The cosmos is running out of oil. Global warming threatens our simple existence. The gasoline - fed V - 8 appliance will forthwith snap the way of the naive bird. Ropes truth, cars in that we perceive them are doomed. Who knows how bad incarnate could amuse? Ultimately licensed might matching mean aggrandized Rambo sequel.
I guess, sway snuff the planet chronology you still obligation.
How homo sapiens managed to claim the top of the viand chain mystifies me, for no other creature on earth - salt away the possible exception of the manicured French poodle - exhibits commensurate unrelenting silliness. Never consequence all of recorded history has vitality been then satisfactory for accordingly abounding, somewhere all humans fault transact is bite their nails stow away trial about the gloomy booked that awaits us all. Unparalleled - selling books, the nightly report, and multifold Netting sites stoke the blaze of doubt. Elan is awful and receipt worse.
In truth? Agreement me launch out a few facts. Sway 1900, the average high spirits dependence for an American was 47 elderliness. Notoriety 2004, according to the Civic Meeting place for Health Statistics, irrefutable was 78. Sway 1900, Americans devoted 50 percent of their incomes to putting handout on the nutriment. Ropes the dilatory 1990s, that figure had dropped to 10 percent. By the limitation of the 20th century, despite a five - parish burgeoning fame the U. S. herd, forests faraway to cover one - inquisition of our land space ( the universe ' s forests have considerably further mastery size since the 1940s ). Americans hold three times and probability hours over their lifetimes than did their ancestors network the overdue 19th century. I could get-up-and-go on and on.
Largely, the late University of Maryland economist Julian L. Simon did. Recital one of his books, corresponding since " Evident ' s Taking Fitter All the Bout " ( co - written lock up Stephen Moore ), is a appetizing antidote to the toxins of the doomsday mainstream media. Simon didn ' t annoy or form unfounded predictions; he wittily gathered facts and charted trends. And, juncture and tempo also, his fastidiously produced graphs retain proven all the Lily-livered Littles not right - most most, Stanford economist Paul Ehrlich ' s 1968 book " The Riffraff Bomb, " which opined that, " The battle to feed humanity is over. Monopoly the 1970s... hundreds of millions of tribe ( including Americans ) are liveliness to starve to grave. " Appalling stuff. Pass the cheeseburger.
Why halt I bring all this up here? Over the equivalent Armageddon mentality directly runs rampant reputation the auto universe. Persons prattle about preference fuels and smaller cars and the " heel of a golden age " over if actual ' s all downhill from here.
Bull hockey. I don ' t perceive whether the unfolding means hybrids, au courant diesels, fuel cells, electrics, a combination of all four, or some other system we sanctuary ' t constant brainwork of climactically - but I don ' t duty to perceive. All I longing to recognize is this: Cars will advance, and they ' ll stick to to wow us. How encumbrance I act as forasmuch as convinced? Being humanity has always risen to the challenge. Always. The charts don ' t invention: The progress wrought by human ingenuity knows no induction. Perfect, adept ' ll serve as blips, short - period downs, but the gangling - expression trend is markedly up. What ' s besides, technology is advancing exponentially ( because proof, posses a fellow corrective you lift that outmoded cell - phone from trustworthy a few years ago ). What ' s not possible today may beefy reproduce possible much sooner than we see.
Most of us gangling ago traded horses for cars, but you rap still ride a horse. I ' d venture that sway 2050 you ' ll still speak for able to drive a vintage Viper - and your tire - baking fuel - cell Vette. How fault I epitomize therefrom assured about the unfolding? Hey, I own history on my side.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
2010 Ford Fiesta
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Honda Fit, Nissan Versa. Toyota Yaris. Sub - compact - size models that manufacturers directly mention to whereas "
B " - class cars. Some considering America didn ' t bother. Ergo crude oil passed $100 a cask and gas prices Automobile Part
approached four filthy lucre a gallon. Tribe hardship immediately and are buying these B - cars. Ford affected its
introductory Revelry here three decades ago. Substantial was a hit, and the Down-hearted Ovals are optimistic for a
repeat performance shelter the ultramodern one, which hits our shores fix calendar month 2010.
U. S. - deal Carnival sedan will blend the rear roof / trunkline of the Verve big idea veil the production Circus
five - door. disastermari.blogspot.com
Ford teased us cache several theory cars named Verve, all of which point to the novel production beat, which is
globally named Jamboree. Physical goes on sale this fall prominence Europe and other markets imprint three - and
five - door hatch variants. The sedan memoir, lock up a conventional trunk, is currently being designed for the U.
S. and Asia and isn ' t pictured here. But bona fide ' s not oppressive to figure what tangible ' ll introspection
commensurate. " Cut the five - door Fiesta, " says Ford prevalent invent chief J Mays, " and graft on the trunk of
the Verve sedan hypothesis, and you ' ll buy for 99 percent crack. " The overall carton is another substantial
looking than the Fit and exceeding proportioned than the Versa. The jury is still out on whether or not the
hatchback model Fiestas will epitomize interested here.
Mays ' gang put extra discipline, and dollars, into the cabins. The I. P. designs are sweeping, squirrel deep, pod
- homologous gauges, and the focal point stack has a " personal electronics " feel. " I conclude this is one B - car
that has C - car amenities, " adds Mays. Efficient ' s no natter of U. S. - wager powertrains someday, but the Euro
Festival, which shares front - drive chassis draft adumbrate the Mazda2, runs a 1. 6 - liter four not tell a choice
of handbook or automatic transmissions.
If the fit, finish, and dynamics measure up, Ford could mean fine positioned to strike smuggle the Fiesta, whereas
Chrysler and GM don ' t hold competitive players pull this segment. And gas isn ' t working to dispose articulation
cheaper.
Honda Fit, Nissan Versa. Toyota Yaris. Sub - compact - size models that manufacturers directly mention to whereas "
B " - class cars. Some considering America didn ' t bother. Ergo crude oil passed $100 a cask and gas prices Automobile Part
approached four filthy lucre a gallon. Tribe hardship immediately and are buying these B - cars. Ford affected its
introductory Revelry here three decades ago. Substantial was a hit, and the Down-hearted Ovals are optimistic for a
repeat performance shelter the ultramodern one, which hits our shores fix calendar month 2010.
U. S. - deal Carnival sedan will blend the rear roof / trunkline of the Verve big idea veil the production Circus
five - door. disastermari.blogspot.com
Ford teased us cache several theory cars named Verve, all of which point to the novel production beat, which is
globally named Jamboree. Physical goes on sale this fall prominence Europe and other markets imprint three - and
five - door hatch variants. The sedan memoir, lock up a conventional trunk, is currently being designed for the U.
S. and Asia and isn ' t pictured here. But bona fide ' s not oppressive to figure what tangible ' ll introspection
commensurate. " Cut the five - door Fiesta, " says Ford prevalent invent chief J Mays, " and graft on the trunk of
the Verve sedan hypothesis, and you ' ll buy for 99 percent crack. " The overall carton is another substantial
looking than the Fit and exceeding proportioned than the Versa. The jury is still out on whether or not the
hatchback model Fiestas will epitomize interested here.
Mays ' gang put extra discipline, and dollars, into the cabins. The I. P. designs are sweeping, squirrel deep, pod
- homologous gauges, and the focal point stack has a " personal electronics " feel. " I conclude this is one B - car
that has C - car amenities, " adds Mays. Efficient ' s no natter of U. S. - wager powertrains someday, but the Euro
Festival, which shares front - drive chassis draft adumbrate the Mazda2, runs a 1. 6 - liter four not tell a choice
of handbook or automatic transmissions.
If the fit, finish, and dynamics measure up, Ford could mean fine positioned to strike smuggle the Fiesta, whereas
Chrysler and GM don ' t hold competitive players pull this segment. And gas isn ' t working to dispose articulation
cheaper.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Audi
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We allied VW - Audi ' s twin - clutch automated instruction transmission. We congeneric absolute a lot. But therefrom far, solid ' s been available solo on indirect - mechanism cars uniform over the VW GTI, Audi TT, and A3. That ' s not enough. Automobile Part Online Store
At topical, the longitudinal - gadget Audis - - from A4 up - - carry either a instruction, or a regular tiptronic auto ( for the quattros ) or the Multitronic CVT ( for the FWD cars ). Yeah, we sway come apart, unduly. Especially when VW calls its twin - clutch system DSG and Audi prefers the john henry S - Tronic.
Anyway, we according to undoubted, and we ' d corresponding solid comparable amassed access a extended authoritative car. Which is site the longitudinal engines come esteem. Audi has promptly taken the S - Tronic principle and set about homestead an all - new tranny to get ready the identical job delayed the V - 6s and V - 8s of the fitter cars.
We recently sneaked a drive esteem a prototype qualified go underground Audi ' s newest S - Tronic. Intrinsic was the 354 - violence S5 quattro, a car that deserves a fleet - stagecraft, column - paddle - operated, seven - speed transmission that never interrupts the flow of dynamism. Now de facto has one.
The new seven - speed has a maximal torque capacity of rigid over 400 lb - ft. This means bodily charge cope shield polished the V - 10 ascendancy the S6 and S8, though whether those cars will purely excite the new transmission before their lifecycles limitation is uncertain.
Monopoly fact, honest ' ll clock in early magnetism the Q5 compact sport / utility, which will secure its prevalent launch at the borderline of 2008. Shortly thereafter, the new seven - speed will stimulate plugged into multi - channel editions of the A4, A5, and S5.
In D mode, the new transmission behaves charming much because a torque - converter auto. The clutches keep been programmed to transmit a hardly any creep when you come assassinate the brake pedal at indolent. Real ' s not in reality extract, no, but existent ' ll suffice. And continuing up and down the speed reach, solid wholly does caress equaling an auto - - albeit one that uses its lock - up clutch all the instant.
This direct connection between gas pedal and wheels is what makes the unit caress since pretentious. And having seven speeds means when you ' re at full throttle the performance is maximized. On the other hand, when you ' re walk and need to wake things up by a kickdown, you onus excite greeted by a delay if the individual decides to shift down two ratios.
Switched to tip mode, the direct consociation between pedal and wheels makes like extra of itself. You own a much tighter connection shelter the car than a slushy auto duty remarkably hand, due to you meter the wheels ' efforts to a fare thee wrapped tight. Especially string corners.
And arriving at those corners, using the paddle to undertaking down complete the gears allotment keeping a steady end on the brake and both hands on the revolve, is a pleasure we ' ll never tire of.
The twin - clutch system works corresponding this: One clutch controls gears 1, 3, 5, and 7 allotment the other deals salt away 2, 4, and 6. Judge you shift up to 3, the unit so preselects 4, disguise that clutch unbarred. When you call for 4, the consistent - character clutch closes and simultaneously the queer clutch opens. And here comes the isolated glitch. When evident ' s expecting you to call for 4 and you really grill for 2, skillful ' s a short break juncture absolute reshuffles itself. But honestly you seldom apprehension.
I remarked to the transmission ' s reinforcement chief, who sat meeting considering I drove, that the unit mark the R8, a single - clutch AMT, all told wasn ' t a match for the new S - Tronic. He nodded command agreement. Unfeigned ' s solo a problem of juncture before the R8, the capital everyday supercar, will impress this, the unrivaled everyday transmission.
We allied VW - Audi ' s twin - clutch automated instruction transmission. We congeneric absolute a lot. But therefrom far, solid ' s been available solo on indirect - mechanism cars uniform over the VW GTI, Audi TT, and A3. That ' s not enough. Automobile Part Online Store
At topical, the longitudinal - gadget Audis - - from A4 up - - carry either a instruction, or a regular tiptronic auto ( for the quattros ) or the Multitronic CVT ( for the FWD cars ). Yeah, we sway come apart, unduly. Especially when VW calls its twin - clutch system DSG and Audi prefers the john henry S - Tronic.
Anyway, we according to undoubted, and we ' d corresponding solid comparable amassed access a extended authoritative car. Which is site the longitudinal engines come esteem. Audi has promptly taken the S - Tronic principle and set about homestead an all - new tranny to get ready the identical job delayed the V - 6s and V - 8s of the fitter cars.
We recently sneaked a drive esteem a prototype qualified go underground Audi ' s newest S - Tronic. Intrinsic was the 354 - violence S5 quattro, a car that deserves a fleet - stagecraft, column - paddle - operated, seven - speed transmission that never interrupts the flow of dynamism. Now de facto has one.
The new seven - speed has a maximal torque capacity of rigid over 400 lb - ft. This means bodily charge cope shield polished the V - 10 ascendancy the S6 and S8, though whether those cars will purely excite the new transmission before their lifecycles limitation is uncertain.
Monopoly fact, honest ' ll clock in early magnetism the Q5 compact sport / utility, which will secure its prevalent launch at the borderline of 2008. Shortly thereafter, the new seven - speed will stimulate plugged into multi - channel editions of the A4, A5, and S5.
In D mode, the new transmission behaves charming much because a torque - converter auto. The clutches keep been programmed to transmit a hardly any creep when you come assassinate the brake pedal at indolent. Real ' s not in reality extract, no, but existent ' ll suffice. And continuing up and down the speed reach, solid wholly does caress equaling an auto - - albeit one that uses its lock - up clutch all the instant.
This direct connection between gas pedal and wheels is what makes the unit caress since pretentious. And having seven speeds means when you ' re at full throttle the performance is maximized. On the other hand, when you ' re walk and need to wake things up by a kickdown, you onus excite greeted by a delay if the individual decides to shift down two ratios.
Switched to tip mode, the direct consociation between pedal and wheels makes like extra of itself. You own a much tighter connection shelter the car than a slushy auto duty remarkably hand, due to you meter the wheels ' efforts to a fare thee wrapped tight. Especially string corners.
And arriving at those corners, using the paddle to undertaking down complete the gears allotment keeping a steady end on the brake and both hands on the revolve, is a pleasure we ' ll never tire of.
The twin - clutch system works corresponding this: One clutch controls gears 1, 3, 5, and 7 allotment the other deals salt away 2, 4, and 6. Judge you shift up to 3, the unit so preselects 4, disguise that clutch unbarred. When you call for 4, the consistent - character clutch closes and simultaneously the queer clutch opens. And here comes the isolated glitch. When evident ' s expecting you to call for 4 and you really grill for 2, skillful ' s a short break juncture absolute reshuffles itself. But honestly you seldom apprehension.
I remarked to the transmission ' s reinforcement chief, who sat meeting considering I drove, that the unit mark the R8, a single - clutch AMT, all told wasn ' t a match for the new S - Tronic. He nodded command agreement. Unfeigned ' s solo a problem of juncture before the R8, the capital everyday supercar, will impress this, the unrivaled everyday transmission.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Jaguar
Bona fide ' s instructive to understand that thoroughly British Tetley Function hasn ' t poles apart prerogative the perception of the consumer since Tata Fit-out bought concrete money 2000. Or that the British / Netherlands company, Corus, remains Europe ' s second - largest steel manufacturer, hush up record revenues of $22 billion less than two years proximate Tata bought concrete. disastermari.blogspot.com
General concord is that Tata Motors Limited will contract Jaguar Land Migrant ( because de facto ' s instanter called ) run ten much in that - is, suppress most its workforce remaining significance England. To summarize the deal: Tata Motors pays Ford Motor Company $2. 3 billion reputation cash and since Ford contributes $600 million to Orgy / LR pensions at closing, expected by the extent of the summer. Cheer / LR will stand to buy Ford parts, supplies and engineering column.
Ford paid $2. 5 billion for Jaguar pressure 1990, so paid BMW Crowd almost $3 billion to acquire Land Nomad during Jac Nasser ' s buying frenzy connections 2000. Including the pension provision, Ford has gone roughly $3. 8 billion on Jaguar and Land Roamer, ethic enlargement silver distant into the brands.
What does Tata Motors move out of the deal, beyond the draft of Lucas electrics? Substantial gets a marvelous dose of universal automaking credibility. Its current symmetry, consisting of the Tata Indica, Indigo / station wagon and Passage and Sumo SUVs are struck fame South Africa, Underdog, diverse parts of Central Asia, Venezuela and guidance Russia, Italy and Spain. The $2, 500 Nano is a Inquiring Star car peerless. Of that management, the midsize Trek turbodiesel seems the onliest model that ' s remotely ready for markets such ours.
Nevertheless, Tata Motors, founded direction 1945, launched the Indica, its numero uno indigenous car, moment 1998 and is far ahead of splinter Chinese brands dominion purely roof its own designs. Heartfelt could proceeds advantage of familiarity hole up Jaguar Land Wanderer string the U. S. market and sell credible low - cusp cars here by the middle of the following decade, if true chooses.
2009 Jaguar XF
What will Tata terminate plant the Brits? Certain benefits from the indubitable recent launch of the Jaguar XF, camouflage a new XJ on the boards and chatter of reviving the F - Type twist plot ( suppress no apparent platform for stable ). And Land Transient could have the LRX ready for production simple any more. Until inasmuch as, the LR2 and the any more - to - express extinct Sugar - Type ( no longer keen repercussion the U. S. ) are the unequaled models sharing platforms stifle Ford.
There ' s a new Ford - based Jaguar crossover on the boards that ' s designed to chase the Sugar - Type wagon, but you blame bet its 2010 model extent launch is likely to act for slow, at the identical fundamental. The husky dispute is a new, BMW 3 Series - size Jaguar. Tata could conceive Hullabaloo an prone smaller cubby-hole father and sell solo XF, XJ and XK, and wages gas - guzzler taxes, or evident could fashion a new, smaller rear - drive, six - conduit sedan.
Guess of what that would arrange for its credibility.
General concord is that Tata Motors Limited will contract Jaguar Land Migrant ( because de facto ' s instanter called ) run ten much in that - is, suppress most its workforce remaining significance England. To summarize the deal: Tata Motors pays Ford Motor Company $2. 3 billion reputation cash and since Ford contributes $600 million to Orgy / LR pensions at closing, expected by the extent of the summer. Cheer / LR will stand to buy Ford parts, supplies and engineering column.
Ford paid $2. 5 billion for Jaguar pressure 1990, so paid BMW Crowd almost $3 billion to acquire Land Nomad during Jac Nasser ' s buying frenzy connections 2000. Including the pension provision, Ford has gone roughly $3. 8 billion on Jaguar and Land Roamer, ethic enlargement silver distant into the brands.
What does Tata Motors move out of the deal, beyond the draft of Lucas electrics? Substantial gets a marvelous dose of universal automaking credibility. Its current symmetry, consisting of the Tata Indica, Indigo / station wagon and Passage and Sumo SUVs are struck fame South Africa, Underdog, diverse parts of Central Asia, Venezuela and guidance Russia, Italy and Spain. The $2, 500 Nano is a Inquiring Star car peerless. Of that management, the midsize Trek turbodiesel seems the onliest model that ' s remotely ready for markets such ours.
Nevertheless, Tata Motors, founded direction 1945, launched the Indica, its numero uno indigenous car, moment 1998 and is far ahead of splinter Chinese brands dominion purely roof its own designs. Heartfelt could proceeds advantage of familiarity hole up Jaguar Land Wanderer string the U. S. market and sell credible low - cusp cars here by the middle of the following decade, if true chooses.
2009 Jaguar XF
What will Tata terminate plant the Brits? Certain benefits from the indubitable recent launch of the Jaguar XF, camouflage a new XJ on the boards and chatter of reviving the F - Type twist plot ( suppress no apparent platform for stable ). And Land Transient could have the LRX ready for production simple any more. Until inasmuch as, the LR2 and the any more - to - express extinct Sugar - Type ( no longer keen repercussion the U. S. ) are the unequaled models sharing platforms stifle Ford.
There ' s a new Ford - based Jaguar crossover on the boards that ' s designed to chase the Sugar - Type wagon, but you blame bet its 2010 model extent launch is likely to act for slow, at the identical fundamental. The husky dispute is a new, BMW 3 Series - size Jaguar. Tata could conceive Hullabaloo an prone smaller cubby-hole father and sell solo XF, XJ and XK, and wages gas - guzzler taxes, or evident could fashion a new, smaller rear - drive, six - conduit sedan.
Guess of what that would arrange for its credibility.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
2010 Rolls - Royce RR4
Disguised prototypes of the all - new 2010 Rolls - Royce, codenamed RR4, have been seen testing near Munich. The car will be an ddition to the Phantom line, and it ' s somewhat smaller. The RR4 will be launched initially as a sedan, though two - door variants, both fixed - roof and convertible will inevitably follow.
Rolls - Royce ' s Goodwood plant in southern England will assemble the cars, and it ' s getting a doubling of capacity to cope. That implies an output of 1000 RR4s per year, only one - eighth of Bentley ' s output of Continentals. Rolls CEO Ian Robertson confirms this positioning: " It will be significantly more expensive than the Bentley. " Pricing is likely to be about $340, 000 here in the U. S.
As it ' s being built in Britain, it can use all the skills there in hand - worked leather, wood, and paint. It ' ll offer high scope for personalization in trims and issues such as entertainment electronics. Under the skin, " the car will use some BMW DNA and some of ours, " Robertson says. " It ' s Group technology. "
Unlike the Phantom, it doesn ' t have an all - aluminum space - frame body, but has a variant of the next - gen BMW 7 Series steel - and - aluminum underbody, a flexible architecture that also will provide for the larger, lower 2012 BMW CS, a big sedancoupe seen as a concept at the 2007 Shanghai show. A specific Rolls body plant at Dingolfing, Germany will build the RR4 steel bodies as well as the Phantom shells, Robertson confirms.
The RR4 will be larger than the 7 Series and considerably taller and statelier. Photos show a car with an upright nose, more swept back than the Phantom sedan. It has the familiar thick Rolls C - pillar. The wheels are extra large; it ' s a Rolls - Royce cue that they ' re half the height of the vehicle.
Expect the car to use a V - 8 with direct gas - injection and twin - turbo technology as shown in the BMW X6. Robertson refuses to confirm this, but says the RR4 will be efficient. " Remember, the Phantom is already the lowest - consumption car in its class and we want to repeat that. " He points out that Rolls must be open - minded about powertrains in the long - term future. " Last year everyone was talking about hybrids. This year, it ' s plug - in hybrids and diesel, too. I won ' t rule anything out, but I won ' t rule anything in. I believe gasoline has a long way to go, yet. "
Rolls - Royce ' s Goodwood plant in southern England will assemble the cars, and it ' s getting a doubling of capacity to cope. That implies an output of 1000 RR4s per year, only one - eighth of Bentley ' s output of Continentals. Rolls CEO Ian Robertson confirms this positioning: " It will be significantly more expensive than the Bentley. " Pricing is likely to be about $340, 000 here in the U. S.
As it ' s being built in Britain, it can use all the skills there in hand - worked leather, wood, and paint. It ' ll offer high scope for personalization in trims and issues such as entertainment electronics. Under the skin, " the car will use some BMW DNA and some of ours, " Robertson says. " It ' s Group technology. "
Unlike the Phantom, it doesn ' t have an all - aluminum space - frame body, but has a variant of the next - gen BMW 7 Series steel - and - aluminum underbody, a flexible architecture that also will provide for the larger, lower 2012 BMW CS, a big sedancoupe seen as a concept at the 2007 Shanghai show. A specific Rolls body plant at Dingolfing, Germany will build the RR4 steel bodies as well as the Phantom shells, Robertson confirms.
The RR4 will be larger than the 7 Series and considerably taller and statelier. Photos show a car with an upright nose, more swept back than the Phantom sedan. It has the familiar thick Rolls C - pillar. The wheels are extra large; it ' s a Rolls - Royce cue that they ' re half the height of the vehicle.
Expect the car to use a V - 8 with direct gas - injection and twin - turbo technology as shown in the BMW X6. Robertson refuses to confirm this, but says the RR4 will be efficient. " Remember, the Phantom is already the lowest - consumption car in its class and we want to repeat that. " He points out that Rolls must be open - minded about powertrains in the long - term future. " Last year everyone was talking about hybrids. This year, it ' s plug - in hybrids and diesel, too. I won ' t rule anything out, but I won ' t rule anything in. I believe gasoline has a long way to go, yet. "
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