Recent Comments:
Cobb Tuning gives the GT-R a serious bump in power {Autoblog}
Aug 21st 2008 7:55PM I suspect that was a ploy on Nissan's part - brag it had an uncrackable ECU, and tuning shops will go into a mad rush to be the first to crack it.
EPIC calls for some unity on the ethanol issue, darnit {Autoblog Green}
Jul 4th 2008 3:50PM Ethanol does have an advantage as cheap race fuel - I recall once seeing an E85 Mustang walk off with the most horsepower award at a dyno shootout, and they'd brought a four cylinder to run against V8s!
But environmentally, I don't see corn based ethanol being a long term solution. You grow an entire corn plant to just make ethanol from the kernels, and the distillation technology they use isn't just a mature technology now, it was a mature technology when Jack Daniels set up his still in the 19th century. I don't see much room for improvement.
The corn ethanol industry has been responsible for a lot of the disunity. There's a limited amount of money that is available for environmental causes, like it or not, and way too much of it has gone into places like Archer Daniels Midland's pockets. I'd respect EPIC's call for unity a lot more if they also called for Big Agriculture to do their part towards unity - maybe calling for a complete abolition of corn ethanol subsidies so the idea could stand on its own merits instead of wasting tax dollars.
No brainer of the day! GM to bring Chevy Beat to US market {Autoblog Green}
Jul 4th 2008 3:33PM GM building it that way? Not going to happen. Some psychopath with a welder and Sawzall building a V8 powered Beat? I'd expect that to show up a month after it goes on sale.
In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Mazda MX-5 Miata Retractable Hard Top {Autoblog}
Jun 29th 2008 4:29PM I've ridden in a turbo Miata around an autocross course and the shop I work for has tuned several others. While they're not entirely lag-free, they're still quite drivable. A Miata with a turbo does have an entirely different character, though - it goes from a friendly little roadster to a stupid fast road monster that is a lot less forgiving to drive.
Veteran journalist John McElroy calls for EV1 revival; too bad it's not that simple {Autoblog Green}
Jun 28th 2008 9:03PM I thought the idea of GM dusting off a design that's over 10 years old and putting it into production sounded crazy enough for other reasons. My first thought is that GM takes enough criticism for keeping designs in production past their expiration date (the Cavalier and the 60 degree V6 come to mind). Bringing a 10 year old design back unchanged isn't going to do their reputation for quality any favors. While it is a different segment, jumping in with a deliberately obsolete design isn't going to help them in the long run. Putting the Volt into production would be a much better idea.
As I work in the aftermarket electronics company and we've attempted to keep a device in production for over 5 years with no changes, I can't believe I didn't think of the trouble with sourcing parts.
Buick Reatta a design flop? {Autoblog}
Jun 28th 2008 4:24PM The styling was the least flop-ish aspect about it - they nailed that part of it. But the touch screen controls are a bit of a questionable idea, and imagine what enthusiasts would be saying about it if Buick had made it rear wheel drive...
Peugeot Moodif squeezy design concept {Autoblog Green}
Jan 7th 2007 6:21PM This one's really got me puzzled - what is the point of extending the center shaft? You can't really do much of anything with the space created by the extra length. And what are they going to do about torsional rigidity?
Looks like a solution in search of a problem to me.
VW IROC Concept unveiled! {Autoblog}
Aug 24th 2006 4:06PM Is that IROC as in International Race of Champions? Kind of amusing to see that circle from Germany (Porsche) to the United States (Camaros and Daytonas) and back to Germany if that's the case.
