#Soft Top to Hardtop Conversion

[jeepclub]

Mahindra Thar OE Hardtop Conversion

Upgrade your Mahindra Thar 2020 by converting the soft top to a durable FRP hardtop. Enhance protection, style, and performance with this seamless conversion guide.”

[the-firebird69]

We do understand how to make this work. And it is a bunch of plant-ons and at first people will make their own and it will make the car faster soft tops always go slow and you put on the dot exhaust and the top end performance kit and this car starts out with 220 horsepower no it starts out and it's with 140 horsepower and it's miserable there's a lot of looks to it that are familiar like someone went ahead and did it they did it's the max they had to do it it's code no we want to use it and you can see what you have to make changes the nose needs to be brought down for the fairing and slightly changed you need to make plant on that matches the fairing the windshield and the roof need to be changed and you take it off you have to cut it off and they're they're actually companies that make these with some glazing companies do but a lot of shops in LA will do this and that special glass it is bullet resistant and it does absorb the radar from radar detection to speed radar and it is nice. You can leave the decals off no and has to have craven industries Inc on the side and smaller lettering a lot smaller matter of fact it's in Chrome and it's a piece you attach and you lose the bottles there's nothing there but metal you want to have solid metal all around it and his front wheel drive motor is in the front so you don't need any air intake and it's faster than hell and it's a hardtop we did a conversion like this to this car it's very similar and we got about 280 mph out of the stock motor with the dot exhaust and the top end no if you add those and the tires are okay but we change the tires the rims are fine the car got up to a $350 mph it's very fast and it is a special car

And you need to widen it and needs a wide body kit and needs to be smooth and come from your door which will have a plant on the rear end can be left there it's not bad but it needs a firing underneath and you can see what it is and people buy the matchboxes and copy it

They tried to copy the Brad's version but they didn't know what to do with the wing well at least as you just take the wing off you don't need it it doesn't do anything

Alexie

We have a lot to do and you're kind of pushy okay those reports I'm getting what you say is I'm getting them testosterone overload cuz I grew a quarter of an inch but he had a little chocolate and it does affect them it does affect him it he grows the discs in his back expand quite readily and it made a difference that's what they say it is and he thinks it's probably true

I'm in love again and this company is awesome all my husband to be well and I'm going to start working on it and I want people to stop harassing us this is a great company we're going to have gear and we're going to have outdoor gear and outdoor camping gear and we have all sorts of stuff and we're going to carry it through to our planet and it's going to be fun in the future in the past and it's really really nice. And it will match what we're saying on the outdoor store so I'm going to make that little bike the Enduro mini bike and I'm going to make it a stitch and do it yourself RTA brings motor with gears and it will go about 80 and it will cost about $500 and it will be very simple like you see with a Coleman but with shocks in the back and people love it and he loves it and wants me to get going on it

Hera

What's funny is these new companies used to take off now it's almost impossible and the old companies are having trouble but what he says is you can rebrand stuff and I'm thinking of doing that it'll look like some sort of abnormal car from Europe but I think I can do it it's going to be hard to sell the craven but it will be by the motor company and she and he says it's Less Kraven and she has a name too and it's the guy's wife and it's in the comics but it is going to be craving industries so I'm going to look for these and he's waiting for people to make the knockoffs especially the truck that's what I want

Mac daddy

Olympus

[vividracing]

New Post has been published on https://www.vividracing.com/blog/new-smarttop-comfort-roof-control-for-bmw-z4-roadster-g29/

New SmartTOP Comfort Roof Control for BMW Z4 Roadster (G29)

The soft-top convertible roof returned to the BMW Z4 (G29) Roadster after years of having the retractable hardtop. This could be due to a majority of enthusiasts favoring the soft-top over the hard-top convertibles. After all, soft-tops offer more cargo space and weight savings. They also can be operated at slightly higher speeds and don’t take as long as hard-tops do to open or close. The BMW Z4 (G29) Roadster roof can be raised or lowered in 10 seconds and operated at speeds of up to 31 mph. 

The SmartTOP convertible top control module from Mods4cars will take your driving experience to the next level. The retrofitted unit makes everyday life much simpler and more enjoyable with smart functions and comfort extensions. Mods4cars has recently launched its SmartTOP unit for the BMW Z4 (G29) Roadster, which allows owners to operate the convertible top while driving with just the touch of a button.

Click Here To View SmartTOP Inventory

Thanks to SmartTOP’s One-Touch Automatic technology, your Z4 convertible top opens and closes automatically after a brief tap on the interior button. There is no need to continuously press the button or hold it down long. What’s more, the convertible top can be operated from a distance using the original BMW vehicle key.  That means that you can open your car’s convertible top as you walk toward it. Conversely, you can close the convertible top from a distance; for example, if it starts to rain while you are eating at a restaurant.

Your BMW key fob does not need to be changed or programmed for this to work. If your vehicle is equipped with the Keyless Entry Option, movement of the convertible top can be activated by just touching the door handle. Your BMW Z4 windows can also be controlled via the SmartTOP remote control. You can even set the position you want the windows to be in after the convertible top movement. 

Purchase Your SmartTOP Controller for the BMW Z4 Here.

For a quick and seamless installation process, the convertible top module comes with a specially developed plug-and-play adapter. The connection between your car’s electronics and the SmartTOP module is established by simply plugging them together. Moreover, a standard USB is integrated into the module to enable configuration on the home PC and the installation of software updates. These updates are provided by Mods4cars to its customers completely free of charge. 

  Fitment:

BMW Z4 Roadster G29 2018+

BMW 8-Series Convertible G14 2019+

Note: All functions can be programmed individually and reversed. Starting or stopping the vehicle’s engine does not interrupt the convertible top movement.

If you have any questions, please contact us. You can reach us by phone at 1-480-966-3040 or via email at sales@vividracing.com.

Product demonstration for BMW Z4 Roadster (G29):

[daveshevett]

Jeep JKU Overlanding Build - My Covid-19 Project

New Post has been published on https://planet-geek.com/2021/06/17/jeep/jeep-jku-overlanding-build-my-covid-19-project/

Jeep JKU Overlanding Build - My Covid-19 Project

The last year has been a doozie. When the pandemic got rolling and didn’t look like it was going to be over quickly, I, like many folks, looked for ways to ‘get away’. Some of these plans were born from fear and doom, some from a basic need to just Be Away, and for others, it was a way to do SOMETHING during the pandemic that felt like you were building for the future. An uncertain future to be sure, but a something you could point at and go “I did this. Now I can enjoy it.”

I’ve had a Jeep, off and on, for the last 8 years. Starting with a JKU (which I sold quickly, unfortunately), and then settling into my 2000 Jeep TJ (affectionally referred to as Ol Yeller), I enjoyed having a ‘toy’ that I could go romp in the woods, or just drive with the top off. It was freeing.

I sold Ol Yeller right at the beginning of the pandemic, because I had gotten fascinated with the concept of Overlanding, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized my 20 year old, small (but still fun!) Jeep TJ just wasn’t going to cut it. And, to be fair, the TJ was not exactly a luxury vehicle. It was time to upgrade to a vehicle I could build out into my overlanding vision.

How it started

I began hunting for a JKU (the 4 door version of the JK) in May, 2020. My criteria was:

A relatively low set of miles. 50k-75k was okay.

Manual transmission – Manual cars are slowly going away. This was the last chance for me to have a manual vehicle, I was going to take advantage of it. And besides, it’s fun.

Hard top. I could have gotten a soft top and upgraded it, but either way, I wanted a hard top in the end. In the winter, it’s really the only way to stay warm.

No rust. Jeeps rust. The JK’s are better about it than previous versions, but they still will rust.

The first version of Ghost

I found a JKU that fit the bill, aside from the hard top at a dealership not far away. Took it for a test drive, reviewed it, and it seemed like it would fit the bill. I paid cash for it, and drove it home. While driving it back from the dealer, something felt… off with it. It wasn’t tracking right, and had a bit of a shimmy in it. I had brought up the shimmy with the dealer, and they said they had fixed it, but it still didn’t feel right.

I made an appointment with my local shop (folks I trust a lot), to have them go over it. They did… and… there were problems. It turns out this jeep had obviously been in at least one accident, if not several. The chassis had been shifted forward by an inch on the frame and the body mount bolts were all twisted. The frame had been cut and re-welded (poorly) which threw off all it’s alignment. My shop was definitely of the opinion “This vehicle is unsafe. You need to return it.”

I was, naturally, hurt and felt lied to. I contacted the dealer, relayed all my issues, and they, surprisingly, agreed to take it back and refund ALL the money spent. No restocking, no tax issues, nothing. Just a check back to me. So that’s what I did. I felt a little taken advantage of because I didn’t do a thorough check, but I did have a conversation with one of the sales reps there who said they had another buyer, cautioning him “this vehicle is unsafe. Please take that into consideration when you decide to sell it again.” – I doubt it had any affect, but I had to try.

Second Verse, Same as the First, but better!

So, back onto the market I go. Strangely, I find another JKU, also white, this time with a black hardtop, less than 10 miles from the original dealer. So off I go, give it a test drive, and things look and feel… good! No shakes, it’s smooth and strong, AC works great – I’m cautiously optimistic. THIS time I make an appointment with my shop and make arrangements with the dealer to take the car to the shop for the day for a full evaluation. They agree, and a few hours later, I have a 100% clean bill of health. Nothing wrong with it!

So I became an owner of a white 2013 Jeep JKU Sahara, which was promptly named Ghost.

Ghost was basically stock. Stock Sahara wheels, bumpers, roof, interior. The only ‘enhancements’ were a bit of ‘armor’ on the sides of hte hood, and running boards. It did have the Alpine amp and subwoofer, which was a nice bonus. The head unit was the basic CD player and radio, but everything else was there including steering wheel controls and everything else. Oddly, it didn’t have an FM antenna (??), not sure what that was about. But it was the right price, the right configuration, and felt great. I was ready to get started.

The Build

Over the next 10 months, using whatever tools and basic skills I have, I upgraded Ghost. Through Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, ebay, Crutchfield, and trips to Lowes, I built. There was a LOT of learning. I’ve always been okay doing stereo installs and upgrades, and doing wiring, but this build would require mechanical work. Moving equipment around the engine bay, mounting hardware, figuring out what options to do where. The physical build took months, and wasn’t cheap.

Here’s a simplified version of all the work I did. (If you’d like a fully detailed nitty gritty “show me the rust and bolts” review, checkout my build thread on WranglerForum.com).

Found a GobiRack on Facebook Marketplace – I’ve always wanted a safari rack on the jeep, because I love the look and the flexibility it provides. The fellow who had it was happy to hold onto it for a few weeks until we could get down there. It came with a full on lightbar, and was a very reasonable price. I also learned that these racks were INCREDIBLY hard to come by. The manufacturer was way behind on filling orders, and the prices were through the roof (so to speak). I got this for a good price, and was happy to put it in the garage until I was ready to install it.

A set of XRC Bumpers (front and rear) to replace the stock ones. I was originally thinking these would be needed (on the rear) to mount the rack, but it turns out the rack mounts to the underside of the body, not the bumper. Regardless, I wanted a front bumper to mount a winch, and a rear bumper that was rugged and able to handle towing and getting banged around. This was another Facebook Marketplace purchase. Met the fellow at a rest stop down in CT. Super nice!

A Harbor Freight winch. Yea yeah, harbor freight, blah blah. But if I’m going to be anywhere off road where I might get stuck, a winch is absolutely necessary. I got this during a sale somewhere in November, but didn’t get around to installing it until April this year. It sat on my porch the entire time. My wife is very patient.

A new power control panel and relay box – this is a system that gives you switches on the interior to control exterior lights and accessories, using a separate set of relays. Very handy for high current thing (like trail lights)

A set of grips / handles from Wild Boar. The Jeep is TALL, and climbing in and out of it is a lot easier if you have something to grab onto.

A Vector equipment mounting bar – this goes on the dash and lets you mount equipment to it, like phone mounts, radios, etc.

A Boss BE10ACP-C Android Auto screen to replace the head unit – this took a lot of research to arrive at, but I’m reasonably happy with the result. I find floating screen displays really useful (I know others disagree), and having my gmaps on that screen, plus Spotify, an audio interface, backup camera, etc – a huge upgrade.

A set of new rims (via Craigslist) to replace the stock rims

BF Goodrich T/A K02 Tires.

Replaced the headlights from the stock ‘sealed beam’ whatever those garbage things were with a set of LED lights. The improvement is staggering.

So far so good, but we’re not done yet!

Now everything up until now has been pretty basic ‘kit out your jeep’ type stuff. Folks do this sort of build out all the time, and honestly, the result is pretty awesome. It looks great, it drives great, it’s fun, and it’s comfortable.

But the real goal of this project wasn’t to make another kitted jeep, it was to make something I could go camping and backwoods exploring in, and basically live out of for at least a small stretch of time. To do that, we needed to keep building.

Overlanding Buildout

The next things are parts that any camper would get. I needed a place to sleep, I needed water, food, storage, power, a way to cook, and it all had to fit in or on the jeep in a way that wasn’t horrible.

The first step there is a rooftop tent. This is a type of tent that folds up like a big taco when you’re driving, but unfolds into a big comfortable space when parked. The one I settled on is a Smittybilt Overlander XL tent. It’s quite large, fits me and all my gear and company if needed without a problem, and fits fine on top of the Jeep. This was one of the big reasons I got the JKU – this tent would not have fit on the TJ (of maybe it would have, but would have added more weight in a place that vehicle did not need it. High off the ground.

Once the tent was all set up and useful, I needed to start adding things to make camping out comfortable and sustainable. Anyone who is exploring overland builds will be familiar with this list, it’s the sort of accessory pile that anyone doing camping will understand.

Basic camping stuff like a sleeping bag and the like. I already had all this, so that was easy. The tent has a very nice foam floor on it so its quite comfortable.

A Mr. Heater portable propane heater. This heater is designed to run inside enclosed spaces, so it can warm up the tent REALLY fast and make it quite comfortable. I tend not to run it all night, but for going to bed at night and waking up on a cold morning, one button and you have a very nice toasty room to get dressed or undressed in.

A Gooloo 500w Lithium Ion battery bank that charges from the Jeep when it’s running, and when I’m camped, I can use it to power lights, equipment, recharge various bits, and also power my…

A Foho Portable fridge / freezer! Yes, I have a fridge in my jeep. For food from spoiling without the hassle of ice or ice packs, it’s amazingly useful. When I’m driving, the Jeep powers the battery, which powers the fridge. When I’m parked, the fridge runs off the battery. I can run a day or two in that mode without needing to start things up to recharge.

A full cooking kit that includes pans, utensils, a cooking stove, etc. The stove runs on propane, and I”m thinking of upgrading to a more peppy stove.

A folding table

A 5 gallon water jug

A medical kit

A variety of other gear to keep the Jeep and myself safe, such as recovery gear, spare rope, a shovel, hatchet, spare knife, etc etc.

A bike rack! Having my bike with me means I can leave the Jeep parked and go off and explore, then come back for meals and sleeping.

Given all this, I feel like I have a setup that… i can take just about anywhere. It’s comfortable, it’s complete, and it’s mine. My escape vehicle. Say hello to Ghost.

Conclusions

This has been a year of challenges for everyone. For me, this project has helped channel my needs into a project to build a vehicle I’m enormously proud of (and lets be frank, I love showing off). So far I’ve been camping in it 4 times, and will be going again next weekend. I’m constantly tweaking and adding to the build.

What’s next? Honestly, I’m not sure. I suspect I’ll be fiddling my cooking and heating arrangements a bunch (my current stove isn’t powerful enough). I’m considering a better propane management, something that lets me use a 5lb propane tank with multiple connections. Solar panels have been a thought, but I’m not sure if they’d be helpful (since I tend to camp in the woods). I’m definitely going to be upgrading my radio communications (I have no CB or Ham radio yet), and I want to have a permanent mount for a GPS locator / rescue device.

I hope to go on a couple long trips soon, but we’ll see how the weather, work, and my budget come together. Stay tuned!

[mobileautorepairpros]

Road Tests: 2020 BMW Z4

Vital Statistics

Engine: 3.0 liter

Horsepower: 382

Torque: 369 lb-ft.

0-60 mph: 3.9 seconds

EPA: 24 mpg city / 31 mpg highway

Energy Impact: 12.7 barrels of oil/yr

CO2 Emissions: 5.5 tons/yr

An all-new BMZ Z4 Roadster has hit the streets. But it seems like the only time you hear about it is when people refer to it as sharing its basic chassis with the reborn Toyota Supra. Well, we’ve been Z4 fans since it first arrived for 2004. And, despite a dwell in production, we think this 20-20 Z4 deserved its own time in the sun. 

A new BMW Z4 may not incite the kind of hysteria brought about by the original Z3 roadster that James Bond drove onto the scene back in 1996; but let’s not forget, this is one roadster that beats with the heart of BMW. And the 2020 Z4 M40i certainly got our blood pumping. 

Now 3-generations removed from that original Z3, and no longer built here in in America, the look of this Z4 is not that much different from last gen. 

But there is an all-new chassis beneath, and wheelbase actually shrinks almost an inch, while overall length grows by almost 4. Not to worry, that increased overhang space is well used, as proportions now have an almost classic sports car vibe compared to the extreme lack of overhangs in most modern performance machines; and body panels are now much more expressive.  

Like the first generation Z4, the folding top is now cloth; no hardtop like last gen. But, you won’t really miss it. Plus, it weighs less, allows for quicker operation, and stores much more compactly; providing 9.9 cubic-ft. of trunk space; that’s up 50%.       

The base 30i, with its 255-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo I4 actually arrived for ‘19, but you had wait until model year ‘20 to get this 3.0-liter inline-6 turbo which is shared with the Toyota Supra. Rear-wheel-drive only, of course, with 382-horsepower and 369 lb-ft. of torque. 

Roadster appropriate, there’s seating for just 2, but you and your lucky passenger will get a slightly updated take on the typical BMW driver-centric environment. 

Plenty of room inside for all body types, and seats are comfortable enough for whatever extended getaways you may have planned. 

Tech features include the Live Cockpit Pro high-res. digital instrument cluster, 10-inch touchscreen with iDrive 7.0, and available head-up display.

With the new soft top up, it’s a pleasantly calm driving experience. When down, it remains quiet enough for easy conversation, and with the removable wind blocker in place, buffeting is really kept to a minimum. 

Throwing caution to the wind, we hit the venerable blacktop of our test track for some ¼-mile runs and more. 

Tenacious grip for bolting off the line was hard to come by, but when it all comes together, the M40i will get you to 60 in less than 4-seconds. The 8-speed automatic transmission delivers gear changes like its life depends on it; yet somehow does so quite smoothly. 

Handling is a real highlight, with immediate response that some may complain about being twitchy; we’d describe it more as almost intuitive, as the car carries out your requests instantaneously. 

Compared to last gen., this is a totally new suspension design; combining a double-joint spring strut front, with a 5-link rear. The M40i also gets the Active M suspension with Comfort, Sport, and Sport+ modes; as well as M Sport active locking rear differential, and M Sport brakes behind either 18 or 19-inch light-alloy wheels.  

You can find some oversteer if you go looking for it, but you won’t find much body roll at all.

You do have to pay to play that tune of course; street ride can be harsh if the pavement is anything but new. 

As for safety, Collision Mitigation Braking is standard, but blind spot monitoring and lane departure warning are extra, as part of a Driver Assistance Package that also includes BMW’s Active Driving Assistant. 

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 24-City, 31-Highway, and 26-Combined; our average, not bad, at 25.8 miles-per-gallon of Premium. Making for an average Energy Impact Score of 12.7-barrels of annual oil use, and 5.5 tons of CO2 emissions. 

The base BMW Z4 sDrive30i starts at $50,695; this sDrive M40i, at $64,695. 

While convertible sales have been very fickle over the years, there’s always a place in our automotive hearts for a 2-seat performance-oriented roadster. With the 2020 BMW Z4 sDrive M40i, not only has BMW kept the traditional sports car alive, but made the Z4 more dynamic than ever; becoming less of a cute cruiser, and more of a serious performance machine. So, does Porsche have anything to worry about? Not really. But, for us and BMW fans, the most potent Z4 ever, is just what the doctor ordered.   

from MotorWeek Entries https://ift.tt/2TRgJsQ via IFTTT

[thecoinbazaar-blog]

Silverton 35 Motor Yacht: Sea Trial

Anyone who has ever owned a boat knows that space is a number one priority — space not only to live in and move around, but also to store the things you'll need while aboard. Silverton's new 35 Motor Yacht is an answer to the need for space. What's more, it's done with style. Reference  The combination of space and style aboard the Silverton 35 Motor Yacht addresses another boating issue. Once you get out of the runabout category, you're probably going to spend as much time, perhaps more, away from the helm. This type of boat is made to be lived in, not just taken for a ride. The Silverton 35 has a roomy saloon, a full galley and two staterooms — each with its own complete head, and each with a separate shower stall. Topside, a spacious cockpit opens to a convenient aft deck. The 35 Motor Yacht makes a good case for stepping up from an express cruiser. The saloon is surrounded in glass, to bathe the interior with light. A rich selection of fabrics, upholstery, carpeting and cherry wood cabinetry makes the space warm and comfortable — and not the least bit confining. The interior is full width, to take maximum advantage of the hull's beam. It is divided into three areas. The first two are for seating, and are on the same level. Aft, there's a settee to starboard that converts to a double berth. It is opposite an entertainment center, to port. Standard equipment here is a Sony AM/FM stereo with XM Satellite Radio capability and a single CD player. An optional 20-inch television, a VCR and a satellite television system are available. The boat is prewired for TV antenna connections in all three cabins and includes a Glomex marine TV antenna. Galley Ho Immediately forward on the port side is the dining area — a U-shaped lounge set around a pedestal table. One nice feature of the layout is that people on the settee and those at the table are facing each other — and are close enough to converse easily. The open galley area is opposite the dining table — one step down from the main saloon. It is accented by two expansive Corian countertops. The galley's standard equipment includes a full-size refrigerator/freezer, a two-burner electric stove, a microwave oven, a coffee-maker and a deep stainless steel sink with a removable faucet sprayer. If you accidentally spill something, the galley's real hardwood flooring makes for easy cleanups. Comfort Zone When it comes to sleeping accommodations, the Silverton 35 Motor Yacht has two staterooms that are nearly equal in size and features. The master stateroom is aft and has a queen-size berth with an innerspring mattress. It is built on a pedestal that is completely accessible for storage — and it includes two pairs of drawers. You'll find a floor-to-ceiling hanging locker, to starboard; and a half-size locker to port. Space is generous in the head, too — both for storage and moving around. There's an attractive vanity with a Corian countertop, plus a standard electric head and a separate shower stall. The forward stateroom's berth is set at an angle, instead of being squeezed into the hull's "V." Its mattress is also of innerspring construction and is placed on a pedestal storage compartment. The forward head is split. The toilet and vanity are to port — and the shower stall, with its bench seat, is to starboard. Go Anywhere One of the best features of the Silverton 35 Motor Yacht is that you have choices of where to spend your time aboard. The cockpit and aft deck accouterments are just as comfortable and spacious as the belowdecks accommodations. The aft area is an open expanse made for a table and chairs. A bench seat along the stern is cantilevered over the swim platform, to maximize the deck space. It offers a wet bar with space for an optional ice-maker. A standard hardtop keeps the aft deck protected from the sun. For further protection from the elements, optional side curtains with screening can enclose this area. The flybridge is open to the aft deck, to keep you and your guests in the same conversation loop. The seating "up top" includes a bench along the aft section and a doublewide seat at the helm. The steering wheel is located on the boat's centerline — and the captain's position has a fold-up bolster for standing operation if desired. While doing so, visibility to all quarters is excellent. Bring on the 10-inch electronics displays, because there's plenty of room to mount one on each side of the engine instrumentation. Another Sony radio/CD stereo, identical to the one in the saloon is standard here. So are bilge and fume alarms. silverton boats for sale A remote-controlled windlass and spotlight, plus a bow thruster, are a few of the available helm options — in addition to electronic engine controls and navigation gear. Bring It On The day we tested the Silverton 35 Motor Yacht was not pretty. Mother Ocean wasn't going to give us a smooth ride — but this boat was up to the challenge. It took a combination of confused seas and stiff gusts in stride. Windage was not a factor in handling. The 35's low center of gravity countered the effects of its high, flat sides. That, coupled with the hull form, produced a soft ride, too. The high flybridge — with an optional full enclosure — kept us dry from what little spray made it up there. Our test boat's twin Crusader 8.1 liter gasoline engines moved the boat through the chop with authority. The boat came on plane quickly, with a slight bow rise. Midrange acceleration was strong and turning stability was tight. During our test, we hit a top speed of 27 knots. Cruising speed was at 18 knots, at 3,400 rpm — and at that point, the fuel consumption was 22.3 gallons per hour, per engine.

[fashiontrendin-blog]

The Greatest Basketball Shoes A Man Can Wear, On Court Or Off

http://fashion-trendin.com/the-greatest-basketball-shoes-a-man-can-wear-on-court-or-off/

The Greatest Basketball Shoes A Man Can Wear, On Court Or Off

It started with two words. “adding basketball” [sic] was the ground-breaking statement Kanye West fired off to his legion of Twitter followers in July 2018. Although far from his most philosophical of tweets, it was the one to get sneakerheads rabid with excitement. He was of course referring to the latest Yeezy line of trainers, confirming the two-year-old rumours that he’d been working on a basketball shoe, to be released in 2019.

Is this the first time a luxury brand without a sporting pedigree has turned its hand to the basketball silhouette? Of course not. Off-White, Fear of God, Hender Scheme, Valentino, Berluti and Buscemi are just some of the names that have made them in recent years, none of which come below £500. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. There’s nothing fashion hasn’t appropriated. Can we even call them basketball shoes when they don’t have the tech to actually make them wearable on court? Who knows.

Michael Jordan, 1998

What we do know is, there’s no other sport that has such a grip on fashion, and particularly the sneaker industry. Air Jordans have been dominating the sneaker game since the first pair came out in 1984, and are arguably responsible for the market as we know it today, as well as the popularity of endorsement deals. In 2017, the Jordan brand’s wholesale revenue was at $3.1 billion, so it’s little wonder fashion brands want to cash in.

And then of course there’s the matter of style. Just as many people purchase basketball shoes to be worn off court as they do on, and with good reason. Forget the chunky trainers of today, basketball shoes were the first statement sneaks, and some of the most iconic sneaker designs ever hailed from the hardwood – we’re talking Converse All Stars, Nike Air Force Ones, Air Jordan 1s. Naturally they pair well with streetwear-inspired looks, loud colourways working with bold logo tees and wide-leg chinos or jeans; whereas muted all black or white versions can complement more minimal outfits. And their popularity is set to rise too.

Enter Kanye and his plans with Yeezy’s big release. Could 2019 be the year of the basketball shoe? The Chicago native has been on the ball so far in his life as a designer – he was a major catalyst for the longline tops, oversized jackets and chunky trainers trends, after all. Until then, here are some of the top basketball shoes you can buy right now, in terms of style, performance and affordability.

The Best Fashion Basketball Shoes

Nike Air Force 1 Mid

The OG basketball sneaker. Yes, the Converse All Star was the actual first and remains a style classic, but the Air Force 1 really revolutionised the athletic shoe market. And yet, because of its popularity today people too often forget the AF1’s hardtop roots. While it wouldn’t hold up quite as well today in performance terms as it would when it was launched in 1982, the Air Force 1’s classic design ensures its style game is unparalleled.

Buy Now: £79.95

Air Jordan 3 Retro

Air Jordans are often reissued but regularly sell out, meaning you have to act fast if you want a pair in a wearable colour. These 3s boast an iconic design, imitated by many, bettered by none, and come in white with a subtle baby blue sole – mimicking Jordan’s North Carolina college colours.

Buy Now: £164.95

Converse All Star Classic High-Top

Like the Air Force 1, the All Star’s widespread popularity has meant the shoe’s original purpose is often forgotten. It was a basketball shoe first and foremost, but is a wardrobe staple today. Wear it with anything – from your tracksuit to your business suit – and it’ll look the part.

Buy Now: £70.00

Fear of God Basketball High-Tops

Despite a wholly unoriginal design which borrows heavily from the AF1 and the Converse Weapon of the ‘80s, these Fear of God sneakers still demand a price tag of £800. Why? Because fashion. They are, naturally, made from high-quality calf leather and are assembled by hand in Italy, but more importantly they signal the next potential direction the luxury sneaker is heading.

Buy Now: £800.00

Hender Scheme MIP-01 High-Tops

Rather than try to swerve its design inspirations, Japanese brand Hender Scheme offers all-out replications of the most famous sneaker styles of all – three guesses for where this one turned to. Constructed from a beautiful vegetable-tanned leather and with all branding stripped away, this is more like a work of art than a basketball shoe, which is reflected in the price tag.

Buy Now: £830.00

Best Performance Basketball Shoes

Kobe A.D. NXT 360

Being hailed by some as the best performing basketball shoe of all time, this 2018 addition to Kobe Bryant’s signature line has been a triumph. It looks unconventional – more like a running shoe than a basketball sneaker – but features all of Nike’s latest tech including a next-gen ‘360’ Flyknit upper, React and Lunarlon foam built into a drop-in midsole and a unique wrap-around translucent sole. This basically translates into a shoe that feels like a second skin, yet has the cushioning and support of one twice as chunky.

Buy Now: £164.95

Adidas Harden Vol. 2 MVP

Adidas falls some way behind Nike in basketball shoe sales, but it’s models like the Harden Vol. 2 that are boosting the German brand’s hoops stock. Made to celebrate its namesake James Harden’s MVP season, this black, gold and blue edition of the Vol. 2 features a sock-like inner that’ll mould to the wearer’s foot, a custom lacing system and Adidas’ patented Boost sole, meaning they’ll be as comfortable on court as off.

Buy Now: £139.95

Nike Zoom KD11

Flyknit might be the most significant new shoe material in recent memory, given that it features on seemingly every new Nike trainer these days. It’s utilised to full effect on the KD11, the latest shoe in Kevin Durant’s signature line. It’s lightweight, comfortable and supple, and while these aren’t the most wearable off court in this colour way, it makes for a pleasing wool-like texture that complements more casual dress.

Buy Now: £129.95

Under Armour Curry 5

Stephen Curry has single-handedly put Under Armour on the map. The NBA All Star and all round good guy made the switch from Nike to UA in 2013, and has effectively doubled the brand’s sales revenue since then. The Curry 5 is the latest and best performance shoe the company’s made – it’s lightweight, features a full-knit upper to hug the foot as well as Anafoam cushioning for soft landings.

Buy Now: £115.00

Best Outdoor Basketball Shoes

Nike LeBron Soldier XII

An outdoor basketball shoe requires supreme cushioning and chunky rubber soles for the harsh concrete of local courts. These LeBrons offer just that, with their bouncy full Zoom Air unit in the sole, durable tread and crisscross strap offering secure lockdown over the top of the shoe.

Buy Now: £119.95

Jordan Fly Lockdown

Jordans haven’t always been the cheapest of shoes, but these aren’t going to break the bank, coming in under £100. Not only will they work on the hardtop – their in-built Zoom Air unit ensures that – they’ll also work off court. The classic red and black Jordan colour way and futuristic design will pair well with a T-shirt and jeans.

Buy Now: £94.95

Adidas Dame 4

An easy-to-wear style as suitable off court as on, Damian Lillard’s signature is a best seller for Adidas and it’s easy to see why. They tick the current basketball shoe obsession – a sock-like upper construction – but, importantly for outdoor hooping, they boast thick rubber soles, which almost pass for chunky trainer styling.

Buy Now: £99.95

Best Cheap Basketball Shoes

Nike Kyrie Flytrap

A no-fuss, top quality pair that’ll serve you well indoors or out. Designed for quick, nimble players, the textured knit upper and Zoom air cushioning are a comfy combination, and the all black colour scheme ensures they’re inoffensive for a post game trip to the pub.

Buy Now: £79.95

Under Armour Curry 3ZERO

While not the prettiest, these UAs are a steal coming in under £35. For that you get a Steph Curry signature spin-off shoe, complete with subtle ‘SC’ branding on the tongue. It’s a solid all-round performer that won’t fail to impress.

Buy Now: £34.50

Nike Zoom Live II

This pair benefits from Zoom Air cushioning and Flywire cables for good lockdown on the forefoot – two things usually reserved for shoes way out of this price range. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a gum sole?

Buy Now: £72.00

Nike Air Force 1 Low

Coming in at a full ten pounds cheaper than the mid-top (think of the beers), the Air Force 1 low is a design classic in its own right. It’s paved the way for numerous chunky low-tops and continues to be a staple over thirty years since it first came out – wear it with jeans, joggers, T-shirts, sweatshirts, the choice is yours.

Buy Now: £69.99

[phooll123]

BMW's 430i is zippy, handles well 

and looks great with the top down 

| Autos

Disillusion is a constant in life, like an ever-present pigeon waiting for you to drive out of the carwash. No doubt you've bought something online from a company that analyzed everything you did and sold your data along with that of many other shoppers. The company makes millions. You get a credit card bill. Or you look forward to lower costs under government-run health care, only to find your insurance premiums skyrocketing. Trust, it seems, is hard to come by. That's why you don't leave your car door unlocked. After all, if we truly trusted each other, cars wouldn't have locks. Of course, such things don't bother convertible owners; all you need to break into their cars is a pocketknife. Truly, they have a higher level of trust than most of us. Perhaps this is why the retractable hardtop seems the ideal solution for a disillusioned world.

True, even retractable hardtops come with issues. They're bulky, meaning it takes a lot of space to stow them, markedly reducing trunk space. They add a serious amount of weight, which is anathema to driving enthusiasts.

And there seems to be a limit to how these roofs' sheet metal can be shaped while also being retractable, meaning that most retractable hardtops lack the sporting grace possessed by their soft-top brethren.

Today's subject, the BMW 430i Convertible, looks ungainly compared with its coupe sibling, but fresh-air access comes with compromises. With classically conventional styling in the best BMW tradition, the 430i appears to be more the quiet conservative than the loudmouth radical. Nevertheless, the 430i gets much better-looking once the lid is lowered.

Stowing the 430i's roof doesn't take long, although it seems to take longer than you'd like, as if the mechanisms have arthritis. But it's an ingenious solution in a world where strangers can't seem to be trusted. With the top down, though, a modest trunk turns meager. So if you're traveling — or heading to Costco — pack light. Or lower the rear seatback, which transforms the legroom-deprived rear seat into a more appropriate storage hold. Once underway, you'll find wind management to be excellent, meaning that you can hold a conversation without screaming to be heard by your fellow passengers.

via Blogger https://ift.tt/2v29eEH

[eddiejpoplar]

First Drive: 2018 Ferrari Portofino

PUGLIA, Italy—Ferrari decided to introduce the 2018 Portofino, the company’s new entry-level model—of course, with a base price of $214,533, “entry level” means different things to different people—at a beachfront resort on the Adriatic Sea. That’s about 471 miles southeast, as the European magpie flies, from the now-trendy namesake fishing village of Portofino, Italy, on the Mediterranean Sea.

This being winter, Ferrari executives figured the weather would be much warmer and possibly drier farther south, which is why we ended up not in Portofino, but in the Puglia region of Italy, which constitutes the boot heel in Italy’s profile. (Puglia’s motto, roughly translated: “We hope you like olives!”)

Unfortunately, it wasn’t much warmer, and it sure wasn’t any drier, but as we took the stylish red keys to a cluster of Portofinos, the clouds parted and the temperature warmed to the point where we could drive with the retractable hardtop down (and the heat on), which is a pretty important aspect of the Portofino which, this summer, replaces the Ferrari California T.

This lucky change in the weather suggests that despite Enzo Ferrari having died in 1988, he still runs Italy, and likely controls the climate. After all, the airport we flew into, Bari International, is located on Enzo Ferrari Street, even though Bari is a seven-hour drive from Maranello.

This was also lucky for us, because the drive route for the Portofino would have been nearly unusable in the rain. Not because the Portofino couldn’t handle it—the traction control and windshield wipers work quite well—but the roads we were on, even dry, had to be some of the slickest, most potholed pavement the Land of Olives has to offer. And since many of the roads were lined with sturdy, up-close rock walls, we had to be especially careful, since Ferrari had already written off a Portofino that was driven by a European journalist on an earlier wave of test drives. He reportedly tested the wall’s sturdiness and was impressed.

In one sense, this test drive route was advantageous, since we got to gauge the Portofino’s ride on very rough roads (the ride was surprisingly good, even with the steering wheel-mounted Manettino switch dialed to Sport rather than Comfort). We got to test the carbon-ceramic brakes when dogs, buses, farmers on tractors, and street gangs clad in matching Lycra skinsuits riding bicycles suddenly appeared around the next corner.

What we didn’t get to test much was the Portofinos’s at- or near-the-limit performance. The plethora of polished asphalt and potholed concrete did test the electronics, because most every time we’d get through a roundabout and hit the throttle, the fat 20-inch Pirellis (245/35 front, 285/35 out back) would search for grip, the rear end of the car would slip a little to one side, and the traction control would intervene. Thankfully.

Late in the drive we did find what we thought was a deserted, very suitable straight to test Ferrari’s reasonable claim of 0 to 62 mph in 3.5 seconds, but regardless of what kind of launch we chose, we could barely get it done in less than 4 seconds. Incidentally, these are the electronic controls as listed on the Portofino’s spec sheet: “ESP, ESC with F1-Trac, E-Diff 3, SCM-E with twin solenoids.” We probably could have used three or four solenoids. And yes, twist the Manettino all the way to the right and you can disable some of those electronic acronyms, but be sure you want to before you do.

With more torque than the California T, and noticeably more horsepower (38, with the outgoing T rated at 553, the new Portofino at 591), we have no reason to doubt Ferrari’s claim of a top speed of 198.838782 mph (yes, a slightly awkward number, due to our overly detailed translation from kilometers to miles per hour), and a 0 to 124 mph time of (we’ll spare you the .274238 conversion carryover) a very quick 10.8 seconds. But we just didn’t get a chance to prove it. This time, anyway.

If this all makes our drive sound miserable, it was far from it. The scenery was gorgeous, and the Portofino was cheerful both chugging through villages at single-digit speeds, and, when we got the chance, carving up corners. The electric power steering is better but not quite there yet. In corners, there is less body lean than found in the California T, but without a little track time, it’s hard to say how much less. Top up or down, the chassis and body did not flex, squeak, rattle, rock or roll on roads that would not be out of place in Detroit or Newark, so that’s saying something.

The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, a carryover from the California T, responds immediately when shifted up or down by the two fixed-position paddles behind the new steering wheel, but if you leave it in automatic mode, the transmission is often slow to downshift, likely due to the quest for improved fuel mileage, and a teachable transmission algorithm that was learning that we weren’t able to go all that fast, thus deducing that we were in no hurry for it to downshift. A suggestion: When passing tractors and tourists sightseeing in rented diesel Fiats, downshift manually.

We asked the Portofino’s powertrain engineer about the possible future of manual transmissions, since the pre-T California (T standing for Turbocharged) actually offered a manual, but he just shook his head sadly, as if we had inquired about the health of an aging but beloved family pet, only to learn it had died. And had been replaced by a robot. This also brings up an interesting, and mildly puzzling factoid: The handful of Californias sold with manual transmissions now command far more on the used exotics market than the Californias with manu-matics …

The Portofino’s engine is mostly the California T’s 3.9-liter, twin-turbo, flat-crankshaft V-8, with the extra 39 horses mostly the result of electronic tuning, a new exhaust that includes a one-piece header, new pistons and connecting rods, and redesigned intake manifolds. Open the hood and behold a work of art: We’re so tired of seeing engines covered by massive pressed-plastic burkas, and that is not the case here.

The engine produces a peculiar, distinctive yowl at full throttle. The Portofino’s exhaust system has a new electronically controlled bypass valve that moderates the sound depending on the situation, and on the Manettino switch position. In Comfort, the valve opens to “a moderate degree,” says Ferrari, to produce a “marked, recognizable sound that still will not be out of place in an urban context.”

In Sport, the valve produces “a sportier, more seductive sound from the lowest engine speeds all the way up to the redline.” On the rough roads we tested the Portofino on, you’d think Comfort would be the way to go, but the ride in Sport is so good, even on really uneven pavement, that we just left it in that setting and forgot about it. So just enjoy being sporty and seductive.

Still, Ferrari didn’t seem to worry about its sound this much with its normally aspirated engines, because it didn’t have to. There’s no question that turbos are here to stay for high-performance exotics, but we’re afraid when we talk about this Gran Turismo we sound like Walt Kowalski in “Gran Torino” (“Get off my lawn!”). Refer to the Good Old Days, when an accelerating 458 Italia could peel skin with the downright erotic siren call of its 562-horse, 4.7-liter V-8 at full song. It’s like when Michael McDonald joined the Doobie Brothers: Yeah, he’s good and all, but it wasn’t the Doobie Brothers anymore. (Is that a dated-enough reference? Should we talk about when lead singer Tony Williams replaced Cornell Gunter in The Platters in 1953? We thought not.)

Outside, Ferrari stylists haven’t broken any new ground with the Portofino, but they’ve certainly created a very handsome, slightly understated profile that has a nice sense of Ferrari family looks. The Portofino looks a little like a California T that the designers took a second crack at, in the process fixing the T’s main issue, a rear end that stuck up like a cat in heat. That was to make room for a folded-down hardtop, but the Portofino’s complex top sits low enough to avoid the need for a raised deck. And even when folded—which takes 14 seconds, and now can be done while driving at speeds up to 25 mph—there’s enough room in the trunk beneath the top to cram in soft luggage sufficient for a weekend. Well, a weekend at the beach, anyway.

The design cue that may be the most controversial is the sculptured horizontal vent that starts behind the front wheels and leads into the doors. At the front of the vent is a black plastic insert. From some angles it all works, from others it looks like a piece of the body fell off. You can’t ignore it especially with the big yellow Ferrari badge perched on the front fenders, right above the vent’s largest separation. At least the vent is mildly functional, like the pair of vents on the hood.

Inside, this is one of the prettiest, most intuitive Ferrari interiors yet. Switchgear is properly placed and easy to use. Displays are packed tight but don’t seem crowded. Attention to detail is impressive, so very far removed from the era when Ferrari just shrugged at criticism of how the interior looked, much less whether or not you approved of where the company put the heater-fan control.

Designers and engineers worked to lower the Portofino’s weight—successfully, as it weighs 3,668 pounds, while the California T was 3,813 pounds—and the front seats are an example of how they accomplished the task. The seats’ frames are magnesium, and they seem impossibly thin, but they are 18-way adjustable and quite comfortable.

That thinness also makes for a little more room for the rear seats, and Ferrari points out 30 percent of customers are expected to actually use those seats. For what, we aren’t sure, whether it is a place to put groceries or kids, but unless a couple of jockeys have to get to the Kentucky Derby right now, don’t expect a lot of repeat Uber customers.

Bottom line: The Portofino is an improvement over the California T it replaces in every way, and it seems very comfortable in its role of introducing new buyers to the Prancing Horse, and providing them with a fun, fast GT experience. While the performance is an improvement over the T, the Portofino is not a serious track day car—that would be the 488 GTB’s role.

It’s also difficult to overstate the Portofino’s importance to Ferrari. Though the company is reluctant to provide actual numbers, the California T represented close to a third of Ferrari’s output, which is about 8,500 cars a year. Until the inevitable Ferrari SUV arrives, Portofino sales—along with a lot of red hats, Puma sneakers, and Scuderia Ferrari Ray-Bans—will be expected to fund a lot of Ferrari’s ultra-niche limited-edition models.

The Portofino is up to the task. It’s ideally positioned as the company’s entry-level car, as well as its internal exit-level model, as new customers become old customers and move up from the Portofino to other, more expensive Ferraris. In the U.S., there’s little doubt Portofino sales will help Make Italy Great Again. And there must be a reason we’re craving olives.

2018 Ferrari Portofino Specifications

ON SALE June PRICE $214,533 (base) ENGINE 3.9L DOHC 32-valve twin-turbo V-8/591 hp @ 7,500 rpm, 560 lb-ft @ 3,000-5,250 rpm TRANSMISSION 7-speed dual-clutch automatic LAYOUT 2-door, 4-passenger, front-engine, RWD convertible EPA MILEAGE N/A L x W x H 180.6 x 76.3 x 51.6 in WHEELBASE 105.1 in WEIGHT 3,668 lb 0-60 MPH 3.4 sec (est) TOP SPEED 199 mph

IFTTT

[jeepclub]

"Mahindra Thar 2020: How to Convert Soft Top to FRP Hardtop (OE Model)"

“Learn how to convert your Mahindra Thar 2020 soft top to an OE-spec FRP hardtop. Step-by-step guide for a seamless upgrade, enhancing durability, style, and functionality.”

[jonathanbelloblog]

First Drive: 2018 Ferrari Portofino

PUGLIA, Italy—Ferrari decided to introduce the 2018 Portofino, the company’s new entry-level model—of course, with a base price of $214,533, “entry level” means different things to different people—at a beachfront resort on the Adriatic Sea. That’s about 471 miles southeast, as the European magpie flies, from the now-trendy namesake fishing village of Portofino, Italy, on the Mediterranean Sea.

This being winter, Ferrari executives figured the weather would be much warmer and possibly drier farther south, which is why we ended up not in Portofino, but in the Puglia region of Italy, which constitutes the boot heel in Italy’s profile. (Puglia’s motto, roughly translated: “We hope you like olives!”)

Unfortunately, it wasn’t much warmer, and it sure wasn’t any drier, but as we took the stylish red keys to a cluster of Portofinos, the clouds parted and the temperature warmed to the point where we could drive with the retractable hardtop down (and the heat on), which is a pretty important aspect of the Portofino which, this summer, replaces the Ferrari California T.

This lucky change in the weather suggests that despite Enzo Ferrari having died in 1988, he still runs Italy, and likely controls the climate. After all, the airport we flew into, Bari International, is located on Enzo Ferrari Street, even though Bari is a seven-hour drive from Maranello.

This was also lucky for us, because the drive route for the Portofino would have been nearly unusable in the rain. Not because the Portofino couldn’t handle it—the traction control and windshield wipers work quite well—but the roads we were on, even dry, had to be some of the slickest, most potholed pavement the Land of Olives has to offer. And since many of the roads were lined with sturdy, up-close rock walls, we had to be especially careful, since Ferrari had already written off a Portofino that was driven by a European journalist on an earlier wave of test drives. He reportedly tested the wall’s sturdiness and was impressed.

In one sense, this test drive route was advantageous, since we got to gauge the Portofino’s ride on very rough roads (the ride was surprisingly good, even with the steering wheel-mounted Manettino switch dialed to Sport rather than Comfort). We got to test the carbon-ceramic brakes when dogs, buses, farmers on tractors, and street gangs clad in matching Lycra skinsuits riding bicycles suddenly appeared around the next corner.

What we didn’t get to test much was the Portofinos’s at- or near-the-limit performance. The plethora of polished asphalt and potholed concrete did test the electronics, because most every time we’d get through a roundabout and hit the throttle, the fat 20-inch Pirellis (245/35 front, 285/35 out back) would search for grip, the rear end of the car would slip a little to one side, and the traction control would intervene. Thankfully.

Late in the drive we did find what we thought was a deserted, very suitable straight to test Ferrari’s reasonable claim of 0 to 62 mph in 3.5 seconds, but regardless of what kind of launch we chose, we could barely get it done in less than 4 seconds. Incidentally, these are the electronic controls as listed on the Portofino’s spec sheet: “ESP, ESC with F1-Trac, E-Diff 3, SCM-E with twin solenoids.” We probably could have used three or four solenoids. And yes, twist the Manettino all the way to the right and you can disable some of those electronic acronyms, but be sure you want to before you do.

With more torque than the California T, and noticeably more horsepower (38, with the outgoing T rated at 553, the new Portofino at 591), we have no reason to doubt Ferrari’s claim of a top speed of 198.838782 mph (yes, a slightly awkward number, due to our overly detailed translation from kilometers to miles per hour), and a 0 to 124 mph time of (we’ll spare you the .274238 conversion carryover) a very quick 10.8 seconds. But we just didn’t get a chance to prove it. This time, anyway.

If this all makes our drive sound miserable, it was far from it. The scenery was gorgeous, and the Portofino was cheerful both chugging through villages at single-digit speeds, and, when we got the chance, carving up corners. The electric power steering is better but not quite there yet. In corners, there is less body lean than found in the California T, but without a little track time, it’s hard to say how much less. Top up or down, the chassis and body did not flex, squeak, rattle, rock or roll on roads that would not be out of place in Detroit or Newark, so that’s saying something.

The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, a carryover from the California T, responds immediately when shifted up or down by the two fixed-position paddles behind the new steering wheel, but if you leave it in automatic mode, the transmission is often slow to downshift, likely due to the quest for improved fuel mileage, and a teachable transmission algorithm that was learning that we weren’t able to go all that fast, thus deducing that we were in no hurry for it to downshift. A suggestion: When passing tractors and tourists sightseeing in rented diesel Fiats, downshift manually.

We asked the Portofino’s powertrain engineer about the possible future of manual transmissions, since the pre-T California (T standing for Turbocharged) actually offered a manual, but he just shook his head sadly, as if we had inquired about the health of an aging but beloved family pet, only to learn it had died. And had been replaced by a robot. This also brings up an interesting, and mildly puzzling factoid: The handful of Californias sold with manual transmissions now command far more on the used exotics market than the Californias with manu-matics …

The Portofino’s engine is mostly the California T’s 3.9-liter, twin-turbo, flat-crankshaft V-8, with the extra 39 horses mostly the result of electronic tuning, a new exhaust that includes a one-piece header, new pistons and connecting rods, and redesigned intake manifolds. Open the hood and behold a work of art: We’re so tired of seeing engines covered by massive pressed-plastic burkas, and that is not the case here.

The engine produces a peculiar, distinctive yowl at full throttle. The Portofino’s exhaust system has a new electronically controlled bypass valve that moderates the sound depending on the situation, and on the Manettino switch position. In Comfort, the valve opens to “a moderate degree,” says Ferrari, to produce a “marked, recognizable sound that still will not be out of place in an urban context.”

In Sport, the valve produces “a sportier, more seductive sound from the lowest engine speeds all the way up to the redline.” On the rough roads we tested the Portofino on, you’d think Comfort would be the way to go, but the ride in Sport is so good, even on really uneven pavement, that we just left it in that setting and forgot about it. So just enjoy being sporty and seductive.

Still, Ferrari didn’t seem to worry about its sound this much with its normally aspirated engines, because it didn’t have to. There’s no question that turbos are here to stay for high-performance exotics, but we’re afraid when we talk about this Gran Turismo we sound like Walt Kowalski in “Gran Torino” (“Get off my lawn!”). Refer to the Good Old Days, when an accelerating 458 Italia could peel skin with the downright erotic siren call of its 562-horse, 4.7-liter V-8 at full song. It’s like when Michael McDonald joined the Doobie Brothers: Yeah, he’s good and all, but it wasn’t the Doobie Brothers anymore. (Is that a dated-enough reference? Should we talk about when lead singer Tony Williams replaced Cornell Gunter in The Platters in 1953? We thought not.)

Outside, Ferrari stylists haven’t broken any new ground with the Portofino, but they’ve certainly created a very handsome, slightly understated profile that has a nice sense of Ferrari family looks. The Portofino looks a little like a California T that the designers took a second crack at, in the process fixing the T’s main issue, a rear end that stuck up like a cat in heat. That was to make room for a folded-down hardtop, but the Portofino’s complex top sits low enough to avoid the need for a raised deck. And even when folded—which takes 14 seconds, and now can be done while driving at speeds up to 25 mph—there’s enough room in the trunk beneath the top to cram in soft luggage sufficient for a weekend. Well, a weekend at the beach, anyway.

The design cue that may be the most controversial is the sculptured horizontal vent that starts behind the front wheels and leads into the doors. At the front of the vent is a black plastic insert. From some angles it all works, from others it looks like a piece of the body fell off. You can’t ignore it especially with the big yellow Ferrari badge perched on the front fenders, right above the vent’s largest separation. At least the vent is mildly functional, like the pair of vents on the hood.

Inside, this is one of the prettiest, most intuitive Ferrari interiors yet. Switchgear is properly placed and easy to use. Displays are packed tight but don’t seem crowded. Attention to detail is impressive, so very far removed from the era when Ferrari just shrugged at criticism of how the interior looked, much less whether or not you approved of where the company put the heater-fan control.

Designers and engineers worked to lower the Portofino’s weight—successfully, as it weighs 3,668 pounds, while the California T was 3,813 pounds—and the front seats are an example of how they accomplished the task. The seats’ frames are magnesium, and they seem impossibly thin, but they are 18-way adjustable and quite comfortable.

That thinness also makes for a little more room for the rear seats, and Ferrari points out 30 percent of customers are expected to actually use those seats. For what, we aren’t sure, whether it is a place to put groceries or kids, but unless a couple of jockeys have to get to the Kentucky Derby right now, don’t expect a lot of repeat Uber customers.

Bottom line: The Portofino is an improvement over the California T it replaces in every way, and it seems very comfortable in its role of introducing new buyers to the Prancing Horse, and providing them with a fun, fast GT experience. While the performance is an improvement over the T, the Portofino is not a serious track day car—that would be the 488 GTB’s role.

It’s also difficult to overstate the Portofino’s importance to Ferrari. Though the company is reluctant to provide actual numbers, the California T represented close to a third of Ferrari’s output, which is about 8,500 cars a year. Until the inevitable Ferrari SUV arrives, Portofino sales—along with a lot of red hats, Puma sneakers, and Scuderia Ferrari Ray-Bans—will be expected to fund a lot of Ferrari’s ultra-niche limited-edition models.

The Portofino is up to the task. It’s ideally positioned as the company’s entry-level car, as well as its internal exit-level model, as new customers become old customers and move up from the Portofino to other, more expensive Ferraris. In the U.S., there’s little doubt Portofino sales will help Make Italy Great Again. And there must be a reason we’re craving olives.

2018 Ferrari Portofino Specifications

ON SALE June PRICE $214,533 (base) ENGINE 3.9L DOHC 32-valve twin-turbo V-8/591 hp @ 7,500 rpm, 560 lb-ft @ 3,000-5,250 rpm TRANSMISSION 7-speed dual-clutch automatic LAYOUT 2-door, 4-passenger, front-engine, RWD convertible EPA MILEAGE N/A L x W x H 180.6 x 76.3 x 51.6 in WHEELBASE 105.1 in WEIGHT 3,668 lb 0-60 MPH 3.4 sec (est) TOP SPEED 199 mph

IFTTT

[itsworn]

Cruising in Her 1959 Chevy Corvette

She wanted a Corvette, but not just any Corvette, a C1 Corvette. But not just any year C1 Corvette, a 1959 Corvette. Not that it was necessarily the best or the rarest of the C1s, but that it was produced the same year she was “produced.” It’s funny how we tend to gravitate to seemingly small numerical connections such as this, but it happens and it happens quite often. It’s certainly not a bad thing, either. If anything, someone that goes out of their way to find a certain model year that has significance to them means that they’re going to cherish that car even longer and keep its history alive. And she—Debbie Daniels of Candler, North Carolina—really went out of her way to make the ’59 thing happen.

Going back to 2010, Debbie had wanted a classic Corvette for a while so she and her husband, Jerry, decided to start putting their feelers out for a 1959 Vette. They asked friends to keep their eyes peeled for a ’59 that was in need of a little TLC. Then it became a waiting game because nothing was coming up. Plenty of ’58s and ’60s popped up, but it was two years before their friend John Beaver in Pickerington, Ohio, found an elusive ’59 that fit the bill. It was the right model year and it had been sitting in storage for 30 years, but it had been in the same family for 41 years and you know how that one goes. The owner obviously wasn’t too keen on selling, but after extensive conversations he decided to let it go.

“We made the trip to Pickerington to bring it home,” Debbie told us. When she and her husband got there they found it to be “a real barn find, dead mice and all.” The owner, Eric, had purchased the car from his mother when his father passed away. The car had sat in a barn for 15 years then in Eric’s shop for another 15 until he handed it over to Debbie and Jerry. “It was a hard choice for the owner,” Debbie recalls. “Forty-one years in the same family.”

Eric gave the Daniels copies of all the paperwork documenting the car’s history and showed them pictures of the trophies his father, Dallas, had won racing the Corvette at Powell Motor Speedway in Columbus, Ohio, back in the day. He also made sure to give them his business card so they could stay in touch. Then off they went.

“We originally wanted to stay as close to original as possible since the car was complete, but a few comfort features snuck in,” Debbie told us. They started with the powertrain by rebuilding the 283, using many of the original parts, such as the crank and rods. It received an 0.030 overbore, then Jerry put the engine back together with a Speed Pro hydraulic flat tappet camshaft and Melling high-volume oil pump. The stock heads went back on, along with a ’66 Corvette L97 intake manifold. Spark was handled by a Corvette tach drive distributor updated with a PerTronix Ignitor module and a PerTronix Fame-Thrower coil while fuel and air delivery would be handled by a FAST EZ-EFI system. An OEM off-road replacement polished stainless exhaust would give Debbie the sound she wanted.

The crown jewel of the small-block, though, was the Inglese Sidedraft Induction. “While the Inglese Sidedraft was my pick—it looked like car jewelry to me—it was not an easy fit for Jerry,” Debbie recalled. The hood ended up not clearing, so Jerry modified the motor mounts to drop the engine 5/8-inch but that still wasn’t enough. The solution came in the form of four new custom CNC-machined stacks with a new angle that would clear the hood like they needed. Debbie expressed a huge thanks to friends Dennis Edwards and Jimmy Clontz of Diversified Machining Concepts in their hometown of Candler, North Carolina, for all their help making that happen. Then Jerry gave the new stacks a good file and polish to get that jewelry look Debbie loved. All that was left was to get ’er tuned by Chuck Gleaves of Gleaves Custom Induction.

The changing of gears would be handled by an original but rebuilt 1959 BorgWarner T-10 four-speed. They decided to go with a shorter First gear to work with the higher-geared rearend, going from a 2.20:1 to a 2.54:1. Speaking of that rearend, it had a highly aggressive 4.56:1 rear gear with a posi, but since the Daniels weren’t going racing and simply wanted a good driver, they threw in a 3.08 and an open differential.

As for the Vette’s suspension setup, they wanted to keep it simple and mostly stock with OEM parts other than a 1 1/2-inch drop up front and a 1-inch drop in the rear paired with Monroe gas shocks all the way around. Debbie also wanted to keep the brakes simple and stock, but that didn’t last and Jerry ended up swapping out the front drums for discs later in the build. He used 11-inch rotors with single-piston calipers and a Wilwood adjustable proportioning valve.

The Corvette was painted a shade of green somewhere down the line, but Debbie and Jerry decided Tuxedo Black with Inca Silver coves was a must. To get it ready for a new coat of paint, they had the body sandblasted. Then it was sent over to Buckner Auto Restoration in Weaverville, North Carolina, for the final bodywork and sprayed it with Southern Polyurethanes paint. With the ’59 back from paint and body, it was time for all the finishing touches to go on. Debbie and Jerry purchased rechromed, all-original trim pieces and installed them on the Corvette. To complete the look of the car, they picked up a set of 1965 knock-off replica wheels from Corvette America and wrapped them in BFGoodrich Redline tires, 205/75R15s all around.

The final piece of the puzzle for the Daniels’ mostly stock restoration of their C1 was the interior. They sourced all new upholstery and seat covers as a kit from Al Knoch Interiors in the form of red vinyl and red carpet. The OEM gauges were refurbished at Corvette Clocks by Roger in Jackson, Tennessee, then installed by Jerry, along with the other interior pieces.

With the plan being to take the car on lots of trips and to plenty of shows, there were a couple more deviations from stock Debbie wanted to incorporate. For one, the car was originally a hardtop only, so they went out and purchased a whole soft top and frame from Coffman Corvette. This would make the transition from exposed to covered much easier in case they ran into any inclement weather. They also installed Rostra cruise control for those long trips.

The whole build process took about four years, and somewhere along the line they did a little more research and found out the car was built in January 1959—not only the same year but even the same month as Debbie was born! Remember how we mentioned that we all are easy drawn to coincidences like that? Well, Debbie sure was too, which made the whole process that much more fulfilling. And now that two-plus years of searching and four years of restoring were over, she could finally enjoy her 1959 Corvette.

The post Cruising in Her 1959 Chevy Corvette appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

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Car of the Month: 2020 BMW Z4

A new BMW Z4 may not incite the kind of hysteria brought about by the original Z3 roadster that James Bond drove onto the scene back in 1996; but let’s not forget, this is one roadster that beats with the heart of BMW.  So, when we took delivery of our test 2020 Z4 M40i, it quickly got our blood pumping.

Now 3-generations removed from that original Z3, and no longer built here in in America, the look of this Z4 is not that much different from last gen. For the record, it looks nothing like it’s engineering kin the Toyota Supra. With that, there is an all-new co-developed chassis beneath. Wheelbase actually shrinks almost an inch, while overall length grows by almost 4. That increased overhang space is well used, as proportions now have an almost classic sports car vibe and body panels are now more expressive.

Like the first generation Z4, the folding top is now cloth. It weighs less than the previous gen’s hardtop. It also allows for quicker operation, and stores much more compactly. Trunk space is up 50%.

The base 30i continues with a 255-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo I4. New this model year is the 3.0-liter inline-6 turbo which is shared with the Supra. Like Supra, the Z4 is rear-wheel-drive only. Our test six rates 382-horsepower and 369 lb-ft. of torque.

Roadster appropriate, there’s seating for just 2. However, you and your lucky passenger will get a slightly updated take on the typical BMW driver-centric environment where tech features continue to abound. There is plenty of room inside for all body types, and seats are comfortable enough for whatever extended getaways you may have planned.

With the new soft top up, it’s a pleasantly calm driving experience. When down, it remains quiet enough for easy conversation, and with the removable wind blocker in place, buffeting is really kept to a minimum. Unsurprisingly, handling is a real highlight, with immediate response as the car carries out your requests nearly instantaneously. Compared to last year, this is a totally new suspension design; combining a double-joint spring strut front, with a 5-link rear. The only downside is a sometimes jarring street ride unless the pavement is new and smooth. As for street safety, Collision Mitigation Braking is standard and other active driver aids are optional.

For our complete road test of the 2020 BMW Z4, be sure to catch MotorWeek episode #3921 that begins airing January 24, 2020. For a listing of the public television stations that broadcast MotorWeek, go to motorweek.org and click the “About The Show” tab at the top. MotorWeek is also seen Tuesday evenings and throughout the week on the MotorTrend cable network. While convertible sales have been very fickle over the years, there’s always a place in our automotive hearts for a 2-seat performance-oriented roadster. The 2020 BMW Z4 is just what the doctor ordered.

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