Recent Comments:
F1 teams debating introduction of KERS for 2009 {Autoblog}
Jul 24th 2008 10:11PM F1 is all about developing performance devices that often translate
to road car spin offs, i.e., paddle shifters, duel clutches and
hydraulic valves. The management of F1 constantly does a balance act
of challenging the teams to develop efficient cars with cleaner
chassis and smaller engines; all the while limiting the speed and
power so the cars will run fairly safely on the circuits.
The teams are now being challenged by the hybrid boost requirements
and I'm sure they will develop the devices, come hail or arsenic.
F1 teams debating introduction of KERS for 2009 {Autoblog}
Jul 24th 2008 9:46PM F1 is all about developing performance devices that often translate to road car spin offs, i.e., paddle shifters, duel clutches and hydraulic valves. The management of F1 constantly does a balance act of challenging the teams to develop efficient cars with cleaner chassis and smaller engines; all the while limiting the speed and power so the cars will run fairly safely on the circuits.
The teams are now being challenged by the hybrid boost requirements and I'm sure they will develop the devices, come hell or arsenic.
Top Gear crashes England's only Nissan GT-R press car {Autoblog}
Jul 23rd 2008 12:43AM If you work it right you could lose the bondo on the first turn, lighten the car and improve your lap time.
F1 mechanic gets a big shock from KERS {Autoblog}
Jul 23rd 2008 12:01AM No question working with high voltage batteries will require a new approach to maintain F1 cars. However, you can bet new rules will shortly follow the installation of hybrids...that's the F1 way
Top Gear crashes England's only Nissan GT-R press car {Autoblog}
Jul 22nd 2008 3:15PM Hey! it's only sheet metal; but, expensive sheet metal, I'll bet.
VIDEO: The Stig runs the GT-R around Top Gear's track {Autoblog}
Jul 20th 2008 11:42PM Would be interesting to see what the Stig could do with the car if he turned off all the nannies. With the nannies, it's all point and shoot!
VIDEO: Hank and Joe, the electric car guys {Autoblog Green}
Jul 12th 2008 11:09PM Nice conversion to a city car; the installation looks very neatly done and will designed.
As pointed out in the piece, this wouldn't do as a long distance daily driver; however, with modifications to the electronics and using Li Ion batteries, it might someday be a very practical car.
I have need thinking (or is that dreaming?) for sometime now of converting a Datsun 240Z track car to electric drive; but haven't gotten much pass the design stage because of the costs of high performance electrical components...maybe some day!
Wagoner: GM didn't build hybrids because nobody wanted them {Autoblog Green}
Jul 12th 2008 2:27PM There are those who say GM and the oil lobby working together stalled BEV development.
Until recently, the oil companies, working with the Washington politicians, controlled the energy policy and were able to control auto fuel prices by adjusting the supply.
That's no longer the case because of the new players in the energy market, i.g., China and India. And, the world-wide commodities exchanges are setting the price of oil and have taken price control away from the oil companies.
In the long run, this will force us to become less dependent on foreign oil; but, during this short run of time the pain will be great until we can bring plug in electric cars and fast electric trains to market and start creating power using solar based energy.
GM tells the Feds that the Volt and plug-ins aren't going to help with CAFE {Autoblog}
Jul 10th 2008 6:16PM Nissan and Renault have an agreement with Project Better Place to produce BEVs for Israel. Nissan will supply the battery and Renault will provide the chassis. These two companies will lead the parade to bring mass produced BEVs to market. Expect to see an example in the U.S. next year and production in 2010.
Japan's automakers focus on weight loss, one ounce at a time {Autoblog}
Jul 8th 2008 12:06AM Right on; Colin Chapman said: "Add Lightness!"
The big thing among some of the local daily drivers who drive 80-100 miles, is to buy a used three cylinder Suzuki Swift take out the back seats and any other unused weight and use it as a beater commuter. They start out at about 1800lbs.
