Sitting indoors doesn’t have to be boring, the internet is filled with fun and useful information which would take lifetimes to fully assimilate. YouTube is one such source of information, some useful, some entertaining and some just pure randomness. As lovers of everything related to cars, here’s today’s list of videos you can check out in the safety of your home.
New Jaguar XE | Here’s why we like it so much
We begin with one of our own and in this case it is Vikrant’s review of the updated Jaguar XE sporty luxury sedan. Five years after it was first launched in India, the XE has been given a facelift on the outside, receives a mild redesign on the inside, new equipment and BS6-compliant engines. How significant are the changes and where does it stack up amongst the formidable competition? Watch the review to find out.
Hoonigan Project Cars Channel
What started out as a video production house by buddies Ken Block and Brian Scotto (they made Gymkhana 2, YouTube’s most viral video in 2009) is now a multi-media powerhouse called Hoonigan. In the project Cars sub-channel, Hoonigan employees actually get to wrench on their own cars (or try to). The production quality is top notch, but it feels genuine and interesting thanks to the non-scripted, sometimes crazy, events. Current favourite, their work on a rotary-engine powered kei pick-up truck.
Ruf CTR 'Yellow Bird' full laps on Nürburgring Nordschleife 1987
The Nürburgring Nordschleife, a racetrack so fearsome that no glitzy FIA-sanctioned race is held here. The Ruf CTR ‘Yellow Bird’, a customised 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera that was the fastest production car in the world that year, beating the likes of the legendary Ferrari F40, and had no airbags, traction control or ABS. Combine the two and put Ruf’s test driver Stefan Roser in the mix and you have 16 minutes of unadulterated, goosebump inducing driving footage.
Engineering Explained Channel
For the more nerdy among us, the Engineering Explained channel is one of the best places on YouTube to learn and discuss how cars work. Jason, the host, is a mechanical engineer and goes to great depths to explain how some things work (like what VVT actually does), gives tips and advice on everyday car ownership or delve into purely theoretical analysis (like how the Tesla Roadster could achieve a 1.9-second 0-100kmph time).
Petter v Oliver Solberg | FOS hillclimb shootout side-by-side
Many motorsport events and showcases of the year have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of them was the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed, the highlight of which is the hillclimb featuring a variety of cars driven by some of the best drivers in the world. A highlight of the 2019 edition of the hillclimb was 17-year-old (now 18) Oliver Solberg driving his Citroën DS3 WRX through the course with style. A side-by-side lap comparison with the clinical, faster one set by his father, 2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg, shows off the feisty driving style that endeared him to many.
