Street Level

Rental Bliss: 2010 Mitsubishi Galant FE

2011-07-12T18:05:00.001-04:00

Unless your daily driver is a new car itself, most new cars will impress with their fit, finish, and comfort. The industry as a whole has done a remarkable job of upping the refinement ante, even in vehicles at the shallow end of the range. Unfortunately, nobody told the Galant.

The exterior styling of the 2010 Mistubishi is conservative, but inoffensive. The compound headlights suggest modern touch and by themselves exceed most expectations one would have of a low-rate rental. The flush mesh grille could even remind you of a Cadillac from the right angles. The rest of the body is pure vanilla, but there are no surprises there. The trunk capably handles two real-world suitcases and is as easy as any to load.

Getting into the Galant, one is instantly transported to the early 2000's. Hard, shiny, textured plastic is almost everywhere, with only massive seams between the molded pieces breaking up the proceedings. Getting comfortable in the car is admittedly easy, and the mirrors ably manage any potential blindspots. This particular example had been generously ArmorAll'd, which made for a steering wheel that was both slippery and sticky at the same time.

The gauges were easy to read, but sported the now-vintage orange backlighting that seemed to be the trademark of midsize Asian sedans of the 90s. The center console is attractive to look at, but rather difficult to actually use by current standards. The console is topped by an old LCD clock which dominates the display, leaving only a small band at the bottom for the sound system display. The buttons are large but feel cheap, and inputs were registered only intermittently. Not even the shift lever was immune to mediocrity, as the screw holding the lever in place came loose twice during the week and would have rendered the car unable to shift from park had a multitool not been nearby.

Driving the Galant smoothly was something of a challenge. Releasing the exceptionally touchy brakes resulted in an authoritative surge forward, and balancing the two required practice and focus. The steering was incredibly light making straight-line highway driving easy, but response to steering inputs was lethargic. The skinny tires gave up their grip without much protest, and the touchy brakes turned spongy without much prompting.

Piloting the car around for a week brought back years-old memories of rental clunkers. It would be impossible to recommend to anyone, and one would be ill-advised to choose it over something else for the same price. This is unfortunately very much a car you get stuck with.

Rental Bliss: 2011 Ford Escape Limited

2011-06-25T17:26:00.001-04:00

Ford's littlest truck has come a long way since the Bronco II. Driving a black-on-black Limited offered a few pleasant surprises.

The truck looks very sharp, with tasteful chrome highlighting the otherwise all-black exterior. Good looking by itself, it's downright gorgeous compared to older Escapes. The bubble styling and exposed plastics are gone, replaced by straighter lines and painted surfaces. The bumpers themselves are an attractive painted plastic, but are unfortunately extremely soft and easy to scratch. The rear hatch has handles built into the bottom edge, but they're not in an ideal spot to close the hatch from and otherwise there is no good place to put your hand without leaving a print on your chrome or paint. Besides those few quirks, the exterior of the truck is rather well done.

Inside it becomes clear that Ford has taken the truck upscale. The doors close with a solid-sounding thud, and the leather seats with optional heaters are very comfortable and offer good lumbar and lateral support. Piano black surfaces are everywhere, accentuated by the color-selectable accent lighting in the footwells and cup holders. There are a few sharp edges, including one knuckle-skinning mold edge in the center console, but otherwise the various seams and panels fit well together. There are many cup holders and nooks for gadgets, including Ford's trademark burrito tray in the middle of the dash, although most of the nooks are large and shallow making it difficult to keep things in place.

There is ample headroom and getting comfortable is easy, although the lower dash hangs so low as to make reaching the pedals more difficult than it should be. Rear visibility is hampered by the absolutely massive rear seat headrests. Ford has done a good job muffling the road and wind noise and coupled with the light steering, spunky 3.0 liter V6 engine, and great exhaust sound it's easy to get going faster than intended. Slowing the truck down is no problem as the brakes are adequate, and there is surprisingly little body roll.

After spending a week with the truck, it was difficult to give it back. City driving was made pleasant by the punchy engine and comfortable interior, and long trips were effortless. $27,000 is a lot to ask for a small SUV, but Ford seems to have packed theirs full of appeal and it would be hard to come away disappointed.

Old Parked Cars

2011-04-17T17:29:00.003-04:00

My new favorite automotive blog is Old Parked Cars.

Car museums and shows are fun and all, but it's always a treat to see a rare or notable car out in the wild, doing what it was built for. Case in point: I hardly remember the details of the Lexus LF-A I saw at the LA Auto Show, but the Merkur XR4Ti I saw on the highway, or the De Tomaso Pantera I saw in a grocery store parking lot --- those are burned into memory.

I also have to give my respects to the unsung heroes: the meticulously maintained powder blue Plymouth Reliant K parked at the train station every morning, and the packed first-generation Lexus LS that still commands an air of dignity despite a broken tail light and keyed paint. Attitudes toward these cars range from indifference to contempt among the automotive press and internet peanut gallery. But the cars are still there, logging miles, taking care of business, earning their keep.

Here's to old parked cars.

Ferrari's Cat Skinner

2011-03-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

There are, idiomatically, many ways to skin a cat. There are also many ways to route power to all four wheels of a car. Many do it with a transfer case bolted to the transmission, some do it with electric motors, then there's Ferrari.

Ferrari does it with two transmissions.

Ferrari's new FF is remarkable for a number of reasons, but certainly one is the system they have dubbed "4RM" (for 4 ruote motrici - 4 wheel drive in Italian). Rather than worry about routing driveshafts all over the car and mucking up the underfloor, Ferrari mounted a second transmission directly to the front of the engine. It's a two-speed unit driven directly from the crank, and the FF relies on a pair of clutches to reconcile the drive ratio difference between the two-speed front and seven-speed rear transmissions. The twin clutches also allow the computer controlling the system to route different amounts of power to each of the front wheels to maximize performance in any given situation.

An animation of the system in action can be found here:

Winning all those F1 races certainly must be good for something, and Ferrari is no doubt quite good at making things like clutches, but designing a system that depends on two constantly-slipping clutches dealing with the 100 pound-feet of torque that can be sent up front will certainly put their engineering skills on display.

More photos, videos, and any other information you might be looking for about the Ferrari FF can be found at their site: http://www.ferrarifour.com/

F1 Mid-2010-Season Primer

2010-09-17T21:16:00.000-04:00

For someone in the unlikely situation of being new to watching motorsports but having access to the Speed Channel, Formula 1 is an appealing starting point. The cars are fast and exotic, the competition is close, the tracks are in interesting places all over the world, and the coverage is extensive, informative, and entertaining. Regardless, it may still be difficult to have an immediate grasp on everything that is going on, particularly mid-season. The Formula 1 website is a fantastic source for detailed information (particularly about the rules and various technical aspects of the sport). There are a few unique, and important, characteristics of Formula 1 that will come up during a regular broadcast, such as:

Team structure - This season there are 12 teams (or "constructors"), and each team is comprised of two drivers. The teams are called constructors because they do in fact design and build their own cars (but not the engines). There are no "customer cars" allowed this season, so one team cannot buy cars or parts (with the exception of the engine) from other teams. The engines are tightly regulated this season, and only a handful of engine manufacturers are available for use by the constructors: Cosworth, Ferrari, Mercedes, and Renault. Both the constructor's and engine manufacturer's names are usually used to identify the teams, such as "Red Bull Renault" or "McLaren Mercedes."

The two championships in contention - Each driver is racing against all of the other drivers in an effort to finish in the best position possible. For each race, the winning driver gets 25 points, 2nd place gets 18 points, etc. down to 10th place which gets 1 point. Cars finishing behind 10th get no points (complete details here). Additionally, each team is awarded the sum of the points scored by their two drivers. At the end of the 19-race season, the driver with the most points is crowed Drivers' World Champion, and the team with the most points is crowned Constructors' World Champion. Both championships are thought to hold equal weight and importance.

Qualifying format - The starting order for each race is determined by a three-stage qualifying system. All 24 cars have 20 minutes to set the fastest lap possible. The cars may qualify at any point during the 20 minutes, and the cars do not necessarily get the track to themselves. Following the first session (called "Q1"), the six slowest cars are set at the six worst starting positions. After a short break, the remaining 18 cars then have 15 minutes to again set the fastest lap possible. The times from Q1 are disregarded and these 18 cars must re-qualify. Following the second session ("Q2"), the eight slowest cars are set at the next-eight-worst starting positions. After a short break, the remaining 10 cars then have a final 10 minute session ("Q3") to again re-set their fastest lap to determine the top 10 starting positions.

Team orders - There are a number of circumstances during which a team would find it advantageous to have their drivers finish in a particular order. By mid-season it can become clear to a team that one of their drivers has a better chance to win the Drivers' World Championship than the other, and the team may want to provide that driver with the best chance for success, for example. The sporting regulations state that teams are not allowed to orchestrate in any way the finishing position of their two drivers relative to each other, but there have been many instances where this has almost certainly been the case. One case was during the Hungarian Grand Prix, Ferrari's Felipe Massa was told over the radio that his fellow Ferrari driver, Fernando Alonso, was "faster," and Felipe was asked "do you understand that message?" Shortly thereafter, Massa's Ferrari slowed significantly coming out of a corner, allowing Alonso to dart by. Massa had no further trouble during the race.

F-Ducts - The McLaren Mercedes team developed a system to direct air from the front of the car through a duct in the dorsal section to the rear wing. When this duct is activated (by the driver's hand or knee), the airflow stalls the rear wing, drastically reducing both its downforce and drag, causing a large increase in top speed down the straights at no downforce penalty in the corners. Other teams are just starting to develop their own versions of this system, but the cars are so aerodynamically sensitive that any change requires extensive research and development to be effective.

Corner names - Most Formula 1 tracks have names for each of their corners. Many corners are named after notable racing drivers, but some are named more arbitrarily. Turns 6 and 7 of Monza, the track used for the Italian Grand Prix, are called the "Lesmos," which can cause some confusion during the broadcast.

There are also a few things to note about the broadcast and coverage itself:

The cameras are not controlled by the commentators - Where the cameras are placed along any given track and on any given car, as well as which camera shot is used at any given point, is controlled by FOM, the singular Formula 1 rights manager. The Speed Channel commentators are therefore forced to call the race as it is presented to them. Normally this is seamless, although on occasion the commentators are interested in a particular pass or battle that is not shown for as long as they would like. Overall the camera work is excellent, and the commentators are able to provide a constant stream of information relating to the standings, the current strategies, the various pieces of technology on the cars, layman's translations of radio broadcasts, etc. One downside to the extent of the coverage and commentary is that missing something said by one of the commentators is undoubtedly missing something important, interesting, and entertaining. Socializing during the broadcast is not watching the race.

The three main commentators are off-site - Bob Varsha, Steve Matchett, and David Hobbs call each race from a studio in North Carolina, in real-time. Will Buxton is on-site at each race, although he gets significantly less air time than the other three. Will Buxton is new to the broadcast team for this season, and he is a replacement for Peter Windsor who had been a close friend of the other commentators. Buxton has useful access to drivers in-person although he frequently injects his opinions into his reports, and those opinions are not always objective or even factually accurate.

The pre-race show and post-race interviews are must-watch events - For 30 minutes before the race, the commentators will discuss in great detail various technologies and strategies employed by the teams, review important storylines, and show relevant highlights from earlier in the weekend (practice and qualifying) or the season. The show is dense with information while being entertaining and exciting. Following the race, there is extensive discussion about the repercussions of the results on the two championships, and the official driver interviews provide fascinating insight into how each of the top three finishers saw the race.

While the above is by no means comprehensive, with any luck a new viewer will have an idea of the volume of entertainment and information they will experience watching a Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Enjoy!

Let's Get Physical

2010-03-25T15:07:00.001-04:00

I am occasionally scoffed at when I suggest that race drivers need to be in good physical shape. Most people can at least believe that pro drivers are in good condition, but not that it’s explicitly necessary for them to do what they do. I have struggled in the past to convey how, exactly, driving is in fact physical. I’m going to give it another shot here. Part of the difficulty is that race driving (like most sports) is a pretty unique activity; it’s not much like anything you’re likely to have done before, and driving a race car is extremely different from driving a “regular” car.

So, let’s play an imagination game:

For round one of our game, imagine trying to open a combination lock; one of the round ones with the one dial like you would find on a gym locker. Let’s even assume you know the combination. Certainly it isn’t physically challenging, although it does take some precision and you need to be able to see what you’re doing. Easy.

For round two, imagine the lock isn’t on a locker, but it’s chained to a 45lb plate like you would use to lift weights at the gym. Let’s make it interesting by saying you have to wear this contraption as a necklace like Flavor Flav turned into a gym rat, and you have to remain standing. Now that you’re trying to support the weight while you’re working the lock, it becomes more physically challenging. Turning the dial just right is harder when you’re also exerting yourself, but as long as you can hold up 45lbs or so for a minute you should be ok, right?

Now let’s make it really interesting. The good news is for round three you’re sitting down, the bad news is you’re sitting on a roller coaster; think of the most intense roller coaster you have actually been on, only very slightly modified to allow you to reach the lock-chain-weight combo that’s now in your lap (although still around your neck). Imagine trying to unlock the lock while the roller coaster is going. Now we’re talking about a real challenge: keeping the thing in your lap at all is pretty tough, but trying to spin that little dial to just the right numbers (without smacking yourself in the face with the weight) you can imagine is hard. Your head is being jostled around, the lock itself is all over the place, and that weight gets pretty unwieldy in that corkscrew section. I’m willing to bet, though, that if you could keep the thing in your hands you could unlock the lock once (or a few times) without really getting tired. Tough? Sure. Tiring? Probably not.

Round four. Something has malfunctioned on the roller coaster. This isn’t the usual car-gets-stuck-upside-down malfunction though; this is the ride-doesn’t-stop-at-the-end-and-just-keeps-going malfunction. You’re not in much danger (as long as you don’t hurt yourself with that weight), but you’re not getting off any time soon. Say the thing goes for an hour; some “ride engineers” are there, the Channel 4 helicopter is circling, but you’re stuck on the darn thing. Worry about keeping your lunch down later; how is it coming with that lock? Imagine if you got more points every time you unlocked, then re-locked the lock. How many times could you do it? How long could you hold the thing in your lap while your roller coaster just kept going? A few times, probably, but you can imagine how it gets pretty difficult pretty quickly.

Race drivers don’t need to unlock combination locks chained to weights, and they’re not on roller coasters. They are, however, being thrown around in their seats while trying with their hands and feet to do things that simultaneously require both strength and precision, sometimes for hours at a time. If you have never done it before it’s tough to imagine that turning the wheel and pressing the pedals could be tough; the car you drive to work has power steering and power brakes, and most of the time it doesn’t really matter how much you turn or press them as long as you’re close. Race cars (and fast go-karts) require strength to turn the wheel and press the pedals; hard to believe but it’s actually physically difficult. To go fast, you have to do those things exactly the right amount at exactly the right time. It’s difficult and challenging in the same way that round four of our imaginary game is difficult and challenging.

I highly recommend that anyone who is curious about it to go to a decent go-kart track and give it a shot. Don’t bother with the slow stuff, head to a place that requires helmets and neck braces, like F1 Boston. It’s a ton of fun, and I promise you’ll learn something.

I love what you do for me, Toyota

2010-03-16T14:25:00.000-04:00

Details of the firestorm Toyota finds itself in have been screaming in from every angle at a dizzying pace. What began as a floor mat recall has exploded and now encompasses computers that pin the throttle, computers that spin the steering wheel, insufficient brakes, scams by the media, scams by customers, congressional hearings, and Saturday Night Live spoofs. Jalopnik.com has one of the most comprehensive collections of articles on the subject, which is why most of the links (and the image) are theirs.

As a Ford enthusiast, I admit to initially reacting with a smirk. I have been generally aware of my automotive surroundings for 15 or so years, and those 15 years have not been kind to Ford. I'm happy to see this happening to someone (anyone) else, and it brings me even more joy to see it happening to a foreign company.

Unfortunately, I can't gloat at Toyota's misfortune. Not because of any pity I may have for them, but because of the endless stream of misinformation and deception that I think ultimately helps Toyota more than it hurts. I should have seen this coming, of course, as all the same songs were played when Ford (and GM and Chrysler) was in the crosshairs: the overblown reports of the recalls (recalls happen all the time), the congressional hearings (where the cluelessness of our congressmen and women was embarrassingly apparent), the suspicious media replications of problems. The customer scam angle is at least relatively new, but serves the same purpose.

In my opinion, these things don't help. Much of what I think is wrong with cars and the auto industry revolves around the lack of accurate information. Consumers make mis- or un-informed purchasing decisions, then drive their cars without sufficient knowledge of how to do it safely or efficiently. Feeding more mis-information into the fire certainly won't fix the problem. Giving a false reason for a real problem makes it all-too-easy to dismiss both.

If someone passes up a Toyota in favor of a Ford, I would much rather it be because they found that one of Ford's vehicles was better-suited for their purpose than any of Toyota's, or that they preferred not to send thousands of dollars overseas. While I'm happy to hear that membership in the Toyota Is Always Better Club is dwindling, it's unfortunate that the reasons for it are just as hollow as those that The Club was founded on to begin with.

US F1: Just The Facts, Ma'am

2010-03-03T17:41:00.003-05:00

Ken Anderson has spoken to Autosport about the current status of the US F1 team.

Mr. Anderson confirmed that the team will not participate in the 2010 season, and has requested that the FIA defer their entry until 2011. The team is intact, with the exception of previously-contracted driver Jose Maria Lopez and some temporary staff members, and is optimistic that the FIA will quickly grant their request. A sponsorship deal fell through in mid-January and without it the team was simply unable to commit to racing, however most of the preparations to do so were in place. The interview is worth reading as it clears up much of the blather that has been careening around this week.

US F1: Good News and Bad News

2010-03-02T22:05:00.002-05:00

Following a day of rampant speculation, there is good news and bad news about the fledgling US F1 team.

First, a little background:
Formula 1 isn't open to all comers. There are a limited number of available spots on the grid, set by the sport's governing body, the FIA. Even a fully-funded, ready-to-run team can't simply show up and race. Several teams from 2009 withdrew from the sport and the FIA further expanded the total number of available spots, making room for four all-new teams. Out of the many prospective teams that applied for those spots, the US F1 team was one of those selected to join Formula 1. The FIA's decision was intended to strengthen the sport both by including a US-based team, but also by filling the grid with teams that displayed both possible competitiveness and longevity.

The bad news, summarized effectively by AutoSport, is the US F1 team will almost certainly not be ready for the season-opening race at Bahrain. The team has formally asked the FIA to defer their entry until 2011. This unprecedented move has a measure of plausibility, as the FIA is aware that some presence in the US is beneficial to the sport, however obviously if the team was ready to go it would not have made this request.

The good news is in spite of rampant media coverage to the contrary, the team has not completely disbanded, nor has it lost the services of partner Chad Hurley (founder of YouTube). In fact, the team has offered the FIA a seven-figure bond to help secure their grid spot for 2011, so it would seem that time (and/or time management) is the only resource they are lacking.

Should the FIA not grant the request, the US F1 team has not ruled out the possibility of joining the F1 season at the fourth event in Barcelona. Normally missing any races is grounds for disqualification from the season, however the FIA had previously granted several of the new teams a three-race grace period. A far-less-likely emergency fall-back plan could possibly include some presence in Bahrain, however that possibility is slight indeed.

The US F1 team quickly built a large fanbase, and we're all hopeful that the operation continues to make progress and will show signs of success sooner rather than later. In the meantime, we'll have to wait for further word from Mr. Anderson or Mr. Windsor.

Vin Diesel, Eat Your Heart Out

2010-02-22T22:03:00.002-05:00

Fluid MotorUnion has developed an exhaust system for the Lamborghini Gallardo that bumps the horsepower up 30 and the torque 25 by using CFD to optimize back pressure, flow, and system weight.

And it shoots blue flames when you punch it.

I agree completely with Jalopnik when they say this is what Lamborhinis are supposed to be.

Lotus F1

2010-02-13T01:04:00.006-05:00

The degree to which the new Lotus F1 team is related to The Lotus F1 team is subject to opinion, but one thing is for sure: the color's right. The Lotus Racing Official Fan Site has more.

Cars for a Grand

2010-02-09T14:28:00.000-05:00

The popularity of near-junk car racing has enjoyed a recent surge, although finding a suitable car can be a challenge. Cars for a Grand is here to help, offering a searchable database of cars for sale at $1000 and under. The cars are of various makes, models, vintages, and conditions, but they're all cheap and on the market, the site a great starting point in the hunt for the next 24 Hours of LeMons or Chump Car World Series winner, or even a base for that hillclimb or drag car you've been thinking about building.

Fix Your Mirrors

2010-02-08T17:25:00.006-05:00

"Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear" is a helpful warning, but what about the objects that aren't "in mirror"?

Almost all cars have blind spots of some kind, including yours. The trick is to use your mirrors to minimize them as much as possible, and chances are good that you're not doing a very good job. Here's a quick quiz:

Question 1: Is the side or rear of your car visible to you in your door-mounted rear-view mirrors, from your normal driving position?
A. Yes
B. No

A large number of people, likely including you, will answer (A). If that's the case, you probably have a larger-than-necessary blind spot.

For years my door mirrors were angled so I could see along the sides of my car. My thinking was if I could see all the way down the side of the car, there couldn't possibly be anything next to the car that I didn't see. The problem is this tactic leaves a blind spot just behind the front doors. Cars next to mine would be visible while they were approaching from behind, but would drop out sight as they passed the range of the mirrors but before they entered my peripheral vision.

The flaw in the logic is the location of the blind spot itself, and is revealed when we use the proper names for the mirrors:

The rectangular thing in the middle of your windshield is your rear-view mirror. It is meant for you to see things in the rear, as in behind, your car. That includes directly behind, as well as off-to-the-side-and-behind. Cars can get pretty far up next to you before they drop out of range of this mirror.

The things mounted on your doors are your side-view mirrors. They are meant for you to see things to the sides of your car, not to the rear. Your rear-view mirror is taking care of that already. Your side-view mirrors should be aimed so that you can just start to see the front of a car as you are just about to lose sight of the back of that car in your rear-view mirror. Read that again:

Your side-view mirrors should be aimed so that you can just start to see the front of a car as you are just about to lose sight of the back of that car in your rear-view mirror.

If you're in a go-fast mood, your side-view mirrors should be aimed so that you lose sight of the front of a car just after you pick up the back of that car in your rear-view mirror.

If you can clearly see most of any one car in more than one mirror at the same time, you probably have them aimed incorrectly. Car and Driver has a somewhat helpful illustrated guide to get you going. PLEASE check it out, then go fix your mirrors.

Prius = Cool

2010-01-29T13:55:00.002-05:00

Wait, what?

Speed:Sport:Life has taken a few minutes out of their usual pompous arrogance to produce a frighteningly lucid explanation of why "Prius" = "cool." I expected to be angry, or to be able to argue with them. I can't.

Some choice quotes:

"If you asked Prius owners why they made the choice to buy their car, I imagine you would hear a lot about the environment, sustainability, reducing dependence on foreign oil, blah blah blah. That's all crap. I know that's all crap because the Honda Insight is rusting on dealer lots as we speak."

"If you buy an Insight, you'll have to explain why you didn't buy a Prius. People will ask you if you own a Zune. If you buy a Civic Hybrid, then some self-righteous woman in cat-eye glasses will stop you in the university parking lot and tell you that your sports car is killing the environment."

"Don't bother to "think different" here. Put an iPod and an iPad in your Prius and relax, knowing that you are just as unique as everyone else in your social group."

And finally, "The Lexus HS250h is a Prius with a trunk. Don't buy one. Nobody's buying one. Toyota is learning the hard way what Honda, Ford, and GM already know. "Hybrid" is a pretty meaningless badge. It's the "Prius" one that counts."

I don't normally agree with the SSL guys, but in this case, I have no choice. The idea that people are buying the Prius to save the world, to use less oil, to save on gas money, or even because it's better than other options is absurd. People are buying the Prius because it's the car they want, and it's the car they want because it's the car "cool," "hip," "eco-conscious," and "::insert other flattering adjective here::" people want.

There are a lot of good reasons why Toyota isn't doing well lately, but on occasion it's definitely better to be lucky than good.

Icon CJ3B: Nasty. Old School. Jeep.

2010-01-25T13:06:00.005-05:00

ICON is a Los Angeles-based automotive company founded on the idea of revisiting classic off-road vehicles. Having tackled Toyota's FJ, ICON has now turned its attention to the Jeep CJ. Per Autoblog's article:

$80k
24.5 inches (as in more than two feet!) of suspension travel at each wheel
Dana 44s
45 degree approach and departure angles
GM Ecotec 2.4
Did you see that photo?

Autoblog has the details, but you won't need them to know this thing is awesome.

Countach vs. Stingray: Real?

2009-10-26T15:03:00.002-04:00

Last week Carscoop posted a Japanese commercial for Gran Turismo PSP, which very convincingly shows an '88 Lambo trading paint with a '69 'Vette. There seems to be some debate about how "real" the video is, but there is no debate at all that it is awesome:

Vehicle Event Detected

2009-10-26T09:55:00.004-04:00

You hear the one about the Hennessey CTS-V that pulled so hard off the line that OnStar thought it was in an accident?

Apparently .99g is enough to get a helpful and concerned OnStar operator to give you a ring. I wonder if the airbags could be tricked in the same manner...

A rear-drive V8 Chevy sedan? Yes, please!

2009-10-05T14:50:00.006-04:00

Ah, crap:

The good news: GM has announced that it will bring the Australian-built Zeta sedan platform back to the U.S.

The bad news: It's fleet-only. Specifically, it's a police cruiser.

Autoblog has the details and press release. Play nice, kids.

And Then There Were Five

2009-06-04T12:17:00.004-04:00

At last count, there were a total of six McLaren F1s in the US, at least until this past Monday. Jalopnik has the full story and another photo, but the important math is 6 + fire = 5.

Photo and video via Carscoop

Edwards Finishes Talladega on Foot

2009-04-27T07:51:00.003-04:00

Carl Edwards is known for the backflips he does after winning NASCAR races, but he flipped under completely different circumstances on the last lap of Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Talladega:

Nudged by eventual winner Brad Keselowski, Edwards got upside-down into the catch fence along the front straight, throwing debris into the crowd and injuring eight fans. Edwards climbed out of his car and finished the race on foot.

Jag is Back!

2009-04-19T15:34:00.003-04:00

Largely absent from big-league racing since the demise of the Trans-Am series after the 2005 season, Jaguar is set to make a return to sports car competition later this summer. Rocketsports racing, still headed up by the venerable Paul Gentilozzi, has announced it will enter a new Jaguar XK-R in the GT2 class of the American LeMans Series mid-season in an effort to prepare for a full 2010 campaign. The Jag will join the already impressive entry list including Ferrari F430 GTs, Porsche 911 GT3 RSRs, BMW E92 M3s, a Panoz Eperante, Chevy Corvettes, a Ford GT, and a Dodge Viper, making for some of the most diverse racing anywhere in the world.

More information on the Rocketsports Racing Jaguar XK-R entry can be found at RocketSportsRacing.com.

Ruf CTR Yellowbird

2009-04-18T03:18:00.004-04:00

Recently a lot of attention has been paid to Nuerburgring lap times, with Nissan, Chevy, and Dodge posting incredible numbers. Between the raw speed and the incredible engine notes, the videos of these hot laps are breathtaking as they display not only sheer velocity, but the required poise of both car and driver.

At least, poise would appear to be required. Poise, stability, razor-sharp handling, a helmet... All apparent requirements. Unless you're the driver of the car that kicked off the Nuerburgring lap time craze back in 1987: the Ruf CTR Yellowbird. "Breathtaking" doesn't begin to describe this classic in-car footage:

Who We Are - LymanSS

2009-04-18T02:26:00.001-04:00

Once the founder of a performance parts business, LymanSS currently maintains an impressive stable including among others a Cadillac, a Lincoln, and multiple Corvettes.

Who We Are - Kevin

2009-04-18T02:25:00.001-04:00

When he's not driving his Camaro around California, Kevin's automotive attention is focused on the UAW, nearby auto shows, and planning out a drag car.

Who We Are - GregC

2009-04-18T02:24:00.001-04:00

GregC has gone from one icon to another, trading his Jeep Wrangler for a Ford Mustang to get himself around suburban Massachusetts.

Who We Are - Frank

2009-04-18T02:22:00.001-04:00

Frank's late-model GTO is his latest in a line of criminally-underrated American cars. He is based in Boston, where he is continually frustrated by the uninformed choices of the drivers around him.

Who We Are - Cope

2009-04-18T02:19:00.001-04:00

A Mustang driver from a Ford family, Cope has spent time in both Boston and Los Angeles driving fast, following motorsports, and hunting for track time.

Speeding Ticket Insurance

2009-02-27T13:28:00.003-05:00

There are many good reasons to avoid speeding tickets, from the insurance premium increase to the fact that you'll probably end up late for whatever you were speeding to get to. The ticket fine itself is painful even if it's not ultimately the biggest concern, and Terrence Boyd wants to help. Boyd's insurance company, which apparently does not have a web presence, is offering a policy to cover you against fines associated with speeding tickets.

The NY Times, Autoblog, and others have brought up a few good points to consider before signing up, including the fact that the company, Ticket Insurance, does not go to court to contest the tickets, does not deal with insurance company points or premiums, and can't guard against getting your licence revoked. However, for anyone looking to take some of the sting out of an unpleasant experience, Ticket Insurance might be worth a look.

Rental Bliss: 2007 Chevy HHR LS

2009-01-02T04:14:00.001-05:00

Chevy says HHR stands for Heritage High Roof and is a throwback to the Nomad or car-based Suburban. I say there are two succinct ways of describing the HHR: "Chevy's clone of the PT Cruiser" or "a Cobalt wagon".

The HHR's exterior styling is all over the place. Here's what I think happened. Some committee or focus group came up with three distinct design themes: "clone a PT Cruiser," "resurrect the Nomad," and "Cobalt-sized Tahoe." Then an executive told a junior designer: give me something that's all three of those at once or you're fired. The result is a Frankenstein, and it's ugly.

The interior treatments are decent for an economy car. Most of the pieces are standard, utilitarian, inoffensive GM parts. There are a few nice touches that give the interior a touch of personality. Like the 09 Malibu it has a two-tone dash reminiscent of a Tri-Five Chevy. Also like the new Malibu, there are Chevy emblems embossed all over the place. The gauges use a handsome retro font and chromed needles. The doorpulls are large chrome circles, which is a little gimmicky but adds some character.

Interior ergonomics are good; the controls are laid out conveniently and visibility is excellent. The HHR uses an upright seating position as you'd find in a CUV, which adds substantial legroom and makes the rear seats servicable for adults. Chevy chose to finish the cargo area in hard plastic, which looks chintzier than carpet but is substantially more durable and easier to clean.

The HHR shares the Delta platform and 2.2L Ecotec I4 with the Cobalt, and drives much the same, which in this case is a compliment. Both cars' dynamics are tuned appropriately for their role as family cars. The suspension stays smooth on the highway or over bumps, yet is firm enough to feel poised on the highway and contain body roll within reasonable limits. The electric power steering box is on the numb side, but not offensively so. Acceleration was always adequate, and the car logged respectable fuel economy. It's not a sports car by any stretch of the imagination, but it never made me gnash my teeth either. Like the Cobalt, the HHR is available with a Sport package that improves power and handling, and an all-out Super Sport (SS) trim.

I am an unabashed fan of wagons. They combine the handling and economy of a sedan with the space and utility of a CUV. The HHR is no exception. Underneath the ugly exterior is an all-around good car with no serious faults. It even has some semblence of personality, a scarce commodity among modern value-oriented cars. It's a pity it's hideous. This thing could be a home run with an exterior refresh.

Where to Go from the Bailout

2008-12-09T10:20:00.004-05:00

A bailout is shaping up. GM, Chrysler, and Ford will all be capable of receiving funds from the US Government. These loans are coming from tax payers' pockets: Mine, yours, and the guy's next to you. Instead of complaining about why we should bail out the Big 3, now it is the time to look at the Big 3 as an investment. This is our tax money; you want it back? Then the Big 3 need to succeed in a 'new' market.

Yes, this is a new market. Toyota, Honda, BMW, and others have been chipping away at the American auto industry for years. Now the Big 3 have fallen behind, and yes they made some of their own issues: poor quality, low MPG, and other issues. However, this is a new market and GM, Ford, and Chrysler are making some of the best cars in the world now. They are building better, more reliable cars with higher gas mileage. So I ask the taxpayers to stop complaining and start getting behind your fellow Americans and their companies.

GM Facts And Fiction

2008-11-17T14:11:00.006-05:00

GM has launched a website at http://gmfactsandfiction.com/ that seeks to dispel the myth that a collapse of the U.S. auto industry would only affect Michigan and other mid-west states. The site is well-constructed and is a useful resource for both those looking for more information about the impact an auto industry collapse could have on the entire U.S. economy, as well as those looking to try to help in some way.

The site includes a video that is heavy on numbers, although most of them are so large that they may be difficult to absorb. The message is clear: a collapse of the U.S. auto industry would be a significant blow to the health of the economy as a whole, although as the site and video are clearly commissioned by GM it may be difficult to sell the data as unbiased and accurate.

Common opinions regarding the actual effect of the possible demise of the U.S. auto industry, as well as the popularity of the various bailout plans circulating Washington span a wide range, and accurate information is difficult to come by. This site represents an attempt by an auto manufacturer to speak directly to the general public in an attempt to inform us about the severity of the situation as seen by GM. It will be interesting to see if Ford or Chrysler follow with similar efforts, and even more interesting to see if they have any effect.

Dependability

2008-08-07T10:34:00.001-04:00

So once again its time for me to come out and explain to everyone the slim margin of automotive dependability. Lexus takes the top spot again, makes sense because that's what your paying for. But wait shouldn't the Toyota brand be #2? No. Mercury takes #2 this year. Followed by Cadillac. Wait I thought American cars were trash. Nope most American brands actually sit above the industry average. The other key thing to note is that even the best cars have 1.2 problems. The average is 2 problems per car. And there are only 2 brands that hit the 3 problem per car territory. Does it really make sense to pay top dollar for a brand when the margin of dependability is so slim? A Toyota has 1.59 problems per car and Chevy has 2.39 problems. Sounds like either way I'm still going to the shop for some warranty work.

Rental Bliss: 2008 Dodge Magnum SXT

2008-08-01T13:10:00.003-04:00

During a recent trip to Baltimore, I was able to spend time behind the wheel of a rented 2008 Dodge Magnum SXT. Attracted by its aggressive appearance and apparent utility, I had dubbed it one of my favorite cars long before actually getting any seat time.

One of the first things I noticed was the short greenhouse and wide pillars, although proper adjustment of the seat, steering wheel (with tilt and telescope), and mirrors solved any visibility problems and resulted in a rather cliche feeling of tank-like security.

The interior was nicer than expected, with tasteful chrome lines breaking up the dark grey plastic interior. The controls for the satellite radio and climate controls felt good and not cheap. I had no trouble figuring out how to work either although some of the passengers had some slight trouble. The dashboard was easy to read and was uneventful without being dull, and there was enough space for four people and a weekend's-worth of luggage for each. As gimmicky as it may sound to some, having the hinge for the liftgate so far forward is an effective way to enlarge the rear cargo opening and makes loading bulky cargo easier.

Once underway, I was pleasantly surprised by the grunt of the 3.5 liter V6. It was able to hustle the Magnum up to highway speed without delay, although the relationship between my right foot and the rear wheels wasn't quite as direct as I prefer. The Magnum is very stable at speed, and wind noise was less intrusive than I expected given the blunt front end. Looking in the rear-view mirror gave the impression of staring into a tunnel, and the Magnum's road manners did nothing to dispel the impression that this is a long vehicle; not particularly unwieldy, but definitely occupying a sizable chunk of road.

Shod with all-season tires there wasn't an abundance of grip, although I was never wanting for brakes and, with one exception, I was never in a position to even determine which end of the wagon would slide first. Once in the upper rev range the engine sounds like it means business, and the transmission shifts before the grunt becomes a buzz.

Driving in and around Baltimore, I found myself either on the highway or in the city. Following a rain shower one afternoon, I decided to switch off the Electronic Stability Program to see if it had a noticeable effect. Much to my chagrin, while turning left through an intersection, and while going rather slowly, the back end of the Magnum came around with surprising ease under power. It was easy to catch, and easy to prevent at the next turn, but I nonetheless switched the apparently-quite-effective ESP back on.

My overall impression of the Magnum was decidedly positive and I am discouraged by Dodge's decision to axe the wagon from their lineup, however that was not an opinion shared by those I was with. There were aesthetic remarks ranging from simply "ugly" to the more descriptive "looks like a hearse!" More significantly, there were usability complaints about the aforementioned greenhouse: One driver complained that not enough light came into the cabin, and two proclaimed they "couldn't see a thing" because of the pillars, long hood, and distant rear. I was able to solve those issues through careful adjustment of the cockpit, but your results may vary.

If I Ran Project Genesis

2008-06-24T15:52:00.004-04:00

Chrysler has undertaken Project Genesis, an ominous-sounding plan to merge all its brands into a single cohesive product line. It hopes to elminate rebadging and coerce all its dealers to become combined Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep dealerships.

This naturally leads to two questions:

what role and image should each brand take?
which models should be kept, and which should be killed?

Here is what I would do if I were Chrysler King for a day.

Chrysler: mainstream, volume cars and minivans.

100: subcompact sedan/hatchback, built by Nissan instead of the Dodge Hornet
200: midsize sedan; current Sebring, overhauled to resemble the 300 and actually be competitive. Keep the sedan and convertible and add a wagon trim.
300: flagship large sedan, as is
PT Cruiser: compact crossover, based on current Caliber/Compass
Town & Country: minivan, as is.

Dodge: macho trucks and muscle cars.

Caliber: compact, economical unibody pickup, like the ones from the 1980s. Current Caliber transformed to a two-door with an open pickup bed.
Ram: full size pickup, as is
Charger: 4 door muscle car, as is
Challenger: 2 door muscle car, as is

Jeep: rugged SUVs, exclusively.

Wrangler: compact offroad SUV, as is
Liberty/Cherokee: midsize SUV, as is
Grand Cherokee: large SUV, as is

Retire: Avenger, current Caliber, Grand Caravan, Journey, Dakota, Durango, Nitro, Magnum, Sprinter, Sebring, current PT Cruiser, Pacifica, Aspen, Crossfire, Patriot, Compass, Commander.

Plymouth: revived to be exclusively fleet sales.

Initially, rename all the retired models to Plymouths and sell them as rental-only vehicles until it becomes more economical to retool their factories for the surviving models.
As the old models are phased out, replace them with a barebones Plymouth Aspen/Duster/Fury/Voyager corresponding to the Chrysler 100/200/300/T&C, still for fleet sales only.

Engines:

keep the GEMA naturally aspirated 1.8L and 2.4L for smaller cars
keep the 2.4L high output turbo (285 hp) for an AWD SRT4, based on the Chrysler 200 and targeting the WRX and Evo
make a low pressure turbo I4, around 210 hp, to replace V6s in cars
standardize on the old 3.8L as the only truck/jeep/minivan V6.
keep the HEMI V8 in various tunes for the Ram, larger cars, and Grand Cherokee
Develop a 6 cylinder HEMI as a new truck/jeep/minivan V6. Then engine R&D can be focused on only two engine families, the GEMA I4s and HEMIs

This is a what I'd do with current and in-development products, which is substantially different from a dream lineup given limitless resources. Each market segment ends up with only one product which stands a fighting chance.

What would you do?

Nardelli's long lost twin

2008-06-18T23:14:00.003-04:00

Has anyone else noticed the uncanny resemblance between Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli and Mr. Twinkacetti, the boss of Larry and Balki on Perfect Strangers? Or for that matter, the similarities in their approach to retail management?

BMW GINA

2008-06-10T11:19:00.004-04:00

If you haven't seen BMW's GINA Lightweight Visionary Model in motion, it is a must-see.

BMW's polarizing designer Chris Bangle is at it again. He has pushed his team to re-examine the purpose of the body of a car, and has come to the conclusion that it need not be structural. Thinking far outside the box, the BMW design team has developed a fabric body, stretched tight over a frame that can be shifted and adjusted according to the conditions. The doors appear to bend open, the spoiler grows out of the rear deck, eyelids open to reveal headlights, and the hood parts in the middle for access to the engine while suggesting strongly what a Terminator autopsy might look like.

Autoblog has an extensive writeup of the car, but to really appreciate how radical the fabric body is, you need to see it in motion.

Nuerburgring Webcam

2008-05-23T13:14:00.002-04:00

Curious to see what's lapping the Nuerburgring? Check out the webcam. It's pointed at the entrace to the track, so you can see what's waiting in line to take laps. If you're lucky, you may catch a glimpse of something exotic flying down the straight in the background.

Indy 500 Primer

2008-05-20T13:29:00.005-04:00

It's that time of year again: You're laying out your plans for the long weekend, and someone invites you to an "Indy 500 party." You know it'll be fun, but you also don't know an Indy car from a train car. Read on for some helpful tips and answers to frequently asked questions.

What will I be watching?
The Indy 500 is an auto race, so you'll be watching 33 cars go over 200 mph around a big circle for a few hours.

Who should I root for?
Danica Patrick is a young, attractive, American woman, which is usually enough to get almost everyone's attention. You may have seen her recently on TV or in Sports Illustrated. She drives a black and blue car, sponsored by Motorola. She stands some chance of winning and the cameras will follow her progress closely.
Helio Castroneves was on Dancing with the Stars last season and is a happy, smiling, handsome guy with a great Brazilian accent, which is usually enough for anyone not watching Danica. He drives one of two red and white cars, sponsored by Marlboro. Helio has won the race twice before and has a good chance of winning, so the cameras will follow him closely as well.
Michael Andretti, Marco Andretti, Grahm Rahal, and A.J. Foyt IV are all the kids of famous racecar drivers from 20 - 30 years ago that you or your Dad may have heard of. Michael Andretti is Marco Andretti's dad, and looks like he's about 50 because he's about 50. The Andrettis always have a decent chance of winning, although if Rahal and Foyt even come close the TV cameras will pay them very close attention.

Is this like NASCAR?
Yes, it is a lot like NASCAR, except with very different-looking cars. NASCAR cars look like boxes, Indy cars look a little like weird airplanes with wheels. Those wheels are out there on the corners of the cars and aren't covered by anything. For this reason, this kind of racing is called "open-wheel." NASCAR is not open-wheel, but some other racing is.

Didn't Danica Patrick win Indy a few weeks ago?
No. Danica Patrick has not "won Indy" ever, including a few weeks ago. The word "Indy" comes from the word Indianapolis, the city in Indiana. "Indy" is used to describe a few different things:

The Racetrack - "Indy": There is a racetrack in Indianapolis, IN. It opened in 1909, and is an oval shape that is 2.5 miles around. For more information, check out the track's website.
The Race - "The Indy 500": The race on Sunday is a 500-mile race held at Indy and therefore called the Indy 500. This year will be the 92nd running of the race, which makes it one of the longest-running races in the world. For more on that history, check out the race's website.
The Series - "The Indy Racing League" or "The IRL": A group of drivers and their cars travel around the world together to race at different tracks a few times per month. The drivers get points depending on how well they do, and at the end of the year a champion is crowned. The Indy 500 is the most famous and most prominent race in the series, and so the series is named after that race. NASCAR fans should think of the IRL like the Sprint Cup Series. Stick-and-ball sports fans should think of the IRL like MLB or NFL, but with "drivers" instead of "teams," and with only one "game" going on every weekend. You may hear someone mention that a particular driver is part of a particular team, but the "teams" in the IRL are completely different from the "teams" in MLB or the NFL. More on that later.
The Cars - "Indy Cars": Like NASCAR, all of the drivers in the IRL use similar cars, called "Indy Cars." They are open-wheel cars with prominent wings on them, and they all use 3.5 liter V8 engines made by Honda which are not turbocharged.
The Races - "The Indy Japan 300" or "The Iowa Corn Indy 250": Most races in the IRL have "Indy" in their name, even when they do not take place at Indy. This is simply to tie the name of the race to the series. Formula 1 fans can relate this to the inclusion of "Grand Prix" or "GP" in the names of their races.

So, Danica Patrick is a driver in the Indy Racing League, and she drove her Indy Car in the Indy Japan 300 a few weeks ago. She won that race, the Indy Japan 300, which takes place in Motegi, Japan. She has not yet won "Indy," or the Indy 500, which takes place in Indianapolis, IN, this coming Sunday.

The race is 500 miles? How long will that take?
Indy cars can go more than 230 mph under the right circumstances. The speeds during the Indy 500 will be closer to 220 mph for most of the race. If there is an accident, the rules say that all of the cars have to slow down to about 60 mph until the accident is cleaned up, which usually takes 5 - 10 minutes. Overall, the race will probably last about 3 hours.

Accidents? Do people get hurt or die?
The cars, and the race itself, is actually very safe. If there is an accident, the cars involved will stay on or very near the track, and there are lots of walls and fences to keep them away from the crowds, crews, TV cameras, etc. The walls around the outside of the track are metal guardrails attached to foam blocks, so while they are not squishy, they are not rock-hard either. The cars themselves are designed to basically explode into lots of pieces, except for the parts right around the driver. Think of those exploding pieces like a big crumple-zone. Drivers can get hurt, but usually the most serious injury is a sprain or bruise.

Can drivers keep racing even after they've been in an accident?
They can, but they usually don't. Indy Cars are fragile, and all of the parts are critical. NASCAR fans might expect to see sledgehammers and duct-tape come out after a crash, but usually if a piece on an Indy Car breaks, it takes literally all week to fix.

Someone just said "teams"
When the drivers and cars are on the track, they are all racing against each other. Race cars are expensive, and it turns out that there are only a few people with the money and interest to pay for them. Because of this, those people usually pay for more than one. All of the cars and drivers that get paid for by the same person are on a "team." Some of the "teams" have only one car and one driver, but some "teams" have several. Usually, all of the cars and drivers who are on the same team go back to the same research facility between the races, so if someone figures out how to make one of the cars a little faster, the other drivers and cars on that same team will probably hear about it first. Also, a driver is less likely to act like a jerk on the track towards another car on the same team. You will probably hear about how many cars and drivers each team has, how many times each team has won the race, and how "teammates" are helping each other out on the track. As much as you will hear those things, at the end of the race, every driver is racing every other driver.

Will this be fun?
Yes, it will probably be fun. Even beyond the fun people and good food you're likely to be surrounded by, the race itself is very exciting. The cars are going very fast, and they are very close to each other. Driving the cars is difficult, and it is exciting to watch the drivers try not to make any mistakes at all for three whole hours.

And maybe you'll get to see Danica actually "win Indy."

Rental Bliss: 2006 Saturn ION2

2008-05-16T16:44:00.006-04:00

Last summer I had an ION for a business trip from Orange County to the Silicon Valley and back. It's a long trip that puts a car through a lot of scenarios: the worst of LA traffic hell, two mountain ranges, a vast expanse of flat highway, and twisty country roads around Gilroy (garlic capital of the world!).

The ION's exterior styling fits with Saturn's current design trends of understated geometric designs and vaguely European modernism. I think it's handsome for a small economy car, but that's subjective. The interior continues the geometric theme of circles, arcs, and ellipses. Mine was furnished with grey cloth, hard grey plastic, and silvery gray accents. It is thoroughly unexciting, but that's to be expected in a value-oriented economy car. The gauges are mounted in a center pod and have a classic-looking typeface. I expected the location to be distracting but after a few minutes it became second nature.

The ION seems to be tuned to drive like a larger car. The steering has a heavy feel and mushy center. It's easy to keep pointed on the highway but can be annoying in city driving. The suspension is incredibly loose for a car this size -- on the highway it's dreamboat smooth, but there is an immense amount of body lean on onramps or even 90 degree turns from a stop. Acceleration is good for a car in this class and I had no problem merging, passing, or climbing hills. The engine is very loud and coarse-sounding, especially at higher RPMs. I found myself limiting throttle just to avoid the noise, which would get grating in a daily commute. The ION automatic is rated at 24/32 mpg. I lost my mileage log but recall getting mileage consistent with those numbers.

The interior ergonomics are generally fair. It has a high door sill that's easy to trip on, and the cup holders are positioned such that a medium-sized fast food cup will block all the HVAC controls. The AC is surprisingly powerful, which is common for GM vehicles. Visibility is good.

There was a lot riding on the ION's 2003 debut. Saturn had been waiting a very long time for an updated compact car, and the ION was the first example of GM's Delta-body / Ecotec engine combo that would be the basis of small GM cars for years to come. The ION was unilaterally slammed as a horrible failure, which I think is unfair. It's the same size as a Cobalt or Corolla, and compared unfavorably in that class. But it was actually priced priced closer to an Aveo or ECHO, and looks good against those. I would also argue that the outgoing S-series was meeting consumer expectations better than the Cavalier was, so the incremental S-to-ION transition was easily upstaged by the earth-shaking Cavalier-to-Cobalt transition.

The ION was the last model designed around Saturn's original ethos of friendly, economical basic transportation. It lives up to that promise. It drives like a floaty midsize car and gets compact car mileage. It's not flashy or fun to drive, but that's not the point. It would be a fine choice as an everyday car, especially for someone who is downsizing from a larger vehicle or doesn't really care about cars. Conventional wisdom is that a Civic or Corolla does this better. That's probably right, but only by a thin margin. The ION's price advantage makes it a defensible choice.

Rental Bliss: 2008 Scion xB

2008-05-09T19:00:00.005-04:00

For various reasons I rent a lot of cars. I'd like to extract some greater good from these experiences, so I'll be writing up quick-take reviews of the cars I rent.

Recently I needed to rent a Flexcar to drop off a car at the garage, and ended up with a 2008 Scion xB. This was my first experience with a Scion product, so I was eager to see what I thought of the brand. More on that shortly.

The xB is essentially a brick on wheels. It is tall for its size, but rides low on small tires. The interior is styled in a sport compact tuner aesthetic. The gauges are arranged in a pod of four circles resembling a pillar gauge pod, positioned in the center of the dash. Most of the visible paneling is black plastic molded to resemble carbon fiber. The contours are geometric, giving the whole thing a goth/industrial feel. I don't care for it. Even if I did, I'd be leery of styling this distinctive, since it rarely wears well over a car's entire 10+ year lifetime. Look at the interior of any 10+ year old Buick to see what I mean.

Given the mundane FWD chassis, tiny wheels, and tall body, my handling expectations were low and I was not surprised. There is a lot of body lean in corners, and the tires start to chirp very quickly. The steering has a heavy on-center feel reminiscent of a truck or van. Acceleration is adequate in leisurely driving. I didn't have an opportunity to flog it. The engine is loud and appliance-like, rather like a cordless power drill. Overall the driving experience is unremarkable but perfectly adequate for everyday use.

The interior ergonomics are pretty good. The xB's upright seating position makes effective use of space and makes it roomier than it would be otherwise. There is a convenient iPod port in the center console, and a phone-sized nook next to the steering column. There's also a shallow shelf above the glove box. I'm not sure what it's intended for, but my fiance and I put a bag of donuts there, so we called it a "donut shelf." As expected the rear cargo area is huge, and the large hatch door should make loading and unloading convenient. Visibility is excellent.

The xB would be a decent commuter. It is an economical alternative to a CUV or small SUV due to its cargo space and high seating position. It could work as a family's only car. It is not a performance vehicle in the slightest. The car has a strong tuner/Emo/industrial vibe to it, which is a love-it-or-hate-it proposition. I hate it. But there are surely people who love it.

Now, back to my take on Scion. Let's see here. We have a mundane chassis, mundane engine, mundane suspension, and mundane steering feel, gussied up as a performance vehicle with polarizing exterior styling, boy-racer interior styling, and a loud exhaust. The whole package is targeted at adolescents, but has broader appeal because at its heart it's a practical vehicle.

I sense something. A presence I have not felt since...

Ah yes, Pontiac circa the 1990s. Look how well that worked out. Maybe the xB will succeed where the Trans Sport failed. Good luck, Scion.

Indy Racing League Winners

2008-04-24T12:25:00.004-04:00

The Indy Racing League is now truly in the midst of its first season since the much-vaunted "unification" between itself and the Champ Car World Series. Five races into the season, we have already seen some significant results:

Grahm Rahal won the second race of the season, the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. As his name might suggest, G. Rahal is the son of legendary open-wheel driver Bobby Rahal, who is frequently spoken about in the same conversations as Foyt and the Andrettis. Having a Rahal back in victory lane is a significant step towards recapturing the attention of old-school fans of the sport. As unfortunate as it is, the fact that he an an American certainly doesn't hurt either.
Making the feat more significant is the fact that G. Rahal is one of the drivers who came over from the Champ Car World Series. While the airport/street course of St. Petersburg would seem to favor the Champ Car drivers, the race has always been on the IRL calendar. Rahal won in an unfamiliar car on an unfamiliar track, and in the rain. This left little doubt that when right turns are in the mix, Rahal is a threat.

Danica Patrick won the fourth race of the season, the Indy Japan 300. Anyone who has seen an IRL race in the past few years, as well as anyone with a Sports Illustrated subscription, is familiar with Danica Patrick. She is one of three women currently competing in major-league open-wheel racing, although her win is the first by a woman. Her win proves not only that Patrick herself is capable of the ultimate success, but that women in general are capable as well, something that has unfortunately been rather hotly debated. Patrick is an American as well, and again that has shown to help the ratings. In fact, Rahal and Patricks' wins are the first back-to-back wins by American drivers in recent memory.

The success of the former Champ Car drivers on ovals remains to be seen, but two drivers getting their first series win in only the first five races is a great sign that things are going to be interesting.

Goodguy's Hot Rod & Custom Car Show

2008-03-20T23:52:00.007-04:00

Last Saturday I made it out to Goodguy's Hot Rod & Custom Car Show at the Orange County, California fairgrounds.

For the most part it was your typical hot rod car show. There was the "show & shine," featuring a wide variety of American muscle cars and trucks, some in crisp showroom condition, others modified to an extreme. A rockabilly band played, and there was a swap meet in case you're still looking for motor mounts for your '71 Charger Super Bee. A bunch of aftermarket vendors had convention style displays. Edelbrock's stood out since they had actual physical parts to look at and fiddle with. Chip Foose was there with his daughter, driving around in his Hemisfear.

This show had the highest proportion of kids in rockabilly getups, and rat rods on display, of any show in recent memory. Maybe it's Orange County, or maybe that stuff is picking up steam.

The highlight of the show was definitely the autocross. It seemed to be open to anyone who wanted to participate, and the participants were all manner of wild street rides. About half the cars were spare-no-expense Camaros and Chevelles; other notables were a couple hairbrained rat rods, an honest-to-goodness Ford GT, a Z06, an 80s C/K pickup truck from Car Craft magazine, and a Jaguar XJ with a Chevy 502 big block swapped in.

What can I say? Top three impressions:

Reading, thinking, and talking about cars is great and all, but there's no replacement for seeing them actually tear around a track. Driving around a track is even better.
In autocross skill is at least as important as hardware. The fastest cars on Saturday were definitely not the fastest cars on paper.
Why was every single hot rod a Chevrolet? It would have been nice to see a classic Ford, Mopar, or even non-Chevrolet GM make a showing.

If you have the opportunity to attend a show like this, by all means do. It really gets the juices flowing.

Here is Your Future Car

2008-03-18T00:34:00.004-04:00

The future is now. The solution to solving foreign oil dependence and air pollution is not going to be corn based ethanol or fuel cells that mix oxygen and hydrogen to provide energy. The soultion is in advanced lithium battery technology. An American company, based in Watertown MA, is the leader in lithium battery technologies that provide power to automotive electric engines. This company, A123 Systems, already has a deal with GM to help produce the batteries for its much anticipated Volt. Now they have released an upgrade kit for a normal Toyota Prius at the price tag of $10k. Why isn't Toyota producing a Prius that allows it to be plugged into the wall already and has advanced batteries? Either A123 Systems is a technological leader far ahead of the world, including Japan, in battery technology or there is not enough profit in it for Toyota.

12 Hours of Sebring

2008-03-16T20:32:00.004-04:00

The 56th running of the 12 Hours of Sebring has been run. A previous Street Level entry covered particular things to watch for. Here's how they turned out:

Peugeot vs. Audi
As predicted, the diesels had problems with reliability. although admittedly almost none of the issues were engine related. A hydraulic pump failure eventually ensured that the lone Peugeot would trail the Audis across the line. The Peugeot's fastest lap was quicker than the fastest Audi lap, so the 24 hour French classic in June should be a close fight.

Porsche RS Spyders vs. Audi, Peugeot
Also as predicted, the Porsche RS Spyders were just as fast as the Audis and the Peugeot despite being in the "slower" LMP2 class. Few people were surprised by Porsche's overall victory, although just as few predicted the podium sweep of LMP2 cars. An Acura squeezed its way between the first- and third-place Porsches, relegating the lead Audi to fourth.

Risi Competizione vs. Flying Lizard Motorsports
The Risi Ferrari was poised to take a second-straight Sebring victory until about the halfway point of the race. Jamie Melo, the driver who took the Ferrari across the line at the incredible end of last year's race, got into the grass on the inside of turn 7, then came across the track into the front corner of Dirk Werner's Porsche. Both cars limped through the grass in an attempt to get back to the pits, but both cars ended up parked in the grass. Jörg Bergmeister and Flying Lizard Motorsports took full advantage and the class victory.

Chevy vs. Ford vs. Dodge
This classic battle played out roughly as expected. The LG Corvette seemed to have the edge and posted the fastest lap time of the three, however it succumbed to overheating problems after less than 100 laps. The Viper then pulled from the Ford, which planted itself into a wall about 100 laps after the Corvette's exit. All three are expected to improve over the course of the season, so look for this battle to heat up.

The final class victors of the 2008 12 Hours of Sebring were:

LMP2: Romain Dumas - Porsche RS Spyder - Penske Racing
LMP1: Tom Kristensen - Audi R10 - Audi Sport North America
GT1: Johnny O'Connell - Corvette C6.R - Corvette Racing
GT2: Marc Lieb - Porsche 911 GT3 RSR - Flying Lizard Motorsports

Formula 1 - What To Watch For

2008-03-15T19:16:00.003-04:00

Early Sunday morning will mark the start of the 2008 Formula 1 season. After an incredibly exciting championship battle last season which saw Kimi Raikonnen edge out both McLaren-Mercedes drivers in the last race to win the season, several changes to the rules and teams should keep this season entertaining. Here's what to watch for:

Traction Control
For the past few years, drivers have employed the use of electronic traction control to get their cars off of the line and out of the corners. Starting this season, traction control of any kind is banned, and should add quite a bit of spice to the races. Drivers who have previously just powered out of corners or through difficult sections will have to carefully modulate the throttles on their cars or lose control of the back end. Watch closely during wet races or on tracks with limited grip, like the season-opening Australian GP.

Fernando Alonso
After winning two consecutive world championships, Fernando Alonso left Renault for McLaren-Mercedes, where he placed third in 2007 and had a much-publicized feud with his rookie teammate. This season, Alonso is back at Renault where he is apparently much more comfortable. Unfortunately, Renault has lost their way and did not regularly compete for podiums in 2007. Watch for Alonso to try to right this listing ship in spectacular style.

Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton put together a sensational rookie season in 2007, very nearly becoming the first ever rookie world champion. Now the darling child of McLaren-Mercedes, look for him to try to prove that his success was not a fluke.

Sebastien Bourdais
Winning four consecutive Champ Car World Series championships finally scored Bourdais a Formula 1 ride. Driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso, Red Bull Racing's "little brother," Bourdais brings plenty of talent and open-wheel experience to the table. STR has had trouble scoring points, let alone fighting for podiums, so Bourdais will certainly have his work cut out for him. Ex-F1 backmarker Robert Doornbos had a moderate amount of success in Champ Car (winning Rookie of the Year in 2007), so few are expecting Bourdais to catapult STR to the front of the field. Like him or not, Bourdais is essentially representing the full might of American open-wheel racing, however ailing it might be, so it will be interesting to see how much success he finds in open-wheel's top tier series.

2008 12 Hours of Sebring - What To Watch For

2008-03-14T10:45:00.000-04:00

The 56th running of the 12 Hours of Sebring begins Saturday, March 15th, at 10am. The race is almost always exciting and this year should be no exception. Here are a few specific things to watch for this weekend:

Peugeot vs. Audi
Last year, Audi stood alone in the (competitive) diesel camp, but will be joined this year by one of the diesel Peugeot 908s that ran at LeMans last year. While the 908s couldn't stay with the Audis last June, the practice times in Florida have been incredibly close. Reliability will be a factor here, as the close competition will push the still-relatively-new engine technology to its limit.

Porsche RS Spyders vs. Audi, Peugeot
Last season, the Porsche RS Spyders of Penske Racing were constant threats for overall wins, scoring several over the theoretically-faster Audis. Look for them to continue to pressure the bigger, more powerful LMP1 cars. Audi is going for its ninth-straight win at Sebring, and may get as much trouble from Porsche as from Peugeot.

Risi Competizione vs. Flying Lizard Motorsports
Last year, Jamie Melo in the Risi Competizione Ferrari 430 beat Jorg Bergmeister in the Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche 911 by a scant .2 seconds in what was one of the most exciting finishes in the race's long history. The Risi Ferrari ultimately took the championship as well, but look for Flying Lizard to try to take back what they feel was stolen from them last March.

Chevy vs. Ford vs. Dodge
For the first time in ALMS competition, Chevy, Ford, and Dodge will all be represented in one class on Saturday. Operating outside the factory-backed GT1 effort, three-time Speed World Challenge champions LG Racing are bringing their Corvettes to Sebring to compete in the GT2 class. Robertson Racing has brought a Ford GT-R to the party (one of the first to compete in the U.S.), reminding us of the mid 60's when Ford developed the original GT40 specifically to beat Ferrari on the racetrack. Also unrelated to past GT1 efforts is Primetime Racing's Viper Competition Coupe, which ran in a few events last season in preparation for a full 2008 campaign. All three of these efforts are without factory backing or extensive ALMS experience, so none are considered significant contenders for a class win, however the fight to be the Fastest of the Slowest should be entertaining.

While we can only hope for a finish as riveting as last year's GT2 battle, the 56th running of the 12 Hours of Sebring is almost certainly going to be one of the best races of the season.

Pontiac Spy Hunter Ad is Badass

2008-03-14T10:00:00.000-04:00

Pontiac has a new ad for their new car, the G8, that is a must-watch. Click here to check it out on Jalopnik.com. There's a story about Pontiac's ad agency trying to force the video to go viral, but the real meat is the ad itself. It is a positively genius play on the classic game Spy Hunter, proof that all is not lost in the realm of automotive advertising.

Muscle Cars

2008-03-05T13:12:00.001-05:00

This morning in his blog, Dilbert creator Scott Adams hypothesized about how the efficiency of the human body could translate to alternative automotive propulsion. His theory is that a human body can "eat a pork chop and run 26 miles," which far surpasses the efficiency of the internal combustion engine. Other creatures such as ants exhibit even better efficiency. Further, scientists have been able to create working muscles from cells grown in a lab. Putting all of this together, could muscles be grown and used in some form of power-generation system for cars?

Mr. Adams' hypotheses are typically well outside the box and this is no exception, however it does provide an interesting alternative to consider (along with some great mental imagery). Is there a place in automotive technology for "living" components like muscle motors, plant-based upholstery, photo-luminescent marker lights, etc?

Open Wheel Racing Merger Details

2008-02-27T14:43:00.001-05:00

Today's IRL press conference provided the official details of the "merger" between the Indy Racing League and the Champ Car World Series:

The "new" series will keep the name Indy Racing League
Teams will use the IRL's Dallara-Hondas.
The season will start with a race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 29
The Long Beach Grand Prix and the Indy Japan 300 will both be run on April 20.
- Old Champ Car teams that are making the switch to the IRL will contest the Long Beach GP for IRL points and prize money using their equipment from the 2007 season
All events scheduled to be on the 2008 Champ Car calendar are under consideration for possible integration into the 2009 IRL calendar, and in fact as many as possible will be integrated into the 2008 season
- Long Beach is confirmed to have a place on the 2009 calendar
Champ Car teams that can commit to the full 2008 season are receiving $1.2 million, plus leased cars and engines to aid in the transition

American Open-Wheel Split Over

2008-02-19T14:29:00.003-05:00

Finally.

The persistent dream of any fan of either the Champ Car World Series or the Indy Racing League has finally arrived: The two series are set to merge in time for the start of the 2008 racing season.

For 11 years the series have been separate entities, fighting for teams, sponsors, and fans. Originally a matter of ovals vs. road courses, each series diluted itself to become all things to all people, with neither accomplishing the desired result.

Robin Miller's article at SpeedTV.com has all of the currently-available details, but the important points follow:

Tony George, founder and current leader of the IRL, has offered free cars and $1.2 million to any Champ Car team that wishes to defect and is able to commit to the entire season.
Four current Champ Car teams have committed to the switch, with at least one more probable, bringing at least eight cars to the current IRL lineup.
The IRL is planning to integrate four current Champ Car race locations and dates into the 2008 calendar, including the Long Beach GP scheduled for April 20.

The result isn't so much a merger as Champ Car finally going under and the IRL salvaging the larger pieces. Few people, even die-hard fans of Champ Car, would argue that even this result is significantly better than two independent series. With any luck, the combination of the best open-wheel drivers, teams, and venues will attract long-lost fans and sponsors and return North American open-wheel racing to the top shelf.

--Update--
The deal is officially done, per Robin Miller's follow-up article.

The end of Viper

2008-02-09T11:11:00.000-05:00

According to Jalopnik, the Dodge Viper will be discontinued, presumably as part of Cerberus-owned Chrysler's "Project Genesis" turnaround plan.

It's always unfortunate when a performance car goes extinct, if for no other reason than thins out the "biodiversity" in the car ecosystem. Gearheads like to compare stats, pros and cons, and pit cars against each other, both in reality and in our heads. But frankly I think this is the right business decision. Continuing the Viper just doesn't make sense.

The Viper made a lot of sense when it debuted back in 1992. Let's think back to what the performance car world was like in 1991. Horsepower was on a different scale. The Corvette made 245 hp. If you wanted a performance Mopar your choices were a turbo K-car (e.g. the 224hp Dodge Sprit R/T) or a rebadged Mitsubishi (e.g. the 195hp Eagle Talon). Then the 1992 model year rolled around. The 'Vette was upgraded to the all new, high-tech, "Gen-II" V8 making 300 hp. And the Viper debuted with 400 horsepower. That 400 was an ungodly, extravagant, jaw-dropping number. Dodge finally had a car that could sell posters and make it into video games. It was an exotic beast.

Over the following 16 years, that exoticness became the Viper's Achilles' heel. GM kept the Corvette's development costs low by using a highly tuned variant of their workhorse GenII/GenIII/GenIV V8s, and spread those costs among tens of thousands of sales every year. Meanwhile just about every major component of the Viper was unique to the Viper (except for the flash-in-the-pan Ram SRT10); the snake sold a few thousand units in the good years, and a few hundred in the bad. Over time GM's R&D outpaced Mopar's, and the Viper's initial performance advantage eroded to nothing.

How do things look here in model year 2008? Well, horsepower is up. Plebeian family cars like the V6 Chevy Malibu or V6 Dodge Charger make more horsepower than that '91 Corvette. In 2006 the 500hp, $63,800 Viper was bested by the 505hp, $60,300 Corvette Z06. After massive effort, the Viper was upgrated to 600hp, only to be toppled again by the forthcoming 620+hp Corvette ZR1.

To Chrysler's credit, it has a whole crop of legitimate enthusiast cars in its SRT lineup. Like the Corvette and unlike the Viper, the SRT cars use hopped-up variants of volume production engines, are mass produced in quantity, and are priced within reach of middle class buyers. And they're just hot enough to sell posters and make it into video games -- especially the SRT4 and upcoming Challenger. So what's the point of the Viper? Why bother developing the single-application engine, or keep that factory open, when Chrysler has other halo cars and can't hope to keep up with the Corvette?

There's also the business reality that higher CAFE standards loom, Chrysler leans heavily on its pickup truck and large car sales, and its latest generation of small and midsize cars are generally considered failures. Even worse, every other major manufacturer has some kind of fuel-saving technology up its sleeve: direct injection, hybrids, smaller turbocharged engines, or a small diesel. Chrysler doesn't. Shifting resources makes sense.

Taurus SHO

2008-02-07T07:57:00.000-05:00

Recently a hilarious Craigslist ad for a 1994 Ford Taurus SHO made its rounds on the Internet (and has now been unfortunately removed). The SHO seems like a laughable concept now, and it's possible that it was laughable at the time as well. However, the idea of a factory-tuned sedan is hardly a bad one as shown by the Cadillac V, Mercedes AMG, Audi S, and BMW M cars. Further, Ford could certainly use a kick in the pants, as they've been churning out nothing but yawners (with the exception of the various Shelby Mustangs) for a few years.
The Big Three have admittedly been against the ropes for those same few years, but Ford is doing the best of acting the part. GM responded to the announcements of their imminent death by peppering the market with incredible cars and trucks of nearly every variety. Chrysler is riding the wave of optimism generated when they were pulled (thrown?) from the clutches of Mercedes Benz. Ford, on the other hand, has made careful and effective improvements to their products while somehow managing to avoid telling anyone about them.
A return of the SVT program would certainly help to draw attention to some of their better products. The Focus and the Fusion (and the Milan and MKZ) would respond well to a performance boost, and would draw attention to their capable platforms. A current-generation Taurus SHO may not have the same flavor as those from the 90's, but there is certainly room in the Ford lineup for a power boost. John Coletti, where are you?

The next time you laugh at a scooter....

2008-02-01T13:50:00.000-05:00

9 times out of 10, when I see someone riding a scooter around town, I have to laugh. It just looks funny. I don't know why but it does. However after seeing an article for the Piaggio MP3 500, I will have to eat my own words. This scooter moves with a 500cc engine making 40HP. That is not too bad for a small scooter. The real interesting part to this motorized bicycle is that it is really a tricycle. Thats right 3 wheels. With two wheels in the front and the one rear wheel this scooter is built for cornering. Similar to swaying on a normal motorcycle. Take a look at the Piaggio website. Oh did I mention the top speed is 90MPH.
Piaggio MP3 500

They Don't Make Cars Like They Used To

2008-02-01T09:27:00.000-05:00

Leafing through an auto mag from sometime around 2003 revealed the following ad:

The obvious intent is to imply that the Mustang has old-school power, brawn, and attitude. Looking at it through the eyes of a 2003 Mustang driver, who is all-too-aware that the underlying chassis is from 1979 resulting in old-school (meaning archaic and ineffective) handling and body control, it takes on an entirely different meaning.

With No Star To Guide Them

2008-01-03T20:03:00.000-05:00

GM has just announced the cancellation of its plans for an advanced DOHC V8. The premium engine was the presumed replacement for the Northstar V8, which ceases production in 2010. Rumors and speculation abound, but the consensus seems to be that Cadillac will soon find itself without a V8. Two years ago that idea would have been preposterous, but the success of the direct injection 3.6 liter V6, along with the looming demands of CAFE legislation suggest that this might be just what the General ordered.
The current 3.6 liter engine produces 304 hp, which places it above the Deville's Northstar, and just 16 hp shy if the STS's V8 powerplant. Sales have shown that this is sufficient to attract STS buyers, and is clearly on par with engines in midsized offerings from BMW and Mercedes. But one must wonder what has happened to GM's plans for offering a large luxury sedan to compete with the S Class Mercedes and Seven Series BMWs. Just a few short years ago, GM officials were dropping hints about a 7/8 scale version of the V16 concept car, powered by a DOHC V12. With Cadillac's recent success in the market it seems that now is the time to carry out that plan and re-establish Cadillac as one of the world's premier luxury marques. Yet it seems that GM is heading in the opposite direction. Have they lost their way, or is this all part of clever plan? We'll see.

Who needs race cars...

2007-12-29T01:21:00.000-05:00

Racing improves the breed... Sometimes it to the point of irony. Ever since GM decided to take the fifth-gen Corvette racing, fans have been treated to a stunning series of victories. Most notably, the Corvette C5R and C6R won in class at Le Mans five times in six years. A stunning success by any measure.
So, if racing truly does better the breed, then one might be expecting some significant results by now. Well the results are in and it appears that something is working right with the Corvette engineering team. Whether it's the racing effort, the market demand, or just a little rivalry with the Dodge's Viper, something has inspired the engineers to let loose with a high performance Corvette variant that puts the C6R race car in it's place. You read that right. The new Corvette ZR1 actually boasts higher power output than it's racing sibling. Chevrolet Racing claims the C6R produces approximately 590 HP when they take it racing in ALMS. The new ZR1 promises "at least 620 HP" thanks to a new 6.2 liter supercharged V8. How can it be that the race car is out powered by the street-going little brother? We can thank regulations in ALMS and other race series which specify the maximum inlet diameter on each car's engine. The C6R is forced to breath through two inlets that are each about the size of a half dollar. The ZR1 on the other hand can use whatever size inlets the engineers specify. And of course there's that supercharger. As one would expect, engine is just part of the story. The ZR1 has more go-fast, stop-fast, and turn-right-freakin-now equipment than you can shake a stick at. All of this is allegedly going to cost about $100,000 - or about 2/5 the price of a Ferrari 599 GTB.
So there you have it. The question of the day is this: If 590 HP is enough to win Le Mans, what are all those Corvette driver's with 620 HP going to do?

Z-06? ZR-1? C6RS!

2007-11-07T20:15:00.000-05:00

Anyone holding their breath for the much-anticipated Corvette ZR-1 can exhale.

For a small fee of $225,000, Pratt & Miller and Chevrolet will wrap a carbon fiber shell around you and a 500 cubic inch aluminum small block V8, giving you control over 600 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque. ALMS fans will recognize Pratt & Miller as the company responsible for preparing the Le Mans-winning Corvette C6.R race cars, and their experience doing so carries directly over to the C6RS. P&M have set up a dedicated website for the car, and AutoWeek covers more details in their November 5 article, but the bottom line is 0 - 60 in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 202, center-lug wheels, interior upgrades, brake and suspension enhancements, and a whole lotta badass.

Kimi Raikonnen Breaks Through with Style

2007-11-07T19:40:00.000-05:00

For only the eleventh time in F1 history, the World Championship was contested by three drivers coming to the last round in Brazil. Only once before, in the first year of Formula One, did the third place driver overcome the long odds to take home the championship, but that is exactly what happened this past weekend.

Kimi Raikonnen lived up to his nickname of "Iceman" throughout the duration of the Brazilian GP, despite the championship resting not only on his victory, but on luck as well. Even if Kimi won the race, points leader Lewis Hamilton would have to finish worse than 5th to give the Raikonnen the title, and fans of F1 know that luck is something the Finn has never had much of on the track.

Against all odds, Raikonnen won the race and Hamilton suffered both navigational and mechanical difficulty, and finished just far enough back for Kimi to take the championship.

2007 24 Hours of Le Mans - Finish

2007-06-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

9:00 am Sunday
After 369 laps (3125 miles), the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans has concluded. The class winners are:
LMP 1: #1 Audi Sport North America Audi R10 (Biela, Pirro, Werner)
LMP2: #31 Binnie Motorsports Lola Zytek B05 - 40 (Binnie, Timpany, Buncombe)
LMGT1: #009 Aston Martin Racing Aston Martin DBR9 (Brabham, Rydell, Turner)
LMGT2: #76 IMSA Performance Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (Narac, Lietz, Long)

For a complete listing, please see the official website of the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans.

2007 24 Hours of Le Mans - "Live" CoverageSection 3

2007-06-17T08:49:00.000-04:00

8:19 pm (ET) Saturday
Coming back from the latest break in Speed Channel coverage, we learn that the #80 Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche 911 has been retired due to a cracked crankcase. Unfortunately this prevents any kind of final-hour battle between Jorg Bergmeister and Jamie Melo such as at the 12 Hours of Sebring.

9:14 pm Saturday
We have had a chance to get up-close footage of several Peugeot pitstops, and during all of the recent stops, mechanics have pulled louvers off of the sidepods of the car to pull rubber bits out of the radiators located there. We have just learned that the 908s are in fact having cooling problems, even in the cool night air. When Audi first introduced the R10 and ran at Sebring, they experienced similar problems and attempted similar mid-race solutions. Both teams have gone to their most open louver patterns at the expense of a small amount of added drag. Audi eventually reconfigured the cooling system of the car after that Sebring race, so Peugeot may have trouble rectifying the problem while still here at Le Mans.

9:35 pm Saturday
During an interview in the Team Oreca pits, Steve Saleen has revealed that he has stepped down from his leadership position at Saleen, Inc. According to Saleen, he is "there in spirit" and "still supporting the company," however he is directing his efforts at a company aiming to import Chinese cars to the American market. This is no doubt somewhat disappointing to fans of the Saleen S7, and leaves one to wonder what is in the water that would cause the likes of Malcom Bricklin and Steve Saleen to busy themselves with these ventures.

9:52 pm Saturday
The #82 Team LNT Panoz Esperante has been wheeled into the garage, likely for extensive repairs. The #81 sister car retired some time ago, continuing the lackluster performance of Panoz cars at Le Mans. With the exception of the unlikely GT2 win last year, the Panoz cars have been relatively unsuccessful. This is somewhat surprising considering Dr. Don Panoz started the American Le Mans Series himself.

10:38 pm Saturday
The #55 Oreca Saleen S7R has been wheeled back into the garage with starter trouble. This was the leading Saleen and was running 6th in class when it came in.

12:00 am Sunday
An interview with Team LNT owner/driver Richard Dean revealed that the #82 Panoz Esperante suffered a suspension upright failure, necessitating a lengthy repair and dimming the hopes of a repeat class victory. The sister #81 Panoz, the only other Panoz in the field, retired from the race after less than 70 laps.
Also out of the race are both Spyker C8 Spyders.

12:20 am Sunday
The class-leading Ferrari F430 of Risi Competizione has been wheeled into the garage with front radiator damage. The cause of the damage is unclear, although it is severe enough to warrant a radiator change. This will certainly take a number of laps, putting the Ferrari's previously-dominant lead in jeopardy.

12:55 am Sunday
Prodrive Aston Martin has suffered a slight setback with the #007 DBR9. It has apparently taken an off-course excursion and damaged the front splitter to the point of needing replacement. The car is currently in the garage although it appears to be a quick fix.

1:35 am Sunday
The race leading #2 Audi R10 has been pitched into a tire barrier; replays show one of the wheels coming off of the car prior to the incident. Rinaldo Capello has left the car and it appears as though his day is done.

5:45 am Sunday
The Risi Competizione #97 Ferrari has been retired from the race, presumably due to complications with the radiator damage sustained earlier. The sister #99 car is still running, and is in fact second in class.

6:39 am Sunday
Peugeot's lead entry has been wheeled into the garage where the engine cover came off in a hurry. Two mechanics are thoughtfully holding the engine cover in front of the garage door, completely blocking any camera shot. This is possibly an evolution of the cooling problems that have plagued the two French entries throughout the race.

6:52 am Sunday
An interview with Giuseppe Risi has revealed that the radiator damage on the #99 Ferrari F430 caused irreparable water pump damage that then retired the car.

7:22 am Sunday
The #7 Peugeot has been brought out of the garage and back to the track. The exact issue is still unknown, although it is strongly suspected to be electrical. The car then stalled twice on leaving the pits, although it isn't known if the stalls are related to the other problem. Unfortunately the car has spent enough time in the garage that a podium finish is incredibly unlikely.

7:37 am Sunday
The ailments to the #7 Peugeot have proven terminal, as the car has been officially retired from the race.

8:14 am Sunday
The safety cars have been deployed due to the torrential rain that has been pounding the track for the last hour or so. This is bad news for the remaining Corvette Racing C6R, as it had been running significantly quicker than the leading Aston Martin DBR9 in the rain. The Vette is still one lap back of the Aston, so it will not be able to pass while under the safety car. Corvette Racing is obviously opposed to the safety car deployment; their arguement is that no cars had yet gone off of the track due to the rain.
The remaining Peugeot has just come in for what looked to be a routine pit stop for a final splash of gas, but it was immediately put up on dollys and wheeled into the garage when it came in.

8:20 am Sunday
It has been reported that during a previous interview with Oliver Gavin, he indicated that the reason for the prop shaft failure that put the #64 Corvette Racing C6R out of the race was caused by a harmonic vibration which occured when two of the engine's cylinders were shut down as a fuel-saving measure during a safety car period.

8:49 am Sunday
With just over ten minutes left in the race, the safety cars have been parked and the racers let loose. The strongest implication is in the GT1 class, where Ron Fellows now has a chance, however slight, of catching David Brabham in the lead Aston Martin DBR9.

2007 24 Hours of Le Mans - "Live" CoverageSection 2

2007-06-16T18:37:00.000-04:00

5:35 pm (ET) Saturday

An interview with Oliver Gavin revealed the reason for the "disqualification" of his Corvette Racing C6R: a regulation stating that the cars must move along the track under the power of their drive motors. It was not the aid he received that dropped him from the race, but the fact that he could not repair the damage to the drivetrain.

The previously-wrecked Audi R10 has also withdrawn from the race, no doubt due to damage sustained in the massive-looking crash earlier.

5:57 pm Saturday

The #2 Audi R10 has just come in from the lead for a pit stop. Rinaldo Capello has remained in the car for what will be his third stint, which is not itself unusual. What is interesting is that the Audi crew put a fresh set of tires on the R10 before sending it out. Since driver changes normally only occur during stops including tire changes, the implication is that Capello will stay out for another stint past this one, for a total of four straight, which is two more than normally expected.

6:37 pm Saturday

Flying Lizard Motorsports has been getting a fair amount of attention this weekend for their paint scheme performed by Troy Lee Designs. This Spring at the 12 Hours of Sebring, the Flying Lizard Porsche 911 put up a last-lap fight with the Risi Competizione Ferrari 430. Unfortunately, it looks like the #80 911 will struggle to fight with the Ferrari again, as it is currently in the garage sporting a large oil slick along the left rear of the car.

It has been reported that earlier in the race, the passenger door actually blew off of the car, heavily damaging the rear wing as it came off. The current problem is apparently due to a gearbox issue that they have been struggling with for most of the day.

2007 24 Hours of Le Mans - "Live" Updates

2007-06-16T11:11:00.000-04:00

8:20 am (ET) Saturday - Pre Race
The 75th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is less than an hour from going green.
The rain-complicated qualifying produced some unexpected results:
The previously-dominant Audi R10s find themselves behind the new Peugot entry. Both cars run on diesel fuel, and between the two models they take up the top five starting grid positions. Similarly, the Corvette Racing C6Rs will have to work past not only an Aston Martin, but also a Saleen S7R. Saleens have previously raced at Le Mans, but the two racing today are fielded by Team Oreca, made famous by their domination of this race and the series with their Chrysler Vipers ten years ago. Over the course of 24 hours, a starting advantage of a few carlengths will certainly shake itself out, but it will make for some entertaining racing early.
Rain is in the forecast for the race, which will continue to make things interesting. While rain rarely stands in the way of an ALMS race, the teams are no doubt much more practiced on dry pavement than on wet. It has been a few years since rain was a factor at Le Mans, and should add to the already huge levels of excitement, particularly since the track is more than 8 miles long, and weather conditions at one end can have no resemblance to those at the other.

9:02 am Saturday - Race Start
Champ Car World Series superstar Sebastien Bourdais overcooked the first set of corners after starting on the pole, and while he made an incredible save to keep the car going on the track he has given up the lead to the #2 Audi R10.

9:38 am Saturday - First Pit Stops
As the race leaders come in for their first pit stops, we're reminded that the ACO has retained their regulations regarding wheelspin leaving the pits. Any car spinning its wheels while leaving the pits will be held for a three minute penalty, translating to nearly a lap. Anyone watching pit stops in virtually any American racing series will find it hard to even imagine a pit stop that didn't end in billowing smoke and a healthy fishtail from the exiting car.
In order to comply with this regulation, the launch control of the cars has been specially tuned. This could remain an issue for the lead cars, however, as all five diesel entries produce enormous amounts of torque at very low engine speeds.

9:50 am Saturday
After the first round of pit stops for the leading cars, the three Audi R10s have taken the top three spots, regulating the two Peugeots to fourth and fifth, and the top running Pescarolo to sixth.

10:07 am Saturday
The safety cars have been deployed and while the exact reasons for that have not been discovered yet, the #21 Radical SR9 has just come to the pits missing the rear wing entirely and with extensive damage to both the front and rear bodywork.

10:35 am Saturday
The #3 Audi R10 driven by Mike Rockenfeller has crashed heavily on the corner leading to the Mulsanne straight. Video replays are currently unavailable, but still shots of the damage to the guardrail reveal extensive damage. The rear wing of the R10 appears to be lodged in the guardrail, so a rearward collision is likely. The condition of Rockenfeller is currently unknown, although there are reports that the Audi team managers are not only in radio contact with Rockenfeller, but are considering the possibility of driving the car back to the pits. This seems an unlikely possibility, although the Audis are legendary in their stout construction.

10:44 am Saturday
During the safety car period caused by the above Audi crash, the #64 Corvette Racing C6R has stopped on the course with apparent gearbox issues. According to program manager Doug Fehan, the problem is likely a broken driveshaft, which would certainly leave driver Oliver Gavin unable to move under his own power and therefore out of the race.

10:49 am Saturday
The #64 Corvette's problems were apparently gearbox related. After being pushed off of the circut by the stewards, Oliver Gavin was able to find a gear and began to pull back onto the track. Unfortunately for Corvette Racing, since the stewards had provided assistance, he was apparently immediately disqualified from the race and not allowed to continue.

11:00 am Saturday
Going into the first break in SpeedTVs coverage, Oliver Gavin is still trackside with his ailing C6R. The problem has been traced to the prop shaft coming from the engine and going into the transmission. While the Vette's powerful motor can't spin the transmission, the movement seen ten minutes ago was apparently due to Gavin engaging a gear and running the starter motor.
Although able to move the car, it appears that Gavin is still out of the race after receiving help from the stewards. Program manager Doug Fehan will certainly do everything he can to keep the car in the race, although the odds of that seem long at this point.

Nurburgweak

2007-05-21T09:21:00.000-04:00

It had been 31 years since a modern F1 car was driven on the legendary Nurburgring. Arguably the greatest track in the world, the Nurburgring is used extensively by auto manufacturers for testing new models. 13 miles in length and consisting of more than 150 corners, the track takes years to master.

Track records and lap times are posted around the Internet, and provide something of the Ultimate Benchmark of overall car performance and speed. In 1975, Niki Lauda put down a blistering lap of 6:58.6 in his Ferrari 312 B3 during that year's German GP.

As reported by SpeedTV.com, and with video at Jalopnik, BMW recently took their 2006 F1 entry to the Nurburgring, giving Nick Heidfeld the opportunity to put one of the fastest and best-handling cars in automotive history to the ultimate test in BMW's backyard.

The result? A best effort of 8:34. How could the pinnacle of automotive achievement post such a slow time? Heidfeld, after receiving the keys to the track and the car, also received orders to go easy, and pose for mid-lap photos. On all three of the laps he was allowed to run.

Opportunities to run modern F1 cars on the Nurburgring are too rare as it is, and for BMW to squander theirs with a photo shoot is absurd.

12 Hours of Sebring Decided by .2 Seconds

2007-04-02T01:39:00.000-04:00

The 12 hours of Sebring is the first event in the 2007 American LeMans Series calendar, and is a mainstay of American road racing. Huge names, from Andretti to Foyt to Rahal, have been victorious at the legendary Floridian airport course.
The 2007 field was criticized for thin P1 and GT1 competition, but the P2 and GT2 classes were robust and the action was intense. The 12 hour race had many highlights, including a dramatic Ferrari engine fire, but the grand finale was the GT2 class finish.
Jamie Melo in the Risi Competizione Ferrari 430 had been holding off Jorg Bergmeister in the Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche 911 for hours, but with only a few minutes to go the 911 had fresh tires and a fresh driver to take on the weary Melo and his worn rubber. The two crossed the finish line just ahead of the lead Audi R10 with only half a second between them, the Ferrari leading the charging Porsche. As the Audi crossed the line to take the overall victory, the two most successful marques in Sebring history were set to to do battle for one of the most exciting laps in recent memory. The following video shows the dramatic fight that carried on literally right to the finish line.

Cadillac Drivers' Log

2007-03-06T01:16:00.000-05:00

GM has expanded their foray into the blogosphere with the addition of the Cadillac Drivers' Log, written by two members of the CTS development team. Lead Development Engineer Rob Kotorak and Assistant Chief Engineer Liz Philibosian relate stories from their time testing the CTS in various climates and conditions, most recently the frigid cold of Kinross, MI.
The blog provides a unique, albeit sparse, look into the testing process and if nothing else is a source of some entertaining pictures of CTSs at, and past, their handling limits.

Toyta Recalls

2007-02-25T17:42:00.000-05:00

According to a January 19 article in Brandweek,Toyota has launched a recall of over 500,000 vehicles due to a steering system fault. Bill Kwong, a Toyota representative, attributes the high number to Toyota's platform sharing, wherein various models share parts and structures.
Toyota, long seen as a bastion of quality and pioneers of manufacturing technique, have battled recalls for years; In 2005, the automaker recalled a whopping 2.4 million vehicles, 200,000 more than it sold. The numbers appear to be moving in the right direction, however, as recalls dropped to just over 750,000 last year while sales cleared the 2.5 million mark. This latest recall, and a recent class action lawsuit settlement over engine sludge allegedly affecting over 4 million vehicles, seem to indicate Toyota is far from in the clear, even after implementing stricter internal quality mandates following 2005.
As Toyota aims to overtake Ford to become the 2nd-largest automaker in the U.S., their ability to expand effectively and continue to maintain their image of quality will be crucial.

Christiano da Matta's Condition Improving

2006-11-03T02:20:00.000-05:00

Christiano da Matta collided with a deer while testing at Road America on August 13th. da Matta sustained serious head injuries, including a subdural hematoma, and until recently was in the ICU at the Theeda Clark Medical Center in Wisconsin. Fortunately the expert medical staff on hand at Road America and at Theeda Clark responded quickly and effectively, saving Christiano's life.
On August 20th, Christiano was moved out of the ICU, and recently has become significantly more responsive to verbal commands and other stimuli. The extent of the damage, and therefore the speed and possibility of recovery, have yet to be determined, but his progress has been encouraging and the possibility exists for a full recovery.

-----UPDATE-----
Chistiano da Matta was released from the Theda Clark Medical Center and flown to his Miami home on September 22nd, according to a Champ Car World Series news report. His condition has shown steady and encouraging improvement, although no timetable has been set for his return, if any, to Champ Car.

The 2007 Jeep Wrangler: A Dead Breed.

2006-07-30T20:56:00.000-04:00

If you have not seen the pictures or read an article about the new 2007 Jeep Wrangler, then you are in for an eye opener. We all know Jeeps, rugged, go anywhere, look-I-was-made-for-WWII use. I myself own a 2004 Wrangler, custom built from the factory. Since reading and looking at photos of the new design of the Wrangler I have been annoyed and also inspired. First off let us look at the exterior.

The first noticeable item is the new front bumper. No longer will you find the flat steel, but plastic with integrated fog lamps. Moving onto the next phase of the ‘07’ larger wheels. Starting at 16” but also can be 17” and 18”. I’m sorry I don’t need “bling bling” wheels on a Jeep. I’ll stick to my 15” wheel with big tires. The new Jeep is a wider stance which is nice, except on those tight trails. The new features which I do like are the slightly curved body panels. They do still look like flat steel but add to the strength of the Jeep and also aerodynamics. One other feature they change has been the windshield. This something on the fringe for me, you get used to the flat, insect killing, rock attracting Jeep windshield in the older models. This new design incorporates a new “slightly” curved windshield to help with the overall aerodynamics of the Wrangler. Let take a look at the inside of the cabin.

Features, features, features is the world we live in now. Navigation, stereos, let face it toys. Yet again the Jeep itself is a toy. The interior is even more modern than the last redesign, the TJ “97 -06”. Larger, more roomy space is nice. The dash has more of Jeep Cherokee feel than the traditional military feel. Nice ideas and movements of part would be the middle air vents being mid mounted in the dash. That’s right below the stereo. Not a bad idea for those pesky winter months. Some of the new toys to be found the 07 wrangler are navigation system, larger glove box storage, power winders and locks (not so military with that one), larger seats, sound absorbing carpets for the 368 watt stereo with 6 speakers and subwoofer (little overkill unless you drive a Hummer H2), under the cargo floor storage bin (now that’s military), as well as a crap load of airbags. We all love upgrades and this new Jeep has a few.

The last large change to the 07 Jeep Wrangler is the engine. Gone is the 4.0L straight 6, dating back to the Stone Age it seems. The new 2007 is powered by a 3.8L V6 based off of the Jeep Liberty’s power plant, creating 205HP and 240lb-ft. Other new feature include electronic sway bar disconnects, 32 Inch BF Goodrich tires, and more suspension travel for improved departure angles while offroading.

With all of these new features and designs, the 2007 Jeep Wrangler claims to be “In a class all its own.” which is true. Gone are the days of the Military Jeep. Due to new laws for safety the Jeep had to change, which in my mind is quite unfortunate. I, like many others, like to pay some homage to the WWII vets that built and drove these machines into battle. Looks like those days are gone.

Take a look at some links below for images and articles.

http://www.jeep.com/07wrangler/
http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/futuremodel.aspx?familyid=658&pictureid=0&usage=usage
http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z10845/Jeep_Wrangler/default.aspx

Danica Patrick to Andretti-Green Racing

2006-07-28T06:05:00.000-04:00

Not to be outdone by Champ Car's A.J. Allmendinger or F1-turned-NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya, on Tuesday the IRL's Danica Patrick announced her signing with Andretti Green Racing for the 2007 season.
Patrick was signed by Bobby Rahal five years ago and led the 2005 Indy 500 with Rahal Letterman Racing, however the team's plans for next season are tentative at best.
Andretti Green Racing currently fields cars for Tony Kannan, Marco Andretti, Bryan Herta, and Dario Franchitti, although the latter two have not been resigned for 2007 as of yet. The AGR drivers have not always been Danica's biggest supporters, however pairing Patrick with the youngest Andretti will guarantee publicity for both the team and the IRL.

Juan Pablo Montoya to NASCAR

2006-07-12T01:19:00.000-04:00

Following on the heels of the recent Champ Car World Series roster moves, both Formula 1 and NASCAR were simultaneously shaken up on Sunday. Star F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya announced his immediate departure from team McLaren/Mercedes, stating he will begin preparations to drive for Chip Ganassi in the NASCAR Nextel Cup next season. According to Sunday's press conference, Casey Mears will surrender his seat in the #42 Dodge to Montoya, familiar to American racing fans as the winner of the 1999 Champ Car title and the 2000 Indy 500. The Columbian is a marketing dream for NASCAR, itself planning to expand into Latin-American markets. His aggressive driving style and occasionally-public temper should make for an excellent fit in the NASCAR scene.
An interesting coincidence is that Montoya participated in a Speed Channel promotion called "Tradin' Paint", where he and Jeff Gordon swapped cars for a day of hot laps at Indy during the festivities for the 2003 U.S. Grand Prix.

Pontiac: We Build Seduction?

2006-06-22T12:51:00.000-04:00

Pontiac, once the builders of excitement itself, are in the process of adjusting its image. First with the new GTO, then the Solstice, and bolstered by the incredibly-accessible G6 hardtop convertible, Pontiac is now decidedly sexy. Rather than baiting customers with promises of adrenaline, Pontiac's current lineup seduces potential customers with curvaceous bodies, powerful engines, and guaranteed attention.
As mentioned by AdRants, Pontiac recently launched two television commercials to bolster their campaign with the Hispanic market: One is called Grab and features the Solstice and a frisky girlfriend. The other is called Traffic Stop, which shows that flashing lights aren't always a bad thing. Both commercials are in Spanish, but are excellent regardless of what language you speak.

Allmendinger Replaced at RuSport, Silly Mid-Season Ensues

2006-06-14T19:28:00.000-04:00

A.J. Allmendinger is one of the most promising, young drivers in the Champ Car World Series. At least, he was until he was unexpectedly replaced at RuSport this week. Carl Russo has hired 2002 champion Christiano da Matta from the beleaguered Dale Coyne racing team to replace Allmendinger, effective immediately.
A.J. had yet to win a race with RuSport, so his departure is not unprecedented. However, his talent is obvious and the fact that he is now without a ride is certainly no help to Champ Car. Those paying close attention will also note that Allmendinger was the only American driver in the series. More importantly, he has a distinct character and is readily likeable.
Dale Coyne Racing now has an open seat which may be offered to A.J., but the reality is that DCR is not consistently competitive and A.J. may decline to drive for a backmarker team. His presence in Champ Car is a positive one, so we can only hope that he finds himself back behind the wheel shortly.

-----UPDATE-----
Effective immediately, Mario Dominguez has been released from Forsythe Racing, leaving the #7 INDECK car without a driver. The announcement came this morning, citing "changes in the engineering structure of the team." Dominguez has crashed in to teammate Paul Tracy twice this season, taking them both out of both races. This includes a first-corner-of-the-first-race incident at Long Beach, and Forsythe's "engineering structure" may simply be changing to a model where one team car does not take out the other. Forsythe Racing, and particularly Paul Tracy, were expected to be the primary challengers of Sebastien Bourdais and Newman/Haas Racing, but have struggled so far this season. An interesting note is that A.J. Allmendinger came up through the karting ranks on Paul Tracy's karting team, and the two are longtime friends...

-----UPDATE-----
Earlier today, Forsythe Racing announced the addition of A.J. Allmendinger to the team. The move reunites Allmendinger and Tracy, gives Forsythe arguably the two most aggressive drivers in the Champ Car World Series, and should dramatically increase Forsythe's ability to challenge Sebastien Bourdais and the Newman/Haas team.
Assuming the near-inevitable placement of Mario Dominguez in the vacant seat at Dale Coyne Racing, the rearrangement of drivers and teams should make for a better show. Former champion Christiano da Matta is now back with a competitive team, and will be directly challenging the team he won his championship with. A.J. Allmendinger still has a competitive car to drive, and the mix of his personality with Tracy's will be nothing short of wildly entertaining. Mario Dominguez has suffered a downgrade in terms of equipment, but he joins a team that has in the past resuscitated the careers of both Oriol Servia and Christiano da Matta.

Jeep Bugs

2006-06-13T13:00:00.000-04:00

Jeep has been making the auto show rounds with a clever new set of ads for the 2007 Wrangler Unlimited. Proclaiming their discovery of a new "species" of Jeep, the ads show the Wrangler packed with various outdoor gear, with amuzing results:

May be a good time to recall?

2006-05-31T13:19:00.000-04:00

Toyota announced a huge recall involving 986,000 cars worldwide. 320,000 of those include the Priuses sold in America. Toyota says the steering wheel on these cars will lock up if the wheel is turned too hard or if the car strikes a curb. No injuries have been reported. About this same time last year Toyota recalled 750,000 Tundra, Tacomas, and 4 Runners. I wonder what will get recalled next year in May.

Big Oil Profit Margins

2006-05-24T13:16:00.000-04:00

During the May 14 edition of Autoline Detroit, host John McElroy presented a comparison of the net profit margins of various companies, according to their annual reports:

ExxonMobil 9.1%
Microsoft 30.7%
CitiGroup 29.4%
Dreamworks 22.6%
Toyota 6.3%

The profits of oil companies have come under public scrutiny lately and while large in dollar value, the resulting profit margins are comparatively small. Technology benchmark Microsoft posts profit margins more than three times greater than those of oil leader ExxonMobil. Also noteworthy is the fact that Toyota's margins are not significantly lower than ExxonMobil's.
According to McElroy, even if oil companies operated at cost, the effect on gas prices at the pump would be minimal. Further, compared to the software, financial, and entertainment leaders, the oil companies are certainly not the appropriate recipients of any public criticism.

Being right is better than being first.

2006-05-18T17:10:00.000-04:00

GM has unveiled their new fuel savings plan. GM unveiled the first 6 cylinder engine with cylinder deactivation. It will be a 3.9L engine which will exist in the new Impala to start off with. This is supposed to increase gas mileage by 5%. The new Green Line Vue will save 20% gas on average and only be a $2000 option. If you spent $2000 on gas a year, you could recoup your spending in 5 years time. With Gas prices rising the time to recoup costs would decrease significantly. The Chevy Tahoe will soon have a new hybrid system developed with BMW. "It's fun to be first in an early-stage technology. It's more important to be right, and I think we have a well-thought out approach," he said. "I think (the Vue and the Tahoe) will show people that we can play with anybody on technology. We'll see how the market plays out."

Truth In Advertising

2006-05-17T01:30:00.000-04:00

One of Toyota's latest campaigns calls attention to their huge number of U.S. employees, and together with their pending participation in the NASCAR Nextel Cup works to portray Toyota as America's Car Company. Some people have taken exception to this claim, including The Level Field Institute.
The LFI is running TV and print ads that look at the numbers from a different perspective: According to them, Ford and GM both each employ more Americans than all foreign auto manufacturers combined, and together with Daimler Chrysler account for 8 out of 10 U.S. autoworker jobs. The Level Field Institute's website has several graphs and charts detailing the specific differences between the domestic and foreign manufacturers.
It is worth noting that the LFI was founded by retirees of The Big Three, shedding some light on their motivation. The numbers they present are nonetheless powerful, and as stated by them they should be taken into account when shopping for a new vehicle.

C6R Dominance

2006-05-16T00:02:00.000-04:00

This past Friday night, the two C6Rs of Corvette Racing faced a formidable challenge in the ALMS Lone Star Grand Prix. Held on a temporary (and incredibly bumpy) "street" circuit, the race actually snaked its way through the sprawling parking lots surrounding Reliant Park in Houston, Texas, and was difficult just to get around at speed. Making things even more interesting was the presence of a pair of DBR9s fielded by Aston Martin racing, winners of the 2005 24 Hours of Sebring, and fastest qualifiers of the same 2006 race. The DBR9s are prepared by Prodrive, legendary for their WRC Subaru WRXs and LeMans-winning 550 Maranello, and recently notable for announcing their entry into the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship.
As if that weren't enough of a challenge, the dominant Corvette C6Rs were saddled with a 176lb weight disadvantage to the Aston Martins. Actually a 66lb addition to the Vettes and a 110lb weight reduction to the DBR9s, the adjustment was intended to bring parity to the GT1 class, long dominated by the Corvettes.
In classic Corvette Racing fashion, the two C6Rs led every lap and finished 1 and 2 in class, 2 and 3 overall. Nothing short of a monumental achievement for GM, the Corvettes held off the fiercely-competitive Aston Martins, and were bettered only by Audi's R8, arguably the greatest car in sports car racing history. This is nothing but bad news for the rest of the GT1 competitors, as it clearly shows that nothing short of an unlikely mechanical failure will keep the Corvette Racing C6Rs off of the top step of the podium.

CG-Lock

2006-05-03T23:47:00.000-04:00

The CG-Lock is a nifty little adapter that cinches up a car's lap belt. It's aimed at enthusiasts whose everyday vehicle sees occasional use as a race car, and don't want to deal with the expense, hassle, and stigma associated with installing a 5-point racing harness in their grocery-getter. By all accounts the product is priced fairly and works well.

Dario Franchitti's Tire Changer OK

2006-04-25T16:59:00.000-04:00

Mid-way through last weekend's Bridgestone Indy Japan 300, Dario Franchitti came in for what was supposed to be a routine pit stop. Locking his tires due to a bump in his pit box, Dario unfortunately barreled into several of his waiting crew members, sending them tumbling along the pit wall. Taking the worst hit was his left-rear tire changer, Steve Price, who momentarily appeared to be trapped under the car. Despite the incident, Franchitti's crew worked around their injured teammates to complete the pit stop and send Dario back out.
RACER Magazine reports that Price suffered no serious injuries and was released from the Dokyu University Hospital later that day. Franchitti drove back from the considerable delay to finish 11th, well back from his top position of 3rd but still ahead of his rookie teammate Marco Andretti.

Eagle One Bucket-Free Car Wash

2006-04-25T13:41:00.000-04:00

Eagle One has recently introduced their Bucket-Free Car Wash; Essentially concentrated soap in a spray bottle, Eagle One is following Mr. Clean's lead in eliminating the bucket that is usually necessary for washing your car. However, I have found that a bucket of soapy water is still necessary while using Mr. Clean's AutoDry; The water/soap mix is not adjustable and the car never quite gets soapy enough without help. Eagle One's approach is a good one, as obviously you are in control of how much soap to use. According to Eagle One, "only 1-2 sprays per panel/section are needed," and this is largely accurate as even that seemingly-sparing amount is enough to build up a healthy lather.
Missing from Eagle One's approach is the means to avoid manually drying the car after the wash. The soap lacks the "Dry Rinse Polymers" of Mr. Clean's AutoDry, and letting the car air-dry will produce water spots. Washing the car with the Eagle One soap, then rinsing it with the AutoDry's filtered water seems to be the ideal solution to a quick, effective manual car wash.

Penske to GM? Miller Says Maybe

2006-04-25T03:08:00.000-04:00

During this past Sunday's edition of Speed Channel's Wind Tunnel, Robin Miller relayed that one of his "inside sources" had strongly suggested that GM was looking to hire on Roger Penske, yes that Roger Penske, to lead GM out of its troubled mire. What at first seems unlikely may in fact have some basis in reality, as it was Penske who once pulled Hertz out of its own slump. He also successfully runs a massive network of GM dealerships, giving him a solid perspective of the sales and consumer side of the business at a minimum.
GM's continued trouble is bad for everyone except Toyota, but someone like Roger Penske may just be able to bring the fresh strategy and outlook that is needed to turn things around.

GTO Giveaway

2006-04-21T04:09:00.000-04:00

Flowmaster's Kevin McClelland built up a 2004 Pontiac GTO, which was featured on the 2005 Hot Rod Power Tour and in Hot Rod Magazine, and now they're giving it away. Unfortunately stripped of the heavily-modded motor, the GTO nonetheless comes tantalizingly-equipped with a complete headers-to-tailpipes Flowmaster exhaust system, plus new tires and brakes, a new suspension system from Hotchkis, and other modifications. Check out Flowmaster's contest page for rules and entry details.

Possible Spec-Mustang Series?

2006-04-18T01:17:00.000-04:00

Dan Davis, the director of Ford Racing Technology, has teamed with Multimatic to produce a 550hp Mustang racer that he would like to see sold through Ford dealers for around $200,000. Davis created the track-only car with the vision of a spec racing series that would potentially include the Camaro and Challenger, essentially re-creating the Trans Am series. Assembled from production parts, Davis and Multimatic have the capability to produce dozens of copies if the demand is there.
According to AutoWeek, the car lapped the Long Beach street circuit within 10 seconds of the times laid down by the Daytona Prototypes racing there last weekend as part of the Champ Car World Series.
Certainly an exciting development for fans of the Trans Am series of old, or of Ford Mustangs, with any luck Davis' vision will catch on with enough weekend racers to make it a reality.

18-Wheels, Or 10?

2006-04-15T05:18:00.000-04:00

For several years, Michelin has been developing an alternative to the dual-wheels commonly seen on large trucks. Called the X One, these tires are twice as wide as standard truck tires so only two are needed per axle. According to Michelin, this setup saves weight and significantly improves fuel economy, as well as offering better traction and control. Michelin recently doubled their production capacity of this tire, which may soon change common 18-wheelers into 10-wheelers.

Acting Like A Supercar

2006-04-12T11:09:00.000-04:00

Who isn't a fan of Jason Stratham? As cool as his movies are when he's ripping around some French town in a large, town-car-sized sedan, isn't it about time he gets a performance upgrade? In his latest movie "Rogue" two Spyker cars will be featured: The C8 Spyder (400hp) and the C12 LaTurbie (500hp). Spyker is a pretty unknown vehicle manufacture to most, hailing from the Netherlands. Production ends this month on the movie so expect it to come out some time in the summer.

From C To Shining C

2006-04-10T12:41:00.000-04:00

Chrysler's 300 has been a runaway success for the company, earning numerous awards including a spot on Car & Driver's 10Best list for the fourth consecutive time. In an effort to continue their success, Chrysler has introduced two new variants of the 300C: the Heritage Edition and a long-wheelbase version.

The Heritage Edition is a currently-available trim package, comprised mainly of aesthetic alterations to the 300C. It includes unique badging, chromed-aluminum wheels, "performance" front seats, a rear decklid spoiler, a "performance" exhaust system, and other touches. Certainly nothing Earth-shattering, although it is reassuring to know that Chrysler has at least some idea of the importance of heritage, and is trying to find ways to let that heritage work for them.

According to Auto Express, Chrysler will unveil a long-wheelbase version of the 300C at the upcoming New York Auto Show. The long-wheelbase version will be six inches longer than the standard version, adding about 10 cubic feet to the cabin. The car will be aimed squarely at Jaguar XJ, Mercedes S-Class, and Audi A8 customers with options such as lighted writing tables for the rear seats, foot rests, and custom paint and pinstriping options. There is no word on pricing yet, although the car is scheduled to launch this fall.

The Hidden Costs of Oil

2006-04-06T16:09:00.000-04:00

This past Saturday at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Milton Copulos presented figures suggesting the actual cost of a gallon of gasoline is much higher than the $2 - $3 we pay at the pump. According to Copulos' study, there are massive "hidden" costs associated with importing foreign oil, including but not limited to military expenditures to keep the Persian Gulf area stable. Copulos, president of the National Defense Council Foundation, estimates these hidden costs added $7.41 per gallon last year, and will rise to $8.35 in 2006.

While Copulos' numbers are estimates, it is certainly interesting to consider these "hidden" costs when comparing the various fuels available to us.

BMW Criticized For Advertising To Gays

2006-04-04T15:01:00.000-04:00

At first glance, this sounds similar to Ford's debacle late last year. However, closer inspection reveals a twist: the criticism aimed at BMW is coming from www.GayWheels.com, a resource for the gay and lesbian community. The website maintains lists of what they call "Gay-Friendly" and "Non-Gay-Friendly" automakers, based on the domestic partner benefits available to their employees. BMW does not offer domestic partner benefits, although a company spokesman said this is an effort to comply with New Jersey laws. The website labels BMW as hypocritical as the automaker targets the "deep pockets" of the gay and lesbian community without supporting their gay and lesbian employees.
Criticism like this serves as a reminder that each automaker must move as a cohesive unit, with the model line, advertising, and corporate staff moving in the same direction at the same time, all reflecting the same image.

IRL Driver Killed In Warm-up

2006-03-27T21:11:00.000-05:00

30 year old Paul Dana was killed Sunday morning during the final warm-up session for the Toyota Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Ed Carpenter had backed his car into the Turn Two wall at about 10:30am, a few minutes into the session. His car slid to the bottom of the track and came to a rest sitting perpendicular to the flow of traffic. Paul Dana was unable to avoid the stationary car and struck it at roughly 170mph.
Both men were airlifted to nearby Jackson Memorial Hospital, but Paul Dana was declared dead just before noon. Ed Carpenter was found to have no broken bones but was held overnight for observation.

During a pre-race press conference, Brian Barnhart (IRL President and COO) and Bobby Rahal (Paul Dana's team owner) confirmed that the trackside and in-car yellow lights functioned properly and quickly, and there was no problem with the radio system in Dana's car, leaving some question as to why Dana did not appear to slow down sooner. The Indy Racing League cars are equipped with an array of safety systems, ranging from data recorders to wheel and wing tethers to chassis designed to deflect energy away from the driver in the event of a crash. That the crash was fatal despite these measures speaks to the severity of the impact.

Fellow Rahal-Letterman drivers Danica Patrick and Buddy Rice withdrew from the race, but the Toyota Indy 300 proceeded as scheduled, leaving Dana's fellow drivers to put the tragedy out of their minds, at least temporarily, and get on with their business of racing.

Paul Dana was seen by many as an enthusiastic driver, happy to have his shot at the IRL. He had broken his back while practicing for the Indy 500 last May, but had fully recovered and was in excellent shape. While most of his fellow drivers considered him capable, there was some concern for his lack of experience. Unfortunately Dana's death follows that of Jorge Bastuck's last week as a sharp reminder of the dangers of motorsports.

Jaguar XK Safety Award

2006-03-24T16:27:00.000-05:00

Jaguar was recently recognized for safety measures built-in to the new XK coupe designed to reduce pedestrian injury in the event of an impact. If a pedestrian is struck, the hood of the XK automatically raises up a few inches in a fraction of a second, providing some cushion from the solid components in engine compartment, and helps deflect the pedestrian over or around the windshield instead of through it. The Prince Michael International Road Safety Award for Technology is given out annually for road- or vehicle-based innovation considered to have "significant merit." Jaguar has traditionally gotten a lukewarm reception from car shoppers, and will hopefully use this positive press to their advantage.

Junior WRC Co-Driver Killed

2006-03-24T13:30:00.000-05:00

SpeedTV.com reports that Junior WRC co-driver Jorge Bastuck was killed during the second stage of the Rally Catalunya. Bastuck was effecting repairs to the wheel of his Team OMV Citroen C2 when he was struck by another car. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital but died from his injuries.

Speaking of Heritage

2006-03-23T03:37:00.000-05:00

With GM's latest television commercial, they remind us of their successful past and rich heritage while simultaneously reinforcing their mission to recapture that success.

The ad connects the glory days of GM with their current offerings, effectively delivering the message that GM is once again capable of producing innovative, desirable cars and trucks. Clever editing and a catchy, relevant song should help plant the ad firmly in the mind of anyone who sees it. It is interesting to note that missing entirely from the commercial is any mention, reference, or image of anything from the 80's.

Born From Jets

2006-03-23T03:22:00.000-05:00

Saab has rolled out a new ad campaign playing on the company's aircraft manufacturing heritage. On paper, "Born From Jets" sounds like a great idea. Unfortunately, the cars currently rolling off Saab assembly lines do little to make the connection.

While no one expects radar-guided missiles or afterburners, Saab could use many existing technologies to reinforce their jet heritage: The ubiquitous turbo engine is an obvious starting point, and may be the only actual link between the cars and aircraft. Heads-up displays have been available in GM cars for a decade, and Cadillac's night vision could find a home here as well. Radar- or laser-guided cruise control would mesh with the theme, and external cues such as a large rear wing or prominent front air intakes would add a visual tie-in. A markedly driver-centric dashboard could produce a cockpit feel, complete with a plethora of analog gauges reporting all manner of information. Up-level models could even feature five-point-harness-friendly seats. Redundant buttons on the gear shift lever for radio (or perhaps turn-signal) controls would add to the image.

The production of warplanes is considerably more exciting than the production of farm equipment, for example, and Saab has an excellent opportunity to develop a powerful connection to their past. However, simply mentioning that past is not enough, and neither is the one-off Aero-X Concept, canopy and all. The cars they produce must carry their image to the consumer in tangible ways, or it will simply be lost in the fog of other mindless marketing drivel.

Cobra with Some Bite

2006-03-22T12:14:00.001-05:00

This bad boy is made by Weineck in Germany. They boast that it has the most acceleration of any car that is street legal. It sports a 12.9L V8 engine. Yeah 12.9! It puts out 1300 ft/lbs of tourque. They say the engine revs so fast the tachometer can not keep up. There is no traction control or any electronic assists to help you out in your quest for drag strip domination. 0-186 is approximately 10 seconds. Unfortunately only 15 of these will be made.

I like mine scrambled please.

2006-03-16T15:15:00.000-05:00

The 2007 Koenigsegg CCX is a marvelous car. Koenigsegg is located in Sweden and had produced its first concept car in 1996. This version is completely US street legal. The engine is produced completely in-house. It sports an 800hp supercharged 4.7L V8. Lots of kevlar and carbon fibre are used throughout the car. Performance claims are 0-62 in 3.2 seconds and a top speed of at least 245mph. All for a mere $600,000 which is a bargain for trying to go those speeds. Currently you can order your CCX at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

Hold your horses! Or Goats in this case.

2006-03-09T16:13:00.000-05:00

Over the last few weeks everyone on the internet has been crying out about Pontiac's shutdown of building the GTO. Nobody mentions that they only planned 3 years production of 18,000 to 15,000 units per year to begin with. That is pretty miniscule in comparison to GM's overall sales of 9mil cars a year. I'm surprised a car which gets as much bad press as it does (despite a remarkable first drive review by C&D) would be of everyone's concern now. Bob Lutz, like an embattled football coach or war general, reminded everyone that they are planning a 2009 GTO.

“The reason we said it was canceled is because that way our people would put their pencils down, in GM if you say something is deferred, then people keep working on it. We really needed to get that message through to everybody. It was my fault that it got out of control in the first place, it was going to be the world’s greatest car and apparently cost nothing to make. So we’ve started over now. The program is back on and it’s going full tilt.”

I think the whole exercise is a good example of how many people actually like the GTO despite their thrashings of it. Bring on more Australian engineering combined with American engineering and drop 500-600 hp engines on this zeta platform with large tires in the 300 mm width range please. I don't care what they call it or who they piss off when they do.

Oppealing

2006-03-07T10:22:00.000-05:00

GM unveils the Opel GT at the Geneva autoshow. It looks oddly similar to the Solstice and Sky vehicles. However, the Opel GT is much faster.

"Thanks to its powerful 2.0-liter, 260 hp ECOTEC turbo engine with gasoline direct injection the Opel GT accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in less than six seconds, and reaches a top speed of more than 230 km/h."

Hopefully if any of the parts are compatible American Solstice owners can take advantage of upgrades straight from GM.

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

2006-03-07T02:18:00.000-05:00

Ferrari officially introduced its replacement for the 575M Maranello at the Geneva auto show. Sporting a 6.0 liter V12 in the nose producing 611 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque, the 599 GTB Fiorano reaches 60 mph from a standstill in 3.7 seconds, and is capable of over 200 mph.
This is nothing but exciting news for those who still think of Ferrari as a producer of world-class sports cars.

R10 Pilots Announced

2006-03-05T19:59:00.000-05:00

Audi has revealed its driver lineup for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and while there are no surprises the roster certainly deserves attention:

Frank Biela - Three-time Le Mans winner (2000, 1, 2), defending ALMS co-champion
Emanuele Pirro - Three-time Le Mans winner (2000, 1, 2), defending ALMS co-champion
Marco Werner - Defending Le Mans winner (2005), two-time ALMS champion (2003 - 4)
Rinaldo Capello - Two-time Le Mans winner (2003, 4)
Allan McNish - Previous Le Mans winner (1998), previous ALMS champion (2000)
Tom Kristensen - Seven-time and defending Le Mans winner (1997, 2000 - 5), previous ALMS champion (2002)

With the help of what is arguably the most elite team of drivers in endurance racing history, Audi will almost certainly put on a clinic for their competition. Biela, Pirro, and Werner will drive together in one car, and Capello, McNish, and Kristensen will share duties in the other. This team will also drive in the ALMS 12 Hours of Sebring, as well as other late-season events.