KeriBlog

Cars, Security & a Peek into my Life

HUDs are Good

This tech debuted in fighter jets and has made its way down to our passenger vehicles.

It’s a holographic technology called HUD – Heads-Up Display.

Thought I’d dislike it – a busy cluster of information positioned directly in my field of vision? – but it’s fast to adopt and quite enjoyable. No dipping your eyes.

Find HUD in the Hyundai Genesis, Cadillacs, and Mazda does a great job.

Read it online at Autonet.

Favourite line:

Usually I condemn these new bleeding-edge technology features and discourage adoption, but Head-Up Displays are an exception, opt-in on a new car if possible. 

2016_Mazda3_HUD_KeriBlog
Review of the all-new 2015 Hyundai Genesis here.

Here’s a detailed post about HUD.

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My Best Review Yet – 2015 Mazda MX-5

2015 Mazda MX-5

Starting at $29,450
This one $40,925

It surprised me it came out so good, because it was tough for 2 reasons.

1

You can’t actually buy this thing, so I had to review a car you can’t buy (my tester was #738 / 1,099 worldwide)

2

The MX-5 is a universally loved car by auto journalists, and there are one trillion glowing MX-5 reviews, how’s mine to be different?

I took the approach, “That’s why most reviews about the MX-5 read the same, and sound like this” which they all do, because the car is that good.

However, “The real question is: which model year do you choose? This one, or wait for the all-new model coming next year?”

(short answer – buy this year, the simpler, purer version, because the all-new model will be covered in tech and aids.)

Read it online at Autonet.

Even the photoshoot came together beautifully, come ON this haybale face.

I added it to my collection, “Special Car Photos“.

So for sure I was pleased when this printed across the newspaper chain. Of all the ones ahhh.

My favourite line even ended up in the blue circle, couldn’t have worked out better.

Now this is the review I link to when I have to showcase my work.

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Update: this review ended up being quoted on the Mazda site ha, here

 

 

Driving an MX-5 on a GoKart Track in Atlanta

This was a surprise stop along the 2014 Mazda Adventure Rally.

I’m driving a 2014 Mazda MX-5 on the gokart track, at the Atlanta Motorsports Park.

This is basically my first track time.

This kart track has more changes in elevation than any other track in the world, including one that’s 43 ft.

More photos of the track here.

Here’s the whole rally blogged: #MazdaRally, and there’s links there to my newspaper stuff there.

Until this trip, I thought the Miata was a princess-y car, nope. It loves off-roading?! Huh.

 

 

Car Rallies are Won with the Mind

Read it online at Autonet.

Sometimes a rally isn’t just speed-based, it’s a thinking race, where teams compete for points.

Favourite line:

A trick I learned that you can use too: the word “right” has two meanings, “do I turn left here?” Instead of responding with “right”, say “check.”

Above is Keith Townsend, the gentleman in the article, and co-owner of  Vehicle Dynamics Group, the company behind the Mazda Adventure Rally. He won the modern division of Targa’s Modern Division in 2006, and in 1996 placed 3rd in the Canada CRC Canadian Rally Championship.

Below is the co-owner, Jud Buchanan, who has 6 podium Targa finishes, and is the former lead instructor at the Porsche Advanced Driving School.

Both are great guys with big brains, and who you should hire to design your rally.

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