#track

Several years ago, I decided that I wanted to head in a very different direction when it came to participating in high-performance driving events and time trial competition. I parked my modern, 400-horsepower sport sedan and picked up a 1978 Datsun 280Z with the goal of transforming it into a reliable and fun track car.

So, you’ve signed up to participate in an open track day or autocross event. First off, congratulations, but perhaps more importantly, are you ready?

“Just ease on the brakes,” my driving instructor says while slowly clenching his fist, demonstrating the desired technique.

Seventy-odd years ago the United States and Japan were bitter enemies, embroiled in a titanic struggle that played out across vast expanses of the Pacific Ocean. Today, these great nations are on more-than-friendly terms, though there’s still a rivalry churning away beneath the surface. Instead of guns and incendiary bombs it involves pistons and suspension tuning.

The new Mustang is a crowd pleaser, blending retro design touches with the latest performance technology. Shelby versions of Ford’s famous filly promise to deliver even more speed, kicking this hallowed nameplate squarely into the sports-car fray.

The first time I saw the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, I couldn’t wait for the day to come when I’d be able to finally drive one.

Tire technology is advancing quickly. Today there are specialty tires for every application: snow tires, ice tires, dirt tires, three season tires, low-rolling resistance tires; the list goes on and on.

When Skip Barber decided it was time to retire from professional racing in the 1970s, he had a radical idea. What if aspiring racers were coached just like any other athlete? Although this is a no-brainer today, in the 1970s it was not a popular belief as many still thought racing talent was born, not created.

Last month most of the AutoGuide.com crew uprooted to our test track for the better part of a week to assemble our largest performance test ever.

Yesterday we eliminated five cars from the 2014 AutoGuide Under $30,000 Performance Car Shootout.

That leaves the final three, which are all completely different takes on affordable fun. Weren’t we surprised when the numbers were tabulated and the top cars included not just all-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and front-wheel drive rivals, but a hatchback, a sedan and a coupe.

The Scion FR-S is a low-slung, rear-wheel drive sports coupe built without compromises. The Ford Fiesta ST is a sub-compact hatchback jacked on steroids. And finally we have the sensible, all-wheel drive Subaru sedan, that also just so happens to deliver awesome amounts of turbocharged thrust.

This is it, time to crown a victor. Who is your money on?

When it comes to supercars the upcoming McLaren P1 will be tough to beat… unless you’re an engineer at the company. In that case it should be “beat up” because the car was photographed undergoing durability testing in the desert.

Our regular Ask AutoGuide feature is all about helping distressed shoppers find the perfect vehicle, be it a cavernous crossover, a sensible sedan or something else entirely. Patrons send us a list of what they need and we get to work separating gold nuggets from gravel to generate a list of recommendations. But this week things are a little different. James forwarded us a message asking for guidance choosing between two different vehicles. Making things easy for us he’s done all the hard work, now all we have to do is share our opinion.

Chevrolet just revealed what will probably be the biggest surprise to come from the 2013 New York Auto Show, the revival of the Z/28 nameplate for the Camaro.

Sometimes the tire-destroying Mercedes-Benz SLS isn’t enough… enter the Black Series.

It’s a spectacular mix of old and new: the 2013 SRT Viper is back with more power and sex appeal than ever.