HORSEPOWER TORQUE WHEELS DHAKA, FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2014 e-mail: [email protected] State of Stance Reducing a car's ride height is one thing, but understanding “stance” and embracing the slammed lifestyle is a whole different cut of cloth. The car-enthusiasm here in Bangladesh has a come a long way, and teenagers and adults alike now show a far greater understanding, and more importantly, more respect for the cars they drive. Of late, cars in the capital have off the ground is salute-worthy. The scene outside the country, mainly in Far-East and Western countries, is very different. Some say the orient is where fitment originated, with JDM culture, to be precise. The lifestyle spread like wildfire (yes, it is indeed a lifestyle, and not simply car customization). Blessed with beautiful flat roads and the absence of potholes, enthusiasts abroad him to lower his car. “It earns you respect”, he tells me. “Everyone will stare automatically”. Why? Because he went to certain lengths to which most enthusiasts wouldn't dare to go. The car has noteworthy features. Coupling Tanabe Sustec lowering springs and deep-dish BBS RS 18” rims, it has one of the tightest fitments for any family-sedan being driven here. What's fitment you ask? the wheels are slanted, when the wheels seem the bend outwards on the bottom and inwards on the top, making it appear as if they gave out with weight. The modest side skirts are a healthy addition too. They breeze over the tarmac, almost kissing it. For most teenagers here, getting the green light We asked the owners a few questions, excerpts are printed below. Go online for more. Shah Minhazul Kabir's Corolla 110: Stanced, fast, awesome. been seen going to a whole new low, the good kind. Enthusiasts don't just stop at mere lowering springs anymore. They go the full nine yards. Car people like us folk, are more or less familiar with the ideas of fitment, stance, and flush. But have we yet dared to go there? Keeping in mind Dhaka streets' horrid conditions, I'd say anyone brave enough to have a car with a ride height of two inches believe in a saying: “A car can never be too low. The road is always too high!” – At least that's what my cousin from Florida tells me. Deep-dish fat rims, camber kits, stretched tires, and coilover suspensions are all too common for them. The idea is catching on very fast here too. Interviewing the Allion's proud owner, I gathered valuable insight into what inspired It's what you get when you leave no room between your wheels and the fender-wells for even your finger to squeeze through. Yeah, you get the picture! Having 9J sized rear rims also add to the rear visual appeal. The rims seem to stick out to give the car that extra “it-factor”. Lowering the ride height also gives the rear wheels slight negative camber. In layman terms, camber is the degree to which from home is the biggest obstacle. You have to spend hours convincing your family on why you want to do it, with most attempts going to vain. To them, it will be pointless, and dangerous. But not necessarily so, if you do it right. You see, the fear lies with the misconception that the car will scrape the floor constantly. It won't, because lowering springs or coil-over are Wahid Tausif Advice for other enthusiasts who want to try it out? “Get the best branded lowering springs you can find, with a good stiffness. Don't try to get different brands and do not cut the original springs.” Shah Minhazul Kabir Did you have trouble managing the right parts? “Buying the parts was a lot of trouble. I got the genuine parts from Dholaikhal, but it took me a long time to find the right size and condition. usually stiffer than regular OEM springs. This means you won't have to worry about bouncing, or body roll. As a matter of fact, they enhance control during corners, and ease steering at high speeds. But one would be lying if they claimed that it would be a very “healthy” choice for Dhaka city roads. Because in all honesty, lowered cars are like high maintenance girlfriends (they won't go everywhere, and demand the highest quality products). Streets here are festered with potholes and foot-high speed bumps. For a car on stiffer springs, even a pebble will hurt. Ride comfort and functionality is compromised on, and the car will feel shakier, like a wet dog on a cold morning. Uneven slopes will be increasingly difficult to drive over and there is always the possibility of scraping that precious front bumper. It hurts when that happens. But is it all worth the trouble? Absolutely! For any enthusiast, going this extra mile gets you instant respect. Great diligence is shown in stancing out your car, and also displays a driver's skill, because not just anyone can handle a lowered ride. In my personal opinion, it's a lifestyle very few dare to lead, and even fewer come out un-scraped. Get it? (Pun intended). Special Thanks To Wahid Tausif & Shah Minhazul Kabir WORDS: MOHAMMAD AKIB NAWAZ PHOTOS: MUSHFIQUZ ZAMAN Great Wall Motors 5th nation-wide Service Campaign Wahid Tausif's Toyota Allion: Rumored to be the lowest Allion in Dhaka Do Don't Get the original stuff. Dholaikhal will have more springs than you can imagine, but be careful and get a set of the real ones. This will ensure proper stiffness. Get nice fat rims if you want the aggressive look. If coil-overs are within budget, GET THEM. That allows for near perfect ride height adjustment. Modest side skirts complete your look. Low(est) profile tires. This is all about the looks and less about the practicality. Don't cut the springs to lower your car. That will make it jerkier and cause the car to bottom out. Don't over-do the camber. This will accelerate tire wear and causes undue stress on some of the suspension parts like ball-joints and tie-rods. Don't use fat front and rear lips. This will only make driving a slammed car harder. NEVER drive over a pothole like you're driving a regular car. Your rims will take the full force of the bump because the tire profile doesn't allow for enough air to absorb the shock. That shock could often bend bigger rims especially the replicas which we often buy due to budget constraints. Ace Autos, exclusive distributor of Great Wall Motors (GWM) & one of the leading 3S automobile centers in Bangladesh has just launched their 5th nation-wide Service Campaign all over Bangladesh. During the service campaign free vehicle diagonostic check-up and attractive discounts on spare parts along with instant gift packs are being offered to GWM clients via GWM's all nationwide 3S centers. Prof. Hazera Nazrul, Chairperson of Ace Autos, recently inaugurated the event at GWM's Head Office at Gulshan Tejgaon link road. MJL Banglaesh Ltd and Rahimafrooz's Globatt battery are exclusive service partners in this campaign which will continue till end of February'2014. Clients may visit www.gwm.com.bd for an appointment. Great Wall Motors is one of the largest Chinese automobile manufacturers which promises to provide cars that serve as benchmarks in the global car industry in terms of safety, environmental protection, affordability and driving comfort. For hi-res wallpapers of the images your see here, visit our Facebook page and our website. facebook.com/ thedailystar.shift Email: [email protected]