April 18, 2006

[Redwood]

-LS7 Powered Solstice Project Car by Hot Rod Magazine (http://www.hotrod.com/projectbuild/hdrp_0605_pontiac_solstice_project_v8_engine_build/index.html)
-SVT lives - Ford says performance brand scaled back, but new truck is coming (http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060417/FREE/60417001/1024/LATESTNEWS)
-First drive: 2007 Nissan Altima (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FirstDrives/articleId=110046)
-One dozen New York Auto show videos including Z4 M Coupe, Audi TT, and others (http://www.caranddriver.com/autoshows/11008/video-2006-new-york-auto-show.html)
-Man Ticketed For Changing Red Lights To Green (http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/8761620/detail.html)
-Subaru WRX STI Giveaway (http://www.valvoline.com/pages/prizezone/registration_wrx.asp)
-Honda Cuts Target for Fit Sales in U.S., Cites Demand for Civic (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000101&sid=ae0N9l5YXyhs&refer=japan)
-Saturn cancels entry-level Ion small car replacement (http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060417/FREE/60417004/1024/LATESTNEWS)
-Volkswagen Readies Passat R GT appearance package for $4500 (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=110060)
-Jeep says Patriot, Compass crossovers won't butt heads in showroom (http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060417/FREE/60417002/1024/LATESTNEWS)
-Loss of GT-R sports car to Nissan angers Infiniti dealers (http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060418/FREE/60417005/1024/LATESTNEWS)
-World Demand for Diesel-Powered Cars Seen Doubling (http://www.caranddriver.com/dailyautoinsider/11009/world-demand-for-diesel-powered-cars-seen-doubling.html)
-More Porsche 997 Turbo Cabrio Spy Photos (http://www.worldcarfans.com/spyphotos.cfm/country/gcf/spyphotoID/6060418.002/porsche/more-porsche-997-turbo-cabrio-spy-photos)
-Memory Lane: 1970-74 Dodge Challenger (http://www.thecarconnection.com/Enthusiasts/Classics_Corner/Memory_Lane_1970-74_Dodge_Challenger.S215.A10298.html)
-Full Test: Aston Martin V8 Vantage (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=109929) - That car looks soooo good
-High-Performance for Your Money: True Cost vs. Value (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=110049)
-Fountain of Youth: Solstice Drives Down Average Age of Pontiac Shoppers (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=110062)
-Ford Focus RS new photos (http://www.worldcarfans.com/spyphotos.cfm/country/acf/spyphotoID/6060418.001/ford/ford-focus-rs-first-photos) - Not that we'll ever see that here...
-Rain-X versus PPG Aquapel: Grudge Match (http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/17/rain-x-versus-ppg-aquapel-grudge-match/)

[instigator]

-Caparo T1 (http://caparo-t1.com)

Key Features:
-0-60 2.5 seconds
-480bhp V8 that spins to 10.5K RPM!!
-1036 pounds
-2.1pounds/hpweight ratio (The Enzo is 4.56pounds/hp)

http://autoblog.it/uploads/caparo_t1_05.jpg

[Fair!]

-Caparo T1 (http://caparo-t1.com)

Key Features:
-0-60 2.5 seconds
-480bhp V8 that spins to 10.5K RPM!!
-1036 pounds
-2.1pounds/hpweight ratio (The Enzo is 4.56pounds/hp)

http://autoblog.it/uploads/caparo_t1_05.jpgCan you say "VaporWare"? :D

Seen several PR releases on this thing. As usual, this is a digital rendering of a non-existent car. They are gauging interest and might actually go past the digital stage if they get enough pre-orders. :rolleyes:

[Fair!]

-Man Ticketed For Changing Red Lights To Green (http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/8761620/detail.html)heading to eBay now for my Opticon device! :D

edit: no luck finding one on eBay. my eBay skills are weak. :(

[jatoth]

heading to eBay now for my Opticon device! :D

edit: no luck finding one on eBay. my eBay skills are weak. :(

FYI, they are illegal in Texas also. In addition, they have to be calibrated to the correct strobe frequency which varies from city to city. Some cities even have two, one for police one for fire, that way they can program the lights to give right of way to the fire trucks if a fire truck and a police car are aproaching the same intersection from different directions.

Flower mound does not install them on police cars. :mad:

[clifton23]

I always wondered how the police/fire/ems get through the lights so quickly...

So, is this the only purpose of the infared sensors for traffic lights? I wonder what it would take to create one of these devices.

[instigator]

heading to eBay now for my Opticon device! :D

edit: no luck finding one on eBay. my eBay skills are weak. :(I did that yesterday with no luck. I didn's find one with google either. :rolleyes: From what I remember, I think some cities are installing more hack proof systems anyway.

[instigator]

Can you say "VaporWare"? :D

Seen several PR releases on this thing. As usual, this is a digital rendering of a non-existent car. They are gauging interest and might actually go past the digital stage if they get enough pre-orders. :rolleyes:

I didn't realize that. :mad: I just saw this today. I wonder if that motor exists though.

[clifton23]

You would think some sort of wifi system would work better. Cities already have wifi for the police. I know my hometown had us (my old job = wirless internet provider) install 900Mhz access points on 2 watertowers. They used this for the laptops in their cars. You would think they could install a device on the lights to integrate.

[Chump]

I remember back in the day before I started driving you could pull up to a traffic light in Plano and flash your lights and it would change for you! But if a cop was around...

[Fair!]

I didn't realize that. :mad: I just saw this today. I wonder if that motor exists though.The technology is out there, but the price will be steep. Basically, these entremanuar type folks want to bring F1 technology to the supercar realm - but not limit anything to any ruleset for any series. So instead of a 2.4L V8 or 3.5L V10 they would build a huge-liter engine in an otherwise superlight chassis with TONS of downforce. Very few compromises and little bling. That type of motor could easily exist with enough money.

The McLaren BMW was just a big version of an F1 style engine (doub;e the displacement. You could make a 8+ liter LS7 and make stupid power or a sizable DOHC V8 or V10 or V12. Its just money.

A neat concept, but costly and your target audience is very small. Usually the people with enough money for a Bugatti or Enzo type car don't "need" 1000+ horsepower in a superlight car, and don't care that their CF supercar is heavier than a stock Corvette. ;) Money and taste don't always go hand in hand, nor money and hard-core-F1-technology demanding supercar buyrer.

Its gonna be a hard sell - these things could cost $400-500K each with all the tech they throw around in those press releases. And without soem major driver aides the rich fat old cats that can afford that price range... well, they're gonna crash 'em like "Dietrich". :D