The Observation Deck

Here's an interesting story on the "Fjord" car from CNN:

Have you driven a Fjord lately?

To be honest, I'm not super impressed with the smart cars mileage. 40-45 mpg on the highway isn't all that great compared to hybrids today. Given the cost of the vehicle, a few thousand more will get you something like a hybrid Civic with better mileage and more room.

Now when the actually create a hybrid version of the smart car that gets 70 mpg, that might be something.

Bryan Schwegler wrote: Now when the actually create a hybrid version of the smart car that gets 70 mpg, that might be something.

Uhg. The reality of the need for hybrids (and electrics) is depressing to me...

The thought of not smelling hot oil. The thoughts of not smelling gas, oil, and burning rubber at the track or on the street. The thought of not chirping tires as I up shift. The thought of not being able to blip the throttle, hear the engine burble a bit and engine wind down, slide the back out just a tad, clip the apex then hear the engine scream as I punch it out of the turn, is just plain depressing to me (I just described my ride to work).

I want premium gas, rear wheel drive, and Germain horse power(!) not sissy tree huggn' hybrids! Next I suppose we'll all have to start wearing Birkenstocks and eat nothing but granola!

Just kidding.

sharon kinsella wrote:How do they handle in the snow and on ice?

They're cute but I can't see getting in and out of one with hip or knee problems.

45 mpg is great but I think I'd rather invest in something that doesn't depend on oil. I think oil is not a good investment for the future.

like a hockey puck.

ryan costa wrote:

sharon kinsella wrote:How do they handle in the snow and on ice?

They're cute but I can't see getting in and out of one with hip or knee problems.

45 mpg is great but I think I'd rather invest in something that doesn't depend on oil. I think oil is not a good investment for the future.

like a hockey puck.

good one. I used to drive a Fiat X1/9 here in the snow and never had problems (talking about snow not mechanical issues...). Of course that was back in the day with even the hint of snow you would see 3 trucks in a flight pattern like fighter jets heading down Clifton. Not anymore though... times have changed. But like someone else said, snow is only an issue here a couple times a year.

sharon kinsella wrote: But like someone else said, snow is only an issue here a couple times a year.

Yep, only three times a year - fall, winter and spring

someone said we should just cancel most work when there's that much snow. It melts within a day or two anyhow. I guess that isn't an option when people live an hour from where they work.

The small car pictured could use a cheap road-worthy trailer. something light enough to detach and push by hand when necessary.

Joe Ott wrote: I want premium gas, rear wheel drive, and Germain horse power(!) not sissy tree huggn' hybrids! Next I suppose we'll all have to start wearing Birkenstocks and eat nothing but granola!

Just kidding.

Joe


You can put rubber down, turns on a dime, and is pretty peppy, pulling my mini between 2nd and 3rd. Which is all you need for street racing, er motoring. With all the electronics, it can be tuned and built.

Think big. BMW was .able to pull almost 1,500 horsepower from a 1.49 liter Turbo. If you can't run the tires off of this, well, I am sure you know what I would say next.



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Jim O'Bryan wrote:Think big. BMW was .able to pull almost 1,500 horsepower from a 1.49 liter Turbo..

You must be referring to the early 80's BMW F1 engines? Nice.
What can you do with my 2.8?

Joe Ott wrote:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Think big. BMW was .able to pull almost 1,500 horsepower from a 1.49 liter Turbo..

You must be referring to the early 80's BMW F1 engines? Nice.
What can you do with my 2.8?

I am sure we could crank that up to about the same as one of the, we wait!

I was going to say an Allison Engine like in a P51 Mustang or the Miss Muncie hydroplane. But just read that was only 1151 bhp! Then I looked at the 7.1 liter Dodge Shadow engine 880 bhp, Porsche 917-10K possible 1,000 BHP.

Working bark from BMW we should be able to get it to 2,800 BHP. For at least 17 minutes!

Wait, just in, the John Force Funny Car 6,000 BHP 0-100 in 0.7 seconds.

Your 2.8 liter, a little tuning, a super chip and white gas, we might have a chance at this one. Tomorrow night on Detroit we can use the cooler dense air, with the extra grip from the new sticky road.

Joe I think you have a shot at this one.

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Jim O'Bryan wrote:[
Your 2.8 liter, a little tuning, a super chip and white gas, we might have a chance at this one. Tomorrow night on Detroit we can use the cooler dense air, with the extra grip from the new sticky road.

Joe I think you have a shot at this one.

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Oh man, I gotta get photos of that!