motorculture

We all know you eager driving enthusiasts are keen to get your mits on the latest release from the Forza Franchise. But, is there anything that’s marginally different about the latest version? You bet there is. It isn’t just the gameplay style, but everything from dirt roads to night time driving has been added to the latest incarnation of the award winning series. So how can the best driving simulator, get any better? Well, the game has changed its format. It isn’t aimed to be an improvement on the last game, more of a branch off. Using a tweaked engine, the guys at Turn10 Studios have figured how to incorporate an open-world style of play into the game. The player, when not racing of course, has the ability to free-roam. There are countless miles of city streets, busy B roads and even canyon passes. What can you do whilst you’re out on the prowl? Search for races, or just have a bit of sideways fun. It’s entirely up to the player. Two huge factors we are truly looking forward to testing are the new dirt roads (complete with their own physics engine) and the night time driving experience. Many of us have been craving that extra dimension to the game, and this time around Turn10 have delivered the goods. Not only is the dirt road physics engine going to change things up, but there are countless miles of winding dirt back roads that one can race along. Even add a bit of dusk to the picture to get that true mountain run theme. Creating your own little drift / rally circuit by taking specific roads in a circuit will certainly add a lot of fun to the playability aspect of Forza Horizon. Another cool new feature is the night time experience. We all know that cruising around at night adds a level of feel to driving, even if it is a computer simulation. That moment when you catch headlights in your rearview mirror, or at the opposite end of the scale, the moment you catch taillights on the uphill dash. These small quirks will provide us with a totally new Forza Experience. So what are you waiting for? Pre-order your copy now! The game is set to be released on the 20th of October. Check out the official Forza site - Forza Horizon | Australia - Xbox.com And catch the official launch trailer below! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl0gzDxhOAs

Car fans around the world can breathe a sigh of relief – your latest fix of action packed virtual racing is here. Courtesy of Turn10, the latest rendition of the highly prized ‘racing simulator’ has opted to change the style of gameplay to something new. And we’re all for it. Forza Horizons differs greatly from the previous games. It is not so much an extension of the previous game; more a branch off so to say. Gameplay has changed in a sense that there is an ‘open world’ method of browsing challenges and races. One can cruise the streets of Colorado looking for races that they can compete in to no doubt earn dollars, prizes and cars. Sounds good! Visually, the game has changed a lot too. The cars look and feel more authentic, and less ‘sterile’. Turn10 and their passionate team have strived and slaved for hours rendering even more realistic models of our favorite vehicles, adding a few more cult classics to the mix that we’ve yet to see in any previous Forza game. All in all, it’s visually stunning. Even the scenery has had attention paid to it. It’s all about the racing and feel of the game, which we will be discussing in another piece to come. We can say one thing however, the experience of piloting $500,000+ hypercars has not changed. It is still involving, fluid and seamless; which has grown to become the Forza Franchises trademark. We’re looking forward to playing the game very soon, so keep your eyes peeled for our exclusive on how we feel the game plays. We will be bringing you videos and plenty of snap-shots very soon, and exploring what extras the game has to offer to ‘Forza tragic’s’ like ourselves. Check out the official trailer below! Forza Horizons will be released starting from the 23th of October.

The weather was perfect, and with a crowd of over 200,000, the Bathurst 1000 was set to be an epic day of motorsport history. With Jesse Dixon winning the Shannons Supercar Showdown, it was up to him and his team mate Cameron Waters to pilot the Shannons V8 car around the mountain on the 50th anniversary of the great race. You may remember Cameron from last year’s Shannons Supercar Showdown, as he took out the title and became the youngest person to ever drive at Bathurst. The pairing, with a combined age of only 38, were the youngest ever duo in history to take on the race. Last year saw young gun Waters bin his car and not finish the race, but this year the pair managed to get the car over the line unscathed. Finishing in 20th place as a rookie on one of the toughest racetracks around is an excellent achievement. Also considering they were driving the oldest car in the field, too. Their best lap time was only 2.5 seconds off the fastest of the day – which was set by Shane Van Gisbergen. The only troubles to plague the team were a small radio communication issue and an exhaust problem. Both were fixed promptly however, and the bonnet of the Shannons V8 was not lifted at all during the race! The race caps off Dixon’s dream and promise to his late father – to race at Bathurst. At the age of 11, Dixon started his quest which has come to fruition thanks to the Shannons Supercar Showdown. There will be a special post-Bathurst edition of the Shannons Supercar Showdown on Saturday October 13 at 2PM, only on 7MATE. Don’t forget to visit the Shannons Supercar Showdown by CLICKING HERE

The finale is here. It has been 11 weeks in the making, but we’re down to the last leg of the competition! It was 77 days ago that 10 rookie racecar drivers of all description entered the Kelly Racing headquarters in order to pit their skills against each other. As the weeks went past, the contestants toppled and those who kept their cool remained in the competition. Things started to heat up when the Shannons V8 Supercar was introduced. The remaining contestants were driving at 10/10ths in order to stay in the competition, which resulted in the inevitable – plenty of “off-track” action! With Samantha out of the running, last week the boys thought that the competition would be narrowed down to two contestants. They were pleasantly surprised when the Kelly brothers mentioned that there were to be no eliminations – making it three contestants competing in the finale. As the contestants were clearly on edge, the Kelly brothers decided to give them a little treat prior to the race. Seven-time Bathurst champion and all round racing legend Jim Richards arrived at Winton Raceway to give some advice to the remaining few, hopefully boosting their confidence. So what will determine who gets to start on the grid at Bathurst this year? A timed, two lap stint in the Shannons V8 Supercar. Whoever is fastest, wins. It’s as simple as that. This is certainly one finale you cannot miss! Catch the episode below. If you’ve missed any of the previous episodes, you can catch them on the Shannons Supercar Showdown website OR on the Shannons Supercar Showdown marathon on 7MATE, this Thursday!

Three contestants remaining, one week left. This is it for the Shannons Supercar Showdown! Samantha Reid’s appearance was short lived as she was eliminated last week on the Shannons Supercar Showdown. Only three contestants remain, with the young gun still in the running to win this year’s competition! It’s Australia VS New Zealand and the battle is going to be fierce. The first elimination task is a simulated race. The contestants are starting to find their way around the Shannons / carsales.com.au V8 Supercar and beginning to feel confident behind the wheel of the 600 horsepower brute. The Kelly brothers will be expecting the three to be able to abide by pit rules, get the cars up to temp between pits and put down some quick lap times. All in all, it is a tester for what is to come at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000. Will anyone misbehave or disobey the strict guidelines? There’s always one who forgets something… To help the contestants a little on this rather hard task, each was allowed a few laps riding shotgun with either of the Kelly brothers. This is a priceless experience, as watching the pros handle the V8 Supercar can only do good things for your own driving style – Car control, braking points and racing lines will all be explained during this drive. The pit stop part of the challenge is what will catch most contestants out. Specific stopping points, gear and speed limiters and the overall time taken will be considered by the Kelly brothers. Will anyone be disqualified due to failing to adhere to the set guidelines? Who will se the fastest pace – an Aussie or a Kiwi? Will their efforts be enough to put them on top of the leaderboard going into the final round of the Shannons Supercar Showdown? Check out the action packed episode below! Also don’t forget to check out the Shannons Supercar Showdown webpage by clicking HERE!

Last week not only saw the contestants from the Shannons Supercar Showdown pilot a V8 Supercar, but it also saw them being introduced to a rather familiar face… The bombshell that was dropped at the end of last week’s episode was a big one. A contestant from series one, all round sweetheart Samantha Reid, had been invited to join the remaining three to compete for the spot in the Kelly Racing V8 Supercar. The more the merrier, right! The reward challenge was held at a fitting venue – A car museum. The remaining contestants got time to have a look at the rare old metal on display, clearing their minds before the reward challenge. What is the task? Simple – a multiple choice quiz. The winner will receive a one-on-one mentoring session with the boys from Kelly Racing, which is something that’ll certainly give the winner the upper hand. The elimination challenge this week is one that relies heavily on technical knowledge and mechanical understanding. The name of the game is fuel consumption. The Kelly Racing duo will be looking for the fastest driver with the lowest fuel consumption – which demonstrates which contestant is familiar with their car’s throttle, and how to adjust their driving style to suit a car running dry on fuel. Everyone was rounded up and sent to Winton Raceway to participate in the fuel consumption challenge. The 600 plus horsepower V8 Supercar engines certainly enjoy the fuel. The Kelly Brothers will be out around the track monitoring throttle use, and how each driver adapts to the course knowing they have to be conservative with fuel. Samantha Reid seems to think that her driving style is adequately suited to this challenge… After each stint, the fuel cell is drained and overall fuel usage is measured. This task is not all about going fast – maintaining corner speed and accelerating in a linear fashion will separate those from first place to elimination. Smooth is fast, remember. Will anyone drive with a lead foot and guzzle fuel? Or will the drivers be let down by going too slowly around Winton? Make sure you check out the episode below! Also don’t forget to check out the Shannons Supercar Showdown webpage by clicking HERE!

With week 7 now gone, and a shock double-elimination taking two contestants out of the running, only three people remain in the Shannons Supercar Showdown! This week’s reward challenge focuses on reaction time, and the ability to process visual information. V8 Supercar drivers need keen eyes in order to spot potential collisions, obstacles, and be able to react quick enough to avoid disaster. The last three have to test their skills on a state of the art reaction tester. Not just once however, but twice. After they’ve completed the first task on the reaction tester, the competitor has to take part in a quick exercise circuit before heading back to the machine and giving it another go. Attempting to use the reaction tester whilst fatigued will show who can remain steady whilst under the pump. Oil lubrication specialist Fuchs have provided a $500 dollar cash reward for the man with the speediest hands. Who has the stamina keep up their response times during the challenge and earn a quick buck in the process? Also, this week’s task is something that’ll really step up the game. The contestants are no longer competing in the Renault RS250. They’re stepping things up to the Shannons V8 Supercar this week! Each contestant will have three timed laps around Winton Raceway, then pit for a chat with the engineer to overlook the data logging and receive general feedback. From there, they are allowed another three timed laps to hopefully better their previous time. The judges will be looking for communication between engineer and driver. This is a vital part of any motorsport team, as the engineers need to gain an understanding of how the car currently feels in order to alter the setup to suit different race tracks or weather conditions. Will anyone put the fresh V8 Supercar off the track? Do you think that the young 17 year old can handle the 550 plus horsepower from the V8? Check out the episode below to find out! Also don’t forget to check out the Shannons Supercar Showdown webpage by clicking HERE!

With only a handful of contestants remaining, we're reaching the back straight of the Shannons Supercar Showdown! After last weeks reward challenge involving the spoken word, this weeks challenge had to change things up a little. The contestants headed to famous Sandown Raceway where they were to partake in a more motorsport related task this week. But, it's not a typical circuit style layout... It's a straight line! The remaining few will need to stage at the line and launch a Renault Megane RS250s over the eighth mile. Reaction times and the ability to launch a vehicle are key factors which will determine who comes out on top. Both of these aspects are important, and will come into play when the lucky winner gets to steer around the mountain. Each contestant will partake in a timed run, and the winning two will face-off in a proper good old drag race. The reward? A time discount in the elimination challenge. This reward huge bonus to the winner, providing an advantage that could potentially keep someone in the running to win. However the challenge is a big thing - a simulated race. The contestants will head out and around a slightly altered Sandown Raceway. A four lap, standing start race with lights will certainly determine who can keep their cool under pressure and maintain a smooth yet fast driving style. But that's not all, contestants will have to show discipline by pitting at a random interval during the race whilst adhering to pit rules - speed and gear limits. To top it off, Mr Kelly himself will be sitting in the passenger seat with each contestant during their laps; taking notes and generally observing how they handle a car on a proper race track. Will experience shine during this challenge? Or will the young guns prove they can steer just as well as people double their age? The only way to find out is to check the episode below! Also don’t forget to check out the Shannons Supercar Showdown webpage by clicking HERE!

The guys down at Shannons and Renault have come together to organize one killer prize for a lucky enthusiast – the keys to a brand new Renault Megane RS250 Cup! These rides are built with one thing in mind – performance . They feature huge Brembo brakes, large diameter wheels and a race-inspired interior. Combined with a turbocharged 2.0 litre double overhead cam engine, the Megane RS250 offers magnificent road feel and fantastic performance. And, as an added bonus, the prize car comes with one year of comprehensive Shannons insurance! So, are you interested? Enter now by going to the Shannons Supercar Showdown website at http://www.shannons.com.au/supercarshowdown/ and fill in your details – Simple!

The first three weeks of the Shannons Supercar Showdown have been intense. And the fourth week was no different! Last week saw an elimination task involving the contestants battling it out on serious business, Arrow race go-karts. Sarah sadly didn’t achieve up to standards, and was well wished home by her fellow competitors. This week, things have heated up a little more. With a racing icon on the judging panel for week fours elimination challenge, how will everyone perform under his watchful eye? Interested to know who it is? Well you just have to watch the episode! (Video can be found below) Week fours challenge focuses on driver changing – the art of pitting successfully. Competitors will be piloting a Renault Megane RS250 around a short course, then told to pit correctly, change driver (with their team mate) and exit pit lane in a correct manner. Not stopping on the marker, changing gears in the pits and hitting cones out on the track all count as negative points during judging. Furthermore, there is a little incentive challenge for the drivers too. A knockout style competition on a racing simulator will certainly show who’s familiar with the famous mountain. The prize? Free food, free booze and free bowling! So, which of our contestants will be going home? Who will win the incentive challenge and enjoy a round of bowling to help boost confidence? Watch episode four below! Don’t forget to check out the Shannons Supercar Showdown website by clicking HERE

Supercar Showdown is back! After a very successful first year, which included overseas awards and recognition, 7mate are proud to announce that the Shannons Supercar Showdown is back for another action-packed season of motorsport! Last year’s winner, 17 year old Cameron Waters, became the youngest driver to ever attend the ‘Great Race’ AKA the Bathurst 1000. Waters piloted the Shannons Mars racing car with vigor, but sadly retired from the race. A great moment during the race was when Waters over steered heavily on exit, looping his V8 Supercar but managing to recover it with incredibly fast counter steering. Here’s a clip of the hairy moment. The prize on offer this year is a huge one – the chance to drive a Kelly Racing V8 supercar at the historic 50th anniversary of the Bathurst 1000. The diverse choice of competitors for the second season will make this show even better than last year. They start from as young as 16, have travelled from all over the globe (from as far as Texas!) and cover both genders. The competition levels this year are going to be high. There is a lot at stake, whether it is pride or the simple fact of winning the chance to be a part of an event that will go down in Australian Motorsport History! Dwindling down the competitors this year will be done via set tasks that each person will attempt. Simple challenges, such as re-sitting your driving test, have been thrown into the mix to make things a little bit interesting. Of course, there will be plenty of skidpan action and fast paced stuff to keep us budding motoring enthusiasts entertained. But it’s not all about the drivers. YOU can get involved this year and doing so will put you into the running to win a Renault Megane RS250 Cup Challenge valued at $42,000 courtesy of Shannons and Renault. Click HERE to visit the homepage where you can enter the competition, read the competitors bios and catch up on previous episodes of the show you may have missed. So who’s going to win and get to pilot the Kelly Racing V8 car this year? There’s only one way to find out. Catch the show on 7MATE at 1PM Saturday. Catch the first episode here!

The action wasn’t happening all inside the dome this year. The guys from All Stars turned it up a notch by gracing the walkway into MotorEx with a plethora of cars – stuff ranging from JDM through to stanced-out VIP rides. Honda Civics with the right wheels and ride height certainly still look awesome. Both of these examples were wearing quality wheels and were both very US-inspired. A sacked Aurion, parked behind an Integra and then on to numerous hot rods and a Trans Am? This is what you can expect at MotorEx. It’s rare to see all so many different car cultures unite and park side by side to be appreciated. The All Stars boys really rounded up a great selection of rides. Countless people were walking around checking out all of the metal on display. Matte finishes are starting to become ever so popular, with the rise in vinyl wrapping technologies. This IS Lexus was ‘murdered out’ sporting black accents everywhere. Kelvin’s Ruckus was a unique car on display. Not many people in Australia have yet to modify their Ruckus’ in the fashion Kelv has! Getting low seems to be the go! For more pictures from the day, click HERE to check out the official gallery!

The judges were hard pressed to pick category winners at this years’ 2012 MotorEx event. With top shelf machines all gunning for that title prize, each ride was placed under the microscope and truly examined to the Nth degree. We bring you the some of the class and category winners from the event, just in case you missed the announcements on the day! Meguiar’s Superstar Awards Best of Breed “Hot Rod” Ewan McDonald – 1934 Ford Coupe ‘SR’ Best of Breed “Street Machine” Paul Bennett – 1958 Borgward Goliath ‘GOLIATH’ 3M Street Elite Showcase Pinnacle Awards – Hot Rod colin Benton – 1946 Bedford Pickup Pinnacle Awards – Street Machine Paul Soumo – 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Pinnacle Awards – Tuner Jamie Marchione – 1999 Subaru WRX Pinnacle Awards – Custom Euro Aaron Vumbaca – 2001 BMW M3 Pinnacle Awards – Custom Cruiser Lenny Giallongo – 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Keep your eyes peeled for further updates including more coverage from the event filled with top-notch photos! Click HERE to visit our website with a NEW updated gallery from MotorEx!

Annnnd we’re one sleep away from the greatest car show on earth! We’re all about taking things to the next level here at MotorEx. Having a worlds’ first at the show is just a taste of what you can expect at this weekend’s event. Exotic Graphix in Melbourne have stepped it up a notch by chrome wrapping one of the five Lexus LF-A’s in the country. This is going to be a sight not worth missing! We cannot reveal all the surprises however. There will be a total of TWELVE, yes TWELVE unveils over the course of the weekend! With killer names such as Gary Myers and Joe Russo pulling out the stops this year and getting their cars ready for the show, you can expect nothing bar solid gold. Here is a list of the unveils which will be occurring over the weekend: Gary Myers 2005 Ford Mustang GT “2INSANE” Steve Nogas 2010 Chevrolet Camaro “KILLA B” Gareth Davies Custom Harley Chopper & Michelle Davies 1976 Holden LX Torana Hatchback Damian Horner 2002 Holden VY Commodore Ute “FINEVY” Dave Keen 1955 Holden FJ Coupe Dave & Katrina Martin 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Joe Tanti 1965 VW Beetle “GILTEE” Karen Keves 1972 Holden HQ Monaro “Mission Impossible” Troy McInerney Custom Chopper Paul Soumo 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Joe Russo 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Mick Fabar 1967 Ford XR Falcon “ZERO’D” No car show is complete without pretty ladies, right? Don’t worry; there will be plenty of promo girls out and about representing the numerous traders dotted around the show. It’s always nice to be able to take something home with you to remember the day. Mat Egan busted out some sweet pin striping, which has found its way onto a rather limited edition House Of Kolour T shirt. What’s even cooler is that $10 from each shirt sale (they’re $35) is going to Camp Quality! This is even more of a reason to buy one. You guys have no excuse NOT to come! So who’s coming? For further information CLICK HERE to visit the MotorEx homepage!

One minute with Jody Vincitorio and ‘CHOPPT’ Jody and his car are the definition of passion. Well put it this way, he had to postpone his wedding for eight months until the car was finished. Don’t we all wish our wives-to-be could be so understanding! Over $100,000 later and nearly three years in the making, ‘CHOPPT’ tickled the judges’ fancy at Summernats earlier this year. The candy apple green HQ Monaro is simply a work of art, and pictures do not do it any justice. Come check it out this weekend at MotorEx! Here’s a short clip with the man himself.