Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2020 i Fast Car

HAPPY NEW YEAR So here we are, the last issue of 2019. How does that make you feel? Well it should feel about 16-pages thicker because that’s what it is! Oh yes, there’s just so many cool rides, shows and car culture shenanigans out there that we’ve had to make the magazine bigger just to fit it all in! And what have we fitted in this month…? Only the biggest, best and most important show of the whole year. I am, of course, talking about the Specialty Equipment Market Association or SEMA to its friends. The thing is, SEMA is more of a who’s who of the aftermarket world than a modified car show. In fact, while browsing through our 10-page report (yes, 10 pages and we could have filled…

The N sub-brand has done a lot to shake up people’s perceptions of the Hyundai marque recently. While we’re well used to the fact that Hyundais these days are reliable, well-made and decent value-for-money (rather than being rattly gloom-boxes with zero cred, like they used to be), it took us all by surprise when they released the i30 N and it turned out to be one of the best hot hatches of the modern era. In no time at all it became the norm to see these baby-blue N-badged tearaways at shows and track days, and this almighty shift in consumer perceptions appears to have gone to Hyundai management’s heads, because they’ve built… a drift bus. We should probably point out that this is the product of a Hyundai skunkworks…

Land speed records are pretty mental, aren’t they? The aim, quite simply, is to go as fast as you physically can… and that’s it. Except it’s nowhere near that simple; you can’t just do it once and then explode, you have to run the same distance in two directions and take an average of the speed, and companies or organisations pour millions into developing machines for this seemingly pointless exercise. Of course it’s not really pointless – land speed records have been inspiring petrolheads since the dawn of the motor car itself, and the next-gen technology and engineering trickles down throughout the industry, we all feel the benefit in some way, technologically or spiritually. And the Bloodhound Programme is one which has really captured the public’s hearts: the car is…

It’s the nest of gleaming vipers that does it. Wandering the halls of SEMA it’s easy to become overwhelmed, because the overall standard of quality among the hundreds upon hundreds of fresh project builds is just so ridiculously high; you’ll spy something that would easily scoop Car-of-the-Show at Players or Ultimate Stance, then Midge will go scampering off to the next hall because he’s spied something even better, before Jules drags everyone back as he’s found a car that’s properly next-level. It’s hard to take it all in. But the engine bay of this E30, that’s something which stopped us all in our tracks. Just look at those shimmering silver pipes, writhing and undulating like a clutch of malevolent serpents. The fact that this custom 8-into-1 system makes the small-block…

same time, but they just can’t have anything else going on during SEMA week, simply because the show fills the whole kit and caboodle to the brim – over 3-million square feet of floor space. And then the bastard spills out into the carparks, outside areas, and parts of the famous Westgate Hotel next door. They even build temporary halls! In other words, we knew that we were looking at a bit more than a light stroll around. The Speciality Equipment Market Association Show, now in its 56th year, is not only the world’s biggest car show, but it’s actually the single biggest event ever to hit the massive Las Vegas Convention Center. I mean think about it, this is about the biggest convention centre in the world, and it’s…

If you’re an old skool Civic fan, you’ll see loads and loads at SEMA. In fact, it’s pretty hard to choose just one, but, just for the sheer balls of it, we were loving Carlo Uribe’s 650bhp EG here. Apparently, this car isn’t just a showcase of a load of juicy parts that would get you nicked in about five seconds here in the UK, it’s also an ongoing project designed to keep him away from the wife for the foreseeable future. Good man. Carlo also built the whole car from a bare shell in record time. He started just 30 days before the event! Seriously well played sir. Top Mods: 2.1-litre turbocharged B-Series, Volk Racing TE375L wheels with Falken tyres, Hollister PowerSports respray.…

This 700bhp monster may look like something you’d see flying around Hill Valley in a Back To The Future film, but it’s actually a fully re-worked Corvette C6 – yep, the one from the early Noughties. Sitting pretty on the Spectra Chrome stand, we caught up with the owner who was pretty enthusiastic about how quickly he can get it to spool up and destroy more than its fair share of 24-inch rubber. And as for the rest of it? “Well, there’s not too much going on,” he said. There was us thinking the Yanks didn’t do sarcasm! Top Mods: Full custom body, custom carbon inserts, 24-inch wheels, 405/25x24 Pirelli P-Zero Nero tyres, BC Racing coilovers, StopTech brakes, twin turbo kit.…

Name: Dan Steele Age: 42 Occupation: Marine engineer on super-yachts First car: Mk1 Fiesta Favourite show or event: Ultimate Dubs/Stance, indoor arenas are the way forward Lessons learned from this project: The importance of tyre load ratings! Due to this car weighing in at 2.8-tonnes, tyres have been an issue with a few blowouts, one happening right after the shoot, due to incorrect load ratings What’s next: The project I wanted before the Bentley: a Beetle RSi. I’m seriously thinking of selling the Bentley, as it’s gone as far as I can take it – so it’s for sale at £50k.…

SAMCO SPORT FK8 HOSES, FROM £63 (COOLANT KIT) There’s not many motors that can stand toe to toe with the FK8 Type-R in the real world, and what with the tarmac-destroying 2-litre turbocharged monster being the first to bring the Type-R badge to the US, we’ve seen an almost unprecedented amount of mods hit the market in recent times. The thing is though, this is a Civic that’s not really a Civic as we know it. No matter how focused, this is actually a modern, luxury and, most importantly, expensive bit of kit. The usual Honda-modding route of ripping out everything and going street racing doesn’t quite reflect in the pricing as yet. So, there’s a lot to think about before you start swinging the spanners willy-nilly. It’s clearly all…

REVO INTERCOOLER The Revo Intercooler utilises unique design features to keep intake air temperatures low, minimise pressure drop and allow the engine to produce impressive power and torque REVO CARBON SERIES AIR INTAKE SYSTEM The Revo Performance Pack requests more air than the standard intake system is able to deliver. Included with the PP, Revo air intake systems are designed to smooth the flow of air from filter to inlet, while increasing the overall volume of air the intake system is able to deliver REVO ECU AND DSG (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) SOFTWARE Revo Software ties together each Revo Hardware upgrade to increase power and torque, ensuring consistent performance when you’re driving hard. This also includes features only available from Revo designed to protect the engine and even enhance standard options such…

There’s a very clear rule when it comes to swapping non-Japanese motors into Japanese cars: don’t. Just don’t. It really irritates people. Or at least, that’s what some bores will tell you. But who cares what the purists think? There’s clear evidence splashed across these pages to suggest that the idea of shoving a vast American V8 into a slippery and sylph-like S15 Nissan is actually a bloody good idea. Just look at it. We can feel our awesome-o-meter bursting at the seams and threatening to fire its trembling needle clear through the glass and into the dartboard over the other side of the bar. Yes, of course we’re chewing over the relative merits of LS-swapped drift weapons in the pub, still eddying in the turbulence of Ade’s stellar shoot.…

You hear a lot of spurious power claims in this game. People who tell you their Focus ST’s running 350bhp when you know it’s bone-stock aside from a shouty exhaust. Guys who reckon bolting a K&N to their Impreza has added an extra 75bhp. Those ‘power resistors’ people used to flog on eBay that claimed they’d give you an extra 20bhp, but all they did was trick the ECU into over-fuelling. You know what it’s like. Pub boasts get out of hand. But when Shawn Preece tells us that his Mk4 Supra will soon be running 1,200bhp, well, we’re inclined to believe him. You see, he’s not the kind of guy who’d waste his time with that sort of nonsense, he’s not out to impress anyone. The cold, hard fact…

Life, as the internet is always keen to point out, comes at you fast. You start out tearing about in hot hatches and before you know it, you’ve unexpectedly grown up and you find yourself trundling around in an estate car, desperately trying to figure out where your youth went. Jack Hutchins, however, is a guy with vision. He’s not prepared to sit back and let life happen to him, he’s out there in forthright fashion actively pursing the next stages of his own personal development. It’s helped enormously that his first car wasn’t exactly your average first car – whereas most of us kick off with a crap twenty-year-old 1.0 runabout, Jack’s debut ride was an R56 MINI Cooper. What’s more, it was practically brand new – he bought…

It’s a matter of professional pride for us to know about all the cool new cars on the market, along with the desirable old ones – an encyclopaedic knowledge of this stuff is something we’ve been building up since we were pushing Hot Wheels around the living room carpet back in the early eighties. But to be honest, even we’ve given up trying to keep track of all the different cars McLaren are putting out these days. And here’s another one, to lust over for its jaw-dropping looks and astonishing specs, then immediately forget the name of. It’s called the Elva, it’s McLaren’s lightest ever road car, and it costs £1.4m. The company’s first open-cockpit road car, production will be limited to just 399 examples (about half a dozen of…

The BMW M2 is an absolute weapon, there’s no denying that. Now that the M3 has got so huge (and spawned its M4 offshoot), the M2 is arguably the spiritual successor to the poster-dream E30 M3, and it’s been wowing punters and critics alike for years. And now, with a new model hovering on the horizon, BMW has pulled out the big guns for a very special run-out, er, special: the CS badge. Standing for ‘Club Sport’, this is a label they’ve glued to various track-biased road-racers over the years, and here’s what it means for 2020’s special-edition M2: lightweight 19-inch forged wheels, a carbon-fibre reinforced plastic bonnet that’s half the weight of the standard item, a carbon roof, carbon front splitter, carbon boot spoiler, carbon diffuser… basically, carbon’s a…

Jules: BMW 2002 “It’s no secret that I’m a bit of a BMW fan boy, and SEMA 2019 really didn’t disappoint on the Bavarian Motor Works front. There were plenty of gorgeous E30s, including the 6.0-litre, widebody one that’s on the cover of this very magazine. But the winner for me? That has to be this absolutely stunning BMW 2002 built by Dalmakis Performance in partnership with Sprint Booster and JRP. It boasts twin-turbo S55-power (the same engine found in the current M3), no wonder it’s been dubbed the MBeast.’” Midge: Nissan Titan / DMC-12 “Usually I’d be putting some sort of Audi R8 here, but as awesome as it was, we only saw the one which as a big Audi V8 fan makes me kinda sad. The truth is…

Yep, it’s yet another A90, but this time it’s also an epic amalgamation of the future and the past. In fact, there’s no surprises that GReddy decided to go for the full-fat 2JZ in their Pandem-kitted Supra; ‘tis just what these guys do. Admittedly we’re not 100-percent sure on the enormous rear wing as yet, but it’s easily one of the maddest Supra builds since the 1990s… To be fair, eight grand for a bodykit is starting to seem like a bargain too. Still, there’s one other big ‘lightweight’ aspect to this build – there’s not very much left of that plush interior, is there? All traces of BMW have been duly eradicated here! Top Mod: Pandem kit, 2JZ engine, 18-inch Rays wheels with 255/30/ R18 Achilles tyres.…

Of course, we couldn’t finish up without featuring a spot of all-American muscle somewhere in our top FC picks, right? But all isn’t as it seems with this belter from Mayhem Metal Works; it’s not quite what you’d call your average ‘50s pickup. For starters there’s no V8 under the bonnet (it has got a bonnet). It’s sporting a massive twin turbo diesel lump instead. Second, it’s not the straight-line banger you’d expect to see in the US either. This one is actually put together for the track… It’s got a hydraulic handbrake and everything! Owner Jeff built this from scratch with help from his son in just a matter of months before the show, and it’s even got a ticket for use on the road! We reckon he may…

Wolfrace Nova, £129 (each) Here’s a rather interesting looking rim from UK firm, Wolfrace. The asymmetrical split 5-spoke Nova is a strange one to ponder, there’s no doubt about that, it’s overtly modern but seems to be thoroughly ‘80s-inspired at the same time. A weird combination yes, but then again, we think that’s exactly what makes it. We love this unusual little bugger long time! This one’s available in all the common 5-stud PCDs so, although it won’t actually fit on a Nova, the Nova is good for just about anything else here in the modern world. And it should look bonkers on each and every one of ‘em too. Yummy. www.wolfrace.com 7Twenty Style57, from £210 Each The guys at 7Twenty have been smashing it lately with a whole load…

Nope. We’re not going to offer you half the trade price for your car, like those websites. Instead we want to give you the chance to be featured in the best modified car mag on the planet! So, if you own a cool-as-a-cucumber car you think is worthy of Fast Car, we’d love to see it. Please send a selection of good quality images and a spec to jules.truss@kelsey.co.uk, with ‘Feature Car’ as the subject. If we like it, we’ll get back to you to arrange a photoshoot. Simples.…

Have you read the SEMA report on page 25 and this month’s Arse End? Well, if so, you’ll know that Jules and Midge have been out of the country and ‘working’ very hard at SEMA. This is great for them, as SEMA is based in Sin City, but it’s not so great for the Ed to Ed build-off because nothing has really happened this month… So, while the boys were sunning themselves, drinking beer, playing poker and eating doughnut burgers in Las Vegas, back here in Blighty we’ve come up with the plan for the final battle that will decide the Ed to Ed champion. And the inspiration came from the boys when they posted a picture of themselves poolside in their Speedos, one thing came to mind and that…

Edition 38 is pretty much an institution, founded in 2001 it went from humble beginnings to the go-to forum and show for all things VAG. A lot has changed over the last two decades, hell, even the once almighty Edition 38 forum has recently closed its doors. It’s hard to believe it’s actually gone, but unfortunately social media kills off even the biggest of forums nowadays. As a former Mk1 Golf owner I’d spend many evenings on there looking for advice, tracking down feature cars for Fast Car, reading build threads and often having silly arguments about wheels, engine swaps and other car related stuff. However, the show is still going strong, a real testament to the E38 crew and this year saw the 19th edition of Edition. We hit…

Yep, it’s a tractor. You may have just pulled a double-take and flipped back to the cover to check you’re actually reading Fast Car, but yes – for the first time, there’s a piece of sturdy agricultural machinery in these pages. But we knew you guys wouldn’t want to miss this one. You see, this isn’t just any tractor - this is the world’s fastest tractor. And that’s official. What JCB have done here is to take a production-model Fastrac and thoroughly rework it to claim the world speed record title. Now, there are certain rules that had to be adhered to, because it was important to ensure that however much it was modified, it still had to be an actual functional tractor. So what JCB’s skunkworks team did was…

When you were a kid, did you have a poster of a Porsche 911 on your wall? Yeah, most of us did. And now you’re all grown up, you might be approaching the time when you can actually make that dream come true… The 996-generation 911’s time has well and truly arrived. While it would be inaccurate to say that any era of Porsche’s age-old iconic sports car has ever been truly unpopular, it’s an undeniable fact that the first of the water-cooled cars were more controversial than most. It wasn’t just the switch from air-cooling that irked the purists; the fact that so much of the then-new 911’s visual identity was shared with the lesser Boxster was just one hurdle too high for some die-hards. The 996 still sold…

That’s what Blur told us back in 1993, but they were only joking. Life was brilliant then, and it’s brilliant now, and we’d all do well to remember that. OK, things may seem a bit weird now with Brexit, but Jesus people, we only get to live once. Everyone needs to lighten the f**k up a bit. You know what I’m always overhearing at car shows? People saying ‘it’s not like it was in the old days’, and ‘the scene was better back in the day’. No it f**king wasn’t. Every generation has its own approach to modding, and each one has its own way of celebrating it, be that at car shows or in print, on TV and in film, and more recently on forums and social media, but…

STYLING: Custom Live To Offend widebody kit, carbon fibre roof, custom rear diffuser TUNING: 6.0-litre small-block Chevrolet LS3, LS6 cathedral-port heads, custom mid-rise intake manifold with 92mm FAST throttle body, TSP Stage 3 cams, Haltech Elite 2500 management, custom RFR 8-into-1 headers, Davies Craig remote-pump cooling system, AN fittings and hoses throughout by Improved Racing, Nissan 350Z CD009 6-speed manual gearbox, Tilton lightweight flywheel, Tilton 7.25in triple-plate clutch, Tilton hydraulic throwout bearing POWER: 500bhp/500lb.ft (est.) CHASSIS: 10x18in (front) and 12x18in (rear) custom Rotiform WGR-M / RFR wheels with Rosko Racing centre-locks, 275/35 (f) and 315/30 (r) Toyo R888-R tyres, Fortune Auto Dreadnought PRO 2-way coilovers with air-cup system, MRT front control arm assembly, custom RFR rear tubular trailing arms, rear shock towers raised 3in, RFR big brake kit comprising Porsche…

Put together as a homage to one of the most iconic race cars of all time, this Bisimoto creation hides a dark secret underneath. Instead of the 800-odd-bhp, 3.3-litre twin turbo flat six you’ll find in the ‘oh-so-normal’ ‘70s racers, this one is sporting an EV West electric engine derived from a Tesla Model-S lump… So yeah, it’s probably faster than the race cars anyway. Complete with the full ‘slantnose’ kit and low-slung bumper headlights, we’re not sure if it’s strictly road legal but we’re not too worried – when has a little thing like that ever stopped the Americans? Top Mods: Bisimoto replica 935 long tail body, Brixton wheels, EV West electric engine.…

This crazy-looking RX-7 doesn’t just turn heads, it causes a rush at the local chiropractor (snaps necks – we get it - Jules). Collette Davis’ neon FC RX-7 may have been part of the Hot Wheels tour, but it was one of the few to have the distinction of not already being based on a toy. It’s a fresh build and, instead, Hot Wheels are due to bring out their own FC in 2020. We’re hoping it looks just like this. One other thing that’s sweet is it was one of the few RXs at the show to retain a rotary engine instead of sporting a massive LS swap. And, what a Wankel it is too… did someone say ridiculously-massive chrome blower? Rassssssp! Top Mods: Triple rotor 13b, custom Garett…

There are few automotive brands with quite the majesty and effortless class of Bentley, let alone the heritage. With the company enjoying its centenary year, 2019 was awash with Bentley-themed events, celebrations, hooplas and extravaganzas. From Blue Train hijinks to Le Mans blowers, all eyes have been on the iconic winged badge… and it’s not just a party for fans of vintage racers; no, if you’re more into modern-era motors than what Ettore Bugatti famously damned with faint praise as ‘the world’s fastest lorries’, the 21st-century Bentleys have been enjoying renewed appreciation among enthusiasts and tuners alike. Of course, some people were into all this stuff long before the centenary celebrations hit. When you view the recent Bentleys as part of the wider spectrum of the VAG oeuvre, it makes…

It’s fair to say that at FC HQ, we look at hundreds of wheels over the course of the year, and probably many hundreds more when we go to SEMA. What we’ve got here, though, is the king of the lot, and dare we say it, our favourite wheel of all time! Okay, so that’s a tad debatable, but it’s definitely up there – just marvel at its magnificence. Well, go on then, bloody marvel! This new 8-piece rim (yes you read that correctly) is called the BM01, and it’s occupied 90-percent of our brains ever since we spotted it shining bright in Las Vegas. Now, obviously it’s not cheap, but then again you don’t want a wheel like this to be cost effective in any way. No, this puppy…

Fitting Time: A few hours should do it Cost: From £200 Obviously, you’re going to need to source a set of anti-roll bars for your make and model of car, as mentioned before, lots of companies make them, so finding a kit shouldn’t be a problem but we’d always recommend using a reputable manufacturer, you don’t want one of these failing and the whole point of changing them is to improve handling, not make it worse. You can get H&R anti-roll bar kits from your local Euro Car Parts, and that’s exactly what we’ve done here! Specialist Tools: Getting the right tools for the job is as essential for safety as getting the right hardware. You won’t be needing anything out of the ordinary for this job, but get your…

If you’ve been following my RS4 build, you’ll know I’ve been trying to choose some wheels for what seems like an eternity; truth is there just hasn’t been anything that’s tickled my particulars. Then, bang out of nowhere along comes three wheels I love at once from Rotiform: the OZR, BUC-M and LAS-R. Probably the hottest trio since Charlie’s Angels. Anyway, after much deliberation, I decided on a set of 8.5x19-inch OZRs in satin black. I love how they look tough and intricate, yet modern and classic all at once, a bit like myself (what have you been smoking? Jules). I love ‘em! So, a big thanks to Parm and the boys at Car Audio Security for their awesome service and getting them sent out so quick. If you want…

Sharp lines and simple shapes. Giorgetto Giugiaro had thrown out the automotive design rulebook. Just years earlier, back in the 1960s, the Italian stylist had traced the suave Maserati Ghibli, voluptuous De Tomaso Mangusta and pretty much every Alfa Romeo you might see at the Goodwood Revival but the new decade brought a dramatic change. Complex curves were out and hard, angular minimalism was in. Giugiaro was nothing if not committed. Shape after shape shot from his Italdesign studio, the new direction transforming superminis, supercars and everything in between. Manufacturers clamoured to join the revolution, collaborating with the designer to create models which still wow enthusiasts today. Whether it’s the wedge-styling machismo of the DeLorean and Lotus Esprit or the sparse simplicity of the original Fiat Panda, the look is…