Cars and other kinds of motoring gibberish
Started by ahochaude · 3 May 2004 · 4,980 replies
General Discussion
![[image]](http://www.laautoshow.com/2007/Portals/0/2007VehicleHighlights/NorthAmericanDebuts/bmw1SERIES.jpg){kind=link}
![[image]](http://www.laautoshow.com/2007/Portals/0/2007VehicleHighlights/NorthAmericanDebuts/bmwM3.jpg){kind=link}
![[image]](http://www.laautoshow.com/2007/Portals/0/2007VehicleHighlights/NorthAmericanDebuts/porscheGT2.jpg){kind=link}
![[image]](http://www.laautoshow.com/2007/Portals/0/2007VehicleHighlights/NorthAmericanDebuts/porscheCAYMAN_S_Design_Edit.jpg){kind=link}
![[image]](http://www.laautoshow.com/2007/Portals/0/2007VehicleHighlights/NorthAmericanDebuts/lamborghiniREVENTON.jpg){kind=link}
![[image]](http://www.laautoshow.com/2007/Portals/0/2007VehicleHighlights/NorthAmericanDebuts/ferrari430SCUDERIA.jpg){kind=link}
BMW vs. Mercedes vs. Audi:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZXrhBudfZw&feature=related[/list:u] (This is part 1 of 3 but you can catch the other 2 parts over there as well.)
gaijinmark wrote:BMW vs. Mercedes vs. Audi:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZXrhBudfZw&feature=related[/list:u] (This is part 1 of 3 but you can catch the other 2 parts over there as well.)
Oooh.
Downloading now... Thanks for the link. :victory:
gaijinmark wrote:BMW vs. Mercedes vs. Audi:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZXrhBudfZw&feature=related[/list:u] (This is part 1 of 3 but you can catch the other 2 parts over there as well.)
Downloaded all three parts... Good show. :victory:
Not familiar with the other two, but Jeremy Walton is a crack up. :hehe:
Hahaha, yea, it's a great show. And speaking of TG and BMW - on previous episode (s10 ep9) they raced at Silverstone's 24-hour endurance race in a biodiesel powered BMW 330d:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1bDV8cdVnk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1bDV8cdVnk
boris wrote:Hahaha, yea, it's a great show. And speaking of TG and BMW - on previous episode (s10 ep9) they raced at Silverstone's 24-hour endurance race in a biodiesel powered BMW 330d:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1bDV8cdVnk
Biodiesel????? :shocked:
I gotta check that out... :hehe:
Thanks for the link. :victory:
i went to see the 'race of champions' event at wembley stadium the other week. the likes of michael schumacher and jenson button were racing each other. a brilliant event and for a good cause. my tip for the future is seb vettel. he proved a superb driver in every car he raced in. even beating marcus gronholm in his own focus wrc machine.
Ayrton Senna's last race and farewell with Honda-powered McLarens in 1992:
http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/waratte+iitomo/video/x355ep_ayrton-senna-honda-16
:thumbsup:
http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/waratte+iitomo/video/x355ep_ayrton-senna-honda-16
:thumbsup:
bmwracer wrote:Ayrton Senna's last race and farewell with Honda-powered McLarens in 1992:
http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/waratte+iitomo/video/x355ep_ayrton-senna-honda-16
:thumbsup:
excellent. :applaud:
kenjilina wrote: excellent. :applaud:
Watching that, you can't help but feel sad for various reasons... And even Senna got choked up.
Man, I miss that dude.
bmwracer wrote:
Watching that, you can't help but feel sad for various reasons... And even Senna got choked up.
Man, I miss that dude.
and despite his occasional criticism of honda the japanese loved him.
and he cared for his people...
http://senna.globo.com/institutoayrtonsenna/ingles/home.asp?r=t
kenjilina wrote: and despite his occasional criticism of honda the japanese loved him.
and he cared for his people...
http://senna.globo.com/institutoayrtonsenna/ingles/home.asp?r=t
Cool.
It's well known that he did lot of stuff to help the underprivileged... :thumbsup:
From Yahoo! News:
[image]
Tata unveils world's cheapest car
By GAVIN RABINOWITZ, Associated Press Writer
India's Tata Motors on Thursday unveiled the world's cheapest car, bringing new mobility within the reach of tens of millions of people and nightmares to environmentalists, traffic engineers and safety advocates.
Company Chairman Ratan Tata, introducing the Nano \ price tag $2,500 \ during India's main auto show, drove onto a stage in a white version of the tiny four-door subcompact, his head nearly scraping the roof.
With a snub nose and a sloping roof, it can fit five people \ if they squeeze. And the basic version is spare: there's no radio, no passenger-side mirror and only one windshield wiper. If you want air conditioning to cope with India's brutal summers, you need to get the deluxe version.
But it's cheap. The Nano's closest competitor here is the Maruti 800, a four-door that sells for nearly twice as much.
Tata, however, is targeting people moving up from the lower ends of India's transportation spectrum, where two-wheeled scooters selling for as little as $900 are often crammed with entire families.
While the price has created a buzz, critics say the Nano could lead to possibly millions more automobiles hitting already clogged Indian roads, adding to mounting air and noise pollution problems. Others have said Tata will have to sacrifice quality and safety standards to meet the target price.
The chairman, though, insists the car will meet safety standards and pollute even less than motorcycles, passing domestic and European emission standards and averaging about 50 miles per gallon. Girish Wagh, who headed the design team, said it had an oxidation catalytic convertor and it emitted 120 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer.
Chief U.N. climate scientist Rajendra Pachauri, who shared last year's Nobel Peace Prize, said last month that "I am having nightmares" about the prospect of the low-cost car.
"Dr. Pachauri need not have nightmares," Ratan Tata said at the unveiling. "For us it's a milestone and I hope we can make a contribution to the country."
The basic model will sell for 100,000 rupees, but analysts estimate that customers could pay 20 percent to 30 percent more than that to cover taxes, delivery and other charges.
Tata has long promised that he'd create a 100,000-rupee car, a vow that was much-derided in the global industry but created a frenzy in India. On Thursday, nearly every media outlet in India focused on the live unveiling.
"A promise is a promise," Tata told the crowd.
The car has seat belts, but no air bags. The Nano is about 10 feet long, 5 feet wide. The 2-cylinder petrol engine delivers 33 horsepower and a top speed of just over 60 mph.
Ford's Model T, which debuted in 1909 for $825, had a 4-cylinder, 20 horsepower engine with a top speed of 45 mph. The Model T had fuel economy between 13 to 21 miles per gallon.
Tata has said they expect the car to revolutionize the auto industry, and analysts believe the Nano may force other manufacturers to lower their own pricing. French auto maker Renault SA and its Japanese partner, Nissan Motor Co., are trying to determine if they can sell a compact car for less than $3,000.
For now, the car will be sold only in India, but Tata eventually hopes to export it. The Nano could become the basis for other similar super-cheap models in developing markets around the world.
As rising middle class incomes drive demand for cars in India, automakers expect the ranks of car owners in the country to expand dramatically in coming years.
But for some, a huge influx of cars is a terrifying prospect of traffic jams at midnight, hours-long commutes and increasing pollution.
"If you're talking about urban environment, it will cause serious problems," said Jamie Leather, a transport specialist with the Asian Development Bank. "It's a major concern."
In 2005, Indian vehicles released 219 million tons of carbon dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas blamed for global warming.
By 2035, that number is projected to increase to 1,467 million tons, due largely to the expanding middle-class and the expected rise of low-cost cars, according to the Asian Development Bank.
"The cheaper and cheaper vehicles become, the quicker those pollution levels will increase," Leather said.
[image]
![[image]](http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20080110/capt.3d494f271045473c9a3aa1c90b4f16cb.aptopix_india_ultracheap_car_del104.jpg){kind=link}
Tata unveils world's cheapest car
By GAVIN RABINOWITZ, Associated Press Writer
India's Tata Motors on Thursday unveiled the world's cheapest car, bringing new mobility within the reach of tens of millions of people and nightmares to environmentalists, traffic engineers and safety advocates.
Company Chairman Ratan Tata, introducing the Nano \ price tag $2,500 \ during India's main auto show, drove onto a stage in a white version of the tiny four-door subcompact, his head nearly scraping the roof.
With a snub nose and a sloping roof, it can fit five people \ if they squeeze. And the basic version is spare: there's no radio, no passenger-side mirror and only one windshield wiper. If you want air conditioning to cope with India's brutal summers, you need to get the deluxe version.
But it's cheap. The Nano's closest competitor here is the Maruti 800, a four-door that sells for nearly twice as much.
Tata, however, is targeting people moving up from the lower ends of India's transportation spectrum, where two-wheeled scooters selling for as little as $900 are often crammed with entire families.
While the price has created a buzz, critics say the Nano could lead to possibly millions more automobiles hitting already clogged Indian roads, adding to mounting air and noise pollution problems. Others have said Tata will have to sacrifice quality and safety standards to meet the target price.
The chairman, though, insists the car will meet safety standards and pollute even less than motorcycles, passing domestic and European emission standards and averaging about 50 miles per gallon. Girish Wagh, who headed the design team, said it had an oxidation catalytic convertor and it emitted 120 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer.
Chief U.N. climate scientist Rajendra Pachauri, who shared last year's Nobel Peace Prize, said last month that "I am having nightmares" about the prospect of the low-cost car.
"Dr. Pachauri need not have nightmares," Ratan Tata said at the unveiling. "For us it's a milestone and I hope we can make a contribution to the country."
The basic model will sell for 100,000 rupees, but analysts estimate that customers could pay 20 percent to 30 percent more than that to cover taxes, delivery and other charges.
Tata has long promised that he'd create a 100,000-rupee car, a vow that was much-derided in the global industry but created a frenzy in India. On Thursday, nearly every media outlet in India focused on the live unveiling.
"A promise is a promise," Tata told the crowd.
The car has seat belts, but no air bags. The Nano is about 10 feet long, 5 feet wide. The 2-cylinder petrol engine delivers 33 horsepower and a top speed of just over 60 mph.
Ford's Model T, which debuted in 1909 for $825, had a 4-cylinder, 20 horsepower engine with a top speed of 45 mph. The Model T had fuel economy between 13 to 21 miles per gallon.
Tata has said they expect the car to revolutionize the auto industry, and analysts believe the Nano may force other manufacturers to lower their own pricing. French auto maker Renault SA and its Japanese partner, Nissan Motor Co., are trying to determine if they can sell a compact car for less than $3,000.
For now, the car will be sold only in India, but Tata eventually hopes to export it. The Nano could become the basis for other similar super-cheap models in developing markets around the world.
As rising middle class incomes drive demand for cars in India, automakers expect the ranks of car owners in the country to expand dramatically in coming years.
But for some, a huge influx of cars is a terrifying prospect of traffic jams at midnight, hours-long commutes and increasing pollution.
"If you're talking about urban environment, it will cause serious problems," said Jamie Leather, a transport specialist with the Asian Development Bank. "It's a major concern."
In 2005, Indian vehicles released 219 million tons of carbon dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas blamed for global warming.
By 2035, that number is projected to increase to 1,467 million tons, due largely to the expanding middle-class and the expected rise of low-cost cars, according to the Asian Development Bank.
"The cheaper and cheaper vehicles become, the quicker those pollution levels will increase," Leather said.
Now we know what happened to all those recycled Vegas and Pintos. :beaten:
I watched the UK motoring show Top Gear last weekend. One of the things they did was that the 3 presenters each went out and bought an old vehicle with the intention of making it into an amphibious vehicle. One bought a Triumph Herald convertible that he fitted a mast, sails and rudder to :hehe: The second bought a Volkswagen camper van and made it into a houseboat, and the other bought a Toyota Hilux SUV and fitted a 225HP outboard motor to the back.
Watching them try to launch and pilot them around the water was hilarious :)
Watching them try to launch and pilot them around the water was hilarious :)
Yeah, those Top Gear guys are all crazy. Go over to YouTube sometime, type in "Top Gear" and you're sure to find something interesting.
bmwracer wrote:From Yahoo! News:
[image]
Tata unveils world's cheapest car
Customer 1: "Hi, im looking for a bra for my car."
Salesperson 1: "Madam, i dont think those Tata's look good with a bra on."
Salesperson 2: "I agree, Tata's look the best without a bra."
Customer 2: "I don't think i've ever seen a real Tata."
Customer 1: "Oh, they're great, come outside, and i'll show you mine."
I could go on forever...
krim wrote:Customer 1: "Hi, im looking for a bra for my car."
Salesperson 1: "Madam, i dont think those Tata's look good with a bra on."
Salesperson 2: "I agree, Tata's look the best without a bra."
Customer 2: "I don't think i've ever seen a real Tata."
Customer 1: "Oh, they're great, come outside, and i'll show you mine."
I could go on forever...
A Bodacious Tata? :hehe: :rofl:
Time to wake up the neighbors:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pt96rdO1Ck
The battery in Mrs A.D's car died today: That'll be $220, thanks. :grumble:
Replying needs an account. Registration opens soon.