It’s true! Some lucky bugger from the land of chocolate had spotted this awesome looking machine and snapped up some sweet pics of the FPV GT-P throwing in some happy laps of the world famous Nurburgring, the most treacherous race track in the known universe.
Ford have denied that the car was there on any official testing business, so one must assume that one lucky owner is there on his or her own accord. At first it almost looks like some screen shots from Gran Turismo 3, but clearly these pics are the real deal.
Let’s face it, we all modify our cars at at least one point in our lives whether it is fitting an aftermarket supercharger system or changing the factory stereo with most modifications needing an engineers report to certify ADR compliance. How do we know what does or does not need engineering? Well, the best way to answer this question is to ask an engineer himself. John Varetimidis, owner of Consulmotive, has officially launched his website for anybody looking at getting their ride certified.
The website contains feature articles written by John for various magazines that go into detail about all the necessary modifications required to fit items such as roll cages, bigger fuel systems and aftermarket seats. Be sure to check it out HERE
We all love Powercruise, and with very good reason as what more could a rev-head want that non-stop full throttle power skid action! Gup, the event organiser, has confirmed all the dates for the next up and coming Powercruise events which will see the massive car show go from Queensland Raceway Right through to Sydney’s Eastern Creek.
The first event on the Powercruise Calendar is the kick-off of Powercruise’s 1 day Powerplay event which will see Queensland Raceway get inundated with the hottest cars from all over Queensland in one massive event kicking off on 23rd of June. It doesn’t stop there for Queensland Raceway either, next is Powercruise 10 held on the 6th to the 9th of September and promises all the usual non-stop Powercruise action that you have all come to expect.
Next on the list is the return of the Powercruise Streetcar Shootout series to be held at Willowbank Raceway on the 17th of November, so whatever you do, mark it down in your diaries to avoid missing out!
Due to the massive success Gup had with the previous Powercruise held in Sydney, the next event will now be a 4 day show kicking off on the 28th of February and finishing up on the 2nd of March, 2008. For more event details or booking information, visit their website at www.powercruise.net
While not classed as an official recall bulletin, Ford have announced a service bulletin that enables owners of the BA/BF Falcon to have a possible brake line fault checked and if necessary, fixed at their local Ford dealer for no charged cost.
The brake line fault, which potentially affects 0.5 percent of the BA/BF Falcon population, is an un-common fault which is said to cause the rear brake hose to wear excessively thin and can cause a loss in brake pressure.
The loss in brake pressure is enough to trigger the vehicles on board warning systems, but not enough to cause a great deal of concern for BA/BF owners according to Ford. A quick trip to the Ford dealer will have it fixed up in no time. What a bunch of lovely chaps!
This YouTube video is a fantastic representation of just how quickly things can go pear shaped. One minute your drifting around corners having an absolute ball, the next your wondering of you are about to take your last breath. It’s quite a shocking clip that has your brain telling you breathe, breathe damn it!
Rest assured the driver and co-driver make it out alive. I'm still not sure which is more scary, being trapped in a rally car while being flooded with water or the prospect of Holden releasing the Matiz as written below.
Every car enthusiast knows that the humble GT Falcon is worth a few coin, especially now when everybody that owns one wants to hold on to them for as long as possible. Last month Shannons auctioned of a genuine low kilometre GT-HO Phase III which fetched a mammoth $680,000 under the Shannons hammer.
This time around it’s an Ultra White 1971 GT-HO Phase III’s turn. Having travelled an honest 110,068 miles, this beast have been fully restored and thoroughly checked over by leading GT experts who had regarded it as being a very clean example of the famous Australian performance marque.
One GT not enough? Well parked beside that immaculate example will be a Vermillion Fire 1971 XY to sink your credit card into. Expecting to fetch around $150,000, this GT will be also parked next to a stunning 1967 XR GT which will feature a price tag around the $50,000 mark.
Also on auction for those with more money than sense is a pair of number plates that read “47” These un-interesting plates are expected to go for anywhere between… wait for it, $260,000 to $320,000. I could think of a million better things to buy for that kind of folding than a damn numberplate, but I guess some people just have too much money
All vehicles and numberplates can be viewed online at www.shannons.com.au or the Cheltenham Showroom on the weekend of June 2-3 from 9am to 5pm.
24/05/07 How to survive a 120-feet fall. Just need to be SMART |
Most people wouldn’t believe you if you had told them you fell from a 12-story high building and survived. In fact, I’d go as far as to say they would probably get fairly insulted that you look at them at being so gullible. Well, the guy you about to hear about will have to deal with it for the rest of his life.
Darko Mirinovic was on his balcony over 120-feet above the street surface when for unknown reasons he quickly found him self hurtling towards the solid concrete street below. Lucky for Mr. Mirinovic it wasn’t the street surface that his body made contact to. The lucky Slovenian’s terminal velocity fall was stopped abruptly when a SMART car got in between him and the pavement below. The SMART car was destroyed in spectacular fashion, and Mr. Mirinovic was left imbedded in the mangled wreck wondering what the hell had just happened. The structural strength of the SMART car has always been criticized due to its miniature size, but it’s one thing to have an accident between a human and a car only to have the car come off second best.
Great news has surfaced for owners of the understated Ford 4.6 and 5.4 litre V8’s which have now opened up a whole new world of tuning options. Comp Cams can have just releases a new range of Ford 4.6/5.4L SOHC and DOHC adjustable cam gear sets that allow the owner to have a full 12 degrees of camshaft advance/retard or up to a 24 degree of total adjustability.
This level of adjustability is critical for any engine that has had extensive engine work such as milled heads or a decked block which alter camshaft to crankshaft alignment.
The cam gears are a straight swap with existing OEM gears and also come with cam gear sensor to ensure seamless integration with the Ford OE timing chain.
For further information contact Performance Wholesale Australia on (07) 3808 1886 or visit their website at www.performancewholesale.com.au
Great news for anybody living in Victoria and wanting to gain sustainable long-term employment in the automotive industry. The Automotive Industries Organisations group in Victoria have teamed up with the Victorian Government's Department for Victorian Communities to spearhead a new initiative to directly combat the automotive skills shortage being experienced.
The Victorian Automotive Industry Training Board have just recently joined the list with many other industries that are currently working with the Government initiative that will directly target key problem areas such as skills shortages in motor mechanics, automotive electrical, vehicle panel beating, vehicle painting and vehicle body making.
Victorians wishing to find out more in becoming part of the initiative should contact Automotive Training Victoria on 98661294 or email semiliani@atv.org.au
The Australian Bureau of Statistics have released new figures that indicate Victoria’s export have dipped to an all time historic low. Indicated within that data, Victoria’s total export has fallen to a low 10.5 per cent of Australia’s total export quantities. At the end of 1999 when the Labor government came into power, the total export figure was around 19.2 per cent. Nearly double what it is today. Shadow Minister for exports David Davis is blaming the Bracks government for failing to take action against the declining figures.
“Today NSW exports are valued at almost 70 per cent more than Victorian exports,” Mr Davis said.
“The Bracks Government can claim everything is rosy but the hard facts are Victoria’s economic position has, and continues, to deteriorate.”
For the second year in a row, PBR has secured the prestigious gold award at the Ford Australia Supplier Excellence Awards ceremony for outstanding contribution, service and logistics management. PBR have been a long-standing supplier to Ford and have always strived to supply the highest quality braking systems for use in all Ford Vehicles manufactured in Australia.
Ford Australia President, Tom Gorman, had praised all of the companies that were recognised for providing a top-notch service to Ford and helping the car maker provide a quality product to the general motorist. PBR had started business out in 1927 and continue to lead the way in developing state-of-the-art braking systems used in many vehicles on the road today. Outside of Australia, PBR also supply brake systems to Ford in North America, Thailand and Europe.
In order to counteract the effects Australia’s favourite motorsport has on the environment, V8 Supercars Australia has plans to go green. The new strategy titled ‘V8 Racing Green’ is a V8 Supercars funded initiative that will see 10,000 new trees be planted throughout Australia. The program is a joint initiative between the V8 Supercars, Bigpond and Future Climate Australia which is aiming to increase climate change awareness by tapping into the mass media attention the sport gets throughout Australia.
The program has plans to visit schools to further educate the younger generation to get on board and do their part towards the global problem. To further decrease the V8 Supercars’ footprint on the environment, a 10% Ethanol blend is being used in their fuel, an effort which V8 Supercars CEO Wayne Cattach believes will reduce greenhouse gasses.
Redranger and Whiteline Automotive have decided to join forces and merge into one new specialised suspension company called Redranger Pty Limited. After lengthy discussions by both parties, the two companies amicably decided that the best way forward was to merge together a decision made equally by both parties and is emphasised as being a merger, not a takeover or acquisition.
There will no immediate changes to either Whiteline’s or Redranger’s product line-up with business as usual planned until further discussions can be made. Neither brand is looking to appoint any new distributors as both companies agree that the current setup is travelling well.
It’s been one year since Drag Tag officially opened its doors to the public and Drag Tag are celebrating by putting on a great night filled with prizes and giveaways. Rush to the skid pad between 7 and 8pm and enjoy free Motorkhana while the first 5 cars scrutineered and lined up by 8pm for the burnout competition will also score free entry!
The Drag Tag Car Park Street Meet dates have changed from the second Tuesday of every month to the first Thursday of every month, so make sure you spread the word and fill those spots!
More information ca be found on Drag Tags website by clicking HERE
Back in 2005, Turbosmart released a successor to the massive selling electronic boost controller known as the e-Boost. The new updated model, the e-Boost2, found its way into dashboards across Australia and received great reviews from racers and tuners far and wide. Turbosmart have gone back to the drawing board and have taken all user feedback into account to come up with a new updated version of the e-Boost2, the 2007 Update model e-Boost2.
The e-Boost2 has undergone a few changes which will no doubt make it a winner amongst boost lovers everywhere. The face has received a new makeover to include a new ergonomic bezel design with larger, easier to use buttons to flip between boost settings as well as a brand new feature, Boost On Demand, lets the user switch between boost groups after a pre-set amount of time.
The e-Boost2 is supported by a massive range of accessories and spare parts to make this one enticing package for anyone who takes their performance seriously. The e-Boost2 retails at $795 for the 40psi rated unit and $895 to handle up to 60psi.
For more information phone Turbosmart on 1300 735 506 or visit their website at www.turbosmartonline.com
The final trailer to the up and coming Transformers movie has hit the WWW. Filled with more explosions than you can poke a stick it, this movie looks to set new grounds in the ever evolving world of CGI. Who cares about plot when the action looks this good? The movie is set to hit cinemas on the 4th of July, so no doubt watch the web get flooded with pre-release handy cam versions. If there is one movie you see this year, makes sure it’s going to be this one!
Want to see the trailer? Click HERE!
Bathurst is one of those times of the year that almost any rev head looks forward to. The Holden vs. Ford rivalry that transpires on the Mountain is something that everyone must experience to fully understand the Bathurst attraction. The best was to soak up all of the events that take place over the weekend is to camp at the dedicated track side camping grounds through out the Mount Panorama complex.
For those planing to make the religious pilgrimage to the Mountain this year, we have some great news. Camping tickets have officially gone on sale for all camping areas of the Mountain and can be purchaced through any Ticketek agency.
For more information including pricing and camping map layouts, click HERE
Brad Jones has officially announced that he will not be starting in this weekends round of the V8 Supercar Championship, instead the eight times championship stater will be hanging up the racing boots and officially starting his new lifestyle behind the pit wall.
“The time has come for me to step aside,” commented Jones.
I have thought for a while that this would be my last year driving a V8 Supercar full time, I just made the decision to move the date forward.”
Jones’ career has been one with many distinctions, having competed in full time motorsport for the past 20 years which has spanned over areas such as AUSCAR, NASCAR, Super Touring and Production Car racing. The 47 year old will now focus more time to the development of his V8 Supercar team in which he co-owns with brother Kim
17/05/07 Latest addition to the Street Fords YouTube Library |
Anybody who attended Powercruise 8 at Eastern Creek would have told you that they are an awesome event with plenty of action stuffed into a weekend to win over any die hard car nut. It’s a good thing the Street Fords camera crew were on location to capture some of the pedal to the metal action as mega horsepower machinery gets let loose around the Eastern Creek circuit. Thanks to YouTube, we can give all you guys out there an online taste of the action that’s well worth a look. Enjoy!
The steady rise in the petrol prices we pay at the bowser has put immense pressure on the local car segment, particularly the larger six-cylinder class. More and more fuel efficient medium sized models are becoming available and customers seem to be favouring sacrificing the available cargo space for the extra increase in petrol mileage. One would image that this effect would carry over to the V8 market, gaining magnitude and threatening the performance Aussie market’s very foundations.
In true Aussie style, facts and figures released have shown that the market has done the exact opposite and achieved over twice the growth in sales over the past 10 years that has well and truly shown that Aussies love their V8’s
GM Marketing Director Alan Batey is pleased with the mix of V8’s in the sales line-up. “It's amazing. HSV has had record sales. There are hardcore people in this country who like exciting cars and fuel price on its own will not discourage them. People still want performance cars.”
The XR6 Turbo and XR8 Falcons are also continuing to yield impressive sales performances, so it seems like the trusty 8 banger has got a few years of life left in them yet.
For those power hungry Blue Oval lovers out there, grab your calendars out and quickly mark this day off! C&V Performance are hosting a Dyno Day on Saturday the 26th of May from 8:30am onwards. Entry costs $50 per car for your spot on the rollers with free coffee and sausage sizzles available throughout the day! C&V are also giving away a lucky door prize, so be sure to spread the word and tell as many mates as possible to make this a massive turnout of all sorts of Blue Oval muscle.
For more information, give C&V Performance a call on (02) 9526 5322 or email the guys at cone@cvperformance.com.au
16/05/07 Driver gets thrown from drag crash, walks away unharmed |
I don’t know if I would call this guy lucky, as if we really were that lucky I’m sure he wouldn’t have crashed to begin with, but you can’t help wonder just how somebody could pull off a stunt like this with all their limbs intact.
15/05/07 Powercruise selling pit garages on eBay, proceeds going to charity |
Powercruise’s one day Powerplay event is getting closer and closer and pit garages and car ports are now selling on eBay! Pit car ports are starting at $99.99 while the full house garage units are starting at #300 with any funds over $100 raised in each auction going straight to charity. Hurry as there are already a few bids being laid down with limited numbers available.
Powercruise’s Powerplay event is being held on the 23rd of June at Queensland Raceway, more details can be found on the Powercruise website HERE
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The electric powered vehicle is quickly loosing the slow and gutless connotation that plagues them thanks to a few high powered, and very quick examples emerging. The Ohio State University is planning to make a serious attempt and smashing that reputation even further by building the world’s first hydrogen-powered landspeed streamliner. We are talking some fairly impressive numbers here using a custom 700-plus horsepower electric motor fuelled by onboard hydrogen to oxygen processes to create and electrical charge. Sounds complicated? Well, it actually is! The end result is what it’s all about however with about 60$ - 80% of the chemical energy being converted into electrical with the only by-products being heat and water. The vehicle will be carrying a very minute 1kg of hydrogen on-board which is stored at an amazing 5,000psi.
Its predecessor, the Buckeye Bullet 1 currently holds the electric national and international land speed records at 315mph and 272mph respectively and was the first electric car to break the 300mph barrier. The Buckeye Bullet 2 is set to compete in the EIII Class at Speedweek in 2007 which sees international visitors for all classes to compete in the fastest form of motor racing on the planet.
It seems to have been a long time coming with most people in the auto industry not the least bit surprised. Fords flagship luxo-o-barge models days are numbered and with arrival of the new shape Falcon, the Fairlane and LTD models bid their farewell.
“If you go looking at just the Australian market there is not the volume to support it,” Ford Australia brand communications manager Edward Finn said
The larger Fairlane and LTD LWB vehicles have done well for themselves over the last 40 years they have been on the market, but with the domestic car industry suffering such a cutthroat period, the financial viability of continuing the LWB models seemed less and less convincing by the week.
Less tip our glasses and take our hat off to give the Fairlane and LTD one last thought. You will be sadly missed.
From the same guys that organise the Drift Australia phenomenon that has taken off in recent times comes a new series to satisfy those drivers who can’t stand looking where they are going through their front window. The Toyo NSW Drift series has gone official and by the sounds of it, will quench any drifters hunger for action.
The series kicks off at Wakefield Park on Sunday the 3rd of June and then moves to Oran Park’s Driftland for the second round in October. The series then concludes at Oran Park’s south circuit which is held on December the 15th.
“Toyo has a major commitment to the national championship but we also recognise that for the sport to continue its growth it needs to be supported at the grass roots level as well,” said Toyo’s Clinton Joyce
Drift Australia’s Luke Southam believes that the event not only gives NSW residents the chance to attend, but also opens the door for some interstate rivalry.
“Although it is aimed primarily at NSW based competitors, interstate drivers will also be welcome to participate in the Toyo NSW Drift Series,” Luke said.
For more information, visit the Drift Australia website at: http://www.driftaustralia.com.au/
We are used to hearing weird and wacky stories from the land of the US and it has certainly created an immunity to its mysterious ways. Well, now there a story coming out of the US which is rather surprising to say the least. In the US state of Nevada, the Senate has agreed to remove all red-light cameras by an astonishing 15-6 vote. It seems the suits in the Senate are dead-set against any form of automated photo ticketing system.
When a few of the top police officials attended the committee hearing, they testified that the automated red-light enforcement systems are a vital asset to all motorists and pedestrians road safety.
The Senate, not entire convinced, retorted by using a little statistics of their own to result in a non-revenue based solution.
“In looking through your written handout, I note the statistics from the Philadelphia study show violations dropped after yellow night periods were extended,” Dr Heck of the Senate commission said.
Frank Adams from the Nevada Sheriffs’ and Chiefs’ Association responded by stating “I am not familiar with any efforts.”
It seems that it’s not just us Aussies that are questioning the effectiveness of automated ticketing systems and their stance on ‘guilty until proven innocent’.
Now, if only we could follow the same rationale of thinking.
08/05/07 Street Fords is going to Drag Tag this Thursday night! |
Own a Falcon? Live in Victoria? Want to be on the Street Fords On Location DVD? If you answered yes to these three questions then now is your chance! The Street Fords DVD crew will be at Drag Tag this Thursday night to capture all the Blue Oval drag racing action and frantic burnout fun! If you have never been to Drag Tag before, this is your perfect chance to get out of the house and have a great night of fun!
Gates open at 6pm and racing commences from 6:30 until late. Burnouts are free for members and non-members cost only $5. There are nightly prizes to be won so be sure to tell your mates and round up a crowd for our camera crew.
Not sure what Drag Tag is all about? Visit their official website HERE and find out what all the fuss is about, or visit our discussion forum and register your interest.
For those that live in Victoria and love your burnouts, better head down (or up for that matter!) to Drag Tag and have a crack at their May Burnout Championships, a new concept at Drag Tag.
All you need to do is have a shot at any Thursday or Friday burnout sessions with the winner on the night going into the final championships held on the first of June. The grand final winner will receive a brand new set of Bridgestone G Grid 215x60R15 tyres to replenish the tyre stockpile back up courtesy of Fawkner Wheels and Tyres. Nightly raffles will also be taking place for all burnout competitors which go in the draw for their chance to win a variety of gift vouchers from Fawkner Wheels and Tyres to the total value of $150 per night.
Entry for members is free for on Thursday nights for the burnouts with non-members costing $5. For Friday night burnouts members pay only $5 admission fee while non-members cost $15.
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Official VFACTS statistics have been released and show a strong continual growth of vehicle sales over the past year in Australia. It is recorded that the car market has grown around 9 per cent on the first four months of last year, which was up but around 5.5 per cent on the previous year. This month, total sales are 10.1 per cent higher that last year, moving a total of 6964 more vehicles.
According to Peter Sturrock, the chief executive of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, 2007 is set to record the first time in history that total year sales hits the one million milestone.
Mr Sturrock has also noted that locally made vehicle sales for the month of April were very encouraging. The large locally build car segment posted increases of around 15.1 per cent over last year and the upper large segment, which includes long-wheelbase models, were up by a staggering 51.0 per cent.
Toyota still holds number one position firm its grasps with total monthly sales hitting 16,383. This is followed by Holden in second position topping 11,166 sales and Ford in third place at 7741 total sales.
The life for vehicle tuners has just gotten a little easier thanks to a new portable tuning device that uses a Bluetooth link to connect to the remote tuning station, rather than using a dated serial cable an stone age laptop. This neat device has opened up a whole new world of portable tuning options with any Bluetooth compatible device potentially able to help tune the vehicles such as Pocket PDA’s mini-notebooks.
The new product developed by Innovate Motorsports has a range of up to 100 feet and is expected to sell like JD Slushies at a hot Summernats day.
For more information visit Innovate Motorsports’ website at www.innovatemotorsports.com
Those crazy guys that are responsible for the Powercruise car festivals are hosting a one day Powerplay event on the 23rd of June at Queensland Raceway that is marketed as “The wildest car show you’ll ever go to!”
Gup, the event organiser, has managed to cram cruising, power skids, drifting, jelly wrestling and even a Miss Powerplay competition into the one day event, so it’s sure to be a winner.
Entry is only $80 before the 11th of June with entry on the day also permitted. For more information visit Powercruise's new-look website at www.powercruise.net.
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The Gumball 3000 rally is a race across Europe that involves high rollers and expensive cars, and one that often witnesses its fair share of accidents. Yesterday, the TecArt Porsche 911 Turbo driven by Nick Morley and Matthew McConville collided with the VW Golf driven by two locals in Macedonia. The 67-year old driver of the Golf died en route to the hospital while his wife is currently in a critical condition and is said to be fighting for her life.
The two driving the Porsche have then allegedly hopped into the BMW of another Gumball participant in an attempt to flee the country and escape prosecution. The Gumball 3000 rally has been cut a day short and cancelled in Bratislava as a sign of respect for the passed driver of the Golf.
04/05/07 Stolen car racket unearthed, 700 stolen cars seized |
It’s a startling statistic; most people have, or at least know of somebody that has had their car stolen. It’s a leaves sickening taste in your mouth that is not one easily removed. When police in Canada walked into what they believed to be a legitimate scrap yard, they received the shock of their lives.
Found were no less than 700 stolen vehicles being stripped down and sold off for parts. The 100,000 sq. ft. are contained ripped-off items strewn everywhere from brake discs to headlights, complete motors to airbags. Police described the area as simply staggering.
The scrap yard, located north of Montreal, contained a vast variety of acquired motor vehicles that included high end varieties such as Mercedes-Benz’ and BMW’s. Police had noted that some cars contained zero miles on their odometers and were even stacked on top of each other.
Needless to say a few people have been arrested over the stash, and I’d say will be visiting the big house for quite some time. Something tells me that the police owe a lot of this find to watching Gone in 60 Seconds.
The current model BF Falcon is beginning to look a little out dated so it was only a matter of time before some spy shots of the new ‘Orion’ project began to start circulating. Well, here it is! Thanks to www.caradvice.com.au, and a reader by the name of Soda, these juicy pics are now available.
The drivers of the vehicles were apparently not too happy about the whole affair, which is a shame because we missed out the nice front angle pics. Oh well, there is always next time!
03/05/07 Ford presents new 1.6-litre turbo donk for Europe in 2008 |
The Ford engineers over in Euro land are presenting a new 1.6-litre turbocharged four to replace the current 2-litre and 2.3-litre litre engines featured in the Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo and even Galaxy MPV. The new smaller capacity engines are part of FoMoCo’s plan to reduce CO2 emissions and still meet the performance expectations of potential buyers.
Performance hungry punters Euro wide are rubbing their hands together, waiting for the technical specifications of the engine to suss performance potential. No doubt the new engine combos will be a massive hit in the smaller car segment, just don’t expect to see one down under for the next 2 years.
At first glance it could almost be palmed off as a Mustang convertible, but something isn’t just quite right. It looks a little smaller, squashed and that windscreen just doesn’t look right.
There is great reason behind all of the above, as this is indeed an impostor. Not actually a ‘60s Mustang, but no other than a Mazda Miata. Considering the normal size of one of these bite-sized convertibles, the mock is done quite well. Fortunately for Ford, the mustang never got the option of a two-litre four banger but unfortunately for the owners of this car, is something that they are just going to have to live with.
The pursuit for a quieter and smoother drive is one that all major vehicle manufacturers take quite seriously for the key to those higher end vehicle sales pivots on the vehicles NVH refinement.
German-based technology is soon to shine through and grab those vehicle creators’ attentions as this new technology all but eliminates in cabin vehicle noises and vibrations. How they have done it is no simple feat either with much more processes involved than just adding more sound deadener to the mix.
The technology, called Active Force Cancellation, uses powerful actuators mounted near the vehicles mounting points and produce waves of the opposite phase to that that the vehicle produces. Despite what you may have heard about opposites attracting from Paula Abdul in that annoying ‘90s tune, when opposite waves get together they create a cancellation effect that, in this case, will stop the vibration waves from entering the cabin of the vehicle. Clever eh?
“It sounds simple, but we have been working on it for more than a decade,” says Manfred Hofmann, technical director at Trelleborg Automotive’s Technical Center in Höhr-Grenzhausen.
The use of noise calculating actuators can not only eliminate engine and drive train vibration noise, but also have a dramatic effect of wind noise and road noise. Manfred Hofmann is confident that such a technology will render expensive balance shafts redundant and feels that the new noise cancellation method will take the automotive industry by storm.
03/05/07 BTA Motorsports set to host FTF Car Club of NSW Dyno Day |
The FTF Club of NSW is set to hold their club dyno day on Sunday the 17th of June at the BTA Motorsport workshop. The club can be contacted on 0411 985518 for more details or BTA can be contacted directly on (02) 9789 6075.
After collision vehicle fires are a massive problem and add a great deal of fatalities to the overall road toll. In the United States, over 2000 people were recorded last year to have died in after collision fires with another 10,000 having received shocking burns. An innovative new Aussie invention is set to curve the shocking statistics by offering a few ingenious devices that take away the fires fuel and ignition supply.
Called the Vehicle Safety Shutdown system, the VSS incorporates two shut off systems that cuts the vehicles fuel supply and isolates all available power. These systems activate in less than five milliseconds, or ten times quicker than it takes for the average airbag to fully deploy.
The system, developed by John Quee, is on of the most significant recent advances in road safety and is set to save thousands of lives every year from death and trauma.
There are two elements required to establish a vehicle fire – the fuel and some form of ignition that ignites the fuel," Mr Quee said. "In an accident if you can eliminate either one, then you have successfully prevented a vehicle fire and saved lives."
Mr Quee also stated, "For over 100 years we didn't know how to prevent these car crash fires that resulted in shocking deaths and horrific life-debilitating injuries, but now that we do have the equipment and the know how, he couldn't see any reason for delaying there inclusion into motor vehicles."
