"What is that thing?" Aptera Closes Doors

If you have been driving around the northern part of San Diego county during the past 4-5 years, you may have seen this oddly shaped vehicle on the streets.  It looks like an early Honda Insight mated with a small aircraft and this being the result.  You may have thought, "What is that?!?" 

San Diego Auto Show 2012

Today marks the opening of the 2012 San Diego Auto Show.  There will be plenty of vehicles on display from over 30 manufacturers and test drives available for some select models.  2012 looks to be an exciting year for automakers with plenty of vehicles receiving mid cycle refreshes, and new generations replacing the old. 

The show isn't all about new cars though.  There will be historic cars on display, famous cars from cinema, and there will be things for the family as Ronald McDonald will be making appearances too.  What a way to kick off the new year and keep your mind off of the winter cold. 

You can be sure that there will pictures posted here shortly from the show!  For those of you living in Southern California who wish to attend, ticketing information can be found at www.sdautoshow.com.

Motoring Evolution: Ford Mustang receives minor refreshing for 2013

The Ford Mustang will receive a minor refreshing for the 2013 model year.  A look at some of the photos by InsideLine reveals a slightly redesigned front fascia, and softer edges on the tail lights.  The center panel in the rear is now black instead of being color matched with the body. 

The GT trim receives minor bump in power from 412 hp to 420 hp, and a the optional Track Pack includes some bits from the Boss such as the limited slip differential and oil cooler.  Night driving will be made easier for all Mustang drivers as HID headlights are now standard.

It looks like the newest Mustang will keep with Ford's mantra of providing an excellent bang for your buck sports coupe. 

For additional details and photos:  2013 Mustang 

Technical Look at the Subarota spawn: Toyota 86/Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ

Courtesy of Mike Kojima from MotoIQ, here is an in-depth look at the new Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ coming to the U.S. next year.  The vehicle looks to have a solid foundation for tuning enthusiasts and with a few minor modifications, it should prove to be a very rewarding dance partner in the twisty bits of a drive. 

Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ Technical Look

Opion Article: Distracted driving laws, Is it prevention or overkill?

The U.S. government is contemplating passing a law banning the use of portable electronics in vehicles as reported by msnbc.com.  The law is in response to the statistics posted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).  The statistics state 3,092 people died last year due to distracted driving.

The law will effectively ban the use of cell phones, iPods, and Blue Tooth.  The exceptions are GPS navigation units, and cell phone usage during an emergency. 

This brings to the mind a few questions which lawmakers will have to weigh before approving the law.  How much distraction is too much distraction?  Some people cannot even have a conversation with a passenger without becoming distracted i.e. missing their exit, or drifting out of their lane.  Is distraction able to be measured in a quantifiable amount? Does this mean iPods can't be connected at all to your radio? 

40 years and lots of dirt

The Datsun 510 is probably best known in the U.S. for its victories in the Trans Am series racing of the early 70s, however it was also quite the rally car too.  The 510 participated in many rally races around the world and won a few events too.  You can read about some of the history of the 510's successes here:  510 Safari rally. 

Fast forward over 40 years since the original Datsun 510 rolled onto the streets, and it is rare to see these cars in action on the dirt.  There are some people who still race their beloved Datsun on unpaved roads, and I wholeheartedly salute them for their efforts.

Some of you may remember the magazine Sport Compact Car, which during the late 90s and early 2000s was one of the most prominent monthly publications dedicated to the auto enthusiast.  The magazine featured a great variety of technical articles focused more on performance than the aesthetics of a vehicle.  During what I called their "golden age" of writing, their staff featured well written and at times humorous articles by Josh Jaquot, Shiv Pathak, Mike Kojima, and Dave Coleman.  One of my favorite articles was the project car rallycross beatdown where the writers participated in a lighthearted event of talking trash to each other while attempting to be victorious in a local rallycross race. 

The simple oil change?

I had a conversation with a friend a few months ago regarding basic maintenance of any vehicle.  We pretty much glossed over them: oil change, air filter, belts and brakes seemed to the ones that people can do at home with some hand tools.

When it came to the oil change however, for convenience's sake my friend said he always opted to go to the quick lube places since the price of having someone else change the oil was about the same if he were to buy the parts and do it himself.  He also happens to live in an area where doing car work is frowned upon by the local housing manager. 

His main concern when going to these places were if his old oil filter was actually being replaced. 

A proper introduction of the writer of Car and Writer

As with all new things, I figure a proper introduction should be done before this blog kicks off.  The purpose of this blog will be offer my opinion on automotive subjects, and a look at some cars in more detail discussing both the pros and cons.  If time permits, a video will be added along side the article too. 

I will also add in my experiences with fitness supplements as I try them, and I will discuss fitness training or exercises with how they feel for me in a separate blog.  (http://lifesactivities.blogspot.com/)  Sometimes random things will be blogged about.