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Posted on May 11th, 2012 by admin
Expert: Fisker Karma’s engine packaging, not batteries, likely caused fire
News from AutoWeek:
These are the remains of a Fisker Karma that, according to officials, sparked a .
The Fisker Karma is said to be the origin of the fire, and not much remains of t.
These are the remnants of the garage in which the Fisker Karma was parked..
By: Mark Rechtin, Automotive News on 5/11/2012
AutoWeek
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Indy storylines abound in 2012
News from ESPN:
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis 500 is all about history and tradition. Change doesn’t come quickly or often.
But this year, the 500 has the equivalent of a new coat of paint. Not the event itself, which will carry on with the same regimented pomp and circumstance it has trademarked for a century, culminating in The Greatest Spectacle in Racing on May 27 (Broadcast starts at 11:00 a.m. ET on ABC).
Nor will the actual race change this year. It’s still 200 laps of a low-banked, rectangle-shaped, 2.5-mile oval. But the cars racing on that familiar old track are brand-new and considerably different than the ones used over the past 15 years.
That means the racing is going to be different. This is the first oval race for the Dallara DW12 chassis and the turbocharged V-6 engines from Honda, Chevrolet and Lotus. Over the next two weeks, we’ll learn which engine produces the most power and speed, and which engine is the most economical, allowing its teams extra flexibility in determining their strategy as the marathon-like race unfolds.
continues on ESPN
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Posted on April 30th, 2012 by admin
Shank says clock is ticking on Indy 500 engine
News from The Associated Press:
Shank says clock is ticking on Indy 500 engine
By JENNA FRYER, AP Auto Racing Writer – 8 hours ago
Michael Shank said Monday that he is running out of time to secure an engine for his Indianapolis 500 entry.
The team owner announced last week that he had filed an entry for Jay Howard, and has a sponsor in place for the May 27 race. But he doesn’t have an engine, and if neither Chevrolet or Honda agree in the next day or so to lease him one, Shank said he’ll have to pull the plug on the entry.
“It doesn’t look like we are going to be able to work anything out as we sit here today,” Shank said in a phone interview. “We are up against the calendar, just in terms of being able to run competitively. It’s been two weeks, two weeks of just not being able to get anything done, and it really, really bums me out on so many levels.”
If Shank withdraws his entry, it could drop the Indy 500 below the traditional 33 cars for a full field.
Newman/Haas Racing told The Associated Pre…………… continues on The Associated Press
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Car Review: 2012 Toyota Camry redesigned to be just right
News from Washington Times:
DALLAS, April 30, 2012 — Let’s face it, the Toyota Camry is a car we can trust. Little had to be done to it for Toyota fans to still favor this midsize sedan as their number one choice this year. For 2012, there have been a few small changes. A slight redesign makes it have better safety features and interior comforts.
Competition for the 2012 Toyota Camry includes the Honda Accord, Mazda 6, Hyundai Sonata, and even the Volkswagen Passat, with undoubtedly more of the European feel. But if you love America what is more American than the Camry, baseball and apple pie, even if it is a Japanese car.
The Camry trims include the L, LE, SE and the XLE trim. On the base L model you get 16-inch steel wheels, AC, power windows and mirrors, cruise control, a tilt-and-telescope steering wheel, split-folding rear seats, and audio goodies like Bluetooth and a six-speaker CD sound system. On the LE add auto headlamps, power locks with remote keyless entry, and a few more Bluetooth bells and whistles.
The SE has a sport-tuned suspens…………… continues on Washington Times
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Posted on April 27th, 2012 by admin
Panel allows Honda to make IndyCar engine changes
News from Press of Atlantic City:
Honda will be allowed to make changes to the turbochargers on its IndyCar engines after a three-person panel denied an appeal by Chevrolet.
The panel decided at a hearing in Indianapolis on Thursday that Honda can change the compressor cover on its single turbocharger, a move that Chevrolet and its teams were against. The changes should allow Honda to improve the performance of its engines.
IndyCar recently allowed Honda to make the changes but Chevrolet decided to protest, saying the modification would go against some of the series’ rules. It can still appeal the panel’s decision.
“We respect the diligence of the panel appointed to hear the protest and examine the situation,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet’s U.S. vice president for performance vehicles and motorsports. “While we are disappointed with today’s decision, we are prepared to continue to compete at the highest level in the IZOD IndyCar Series.”
Chevrolet said it believed the modification wanted by Honda “was contrary to the series rules and asked IndyCar to thoroughl…………… continues on Press of Atlantic City
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2013 Chevy Malibu ECO
News from CNET:
Created: 04/26/2012
Video description: In Chevrolet’s complicated lineup of cars, the Malibu is one notch from the top – a biggish small car that slots against Accord, Camry and Fusion. Tough territory, that’s why GM heavily revised the car for 2013 on a new global platform they feel confident shipping to 100 countries. Let’s see if their confidence is well-placed and check the tech.
2013 Chevy Malibu ECO Video Transcript
In several (aids?) very busy line up of cars. This one slops one from the top. Just below the Impala. It’s the Malibu. And it goes head to head with serious competition. In fact the toughest in the industry. Accord, Camry, Fusion, Sonata. Chevy says this guy is good enough to do battle with all of those in 100 countries were (??). Let’s see if they’re confident as well (??) and check the (??). Now (Chevy?) tell you the New Malibu pick up from styling DNA from the Camaro. I don’t really see it except perhaps this kinda powerful (??) over here. Square lamps, tale lamps and they mixed that…………… continues on CNET
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Posted on April 20th, 2012 by admin
Mark Phelan: The last engine you’d expect could change auto industry
News from Modesto Bee:
There’s a new class of super-engine on the road, and it’s not what you expect.
The most exciting, technically intriguing engines I’ve tested in the past six months weren’t throbbing V-8s, exotic V-12s, trendy electric-gasoline hybrids or post-modernist hip European diesels.
My heart – and my eager right foot – belongs to the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Engines that size were long dismissed as weaklings fit only for little economy cars. Americans weren’t inclined to take an engine seriously if the total displacement of its cylinders was the same size as a 99-cent bottle of Coke.
That was then. Today, 2.0-liter engines propel high-powered sport sedans, elegant roadsters and roomy crossover SUVs.
“This is a huge transformation in the industry,” said Tom Murphy, executive editor of Wards AutoWorld magazine, which publishes the influential 10 Best Engines list.
After building mediocre four-cylinder engines for years, General Motors and Ford are at the forefront of the trend, offering…………… continues on Modesto Bee
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Auto review: Hyundai Azera steps into large-sedan ring
News from Belleville News Democrat:
In a quiet, forgotten corner of the automotive landscape, there is a segment of vehicle called the large sedan. These cars tilt toward luxury but have a foot firmly planted in practicality and economics.
They are for cheap hedonists. Or penny-pinching gourmands. They are for people who fly coach but upgrade to the exit row, favor Macaroni Grill over Olive Garden, or see movies only when they hit video on demand but then spring for the HD version.
After several years of neglect, Hyundai is now paying this segment some attention with its 2012 Azera. Slotting above the company’s everyman Sonata but below the European-hunting Genesis sedan, the relaunch of the $ 32,000 Azera foretells of a battle in the large sedan segment.
Both Chevrolet and Toyota brands used the recent New York auto show to introduce heavily redesigned and rethought versions of their large sedans, the Impala and Avalon, respectively. Those models arrive in 2013 and look to shake up current competitors such as Buick’s stout LaCrosse,…………… continues on Belleville News Democrat
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Posted on April 14th, 2012 by admin
IndyCar not budging on unapproved engine changes
News from San Jose Mercury News:
LONG BEACH, Calif.—IndyCar is not considering changing its policy against unapproved engine changes, even though 14 drivers will be penalized before the start of Sunday’s race at Long Beach.
IndyCar vice president of technology Will Phillips said all teams that change engines before permitted will be dropped 10 spots on the starting grid.
“Just because there’s been a lot of them this weekend, how would the people who have already served that penalty feel if we changed our minds?” Phillips said Friday. “So we’ve set our precedent and we’ll follow it through, because that’s what the teams want. They want firm rules and they want to know where they stand.
“As long as a rule is enforced the same for everyone, they will accept it.”
Chevrolet pulled the engines from all 11 of its drivers when teams arrived Thursday for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The changes were a pre-emptive measure based on something officials found after James Hinchcliffe blew an engine during a Monday test at Sonoma.
Lotus drivers Sebastien Bourdais, Orio…………… continues on San Jose Mercury News
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So Perfectly Ordinary That It’s Extraordinary
News from Pittsburgh Post Gazette:
April 14, 2012 1:00 pm
By JOHN PEARLEY HUFFMAN / The New York Times
OJAI, Calif. — BUILDING great supercars is easy; it’s getting the ordinary ones right that’s tough. Cars that sell for less than $ 20,000 are built on robotized fast-moving assembly lines that depend on a steady stream of robust, inexpensive parts that snap together quickly. Too often, manufacturers sacrifice character and performance to keep their cheapest machines moving efficiently through those lines.
That’s why Hyundai’s redesigned subcompact, the 2012 Accent, is so satisfying. It’s a simple, inexpensive sedan that works well, actually communicates with its driver and doesn’t flaunt its compromises. Though engineered to be built by the hundreds of thousands, it doesn’t loo…………… continues on Pittsburgh Post Gazette
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Posted on March 27th, 2012 by admin
Danica Patrick done in by engine woes from debris in latest Nationwide …
News from Washington Post:
FONTANA, Calif. — Danica Patrick got nothing to celebrate on the eve of her 30th birthday.
Patrick dropped out with engine failure near the midway point of the Nationwide race at Auto Club Speedway on Saturday, finishing 35th in another disappointing result during her first full season in the series.
Patrick’s car picked up debris in the front grill at some point early in the race, apparently puncturing her radiator. The JR Motorsports Chevrolet eventually seized, and Patrick was left disappointed.
“That’s just what happened,” Patrick said in the garage. “It’s not a Chevy issue. It’s not a team issue. It’s just a bad luck issue, and unfortunately, I feel like we’ve been catching a fair amount of it at the beginning of the season.”
Patrick hasn’t finished higher than 12th in five Nationwide races this season, taking a step back from her promising results last season when she ran a part-time NASCAR schedule and a full IndyCar slate.
She crashed in the Nationwide race in Daytona after winning the pole before getting caught up in a…………… continues on Washington Post
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Dodge enters rally car racing with Dart
News from Detroit Free Press:
Dodge and SRT Motorsports is getting into rally car racing with its new Dodge Dart and a one of the sport’s biggest stars: Travis Pastrana.
The 2013 Dodge Dart will participate in the 2012 Global RallyCross Championship Series with Pastrana — a four-time Rally America Champion and 17-time X Games Gold Medalist — behind the wheel.
The new Dodge Dart Rally Car will make its official public debut at the New York International Auto Show next month.
The car will be powered by a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder, 16-valve turbo-charged engine with 600-plus horsepower engine with 550 pound feet of torque.
“At Dodge, racing is an integral part of our heritage and embodies our competitive spirit,” Reid Bigland, president and CEO of the Dodge brand said in a statement.
Pastrana, 28, is a stunt performer and a proven winner in freestyle motocross and rally car racing and has competed in NASCAR.
“To be able to partner with Dodge to field my own program this year is a dream come true,” Pastrana said in a statement. “The new Dodge Dart offers the perfect plat…………… continues on Detroit Free Press
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Posted on March 14th, 2012 by admin
The internal combustion engine dead? Think again, shows BMW
News from Creamer Media’s Engineering News:
BMW South Africa’s (BMW SA’s) plant in Rosslyn has, since 2007, cut electricity consumption per 3 Series produced by 25%, waste by 50%, carbon emissions by 25% and water use by 50%, culminating in savings of R48.5-million.
This year the plant has started production of the F30, or new 3 Series, with Rosslyn responsible for 25% of all 3 Series production in the world, says BMW SA technical and logistics director Johannes Gingelseder.
Around 80% of BMW SA’s more than 50 000 unit production was exported last year, with one in every second car assembled outside Pretoria going to the US.
Yearly production is scheduled to exceed 85 000 units of the new 3 Series.
It is not only the BMW plant that has seen substantial savings in its environmental footprint – the same is true for the 3 Series. While emissions and fuel consumption have dropped on the newly launched model range, power and performance remained as before, or even better, indicating that no one can yet perform the funeral rites on the internal combustion engine in…………… continues on Creamer Media’s Engineering News
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TEXT-Fitch revises Tenneco’s outlook to positive
News from Reuters:
Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:11pm EDT
March 14 - Fitch Ratings has affirmed the 'BB' Issuer Default Rating
(IDR) and the various issue ratings of Tenneco Inc. (TEN). In addition,
Fitch has assigned a rating of 'BBB-' to TEN's proposed $ 700 million secured
revolving credit facility and proposed $ 250 million secured term loan A. A full
list of the rating actions taken on TEN is provided at the end of this release.
Fitch has revised TEN's Rating Outlook to Positive from Stable.
The revision of TEN's Rating Outlook to Positive reflects Fitch expectations
that the auto supplier's credit profile will continue to strengthen over the
intermediate term as global auto sales continue to grow and demand for the
company's emission control technologies remains strong. In particular,
increasingly stringent regulations governing commercial truck and off-highway
vehicle emissions will provide additional growth opportunities outside of TEN's
traditional ligh............... continues on Reuters
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Posted on February 8th, 2012 by admin
Man Steals Car Engine From Auto Tech
News from Patch.com:
Suffolk Police are searching for a man who stole a car engine from an auto repair shop in Huntington.
According to police, a white male was observed on surveillance video Jan. 19 taking a Subaru car engine from Auto Tech, at 116 Spring Rd. in Huntington. The man loaded the engine into his vehicle, possibly a white Toyota Matrix with Hello Kitty seat covers, according to police, before fleeing the scene at about 10:30 p.m.
Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential, according to police.
…………… continues on Patch.com
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Elantra GT Makes North American Debut At Chicago Auto Show – Sacramento Bee
News from Elantra GT Makes North American Debut At Chicago Auto Show – Sacramento Bee:
CHICAGO, Feb. 8, 2012 – /PRNewswire/ — Hyundai Motor America today introduced the all-new 2013 Elantra GT in a North American debut at the Chicago Auto Show. Elantra GT brings five-door functionality and European driving dynamics to the expanding Elantra lineup and is slated to hit dealerships this summer. The lineup now includes Elantra Coupe – also making its world debut today - and the popular Elantra sedan, the 2012 North American Car of the Year. Elantra GT is based on the new-generation i30 model designed for the European market.
To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/54626-hyundai-elantra-gt-north-american-debut-chicago-auto-show
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120208/MM49520 )(Logo: Elantra GT Makes North American Debut At Chicago Auto Show – Sacramento Bee
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Posted on February 3rd, 2012 by admin
Honda to invest $ 98M at western Ohio engine plant
News from BusinessWeek:
- order a reprint
- digg this
- BusinessWeek
>>> Read the full article
Q&A: Stumbling Saturn might need pro’s advice
News from The Republic:
QUESTION: We are having problems with our ’95 Saturn SL2. When you start the car it runs for about 25 minutes, then shuts off. We can’t afford to bring it to a dealer or mechanic, and we can’t afford to buy another car, so we need to fix it ourselves. We have replaced the fuel pump, fuel filter and fuel pressure regulator along with the coil packs and ignition module. We cleaned the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve and replaced the powertrain control module. Still, it shuts off after about 25 minutes. We then replaced the catalytic converter, but this still didn’t fix the problem. The car starts and runs fine, but after about 25 minutes it shuts itself down. When we try to start it again, it stumbles and shuts off.
ANSWER: At this point, I can’t help but wonder if a professional shop and its sophisticated testing equipment might have been a good choice.
That said, the “stumbles and shuts off” description of your restart attempts may be a clue. The “stumble” means it’s got spark and some fuel. Installing a fuel pressure gauge and test…………… continues on The Republic
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Posted on July 9th, 2011 by admin
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The true meaning of the check engine light is one of the modern automobile’s most closely held secrets. Not anymore.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — When the “check engine” light comes on, most of us have no clue what’s really wrong with our car, or even worse, how much fixing it is about to cost us.
But now some easy-to-use devices promise to clear up the mystery of the orange engine so people won’t be entirely at the mercy of a mechanic.
While they won’t replace a good mechanic anytime soon, systems like CarMD and CarCheckup can at least narrow down the range of issues.
“Only a mechanic will be able to tell you what’s truly wrong with your vehicle”,” said Jennifer Funkhouser, chief executive of CarCheckup.
But if the mechanic diagnoses something that bears no relationship to what the car’s own diagnostic system is saying, that’s reason to be suspicious, she said.
A second opinion may be in order.
The check engine light can indicate anything from a loose gas cap to something more seriously out of whack deep inside your car.
It probably doesn’t signal an immediate emergency, said Tony Molla, a spokesman for National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and a certified auto technician.
If you see an engine temperature light or oil pressure light, that’s an emergency. Pull over and call for help if you haven’t already. If you see a “Check Engine” light, get the car to a sho …CNN
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