inch annular carbon ceramic matrix rotors that are fixed to the wheels in a motorcycle-fashion.

The Scion FR-S Concept is layered in rich coats of Code Red, the appropriately named color that consists of a custom blend of candy and a developmental additive from BASF called Mearlite SSQ.

http://www.japanesesportcars.com/scion-fr-s-concept-overview-2011-new-york-auto-show_18687.html