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2008 L.A. Auto Show Coverage: 2009 Nissan 370Z – Still no turbo?

admin — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:29:54 +0000

I was pretty busy bouncing from press conference to press conference at the 2008 L.A. autoshow. I didn’t cover the Nissan press conference but having previously owned a 350Z I had to check out the newest incarnation of the Z car, the 2009 Nissan 370Z.

My first reaction was, “What did they do to the lights?”. It looked like the new Nissan Maxima headlights, which I wasn’t too fond of. But after closer inspection I started to get what the designers were going for. I love the new shape and roof line. It looks just like the old school Datsun 240Z, a car I would love to own if I had the chance to pick up a project car.

The Nissan 370Z gets a welcome boost in power from a 3.7L V6 engine. This new power plant puts down 332 horsepower and 270 lb-ft. of torque. This is about 26 more hp than the previous model. Not bad, but I doubt previous owners will notice much of a difference on the butt dyno. I still think they should’ve come out with a tuner version of the vehicle that has a 4-banger turbo power plant. Take a look at the new Hyundai Genesis Coupe. They’ll be coming in both a V6 and an I4 turbo. Smart move if you ask me.

A lot of 350Z owners are enthusiasts. A lot of enthusiasts like tuning, modifying and upgrading. I’m not sure how this power plant will do, but the old 3.5L V6 didn’t respond too well to modifications. You had to drop some serious coin to put down more power. Granted, it was still fast and a very balanced vehicle. But not tapping into that huge aftermarket is a big mistake. Especially in our current economy. These days, not a lot of people can afford $30,000+ vehicles. So tuners and aftermarket enthusiasts are going to buy cheaper cars that they can upgrade to satisfy their need for speed.

If someone from Nissan happens to read this and a tuner version of the 370Z comes out. You’ll be getting a bill from me Nissan. I’ll also take a 370Z as payment if you would like me to continue my research.

Daytona Blue Nissan 350Z : Owner – Tyler Klee

admin — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:20:05 +0000

I had the opportunity to shoot Tyler’s Daytona Blue Nissan 350Z last week. He drove all the way from Temecula, Ca so the pressure was on again to make his trip worthwhile. I didn’t want him to drive all the way out here just to shoot in a parking garage so we went out into the hills of Santiago Canyon for this shoot. You might recognize the location from a couple of my other shoots but I love how wide open and picturesque it is there. The best part is that the location is fairly secluded and I haven’t been hassled by any authorities yet. That in itself is worth the drive out.

I had originally planned to utilize my strobes while there was still daylight but we started shooting at a perfect time and the light on the car was great. Nothing wrong with a little natural light now and again. I was really happy with how the front quarter rig shot came out.

If you haven’t already skipped my mindless rambling and checked out the photos, Tyler has done an awesome job modifying his Nissan 350z, inside and out. If you were curious, here’s a list of his modifications:

Body:
Nismo V2 Front Bumper
Nismo USDM Side Skirts
Nismo Rear Valences
Nismo Carbon Pillar Garnish
’06 Headlights, Custom Graphite Silver

Brakes/Suspension/Wheels:
Volk TE37 18×9.5/10.5 +12F, +15R
Toyo T1-R 245/275 35/18
SPC A-Arms
SPC Camber Arms
SPC Toe Bolts
BC Racing Coilovers
Stoptech 6-piston Front Brakes

Engine:
Nismo Cat-back
Berk HFC’s
Cobb Stage 2 Reflash
Motordyne 5/16 Plenum Spacer
Color Matched Engine Cover

Interior:
Custom Covered OEM Seats
Pioneer Avic D3
JL 10W7
JL xSI 6.5 Components
Infinity Kappy 6.5 Rear Speaker
JL 500/1 and 450/4 Amps
Wicked C.A.S. Door Pods
RSW CF Window Switch Overlay

2009 Nissan GT-R

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:15:06 +0000

The Nissan GT-R is back and I want one. Ask any car enthusiast about the GT-R and the majority of them will say the same. With insane twin-turbo V-6 power, edgy looks, and a cult-like following rivaling that of the Beatles, the 2009 Nissan GT-R lives up to the hype.

A 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-6 powers the GT-R. With 480 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque, you’d better have your inhaler handy.

The simple-yet-sporty interior complements the feel of the Nissan GT-R. And just to show you this car was meant to motor, the speedometer was arranged in such a way that the 140-mph tick mark is where you would normally see 60 mph on most cars. I guess the designers figured you wouldn’t be spending a whole lot of time under 100 mph.

The GT-R’s exterior styling causes mixed feelings. Some people hate it and others love it. I, for one, like the edgy design. I think it’s one of those looks that grow on you.

The Nissan supercoupe’s 4-wheel Brembo disc brakes with 15-inch rotors bring everything to a screeching halt when needed, while the gold calipers provide a little eye candy in the process.

Well-bolstered leather and suede bucket seats do a great job of keeping your butt in place on those curvy mountain roads. If you’re wondering about space in the back seat, the GT-R probably isn’t for you. However, if you’re wondering if they put dual subwoofers in between the rear seats, then you’ve come to the right place.

The 2009 Nissan GT-R is rollin’ on DUBS! Not just your regular run-of-the-mill dubs, but super-lightweight, forged-aluminum dubs. 20 x 9.5 inches in front and 20 x 10.5 inches at the rear.

Purists out there might scoff at the fact that there’s no clutch pedal in the GT-R. But the 6-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission is responsive and probably shifts faster than I do. It gets extra cool points for automatically blipping the throttle to match revs on downshifts.

The rear end of the Nissan GT-R is iconic. The dual circular taillights are instantly recognizable. I found this out as I was almost run off the road multiple times by people snapping pictures from their camera phones.

Starting at around $70,000, this car is an awesome deal considering it’ll decimate sports cars twice its price. Unfortunately, $70k is not going to happen on this photographer’s salary. Not to mention dealers are throwing on a pretty gnarly markup. So until my kidney sells on Ebay, or the price drops because they use this car in the next Fast and the Furious installment, these photos will have to suffice.

Behind The Lens: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Photo In The Studio

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:01:21 +0000

Shooting in a studio is something I’m still very new to. It’s worlds different from shooting on location. The great part about shooting in the studio is that you can control almost everything. It’s awesome for shooting black cars because it’s easier to control reflections. The studio is also good for details and interior shots. In this particular photo I was bouncing light off of a flat above the vehicle using a pair of ARRI hot lights. The benefit of constant lighting is it’s always WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get). So if you want highlights to accentuate the fenders you manipulate the lights until you get what you want. Here’s a few other studio shots I took using similar techniques.

Behind The Lens: Adding Black Skies – 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8

admin — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:54:38 +0000

When I get a black car to shoot I try to find a nice open space to minimize distracting reflections. A good photographer friend of mine, Ron Perry, suggested a spot that would be perfect. Unfortunately, instead of a colorful sunset I got an overcast marine layer because the location was close to the water. The car looked great but the bland sky made for a bland photo. Luckily, my wife and I went to Hawaii for our honeymoon and I grabbed a great shot that worked perfectly with the black Dodge Challenger SRT8.

2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8

admin — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:01:14 +0000

If you looked up Billy Badass in the dictionary you’d find a picture of the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8, taken by me of course. You can practically feel the chest hair sprouting every time you mash the pedal. This might not be a desired side effect if you’re of the feminine persuasion but it’s a small price to pay to drive a vehicle putting down 425 horsepower and 420 lb ft of torque. This brute strength emanates from a 6.1L SRT HEMI V8 engine, so you aren’t going to be winning any fuel economy awards. But if you want that old school muscle look without having to worry about old school reliability, the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 should be on the top of your list.

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Modified Nissan 350Z : Owner – BJ Lopez

admin — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:06:51 +0000

BJ hit me up for a shoot because he’s lookin to sell his 350Z and he wanted some good shots before he let it go. He specifically asked me to focus on certain rig shots so thats what I did. Post processing took a bit longer but I try to accomodate my customers as best I can. The clean Nismo front bumper and the 19 inch Work Meister S1′s really set this car off. All in all, the shoot went great. BJ’s a good guy and was easy to work with. Whoever ends up buying his car is gonna be really happy.

Modifications:

2003 Nissan 350Z / Track Model / Chrome Silver/

Factory Packages and Options: Navigation / 18inch Rays Track wheels / OEM Brembo Front and Rear BBK / OEM trunk spoiler

Aftermarket Parts: Nismo Version 2 with Canards bumper (replica) – Quality paint by Makito (Seven Apple)
Work Meister S1 19×9.5 – 19×10.5 | Toyo T1r 255/35 – 275/35
Tanabe GF210 lowering springs
GReddy Evo2 Full exhaust
Veilside V1 Carbon sides
Jim Wolf Popcharger
Stoptech Front Rotors
Hawk HPS Brake pads
Polished Tow Hook

Subaru Impreza WRX STi VS. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X

admin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:28:40 +0000

To say that there’s a rivalry between the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi and the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X is a bit of an understatement. But let’s just say they’re not on speaking terms at the moment. As an automotive enthusiast, I think that rivalry is good. It raises the bar and we get bigger and better toys to play with. Take the current incarnations of these two vehicles. A lot of people are saying that they are the best they have ever been. Having driven both vehicles I can honestly say…they’re both pretty fun. But what do you expect from a photographer. I’m not a professional driver, nor am I an automotive editor. I do know my way around a camera however. So I say let’s bring these cars to my home court. Let’s have a little Photo Faceoff. It’s o.k. to be superficial in this situation. Succumb to your “OOoohhh Shiiiiinnnnny” reflex. Check out the rear ends, gawk at the headlights, and when you’re done, cast your vote for the winner of this Photo Faceoff.

Evo VS STi

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Behind The Lens – Composite Shot – Modified Nissan 350Z : Owner – Rommel Jiminez

admin — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:22:51 +0000

Mel specifically asked to shoot at this location because he liked the way the green contrasted with light colors such as silver. One problem I find with this place is lighting. There are tall street lamps up and down the road, alternating sides. You really have to pick your positioning carefully because if you don’t you get distracting glares and shadows. I fixed this by bringing my own lighting into the equation. By lighting the car with a strobe and then combining it with a shot of the background, I was able to get the car exactly how I wanted it.

I combined these 3 images

to get this image

Modified Nissan 350Z : Owner – Rommel Jimenez

admin — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:58:58 +0000

Mel contacted me on My350z.com for a photoshoot of his highly modified Nissan 350Z. With a full Vertex body kit and custom FIVE:AD rims, he is well on his way to building an awesome machine. The way Mel modified his Nissan 350z was clean and subtle, but at the same time the car screams “Check me out!” But don’t take it from me, check out these photos:

Here’s a list of his current modifications just in case you saw something you liked.

Interior

Sparco Milano 2 Suede Seats
Momo Shift Knob

Vertex 10th Anniversary Edition Steering Wheel

Works Bell GTC Flip Up Hub

Works Bell Short Boss Hub

Carbon Fiber Instrument Cluster Cover

Exterior

Vertex Front Full Bumper

Vertex Side Skirts

Vertex Rear Full Bumper

M1 Autobody Spray On Clear Bra

2006 OEM Bi- Xenon Head Lights Painted Matte Black

2006 OEM LED Tail Lights

S2000 Antenna

Engine

Gruppe M Carbon Fiber Intake

Gruppe M Carbon Fiber Ram Air System

K&N Filter

Mirror Polished Plenum

Carbon Fiber Z Tube

Carbon Fiber Brake Fluid Cover

Carbon Fiber Battery Cover

Custom Blue Grounding Wire Kit

NGK Iridium Spark Plugs

Motordyne 5/16 Isothermal Spacer

HKS Hi Power Dual Titanium Exhaust

In Car Entertainment

Pioneer 6500-DVD Headunit

Pioneer Navigation

Pioneer 12 Disc Changer
IPOD FM Modulator

Pioneer 6.5” Separates and Speakers

Wheels/Tires

Two FiveAD S5:F 19×9.5 +35 Offset in Matte Gunmetal

Two FiveAD S5:F 19×10.5 +33 Offset in Matte Gunmetal

Project Kics 20mm Spacers for the front

Project Kics 25mm Spacers for the rear
Two Toyo T1-R 255/35/19

Two Toyo T1-R 275/35/19

Brakes

Project Mu 4-Piston Forged Front Brake Kit

Project Mu 355mm SCR-PRO Front Rotors

Project Mu B-Force Pads Front & Rear

Project Mu Teflon Brake Lines

Project Mu G-Four Brake Fluid

Suspension

Eibach Pro-Kit Springs

Tokico D-Spec Adjustable Shocks

SPC Rear Adjustable Arms

SPC Adjustable Toe Bolts

Cusco Polished Front Strut Bar