OV9

Much like the TT its an event i'd like to get to at some point.

Eric Bana's documentary on running in it called "Love the beast" is worth a watch if anyone's not seen it.

unzippy wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 3:31 pm The west coast of Tassie is fantastic driving roads - all immaculately tarmacked too, presumably for/due to Targa.
Got the boat over, stopped at Cradle Mountain for a couple of nights then due west and down to Queenstown, east and down to New Norfolk and back to civilisation of Hobart. Just had 4 new PS4s fitted too - amazing drive

I'm envious, I've had a couple of planned trips to Tassie thwarted although the co-driver will undoubtedly be extremely proscriptive about driving enthusiastically...

Closer to home (assuming you're still in Melbourne?) is the Mt Buller sprint coming in February. I went a decade(s wtf) ago and had fun.

Love the beast great film, must rewatch.

Simon wrote: Tue Dec 02, 2025 9:25 pm I see Mat Armstrong's latest build (M3 Comp) is likely a cloned car. There's various vids around now explaining how and why and a comment from someone under the vid that explains why.

There you go.

Wow. That’s a fairly terrifying vid

Sebastian Loeb's 306 Maxi

Simon wrote: Sun Dec 07, 2025 9:27 pm

Simon wrote: Tue Dec 02, 2025 9:25 pm I see Mat Armstrong's latest build (M3 Comp) is likely a cloned car. There's various vids around now explaining how and why and a comment from someone under the vid that explains why.

There you go.

I had a proper lol moment watching that. One of the defining qualities of the area I live in (Forest Gate) is that it's full of kids ragging around in BMW Ms and Merc AMGs with pop bang remaps, it's like a competition to see who can have the flashest, newest car and also make the most noise and hit 60mph in a 20mph limit, anytime day and night. And the BMW in Mat's video? When it was cloned, it was MOT'd in Forest Gate, and then the 'cousin' of the new owner drove it like it was stolen totally fits the profile of M car driver around here

speedingfine wrote: Sun Dec 07, 2025 10:27 pm Sebastian Loeb's 306 Maxi

Brilliant, even if it is in foreign.

I remember loving those F2 cars as a youth, its definitely a major contributory factor as to why my car is the way it is

Delecours and Panizzi aggressively attacking European tarmac stages in Esso Ultron 306s is a core memory Still remember that video Chris Harris did with Delecours, he's definitely got a screw loose

Edit:

Simon wrote: Sun Dec 07, 2025 9:27 pm

Simon wrote: Tue Dec 02, 2025 9:25 pm I see Mat Armstrong's latest build (M3 Comp) is likely a cloned car. There's various vids around now explaining how and why and a comment from someone under the vid that explains why.

There you go.

There's an article on the BBC about car cloning too.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyvee57xz5o

Although buying a car that's 4-5k under book for cash should surely ring some bells regardless!

This is a recovery guy who posts up his work, repossessions seem to feature on a semi regular basis

unzippy wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 3:31 pm

RobYob wrote: Fri Nov 21, 2025 12:00 am Targa Tasmania is back after 3 years in the *ahem* wilderness after a number of deaths and a falling out with Australia's main motorsport body.

Whilst the rules seem to have been made stricter and speed limits imposed the fact the lead three cars are a R35 GTR, an Exige V6 and a Viper ACR is encouraging.

https://www.youtube.com/@Targa_Tasmania (warning, opens with some hypobole)
There are 3 min highlight videos from each of the 5 days so far.

Day3 (check out the short but cool drone shot at 0:34 of the Lotus)

The west coast of Tassie is fantastic driving roads - all immaculately tarmacked too, presumably for/due to Targa.
Got the boat over, stopped at Cradle Mountain for a couple of nights then due west and down to Queenstown, east and down to New Norfolk and back to civilisation of Hobart. Just had 4 new PS4s fitted too - amazing drive

Awesome. Was over there in 2011. Only driven sedately around by some elderly relatives we were staying with, in Penguin, but it did look a lovely place and I was looking out for Targa routes. Got as far west as Stanley (The Nut) and did a stop at Cradle Mountain as well, and saw a few Tasmanian Devils at Wings Wildlife Park.

Subaru Brumby at play in Aus. Looks like they were having the time of their lives.

JonMad wrote: Tue Dec 09, 2025 11:01 pm

unzippy wrote: Fri Dec 05, 2025 3:31 pm

RobYob wrote: Fri Nov 21, 2025 12:00 am Targa Tasmania is back after 3 years in the *ahem* wilderness after a number of deaths and a falling out with Australia's main motorsport body.

Whilst the rules seem to have been made stricter and speed limits imposed the fact the lead three cars are a R35 GTR, an Exige V6 and a Viper ACR is encouraging.

https://www.youtube.com/@Targa_Tasmania (warning, opens with some hypobole)
There are 3 min highlight videos from each of the 5 days so far.

Day3 (check out the short but cool drone shot at 0:34 of the Lotus)

The west coast of Tassie is fantastic driving roads - all immaculately tarmacked too, presumably for/due to Targa.
Got the boat over, stopped at Cradle Mountain for a couple of nights then due west and down to Queenstown, east and down to New Norfolk and back to civilisation of Hobart. Just had 4 new PS4s fitted too - amazing drive

Awesome. Was over there in 2011. Only driven sedately around by some elderly relatives we were staying with, in Penguin, but it did look a lovely place and I was looking out for Targa routes. Got as far west as Stanley (The Nut) and did a stop at Cradle Mountain as well, and saw a few Tasmanian Devils at Wings Wildlife Park.

I loved driving around Tasmania when I was there. Had a hoot driving a rented Hyundai Getz (possibly with the 1.3? Can't remember) like it was stolen. It was never fast, obviously, but it was fun.

RobYob wrote: Wed Dec 10, 2025 3:49 am

Subaru Brumby at play in Aus. Looks like they were having the time of their lives.

I just came on to post this, it was really good.

I stopped watching the gymkhana stuff after Ken died as they just weren't the same. Maybe the passage of time has helped but this one was great, really enjoyed it.

I watched the new Gymkhana vid last night too and I thought it was great. Real gasp as he went over the lake - I love the proof at the end that it wasn't just a shallow puddle.

Not sure putting what looked like both rear wheels over the dock edge was quite intentional but he pulled it off so who cares.

Such a lovely smile on Travis's face throughout too. Genuinely looked like great fun for the team to make. There was quite a bit of Subaru branding going on; presumably they support it now? The Brat is more appealing than the Family Huckster with its stupid active aero too.

Just found the behind the scenes/build video:

This popped up on my feed last night, and….. I wasn’t that bothered.

Have now watched it however, and whilst some of it is very much “amazing skills, but….. seen it before mate”, I thoroughly enjoyed the mt Panorama sequence, and the lake (or was it a billabong?) crossing was superb

Also the 300 degree drift on the corner of the bar (?) …. <chefs kiss>

mik wrote: Wed Dec 10, 2025 10:40 am I thoroughly enjoyed the mt Panorama sequence, and the lake (or was it a billabong?) crossing was superb

Judging by the state of the water I'd say it was a farmer's muddy old dam.

They got some pretty amazing access to places.

@Jobbo