Go to Windows 7 Insider GuideChevy built the Volt for a smooth ride, but now engineers are putting the electric car to the test at General Motors' Milford Proving Grounds. Watch the Volt tackle potholes and a long stretch of cobblestones called Belgian Blocks.
That's strange, I thought a V-10 engine would be a bit bigger than this...
(Credit: SoundRacer)Have you ever caught yourself thinking, "I wish I had a V-8?" Well, what if I told you that you could give your crappy car a V-8 rumble or even a V-10 scream for $40? Now, what if I told you that you wouldn't actually be getting any extra performance to go along with that sound? If you're still interested in this shady deal, then you're probably a poseur. In any case, you'll want to check out the SoundRacer.
The device plugs into your vehicle's cigarette lighter, where it uses fluctuations in the power flow to calculate your engine's RPM. It then broadcasts a fake engine note to your car's stereo via an FM transmission. The general idea is for your vehicle to sound like it's powered by a V-8 or V-10 engine, but I predict that the outcome will probably sound like a crappy, fake revving played through crappy speakers on top of your car's already crappy existing engine note. Of course, your mileage may vary.
The best part is that if you keep your windows rolled up, no one will know that you're riding around pretending to be driving a V-10 Aveo. Nice!
Once you get bored with "the thrilling sound of a powerful Super Sports Car engine," you can plug your MP3 player into an auxiliary input and use the SoundRacer as a standard FM transmitter. The SoundRacer has an MSRP of $40.
Check out the embedded video for a demonstration of the SoundRacer V-8 and V-10 in all of their goofy glory.
For 2010, Tesla updates its electric Roadster with a Sport version, featuring faster acceleration.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
Tesla often emphasizes that it works more like a Silicon Valley technology company than a traditional car company. And the company just proved it by delivering a model update to the Tesla Roadster for 2010. Remember, the Roadster has only been in production for one year, but in that time Tesla completely redesigned the interior, while at the same time adding new materials to reduce cabin noise. Model updates from other automakers often take five years.
We spent a day with the 2010 Tesla Roadster Sport, enjoying its unique driving experience and finding these updates made the previous generation car seem like something hacked together in a garage. Where the previous car had a fussy little lever for putting it in drive, the new car uses push buttons. To check battery statistics and change the drive mode, you had to use a touch screen by your left knee. That touch screen has been moved to the center of the dashboard. And in a real step toward convenience, the Tesla Roadster now comes with a glove box.
The rear air intakes get clear coat carbon fiber inserts.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)Externally, the casual observer won't see much difference. The Tesla Roadster uses the same Lotus-sourced body clad in carbon fiber. But the carbon fiber stands out more, as clear-coat panels make up the hood, spoiler, and even the insets in the rear air intakes. The suspension is now adjustable for comfort or sport, and the all-new Sport version of the Roadster uses an upgraded power train that rockets it to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, faster than the standard Roadster's 3.9 second time.
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Before we drove it, the idea of an X5 M seemed outlandish, and we suspected BMW's motives had more to do with marketing than the company's engineering reputation. How could an X5 all-wheel-drive SUV live up to the M badge? We should have trusted BMW, whose engineers are so pure of heart they would never let a vehicle wear the M that didn't deserve it. The X5 M is a monstrously powerful beast that handles like a sports car. In fact, we had to drive up next to other cars for a height comparison to remind us we were in an SUV.
The already light Lotus Elise loses a few more pounds with even lighter carbon fiber.
(Credit: Antuan Goodwin/CNET)Most car guys know that carbon fiber is lightweight (and very cool-looking), but most don't know much past that. We stopped by well-known carbon fiber manufacturer Seibon's booth at the 2009 SEMA show to get the skinny on this miracle material.
The term "carbon fiber" can be used to describe microscopically thin fibers composed mostly of carbon atoms, the yarns composed of those fibers, or the fabric woven from that yarn. For our purposes, the term will be used to describe composite materials created from carbon fabric suspended in resin or plastic.
Carbon fiber parts are considerably more lightweight than similar parts made of metal but can be just as strong (or stronger). Low weight plus high strength makes carbon fiber a good material for aerospace and racing applications. Since most good racing technologies eventually trickle down to consumer applications, we're seeing more and more carbon on the road today.
According to Seibon, there are two major types of carbon fiber, wet and dry.
Wet carbon fiber is the glossy type that most consumers are used to seeing. It's made by hand laying sheets of carbon fabric onto a mold between brushed-on layers of resin, which is then cured.
Dry carbon fiber is preimpregnated with resin (and is also known as prepreg carbon). The carbon sheets are formed in a vacuum mold under high heat and pressure, which causes the resin to flow evenly and completely through the formed part with little or no waste. Dry carbon parts are both lighter and stronger than their wet counterparts because they contain less excess resin with fewer imperfections. However, because of the complex vacuum molding required in their creation, dry carbon parts are also more expensive.
Carbon fiber is lighter, but what's the point? Well simply put, removing weight (or more accurately removing mass) from a vehicle also means that the vehicle's inertia has also been reduced, which means better acceleration, braking, and handling. If you can keep your foot off of the right pedal with this improved performance, this can also mean better fuel economy and less wear on parts such as brakes and suspension components.
If carbon fiber is so great, why not just make all cars out of it? The most obvious reason is that carbon fiber is expensive and more difficult to mass produce than sheet metal or plastic. Replacing all of the sheet metal on a vehicle the size of, say, a Toyota Yaris with carbon fiber would probably double the price of the car. Secondly, while carbon fiber is as strong as metal, it's usually only strong when stretched or bent progressively. When compressed or exposed to the shock of sudden impact, carbon fiber becomes brittle and can splinter unpredictably. A dent knocked into a metal or plastic bumper could probably be hammered out, but a carbon fiber bumper would most likely need to be replaced, which can be pricey.
For many, these cons are but minor speed bumps on the road to ultimate performance (or style). Check out our tour of the Seibon booth at the 2009 SEMA show for a closer look at some vehicles that feature heavy use of this lightweight material.
Simon Hacket and Emilis Prelgauskas at their 313-mile mark in Coober Pedy, South Australia.
(Credit: Hackett)A record for a Tesla Roadster driven on a single charge was set at 313 miles (501 km) in Australia on Tuesday.
Tesla Roadster owner Simon Hackett and his friend Emilis Prelgauskas drove his electric sports car from Alice Springs, Northern Territory, to Coober Pedy, South Australia, as part of an alternative-fuel vehicle rally called the Global Green Challenge.
The Tesla's electric-charge port door was sealed shut at the start of the 313-mile journey and the trip was filmed for a documentary, as well as monitored by contest officials. The Tesla's lithium ion battery, which the company assures owners will last over 200 miles between charges under normal driving circumstances, had 3 miles to spare when the team reached its destination in Coober Pedy, according to Hackett's chronicles of the race experience on his company blog. (Hackett happens to also be the founder and managing director of Internode, an Australian national broadband and Internet services company.)
Hackett said in his blog the achievement is actually a record for any production electric car, not just a Tesla Roadster, which is why his team was so careful to record it. To squeeze as much distance out of the Tesla's battery as they could, Hackett and Prelgauskas tried to drive at a consistent speed of 55 kph (roughly 34 mph) for a large portion of the almost 12-hour journey.
"The security seal was applied to the charge port door when we started the journey. As this is being done as part of the Global Green Challenge, we have a full set of official verifiers here who will attest to the results and to achieving the outcome. We were followed along the journey by our support crew and a documentary film crew--so we have it on film," said Hackett.
While Tesla Motors is not an official sponsor of the contest or Hackett, the company has shown support by spreading the news of Hackett's success. It's not hard to imagine why as Tesla poises for a major retail expansion.
The stunt may certainly speak to consumers who likely drive nowhere near 313 miles in a single day, but are still reluctant to hem themselves in with a car restricted to a limited number of miles between recharges.
The biggest change lies under the hood, err, under the rear hatch.
(Credit: Hyundai/Rhys Millen Racing)At the 2008 SEMA Show, Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) massaged one of the first available Hyundai Genesis Coupes into a wild, wide-bodied racer with a huge turbo and some crazy aero. For 2009, RMR plans to raise the bar with its RM460--a midengine, V-8-powered Genesis Coupe.
RMR started by yanking out the Coupe's stock 2.0T engine, as well as the rather useless back seats. After a good deal of bending, fabricating, and welding, the new engine bay (located just behind the driver's seat) was ready for the RM460's new ticker. Rather than reusing the stock I-4 or V-6 engines, RMR chose to use Hyundai's 4.6-liter Tau V-8, an engine that typically makes its home beneath the hood of Hyundai's other Genesis.
In stock form, the Tau V-8 produces 375-horsepower. RMR managed to coax about 125 more grin-inducing ponies out of the power plant, for a total of around 500 horsepower.
The Hyundai Genesis Coupe goes under the knife at RMR.
(Credit: Hyundai/Rhys Millen Racing)Torque still reaches the road through the rear wheels, but now it flows through a Mendeola five-speed sequential automatic transmission.
The mods don't stop at the power train. The rest of the chassis has been stiffened to accommodate the new engine configuration and the suspension, wheels, tires, and braking system have been buffed up to make sure the RM460 Genesis turns and stops as well as it accelerates.
If the custom carbon fiber and glass hatch and V-8 rumble don't tip you off that this is no ordinary Genesis, perhaps the RMR Signature bodykit, Sparco seats, and Alcantara interior trim will cause you to take notice.
We'll be bringing you live shots and more info on the RM460 as part of our coverage of the 2009 SEMA Show. So, stay tuned.
(Credit:
Lexus/Toyota)
When the name "Toyota" is heard, these days most thoughts jump straight to Prius or Camry, but that hasn't always been the case. There once was a time when all-wheel drive Celicas, midengined MR2s, and twin-turbocharged Supras could be found at your local Toyota dealer and gracing adolescents' walls in poster form. Toyota used to be fun. Perhaps it still can be.
Witness the dramatic return of the Toyota Supra, only this time it's not a Supra. Heck, it's not even a Toyota. It is the Lexus LF-A.
While the LF-A may not share a name with its spiritual predecessor, it does share a vision. The slick profile and front-engined, rear-driven configuration definitely pay homage to the previous ultimate Toyota. However, instead of a twin-turbocharged V-6, the LF-A is packing a 4.8-liter V-10 twists its crank to the tune of 560 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. Lightweight titanium valves and connecting rods along with forged aluminum pistons, help the LF-A's engine achieve its lofty 9,000rpm redline. Power is transmitted to a Torsen limited slip differential that splits torque between the back pair of 20-inch wheels.
Runs from 0-62 mph will happen in 3.7 seconds with a top speed of 201.94 mph. A 48/52 weight distribution and meaty tires at all four corners mean that this big boy should be able to dance like Warren Sapp.
It may not be called a Supra, but it certainly looks like one.
(Credit: Lexus/Toyota)
The LF-A's gauges cluster around a single large tachometer.
(Credit: Lexus/Toyota)The original Supra was no bantamweight and neither is the LF-A; it tips the scales at 3,263 pounds. All things considered, that's still pretty light for its size, thanks to gratuitous usage of carbon fiber in its body's construction. The power to weight ratio places the LF-A right on the tail of Audi R8 V10 and the Lamborghini Gallardo, and within shouting distance of the Ferrari 599. To say the least, watching the LF-A versus Nissan GT-R shootouts that are bound to pop up over the next year should be interesting.
Being Car Tech, we can't overlook what's happening inside the LF-A's cabin. Tucked deeply into the center console is a large LCD screen that we assume is connected to something similar to Lexus' current Enform interface. We also gather that it is not a touch screen because of the presence of Lexus' Remote Touch joystick with haptic feedback. While we're speculating, it would be nice if Lexus threw in some sort of customizable performance computer a la Nissan GT-R.
The instrument cluster is very cool looking, placing emphasis on the huge centrally-mounted tachometer with integrated digital speedometer. An LED shift light ring is hidden in the tach's bezel and illuminates red at redline and amber at a user adjustable shift point.
So let's run through the checklist. Exotic engine? Check. Greater than 200 mph top speed? Check. Impractical two-seat configuration? Check. Extremely limited production? Only 500 units being produced, so check. Exorbitant price tag? At a little under $400k, we can safely say double check.
What do you think readers? Do we have a bona fide supercar on our hands? Let us know in the comments.
The Toyota Prius isn't the kind of car you'd expect Top Gear's Stig to drive.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
The Prius takes to the air.
(Credit: Top Gear)In an amusing little photo gallery over at the Top Gear site, the Stig, the famed tame racing driver, gets the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius off the ground. The feature promises a lot at the beginning (just like we are doing here), but proceeds with a fairly standard test between the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight, mostly comparing them on fuel economy and drivability through London and at the Millbrook test track.
But they eventually come to the good stuff, describing what happens when Stiggy starts doing laps in the Prius and the Insight. Top Gear even reaches a verdict about which is the best car, although it's based entirely on fuel economy, unlike our more encompassing Prizefight between these two hybrids. Which explains why we reached a different conclusion.
But enough spoilers, check out Stigs might fly.
The Lincoln MKS with an EcoBoost V6 engine is put to the ultimate challenge for speed and handling against four European luxury V8s up Loveland Pass, Colo. The challengers are the Maserati Quattroporte, the Jaguar XF, the BMW 550i, and the Mercedes E550.
Unfortunately, no real details of the challenge, such as fuel economy braking and handling, are released. More details about the challenge can be found at 6versus8.com.
