Autobitz: February 2011

lunar rover amazing cars

The Lunar Roving Vehicle or LRV is a small dune-buggy car that permitted the Apollo astronauts to drive from the vicinity of their landing site on the moon to make geological observations, collect rock/soil samples and use scientific instruments at various moon locations. The Lunar Rover was first used during Apollo 15 which launched on July 26, 1971. This was the fourth lunar landing that permitted human exploration on the Moon's surface. The LRV was also used during Apollo missions 16 and 17.

The LRV weighed about 480 earth pounds (80 pounds on the moon). It could carry two astronauts along with their portable life support systems and scientific instruments. The LRV could carry about twice its own weight so there was plenty of room for the lunar material samples the astronauts collected. The LRV was designed for low speed and high torque. It was limited to 8 mph (3.5 meters per second) for safety reasons. Going over rough lunar surfaces could have been a danger to the crew. It could climb a 25 degree slope so it could more easily travel over the uneven surface.

The wheels on the rover were made of wire mesh (piano wire) with titanium cleats for treads. The engineers did not use solid or air-filled rubber tires because they would have been much heavier. The Apollo spacecraft could only carry a fixed amount of weight (mass) so the wire-mesh wheels were important for keeping the weight of the vehicle low.

lunar rover pic

lunar rover photo

lunar rover image

lunar rover photo

lunar rover pic

lunar rover wall paper

lunar rover picture

Aston Martin Rapide Concept

Aston Martin confirmed that the Cygnet luxury city car – originally shown as a concept car in March – is to go into production in 2011 at the company’s Gaydon headquarters in Warwickshire. It is derived from the Toyota IQ and its purpose is to allow Aston Martin to comply with the strict emissions rule by the European Union in place in 2012.It is time to think differently. Aston Martin is honest and we don’t make compromises” says Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez.

“Whatever we do, we do right. If we do performance, we do performance; we don’t downsize or compromise our sports cars. The Cygnet needs to satisfy the demands of emissions and space. It is a car without compromise, just like every other Aston Martin.

“Our customers need a small car for urban and city use, and they want the right tools for the right job, to downsize creatively without compromising intelligence, artistry and personality.”

Cygnet expresses a simple but fundamental idea: in the modern city, scale equates to speed and freedom. Just 118 inches long, the Cygnet gives the driver a new dimension of freedom, able to slot into gaps in traffic, exploit the smallest parking spaces, consume the least fuel and emit the lowest emissions, all while delivering exceptional levels of quality and comfort.

Cygnet is a product of Aston Martin’s experience in craft, technology and design. The future city will

present a very different luxury brand landscape, as social change and legislation increases the division between urban and anti-urban product categories. With the Cygnet, Aston Martin will be at the forefront of these changes, ensuring the company’s enduring brand image will continue to prosper in new market conditions.

Aston Martin hot car

Aston Martin back side view

Aston Martin wall paper

“Cygnet is small but luxurious, an Aston Martin tailor fit for the city,” says Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s Director of Design. With an almost unlimited palette of materials, colors and textures, each hand-finished Cygnet will be truly unique, a personalized space within the city. “Luxury is not constrained by scale.”

bmw m3 super sonic car

The BMW M3 is currently one of the most appreciated performance models on the market, stunning everyone with its balance and capability of being an everyday car but also offer some extreme thrills when you put your foot down. The 2010 BMW M3 is a phenomenal performer — providing speed, agility and comfort all in one package. Whereas the 3-Series impresses, the M3 astounds. Introduced in 1988, the M3 has quickly risen to become an industry favorite for combining the 3-Series’ unparalleled balance and handling dynamics with a smooth 414-horsepower V8 engine. Together, the M3 is nothing short of incredible.

bmw m3 super sonic car

Truly unprecedented, however, is the thrust and pulling force generated through this unique potential, conveying the supreme power of the engine through the variable M differential lock to the rear wheels. Acceleration to 100 km/h comes in just 4.8 seconds, and the car continues this mind-boggling performance with fascinating consistency all the way to its top speed of 250 km/h or 155 mph, where the engine electronics set an artificial limit to the ongoing power and performance of the new BMW M3.

The eight-cylinder nevertheless owes its most striking and distinctive forte to the high-speed engine concept so typical of BMW M: Revving all the way to 8,400 rpm, the new power unit offers supreme muscle and performance at all times.

bmw m3 super sonic car

How To Find Your Dream Car

All of us daydream of the day when we might ultimately own the vehicle of our dreams. Unluckily for some of us it assists simply for now to get a vehicle that is in good running condition. If you are not familiar with purchasing a vehicle than there are a couple of tips you have to learn

It is crucial that you recognize what kind of vehicle you are looking for before you go to the car dealership. Think about how large or small it has to be, what type of amenities you want, and your price range. Sit and create a budget and think of a reasonable monthly payment you will have the ability to easily handle.

The Facts About Concept Cars

Combining the best of modern technology with the sleek lines of tried and time-tested cars from the past, concept cars are often tentative feelers put out by automobile companies to test the waters before 'diving' into serious production

The automobile industry being a multi billion dollar industry, car manufactures alike see the benefit of these widely attended car shows. The manufactures have an opportunity to gleam a great deal of valuable information from these shows at a relatively low cost

The Basics of Classic Car Maintenance - Fluids

As a start we will consider petrol and diesel, apart from the obvious that you have enough for your journey it is worth checking the whole fuel system at least once a year, diesel because it has a habit of finding paths and holes that most other fluids don't and petrol because if it does leak, a hot surface or spark can cause an explosion, I know I have been there with leaky carburettors dripping onto the exhaust pipe

First check the fuel tank, invariably in old cars it is made from pressed steel and is subject to corrosion especially where straps or fixings are. Give it a good look over for any bubbles or spots that look damp/dark and check to see if the fuel gauge moves much at regular intervals when the car is parked up. Next check the pipework, again many cars had steel pipes with later replacements being copper or plastic (plastic being particularly vulnerable from hot exhaust pipes as many manufactures ran the two pipes close to each other!)

5 Cool New Cars For 2011

Any list of cool new cars would have to start would have to start with the 2011 Ferrari California. This car is a little different from the other high performance vehicles in the Ferrari stable. The common man will find this car much more approachable. But that doesn't detract from any of the Ferrari features. It still has plenty of speed and looks great

The 2011 Kia Forte is the third car on our list. This model replaces the Spectra in the competitive compact sedan market. The Forte is more dynamic looking than the Spectra featuring a distinct wedge shaped profile and a wider stance. One feature worth mentioning is the Forte has a huge trunk - 14.7 cubic feet which can be further exteded by lowering the split-folding rear seats. You can choose between cloth or leather seats in the nicely appointed cabin. You will also find a user friendly center stack, steering wheel mounted controls, standard Sirius radio, and Bluetooth

Is Your Muscle Car Cool Enough?

Ahh, to be cool. Little kids grow up having no concept of "coolness", and then they hit the 6th grade. From that point on, being "cool" is on the top of their to-do list. Muscle cars are perpetually cool. They've been cool since day #1, and their legend has grown ever since. A friend of mine (who grew up in the 1960's) recently commented that there is nothing on the road as cool as a muscle car, and he said it in a way that that made it seem as certain as the fact that 2+2=4. The question I wonder is, how do you know if your muscle car is cool enough?

Just like the hallways of high school, one could argue that there is a pecking order of coolness when it comes to muscle cars. Being popular seemed to help make some people cool, but many cool people were never popular. Muscle cars are the same way. (As a side note I've seen a few of the popular kids from high school later in life.....and they don't seem quite as cool as I remember.)

Is Your Car Cool? What You Need to Know Before You Fix the Air Conditioner on Your Car, Truck Or Van

This time of year especially in the warmer climates the air conditioner goes from a luxury to a necessity. You turn your air conditioner on for the first time of the season and you realize it is not blowing as cold as it should. This may be okay for a few weeks but once the dog days of summer hit, look out

The first impulse of the vehicle owner is normally to stop by their local automotive store and pickup a few cans of refrigerant. However, this often is not the fix your car needs to literally make you cool. If you are in this situation here are a few other things that may be the culprit

A/C Clutch- The A/C clutch is an electromagnetic clutch that turns the air conditioning compressor on and off. This part may work intermittently, it may make noise as the bearings start to go out, the clutch itself may slip or burn up.
High Pressure Switch- The high pressure cutout switch turns off the air conditioning compressor when pressures reach dangerously high levels. This could be due to a restricted system (debris in the system, where liquid cannot change into gas fast enough), or possibly an overcharge. This could be a reason for your air compressor to not run correctly, or to not run at all.
Low Pressure Cutoff Switch- If your refrigerant gets to less than seven pounds, this switch shuts the system down to prevent premature compressor failure. If this cutoff switch fails the compressor itself will not come on without this safety feature working correctly.
Condenser & Evaporator - The condenser can become plugged up internally. This may also cause your high pressure switch to activate. If the condenser fan is not working the A/C will not blow as cold or as efficient as it could because it is not taking the heat away as fast as it should. The evaporator can become plugged with dirt and dust causing restricted air flow from the dash, or insufficient cooling.
Orifice Tube- A small tubular screen where pressure builds up. The refrigerant is atomized inside as it leaves this tube, changing from a liquid refrigerant to a cold gas. This failure is rarely a hole, most often however it is a restriction from debris or a failed compressor. When this happens there is the usual intermittent or insufficient cooling.
Refrigerant- Often if you have to add refrigerant on a regular basis this is a sign you have a leak somewhere in your air conditioning system. To keep your system running well and to prevent leaks in the summer time run your A/C once a month in the off-season for about five minutes to keep the system lubricated

How Car Cooling Systems Work

With the passage of time and advancement in technology, the gasoline engines have developed a lot but they are still not too much efficient at turning chemical energy into mechanical power. Almost seventy percent energy in gasoline is converted into heat

It is basically the job of the cooling system to manage that heat. It would be surprising that the cooling system on a car driving down the freeway in fact dispels sufficient heat for heating two average size houses. The basic work of the cooling system as suggested by the name is prevents the engine from getting over heated by transferring this heat to the air. Besides this, the cooling system also has many other important works

Daihatsu Mira for sale

This is the Daihatsu Mira Custom, a kitted up version of the latest generation Daihatsu Mira that was recently launched in Japan. It’s got some pretty high spec stuff for a K-car, including automatic tilting side mirrors for convenience during reverse maneuveres as well as a very BMW-like engine start/stop button.

Both the Mira and Mira Custom use the latest generation Topaz NEO 660cc engines – the KF-VE and the KF-DET. The KF-VE features 58 horsepower at 7,200rpm, and 65Nm of torque at 4,000rpm, a big improvement over our local Perodua Viva‘s EF-VE 660cc DVVT engine that makes 47 horsepower and 58Nm of torque. Daihatsu says the KF-VE can manage 25.5km per liter with the 2WD drivetrain and CVT transmission.

The more exciting KF-DET engine makes not a huge amount of horsepower more than the KF-VE, but it’s 64 horsepower is gained at a much lower 6,000rpm. It shines in it’s torque figures though – 103Nm at a low 3,000rpm. Both the turbo and non-turbo variants of the Daihatsu Mira custom comes with either a 2WD or 4WD drivetrain and all use CVT gearboxes.

From the photos of these cars, perhaps some enterprising local bodykit designer can produce the first batch of cool kits based on Daihatsu’s work with the Mira Custom to spice up our local Perodua Viva cars.

Daihatsu Mira for sale

The Daihatsu Mira (also known as the Cuore, Domino or Charade outside of Japan), is a kei car-type vehicle built by the Japanese car maker Daihatsu. It comes with a variety of options and chassis variations, with the latest variant having four models: "Mira", "Mira AVY", "Mira Gino" and "Mira VAN". The Mira is basically an upgraded and renamed version of the Daihatsu Fellow. It was sold alongside the names of Mira and Cuore. The commercial version was dropped when the Mira was released in later years as a Charade. Out of Japan, the Mira also offer with 850 cc engine. In Australia, the two-seater version was known as a "handivan" and was later renamed as just Handi.

In July 1980, the Daihatsu Mira arrived to replace the Daihatsu Max Cuore. The second generation (L70) of the Mira was introduced in 1985, and the third generation (L200) in 1990. The third generation of Mira also sharing the identical look with the 1986-1992 Daihatsu Leeza. The fourth generation (L500) was introduced in 1994 and was still based on the same chassis as the L200. October 1998 saw the fifth generation (L700) introduced, 2002 the sixth generation (even though the Mira Gino (L700) was still in production until 2004), and in 2006 the seventh generation model.

Subaru Impreza WRX STI 2011

Subaru Impreza WRX STI 2011 Specifications Picture Wallapaper Review Photo. Subaru of America introduced a new 4-door version of the Subaru Impreza WRX STI performance flagship model. This will be the first time that the Subaru Impreza WRX STI has been offered in two body styles (5-door and 4-door). The Subaru Impreza WRX STI has been a recipient of continuous improvement since its introduction. Most recently, the 2010 WRX STI Special Edition previewed some of the suspension enhancements now migrated to the 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. In front, the 2011 WRX STI models feature sharpened bumper corners and wider, blacked-out fog lamp nacelles to accentuate the "wide and low" profile.

The Subaru Impreza WRX STI was already a highly optimized performance machine. Specific chassis tuning. Aluminum front lower L-arms reduce unsprung vehicle weight. Both the front and rear suspension systems employ higher-rate springs and thicker front and rear stabilizer bars than the 2010 model: 21 mm vs. 20 mm in front and 19 mm vs. 18 mm in rear. New standard 18-inch aluminum wheels feature high-luster paint and weigh 17.6 lbs. less than the previous standard wheels.

Exclusive to the Subaru Impreza WRX STI, the Brembo Performance Brake System uses ventilated 4-wheel Super Sport anti-lock (ABS) disc brakes with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). The 2011 WRX STI continues as the ultimate-performance Subaru with its high-boost 305-hp turbocharged/intercooled 4-cyl. The STI also features Multi-Mode Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) version of Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive with three "Auto" modes, as well as a manual mode with six driver-selectable differential locking settings. The 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI models arrive in Subaru dealerships in late summer 2010.

Picture for Subaru Impreza WRX STI 2011

Subaru Impreza WRX STI 2011