To slam or not to slam – that is the question. There are various ways you can lower your car to improve its performance and looks, but once you set it up in a way that the wheels and tires tuck under the fenders at a visible angle, then you have stepped over to the dark side.
When you go there, everyone with a keyboard at hand’s reach will surely make their thoughts known to you, insults will fly, name calling will be colorful, and you will be categorized as an attention seeker.
I’m not here to tell you what you should like or should not like, but rather present you what is out there in the wide world of car culture, and what we think is worthy of a little space on our site.
This sinister looking ND Roadster that I came across at Mooneyes’ Street Car Nationals last weekend fits the bill; it makes a statement, but unlike the overfendered example that was parked up next to it, does so in a more simple way.
Japanese custom car enthusiasts really like push the envelope; no make or model is exempt and the newer the vehicle is the higher the shock value will be. This ND does not run air suspension, it’s plain low and exhibits a pretty wild dose of onikyan, the love it or hate it ‘devil camber’.
In the wheel department, the Mazda runs Aimgain G2s finished in candy apple red.
And at the back there’s a nice center-exit Exart exhaust, which is rather visually pleasing. I’d really love to see this component used on a more performance-oriented Roadster build.
Since the owner of this car obviously likes to stand out, he’s also gone and reupholstered the interior in white leather.
The car is part of the same T-Demand crew that we saw first slam an ND back at the 2015 StanceNation Japan event. This ND, with its crazy negative camber, however, has just set the bar higher.
Haters will hate, but the owner will continue to enjoy it – he’s just doing what he likes.
Dino Dalle Carbonare
Instagram: speedhunters_dino
dino@speedhunters.com
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
So, I will be first hater here... Apart from ridiculous suspension setup this interior is just as bad as the camber. Some people should stick to the stock Camry or Acura TL and not try to be smarter than automotive engineers making really good cars like Miata. If you have complexes and bad taste, just put your effort somewhere else and don't hurt peoples' eyes...
That's like saying because your black and I don't like you, you should be segregated from society. Your pretty much a car racist. I respect you not liking it fair enough not everyone's taste but saying people should hide what they like, it's pretty much like Hitler saying the jews can't be Jewish.
The new extreme liberal BS... not people speak their mind and calling them racists for their view? the whole point is to be able to state whatever you want, he's not attacking anybody with saying the cars exterior and interior look like shit (which is just true in my view). I happen to agree with him so does that make me racist too?
You must be really retarded ignorant to compare post about car with racism and Holocaust. I don't know if it's just stupidity, lack of empathy or lack of education. I strongly invite you to visit nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland, maybe when you see with your own eyes that shocking place where 2 million of Jews, Polish and other people had been killed, you'll stop spreading bullshit and making a fool out of yourself.
Excuse that I won't argue with the rest of your post, but I don't see the point in discussing with that kind of morons.
Damn, you not only equated camber to racism, but also tied in a Nazi reference. It's like you shortcutted an entire web debate.
And took it entirely too far.
The problem with this argument is that while someone chose to make a car like this, people don't choose their race. Hating on what one perceives as a stupid decision is still valid in this case.
He knows what he wants better than the engineers at Mazda do.
Yeah, I'm sure you're right. But I thinks it's the similar situation as with some extremely fat ladies. Some of them feel the need to wear leggings and they do it. Should they? Nope.
So... Lochlan Hughes is wrong when he compares your hatred for a particular car style to segregation and the holocaust. And yet somehow you manage to "redeem" yourself by mocking women who struggle with their weight?
Are you sure you know where your prejudices lie? 'Cuz the lines are a little blurry from where I'm standing.
It's not about mocking anybody, but people who make bad decisions about, e.g., what they wear or what they do with their cars. If it's your body, your leggings or your car and you have all rights to do with them whatever you want doesn't mean, that you're doing it right. If you're fat you should wear proper clothes, if you're short you wear proper clothes as well, if you have a nice car, you don't ruin it with ricey camber or any other shit that makes it undriveable or just ugly.
And when it comes to race, nationality or weight: sorry, but you don't choose to be black or white or Jew or not. But you can choose to not eat fuckload of junk food and stay healthy and fit.
Got it?
Yeah... I get it. You've clearly never heard of Cushing's Syndrome, Hypothyroidism, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Syndrome X, or Depression. You know, conditions that make it hard or next to impossible to control weight gain.
And when you say "proper" clothes for a person's body type, you are speaking subjectively according to what you would prefer other people wear. So your reasoning is flawed.
But hey, you are at least right about one thing: car customization is completely within the individual's control. I'd give you a gold star but I'm all out.
It's not about mocking anybody, but people who make bad decisions about, e.g., what they wear or what they do with their cars. If it's your body, your leggings or your car and you have all rights to do with them whatever you want doesn't mean, that you're doing it right. If you're fat you should wear proper clothes, if you're short you wear proper clothes as well, if you have a nice car, you don't ruin it with ricey camber or any other shit that makes it undriveable or just ugly.
And when it comes to race, nationality or weight: sorry, but you don't choose to be black or white or Jew or not. But you can choose to not eat fuckload of junk food and stay healthy and fit.
Got it?
*gets mad at someone comparing his argument to the nazis
*literally acts like a nazi saying certain people shouldnt be allowed to express themselves
ok buddy,thats some solid logic you got right there...
Another dumbass who doesn't understand what Nazism is. You're family or just finished the same school for dumbasses?
Your* (the "or" wasn't necessary either)
At least they taught us proper grammar there.
So you're out of arguments and start classic discussion about grammar... Smart move lol xD I'm still sure my English, which is my second language, is still better than your Polish. Or your historical knowledge, at least about Nazism. But hey, what could I expect from guy with nick Jdmbucky who probably took some "great" american education, whose only interest are drinking shitty beer and searching google for some cheap jdm stuff to his old civic
Your cars better be awesome, the way you're talking.
They are, don't worry, mate.
Wahwahwah, someone's car doesn't look the way I'd do it up so it's wrong and bad and I'm gonna whine. Snivelling cucks gonna snivel.
Someone's comment doesn't look the way I'd comment so it's wrong and bad and I'm gonna whine. Ricey bitches gonna bitch. So fuck off.
You're making me drunk off your whine kiddo.
Weak head, pussy.
You've just predicted the comments section.
Whats up with that Orange Ef hatch over there? lol
Hahaha talking about the real stuff
Looks like arse, blah blah whatever. WHAT ABOUT THE TWO ORANGE HONDAS NEXT TO THESE TWO?
I love the car minus the fitment. Get those wheels in the right offset, straighten out the suspension and I'd Rock it any day.
Too each there own. I just never understood that fitment mindset. I could never do that knowing it'll decrease the handling and driveability while significant increase maintenance cost from the horrid tread life. It turns heads, but doesn't make the car faster, more comfortable or reliable. I'd argue it doesn't look any better then a properly tucked setup with functional alignment either.
I don't think they do it for performance. It's to get looks, get noticed, fill up the comment section on sites where images of their cars get posted. Like here, right now. So as far as the owner is concerned, goal achieved.
@Dino Dalle Carbonare
Or cuz they like the looks
So basic.
This happens when Instagram kids buy cars. They use it to get likes, not to do something else, like driving. Pathetic. Poor car. Oh and all these new, trendy, flashy wheel makers copy the good old classics, in this case, the BBS RS. SHOW SOMETHING NEW, OR GET OUT
This has been happening looooong before Instagram was a thing.
Yes, and i've been hating all the other attention seekers as well.
Well done. What has your hatred achieved for you?
FWIW, I tend to hold onto my hate for things that really deserve it: like rapists, paedophiles, genocide etc. and certainly not what people choose to do with their cars.
Now that is a right answer. Good thinking Paddy
I'm sure i clicked on Speedhunters....
Hold on.....
No I did. What happened, did everyone from Fatlace start writing the features? Any chance of featuring something that hunts speed for a change and preferably not going sideways?
Zzzz.
Go back to the homepage, then look at the list of articles and tell me it's all stanced and drift. Plenty of function related articles for you but you seem to have navigated your way into an article you dislike just to comment on it sooo... gg.
We really need to figure out how to stop forcing people into articles that they don't want to read. It's a really big problem.
speedhunters CAR CULTURE AT LARGE
If today's car culture is heading towards heavily filtered images about undriveable cars on Instagram, we're damned.
Maybe they do that cuz they love the look, this style, if im not wrong, exists since years now, and im not sure it's only for attention grabbers. What about you guys driving your cars daily w a loudy exhaust line ? We could think the same, and a lot of you will say that's cuz you love the sound it makes or its purely for performance (which is a stupid argument on daily car for me).
Hope the road he takes are super flat though !
I'm just wondering how you are supposed to drive a car this low anywhere on static suspension.
Must be a nightmare.
Also, calling someone a car racist is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.
I don't know if serious or not. People are called racist for everything these days but this takes the cake for sure.
When it no longer functions as a car "It is wrong". The problems as I see it. Car is not low enough - needs to be buried. More neg camber requried - must figure a way to achieve 90deg negative (really won't affect how it probably drives right now anyway. Need more stretch - fit motorcycle or bicycle tires...Remember more is good. To my critics - just keep on mimicking performance mods with no understanding, at least it will keep you showing you cars in the carpark and get you off the road.
As a static piece, I think it looks cool. I know from experience when you see one in the wild, it brings a laugh and smile to your face because it's so absurd. I'd never do it to a car I own, but if the owner is happy, then that's all that really matters.
You know, I never thought of how I react to these stanced out scrapers. But you're right, when I see one, I kinda get a chuckle, do a head shake, and wonder WTF made them do it. But it's not my car, not my 'thing', so I don't try to understand it. I do get a kick out of how the owners usually have that "I'm a hardass" look on their face while they're making horrific scraping sounds going down a road as slow as a bicycle.
To each their own. For example. Some people like to buy good stuff for cheap. Some people like to pay for crap. Like the owner of this car. But as long as he is not stealing from my pocket... Let him do his (nasty) thing.
Just gonna leave this here...
Being like Bill is easier said than done it seems...
I have read every blog entry on this site since Speedhunters started. Never once commented, I simply loved the comment section a few years ago when people would add their criticism constructively and not spew hatred towards another persons passion.
I too dislike the way this car has been done up, however I have enough respect to know that each person that tunes/alters a car is simply expressing themselves and we should be glad that everyone is not into the same styles.
I bet we would never utter the stuff some have said here when you meet them in the real world, so why can't we carry that respect over onto message boards, etc.?
I also find it sad that writers on SH now have to keep saying (sometimes cryptic other times not) words like "not to everyone's taste" or "love it or hate it" just so people do not bomb the comment section with ill comments towards the owners. It is truly sad when writers have to almost justify a modification so that we can understand that not everyone likes what you or I like and I fully understand why they doing this and I am sure they too do not want to write each article using this approach.
Respect goes a long way, if you don't like it then by all means express your feelings but do it in such a way that other reader's and owners do not feel like it's an attack but rather constructive.
Sad that my first post on SH is one not about cars...sigh!
I totally agree with robin, people are FAR to eager to spew hate or be offensive towards people who have done nothing more than share their passion, whether or not you like it or would do it. They often don't wait to be asked whether they like it or not or respond to polls, most often it's like this where a feature is posted and the hate begins. Unfortunately, the incoming hate was mentioned in the story so in a way it almost was a challenge, and therefore that challenge was met- and with so much vitriol! Racism? WOW! So many more racists than I knew existed, then!
My suggestion to SH would be to just post the features and not egg on the haters, unless that is their goal to fill the site with hatred and ill feelings? Seems like a far better experience than the alternative, such as this particular comment section.
The "haters" as you call them are present to provide reason. You racism remarks are ridiculous and show a poor grasp of the meaning of the word. Would a site called "speedhunters" not be a place where "speed" was hunted? Stance is not a culture of speed, but of the vanity of portraying a false image.
Bob Bob Bob, Speedhunters brought us a variety of cars since the very start. It was never always about speed hunting, they posted cars that are rusting away next to a shed and they posted up grass-root drift cars. Drift cars back then (in my opinion theses were/are the best drift cars) was not fitted with the biggest baddest engines you could find... no it was mild tuned 4age's / sr20's (in which ever variant you would like) etc.
How is it a bad thing for a website to have this much variety? How is this something to complain about?
I'm in media and I can tell you the more variety the better, if you stick to the same topics day in and day out you will quickly lose readers. SH know that not everyone likes TA or 10 lap Battles etc. and there are people who would like to see stance ,VIP and some kei tuned vehicles and yes some over fenders in the mix because we need to understand we not all the same and we can't dictate what should be posted simply due to our dislikes and likes.
So Bob next time you see a car in the opening image that you don't like, don't click on it. Unless SH has used cheap tactics to get you to click then you can complain but no where did I see them saying "want to make a million dollars, click here!"
Ummmm...someone called someone a car racist, and if you've ever experienced sarcasm perhaps you'd then understand my comment. And thanks for the jab at my intelligence! My favorite thing about folks like you, Bob, is they like to expand the arena to insult and beat down anyone who tries to defend reasonable behavior in favor of blatant garbage thinking and actions.
We need more readers like you. Please come back in future.
I miss colorful interiors like that. Can't imagine why the shifter surround is red, but the white leather is delightful.
Disclaimer: I have terrible taste.
I can't say I hate this style, it looks cool. But after driving my car extremely low, with stretched tires and excessive camber, dealing with it as a daily driver, I've gotten over it haha. Too many times have I debeaded tires or beached. The worst part of it is because of my location, living in Central PA (Amish Country) trying to avoid horse manure! A great article as always, even if it's not about hunting speed!
As soon as I saw this, I knew the comments would be gold!
I'm not into it, I wouldn't do it to a car of mine but I'm not about to start saying what folk should and shouldn't do.
It's like clothing. in the 70's, flares were a thing, the young folk wore them and enjoyed themselves while sporting massive afros and dancing to Earth Wind and Fire. The older generation moaned and banged on about how things were different back in their day! They sure were Gramps! Times change, fashions change, but what won't change is that there will be people doing things that other people won't like, except nowadays we're unfortunate enough to have the internet where everyone's opinion is shoveled into our eyes whether we agree with it or not.
The people griping will always be to me, the old people sitting on their porch, rocking back and forth complaining. What a waste of energy.
Mazda has really hit the nail on the head with the ND chassis, every time i see one i am amazed by how good it looks. The aero the owner added onto it works quite well with it as well.
I think this car looks cool. Reminds me of trying to make the Miata look 'mean' in Need for Speed Underground 2
Am I the only one who thinks a red tint in the clear coat would tie the wheels in better? I think it would just make the car pop a bit more in the sun and really grab your attention. Although it doesn't need much of anything to grab your attention as it is.
This car is so wickedly fleek mode fam i nearly spilled my e-liquid on my Yeezys
This car really isn't my thing, I think I would prefer it if it was on bags, so at least it would be useable. I see it as a shame, similar to when you some rich kid ruin an expensive toy. I'd love to have the cash to spend on a car like that. As least with other areas of car culture you get enjoyment out of the car other than just looking at it, car are meant to be driven.
I agree with some other comments about this being the speedhunters website, and this culture doesn't fall into that category. Yes there is a lot of car fast car content on the site, but the site still misses out of loads parts of car culture that would be more fitting.
Maybe its a case of throw enough money at your car you will be featured. I do love the site though, generally the content on here is awesome and inspiring.
Real shame about the fitment. Yeah yeah. The conversation's old. But.. the fact is simple. As a car this doesn't work. That's it. Yeah it's someone's style, it's daring, individual, their own thing etc.
No it isn't. It's a trend, not individual. The article itself acknowledges the purpose behind any of these builds - "shock factor" and "stand out". HOW is that a worthwhile endeavour for a so-called car enthusiast? That's why there's so much angst on the site about time and space dedicated to promoting stuff like that. See below, for how cool the car is, IF ONLY it actually worked.
I admire good craftmanship. I admire creativity. I admire the Mazda mx5 actually. I admire modifying a car inside and out, especially if it's the owners own efforts. But I don't admire taking a set of wheels, and turning them at 45 degree angles, and claiming this is a bold new world.
Tell you what, how about I buy a 5k road bike, fit it out with carbon fibre parts, train for years, and then change for SQUARE wheels. LOL. Wouldn't I be a creative genius, expressing myself. (Sarcasm). And then I could post about it on social media. I bet the Ironman and triathlon fans would all be doing it.. dedicated cycling enthusiasts would be drinking it in. It'd be just as worthwhile as the same bike and training with normal wheels.. *wakes up*
This is a site that a lot of DRIVING enthusiasts go to, and it's a real shame to see something like a great car and a lot of creative effort put into something that's useless.
^for 'creative effort', read both the car and the article.
You guys are the best at what you do. This site inspires countless awesome projects. There is no other media for cars like this out there. CarThrottle? Jalopnik? They're not the same league. That's sincere.
Taking high quality photos of a stanced mx5 and anticipating with apparent glee the disappointment of us all is a bit below your collective talent.
Beached whale was my first thought. So much work but it would probably be halted by a pebble going underneath. The "speedy" look is a contradiction here. It's sort of alike a boat that would not float. Of a plane that could not fly. Oh but wait "it looks cool". The vain here love it and will staunchly defend. "Try hards"!
I not a fan of this look, not because it's not my taste or style, not because it isn't fast or that a speed bump would be the end for this car, but because it is potentially dangerous. Taking a car and making it perform significantly worse than when it left the factory, and having it as a stationary piece of art is fine (I will accept that is art to some people and that is perfectly fine, everyone has different tastes and opinions), however, when that same car is put on the street and among other road users, be it pedestrian or any other for form of automotive transport, effective what you are saying is that you don't care that car's handling is compromised and your car's braking is compromised to a point that you could hit a pedestrian or other road user, purely because of the car's inability to stop within factory stopping distances or handle correctly in an emergency. I can respect this car as piece of automotive art, while I personally don't like it. What I cannot respect is that cars like this are driven on the street, with no regard to other road users safety. There are ways to modify a car safely, which is many countries have laws and engineering requirements governing how one goes about modifying their vehicle, I doubt this car would pass in most countries, if any.
Speedhunter's comment section has become the worst thing ever, there's rarely an article without stupidity flying from both sides of the spectrum. Sadly the website is starting to be known for that... Since the last few months I've more and more caught conversations of car guys I know only mentioning that point about SH.com, in quite negative ways :/ Honestly I would just remove the comment feature, we don't need it to enjoy your work guys.
BTW yes, we also need more about that orange Honda in the back!
Always remember it's his car, his taste, his style if you don't like it, move on, no need for comment, unless your going to pay for all his mods and do it your way stfu. I may not like everything he's done, but I respect it.
A good 40% of this piece was acknowledging that people would not like this. You are right.
The owner can do what he/she wants--it's a neat show car with a lot of thought put into it, but I simply don't go to Speedhunters to see builds like this.
I consciously avoid certain publications because this is all they focus on, yet it leaks into my newsfeed via Speedhunters.
Those other publications don't need to make excuses for the things they post. They love stanced builds and their readers love stanced builds.
The fact that I see constant disclaimers on Speedhunters posts suggests that you are shoving something we find unappealing down our throats. No amount of disclaimers are going to make us like this.
Most reasonable people understand that people have different tastes or styles. We aren't hating. More power to the people who do these builds. We simply don't go to Speedhunters for this stuff. I don't go to speedhunters to see cars modified in ways that make it perform worse than factory.
This site used to be the epitome of function over form in my opinion. That's what drew me to this site. It was a breath of fresh air in a world of stance and/or superfluous body kits.
Please consider your readers. More MAXIMUM ATTACK and less this.
Its as if you said this comment because you were only allowed to read this ONE article that day lol. You do realize that they have more stories then just this one right? *gasp* I know! Mind blown right? And you know what, the crazy thing is,whole time you didnt even have to read this article! *gasp!* MIND BLOWN EVEN MORE RIGHT??
I stand by my comment. I saw that stanced Ferrari more times than I could count on my FB newsfeed.
Shoving it down your throat?? You had the choice to look at this feature, no one shoved anything down your throat.
Saw that stanced Ferrari on my newsfeed numerous times. Thats fits the definition of shoving down my throat. No clcking required.
So you're saying you're incapable of being able to filter out what you do and dont want to see throughout your day to day life? Also your comment is referring to facebook,no duh they're going to post their articles on their page,thats a way to bring readers to the site. Your complaint is childish and a prime example of humanity's lazy,self entitled outlook on life.
Again I stand by my comment and others clearly feel the same way. Others also feel the same way as you.
We clearly don't agree. I'm not interested in a protracted internet argument. I'm moving on.
I honestly do not see how this constitutes as car culture, as far as I can see this is not even a car anymore, you can't drive it, and if you were to try, it would be terrible...it is merely an expensive, over-hyped seating area for two people. If this is car culture, then does me swapping my girlfriend for a blow up doll of Gwenyth Paltrow still constitute as a family? I think not. Don't get me wrong it looks cool and I actually liked looking at it for 5 seconds, but unfortunately at a show, all it would ever be is a 'huh thats interesting' and I would swiftly move on to talk to someone else about how they tuned their engine or suspension or chassis, talking about why things look cool is frankly trivial and mind numbing, its like discussing what plastic surgery you are thinking of getting 'yeah I really like the look of the calf implants but I might to pec implants first' YAWN.
oh wow such an original comment,as if its never been said before above you...
Finally, somebody in the media admits that these slammed cars look like ass. Had to wait nearly 20 years, but finally!
Rule number one. Never read the comments.
... I can't wait until 12" spikes pointed at your chest from the steering wheel are cool, so everybody can defend it
Some people like to modify their car to drive better, others like to modify them to park ... harder.
I would love to drive a car that is static slammed like this just once, just to see what it's like. In videos I have seen of people driving them, they look like they are having a blast. you wouldn't get 10 meters in Australia without bottoming out or getting arrested by the police.
Dino, want to share some popcorn?
I would love to meet the cars owner. This is beautiful. True customization. Thanks for showing us this.