Just watched a bit of this very well produced DVD (visuals are stunning, these BMI editions get better and better with each new release) and I thought I'd offer a few quick things that I noticed:
1. Fuji track goes bye bye
-Nice memorial and history lesson on the Fuji cicuit closing for two years due to a planned renovation. I first saw Fuji in the original Atari Pole Posistion game, and it's remained a sentimental favorite since. Great track for showcasing the technical prowess of the cars themselves, while say Suzuka has always been a showcase for the driver's skill level more than HP.
2. Fuji Battle
- Nice to see the cars stretching their legs on this 4.4km track, as oppossed to the rediculously short tsukuba track BMI uses that I've always hated for judging cars. Conditions on test day were brutal, nearly 100 degrees F, so tires gave out very early, and overheating was an issue.
Cars entered were the Porsche 911 GT3, Ferrari 360, Ferrari 355, Honda NSX Type-R, Nissan Skyline GT-R Nur, Mitsu Evo VIII, Subie Impreza STi.
Here's the finishing order at the end of 4 laps:
1. 911GT3
2. Ferrari 360 Modena
3. NSX Type-R
4. STi
5. Evo VIII
6. Ferrari 355 (DNF)
7. Skyline GTR-Nur (DNF)
Comments:
911GT3: HP and grip rule, and the 911GT3 so easily destroyed this field at Fuji that it was a joke. Gan drove it and appeared to be sleeping the whole way due to a lack of competition. This car was in another stratosphere compared to any other in the field.
360 and 355: Both had aftermarket exhausts, in Japan that usually means no cats either, so they were running a bit hotter than stock. And they were both F1 tranny models. The 360 was difficult to control, driver called it "scary but fast". It passed the NSX easily on the last lap for second place, and also had the second fastest lap of the day.
NSX Type-R: Had astounding brakes, easily equal to or better than the GT3's, they're the only reason the car was competitive on such a power intensive track. Easy as pie to control, until the tires went out due to heat. It also overheated badly by the end of the race on the final straight which is surprising, it would have been a DNF if the race were scheduled for even just one more lap. Don't think that's ever happened to an NSX before on BM. Both of the Ferraris had no problem with the heat. The NSX's stock bridgestone tires gave way in the heat (the rears) so by the last lap with the engine overheating and the rear tires out of their competitive temp zone, that car was a total mess. Funny to see the Type-R go from the great all-around car we know it to be on lap 1, to being what we usually expect a Ferrari to be by lap 4, which is difficult to control, on the verge of collapse, and one second from a major mechanical failure.
F355: had worked its way up to fourth or so, and then had to retire on lap 3 from horrible brake fade. BM driver went off the course at the end of the straight in it and was like "Where are my brakes??" Seemed to like the drive until that point however. The 355 was competitive with the Subie and Evo, but not a match for the top 3 cars. It would have finished fourth in an extended race, IF its brakes had held up.
Skyline: The Skyline was broken from the start, some kind of boost problem. Retired very early, and wasn't competitive anyway. Too much heat, too much weight, too much period.
Evo/STi: They fought each other nose to tail the whole way, yes these are great cars but they bore me. I focused on the coupes, but I remember the driver loved the STi, fawned all over its engine and dampers.
Bottom Line:
As usual, the post-race comments were filled with bitching by the drivers about the regulations that JDM companies put on their engines in terms of HP. However this is the first time I've heard them all agree that Japan is no longer competitive with Europe, and that drastic steps would need to be taken in order to even stay equal to the Euros in the future, otherwise Japan will fall far behind the rest of the world in terms of sports car performance.
For me it's like, ok WE bitch about the Japanese regulations, and now the Japanese THEMSELVES are bitching about their own regulations, so who the @#$! is running these JDM car companies? Lose the restrictions or get a$$-owned by not only the Euros, but the Americans too, whose C6 Vette and Viper will tap the Type-R's a$$ all over the place.
Funny to think that the all-conquering GT3 (which started in EIGHTH PLACE on the grid and was in FIRST PLACE by the half way point of the first lap) is actually cheaper than the NSX-R in Japan, lol!!!
Anyway that's all I've seen, I scanned the rediculously lame "Togue challenge" part of the disc, which is BM trying to look hip and young to their domestic viewers by featuring the asinine sport of drifting, setup as a strange nose to tail race. Skip. There's also a nice recap of the Tokyo Auto Show, which does feauture the HSC for those interested. Good shots of its interior, and the obligatory "oh but don't worry, I'm sure Honda will have much more power than 300HP if it goes into production!" comments from Nakaya. LOL, got to love a Motoring editor being all defensive already, and sounding just like NSXPrime posters praying that Honda isn't stupid enough to have anything less than 350HP in this car IF it ever goes into production.
Overall I liked the disc, the Fuji portions are fascinating, and for $20 I'd buy it again.
1. Fuji track goes bye bye
-Nice memorial and history lesson on the Fuji cicuit closing for two years due to a planned renovation. I first saw Fuji in the original Atari Pole Posistion game, and it's remained a sentimental favorite since. Great track for showcasing the technical prowess of the cars themselves, while say Suzuka has always been a showcase for the driver's skill level more than HP.
2. Fuji Battle
- Nice to see the cars stretching their legs on this 4.4km track, as oppossed to the rediculously short tsukuba track BMI uses that I've always hated for judging cars. Conditions on test day were brutal, nearly 100 degrees F, so tires gave out very early, and overheating was an issue.
Cars entered were the Porsche 911 GT3, Ferrari 360, Ferrari 355, Honda NSX Type-R, Nissan Skyline GT-R Nur, Mitsu Evo VIII, Subie Impreza STi.
Here's the finishing order at the end of 4 laps:
1. 911GT3
2. Ferrari 360 Modena
3. NSX Type-R
4. STi
5. Evo VIII
6. Ferrari 355 (DNF)
7. Skyline GTR-Nur (DNF)
Comments:
911GT3: HP and grip rule, and the 911GT3 so easily destroyed this field at Fuji that it was a joke. Gan drove it and appeared to be sleeping the whole way due to a lack of competition. This car was in another stratosphere compared to any other in the field.
360 and 355: Both had aftermarket exhausts, in Japan that usually means no cats either, so they were running a bit hotter than stock. And they were both F1 tranny models. The 360 was difficult to control, driver called it "scary but fast". It passed the NSX easily on the last lap for second place, and also had the second fastest lap of the day.
NSX Type-R: Had astounding brakes, easily equal to or better than the GT3's, they're the only reason the car was competitive on such a power intensive track. Easy as pie to control, until the tires went out due to heat. It also overheated badly by the end of the race on the final straight which is surprising, it would have been a DNF if the race were scheduled for even just one more lap. Don't think that's ever happened to an NSX before on BM. Both of the Ferraris had no problem with the heat. The NSX's stock bridgestone tires gave way in the heat (the rears) so by the last lap with the engine overheating and the rear tires out of their competitive temp zone, that car was a total mess. Funny to see the Type-R go from the great all-around car we know it to be on lap 1, to being what we usually expect a Ferrari to be by lap 4, which is difficult to control, on the verge of collapse, and one second from a major mechanical failure.
F355: had worked its way up to fourth or so, and then had to retire on lap 3 from horrible brake fade. BM driver went off the course at the end of the straight in it and was like "Where are my brakes??" Seemed to like the drive until that point however. The 355 was competitive with the Subie and Evo, but not a match for the top 3 cars. It would have finished fourth in an extended race, IF its brakes had held up.
Skyline: The Skyline was broken from the start, some kind of boost problem. Retired very early, and wasn't competitive anyway. Too much heat, too much weight, too much period.
Evo/STi: They fought each other nose to tail the whole way, yes these are great cars but they bore me. I focused on the coupes, but I remember the driver loved the STi, fawned all over its engine and dampers.
Bottom Line:
As usual, the post-race comments were filled with bitching by the drivers about the regulations that JDM companies put on their engines in terms of HP. However this is the first time I've heard them all agree that Japan is no longer competitive with Europe, and that drastic steps would need to be taken in order to even stay equal to the Euros in the future, otherwise Japan will fall far behind the rest of the world in terms of sports car performance.
For me it's like, ok WE bitch about the Japanese regulations, and now the Japanese THEMSELVES are bitching about their own regulations, so who the @#$! is running these JDM car companies? Lose the restrictions or get a$$-owned by not only the Euros, but the Americans too, whose C6 Vette and Viper will tap the Type-R's a$$ all over the place.
Funny to think that the all-conquering GT3 (which started in EIGHTH PLACE on the grid and was in FIRST PLACE by the half way point of the first lap) is actually cheaper than the NSX-R in Japan, lol!!!
Anyway that's all I've seen, I scanned the rediculously lame "Togue challenge" part of the disc, which is BM trying to look hip and young to their domestic viewers by featuring the asinine sport of drifting, setup as a strange nose to tail race. Skip. There's also a nice recap of the Tokyo Auto Show, which does feauture the HSC for those interested. Good shots of its interior, and the obligatory "oh but don't worry, I'm sure Honda will have much more power than 300HP if it goes into production!" comments from Nakaya. LOL, got to love a Motoring editor being all defensive already, and sounding just like NSXPrime posters praying that Honda isn't stupid enough to have anything less than 350HP in this car IF it ever goes into production.
Overall I liked the disc, the Fuji portions are fascinating, and for $20 I'd buy it again.
