Wild horses
Most new cars and trucks have one thing in common: more horsepower.
Is that because 70 mph cruising is common on expressways and 80 mph cruising is common on rural interstate highways?
Such speeds call for more power to safely merge and pass, and many late model and new cars and trucks have a lot more power-draining comfort and convenience equipment. They also have much better suspensions and tires, which safely allow higher speeds -- although most drivers are ill-prepared to handle high speed emergencies.
Higher speeds and fast acceleration do nothing for fuel economy, but few seem to care unless gasoline hits $3 or more per gallon.
Some automakers stress the higher performance of gasoline/electric hybrids, compared to standard gas engine models, almost as much as they stress the higher fuel economy these hybrids provide.
For example, the Ford Mustang offers a 210-horsepower base V6 that is far more powerful than the old Mustang V-6 or a 300-horsepower V-8. The Chrysler 300 offers four engines with 190, 250, 340 or 425 horsepower. The more humble Hyundai Sonata has a base 162-horsepower four-cylinder or a 235-horsepower V-6.
Such cars now have low emissions and often triple the fuel economy of the old muscle machines, besides exceptional handling, thanks to vastly better tires and suspensions.
The 1964 Pontiac GTO launched the big 1960s muscle car market, and the $32,295 Pontiac GTO with a 400-horsepower V-8 is among the 2006 muscle car crop.
More muscle cars are destined to be introduced. The powerful concept Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger displayed at the show here are likely to be two such cars, with 1960s and early 1970s muscle car styling.
Source: Sun-Times News Group
February 16, 2006
by Dan Jedlicka - Auto Reporter
Most new cars and trucks have one thing in common: more horsepower.
Is that because 70 mph cruising is common on expressways and 80 mph cruising is common on rural interstate highways?
Such speeds call for more power to safely merge and pass, and many late model and new cars and trucks have a lot more power-draining comfort and convenience equipment. They also have much better suspensions and tires, which safely allow higher speeds -- although most drivers are ill-prepared to handle high speed emergencies.
Higher speeds and fast acceleration do nothing for fuel economy, but few seem to care unless gasoline hits $3 or more per gallon.
Some automakers stress the higher performance of gasoline/electric hybrids, compared to standard gas engine models, almost as much as they stress the higher fuel economy these hybrids provide.
It used to be that a car offered only one fairly low horsepower engine -- or a base motor and higher-horsepower engine that cost extra or was only put in a high-line model. But many cars and trucks routinely now offer at least two -- or three -- engines. Even the base engine provides decent acceleration, and the upscale engine -- or engines -- provide significantly more power.
For example, the Ford Mustang offers a 210-horsepower base V6 that is far more powerful than the old Mustang V-6 or a 300-horsepower V-8. The Chrysler 300 offers four engines with 190, 250, 340 or 425 horsepower. The more humble Hyundai Sonata has a base 162-horsepower four-cylinder or a 235-horsepower V-6.
High-powered muscle cars began appearing in the mid-1950s and were hot sellers in the 1960s and early 1970s, until shut down by such things as strict new government pollution standards. Sophisticated electronics and advanced auto engineering have brought them back.
Such cars now have low emissions and often triple the fuel economy of the old muscle machines, besides exceptional handling, thanks to vastly better tires and suspensions.
The 1964 Pontiac GTO launched the big 1960s muscle car market, and the $32,295 Pontiac GTO with a 400-horsepower V-8 is among the 2006 muscle car crop.
More muscle cars are destined to be introduced. The powerful concept Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger displayed at the show here are likely to be two such cars, with 1960s and early 1970s muscle car styling.
Read more here
Source: Sun-Times News Group
February 16, 2006
by Dan Jedlicka - Auto Reporter
...I feel it in the air,...and it don't feel soo good,...history will repeat itself,...but not if I can help it though,..I want to get everything I can get right now asap,.....now if only DCX would get off the butts and release some info on the car,...and just make it,will-ya?!!
