THE TECH-LICIOUS: cars

1,400-hp Hennessey Venom F5 guns for a 290-mph speed record

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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><img alt="The Hennessey Venom F5 will become reality next year " height="359" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/hennesseyvenomf5.png" title="The Hennessey Venom F5 will become reality next year " width="640" /> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Earlier this year, the ultra-powerful, Lotus-based Hennessey Venom GT
 made good on the world record-level speeds Hennessey had been promising
 since before the car's 2010 introduction. The car set an unofficial world speed record
 of 270.49 mph (435.31 km/h). Lesser men might be content to take a long
 summer vacation after such a feat, but John Hennessey is busy preparing
 an even more powerful Venom to set a new record … and fend off any 
competition from the likes of Bugatti or Koenigsegg.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Venom F5 is billed as the official successor to the GT. The "F5" 
seems like simple alphanumeric nomenclature at first, but it has a 
deeper meaning to the boys in Texas – it's the strongest tornado rating 
in the Fujita scale, signifying a twister with winds between 261 to 318 
mph (420 to 512 km/h). Sounds like a fitting designation for a car built
 to land square in the middle of that speed range.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Koenigsigg's new One:1
 may have the marketing, but the 1,200-bhp Lotus Elise/Exige-based Venom
 GT beat it to the punch of a 1 hp/1 kilo weight ratio when it arrived 
on the scene at a 1,200-kg (2,685 lb) fighting weight. The Venom F5 is 
positioned to improve upon that ratio slightly, potentially packing more
 than 1,400 bhp in a package weighing less than 1,300 kg (2,866 lb). 
"F5" definitely sounds better than 1.0769: One, so we're glad Hennessey 
avoided that particular opportunity for oneupmanship over its Swedish 
competitor.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Hennessey is still hard at work on the F5's powertrain, so those 
numbers are only soft estimates for now. The driveline will use 
beefed-up twin turbochargers, with fuel system and intercooler upgrades 
built to handle the extra boost. The longitudinally-mounted, rear-drive 
twin-turbo V8 will be mated to a new single-clutch paddle shift 
transmission with quickened shift times. Hennessey also plans to offer a
 standard H-pattern manual. A GPS-based stability/traction control 
system will help drivers in safely harnessing all the car's magnificent 
grunt.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.gizmag.com/1400-hp-hennessey-venom-f5/33242/pictures#2" target="_blank"><img alt="The Venom F5 includes mechanical and aerodynamic improvements over its GT predecessor" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/hennesseyvenomf5-1.png" width="530" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"We learned a great deal during the development of the Venom GT in 
breaking the 270-mph barrier, and we bring that experience to this new 
design as we look toward raising the performance bar even higher," says 
company president and founder John Hennessey.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Aerodynamic improvements will help the F5 in reaching its speed and 
acceleration potential. Hennessey says that the car's drag coefficient 
will limbo below 0.4 (down from 0.44 on the Venom GT), while a 
combination of the body shape, underbody venturis, rear diffuser and 
retractable rear wing will develop plenty of downforce.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The "clean-sheet carbon-fiber body," as Hennessey describes it, has a
 more angular appearance than its predecessor, most noticeably in the 
nose and side intakes. The entire front and rear ends have undergone a 
serious restructuring that includes a brand-new set of lamps.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">With development underway, it's hard to get too excited about 
performance estimates, but we'd be lying if we said that "290 mph (467 
km/h) is within reach" didn't look awfully intriguing scratched at the 
top of a press release. Hennessey also believes that its new car will be
 able to best the Venom GT's 13.63-second to 186-mph (300 km/h) and 
14.51-second 0-200 mph (322 km/h) acceleration records.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Hennessey is thinking relocation for its next speed record attempt, its founder telling Top Gear
 that he's considering putting the F5 to the test on the hard salt of 
Bonneville. There, he won't have to deal with NASA staff preventing his 
team from a return run and keeping the new Venom out of the big Guinness
 book.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Hennessey will unveil the Venom F5 next year and begin deliveries in 
late 2016. It plans to build 30+ examples – the minimum needed to be 
considered a "production car" for the world speed record – at a price 
exceeding the US$1.2 million sticker of the Venom GT. It will continue 
to offer the Venom GT, having sold 16 of its planned 29-car production 
run.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">source-<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/1400-hp-hennessey-venom-f5/33242/" target="_blank">gizmag </a></span></span><br />
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1,400-hp Hennessey Venom F5 guns for a 290-mph speed record

Earlier this year, the ultra-powerful, Lotus-based Hennessey Venom GT made good on the world record-level speeds Hennessey had been pr...

Ford lifts the hood on 2015 Mustang

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="The new 2015 Mustang is available with a V6, V8 or a four-cylinder EcoBoost engine" height="358" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/ford-mustang-engines.jpg" width="640" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Late last year, Ford threw the sheets off the design for its 2015 Mustang. Now the automaker has revealed what will lie under the hood of that updated body, including more powerful V6 and V8 engines, along with a new EcoBoost engine that the company says boasts the best power density ever for a Ford engine.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The base engine available on the 2015 Mustang is a naturally aspirated, 300 hp (223 kW) V6, however, the flagship of the range steps things up to a 5.0-liter V8 pumping out 435 hp (324 kW) and providing 542 Nm of torque. The V8 takes advantage of larger intake and exhaust valves, and Ford says its forged crankshaft has been rebalanced to make the engine better at high revs.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/2015-mustang-engine-options/33028/pictures#1" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1e8dd7; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="The new 2015 Mustang can be specced with a six-speed manual or automatic gearboxes" src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/ford-mustang-engines-0.jpg" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="530" /></span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">While the V8 may top the Mustang lineup, the turbocharged four cylinder EcoBoost engine is big news as well. Designed specifically for the Mustang, the 2.3-liter engine includes direct fuel injection and twin independent variable camshaft timing and puts out 310 hp (231 kW) and 433 Nm of torque. This gives it what Ford says is the best ever power-density for one of its engines, with a specific output of almost 135 hp (101 kW) per liter and more than 188 Nm of torque per liter. The engine has also been strengthened to withstand the added stresses placed on it to ensure durability.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">All three engines are available with either a Getrag six-speed manual or Ford's "SelectShift" six-speed auto. The manual is meant to be more precise than the gearbox in the old Mustang thanks to a redesigned shift linkage, while the shift lever has been shuffled closer to the driver and away from the cupholders. Meanwhile, the automatic gearbox comes standard with rev-matching on downshifts and drivers able to take manual control with wheel-mounted paddles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The new Mustang will go on sale in the US later this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">source-<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/2015-mustang-engine-options/33028/" target="_blank">gizmag</a></span></div>
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Ford lifts the hood on 2015 Mustang

Late last year, Ford threw the sheets off the design for its 2015 Mustang. Now the automaker has revealed what will lie under the hood o...

Jaguar Virtual Windscreen concept looks to the future of HUDs

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="The 'Virtual Windscreen' is also able to display a racing line for trackday warriors" height="359" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/jaguar-landrover-virtual-windscreen.jpg" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Looking to add a touch of <em>Gran Turismo</em> or <em>Forza</em> to your daily commute? Jaguar Land Rover is developing a Virtual Windscreen concept that aims to do just that with a slew of driver assistance technologies designed to keep your eyes on the road, including a head-up display (HUD) that overlays the driving line featured in many virtual racers.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As well as projecting key information onto the windscreen like speed and navigation, the Jaguar Virtual Windscreen concept would also overlay the driving line and even a "ghost" car, which acts as a reference point from previous laps.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Although this may seem like a bit of fun for track-day warriors, HUD systemsoffer some obvious safety benefits for having key information at the driver's eye-level.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Jaguar's concept also extends to replacing rear view and external mirrors with cameras and virtual displays. This system would incorporate a of a "3D instrument cluster" linked to head-tracking technology that could deliver key information unobtrusively as well as giving drivers a clear picture of their surroundings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Finally, the system would include gesture-based control for functions like sunblinds, rear windscreen wipers and maps. Rather than having to search for buttons on the dash, the idea is that drivers could simply wave at the gesture-sensor with a range of 15 cm (5.9 in) to operate particular functions. Of the three tech concepts in development, this is the one most likely to appear in production models in the near term, with Jaguar claiming it could be on sale "within the next few years."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Below is Jaguar's video detailing how the Virtual Windscreen concept would work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="298" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FeK9IkSD_nI" width="530"></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">SOURCE-<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/jaguar-land-rover-virtual-windscreen-concept/32930/" target="_blank">GIZMAG</a></span></div>
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Jaguar Virtual Windscreen concept looks to the future of HUDs

Looking to add a touch of Gran Turismo or Forza to your daily commute? Jaguar Land Rover is developing a Virtual Windscreen concept ...

Gesture-Based Systems Coming To Vehicles In 2015

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="gesture-control-cars-being-pushed" height="426" src="http://www.technobuffalo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/gesture-control-cars-being-pushed-630x420.jpg" width="640" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We think of gestures in the context of smartphones, tablets and even smartwatches. But in the race to create a more intuitive in-dash experience, automakers are now considering gestures for drivers. Companies such as Audi, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and BMW all are planning some form of gesture controls for future vehicles, and the company supplying the 3D spacial recognition tech believes you could be gesturing on your commute as early as next year. That will make for some awkward driving.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Rather than fiddling with buttons or knobs, automakers are trying to find ways to ensure your hands are on the wheel at all times, free from distractions. Some of today’s biggest mobile companies are already committed to the future of in-dash infotainment, though these car companies seemingly want to look even beyond that near-hands-free experience. Now you’ll turn off the radio with the same movement you use to swat a fly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A report from <em>Automotive News</em> says these gesture-based systems will be in cars next year, though it’s unclear which automaker will be first to market. Both Audi and Mercedes have shown off prototypes before, so the two may be at the most advanced stages. Hyundai has also shown off its own interpretation of how this might work, and people were generally impressed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">These systems are all being designed to combat distracted driving, because when we’re not texting and driving, we’re compelled to push buttons and turn knobs. It’s an innate mortal affliction that cannot be cured. <em>Jalopnik</em> speculates that Audi and BMW could be among the first to introduce these systems, which have been in development for years now. Will that even be something consumers use, though? Why actually turn a button when you can simulate the action? Seems much less distracting, right? Maybe not so much.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">source-<a href="http://www.technobuffalo.com/2014/07/02/gesture-based-systems-coming-to-vehicles-in-2015/" target="_blank">techno buffalo</a></span></div>
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Gesture-Based Systems Coming To Vehicles In 2015

We think of gestures in the context of smartphones, tablets and even smartwatches. But in the race to create a more intuitive in-dash ex...