Top Gear UK Season 16

Top Gear Season 16 kicked off with Episode 1 this past Sunday! (January 23, 2011).  The first episode includes May test driving the V8 Ariel Atom, while Clarkson completes one of his most practical reviews yet on the Skoda Yeti.  Also, Hammond races a falling VW Beetle in a Porche 911.  The new Stratos we covered below is also mentioned in the first episode.

Here is a preview of what else to expect this season:

Clandestine Shot > Ford 3.0l Duratec v6

Check back in the following months for detailed logs on the build up of this 3.0l engine.  Initial steps will be a complete tare-down and cleaning.

Exclusive: TG drives new Stratos

Check out the amazingly good looking one-off Stratos, re-worked with a modern feel.  This "new Stratos" utilizes a modified Ferrari 430 Scuderia chassis and powertrain.  Designed and built by Pininfarina as a one-off, rumors now are of the possibility for a limited production run.  According to the Top Gear article, 0-62mph happens in around 3.3 seconds with a top speed nearing 200mph.  Follow the link below the picture for the full article and additional pictures to gaze at.

Photo Credit: [Top Gear UK]

Photo Credit: [Top Gear UK]

Stratos news - Exclusive: TG drives new Stratos - 2010 - BBC Top Gear

Stangkiller Tubular Control Arms

Headlight - Blue Meanie in Miata Journal

Check out a feature car spread on the Blue Meanie in the newest edition of Miata Journal, a free mulit-media magazine.  The magazine can also be downloaded in high res for only a few bucks.  Subscribe to the journal to check out the feature and read some pretty cool tech articles; even if you're not a miata guy!

"This cosworth-powered NC is no Mr. Nice Guy"

Blue Meanie - photograph by Lindsay Emeigh

Direct link to the magazine: HERE
The Blue Meanie feature starts on pp.136

Daly, Adam. "Blue Meanie -This Cosworth-powered NC is no Mr.Nice Guy." Miata Journal September 20 2010: 136-155. Web. 13 Oct 2010. .

Clandestine Shot

I am introducing a new type of blog entry - 'Clandestine Shot' - where I'll be posting up a picture that may  very well be random or have more of a purpose.  I'm playing this one by ear but it should be a fun way to keep the audience plugged in to Clandestine Motorsports.  Some more exciting content is coming this way; including tech articles, project logs, installation how-to's and product reviews!

Now on to the Clandestine photograph..

under-the-hood view of the procharged 1999 Mercury Cougar.  Plans for the winter downtime include cleaning up the engine bay and a Torsen differential among other things if all goes according to plan.