IMPREZA impresses you!!

Subaru set an American sales record in 2010, selling 263,820 vehicles, up almost 22 percent from the prior year. But you can't attribute any of the company's recent success to the Impreza; sales of Subaru's compact were actually down for 2010.

Among the current competition, the Impreza rightfully belongs at the back of the segment. It's a car defined by stodgy design and mediocre driving manners. The Impreza's single standout attribute -- all-wheel drive in a small car -- can even be construed as a handicap among frugal compact-car buyers. Newcomers like the Ford Focus and the Hyundai Elantra are setting the standard with highway fuel economy ratings of 40 mpg, while the most efficient Impreza achieves just 27 mpg. City fuel economy is equally dismal, and standard all-wheel drive means that the Impreza is priced higher than its front-wheel-drive competitors.

Fortunately, the Impreza is due for a complete redesign for 2012, which should address many of the current car's shortcomings. The new Impreza will debut at the New York auto show in April and go on sale later this year, but thanks to a concept car and the opportunity to sample Subaru's newest engine, we already have a good idea of what to expect.

A bolder, more handsome look
Building cars has never been about design at Subaru. The company that once advertised how ugly its vehicles were is an organization that is driven by resolute engineers with a deep respect for practicality. But the Impreza concept, first seen at the Los Angeles auto show last November, suggests something much more exciting than the homely Forester or Outback. It's not daring, but the design theme infuses the Impreza with a bold and aggressive character that feels much more connected to the STI. The concept boasts substantially more presence compared with the outgoing Impreza, thanks to taller body sides and a smaller greenhouse. The coupelike roofline, similar to that of the Volkswagen CC and the Mercedes-Benz CLS, creates a sleek profile while the narrow, angled headlights and large grille project a sporty attitude. If the details and proportions remain intact for production, the Impreza should easily be the best-looking Subaru in the showroom

Subaru representatives credit some of the company's recent success to new models that are finally the "right size" for buyers. That means bigger than the previous models, and the Impreza will likely continue that trend. Although the Impreza is reasonably sized for the segment, we'd expect a slight increase in wheelbase and rear-seat legroom at the very least. An accompanying increase in overall length and width is also likely. As with the current car, the 2012 Impreza will be available as a sedan and as a four-door hatchback.

Trading power for fuel economy
Subaru will target fuel-economy gains, rather than power improvements, with an all-new engine for the next Impreza. To that end, the displacement falls from 2.5 liters to 2.0 liters with power dropping as well. The new flat four-cylinder makes 148 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque, compared with 170 hp and 170 lb-ft in the outgoing car. The four-speed automatic will be replaced with a more efficient continuously variable transmission. A manual, likely with five gears, will also be available. All-wheel drive will continue to be standard equipment.

Subaru has given no indication of just how dramatic the fuel-economy improvements will be, but we predict that highway fuel economy will come in between 30 and 35 mpg while city fuel economy should near 25 mpg. Those estimates amount to substantial gains over the old Impreza, but the new Subaru will still be well behind the most efficient compacts.

We recently sampled the new third-generation flat four in a European-spec Forester. Despite that vehicle's 3300-pound weight, we were satisfied with the modest power and its ability to move through city and highway traffic. Hard acceleration either from a standstill or at speed requires patience, though. Subaru claims a 10.7-second sprint to 62 mph, although a lighter and more aerodynamic Impreza would obviously undercut that sluggish figure.

Compared with the second-generation 2.0-liter (which hasn't been sold in the United States recently), the new engine uses a longer stroke and smaller bore for reduced friction and improved low- to mid-range torque. The longer stroke, though, makes for a noticeably harsh and loud demeanor at high load above 3000 rpm. The uncommon coarseness stands in direct contrast to Subaru's claim that the horizontally opposed four provides smoother operation than an in-line four-cylinder.

Although we haven't heard a word about the next-generation WRX or STI, that's hardly cause for concern. The two high-performance models are an inseparable piece of the Impreza brand. Expect the formula -- a turbocharger, more advanced all-wheel drive, and brash bodywork -- to remain unchanged.

Nowhere to go but up
Subaru still has a lot to prove with the production car, but our early preview of the 2012 Impreza shows that the brand is moving in the right direction. When we do get behind the wheel, we're hoping to find that the manual shifter has been tightened up, the slop in the steering has been eliminated, and the interior has been made much nicer. But for now, we can say that the much-needed progress in fuel economy and the potential for an exciting new design give us hope for the next Subaru Impreza

HIGH VOLT!!!

The propulsion system on the 2011

Chevrolet Volt, the industry's only electric vehicle with extended-range capability, is among the winners of the automotive industry's "10 Best Engines" for 2011 in North America as determined by Ward's AutoWorld magazine.

Ward's editors use several criteria for selecting their annual "10 Best Engines" winners, including noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), fuel efficiency, new technology and comparative data for similar systems.

"Brave. Inspired. Brilliant," said Drew Winter, Editor-in-Chief, Ward's AutoWorld. "We don't often use these words in the same sentence as 'propulsion system,' but that's the only way to describe the magic under the hood of the Chevy Volt. General Motors engineers have changed the course of history by creating an electric vehicle with true mass appeal."

The heart of the Volt is its Voltec propulsion system, which combines pure electric drive and an efficient, range-extending engine, giving to the Volt up to 379 total miles of driving before charging or filling up.

"The recognition from Ward's is important for us because it validates that we are providing the customer the best EV solution, which is what we set out to do from the beginning," said Pam Fletcher, Voltec propulsion system chief engineer.

The Voltec's propulsion system consists of three main components - a long-life battery, a 1.4-liter, range-extending engine and an electric drive unit to deliver power to the wheels.

The Volt's long-life battery consists of a 5.5-foot, 435-pound (198.1 kg) T-shaped, 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. It supplies energy to an advanced, 111-kW (149-hp) electric drive unit to propel the vehicle. Using only the energy stored in the battery, the Volt delivers 35 miles of gas- and tailpipe emissions-free electric driving, depending on terrain, driving techniques and temperature. 

What sets the Volt apart from other electric vehicles is its ability to operate after the battery's energy is depleted - a feature that eliminates the range limitations associated with electric-only vehicles. The Volt's 344 miles of extended range comes from the highly refined, 1.4L, 63-kW (84 hp)gasoline-powered engine that provides power to the electric motors.

The Volt's electric drive unit is positioned under the hood next to the engine and packages a pair of electric motors and a multi-mode transaxle with continuously variable capability. Inside the drive unit, one or both of the motors drives the vehicle based on performance and speed to optimize efficiency. One of the motors serves a dual function, either to help drive the wheels or to operate as a generator to keep the battery pack at its minimum buffer.

The battery is assembled in Brownstown, Mich. The engine is currently produced in Aspern, Austria. Engine production is expected to begin in 2011 in Flint, Mich.

ETIOS HATCHBACK!!!!

Toyota Etios Liva Coming in Late 2011

Toyota Etios Liva

Expected in Late 2011

Estimated price: Rs 3-5 lakh

Toyota Etios Liva

Toyota launched the sedan version of the Etios on the 1st of December, 2010. At present the sedan comes with only one engine option which is the 1.5-litre petrol engine. Toyota will now launch the hatchback version of the Etios, called as the Etios Liva. The Etios Liva will get the 1.2-litre petrol engine which will help Toyota to get the duty cut.

The Etios Liva is expected to be launched somewhere around in the third quarter of 2011. The production version of Etios Live will resemble the concept model. Toyota Etios has been developed on a new platform and has a completely new engine which is not present in any Toyota car so far. The hatch will offer a 1.2l DOHC petrol engine and will come with lower excise duties. Both, the models, the sedan and the hatch, will sport new engines which have been specially designed for Indian conditions, where high mileage was an important factor in the designing of the engine.

Specs (Speculated)

Engine Displacement: 1.2-litre petrol

FXX The Racing RED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello people here i am back to you with the RED, yes we are talkin about Ferraris,One of the greatest and innovative automobilli in the world.I bring to you there latest GT prototype the FXX.

The FXX is the most advanced GT ever created at Maranello. With this car, Ferrari aims to develop the skills of their most valued Clients to the level of genuine Ferrari Test Drivers.

Powered by an imposing 6,262 cc V12 engine, the FXX can punch out over 800 hp at 8,500 rpm. Its highly responsive gearbox is the result of the transfer of Formula 1 strategies, delivering gear-change times of less than 100 ms. This is almost as fast as Formula 1 single-seaters, themselves the absolute pinnacle of current technological achievement.

Technical specifications

The FXX is the fruit of Ferrari's know-how in building special, limited-series sports cars combined (of course) with its racing experience. The car will provide the basic framework on which the specifics of future extreme models will be worked out. The exceptionally powerful FXX delivers absolutely blistering performance on all fronts. The FXX has not been homologated for road use, and thus will not be a competition model. It will be used exclusively on the track as part of a specific ongoing research and development programme, featuring this first-ever group of Client Test Drivers. The FXX is powered by an imposing 6,262 cc V12 engine that can punch out over 800 hp at 8,500 rpm. Its gearbox is the result of the transfer of F1 strategies, delivering gear-change times of under 100 ms. This is almost as fast as the F1 single-seaters, themselves the absolute pinnacle of current technological achievement. The FXX's aerodynamic design is particularly innovative too, resulting in a shape that produces 40% higher down-force than ever achieved before. It is also possible to adjust the FXX's mobile spoiler configuration to suit the specific circuits.

                                                              

Lets get into our usual engine buisness,It has a rear longitudunal V12 engine the massive i say with the bore stroke of 94*75mm.The total displacement being 6262.45 cc makes the engine the demon of all roads.It provides a maximum power of 588 kw at 8500rpm.Bosch carries the fuel injection which is electronic single spark plug per cylinder.These makes me to confess that ferrari FXX is made for your GT instincts!!!

The body work of ferraris usually goes by carbon-fiber's and Nomex Honeycomb wit structures of Aluminium alloys.Lets get to the transmissions,FXX brings the carbon ceramic discs favourites of mine which is awesome to see and has the electro hydraullic F1- 6 speed + rev gearbox transmission.Finally checking out the tyres of this MONALISA of GT's this has the huge ZR-19's installed.

This two seater Berniletta has a top speed of 345kmlhr and becomes every racers dream.

Happy Racing RED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nitrogen Powered Innovation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                      
Here i am back to you people with Liquid Nitrogen,yes LN2 can be used as a alternate fuel in automobiles.
The Nitrogen being a abundant component present in the atmosphere and renewable, this way of transport you may see in the future for sure.Let us see the procedures and applications of the Liquid Nitrogen.

The nitrogen present in the air cant be used directly in the engines but the nitrogen when liquified can,Thus it might have certain problems but the liquid nitrogen is one fuel you might be fillin your vehicles with!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Liquid nitrogen is generated by cryogenic or Stirling engine coolers that liquefy the main component of air, nitrogen (N2). The cooler can be powered by electricity or through direct mechanical work from hydro or wind turbines.

                             Liquid nitrogen is distributed and stored in insulated containers. The insulation reduces heat flow into the stored nitrogen; this is necessary because heat from the surrounding environment boils the liquid, which then transitions to a gaseous state. Reducing inflowing heat reduces the loss of liquid nitrogen in storage.

Liquid nitrogen consumption is in essence production in reverse. The Stirling engine or cryogenic heat engine offers a way to power vehicles and a means to generate electricity. Liquid nitrogen can also serve as a direct coolant for refrigerators, electrical equipment and air conditioning units. The consumption of liquid nitrogen is in effect boiling and returning the nitrogen to the atmosphere.The tanks must be designed to safety standards appropriate for a pressure vessel, such as ISO 11439

The storage tank may be made of:

* steel,

* aluminium,

* carbon fiber,

* Kevlar,

* other materials, or combinations of the above

Let's start with nitrogen-powered cars. Elemental nitrogen has a very low boiling point. As a result of this, when liquid nitrogen is stored in a pressure controlled environment, it stores a large amount of potential energy. In the LN2000 liquid nitrogen powered concept car, being developed at the University of Washington, the liquid fuel is let out of a pressurized tank, preheated by an economizer which takes heat from the exhaust before it quickly vaporizes, expanding rapidly in an endothermic reaction. This expanding gas is converted into energy that moves the wheels of the converted mail truck by a 15 hp radial air motor.

      This is a basic concept found out by scientists of university of texas, which they found difficult due to following reasons   

The main problem that developers of N2 powered cars have to overcome is that when the nitrogen was expanding, it absorbed so much heat, that the pipes that carried the gas would freeze up. This problem has been solved in the LN2000 by preheating the liquid nitrogen in such a way that ice is less likely to form and insulate the pipes and nitrogen from the ambient heat.

The motivation behind this invention was that although fuel cells were effective at providing electricity with zero-emissions, the cost of a drive train with fuel cell power would be seven to ten times that of a gasoline engine drive train. The inventors feel that nitrogen, once the process is refined, will have a cost per mile comparable to standard gasoline. 

A possible drawback to this method of propulsion is that energy must be spent in order to compress the nitrogen and this energy may not be available in such efficient forms as nitrogen liquid. The following is a quote from the inventors of the LN2000 on that subject:

"The process to manufacture liquid nitrogen in large quantities can be environmentally very friendly, even if fossil fuels are used to generate the electric power required. The exhaust gases produced by burning fossil fuels in a power plant contain not only carbon dioxide and gaseous pollutants, but also all the nitrogen from the air used in the combustion. By feeding these exhaust gases to the nitrogen liquefaction plant, the carbon dioxide and other undesirable products of combustion can be condensed and separated in the process of chilling the nitrogen, and thus no pollutants need be released to the atmosphere by the power plant. The sequestered carbon dioxide and pollutants could be injected into depleted gas and oil wells, deep mine shafts, deep ocean subduction zones, and other repositories from which they will not diffuse back into the atmosphere, or they could be chemically processed into useful or inert substances. Consequently, the implementation of a large fleet of liquid nitrogen vehicles could have much greater environmental benefits than just reducing urban air pollution as desired by current zero-emission vehicle mandates.

Now they have come up with the idea of cooling the liquid nitrogen with heat exchangers and economizers.I say that we can use the energy that is sucked by the economizer to run various electrical parts of engine,This idea might change the whole scenario of LN2.

Liquid Nitrogen has many credits on its side it being the component of air and the system of using the LN2 has recularity it does not cause pollution which is very vital in the future and the energy is has good as petrol you gain 20 to 30 percent of it in consumption,The energy produced during combustion is high and as i said can be used to run internal turbines for super charging purposes.

The flying Car!

The Future is here! Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has launched a 41 mn euro programme to develop the futuristic flying car. It is all set to debut against the Taliban forces in Afghanistan.

The vehicle - which uses composite armour to protect crew from gunfire, IED blasts and missiles - would be able to travel 280 miles by land or in the air. It could take-off and land vertically - like the Royal Navy's Harrier jump jets - to increase access to rugged terrain.

Fitted with automatic flight controls, it could be flown by someone who was not a qualified pilot - increasing its flexibility.

And it would be fitted with machineguns and cannons to kill and maim attacking insurgents.

Convertible: The vehicle's wings fold away so it can operate like any other armoured car

The 20ft car could reach speeds of around 65mph on the ground and more than 150mph in the air.

A prototype of the vehicle, dubbed the Transformer, or TX, could be ready by 2015 when British and U.S. troops are still in Afghanistan.

A DARPA spokesman said: 'We are seeking to combine the advantages of ground vehicles and helicopters into a single vehicle equipped with flexibility of movement.

'The concept is to provide options to avoid traditional and asymmetrical threats while avoiding road obstructions.

'With this type technology, transportation will no longer be restricted to trafficable terrain that tends to make movement predictable.'

Terrafugia, a company which has already pioneered a flying car for commercial use, has been drafted in to help produce a prototype armoured truck.

The commercial vehicle, which costs about £132,000 - a similar price to a Ferrari - has wings rather than rotor blades with a 27ft span when lowered. This means it needs 1,700 of clear road to take-off.

A military source said: 'We take an interest in the development of all new technology that may have the potential to help our Armed Forces, no matter how ambitious they may appear to be.'

Catch you all next time with some more exciting info!