Author: Tabitha

For the past 25 years, B.R.M. (the initials stand for Bernard Richards Manufacture and not the British Racing Motors team from the mid 1950s) has been producing watches with a focus on racing. From its factory in France, the company makes about 2,000 timepieces a year. One of its limited-production models (just 100 pieces) is the BRM BT6-46 Gulf watch. Made using mostly titanium, the 46-millimeter watch features the colors of the Gulf Oil Company that was the primary sponsor of the GT-40-based Mirage and Porsche’s 917 racing teams from the 1960s and ’70s. That theme carries through to the…

With the increasingly popularity of auto-themed rec rooms and garages, demand for the appropriate furniture and accessories is booming. Among its other items, Car Furniture Inc. sells an assortment of sofas and loveseats that are made using the rear ends of actual classic and sports cars. These are not fiberglass copies. For example, the trunk portion of this 1955 Chevrolet stands 36 inches tall and 74 inches wide and will fit through a standard 32-inch doorway. Available standard body colors include red, black, pink and turquoise, while the upholstery comes in red, black, tan, or white. Note that the sofa…

That speculation appears possible. The Sleuth recently discovered that General Motors has renewed its trademark for what was the top-performing Chevrolet Corvette. The last ZR1 bowed out following the 2014 model year. That model’s supercharged 6.2-liter V8 made 632 horsepower and 604 pound-feet of torque and was responsible for a selling price that exceeded $112,000. It could be that the ZR1 will make a comeback for the 2017 model year as a final tribute to the current (C7) model before the mid-engine C8 Corvette’s debut in 2018. If true, The Spy Guy speculates that the sports car’s output could top…

After a decade with only minimal changes, Mazda has finally released a successor to the original tall wagon. The second-generation CX-9 has shed about 200 pounds, thanks in part to replacing the 3.7-liter V-6 with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that has less power, but more torque and is more fuel-efficient. The Sleuth sees the turbo-four as a move in the right direction, however he’s not so sure about the reduced third-row-seating space as well as the reduction in cargo capacity. With families being the primary purchasers of these vehicles, the CX-9 will have to rely more on its stylish good…

Once the domain of exclusive supercars, carbon-fiber wheels are now entering the mainstream, reports automotive lifestyles webmag Motor Authority. They are rigid and strong and weigh less than wheels made of steel and metal alloys. Ford was first to offer carbon-fiber wheels as standard fitment on a volume production car, the 2015 Mustang Shelby GT350R, and recently confirmed its upcoming GT supercar would offer them as an option, to match the GT’s carbon fiber body construction. General Motors light polymer engineer William Rodgers said the automaker would offer carbon-fiber wheels on some performance cars, Cadillac’s V-Series models being possible candidates.…

Ford says its 2017 Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid has more range than any plug-in hybrid offered in North America. Citing United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates, the automaker says the mid-size sedan will cover 610 miles on a full tank of gas and with a fully charged battery, an increase from the 550-mile range of the 2016 model. Ford credits improved powertrain software and better regenerative braking that charges the battery pack. Based on data collected from its electric vehicles, reports emerging technologies Web magazine Gizmag, Ford says drivers of its plug-in hybrids have an average daily commute of 42…

Winter might be many months off, but now’s the time to think about iced-over windows: before they become iced over. Heated Wash from AlphaTherm will heat the fluid in your car’s windshield-washer reservoir to quickly melt ice and snow from your field of vision. AlphaTherm also states that insect residue, bird droppings and assorted road grime are also more easily and thoroughly wiped away with heated washer fluid, which is another reason to dive in now as opposed to later. Installation is a relatively simple process, as evidenced by the video clip on the company’s Web site. The Heated Wash…

Decorative promotional lights that showcase automotive brands can often be found in dealership service departments, garages and even museums. You can own something quite similar with a revolving double-sided plastic wall light from Liberty Classics. The four-position pull-chain turns the light on and off and also controls its spinning. Choose from Chevrolet, Dodge, Mopar (current or vintage logos) and Shelby Cobra motifs (seven different styles). Each revolving lamp sells for $190, including an eight-foot cord and mounting hardware. Order yours from www.libertyclassics.com.

Michelin has opened the world’s first factory dedicated to the manufacture of airless tires, called ‘Tweels,’ in Piedmont, S.C. The airless Tweel brings the wheel and tire assembly together into one unit. The Tweel concept was born in 2006 at the Michelin research facility in Greenville, S.C., one of Michelin’s three global technology centers. Michelin will initially market the tires to the agricultural and construction segments, where it says the Tweel outlasts conventional tires by three times. The Tweel airless radial tire enables Michelin to expand its reach in existing business segments within the low-speed-application category of lift forks, tractors…

Ride-hailing service Uber has committed to test a self-driving car on the roads of Pittsburgh, Ill., this year, says technology business website Venture Beat. The car in question will be a Ford Fusion hybrid fitted with sensors, scanners, radars and high-resolution cameras; it initially will be used to collate map and location data and to test the autonomous car’s traffic ‘smarts.’ A human will be in the driver’s seat ‘as a backup to ensure things don’t go awry.’ The news comes about a year after the Uber Advanced Technologies research and development facility opened in Pittsburgh in conjunction with Carnegie…