I don’t care about Toyota.  I haven’t for years. I’ve observed their place in the market and even expressed some degree of interest in a very small handful of their offerings over the last decade, but I’ve never really thought much of them one way or another. That may become a somewhat difficult assertion to defend after the next thousand words or so, but take my word for it.

See, many car enthusiasts care a great deal about Toyota. They’re the ones who take every opportunity to tell you how awful their cars are, how dreadfully overrated they are, and how lifeless and soulless and dishwasher-like they are. They tell you how cheap and how poorly-engineered they are. You want a Prius? This guy tells you to get a used Jetta TDI. Your mom wants a nice, reliable Camry? Tell her to get a Volvo! You like the old MR2s? Wise up and get a 944. You want a MkIV Supra turbo? Supercharge an old F-Body for 1/3 of the price.

It’s the same thing, you know, just without all that Japanese suck.

Continue reading Lord Byron — The Good Ship Toyota

Photo courtesy of Volkswagen of America

This installment of Rational Bohemian was scheduled to be a eulogy for the New Beetle, since Volkswagen hasn’t really troubled themselves with anything of the sort. Attendees of the L.A. Auto Show did get a long-expected, totally overdue announcement of the model’s retirement and the inevitable commemorative special editions, but that was about it.

So I’ll say it now, in brief: New Beetle, I adore you and I’ll miss you. Your not-insignificant role in reviving the brand will not be forgotten (by me, anyway). In light of a press release I received last week, though, there are more pressing concerns; a respectful and sentimental sendoff will have to wait.
Because what the hell, Volkswagen? Really, what the hell?

Continue reading Rational Bohemian #6: Dub Chick Be Trippin’

On the left coast, Eyesore Racing picked up the overall win at the ChumpCar race at the Streets of Willow Springs driving a $500 Mazda Miata.

And in Florida, Action Express Racing picked up the 24 Hours at Daytona overall win in their $500,000 Porsche.
Continue reading Checkered Flag at both ChumpCar and Daytona

On the West Coast, Krider Racing was in a heated podium battle as the sun came up during the ChumpCar World Series at the Streets of Willow Springs, unfortunately, what was heated was the motor. Blown head gasket three hours before the finish. Even with the Integra parked and leaking, Krider Racing may squeek out a top ten finish. Eyesore Racing in their Miata lead the ChumpCar race with an hour to go.

On the East Coast, Patrick Dempsey is looking at a top ten finish in his RX-8 at the 24 hours of Daytona (that is if his head gasket can hold on a bit longer). The Camaros are leading the GT class.

Rob Krider puts the Big Sausage Pizza Delivery Acura Integra into second place, after some blistering fast pit stops from the Krider Racing crew, as the sun set at ChumpCar on the West Coast. Patrick Dempsey leads a group of GT cars through the rain at Daytona in “the show” on the East Coast.

As the sun set at Daytona, Ganassi’s Riley, driven by Montoya, Dixon and Franchitti leads the DP class at the 24 at Daytona. At the Streets of Willow Springs, Eyesore Racing in their turbo charged Miata leads the ChumpCar race.

Green flags have dropped on both coasts. On one coast you can earn a gold Rolex watch at the 24 Hours of Daytona, on the other coast, a broken Timex if you’re lucky at ChumpCar. We’ll keep the updates coming.

This weekend in beautiful Daytona Florida on the East Coast, The Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona is being held and million dollar machines are being flogged around the track by celebrities like Patrick Dempsey.

Also this weekend in the desert of Southern California on the West Coast the ChumpCar World Series is being run at the Streets of Willow Springs and $500 machines are being flogged around the track by people you’ve probably never heard of.

Speed Sport Life is going to try to give you live updates of both races as the weekend unfolds.
Continue reading Two Days, Two Coasts, Two Men, Two Races

“…is going to buy whatever Apple unveils today, right at 5pm, no matter what it is.” — Seen on Facebook, January 27, 2010

As I write this, it has been fourteen hours since Apple’s Steve Jobs revealed the iPad to a crowd of cheering followers, er, customers, this morning. For what it’s worth, I’m in no way impressed with the new iProduct. I’ve been working with Apple systems since I hacked up a “worm race” program for the Apple ][+ back in 1982, and I am writing this column on a 24″ iMac, so I’m very far from being anti-Apple — but this new tablet doesn’t do it for me.

Not that Mr. Jobs would care. As a company, Apple is very far from being the hacker-friendly maker of expansion-slot-packed beige wedges I knew as a child. One could argue that Apple isn’t even really a computer company any more, insofar as they don’t devote a lot of attention to making computers. Instead, Apple is a producer of design-centric goods which offer little more utility than their competitors while commanding significantly higher prices. Hmm… I think that means that Apple is a luxury brand. Don’t you?

After all, “luxury” doesn’t necessarily mean Brioni suits, megayachts, or any of the verses from Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain”. Rather, a luxury is simply something that one does not need, but that one wants, often for no other reason than the social standing or perceived prestige associated with the item. Luxury, in other words, is something that offers a boost in self-image and image within a community. The iPad will be a luxury item. Nobody needs an iPad. The functionality of the iPad doesn’t justify the price. There are cheaper, uglier, more drab devices that provide about the same utility for less money.

I would suggest that most iPad purchasers will be people who identify with the Apple brand and its cultural associations. If iPads were invisible, or if they looked exactly like Dell laptops, they would collect dust on the brightly lit Apple Store shelves. Instead, they will fly off those shelves and into the hands of people who want to be seen with the “right” product. Regardless of price. Regardless of function. Regardless of utility. Image is the key. And that is why the Toyota Prius is a successful luxury product. It’s also why the Honda Insight has cratered in the market, and it’s why the Prius spinoff, the hopelessly dumpy HS250h, is utterly doomed.
Continue reading Avoidable Contact #30: Prius is very iPad! Prius is real luxury! HS250h is more like a Sears Tele-Games! You’ll buy anything!

The first time I saw a Citroen C6 was in Tel Aviv’s fashionable harbour district. Israel is a relatively wealthy country, with a GDP on par with many EU states. Israel is also founded on socialist principles and cars are taxed at 110% of the MSRP. Fuel is similarly expensive. Most cars are understandably small and diesel powered. Even the few wealthy big shots that can afford something bigger than a compact car drive smaller displacement luxury sedans, like Mercedes S320s and BMW 520is.
 
I don’t know what kind of engine the C6 had, but the sleek, quasi-5 door profile stood out from the sea of white Mazda 3s and Subaru Imprezas in a way that a DS19 must have stood out from the legions of crap European tin-can deathtraps in 1960’s Paris.
 
Citroen cars have not been available in North America for some time, but in a few months time, we’ll be able to enjoy the Jaguar XJ, a car that looks French, feels British and has Indian ownership.

Continue reading Rich Corinthian Leather: Jaguar’s Belle Du Jour

There is that car down the street that has been sitting stagnant in that guy’s front yard for way too long. The left rear tire is flat, but other than that, the car appears to be in pretty good shape. Your buddy from high school, the one who got a C in metal shop, says if you buy the car he’ll weld a cage in it. You go down to talk to the guy to see what he wants for the car. His wife answers the door and says if you get “that piece of crap” out of their yard it’s yours to keep. You just scored a car for free, but because she couldn’t find the paperwork, you can’t register it for the street. Now what? Well, the ChumpCar World Series, the endurance racing series for $500 cars, is coming to a track near your town. Grab your Costco sockets and get to work. You’re about to become a racecar driver!
Continue reading Racer Boy: ChumpCar Claimer Road Racing