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Filed under: Green , Tech , Ford Ford has yet to release its first EcoBoost engines but is reportedly already hard at work on the technology's next phase. Rumors indicate that the new engine technology is codenamed Bobcat and uses small amounts of ethanol injection to improve power and reduce emissions. Ethanol carries a very high octane rating, which allows an engine to be tuned for more power. An engine with ethanol injection can run a much higher compression ratio along with a small turbocharger as the ethanol would be injected directly into the engine's combustion chamber, thereby eliminating precompression, which is more commonly referred to as knock and can be extremely hazardous to your engine's health. The alcohol injection would be performed on an entirely different fuel injection system as the gasoline, complete with its own fuel tank. It would have to be closely metered, but should only need refilled once every few months since the amount used would be so small. Early...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Tech , Tokyo Auto Salon Weds Sports, a Japanese wheel-maker, has created a full carbon fiber wheel -- rims, spokes, hub, everything -- that weighs 2.76 kg. Coming out to about 6.1 pounds, that's about half the weight of the Dymag carbon fiber wheel with a magnesium rim that you'll find on a Callaway Corvette, and just over a pound more than Dymag's all-carbon race-specific front wheel for a motorcycle. According to a rough translation of Weds' literature, they use a dry carbon fiber process that makes the wheels strong enough for... well, we're not really sure. While the rims look absolutely ace, we can't find any other company that makes an entire wheel out of carbon fiber, and Weds apparently hasn't yet put them in production, which leads us to think that these babies were meant only for the scales at the Tokyo Auto Salon. But if you have $12,000 for a set of four, and you live in an area with no potholes and no curbs, these could...
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Filed under: Gadgets , Tech , Audi This is the kind of computerized world we can get behind -- not the kind that drives for you whether you like it or not, but the one that allows you to do your human thing even better. Futuremark has created a concept instrument and dash cluster for Audi that is rendered entirely in 3D graphics. In the Nissan GT-R, you can change the center console screen to show or highlight the gauges you want. With Futuremark's dashboard, you can create any kind of dashboard layout, color scheme, gauge look... you name it... that you want. Using its Open GL ES engine (that's Open Graphics Library for Embedded Systems) for the API (that's Application Program Interface), Futuremark wants to show what's coming -- or at least, what's possible -- for in-car information and entertainment systems. We're not really worried about the acronyms; as far as we're concerned, we're talking about the tweakability of video games brought to life in hot...
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Filed under: Tech The Internet has been invading every aspect of our lives, but until recently most of us have gone without a connection to the World Wide Web inside our cars. That's changing with third party companies and OEMs beginning to offer 3G WiFi solutions for automobiles, and Microsoft says it's working on an even better idea. The Seattle-based software giant is working with the Universities of Massachusetts and Washington to develop a more reliable WiFi experience that enables the reception of multiple signals simultaneously to cut back on choppy service. Microsoft's WiFi solution would leverage fledgling municipal wireless infrastructures to bring the Internet to your car. The Ballmer boys are betting that WiFi services will spread like wildfire in the future, and its new technology will be able to utilize multiple signals at the same time to make in-car Internet as smooth as what you get at home. On the surface, in-car Internet sounds ridiculous, but think of all...
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Filed under: Etc. , Safety , Tech Heated seats can be just what the doctor ordered in the middle of winter, but if you're trying to pass on your car-loving gene pool, you may be better off freezing. Scientists studying male fertility have discovered that the proliferation of heated seats raises the temperature of your junk by a full degree Fahrenheit verses sitting in the car without artificially warmed seats. That's enough to cut your chances of reproducing, and it makes us strategically point a fan at close range just thinking about it. Even without electronically warmed seat bottoms, guys that sit in the car for long periods of time raise the temperature of their man parts by a couple degrees above optimal sperm-making levels. Hmmm, just typing "above optimal sperm-making levels" makes us a bit queasy. The cure? Turn off the heated seats, wear boxers, and don't sit in the car for too long at once. OK... lets talk about something else. [Source: Drive ] Read | Permalink...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Etc. , Safety , Tech Pirelli has announced a further innovation in the ongoing quest to remove the driving from driving. Sensors have been stashed in tires already for the hasty implementation of TPMS, but Pirelli has taken it a step further, putting a sensor package on the tire carcass itself. One implementation of the "Cyber Tire" is the "Lean," which harnesses power from the vibrations of the vehicle and beams information including tire pressure, temperature, and load to the vehicle's computer. Cyber Tire Lean is setting things rolling for the eventual trotting out of full-blown Cyber Tire, which will be built into the tire. The high tech rubber will be more sophisticated and capable of communicating directly with stability control and anti-lock brakes to improve the effectiveness of dynamic safety systems. Cyber Tire will also carry a three-axis accelerometer that will facilitate real-time calculations of friction coefficients, contact...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Gadgets , Tuners , Hybrids/Alternative , Green , Tech , Toyota , Lifestyle Click above to view video after the jump We truly do appreciate the custom-car scene, in all of its various guises. There is, however, a problem with the custom Prius you see above and in the video embedded after the break . Generally speaking, the goal of modifying a car is to either A) make it go faster or B) make it look better. When Classe Gustafson, Elvis Häggbom and Kenny Kyrk from Sweden had finished spending $184,000 customizing a Toyota Prius, they had accomplished neither. This Prius-trocity, which was modified for a television show, is anything but subtle. It lost two doors during its transformation from mild-mannered hybrid eco-mobile to whacked out sport compact that just happens to get good fuel economy, though it did get scissor-style portals that are nearly impossible to open in the process. And it also gained a huge honkin' stereo and the body-kit from a Volvo...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Gadgets , Tuners , Coupes , Sports/GTs , Tech , Supercars , Nissan Cobb Tuning has re-engineered its AccessPort control unit for the new R35 Nissan GT-R. For those of you lucky enough to own a GT-R and not content with its performance out of the box, the $995 AccessPort will reflash the ECU to any one of six different tuning levels. There are three levels each for Stage 1 and Stage 2. Stage 1 can get you up to 63 additional ponies and 70 lb.-ft. of additional twist, while Stage 2 can boost the numbers by 70 and 90 respectively. The AccessPort can also save your stock ECU data and reflash it when you decide you're finished with all that extra gumption. According to a GT-R owner who tried it out , you can be blowing past all those regular GT-Rs in less than an hour. And that's not all: you can store multiple engine mapping programs, remove trouble codes, install reduced-power valet and economy modes, and update maps over the Internet. It seems like a ridiculously...
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Filed under: Tech , Videos Click above to view video of the AeroMotrions wing in action Earlier this week we introduced you to the AeroMotions downforce splitting rear spoiler , a wing that's split in two and uses an onboard computer to selectively adjust the pitch of each wing section to provide the maximum amount of traction for any given situation. At the time all we had was a single picture from the spoiler's debut at an autocrossing event in California, but the company has since released video of said autocrossing showing the wing in action. Watching the video after the jump , you can clearly see how this thing works. Turn left and the driver-side part of the wing flips up to increase downforce and keep the inside rear wheel planted. Turn right and the opposite happens. Floor the car in a straight line and both halves of the wing level out. The amazing thing is how fast each section of the wing reacts, as its constantly adjusting the angles in real time. Follow the jump to...
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Filed under: Gadgets , Coupes , Sports/GTs , Tech , Videos , Supercars , Audi , Toys Click above to view video after the jump Alex Roy , currently locked in an M5 with our own Damon Lavric, recently got a video tour of a rather nifty Audi R8 owned by someone who insists he renames nameless. Codenamed Blackbird, the coupe is stuffed with enough gadgets to be a testbed for NASA's shuttle replacement, but don't for a second think the interior resembles a jungle of wires, screens and antennae: all the electronic gear is seamlessly integrated in a most impressive way. A sample of the wares in the blacked out supercar with the gunmetal gray blade include four GPS units, two radar detectors, police scanner, CB radio, kill switch for all rear lights, high-speed broadband Internet with Wi-Fi running on a tablet PC, power ports, takedown lights, a remote-controlled exhaust bypass valve, and -- get this -- a liquid-cooled infrasonic wave pulse generator. Apparently, you don't want to stand...
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Filed under: Economy , Tech , Hatchbacks , Mazda Since the Mazda3 hit the streets in 2004, it's proven to be a very strong contender in the small car segment. The compact sedan and hatch has been winning customers over with great styling, athletic ride characteristics, and equipment that typically isn't found in small cars. Its rich mix of standard features and options has helped keep transaction prices high, which will be very important as the self-proclaimed Zoom-Zoom automaker looks to downsize its lineup and make as much money as possible from every sale. Mazda will now execute the Mazda3 strategy across its entire line to boost profits while giving customers the standard features they crave. For example, the all-new 2009 Mazda6 will be equipped with disc brakes at all four corners in every trim level while some of the competition continues to use rear drum brakes on their base models. Mazda has already proven that adding standard content can raise transaction prices while at...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Tuners , Tech The faster a car goes, the more downforce its various wings, spoilers and splitters can produce. There's always a trade-off though, as the byproduct of downforce is more drag, which reduces a car's top speed. Supercars like the Bugatti Veyron use active aerodynamics to produce the right amount of downforce for a specific situation like twisty road courses or high-speed runs, but cars like the Veyron are out of reach for most. Enter AeroMotions, a company that promises its rear wing assembly will provide the perfect amount of downforce at all times. The carbon fiber wing is split into two sections, each one moving independently of one another to offer just the right amount of traction. An on-board computer constantly monitors acceleration, braking and lateral acceleration so it can actively change the pitch of the wing's sections in real-time as the car is being driven, effectively giving more or less downforce to whichever side of the...
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Filed under: Gadgets , Etc. , Tech FasTrak is an "electronic toll collection system" used in California. Once you set up an account, you get a transponder that simply debits your account balance whenever you pass through a toll booth. The system uses RFID technology to broadcast your account information to the toll booth receivers. According to Hack A Day , the system is anything but secure. Among other problems, an attendee at the Black Hat 2008 conference in Las Vegas found that because the in-car transponders don't require any authentication, anyone with an RFID reader can get the unique ID from any car and then use that in their own transponder. Not only that, but you could also force any other transponder to take on a new ID because of the system's open over-the-air upgrading system. To change the system would require legislative action since it's all defined by California laws, so Californians shouldn't expect a quick fix. Until -- and if -- a fix comes,...
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Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage , Sedans/Saloons , Tech , Videos , Mercedes-Benz , AMG Click above for high-res gallery of the AMG S63 There was a time when what we might call super-sedans were largely the province of a dedicated cadre of aftermarket tuners. Companies like Brabus, Alpina and, of course, AMG would generally start with mid-sized German sedans and transform them into something truly special. AMG in particular came to the forefront in 1987 after two decades of building special Mercs when they unleashed the Hammer. They had been building cars for two decades already, but the Hammer took things to a new level by installing a 5.6L V8 from the 560SEC coupe modified with twin-cam four valve heads into the mid-size 300E sedan. With that car, AMG set off an arms race that continues to this day. The tuners are still out there but AMG was eventually brought in from the cold when it was bought by Mercedes-Benz. Today AMG produces high performance versions of almost all Mercedes models...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Gadgets , Euro , Tech var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/design/When_you_re_bored_with_one_color_car_use_tape'; When a BMW 335i owner in Munich became bored with his black coupe, he hired a team to wrap it in white tape. Two days later, he drove home in his refreshed "Alpine White" coupe (with an M3-appearing black roof). No, it's not normal tape. It's a special 3M wrap, and the process is known as "foiling." Apparently, the German military has been using the process (with an olive drab tape) for some time now. Likewise, the process is popular with race teams and taxi companies. Available in countless colors, the tape itself is thick enough to protect the paint from minor chips and nicks, and it can be left adhered to the surface for 3-4 years without damage (!). Adhesion isn't a problem either, as the tape can even withstand an automatic car wash without peeling off. Thanks for the tip Frank. Gallery: Foil Tape Paint Job ...
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