[DaveW]

Nice pics of the mighty Coro loop.

 

[explorer]

Nice pics of the mighty Coro loop.

Ki Ora Bro,

Coro Loop, one of the roads I haven't written yet on my motorbike.
Sounds good...one day.
The pictures I posted are of Golden Bay SI and I know the Coromandal looks just the same.

Kia-Kaha

Al

 

[DaveW]

Ahh my bad.... Looking a bit closer the rocks are totally the wrong type for the Coromandel.

 

[stevew]

a rider working on the TTZero project dies at the Isle of Mann TT.

 

[Toshi]

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2010/06/allnew-2011-volkswagen-jetta-to-start-at-16000.html

New VW Jetta to be the first car available with both diesel and hybrid options, at least in theory. As CR notes, it will be interesting to see how buyers make their choice, assuming the hybrid version indeed makes it to market in a reasonable amount of time.

Four engines will be offered: 2.0-liter gasoline or turbodiesel four-cylinders, a 2.5-liter five-cylinder, and a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline four-cylinder with direct injection. (A future hybrid version is also in the works.) All engines will be matched with a standard six-speed manual transmission. An automatic transmission is optional; the automatic is a six-speed DSG with turbocharged engines.

The first car to be offered with both hybrid and diesel powertrains, it will be interesting to see which alternative proves more fuel efficient and popular with buyers.

The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta goes on sale in October, 2010.

 

[stevew]

it's a shame the bottom half of that car looks like utter sh!t.

 

[Toshi]

Lunar Motorbike. Never saw the moon but did see the inside of a vomit comet.

 

[IH8Rice]

now this is a e-car that i can get behind

Shortly after introducing the SLS AMG last year, Mercedes-Benz announced that it was also developing a battery electric version of the gull-wing supercar. The first prototype is now ready to be shown to the world, resplendent in bright yellow paint (AMG Lumilectric Mango to be exact – the Mopar Boys would be proud). The SLS E-Cell is propelled by a quartet of electric motors with the pair at each axle integrated with reduction gears to drive all four wheels.

Those motors, which top out at a screaming 12,000 rpm, combine to apply 526 horsepower and 649 pound-feet of torque to the wheels – sufficient to push the coupe to 60 miles per hour in just four seconds. The installation of the front motors necessitated the replacement of the double-wishbone suspension with a multi-link setup with push-rod dampers.

The lithium polymer batteries are split between the center tunnel and a box mounted behind the cockpit, and can provide a combined output of 480 kilowatts (643 horsepower). Two separate cooling circuits can manage the temperature of the battery packs and related power electronics by either heating or cooling the units as needed.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/21/mercedes-benz-sls-e-cell-preview/

 

[IH8Rice]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/s2A3e9Nss3o&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s2A3e9Nss3o&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>

 

[Toshi]

Remember all that crowing about a TDI that got 60 or 70 mpg at the hands of some hypermiler over a few hundred miles? Well try this on for size:

A base model, non-diesel, non-hybrid 2011 Hyundai Sonata midsize sedan logged 66.285 mpg (US gallons) over 1065.2 miles.

In other news, demand for the Nissan Leaf looks strong: 14,000 preorders with $99 refundable deposits logged thus far.

 

[IH8Rice]

Remember all that crowing about a TDI that got 60 or 70 mpg at the hands of some hypermiler over a few hundred miles? Well try this on for size:

60-70 isnt that hard to get even when you are not hypermiling.

 

[Toshi]

Design News: Nissan Bets on the Electric Car. This is a solid, slightly technical article on how Nissan's choices over the years are paying off now.

Since shelving the electric Altra almost a decade ago, it has kept its eye on the all-electric prize, working non-stop on EV batteries. The automaker has pulled together big teams of engineers at its Technical Center and at its Advanced Technology Center in Atsugi, Japan, as well as at its Research Center in Oppama and its Operations Center in Zama. Their task: to build a higher-energy, lower-cost, EV battery.

The Leaf's engineering team says the resulting battery will take the car 100 miles between charges, without clogging up valuable space in the back seat or trunk. The key, they say, has been a dedicated 17-year effort that has resulted in a two-fold boost in the battery's energy density. By packing more energy into less volume, the battery provides Nissan engineers with choices - longer range or smaller batteries, or an idealized combination of the two. That's why they've been able to store the battery under the Leaf's floor while still reaching 100 miles of range.

"The breakthrough happened in 2002 or 2003," says Mark Perry, director of product planning for Nissan USA. "We changed the chemistry, went to laminate cells, and at the end of the day, we had twice the energy density. That allowed us to optimize the vehicle platform. Suddenly, we had a mass market vehicle concept."

 

[Pesqueeb]

Tesla IPO tommorow. I must consider buying a couple. Too long to quote.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2010-06-28-tesla-ipo_N.htm

 

[IH8Rice]

Tesla IPO tommorow. I must consider buying a couple. Too long to quote.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2010-06-28-tesla-ipo_N.htm

good idea. they only lost $291mil so far and might lose their government funding if Musk's divorce goes even more south

 

[stevew]

60-70 isnt that hard to get even when you are not hypermiling.

a friends tdi wagon was getting @60 mpg on the hwy.....

 

[IH8Rice]

a friends tdi wagon was getting @60 mpg on the hwy.....

 

[CBJ]

Why no Passat Wagon TDI?

 

[IH8Rice]

Tesla IPO tommorow. I must consider buying a couple. Too long to quote.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2010-06-28-tesla-ipo_N.htm

a lot of suckers out there

A lot of analysts were bullish on Tesla's initial stock offering, and a report from Bloomberg proves that the electric car start-up is a buy with the investors of the world. Tesla reportedly raised $226 million with its IPO, or 13.3 million shares at $17 per. The $226 mil total went above and beyond the high-end figure of $16 per share.

The news has to come as a pleasant surprise for Elon Musk, the company's CEO and largest shareholder. Musk has reportedly spent $70 million of his own personal fortune propping up Tesla while the company's losses mounted. The successful IPO is even more surprising given the fact that the company has yet to turn a quarterly profit and lost a substantial $230.5 million since 2003. Even at the expected median price of $15 per share, Bloomberg data shows that Tesla was valued at 5.5 times its net tangible assets, which doesn't exactly sound terrific. Tesla's IPO was likely helped out by recent investments by Toyota and Daimler, giving the first U.S. automaker IPO in over 50 years some much-needed street cred. Interestingly, Tesla is the first U.S. automaker since the Ford Motor Company to throw its hat into the public stock ring, with the Blue Oval doing so way back in 1956.

Tesla's IPO was considered a bit of a crap shoot given the recent failures of other stock offerings coupled with the fact that the EV maker doesn't have a lot of product to make it an attractive buy. Tesla has managed to sell about 1,000 copies of its pricey roadster, but now that the First-on-the-Block crew has theirs, the battery-packed two-seater isn't exactly flying off the shelves. The Model S sedan, which will reportedly go 160 miles on a single charge, won't arrive until 2012 at the earliest.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/29/tesla-reportedly-raises-226-million-with-ipo-of-13-3m-shares/

 

[IH8Rice]

Why no Passat Wagon TDI?

because Americans are stupid and dont realize the benefit from a diesel.
the Passat Estate Blue Motion (wagon diesel) is of course available in Europe

67mpg from the 2.0L Blue Motion!!! hybrids can suck it
http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/#/new/passat-estate/which-model/engines/fuel-consumption

 

[stevew]

how about a 10 second tdi?

compound turbo setup...

 

[IH8Rice]

how about a 10 second tdi?


compound turbo setup...

so much potential in those oil burners, but no, Americans want dangerous, toxic battery/gas cars

 

[stevew]

so much potential in those oil burners, but no, Americans want dangerous, toxic battery/gas cars

a ur Quattro coupe with that engine would be fun...

 

[IH8Rice]

a ur Quattro coupe with that engine would be fun...

the A5 is available in Europe with a oil burner under the "bonnet"

 

[Pesqueeb]

a lot of suckers out there

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/29/tesla-reportedly-raises-226-million-with-ipo-of-13-3m-shares/

Including Toyota and Diamler. Toyota gave them 50 mil and the NUMI plant. Thats a lot of $$ to throw at someone if you don't belive in the product. Still think I need to buy a couple hundred worth. The wife would probably kill me.

 

[IH8Rice]

Including Toyota and Diamler. Toyota gave them 50 mil and the NUMI plant. Thats a lot of $$ to throw at someone if you don't belive in the product. Still think I need to buy a couple hundred worth. The wife would probably kill me.

Toyota didnt give them the NUMMI plant. Tesla is paying Toyota $42mil from their initial IPO for the plant, which does not include any of the machinery inside.

they have 10 dealers worldwide. they will turn into the next Tucker. i see the company folding and their technology being sold off, with Daimler and Toyota benefiting the most.

 

[CBJ]

they will turn into the next Tucker.

I will wait for the movie then

 

[IH8Rice]

I will wait for the movie then

as long as the Dude stars in it, itll be amazing!
Elon Musk is turning into Preston Tucker

 

[Toshi]

1) Nissan Leaf test drives to be offered en masse in September.

2) One from the "weird files", the "K-Way Motus TTW" tilting three-wheeler that was eliminated from the Progressive Automotive X-Prize competition due to engine troubles:

From their press release:

TTW is the first Personal Commuting Vehicle (PCV) that combines up-to-date technologies for a plug-in hybrid electric powertrain, natural gas combustion engine, active tilt & steer control, integrated vehicle dynamics, structural optimization and crash proof safety. The vehicle is much safer than motorbikes and scooters, and much smaller and lighter than any car, perfectly fulfilling the desires of personal mobility.


TTW is a three wheel vehicle for two passengers seating in-line. It is fully enclosed with a crash proof frame and there is no need to wear a helmet. Active tilting allows the driver to steer like a car while the vehicle automatically leans into the curve like a motorcycle giving a completely new driving feeling. TTW PHEV technology allows to choose between driving up to 25 kilometers with zero emissions, increase the efficiency of the combustion engine propulsion or greatly boost vehicle performance (0-100 kilometers per hour in just 6 seconds). Electric motors conveniently located in the front wheel hubs allow a full electronic control of integral traction, hybrid driving mode and vehicle dynamics.

Sounds like a nice laundry list of specs on paper, but until it's approved and on-sale it's all vaporware to me.

 

[Pesqueeb]

a lot of suckers out there

Tesla motors currently @ $27.70 and spiked around noon at $30. Buying during the IPO at 17 a share looks like a real suckers bet alright.
To be honest though, if I had bought, I'd be selling right now.

 

[IH8Rice]

Tesla motors currently @ $27.70 and spiked around noon at $30. Buying during the IPO at 17 a share looks like a real suckers bet alright.
To be honest though, if I had bought, I'd be selling right now.

give it time. you will see. its just people jumping on the early bandwagon.
they are investing in a company with barely 1 viable, overpriced product

 

[Toshi]

Consumer Reports: Automotive X Prize: Stress and triumph during the handling test

Cliffs Notes: Aptera passes with less drama than in the Shakedown round, as does the Zap Alias, E-Tracer (above), Tango, WWU entry, and the Finnish Raceabout.

 

[Toshi]

More X-Prize news, including teams knocked out (and why), and the penalty-adjusted MPGe recorded in the Knockout phase:

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2010/07/automotive-x-prize-final-knockout-results.html

 

[Toshi]

Now that the cat is out of the bag, with BMW's Megacity EV announced replete with carbon fiber (aka "crabon fibre" if you're BSNYC) structure, BMW now feels it safe to announce that they made a prototype of their first gen X5 with a unibody and all body panels save for the doors made out of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic.

Hot.

200 kg weight savings were obtained without sacrifices in strength or rigidity, reportedly.

http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/07/06/exclusive-bmw-x5-with-carbon-fiber-unibody/

 

[stevew]

but.....still...it's.....carbon.

won't touch.

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

Now that the cat is out of the bag, with BMW's Megacity EV announced replete with carbon fiber (aka "crabon fibre" if you're BSNYC) structure, BMW now feels it safe to announce that they made a prototype of their first gen X5 with a unibody and all body panels save for the doors made out of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic.

Hot.

200 kg weight savings were obtained without sacrifices in strength or rigidity, reportedly.

http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/07/06/exclusive-bmw-x5-with-carbon-fiber-unibody/

wow. disposable x5s... one fender bender and the car is totalled...

 

[IH8Rice]

Including Toyota and Diamler. Toyota gave them 50 mil and the NUMI plant. Thats a lot of $$ to throw at someone if you don't belive in the product. Still think I need to buy a couple hundred worth. The wife would probably kill me.

lolz. a lot of idiots out there
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=TSLA

 

[Toshi]

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2010/07/automotive-x-prize-performance-results-from-knockout-testing.html

Key stats:

Aptera:
0-60 in 10.6 seconds. 0.86 lateral Gs.

Tango:
0-60 in 6.56 seconds (!) but only 0.74 lateral Gs.

 

[IH8Rice]

im sure owners will need this warranty

During a media briefing at its Brownstown Township, MI battery plant this afternoon, General Motors Vice Chairman Tom Stephens announced that the lithium ion battery pack for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt would be warranted for eight years or 100,000 miles. Since the beginning of the program, it has been General Motors' intention to develop the battery pack to last for the life of the vehicle.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/14/general-motors-announces-8-year-100-000-mile-warranty-for-volt-b/

 

[jimmydean]

im sure owners will need this warranty

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/14/general-motors-announces-8-year-100-000-mile-warranty-for-volt-b/

I find it funny that they are estimating the life of the vehicle to last 8 years. That's impressive numbers for an American made car, I give them 4 tops.

 

[IH8Rice]

I find it funny that they are estimating the life of the vehicle to last 8 years. That's impressive numbers for an American made car, I give them 4 tops.

i personally dont doubt the car itself will last longer than the battery and or motor. newer American cars are built very well, but even with all the lifespan testing they have done on the batteries, i dont think they will last long in the real world.