“Breathe in, breathe out”…Ahhhh, much better!
If you are a doctor and a car enthusiast, it would not be surprising if you owned a BMW, Mercedes, or a Porsche, right? Or maybe even a Bentley, Maserati, Ferrari, or Lamborghini (you are doing REALLY well, huh? 😉 ).
Well, as any car enthusiast can attest to, extracting more performance out of any car is often a desired goal. And one of the easiest and most efficient ways to start is by optimizing the car’s “pulmonary system”, i.e. to help the car “breathe” more effectively. When the car breathes better, the car performs better. It’s as simple as that.
As a result, one of the first “modifications” a car enthusiast might do is upgrade the car’s often restrictive stock intake (breathe in) and exhaust (breathe out) systems. Simple modifications such as these often make a significant and noticeable difference, not only in performance, but also in how the car sounds (exhaust note).
When it comes to sound, choosing the right aftermarket exhaust system for a car is often an arduous decision. There are so many companies out there, it can sometimes be a daunting task. Manufacturing quality and reliability are key factors in the decision process.
Enter Fabspeed Motorsports, a company well-known among sports car and exotic car circles for their high-quality aftermarket exhaust systems for brands such as BMW, Porsche, Maserati, Ferrari, and Lamborghini, among others. Fabspeed is one of the best aftermarket performance companies out there and surprisingly, they are not located in California, but in the small town of Ambler, Pennsylvania (about 16 miles north of Philadelphia).
We felt that Fabspeed’s efforts deserved some more accolades. This video is a perfect example of their work (features one of their Lamborghini Gallardo exhaust systems). We love this sound!
So if you are looking to upgrade your exhaust system, you might want to start by checking out what Fabspeed Motorsports has to offer.
What do Ayrton Senna and the Acura NSX have in common, you ask?
All Formula One fans remember Ayrton Senna, one of the greatest F1 drivers in history. The 3-time Formula One world champion died way too young at 34 yo in the prime of his life in 1994 after a crash during a Grand Prix race.
And all Honda enthusiasts know about the NSX. The Acura NSX was Japan’s entry version into the supercar world. During its 15-year production run from 1990-2005, the mid-engine (V6), rear-wheel drive NSX became revered for its tight and responsive handling, while also being light and easy to drive. And it looked damn good, too (still does).
So what do Ayrton Senna and the NSX have to do with each other, you might ask?
Well, in 1989, Honda was testing their prototype for the NSX at the Suzuka track in Japan. Ayrton Senna happened to be there also, as he was doing some testing of his F1 McLaren-Honda. Of course, the Honda engineers asked him to try a few laps in the NSX prototype, so he obliged them and took it for a spin around the track. Afterwards, they asked for his opinion, and he hesitantly replied that it felt a bit “fragile” to him (referring to the car’s overall rigidity). This prompted Honda’s engineers to go back to the grindstone to increase the car’s rigidity even more (keep in mind, it was already pretty rigid compared to other production cars of that era). Due to his input, Senna was instrumental in helping the Honda engineers get the NSX’s suspension and handling perfectly tweaked. And the rest is history…
We’d like to share one of our favorites with you: One of the best videos we have seen is a tribute to the legendary driver and the Acura NSX, a legendary sports car designed and tweaked with the help of Senna’s input. The video follows an NSX as it makes its way from Frankfurt, Germany to the famed Nurburgring track in Nurburg, Germany. In the video you will hear Ayrton Senna’s voice, as he talks about his philosophies with respect to racing, something he was born to do. Enjoy!
Anyone craving a Pagani Zonda R?
There are certain cars that evoke unique emotions when seen, heard, or driven. There is a Japanese term for this phenomenon called Kando. In general terms, “Kando” describes the intense emotions elicited in response to that which is impressive/thrilling/exciting/beautiful. Well, a hand-built supercar by Horacio Pagani would certainly fit that term.
Then again, when that car is a Pagani Zonda R, maybe “Kando” is actually an understatement? “Otherworldy” might be a better term, considering the car’s presence and performance. This car is fit and trim, weighing in at a svelte 2359 lbs (no obesity here!), due in large part to its carbon fiber body and carbon/titanium composite chassis. With a 6.0 Liter V12 Mercedes AMG engine making around 750 bhp and 524 lb-ft torque, this car flies from 0-60 mph in only 2.7 seconds and has a top speed reportedly around 233 mph. It also blazed through the famous Nurburgring track in 6 minutes, 47 seconds.
But those are just numbers. Numbers alone cannot capture the essence of this car. So how about some pictures…maybe these will suffice?
Still not enough? Ok, how about this…
What better way to describe this masterful work of art than through an official commercial video? While this commercial is not new, it is one of our favorites (why can’t they show commercials like THIS during the Super Bowl?). Here you go!
And in case you were wondering if Santa lost your Zonda R on the way to your house during the recent holiday, it was actually bought (at a bargain price of around $1.2 million) by this cap-wearing chap at a recent RM Auction in London last Fall. So don’t blame Santa for this one. 🙂
When you own a Bugatti Veyron, what else do you do?
What would you do if you were a famous designer known all over the world and loved cars? What if you were successful enough to purchase a beautiful black and red Bugatti Veyron? One would think that would be the pinnacle, no? No need to go further than that, right? Well, you would be mistaken!
If your name is “Bijan” and you are the designer who has dressed many a U.S. President, along with numerous world leaders and celebrities, your Bugatti needs that special “designer’s touch”!
Bijan is famously known for his exclusive boutique in Beverly Hills on Rodeo Drive. In order to visit and shop in his store – which has been called “the most expensive store in the world” – you must do so “by appointment only”. Sidenote: By the way, does anyone else wonder how many Beverly Hills plastic surgeons he’s dressed over the years? 😉
Bijan also loves cars and he has many of them. In fact, he often parks his Bugatti Veyron right in front of his boutique for all to admire.
His Veyron used to look like this (beautiful, isn’t it?):
Well, he is apparently fond of yellow (he has many yellow cars), so he decided to have his Bugatti custom-painted in yellow and black like this (yes, this is the SAME car that used to be red and black!):
Ok, so now it is yellow and black…a unique combination for sure. But wait…there’s more…
The final designer’s touch is embedded/ghosted into the hood!
Although we prefer the original black/red combo, we must give Bijan credit for being unique and having the “guts” to modify his approx $1.5-2 million Bugatti. It is surely one-of-a-kind!
Here’s a video that might provide some insight into his sense of style (you can certainly tell he likes the color yellow!). Enjoy! (including the Sinatra tunes!)
Follow CarScrubs on Twitter…Yes, we Tweet!
CarScrubs would like to wish a Happy New Year to all! We wish you and yours all the best in 2011 and beyond!
You can now follow our “tweets” on Twitter! Click the blue Twitter button below to read our latest tweets…
Follow CarScrubs on Twitter
CarScrubs is now on Facebook! Become a Fan!
You can now follow CarScrubs on Facebook! Get our latest blog updates via our Facebook Page. If you like what you see/read, let us know!
Follow us on Facebook
Top Gear: Best Car Show Ever?
Most (if not all) car fanatics are well aware of the highly entertaining British show Top Gear – that unique car show featuring the quirky trio of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May. While all 3 hosts are famous celebrities now, their fame is probably overshadowed by one of their own cast members – namely, the mysterious/nameless/helmet-wearing test driver simply known as “The Stig”.
Top Gear will probably go down in history as the best car entertainment show ever produced. The 3 hosts probably have the most fun at their jobs than anyone can imagine. And their camera crew is one of best film crews in the business – amazingly adept at capturing the essence and emotions of driving the world’s most desirable exotic cars on the best roads in the world.
So for your enjoyment (via StreetFire.net), here is Top Gear’s most recent “East Coast Special” episode, where they do something rare for their show by filming in the U.S. this time, as they travel along the East Coast in 3 new sports cars: a Mercedes SLS AMG, a Ferrari 458 Italia, and a Porsche 911 GT3 RS.
Happy Holidays!
Top Gear – [15×07] – 2010.12.21
New study: Doctors escaping expensive car leases due to the economy
Contrary to the popular myth that all doctors are rich, it turns out that a recent study done by LeaseTrader.comfound that doctors lead the way among professionals in escaping their expensive car leases due to financial reasons.
LeaseTraderanalyzed the data on who was getting out of their expensive car leases in 2010 and found that 54% of doctors (69% male doctors, 31% female doctors) who got out of their leases did so for financial reasons (in 2008, it was only 34%). Doctors topped the list, followed closely behind by lawyers at 51%.
LeaseTradershould know, as they are in the business of car lease transfers, so it is incumbent upon them to understand the lease transfer market in fine detail.
Among the marques listed, doctors are escaping their leases on their Maseratis, S-Class Mercedes’, and 7-series BMWs.
An interesting sidenote is that male doctors outnumbered female doctors in getting out of their car leases due to financial reasons (69% male doctors vs. 31% female doctors). One can speculate this could be due to more males buying expensive cars than females or that perhaps female doctors are less affected by the economy than male doctors? Who knows?
So, why are doctors getting out of their expensive cars? Well, the economy has obviously affected them (like everyone else), and in particular, the uncertain state of the American healthcare system probably plays a role in the decision to “downsize”.
Any other doctors have any additional thoughts on this?
Doctors are unloading their expensive cars
Edmunds takes the new Lamborghini Aventador for a test drive
As many exotic car fans may know, Lamborghini has been working diligently on a new replacement to take over the reins as their new flagship car (to replace the Murcielago).
Here is Edmunds’ write-up on the new car, which is scheduled to make its official debut to the general public in March 2011 at the Geneva Motor Show. Rumor has it that it will be called the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4.
The main highlights of this new car are an all-new 6.5 Liter V12 engine putting out 700 bhp, an all-carbon fiber tub, and a new ultrafast-shifting ISR transmission (Independing Shifting Rod) that shifts gears in an effortless 50 milliseconds. From the various descriptions of the car, it also sounds like this 1st iteration of the Aventador leaves some room for further refinement, such as bumping up the horsepower over time and room for adding more carbon fiber highlights to the interior and exterior of the car.
So for those of you ready to open up your wallet to place a deposit for the new Aventador, you might want to wait until the 1st-year kinks have been worked out and it’s gone through its 1st “refresh” stage. But then again, if you have the money and you want it now, you will definitely have an exotic car far ahead of the current competition.
Edmunds test drives the new Lamborghini Aventador
Welcome to CarScrubs.com! – The Car Site for Doctors
CarScrubs.com is a fun gathering place for physicians who are also car enthusiasts.
Hop in, relax, and feel free to join our online discussion forums and kick some tires!
Registration is FREE for all doctors and medical students!