With Toyota unceremoniously excising the Celica from its line-up as if the car were polyp on the corporate liver, the same question has been on everyone's mind: just what will the "stars" of various little-seen TV shows be driving during this year's Pro-Celebrity race at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach? Turns out they will be driving race-prepped Scion tC coupes.
Since the cars in the Pro-Celebrity race run against each other only, there was no reason to expand their performance greatly beyond stock. Plus, many of the drivers have never piloted anything more powerful than the Prius that Leonardo DiCaprio told them to buy, so why risk intimidating them? These tCs get StopTech brakes, a big rear wing, slight lowering, an open exhaust and a massive roll cage that should protect them if Donny Osmond decides to punt their asses into Turn Five.
Meanwhile, TRD has also been whacking on the tC and has finally announced the availability of a supercharger system for the car's 2.4-liter four. With the huffer heaving into the engine, TRD claims output rises from the stock 160 bhp, to a robust and snorting 200 bhp. The centrifugal blower mounts on the driver's side of the engine bay and is churned by a driveshaft reaching across to pulleys on the passenger side. It's similar to the blower systems Jackson Racing and Vortech have developed and sold for various Honda models over the years.
Scion has already been seeding the sport compact drag world with tCs, and the company seems determined to raise the car's profile even further. Is it working?
Well, DuhBMW has a mighty reputation for never letting an obvious opportunity pass unexploited. So the Z4 M Roadster is no surprise at all; it's simply the guts and ability of the M3 coupe stuffed under the slightly bizarre skin of the company's two-seat sports car. But what it lacks in shock value it should more than make up for with gnarly, open-top road-ripping ability.
The 3.2-liter Motorsport version of BMW's luscious straight six snugs under the Z4's bonnet with ease. The wheels and tires have been upped to Motorsport spec, the suspension has been fortified, the interior is redecorated, and the body gets some lower panels that hint at the urgency available with a tip of the throttle.
How much power? In the Z4 the "M" inline-six is rated at 343 bhp, thanks to every type of engine technology known to German man, short of forced induction or rocketry. Transmission choices should include a six-speed manual and BMW's Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) that has both its fans and detractors.
The M Roadster will likely attract a slightly different buyer than the M3, a bit older perhaps and more likely to be a woman. But they'll have hefty financial clout in common with other BMW buyers.
DVD Review:High-Octane OverboostWe have a lot of affection for New Zealanders. That's mostly because Peter Jackson is a Kiwi and he made the "Lord of the Rings" movies down there. And they haven't done much to piss us off either. So we always look forward to another installment in the High Octane series of DVDs from way-down-there.