<![CDATA[Jalopnik: 190E 2.3-16]]> http://cache.gawker.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jalopnik.com.png <![CDATA[Jalopnik: 190E 2.3-16]]> http://jalopnik.com/tag/190e 2.3-16 http://jalopnik.com/tag/190e 2.3-16 <![CDATA[ Seattle Body Shop Has Best Loaner Car Ever ]]>

Haury's Lake City Collision in Seattle, Washington is run by geniuses. What better way to attract customers to your business than by offering the greatest loaner car ever - a 2008 BMW M3. The ultimate M3 (well, at least until the BMW M3 CSL comes out) is available for rent while customers await the completion of their repairs, though we'd bet with a replacement like this, their customers don't care how long it takes. The most brilliant part of this thing — a new BMW M3, owned by the company, that can be written off as a depreciating asset. Freakin. Brilliant. [HaurysCollision via Cardomain]

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Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT Ben Wojdyla http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=398821&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Electric Peugeots Trying To Edge Out London Taxis ]]> At the upcoming British International Motor Show, an electric competitor to the familiar old London Cab will be launched. Based on the Peugeot MPV, the Allied Vehicles E7 is designed for cabbies considering cutting costs. Despite its lithium-ion batteries, range is still limited to 100 miles, which we're guessing is somewhat less if you're cruising around all day at the 60 MPH top speed.

The E7 is said to cost the equivalent of just over $79,000. That's a lot compared to the electric NICE Ze-O at $28,000, or even the $70,000 or so a traditional TX4 taxi will set you back. Especially when you can get a Chinese-built Geely TX4 for even less. But then, maybe the E7 is worth it to cab drivers looking to cut down on emissions and maintenance costs. [TheAutoChannel]

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Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:40:00 EDT Mark Arnold http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=398763&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ 2010 BMW M3 CSL To Get 470 HP, 186 MPH Top Speed ]]> BMW is working on a follow up to the E46 CSL, applying the same approach to an E90 chassis. Like its predecessor, the 2010 BMW M3 CSL will drop standard equipment for weight savings and boost power. More details after the jump.

In addition to the absence of A/C and a stereo, the M3 CSL will also make extensive use of carbon fiber body panels and use cardboard for the luggage compartment, all in an effort to reduce weight. Of course, since reduced weight alone won't justify the $143,000 price tag, power will be boosted 50 HP to 470 HP and production will be limited to only 100 cars. There's no word on whether or not the CSL will use an asymmetrical air intake, but we'll have our fingers crossed when it appears at the Frankfurt Auto Show.
[Autozeitung via Autoblog]

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Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:40:00 EDT Wes Siler http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=398672&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ 2009 Mercedes E-Class In Camouflage Built For Darth Vader ]]>

The next-generation 2009 Mercedes E-Class was spotted by the intrepid folks of CarEnthusiast.com while testing on a motorway leading to Valencia. Here's what they've got to say:

"Wearing just a thin disguise, it's possible to make out the complete shape of the new car. With bold feature lines along its flanks the new E-Class echoes the styling of its C-Class relative. Around the rear the taillights spread over onto the bootlid, unlike those on the current car.

The nose is where the E-Class is most radical though; its headlamp shape is similar to that of its CLS and SL relatives, the bonnet closing over the top of the front wings. It's thought that Mercedes has been working hard to ensure that the next generation E-Class doesn't tip the scales any heavier than the existing model. Power will come from a revised range of engines based on those already available in the Mercedes line-up, including an AMG model with its 6.2-litre V8 engine. Expected to be officially revealed later this year, the next generation E-Class should be in UK showrooms some time in 2009."

We dunno, at least the camouflage looks better than the last next-gen E-Class we spotted. So we'll give Benz that. [via Car Enthusiast] ]]>
Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:45:00 EDT Ray Wert http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=398480&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Opel, Vauxhall Versions Of Volt Electric Cars To Take Advantage Of Currency Valuation, Get "Made In USA" Sticker ]]> Opel has announced plans to launch two electric cars in the European market sometime early next decade utilizing GM's E-Flex hybrid banner and be built in the United States for export to Europe. One of the models would be based on the Segway-pooping Opel Flextreme concept and the other, a Vauxhall version of the same vehicle. As of now we're unsure whether the Vauxhall version will poop Segways.

The new Opel models will be built alongside the Chevy Volt atop the Delta II platform at GM's Hamtramck Assembly plant.

Jalopnik Snap Judgement: More models on the line makes sense as the Ham-town plant would be sorely underutilized if only building the Volt. Seems like the real story here is GM Europe using the US domestic market for labor. One would imagine Eastern European countries would be more attractive for building new models, but the dollar's valuation apparently makes up for the long product pipeline and higher shipping costs. Who would have thunk we'd become Europe's China? [MotorAuthority]

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Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:40:00 EDT Ben Wojdyla http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=398465&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ 1966 Jaguar E-Type, With Bonus British Car Poll ]]> Those of you who read the Down On The Street FAQ over the weekend know that some of the machines we see in this series don't live on the street full-time. Most do, but every so often I'll find an obvious non-daily-driver that's just visiting, or maybe getting a rare exposure to the world outside of the garage. This immaculate E-Type is such a car; I spotted it parked in front of the island's most popular sports bar a while back and I haven't seen it since.


EType_Emblem_Hatch.jpg
I haven't been able to get my greasy mitts on many of these cars, so I can't claim any great depth of E-Type knowledge. However, I'm going to guess this is a '66 model (based on the dash and taillights) and hope that I'm pretty close. Jaguar experts, feel free to weigh in on this burning question.

EType_Interior.jpg
This car sold new for $5,580, which was about a thousand bucks more than a '66 Corvette Stingray coupe with 427 and 4-speed (that info is for those of you who wish to price out the cars in the Jan & Dean song "Dead Man's Curve"). The 427 Corvette was way faster (at least in a straight line) and orders of magnitude more reliable, but just look at this thing (wolf whistle).

EType_RH.jpg
But we're not going to have a Corvette-versus-Jag poll today (since we've already had one in Project Car Hell). No, we're going to pick our favorite British car found parked on the non-mean streets of Alameda. Sure, the E-Type is the prettiest... but what about that super-rare MGC-GT? And the '59 Morris Minor takes its owner on a 15-mile commute every day, Lucas Electrics and all!

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Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT Murilee Martin http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=397925&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Top Ten Best Real-Life Police Chases ]]> After yesterday's top ten silver screen police car chases, we're continuing our week-long Amerigasm with the top ten real police car chases. Because whether you're rooting for the baddies to make a clean getaway, or for the long arm to catch 'em, there's nothing quite like a good ol' real-life American police chase. While other countries may think they can, we know we can do 'em better than anyone else, so to prove it, click "more" for our list of the top ten best cop car chases — and then vote for the one you think is the best.

10 - Corvette Carnage
Let's start off with a classic, this clip of a C4 Corvette streaking through the desert. Television host John Bunnell says the car is speeding down the road at 165 MPH, but we're not so sure the black 'vette was actually going that fast. Either way, it was fast enough for the driver to lose control while changing lanes, as the Corvette smashed into the back of a truck. The car spun out of control into the desert as it shattered to pieces, but somehow the driver came out unhurt. So, negative points to the television producers for the exaggerated speed, but kudos to the driver for smashing a Corvette and living.

9 - Off-Roadin' Ranger
It doesn't get much more American than a couple of guys runnin' from the law in a stolen pickup with a stolen air compressor rollin' around in the bed. Sure, they lose points for only using a little Ford Ranger, but that's outweighed by the kudos we give 'em for taking the truck off-road. The passenger is especially crazy, even jumping out at one point, running besides the truck, jumping in the bed, then climbing back into the cab all while the truck was in motion. And while we're more interested in the automotive chase, the passenger was pretty good at jumping fences too.

8 - Crazed Naked Woman
Sometimes the cops need a little extra help to chase down a fleeing suspect, as was the case here. But even with an off-duty officer driving his personal pickup truck, the evading SUV was proving hard to catch. An enthusiastic civilian joins the chase trying to help out the cops. We give the good Samaritan kudos for not being afraid to dent up his truck, but he ends up just getting in the way when he tries an improvised roadblock. After going through the dirt, on and off the highway, the SUV is finally caught. But if all that wasn't crazy enough, it turns out the driver being chased was a naked woman. We're not sure if that's hot or not.

7 - Backwards Limo
You'd assume a big stretch limo wouldn't be agile enough to evade the police, but this chauffeur was ready to prove otherwise. This stretched STS was pretty impressive, handling turns and blazing down the expressway. But major kudos go to the driver for slamming the limo into reverse gear after the transmission starts erupting smoke. He then leads the boys in blue on an impressive backwards chase, only coming to an end when the turning radius of the limo is miscalculated going around a sharp turn. Still, that's some serious Cadillac style.

6 - Tweaked Trucker
Anyone that's ever seen Steven Spielberg's film Duel has been rightfully intimidated by free-roaming big rigs. But you really get a new sense of respect for the trucks after watching this one plow through traffic at will. Even spike strips proved ineffective, so the cops had to pull out their guns and shoot out the tires the old fashioned way. Well, at least we learn that truck driving and meth don't mix so well.

5 - Raw Pursuit
This chase is an interesting look at raw, unedited footage from a police car's dashboard-mounted camera. There's no sound effects, no voice over, nothing but the original video. But what the video lacks in hype, it makes up for in uncertainty. You're not sure what's going to happen next as the cops haphazardly chase a stolen police car though night streets and around blind corners.

4 - M3 Gets Away
This E30 M3 running from the cops is an awesome chase on its own right, with an allegedly 15 year-old driver out-maneuvering the pursuing police. But what we find additionally interesting is the production of the footage for television. First off, the stats referenced for the BMW seem off, and are probably for a later model E36 M3. But what we really can't get over is that the clip used towards the end when the BMW is "breaking down" is merely footage from earlier on in the chase that's been slowed down. Either this was a creative editing to make up for a lack of footage of it happening, or maybe the kid in the BMW actually got away. Combine this with a liberal use of added action movie sound effects, and you've got a quintessential made-for-cable tv car chase.

3 - SoCal Close Calls
Following the classic formula for a So-Cal police chase, this SUV weaves its way through traffic with multiple close calls, from highways to local roads. We'd have given kudos to the driver for quickly threading the needle between cars, but then he screws it all up with a lame finish by hitting a small tree at low speed and being tracked down on foot. But then, it looks to be a Toyota Highlander that he was driving, so what can you expect?

2 - Taurus Shootout
This wouldn't be American-style law enforcement without a wild west shootout, and that's exactly what we've got here. Kudos to the cops for continuing the pursuit even after having the entire back side of a Ford Taurus shoved onto the hood of a police car, and then being shot at. We're not sure it was necessary to ram the vehicle at full speed afterwards, but it we give bonus points for the gun flying through the air at the end.

1 - PIT-Proof Mustang
This last chase is perhaps one of the most hoontastic displays of driving ever recorded — with the exception of Killdozer, of course — which unfortunately isn't much of a chase since cops could walk after it (Honorable Mention, nonetheless). No, the driver of this Mustang is hit with a PIT maneuver by the cops twice, each time performing a perfectly controlled 360-degree spin. Even when the cops pin him against the wall, the Mustang finds a way to spin off the highway onto the grass and regain control on a side road. But perhaps the best part of the video is listening to the disbelief of the news reporter as voices in the background laugh and cheer for spinning Mustang. Innocent until proven guilty, right?

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Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:30:00 EDT Mark Arnold http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=397566&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Motive Pits Hyundai Genesis Against Mercedes E-Class, Will Our Expectations Survive? ]]> Like most of us, the guys at Motive are interested in seeing how the new 2009 Hyundai Genesis stacks up against it's German rivals when compared side-by-side. So, they got their hands on a Genesis and brought along a Mercedes E550 to see if Hyundai really has the beginnings of a top-tier luxury brand. Obviously, the Benz costs a pretty penny more than the Korean upstart, but you might be surprised just how comparable the two are. [Motive]

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Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:20:00 EDT Mark Arnold http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=397717&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ David E. Davis Smacks Max Mosley Across The Mouth, Mosley Enjoys It ]]> Max_Mosley_DavidE.jpgThere's isn't much you can say about Max Mosley that's worse than the original Mosley video. So we have to give David E. Davis, editor emeritus at Winding Road, credit for going above-and-beyond in response to the vote of confidence that kept Mosley in charge of the F.I.A., suggesting that, among other things, some Holocaust survivors could get together to entertain Mosley and "if little Max turned up the next morning hanging upside down from a fire escape in some evil slum wearing a full dress ceremonial Nazi uniform and holding a dead rat in his mouth, the world would be a better place." The full rant below.

[American Driver]

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Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:20:00 EDT Matt Hardigree http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=397099&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ 1987 BMW M6 ]]> We love the BMW 6 series cars around here, and so far we've seen an '83 633CSi and an '87 L6 parked on the Alameda street. You fans of the early 5 and 7 series BMWs will have your day, as I'm going to shoot at least one example of each for this series... but that's going to have to wait, because we've got a "stop the presses" sort of a find for today.


M6_Emblem_Trunk.jpg
Yes, it's what appears to be a genuine first-generation BMW M6 (or a really, really good fake). I was out for a walk and spotted this red shark parked in a handicapped zone next to Alameda Hospital. You see, handicapped drivers here in the Bay Area don't allow their disabilities to dilute their love for fast German cars.

M6_LH.jpg
Fewer than 2,000 E24 M6s were sold in North America during the 1983-89 period. The '87 came with a 256-horse six and a price tag of $55,950 ($106,695.07 in 2008 bucks), just a few grand less than a new Porsche 928S.

M6_Frt_Grille.jpg
This example is in very nice condition for a street-driven 21-year-old car. Sure, 256 horsepower in a 3,570-pound car isn't such a big deal nowadays, but this thing was a fearsome factory hot rod in its time.



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Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EDT Murilee Martin http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=396731&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Jalopnik Mails It In With New "Top Stories" E-Mail ]]> Do you ever miss big stories on Jalopnik because you're, you know, working? We have great news: E-mail alerts! Check out that blue bar over on the left of the page. If you look closely, you'll see a "Suscribe To Jalopnik" headline and entry field. You may now sign up to get the "Top Stories Of the Week" from Jalopnik via e-mail. The e-mail goes out every Friday and shows the 5 most popular stories of the week. We'll also use the e-mail list to alert readers to "breaking news" on the site. All you have to do is enter your e-mail address in the window and follow the confirmation directions. These addresses will not be sold to advertisers, by the by. Plus! Guess what?

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Look! A gratuitous picture of a Fierenzo. Now will you sign up? It's so easy! Just look for the thing that looks like this:

Top-Stories-Email.jpg

We humbly thank you and return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

Photo (and, you know, everything else) Credit: Jezebel

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Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:40:00 EDT Ray Wert http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=396845&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ 1974 BMW 3.0 CS, With Bonus BMW Poll ]]> We saw a somewhat rough E9 BMW last fall, and now we're going to look at one that's a bit nicer. I've seen this '74 3.0 CS moving around under its own power pretty regularly, while the '73 3.0 CSi seems to be more a work in progress. The 2002s seem to get a lot more love than the big 6-cylinder cars of this era, but we'll see who fares best in the poll after the jump.


74_BMWE9_Rear.jpg
Looking at the past BMWs in this series, I'm realizing that I ought to go photograph one of the late-70s/early-80s 5- and 7-series cars I see around town. They're DOTS-worthy, yes?

74_BMWE9_Frt_LH_w_Fury.jpg
This car lives quite close to the 1972 Fury, which can be seen in the background of this photo. Same era, totally different philosophy.

74_BMWE9_Emblem_Vent.jpg
The price tags on the two cars differed quite markedly as well. The '74 3.0 CSi coupe sold for $10,634, while the '72 Fury III 4-door hardtop listed at $3,813. You got a 150-horse 318 V8 standard in the Plymouth, while the BMW cranked out 170 horses from its 3-liter six (of course, an extra 85 bucks would get the 185-horsepower 400 in the Fury). I know, apples and oranges. All right, time for the poll! Which Bavarian machine do you like best?

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Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EDT Murilee Martin http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=396189&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ SwiftFuel Is Just Like Fuel, Except Probably Full Of Crap ]]> SwiftFuel-Ethanol.jpgToday brought us news of a purported new solution to high gas prices: SwiftFuel. Currently intended as a replacement for leaded 100-octane aviation fuel, SwiftFuel claims to be ethanol-based, but somehow free from ethanol's negatives such as its lower energy density, incompatibility with gasoline, and propensity to destroy rubber components. How do we know all this? The company's MySpace page told us so. But since we realize social networking sites sometimes contain minor misrepresentations, we decided to dig deeper. What we've discovered, and more importantly, what we still don't know, after the jump.

Ordinarily, we wouldn't have given SwiftFuel a second glance due to the snake-oil style claims it makes. But in this case, the information came with a whiff of credibility thanks to a writeup by columnist Robert X. Cringely at PBS.org, including an interview with Mary Russek, half of the husband and wife team behind the company. Factor in the company's web site and a mention on Slashdot, and that's four different places you can find SwiftFuel on the internet. But is there any real information?

First, we looked at Swift Enterprises' claims about SwiftFuel, which are easy to spot thanks to the light-blue 20-point text on their MySpace entry:


  • Completely renewable with no petroleum: Fair enough, it's 100% ethanol based, so that claim seems plausible enough.
  • 50% improvement in mileage over E-85 and 10-15% improvement over gasoline: I grouped these together since the math is basically the same. Still, this is a huge claim, considering that ethanol has only 75% of the energy density of gasoline. To achieve the required energy density, one would need to boost ethanol with another chemical or create a new hydrocarbon from the ethanol base stock.
  • 20% fewer emissions than gasoline: You had me at "a 15% improvement in mileage." But the global warming benefits are certainly icing on the cake, and seem to point toward an oxygenate in the fuel.
  • No engine modifications, additives or stabilizers are needed: In other words, you don't need a FlexFuel engine to run SwiftFuel, nor do you have to dump a quart of STP in the tank to keep from burning a valve. So, whatever they're using is chemically inert.

The problem is, that's it. Aside from discovering that SwiftFuel is single, a Gemini, and interested in networking, there's no information explaining how these scientific miracles are accomplished. The company's appallingly slow web site offers their utopian vision: "Swift Enterprises aims to use renewable resources to end the energy crisis," but details amount to, "Swift is working with hydrogen peroxide and novel chemicals as new components in fuel cells and propellants." Peroxide as an oxygenate, perhaps? There's also a hint that the company is synthesizing hydrocarbons from ethanol, but that's about where the eight minutes of organic chemistry we took runs out.

So is SwiftFuel real? To paraphrase legions of X-Files fans, "We want to believe!" But we don't. When Robert Cringely and the Ruseks swing by our office with a jerrycan full of SwiftFuel for us to test, we'll bring you more. Until then, SwiftFuel belongs in the same category as Water 4 Gas and the Tornado.
[Slashdot]

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Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:40:00 EDT Andrew Stoy http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=395981&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Camo E-Class Panzerwagen Menaces Monaco, Max Mosley Coup d'Etat Next? ]]> You never know where the next automotive fad may originate, but the Principality of Monaco should be able to lay claim to this sure-fire Next Big Thing: reticle-equipped camouflage Mercedes-Benz station wagons! Longtime reader Deckard spotted this W210 wagon, put two and two together, and came up with what we think is a totally plausible conspiracy theory...


Monaco_Mercedes_Ornament.jpg
It's a Mercedes W210 (we're guessing it's a 2002 vintage, but can't really be sure) E-Class wagon, most likely an E320 which we spotted in the Principality about three weeks ago. As if that weren't enough, it's been painted a wonderful shade of desert camo, and the venerable three-pointed star has been replaced with a reticle. The identity of this car's owner is as yet unknown, but since it belongs to a Monegasque, I think we can rule out Dick Cheney (although we did people moving a man-sized vault into one of the buildings, so it's not completely impossible). Our best (and completely baseless/unsubstantiated/wildly accusatory) guess: maybe it's Max Mosley? Because when you need to carry 5 prostitutes in style, comfort, and safety, a camouflage E-Class panzer-wagen is really the only choice...

Denis

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Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EDT Murilee Martin http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=395420&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Green Track Cars at the Ultimate Track Car Challenge! ]]> By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

It took a bit of poking and prodding, but we managed to round up four "green" track cars for the Grassroots Motorsports Ultimate Track Car Challenge on Sunday. We have two Jetta TDIs—the Chili Pepper Racing TDI and the Kerma TDI. We'll also have the AC Propulsion eBox, which currently holds the 1/8th mile record with the National Electric Drag Racing Association for a street conversion. And finally, we have the Organic Racing Lotus 7 replica (an E85-powered WCM Ultralite S2K). These four will compete to see who's the fastest, and who's the greenest. Stay tuned for full coverage of Sunday's event at Buttonwillow.

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Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:08:42 EDT Ray Wert http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5013516&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Avoid E85 Like A Plague Of Corn-Eating Locusts ]]> Gas_Cap.jpgFiling up your E85 vehicle might initially feel better due to prices that are, on average, about 20% cheaper than regular octane, but the joke is on you. Because gas engines burn the typically corn-based fuel less efficiently, the adjusted cost of E85 is $4.321 per gallon compared to gas that averaged about $3.962 on Friday. Even in states that subsidize the cost of the fuel, like New York and Iowa, the difference still results in prices that are equal to or worse than the price of regular gasoline. Though this still means you are using less dino juice, we feel that this is offset by the disruption of food crops and the fertilizer runoff that is impacting the Gulf of Mexico. Maybe you should look into Algae power. [Kicking Tires]

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Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:00:00 EDT Matt Hardigree http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=394663&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Homemade Driving Sim Cockpit Made of E30 Parts, More Realistic Than Modern BMWs? ]]> The cockpit of many modern cars may make the driver feel like they're in a video game, what with drive-by-wire steering, floppy-paddle gearboxes, and an array of electronic nannies. But what about a video game that makes you feel like you're in a real car? Thats what one Bimmerphile over at r3vlimited was apparently going for with this: a driving simulator cockpit that utilizes the ergonomic interior of an old E30 BMW 3-Series. But, this isn't just some junkyard seat sitting in front of a TV, everything is actually functional. The steering steers, the shifter shifts, the gauge needles pivot, the vents blow, the radio cranks out tunes, you even have to twist the key to restart the car if you stall out. Don't believe us? Check out the video.


[r3vlimited] Hat Tip to TheGuinnessTooth!

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Thu, 29 May 2008 13:20:00 EDT Mark Arnold http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=393849&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ 2009 BMW 555i Spotted In California? ]]> Attentive Jalopnik reader Brian Lopes was out-and-about when he spotted something slightly off about this new 5-Series BMW parked over the weekend in Long Beach, California. The badging indicates that this is a "555i" BMW. Those who have been following the company know that this latest version of the aging E60 is rumored to be getting a version of the 4.4L, twin-turbo N64 V8 good for about 400 horsepower and 450 ft.-lbs. of torque. The word on the street was that this was set to sneak out in 2009, so the chances of it running around in public are fairly slim and our BMW sources indicate that they have no knowledge of that model existing (though, they would say that wouldn't they?). Most likely, then, this is a regular 5-series owned by someone who purchased an extra badge and did the work themselves. Still, dare to dream.

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Tue, 27 May 2008 15:20:00 EDT Matt Hardigree http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=393420&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Coors Puts Beer Waste To Use As Ethanol ]]> As we continue our march towards the end of the highest-priced gas day of the year, let's turn to something a little bit more enjoyable to think about — like beer! Who says you have to harvest football fields worth of corn for one gallon of ethanol? Molson Coors Brewing Company, the company behind the delectable Coors Light has announced that it is the official E85 ethanol producer for the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Wait, what? Seriously? A beer company is the ethanol sponsor for the Democratic National Convention?

Of course! You see, as former Jalopnik Mike Austin found out a couple of years back, Coors has been putting beer to debatably better use by harvesting ethanol out of wasted malted carbonated hops during the manufacturing process. Sure, ethanol may help with the performance of your car, but how's it going to fraternity parties nationwide to not have access to cheap beer because Coors is busy spending time on getting Ethanol out of waste matter? Seriously, the nerve of some companies.

Anyway, the Coors Brewing Company in Golden, Co., is capable of producing three million gallons of ethanol per year. The link to the Democratic National Convention is a distant one, at best — although if you've been covering the process of choosing a Democratic party candidate this election cycle you'll realize how important it would be to have three million gallons of beer at the convention rather than ethanol. Not that the convention being held in Denver will need three million gallons of ethanol, as Coors will provide the ethanol to power the flex-fuel vehicles being used for the convention.

But, Coors will also be the official beer sponsor of the convention as well — just hope those hog-wild Democrats can differ between the two prior to consumption in case they accidentally do bring a case or two of the wrong alcohol mixture with them. [Newsblaze] (Image via Getty)

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Fri, 23 May 2008 10:05:00 EDT Travis Hudson http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=392956&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ 2010 BMW F3 Spied Plotting The Automotive Apocalypse? ]]> What have we here? It looks to be some sort of tarted-up BMW wagon, and according to the guys at BimmerPost, it's a mule for an upcoming 3-Series based crossover to be known as the BMW F3. Of course, there's no way to be sure. The last time we saw a lifted E91 we thought it was an X3 powertrain mule. Then there's some people who think this little black wagon is a mule for the X1. So what is it really?

Who cares? If you want a lifted 3-Series wagon, why not buy a 3-Series wagon and have it lifted? Really, how many niches must there be? Does the world actually need something that's part wagon, part SUV, part minivan, part sedan? The bad part is that once the F3/V3/X1 finally does arrive, it won't actually be a bad vehicle. We'll test drive it, and declare that it's well-built, drives well, and is quite practical. And then people will buy it. Profit will be made. Other automakers will take notice and build similar vehicles. The niche will be filled. Then, two new niches, one to either side of the old niche, will be created. Those niches will be filled, and sooner or later we'll all be driving (or merely riding along) in nondescript blobs. Our children will have no knowledge of hoonage, at which point the world will likely end.
[BimmerPost.com]

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Tue, 20 May 2008 12:30:00 EDT Mark Arnold http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=392050&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ The Amazing Self-Modifying Exhaust System ]]> Cruising down the highway, a noise which sounded like mischievous squirrels nesting under the car caught my ear. I kept driving. Some minutes later, passing motorists began gawking, waving, honking, and pointing at my car. "Do you see anything?" I asked my brother who was riding shotgun. Looking over his shoulder, he casually replied, "yeah there's sparks" and went back to his cell phone conversation. I knew exactly what had happened. Some part of the 25-year-old exhaust system had decided it was time to give up the ghost.

Now, you'd think that a keen ear would have heard a significant increase in the exhaust note's volume before noticing the faint scrapping sound of rusty German metal on American pavement, but the piping was apparently so rusty that it had been significantly loud for as long as I'd known it. So, after pulling over onto the shoulder, I figured it wouldn't be very difficult to just complete the job right then and there. Though only the tailpipe was resting on the ground, the entire muffler felt pretty loose. Rather than hassle with attempting to unbolt this or that, I simply got down in the dirt and started kicking the dang thing. That loosened it up nicely, but it still wasn't off completely. So, lacking any gloves, I grabbed a pair of socks from my bag and slid 'em over my hands so I wouldn't burn myself. Twisting the muffler back and forth, it soon broke off like a tab from a Coke can. Victory. I hoisted it into the air then slammed it on the pavement. That thing ain't gonna muffle any sweet inline-six gurgle-tones no more.

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Mon, 19 May 2008 14:40:00 EDT Mark Arnold http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=391495&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ 2009/2010 BMW M3 Sedan ]]> The power-hungry BMW-lovers at M3Post have caught the 2009/2010 BMW M3 Sedan out for a stroll, and it looks like the next model year of the BMW M3's getting a bit of a rear-end lift with some color, some lines and yes, some new taillights to match what we've been told to expect on the next 3-Series sedan. Other than the butt-lift on the four-door, don't expect a whole lot of other changes for the next M3. Well, other than that "Space Gray" paint job.

[via M3Post]

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Mon, 19 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT Ray Wert http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=391536&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ So, What About The Porcubimmer? ]]> We followed the exploits of LTDScott and his Team Porcubimmer during the run-up to the 24 Hours of LeMons race at Altamont, and some of you are probably wondering how it went for the "Pricks Outside" guys when the real deal went down. Well, we have good news and bad news for you: the good news is that the car looked amazing (as did the coordinated team outfits), but the bad news is that a cascade of mechanical woes kept the Porcubimmer off the track for much of the weekend. Fuel system, clutch, you name it. When it was on the track, however, it was fast; for a glorious- if regrettably short- time on Saturday, the spiky 325e was in the #1 position. Take heart, Porcubimmer fans- we're pretty sure we haven't seen the last of this car's angry face! [Porcubimmer.com]

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Wed, 14 May 2008 17:20:00 EDT Murilee Martin http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=390482&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Full Details On Ford Australia's Multi-Flavored FPV Falcon Lineup ]]> When Ford of Australia first announced their lineup of F6 FPV lineup we didn't pay too much attention to the various minor differences in the F6 Falcon lineup. Little did we know how far the Ford Performance Vehicle group was going to go in order to meet the needs of anyone with the cash to throw around $60,000+ USD on V8-powered goodness. Each vehicle in this range comes with the new 5.4-Liter Boss V8 good for 422 horsepower and 407 lb-ft of torque mated to a ZF six-speed auto transmission or TR6060 six-speed manual gearbox. The GT is your basic high-performance sedan while the GT P takes it a couple of steps further. The GT E is at the upper extreme, offering similar performance without all the boy racer styling and colors for the hoon with a briefcase. Press release below the jump.

F6 Ford Falcon Lineup

Ford Performance Vehicles Reveals New Model Range

Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) today publicly unveiled its new performance GT and F6 sedans at the Melbourne International Motor Show.

"This is the first chance for the public to get a close-up look at some of our new models, ahead of their release in June," said Ford Performance Vehicles General Manager Rod Barrett.

"Our new model range offers performance enthusiasts the ultimate in performance engineering, luxury appointments and sports styling."

For the first time, the Ford badge will not appear externally on an FPV model. The GT and F6 sedans on display both feature FPV badges prominently on the centre grille and centre boot lid, which is consistent with the entire new range.

"Featuring the FPV badge on all our new models is a major repositioning for the FPV brand," said Barrett.

"It signifies the maturing of our brand and the evolution of FPV as Ford�s performance partner."

As with Ford, FPV has repositioned its high performance sedan and Ute model variants, with eight stunning vehicles divided into the GT series and F6 series families.

"The repositioning of the vehicle line-up has been done for similar reasons to the Ford
G Series," said Barrett.

"It is all about growing the brand and attracting new customers. The GT series family continues our strong iconic heritage, while the F6 series family caters to a new segment of performance car enthusiasts who prefer a slick turbo charged six-cylinder to a thundering V8."

The GT series family retains the familiar GT and GT-P sedan nameplates, and introduces the stylish new luxury GT-E sedan.

The bold exterior styling of the new GT and GT-P is highlighted by the trademark unique front grille treatment, rear wing, side striping and V8 bonnet bulge accented with a newly designed hood decal.

Visually, the new GT-E is distinguished from its V8 siblings by its refined rear lip spoiler, chrome accenting and distinctive GT-E badging.

The GT-E's unique 19-inch alloy wheels are matched by a premium brake package, with six-piston Brembo brakes now featured as standard.

"The GT-E is a sophisticated luxury performance car that will cater for those buyers that don't want the stripes, wings, and seats offered in the GT-P, however, want to retain all the performance attributes of that car," said Barrett.

The Super Pursuit and Pursuit Ute variants complete the GT series range.

The F6 series family features the F6 and F6 Ute, the Typhoon and Tornado nomenclature are discontinued on the new vehicles.

Significant ride, handling and safety advancements have been made to the new FPV stable. Each new model variant has been fully engineered and designed to provide the performance enthusiast with the ultimate in Australian performance motoring.

Safety advances include the addition of Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) on FPV sedan & Ute vehicles for the first time.

Significantly, FPV customers will also have a choice of manual or automatic transmissions at no additional cost in the sedan range.

"The option of automatic or manual transmissions in the sedan range at no extra cost caters for both our luxury and overt sports customers, without penalising either for their choice of transmission," said Barrett.

FPV has produced exhilarating performance upgrades across the GT and F6 range, however, the exact engine performance power and torque figures will be revealed closer to the on sale date in June.

"The unique FPV enhanced design gives each vehicle a bolder road presence," said Barrett.

"Coupled with performance upgrades, the new FPV range is a revolution in Australian performance motoring. I'm sure our loyal and passionate customers will be extremely impressed."

[Ford via World Car Fans] ]]>
Wed, 14 May 2008 10:20:00 EDT Matt Hardigree http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=390327&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ New Delphi Tech Ensures No More Dead Keyfob Batteries ]]> delphi-keyfob.jpgDelphi, makers of all kinds of vehicle electronic gadgetry, will become the first manufacturer to use what is being called "segmented display cell." SDC is a type of e-ink used in electronics and will soon be implemented into a wireless bi-directional keyfob. SDC will make integrating displays into keyfobs a little more reasonable. SDC also looks a hell of a lot better than the third-party jobbers with displays that look like those handheld videogames from the 1990s. This technology isn't just about looks, either.

The type of display is more flexible and thinner than some of the current up-and-coming e-ink technologies. It also uses less battery power and the bi-directional nature of this specific keyfob from Delphi will allow for it to tell you all kinds of interesting facts about your car that nobody else will care about but you. [Slashgear]

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Mon, 12 May 2008 15:20:00 EDT Travis Hudson http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=389567&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ 2010 BMW Z4 Interior ]]> BMW-Z4-Interior.jpgWhoops, looks like fräulein Helga parked the 2010 BMW Z4 mule in the wrong place at the wrong time. Several very nice interior shots have surfaced showing the layout and interfaces of the pending Z4 revision. The dash is still covered in a thick felt and that blue and white propeller on the wheel is taped over, but there's no mistaking some elements of the new car.

In these pics we can clearly make out a dash top user interface for the prominently displayed and new fangled pop-up iDrive. Also present in at ten and two are some aluminum paddle shifter doo-dads and on wheel controls. Something else new is the inclusion of an electric parking brake, which, as a feature still doesn't make much sense to us. The gauges get set deep in the pods and capped with chrome trim and the seats get extendable lower leg bolsters. Check out the full source picture at Bimmerfile and manual transmission versions at ZPost.

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Fri, 09 May 2008 16:00:00 EDT Ben Wojdyla http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=389118&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Jalopnik's BMW 633CSi ]]> Somewhere on the road between Project Car Hell and the Jalopnik Fantasy Garage is a place known as reality. And since today is apparently BMW 633CSi day, we thought we'd share what our reality is. This is my personal '83 633CSi. It's not quite old enough to be a real classic, and it's certainly not new enough to be a rational daily driver for most people, but I like it just fine. Yes, it may be from the malaise era, complete with huge diving-board bumpers, but it still manages to look fantastic, particularly in this shade of Delphin Grey. Though that's not to say it's a perfect car.

Now, I wouldn't consider myself too biased towards Bavarians of this vintage, but I have owned a few of 'em. I've had this one since autumn, and it's actually my first 6-series. Without a doubt the E24 633CSi is stylish, but it's certainly not as involving to drive as an E30 325is, as easy to powerslide as an E28 535is, as rare as an E23 732i, or as economical as an E30 325e. But you do get the feeling that you're in something slightly more special than a standard Bimmer. So a good buy then? Well I paid $2500 for this one. It's got a couple little issues, like non-functioning gauge lights, brakes that feel absolutely wooden, and wipers that always get tangled up on each other, but it's also fairly rust-free for a Michigan car, and is a somewhat rare 5-speed manual. But to be honest, I had no intention of buying it when I went to go look at it. The problem was... I looked at it, and kept looking... staring at it as the setting sun turned the ambient light around it into a spectrum of red and orange gently bouncing off that glorious grey paint. Call me a sucker, but it was just too damn pretty.

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Tue, 06 May 2008 18:00:00 EDT Mark Arnold http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=387817&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ PCH, Upscale BMW Coupe Edition: 1967 2000C or 1984 633CSi? ]]> In another setback to French dreams of displaying the All-Time Eternal Project Car Damnation MegaTrophy (which turns into a pile of red powder within a few weeks) at the top of the Eiffel Tower, the hybridized British Leyland machine obliterated the Peugeot diesel in yesterday's Choose Your Eternity poll. The endless battle between PCH Superpowers Britain, France, and Italy will hold a cease-fire today, as we're so inspired by the beauty and coke-dealer-style original price tag of this morning's PCH car that we have no choice but to fill your garage with the sulfurous fumes of two gorgeous- yet maddeningly complex- Bavarian machines today.


Back in 1967, many of those hankering for a German performance car usually went for the Porsche 911 (priced at about $5,900) or maybe the Mercedes-Benz 250SL ($6,500). But what about the BMW 2000C, which could be purchased for a mere $5,000 and offered handling and style galore? Not many chose the BMW, which means they're quite difficult to find these days. Think you need to settle for a ho-hum 2002 for your vintage BMW project, with its easy-to-find parts and vast network of enthusiasts making your character-building Hell Project more of a laziness-inducing Mildly Challenging Project? Nein! We've managed to find this 1967 2000C (go here if the ad disappears) for you, and the price is a very reasonable $1,500! There's a big problem you'll need to solve right off the bat with this one- it's an automatic transmission-equipped car- but it "runs good." And that's all the seller sees fit to share with the world. There might be rust. There might be missing parts. The interior could be home to a boiling hive of Botswanan Urethra-Seeking Fire Millipedes. Who can say? Just imagine yourself behind the wheel of this baby after you've ditched the slushbox for a 5-speed and squeezed every last rampagin' Bavarian pony out of the engine!

Those old BMWs are cool, but they just weren't expensive enough when new. With great expense comes great complexity, and you got both in spades with the BMW E24 6-series cars. Malaise be damned, even the 70s 6-series cars were big and fast, and they looked mean. Some folks are scared off by them today, what with their rep for expensive repairs and hard-to-find parts, but we know you're willing to march right into the flames and claim your new car: this '84 BMW 633CSi (go here if the ad disappears). We hardly dare mention the price, since it must be a typo. Really, a car that sold new for the equivalent of 84 grand in 2008 dollars can't possibly be selling now for just... $800! And look at it- not in bad shape at all (well, at least the parts that you can see in the photos). Unlike the 2000C, this one comes with a manual transmission, but it's sort of on the broken side. The seller also claims it needs a fuel pump ("needs fuel pump" is often Car Seller-ese for "something maybe involving the fuel system isn't working right"). There's a certain lack of clarity surrounding its running-versus-nonrunning status, with the seller mixing past and present tense in the not-so-enlightening statement: "Yes it runs,and ran perfect." So, bad transmission, fuel system woes, "very little" rust, runs or maybe ran... there's so much to like about this car, and what a price! You should be able to get it back to showroom condition in, what, a couple of weeks? Sure!

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Tue, 06 May 2008 17:20:00 EDT Murilee Martin http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=387465&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ BMW X3 Powetrain Mule Probably Cooler Than BMW X3 ]]> What can be said about the BMW X3 that we haven't already been through? It's a compact SUV which would be better off as a four-by-four station wagon, just as AMC showed us. Funny thing though when you're developing a new X3 to come out sometime before 2011, you may need to wrap the test power train in something other than the final sheetmetal — like the modified body of an E91 3-series station wagon. Another funny thing about the situation is the resultant car looks freakin' great! With this mule we're really beginning to wonder if the X3 wouldn't be better off this way. What do you think? [Bimmerfile]

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Tue, 06 May 2008 15:20:00 EDT Ben Wojdyla http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=387697&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ A Brief Lesson On How To Fail At A Toll Booth ]]> This is one of those videos which leaves you just shaking your head. Operating an automobile is apparently a monumental task for this E-Class driver and the result is both amusing and confounding. And sad. Since she just drives away after her and her band of friends assess the damage. We're assuming she went directly to the toll office to pay for the damage. Yeah, that's what she did. [JoyBreak]

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Tue, 06 May 2008 10:00:00 EDT Ben Wojdyla http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=387525&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ 1983 BMW 633CSi ]]> We've only had one 6-series BMW so far in this series, so when I saw this '83 parked just around the corner from the '74 Porsche 911 Targa, I figured it was worth shooting. This one is a good example of a solid daily-driven car; a few scars, but nothing too serious.


83_633CSi_LH.jpg
This was a seriously expensive car back in '83, listing at $39,120 (about 83 grand in 2008 dollars). That was pretty much three times the cost of a new 320i, and for another $4,000 over the cost of the 633CSi you could have had a Porsche 928S.

83_633CSi_Emblem.jpg
Say it's 1983 and you're a low-ranking S&L employee who's managed to grab $43K in scraps from your bosses' wholesale looting. You deserve some German machinery, but what to buy? Do you take the three 320is, the 928, or the 633CSi? A few minutes at Sharknose.de tends to make me favor the 6-series.

83_633CSi_Frt_RH.jpg
Nowadays, of course, you can buy a running example one of these cars for peanuts... but keeping one running is considerably more costly. 633CSis are pretty commonplace in the wrecking yards as a result.


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Tue, 06 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT Murilee Martin http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=386910&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Around The World At 154 MPH, No Problems ]]> With most automakers, a claim that one of their cars was able to drive 31,000 miles in eight days with no breakdowns, at an average speed of 154 miles per hour... well, you'd probably call bullshit. But when Mercedes-Benz makes a claim like that, folks tend to believe it (especially back in the 80s, when this ad was made). No wonder a 190 of this era finished in the Top 10 at the last Altamont 24 Hours of LeMons! Hey, is that soundtrack from Dark Side Of The Moon?

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Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:40:00 EDT Murilee Martin http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=381762&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ The New Subaru EE20 Boxer Turbo Diesel, In Detail ]]> We've known about the new Subaru diesel for some time now, but we haven't had a real good walkthrough of this first-to-market boxer turbodiesel. You know, the whole shebang — specs, dimensions, power, transmissions, tricks. It's high time we rectified that. Luckily, TechOn did a sit-down with the chief engineers of the program a little while ago and got the whole kit, caboodle and whatever else goes along with it. What we came away with — other than a severe case of information overload — is that this clever little 2.0-liter horizontally-opposed four cylinder has some serious tricks up it bores.

Though perhaps a small note in the story, the engine is over 2.4 inches shorter front to back than Subarus 2.0-liter four cylinder gasoline EJ20. That's impressive considering the new block is stronger and up to 10 kg lighter than it's inline competitors.

Subie's also shifted to a fracture split bearing for the crank end of the connecting rods. What does that mean? Well, the connecting rod is forged as one unit, complete with holes at the crank bore and wrist pin ends. Machining operations clean up the surfaces and create the threaded holes for the bearing cap bolts, then the rod is scored along the split plane of the crank end bearing with a high powered laser. An expanding mandrel is then inserted and breaks the end of the rod in a controlled manner inline with that laser etching. The rough surface remains and acts to positively locate the connecting rod cap in space without any fancy machining.

Fuel is delivered through a positively massive high pressure fuel rail operating at around 26,000 PSI. The actual injection is handled by Denso developed units and are based on solenoid technology. Subaru has indicated the next generation may utilize Piezo injectors, and thus operate at even higher pressures for the next level of emissions regulations. For a little fresh air to go with that fuel, the turbo is a variable nozzle geometry unit mounted close to the manifold to reduce turbo lag and can spin all the way up to 190,000 RPM. There was a bunch of other stuff having to do with emissions and all that good stuff, but thats boring, so go read that yourself if you like.

Interestingly, the engine is only currently planned with a 5 speed manual — with taller gears due to the high torque available. Speaking of power, lets remember this thing is planned currently to put out 147 HP at 3600 RPM and 258 lb.ft. at 1800 RPM. We're not what you'd call experts, but thats a pretty healthy bite of grunt down low. With the inherently smooth operation of the boxer design, and the apparently compact and relatively lightweight design, this seems like a winner without consequence. Though it's widely anticipated this engine will eventually make from Europe to the US, nothing has been confirmed yet, but we can only hope. [TechOn]

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Wed, 23 Apr 2008 09:40:00 EDT Ben Wojdyla http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=383023&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Hamann Kicks The E92 M3 Coupe Up A Notch... Or 35 ]]> While the majority of us would be happy with a standard M3, Hamann's apparently not as satisfied as the German tuning shop has just revealed a couple of serious tuning packages for the V8-powered E92 BMW M3 Coupe. The two blend all sorts of fun performance upgrades with enough cosmetics to make Mary Kay blush. The first tuning package increases the 4.0-liter V8's output to 435 HP and a slight boost to torque on the crank shaft. With the removal of the speed limiter, the M3 can go up to a top speed of 187 mph. The second kit called "Sportkit HM/M +35" raises output to 455 HP. This second package pushes the speedometer up to a speedgasmic 199 mph. As far as looks go, Hamann drops a black on black paint job, matching the rims to the dark-as-night skin. Gorgeous. The black knight certainly does return.

[via CarScoop]

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Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:20:00 EDT Ray Wert http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=379312&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Ready For The Hammer Party? ]]>
No, not this Hammer Party, although the AMG Hammer came out around the same time as the Big Black album. We're talking about one of 21 American-built 1988 AMG "Hammer" Mercedes-Benz E-Class cars, which is up for sale with a Buy It Now of $89,999. Yes, even though this is a high-end, super-collectible factory musclecar, the seller feels compelled to do the "many nines" pricing routine more commonly associated with a clapped-out '86 Buick Somerset sitting on the Dollar Bill's Easy Autos lot with a Day-Glo "$1,999.99" sign on the windshield. But never mind that, because buying this car today is like buying an LS6 Chevelle 20 years ago; sure, it seems way overpriced now, but just wait another 20 years and see what happens! The only drawback here is the lack of the 32-valve 6-liter AMG engine, though the seller claims the 2-valve 5.6 is actually better. Either way, now that we're in a Hammer Party mood, make the jump to hear "Steelworker." Oh, and thanks to Schm for the tip! [eBay Motors]

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Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EDT Murilee Martin http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=373268&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Franken M3 To Warp Space and Time When Complete ]]> Imagine for a moment what would happen if you took the 500 HP V10 power train and suspension out of a 2008 BMW M5 and put it into a 1988 BMW M3. Stop salivating. This is exactly what the lunatics at Piper Motorsports are doing.The car is being outfitted with all the fun stuff from the M5 and none of the porky excess which bogs the super sedan down. When complete it will have all of the subframes, suspension, engine power and countless custom components. I will also probably have it's owners breath, as we're sure it will take it away. [Piper Motorsports and Cardomain Build Log]

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Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:45:00 EDT Ben Wojdyla http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=373413&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Obsessive-Compulsively Documented BMW Sold For $900 ]]> A big selling point for older cars is documentation. Though for most used cars, the line "fully-documented" in a classified ad indicates a glovebox full of assorted receipts from Meineke, Discount Tire, and Jiffy Lube. But in the case of this 1987 BMW 325i, "fully-documented" is an understatement. The E30 came with all oil change and service invoices, the original motor vehicle purchase contract, sales brochures, accessories catalog, owners manual, a vintage catalog from Dinan tuning, a receipt indicating installation of a Dinan chip and H1/H4 headlight conversion, and a thick BMW factory repair manual in mint-condition. Oh, and one more thing...

The pièce de résistance of the old 3-series was a highly detailed notebook that has record of every single gas fill-up. That notebook is so exhaustively thorough that for each fill-up it includes the date, mileage, dollars spent, exact amount of gasoline pumped, and even the name of the gas station where it was filled. That is some seriously obsessive documentation. And to think, the car was sold for just $900. Basically, the car was free with the purchase of the records. [VWvortex member mixedpartsbmx]

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Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:30:00 EDT Mark Arnold http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=373417&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Mercedes 2.3-16 Is Brucer Than Our Imprecise Minds Can Comprehend ]]> When we showed you the pics of a well maintained Mercedes 190E 2.3-16 yesterday it was nice to see that the rest of you share our love for this Cosworth-tuned Benz. In fact, you all liked it so much that one of you, Comedian, shared an uploaded 2.3-16 advertisement from the 1980's. Enjoy the novelty of a performance Benz with a manual and the phrase "with a four-cylinder, 16 valve jewel of engine." [YouTube]

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Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:15:00 EDT Matt Hardigree http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=372834&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Buy A Mercedes 190E 2.3-16 And Put A Little Herr On Your Chest ]]> The poor Mercedes 190E 2.3-16 has been lost to time, buried in our memories by videos of e30 burnouts and images of Audi Quattros leaping rally-style over jumps. The time was the late 1970's and Benz wanted a high performance entry-level sedan to establish its cred in the DTM scene. Not having AMG in-house to do the tune, Mercedes tapped Cosworth to develop a car with a roadgoing homolgation version. The result was a a fast, confident sedan that set 12 international endurance records. Though overshadowed by the competition, this classic Mercedes could be a cheap pickup for someone willing to put the time into under-appreciated German muscle.

Currently, this 1987 version is available for under $5,000. The body looks to be in good condition and it is registered through the end of the year. The high number of miles (153,000) might scare us off, but we wouldn't consider this a daily-driver anyways. [eBay motors via Motive Forums]

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Wed, 26 Mar 2008 16:45:00 EDT Matt Hardigree http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=372527&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Popular Mechanics Drives The Subaru R1e Electric Car ]]> Mike Allen over at Popular Mechanics had a chance to spend some time behind the wheel of the new plug-in microcar — the Subaru R1e. With acceleration lower than a "determined taxicab," it wasn't what you'd call an "exciting" test — and definitely a step below our test of the Hybrid Technologies' melty-looking Lithium-Powered Super Car but Pop-Mech can't have everything now, can they? [via Popular Mechanics]

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Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:15:00 EDT Ray Wert http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=371254&view=rss&microfeed=true