Archive for May 2006
Written By: Chris Paukert
May 23rd, 2006 11:13 AM
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There’s a new way for the law to nail you with a speeding ticket. In the often ignored construction zones in Illinois, state police are setting up surveillance vans with high-powered cameras that not only take a photo of the license plate, but also the driver of offending vehicles. Speeders need only be within 50 yards of the van, an ordinary looking white number, and they’ll be on there way to a $375 ticket for their first offense. A second offense will net a $1,000 fine. All this technology is to protect construction workers after dozens of fatalities over the past few years and could be adopted by other states.
Written By: Chris Paukert
May 23rd, 2006 9:55 AM
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Called the Pursuit in Canada, the Pontiac-branded Cobalt Coupe will be coming to the U.S. as the G5. Unlike our neighbors to the north, we won’t be getting the compact sedan version of the G5, just the coupe.
The base G5 ekes out an extra 3 hp over the cobalt coupe to 148 hp while the G5 GT gets the same 173 hp as the base Cobalt SS. No word on a supercharged version. If you’ve been waiting to buy a Cobalt Coupe but just didn’t like the front fascia, the G5 could be the perfect fit.
Related: The New 2007 G5 [Pontiac]
Written By: Reilly
May 23rd, 2006 8:20 AM
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The excellent article in this morning’s NYTimes details a plan to help wildlife avoid freeways. If they can’t avoid them altogether, plans are in place to create bear overpasses and cougar underpasses.
It’s all a part of effort called Y2Y, or Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, or in other words, Keep Deer Off of The Hood of My Car.
Written By: Reilly
May 22nd, 2006 11:38 PM
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According to a new study funded by Piaggio (makers of the Vespa) 30% of U.S. consumers would be extremely or somewhat likely to consider using a motor scooter for their everyday transportation needs. According to the survey conducted in the first week of May of 2006, these individuals indicted a willingness to transfer 35% of their weekly mileage to a scooter.
The survey found that 33% of Americans would be likely to use a scooter to reduce emission harmful to the environment, 35% would be likely to use a scooter to save $25.00 a week on gasoline.
An unreported statistic, absent from the press release, was that we’d be 300% more likely to take a scooter if it had four doors and a roof.
Written By: Chris Paukert
May 22nd, 2006 12:35 PM
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Today Porsche announced the inevitable. The base Cayman model will go on sale in the U.S. at the end of July. It will only have 245 bhp and retail at $49,400. It is such a downer since we, and almost every other automotive scribe on the planet, are in love with the Cayman S.
The base Cayman can’t live up to its beefier brother. Now we know why most automakers roll out the base model first and try and top it with a high performance variant. This way of doing things sure is depressing but we all did get our hands on the Cayman S first…
Written By: Reilly
May 22nd, 2006 11:47 AM
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The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Toyota wants to move production of its hybrid-electric superstar, the Prius, to North America. Norihiko Shirouzu’s article on page two of today’s paper includes comments from Toyota Vice Chairman Fujio Cho, who reportedly wants to improve the efficiency of the Prius and move its assembly to North America to “(keep) up its current momentum.”
Toyota is looking to cut the size of the hybrid-electric systems in the car by as much as 75% in total area. Wow.
We’d link to the WSJ article if not for the fact that the WSJ website doesn’t list the article on its webpage.
Written By: Chris Paukert
May 22nd, 2006 8:39 AM
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Most aftermarket receivers with an LCD screen are huge affairs that much up the flow of the dashboard and center stack. After browsing through the Sunday paper circulars we found two from JVC’s EXAD line that fit a small, 3.5 inches, screen set right into the front plate. But the unit won’t block other controls, air vents or completely distract the driver from…driving.
Luckily for those of us not acclimated to the screen size of a PlayStation Portable, both units also have the ability to control multiple screens in the vehicle and expansion to wireless headphones. Cost isn’t totally outrageous at $599-$649 and they look much more expensive.
Written By: Reilly
May 19th, 2006 5:13 PM
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Behold the thirty-three foot-long, Neopor foam Audi TT done on a scale of 2.5:1 by Audi’s design department. The giant sculpture “The Automobile” is the third of a total of six monuments which are due to be erected in the centre of Berlin and together make up the “Walk of Ideas”, a sculpture park that forms one of the central elements of the “Germany - Land of Ideas” initiative.
Written By: Chris Paukert
May 19th, 2006 11:34 AM
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Since so many Scion buyers load up their cars with elaborate accessories, either from the dealer or not, the car company is announcing a Spec Package for 2007.
Those people still customizing imports will save $1,400 to go with the stripped Spec Package that comes with nothing more than four paint choices and hubcaps. That’s a few needed bucks to put towards a look like the one shown here.
Accessories have always been a part of the Scion business model, so we’re wondering why it took this long to come up with the spec model.
Written By: Chris Paukert
May 19th, 2006 10:29 AM
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Press releases aren’t generally that interesting. In fact they’re downright boring and offer little actual meat to fill any story, or blog post. But yesterday GM announced that they would introduce 19 new, or significantly enhanced, powerplants for the 2007 model year.
One we were well aware of will be the 260 hp turbocharged Ecotec for the Pontiac Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Redline. But probably more significant to the entire range will be the new six-speed automatic transmissions dealt out to a variety of platforms.
There’s also the hybrid system of the Vue Greenline and a new V6 with Active Fuel Management that deactivates cylinders when not needed to please enviros and cautious car shoppers. The AFM system is usually reserved for V8s, but the fuel-saving V6 [shown here] will be available in the Chevy Impala and answers the recent media swarm over mpg figures.
Written By: Chris Paukert
May 19th, 2006 8:00 AM
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The new 500 hp Ford Shelby GT500 is already making waves on the Internet. No, no one has released a review, positive or negative. No, the buzz is about the dreaded “dealer mark-up” for this hot piece of automotive muscle.
While most car aficionados would agree that a sub-$50,000 price tag that Ford is reporting is a reasonable price for so much power, those same elitists should also raise their noses at greedy dealers waiting to cash-in on the anticipation.
This price fix system happened a few years ago surrounding the $150,000 Ford GT. That car was even more limited and strictly for exotic owners so mark-ups of a few thousand didn’t equal as large a percentage of the original sticker. Some listings on Ebay have the GT500 mark-up at 50%. This one has a Buy It Now price of $99,999!
Recently we spoke to one car nut with a healthy stable of exotics who doesn’t sneeze at dropping $100K on a car. He was really excited about the GT500 but said he would never buy one with a mark-up. If even those that can afford the gouging won’t cough up the dough, who will?
Written By: Reilly
May 17th, 2006 2:22 PM
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Max Papis, versatile Italian race car driver and Winding Road subscriber, has been hired to drive a second Cheever Racing entry for the Indianapolis 500. We’re excited to see “Mad Max” get another shot at Indy and wish him the best in qualifying for the race (Saturday, May 20). Papis has been one of GM’s factory drivers in the Corvette and Cadillac sports car programs over the past few years; he won the Grand-Am championship two years ago.
A native of Como, Italy, Papis moved up the ladder of European formulas during his late teens and early 20s before finding a Formula One test ride with Lotus and Honda in 1994. The following year, he competed in seven Formula One races with Arrows.
In 1996, Papis posted three wins in IMSA World Sports Car, then joined Championship Auto Racing Teams, where he won three races in five years. Since then, Papis has been one of the top competitors in American sports-car racing. He posted an overall win at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2002, a Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series championship in 2004, and class wins at the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Daytona and two runner-up finishes at the 24 Hours of LeMans.
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