Alizium Auto Blogs: июля 2009

Orange County Chopper: Intel Quad-Core Xeon Inside

San Jose, California: Commemorating 30 years of delivering products and technology to the embedded computing market, Intel Corporation today introduced the Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® processor 5300 series with extended life cycle support, the first to bring Intel architecture-based quad-core performance to the embedded segment.

Intel marked the launch here today with the unveiling of an Intel-themed embedded technology-based motorcycle by Orange County Choppers. The custom-built motorcycle boasts a Dual V-Twin engine pumping out 250 horsepower and equipped with GPS and fingerprint recognition, launched simultaneously in the Internet-based virtual world of Second Life, celebrates 30 years of Intel’s innovation and technology leadership in advancing embedded computing.

Orange County Choppers’ Paul Teutul Senior:
“As Intel celebrates 30 years of innovation, we’ve created the most powerful and technologically advanced bike we’ve ever made to showcase the many ways the world benefits from Intel embedded technology,” said “In fact, we were amazed to discover how much Intel technology we have in our own shop. Beyond the Intel- powered PCs and servers, we have Intel processors embedded in many of the machines and devices that help us with every build.”

Intel’s VP & General Manager Doug Davis:
“The breakthrough performance and power efficiency that characterize the industry’s first quad-core processors for embedded are as unmistakable as the raw power of the four cylinders of the Intel Chopper’s quad engine. This 250-horsepower chopper – designed using quad-core Intel computers – is more than just a mechanical powerhouse; it’s also a marvel of embedded technology with an ultra-mobile PC powering fingerprint recognition for security and a digital dashboard with ignition control, digital gauges, cameras that replace rear-view mirrors, integrated audio and video systems, GPS navigation and wireless connectivity.”

Intel engaged with Black Diamond Advanced Technology, a leader in the development of ultra-mobile computing systems, to integrate the motorcycle’s computerized controls and features that protect the computing system from moisture, dirt, shock and vibration and offer a computerized dashboard capable of being detached and used as a mobile PC.

[Source: intel.com]

Wanted: Information on this Porsche 904

Roger Neuman has a personal history with 904s. Over the past 30 years Roger has owned and raced four different 904s, chassis 002, 016, 028, 091. Currently he owns the second 904 built, verified by its chassis 002. Roger’s current 904 is unique in several significant ways. First, it is fitted with a leather interior, verified as correct by factory photos of the early build cars in 1963. Next, unlike the production 904s, whose bodies were molded and assembled by aircraft manufacturer Heinkel and are thicker, Roger has been told that the first two bodies were molded by a small facility in Stuttgart who was not able to meet Porsche’s production requirements to get the cars homologated. This 904 is also equipped with a 6-cylinder engine, reportedly installed at the Porsche factory at some point late in the 1960s before the car was sold to its first private owner.

Although the car has been well documented in two different 904-specific books, there are many gaps in the car’s chain of ownership over the last 45 years. As the car’s current owner, Roger is curious to learn more about its history. Read more at Automotive Traveler.

Auto leasing: soon a thing of the past?

Lease returns: what will happen to them all?

Auto leases could become much more of a burden; for everyone.

By the looks of it, there could be a perfect storm brewing in the next year for consumers, banks, leasing companies and dealerships as the economy sinks, leases end and the vehicles are returned.

Already, according to a recent NY Post article, there’s a surge in people trying to get out of leases because they can’t afford the payments anymore. Companies like www.tradealease.com have seen thousands more transactions this year than normal.

And that’s not even where the real problem begins. As leased vehicles are returned, very few people are going to buy them.

Consumers who are interested in buying a lease return will have a heck of a time getting approved for a loan, which could mean banks and leasing companies getting stuck. Big time.

Normally when a leased car is returned, the consumer can buy the car, lease another or walk away. For many, buying the car will be out of the question. Few will want the commitment of another 3-year lease payment. Most will simply walk away, leaving thousands of unwanted vehicles in the ownership of the leasing companies.

There a few possible outcomes of such a scenario:

1. Leases will become just as difficult to obtain as loans, as leasing companies tighten their requirements to minimize risk. Lease payments could become equal to loan payments, which would further deplete the leasing business.

2. The cars that have been returned will be sold well under market value, as a way for leasing companies to clear their massive inventory and minimize their losses.

For those who are in the market for a lease-returned car, those potential bargains might be worth keeping an eye on.

Regarding the state of leasing in the future: What do you think will happen? Are the days of leasing vehicles numbered?

If you are currently leasing, what do you plan to do when the lease is up?

-tgriffith

Toyota posts 11.7% rise in U.S. sales

Toyota Motor Corp. (TM) just reported that they had their best monthly sales performance ever this March 2007. Other Japanese automakers such as Honda Motor Co. (HMC) and Nissan Motor Co. (NSANY) helped the industry in March 2007 top 2006’s best month for U.S. sales despite declining results by the Big Three.

Toyota’s U.S. sales rocketed 11.7% in March 2007 compared to 2006, boosted by record sales of gas-electric hybrids as well as strong overall auto sales. The overall rise in U.S. sales came despite declines at General Motors Corp., down 3.9%; Daimler Chrysler’s Chrysler Group, down 4.6%; and Ford Motor Co., down 9.1%.

In all, Toyota sold 242,675 Toyota and Lexus vehicles in the U.S., its best month ever which includes 28,453 hybrids sold during March 2007.

[Source: LaTimes.com]

GM Launching Hydrogen Fuel Cell SUV Fleet

Chevroletequinoxfuelcell

GM will send 100 new Chevrolet Equinox compact SUVs powered by fuel cells into service next fall in California, New York and Washington, D.C. All three areas have hydrogen fueling stations, and this project will be a test to see how well the vehicles work with everyday consumers.

Called “Project Driveway,” the plan is to test the fuel cell Equinox with a “variety of drivers — in differing driving environments.” In the past, fuel cell vehicles have been known not to start in cold weather. GM says these SUVs will be able to withstand subzero temperatures for their 50,000-mile lifespan, so New Yorkers and Washingtonians picked for the project won’t be stranded on a cold winter morning.

There is no word on who will be chosen to test the vehicles or how they will be picked, but you can bet handing over the keys to such expensive technology won’t be a simple process.

Review: Falken Tires FK-452

For those of you who have forgotten the joys of spring (in a climate that includes snow), think back to those early March/April days when your parents used to haul out your bikes from the shed, or rafters in the garage, tune them up and let you have your mobile freedom. Unfortunately this joy has been long forgotten as my Norco VPS-Drop was my main mode of transportation in University even during the harsh winter months (wicked awesome fun by the way). Although this joy is long forgotten, it is far from long gone.

Today was the first true day of spring for me. It was a day of freedom and a day to celebrate even after a crazy 4 hour thunderstorm. Today was the day my summer wheels came out of storage and slammed onto my 1993 Prelude. What better timing than a morning alignment, a lunch date with my torque wrench and jack, an afternoon of torrential downpours to cleanse the pavement, and an evening to put 150km on a new set of Falken FK-452 RUBBERS! YES, it might as well have been Christmas for me!

The Falken FK-452’s are a brand spanking new tire from Falken Tires this year. The Falken Tire Corporation is a subsidiary of The Ohtsu Tire and Rubber Company Limited of Osaka, Japan. The FK-452 is the replacement tire for the Falken GRB FK-451’s (no longer in production) that I was sporting on all 4 corners last year until an amazing intersection drift blew a hole in my front passenger tread. (You should have seen the drift… sickest drift I have ever pulled off) Seeing that the FK-451’s were a major step up from the all season ZE-512’s I had on 2 years ago, I figured I would keep the rears and just get new rubber for the front (front wheel drive vehicle).

After a quick trip on the 401 to Guelph and back through some heavy rainfall and then a 30 minute playful drive around the city I have the following to conclude: These tires kick ass! Wow. They are pretty much the same price as last years FK451’s but I feel that I almost have zero wheel slip from a hard shift from 1st to 2nd. Even accelerating hard off the line on somewhat dry pavement I noticed a considerable amount of jerk compared to some slippage from last year on completely dry pavement. I can see this is going to be a fun summer and its only April! I will post a review at the end of the summer when I have had a chance to perform my very own summer of controlled and non-controlled torture testing! Here is a performance comparison chart I pulled from the FK-452 “Technical Info” section that sums up what I felt upon my first 150km test drive with them on.

Notice how the comfort level has remained unchanged, thats because any ride with low profile tires gives a racier and less comfortable ride no matter what shocks or dampers you have. Why? Because any sharp force applied to the tire (bumps, potholes, curbs for the unfortunate) gets directly transmitted to the rim, through the suspension (some force is absorbed) and to your seat and steering wheel. Unlike your big thick rubber 15 or 16 inch winters or all seasons that have the ability to dampen the majority of the force before transferring it onward through the rim, suspension and to your seat where you barely notice it and barely appreciate it.

[Source: falkentire.com, fk452.com]

Is diesel really worth it?

2009 VW Jetta TDI

Diesel fuel has been getting a lot of attention lately.

Bloggers all over the ‘net are claiming it’s the answer to slowing our oil consumption and raving about the high mileage diesel cars get. After all, Europe has been driving diesel cars for years yet American has been slow to get on the band wagon.

Cargurus.com even did a recent poll on this topic, with a majority of people who plan on buying an alternative fuel car saying they’ll buy diesel over hybrid.

While it’s true that diesels get 20 to 30 percent better fuel economy, diesel fuel is about 50 cents per gallon more than gas. On top of the higher fuel costs, diesel autos cost more upfront to buy.

I’m going to do the math right here and now, to see if going diesel on your next new auto purchase is financially worth it over a traditional gas-powered car.

The cargurus.com survey cited the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI (diesel) as it’s example, so I’ll compare it to a similarly equipped 2009 Jetta SE (gas).

The SE costs $19,920. The TDI is $21,990 for a difference of $2,070.

Currently, gas costs an average of $3.48 per gallon. Diesel currently averages $4.00 per gallon.

The SE gets an estimated 20 MPG in the city. The TDI gets 29 MPG.

Assuming you drive an average of 15,000 miles per year in the city, you’ll use 750 gallons of gas in the SE for a total of $2,610 in fuel costs.

In the TDI, you’ll use 517 gallons of diesel, for a total of $2,068 in annual fuel costs.

With the TDI, you’re saving $542 per year in fuel costs. At current prices, it will take driving your TDI for almost 4 years to break even.

So the bottom line is simple: If you’re buying a diesel over a gas-powered car to keep for the long run, diesel is a good option.

I’m interested in what you think: is diesel worth the higher MPG? I only looked at the financials; what are some other reasons to go diesel?

-tgriffith

The world’s biggest Chevy dealer has closed… and keep your eyes open for more

You won't be seeing signs like this anymore!

The news that Bill Heard Enterprises has closed shop is more surprising than it should be.

It’s no secret that dealer consolidation has been a much needed action, and that fuel prices have left a major dent in the sales of high-profit trucks and SUVs.

But the fact that the world’s largest seller of Chevrolet couldn’t even keep ONE of it’s 13 stores open is surreal. Something more must be going on.

That ‘something more’ is a massive lawsuit against Bill Heard Enterprises, accusing the dealer of signature forgery and deceptive marketing; charges that could bring up to $50 million in fines.

So the credit crunch is likely a cause of failure, not THE cause of failure.

The credit crunch and gas prices are the reasons Bill Heard Enterprises is citing though, and that’s enough for me to sound the alarm for massive changes ahead in the auto dealer industry.

What kind of changes could we see as dealers begin to jump ship?

Consolidation for one. Perhaps even to the extreme: Imagine shopping for Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, Nissan and Toyota under one roof.

Imagine the current rows and rows of auto dealers lined up on main drags across America, relegated to just one or two city blocks.

Of course consolidation would not bode well for the automakers, who count on exclusivity and high volume sales from their dealers. They’d have to cut production dramatically and quickly adapt to a much leaner way of building and distributing their vehicles.

For you and me though, it means more power in how we buy our cars and eventually could lead to a shift away from the current high-pressure model of car sales.

I’d love to see going to the car dealer akin to going to grocery store… just pick out what I want, pay and leave.

I ask you: is that day coming? Would you want it to?

-tgriffith

Dodge Magnum Car Profile

2005_dodge_magnum_ext_1

The Dodge Magum is a 4 door, 5 passenger wagon. It has a lot of great features to offer, is great for families, and is available in 6 different trims ranging below.

Dodge Magnums available: Base, SXT AWD, SXT, RT, RT AWD, SRT8

MSRP : $23,420 – $38,105

Seating capacity : 5 people

Key features :

- Applies to certain models only:

Tire pressure monitoring system
AM/FM/CD player
Navigation system
SIRIUS Satellite radio
Heated power mirrors
V8 engine
Boston Acoustics sound system
Keyless entry
MP3 capable

Gas mileage : 18/26

Awards won : No awards yet

News articles:

Behind the Wheel
The Boston Globe

Videos:

Magnum overview

The coolest Brazilian Chevettes ever?

Chevette Monza

Students of nerd car history know that the Chevette had its origins as a world car, developed largely in Brazil, so it comes as no surprise that Carro Antigo, the site full of Brazilian prototypes and other oddities that we featured yesterday, would have a few oddball Chevettes.

Starting with the 1974 Chevette Monza show car, a design study by GM of Brazil and presented at the São Paulo auto show that year.

Chevette S/R

Four years later, GM Brazil showed off the Chevette S/R, a concept intended to replace the sporty but slow 1976-1978 Chevette GP. Aside from the spoilers, skirts, hood and covered headlamps, the S/R featured a 1.6-liter engine - a whole .2 liters bigger than the engine that then powered the Chevette. Carro Antigo notes that the S/R did go into production in 1981, though sans the body cladding and on the hatchback body style.

Opala Aguia

Finally, not a Chevette, but the larger Opala Águia (Eagle) concept from 1972. Seems to be mostly a styling exercise that co-opted the Firebird’s screaming chicken. Awesome.

Kia Sorento No. 1 on our Top 10 Cash-Back List

Sorento2005

Kia still has 2005 models on lots, and that means the amount of cash they'll give you back for buying one is going to be high. The 2005 Kia Sorento SUV and Sedona minivan are leading our current Top 10 cash-back list. To see the rest of the list, click the link below. Truck buyers especially should check it out.

Top 10 Cash-Back Offers

NBC Picks Up Knight Rider For Full Season; Also, Here's A Massive Car Pulverizer [Knight Rider]

Terrible news everyone! NBC liked what they saw in the scripts they ordered and have succumbed to the powers of the Dark Side, calling for an additional nine-episode set of Knight Rider. The result will be a complete season of awful green-screen effects, lackluster writing, unimaginative story arcs and blatant male demographic pandering. In other news, here is video of a car getting crushed to pieces by a stationary automobile grinder. We've seen these kinds of things in action before, but that was on a more portable scale, allowing you to, say, take it to the set of Knight Rider and allow instinct to run its course. If you want the complete and gory details, the press release resides below (Thanks, we think, for the tip ScottE).

NBC TO PICK UP NINE ADDITIONAL EPISODES OF "KNIGHT RIDER” TO COMPLETE FULL-SEASON ORDER FOR 2008-09

UNIVERSAL CITY – October 21, 2008 – NBC will pick up nine additional episodes of its the freshman drama series "Knight Rider” (Wednesdays, 8-9 p.m. ET) to provide the series with a full-season order for 2008-09, it was announced today by Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios.

"Gary Scott Thompson and the great cast and crew of 'Knight Rider' continue to deliver fun, action packed adventures every week,” said Silverman. "Kitt and Michael will continue to travel across the country on their fun, escapist ride pursuing bad guys and saving the day.”

"Knight Rider” premiered its new season on Wednesday, September 24 (8-9 p.m. ET).
The series is averaging a 2.4 rating, 7 share in adults 18-49 and 7.4 million viewers overall so far this season in "live plus same day" averages. "Knight Rider" is the #1 regular series in its competitive time period in all key adult-male demographics and won the slot in adults 18-49 with its most recent telecast on October 15.

On the heels of NBC's hit movie, the iconic 1980s television classic comes roaring back to life as a reinvented, updated and super-charged action series showcasing the new KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand). Absolutely the coolest car ever created, KITT is equipped with "AI” (artificial intelligence) that is capable of hacking almost any system. Its weapon's systems match that of a jet fighter, its body is capable of actually transforming into other vehicles and it uses sophisticated holographic imagery to elude villains.

"Knight Rider" stars Justin Bruening ("Cold Case"), Deanna Russo ("NCIS"), Sydney Tamiia Poitier ("Veronica Mars"), Paul Campbell ("Battlestar Galactica”), Yancey Arias ("Kingpin”) and Bruce Davison ("Breach"). Smith Cho ("Blades of Glory”) recurs. David Bartis ("Heist," "The O.C."), Doug Liman ("Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "The Bourne Identity"), Matt Pyken ("Las Vegas”) and Gary Scott Thompson ("Las Vegas,” "The Fast and The Furious”) are executive producers.

Based on characters created by Glen Larson, "Knight Rider” is from Universal Media Studios and Dutch Oven Productions.

[Source: NBC, Youtube]

Corvette ZR1 hits up Nurburgring with lap times in the low 7:40s

First seen at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 recently hit up the Nurburgring in Germany for some high-speed fun. The engineers behind the wheel claim that the Corvette...

Top Gear Season 10 Available In iTunes [Top Gear]

For all the grief we give Clarkson and his two interns, we’re actually huge fans of Top Gear. It’s the show that made our carmosexuality OK with our moms. Amongst TopGearphiles, Season 10 is held up as the all-time greatest, featuring the Motorhome Grand Prix, the Channel crossing and, yes, the Kalihari special — probably the greatest episode ever. Each episode costs $1.99 or you can buy the whole season for $14.99. If you have the means, we highly recommend heading to iTunes for the downloads.

Photos: Meet the 2008 Infiniti G37 Coupe

Infiniti is ready to upgrade the car everyone and their mom has - the G35 Coupe. The G37 Coupe is certainly better looking, both sleeker and sportier and the best thing about it is that it is 35% more powerful with 330 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque.

The engine is backed by a choice of an upgraded electronically controlled 5-speed automatic transmission with available paddle shifters or a significantly revised and more refined 6-speed manual transmission.

The G37 Coupe’s enhanced platform and chassis also features an advanced 4-Wheel Active Steer system (4WAS), which improves vehicle handling by adjusting both the front steering gear ratios and the rear suspension geometry according to steering input and vehicle speed. Braking and handling is aimed to be among the best in the luxury sport coupe class.

The new, second generation G Coupe is set to arrive at Infiniti retailers across the US in August 2007 and in the UK about a year later as part of the launch line-up.

Ford Tweaks Six-Speed Transmission for 3.5L Fuel Efficient engine

Rover time, Part VII: Rebuilding the calipers

I admit it, I wasn’t looking forward to the job, but I’ve finally tackled the rear calipers on my 2000TC. Because the car had been sitting since 1976, I thought they were probably due for a rebuild. They were.

The thing that’s tough about these calipers is getting to them, since they’re mounted directly to the differential. Here, I’ve already removed the passenger-side caliper, after disconnecting the handbrake linkage and the brake line between the two calipers. It had been suggested to me that I could get the calipers off without unbolting the half-axles and rotors, but I had no such luck.

Here’s why. See that big nut? It takes a 1-1/8-inch socket to remove, and there was no way to get a socket on it with the brake disc in the way. Underneath that nut is the head of a rod that the whole caliper pivots on. It’s the first time I’ve ever encountered brakes like this - there’s just one piston, and as it pushes its pad against the disc, it rocks the whole caliper, which brings the other pad into contact with the outer side of the disc. In this photo, the inner pad is still in place, and the outer pad has been removed.

Here’s what they look like once you finally get them off. I’m holding this one upside down, and you can clearly see where the pivot bolt goes through.

This is it stripped down to its essentials. The smaller hole is the bore where the hydraulically operated piston lives; the bigger hole above it is for the mechanical piston that shoves the pad against the disc. There’s a Rube Goldberg device between them that makes it all work, sort of on the teeter-totter principle.

I used a two-armed hone chucked in a variable-speed drill to clean up the hydraulic piston’s bore, using brake fluid as a lubricant.

Here you go: every single thing you need to rebuild a pair of rear calipers. Well, these parts, and about four hours or so. Inside the wadded-up paper are two new pistons.

Here’s a piston with its new seal. Not terribly big, are they?

The piston’s installed — you can just see the tip on the left inside the rectangular opening. The point on the right of the opening is part of the handbrake mechanism. Please don’t ask me to explain how it works.

Reassembly’s nearly done. The black things on top are flat steel springs. Under the two bolts is a hefty metal bar that … uh … well, like I say, it’s best that I not try to explain too much. Think pistons and levers, and you’ll have the general idea.

The whole mechanism is hidden under a steel cover, with a big rubber gasket to keep out the weather. The protruding bit with the silver star shape is the mechanical piston that pushes against one of the pads.

Back home again, complete with new flexible brake hose. You can see the end of the piston much better here. The brake disc will go onto that flange. I should have included a photo of the pivot bolt - it’s not simply a metal bolt through a couple of holes. Oh, no. There are three O-rings involved, to keep the elements out, and on the back end is a threaded cap. Seems like Girling put a lot of effort into making sure that these brakes wouldn’t need much attention.

Conventional two-piston calipers go up front. I had driven to Dirk Burrowes’ shop, expecting to pick up a rebuild kit for these, but Dirk and fellow Rover enthusiast Steve Manwell took the calipers out of my hands and rebuilt them there on the spot. Thanks, guys! Those shiny new pistons are made of stainless steel, so they won’t rust like the old ones did from moisture absorbed into the brake fluid. By the way, if you’re into Rovers, Dirk’s annual show is a not-to-be-missed event.

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