Car News: Sept. 30

Have you ever wanted an ugly and perhaps overpriced exotic car? Well a start up car company in California known as Vision has your back. They are trying their best to get this 90s looking super car into production. Rumored to have 6 liter V-12 with around 700 hp. Well at least you could get it going fast enough that no one would have to look at it long enough. Thanks to autoblog.com for the picture. I for one hope it doesn't get produced.

Were you a fan of the inline 6s BMW had slot into the M3? Have you been upset by the new V8 engine and yearning after the inline 6 instead? There might be some good news, rumor has it that the next M3 will be an inline 6. Here is a quick video of what is believed to be a proto-type M3. 

Want to rid yourself of the dependency of fossil fuels and drive an electric vehicle? Well then you are reading the wrong blog, as this is for petrol heads. But if that is you, Nissan has some good news. Production of the Leaf has been ramped up and the vehicle will be sold in more states. So if you were living in a state that couldn't get it yet, keep checking and you soon might be able to drive away silently in a brand new electric vehicle. 

Now to end on the best news of all, Lamborghini will be producing the awe-inspiring Sesto Elemento. Sad thing, is that only 20 examples will be made, with just over a handful coming to the United States. So the chance of seeing one is very slim. The car will be made entirely out of carbon fiber, helping it to tip the scales at a petite 2200 lbs. For comparison, you know those cute little Mini Coopers that seem to pop up everywhere? The Mini weighs 400 lbs more then the Lamborghini. Then factor in the horsepower ratings of each vehicle, and it is apparent this Lambo is going to be fast. Like crush your eyeballs in the back of your sockets fast. That is, if you can afford the estimated $2 million price tag. But one major downside of the car, it is rumored to be a track car and won't be road legal. Sad. For now, here is a picture you can drool over. 

Car Apparel: Shirts

Now not everyone wears belts, but everybody wears some sort of shirt. Car shirts could appeal to most anybody then, unless you live in one of those foreign countries where you don’t wear shirts or pants. But then again, those areas most likely don’t have internet either and you wouldn’t be reading this. A car shirt is an even bigger statement then the belt of showing what companies you appreciate or what cars you find interesting, or at times what car companies you would like to relieve yourself on.

Just as many different types of cars there are, there are more different types of shirts. There are shirts for babies and up to adults. I personally have only 2 car shirts. One, I got for free when I went to the Salt Lake Auto Expo and received it from a Ford Representative marketing the Fusion Hybrid. The other I got years ago when I got my drivers license, it is the Acura racing team, and it still fits. Just like any other piece of clothing, it tells about who you are.

When picking out a car shirt, it is best to find one that fits your personality. You need to know what you want. Maybe you want one to match your car? Or perhaps to display the fact that your vehicle has a turbocharger or supercharger under its hood? Or to dream about a car you one day hope to own? If you dream of owning a Ferrari or Lamborghini or any exotic, their t-shirts are usually very expensive. And you might look like a snob wearing one, unless it is an obscure brand that isn’t well known like Spyker or Koenigsegg.

For those into the import crowd, a good site is http://importbible.com/shop/. Those more into muscle cars might look here, http://www.motorbrandsusa.com/products. Another great site for cool shirts is http://gearheadshirts.com/. But the best thing to do is to just search in google, there are so many different styles that there is no way I could cover them all. 

Modifications on a Budget: Then there was light

One improvement to the car that can add some visual flair, especially at night, is putting in new lights. This is something very simple and relatively cheap. The newest technology in lighting is LEDs, as they are brighter and last longer than conventional bulbs. The same is true with interior lighting for your vehicle. You can get some LED interior lights for you vehicle for about $12 on Amazon or Ebay. One thing to make sure is that the LED set up comes with universal adapters. Most of the interior lights set up in cars are the same, but then again I have only installed this set up on 2 cars and both of them Japanese makes.

I bought my particular set up from Amazon. I have purchased ones from Ebay, Ebay seemed a little cheaper but I trust Amazon more. It was about $13 with shipping from Amazon for 1 LED, while the one I bought from Ebay a year ago was $18 with shipping and had 2 LEDs. The only problem with the product from Amazon was that it said it contained 3 universal adaptors, it had two, and it was supposed to be blue, it is white. In this picture you can see the two universal adapters. Usually the springy one is used for the major light for the car, and the other is used for map lights.

First step is to just remove the plastic covering of the light and remove the light bulb, but even before that make sure the light is switched to off. Be careful, the bulb might be hot if it has been on a while. Use a cloth or some material to remove if hot. Once removed, see what universal adaptor is needed. Insert the adapter, click in the LED, I am not sure if the colors need to match but I do just in case. You may need to work with it a little bit to make sure the contacts reach the wires. I had to push in the contacts in the light assembly to make them touch. Some LEDs have a sticky side you can use to make it stick to the ceiling or part of the light assembly. Make sure to test the light and make sure it works. If having problems, you need to make sure the exposed wires on the adapter are making contact with the contacts in the light assembly. Once it works, put the plastic cover on and you are done. Congratulations. It is a cheap and easy modification, about $15 and takes about 5 minutes. I had blue in my first car, it looked great at night with my brown interior. Warning, blue looks great but it is hard to read anything under that blue light. There are other colors, give your car that personal flair and unique look at night with a cool color.  

Before: without flash.                                                                                      After: without flash

Car News: Sept. 26

Are you a fan of the Nissan GTR? Love the all-conquering Godzilla monster from Japan? But you need more room for kids and or supplies? You just might be in luck. Pictured here is a very special Nissan Juke. It has the engine from a GTR along with the wheels and transmission to give the Juke its all-wheel drive. No word on price or if it will even be mass-produced. Thanks to Motor Trend for the picture.

Speaking of Nissan GTR, the 2013 Nissan GTR should be coming out with 570 horsepower along with other minor adjustments to suspension and aerodynamics. That is about 40 horsepower more than the current GTR and it is already one of the world’s fastest production cars. It is one of 3 production cars that can hit 60 mph from a standstill in under 3 seconds, which is crazy fast.

Corvette is saying “me too” with Porsche and their transmission choice. The C7 Corvette, within the next few years a new Corvette should be released, is rumored to sport a 7 speed manual transmission. The 2012 Porsche has a 7 speed manual and will be on sale soon, though the new model is visually very similar to the outgoing model and is hard to pick out.

A Hyundai Genesis Coupe has been spotted with a supercharger under its hood. This could be a R-spec version of the 3.8 liter V-6. Since Hyundai will not put their new 5 liter engine in the coupe, this supercharged engine could go against the Mustang GT and the Camaro SS.

Gordon Murray, the man behind the greatest supercar of all time the McLaren F1, is still designing cars. Though he no longer is designing legends like the F1, his most current work is looking into the future of automobiles. He is currently working on an electric vehicle. It is called the Teewave AR-1. The car features lots of carbon fiber, to keep it light weight. The engine comes from the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. It has a limited range of 100 miles and can only go 100 mph. Electric cars have a long ways to go still. Thanks to autoblog.com for the picture.  

Car Apparel: Seatbelt belts

Yes you read that correctly, seatbelt belts. The manufacturers even claim that the seatbelt came out of an actual car, adding to the cool factor. There are a few different companies you can choose from: these include Acura, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Corvette, Dodge, Ford, GM, Honda, Hummer, Jeep, Lincoln, Nissan, Mustang, Pontiac, and Viper. So no matter what company you love and show devotion to, most likely you can find a seatbelt belt that will help you show your devotion even more.

I have bought two, a Viper seatbelt belt and an Acura logo one. I chose the Viper because the Dodge Viper was my first dream car and I still have a spot in my heart for the beast of a car. It was a man’s man car, with the latest version pumping out 600 horsepower and no traction control. It took a lot of nerve to drive any version of the Viper. It is still one of my dream cars and I hope one day to be man enough to handle one. With the seatbelt belt, I feel like I own at least a piece of my dream car and sometimes can feel the power of the Viper through the seatbelt. But that might be part of my imagination.

My first car was an Acura and the plan was to buy another Acura and the Acura seatbelt belt was to match with the car. Acura and Honda are my favorite mass production car companies that are imported to the United States and that was another reason for buying the Acura seatbelt belt.

What I like most about the seatbelt belts, is that they are just like seatbelts. They even make the clicking noise when put on, and to take the belt off you have to push the logo button. If you are a car fanatic and you are looking for a new belt, I would highly recommend one. They run about $16-$22 depending on which one you want. Search either on Amazon.com for cheap Corvette and Mustang ones. Or, check rockitrigs.com for a wider selection but a little higher price. And remember, buckle up.  

Modifications on a Budget: Meet my car

O the joys of car shopping. Some, including myself, enjoy it. On the other hand, there are many that loathe the prospect of searching for a new vehicle. I have recently sold my car just to turn around and buy another. One reason was to teach myself to drive a manual, yes shock shock, I don’t know how to drive stick. The other purpose was to find something more exciting and a vehicle I would enjoy modifying. After much enjoyable searching I found a Honda Civic that had a small turbocharger. I am not a mechanic and don’t completely understand how it works. All I know is that it is attached to the exhaust tubes and spins off the waste from the explosion from the engine. For a more in-depth look into turbochargers feel free to visit http://www.howstuffworks.com/turbo.htm. And if there is anybody that knows more, please comment. One thing I have learned, if you want a modified car, go out and buy a used car that already has those modifications you want. The seller can’t sell it for what they put into it, though they often try. Here are some pictures of my new project. This first picture is the boost gauge that keeps track how much pressure the turbo is building. It was machined into the spot where a small cup holder used to be on the stock vehicle.

Here is a picture of the turbo. It is a td04h1 turbo set up with a custom blow off valve. The turbo, I believe, is from a Saab. You know, those quirky cars from Sweden. I love the sound of the turbo boosting, and if you haven’t heard a turbo spooling it is necessary.

This last picture shows a Skunk works strut bar. This is to help with the handling, so it can turn faster in the corners. It seems to be doing its job, the car handles well. The car also has a sport suspension kit, but that proved hard to capture on my digital camera with my limited photo abilities. There are more modifications, and I will show those later. I will also document future modifications I make to the car. I am also open to any suggestions. 

Car News

The automotive industry is a living, breathing entity. It is ever changing and forming around what the customer wants and future technology that will making driving safer. Saab seems to be in constant trouble and Volkswagen is trying to take over the world, one automotive manufacturer at a time. But even Volkswagen won’t touch Saab; the only company crazy enough to buy Saab was a peculiar car manufacturer from the Netherlands. In this section will be a short recap on what is going on in the automotive world each week. With the recession, the last couple years have been turmoil and a lot has changed. GM has shed itself of Pontiac, Saturn, Oldsmobile, and Hummer. Ford has sold off Land Rover and Jaguar to an Indian car company, how surprising is that? To top it off, they sold Volvo to a Chinese company.  But that is years in the past, and lots has happened. It would take up too much time to explain all that has happened in between. Instead, let us talk about more recent events.

Ford has finally ended production of the Crown Victoria. The final Ford Crown Victoria rolled off the assembly line in Ontario, Canada. Some might find it funny that the last of such an American vehicle was built in Canada and bought by a customer in Saudi Arabia. Don’t have enough room in your garage for a Lamborghini Aventador? Well, you can buy a 1/8^th scale model. It is made out of diamonds and gold and platinum and is going up for auction with a starting bid of, sit down, $4.7 million. For that price it should clean the house and mow the yard without complaining. Once again Americans have a hot wagon to drool ever, but never experience. Audi is testing their RS4 Avant around the Nürburgring in Germany. And Land Rover has decided to change the way they have been naming their SUVs. They will go to naming their vehicles instead of using abbreviations and numbers.