Car Parts 2011

Do you like getting kicked in the backside by the hammer of Thor but could do without all the broken bones?  How about consuming absurd distances of road and feeling refreshed when you get out?  Even with gas near $4 a gallon, do you still feel the need to burn more fuel than Prince William's wedding procession?  Well, we got the car for you!

get1car.com

Yes, I know.  Your mind is blown!  A four seat coupe is indeed an Affordable Supercar AND it's a Mercedes.  This isn't just any run of the mill car with a tri-pointed star in the grille.  This is the CL65 AMG with a pair of turbos and a 6.0 liter V12 behind that shiny grille.

Wait a minute!  Go back and read that again.  "Turbos" and "V12" are in the same sentence and the same car.  This CL isn't just a boulevard cruiser.  It's a back alley bruiser.  That force-fed motor converts air and fuel with a result of just over 600hp making this the most powerful ASS ever!  We might as well call this car Beyonce.

examiner.com

With 603 horsepower and 738lb-ft of torque on tap, Beyonce is quite the performance vehicle despite tipping the scales at 4,750lbs.  I guess muscle really does weigh more than fat.  To prove the point, a sprint to 60 takes about four and a half seconds with a quarter mile completed in just over twelve seconds.  Handling is better than expected of a car weighing over two tons but this isn't exactly a Lotus Elise.

Not being an Elise in this class and price range is a good thing too.  It actually comes with an interior and it is simply divine.  Many cows gave their lives to produce an elegant cockpit that can seat four very comfortably for very long journeys.  Since it looks like any other car that a rich geriatric would drive, long journeys can be completed in a minimal amount of time without a glance from the police.



Here's Jeremy Clarkson's review and don't forget to check Ebay... for sub-$40k CL65s, not Beyonce

For many, the chance to see an insane, high-revving, Formula 1 car is coming to an end.  The current 18,000 rpm 2.4 liter V8s will show their full fury for the 2011 and 2012 seasons then go the way of the Mastodon and Saber-toothed tiger.  With the FIA's focus on greener technologies in racing, smaller displacement engines have constantly supplanted the previous generation.  The 3.0 liter V10s gave way to the current 2.4 liter V8s and they will, in turn, fade away in favor of 1.6 liter four cylinders.  However, for the first time in the modern era of F1, the consumer can truly boast about having F1 technology in their daily driver.

RB7 at adamcooperf1.com

First, let's talk about the outgoing motors.  The main reasons for dropping cylinders from the V10 era to the V8 era were fuel consumption and to make the sport safer by curbing the astronomical amounts of power that were being produced.  In 2004, Ferrari was claiming 940 horsepower out of their V10 while redlining over 19,000 rpm.  Now, with 3.0 liters of displacement that V10 is burning .3 liters per cylinder which is exactly the same amount as the 2.4 liter V8.  So it stands to reason, assuming the majority of engine rules are adhered, that power would drop by about 20% (2 of 10 cylinders) from V10 to V8.  That is exactly what happened.

F2004 at seriouswheels.com

Since the 2.4 liter V8 is still in use, power figures aren't exactly made public.  However, the 2006 motor used by Toyota is reported to have made 740 horsepower at 19,000 rpm.  The 2007 season saw a reduction in the rpm ceiling by 1000 rpm to 18,000.  As most gearheads know, horsepower is simply a byproduct of a mathematical formula with the only variables being torque and rpm.

Juke at sportcarbuzz.com

So what's all this have to do with consumer automobiles?  Consider the current list of engine suppliers in F1.  They are Ferrari, Mercedes, Cosworth, and Renault.  All except Ferrari have a good handle on small, powerful motors for both street and track applications.  Also, Honda, a dominant engine supplier in the past, is reportedly readying a 1.6 liter four-cylinder turbo for its CR-Z.  The most recent addition to the list of motor's throwing punches above its weight class is Nissan's MR16DDT, found in the Juke which Eric Hsu covers extensively.  Remember that Nissan owns part of Renault and vice versa.  Additionally, Infiniti just sponsored Red Bull in the form of "technical collaboration with Red Bull racing."  This isn't to say that the motor in the Juke will power a Formula 1 car in the future but there hasn't been a smaller divide in recent memory between the applications.  With the current world economy and a focus on smaller, lighter, more fuel efficient power plants, there is no reason the F1 motors can't go through the R&D process next to production motors.  Sharing costs across the production and motorsport platforms would help everyone. 

Lola B08/80 at ultimatecarpage.com

A good example of this would be the Lola B08/80 in the LMP2 class of the American LeMans series which is powered by a highly tuned Mazda MZR four-cylinder.  This motor in its most basic form powers the Mazda 3.  In race trim, it puts out somewhere around 500 horsepower at a fraction of the cost of F1 motors.  It's almost unfathomable what would be possible with Formula 1 money.  Hypothetically, the necessity for lightweight and a low center of gravity could even yield V4s.

While many will mourn the death of Formula 1, changes like this are nothing new.  The sport is constantly trying to reinvent itself whether its in reaction to global or political concerns or simply to improve "the show."  It's time to embrace the sport for its practical engineering prowess and technological advances.  Imagine the possibilities.

I'm going to be honest with you right now.  I'm not a fan of Porsche.  Yes, I respect the engineering, the racing pedigree, and the history behind the marque but they just don't tickle me in any particular way.  I guess you could say Porsche is like "Sex Panther" cologne to me.  "60% of the time it works, every time."  Today, I'm in that 60% zone...

Porsche 918 RSR Concept on autoblog.com

Today seemed to be Porsche day around the intertrons and I couldn't help but look at that chunky rear end with its flat 6.  After looking over various incarnations of the same car over and over again with nary a difference that my untrained eye could detect, I started to grow fond of these backward engineered cars...to an extent.  The stock 911, GT2, GT3, Turbo, and the like don't do anything.  All these are supercars but none of them stand out to me.  To get my attention, Porsches need to be hardcore like the 918 above and purpose-built cars below:

1968 FIA Group 2 911 on motoringconbrio.com

From our friends over at motoringconbrio.com is this Group 2 racer.  It's currently for sale in the hundreds of thousands range.  Head over to their site for some great pictures of this car including its perfectly restored interior.

These insane Porsches were modified by RAUH-Welt Begriff (RWB) and they are the widest, most imposingly demonic 911s that I've ever seen.  They weren't created just to look crazy, either.  This group gathered to make a trip to Tsukuba to throw down some fast laps while there and on the way.  These cars are currently being documented on speedhunters.com in a two part series.  Click through that site to see some of the most spectacular photography in all of motorsports.

The RWB guys actually reminded me of the infamous R Gruppe, an international Porsche owners group that prides itself on modifying a car to individual tastes.  Read up on them here or just look at these sweet vintage 911s.

automobilemag.com

The 80s were a dark time for the automotive world.  Manufacturers hadn't figured out how to make horsepower after federally mandated smog equipment had been bolted onto motors.  The giants of the sports car realm - Supra, Corvette, 928 - didn't break the 300 horsepower mark until the very end of the decade.  However, if you look hard enough there's always a light in the darkness.  In the mid 80s, the light could be found in music by a still black Michael Jackson, the inherent goodness of Darth Vader, and the turbo V6 in the blacked out Buick Grand National.

autogaleria.hu

Out of all the products in the GM catalog, this was the one to have!  Yes, I know.  It is a Buick.  It's also the best incarnation of a Buick since the Gran Sport and it outran the almighty Corvette, the top dog in GM's performance hierarchy.  While a 5.7 liter Vette was doing 0-60 sprints in 6.3 seconds, the 1987 G-body Buick had already finished that feat 1.3 seconds ago, listened to Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer," and stole the Vette's girlfriend.

autogaleria.hu

When the old girl, the car not the girlfriend, lets you look under her hood, it really gets interesting.  There sits a 3.8 liter V6 which had been turbocharged to a healthy 276 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque.  Never mind the anemic V8 in a Corvette or even a Ferrari 328.  This motor outclassed both!  Porsche's 928 and its 5.0 liter V8 were the only competition for this car in terms of outright acceleration.

Turning is a different story.  Buick's 80s technology couldn't exactly make the 200 inch, 3500 pound bruiser handle like a Lotus Esprit.  Remember we're talking about an American car that is, arguably, responsible for a muscle car renaissance.  Let's just say that, yes, it can turn.

autogaleria.hu

When new, Grand Nationals cost somewhere around $18,000 while the optional GNX package was an additional $11,000 over that.  Today, a clean example will fetch prices in the high teens.  Don't be surprised if these prices start heading north in the next few years as GM releases the new Regal and nostalgia sets in.  However, considering the way that things are going over at GM, this will be the last supercar out of Buick, affordable or not.

Back in October, I posted my thoughts about Hyundai becoming the next Honda, or more importantly the Honda of the 90s.  Back then, Honda had several exciting cars in their lineup that showcased cutting edge technologies like four-wheel steering, VTEC, and aluminum unibody.  Today, the excitement can be felt in Hyundai's entire range of cars.  There's the sporty rear-wheel drive Genesis coupe, the mega-mile consuming Genesis luxury sedan, and the jack-of-all trades Sonata.  While the two Genesis cars cater to a very distinctive audience, the Sonata is the car that everyone can enjoy for its good looks, perfect size, adrenaline pumping turbo power, and frugality at the pump.

courtesy autoblog.com

With those reasons in mind, Flappy Paddle Heads is proud to bestow its inaugural "Can't Think of a More Witty Phrase than 'Car of the Year" award to the 2010 Hyundai Sonata.

The Sonata took top honors for a litany of reasons.  Its design language sets a new direction for a Korean car manufacturer that gets attention on the street instead of just trying to be a Japanese clone that neither offends nor entices with stale sheet metal.  The swooping body work resembles those premium (read: more expensive) four door coupes from the Germans that are all the rage but is executed in a much less flamboyant manner.

The engine options also take the road less traveled.  Instead of offering a V6 in their top trim model, the Sonata comes exclusively with 4-cylinder propulsion systems.  There's a conventional motor, as well as turbocharged and battery supplemented versions.  Both petrol powered motors provide class leading power while sacrificing nothing to their rivals, not to mention that the turbo-4 provides superior driving dynamics due to its lower weight than a heavy V6.  For the green hypermilers, the hybrid model provides better gas mileage than the Camry hybrid and is cheaper at the showroom too.  Power mongers, green weenies, and penny pinchers can all be happy with these options.

The mid-size sedan segment is the highest volume car segment in America and it is hard to make any inroads.  The Accord and Camry are constantly vying for the most sales.  The Ford Fusion is set to break 200,000 sales this year, something that Ford hasn't accomplished since the Focus sedan, after having a major redesign.  The Sonata has accomplished that same feat for Hyundai for the first time in its company's history.  During a time when people buy Camrys and Accords due to brand loyalty and not knowing any better, it's refreshing to see that a newcomer has joined the ranks with something totally new and eyeopening.  I hope these sales figures show that a company doesn't need to follow the status quo to achieve success.

Congratulations, Hyundai!

To start, Bugatti Veyron is a noun.

From there, things are going to get a bit complicated.. Or, dare I, things get a bit nonsensical.

Bugatti Veyron Gran Sport

We begin describing the Bugatti with numbers. Let's get started with the price first, something you should all feel more comfortable with understanding. It is a cool $170,576.90.

Wait, something isn't right... Oh no! I'm sorry, how embarrassing-- I accidentally moved it to the wrong decimal place. The starting price for a Bugatti Veyron is, in fact:

I repeat, One Million Seven Hundred and Five Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty Nine US Dollars. And get this, the company is still losing money for every car sold.

That's not all. The latest special edition Veyron Super Sport is said to be, according to New York Time's Wheels column writer, John Pearley Huffman (I did not make any of this up), priced at $2.5 MILLION!!!!!!! I'll give you a moment to let that settle in.

But it's true, isn't it? You should always get what you pay for.  So what's so special about this car, then, that it has the audacity to charge a price that is even greater than the stimulus amount granted to the schools of Orange County, California?

The first question we should ask when it comes to sports cars like the Bugatti is, "How fast does it go?"

We know it's more than 250mph, but how much is that really? The Veyron can out-accelerate a cheetah to 60mph, reach a higher top speed than a Boeing AH-64 Apache Gunship Helicopter used by our Navy and, in a very interesting 2-mile drag race, it is also a very competent adversary against the British Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon.




I mean seriously, a W16 cylinder quadturbo engine?! When I first heard of those numbers, i nearly crapped my pants. The Veyron would crap itself too if it didn't have ten radiators, only four of which are for the engine itself, to cool off.

No, she is not a midget nor is this photoshopped. Just accept that everything about this car is staggering and completely defies logic.

In spite of all the logic that it defies, we see that this car does exist for a purpose. The Veyron exists to be the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive production automobile in history. When the just-as-ugly Ultimate Aero SSC TT 123ABC decided to challenge the seat for top speed king, Bugatti Veyron answered back by doing what it does best, introducing the Veyron Supersport. It's even faster, even more powerful, even more ludicrous and twice as expensive as the original.

In the last episode of Top Gear (half of you readers probably saw it before I had a chance to), presenter James May gave it a go in the Veyron SS. Upon hitting the magic number, attaining the Veyron SS' terminal velocity of 417.9 kph (259.7 mph), Bugatti sent their factory test driver to take the car out again to do two runs, one at each direction of their oval test track, to average a top speed of 267mph. Now just to be clear, that's a total of three maximum speed runs in a span of one afternoon and this car just kept on going.

But I hate them for it.


On one hand, I am more than impressed by the monumental engineering. The undertaking of such a vehicle is immense and in car terms, comparable to a Saturn V rocket or CERN Large Hadron Collider project. Unfortunately, on the other hand, I feel like all this marvel is always going to be in the hands of people that least deserve it:

This is a Turbo emblem, but not just any. It is an emblem that belongs to none other than Porsche.

The second car in our Affordable Supercar Series, I introduce to you the Porsche Turbo that mattered most; the 911. No doubt, I didn't have to show you a picture of the car for you to have figured that out.

Too bad, finding one under $40k is not going to be easy though. After double checking on Ebay motors, there are two for sale that include a "buy it now" price ($42k and $47). Another listing of a RUF tiptronic model exceeds $55k.

No matter, it's a sweet deal. And unlike the Aston DB7 Vantage that Chin introduced last time, the numbers don't have to make excuses for itself.
- 420 horsepower, 413 lb/ft.
- 0-60 times hover at 4.0 +/- seconds
- top speed exceeds 190 with a bit of a tailwind.
- This is the first production water cooled 911 twin turbo.
- The engine is a de-tuned version of the 1998 Le Man 24 hour winning Porsche GT1.

Even when handling that sort of velocity, the 996 is not the tree wrapping widow maker the 911's of the past were famous for being. Its advanced all wheel drive coupled with the PSM stability control offers settings that are more understeer oriented at normal mode to a sport mode that allows 7 degrees of slip. However, if you are the Stig, or maybe if you're just the kind of person that is very fond of pushing buttons clearly labeled "DO NOT PUSH THIS BUTTON!!!", you can turn the stability control completely off.

I guess all this power can come (relatively) cheap. But nothing is without its price. Purists, and even some of those who aren't, can't get over the egg-splatter headlights. I guess they aren't that great to look at. Bah, get over it. If anything, creating eyelids for a 996 can be a neat DIY project that you can later boast on Porsche forums.

-Danny Choy-