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Fictional Movies, Real Racecraft

Mike C
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Fictional Movies, Real Racecraft

Yeah, I did that recently. Street Racer, released in 2008, came on SkyTV down here in New Zealand, and since I was feeling under the weather, I decided to give it a watch. Well… that was a mistake. It was bad, but it did actually talk about racecraft, which made me wonder how many fictional car movies actually talk about real racecraft, no matter how bad some people think they are.

In Street Racer, a former street (drag) racer ends up getting taught how to circuit race for the purposes of advancing the story and getting him redemption. The “straights are for fast cars, corners are for fast drivers” type line is actually said, although it might have been drag racing vs circuit racing, I can’t remember the exact wording. For extra credit, the racecraft is taught using shifter-karts. Carrying more speed through the corners, smooth inputs and out-braking your opponents are all things that get discussed on screen. Now how about some other movies that talk about REAL racecraft, not “granny shifting instead of double clutching like you should.” (Fast and the Furious).

Yes an actual matchup from Street Racer

Days of Thunder is a movie a lot of people either love (because NASCAR) or hate (because NASCAR) but it does talk about some actual concepts. Grip, down force, the difference between loose and tight, drafting, tire wear and the slingshot technique are all things they discuss. “The tires are half as wide and the car weighs twice as much.” – “Loose is fast and on the edge of control.”  There are some great one-liners in there. Granted, the slingshot discussion involves two sweetener packets heading up Nicole Kidman’s leg to the *ahem* finish line, but it is still discussed.  It also gets some extra bonus points in my book for talking about the topic of race car drivers and concussions back in 1990 when it is still a taboo discussion as Dale Earnhardt Jr. has proven recently since his retirement.

The Disney-Pixar Cars movies have also had some good racecraft discussion for the budding automotive enthusiast, but unlike the ones I just mentioned, these are much more liked. Cars has the famous turn right to go left scenes where Lightning McQueen is learning how to drift through the corners on a dirt track. It also gets extra chops for having Paul Newman, a racing man in his own right, voice the experienced Hudson Hornet teaching McQueen his racecraft. Cars 3 is actually Days Of Thunder but animated. Your hero has a horrible crash, loses his nerve, has to fight his way back and talks about the race craft of drafting and finding the openings in traffic to move through the pack. It even ends at Daytona. Nothing is new in Hollywood… LOL.

Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift.  Yes, I just mentioned Tokyo Drift after mocking the first Fast & Furious above, and it is probably one of the most hated Fast & Furious movies, but hear me out on this one.  Tokyo Drift is a movie that spent a lot of time discussing drifting while the lead of the movie tried to learn.  I was on the fence about including this one, but of all of the Fast & Furious movies it is probably the one that takes itself most seriously.  No undercover cops and super villains bent on world domination, and no 5 minute 1/4 mile drag race sequences.  It also spent the most time seriously discussing an automotive discipline out of all of the other films in the franchise. Sure – it goes over the top, but all of the movies on this list do!

While doing the “difficult” research for this article, I added a movie I had never seen before to the list of reference materials, Born to Race: Fast Track. This movie actually has some serious cred in this arena as the movie largely takes place at a racing school at Willow Springs Raceway.  It basically starts with Eric M and Sam H racing down mountain roads (MkIV R32 vs Subaru WRX) and has enough Celicas in it to get Racer Ron S excited too.  Heck, Tania M basically makes an appearance as the one female at the school who is also driving a MkIV GTI… LOL!

At the race school they spend a bit of time talking about the line in a corner, car control and smoothness and there are scenes that will somewhat resonate with the coaches in the group as they spend time sitting right sight coaching their team mates to improve their lap times.  Even the racing scenes are better than your average racing movie. The time spent at the Pep Boys Speed Shop amuses me considering how much some of our members have had done at the one in Glen Burnie, MD.  It is really funny how many pieces of the movie related to GTM members. No VW Bugs though.

There were other movies I have seen and even re-watched to see if they would make the cut, but didn’t.  Need for Speed doesn’t have any racecraft discussion in it, even if the lead character was a skilled driver who grew up racing.  And in Driven, the only thing that is really racecraft related is the announcing during the racing, which is pretty damn good, but really just enough for the people who watch real racing to be content.

Now, I am not saying go out and watch all these movies, especially *not* Street Racer.  Please, save yourself, and don’t watch it!  I just wanted to point out that sometimes you can get some basic automotive knowledge from even the worst car movies. It can serve as an easy way to get people to understand some of the concepts of racing without forcing them to sit down and read racing theory books.  It also can serve as a gateway for aspiring gear heads to go absorb some knowledge and get that passion growing within them.

Hollywood takes our passion for cars seriously enough to be accurate with at least some of their depictions of Motorsports and that is refreshing. They will also go over the top and present unrealistic situations for the sake of drama, but by keeping the science and physics of racing at least based in reality, it means car people like us can enjoy the movies more because we don’t want to yell at the writers and directors for making extremely stupid scenes.  You know, like having the laptop that controls the ECU and Nitrous start screaming “DANGER TO MANIFOLD” as the rivets for the floor pan suddenly start popping off.

The car is so “fast” it is blurry in HD.

And just to be clear, I actually enjoy the Fast and Furious series of movies, I just don’t take them seriously.

GTM’s European Vacation: Dallara Automobili

Tania M
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GTM’s European Vacation: Dallara Automobili

Grab your wine, some parmigiano cheese and prosciutto – sip back and enjoy a tale with its beginnings in a small town in Northern Italy called Varano de’ Melegari. A recent trip to Italy to visit family brought me through this quaint little town more than once. And, full disclosure, I forgot that I had been here before when I was only ~7 years old, and was brought to Varano to see the home track “Autodromo Riccardo Palletti” – a ~1.5 mile road course originally started as an oval track in 1969 and expanded twice, first in 1972 and again in 2001. The track is currently named after a Milanese Formula One driver, Riccardo Palletti, who unfortunately barely got his career going before his untimely death at the 1982 Canadian GP.

As the sign says: Benvenuti in la terra dei motori (Welcome to Motor Valley)!

Disappointingly, this trip did not allow time for visiting the track (darn…), however, this is not the only reason why this town is dubbed Motor Valley. It is also the home of Gian Paolo Dallara, headquarters for the race car manufacturer of the same namesake, and home to the newly opened Dallara Academy (which opened to the public on October 13 – lucky me! My last day in town!).

But wait a second… I’ve never heard of a “Dallara” racecar… Well, well, are you sure about that? Have another bite of that parmigiano. Mmmm-yum.

A brief history

Mr. Dallara earned his degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Milan Polytechnic and began his career in the racing department of Ferrari. After 2 years he jumped ship to Maserati, and after another 2 years jumped ship again to Lamborghini where he helped conceive and design… wait for it, the…

Yes, the Lamborghini Miura! (His start was really on the 350 GT and he followed the Miura with the Espada). It was pretty much all downhill from here. Following his days at Lamborghini, he made a quick jaunt with De Tomaso, before finally being ready to go it alone, and started Dallara Automobili in 1972.

The company specializes in chassis design and aerodynamics – consulting and designing for some well-known brands you’ve never heard of …. Williams F1 cars, Indy cars, Lancia Stratos, Lancia Beta Montecarlo, Lancia LC1 and LC2, Ferrari F50 GT1, Audi TT DTM, Bugatti Veyron, Maserati MC12, Renault RS01, KTM X-Bow, various GP2 and GP3 cars, Formula Super Nissan, F1 Scuderia… just to name a few.

So what of the Dallara Academy?

As its name would suggest, it’s an educational institute. Students from all over the world trying to earn their Masters Degrees in race car engineering can go there to take classes in “Racing Car Design.” It’s also a museum open to the public displaying some iconic race cars and guiding folks through the history of the company.

Now if all that wasn’t enough, Dallara decided to manufacture a car to bear his name, and in 2017 the first Dallara Stradale was born. The car can be (and was) seen cruising the mountain roads of Varano.

The 2017 Dallara Stradale – the first production road car by the company. For all those pony fans (not the prancing kind), the Stradale features a 2.3L I4 turbo ecoboost Ford engine! Woooooo.

Now if a quick jaunt across the Atlantic is out of the cards for you, perhaps the next time you find yourself in Indianapolis you can make a pit stop at the Dallara Indycar Factory. According to their website: “The Dallara IndyCar Factory offers visitors the chance to explore 23,000 square feet of interactive and hands-on exhibits centered around the engineering and technology of the world’s fastest sport! Take a walk through a tunnel filled with IndyCar blueprints and design concept drawings or sit down and relax in our theater as you catch up on the history of Gian Paolo Dallara and his company, Dallara Automobili!” The Factory also boasts the ability to go for a ride in a street legal 2-seater Indy car, as well as simulation time with iRacing. How intriguing.

> Plug over. Now back to your regularly scheduled reading. <

I, for one, learned something new on this trip. I had no idea the true depth of the Motor Valley, nor the many contributions Dallara has made, and continues to make, to Motorsports.

Grazie Dallara and Arrivederci!

The Man, The Myth, The Legend

Eric M
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The Man, The Myth, The Legend

I was never planning on diving deep into the history of Lee Iacocca, but after reviewing “A Faster Horse” – a documentary surrounding the creation of the 6th generation Mustang on Netflix – the film stirred up a name I hadn’t heard in years: “Lee Iacocca.” – This mysterious, legendary, near mythical name, was thrown around a lot when I was a kid.

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But who was this masked man? – Not knowing any better I always put Lee up there with Perot, Kissinger, Rockefeller and others as “some old business dude” – pretty generic and never really knowing what people were truly on about. Later – admittedly still not knowing much – I came to realize one thing to be true: like John Z. DeLorean, Iacocca was a icon, and a car-guy. In October, as fate would have it, I stumbled across this 34 year old tome. A well kept copy of Iacocca’s autobiography was hiding along the shelves at a vintage store. And, for the low-low price of $1.00, why not grab it?

After a few days of light reading… 

Every great story has a beginning, and most recounts of a person’s life all start about the same: “It was never easy for me. I was born a poor black child. I remember the days, sittin’ on the porch with my family, singin’ and dancin’ down in Mississippi…” — Steve Martin as Navin R. Johnson in “The Jerk” – 1979.

So you can imagine how this goes: Iacocca – born and raised by Italian immigrants in Pennsylvania, does some schooling and ends up working for Ford in the late 1940s. #micdrop.

Saving time, I’ll also condense Iacocca’s early years for you: after getting his mechanical engineering degree at Lehigh University and being recruited by Ford Motor Company, he and 50 other new engineers were in a year long rotational program exposing them to all aspects of how Ford operated internally. After graduating from that program, he and a few others decided they much preferred to be in sales. Iacocca knew that if he stayed in the shadows at Ford (and he may very well have designed some cool feature, part, or even a car) he would be stuck where he was. His ambition, and maybe ego, drove him to seek higher ground – out in front of the customer.

Even today, there is no formal training for sales people. They say “people are just born with it” – whatever that means – but like most people that want to move ahead, quickly, sales is the place to earn or burn. If you under promise and over deliver, management is happy and the recognition and opportunities are lavish. So, why is Lee’s story important to the automotive industry let alone motorsport?

>> Fast forward to 1961

Iacocca has steadily moved up the ranks. The overall impression depicted of Ford at the time was that the company had plateaued and lost touch with the changing market climate. The cars had become lack-luster and unattractive, most notably with the introduction of the bargain basement Ford Falcon some years earlier. By this point, Iacocca was what by today’s standards would be called a “business unit manager” and he was leading a clandestine tiger-team of engineers to develop a car that would reignite interest in the Ford brand, especially after the Edsel fiasco. In Iacocca’s opinion it was better to seek forgiveness from the upper management than beg for their permission. “Project Cougar” (the original name for the Mustang), was underway.

Iacocca is often credited as “the father of the Mustang” and as the project lead, some of that is probably true. But then credit is also given to Joe Oros, the design studio head. However, through an internal competition, Dave Ash is the engineer that put pen to paper and created the Mustang  design that won over 6 other submissions. In what was typical cost cutting measures of the times, the original Mustang was built on top of a slightly modified Falcon chassis. The price point was right, the timing was right, and the Mustang took the world by storm. In retrospect, Iacocca didn’t become famous inside of Ford because of the car, but because of the sales numbers it drew: the Mustang sold 418,812 cars in its first year at a price point of $2,368 – that’s just shy of 1 billion (with a B) in gross sales – in 1965 dollars. The adage in sales is “you’re only as good as your last 2 quarters” , and Iacocca had definitely locked in his future for the next few years.

Held in some regard as a “fixer” , Iacocca was moved to the Lincoln-Mercury division. He had repeat success for the dying brand by pushing the new Cougar (based on the ‘stang) and Mark-III (based on the t-bird) to debut riding the coattails of the Mustang hype. After his “three-peat” of successes, Iacocca was eventually moved into the position of President of Ford Motor Company, making him Henry Ford II’s right hand man. Timing always seemed to be on Iacocca’s side, at least according to the picture painted in the book. For example, he dodged a bullet when interim Ford President Semon “Bunkie” Knudsen undid “the mustang mania” by making it bigger, wider, heavier, and more costly. Sales plummeted. Iacocca would also see success in Europe with the launch of the Fiesta during the oil crisis. The Fiesta was a name – that until recently – had all but disappeared from the Automotive landscape.

>>>> Fast Forward again, to 1979

Sparing you the details, Iacocca is “forced to resign” from Ford Motor Company and takes the helm of a nearly dead Chrysler Corporation a few months later. Successes with the “K cars” (the Aries being the most famous), front engine front wheel drive vehicles, boosted sales during a tough economic downturn in the early ’80s. Along with the debut of the “Dodge Caravan” – the first real “people mover” in the US that appealed to the masses in the same way the VW Type-2 “micro Bus” did in the ’60s – helped return Chrysler from the grave. Pushing to acquire AMC for their “Jeep” line was another bold and prosperous move for Chrysler under Iacocca’s tenure. It really seemed as though Iacocca had some sort of Midas touch, but in his book, he’s quite humble about all the vehicle successes and places more of the credit on managerial, organizational and cost cutting procedures he implemented inside the companies. At Chrysler, he was also very fortunate to be able to recruit from his network of former coworkers, who were also dismissed from Ford, to help right the ship.

I feel that the reconstruction period at Chrysler during Iacocca’s tenure can be easily summarized by this parody (below) about Dodge Aries owners. Take a look.

So what does this all have to do with Motorsport… two very important things: 1). Had it not been for Iacocca’s determination to prove Henry Ford II wrong about the need for a 2+2 sports car in the mid ’60s, the Mustang would never have been born. The Ford Motorsports program took on a whole new direction as popularity with the Mustang grew. Ford could now leverage another vehicle, more importantly a production vehicle, instead of something highly specialized like the GT-40 in their racing endeavors. It also gave the weekend warrior a car he could easily access, modify and take to the track.

2). Iacocca had the vision to re-partner with Carrol Shelby (as he had in the past at Ford) to green light “Project Viper” in the late ’80s. Under Iacocca’s tenure we saw the first Viper hit the streets in late 1992, and like the Mustang in ’64, it was something new, something special, something unforgettable. The Vipers development – housed in a separate facility with only 50 people assigned to it – also gave birth to the “SRT” division whose badge still graces many high performance Chrysler products today.

Both the Mustangs and the Vipers have had great racing careers, are both highly sought after, and continue to turn heads today. Had it not been for Iacocca’s vision to green light these programs and his love of all things automobiles, I believe the motorsports (and the automotive) landscape would look very different today. Can you imagine a world without the Mustang? or the Mini-van?

Unfortunately, many of the vehicles Chrysler produced during it’s resurrection aren’t something held in high regard as collectors items and even on a recent trip to GTM Sponsor: CHAZ’s Used Auto Parts, I counted four Iacocca-era Chryslers stacked together (below from left to right: the LeBaron, New Yorker, Omni and Shadow). But these cars – describe them however you like – were some of the cars that kept Chrysler from going under.

I learned a lot from this book and it hit close-to-home in many ways. I was able to expand my knowledge not just about the inner workings of the automotive industry, but also about being an effective manager. What it takes to be a “charismatic leader,”  and also navigating through the turbulent world of sales. The book holds many pearls of wisdom that are still relevant today.

Looking back, Iacocca is often regarded as a titan of industry and a hero. Though I am doubtful that Mr. Iacocca – at 94 years old at the time of this article – will be reading this review, I will tip my hat to him just the same. With utmost respect and sincerest sentiment – on behalf of the folks at GTM HQ …
Thank You, Lee.

A Faster Horse

Eric M
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A Faster Horse

“A Faster Horse”  is a documentary available on Netflix that takes viewers behind the scenes into the stressful and artistic world of car design. Never before were cameras allowed into the inner design rooms at the Dearborn, Michigan Ford facility where all the Mustangs have been created since the very first one. This inside look takes us through the evolution of the Mustang. The piece sets up as a retrospective for the Mustangs 50th birthday, but also focuses on the 2009 automotive downturn in the US.

After watching the film, I definitely came to a new understanding of Mustang history and its engineering. Despite all the outside pressures, in 2014 – Ford made a crucial jump and decided it was time to redesign their crown jewel – from the ground up. But for me, one of my biggest misconceptions around the Mustang was the number of “redesigns” there have been. The Ford team explains that there have only been 6 generations (including the current platform) put into production. The year-to-year changes, especially in the early generations were just face lifts on the same platform.

  • 1962-63 (prototypes)
  • 1964-1973; Gen 1
  • 1974-78; Gen 2
  • 1979-93; Gen 3
  • 1994-2004; Gen 4
  • 2005-2014; Gen 5
  • and 2015+ (current); Gen 6

I was also surprised to find out that more than 9-million Mustangs have been sold in over 50 years; and for a two-door sports car, that’s is a respectable metric.

The film does a great job and blending in archived footage from Fords history including interviews with Lee Iacocca, Carol Shelby and Henry Ford II. But more importantly it sets up interviews with key designers and engineers who have worked on the Mustang line through its 50 year run, including the original designers.

Watching the teams work on the 2015+ platform was insightful and educational. Some of their arguments and outcomes during meetings and in testing were enlightening. It was great to see this process from an insider view and shed new light on how cars are built today. For me, it answered some looming engineering questions … especially those I’ve always expressed – usually in frustration: “if only they’d spent an extra 10-cents!!!” — If you’d like to learn more about Automotive Engineering and the Mustangs journey, be sure to check out this film. Enjoy!

The battle against Brake Dust – cont’d

Eric M
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The battle against Brake Dust – cont’d

Back in April, I wrote about techniques for taking care of your Track Rims. After some serious rounds of fighting with the dirt, grime and brake dust that afflicts my white wheels, I continued to do research on chemicals and techniques for keeping my wheel investments tip-top. An older, and maybe lesser known, product is Zymol’s “Coat” – marketed as a protective “wheel wax.” It is made from natural ingredients including things like “spearmint oil” and claims to repel brake dust and other road grime.

I recently received a brand-new “fresh from the factory” set of Team Dynamics wheels (above). These are a painted silver finish and look great. Despite my wheels being new, I followed the directions and quickly washed the wheels.

Shake well and spray down the wheels giving them a nice thick coating of the liquid wax.

Allow the solution to dry for about 20-30 minutes. Once the drying process is complete you’ll notice most of the solution has evaporated and a small amount of what looks like “blueish water spots” remains on the surface. Zymol recommends you give the wheels a quick buff with a terry cloth to smooth out the finish. (much like waxing a car).

Next step – mount on your car, go to the track and HAVE SOME FUN!
My first test was probably one of the best conditions I could have hoped for: 3-days at Watkins Glen with mixed weather conditions. Rain is always the worst enemy causing the brake dust to quickly adhere to the wheels and rust.

As you can see in the picture above, the wheel is covered in a fine layer of dust and track grime. Zymol’s claim is all you need is a light wipe with a terry cloth and everything should come off the wheels. Hmm...

Terry cloth in hand… let’s do this. #sendit

I did my best to photograph, before/after in the same spot so you could easily see the differences. You can see the remaining grime around the valve stem and wheel hub where I purposely didn’t wipe. The results were better than I expected!  – Zymol’s “Coat” really does do what it claims. There was little effort to remove even the most caked on grime, and the wheel had very little clag as well. Despite the cost ($26 for 8 oz – available on Amazon), I am very happy with the results, and plan to use this not only on my race wheels but also on my daily drivers. #knowingishalfthebattle.

Live Demonstration!

…And after 5 on-track days of brake dust abuse,

… an almost “like new” result after a proper cleaning (below).
Note: I also reapplied the Zymol Coat for good measure once I was done! 🙂

Merry Motoring.

Car Masters Season 1 – Rust to Riches

Eric M
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Car Masters Season 1 – Rust to Riches

I am not generally one to fall prey to watching a reality television show. I just don’t like them. The drama is often contrived and the the flow of time is manipulated to create artificial stress. Not to mention the casts are generally an insufferable motley crew that make you want to throw things at the screen. Lately I’ve been on a tear of reviewing “motorsports related” programming that is available on streaming services and I stopped for a moment to watch the trailer for Netflix’s premiere season of “Car Masters: Rust to Riches.”

What really hooked me was the opening of Season 1 where the premise of the show is clearly explained. The idea is to mimic the “red paper clip – trade up” many of us might remember from a few years ago. Whereby a young man wanted to see how far he could take “the barter system” and see if he could find a way to start with a simple object (a red paper clip) and continue to trade/barter until he ended up with a house.

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**[editors note] Looking for Car Masters: Season-2 review?, click here. 

Welcome to Gotham Garage!

The Temecula, California based Gotham Garage’s new business venture was quite similar, start with a $1000 vehicle and build something worth trading for another vehicle, build, repeat, until finally having a vehicle worth $100k+ dollars – or what they refer to as “the 6 figure pay day.”  Gotham Garage and its owner Mark Towle are no strangers to building custom cars and there are even other shows about their work. The show follows the journey of the Gotham Garage team for the better part of a year. They are a small crew: Mark (owner, lead designer), Shawn (the wheeler-dealer), Tony (the machinist), Caveman (the mechanic) and Constance (the engine builder).

From the first car they build – a 1964 Ford Thunderbird “rocket car” (above) to the last – an authentic 1955 Lincoln Futura replica (below); the show keeps you engaged the whole time. Some builds are split up across multiple episodes leaving you with a tinge of “cliffhanger” moments, but not really… let’s face it, I’m binge-ing this so it’s easy to plow through a few 30 minute episodes. It’s definitely not “couples cuddling time” programming, but my wife was able to watch with me and found the build process interesting and the results of the work impressive. From a “non-car-person” perspective, I think that speaks volumes.

Overall “Car Masters: Rust to Riches” doesn’t have the typical drama of a reality program but more of a documentary format with moments reminiscent of “the Office” and its breakaway monologues. The result is a lot of long hours dutifully recorded and compressed for the audience. Whatever was left on the cutting room floor during production doesn’t seem to matter, it probably would have taken away from the builds. The candid and simple nature of the format showcases some really creative, innovative and unique design and engineering work. For me, some of the work that Tony and Caveman were able to accomplish was incredible, and made me want to continue watching to see how they might tackle the next issue or set of requirements. I was pleased to see that the team gets along well personally and work together flawlessly, which made the viewing experience even better compared to other shows in this genre.

Splittin’ Image

Aside from the Futura (which you might also recognize as the 1960’s Batmobile), I would say the second most complicated build the team took on was a scale replica of the famed 1968 Hot-wheels “Splittin’-Image” toy (pictured above). I actually had one of these – in dark blue – as a “hand me down” so I was intrigued to see how they might scale up the toy. The team based their replica on top of a ’87 Corvette (C4) which by calculations had the same scaled-up wheelbase as the toy and nailed all the aspects and details of this concept car. It was even painted to match the rare hot-wheels magenta color as pictured above. In a more recent image of the vehicle (below), it looks as though it as has been repainted by the owner, along with the addition of some C6 wheels.

There are definitely some other really cool builds and projects in the show, but I don’t want to spoil the series for you. Moreover, since I’m not a TV or movie critic, I won’t be giving “Car Masters: Rust to Riches” an official view-o-meter percentage of pleasure-ability score.  As a motorhead, I’ll leave you with this: The 8-episode run was worth the watch and I am looking forward to a Season 2 – if Netflix and Gotham Garage decide to continue on. Until then, be sure to check out…

“I’m looking for a used car, any suggestions?” – a VW buyers guide

Various Authors
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“I’m looking for a used car, any suggestions?” – a VW buyers guide

It’s not uncommon for us to receive an email like this from friends or co-workers. Mind you, the emails we get are never more detailed than what you see above, but it’s enough to start the conversation. The next logical questions are obviously: how old?, how many miles? and what’s your budget?

It’s always a blessing when you get clarification that the driver doesn’t want a Type-411 “Square Back”, Type-2 Bus or Beetle from the late ‘60s. Generally, folks are looking for something built in either the last 5 years or the last 10-12 years based on their budget. With that extra bit of information we can usually make a base level recommendation. These are aren’t always for or against purchasing a VAG product, but based on living with these vehicles everyday for generations, some of us at GTM might know a thing or two about Volkswagens.

The original “Beetle” was the longest running production car ever made, globally (first sold in 1938), even though sales of the Beetle ceased in America in the late ‘70s, production and sales continued in Mexico and abroad until 2003! It’s true, you could still buy a vintage style Beetle right alongside a “New Beetle” built in the same factory from 1998-2003!  #trivianight. The “New Beetle” was originally introduced to the masses as “the Concept 1” in 1997-98, to inspire a generation of hippies to upgrade from their current Beetle to a new one with air-conditioning.

The base MK4 family: New Beetle (left), Jetta (center) and Golf (right)

Stereotypes about the Bug aside, there are a couple of *GOOD* things about the first generation “New Beetle” based VWs. Being built from 1998-2010 on the same Generation 4 (aka “MK4”) chassis that the 1999-2005 Golf/GTI/Jetta and Audi-TT makes for a large existence of support for all of the models and their variants. The MK4 chassis was unique in the VAG “A-series” evolution (not to be confused with Audi A4, etc) as it stands on its own compared to the MK1-3 and MK5-7+ cars. The MK4s also have a huge aftermarket and OE parts availability, as well as “new” products continuing to be developed for a platform that went End-of-Life nearly 13 years ago.

Items to consider when purchasing any MK4-based VW

  • Stay away from the early cars 1998-2001; Why? – VW was still sorting out some of the issues with the MK4 platform, and there were many “half-year-splits” and recalls on parts. This isn’t a major deal breaker, but VW improved upon the MK4 in the later cars saving you some headaches.
  • Any MK4 with the 2.0-litre (non-turbo) also known as the “2.slow” is going to be just that … *SLOW* – don’t expect a lot. They often get somewhere in the high 20s/low 30s on MPG – it really depends on how you drive it. The 2.slow literally makes 110hp – when it was new – its the same base 8-valve VW has been producing since the ’80s. It’s a motor that will last forever as it’s rather under-stressed. The 4-speed automatic that it is strapped to … well, that’s another story. It’s a slushbox and a junky trans compared to other offerings in the same vehicles.
  • The 2003 model year for the entire MK4 line up saw some big changes esp. to the 1.8-turbo engine, the most sought after engine is coded “AWP” and with it, the addition of variable valve timing, more power – bumped from 150hp to 180hp, and other odds-ends. In general, the 1.8-turbo is the engine to have if you wanted something with “pep or tunability”; the 1.8-turbo cars came with a variety of transmissions: 5-spd manual, 4-speed auto and 5-speed “tiptronic” auto. In the manual a 1.8-turbo can get low 30s MPG on the highway.
  • The VR6s – there are no VR6 (2.8-litre 12/24-valve, or 3.2-litre) powered Beetles, except in Europe (RSi Beetle); only the GTI, Jetta and TT came with that engine option.
  • In 2002-2004 there were also a limited edition series of MK4s: “The 3-3-7”, “The 20th Anniversary Edition”, “The Beetle Turbo S” and “The R-32” to name a few. All of these are considered “specialty models” in the VAG community, with fewer and fewer on the road, they are difficult to find and more expensive than their standard counterparts. Most, but not all of the specialty cars come in 6-speed manual and different body components.
  • In 2006, while the rest of the A-series line-up was upgraded to the MK5 chassis, the Bug remained on the MK4 platform but received a face-lift, as well as the addition of a Cabriolet (convertible) variant for the first time. The 2006+ bugs ditched the 2.slow for the 2.5-litre 5-cylinder (from Audi fame), which makes about the same HP as a bone stock 1.8-turbo and gets about the same MPG. The upside to the 5 cylinder is it’s a bulletproof engine, it revvs like a 4 cylinder and has torque like a 6 cylinder, and no turbos to worry about, and they sound pretty mean with an exhaust! The 5-cylinder comes with a couple transmissions options: Manual, 5-speed tiptronic and 6-speed DSG (direct sequential gearbox). The 2006+ bugs come with a lot more creature comforts, as well as some body restyling. But underneath it’s still a MK4.
  • And let’s not forget, there are the 50+MPG DIESEL (labeled TDI) cars. They’re not going to set the world on fire in terms of performance, but the MPG is second to none. These are pre-diesel-gate TDIs so nothing to worry about there. These came in 5-spd manual and 4-speed auto. The early models carried the ALH (90 hp) diesel until 2003, then upgraded to the BEW (110 hp) diesel through 2005.

What to look for when searching for a MK4

  1. Check for wetness under the front carpets (especially on cars equipped with a sunroof), usually this means the drains are clogged and the headliner needs to be partially dropped to remedy / clean. It’s a good practice to blow compressed air through the sunroof drains once a year to make sure they are flowing correctly. There are 4 ports total (2 front, 2 rear).
  2. Check for wetness in the corners of the trunk, esp. behind the tail lights, remove the liners and look under the spare tire for any signs of wetness or rotting. This is usually a sign the car was hit, or the trunk seals are bad. One other possible reason for wetness there would be that the rear windshield sprayer tank (or lines) have cracked and it’s leaking; usually you will see a residue witha neon-blue tint if this is the case.
  3. For the Bug specifically, the bodies are 50/50 fiberglass and galvanized steel so there should be very little if any rust, unless the car was hit. It’s really tough to make those large swoopy fenders in steel anymore. As for the rest of the MK4s it’s more steel than plastic.
  4. It is NORMAL for the headlights to turn a “milky” color as the lens are plastic and they tend to turn overtime / neglect. If you find a MK4 with super clear lens they have either been replaced or upgraded to glass lens from Europe.
  5. It is also NORMAL for the interior plastic parts to feel a little “sticky” as the finish (which varies from car to car) is a flat, rubberized type of plastic. This feeling changes with temperature / humidity.
  6. Beetle Only: Any beetle with color matched door panels (inside) and wheel inserts has XM radio these were known as “satellite beetles”
  7. If you can look down from the top (or up from the bottom – only if the skid plate is missing) look for signs of oil leaks between the motor and trans, that is an indication of a failing rear main seal. It’s a $12 part, but requires the transmission to come off to replace.
  8. Look for any signs of coolant leaks, especially around the cylinder head on the drivers side, usually an indication that the plastic fittings (which can be replaced with metal) are failing. This is cheap to fix, and we usually partner it with a timing belt service, replacing the thermostat housing, primary radiator hoses and other known-to-fail parts.
    • All VWs *should* use either pink/purple factory coolant or orange Dex-Cool coolant. If the car has yellow/green anti-freeze it needs to be flushed out immediately as those types of antifreeze are not designed for aluminum cylinder heads (this applies to all MK4 engines).
  9. If you see a “dark green” oil under the car – that’s a power steering system leak. You’ll also hear the pump whining when you turn the wheel lock-to-lock when sitting still. This will need to be serviced *soon* – running the pump/rack low on fluid can cause serious damage to either component. The culprit is usually bad crush washers or the compression fitting on the power steering line where it changes from hard-to-flexible-to-hard again.
  10. Only applicable to 1.8-turbo cars: On your test drive, and if the brakes feel spongy after driving hard or “need to be pumped” to stop its not usually a problem with the brakes so much as the brake booster, these are known to fail on the high mileage MK4s, and it’s the result of a $6 check valve that fails and blows out the booster. The booster change job is an absolute nightmare, and not recommended as a DIY, its absolutely frustrating.
  11. Some MK4s, but Bugs especially, have issues with the door lock mechanisms freaking out – *never* leave the car running with the windows shut, *ever* – the car might lock on you, leaving it running with the keys inside… or better still the alarm goes off randomly (always in the middle of the night) or the car unlocks for absolutely no reason. VW recalled/updated the parts but not all cars received those fixes.
  12. Always remember to check the gas tank and trunk switches to make sure they work. For whatever reason, these switches are positioned in such a way, that if you ever opened the windows on a rainy day (say at a toll booth) the water would make a bee-line straight for those switches. Operating the switches you should hear the solenoid activate from inside the car, and the gas filler door and trunk should open. If they don’t, it’s either a problem with the switches or the solenoids. Again, these are known to go bad on some cars. If you have to pull on the switch a couple times to get the gas filler open, it’s a solid indicator those mechanisms are going bad.
  13. Lastly, see if there are any records on the car, you really need to know if/when the timing belt was changed; service interval is around 80k. High mileage isn’t necessarily a scary thing on any of the engines, but newer the better. If you do get a MK4, I would recommend an immediate Timing Belt, Water Pump, etc service. 5-cylinder and VR6 models are exempt as they use chains instead. On a 4-cylinder MK4 doing the timing belt service yourself is about 4-6 hrs labor, and $200 in parts (depending on quality).

This all might sound like a turn off, but it’s just minor stuff, we assure you. Maintaining a MK4 is pretty reasonable and you can source nearly all your parts from www.ecstuning.com ; and because it’s german, if you don’t plan to do some DIY you definitely need to find the right shop to take care of it, so that you’re not stuck paying dealer prices. We have a few we can recommend.

We could go off about safety ratings, Consumer Reports, J.D. Power & Assoc. Awards and the like, but that is all research you can do on your own if it helps make your decision for/against a VAG product easier. But all that aside, owning a Volkswagen is one of those purchases you’ll always remember, be it for the best or worst reasons. There is just something about them.

We’ve always appreciated the late-’80s marketing mantra from VW “for the love of driving” – which you’ll find to be true when you get behind the wheel. Some would also argue “if it doesn’t fit in a VW, you shouldn’t own it” playing to the “hot-hatch” nature of most A-series VWs including the Bug! At the end of the day, VWs are well engineered and generally easy to maintain, but like anything else – not to be neglected. If you take care of your VW, it will take care of You.

> ok, WOW – that’s a lot of information <

But wait, there’s more … continuing to answer the original question from the email there is also the latest generation “MK6” based Beetles which will be your 2011-current. Those come with 2.5-litre 5-cylinder and 2.0-litre turbo variants, in Coupe and Cabrio. Much newer, nicer and more expensive cars. 

  • Note: A late model MK4 based Beetle 2006-2010 can be picked up for around $6000 with reasonable mileage.
  • A good place to find a “run of the mill” Bug will be through Cars.com (try this link)
  • If you wanted to find something, slightly more maintained or “modded” you can always check out: VWvortex Marketplace.

… Stacy, we hope you found all this data overload useful, and if you need help searching, please don’t hesitate to give us a shout. We wish you the best, and hope that you will join the VAG community. Good Luck on your Search! – Abby. #FAHRVERGNUGEN

Paul Hollywood’s Big Continental Road Trip

Eric M
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Paul Hollywood’s Big Continental Road Trip

Only a few GTM members might recognize the name “Paul Hollywood” and for those that don’t, he’s one of the famed European bakers behind the popular “Great British Bake Off” which has gained popularity in America through Netflix. I won’t deny that both my wife and I enjoy watching the Bake Off quite a bit. I’ve often wondered if like a lot of British celebs… is Paul a bit of a “petrol head?” – thinking back, I don’t recall if I’ve ever seen him as a guest on Top Gear or The Grand Tour, so I figured – probably not.

Be that as it may – I was recently scrolling through the “Recommended for You” section of Netflix and was startled when I came across the title “Paul Hollywood’s Big Continental Road Trip” — hmm, maybe he was a car guy? – or was Netflix was just baiting me into watching some sort of travel cooking show? What finally pushed me over the edge was the supercars prominently displayed on the cover art.

Finding time to set aside to watch this 3-part mini series, my perception of Paul was definitely rewritten. Quoting some of the opening monologue of Part-1, I quickly came to realize Paul shares a lot of the same ideals around cars that many of us do: “I’ve been into cars for as long as I can remember … [cars] are more than just transport from A-to-B, they are a thing of enjoyment, they are a thing for me that I use to de-stress.” – Amen to that. #respect


Did you know that Paul drove for Aston? – Neither did I.

The plot of the series: in short – set about mainland Europe driving through some of the most gorgeous locations, twistiest roads in all sorts of different vehicles with a variety of guests in the right seat. With some Test Tracks and Factory Tours thrown in for added flavor. Paul makes a point in setting the premise for the show by explaining: “What really fascinates me is what cars say about their owners, and the people who made them.”  This is actually another car culture ideal I believe to be 100% true. #likecarlikeowner. Part 1 consists of a 1,000+ mile drive over 6 days through Italy and here are some of the vehicles featured in the first segment:

  • Lamborghini Huracan Spyder
  • Lamborghini Huracan Coupe – Polizia
  • Alfa Romeo Alfasud
  • Ferrari California T
  • Pagani Huayra Coupe
  • Pagani Huayra Roadster
  • Piaggio Ape 50
  • Alfa Romeo 6C Mille Miglia
  • Maserati Quattroporte GTS Grandsport
  • Fiat Cinquecento “nouva 500”
  • Fiat Panda 4×4, Series 1
  • Fiat Panda Cross, Diesel
  • Ferrari GTC4 Lusso
  • Lamborghini Miura SV

Parts 2 and 3 are spread across Germany and France using a familiar format carried over from Part 1. If you happen to have a couple extra minutes read about VW Part No. 199-398-500-A. #alwayslearning. I won’t give away all the spoilers, so you’ll have to tune in to see what happens in those episodes, but I can say they are quite enjoyable and the cars are cool. (The clip below, which we used in our Fascination: Fiat Panda article, gives you a glimpse into the show).

Overall, the series does a great job of mimicking the “epic adventure” format were accustomed to watching on other programs without completely copying them. At times it feels produced in the same way the Bake Off tends to flow, with moments of monologue smattered between the scenes. The series has a good blend of reality, history lessons and is thankfully kept light-hearted so as to not come off as a proper documentary.  The guests make the show feel a little bit like Sienfield’s “Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee”  but more in the vein of giving you cultural perspective rather than trying to make you laugh. The upside for non-car people is that the show isn’t all about the facts, figures and specs but keeps it high-level for all audiences. More importantly, as a petrol head it will definitely keep your interest. Enjoy!

Using your 5 Senses to diagnose Vehicle issues

Eric M
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Using your 5 Senses to diagnose Vehicle issues

Car Care … ugh, cringe, yuck. Car Care and General Vehicle Maintenance used to be one of those common household chores. Folks across America with hoods popped on the weekends, kids “holding a light” prepping the family people mover for their next trip. Add a quart of oil (check!).

Nowadays, many people prefer to bring their vehicle in for service. And in the last 25+ years or so, Car Care has morphed into this dark art where only specialists, often held in the same regard as the wizard Merlin, are able to properly maintain your vehicle.

At GTM we’re a bit “old school” and prefer to perform a lot of our own wrench turning. With many trained and shade-tree mechanics on staff, we were able to compile some useful information that you can use to save your self some $$$ and quickly diagnose and/or keep track of your vehicles health. Let’s learn how to use four out of your five senses to help perform a simple diagnosis and health inspection on your vehicle.

First, build a map of your engine compartment 

Your map will vary from vehicle to vehicle, but having an understanding of where all of the critical components are located is essential to a proper visual inspection. Example below.

Know Your Colors

First let’s learn how to identify and diagnose fluid related issues with your vehicle. Using your map we can now build a list of all the fluids your vehicle may have and how to identify them:

    • Fuel (Gasoline, Diesel, Natural Gas)
    • Engine Oil: Brown – shade varies based on the manufacturer; usually the same shade as maple syrup
    • Transmission Fluid: Manual Transmissions use gear oil which is a light tan color and Automatics use ATF which is a rich garnet red color.
    • Differential Fluid (for RWD and AWD vehicles): Similar to gear oil.
    • Coolant (aka “Anti-Freeze”): Different colors based on the manufacturer.
      • Yellow/Light Green – generic; often found in domestic vehicles
      • Red/Pink/Violet/Purple – often found in German Cars (VAG products)
      • Orange – GM/Dexcool or for aluminum engines (e.g. Corvette)
      • Blue – often found in BMWs
    • Power Steering Fluid: Dark green in European Vehicles and garnet red in Domestics (Note: many domestics use ATF as power steering fluid.)
    • Brake Fluid: A light golden color similar to Vegetable Oil.
    • Windshield Washer Fluid: Generally Light blue, similar to Windex.
    • Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF, Diesels ONLY): Clear, water-like.
    • Refrigerant (Freon/R134; Air-Conditioning System)

Good, Bad or Indifferent

Tip: Any fluid that isn’t Oil, and *is* brown has probably gone bad.
Consider changing your fluids as soon as possible.

The base color of your oil varies on the manufacturer (as seen in 1-5 above), but the end result is the same for all. As the oil ages, breaks down or burns, it will look like the picture above (6-7+). A good rule of thumb is to change your oil every 4 months or 5,000 miles, whichever comes first. Performing a periodic oil analysis will give you clear indicators of anything that might be going wrong in your engine. We recommend sending your samples to BlackStone Labs

Other visual inspections

  • Check your tires
    Do you have any rollover? Unever wear? How much tread depth do you have left?

    • Rollover is an indication of improperly inflated tires.
    • Uneven tire wear is a good indicator you might be in need of an alignment
    • Tread depth… how close is the top of the tread to the “wear bar”? The closer you are the less time you have left before needing a new set of tires.
  • Do all of your lights work?
    Have a friend help you and visually inspect all of your vehicles lights, including:

    • High/Low beams (headlights)
    • Running lights (front/rear/side)
    • Hazard lights (flashers/4-ways)
    • Turn signals (left and right)
    • Brake lights
    • License plate lights (many states can fine you for having this burnt out)
    • don’t forget about your reverse lights!
    • and IF your vehicle is equipped with Fog lights, check those too.

Is there an odd or foul odor emanating from your vehicle?

We’re not talking about the forgotten bean & cheese burrito that rolled under the seat last week…
Let’s review:

  • Coolant: Sickly-sweet, almost citrus-like
  • Oil: Burnt fried chicken
  • Brakes: Fresh ashes from a fireplace.
  • Transmission Fluid: Damp woodsy smell, very unique, “funky”
  • Clutch: Burning cork; if you’ve ever put a pot/pan right off the stove onto a cork hot pad, it’s that smell.
  • Washer Fluid: Glass cleaner
  • Refrigerant (Freon/R134) – Cool, sweet, “heavy”
  • Fuel: Smells like fuel, make sure it’s not on your hands or shoes 🙂
  • Lean Exhaust: Lit cigarette
  • Rich Exhaust: Raw / Unburnt fuel
  • Catalytic converter: Sulfur or rotten eggs
  • Carbon Monoxide: Odorless and Deadly; If you get really tired or sick after driving your vehicle, you might have an exhaust leak which is giving you CO poisoning. Get the car to a repair shop ASAP!

Did you know your vehicle has 2 kinds of air filters?

Engine Air Filter: Keeps gunk, leaves and other things that don’t belong in your engine, out of your engine. The longer you drive without a regular cleaning or filter change the more likely this filter will get clogged. Check your owners manual for the recommended replacement interval.

Cabin Filter: Many non-engine related odors inside the cabin come from a dirty cabin filter. The cabin filter is designed (like your house filter) to remove particulates, allergens, and odors from outside the car and some from the engine compartment. Cabin filters should be changed regularly. We recommend at least once a year.

Is your car smoking?!? – What color is the smoke?

  • White smoke while the engine is running is a sign that the engine is burning coolant (anti-freeze). You might have a leak or blown head gasket that needs to be taken care of immediately.  
  • Black smoke means the car is running too rich. Unburnt fuel is leaving through the exhaust. You should consider getting a tune up.
  • Grey smoke when just turning on the vehicle is generally OK. This means there is condensation (water) in the exhaust system which is being converted to steam.
  • Blue smoke means the engine is burning oil. Some older engines tend to burn a bit of oil and that is normal. However, large plumes of blue smoke – especially under acceleration – is indicative of a larger problem.

[Editors Note] We covered hearing cues extensively back in February in an article entitled: “Your car is talking to you, so listen up!”

We know that this guide might not cover everything particular to your vehicle, but there is one source that always does: your VEHICLE OWNERS MANUAL. Consult your manual often, it really does have all the answers, including where to find components, appropriate service intervals and even maintenance instructions. If you’re interested in learning more, contact one of the friendly folks at GTM about our Car Care Clinic.

Top Tip: if you take care of your vehicle, your vehicle won’t let you down.

#neverstoplearning

Good Ideas – Bad Execution?

Eric M
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Good Ideas – Bad Execution?

Someone wise once said: “There are no bad ideas, only great ideas that go horribly wrong” — arguably this is the premise behind 90% of all Concept Cars we’ve seen at the larger International Auto Shows. But inquiring minds want to know “where are they now?” – Polling our audience, we compiled a list of Concepts to research, rolled up our sleeves and started investigating.

Concepts usually evolve into something else…

During our research we quickly came to the realization that some concepts were completely scuttled but others evolved into something else entirely. Let’s take a look at some of those evolutions from prototype to production.

  • '91 Audi Avus (Tap picture to learn more)

The Audi Avus had a lot of things going for it… It was Audi’s first “mid-engined super car” boasting specifications like a Zero-60 time of 2.9 seconds with a top speed over 200 mph. Built on an aluminum space frame (first introduced on the Audi Spyder concept) with a turbo-charged W12 configuration. It was well ahead of its time, and gave inspiration to better known VAG products like the Nardo W12 and the W16 powered Veyron. Technology from the Avus continues to be used in mass produced VAG products today. #livelongandprosper 

  • '95 Ford GT-90 (Tap picture to learn more)

We all know about the epic battles between Ford and Ferrari during the ’60s. LeMans gave way for the original Ford GT-40 to evolve and flourish; We all loved the GT-40 MK2 its a timeless design, one that Ford (until recently) wasn’t really able to recapture in the hearts of enthusiasts. 20 years after the GT-40s retirement the designers at Ford decided to release the radical GT-90 in 1995. Looking like something out of the movie Minority Report, the GT-90 never really caught on, especially against other modern supercars of the era. It would take Ford another 10 years before a worthy successor to the GT-40 would hit the market.

The sorted life of the Pontiac Banshee

Speaking of prototypes that never really caught on, The Banshee. Four iterations of this concept car emerged from the depths of GM between 1964-1988. Three of the 4 designs all morphed into something we recognized on the roads.

’64 Pontiac Banshee I > becomes the Opel GT

’74 Pontiac Banshee III > becomes the late ’70s Firebird

’88 Pontiac Banshee – IV > becomes the mid-’90s Camaro

A design that inspired … that classic ’70s wedge.

In 1968, the engineers at Alfa Romeo developed a prototype that would unknowingly change the way we looked at sports cars through the late ’70s and ’80s. In contrast to the Lamborghini Miura which is considered an early wedge, the Miura still had swooping lines, curved hips and exposed lights. The Alfa Romeo 33 ‘Carabo’ brought us to the future with a true wedge shape, hidden headlights, and for the first time: scissor doors. Little did Alfa Romeo know, this design would go on to inspire Lamborghini to create the first generation Countach which would evolve into the Jalpa, Countach LP and Diablo. Other manufacturers like: DeTomaso, Lancia and Lotus would also take cues from the Carabo. 

  • '68 Alfa Romeo Carabo (Tap picture to learn more)

Concepts are often just that, concepts. The daydreams of bored engineers looking to inspire them to “the thing that leads to the next thing” or sometimes its a corporate push to re-imagine a brand that has lost it’s way. The stories behind many concepts and prototypes are fascinating, the pressure to complete them for a major show or the “borrowed from the parts bin” approach to piece-meal the vehicles together are astounding. Did you know Porsche has an entire warehouse that has been converted into a museum that houses nothing but rejects, oddballs and concepts?

And others should never have been built…

Listen on Apple
Listen on YouTube
Listen on Spotify

Touted as the “safest car in the word” we’re rather pleased that the 1957 Aurora Safety Car was never produced.  It would have claimed victor as “ugliest car ever”  (and it did in our Podcast Episode) but instead goes down as the ugliest concept car ever built – to this very day. 

Regrettably, a showcase of the ones that never made it.

  • Mazda Furai

And one’s we’re still waiting for… Promises, Promises (sigh).

**[editors note] – in 2020, these two cars finally became a reality! woot! **


Toyota Supra


Ford Bronco

All-in-all, concept cars are pretty awesome! In the automotive world, they are the purest form of imagination for both the designer and the consumer a-like. I can honestly say I had plenty of concept posters hanging on my bedroom wall as a kid: the Banshee IV,  Porsche Boxster (seen below), GT-90, Isdera Commendatore C112i, and the VW Concept R – just to name a few.

What concept car has most inspired you? What car poster was hanging on your wall as a kid Leave your comments below, we’d love to hear about your favorites. #neverstoplearning

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