Category Car Chat

The 2015 K900 and Genesis is a big step forward for the Hyundai Motor Company. Not only because of its superb crash testing performance, but also some key components are all developed by Hyundai itself.

For example the AWD system (called “HTRAC”) are developed in-house, so does the 8-speed transmission. Especially for the 8AT, its design is totally different from the ZF, GM and Aisin units. The Hyundai 8AT uses 4 planetary gear sets and 7 shifting elements (5 clutches, including a one-way clutch and 2 brakes). It is more complicated than any of the other similar units...

The following information comes from a Chrysler engineer who has been heavily involved in the Dodge SRT Viper’s design process.

During the design phase of the current SRT Viper, Chrysler’s marketing team has evaluated and ranked almost 20 aspects that a supercar buyer would mostly be concerned with, using consumer survey data.

The results are pretty interesting. The top 4 factors that the sample customers put heavy weights on are (in order of voting count):  1. car body styling curve (30%); 2. total curb weight (18%); 3. torsional rigidity of the chassis; 4. engine torque. Surprisingly, zero-to-sixty time and top speed are not the most important parameters...

We all know race engines means high tech and expensive. Because these engines are only produced in small volume and usually working in high load/high stress circumstances, they usually uses some technologies that are not available in massively produced passenger cars.

One interesting fact is, because the race engine has higher assembly precision standards, there is less energy loss due to frictions between internal moving parts. Therefore, some race engines do have better fuel efficiency when comparing to a similar massively produced passenger car engine.

But some good stuff in race engines may act reversely in cars that are designed for daily driving...

Currently for all 2014 Subaru vehicles, the car maker recommends changing the engine oil for every 7,500 miles (this is the minimum requirement).

But we have got confirmation from our Subaru source that, the manufacture will reduce the mileage number to 6,000, starting for all 2015 model year Subaru vehicles.

Different from most of other auto makers, Subaru uses horizontally opposed-cylinder engine (called “boxer engine”) in its cars.  This type of engine has low center of gravity, which benefits the car’s handling. But this comes with expense that other V-shaped or I-shaped engine don’t have.

For example, because the cylinders are lying flat in the engine bay, the engin...

If you can afford a $300,000 car, how does $19 worth to you?

When I buy something big from HomeDepot, sometimes I rent a truck with $19 for 75 minutes. But the following photo catched a Ferrari owner use his own Ferrari FF to carry lumbers.

While saving is a virtue, I am wondering: if those lumbers scratched the FF’s paint, would $19 enough for repairing the damage?