Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2018 i Fast Car

Fiat’s perky reboot of the old Nuova 500 has been with us for over a decade now, and it’s comprehensively proven that, along with the likes of the MINI and the new Beetle, retro-styled cars are a hit with consumers. (Unfortunately this is also true of the heinous PT Cruiser, but let’s not dwell on that abomination.) While the cooking models have been flying off the forecourts, there’s always been a keen focus on developing the sporting variants. There’s a bewildering array of quick 500s, one of our favourites being the 695 Biposto, which had a titanium Akrapovic exhaust, Bacci Romano dog-ring gearbox and Sabelt bucket seats. The Tributo Ferrari had a big turbo and a Challenge Stradale paintjob. The deep-purple Tributo Maserati was like a baby GranTurismo. These specials…

There are three main finishes when it comes to vehicle wraps: matt, satin and gloss. So you need to choose the correct products to maintain the longevity of your wrap and keep it the way it was intended to look. All of 3M’s materials are durable and easy to maintain but what products should you use to keep them looking fresh? We catch up with Meguiar’s Tom Clarke to find out… 3M Vinyl When it comes to vehicle wrapping film, the daddies are 3M. Not only do they have a huge colour range to choose from but the film is also the most technologically advanced on the market, with innovative features like Controltac that assist the vehicle wrapper to achieve a faultless finish. There are many different materials but for…

You may remember the Rotiform AeroDiscs we brought you a couple of months ago. But just in case you were away on your September holidays or something, they’ve launched a range of amazing-looking turbo-fan-style discs that can be attached to their LAS-R and RSE wheel, using their genius-like Billet Hex Nut. Put simply, these mean anyone can reinvent their Rotiforms in a matter of minutes and we reckon they’re easily one of the coolest products we’ve seen in years. The big news now, though, is that they’ve made a cracking invention even better by launching their own exclusive collection of graphics packages to go with them. There’s a heady selection for every taste available, with everything from urban camo to doughnuts (with added sprinkles). But, best of all, they’re totally…

Sealey SL67S Lithium Power Pack, £125 Yes, it’s that time of year again, the cold weather is drawing in sharpish and, as we all know winter is devastatingly effective at killing stuff… mainly old people and car batteries. The solution is easy to come by though, get yourself prepared by grabbing your granny a new blanket and then buying yourself one of these small (but supremely powerful) power packs from Sealey. This portable jumper uses a 10000mAh Li-ion battery to deliver a whopping 800amps of juice, enough to start cars with up to 8-cylinders. It also has a USB-out for charging all your other portable devices. Super handy! If you get in there quick, you’ll find them on offer in their annual Winter Promotion at the moment, so you’ll save…

She might have been giving me relationship advice at the time. But I think that philosophy can be applied to modifying too. Yes, the aesthetics of a car are very important, but so are the innards. After all, the cockpit is the place you spend most of your time – unless you’re Midge, then it’s under the bonnet. With this in mind, and the fact I had a delivery from the guys at Kent Custom Dipping sitting on my desk, it was time to get stuck in and get all the hydro-dipped trim back in the car. The transformation of the parts is simply superb, dipping technician and all round top bloke Paul Woolway had done a fantastic job. The finish and depth of the carbon hydro-dip is amongst the…

If you’re a regular in these here parts of FC, you’ll know I’ve had the RS4 for just over a year now. So it may be a surprise to you that it’s not been lowered yet. But the truth is, I’ve had a set of coilovers for some time now. I’ve just not had the time to get them fitted. However, this month I finally found the time to pop over to Down & Out and get them on the car. As standard, the B7 RS4 comes with DRC (Dynamic Ride Control), a mechanical suspension system that uses shock absorbers that are linked via hydraulic lines and a valve at the centre. Basically, as you corner, the valves regulate the oil flow in the diagonally opposed shock absorber and do…

ED PETRAUSKAS’ EUNOS ROADSTER FC says : With so many MX-5s turned into battered drift cars these days (and for good reason, too), it’s refreshing to see an example of one of these celebrated roadsters (this time in the form of a JDM Eunos Roadster) that’s been maintained as a tidy, well-modified road car instead! Meet Ed’s Laguna Blue stunner here. It was imported into the country around a decade ago and treated to some of the finest upgrades known to man, to help ensure its famous driving characteristics are only heightened. And that it looks stunning to boot. The highlights include those Jap scene-favourite WORK Meister alloys, which look nothing short of perfect with the lowered ride height that’s offered up thanks to a Flyin’ Miata suspension system. The…

Unfortunately it’s time to put the shorts and flip-flops away until spring 2019. But that isn’t all bad news. It also means you’ve got the perfect excuse to treat yourself to a new hoody… Some of the freshest apparel on the market right now is coming out of the Liberty Walk Europe factory and if you read the magazine last month you would have seen that their latest collection is a little bit special. We suggest you log onto www.libertywalk-eu.com and do a buy – but maybe first you should enter this very competition! That’s right Liberty Walk Europe have agreed to give away £600 worth of garbs. Five lucky winners will walk away with a hoody, t-shirt and snapback cap. All you have to do is hit the link…

One of our favourite trends that’s been emerging on the show scene in the last couple of years is the classic race livery tribute. People have been dressing up their road cars in race-style livery for generations of course, that in itself is nothing new – but what we’re really loving right now is the individuality that’s shining through on the scene. There’s always a certain element of one-upmanship that happens when it comes to having the freshest wheels, the most aggressive stance, the shoutiest screamer pipe or what-have-you, and the penchant for offbeat paint colours these days is really emulating the 1990s passion for shockingly bright shades. There’s also a lot of brown around these days, and we’re all for that. But what’s really bubbled up to the surface…

The Arteon is an unusual car. The fact that it wears a Volkswagen badge and follows the established VW design language means you instantly sort of know what it is. And yet those who haven’t heard of the model tend to be a bit confused. Is it a big Passat? A new version of the lesser-spotted CC? It may sound a bit daft to suggest people might not have heard of a new mainstream model from one of the world’s biggest manufacturers, but the Arteon definitely sits in a quirky little niche. Fewer than 10,000 of them were sold across the whole of Europe in its 2017 launch year, which in VAG terms, is pretty close to nothing at all. Today there’s only around 1,800 of these things in the…

Revolution in the world of in-car entertainment is rare these days, but as consumer trends change and Smartphones become a more integral part of our everyday lives, so to does the need for a headunit that suits shifting fashions. Pioneer’s latest singleDIN not only moves the game on, but is perfect for classic and retro cars, as well as modern machinery. The Pioneer SPH-10BT is the perfect tool to meet new-age consumer trends and the ever-expanding range of sat-nav, audio and app usage that takes place within many modern day Android and Apple iOs devices. Bringing a singleDIN chassis into the car with Smartphone functionality makes it more than merely an extension of your phone, as the majority of functionality is controlled via the headunit itself.  This means that you…

I have three main passions in life: Formula One, golf and modified cars. So can you imagine the dilemma I faced on 30 September this year? No. Because you probably can’t remember what happened on that day? Well, I shall refresh your memory. It was the day of the Russian Grand Prix, the final day of the 2018 Ryder Cup, and also the day of Players 12. I faced a very difficult dilemma: which car should I take to Players? This is exactly what Sky+ was invented for. Anyway, I jumped in my E91 (that’s the above question answered) and headed northbound on the M25 before hitting the M11 and arriving at North Weald exactly 35 minutes after stepping outside my front door. As I rolled up to the gate…

Nope. We’re not going to offer you half the trade price for your car, like those websites. Instead we want to give you the chance to be featured in the best modified car mag on the planet! So, if you own a cool-as-a-cucumber car you think is worthy of Fast Car, we’d love to see it. Please send a selection of good quality images and a spec to jules.truss@kelseymedia.co.uk, with ‘Feature Car’ as the subject. If we like it, we’ll get back to you to arrange a photoshoot. Simples.…

I’ve always loved the custom black Quattro Sport-style interior and Porsche seats in the TT. After all, that’s why I put it in there in the first place. Over the past few months though, I’ve started to feel like it needed a splash of colour to liven things up a bit. Being all black, it kind of felt a little bland. In fact, with full-on magnolia on the outside, I didn’t want the whole thing looking like some sort of 1970s apartment! It’s funny how these ideas progress over the course of a project, eh? To be honest, building my matching (kind of) Beetle has forced the decision a bit too. And, what with the interior for that being a very nice Petronas-esque teal, I decided a bit of a…

It’s often said that petrolheads’ motoring enthusiasm is fuelled by the cars their parents had when they were a kid. It makes a lot of sense. If your dad plodded about in a base-model Corsa it’s perhaps less likely you’d grow up wanting a badass race car with numberplates. However, if your mum had a jacked-up V8 Cortina or an R33 with a 700bhp RB26 then perhaps you’d feel differently. In the case of Allen Yang, who’s lucky enough to be prowling around in the Miami Blue widebody-Porsche you see here, it’s all thanks to his dad’s Acura Legend – that much underrated luxury Honda with the lusty V6 and road presence in spades. “I’d wash and wax that Legend every weekend, as if it was my own car,” he…

Comprehensive Car Culture Fire-breathing Dragon RX-7 Little but lush VW Lupo Cracking Corrado R36 Pandem Civic EG Mad 1M BMW Out ’n’ About SEMA – Yes, it’s that time of the year again. Wahooo! 100% Tuning – Ahoy there! We hit Rotterdam. Plus Product tests, Posters, Fast Projects, and loads more #403 On Sale Friday 7 December *Subject to change, because we’re going to Vegas, and what happens in Vegas… (Yeah yeah, some of us work for a living round here! – G)…

The annual event has established itself as quite the gathering over the last few years. Always hosted at the scenic Wiltshire circuit of Castle Combe, it promises high-octane action with a car show vibe for every possible make and marque you can shake a stick at. In 2018 numbers were unprecedented and the abundance of quality metal from Avon Bridge stretched all the way along the walkway that extends along the main straight almost as far as the famous Quarry Corner. The whole area was packed with cars from an incredibly diverse range of Japanese, German, British, French and American models. Basically, if you like cars, you’ll love the Forge Action Day. Track action was intense all day long, and if the drifters weren’t throwing plumes of smoke everywhere you…

The thrill of unexpected and obscure discovery is one of the things that really makes you feel alive. Your brain shifts from ‘Is it?’ to ‘No, it couldn’t possibly be’ before arriving at ‘Holy cow, I think it really is’. There’s no giddier feeling. It’s the rare adrenaline rush when you hit a one-in-a-million chance; finding a first-pressing Beatles LP at a jumble sale, or a Gucci suit in a charity shop, or a Canaletto in your gran’s attic. Or, as seen on various do-up-a-wreck-and-sell-for-profit TV shows, happening upon a classic race car that’s been abandoned in a barn for decades. It’s this last thrill that the wrapping superheroes at Funkeefish sought to emulate with the astounding 350Z you see before you. The term ‘barn find’ gets thrown around with…

So we’ve shown you a bunch of motorsport liveries to get your creative juices flowing. Remember to think outside the box – maybe change the sponsors’ names to make the wrap personal to you, and then why stop there? You can have any design you like printed onto the Vinyl. How about taking some inspiration from this month’s cover car and do a wrap, but give it a patina-look? The possibilities are endless but what makes them possible? Well, there’s a bunch of 3M Authorised Vehicle Wrappers located up and down the country to make your visions come to life… Types of Livery There are two routes you can go down here: if your car is already the correct base colour and you’re going for a more old skool BTCC…

TRAX 2018, sponsored by MMR Performance, lived up to its tag line of being the ultimate performance car event as it charged into Silverstone for a feast of automotive fun! Thousands of fans descended on the British home of motorsport for the season-closing extravaganza of all things performance. With event favourites like the Auto Finesse Show and Shine competition, to on-track action from the brilliant British Drift Championship team, there wasn’t a quiet moment as TRAX took over. The track was constantly busy with showgoers taking on the twists and turns of one of the world’s most famous circuits and TRAX just wouldn’t be TRAX without some smoke and the British Drift Championship certainly didn’t disappoint. The VIBE Audio Village was a big hit with visitors checking out the latest…

We’ve featured Kenwood’s VW-shaped 7-inch multimedia navigation system before, tested it over many miles and absolutely love it. Now this product has been updated again with even more features. The latest incarnation is called the Kenwood DNX518VDABS and it’s available from your local Volkswagen retailer. Offering Apple CarPlay and hands-free phone calls via Bluetooth, this is a great upgrade for Caddy, T5/T6, Golf 5/6 and Scirocco owners. Here’s the big news: iOS12 has been launched and this sees Google Maps integration added to CarPlay. This is incredible news. Google maps is the go to navigation app for most people and once you have this upgrade in your car you can use Google to guide you to your destination safely and legally, whilst on the move. If you’re an iPhone users…

It’s easy to get carried away in this car modding game. There’s more pressure today than there’s ever been, with the relentless hype machine of Instagram and Facebook keeping us all involved in the minutiae of everybody’s builds. There’s also the ever-higher standards of cars at shows, and – most significantly of all – the likelihood of keyboard warriors bitching you out from behind the safety of their screens. It’s easy to overthink project builds, to get hysterically wound up in the details until you approach the precipice of meltdown. Sometimes it’s healthiest just to take a step back, to remember that we’re not making parachutes here. Modding should be fun. And a lot of that fun stems from spontaneity. Take Stephen McKenna and his tasty little Golf. He didn’t…

Brooding wide over one, two, three, four blistered shoulders, Supachet Kamwilai’s Mazda is everything to this car-freak’s eyes. And I’m willing to bet you can’t stop staring either. All ate up with arches, this BN generation Mazda3 is lost to an extreme and singular style that makes RAUH-Welt Begriff seem reserved and Liberty Walk look limp. Custom designed and fitted by Garage Unique, every slash of splitter and flash of high-gloss carbon fibre sear with firebrand flashes that are one of a kind. Even amongst the out-there cacophony of the Bangkok tuning scene, this newly completed ride knows how to get itself noticed. Before we dive deep into the looks and life of Supachet’s haute hatch, let’s recap all we know about Thai car culture. Perched on the west side…

TRAX is bloody close now. In fact, by the time you get to read this it’ll already be over, and the 350Z will have a new owner. Sad times for us. Good times for some other lucky bugger! Anyway, with that in mind, it was on to the final touches this month. With just a week to go before the big day there was still plenty to do. The first thing on the list was to order the last piece of bodywork enhancement, a polyurethane front lip from the guys at Tarmac Sportz. There’s two main reasons for this. First I knew we’d get it 100 percent on time. And, perhaps even more importantly, I knew it would fit without any messing about or wasting time we simply haven’t got.…

Well, the big news is that the Bug actually got done and made it to TRAX. Unbelievable I know. You know what though? I’m actually properly chuffed with how it turned out. It’s just what I imagined. Even if getting the bugger finished in time was a little taxing to say the least. That’s what happens when you leave everything to the last minute I guess! It basically took a few stages to get the final ‘left in a ditch for 30 years’ look I was after, and the first was a couple of full days of toil for bodyshop supremo, Terry, and myself, at Revamp Autoworks. The initial plan was to get the Revamp guys to bodywork the car, pulling out all the dents, smoothing the tailgate and deleting…