Impulse N2 Spec Racer - Drift made it popular again, but wait there's more…

By Tatsunori Tsuchida

Homologated track cars in a "one-make" race; your choice of tires, brakes, suspension, how many points a roll-cage, what modifications to the engine… be it the rule book, it's all designed to make everything fair, in some cases affordable, and most importantly safe.

---

 

[Read the rest of this article...]

MotoIQ Radio: Ben Hsu of Japanese Nostalgic Car Magazine, Luke Lonberger of Blu808, and the Formula Drift Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Fundraiser

By Justin Banner & Kerryann De La Cruz

Japanese Nostalgia Cars and Drifting, nothing wrong with putting two of J-Ban's favorite things together on one show! Ben Hsu from Japanese Nostalgic Car Magazine will come on first to talk about Classic Japanese cars, trends in the Nostalgic side of JDM, and how the Classic cars of the USA and Japan Compare and Contrast. Then we'll have Formula Drift Driver, Luke Lonberger come on to talk about his Day Job at Blu808, his drifting Corvette, some ideas to help drifting in NorCal, and what 2013 has in store for him and the guys at Blu808. Finally, we'll talk with Formula Drift about the Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Fundrasier that will take place next Thursday at Irwindale Speedway. Old cars and Getting Slideways on MotoIQ Radio!

---

[Read the rest of this article...]

Modern Classic:  Impulse's Street-Tuned AE86

by Tatsunori Tsuchida

They’re usually very anal about their cars here. One can probably attribute this to the lack of necessity for private transportation. As much as cars in our society are a status symbol, it takes on a different plateau in a country where busses and trains are accepted as being normal modes of transportation. Couple that with a real estate market where homes always depreciate in value; and you get people living in shoddy homes with trick rides in the driveway.

---

 

[Read the rest of this article...]

Driver Profiles: Taka Aono

by Justin Banner

Want to know about the Nexen Tire/Megan Racing Drifting Ace, driver of the "Flying 86," and really nice guy Taka Aono? Here's your chance with this new feature for MotoIQ.com, Driver Profiles! Read on to learn a little more about Taka Aono and sense some of the personality that is the "Corolla Master!"

---

 

[Read the rest of this article...]

Motegi Racing's Killer AE86 Corolla GTS

By Mike Kojima

The Iconic Toyota Corolla AE86 is one of our all time favorite cars.  The last of the RWD econoboxes, the AE86 had timeless styling which still looks good today 26 years after it was first created.  The rare GTS variant had the then radical 4AG engine which had an unheard of for its time, 4 valves per cylinder and dual overhead cams with a 7500 rpm redline.  Its 1600cc's pumped out 114 hp at a time when your typical econo car revved to around 6000 rpm and put out 80 something hp.

---

 

[Read the rest of this article...]

The Best of 2010: Extreme Engine Tech, Technosquare's Monster Naturally Aspirated Toyota 4AG - Part 3 (VIDEO INSIDE!)

By Mike Kojima, Photos & Video by Jeff Naeyaert

Another look back to the best stories of 2010 featuring this three part build of the Iconic naturally aspirated Toyota 4AG. Follow the links, read all three parts and enjoy!

When we last left the Technosquare crew, they had completed the stroker 4AG engine's bottom end and assembled the cylinder head.  Now it was time for the engine's final assembly and installation into an AE86 time attack car.

Click Here for Part One

Click Here for Part Two

---

 

[Read the rest of this article...]

Extreme Engine Tech: Technosquare's Monster Naturally Aspirated Toyota 4AG - Part 2 By Mike Kojima In our last edition of the building of Technosquare's monster Toyota 4AG, we mainly looked at the details of the bottom end.  Now we will finish our tour of the bottom end and delve into the engines cylinder head which is the heart of any high performance engine. The 83mm x 83 mm stroker motor gives 1800cc.  The 200 extra cc's makes a huge difference, fortifying the 4AG's notoriously narrow power band. The engine cranks out over 250 crank hp, more than the most highly developed Formula Atlantic engines of yore and 30 more hp than the previous 1600 cc version of this motor.

 

[Read the rest of this article...]

Extreme Engine Tech:  Technosquare's Monster Naturally Aspirated Toyota 4AG - Part I By Mike Kojima The Toyota 4AG is a historic engine, one that was essential in launching sport compact car culture in the USA.  In 1985 the 4AG first rocked the automotive world.  It was the standard engine in the Toyota Corolla GTS, the famed Hachi Roku AE86.  The AE86 was the last of the RWD Corollas and Toyota made history by equipping it with the revolutionary A4G engine.  The AW11 MR2 mid engine sports car was also powered by the 4AG as well.

---

[Read the rest of this article...]