News Update : Fifty Years of Honda in America

NEWS :Fifty years ago, Fidel Castro seized power in cuba, the Army promoted Elvis to Spec 4, and Alaska and Hawaii gained statehood. The music died when a light plane crashed with the Big Bopper, Buddy Holly, and Ritchie Valens on board. Hula hoops were hot; Edsels were not. An American Honda Motor Co. Inc. sign was quietly erected above a Los Angeles storefront.

Tail fins reached their apogee in 1959, the Volkswagen Beetle fought the Renault Dauphine for import-car supremacy, and Honda began stitching new wrinkles into America's cultural fabric.

Barely a decade after Honda started hanging war-surplus engines on bicycles (see time line), Japan's restless tiger was on the prowl. Planning division chief Kihachiro Kawashima toured both the Asian mainland and the United States in search of export opportunities. The Asian mainland countries' rising prosperity and close cultural kinship with Japan made them the obvious choice, but Honda's sales strategist Takeo Fujisawa believed otherwise, citing the company's policy of facing the toughest challenges first. "We must attempt to penetrate the difficult U.S. market before we go elsewhere," Fujisawa insisted.

A small expeditionary force headed by Kawashima arrived on the West Coast in June 1959. To save expenses, the Honda gang shared a one-bedroom apartment and stacked motorcycle crates by hand in the company's Pico Boulevard warehouse. Frustration set in when the first Honda Dream motorcycles proved to be too fragile for the sustained speeds and long distances it would need to cover to be successful in America, but there was a lucky fallback: the 50-cc Honda Super Cub cycle used by the team for errands roused unexpected interest. Since Piper Aircraft was already using the Super Cub trademark, Honda's pioneering product wore an unassuming Honda 50 moniker.

Were it not for the 50's sheer brilliance, Honda would surely have burned through the $1 million it borrowed from Japan's Ministry of Finance to gain a foothold here and gone home licking its wounds. Neither a moped nor a scooter nor a conventional motorcycle, the 50 combined a female-friendly step-through chassis with a clean, quiet engine. Breakthrough features included molded-polyethylene body parts, seventeen-inch wheels and tires, and an automatic clutch to facilitate one-hand riding.

The Honda 50's single-cylinder overhead-valve engine produced 4.5 hp, enough to propel the 143-pound bike to 43 mph. Humming like a well-oiled sewing machine, this $249 ride delivered more than 200 mpg. Fifty years after it arrived here, the Honda 50 is universally regarded as the two-wheeled Model T, with more than 60 million sales to its credit. It's still manufactured in fifteen countries on three continents.

The Honda 50 was the anti-Harley. Sales brochures called it "the thrifty, nifty Honda 50." Instead of selling them through traditional back-alley motorcycle dealers, Honda recruited agents in Popular Mechanics and offered sales franchises to hardware stores, lawn-mower repair shops, and even college bookstores. By the end of 1961, Honda's network of 500 dealers reached the East Coast, and by spring 1963, $5 million was budgeted for advertising.

To woo that business, Grey Advertising executives pitched to Honda management a campaign - created by a UCLA student as a class assignment - refuting the sinister black-leather biker's image. Photos of fashionably dressed suburbanites toting their kids, cargo, and even a pet on Honda 50s ran with the tagline, "You meet the nicest people on a Honda." The ads ran in Life, Look, the Saturday Evening Post, and during the Academy Awards TV broadcast. In 1964, the Beach Boys chimed in with their "Little Honda" pop tune extolling the simple joys of riding a Honda 50.



Throughout the 1960s, Honda tortured the British brands with a flood of increasingly more sophisticated sport bikes. The coup de grâce arrived in 1969; Honda's CB750 was the seminal superbike, with a front disc brake, a four-cylinder overhead-cam engine, and a $1495 price. By 1983, the entire British motorcycle industry was through.

Motorcycle success whet Honda's appetite for expansion into automobiles. Here, the initial frustration came not from technical or marketing challenges but rather from the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). Government bureaucrats within MITI intended to block Honda from joining the ten enterprises already slicing up the local car and light-truck pie. In 1963, before legislation could be passed that would give MITI the power to enforce its directives, Honda rushed a mini-truck and a 500-cc sports car into production.

Ripples from that disturbance reached American shores in 1969, when the Honda 600 minicar went on sale in Hawaii, followed by the three West Coast states a year later. The irony of Honda's simultaneous introduction of the world's most sophisticated motorcycle and a tiny, underpowered car was lost on Americans preoccupied by Vietnam, the breakup of the Beatles, and the demise of Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.



The Honda 600 ripple finally touched the East Coast in 1972, where I was a budding car tester. By that time, two variations were offered: the original foursquare $1473 (N600) sedan and a $1610 (Z600) coupe shaped like a ski boot. A noisy, 598-cc SOHC two-cylinder engine sent 36 hp to the front wheels through a four-speed manual transmission or an optional two-speed automatic. Unlike Honda's first four-wheelers, this one was air-cooled and fed by a single-throat carburetor.

I clocked the run to 60 mph in 20.8 seconds and observed a top speed of 75 mph. Barely ten feet long (three feet shorter than today's Honda Fit), the Honda 600 rolled on ten-inch tires and weighed in at 1355 pounds. In spite of its safety shortcomings, the 600's combination of affordability, maneuverability, and 30-plus mpg lifted Honda's annual U.S. car sales to more than 20,000 units.

The 600 served as the warm-up act for the real star of the Honda car show, which followed with fortuitous timing. The original Honda Civic was introduced in 1973, mere months before the Arab oil embargo triggered the first energy crisis. Powered by a 50-hp, 1.2-liter water-cooled four-cylinder, the two-door Civic became the instant darling of the EPA's new fuel-economy tests.

Gas mileage wasn't the only issue of the day. Meeting the so-called Muskie Law, which called for sharply lower exhaust emissions by 1975, was deemed an impossible task by most carmakers. Honda defied conventional wisdom by announcing that its new Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion (CVCC) engine could exceed the standard without a catalytic converter or unleaded fuel. This approach used two separate intake tracts per cylinder. A dedicated carburetor throat and tiny intake valves fed small precombustion chambers a rich air/fuel mixture that was easy to ignite. After combustion began in the anteroom, the resulting flame front lit a substantially leaner main mixture in each cylinder. Having extra air for combustion minimized the formation of unburned hydrocarbon, carbon-monoxide, and nitrous-oxide emissions. More significant, the Honda Civic CVCC topped the EPA's mileage charts from 1974 through 1977, with some ratings exceeding 40 mpg.

CVCC technology also benefited the Honda Accord, which arrived in 1976. During eight generations, Honda's mainstream model evolved from a $3995, 68-hp two-door compact riding on a 93.7-inch wheelbase into today's 271-hp four-door with a 110.2-inch wheelbase and a fully loaded price that tops $30,000. From 1989 through 1991, the Accord was the best-selling car in America.

Car and motorcycle sales gains, along with growing resentment over Japan's rising share of the U.S. market, prompted Honda to ponder a local manufacturing base. Operations began in 1979 with motorcycle assembly in Ohio. Three years later, those facilities grew into a million-square-foot factory for building Accords and, later, Civics. Learning from VW's mistakes when it established a Pennsylvania operation to build Americanized Rabbits, Honda made sure that U.S.-made Accords were indistinguishable from those imported from Japan. Further expansion, with new engine and transmission manufacturing plants, gave Honda sufficient capacity in Ohio to begin exporting U.S.-built cars to other markets, including Japan.


Honda's next courageous step up the prosperity ladder was the creation of a second sales channel for its Acura models. In 1986, three years before Nissan and Toyota followed suit with their Infiniti and Lexus brands, the Acura Integra and Legend gave faithful Honda customers an opportunity to spend more money while remaining true to the fold. Finishing at the top of J. D. Power's Customer Satisfaction Index from 1986 through 1989 was instrumental to Acura's success.

Having established solid foundations around the globe, Honda has spent the last two decades stretching its tentacles into new markets, traipsing boldly into realms ignored by most vehicle manufacturers, and keeping the competition honest. Today, Honda is the world's largest engine producer, thanks to its broad range of lawn and garden tools and electric generators. Honda's land and sea power toys include ATVs, motorcycles, scooters, personal watercraft, and outboard motors.

The sky is definitely not the limit for this brand. A decade of development evolved a 1997 pencil sketch by Honda engineer Michimasa Fujino into a 480-mph, five-passenger business jet. Honda's 2006 announcement that the $3.65 million HondaJet would be produced in the United States generated more than 100 customer deposits in three days. The first production flight is targeted for next year, and our hands have been raised high for an early test flight.

Soichiro's Sidekick



Although Soichiro Honda (far left) deserves ample credit for instilling his firm with technical brilliance, Honda would not be the powerhouse it is today without Takeo Fujisawa's inspired contributions. The two joined forces in 1949 when an upstart gang of twenty employees desperately needed finance and marketing expertise. Like Honda, Fujisawa had graduated from the school of hard knocks. While his business brain was the perfect complement to Honda's mechanical intuition, it was Fujisawa who suggested the move from two- to four-stroke engines and the lightweight, 50-cc motorcycle--which became the Super Cub--" on which a young couple would start whistling happy melodies." After twenty-four years of meshing together like well-oiled gears, Honda and Fujisawa retired from the Honda Motor Company in 1973.

1906 Soichiro Honda, the eldest son of a blacksmith and bicycle repairman, is born in a small village located 170 miles southwest of Tokyo.

1937 Following his car mechanic apprenticeship and participation in a few amateur races, Honda begins manufacturing piston rings.

1948 The Honda Motor Company is established to equip bicycles with war-surplus generator engines.

1949 Honda begins manufacturing a 98-cc two-stroke engine for its first motorcycle, the Dream D-type.

1950 Honda's savvy business partner, Takeo Fujisawa, advocates the move to four-stroke engines.

1952 Honda introduces the Cub, with an overhead-valve four-stroke engine and an automatic clutch.

1955 Honda tops the motorcycle sales charts in Japan.

1959 The American Honda Motor Company is established in Los Angeles to sell motorcycles.

1962 "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" advertising begins. Honda completes Japan's first major race circuit at Suzuka City.

1963 Honda's first four-wheeled models are an S500 sports car and a T360 mini-truck, each powered by a DOHC, four-carburetor, four-cylinder engine.

1964 To promote its reputation as a carmaker, Honda enters Formula 1 racing. In 1965, Richie Ginther's 1.5-liter Honda RA272 wins the final race of the season at Mexico City.

1966 Honda sweeps all five grand prix motorcycle world championship classes, from 50- to 500-cc.

1969 Honda's first superbike, the CB750, is powered by an OHC four-cylinder. Sales of N600 minicars begin in Hawaii, with expansion to California, Oregon, and Washington the following year.

1973 The Honda Civic, powered by an innovative Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion engine, meets stringent U.S. emissions standards without a catalytic converter.

1979 Honda begins manufacturing motorcycles in Marysville, Ohio, adding Accord production in 1982 and Civics in 1986.

1986 The Acura brand is launched with the introduction of the Integra and the Legend.

1991 The Acura NSX, Japan's first supercar, wins Automobile Magazine's Automobile of the Year award.

1997 Production of the Honda EV Plus electric car commences. Honda's Twin Ring Motegi motorsports complex opens in Japan.

2000 The Honda Insight is the first gas/electric hybrid sold in the United States.

2003 The HondaJet twin-engine business aircraft completes its maiden flight.

2008 The Honda FCX Clarity is the first (limited) production electric car to be powered by a fuel cell.
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News : 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid and Lexus LS600hL

For 2010, the Mercedes-Benz S-class gains its first-ever hybrid powertrain, a clear indication that its maker is shifting from a strict diesel approach to efficiency and finally acknowledging the worth of hybrids as an essential step on the path to electric propulsion. What's more, the Mercedes S400 Hybrid is the world's first production hybrid automobile using lithium-ion batteries (the Tesla Roadster is powered solely by Li-ion batteries). Hybrid propulsion systems aren't anything new, of course, but they're still rare in the luxury class, where the Lexus LS600hL has been standing alone for the past two years.

Mercedes and Lexus systems wouldn't be more different if they had been designed on different planets. The Lexus approach adds some $30,000 to the price of the sedan, not to mention nearly 600 pounds, compared with a conventional LS460L. Included for those extra dollars and pounds are a four-wheel-drive system, a 221-hp electric motor, nickel-metal-hydride batteries, and a 5.0-liter V-8. Loaded to the gills, the LS600hL is Lexus's flagship sedan, designed to offer V-12 performance with V-8 fuel economy.

Mercedes has taken a decidedly different route - one that adds less weight and complexity. Similar in design to Honda's Integrated Motor Assist hybrid powertrain, the Mercedes setup has a compact, ring-shaped electric motor sandwiched between the engine and a conventional automatic transmission. Like Lexus, Mercedes employs braking regeneration and engine shutdown at stoplights to curb consumption. Although the Lexus can propel itself a few feet at very low speeds with the engine off, that function is not available in the S400. Nor does Mercedes offer 4Matic four-wheel drive in this hybrid.

Instead of promising performance similar to an S-class with a larger engine, Mercedes chose to introduce its hybrid model as a more environmentally conscious way of traveling in luxury. The S400 Hybrid should cost about the same as the $90,225 V-8-powered S550 when it goes on sale in the United States this September. It uses the European-market S350 as a starting point, so behind the three-pointed star lurks a six-cylinder engine. The 3.5-liter V-6 produces 275 hp, the same as the base V-8 did in 2006, the last time an S-class was available to U.S. customers with a six-cylinder. And that V-8 didn't benefit from an additional electric motor.



The V-6 is similar to the 3.5-liter unit found in other Mercedes cars and crossovers, but this version has different pistons and cylinder heads. It also runs on the Atkinson cycle, a common hybrid approach. The Atkinson cycle uses late-closing intake valves to stretch the expansion (power) stroke for increased efficiency. The one sacrifice is some loss of torque, especially at low rpm.

And that's where hybridization comes in. The electric motor in the S400 contributes up to 118 lb-ft of torque, more than making up for the Atkinson sacrifice. In fact, total system power is quoted at 295 hp and 284 lb-ft, topping the 268 hp and 258 lb-ft ratings in a C-class fitted with the 3.5-liter V-6.

As a result, the S400 Hybrid, Mercedes says, reaches 60 mph in about seven seconds, but it can't come close to matching the sports-car-like S550, which takes only 5.4 seconds. The payoff in fuel economy, though, is substantial. Mercedes estimates that the S400 will achieve 23 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway. The latter figure sounds optimistic to us, but even if the S400 earns an EPA combined 25-mpg rating, that's a fuel savings of nearly 50 percent over the V-8. And, let's face it, how many luxury sedan owners really need all of a V-8's prodigious thrust?




Lexus would say all of them - and to that end, the LS600hL loses none of the performance of the nonhybrid LS. Total system output is a robust 438 hp, sufficient to slingshot the LS to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, according to Lexus. That's only 0.1 second slower than the nonhybrid version, but the more expensive Lexus achieves a combined 21 mpg in EPA tests, beating the all-wheel-drive LS460 by 3 mpg.

The Lexus suffers in one area that the Mercedes doesn't - cargo capacity. The large nickel-metal-hydride batteries and the extra air-conditioning system needed to keep them cool reduce trunk space from 18.0 cubic feet to only 11.7. Mercedes was able to locate its smaller and more energy dense Li-ion battery pack, which consists of thirty-five cylindrical cells supplied by the French firm Saft, in the engine compartment, leaving the S-class's 16.3-cubic-foot trunk intact.

On the road, the Lexus somehow manages to be lithe and nimble; it's an uncommonly responsive supersedan despite its supertanker weight. It combines an ultrabrisk throttle response with very strong brakes and a reassuring blend of grip and traction, although it's let down by a somewhat detached chassis, androgynous steering, and a ride that seems to vary almost at random between brittle and cushy.



The biggest benefit of the Lexus hybrid system is its smoothness. The two electric motors and two planetary gearsets allow the big V-8 to loaf except during hard acceleration. Flat-out, the LS600hL might not be any faster than the regular LS, but it doles out power far more effortlessly.

The Mercedes, by comparison, feels like a normal V-6-powered S-class. The Benz and the Lexus behave so differently that you realize this isn't a battle of which car is the better sedan, it's a clash between two philosophies. The Lexus was admirably early to market, but suddenly it seems that Benz's more elegant system reaps nearly the same benefits.



Indeed, rumor has it that this hybrid system will be standard equipment across the board on the next-generation S-class set to debut in late 2012. Mercedes also has a two-mode hybrid system coming this December in the ML450, and we're confident that Lexus has a few more hybrid tricks up its sleeve. So, which is it going to be? Will we see more luxury hybrids with straightforward powertrains, or will the Lexus model prevail? The answer isn't completely clear, but there is one thing you can bet on: hybrids are here to stay.

The Specs

Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid
On sale: September
Price: $90,000 (est.)
Engine: 3.5L V-6/electric hybrid, 295 hp (combined), 284 lb-ft (combined)
Battery: Lithium-ion, 0.8 kW-h
Drive: Rear-wheel

Lexus LS600hL
On sale: Now
Price: $106,035
Engine: 5.0L V-8/electric hybrid, 438 hp (combined), 385 lb-ft
Battery: Nickel-metal hydride, 1.9 kW-h
Drive: 4-wheel
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News Update : Jet Powered 2005 Ford F 150 Stx Turbojet Engine

In pursuit of better fuel economy, carmakers have created various forms of hybrids. In pursuit of a childhood dream, Chris Lentz created a wild hybrid.

The fifty-five-year-old electrical foreman from Jackson, Michigan, had longed for a jet-powered truck for decades. Two years ago, Lentz discovered a way to realize his dream when he met a pilot from New York who imported used turbojet engines. After watching an example run on a test stand, Lentz paid $10,000 for one. Obtaining a rolling platform for his new toy was a bit easier. Lentz bought a used 2005 Ford F-150 STX on eBay for $12,000.

Lentz's jet engine was designed in the mid-1950s by the Czechoslovakian company Motorlet to power the L-29 Delfin jet trainer. The Motorlet M-701 turbojet has a centrifugal compressor, seven combustion chambers, and a single-stage turbine. According to Jane's All the World's Aircraft, the powerplant weighs 728 pounds and produces 1962 pounds of thrust at 15,500 rpm.

To install the jet in the truck, Lentz fabricated a sturdy mounting stand, a twenty-gallon kerosene tank, and a control console from aluminum and stainless steel. His decorative touches include a red, white, and blue nose cone and a 2700 HP badge (not divulged is the 516-mph velocity needed to achieve that power level).



To light the burner, the pilot advances a red fuel lever and a blue throttle control while operating a two-stage electric starter. There are snapping sounds as ignitors fire in the combustion chambers followed by a muffled explosion and a whine not unlike a 737 taxiing past the lowered tailgate. Viewing the procedure from the rear of the truck reveals a bright orange ball of flame accompanying the muffled explosion upon ignition. With the jet idling at 3500 rpm and during full-throttle acceleration, there are waves of heat but no external flames.

Without jet assist, Lentz's 231-hp V-8 accelerated its 6600-pound burden (truck, jet engine, two occupants) to 60 mph in a sluggish 14.5 seconds. We recorded a quarter-mile speed of 73 mph and a top speed of 85 mph.



The best of three runs in hybrid mode - exploiting both piston and jet propulsion - trimmed six seconds from the sprint to 60 mph. The quarter-mile speed jumped 30 mph and we achieved 140 mph after 45 seconds of acceleration. Feeding more ram air to the jet engine by moving it aft in the bed and shifting the F-150's transmission to neutral at 100 mph to cut the drag of its speed-limited driveline would likely improve performance.

Lentz occasionally fires his jet while cruising but mainly enjoys the reactions he experiences in parking lots and at car shows. His JET PWR vanity plate helps slow learners grasp the point of the bed apparatus.

The Specs

Construction Cost: $25,000
Engines: 4.6L V-8 231 hp; turbojet with 1962 lb of thrust
Weight: 6221 lb
Weight Dist., F/R: 45.6/54.4%
Acceleration: 0-60 mph in 8.5 sec; 1/4 mile in 16.3 sec @ 103 mph
Top Speed: 140 mph
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New 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG

Is the Horsepower War Almost Over?
War is hell, unless it's a horsepower war, in which case it's kind of fun. For more than a decade, the cars from AMG have been on the front lines of the horsepower wars, which have seen the top autobahn rockets - most, naturally, from Germany - zoom past 300, then 400, and now 500 horsepower. But all good wars must one day come to an end, and for the horsepower wars, that day is starting to feel very close indeed. The new E63 AMG, for example, uses the same engine as the previous model (AMG's near-ubiquitous 6.2-liter V-8) and pushes its headline figure ahead by only 11 hp.

Still, we're talking about 518 horsepower here, easily enough to send this luxurious four-door sedan down the autobahn at (a governed) 186 mph. The thing is, the previous E63 AMG, with only 507 hp, was also capable of 186 mph. Evidently, at the peak of the super-sedan pyramid, there simply isn't much more performance to be had.

The goal: Better driving dynamics
Where, then, did the AMG folks hope to move the needle with this new car? "We wanted a sharper car - better driving dynamics," says Tobias Moers, head of overall vehicle development at AMG. Here again, though, we'd argue that AMG's high-volume mid-liner already made its big move in the chassis department with the switch from the old E55 AMG to the new-for-2007 E63.

Nonetheless, in the quest for even better driving dynamics, AMG engineers tossed out the front air springs (still used on the standard E-class) in favor of steel springs and struts. Air springs are retained at the rear, because of their ability to manage the widely varying loads on the rear axle. As before, the dampers are adjustable, this time in three steps: Comfort, Sport, and Sport+. An available performance package - a seemingly redundant option on a fire-breather like the E63 - makes the three settings a bit firmer still. When we sampled both versions on the beautifully maintained roads around Stuttgart, the standard car in its mellowest setting delivered a pretty comfortable ride, but when we cranked it up a notch to Sport or two notches to Sport-plus, the E63 telegraphed every slight bump or bit of creased pavement we could find. In the performance-package car, Comfort is the equivalent of the standard car's Sport setting, so your choices are Stiff, Stiffer, and Stiffest. Combine that with the 30/35-series tires (front/rear) and that is likely to feel pretty harsh over the crumbling highways that plague so much of America.

Unfortunately, those seeking ultimate bragging rights will want to opt for the performance package anyway, as it includes the reprogrammed electronics that allow for that 186-mph top speed, rather than the standard 155 mph. Otherwise, though, the stiffer spec is hardly necessary. Despite tipping the scales at a shade over two tons (about the same as before), with either setup, the E63 turns in aggressively, remains deliciously balanced through fast corners, and emits barely a peep from its Pirelli PZero tires. A new, fixed-ratio steering rack is quicker than before at 14:1 but is perfectly weighted and never nervous. For those eager to explore the handling limits, the stability control includes a more liberal Sport mode and also can be switched off completely.



A new transmission grabs the powertrain spotlight
The same 6.2-liter V-8 that powered the previous E63 is under the 2010 E63 AMG's hood. AMG engineers were able to boost peak horsepower to 518 hp, chiefly by lowering the exhaust backpressure. The engine's surprisingly sharp, aggressive bark and deep rumble have been preserved. Overall, though, the more significant powertrain change is the adaptation of the Speedshift DCT seven-speed automatic transmission from the SL63 AMG, which replaces the old car's seven-speed automatic. The Speedshift box uses a wet clutch in place of a torque converter and provides faster shift times and very sweet, rev-matched downshifts. Surprisingly, despite the absence of the torque converter, the transmission still beats any automated manual - including BMW's M-DCT - and most dual-clutch setups with its smoothness both in take-off from a stop and in its automatic shifts. And yet its shift speed effectively gives away nothing to those supposedly sportier gearboxes.

As you'd expect, the driver can tailor the transmission's behavior via a choice of modes. The mellowest, C (for Controlled Efficiency, says Mercedes) is really too mellow for a car like this. It's the economizer setting, starting off in second gear, upshifting as soon as possible, and even relaxing the throttle response. Controlled Efficiency might be great for squeezing out the best-possible mpg rating on the EPA test cycle (expected to be 13 city/19 highway, though official figures aren't yet available), and it's the chief reason AMG is able to boast of a 12 percent improvement in the E63's fuel economy. But, really, who on earth is going to hypermile their nearly-$100,000 German super-sedan?



The next two modes, Sport and Sport+, are subtly different in their programming but virtually indistinguishable on the road. Happily, both seem to intuitively understand the enthusiast driver, unfailingly anticipating gear choices, downshifting under braking, snapping off upshifts with lightning speed, and beautifully matching revs on every downshift, whether automatic or manual. Speaking of manual, if the driver calls up his own shifts via the steering-wheel-mounted paddles, after a few moments of inactivity, the box will resume giving its own orders. Turn the control knob to Manual, however, and the transmission will defer almost totally to the driver; the gearbox will not upshift even at the 7200-rpm redline nor will it kick down in response to a booted throttle.

A final, fifth, position on the transmission control knob is RS, for Race Start (or should that be valet mode?). It's a bit fussy to deal with, though. With the stability control in Sport, you hold your left foot on the brake, choose Race Start, when prompted quickly tap the upshift paddle once to confirm, then immediately floor the accelerator (if you're not fast enough the whole sequence is cancelled and you have to start over), and let off the brake. The E63 effects a wheelspin-free blast that should have you to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds.




The buttons to select the transmission, ESP, and damping modes are alongside the gear selector, which is a console-mounted lever rather than the wimpy column shift in the standard E-class. Sitting next to them is a fourth button, labeled AMG, which - like a BMW's M button - can program and store a driver's preferred settings for transmission, stability control, and damping.

As you'd expect from a car with 518 hp, the E63 is a always ready to drop a couple of gears, let out a deep bellow, and tear ahead down the highway. The massive V-8 makes this car a star of the quick, two-lane pass. A new option for hauling it back down again is carbon-ceramic brakes, although they won't be available in the U.S. market until next year. Like all carbon-ceramic brakes, these offer fade-free, racetrack-ready performance, at a price (expect to be $8000 to $10,000), but unlike most they're - almost - squeal-free and fairly easy to modulate.



For AMG: typically subtle appearance changes inside and out
Compared with the standard E-class, the AMG version has a unique front-end design, with a wider, deeper front fascia with functional side slits (they extract air from the engine oil cooler). Wider front fenders make way for the increased front track and ultrawide rubber - 255-series up front; while the rear tires are 285, whether on standard eighteen-inch or optional nineteen-inch wheels. There is also AMG-specific lower bodywork on the sides and at the rear. Inside, there's the aforementioned center console buttons, a unique gauge cluster, sport seats, and available carbon-fiber trim. As before, the overall affect is muscular but refined.

Rumbling into dealerships this fall
The new E63 goes on sale this November, at a price that should come in below the outgoing car's upper-$80,000 base sticker. The wagon version again will be available, but only by special order. The new E63 does not offer a great leap in horsepower over the outgoing car, but it makes measurable progress in chassis dynamics and it offers a more entertaining transmission, even if it's not a stick-and-clutch manual. Its already spectacular predecessor was already arguably at the peak of the performance-sedan mountain. The new model marks only incremental progress, but when you're starting at this level, there's only so much higher you can go.

2010 Mercedes-Benz AMG

Price: $87,000 (estimated)

Powertrain
Engine: DOHC V-8
Displacement: 6.2 liters
Horsepower: 518 hp @ 6800 rpm
Torque: 465 lb-ft @ 5200 rpm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic

Chassis
Steering: Rack-and-pinion with power assist
Suspension, front: Damper struts, electronic damping
Suspension, rear: Air springs, electronic damping
Brakes: Vented discs, front and rear, ABS
Tires: Pirellit PZero, 255/35 ZR19 front, 285/30 ZR19 rear


L x W x H: 192.6 x 75.9 x 56.8 in
Wheelbase: 113.2 in
Track F/R: 66.2/62.8 in
Weight: 4058 lbs
Fuel Mileage: 13/19 mpg (estimated)

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News : 2010 Subaru Legacy

Update : Bigger, faster, more fuel efficient

These words aren't paired together very often, but they perfectly summarize the 2010 Subaru Legacy sedan. The Legacy has grown longer, taller, and wider with a modest weight gain of 49-65 pounds, depending on the trim and equipment level. The engines are more powerful and more fuel-efficient than last year's. If you opt for the 2.5GT, the 0-to-60-mph sprint is estimated to be 5.9 seconds -- two full seconds faster than a year before. Is the Legacy finally ready for the mainstream midsize-sedan segment?

The Legacy grows up

For 2010, the Legacy grows 1.4 inches longer and 3.3 inches taller, and its track is 2.7 inches wider in the front and 3.3 inches wider in the rear. Those changes give passengers in the rear seat an additional 3.9 inches of legroom and make for a much larger door opening. Interior volume is now 103 cubic feet, just larger than the Toyota Camry's 101.4 cubic feet, but still a bit behind the Honda Accord's 106 cubic feet. Golfers can now consider the Legacy, as the 14.7 cubic feet of storage in the trunk will accommodate four golf bags.

Graceful and mature

Outside, the Legacy might not be the most exciting midsize sedan, but it looks tasteful and modern. The grille is a reverse trapezoidal shape that works especially well with the hood scoop on the turbocharged 2.5 GT models. It's easy to identify the Legacy as a Subaru, but the design is generic enough to appeal to most midsize sedan shoppers. We appreciate the subtle bulge at the wheel flares, which gives the profile some character and a hint of muscle. It also showcases the standard all-wheel-drive.

The features get more mature, too

Subaru may be associated with earthy, frugal owners, but the Legacy offers many luxurious technologies and features inside the cabin. Starting with full-frame doors that bring noise, vibration, and harshness levels down considerably, the Legacy also includes an auto-up driver's window. (Sometimes, Subaru is strangely behind the curve on commonplace features.) You'll also find larger, more comfortable seats, better materials, including some very supple leather on the high-end cars, and nicer looking gauges than on other Subaru products. Options are limited but include an upgraded Harman-Kardon stereo, Bluetooth phone and iPod connectivity, a backup camera, a moonroof, and a voice-activated navigation system.



2.5i

The entry-level Legacy is powered by a 2.5-liter Boxer four that produces 170 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. A new-for-the-U.S. six-speed manual is paired with a viscous center differential that splits power equally between the front and rear wheels. Those opting for the CVT will get a slightly more sophisticated AWD system that uses a slip-clutch and fancy electronics to determine which end of the car needs more torque. Subaru informs us this is the first application of a CVT with a Boxer engine. A mere 170 hp does not do much to raise the enthusiast's pulse, but it provides enough thrust for getting around town and feels particularly refined when paired with the CVT. Those considering the 2.5i will likely be most interested in the standard AWD at its $20,690 base price. Equally impressive is the 31-mpg highway rating for cars equipped with the CVT.

2.5GT

Enthusiasts will be most interested in the 2.5GT trim level. The turbo four produces 265 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque solely through a six-speed manual. Subaru uses the same AWD system here as on the 2.5i with a six-speed manual. A functional hood scoop, 18-inch wheels, and an all-weather package separate the 2.5GT from the 2.5i, but the options and equipment otherwise match a 2.5i Limited or Premium trim level. Think of the 2.5GT as a WRX for your growing family.

3.6R

Those buyers who are looking for more performance than the 2.5i offers but who are not willing to deal with a manual transmission will appreciate the Legacy 3.6R. As the name implies, power comes from a 3.6-liter, normally aspirated Boxer six engine. Power is rated at 256 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque, and the 3.6 runs on regular gas while the 2.5GT requires premium fuel. We found the 3.6-liter engine to be much more enjoyable than the 3.0-liter six it replaces, but the turbo-four cars were more fun on challenging roads. However, the six feels more refined and the automatic transmission adds smoothness to the package.



Behind the wheel

One of the biggest changes for the 2010 Subaru Legacy's ride is thanks to the double-wishbone rear suspension and front Macpherson-strut setup. If this combination sounds familiar, it's because all Subarus now use this suspension design. Body motions are well controlled, and the Legacy is stable going down the road thanks largely to its wider track and longer wheelbase. Sadly, the steering is overboosted but we found it offers good road feel as well as a quicker ratio. Braking performance has improved noticeably -- Subaru claims a 20% improvement in response from the new brake booster. Though the midsize sedan segment is hardly about superior driving dynamics, the Legacy is certainly fun to drive if you opt for the GT. Should fuel prices shoot up overnight, the normally aspirated four-cylinder model, particularly with a CVT, could be in demand. There's a smart mix of power, fun, and frugality available in the line, and all models, of course, have standard all-wheel drive



Who will buy it?

Subaru acknowledges it has a small following. According to Subaru's own research, less than 40% of midsize sedan shoppers know the Legacy exists. Those who are aware of the Legacy tend to be well educated, worldly, and environmentally conscious, as well as stylish and successful. Most of these people live in northern, coastal parts of the U.S. The marketing team thinks that {{{Volkswagen Passat}}}, Nissan Altima, and Mazda 6 owners are most likely to cross-shop the Legacy, which compares quite favorably with each of those cars.

What does it cost?

A basic 2.5i Legacy with the six-speed manual transmission will cost $20,690 with destination; the CVT transmission is $1000 extra, but there are no other options. Stepping up to the Premium trim level runs another $1000 and gets you an eight-way power driver's seat, 16-inch alloy wheels, a chrome exhaust tip, auto up/down driver's window, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The 2.5i Limited runs $25,690 and adds a power passenger seat, 17-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, mirrors, and wiper de-icers, dual-zone climate control, leather seats, and a premium audio system; the CVT is the only available transmission. PZEV models of any 2.5i CVT trim level are available in all 50 states for an extra $300.



The 3.6R begins at $25,690 and follows the same pricing strategy as the 2.5i family. Look to spend $1000 extra for a Premium and $3000 more for a Limited car. Aside from the engine and automatic transmission, the only difference between the 2.5i and 3.6R is standard 17-inch alloy wheels. All options and equipment are otherwise equal on comparable trim levels.

Enthusiasts will want the $28,690 2.5GT Premium and its turbo four powerplant, revealed by the functional hood scoop and standard 18-inch alloy wheels. A 2.5GT Limited runs $30,690 and matches the equipment found on other Limited models.

When can I buy it?

The 2010 Subaru Legacy should start showing up at dealers in early August. Wagon fans will want to wait for the 2010 Outback that arrives shortly after the Legacy sedan.

With configurations ranging from frugal and capable to fast and refined, the Legacy has broad appeal. There's also enough Subaru quirkiness to keep the early adopters happy with this generation--all engine choices are Boxers, AWD comes with every car, and there's a good array of safety features. If the 2009 Forrester's success is representative of the demand for a more mainstream Subaru, the 2010 Legacy sedan will be quite well received by the market.

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News, When the brain waves move the wheel

Tokyo: Japan original car manufacturer, Toyota Motor Corporation, at the wheel this car is driven with brain waves. This column does not create a manageable with conventional hand. Toyota claims the system is the invention of the fastest in the world in the ability to analyze brain waves. Such representations Toyota, as reported Associated Press, Monday (29 / 6).

Later the driver who sits akan impose similar headgear that is able to read signals that the brain is released. Signal is then delivered to the engine will brain electroencephalograph (EEG), which will then be analyzed in a computer program. This system will make someone able to run the column to the right, left and front quickly automatically. Even to stop only a blow cheek.

Rival Toyota, Honda Motor Corporation, also has developed a technology that is capable of connecting with the brain waves of movement mechanics. This year, Honda will show a video that shows a picture of someone the middle put on helmets. With the helmet, he can move the robot Asimo, which has been previously programmed response to brain signals, to the left and right.

However, both Toyota and Honda have not yet explain the exact time the product will be released to the market. So, be patient.
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