You would think that an oil company would be all for gas-guzzlers and oil burners, vehicles that would keep the cash flowing and allow those companies to maximize profits. However there is one member of the crude retailing community that is more focused on getting the most out of every drop, as opposed to selling every last one.
The Hague based operation, Shell Oil, is committed to making the most out of the limited fossil fuel, that is why they have partnered with the Scuderia Ferrari in order to push the boundaries of both performance and efficiency. The pair work together to develop fuels that burn more proficiently on the racetrack and lubricants that allow the rotating parts of the highly sophisticated Formula 1 car to move with less friction and be less of a (parasitic) drag on the machine, allowing it t to be even more fuel efficient.
Shell’s efforts at conservation are not limited to the F1 circuit.
The oil company is also the title sponsor for the Shell Eco-Marathon, a competition whose record holders have achieved the equivalent of over 7800 MPG from their fuel-efficient forward thinking machine. The Shell Eco-Marathon is held in various locations around the globe, and invites students to design, build, and test their unique vehicles, all with the same goal, use the least amount of fuel to travel the farthest distance possible. The student design teams develop vehicles that run on conventional fuels like gasoline, ethanol and diesel, as well as futuristic concepts like solar power, hydrogen and other bio-fuels.
The Italian automaker, Ferrari, has just filed a series of patents for a new four wheel drive hybrid propulsion system. Their new design is designed to work with both their front and mid-engine models. The idea is to have the traditional internal combustion engine drive the rear wheels, while some sort of electric motor would power the additional rollers. The system is designed to primarily increase the handling capabilities of the super cars with increased fuel efficiency being an added bonus.
Ferrari says that "the aim of the present invention is to provide a four-wheel - drive vehicle with hybrid propulsion…and being at the same time easy and inexpensive to produce.” This made possible due to motors mounted inside the front wheels. This way there is no need to develop a new drive train layout that would ultimately be more expensive and add unnecessary weight to the vehicle.
As stated on the application, Ferrari is trying to develop a kind of "four-wheel drive that can be engaged enables the driver of the automobile to decide whether to use the rear drive or the four-wheel drive; in this way, the driver can use the rear drive in optimal conditions of adherence and can use the four- wheel drive in poor conditions of adherence." Who would have ever thought that the first hybrid Ferrari’s would also be their first four wheel drive model.
Check out the gallery to get a look at the Ferrari diagrams.
It is said that 25% of fuel savings depend on the driver’s right foot, but one thing is for certain, when idling at a stop light or sitting in traffic, all cars get zero miles per gallon. That is why the German luxury car builder Mercedes Benz is planning on incorporating the fuel saving start/stop technology in their E200 CGI model by the middle of 2010. The E200 already has an economic four cylinder gas engine, but without wasting gas while standing still, the vehicle’s fuel efficiency is that much greater.
According to Christoph Spengel, head of engine development for Mercedes, the start/stop technology will be standard in every model. In a recent interview with AutoCar Spengel said: "I won’t name a year when we will achieve this goal, but it is a priority for Mercedes. We are pushing hard, and there is the possibility to jump ahead of BMW."
Sony Computer Entertainment is developing a remote controlled car that uses a PSP portable gaming device as the vehicle’s controller. The unit will be made up of a camera mounted on top of the r/c car that transmits the image back to the screen of the PSP that creates a racetrack out of the real world obstacles surrounding the miniature racer. Very clever Sony!
Have you ever wanted to be a race car driver, but are a little hesitant about the inherent dangers associated with hitting a wall at 200 MPH? The designers at Elite Sim Design have just what you are looking for. The problem with traditional simulators is the high cost of ownership. The Elite Racer Pro, is a fully functional racing simulator at a fraction of the price.
Lotus has developed an alcohol-fueled single-cylinder engine its going to bring to the Geneva Motor Show. While this may be taking the idea of "adding lightness a little too far, it would be pretty cool to have my lawnmower have an "Engineered by Lotus" sticker on it.
Because Bentley owners can’t be the only ones flaunting their purchase, the computer company Acer has released a new Ferrari "inspired" model. The Ferrari 1200 will be the fourth Acer computer with Ferrari stickers slapped on it. The computer features an AMD Turion X2 Ultra dual-core processor, wide-aspect 12.1 Acer CrystalBrite LCD display, 4 GB of dual-channel DDR2 memory, and enhanced graphics package.
Acer’s has a tendency in the U.S. to find its way into the bargain bin at Wal-Mart, so that may be the reason this laptop is currently only offered in U.K. markets. Once it does come to America, Acer can put you behind the keypad of this prancing horse today for an almost reasonable price (Acer’s Ferrari 1100 goes for about $1,800). But unlike the car, this one is guaranteed to depreciate quickly.
The Fireworks Locator System concept represents the ultimate gadget that will help you track your vehicle, and can be activated by a button on the car key, that when pressed will produce a multi-colored holographic explosion of fireworks over your car to help you find it in case you forgot where you parked.
The effectiveness of this gadget is in question as there is an expected abundance of fireworks explosion as the device become popular. This, however, would pose more problems not only because it may be a distraction to other motorists, but also because of the difficulty of distinguishing your fireworks from those of the others.
Navigon, the leading innovator in the navigation market, released today its latest products: the 5100 max and 2090S, two new GPS systems to help you arrive faster where you’re heading. Both of these systems are delivered with a FreshMaps package , which means that you will be able to make eight updates over a two year period. The 5100 max features a 4.3-inch widescreen, has real-time Traffic updates for life, Reality View Pro, a system that displays 3D views, Bluetooth Hands-free, advanced text-to-speech guidance than announces the directions and street names and DirectHelpSM system which provides directions to nearby emergency service providers including hospitals, pharmacies and road-side help. The smaller 2090S comes with the same features but includes a 3.5-inch display. The cost is between $199.99 and $299.99 for the systems.
Usually at SEMA Show we see plenty of customized cars but this year we will see also the Nextar Q4-MD, a new GPS fitted with MSN Direct support, and a 4.3-inch touchscreen display. For those who don’t know, the MSN Direct is an online service that delivers important data to your device such as traffic conditions, fuel prices or weather data.
The new device will feature also a 2d or 3d map viewing, an SD Card slot for additional memory, will be capable to play Mp3s, will have USB connectivity and a receargable Li-Ion battery. For those interested the device will be available from 2009 and priced at $329.99.
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