Author: Tabitha
The realization that less vehicle weight makes the engine work less and burn less fuel is gaining traction with automakers. Latest case in point: the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro will weigh 200 pounds less than the 2015 model, putting curb weight for the base LS and LT models at about 3,500 pounds. Engineers were challenged to improve handling, acceleration and fuel economy for 2016. The new vehicle structure, which it shares with the rear wheel-drive Cadillac ATS and CTS, is responsible for most of the weight loss, reports AutoWeek magazine, though dozens of smaller changes also contributed. One example: an aluminum…
Electric motorcycles and scooters now qualify for government subsidies in England, the Office for Low Emission Vehicles has announced. The equivalent of (US) $11 million – capped at $2,237 per vehicle – will help encourage more sales of low-emission vehicles. This will make qualifying vehicles up to 20 percent cheaper, establishing motorcycles and scooters as the most affordable electric vehicles on British roads. Electric cycles and scooters will help cut carbon-dioxide emissions, the government said in announcing the program, “and there are wider benefits too in helping to cut congestion.” A traffic report released by Tom Tom shows congestion has…
The Trenchcoated one was disappointed to hear that BMW’s Mini brand was canceling its two-seat Cooper Coupe and Roadster after the 2015 model year. On the other hand, he’s now elated after discovering that the Mini Superleggera Vision Concept that was first displayed in Italy several months ago will reportedly enter production in 2017. Although some design elements, including the car’s oval-shaped headlights, exude a retro Mini vibe, the Superleggera appears pretty modern. The concept version was actually built to accept an electric or gasoline-electric drivetrain, but more likely are turbocharged 189- and/or 231-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines like the one…
Getting rid of nasty auto-related spills caused by motor oil, diesel fuel and brake, hydraulic, transmission and power steering fluids, etc. from concrete or asphalt surfaces can be made easier with the Krud Cutter Oil Grabber Oil Stain Remover from Rust-Oleum. The manufacturer claims its degreasing product works without scrubbing as it absorbs and lifts stains from the surface while changing from a liquid to a powder. One 32-ounce bottle, which costs less than $15, treats up to 18 square feet. However you can also purchase an eight-ounce size for $6.50 (bulk purchases are also available). Get all the details…
Just months after the Mirai hydrogen car’s debut, Toyota says it will more than triple production of the ultra high-tech sedan. Don’t expect to see it taking over the roads and highways of the world anytime soon, however: production will increase to only about 3,000 units in 2017 from current levels of about 700 a year. Toyota announced the expansion in light of the 1,500 orders received in the first month of Mirai sales in Japan, and launches planned this year in the United States and Europe. Unlike its other vehicles that are built in massive automated assembly plants, only…
The look and value of your North American classic or muscle car can be ruined with a set of cheap aftermarket wheels, or scuffed-up originals. For more than 30 years Specialty Wheel has produced original-look wheels for older Fords, Chevys, Buicks, Cadillacs and various Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler cars. And for that custom look, many of these recreations are available in sizes that are larger than original. Not only does the company make wheels, but it can also supply customers with the correct-looking center caps, trim rings and lug nuts, all of which are designed to be virtually indistinguishable from the originals. Prices…
Looking much like something from the sci-fi movie Tron, Nissan recently drove its first glow-in-the-dark electric Leaf sedan on the world’s first luminous “smart” highway, located in the Netherlands. More a publicity stunt than anything else, the luminous Leaf was put on the high-tech highway as a platform to announce that Nissan EV sales increased by 313 percent across the Netherlands last year. The glow-in-the-dark highway near Oss, Netherlands, is powered by the sun, and saves energy by eliminating the need for street lighting. Nissan said the Leaf was painted to glow in the dark, in an effort to showcase…
That’s what The Sleuth is thinking now that he has had a good look at Nissan’s too-cool concept hatchback that was shown at the recent Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. The Sway has all the styling earmarks of a future production vehicle, including the “V-motion” grille, fin-like rear fender hitch and floating roof design elements that are making their way onto the company’s other production models. At the moment, Nissan’s PR flacks are hinting that the Sway could become the basis for a new Euro-only model, but that’s what you would expect them to say when previewing on European soil.…
The company’s Model S has it all over other plug-in electric cars with its relative freedom from “range anxiety,” at least when equipped with the top-of-the-line 85-kilowatt-hour battery pack in the higher-end versions, writes alternate vehicle Web site Green Car Reports. Rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at range of 265 miles, it’s significantly more than the 62-90-mile range from less-expensive plug-in electrics. Adding to drivers’ peace of mind when going the distance is Tesla’s growing proprietary network of fast-charging “Supercharger” stations, now at 396 outlets with more than 1,250 individual chargers, all free to use by Tesla buyers…
Racer-turned-car-builder Carroll Shelby constructed his Cobra sports cars for fast fun on and off the track. His battles with Ferrari, which were largely underwritten by the Ford Motor Company, became the stuff of legends, as did various Cobra iterations and the brave drivers who took turns behind the wheel. Michael L Shoen documents the heyday of this bitter conflict in The Cobra-Ferrari Wars. The thoroughly researched 368-page book covers the combatants, the owner/team managers and 27 sanctioned races where the two marques went head to head in fierce competition. More than 530 original photos, drawings, blueprints and documents add to…