Winter Car Maintenance

Few items to check to be sure you're not stuck out in winter:

1) Check your belts and hoses for wear, and replace any that are showing signs of aging.

2) Flush your cooling system, and replace with a 50/50 mixture of anti-freeze and water.

3) Clean your battery posts and terminals, and check the battery water level. If your car has battery clips (pretty standard on newer cars) instead of good terminals, consider switching those out. Also, if your battery is over 4 - 4 1/2 years old, consider replacing that now as well.

4) Check your heater and defroster to be sure they are functioning properly. If you notice your engine's temperature guage dips too much when turning on your heater, have your thermostat checked.

5) Make sure your tires are properly inflated. The cold weather will lower your tire pressure. Also, check the tire pressure in your spare tire, and make sure you have the equipment needed to change a tire if needed.

6) Keep your gas tank as full as possible. This will prevent freezing in your gas lines.

7) Check your windshield washer fluid. Avoid using water only, as it will freeze.

8) A decent tune up wouldn't hurt anything either.

Prepare an emergency kit for your trunk which includes a working flashlight (extra batteries are a good idea too!,) blanket, tool kit, jumper cables, ice scraper, gloves, reflective triangles or flares, a bag of hard candy, and a first aid kit. A bag of kitty litter comes in handy for icy situations, and a small snow shovel will help in heavy snow conditions.

If you become stranded for a long period of time...

a) Do NOT leave your car unless you know exactly where you are, and exactly where you can go in order to improve your situation.

b) Use flares or reflective triangles to draw attention, or a bright cloth hanging from your antenna will work.

c) To keep warm, use blankets, and depending on the amount of gas in your car, run the heater for 10 minutes or so every hour. Make sure your exhaust pipe is not blocked!

d) In heavy snow and ice conditions, leave a window slightly cracked to avoid getting sealed in.

e) Use that bag of hard candy in your emergency kit to keep your mouth moist.

Kia Rondo

Available as a 5- or optional 7-passenger vehicle with either a standard 162 hp 2.4l 4-cylinder engine or an optional 182 hp 2.7l V6 engine in two trim levels.

Standard features include: 16" alloy wheels, AM/FM/CD player, Air Conditioning, Power Windows and Door Locks, Front/Side/Full length Side Curtain airbags, 4-wheel Disc Brakes, ABS, Electronic Stability Control, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, LATCH, Child safety door locks, Tilt steering column, Front and Rear 12v outlets, Front and Rear Cupholders.

Options include:
Moonroof, Leather interior, Heated front seats, Cruise Control, Keyless entry, Infinity 10-speaker stereo.

Although Kia calls the Rondo a crossover, it is still a compact minivan that competes mainly up against the successful Mazda5. But unlike the Mazda5, the Rondo doesn't need to have sliding doors because of the larger Sedona having them. The Rondo is the cheapest minivan in North America, with a price of US$16,995.

General Motors XV8 engine

The all-new engine provides the power of a full-size, high-end V8, but has greater fuel efficiency, the width of a V-6, and the length of a four-cylinder.

With an aluminum block and head, the 4.3 liter XV8 has three valves per cylinder with an air-assisted direct fuel injection system and two camshafts in the block. Power ratings are 300 horsepower (224 kW) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque.

Other features include variable inlet systems (currently the main feature of Chrysler's Magnum engines), cam phasing, and displacement on demand (first seen on the ill-fated Cadillac 4-6-8 engines), variable inlet valve timing (common to Toyota and Honda engines), a narrow 75-degree bank angle, twin oil pumps, and an integrated air compressor. A GM spokesman said this combination was possible, in its best form, because of the engine's clean-sheet design: there was no need to compromise new features to co-exist with existing designs. That was especially important for direct injection.

The XV8's compression ratio of 10.75:1 is achieved with regular gasoline.
Key features

The all-aluminum 4.3-liter XV8 utilizes a unique three-valves-per-cylinder combustion chamber configuration, supporting the optimization of an air-assisted direct fuel injection system. The configuration features an industry first: two camshafts in the block. The XV8 produces 224 kW (300 horsepower) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque.

The air-assisted direct injection gasoline system was developed by Orbital Engine Corp. of Australia, and is integrated into three-valve cylinder heads and dual cams in the block. The three valve system (two inlet valves, one exhaust) provides more room in the combustion chamber for optimal positioning of the injector and the spark plug, vertical and nearly central in the chamber - positioned as they would be in a Hemi engine.

Having two cams in the block rather than dual overhead cams provides considerable packaging benefits and combined with the direct injection fuel system, contributes to the XV8's outstanding performance numbers. The clean burning also means that after-combustion pollution control can be milder.

GM's Displacement on Demand technology allows the V8 to shut down half of its cylinders seamlessly at predetermined times to significantly reduce fuel consumption without hampering performance.

The unique twin oil pump design allows the engine to run Displacement on Demand at idle, since the system and cam phasing system have their own dedicated oil pump, which provides enough pressure to deactivate the cylinders at idle and reactivate them immediately upon throttle engagement.

The use of a camshaft "phaser" separates the timing functions of the intake and exhaust valves. This is accomplished in the XV8 engine by having two in-block camshafts, one for inlet operation and one for exhaust. The camshafts are located in a vertical plane above the crankshaft and parallel to its center of rotation. The intake camshaft is the lower camshaft and is approximately in the center of the block. The exhaust cam is positioned above the intake. Because the intake camshaft rather than the exhaust is "phased," the XV8's camshaft drive provides the ability to better modify and enhance full-load engine torque characteristics. In the stratified combustion mode of operation, it can be used to increase the charge dilution by advancing the intake cam timing. The set-up reduces friction and fuel consumption, particularly at idle and part-load, and also contributes to the engine's outstanding low-end torque. Having two camshafts in the engine block with the ability to "phase" one of the cams is unique to GM.

"With the cams in the block," GM's Fritz Indra said, "the valve timing precision is better than with a DOHC configuration. The different heat levels with long belts and chains in a DOHC set-up always changes the valve timing."

The air-assist direct injection system requires port geometries that generate a minimum of "in-cylinder" motion when the system is operating in stratified mode. During homogeneous operating conditions, in-cylinder motion is required in similar fashion to port fuel injected engines. The inlet manifold design supports these design objectives to achieve maximum fuel economy. The resulting design also allows the engine to deliver a broad torque band suited to spirited driving styles, supports the peak power objectives, and fully accommodates the Displacement on Demand system.

The XV8 is unique not only in that it has two oil pumps, but also in that the engine's balance shaft doubles as the oil pump drive shaft. The former allows for such functions as cam phasing and Displacement on Demand at idle and the latter contributes to the engine's compact packaging.

Because the XV8 requires extensive hydraulic function, two oil pumps were used in a serial fashion. If the lubrication system was designed with the typical single oil pump, its displacement would have to be substantially increased to provide minimum pressure to the entire engine. The primary pump supplies low pressure filtered oil to the bearings, valve lifters and secondary pump inlet. The secondary pump acts to intensify the pressure for supply to the cam phaser and Displacement on Demand systems. In doing this, parasitic power consumption to the oil pump is minimized.

Because of packaging constraints, the oil pump drive was combined with the balance shaft assembly. To get the necessary 1:1 counter-rotation of the balance shaft, it is driven by a helical gear pressed on the rear of the crankshaft.

"The drive for the pumps is the balance shaft, which has to go opposite engine rotation at engine speed because of our narrow bank angle," GM's Alan Hayman said. "So we get the balance shaft basically for free and this is all packaged in the sump that bolts to the bottom of the block. That is unique. Also, placing the oil pumps at each end of the balance shaft helps to damp vibrations."

The XV8's air compressor is integrated into the engine assembly. "That's another unique aspect of the engine," Hayman said. "The air compressor is part of the engine assembly itself, not just a component bolted onto the accessory drive somewhere as a stand alone pump. It's integrated to the back of the cylinder head and all of the fluids are transferred through this interface. This avoids the requirement for the myriad of hoses that would have traditionally been required including the avoidance of having to run a separate air-assist rail."

Nimble Acura MDX is a station wagon, it's no SUV

The Acura MDX SH-AWD is a station wagon, albeit a pricey one with leather seats and every conceivable electronic device, including a "super-handling all-wheel-drive" (SH-AWD) system that improves turning precision by automatically varying power to the rear drive wheels in curves.

Ride, handling, acceleration:
The MDX gets excellent marks in all three categories. It drives, feels, handles and accelerates in the manner of a much smaller, tighter vehicle--on paved roads.

Head-turning quotient:
Flowing, elegant lines. I love its interior--rich, ergonomically sensible, comfortable--the perfect passenger cabin for a long road trip.

Body style/layout:
The 2007 Acura MDX is a front-engine, all-wheel-drive, mid-size luxury wagon with a rear lift-gate. It is a work of unitized body construction on a mid-size car platform.
Engine/transmission: The Acura MDX SH-AWD comes with a 3.7-liter, 24-valve, V-6 engine that develops 300 horsepower at 6,000 revolutions per minute and 275 foot-pounds of torque at 5,000 rpm. The engine is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission that also can be shifted manually.

Capacities:
There is seating for seven with the rearmost foldable seats suitable only for small people. Cargo capacity is 15 cubic feet with three rows of seats up and 84 cubic feet with second and third rows folded. The MDX can be equipped to tow a trailer weighing 5,000 pounds. Fuel capacity is 21 gallons of required premium unleaded gasoline.
Mileage: I averaged 20 miles per gallon in highway driving. My assistant averaged 15 mpg in city-suburban commuting.

Safety:
Impressive. Improved rear-end crash protection, side and head air bags, antilock brakes, and electronic stability and traction control make the MDX one of the safest wagons available in North America.

Price:
Base price for the 2007 Acura MDX SH-AWD with the sport and entertainment package is $47,795. Dealer invoice price on the base model is $43,326. There are no options for this one at this writing. Add a $670 transportation charge. Price as tested is $48,465. Dealer's price as tested is $43,996.

Purse-strings note:
It's an excellent, albeit expensive, wagon. Compare with BMW X-5, Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Veracruz, Lexus RX 350 and Mercedes-Benz M-Class.

Complaints:
End the misleading silliness. Stop calling the Acura MDX and similar vehicles SUVs. They're not. They're wagons. The buying public has no problem accepting them as wagons. Automotive marketers need to grow up.

Buick Small-Block

In 1961 Buick unveiled an entirely new small V8 engine with aluminum cylinder heads and cylinder block. Lightweight and powerful, the aluminum V8 also spawned a turbocharged version, (only in the 1962-63 Oldsmobile Cutlass version), the first ever offered in a passenger car. It became the basis of a highly successful cast iron V6 engine, the Fireball. The all-aluminum engine was dropped after the 1963 model year, but was replaced with a very similar cast-iron engine.


215

GM experimented with aluminum engines starting in the early 1950s, and work on a production unit commenced in 1956. Originally intended for 180 in³ (2.9 L) displacement, Buick was designated by GM as the engine design leader, and decided to begin with a larger, 215 in³ (3.5 L) size, which was deemed ideal for the new "senior compact cars" introduced for the 1961 model year. This group of cars was commonly called the BOP group or A-bodies.

The 215 had a 4.24 in (107.7 mm) bore spacing, a bore of 3.5 in (88.9 mm), and a stroke of 2.8 in (71.1 mm), for an actual displacement of 3533 cc. The engine was the lightest mass-production V8 in the world, with a dry weight of only 318 lb (144 kg). It was standard equipment in the 1961 Buick Special.

Oldsmobile and Pontiac also used the all-aluminum 215 on its mid-sized cars, the Oldsmobile F-85 and Pontiac Tempest. However the Oldsmobile version of this engine, although sharing the same basic architecture, had cylinder heads designed by Oldsmobile engineers, and was produced on a separate assembly line. Among the differences between the Oldsmobile and Buick versions, it was somewhat heavier, at 350 lb (159 kg). The design differences were in the cylinder heads: Buick used a 5-bolt pattern around each cylinder where Oldsmobile went to a 6-bolt pattern. The 6th bolt was added to the intake manifold side of the head, one extra bolt for each cylinder. This was supposed to alleviate the head-warping problems that came about on the higher compression ratio versions. Later Rover versions of the aluminum block and subsequent Buick iron small blocks (300, 340 and 350) went to a 4 bolt per cylinder pattern.

At introduction, Buick's 215 was rated 150 hp (112 kW) at 4400 rpm. This was raised soon after introduction to 155 hp (116 kW) at 4600 rpm. 220 ft·lbf (298 N·m) of torque was produced at 2400 rpm with a Rochester 2GC two-barrel carburetor and 8.8:1 compression ratio. A mid-year introduction was the Buick Special Skylark version, which had 10.25:1 compression and a four-barrel carburetor, raising output to 185 hp (138 kW) at 4800 rpm and 230 ft·lbf (312 N·m) at 2800 rpm.

For 1962, the four-barrel engine increased compression ratio to 11.0:1, raising it to 190 hp (142 kW) at 4800 rpm and 235 ft·lbf (319 N·m) at 3000 rpm. The two-barrel engine was unchanged. For 1963 the four-barrel was bumped to an even 200 hp (149 kW) at 5000 rpm and 240 ft·lbf (325 N·m) at 3200 rpm, a respectable 0.93 hp/in³ (56.6 hp/liter).

Unfortunately, the great expense of the aluminum engine led to its cancellation after the 1963 model year. The engine had an abnormally high scrap ratio due to hidden block-casting porosity problems, which caused serious oil leaks. Another problem was clogged radiators from antifreeze mixtures incompatible with aluminum. It was said that one of the major problems was because they had to make extensive use of air gaging to check for casting leaks during the manufacturing process, and not being able to detect leaks on blocks that were as much as 95% complete. This raised the cost of complete engines to more than that of a comparable all cast-iron engine. Casting sealing technology was not advanced enough at that time to prevent the high scrap rates.

The Buick 215's very high power to weight ratio made it immediately interesting for automotive and marine racing. Mickey Thompson entered a stock-block Buick 215-powered car in the 1962 Indianapolis_500. From 1946 to 1962 there hadn't been a single stock-block car in this famous race. In 1962 the Buick 215 was the only non-Offenhauser powered entry in the field of 33 cars. Rookie driver Dan_Gurney qualified eighth and raced well for 92 laps before retiring with transmission problems.

Surplus engine blocks of the Oldsmobile (6 bolt per cylinder) version of this engine formed the basis of the Formula One Repco V8 used by Brabham to win the 1966 and 1967 Formula One championship. No other American stock-block engine has won a Formula One championship.

Buick 215s have been engine swapped into countless sports cars including especially Chevrolet Vegas and MG sports cars. The engine remains well supported by enthusiast clubs, specialist parts suppliers, and by shops that specialize in these conversions.

The Buick 215 was used in a small sports car known as the Apollo from 1962 to 1963, and also in the Asardo 3500 GM-S show car.

Although dropped by GM in 1963, in January 1965 the tooling for the aluminum engine was sold to Britain's Rover Group to become the Rover V8 engine, which would remain in use for more than 35 years. GM tried to buy it back later on, but Rover declined, instead offering to sell engines back to GM. GM refused this offer.


300

In 1964 Buick replaced the 215 with an iron-block engine of very similar architecture. The new engine had a bore of 3.75 in (95.5 mm) and a stroke of 3.40 in (86.4 mm) for a displacement of 300.4 cu. in. (4.9 L). It retained the aluminum cylinder heads, intake manifold, and accessories of the 215 for a dry weight of 405 lb (184 kg). The 300 was offered in two-barrel form, with 9.0:1 compression, making 210 hp @ 4600 rpm and 310 ft·lbf @ 2400 rpm, and four-barrel form, with 11.0:1 compression, making 250 hp @ 4800 rpm and 335 ft·lbf @ 3000 rpm.

For 1965 the 300 switched to a cast-iron heads, raising dry weight to 467 lb (212 kg), still quite light for a V8 engine of its era. The four-barrel option was cancelled for 1966, and the 300 was replaced entirely by the 350 in 1968.

The Apollo sports car, also known as the Vetta Ventura, used this engine.


340

The 340 in³ (5.6 L) 340 was a stroked (to 3.85 in/97.8 mm) version of the 300. It had a two-barrel or four-barrel carburetor, the two barrel with 220 hp, and the four barrel with 11.0:1 compression, rated at 260 hp @ 4200 rpm and 365 ft·lbf @ 2800 rpm. It replaced the four-barrel 300 for 1966. It was produced only in 1966 and 1967, with the new Buick 350 taking its place after that.


350

Buick adopted the popular 350 in³ (5.7 L) size with their final family of V8s. Although sharing the displacement of the Chevrolet Small-Block engine family, the Buicks were substantially different.

The Buick 350 V8 had a 3.80 in bore (like the 231) and retained the 3.85 in stroke of the 340. It was introduced in 1968 and produced through 1980.

The major differences of the Buick 350 when compared to other GM V8's are, deep skirt block construction, higher nickel-content cast iron, external oil pump, under square bore sizing, 3.0" crank main journals, and 6.5" connecting rods. It is an extremely rugged and durable engine, and some of the design characteristics of the Buick 350 are found in modern GM engines such as the 231 V6, and Series I, II, and III 3800 V6's.

Of all the GM 350-inch engines, the Buick 350 has the longest stroke, which lends to making significantly more torque than any of the others. It also made the Buick 350 significantly wider - essentially the same width as the Buick big-blocks, which have the shortest stroke of the GM big-blocks. In fact, at a glance the buick 350 is commonly mistaken for the 455 engine due to the oversized intake manifold atop the engine. The Buick 350 also shares an integrated Aluminum timing cover as do most of the Buick small & big blocks that incorporates the oil pump mechanisms as well. Leaving the oil filter exposed to oncoming air for added cooling.

The Buick 350 was used in the Jeep Gladiator and Wagoneer from 1968 to 1971.

Acura TL Type-S

286-hp. V-6 engine derived from that in Acura's flagship RL sedan. The performance-tuned suspension of the Type-S is potent, too, especially on one's bottom. The handling is as tight as the proverbial drum, but the ride is very hard.

Except for the front-drive layout, which means some torque steer on hard acceleration, the ride is the only serious downside of this car, and I'd suggest you not minimize it if you routinely drive long distances and/or on bad roads. If so, the more basic TL might be a better choice.

The Type-S gets a sport-tuned suspension setup, of course, as well as steering calibrated for higher effort and better ``on-center' feel.

In the Type-S, the automatic can be shifted with paddles located behind the steering wheel; in both TLs drivers also can shift manually with the console-mounted gearshift lever.

With four-piston Brembo brake calipers at the ready, the Type-S stops as well as it goes.

Acura also says the Type-S has its own high-flow exhaust system, but you'll hear little evidence of it unless you accelerate hard; at cruising speeds the engine is quiet.

The TL's cabin is well-insulated against noise. Acura credits ``active noise cancellation' for some of that. The system senses cabin noise through a microphone in the headliner and then creates opposite sound waves to cancel the noise, using the radio speakers.

The Type-S is offered in four variants, starting at $38,125 with freight: with a six-speed stick shift or the five-speed automatic transmission I sampled, and with or without high-performance tires, Bridgestone Potenza summer models.

Since the automatic transmission is a no-cost option, the price differences among the four variants are no more than $200.

A Lexus ES 350 will hit $38,000 as soon as the navigation system/Mark Levinson stereo package is added.

At least in pure horsepower for dollars, Infiniti has the edge in this class.

Not far behind in bang for the buck is Lexus' IS 350 Sport, also rear-wheel drive, listing for $36,420, and packing 306 hp.

Note also if you're not in a hurry to buy your near-luxury sedan that redesigned versions of the both the C-Class and Cadillac CTS are about to arrive. And note also that a new Accord due in the fall suggests that an all-new TL can't be far behind.

Acura's bestselling model, the TL, is not to be confused with the smaller and less expensive TSX, a sedan that shares basics with a smaller version of the Accord sold in Europe and Japan.

The handsome interior has a look that's all business, with a richly textured dashboard and door paneling, accented by carbon fiber and a dash of chrome trim and stainless steel pedals.

Luxury car shoppers also considering models like the C-Class, CTS and Lincoln MKZ might deem the TL a bit too understated, but those whose tastes lean toward BMW and Audi interiors probably will find the S-Type's to their liking.

The TL has a very good, though not perfect, safety rating from the federal government: five out of a possible five stars for frontal impact protection and five out of five for a rear-seat passenger's side impact protection, but four out of five stars for the driver's side-impact protection.

The tougher Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the car ``good' in frontal and side protection, based on its crash tests, but last week rated the TL (and a bunch of others) ``marginal' in the protection offered by its seats and head restraints in rear collisions.

Like Hondas, Acuras tend to score highly in owner surveys by Consumer Reports and J.D. Power and Associates that measure vehicle quality, while Acura dealers tend to do well in surveys of overall customer satisfaction with the sales and servicing process.

And Acura backs its cars with a better-than-average warranty of four years/50,000 miles, with an extra two years or 20,000 miles on the powertrain.

2007 Honda Civic CR-V EX-L

Head-turning quotient:
The Hyundai Santa Fe is borderline ugly. The Honda CR-V is strikingly handsome. If looks count for something, the CR-V is worth the extra money.

Body style/layout:
The Honda CR-V is a front-engine, compact wagon/crossover utility vehicle designed primarily for driving on paved and other improved roads. People who want a genuine SUV capable of driving in the rough should shop elsewhere. The CR-V has four doors and a rear lift-gate. It is available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. There are three trim levels--base LX, mid EX, and upscale EX-L.

Engine/transmission:
All Honda CR-V models come with a standard 2.4-liter, 16-valve, in-line, four-cylinder engine that develops 166 horsepower at 5,800 revolutions per minute and 161 foot-pounds of torque at 4,200 rpm. The engine is linked to a five-speed automatic transmission.

Capacities:
There is seating for five in the CR-V. Cargo capacity with the rear seats up is 35.7 cubic feet; with rear seats folded, it's 73 cubic feet. Maximum payload, the weight of what can be safely carried onboard, is 1,127 pounds. The front-wheel-drive CR-V can be equipped to tow a trailer weighing 1,500 pounds. The fuel tank holds 15.3 gallons of recommended regular unleaded gasoline.

Safety:
Standard equipment includes side air bags for front-seat occupants, side curtain air bags with rollover sensor, antilock braking system, electronic stability control, traction control, and rigid body construction.

Price:
Base price of the 2007 Honda CR-V EX-L with front-wheel drive and onboard navigation with voice recognition and rearview camera is $26,800. Dealer's invoice price on that model is $24,914. Price as tested is $27,935, including a destination charge of $595. Dealer's price as tested is $25,509. Prices sourced from Honda and www.edmunds.com.

Purse-strings note:
The Honda CR-V is an excellent wagon/crossover utility vehicle surrounded by very tough competition, including the Ford Escape, Hyundai Santa Fe, Mazda CX-7, Pontiac Torrent, Toyota RAV-4 and Saturn Vue. You'd be wise to invest some time in comparison shopping.

Complaints:
The CR-V is an excellent wagon. But Honda needs to reconsider its pricing strategy for this model line. The reason is Hyundai. For example, the comparable front-wheel-drive Hyundai Santa Fe Limited has seating for seven and comes with a 242-horsepower V-6 engine, standard electronic stability control and a base price of $26,145. The front-wheel-drive CR-V EX-L has a smaller engine, seating for five people, and a base price of $26,800. The CR-V is smart. But considering its substantially lower price and substantially better warranty, the Hyundai Santa Fe seems smarter.
Ride, acceleration and handling: The CR-V is excellent in all three categories on the highway and in the city. It moves in and out of traffic easily, safely. It is wonderfully maneuverable on heavily traveled city streets. It inspires confident driving in any environment.

Lincoln MKZ 2007

The Lincoln MKZ is a mid-size luxury car from the Lincoln automobile division of the Ford Motor Company. The MKZ is the replacement for the 2006 Lincoln Zephyr. Lincoln revived the Zephyr name in the fall of 2005 as a platform mate to the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, to replace the cancelled 3.0L V6 version of the Lincoln LS as the mid-size entry-level Lincoln. Lincoln increased the Zephyr's engine size and power output, and changed the car's name to MKZ in 2006 for the 2007 model year. Sales of the MKZ began in September, 2006. The MKZ is also the first Lincoln to use "MK" on its car name.

The Lincoln MKZ's available THX II audio system features 600 watts of power and 14 speakers, including two subwoofers. It's a $995 option.

2007 Lincoln MKZ

Type:
A front-wheel drive five passenger sedan. All-wheel drive is available.

Retail price*:
$29,950 - $37,790

Engine:
3.5-liter V-6
263-hp
249-lbs-ft torque

Transmission:
Six-speed automatic

EPA mileage
# Front-wheel drive: 19 mpg city / 27 mpg highway
# All-wheel drive: 18 mpg city / 26 mpg highway

Performance:
Good New engine boosts power, and engineers tuned it for a very smooth, quiet ride.

Exterior:
Good Subdued and well crafted.

Interior:
Excellent:
Lots of nice amenities. Comfortable seats and easy-to-use controls keep the driver's eyes on the road.

Safety:
Excellent Standard side curtain airbags for front and rear passengers, anti lock brakes and electronic stability control and additional front passenger thorax airbags.
Pros: A luxurious sedan with excellent amenities and a smooth, quiet ride. Priced well against competitors.

Cons:
Engine tuning and lack of clutch-less shifting limit driving options.

Notes:
Drop the all-wheel drive and take one for a spin.

2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

The new 599 GTB Fiorano is heir to Ferrari's glorious tradition of front-engine V12 dueposti, except that there was nearly a 20-year gap between the 365 GTB4, the Daytona and the recently departed 550/575M Maranello (1996-2005).

The 599 GTB Fiorano accelerates quicker (Road and Track reported a 0-60 mph of just 3.2 seconds and a quarter-mile estimated time of 11.2 seconds), corners harder and shreds the matrix of space-time faster than the F40. The 599's top speed is more than 205 mph, and it manages to stay ground-bound even without the F40's preposterous rear wing providing down force.

Powered by an Enzo-derived 6.0-liter 12-banger channeling a ferocious 612 hp through the new F1-Superfast gearbox (which cracks off gear changes in as little as 100 milliseconds), set up on a new semi-active suspension and with all manner of next-generation traction and stability systems managing the tiller of Newton's laws, the 599 feels like the ultimate man-macadam interface: a big, comfortable, gorgeous, richly appointed sports car with the soul of a racing machine.

The aluminum space frame has a chassis stiffness that's an almost inconceivable 50 percent higher than that of the foundry-cast 575M. All that substance comes at a cost, of course: This two-door weighs in at 3,722 pounds (roughly 600 pounds heavier than a Corvette Z06). And yet compared with the 599, ordinary cars of that weight division feel like sagging, over-full diapers.

Fully 85 percent of the car's weight is situated between the axles (as compared with 70 percent for the 575M). That gives this front-engine GT the low polar inertia of a mid-engine car, and yet there's still space for a surprisingly roomy trunk. The weight balance, meanwhile, is an optimal 47/53, front-to-rear.

Tarmac-warping Pirelli tires, which are, incidentally, staggered: 245/40/ZR19s in front and 305/35/ZR20s in the rear.

New electric dampers that monitor the road, speed and steering and adjust in a mere 40 milliseconds, using a system called SCM Magnetorheological Suspension. These babies employ a special fluid that changes viscosity depending on the electrical charge the computers impart to it. This semi-active system helps the tires maintain an instantaneous grip while cornering even over broken pavement, nulls out body lean and can go from velvety soft to harder than dragon scales with a flick of a knob.

An adjustable dynamics system that allows drivers to incrementally increase the ride stiffness, redline and gear-change speed, as well as raise the intervention thresholds of the traction and stability controls. The adventurous can turn them off altogether. New is the race-derived F1-Trac, which might be described as traction control with a Ph.D. in computer science. On the company's Fiorano test track -- where the name comes from -- a 599 with F1-Trac lapped an amazing 1.5 seconds faster than one with conventional traction control.

The new F1-Superfast gearbox, which adjusts shifting crispness -- the degree to which the car whacks you between the shoulder blades -- exactly to how hard you're driving.

A singular bit of aero styling is the 599's wraparound rear, close bracketed by flying buttresses (shades of Pegaso and Bertone's BAT cars). The 599 generates significant downforce (352 pounds at 186 mph). It is also practically immune to crosswinds.

Gonzo fast, awesomely cool, harder than Simon Cowell's heart yet with a deep sense of owner preservation, the 599 reminds me that I don't want much in a car, as long as I can have everything. And here it is, the world's best front-engine sports car.

Ferrari 599 GTB

Base price:
$260,000 (est.)

Powertrain:
6.0-liter DOHC V12
48 valve, with variable valve timing and variable intake geometry
six-speed automated gearbox
rear-wheel drive with limited-slip differential

Horsepower:
612 at 7,600 rpm

Torque:
448 pound-feet at 5,600 rpm

Max engine speed:
8,400 rpm

Curb weight:
3,722 pounds

0-60 mph:
3.2 seconds

Wheelbase:
108.3 inches

Overall length:
183.7 inches

EPA fuel economy:
12 miles per gallon city, 15 mpg highway
*Figure from Road and Track

2007 Hyundai Veracruz

2007 Hyundai Veracruz
Type:
A front-wheel drive large crossover SUV.

Models:
GLS, SE, Limited

Retail price:
$26,995 - $38,000

Engine:
3.8-liter multi-point fuel injection,
6-cylinder,
260-horsepower,
257-pound-feet torque.

Transmission:
6-speed automatic,
includes clutchless shifting
EPA mileage: 17 mpg city / 24 mpg highway
Estimated 12-month insurance costs, according to AAA Michigan: $687
*Includes shipping

Performance :
Sluggish acceleration and soft handling sap the fun out of driving.

Exterior:
A clone of the Lexus RX 350 does not stand out in a diverse and growing selection of vehicles in the crossover market.

Interior:
Offers lots of amenities and creature comforts.

Safety:
Standard side curtain airbags for all three rows,
anti lock brakes,
electronic stability control and electronic roll over mitigation.

The Veracruz fails to close the luxury gap in the crossover market in the same way the 2006 Azera did in the sedan sector. That car feels luxurious at a modest price. The Veracruz is just a photocopy of a photocopy.

It's a heavily loaded knockoff that doesn't hold its own against similarly priced crossovers such as the Honda Pilot, the Toyota Highlander and the Saturn Outlook. Those are the real competitors, not the Lexus RX 350.

Toyota 4A-GZE engine

The 4A-GZE (produced in various forms from 1986 through 1995) was the supercharged version. Based on the same block and head, the 4A-GZE was equipped with a roots-type supercharger and therefore the compression ratio, valve timing and ports were modified. It was used in the North American supercharged Toyota MR2, rated at 145 hp (108 kW) and 140 ft·lbf (190 N·m). Later versions of this engine are rated 170 hp (127 kW) and 155 ft·lbf (210 N·m) for the AE92 and AE101 Corolla.


4A-GE (20-valve)

A special 4A-GE was produced from 1991 through 1998 to replace the 16 valve 4A-GE. It was a naturally-aspirated engine with an additional intake valve for each cylinder, making it one of the first production 5-valve engines in history. These generation engines also featured quad throttle bodies. The engine can be recognized by its silver or black top. This was the last of the 4A family to be produced. Toyota VVT was used for 160–165 hp (123–127 kW) at 7800 rpm and 120 ft·lbf (162 N·m) at 5600 rpm, quite impressive for a naturally-aspirated 1.6 L engine. Note that although VVT was present in the silver top and the black top 4A-GE, VVT-i was not available.

Some Racing team participating in the Group A of the JGTC, using either the AE101, AE86 or AE82 corollas used modified silvertop versions of the engine, capable of approximately 240 Horsepowers at 11,000 RPM. The AE86 was particuraly popular, being able to beat cars with bigger engine such as the skyline.

Applications:

* 1992 Toyota Corolla Levin, Sprinter Trueno AE101 (silver-top) All GT models (GT Apex GT-V etc)

* 1995 Toyota Corolla Levin, Sprinter Trueno AE111 (black-top) All BZ models (BZG, BZR, BZV etc)

Toyota Variable Induction System,

Toyota Variable Induction System, or T-VIS, is a variable intake system designed by Toyota.

It improves the low-end torque of high-performance, small displacement four-stroke engines by changing the geometry of the intake manifold according to the engine rotation speed. The system uses two separate intake runners per cylinder, one being equipped with a butterfly valve that can either open or close the runner. All valves are attached to a common shaft which is rotated by a vacuum actuator outside the manifold.

The engine control unit allows vacuum into the actuator by powering a solenoid valve when the engine rotation speed is below 4200 rpm.Above this engine speed vacuum is cut off and a spring inside the actuator causes the butterfly valve to fully open. The theory behind the system is that in the lower speed band the velocity of the intake air can be improved because the intake runner cross section per cylinder is smaller. However, when the engine gains speed, the required air flow volume is more significant so the second runner is opened to improve the flow.

Toyota used the T-VIS system from the mid-80s to early 90s on its high-performance twincam engines, such as the 4A-GE and 3S-GE.

Shelby CSX

The Shelby CSX was a limited-production performance automobile based on the Dodge Shadow. Offered by Shelby from 1987 through 1989, the Shelby CSX was the most common Shelby vehicle of the 1980s.


CSX

The first Shelby CSX appeared in 1987. Power came from Shelby's Turbo II 2.2 L I4, with 175 hp (130 kW) and 175 ft.lbf (237 Nm). Performance was good with a 0 to 60 mph time of 7.0 s.

Shock absorbers and springs were replaced, and Daytona Shelby Z rear discs were added. Once again, Shelby used his own wheels. Outside badging was more restrained than other Shelby offerings.

750 1987 CSXes were sold, priced at $13,495. There was no optional equipment.


CSX-T

In 1966, Shelby created a special line of Shelby Mustangs for the Hertz car rental company. Shelby repeated this trick in 1988 with the creation of the CSX-T for the Thrifty rental company. The CSX-T was only sold to Thrifty, and 1,001 were produced.

The CSX-T was mechanically similar to the 1987 CSX with one major exception: The non-intercooled Turbo I engine was used. Two variations were made, an intercooled version given to the president of Thrifty and a version with a factory sunroof given to the president's daughter.


CSX-VNT

The final CSX was 1989's CSX-VNT. This would be the last Shelby Dodge, and marked two notable technological advances: the introduction of a variable-nozzle turbo and the application of composite wheels.

The engine was the new Turbo IV. The variable vanes were computer controlled and needed no wastegate. Instead, they adjusted the flow of exhaust gasses to spool up quickly and provide strong power. Power remained at 175 hp (130 kW), but torque was up to 205 ft.lbf (278 Nm). Car and Driver magazine was impressed with the engine's flexibility and top-gear acceleration.

The composite Fiberide wheels were also a first. Made of reinforced fiberglass, they were lighter than contemporary wheels.

Production was limited to 500 vehicles (including two prototypes) and Carroll Shelby's involvement with Dodge was over.

Volvo 780

The Volvo 780 coupé made its debut at the International Auto Show in Geneva, Switzerland in 1985. It marked the return of a two-door 2+2 seater coupe to the Volvo stable after a four-year absence following the departure of the 262C in 1981. The 780 became available in Europe in 1986, and would come to the United States a year later.

Like its predecessor, the 780 was designed and built by Carrozzeria Bertone in Turin, Italy. However, unlike the Volvo 262C, the 780 was not merely a two-door 760 with a "chop top" roof. Bertone gave the 780 its own distinctive shape which set it apart from the other models, yet was still identifiable as a Volvo. The car had a sleek, low profile, inheriting some of the styling of the other 700 series cars, but without many of the severe angles and sharp corners. The hood, trunk, and roof lines were all slightly lower than the standard 700 series profile, and the C-pillar was wider and had a more gradual slope down to the trunk. Headroom was improved over the 262C, due to Bertone’s mere 1 cm lowering of the roofline. Window frames all had black matte trim, and were accented with chrome. Chrome also highlighted the door handles, bumpers, and side mouldings.

In the first two years the 780 was available worldwide ('86 and '87) the 780 was available with the B280F V6 engine and a solid (live) rear axle. In the following year, they came equipped with Volvo's independent rear suspension, which used self-leveling Nivomat shocks, to keep ride height correct.

Many people began to take note of the relatively weak powerplant that the 780 had. The B280F at this point had roughly 150HP, but the car itself was nearly 3400 pounds. People wanted something better performing. Enter the B230FT+; a B230FT with Volvo's boost controller, Turbo+, increasing the engine output to 175hp. The following model year saw it increase to 188hp. In the car's finale year, 1991, it was rebadged simply as "Coupé". At this point, the car came only in turbo guise.

Volvo's official production total for the 780 is 8,518 cars built between 1985 and 1990. However, this number has often been disputed as different sources have often estimated the actual total to be higher. As before, a coupé would remain absent from Volvo's model line for several years, until the front-wheel drive C70 was premiered in 1995 for the following model year.

PRV engine

The PRV engine is an automobile petrol V6 engine that was developed jointly by Peugeot, Renault and Volvo Cars and sold from 1974 to 1998. It was gradually replaced after 1994 by another joint PSA-Renault design known as the ES engine at PSA and the L engine at Renault.


Engineering


Ignition timing

The original engineering work done on the V8 can still be seen in the resulting V6: its cylinder banks are arranged at 90° instead of the much more common 60°. V8 engines nearly universally feature 90° configurations because this allows for a natural firing order. V6 engines, on the other hand, are generally arranged at 60° (again because of timing) but can be built as 90° engines with either staggered timing or split crankshaft journals.

First-generation PRV engines (1974-1985) featured uneven ignition timing. Second generation PRV engines (introduced in 1984 in the Renault 25 Turbo) featured split crankshaft journals and even ignition timing all electronically controlled. [1] Other similar design examples are the odd-fire and even-fire Buick V6 and the Maserati V6 seen in the Citroën SM.


The ignition timing has nothing to do with the bank of the cylinders; V8s run smoothest with a 90º bank, while V6s run smoothest with a 60º bank. I do believe, however, that changing the cylinder firing order can result in a better idle quality and less vibrations. That is why the modern chevy small block v8 changed its firing order with the introduction of the LS series of engines in 1997.


Specifications

* Power (DIN): 100 kW at 92 r/s (136 hp at 5,500 rpm)
* Power (SAE): 97 kW at 92 r/s (130 hp at 5,500 rpm)
* Torque (DIN): 215 Nm at 48 r/s
* Torque (SAE): 208 Nm at 48 r/s (153 ft.lbf at 2,750 rpm)
* Compression ratio: 8.8:1
* Bore: 91 mm
* Stroke: 73 mm
* Displacement: 2,849 cm³
* Firing order: 1-6-3-5-2-4
* Weight: ~150 kg


PRV powered automobiles

The dates following each entry denote the introduction of a PRV V6-equipped model

* Alpine A310 (October 1976)
* Alpine A610 (1991)
* Alpine GT/GTA (1984)
* Citroën XM (1989)
* De Lorean DMC-12 (1981)
* Dodge Monaco (1990-1992)
* Eagle Premier (1988-1992)
* Helem V6
* Lancia Thema (1984)
* Peugeot 504 coupé/cabriolet (1974/1975)
* Peugeot 505 (July 1986)
* Peugeot 604 (March 1975)
* Peugeot 605 (1990)
* Renault 25 (1984)
* Renault 30 (March 1975)
* Renault Espace
* Renault Laguna
* Renault Safrane
* Talbot Tagora (1980)
* Venturi (all models)
* Volvo 262/264/265 (October 3, 1974)
* Volvo 760 GLE (February 1982)
* Volvo 780 (1985)


PRV engines in racing

* Alpine A310 V6
* Fouquet buggies
* Peugeot 504 V6 Coupé
* Schlesser Original
* Venturi 400GTR and 600LM
* WM Peugeot

Exhaust gas recirculation

Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is a NOx (nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide) reduction technique used in most gasoline and diesel engines.

EGR works by recirculating a portion of an engine's exhaust gas back to the engine cylinders. Intermixing the incoming air with recirculated exhaust gas dilutes the mix with inert gas, lowering the adiabatic flame temperature and (in diesel engines) reducing the amount of excess oxygen. The exhaust gas also increases the specific heat capacity of the mix lowering the peak combustion temperature. Because NOx formation progresses much faster at high temperatures, EGR serves to limit the generation of NOx. NOx is primarily formed when a mix of nitrogen and oxygen is subjected to high temperatures.


EGR in Spark-Ignited (SI) Engines

In a typical automotive SI engine, 5 to 15 percent of the exhaust gas is routed back to the intake as EGR (thus comprising 5 to 15 percent of the mixture entering the cylinders). The maximum quantity is limited by the requirement of the mixture to sustain a contiguous flame front during the combustion event; excessive EGR in an SI engine can cause misfires and partial burns. Although EGR does measurably slow combustion, this can largely be compensated for by advancing spark timing. Contrary to popular belief, a properly operating EGR actually increases the efficiency of gasoline engines via several mechanisms:

* Reduced throttling losses. The addition of inert exhaust gas into the intake system means that for a given power output, the throttle plate must be opened further, resulting in increased inlet manifold pressure and reduced throttling losses.

* Reduced heat rejection. Lowered peak combustion temperatures not only reduces NOx formation, it also reduces the loss of thermal energy to combustion chamber surfaces, leaving more available for conversion to mechanical work during the expansion stroke.

* Reduced chemical dissociation. The lower peak temperatures result in more of the released energy remaining as sensible energy near TDC, rather than being bound up (early in the expansion stroke) in the dissociation of combustion products. This effect is relatively minor compared to the first two.

It also decreases the efficiency of gasoline engines via a few more mechanisms

* Reduced intake charge density. EGR tends to heat the intake charge. This means a bigger piston or stroke must be used to induct the same amount of fuel and air mixture. This results in a bigger and heavier engine.

* Reduced specific heat ratio. A lean intake charge has a higher specific heat ratio than an EGR mixture. A reduction of specific heat ratio reduces the amount of energy that can be extracted by the piston.

EGR is typically not employed at high loads because it would reduce peak power output, and it is not employed at idle (low-speed, zero load) because it would cause unstable combustion, resulting in rough idle.


EGR in Diesel Engines

In modern diesel engines, the EGR gas is cooled through a heat exchanger to allow the introduction of a greater mass of recirculated gas. Unlike SI engines, diesels are not limited by the need for a contiguous flamefront; furthermore, since diesels always operate with excess air, they benefit from EGR rates as high as 50% (at idle, where there is otherwise a very large amount of excess air) in controlling NOx emissions.

Since diesel engines are unthrottled, EGR does not lower throttling losses in the way that it does for SI engines (see above). However, exhaust gas (largely carbon dioxide and water vapor) has a higher specific heat than air, and so it still serves to lower peak combustion temperatures; this aids the diesel engine's efficiency by reduced heat rejection and dissociation. There are trade offs however. Adding EGR to a diesel reduces the specific heat ratio of the combustion gases in the power stroke. This reduces the amount of power that can be extracted by the piston. EGR also tends to reduce the amount of fuel burned in the power stroke. This is evident by the increase in particulate emissions that corresponds to an increase in EGR. Particulate matter (mainly carbon) that is not burned in the power stroke is wasted energy. Stricter regulations on particulate matter(PM) call for further emission controls to be introduced to compensate for the PM emissions introduced by EGR. The most common is particulate filters in the exhaust system that result in reduce fuel efficiency. Since EGR increases the amount of PM that must be dealt with and reduces the exhaust gas temperatures and available oxygen these filters need to function properly to burn off soot, automakers have had to consider injecting fuel and air directly into the exhaust system to keep these filters from plugging up.


Implementation of EGR

Recirculation is usually achieved by piping a route from the exhaust manifold to the inlet manifold, which is called external EGR. A control valve (EGR Valve) within the circuit regulates and times the gas flow. Some engine designs perform EGR by trapping exhaust gas within the cylinder by not fully expelling it during the exhaust stroke, which is called internal EGR. A form of internal EGR is used in the rotary Atkinson cycle engine.

EGR can also be used by using a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) which uses variable inlet guide vanes to build sufficient backpressure in the exhaust manifold. For EGR to flow, a pressure difference is required across the intake and exhaust manifold and this is created by the VGT.

Other methods that have been experimented with are using a throttle in a turbocharged diesel engine to decrease the intake pressure to initiate EGR flow.

Early EGR systems were relatively unsophisticated, utilizing manifold vacuum as the only input to an on/off EGR valve; reduced performance and/or drivability were common side-effects. However, modern systems utilizing electronic engine control computers, multiple control inputs, and servo-driven EGR valves typically improve performance/efficiency with no impact on drivability. In the past, a meaningful fraction of car owners disconnected their EGR systems. Some still do either because they believe EGR reduces power output, causes a build-up in the intake manifold in diesel engines, or because they feel the environmental intentions of EGR are misguided. Disconnecting an EGR system is usually as simple as unplugging an electrically operated valve or inserting a ball bearing into the vacuum line in a vacuum-operated EGR valve. In all cases, the EGR system will need to be operating normally in order to pass emissions tests.

Electronic throttle control

Electronic throttle control (ETC) is an automobile technology which severs the mechanical link between the accelerator pedal and the throttle. Most automobiles already use a throttle position sensor (TPS) to provide input to traction control, antilock brakes, fuel injection, and other systems, but use a bowden cable to directly connect the pedal with the throttle. An ETC-equipped vehicle has no such cable. Instead, the electronic control unit (ECU) determines the required throttle position by calculations from data measured by other sensors such as an accelerator pedal position sensor, engine speed sensor, vehicle speed sensor etc. The electric motor within the ETC is then driven to the required position via a closed-loop control algorithm within the ECU.

The benefits of ETC are largely unnoticed by most drivers because the aim is to make the vehicle power-train characteristics seamlessly consistent irrespective of prevailing conditions, such as engine temperature, altitude, accessory loads etc. The ETC is also working 'behind the scenes' to dramatically improve the ease with which the driver can execute gear changes and deal with the dramatic torque changes associated with rapid accelerations and decelerations.

Contrary to popular belief, except in concert with other technologies such as gasoline direct injection, ETC provides only a very limited benefit in areas such as air-fuel ratio control, exhaust emissions and fuel consumption reduction. ETC however makes it much easier to integrate features to the vehicle such as cruise control, traction control, stability control and others that require torque management, since the throttle can be moved irrespective of the position of the driver's accelerator pedal. A criticism of the very early ETC implementations was that they were "overruling" driver decisions. Nowadays, the vast majority of drivers have no idea how much intervention is happening.

Much of the engineering involved with drive-by-wire technologies including ETC deals with failure and fault management. Most ETC systems have sensor and controller redundancy, even as complex as independent microprocessors with independently written software within a control module whose calculations are compared to check for possible errors and faults.

Anti-lock braking (ABS) is a similar safety critical technology, whilst not completely 'by-wire', it has the ability to electronically intervene contrary to the driver's demand. Such technology has recently been extended to other vehicle systems to include features like brake assist and electronic steering control, but these systems are much less common, also requiring careful design to ensure appropriate back-up and fail-safe modes.

As of 2005, the Toyota Prius is the most prominent example of drive-by-wire technology, featuring electronic throttle, brake and transmission control. This is largely by necessity of the Hybrid Synergy Drive system, which assigns complete engine control and regenerative/friction braking decisions to a hybrid control computer. Further extending the drive-by-wire concept, in Europe and Japan automatic parking assist is also available — the car can control the steering to guide itself backwards into a parking space.

Some fanciful theories and applications abound as to what the ultimate implications of drive-by-wire technology might be. It has been suggested that drive-by-wire might allow a car to become completely separate from its controls, meaning that a car of the future might theoretically be controlled by any number of different control systems: push buttons, joysticks, steering wheels, or even voice commands — whatever device that designers could come up with. (This would have many advantages, such as increased flexibility for handicapped or disabled drivers.) Coupled with fuel cell applications, futuristic designs for such a car have been proposed, including a car whose entire functional driving components are concentrated in its chassis — the actual 'shell' of the car being a module that can be swapped out and replaced with different models as the driver dictates. Competitors in the DARPA Grand Challenge, an automated driving competition, relied on 100% drive-by-wire systems, in some cases including a steer-by-wire system provided by the manufacturer.

Modern Tuning Makes Maximizing Performance Much Faster

Putting some extra ponies into your daily motoring used to take entire days, cost hundreds of dollars in parts, and usually cause the loss of three or four knuckles. Not so in today’s computer-controlled vehicles, where tuning is about as easy as playing Tetris on a Game Boy. Let’s take a look at performance chips and programmers and how they’ve changed vehicle tuning.

Chances are you’ve seen the Saturday afternoon show geared toward squeezing every droplet of power out of a 50s or 60s classic. You know—the one hosted by two middle-aged guys, one with a toupee that may as well have “this is a toupee” painted on it. They spend the entire half-hour show with a bunch of time-lapsed shots taken of them tearing the engine apart to put in highly-specialized, insanely expensive parts. Once the project’s done, they fire-up the dyno and laud the 3hp gain they received for about 4 hours of total work. If you’re like me, that’s not exactly how you want to spend a weekend, all for 3hp that you may not even notice with your rear-o-meter.

Fortunately, you’re probably also driving a computer-controlled vehicle, like most of the ones sold for the last 25 years or so. That makes tuning much easier, because a set of programming determines the way your engine performs. Replace the programming with a set geared toward performance, and you have near-instant power gains. Don’t get me wrong—there’s a lot to be said for the virtues of a computer-free classic that you have full control over. But, when it comes to getting more power in just a few minutes time without ripping your hands to shreds or spending thousands on obscure parts, a computer-controlled vehicle has a distinct advantage.

How can you make these changes in minutes? With a power programmer or performance chip, like the ones made by Hypertech or Diablosport. These programmers are built to hold performance settings tested by experienced pros for your specific engine. All you have to do is plug it into the OBD-II port beneath your steering column. With simple yes or no commands, you can adjust how you want your engine to perform, upload the new programming, and you’re ready to rock with 25hp or more extra. The maximum time this will take to complete: just 10 minutes.

Many drivers who want the extra power are leery of this tuning method. “How can so much power be had so fast, when the TV pros spend hours to get few gains?” they ask. The answer is that automakers down-tune their cars for the masses. Engines are setup to work the same for you, the budding performance enthusiast, as they are for the elderly, who like to travel half the speed limit or through the occasional farmer’s market. You aren’t the average driver, and performance programmers aren’t average settings. It’s a perfect match for you; it’s not a perfect match for your mother.

Some drivers worry about warranty when they’re considering a performance programmer. Not only to the companies that make programmers take safety into account with their settings, they often give you ways to return to stock settings for service visits at the dealership. And, as with all performance mods, you’re protected by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a federal law that basically states that your vehicle’s warranty can’t be voided by mods unless the mods can be proven as the source of trouble. In other words, there’s no reason to wait—the true potential is waiting to be unlocked, and you can do it without breaking a sweat.

2007 Dodge Charge SRT8 review

2007 Dodge Charge SRT8

With a 425-horsepower Hemi V8, the SRT8 can hit 60 mph in about 5 seconds, but the fun's just getting started at 60. Muscle cars are known for their excess reserves of power.

The swift sedan covers the quarter-mile in under 14 seconds and needs only 110 feet to come to a complete stop from 60 mph. Examine the huge disc brakes visible behind the 20-inch alloy spoked wheels and you'll understand.

And here's a nice little test to illustrate the SRT8's capabilities: Going from 0 to 100 mph and back to 0 takes less than 17 seconds.

The SRT8, the most powerful version of the Charger that was reborn in 2006, is not intended as a high-volume model. It's really a showpiece that makes a great exemplar of power on the NASCAR circuit.

Enthusiasts will be instinctively drawn to the SRT8, and 70 percent of buyers will be men in an age range of 40 to 59 years, according to Dodge demographic studies. Buyers will have household incomes of $80,000 to $100,000 and 45 percent will have college degrees while 65 percent will have a spouse. The owners will come from a variety of professions and trades.

"The Dodge Charger's overall design suggests speed and performance, attributes that are accentuated in the Dodge Charger SRT8," said Trevor Creed, senior vice president for design at the Chrysler Group. "SRT touches such as the front air dam, hood scoop and rear spoiler are not only visual hallmarks of a true muscle car, they're also functional performance enhancements."

The front fascia has ducts that help direct fresh air to cool the brakes, and an air dam to reduce lift. A hood scoop funnels cool air into the engine compartment. The rear fascia directs air flow and frames dual 3.5-inch exhaust tips.

Sculpted seats with suede inserts are designed to hold the driver and passengers in place in dramatic maneuvers. The shoulder bolsters felt somewhat intrusive at times, however. All seats have contrasting red stitching.

The instrument panel features a 180-mph speedometer, a tachometer and a temperature gauge. A light-emitting-diode display in the gauge cluster can be set for oil temperature, oil pressure and tire pressure readouts.

The pedals can be extended to accommodate drivers of varying heights and the steering column is manually adjustable. The SRT8 comes with eight-way power driver's seat and collapsible heated side mirrors.

With the longest wheelbase in its class -- 120 inches -- the Charger's chassis creates a fairly roomy cabin.

The front-engine/rear-drive configuration allows a 50-50 weight distribution ratio, but rear-drive carries some handling handicaps in ice-bound climes.

While big 17-inch tires are standard on the SE and SXT trim levels, the R/T version sits on even larger 18-inchers mounted on polished aluminum wheels. The SRT8 trumps all the lesser models with 20-inch wheels.



TYPE:
Rear-drive, four-door, five-passenger full-size sedan.

PRICE:
$35,920 base

POWER:
6.1-liter
425-horsepower
SRT Hemi V8
Autostick automatic transmission.

FUEL ECONOMY:
14 city
20 highway mpg
gas-guzzler tax $2,100
estimated annual fuel cost $2,672.

CHASSIS:
Unitized steel body
independent suspension with short/long-arm front and coil springs
five-link rear
gas-charged shocks
front/rear stabilizer bars
power rack-and-pinion steering
power disc brakes with ABS
20-inch polished aluminum wheels.

LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT:
200.1 x 74.5 x 58.2 inches.

WHEELBASE X TRACK:
120 x 63 inches.

CURB WEIGHT:
4,031 pounds.

STANDARD:
Power-adjustable pedals
power heated foldaway side mirrors
60/40 split folding rear seats
eight-way power adjustable driver's seat
fog lamps; six-speaker
276-watt Boston Acoustics sound system with AM/FM/CD stereo
air conditioning
power accessories
tilt-telescoping steering wheel
remote keyless entry
cruise control.

OPTIONS:
SRT Option Group I includes air filtering
automatic headlamps
air conditioning with dual-zone control
heated front seats
power windows ($675)
TorRed paint ($225)
SRT Option Group II includes 11 Kicker SRT high-performance speakers
security alarm ($845)
SRT Option Group III includes navigation system
six-disc CD changer
auto-dimming rearview mirror
hands-free communication ($2,355)
supplemental side air bags ($390)
power sunroof ($950)
rear-seat video system ($1,150).

Zenith Carburetters

Zenith Carburetters was a British company making carburetters. In 1955 they joined with their major pre-war rival Solex Carburetters and over time the Zenith brand name fell into disuse. The rights to the Zenith designs was owned by Solex UK.

The big products of Zenith were the Zenith-Stromberg carburettors used in MGs, 1967-1975 Jaguar E-types, Saab 90s and early 99s and 900s, 1969-1972 Volvo 140s and 164s, and some 1960s and 1970s Triumphs, for instance the Triumph Spitfire used Zenith IV carburettors in the North American market. In Australia the CD-150 and CDS-175 models were fitted to the hi performance triple carburettored Holden Torana GTR-XU1.

The Stromberg carburettor features a variable venturi controlled by a piston. This piston has a long, tapered, conical metering rod that fits inside an orifice which admits fuel into the airstream passing through the carburettor. Since the needle is tapered, as it rises and falls it opens and closes the opening in the jet, regulating the passage of fuel, so the movement of the piston controls the amount of fuel delivered, depending on engine demand.

The flow of air through the venturi creates a reduced static pressure in the venturi. This pressure drop is communicated to the upper side of the piston via an air passage. The underside of the piston is in communication with atmospheric pressure. The difference in pressure between the two sides of the piston creates a force tending to lift the piston. Counteracting this force is the force of the weight of the piston and the force of a compression spring which is compressed by the piston rising; because the spring is operating over a very small part of its possible range of extension, the spring force approximates to a constant force. Under steady state conditions the upwards and downwards forces on the piston are equal and opposite, and the piston does not move.

If the airflow into the engine is increased - by opening the throttle plate, or by allowing the engine revolutions to rise with the throttle plate at a constant setting - the pressure drop in the venturi increases, the pressure above the piston falls, and the piston is sucked upwards, increasing the size of the venturi, until the pressure drop in the venturi returns to its nominal level. Similarly if the airflow into the engine is reduced, the piston will fall. The result is that the pressure drop in the venturi remains the same regardless of the speed of the airflow - hence the name "constant depression" for carburettors operating on this principle - but the piston rises and falls according to the speed of the airflow.

Since the position of the piston controls the position of the needle in the jet, and thus the open area of the jet, while the depression in the venturi sucking fuel out of the jet remains constant, the rate of fuel delivery is always a definite function of the rate of air delivery. The precise nature of the function is determined by the tapered profile of the needle. With appropriate selection of the needle, the fuel delivery can be matched much more closely to the demands of the engine than is possible with the more common fixed-venturi carburettor, an inherently inaccurate device whose design must incorporate many complex fudges to obtain usable accuracy of fuelling. The well-controlled conditions under which the jet is operating also make it possible to obtain good and consistent atomisation of the fuel under all operating conditions.

This self-adjusting nature makes the selection of the maximum venturi diameter (colloquially, but inaccurately, referred to as "choke size") much less critical than with a fixed-venturi carburettor.

To prevent erratic and sudden movements of the piston it is damped by light oil in a dashpot (under the white plastic cover in the picture) which requires periodic topping up.

SU carburetor

SU carburettors (named for Skinners Union, the company that produced them) were a brand of sidedraft carburettor widely used in British (Austin, Morris, Triumph, MG) and Swedish (Volvo, Saab 99) automobiles for much of the twentieth century. Originally designed and patented by George Herbert Skinner in 1905, they remained in production through to the 1980s by which time they had become part of the BMC/British Leyland Group. Hitachi also built carburettors based on the SU design which were used on the Datsun 240Z and other Datsun Cars. While these look the same, they are different enough that needles (see below) are the only part that fits both.

SU carburettors featured a variable venturi controlled by a piston. This piston has a tapered, conical metering rod (usually referred to as a "needle") that fits inside an orifice ("jet") which admits fuel into the airstream passing through the carburettor. Since the needle is tapered, as it rises and falls it opens and closes the opening in the jet, regulating the passage of fuel, so the movement of the piston controls the amount of fuel delivered, depending on engine demand.

The flow of air through the venturi creates a reduced static pressure in the venturi. This pressure drop is communicated to the upper side of the piston via an air passage. The underside of the piston is open to atmospheric pressure. The difference in pressure between the two sides of the piston tends to lift the piston. Opposing this are the weight of the piston and the force of a spring that is compressed by the piston rising. Because the spring is operating over a very small part of its possible range of extension, its force is approximately constant. Under steady state conditions the upwards and downwards forces on the piston are equal and opposite, and the piston does not move.

If the airflow into the engine is increased - by opening the throttle plate (usually referred to as the "butterfly"), or by allowing the engine revs to rise with the throttle plate at a constant setting - the pressure drop in the venturi increases, the pressure above the piston falls, and the piston is sucked upwards, increasing the size of the venturi, until the pressure drop in the venturi returns to its nominal level. Similarly if the airflow into the engine is reduced, the piston will fall. The result is that the pressure drop in the venturi remains the same regardless of the speed of the airflow - hence the name "constant depression" for carburettors operating on this principle - but the piston rises and falls according to the speed of the airflow.

Since the position of the piston controls the position of the needle in the jet and thus the open area of the jet, while the depression in the venturi sucking fuel out of the jet remains constant, the rate of fuel delivery is always a definite function of the rate of air delivery. The precise nature of the function is determined by the profile of the needle. With appropriate selection of the needle, the fuel delivery can be matched much more closely to the demands of the engine than is possible with the more common fixed-venturi carburettor, an inherently inaccurate device whose design must incorporate many complex fudges to obtain usable accuracy of fuelling. The well-controlled conditions under which the jet is operating also make it possible to obtain good and consistent atomisation of the fuel under all operating conditions.

This self-adjusting nature makes the selection of the maximum venturi diameter (colloquially, but inaccurately, referred to as "choke size") much less critical than with a fixed-venturi carburettor. A two-inch SU carburettor is a useful device to have in the workshop when experimenting with engines, as it is possible to bolt it onto more or less any engine and the engine, if in good order, will burst into life without the need for complex carburettor adjustments to get it to start.

To prevent erratic and sudden movements of the piston it is damped by light oil in a dashpot, which requires periodic topping up. The dampening is asymmetrical; it heavily resists upwards movement of the piston. This serves as the equivalent of an "accelerator pump" on traditional carburettors by temporarily increasing the speed of air through the venturi, thus increasing the richness of the mixture.

The beauty of the SU lies in its simplicity and lack of multiple jets and ease of adjustment. Adjustment is accomplished by altering the starting position of the jet relative to the needle on a fine screw. At first sight, the principle appears to bear a similarity to that used on many motorcycles where the main needle position is raised and lowered by a direct connection to the throttle cable rather than indirectly by the depression in the venturi. However, this apparent similarity is misleading. The piston in a motorcycle-type carburettor is controlled by the demands of the rider rather than the demands of the engine, so the metering of the fuel is inaccurate unless the motorcycle is travelling at a constant speed at a constant throttle setting - conditions which are rarely encountered except on motorways. This inaccuracy results in the wasting of fuel, particularly as the carburettor must be set slightly rich to avoid damaging leanness under transient conditions. For this reason Japanese motorcycle manufacturers ceased to fit slide carbs and substituted constant-depression carbs which are essentially miniature Japanese SUs. It is also possible - indeed, easy - to retro-fit an SU carburettor to a bike that was originally manufactured with a slide carburettor, and thereby obtain improved fuel economy and more tractable low-speed behaviour.

Weber carburetor

Weber carburetors were originally produced in Italy by Edoardo Weber as part of a conversion kit for 1920s Fiats. Weber pioneered the use of two stage twin barrel carburetors, with two venturis of different sizes, the smaller one for low speed running and the larger one optimised for high speed use.

In the 1930s Weber began producing twin barrel carburetors for motor racing where two barrels of the same size were used. These were arranged so that each cylinder of the engine has its own carburetor barrel. These carburetors found use in Maserati and Alfa Romeo racing cars. Twin updraught Webers fed superchargers on the 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C competition vehicles.

In time, Weber carburetors were fitted to standard production cars and factory racing applications on automotive marques such as Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, BMW, Ferrari, Fiat, Ford, Lamborghini, Lancia, Lotus, Maserati, Porsche, Triumph and Volkswagen.

In the United States Weber Carburetors are sold for both street and off road use. They are sold in what is referred to as a Weber Conversion kit. A Weber conversion kit is a complete package of Weber Carburetor, intake manifold or manifold adapter, throttle linkage, air filter and all of the necessary hardware needed to install the Weber on a vehicle.

In modern times, fuel injection has replaced carburetors in both production cars and most modern motor racing, although Weber carburetors are still used extensively in classic and historic racing. They are also supplied as high quality replacements for problematic OEM carburetors. Weber fuel system components are distributed by Magneti-Marelli and Webcon UK Ltd.

SUV Wheel And Tire Maintenance

Your SUV's wheels and tires are one the most essential parts of your vehicle. Because SUVs, such as the Land Rover Range Rover, are 4WD, it can go through any terrain that the planet could offer. And when it does, the tires and wheels of your SUV do not just obviously help you to reach your destination because it is the major equipment that makes your vehicle move. However, the functions of the wheels and tires do not just end there. These parts also emphasize the overall appearance of your vehicle. Moreover, the wheels can actually improve your cars performance just by effective cleaning. Like any other car parts like Land Rover Range Rover parts, SUV wheels can eventually be corrosive and tires could wear out because of certain factors.

Getting your SUV perfectly cleaned on a local car wash is a great idea. However, the only drawback of it is the cost that you would be spending in a car wash. Why go to a car wash if you could clean your wheels by yourself, right? So here are some few guides in effective cleaning and maintenance of your vehicle's wheels and tires.

Before we proceed to the cleaning session, first you should know the factors that made your wheels and tires unpleasant. Whenever you use your SUV for a long travel or even in a short trip, dust particles attack the surface of your wheels. Other unwanted dirt on your wheels and tires include road tars, mud, and different soil crumbs. Acid rain and winter salt are effective destroyers that can make your wheels brittle.

Cleaning your wheels and tires is actually the first step in car washing. You should first select a certain cleaner for your wheels and tires. There are a lot of cleaning agents out in the market today but you should choose the safest and most effective cleaning agent for your wheels and tires. Some cleaning agent contains a high level of acidity and can easily damage your wheels. Acid-free cleaners are effective cleaning agents that are commonly used by car wash shops. The most common cleaner is the household detergent because you can find it anywhere in your kitchen, or toilette, of course. Not only that, detergent is also effective and is the safest cleaner because it does not contain any harmful ingredients that can affect your car. Wheels and tires of SUVs are much larger and broader than other vehicles so the cleaning process most likely will take longer compared to sedans.

Now let us start with the cleaning process. First, you should check your tires for road dirt and mud. If you found one, then scrape it with any hard object you can find in your place, but be careful not to scratch your tires so hard. Dilute your chosen cleaner in a bucket of water and then start brushing your tires. The grooves of your tires are the most susceptible to mud and road tars. Brush it effectively. After cleaning your tires, proceed to the wheels. Rinse the brush that you had used in your tires and start brushing your wheels in up and down motion. Pretty easy, right? You should actually clean your wheels and tires once a month for maintenance.

Hybrid Cars

The hybrid version of automobiles offers the customer an interesting assortment of engine features that are supplemented with power options through the use of electrical motor and battery participation. These engine features are not available in every hybrid automobile currently being sold at automobile dealerships or through private sales in society today. The hybrid engines are equipped with gas powered, or dual powered engines, as well as an electrical motor that renders power support when needed. There is a heavy duty battery that serves as a source of power as well.

Within the hybrid breed of automobile engine varieties, there is a mild hybrid category and a full hybrid category. While each of these categories contain the same equipment, the performance of that installed equipment can cause your automobile to operate on entirely different principles. The mild hybrid category consists of a gas powered automobile engine that serves as the propulsion mechanism to move your automobile down the street.

Paired with this gas powered automobile engine is an electrical motor, as well as a heavy duty battery that are snuggly connected throughout the engine maze of pipes and mechanisms that when energized can provide propulsion to move your automobile forward. The hybrid car engine is the only source of propulsion power in the mild hybrid engine model, and the electrical motor remains in standby mode to provide spurts of energy and power to aid the gas powered engine in passing vehicles on a highway or wherever else a sudden surge of power will be of benefit.

The full hybrid category consists of a gas powered automobile engine that is considered the propulsion mechanism as well as an energy saving device. An electrical motor and a heavy duty battery are also part of this full hybrid engine power force. The gas powered engine works hand in hand with the electrical motor to provide the necessary boosts of energy to cause the car to propel through traffic. When the car is stopped at a traffic light, the gas powered engine will cease to operate, and the electrical motor will take over in providing propulsion power for the car to move from the site. Once the car achieves a good level of speed, the gas powered engine in the hybrid car will automatically engage and cause the car to continue down the street under gas engine power. The heavy duty battery is continually charged by the electrical motor at the same time.

The energy savings are accumulated during the different stops and starts that the vehicle might experience as the automobile moves toward its destination. Whenever the gas powered engine is not engaged there is a cost savings realized in its lax state of operation. The hybrid motor is quite capable of consuming energy and generating the right amount of power at the same time. These moments of non-engagement will save the consumer money in gas cost every time the automobile is driven down the road.

In conclusion, there exist more logical advantages of owning a hybrid car which is an unstoppable growing trend and unconfrontational facts.

Modern Car Brakes

Modern Car brakes were invented in the late 19th century, around the same time as the tyre. Up until then, vehicles had wooden wheels that were stopped by large wooden blocks, lowered into position by the driver using a simple lever system. When tyres were invented, the wooden block system wasn't good enough to stop them at the higher speeds they could achieve, which meant that a new braking system had to be invented.

The braking system is the most important system in the car. If the brakes fail, the result can be disastrous. The brakes are in essence energy conversion devices, which convert the kinetic energy (momentum) of your vehicle into thermal energy (heat).

In recent years, brakes have changed greatly in design. Disc brakes, due to their lighter weight and better performance, are replacing drum types on the rear wheels. Instead of linings which press outwards against the inside of a drum, a disc attached to the axle is gripped from either side by friction pads attached to the calipers. The greatest advantage of disc brakes is that they are essentially "fade" free. That is, repeated application does not result in excessively high temperatures developing in the linings and drums, lowering the stopping power of the brake. Commonplace on newer cars are "anti-lock" brake systems, (ABS) which prevent the wheels from completely stopping when the brakes are applied in a panic stop.

To see the basic principles of modern braking, it is easiest to look at a bicycle. Basically, when you put pressure on the brakes, the pressure is transferred through cables to pull small pads onto the side of the tyres, and the force of the friction against the tyres causes them to stop.

In fact, cars originally used this very same cable system, but it was found not to work so well at high speeds. Instead, the cables were replaced with hydraulic fluid, which works to transfer the pressure the driver puts on the pedal to the brakes. This works because the fluid cannot get much smaller when pressure is put on it, meaning that pressure at one end is transferred to the other much like water flowing through a pipe. However, if this brake fluid leaks even a little, then the brakes may not work properly any more, which is why it's very important to check your brake fluid regularly.

Of course, in modern cars, there are other mechanisms apart from pure pressure to help you brake. Most cars now have a vacuum system to create more friction in the brakes, and a servo system that uses the car's own speed to help your pressure have more of an impact.

Some modern cars now have fully computerised brakes, where pushing on the pedal sends an electrical signal to turn on electrically-powered brakes. While this makes it much easier to brake, it is also more prone to failure, meaning that if your car's computer breaks you might find it impossible to stop.

Toyota Avalon Review

The Toyota Avalon?s design was originally based upon the technology of the Toyota Camry. This four door, front wheel drive care became popular on the market, especially in 2006. The cabin of the Avalon is quite spacious and comfortable. They have added lavish high quality features including the leather trimmed seats with ergomanically designed controls. The perfectly tuned suspension and quiet engine complements the tranquil interior. It is currently vying in the market of all other full sized sedans and holding their own. In the past year, the Toyotal Avalon features all the latest technology in fuel efficiency, safety, and performance. The new models have the latest, but it is not extravagant in its styling. It is sleek and contemporary and gives the driver a more sophisticated look that one can not ignore.

It has been long said that a Toyota can be driven for over 100,000 miles and still keep on going and going. The Toyota Avalon is not exception to this rule. There has not been one Toyota Avalon out in the market that has been a flop. This is due to Toyota Corporation employing excellent marketing strategies and due to their high level of expertise when it comes to deciding what is right for the company. Toyota went from being Japan?s largest auto maker to America?s third largest and one of the best known manufactures in the world.

Part of Toyota?s quality is that if you are looking for replacement parts, you can go online now and search to find what you are looking for. Each certified Toyota Avalon part is designed to meet the exact requirements of the detailed Toyota user. Toyota parts are sure to give your vehicle a better quality ride, increased comfort and safety.

Toyota Prius Review

Concept vehicles are big in the world of cars. The Toyota Prius has the distinction of being the worlds cleanest and planet friendly vehicle. It has been given the honor of being the 2006 European Car of the year because of the standards that it set for manufactures when building their hybrid cars. Consumer Reports even reported that the Toyota Prius came in with a 94 percent owner satisfaction rating. Most of the current owners of a Prius would definitely purchase another one again, thus making Consumer Reports rate it as the most satisfying vehicles on the road.

So Just what make the Prius a step above the rest? The Toyota Prius is an astonishing Hybrid. The way Toyota uses technology is quite amazing. Instead of just turning a key to start the ignition, the Toyota Prius is started by pressing a round ?Power? button on the dash board. Toyota has incorporated an interactive touch sensitive multi-informational display screen that is mounted on the center console. This display screen has many functions from showing you fuel consumption, radio settings, climate control, and many other functions that are occurring within the vehicle.

The Toyota Prius carries a rating of Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle, making it the cleanest emission production car on the road today. The Prius boasts an average of 90 percent more cleaner air than the average car on the road today. It employs the Hybrid Synergy Drive technology making it the leading vehicle in the industry of Hybrid technology. It offers a seamless integration of gas engine and emissions free electric motor allowing it to achieve amazing fuel economy. This makes it the best choice for the environment and the consumer.

Hybrids have become more and more popular in the world because of its dramatically increased fuel efficiency; especially with the rising cost of gas prices all over the world. People tend to flock to cars that will give them the most bang for their buck and are environmentally friendly. This make the Toyota Prius the most environmentally friendly care on the road today and thus, will be a good choice for you, your family, and the environment.

GM X platform

There have been two X-body automobile platforms from General Motors. All X-bodies were small entry-level models.


Rear wheel drive

The rear-wheel drive X-body underpinned the Chevrolet Nova and similar cars of the late 1960s and 1970s. It was also the basis for the Cadillac Seville's K platform. The wheelbase was 111 in and many components were shared with the contemporary F platform.

Applications:

* Buick Apollo (1973–1974; 1975 sedan only)
* Buick Skylark (1975 coupe only; 1976–1979)
* Chevrolet Nova (1968–1979)
* Oldsmobile Omega (1973–1979)
* Pontiac Ventura (1971–1977)
* Pontiac Phoenix (1977–1979)

1968–1974 GM X-bodies were rear steer (with the steering linkage behind the engine crossmember) whereas 1975–1979 models were front steer (with the steering linkage forward of the engine crossmember.) Note: "Rear steer" does not mean that the rear wheels steered the vehicle. It strictly relates to the position of steering components in relation to the engine crossmember. No station wagons were produced on the X-body platform. (Rival Chrysler produced a station wagon based on their Dodge Aspen/Plymouth Volare compacts.)


Front wheel drive

The front-wheel drive X-body was used for compact cars from 1980 to 1985. The X-body program was widely considered a failure at the time, but the derivative GM A platform, which was introduced in 1982, continued for over a decade. Interestingly, only the Skylark name was carried over to the next generation of GM compact cars, the N-body. The Citation was succeeded by the Chevrolet Corsica on the compact L-body for 1987.

Vehicles using the X-body include:

* 1980-1984 Oldsmobile Omega
* 1980-1984 Pontiac Phoenix
* 1980-1985 Buick Skylark
* 1980-1985 Chevrolet Citation


Braking problems

NHTSA sued General Motors Corporation over the safety of their X platform family (United States v. General Motors, 841 F.2d 400 (D.C. Cir. 1988)).

The cars were initially designed to be five-passenger models, with bucket seats and lever actuated parking brakes. However, a decision was made late in the design cycle to broaden the cars' purchasing appeal by offering six-passenger models with bench seats. This necessitated a change from a parking brake lever (mounted between the seats) to a parking brake pedal. The pedal, however, did not have enough leverage to apply sufficient pressure to the rear brakes to hold the car on an incline.

Without enough time to redesign the braking system, the decision was made simply to use brake linings with a higher coefficient of friction instead, to hold the car with the pressure that could be applied through the parking brake pedal. However, this in turn had an undesirable effect; the increase in friction of the rear brakes, along with the excess forward weight distribution of a front wheel drive car, led to a tendency for the rear wheels to lock up under braking, which led to the rear of the car slewing sideways and loss of directional control and/or spinning (see oversteer).

The Court of Appeals eventually ruled against NHTSA and for GM, however, on the grounds that NHTSA's case for performance failure was based only on circumstantial evidence.

Buick Skylark 1953

The Buick Skylark (first use of the name for a production vehicle) on one of three specialty convertibles produced in 1953 by General Motors; the other two were the Oldsmobile Fiesta and the Cadillac Eldorado. All three were limited production vehicles promoting General Motors' design leadership. Of the three, the Skylark had the most successful production run with 1,690 produced. This was considered quite an amazing sales feat, for the car had a list price in 1953 of slightly in excess of US$5,000. However, many languished in dealer showrooms and were sold at discount.

All 1,690 regular-production Skylarks built in 1953 (and all in 1954) were convertibles. The 1953s were based on the 2-door Roadmaster convertible, having identical dimensions (except height), almost identical convenience and appearance equipment, and a Roadmaster drive train. In 1953, the model designation for the Skylark was 76X, while the model designation for the Roadmaster convertible was 76R. The few options available to the Roadmaster convertible buyer were standard equipment to the Skylark buyer, albeit the base price for the well-equipped Roadmaster convertible was only about US$3,200.

The 1953 Skylark featured V8 power and a 12 volt electrical system, both a first for Buick, as well as full-cutout wheel openings, a styling cue that would make its way to the main 1954 Buick line. Also making its way into the 1954 Buick line was the cut-down door at the base of the side window line that bounced back up to trace around the rear window (or convertible top). This styling clue stayed with Buick for many years and can be found on any number of automobile brands to this day.

The 1953 Buick Skylark was a handmade car in many respects. The stampings for the hood, trunk lid and a portion of the convertible tub were the same as the 1953 Roadmaster convertible (and Super convertible, model 56R). The stampings for the front fenders, rear fenders, the outer doors, and a portion of the convertible tub were unique to the Skylark. All Skylark convertible tubs were finished with various amounts of lead filler. It is not unusual to find a substantial amount of lead filler just behind the doors near the bottom of the window line. The inner doors of the Skylark were made from the inner doors of the 2-door Roadmaster and Super by cutting the stamping in half approximately parallel with the ground and then welding the two pieces back together in a jig at an angle that produced the necessary door dip (see photos of finished car).

Although there were many unique design features of the 1953 Skylark, one that goes almost unnoticed today is that the top and seating of the car were lowered a few inches below the Roadmaster and Super convertibles. This was achieved not by changing the frame, body or suspension, but by cutting the windshield almost three inches shorter and lowering the side windows and convertible top frame. To accommodate people without bumping their heads with the top up, the seat frames and steering column were lowered.

The wheels of the 1953 Skylark were true wire wheels, produced by Kelsey-Hayes, with everything chromed save for the plated and painted "Skylark" center emblem. Although this was high style in 1953, the wheels were heavier than the regular steel wheels, would require periodic truing to keep them straight and balanced, and required tubes within the tires just when tubeless tires were becoming the norm, as they were throughout the rest of the Buick line.

For 1954, the Skylark returned, although radically restyled [1]. This Skylark featured elongated wheel cutouts, the interior of which were available painted a contrasting color to the body color. For example, black cars could receive white or red wheel wells. The trunk of the restyled Skylark was sloped into a semi-barrel shape. Tail lights were housed in large chromed fins that projected from the tops of the rear fenders.

The car was now based on the all-new shorter Century/Special chassis and not the top-of-the-line Roadmaster/Super chassis, also all-new for 1954. However, it did share the Roadmaster and Century powertrain, the highest output in the 1954 Buick model lineup. This powertrain was an evolutionary improvement, but very similar to the 1953 powertrain.

The model designation for the 1954 Buick Skylark was "100", a completely unique designation. The short wheelbase cars were the Buick Special: series 40, the Buick Century: series 60, and the Buick Skylark: series 100, albeit a series of just one model. All production Buick Skylarks were built as 2-door convertibles. They had the same luxury equipment as the 1953 Buick Skylarks.

Like their 1953 counterparts, the 1954 Skylark had a number of unique sheetmetal stampings, but without the hand labor that went into the 1953 Skylark production. In addition to unique front and rear fenders with the elongated wheel cutouts, the 1954 Skylark had a unique trunk with its semi-barrel shape and huge, rounded chrome fins. Interestingly, the hood was also unique to the 1954 Skylark in a small way. The hood ornament was quite different from all other Buick models for the 1954 model year. However, this same hood ornament, although unique in size to just this one model in 1954, was to portend the design of the 1955 Buick hood ornament used on all models of that year.

The cost of the Skylark, mixed with the public's dislike for the restyle and its perceived step down in rank to the Special/Century series versus the 1953 rank with the Super/Roadmaster series resulted in poor sales and the car's demise at the end of the 1954 model year.


Engines

* 322 in³ (5.3 L) Nailhead V8