Saturday, February 28, 2009
CoupeR Design’s Obsidian 900-HP Mustang
Great finds can be found inside and outside of the expansive SEMA show at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Today we found the "Obsidian," a 900-horsepower beast built by Matt Couper of CoupeR Design / Autoworks International. The twin-supercharged, 900-horsepower 392-cubic-inch V-8 breathes via a very mean-looking (and mean-acting) hood scoop. The design modifications on the car are extensive, as well. Over eighteen unique mods were made to the body.
Scion Concept Takes xB Off-Road, Off The Map
Designed and painted by artist David Choe, this unique “Monster Truck xB
Caprice Phantom Donk
We went to SEMA expecting to see off-the-wall vehicles. We prepared for months, but nothing could have prepared us for this: the Phantom Caprice, or a 1972 Chevrolet Caprice riding on 30-inch wheels and snouted with a Rolls-Royce Phantom front clip. It's a well-done DONK (typically an American sedan from the 60s, 70s, or 80s with oversized tires), which itself is a bit of an oxymoron; Donks are typically characterized by shoddy construction. This one, however, looks relatively sanitary on the outside.
The Odd Concept Cars Nobody Covered at the Paris Motor Show
It's no newsflash that Russians have money these days, but what remains to be seen is whether rich Ruskies would be willing to spend their flash cash on cars built by the home team, Lada. But the home team may be ready to find out. Behold the Lada Revolution 3, a Russian supercar. Mid-engine, six-speed, rear-drive, low-slung, adjustable wing in back, this thing apparently has it all. Under the rear glass, under a cover that suggests it might be concealing a V-8, beats the heart of a Renault F4R774 2.0-liter four cylinder, making 245 hp, which is supposedly enough to hustle this thing to 62 mph in just 5.9 seconds en route to a top speed of 155 mph. Pagani has nothing to worry about. Yet.
If you think Russian concepts are weird, try this Hungarian one from the Andros Group. Called iSolo, it's an ultra-light (770-pound), aero-slick (0.22 Cd) three seat electric car that can run on solar energy gathered from the roof panels, plug-in power, or pedal power. That's right, each seat has two pedals that can be pumped to generate electricity. Top speed is said to be 80 mph. A multi-fuel range-extending combustion engine is in the works for a future show.
The name of this one almost says it all: Assystem City Car. w's this for a wacky hybrid. Four wheels arrayed in a diamond pattern. The front and rear wheels can turn fully 90 degrees in either direction, allowing the car to pivot about its center, or to drive into a parallel parking space and then pivot into position. Here's where it really gets weird. The front wheel is electrically driven, with the motor and four batteries all mounted on a turntable that includes a control arm and spring/damper for the wheel (the drivetrain is not unsprung, thankfully. The rear wheel is powered by a Honda scooter's 600cc motor, which again is mounted along with a small gas tank, on a turntable. Assystem is an engineering company, working with Franco Sbarro design, that is looking for a licensee to build the bizarre City Car. We wish them luck.
Lumeneo Smera. Billed as a 1+1 tandem, this four-wheeled enclosed motorcycle of sorts is powered by electricity, using a 30kW motor and a 10 kW-hour battery good for 150 km (93-mile) range. It rides on four 145/70R-14 tires and can lean 25 degrees in the turns. I wouldn't hold my breath for production ever reaching U.S. shores.
Human-powered Mini
Mini has come up with a Mini rickshaw, just in time for the Olympic Games.
Looking for a different way to explore Beijing? Mini has created the ultimate human-powered version of its iconic baby car – a Mini rickshaw.
The rickshaw takes the back half of a Mini and adds the human powered component – a bicycle – at the front.
The Mini rickshaw has been plying the streets of the Chinese capital since the Olympic Games commenced earlier this month.
Looking for a different way to explore Beijing? Mini has created the ultimate human-powered version of its iconic baby car – a Mini rickshaw.
The rickshaw takes the back half of a Mini and adds the human powered component – a bicycle – at the front.
The Mini rickshaw has been plying the streets of the Chinese capital since the Olympic Games commenced earlier this month.
Italian industrial firm Tazzari Zero's
Italian industrial firm Tazzari has announced preliminary specs and launched a new website for its plug-in auto, the Zero. Measuring 113.5 inches long and sporting 15-inch wheels, the city-bound electric car weighs in at 1,200 pounds -- 312 of that from the lithium-ion Fe battery. It'll handle 88 miles with a full charge that takes 9 hours to fill, but you can reportedly juice up to 80% in just 50 minutes. Top speed is 56 MPH, so don't expect to be driving this on the highway, and it can go from 0 to 31 in under 5 seconds. The company says it's due out later this year in Europe and the Carribean for less than 20,000 Euros ($25,760), and yes, there's a dozen Crayola-inspired colors available. Hit up the official site for a trailer.
Friday, February 27, 2009
10 Top Tips for Fuel Efficient Driving
1. Minimise your vehicle use
Vehicles are least fuel efficient and most polluting at the start of trips and on short trips. One reason for this is that catalytic converters (which reduce air pollution emissions) do not operate properly until they have warmed up. Trips of less than five kilometres generally do not allow the engine to reach its peak operating temperature.
Plan to do a number of errands in one trip rather than several trips and save both time and fuel. Try to avoid short vehicle trips by walking or cycling. This will save over a quarter of a kilogram of greenhouse gas emissions per kilometre of vehicle driving it replaces, as well as give you healthy exercise.
2. Drive in the right gear
Driving in a gear lower than you need wastes fuel, and letting the engine labour in top gear on hills and corners is also wasteful. In a manual vehicle, change up gears as soon as the car is comfortable with the higher gear but without accelerating harder than necessary.
Automatic transmissions will shift up more quickly and smoothly if you ease back slightly on the accelerator once the car gathers momentum. Avoid the use of power options which drop the car into a lower gear and therefore use more fuel.
3. Drive smoothly
Stop/start driving is much less efficient and more polluting than driving at a constant speed. Avoid travelling during peak-hours and on congested roads whenever possible.
Take it easy on the accelerator - more revs equals more petrol use. Drive at a good distance from the car in front so you can anticipate and travel with the flow of traffic. This avoids unnecessary acceleration and frequent repetitive braking that ends up wasting fuel. It's also far safer. If you see traffic stoppages ahead, first take your foot off the accelerator and let the engine's drop in power slow the vehicle, particularly by also changing to a lower gear. Don't continue to drive at the same speed and applying the brakes at the last minute. Getting back to cruising speed while the car is still moving uses far less petrol than stopping and then starting again.
4. Minimise fuel wasted in idling
Most cars don't need to be "warmed up" by idling before setting off. This simply wastes fuel. Start your car when you are ready to go. Once on the road, minimise fuel wasted in idling by stopping the engine whenever your car is stopped or held up for an extended period of time. By having the engine switched off, even for a short period, you will save more fuel than is lost from the burst of fuel involved in restarting the engine. The net increased wear and tear from this practice is negligible.
5. Don't Speed
Fuel consumption increases significantly over about 90 km/h. At 110 km/h your car uses up to 25 per cent more fuel than it would cruising at 90 km/h. If your car is fitted with cruise control, using it during highway driving will help to maintain a steadier speed, which will save fuel.
6. Minimise aerodynamic drag
Additional parts on the exterior of a vehicle such as roof racks and spoilers, or having the window open, increases air resistance and fuel consumption, in some cases by over 20 per cent at higher speeds. Take off roof and bike racks when not in use. If you have to use roof racks, load them carefully to help minimise wind resistance or use a streamlined roof box.
7. Look after your vehicle's tyres
Inflate your vehicle's tyres to the highest pressure recommended by the manufacture and make sure your wheels are properly aligned. Looking after your tyres will not only reduce your fuel consumption it will also extend tyre life and improve handling.
8. Use airconditioning sparingly
Airconditioners can use about 10 per cent extra fuel when operating. However, at speeds of over 80 km/h, use of airconditioning is better for fuel consumption than an open window as this creates aerodynamic drag. If it is hotter inside your car than outside when you start a trip, drive with the windows down for a few minutes to help cool the car before starting the airconditioning.
9. Travel light
The more weight a vehicle carries, the more fuel it uses..Don't use your car as a mobile store room. Leave heavy items like tools and sports equipment at home when you don't need them on a trip.
10. Keep your vehicle in good condition
Keep your vehicle well tuned and regularly maintained. Get your car serviced at the intervals specified in the manufacturer's handbook.
Use the petrol that is recommended for your vehicle by the manufacturer. If you use regular unleaded in a car designed to run on premium unleaded you can expect slightly less performance and fractionally higher consumption. Using premium unleaded petrol in a car designed for regular unleaded may give better fuel consumption in some newer vehicles but it is unlikely to offset the extra cost of the fuel.
Vehicles are least fuel efficient and most polluting at the start of trips and on short trips. One reason for this is that catalytic converters (which reduce air pollution emissions) do not operate properly until they have warmed up. Trips of less than five kilometres generally do not allow the engine to reach its peak operating temperature.
Plan to do a number of errands in one trip rather than several trips and save both time and fuel. Try to avoid short vehicle trips by walking or cycling. This will save over a quarter of a kilogram of greenhouse gas emissions per kilometre of vehicle driving it replaces, as well as give you healthy exercise.
2. Drive in the right gear
Driving in a gear lower than you need wastes fuel, and letting the engine labour in top gear on hills and corners is also wasteful. In a manual vehicle, change up gears as soon as the car is comfortable with the higher gear but without accelerating harder than necessary.
Automatic transmissions will shift up more quickly and smoothly if you ease back slightly on the accelerator once the car gathers momentum. Avoid the use of power options which drop the car into a lower gear and therefore use more fuel.
3. Drive smoothly
Stop/start driving is much less efficient and more polluting than driving at a constant speed. Avoid travelling during peak-hours and on congested roads whenever possible.
Take it easy on the accelerator - more revs equals more petrol use. Drive at a good distance from the car in front so you can anticipate and travel with the flow of traffic. This avoids unnecessary acceleration and frequent repetitive braking that ends up wasting fuel. It's also far safer. If you see traffic stoppages ahead, first take your foot off the accelerator and let the engine's drop in power slow the vehicle, particularly by also changing to a lower gear. Don't continue to drive at the same speed and applying the brakes at the last minute. Getting back to cruising speed while the car is still moving uses far less petrol than stopping and then starting again.
4. Minimise fuel wasted in idling
Most cars don't need to be "warmed up" by idling before setting off. This simply wastes fuel. Start your car when you are ready to go. Once on the road, minimise fuel wasted in idling by stopping the engine whenever your car is stopped or held up for an extended period of time. By having the engine switched off, even for a short period, you will save more fuel than is lost from the burst of fuel involved in restarting the engine. The net increased wear and tear from this practice is negligible.
5. Don't Speed
Fuel consumption increases significantly over about 90 km/h. At 110 km/h your car uses up to 25 per cent more fuel than it would cruising at 90 km/h. If your car is fitted with cruise control, using it during highway driving will help to maintain a steadier speed, which will save fuel.
6. Minimise aerodynamic drag
Additional parts on the exterior of a vehicle such as roof racks and spoilers, or having the window open, increases air resistance and fuel consumption, in some cases by over 20 per cent at higher speeds. Take off roof and bike racks when not in use. If you have to use roof racks, load them carefully to help minimise wind resistance or use a streamlined roof box.
7. Look after your vehicle's tyres
Inflate your vehicle's tyres to the highest pressure recommended by the manufacture and make sure your wheels are properly aligned. Looking after your tyres will not only reduce your fuel consumption it will also extend tyre life and improve handling.
8. Use airconditioning sparingly
Airconditioners can use about 10 per cent extra fuel when operating. However, at speeds of over 80 km/h, use of airconditioning is better for fuel consumption than an open window as this creates aerodynamic drag. If it is hotter inside your car than outside when you start a trip, drive with the windows down for a few minutes to help cool the car before starting the airconditioning.
9. Travel light
The more weight a vehicle carries, the more fuel it uses..Don't use your car as a mobile store room. Leave heavy items like tools and sports equipment at home when you don't need them on a trip.
10. Keep your vehicle in good condition
Keep your vehicle well tuned and regularly maintained. Get your car serviced at the intervals specified in the manufacturer's handbook.
Use the petrol that is recommended for your vehicle by the manufacturer. If you use regular unleaded in a car designed to run on premium unleaded you can expect slightly less performance and fractionally higher consumption. Using premium unleaded petrol in a car designed for regular unleaded may give better fuel consumption in some newer vehicles but it is unlikely to offset the extra cost of the fuel.
2009 Melbourne Motor Show Galore with 115 High-Res Photos
The 75th Melbourne International Motor Show opened its gates to the members of the press on Friday and even though there were a few absentees, it has been calculated that local and global brands on show represent 94.7 per cent of Australia's total car sales. Among the new production and concept cars that are making their debut in Australia are the Holden Cruze and Volt EV, Hyundai's i20 mini, BMW's M1 Homage Concept, Toyota's Camry Hybrid Study and the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder.
And if these premieres aren't a good enough of a reason for Aussies to visit the show, then consider this; the 2009 Melbourne Show will be the only event of its kind in Australia for 2009 after it was decided that the Australian International Motor Show will alternate between Sydney and Melbourne on an annual basis.
This means that this year's Sydney Show has been cancelled and that the next major car event in the land 'Down-Under' will be held at Darling Harbour in Sydney in the fall of 2010.
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