Rubber & Steel: csc3 + enkei GTC01 PART 2

over to YHI...

slapped a set of these spanking 17-inch beauties on:



they may not be forged but they're noticeably lighter than the standard Honda Modulo alloy rims, which were already pretty badly kerbed by this point.

given my hideous track record, im keeping my fingers crossed for the Enkei rims!





some tech specs available here:
http://www.enkei.co.jp/en/products/wheels/gtc01/index.html

Rubber and Steel...: ContiSportContact 3 & Enkei GTC01

well it's been a whirlwind couple of months, what with the Tokyo Motor Show 2007 (YAY!) and having 11 days worth of reservist (NAY!)...

tokyo bits will probably be uploaded over the next few weeks, so i'm going to start with the latest stuff first:

now what could this friendly fella from Stamford Tyres be up to?


and what could this dynamic duo be standing at attention for?


ive decided to swop out the stock Bridgestone Potenza RE050s from the car for the CSC3.

new shoes for the car:


Stamford Tyres doesnt just slap the rubber on and send you on your merry way, they give your rims a-cleaning as well!


brushes are soft so the truly anal-retentive need not have to worry about picking up scratches on the alloys. add a dash of detergent, close it up and the water jets work with the brushes to give it a good scrubbing.

still running in the Continental ContiSportContact 3s and it's been wet roads for the past day!

more specs found here:
http://www.conti-online.co.uk/generator/www/uk/en/continental/automobile/
themes/car_tyres/high_performance/conti_sport_contact_3/
contisportcontact3_en.html
(cut and paste link)

next stop... YHI!

MINI Treats: Makansutra Breakfast Trail

what could possibly make any sane person hop out of bed at 615am on a saturday morning? well, cars and food create an excellent combination for a weekend morning wake-up call, especially if it means driving to different location for eats.



MINI teams up with the Makansutra team for another food trail. However, rather than dinner like the last one, they've decided on breakfast as the theme this year.

it's obvious the true-blue MINI owners were equally enthusiastic, since by the time we got to the MINI Habitat, it was already packed to the brim.



Not being MINI owners, we were packed three journos to a car - a Cooper S manual - and the plan was to alternate for the duration of the half day event... until i realised navigation wasn't really my cup of tea, hence...



moreover we were one-man down when the third occupant was too sick to get out of bed.

Suffice to say, we were stuffed even before the half-way mark (TEN stops in total). the drive brought us from the industrial scrap-yards of Defu Lane to the HDB heartlands of Bedok and Jurong West and the hustle and bustle of Chinatown. The food ranged from prata to chapati to bak kut teh to chwee kueh and much much more. the mind, not to mention the stomach, boggled at the variety.

Before you think it was a straightforward convoy from point to point, think again. we were made to solve clues that would point the way to each destination. Makansutra reps at each point would only hand-over the next clue when 75 per cent of the dish was finished.

but in our case, well, we made it clear to our hotline operator that we were only in it for the food and not in the running for the competition, so he basically gave away the destinations as we were finishing up at the preceding stops. it got to the point when he started calling US to check on our progress! LOL

the most astounding fact was, even with our ahem, cheating, there were always some other MINI owners ahead of us and we're pretty sure they didnt get any outside help!

anyway, some snap-shots of the food:







meeting back at the Habitat around 2pm ended the day for us. prizes presented, friendships forged, but by then, everything was in a sort of a blur and i could sense my soft bed at home beckoning.

Fast Facts: MINI Cooper S
Engine: 1598cc, 4-cylinder, turbocharged
Maximum power: 175bhp at 5500rpm
Maximum torque: 260Nm at 1700-4500rpm (overboost)
Transmission: 6-speed manual
0-100km/h: 7.3 seconds
Top speed: 220km/h
LxBxH: 3714x1683x1407 mm
Wheelbase: 2467mm
Kerbweight: 1230kg
Price: POA
Agent: Trans Eurokars Pte. Ltd., tel: 6473 3777

CaddyShag: VW Caddy 1.9TDI DSG

well, it was a matter of time i guess... but VW's much vaunted 6-speed DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) has finally made it into a ... Van; a Light Commercial Vehicle, to be precise, in the form of the Caddy.

this may come as a cruel blow to the many GTI/R32/Jetta 2.0TFSI owners out there but it was only a matter of time considering VW is the 'people's car'... and how much more accessible can the brand get than by making this sexy shifting box available to everybody.

the irony: the caddy isn't likely to be bought by the load-lugging workman since it's more lifestyle vehicle than sweat-speckled work-horse.

Chiselled good looks, sports rims all-round and a full complement of disc-brakes are just the tip of the ice-berg.





No HIDs but there's a factory-fit MP3 head-unit also found in the petrol-powered passenger cars, steering wheel adjustable for reach and rake and that 6-speed DSG box (no steering wheel mounted paddle shifters though).



with low to mid range a real knockout, the Caddy easily surprises cars like the Suzuki Swift/Ignis Sport off the lights. the diesel clatter on start-up is quite noticeable though, but the ratios are stacked closely to really let you capitalise on the 1.9L turbodiesel's power-band. Handling is almost car-like and the Caddy is even equipped with ASR (traction control) as standard.



just shy of the 2700mm wheelbase mark, there's ample cargo area in the back. bed, mini-sofa and all sorts of knick-knacks will be easily swallowed up in the cargo area.



Up front, there are plenty of cubby-holes and other cavities to really allow driver and passenger to stow their stuff.

the caddy cruises easily at 110km/h and while the 100km/h sprint is completed in around 13 seconds, the 0-80km/h time for this feisty LCV is easily under 9 seconds.

Fast Facts: VW Caddy 1.9TDI DSG
Engine: 1896cc, 4-cylinder, turbodiesel
Maximum power: 103bhp at 4000rpm
Maximum torque: 250Nm at 1900rpm
Transmission: 6-speed DSG
0-100km/h: 13.3 seconds (0-80km/h: 8.8 seconds)
Top speed: 163km/h
LxBxH: 4405x1802x1833 mm
Wheelbase: 2682mm
Kerbweight: 1510-1628kg
Price: $50,500 (with COE)
Agent: Volkswagen Centre Singapore

Kerbed Again!

*$%@#%!!!

this klutz did it again... after the close encounter of the kerb kind when i first picked up the S2000 some months back, that same rim has been hit by another stray bullet. poor judgement on my part has led to this...



NOW YOU KNOW WHY I NEVER EVER INTEND TO DROP BIG BUCKS ON A SET OF FORGED ALLOY RIMS!

LOL

Taking a Deep Breath : Honda S2000 (AP1) J's Racing Carbon Fibre Air-intake

this just in, a J's Racing Tsuchinko carbon fibre air intake for the S2K. Essentially, a 'snorkel' draws air in from the front of the car into the shielded conical air filter; the gourd-shaped chamber after that keeps air in 'reserve', which helps improve throttle response at stationary/low speeds.



another angle:



The car is breathing a lot better but Im sure it'll improve a lot more with exhaust/manifold mods...:)

Apart from looking good, it sounds great now and the induction roar when VTEC kicks in is a lot more pronounced.

The F20C engine is certainly revving a lot cleaner and happier; 9000rpm never came quicker!

HOWEVER... bear in mind the bonnet WILL NEED to be CUT to accommodate the snorkel, fine if you're running an after-market carbon bonnet, but a bit 'heart-pain' if you're running the stock aluminium bonnet.

for a point of reference to what's new, check out this 'BEFORE' shot:



more gratuitous carbon fibre bits... !



for those who asked, here's a shot of the cut made to the c/f bonnet on the underside... note that only the fibreglass skeleton is cut, not the c/f weave itself:



another angle:

VW EOS 2.0T : Greeting The Dawn

this photo courtesy VW Media


named for the greek goddess of sunrise, the EOS is VW's interpretation of a hard-top convertible. most significant is the roof, which consists of five parts, as well as a generously expansive moonroof. The cabin is otherwise similar to the other cars in VW's stable.


Powered by the same turbocharged 2L found at the heart of the Jetta and Golf GTI, the EOS punches its way to the 100kmh mark quickly enough, but the engine's performance is blunted by the additional weight over the former two cars.

DSG makes for brisk progress and the EOS will make an ideal companion to those who want to pose, yet want a little push to avoid getting any bloodied noses as well! the brakes though, are lacking in feel and seem a little vague at the limits.

It's clear the car needs some tightening up before it goes on sale, as we detected an annoying rattle from the rear with the roof up, but this disappeared when the top came down. Otherwise the EOS is as involving (or UNinvolving) as one would expect as the drive experience feels pretty much the same as any other VW with the turbo'd 2L FSI w/DSG set-up.

cool boudoir chic thanks to the burgundy leather interior:


Rear seats offer true '+2' seating capacity:


the EOS' proportions are perfect and its posterior doesn't look as bottom-heavy as its French rivals, the Renault Megane Coupe-Cabriolet and Peugeot 307 CC. The drive too, is significantly more involving than the two French marques. But this comes at a price...



25 seconds up and down. trust me, this can feel like an interminably long time when you're trying to beat the traffic light change!



Fast Facts: Volkswagen EOS 2.0T DSG
Engine: 1984cc, 16-valves 4-cylinder
Maximum power: 200bhp at 5100-6000rpm
Maximum torque: 280Nm at 1800-5000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed DSG
0-100km/h: approx. 7.8 seconds
Top speed: 232km/h
LxBxH: 4407x1791x1443mm
Wheelbase: 2578 mm
Kerbweight: 1536-1645kg
Price: $154,800 (with COE)
Agent: Volkswagen Centre Singapore

My Fair Lady : Nissan 350Z

What's new you ask? well... that's a tough question, even for petrolheads like us. the car has been around awhile, but it still continues to turn heads at every junction, even in the nondescript black. motorists and pedestrians alike craned their heads to get a better look at the car.

apart from the much appreciated power hike, the 350z has undergone little cosmetic touches, with a new hood design that recalls the earlier Z cars. it's also what's now under the bonnet that will set hearts a-flutter...

the 350Z is now powered by a VQ35HR engine that churns out 313bhp and 358Nm and the critics who think this car excels in the low rpm band are in for a rude awakening. like VTEC engines, there's actually life above 7000rpm now!

the start-up is great, with a mechanical whirr before the exhausts start belching out a rousing baritone.



on the move, the controls (clutch, steering, gearshift action) are heavy, the gearshift is short and notchy, but slightly vague and not as precise as Honda's efforts. urge from standstill rises like a huge wall of torque; deceptively so even since the power delivery is flat, but press on beyond 7000rpm (7500rpm?) and it hits a second wave that flings you into the license-revoked-for-LIFE type of terminal velocities... or so we hear



and with the Brembo brakes, hauling the car to a halt has never been a simpler affair. the 'stop' pedal offers stupendous feel and is easy to modulate.



other equipment niceties include the integrated monitor that displays sat-nav and reverse camera.

at full pelt, the sound is disappointingly agricultural and gets boomy in the mid-range (from inside the cabin). moreover, the engine feels almost restrained in delivery, but im sure this can quickly be sorted out by bolting on a full titanium exhaust system matched to an appropriate intake system... :)



Fast Facts: Nissan 350Z 6MT
Engine: 3498cc, 24-valves V6
Maximum power: 313bhp at 6800rpm
Maximum torque: 358Nm at 4800rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
0-100km/h: 5.6 seconds
Top speed: 250km/h
LxBxH: 4315x1815x1320mm
Wheelbase: 2650 mm
Kerbweight: 1525kg
Price: $159,000 (with COE)
Agent: Tan Chong Motors, tel: 6466-7711

Bruised...

... well, not quite battered, but that's what the blue-black colour combination reminds us of...

the S2k now looks like a huge bruise travelling around since it's got a new hood.

the sharp-eyed would already have spotted the little blue windscreen washer jets, a stark contrast against the bonnet, but this should be rectified some time this week (i hope)

bonnet off!


... and this sweet little vented number from J's Racing:


Beng? you bet! LOL

the only bug bear? considering J's Racing is a self-touted honda 'specialist', the bonnet's finishing isn't as top-notch as i'd have expected. attention to detail is what separates the big brands from the rest of the wannabes, which is where a brand like Mugen stands head and shoulders over the rest'.

anyway, i've picked up the black windscreen nozzles and they're a perfect match now!

Honda S2000 (AP1) : Capped!

After tooling around with the soft-top, I've decided it's time to put a 'cap' on all the fun with the OE hard-top. Why? You'll find out soon enough (let's just say the 350Z will figure most prominently in the picture), but the most apparent difference is the impact on acceleration. the weight of the hard-top has slowed responses down somewhat and the already 'quiet' note of the exhaust is even further muted.