Minggu, 09 Februari 2014
Sabtu, 08 Februari 2014
Kamis, 06 Februari 2014
Ive always been a fairly strict utilitarian when it comes to vehicle features and design. Useless gingerbread and eye-candy dont do much for me. I had a conniption the other day when I got an up-close look at the new Mustang Shelby GT. This car is a veritable poster-child for useless tacked-on styling trinkets. Hood scoop? Non-functional. Side-scoops? Also non-functional. Hood Pins? Well, arguably functional, but since the car has a conventional and fully-operational hood latch, Ill also put them in the "non-fucntional" category. There were probably more offending items still, but I was too enraged at the time by the gratuitous and patronizing tacked-on bric-a-brac to take notice.About a week later, a co-worker sends me a story about Kumhos new Ecsta DX tires. Now, as a compact enthusiast, Ive known about Kumho tires for quite a while, and know theyre a favorite of autocrossers and club racers for their competitve dry-pavement performance as well as their low price. (Heck, Im running a set of them right now on my daily driver!) So Kumho has some built-in enthusiast cred in my book. But when I read about the defining characteristic of the DX line, Kumho got knocked down a notch or two on my cred list.
You see, the DXs claim to fame is its lavender scent. Yes, the same as that of many shampoos and body washes. In the press release for the tires, Kumho is claiming functional benefits from the addition of the aromatic agent, including, "...heat-resistant oils are said to enhance the bonding of rubber chains and maximize the viscoelasticity of the rubber compound, which helps reduce braking distances on wet or dry roads. The Ecsta DX Aroma compound also features silica to improve all-weather performance and wet traction."
Said to enhance? Wow. That really sounds like a ringing, empirical endorsement of the functionality of the lavender scent. Now, if from exhaustive testing, the lavender-scented additive is shown to improve performance beyond a shadow of a doubt, Ill be at the front of the parade touting the benefits of girlie-scented tires, and advocating their use on all vehicles.
But for a tenuous stretch to try to justify the use of perfume in tires for some nebulous perceived benefit, Ill stick to the good ol stinky vulcanized rubber tires for now.
(blogs.modified.com)
Rabu, 05 Februari 2014
Senin, 03 Februari 2014
When it was introduced for the 2007 model year, the Edge was like a contemporary Mariah Carey—great to look at, but struggling with a weight problem and the resultant effects on performance. At the Chicago auto show, Ford shows off a freshening that enhances the Edge’s appearance, overhauls the interior, and, although not directly addressing the issue of mass, will increase performance. Like most mid-cycle refreshes, the Edge’s 2011 update starts with a nose job. Every panel up front is new: hood, fenders, grille, and fascia. The result is a sultrier shape than the blocky original Edge—the headlights are narrower, the three-bar grille dips deeper into the fascia, and the overall look is softened and rounded—but still clearly descendant from it. Around back, the hatch is new, with taillights that ditch the trendy clear lenses of the original model for more timeless red ones.
Functional Changes
Underneath that new hood, the Edge will have a selection of two new engines and one updated unit. The new base engine will be a 2.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injected EcoBoost four-cylinder. Power figures have not been released yet, but figure on about 230 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque. Mid-level SEL models will get the 3.5-liter V-6 from the previous Edge, but updated with variable timing on both intake and exhaust camshafts, with output increasing 20 hp and 3 lb-ft, to 285 and 253, respectively.
Top-of-the-line Sport models, in addition to unique black grille slats, smoked head- and taillights, and black-trimmed, 22-inch wheels; get Ford’s 3.7-liter V-6, which delivers a relatively modest bump in hp—to 305—over the 3.5, but a torque gain of 27 lb-ft, for a total of 280. All three engines will be paired with six-speed automatics, with the Sport featuring standard paddle shifters that are unavailable with the other engines.
It’s What’s Inside That Counts
The Edge’s new interior is perhaps even more attractive than the sheetmetal. A sleek new center stack steals the show, housing Ford’s new MyFord and MyFord Touch vehicle-interface systems. These two are the next evolution of Ford’s Sync. MyFord will be standard on all 2011 Edges, but MyFord Touch costs extra. Both are vehicle-management systems using a small LCD screen in the gauge cluster—the fancier MyFord Touch gets two, one on either side of the speedometer—and a larger LCD screen in the center stack.
The small screens in the IP are controlled by five-way switches (up, down, left, and right arrows plus a center “select” button) on the steering-wheel spokes, while the center is operated via touch. The left IP screen is the only one MyFord buyers get, and it displays vehicle information such as stability-control settings, a tachometer, or trip-computer information. The screen to the right of the speedometer—again, only available with MyFord Touch—is reserved for audio, phone, navigation, and climate-control info. The center screen handles the same information as the right smaller screen, with the added benefit of being accessible to the front passenger.
Call it the Kitchen Sync
All of MyFord and MyFord Touch’s functionality builds on top of the next-generation Sync features, which include easier interaction through what Ford calls “direct speech” commands. No longer does a person dial a phone number by saying “phone” then waiting for Sync to respond before saying “call Jane.” Now, the command is simply “call Jane,” and Sync makes the call. Or, if you want to find a sporting event, you can simply say “tune to Baltimore Ravens game” rather than flipping through channels looking for the game, and Sync will find it. For a full rundown of all the details, read our coverage of the two systems from the Consumer Electronics Show.
Additionally, below the MyFord interface are capacitive-touch controls for audio and climate, and those opting for the upgraded Sony stereo are treated to a Sony-designed audio interface. Though the system does look cool, we see frustrations growing from audio controls that will not react to thickly gloved fingers.
A vehicle with features like MyFord Touch can’t get by without a healthy dose of technology elsewhere. To that end, the Edge also will receive a bunch of optional high-tech gear including keyless entry and ignition, blind-spot monitors, adaptive cruise control, and rain-sensing windshield wipers. The 2011 Edge will go on sale later in 2010. Pricing should remain close to today’s levels, with a base SE beginning around $28,000 and Sport models starting near $35,000.
(BY JARED GALL, PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEVI HILLGER AND THE MANUFACTURER)
Minggu, 02 Februari 2014
Sabtu, 01 Februari 2014
