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Detroit, 6:50 PM
Fri Dec 11
29 posts in the last 24 hours
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12/10/09
12/10/09
12/10/09
The torque range on the ecoBoost blows me away.
(Project lead) "I want 350 ft-lbs of torque. Can you do that?"
(Engineer) "Sure. Where on the rev range do you want it?"
(Waves indistinctly) "Anywhere."
(Engineer shrugs) "Okey-dokey."
Also: +1 for timing chains.
The VW 2.0 Turbo is a fun engine. I drove it. It drives bigger than it is. Yowzah.
A Chevy getting 32mpg used to be impressive. Now it's Chevy's sport-cute delivering 32mpg, and it's not as small as the sport-cutes used to be. Frankly, I'm damned impressed. My car won't do that, not even close, and it doesn't make nearly as much power, either.
Damned impressed.
12/10/09
12/10/09
12/10/09
12/09/09
DEATH TO ENGINE HATS!
12/10/09
but then again, was the last time you saw an engine that looked like this one.....
12/10/09
12/10/09
Manufacturer: Yamaha Motor Corporation
Production: 1989–1995
12/10/09
12/10/09
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12/10/09
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12/10/09
Or is there some reason that manufacturers want it to seem like a total mystery as to what is powering the car? "Hey, what's under there? DONT LOOK! It's a genie and he is f*cking angry."
Dear car makers: I (we) think engines look cool and we would like to see them. Nobody likes your stupid plastic covers, so stop putting them on. What, is this the victorian era of underhood design? Next thing you know there will just be another hood under the hood when you open the hood.
12/09/09
12/10/09
12/09/09
I am disappointed in the ecoweenieism that picked the naturally aspirated Ecotec over the direct injected turbocharged version (which also makes more power and torque than VW's equivalent).
12/10/09
12/10/09
12/10/09
12/09/09
As for the list, it's not bad (not great, either) although no hybrid makes my list and no way Hyundai makes the world's best V8.
Now that Subie has solved that pesky banjo bolt issue, I'm thrilled to see their pancake's on the menu.
12/10/09
12/09/09
I'm not sure when Ward's fell victim to the same eco-weenie crap that's taking over the whole fucking world, but I'm sure as hell am not happy about it. I love turbo-fours, diesels and direct injection as much as anybody, I don't know how much longer I can deal with all this plug-in-hybrid, evil man-made carbon emissions will kill us all bullshit that's progressively destroying the car hobby I so dearly love.
12/09/09
12/09/09
12/09/09
And the 3800, despite being a 40+ year old pushrod, it was easily one of, if not the best V6s on the market up until 2002-2003 or so. 200 horsepower (24o w/supercharger!) and 30 MPG on regular unleaded seemed unbelievable in the '90s, but Buick pulled it off. It wasn't until Nissan and Honda started one-upping each other that the 3800 finally stopped being competitive (and I can't believe GM tried replacing it with that "High Feature" garbage). Still, there's plenty of recent-vintage, 3800-equipped big GM sedans that make good beater highway cruisers. Not bad for a once-unloved, uneven-firing, sawed-off Fireball V8.
12/09/09
12/10/09
12/10/09
11:51 AM
12/09/09
11/19/09
Then again, I've never really agreed with MT's choices.
11/17/09
I do not miss my subscription to that magazine. #fordfusion
11/17/09
Too much gray area. #fordfusion
11/17/09
Also, I can't wait to see what the '10 Truck of the Year is. Did anybody even come out with a new truck this year? That's got to be the most bogus award of all.
11/17/09
11/18/09
why don't you take your love for America and...
nope, can't do it. I can't even pretend to be a foreign car loving person. #fordfusion
11/18/09
But I don't think people who look at automobiles as some kind of statement of nationalistic pride are really paying attention. No mass manufactured vehicle today is a pristine product of only one country. As such, the global origin of the things makes 'national pride' arguments sort of like Mexican Wrestling. Everyone is wearing a mask, and the moves are choreographed for fan enjoyment.
But this is a good car. No excess baggage with that simple observation.
11/18/09
I agree with you there. never quite understood why some of the manufactures just can't quite go that little extra mile. example: The 300c and Chargers not having a 6sp, some of the leather in cars obviously inferior, etc.
"As such, the global origin of the things makes 'national pride' arguments sort of like Mexican Wrestling"
Not so much there. even with that, many fail to take into account all the R&D to get acar to where it is going (90ish % of which is spent within the country of origin) not to mention where the profit is going (country of origin once again) simply put, the company has more invested (in all respects) in its home country, and the home country benifits most from that company's success.
don't get me wrong, I am all for a global marketplace, and competition. (without competition, you have ntohing but crap because there is no encouragement to do better.)
And I have never purchased a NEW car so I have never practiced what I preached (Though the only foreign machines i've ever had have been 3/3 motorcycles and 0/15 cars. I have not yet been able to afford a Victory, and Harley Davidsons are too much like Puppies for me (leaving a puddle wherever they go))
11/18/09
I agree with you there. never quite understood why some of the manufactures just can't quite go that little extra mile. example: The 300c and Chargers not having a 6sp, some of the leather in cars obviously inferior, etc.
"As such, the global origin of the things makes 'national pride' arguments sort of like Mexican Wrestling"
Not so much there. even with that, many fail to take into account all the R&D to get acar to where it is going (90ish % of which is spent within the country of origin) not to mention where the profit is going (country of origin once again) simply put, the company has more invested (in all respects) in its home country, and the home country benifits most from that company's success.
don't get me wrong, I am all for a global marketplace, and competition. (without competition, you have ntohing but crap because there is no encouragement to do better.)
And I have never purchased a NEW car so I have never practiced what I preached (Though the only foreign machines i've ever had have been 3/3 motorcycles and 0/15 cars. I have not yet been able to afford a Victory, and Harley Davidsons are too much like Puppies for me (leaving a puddle wherever they go))
11/17/09
Question: Does the Fusion have any relations to the Six?
11/17/09
11/17/09
If a car can handle Alaska, it can pretty much handle anything. #fordfusion
11/17/09
I'm originally from Minnesota, so I kinda know where you're coming from, but around there if you get stuck in a drift help will be by probably within a week. For you guys, spring.
Maybe. #fordfusion
11/17/09
I speak from experience. ;) #fordfusion