seanmcfarland51 Published Work

Wringing out the minimalist’s Porsche 911

Sean McFarland

This article was originally published on BBC Autos.
They say you shouldn’t mess with success. That is the philosophy that has guided Porsche in its treatment of the 911 since its birth in 1963.

Some of the most coveted editions of Porsche’s venerable sports car are the earliest examples.

Much like Florida’s Collier Collection, the rare museum that actually exercises its stock of classic metal, the owner in this video puts his original 911 through its paces without any reservation. Though it may seem like brutal punishment for such a beautiful classic, this Porsche has a secret: it’s not an early 911.

It’s a 1981 911 SC, modified to resemble one of the earlier models in the 911 lineage – and it’s the finely tuned creation of Bugatti’s head of design, Achim Anscheidt.

Videographer Christopher Kippenberger lavishes Anscheidt’s Porsche with lingering, languorous shots befitting an original early model 911.

Why, though, would anyone tamper with even an otherwise original ’81, no slouch in the desirability department? Anscheidt told multiple sources that he wanted his 911 to be the ideal minimalist sports car. That’s why he completely disassembled and rebuilt it with lighter body panels, a stripped interior and plastic windows. The result of this weight-saving regimen is a claimed 820kg (1,808lbs) curb weight, lighter than a Mazda Miata. Coupling this lightness with a 310-horsepower 3.2-litre flat six-cylinder engine translates to proper swiftness.

With all this in mind, the radical surgery seems less cruel. Anscheidt’s 911 becomes a perfect tool for a high-rpm sprint. And as your headphones will communicate, without the weight and muffled noise from the sound-deadening components of an unmodified 911, this Porsche is loud.

seanmcfarland51 Published Work

A Ford Mustang with wanderlust

Sean McFarland

This article was originally published on BBC Autos.

Ford used the 2014 New York auto show to commemorate the Mustang’s 50th birthday.

Since its launch at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York, the Mustang has rarely wanted for attention. The philosophy was simple: house massive engines in sleek bodies riding on relatively prehistoric suspension systems. With variations that appealed to the casual top-down Sunday driver as well as the speed-obsessed drag kingpin, the Mustang struck a chord. That charm, however, was not contained to the US.

The chiseled lines of the Mustang fastback body style attracted the attention of Norwegian videographer Arnfinn Hushovd. His 1969 Mustang Mach 1 was imported from Florida in 2007 sporting an eye-catching Calypso Coral paintjob. Such a purchase would have been rare in the extreme at the time of the car’s manufacture, an era when European automakers favoured well-handling sports cars with modest power. Their US counterparts were partial to brute force. As a result – and as any viewing of Top Gear will underscore – American sports cars continue to be perceived as a bit vulgar on the Continent.

Though Hushovd’s Mach 1 may stick out in Scandinavia like a hammer in a drawer of scalpels, the owner celebrates the car’s qualities with the above tribute. Granted, the nouveau-disco soundtrack may make Abba blush, but the visuals handily make up for it. Check out 1:30 when the Mustang purrs under the contrasting lights of a Norwegian tunnel.

seanmcfarland51 Published Work, Reporting

The horseless carriage, electrified in New York

Sean McFarland

This article was originally published on BBC Autos.

Horseless eCarriage

With animal rights activists calling for the end of the horse-drawn carriage era, several companies have begun fielding equine-friendly alternatives. One proposal put forth by a Florida company at the 2014 New York auto show attempts to preserve the romance of a cruise through Manhattan’s most famous park, without the horsepower.

The horse-drawn carriages of Central Park have been a staple of New York City tourism since the early 1900s. But while these chariots carry thousands of awe-struck visitors through New York City’s largest park every year, they have recently come under attack, with critics – including Mayor Bill de Blasio – citing what they call inhumane treatment and boarding of the animals at the front.

Horseless eCarriage

Jason Wenig, owner of a high-end coachwork and fabrication business, The Creative Workshop, proposes the Horseless eCarriage. This electric leviathan is a homage to the classic cars of the “brass era”. However, unlike the polished vehicles of the early 20th century, Wenig’s creation is electric.

With a claimed 100-mile range, the front-engine, rear-drive coach generates the equivalent of 84 horsepower and a top speed of 30 mph. Charging its lithium iron phosphate battery from a 220-volt outlet should take six hours, according to the company. For a vehicle that weighs about 7,500lbs when filled to its eight-passenger capacity, this carriage is no dainty surrey with a fringe on top.

Horseless eCarriage

The green and black carriage is awash in clever details, such as LED turning signals housed in oil lamps, three-abreast rear seating and even historical New York guidebooks on the seatback. For all this, Wenig argues that his creation is cheap to build and maintain – at least relative to keeping a team of horses in hay.

The eCarriage, however, is no shoe-in. It must secure political backing, both from elected officials and in the form of grant money to offset vehicle costs to carriage operators – who work privately. Regardless of whether this creation ends up seeing Center Drive,  its nostalgia-baiting design and sheer girth are enough to overshadow many cars at the auto show.

(Photo credit: Sean McFarland)

seanmcfarland51 Published Work

JDM gems shine – in Utah

Sean McFarland

This article was originally published on BBC Autos.

BBC Autos’ recent visit to the quasi-museum lurking beneath Mazda’s Irvine, California, headquarters stirred a hankering for some classic Japanese metal.

At a time when muscle cars reigned in America, the Japanese domestic market – also known as JDM – was busy fabricating what would become some of the most coveted designs on the road. Models like the Nissan Skyline, bearing a nameplate traceable to the late 1950s, established themselves as some of the most respected and tunable sporting cars on the market.

The above video, by Utah-based videographer Josh Clason, showcases several flawless examples of rare and sought-after Japanese vehicles, including a first-generation Toyota Celica, a Nissan Skyline in the four-door 2000GT and two-door GT-R trims, and even a modified Toyota Starlet hatchback. These cars aren’t garage queens, however. Check out the shots at 2:47, when three of these classics take to the streets in a cruise that would please many a JDM fan.

Clason’s video artfully highlights the aspects that made these cars famous: the furrowed brow of the earlier Skylines, the narrow stance of the Celica and the low-slung body of the 2000GT. JDM Legends, a garage based in Murray, Utah, has restorations ranging from the faithful to the subtly modified – the white Skyline GT-R coming with a twin-turbocharged RB26 engine swap from a late ‘80s Skyline. With the right parts, this power plant can be tuned to over 1,000 horsepower. Love them or hate them, era-specific fender mirrors adorn each of the cars.

For North American fans who might fancy these gems from the land of the rising sun, JDM Legends maintains a selection of clean examples for sale. Meantime, savour the sight of these vehicles in high definition.

seanmcfarland51 Writing

A Letter to 16-Year Olds with Junk Cars

Sean McFarland

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This is an updated version of one of my favorite pieces. I originally wrote it a while back and recently stumbled upon it. I’ve only made a few changes to it. Enjoy!

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Dear angsty teenager,

It’s about time you gave your junk car a break. Trust me, it’s much more important than you think it is. I used to be like you. I used to wallow in the woeful, rusty nature of my first car. But as I sit here in the living room of my mansion sporting a velvet robe and pipe, I realize that I’ve made it, and it’s all because of my old rust bucket.

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I realized this after I was interrupted by a sweet concerto coming out of my girlfriend Anna Kendrick’s iPod as she showered and sang along to the music in our palatial bathroom. I can’t help but let my mind wander about the meaning of a relationship, not only between people, but also between cars and their owners.

Okay, while I’m actually sitting in my girlfriend’s apartment not sporting such a desirable outfit, this argument does nonetheless cross my mind. As Fountains of Wayne’s middle-school era hit “Stacy’s Mom” blares through the bathroom door, I can’t help but think about the dynamics of relationships. While it takes confidence to knowingly sing aloud to such a laughable song in front of your significant other, it also takes confidence to do lots of things. I notice that those who drive less desirable cars tend to lack confidence in their vehicles and commonly refer to them as a “piece of crap” or other, more creative names. But there is something about it that just feels wrong, as these non-Ferraris and less-than-Lexuses should not be a source of shame, but rather a badge of honor.

Whether you drive a 1988 Ford Escort with paint that hasn’t seen clear coat since “Ice Ice Baby” was a hit, or a brand new Aston Martin DBS, there should be love in that car-owner relationship. Plainly, your car does not have to be nice for you to love it. In fact, there is a bit of a reward for loving such a troll of a vehicle. Take the Dodge Monaco rust bucket that the Blues Brothers drove around for example.  It had cigarettes rolling around on the cracked dash and had paint that mimicked the shiny veneer of a school chalkboard. In other words, it was a piece of junk. But as many know, following arguably one of the best car chase scenes of all time, the mammoth falls to pieces and Dan Aykroid is visibly saddened and accordingly removes his hat in mourning. Here lies my argument. A relationship, whether you realize it or not, is severed when you trade in your rusted Ford Escort for something newer. It then hits you that all those years of cracked leather, dead battery jumps, and broken climate knobs created a relationship which has now been broken thanks to your personal gluttony for modern convenience and comfort. Shame on you.

So what if you pull up to your first date and not every body panel is of a matching color? Loving your hunk of junk and being proud of it exudes confidence, and while the mysterious stains on the seats or the nice smell of a burning clutch might gross out your date, you’ll definitely stand out as confident. The fact of the matter is it’s funny, and you can even make jokes about it, which will probably make you look less like a serial killer in your junker. After all, taking pride in the little things is what makes life great. Constantly looking forward to the return of Cash for Clunkers is miserable, pointless, and your date will not dig your lack of confidence and will probably start looking for other faults in your character. Eventually, she’ll eventually leave you altogether and date someone else with a name like “Blaine” who has one earring and a knack for ’90s leather jackets—but I digress.

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Chicks dig that confident spark. Think about it, if you were able to roll up in a new Ferrari 458, you’ll think she’s wowed over by it, and she just might be. However, you’ll be so absorbed in the experience of driving a Ferrari, that your date will probably suck and she’ll think you’re selfish and a bit of an ass because you put your cappuccino in the only cup holder. But rolling up confidently in your Chevy Beretta is funny and quirky, so show it off. Give her a tour of those automatic seat belts, those always-trendy red cloth seats, and the four-speaker audio system with the optional cassette player included (whoa, you big spender). She’ll laugh and it shows that you can care about something and it’s a great conversation piece, assuming you play your cards right.

So as I wait for my significant other to finish getting ready so we can finally leave, think about this: your rusty lemon is exactly that, yours. Love it or hate it, you’re stuck with it so make the best of the situation. Giving it a funny nickname like the “Shag-wagon,” or “The Golden Chariot” not only gives it a personality, but it will make her smile. Love your lemon because before you know it, it might just finally die on you.

Sincerely,

Future you.