Sunday, September 28, 2014

Give Me More Horsepower, Damnit!



A horsepower war has been raging in the automotive industry for some time now. Unlike the big war in the late 1960s, this one hasn't been choked out by CAFE government fuel economy standards, despite GM's trying to claim such standards would kill the Corvette and any other cool car it makes. Nope, thanks to some pretty creative technologies like variable valve timing, direct fuel injection, turbocharging, hybrid powertrains and other such engineering trickery, we have been able to squeeze out more power from smaller engines.

An unfortunate consequence of all of this power being thrown around by automakers is that members of the public have become too damn focused on just horsepower. I read all the time on automotive blogs, Facebook posts, and pretty much anywhere else people who want to act like they are so car savvy, statements like this: "Come on (insert automaker's name here), give us MOAR POWERRRR!!!"

One of the common victims of this horsepower lust mentality is the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ. The funny thing is that the Toyotaru sports car handles like a pro and is a blast to drive, but the fact that it doesn't push out at least 300 horsepower has everyone all hot under the collar.

While I'm a fan of horsepower, I realize that just horsepower doesn't make the car. There have been plenty of high-powered cars that handled like complete garbage, which makes them good for straight-line acceleration and that's about it. I don't know about everyone else, but I actually turn my car once in a while, so handling ability is important to me. There are other factors, like the curb weight of a car, the gearing ratios, how much of that power actually makes it to the wheels, torque output, drag coefficient, and yes even fuel economy that are important factors for a car's overall performance. But you get these highly sophisticated car snobs who, when a car that doesn't belt out an obnoxious amount of horsepower is placed before them, throw up their hands and loudly declare their disdain by using terms like "bro" or "that's retarded" like the sophisticated individuals they are.

I imagine that some of these Internet car people are like the guys I see at the grocery store, who are trying to load some food into a car that can barely accommodate a gym bag. Cars are wondrously complex devices that are fun to drive, but that also are relied upon by us to perform many functions. Focusing on just one aspect of the machine's performance is a huge mistake.

So remember, when car shopping you need to look at the whole enchilada, because just horsepower isn't going to carry you through your day-to-day activities.

The Ten Most Annoying (And Dangerous) Driving Practices

Everyone who drives around a city for any period of time knows there are other drivers who do things that are damn annoying. I'm sure we can all list off our driving pet peeves, especially after a long rush hour commute. The problem is that some of these annoying habits are actually pretty dangerous, for the person doing them as well as any occupants in their car and in other cars around them. These are the ten most annoying driving habits (according to yours truly) that everyone should work hard to avoid.

10. Not using your turn signal. I know sometimes people forget to hit their signal, but all in all I've noticed some drivers habitually signal while others rarely or never do. Around where I live signaling is actually consciously avoided by many, even though it is a ticket-worthy traffic offense. I've asked people why they don't signal and  they have explained to me that signaling means others will close up a gap in an adjacent lane so they can't get over. I've had that happen to me, but not signaling can mean other cars think they're going to go for that gap, rushing into the gap at the same time as you. Also, I really can't stand when someone suddenly slams on their brakes and then makes a turn into a driveway or intersecting road. Signaling lets me know that person is going to be applying the brakes, allowing me to do the same before they make their turn.

9. Not allowing others to transition lanes or merge. This is a major habit around here and one that drives me absolutely nuts! When I drive in the South I'm always amazed how courteous everyone is when it comes to lane transitions and merging, sometimes even literally waving me in once I put my turn signal on. I've seen traffic study after traffic study that shows cutting others off, refusing to let  in cars from a lane that's ending, etc. actually makes traffic stack up. Stop being a jerk and let people in your lane so the traffic flows smoother for everyone! On the same note don't be that jerk who hops out of one lane that is clogged up, goes into the adjacent lane that's ending shortly up the road, and purposely drive all the way to the end so you can muscle your way further ahead in the line. It's called courtesy and respect, people; if you want to be treated with it you need to give it out.

8. Driving slow in passing lanes. I've noticed this seems to be more popular in rural areas or suburbs. The left lanes on a freeway or highway are generally for passing. This means if you aren't going faster than the traffic in the other lanes, move over and make way for those who are! I've heard some people explain that they travel slower in the left lane because they want to keep others from breaking the speed limit. That practice is incredibly self-righteous and misguided. The police are there to enforce the speed limits, not you. I've also heard from people that they were taught the left lanes are made for anyone who's going to be on the freeway for a long time, which is just plain ridiculous. Turtle drivers, move it to the right!

7. Speeding around in the snow. I've already talked about this one before in another blog post, but it's worth bringing up again. I've noticed there are three types of vehicles I see speeding around during or after a huge snowstorm: 4x4s, all-wheel-drive vehicles and economy cars. I get that there are quite a few morons who think their four-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive will help them not spin or slide out of control on a snowy road, but let me tell you that your tires are much bigger determining factors on whether you'll lose control on slick roads than how many wheels receive power from the transmission. I can also tell you from experience that all-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive vehicles behave much better in snow if you go at a moderate speed. Why so many people in economy cars speed around in the snow baffles me. The only thing I can think of is economy cars are popular with younger drivers who haven't realized they're mortal and that driving with the accelerator constantly mashed to the floor is not the way to drive.

6. Not clearing snow, ice or frost from your car. After every snow storm I see morons driving around with a vehicle that looks like it is made entirely of snow, like they made a snowmanmobile or something ridiculous like that. In reality these people were too damn lazy to brush the snow off their car. I also regularly see people driving around with ice or frost covering their windows, except for a small clear patch at the bottom of the windshield. You can't really see where you're going like that, so scrape the stuff off your car before you drive off or wait for the defroster to clear up the windows. With snow, you need to brush off all you can from your vehicle before you start driving. Snow on your hood will fly up against the windshield, making it hard for you to see where you're going. Snow on your roof will fly onto the windshield of the car behind you. Stop being lazy, buy a little five dollar brush and scraper and clear off your car before you kill someone!

5. Driving in other cars' blind spots. This is the worst when you are driving a larger vehicle, like a van, SUV or truck. Every vehicle has blind spots -- anyone who doesn't think so needs to learn a thing or two about driving. As a general rule of thumb if you can see the the other driver's face in their side mirror then they can see you. Even better, just avoid driving near the back corners of vehicles in parallel lanes. Some newer cars from companies like Volvo and Mercedes-Benz come with a blind spot indicator system that lets drivers know if something is in the vehicle's blind spot, but it's best to just avoid blind spots and stay where you can easily be seen.

4. Cutting off large trucks. I've driven a wide variety of vehicles, and the hardest ones to drive are the big trucks. I haven't driven a semi truck, but I have driven the largest delivery-style trucks I can without getting a commercial drivers license. These trucks have massive blind spots, don't handle well at all and must be driven with extreme caution. One thing that I've noticed about quite a few other drivers on the road (especially ones in compact cars) is that they don't get these huge trucks can't stop on a dime. People seriously don't understand Newton's Laws because when a truck that's hauling around a few tons of equipment, merchandise, furniture or whatever tries to stop it takes that truck a long time to completely halt its forward progress. The worst is when you are approaching a red light and you start breaking extra early (as you should) and little cars take your slowing down as an invitation to pull in front of you. The problem is that you aren't planning on stopping a good ten or so feet sooner, and slamming on the brakes can cause you to lose control of the truck, meaning you might not be able to stop in time. It's a dangerous thing to cut off another vehicle, especially when that vehicle weighs at least a good ten times more than yours and has a solid steel front bumper. Treat large trucks with respect and give them plenty of space on the road.

3. Honking at a car after it honks at you. Everyone makes mistakes on the road -- we're all human. Sometimes you need to beep your horn if a car doesn't see yours and you are trying to avoid a crash. What I just hate is when I hit my horn not out of anger but to avoid an accident, and then the other driver lays on theirs because they're angry at me. What the hell do they have to be angry about? If you're just helping avoid a car accident they should be grateful, maybe embarrassed that they screwed up, but still grateful. Instead these people choose to honk back like that'll teach you to let them know you were there. I've seen these situations turn into a honking war and then a shouting match that can spiral out of control from there. If someone honks at you, analyze why they may be honking, make any needed corrections to your driving and move on. Swallow that pride and just don't honk back like a class-A jerk, even if you think the other driver is overreacting.

2. Tailgating cars in front of you. This is one of the most annoying driving habits. When I have a car driving behind me and I cannot see its headlights in my mirrors I know that person is driving way too close. I guess some people think hunkering up to the rear bumper on your car will make you drive as fast as they want, but I actually slow down to make a point. It's even more annoying when you have multiple lanes of traffic going in your direction and there are no other cars around, yet someone still comes up from behind and tailgates you. Perhaps these people think they have lightning fast reflexes and their car has monster brake calipers and rotors, but I would love for them to explain that theory to the cops and their insurance company after they eat another car's tailpipe.

1.Texting, talking and webbing. this ranks as my biggest pet peeve: other drivers who use their phone or tablet device while they are driving a vehicle! Studies have shown that texting while driving is just as dangerous as driving drunk, yet people who would never get behind the wheel after having a few drinks regularly type away while speeding down the road! I can't tell you how many times I've almost been hit by someone who suddenly swerves on the road or does some other erratic maneuver, only to see that person holding a phone or tablet. Enough is enough, people! If you can't be inconvenienced by actually driving your car, leave it at home and hop the train or bus, where you can text your social butterfly heart out until your fingers become bloody little stumps!

How to Look Rich Driving a Lexus ES



I've found that there are many people in life who go around trying to act like they make drastically more money than they actually bring in. Over time I've developed several theories about why people try to act like they're rich, and in the end I've concluded that such poser activities are pathetic, foolish and completely misguided. In fact many of the richest people I've ever known try to downplay their wealth by making efforts to not stick out amongst the crowd.

While I don't understand why some people have this undying urge to appear wealthy, I have started to notice a pattern in how many of these people put on the image of wealth without actually having the money to back it up. These men avoid "dressing down" at really any time and instead favor cheap pleated chinos, penny loafers and polyester polo shirts you would find on the mannequins at JC Penny's. But this is a car blog and not a fashion blog, so back to cars. When it comes to vehicle choice there seems to be one vehicle these posers gravitate towards: the Lexus ES.

Why is the Lexus ES the poser vehicle of choice? For starters to the untrained eye it looks like a big, expensive vehicle because of the stylized "L" plastered on the grill and deck lid. Once, many years ago, I had a coworker literally tell me that the cheapest Lexus cost "like $70,000." Yeah, maybe in Australia, but not here in the U.S. of A. Currently the 2013 Lexus ES 350 has an MSRP of about $36,000. You can't get a BMW 3-Series for that cheap! In fact, a fully-loaded Honda Oddysey Touring or a Chevrolet Suburban 1500 4WD costs significantly more.Why is the ES so damn cheap? Sadly, the car is a sheep in wolf's clothing. While it looks like a luxury car, it really is a near-luxury vehicle. Truth be told, the last few generations of the ES have been incredibly mechanically similar to a Toyota Camry, just with wood trim, a V6 engine and leather seats (and you can get a V6 engine and leather seats in a Camry).

So these poser guys buy a Lexus ES 350 hoping the average guy sees the Lexus insignia and the leather seats, takes a dump in his pants and automatically assumes the other guy's car is even nearly as nice and as expensive as the Lexus LS.

And then you have the bragging about how high-performance the Lexus ES 350 is, because we all know so many people who drag race their V6 Toyota Camry at the local strip on the weekend. Most luxury sedans pack at least a decent punch, even with all the heavy creature comforts weighing them down. The 2013 Lexus ES 350's engine produces an average 268 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. The car also features unresponsive steering approved by the Blue Hair Club and a suspension setup that will have your eyes glazing over within two miles of driving. Trust me, no automotive enthusiast's heart beats faster upon thinking about driving the Lexus ES 350.

But the automotive ignorant don't get this. In fact, I once had one of these poser Lexus ES 350 drivers try to tell me some B.S. story about how he bought a Porsche Cayenne Turbo but sold it after a few months because it wasn't a very good vehicle. It's not like I stay up at night dreaming of owning a Cayenne, but the story was so ridiculous I had to bite my own tongue to keep from bursting out laughing. Why anyone would give up the blistering acceleration, cold-as-ice stopping power and road-gripping ability of a Cayenne Turbo for a Lexus ES 350 is completely inexplicable, except that the person is completely lying through his teeth. Posers don't know how to pull the wool over the eyes of someone who actually knows about cars instead of just vaguely knowing about car brands and not much else.

But I digress. The point is that there are so many people who buy the Lexus ES 350 to make themselves look rich. I'm not necessarily saying the ES 350 is a bad car, but then again I'm not really saying it's a good car. It's kind of like Wonder Bread, the stuff that thankfully is no more: it's just okay. While some people might be fooled by a Lexus ES 350, nobody who really knows cars will be impressed by an ES 350 owner's complete lack of automotive taste or pathetic attempt at appearing wealthy.

The 2014 BMW 3-Series Gran Turismo: An Economy Car Redesigned



BMW has been playing with a version of their sedans, what they're calling a "GT" or "Gran Turismo." First there was the 5-Series Gran Turismo, which looks and drives like a 5-Series with a bloated rear end. Honda copied the idea with its Crosstour (it used to be the Accord Crosstour, but that was changed).



Nobody was surprised when BMW revealed the 3-Series Gran Turismo, but one thing that's buzzing on car enthusiast sites is just how much it looks like the 2003 Hyundai Elantra GT. Critics are having a heyday with this, meanwhile many a BMW faithful is hiding his face with shame. I remember back in the 90s BMW had some of the best designs around, but for the past ten years or so they have been more hit-and-miss. I think the 6-Series lineup may be the only thing that's redeeming the Bavarian's designs at the moment.

Do you think there's a resemblance between the Hyundai and the Bimmer? 

The Duesenberg - the Original "Duesy"




Have you ever heard anyone say "that's a real duesy" when they're talking about something that outdoes other things of its kind? What you likely don't know is that the term actually comes from an old American luxury automobile, the Duesenberg. The company and its cars were lovingly given the nickname "Duesy" which was instantly grafted into English slang.


Even more-so than today, in the early 1900s European cars were revered for their refinement and luxury while American cars were looked down upon as more "common" and therefore inferior. Despite what I was taught in school (thank you public education system) Henry Ford was not the inventor of the automobile -- that honor is usually reserved for German engineer Karl Benz. So Europe was home to the first automobile, giving Europeans a little bit of a jump start on the development of automotive technology. Henry Ford was the one who figured out how to make cars more affordable through assembly line manufacturing.


In any case, American cars couldn't get any respect since the Model T and other cars from the US weren't exactly high-class. That's where the Duesenberg changed things. The first car produced by the company, the Model A, produced between 90 and 100 horsepower with the first mass-produced straight-eight engine from the United States. The Model A came with a chrome nickel steel frame and four-wheel hydraulic brakes among other amenities not found on other American cars. The Model J, which was produced several years later, represented the pinnacle of engineering and design success for Duesenberg and was the car that cemented "Duesy" into our everyday language. The car produced 265 horsepower with a naturally aspirated eight-cylinder engine, but a supercharged version was available for those who wanted even more power. It was the most expensive American automobile to date, costing up to around $250,000 in today's dollars. Car aficionado Jay Leno owns several Duesenbergs, which he says perform like modern cars when it comes to acceleration, handling and braking. Really the Duesenberg set out a blueprint for where the auto industry was to go, even though the company went under during the Great Depression.

The Automotive Market Needs a Convertible Minivan!


Chop that top!
  A good friend of mine contacted me today to gripe about how there are no convertible minivans on the market. With the weather warming up, us minivan drivers get to watch with envy as the good people of the world cruise by in their convertible Mustangs, 911s and Sebrings (okay, I'm not really jealous of that last one). If I want the wind to whip through my hair (or what is left of it) I have to roll down my window, which is just plain rough. I want to put the top down on my luxury cruiser minivan and roll hard on the way to dance lessons.
Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet

Apparently my friend wasn't aware of the fact that Nissan produces a convertible version of the Murano, called the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet. The great thing about the CrossCabriolet is its huge trunk, even with the top folded down. Not only that, but it has a folding hardtop and all-wheel-drive meaning it can be driven year-round for mad shopping trips. The bad news is the Murano CrossCabriolet has the highest percentage female ownership out of any newer vehicle in the United States, according to a source I cannot recall now (bad writer!). I guess that's only bad if you are a guy, like me.

But back to the convertible minivans. You know, as I've said over and over I never thought I would own a minivan. But they are incredibly practical vehicles when you have kids, with a low step-in height, large door openings and huge cargo capacities. Do you have any idea how many strollers I can fit in the back of mine at once? It's crazy. Still, I would like a little bit of impractical fun, and a convertible van would provide a smidgen of that impractical fun.

But the technical side of me knows a convertible minivan would present some serious mechanical issues. First off, such a large folding roof would use a pretty complicated folding mechanism, which would take some fancy engineering. Not only that, but where would the top go once it's folded? There isn't exactly a trunk in a minivan. And then there are those pesky, practical sliding doors that would look pretty weird without a roof on the van.

Of course Germans are good at tackling such engineering issues. Volkswagen has their badge-engineered Routan that is a Chrysler abomination. This problem could present the perfect excuse for Volkswagen to reinvent the minivan in a format that would allow for a Cabriolet version. They could even offer a TDI version of the van using the same engine as the Touareg.

One huge advantage of a cabriolet minivan: when it gets crazy as it often does in minivans, mom or dad only need to fold down the top and hit the freeway. The whistling wind would quiet everyone down and force junior to hold on tight to his Avengers hat. I think that feature alone could help Volkswagen or whatever automaker brave enough to make a convertible minivan sell at least 200,000 models in the first year of production. Automakers lately are carving out all kinds of interesting niches in the marketplace, but this one so far has been untouched.

The Dreaded Exhaust Back Pressure



I remember the first time I saw a tuner's huge tailpipe. I'm pretty sure it was on a Civic and was at least large enough to fit a small cantaloupe inside of it. It was intriguing and almost laughable at the same time. I quickly learned from someone that the idea behind having a huge exhaust system on a car is to allow for the freer flow of the exhaust gases from the engine block with the aim of increasing power output. 


Anyone who has ever been to a racetrack knows that race cars have extremely loud exhausts. Why? They lack any restrictions in them. Your street legal exhaust system comes with sound dampeners as well as a catalytic converter to help reduce emissions and in turn air pollution. If you take all of that away, you remove the things that are slowing down the flow of gases.

Since you cannot legally remove your catalytic converter, and in most areas it is illegal to remove all of the sound dampening devices from your car's exhaust if you drive on the road at all, some car tuners have tried to work around this by slapping on dramatically larger exhaust systems. A fair amount of large pickup trucks do the same thing. 

Anything that restricts the flow of exhausts from the engine to the muffler tip is called back pressure. Back pressure can be caused by a number of obstructions, including a clog in the catalytic converter or a collapsed section of a car's double walled exhaust pipe. Too much back pressure kills power output, fuel mileage and can even cause a car's engine to overheat. In cases of extremely high back pressure, a car's engine might stall out.

But there is such a thing as going too large, despite what some tuners think. Exhaust back pressure is a double-edged sword. Too much and it can rob performance, but too little and it can rob performance. Your exhaust system works with suction to remove the exhaust gases from the engine and move them out through the tailpipe. If you relieve all of the back pressure the exhaust gases could be sucked back into the cylinders through the exhaust valves. So outfitting a car with a 1.6-liter four cylinder engine with an exhaust the size of a semi truck's is probably a bad idea.

Measuring your exhaust's pressure is the only way to accurately determine back pressure. The easiest way to do this is with a low pressure gauge. You have to tap into the exhaust system to measure back pressure, which is best done by disconnecting the air pump check valve. For the best accuracy, the check valve needs to connect to the exhaust system before the catalytic converter.

Let's All Hate on the New Cadillac Escalade!



In case you're living under a rock and didn't get hit by the media firestorm, Cadillac is showing off the next generation of the Escalade SUV, which will be a 2015 model. I've actually had a pulse on this one for a while, not because I'm a big Cadillac fan, but because it's an important model in the automotive industry. After all, this truck will star in no less than 577 rap videos, usually with 28-inch chrome spinners installed.



I remember when Cadillac first announced it was making the Escalade. I heard from it from my college marketing professor, who said it was the best way to be obnoxious  toward everyone else on the road. He literally leaned on all of his marketing knowledge to conclude before the SUV ever hit showroom floors it would be piloted by overly aggressive individuals stilting in a most ostentatious act of conspicuous consumption.


The first time I saw spinners they were on an Escalade, of course. When I finally saw the interior of the Escalade I was shocked since it was nearly identical to a top-of-the-line Chevy Suburban. It was then that I realized the Escalade was the biggest joke GM, the great killer of car companies, ever played on the public.


Now GM has a chance to redeem itself. It's put out an impressively advanced Corvette, the Cruze, and some other compelling vehicles. Some of the rumors I heard stated the new Escalade would have less bling and more luxury on the interior. From the pictures, the interior does look more luxurious, which shouldn't be a surprise considering the cabins in the ATS and XTS.



Sadly, the Escalade still is a bling monster, but I suppose people buy it for that reason. So let's all hate on the Escalade because it's pretty senseless and potentially morally bankrupt. In a way it reminds me of the annoying kid in school who's always showing up with the latest in flashy gizmos, but everyone still makes fun of him. Part of you feels sorry for him, but another part of you finds him so damn annoying you still point a finger and laugh.


The Evolution of Fast and Furious



The new Fast and Furious movie is coming out on May 24th, and so in the spirit of the movie I wanted to talk about the evolution of franchise.

When the first movie came out I was in college and was swamped with homework, trying to balance a social life, etc. I knew vaguely of the movie but that was about it. It wasn't until the movie came out on DVD that I saw it and was intrigued by its portrayal (however unrealistic) of the tuner world. I had experience modifying cars and was adding onto my car at the time, so that made the movie that much more interesting to me. Of course the cars in the movie looked pretty ridiculous, but that was a thing among some tuners at the time (kind of like with donks now). Some of those zany looks were a way to ruffle people's feathers and for the tuners to thumb their nose at them. And of course the scene where the Supra "smokes" the Ferrari further infuriated many automotive purists that solemnly and foolishly believed a Ferrari would win any race by virtue of the prancing pony slapped on it.

That first movie inspired many, many poser racer bois to start slapping huge aluminum wings and coffee can exhausts onto the economy car that used to be mommy's. In a lot of ways it cheapened the tuning scene. This cheapening, I feel, became even worse with the completely cartoonish and disappointing second movie, 2 Fast 2 Furious, which I unfortunately saw on opening night (complete with a Supra car show in the parking lot). Anyone who had a modified car that was not a Corvette or better came under quite a bit of fire from all over the place. We were the cause of idiots who raced on busy city streets, we were the source of the stolen car parts market (never mind that the market existed before the movies), cops tailgated you on the road for no reason and so forth.

Then my project car was totaled out by some complete idiot driver, plus I was married and had a kid. So I stopped really playing with cars out of necessity. The third Fast and Furious movie came out, Tokyo Drift, and I didn't see that one until it came out on DVD. Honestly it was an improvement on the horrible second movie, but like the two previous movies it still leaned heavily toward tuner cars or "ricers" as some people are fond of calling them. The series introduced the world to the drifting movement, which then inspired all kinds of idiot kids trying to drift on roads or in busy public parking lots which of course often ended badly (just like in the movie).

It wasn't until the fourth movie that the franchise took an interesting turn. Sure there were some tuner cars in it, but instead of just one or two American muscle cars there were several. Why nobody tapped into the muscle car scene before baffles me. The new movie brought a different dimension to the series, and it was a huge success. The fifth movie built on that momentum, plus introduced some exotic vehicles (like the Koenigsegg CC) to make even more people feel included.

So the series has evolved quite a bit. The one major scene or segment I feel hasn't been truly represented is the European tuning market, specifically the Germans. It looks like the cars in the sixth movie will include some British speed demons, but why aren't there GTIs, a C63 AMG, M6 or even an S60R? There have been a few Euro vehicles in the series, but most of them have fared pathetically, like Jesse's Jetta in the first movie.

Maybe there will be a seventh movie (I think they're going to keep making them until Vin Diesel is behind the wheel of a Little Rascal). And maybe in the seventh movie we will finally see a bunch of German muscle cars. That would be fun. The evolution of the series has kept it going, because if in the fourth movie there were just a bunch of newer tuner cars with a rainbow of paint jobs I think that would have been the death of it all. So if anyone involved in the production of the Fast and Furious movies reads this, you should go for some German flavoring in the next movie; plenty of us would pay to see that.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Spotted: 2014 Corvette Stingray


I saw this M-plate (GM test fleet car) 2014 Corvette Stingray at a local Lowe's.




The interior is a big improvement over the previous car.  The exterior design leaves me a little cold--I think it is a bit busy for my taste. 

The Elio Question


Paul Elio is on a mission to produce a very lightweight (1250lb target) three wheel car, sort of a low-cost Aptera type thing, based on "off the shelf" tech and suppliers.

I have been watching his effort develop, and it is impressive how far Elio has come, considering how difficult it is to bring something to market.  

There is a nagging question hanging over the Elio: capital.   In order to actually produce the trike, Elio Motors must raise a huge pile of money.  They need money for development, testing, tooling, certification, etc.  They need to hire and train many more employees.  They need to build many prototypes to hammer out durability, crashworthiness, quality.

The problem is, after many obvious auto startup failures such as Fisker, Saab 2.0, Aptera, and even struggles of established players such as Smart, Suzuki, or Mitsubishi, investors are cautious about the automotive sector.  

Investors are asking themselves, even if Elio can deliver, will people buy this weird three wheel vehicle, which is legally a motorcycle in the eyes of the DOT and most states?  Will the safety claims play out?  Will it have enough refinement and comfort for a mass market?

Elio Motors can't fund their launch selling t-shirts and $1000 reservations.  Elio needs hundreds of millions of dollars.  Where will they get it?


Fiesta ST Mini Review


I had the chance to do a short test-drive of a Fiesta ST.  I had a chance to drive it on the freeway and flog it on some surface roads and in a large parking lot.

The Fiesta ST is very good at some things: accelerating, braking, turning.  It is a razor sharp little missile.  However, there are some significant trade-offs and omissions in the ergonomics and controls department.

Pros:
  • Awesome powertrain.   Powerful, sounds great.  Lots of torque.  This car really moves.
  • Lots of lateral grip, sharp reflexes.
  • Smooth shifter action.  
  • Excellent brakes, good feel and stopping power.
  • Comfortable and grippy sport seats.  Nice steering wheel.  
  • Well weighted steering which firms up nicely at speed.  Car felt solid at high speeds, and was easy to steer in parking lots.
  • Good fuel economy--I saw 41 on freeway and 29 flogging it on surface roads
  • Sharp looking little car, the Fusion family front end looks properly mean and sporty.
Cons:
  • Jittery ride at highway speeds--seems to heave a lot.  Not fun to drive at 70mph on less than smooth highways.  Significant road noise at higher speeds. 
  • You feel every bump, crack, and ripple in the pavement.  Michigan's cracked up roads are torture.
  • MyFord Touch does not control climate system, instead the lower right panel shows you the date. 
  • Annoying up-shift indicator.  In a top-of-the line sports model, I would assume the guy will figure out how to shift.
  • Hard plastic center armrest, ouch.  For the top-end model, Ford should have spent the extra few dollars and installed a padded center arm rest.  
  • Rear visibility, rearview mirror looks down for taller drivers.
Conclusion:  The Fiesta ST is an efficient and fun little road carver--if you have good roads.  I would not buy this car for a daily commuter in SE MI, the roads are just too rough for the suspension tune. In a place with good, smooth roads, it would be much more pleasant.  This is a car for someone who values high performance at a modest price, and isn't as concerned with creature comforts.

I was't able to get high quality images of the bright red car I drove, but here are some images I stole from Ford's web site:



Cars And Girls Wallpaper Free Wallpaper Pics Pictures Hd for Desktop Iphone Mobile HD 1080p



Cars And Girls Wallpaper Free Wallpaper Pics Pictures Hd for Desktop Iphone Mobile HD 1080p


Cars And Girls Wallpaper Free Wallpaper Pics Pictures Hd for Desktop Iphone Mobile HD 1080p



Cars And Girls Wallpaper Free Wallpaper Pics Pictures Hd for Desktop Iphone Mobile HD 1080p


An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally for the transport of people rather than goods.

The term motorcar has also been used in the context of electrified rail systems to denote a car which functions as a small locomotive but also provides space for passengers and baggage. These locomotive cars were often used on suburban routes by both interurban and intercity railroad systems.
It was estimated in 2010 that the number of automobiles had risen to over 1 billion vehicles, up from the 500 million of 1986. The numbers are increasing rapidly, especially in China and India.

The word automobile comes, via the French automobile from the Ancient Greek word αὐτός (autós, "self") and the Latin mobilis ("movable"); meaning a vehicle that moves itself. The loanword was first adopted in English by The New York Times in 1899.The alternative name car is believed to originate from the Latin word carrus or carrum ("wheeled vehicle"), or the Middle English word carre ("cart") (from Old North French), in turn these are said to have originated from the Gaulish word karros (a Gallic Chariot).Main article: History of the automobile.

The first working steam-powered vehicle was designed — and most likely built — by Ferdinand Verbiest, a Flemish member of a Jesuit mission in China around 1672. It was a 65 cm-long scale-model toy for the Chinese Emperor, that was unable to carry a driver or a passenger. It is not known if Verbiest's model was ever built.

Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot is widely credited with building the first full-scale, self-propelled mechanical vehicle or automobile in about 1769; he created a steam-powered tricycle.[13] He also constructed two steam tractors for the French Army, one of which is preserved in the French National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts. His inventions were however handicapped by problems with water supply and maintaining steam pressure. In 1801, Richard Trevithick built and demonstrated his Puffing Devil road locomotive, believed by many to be the first demonstration of a steam-powered road vehicle. It was unable to maintain sufficient steam pressure for long periods, and was of little practical use.

In 1807 Nicéphore Niépce and his brother Claude probably created the world's first internal combustion engine which they called a Pyréolophore, but they chose to install it in a boat on the river Saone in France.Coincidentally, in 1807 the Swiss inventor François Isaac de Rivaz designed his own 'de Rivaz internal combustion engine' and used it to develop the world's first vehicle to be powered by such an engine. The Niépces' Pyréolophore was fuelled by a mixture of Lycopodium powder (dried spores of the Lycopodium plant), finely crushed coal dust and resin that were mixed with oil, whereas de Rivaz used a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen. Neither design was very successful, as was the case with others, such as Samuel Brown, Samuel Morey, and Etienne Lenoir with his hippomobile, who each produced vehicles (usually adapted carriages or carts) powered by clumsy internal combustion engines.
In November 1881, French inventor Gustave Trouvé demonstrated a working three-wheeled automobile powered by electricity at the International Exposition of Electricity, Paris.

Karl Benz, the inventor of the modern automobile
Although several other German engineers (including Gottlieb Daimler, Wilhelm Maybach, and Siegfried Marcus) were working on the problem at about the same time, Karl Benz generally is acknowledged as the inventor of the modern automobile.

 A photograph of the original Benz Patent-Motorwagen, first built in 1885 and awarded the patent for the
In 1879, Benz was granted a patent for his first engine, which had been designed in 1878. Many of his other inventions made the use of the internal combustion engine feasible for powering a vehicle. His first Motorwagen was built in 1885 in Mannheim, Germany. He was awarded the patent for its invention as of his application on 29 January 1886 (under the auspices of his major company, Benz & Cie., which was founded in 1883). Benz began promotion of the vehicle on 3 July 1886, and about 25 Benz vehicles were sold between 1888 and 1893, when his first four-wheeler was introduced along with a model intended for affordability. They also were powered with four-stroke engines of his own design. Emile Roger of France, already producing Benz engines under license, now added the Benz automobile to his line of products. Because France was more open to the early automobiles, initially more were built and sold in France through Roger than Benz sold in Germany. In August 1888 Bertha Benz, the wife of Karl Benz, undertook the first road trip by car, to prove the road-worthiness of her husband's invention.

Bertha Benz, the first long distance automobile driver in the world
In 1896, Benz designed and patented the first internal-combustion flat engine, called boxermotor. During the last years of the nineteenth century, Benz was the largest automobile company in the world with 572 units produced in 1899 and, because of its size, Benz & Cie., became a joint-stock company.

The first motor car in central Europe and one of the first factory-made cars in the world, was produced by Czech company Nesselsdorfer Wagenbau (later renamed to Tatra) in 1897, the Präsident automobil.
Daimler and Maybach founded Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG) in Cannstatt in 1890, and sold their first automobile in 1892 under the brand name, Daimler. It was a horse-drawn stagecoach built by another manufacturer, that they retrofitted with an engine of their design. By 1895 about 30 vehicles had been built by Daimler and Maybach, either at the Daimler works or in the Hotel Hermann, where they set up shop after disputes with their backers. Benz, Maybach and the Daimler team seem to have been unaware of each other's early work. They never worked together; by the time of the merger of the two companies, Daimler and Maybach were no longer part of DMG.

Daimler died in 1900 and later that year, Maybach designed an engine named Daimler-Mercedes, that was placed in a specially ordered model built to specifications set by Emil Jellinek. This was a production of a small number of vehicles for Jellinek to race and market in his country. Two years later, in 1902, a new model DMG automobile was produced and the model was named Mercedes after the Maybach engine which generated 35 hp. Maybach quit DMG shortly thereafter and opened a business of his own. Rights to the Daimler brand name were sold to other manufacturers.

Karl Benz proposed co-operation between DMG and Benz & Cie. when economic conditions began to deteriorate in Germany following the First World War, but the directors of DMG refused to consider it initially. Negotiations between the two companies resumed several years later when these conditions worsened and, in 1924 they signed an Agreement of Mutual Interest, valid until the year 2000. Both enterprises standardized design, production, purchasing, and sales and they advertised or marketed their automobile models jointly, although keeping their respective brands. On 28 June 1926, Benz & Cie. and DMG finally merged as the Daimler-Benz company, baptizing all of its automobiles Mercedes Benz, as a brand honoring the most important model of the DMG automobiles, the Maybach design later referred to as the 1902 Mercedes-35 hp, along with the Benz name. Karl Benz remained a member of the board of directors of Daimler-Benz until his death in 1929, and at times, his two sons participated in the management of the company as well.

In 1890, Émile Levassor and Armand Peugeot of France began producing vehicles with Daimler engines, and so laid the foundation of the automobile industry in France.

The first design for an American automobile with a gasoline internal combustion engine was made in 1877 by George Selden of Rochester, New York. Selden applied for a patent for an automobile in 1879, but the patent application expired because the vehicle was never built. After a delay of sixteen years and a series of attachments to his application, on 5 November 1895, Selden was granted a United States patent (U.S. Patent 549,160) for a two-stroke automobile engine, which hindered, more than encouraged, development of automobiles in the United States. His patent was challenged by Henry Ford and others, and overturned in 1911.

In 1893, the first running, gasoline-powered American car was built and road-tested by the Duryea brothers of Springfield, Massachusetts. The first public run of the Duryea Motor Wagon took place on 21 September 1893, on Taylor Street in Metro Center Springfield. To construct the Duryea Motor Wagon, the brothers had purchased a used horse-drawn buggy for $70 and then installed a 4 HP, single cylinder gasoline engine. The car had a friction transmission, spray carburetor, and low tension ignition. It was road-tested again on 10 November, when the The Springfield Republican newspaper made the announcement.This particular car was put into storage in 1894 and stayed there until 1920 when it was rescued by Inglis M. Uppercu and presented to the United States National Museum.

Cars And Girls Wallpaper Free Wallpaper Pics Pictures Hd for Desktop Iphone Mobile HD 1080p

 

Monday, September 1, 2014

Lamborghini

It might be odd to think of farm equipment when one hears the word Lamborghini, but this is exactly what Lamborghini started out as - A farm equipment company called Lamborghini Trattori. The founder of the company was Ferruccio Lamborghini who in the 1960's bought a Ferrari with the profits from his successful farm equipment company. Life changed for Lamborghini when he met Enzo Ferrari, the founder of Ferrari.

Ferruccio Lamborghini was a man that demanded high quality and he felt that his Ferrari was not meeting his expectations and he thought he could do better. He shifted his focus away from farm equipment and onto producing high performance automobiles.

The first real contender that they produced in the exotic car market was the Miura. The Miura was a mid engine, V-12 sports car that commanded a heft price tag of $20,000 which is equal to over $100,000 in today's economy. During its 6 year production run, 764 Lamborghini Miura's were built. Following on the success of the Miura was the highly successful Lamborghini Countach. This was the dream car for many from the mid 70's to 1990 when production concluded. This car was beautiful and had aggressive styling that had never been seen before.
Lamborghini

Lamborghini

Lamborghini

Lamborghini

Lamborghini

Lamborghini

Lamborghini

Lamborghini

Lamborghini

Lamborghini

No one thought the Countach could be topped, but Lamborghini did it one more time and created the highly successful Lamborghini Diablo. From 1990-2001 almost 3000 Diablo's were made and during their first year of production, a Diablo could be bought for $240,000 U.S. This was certainly not a luxury car and did not have many features for a car of it's price. It did however have incredible performance. The V12 engine allowed it to go from -60mph in just over 4 seconds!

Following the success of the Diablo would be hard, but the Lamborghini Murcielago went even further at showing the world that Lamborghini was a serious contender in the exotic sports car world. It continued the tradition of aggressive styling and super high performance and added four-wheel-drive when it was released in 2001. To this day the Murcielago is produced with over 3000 of them already sold to their wealthy customers.

In 2003 Lamborghini introduced the Lamborghini Gallardo, which is a "cheap" Lamborghini, as compared with it's more expensive sibling, the Murcielago. While the Murcielago costs about $315,000 U.S., the Gallardo is available at just over $200,000. Don't think that you have to give up performance when buying a Gallardo and not a Murcielago though. The Lamborghini Gallardo is quite capable with a 0-60mph time of around 4 seconds, depending on which particular variation. Unfortunately the Gallardo doesn't come with Lamborghini's signature scissor doors that open upward, but this hasn't hurt sales since the Gallardo is the high volume car that Lamborghini has ever made.

Over the years Lamborghini has suffered some financial problems and has been bought and sold a number of times and is currently owned by Audi, which is owned by Volkswagen. Lamborghini makes some of the most beautiful and sought after exotic cars available today and should be on everyone's list of favorite exotic car makers.

Ferrari F430

It probably comes as no surprise that in the 1930s Enzo Ferrari was a very successful works team manager for the Alfa Romeo. However it wasn't until 1947 that Ferrari produced a car under his own name and so began one of the most successful and famous marques ever conceived.

People able to afford and enjoy a Ferrari F430 are privy to a unique motoring experience because very likely they, better than most, will understand why Ferrari is so different to any of the other sports luxury cars available. Ferrari genuinely offer uniquely designed sensational looking sports, luxury road cars at equally sensational prices. However the high price in this instance is deserved because Ferrari provides its models with the latest engineering technology inspired from successful Formula One experience.

The Ferrari F430 has arguably the most breathtaking appearance of any Ferrari currently in production. The sleek aero-dynamic design cannot help but attract attention, and whether it comes in red livery or another colour, everyone immediately recognises it as a Ferrari. The Ferrari F430 Spider will likewise set hearts racing as it offers open air motoring from inside a practical, but sophisticated luxury cockpit.

A long experience devoted to the development of super-fast luxury cars is a niche market that Ferrari has managed to develop with only a few serious rivals. At £118,500 for a new Ferrari F430 Coupe the F430 could never be considered cheap, but to understand the cost you need to appreciate what it is that you're actually buying.
Ferrari F430

Ferrari F430

Ferrari F430

Ferrari F430

Ferrari F430

Ferrari F430

Ferrari F430

Ferrari F430

Ferrari F430

The Ferrari F430 is an accomplishment of a company whose history spans a large proportion of the twentieth century developing Formula One and Super Fast Road Cars. The road cars have also been luxuriously appointed in order that Ferrari attracts the kind of clients able to afford as well as enjoy their products, and thereby generate the finance for developments to a range of models probably unequalled anywhere on the planet. Luxury cars such as Ferrari are worth every penny because they genuinely support a sphere of development that other manufacturers cannot hope to focus on. Currently the Ferrari F430 is the ultimate road machine offered by this Italian marque.

The Engine

There was a time when Ferrari was associated with V12 engines only, but time has moved on and in respect to the Ferrari F430 a 4.3 litre V8 is present. With around 490 horsepower produced at 8,500 rpm it is easy to understand how this super-fast machine is capable of almost 200 mph and soars between 0-60 in just 4.0 seconds. The fact that the Ferrari F430 is able to handle this kind of power without drama identifies what some of the high initial cost is spent on.

The Drive

Climb out of your hot hatch and in behind the wheel of the Ferrari F430. OK, so the first thing you probably notice is that you're sitting a little lower than usual, or you just might be too excited by the Ferrari logo on the centre of the wheel hub to think of anything other than the fact that you're sitting in one of the fastest road cars on planet earth! Fire up the engine and the howl from 490 horsepower is enough to bring home the fact that your sitting in something that makes sounds faster than your hot hatch can move. You will also have noticed that everyone within a square mile knows that you exist. The sound of the V-8 4.3 litre engine can be intimidating first time you hear it because if ever any engine could be compared to a raging bull, this is it. A six speed manual transmission supplied either through a Formula One paddle or the standard Ferrari open-gate. The F1 paddle is for drivers who don't want to waste precious seconds changing gears, while the standard open-gate is for those with time on their hands. However, a very special feature of the F430 is its electronic differential which allows a driver to push this Ferrari harder than most through bends. Knowing all this is good, but experiencing it is, sensational.

With a straight road ahead push the throttle to the floor and amaze yourself at how quickly the straight road ahead suddenly becomes a bend. Straight-line performance is awesome, pushing you firmly back in the seat so that the thrill of acceleration is almost lost as you attempt to focus well ahead of where you are pointed. Just as you begin to ease off and do a little recovery from the G Force pounding of a straight line power burst, a curve demands that you think about turning the wheel in your hands. Amazingly all you need do is think and follow the line of the bend because the F430, with all its clever Formula One development, helps you round, and as it does so you realise that you're having to get accustomed to another set of G Forces which few people ever experience. The temptation to drive fast is a constant companion, but so is the fact that you're driving one of the safest super-fast cars ever built. The Ferrari F430 is an involving experience, built to provide drivers who enjoy motoring an opportunity to escape the limitations imposed by lesser machines. The only experience to top a drive in the Ferrari F430 would be a drive in a Ferrari F430 Spyder with the top down.

Ferrari

When Enzo Ferrari created his company Scuderia Ferrari in Italy in 1929 his intentions was to sponsor amateur race car drivers and invent racing cars, and it would take more than 15 years before Ferrari began to create their own road cars in 1946. Ferrari is still devoted to the creation of racing cars and high performance sports cars and do not create other types of cars. Scuderia Ferrari is still the widespread name for Gestione Sportiva, the part of the Ferrari company that works with racing. Scuderia is an Italian word and means "stable", but Scuderia Ferrari is sometime also translated as Team Ferrari.

During the early years, Scuderia Ferrari sponsored race car drivers that were driving Alfa Romeo cars. Scuderia Ferrari would prepare Alfa Romeo cars before the race, and in 1938 Enzo Ferrari became officially employed by Alfa Romeo's racing department. Two years later Enzo Ferrari found out that Alfa Romeo was planning to absorb Scuderia Ferrari, a plan which Enzo Ferrari strongly opposed. He instantly left his job at Alfa Romeo, but his contract restricted him from being involved with racing for several years. He changed Scuderia Ferrari into "Auto Avio Costruzioni Ferrari" and officially manufactured aircraft accessories for a few years. Enzo Ferrari did however create a race car during this restricted period. The Tipo 815 debuted at the Mille Miglia race in 1940, but the race was hampered due to World War II and Tipo 815 encountered no real competition. In 1943 Enzo Ferrari moved his factory to Maranello in Italy and one year later the factory was bombed. After the end of World War II, Enzo Ferrari rebuilt his factory and now the Ferrari factory was capable of construction road cars as well.

Ferrari constructed its first road car in 1947. The 1947 125 S Ferrari had a 1.5 L V12 engine and the whole car was considered very beautiful and well designed. Enzo Ferrari was still more interested in race cars and the Ferrari road cars was merely a way for him to fund his work with the Scuderia Ferrari. His distaste for the road car customers became famous and he even accused them of buying Ferrari cars only as status symbols. It is true that the Ferrari road cars grow to fame not only due to excellent performance but also thanks to their stylish elegance. Pininfarina, Bertone, Ghia, Scagliette, Touring and Vignale are all examples of design houses that have worked with Ferrari.
ferrari

ferrari

ferrari

ferrari

ferrari

ferrari

ferrari

ferrari

ferrari

ferrari

ferrari

ferrari

In November 1961 a dispute between Enzo Ferrari and his sales manager, Girolamo Gardini, turned into a crisis. Girolamo Gardini threatened to leave the company. Enzo Ferrari responded to the threat by throwing out Girolamo Gardini, and several employees who agreed with Girolamo Gardini were also ousted. Among them were Romolo Tavoni, manager for Scuderia Ferrari, Giotto Bizzarrini, the chief of the experimental sports car development, and Carlo Chiti, the chief engineer. This was naturally a huge loss for the Ferrari company and the crisis deepened when those who had been thrown out formed their own company - Automobili Turismo e Sport (ATS). ATS even managed to take over Scuderia Serenissima, a very successful racing team, from Ferrari.

A younger engineer, Mauro Forghieri, and an experienced racing bodyman, Sergio Scaglietti, assumed responsibility and tried to finish the projects that the leaving employees had left behind. One of the most important tasks was to finish the development of 250 GTO; a new 250-based model that could compete with the Jaguar E-type. The 250 GTO was finished in time to participate in the Sebring race and place itself first in class, driven by Phil Hill. Throughout 1962, the 250 GTO continued to win the races and it is still one of the most well known race cars in history. The crisis turned out to be something good for Ferrari and the 1960s became a very good decade for the company.

Until the 1980s when Ferrari began to use fuel injection in the road cars, the Ferraris were known as rather temperamental cars. They could be very unreliable, but would still attract a large group of dedicated fans that viewed this unpredictability as "character" rather than a problem. Today, FIAT controls 56 percent of the Ferrari stocks. The rest of stocks owned by Enzo's con Piero Ferrari and by Commerzbank, Mediobanca and the Lehman Brothers. Maranello is still the home town for Ferrari.