Drive Wire: May 19, 2016

Much welcomed spy shots from Nissan’s Nismo division. These particular shots seem to be covering Nissan’s 2017 Sentra Nismo, which is good news for fans of hot compacts. Although this model is camo’d, we can easily see sportier bodywork, including an aggressive front end treatment with a chunky splitter, big fog lights, and what looks like room for bigger wheel and tire packages. We’d expect the Sentra Nismo to use a turbo 1.6 liter 4-cylinder, giving it the ability compete with Ford’s Fiesta ST and Honda’s Civic SI. However, since the Juke Nismo already exists, it’s unlikely the Sentra Nismo will be so hot that it steps on the Juke’s toes when it debuts later this year. Still, we can dream, can’t we?

Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg has camped out at the Nurburgring and is setting its sights on the lap record. The automaker has confirmed they’ll be going after the 6:57 second lap set by Porsche’s 918 Spider in 2013, but have not yet specified which model car they’ll be using. Because all 7 of its 1,300 horsepower 1:1 hypercars have been sold, speculation is that Koenigegg will use one of the 25 production Agera RS models, which are still being built. For now, they’re seeking out drivers with ‘ring knowledge and experience, so if that’s you, get your resume in the mail now. The rest of us will be watching very closely.

Following the trend, Google has launched “Waze Rider,” a new ride-sharing service based on and powered by its crowd-sourced navigation app “Waze.” Waze rider will use the same crowd-sourcing concept to connect drivers with riders going to the same area. Just enter your destination in the Waze app and it connects you with a driver, which Google is calling a “Wazer” because of course it is. The fee is mileage-based, and currently, the driver gets a 100% of the fee. That’s interesting, because Google is also an investor in Uber, and this definitely overlaps. Waze Rider is currently available only in limited areas. 

Today’s gear pick is definitely on the weird side and we love it. By dropping a 7hp Subaru four-stroke motor into the back of a kayak, a company called Mokai has created the ultimate lake cruiser. Capable of hitting approximately 15 miles per hour, this joystick-controlled kayak is perfect for tooling around your favorite body of water or for sneaking into those hard-to-reach fishing spots. If that wasn’t convenient enough, the kayak breaks down into three pieces and can fit in the back of your truck. Although we may prefer getting exercise via the good Ol’ paddle, it is pretty cool to see this thing in action. Just be warned, this compact cruiser goes for $5,400. 

For today’s ridiculous video, we have everyone’s favorite thing – wing suits! Watch Uli Emanuele fly through actual rings of fire and ask yourself what the hell makes someone want to do that. Then admit that you yourself want to do that, because it’s astoundingly awesome. If you have to risk your life, this might be the coolest way to do it.

That’s it for today’s edition of Drive Wire. For more, be sure to come back to thedrive.com, and follow us @thedrive on all your favorite social media platforms.