Is the Fiat 500 Abarth Something that Should be Taken Seriously

The Abarth is a version of the Fiat 500 that stems back to the 50s and it is all about a small car with gobs of horsepower. This little Fiat is running a 1.4 liter 4 banger pushing out 160 HP which is boosted by a turbocharger. This little turbo car is trying to make a name for its self in the united states where the basic 500 is falling short in sales numbers. The main question is whether or not the 500 can make Americans stand up and take notice.

What makes the fiat 500 stand out on the US streets is the fact that it is a small car that is still extremely high build quality. The idea behind it is that we can look at this thing like a designer hand bag. The question is will Americans see this as a fashion accessory or will they just ignore it as a whole. The sales numbers for the original 500 are very sad but the car its self is very nice so what is the problem. The main issue is the American aversion to small cars. Unless it’s a sports car a small car gives the impression of a cheap car, this is a hard stereotype to break. Not only is it a stereo type that fiat is going to have to overcome but there are other companies that are having similar issues as well. Hyundai for one is struggling to make their new line more appealing to new segments. The main issue for Hyundai is the fact that they were always know for cheap eco boxes that fell apart and looked like well you know. Nowadays they are a whole different animal. The problem is changing the perception of the average American.

Fiat may be pushing their cars with a series of commercials with J-Lo. They act like the car is “Hard” or “from the hood” which honestly makes no sense since the car is from Italy. This is a car for people who love their cars and want to take a car out and thrash it on a day to day basis. The imagery for the 500 should be that of romance with the car, the countryside and the love of your life. Combine the things that people will do with this car. Don’t advertise to people who love their Chrysler 300 with 24 inch rims, they are not going to go for it. The basic thought is that the 500 is an amazing car especially for city driving and the 500 Abarth is like its older brother that beats it up when mom is not looking. To quote Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear “What you have here is a pet mouse that can be used for killing burglars”. This means we may want to give this little beats a shot.  

Car Swap for the Holidays

It’s somehow December, and for many Americans that means a lot of driving to visit those family members you don’t see enough during the year (whether intentionally or not). Unfortunately, while on long drives you might start to notice new problems with your car. Some drivers this year may have trouble with their Car Stereo, losing access to all those Christmas-stuffed radio stations. Others may have problems with the Center Console Screen DVD player that keeps the kids from yelling and fighting the entire way. But if you’re one of the lucky 5,000 or so Chevy Volt owners you may have another electrical issue to worry about: your precious gas-saving battery catching fire.

If you drive a Volt, don’t freak out too much. Although three of these batteries have caught fire after going through safety tests, there has never been a “real-world consumer incident”. The situation facing these Volt’s is similar to leaving leaking gasoline in a fuel tank after a crash. Anyone involved in a crash in an electric car is urged to disconnect or drain the power from the battery. The interesting thing about these incidents is that the batteries didn’t catch fire for days, and sometimes weeks, after the crash tests. Whether GM will create a way to automatically shut off battery power after a crash or completely redesign the battery is unknown, but the European version has been put on hold until the issue is resolved.

Now, there does seem to be an upside to this whole ordeal. GM is offering any Volt owner concerned with their safety a “loaner vehicle” to drive during this investigation. Yes, that means all those people concerned with gas mileage and low emissions can head to their local Chevy dealership and drive off in a Corvette for the holidays. 

Tips for Driving Safe This Winter

Driving in any season can be very hazardous to your health if it is not taken seriously, by you or the people around you. A car is a huge piece of metal being hurled down the street towards an unsuspecting public and if the driver does not know what they are doing, it can be dangerous.  This is not even talking about cars with broken parts like the steering rack or steering box making control of the vehicles direction impossible. No, no we are talking about drivers who don’t know how to control a vehicle properly. Many people know the basic principles of controlling a vehicle on a day to day basis, but in winter this can change drastically in a matter of min.

The first major obstacle to tackle in winter driving is the temperature, with cold temperatures comes cold tires. While too many this may not seem like a big deal but remember that rubber becomes “more sticky” as it heats up. In other words with cold temperatures comes less grip. This means handling is decreased and reaction time for the vehicle is longer. What this means to the driver is that a normal situation can become dangerous.

The second major factor is weather and ignorance of what it can do. Many people think that the brake system on their car or truck is there and it will slow them down no matter what.  This is simply not true pushing the pedal harder will not stop you faster in fact in many cases of extreme weather it will do the opposite. When the brakes are engaged the tire creates more resistance to the contact patch and sliding will occur. When the vehicle begins to slide the brakes must be released and reapplied to try and create grip.

There is a scary and dangerous thought amongst drivers of vehicles with traction control, that the system will save them in the snow. People go as far as driving at full speed on icy roads just because they have TCS in their car. Traction control is designed to find traction where there is some but it cannot control the car if there is not traction.

Driving in the snow and ice is all about common sense. Slow it down and remember that safety is the responsibility of the drive. Not only your safety but the safety of everyone around you as well, your vehicle in the end is only as good as the person behind the wheel. 

The Toybaru or Subaota or Whatever You Call the FT-86 Concept is Finally Here

About 2 years ago Toyota and Subaru decided to work together to bring the first completely new sports car to the market in years. The car they have created is beautiful and very light, with a very low center of gravity. Due to this the car has no need for a turbocharger or supercharger to make them fast. The whole idea behind this dual creation car was to make something that handled like a dream.

The two car companies used their vast knowledge and resources to create a car that has the lowest center of gravity of almost any production car.  The reason that anyone would want a very low center of gravity is simple, the lower the center of gravity the better the handling can be. The center of gravity on a car may not be the only factor that will make this car handle well but it is a huge influence on the characteristics of the vehicle.

The styling of the car caught the attention of the car world almost instantly. The main reason was because of the elegant looks that still had some serious aggression. A look that said yeah I am fast and mean but I still look great…kinda reminds me of the way an Aston Martin makes you feel. This car will be instantly recognizable as a sports car and will have a very distinct sound. What is the reason for the distinct sound? That would be the boxer motor which is not only very flat which means the center or gravity stays low but also creates that unique Subaru sound. Love it or hate it the sound will be very different for a 2 door rear drive sports coupe. 

Traveling Turkeys

What am I thankful for this year? I am thankful for the DVD player in my car to keep the kids quit during a road trip. I am also thankful for the navigation unit to get me to my in-laws’ house, and then to the closest sports bar.

What am I not thankful for? I am not thankful for having to travel this holiday season.

One of my least favorite moments of the holidays is traveling with all the other turkeys out there. What makes me even unhappier is discovering that an estimated 42.5 million people will be traveling this Thanksgiving.  According to AAA, 90% of these travels will be driving to their destinations.  I’m not the greatest at math, but 90% of 42.5 million drivers clogging up my interstate does NOT sound like a good time.

However, it could be worse.  I could have been one of those unlucky go-getters on the Pennsylvania Turnpike last night.  Driving through a 40 mile stretch of driveway sealant taught them a lesson.  A tanker with a leaking valve spread black goo all over the highway.  It covered the car’s tires and undercarriages.  These travelers will think twice before leaving a day early for Thanksgiving next year.

Did the Danish Build a Supercar that can Hang With the Big Boys

Every year a few small car companies come along and think they know better than Ferrari and Porsche when it comes to car building. Most of the time these car some up short with quality issues arising with parts that look like they are built by children. The in-dash navigation or car stereo, which in a normal car are built for the specific vehicle in most cases but in small shed built supercars they are pulled from other cars. In other words while the car may look amazing from a distance when you get up close things just don’t seems right.

The curse of all cars is that individual components cost a lot to have them custom built for a truly bespoke vehicle. Recently the Danish company Zenvo has decided to undertake the monumental task of creating a supercar and what’s really amazing it looks stunning. All of the parts for the car are built specifically for this one application hence everything looks like it belongs. The car is known by the name Zenvo ST1 and this beast houses a turbo and supercharged V8 creating over 800HP per ton. This means that this first time supercar can hit speeds of 60 mph in the low 3 second range and a top speed over 230MPH.

While the performance of the ST1 may be staggering the looks are what really sets this car apart in the current field of supercars. The striking looks are reminiscent of something from blade runner and there is nothing else on the road that looks anything like the Zenvo. Sharp angles and an unrelenting quest for aerodynamic style have made the body not only sleek but slippery enough to pass the super-duper car holy grail of 230 mph. So now that you are intrigued and want one, let us talk price. There is no easy way to say this…it’s 1.7 million dollars before options. While this may seem like a lot of money (and it is) keep in mind that the average Occupy Wall street offender can still afford it even though all we can do is dream. 

Porsche Goes to New Heights

One of the downfalls of living in a high-rise building is that you have to park your diesel turbocharged VW in the garage, and take an elevator all the way up to your floor.  How many times have you wished that you didn’t have to park in that dark concrete maze, which smells like someone’s old diesel fuel pump? Well, it looks like Porsche has figured out a solution.

A new building in Miami, Florida called the Porsche Design Building is about to take residents directly to their apartments.  It doesn’t matter if you are on the first floor or the 50^th.  The high-tech car elevator will take you right to your front door.  Think of the elevator as one of those claw machines at the local arcade that your kid wastes $100 bucks on to get a stuffed animal, but instead of a stuffed animal it’s your car.

The apartments are going to have windows in the front, so you can see your car while lounging in your living room.  This also means when you pull in, you can wave hello to your family. Just like all the people living out in the burbs. The only thing missing is the annoying neighbor, demanding that you trim you hedges.

Each car elevator ride to an apartment which may cost a mere $9 million, will last approximately 45 to 90 seconds.  That sure is one expensive ride.  For that amount a money they better have some really good elevator music.