Porsche makes time fly with new calendars (Auto / Car Article)
October 7, 2006 by tsikot · Leave a Comment
, Porsche
click on image to enlarge
The official set of 2007 Porsche calendars makes me regret ever giving Google Calendar a try. Abandoning the old wall calendar for the digital domain is clearly a mistake if we have to give up looking at vehicles like these 365 days of the year. Porsche’s new set of official 2007 calendars includes three large, traditional wall calendars and one date planner. Each calendar has a theme, like “Symphony of Colors” that shows various locations where the featured car’s color either starkly contrasts with the surroundings or blends in. There’s also “On the Move” that shows us behind the scenes of Porsche’s museum collection and “Design… turbocharged” (shown above) that displays various design sketches and views of the new 911 Turbo from the men and women who designed it. Finally, the smaller date planner features 50 years of Porsche advertisements going all the way from 1957 up to the present. You can order the calendars at Porsche’s website, and we suspect more than a few a Porsche-o-philes will find these under the tree at Christmas.
Follow the jump for a couple more pics of calendar pages.
[Source: Porsche]
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New standards for heavy-duty diesels means more problems (Auto / Car Article)
October 7, 2006 by tsikot · Leave a Comment
, Trucks/Pickups, Government/Legal, Green, Tech, Commercial Trucks
Those looking for a glimpse into the future of light-duty diesel reliability may be interested in a new study by J.D. Power on customer satisfaction with modern heavy truck powertrains. The 2006 Heavy Duty Truck Engine/Transmission Study ranked engines from the 2004 model year by quality, performance, cost of ownership, and warranty, and revealed what one would reasonably expect from new technology.
An average of 74 problems per 100 vehicles was reported, which represents a 60% increase in trouble over the prior year. This was attributed directly to the emission control systems that were phased in during 2003 and 2004. Fuel economy also declined from 6.04 MPG in the 2004 study to 5.72 MPG - a drop of over 5%. Ranked highest in the study was Caterpillar, and the company’s ACERT technology allowed the C12 and C15 (pictured above) to lead the ratings of individual engines. Unfortunately, unless you hold a CDL, it’s highly unlikely that either one of them will find their way into your personal fleet.
So, what does this mean for consumers of passenger vehicles? Just as we’ve experienced the evolution of emission controls on gasoline engines, problems can be expected as manufacturers roll out clean diesel technology. How long it will take to sort out these issues is not yet clear, but we’re guessing that things get sorted out rather quickly, and indeed some of the problems that are currently affecting heavy trucks may very well be eliminated before it trickles down to smaller oilburners.
[Source: J.D. Power; the complete press release is posted below the jump]
J.D. Power and Associates Reports:
Problems with Heavy-Duty Truck Engines Increase as More Manufacturers Employ
New Emission Standards
The Caterpillar C-12 Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Vocational
Heavy-Duty Diesel Engines
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 5 October 2006 -As manufacturers of heavy-duty truck engines strive to meet government-regulated emission standards by implementing new emission technologies, customers are increasingly experiencing problems with their engines, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Heavy-Duty Truck Engine/Transmission StudySM released today.
The study, now in its 10th year, measures customer satisfaction with the engines in two-year-old heavy-duty trucks (Class 
by examining four vital engine factors. They are (in order of importance): engine quality (30%); engine performance (26%); engine cost of ownership (22%); and engine warranty (22%). The study examines engines supplied in 2004 model-year trucks, the second model year impacted by the Consent Decree that raised diesel engine emission standards.
To meet emission regulations, manufacturers are continuously redesigning engines and employing new technologies, such as redirecting exhaust gas back into the engine to burn off more pollutants. Consequently, the average number of reported engine problems has increased to 74 PP100 (engine problems per 100 vehicles)-up from 46 PP100 in 2005.
“In the 2005 study, there was a greater mix of manufacturers using old- and new-technology engines, so we’re just now starting to see the overall impact of the emission regulations,” said Brian Etchells, senior research manager in the commercial vehicle group at J.D. Power and Associates. “Whenever a new technology is employed, it takes a while to work the bugs out. As time goes on and engines are better equipped and designed to follow the emission standards, the number of problems should gradually decline.”
For the sixth year, a Caterpillar engine ranks highest in the vocational segment. Vocational trucks are defined as those with body types used in rugged job applications, such as dump trucks, concrete mixers, and garbage/refuse recycling trucks. The Caterpillar C-12 ranks highest among vocational heavy-duty truck engine models, performing particularly well in three of the four factors that determine overall satisfaction: engine quality, performance and cost of ownership. The Caterpillar C-15 follows the C-12 in the rankings.
“Caterpillar in particular has done an excellent job in meeting the challenge of the new emission standards by creating their own innovative emission technology,” said Etchells. “Caterpillar’s success is clearly evident in how satisfied customers are with their engines.”
The study also finds that among the four drivers of engine satisfaction, customers are least satisfied with the cost of ownership, particularly in the areas of routine engine maintenance costs and fuel efficiency. Reported fuel consumption for heavy-duty engines has declined to 5.72 mpg in 2006-down from 5.91 mpg in 2005 and 6.04 mpg in 2004.
The 2006 Heavy-Duty Truck Engine/Transmission Study is based on the responses of 2,529 primary maintainers of two-year-old heavy-duty trucks (Class 8).
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Spy Shots: 2009 Cadillac CTS-V (Auto / Car Article)
October 6, 2006 by tsikot · Leave a Comment
, Sedans/Saloons, Sports/GTs, Cadillac
The new CTS looks killer if recent spy shots are anything to go by. These shots show what appears to be the next generation CTS-V undergoing testing, as evident by the wide tires and performance wheels, larger exhaust tips, and most conspicuously, the bubble protruding from the mule’s hood that we guess is making room for a supercharger. While no one knows for sure what engine will power the next CTS-V, some say it will be a non-supercharged 4.6-liter V8 while others swear it will have a blower. Looks like the latter camp may be right, and if so, The Car Connection says the CTS-V may have between 550-600 horsepower, which is just pure insanity for an “entry-level” luxury sedan. Apparently Cadillac is serious about hammering the BMW M3 and M5 (the 3-Series is really the direct competitor to the CTS, but 550-600 hp will allow the CTS-V to run with the V10-powered M5) with some serious Detroit iron. Only 7,500 examples of the CTS-V are pegged for production, and judging from these shots we’re sure Cadillac won’t have any trouble unloading them.
[Source: The Car Connection]
Related Posts:
- Cadillac CTS interior spied
- Another rendering sheds light on entry level caddy
- New Cadillac CTS will be offered in a variety of flavors
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Volvo wagons rated highest for making whoopee (Auto / Car Article)
October 6, 2006 by tsikot · Leave a Comment
Looks like the 21st century has crowned its new shaggin wagon according to UK car insurer Yes Insurance. Suprisingly, the staid Volve Estate was chosen in a poll conducted by the insurance company of 4,000 people as the best car to have sex in. Why an insurance company needs to know which vehicle sees the most action is beyond us, but it’s an interesting tidbit nonetheless. The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van came in second, which gives us a great idea for a project vehicle with shag carpet and a waterbed. Third place went to a vehicle that’s actually equipped with the right hardware for such encounters, the VW Camper Van.
Other interesting facts culled from the poll:
- 68% of people have had nookie in their cars
- 10% of people have engaged in sex while driving
- 6% admit to damaging their cars during a steamy session
- 1% actually files a claim for damaged incurred during steamy session
Follow the jump for a complete list of the Top 10 Vehicles for Making Whoopee.
[Source: DailyMail.co.uk via Winding Road]
Top 10 Vehicles for Making Whoopee
1. Volvo Estate
2. Mercedes Benz Sprinter Van
3. VW Camper Van
4. BMW 3 Series Saloon
5. Ford Escort
6. Audi TT
7. Land Rover Discovery
8. Porsche Carrera
9. VW Golf
10. Ford Focus
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VIDEO: Lamborghini Murcielago and Gallardo (Auto / Car Article)
October 5, 2006 by tsikot · Leave a Comment
This Lamborghini promotional video features some beautiful and artistic cinematography of Lamborghini’s heart-pumping Gallardo and Murcielago exotic supercars.
See these bulls rampaging down country roads, through Manhattan and around a track. Unfortunately the exhaust notes from the V10 and V12 powerplants are dubbed over with bad dance music, but the three-and-a-half minute video is definately still worth watching.
Funny, I had the very same dream last night.
[Source: The German Car Blog]
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