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Seven Maintenance Tips For a Longer-Lasting Car

By on June 18, 2013 in Features

Keeping a car fit and healthy is much like keeping any other machine in good working order. Regular maintenance and checks are an essential tool in helping keep your car running smoothly. Particularly as you head into the summer months, preparing your car for the warmer weather and potentially more extensive use means regularly maintaining your vehicle. Components can wear very easily with use, and over a longer period of time this can contribute to more significant damage to your car.

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Great Drive: Colorado

By on June 7, 2013 in Features

It has been far too long since I took a great drive, let alone wrote about one. With a few spare hours after work on a business trip to the Boulder, Colorado area, I set off earlier this week on a drive for which I had done minimal research.  The scenery far surpassed my expectations, though the trip was slower than I had expected due to speed limits.

Prior to my departure, I had quickly scoured Google Maps for curvy, mountainous roads near Boulder, and found plenty. I decided to head up Baseline Road from its intersection with US-36, which led me to Flagstaff Road. Boulder (elevation 5430 feet) sits in a high valley flanked by tall mountains, and almost immediately from its intersection with US-36, the route began climbing steeply. Shortly thereafter, Flagstaff Road began, with incredible vistas around every (incredibly-sharp) corner. Flagstaff Road is posted 20 MPH, and it’s not possible to go much faster due to vehicle and bike traffic, combined with narrow lanes and shoulders (often with precipitous drops off the downhill side). Continue Reading →

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Photo Gallery: Detroit Belle Isle IndyCar Dual

By on June 4, 2013 in Features

Last weekend was the Belle Isle IndyCar Dual race in Detroit.  Photographer Steve Lagreca attended the event on behalf of Autosavant and has shared a number of photos with us.

The races were the first ever IndyCar “dual” race – which is basically a weekend doubleheader, with separate races on Saturday and Sunday, with a different winner each day. The photos are from both days’ races; Steve has compiled some bullet point facts from each day of racing.  Enjoy the facts and the amazing photos!

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How Wet Roads Affect Stopping Distances

By on May 16, 2013 in Features

Although there have been calls for elderly drivers to retake their tests in the past, including one from former Formula One driver, Sir Stirling Moss, very little attention has been paid to bad drivers in general.

Despite the fact that many people are calling for the elderly to retake their tests, in 2011 the AA asked 17,000 drivers whether they thought that would pass a test if they were to retake it.

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Electric Vehicle Parking: Etiquette and the Law

By on May 10, 2013 in Features

Several months ago, Ford PR sent out a somewhat humorous press release about etiquette at public charging stations for Electric Vehicles, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. The point was that electric vehicles take longer to refuel than combustion vehicles. Cars that run on dino-juice can pull up to any gas station and refill the tank in around five minutes. Electric vehicle take much longer to recharge; anywhere between four and sixteen hours depending on the supply voltage and the state of charge. Such lengthy charging times require the EV drivers to plan ahead, and possibly plan trips around availability of charging stations.

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SMMT Test Day 2013: Part II

By on May 7, 2013 in Features

Continuing from Part I of the SMMT Test Day 2013 series, where I test drive the 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo, the 2013 Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC, the 2013 Toyota Auris Hybrid, the 2013 Toyota GT86 and the Toyota AE86.

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SMMT Test Day 2013: Part I

By on May 6, 2013 in Features

I was pleasantly surprised to be invited to the 2013 Test Day of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), given our relatively minor presence among the British press. It is a great step for Autosavant, a golden opportunity to network with motor manufacturers as well as to drive the latest cars in the market.

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Track Test: 2014 Cub Scout Pinewood Derby Car

By on April 1, 2013 in Features

Here at Autosavant, we spend far too much time talking about cars that are self-propelled.  But what about ones that are gravity-propelled?  It’s about time that we investigated gravity as an automotive fuel; after all, gravity is even more constant than wind, water, sunlight, or other alternative energy sources.  For this reason, we built a Pinewood Derby car as a proof of concept.  If this one is successful, we’ll consider producing a full-size mock-up.

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Pope Francis I Inherits Benedict XVI’s Popemobile

By on March 14, 2013 in Features

As most of the world now knows, the 115 cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church elected a new pope yesterday, who took the name of Francis I in tribute to St. Francis of Assisi.  Pope Francis is the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina.  You know that we’d find a car connection to this news item, though.  Francis I gets the keys to the 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML-based Popemobile.

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Five Reasons Car Enthusiasts Love AutoRama

By on March 11, 2013 in Features

If you like cars, you’ll love AutoRama. It’s the premiere event during the winter months when inclement weather puts the kibosh on outdoor car shows. If you’ve been to one, you know what I mean. If you haven’t, here’s the top five reasons to check one out; highlights from last weekend’s 61st Detroit AutoRama.

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