Hennessey Venom GT – Click above for high-res image gallery
It’s Embargopalooza tonight at Autoblog, and if there wasn’t already enough high-powered hotness to be had, we’re throwing one more V8-powered sled into the mix.
We’ve traveled a long road to get here, but the Hennessey Venom GT has finally arrived after countlessreports, spyshots, videos and announcements. If you’re suffering from Hennessey fatigue, stop right here. You know most of the story already and have surely weighed-in with your opinion. But if a chopped and lengthened Lotus Elise powered by the Corvette ZR1’s supercharged eight piques your interest – and you’re looking for a glimpse into the man behind the madness – make the jump for a new take on an age-old equation.
FoMoCo announced today that it has started production of its new PowerShift dual-clutch automatic transmission that will debut on the new 2011 Ford Fiesta. The new dual-clutch transmission will be the first 6-speed transmission in the segment and will help the Fiesta get an expected best-in-class fuel-economy rating of 40 mpg on the highway.
“Ford’s advanced new six-speed automatic transmissions will really surprise our customers, and our competitors,” said Barb Samardzich, vice president of Powertrain Development. “They provide the convenience of traditional automatics with fuel economy leadership, as well as responsive performance and driving dynamics that make these cars fun to drive. And we’re adding six-speed transmissions to our most accessible vehicles, not just our luxury offerings and high-performance models.”
Ford said that it is committed to offering 6-speed transmission across its lineup and that by 2013, 6-speed transmissions will be offered in 100 percent of Ford vehicles.
In 2011, the new Ford Focus, with a direct injection 2.0L 4-cylinder engine, will be available with PowerShift to help it get a projected fuel-economy bump of up to 10 percent.
Refresher: The 2011 Ford Fiesta is powered by a 1.6L DOHC 4-cylinder engine making 119-hp with a peak torque of 109 lb-ft. It is estimated to deliver best-in-class highway fuel economy of 40 mpg. Pricing for the 2011 Ford Fiesta starts at $13,320.
2011 Ford Fiesta:
Press Release:
* Production of new PowerShift dual-clutch automatic transmission for new 2011 Ford Fiesta begins today, helping Ford deliver on its plan for offering fuel-saving six-speed transmissions across its product portfolio
* Fiesta with PowerShift joins the 2011 Mustang Coupe V-6 as the second recent Ford vehicle to offer better fuel economy with an automatic transmission than a manual
* PowerShift characteristics are particularly well-suited to smaller car applications, making the transmission a perfect fit for Fiesta and the upcoming Ford Focus
* Advanced technology with energy-saving electromechanical actuation system minimizes friction helping PowerShift deliver an expected class-leading fuel economy
DEARBORN, Mich., March 29, 2010 – Helping deliver on Ford Motor Company’s commitment to class-leading fuel economy and exceptional driving quality, production is launching today of the PowerShift dual-clutch automatic transmission for the 2011 Ford Fiesta.
The new dual-clutch automatic – the first six-speed transmission in the segment – will help the stylish Fiesta to deliver an expected best-in-class fuel economy rating of at least 40 mpg on the highway with the convenience of fully automatic shifting.
The PowerShift automatic is produced for Ford by GETRAG Americas, a joint venture between the GETRAG Group and GETRAG FORD Transmissions. The transmission is built at a new facility in Irapuato, Mexico. The assembly plant was designed and constructed specifically for Ford transmission needs in North America and will also supply PowerShift units for the new Ford Focus. When Focus transmission production begins later this year, the plant will have 400 workers, double the amount that it has now. Next-generation Focus production begins later this year at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich.
“We believe this new automatic transmission for the Fiesta will be the most advanced in the segment, offering far better performance than our competitors,” said Piero Aversa, team leader for PowerShift development. “It’s an advanced gearbox that reduces complexity, saves weight, increases responsiveness and performance – all while helping keep the engine in its peak efficiency mode – resulting in class-leading fuel economy.”
Ford eliminating automatic transmission tradeoffs
The Fiesta is the second new Ford vehicle to deliver better fuel economy using an automatic transmission rather than a manual. The new six-speed automatic in the 2011 Mustang Coupe betters the highway fuel economy of the standard six-speed manual by 2 mpg.
Traditionally, manual transmissions have delivered higher fuel economy. But Ford’s latest automatic transmission advancements have reversed the decades-old scenario, using advanced technology to provide customers with exceptional efficiency and the convenience of an automatic transmission.
With an array of new automatic transmission technologies, Ford is out to challenge the status quo by delivering segment-leading fuel economy without compromise to convenience, and accessibility to a much broader segment of the driving public. Fewer drivers possess stick-shift skills, as manual transmission market acceptance continues to drop, falling 22 percent over the last decade.
Ford is committed to six-speed transmissions, with availability across 85 percent of its nameplates for 2010. By 2013, these fuel-saving, performance-enhancing six-speed transmissions will be offered in 100 percent of Ford vehicles.
About PowerShift
The dual dry-clutch PowerShift automatic transmission is based on efficient manual transmission technology, eliminating the additional weight and complexity of a torque converter, planetary gears and the fluid pumps employed in traditional automatics. Electronically controlled, twin internal clutches shift gears quickly and smoothly, providing a seamless flow of torque with the refinement and ease customers expect from a premium automatic transmission.
On sale this summer, the Ford Fiesta with PowerShift, in combination with an advanced 1.6-liter I-4 engine, is expected to deliver fuel efficiency of at least 40 mpg on the highway. Fiesta will be the only vehicle in the segment to offer the efficiency and the fun of a sophisticated six-speed automatic transmission.
Coming to market early in 2011, the new Ford Focus will combine an innovative, direct-injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with PowerShift to deliver better overall performance and projected fuel economy gains of up to 10 percent over the current Focus 2.0-liter powertrain.
“A dual dry-clutch transmission provides some real dividends on small car applications,” said Aversa. “PowerShift with dry-clutch facings and new energy-saving electromechanical actuation for clutches and gear shifts saves weight, improves efficiency, increases smoothness, adds durability and is sealed with low-friction gear lubricant for the life of the vehicle. This transmission requires no regular maintenance.”
Ford PowerShift transmissions on the line – Click above for high-res image gallery
The new FordFiesta will be the first product vehicle from any of the Detroit automakers to have a dual clutch transmission, and production is starting today. The Ford PowerShift gearboxes are being built at the Getrag Americas joint venture factory in Irapuato, Mexico. At launch the plant is employing 200 people, a number that will double later this year when the plant also starts building the same transmissions for the 2012 Focus.
A dual clutch transmission can almost be thought of as two traditional manual transmissions, each with its own clutch operating in parallel and alternating shifts. The Ford unit is a six-speed with one clutch acting on gears 1, 3 and 5 and the other used for 2, 4 and 6. As first gear is engaged, the 2-4-6 clutch is disengaged and the second gear cogs are engaged. At the appropriate time, the 1-3-5 clutch is disengaged the other is engaged. While in second gear, the other side moves from first to third. The process is repeated with quick smooth shifts and none of the of the efficiency loss normally associated with torque converters.
The Ford gearbox also uses dry clutches, which are more efficient than the wet clutches previously used in some earlier Volkswagen DSG gearboxes.
The 1.6-liter Fiesta with PowerShift transmission is expected to get an EPA highway rating of at least 40 miles per gallon. The new Focus will use a 2.0-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine with the PowerShift transmission and may also approach 40 mpg, something Ford is surely hoping for in light of the just announced 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco and its unofficial highway mpg of 40 mpg or more.
A new version of Pate’s DOS emulator for the Nintendo DS, DSx86, is now available for download. The latest update of the brew has added some new features, more fixes and various other improvements.
Harper’s softball team returned to Illinois after a weeklong trip through Kansas and Iowa, but the Lady Hawks continued to struggle, dropping one game 9-1 to Waubonsee and then losing, 8-2, to Black Hawk – Moline in the afternoon contest.
Samantha Calandra took the loss against Waubonsee, and she is now 0-4 for the season.
Team
Runs
Hits
Errors
Harper
1
7
2
Waubonsee
9
8
0
In the second game, Pitcher Chelsea Mora took the loss, falling to 1-1.
Team
Runs
Hits
Errors
Harper
2
6
2
Black Hawk – Moline
8
9
1
The Lady Hawks (2-8) will travel to Grayslake to take on the College of Lake County on Tuesday, March 30th, at 3:00 PM for a doubleheader.
The IPCC’s climate-change fearmongering is only the latest excuse to expand the public sector.
The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change admitted for the first time last month that it is facing a crisis of confidence. But the IPCC’s failings go far beyond the recent spate of errors identified in its reports. The problem began with the global political climate that led to the formation of the IPCC two decades ago.
Contrary to popular perception, the IPCC is not a scientific organization. It does no research of its own. Composed of scientists nominated by different governments, its key function is to collate evidence of human-induced climate change, not just changes in climate.
It is hardly surprising that with such an inherently biased objective the scientists lost their objectivity. Many of them went on a crusade to support the political goal of proving anthropogenic global warming. Concerns about scientific objectivity and critical discourse were thrown overboard.
Several document’s events have occurred in the last few days that would obligate reasonable people to rethink their position on global warming and the cause.
These facts are:
1) 20-YEAR STUDY YIELDS PRECISE MODEL OF TECTONIC-PLATE MOVEMENTS
Wisconsin-Madison geophysicist Chuck DeMets, Richard Gordon of Rice University and Donald Argus of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have created a model that offers a precise description of the relative movements of 25 interlocking tectonic plates that account for 97 percent of the Earth’s surface. The model is based on 20 years of observation.
The proposition that global warming is a result of magnetic pole shift is proposed.
Sony has announced that next firmware update for the PS3 will be released on April 1, 2010 and will disable the “Install Other OS” feature due to security concerns.
Someone’s been waxing sentimental, so it seems. While David Jaffe has been busy running his new studio, Eat Sleep Play, it does not mean he’s totally turned his back away from his past works. In fact, he
Brooke Waterhouse presents:
THE ANXIETY SHOW April 7 – May 1
Curated by Christine Kristen aka LadyBee
Project One, 251 Rhode Island St, San Francisco
“Anxiety is the handmaiden of creativity.” – T.S. Eliot
The economic crisis, global warming, and the wars have generated a free-floating anxiety which is difficult not to internalize. This show is an exploration of the […]
In his latest interview with RT Ron Paul explained that there is no “right” to healthcare and that Obamacare will further increase the costs of healthcare – and might even drive the US into bankruptcy. On foreign policy, Ron Paul discussed the American empire, efforts to end the Afghanistan war, and America’s dependence on China.
The slew of really great games have taken a break, so it seems, as we go back to stashes of DS and Wii games along the lines of cooking and dancing titles. But there’s a bit of
For our next pet photography Q & A we have New York city-based photographer Brooke Jacobs. Brooke has been photographing pets for years and shares her experience with us today, along with a special giveaway at the end.
How long have you been photographing pets and how did you get started?
After graduating with a degree in photography from Bard College, and moving to NYC, I continued to do my documentary photography while working in the industry. After several years I knew I was uninterested in the typical commercial end of photography and knowing I couldn’t make a living off my documentary work, I started thinking outside the box. Many of my photographs at the time, all done on the streets of NY, included animals and their relationship to the scene at hand. I started focusing specifically on pet portraits in 2003, after having my first dog portraits published in an address book and box set of cards. The joy of seeing my work published and the privilege of capturing images I know will be cherished for years to come sealed the deal for me.
What kind of pet photography do you do? Do you have a specialty?
While I would say I do any kind of pet photography, I do specialize in traditional portraiture, capturing the pets emotional and expressive sensibilities. There are two sides to my work. Half of my work (less so during the winter season) is done in the pets natural environment, park or home and the other half is studio, where I focus on creative ideas and traditional portraiture work.
Do you do anything special to prepare for a photo shoot with a cat?
Yes! Cats are particular and it is important that the cat wants to participate. I tend to work in areas the cat is comfortable with (favorite chair/couch) and create a calm and quiet area. I like to set up my equipment first then relax on the floor and learn a little about the cat. If the cat likes treats and play, they are ready and willing to follow my lead and go where the fun is. Occasionally there is a cat that doesn’t care for either and I have to win them over with love, patience and lots of petting.
What was the most challenging cat photo shoot you have done? Any funny stories?
Being a cat person, I love working with cats because they are a challenge and I get a kick out of their quirky ways. One thing pet photographers have in common is not only their love for animals but an excitement for a challenge. You NEVER know what is going to happen and that is the fun and uniqueness of every shoot. That said, most of my cat shoots have gone well. I had one kitten that was very shy and cowered down and looked miserable. I turned him around so he wasn’t facing me or the ‘action’ and got one shot of him peaking back before he jumped off the set, hid and was left alone. That shot is one of my all time favorite images. [little tuxedo guy on the blue background below]
I’ve only had one case where the cat hissed the whole time, and boy did I get a great shot of that. I had a friend bring her new kitten Princess over for a studio shoot — I tend to only work with kittens in studio since most cats don’t like to be taken out of their element. She was a little older than I was told (or they knew) and wasn’t happy about this new experience at all. As she jetted off the set, I was sure I saw something extra under her tail and asked them how they knew their Princess was a Princess and not a Prince? They said they had gone to the vet and they knew she was a she. As they left, I mumbled under my breath good-bye Prince (pause) ess. Found out a week later that Princess was a Prince after all.
Do you have any tips for readers about how to take great photos of their cats?
I have several tips. If your cat needs grooming, groom him/her before the shoot. If grooming is an ordeal for the cat do it a day or two ahead of the shoot so there is no drama the day of the shoot. The shoot should be a fun time to bond with your cat and be a positive experience filled with love, treats, toys and patience.
I have lighting equipment that doesn’t flash right in front of a cats face. If you are using a point and shoot, turn the flash off and choose an area that gets good natural light. That area should also be clutter free.
Cats don’t like being forced to do things so make sure you keep it fun and interesting for the cat (and yourself) with treats and toys and laughter. If your not having fun, your cat isn’t having fun!
Enter to Win Brooke Jacobs Kitty Post-its!
Brook sells some of her kitten images on cute little post-it note pads through her Etsy shop and she’s offering some for a giveaway! Two lucky readers will each receive a pair of kitten post-its. To enter, please leave a comment on this post. The winners will be chosen in a random drawing on April 4. One entry per person. This giveaway is open to readers everywhere.
With the Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus Package set to arrive early this week on the Xbox 360, a lot of gamers are still raising their eyebrows with the hefty price tag of upcoming map pack. So what
Here’s a case over in our Journal Watch: AIDS Clinical Care site: a man with suspected PCP develops rapidly progressive renal failure after being starting on both empiric PCP treatment with TMP-SMX and ART with TDF/FTC plus darunavir/ritonavir.
The specific questions at the end of the case were:
What do you think is causing the renal failure?
Would you continue empiric treatment for PCP or try to confirm the diagnosis?
If you would continue empiric treatment, would you modify it?
What would you do with his ART? Specifically, would you continue the tenofovir?
What would be your preferred alternative regimen?
I ran into the nephrologist Jonathan Winston this weekend, who will providing his take on the case shortly. He asked me what actually happened.
A number of observations regarding slurs allegedly spewed by Tea Party activists on Capitol Hill protesting the vote on health care reform:
(1.) Since the rally was open to the public, how do we know if those enunciating racial epithets were members of actual Tea Party organizations.
(2.) How do we know that hose hurling such insults were not actually leftist infiltrators conniving to make Tea Party activists look bad. After all, numerous incidents of alleged racial bias have been proven to have been perpetrated by radical minority agitators.
(3.) Isnt it worse to be an able bodied person living off the public dole than someone who says something in a fit of temper extremely ill mannered?
(4.) Regarding Barney Frank supposedly being called a fag. Isnt he the one that has deliberately told the public what it is that excites his loins to the point that this is the first thing that comes to the public mind when he makes a public appearance?
(5.) If the establishmentarian media thinks it is wrong to call Barney Frank a fag, then on what grounds can they then refer to Tea Party activists as Teabaggers, which is actually a reference possibly even fouler than the fag categorization?
(6.) Unlike some of Obama’s closest supporters such as Bill Ayers, the wildest Tea Party activists are still merely children tossing tantrums in terms of actual violence and destroyed property
Lincoln is credited with saying that the philosophy of the classroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next. Likewise, totalitarian movements such as Nazism and Communism expended considerable resources on efforts designed to sway the youth of their respective countries into embracing ideologies inimical to the self interest of the student.
Viewing himself in the pantheon of historical figures by which entire eras are remembered, Barack Obama also realizes the necessity of claiming the hearts and minds of the young if he is to transcend the chasm between that of mere government administrator or even head of state to that of an adored icon an entire culture or way of life is built upon.
Though the administration distanced itself from the original lesson plan and disavowed any purpose for the President’s broadcast address other than to tell students to stay in school, the fact that such a document was even formulated provides a glimpse into the worldviews of the influential at the highest levels of the bureaucracy and administration. Therefore, even if the misbegotten memorandum is scrubbed from the Internet and its existence denied to the same extent as the Star Wars Christmas special, it must still be scrutinized as part of the documentary history of the United States.
Despite however White House operatives might spin it now, the President and his handlers intended this speech to be more than a simple welcoming of the school year. Each section of the lesson plan revealed even more about the intent of the section that preceded it.
According to the section titled Before The Speech, teachers were instructed to have students read books about Barack Obama. For high schoolers, would the Presidents operatives in the Department of Education endorse and applaud works of a contrarian perspective such as Obamanation by Jerome Corsi and The Culture Of Corruption by Michelle Malkin, or is the suggestion merely euphemism for laudatory tomes of a worshipful nature? read more »
A Hyundai divulgou a primeira imagem/teaser do Sonata hibrido, que ao contrário da maioria dos modelos de sua categoria, apresenta um visual diferenciado em relação a sua versão “tradicional” que é adotada apenas do motor a combustão. Como podemos observar, sua primeira imagem apresenta sua dianteira com uma nova grade dianteira baseada no conceito Blue-Will.
As informações são de que a versão hibrida manterá o mesmo motor quatro cilindros de 2.4 litros com injeção direta de combustível que equipa o sedã convencional, acrescido de um motor elétrico de 30 kW de potencia. Além disso, a sua transmissão CVT será substituída por uma automática de seis velocidades.
Em seu segmento, o sedã hibrido terá como principais concorrentes o Ford Fusion e o Toyota Camry híbridos. Todas as informações técnicas do novo Hyundai Sonata hibrido será conhecida durante o Salão do Automóvel de Nova Iorque, no qual o companhia irá fazer a apresentação oficial de seu modelo hibrido.
2010 University Research Initiatives (NURI) – This BAA by NGA describes the Fiscal Year 2010 (FY10) grant competition for the NURI program. The program focuses on specific research topics in geospatial-intelligence analysis and its related technologies. This includes research to help improve analyst abilities as well as to provide better automated capabilities in the analyst environment. The NURI program awards multi-year grants to address NGA’s needs.The objective of the FY10 NURI program is to enhance the capabilities of U.S. universities to perform research in topics that are important for geospatial intelligence and, in conjunction with that research, provide opportunities for participation in related science and engineering areas that are important for U.S. national security. The NURI program is a component of the NGA Academic Research Program (NARP). This FY10 NURI solicitation is specifically for the following research topics: 1) Geospatial Intelligence Analytics; 2) Spectral Science; 3) Multi-Source and Multi-INT Fusion; and 4) Motion Imagery. Eligibility: Universities and Colleges. Proposal Due Date: May 14, 2010.
2010 University Research Initiatives (NURI) – This BAA by NGA describes the Fiscal Year 2010 (FY10) grant competition for the NURI program. The program focuses on specific research topics in geospatial-intelligence analysis and its related technologies. This includes research to help improve analyst abilities as well as to provide better automated capabilities in the analyst environment. The NURI program awards multi-year grants to address NGA’s needs. The objective of the FY10 NURI program is to enhance the capabilities of U.S. universities to perform research in topics that are important for geospatial intelligence and, in conjunction with that research, provide opportunities for participation in related science and engineering areas that are important for U.S. national security. The NURI program is a component of the NGA Academic Research Program (NARP). This FY10 NURI solicitation is specifically for the following research topics: 1) Geospatial Intelligence Analytics; 2) Spectral Science; 3) Multi-Source and Multi-INT Fusion; and 4) Motion Imagery. Eligibility: Universities and Colleges. Proposal Due Date: May 14, 2010.