Weight Watchers Banana Pancakes

Weight Watchers Banana Pancakes

Verywell / Debbie Burkhoff

As one of the most popular diet plans over the last 50 years, Weight Watchers—or as it's currently named, WW—has certainly helped some people achieve weight loss success. On this plan, foods are assigned different SmartPoints values, and you're given a daily allowance of SmartPoints to eat. You'll need to track your food every day to ensure you stay within your target range to support your weight loss goals.

Weight Watchers has evolved many times since its inception, and the current plan does offer advantages compared to those of the past. Point values of foods are based on more than just calories, and the company has made a targeted effort to shift their focus from pounds shed to overall wellness. However, some people may still get caught up in focusing on numbers and restriction, rather than embracing healthy behaviors.

What Experts Say

"The WW diet assigns points to foods and exercise and requires a daily tally/balance of points. Many experts agree that this can lead to seeing exercise as a way to compensate for food and that tallying points, just like calories, could create a focus on numbers rather than health." – Willow Jarosh, MS, RD

Background

History of the Company

Weight Watchers started in the early 1960's. Founder Jean Nidetch invited a group of friends to her New York City home to discuss the best methods for losing weight. That small group meeting evolved into a core part of past and current Weight Watchers programs.

One of her early group participants, Al Lippert, encouraged Nidetch to incorporate Weight Watchers in 1963. Lippert helped Nidetch to do so, and the business expanded rapidly. They became quite wealthy when the company went public in 1968.

Weight Watchers was later sold to the H.J Heinz company – yes, the ketchup manufacturer – in 1978 for $71 million. Heinz later sold the business to a European investment firm in 1999, where it was put up again for public offering in 2001.

In 2018, the company shifted it's focus from weight to wellness, re-branding as WW International, Inc, with the tagline "Wellness that Works."

Evolution of the Diet Plan

While Weight Watchers is known for its point system today, the original 1960s program was a fairly simple list of restricted, limited, and unlimited foods. Most of the diet's principles were those Nidetch had picked up in a program at an obesity clinic at the NYC Department of Health.

The rules of the original program were far stricter than the current program. For example, if you were following Weight Watchers in the 1960s you'd need to...

• Eat fish at least five times per week
• Only eat eggs a few times a week, and only at breakfast
• Eat 3-5 servings of permitted fruit each day, but avoid "forbidden fruits" (like bananas, watermelon, and cherries)
• Keep some foods off-limits, like bacon, avocado, peanut butter, and yogurt

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, variations on this exchange style meal plan were adopted. It wasn't until 1997 that points were introduced, and that has evolved many times since. Here's a list of the different incarnations of points-based programs:

• 1997 – 1-2-3 Success Program, the first points system which assigned values to foods based primarily on their caloric value
• 2000 – Winning Points, a more individualized points system that did not have any food exclusions and included adjustments for physical activity
• 2004 – Turnaround Program, which gave participants a choice of either the Core Program (a non-points based plan with a list of compliant vs. non-compliant foods) or The Flex Plan (a points plan that allowed eating anything as long as it was within the daily points allowance)
• 2008 – Momentum Plan, a crossover between the Core and Flex plans that was point-based but emphasized a list of filling foods
• 2010 – PointsPlus Plan, an overhaul of all the previous plans. This attempted to address the fact that although an apple and a handful of potato chips may have the same calories, they are not nutritionally equal. The new points system took into account factors like fat, protein, carbohydrates, and fiber.
• 2015 – SmartPoints Plan, an update to PointsPlus that also emphasized exercise with FitPoints
• 2017 – WW Freestyle, a plan that expands SmartPoints zero point foods (which don't need to be tracked) to include things like lean proteins. This is the plan currently used today.

How It Works

The current WW Freestyle plan is based on their SmartPoints system. Every food has an assigned number of points, and you'll receive a daily budget of SmartPoints to use throughout the day.

There is also a weekly cushion of extra SmartPoints which can be used to eat a little extra each day or can be allocated towards a special event that week that's point-heavy (like a friend's BBQ or a wedding).

There are no off-limit foods on WW, but the plan does encourage participants to eat nutritious options by steering you towards zero point foods. There are more than 200 of these foods, meaning you can enjoy them without tracking or measuring. These include many fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins.

Weight Watchers offers three different tiers of membership to help you assess and track your SmartPoints:

• Digital Plan – Includes use of the WW app to track food and activity, access to the community, and 24/7 online chat support
• Workshop Plan – Includes everything in the digital plan, plus weekly group workshops with guidance from wellness coaches
• Coaching Plan – Includes everything in the other two plans, plus access to one-on-one coaching support with unlimited phone calls

Pros and Cons

Weight Watchers is very appealing for many people looking to eat better since all foods can fit in the diet. It offers flexibility to enjoy meals at a special event or while eating out (provided it fits in your points allowance) and promotes many nutritious options in the zero points category. It's also been shown in research to support weight loss and tied to a reduction in diabetes risk among those with pre-diabetes.

However, there are also some downsides to the program. The focus on counting points can be cumbersome and feel restrictive for some people. It can also create an unhealthy mindset around food, encouraging people to skip meals so they can "save up" points for an unhealthy meal later. And though it's not expensive on a weekly basis, the cost can add up depending on how long you feel you need to stay on the program to reach your goals.

Common Myths and Questions

Even though Weight Watchers has been around many years, the continued evolution of the program has led to confusion about some parts of the diet.

Myth: Weight Watchers is a great way to lose weight quickly.

Fact: The goal of the program is slower, sustainable weight loss. It recommends losing no more than two pounds per week (after the first three weeks).

Myth: Once you hit your weight loss goal, you no longer need to follow the diet.

Fact: Many people fall into the cycle of losing weight on the program, then "going off" the program, and gaining it back. Unfortunately, this is very common with any diet plan.

This doesn't mean you have to pay for Weight Watchers (or any other diet program) for life. But if you have a certain weight that you are striving to maintain, you'll need to stick with the core tenants of healthy eating and caloric balance for life. On the flip side, you can choose to let go of the focus on weight and simply enjoy a healthy relationship with nutritious foods.

Myth: You have to go to group meetings to be part of Weight Watchers.

Fact: Weight Watchers offers several tiers of membership, and one is a digital-only option. With this plan, you participate in the program on your own from the comfort of your home.

Myth: At Weight Watchers meetings, you have to weigh in publicly.

Fact: You do not. The meetings are not designed as a method of public humiliation but rather for accountability. Your weigh-ins are done in private with only the group facilitator, and then you'll be able to discuss tips for sticking with your goals in the larger group setting.

Myth: You have to eat pre-packaged frozen meals.

Fact: While there are frozen meals that are branded with SmartPoints values, you do not have to eat these. You can eat any food from the grocery store, restaurant, farmers market, etc. You only have to worry about staying within your points range.

Myth: Weight Watchers is only for women.

Fact: Though Weight Watchers has traditionally attracted female participants, both men and women are welcome to use the program.

How It Compares

Though there are some slight differences, Weight Watchers is very similar to the USDA recommendations for a healthy balanced diet. For example, the program emphasizes fruits and vegetables as zero-point foods—in line with how the USDA recommendations encourage you to make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Or, consider that foods which are less nutritious (for example, those with lots of added sugars and unhealthy fats) tend to be very high in SmartPoints. This discourages users from eating them regularly, similar to how USDA recommendations advise against frequent consumption.

One slight difference though—while the USDA gives guidance based on calories or servings, Weight Watchers uses its proprietary points system.

Weight Watchers also has some similarities to other popular diets but varies in its effectiveness and sustainability. Here's a quick overview of how it compares:

• Jenny Craig – Some research has suggested Jenny Craig may lead to more weight loss than Weight Watchers. However, Jenny Craig relies on pre-packaged meals which may be unsustainable for long term compliance.
• Nutrisystem – Like Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem is another packaged meal company. While it may be convenient, it lacks the lifestyle and meal preparation skills that are encouraged within the Weight Watchers program.
• Low-Calorie Diet – Both Weight Watchers and a low-calorie diet require tracking food and can lead to weight loss. However, strict low-calorie diets tend to be far more restrictive than Weight Watchers.
• Optavia Diet – The Optavia Diet ranks as the number two best diet for fast weight loss (tied with Atkins, keto, and Weight Watchers) due to lower caloric intake.

A Word From Verywell

If you're trying to lose weight, Weight Watchers can offer the structured support you may need. By tracking your food daily and weighing in weekly, you're encouraged to self-monitor and become aware of your choices. These skills can help you recognize problem areas and make healthier choices, leading to weight loss.

The plan is not for everyone though. For some people, constant tracking can lead to an unhealthy obsession with numbers. For others, the freedom to eat anything can almost feel paralyzing in their weight loss journey.

No matter what course of action you choose, remember that the best diet is the one you enjoy and that you can stick to for life.

Weight Watchers Banana Pancakes

Source: https://www.verywellfit.com/weight-watchers-overview-4691074

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2007 Seadoo Speedster 150 Top Speed

2007 Seadoo Speedster 150 Top Speed

Anyone feel like some pure, unadulterated fun from a boat that can throw a massive 'boarding wake? Then check out these new SeaDoos!

The Australian love of water is almost legendary all around the world and why wouldn't we love it? Australia is the biggest island on the globe with more than 70,000km of coastline and 80 per cent of its population living by the sea.
Here it's all about lifestyle and boats play a big part in that lifestyle.

That old saying "a family that plays together, stays together" is certainly true. Recreational boating in this country has long been a true family affair, especially when you look at sports such as waterskiing and now wakeboarding. Many Aussie families have spent countless hours skiing on the Hawkesbury River and Hume Weir in NSW, or Lake Eildon in Victoria, just to name a few.

The old scenario was that dad and mum bought the boat and the kids got to ski and ride behind it. This trend is changing, especially on the wakeboarding scene, where groups of young friends are pooling their funds to buy a wake boat they can all share.

With the diversity of watersports available, most families will be looking for a boat that can multi-task. Now there's a bit of modern jargon that gets totted around a lot ? but the new SeaDoo jet boats genuinely live up to the description.

Anyone who has driven or ridden in a jet boat will attest to the fun that can be had just driving around, dropping doughnuts and experiencing the G-forces these boats can pull when they're thrown into a 360-degree spin. Plus, there's the added advantage of a jet being able to run in extremely shallow water without having to worry about dinging the prop.

But when you combine these attributes in a vessel that can 'wall-up' a massive wake, tow skiers along at more than 40mph, zip around in just over a foot of water and take seven adults along for the ride, you're looking at the quintessential all-round boat.

Speedster Wake

The 2007 SeaDoo Speedster Wake breaks new ground in wake boats, because not only can it pull off all the standard jet boat tricks, but flood her cockpit-controlled ballast tanks with an extra 272kg of water and she throws a top boarding wake.

But under normal circumstances, especially when children are still learning the ropes, there's no need to fill her ballast to achieve a reasonable wake. This is because the twin, aft-mounted, Rotax 4-TEC, Supercharged, Intercooled, 215hp (430hp all up), four-stroke engines' jet nozzles are quite close together and virtually work as one unit to create a good wake and a top speed of 55mph.

The Speedster Wake is 19ft 9in and has an 8ft beam, which means she's almost half as wide as she is long, which further enhances the wake. Her dry weight is only 1340kg, so for a 20-footer she's not too heavy to tow. But add another 170kg for fuel and freshwater, 272kg of ballast and around 700kg for passengers and gear, and this boat has a displacement of more than 2.6 tonnes, so no wonder the wake's big.

The Hull

The Wake's hull has a 20-degree deadrise near the bow, so it slices through chop cleanly, but it flattens out from under the driver's seat to the transom. The result is a straight tracking hull that responds instantly to directional changes of the jet venturi, which is why the hull can easily spin within its own length.

As far as wake boats go, the available cockpit space is reduced slightly by the size of the swim platform, which is integrated into the hull and the twin storage bins above the engines. These bins have padded hatches that close to form a large sun pad. So, yes, it's a slight loss, but it's still usable space. Plenty of room remains in the main cockpit and forward bowrider to seat six adults in comfort, while the seventh person rides behind.Layout

The layout of the Speedster Wake is fairly typical of most modern bowriders, but there's no windscreen as such. Individual race boat-style screens protect the driver and observer. These do a surprisingly good job of redirecting the slipstream up and over the heads of those seated on the rear lounge. The bowrider will seat two adults comfortably, while three can sit on the transom lounge without too much trouble.

There's a wake/ski underfloor locker between the driver's and navigators seats, grab handles and drink holders for all passengers and a stylish wakeboarding tower with board racks.

For the driver, the instrumentation for the twin-engine installation is comprehensive. The boat features a Perfect Pass cruise-control system and a Clarion AM/FM CD Stereo. This not only pumps music into the boat through four speakers, but blasts the sound out to the rider through large marine speakers mounted on the tower.

There's also a loud hailer that uses these speakers, so voice commands can be conveyed to anyone on the water behind the boat.

Built-in ice box, cockpit carpet, bimini top (optional), six stainless steel cleats, a 12V jack, horn, navigations lights and twin boarding ladders, this boat has everything you'll require for a fun family day on the water ? even if you're not into boarding.

The 150 Speedster

At only 15ft, you'd hardly call the 150 Speedster a big boat, but in jet boat terms, she's big on performance, handling and exhilaration. The 150 also offers Rotax power, this time in the form of a single supercharged 215hp unit that propels the boat to a top speed of 45mph.

This smaller boat seats four adults and is also fitted with a wakeboarding tower. While the 150 throws a wake that's quite suitable for recreational boarders and water toy riders, this boat is more suited to the thrill seeker. Mum, dad and the kids will have a ball zipping around in the 150, but like the jet boat rides on Sydney Harbour, once you start throwing it into those high speed 360-degree spins, be prepared to get wet? it's all part of the fun.

The boat's handling and performance are exemplary. Its helm is light and super responsive, making this boat extremely manoeuvrable at both high and low speed. It also boasts a high freeboard, so mum and the kids won't have to worry about being thrown out when dad throws yet an another unannounced doughnut at high speed when no one's hanging on.

Basically, this boat has many of the features of its 20-foot sister, but in a more compact unit.

Both the Speedster Wake and the 150 Speedster were designed as all-round fun machines and they fill the roles admirably. But don't be fooled into thinking that the Speedster Wake isn't a top wakeboarding boat. Many riders will be surprised at the size of wake she can wall-up.

If you're after pure, unadulterated fun, fire up the 150 Speedster.

2007 Seadoo Speedster 150 Top Speed

Source: https://www.yachtandboat.com/seadoo-speedster-and-wake-150-review/

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Vr Car Racing

Vr Car Racing

Are you obsessed with cars? Not like, Ferrari hats and Piloti loafers, but cars. Fast cars. Racing. You know, the fun stuff. And no, you don't count if you went to Cars & Coffee once and bought a t-shirt at Deus. I'm talking about the hardcore nerds. Do you know the routines of your neighbors based on their exhaust notes alone? Have you spent way too much money on car parts for your hopelessly amateur racing dreams, knowing there is no discernible reward for winning any of these events other than bragging rights within your equally nerdy crew of track buds? Are you like me? You moron. Well, months into quarantine, I found out I'm going to be a dad, so it was goodbye racetrack. But, because I'm an idiot and racing is the best, I spent $8,000 on a racing simulator in my living room instead.

When the pandemic hit and lockdown ensued, racing enthusiasts and professional drivers alike turned to virtual racing to keep the spirit of competition alive and preserve muscle memory. Sounds crazy, I know, but you'd be surprised how intense a 20-minute, wheel-to-wheel virtual race can be with a big field of drivers and open communication between the whole lot. So intense that you'll find yourself setting up fans, keeping cold water nearby, and dressing for a heatwave just to keep your shit together.

Actual pro drivers from a number of the major racing series—F1, IndyCar, and NASCAR to name a few—have been found online racing against each other and even gamers, people who might not even own a car, to feed their need for speed in the virtual world at a massively high level. (Some of those gamers are being poached to make the jump from the digital world to the real thing.) With my track car collecting dust in the garage and my fingers growing calluses from gripping my Xbox controller too tightly while playing Forza, I watched the entire racing community buying, building, and using real-deal racing simulators in their homes, and I caught a major case of FOMO. With so little to do, I caved big time, finding the absolute limits of both my loving wife's patience and our L.A. apartment's living room. Our Ikea end tables needed replacing anyway.

Alex Bernstein

I didn't want a flimsy setup with a steering wheel clamped to my CB2 desk or pedals sliding around on the floor, nor could I commit to a full-on motion rig with three massive screens and noisy motors bouncing me around, because space is tight. So I recorded super-precise measurements and looked for appropriately sized simulator rigs. One company stood out to me for its sleek design and footprint: Sim-Lab, operating out of the Netherlands. The cockpit I chose is the GT1-Evo, which isn't the biggest, baddest offering, but it's the best all-rounder without breaking the bank or taking up way too much space. It comes in many, many pieces, but as a wrencher and DIY-lover, I had fun assembling it. You surely have a similar desire to do just about fucking anything to pass the time in quarantine. I was so bored at one point that I completely dismantled my robo-vacuum (twice) just to bring it back to proper functioning, sans dog hair.

Alex Bernstein

Using a slotted aluminum structure with an array of locknuts and hardware means this setup is super customizable and insanely rigid. A full day of assembly, three bandaids, and half a crispy six-pack later, I finished off the chassis with Sim-Lab's own fixed-back bucket seat. You know, because having a full racecar spec seat is 100-percent necessary for playing video games. It's actually pleasantly comfortable, with a true motorsport sliding mechanism from Sparco. Man, if you could have been there when I unboxed it, fully making engine noises and pretending to hold a steering wheel like a kid… It was then that my wife really started to realize this was in fact the man she'd married and the future father of her child. She can't leave me now, though!

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Now, with the chassis squared away, it was time to decide how I'd steer, shift, accelerate, and initiate tire-destroying drifts. There's really only one brand that came to mind here, and that's Fanatec. With offerings from entry-level to rip-your-thumbs-off insane, Fanatec makes the most radical wheelbases, pedal sets, and shifters. For this build, since I was committed to going all-out, I went with Fanatec's Podium DD2 system.

The wheelbase is the center of the simulated racing experience. This is where all the feel comes from; the feedback, road imperfections, resistance, and connection. The DD2 is the most advanced wheelbase of its kind, using a direct drive outrunner-type motor engineered specifically for sim racing. The unbelievable amount of torque and information that comes through the wheel provides an experience closer to the real thing than I'd ever thought possible. Twenty-five newton meters of torque! You can close your Google window, I won't make you do the conversion yourself. That's 18 pounds of force. I run this wheel set to about 30 percent power, because I'm not strong enough to give it the beans. I have to preserve these wrists for diaper changing, after all. And don't worry, the DD2 comes with an emergency stop switch for when things get a little too nuts. Yes, you read that right.

Alex Bernstein

You can slap a multitude of steering wheels on the DD2 wheelbase, too. I went with the Porsche 911 GT3 R Clubsport wheel, wrapped in suede, of course, and added the endurance button module, because why not? This wheel is a replica of what comes in the real GT3 R, with each button programmable for traction control settings, brake bias, high beams, you name it. The wheel even has LED shift lights and its own OLED display that'll report back with telemetry and timing. How is this still a game? My sim rig is way more advanced than my racecar.

Next up, we've got the pedals. I wanted a three-pedal set, because driving manual is arguably way more fun and also keeps me practicing the driving I do in real life. I opted for the inverted ClubSport V3 Pedals. Inverted pedals are exactly like a real car, but with the pivot point above the brake and clutch pedals rather than below. The brake pedal is fully adjustable with a damper to control firmness and springback, and braking is probably more consistent than your own car. Plus, the pedals look so badass—certainly nicer than anything found in a new car under $100K. Just like the wheelbase, they have a vibration motor that sends signals when you're on the brakes, engaging ABS, running over kerbs, and banging off the rev limiter.

Alex Bernstein

Finishing off the driving accessories from Fanatec, I mounted the manual shifter and handbrake to the chassis with Sim-Lab's provided brackets. I've always wanted to get more comfortable going sideways in a car, and it's wild that I'm actually teaching myself how to drift properly with handbrake techniques and clutch work, all in my living room in nothing but my underwear. This wouldn't be acceptable at any track. I'm living the dream.

If the wheelbase is the heart of this racing system, the computer is the brain, and the legs, and, okay, throw in some other vital organs. It is what makes the experience seamless, vivid, and fast. So, I got in touch with iBUYPOWER and told them what I was looking for. First off, I'm a Mac guy, so PC-buying was new territory. Could you run a sim on a Mac? Sure, but you'd be dumb to try. Games are really made for the PC crowd. Besides, PCs are way more affordable to build and customize.

Alex Bernstein

For more than 20 years, iBUYPOWER has been building some of the most hardcore gaming systems. These computers are purpose built, and as someone who really only cares for purpose-built cars, I appreciate the hell out of a black box full of TRON-esque lights and circuitry. iBUYPOWER set me up with its Gaming RDY BQIIBG201. This PC boots up faster than any computer I've ever used. I actually timed it: It's 13 seconds from pressing the power button to the login screen. The system is so good that iBUYPOWER supplies these PCs to TRD (Toyota Racing Development), and if it works for the Toyota race team, it'll do the trick nestled next to my couch. (I should note that since I got my PC, iBUYPOWER has updated its iRacing systems to current generation hardware.)

When it comes to choosing a racing simulator computer, you want to make sure you've got a fast CPU to avoid bottlenecks, enough RAM to give yourself a healthy margin for background programs, and a large—and lightning fast—solid-state hard drive to speed past loading screens. Check, check, check.

So intense that you'll find yourself setting up fans, keeping cold water nearby, and dressing for a heatwave just to keep your shit together.

Massively important, though, is the graphics card. This does all the heavy-lifting to show the best possible graphics and feed video to multiple high-resolution displays or a VR headset. Thanks to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, I have yet to see a quick stutter from the machine. It even uses a fan made by a company named Be Quiet. It earned that name, since this thing cruises along at a whisper, quieter than my MacBook Pro by a longshot.

With all this firepower, I could output video to pretty much any display setup I desired, but I'm all about clean aesthetics and really don't have the space for a triple monitor, so I went with one of the best single displays on the market. Imagine sitting in your car; hands on the wheel, a wide view of your windshield and lots of peripheral information from the driver and passenger side windows. A triple-screen setup replicates this, but if a single is what you're going for, you should be looking in the ultra-wide aspect ratio category, and that's where the 35-inch ViewSonic XG350R-C 21:9 curved gaming monitor comes in. At this super-wide ratio, I can still see out of the driver's side window, and the curved display has a subtley immersive effect. With a 100Hz refresh rate, there are zero visible hiccups.

Alex Bernstein

The display mounts to the Sim-Lab chassis, and having everything attached as one unit looks killer. It also has built-in speakers that get the job done, but when running laps online against people, you need to be able to hear the car and communicate with others, so a proper headset is in order. SteelSeries's entry-level headset gear is still better than most of what you'll find out there, but its Arctis Pro Wireless is the one. It comes with its own Bluetooth base station for true lossless and ultra-low-latency audio up to 40 feet away, which means everyone will hear you if you run to the bathroom right before the race starts. Ask me how I know! There is a quick mute button on the headset, though, which I now find very useful. You'd need to invest significant coin to build a surround-sound system that rivals the high-fidelity audio from the Arctis Pro. Glad I went this route, and I'm sure others in the house are glad too, dog included.

Alex Bernstein

As if my wife didn't hate me enough for going way too far down the rabbit hole, I thought I should take the sim experience to the final level with virtual reality. If you're not an all-out gamer, you've probably not experienced something so intense that you start perspiring almost immediately, reaching your hands out to touch things that aren't there. The VIVE Cosmos Elite is new territory. After some initial setup woes, I am now sitting in the cockpit of the Porsche 911 GT3 R, seeing my hands hold the same wheel design as what I'm actually holding from Fanatec. Look left, out the window. Look right, at my opponent. Turn all the way around, out the rear window. I'm watching my feet move from gas to brake pedal as I'm feeling my feet make these same moves. It doesn't look as good as what you'll see on a decent display, but you're talking about packing a ton of resolution (1,440 by 1,770 pixels per eye) into a tiny space. The only thing you'll get caught up on is the focal point, which seems narrowly centered on your pupils. Look down, left, right, or up, and the focus softens noticeably. But in racing, you're moving your eyes and your head to look ahead through the next turn. Honestly, after the first few corners, you're just in a new world.

Alex Bernstein

So here I am, revving out the flat six to 9,000 rpm, feeling the vibration of the engine transmitted through the wheelbase, gripping my hands on the wheel as the front tires shift over track imperfections, coming down the front straight at Mugello at 168 mph. My wrists are sore, I'm craving an overly sweet but satisfying frozen margarita for some reason, and I'm trying desperately not to fuck up, because I'm in P1. The headlights of the Corvette C7.R in my rearview mirror are bouncing around as the driver from Australia closes the gap. I spot my marker on the left and jump to the brakes to slow down for turn one. The 'Vette makes a move on the inside. I hear the engine on my right, the scraping of pad material on glowing hot rotors, and the skipping of tires as they cling to the tarmac. I don't think I'm breathing anymore. I hold on with a death grip and attempt to be hyper-delicate with the throttle to avoid stuffing my front wheel into his rear quarter, and I tuck back to the inside. Thanks to this notoriously tough, uphill double-apex, I'm back on throttle soon enough to retake my position after cocky Corvette guy comes in too hot and suffers understeer, putting him on a much slower line. I scream with nervous giggles and exhale after what feels like an eternity, loosening my grip and relaxing my body as I fly straight off the track into the dirt.

I've blown it on the last lap. Ho-ly. Shit. This is like the real thing.

I tilt the VR headset up to refocus my vision on my actual surroundings and wipe the sweat off my forehead. My wife is right over my shoulder, smiling in amazement at what a nerd I am. I have no shame; this is the coolest thing I've done in months. I have an entry pass to every track in the world, in cars I'll never get to drive, all just a few steps from my kitchen. A little extreme for the living room? You might think so. Worth it? A thousand times over.

Alex Bernstein Alex Bernstein is an LA-based commercial photographer with a racecar problem.

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Vr Car Racing

Source: https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/cars/a34497432/best-virtual-racing-simulator-build-gear/

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Daihatsu Kei Car

Daihatsu Kei Car

Smallest category of highway-legal Japanese cars

Private car kei license plate

Commercial vehicle kei license plate

Kei car (or keijidōsha , kanji: 軽自動車 , "light automobile", pronounced [keːdʑidoːɕa]), known variously outside Japan as Japanese city car, ultramini, or Japanese microcar, is the Japanese vehicle category for the smallest highway-legal passenger cars. Similar Japanese categories exist for microvans, and kei trucks. These vehicles are most often the Japanese equivalent of the EU A-segment (city cars).

The kei-car category was created by the Japanese government in 1949, and the regulations have been revised several times since. These regulations specify a maximum vehicle size, engine capacity, and power output, so that owners may enjoy both tax and insurance benefits. In most rural areas they are also exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is available for the vehicle.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Kei cars have become very successful in Japan, consisting of over one-third of domestic new-car sales in fiscal 2016, despite dropping from a record 40% market share in 2013, after the government increased the kei-car tax by 50% in 2014.^{[4] [5] [6]} In 2018, seven of the 10 top-selling models were kei cars, including the top four, all boxy passenger vans: Honda N-Box, Suzuki Spacia, Nissan Dayz, and Daihatsu Tanto.^[7] Isuzu is the only manufacturer that has never offered a kei-sized vehicle for either private ownership or commercial trucks and microvans.

In export markets, though, the genre is generally too specialized and too small for most models to be profitable.^[8] Notable exceptions exist, though, for instance the Suzuki Alto and Jimny models, which were exported consistently from around 1980. Kei cars are not only popular with the elderly, but they are also popular with youths because of their affordability.^{[9] [6]}

Nearly all kei cars have been designed and manufactured in Japan, but a version of the French-made Smart was briefly imported and officially classified as a kei car, and since then, the British Caterham 7 160 has also received such classification.

Description [edit]

Kei cars feature yellow license plates, earning them the name "yellow-plate cars" (black numbers on yellow background for private use and yellow numbers on black background for commercial use) in English-speaking circles.^{[2] [3]} Japanese government regulations limit the physical size, engine power, and engine displacement of kei cars. Keis have also been subject to other restrictions, such as lower speed limits, including a warning chime that goes off if being driven too fast.^[10]

Kei car regulations^{[11] [12]}

Date	Max. length	Max. width	Max. height	Max. displacement		Max. power
				four-stroke	two-stroke
July 1949	2.8 m (9.2 ft)	1.0 m (3.3 ft)	2.0 m (6.6 ft)	150 cc	100 cc	N/A
July 1950	3.0 m (9.8 ft)	1.3 m (4.3 ft)		300 cc	200 cc
August 1951				360 cc	240 cc
1 April 1955				360 cc
1 January 1976	3.2 m (10.5 ft)	1.4 m (4.6 ft)		550 cc
1 January 1990	3.3 m (10.8 ft)			660 cc		47 kW (64 PS)
1 October 1998	3.4 m (11.2 ft)	1.48 m (4.9 ft)

Kei cars are often available with forced-induction engines, automatic and CV transmissions, front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.^[3]

History [edit]

360-cc era (1949–1975) [edit]

The kei-car legal class originated in the era following the end of World War Two, when most Japanese could not afford a full-sized car, but many had enough money to buy a motorcycle. To promote the growth of the car industry, as well as to offer an alternative delivery method to small business and shop owners, the kei- car category and standards were created.^[1] Originally limited to a displacement of only 150 cc (9 cu in; 150 cm³) (or just 100 cc for two-stroke engines) in 1949, dimensions and engine size limitations were gradually expanded (in 1950, 1951, and 1955) to tempt more manufacturers to produce kei cars.

In 1955, the displacement limit increased to 360 cc (22 cu in) for both two-stroke and four-stroke engines, resulting in several new kei-car models beginning production in the following years. These included the 1955 Suzuki Suzulight^[13] and the 1958 Subaru 360, the first mass-produced kei car,^[14] finally able to fill people's need for basic transportation without being too severely compromised. In 1955, the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry also set forth goals to develop a "national car" that was larger than kei cars produced at the time. This goal influenced Japanese automobile manufacturers to determine how best to focus their product development efforts for the smaller cars, or the larger "national car". The small exterior dimensions and engine displacement reflected the driving environment in Japan, with speed limits in Japan realistically not exceeding 40 km/h (24.9 mph) in urban areas. Keis were not allowed to be driven any faster than 40 km/h until the mid-1960s, when the kei speed limit was increased to 60 km/h (37.3 mph).

The class then went through a period of ever increasing sophistication,^[15] with an automatic transmission appearing in the Honda N360 in August 1968, with front disc brakes becoming available on a number of sporting kei cars, beginning with the Honda Z GS of January 1970.^[16] Power outputs also kept climbing, reaching a peak in the 40 PS (29 kW; 39 hp) Daihatsu Fellow Max SS of July 1970.^[17] Sales increased steadily, reaching a peak of 750,000 in 1970. Throughout the 1970s, the government kept whittling away at the benefits offered to kei vehicles, which combined with ever stricter emissions standards to lower sales drastically through the first half of the decade.^[15] Honda and Mazda withdrew from the contracting passenger kei-car market, in 1974 and 1976, respectively, although they both maintained a limited offering of commercial vehicles.

Until 31 December 1974, kei cars used smaller license plates than regular cars 230 mm × 125 mm (9.1 in × 4.9 in). As of 1975, they received the medium-sized standard plates, which are 330 mm × 165 mm (13.0 in × 6.5 in). To set them apart from regular passenger cars, the plates were now yellow and black rather than white and green.

550-cc era (1976–1990) [edit]

Sales had been steadily declining, reaching a low-water mark of 150,000 passenger cars in 1975, 80% less than 1970 sales. Many were beginning to doubt the continued existence of the kei car, with both Honda and Mazda withdrawing in the middle of the 1970s.^[18]

Emissions laws were another problem for the kei-car industry in the mid-1970s. From 1973 to 1978, emissions standards were to be tightened in four steps.^[19] Meeting the stricter standards, which were to be introduced in 1975, would be problematic for manufacturers of kei cars. This was particularly hard for Daihatsu and Suzuki, which focused on two-stroke engines, especially Suzuki, a relatively small company whose entire production consisted of two-stroke kei cars.^[20] Daihatsu, though, had both the engineering backing and powerful connections of their large owner, Toyota, to aid them in meeting the new requirements. All manufacturers of kei cars were clamoring for increased engine displacement and vehicle size limits, claiming that the emissions standards could not be met with a functional 360-cc engine. In the end, the Japanese legislature relented, increasing the overall length and width restrictions by 200 mm (7.9 in) and 100 mm (3.9 in), respectively. Engine size was increased to 550 cc (33.6 cu in), taking effect from 1 January 1976.^[20] The new standards were announced on 26 August 1975, leaving very little time for manufacturers to revise their designs to take advantage of the new limits.^[21]

Most manufacturers were somewhat surprised by the decision; having expected a 500 cc (30.5 cu in) limit, they had already developed new engines to fit such restrictions. These new engines were quickly introduced, usually mounted within widened bodies of existing models.^[18] These interim versions (with displacements ranging between 443 and 490 cc) were "feelers", developed to see if indeed a continued market existed for the kei car.^[18] As sales improved, they only lasted for a model year or so until manufacturers had the time to develop "full-sized" engines. Only Daihatsu managed to avoid developing transitional engine versions that did not take full advantage of the new regulations. Kei-car sales remained stagnant, however, while combined passenger and commercial kei car sales reached 700,000 for the first time since 1974,^[19] the small cars still lost market share in a quickly growing market.

As the kei cars became larger and more powerful, another benefit appeared, as exports increased considerably. In particular, export sales of trucks increased, while kei passenger car exports increased at a lower rate. In 1976, combined exports of kei cars and trucks were 74,633 (up 171% year-on-year), despite exports of passenger kei cars decreasing.^[22] In 1980, another record year occurred as exports climbed 80.3% (to 94,301 units), of which 77.6% were microtrucks.^[23] Nearly 17% of exports went to Europe, dwarfed by Chile, which took nearly a quarter of the exported keis.^[23] Due to the difficult economic environment, low-priced cars sold well and 1981 marked another successful year as Japanese midget car sales reached their highest since the 1970 record (at 1,229,809 units for cars and commercials).^[24]

As the 1980s progressed, kei cars became increasingly refined, losing their utilitarian origins, as Japanese customers became ever better off. Features such as four-wheel drive, turbochargers, and air conditioning began to become available on kei-car models. Conversely, van versions of the small hatchbacks were now marketed to nonbusiness users, to take advantage of even lower taxation and laxer emissions rules; this move in the market was spearheaded by Suzuki with their 1979 Alto, and competitors soon followed suit, with the Subaru Family Rex and the Daihatsu Mira appearing within a year's time.^[25]

In the 1980s, the speed limit for kei cars was 80 km/h (50 mph). Government rules also mandated a warning chime to alert the driver if this speed were exceeded.^[10]

660-cc era (1990–2014) [edit]

The kei car regulations were revised in March 1990, allowing engines an increase of 110 cc (6.7 cu in) in displacement, and the overall car length to be increased by 100 mm (3.9 in). These changes occurred during the 1990s Japanese economic bubble, and all manufacturers quickly developed new models to suit. Within five months, all the major models of kei cars had switched from 550- to 660-cc engines.^[26] For the first time, a power limit was also applied, in addition to the limit on engine size. This power limit of 64 PS (47 kW; 63 hp) matched the highest output reached by any kei manufacturer at the time and was a gentlemen's agreement amongst the manufacturers in an effort to avoid a kei-class horsepower war.^[27] The only kei-engined car to have exceeded this limit was the Caterham 7 160, a lightweight British sports car that was not expected to qualify as a kei, though it is small enough (in dimensions and displacement) to fit the regulations. Its engine is rated at 80 hp (60 kW; 81 PS), and since that is how the car is homologated in the United Kingdom, the Japanese authorities told the importer that its power should remain unchanged.^[27]

The addition of a power limit was a response to the ever-increasing power outputs available with turbocharging and multivalve technologies popularized in the late '80s. Engine technology was also shared with sport bikes, which are designed for rider enjoyment, and less so for fuel economy - going against the idea of small, people's cars and putting the kei cars' tax and structural advantages at risk of a governmental backlash. The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association also self-imposes a speed limit for kei cars of 140 km/h (87 mph).^[28]

In a rare example of an overseas mass-produced model being sold as a kei car in Japan, a kei version of the Smart Fortwo (called the Smart K) was sold at the Yanase dealerships in Japan from 2001 to 2004. The Smart K used revised rear fenders and reduced tire dimensions and track width to conform to kei-car regulations.^[29] The model was not a success, and it sold the fewest examples of a kei car when it was marketed.^[3]

The Suzuki Wagon R was the best-selling kei car in Japan from 2003 to 2008.^[30]

Starting in 2011, Toyota entered the kei-car market for the first time. The resulting Toyota Pixis Space, a rebadged Daihatsu Move Conte, was expected to increase competition in that market.^[31] Currently, Nissan and Mitsubishi jointly produce the Mitsubishi eK (also sold as the Nissan Dayz or Nissan Otti). Honda's kei-car line-up, the N-one, N-Box, and N-WGN, accounts for around a quarter of its overall sales.^[31]

Reduced incentives (2014–present) [edit]

In April 2014, the Japanese government significantly reduced advantages for kei-car owners, imposing higher sales tax, higher gasoline tax and higher kei-car tax – the last of which was raised by 50% – greatly reducing their tax benefits, compared to regular-sized cars.^[5]

Daihatsu, Honda, Mitsubishi (through NMKV joint venture), and Suzuki are currently the only mass-production manufacturers of kei cars. Nissan sells rebadged Mitsubishi and Suzuki models,^[32] Mazda sells rebadged Suzuki models, and Toyota and Subaru sell badge-engineered Daihatsu models.

Electric kei cars [edit]

The 2009 Japanese domestic market Mitsubishi i-MiEV was the first electric kei car, and the world's first mass-produced electric car.^{[33] [34] [6]} Sales began in 2009 to fleet purchasers and in 2010 to the general public. In Japan, the car is called the i-MiEV, an acronym for Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle. The i-MiEV uses a 47 kW (63 hp) permanent-magnet motor. Current models charge overnight in 14 hours from home 110-volt mains, or in 30 minutes from quick-charging stations installed at fleet locations. The range is 100 km (62 mi) using the U.S. EPA testing routine and 160 km (99 mi) using the Japanese Transport Ministry's testing routine.

Current taxation and insurance [edit]

The vehicle excise tax levy is 2% of the purchase price, compared to 3% for a regular car.^[35]

An automobile weight tax also is levied: The amount is ¥13,200 and ¥8,800 for a three- and two-year period, respectively, as compared to the ¥18,900 and ¥12,600 charged for larger-sized passenger cars. The savings are thus more than 30% in both cases. This weight tax is paid after the vehicle has passed its safety inspection.

The required road tax is based on the engine's displacement.

A 24-month insurance contract typically costs ¥18,980 at the time of registration, versus ¥22,470 for a larger car.

Best-selling models [edit]

Gallery [edit]

360-cc era [edit]

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550-cc era [edit]

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Sport [edit]

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Present [edit]

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See also [edit]

• Kei truck

References [edit]

1. ^ ^{a b} Nunn, Peter (January–February 2005). "Minicars: Cheap and Cheerful". JAMA. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
2. ^ ^{a b} "Owning a Car in Japan", ALTs in Sendai (via Internet Archive)
3. ^ ^{a b c d} "Small Things in Good Packages", Jerry Garrett, New York Times, 25 November 2007
4. ^ Auto sales in Japan rebound to 5m units, led by Toyota – Nikkei Asian Review
5. ^ ^{a b} Japan Seeks to Squelch Its Tiny Cars – The New York Times
6. ^ ^{a b c} Posky, Matt (5 September 2017). "Government Intervention is Intentionally Killing the Japanese Kei Car". The Truth About Cars . Retrieved 19 August 2019.
7. ^ Schreffler, Roger (5 February 2019). "Mini-Car Sales Up in Japan in 2018, Bigger Vehicles Down". WardsAuto . Retrieved 20 August 2019.
8. ^ Rees, p. 79
9. ^ Tajitsu, Naomi (10 October 2018). "Aging Japan: Built for young families, minicars attract a huge..." Reuters . Retrieved 20 August 2019.
10. ^ ^{a b} Csere, Csaba (November 1986). "Honda Today: Space efficiency doesn't have to be ugly". Car and Driver. Vol. 32 no. 5. CBS Magazines. p. 110.
11. ^ "軽自動車とは" (in Japanese). Kei car Inspection Organization. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
12. ^ "道路運送車両法". 一般財団法人 自動車検査登録情報協会 (Automobile Inspection & Registration Information Association) (in Japanese). 一般財団法人 自動車検査登録情報協会. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
13. ^ "Suzuki Fronte, Suzuki Alto, Suzuki Cervo, Suzuki Kei". www.xs4all.nl . Retrieved 1 January 2019.
14. ^ http://blog.autorec.co.jp/2015/10/kei-jidosha.html
15. ^ ^{a b} Rees, p. 78
16. ^ Nippon Kei Car Memorial, p. 79
17. ^ Nippon Kei Car Memorial, p. 75
18. ^ ^{a b c} Yamaguchi, Jack K. (1977), "The Year of the Third Power", World Cars 1977, Pelham, NY: The Automobile Club of Italy/Herald Books: 56, ISBN0-910714-09-6
19. ^ ^{a b} Yamaguchi, Jack K. (1979). Lösch, Annamaria (ed.). "The Year of Uncertainty?". World Cars 1979. Pelham, NY: The Automobile Club of Italy/Herald Books: 61. ISBN0-910714-11-8.
20. ^ ^{a b} Yamaguchi, Jack K. (1976), "Japan: Reluctant Number One", World Cars 1976, Bronxville, NY: L'Editrice dell'Automobile LEA/Herald Books: 56, ISBN0-910714-08-8
21. ^ Nippon Kei Car Memorial, p. 91
22. ^ "Japanese Motor Vehicles Guide Book, Volume 25". 自動車ガイドブック [Japanese Motor Vehicles Guide Book] (in Japanese). Japan: Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association. 25: 334. 10 October 1978. 0053-780025-3400.
23. ^ ^{a b} "Midget car exports in 1980 hit record". Nihon Keizai Shimbun. Tokyo: 7. 24 February 1981.
24. ^ "Midget car sales swell 21%". Nihon Keizai Shimbun. Tokyo: 7. 19 January 1982.
25. ^ Yamaguchi, Jack K. (1980), Lösch, Annamaria (ed.), "Consummation of the Turbulent Decade", World Cars 1980, Pelham, New York: L'Editrice dell'Automobile LEA/Herald Books: 66–67, ISBN0-910714-12-6
26. ^ "Goo-net カタログ: 三菱 ミニカ(MINICA)のグレード一覧: 1990年8月" [Goo-net Catalog: Mitsubishi Minica, 1990.08] (in Japanese). Goo-net. Archived from the original on 19 April 2020.
27. ^ ^{a b} Schmitt, Bertel (17 January 2017). "Japan Hands British Caterham Unfair Advantage: 'Sorry, Suzuki, Daihatsu And Honda.'". Forbes. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020.
28. ^ 藤田竜太 (Ryuta Fujita] (25 September 2017). "法的な義務はなし！ 軽140km/h・普通車は180km/hのリミッター速度はどう決められたのか" [No legal obligations! How were the speed limiters of 140km/h for kei cars and 180km/h for ordinary cars selected?]. Web Cartop (in Japanese). Kotsu Times Sha Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020.
29. ^ "The 37th Tokyo Motor Show". Japan Automobile Manufactures Association. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
30. ^ "Suzuki Wagon R 1st-Half Best-Selling Car for 5 Straight Years". Japan Corporate News Network KK. 6 October 2008. Archived from the original on 16 June 2010. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
31. ^ ^{a b} "Toyota adds first minicar to Japan lineup". japantoday.com. 27 September 2011. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020.
32. ^ "Nissan Adds Third Minicar to its Lineup in Japan". Edmunds.com. 10 June 2005. Archived from the original on 14 October 2007.
33. ^ "Mitsubishi Firsts". www.evworld.com . Retrieved 1 January 2019.
34. ^ "Mitsubishi Recalls 2009-2014 i-Miev Electric Cars for Faulty Brake Vacuum Pump". transportevolved.com . Retrieved 1 January 2019.
35. ^ Consumption Tax Trends 2014 VAT/GST and excise rates, trends and policy issues: VAT/GST and excise rates, trends and policy issues. OECD. 2014. p. 153. ISBN9789264223943.

Further reading [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kei cars.

• 360cc: Nippon 軽自動車 Memorial 1950→1975 [Nippon Kei Car Memorial 1950–1975] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Yaesu Publishing. 2007. ISBN978-4-86144-083-0.
• Rees, Chris (1995). Microcar Mania. Minster Lovell & New Yatt, Oxfordshire, UK: Bookmarque Publishing. ISBN1-870519-18-3.

Daihatsu Kei Car

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kei_car

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