RealityDriven

The Myths of Power and Torque, (What About Weight?)

- by Atul H. Patel, Editor-in-Chief

You see horsepower figures advertised all the time, and the race keeps escalating.  You'll scarcely find a vehicle that has less than 150 hp, and now 300 hp is not that rare in cars, as well as trucks.  So why shouldn't you pay so much attention to these numbers?  First of all, the advertised horsepower is the peak horsepower that the engine can put out, most likely at 5,000 rpm or higher.  Chances are, you don't drive at 5,000 rpm very often, unless you're a leadfoot.  That means you won't see the fully advertised horsepower much at all.  It's power that accelerates you and your vehicle, but then what is torque?

Torque is just spinning force and the faster it spins, the more power you get.  Therefore 175 lb-ft of torque at 1000 rpm constitutes half the power of 175 lb-ft of torque at 2000 rpm.  The formula is as follows...

Power  =  (Torque  x engine rpm )  /  5252
.. where power is in horsepower, and torque is in lb-ft

Regardless of how much power you have at a given engine rpm, the more torque you get at any rpm, the better "pull" you feel.  A flat torque curve implies that there is a high amount of torque available from low rpms up to high rpms.  (Diesel engines provide lots of torque from low rpms but don't spin as fast so their peak horsepower ratings tend to be comparatively low).  Turbos, (once spooled up), compress air coming into the cylinder and maximize oxygen combusted and thereby maximize torque across most of the engine rpm range. In day-to-day driving, torque availability at low and mid rpm's  makes a vehicle more driveable.  Since the engine has enough torque at lower rpms, you don't have to rev it as much and so it is quieter and seems more responsive because you don't have to wait for then engine to rev up to get the torque you want.

Don't get me wrong.  A free-spinning high revving engine can be fun, but if you're driving the vehicle with a manual transmission, you'll be downshifting often to maintain speed in higher gears going up grades, and you'll need to downshift a lot more often to make a spirited pass.

But all this is moot if you drive a heavy vehicle relative to the power and torque available.  300 hp in a 6,000 lb vehicle gives you the same power-to-weight ratio as 150 hp in a 3,000 lb vehicle, and most likely similar acceleration (not considering the weight of the people inside).  That's why many of these larger heavy SUV's have plenty of power, but have a difficult time keeping up with average family sedans.  Transmission gearing and final drive ratio are also factors which affect both performance and fuel economy, but I don't want to complicate matters for the purposes of this article.

To sum up, my advice is this... The next time you look to buy a vehicle and want to consider acceleration and driveability, check out the engine's torque curve to see how much you have to rev to get to substantial torque, and then check out the weight of the vehicle and divide it by the peak horsepower to determine the power-to-weight ratio.  You might be surprised that 300 hp may be hard to reach by stepping into the gas pedal, and even when you do, it might not be enough to accelerate the vehicle as well as you want.

Leather Interiors versus Cloth Interiors

- by Atul H. Patel, Editor-in-Chief

There was a time when only the most luxurious vehicles were offered with leather interiors.  It wasn't that long ago.  I was old enough to remember.  But today, even compact vehicles have leather available as an option and leather is standard on some entry luxury vehicles.  Really nice synthetic leathers make the situation more complex.  But is leather all it's (not) cracked up to be?  I would argue that leather is severely overrated.  Sure it smells great, looks luxurious, but it's  not worth the extra $800 to $2,500.  First of all, you slide around a lot on the leather.  As a result, in spirited driving, you aren't held in your seat as well unless you have mega side bolstering.  Your belongings can also slide around like crazy when you drive in a spirited fashion around turns.  This doesn't happen nearly as much on cloth, regardless of the type of cloth.  And then, with leather, there are temperature issues.  In the winter, it feels cold.  This makes heated seats almost necessary.  In the summer it feels hot, and then you sweat and stick to it.  That's no good and fan ventilated seats make noise.  Cloth on the other hand, grips better, absorbs moisture and stays more temperate.   

Leather is thought to wear better than cloth, but this is not always true if the leather is of a cheaper variety.  I've seen reliability test results that proved this out.  Even if it does wear better, it gets wrinkles and eventually cracks without proper maintenance.  Cloth is more difficult to wrinkle and it doesn't require care and feeding.

Regardless of where your ethics lie, leather is dead animal skin.  I don't like that fact so when I have a choice, I choose cloth.  It's interesting that in Europe, even luxury vehicles are offered with cloth.  I wish that model was followed here in the U.S. as I was forced to get leather on my latest Saab vehicle.  I indirectly paid for it as well.  The synthetic leathers are not cheap, but at least they don't have all of the same issues as real leather.  Nor do they have all of the same advantages.

I doubt that you all agree.  What are your thoughts?  Feel free to comment.

Auto Show Misfits

- by Chris Olliff, Senior Editor

As most of you know, we have just come off of the 2007 Detroit Auto Show  and most of us have “show hangover” which consists of hurting feet, empty wallets, and the desire never to step foot into Cobo Hall again. We have walked the hall 10 times over, and taken more photos than a Japanese tourist at Niagara Falls. Among my many travels at the show, I stumbled across what I like to call “The Hall of Misfits”….

Cobo Hall has a lower level that has some aftermarket companies, and there even used to be ½ of the VW stand down there…but not anymore……

Like those toys on the misfit island in the old Rudolf Christmas show we used to watch, having a stand down in the lower level is like being a part of a different culture. In the universal order of things, this is where you “pay your dues” until you can graduate up to the “big floor”. Yes, Hyundai and Kia got their start here, and it also is space for suppliers to be seen at the show. Not much foot traffic here, so it is a great place to take your time and have a quiet look around.  

This year’s group consisted of Saleen, XM Radio, Michelin, DUB Magazine, Chainfang Auto of China, ect. For the first time since I can recall, VW did not have any space down there this year. Without them, it seemed that this floor was an afterthought or that you had taken a wrong turn….

Don’t get me wrong, if you want to trick out your ride or get away from the hustle of the main floor, then you should have a go on the lower level. It will be interesting to see how this area may change in the future, but for now it seems like a great place for the “Auto Show Misfits”.

 

Luxury Vehicles and Exclusivity

- by Atul H. Patel, Editor-in-Chief

As I walked the Detroit Auto Show, (NAIAS), and noticed the proliferation of luxury makes represented, I couldn't help but wonder who actually has the money to buy these vehicles.  The average new vehicle purchased costs over $28,000, but there are a host of brands that charge $80,000 plus.  Those divisional brands usually have entry models.  After all, car companies exist to make a profit, just like any other corporation.  Volume typically drives profits, so even Jaguar decided to offer the X-Type, BMW the 318ti a while ago, and Mercedes even offers an A-Class and a B-Class in Europe.  These put the divisions significantly down-market.  But when does a luxury brand stop being a luxury brand?  If you buy an XJ for cache and exclusivity, isn't it being compromised with every X-Type that is sold?  I say yes, and it's the reason that division such as Maybach and MINI are formed.  Maybach steps up the exclusivity, luxury and price to separate it from a "mere" Mercedes, while MINI allows for a cheaper (FWD) BMW ultimate driving machine type vehicle without diluting BMW's brand image.  Speaking of BMW, if they sell 53,000 5-Series in the U.S. per year and a KIA Rio sells 30,300 units per year, which is more exclusive?  This is especially noteworthy in markets like California where you see more BMW's than you see Chevy's. 

So, it's time to reevaluate our definition of luxury when it comes to mass market items.  When the ante gets upped with what luxury is and what brands define luxury, then it gets confusing for the manufacturers as well as for the consumers.  In "the old days", it was much simpler.  A Mercedes was expensive and unattainable for most.  But now,  A C-Class can be had for the same price as a partially loaded up Accord.  A fully loaded Accord could cost even more.  Which is more luxurious?  This is debatable.  And when a Lexus ES is so similar to a Toyota Camry, what are you really paying for?  Better service is one thing, but then you have to deal with the luxury brand dealer snootiness.  You'll notice a lot of parts sharing between Nissans and Infinitis.  This just dilutes the distinction.  Eventually people may begin to notice to the detriment of luxury brand profits.  As luxuries become mainstream, efforts are needed to retain the distinction.  Exclusivity counters the basic tenet of business that selling more is better.  But car companies have to show restraint with the prospect of short-term greed.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

- by Chris Olliff, Senior Editor

January in Detroit….such a sentence brings thoughts of frigid temps, big pot holes, dirty snow, the sound of my vehicles rusting out due to salt corrosion, and the daily absence of sunshine which leads to depression…

But, in the midst of all of this….there is hope, and its called the North American Auto Show which is held in the baffles of the great city of Detroit every second week in January. For the 10^th year in a row, like a solider going off to war, I have traveled into the war zone and dodged mine fields of pot holes to this great event. And what an event it is….

New cars, beautiful women, good food, and great entertainment…..I would say this is every man’s dream! You see, we travel to the show as media, and they feed us and introduce the new cars with a staged fanfare that would make Steven Speilberg proud. Who could forget last year’s comment from David Spade saying that “at least it's (the Dodge Caliber) NOT a Neon”? It takes great skill to stay in the same shape at the end of the week, as there are many areas of gourmet food ‘round each corner that you MUST try…after all….we don’t want to upset the German chefs at the VW stand….

Yes, we do work at the show as well. We do so much walking over the week that your most comfortable shoes begin to feel like you are wearing concrete bricks! Show coverage is always exciting, and I love to see the new concept vehicles and experience the new models on the floor.

So….the North American Auto Show…..located in a freezer, has enough food to feed the entire state of Texas for one week, rivals Las Vegas for its shows and entertainment, and can make you walk so much that you could easily wear your feet down to the stubs of your ankles………

Oh…and there are cars there as well

Like my friend Steve and I say, this truly is “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”!

** Stay tuned as the Realitydriven staff brings you updates and coverage from the 2007 North American Auto Show**

Manual Transmissions Versus Automatics. My Divided Thoughts.

- by Atul H. Patel, Editor-in-Chief

I've had my manual transmission car about a year now.  I had grown up in an automatic transmission family, but as a car fanatic and an employee in various powertrain engineering and product marketing positions, my exposure to manual transmissions encouraged me to finally buy a manual Saab 9-3 SportCombi 2.0 T.  It didn't hurt that my two car enthusiast friends (who also happen to write for RealityDriven.com), almost ridiculed me for giving in to the easy availability of automatic transmission versions of the car I wanted.

I actually flew from Detroit to Manchester, New Hampshire to buy this car at a Boston dealership, (long story), and drove it back to the Midwest.  One year later, I must say that I have a love/hate relationship with the fact that I shift gears manually.  Perhaps part of it is my car itself and the big gap between the first and second gear ratios in conjunction with little torque until 2000 rpm.  The shifting action isn't the smoothest.  But I do like the clutch.  Design aside, living with any manual transmission vehicle is not like driving on a test track.  Driving is full of distractions, unexpected events, potholes and unsympathetic drivers of automatic transmissions.

Starting off from a light, even when done properly can make a manual transmission car seem like a slowpoke.  Shifting takes longer, and it takes mental attention.  Some people say you get to control the vehicle better, and that's true on the powertrain side, but I find that since my mind is occupied by shifting, I don't get to enjoy the rest of the vehicle, (like the handling), as much like when I'm driving around turns.  Perhaps it's me, but the human mind can only comprehend so many things at once.  I can guarantee that unexpected moves can be done more quickly on an automatic, but ones that are planned, such as accelerating out of a turn can be done quicker on a manual because the transmission doesn't know what you will want to do.  Once you are fully proficient, you can pass on the highway quickly with a manual whereas it is basically thought-free, (and subsequently faster) with an automatic.

On the fuel economy front, the gap between automatics and manuals has lessened to the point that it is negligible and sometimes favors automatics.  The manual version of my car revs faster on the highway because it doesn't have the benefit of torque multiplication from a torque converter.  Manuals tend to be cheaper, lighter and less complex, but they require eventual clutch replacement.  As for resale values, automatics are favored heavily except in some sporty vehicle markets.  With some models, you can't sell a manual easily unless you find somebody who's specifically looking for a manual.

Many automatics allow you to shift gears, but they sometimes prevent you from revving as high as you like.  You also don't get that direct connection with what is happening.  But that has even been watered down with manuals due to the advent of electronic throttle control.  I do see manual transmission vehicles as deterrents for theft, and drunk driving, but on the safety front, I have to believe an automatic is safer in a panic situation.  You have enough to worry about when your life flashes before your eyes.

No matter where you stand, the debate continues and it has become further muddled with the advent of DSG and other sequential transmissions that use multiple clutches.  But if you're on the fence, I say this… Automatics are for those that appreciate smoothness which usually coincides with efficiency.  Manuals are for those that want performance and continual attention and excitement.  I guess I like a little bit of both so I'm still torn.  I did keep my old automatic transmission car which is a nice relief when I get sick of shifting, but there are many times I find myself wanting to get into my manual Saab and drive.  I like the challenge of shifting smoothly and well.  When it goes right, I love the transmission.  When I shift poorly, I get de-motivated and I don't like the transmission as much.

You might agree or disagree with this quote which references my comments on your mind only being able to comprehend so much at one time.

"If you want to enjoy the drive, drive an automatic transmission.  If you want to enjoy driving, drive a manual transmission vehicle."

+ Atul

Hatchbacks and Stationwagons Deserve More Respect, (And So Do Their Drivers)

 by Atul H. Patel, Editor-in-Chief

“My name is Atul, and I drive a stationwagon.” At least that’s what a lot of people would want me to say in some kind of stationwagon owner’s anonymous support group. This mostly occurs because I don’t have a wife and kids. To them I say, my Saab 9-3 SportCombi wagon (and most wagons) are faster, more efficient, lighter, better-handling, safer, and definitely sportier than many so-called Sport Utility Vehicles.  SUVs may have more power but the power to weight ratio is better with a wagon than most SUVs.  My 9-3 even holds about the same amount of stuff as some small to mid-sized SUVs.

Even though I catch flack for owning and driving a wagon (and a hatchback), it’s hard to argue with the fact that they are more practical than sedans. For instance, I can put my bicycle back there without taking the front wheel off and I can even put two with one of the front wheels removed. I’ve had my 1997 Saab 900 for almost ten years. My hatchback has saved me hundreds of dollars in U-Haul rental expenses when I was starting off. Hand-me-down furniture fit well in the back whereas a sedan would not have been able to hold any of the dressers, chairs, and tables that I brought from Cleveland to Detroit.   I fit a 32” tube TV which I purchased and my car saved the day when my friend bought a similar TV and could not get it home in her car.

On the efficiency front, my 1997 Saab has averaged 26.5 mpg with about 40% city driving and the 2006 has averaged 28 mpg with about 70% highway miles. This real world fuel economy is competitive with hybrid SUV’s like the Ford Escape hybrid and the Toyota Highlander hybrid. I think I deserve a tax credit too.

In terms of safety, a lighter, lower, better handling vehicle is better at avoiding accidents. I would rather avoid and accident and get to my destination without delay than get into one and suffer less damage, possibly hurting others in smaller vehicles. In an SUV, rollovers are more likely and those really snarl traffic, let alone putting vehicle occupants in a dizzying dangerous situation, (especially if seatbelts aren’t being used in the rear seats).

I feel I’m not alone though. The trend towards hatchbacks is catching on. In Europe, hatchbacks have been considered to be more upscale than sedans. Hatchbacks and wagons are becoming more popular in North America too. The Mazda 3, Audi A3, Honda Fit, and MINI are all considered cool and I believe my Saab 9-3 SportCombi looks sharp as well. (Notice how the Saab marketing folks had to disguise the fact that it’s a wagon by calling it something other than a stationwagon.) We are such a sensitive society.

I declare this the dawn of a new era, a time when hatchbacks and wagons are not only practical, but respectable and cool. They’re not just for families with kids anymore.

My How Things Have Changed

    by Chis Olliff, Senior Editor

When I moved to Detroit just 7 years ago, things were different. Besides the fact that no one knew about Bluetooth, IPODs, self-parking vehicles, ect….The auto industry was actually a fun, exciting place to work. I remember as a “welcome to Michigan” event, my good friend Steve brought a fleet vehicle from GM for us to take on an off-road adventure. There were many fun rides in different vehicles from the GM competitive fleet, such as my memorable ride to Frankenmuth in the back of a BMW 740IL traveling up I95 at 100mph. Uh……I mean…..75mph. And, who could forget sloshing around in my first Michigan winter in an Audi TT with summer tires….who could know that a car with ABS could slide all the way through an icy intersection…

Fast forward to 2006…. Gone are the vast and fun multi-brand competitive fleets at GM and Ford in the name of cost savings, and gone are the big team lunches we would all go on. Heck, I hear that you can not even get a Ford fleet vehicle to take home if you work there.

Besides all of the missing perks, the main thing that has changed is passion and excitement. No one seems to be excited to work in the industry anymore. With all the talks about big financial losses, layoffs, and buy-outs, it seems that most folks in this town are more focused on survival than more motivational factors. And this is not limited to the general level. It seems now that, instead of an overall attitude of “making the best products out there”, many engineering and design meetings are now about how to keep costs in line and get the cheapest solution. Granted, fuel and material costs have put a damper on things, but the passion and drive has definitely been lower of late. I guess a big sign of the of the times is the large number of die hard workers who have signed up to take a package and move out of the industry.

I think through all of this, one of the main things I have learned is that you can be passionate about something and not have to work in that industry. No one around here loves cars more than I do, but I have lost my interest in working in the industry. Yes, the ideal situation is to do what you love, but sometimes things change and you must adapt accordingly. Just ask the guy on the assembly line who has poured his life into building cars and now must either go back to school of find a new job in a new state.

Perhaps, in the next five or so years, the industry will pick up and the cycle will start again. There will be others to follow in our steps, and we can only hope that their road has less bumps than ours…

The Great Diesel Engine

 by Chris Olliff, Senior Editor

Since I was a boy, I have been fascinated by the diesel engine. My friends down the street had a 1978 Mercedes Benz 300D (non-turbo). You could hear that car coming for miles, and the 2 to 3 shift on the transmission seemed to take as long as the Iraq war.  Who could forget the great smoke screens they could produce, and the wonderful black out feature….they could soil the rear of a car and cover the license plate to make any get-a-way car proud. I was especially fond of watching the Mercedes in-line 5 shake like a dog when wet upon start up. Ahhh…the fond memories…

Or should I say…..THE HORROR……

Yes, you can take the bag off your head and stand up. We know who you are, you are one of the few, the proud, the ex-GM diesel owners! What do you get when you take a 5.7 liter V8 gas engine and convert it to diesel power….a GM publicity nightmare…  Who could forget that sound, the sound of the engine running. If you closed your eyes, you would have thought that someone put a bunch of loose bits of metal in your engine to run amok. Also, there was excitement over how to jump start a GM diesel, as they had TWO batteries!  But, most of all, the fun of owning a GM diesel was betting your friends how long the thing would go without warping the cylinder head. Yes, this problem was so bad, that some vehicles were converted back to gasoline by GM. You see, diesel engines run on compression and they need thicker metal in the engine to handle the higher pressures. The GM 5.7 converted engine could not handle the pressure…(no pun intended)

Soooo….Where does this leave us? Well, most Americans think a diesel is smelly, slow, loud, and not that reliable thanks to the great GM diesel of the 1980s.  So bad are the memories, that GM and Ford are reluctant to re-introduce the diesel to the market in the US. Add to this the fact that pumping diesel fuel can be as nasty as cleaning up cat poo, it is slimy and smelly and foams up. If you get it on your hands, it is not a pleasant experience.

While we in America ran from the diesel engine as if running from a skunk, Europe embraced the technology and made it better. Today, over 50% of the vehicles in  Europe are Diesels, and they have what Americans love: TORQUE. So, why should we car about all of this?

Recently, the US has adopted lower sulfur Diesel fuel, which has been used in Europe for some time now. This allows for the engines to use higher pressure injection systems and better particulate cleaning devises. These higher injection pressures have enabled the diesel engine to have performance as good as or better than gasoline engines. What this translates into for you and me is that we will be able to buy diesels that are not any noisier than what we drive now, do not smoke at all, have a higher level of durability, and will get 27% to 30% better fuel economy than their gas counterparts.

Ok, so what’s the catch? Great question! Basically, a vehicle with a diesel engine may cost up to $2,000 more for that option. As most of you search for your calculators to figure out the return on your investment, don’t forget that that cost is more than half of the premium you would pay to drive a hybrid. Keep in mind that the hybrids have not been consistent with their fuel economy ratings, but a diesel will be more consistent in all types of driving styles. You will not have to “pilot” your diesel vehicle like you do in a Prius, and you won’t have to hide because your car resembles a stapler.

So there you have it…..a modern diesel may have nasty fuel to pump (which I hear is better in the lower sulfur form), but it has many benefits over any other car out there. Many foreign car companies have plans to bring diesels to the US market in the next few years, and we can only hope that the folks at GM and Ford will come out of their fox holes and take another chance on the diesel car. No more needing to wear bags over our heads or wait until Christmas for our diesels to reach 60mph, the new diesels are awesome! 

Don’t take my word for it, drive one yourself….

The Hidden Force Behind SUV Sales

 by Steve Lovett, Senior Editor

With fuel prices near all-time highs, and average fuel economy somewhat stagnant, much attention is being paid to the need of SUVs. Many are questioning the necessity of these and other light trucks such for family duty.

When I was a small child, I remember many road trips with my family of four. We’d load up ourselves and all our stuff in our 1979 Ford Pinto Squire 2-door wagon and traverse much of the countryside. We had plenty of room for ourselves and our baggage, and never had a complaint. And we weren’t alone. Many families were perfectly content with daily use and vacation travel in small and midsized cars. One of our editors at this publication can remember cross-country trips with 5 passengers in a Plymouth Horizon.

So why do today’s families drive vehicles that are so much larger than they drove 25 years ago? Have people become larger? While obesity rates are on the rise, this is hardly the reason. Do we carry more gear? Not likely. Not enough to make up the difference between a Pinto and an Expedition. 

The hidden cause behind the shift to light trucks being necessary for family transport is an increased emphasis on child safety. Twenty-five years ago, kids didn’t wear seat belts. Booster seats were for restaurants, and nobody used child safety seats. As a result, we could do more with less. Back in those days, people believed that you really didn’t need to wear seat belts, especially if you were in the back. Back seats were a virtual cocoon, which protected its occupants against anything that could possibly happen. John Kapla, an engineer in Detroit recalls, “I remember there were three kids. On trips, one of us slept across the rear seat, one slept across the floor and the third slept across the rear package shelf.” And that felt fine, everyone was safe because they were in the back seat.

Fast forward. Today’s kids are growing up riding bikes with helmets and knee pads. When I grew up we had knee pads alright; they were called scabs! Child safety seats, booster seats and seat belts are now the norm. Britney Spears was publicly lambasted recently for driving with her infant in her arms. Today, there is a completely different outlook on child safety.

If you’ve ever installed one of these bulky child safety seats in a vehicle, it becomes very clear why larger, three row vehicles are now necessary. These seats are not only heavy and cumbersome, but they take up a lot of real estate. So much, that two seats in the second-row of a sedan almost touch one another in the center, and three abreast is simply out of the question. Not to mention space to store bottles, toys and other gear. John Kapla’s family today would abeslutely require a three-row light truck of some sort, likely a Caravan or Suburban. It’s simply a reality for families today.

Are today’s families buying utility that they don’t need? Are they buying SUVs and vans to keep up with the Jones’? No. They are simply doing what we did twenty-five years ago in the context of today. They’re buying vehicles that allow them to transport their families and their stuff with safety and comfort. Back then, safety was simply the back seat. Today it’s the added complexity of the child safety seat.