RideLust

Recently, I attended the Carlisle Import and Kit Nationals show at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Pennsylvania. Held every May, this show features a vast array of meticulously maintained classic British, European and Japanese cars, exemplary examples of their more modern kin, as well as a beautiful collection of kit cars.  As far as sheer variety in makes, models and years, hands down, this show can’t be beat.

This has become something of an annual treat for me as I can think of few better ways to spend a weekend than by gazing at a gleaming sea of jaw-droppingly stunning automobiles, many of which I guarantee you won’t find at other shows. Plus, participation is open to anyone with an import or a kit car – all you have to do is register, make your car pretty and show up. It’s a great opportunity to display your cherished ride and meet other aficionados of your favorite marques.

I used to come down to show my Saab and hang out with the Saab contingent that makes it out every year. But even though I have a Subaru now, it’s just so much fun that I continue to make the trip to Carlisle (my WRX was parked over by the lone DeLorean, if you happened to be there). Volvo, BMW and Audi clubs also traditionally have a large showing so the weekend is packed with the cars you love, cars you haven’t seen before, your friends from the forums, barbeques – it’s a good time for everyone.  So, if you’re not too far out from Pennsylvania, I definitely recommend heading out there next May to check out the Carlisle Import and Kit Nationals. To tide you over, provided for your viewing pleasure are some of my favorite cars of the weekend. Enjoy!

 

Read More…

It’s not uncommon in certain parts of the world to encounter wildlife while you’re tooling down the road in your favorite jalopy. Hell, I myself have pegged a deer, I almost nailed a cow in the great state of Utah and I’ve taken out various birds and squirrels (I think they were committing suicide). The one thing that all of these incidents had in common though was that all of these animals were on the outside of the car when we came into contact. One thing to remember about wildlife is that they come in all shapes and sizes and many a time have the ability to squeeze into places that they’re not wanted. Take this 8-foot long python for instance that shimmied its way under the hood of this unsuspecting Renault. My assumption is that it was attracted to either the smell of some leaky fluids, or it was just looking for a place to curl up and die. Either way, this sucker would have scared me half to death if I encountered it in any of my rides. Click through for the video to see what I’m talking about.
Read More…

It sounds like Italy is getting nearly as puritanical as the United States when it comes to what’s acceptable for prime-time broadcasting. Apparently, an implied lesbian encounter (complete with light bondage) is too over-the-top for a country that used to show hard-core porn on TV after hours. Odd double standard, but no stranger than the U.S., where nudity is strictly forbidden but any one of a hundred TV evangelists will ensure your place in heaven for the low, low monthly price of $29.95. Personally, I only consider one of those things obscene.

As the story goes, this ad was pulled from prime-time television viewing by both RAI and Mediaset, but not by Sky. Enjoy, but don’t expect too much adult content from this PG-13 Renault ad. On the other hand, it does present an ingenious option for stealing a car, so maybe we should be taking notes.

They made more than eight million in 28 countries and during its 31-year production run it remained essentially unchanged. It’s the Renault R4, a funky little cockroach of a car that’s loved the world over, from the steamy jungles of Colombia to the arid plains of Africa. And this year it turns 50. Bon anniversaire, R4.

Source: Gizmag

Read More…

F1 Track Simulator – Mark Webber at Suzuka

The Japanese Grand Prix is this Sunday, so here’s a quick run of the circuit courtesy of Red Bull Renault’s Mark Webber and the Red Bull F1 simulator. Webber needs to be this consistent in qualifying and in Sunday’s race, as he goes into the weekend leading the driver’s championship by a slim 11 points. The title is still up for grabs between Webber (with 202 points), Fernando Alonso (191 points), Lewis Hamilton (182 points), Sebastian Vettel (181 points) and Jenson Button (177 points).

Read More…

This little bugger is probably the only thing ever produced by the French that gets me excited. What you are seeing is a 1986 Renault R5 Turbo 2 that is up for sale over at Two Seats or Less. Produced by Renault back in the early 1980′s the R5 Turbo was built specifically for rally racing. With a rear engine and rear drive configuration, and a mill that could put out between 185 bhp to 300 bhp, the R5 was as fast as it was flickable.
Read More…

Autocar and Autoblog seem to think the answer is yes, and I say that’s a good thing. Especially if the mid-engine, rear drive roadster graces our shores this time around. In case you’re not up on quirky European sports cars the size of go-karts, the Smart Roadster was a drop top (or removable roof) “sports car” version of the iconic Smart car. Like the Smart, it was underpowered (in non-Brabus tune, it featured a maximum rating of 81 horsepower) and over-priced (equivalent to the larger, better equipped Mazda Miata).

Read More…

At least half the Red Bull Renault Formula One team had a good weekend in Valencia, Spain. After capturing the pole position, Sebastian Vettel went on to take the win at this Sunday’s European Grand Prix. His teammate, Mark Webber, who started outside of Vettel in P2, had his weekend cut short in a huge crash with Heikki Kovalainen.

Webber, who had fallen back to 9th position, desperately needed to pass the Lotus of Kovalainen to catch the race’s front runners. Misjudging how quickly Kovalainen was slowing for a corner, Webber’s Renault hit the Lotus in the right rear wheel. The impact launched Webber’s car, which landed upside down before rolling and sliding into the tire barrier at triple digit speeds. Despite the severity of the crash, Webber walked away with no significant injuries.

Read More…

[

It’s a new day and time for four new World Cup matches. A few games look to be blow-outs, since neither Algeria nor Ghana is known as an automotive superpower. As the American team found out last week, anything can happen in a World Cup match, so no outcome is certain in advance.

Read More…

They called Amédée Gordini Le Sorcier—The Sorcerer. The Italian-born, French-settled racer and engineer first conjured screaming, missile-shaped Formula One cars in the ’50s. Later he transmogrified the humble rear-engined Renault 8 sedan into a rip-snorting little gremlin. The 1964 Renault 8 Gordini had a diminutive 1108cc engine magically tuned to 89 hp and a close-ratio five-speed manual transmission. Insanity, considering the car’s sub-1,700-pound curb weight. Gordini’s livery—blue with two white stripes—gained occult status. Cars that wore it were fast, dangerous, and mystical. Now Renault is casting the spell on its hot little hatch, the Clio 200. The stock Clio 200 has, you guessed it, 200 horsepower and sport suspension. The Gordini model gets a nice shade of blue paint and white stripes. I would gladly make one my bride so it could immigrate to the U.S., but alas, this little French beauty cannot leave her homeland. Hit the jump for a photo of the ’64 Renault 8 Gordini.

Read More…