The automaker from Hiroshima dropped a bomb on the automotive market when they came up with the new Mazda3, styled heavily with Nagare inspired lines and bulges this was truly an economy car that you would aspire to own. The exterior of the Mazda3 is interesting to say the least, made up of a multitude of complex curves and detailed lines evidence that the Japanese design team put a good amount of their own blood, sweat and tears into the economy car car's design. Starting at just under (...)
Here at Top Speed we love anything and everything that goes fast, so during our weekend on the Monterey peninsula we had to make a stop at the legendary Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the MotoGP Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix. Once there we were pleasantly surprised when the track staff offered us the opportunity to take a ride around the prestigious racing circuit aboard one of Mazda's modified safety cars. The lineup of matte black and white pace cars included an RX-8 four door sports coupe, a (...)
Before the MotoGP race at Mazda Raceways, and our lucky pre-grid visit. Yamaha gave us the opportunity to walk right in their secret garages (team Fiat and team Monster). Located in the back of the garage, the storage area is packed with expensive supplies, all stored in travel cases that probably cost more than any street bikes. Tires are cooking on aluminum racks, and precious suspension bits are piled as if it was Christmas. In between the storage and the pit garage, a narrow (...)
Dani Pedrosa obtained a well-deserved victory at Mazda Raceways Laguna Seca this weekend, after more than a year away from the highest position of the podium. He managed to keep Valentino Rossi behind while 'the doctor' was about to pass him on the last straight. A few more laps and Rossi could have take the win. A fantastic race for Pedrosa. See the race results after the break. 2009 MotoGP Race Report from Laguna Seca 1. Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team 44min 1.580 sec 2. Valentino (...)
Source:
motogp via fasterandfaster 
Lucky us, a few minutes before the MotoGP race at Mazda Raceways Laguna Seca, we just got a hold of the precious full access pass to enter the pre-grid. Finally, we could get up close and personal with all the riders. Even Valentino Rossi could not run from our lens. The atmosphere on the grid was crazy. Imagine, a hundred photographers trying to get the money shot and TV hosts from all around the world fighting for the last words from our favorite champions. The riders are real pros, (...)
After today's qualification for the MotoGP at Mazda Raceways Laguna Seca, we headed toward downtown Monterey to see the traditional Cannery row meet. Lot's of bikes and among them a some very interesting custom and exotics such as the rare Honda RC45, Bimota 3D or a cool Kawa Turbo. The ambiance is typical of South California meets, bring family and friends of all ages. Check the out the gallery, and now that you know where to go after the qualification laps, see you in Monterey next (...)
We ran into Top Chef's Fabio Viviani at the Red Bull Grand Prix in Mazda Raceways at Laguna Seca. Although Fabio was deeply focused on the track, he still took time for a pose. Fabio was cheering for the Italian Team, while climbing up the hill toward the best spot on the track, the famous 'Corkscrew'. At the end of the qualifying session Valentino Rossi, the fastest Italian on two wheels ended up at the 2 position. (...)
Ducati presented at Mazda Raceways Laguna Seca a new version of their middleweight supersport model. The 848 Nicky Hayden Edition was unveiled by the Ducati Star itself and it will be produced in a limited number of 100 units and sold only in the USA. What sets this bike apart from the standard model is the special Hayden paintjob and the pilot's autograph on the gas tank, but also the $14,495 price tag (only $500 more than what you would pay for the regular version). This bike is the (...)
Source:
motoblog
Drifting is more than a pastime in Japan. It is a way of life. Thanks to the folks at Speedhunters.com, we can share this look into the world of drifting from one of the most infamous circuits in Japan. Built by Team Orange founder Nobushige Kumakubo, Ebisu is the ultimate destination for enthusiasts of the sideways sport from around the world. Here these drifters are not competing for medals or other tangible prizes, instead aspiring for something much more important, respect. Video (...)
Source:
Speed Hunters
Someday the real world calls us all. No longer can a car just be purely fun; it now has to keep up some appearance of civility. While the Mitsubishi Evolution X makes rides to the grocery store as fun as a lap around a rally circuit; it's loud exhaust and harsh ride will turn any date into deaf, stiff-walking old lady. Also the Evos appearance only gains respect from underlings in the corporate parking lot. Enter the Lancer Ralliart. Where the Mitsubishi's Evo X competes with rally (...)
The Mercedes GL-Class is aimed directly at big car lovers, which means North America is a key demographic. It's large, luxurious and fast; so we had no trouble adding it to our fleet. Until 2006 Mercedes SUV line topped out (at least size-wise) with the G-Class. While there is nothing wrong with the G-Wagons, it had two fundamental flaws for the growing SUV market. First, G-Class was originally developed for military use. While Mercedes has done a good job of adapting the off-road (...)
Have you ever been stuck in middle of nowhere, miles from a service station and in need of a tire changer? In this situation car guys have to get resourceful, like this off-roader who uses a can of WD-40 and a match to get the loose tire back on the rim. ..
There are certain car companies that absolutely understand what it means to be a driver. Aston Martin is one of them. When Aston decided that it needed to branch out into SUVs for customers who live where the roads are not paved, it reintroduced the Lagonda brand rather than pollute the Aston name. Aston Martin only builds sports cars, and it builds them by hand. The V8 Vantage Roadster that arrived on our doorstep came with a $154,035 price tag (base for a is $134K). For that price we (...)
The new 2009 BMW Z4 is about to hit the showroom, so for those of you who missed the Z4 promotional stunt, here is how Robin Rhode decided to showcases the new BMW Z4...as a giant paint brush. The German automaker also released an iPhone app that lets you be the artist. .
Source:
BMW Uk
Jeep has an image, and it's time to exploit it. The company had an amazing seventeen-year run with the Cherokee because people wanted a vehicle that could do the work of a wagon, but didn't look like one. Sure it was a capable go-anywhere off-roader, but many of them never left the pavement. This is what helped start the SUV craze. No matter how much Jeep builds a car to take the tough stuff, there will always be customers who only use its ability to park on lawns. That's why the Compass (...)
Value is the current buzzword in car buying. As belts are tightening, we are going to take a long look at our economy cars like our Chevrolet Aveo5. Purchasing an economy car has three distinct benefits. First good gas mileage means that not only are they inexpensive to buy but also inexpensive to run. The second advantage is the warranty that comes with a new car. Another advantage is being the first owner of a vehicle – there may be larger, slightly used vehicles at the same price (...)
The RAV4 has been in the Toyota family for about thirteen years, and it has staying power for a reason: adaptability. The first generation was built on the idea of giving people the small size of about a Jeep Wrangler, but with more creature comforts and better on-road handling. This was a fun machine that had dual sunroofs in the two-door model and then eventually a convertible model. While the RAV4 was selling well, Toyota was discovering that the people who wanted a small SUV with (...)
The diesel engine's frugal nature and the fuel's lower price (in some markets) make it popular choice in Europe. With the rest of the world pinching our pennies, we're going to start seeing a lot more diesel engines in the U.S. Unfortunately for the companies bringing these new diesel cars, it may take a little education to get the U.S. to understand the new definition of a diesel engine. Gone are the days of black smoke and high-polluting; in its place is the best fuel economy going. Also (...)
It may be a little puzzling why we would do a review on a car that we know is already on the way out, but we really wanted one last look at the 2009 Ford Mustang. We already know the specs on the 2010 Mustang, so we're making sure we have the outgoing model fresh on our minds when the new one arrives on our doorstep. To give this generation of the Mustang a proper sendoff, we made sure we got the specs right. We have a GT model with options including the 4.6-liter 300 hp V8 engine, 45th (...)
Lookie what we got here. The Dodge boys decided to drop off their ultimate pavement pounder on our doorstep. They must have really liked our review of the Challenger SRT8 for us to deserve this reward. When the Dodge Viper first showed up in 1992, it was the meanest thing around. It looked mean and sounded mean, so it was trivial why many people were surprised when the Viper had a mean attitude. The original car was meant to be out in the elements. The car had side curtains and a (...)
RSS -
Webmaster free news |