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In order to make Automotive Outlet a more user friendly resource I've decided to leave behind the traditional blog format and move towards a more user friendly website.  In the process however I've run into a little road block!  Automotiveoutlet.com is not an available domain name; naturally I need something new.  Please feel free to submit your ideas for the new domain name that you may have; I would really appreciate it!

Upcoming Changes!

It's been awhile since the last article and it's for good reason!  I've been in deep thought as to where the direction of this blog should be and I believe that I'm finally coming down to a conclusion.  While it may be enjoyable to salivate over cars that we'll never drive or even likely see in our lifetime I realize that this blog can be something more.  As an automotive enthusiast I realize the importance of the occasional, if not weekly, indulgence in reading up on or writing about some exorbitant exotic car or mind blowing muscle car.  That being said I want this blog to be a little more focused on what would be most useful to my readers and followers; will you ever have the chance to experience the raw acceleration of the Ferrari F-40?  Probably not, and neither have I by the way; I have only read the handful of accounts of those who have many times over.  On the other hand you are much more likely to be in the market for a mid-size sedan, a four-wheel-drive truck, or maybe even a modest sports car.  So while I'm still going to throw in the occasional Lamborghini, Ferrari, and completely irrational Bugatti this blog will be mostly focused on car reviews of the more useful autos.  Not to mention an article here or there of handy car care tips that I have found useful or interesting.

Buying a car will likely be one of the biggest investments that you'll make in life and it's important to make the right decisions.  Once you've brought that shiny new investment home it's also important to take care of it.  So let's get together and discuss the best ways to go about it!  I look forward to hearing your comments and ideas!

Five Cars That Are Sure To Make You Scream Like a Fool! Four and Five of Five

Ferrari F-40 & Jaguar XJ220

There are many enthusiasts out there that have a car that pulled them into their passion of the automobile.  Even as a small child there was something that attracted me to our staple of transportation and so I can't really say that it was a car itself that pulled me in.  Rather it was something innate; something that has always been a part of who I am.  However, there are a handful of cars out there that I must admit are held slightly higher on my list of cars that have influenced my passion and seem to have made it extra special.  

I have chosen to highlight the Ferrari F-40 and Jaguar XJ200 together for several reasons.  First, if I were to encounter either one of these cars in actual reality they would force me to generate an absolute cacophony of shrieks and high-pitched shouts.  Second, these two cars are extremely different from one another and yet subtly similar.

While the Jaguar's design is very fluid, the Ferrari is decidedly more edgy.  The Jaguar made it into production almost as a fluke while the Ferrari was a dedicated super car.  The ferrari is the lightweight jockey and the Jaguar is the debonair supermodel.  The biggest difference between these two cars however is most noticeable inside their respective cockpits.

   The Italian Stallion has been accused of having fewer accommodations than a jail cell; the bone stock Ferrari doesn't have leather seats, power windows, power steering, power brakes or a stereo.  The F-40 doesn't even have door handles or carpet!  Instead this thoroughbred is a no nonsense super car; while the luxuries amount to quite literally nothing the Ferrari takes all that weight that would have been used to pamper the passenger and instead uses it to transport that passenger around a track in the fastest way possible.

At just under 2,500 pounds the Ferrari F-40 is most definitely a light weight and with a 478HP twin-turbo 3.0L V8 sitting in the back, the F-40 is wickedly fast.  So fast in fact that it can reach 60 MPH in 3.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 201 MPH.  The F-40 was produced from 1987 to 1992 and while that was two decades ago it can still keep up with and often out perform many of todays best super cars.  The Ferrari F-40 is almost nothing more than a pair of seats strapped to high performance engine in a carbon fiber tub; that is what I love about it.  It's a beautiful car in a completely raw and savage sort of way and that is what makes this Ferrari so special.

Not only is this car a special favorite because of it's stunning performance and iconic profile but also because of it's sentimental aspects as well.  Yes it's true, a car this brutally fast and performance oriented can, in fact, have a softer side.

Enzo Ferrari was 90 years old when the F-40 was on the drawing board.  Obviously ready for retirement, and I don't mean from the job, the father of Ferrari wanted the last Italian Stallion developed under his commission to be one that was special.  Ferrari is, and always has been, amongst the most revered automakers in the world when it comes to premier performance cars and motor racing.  Enzo Ferrari wanted to go out with a bang and he did just that with the F-40; two decades old and his last hurrah still stands as arguably the most sought after Ferrari of all time.

The Jaguar XJ220 takes a completely different approach to transporting it's passengers and what else would you expect from a Jag?  Weighing in at just over 3,000 pounds the XJ is quite a bit  larger than its Italian counterpart but that doesn't make it any slower; in a straight line that is.  The XJ220, while no slouch on the race track, isn't quite as adept on the twisties as the F-40.  Line them up for a drag race however and this big british bruiser will take the checkered flag home every time .

While the XJ220 was originally meant to be powered by a version of Jaguar's venerable V12 it ended up with a twin-turbo version of its 3.5L V6 in order to save on weight.  Churning out 548HP, the blown V6 was no push over and it created enough push to launch the big Jag from 0-60 in 3.8 seconds and if there was enough roadway clear on up to a stratospheric 217 MPH.

As mentioned before the Ferrari F-40 was built to celebrate Ferrari's 40th anniversary as a motor company and to send Enzo Ferrari himself off in blazing red glory.  The Jag on the other hand was conceived when a group of Jaguar design employees were meeting at their weekly "Saturday's Club".  It began as just another concept idea but it wasn't long before Jaguar was on a mission to build the worlds fastest car with the goal of 220 MPH where the XJ220 gets its name.

With leather seats, air conditioning and a number of other Jaguaresque features, the XJ220 is drastically more accommodating than the Ferrari but in the F-40's defense that isn't really the point of these two cars.

The point of these two cars is to go really, really fast and make you look like a million-bucks; that is where these two cars begin to show their similarities.  To put it plainly, the XJ220 was built to compete against the F-40 and so naturally there are some similarities.

Both cars use forced induction to take their relatively small engines to the max.  When it comes to the internal combustion engine the more air you can shove into those cylinders the more power you're going to be able generate.  While the respective 3.0 liters of the Ferrari and 3.5 liters of the Jaguar  seem pint sized when compared to the likes of the Dodge Viper and it's 8.3L these two turbo charged titans can swap punches with the best of them.  By using turbo chargers the big Brit and petite Italian use the air that would otherwise escape out of their exhausts, spool it up, compress it and push it back into their cylinders to create big power.  The result is absolutely astonishing as these two mid-engine exotics dominate the tracks that they so rarely grace.  A rarity only because of their limited numbers and not for their lacking in popularity.

These two cars, in the automotive world, are considered to be royalty, an endangered species if you will.  There were only 281 XJ220s produced between 1992 and 1994 and although the 1,315 F-40's that were built between 1987 and 1992 are double the number of Jaguar's it is still a very limited number.  It's sad to say but you're about as likely to get gored by a dairy cow as you are to see one of these beauties carving up the corners.

There are hundreds of cars, past and present that are the object of many a mans desire and while I have a long list of cars that would likely bring me to my knees none would do it quicker that the Ferrari F-40 and the Jaguar XJ220.  While the incredibly basic primitive F-40 takes the very basics of italian automotive engineering and creates an absolutely organic sense of raw handling and acceleration the Jaguar takes the more refined road to blast you from point A to point B in true british fashion.  Then again with these two cars, it has nothing to do with going from point A to point B; it has everything to do with the experience of driving and making it the most supreme and abiding experience you'll ever have.  Point A and Point B no longer are thought of as destinations but rather time periods in between drives.

        

Five Cars That Are Sure To Make You Scream Like a Fool! 3 of 5

Porsche 911

Whenever discussing automotive greats, it is absolutely necessary to include Porsche; not doing so would be an absolute crime and a complete waste of a conversation.  With a rich and hallowed history in motor-sports and automotive firsts, such as the worlds first gasoline/electric hybrid, Porsche stands as one of the pillars for the four-wheeled society.




Over the years Porsche has developed a plethora of cars worth remembering, collecting, racing, or just plain experiencing.  Among the most well known cars in the Porsche lineup is, of course, the 911 which has been around since 1964.  Being one of the longest running models to have ever been produced, the Porsche 911 has followed a very successful, if not quirky, formula.  The majority of the sports car nation have their bonnets up front and their boots in the back and most of those whom do not follow that formula have their engine centered squarely between the rear axels, if not a little forward.  The 911's engine however likes to hang back and is centered behind the rear axle!  This engine, I must add, hasn't changed since 1964 other than in it's size, use of good old technology, and an engine that has such a unique, raspy exhaust note that clearly sets it apart from any other.

Many cars with such a layout tend to be unstable when driven hard because all that weight from the engine sits in the back and, when pushed, the tail tends to want to swing around and overtake the front.  The 911 however is somewhat of an anomaly in the handling arena because when others of the RR tribe are sent spinning of the road it hunkers down and flies around the corners as if it were glued there.

The Porsche 911 has made the list of "Ten Cars That Are Sure To Make You Scream Like a Fool" not only because it is one of my personal favorites of all time but also because of how dynamic a vehicle it really is.  If you're in the market for a sports car and your willing and able to spend a minimum of nearly 80K, the 911 comes in so many flavors that there is most assuredly a piece of Porsche to fit your needs.

Whether you want to look classy in your classic Porsche 911 Carrera, equipped with it's sturdy 3.6L flat six and 345 HP or your one of those raw speed freaks that needs a precision instrument of speed and aerodynamics, the 911 GT2 would be right up your alley with it's turbo charged ability to reach the "Mt. Everest-like" 200 MPH.  The 911 line has a number of faces, from super car to convertible cruiser. It has done it with such style and consistency over the years that it has created a legacy for itself; a legacy that continues to stretch with each passing year.

  

     

Five Cars That Are Sure To Make You Scream Like a Fool! 2 of 5

Lamborghini Countach

Most of the cars that have made it onto my list of top ten cars that 'are sure to make you scream like fool' are on that list because they are either extremely unique, have broken new ground in the automotive world, or are just drop dead gorgeous.  The Lamborghini Countach covers all of those bases and more.  The Lamborghini Countach at first glance doesn't look like a car at all!  If you were to come upon it in the right setting you might mistake it for a prop in the next "Back To the Future" movie; it is really that futuristic.  In fact, there are few cars on the road that can rival the Countach in futuristic looks or extreme dimensions.  The Countach is very wide and very low. At just over 40 inches tall, the countach is only about waist high for many people and at 79 inches wide the menacing Lambo is clearly built for performance.  Because the Countach is so wide it was equipped with scissor doors to help aid in entering and exiting the car in a parking lot, this of course just adds to it's futuristic looks and awe inspiring dimensions.  Photos, although impressive do not do the Countach justice. 

As you can imagine, this car can generate quite a response when in the right company; exquisite machines like the Lamborghini Countach generally are accompanied by a flock of glassy eyed, rubber necking crowds that are full of questions: "How much is it?, How fast does it go?, What is that?!"  Because I already know the answer to those questions the only thing out of my mouth is usually the fabled scream, followed by convulsions and some kind of exclamation.  This kind of response is actually what gave the Lamborghini Countach it's name and why it has made the list!  When the Countach was first being designed, those who first saw it, even before the car received it's name, uttered the word "Countach" which is an Italian slang word for something like "surprise".  Very fitting if I don't say so myself.... or scream it if you don't mind!

While the Countach still looks very modern today it is actually quite an old car.  Built from 1974 to 1990 the Countach varied quite a bit over the years in everything from fins and vents, to engine size, to performance.  The one thing that did not change however was it's ability to stun the public and push the performance barrier.  Ferrari of course is, and always has been, Lamborghini's biggest rival and from 1974 to 1990 the Countach was Lamborghini's designated hitter; actually it was Lamborghini's only hitter as they only built one car at a time back then.  While the performance of the Countach is only average when compared to the super cars and current Lamborghini's of today, it was world class back in it's prime.  With a 5.0L V12 and roughly 455HP the last of the Countach's could reach speeds of just over 180MPH.

There have been many a Countach that have been captured by mobile phone cameras or hastily taken by a digital camera.  It is just one of those cars that you didn't expect to see and that you hate to see driving away so soon, any period of time is too soon once it leaves.  I have had one of these surprising opportunities twice in my life, and yes I am counting, both of which are burned into my memory forever.  Both times resulted in very erratic driving, as experiencing such an automotive legend has a tendency to mess with the senses!  I remember being blown away at how low and wide these beautiful machines are as my wife, Aubrey, and I were returning home from a family reunion and were able to have such a rare experience of passing such a beautiful machine.  I could have really cared less as to why it was in Blackfoot Idaho and such thoughts were quickly forgotten as the sounds of that growling V12 washed over me.

The Lamborghini Countach will always be one of my all time favorites as it has been for millions of others.  There is hardly a bedroom wall or mantel of a teenaged boys bedroom that does not bear a Lamborghini Countach.... any boy worth his salt, of course, and when somebody says exotic it is almost always the Countach that comes to mind.  Long live Ferruccio Lamborghini- ridiculously wide tires and scissor doors!

  Disclaimer: This photo was taken by my wife (the passenger) not by me (the driver), as it would have led to increasingly erratic driving.

          

    

Five Cars That Are Sure To Make You Scream Like a Fool! 1 of 5

Dodge Viper

Whether you are one of those people born with a love for the horseless carriage or you're just an average Joe that needs a car to get from point A to point B; everyone has to admit that there are some rides out there that make you weak at the knees.  Everyone has a different reaction when they encounter something that, to them, is truly awe inspiring!  It seems, that every time I stumble upon a truly unique, legendary, or just plain beautiful car, my eyes dilate, I become short of breath and, yes, a truly ear shattering scream involuntarily leaves my mouth.

While there are a great deal more than just ten cars that would assuredly cause such a foolish scene, five is just a good common number and the following cars are just a few of my personal favorites.

The Dodge Viper is actually the brain child of this article as it is one of the first cars to evoke such a socially awkward spectacle.  There aren't many cars out there that actually look like their namesake; the Viper however most definitely does.  It's wide stance, slanted headlights, and large vents make it look just like it's reptilian counterpart; waiting to strike at anything in it's path.  

There have been many times in my life where I have encountered a car that is so exquisite that I just couldn't contain myself.  Covering my mouth in one swift convulsing jerk as I scream involuntarily is the usual display which is accompanied by stares and awkward behavior from the unfortunate bystanders.  I'm too busy to care, however, as I am soaking up every second that the culprit car is in my presence; imagining what it must be like to take a cruise in such a wonderful work of art. 

I still remember the day well, the day that I first encountered a Dodge Viper.  It was a beautiful summer day in Rexburg Idaho, probably sometime around July or August of 1996 I believe.  I distinctly remember sitting in the back seat of my parents white Plymouth Voyager (it was a 1987 or somewhere around there).  I was around 11 years old and as I was sitting there in the van watching traffic go by, as I often still do, here came a brand new 1996 Dodge Viper GTS in Viper Blue with the white racing stripes down the middle.  I just couldn't contain myself! Out came the ear piercing scream, deafening my family members that were unfortunate enough to be trapped within the confines of our mini van.  Not willing to lose the viper so soon, I scrambled over bench seats and pressed my face against the window closest to the fast escaping dream car.  I had seen a viper before at the state fair a few years earlier after it had originally been released but that had been an RT/10 model which is a convertible and considerably less curvaceous.  The new that year GTS that I had just encountered was beautiful beyond compare and those impossibly wide tires looked as if thy could peel up pavement had they been allowed to do so.

I think one of the reasons that I love the Dodge Viper so much, putting the life altering encounter aside, is the fact that it was being developed as a concept car just as I was coming into my obsession with the Automobile... around two years old if I remember right!  It was also one of the first real, true blue, super cars that I ever encountered that wasn't in a magazine or on a flickering computer screen.  Up until the Viper hit dealer showrooms, the Chevrolet Corvette had a monopoly in the American muscle car market and those could be seen on daily basis if you were in the right place.  The Corvette wasn't the only one out there of course but it really had no competition as the others were less powerful and less expensive pony cars like the Mustang, Camaro, and Firebird.  When the Viper came on the scene, it was pure pandemonium. The Corvette was left playing second fiddle to the Viper for nearly two decades when it came to bragging rights made up of horsepower, displacement, and 0-60 times.  Chevrolet of course has recently unleashed the Corvette ZR1 which most assuredly gives the Viper a run for its money but thats another story for another time.

The 1992 Dodge Viper was powered by an 8.0 Liter V10, originally meant for application in stump pulling, hard working, Ram pick-ups.  While the V10 did do just that it also found it's away into the Viper. Unlike many cars out there, the Viper was built around the V10 rather than putting the engine into an already designed car.  The 1992 Viper generated an even 400 horsepower, a good 200 less than the current variation; yet 400 horsepower is nothing to be ashamed of by any means.  Up until the Viper, there wasn't a car built in America that could generate such performance numbers as european and german super cars, but the viper still stands today as one of the worlds highest performing super cars. While the Dodge Viper has been around for nearly 20 years now, it's formula hasn't much changed.  While it wasn't designed by Carroll Shelby, the legendary man behind the Shelby Cobra, he did play a part in the purpose of the Viper.  The Viper was designed with the Shelby Cobra in mind; two seats, big power and wide tires.  The Shelby Cobra is of course a legend and coveted vehicle in the automotive world as will the viper be.  That is why the viper will forever stand as one of the automotive greats and of course as one of those rides that make you weak at the knees!