Automobiliac Reviews Gotham Dream Car Sprint

For those of you who live in New York or New Jersey, you may have seen Groupon and other deal sites advertising a discounted ticket to "Drive a Supercar!"  I have been emailed by many friends about this and had been wondering myself if it's worth the money (around 70 bucks with the promotional discount).  Thankfully, a very generous friend bought some tickets and invited me along!  Since there seems to be a lot of interest  and uncertainty about this promotion, I thought I'd let you all know whether I thought it was worthwhile!What it is:

It's pretty simple. There's an autocross track consisting of a bunch of cones in a vast parking lot at the Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey.  You get to choose between a Lamborghini Gallardo or a Ferrari F430. I had two tickets so I got a ride in each.

There is a chaperone in the car with you just to make sure you don't do something stupid, but generally he encourages you to have fun. And yes, you can floor it and drive the car as hard as you want!

What you get:

You get 3 laps of this autocross track, so basically one outlap, one flying lap, and one in lap.  There's no timing, but I figured each lap is about 28-40 seconds depending on your skill level and exuberance. So that's roughly 2.5 minutes of driving.

After you get out of the car, you pose for photos inside and standing next to the car. The guy also takes a few action shots while you are driving. All these photos are burned on a CD right on the spot and handed to you, and this is an no extra charge, which I thought was great! (the photos in this article are examples of what you get)

You can also opt to buy a second run at a slight discount if you want more. And they also have a 458 Italia which can be driven for an extra 100 bucks. My friend tried it and said it took him to another planet. He got out of the car and all he said for the first 2 minutes was "Oh my god! It's SO tight! The steering! It's so TIGHT!."

Driving impressions:

In the brief moments I was in the cars, I had a blast. The exhaust notes of both cars are awesome to hear when you drop the hammer.  In the end, I recommend readers to select the F430. Even though the Gallardo is a great machine, the all wheel drive and electronic nannies make the car understeer badly at low speed and the car just feels sort of dead on this very twisty, tiny, track.  The F430, on the other hand has better handling on the tight course and willingly lets you slide the tail around. I was grinning from ear to ear.  Both cars have paddle shifters, so no worries about clutch pedals.

The Verdict:

So, was it worth the money?  That is hard to say for sure. I think for the cost of 70 dollars, it would be nice to have more than 3 laps in the cars. I also think some people would find the idea of driving through cones in a parking lot a bit pedestrian. However this is definitely not a scam. You really do get some time in someone else's genuine exotic car and can basically do what you want for 3 laps. Unlike a high priced exotic rental, you don't need to worry about traffic laws and you can just have fun in a safe environment! The fact that they throw in the photographs for free is a very nice touch, and definitely adds to the appeal of the experience.

I don't think Gotham Dream Cars gives a trememdous value for thrill compared to going karting, but I don't think it's a ripoff either.  If you are the type who has always wondered what it is like to drive one of these cars and feel the acceleration and cornering they offer, this is the most economical and trouble-free way to have that experience. Let me know what you think!( Note: This review was in no way paid for or endorsed by Gotham Dream Cars)

Poetics of Speed: The Racing Photography of Dale Kistemaker

One of the great things about having a blog is getting emails from fascinating people you never would otherwise meet.  Such is the case with Dale Kistemaker, who shared some wonderful tales with me regarding his time as a racing photographer both at F1 races as well as Le Mans in the early 1980s.  The best of them involves Dale being driven round La Sarthe by Derek Bell in the Le Mans Porsche 956 at racing speeds!Dale has been posting images from his archives at his aptly-named site: Poetics of Speed. His work is not typical motorsports photography, because a lot of it focuses on what is going on around the main attraction rather than focusing directly on the main attraction.  His focus on the details, the textures, and the atmosphere of Grand Prix racing, allied with the vivid colors and sharpness of his imagery are quite an intoxicating combination. I personally love all the intense driver portraits he got (see Keke Rosberg below, and study all the activity going on in his reflective glasses as he coolly smokes his cigarette.) as well as the garage and tool-box still lifes that really paint a picture of the time period, the technology, the people, and the tools. Below are my personal favorites from the site.All images copyright Dale Kistemaker, used with permission. Poetics of Speed

Ferrari Celebrates 20th Anniversary in China by creating most stereotypical trim package in automotive history

If there are two things we know about the Chinese, it's that they love dragons and gold plating. This is clearly about as far as Ferrari's genius marketing people got in their thought process when planning the new Lucky Best Top Edition Ferrari, which sports gold wheels, red paint, and a custom stripe down the hood with a golden dragon motif!  The interior sports red carbon fiber trim and a gold and black number plaque with Chinese characters on it. Following on the heels of Rolls Royce's now sold-out Year of the Dragon edition, I guess Ferrari wanted a piece of the action.  I am sure all 20 cars they are making in this edition will sell out, but who cares?? This is not only one of the most uncool cars ever built by Maranello, but it flies in the face of everything the marque used to stand for. It's true they once made a just-for-export America range back when the USA was a booming export market in the 1950s and 60s. But they didn't emblazon the hood with an eagle and stars and stripes, and mount a hand tooled leather pistol holster in the center console. No, they made a car that was a subtle nod to the export market, offered bespoke bodies, and was larger and more luxuriously appointed to cater to American tastes that actually existed at the time. This Golden Dragon 458 is the exact same car as is sold anywhere. It's just tarted up with superfluous trim details using the most worn out steretypical motifs that any idiot could associate with China. I wonder if it comes with a silk embroidered dragon robe in which to drive the car... Does a gong sound when you open the door?? Regardless of how much money Ferrari will make off this farce, it's hugely embarassing for the brand. I predict that people will still be using this car as the butt of jokes for years to come. I know I will.I am really looking forward to the planned Russian edition, which will reportedly have a hand-done oil painting of a double-headed eagle gracing the headliner, a chilled vodka dispenser (with solid gold spigot!), and fitted luggage for your assault rifle.

via Autoblog

Bricklin sits by Brick House

This is probably the first and last time anyone will see a Bricklin and an Allante together. 

The Brickin's license plate read "Buy Me."  Does that mean the owner has been trying to get rid of it from the moment he registered it?

Specimen in the wild: Prius Sanctimonius

This made my stomach turn during a recent trip to the Dia:Beacon.