Latest Auto News Blog: 2009

2010 Lincoln MKZ Starts at $34,965

Ford has announced the pricing for the redesigned 2010 Lincoln MKZ.

The 2010 Lincoln MKZ now features more standard features and starts at $34,965. The MKZ now comes standard with Bridge Weir leather seats, genuine wood trim, heated and cooled front seats, the popular SYNC entertainment and connectivity system, a reverse sensing system and driver multi-adjustable power seat.

The MKZ is also available with the Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert.

"Customers universally are surprised when they get into a competing vehicle and find out that they have to pay more for luxury features, such as premium leather seats," said Jonathan Richards, Lincoln MKZ Marketing manager. "That's what sets the MKZ apart from the competition. It comes standard with all the features you would expect from a world class entry-level luxury sedan."

The front-wheel-drive MKZ starts at $34,965 and the all-wheel-drive version starts at $36,855.

The Magnetic Air Car: Another Perpetual Motion Machine, Or Real?

We wrote about the Tata motors air car and how it works a while ago. But now, another air car is getting some attention, the San Jose based Magnetic Air Car. The Magnetic Air Car supposedly uses the same compressed air technology as the Tata air car initially, but differs when it gets to the actual engine. Instead of a piston engine like the Tata has, the Magnetic Car is said to use three on-board air compressors to channel the air stream towards a magnetic motor.

I’m still a bit leery about the whole magnetic motor concept in general. I’ve seen too many “perpetual motion machines” that were powered by magnetic motors. There are very few specifics from the company website, but from my understanding, the magnetic motor works by harnessing the power of the magnets repelling each other.

If the Magnetic Air Car is real, it’ll be a really interesting technology for future cars. A prototype of the car is being built at Club Auto Sport in San Jose in the near future. Hopefully we’ll be able to see how it works before 2010.

Jackie Stewart says it's time for Mosley and Ecclestone to step down

Filed under: Motorsports

Former Formula One World Champion Jackie Stewart believes that no one in the sport's paddock will dare to speak out against Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone, so he's tasked himself with the honor. Suggesting that F1 is essentially run by a cabal consisting of two men, Stewart says that Max and Bernie are too close and have too much power. This has kept the people inside the sport from speaking out about it and the situation has made the current revenue sharing plan "untenable" - all of which figures to leave an enormous vacuum whenever Bernie exits the series.

Of course, nothing Stewart says is likely to change anything. The last time Stewart said something about Mosley, Mosley called him "a certified halfwit who dresses funny." And Ecclestone has said numerous times that the day he quits F1 is the day they are putting him in the grave. Only Ecclestone's partners, CVC, could try to force him out, but since he made F1 what it what it is today, that isn't likely to happen until... they put Ecclestone in his grave.

[Source: AFP via Google]

Jackie Stewart says it's time for Mosley and Ecclestone to step down originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda Odyssey Car Profile

Are you looking for a family vehicle that will suite all of your needs? If so, you should highly consider the Honda Odyssey. This van gets a good gas mileage, has many convenient features, and is one of a kind!

Honda Odyssey’s available: LX, EX, EX w/DVD, EX-L, EX-L w/DVD, EX-L w/DVD and Navigation System, Touring

Seating capacity : 8 people

MSRP: $26,805 – $40,755

Key features :

- Applies to certain models only:

Power sliding doors
Body-colored parking sensors
Power tailgate
Daytime Running Lights (DRL)
Bluetooth
Honda DVD rear entertainment system
Navigation system
Theft deterrent system
Rearview camera
2nd-row PlusOne seat
3-rd row MagicSeat
Tire pressure monitoring system
Vehicle stability assist

Gas mileage : 17/25

Awards won : No awards yet

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FAIL: Pontiac GTO Hit and Run

A late model Pontiac GTO was attempting a burnout when suddenly extreme failure occurred. And not just any normal failure, but a failure with a felony caught on tape.

The scene starts out like a great opportunity to show off that modern GTO’s potential. Bystanders with a camcorder sitting thirty feet higher hit record as the GTO appears at the entrance ramp with a couple of open lanes for extra room. Turning off the traction control and slamming the accelerator to the floor, the fun begins.

First gear rolls out nicely with prompt acceleration leading to the burning of rubber. Ah, the joyous feeling! The car starts to slide to the left a little too much for the driver’s comfort, leading to over correction. The law of inertia takes place, catapulting the over-corrected vehicle across two lanes of traffic into an innocent Lincoln Town Car. After the collision, the driver’s instinct is to run.

Tokyo Auto Salon 2009: The best from TAS, but first...

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Tuners, Japan, Nissan, Suzuki, Tokyo Auto Salon

Click above for a gallery of the NATS GT-K

With the Detroit Auto Show finally winding down, we can turn our attention to the east (or west, depending on your continental perspective) to take in the motoring madness and engineering wizardry coming out of the 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon.

Each year, Japan's top tuners descend on the Makuhari Messe to show their wares to the public and press, and with over a year to develop, modify and produce components for the Mitsubishi Evolution X, Subaru Impreza WRX STI and the new darling of the aftermarket scene - the Nissan GT-R - this year's show had the potential to trump anything we've seen out of Tokyo in the last decade. By many accounts, it did, and with the help of Autoblog Chinese and some of our favorite JDM-obsessed sites, we'll be bringing you the best TAS has to offer.

Since we'll be focusing almost exclusively on the products that make you go faster and stick harder, we'll get the weird out of the way right now. Behold the NATS GT-K. Captured by our friends at LeBlogAuto, the GT-K is based on the Suzuki Cappuccino, and aside from the GT-R duds, the Kei car features a modified version of the 657cc DOHC inline-three equipped with a larger turbo and intercooler, along with a coilover suspension, upgraded brakes and a set of gloriously hideous 18-inch chrome wheels. We were able to keep our dinner down long enough to look at NATS' 911-inspired Cappuccino, at which point we grabbed the nearest trash can and heaved away. Ambition: 1. Execution: 0. More to follow. Stay tuned...

Gallery: NATS GT-K

Tokyo Auto Salon 2009: The best from TAS, but first... originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Charles Barkley's Alleged Drunken Drive Fueled By Need For Oral Sex [Daily DUI]

According to The Smoking Gun, Charles Barkley "was gonna drive around the corner and get a blow job" when he was arrested for a Monday night DUI. [E! Online, The Smoking Gun via Deadspin]

Toyota Set to Launch 10 New Hybrid Models by 2010

Toyota, not to be outdone by Honda unveiled the third-generation Prius and Lexus' first dedicated hybrid the HS 250h at the Detroit Auto Show this week.

During the unveiling of the 2010 Prius, Toyota provided more details about its current hybrid plans. Toyota plans on selling 1 million hybrids per year sometime in 2010. In order to reach its lofty goal, Toyota is planning on introducing 10 new hybrid models by 2010. Two of them are the new Prius and HS 250h.

In addition to launching 10 new hybrids, Toyota also announced the introduction of 500 Prius plug-in hybrids that will be globally leased later this year. The plan was originally planned for 2010. Out of the 500 lithium-ion powered plug-ins 150 are destined for the U.S.

The 500 plug-in Prius will be used for market and engineering analysis.

Tesla Roadster Sport Starts at $128,500...0-60 MPH in 3.7 Secs

Tesla has announced the new Tesla Roadster Sport, which is a "high-performance" version of the Tesla Roadster.

The Roadster Sport gets an upgraded suspension, adjustable dampers, anti-roll bars and Yokohama’s Ultra High Performance tires. Additionally the Sport comes with an hand-wound stator and increased winding density for lower resistance and higher peak torque.

The upgrades help shave off .2 seconds off the car's 0-60 time from 3.9 to 3.7 seconds.

The Tesla Roadster Sport will be available this summer starting at $128,500.

Bugazzi, Fronty Ford, headed to RM’s Hershey auction

Bugazzi

Hmm. Two doesn’t make a trend, but this will the second Barris-built car to cross a major auction block in the month of October, after the Banacek AMX at Mecum. This one, a 1972 Bugazzi, will head to RM’s Vintage Motorcars of Hershey auction October 8-9. The Bugazzi started out as a Harry Bentley Bradley concept atop a Lincoln Mark IV platform as Paul Rimmer’s idea of an American Rolls Royce. Barris took over production from Rimmer and built about 12, one of which headed to Joe Comforte, proprietor of the Mustang Ranch. Being sold without reserve, RM estimates it’ll go for $30,000 to $60,000.

Fronty Ford

Bugazzi a bit too, umm, rococo for you? At the same event, RM’s also auctioning off this 1915 Ford Model T “Fronty Ford” speedster, equipped with a Peugeot-style Bub Wasp body, a Frontenac overhead-valve conversion on the Model T four-cylinder and Ford wide-track axles. It’ll also go for no reserve, estimated to sell for $40,000 to $60,000.

How Does a Supercharger Work? - Turbocharger vs Supercharger

A while back, I wrote a post about the effects of Nitrous Oxide on your car. I talked about how it basically just shoves oxygen into your combustion chamber. Well there’s an easier way to do that, without hilarious gas…forced induction systems.

The purpose of forced induction systems, aka superchargers and turbochargers, is to push more air/fuel mixture into the combustion chamber. The simplest way of visualizing them is as air compressors that just pump more air into the engine. More air and fuel means more power. That’s the primary goal of these devices: create more power. They both do this same job, although in slightly different ways.

Superchargers

A supercharger with part of the inside exposed

A supercharger is a belt driven device that forces air into an internal combustion engine. It consists of a drive belt, drive, the driven gears inside, and a centrifugal compressor wheel. The belt drives the gear and compressor wheel. The compressor wheel pumps air into the engine. In the picture above, the intake air comes in from the back, and goes out of the bottom, the belt drives the wheel in the front.

Supercharger are installed on top of the intake manifold on V-type engines and on the side of inline engines. Since they’re belt driven, supercharger speed is dependent on engine speed and is most efficient at higher engine speeds.

Turbochargers

A turbocharger with the inside exposed

A turbocharger is actually a type of supercharger. In fact turbos used to be called turbosuperchargers because they’re just superchargers that are run via a turbine wheel.

A turbocharger is an exhaust gas driven device that forces air into an internal combustion engine. Turbochargers use the exhaust gases from the engine to drive a turbine wheel. That turbine wheel is connected to the compressor wheel by a shaft. That shaft speed can get up to 150,000 RPMs, so it has to be supported by ball bearings or tapered roller bearings that are pressure lubricated and cooled by the engine oiling system.

Which one is better?

Turbochargers are appealing because they use waste exhaust to power the boost, while superchargers have to take power away from the engine itself via the belt. Still, superchargers are much easier to install and tune, and they give a broader powerband, meaning more power over a broader spectrum instead of a quick jump in power once you get to a certain threshold - like a turbocharger.

It’s difficult to say which is better flat out. Superchargers are easier to install, they don’t get nearly as hot as turbochargers, they’re more reliable, more low end power, etc. There are lots of benefits to superchargers, but turbos have that one big one…they run off of wasted kinetic energy. Turbos address the one main disadvantage of using a supercharger, the fact that it has to take power from the engine to spin.

This is an age old question, both turbo and superchargers have been around for a while, and the debate still isn’t settled. I gave you the information, it’s up to you to make the informed decision.

Introducing The Latest Jalopnik Side Project: Low-Mileage Volvo 245 Wagon [Project Car Hell]

Because you can never have enough Swedish metal, this sub-14K ~~cherry~~ banana creme 1986 Volvo 240 Wagon will be joining Black Metal V8lvo and Project 1964 Continental.

The combination of five doors, classic European styling and affordable rear-wheel drive have always made the Volvo 240 wagon (the five doors means it's a 245, as opposed to the 242 we race) an especially desirable vehicle for us. We'd been looking around for one, contemplating all manner of engine swaps, when we came across this sub-14,000 mile car in Llano.

The story, which has been verified through service records and a CarFax check, of how a 1986 Volvo 240 DL with less than 14K miles ended up in Llano, Texas involves a pair of snowbirds who flocked from Orange, New Jersey to live their final years along the banks of Lake Buchanan. We're not sure if they knew how long they'd have the car (or how long they'd live) when they moved down there, but given they only passed away a couple of years ago we'd say they did fairly well for themselves.

The car then ended up in the hands of the previous owner, who has driven the car occasionally as a fourth vehicle. He inherited the car at around 10K miles and has only used it slightly since. He did some work on the car, including adding the turbo Volvo wheels (referred to as Virgos), put in a new, aesthetically-challenged stereo system and made a few other tweaks.

We picked it up this Saturday, driving it back from Austin to Houston. It was an absolute pleasure. Despite being a normally aspirated four-cylinder car, it wasn't as slow as you might think and actually has a bit of punch in the mid-range despite the weight. The addition of a kick-down gear in the four-speed auto transmission doesn't hurt either. Let's put it this way: in the spectrum of RWD European sedans of the 80s It's faster than a non-turbo Mercedes 300D but slower than a BMW E28.

The exterior has only two main aesthetic issues, namely the lack of rocker trim (we have it, he couldn't figure out how to reinstall it after taking it off) and the peeling of the black tape below the window. The interior has the typical crack on the dash but is in surprisingly fresh condition. The fake leather seating is soft, not crackly, and gives an impression of being kept in a garage and well-treated most of its life. In all of the seats there's only one tiny puncture we've seen. There's a small bit of rust near the back window inside below the gasket that needs to be corrected and repainted, but it's the only area of visible rust we've seen on the car.

Mechanically, it seems in great condition (we'll learn more when we take it apart). The condenser seized so the a/c doesn't work, but that's a problem we're going to remedy come springtime. The engine runs without complaint. Shifts are smooth. The suspension handles bumps like a car of 8 years not 22.

In the end, we're pleased with the purchase and plan to spend the spring working on these phase 0 issues before contemplating what's next. The chance to have such a low-mileage Volvo that is mechanically and aesthetically 95+% is exciting enough for the moment. Then chaos.

Video: Stunt Biker Does A 2-Person Full Monty, Sans Helmet

His Darwin Award nomination is pending. When the chick clinging to the bike looks towards the camera, I was surprised to learn there is such a thing as a “terrified smile.”

Vintage VW Bug Gets Turbocharged V8, Probably One Of The Four Horsemen [Novelties]

We're not sure what makes this vintage Volkswagen more terrifying, the turbocharged V8 engine or the unconventional (for a Bug) engine placement. Either way, this car fulfills a few dreams and, likely, a few nightmares.

"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds," was the phrase uttered by J. Robert Oppenheimer shortly after developing the atomic bomb. We can only hope he builder of this certain-death machine felt a similar emotion the first time he planted the progress pedal and rocketed himself into hot rodding lore.

Details are scarce, but we do know this street weapon is powered by a turbocharged 5.3 liter LSx-based engine. Taking the extra indie step forward, the fuel is managed by the beautifully homebrewed Megasquirt system. Die hard vintage VW fanatics will throw a rod when they notice very little original Bug remains, as it sits on a fully boxed one-off chassis with matching integral cage. Enough with the chatter — we'll let the pictures and video below do the talking.

Hat tip to TenBeers!

[LS1Tech]

National PARK(ing) Day is September 19th

My friend Becky Striepe has a post over at Ecolocalizer.com talking about National PARK(ing) day, which is apparently this Friday, September 19th.

National PARK(ing) day is a one-day, global event centered in San Francisco where artists, activists, and citizens collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spots into “PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public parks. The event is sponsored by The Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit organization launched by REBAR, an art collective, to raise awareness about the need for more green space.

They plan on transforming over 400 spots into mini-parks. Pretty interesting. Check out Becky’s post for a whole list of the events happening.

I’m actually 100% against it though. I’m not against green space or helping the environment, but they’re doing it wrong. The Trust For Public Land wants to give the government more money to maintain public parks and land, which is an inefficient way of doing it. What they should have done when they started out in 1972, is started collecting money to buy land and turn it into private parks. They could have sold advertising, made it a for-profit enterprise and by today, they would have been much more successful. Imagine it, we could have tons of green parks and pretty landscapes, all done privately, more efficiently, and without tax money.

Check out this link for an example of that kind of private environmentalism.

GM sees no buyers for Saab

Filed under: GM, Saab

General Motors' precarious cash position and a dire automotive market means that some blood-letting will occur to some of GM's brands. The General has mentioned that Saab and HUMMER are up for strategic review, which Maximum Bob Lutz told Automotive News was "code for we realize they're not working and something needs to be done." Many are expecting GM to sell Saab, but unfortunately you need a seller and a buyer to strike an accord. And sources are telling AN that the General doesn't have the latter.

Tight credit markets could be part of the problem, and any would-be buyers that have ample cash on hand are likely to be hesitant to part with it. That's especially true when considering the fact that Saab's sales declined at nearly twice the US industry decline in 2008, with only 21,000 units sold. The Swedish government may make it a little easier to keep Saab after it offered up $3.1 billion in loans to aid its industry (including Volvo). GM likely needs as much short-term cash as possible right about now, but the fact remains that the Swedish brand hasn't brought much success in the past 20 years, and the near-term prospects don't look very good, either.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

GM sees no buyers for Saab originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM Performance Parts To Offer $7,000 Body-In-White New Camaro [2010 Chevy Camaro]

Do you want to build your very own Camaro GS Racer featured at this year’s SEMA show? GM Performance Parts has the answer for you with the new $7,000 2010 Chevy Camaro body-in-white.

Starting early next year, GM Performance Parts will begin offering the 2010 Chevy Camaro body-in-white in their catalog. Marketed towards the competition racer set, the 2010 Camaro body-in-white will save both time and money. The package includes an assembled body structure, including front fenders, hood, front fascia, grille, roof, doors, rear quarter panels, trunk lid, rear fascia, complete floorpan and chassis rails. The cost of the package will run you $7,000, a far cry from the up-level SS model that would see the removal of 90% of its original content.

The parts needed to complete the package will include a powertrain, fuel system, suspension, interior components, glass and safety equipment. GM Performance Parts offers many of these parts through its online catalog and with such a large assortment of crate engine options listed on the GM Performance Parts website, it’ll be interesting to see what some of the grassroots racers will shoehorn between the rails of their build-your-own muscle car. Our ideal setup would be either the 6.2-liter supercharged LS9 or the brutal ZZ572/720R drag unit with its 572 cu. in. and 720 HP and 685 lb-ft of brute force.

GM Performance Parts Press Release:

Grand Blanc, Mich. – Racers who want to slip into something more fashionable at the
track next year will find the 2010 Camaro is just their size. GM Performance Parts will offer body in white packages of the new Camaro starting in the first quarter of 2009. The basic package lists for $7,000 and includes an assembled body structure, including the front fenders, hood, front valance/grille header panel, roof, doors, rear quarters, trunk lid and rear valance. The structure also includes the complete floorpans and chassis rails.

Racer must fill out an online application to be eligible to purchase one. The form is available at www.gmperformanceparts.com. Bodies will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is no limit to the number an approved racing team can purchase.

“This is the easiest and most cost-effective way to build a race-ready new Camaro,” said Dr. Jamie Meyer, of GM Performance Parts. “We envision racers using these bodies for all types of competition, from Pro Street and Competition drag racing to road racing.” The body in white includes only a painted body shell and no additional components or materials. The bodies do not have vehicle identification numbers, so they may only be used as racing vehicles that will never be licensed for street driving.

Racers will add powertrain, fuel system, suspension, interior components and glass (or sanctioning body-approved alternative), and safety equipment, then go racing.

“For the racers who would strip down the entire car and replace most of the components with racing-spec parts, the body in white saves time and money,” said Dr. Meyer. “Drag racers, for example, won’t have to worry about swapping out for a solid axle – they can just bolt one up and go.”

[via GM Performance Parts]

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Superchargers

Turbochargers

Which one is better?

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