Zoom-Zoom

My recent automotive acquisition has prompted me to examine its place in my auto-owning history. Here's a list of all the cars I've had:

• 1977 Datsun 280Z, white, handed down from my mother.
  
• 1980 Honda Prelude, silver, bought used for me by my father.
  
• 1991 Honda CRX, black, bought used from an individual.
  
• 2004 Mazda Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata, dark silver, bought used from a dealer.
  

Now, here are few assorted---and unsolicited---thoughts:

• The Miata, like all the others, is Japanese, though it is the first Mazda.
  
• It's the first convertible.
• It's the first with any kind of forced induction.
• It's the first with a 6-speed transmission. (I've never owned an automobile with an automatic tranny, by the way.)
  
• It's the second that's rear-wheel-drive. (The Z was also RWD.)
  
• Only the Prelude had more than 2 seats, and the rear seats on that car were suitable only for malnourished contortionists. Thus, I've still never owned a vehicle with more than 2 usable seats.
• Given my white-silver-black-silver color trajectory, I can only predict (a) that my next car will be white and (b) that I will never own an automobile that isn't some shade of gray.
• The Miata is---and this may come as a surprise to you---the largest car I've ever owned. Not in terms of total length; that distinction goes to the Z. Not in terms of number of seats; that's the 'Lude. Not in terms of usable space; that would be the Rex. No, the Miata, at 2,529 lb is biggest in terms of weight. (The others weigh(ed), in chronological order, 2355, 2130, and 2103 lb.) A lot of that bulk comes from the rag-top and the chassis bracing that's needed to make up for the lack of a fixed roof, but a lot of it also comes from all the safety features that are required on 21st-century cars: airbags, side-impact beams, and so on. Additionally a little of that weight comes from the powered convenience features that are sadly* standard on so many cars nowadays: power windows, power door locks, even power mirrors. I'm just glad the top is manually operated.
  
• Fortunately, the Miata is also the most powerful, so it moves out quite smartly, thank you.
  
• Man, that name is a mouthful!

* Power features cost more, weigh more, and break down more often, so I would really rather not have them. Sadly, only a bottom-tier vehicle or a dedicated and stripped down sports car can get away without including them in this modern era.

A Proper Sports Car

Regular readers and those of you who know me in meatspace---probably the same 7 people---are aware that I've been pondering replacing or supplementing my near-antique 1991 CRX. The Rex is still going strong at 145,000 miles and 17 years, but I knew a new vehicle might be needed soon. I've gone back and forth between planning to get something fun, like the MX-5 Miata,* something practical, like the Fit, or something intermediate, like the upcoming production model based on Honda's CR-Z concept.

I finally realized that this is probably my last opportunity to acquire a true sports car until any hypothetical Grondulspawn have grown up and left home. So, with Alison's encouragement, I began shopping on the interwebs.

Ideally, I wanted a small, rear-wheel-drive automobile, with only 2 seats, an emphasis on handling, and a fixed roof.** Why a hard-top? All things being equal, a coupe will be cheaper, lighter, stiffer, lower-drag, and more durable than the convertible version of the same car. Unfortunately, such a car isn't available on my budget: There is no Miata or S2000 coupe, I wasn't about to pony up the dough for an Exige, and most other performance cars on the market are both more expensive and larger than I wanted. Thus, I gave up the coupe criterion and began looking at gently used Miatas and S2000s.

I soon realized that the S2000 is simply a more expensive car, which it commands due to the considerably higher power output---240 brake horsepower from 2.0 liters, normally aspirated!---and Honda's reputation for reliability. To buy one of them for about what I wanted to spend, I would have to sacrifice some age and mileage, compared to the MX-5. I also found that the insurance rates for the S2000 were considerably higher, due, I can only guess, to all that power. Thus, I focused my search on the Miata, which my one-time overlord Masta has endorsed.

This week, I found a 2004 Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata with only 16,250 miles on the odometer. When I inspected the car, I found that it was in excellent shape, barring some cosmetic defects on the doors and bumpers. We talked the dealer down to a couple thousand dollars below blue-book value and got him to agree, in writing, to fix the aesthetic issues. Thus I am now the proud owner of a dark silver*** roadster.

I should explain what this "Mazdaspeed" notation is all about and why I was so interested in this version of the car. Mazdaspeed is Mazda's racing and performance-parts house. Several Mazda models are available in high-performance Mazdaspeed versions. The Mazdaspeed Miata, or MSM, as it's known on the miata.net forum, was only offered during the 2004 and 2005 model years, the last 2 years of the second-generation (NB) Miata. There are about 1000 differences between the standard Miata and the Mazdaspeed version, but here is a brief summary:

• The engine is turbocharged to the tune of about 8 psi, boosting the output from 142 brake horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque to 178 bhp and 166 lb-ft. A small air-to-air intercooler cools the turbo's output before it reaches the cylinders.
  
• A close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission, with gears hardened by shot-peening, is the only tranny available; there is no automatic option.
  
• The drivetrain is uprated to cope with all the power and torque.
• A torque-sensing (Torsen) limited-slip differential is included.
  
• Unique dampers and springs stiffen the suspension and lower the car by 7 mm (about 1/4 inch). Thicker anti-roll bars (swaybars) fight body roll.
  
• The wheels are huge-but-light Racing Hart 17-inch hoops, and they are shod with very low-profile 205/40R17 tires.
• Front and rear air dams are fitted, as is a small spoiler.
• The standard sound system includes a 6-disc CD changer and (I think) 6 Bose speakers. I'm a little overwhelmed by it, since the radio in my Rex has a tape deck and only reliably drives 1 speaker.
  
• The word "Mazdaspeed" appears 9 times---!---on the exterior and interior of the car.
  

Reviews of the MSM were universally positive, and most cited the low price premium associated with the Mazdaspeed model, given the number of high-performance parts included. One test measured the 0-to-60 time, quarter-mile time and cornering at 6.2 seconds, 14.59 seconds, and 0.86 g, respectively. In short, the MSM is the most powerful, quickest, and best-handling factory Miata ever sold in America. And only 5,428 were built. Neat, eh?

I haven't taken any photos myself yet, but here are some I pulled down from the internet advert for the car:




I must admit that I've taken every opportunity to put the top down, even when the weather has been marginal. Open-top motoring feels almost as much like being outside as cycling does. That's enough from me for now. I have to go for a drive. Zoom-zoom.

* Mazda has decided to phase out the use of the name "Miata," leaving only "MX-5." The name no longer appears on the vehicle, but it is still used in the marketing text. Eventually, "Miata" will disappear even from the brochures and web pages. I believe this move is a mistake. Not only is the name easier to say than the alphanumeric designation, but all the non-car-enthusiast I've spoken to only know the vehicle as a Miata; "MX-5" means nothing to them.

** My ideal car is actually a roofless, tiny, bare-bones sports car, like a
Caterham CSR or Ariel Atom. Unfortunately, not only are these cars rather outside my budget, but, due to their lack of safety features, they have to be registered in the US as kit cars, which is quite time-consuming and inconvenient. The KTM X-Bow is even more interesting, but is only legal for track use.

*** Officially, the color is Titanium Gray Metallic.

He Just Smiled and Gave Me a Vegemite Sandwich

As Joss Whedon might say, I loves me some '80s music videos. Here's one I just came across: Men at Work's "Down Under." Ah, good times, good times.

Undead Like Me

Rumors are afoot that the direct-to-DVD Dead Like Me film, if successful, could lead to a revival of the series. Star Ellen Muth reportedly said that Mandy Pantinkin, who was unable to appear in the movie, would return for the series, if it happened.

This show may be what the Ned the piemaker would call "alive again."

Game Review: Forza Motorsport 2

Regular readers have likely sighed with relief lately, having been given a respite from new posts for the first couple of weeks of this year. The reason for my absence from the blogosphere, and the reason that most of my posts since my return have been automobile-related, was my absolute addiction to playing Forza Motorsport 2 on our Xbox 360. Forza 2 is a a racing-simulation game, which means every effort has been made to make the driving experience as realistic as possible. To add to the realism, I purchased the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel (and pedals). This wheel not only has rumble, like the normal 360 controller, but also features force feedback, which is invaluable for telling the driver what the car is doing. Following is my review of the game, as used with the wheel.

What I liked:

• Perhaps the most impressive feature of this game is the modeling of the vehicle dynamics. Every aspect of the behavior of each vehicle is included: power, weight, weight distribution, drag, downforce, wheel weight, tire friction, camber, caster, toe, tire width, tire compound, tire temperature, and so on.
  
• Additionally, you can see all this modeling going on by turning on the telemetry. Huge amounts of data are available, which you can monitor live, while driving---good luck with that---or afterwards during a replay.
  
• Did I not mention the replay feature? After each race you can watch---and even save---a replay of your performance. The replay features multiple camera angles, both onboard and off. Some algorithm is used to select which camera you see when. Most of the time the camera choice is good, though sometimes what you actually want to observe---the car you are about to pass, say---is offscreen. Oh, and you can also take photos of your car mid-race via the replay feature.
  
• About 300 cars are available in the game when you buy it, and additional vehicles can be downloaded for a few bucks from Xbox Live. All these automobiles are immediately available to drive in arcade mode. In career mode, most of the cars must be unlocked as you accumulate winnings. What's more, because of all the detail in the physics modeling, each car behaves differently. It's not just that one car is faster than another. You can also feel the difference between front-, rear- and all-wheel drive. You can tell if the car is front-, mid-, or rear-engined. Indeed, you can easily discern changes in performance from modifying or tuning the car.
• That's right, you can swap out or add parts on each car: wheels, tires, wings, dams, brakes, dampers, anti-roll bars, exhaust systems, camshafts, and on and on.
• You can tune the cars, too. You can adjust suspension settings (camber, toe, ride height, and so on), downforce, brake pressure and bias, swaybar stiffness, tire pressure, and more.
• The appearance of the cars can be heavily customized as well. The exterior can be painted or covered with vinyl graphics, which is very important to superficial people such as myself.
• A reasonable number of tracks are available in the game as bought, and more can be downloaded for XBL for a small fee.
• Each car is given a performance index (PI) according to its speed, acceleration, braking, handling and such. The PI changes as you mod the vehicle. Cars with similar PIs are grouped into classes, which allows for fair-ish competition between very different automobiles.
  
• The game includes race series (of 3 or 4 races) designed for cars that are, in some way, similar. There are series for cars of each class, cars with a certain amount of power, cars below or above given weights, cars from different countries or continents, cars of specific make or model, cars over a certain age, cars with certain engine locations or configuratins, and so on. All this variety keeps the competition fresh and interesting.
  
• The game includes great multiplayer support. You can play split-screen with 2 drivers (like Alison and I do), system link with up to 8, or go online and compete with people all across the world.
  
• Forza makes great use of the rumble feature of the Xbox 360 controller. You can not just hear but feel when you drive over curbs, crash into barriers, or even shift gears. This feature is one of the reasons I dislike one of the Seabring circuits. That track's built partially out of concrete slabs, with 1-inch gaps between the slabs. Driving across it produces an annoying rhythmic rumble in the controller.
• The game also uses the force feedback feature of the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel to good effect. With the wheel, you can feel if you are understeering, detect torque steer from FWD or AWD vehicles, and tell if you are drifting. I find the force feedback not just immersive but terribly informative.
  

What I disliked:

• All the races take place during the day in clear weather. I'd like drive at night or in the rain, too.
  
• Many of the cars that can be won in the game cannot be painted/vinyled or can only be slightly visually altered.
  

Overall, because I am a car guy, I give it 9.0 out of 10. For normal folks, I'd still award it a 7.5. If you are even a little interested in cars or racing, I highly recommend it. Additionally, if you can spare the cash and have the space, I suggest you purchase the Microsoft steering wheel.

The Sleestaks are Back, Baby!

Here's more fodder for our "Who ordered that?" tag: Will Ferrell is staring in a film adaptation of the mid-70s kid's series The Land of the Lost. Mmmm, claymation dinosaurs...

Gears Insanity

Alison and I recently completed Gears of War on the "hardcore" (medium) difficulty setting, and now we are working through it on the "insane" (hard) setting. Isn't my wife awesome?

Audiobook Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2004)

To help pass the time during our roadtrip to Chicagoland, Alison and I listened to the audiobook of Mark Haddon's 2004 novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which she had downloaded to her iPod. The book is told from the perspective of a 15-year-old autistic boy as he investigates the death of his neighbor's poodle. I've been a fan of fully produced "radio dramas" for some time, but this was my first time listening to an audiobook. I quite enjoyed it.

What I liked:

• The writing style effectively conveys the unusual thought patterns of the protagonist.
  
• The voice actor narrating the novel did an excellent job of acting, not just reading.
• The story was quite interesting.
• I always enjoy hearing British accents and vernacular.
  

What I disliked:

• Literally 90% of the sentences in the book start with the same word: "and." I realize the author wrote this way to emulate the style of the main character, but it still irritated me to no end.
  

Overall, I give this audiobook 8.5 out of 10. I recommend it.

I'd Call it Bottom Gear

If you are even a little interested in automobiles, you need to be watching Top Gear on the Beeb or BBC America, depending on where you live. Unlike some car shows, this one is not a long series of reviews or DIY tips. Instead its a very intelligent and witty look at all things automotive. The series has been quite successful in its home country---it's run in its current 1-hour format since 2002---and has garnered a strong following across the pond as well. I encourage you to check it out.

You may ask why I've chosen now to point out the existence and virtues of Top Gear. The answer is that I've just learned that NBC, the king of American remakes of British shows, is planning to bring a remake of Top Gear to the States. I can't imaging the show being half as good without the distinct British sense of humor---or should I say humour---at its core. May The Stig preserve us all.

Update: The video here is a must-see.

Perhaps CR-Y Would Have Been More Appropriate

At the Detroit Auto Show, Honda announced that they will indeed manufacture a production version of the CR-Z concept car shown at previous shows and mentioned earlier on this blog. The CR-Z in many ways recalls the extinct CRX (CR-X in the home market), of which I own one of the last copies. The new car, interestingly, will be a hybrid. There's no word on when this car will hit the market.

In other Honda hybrid news, the company re-announced that they will be marketing a new, small hybrid-only model for the 2009 model year. Honda says that it wants 10% of their sales to be hybrids by 2010. It seems strange to me, then, that they recently discontinued the hybrid Accord.