Aashenfox

Sorry if my sillier posts are not welcome, I can be a bit of a clown at times, I don't mean to **** anyone off. Bored at work, too much coffee, what can I say? Don't block me though please! I do try to balance my idiotic posts with useful ones.

The tank bomb thing, just so much reminds me of the Star Trek Voyager episode The Omega Directive... In that episode, a civilisation slightly more advanced than us (in the show, not as we are now), has perfected a free energy source based on an incredibly volatile fuel (one molecule can destroy all planets and rupture subspace within a light year), the omega particle. Of course, since this civilisation has 'grown-up' with this danger, they have all kinds of safeguards and for a time, there was no issue and their experiments were going well, they had solved the 'free fuel' issue. Unfortunately, as I imagine the case with the hydrogen tank, it only takes one failure to end the show. Sure enough, that civilisation destroyed most of its planet and surrounding subspace in a spectacular explosion.

I nearly bought one before I bought the 335. For me I'm afraid FWD is a deal breaker. I really wanted to love it, I know how capable it is, but if it can't go sideways (and maintain it), it's no good to me as a 'fun' car.

Lol. Just, lol.

Interesting you mention that, because.... That's EXACTLY how the exhaust tips on the first gen (BMW) mini cooper S were designed. They had brought out the full size clay model of the car to do an inspection and one of the techs piped up...guys, it doesn't have any exhaust pipes...? I don't know who it was off hand wihtout looking it up, but apparently someone who was on the team and drinking a can of beer at the time, allegedly tore the can neatly in half with his bare hands and shalacked (how else do you describe swiftly shoving something into soft clay??) the 2 halves into the center of the rear valance, side by side. People liked it so much, the tips were actually modeled on the bottom half of a beer can...

Ah, there's the thing, it wouldn't have a V6...(I guess), this is exactly what I meant when I said it would still be lighter, due to smaller engine. If they did put a V6, then yeh, there wouldn't be much point. I think I'd go for a roots type supercharger on the 2.0, give it that S2000 feeling (lots up top). The R32 is haldex 4wd :puke: and only available in flappy paddle mode, afaik :puke:. No Jap RWD sports enthusiast would look twice at them, and I love VW as a marque (I've owned 8 VWs in my career, all old ones (pre 1995) except a 6N2 Polo gti) plus, I don't care about practicality (I own a Zed ). I think the price is too high for what you do get, my opinion (they're even more expensive over here, by the way), and as for development costs, I dunno, you really think so much would be needed? Plenty of people put 500hp into their 350Zs using parts from companies that spent nowhere near that on R&D. I realise a company like Toyota has higher standards and a lot of paperwork and safety boxes to tick, plus retail level reliability is something totally different to the reliability you can reasonably expect from a Vortex kit, but still...

I knew one of you guys had one, couldn't remember who

Have you contacted the supplier to ask them what they recommend? I'm not saying take their word as gospel, but it's a good place to start.

Yes, I would. 1) Even after upgrades it would be lighter 2) It;s much prettier (subjective, but hey, that's what I believe) 3) It's a nimble sports car by nature, not a semi muscle/GT car like the Zs. 4) If they did give it 300hp, they'd probably do that with a turbo on the existing 2.0 powerplant. For me this would be epic, it would HALVE my tax compared to the 350Z and be less than 1/3rd of what I would pay for a 370Z in administrative costs/tax alone, solely due to displacement.

Yeh, but that also works as a counterpoint, despite all the clever marketing and the excellent driving position and steering, and the fact that your Granny can drift it safely, plus it's great looking, plus it's cheap to run, PLUS it's a Toyota so it will last forever, plus, plus, plus, and STILL it didn't sell! I believe because people like me who are as you say, part of a small segment of immature males (and even smaller segment of immature females) who would be interested in owning the car, looked it up and down and said..."ok, nice, but where's the full fat version?" EDIT: The rear tyres are 185s aren't they? So they'd have to go first day for something wider, the alloys are 2p pieces so to fit proper tyres I'd have to change the alloys. Because of the crap power, I'd have to be very careful what wheels I put on, so as not to increase rotating mass too much, killing what little torque there is, so I'm looking at 3 grand on the first day just to have a bit of grip! Then there's the power...(again). It almost seems to me like the car was designed to be a bare bones platform for modifications from day 1. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if that's exactly the thinking, which then takes us back to the price, which is a lot for a 'bare bones' car.

The torque difference is much more telling, but I do see what you mean, it's not a huge overall power or 0-62 difference, but it is the way it's delivered. I'm pretty sure my EP3 Type R was faster in a straight line from a roll than a stock GT86. The EP3 weighs 1240kg, how much is the GT86? Ah, I found it, it's only about 20kg heavier and due to being rear wheel drive would have better traction. Hm...possibly slightly quicker than an EP3 type R then, but not much. My Z is SIGNIFICANTLY faster than the EP3 Type R in a straight line, that's all I'm saying.

I like model marketing and price placement reasons for 'detuning' a car even less. It;s a crying shame the Cayman is not available with 911 power, for example. Porsche would never do that, despite the fact I don't think a front engine 2 seater would directly compete with a rear engine 2+2 even if they did have the same power to weight ratios, but hey-ho, we all know that's why they don't do it. Who do you reckon the target audience is? Just some thoughts, I welcome counters... Boy racers... too expensive Young guys who can't afford to insure anything faster... maybe, but still purchase price would be off putting to that crowd People who want a second fun weekend car... get a 2 seater, a 350Z for example Drivers who appreciate the history of the 86 name and the ethos behind the car... well, that's me and I want more power.

I think you're right, the only JDM cluster with MPH that I can find after a fairly extensive search, is the Nismo article for 800 quid from Japan. therefore, I would agree that if he has a facia that shows mph and digi that shows kph, there must be a converter (and a change of facia) in the mix. If you can stomach that price, scotzman, that's the one to get!! Here's a second hand one for a little less. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252443327434

I can't drive for toffee, I'll freely admit that (though God knows how that would translate to the average driver who has less than 1/5th of my paltry ability ), but I couldn't be satisfied with a power to weight ratio of less than 200hp/metric ton any more. I'd be pushing it on (you know, rocking backwards and forwards in my seat while shouting 'Come on!!!' in a vain effort to make it accelerate faster. ). I don't mind if you say that's subjective, and that it's my problem and not the car's, but I genuinely believe that's why it hasn't sold well. There are more exciting cars available second hand for much less.

Can't tell if serious...

Personally, I never expected it to do well, simply because I laughed when Clarkson told us that it has 200hp and can only drift because it's rolling on 2p pieces. I immediately thought to myself. "@*!#, I'm gonna need at least 70 more horsepower, rims and tyres on the first day!! F that, I'll buy a 350Z instead for 1/10th the price and have a much better car". disclaimer: not better, but more exciting out of the box. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea and the way the car looks (don't understand why some say it's ugly, it has nice aggressive lines), and if it had 300 hp and decent width tyres on it, it would be one of the greatest driver's cars ever made.

I've not driven an R8, so worthless comment is worthless, however, if Clarkson and many other enthusiasts are to be believed, while it has good performance, you'll fall asleep at the wheel out of boredom. Some say it's about as exciting to drive as an S3. I'd have taken the Porsche, the GTR and the Ferrari: Rear engine madness, computer controlled trickery and racing focused purity, three different directions that all lead to automotive greatness. If we're talking daily, I'll take the Aston, thank you very much.

I think he means the facia and the digital are both primarily kph, however, the facia also has mpa on the inside scale (dual scale speedo facia).

That would take 10 years.

This. it really is entirely moot.

Good stuff, I shot a message to Steve at redline, as he has dealt with evo-R before. He warned me not to get my hopes up on the pricing cos of import duties, etc, but if we get some more interest in this thread, he would be willing to contact them and ask what the deal is. Come on guys, there must be more after a pretty little spoiler for their Z? I reckon for a small item like this, we will need 8+ to make it worthwhile. So far: 1) Aashenfox 2) Colin747 (tentative based on pricing)

Well, as you know I come from a PC gaming background (and I remember you know a thing or two on this as well), and despite it perhaps not being scientifically accurate, we refer to anything that doesn't have a dedicated fan as passive, despite the fact that the whole case and fan layout is designed to provide a constant active air flow over every major component, so technically, motherboard system controllers for example, which are generally passively cooled by heat pipes, are still actively cooled by powered fans, just not directly on top of them. That's why I think of the oil cooler as a passively cooled item. Of course the main rad has two giant f**koff fans attached, so you have to be able to differentiate between the cooling process when those fans are on (active, without a shadow of a doubt), and when they are off (arguably passive).

It's more a case of rubbing the pad against the disc in the opposite direction to the one that it's most used to. Especially if you have dimpled or grooved discs, it can clean the pad quite effectively I'm told. second hand info, I won't deny it, I've never used the procedure effectively myself (never needed to, to date), probably cos I change cars more often than brake pads!

To be honest, I thought passive cooling simply meant that there was no 'directed' airflow, just whatever air happened to be passing by, but you may be right. I guess you could technically say that the bumper opening is a device that directs airflow, and therefore it's actively cooling items placed in the flow. At least while the car is moving. Ah, semantics, and real life meaning vs scientific accuracy, don't you just love it?!

For which car and model year? Imma assume 350z Tarmacsportz has one that is a very nice fit, but it's only for DE bumpers. https://www.tarmacsp...-front-lip.html RT has one for 06 on... http://www.ebay.co.u...t-/252838252571 And a carbon DE one... http://www.ebay.co.u...t-/262917379243 Both sellers are pro traders here, so I guess you might get a better price by PMing them. Hope it helps.