Steering News » Interesting

World’s fastest bus in Dubai travels 250kph

Shrawan Raja — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 02:41:24 +0000

OK, it isn’t exactly a bus, but it is public transport ready for the future. Commuters between Dubai and UAE will soon be able to experience 250kph sitting inside one of these. The “Superbus” can transport 23 passengers in comfort while clocking a mind-numbing 200+kph on its dedicated track.

Designed by a team from TU Delft University of Technology in Holland, the Superbus works on electricity. Public transport usually suffers from either plenty or lack of congestion, pollution and safety. The Superbus has addressed all three issues, it is claimed. What’s more it is aerodynamic and looks more interesting than a bus or a train. It will go well with the landscape of a modern city.

It’s 15m long (about a bus’ length) but with the height of a typical SUV with eight doors on each side. Powered by lithium iron phosphate batteries, the Superbus, makes use of rear wheel steering. The first road tests were successful in Holland last year. Several other similar routes are under evaluation as we write this.

Source – CAR MiddleEast

Back to Future stands up to its Name!

Shrawan Raja — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 09:32:14 +0000

Cars are just like humans. Very few cars get to star in a movie. And extremely few cars become superstars and go down the memory lane.

One such car is the DeLorean DMC-12 from Back to the Future. Designed by Italians, engineered by Brits and marketed by an Americans, this car was really a summation of all 3 motoring cultures of the world.

Much of here is for show, but electricity sends drive to the wheels

Now, Wired Italia has made a replica of the car for a cross-country race from Rome to Milan. But what separates this car from its superstar cousin is that this is an electric car which is powered 90 kW motor. Wired Italia says that the purpose of creating this car has been to promote electric power and environmentally-sustainable motoring.

I’m sure the crowd-pulling DeLorean can send the message across.

DeLorean BTTF replica

source – eurocarblog.com

Volvos Mean Green proves Green can be Mean!

Shrawan Raja — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:51:44 +0000

Green doesn’t have to mean a Toyota Prius or a G-wiz. Green can be Mean (pun intended) too as proved by a Volvo in their new racing truck – Mean Green, that redefines what a truck is and proves why green can also be used in the same line having mean.

Volvo Mean Green

Volvo Mean Green has a 16-liter twin turbo engine that generates 2000+ hp

Why is it Green?

It is green because it is hybrid of a Diesel and Electric engine. It gets 200 horsepower and 1100 Newton meters of torque from the onboard electric motors. This makes it the first hybrid truck in the world.

(Now for the good part) Why is it Mean?

Two words – 1900 hp! The truck is also powered a 16-liter conventional engine which is twin turbo charged. At the same time, it is lighter than its predecessor. They managed to save a total of 160 lbs by fiddling with the front axle, gearbox and wiring. The truck is also aerodynamically design in a wind tunnel to give maximum down force. The plan is to try to exceed the current top speed record of 206 km/h within 1000 meters.

Volvo Mean Green's pilot is asked to lose 20kg for a better power-to-weight ratio

So would it make it? Well we will have to wait for the spring season for an answer when the racing team will take a shot at the title. In the meantime more developmental work on the truck is on the way.

Source – Motoring iAfrica

Video – Caparo T1 round the Nurburgring

Shrawan Raja — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 07:18:32 +0000

Which is the most unreliable car in the world?

No it’s not your Tata, Ford, Hyundai or Skoda. It is actually the Caparo T1. It appeared on TV shows about 6-8 times and broke down (on telly!!!) each and every single time without fail.

Once it actually tried to kill the driver piloting it.

The Caparo T1 is basically a Formula 1 car with headlights and indicators. Sadly like a Formula 1 car it isn’t very reliable.

But that hasn’t stopped EVO magazine from taking it to the fiercest race track in the world – The Nurburgring.

Do they make it across or does it go up in flames with fleeing driver in the foreground? Hit the play button and find out.

Caparo T1 Image

Fiat makes the World’s first ‘Green Tractor’ NH2

Shrawan Raja — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 05:49:31 +0000

‘Green is In’ is the mantra of current companies. The automobile companies have been preaching this mantra since quite a while considering the fact that they are always the one who are blamed for global warming. But it seems that the Auto majors want to take a step forward and convert everything to green.

Fiat NH2 Green Tractor is the Health and Safety department's wet dream

Case in point, Fiat has developed the world’s first hydrogen-powered tractor. The pilot version of this tractor is currently doing all the donkey work that one is supposed to do on a farm in a 400-hectare La Bellotta Farm near Turin.

Called the NH2 (Fiat’s agrarian brand New Holland), the tractor uses tractor uses zero-emission fuel cells which, in order to make it fully ‘green,’ can be recharged from photovoltaic plants or wind turbines.

So I guess a ‘Green’ Digger or a ‘Green’ Forklift will follow suit. Anyone else has got any idea about equipments that can be converted to ‘Green’? A Green roller could fit into the Health and Safety’s scheme of things perfectly.

A Volkwagen Beetle that could outdo Bugatti’s Veyron

Shrawan Raja — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 05:42:29 +0000

When they were making the Bugatti Veyron, the world was a bit skeptical whether 1000 bhp power can really be crammed into a road car.

It took VW engineers about 4-5 years to actually settle all the concerns. Since then a lot of cars have cracked the 1000 bhp mark like the SSC Ultimate Aero, Bristol T fighter, Koenigsegg CCXR and the list just keeps getting bigger.

Rocket powered VW Beetle makes 1350hp

But can you imagine a VW Beetle running shoulders with these power monsters?

Well, as it turns out, Ron Patrick, a mechanical engineer with a doctorate from Stanford University, was also puzzled with this question. So Ron, being a go-getter, enthusiastic, motivated (and all those things that required to get into Stanford) decided that he should find out.

Now, Beetle’s 1.6 L V4 engine can’t deliver that much of whack even if it is powered by a Spartan’s semen and you can’t fit a bigger engine in the car’s chassis because it is just not made for it. Clearly, the obvious choice was to drop a jet engine (Good thinking Ron).

So the Jet powered Beetle, combined with the default petrol engine and the Jet engine, produces a total wack of 1,350 horsepower. To put it into perspective, that’s 150 ponies more than a Veyron SS (fastest car ever till date).

All of this anarchy does beg a genuine question: What Sh*t do they smoke in Stanford?

Source – Detroit News

Italian compact car Grecav Sonique is irresistible

Shrawan Raja — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 13:34:44 +0000

Italian Automaker Gecav will be bringing a brand new minicar called the Sonique to the EICMA Milan Motorcycle Show that kicks off today.

This vehicle comes with a common rail diesel engine with direct injection and it comes from Italian Company Lombardini. This 2 cylinder 505 CC unit pumps out a meager 5 HP @ 3600 RPM & 18 nm of torque @ 1800 RPM.

Grecav Sonique is a compact diesel hatchback with Italian flavor

The car features a space frame safety structure that the company is very proud of. This ‘space structure’ chassis comes with aluminum tabular extruded parts which carry the vehicle bodywork.

The car will be showcased in the XL, Elegante and Club Elegante versions at the Milan Motorcycle Show.

Comfort of your car now available inside your office

Shrawan Raja — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 13:29:11 +0000

Do you want to get the feel of your car in your office? Do you want the comfort of your car seat in your office? Do you want to get the sporty feel or the feel of the plush leather you experience in your car right in your office? Well now you can!

A Durban based company can source seats from any car be it a BMW or a Suzuki and make you an office chair with it. This stylish office furniture is made using the best materials and is made by hand using some machine parts.

Car seat now available as your office chair

These chairs are identical to the car seats and they can do a range of things right from full swing to adjustable arm rests to polished aluminum bases.

Each chair is unique to itself and each one is numbered! A very good Christmas gift if you ask us!

Source – Motoring South Africa

Petrolhead, dieselhead, make way for waterhead

Shrawan Raja — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 02:08:10 +0000

If Petrolhead is referred to a person who loves Petrol cars and Dieselhead is referred to a person who loves Diesel cars, then Waterhead should be a person who loves cars that are driven by water. WHAT??!! A car driven by water…..that is impossible!

Well, as is with these things, nothing is impossible in this world. A professor from Middle Tennessee State University has successfully created a hydrogen powered car that generates hydrogen on-board using Sun and Water.

Hydrogen powered Toyota Tercel is off to do the world a whole world of good!

Called the ‘Forces of Nature’ (which is awesome than calling it a Toyota Tercel), the Toyota will start a 500-mile journey today from Blacksburg, Virginia to Little Rock in Arkansas.

How would waterhead work?

The car has a solar collector that produces electricity which is used to run an on board electrolysis unit. The electrolysis unit separates water (which is available from a water tank which is also on board) into hydrogen and oxygen. This hydrogen is then compressed at 6000 psi and stored in two 500 gallon tanks.

Hydrogen powered Toyota Tercel is old sheet metal containing an important answer

This hydrogen is then manually transferred to the car’s dual 4.2kg fuel tanks, which are used to run the motor. And you thought chemistry was boring in school.

The Professor claims that the car has a range of 336 miles. If all goes well, the professor also has plans to drive trip across the U.S. using only 10 gallons of gasoline next year.

Well, the team at Steering News wishes him all the luck and we hope he is successful because if he is then today will be the day when the Prius was killed. A Toyota comes back from the dead and kills another Toyota!

Source – Eco Friend

Video – Driver survives horrific crash at DTM race

Shrawan Raja — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 09:09:34 +0000

Alexandre Prémat was able to walk away from a horrifying accident during the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters race at Adria in Italy yesterday. Premat, in his Audi, clashed with Maro Engel on the opening lap of the race which put him into a series of spins, shredding his car to many pieces.

Audi Motorsport boss Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich -

Alexandre Prémat was really fortunate, he is doing well. Initially, we were all shocked. After Tom Kristensen’s accident in 2007, we learned that we first have to wait for all the examinations before we can really say that he is safe. At the end of the day, we can be very proud of our cars and the DTM safety concept.

Thanks to the safety measures adopted in this format of racing, Prémat walked away from this accident, which he’ll not forget easily. The Frenchman was then sent to the hospital for examination and fortunately, no illness was reported.