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Road & Track Technology |
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Technology
September 2006
World Superpowers!
America squares off against Europe in a battle of high-speed supremacy. At the
Vairano track south of Milan, Italy, we take names and log data — including top
speed, lap times and our standard battery of performance tests — in a week-long
test of handling prowess, dizzying acceleration and dynamic fortitude.
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Chevrolet Corvette Z06
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Dodge Viper SRT10
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Ford GT
vs.
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Ferrari F430 F1
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Lamborghini Gallardo
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Porsche 911 Turbo
BMW Z4 M Coupe vs. Porsche Cayman S
In our own study of plate Teutonics, the earth shifts beneath the wheels of
these powerful and stylish German coupes. — By Peter Egan
Update: Saleen S7 Twin Turbo
A race car for the street. We’re not making this up. And its earth-scorching
10.6-sec. quarter mile backs up the boast. — By Kim Wolfkill
Tech Tidbits: We Sure Are a Shiftless Lot
Americans (excepting many R&T readers) and two-pedal driving go together like
peas and carrots. Plus: Use cruise? — By Dennis Simanaitis
Technology
August 2006
Odd Couple: Audi RS 4 vs. Porsche 911 Carrera 4s
How is it that two cars so very different manage to be equally enjoyable to
drive? Here’s a hint... all-wheel drive. — By Kim Wolfkill
Tire Tech
A brace of new performance tires from Bridgestone, Continental and Goodyear
promise best-in-class handling, refinement and driveability.
On The Road: The Road & Track 250
Amazing cars, great racing and enthusiasts galore. All can be found in abundance
at the U.S. Sports Car Invitational. — By Thos L. Bryant
Side Glances: Learning From The Masters
If you’re going to try your hand at something, do it right and learn from the
best, says our resident jack-of-all-trades. — By Peter Egan
Tech Tidbits: What About Ethanol MPG?
We take a close look at ethanol’s fuel mileage potential, hybrid battery life
and the next big thing in shifting gears. — By Dennis Simanaitis
Technology
June 2006
2007 Porsche 911 Turbo
Technical analysis and driving impressions: Brains and brawn.
Technical Correspondence
Weighty questions about octane, brakes and tires.
Tech Tidbits
Pedal to the metal.
Technology
May 2006
Kick It Up! We drive the ultra-high-performance Lingenfelter Twin Turbo Commemorative Corvette, TechArt 997S, Ruf 3.8R Kompressor, Oettinger Golf V GTI, AC Schnitzer ACS5, Lorinser S550 and GS Motorsports Supercharged 300C SRT8. Plus: Web-exclusive video.
Hybrids
Stories from the archives highlighting the vehicles and the technology.
The Hybrid Payoff
Is it economical? Environmental? Techie? Or Mere Fashion? We test the 2006 Honda
Civic EX, and 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2006 Ford Escape V-6 and 2006 Ford Escape
Hybrid, and 2007 Toyota Camry SE V-6 and 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid.
Your Mileage May Differ An enthusiast's guide to saving fuel.
Tech Tidbits Some crude remarks.
Technical Correspondence Some interfere, some don't.
Technology
April 2006
Cadillac STS-V
An executive hauler, not a track carver.
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Japanese Sports Cars Sneak Preview Prepare for an onslaught from the Land of the Rising Horsepower. Plus: Web-exclusive video of the Mazda Kabura and the Lexus LF-A.
Audi R10: A Diesel Winner at Le Mans? There's special technology for a racing diesel.
Tech Tidbits Let's take a brake...
Technical Correspondence Braking and accelerating effectively.
Michelin's Pierre Dupasquier An interview with Michelin's racing chief.
Technology
March 2006
All-Wheel-Drive Sport Sedans Does more grip equal less fun? Plus: Web-exclusive video.
Automotive Safety Protecting us — even, occasionally, from ourselves.
Tech Tidbits Think of it as Rudolf's personal M5.
Technical Correspondence A matter of thrust.
25 Hours of Thunderhill: Trial by Fire With nearly 60 other competitors on track at the same time, there was plenty of action throughout the entire 25-hour race. A number of different classes ensured that there was a little of everything at Thunderhill, from Porsche 911s and BMW M3s to Honda Civics, Mazda Miatas and even a couple of purpose-built sports racers.
DARPA in the Desert It was a great race — with even greater implications.
Technology
February 2006
Bavarian Brothers: BMW M5 & M6
Comparison Test
(February 2006)
Do you prefer your 500-bhp V-10 in coupe or sedan form?
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High Performance and High MPG Dwindling petroleum reserves won’t spell the death of the enthusiast car; clever technology will likely improve the breed
Tech Tidbits: Economics Need Not Be the Dismal Science Ever wonder what a Ford Model T would cost in 2006 dollars? Then we’ve got an online calculator for you
Technology
January 2006
Racing Fuels What do the racing fuels of Champ Car, Formula 1, IRL, Le Mans, NHRA Top Fuelers and WRC all have in common? Utterly nothing, except a propensity to ignite on demand in a big way
Tech Tidbits: Plugging Into the Hybrid Craze? ”Loving a hybrid is never having to plug it in.” Or maybe not. Plus, a new technical treatise from SAE answers questions about engines that none of us were clever enough to ask
Technology
December 2005
Mercedes-Benz S500 This much is certain: The new S-Class makes a bold design statement, reasserts its flagship status and will not be mistaken for a well-fed C-Class. And more powerful V-8s are nothing to snivel at, either
Formula SAE On a clear day in Michigan, you can see a depth of engineering talent. And not just from the Big Three; check out what enterprising college students have wrought with their SAE open-wheelers
Road Test Reading, Self-Taught Heel-and-toe is not a squaredance step, and understeer has little or nothing to do with position relative to our bovine friends. You knew that. Herein are other road test terms, explained
Tech Tidbits: A Neat Alfa, A cool Studebaker, etc. The Monterey Weekend had a rich mixture of vintage tech and fascinating stories — an Alfa with a war tale, a cool Studey, a pewter V-12, selected tools and a starlet with endurance
Technology
November 2005
“Battlewagons” Video These station wagons aren’t only cool-looking, they’re also hot performers. See for yourself in our fast-paced video compilation of the 340-bhp Audi S4 Avant, the 425-bhp Dodge Magnum SRT8 and the 469-bhp Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG Sport Wagon, a trio that gives the term “hauling” a whole new meaning.
Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Do try to bring her back in one piece, 007...
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Run-Flats for All Seasons Compressed air in tires is highly overrated, at least when your run-flat picks up a nail. And these rubber marvels are ever-improving, now in summer, winter and all-season varieties — By
Tech Tidbits: Sir Isaac Newton and the Quarter Mile. The drag-racing slick as a continuously variable transmission, exhaust pulses as downforce, SAE Certified Horsepower explained, and why London motorists can expect an even greater Pounding
Technology
October 2005
Mercedes-Benz October 2005
What's new for 2006.
Lexus IS 350 Road
Tests ( October 2005 )
Plush, but is it sporty enough?
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New Car Fix '06 Want a magazine-load of the new-car smarts? Well, you're in the right place with our guide that contains information, photos and specifications of every 2006 car that's sold in the U.S. Also, place your vote in our Readers' Choice polls for Best Car and Dream Car, and find a wealth of opinion in our High Tech/Why Tech rankings of the latest electronic safety and convenience aids
Technology
September 2005
2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class September 2005
Flagship Merc sedan looks to emulate BMW's 7 Series.
Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM AMG What's German for "outrageous"?
Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
Travel light, travel quickly.
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Technology Update: Ecco Bergamo, So This Must be Wednesday Technicalities gleaned in a whirlwind tour of Silverstone, Paul Ricard, Bergamo and Brescia.
Tech Tidbits How old are those tires anyway?
Technology
August 2005
2006 Bentley Continental Flying Spur
Automotive art in motion.
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2006 BMW 330i
Comparison Test ( August 2005 )
Moving in the right direction.
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Fun Factor Stuck in the automotive doldrums, Bunkie? Well, here are a dozen 4-wheeled, gasoline-fueled roller coasters (think Six Flags Over R&T) guaranteed to put a thrill in your heart and a smile on your face
Mercedes-Benz R-Class Imagine a Chrysler Pacifica, done by Mercedes, that's actually capable of strong acceleration — voilà, the R-Class. Fitted with the 305-bhp V-8, it's a people-mover with the emphasis on "move"
Surround Sound We've come a long way from 8-tracks playing through cheesy, swap-meet 6x9s. The latest car audio can practically put you in the center of the orchestra pit. (Easy with that violin bow, mister!)
Tech Tidbits: Insist On a Donut and a Starburst No, we're not talking Winchell's and wrapped candies; rather, we're urging you to look for two distinctive seals of certification when you buy motor oil. Plus: alveoli — not an Italian pasta dish
Technology
July 2005
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren & Beechcraft Premier I In an effort to get more fiber in our diet (okay, carbon fiber), we look at two exclusive conveyances made of the stuff, their construction and their relationships with lift
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren and Beechcraft Premier I
Comparison Test ( July 2005 )
Celebrating carbon fiber on the land and in the air.
In this comparison: Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren and Beechcraft Premier I
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2006 Audi A3
A crossbreeding of an A4 Avant and a TT.
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Mercedes-Benz ML500 Shedding its plain, minivan-esque skin once and for all, the new ML wriggles into 2006 with an available 5.0-liter V-8, a silky-shifting 7-speed, sophisticated awd and a far richer-looking interior
2006 Mercedes-Benz ML500 Road Tests (
July 2005 )
Back on top.
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New Video Clips
Assistant Road Test Editor Shaun Bailey on the new-to-the-U.S.
Audi A3, Editor-in-Chief Thos L. Bryant on the new
Mercedes-Benz ML500 and Engineering Editor Dennis Simanaitis discusses his
interesting
air/land adventure, road testing the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren supercar and
spending time in another carbon-fiber-intensive vehicle, a Beech Premier
business jet.
Tech Tidbits: NASCAR Would Have Pomeroy Spinning If you thought Formula 1 piston speeds were high, wait till you read this....it’ll have NASCAR’s connecting rods filing for worker’s comp. Plus, 42-volt automotive wiring systems get the electric chair
Technology
June 2005
Rocking the Establishment Comparison Test (
June 2005 )
Two Japanese challengers take on Europe's sports-sedan benchmark.
In this comparison: BMW 545i, Infiniti M45 Sport, Lexus GS 430
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2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS500 Road Tests
( June 2005 )
Daring to be different.
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Mercedes-Benz CLS500 It’s said that clothes make the man...with the corollary that sheet-metal curves make the car. And so it is that Mercedes is testing the waters with a snappily dressed E-Class called the CLS500
Eternal Combustion? Don’t write the obituary just yet. Clean petroleum- and bio-derived fuels, hybrids, increasingly efficient catalysts and direct-injection strategies breathe new life into internal combustion
Tech Tidbits: Wheeling to 800 km/h If that land speed record car is wheel-driven, then I’ve got a prime parcel of Everglades property for you. Plus, torpedo-shaped record cars, circa 1899, and hot-wiring Morgans for fun and profit
Technology
May 2005
Living Large Comparison Test (
May 2005 )
Spaciousness — and luxury — define the Audi A8 L, BMW 745Li, Jaguar XJ8 L,
Mercedes-Benz S500 and Volkswagen Phaeton V8.
In this comparison: Audi A8 L, BMW 745Li, Jaguar XJ8 L, Mercedes-Benz
S500 and Volkswagen Phaeton V8
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Nanotech: Friend or foe? Tiny — really tiny — particles have all kinds of fascinating applications, automotive and otherwise. Yet could their very eensy-ness be their downfall? We look at health and regulatory issues
Tech Tidbits: Can you hear me now...you whippersnapper? Like a reverse of the movie Cocoon, teenagers suddenly take on 70-year-old reaction times when talking on the cellphone, for corn sakes. Plus, mysteries of the Reuleaux triangle explained
Technology
April 2005
Audi A6 3.2 Quattro
Change is good. Right?
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Tech Tidbits: No Wonder They Called It "Grand Touring" Time spent behind the amply-sized wheel of a 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K proves memorable; classes in automotive restoration prove educational. Plus, buffering—it's not just for aspirin anymore
Technology
March 2005
Best All-Around Sports Car Comparison Test
( March 2005 )
We go to great lengths to help you choose.
In this comparison: BMW Z4 3.0i, Chevrolet Corvette Coupe, Dodge Viper
SRT-10, Honda S2000, Lotus Elise, Mercedes-Benz SLK350, Nissan 350Z 35th
Anniversary, Porsche Boxster S, Porsche Carrera S Coupe
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Chrysler 300C SRT-8
It's such a bargain, you'll never need to rob a bank.
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Is Racing Relevant? A Who's Who of racing's elite (do the names Mosley, Brawn and George ring a bell?) weighs in on the cost of competition, driver aids and why Ferrari beats up on everyone else in F1
Tech Tidbits: Hats off to Snell The next time you don your Simpson Bandit and cinch the double D-ring, think of William "Pete" Snell and the helmet safety foundation he inspired. Plus, Goddard on race-car "rocket science"
Technology
February 2005
Michelin Challenge Bibendum, Shanghai Sampling the very latest crop of advanced vehicles…diesel, bio-diesel fuel cell, pure electric and hybrid… around an equally cutting-edge venue — the Shanghai International Circuit
Tech Tidbits: Are You Ready for Aerodriving? Wireless technology as it applies to the car world, an interesting nugget on cellphone per-capita density, thoughts on oil-producing countries and the sleek hoodline as an endangered species
Technology
January 2005
Aston Martin DB9
The roundabout route pays off.
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Ferrari F430
A thoroughly muscle-bound Modena.
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Running Flat, Low & Flat-out Air pressure, or the lack of it, is a growing concern for both tiremakers and legislators. We examine a new run-flat technology, systems that monitor pressure, and Continental’s 220-mph Vmax
Tech Tidbits: Bluetooth Ear to the Ground Wireless technology as it applies to the car world, an interesting nugget on cellphone per-capita density, thoughts on oil-producing countries and the sleek hoodline as an endangered species
Technology
December 2004
Classic Warfare
America’s best — the sixth-generation Corvette — takes on Germany’s
sports-car stalwart — the new 911.
In this comparison: Chevrolet Corvette, Porsche 911 Carrera S
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Automotive Engineering or Social Engineering? New automotive technology can create as many problems as it solves. We look at some “Big Brother” devices and their real-world implications, with pros, cons and a good dose of opinion
Tech Tidbits It’s one of those girl-gets-car, girl-loses-car, girl-gets-reunited-with-car stories that will warm the cockles of your heart. Plus, what’s so fishy about the Farman A6B Super Sport Torpedo?
Technology
November 2004
Power Hitters
Small sedans + big V-8s = serious speed.
In this comparison: Audi S4, Mercedes-Benz C55 AMG
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Mercedes-Benz SLK350
Powerful and semi-practical retractable.
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Fast Times @ Formula SAE Most of us doodled cars in our study-hall notebooks, but here's a competition where college students actually design, build and race them. Then we invite the top five to R&T's own event Formula SAE 2004 — A closer look at the top cars. See the 2003 Formula SAE Competition.
Keep 'em Running — and Winning "Plug 'n' Play" is a bit of a catchphrase for computer accessories, but who would have imagined a 6-minute transmission swap at Le Mans in 2000? A look at making race cars quick to fix
Tech Tidbits Nissan lets us in on some cars not (yet) sold in the U.S. market: the Cube, an even smaller toaster-on-wheels than the Scion xB; a muscled-up hybrid Altima; and the X-Trail FCV fuel-cell car
Technology
October 2004
Fill 'er Up. But Whatever With? And Wherever From? The nozzle at your local filling station in 2019 won't necessarily dispense gasoline. A look at what the not-so-distant future holds, maximizing petroleum reserves, and searching for alternatives
Technology
September 2004
2005 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible
The Natural: The new Corvette feels as good as it looks.
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Bentley Continental GT
Mother England meets Das Vaterland, and the result is 200 mph in the
lap of luxury.
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Tales From the Grip They’re round, sticky and black, from BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Michelin and Goodyear. We survey the latest batch of “dry” high-performance tires, plus one that’s better in a downpour
Tech Tidbits Drop the tailgate, increase economy? In most cases, no, and the wind tunnel doesn’t lie. Plus, canned hams you can tow behind your car, and the good Professor Botts and his ubiquitous dots
Technology
August 2004
2005 Cadillac STS
Technologically advanced and with more art, less science.
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Aftermarket Navigation Can we get there from here? (And its corollary-Wherever you go, there you are.) The answer is yes, and the task is often made simpler by the latest add-on GPS-based navigation systems
Tech Tidbits How to make the 2005 Porsche 911 sound like a 1973 Carrera RS 2.7 and other acoustic sleight-of-ear tricks; Mr. Milliken's wild ride; and gasoline prices are not at an all-time high...yet
Technology
July 2004
Teaching a One-Year-Old to Drive DARPA offered $1 million for a robotic car that could find its way from Barstow, California, to Las Vegas, a distance of 150 miles. The "winner" went 7 1/2, showing the depth of the challenge
Tech Tidbits You want torque, Bunkie? How about 413 lb.-ft. from 3.0 liters? BMW has achieved this with a twin-sequential-turbocharged diesel engine, fed with 27 psi of boost and common-rail injection
Technology
June 2004
Seven to the Power of Six
Can six cylinders and true luxury live in the same garage space?
In this comparison: Audi A6 3.0 Quattro, BMW 530i, Cadillac CTS,
Chrysler 300, Jaguar S-Type, Mercedes-Benz E320, Volvo S80 T6
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Porsche Carrera GT
An everyday supercar.
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A Gearhead's Delight Will the year 2010 bring the 12-speed automatic? Or will CVTs rule the ratio-swapping roost? What about twin-clutch boxes, like the TT's DSG unit? Intricacies of the gearbox explained
Tech Tidbits Get rid of that trashy novel on the nightstand, because we've lined up a few real automotive page-turners with, of course, a technical bent. Plus, Toyota's yaw control with steering intervention
Technology
May 2004
2005 Chrysler 300C
Rear drive. Hemi V-8 power. Is it 1965, or 2005?
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Sound Thinking The science of sound and how it applies to race cars, vehicle design and your very own set of hammers, anvils and stirrups. Read this, and you’ll never want to be caught without your earplugs!
Tech Tidbits Here’s a rather one-sided discussion of the Moebius strip and how it applies to Land Rover upholstery and the turn-of-the-century machine shop, plus Toyota Prius self-parking in Japan
Technology
April 2004
BMW 645Ci Versus Mercedes-Benz CLK500
Two svelte, quick and luxurious coupes vie for our affections. One captures
Bornhop's heart; the other is championed by Rusz. So who do you think has
the real skinny?April 2004 )
A Boy's Toys Encourage your Inner Child to come out and play, and fool with an atmospheric heat engine, PV=nRT, fuel as a controlled substance, albedo, a proton exchange membrane and hydrogen propulsion
Tech Tidbits Is it warm in here, or is it just me? Even scientists aren't completely sure. Maybe it's those dastardly evil SUVs (the Euro view) or maybe it's those dastardly dirty diesels (a recent NASA finding)
Technology
March 2004
New-Wave Sports Cars The internal-combustion engine gets by with a little help from its friends — the electric motor and battery pack — in concepts from Mitsubishi and Subaru. Plus, a torquier, tauter Mazda RX-8
Fuel-Cell Happenings Hydrogen goes in, water comes out and you’re propelled down the road. Well, it’s not quite that simple as we’ll see in the promise and pitfalls of what may power the family sedan in 2015
Tech Tidbits All the wacky, tacky, practical, technical and fascinatingly frivolous from the Tokyo motor show, including an arcane link between a Toyota show car and the grand poobah of fried chicken
Technology
February 2004
Cadillac CTS-V
Something wicked this way comes.
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Performance Tire Update We take a spirited test drive on two high-performance tires of the Asian persuasion: the Hankook Ventus Sport K104 from Korea, and the Toyo Proxes 4 from Japan
Tech Tidbits All the wacky, tacky, practical, technical and fascinatingly frivolous from the Tokyo motor show, including an arcane link between a Toyota show car and the grand poobah of fried chicken
