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We all know the 1980s and '90s were an especially rad time for cars designed and built in Japan. If you have watched OUR LATEST EPISODE (LINK HERE) you will have seen two of our favourite oddball JDM 80s classics go head-to-head, showing off some very different, cutting-edge engineering of the time, quirky styling, and pure nuggety awesomeness. Cars from Japan in this era seem to resonate with enthusiasts of a certain age. On top of the City Turbo II and March Superturbo, let's look at some of Japan's greatest hits from the 80s: Mazda MX-5, FC RX7, Nissan GT-R...

Right now the world at large is feeling the brunt of record-high oil prices and even petrol and diesel shortages in some areas. So, let's look at how we can use less fuel to ensure we don't have to give up our dreams of making our cars maaaaaad. The overriding premise here assumes you understand the basic rationale behind driving a car for maximum fuel-efficiency: keep the boost down; avoid going full-throttle as often as possible; avoid idling the car for extended periods; try to drive as smoothly as possible; and avoid carrying heavy loads if you don't absolutely need...

The debate between fans of overhead cam engines, and those who prefer a pushrod-actuated cam-in-block architecture has raged across the internet for decades. In the end, however, neither system is best. Any valvetrain which relies on using a camshaft to open and close valves has significant drawbacks for all but the most-focused, extreme use operations. Think, particular motorsports where peak power mattes more than any other metric of performance. "Freevalve" engines are what is the next step in internal combustion engine development. These replace the traditional internal combustion valvetrain using camshafts, rockers, and more with electro-hydraulic-pneumatic actuators to operate each individual...

Le sigh. It's happened again. Our latest project car, the 4DMILF Subaru wagon, is finally turbocharged and ready to make the kind of power the styling suggested it had... then disaster. CLICK HERE to view the catastrophe. If your only experience with Subarus is via memes, you'll probably think it's pushed a head gasket. However, the reality with turbo Subarus is the design of horizontally-opposed turbo engines means you're FAR more likely to spin a rod or main bearing. Which is only one step down the list of "Terrible Things You Don't Want Happening To Your Engine" from throwing a rod...

Homologation is a big word, but it's impact on car culture is all-time. The process of making a road-going variant of a race car to qualify that race car for a particular class of motorsport has given us some of our most-vaunted automotive heroes.  Stretching back to the early 1960s, the explosion of racing production cars in touring cars, NASCAR, rallying, sports cars, drag racing, and more, occured across the globe. From European circuits to New Zealand rally trails, American speedways and drag strips to Aussie road courses, car manufacturers realised the publicity of winning sporting contests helped raise their...