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Automotive
Snobootz - a viable alternative to snow chains
By Jack Martin
04:44 September 1, 2008 PDT
September 1, 2008 When ice and snow cover the roads, people have been turning to snow chains for a hundred years in order to get traction. Now there’s no denying they work, but there’s also no denying that there has to be a better way. A new alternative for ensuring winter traction has been announced and the initial claims make the Navimetrix Snobootz look pretty good. Snobootz consist of a durable fabric boot which wraps around the tire. Rubber traction pads are bonded to the fabric which are embedded with steel cleats to offer aggressive ice-clawing traction. Independent university tests show the Snobootz are about 20 percent faster than snow chains from zero to 20 mph on a full-size SUV, 66 percent faster to install and at one-third the weight of chains, Snobootz are easier to handle and store. At US$250 a pair, they’re not cheaper than chains, but they are faster, easier and safer. Read More
Formula Zero begins - the historic first Hydrogen Fuel Cell Race
By Jack Martin
02:31 August 31, 2008 PDT
August 31, 2008 Formula Zero is the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell racing series and the historic first ever event was held last weekend in Rotterdam. Four teams clearly stood out from the field in vying for the celebrated first ever victory for a fuel cell racing machine, with the Dutch Greenchoice-FORZE Team (Technical University of Delft) setting the fastest time of 38.416 seconds of the portable racetrack in Saturday’s qualifying, narrowly ahead of Spain’s EuplatecH2 (Escuela Universitaria Politécnica La Almunia de Doña Godina). Sadly, the speed shown by the Belgian Zero Emission Racing Team on Friday (37.800) did not materialize on Sunday, and the British Imperial Racing Green Team’s reliability over race distance did not stand up well in the non-traditional FORMULA ZERO race format. Though Team FORZE won the main race on Sunday, the Spaniards won the initial sprint race, and will go down in history as the winners of the first fuel cell racing event. Read More
Luxury Electric launches trans-continental trek
13:39 August 29, 2008 PDT
Luxury Electric will drive its prototype electric vehicle cross the United States in an effort to prove that fully electric vehicles will be practical for longer journeys as well as the short-range commuting at which they already excel. Known simply as "The Electric", the retrofitted Acura TL has 24 Lithium-ion cells which give it a range of around 140 miles. Read More
The Caddy Topos Sail design concept
By Jack Martin
03:52 August 28, 2008 PDT
August 28, 2008 One of the stars of this weekend’s Dusseldorf Caravan Salon is this Volkswagen Caddy Topos Sail design concept which takes its nautical theme to the extreme of having a wooden boat deck on its roof. The Caddy Topos Sail design concept, based on the smallest model in the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle van range, uses design cues from classic yachts and has its multi-functional roof covered with wooden decking surrounded by aluminium roof rails. Read More
Automotive alchemy – Gold- or Platinum-plating your car
By Jack Martin
02:29 August 27, 2008 PDT
As we’ve written before, you don’t drive cars, you wear them. To the male of the species, a set of wheels is largely a reflection of who they are. Customizing one’s wheels is accordingly a highly personal pursuit – some go for show, some go for go, and some go to extraordinary lengths to show how uncompromisingly “top shelf” they are. Appropriately-named London-based Alchemist now numbers amongst its customization techniques a process which coats the roof of your car in 24-carat gold. “Gold-leafing vehicles isn’t a new luxury, said company spokesperson Jacques Blanc. “The Egyptians mastered the technique more than 3000 years ago and Tutankhamun’s chariot was decorated with gold leaves. We are simply continuing this ancient and opulent tradition.” Read More
Lexus LS 460 goes All-Wheel Drive
By Mike Hanlon
18:58 August 20, 2008 PDT
August 21, 2008 The importance of the growing Russian luxury marketplace will be highlighted later this week when Lexus (AKA Toyota) will publicly debut its new LS 460 All-Wheel Drive at the Moscow International Motor Show. The all-wheel drive system is a three differential configuration featuring a highly compact TORSEN® Limited Slip Differential (LSD) – shared with the LS 600h - which distributes drive torque between the front and rear axles with a 40:60 rear axle bias in torque distribution. Read More
Build your own three-wheel 225MPG plug-in-Hybrid
09:01 August 20, 2008 PDT
Here's one for the dedicated back-yard mechanic. Arizona based Robert Q. Riley Enterprises has now released construction plans based on the completed prototype of its do-it-yourself, two-passenger, XR3 plug-in hybrid, a vehicle that's capable of up to 225 miles per gallon, has a top speed of 80 mph and acceleration comparable to a conventional small car. The USD$200 instructional package for the modular, three-wheeled sportscar includes printed drawings, electronic 3D virtual models, computer files that enable vendors to make parts plus a DVD that outlines the building of the car. Read More
Historic 1949 MG TC race-car up for grabs
08:51 August 20, 2008 PDT
The inaugural Barrett-Jackson three day Collector Car Event gets underway in Las Vegas on October 15 and one of the highlights to cross the block will be this 100 hp, 4-cylinder, 1949 MG TC - the car that iconic driver and manufacturer Carroll Shelby drove to his first victory in a road race in Norman, Oklahoma in 1952. Read More
World's fastest Ford GT for sale on eBay
By Loz Blain
10:48 August 19, 2008 PDT
August 19, 2008 Packing over 1000 horsepower after its GT1000 twin turbo upgrade, and with an eye-watering measured top speed of 235.4mph (378kph) that it can reach in less than 2 miles of straight road, this 2005 Ford GT has been given the full treatment by the high-velocity tuning gods at Hennessey Performance Engineering. Now it's up for sale on eBay - for the price of a small house. Read More
First teaser pics of GM's updated Chevy Volt design
By Loz Blain
05:07 August 19, 2008 PDT
GM's extended-range electric Chevy Volt is slated to hit showrooms in 2010. After a rave reception of the sporty concept vehicle in early 2007, GM have been going full steam ahead on the production model - and now the Volt's Director of Design is calling for feedback on the first teaser pics of the production design. Read More
Lotus to develop Omnivore Research Engine for bio fuels
By Mike Hanlon
20:41 August 18, 2008 PDT
World-renowned Lotus Engineering has entered into a collaboration with Queen’s University Belfast and Jaguar Cars to develop an engine which maximizes fuel efficiency when running on renewable fuels. The OMNIVORE concept will employ novel engine architecture to achieve a high thermal efficiency when fuelled on any alcohols or gasoline. ideally suited to flex-fuel operation, the design features an innovative variable compression ratio system and uses a two-stroke operating cycle with direct fuel injection. Read More
Electric Nissan to debut in 2010
By Loz Blain
03:27 August 14, 2008 PDT
August 12, 2008 What will the electric car ownership experience be like? Nissan has given us a glimpse of what early adopters are letting themselves in for - rather than bundling expensive, consumable battery packs into the price of the car, Nissan plans to sell its 2010 mass-market battery-electric car for around the same price as a standard petrol car, and lease the battery pack to the buyer on a monthly fee. And the battery lease plus electricity charges should still end up cheaper than a petrol bill. Don't worry, it won't look anything like the test vehicle pictured! Read More
The Aston Martin One-77
By Mike Hanlon
02:47 August 10, 2008 PDT
August 10, 2008 The first image of a delectable new supercar has emerged from Aston Martin. Though details of the new One-77 are scarce, it is already undoubtedly the ultimate vehicle yet to emerge from the esteemed and thoroughly British marque. All that’s known for certain is that it has a carbon fibre chassis, a hand-built (err, sorry … hand-crafted) aluminium body, and is powered by a seven litre V12 motor. Read More
Cars that talk – the Intelligent Car initiative gains momentum
By Mike Hanlon
02:45 August 10, 2008 PDT
August 10, 2008 A world where humans, motor vehicles and the infrastructure will wirelessly communicate and co-operate for the greater good came a step closer this week when the European Commission reserved part of the radio spectrum for smart vehicle communications systems (so called co-operative systems). The networked road system envisaged by the European Intelligent Car Initiative promotes the use ICT to achieve smarter, safer and cleaner road transport and comes not a moment too soon – already 24% of European driving time is spent in traffic jams, and it’ll get much worse before it gets better. Research suggests the costs caused by traffic congestion could reach EUR80 billion by 2010. Read More
Nissan's All-Around Collision Free prototype
08:48 August 7, 2008 PDT
Nissan has unveiled an "All-Around Collision Free" system that rolls two new safety technologies in with those already developed under its Safety Shield program. The new additions are a Side Collision Prevention (SCP), which assists the driver when changing lanes, and Back-up Collision Prevention (BCP), which automatically sounds a warning and applies the brakes if a collision is imminent during a reversing maneuver. Read More
TAG HEUER Night Vision eyeglasses for safer driving
By Mike Hanlon
23:39 August 6, 2008 PDT
August 7, 2008 Driving at night is far more dangerous than driving in daylight according to the statistics. Though only 10% of road miles are driven in the dark, 48% of road fatalities occur at night. That’s primarily because at night our pupils dilate, and we become short-sighted, though glare, halos, and reduced peripheral vision all contribute to ocular tiredness. TAG Heuer has released a set of ophthalmic Night Vision glasses specifically designed to correct dark-induced myopia, reduce glare, contrast the dark blue surroundings without changing colour perception and ultimately offer safer driving after dark. Read More
ECO Pedal to reduce car fuel consumption
By Emily Clark
10:25 August 6, 2008 PDT
With rising petrol prices and a focus on climate change, the automotive industry is looking to pioneer new methods of fuel consumption, both in terms of developing new propulsion systems and making existing technology more efficient. News on the latter approach comes from Nissan, which has unveiled technology designed to help drivers use less fuel by using an "eco-pedal" system that resists excess pressure being applied to the accelerator. Read More
High-tech low-cost Mexican Sportscar
By Mike Hanlon
09:30 August 5, 2008 PDT
One of the most interesting debuts at the British Motor Show was the Mastretta MXT, the first car to be designed and built in Mexico, and it promises to make it’s home country very proud indeed. The mid-engined, two-seater coupe uses aircraft construction techniques to create an ultra-lightweight 900kg car with bonded aluminum semi-monocoque chassis, a balanced 56-44 weight distribution with a turbocharged 240 bhp Cosworth engine supplying the herbs. The end result is a 150mph car with a power-to-weight ratio of 267bhp/tonne. The best bit though, is the price - UKP33,000 (US$64,500). Read More
Opel Insignia World Premiere
11:26 August 2, 2008 PDT
One of the biggest debuts at the 2008 British International Motor Show - and certainly the most floorspace - was claimed by the Opel Insignia, a new mid-size sedan that will offer seven different engine configurations and a number of technical innovations when it hits the showroom floor in Germany late this year and other markets from January 2009. The technology packed Insignia includes a new Eye camera system that reads speed and no-passing signs and displays them on the instrument panel, coupled with a Lane Departure Warning system that provides an extra level of awareness to the driver. Read More
The world’s biggest production tire – the 63-inch Titan
By Mike Hanlon
18:35 July 30, 2008 PDT
July 31, 2008 Mine operators are increasingly adopting larger equipment to lower operating costs and a new class of ultra-large machinery is demanding bigger tyres. Earlier this week, Titan Tire shipped its first giant 63-inch off-the-road (OTR) tire and wheel assemblies. The tires, each measuring nearly 14 feet tall and weighing approximately 12,500 pounds, are being shipped to Canada’s oil sands for use in mining applications and Titan envisages a worldwide market of 900 tires a year. Read More
Elektrobay: EV recharging infrastructure expanding in the UK
By Emily Clark
17:51 July 29, 2008 PDT
The number of electric and hybrid vehicles on the road is growing rapidly in response to rising petrol prices and climate change awareness. As with any alternative to petroleum based transport, the key issue is infrastructure, or lack of it. Already rolling-put in the UK, Elektromotive's solution for drivers of electric cars and motorcycles is an on-street recharging network called “Elektrobay” that allows you to re-charge while away from home. Read More
Azentec SmartMirror with inbuilt GPS
By Emily Clark
15:57 July 28, 2008 PDT
Another clever product that caught our eye at the British Motor Show is the Azentec SmartMirror - a Bluetooth enabled GPS unit complete with touch screen functionality that's been rolled into a the rear-view mirror. Read More
Honda's sporty take on low emissions motoring
14:46 July 25, 2008 PDT
One of the big attention grabbers at the 2008 British International Motor Show is Honda’s low-emission sportscar dubbed OSM (for Open Study Model). The open top two seater design out of the company's R&D facility in Offenbach, Germany, is being shown alongside the CR-Z sports hybrid which was unveiled at Tokyo last year and the Honda FCX Clarity which is being produced in Japan and available in the US under a lease plan. While a version of the CR-Z has been confirmed for production, there are no plans to bring the OSM online anytime soon. Read More
KIA's KEE concept car featured at British Motor Show
By Kyle Sherer
14:12 July 24, 2008 PDT
Kia is exhibiting its KEE concept car at the British International Motor Show, from July 23 to August 3. Designed by Peter Schreyer, the re-interpreted 2 + 2 coupe embodies the company’s new design philosophy – sleek, light and sporty. Read More
British Motor Show opens its doors for 2008
17:14 July 22, 2008 PDT
July 22, 2008 Honda's Open Study Model sports concept, debuts aplenty from the likes of Alfa Romeo, Lotus, SEAT, Ford, Cadillac and Vauxhall, a swag of supercars and not surprisingly a focus on greener leaner motoring marked the first day of the 2008 British Motor Show at ExCel in London today. A number of concept cars shown on the world circuit over the past year also made their UK appearance for the first time at the show including Peugeot's 308 RCZ concept (which will enter production in 2010), Nissan's Denki Cube, Mazda's stunning Furai and Renault's Megane. The all-electric motoring charge includes exhibits by TH!NK, ZEV, GEM, UK based NICE (No Internal Combustion Engine) and the 125mph Tesla Roadster. Read More
Rex Alfie Lee
- November 9, 2009 @ 12:19 UTC
