Have you ever wondered how meteorological scientists study tornados? Well this is an instance where the movies didn’t lie to you. Just like in the film Twister, tornado researchers drive vehicles directly into the path of the storm and release “pods” that take scientific measurements and capture data for the researchers to study.
Real life twister hunter Dr. Joshua Wurman was looking for a vehicle that he could use for the VORTEX2 tornado research study, a vehicle that could withstand heavy rain, hail, flash flooding and washed out roads. What he chose was the HUMMER H3T to be the lead vehicle in the largest tornado study ever conducted.
The elevated ground clearance and ability to ford up to a 24 inch flood made the H3T the perfect vehicle for the job. Dr. Wurman was quoted as saying that “we can send the Hummer into places where we haven’t sent our other probe vehicles before.”
You can follow the Hummer Storm Chaser at the link below for updates and a twister inspired blog.
What exactly does the high-performance R/T badge mean. In the 1960’s on musclecars like the Dodge Coronet it meant Rapid Transit, I’ve also heard that it meant Real Trouble for anyone who would dare to challenge any Mopar at the strip or at a streetlight. In the 1990’s with the birth of the Viper it meant Racing Technology. But today on our 2010 Dodge Ram Sport, the R/T badge stands Road/Track, and although I couldn’t imagine any Chrysler Engineers clocking a Nurburgring time I’m sure the new coil spring rear suspension should be up to the job. One thing is for sure; the restyled aggressive exterior would be right at home in any NASCAR paddock > More
A while ago trucks had a much simpler mission. Owners only demanded two things from their trucks: the steering wheel is connected to the wheels, and that the owner died before the truck did.
Now truck ownership has reached the premium levels. The previous requirements are still the same, but now there are more items added. Trucks are no longer just on the farm and the job site, but they are also in the corporate parking lots used for the do-it-yourself crowd who has learned how to build an addition on the house in a few weekends. So while a truck still has to be tough enough to carry the rocks and gravel in the back, it has to make sure it doesn’t wrinkle the suits up front.
A place where this is really evident is in the 2009 Ford F-150 SuperCrew Lariat that joined our fleet. Ford has almost 60 years experience assembling F-Series trucks, so there is no doubt about it’s tough as nails ability. We just didn’t expect to be so comfy in a workman’s truck.
Ford Motor Company has just released a micro site dedicated to their wild F-150. The SVT Raptor that was unveiled at SEMA is a wide bodied concept based on the F-150. Normally trucks aren’t our thing on TopSpeed, but this one did take on the Baja 1000, so it’s cool with us.
Plenty more pics, info and the site link after the jump
Trucks are fun. Although we’re usually car people, the “in your face” and “get out of my way” attitude that is attached to piloting a tall truck that’s over two and a half tons is sometimes irresistible.
Our Tundra 4x4 Crewmax SR5 represents a final leap for Toyota. When Toyota first entered the large truck market with the T100 in 1992, they though people didn’t need the full size of a full-sized truck. Unfortunately the North American public disagreed. Toyota built the same tough-as-nails trucks as it always did, but people were weary because in the truck game, bigger is better. Now the second generation Tundra rectifies all problems. Introduced in 2007, the Tundra is as big (and sometimes bigger) than the competition, without trading in the Toyota reputation.
The latest masterpiece that will be present at the 2008 SEMA Show is the customized Dodge Ram R/T. The new vehicle features a 5.7-liter V8 engine capable to deliver 380 hp while the exterior of the vehicle features an unique integrated spoiler, new Mopar dual-snorkel aluminum hood, side sills and a new Mopar dual exhaust system. Also, the manufacturer added a new set of 22 inch Alcoas wheels fitted with 285/45R22s tires in front and 305/40R22s in the rear as well as a new Mopar air suspension kit. The body kit is covered in B5 blue paint with carbon-fiber accent stripes while at the interior the Katzkin leather seats feature the same body color.
Press release after the jump! > More
It’s an old story: owner cannot afford luxury car and cannot sell luxury car to cover what’s owed, so the owner dumps car in a lake (or river, swamp, neighbor’s garage, etc.) and collects the insurance from his/her “stolen” car. What’s new in this story is that the Miami Herald is reporting gas prices may be playing a role.
Researchers at the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NCIB) have noted a correlation between the rise in gas prices and the growing number of potentially fraudulent insurance claims for stolen vehicles. Over a three-year period where average gas prices went up more than 130 percent, the number of suspicious auto thefts in the Miami area more than doubled. This is also a time when more than half of the current top ten stolen vehicles are large trucks and SUVs.
The NCIB does not have concrete evidence on this theory yet. Because of this, they are saying that the thefts could still be over-extended owners who are up to their old tricks. “People would agree those (trucks and SUVs) are not very economical,” said Frank Scafidi, public affairs director for NCIB, “but you do have other cars that become give-ups — lease situations, where someone may have extended or exceeded the limits of a lease. That can be very expensive.”
No matter the case, be careful the next time you go fishing. You may accidentally catch a F-150.
The HEVT(Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technologies, Inc.) brings some important improvements to the famous pickup F-150 especially in regards to fuel savings and still using the Ford chassis. This truck serves as a model for pickups, SUVs and vans using the efficient technology of reducing fuels, gas and emissions. In the case of the Ford F150 the results of HEVT are quite surprising, pushing it from 16mpg(14.7l/100km) during a daily driving to just 41mpg(5.7l/100km).
The brain of this technology is the ACU(Adaptive Control Unit) which controls the hybrid drive train and, when driving, it controls the use of the electric motor and gasoline engine. The ACU features a display unit which shows all the time how much charge is left and how much energy is being recaptured through regenerative braking.
Did you ever think at a car could be powered by an airplane engine? Although it is still a concept, Bell Aurens unveiled today their customized Land Rover, powered by a 27-litre V12 Merlin engine and capable to develop 1,500 hp. Called the Longnose, the car you see in the photos represents an exclusive interpretation of the old design of the British car. The vehicle is in fact an off-road convertible, featuring a yacht-like tail like the cars back in 1930’s which will be powered also by the Rover V8 4.6-litre engine or the 5.0 or the V16(two V8 engines).
Being a custom built vehicle, it is hard to give an exactly price due to the fact that it will be built after the exactly indications of the customers. For example, the basic price for a standard tail vehicle powered by the 235 hp 4,6-litre V8 engine will be around € 125,000 plus VAT. A Longnose featuring yacht tail vehicle powered by a 5,0-litre capable to develop 280 hp will be offered at a price of approximately € 150,000.
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