Dinosaur Bones, Electricity...and Racing. Part 2

OK, I said I love cars.

I REALLY love fast cars.

Like kick-in-the-pants fast.

But a Hybrid?

First: Ok, I noted the fabulous MotoCzysz creation a few days ago and neglected to mention to you Oregon readers that they call Portland home! (Seventhgear Autosport's home base...) To you non-Oregon readers.....neeener neeener neeeeenerrr! Just kidding.

Now...PART 2:

Just as the MotoCzysz creation was hitting the track at the Isle of Man TT race last year, another fantastic hybrid concept made it's debut. Specifically, a wicked concept for a turbo-diesel-electric-hybrid from the 'skinny glasses-n-lab coat wearing' geniuses at Bayerische Motoren Werke. Otherwise known as ... BMW. This is the first car that I have ever seen that really made me excited to see a hybrid. It's interesting, it's fast, it's efficient, and it actually would be possible to use something similar, with our current automotive infrastructure in place. Novel, eh?

Yes, the Germans have done it. They have produced a seriously high powered, feasible hybrid.

Named the 'BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics Concept' (mouthful, yes...) it boasts over 355 hp and a WICKED 590 ft/lbs of torque. For those of you who don't nerd out on this stuff, the horsepower is really nice but it's the torque that really gives you the seat of the pants rush under acceleration. This car apparently does not disappoint. Sporting a look right out of the yet to be released "Tron" sequel, this car talks the talk AND walks the walk.

It is equipped with an innovative power source, including electric motors at both the front and rear axle, and a 3 cylinder turbodiesel, internal combustion engine.

This powerplant provides the car with serious performance, on par with their famed M3 models. Yes, that means a 0-60 time in 4.8 seconds, and an electronically limited 155 mph top speed (the same as all US spec BMW M3s). You would think that all of this performance would burn through fuel quickly. Well, you'd be mistaken. The rated fuel consumption is a stingy 62 MPG. Quite a difference from the 16 MPG the M3 gets.

In addition to the turbo diesel engine, the car is equipped with a dual 'plug in hybrid/ regenerative braking' electric drive system. Meaning, it generates SOME of it's own electrical power and also is plugged into the wall in your garage. The electric component of the drivetrain will last a full fuel tank cycle before needing any charge.

I've not seen anything like this proposed by any of the major manufacturers, and BMW should be proud that they are pushing the envelope of speed, power, and efficiency.

As for the aesthetic design of the car itself, I'm a big fan. It's way, way forward thinking and I appreciate seeing something different. You'll notice a LOT of glass in the design. It's actually polycarbonate, photosensitive panel that changes tint depending on solar exposure (think of those glasses that automatically darken when you walk outside).

Is it buildable on a mass production scale as it sits? Heck no. It's a very intricate design that would cost a fortune to make a million examples of. Well then, what's the point? You can bet that you'll see design cues and engineering breakthroughs achieved with this concept, on future road-going models from BMW.

Perhaps someday we'll see it on the road!

Dinosaur Bones, Electricity...and Racing.

PART 1: I have a dilemma.

I LOVE cars.

I LOVE motorcycles.

I LOVE racing.

I LOVE speed (at the track, of course).

I LOVE the visceral feel and sound of a high performance internal combustion engine. It's intoxicating to me, in person. I LOVE racing cars and motorcycles, and their road going counterparts, for their look, speed, power and performance. I love the freedom that cars and motorcycles give an individual in daily life.

However, I struggle with the insatiable 'fossil fuel burn' that modern Western society participates in. It IS a long term problem that needs to be solved. Finding a way to reduce dependence on petroleum is the right thing to do for the planet in the long term. I have to balance this with my white hot fever for the sound of a Lamborghini's 6.0 liter 12 cylinder engine screaming at full song down a straight. What's that you say, about hypocrisy?

Such is 'my dilemma'...

I'm excited to say that innovative companies are pushing the envelope of performance and efficiency with cars, every day. With much of the early credit due to pioneering companies like Honda and Toyota, for embracing and developing hybrid electric technology. As I'm sure you're all aware, throughout the 1990's, they focused on developing cars that appealed to the basic desires of mass consumer sentiment. Those efforts came to fruition in the 2000's and they produced the rather altruistic Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. Honestly they are...to be blunt...as exciting to a car guy as standing in line at any poorly manned government agency. This is OK, if that's what suits you. If you like automotive boredom they are perfect. While their actual effectiveness could be debated all day, they have made the case to the masses for alternatives that can work in the real world.

For those of us that live and breathe the car hobby however, they leave something to be desired.

Well, that's where some other companies are now stepping up the the plate, to swing the proverbial 'bat'. Small companies like Tesla have already developed entirely new plug-in electric technology sports cars. Then there's MotoCzysz. The leading edge mini-MotoGP team turned electric motorcycle manufacturer, that was founded by the architect turned motorcycle designer, Michael Czysz.

On the back of their 'not-yet-realized' Moto GP project, they have developed a completely wicked, battery powered Moto GP inspired bike called the E1pc. It competed for the first time at the Isle of Man TTXGP last summer. With a staggering 250 lbs of torque from this plug-n-play battery powered tri-electric motor equipped cycle, Motoczysz is pushing boundaries of alternative technologies for vehicle power. It's to date, the only platform that allows the batteries themselves to be charged remotely from the vehicle. Just like an everyday appliance, you just put them in a "charger" and then they are ready for use.

More thoughts to come in PART 2 of this post.... but for starters.... Check out this cool trailer (documenting the Motoczysz project) from the movie "CHARGE", written by Mark Neale and narrated by noted motorcycle guru and acclaimed actor, Ewan McGregor.

Images and video courtesy of MotoCzysz

Love your family?

...Then wear your seatbelt.

It still astonishes me people neglect this. Here's a different take on why.

Formula 1: Why it's special.

Formula One.

Formula Freaking One...

As a car fan you typically fall into two categories.

One: You've probably heard the term, and are a least familiar, but you don't really know much about WHY F1 is so special.

Or...

Two: You are a rabid, long time fan, and can't imagine how anyone who is a true fan of cars would not watch the sport with astonishment. It's a sport where each team (at a cost of several hundred million dollars per year) designs and builds purpose built, bespoke racing cars and engines... completely from scratch. It's a sport where these teams then risk their car's destruction every two weeks while drivers pilot them around harrowing race courses at speeds up to 200 mph.

This is a little insight into why I mostly fall into category "Two".

Formula One is almost a ridiculous proposition when you really think about it. It's a sport where just milliseconds matter. Not tenths or hundredths of a second... but thousandths of a second. Blink your eyes twice, right now. That's the difference in lap times over two and a half mile courses that separate the best (winning) teams from the teams that never win. It requires a herculean effort to make up those thousandths, from the standpoint of a team.

It has an allure that is magnetic. It's a near impossible feat in many ways.

It requires you to trot the globe. It requires absolute focus. It requires innovation 24 hours a day. Literally. This is a sport where lab coats, exotic metals and materials, autoclaves, 100 channel data acquisition and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) are the norm. It's a sport where a team's banks of high powered computers are crunching petabytes of gathered race and testing data, 24 hours a day. It's a sport that requires as many as 900 employees per team, to field a 2 car team for a season! Like I said.... ridiculous.

Did you know that each of the larger teams has wind tunnels that are manned 24 hours a day in three shifts no less, by engineers who are testing the aerodynamic qualities of an individual team's car? They are constantly making changes to parts on the car that affect airflow, drag, lift and downforce. Teams work 24 hours a day remanufacturing newly designed revisions to the cars, to specifically build their cars for a specific race. They spare no effort or expense to win. It's an exceptional thing to behold.

Here's a fascinating look into a winning team. This is behind the scenes stuff! (click on the video, let it load...and behold...) Image courtesy of Motorsport.com / Video Courtesy of Red Bull F1 Racing

Automobile Magazine reports that the Audi RS5 is coming to the USA!

Now, I've been a fan of Audi since my days with a remote control scale version of the legendary '85 Quattro Short Wheelbase Rallye Car. I would die to have been given the chance to fling one of these beasts up the course at Corsica Italy, or Rally Spain. But, I had to settle for my ultra cool, birthday present as a 13 year old 7th Grader in Central Pennsylvania. It had 4 wheels and was self powered so I was cool with it.

Since then, Audi has made some fantastic REAL cars, and I have owned several models (...currently I have two... an S4, and a TT for sale over at the dealership website...) including the A4. One car I have not yet pulled the trigger on is the ULTRA sexy A. The A5, A coupe, is now offered by Audi in both S (Sport) and RS ( RennSport...or 'Racing') models. Over the years, the primo RS models would often be witheld from our fine USA shores for a myriad of reasons, but these days the RS models are finding their way here. Even though they regularly don't have ALL the primo bells and whistles of the Euro models, they are a treat and this RS5 is no different. At 444hp and 317 ft/lbs of torque, this is going to be one FUN car that still has a trunk in the back.

Automobile Magazine has reported that they have confirmed it to be true...no official word from Audi yet, but it looks like the RS5 is coming! I can't wait!

(Picture credits above are to Audi AG)

Check this World Car Fans post about it....

Audi RS5 Confirmed for U.S. - rumors

http://www.worldcarfans.com/110040525514...

While details are limited, Automobile is reporting an unnamed source has told them an American launch is "increasingly likely." Despite being far from official, the possibility of an RS5 in the U.S. is tantalizing.

Welcome to SGA's Automotive enthusiast blog!

I just wanted to take a moment to say hi to you folks reading this blog for the first time. I'm new to blog writing, and new to the car business so this is exciting for us. What I'm not new to, is a love of cool cars! Whether it's a real 1962 Shelby Cobra, a cool little BMW Isetta, a modern MINI, a eurotuner modified Audi, or even Lamborghini Reventon...I'll take notice!

As an offshoot of my car craziness, I am an internet car forum nut, and a racing fan to the bone. I cruise a bunch of online fora, and when I have time I'll sit and watch Formula One, Indycar, LeMans Racing on TV for sure. When there's a fair amount of free time (Since starting SGA, there's a LOT less lately!), I'll tune in to some NHRA, and even some NASCAR too.

So, on that note, you can look forward to my opinions about all manner of car related thoughts, some racin' thoughts, as well as the occasional non-car thought. (I do have them, amazingly...)

Thanks again for stopping by!

Bronson Graff

Owner, Seventhgear Autosport