Posts Tagged ‘durability’
When you build a car with as much velocity potential as a Ferrari, the ability to dissipate kinetic energy is just as important as the ability to accumulate it. Brakes work by transforming kinetic energy into heat energy, at least some of which is absorbed by the rotors and pads. As the temperature ......
VW Jetta TDI delayed until late summer 2008
Monday, September 3rd, 2007
When Volkswagen unveiled its new 50 state-certified Jetta 2.0L Clean Diesel TDI back in January, the company line was that the car would be available in the spring of 2008. We've been impatiently waiting because we're excited by the prospect of diesel engines penetrating the U.S. market again, and n......
VW and Volvo tops with certified used vehicles
Monday, August 20th, 2007
Looking to replace your rusted out Zastava? Buying brand new is a hard pill to swallow when you start to run the numbers. Given the durability of modern powertrains, pretty much any car will make it to 150,000 miles without so much as a whimper, provided you maintain it. Taking that longevity into a......
Michelin creates Energy Saver gas-conserving tire
Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007
Michelin has created a new tire as part of the development of the Peugeot 308. The Energy Saver uses a specially-developed rubber composite, and Michelin claims the tire reduces rolling resistance by 20% in both 15- and 16-inch sizes. Tire testing was carried out by TÜV SÜD Automotive, which measu......
Water-hating coating could mean easier car washes, more
Friday, April 27th, 2007
Engineers looked at a lotus leaf easily shedding water and said, "Hey, we could do that." And so they did, with a revolutionary coating named superhydrophobic, which simply means it really dislikes water.The technology works by creating a surface with lots of peaks and valleys. These create microsco......
VIDEO: Ford’s Silver Creek truck torture test track
Monday, April 23rd, 2007
Every major automaker that builds trucks has specialized test areas at their proving grounds that are specifically designed to test the durability and suspension performance of their trucks and the competition. These special test roads can tear up a truck very quickly and test drivers typically do v......
Consumer Reports puts cheap tire monitor under pressure
Wednesday, April 18th, 2007
In September, all new cars sold in the U.S. will be required to have tire pressure monitoring systems. But for all those cars built without them, owners must rely either on their trusty gauge, or one of the new valve-stem monitors. If you've been wondering how well these things work, Consumer Report......
BBS releases LM-R for BMW, Porsche, Lexus
Tuesday, March 13th, 2007
BBS have been a staple in the world of motorsport for decades and the wheel of choice for many looking to add an aesthetic and performance upgrade to their high-end whips. The design is iconic and easily identifiable, and with the release of their newest LM-R wheel, not much has changed – until yo......
Dodge shortens ad slogan. Grabs life, but not horns.
Wednesday, February 21st, 2007
BrandWeek reports that Dodge is abandoning its familiar "Grab Life By The Horns" ad tagline. In its stead, the automaker will move to the shorter, simpler. "Grab Life." The reason, according to BrandWeek is to soften the brand's image to make it more palatable to potential female customers, as the o......
Geneva Motor Show: GM wants all-EV car on sale by 2010
Friday, January 19th, 2007
Bob Lutz used the Geneva Motor Show as the backdrop for announcing that General Motors wants an all-electric vehicle in production by 2010. Presumably that vehicle would be a production version of the Chevy Volt concept that was very well received at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show in January. As the com......