Toyota 4Runner Driving Impression

Recently I had the opportunity to drive a 2008 Toyota 4Runner for a few days while my daily driver was being repaired due to running over debris. While familiar in some respects from previous ownership of three Toyotas ('95 Camry XLE V-6, '94 Supra Twin Turbo, '99 Solara SLE V-6), I also found some aspects objectionable even compared to a 14 year-old model. First the circumstances of the accident which is another lesson I learned that I can add to previous articles, "Accidents - what I've learned" and "What Traffic School should teach - lessons for all of us".

While in heavy traffic I was changing lanes from right to left to avoid the slower traffic from merging lanes. I ran over some debris left in the road by a landscaping company pick-up truck. I chose to swerve back into my lane rather than have my momentum carry me too far, possibly into the other lane. Regardless it probably wouldn't have mattered. Obscured by the cars in front of me, I caught a brief glimpse of green leaves and the handle of a wooden tool and yelled an expletive as I ran over some items.

I called CHP and saw that the suspect truck and another vehicle were on the side of the road. Lessons for recourse: Pull over too and inspect the damage before it's too late. Don't believe CHP will make it to the scene on time prior to the offending vehicle leaving. Don't count on fellow motorists to report items falling off of vehicles.

Anyway, the initial impression was one of familiarity with the interior. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But the seats were the big objection. Being cloth covered was okay, but they were very shallow and when the seat bottom tilt was adjusted all the way, it still didn't seem to enough. The material and design seemed as if they came from a Corolla from the early eighties. Totally unacceptable in any vehicle that costs over ten grand. The problem with the support only in the small of your back is the bumpy ride. The swaying motions meant your upper moves around while your lower back stays supported. Not very comfortable if you have back pain or even if it's tender or sore. The floor is also very close to the bottom of the seat so your feet are out in front of you, instead of down. However, this seemed to be a result of the high floor height for increased ground clearance. Truly truck-like.

Speaking of truck-like, the ride definitely gave the impression of off-road capability. More "jiggly" than harsh, the driver is acutely aware of what each each corner is doing. Impacts are absorbed well, you just know they are there. It wants to go off-road.

The interior has similar designs from Toyotas of the past. Another example of sticking with what works. The climate controls were unique 5-spoke buttons which worked fine and were intuitive. But what I did notice is the text on the buttons was too dark and combined with a dark interior, didn't stand out enough. Sunglasses just made it worse. Despite the good feel of the controls, the dashboard is too far from the driver. Keep in mind, with you legs out in front of you, it creates a greater distance than if they go down a bit. So reaching for the dash controls requires leaning forward if have long legs. Even if you have long monkey-arms like me.

Acceleration however is effortless. Seemingly aggressively geared and with a lightly sprung pedal, speeding seemed easily, even in inappropriate places like parking lots. It was fairly fast with WOT (wide open throttle) to 60mph being quite satisfactory. In fact, it was downright quick and effortless. Gas mileage suffers as a result, however. Alright, did I open the hood? No I didn't. I acted like my non car- DNA brother and didn't even bother. I'll take an educated guess that it was the V-8 because it scooted!

The 5-speed automatic responded well but I am not sure I'm sold on the multiple detent shifter gate. I did get used to it after a while but the first few times shifting to and from reverse I would look down to see why it seemed jammed only to find it was a matter of moving it side to side.
The rear hatch offered spacious cargo capacity which doesn't hide anything from prying eyes. However the door was excessively hard to close, basically requiring both hands. I doubt "they are all like that" - as in all SUVs. When you've got your laptop and lunch bag in one hand, your keys and whatever else in another, even a tall male who spends time in the gym will frown, or get frustrated, with the effort.

Consider the daily usage when buying any used car. Every car has it's quirks, and for my use, sitting high up isn't all it's cracked up to be sometimes.
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Got a question about cars you would like answered? Want to know about performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc? Ask me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

170mph at dusk: American LeMans racing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

The second weekend in October saw the American LeMans series racing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca near Monterey, California. The weekend was packed with racing action highlighted by the title event on Saturday afternoon. When four hours of top-level racing at speeds reaching approximately 170mph with driver changes and multiple pit stops has a .662 second margin of victory, you know you've seen something special.

This race also marked the retirement of the great racing champion Gil de Ferran who also appropriately won in the Acura ARX 02a race car after being dogged for quite a while by the Fernandez racing Acura from the P2 class, even regaining the lead after a pass into the slowest turn.

The other big story was the fierce battle between the Porsche and Corvette in the GT2 class at the end of the race. The Corvette all over the back of the Porsche lap after lap. An illegal pass by the Corvette by crossing the white line of the pit lane exit going into turn 2 was called back. Then the Corvette tried unsuccessfully to pass again on the next lap, bumping the Porsche before turn 3 and getting a little loose in dust. Finally in the last turn on the last lap, the Corvette bumped the Porsche from behind which ended up with the two side-by-side in a drag race towards the checkered flag with the Porsche forcing the Corvette towards the wall. The resulting contact, either between the two or the 'Vette and the wall caused the Corvette to spin in front of the Porsche, crossing the track and crashing hard into the opposite wall, wrecked and in second place. Check out the video here.

The drivers, Jorg Bergmeister in the Porsche and Jan Magnussen in the Corvette have been placed on a two race probation leading into the 2010 season. More details here. Jorg has been in the position of being squeezed out before, notably at Sebring losing to Ferrari. However considering Magnussen may have had a faster car, he couldn't get a clean pass and Jorg obviously wasn't going to lose the last race of the season due to being bumped in the last turn. If you can't do it cleanly, then don't try it.

There were some unfortunate signs of the economy affecting the event besides a lower entry count. There was no big screen for the main grandstands which actually has the most limited view of the circuit, nor for the stands between turns 4 and 5. Quite unfortunate considering how much occurs on the other parts of the track. The car count was lower as well but isn't as bad as it sounds and I'll get into that later.

The vendor area was also smaller than usual but still offered a great selection of clothing for men, women and children. All racing/automotive themes, of course. Piloti shoes was also there along multiple paraphernalia and excellent model car vendors. A special mention of Sin City clothing and Need For Speed Design with their automotive-themed jewelry and items such as bracelets, wallets, pens, rings, etc. One of the major sponsors, Patron Tequila had an all-day party in the vendor area with a lot of cute tequila girls. After all, for women spectators, the paddock area is full of studly drivers and team members, right? Even though the number of car manufacturer tents was down to one this year, Chevrolet had a nice display with a helpful staff and free Corvette Racing t-shirts for filling out a marketing survey.

Even a first-time race attendee commented on how organized the event was. From parking assistance to the layout, children's play center, go-kart track and even clean bathrooms, it was well done.

Some observations regarding the food and drink. The mixed drinks were a bit weak but the quesadillas were spectacular and right across from a tent with a variety of nice, cold English Ales. Across the Cooper Tires pedestrian bridge in the vendor area, their were other food and drink areas also. How much better could it get?

The sounds of the cars were simply extraordinary. The Corvettes and Panoz were thunderous going around the racetrack. The pushrod V-8 motors were a stark contrast to the screaming fury of every other high revving overhead camshaft motors of every other car on the track. The difference between the pushrod Ford powered Panoz and the overhead cam, 4-valve per cylinder Ford GT was especially interesting. Oddly, the Rahal Letterman Racing (yes that David Letterman) V8 BMW M3s seem to sound not unlike a street-legal M3 with aftermarket intake and exhaust modifications. Perhaps the closest resemblance of the race cars from a sound standpoint.

Driver access: As usual with the ALMS, the driver and team access is excellent. Autograph sessions with lots of posters and/or "hero cards" were common sights with many fans. Unheard of in the past, fans were allowed on the starting grid before the race, standing next to the cars and drivers with great photo opportunities.

Race cars: The major manufacturers represented in the ALMS were Acura, Lola, Porsche, Chevrolet, Panoz, BMW, Ferrari, Ford and Jaguar. The lone Ferrari dropped out due to a mechanical problem and the Dodge Viper was missing from this event. The Jaguar was basically testing for next season and it looked great. Also missing were Audi and Peugeot who only ran a few races this season in the US. Thirty-two cars on the starting grid was actually a somewhat low number but since there were 4 classes of cars running, the passing and dicing was frequent. Also, since this is the last race of the season and on the West Coast which is far for many teams to travel, not everyone was there. Next year the race will be in May which should mean more participation due to being earlier in the season and hopefully a better economy. More teams, more car counts.

Car corrals, while a little smaller than previous years, are always good display for fans of Corvette, Porsche, Audi and BMW. Even the Acura NSX club had a huge turnout in the past and I spotted some cars this year too. On the forums, it's common to read complaints that high-end car owners rarely drive their cars hard. Besides track days during the work week, owners of such are supporting the racing efforts of "their" cars. Not only were there two Ford powered cars in the ALMS race but 3 Mustangs in the Speed GT race, including one driven by Boris Said. Are you a "Said Head"? So I'm calling out Mustang and Ford GT owners to come check out the racing action too. And since Viper is heavily represented in Speed GT, where were you guys too?

Speed GT is one of the best racing series in world. High horsepower street-related sports cars compete in a 50 minute sprint which was a great conclusion to the weekend and racing season. The best bet next year is to attend the race (obviously) and record it on the DVR. Then you can watch what you missed to really get the big picture. Don't miss it, in person or on TV.

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Got a question about cars you would like answered? Performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc? Ask me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

High Mileage Tires - Test Results on the Toyota Prius

The Tire Rack recently tested six environmentally friendly tires designed for low rolling resistance for higher miles per gallon vs. the original tire equipped on the Toyota Prius. The results were surprising and quite promising. See the report here, "When Round and Black Becomes Lean and Green"

It was always an interesting dilemma regarding tires and how they perform. Get more tread life from your tires and sacrifice performance or emergency maneuver capability (braking distance) due to hard compounds. Achieve better performance and suffer from faster tire wear and higher cost of ownership.

I never understood why low rolling resistance tires would wear out quickly. The assumption was always a hard tire would have less rolling resistance and therefore would last longer. Instead, as explained by Matt Edmonds, Vice President of Marketing at The Tire Rack, the low rolling resistance tires in the past would "give themselves up" to the road, hence wearing faster. But due to advances in tire compound technology and tread design, this is no longer the case. These modern tires now show advantages over the same model that comes on the car, in this case a Toyota Prius, from the factory. Check out the Test Result Charts here.

An interesting observation is that the original Goodyear Integrity tires perform the best in the dry, but not by a large margin. However, they were rather poor in the wet. Especially in wet braking distance, inexcusably worse than the rest. Of course, when the tire was first introduced, it may have been the ideal choice for cost and performance.

Tread wear would be the final aspect that a 550 mile test loop cannot show. However, looking in the "warranty" link for each tire, most have very good tread life warranties. Contrast that with more expensive (albeit larger/wider) high performance tires that last 20,000 miles if you're lucky. and the appeal of lower operating costs and less waste looks very attractive. One thing about all-season tires, they don't react negatively to cold temperatures like high performance tires. Here is my idea for a tread temperature measurement feature.

Take a look at the test results and you'll see not all tires are created equal. The variance is not just the tread pattern. The Tire Rack is an excellent resource for information including tires and equipment. Even if you don't buy from them, when shopping for new tires many retail outlets will have a price matching policy to within a certain amount so you always know you're getting a good deal.

Now when shopping for tires for your daily-driver, a low rolling resistant tire is no longer a compromise in safety or tread life. As technology advances with a continued emphasis on safety and miles per gallon, tires continue to be another avenue of improvement as well.

Got a question about cars you would like answered? Performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc? Ask me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

Ask Rob About Cars 9-27-09 Domestic Performance Sedan

Question: Hey man, I currently have an '05 LS2 GTO (in manual) and next year, I was looking into getting something else frivolous like a Corvette. But recently, I've really started to get tired of sitting in traffic with the GTO's s****y shifter (I have the ripshift but am constantly having to take it all apart and reloctite s**t), and the shot stock suspension. On top of that, the GTO's small trunk and pain-in-the-ass rear seat access has really started to bug me. And lastly, I am starting to give real thought to the possibility of having an auto in my next car. We go out with our friends quite a lot these days, and I usually can't drink because I end up driving, and the wife can't drive stick, and further has no desire to learn. Like, at all. So, my next car, I'm thinking needs to be something she can drive.

NOW THEN. This thinking led me to a series of needs for my next car (which by the way, my budget is $35,000 max):- Big trunk- Four doors- big honking American V8- Still needs to be pretty fast (in my past, I've gone from a Terminator cobra to a Mini Cooper S, I'll never make THAT mistake again)- all around useable space but still pretty quick, and fairly easy to mod.- needs to be an auto so the wife can drive it.So, with all these paremeters in mind, there were really only four or five cars that came to mind as possibilities:

1. Last gen CTS-V. The horror stories surrounding the rear end were enough to instantly disqualify this car.
2. G8 GT/GXP. GXPs are still going for massive cash, and the GT's interior is appalling. Typical GM plastic b******t. Everything else was what I needed, I just can't go back to a chintzy interior.
3. So that leaves me with the SRT8 Charger or 300 SRT8 as possibilities. I am strongly leaning towards the 300 SRT8s, which brings me to the main question: can you give me any information about these cars? I don't want to join an SRT board because they're really biased.

Moddability? How well do bolt-ons do for the car? (no FI or head/cam) Readers: This means no forced induction (turbo or supercharger) or cylinder heads and camshaft. Both are more expensive, extensive and significant "power adders".

RELIABILITY? The GTO is reliable, that is, the ENGINE is reliable, but the suspension is pure s**t, and I don't want another car I need to replace every single godd**n part on for it to be decent.

Is there a big trunk? Is there a pass-through for long items?- How does the back seat compare?- Is the auto a five or six speed?- Anything I should watch out for when looking at a used one (either Charger or 300)Thanks man.- SS

ANSWER: Hey SS, thank you for your inquiry.

The options you list with your requirements are all viable, except the 1st generation CTS-V is only available in a 6-speed manual. Interestingly, the G8 owners seem to like their interiors but really it's a matter of preference. What may not look so hot may feel and operate pretty well.

Modability: The 425hp 6.1 liter in the SRT-8s respond very nicely to bolt-on modifications and with a cold-air intake, a cat-back exhaust system and a dyno tune with a handheld tuner from Diablosport you can expect over 400 rear wheel horsepower (rwhp) on 91 octane gas. Bone stock they usually dyno at 355 to 375rwhp. Besides other tuning options, the revised shifting into 2nd and 3rd due to the reduced torque management really wakes the car up. Trap speed in the quarter mile increase 3-4 mph to maximum of 114mph and capable of ETs in the 12.6 to 12.7 range depending upon the sixty-foot time.

Reliability - Is quite satisfactory among thousands of owners. A potential sunroof rattle may exist and the excessive brake dust and radiator fluid odor have most likely been already addressed by a previous owner or non-existant on the newer models.

The trunk space is excellent and very deep and the rear seats do fold down for a pass through. Two adult-sized bicycles can fit with the trunk closed provided you take off the front wheels.

Rear seat room is also quite good and seats 2 adults comfortably and 3 isn't too bad either. Keep in mind the LX platform has a 120" wheelbase which is huge by most standards and makes for a lot of interior and cargo space.

The Mercedes sourced 5speed automatic is quite stout and despite the current 13 city / 18 highway rating, you'll see 20+mpg at 70mph stock and 22-23mpg when tuned. Figure 13mpg in the suburbs with a heavy foot. There are "deadspots" in 2nd and 3rd gear so knowing the powerband is important if hard acceleration is wanted going from a roll. The car is quicker if you let it upshift itself. However, downshifting is fun only after doing exhaust work.

It should be noted the suspension is stiffer on the Charger and handles noticably better than the 300 (body roll and jounce) but doesn't have quite as nice as an interior. The '08s have revised shocks for less harshness. The Brembo calipers are red on the Chargers, silver on the 300s.

Things to look out for when buying one are the same as any other car - crash damage, paintwork, etc. The owners of the SRT-8s tend to be maticulous enthusiasts so maintenance records may be provided besides what was done at the dealer. Going back to previous mentions, check the radiator fluid in the overflow tank to see if there is any debris. Brake rotors should be slotted (per a technical service bulletin) for prior year models and once warmed up, if it shifts from 1st to 2nd by itself despite being in "manual" mode. That is the preference because the tachometer and response to the autostick doesn't match the actual engine rpms and bouncing off the rev limiter is a frustrating result. The factory navigation system is very good but not a touch screen.

I highly recommend the 300cforums and Chargerforums along with the LXforums for vast technical knowledge, how-tos, a timeslip database and an added bonus, SRT-8 Engineer Chat Sessions that occur monthly on the first two.

Whichever you choose, you'll love it. Let me know if you have further questions.

Got a question about cars you would like answered? Performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc? Ask me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

The Ride of your Life at Laguna Seca

Combine the philanthropy and resources of Club Auto Sport with the participation of Hooked On Driving for a Community Appreciation weekend that is free to the public, and it's a great time for everyone. Add the opportunity to bid for a ride at speed in an actual NASCAR, one of which driven by Indy 500 winner Danny Sullivan or a Bugatti Veyron or Porsche Carrera GT around Laguna Seca and it truly becomes the Ride Of Your Life. The beneficiary of the bidding for the "Ride of your Life" at this event was the SPCA for Monterey County.

Arriving on Sunday morning, if I hadn't have known better from the level of organization and professionalism exhibited, I was attending a major professional racing event. Considering the variety of cars present and it was free to the public to attend, one could argue it was even better. In my case, I was a passenger in a car driven at speed and currently raced in the Historic Stock Car Racing Series.

Other groups that were racing or hot lapping included Porsches with many GT3 Cup Cars, the Formula Mazda Challenge and Formula 2000 series, 600cc & 1000cc Supersport Motorcycles, Intermediate and Advanced hot laps for street cars and Advanced for race-prepped cars. Street cars included Ferrari F430s, F430 Scuderias, and Nissan GT-Rs. The advanced class included a fully modified late 60's Camaro, a Speed GT eligible Corvette and I think I spotted a former GM Racing CTS-V. The variety was excellent.

The specific car I rode in was Alan Kulwicki's 1992 Ford Thunderbird, chassis #007 that won at the Ford City 500 in Bristol and the Champion Spark Plug 500 at Pocono, PA. Powered by a 358 cubic inch V8 originally producing 720hp+ and weighing 3400lbs, it was fast. Very fast. First we had to make sure I fit inside. I did, but it was tight. There is no door so you literally have to climb in through the window and sit down low in the little seat surrounded by roll cage tubing. If you tend to be a little claustrophobic, note how much easier it is to climb out to ease your mind. Then climb back in so you get some familiarity with it. The five point racing harness secures you to the point where you can't move your torso. This is a good thing considering the g-forces involved. Seeing how the quickly the racing harness releases also is comforting.

Once under way, it sounds glorious. The small-block screaming and thundering at the same time. The acceleration is fierce, the long straightaways don't seem that long in this car. And the elevation changes at this track meant it was like a great roller coaster ride with an unparalleled soundtrack. With the sticky racing slicks the speed in the turns was very impressive despite what you hear or think you know about stock cars. Pushing you in the seat, forcing you to the side, the braking zones were the breather from the relentless forces the car created. It was really incredible no matter what kind of car you like. The Carrera GT and Bugatti surely would have been more elegant and comfortable, but this was intense and truly a race car experience. So how fast was it? About 135mph on the straightaway and low 1:40s for those that know the track. Keep in mind this was with long braking distances which eat up time Who the heck was driving? Mike Cesario of Club Auto Sport. He and his wife Ellie were wonderful host s for me in and out of the car. They make the cutest racing and pit-crew couple - true teamwork. The race was held later and another write-up on the weekend and the results of the race can be found here.

The Boys and Girls Club of America also had a large group of young kids who had a nice tour of the paddock area and we waved to them sitting in the grandstands between turns four and five. I'm not sure if they saw my thumb though - I was sitting pretty low in the car!

The garaged paddock area had some interesting groups besides Club Auto Sport. Trinity Racing Concepts was next door with several excellent racing simulators including one in 3D attached a Lotus Race car, called the Lotus 49 Simulator. There was a display of electric vehicles from the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Network . Next to that was a Nissan GT-R race car with Brian Lock Racing. I've always been critical of the GT-R due to it's weight, so I was very interested to see this, and it was impressive. Still heavy and not yet competitive in it's intended class, but fast by any means. Check out the in-car video of the track. You get the idea right away.

The next HSCRS event is October 24th and 25th at Infineon Raceway (Sears Point) in Sonoma, California and they are offering the Ride of your Life again! This time the bidding benefits the Boost Camp of Sonoma County. Don't miss it if you want a Ride of your Life.

Got a question about cars you would like answered? Performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc? Ask me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

Ask Rob About Cars 9-23-09

Question: I loved your article, despite that I fall into the category of the owner of a lifted truck.
I am looking into lowering my truck now, and was wondering if you had a price range I would be looking at. I didn't see any mention in the article.

Thanks so much!
Christina- Los Angeles

Answer: Christina, thank you for your question. To give a specific answer, one would need to know the year/make/model of your truck as well as how extensive (high) the lift is. Hopefully it isn't too high!

Your best bet to return to "stock" height from a cost standpoint is to contact shops that specialize in trucks and 4x4s. Lift kits are very common and it's rare for a lifted truck to be lowered back to the stock ride height unless for resale purposes. Therefore the original parts sit may very well be sitting unused. Also, contact the dealers of for the make of your truck in your area and ask who does their conversions as well. Find out if they have any of these original parts as well, commonly called "take-offs".

More good news is that the "take-offs" many times end up sitting around and heavily discounted. So instead of spending potentially thousands of dollars in brand-new OEM parts if you have a high lift, you might be able to get away spending a couple hundred dollars for the parts or potentially, pay nothing for the parts and just pay the labor!

It's also likely these "take-offs" are essentially brand new, having been taken off the truck within a few hundred miles or even less.

Got a question about cars you would like answered? Performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc? Ask me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

Tramontana: The street-legal Formula 1 car from Spain!

Check it out here! http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-5826-San-Jose-Autos-Examiner~y2009m9d15-The-streetlegal-Formula-1-car-from-Spain

I've never been to Spain, but they tell me it's nice there, and so is a very special car. I've always liked the song, but I had no idea a supercar hails from Spain until a few days ago. I didn't make it to Pebble Beach where it happened to be during the Monterey Weekend so when I got a call from Mr. Tom Connors to take a look at the Tramontana at Club Auto Sport, I jumped at the opportunity.

This street-legal Formula One styled car is a very interesting concept that at first reminded me of part McLaren F1 and part Ariel Atom. The pictures hardly do it justice. It's an open wheel car with fighter plane cockpit style tandem seating for two. The "R" edition makes 720hp from the Mercedes sourced twin turbo V-12. This isn't a stretch considering the SL65 Black Series makes 670hp from it's twin-turbo V12. But what is astonishing is this is in a vehicle that weighs less than 2800lbs. Check out the specifications here.
a.d. Tramontana is a European company located in Spain. According to Tom who is representing Tramontana here in the states from a sales and marketing perspective, the engineering pedigrees includes Mercedes and Lamborghini and company principals are both enthusiasts and engineers. The idea is to offer an exclusive and unique boutique vehicle with extraordiary performance and the purest driving experience. Priced at $700,000, it offers a better power-to-weight ratio than a Bugatti Veyron. It isn't about top speed though. It's about a perfectly balanced driving machine with no shortcuts, customization, and a central driving position ala pure race cars. It is also a 2 passenger race car with air conditioning, protection from the elements and a 6 speed sequential shifter.

Some questions remain such as weight distribution and how much downforce the bodywork and aerodynamics create. Once can guess the mid-engine layout and tandem seating makes it nearly optimal. Of course, how fast is it? Of course with 720hp it can exceed 200mph, 202mph is the offical number for the R model, and that is with a limiter. That isn't what it's about though. How fast can it turn a lap is the bigger question. And of course, for drag racing fans, what kind of ET and trap speed? Or the increasingly popular 60-130mph time. The company says the 0-60mph time is 3.5 seconds. That is average among supercars and this one is particularly light. The Saleen S7 might be the best comparison, running 10.9 @ 140mph. Think sportbike or race car, not passenger car.

Walking up to the car you realize the higher-than-expected height is to simply allow the passenger headroom under the canopy. The lines really are sleek when you realize this car has a 120" wheelbase, the same as the big two-ton Chrysler 300. A longer wheelbase means greater stability since isn't as prone to rotating, which translates to spinning and losing control. The cooling ducts are huge on each side which is why it looks bulbous in photographs and yet in person, looks proportionate. Also, this allows for side impact protection between the axles.
The cockpit canopy is another unique feature. With a push of the remote, the canopy releases from the rear and with a swoosh of pneumatic shocks and rotates forward allowing entry. It looks every bit like a fighter jet design but this one has support pillars lined in leather with contrasting stitching. Getting in and awkward step up and over the sill since there is no door. Remember, this is just like a Formula 1 car scaled up for creature comforts. Once settled into the comfortable and contoured seat, you notice the F1 style steering wheel with a flat bottom and no top bar. The speedometer and tachometer are computer graphics while the others are actual gauges.

The first concern of how tight it would be was alieviated once sitting. Plenty of leg and shoulder room, with A/C controls on the right side and audio controls on the left. The sequential shifter rod was within easy reach with nicely machined buttons. Although it isn't meant for running to the grocery store or a road trip, the creature comforts are important. Lowering the canopy took both hands in and felt a little awkward on the wrists due to the angle. It requires force to latch shut and the inherent desire not to harm it by slamming it shut meant it took me three attempts. Hey, I didn't want to break it! Again, it isn't about hopping in and picking up some milk. Speaking of which, there is a storage area on each side of the cockpit behind the driver's seat. It looks like a gallon of milk can fit there. So your backpack for the gym might fit, but your kid's bag better not have too much homework and text books in it. And the rear seat, like many small coupes, is useless for a human if the front seat is all the way back. But if the buyer brings his intended passenger to the factory, this would be considered, I assume.

Once the canopy is closed, you notice how high sides are and the view outward has the distraction of the forward supports. Keep in mind this car is supposed to be tailored to each owner. The way this one was set up, I could still see the top edges of the front wheel fenders but thought I was too low. The view dictated looking far ahead. I had to keep in mind that fighter pilots make due, don't they? There is also windscreen option instead of the canopy to really give that open wheel, open cockpit experience. I can only imagine how fun, or scary, that must be.

I'm told the sequential shifter only requires the clutch to be used for 1st gear. And doesn't require full-throttle to select the next gear, unlike a Porsche GT3 Cup Car. After that it's strictly the lever activation for shifting gears. For an in-depth explanation how this works, click here.

Tom demonstrated how the suspension lowers the car to 3.34" for track duty and raises to 5.31" for getting to said track. Plenty in my book! The engine sounds performance oriented; definitely street legal to my ears vs. an all-out race car. I also noticed the exhaust pipes exit at out of the top bodywork near the back of the car. Again, very unique and rather cool.

The traction control has 4 positions. Taking an educated guess from having experience with a 3 position system, it would probably be "full-on" for wet and safety issues, "full-off" for the least intervention, "sport" for a little tire-smoking fun and "race" for the least intrusive possible.

There is so much more to this car to learn about and how it all integrates. Click here for more company background and Q&A. It's fascinating to learn about it and to see how it evolved from the photographs. The Tramontana could easily be cast as a car for Batman, or even the villain's car in a Batman movie. With a goal of only 20 cars per year, I wish them success. And beyond that, some significant accomplishments on the tracks in Europe and the US. A sighting on a public road wouldn't hurt either.

Got a question about cars you would like answered? Performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc? Ask me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

Safety idea for big horsepower cars

Spinning or spinning out, isn't winning unless crossing the finish line.When driving a car, cold tires can cause serious loss of traction and control. You've seen the races on TV when cars come out of the pits on cold tires and get on the gas too soon, losing control or spinning out. Ever see a lousy launch at the dragstrip due to tire spin? The same thing happens to street cars. A warm tire that is "sticky" from driving and on hot pavement is far, far different than a cold tire on cool asphalt. Also, high performance tires are "harder" when cold and not recommended in cold weather. Nothing wrong with spirited driving either. But loss of control and increased braking distances is wrong.

How do you know when your tires are warmed up? My idea to have the tire pressure warning system include temperature readings. Similar to these systems offered by the Tire Rack. Similar to the onboard telemetry of tire pressure, tire temperature can be included. A digital readout along with temperature range would be simple. That could even be an added safety factor in case of a blowout where the tire temperature spikes. There are infra-red meters that are designed for this already for motorsports. Here are some more examples: HP World.com and Truechoice.com

Some may argue this is yet another overboard safety measure. I would counter this is no different than what race teams do for proper car set-up on the road circuit or the the dragstrip. And since it just uses sensors and a digital display, it has no negative aspect unlike the structural safety standards of today that are excessively heavy. Have you seen cars and trucks with extra gauges on the A-pillar? These are purposefully installed for readouts that some may consider obscure like exhaust temperature, oil temperature, boost pressure, etc.

What if continuous mileage requirements push the edge of tire development to the point where tire temperature indication is a government mandated aspect due to compromises in tire design? Playing with tire construction is all too common in racing. The Michelin Debacle in 2005, MotoGP at Laguna Seca and Goodyear in NASCAR.

The stability and traction control that is standard on many performance (and non-performance cars) are great features for the motoring public. However, when someone wants to extract the maximum performance from their car, these features are disabled by a push of a button, purposefully. Sometimes, they are not totally disabled and a particular procedure or sequence must be followed. Why not have a system that helps with this decision? It doesn't mean the car is any less "pure" with electronic nannies.

The enthusiast community is aware of high torque cars that can spin easily. There are stories about the "treacherous" Vipers of the past. Get on the gas too much and quite a few owners have lost control and crashed. This occurred with a car that had neither traction or stability control. And the "driver mod" was probably needed as well. A "driver mod" is short for driver modification, i.e. an improvement in the driver's skill or decision making. A tire temperature reading could help prevent such things from happening by indicating if traction loss is very likely due to cold tires.

Spinning isn't winning after all. Even modern performance tires get "hard" and lose adhesion when temperatures drop. Numerous cars have become so powerful that drag racing on street tires becomes very challenging, hence the 60-130mph measurement gaining in popularity.My prediction is this will be upcoming "feature", desired or not, in the future.

Got a question about cars you would like answered? Performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc? Ask me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

Automotive Security facts

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-5826-San-Jose-Autos-Examiner~y2009m9d5-Automotive-Security-Facts

Cars are usually stolen for their parts.
Having been in the automotive security business for a number of years, I learned some interesting facts about keeping a car from being stolen and what the consequences and results can be if it is stolen. For those living in California, pay close attention and see how much you're at risk here.

 Auto theft can be from a careerist so that the car can be sold for parts, which is more often than in it's entirety. I refuse to call them professionals or pros. Criminals don't deserve titles that imply skill, status or valor. Another thief is the joy rider or someone who is looking for a free ride along with the opportunity to steal the contents of the vehicle. A major problem with the cavalier attitude of auto theft and insurance settlement is when the car is stolen to commit a very serious crime. Finally there is the cowardly vandal who smashes (or pries) to get at possessions whether they are in sight or hidden. Some deterrents and tools are listed below:

The Club - strictly the visual deterrent to the causal thief. Sawing through the steering wheel is an easy method of removing it. There are more extensive iterations but the can be very, very bulky to the point I would be very curious how consistently they are used. Doesn't protect interior contents.

Alarms- back in the late nineties, some very skilled alarm installers told me that the best alarm is the one from the factory. This is remains true to this day. Anything else requires cutting and splicing wires can be traced. Those blaring alarms you hear are almost always aftermarket alarms with shock sensors that are too sensitive. Some guys take great pleasure in setting them off with the car or bike. Not that I know anyone like that. Alarms have gotten quite sophisticated with notifications, remote arming, disarming, etc. This does exceed the factory offerings and alarms in general are a decent deterrent for amateur thieves or those who don't want to spend much time exposing themselves to being caught.

LoJack - This police activated system uses a coded radio signal that is triangulated by a single police vehicle. Multiple vehicles (cars, planes or helicopters) can also track it. The key with LoJack is any vehicle can be stolen but the key is to get it back quickly before heavy damage is done. After all, it's not hard to tow a vehicle away.There are three key limitations. First the range of the signal is 5 to 8 miles at the most. This means a police vehicle equipped with a tracking unit must be within range, depending upon terrain. Usually not a problem in areas with some degree of suburban density.

Second, limited installation locations. The unit is always hidden but if an automobile has monitored electronics, the number of places to install it for a the minimal trickle charge needed to keep it active is limited.Finally it doesn't have nationwide coverage. Whether activated or not, once out of range of tracking units, the car cannot be tracked. If it returns back to a coverage area, tracking can resume provided the unit is still transmitting.

  GPS- A wide range of options such as notifications, assistance, directions, etc. with the advantage of nationwide coverage. But a major disadvantage is it is a line-of-sight function. In other words, once hidden from sight, it's gone. Except of course the location from which it was last "seen".If you're familiar with satellite radio, which has ground-based repeater stations, you've probably experience an outage. Perhaps in your garage and no doubt in an underground parking garage. If you have a navigation system, it uses internal sensors along with a compass to continue tracking your progress.

A back-up battery is needed for power transmission if the power source is disconnected. Also, the antenna needs to be in a location that can transmit successfully. Such as under the dashboard. Therefore the hiding locations become easier to find.
A monthly fee of some kind is an integral part of satellite tracking systems. One reason why it's thought that OnStar doesn't have a high renewal rate after the first free year is due to fees. One report has the renewal rate at 60%, and that is after years in the marketplace.

 Services that go beyond simple vehicle tracking such as concierge, assistance, diagnostics etc. are called telematics. There are many more aspects to these systems such as options, guarantees, warranties and of course cost and installation aspects and considerations along with compatibility.

As you can tell, no system is perfect and urban legends abound for each one. However, when combined together, it makes it unlikely your car will be stolen. If it does get stolen, the recovery systems make it more likely to get back your vehicle back quickly with much less damage.

 One common misconception is that with these sophisticated alarms and GPS systems that warn you when the vehicle is being tampered with or stolen, that is automatic permission to apprehend the offender. Well that just leads to more problems. The best bet is to call the police and let them do their job. They are far more enthusiastic about tracking a criminal than they are about routine patrol.

Got a question about cars you would like answered? Performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc? Ask me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

What Traffic School should teach - lessons for all of us

In my previous article, I listed some of the absurd aspects of traffic school. In this one I will list some things Traffic School should teach. A perfect opportunity to rant. I encourage readers to add comments with their pet peeves below as well.

If you're a light drinker and don't use drugs, do you really need yet another education on their effects on driving? Can't you get a pass if you hardly partake? It doesn't help if you're trying to talk someone out of driving while they are under the influence because they cannot be negotiated with anyway. If they are sober, well maybe it could help.

Ignoring carpool lanes should be another. The driving public needs another advocate to get rid of these congestion and pollution causing abominations. Even the police must recognize their ridiculous existence. Giving tickets to the smart yet rebellious drivers are at the officers discretion. There are plenty of other safety and equipment violations to enforce. Like lifted trucks!

Slow drivers should close the gaps! Either speed up so that you're moving with the flow of traffic or move out the way. A recurring theme will always be slower traffic keep right.

Residential streets should have a 20mph speed limit like what I remember in Illinois. Keep in mind people will exceed the limit many times, but when streets are narrow and cars are parked on the side, obscuring sight lines, slow down.

The 55mph speed limit is silly in many cases on limited-access highways and slower traffic causes back-ups. How difficult is it to survey a highway to raise the speed limit? How often is it done and when is it announced?

Fines for littering should be increased to $500. Are you sick of seeing cigarette butts at every intersection? It's amazing how much garbage is on the side of the road. The road crews that clean it up can definitely give some insight here.

Use your turn signals. If you're planning on turning, be courteous to other drivers. It's a privilege that we are driving and it is by no means a right. Or a left.

The hands free law is there for a reason. I am stunned how many people still have phones attached to their faces. And how ironic I'm passing them because I'm fed up with their distracted driving. Actually, maybe it's a good sign - it's a signal for the police to pull them over and give them two tickets. One for driving poorly and another for talking on the phone. Funny how you notice someone not signaling or their lights are not on at dusk and what are they doing? Talking on the phone.

Dogs on the lap. Do you put your child on your lap when you drive? A harness attached with a seatbelt, please. Applying make-up in the car. Ladies, this almost as bad as eating in the car. Yes, guys eat in the car too and it rarely looks appropriate. Putting on make-up while driving never does. The fine should have an automatic adder. At least eating doesn't require a mirror.

Trucks, SUVs and Vans. It's rare they are doing 75mph in the left lane, so move over. Any lanes except for the far left. Semi drivers know better, so should we. The only time the Suburban was in the left lane was....you guessed it, passing slower traffic. Why is this? Courtesy - blocking sight lines for those that are obviously traveling faster than other traffic.

Check your brake lights! Every 30 to 60 days I pull on the side of another car and signal for them to roll down their window so that I can tell them their brake lights don't work. Talk about a critical problem!

Turn on your lights, please! If it's raining, getting dark, etc. People need to remember they are not just for illuminating your path, it is for people to see you and not pull out in front of you.

Report smoking vehicles. If you can see smoke, that car single car is polluting like hundreds of "clean" cars. Maybe more. Report smoking vehicles or get phone numbers from the Air Resources Board in California. Check your state for their hotlines.

Unsecured loads. There is nothing more annoying, and in some cases more dangerous, than someones' stuff falling or flying from a poorly secured load.

It feels good to rant. Do you have more to add? Please share them!
Got a question about cars you would like answered? Ask about performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc? Ask me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!