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Automotive
British steam car aiming for 200mph land speed record
By Loz Blain
June 21, 2007 Acting as a champion for alternative fuels and engine design, the group behind the British Steam Car Challenge has a lofty goal in its sights; a record-breaking 150mph run on British soil, followed by a 200mph run on the Bonneville salt flats of Utah. Steam engines run on external combustion, meaning they're not fuel specific like internal combustion engines. The steam-powered streamliner will run a 12,000rpm turbine engine producing 225kw of power. Read More
Toyota develops next-generation engine valve mechanism
By Mike Hanlon
June 19, 2007 Toyota has developed a new form of valve actuation for internal combustion engines which it claims improves fuel efficiency by 5 to 10 per cent, enhances throttle response, reduces CO2 emissions, and boosts power by at least 10 per cent. To be known as Valvematic, the new design offers a variable valve lift mechanism created through combining VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing-intelligent), which controls the timing of intake valve opening/closing, with a new mechanism that can also control the intake valve lift volume. The first application of Valvematic will be in a new 2.0-litre engine being introduced in the near future. Read More
Fully-electric, 95mph Sports Utility charges in 10 minutes
June 18, 2007 Another step towards exploding the perception that electric vehicles will never have the grunt, range or practicality of their oil guzzling, high-emission counterparts has been taken in California with a record charging time demonstrated for the all-electric Phoenix SUT (Sport Utility Truck). The milestone demonstration by AeroVironment saw the 35kWh (kilowatt-hour) battery pack developed for use with the Phoenix fully-charged in less than ten minutes - enough to power the five-seat utility for 100 miles. Read More
German researchers develop method for quality testing lightweight composite wheels
By Mike Hanlon
June 16, 2007 Lightweight wheels are a must-have for automotive enthusiasts as they significantly decrease unsprung weight and improve handling characteristics accordingly. Though fiber-composite materials are used in elite motorsport, and promise better long-term performance than their metal counterparts, they have been unable to make their way into the mainstream due to a lack of suitable testing methods. Standardized testing methods exist for conventional rims made of steel or aluminium, but there is doubt as to whether the testing methods for metal wheels can be applied to composite materials. Now German researchers have created a new method which can reliably simulate how an individual composite wheel will cope with the stresses of driving on public roads, including hitting the curb and potholes, and the meeting of quality standards, without destroying the wheel. Read More
Audi and Peugeot diesel sportscars set to battle in Le Mans 24 Hour
By Loz Blain
June 15, 2007 Since the invention of the automobile, winning on Sunday has meant selling lots of cars on Monday and beyond and this weekend’s running of the fabled Le Mans 24 hour race looks set to influence a lot of sales over the coming decade. Last year Audi’s R10 diesel race car used its frugal fuel consumption, 650 bhp and 1100 nm of torque to win every race it entered. Peugeot meanwhile have been developing a diesel car too – with 700 bhp and 1200 nm. This weekend they face each other for the first time. Astoundingly, the Peugeot has taken first and third grid positions in qualifying. Read on for the background and where you can watch the 24 Heures du Mans unfold. Read More
Convertible Ford Shelby GT coming
By Mike Hanlon
June 14, 2007 The 2008 Ford Shelby GT will be available with a new convertible body style from August 2007. Only 2,300 2008 Shelby GT coupes and convertibles will be built in order to maintain exclusivity for collectors. Each car will feature an authentication plate on the center dashboard, as well as a matching tag under the hood for documentation in a forthcoming registry. Read More
ZF’s Torque Vectoring rear axle drive
By Mike Hanlon
June 14, 2007 Driveline and Chassis Technology company ZF invests five percent of its sales (2006: EUR 600 million of EUR 11.7 billion) in Research and Development and in so doing, has developed a very interesting new Torque Vectoring rear axle drive which it claims considerably increases driving dynamics and safety reserves of all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive vehicles. The system distributes the drive torque individually to the rear axle wheels, generating a yaw moment around the vertical axis of the vehicle, which can be used both to improve agility and stabilize the vehicle. Generation of the wheel differential torque is independent from the drive torque, so it is also generated during coasting, when the driver is not accelerating. The system is ready for volume production and is already planned for volume application at BMW. Read More
The world’s largest Scratch Car-D
By Mike Hanlon
June 13, 2007 Thousands of people lined up, grabbed a penny and rubbed away on the world’s first ‘Scratch Car-d’ yesterday. The unique SUV took two months to prepare and was completely covered in silver latex, the material found on lottery scratch cards, which took 14 hours to scratch off. Underneath were thousands of individual panels, with one revealing a symbol to win the vehicle. The ‘Scratch Car-d’ was unveiled in London’s Covent Garden on a bed of 16,995 pennies to mark the launch of the new Chevrolet Captiva into the UK market. Read More
The Caparo T1 - the soon-to-be, fastest accelerating car in the world
By Mike Hanlon
June 8, 2007 The soon-to-be world’s fastest accelerating car has broken cover during the final stages of test and development. The Caparo T1 is a high performance two-seater sports car with highly resolved aerodynamics, which has been designed with the looks and performance of a Formula One race car. The T1’s 500 kg weight and 550 bhp give it a power-to-weight ratio of 1100 bhp/tonne – better than any current supersport motorcycle and approaching that of a genuine F1 car. With series production about to commence, the car will be built for discerning customers seeking the ultimate track day experience in a road driveable vehicle. In releasing full details of the car’s specification, the company has revealed that while customer cars are being readied for start of production, preparations are also well in hand for the T1’s first public appearance as a running car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on June 22-24 – which effectively becomes the vehicle’s launch date. Read More
Supercharged Seven is the most powerful Caterham ever
By Mike Hanlon
June 8, 2007 To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Caterham has unveiled the most powerful Seven ever; the X330 – a one-off supercharged model boasting a mind-boggling power-to-weight ratio of 600bhp per tonne. Caterham’s basic formula of useable power and extreme light weight is put clearly in perspective when viewed on a chart against the rest of the world’s exotica (see right). The stealthy, matt black concept is based around the range-topping CSR Superlight, but the addition of a supercharger to the four-cylinder 2.3 litre Ford Duratec engine increases power massively from 260 to 330bhp, as the name suggests. Read More
Porsche tops J.D. Power 2007 Initial Quality Study second year running
By Mike Hanlon
June 7, 2007 Porsche enhanced its already considerable reputation yesterday by once again being awarded the number-one nameplate in the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study (IQS). The IQS measures new-vehicle quality at 90 days of ownership. It captures quality of design and quality of production (defects and malfunctions) problems experienced by owners using a problems-per-100 vehicles (PP100) metric and it’s the results of surveying a whopping 97,000 purchasers and lessees. The study includes quality comparisons by manufacturer, assembly plant, model, and platform. Porsche ranked number one for the second year running, ahead of Lexus, Lincoln, Honda and Mercedes-Benz. Honda, with the fewest problems per 100 among non-premium brands, improved from sixth since the 2006 study. Read More
Boat building skills transform utility vehicles
June 6, 2007 From plumbers to mobile mechanics and ambulance services, specific industries rely on suitably equipped vehicles to cater to their particular needs, but why build these vehicles from the ground-up when a more efficient way forward can be found through utilizing a common platform and modifying it to meet any objective. This is the premise behind the Transformer Top, a system developed with the aid of boat building skills that turns a four wheel drive pickup into a dedicated vehicle for almost any application. Read More
First images of Peugeot 308
By Mike Hanlon
June 6, 2007 The Peugeot 308 hatchback will be launched in Europe in the autumn; it will replace the 307 hatchback, which has been an important car in the Peugeot range with global sales exceeding three million units. These are the first glimpse images released by the French giant, which will produce the car at its Sochaux and Mulhouse production facilities. Indications suggest the car will be very environmentally friendly and will be available in three and five door versions. Read More
New F1 tech for road cars – the mechanical kinetic energy recovery system
By Mike Hanlon
June 6, 2007 In 2009, Formula One (F1) motor racing is introducing new rules that will lower the environmental impact of the sport. Part of this is to recover deceleration energy that can be stored for acceleration. The first commercial product resultant from this mandated new direction in technology will come from vehicle transmission design and manufacturing company Xtrac. A licence arrangement will enable Xtrac to exploit Torotrak’s full-toroidal traction drive technology to develop highly efficient and compact continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) for use in the new kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) proposed for F1. Whatsmore, the system holds much promise for use in road cars. Very cool technology indeed! Detailed images. Read More
Phantom Silver marks 100th Anniversary of Silver Ghost
By Mike Hanlon
June 4, 2007 It was 100 years ago this week that a new marque established itself in the minds of the British public as the world’s finest car. Just over 12 months after Frederick Henry Royce and Charles Stewart Rolls began manufacturing cars together, the company’s new Silver Ghost won the gold medal in its class for hill climbing speed and reliability at the 1907 Scottish Reliability Trial. Later that year, a Silver Ghost travelled 14,371 miles non-stop to set the world record for a motor run, the publicity further reinforcing perceptions of the name which went on to become a metaphor for excellence the world over. To mark the 100th anniversary of the Silver Ghost, Rolls-Royce has produced a special model, the Phantom Silver , of which only 25 will be made. The Phantom Silver will carry a UKP22,000 premium over the standard Phantom price of UKP220,000. Read More
Heat resistant exhaust coating helping vehicle manufacturers meet Euro 5 emissions standards
By Loz Blain
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
Personalize your car with a scrolling display
By Mike Hanlon
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
By Mike Hanlon
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
By Mike Hanlon
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
By Mike Hanlon
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
By Mike Hanlon
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
By Mike Hanlon
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
By Mike Hanlon
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
By Loz Blain
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
By Loz Blain
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
leojman
- November 23, 2009 @ 07:42 UTC
