CAR and DRIVER Magazine (Drifting Article)

[Spy001]

Has anyone picked up the new issue of Car and Driver? It has an article on Rhys Millens GTO and D1....it seems like they did a good job with most of it, but at the beginning they did nothing but take cheap shots at import tuners. The second paragraph they say "Drifting is the country's newest motorsport, and most of the fans are the same enthusiasts who think it's cool to spend 50 grand hopping up a Honda Civic that-even when modified-can't outrun a Corvette." First off, excuse me? Since when CAN'T 50 grand in a Civic outrun a Corvette, anyone who watches Best Motoring, especially the Type R legend knows it easily could, in ANY way.

They also go on to say "The top drivers use rear-drive Japanese sports cars such as the Nissan 240SX, the Mazda RX-7, and the Toyota Supra. Typically, the cars have highly modified turbocharged engines because it takes a lot of power to keep the rear wheels spinning." (heres where its gonna piss guys off) We've been thinking that a big engined sports car, such as the 350-HP GTO, would be easier to drift than a small-engined turbocharged car. Turbo cars typically can't match the instant throttle response of a big V-8 and thus require more cajoling to spin the rear tires. What better burnout car can you have than a Corvette, Viper, Camaro, Mstang, or, of course, GTO?"I personally don't think that seemindly mildly idiotic, obvious biased people should write an informational article about something they know nothing about, especially when they put their own uneducated input into it, it takes away their credibility that much more. Is it just me or didn't Ueo, the champ at D1 there at Irwindale (As long as im not mistaken) win with a non turbo, low horsepower Toyota?

Sorry if im whining for nothing but i can't handle irresponsible reporting.

[nissanguy_24]

Ironicly, If you pick up this months issue of "Hot Rod" magazine they also cover the GTO. and go on to write one of the best most politely unbiased and fair articals on drifting i have ever read in any magazine. I will buy it shortly and get some text up for you guys. But i sugest you take a look.. And of course theres some kick *Censored**Censored**Censored* old school domestics in the mag too to drool over.

yes that car and driver magazine just made rado look like a saint... Lets face it mags like car and driver dont link imports and they dont like drifting. There more about "image" and how much you spend.. The 86 and and S13 dont have this image. so they dont care. Afterall they arent the holy grail of the automotive indutry, the corvette.

On the other side of it, I can tell Hot Rod magazine are abunch of guys who love cars, love fun and love driving. You can tell it by there artical on drifting. No import hate, no cheap jabs, just fun and good reporting about this thing, most guys who read Hot Rod wont know too much about.

[Spy001]

hah, ill have to pick up that issue of Hot Rod. It is very ironic, usually Car and Driver seems to be the fair, unbiased one. Hopefully the writer of that article will get enough flak from people who will actually write in.

[s0nny80y]

Re: Car n Driver Drifting Article

They also go on to say "The top drivers use rear-drive Japanese sports cars such as the Nissan 240SX, the Mazda RX-7, and the Toyota Supra. Typically, the cars have highly modified turbocharged engines because it takes a lot of power to keep the rear wheels spinning." (heres where its gonna piss guys off) We've been thinking that a big engined sports car, such as the 350-HP GTO, would be easier to drift than a small-engined turbocharged car. Turbo cars typically can't match the instant throttle response of a big V-8 and thus require more cajoling to spin the rear tires. What better burnout car can you have than a Corvette, Viper, Camaro, Mstang, or, of course, GTO?"I personally don't think that seemindly mildly idiotic, obvious biased people should write an informational article about something they know nothing about, especially when they put their own uneducated input into it, it takes away their credibility that much more. Is it just me or didn't Ueo, the champ at D1 there at Irwindale (As long as im not mistaken) win with a non turbo, low horsepower Toyota?

Sorry if im whining for nothing but i can't handle irresponsible reporting.

eh, he should do an article on cheezefrog's 10 second civic/hatchback/sleeper that pulled on a viper by 5-6 car lengths (search internet for video and cheezefrogs mod's, definatly a sleeper)
And the burn out car thing, the writer forgot about the overall weight, weight distribution, and so on.

[CrazyHawaiian]

Yup sounds pretty bias to me. Even people I know that work with V8's have that type of attitude. But not me, I give respect to any setup that works. And obviously, boosted small displacement setups work (as proven by their history in the sport). From their point of view they probably dont realize that a turbo setup can be just as responsive as a N/A setup, just depends on how it tuned. Not all turbo setups have lag, and not all turbo setups are tuned for peaky powerbands. I prefer to go the N/A route, simply because the powerband is flatter and its cheap. But somtime in the future I might put my blower on one of the drift cars ... ya never know ...

If you guys really wanna trip out, check out the August 2002 Car and Driver, look for the article 'Car Surfing' hehehe.

[Feint]

So who wrote the article? I think it's time to drag his *Censored**Censored**Censored* over here for a flaming of him and the magazine he writes for.When I was younger,I used to read Car and Driver.I had respect for it because of the way they seemed to cover almost everything without bias.But now I guess those were the Golden Days of Car and Driver;they're gone.Now Car and Driver has sunk to a technical level equivalent of what can be found in Lego race cars.Ever heard of a v-mount system? Didn't think so.Ever tried pulling your heads out of your asses and wiping the *Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored* of your eyes?

These guys need to get with the program.Over the last ten years,turbo technology has made great advances.Lag isn't as apparent as they make it out to be.But maybe if Car and Driver didn't have a bunch of writers old and grey,becoming more senial by the day,they might,just might,see things ow they really are.Also,please,explain how an FF Civic relates to drifting? Stop making general assumptions.Please,take your beloved Corvette out to a D1 drivers search and prove your theory,I gurantee the other American drivers would rape you of your manhood,let alone the Japanese.

[Spy001]

Feint for president.

[yoshiki]

which issue is this? i just bought the issue with the carrera on it a few days ago....

[Spy001]

ive got a subscription so i probably get it before it hits newstands, it has the new Elise (that i think is the Exige in the UK but i dunno) against a cobra replicar, caterham, s2000 and mazdaspeed miata on the cover.

[Spy001]

the writers name is Larry Webster

[s0nny80y]

ok, not to bit, but I think we're scrutinizing every article on drifting a little too much. The Christian Rado story is one thing but drifting (along with any other motorsport)will always have its critics.

s0nny80y, out. LOL...no.

[Spy001]

well yeah, but i like being a jerk.

[Xantos]

Re: Car n Driver Drifting Article

Originally posted by Spy001
Has anyone picked up the new issue of Car and Driver? It has an article on Rhys Millens GTO and D1....it seems like they did a good job with most of it, but at the beginning they did nothing but take cheap shots at import tuners. The second paragraph they say "Drifting is the country's newest motorsport, and most of the fans are the same enthusiasts who think it's cool to spend 50 grand hopping up a Honda Civic that-even when modified-can't outrun a Corvette." First off, excuse me? Since when CAN'T 50 grand in a Civic outrun a Corvette, anyone who watches Best Motoring, especially the Type R legend knows it easily could, in ANY way.

They also go on to say "The top drivers use rear-drive Japanese sports cars such as the Nissan 240SX, the Mazda RX-7, and the Toyota Supra. Typically, the cars have highly modified turbocharged engines because it takes a lot of power to keep the rear wheels spinning." (heres where its gonna piss guys off) We've been thinking that a big engined sports car, such as the 350-HP GTO, would be easier to drift than a small-engined turbocharged car. Turbo cars typically can't match the instant throttle response of a big V-8 and thus require more cajoling to spin the rear tires. What better burnout car can you have than a Corvette, Viper, Camaro, Mstang, or, of course, GTO?"I personally don't think that seemindly mildly idiotic, obvious biased people should write an informational article about something they know nothing about, especially when they put their own uneducated input into it, it takes away their credibility that much more. Is it just me or didn't Ueo, the champ at D1 there at Irwindale (As long as im not mistaken) win with a non turbo, low horsepower Toyota?

Sorry if im whining for nothing but i can't handle irresponsible reporting.

<--- planning on writing them, just got to that article today...

[swifty949]

Too bad Sam Mitani didn't write it. He wrote the article about the Japanese Power Tuning houses back in 96, way back when SCC was still covering low rider looking imports, and before Super Street started.

[RallyGT]

what is so great about the GTO? Do they only like it because its one of the few domestics that drift? And who cares if it has a v8 and is a huge car, ill bet a miata would be better at drifting that a gto. They should do articles on Nomuken or Ueo. If they will take the time to do articles on gto's and vipers in drifting, why not do them on cars that actually win.