Automotive
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Heat resistant exhaust coating helping vehicle manufacturers meet Euro 5 emissions standards
June 4, 2007 We've spoken previously about the amazing heatproofing properties of Zircotec's ceramic thermal coating. Extremely heat resistant, the coating has been put to use by several Formula One teams to move heat out of the engine bays of their race cars. Now it seems this highly effective spray-on coating could have a part to play in emissions reduction and assisting engine manufacturers in meeting the strict Euro 5 emissions standards while contributing to power increases. (read more...)
Time to slow down on our roads
June 4, 2007 Its one of the great contradictions of modern transport - automobiles keep getting faster while statistics that prove we need to slow down in the interests of community safety keep rolling in. Governments across the globe are moving to curb speed, particularly where pedestrians at are greater risk, but these moves and the way in which they are policed are sometimes criticized as revenue raising exercises that do little to address the core issues. The City of Portsmouth in the UK has just announced that it will become the first city in Britain to introduce a blanket 20mph speed limit across a large part of the city. This seems quite severe in an age where travel times are a major headache for city dwellers - indeed it's reminiscent of the original ruling that cars had to be preceded by a man with a flag when they replaced the horse drawn carriage as the main form of urban transport early last century - but when considered in light of statistics that show the major benefits to safety the inconvenience of longer travel times seems insignificant. We believe that the ramifications for transport users in cities around the world is significant enough for us to consider the arguments. (read more...)
Personalize your car with a scrolling display
June 1, 2007 As one of our colleagues is fond of saying, “people don’t drive cars, they wear them”, and pimping your wheels to reflect your personality is a trend that seems destined to deliver a future of mass individualization. With this in mind, auto accessory manufacturer Roadmaster USA has released two US$60 scrolling message car systems - a scrolling Digital License Plate Frame and a scrolling Rear Deck Message System, which let you personalize your car with your own messages that scroll on your license plate or in the back window of your car. Let the insanity begin! (read more...)
The new BMW X5 4.8i M Sport
June 1, 2007 BMW’s ever-popular M Sport derivative is to be introduced to the new X5 range for the first time. The introduction of M Sport to the BMW X5 range has been eagerly awaited by buyers as 90 per cent of models sold to date have been ordered with “Sport” specification. On sale immediately in most countries, the new 355 bhp flagship offers customers a substantial level of sports-orientated standard equipment, a 0-100 km/h time of 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 150 mph. (read more...)
Used Convertible Values: Volkswagen Chases Ferrari For Top Spot
June 1, 2007 Buying an set of wheels is an emotional decision but we’d always suggest that a look through the residual value figures might help to point you towards a more rational emotional decision. The latest figures from EurotaxGlass’s in the UK are a case in point. EurotaxGlass’s has found that a number of volume-brand drop-tops retain a far greater proportion of their value than prestige-brand models from the likes of BMW, Lexus and Maserati. While the Ferrari F430 Spider holds onto its value better than any other 12-month-old convertible on sale in the UK (a typical ’06-plate example retaining 97 per cent of its original list price as a trade value), hot on its heels is the rather more humble Volkswagen Eos (at 94 per cent retained value in 2.0 TDI Sport guise). Read on for the top 20 listing. (read more...)
The revised MINI Cooper D - 72.4mpg, regenerative braking, auto Start-Stop
May 31, 2007 MINI hatch models are to receive technological revisions later this year, resulting in jaw-dropping performance and efficiency figures. The MINI Cooper D will be capable of returning an astonishing 72.4mpg, with CO2 emissions of just 104 g/km, thanks to regenerative braking, auto Start-Stop functionality and a Switch Point Display – all of which will come at no extra cost. (read more...)
Autodelta’s 400bhp Alfa 147: beauty and the beast all-in-one
May 31, 2007 Hot hatches are a relatively new phenomena, at least in the context of the 120 year history of motoring. Alfa’s 147 has long been one of the most stylish of the smaller performance cars, and so we feel compelled to bring to your attention the efforts of London-based Autodelta in developing outrageous performance from the car. Determined to evolve its highly successful Autodelta 147 GTA AM (Autodelta Maggiorata), the company has gone a step further by producing an even more potent supercharged version - the Autodelta 147 GTA AM Super. The V6 engine is a bored-out version of the existing 3.2 litre Alfa 147 GTA unit, and sweeps an amazing 3,750 cc. On top of that, it has been fitted with a custom designed Rotrex supercharger and produces 400 bhp at 7,000 rpm, with a top speed in excess of 180 mph (288 km/h) and 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) in 4.8 seconds. (read more...)
The Handbook of Risk Management in Motor Sport
May 31, 2007 Motorsport is without doubt the most dangerous form of sporting endeavour and a pastime that has consistently challenged the notion of acceptable risk. Now a new handbook entitled 'Guide to Managing Risk in Motor Sport' has been produced by Standards Australia. Nearly three years in the making, the guide addresses the important area of risk management methodology to identify, assess, control and reduce risk in motor sport. The guide will no doubt be useful internationally, and can be purchased as a downloadable PDF for AUD$28.80. A free preview is available here. (read more...)
Mazda celebrates 40 years of the Rotary Engine
May 30, 2007 Today marks the 40th anniversary of Mazda's first Wankel rotary engine powered vehicle. On May 30, 1967, Mazda commenced sales of the world's first dual-rotor RE car, the Cosmo Sport and has since produced almost two million rotary engined vehicles. The first wankel-engined auto was an NSU (now Audi) Wankel Spider in 1964, and though Mercedes, Rolls Royce, Norton, Suzuki, General Motors, Citroen, John Deere and Arctic Cat all experimented with some even producing small runs of wankel engined machinery, the only manufacturer to produce the engine designed by German engineer Felix Wankel in quantities remains as Mazda. (read more...)
The Rattlebuster, letting you pinpoint interior vibrations in your car with the engine off
May 29, 2007 Irritating buzzing sounds in your car interior can be exceptionally annoying, and finding them is nearly impossible with the car stopped. Enter the Rattlebuster, a UKP10 CD that plays vibration-inducing tones through your car stereo. Mimicing several different road travel frequencies for 4 minutes at a time, the Rattlebuster lets you track down loose bits and pieces once and for all, with your car stopped. (read more...)
Car stereo for the flash drive generation
May 28, 2007 As music consumption expands to include greater use of mobile USB devices like the iPod, car audio is beginning to follow. Clarion's latest in-car CD receiver features signal restoration to get the best out of compressed MP3, AAC and WMA files - and a USB cable that pops out in your glove box so you can play sound files straight from any USB storage device. (read more...)
LTC demonstrates plug-in Prius Hybrid with 125+ mpg fuel efficiency
May 25, 2007 Lithium Technology Corporation (LTC) yesterday unveiled a retrofitted Toyota Prius, with plug-in capabilities allowing for 125+ miles per gallon fuel efficiency, which is powered by the Company’s unique battery technology. The battery for the Prius utilizes LTC’s new product line of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) cells, the largest cells of their kind in the world, which are considered to be the technology of choice for car manufacturers. (read more...)
Oerlikon nighttime vision uses near-infrared spectrum
May 25, 2007 Driving is a site-response game, and without the light of day, becomes far more difficult after sundown. Many manufacturers have been experimenting with night vision systems, Now Oerlikon Optics has developed a new active night vision system that uses near-infrared (NIR) radiation, achieving over 90 percent efficiency of near-infrared light visible onto the car’s monitor. The unwanted residual light generated with infrared headlights is reduced by a factor of 1000. This allows appreciably improved reproduction of objects at night time. (read more...)
New seven-speed DSG gearbox
May 25, 2007 Volkswagen has developed a seven-speed version of its DSG gearbox which is used on such exotica as the Bugatti Veyron and the Audi TT. The new seven-speed gearbox, codenamed DQ200, uses a pair of dry clutches in preference to the six-speed version’s twin wet clutches, increasing efficiency and performance over the wet clutch six-speed system. The six-speed DSG gearbox, which was introduced in 2003, uses a pair of clutches submerged in oil. The new seven-speed gearbox adopts a pair of dry, organic bonded friction linings that do not require cooling, making the drivetrain more efficient through the extra ratio and the fact that less power is required for the gear selection and clutch servo system. (read more...)
Seat shows its first off-roader
May 23, 2007 SEAT has released the first pictures and details of the rugged new Altea freetrack, which will make its world debut at the Barcelona Motor Show on 7th June. The Altea freetrack is the first SEAT designed to be driven off-road, and as such features Haldex-type four-wheel drive, 40 mm of extra ground clearance and 4x4-inspired body addendum over and above the Altea XL, on which the new model is based. (read more...)
The SnatchLatch trailer locking mechanism
May 23, 2007 From the "what were they thinking?" files, here's one of the most unfortunate product names we've seen for some time. Still, the SnatchLatch presents a serious solution to the problem of theft from trucks and trailers by protecting latch locking mechanisms from bolt cutters, drills and hacksaws. Yep, no common tool will get past the SnatchLatch. (read more...)
Mosley determined to push eco-friendly Formula One rule changes
May 22, 2007 The clean fuel movement may have an unlikely ally in the task of bringing environmentally friendly motoring solutions to the market - Formula One racing. FIA president Max Mosley has announced a partnership with clean engine specialists Ricardo - and a plan that could see F1 cars running on clean biofuel and leading a "green revolution" by 2011. Under the plan, the current 2.4 litre V8 engines would be downsized to 2.2 litre turbocharged V6s running on biofuel. Maximum engine revs would be dropped from the current screaming 19,000rpm to 10,000rpm, making the cars far less noisy than they are currently. The estimated power output of the smaller engines would be around 770 horsepower, down about 100 compared to the present engines. (read more...)
Chevy Sequel becomes first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle to go 300 miles without refueling
May 22, 2007 This is significant. General Motors made history last week when its Chevy Sequel became the first electrically-driven fuel cell vehicle to achieve 300 miles on one tank of hydrogen. GM’s claim that the Sequel is the world’s most technologically advanced automobile seems a little presumptious given it’s just one measurement of one aspect of an automobile, but it is nonetheless a significant achievement because it was achieved in traffic on public roads. So it can be done! Now it’s just a matter of how quickly the technology can be made affordable. (read more...)
VW unveils 12 cylinder 200mph Golf GTI
May 19, 2007 Volkswagen has unveiled a unique design study which is set to feature at the largest GTI festival in Europe this week. The GTI W12-650 mates a Golf GTI three-door bodyshell to a bespoke mid-mounted bi-turbo W12 650 PS engine channelling drive to the rear wheels. The potent Golf turns a standstill to 100 km/h time of 3.7 seconds and has a top speed of 201.8 mph. A very close relation to the motor that powers the Bugatti Veyron (it has 12 of the Veytron’s 16 cylinders), the 6.0 litre engine is made from aluminium to reduce weight further and features four valves per cylinder and two overhead camshafts per cylinder head. Extremely compact in design, measuring only 513 mm in length, 715 mm in height and 710 mm in breadth, it is effectively made up of a pair of narrow-angle V6 engines laid alongside each other. The engine is linked to a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. (read more...)
The World’s Fastest and Most Powerful Coupe - the BRABUS SV12 S Biturbo
May 17, 2007 The BRABUS S V12 S Biturbo coupe is not just the most powerful coupe in the world - it is also the fastest street-legal coupe. It’s vital performance statistics of 0 – 100 km/h in 4.0 seconds, 200 km/h after just 11.9 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 340 km/h are all without equal. Based on the latest Mercedes CL 600 model, the SV12 S Biturbo coupe can be ordered as a complete car starting at 178,980 Euros or can be built based on an existing current CL 600 model. The engine is based on the turbocharged Mercedes 600 twelve-cylinder engine and represents the most powerful street-legal V12 engine in the world producing 730 hp / 537 kW at 5,100 rpm. Just as extraordinary is the peak torque of 1,320 Nm at just 2,100 rpm, which is limited electronically to 1,100 Nm. The mods are extensive, starting with installing a special BRABUS crankshaft with longer stroke, combined with a bigger bore and correspondingly sized forged pistons, increases displacement from 5.5 to 6.3 liters. After that, the cylinder heads are precision-machined and four new camshafts are fitted, two new exhaust manifolds, two larger turbochargers, a high-efficiency intercooler and a high-performance exhaust system with metal catalysts and low back pressure. (read more...)
The Audi TT clubsport quattro study
May 17, 2007 The Audi TT clubsport quattro study reduces the TT Roadster to a purist driving machine that combines the performance of a sports car with a unique design language. It consequently remains a TT on the one hand, while at the same time demonstrating just what is possible with such a fascinating production vehicle. A powerful engine, state-of-the-art technology and numerous traits borrowed from the world of motorsport are the dominant features of the “study” which is now under consideration as a “small-series production model”. The car was unveiled at the Worthersee Tour, (better known as the “GTI Meet”), being held this week in the Carinthian Lakes region of Germany. (read more...)
Affordable dashboard drift-o-meter
May 17, 2007 As motorsport evolves, so too do the technologies needed to measure it. Talk just became much cheaper in the world of drifting thanks to this device which will really put some numbers around who did what and when. The US$750 DriftBox is a GPS and accelerometer based performance meter that accurately measures not only your car's forward and lateral acceleration G-forces, but your instant and maximum drift angles as well. With real figures suddenly the ultimate arbiter, you're gonna have to get way more sideways to impress people. (read more...)
Tenth anniversary of Common Rail injection technology
May 16, 2007 It seems hard to believe given how quickly it has dominated the world automotive market, but it’s true – Bosch introduced the Common Rail injection system for passenger cars to the market ten years ago this month. The first cars to use the technology were the Alfa Romeo 156 JTD and the Mercedes-Benz C 220 CDI and just ten years later it is used on almost all of the world’s diesel engines and 50% of European new car sales. Common Rail provides the diesel engine with better performance and higher torque. At the same time, the technology considerably reduces fuel consumption, noise, and emissions from diesel engines. (read more...)
Rhino Off-Road RTV set for mass production
May 11, 2007 We’ve written about Rhino Off-Road Industries several times now, basically because it’s a new class of off-road vehicle with the abilities of a mountain goat. For those who are similarly enamoured with the beast’s abilities, here’s some great news – the Rhino is destined for mass production. The company has shipped a fully outfitted Rhino Off-Road RTV-XT2 vehicle to its production partners in China, marking a key step in the process of mass production of the vehicle for distribution worldwide. For a rather extreme demonstration of what the Rhino is capable of in rock-crawling competition, see this video (WMV download). (read more...)
Toyota/Lexus dominate U.K. J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Awards
May 10, 2007 The Toyota Prius has earned many plaudits worldwide since its launch in 2004 but it’s unlikely to ever have a better 24 hours than those that have just passed. Yesterday, the hybrid family car won its fourth consecutive International Engine of the Year Award for the engine with the best fuel economy, and today it finished equal top of the 2007 J.D. Power and Associates customer satisfaction study. The independent study of thousands of UK motorists driving vehicles registered between September 2005 and August 2006 saw the Prius place equal first, alongside the Lexus IS, another Toyota group model. Given that the award is open to cars of any price, the latest accolade demonstrates the high esteem in which it is held by the most demanding of judges – owners. It was a good day for Toyota in general, as the company’s premium Lexus brand took out its seventh consecutive Gold Award for customer satisfaction, ranking top in three of the four key measures – vehicle quality/reliability, service satisfaction and vehicle appeal. Lexus has now claimed the coveted Gold Award every year since it became eligible for consideration. (read more...)
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