A treasure trove of automotive tidbits, trivia and cool information:
Drawing Board: 2015 Aston Martin V-8 Vantage N430 AM's latest coupe and convertible harks back to its 1950s glory days. The N430's 430 horsepower, 4.7-litre V-8 pushes the car to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometres per hour) from rest in 4.6 seconds and tops out at 190 mph (305 km/h). The car's race-tuned suspension, lightweight body parts and optional sevenspeed automated manual transmission promise good times for a mere US$160,000.
Auto trivia The British Rytecraft Scootacar, produced from 1934-40, was based on a children's fairground ride converted for road use and was powered by a two-stroke chainsaw engine. Top speed was estimated at 20 km/h. General Motors' allaluminum 215 cubic-inch V-8 was first used in various 1961 models. It has since been licensed for use in more than 40 different automobiles throughout the world, including Land Rover.
Who am I? To guess the secret identity, read the following clues!
1. Although she's a lot like her race-winning father, she has other goals.
2. Of course, being the daughter of a 16-time dragracing champion doesn't hurt your chances to win, either.
3. Racing in the Top Fuel ranks, this 31-year-old has already proven that she's a "force" in her sport.
4. Aside from racing, she was interested in a film and/or flying career.
5. She retired from racing after she became a mother.
Still stumped?
The third clue falls just short of giving away Ashley Force Hood, the daughter of John Force, the winningest Funny Car drag racer of all time.
What's up, auto doc?
What's all the talk these days about direct injection?
It's a relatively new buzzword in the industry, although some automakers have been doing it for years. Instead of placing the fuel injectors in the intake manifold to put fuel into the incoming air, direct injection sprays the fuel right into the combustion chamber. Since cylinder pressure and temperatures are much higher in a combustion chamber than in an intake port (which helps atomize the fuel), special hardware is needed, such as highpressure injectors as well as special pistons with a specific top profile.
Using sophisticated electronics, it's possible to dramatically lean out the air/fuel mixture under cruising conditions, which improves fuel efficiency. Generally, horsepower and torque are also improved over a traditional port-injection system.
eBay watch 1966 Cadillac Coupe DeVille Convertible, sold, US$14,600 Old Caddys make great cruisers and always draw a crowd. This '66 DeVille had 64,000 kilometres worth of use during its years in Florida. A 340 horsepower 429-cubic-inch V-8 comes with the car, as does air conditioning, cruise control and various power-operated items. The price was certainly right for this noreserve drop-top.
Top gear A 1:8 scale Lamborghini model; about US $800; pocher.com.
The Spanish company Pocher builds large, limitededition 1/8th-scale models that are made primarily of metal. The only model available right now is of the Lamborghini Aventador LP-700-4 that can be had in either roadster or coupe style. The latter consists of a dizzying 800 pieces that are mostly screwed together by the hobbyist. When finished, the scale Lambo is nearly 60 centimetres long. The completed, prepainted car includes working steering and suspension and functional doors. It can also be set up for either left-or right-hand drive.
