Finally, an import car video worth your hard-earned dollars. I gotta be real with you here, I was so sick of watching crappy DVDs that I lost hope that there were truly any non-Japanese car videos worth viewing. Grip Video saved the day with their Vol. 6 DVD. Now, if you have seen previous Grip productions, forget about them because Grip has really cleaned up their act since then and are putting out professional-rate material now. This DVD's quality ranks with the work of Best Motoring International. I never knew I could get so excited about a good DVD, that just shows you how many jenky ones I have watched.
First off, this DVD has more features than any other import car DVD out there. It is an 18-part DVD and at least 14 of the parts are awesome. The other four parts are the gratuitous import model/bikini chicks features but, hey, if you are hard up for action then maybe they are your cup of tea.
Ranking second in why everyone should go buy this DVD is that it has professional editing and narrating. I don't feel like I'm watching someone carrying a camcorder through a car show. This DVD doesn't make you dizzy with bumpy camera work; it has good quality shots.
The third reason why this DVD rocks is that it is loaded with Japanese features and videos narrated in English. It is obvious Grip Video has good Japanese connections because you see some really cool shops and interviews with well-known drifters.
I could go on, but then it would look like I was paid off by Grip Video or something, so let's just get to the table of contents:
The first feature brought back memories for Turbo magazine. We get a ridealong with Signal Auto's Kousuke Kida in his 950-hp Skyline GT-R. The DVD takes us on the same harrowing highway ride that Turbo got to go on with Mr. Kida-san. Hearing the turbos spool up to speeds of 260 kmh you wish you were there.
Next we are off to Hawaii and the beautiful ladies of Streetcar Showoff. Hawaii is home to the loveliest girls who apparently dig wet t-shirt and booty shaking contests. The dental floss bikini contests are unparallel to any swimsuit contests Stateside.
Hopping back to Japan we get some night footage of street races including a variety of cars like Supras, my favorite SW20, and a GT-R. They are apparently ignoring the fact that there is normal traffic continuing on the other side and watch out for slow cars pulling out, which is probably why the cops bust the race and close things down.
If you like NSXes you will be in dreamland with the next feature of the Top End NSX car club in Japan. You get to see some nice specimens and some good driving footage.
More highway racing ensues with an Aqualine run that reaches speeds of 220 km/h. The Aqualine is the trans-Tokyo Bay motorline and the world's longest underwater tunnel at 80 km long. I personally like the polite signs that tell you to slow down as you zip past them.
Part six is another Turbo flashback with the feature of the Sexy Style pink RX-7 pro-drift car we featured a couple of years ago. Grip Video managed to get the Sexy 7 out on the famous Tsukuba track for some drifting footage. The 7 is joined by another drift car, Red K, for some parallel runs.