Mobile E-Commerce

Clarks shoes goes mobile - e-commercefacts
After a long time of experimenting, the Italians seem to recognize the
economic value of e-commerce. E-commerce companies are better structured
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2013 Nissan Pathfinder Spied: A Farewell to Frames

2013 Nissan Pathfinder Spied: A Farewell to Frames:

While the trend among SUVs has long been a migration from truck-based frames to more-carlike unibody crossovers, Nissan’s Pathfinder has waffled midstream. The first Pathfinder was truck-based, the second was a crossover—and spawned a cushy Infiniti version—and the third, current-gen model sprouted from a ladder frame once again. For 2013, the Pathfinder will go back to using unibody construction, and back to sharing its platform with an Infiniti—in this case, the glitzy new JX, as well Nissan’s manicured Murano. For the first time, then, the Pathfinder will be based on a front-wheel-drive platform. Count on all-wheel-drive being an option.

Keep Reading: 2013 Nissan Pathfinder Prototype – Future Cars

Source : Google Reader

Verging on Immortal: The Chevy/GM Small-Block V-8 Strives to Last Forever (And We Help Build the 100 Millionth Example)

Verging on Immortal: The Chevy/GM Small-Block V-8 Strives to Last Forever (And We Help Build the 100 Millionth Example):

I had a bookend experience with the most mass-produced car engine in human history. In 1955, the year Chevrolet introduced its first modern V-8 engine, GM’s highest volume brand delivered 1.68 million cars. Since the V-8 cost only $100 or so more than the standard “stovebolt” six, my rough estimate figures that more than a million of the new 4.3-liter V-8 engines were built and sold in its inaugural year.

I was fortunate enough to own one of those small-block V-8s among the first million. In 1960, at the tender age of 15, my father finally caved in to my relentless begging for a car. Instead of condoning the purchase of the Ford Model A—which I intended to convert to a hot rod—he hauled me off to a nearby used-car lot where we purchased—using the funds I had earned mowing lawns for several years—a ’55 Chevrolet which, as luck would have it, was well on its way to becoming the hot rod I never imagined.

In addition to the lowered suspension, dechromed exterior, side pipes, floor-mounted shifter, and extra gauges gracing this Chevy, it was equipped with the essential V-8 engine. Even though that two-barrel small-block made only 162 gross hp (138 net), it had more than enough gusto to introduce this greenhorn to the joys of speed, street racing, and car enthusiasm.

Don Sherman's 1955 Chevrolet

Leaping ahead by a half century, I participated in the epic and painstaking assembly of the 100 millionth GM small-block V-8. A cast of dozens—luminaries, engine-department retirees, journalists, and reprobates—was invited to GM’s Performance Build Center in Wixom, Michigan, to lay hands on the 638-hp supercharged and intercooled 6.2-liter LS9 V-8 tapped for perpetual museum display as the 100-millionth example from a distinguished line of engines.

My piece of the action was the installation of the number-six piston and connecting-rod assembly.

Wixom is a surgically clean factory where the low-volume LS7 (the 7.0-liter, 505–hp Corvette Z06 small-block) and LS9 V-8s are assembled. In fact, customers who might enjoy building their own engines can do so by checking the appropriate option box when ordering a Corvette powered by one of these special eights.

Dropping the No. 6 piston-and-rod assembly into its assigned space was child’s play, especially for a child that has assembled dozens of engines—including a few small-blocks—over the years.

The host block was supported on a rotisserie-type fixture that could be conveniently rotated to orient the target bore horizontally. The crankshaft, camshaft, and first five piston and rod assemblies were already in place. Also, some kind soul had preassembled the rod to the piston and fitted the piston with rings, two tasks that demand skill, experience, and special tools.

Preparing for insertion, I swabbed the rings, piston skirt, and connecting rod-bearing insert with an assembly lubricant manufactured by Lubrizol. Next, two assembly aids were added. A plastic guide tool slipped over one of the protruding bearing-cap retaining screws avoids damaging the crank journal and piston oil squirter during the insertion process. And a conical sleeve device held securely against the block’s deck surface as the piston-rod assembly is guided into its bore also expeditiously compresses the piston rings.

The guide tool helps the assembly index itself to the proper orientation as the connecting rod’s big end engages the crankshaft journal. After it is properly seated with the rod touching the crank journal and the piston fully within its bore, the guide tool and conical sleeve can be removed. Then the rod cap is lubed and slipped over the two retaining bolts. Adding two nuts and torquing them to the proper specification with an automatic air tool completed my task.

Once my job was finished, I vacated the assembly line so others could play their part in this grand pageant. My only regret is that this powerhouse probably will never see service or life on the road. That’s the price of fame; now that this engine has been given celebrity status, its job will be to provide small-block admirers something to see and touch for now and evermore.

1955 The original (GEN I) 4.3-liter small-block powers more than a million Chevy sedans, pickups, and Corvettes. Gross output ranges from 162 to 195 hp.

1957 An uprated 4.6-liter engine with optional mechanical fuel injection achieves one hp per cubic inch (283 hp).

1962 Increasing the bore and stroke ups displacement to 5.4 liters (327 cubic inches), yielding 360 gross hp with fuel injection.

1965 The small-block name is coined to distinguish Chevy’s existing V-8 from a new 6.5-liter “big-block” engine. Tuners affectionately nickname the motors “mouse” and “rat.”

1971 The arrival of lower compression and SAE net hp procedures cripples power ratings. The 5.7-liter LT1 engine introduced in 1970 for Camaro and Corvette drops from 370 to 330 hp.

1975 Strangled by a single-catalyst exhaust system and other emissions controls, the standard Corvette 5.7-liter V-8 produces 165 hp. A 4.3-liter V-8 installed in Chevy Monza and Nova cars delivers an uninspired 110 hp, the small-block’s low ebb.

1986 Corvette cylinder heads change from iron to aluminum.

1992 The GEN II small-block arrives in the new Corvette with reverse-flow cooling, all-new cylinder heads, computer-controlled ignition, dual catalysts, 300 hp from 5.7 liters, and an LT1 designation.

1997 Little more than the 4.4-inch bore spacing—a feature common to all small-block V-8s—carries over to the new LS family of GEN III engines. Key improvements are a deep-skirt block (aluminum in some applications), iron cylinder liners, main bearing caps retained by six bolts, and rearranged intake and exhaust ports. The 5.7-liter Corvette engine produces 345 hp. In 1999, all-new 4.8-, 5.3-, and 6.0-liter versions are introduced for SUV and truck applications.

2005 GM designates the 5.3-liter small-block incorporating cylinder deactivation a GEN IV design. A 6.0-liter Corvette version fires on all cylinders to deliver 400 hp.

2006 The 7.0-liter LS7 V-8 introduced for the new Corvette Z06 delivers 505 SAE-certified hp.

2009 The supercharged and intercooled 6.2-liter LS9 V-8 introduced for the Corvette ZL1 produces 638 hp, the small-block’s high-water mark.

2013 The GEN V small-block V-8 is expected to appear under the hood of a new seventh-generation Corvette. GM has acknowledged investing more than $1 billion in updated manufacturing facilities. Also, the move to direct fuel injection and aluminum-only cylinder blocks has been confirmed. What remains unknown is what GM means by the “advanced combustion system” touted for this engine. We believe that connotes a significantly higher compression ratio, revised combustion chambers, smaller piston displacement (5.5- to 6.0-liters), power comparable to today’s engines, and significantly better fuel efficiency. Stop-start, cylinder deactivation, and some means of varying valve timing and lift are all expected. Abandoning classic single-cam, two-valves-per-cylinder architecture is, however, not expected.

Source : Google Reader

The Continental: A Great Tokyo Show, a New Brand from China, and a Clever Peugeot

The Continental: A Great Tokyo Show, a New Brand from China, and a Clever Peugeot:

Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental.

This Conti comes late after a full week in Tokyo at Honda’s proving grounds and the international motor show—which was well worth attending. “Green mobility” was certainly a theme of the show, but not the dominant one. All of the Japanese carmakers are keen on showing they survived the earthquake/tsunami crisis, and that they’re a force to be reckoned with. There was a lot of new product, there were fantastic concept cars, and—best of all—the show was dominated by the rebirth of the sporty, fun-to-drive Japanese car.

On the modest end, there was the Daihatsu D-X concept, which will likely replace the Copen—a truly tiny roadster which I tested last year and which enjoys a cult-like following. The D-X is powered by a two-cylinder, turbocharged gasoline engine. Only slightly bigger is the Honda EV-STER, an angular, futuristic roadster which recalls the early-1990s Honda Beat. While the concept car is powered by a politically correct electric motor, Honda executives bluntly hint that the production version will have a powerful gasoline engine.

Nissan announced an expansion of the Nismo sub-brand around the globe; in the future, every model line will be crowned by a Nismo version. Over at Toyota, there was a rather absurd, angry-looking Prius with a big exhaust tip. Hey, you can’t always go electric, right? Plus, let’s not forget the Subaru BRZ/Toyota (GT) 86 sister models—eagerly awaited and with potential to change both Toyota’s and Subaru’s brand images for better.

I’ve also had a chance to sample some of Honda’s latest and future technology. The sad news: We’ll soon say sayonara to the company’s high-revving naturally aspirated engines. But the new turbos should make up for it. I am confident that Honda’s new chairman, Ito-san, will put the brand back on track. It’s stuff for a separate, exciting story.

Next to all of these sporty and aggressive concepts and production models, an odd-looking, green minicar stuck out. Meet the Suzuki Regina, styled by Yasukazu Yuuki. “Many eco-cars have an aggressive wedge shape. I wanted to change that,” he says. His inspiration? The brand’s own Fronte 800, a sporty and compact mid-1960s sedan. I must admit I was also reminded of the Citroën Ami 6 and Ami 8, not to mention the unforgotten Mercedes-Benz “Bionic Car.” It certainly wasn’t my personal favorite, but the Regina is a cute and courageous counterpoint to the futuristic armada at this Tokyo show, and therefore should be applauded, too.

China Goes Upscale

China is getting serious. Local carmaker Chery and investor Israel Corporation have created a joint venture to produce a lineup of modern passenger cars under the brand name of Qoros. The first model will be a compact four-door sedan, built in Changshu, China, and sold in Western Europe and China from 2013 onwards. What makes Qoros different? The models are developed with help from Austrian engineering house Magna Steyr, which has been involved in a large number of premium projects: The company currently manufactures the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen and the Mini Countryman, the Peugeot RCZ, the Aston Martin Rapide, and the aluminum body of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. Responsible for vehicle engineering is former BMW executive Klaus Schmidt; in Munich, he was in charge of vehicle performance and chassis. Peter Matkin was chief engineer at Jaguar-Land Rover, and Volkswagen veteran Volker Steinwascher serves as VP under chairman Guo Qian.

Head of design, notably, is Gert Hildebrand, the 58-year-old designer who has led Mini design since 2001, following a distinguished career at Volkswagen, SEAT, and Mitsubishi. His portfolio includes the early crossover Golf II Country, the celebrated VW Golf IV and Jetta IV/Bora, a new face for the SEAT brand, and a large number of Mini models and derivatives, including the upcoming third-generation Mini.

At Qoros, Hildebrand has the opportunity to develop a brand face and a model lineup from scratch. The sedan will be followed in short sequence by a sportier hatchback, an SUV, and an electric vehicle. It will be interesting to see Qoros appear in China as an upmarket brand with Western genes. Israel Corporation, which owns half of Qoros, also holds 30 percent of electric grid operator Better Place, which aims to build up an infrastructure of battery-changing stations. The upcoming Qoros EV can be expected to conform to Better Place’s specifications for interchangeable battery packs.

New Models from Europe

Peugeot is launching the 208, a minicar that succeeds the 207 and is called by the carmaker a “re-generation” instead of an “evolution.” The French have succeeded in returning to the basic concept of the legendary 205. The 208 is shorter by seven centimeters, lighter by up to 381 lbs (243 lbs on average over the lineup), but sports a larger interior. More interesting facts: For the first time, three-cylinder gasoline engines are offered. The two- and four-door models look very different from each other, and inside, Peugeot has combined a small steering wheel with instrumentation placed high on the dashboard—a cost-effective interpretation of a “head-up” display. It will be a few months before I get behind the wheel of the 208, but it looks promising. And I am hoping there will be a reinterpretation of the 205 GTI (not to mention the 205 Turbo 16, the mid-engine base car for mid-1980s Group B rally racing).

Opel is launching an Insignia—the Buick Regal’s twin brother—with a twin-turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel. It produces 192 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Meanwhile, Opel’s V-6 diesel project is on infinite hold. I don’t think the Insignia needs it.

Source : Google Reader

Confirmed: Next-Generation Subaru WRX Will Have Turbocharged 2.0-Liter Flat-Four

Confirmed: Next-Generation Subaru WRX Will Have Turbocharged 2.0-Liter Flat-Four:

Subaru has confirmed that the next-generation Subaru WRX, due as a 2013 model, will be powered by a turbocharged version of the new FA direct-injection, 2.0-liter flat-four that debuted in the BRZ sports car. There’s no word from Subaru on what will be under the next STI’s hood, but it’ll almost certainly be a more powerful iteration of the WRX’s 2.0-liter.

The current WRX features a 265-hp, turbocharged 2.5-liter flat four, and despite the lower displacement, we don’t expect the next car’s output to be any lower. As for the next STI, we already know it will pack at least 300 hp. Both cars will move to a dedicated platform when they are redesigned instead of being modified Imprezas as they have been in the past. Happily, the muscular duo is expected to weigh less than the current models. If you’re wondering whether the turbocharged 2.0-liter will show up in the BRZ or its Scion FR-S twin, you’re not alone. Subaru says it won’t, but we don’t believe them.

Source : Google Reader

Ford SVT: Raptor on the Rocks and Celebrating 20 Years

Ford SVT: Raptor on the Rocks and Celebrating 20 Years:

Ford’s F-150 SVT Raptor is no longer an unknown entity; we’ve grown to love its high-flying antics, the 100-mph blasts through the desert, and the ability to tear through just about any type of muck imaginable all in the comfort of a $44,000 street truck with a warranty. That hasn’t stopped Ford from making it better, though, and we recently joined the SVT wizards and a fleet of 2012 Raptors in Moab, Utah, for an exploration of the vehicle’s least likely skill: rock crawling.

Yes, the three-ton beast with a wheelbase of at least 133 inches can shimmy up crevasses and climb over boulders like a rubber-soled mountain goat. In addition to the standard 411-hp, 6.2-liter V-8; long-travel suspension; 35-inch-tall BFGoodrich tires; and an electronic-locking rear differential; the 2012 model ($43,565 base) is notable for its standard Torsen front diff and optional forward-looking camera. Other changes for 2012 include new 17-inch wheels, revised bedside graphics ($1075) and hood ($900), Race Red paint in place of Molten Orange, and a more tasteful interior package with real aluminum accents ($750).

The Torsen replaces the previous Raptor’s open front diff and can shuffle power side to side for better traction. The camera, which is operable at speeds below 15 mph, eliminates the nasty blind spot immediately in front of the truck when you’re climbing steep grades and can only see sky out of the windshield. The camera requires the $2470 Navigation and $2970 Luxury packages and displays what it sees on an eight-inch monitor in the dash, complete with graphic overlays for precise wheel placement. A separate washer nozzle in the grille keeps the view unobscured. Reduced likelihood of running over your spotter while traversing a trail like Hell’s Revenge: $525. The irony of viewing 70-million-year-old fossilized Velociraptor footprints from the cab of a Raptor pickup: priceless.

Another Challenge Conquered and Another Remaining

Much to Ford’s surprise and delight, the F-150 Raptor’s performance in the market has been as impressive as its prowess in the rough. Beyond the obvious image boost, the truck is claimed to be quite profitable and selling well, both in the U.S. and abroad (mostly the Middle East and South America.) The company never estimated production figures, but SVT officials tell us that Raptor sales have already surpassed the total number of F-150 Lightning street trucks produced and that 2011 production may reach 10,000 units by year’s end, the vast majority being the new-for-2011 SuperCrew version. With a relatively tight general supply and new Raptors taking only two weeks or so to find homes, 2012 production is being upped to compensate for the increasing demand.

Because the Raptor is such an unusual vehicle, it holds great potential for coaxing pilots beyond their limits—or the truck’s. Witness internet footage of Raptor club outings, wherein owners bomb over desert obstacles that would make a Trophy Truck wince, tweaking their frames in the process. To minimize future incidents of the sort, Ford is working to educate buyers on how to keep Raptors shiny side up and out of danger. For now, Ford’s tutelage is limited to an instructional DVD and a supplement in the owner’s manual, which it is very likely nobody will ever read. But, just as many sports-car makers offer driving academies, the blue oval is investigating potential partnerships with off-road luminaries.

In Another Year, It’ll Be Able to Drink. Then Things Get Really Crazy

Keeping up the momentum generated by successes like the Raptor is the key challenge facing SVT as its 20^th anniversary approaches in 2013. The celebration kicked off a little early in the form of the 2013 Focus ST and the 2013 Mustang Shelby GT500, which go on sale next year. Despite the car’s early release and the 650 hp belted out by its supercharged 5.8-liter V-8, SVT claims the fortified Shelby was already in the works before Chevrolet committed to the 580-hp Camaro ZL1. With the Boss 302 raising the bar for the standard pony car, the GT500 had to go big. But it also will be more civilized, with refinements such as adjustable dampers and braking feel for which SVT says the Porsche 911 GT3 was a benchmark. Big words indeed.

The new Focus ST and GT500, along with the 6000-pound Raptor, illustrate how varied SVT’s portfolio has been over the years. Whereas factory tuners like Mercedes-Benz’s AMG and BMW’s M work their magic over most of the parent company’s lineup to similar ends, SVT’s sporadic products have ranged from front-drive compacts to rear-drive muscle cars and from on- and off-road pickups to a $140,000-plus, 200-mph supercar. All have been uniquely engineered in their own right and great fun to drive, but common threads are few.

European Hands Make Light Work

Ford’s push for global development, exemplified by the European gestation of the Focus ST, will allow SVT to continue diversifying. Jamal Hameedi, SVT’s chief nameplate engineer, notes that the combined effort on global models frees up engineers to work on regional products such as the GT500 and Raptor. With the ST as a template, Hameedi doesn’t rule out other shared projects—the new Ford Fusion and European Mondeo, the latter of which has a history of factory tuning, are closely related and could present an opportunity.

As for other transatlantic crossovers, Hameedi says that the RS badge affixed to ultra-hot versions of the Focus in Europe resonates with the U.S. market. We get the feeling that, if the calls were his to make, SVT would touch everything Ford makes. Hameedi also shows considerable interest in mechanical-flywheel hybrid technology as an alternative to storing recaptured energy in batteries, and refuses to throw cold water on the potential for SVTs with all-wheel drive—so long as they’re executed properly.

Whatever SVT does next, our stint in Moab reminded us just how happy we are that the Raptor exists. And that we’re finally getting a European-tuned Focus. And a 650-hp Shelby Mustang.

Source : Google Reader

Chevy Volt Hysteria: We’re All Going to Die! Or, An Application of Facts and Rationality to Flaming Batteries and Melting Chargers

Chevy Volt Hysteria: We’re All Going to Die! Or, An Application of Facts and Rationality to Flaming Batteries and Melting Chargers:

One can learn a lot from history. When gasoline-fueled motor cars began roaming streets (and their proxies) in great numbers at the beginning of the 20th century, fuel tanks were thought to be ready to burst into flames if looked at sideways, and gasoline run-off was blamed for sewer explosions. Such fear and misinformation prompted the New York Times to release a piece in 1912 entitled “Gasoline Is Not Dangerous Fluid.” Action-flick writers excepted, people today generally understand that the internal-combustion engine’s fuel doesn’t explode. The lesson: New technologies have a way of intimidating and scaring the uninformed.

A similar panic has unfolded a century later: Since two crash-tested Chevrolet Volts caught fire following government testing, GM’s plug-in has everyone afraid of batteries. Thanks largely to media sensationalism, old hysteria is new again. And it’s likely as unfounded now as it was then.

OnStar: We’ve Sensed an Accident; Emergency Responders Will Be There in Three Weeks

It’s important to understand the circumstances surrounding those Volt fires. The first occurred three weeks after a NHTSA crash test. The car sat in storage, its lithium-ion battery pack damaged from the impact but not discharged according to GM’s recommendation in such situations. The pack’s coolant system was also compromised and is thought to be the what helped cause the fire. NHTSA later crashed three more Volts in a similar manner, one of which caught fire a week afterward. Then everyone went nuts.

If you ask us, even just one day is plenty of time to safely exit a vehicle that’s in peril of burning. And get this: We’ve even heard of internal-combustion cars catching fire during a crash. When such an event happens—unless it’s indicative of a more widespread problem, as in the case of the Pinto, for example—the individual models generally aren’t the subject of big government investigations or recalls as a result.

We’ll also point out that the above incidents are the only two known conflagrations resulting from Volt accidents; no Volt owners have had their battery packs go up in flames from real-world events—but that didn’t prevent some bogus media reports from stating such. A search of the U.S. government’s complaint database turns up a total of three entries for 2011 and 2012 Volts, none of which contain the terms “battery” or “fiery death.” (Recall that the same NHTSA database was inundated with hundreds of runaway-car reports—many of them hilarious—in the wake of the media overhyping Toyota’s non-problem.)

Starting New Fires

Not satisfied to simply paint the Volt’s battery pack as the scapegoat, other reporters looked for additional smoking guns. One found smoking 120-volt chargers. More accurately, one reporter found charger plugs that have the chance of becoming deformed as a result of high heat. But since shouting “Melt!” in a crowded movie theater won’t get anyone’s attention, headlines on the original item and those parroting its “information” suggested the charger has a propensity to go up in flames. No person has actually reported such an occurrence.

The same media outlet also claimed that GM calls the Volt’s 120-volt charger a stopgap to be used until an owner gets a 240-volt charger, an inference never made by the company. Beyond that, the 120-volt charger can’t be a stopgap for obvious reasons. Many owners use the 120-volt charger exclusively; it’s designed to fit under the load floor to be portable and used with some frequency. Some quoted owners of melted chargers openly admitted that they were using the unit improperly by not following instructions that are marked on the charger—which include a warning to not plug the charger into an extension cord, a surge protector, or any other outlet intermediary.

GM recommends that an owner get their house’s wiring inspected before plugging in the 120-volt charger, as old wiring can cause heating issues that lead to melted plugs. That’s fine if you only use it at home, but the charger, again, is portable for a reason. Having an electrician follow you around in a van kind of defeats the car’s purpose. Still, safety is ultimately more important than mobility, and we’re all on an EV learning curve with infrastructure attempting to catch up.

Any damaged or nonfunctional charger can be returned to GM for replacement, and the company will take it back and test it. GM told us that “returned units with visible thermal damage to the wall plug had no electrical faults or excessive temperature rise over ambient temperature observed when tested.” This backs up the improper-use hypothesis. GM has made changes to the 120-volt unit since launch, but they have been limited to improving the strain relief at the plug to avoid cracking. That strain is likely caused by the charger brick hanging off of a wall-mounted outlet; unfortunately, the one-foot distance from plug to brick can’t be increased, as it’s mandated by the National Electric Code. (The Nissan Leaf’s 120-volt charger suffers from the same problem.) The picture at right shows our strain-relief solution during an overnight stay on a recent comparison test involving the Volt.

The PR Response that Backfired

From where we sit, GM has done everything it could to address and allay the fears of the nearly 6000 Volt owners. Maybe too much. When the fires first hit the news, the General immediately responded by offering loaner vehicles to owners for the length of the investigation. A few took it up on the offer, while some—reports have the number at “a couple dozen,” but GM won’t confirm the total—requested that the company buy back their Volts. Those requests were no doubt spurred on by inflammatory media reports. Through all of this, the company has asserted that the cars are safe; it really only offered these options to the small number of early adopters as a way to save face and keep customers happy.

No vehicle is completely and infallibly safe. High-voltage batteries and electricity, like gasoline and fuel tanks, come with risks and must be handled with care and common sense. There’s a learning curve here, and fortunately the ones doing the experimenting are government agencies and not motorists. The problem is that lessons learned are being broadcast across the country in misleading, fear-mongering reports topped by misleading, fear-mongering headlines.

The onus is on owners and emergency responders to understand the idiosyncrasies of battery-equipped vehicles. None of us would store gasoline in a bucket in our garage, smoke at a gas station, or attempt to rig up our own gas pump with hoses that are visibly cracked or about to burst. At the same time, no one would reasonably expect to run (highly regulated) gas stations in their home, either. There’s some common sense and personal responsibility that needs to be learned yet.

Imagine if NHTSA had existed at the birth of the automobile, crash-testing Curved-Dash Oldsmobiles or Henry Ford’s Tin Lizzie, cars which, of course, were free of any safety devices and were not built to any sort of regulations. The automobile never would have made it off the ground. As the industry tries to reinvent itself—or at least a portion of its products—let’s not kill the modern electric car with misinformation.

Source : Google Reader

Ford Racing Announces 2012 Crate Engine Lineup, Including Turbo and N/A Inline Fours

Ford Racing Announces 2012 Crate Engine Lineup, Including Turbo and N/A Inline Fours:

When you think of Ford Racing crate motors—engines you can buy ready to install wherever you can make them fit—your mind, like ours, probably wanders to thunderous V-8s with names like “Boss.” Prepare to add four-cylinders to that list: Ford’s motorsports outfit has announced that a new line of 2.0-liter inline-fours will join its crate engine lineup for 2012.

First out of the gate will be a direct-injected 2.0-liter with independent variable valve timing that will be available in this coming spring. This naturally aspirated four is the same 160-hp mill found in the 2012 Focus, and will be available complete with an accompanying engine computer and installation kit. For those with a hunger for more power, turbocharged versions of the 2.0-liter will go on sale at a later date. Ford Racing isn’t ready to release any specifics for the EcoBoost motor, but it’s safe to assume at least one version will be a direct copy of the upcoming 2013 Focus ST’s 247-hp powerhouse.

It’s presently unclear whether there will be various available states of tune for the 2.0-liter, mirroring Mopar’s “stage” kits for the original Neon SRT4. A Ford Racing rep did confirm that Ford’s motorsports arm is already working on a full complement of go-faster bits for both the Fiesta and the new Focus. The old Focus had a healthy cache of performance parts available in the Ford Racing catalog, and a few parts for the 2012 Focus and Fiesta have begun to trickle in—including B-Spec road-racing pieces for the Fiesta. So far, there’s no word on pricing, but stay tuned this spring.

Source : Google Reader

Volvo Designer Re-Imagines the 1960s-Era P1800 Sports Car for Its 50th Anniversary

Volvo Designer Re-Imagines the 1960s-Era P1800 Sports Car for Its 50th Anniversary:

To honor the 50th anniversary of its P1800, Volvo had its design director Christopher Benjamin pen a few sketches of what he thinks the P1800 of today might look like. An attractive 2+2 coupe that first bowed in 1961, the P1800 was later joined by an even-cooler hatchback/shooting brake iteration. In its day, the P1800 was more of a grand tourer than a sports car, but over its lifespan, it was still the sportiest member of Volvo’s lineup.

Benjamin’s sketches, posted on Facebook for public feedback, show a thoroughly modern coupe that borrows just enough detail from the classic P1800 for a familial link, but not so much that it can be considered retro. The basic grille shape and well-balanced proportions are shared with the old car, and Benjamin also incorporated the P1800’s signature upswept body-side character line. He even cleverly echoed that car’s “bull horn” front bumpers with subtle character lines on the concept’s front fascia.

The original coupe’s design was so good that it went nearly unchanged until it went out of production 11 years later in 1972. The hatchback model, called the ES, joined the lineup in 1971 and lasted until 1973. Its all-glass hatch served as inspiration for the current C30‘s funky rear end. With Volvo canceling less-profitable models left and right, it seems unlikely to devote resources to a low-volume sports car. Then again, CEO Stefan Jacoby has made it clear that the company is thinking about a replacement for the C70; maybe these sketches will influence that car’s shape.

Source : Google Reader

2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid: Mo’ Battery, Mo’ Mileage

2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid: Mo’ Battery, Mo’ Mileage:

After years of development capped by a painstaking study of 600 pre-production cars around the world, Toyota is finally ready to launch the plug-in Prius, which goes on sale in the spring of 2012.

Keep Reading: 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid – Official Photos and Info

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2013 Scion FR-S First Drive: Delivering On Its Promise

2013 Scion FR-S First Drive: Delivering On Its Promise:

The U.S.-market sister ship to the Subaru BRZ, the Scion FR-S will go on sale this spring. It is an unusual car for parent company Toyota, or at least the Toyota of late. Before the creation of the FR-S, Akio Toyoda (president of Toyota, and grandson of the company’s founder) asked himself, “Where is the passion in our lineup? I want to build a sports car.”

Keep Reading: 2013 Scion FR-S – First Drive Review

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2012 10Best: 10Best Military Vehicles

2012 10Best: 10Best Military Vehicles:

Because some of the most purposeful vehicles are also the coolest.

The HMMWV is so last conflict. Take a look at the latest wheeled ordnance—from here and abroad—that some of the world’s militaries are using. Beige never looked so bad-ass.

Keep Reading: 2012 10Best: 10Best Military Vehicles – 10Best Cars

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Next-Generation Full-Size Ford Transit to Partially Replace E-Series Van in 2013

Next-Generation Full-Size Ford Transit to Partially Replace E-Series Van in 2013:

Yesterday Ford announced that the long-serving E-series vans will be directly replaced by a global full-size Transit. We already knew the next Transit would be sold here in the U.S., but it wasn’t clear whether it would be sold alongside the E-series or replace it outright. The answer is mostly the latter.

The majority of the E-series lineup will be succeeded by the Transit, but the heavier-duty E-series chassis cabs will stick around. These larger, stripped chassis underpin box trucks, motor homes, and other beasts of burden. Aside from the chassis cabs, though, the E-series line will go the way of the dodo sometime after 2013. The passenger version of the E-series will continue to be produced for a short while after the Transit goes on sale, presumably until the passenger Transit arrives.

The current Euro Transit is available in a variety of different drivetrain, chassis, and cab configurations, including front- and rear-wheel drive, high and low roofs, various wheelbases, and numerous engines—including, of course, diesels. While Ford didn’t explicitly confirm it, a good chunk of that variety should make it here. Ford reps stress that the Transit will be a direct replacement of the E-series, which we take to mean we’ll get the rear-driver, as well as multiple wheelbases and lighter-duty chassis cabs. Diesels? Ford isn’t talking powertrains yet, but we’ll have another opportunity to dig for info when the Transit makes its North American debut, probably at the upcoming Chicago auto show. The likelihood of a sport model making it here? An enthusiast can hope…

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GM President Mark Reuss Builds His Ultimate Car from the GM Parts Bin

GM President Mark Reuss Builds His Ultimate Car from the GM Parts Bin:

The term “parts-bin special” refers to a new car built from the parts of other existing cars. It’s typically a pejorative. What, we wondered, would a car-guy auto executive, with all his company’s resources at his disposal, do to rehabilitate this notion? So we asked Mark Reuss, GM’s North American president, to stitch together his dream car out of GM’s parts bins. Reuss has a unique knowledge of the General’s many component containers, having headed up architecture ­engineering, launched GM’s performance division, overseen global virtual development, and run Holden in Australia before landing in his current role. Like the Cadillac worker in the famous Johnny Cash song, Reuss ­managed to sneak out his parts-bin dream car “one piece at a time.”

Illustration by Bryan Christie Design

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