Kurt Ernst, Contributor
Articles
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If you’ve never driven on a race track before, you may have a hard time comprehending what all the fuss is about. For those unfamiliar with motorsports, winning a race is simply a matter of... -
Nissan’s Project 370Z Throws Down Against Its Fans: VideoLast year, Nissan solicited social media feedback to build the ultimate track-day 370Z, an event it dubbed “Project 370Z.” The idea was to gather the knowledge of Nissan Z owners and fans, then use readily-available aftermarket parts to construct a seriously fast 370Z. To bump output...
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Beverly Hills Dealer Commissions Tiffany-Themed BentleysWith Valentines Day right around the corner, we can tell you that few things impress a member of the fairer sex quite as much as a turquise-blue box labelled “Tiffany and Company.” If you’re on a limited budget, however, the famed jeweler probably won’t have much in your...
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Nissan GT Academy Drivers Too Fast For British GT ChampionshipThe job of a racing driver, on any level, is to go faster than his competitors. Doing so generally results in victories, which (in theory) results in sponsors, which are essential to help fund a career in motorsports. There aren’t too many occasions where a driver is denied entry into a...
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Continental Developing Technology To Watch For Driver DistractionEvery day in the United States, some 10 people are killed and 1,100 injured in crashes relating to distracted driving. While those are the official tallies released by the Department of Transportation, the actual number is likely much higher; after all, few drivers will admit that they didn’t...
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Mercedes Claims Its CLA Is The World's Most Aerodynamic Production CarCommon car design wisdom says that a low coefficient of drag is desirable to increase fuel economy and allow for engine downsizing. At highway speeds, up to 60-percent of the power produced by the engine is used just to move the vehicle through the air. Modern production cars typically have drag...
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If you’re counting down the days until you can buy a new BMW 4-Series coupe or convertible, here’s some good news: 4-Series Forums has published a leaked chart from BMW, showing the... -
Aston Martin building special edition V8 Vantage SP10Manual transmissions, it seems, are going the way of the dinosaur, forced into obsolescence by the faster and more fuel-efficient flappy-paddle gearbox. You can’t even buy a new Ferrari with a manual transmission, but Aston Martin is a bit more traditional. Even its new limited-edition V8...
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Limited Edition Mopar ’13 Dodge Dart Debuts In ChicagoChrysler’s parts and accessories division, Mopar, sells a dizzying array of products for all of the Chysler Group vehicles, and each year the Mopar division works its magic on one limited-production vehicle. At this year’s Chicago Auto Show, the Chrysler Group rolled out the Mopar...
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First Details Emerge On BMW’s Next X6Despite being panned by critics for its limited cargo and rear passenger space, BMW’s crossover coupe, the X6, sells well enough worldwide to warrant a second generation. Adding to the justification for a new X6 are similar upcoming models from rivals Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Range Rover...
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You don't want the repair bill for Mr. Bean's McLaren F1In 2011, comedian and car guy Rowan Atkinson (best known as Mr. Bean) lost control of his McLaren F1 on a wet road in Haddon, England. The high-dollar supercar reportedly spun several times before sliding backwards into a sign post and tree. Thanks to the strength of the McLaren F1’s carbon...
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Coming Soon To A Car Near You: Plastic WindowsIf you wear glasses to correct your vision, chances are good you already know the benefits of polycarbonate lenses over glass ones. Not only are polycarbonate lenses significantly lighter, they’re also much more impact-resistant than glass. Polycarbonate windows have been used in racing cars...
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The Bugatti Type 59 marked the French automaker’s last foray into Grand Prix racing in the 1930s. Although Bugatti’s Type 35 dominated competition in the late 1920s, the firm’s... -
Paul Dallenbach To Drive For Rhys Millen Racing At Pikes PeakNow that the relationship between Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) and Hyundai is back on track, RMR can get back to the business at hand: building a competitive Unlimited Class racer to set a new record at this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. When Hyundai announced that it would again...
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2014 Corvette Stingray Convertible Confirmed For GenevaIn the words of Susan Docherty, president and managing director of Chevrolet and Cadillac Europe, “Corvette is the face of Chevrolet the world over.” It’s fitting, then, that the brand will debut the 2014 Corvette Stingray convertible on March 5, at Switzerland's Geneva Motor...
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SRT Adds 'Core' Performance Models To Its CatalogThe idea behind the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee is a simple one: focus on the performance and handling aspects of the car, while reducing luxury content to keep the price attractive to the enthusiast buyer on a budget. SRT is now applying this less-is-more philosophy to the Challenger SRT8...
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Track Driving, You're Doing It Wrong: VideoLet us just preface this video by saying that we support anyone who wants to learn how to drive their vehicle at the limit on a racetrack. Organizations like the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) give those new to track days the opportunity to learn in a safe and controlled environment, with...
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Autonomous Cars May Be Further Away Than You ThinkSpeaking solely from a technology point of view, Google believes that autonomous cars will be a reality in three to five years. For the most part, the hardware exists today, so the stumbling block is really perfecting the software and firmware. As Bloomberg points out, the obstacles that autonomous...
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A new Volkswagen GTI is expected to debut in 2014, but that doesn’t mean that the German automaker has forgotten about the current Mark VI GTI. Announced today are two limited-edition...
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Nissan Exits The DeltaWing Racer ProjectThough the radically-styled DeltaWing racer wasn’t developed by automaker Nissan, Nissan is the company that most fans associate with the futuristic race car. After all, the DeltaWing has usually sported the Nissan logo on its bodywork, and Nissan provided the 1.6-liter engine (tuned by...
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'Inside Koenigsegg' Demonstrates The Test Drive: VideoAs we learn from this week's installment of Inside Koenigsegg, Robert Serwanski may have the best job in the entire world. He’s the official test driver for Koenigsegg, which means he gets paid to wheel the Agera R at the car’s rather substantial limits, all in the name of a day’s...
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Ken Block-Influenced Ford Focus TrackSTer Set For Chicago DebutTuner fifteen52 knows a thing or two about making cars go faster. While its early business centered on products from VW and Audi, more recent projects have included collaborations with Ford and shoe-mogul-turned-gymkhana-and-rally-star Ken Block. That makes fifteen52 an ideal choice for Project ST...
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Lewis Hamilton Loses Brakes, Crashes Mercedes W04 In TestingIf you’re the superstitious type, you probably view a crash by F1 star Lewis Hamilton on his first full day of testing the new Mercedes W04 Formula 1 car as a bad omen. If you’re the pragmatic type, however, you’re probably glad that the team is shaking out all the bugs before the...
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2014 BMW 3-Series Gran Turismo Images LeakedLast December we brought you undisguised images of the new BMW 3-Series Gran Turismo in testing, in both base and M Sport trim. At the time we weren’t entirely sure if BMW would use the 3-Series Gran Turismo name, even though the car was spotted wearing a “GT” badge. We predicted...
Kurt Ernst