New posts from Gas 2.0! |
| Next (not-so) Mini Cooper Caught Testing Posted: 12 Jun 2011 08:00 AM PDT Somewhere, underneath all that swirly black-and-white vinyl (swirly’s a word), is the new-for-2013 Mini Cooper. We don’t know a lot about the new Mini’s hardware yet, but here’s what the pictures tell us: from the longer wheelbase, we can see that the next Mini will be even less mini than the current, not-so-mini Mini. The next Mini might also be turning its back on the large, central speedo (one of the brand’s trademarked features since BMW resurrected it just over a decade ago) in favor of a more conventional interior – all in a bid to make the brand appeal to more American buyers and move the Cooper “up-market” to make room for a more mini Rocketman-sized “niche” Mini. The new Mini platform will also be used by BMW and its (doomed?) “i” brand of electric vehicles – as many as 20 new models, all sharing the same basic architecture and employing a MacPherson strut front suspension mated to BMW's signature Z-axle at the rear. Four-wheel drive will also be on offer, paving the way for a possible 1-series SUV from BMW and slightly larger version of today's Mini Countryman. Why so many models? In addition to helping the company’s model mix hit stricter CAFE standards, BMW managers estimate that the premium compact car market will continue to grow (by 6% each year) through, and they want to keep their piece of the pie that they (arguably) helped create.     Source: Autocar.
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| Op-Ed: 5 Things Greens Can Learn from Gearheads (and Vice Versa) Posted: 12 Jun 2011 07:32 AM PDT  This stuff is worth more than you might think. Reduce, reuse, recycle. That's been the popular mantra for many a leftist hippie know it all for decades now. But before peace and love, there were hot rods and swap meets, and greens can learn a lot from gearheads. It sounds a little ridiculous, I must admit, that those who would reduce their carbon footprint could learn anything from those who enjoy the rumble of a gas-guzzling carbureted V8 engine. But as one of the few people who easily flows between the greens and the gearheads, I've come to realize just how much these two groups have in common, and more than that, what they can learn from each other. 1: New isn't necessarily better. This is the big one for me, because all too often the same person preaching to me about reducing my carbon footprint is the person waiting in line outside the Apple store every time Steve Jobs makes a "big" announcement. Just because there's a new iPhone out doesn’t mean you have to get it. But many people do, and even though it's a small little vice, the industry needed to harvest the raw materials and rare earth elements en masse is anything but small, and actually quite filthy and under-regulated. Ask a car guy whether they'd rather have a new Camaro, or an old one, and you'll find a fairly even split. Ask a car guy which car is worth more though, and inevitably they'll all tell you the same thing; the old Camaro. It has character, and history, and often hundreds or even thousands of hours of restoration into it. Many a car guy has held on to the same vehicle for most of their life, whether it is for real or sentimental value. Maybe the dollar signs don't always add up, but value and newness don't always go hand in hand. Who knows, maybe that iPhone 3 will be worth more than the iPhone 4 some day. That's reason enough to hold on to it…even if it doesn't work anymore. How many Prius owners will be driving the same hybrid 50 years from now, or iPhone users will still use the same cellular? I reckon not many, but maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised.  This is not junk; it's art. 2: Nothing is junk, as long as there's a market. Have you ever been to a car swap meet? It truly is an amazing spectacle. You have crusty old guys coming from every corner of the country with trucks laden down with heaps of what most people would consider junk. But to the guy looking for an original Edsel front bucket seat or New Old Stock chrome bezel, it is a Godsend. These days, damn near anything from the golden era of American automobiles (1950-1970) is worth something to the right person, even if it looks like a piece of crap. Why? Because almost anything can be repaired, by yourself, if you try hard enough. A whole cottage industry has cropped up around providing new, reproduction pieces for old cars, and there's an even larger industry of Do-It-Yourselfers who would rather fix something old, using other old parts, than go and get something all new. Even a wrecked car that is missing the engine and transmission still has value in the chrome trim, the window glass, even the radio dials. It just takes a little effort to put things back together. And instead of all this stuff ending up in a landfill, it either ends up in the garage of another guy who will eventually "get to it" or it actually gets fixed, put in a car, and enjoyed. Another piece of trash successfully restored, but that can't be done without the know-how and wherewithal to do it. And you need a tight knit community to do that.  This is more than a car show; it is a gathering of knowledge, a community of people who care enough to know a lot. 3: Cars create community, knowledge, and another market It still amazes me how the Toyota Prius has garnered a huge following despite being slow and ugly. But one thing I've got to credit the Prius with is building a huge, loyal following of fans who may actually know these cars better than the people that build them. And it's only been around for a decade. It is almost impossible to fathom the breadth and width of classic car communities that surround vehicles like the Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, or Dodge Charger. People have devoted their whole lives to these cars, and as a result, people are able to make them better than the guys who actually built them. Prius not withstanding, too many "communities" seem to revolve around the computer. There's a real benefit to putting in face time, via car shows, where you can really pick the brains of people who have "been there, done that” as well as see things for real, not over some computer screen. Is there such a thing as a Prius swap meet? If so, I'd like to go, if only to see how alike (or not alike) it is to a muscle car meet. 4: It is a bigger world than we realize It's not all sunshine and roses in the world of classic American cars though. Far too many of these folks have put on blinders to the world around them, refusing to acknowledge the wider, global community, whether we are talking about cars, or the rest of the world in general. Often this leads to an all-too-easy dismissal of other ideas. Example; I heard two fellows discussing how to get better fuel economy out of their diesel dually. I butted in (as I am wont to do) with the simple suggestion that they follow the speed limit and accelerate slowly and smoothly. They just laughed. There's nothing wrong with slowing down and taking it easy to save some gas, and there's nothing wrong with entertaining a different idea, no matter how far out there it may seem. Too many of these old men are ready to dismiss alternative fuels right out the gate, refusing to acknowledge that many alternative fuels have properties that would directly benefit their older cars and engines. Yet for a bunch of old guys who have seen technology make sweeping societal changes in a matter of decades, they seem completely unwilling to give alternative fuels a real chance to make an impact. It is infuriating. 5: We've got more in common than we think This is, by far, the most frustrating thing for me, because both sides are equally guilty. Despite how different the culture of muscle cars and hot rods might seem from organic vegetables and solar panels, they really are not. More than anything, both groups love America, and they believe in the things that make America great. Yet somewhere along the way, we've lost sight of two cornerstones of American progress; compromise, and tolerance. I'm not saying America always got it right, and untold millions have suffered unjust laws and manifest destiny in the pursuit of the American dream. But in the end, America always seems to sort things out, for the better. Or at least, we did. These days politics and ideals have become so polarized that "the other side" is rarely allowed to get a word in. You can blame political correctness or rigid upbringings or what have you, but until people start listening to each other again, nothing is going to get done. Because here's the deal; as much as I love "going green" I also love muscle cars, and I love the freedom to drive what I want to drive, not what I have to drive. Too often, greens are ready to tell other people how they should live their lives, because it is the "better" way. I’ve never been one to do what others tell me to do, whether it is for the right reasons or not. Let me find my own way. Let me live my own life. On the same token, there are too many gearheads who cling to the "old ways," which is fine and dandy as long as they aren't holding up the march of progress. But these days it seems like progress must be sacrificed for comfort, and the status quo. They want their entitlements, at the cost of future investment and progress. That’s not going to fly with me either. There’s got to be a middle ground, damnit. I want electric cars. I also want muscle cars. This is America. Why can't I have both? Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to HEMIs. You can read about his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout or follow his non-nonsensical ramblings on Twitter @harshcougar.
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