3rd: Sounds suspiciously like MINI is trying to eke its way back into the rally world. And dammit, I like the sound of that!

I concur. I was also guessing early 2000's Kia Optima, but the back is too sloped. Also, the slight shadow from the (rather-low) mounted rub strips is dead-on.

Corollary to this story: If you date a girl, and the car-problem conversation goes something like this:

"Wes, darling, I think something is wrong with the car. Can you take a look at it?"

Ha! That totally made my day. :)

It'll need a bit more power if it's going to have any luck pushing all those Camries off the road.

I give you... the DiscoBall Smart car, created by Apparatjik, a European art band made up the Coldplay bassist Guy Berryman, A-ha’s guitarist and keyboardist Magne Furuholmen, the Mew vocalist and guitarist Jonas Bjerre.

The last time Wes Siler attempted this stunt, fifteen women were impregnated simply by watching the video.

Gawd, there's just something wonderful about the original steelies with the chromed trim rings. So understated, yet so pretty. Just the right combination of form & fashion.

I think what you're referring to is also called the "traction circle", where you drive your car in such a manner to keep the tires close to limit of traction as much as possible (mostly in a lateral manner, but also under braking.) Therefore, you're getting the most performance out of the grip that the tires have to…

All I can think is...

I don't mind, I make 'em largely for the laughs.

You're welcome!

An excellent cornering primer, Alex. Reminds of an oldie-but-goodie book, Ross Bentley's Speed Secrets. IIRC (I haven't read the book in a while), one of the points of proper cornering technique was to maintain energy as much as possible, whether or not you were going into or exiting a turn. A driver who can keep as…

Ah, but an Aston's zero-to-floor capability is like no other.

Actually, the Olympics part I was referring to was where they erected giant billboards just to hide the smog, then denied that there was an air pollution issue (I think one the marathon runners refused to go the Beijing games because of concerns for his lungs), and the discovery that a large number of the impressive…

Heh, don't worry, I sometimes feel the same (even though I'm of almost direct Chinese lineage.) It does seem to be a lot like an unnecessary show of power (the Olympics being a really poignant example.) I guess that also explains the obsession with displaying just the "right" image, at the detriment of everything else.

It seems like China is bent on picking up the mantle that Russia dropped back in the 50s and 60s — only this time, there are few to no competitors here (save a couple private industries.)

Hey now, I am not lazy! Take that back!

Yup — the first time I ever saw a Skyline was in Port-of-Spain, parked up outside the Bus Terminal, of all places.