Bio-ethanol May not Be The Biggest Hit But it Packs a Punch

Over the past few years car companies have been pushing theuse of alternative fuels for vehicles. Most of these have gone unnoticed,mainly due to the fact that they are less potent than gasoline.  The fuel pump and fuel pump assembly areable to handle Ethanol without issue and the engines can as well.

The facts about Ethanol are easily seen, while the fuel maynot work well in normal engines but once a few key components are changed towork with ethanol…watch out! The main issue caused by the way ethanol ignites, newinjector timing and ignition are the main issues. Companies like Honda or Toyotahave not really tried to push this set up because the cost to the averageconsumer would be around $3000 and not many of us are just willing to drop thatmuch coin.

The companies that have been able to take advantage of theethanol change are companies like Ferrari or Koenigsegg. While most of us willnever be able to afford anything that these companies off…especially Koenigseggwho mainly makes cars that cost close to a million dollars, the technology isthere for the taking.  New technology isalways showcased in the more expensive cars and trickles down to the rest ofus, usually in the Mercedes S class. Ferrari recently released the FF which isa 4WD that makes 650HP but tune it for Ethanol and that number jumps to around875HP. That’s right no forced induction just a good tune. Koenigsegg tuned theAgera R from 927HP up to 1,100HP just by using Ethanol and there are many otherexamples of this fuel doing great things. Maybe sooner than later it willbecome main stream…oh and did I mention that it is a renewable fuel source.

The Ferrari 458 Italia Spyder is it a Hypercar or a Supercar

Just a few years ago Ferrari was pumping out cars like the 360 or 599, while an amazing driver’s cars they were not the prettiest things on the planet. In fact in the past decade most Ferrari’s have been very striking to look at but not pretty. Ferrari caring more about new technology like electric steering rack units and smart traction control then looks. While an electric rack and pinion is neat, it is looks that really make stunning cars. Well last year all that changed with the release of the 458 Italia, which has to be one of the most beautiful cars that has ever touched tarmac. Now Ferrari has really stepped up their game and released the 458 Spyder to an unsuspecting public.

The 458 Spyder is stunning to behold…not just stunning but fast too, very fast. Ferraris of the early 2000’s fall into the category of “wow a Ferrari …Meh” which is just unacceptable for any supercar builder. Cars like the Testerosa were poster cars, things of beauty and there was not a child in the 80s who didn’t have that poster on their wall. The only thing about the Testerosa is that it was a great poster car but horrid to drive. It worked better as art then a car. There are two types of cars that Ferrari can make a Supercar or a Hypercar. A supercar is stunningly fast and a bit fragile, while a hyper car is all about showing off. A hypercar has the looks but really does not need the speed, while to be called a supercar speed has to be the main concern.

 

The 458 has combined the 2 most important elements of a supercar and a hypercar, speed and good looks. The Spyder is even more stunning like a supermodel with a degree from MIT, loves sports and beer too. This car has it all, while this car may be the ultimate expression of automotive bliss it only means one thing to the automotive world…someone has to one-up them. 

The Pagani Huayra makes other super cars look juvenile

Each car make on the planet has a specific purpose, they all want to sell their cars and make money. Not every company goes about this the same way. When someone like Ford creates a car they build it for function so the steering rack or steering gear box are all there to “work” but not to make the driver passionate. Small car companies are usually more interested in creating a driving experience that inspires the driver to feel passion for the car or for driving. Companies such as Ferrari and Lotus are more about the way a driver feels then about mass producing a cheap hatchback for the general public. Even Ferrari and Lotus have quotas to meet and huge companies to satisfy. Pagani on the other hand is a completely different type of company they are built around one man’s dream.

Horatio Pagani set out years ago to make a car that was his dream and the idea was simple. Make the fastest car they could possible build and who cares how much it cost. The car had to look good and make the driver feel like a 12 year old boy staring at a poster of a supercar on his wall. The first car that was built was called the Zonda which quickly took the top spot on most people dream car list…that includes my own. After about a decade the Zonda’s production run has come to an end and while that is sad it means there is a new model that is ready to make us all green with envy.

Over the last few years Pagani has been upgrading and testing higher and higher performance parts in their track versions of the Zonda all for the purpose of installing these exact parts in their new street car. A year ago we got the first few glimpses of what they were planning and what a shockingly beautiful creation it is now that it has come into full view. This new car is called the Huayra and if you are having trouble saying it, it sounds like this “why-ra”.  This car was built from conception to production all on the vision of Horatio and has now finally hit the streets of the USA but only for a test drive with Jay Leno in the passenger seat. It will be another year before any of us can get behind the controls. Of course to get behind the wheel the size of the check you will have to write will be bigger than the mega mansion you will live in. There is no way to soften the blow…its 1.5 million dollars. It is a small price to pay for the most exciting car that has ever been built for the streets and even better…the US streets.