RPMGO Car Blog |
- Electric Superbike Obtains Great Results
- History Lesson – Ferrari 410 S
- Quick Look – 2011 Infiniti G25 Journey
- 2012 Audi A6 Launched
- Top 50 Worst Cars In All History PART 4
- Beijing traffic force authorites to implement lottery system for new cars
| Electric Superbike Obtains Great Results Posted: 13 Jan 2011 02:44 AM PST Chip Yates is responsible for creating an electric superbike that will beat the hell out of many gas-powered high-performance bikes. He definitely has made racing history by proving the viability of electric-powered motorcycles by going on track head-to-head with race-ready conventional bikes, and beating them, at least some of them. His project took several months to complete and he managed to grab a podium finish in two classes at the WERA Heavyweight Twins races. He beat most of the Suzukis, like the SV650, most of the KTMs, like the RC8 as well as most of the very fast Ducati 848s. His TTXGP electric bike benefits from a lot of innovations and shows all of us the enormous potential of the technology which will certainly develop in the years to come. He has been in motorcycles races since 2007 and in 2009 he moved to the AMA. Last year he started thinking about what alternative fuels would be the most suitable and he teamed up with Swigz.com Pro Racing USA and started working on an electric motorcycle that can churn 194 hp and 295 pound feet of torque. Although this superbike was designed in order to meet the TTXGP requirements, it is now ineligible due to the fact that TTXGP recently adopted a 250-kg weight limit for the new open class. Yates took his creation and did a couple of laps in December at the Infineon Raceway, located north of San Francisco. However, doing a few laps on your own is one thing while racing with a bunch of worthy competitors is another. For this reason, the guys over at Swigz took the bike to the WERA Motorcycle Road Racing Heavyweight Twins races which are organized in Fontana, sunny Cali. On Saturday they did about six practice laps of the circuit and they were basically pleased with how the e-moto ran. However, one of the 102 lithium-polymer cells started creating problems so they decided to take the bike back to Aliso Viejo, where the shop is, in order to find out what is wrong with it. They found out what the problem was: a cell in the pack was the issue and they replaced it. On Sunday, Yates managed to finish with his e-moto on second place in the superstock expert class and after that he managed to grab the third position in the superbike expert class against heavy names like the Ducati 848. Although the bike is not certainly one of the most beautiful you have ever seen, it is blazing fast. Yates managed to reach a top speed of 158 mph while on the AutoClub Speedway, managing to grab a fastest lap of 1:39,792, quite impressive. However, Yates is not completely satisfied with the bike and with the addition of a new motor controller and the updated software; he believes that his e-moto is capable of punching 240 hp, which is more than a MotoGP bike. His goal isn't exclusively to see how much power such an electrical bike can have, but to further improve the power-to-weight ratio of his electrical machine which has a curb weight of 585 pounds. It is quite a heavy bike mainly because of the heavy batteries but there isn't much he can do in shaving off a few pounds from these cells. However, he is working on reducing the bike's weight in other areas while at the same time improving the aerodynamics. He has strong hopes of going to the WERA race which will occur in May at the Miller Motorsports Park in Utah, USA; with the help of a couple of sponsors. Source: Wired.com Post published on Rpmgo.com   |
| History Lesson – Ferrari 410 S Posted: 13 Jan 2011 02:13 AM PST  Ferrari 410 S The legendary Enzo Ferrari set his mind to win the 1955 Racing Championship and he had to win the last race of the season in order to accomplish his objective. The last race was the most difficult, the race-car-killing 1000-mile Carrera Panamericana. His only chance was to create the company's very first supercar and indeed he made it – the 1955 Ferrari 410 S. The car was equipped with a massive V12 4.9-liter engine with 24 spark plug and four distributors, churning almost 400 hp under the bonnet that was so large, it extended to the front fenders. The chassis of the 410 S as well as other components were made double strength in order to handle the difficult roads. For his first supercar, he wanted the best driver of those times and he got Juan Manuel Fangio. He had the best car and the best driver but he didn't manage to fulfill his dream as a terrible accident at Le Mans killed almost 100 spectators and after that incident the racing season was cancelled. Enzo sold the car to John Edgar and once it arrived in the United States, Carroll Shelby himself entered the car's first race which he won. One year later Shelby managed to win the Americans Drivers Championships and after the win he affirmed that it was the best Ferrari he had ever driven. Enzo himself said that the 410 S is the best Ferrari he ever made. In 1957, Shelby finished 2nd at the Cuban Grand Prix with the 410 S. To find out more about the origins of this car we need to go back in 1949 when the company's 12-cylinder engine was only 1.5-liters in size. Eventually, in 1953 the size of the power unit had grown to 5-liters. One year later, a Ferrari 375 Plus, fitted with a 4.9-liter power unit entered the demanding 24 Hours of LeMans and won. The engineers at Ferrari wanted a smaller, lighter and compact engine that could prove to be a more worthy competitor against the larger engines. In addition, these smaller engines were more fuel efficient.  Ferrari 410 S Before the full development of Ferrari's 6-cylinder engines progressed, the company came out with a final set of the massive V12-powered cars. The 410 model was made around the "long block" power unit and constructed specifically for the newly built Mexican speedway. The 4962 cc power unit was able to output 380 hp, linked to the 5-speed manual gearbox which was very suitable for that engine, especially at high speeds. Ferrari's biggest issues with the 375 series of cars were in the chassis so they decided to create a shortened oval tube frame and they reinforced it by using triangular cross-braces. As a consequence, handling was considerably better and the large drum brakes which were installed in a position from which they could be cooled more efficiently, were located on all four corners, in order to efficiently stop the car from high speeds. The responsibility for the body was handed over to Scaglietti, who was a popular coachbuilder, especially known for his lightweight designs as well as streamlined creations. Only two units of the Ferrari 410 S work cars were ever made and they wore the chassis number 0596 CM and 0598 CM. The "S" stands for sport in the factory works cars and for the customer cars, which were made in a very limited number, it means "Speciale". Most of these custom cars were made for racing with the exception of one that was a road going car, Michael Cavallier, who was at those times the company's board of directors.  Ferrari 410 S The two 410 S models were up and running for the Mexican rally but the race was cancelled because of the lack of personnel to guard the road ways from spectators. In addition, in the previous years there were many accidents and the road conditions were very poor. These works cars had a very limited international racing career and they only raced in the 1956 edition of the Buenos Aires Grand Prix, where both of them had to retire due to mechanical problems. One of these two cars was later on bought by Sture Nottrop who was a Swedish privateer. He drove it in some racing circuits with a somewhat mild success. The other one was purchased by someone in the United States who, in close collaboration with Carroll Shelby, managed to grab many wins. Source: ConceptCarz.com Post published on Rpmgo.com  |
| Quick Look – 2011 Infiniti G25 Journey Posted: 13 Jan 2011 01:23 AM PST  2011 Infiniti G25 Journey The G25 is Infiniti's entry-level sedan and is the perfect solution for those that cannot afford its bigger brother, the G37. With a lower base price and a smoother V6 engine, it offers a pretty good package. To do a better differentiation between these two models, Infiniti decided the drop a significant amount of additional equipment for the G25 and in comparison to the G37, the smaller brother is not available with the 10-speaker Bose stereo system, 18-inch rims, navigation and paddle shifters. However, the Journey trim which is the most expensive G25 money can buy, comes with 17-inch alloy rims, auto headlights, tilting/telescoping steering wheel, auto up/down windows, auto-dimming rearview mirror, iPod connectivity, Bluetooth support, keyless ignition, dual-zone climate control, leather upholstery, heated mirrors and 8-way adjustable power/heated seats. The only option available for the highest trim is the $1,000 power sliding moonroof. Add to this the destination fees and the 2011 Infiniti G25 Journey will set you back exactly $34,225. It is only a few thousands away from the entry-level G37 and only a couple of hundreds cheaper than the Lexus IS 250 which goes for $34,690 (base price). The Lexus has less horsepower under its hood and lacks several of the options offered by the G25.  2011 Infiniti G25 Journey The Infiniti G25 follows the design lines of its more expensive sibling, featuring just about the same elegantly sporty rugged looks. The 17-inch rims are the same ones available for the G37, which makes it hard for almost anyone to differentiate the cars, without looking first at the rear trunk badge. Of course, the situation is a little bit different under the hood as the G25 is fitted with a 2.5-liter V6 engine that churns 218 hp and 187 pound-feet of torque. The 3.7-liter engine of the G37 produces 100 hp more, but the G25 has a few weight advantages, but not that relevant. With its 2.5-liter V6 engine, the Infiniti G25 will do the 0-60 mph sprint in 7.6 seconds and it will need about 15.7 seconds for the quarter-mile trap which will occur at 90.9 mph. As far as real road conditions, the car does a pretty good job, without standing out in any category. The acceleration of the G25 feels more than adequate; the gear changes are quite smooth and fast, with the same 7-speed automatic gearbox as the one found in the G37. The handling of the car is borderline perfect, making the car pretty enjoyable to drive.  2011 Infiniti G25 Journey The Infiniti G25 has a curb weight of 3514 lb, divided 53% in the front and 47% in the back. The car will do 20 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. CO2 emissions stand at 0.83 lb/mile. It is certainly one of the good budget-oriented RWD sedans available and Infiniti made a good decision introducing this model. However, taking into consideration that the G27 is only a few thousand dollars away, we are curios to find out if the little brother will gain some fans that are comfortable with a lower engine power and less features. Source: MotorTrend.com Post published on Rpmgo.com  |
| Posted: 13 Jan 2011 12:42 AM PST  2012 Audi A6 Audi decided to roll out the big guns at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show and presented the 2012 A6 model in all its glory, along with the hybrid version. Following the design lines of its bigger brother, the A8, the mid-range sedan is without any doubt a very beautiful car. Measuring 16.14 ft long and 6.14 ft wide, but only 4.79 ft high, it has the best sporty proportions in this segment. The dynamic overall look of the car was created by the prominent lines on the flank, the sweeping roofline and the long engine hood. In my opinion, it is one of the best looking cars launched at Detroit, along with Hyundai's Veloster three-door coupe. Personally I like the hybrid's color better than the red of the regular model, but it is only a matter of taste. The 2012 A6 will be available with two gas engines and three diesel power units. The fuel consumption through the entire model line has decreased to max 19% in comparison with the outgoing generation. One of the most interesting engines would have to be the 2.0 TDI (linked to a manual gearbox) which will do 48 mpg (4.9 L / 100 km) and emit only 129g CO2 km. The engines available for the new A6 develop between 177 hp (130 kW) and 300 hp (220 kW), all of them benefiting from the Start/Stop function, thermal management concept and energy recovery system.  2012 Audi A6 Regarding the drivertains available, customers will have to choose from one of the following: 6-speed manual gearbox, continuously variable multitronic and the all-new Sporty S tronic. Depending on the selection of the power unit, the 2012 A6 is available with either a front wheel drive or with the proprietary Quattro permanent all-wheel drive. For the top-of-the-line power units, the German manufacturer will offer an optional sport differential. The 3.0 TDI engine is capable of outputting 245 hp and 368.78 lb-ft of torque between 1,400 and 3,250 revs. 0-60 mph is done in only 6.1 seconds, onto a limited top speed of 155 mph. The most powerful gasoline engine will be the 3.0 TFSI V6 that will output 300 hp and 324 lb-ft of torque. It will need only 5,5 seconds to reach 60 mph and to speed will be 155 mph. The car will do 26 mpg and emit 190g of CO2.  2012 Audi A6 Hybrid Later on, Audi will be introducing the A6 Hybrid which will be the second hybrid model after the Q5 hybrid Quattro. It will feature a 2.0 TFSI 211 hp engine that will work close in hand with the electric motor, capable of outputting 45 hp and 155 lb-ft of torque. The compact lithium-ion battery will be installed in the crash-protected area of the luggage compartment and will be capable of providing 1.3 kWh of nominal power, generating 39 kW. The hybrid version of the A6 will be able reach 62 mph running only on electric mode and on a constant speed of 37 mph, it will have a range of 3 km. It will need 7.3 seconds for the 0-60 mph sprint, onto a top speed of 147 mph. The car will do 37 mpg and its CO2 emissions stand at 142 g / km. As standard, the 2012 Audi A6 will come with MMI radio complete with a generous 6.5-inch monitor, adaptive brake light, tire pressure monitoring system, start-stop button, front center armrest, two-zone air conditioning system, alloy wheels and Audi's pre sense basic system. As far as safety is concerned, the car packs two front side and head airbags along with four belt tensioners plus Audi's head restraint system.  2012 Audi A6 Hybrid Some of the most important optional features of the A6 include: the jaw-dropping 1,300-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system, TV module, digital radio tuner, Bose surround sound, Bluetooth car phone and others as well. In addition, the A6 can be fitted with xenon plus LED headlights with LED taillights, plus adaptive light with the headlight range control. The car will be available for sale in a couple of weeks at a base price of 38,500 Euros (in Germany). Post published on Rpmgo.com  |
| Top 50 Worst Cars In All History PART 4 Posted: 13 Jan 2011 12:05 AM PST Welcome back to the fourth part of our extensive article and prepare to learn more about some cars that shouldn't have been given the green light for production. If you haven't read part 1, 2 and 3, now would be a good time to do it.  Ferrari Mondial Even Ferrari made a few mistakes in its long and prolific history; we are talking about the first Mondial model which was a real disaster. Based on the chassis of the 308 model, the Mondial was quite a heavy and large 2+2 coupe that had a V8 mid-engine with only 214 hp to churn. Plus, the transistor-based electronics were full of bugs and eventually every system of the car would fail. Although it was one of the few "affordable" Ferraris launched, the fact that the electric system was a disaster, the car wasn't very successful. The company later on improved the Mondial but people already knew what was wrong with it and avoided it.  Cadillac Fleetwood V-8-6-4 These days there are many cars that feature cylinder deactivation, like the 2008 Honda Accord V6 which is a wonderful idea in my opinion to save fuel. When the power unit is running at light loads, it is logical to shut off the unneeded cylinders to save a couple of gallons of fuel. Cadillac tried this in the early 80s with the Fleetwood V-8-6-4 but during those days the on-board computers and semiconductors were still in their variable, infancy displacement and things didn't go that well for the Caddy. We have to take our hats off for General Motors for trying this but the Fleetwood was a horrible car as it stalled, bucked, made awful noises and it jerked. For many people, this was the last time they took into consideration purchasing a Cadillac.  De Lorean DMC-12 Remember the movie Back to the Future? John Z. De Lorean is the creator of the famous De Lorean DMC-12 and he managed to make 8,582 units of this stainless-steel time-traveling hotrod. Because of its poor Peugeot V6 2.8-liter engine the car was heavily underpowered and it didn't stand a chance. Add to this the fact that it was very expensive, you can figure out for yourself that it wasn't a hit back in the 80s. The car was designed by Giugiaro and you have to admit that it looks cool even now after 30 years. The Texas-based company that controls the rights to the name recently announced that they will build a limited number of new DMC-12's.  Cadillac Cimarron Another Cadillac made it into our list and this time we are talking about the Cimarron model launched in the early 80s. Think about all of the things that were wrong with General Motors during those days and you will find them in this car. It is considered to be the most awful car ever made by Cadillac. It had a 4-speed manual gearbox and was based on the J-platform sedans but was loaded up with chintzy accessories and fabrics. Add to this the fact that it was a couple of thousands more expensive than the Cavalier; you can imagine that it was a flop.  Chevrolet Iron Duke Chevrolet decided back in the early 80s to make their own Mustang-killer and they came up with the Iron Duke. Featuring an embarrassing 2.5-liter 92 hp engine that was linked to a three-speed gearbox (like the one in the California Corvette) the car was shamefully slow. It needed about 20 seconds to reach 60 mph, turning this Mustang-killer into a worthy competitor for a tricycle. The car looked cool though…  Maserati Biturbo Back to Italy and this time we find the Maserati Biturbo. Conceived as an authentic grand touring sedan, this car was the result of an under-funded company that was struggling to avoid bankruptcy. The car was a piece of junk as it leaked, burned, snap or rupture, basically everything that could have gone wrong, did. An even more awful car was the TC model launched in the early 90s, which was a version of Chrysler's Le Baron and had the Mazzer Trident on the nose.  Mosler Consulier GTP The Mosler Consulier GTP was created by Warren Mosler, an excellent investor and economist who wanted to have his own sports racer. He took bits and parts from other cars, carefully watching the curb weight of the car. Indeed, it was a very light car (fiberglass body) and offered a very good power-to-weight ratio. It did so good in racing that it was eventually banned. So, what is wrong with it you might say? Look at it, it is without any doubt one of the ugliest cars in the world and it seems like Mosler thought about everything, leaving only one thing behind: design. The GTP looks like an East German kit-car and this isn't a good thing, not by far.  Yugo GV Remember the Bricklin SV1 we mentioned in a previous part of our article? Malcolm Bricklin was the creator of that awful car but he didn't stop there as in 1985 he began importing the Yugo GV, a car made in the Soviet-bloc which had a very interesting feature that I'm sure you haven't seen in another car: besides the carpet listed as a standard feature, the Yugo had a rear-window defroster that would serve for keeping your hands warm while you pushed it. The engine was a mess and the electrical system was a total fiasco.  Lamborghini LM002 The Lamborghini LM002 was not a bad car at all, but taking into consideration its clientele, it had to be listed here. Purchased by spoiled young Saudi sheiks, Uday Hussein (Saddam's son) and other wealthy people from Libya and Saudi Arabia, it has earned its spot here.  Lotus Elite The last car in this article is the fiberglass Lotus Elite which had a curb weight of only 1,100. The car won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in its class for six times but on the long run, the suspension was awful and the unreinforced fiberglass couldn't take the structural strain. Join us tomorrow for the final part of our article. Post published on Rpmgo.com  |
| Beijing traffic force authorites to implement lottery system for new cars Posted: 12 Jan 2011 05:25 AM PST  Every major city in the world is facing traffic problems, with millions of cars crowding the cities. And while some cities manage this issue pretty easy, by introducing taxes, restricting traffic or perfecting the public transport system, it seems that the situation in Beijing is pretty dramatic, because the authorities turned to a lottery system to control the number of newly registered cars in the Chinese capital. Why thy may look drastic, apparently no other solution worked especially considering 850,000 new cars were bought last year, turning the total number of registered cars in Beijing to almost 5 million, with 30,000 units being sold in one week, in mid-December. This also made Beijing authorities ban new car sales on December 24, ban which will be lifted on January 26, the date when the first new cars lottery will take place. According to authorities, a number of 20,000 units will be allowed per month, with registrations being admitted until the 25th of the month and the lottery taking place the next day. There are already more than 100,000 registrations for the lottery, 53,549 of which applied on the first day, on January 1. This only applies to new cars, because people whose cars are stolen, destroyed or traded will not have to get inline for the lottery and will be able to buy directly a new car. The estimation for 2011 is that beside the 240,000 cars from the lottery, around 160,000 will be purchased outside the lottery system. Beijing authorities also took some other measures to contain traffic, such as increased parking fees and ban cars not registered in Beijing from driving in the city at rush hours, measure which is aimed at stopping Beijing drivers from getting around the restriction and registering a car in another city. [Source: Bloomberg] Post published on Rpmgo.com  |
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