Onboard tire inflation system a future feature

Chris Shunk — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Green, Safety, Technology

Keeping your tires inflated helps prevent rollovers, and it can improve fuel economy by 10% or more. The problem is, most people are either too lazy or too stupid to keep their tires properly filled, so technology has to step up to do our bidding for us. Tire pressure monitoring is to be standard fare on all vehicles sold in the US in 2008, but that may not be enough. The folks over at MAXAIR want to take monitoring to the next level with their patented ATMI (Automatic Tire Monitoring & Inflation) system. If your vehicle is equipped with this technology, an on-board compressor will keep your tires inflated so you'll never have to get your hands dirty at that nasty gas station fill-up again. Even more, your gas mileage will improve and the life of your tires will be extended. The price? MAXAIR plans on charging OEMs a reasonable $200 per vehicle, and we'll probably have to pony up double that number.

We don't know about you, but we think it's worth it. If you keep the vehicle for three years, between better fuel economy, improved safety, and prolonged tire life, we think you'd easily break even. What do you think?

[Source: Winding Road]

Onboard tire inflation system a future feature originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Jun 2007 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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White Fang: Novitec's 656-hp F430 Evoluzione

Noah Joseph — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:28:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Supercars, Ferrari

Nobody defines the terms "wretched excess" and "gilding the lily" quite like Novitec. Whereas countless other aftermarket tuners make their mark by transforming ordinary road cars into fire-breathing monsters, Novitec starts with the already-hottest-performing cars to grace black asphalt and then endeavors to improve upon them. In this case, the German tuning house is improving upon its own improvements with the Novitec Rosso Ferrari F430 Bi-Compressor Evoluzione.

"Evoluzione" is the magic word in both the Ferrari and Novitec houses, denoting the ludicrous taken to the extreme. (Think of insane examples like the Ferrari 288 GTO Evoluzione and you're on the right track.) In this case, the latest release from Novitec Rosso starts with their previous twin-supercharged 636-horsepower F430 and raises the stakes by an additional 20 horses, bringing total output up to an Enzo-rivaling 656hp.

In addition to the power spike - resulting from the twin Rotrex superchargers, intercoolers and remapped ECU - Novitec arms its monstrous creation with a full aerodynamic package, wheel and tire upgrade, bigger brakes, beefed-up suspension and the works. If you're the kind of customer who'd be interested in improving upon a Ferrari in the first place, chances are you'd likely be up for re-doing the interior, and Novitec offers a full range of custom leather retrofits that will turn the rare into the positively unique.

Want more? We've got the technical specs after the jump, and a batch of images in the gallery below.

[Source: Novitec via Carscoop]

Gallery: Novitec F430 Evo

Continue reading White Fang: Novitec's 656-hp F430 Evoluzione

White Fang: Novitec's 656-hp F430 Evoluzione originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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