Pagani Huayra: Evo Magazine Exclusive First Drive and Review (video)

Evo magazine has been granted the exclusive first-drive review of the new Pagani Huayra… Quite a different machine to the Zonda, as previous articles and the words of Mr. Pagani himself have dictated. *Note – the squeaking noise is from the front clamshell being closed improperly*

Brief article/written-review on the Evo website currently.. Expect a full-blown, beautifully photographed feature in an upcoming issue of Evo magazine… 😉

Enjoy the vid..!

McLaren: Inside The Technology Centre – Video

Insightfully revealing new video here from the Drive Channel on YouTube showing the inner-workings of the mysterious McLaren Technology Centre. Most of what is shown in the 26-minute video has been previously unseen by film-crews, so to derive some sort of visual access to parallel McLaren’s notoriously precise methods of detailed engineering is a joyful encounter… Enjoy 😉

To be honest (and a bit nit-picky), I’m not entirely sold on the presenter’s abilities (or school-boy wardrobe selection) during this rare opportunity to ask some of the more pertinent and intriguing questions that could/should have been asked… but regardless, a great job by the cameraman/crew in capturing the interior aura and static mood of this near-otherworldly entitiy of McLaren.

-Blake J.
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Videos: Ferrari, AMG and Audi Self-Congratulating their Online Social Marketing Numbers

‘Social Media is king’ – Yes yes yes… In this day and age we’ve firmly grasped that unequivocal reality by now, despite how confusingly ridiculous and painfully dumbed-down the ‘clickable’ methods of self-congratulating fanfare have become in achieving these Grand Statements of Internet Glory, as so brazenly rolled out by top-brand manufacturers…

Yet somewhere along the way of this tail-spinning online world, rife with increasingly brain-numbing tactics and strategies and marketing obsessions with SCO’s and such, influencing people to simply click a ‘thumb-up’ button on their computer’s screen has actually become A Big Deal… as AMG proudly displays hereth…

Now think about that for a second – Massive companies and corporations are actually celebrating the fact that many millions of humans clicked onto their Facebook page and subsequently clicked a thumbs-up button, with their mouse… We’re supposed to go ‘wow!’ to that news and say ‘job well done chaps’… ?

Is it not a worldwide ‘given’ that companies such as Coca-Cola and Starbucks and Ferrari have quite a healthy, in the mega-millions, dedicated fanbase despite social marketing claims…? Obviously, Ferrari is the sell-out King of merchandising their brand to legions of followers/minions and, unsurprisingly, they want you to know it…

Somehow, this clicking-of-‘like’-buttons and obsessions with ‘view numbers’ on YouTube pages is seen as a marked achievement by these top brands – in this case, an achievement deemed worthy of chucking money towards silly, tire-smoking video productions to highlight their ‘accompishment’ and ‘thank’ all those that clicked the upward-pointing thumb on their FB page…

AMG c63 ‘thanking you’ for watching and clicking…

Really now…? Is that really an impressive feat…? Well yes, nowadays it is, it would seem… Companies (and people) will do just about anything, no matter how stupifyingly simple and brain-oozingly dumb, to gather your attention and persuade you to click a button, watch a video and interact with your opinions… Utterly baffling sometimes… Squeal away, Audi….

Welcome to online automotive marketing where any cause (or excuse) to illuminate the most banal of irrelevant, self-righteous claims is the way forward. Millions of people ‘like’ your global corporation…? uhm, yeah… we know…. we really, REALLY know… Sally’s self-gratifyingly emotive statement from 1980 says it all…

-Blake J.
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Video: Evo Magazine’s Harry Metcalfe Shows Us His 1972 Lotus Elan Sprint

Brilliant new video here from Evo Magazine founder, Harry Metcalfe, detailing the rather  interesting engineering specs and idiosyncrasies of his 1972 Lotus Elan Sprint.

To see the massive, modern 20 inch Maserati wheel parked-up next to the Elan’s teeny 13 x 4 inch wheel is not only amusing but incredibly telling in mapping out the 40-year gap in automotive trends and the present day needs for harnessing power with monstrous levels of grip in these horsepower-obsessed times. I also love the fact that the Elan weighs a paltry 700 kg and easily out-performs most cars of this niche on any given day… and it’s a 50 year-old design…!

He even takes us for an onboard drive – what a noise…!

I’ve always loved and admired these cars. Now I want one more than ever before…

-Blake J.
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Video: Essential Group B Rally Film

Most of us have seen our fair share of online Group B Rally videos (I recommend searching YouTube for the ‘pure sound- Group B’ volumes 1-3 for starters) and some of them are done rather well… yet most of them, err… not so.

Given the fact that 90% of all high-quality Group B footage was originally interspliced with period-era music or voice-overs/commentary, it’s a rare treat to be able to witness these monstrous engineering marvels ‘in the raw’ within decently-captured fan-videos that are properly re-edited and presented without all of the unnecessary fluff.

The excellent Lancia 037 - flapping its wings

YouTube user amjayes2, has once again ridden to the rescue with a fantastic 30-minute short-film documenting the 1983-86 Group B action within the stages of the legendary 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland – nothing but raw action and ferociously scary sounds and sights. And believe me, it’s worth making the time to watch…

-Blake J.
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A.I. Video Break: Selections For Your Motoring Mind

Everyone requires a mandatory video-break throughout the work-a-day so here we present you with a varying hodgepodge of selections that run from the odd to the old to the personal portrait to the importance of friendship and comaraderie within motoring circles.

Metal Heart – Captured at a Monster Truck Event, this strange little video manages to reflect a miniaturised, toy-like, clay-mation world back to the viewer. My favourite bit is the supposed Smash-up Derby

The Bond – Some of you may have already seen this video when it emerged a few months back but for those that haven’t, it’s worth your time. An intimate and beautifully filmed portait detailing why the most important vehicle purchases in life come from the heart.

Rattling the Hills in a Spyker – This video remains a personal fave of mine, as I’ve been fortunate enough to have driven these exquisite roads throughout the Scottish Highlands in various TVRs from years past. Shown here is a Spyker C8 blatting across the landscape and I can assure you, the Spyker sounds every bit as roaringly delicious as the soundtrack delivers it to be… I implore you all..! Go to Scotland and drive the western coastline..!

A Pinch of Salt – One from the Bonneville Salt Flats Annual Speedweek. An honest look at the camaraderie and life-long friendships that permeate throughout this event where the record books are an afterthought and helping your fellow mate achieve his/her own goals reigns supreme. Again, beautifully shot.

Targa Florio 1970 – Excellent period commentary from Vic Elford from one of the last times the Targa Florio event was run before it ended. Amazing footage. Of noteworthy sights are various scenes where Alfa Romeos, Ferraris and Porsches are being driven at full speed throughout the tiny villages while small children stand in awe, chickens stroll about and elderly gentlemen engage in card games on the immediate roadside with cars blasting past them, unguarded, at truly ferocious speeds. An essential glimpse from a time we’ll never see the likes of ever again.

-Blake J.
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