Turbo – Gripshiftslide

Reviewed :: Toyota C-HR Koba

Grant — Wed, 03 May 2017 13:23:34 +0000

The C-HR is Toyota’s newest compact SUV boasting bold looks, class leading technology, big space and reliability. This is a completely new car built on Toyota’s TNGA platform and from concept to reality this is one creation that Toyota did not skimp on! They really pushed the design envelope making a small four door SUV look like a two door sporty hatchback on steroids.

The proportions of this car are visually mind bending, sometimes it looks small and other times it looks like a large soft rider. Sharing Toyota’s new headlight design that is a theme running through all of its current models and most notably the new Rav4. You may of noticed that the humble Rav4 has grown bigger in its current form making way for the C-HR to fit right into the stables at Toyota.

The model I was testing was the All Wheel Drive C-HR Koba. The first thing I noticed about this car was its interior space! It’s deceptive to say the least! It has a high viewing angle for the driver with a large windscreen and big side windows giving the driver a super panoramic view of the road. It almost feels as large inside up front as an XF Falcon!

The interior is very distinctive with its silver highlights and high gloss glitter surrounds. The C-HR not only has LED tail lamps but also LED headlamps which are super bright! So bright that you will constantly think you have your high beams on.

Yet when you venture to the back seat things change drastically! The lack of light caused by the small rear side windows creates a very dark and claustrophobic feeling. Although they are great if you want to stop young kids sticking their heads out the window!

For adults in the back there is adequate room despite the need to lean forward to see out the window.
Gone are the days of an ashtray in every arm rest. Todays ashtray is the cup holder! Toyota has made sure that there is one within reach everywhere inside the C-HR.

You can see Toyota has focused on the driver with a premium seat, complete with height adjustment and electronic lumbar support, which really helps on a long trip. The C-HR feels fun, light and agile to drive.

The 1.2 litre 4 cylinder turbo engine has been the main talking point around this car across the internet…
So I decided to take it up some big hills.

Having owned a Honda Beat with only 3 cylinders at a whopping 660CC I know a thing or two about low powered cars and the internet whinging was clearly coming from people who drive Holden Commodores. The fact that the C-HR is only pushing out 85kw and pulling 1510kgs sounds like it could be a struggle, yet I’m here to tell you that this little eco engine goes well for what it has to accomplish.

Driving around Mansfield and all the way up Mt Buller was a big test for the little engine. I drove up to Mt Buller in the pouring rain with no problems! Yeah the CVT gearbox is a bit slow at times but all CVT autos have that delay. Once you put the car into sport mode you can alleviate at least 70% of that delay and pull out a bunch more response from the little engine.

As any boy racer would do I looked for the intercooler and turbo straight away! Were both hidden ? Was I going blind?…Yes the car has hidden the turbo behind the engine against the firewall! So no quick turbo upgrades! The intercooler well… Toyota decided to save space and go for a fancy water-cooled exhaust manifold instead of a traditional intercooler.

So if you intend to modify the C-HR the only quick fix would be a tune/remap, more boost, and a bigger exhaust system. Although for this type of car people will more likely go for aesthetic over power. We can only hope that Toyota brings over some of the proposed TRD kits for the C-HR into Australia.

A recent speedhunters article featured a C-HR with a set of airbags and some great wheels this really shows just the tip of the iceberg of what can be done with the C-HR.

The car itself has some spectacular line. It looks fast, sleek and sophisticated. Those sneaky rear doors help to make the car look smaller than it really is and they give it a coupe style appearance with attitude.

The Koba has many awesome features just like a new mobile phone! You have lots of things at your disposal yet it’s only when you need that specific function that you discover the feature that can help you.

Basically this car does heaps of things I never knew it did! Auto high beam, Lane Departure Alert, PreCollision Safety system, Active Cruise Control and the main feature that was the most helpful; the blind spot indicators!

So what is the C-HR? Is it a mini-SUV? A small soft rider or a high-riding coupe? It’s all of those things and more.
With a sprinkle of Lexus and a dash of inspiration from Honda the C-HR is made to turn heads.

Will cashed up hipsters trade in their old VW Golfs for a funky family fun mini-SUV? Lets hope so because Toyota has thrown everything at the C-HR! They have packed a lot of technology into this car yet most of the technology seems to be focused on safety.

However I think millennials would rather Apple Carplay and Android Auto over extra parking sensors or emergency braking systems. As the mobile phone continues to move towards human symbiosis complete and seamless connectivity is at the forefront of all young peoples minds.

For that reason I find its strange that Toyota has skimped on the entertainment system in the C-HR. Overseas C-HR models have been pictured with a sleek flat panel media system yet the Australian version gets a clunky Chinese unit that is not very user friendly.

The audio/media system in the car is really the only thing that Toyota needs to work on; otherwise the C-HR is a great little car. Fun to drive, easy over speed humps and rough roads and it genuinely handles well for a car of this type.

The cabin has great noise cancelling and the drivers seat can be raised or lowered which is amazing for child sized adults like myself.

The real party piece of the C-HR is its unmistakable design! It really stands out among it’s competition especially with the amount of dress-up options available. There are even three different trim styles to choose from; Icon, Excel and Dynamic. Not to mention the wide range of accessories you can add in the mix.

The C-HR is very comfortable and easy to live with and it really is a cut above the rest. Toyota has taken a risk making such a bold, mini SUV but I think they have pulled it off and I cannot wait to see more of these on the road. Thanks to Toyota Australia for giving us the opportunity to test and review the new C-HR.
Thanks for reading,
Grant

Fun2Drive :: Not So Mellow Yellow

Grant — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 12:02:54 +0000

With another trip to the automotive mecca that is Japan we of course visited our friends at Fun2Drive again. This time I was dying to get behind the wheel of a bright yellow RX7 that was still burnt into my retinas from our previous trip.

After a short drive out of Tokyo we returned to our ‘Home away from home’ Hakone. A picturesque town sprawled across the mountain tops. With stunning views of Mt Fuji it’s also home to an amazing little rental shop called Fun2Drive (More here). After catching up with Chikara and Yoshi we got right into business and I was given the keys to our first rental car, a gorgeous Mazda FD3S RX7.

As I was holding the keys Yoshi told me that this exact car was responsible for taking out a guard rail just 2 months ago. At that moment the skies opened up and it began to rain. Feeling the pressure of keeping this now straight car in the same condition as I had picked it up in I decided to take it easy that morning.

At the turn of the key I found the smooth and deep exhaust note incredibly soothing. This was my very first time driving a car powered by the wizardry commonly known as a rotary engine.
I didn’t really know what to expect but I instantly noticed the car seemed aggressive throughout the entire rev range and very happy on power.

There was a touch of turbo lag when pressing the accelerator, only for a second and then the power came on strong and pushed the car along leaving a very obvious grin across my face at every press of the throttle. The sound and feeling of the car even when stationary was extraordinary. I definitely had a new found appreciation for the Wankel engine.

That’s where my love affair stopped. After the initial excitement of the power delivery and noise the engine made had worn off I found myself focusing on the claustrophobic interior that seemed to carry on and make as much noise as the engine itself with every rattle and pop.

There were also less pedantic problems too like the suspension/tyre combination on the car that made it feel like a wet sponge. It was incredibly hard to get any direct feedback from the road. Visually it was also impossible to get a sense of where the tyres were under the front guards.

Weeks after my trip I was telling friends about my time with the RX7 many of whom are avid Mazda/Rotary enthusiasts. The look on their faces trying to comprehend that I just didn’t enjoy the feeling of the car around corners and that it felt slightly ‘detached’ from the road left them questioning their friendship with me. Understandably I had high hopes for the buzzing rotary but simply couldn’t get past the interior swallowing me whole or the loose feeling from the tyres.

Ultimately I’m sure with more time, the right suspension and tyres this would be an amazing car to drive. I am also sure that if I wasn’t constantly scared of all the guard rails jumping out at me I would have relaxed and enjoyed more of the corners around Hakone’s beautiful twisting mountain roads.

What I did enjoy about the car was its looks, it was jaw dropping from every angle. Yellow is easily one of the most striking colours on the smooth lines of the body, the nostalgic feeling I get with pop up headlights is just as strong with this car as any other 90’s performance car I’ve driven as well.
So there I was standing looking at the car under the trees and feeling very shallow. I had more fun looking at it than I did driving it.

I kept thinking is it me? Is there something wrong with me?! Why couldn’t I find the fizzy feeling James May is always fluffing on about with all the cars he’s been driving over the years?

Once I got out of the mountains and found wider roads I started to worry less about falling into a gutter and began enjoying myself more and more. I still found the response from the tyres an issue but as I was taking it easy on the wet roads it wasn’t too noticeable.

This was the first time I’ve not felt a spark behind the wheel of a sports car and it had nothing to do with a lack of power. Even driving the notoriously under powered Toyota 86 I felt more excitement from being able to drive that on the limit of the red line and even the road itself. The RX7 had me nervous and reserved the whole time.

I would jump at the opportunity to drive a modified RX7 just to get a sense of comparison to the stock as a rock version that I drove here in Japan. It felt like I was eating an unseasoned meal that just needed a pinch of salt.

With the last few minutes of daylight quickly fading I decided to soak in as much of the beautiful exterior as I could while dreading the last drive I had ahead of me in the pouring rain.

In summary my time with this RX7 was a bit like a first date with a stunningly beautiful girl with no conversational skills at all. Great to look at but no real substance to keep you interested.
I don’t think I’ll be calling again.
Thanks to the awesome guys behind Fun2Drive, we got to drive a lot more cars this time so keep your eyes out for even more features!
Thank you for reading,
– Gwyn.

AKDP :: Wrapped & Bagged Gloria

Grant — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 10:51:42 +0000

If you’re reading this from outside Japan than chances are this car won’t be instantly familiar to you. It is of course a 1999 Y33 Nissan Gloria.
We met Miyake Jyoko and his impressive Gloria while arranging our shoot of Sumida-San’s STI Forester.
Jyoko-San is another member of the AKDP crew we met up with while in Osaka. Once we saw the car in the light we just had to do a full feature.

The Nissan Gloria is an interesting car to look at by all accounts, a large four door saloon with a host of creature comforts and soft suspension for a smooth and comfortable ride. This particular variant is no slouch ether with a factory boosted 3.0l V6.

The headlights are arguable the most striking feature of the Y33 Gloria and Jyoko-San tells us that they are just one of the reasons he fell in love with the shape of the Gloria some 3 years ago.

This Gloria is a far cry from Jyoko-San’s previous car. Believe it or not Jyoko-San’s first car was a tiny Daihatsu Mira!! (We’ve been told he has picked up another Mira and we can’t wait to see what he does with it!)

Filling out the arches you will find a set of “SX” Seeker’s by Work Wheels. The fronts measure in at 18″ x 9.5″ -5mm.

The rears sit in at 18″ x 10″ -12mm and the generous amount of dish looks impressive tucked up into the rear guards.

Helping get the Gloria to seemingly beach itself over it’s own wheels is an Air Suspension system comprised of Algernon shocks and a Universal Air Compressor.

Inside the car is a large helping of the same style and flair that Jyoko-San has so liberally applied to the exterior. Including a snake skin wrap…

An Avenue steering wheel does away with the giant plastic air bag equipped factory unit. Controlling the suspension height of the Gloria is no harder than using an unlock code on your favorite video game thanks to this PlayStation controller.

It also seems the only thing fresher than the look of the car is the air that Jyoko-San breathes. When I pointed to the small forest of air fresheners hanging from his rear view mirror he couldn’t help but laugh with a grin on his face.

Stepping back the car absolutely oozes Jyoko-San’s style. Easily the the most obvious visual feature is the head to toe wrap. There is no matte or chrome finishes here. It’s all about texture.

Jyoko-San was working at an automotive wrapping company and his Gloria chosen to be the demo car/guinea pig for a VIP Event.
The wrap is a combination of camouflage and crocodile skin.

Separating the two wraps is a unique stitched line running the length of the car. Jyoko-San originally chose the combination as he had never seen anything like it before.

Beneath the wrap the Gloria is sporting a full Rando Ryu LUX body kit.

Adding to the overall look the fenders have also been pulled by 25mm on all four corners to help fit the wheels into the guards.

Together the wrap, suspension and wheels make for a lasting impression.

Poking out from the rear bar is a trio of blast pipes…

Hand crafted by another AKDP member, Yuta Takahashi. He works out of the B-Factory workshop and knows his way around a welder or two.

Under the hood the performance mods have stayed on the conservative side.

The VQ30DET can now breath easy thanks to an A’PEXi intercooler and Trust air filter.

With most ‘VIP’ styled builds performance is never the focus, what Jyoko-San has focused on has been executed perfectly.

The aim of the game is attention and it’s hard to argue that seeing this Gloria roll down the street wouldn’t cause a stir.

Seeing the car the night before the details in the wrap were lost, it looked just like any another matte black wrapped car.

In the light of day it comes alive as the sun hits every textured bump on the surface. The camouflage almost gives a marble effect.

After finishing our shoot it was time to head back to my apartment as I had a Shinkansen to catch, The ADKP crew were more than happy to drop me at the doorstep.

Cruising the streets of Osaka with these guys will be a happy memory to last a lifetime.
I would like to thank the AKDP boys again for sharing their time with us and chauffeuring me around town.
We still have a handful of cars from the group to share with you so keep your eyes out for our third and final AKDP feature.
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.

AKDP :: Sumida's STI Forester

Grant — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 12:56:15 +0000

The Subaru Forester is a simple car, it takes the handling and safety of the Impreza’s renowned 4wd system and throws it into a mid-sized practical family wagon/crossover. Mix in some of the rally bred DNA from the Subaru STI range and you’ll get a punchy turbo 2.5l boxer engine equipped car that is a far cry away from the standard round-trip to school, A to B affair you’ll find in most families driveway.
To Sumida-san this 2004 Subaru Forester made the perfect blank canvas and his favorite brush to use on it was the ‘lowering brush’…

Recently wrapping up our 2nd trip to Japan for 2015 we couldn’t wait to get stuck into some features and ‘first off the rank’ is Sumida-san’s STI Forester. We met up with Sumida-san by chance in a car park in Osaka late one night.
After a brief chat and some help from his friends we managed to translate enough to organise a shoot. We met up early the next morning and convoyed with Sumida-san and his friends to our location in some equally impressive cars. (More on that soon.)

In the light of day we were gobsmacked! Away from the shadows and orange street lights the paint work came to life and the extremely low ride height of this Forester became immediately apparent.
When it comes to lowering cars Japan is next level!

Tucked into the guards are an immaculate set of Volk TE37Vs. This design is an instant classic and just like the original TE37 that suit almost anything the 37Vs were designed with a vintage feel that looks at home on classics and modern cars alike.

We say “immaculate” as although Sumida-san’s Forester is extremely clean, you’ll find the telltale signs from driving a car this low on the fenders and wheel arches. For some these scars and bruises add character, almost a trophy if you will.

The wheels themselves are flawless and this goes to show it’s just as much about the wheels as it is the car for some. The wheels aren’t just an accessory here, they’re the major draw card and the car/ride height compliment them.

Looking directly from behind you can see just how much camber is used to tuck the wheels into the guard.

This amount of camber is sure to pour more fuel on the fire, the same fire that has been raging across the internet for years. Queue the “That’s just stupid”, “Ruined the car”, “stance is the worst thing to happen since…”.
We’ve all heard it, there’s arguments from both sides of the fence and we couldn’t care less. We like all cars and all styles, all we see is a passionate owner with an incredible car.

The TE37Vs measure in at an impressive 17″ x 10″ -20 on all four corners.

Standing back it really is an impeccable combo. The lines and wheel choice compliment each other perfectly!

Sumida-san drives this height everyday, there’s no airbags in sight. The suspension is comprised of a set of Cusco coilovers with a staggering spring rate of 34k up front and 16k in the rear!

Sumida-san has owned this car for a little over 4 years and in that time the car has gone through a few different looks. From different bumpers, wheels and roof racks. This car has seen it’s fair share of changes.
While every time the look is quite simple it seems Sumida-san is quite reserved in the overall appearance but when it comes to lowering his car he ‘takes no prisoners’ and goes to the extreme end of the spectrum.

Chatting with Sumida-san about his time with the Forester we asked what his favorite thing about it was, of all the answers we were surprised by his simple and humble answer… The pillar-less doors!! We thought it about it and had to agree. It’s not a common feature found on small four door family cars and usually reserved for sports cars and coupes.

Under the hood Sumida-san has kept the same reserved approach as the exterior. All the factory items remain. The only additions are an upgraded air filter and full exhaust system.

When the starting point is an STI badged Subaru there’s not a whole lot you would want to change.

What he has changed has made all the difference, the full exhaust system has amplified the famous boxer grumble from a meowing house cat to a roaring lion. The noise of the flat four echoing off the street was down right menacing!

Aside from enhancing the sound and freeing a few extra horses from the engine, the custom exhaust really changes the look of the boxy Forester.

Tie this in with the aggressive fitment from the wheels and this is sure to break a few necks anywhere it goes, no matter the reason you can’t help but stop and stare.

Inside are a host of ‘knick-knacks’ and ornaments livening up the standard interior along with a chrome gear knob, extended shifter and Grip Royal steering wheel. The drivers seat has also been replaced with an SR4 Recaro for a bit more support over the factory seat.

The more we looked at the car the more we fell in love! The simple look is super aggressive thanks additions like a headlight cover, eyelid, factory scoop and black front lip.

Spacers lift up the rear of the hood helping cooling and adding a little touch to the front that’s easy to miss at first glance.

Believe it or not, this is Sumida-sans first car! An impressive first car to say the least and over the 4 years it’s gone from stock as a rock to the pavement eating, fender smashing car that you see now.

Sumida-san has enjoyed everyday of owning it and at the moment his plans for the future are actually getting it to sit even lower! He also plans on making a few cosmetic changes along the way.

We’re curious to see if the wheels stay or go, it will be hard to top the Volks.

They’re the hero of this car and look great against the blue, we can see why he hasn’t changed them to save the guards from further damage.

Up close you can see the results of running around Osaka with only a few centimeters of ground clearance!

Sumida-san and his group of friends call themselves AKDP, they share the same love for cars and the same sense of humor. Just don’t ask us what AKDP stands for. (It’s not exactly PG-13).
We’ll be posting all of the crew together very soon. Keep your eyes out for the full feature.

We would like to thank Sumida-san for his time and for agreeing to meet a complete stranger early in the morning for a photo shoot. Thanks to Takahashi-san for translating, we had an awesome time with you and the AKDP crew and can’t wait to get stuck into the next feature.
Thanks for reading,
Gwyn.

Fun 2 Drive :: Meet Your Heroes

Grant — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 02:32:34 +0000

I’m not one to jump in the deep end, yet here I was on my first ever overseas trip, two hours from Tokyo, standing in front of a rental car shop.
There were no boring hatchbacks or sedans in front of me, no, these cars weren’t your standard A to B affair. I was at a shop called Fun2Drive and all the cars on offer here were straight out of my boyhood dreams.
Have you ever wanted to drive a GT-R, RX7 or an NSX for a day? This is the place to come!
Having driven less than 3 hours in Japan in total at this point, the nerves were setting in. What had I done? Signing the insurance paperwork, I worried if I had bitten off more than I could chew…

Tucked away in the serene mountains around Hakone/Lake Ashi this is the last thing you would expect to find, a rental car shop that specialises in sports cars.

Fun2Drive has an amazing mix of cars available, and just like any rental car you can rent them by the hour or even days at a time. Drivers can also choose to partake in tours which take you along some breathtaking roads, some made famous by the Initial D anime series. This is a great option to try out a heap of cars and have a tonne of fun trying to keep up with the instructor.
Booking these cars was a walk in the park. Just a quick google translation of the website and a few emails back and forth with the friendly owner, Chikara, was all it took. He spoke perfect English and made the whole process incredibly easy. On the day, I was met by Yoshi. He was super friendly and also spoke great English which was a huge relief being the ignorant traveler I was, I didn’t learn much more than “Hello” “Excuse me” and ” Thank you” before I set off on the trip to Japan.

First I had to complete a quick 10 minute driving test with Yoshi to see if I could be trusted with their precious cars. I was a little nervous, it had been more than 10 years since I was in a car with any sort of instructor. Thankfully I passed with flying colours. After dropping Yoshi back off at the shop, I set off.
I chose to go it alone and didn’t book a tour, I decided I would take 3 cars for 3 hours each. A sample box of Japan’s finest if you will. No maps, no guides, I was just hitting the open road.

I also decided to rent the cars in chronological order. So first up was a beautiful Hakosuka Skyline. After a quick drive, I pulled over to let that sink in for a minute…
Me, driving, Japan, Hakosuka… Bucket list? TICK !!

This KGC10 Skyline was a stunning example even though this was a replica GT-R. With my hands wrapped around the steering wheel and foot planted on the accelerator, I couldn’t tell and neither could passerby’s.

I found myself torn between staring at it and actually driving it. I must have walked around the car at least 8 times before I finally snapped out of it and jumped back in the drivers seat.

Back behind the wheel I was happy because the roads were just as beautiful as the car!! I was in driving bliss! The smells, vibrations and sounds of the throaty 2.0 litre engine as it powered up the hill were intoxicating.

The closest car I’ve driven in terms of age was a 1970’s MG coupe. While not without it’s charms, I didn’t walk away feeling an empty hole that could only be filled by purchasing a classic sports car. No, I just felt like I’d had a fleeting experience with something novel from a time I didn’t understand. It felt like a chore to wrestle around the corners and the engine response was a little underwhelming. I’m sure in its day, many a necks were broken if one came whizzing by.

The Skyline on the other hand, I found from the turn of the key to be something truly special. The initial sound of the fuel pump, then the engine coming to life sending a shock wave of vibrations from the front to the rear of the car, left me in a dizzying high before I’d even set off down the road.

Like most older cars, the steering was clunky and heavy at low speed. Once it was up and moving along though it felt very responsive and the suspension was quite a lot stiffer than I had expected.

I also really enjoyed the slight delay when pressing the accelerator before the car would begin moving. It didn’t feel like that annoying lag you get in an under powered or automatic car. It felt ‘mechanical’ like a million little pieces were coming together to thrust the car forward. It didn’t build up either, it was simply on power or off. This really made shifting down a gear before blasting up a mountain an addictive cocktail, like lighting the fuse of a rocket and jumping on.

Before long I was starting to feel comfortable behind the wheel and I began to just drive the car, I wasn’t premeditating my next move anymore or worrying if I would break this 40+ year old car. It was amazing to just lose myself in the car, the roads and the country.

After only a couple of hours with this Skyline, driving through a few towns it became apparent that this was no ordinary car… It was a national icon! Everywhere I went people were pointing, giving the thumbs up and gesturing to rev the engine.
People young and old were instantly taken by the car. Everywhere I stopped someone would come over and start taking photos of it. At one point an entire family came over and took a group photo with it!

After just 3 hours it was time to say goodbye to one of the best cars I’ve ever driven. I was dreading driving back to the shop. I was feeling like a kid returning to school after the holidays until I realised there were still two more cars to drive! My vacation wasn’t over!!

Flash forward 20 minutes and some 20 years of technology, and motoring in Japan had changed quite a bit! My car for the next 3 hours was this striking Honda NSX, in the ever popular Formula Red factory paint no less. As a self proclaimed Honda geek, I was in heaven!!

While booking my trip, I was easily most excited by the prospect of driving an NSX. This is the holy grail for Honda fans. This was as much Formula One tech Honda could cram into a road legal car at the time.

What could be better than driving around in your hero car on roads with this view?!!

With the giant Mt Fuji in the background everywhere I looked, I was constantly pulling over to snap away like crazy at the two amazing Japanese icons.

We all know how good the NSX’s looks… But how was it to drive? Did it live up to the dream? In one word, YES! I have never experienced such a well balanced car with so much feedback from the road before. The steering was manual and surprisingly light and the suspension was spot on. It never felt awkward, even at speed through corners.

The closest car I’ve driven before with a mid mount engine was a Toyota SW20 MR2 Turbo. The MR2 was from the same era and while plenty of things about the NSX reminded me of the MR2, like the interior, pop-up headlights and bright red paint. However, they were worlds apart. Taking the price difference out of the equation from new, they were both Japanese mid-mount sports cars. The MR2 felt awkward and snappy through corners, the turbo had lag and most of all the shift linkage felt very detached. The gear changing in the MR2 was probably my least favorite characteristic.

Now behind the wheel of the NSX, I was happy to report the handling was brilliant and the gear changes perfect! I’d read once that the NSX was known for having one of the best feeling gear changes. I couldn’t agree more.
As for the power? Funnily enough after reading countless comments on social media pages in response to those “what would you rather own?” type of pictures of some Japanese sports cars, comment after comment would say they wouldn’t touch an NSX because they’re slow, N/A etc etc. I guess the stigma of non-turbo cars got to me and I was not expecting anything exciting…

Oh how I was wrong, they were all so wrong. The response from this engine was amazing. Right from the get go, through to the high RPM, the power is constant and linear.
It didn’t suffer down low like most infamous high horse power Honda engines, there was no need to wait for this magical ‘VTEC’ to kick in and propel me down the road, which I think most of us are guilty of associating with angry loud noises and not actual increases in speed.

This was different, and the sound was phenomenal! It was literally singing as I carved up the mountain, radio off, windows down, just listening to the soundtrack of the C30A engine growling away. I was ecstatic! At one point I was following a convertible Ferrari 458 Italia. Let’s just say the driving was ‘spirited’ and the NSX was well and truly holding it’s own against the Italian thoroughbred.

All this from a 25 year old sports car, truly a marvel of it’s time. If you’re not into Honda’s or the NSX, do some reading and you soon will be. It has an aluminum body, the interior and windows were heavily inspired by the 360 view from an F-16 fighter jets’ cockpit. Even the late Aryton Senna played a part in the NSX’s development, giving the final advice on the tuning of the suspension and handling. Ladies and gentleman, the stars were aligned the day this rolled out of the factory.

Billed as the “affordable” super car, I get it. I really do. I came across a recent article of a man who owns one of the first NSX’s that came out of the dealership in 1990. Currently with over 400,000 kms on the clock, the car and owner are still just as happy as that first day. He was apparently from the Hakone area as well. I could not imagine a greater car to own in an even greater place.

Now after my 3 hours it was time to say goodbye to my new friend, I think I genuinely felt sad about handing the keys back. This time I’d somehow convinced myself in the short window of time that this was MY car, I’d fallen in love. Everything about this car was just so right. I thoroughly enjoyed my time driving the NSX and given the opportunity I’d own one in a heartbeat.

Now it was of course time to trade the NSX in for the third installment of my Japanese motoring sampler box, the mighty Nissan GT-R.

Not many cars can claim to simultaneously be both the topdog and the underdog. Nissan not only created the ultimate “tuner” car, which has been running rampant since it’s release in 2007 as a king among Japanese performance cars, it is also the indisputable underdog against the likes of many of Europe’s finest. Known to take down some heavyweight bulls, horses and even the odd German or two. The GT-R is nothing to turn your nose up at.

Truly a feat of engineering, this car shouldn’t be fast, it’s big, heavy and boxy. Thanks to some very clever thinkers over at Nissan/Renault (and two turbos) this car is capable of some neck snapping speeds!
The hulking car uses it’s muscular lines to channel air down over the bodywork, the suspension is active and changes to help make this small mountain feel like a sports car. It even has nitrogen filled tyres from factory because oxygen is too unstable!! So I’ve read the brochures, seen the videos, read the reviews etc… But what was it like behind the wheel?! Bloody good fun!!

While the NSX I was driving just moments before made me feel like there was harmony between man and machine, I felt like I was working along side the car to go faster and faster. In the GT-R I was definitely just along for the ride. Once you push that accelerator you’re just holding on. It goes from standstill to warp 5 in the blink of an eye. Roads just aren’t long enough, not even highways. While driving the GT-R, acceleration was the drug and I was hooked! I was slowing down every chance I got just to accelerate again.

The backdrop of Mt Fuji once again set the scene, now later in the day, the clouds had settled and things got a bit dark and angry as I finished my day with an equally dark and angry car.

After attempting my first parking job at the wheel of the GT-R one thing was apparent, this thing is huge!! No really, until you try to park one you cannot appreciate how truly large these cars are. I thought this might not translate well into the corners, I was however pleasantly surprised. While it certainly lacked the feedback of the NSX, this thing was quite nimble and the brakes were out of this world. It stops nearly as quickly as it takes off. This of course helped build my confidence when using the accelerator, god it was fast!!

After circling the same section of freeway (the on ramp was just way too much fun) it was time to pull over and spend some quiet time with the car, which of course isn’t possible until you come to a complete stop as the gearbox sounds like someone stuffed a Milo tin with firecrackers and rocks and then chucked it in the boot. I’ve been in quieter race cars! I’ve actually read that there’s a disclaimer when purchasing the car new that the gearbox is noisy and that you cannot take it back to the dealership to complain.

Would that stop me from buying one if I had the money? Hell no! This car made me feel like I was 5 years old again. Every time I pushed the accelerator I could feel the weight of my everyday problems lifting from my shoulders, to the back of my head where my tongue and eyes now were. This thing is just ungodly fast.

I was also infatuated with the flappy paddle gearbox, I loved it! Every chance I got coming to a stop, I would hit the paddle to downshift.
Like a rat in a cage pressing the button on a food dispenser, I was rewarded. Rewarded with the ‘eargasmic’ sound of the crackle and pop from the exhaust as the gear changed down. Every time the beautiful sound faded as quickly as it came, back to the deafening sound of the rocks in the Milo tin. That is until I pushed the “go fast” peddle again.

With the day nearly over, I sat quietly looking at the car for moment.
Here I was with a Nissan GT-R, a picturesque town, at the foot of a giant mountain, in one of the greatest countries on Earth. Until I experience the joys of parenthood, I think this will be the happiest day of my life. I really do mean that, I was truly free, keys in hand, I could drive this amazing machine wherever I wanted. That is, until my 3 hours were up.

As much as I’ve tried, I don’t think I can put my experience into words. So please go do it for yourself.
Visit http://fun2drive.co.jp/ and speak with Chikara and Yoshi and make your dreams come true, even it is only for a few hours.
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.

Nic Wilson's Drift JZX 100 Build :: Part 1

Grant — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 12:04:50 +0000

Nic Wilson is no stranger to professional drifting, nor to the ever capable Toyota JZX chassis. Competing both locally in Australia and abroad in Japan year in-year out, Nic has built a reputation for throwing these sleek Japanese sedans sideways with his trademark aggressive Australian style. Now with the clock ticking Nic is in the midst of a brand new drift build of exceptional quality.

Competing in the next Australian Drifting GP season Nic is set to raise the bar with his new rig. This particular JZX100 chassis has sat on Nic’s property for years, waiting for an opportune moment to be rebuilt and driven hard. With the build well and truly under way now, he’s on track to debut the car at ADGP round 1 this September.

We’ve been granted exclusive access during all stages of the build , we’ll be updating you frequently as Nic and his sponsors charge towards that first blast around the dome at Calder Park, Melbourne on September 5th.

To kick things off, Nic and his team of sponsors and supporters started with the handling package. The car was stripped to a bare shell and fully seam-welded, a race-spec cage was installed by Black Spade Fabrication Co.

Further stiffening the body you’ll find a Cusco underbody triangle brace and Tom’s underbody rear brace.

The suspension comprises a set of Arogosta coilovers set to 22kg at the Front and 10kg at the Rear along with some Kazama auto rear arms.

In the back you’ll find an unmistakeable ATL 15 gallon fuel cell featuring a Bosch 044 pump and an inbult surge tank, this was test fitted in its own custom mount before being removed before painting takes place.

For the super-wide steering angle that we’ve come to know Nic for, we’ll be seeing him utilise a Heyman products 800ps knuckle lock kit. Between Nic and the road are these impressive 18×10.5 ET+12 Gaia wheels on all four corners.

Rounding out the current wave of installations is a Bride racing seat & rail…

A requisite for all serious drift cars!

This weekend the car will be sent to Rusty’s Restorations for a bold new paint scheme. Stay tuned for our next update to see what Nic has chosen. We can’t wait to see it in the flesh!

As for the drive line… We’re staying tight-lipped for now, until a later update.

Nic would like to thank his Sponsors and Supporters:
PowerVehicles.com
Japanese Parts and Performance Gold Coast
Black Spade Fabrication Co.
Rusty’s Restorations
Jaustech Automotive
Imajess Photography

We would like to thank Nic for sharing his build with us, it’s shaping up to be an amazing machine with some very skilled people behind it. Keep your eyes out for part 2!!
Thanks for reading,
Leigh.
Photos courtesy of : http://whereisleigh.com/

MR35 :: Twin Turbo Gentleman

Grant — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 11:12:22 +0000

Ladies and gentlemen… Introducing Mr.35! He’s one mighty fine Nissan GTR from Melbourne.
Owner Charles has added some very subtle additions to the look of the car without messing up the original look, all the while making sure he stands out from the crowd.

This car is Charles’ second foray into the modified car scene. He started out with a bright orange Honda Civic coupe back in the old Autosalon car show days, but after a short break he came back bigger and stronger…

Charles’ right foot went from pushing a pedal and waiting a short eternity for petrol and air to mix, to create about 106db or 120kw (However you measure a Honda’s power) to Nissan’s fire breathing twin turbo V6 that seemingly bends the laws of physics with every press of the accelerator.

Funnily enough it wasn’t the power/performance that attracted Charles to the mighty GTR. As he recalls he was initially drawn to the look of the car and it is not hard to see why with the muscular arches and sharp lines flowing from front to back – each serving a specific purpose… Grip! This car was designed from every angle to maximize down force. Nissan left no stone unturned when designing the long awaited successor to the infamous R34 GTR.

When it came to wheels, Charles had made his mind up on a set of Advan GT Premium’s and widened the footprint of the car by an extra few inches in the process. The front measuring up at 20 x 10.5″ while the rear sits on an impressive 20 x 12″.

Running a wheel this wide has proven to be an issue when needing a quick tyre change. Interestingly, one of the only cars that run this size is actually a Lamborghini Aventador! Charles’ rubber of choice is Michelin Pilot Super Sports.
Incidentally he got a flat tyre a few days before the shoot and had a pair of stock Aventador tyres fitted to the rear, these have a chunky/bigger sidewall so he wasn’t too happy about it. Having happened a few times, Charles has found it is best to keep a complete set of spare tyres at home.

Some wheels make or break a car and we have to admit while they are not our first choice, these certainly look the part and don’t take away from the performance look of the car at all. After looking at these photos for hours on end, we can confirm these wheels have now been bumped right to the top of our list of wheels we’d have on a GTR if we could be so lucky.

Poking out through the rear diffuser are the burnt tips of the exhaust, hinting that this car has a bit more going on than just clean paint. All the pipes that help the hefty GTR exhale are 90 spec titanium from Amuse with an AMS de-catted dump pipe to keep everything flowing when push comes to shove, or just when the lights go green.

Inside the car things are as you would find them fresh out of the dealership, minus the Cobb V3 access port hand controller and Mines leather steering wheel, there really isn’t much that can be improved on here. Nissan have done an outstanding job creating this space. It is comfortable without putting you to sleep, and is a perfect blend between form and function that would suit almost anyone looking for a sports car you can live with everyday. Just don’t have more than one friend. The back ‘seat’ is best reserved for those of us who are vertically challenged or missing a few limbs.

The premium red/black seats are surprisingly comfy and even have a heater element inside for those cold mornings. It is a bit like strapping a back massager to the end of a bungee cord! How warm someones buttocks are surely is not exactly very high on their list of priorities in a car like this.

The illusive little red ‘start’ button, it’s almost a shame it only turns the car on… It looks like fun to press!!

Like any premium performance car out of Japan in the last decade, you’ll find electronic controls that can change exactly how the car behaves at the flick of a switch. The three centre switches change the 4WD system, suspension and traction control. Now the GTR isn’t just any old premium performance car is it?..

Atop the centre console, you’ll find Nissan’s latest incarnation of the multifunction display that was first found in the R34 GTR Skyline. Here you’ll find a multitude of live stats ranging from various temps, to steering angle and g-force! If you think that all seems like something from a Playstation game, you’d be right! Kazunori Yamachi of Polyphony Digital fame (Gran Tourismo game series) was enlisted to help Nissan design the GUI as they wanted it to be as easy as possible to access.

Having done the bold look with his previous car, Charles concentrated only on enhancing what was already there. Some of the first things added to the car were from the Revosport catalogue.
First in was the carbon fibre boot lid and dry carbon front lip and diffuser.

The Revosport boot lid really changes up the rear end dramatically, the hard lines of the factory spoiler are all but gone and instead this smooth flowing replacement looks like the air just slides away like water off a ducks back.

To tie in the rear of the car, Charles picked up a Top racing dry carbon rear diffuser with mesh delete, this was only fitted a few weeks before the shoot.

Take a step back and admire the simple little touches that all come together to make this such an exciting looking car.

The GTR wears its’ badge of honor everywhere you look.

Brakes to match the brawn.

Another hidden gem thanks to Revosport, these little carbon air ducts direct cold air directly into the vented brake discs… Now that’s cool! (sorry).

After his time with the car Charles says he cannot go back to a naturally aspirated car again, turbo for life he says with a grin.

We’re not really sure what Charles could ‘upgrade’ to after he’s done with the GTR… Nothing else comes close to matching the GTR’s performance in the sub $200k price bracket.

The sign of a spotlessly maintained car that is actually driven? A worn out keyring of course!!

If you aren’t green with envy already, wait until you find out how Charles affords to put petrol in every week… He owns and runs his own Mexican restaurant!! Now throw in a house on an island and that’s pretty much the best life we could hope for.
Charles’ next project on the GTR will be an e85 fuel conversion, the parts are starting to pile up and we cannot wait to see the results.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this feature and we would like to thank Charles for sharing both his car and time with us.
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.

Toyota :: Festival of 86 '14

Grant — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 11:36:30 +0000

How many of you have purchased a new car and been invited to a yearly event to celebrate that new car? Never. Well that’s what happens when you purchase a car from Toyota Australia! Now we hear you, they don’t make this sort of song and dance about every Toyota that rolls off the showroom floor right? Well the mighty Toyota 86 is no ordinary car.
The 86 is inspired directly by the cult classic AE86 Corolla, that first appeared in 1983. This original car truly captured fans both extreme and casual with it’s nimble handling, RWD configuration and lightweight body. 30 years ago it broke free from the shackles of the ‘Corolla’ family name and was celebrated the world over. Production ended in 1987 and the Corolla then became the economy FWD hatchback we know today.
Toyota rekindled this flame and brought us the 86! Like the original, we see RWD return along with a very well constructed chassis with enough power to move it around a corner or three.
Now in it’s second year of production, it was time to celebrate and that means one massive party called Festival of 86!!

Toyota quickly discovered that good looking/handling cars come and go and fans do too unless you acknowledge and support them as a community. Toyota Australia are still finding their feet when it comes to a car like the 86, but everything we’ve seen them put their time and money into has been head and shoulders over the other manufactures in this country. With events like the Festival of the 86 to supporting one of Australia’s best drifters and letting them take an angle grinder to their creation, Toyota have well and truly helped cement the 86 as a ‘must have’ car for enthusiasts young and old.

This years Festival of 86 was again held in Sydney, but this time with the stunning backdrop of the White Bay Cruise Terminal. Don’t be fooled, Toyota weren’t in it just to push their latest product as the venue was littered with classic AE86’s everywhere!

You can’t look to the future without acknowledging your past, and when the past looks this good, who can blame you?!

86 owners were invited from all over the country to show off their pride and joy.

We love hunting out all the little touches owners have been adding to their cars, making the 86 a blank canvas for all tuners and enthusiasts alike.

This is the absolute picture perfect example of the original hatchback. Two tone paint, Watanabe wheels and JDM pop up headlights.

Who doesn’t love this face?

While the 86’s filled up outside, we headed indoors for all of Toyota’s displays and a visit from some special guests.

Between us and the doors, we found Sydney based Tunehouse Racing’s 86. Fresh from the World Time Attack Challenge, this car not only looks great but goes like a Zyrtec! This was the fastest 86 with a lap time of 1:42.8530 in the club sprint class.

Inside 86 owners gathered for some words from some of Australia’s top level drivers about their own experiences with the Toyota 86.

Neil Bates and Beau Yates are no strangers to high performance Toyota’s, Neil has won countless rally championships behind the wheel of various Toyota’s including both Corolla’s and the Celica GT-Four.
Neil drives around town in his own personal turbo charged 86 featuring the same two tone white/black paint made famous from the Japanese anime Initial D.

Beau is known for not only his skills drifting, but also his meticulously built and maintained drift AE86. His original car was built with backing from TRD and featured a 3 litre beams motor.
Flash forward and Beau is now competing in a ground up drift built turbo 86 with support from Toyota Australia. Beau has spent the last 12 months tuning and perfecting the car and has been very competitive in recent months.

The man behind the car, for the second year in a row Toyota Australia flew Tetsuya Tada in from Japan. Tada San is the chief engineer responsible for building the car we all know as the 86.
He loves meeting the fans and seeing how people have taken his creation and adapted, changed and of course enjoyed it!!

After queuing up for a chance to meet the man himself we began checking out all the high quality builds inside. Garage 88’s 86 is the perfect blend of performance and street car.

Beau’s purpose built drift car, it’s hard to believe this was just a stock standard car fresh off the showroom floor a little over a year ago.

The engine bay is filled with custom built goodies from the team at Hypertune – the same team helped build Beau’s original 86 so it was a no-brainer to get them on board for his new project.

A lot of 86’s have been given the Rocket Bunny treatment but not many pull it off as well as Beau’s drift car. The huge rear arches sit so well against the angry looking taillights and we just love that rear wing!

Our favourite street 86 of the event? This black number on Work XSA-04C wheels was beautifully executed! The duckbill wing and lip kit flows perfectly with the factory lines in black.

We were really blown away to see what the festival had become since the first event last year, check out our coverage here.

Motivational 86. We’re always fans of what the team from Cars For Hope do. If you’ve ever suffered from depression you’re not alone, jump on their site and connect with people who have fought the same battles.
http://carsforhope.com.au/

Back out in the sun we enjoyed our last walk through the car park, taking in all the Toyota goodness that was on display.

It’s great to see a retro racer untouched from 30 years ago. There’s something so nostalgic about old race car livery and all the brand logos.

Panda’s as far as the eye can see!

The coupe is quite the rare sight here in Australia. We were fortunate enough to receive the hatchback as a locally delivered model.

We have to admit the smooth looks of the Trueno pop up headlights are our favourite of the original 86’s.

More Watanbe’s!!! This is definitely the wheel of choice amongst AE86 owners.

New 86 owners seem to opt for anything from the Rays or Work Wheels catalouge, that’s not a bad thing at all!

It’s not all about super lows, this white 86 was flexing it’s muscles atop a set of Ray TE37’s wrapped in some super sticky rubber!!

Some owners really got into the festival!

Everywhere we looked we spotted a new lip kit or spoiler but we have not idea how owners keep up with it all. There’s literally too much to choose from!!

What a show! We were wrapped to once again be invited back by Toyota to enjoy the festivities of the 86’s 2nd birthday.
The 86 has proved it won’t be disappearing anytime soon with the this much support from fans, tuners and of course the manufacture! We can’t wait to see what Toyota have up their sleeve for updates and new models on the horizon.
Thanks for reading and till next year, happy Birthday 86! #festivalof86
– Gwyn.
Photos courtesy of Roberto Mocchetti | Full Motion Photography

CRX Australia :: Satay & Cars Melbourne Style

Grant — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 04:59:01 +0000

If you’re into modified cars and you know your way around the internet then you’re probably familiar with the term “Cars & Coffee”, These social car meet ups usually take place frightfully early on a weekend and the idea of a hot coffee is used to lure tired souls out into the cold morning air to talk about all things cars… This is Melbourne so things are a little different, the usual club meets and greats take place around some delicious piping hot food and carry on late into the night.
CRX Australia was due for a reboot after some months of hibernation so the always popular and recently re-opened Garage Cafe was the venue of choice, Honda’s, Targa tops, Wedge backs and Satay was on tonight’s menu.

Tucked away on a side street in Carlton lies a factory with no high-vis, no machinery and no workers… Instead inside you’ll find a few car spaces, a pool table, some cozy tables and the aroma of spices.
Garage Cafe have been operating for years but after a short hiatus due to council disputes they’re back open for business with regular car meets all week long.

The occasion of course was for CRX Australia, a club that’s been running since the heydays of Honda’s original boy racer. The CRX.
We arrived long before dozens of noisy Honda’s entered the building to the beautiful sight of two pristine C63 Mercedes parked up next to a very classy BBS coffee table (A favorite of ours from previous visits).

Not long after the CRX’s started to arrive, soon proving that over the years the club has shifted it’s dominance to the newer Del Sol chassis, as prices have come down, the older generations have become rarer and have held their price on the second hand market. Ultimately young drivers have won having Honda’s ever popular DOHC Vtec engine and a removable targa top all in an affordable package.

The popular modifications seem to be wheels and seats, you would be forgiving thinking that they all came with bucket seats as new walking around this group. The factory fitted cloth seats are now as rare as rocking horse poo.

Some had more character than others, however all still maintained a simple approach…

No body kits in sight, just clean factory lines and the addition of front lip. Remember less is more!!

One of the most popular seats in the Honda world, SR3 Recaros removed from a Type R equipped Integra or Civic.

The final numbers finished on 6 x Del Sols & 4 x 2nd generation CRX’s, all in all a nice mix of what is becoming one of the biggest cult cars in the Honda stable.

The 2nd gen’ CRX’s have always been popular in Melbourne with a large amount of owners lucky enough to have the imported SiR version.
Factory fitted with the first run of B16a, suspension tweaks, facelift and some with a moon roof panel from window to window giving the driver a unique experience.

Melbourne has been home to the largest amount of SiR/EF8 CRX’s in Australia with the club seeing as many as 15 at events in recent years.
Some CRX have changed owners in that time and it was great to see an old hero of the club with a fresh lick of paint and a great set of wheels.

This particular car has kept the original B16a power plant with a healthy amount of boost thrown at it thanks to a turbo conversion by Rev Zone, in it’s years with it’s original the car has claimed several trophy’s and awards thanks to close to 200KW at the wheels.

Any colour other than black is quite rare for these imported versions.

Adding a set of BBS wheels the owner has managed to really stand out amongst the sea of black CRX in Melbourne.

Keeping the German theme with the wheels the owner has fitted a sticker from one of the best blogs around, check them out!
https://www.facebook.com/SehrGute

We also spotted a GSS sticker on this rad Del Sol sitting on some Work Equips.

With everyone feeling full from the feast of Satay and Mi Goreng the group decided to venture out into the cool fresh Melbourne air for some photos by the water.

Several J-turns later we arrived together at another iconic Melbourne location for car fans. Underneath the Bolte bridge.

Now with some space to spread out we got to compare all the cars together.

Volk TE37 work on everything, literally!! Post a car in the comments that doesn’t look good on these wheels, we dare you!

It was great to re-visit the old spot now that the Melbourne Star Ferris wheel is finally operational, the light show it puts on as it spins looks great reflected on the dark water.

While the group kept chatting away we moved two of the Del Sols off for a quick snap together. The black one made the trip all the way down from Sydney to join the fun!!

One of the must underrated Honda’s of the 90’s, it’s great to see them finally get their time to shine.

Now pushing the 25 year mark the original boy racer is now thinning in numbers and I hope more owners hang onto their original gen’ 2’s as they’re a pretty special car in the Honda line up.
Well done to CRX Australia and it’s admin team for keeping name alive and bringing these people together.
If you need any help with anything CRX related whether it’s maintaining one or simply finding one jump on the forums or join the facebook group.
http://www.crxaustralia.com/
CRX Australia Facebook Group
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.

SAU :: Show N' Shine Como Park

Grant — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 05:34:09 +0000

Melbourne’s heating up as summer is fast approaching and the SAU Victoria boys and girls enjoyed their yearly show and shine under the sun in South Yarra’s Como Park.
With nearly twice the amount amount of cars enter compared with last years event things are really on the rise for the club, with a strong focus on motorsport and club racing days the members of SAU relished at the opportunity to sit on the grass, relax and talk rubbish about cars all day.

The cars on show were flawless, with everything from R32’s to a single R35 on display the variety of Melbourne’s Skylines were very well presented from the street cars right to the track cars.

The cars were arranged in a large circle with the single R35 in the dead center all the other Skylines seemingly ganged up on their porky younger brother.

There is a large amount of sibling rivalry going on here in this picture, every time we post a picture on our Facebook page showing these two cars together the comments start flowing… Why can’t we all just get along?

It was a fantastic sight to all the different generations mixed together despite the lack of older generations, no R31’s or any classic models made it along for the show.
Here’s hoping for next year!

With Skylines easily being the most popular import amongst Japanese motoring enthusiasts it’s sometimes hard to get excited by seeing a large group of them together but rest assured these aren’t your average ‘P’ plater Skylines you see 10 of on your way home from work…

… Nope these owners are your true Skyline connoisseurs, these cars have been meticulous cared for with careful choices of modifications and maintenance while in the hands of SAU Victoria club members.

If you look carefully enough you will see a few trademark call signs popular among the younger generation like this Domo ‘drift charm’ hanging underneath this stunning Lightning Yellow R34 GT-R.

Now SAU Vic is a big club, so big that members stay involved long after they have moved on from owning their own Nissan Skyline. Even new members who don’t even own a Skyline are welcome to join the fun and attend track days and show’s like this one.
One of the friendliest clubs operating in Australia!

However with fitment and wheels as good as this on an ‘invading’ car I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a bit of unfriendly feelings between members, especially when there is $1000’s worth of prizes up for grabs!!

Another highlight of the non-Skyline entrants was Jason’s Toyota Supra, clean factory lines with plenty of carbon fiber additions!

With no expense spared under the bonnet… Just check out the JDM air box!!

There was an impressive amount of R32’s ranging from daily driven to track prepped GT-R’s.

Without all the usual frantic pace and noise of the racetrack these members took the opportunity to just sit in the grass and take in all the Skyline glory on show, lunch was catered for with the largest order of Pizza’s we have ever seen!

After lunch it was time for club president John Richardson to hand out some give aways, with heaps of merch from the team here at GSS he was standing there for sometime throwing stickers and lanyards into the crowd!

The cars on show were judged by a top panel of members and guest, the winners won’t be announced until the last SAU Vic event for the year in December so stay tuned as we will update this post with the results.

The crowd favorite was easily Daniel’s Nur Spec R34, with it’s killer looks and ingenious duel fuel system that detects the amount of ethanol in the fuel changing the ecu map on the fly allowing him to run E85 and RON98!

This R33 is one of the usual suspects at the regular SAU Deca days in Shepperton, nothing like a clean car that gets to see a bit of track action.

Evo’s seem to be quite popular amongst members given their ability at the track we expect there will be a few more joining soon.

Our favorite ‘invader’ had to be Manoj’s E46 M3 BMW coupe.

Dropped on Varrstoen 1.1.2 wheels the car has a nice look with a truck load of carbon accessories thrown at it!

With the best badge replacement we’ve ever seen too!

Joey’s GT-R is one of the cleanest R32 going around although this white BNR32 stole our hearts a few months ago when we first saw it on it’s gold BBS wheels.

The Zero Clearance boys and their S13’s were there with what seemed like the largest media group I’ve seen at an event like this so expect plenty of coverage from those guys.

Speaking of media the SAU Vic boys go above and beyond and even have their own you tube channel “SAU VIC TV“, with regular updates with all of the clubs shenanigans.

This was one of the best R33’s on display, we loved the dual exhaust setup that suits this shape to the T!!
The large exhaust is necessary…

… Thanks to this breathing RB26 complete with clear cam cover and plenty of go fast bits… And blue don’t forget a lot of cool blue bits!
The radiator setup and overflow tank was incredible, this ‘SNISTR’ GT-R was a complete package!

On show was even a few 4 door R34’s!
Defiantly not as popular as the coupe we would love to see someone go all out with one of these here in Australia, big fat wheels, engine transplant and a unique colour to finish it off!
Someone needs to step up to the plate!!

One of the most iconic paint jobs for any Skyline is of course Bayside Blue, followed closely by Midnight Purple.
To our surprise we didn’t spot any Midnight Purple GT-R’s at the show!

There was heaps of ‘popped’ bonnets with owners showing of their pride and joy, it was rare sight to see a 100% original engine bay in this mix of cars.
With simple additions to all out performance builds these guys enjoy their horse power!

Inside every car was a host of electronic meters and gauges, it became a fun game spotting all the boost controllers, air fuel meters and every other enhancement available from the land of the rising sun.

We still can’t decide whats more awesome in this picture… The old school Supra or the amazing Totoro hat with built in pockets!!

We went a bit crazy spotting all the expensive mods some of these Skylines had, modifying one these is definitely not for the fain hearted (or financially challenged).
Tucked behind these Volk wheels are some massive Endless brake calipers and discs ensuring this 1,500Kg war horse can stop on a dime!

The show came to an end in the early afternoon and we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it!
The boys and girls from SAU Vic are some of the friendliest enthusiasts we have come across in our time running GSS.
Be sure to join up and become a member to get involved with future track days and meets.
http://www.sauvic.com.au/how-to-join
Thanks for reading and enjoy some high resolution wallpapers below.
– Gwyn.
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