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Dino Dalle Carbonare'S BIO
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Name: Dino Dalle Carbonare
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Previous Locations: Italy & UK
Career Path: Journalist & Photographer
Previous Carrier Path: Been covering anything and everything car related since my return to Japan in 2000 after finishing Uni in the UK. Collaborating with motoring publications and websites around the world as well as maintaining a couple of my own blogs.
Cars: ‘99 Skyline GT-R V-spec, ‘04 Subaru Legacy Wagon 3.0R, ‘05 BMW 330ci M-sports
Fav Past Cars: ’93 Accord, ’88 Citroen AX, ’87 Alfa 164, ’85 Alfa 75, ’83 FIAT 131 Mirafiori L
Next car: Probably something boring
Car Passions: I have been obsessed with cars for as long as I can remember. Growing up in the UK this love grew and everything I did seemed to revolve around cars. toy cars, RC cars, car magazines, car computer games, cars on TV, car races. As long as there were wheels and some form of propulsion involved, it was for me. Moving to Japan however is where this passion turned into an obsession as I think no other country in the world is the car-craze so widespread and diversified. Became a certified GT-R otaku and as they say, the rest is history. Just recently rediscovered RC cars, more specifically RC drift cars.
Personal Style: I like my jeans, as long as they are Diesel
Favorite Band of the Moment: Wide range of musical tastes, most of which I'm ashamed to mention ;)
Personal Motto: If you want it done right, do it yourself.
4,146
Posted
Feb 03 2012, 05:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 9 comment(s)
Let's head back to Tsukuba for Part two of the Battle Evome soukoukai, for yet more time attack goodness, of the amateur variety. There is something so addictive about chasing lap times, for both those that do it as a hobby as well as for those that just like to drop by and spectate. The whole technical aspect of the cars will satisfy even the biggest nerds out there and I am admittedly one of those. There is a lot to learn... ...by walking around and checking out what each owner/driver has done...
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Posted
Jan 29 2012, 05:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 22 comment(s)
While Mike was down in Tokyo covering the JCCA New Year Meeting yesterday, I headed up to a frozen Tsukuba Circuit to catch what has probably become the most competitive amateur time attack soukoukai in Japan. I am of course talking about Battle Evome, an event that initially started out as a Lancer Evo only gathering but has now matured to include a wide variety of cars. This is where Under Suzuki has made his name in and yesterday, after a few small modifications to his Scorch Racing S15, he managed...
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Posted
Jan 27 2012, 06:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 20 comment(s)
This final selection of images will bring the Tokyo Auto Salon coverage to an end. Looking back at it, this year's show was a great reminder of why we all love the Japanese turning culture so much. Its diversity and continuous evolution has fueled it for decades and it seems to have picked up even more momentum as we begin this New Year. So let's get on with it and take a look at some of the cars we may not have touched on yet... ...and whatever else I thought stood out in the vastness of...
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Posted
Jan 26 2012, 07:00 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 28 comment(s)
Let's continue on with the TAS 2012 coverage and take a look at some of the imports that were present this year. Popularity of imported cars has flourished in Japan over the last decade, the most recognized brands being an almost universally accepted status symbol. One walk through the streets of central Tokyo and most first time visitors to Japan will probably be wondering where all the JDM cars have gone! For the wealthy the choices are obvious... ...exotics like the 458 Italia make for excellent...
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4,146
Posted
Jan 25 2012, 10:10 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 86 comment(s)
Come April it's going to be a mighty hard choice for potential owners of the 86 and BRZ. Which car to go for? They are virtually the same vehicle, no major differences except the badges and of course similar prices. However, once the car you see here hits the showroom it's going to be might hard not to go the Subaru route. STI have been teasing us with modified versions of the BRZ, first at the LA Auto Show with the first concept, and now with this closer to production version that was shown...
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Posted
Jan 24 2012, 07:40 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 18 comment(s)
It's hard to capture the true atmosphere of the Tokyo Auto Salon only in pictures. So it's perfect timing that as I finish up the last couple of posts from the show, eGarage release this cool film. Hit play and enjoy the sights and sounds of TAS 2012.
eGarage
Maiham Media
-Dino Dalle Carbonare
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4,146
Posted
Jan 23 2012, 10:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 23 comment(s)
The VIP and Vanning scenes are integral parts of the Japanese tuning culture, styles that define the uniqueness of Japan. It might not be performance oriented but no matter what you are into, you just can't help but take an intrest in rides like this MJK Customs Celsior... ...sporting widened front and rear fenders and full original aero. The great thing about VIP is that over the years it has evolved and branched off in various directions spawning some pretty interesting variations on what is...
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Posted
Jan 19 2012, 07:30 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 32 comment(s)
From rotaries we move onto some S-chassis, but since there weren't that many this year I've decided to combine Fairlady Zs to the post too, once again an all-Nissan selection! We start off with the R.Y.O. S13 "Odyvia" which I already ran a spotlight on back in October , when I first laid eyes on it at the D1 final in Fuji. It's as wild looking from every angle and proof that things down in the south of Japan are done a little differently. You can always expect to find nice rides...
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4,146
Posted
Jan 19 2012, 08:00 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 43 comment(s)
After a nice selection of GT-Rs in the previous post let's take a look at the rotaries that were present at the show. A lot of these cars we all know well and have seen before, others like the RE-Amemiya Super NA7 were quite the surprises... ...much like Mad Mike's FD at the Rays booth. I found one of my favorite RX-7s on the little cornered off RH9 part of the show, the RE-Wing FD which was recently blasting around Tsukuba at the Super Battle event in December. What makes this car special...
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Posted
Jan 17 2012, 07:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 33 comment(s)
There was quite the explosion of GT-R popularity at this year's Tokyo Auto Salon. It seems that after four years that it's been around, tuners and parts makers have really caught up and are churning out upgrades for serious big power and performance. We can't however forget the previous generation of the car, there might have not been many on display at the show but what was present was mouthwateringly good like this BNR34 from Art Tech Hanatsuka... ...on display at the RH9 booth. That's...
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4,146
Posted
Jan 17 2012, 07:00 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 43 comment(s)
For me the second show day at the Tokyo Auto Salon started with a freezing walk through the parking lot before heading into the warm halls of the exhibition center. Having seen thousands of people lining up at the entrance, hours before the doors were due to open at 9 am, I made good use of the time I had to shoot as quickly and as efficiently as possible before pretty much every car on show was going to disappear behind the crowds. On top of the show cars there was the action out on the makeshift...
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Posted
Jan 16 2012, 06:00 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 42 comment(s)
Let's finish up the TAS parking lot tour before we head back into the exhibition area for the Day 2 coverage. I thought it would be a pity not to devote another post to the coolest rides that I came across. There was just so much to see, the selection growing by the minute as a continuous stream of cars kept flowing in. Lets start with this pair of JZX100s, sitting side by side as the sun began to rise a little higher in the sky. You can't go wrong with a Toyota Aristo. It can be a capable...
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Posted
Jan 15 2012, 07:00 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 37 comment(s)
In Japan there is always something everyone needs to do when heading to events or shows. Walk through the parking lots and take a look at the cars; it's often a show all of its own, and an accurate representation of what people drive on the street. So after what was nothing more than a nap, I was back up on my feet at 5:30 am on Saturday morning and got into the Makuhari Messe parking lot an hour or so after that. I thought I was probably too early, but as ever such assumptions should never be...
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Posted
Jan 14 2012, 07:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 59 comment(s)
This year's Tokyo Auto Salon certainly had a few surprises up its sleeves. As you probably gathered from my behind the scenes post of the set up day , it seemed the Japanese tuners really stepped their game up. It wasn't so much a case of an increase in cars or booths, but more involved builds, lots of exciting new parts and an overall better atmosphere. After a couple of years of decreased interest, TAS was back with a vengeance! Before I begin focusing in detail on the main cars that stood...
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Posted
Jan 12 2012, 03:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 56 comment(s)
Seeing a show as big as the Tokyo Auto Salon materialize in front of your very eyes is an indescribable experience. As armies of contracted workers erect complex booths, the year's most anticipated demo cars are driven into the vast Makuhari Messe exhibition center. For me nothing beats the few hours I spend every year roaming though the various halls as everyone rushes to set up. Seeing all those new cars for the first time, the latest parts unboxed and of course catching up with so many people...
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Posted
Jan 11 2012, 05:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 28 comment(s)
It's time to devote some time to a Lancer chassis that not a lot of people may be familiar with. Most of us associate the 4G63 with the latest crop of Lancer Evolutions, starting from the Evo I in 1992, but it was actually first used in the Lancer EX2000 Turbo, which came out in 1981. This angularly designed Lancer was never sold in the US but it sure made a name for itself in Japan and Europe. Most notably it helped Ralliart's initial success in the world rally scene as Pentti Airikkala...
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Posted
Jan 11 2012, 07:00 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 40 comment(s)
I think the Skyline Meeting that was mixed in along with the AE86 Matsuri in Tsukuba really needs its own separate posts because there were a hell of a lot of cool cars and it just wouldn't be right to rush over this very special group. The best thing was seeing a showing from so many generations of Skylines and GT-Rs, from the KPGC10 in the opening shot to this ridiculously extreme carbonized BNR34! By mid-morning this is the little group that had begun to form in one area of the main paddock...
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Posted
Jan 10 2012, 11:45 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 19 comment(s)
Haven't gotten your hachiroku fix quite yet? Good, as there's a lot yet to see from the AE86 Matsuri in Tsukuba. There is hardly anything that can touch this gathering in AE86 circles, even the "86 Day" in August. Why you may wonder? Well it's simple, not only do you get an impressive showing of street cars, rides we have seen before at Tsuzuki or Daikoku parking area meets... ...but you are also treated to the cream of the crop, the very best highly modified track racers like...
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Posted
Jan 09 2012, 07:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 28 comment(s)
Before we continue with the AE86 Matsuri coverage I wanted to quickly show you this cool Trueno I bumped into as I was making my way down to one of the grandstands at Tsukuba. It looked great on its black Watanabes... ...but once I checked out the other side of the car I noticed it was running also running on gold Panasports! Apparently the owner did this only for the Matsuri, wanting to show just how different the car looked with two types of rims. Of course it wasn't only the wheels that looked...
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Posted
Jan 08 2012, 11:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 27 comment(s)
There is one final event of 2011 that I haven't yet had the time to post. It happened a few days after the Super Battle and the venue was once again Tsukuba Circuit. The opening shot kind of gives it away; with a paddock stuffed full of hachirokus of all colors, it could only be the yearly AE86 Matsuri! This time round the organizers did their best to pack even more excitement into the event and invited, various Skyline clubs, the Mitsubishi Lancer owner club as well as a few professional drifters...
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