Ugly Electric Cars

When it comes to environmentally friendly and my car, the only thing I do is make sure I pass emissions.  That means having 02 sensors and catalytic converters that work. I would love to do my part and buy an electric car but, come on… have you seen those things?


Electric cars have always looked like they drove down the ugly driveway, and ran over every crack on the way down. Car designers usually state that the looks are due to making the cars as aerodynamic as possible. This might be true, but I am sure they think about aerodynamics with every car and they don’t end up looking like these awful things.  Let’s take an ugly trip through the history of electric cars.

PAST: It started with the EV1 back in 1996.  GM was brave enough to be the first large automaker to design an electric car, but that does not mean they should have.  The most hideous aspect of the EV1 is the back end.  The covered rear wheels and the shape of the trunk make it look a Sudafed.  I don’t know whether I am supposed to drive it, or take two in the morning.

PRESENT: The most popular electric car is the Toyota Prius, but it did not avoid the ugly electric car genes. Some of you are probably saying to yourselves, “The Prius is not that bad!” Quit it, you are fooling yourself.  Take another look at it. A Prius looks like a Civic’s ugly little brother. Somehow the Prius has gotten past this.  It has reached the level of being so ugly it is cute, like a Pug.  (Note: The Honda Fit is also ugly because it looks just like a Prius)

FUTURE: GM wants back in the hideous electric car race.  They have been displaying the Chevrolet EN-V around the globe at auto shows.  EN-V stands for, Electric Networked-Vehicle.  I actually don’t know if I can call this thing an ugly car, because it looks more like a helmet than a vehicle.  Every time I see it I think of Master Chief from the video game Halo.  I wonder if you drive the thing with an X-Box controller instead of a steering wheel.

How to Communicate With Other Drivers on the Road

Many times there are situations on the road where we may feel that we need to tell another driver something. No I am not talking about when someone cuts you off making you test your brake disc and brake calipers. What this is about is good communication that will help or just show common courtesy when on the road.

Over the road communication is something truckers have used for years, not just with CB radios but with lots of other techniques as well. There are ways to say thank you, your welcome, go ahead and much more but knowing them is the best way to make driving a nicer experience.

Anyone who has let a Semi truck merge onto the highway has seen the flashing lights. Not the turn signal but what look like the hazards for 3 distinct flashes. This 3 flash process is actually them saying thank you not trying to warn other drivers, truckers have been using this for years but most “4 wheelers” don’t know the signs. The name “4 wheeler” is also truck slang for small civilian vehicles such as cars and small trucks.

There are many messages that the average driver should know that can help make driving smoother. The double flash of the high beams can let a driver know they are safe to come into our lane. The triple flash is more to alert oncoming drivers of a hazard…or a hiding cop. Three flashes of your hazard lights tell the driver behind “thank you”, While 3 flashes of your headlights says “hey you just cut me off”.  Even cabbies have signals that they use, the slight honk while driving is to let people know they are available. Knowing these few signals can make driving much easier and also save a lot of stress as well. True there will always be people who speed up to block other drivers from merging and others that cut in line at a traffic jam. These signals can’t help with them but maybe they can make the daily commute a little less  stressful.

The Hennessey Venom GT is Finally Street Legal

Every once and a while in the automotive world, something happens that takes our breath away. No I am not talking about making leaps forward in in-dash navigation or your car stereo, no we are talkin about speed. Not just speed but more speed than anyone else on the plant…even Bugatti! Hennessey a company known mainly for supercharging cars and trucks for extreme performance has now made their own car. When they announced their own car most of us assumed that they would be basing it off some American car of some type. The company surprised us all when the released pics of their 1000 HP beast but none of us expected it to be street legal.

Recently Hennessey showed off the GT at Jay Leno’s garage, this is their 6^th car that they brought and amazingly it is street legal. Street legal means that the car meets safety standards and has all the equipment required by the US government. This is an amazing feat because a company like Bugatti is backed by VW and they are the largest automotive entity on the planet. Hennessey is a small company that does not have the resources…guess they did some serious begging with investors. 

Now on to the speed and power that the Venom GT creates…0- 60 yup that is 2.5 seconds, for example a Corvette ZR1 takes 3.4 seconds to make the same trip. Now that is fast but where this car really makes itself stand out is the 0 – 200. That time would be 15.3 seconds and that is 9 seconds faster than the Veyron which is the fastest car in the world. The goal if the venom is to outrun the Veyron bringing the title of the world’s fastest production car to the US.  Now I don’t know about you but I really want to see these 2 monsters go head to head in an all-out drag race to 280 MPH. Oh and I also want to own one for myself hey it might not be good parking it on the street but sometimes you just gotta live your dreams…right?

The Lexus LF-LC Photos Leaked

Are you having some car problems?  Is your starter giving you issues?  Does it seem like Mr. Fuel Injector called in sick?  If everything car related has just got you feeling like you want to trade in your vehicle for a razor scooter hold on a second.  Here are some pictures to make you go to your car happy place.

Photos of the Lexus hybrid super car currently called The LF-LC have been leaked onto the internet. This thing looks like it could eat a Prius.  The vehicle definitely fits into the sharp and youthful demographic which Lexus has been aiming for in the past few years. The car was designed at Calty Design Studio in Long Beach, and they get a huge pat on the back from me. The edgy lines and distinctive grill are sure to attract a large crowd when it is unveiled at the American International Auto Show in Detroit on Monday. 

Even though a few pictures were leaked there are still many mysteries about the supercar.  What we do know is that it is a four seater, it’s a hybrid, and it looks amazing.  The rest of information out there right now is just speculation.  Considering that the LF-LC shares a very similar design to the LF-A, it is forecasted that the LF-LC will provide similar power.  Toyota has a history of giving their concept cars codenames that clarifies positioning.  It is a guess that LF stands for Lexus Future, and the LC means LS Coupe.  This crazy hybrid could go on sale in 2015 under the name LC600h.

Top Gear Takes to the Streets of India

Every Christmas season the Top Gear crew delivers some hilarity in the form of a Christmas special. In these specials they get a hold of cheap cars where the components such as the steering power gearbox or steering power rack are on their last legs. This year the crew headed to India on what was supposed to be a trade mission but it true Top Gear style it all went horribly wrong.

In the past these specials have been through such countries as remote as Botswana, Bolivia, Vietnam and even America. The normal idea is that the trio has to spend less than $1000 and get themselves a car to take on some ridiculous trip close to 1000 mile away. If you are unfamiliar with these specials it usually turns out with automotive issues popping up and ridiculous challenges along the way. Included in these ridiculous challenges is an attempt to be the first people to drive a car to the North Pole…yes I said drive.

This year’s special to India was nothing short of the previous specials and had some surprise facts that I for sure didn’t know. The fact that millions and millions of lunches are made by wives of working men in India and they get delivered with a less than .004% missed delivery rate. Not to mention how stunningly beautiful the country of India really is. Another scary fact is that the highways there are not really regulated, almost total automotive carnage trying to drive on India’s highways. 

Every time a Top Gear special happens it shows the world a close up view of some amazing locations and brings to light the beauty of the area they are in. Like clockwork though there are always a slew of complaints that come flowing in as well to the BBC. The complaints don’t really make sense because the hosts especially Clarkson always poke fun at everyone and never hate one group in particular. Well they do pic on Americans all the time and you don’t hear me complaining. Since it is all in good fun and we can all have a good laugh in the process.

Costco Just Got Even Better

As if I needed another reason to love Costco, they are now offering a 15% discount on auto parts such as turbochargers, alternators, and more to their members. Their relationship with the auto industry, however, is not a new one as they have been offering purchase-discounts with participating dealerships for years. This new discount allows members to not only receive 15% off new parts, but also on labor and accessories.

Costco, the sole reason I have about 500 zip-lock bags and an excessive amount of other household items, has about 2,500 participating dealerships in their auto program. Of these 2,500 dealerships, 50% are currently participating in the promotion while the other 50% are expected to be by the end of 2012.  This is not only a great incentive for Costco members, but also gives these dealerships access to Costco’s 44 million members. Costco sold 250,000 vehicles in its auto program in 2010 alone, many of which were used and will be in need of such services in the future.

Next time you’re at Costco snacking at all of the sample stations, take a second to learn more about your participating local dealers to take advantage of these savings. If you’re not already a Costco member and will be in need of any vehicle service in the future, the savings will probably more than pay for the $55 annual membership. Who doesn’t love getting six months of grocery shopping done in an hour? 

Race of the Roses

Imagine having to deal with heat reaching up to 120 degrees, and there is no AC Compressor to help you.  Even worse, your visibility is at zero and the window motor regulator is not to blame.  Under these conditions you have to manage around three intense turns, one which is a tight 107 degrees.  You must finish this intense five and a half mile course at a blistering speed of 2.5 miles per hour.

You are probably asking yourself, “What daredevils would risk their lives doing this?” The answer is, the brave souls who drive the floats in The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade. The drivers get by without seeing because they have a spotter on top of the float that communicates with them via radio. The observer tells the spotter when to turn and how fast to go. If the drivers have to slowdown or god forbid stop, it is frowned upon.  When it comes to the heat, they just have to deal with it.  If it gets up to 120 degrees an alarm will go off and the driver knows it’s time to get out of the float and grab a root-beer float to cool down.

In case you were thinking about purchasing one of these flowered monsters here are some specs.  Most floats are powered by the likes of a V-10 truck engine.  There is no diesel option, as parade rules prohibit that. They need to boast a lot of power because the floats are usually around 120 feet long and over 100,000 pounds.  The gas tank in these is approximately 50 gallons and a float will usually go through 30 gallons during the parade.  That’s just a little over 5 miles per gallon. There is no suspension, so expect a rough ride.  If none of that deterred you from still wanting one, maybe the fact that they cost around $300,000 will.

Happy New Year