No, that is not the world’s most awesome Michigan Wolverines beer pong table. It’s a million-dollar race car that’s powered by the sun, and in the most recent epsiode of Translogic, our sister site visits the University of Michigan Solar Car Team to learn all about it.
The Wolverines have been racing in international solar car competitions since 1989, having built 11 cars in the past 23 years. They’ve won the North American Solar Challenge six times, including the last three in a row, and will be defending their title this July. The team finished third in the last year in Australia, and is currently working on a new car design for the 2013 event.
The car itself, dubbed Quantum, is a poem to minimalism, light weight and efficiency. It can run at over 100 miles per hour, thanks to its ultra-efficient, 12-horsepower, in-hub electric motor and a low curb weight of just 320 pounds.
to watch the full episode and see the U of M team in action.
If you’ve ever tried installing an infant car seat in say, a , you understand that just because a car has LATCH anchors doesn’t mean your car seat is going to fit. Those anchors are supposed to make child restraint installation a breeze, but according to a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, many automakers aren’t following the spirit of the law requiring them.
The study looked at the 98 top-selling vehicles from 2010-2011 and found just 21 that met its criteria for having “easy-to-use” LATCH hardware. Making the list were the ; ; , , and ; ; , and ; and ; ; ; ; ; and ; and ; and .
The researchers used a test fixture that adhered to guidelines developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers to develop three criteria for evaluation. The first was having anchors that were easy to see and not buried beneath rear seat cushions. The second was having the LATCH attachment points unobstructed by seatbelts, foam or other parts of the seat. The third was that adults could correctly install the seats using less than 40 pounds of force.
While the study found that the majority of models didn’t nail all three criteria, the list of vehicles that didn’t meet any of them was much shorter: ; ; ; and ; ; and .
to see a video about LATCH and read the full release from IIHS.
It’s no secret that the is an Americanized version of the Opel Insignia, and even uses this fact to try and persuade the public that the car is a European sport sedan rather than just a way to try and make some profit from the black-ink-challenged Opel unit. The Opel Insignia is headed for a mid-cycle facelift very soon, and camoflaged test cars have been snagged by spy photographers.
While the models in the photographs are a European-spec hatchback and a wagon, there’s clearly a new grille in the works, and the headlights and tail lamps will be changed, plus some other minor nips/tucks. The Insignia will debut the changes first, and we’d expect the Regal to pick them up soon after.
On the surface, drag racing seems so simple. Apply right foot liberally, keep the vehicle pointed down track and wait for a quarter mile to pass. Unfortunately, the real world is rarely so black and white. Pesky details like applied horsepower, traction and the fallibility of materials results in all manner of challenges. Just ask the driver of the in the video . Shortly after launch, the high-horsepower machine sheds its left axle. With a massive racing slick under full thrust, the resulting carnage is, well, impressive.
The video is a pleasant rarity in the drag racing universe. Not only are we afforded a look at the ensuing drama from inside the cockpit, but a solid look at just how quickly a situation can turn hairy from outside as well. for yourself.
Plenty Improved But Facing Stiffer Competition Than Ever
lost much of its credibility with enthusiasts after killing off what few performance cars it offered years ago, and yet the average car buyer still seems drawn to most anything wearing one of its badges. Even so, there has been one vehicle in the Toyota lineup that enthusiasts and cars-as-appliance shoppers have seemingly agreed upon for all the wrong reasons: the .
The subcompact Yaris has never taken hold here in the U.S. like its larger and stablemates – its awkward shape and unmemorable driving characteristics combined to keep this little Toyota from the top of the sales charts. The Yaris has always remained far behind the monthly sales talliess of the more engaging and practical .
Toyota has gone back to the drawing board for the 2012 model year, combating the dullness of the old Yaris with a combination of more expressive styling and the promise of improved driving dynamics. It has even tuned the Yaris SE with a stiffer suspension and bigger tires as an olive branch of sorts to budget-minded enthusiasts, so we couldn’t resist taking the reins of a five-door SE for a week-long test to see if Toyota’s new, greener branch is worth taking.
Automation, the game that allows players to build their own car company from the ground up, has made a big step forward by releasing a engine-builder demo. Those who have already pre-ordered the game can download a preview of the designer right now by heading over to the , while the rest of the world gets to wait until April 22. So far, the glimpse is limited to four-cylinder applications, though players can tweak nearly every aspect of the four-pot’s design. Block, crank and head material are all up for grabs as are intake, exhaust and fuel design and cam profile.
The company was kind enough to slide us an early copy of the demo filled with tutorial videos explaining the intricacies of each engine system. While incredibly involved, the program seems to be a great way to expand one’s knowledge by eeking ever-better horsepower out of an engine. Though all of the options can be a bit overwhelming, even for those of us with grease under our fingernails, Automation offers clear explanations on each variable. for a quick video and the press release, and be sure to check out the game’s on the 22nd for your own free demo.
More details are filtering in about at the Technical Center battery research lab in Warren, Michigan.
First, the number of people injured has climbed to five, with one taken to the hospital and four treated at the scene. The local deputy fire chief said none of the injuries were life-threatening. The fire department also told the local mayor that it was fumes from hydrogen sulfide that caused the explosion, but GM declined to comment on that aspect. We learned yesterday that a battery under “extreme testing” caused the explosion.
According to The Detroit News‘ David Shepardson on , “Chemical gases from the battery cells were released and ignited in the enclosed chamber. The battery itself was intact” , “All areas of the Alternative Energy Center except for the battery lab and adjacent offices will operate normally on Thursday.”
Unnamed sources have told the media that it was a prototype battery pack made by A123 that caused the fire. Fox News that pack was being tested for use in the Chevy Spark EV and other all-electric vehicles. Batteries made by A123 were recently involved in in the .
The doesn’t have the kind of power that results in jaw-dropping dyno numbers, but any naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four cylinder that promises 200 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque needs to be vetted out.
The good people at Edmunds did the vetting, and the hotly anticipated model performed, well, predictably. The FR-S delivered what Edmunds called “the most repeatable runs on the dyno of any car in recent memory,” with peak wheel power measuring 173 horsepower at 7,000 RPM and 143 pound-feet of torque at 2,500 revolutions. Keep in mind that these numbers are at the wheels, not at the crankshaft where factory numbers are recorded.
One interesting stat that showed up on the line graph was a 14-percent drop in torque between 3,200 and 4,500 RPM. This was reportedly done by engineers on purpose to increase driving pleasure lower in the rev range, which sounds like a solid compromise to us. to watch the video, and make sure to turn up your speakers for optimal boxer four enjoyment.
How important is the auto industry to state and federal governments? According to the Center for Automotive Research, the industry accounts for $135 billion in annual taxes. In fact, a reported 13 percent of all state taxes comes from the automobile, or $91.5 billion in total.
Just as impressive is the overall money that Americans pour into their four-wheeled transportation. CAR estimates that auto sales come in at $564 billion, and parts, repairs and other services add in another $173 billion. And those are the staggering numbers generated in an auto market of only 12 million units per year. So far, 2012 auto sales appear to be moving closer to 14 million units, which should help push the $735 billion total closer to the $1 trillion mark.
The income generated by cars and trucks is certainly significant, but a good portion of that income goes toward new roads. Of the $43 billion that ends up in federal coffers, $29 billion comes from fuel taxes. On the state level, two-thirds of the $91.5 billion comes from taxes on fuel. Still, that amounts to 10 percent of California’s overall revenue and a knee-wobbling 23 percent of revenue in Oklahoma.
Auto jobs also contribute serious coin to Uncle Sam, with Michigan leading the way. Uncle Sam took in $2.2 billion from The Mitten State, followed by Ohio and California. to read the CAR press release.
Back in 2010, the small Dutch producer of exotic GTs bought an ailing from and proceeded to focus all its energies on keeping it afloat. And as if to reflect that shift in focus, changed its name to Swedish Automobile NV – or SWAN for short.
Now that Saab has gone bankrupt, however, the Dutch holding company has officially changed its name back to Spyker. Just what that means, however, when the cars are built in the UK by CPP and the sportscar business was sold last year to North Street Capital, remains to be seen.
It may be a bit of stretch to call a McLaren F1 “priceless”, but finding an owner willing to part with his can be a challenge for even the most determined (and cash-rich) collector. But just such an opportunity is coming around the corner at Bonhams’ upcoming auction at the Quail Lodge in August. While every McLaren F1 is a rare bird indeed, this one is even more so.
Even more extreme than the road-going supercar on which it was based, the McLaren F1 GTR emerged as a dominant force in endurance racing in the late 1990s. The F1 GTR proved so successful, in fact, that despite being categorized in the GT classes of production-based racers, it eclipsed the purpose-built prototypes to claim overall victory at the 2005 24 Hours of Le Mans.
All told, McLaren only built 28 examples of the F1 GTR – of which only ten were the aerodynamically-optimized Longtail versions – and this was the very last of them. Built in 1997, chassis 028R contested the FIA GT Championship at the Nurburgring, the A1-Ring, Donington, Spa, Mugello, Sebring, Laguna Seca and Suzuka.
Decked out in Gulf and Davidoff race livery, it’ll go to the top bidder at The Quail, but we dare not venture a guess as to how much he or she will have to pay for the privilege – but the last time this car went up for sale, the asking price was nearly $4 million. Feel free to read more about the car in the press release .
J.D. Power and Associates created the Power Information Network (PIN) in 1993 to collect and analyze dealer transactions on new and used cars. Power uses the data from more than 10,000 dealerships to “improve business for automotive dealers, manufacturers, lenders, and other companies in the industry.” The wider use of consumer data captured at the point-of-sale is what concerns dealers, and it’s probably that reasoning which has led to the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) partnering with J.D. Power to codify how the information is used and to enhance its application.
It isn’t yet spelled out clearly how the tie-up will alter the relationship between dealers and J.D. Power, but it appears to give the NADA a better position in the food chain and flow of customer data, and more protection for dealers and for the data itself. for a press release about the announcement.
We don’t envy local law enforcement, especially in a city like Richmond, Virginia. Charged with keeping the public safe from a variety of ill forces, the job is about as thankless as they come. Recently, the RPD has adopted a new initiative in an attempt to curb vehicle break-ins. Officers on the night shift now check vehicles for valuables left in plain sight, and when they find them, the police stop by the vehicle’s owner’s home for a little chat. All of these “wake up calls” are most likely to occur between midnight and 4:00 a.m. in order to teach car owners a lesson about protecting themselves from crime.
While removing or stashing high-dollar electronics before leaving your car parked overnight may seem like simple common sense, critics of the plan suggest that punishing those who refuse or forget to do so with a late-night wake-up call is beyond the scope of law enforcement – particularly as it applies to vehicles parked on private property. Watch the WBBC 12 NBC local news report on the initiative by , then voice your opinion in our poll and in Comments.
There’s nothing at all wrong with spending a large sum of money on a nice garage. After all, you need a good, safe place to keep your two- and four-wheeled belongings, right? And, assuming you’ve got the disposable income and lots of toys, we suppose even a multi-million-dollar garage is within the boundaries of acceptability… even if that’s 25 times the average cost of a new home in America.
and you’ll find a video from HGTV’s program, hosted by Carter Oosterhouse, in which a $6 million garage is featured in all its glory. The first portion of the garage is pretty nice, housing a large collection of (sigh… mostly unridden) motorcycles, but that’s not what makes this garagemahal stand out from the crowd.
That would be the massive hydraulic elevator used to access the garage’s lower portion. We’ll let you all decide whether or not this garage is worth its cost, or whether or not it’s filled with a properly exotic batch of vehicles. All you gotta do is watch the video , then let us know what you think in the Comments.
One of the great insufferable truths of adulthood is that toys are always cooler when you’re too old to acceptably play with them. Take this custom-built baby stroller, for example. A scale model of the iconic ‘60, the stroller features underbody lighting, sweet whitewall tires, unique pin striping and a slick red interior. Of course, that’s just what’s on the surface. Doting parents may also press a button to make the stroller shoot flames. That’s right: shoot flames. We’re in love.
If you’re as smitten as we are and happen to have a rug rat on the way, you can actually purchase fiberglass pedal-car shells for just $199.99 from eBay. Of course, you’ll need to throw your own blood, sweat and tears into the mix to create a final product on par with the the one in the video after the jump. Not a Cadillac fan? No problem. You can also snap up everything from ‘32 roadsters to ‘51 Mercury convertibles and even ‘41 Willys Truck shells as well. You can find them . In the mean time, for a little video inspiration.
“Mentsch tracht, Gott lacht,” goes the old Yiddish proverb. Man plans, God laughs. And that certainly applies to motor racing, where engineers, mechanics, strategists… entire teams spend day and night over the course of months preparing to campaign their new race car, only for it all to go horrible wrong at the last minute. And that’s what the folks at Motorsport GmbH in Cologne, Germany, are apparently facing now.
After having their Formula One program shut down a couple of years ago by corporate headquarters, Toyota Motorsport has been hunting for a new project ever since. That new project turned out to be the TS030 Hybrid, an advanced Le Mans prototype which they’ve been gearing up to campaign in the new FIA World Endurance Championship and its headline event, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Only those plans were set back some – if not ground to a halt – last Wednesday when the only working example of the TS030 crashed while undergoing testing at the Paul Ricard circuit in the South of France.
In the statement , Toyota doesn’t specify exactly what happened or who was driving at the time, but you can be sure he’s feeling pretty morose right now, because the chassis was damaged so extensively that the team won’t be able to repair it in time for the Six Hours of Spa where the car was supposed to make its race debut on May 5. Toyota does, however, expect to be up and running again in time for Le Mans in June, although whether that will leave the team with enough time to build the two cars it was expecting to field there or have to revert to a single entrant remains to be seen.
If wants to test out a new vehicle at speed – and you can usually bet that at any given time Porsche will be testing a new vehicle at speed – it’s got miles and miles of Autobahn at which to do it. Not enough? There’s the Nürburgring and all of its myriad turns and changes in surface. It’s also got at its disposal. But considering the quantity (and, for fans of the company’s products, quality) of Porsche’s vehicles, even that’s not enough. So what’s a sportscar manufacturer to do? Get a track in Italy, of course. And that’s just what Porsche has done.
Announced just today, Porsche has acquired the Nardo Technical Centre from Prototipo SpA, the Italian firm owned by Gian Mario Rossignolo (who has been hard at work reviving the De Tomaso marque). Now if the name Nardo rings a bell, that’s because it’s known for its 7.8-mile banked oval capable of handling high-speed runs in excess of 200 mph. But it also has a 3.8-mile handling circuit where a variety of automakers and tuners like to test out their prototypes.
And starting next month, they’ll need to rent space from Porsche (whose 918 Spyder prototype is pictured above undergoing testing at Nardo) to do so, assuming Porsche is willing to rent out the space. Something tells us that sister brands under the umbrella like and won’t have too much trouble getting some track time, though. Sroll down for the official announcement.
Many countries have produced supercars with price tags that dip into the six figures, but that rare breed of exotic that fetches upwards of a quarter million is all but completely exclusive to Europe: , and Pagani out of Italy, from France, McLaren and higher-end models of Britain, top-of-the-line offerings from Germany, Koenigsegg of Sweden and so on. That’s what makes the so exceptional. It extends beyond the Acura NSX and the that previously defined the top end of Japanese supercars and joins its European rivals at the very top of the market. But that, we’re reading, is only the beginning.
According to a shadowy anonymous source cornered by AutoGuide, Toyota is already working on a successor to the LFA, and their mole says the car will be even more exotic, more powerful and more expensive. Just what that entails when the LFA is already limited to 500 examples, packs a 552-horsepower 4.8-liter V10 and costs $375,000 has us conjuring up images of an animé take on the . AG suggests the car could nudge the million-dollar mark with production limited to just 100 examples.
Could it be a ? It’s probably too early to tell. In fact, we’re going to go ahead and take this entire rumor with a few shakers-worth of salt and advise you to consider doing the same.
If you were confused when we chose the as the (behind the itself) at the , then maybe you’re not familiar with the Viper’s racing pedigree. Fortunately, the American Le Mans Series has produced this excellent mini documentary that helps explain why the Viper’s return to racing is a very big deal.
While the Viper had been racing in various series both domestic and international before entering the inaugural season of ALMS in 1999, it began a streak in this fledgeling North American motorsport that was, in a word, dominant. During the 1999 season, Team Oreca won six ALMS races in a row in the GTS class with their Viper GTS-R racecar. The only reason the team didn’t sweep the eight-race season is because they missed the first two races. Team Oreca and the original Viper GTS-R came close to sweeping the 2000 season, though, winning eight of ten races, only falling twice to their arch rivals from Corvette Racing. Their winning streak spanned two seasons and 12 consecutive races. They also won their class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
Unfortunately, factory support for the program ended in 2001 and the Viper’s dominance quickly evaporated as private teams could not match Team Oreca’s OEM-backed success. Still, under the wing of Team Oreca and backed by Dodge, the Viper GTS-R amassed an impressive record of 16 race wins in 18 starts. And that’s why the car’s return to ALMS’ GT class is a very big deal. Check out the video .
The Detroit News reports the sum total of the remaining assets is worth less than a third of the defunct automaker’s debts. All told, the company owes a hefty $1.9 billion at current conversion rates, though its total property value rings in at a comparatively paltry $532 million. The debt includes $89 million owed to former employees, $107 million to General Motors and $388 million to Sweden itself. With so many hands to feed and so few dollars to go around, Saab says only those who hold securities are likely to have their debts paid.
That means those who were employed by Saab Automobile likely won’t see a dime. The horizon looks a bit more rosy for Saab Automobile Powertrain workers, however.
Saab had said the company has six or seven investors interested in saving the manufacturer’s name from falling into obscurity, though it’s unclear how many of those remain dedicated to the prospect currently.
J.D. Power and Associates created the Power Information Network (PIN) in 1993 to collect and analyze dealer transactions on new and used 
