Hope He's on a Good Salary....
Saab Australia head honcho Bob Maron recently jumped into the driver's seat of a 9-5 Estate while a crane hoisted it into the air, lifting the Saab by nothing more than two straps attached to the Cargo Tracks and luggage mounts! The total mass lifted was 1750kg. The Saab 9-5 Estate goes on sale in Australia in May. What next... an Excel lifted by its front chassis rails?
Web Car Sales
Why is this bloke putting on a forced grin? Because he's just bought a Starlet from Toyota Australia's web site and in doing so, has become the first person in the world to buy a new car directly from a manufacturer's web site. Or so Toyota says. If you want to join him, go to www.toyota.com.au
Quickies
- Fresh from his dominant victory in New Zealand's race to the clouds, the Silverstone Queenstown Gold Rush, Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima, has swapped his 800hp Suzuki Grand Vitara for the Suzuki Baleno Wagon kit car to compete in the 1999 Rally of Canberra, which starts in the national capital on 7 May 1999. There are eleven other international competitors taking part. For further information on the 1999 FAI Rally of Canberra is available on 1800 026 166 and the 1999 FAI Rally of Canberra web site at www.roc.com.au.
- Air Power Systems - known for their WRX power-up kits - has released a sophisticated interceptor module that allows reprogramming of the fuel and spark on a very wide range of cars that use engine management. We hope to have a full story on the product soon, which will be available on a fit-and-tune basis from dedicated dealers Australia-wide.
- BASF has designed the first all-plastic clutch pedal and bracket assembly to be made in North America. It is in the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. The assembly is lightweight and consists of a pedal and bracket, moulded of Ultramid glass fibre-reinforced nylon.
- General Motors (GM) engineers have developed a technique, which uses mostly existing hardware, to determine if a tyre is losing pressure. While the vehicle is moving, speed sensors send signals to the ABS module. An algorithm in the module compares the wheel speeds. If 1 wheel loses air, therefore rotating faster than the others, an algorithm in the ABS module senses it and lights a warning on the dashboard. The unit takes approximately 5-6 minutes to recognise pressure loss. It also does not tell the driver which tyre is low, but it does let the driver know to pull over. The pressure check adds no cost to the vehicle.
- Ford's electronics arm Visteon has developed a Rear Seat Entertainment mobile system designed for children. It is comprised of a 163mm, rear-facing, flip-up LCD screen; video cassette player and video game plug-and-play capability, integrated into a centre console. It will be available on Ford Windstar and Mercury Villager minivans as of 4/1/99 through Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers, for about US$1,300. It will be available on most minivans, conventional vans and sport/utes manufactured by all automakers by the end of this year.
- Subaru plans to develop a new compact car that will meet new carbon-dioxide emission standards due to be implemented in 2008. For this, the company will develop a new 1.3-litre transverse engine that will be installed in a body 30% lighter than current levels. The engine will be a light-weight aluminum unit with a high output, and the company is already working on a diesel version. The moves are aimed at meeting tighter European environmental regulations and competing with rivals developing models with an economy of 1 litre/100km.
- Hyundai Motor Co unveiled its luxury limousines "EQUUS" (excellence, quality, uniqueness, universality, and supreme automotive power) on Thursday. The vehicles are equipped with up-to-date safety and convenience systems, including an intellectual air bag system and a control area network/local area network system. The EQUUS comes in 4 different models: a 3.5 litre sedan, a 4.5 litre sedan, a 3.5 litre limousine, and a 4.5 litre limousine. Lexus, here we come?
