The pledge

The second act is called “The Turn”. The magician Koenigsegg takes the ordinary something and makes it do something extraordinary.

The Turn

Now you’re looking for the secret..but you won’t find it because of course, it’s already doing 380 kmph. You will never know. You will be fooled.

Taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary

Awfully quite around this place. Not for long!

Continuing the analogy of Mr. Koenigsegg’s new car launch with “The Prestige”, things seem even more fitting now when we look under the spirit of the ghost. The dispute between magicians and wizards (as shown in the movie too) is clearly visible through Koenigsegg’s work also and being the magician that he is, has completely disregarded Nikola Tesla’s electric motors. So what we have is only a turbocharged 5L V8 producing two numbers i never thought could exist mutually- Power output of 1360 bhp and torque is a staggering 1000Nm! Thousand! Somewhere right now, AMG engineers feel a cold shiver.

Power of the Ghost

For a very long time now I have been watching the progress of the 3D printers closely and I can honestly say I’m quite a strong supporter of this breakthrough rapid prototyping technology. Formula SAE cars, the Urbee  concept and many more are just humble examples of the this technology creeping into the automotive  industry. Koenigsegg has incorporated Variable Geometry Turbocharger( VGT) and Titanium exhausts, both of which are 3D printed. This gives Koenigsegg unlimited freedom to develop optimised turbine blade designs and at much lower costs.

Printable Titanium Exhaust

© Shweta Rawat

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Yes he’s an atheist, despises the Lexus SC, and some say that he’s The Stig’s brother-in-law. All we know is that he has left us Lambophiles with a great deal of satisfaction. Thank you Piston Claus, for the latest Lamborghini, the HURACAN! (Insert lightning storms and bulls stampede here)

Introduzione:

In the truest tradition of our religion (read Lamborghini), at the launch of a new bull we sacrifice one black horse (preferably in a prancing posture) to our great lord, Ferrucio Lamborghini. This holy tradition that we follow symbolizes the death of one Ferrari for every new Lamborghini that is born in the womb of Modena, only to add fuel (direct injection, of course) to the evident rivalry between the two.

So what do we get on first look: Audi’s persistent complaint about polishing the sharp cuts in Lambo’s body panels seems to be slowly taking effect as can be seen in the new Huracan. After you feel and absorb every angle of the car through that desktop screen, you can sense a beautiful mix of the designs of their past concepts and production vehicles. The rear has a strong oomph of the Sesto Elemento, the front headlights and fenders remind us of the Estoque (The bull that never was), the stance of an Aventador. Although the two humble creases on the front bonnet remind us of the yester years of the Gallardo family, showcasing that the Huracan family will proudly carry on the legacy of it’s past.

Tech Analysis- More than meets the eye:

The Huracan’s design may be a hybrid of many Lambos, but the heart remains the same. Powered by a 5.2L V10, the same as the last Gallardo except more powerful. Power has escalated to a minor yet progressive increment of 610bhp. But don’t be ignorant of what this means because after running down a few calculations of my own, it turns out that the Huracan’s specific power output of 117.307hp/L is the highest for any naturally aspirated V10 engine EVER MADE. What this means is that the conventional trend of engine downsizing to increase specific power output is disregarded by the Italians as they continue to maintain the beautifully honed engine volume of 5204cc.

Inside the Huracan!

No details about the full specifications yet but Lambo claim a 0-60 stint in 3.2s. Kerb weight is down to 1422kg– a figure that has made Piston Claus awkwardly conscious. Chassis is a hybrid of Carbon fiber and Aluminium and the engine is coupled to the ‘box via dual-clutches. Torque reads a mountainous 560Nm at 6500rpm. Carbon Ceramic disc brakes come as standard. The wheels are no wind-sucking-to-cool-the-discs type crazy, but a practical 5 spoke Aluminum 19”.  Front windshield is more inclined almost like the Super Trofeo Stradale version. From what can be seen, it looks like the rear track width is lesser than that of the front. That is surely uncalled for by a Lambo but will prove advantageous in terms of handling. The three driving modes of Strada, Sport, and Corsa are also included.

Hexagonal fest!

This brings me to the interior of the car- The center dash buttons can be commonly mistaken for launching nuke missiles. Like Mercedes’ classic cross shaped air vents (emphatically seen in the SLS), Lambo have a striking and cheeky hexagon tubed air-con vents. Almost seems like carbon nano tubes came to reality. Even at the head of the glove box, the angular hexagonal faces are taken from the rear grill of the Egoista. One look at the instrument cluster panel housing will assure you that it’s giving BMW’s i8 a run for it’s money. Elongated paddle shifts stand out as you enter the cockpit, first seen in the Aventador J.

Climax:
 With the name as striking as the new Lambo itself, the origin of it is interpreted  differently. The general Spanish speaking peeps say it means “hurricane”, but ask a  Spanish historian and he/she would tell you that it was a legendary animal (part  human, part bull) that fought gallantly in Alicante, Spain in 1879. We assume this  to be the closest reason for such a name, and it’s not too hard to pronounce either  now that we’ve exercised our cheek muscles trying to get the Pagani Huayra right.

Over the years, as hardcore Lambophiles, we have witnessed the beautiful  evolution and growth of the company and as true enthusiasts we almost feel part of  this family.

The video series made OFFICIALLY by Lamborghini as a teaser proves a point- that they have not only made boys of all ages wet their beds, but have acknowledged the compelling passion of true Lambo fans. Watch the video and all it’s parts to understand what I mean.

Huracan Spyder rendered.

As a way of giving back something to this beautiful company, my wingman Soumya Kanta Das, who’s an ace automotive designer (self-taught), has rendered the Huracan Spyder version already, a move that Lambo would naturally consider in the near future. Mind you, he did this in exactly one hour! So Mr.Stephan Winkelmann, if you’re reading this, you know whom to hire next.

Finale:

Before we end this Italian drama here, we got to admit- there’s a lot of room for improvement. Lamborghini’s first models are similar to Android phones- once you have it, there’s much that can be experimented with. It even takes a while to accept and realize how beautifully refined this new Lamborghini really is, given the fact that the last two launches (The Veneno and Egoista) were just outright mental.

But when you look at it over and over again, you are filled with a sense of inner peace knowing that Lamborghini not only gave the Gallardo family a fitting end but also justified its successor. It’s as if Vito Corleone handed over the mafia family to Michael Corleone knowing he would be the perfect heir. Once again, Lamborghini has the last word.

Ferrucio Lamborghini-The real Godfather

The post The Huracan: Lamborghini’s Michael Corleone appeared first on AutoSpace.

BAC(k) to the future!

Today’s Topic: Google haven’t done their homework. 

A small company from Cheshire, UK that was started by the Briggs bros. believes in a small and efficient working force. So it took a team just of 8 people to build the radical BAC Mono. With only a brief glance, other cars would WOW and believe that this is what future holds for them.
So in the unlikely moment of your busy life you may ask yourself- How many Google workers does it take to make a car? Well it’s 15 apparently. Seven more than BAC and yet you can’t even drive it.

Now I’m shedding light on what is more of a bottled up frustration in petrol heads like us- the birth of autonomous vehicles or better known as “driverless” cars. This epiphany could be a controversial one and I sense some abuses and counter arguments being thrown at me by the end of this read, but I’d like to take my chances here.

With technology always on the rise, I understand that this is certainly a hoorah moment for Google’s computer geeks and programmers who can feel proud of running a car for 300,000 miles (without crashing) by just few lines of coding. But there is a question that the automotive world is asking and nobody seems to be paying attention- Is there really a need for such a technology? Watch the video below to know Google’s skunk works.

For almost 40 years and more now the environmental agencies and local tree huggers have been pointing fingers at the auto industry for being one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions. And since then cars have been compromised on all sorts of other things just to pollute lesser. Car bodies being more slippery for lesser drag and hence lesser fuel consumption, composite materials to reduce weight, infinite iterations on engine design, fuel metering systems and changes in fuel composition itself; if you pick up a magazine, you’ll be convinced that we (the automotive industry) have almost perfected this world and that we’re only going to get better at it.
So how exactly is Google planning to appease UNEP, IPCC, WNO etc. by making a driverless car?

Firstly, lets throw our fears out. I’m not doubting the abilities of Google, but then I’d never want to let a computer control all the driving functions of my car and run it in “autopilot” mode. The last time I let computers take control of my life, I almost ignored a small earthquake just so I could finish first in this racing game called POD. Looking at the aerospace industry and how they haven’t been hasty about having self flying passenger planes is something truly to be appreciative of their progressive approach towards perfection.

Our automated cars use video cameras, radar sensors and a laser range finder to ‘see’ other traffic, as well as detailed maps to navigate the road ahead.

On Google’s official blog it is mentioned so. Google also mentions that about 750MB of data is analysed and collected by the on-board computers every second. Such heavy dependence on these wired friends makes me wonder if Google have considered what would happen if their car is subjected to a large Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) field. All the brains of the car would seize at quickest moment bringing the car to a “ctrl-alt-del” moment.

Street view that Google’s cars see.

In another feat by Google in trying to explain and impress their technology to the commoners, they recently uploaded the image of what the on-board computer “sees” while making a turn. One of the software developers said- “If it sees a cigarette butt, it knows a person might be creeping out from between cars. If it sees a rolling ball it knows a child might run out from a driveway.” 

Making sensors that sensitive and softwares with such complex algorithms is like making the exact same mistake the car industry made decades ago. The best example would be the pressure sensors of air bags and how researchers are trying to “de-sensitize” these sensors so that the air bags wouldn’t blow up in the cabin for the smallest of bumps like when a car tries to mount the curb.

With three of such insignificant incidents discussed above, how then does Google chose to stay true their word about cutting yearly road accidents by as much as HALF with such technology? The more you dwell in this topic, the more it makes you feel that Google decided to adopt a Toyota Prius and just strap some Google equipment without really learning from the pioneers themselves.

Audi with its A7 boasted of an almost convincing video of a self parking car that drops the working man at the lobby, seeks out for a vacant parking spot, hibernates, and at the touch of a button is back in the lobby, ALL BY ITSELF!
But notice closely and you’ll notice lot of loopholes in this concept – what if the phone battery dies out and you cant override the code to open your car? What if the closest parking spot that the car finds is at least 7 miles away or worse, what if it can’t find a parking spot at all and then cause havoc on city streets? What about the heavy battery consumption required to run such electrically dependent auxiliary systems that might drain the charge if parked for too long?

In fact, Mercedes even though they are uber confident about their “steering assist” in the 2014 S-Class (Yes, 2014!), which is another name for autopilot mode, emphasised that the autonomous drive (or steering assist) will only work as long as the driver has his hands fixed firmly on the steering wheel, and that it cannot tackle turns by itself after a certain speed of 40kmph.

All of this should help Google understand the automotive industry’s progressive approach towards better mobility. Clearly, Google haven’t done their homework.

So dear Google programmers, look through your “glass” carefully (pun intended) and understand that automotive technology and mobility should be left in the rightful hands of our people as shown in the image below.

And if you do chose to continue this project, could you at least choose a less hideous car than the Prius? M4 maybe? I’m sure that blind man you brought along as your test drive for that driverless Toyota would’ve loved to drive “feel like driving” a sexier car than a Prius.

The post Epiphanic Echoes #4: Car Philosophies From An Alfista appeared first on AutoSpace.

TORO! TORO!

Being a 90’s kid, I’ve seen the births of many Lamborghinis right from the Gallardo and all it’s variants right up to the latest LP570-4, to the Murcielagos and its variants after the first LP640-4 was launched, the Reventon, Aventador, the Aventador J, the Urus etc etc. I remember a week before my 12th birthday I first read an article about “Lamborghini to hit Indian Shores” in the local newspapers and have followed the release of these bulls into our already chaotic land right from the start. Yes, at the risk of sounding a complete lunatic, it’s safe to say that I play Lamborghinis quite close to my chest. And in my last 9 years of lunacy, i must say that this must be the first time I didn’t wave my Muleta (the red cape used by the Matador) frantically to welcome this new bull in my life.

So I believe there’s a need to clear some tension that’s surrounding this new Lamborghini Egoista because there’s a  lot of negative comments lingering around this car and its not much appreciated. Some say they’ve gone too far with the “extremism” philosophy that Lamborghini is well known for. Others say that maybe the heavy aerospace influence has finally got the best of them and that they’ve taken the aerodynamic theory of “cutting through the air” a bit TOO seriously if you look at the front of it. Others are seriously considering handing the lambo designers a set of “French curves” stencils to go easy on the angular cuts that makes you bleed just when you look at them.

But if you were born in the 70’s, then all of this would come to you as a sort of déjà vú, because these were probably the exact same reactions the public gave when the Lamborghini Countach was unveiled back in 1974. History indeed repeats itself.

Lets take a step back and first try to understand the technicalities involved with this machine. Designed by Walter De Silva, the design inspiration was taken from an Apache helicopter. Lambo’s nomenclature department decided not to sacrifice another bull and its lineage to name their new car. They instead referred to the Italian dictionary. The word “Egoista” means selfish and it stands true to its word, as it is a single seater cockpit.

Goodbye Scissor doors!

A brief yet important transition in Lamborghini legacy to replace the already mental scissor doors with a floating canopy. The cockpit is centrally placed and in order to get in it, you need to tenderly place your feet on the appropriate markings and then twist and turn and fold yourself before you see an orange adorned monocell. And the complication doesn’t end there. Lamborghini have placed only the bare requirements in the little space that you need to detach the steering wheel from its steering column, like that of a formula 1 car, to even fit inside it.

Powered by the Gallardo’s 5.7L V10 engine, and no other details of the powertrain, one can only pray for mercy. Four projector lamps hidden well within the crevasse of the front slits, some sort of wacky warning lights on the roof, a bare naked rare to reveal the mammoth firepower that has more room now that the passenger is kicked out of the picture. Rumour also has it that the Egoista when viewed from the 3/4th isometric view, seems like a bull poised with its horns low towards the ground. Everything about this car re-defines “FUTURISM”.
The most stand out technology that you’ll notice once you’re in is the heads-up display.
Lamborghini is so inclined towards fighting with the apaches that the orange tinted cockpit is made up of anti-radar material. Even the orange paint on those not so conventional Lambo wheels are of anti radiation material. What ever that means.

Centralized cockpit of the Egoista.

All of this still sounds maddening and thoughts occur that this is how Lamborghinis should continue to exist and that it shouldn’t be adulterated with the sophistication of those German owners. I still look at the pictures again and again but I’m still only half convinced. I mean, orange wheels and canopies..Seriously, Lamborghini?

Horacio Pagani (first from right) with a developmental Countach

Last night I was restless and my thoughts were a turbulent one as I was still not able to adjust to this new philosophy, and it was somewhere at 0300 hours while reading about Horacio Pagani that I found my answers. It was Pagani’s last few years at Lamborghini and some hidden pictures of his concept on the Lamborghini Countach (to celebrate the 25th anniversary) in which I found solace.
To make you understand, you really need to place yourself in the shoes of the current Lamborghini team. It isn’t a car that is meant to be sold, taken that there will be a lot of buyers, but that isn’t the point.

It REALLY is the setting in which the car was unveiled that really gives us the answers. They didn’t choose to unveil it in any of the international  motor shows or even reveal a single hint of this machine. On the LAST DAY OF the epic 4 day celebration of lamborghini’s 50th anniversary, they chose to reveal it to the world in the comfort of their own home, Sant’ Agata Bolognese, Italy.

It’s a tribute for Lamborghini by Lamborghini itself. A toast to all their insanity, a treasure to look back and realise that there really is no other company that can possibly go this berserk.
Almost 25 years back the Countach was a misfit in the automotive world but was one of the most influential cars that defined the wedge shaped design of the 70’s in the automotive world and LITERALLY set a trend.
Here we are now  25 years later, with the Lamborghini Egoista, oblivious to the fact that it will continue setting the trend in terms of design language and technology for the next quarter of the century.

You can choose to continue living your life and regard this as another impossible dream. A land that one can never reach. But if you really are the Lambophile that you claim to be, then understanding this entire situation from their perspective would really restore you’re faith in the Italian company.

So if somebody tells you the Egoista is where Lamborghini really crossed the line between practicality and madness, then assure them that indeed it is a leper! An outcast! IT IS A CAR THAT OUR AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY DESERVES, BUT NOT THE ONE THAT NEEDS RIGHT NOW!

A Silent Guardian!

The post Lamborghini Egoista: History Repeats Itself! appeared first on AutoSpace.

There are two problems with proposing a revolutionary idea in this vast engineering playground. Firstly, there aren’t any! Before you could even begin to ink the idea as a result of your lucid dreaming, some bloke from another land would’ve already accomplished what you wanted to.

Secondly, and this is the more itchy one- As society, our reflex tells us to completely ridicule any sign of ingenuity when it presents itself through the eyes of a visionary. Naming the likes of Leonardo Davinci, Wright brothers, Marie Curey, justifies what I’m trying to say.

Unfortunately, the society that I actively try to be a part of has foolishly continued the trend and discarded what could have been a potential revolution in terms of design, fuel efficiency and more importantly- Motorsports.

Nissan have no longer decided to take part in Ben Bowlby’s DELTAWING endeavor as engine supplier. Michelin, the tire company that made bespoke 4 inch (YES! only 4″) thick front tires only for the Deltawing, have also fled from the scene. The project has hit the road block and they have officially opted out from this monumental project. Now there no longer will be a “bat mobile” on the grids of this year’s various American Le Mans(ALMS) events.

But it’s more than just the visually radical car that we are going to miss now, aren’t we? If you’ve read my post on the Deltawing, my enthusiasm bubbling through the article about it’s conceptual design philosophy and overcoming its engineering challenges is proof enough that I for one was in full support of this act. Like many others I believed in Deltawing, and like many others, I too have been deceived.

But who’s to blame, you ask? Well of course the various motorsport organisations that govern the rules and regulations and run the races every year. If you’ve been following the motorsport planet closely then you’ll know that this isn’t the first time an avant-garde concept like this has been severed.

More popularly known as “Fancar”!

The Brabham BT46, a true contender back in its prime F1 days, had an unbelievably perfect success rate. It won all the races it ever took part in. But the history books will hide the fact it had a lifespan as that of a month. A large fan placed near the rear diffuser (intended for engine cooling purposes) apparently sucked in so much air from beneath the car, that the enormous ground effect created so much downforce compared to other cars on the grid that it won on its debut. Even though none of the rules at the time were broken, the FIA swallowed this bitter truth as a biased racing form than outright genius and hence banned it! Since then, the BT46 never saw the light of day ever again.

Various racing teams have a cheeky way of working around the rules that govern the designing of the car. It really depends on how you perceive the regulations. So back in 1978, Tyrell showcased the world what formula1 historians call as “the most recognizable design in the history of world motorsports”. In order to increase the frontal downforce, the Tyrell P34 had four wheels on the front axles and two on the rear. This increased the contact patch on the front axles, hence giving a tighter grip compared to any other team back in the day. The design was such a success that FIA re-amended the rule that “FOUR is the maximum number of wheels allowed”. Talk about hypocrisy!

The most recent incidence we can all relate to was in the 2011 F1 season with Adrian Newey. For some reason, we at Autospace cant stop loving him. His exhaust blown diffuser (EBD) concept single handedly propelled RED BULL racing team to partial championship victory half way through the season itself. The FIA once again played as wet blanket and ruled out EBDs the following season, only to stimulate an “overall competitive environment” and to increase TV viewership.

So why is the Deltawing a victim, then? The same reason why the previous cars mentioned here were given the axe. Rear wheel steering, almost negligible frontal area, using only half the engine power, enduring only half the drag, doubling the fuel economy (so as to have fewer runs into the pit lane) and still being able to clock in the same lap times as that of Toyota TS030 hybrid or the Audi R18 hybrid and other already established Le Mans cars is TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.

So another one bites the dust. The world failed to recognize the limitless opportunities that could have progressed through the pioneering work of Ben Bowlby and his creation and once again we are on the losing side. One cannot summarize “The good, the bad and the ugly” of the Deltawing project solely because the Deltawing’s fight was indeed an ugly one.

But this sad story may have a happy ending. Good innovations die hard and something tells me  Mr. Bowlby isn’t done with the world just yet!

P.S- Give this guy some love. Visit his website and be AMAZED! (http://aliasguy.com/)

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Formula 1 has witnessed so many iconic figures that have come and gone over the past half century. They’re mainly known for some of their heroic drives, act of humility, arrogance, national pride, and sometimes even for their tragic death on the track. Some find themselves known for their notorious behaviour or act of unsportsmanship, and it isn’t that all of this goes unnoticed by FIA or the crowd. It’s just that there is this common unspoken agreement among all of us that be it a dirty trick or harsh war of words, the rivalry between drivers before and on the race gets a hell lot more interesting than the usual Romain Grosjean crashing into at least three drivers at the first turn of every race and frustrating drivers around him.

“If he (Alonso) says he is fighting with blunt weapons, then I think he really is whining on a very high level,” insisted Marko.

I bring light on to this subject because I happen to notice a certain unrest between Ferrari and Red Bull as I was looking back on 2012 season. Back in the heat of this season, Fernando Alonso happened to mention that Ferrari aren’t fighting just Vettel but Adrian Newey too. A bold statement which could be argued upon but whether his intentions were to praise Newey’s technical brilliance and overall Red Bull’s understanding and translation of the F1 rule book OR to make Vettel conscious of his driving abilities and his fighting spirit if he ever starts from below the front two grids, no one knows.
Lewis Hamilton picks up the baton from there and supports Alonso in the press conference at the Indian Grand Prix that ‘Nando is the more “deserving” contender for the championship and that Vettel is “lucky” to have a good car for 3 seasons back to back. Now that certainly would dent Vettel’s confidence.

But is it fair for both these drivers to complain and taunt Vettel, all in the desperate attempt to cause his downfall?
After doing some background research, I can safely say that the above controversy isn’t new in its least sense. All year, every year there are such stark examples, some that stand out.

Juan Manuel Fangio once was introduced to a very sensuous French actress on qualifying day at Monaco. On the previous night of the race, he got an envelope with her room number and key of the hotel room she was waiting for him. Fangio, a hardworking man knew that someone was trying to sabotage his race the next day by giving him little or no rest and hence rejected the offer. The next day, Fangio went on to win the race and the distress on the French actress’ face was evident when he took lead.

Dale’s very “intimidating” look.

In one of Martin Brundle’s recent interviews he talks about his encounter with Dale Earnhardt or “The intimidator”. In the 1988 NASCAR Championship, Brundle recalls that Dale had spoken only 6 words to him in the entire season. The first two were “good job” when he won in Cleveland. Then when he was walking to his car sitting at pole, he passed by Dale’s car. If Brundle had won the race he’d be crowned champion. As Dale understood the gravity of destabalising the mental state of racecar drivers, he spoke the rest of the four words to Brundle as he passed him- “Don’t Forget your kids!”

As expected, Brundle threw himself away when Dale pounced on him on the first corner from nowhere and he finished 10th. Earnhardt went on to win the race and the championship. Brundle finally learnt that Dale Earnhardt was indeed given an appropriate nickname.

On the other hand, the immortal great Sir Stirling Moss was a subtle bluffmaster. He mentions in his biography that at times when rain was expected before a Grand Prix, He’d rub his hands in anticipation making drivers feel that he called for this and was waiting for it. But truth was, he dreaded the downpour as much as any other driver did on a given rainy day.
On sunny days Sir Moss would have another trick up his sleeve. In 1961 Monaco GP, he goes at the back of Phil Hill’s car and just shakes his head in shame. “Old Phil was always a bit edgy before the start, and I thought it might wind him up a bit”, he laughs. He’d call this a psychological advantage and he understood and knew the other drivers better than anybody else on the grid. If all the drivers were to ever play a game of poker, I’d suspect Stirling Moss would win.

The most famous incident easy to recall would be that rift between Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher in 1992 French Grand Prix. As schumi takes down Senna on the first hairpin at the Adelaide turn, Senna retires while Michael has only a front wing damage and continues the race. But on the 11th lap as the race is red flagged, Senna grabs a word or three with Schumi teaching him a lesson about how wrong his manoeuvre was on him. His clever tactic worked on him and on the 20th lap, Schumacher collides with Stefano Modena on the very same hairpin and retires from the race too.

Nigel Roebuck’s research on this did inspire my interest and it astounds me to know the lengths to which some drivers can go just to get on the right step of the podium. The more I read the more I understand that this teeth grinding rivalry through treachery and deceit between racecar drivers is diminishing. At the risk of sounding sadistic, it fills me with sorrow to realize that fact.
So Vettel if you’re reading this, grow a moustache like Keke and fight back. Bring back the old dog fights!

The post Formula 1: A Sport Of Glamour, Heroism And Mind Games! appeared first on AutoSpace.

“Racing is going to die if we can’t capture the imagination of a new generation of motor-sports fans”, says Bowlby.

Getting to the interesting bit now (and proving my point), the specs- Power is developed via Nissan’s meager 1.6L turbocharged inline 4 pot, coupled with a 5   speed sequential manual ‘box. So it’s not what you’d call a power train that would deprive you from your sleep.

REAMS can block bullets, whereas carbon fiber shatters on impact.

Ayrton Senna statue at Imola, Italy.

Ayrton Senna statue at Imola, Italy.

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The tiring and endless saga to bridge the gap between what is real and what isn’t in the technology world finally seems to be getting somewhere. Software developers predict that soon you will be able to smell the aroma of a hot Mexican pasta while reading its recipe online. The gaming industry is making the experience so realistic for its gamers that it wouldn’t be surprising if one decides to randomly spray bullets in public imagining himself to be Captain Price of the Call of Duty franchise. Even the latest virtual personal assistant like Apple’s “Siri” seems to serve more than just its purpose for a few apple devotees, if you know what I mean.

Some people welcome such virtuosity with open arms while others are skeptical about it. Current automotive industry is equally entangled in wires and electronic gadgetry, some of which us enthusiasts have welcomed whole-heartedly. Like BMW’s living engine that can think for itself, and Google’s autonomous vehicles.

But off late there has been a similar bug that has crawled up from the dark into the automotive world. And most of us car lovers don’t really have our arms wide open for this new gadget.

I’m talking about the ugly-looking, engine noise producing device that has found its place in the cabin of your car. BMW, Audi and few others have begun incorporating this.Mostly in their electric power trains though.

So what exactly does it do? Well, it reverberates a pre-recorded (mind you again, IT IS pre-recorded) engine noise depending on the throttle position. So the harder you hit the pedal, the noisier it gets. But would one really want one?

Reading this, you might have mixed reactions. But I’ll tell you what we feel about it in one word: REDUNDANT! RUBBISH! MOOD SPOILER! PLEASURE KILLER!

It is nothing but a sugar-coated pill. A velvet lie. To have that device lie to you about your engine’s grunt is like telling your friend you like Justin Bieber’s new song – people are just NOT going to buy that. It’s as unreal as a politician’s promise.

All this talk brings me to the 2012 BMW M5. Two big flaws by BMW on this once epic saloon –

1) they’ve firstly downgraded the engine to a turbocharged V8 from a beautiful V10. If you are wondering why, then ask any environmentalist and he’ll tell you.

2) Also and most importantly they’ve installed this fake engine roaring device in the passenger cabin to create a V10 like noise. And they thought we wouldn’t notice.

BMW M5. Sheer driving pleasure?

The very creation of this device began with solving the fundamental problem of electric cars being virtually noiseless, which increases the risk of being run over by an unnoticed, unheard vehicle.

But are you telling me that is the best solution our current generation of great minds of the automotive world could come up with?

Mercedes’ braking technology that hits the brake pedal automatically faster than the driver would at an emergency scenario using acceleration and pressure sensors ; Using thermal vision cameras at night to see beyond what human eyes can perceive to avoid collision ; not to mention ESP and traction control – one can easily come up with current, ready to be implemented technologies on the electric cars that will still give parents the assurance to let their children play out on the streets without having to worry about their kid run over by a silent assassin car.

Giving this a lot of thought, revelation dawned upon me when I was grieving about this technology to my fellow mates who share the same negativity about it as clearly expressed here. The problem isn’t that VW or Audi engineers aren’t thinking simple enough for the most simplest of solutions (I’d be the last person to underestimate their capabilities).

The problem lies with HOLLYWOOD…and all the other future visionaries of this world. Science fiction movies have deceived us into believing that the future world will look and sound like the ones depicted in “I,robot” and “The island” etc.

For those who have enjoyed the thrill of deafening engine roars bombarding your eardrums feel the pain of the arrival of this pseudo-musical instrument. But I’d rather have a noiseless car than being lied to me about my engine’s or motor’s firepower.

If you really want to be inspired by machines from sci-fi movies, then why not consider a practical BATPOD from “The Dark Knight” series? Now that’s what I’d callpersonal mobility at its best.

The post Epiphanic Echoes #2 : Car Philosophies From An Alfista appeared first on AutoSpace.

As the race commenced, Aymo Maggi, the local talented favorite, along with Bindo Maserati (one of the 5 Maserati brothers) took the lead in a ISOTTA FRASCHINI 8A SS, a luxury Italian carmaker back in its ripe days. But then just 30 minutes into the race and the ALFA ROMEO RL SS took a whopping 14 minute lead against the Isotta .

The ALFA even passed Fernando Minoia’s OM 123, an unparalleled legend of his time. After 587km, Brilli-Peri in his ALFA still held onto the lead averaging a 106.8kmph. But Peri stretched it too far and had to retire mid-way through due to a blown engine. This sent 25000 viewers ecstasic as they screamed louder than Minoia’s OM 123 as it swooshed past the overly-dominant ALFA.
6 tyre changes, heavy competition from LAMBDAS of Strazza and even the Isotta of Maggi and after a gruesome 21hr 4min and 48s, averaging a 77.68kmph, Minoia’s victory made the Brescians go wild- literally showering flowers on the cars which overlooked the track and crowding around the OM to get a share of the victory lap with the Schumacher of their era.

If you’ve come this far reading my rather “exciting” commentary, (presumably at the edge of your seat) , then you just re-lived the 1st edition of the “THE WORLD’S GREATEST ROAD RACE”, MILLE MIGLIA!

MILLE MIGLIA, yes say it again and let your tongue roll (read as millay mi-leah). It sounds like a sensous Italian woman with a beautifully ribboned summer hat who’d smile at you endlessly while floating on a Gondola. Truth be told, the Italian language indeed is very smooth flowing.Anyway, the literal translation of the Mille Miglia is a “1000 miles”.

This 1k mile race is not around a purpose- built race track but rather across some of the most serpentine and scenic “autostradas” Italia has to offer. The drivers have no pit crew, no team radio, no fancy traction control or even safety barricades at the cliff edges. Also noteworthy is that this is one of those very few races in the world where the drivers can experience a large spectrum of nature’s uncertainty – from rain to clear skies in one part  to dense fog and even snow in the latter part of the race, it takes a huge toll on the engine and more importantly the driver.
Point A and B typically are two Italian cities and the race involves travelling back to point A without tracing back one’s path.

As on public roads, you’ll even find usual traffic flow as the race unfolds, and as there are no grandstands to view it from, the crowd peeks into the race action live from ground level, literally narrowing down the width of the road for the driver to drive on, just to get a closer look.

A vivid Mille Miglia follower in a documentary said that it’s not the car sliding off the cliff or crashing into the traffic that’s frightening, but rather the children that may suddenly run across the street around a blind corner or the fans getting closer to the race cars that comes of as a real threat to a driver.
But the inevitable happened in 1957, the 14th edition of race. Alfonso De Portega‘s left front tyre of his ferrari blew while doing a 240kmph, killing himself and his co-driver and 10 spectators. This lead to the Italian government banning all forms of motorsports on Italian public roads.

But the spirit for motor racing and the lust for “bellissima” cars would go undying, and so from 1977 onwards, the race was restored and re-named as MILLE MIGLIA RESTORICA. A lot of changes with respect to racing was made and drivers celebrate the classic history through parades. The race is stretched out for 3 days but the distance of race remains the same. This year’s Mille Miglia is held from May 17th to 20th in its rightful birthplace, Brescia.

So here’s my confession : Writing the article is a way of shedding my pain for not physically being where I yearn to be at this time of the year. The burning desire to witness the tradition of “sealing” the participant cars with a metal tab by the judges (which follows the traditional rites of the sealing ceremony) and hear those timeless classics roar in the heart of a country that’s passion for automobiles is understated. If you’re still blurry about what’s at stake here, let me just shed light on this year’s participant cars –
Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, Austin, Bentley, Mercedes Benz, Fiat, Aston Martin, Lancia, BMW, Maserati, Jaguar, FERRARI..  The list is endless, and I just named the well-known ones. Of the 1355 participants requesting to enter the race, 384 of these will fight for glory. ( Well, not as hard-fought as the olden days because of environmental and safety protocols and all that boring routine government has to follow. My frustration on this subject was well depicted in my previous article so I’m not going to elaborate more )
The most exciting part for me is this- the organizing committee decided to only select cars between the 1930 to 1952 age bracket, and that includes my personal favorite – The ALFA ROMEO DISCO VOLANTE ( #alfaromeo official also confirmed through instagram).
Yes, you can drool in private now.

All in all, it’s an ultimate feast for all six senses and especially for the vintage car enthusiasts like myself. There’s something very raw about their power and functioning that breathes a fire in my belly. It’s a gathering for the true car lovers, for the true ALFISTI, for those who’ve grown up reading/dreaming about these classics and for the car-connoisseurs. In this side of the world, age is just a number. To emphasize on this, a few children couple of years back painted their perception of the Mille Miglia while at the race .(A subtle method for mums and dads to enjoy the event if you know what I mean) . One girl had this to say-
“Today the town turned into a toy-shop. Noises, flags, songs and people out on their balcony. The Mille Miglia passes by and hearts are happy and beat stronger”.

Comprehending what a 10 year old girl perceives of this event, it made me feel like a child. I’m happy.

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