Archive for December, 2009
Ford F-150 vs Dodge Ram 1500 – Towing Tested by RamZone
Posted by: | CommentsMost truck buyers want great towing capacity in their truck. To compare towing pound for pound Dodge Ram Engineers put the Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie against Ford F-150 Lariat by creating a gross combined weight trailer towing test of 15,500 lbs – on actual roads – at wide open throttle.
Check out the video below.
Are there some flaws in the test? You decide. But I would like to see Ford Engineers create their own test to explain the differences. Then again, maybe they can’t explain this.
Automotive Marketing is Changing – Ford Fiesta uses Online Reservation System
Posted by: | CommentsWithin a week after launching its new website for the Fiesta, Ford has received over 1000 reservations. (See official press release.) In a year where automotive manufacturers are cutting advertising costs (automakers spent 30% less this year as compared to last year to date – see source) Ford is finding ways to attract buyers to their Fiesta. As an incentive, buyers that reserve the Fiesta receive the following: prioritized order handling, build updates, a personal Fiesta reservations consultant, and a premium sound package and SYNC valued at $595 for no cost. With an estimated mpg of 30 in the city and 40 on the highway (pending EPA verification), the Fiesta may cut into sales of the fuel sipping Honda Civic (25 city/36 hwy) and Honda Fit (28 city/35 hwy). Check out the Ford Fiesta and the reservation system below.
2011 Ford Fiesta
Winter Storm Driving – AAA’s Tips on How to Go on Ice and Snow
Posted by: | CommentsWith a massive winter storm crossing the United States, it is time to revisit safe winter driving techniques. The folks at AAA (the largest automotive association with over 50 million members) published a nice brochure to highlight what you need to know and be able to do when driving on ice and snow.
The pamphlet is broken down into the following categories:
* Preparing the vehicle for winter – including checking the electrical system, brakes, tires, exhaust, cooling system, wipers, and preparing a winter driving kit.
* Preparing the driver for winter – including selecting the right clothing and choosing the correct seat position.
* Winter driving techniques – including getting started, following other vehicles, steering, braking, and how to handle a skid.
Check out the brochure below.
How to go on Ice and Snow by AAA
Dual Clutch Automated Manual Transmission – Ford Fiesta’s way to Get More MPGs
Posted by: | CommentsEarlier this year, Ford Motor Company announced a paradigm shift for transmissions – the double clutch automated manual transmission. Ford calls it the PowerShift. This new transmission will be available on the 2011 Ford Fiesta.
Below is Ford’s explanation of the new transmission:
GETRAG-Ford PowerShift technology is intelligent and revolutionary in its operation. To explain, the six-speed PowerShift transmission consists essentially of two layshaft transmissions working in parallel, each with its own clutch unit. The layout of the intermediate shafts – one carries the uneven gears 1, 3 and 5 whilst the other carries the even gears 2, 4 and 6 – allows the next gear to be pre-selected whilst the vehicle is in motion and the engine is at full power.
With the next gear pre-selected, the gear change occurs through the opposed activation of both clutches. The double-clutch activations are co-ordinated such that no torque interruption occurs.
In contrast to a conventional automatic transmission, the basic technical configuration of the GETRAG-Ford PowerShift transmission offers numerous advantages. It does not require any complex sub-systems such as a torque converter, planetary gear sets, multiple wet clutches and multiple bands – all of which significantly reduce the efficiency of a conventional automatic transmission due to increased inertia and drag torque effects.
The result is impressive: the PowerShift transmission provides the ease of operation and permanent motion of a conventional automatic transmission as well as the driving performance of a manual gearbox.
It also delivers quick and sporty shifts while maintaining a high degree of shift smoothness and refinement. To read more, click HERE.
Outstanding! Less complex sub systems and more efficient. What a great technological advancement.
General Motors (GM) finally released wind tunnel test results for its highly anticipated Chevy Volt. A wind tunnel is used to test the coefficient of drag. Learn how aerodynamics works from HowStuffWorks.com.
The GM wind tunnel yielded the following results:
Honda Insight = 0.32
Toyota Prius = 0.30
Chevy Volt = 0.28
Chevy Volt's Coefficient of Drag
The lower the drag coefficient the better. The lower the number the more aerodynamic the vehicle is cutting through the air which helps in increasing fuel economy.
GM engineers concede that Toyota achieved 0.25 for the Prius on their wind tunnel, but as they point out “its really all relative to what tunnel it was tested on”. See GM’s statement.
Just for fun, check out this Wikipedia article listing the coefficient of drag for many vehicles. A 2003 Hummer H2 had a rating of 0.57, whereas a 1996 GM EV1 0.195.
It’s Here, It’s Finally Here – The 2010 Prius Plug-in Hybrid Makes North American Debut
Posted by: | CommentsThe world leader in hybrid technology, Toyota, announced today that it will debut its highly anticipated 2010 Prius Plug-in Hybrid in North America at the Los Angeles Auto Show. (Read the Press Release.)
What enables the Plug-In Prius to outperform in all-electric mode as compared to the conventional Prius? A lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery allows the Plug-In Prius to achieve 13 miles on electric only mode at a speed of 60 mph. A conventional Prius Hybrid uses a nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery. Need to go farther (or faster)? To accomplish this, the Plug-In Prius converts to hybrid mode and acts like a conventional Prius.
Don’t expect to go to your local Toyota dealer and pick one up today. Unfortunately it will still be some time for the average U.S. consumer can purchase one. Toyota will be working with businesses, government, and select partners for further testing and evaluation. To assist potential customers with learning about Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles (PHVs), Toyota launched PriusPHV.com.
PriusPHV.com - Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid
