Drawing board
2013 Mini Paceman: The current Countryman tall wagon forms the basis for this sleek two-door hatchback that will join the Mini fleet in early 2013. Visually, the Paceman features a dramatically lowered roofline, a significantly more attractive grille and an overall appearance reminiscent of the Land Rover Evoque twodoor, only on a smaller scale. All-wheel drive will most likely be on the menu, as will Mini's 1.6-litre engine in turbocharged and non-turbo formats.
Auto trivia
- Actor and part-time racer James Garner drove the pace car at the Indy 500 on three occasions, 1975 (Buick Regal), 1977 (Olds Delta 88) and again in 1985 (Olds Calais).
- The current octane rating system for gasoline was derived by Sir Harry Ricardo, a British engineer who studied the antiknock properties of various combustible fuels during the 1930s. A higher octane rating means a higher resistance to detonation.
Who am I?
To guess his secret identity, read the following clues: 1) During his lengthy career in drag racing, he had 57 national victories.
2) The cars he drove ran on nitromethane and could accelerate past 300 miles per hour in a quarter-mile drag race.
3) His family founded one of the largest aftermarket parts companies in the country, Keystone Automotive.
4) He retired from Top Fuel racing and underwent laser eye surgery to prevent permanent damage due the tortures of acceleration and deceleration.
Still stumped?
His name is Joe Amato, and believe it or not, he used to race go-karts as a kid before getting into drag racing.
What's up, auto doc?
If you're considering a hybrid vehicle, you need to be aware that they're not created equal. Yes, most (if not all), combine an electric motor with a gasoline internalcombustion engine, but how the two work together isn't always the same.
In some cases, a hybrid can only shut off the gas engine at idle (at a stop light, for example) with the electric motor acting to re-fire the gas engine (much like a golf cart). This method saves a modest amount of fuel, but more advanced (and therefore more expensive) hybrids will use the electric motor (plural in some cases) to help propel the vehicle from a standing start where a lot of gasoline is normally consumed.
Depending on the system, the electric motor can do all the work, some of the work, or none of the work. In fact, the Porsche Cayenne hybrid can run at close to 145 kilometres per hour on electric power alone. In many cases, the battery is charged when the gas engine is running as well as when the brake pedal is depressed. Heavy stop-and-go traffic is where the hybrid works its magic. In fact, a good barometer of how well a hybrid is designed is to see if the in-city fuel rating is actually as good as or better than the highway rating.
Share your tips with the Auto Doc at www.shiftweekly.com using the contact form. eBay watch
1953 Packard convertible, sold: $15,000. This Packard isn't a trailer queen, nor is it a limited-edition Caribbean ragtop of which only 750 were manufactured in 1953. However it appears to be a solid and serviceable collector car with a clean body and a folding top in good shape. The 155 horsepower inline eightcylinder engine and three-speed manual transmission are also claimed to be in decent working condition. With only a modest sprucing up, the Packard would likely make a great summer cruiser. Visit www.ebaymotors.com.
Top gear
Hook Hangers; about $10/pair; www.hook-hangers.com: Most interior coat hooks don't hold very much, and often your clothing winds up in a heap on the back seat or floor. As well, a potentially dangerous blind spot is created with your "hangups" blocking the side window. However, Hook Hangers fit over the top of the side window and provide better visibility since the hook is located a few inches lower than the stock ceiling hook. They can also hold up to 35 hangers each and are available in a choice of colors.
- Wheelbase media, www.wheelbase.ws
