Posts Tagged engines
2010 Toyota Venza V6
Posted by in Uncategorized on November 19, 2009
Recently, Tim Horton’s offered its Canadian customers the chance to win a Toyota Venza in the latest round of its “Roll Up The Rim To Win” contest. You know the drill: peel back the lip of your coffee cup and you could find yourself behind the wheel of Toyota’s newest crossover vehicle….apparently, 35 Venzas in total will be given away.
So what did you get if you were one of the lucky ones? I’m not sure, but it looks like a compact wagon with oversize wheels and tires, is available with all-wheel-drive, is manufactured in Kentucky, and built on the Camry platform.
There are two engine choices: a 2.7 litre four cylinder and a 3.5 litre V6, and you can choose from front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive. My tester had the latter engine with FWD, but the former may be the largest in-line four-banger on the market these days. Normally, manufacturers run into all kinds of engineering issues when four cylinder engines get up into displacement this large….usually in the form of vibrations and harmonics. Big in-line four cylinder engines tend to rock and roll and often need internal counter-balancers to smooth everything out. I haven’t had the chance to drive the I-4 model yet, but I’d like to just to see how Toyota has dealt with this problem.
But back to the V6. This engine is used elsewhere in the company’s model line-up, and in this configuration, develops 268 horsepower. It’s mated to a six-speed automatic transmission only, and features things like a transmission cooler, adaptive shifting, and a Hill-Start Assist Control. This last item prevents the vehicle from rolling backwards when you’re stopped on a hill and has been used by Subaru for years, albeit in a slightly different form. It’s standard on all models. The adaptive shifting feature, meanwhile, will hold the transmission in a lower gear when climbing a hill under load as well as automatically dropping it down to a lower gear when descending. Also a common feature with many manufacturers these days, but welcome, just the same.
What struck me about this drivetrain was how lively it was. Despite its 1755 kilogram weight, the Venza is blessed with all kinds of snap and this engine redlines at 6200 rpm. Kick it down into passing gear and you’ve got a rocket on your hands, with maybe a titch in the way of torque steer when driven with enthusiasm. The V6 version can also tow up to 1587 kilograms and, like all Toyota V6 powerplants, is smooth, quiet, and civilized.
Reasonably high standard equipment level as well. For its just under $30, 000 base price, the V6 model comes with a climate control system, heated mirrors, tilt/telescoping steering, power adjustable driver seat, cruise control, power door locks, and a full tank of gas. All kinds of airbags to front, side, side curtain, and knee….front and back. Surprisingly, heated front seats are an option. My tester also had the “Premium” package, which includes a back-up camera, a decent-sized power sunroof, and power rear door.
The Venza seats five, and the back seats fold down 60/40 fashion, either via a couple of levers located on the sides of the rear cargo compartment or by pulling up on a lever on the sides of the seats themselves. Again, kind of cool and simplicity itself. So many vehicles of this stripe make you struggle when you want to open things up and I’m surprised someone hasn’t thought of this before. Full marks here.
In fact, there’s isn’t much to complain about inside, period. The shift lever is set halfway up the centre console and is easy to get at and quite usable. I was slightly surprised Toyota hasn’t installed a column shifter here, but it doesn’t seem to make much difference either way. A multi-information display is located atop the dash and it tells you things like outside temperature and whether or not one of the doors is ajar. You can also adjust the size of the display itself, which is kind of cool. After I had driven this car for awhile, it struck me how thoroughly Toyota has mastered the craft of making automobiles. I’m not sure the market needs a rig like the Venza, but either way, Toyota knows what customers want and gives it to them. In this case, I suppose the Venza is aimed at those folks who want a bit more room to carry stuff, but have had it with mini-vans and oversize SUVs.
Aside from the fact that the wheels look kind of freakishly large and the V6 is a little headstrong under hard acceleration, I can find little to complain about with the Venza. It’s easy to get in and out of, comfortable once you’ve settled in, reasonably roomy, and smooth in operation. Some may find the interior fittings a little on the bland side, but that’s not news. Toyota has always aimed for the middle ground and mainstream buyers; it knows its markets and the current economic downturn notwithstanding, has the numbers to prove it.
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New Engines Will Soon Be Added to the New Ford Mustang
Posted by in Uncategorized on November 18, 2009
The Ford Mustang has been redesigned from the ground up for the 2010 model year. Competing against fresh new muscle cars such as the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger, not to mention import sports cars like the new Nissan 370Z, the latest Ford Mustang has plenty of work ahead of it. What may have been one of the disappointing aspects of the all-new Mustang is what came under the hood – the familiar 4.6-liter V8 from the previous generation. Luckily, this powerplant appears to be changing shortly.
With the staggering power offered by the resurrected muscle cars that are competing against the Mustang, Ford’s existing 4.6-liter engine in its GT just doesn’t cut it, admits Pittsburgh Ford dealers. That’s precisely why an all-new 5.0-liter V8 appears is said to be in the works. Codenamed ‘Coyote,’ the 5.0-liter engine is under development and Ashland Ford dealers believe it likely provides the staggering power the Mustang needs to maintain its edge in an increasingly competitive market.
This all-new V8 may not come to the Ford Mustang first, but rather appear in the 2010 F-150 pickup suggests Ford Service Los Angeles, followed by the Mustang in the 2011 model year. Power is expected to be upwards of 400 horsepower and 400 lb ft of toque which Chicago used Ford dealers say should provide the power that will satisfy muscle car enthusiasts.
While the exact date of the Mustang’s new V8 has not been released, it should come to the pony car within the next two years. However, the Mustang will benefit from a new EcoBoost V6 engine that will produce 355 horsepower and 350 lb ft of toque. The EcoBoost promises the power of a V8 with the efficiency of a V6 thanks to turbocharging technology and direct injection which will make give the Mustang an edge in terms of value according to Minneapolis Car Parts. Other Mustangs, such as the high-performance Shelby models, are expected to get a supercharged version of the upcoming 5.0-liter V8 once it becomes available.
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Cars – Ford and Chevy, Still Reeling in the Years
Posted by in Uncategorized on November 18, 2009
Henry Ford, arguably the most famous name in cars, founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903. His cars were cheap and mass produced by a loyal work force with with highest wages of any industry at the time ($4.00/day).
By 1908, Ford’s Model-Ts “Tin Lizzies” were filling the roads. Ford’s goal had been to create a car large enough for the entire family to enjoy weekend outings, together. Easy to maintain, and affordable (4 months salary for an assembly line worker); the Model T changed the way the World moved. You would no longer both live and die within 5 miles.
It is uncertain exactly when and what was the first automobile, and who invented it. In 1769, Nicolas Joseph Cugnot of France created the first self propelled road vehicle. It cruised along at just over 2 miles per hour powered by steam.
In the United States, Oliver Evans patented the first automobile on record (also a steam engine) in 1789. It is debated as to whether steam powered road vehicles can be categorized as cars. Those who do accept the notion of steam powered cars call Nicolas Cugnot, of France, the first inventor of the automobile with his self propelled tricycle. Proving very popular for locomotives, the steam engine added too much weight to be feasible for the road.
Sometime between 1832 and 1839 Robert Anderson of Scotland is said to have created the first electric car which also proved to be heavy, slow and expensive. Both the steam engines and the electrical engines were abandoned in favor of gas-powered vehicles. During the early 1900s, the electrical cars had had good sales in the United States, but with the improved system of roads, people wanted cars that could go the distance.
The invention of gas fueled cars is generally credited to Karl Benz of Germany in 1883. In 1926 Benz merged companies with Daimler-Maybach and began manufacturing their legendary cars.
The United States had the Duryea Brothers who formed their automobile company in 1893. Ransom Olds, debuted his Oldsmobile in 1902 and in 1903 Henry Ford was in production with his Ford Motor Company, expanding Olds’ assembly line concept.
Automotive development continued rapidly into front engine vehicles with rear wheel drive. Engine size, power and speed became a major focus of car companies as people became enthralled with the “Merry Oldsmobile” and the V8 engine.
Beginning in 1911, Chevrolet was known for innovative designs and unique styling. Entering the automobile market to compete with the Ford Model T, Louis Chevrolet and William Durant created models that would become part of automobile history. The 1914 “Classic Six” boasted a 6-cylinder engine with a top speed of 15 miles per hour. 1918 saw the first in a long line of Chevy V8 engines.
Chevy is widely known for some of the most popular classic cars ever produced, like the Corvette – one of the most recognizable vehicles in the world. Chevy models of the mid-50s remain wildly popular among car collectors. The ‘55 Bel Air, available in convertible, hardtop coupe, and 2- or 4- door sedan versions was considered superior in style to any other vehicle at the time, particularly due to its chrome accents and classic, refined look. The small-block V8, introduced in 1955, remains in continuous production to this day. Chevy innovations of this era included the first fuel-injected engine in 1957. In 1966, Chevrolet unveiled the Camaro that would become the pace car at the Indy 500.
In 1916, 55% of the cars in the world were Ford Model-Ts. This is a record that has never been (nor likely will be) broken.
In 1964, Chevrolet became the first American automaker to build more than 3 million vehicles in one year.
