We can think of worse things to do than spend a day at a BMW dealership configuring the vehicle of our choice. To make the experience of selecting the Ultimate Driving Machine even more engaging, BMW and Microsoft have teamed up on futuristic touchscreen tech. BMW's Product Navigator is like the iPhone, only supersized and on steroids, and it proves that the inventive types at Microsoft are alive and well. Hit the jump to view BMW's new Product Navigator in action. The tabletop touchscreen interface enables users to pick a BMW, modify colors and content, and even save the finished project to a thumb drive to take home with them. As customers configure their vehicle on the Product Navigator, a plasma TV on the wall displays video and specs of that exact vehicle.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Audi TT-RS headed to Geneva Motor Show
Audi-philes have even more reason to rejoice now that news comes in of an imminent TT-RS launch next March at the Geneva Motor Show. The standard-fare TT offers plenty of punch, and the TT-S spices things up a bit with a high-pressure version of Audi/VW's 2.0L forced-induction four banger. Sometimes, way too much is, ya know... just enough, and for speed freaks, Audi has apparently green-lighted an ultra-hot version as well. The RS will bring the vaunted inline-five engine configuration back under the hood of an Audi, and it's a turbocharged unit derived from the mill that normally sees duty in Jettas and Golfs. If that doesn't sound like a good enough bloodline, think of it as half of Lamborghini's V10. With as much as 340 ponies corraled through a six-speed gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive, expect the TT-RS to be hottest four-ringer this side of an R8.
[Source: Car and Driver]
ABT Scirocco heads to Essen
So, the Essen Motor Show is coming up. For those of you unaware, it's basically a Euro SEMA. All the tuners will be there, showing off stuff that's both decent and dreadful, proving that yes, Europeans can do bad taste as well as anyone this side of the Atlantic. ABT is entirely capable of serving up either dish, but in the case of their Scirocco, they manage to stay on the better side of decent. You know the drill: body kit, wheels, suspension, brakes. They have power upgrades, too -- bumping the wee 1.4 TSI to 200 horses, and the 2.0 TSI to 240. Unfortunately, a look 'round back indicates that this whole stacked-tailpipes thing recently adopted by Lexus and Ferrari is on its way to becoming a fad. We love this shade of green, which looks to be the same as that used on the original VW IROC concept, but ABT's car wins because it doesn't have a face that looks like it was inspired by something on a Pokemon card.
[Source: ABT Sportsline]
Auto Art Jaguar C-Type Le Mans 1953
I think I am in love.
Even after 3 years of heartache while waiting since it was first announced, I am still enamored with this car. I knew it would look good from years of experience with Autoart diecast cars, but some of their previous 1/32 slot cars had been less than impressive from a performance standpoint. I am happy to say that this car meets nearly all of my expectations for a great slot car. Autoart have addressed several problematic designs and produced a surprisingly good driving slot car!
And what better car to build so well, than the gorgeous Jaguar C-Type that won Lemans for the second time in two years in 1953, this time in the hands of Tony Rolt and Duncan Hamilton. It was based on the production XK120 sports, but covered in a lightweight, aerodynamic, and beautiful aluminum body. It was also one of the first racer cars to make successful use of 4 wheel disc brakes, which made up for slightly lower top speed than some other cars. The car was certainly fast because this victory also marked the first time a car had averaged over 100mph for 24 hours, 105.85 mph to be exact.
First let me say that I am not a scale or jaguar expert and I apologize because my photos can not do this car justice. But to my eye, I think Autoart (AA) have nailed this car. The proportions, colors, and stance are just about perfect, again to my eye. It is about the size of the Carrera D-Type, just slightly longer wheelbase and wider track, but much smaller than the Ninco XK120. The overall length is 122mm, the track (outside edge of tread) is 45mm front and 47mm rear, and the wheelbase is 76.5mm. And the details are breathtaking, rivaling their 1/18 scale diecasts. The wheels are stunning with photo etched wire inserts and knock offs mounted with scale narrow tires.
The paint is a very dark, deep green applied perfectly smoothly. There are photo etched grills and latches and the gas cap is very realistic. The tonneau cover is made of rubber, as is the driver! This is a great idea for an open slot car with no roll bar, even run with the magnet, I doubt you’ll be able to lose this driver’s head... The leather straps holding the engine cover on also seem to be molded of rubber. The full depth interior is nicely detailed too. The car also has working lights front and rear! This level of detail on a $45 car is just amazing.
But this cars beauty is more than skin deep. In order to have the full interior this car is a front motor design. While they are almost never the fastest, I really enjoy the handling of a front motored car, especially with no magnet if set up correctly. They seem to be more forgiving and easier to drift smoothly. The motor is connected to the driveshaft with the standard spring, but the driveshaft rides in a brass bushing like the axles for all 4 wheels. The gears are the standard AA 10/28 plastic pinion and crown, but run very smoothly from the start. The front axles are independent stubs, but they are metal ones riding in brass bushings and with virtually no play at all!? Until I removed the body, I though it had a solid front axle!
The guide is relatively solid and sits almost perfectly deep in the slot with the front tires just touching the track! No adjustments needed and it is the standard style with wires attaching directly into the braids. The chassis is also nice and straight with all 4 wheels touching evenly. The lighting wires have a quick release plug for disconnecting the body from the chassis when it is removed. There is a single bar magnet glued into a slot on the bottom of the chassis about halfway between the motor and rear axle. The magnet can be removed by pushing through slots from the top of the chassis, which I did later because like rally cars, vintage sports cars shouldn’t have magnets.
The magnet is not too powerful when first run on my Scaley Sport track and the motor has good response, and brakes!? It must be new because previous AA motors seemed to lack torque, especially with magnets, and braking. It seems closer to the standard Mabuchi motor used by Scalextric power and brake wise. The car was very quick, but would slide fairly predictably without crashing. It was also quiet and smooth running, but the brass bushings need a little oil and some grease for the gears. Although the car ran very well with magnetic down force, I was scared to crash my new prize, so I soon removed the magnet to see how bad it could be? To my pleasant surprise, it was drivable with just the magnet removed on stock tires! On the stock 16v power, I had to be very gentle with the throttle, but it could be smoothly run around! And it could be pushed to drifting without crashing if done with care. It seemed to have potential!
A little tuning seemed to be needed, but just a little. Most front engine cars respond well to weight added near the back to bring them to at least a slight rear weight bias, which seems to work well with slot cars. I added about 6-7 gms. of lead in the stock magnet pocket and above the chassis right behind the magnet pocket, just ahead of the rear axle, as seen in the photos. The only other tuning done was a pair of Tru Grip tires for Scalextric Cooper F1 cars on the rear. Other narrow vintage tires should also fit. The wheels were also cleaned up to remove a little flashing on the ribs, but they seem pretty true. I did have to trim the inner rear wheel wells inside the body (also seen in the photos) to clear the new tires, although they are just slightly larger than the originals.
With these few easy changes, the car improved greatly. It is now quicker, but also very easy to push hard, drifting smoothly out of turns just like they did for 24 hours back in the day. It can be driven deep into the corners using the strong brakes (just like the real thing!) and while it will just tip at the limit, it is pretty easy to feel the edge. Though the power is a bit strong for this vintage on this voltage, this new motor is much easier to control than the old AA lump. It is just a really fun car to drive now. And the wonderful combination of a beautifully scaled and detailed model that runs so well is just what this hobby is all about. I spent hours in the basement last night just sliding it around my track with a smile on my face. And for the price of this model, I think Autoart has raised the bar for value in vintage slot cars.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Official photos of the SCX Compact Porsche
Official photos of the SCX Compact (1/43 scale) Porsche 911 (997) Cup car. They will be released first in the GT Overtake set then as individual releases in 2009.
Volkswagen
Wolfsburg, 19 September 2008 - Forty years have passed since Volkswagen presented the VW 411, at that time the company’s largest and most powerful model yet, to some 200 journalists in Wolfsburg. The journalists had earlier put the VW 411 through its paces on the new Volkswagen proving ground in Ehra-Lessien, testing the vehicle’s equipment and performance. Volkswagen built 367,728 units until production ceased in July 1974, and 416 of these are currently registered as old-timers.
The ads claimed there had never been a VW like this before. And they were quite right. This was the very first model with a unibody, a four-door option, more space than any other Volkswagen and a longer wheelbase than the Beetle. A newly-designed, powerful, 68 bhp air-cooled 1.6 liter boxer engine mounted in the rear of the VW 411 was robust enough even for long journeys at a maximum speed of 145 km/h. The innovative sporty chassis with MacPherson strut front suspension and rear suspension with double joint axles also used in the Porsche 911 made sure the car held the road well. The midsize saloon featured “the luxury of a luxury car”. Available with either a Normal or an L equipment line, “Wolfsburg’s biggie” offered customers space and ride comfort, enhanced safety, a total 570 liters of luggage space in front and rear and an optional automatic transmission.
The history of what was known as the Type 4 began in 1962 as development project EA 142. The economics of series production, which began in February 1967, were based on the sale of 822,500 vehicles over a four year period with daily production of 1,000 units. The price of the VW 411 ranged from 7,770 to 9,285 DM.
Compared to the VW 1500/1600 launched in 1961, the VW 411 was noticeably larger and better equipped. Volkswagen aimed to establish the new vehicle in the upper midsize segment which was beyond the reach of the Beetle and the Type 3, and to expand the market position in the long term by broadening the model range. For this reason, the publicity concentrated on technical innovations and the high level of comfort as well as highlighting typical Volkswagen characteristics such as quality, economic efficiency and service.
In the run-up to the market launch on October 5, 1968, dealers, the press and customers responded positively to the VW 411. Once the car had come to market, problems with the clutch on the first models delivered and an increasingly negative press curbed sales prospects. The most common complaints from customers related to engine and driving noise, the engine’s limited output and what was perceived as an unaesthetic front end. Since over 80% of VW 411 buyers were already Volkswagen customers, the vehicle failed to win new customer groups. As a result of these marketing problems, which could not be remedied by sales incentives either, Volkswagen sporadically lowered production to 75 vehicles per day.
The company introduced an improved version, the VW 411 E, for the 1970 model year. Electronic fuel injection boosted engine output to 80 bhp and the front end, which had given the model the nickname of “Nasenbär” (coati), received a facelift. The VW 411 E Variant, provided even more space for luggage, and this estate version was soon selling twice as well as the hatchback saloon. Type 4 exports to the USA began in 1971, and the car sold better than expected there, soon accounting for roughly 40% of total sales. A further new and improved model called the VW 412 followed in 1972. Production of the Type 4 at the Wolfsburg plant continued until 1973, when the production line was relocated to Salzgitter, and production at Volkswagen of South Africa commenced in 1969.
Even though the VW 411/412 did not break any sales records, the model nevertheless has an important role to play in Volkswagen’s automobile history as the last large series model with air cooling and a rear-mounted engine. A 1966 prototype is on display at the Automuseum Wolfsburg. The Type 4 has by no means been forgotten. Type 4 fan clubs in Germany and abroad have been presenting their lovingly preserved automotive rarities at a stand at Techno Classica since 2005.
The ads claimed there had never been a VW like this before. And they were quite right. This was the very first model with a unibody, a four-door option, more space than any other Volkswagen and a longer wheelbase than the Beetle. A newly-designed, powerful, 68 bhp air-cooled 1.6 liter boxer engine mounted in the rear of the VW 411 was robust enough even for long journeys at a maximum speed of 145 km/h. The innovative sporty chassis with MacPherson strut front suspension and rear suspension with double joint axles also used in the Porsche 911 made sure the car held the road well. The midsize saloon featured “the luxury of a luxury car”. Available with either a Normal or an L equipment line, “Wolfsburg’s biggie” offered customers space and ride comfort, enhanced safety, a total 570 liters of luggage space in front and rear and an optional automatic transmission.
The history of what was known as the Type 4 began in 1962 as development project EA 142. The economics of series production, which began in February 1967, were based on the sale of 822,500 vehicles over a four year period with daily production of 1,000 units. The price of the VW 411 ranged from 7,770 to 9,285 DM.
Compared to the VW 1500/1600 launched in 1961, the VW 411 was noticeably larger and better equipped. Volkswagen aimed to establish the new vehicle in the upper midsize segment which was beyond the reach of the Beetle and the Type 3, and to expand the market position in the long term by broadening the model range. For this reason, the publicity concentrated on technical innovations and the high level of comfort as well as highlighting typical Volkswagen characteristics such as quality, economic efficiency and service.
In the run-up to the market launch on October 5, 1968, dealers, the press and customers responded positively to the VW 411. Once the car had come to market, problems with the clutch on the first models delivered and an increasingly negative press curbed sales prospects. The most common complaints from customers related to engine and driving noise, the engine’s limited output and what was perceived as an unaesthetic front end. Since over 80% of VW 411 buyers were already Volkswagen customers, the vehicle failed to win new customer groups. As a result of these marketing problems, which could not be remedied by sales incentives either, Volkswagen sporadically lowered production to 75 vehicles per day.
The company introduced an improved version, the VW 411 E, for the 1970 model year. Electronic fuel injection boosted engine output to 80 bhp and the front end, which had given the model the nickname of “Nasenbär” (coati), received a facelift. The VW 411 E Variant, provided even more space for luggage, and this estate version was soon selling twice as well as the hatchback saloon. Type 4 exports to the USA began in 1971, and the car sold better than expected there, soon accounting for roughly 40% of total sales. A further new and improved model called the VW 412 followed in 1972. Production of the Type 4 at the Wolfsburg plant continued until 1973, when the production line was relocated to Salzgitter, and production at Volkswagen of South Africa commenced in 1969.
Even though the VW 411/412 did not break any sales records, the model nevertheless has an important role to play in Volkswagen’s automobile history as the last large series model with air cooling and a rear-mounted engine. A 1966 prototype is on display at the Automuseum Wolfsburg. The Type 4 has by no means been forgotten. Type 4 fan clubs in Germany and abroad have been presenting their lovingly preserved automotive rarities at a stand at Techno Classica since 2005.
Source: Volkswagen Press Release
Friday, November 28, 2008
Great sale at Zenni
Do you have problems with the vision or you want have new style in eyeglasses.is that effectively correct your vision? Often times, prescription glasses do correct vision but it's not everyday that optometrist/opthalmologist gives you trendy ones.here i have a good news for you, here are Holiday Glass Frames From Zenni Optical.the Glasses frame is very unique and fully stylish.i think it is cheaper than in any another places in the web market.the news spread very fast, this store have many collection of eyeglasses, They do have a collection of The popular online eyeglasses shop, Do you know that their products were reviewed by consumer reporter Melissa Painter in Deal or Dud’s archive shows in media. Zenni Optical is one of great store to buy your stylish, high quality, safety, and comfort eyeglasses yet come with unbeatable low price.
Now Zenni Optical have great promotion for you, the promotion is $ 8 Complete Rx Eyeglasses.all you need is just pick glasses that most fit to you and pay it.it is cheapest ever price, i hope you like it.dont try to buy the best eye glasses ever
Now Zenni Optical have great promotion for you, the promotion is $ 8 Complete Rx Eyeglasses.all you need is just pick glasses that most fit to you and pay it.it is cheapest ever price, i hope you like it.dont try to buy the best eye glasses ever
Faster Farbio GTS 400 on its way
CAR just tested the newly updated Farbio GTS 400 and they seem to have enjoyed it. The original Farbio GTS was already available in normally aspirated or supercharged form, but the old engine put out just 384 hp with the blower. This year's new GTS 400 flagship puts ot 410 hp thanks to new pistons and connecting rods, among other things. Former Marcos and Invicta head Chris Marsh is the man behind this V6-powered carbon fiber-bodied supercar. He bought Farboud from its founder Arash Farboud and restructured the company, renamed it Farbio, and moved it to the Cotswolds near Bath.
He has stuck with off-the-rack, treid-and-true components wherever possible to make this lightweight supercar somewhat affordable, reliable and workable. Still, at £94,000 or 110,000 Euro, it's no Hyundai Accent. Some will say that's way too much for a little-known brand, especially when that amount could get you something like an Audi R8, but where's the fun in that? These cars appeal to the person who wants something different. If this sounds like your cup of tea, know that the GTS 400 will now do the the sprint from zero to 100km/h in just 3.7sec while charging to a top speed of 180 mph. The force-fed V6 is also said to be good for 24 mpg imperial. While many of the details remind us of other supercars on the market, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Knowing these cottage builders still exist is one of the things we are most thankful for this time of year.
[Source: Car Magazine via Caradisiac]
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thingie Fest II to be held following "Black Friday"
The latest nostalgia craze in 1/24 slot racing is so called "Thingie" racing.
Thingies had their genesis in the late 1960's and early 1970's and are remembered as the slot car equivalent of the futuristic idea sketches that any large automobile design studio had on their walls during this period- with a more than little Sci-Fi thrown in.
Some popular "Thingies" of the late 1960's included:
Last year Mid-America Raceway and hobbies in the Chicago Suburb of Montgomery had the first North American "Fest" for Thingie collectors and racers... called "ThingieFest".
This year the tradition continues with... "ThingieFest II"
Event Schedule for ThingieFest II
November 29th, 2008
Raceway opens at 10 AM for test and tune.
3:00 pm American Line cars 36D motors
4:00 pm Run what ya brung 1/24 and 1/32 Thingie race
5:00 pm Classic Thingie race (36D powered Classic cars)
7:00 pm Retro Can-Am IRRA rules
8:00 pm 4 inch NASCAR
9:00 pm 4.5 inch FCR
10:30 Awards Ceremony at "Poor Boys" next door.
Here are a sampling of cars that have already been entered in "ThingieFest II"
Mid-America Raceway and Hobbies
285 Montgomery Road
Montgomery, IL 60538
Contact the raceway for any questions or class rules clarifications.
630 484 8574
NOTE: Aurora Outlet Malls are nearby! Shoppers in the family can be more than satisfied while we race!
Thingies had their genesis in the late 1960's and early 1970's and are remembered as the slot car equivalent of the futuristic idea sketches that any large automobile design studio had on their walls during this period- with a more than little Sci-Fi thrown in.
Some popular "Thingies" of the late 1960's included:
The Asp
The Gamma Ray
The Manta Ray
Last year Mid-America Raceway and hobbies in the Chicago Suburb of Montgomery had the first North American "Fest" for Thingie collectors and racers... called "ThingieFest".
This year the tradition continues with... "ThingieFest II"
Event Schedule for ThingieFest II
November 29th, 2008
Raceway opens at 10 AM for test and tune.
3:00 pm American Line cars 36D motors
4:00 pm Run what ya brung 1/24 and 1/32 Thingie race
5:00 pm Classic Thingie race (36D powered Classic cars)
7:00 pm Retro Can-Am IRRA rules
8:00 pm 4 inch NASCAR
9:00 pm 4.5 inch FCR
10:30 Awards Ceremony at "Poor Boys" next door.
Here are a sampling of cars that have already been entered in "ThingieFest II"
Mid-America Raceway and Hobbies
285 Montgomery Road
Montgomery, IL 60538
Contact the raceway for any questions or class rules clarifications.
630 484 8574
NOTE: Aurora Outlet Malls are nearby! Shoppers in the family can be more than satisfied while we race!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Fastest Man Alive gets dream drive in a Ferrari
Usain Bolt now wears the mantle of Fastest Man Alive having set world records in the 100 and 200 meter sprints at last summer's Olympics in Beijing. Fitting then that he was placed in one of the fastest cars in the world recently to take a stroll around one of the richest places in the world: Monaco. In the principality for the IAAF awards, Bolt was given the keys to drive an F430 along portions of the F1 circuit in the city. You can check out the gallery of high-res photos below while we wait for word on if he set any world speed records in the process.
[Source: Ferrari]
Heffner Performance unleashes Camilo Pardo Edition Ford GT
We've become familiar with Jason Heffner's creations over the past few years, from his insanely powerful Lamborghini Gallardos to mindblowingly fast Ford GTs. For his latest project, Heffner has teamed up with Ford GT chief designer Camilo Pardo for a special edition version of the car that looks as good as it is fast. Visually, the American supercar gets a racing inspired paint scheme and graphics, flat black BBS wheels and a new rear bumper from Classic Design Concepts. Inside, the car gets a chrome shift ball, wide-shaft shifter and aluminum seat grommets. Under the bonnet, the GT is blessed with Heffner's twin-turbo treatment as well as a Camilo-designed billet aluminum intake and black valve covers. Horsepower is rated at north of 900 and the car is capable of topping 200 mph in under 20 seconds while passing through the 1/4 mile at over 150 mph. There's a press release after the jump with more details and high-res photos in the gallery below over which you have our permission to ogle.
[Source: FordGTForum.com]
Ferrari Enzo in taxi livery found where else? The Middle East...
This little gem in Muscat, Oman represents what you do when you have bodacious sums of money and time. Now we're all for having a little fun, but we're talking about an Enzo, which, while not the prettiest of Ferraris, still doesn't deserve to endure the eighth-level of Maaco paint-shop Hell. Whoever did this gets points for authenticity, even including the roof signage. If nothing else, we'd certainly go for a ride: as passenger to get anywhere in seven seconds, as driver, so we could say, imitating the voice of Blofeld, "That'll be one hundred million dollars."
Aston Martin Rapide official rendering
Usually it’s the automotive press who makes the renderings of future cars, but this time Aston Martin made a rendering for the press. According to CAR Magazine, Aston dropped off an early Christmas gift and gave them its rendering of what the production Rapide will look like.
There isn’t much of a difference from the concept. Minor things have changed such as the three-piece lower grille is now solid, the door mirrors are bigger, and there is a more pronounced crease for the doorline.
Aston’s sedan should be powered by a 6.0-liter 500 hp V12. CAR is reporting that the Rapide should cost between £130,000-£150,000 (about $200,000-$230,000 at direct current rates) when it arrives in about a year. This would be a welcomed price compared to the rumors that Aston Martin is trying to go upmarket and make the Rapide cost as much as $400,000.
[ Source:CAR Magazine ]
Speed Tuning the SCX Morgan Aero 8
The unusual, long-anticipated Morgan Aero 8 has been released by SCX. Shiny, well-detailed, with fine tampos, accurate shape and contour (except for the rear tires projecting out of the fenders), the car presents an excellent appearance. But, how does it run?
Test laps out of the box revealed a smooth driving feel, on wood, no magnets. The original tires barely gripped my track, so I quickly found a pair of Slot.It S1 silicones, which are a perfect fit on the original rear wheels. The car woke up, and developed a solid feel. A noisy drive train grew slightly more quiet as it ran. Motor is an RX-42B, rated 18,000 RPM on 12 volts, and gear ratio is 3:1 (9:27). Stiff competition from Scalextrics in GT2 class would be expected; on some tracks, a slight decrease in reduction may help (say, 2.8:1 rather than 3:1). The motor pod is a four-post, snap-in rocker, one of the better designs SCX has created.
A few small adjustments to the chassis and the car became more rapid, and very easy to drive near its limit. I removed the small locating pins which project from the body and engage holes in the chassis, under the running boards (just ahead of the rear wheels). I removed the two forward body mount screws altogether. The interlocks in the nose, and the rear body screw, are sufficient to keep the car together. The rear screw was backed out a half-turn. To allow a little more isolation of chassis vibration from the body, I bent the head and tail light contact tabs upward, to lessen the pressure on the chassis slightly. Between the lessened pressure and the loosened body, the lights began flickering as the car ran. But the speed picked up, and soon the car was clicking off lap times in the range of 5.5 sec. per 61 foot lap.
Careful inspection showed one rear wheel was slightly wobbly. Rather than attempting to true it, I installed short-projection hubs from a Slot.It Ferrari 312PB (size 15x8, part #PA17al), with SCX Pro inserts. SCX Pro wheels will not fit, due to their long hubs, and the set screws hitting the chassis. A very slight trim of the plastic chassis was necessary to bring the tires into the body, where they belong. The elimination of wheel-induced vibration resulted in a return to steady, bright lights. Speed improved, and the car was quieter.
The stub-axle front wheels on this car were examined closely, but did not need to be adjusted in any way. One headlight LED was pushed forward, into its "bucket", to eliminate scraping on the tire. Careful smoothing of the braids in the guide resulted in both wheels rolling on the track, providing a stable chassis platform through the corners. The independent-rotating wheels have little wobble, spin freely, and work well without any tuning.
A final upgrade to Slot.It rear axle, SCX Pro bearings, 28 tooth crown, and 10 tooth SCX Pro pinion (2.8:1 ratio), led to a best lap time of 5.387 sec. per 61 foot lap, a substantial improvement indeed. No weight was added or removed. And after a hundred laps of practice, with the motor up to operating temperature, and the brushes starting to bed in, the Morgan turned 5.303.
With increasing interest in GT2 cars, with motors rated under 20k RPM and under 150 gcm torque, this car is a fine competitor in its class. Appearance and handling is excellent, with need for only minor adjustment, as we have come to expect from SCX. Thanks to Dave K of SCX for providing a production sample of the Morgan Aero 8.
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View Slideshow2009 Cadillac CTS New purchase now
2009 Cadillac CTS New purchase now!
2009 Cadillac CTS 3.6L SFI Picture
2009 Cadillac CTS 3.6L SFI
Pictures, Features, Specs, Dealer Quotes
$35,905
$33,571
3.6L V6 263HP
16/25 mpg
2009 Cadillac CTS 3.6L SIDI Picture
2009 Cadillac CTS 3.6L SIDI
Pictures, Features, Specs, Dealer Quotes
$38,205
$35,722
3.6L V6 304HP
17/26 mpg
2009 Cadillac CTS 3.6L SFI AWD Picture
2009 Cadillac CTS 3.6L SFI AWD
Pictures, Features, Specs, Dealer Quotes
$39,105
$36,563
3.6L V6 263HP
17/25 mpg
2009 Cadillac CTS 3.6L SIDI AWD Picture
2009 Cadillac CTS 3.6L SIDI AWD
Pictures, Features, Specs, Dealer Quotes
$40,105
$37,498
3.6L V6 304HP
17/26 mp
Estimated Payments:
$718/month* find current rates
Rebates & Incentives:
Cash Back / Special Financing more info
Standard Engine:
3.6L V6, 24 valve, 263 hp @ 6400 rpm
* 6 speed manual (standard) or 6 speed automatic transmission
* 18 mpg city / 26 mpg hwy
* Green Rating: Unavailable
Honda CBR 150
Spek detail dari Honda CBR 150
Detailed Specs of Honda CBR 150 ADA disini
It is said that Casey Stoner, Australian MotoGP rider started out on a Honda CBR150. What is the Honda CBR150 technical; the CBR150 comes with a 4 stroke, DOC 4 Valves, water-cooled 149.4cc engine. The cylinder bore is 63.5mm and the stroke is 47.2mm (We can several other smaller cc motorcycle from Honda with the same bore), the compression ration is 11:1 and the ignition is by CDI Direct.
The standard spark plug is an NGK CR8E, but seen also CBR150’s with a Denso U24ESR-N.
The transmission of Honda CBR150 comes with a 6 gear transmission, with a gear ratio from 3.038 for the first gear and a ratio of 0.923 for the last (6th) gear. Honda is using a wet, multiple disk clutch type for this motorcycle.
The dimensions of the bike are 652mm wide by 1,910 in length and 1,065 mm high. With a wheelbase of 1,286mm, all this specification indicates that it is a well-suited motorcycle for some road racing.
The dry weight of the bike is 115kilograms; the full fuel tank capacity is 10 liters unleaded gasoline octane 91 and up.
We need to keep focusing on performance that’s affordable. This keeps us from manufacturing some tailor made individual parts to get the exact performance needs; also changing the bore or coating the cylinder bores with a Ceramic Coating is off they all fall out of the budget.
Okay looking at the standard bike, we are thinking what can we change to get at least some better performance. In the corner of my eye I see my girlfriend walking around with a block of aluminum, assuming that we are going to make a whole new cylinder. But after a quick telephone call with the bike owner, we concluded that it was far out of the budget.
So without the manufacturing of custom made parts we are restricted to the exhaust pipe, air-intake and carburetor. The exhaust pipe is the easiest part, we just bough a racing exhaust set. The air-intake was also easy; we just made the holes bigger so the air can flow much easier into the carburetor. Adjusting the main carburetor main fuel jet, and keeping track on the max and idle performance we got almost 32km/h more speed out of this bike. As we where examined the bike we also found that the chain and sprockets had to be replaced, as the bike clearly ad some more power we selected a small rear and a few teeth bigger front sprocket. The bike was now a fast little monster.Upgrading a Honda CBR-125R to a CBR-150R
Modify & MaintenanceAs the Honda CBR-125R get more popular, the Honda CBR125 is Britain's top-selling motorcycle for several years. The Honda CBR-125R is a fantastic road legal learner bike perfect for first time rider.
The Honda CBR-125R with its Liquid-cooled, two-valve, single-cylinder, four-stroke, 124.7cc engine produces enough power to get first time riders experience the feeling of riding a sporty bike. But after about one year, most Honda CBR-125 owners want to sell the bike as the 13 horsepower engine doesn’t provide enough power.
But why sell the bike, if you can for as little as 10,000 Baht (217 Euro, or 294 US$) can upgrade the big to a CBR-150R, with original Honda parts. The differences between the Honda CBR-125 and his bigger Thai brother the Honda CBR-150 is only the cylinder, piston and cylinder head assembly.
Buying the original Honda CBR-150 part is for people who plan to visit Thailand for a holiday no problem at all, it is not uncommon that foreigners buy this ‘150cc upgrade kit’ says a shop owner who also shows us quickly several more Honda CBR upgrade variants starting from 130cc to all the way up to 195cc. This third party bore-up sets are even cheaper then the original Honda 150cc set.
The shop owner explains us that with the 195cc bore-up kit, which includes a sport camshaft, piston, cylinder, cylinder head assembly which includes larger DOHS 4-valves and an un-limited ECU/CDI with a simple manual, the modified Honda CBR can produce twice the amount of horsepower compared to the stock Honda CBR-125.
Just when we want to leave the owner of the shop, points out that with more power ‘over 26 horses’ we also need to consider other modifications. And he shows us racing front forks and Brembo brake assemblies with disc brakes that are much larger then standard on the Honda CBR-125. Other stuff we get to see are rear swingarms, racing, air-filters, exhaust pipes, gas rear shocks, and the guy is not stopping ….we need an excuse to get away…
2009 BMW Z4 rumored to debut next month, Z2 on the way
One of the vehicles that was teased in the run-up to the LA Auto Show, but never made it to the floor, was the redesigned 2009 BMW Z4. Rumors of the Z4's impending arrival have been circulating for months, and according to a source inside BMW, the automaker might reveal the restyled coupe and convertible next month.
Drivetrain choices will include either a naturally aspirated or twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, found in the 328i and 335i, respectively, with an M version packing the M3's V8 and a carbon fiber roof. In addition to new front and rear fascias, a lower roofline and a ducktail spoiler, BMW is expected to employ a handful of stylistic differences to separate the Z4 coupe from its folding hardtop sibling. For 2009, BMW is expected to drop the soft-top Z4 and only offer the folding hardtop.
The rumored Z2 is currently in the works and could be available in both coupe and cabrio variants, and equipped with some form of BMW's EfficientDynamics system. The 1-series-based two-door is expected to be powered by either a naturally aspirated or turbocharged 2.0-liter four, and there's also talk of a hybrid version utilizing BMW's eDrive system.
[Source: GermanCarZone via BMWBlog]
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