Thursday, July 21, 2011

Automotive Addicts

Automotive Addicts


Video: Bugatti Veyron Super Sport In Jay Leno’s Garage

Posted: 20 Jul 2011 05:48 PM PDT


Jay Leno, one of the biggest Bugatti fans, gets his hands on the new Veyron Super Sport in the latest Jay Leno's Garage test drive video.

Now that the space shuttle program has come to an end, those who are financially capable such as Jay Leno, should have no problem launching their own rocket ship on 4 wheels in the form of a new Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. 4.8 seconds from 0 to 100mph, 16 cylinders, 4 turbos, 11 radiators and a top speed of 268mph are all mind-boggling figures associated with the Veyron Super Sport. John Hill, who I had the pleasure meeting and talking to on a few occasions, is Bugatti North and South America's Marking Director who explains to Jay the inner-workings of the new Veyron Super Sport in the video below. Jay also gets a chance to, "see how she goes", take the Veyron Super Sport out for a spin. Enjoy!

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[source: Jay Leno's Garage]

The World’s Most Expensive Flamethrower

Posted: 20 Jul 2011 06:40 AM PDT


Yes, that really is flames shooting from the exhaust.

Most flamethrowers are fairly inelegant machines, consisting of two tanks, a spray nozzle and an ignition source. The best kind of flamethrowers, though, are built of carbon-fiber, aluminum and steel, and generally shoot flames only as a byproduct of incomplete combustion.

Take the twin-turbo Lamborghini Gallardo in the video below, for example. The car puts out some 1,250 horsepower at the wheels, and you don't produce that kind of grunt without sucking lots of fuel (and air) through your engine. Not all of that fuel gets burned in the cylinders, especially when you blip the throttle repeatedly. Instead, unburned fuel gets sucked into the exhaust, where it later ignites with dramatic effect.

Robert Himler owns this particularly epic Gallardo, which was tuned by the lunatics technicians at Underground Racing. If you like what you see in the video, be sure to subscribe to Mr. Himler's You Tube channel.

Source: You Tube, via Motor Authority

2012 Scion iQ Priced From $16k; Will Personality Help Sell It?

Posted: 20 Jul 2011 06:29 AM PDT


The 2012 Scion iQ. Image: Toyota

On paper, the specs for Scion's new minicar, the iQ, don't seem all that impressive. It delivers decent fuel economy (37 mpg combined), but it's not that much better than the similarly priced Ford Fiesta, which is imminently more practical. It's not even close to the lowest priced car on the market, since the new Nissan Versa sedan undercuts it by $5,000 in base trim. It comes well equipped, but so does the new Hyundai Accent, which costs just a few hundred dollars more in range-topping SE trim. Sure, the 2012 Scion iQ is small enough to make a Mini seem like an SUV and it's got the whole cute thing going for it, but will novelty be enough to sell units?

Scion is betting that the answer to that question is "yes." As any Pulp Fiction fan will tell you, personality goes a long way, and the iQ is chock full of personality. Its diminutive size means you can park it anywhere, and the iQ can actually haul up to four passengers (although linebackers need not apply). It may leave suburban homeowners scratching their heads, but urban dwellers will understand this car perfectly.

Power comes from a 1.3-liter, four-cylinder engine rated at 94 horsepower and 89 foot-pounds of torque. It's (unfortunately) mated to a CVT gearbox, but that should help with fuel economy and whatever acceleration 89 ft-lb of torque can yield. The iQ may be terrifying to drive on a long interstate highway trip, but it seems perfect for low-speed, short distance urban driving.

If you're still not convinced, consider this: Aston Martin sells their own version of the iQ, called the Cygnet. The price for the Aston Martin version starts at $50,500, but you don't qualify to purchase one unless you're already an Aston Martin customer. Scion will sell their iQ to anyone with sufficient cash or credit, whether or not you're a current Scion owner.

Interested? West coast buyers get first dibs, starting this October. City dwellers in other parts of the country will need to wait until early 2012 to buy their own iQs.

Source: Toyota

2011 Chevrolet Camaro RS V6 Convertible Review & Test Drive

Posted: 20 Jul 2011 06:26 AM PDT


When it comes to having fun in the sun in an iconic muscle car you only have a few choices. One choice that is now available is the all-new Chevrolet Camaro RS V6 Convertible.

The new 2011 Chevrolet Camaro continues to be a hit considering how it outsold the Mustang in 2010, according to early 2011 sales figures. To further compel consumers that the Camaro means business, a new convertible model has been introduced for 2011 featuring virtually all of the sporty looks of the new Camaro , while letting your hair blow in the wind.

Much has changed since the last Camaro convertible in 2002. The new Camaro convertible has refinement and a sporty appeal yet still infuses an iconic heritage that has been a part of the Camaro since its introduction as a 1967 pony car.

The all-new 2011 Camaro Convertible has a smooth contoured top that carries over the coupe's stylish looks. Advanced engineering applied to the convertible preserves many of the good handling and ride characteristics of the coupe without making things soft. Even in the Camaro V6 convertible, the Camaro does not lose its proper place among true American pony cars.

Noise and vibration issues where nonexistent in my convertible Camaro test vehicle. This demonstrated many of the additional reinforcements put in place to make the convertible rigid and quite capable on local twisty roads. The optional 20-inch wheels and meaty tires, 245/40 front 275/30 rear Pirelli P-Zero rubber, found on my RS package equipped Camaro convertible not only added to the stunning looks but helped keep the drop-top pony car planted to the road in the corners.

My new Camaro RS V6 convertible 2LT-trimed test vehicle was equipped with a 3.6-liter V6 engine mated to a 6-speed automatic that isn't afraid to let the throaty V6 rev all the way to redline using all available 312 horsepower. The optional heads-up display, virtually identical to the Corvette's system, keeps the driver informed of shifts especially when you are using the steering wheel mounted shift controls in manual shift mode. Although the V6 Camaro convertible is not as quick as the Camaro SS V8 convertible, it is no slouch when pushed to the limit.

The new Camaro V6 convertible gets a respectable EPA estimated 18mpg city and 29mpg highway, same as the coupe which is 254 pounds lighter than the convertible.

The new Camaro convertible's power soft-top takes about 20 seconds to open or close and built in partnership with the same manufacturer as the Corvette convertible top. Ambient road noise transmits into the cabin with the top up, which is somewhat expected on soft-top convertibles. The top, however, does give you the option to place a folding one-piece tonneau cover on the top when it is down to give it a complete look. The cover is stored in the trunk when not in use. This can be rather annoying when you are on the go and need to quickly close the top.  Not to mention, the tonneau cover will fly off on the highway if you do not take an extra minute to secure the cover in place. Over all the top is easy to use and can be easily secured in place , up or down, in a matter of seconds.

The new Camaro convertible V6 with the RS package has an excellent interior with supportive seats. The 4-person seating area is only formidable when you have someone well over 6-feet tall in the front seat taking any usable legroom away from the rear-seat occupants. Otherwise, the rear seating is usable and considerably exciting at highway speeds with the top down.

The new heads-up display proves to be an excellent addition to the Camaro convertible keeping the driver's eyes planted on the road. Clear and large controls on the dashboard are also another well-thought-of part of the Camaro's interior. The layout remains to be virtually identical to the Camaro coupe in all trim levels even down to the 4-gauge auxiliary cluster pods.

There are not many cars that look as good as the new Camaro topless. For a price starting at just $29,275, the all-new 2011 Camaro V6 convertible packs in new-age retro styling wrapped up in a stunning economical drop-top American pony car package. My test vehicle had an as-tested price of $36,185 including the RS package (20-inch flangeless painted-aluminum wheels with Midnight Silver finish, High Intensity Discharge headlamps with integral LED halo rings, unique tail lamps, and rear spoiler).

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Copyright: 2011 AutomotiveAddicts.com

SPECFICATIONS

  • Price: Base Camaro Convertible MSRP $29,275 As-Tested Camaro RS V6 (2LT) Convertible $36,185
  • Engine: 3.6-liter direct injection V6 312 horsepower @ 6500 rpm / 278 ft-lbs. torque @ 5100 rpm
  • Wheelbase: 112.3in.
  • Total length: 190.4in.
  • Total width: 75.5in.
  • Total height: 54.7in.
  • Track: f/r-63.7/63.7in.
  • Headroom: f/r-37.8/35.7in.
  • Legroom: f/r-42.4/29.9in.
  • Cargo volume: 10.2cu.ft.
  • 0-60mph: 6.1 seconds
  • EPA mileage est.: 18 mpg city / 29 mpg highway
  • Fuel tank: 19.0 gallons
  • Curb weight: 3,995 lbs.

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