Category: Cars

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From Autoblog: Motorsports: This is why LeMons is the best race series

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This weekend, Audi marked the competition debut of its latest R18 race cars at the second round of the World Endurance Championship at Spa-Francorchamps. Yet the most spectacular race car running on any track this weekend was thousands of miles away at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the 24 Hours of Lemons “Loudon Annoying” event taking place at the very same time.

Yes, that’s a pop-up camper trailer that’s been converted into a race car by SpeedyCop. And there’s video of it after the jump. Now, before you click, see if you can guess what the car underneath is. (Hint, there’s another photo in the gallery that makes it very clear.) That answer is also posted after the break, and it makes the whole rig even more fantastic.

Thanks to our friend (and Consumer Reports hotshoe) Jake Fisher for the on-site photos!

 

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From Wired Top Stories: Hydrogen Powered Hyundai Crosses Europe Using Existing Fuel Stations

A team of European drivers have crossed the continent in a pair of hydrogen-powered cars using only Europe’s existing hydrogen fueling infrastructure.

The Oslo to Monte Carlo trip hit the record books as the longest a hydrogen-fueled vehicle has ever travelled using only fuel from permanent hydrogen filling stations. Other cars have circumnavigated the globe and …

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From Autoblog: Study: Average cost of car ownership rises to $8,946 per year

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old cash register

We Americans sure do love the freedom of owning our own automobile, but the price of that freedom is climbing. AAA has released its 62nd annual “Your Driving Costs” study, which shows a 1.9-percent year-over-year increase in the cost of auto ownership. That’s an average of $8,946 per year per car, with costs including monthly payment, fuel, maintenance and insurance.

Given the sharp rise in the cost of a gallon of petrol, it’s no surprise that prices at the pump are up 14.8 percent, or an average of 14.2 cents per mile. Tire prices are up 4.2 percent, in part because material prices have skyrocketed. The average insurance policy jumped by $33 versus 2010 numbers, with an average rate of $1,001 per year.

Interestingly, used cars are worth more than they were a year ago, with a depreciation drop of 4.9 percent, which means a new car purchase may hold its value a little better than before.

If $8,946 is too rich for your blood, AAA shows that the best bet could be a smaller sedan. Compact models average $6,735 per vehicle, while 4WD SUVs top the charts at $11,360. Large sedans are close to the SUV numbers, with an average of $11,324. AAA based its findings on a driving cycle of 15,000 miles per year. Scroll down belowto read the AAA press release.

 

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From Autoblog: Rumormill: Next Subaru WRX to use electric turbocharger?

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2011 Subaru WRX

Subaru has been trying to figure out the direction for its three-headed monster, as the Impreza and its WRX and WRX STI variants have grown increasingly at odds over the past two generations. Now this gets thrown into the mix: When the new WRX gets released in late 2013, it may ditch the traditional exhaust-gas powered turbocharger for a new, electric design.

That’s right, according to The Sydney Morning Herald, Subaru is working on an electric turbo, shades of those computer-fan-sourced “power adders” you used to see advertised in the back pages of Sport Compact Car a decade ago. Except we would assume Subie-parent Fuji Heavy Industries is developing a design that actually works. According to the report, heat from the exhaust would be captured, but instead of using the exhaust pressure to turn the turbocharger’s turbine, the heat energy would be converted to electricity, which would then spin the impellers. This could be more efficient, as well as eliminating the piping and turbo lag.

While that sounds neat and all, we’re not so sure we want to see an unproven technology like this applied to one of our favorite affordable performance cars. Unless, of course, it allows for BMW M3-like performance in a $30,000 car.

 

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From Autoblog: Animated engines clear up the mysteries of combustion

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Animated engines

For some, learning by example is the best way to get info sealed into the noggin. If engines are the thing they want to learn about, then Matt Keveny’s site, Animated Engines, should be the first stop.

Unlike the engines profiled, the site couldn’t be simpler: clicking one of the 21 different engine types will take you to a page demonstrating how that engine creates power. The animations can be run anywhere from one to 25 frames per second to provide a crystalline breakdown of an engine’s combustive ballet.

There’s even knowledge for the engine expert, with animations detailing some forgotten freaskshows of the pistoned world, including the Unknown Beam, Low Differential Stirling and Crank Substitute. Head on overto check out some line-drawing gearhead pr0n.

Animated engines clear up the mysteries of combustion originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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From Autoblog: Report: Auto industry pays $135 billion in taxes annually

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How important is the auto industry to state and federal governments? According to the Center for Automotive Research, the industry accounts for $135 billion in annual taxes. In fact, a reported 13 percent of all state taxes comes from the automobile, or $91.5 billion in total.

Just as impressive is the overall money that Americans pour into their four-wheeled transportation. CAR estimates that auto sales come in at $564 billion, and parts, repairs and other services add in another $173 billion. And those are the staggering numbers generated in an auto market of only 12 million units per year. So far, 2012 auto sales appear to be moving closer to 14 million units, which should help push the $735 billion total closer to the $1 trillion mark.

The income generated by cars and trucks is certainly significant, but a good portion of that income goes toward new roads. Of the $43 billion that ends up in federal coffers, $29 billion comes from fuel taxes. On the state level, two-thirds of the $91.5 billion comes from taxes on fuel. Still, that amounts to 10 percent of California’s overall revenue and a knee-wobbling 23 percent of revenue in Oklahoma.

Auto jobs also contribute serious coin to Uncle Sam, with Michigan leading the way. Uncle Sam took in $2.2 billion from The Mitten State, followed by Ohio and California. Hit the jumpto read the CAR press release.

Continue reading Auto industry pays $135 billion in taxes annually

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From Autoblog: Video: Mythbusters tests the square wheel theory

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Mythbuster tests square wheels

The Mythbusters have finally tackled the long-unanswered question, “Why don’t cars have square wheels?”

What’s that? You’ve never wondered why? Neither have we, because it’s freaking obvious. But equally obvious is how awesome it would be to test out a square-wheeled vehicle anyway, which is exactly what the Mythbusters guys did, using an older Ford F-Series pickup.

While the full episode is not available online, you can get the gist of the segment by watching the eight clips Discovery has posted, which we’ve conveniently organized for your viewing pleasure below.

Continue reading Mythbusters tests the square wheel theory

 

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