Recent Comments:
Autoblog Podcast #92 {Autoblog}
Apr 10th 2008 6:20PM Umm, the new Jag XF is not based on the XK, it's a refreshed S-type platform. Ford didn't have the budget to create a new platform, so it's S-Type 2.0. It reuses some of the XK suspension components, but they're still bolted to the PAG platform.
Autoblog Podcast #84 {Autoblog}
Jan 10th 2008 3:41PM Yes, the 3.7 in the Mazda CX-9 is Ford's Cyclone (Duratec) motor, Mazda calls it MZI.
VIDEO: EcoBoost-equipped Taurus drag races Cadillac and BMW {Autoblog}
Jan 9th 2008 7:06PM Umm, VW Group has sold a million plus 2.0T DI Turbo motors, the only VW Group products that don't use it are the super mini's, the SUV's, and the A8, there are more than 20 models that use it. The 05-06 RS6 used a twin turbo DI V8, granted only 10k or so were sold, and BMW will sell a couple hundred k a year as the 3.0TT is going to be available in everything, and the Mini/PSA 1.6T will sell around 200k units a year too.
Ford, and GM and Chrysler's, problems relate not to having the tech, but having WAY too many powertrain options for proper economies of scale to work as well as it could. Ford's modular V8's are ancient by powertrain perspectives, and GM has a myriad of low feature V6's, move that capacity to diesel production, big initial investment, but if they don't do it, they'll be way behind. Just like being late to the high feature V6 party, Chrysler not even there yet. They're dev costs of existing powertrains have to have been cap costed for years, the GM 3.5-3.8's and ford 4.0 go back to 80's in current design, and the 60's in architecture.
Most of the other manufacturer's have a dozen powertrains, and many of them are derivative, ie the BMW 3.0TT is the 3.0 with different top end, all the inline 6's share bore centers etc., so does the 4.0 V8 and the 5.0, new 4.4TT share turbo components blah blah blah.
My wife has an A3 2.0T and I have a 335i, and both are great, fantastic. My mom has a Lincoln MKZ and a TT version of the 3.5 in that would be quite nice, but the fact is the chassis dev of the fusion/MKZ and the Volvo P1? platform just aren't built for high performance, Caddy CTS is a different story, I'm dropping my 335i for a new CTS-V when they come out, as long as it comes in under the M3, CTS-V is a total bada$$.
You can look at what the perf of the 3.5TT will do, right now, look at the Volvo S80 with v8 and the 3.0TT and you'll be in the ballpark, just a little too much fwd bias for optimal performance. But, think about a Mustang with that motor, hmm, for 25k, that would be both crazy fast, and a bargain, or a fusion AWD with the 2.0T, it's the new Mazda MS6, for less, that shouldn't take much dev, as the fusion is a modded Mazda6.
