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Posts Tagged ‘Avon Bellamy’

WEBMINING> A Shakotan Odyssey

Here’s a video I got from my boy Travis that had me and some of my boys on the East Coast straight trippin. We just don’t see stuff like this over here too often – especially not when we have potholes as big as moon craters that suck up whole caravans of cars without so much as a burp. If this is how they roll in Japan, I’m sold – I’m completely down with citizenship.

I spent way too much time just watching it over and over with my mouth hanging open – it’s so short and when you see the camber and fitment on the Odyssey…INCREDIBLE! It’s the little things that mean so much. I mean, it’s one thing to slam a car and hard park it – but, driving it on the highway like these guys is another thing entirely. Whoever these guys are – they get mad love for KILLIN this Odyssey shakotan-style! And whatever that is running with the Odyssey – DOPE!

Take a second and snatch a peak. It’s like those chips – betcha can’t watch just once!

::Avon Bellamy


CARSPOTTING> Spyker’s C8 Aileron Spyder

And now...BACK TO THE EXOTICS! And, if you needed any proof that the Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder is a bonafide, state-certified exotic - look no farther than the face of Daniel Craig on the screen in the background of the picture above. Would 007 be allowed to appear anywhere near (like within 500 yards of) a regular car? I'm sure there's a clause somewhere making it an offense punishable by debt to expose the 007 brand to any car priced south of $150K. There. It's official.

The Spyder is the latest offering from bespoke car-builder, Spyker Cars. It's Spyker's latest offering of hand-crafted quality and exclusivity - and it has a little "get up and go" too. Who doesn't like that? Apparently, not everyone.   Read more...

CARSPOTTING> Introducing the Mazda 2

After being exposed to the curvy sexiness of the Mercedes SLS AMG Gullwing, the cutting-edge science and incredible power of the Audi e-Tron, and the crisp, German-engineered precision of the Porsche Boxster Spyder, I'm sure some of you are thinking "The Mazda 2?!" Well, yeah...that's right. We said it - the Mazda 2.

Sure, the 2 might seem like a let-down compared to supercars like the LFA and the SLS but, let's keep it real, how many of you have the solid-gold wheelbarrow filled with diamonds and rubies that they're asking as a down payment for one of those America's Next Top Model magnets? It's like buying a Picasso. You just can't nail it up on your living room wall (perish the thought!). No. Protocol requires that you buy a freakin' museum to display it. Do you have a museum? I didn't think so.

So, being the Motor Mavens that we are, we figured we'd throw in a "real" car to talk you guys in off the ledge. We believe (in the immortal words of the bard, R. Kelly) that you can fly - but we figured you might just want to drive first.   Read more...

WEBMINING> Aggressive Offset Deja VW

I was reading Yoshi Shindo’s Passat story the other day and it really jumped off the page at me when he said he had “never been the greatest fan of VWs”. Not that there's anything wrong with liking what you like. It just reminded me of something my boy Steve told me about the VW scene awhile back. He said (I’m paraphrasing): “There’s nothing new about aggressive offset and rolled fenders. VW guys have been doing that for over 30 years.”   Read more...

WEBMINING> Zen Drift Master Orido

I was on a hunt for footage of one of my favorite cars – the JZZ30 Toyota Soarer (aka the Lexus SC300/SC400) and lo and behold, what should I find but Manabu Orido drifting Honjo Circuit in Japan.

Although in this video, Orido’s driving his Project Mu/Autotech JZS161 Toyota Aristo (Lexus GS300) and not a Soarer, I thought it was worth it to post this gem just to show the interior action shots. Look at how little he has to do to control the car – his economy of motion and technique is amazing.

I know that we’re not supposed to be envious…but I just can’t help it! Who wishes, like I do, that they could plug into The Matrix (I’m talking about the movie, not the FF Toyota) and download Orido’s drifting skills like Neo, waking up suddenly, saying… “I know drifting.”

::Avon Bellamy


WEBMINING> Ueo vs Nomuken – 3 Wheel Drift

I was on one of those endless YouTube “nature hikes” when I stumbled upon this D1 gem. The action is awesome but it’s really the characters and the commentary that make D1 so cool and fun. Check out the 3 wheel action as Ueo goes against Nomuken! Enjoy!

:: Avon Bellamy


NEWSWORTHY> Lexus LFA Debuts at SEMA!

Economy notwithstanding, we’re living in one of the most prolific periods of new automotive design. It’s a great time to be a car lover. And, specifically, if you love the Toyota Supra you probably remember when your hopes for the return of the Supra were dashed with the unveiling of this car. By now, you’re probably over it and you’re ready to take a step back and evaluate the LFA for the incredible machine that it is. Or not. But, wherever you may be on the spectrum of opinion, you have to admit – she’s pretty. And she’s coming to the SEMA Show and the LA International Auto Show in November and December.   Read more...

CARSPOTTING> bB Squad on BBS in Sarasota

Looking through the terabytes of photos in our Motor Mavens photographic archive, we noticed these photos from our last trip to Florida sitting in a folder, never before published and never before seen on our site.

It was one of those perfect Florida days, with the tang of fresh salt water in the air and the sun seeming to just chill and hang out like an old friend – warm and breezy in a “no worries” sorta way. So, what does one do in Paradise? That’s right... check out the cars. We were in Florida to attend the Scion Exposed 6.0 event in Sarasota anyway, so we thought we'd do a little carspotting at the show. That’s where we saw our favorite car at the show - this clean, minimalist, emerald gem, owned by Nick Rico of the bB Squad.   Read more...

CARSPOTTING> Vintage Hammer strikes El Mirage

As you may have seen our previous post about land speed racing, this past weekend we headed out to the most famous dry lake bed in Southern California - El Mirage. We arrived in the afternoon and the weather was hot, but the racing was cooling off. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had been blowing extremely strong cross winds across the desert, which eventually brought the event to an early stop. Undaunted by a little wind and a lot of dust, we continued on through the pit area until the dull sheen of dust covered metal captured our attention.

Strong and resilient with something to prove, this rear engine modified roadster provided contrast to the cracked up surface of the historic lake bed. After speaking to a few helpful guys hanging out nearby, we were told that this roadster was designed and built by an experienced land speed racer named Fabian Valdez from Vintage Hammer Garage in Yucaipa, California.   Read more...