Sub5zero.com

Breitling Rolls out Bentley Continental GT V8 Inspired Watch

Tom Anderson — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:00:09 +0000

Rare is the automaker-branded non-automotive product that was developed with a great deal of involvement from said automaker. Most of the time, the car company waits for the trinketmaker's check to clear and, once that happens, it's onto reviewing the next licensed product for approval. No consulting on the size and placement of the logo on that toilet seat cover or shot glass set, or what the thread count of that blanket-with-sleeves is.

The working relationship between Bentley and Breitling, on the other hand, is much closer and hands-on. The British luxury car maker and the Swiss high-end watchmaker have been chummy for many moons, which is no surprise, given the no-doubt sizable overlap of their primary demographics. It should also be no surprise that Breitling is helping Bentley celebrate the launch of the new V8 version of the Continental GT and GTC with a trick new timepiece.

SoCal Scene: 2012 Import Showcase by Import Fashion

Freddy Chen — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:18:30 +0000

There’s a strange sense of familiarity about attending a car show. It’s almost like putting on a set of well-worn shoes or shaking hands with an old friend. For us car guys and girls, there’s something just so right about being at a proper car show. Every car show/meet has its own level of scale from the smallest impromptu parking lot gatherings to the likes of SEMA and TAS.

There’s an optimal range of how big a car show should be before it becomes an all out siege upon the senses and Import Showcase happened to tick all the right boxes. Walking into K1 Speed @ Torrance, the first thing on display was Gina (Import Fashion's showcase vehicle and owner Alvin's pride and joy). Pretty in pink, she had all the right kinds of curves, the kind that made even married men double back to sneak another glance. Too bad she’s taken. Alvin you lucky man.

Internet Gem of the Week: 1987 Buick Grand National

Tom Anderson — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 19:22:31 +0000

After the great muscle car mass extinction of the 1970s, fans of these quintessentially American tire mincers were justifiably worried that this particular genus of the motoring kingdom would never again occupy a new car showroom. The fear that the only place to witness these carnivores of the concrete jungle would be in museums, car shows and dragstrips was all too real.

Thankfully, by the mid-1980s, it was starting to become clear that advances in electronic engine management and emission control technology would allow some of the old magic to return (though we very much doubt anyone could have envisioned the 600hp-plus Shelby GT500s and Corvette ZR1s of today). The 1982 Ford Mustang GT with the “High Output” 302 cubic inch V8 is often credited with reigniting the muscle car flame, but a nameplate that debuted that same year is responsible for pouring gasoline on that flame. And it did so using an unlikely engine and wearing an unlikely badge.

Wheelsandmore Spices up the SLS AMG with the Silver Wing

Tom Anderson — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:13:05 +0000

When Mercedes-Benz and in-house tuner AMG decided to reincarnate the spirit of the iconic 300SL “Gullwing” in the form of the SLS AMG, we doubt that either group realized just how popular it would become within the tuning community. But the fact of the matter is the aftermarket has gone apecrap for this front-engined firebrand from the Fatherland. And with a snarling V8, a slick dual-clutch tranny, meticulously refined chassis and, oh yeah, those conversation-starter doors, can you really blame it?

Anyway, the latest tuning outfit to enhance the SLS is Wheelsandmore. As the name of this German-based, spacebar-averse company suggests, there’s a lot more to this suite of upgrades than those snazzy new rims. What else does it take to transform a showroom standard SLS AMG into a Silver Wing? Find out after the jump.

INFOGRAPHIC: Love, Sex and the Automobile

Staff — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:31:21 +0000

In honor of Valentine's Day, here is a nice little infographic showing the results of a survey of men and women when it comes to a little frisky action in the car. The results are both interesting and encouraging...

Source: BodyShopBids.com

2012 BMW M6 is a Two Door, Two Turbo Treat [w/ Videos]

Tom Anderson — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:44:52 +0000

With the new BMW M5 packing a twin-turbo V8, and the new third generation 6 Series coupe and convertible recently introduced, it shouldn't come as a massive surprise that the high priests of performance at M GmbH have rolled out a new M6 with many of the same go-fast bits as the F10 M5. What is surprising, though, is that the droptop will be the first to land in U.S. showrooms this June and be designated a 2012 model. The coupe will follow a few months later as a 2013 model. Granted, the regular 6er convertible also premiered before the hardtop, but we still have trouble wrapping our heads around this rather bass-ackwards release schedule.

Of course, the bewilderment caused by the convention-flouting rollout is nothing compared to the bewilderment you'll feel when you open the taps on these ultimate evolutions of the F12(coupe)/F13(convertible) platform. As expected, both M6s pack the same twin-turbo 4.4L V8 as the M5, making the same 560hp and 500 lb.-ft of torque as it does in that sociopathic sedan. The 7-speed dual-clutch transmission is also an M5 piece, though we wouldn't be terribly surprised if BMW makes the M5's North America exclusive 6-speed manual available on its two-door siblings.

O Racing Game Pioneers: Night Driver

Tom Anderson — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Modern video games are remarkable achievements, and a far cry from their ancestors in terms of sophistication and realism. This is particularly true of racing or driving games; watch a replay in the likes of Gran Turismo 5 or Forza Motorsport 4 and passers-by might ask you which channel you're watching. Turn back the clock to the genre's formative days, however, and it's hard to imagine how even the most powerful imaginations managed to envision those crude congregations of pixels as cars on a race track.

This is not to say, though, that these trailblazing titles aren't worth revisiting. After all, without them there wouldn't be any Dirt 3 or Gran Turismo 5 or Need for Speed: The Run. Hence the reason we're starting this series, chronicling the racing games that helped shape the genre into what it is today. And where better to start than with the first commercially successful and popular first-person-view title, Night Driver?

Aston Martin Unwraps the Production V12 Zagato

Tom Anderson — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:25:24 +0000

One of the most exciting new vehicles to be shown at last year’s Villa D’Este Concours was the Aston Martin V12 Zagato, a striking reimagining of the standard V12 Vantage. At the time, it was officially a concept, but the fact that an additional one was built for and competed in the Nürburgring 24 Hours seemed to indicate otherwise. Well, it didn’t take long after that for Aston Martin to come clean and say that it will build and sell a limited number of these Anglo-Italian bruisers.

Now Aston Martin has revealed photos and info on the final production version. And while the exterior styling (rendered in a combination of carbon fiber and hand-fabricated aluminum) is very much a derivative of the initial concept and competition vehicles, there’s considerably more polish inside and out.

The Top 10 Biggest Racecar Flops

Tom Anderson — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:52:01 +0000

Theoretically, every racecar has the potential to be a championship contender when the team manager and drivers pull off the sheet and smile for the cameras. It isn't until preseason testing is completed and the first race meeting is underway that it becomes apparent if a competition car is a dominator or a dud.

Of course, when a car does turn out to be the latter, there's no shortage of finger-pointing and shouting. But the bottom line is some new racecars are just destined for failure. The following ten are the most infamous examples, cars that, for one or multiple reasons, never had a chance.

VIDEO: Chrysler Shows Why 'It's Halftime in America' During Super Bowl 2012

Ari Cox — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:24:47 +0000

In an interesting departure from talking babies, vaporizing vampires and alter-ego dancing heads, hats off to Chrysler for getting serious, looking at the big picture and sending out a message of hope, goodwill, patriotism and unity during Super Bowl 2012. Touchingly and toughly narrated by a revered American icon, the “It’s Halftime in America” ad managed to not only give weight to our shared history, challenges and concerns but also pointed to a better and brighter future. Though the ad could have so easily slipped into the abyss of sentimentalism and schmaltz, it managed to steer clear and deliver a strong and uplifting message. In my humble opinion, this was an absolutely brilliant strategy on the part of the automaker and one which I believe will ultimately pay big dividends.