By Jonathan Wong
WITH VIDEO -- If John Scott has his way, every car on the road will be shod with tires featuring built-in camber. Scott is the owner of Wisconsin-based Optima Sports, a small automotive-engineering firm, and inventor of Camber Tires--tires with a constantly decreasing diameter.
According to Scott, his tires offer multiple benefits, including enhanced handling, increased stability, reduced tread noise, improved fuel economy and better safety by reducing rollovers.
And Scott says preliminary tests show no abnormal wear characteristics, and he extrapolates that 140-tread-rating Camber Tires will easily last 24,000 miles.
We briefly tested a set of the tires with two degrees of camber on a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and came away amazed. The ride was shockingly quiet and comfortable over rutted roads, which is a stark contrast to the rough and loud ride normally associated with the Evolution on stock Yokohama rubber. Even more impressive was that the Camber Tires still returned the incredible steering response and cornering grip we expect of an Evo.
Lack of funding for public transit called a threat to future prosperity.
This a major finding, as reported by the Washington Post based on literature released yesterday from a three-day summit in September 2009 at the University of Virginia, attended by about 80 transportation experts, including former secretaries of transportation Norman Mineta and Samuel Skinner.
By Izzi Bendall
Prices for the 2011 Cadillac CTS-V wagon will begin at $62,990, including destination charges.
Available with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission, the CTS-V is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 delivering 556 hp and 551 lb-ft of torque.
Commercial drivers banned from texting while driving.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has recently made big waves about the dangers of distracted driving. The government agency released data saying that 5,500 people died and around 500,000 were injured in 2009 in accidents in which distracted driving was a factor. Likewise, research has surfaced saying that teens still don’t think texting while driving is as dangerous as drunk driving, even though both have been shown to be just as detrimental to a driver’s ability to operate a car or truck.
Toyota examined 4,200 vehicles after electronic device was implicated.
During the peak of the unintended-acceleration hysteria, many media outlets speculated that the electronic throttle control might be to blame.
CNBC's Phil LeBeau on why Lincoln can succeed.
Rumors of Lincoln's demise have been greatly exaggerated. Well, perhaps not greatly. After a number of Detroit brands fell under the ax, Ford's other, upscale badge has been living in the shadows of late -- and Ford wants to change that. Of course, skeptics -- actually, everyone -- will point out that Lincoln has quite an uphill battle ahead of it. Success is hardly a sure thing in the crowded luxury market, but over at CNBC, Phil Lebeau has three reasons why Lincoln may be able to pull it off.
First, LeBeau points out that Ford's commitment is long-term. Lincoln is elemental to the overall Ford company, and the manufacturer will treat it accordingly.
By Dale Jewett
Barrett-Jackson Auction Co. CEO Craig Jackson has the distinction of being the highest bidder at his firm's recent sale in Las Vegas--paying $770,000, including the buyer's premium, for a 2008 Bugatti Veyron when the original winning bidder refused to pay.
Overall, the three-day auction, held Sept. 23-25, recorded sales of nearly $23 million, Barrett-Jackson said on Monday.
After the Bugatti Veyron, the highest bid at the auction was $412,500 for a 2009 Mercedes McLaren SLR roadster.
The rest of the top 10 sellers were:
Chevy challenges Ford to real-world towing competition.
In a move reminiscent of MINI's track challenge to Porsche, Chevrolet has challenged Ford to a real-world competition, looking to pit GM's heavy-duty hauler against the Blue Oval's best in a mountain-grade course that tests towing prowess on the way up and factory-issued exhaust brakes on the way down.Of course, on paper Ford already wins: Its 6.7-liter Powerstroke diesel V8 engine puts out 400 horsepower and a whopping 800 lb-ft of torque, compared with GM's 6.6-liter Duramax with 397 horsepower and 35 fewer lb-ft, at 765. Then again, Chevrolet's point is that numbers on paper don't necessarily translate to the best performance on the road -- hence the real-world challenge. Or, as Chevy Silverado marketing manager Tony Truelove says, "Let's go work these trucks in the mountains, and may the best truck win."
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Cars are cool, and here at MSN Autos we love everything about them, but we also know they're more than simply speed and style: a car is an essential tool, a much-needed accessory to help you get through your day-to-day life. What you drive is also one of the most important investments you can make, so we'll help you navigate your way through the car buying and ownership experiences. We strive to be your daily destination for news, notes, tips and tricks from across the automotive world. So whether it's through original content from our world-class journalists or the latest buzz from the far corners of the Web, Exhaust Notes helps you make sense of your automotive world.
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Contributors
Clifford Atiyeh has spent his entire life driving cars he doesn't own. Raised in Volvos, he has grown to love fast, irresponsible vehicles of all kinds. He is the senior news editor at MSN Autos and also reports for Car and Driver, Road & Track, The Boston Globe and other publications.
In the garage: 21-speed Iron Horse, 2002 Jeep Wrangler X (not his)
Doug Newcomb has covered car technology for over 20 years for outlets ranging from Rolling Stone to Edmunds.com. In 2008, he published his first book, "Car Audio for Dummies" (Wiley). He lives and drives in Hood River, Ore., with his wife and two kids, who share his passion for cars and technology.
In the garage: 1996 Chevrolet Impala SS, two 1984 Chevrolet Blazers, 2008 Honda CR-V
James Tate learned to drive stick at age 13 in a 1988 Land Cruiser - in La Paz, Bolivia. He's since been a mechanic, on a pit crew and has wrenched on every car he's owned since his first 1989 Honda CRX Si (and won't stop until the car is a 1973 Porsche 911 RS). His work has appeared in Car and Driver, Popular Mechanics, Automobile and others.
In the garage: 1995 Porsche 911 Carrera, 1988 BMW M5
