finding the signal in an industry filled with noise
Not even a Lexus is immune to the laws of physics…
As long as the road is smooth, it’s a serene ride, but sealed cracks and potholes in the pavement kill the serenity. Even in its soft setting, the adjustable suspension can’t compensate for the reinforced sidewalls of the Dunlop run-flat tires. – Car And Driver
As I hinted at months ago, VW has officially announced the 7 speed version of it’s DSG tranny. One caveat: for now at least its available with the 1.4L TSI engine, not with larger, torquier motors which makes a lot of sense when you think about it: while marketers tend to add more ratios to larger engined models it’s the smaller, efficiency minded mills that need the extra cogs the most…
the Spectra’s tall roof and big windows create a bright, airy ambiance. Japanese cars used to have interiors like this: simple, mood-enhancing, with low cowls and easy sight-lines. While they’ve gotten somber and techy, Kia serves up the old cheery, pretense-free flavor.—TTAC
Carmakers like SUVs for the same reason they like coupes, and more so – convertibles: they can charge a lot more for ‘em. Same goes for all wheel drive (cost: a few hundred tops, retail cost: thousands) or larger displacement engine in the same family (Someone explain why a 3.0L 6 cylinder costs more than a 2.5L 6 cylinder when they have the same number of parts? Some companies command $5K+ for the privilege).
The latest moneymaker: third row seating, in many cases right where the crumple zone was meant to be and no airbags either.
When cars get bigger, marketers cite growing waistlines. But as award winning L.A. TImes writer Dan Neil cites:
If the average family size in the United States is 3.84—so sayeth the U.S. Census Bureau—and the average number of children younger than 18 in those families is holding steady at 1.86, well, why the sudden pressing need for more seats? ...The rise of third-row seating, it seems to me, is a classic case of a manufactured need. Most people who spend the extra money don’t actually need a sixth and seventh seat; it’s merely that they have been possessed with the anxiety of not having them. My God, one day we might have friends, and then what will we do?
In this piece on the new TT (worth a read in its own right) one of my favorite new journalists explains the differences between three kinds of cars. So next time someone says one car is ‘better’ than another, ask them to clarify which kind of car they gravitate towards…
The Driver’s Car – It’s hard to explain unless you’ve driven one, but there are cars in this world that are just as fun to drive at 15 mph through a school zone as they are to blast down back roads. They are cars like the first-generation Mazda Miata, the original VW GTI, and the BMW E30 M3. They are cars that read the road surface to your fingertips with all the subtlety of a megaphone, that demand all of your attention all of the time. They don’t necessarily need to be that capable (and by modern standards, those that I’ve mentioned aren’t); they just need to be communicative and involving.
The Atari Car – Cars to which I refer as “Atari Cars” are a modern phenomenon. They are cars that feel like a video game. Atari Cars are immensely capable – they can often out-perform supercars without even breaking a sweat. And that lack of sweat defines them – they shrug off insane speeds and laugh at corners. Nothing unsettles their suspension. They’re so good that the driver has no idea how fast he’s actually driving. These are cars like Audi’s very own RS4, a Mercedes E63 AMG, Bentley Continental GT, and, to a lesser extent, cars like the Subaru WRX STi.
The Sports Car – A sports car (in the World According to Me) is that rare car that combines the communication of a Driver’s Car with the capability of an Atari Car. The quintessential sports car that comes to mind is the Porsche 911. It, like other sports cars (the Ferrari F430 and Lotus Elise come to mind), is among the world’s most capable machines, and yet remains so communicative and interactive that its owners take the long way to the grocery store.
Toyota rushed the 5.7-liter engine into production in time for the Tundra’s February launch. The 5.7-liter initially was scheduled to arrive this summer. But Toyota dealers and product planners told the manufacturing arm that the Tundra needed the big V-8 at launch because the 4.7-liter V-8 would not make a strong enough statement. The 5.7-liter represents more than 70 percent of the engine mix. Toyota’s top executives repeatedly have stated their concern that Toyota is growing too quickly to keep quality at past high levels. – Automotive News
Reuters reports that Nissan has warned owners that its intelligent key can be rendered useless if placed in the same pocket as a cell phone. (For those of you who don’t know, this is Nissan’s version of the new generation of car keys that allow you to get into and start the car so long as the key is on your person). When your hotel room key forgets who you are, help is an elevator ride away – this might mean you’re forced to spend the night in a hotel.
No word on whether other brands’ similar keys are vulnerable but you might want to get into the habit of dedicating pockets.
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Mini is fitting every car in its range with stop-start technology that switches off the engine when the vehicle is stationary, and an alternator that charges the battery during braking. Cars fitted with manual gearboxes will also be fitted with a display that tells the driver the best gear to use for optimum economy.The additions will come at no extra cost and have no impact on top speed or acceleration figures. They improve fuel consumption by 6.9% on the Cooper, 10.3% on the Cooper S. – What Car?
It’s not quite common knowledge yet but some people are starting to understand that tires – because they are made of rubber – have a certain operating range within which the rubber adheres to the road surface. Go above that and the rubber becomes greasy and is prone to tearing, go below it and it reaches its ‘glass point’ and gets hard and slippery.
For this reason your average ‘all-season’ tire gets slippery on a dry cold day below about 40 degrees and your average performance tire gets slippery below about 55 degrees until you warm them up. It of course varies from tire to tire but something on the TireRack website got me thinking – apparently once you expose tires to extreme cold permanent damage can occur!
Like the motorsports tires this Extreme Performance street tire has evolved from, the ADVAN Neova AD07 radial’s construction and compounds have been tuned to maximize the tire’s traction and performance within a specific range of ambient temperatures. Therefore, unlike less highly-tuned tires, Yokohama’s care instructions specify that due to its compound characteristics, ADVAN Neova tires must be used and stored at temperatures above -10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) to maintain its performance and avoid tire damage.
Scroll down on this page for a refreshingly visual discussion of cam timing and lift…