Movie cars. There's the Batmobile (seen here getting a hand wash at a SoCal carwash, love the 2-handed technique BTW), the Ecto-1 Ghostbusters-mobile, the General Lee, Will Smith's Mustang from I Am Legend and now this . . .

Personalized plates. Some are creative, others just seem to be a confusing secret code of letters and numbers. Many believe that by excluding vowels, you can save room and make your personal plate convey an even deeper meaning. No, it just frustrates the hell out of the person behind you trying to figure out what it means.

If you're in the market for a personal plate the DMV's Personal License Plate Inquiry is as useful as it is entertaining.

So you have an iPod and a car stereo and you want them to play sweet music together but your stereo isn't iPod ready. What can you do? Of course you can go and buy a new head unit, or you can add an iPod adapter that will allow you to play your beloved iPod through your current head unit.

There are many companies out there that sell iPod adapters and in this DIY I'm installing a Peripheral iPod2Car in my Scion xB. The iPod2car kit can be bought for about 100 bucks, or less if you shop around.

OK it's been a while since I've posted anything - this past month (and year) has been a blur. Things have finally slowed down so I can take a breather and look back to my Top 5 automotive highlights of 2008, and make a couple of resolutions for 2009.

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Without further ado here's The WhiteRicePower look back at '08

1. Nissan GT-R. What else can be said about it? I've never seen a car carry so much hype and speculation before being released to the public. The best thing about it though, it lived up to all of it and then some. The specs have been repeated to the point of becoming sacred chant: 480 horsepower VR38DETT, twin-turbo 3.8-liter V-6. AWD, 6-speed dual-clutch transmission, and so on and so on.

But as much as this car is a technological marvel and a half-price Porsche and Ferrari killer, it's what the GT-R isn't that I love so much. It isn't a carbon fiber penis. It's not a fiberglass toupee. It doesn't make up for your shortcomings. It doesn't scream "LOOK AT ME" like a convertible Lambo or Ferrari. It's stealthy. It's an automotive ninja. It'll blow your doors off before you even notice. It's the underdog of the supercar playground. If 911's and F430 are the jocks and cheerleaders, and SRT-8's are the burnouts, then the GT-R is the nerdy kid always in the chem lab. Plotting his takeover of the world. If the meek shall inherit the earth, just remember to get out of the left lane when you see him pulling up behind you.

2. Lewis Hamilton. The Tiger Woods of F-1. Is he really? I think he's better than that because Tiger drives a Buick. Lewis drives a McLaren.

3. F1. Anyone who says that F1 is boring and that whoever wins pole, wins the race obviously did not watch this past season. I have never been so emotionally caught up in a season of any sport than I did watching this year's season of F1. There were 1117 total laps completed over 18 races in the 2008 F1 season and it all came down to the final turn. Plus how many other sports out there had its President embroiled in a Nazi-themed S&M party debacle?

4. The (possible) return of small cars. With the price of gas fluctuating more than Oprah's weight, it looked like the death of the Uber-SUV and the return of affordable, fun-to-drive, small cars was on the verge of becoming a reality. But then this thing called an economic meltdown happened and now no one knows what the hell is going on. Bad time to launch the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, 5-door Yaris, re-designed Fit, Kia Soul and upcoming Ford Fiesta? Possibly, but it could also be the perfect time. With less income to spend on SUV's and mid-size sedans these smaller cars just may be the answer auto makers are looking for.

5. The (possible) return of small RWD cars. Hyundai already threw its hat into the ring with the Genesis but they've already commited full force before the economic meltdown occured. With rumors of the highly anticipated RWD Toybaru being put on hold for at least a year and ditto for Nissan's S-16, the possible return of small RWD cars is just that - a possibility. Looks like the Genesis Coupe will be the big winner for 2009, but I've got my fingers crossed.

 

Now for New Year's resolutions.

 

1. Post more.

2. Finish restoring my damned Vespa, and post it.

3. Do something about my tail lights, and post it.

4. Get that BBist Type II wing.

5. Move into a house with a garage so number's 2 - 4 become reality.

 

Happy new year!

 

 

Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and the Central Florida International Auto Show. It has become a tradition with me that you can't have one without the other. Yeah, I'm sure it's not what the Pilgrims had in mind as they broke bread with their new neighbors but that was then and this now. And I'm sure if there were a Plymouth Rock International Horse and Plow show, they'd be all over that too.

According to CarScoop, a Toyota insider has confirmed that the next Scion tC will be RWD. Could the new tC be the hachi roku for this generation?

Others say it's nothing but fluff and hot air. All we know is, it's called Top Gear. And it's back!

Seven years into the game, Toyota has decided to let our Northern neighbors get behind the wheel of a Scion. That's right, starting in 2010 Canadians (well at least those in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver - sorry Saskatoonians, you're out of luck for now) can pick up a tC, xB or xD of their very own.