Topspeed Hall Of Fame: World’s Fastest Solar-Powered Vehicle

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style "><a class="addthis_button_facebook_like" fb:like:layout="button_count" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5301605116058601439"></a> <a class="addthis_button_tweet" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5301605116058601439"></a> <a class="addthis_counter addthis_pill_style" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5301605116058601439"></a> </div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"></span><br /><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-size: 12px;"></span></div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"></span></div><br /><br /><center><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"><h1 class="big_one" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0f679e; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 22px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px; text-transform: capitalize; vertical-align: top;">Topspeed Hall Of Fame: World’s Fastest Solar-Powered Vehicle</h1></span> </span></span></center><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object data="http://pictures00.topspeed.com/sites/topspeed.com/squelettes/jwplayer/53/player.swf" height="349" id="player104684" name="player104684" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="460"></object></div><br /><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">By most engine-powered automotive standards, a car than can run 88.8 km/h (55.2 mph) is best described as a snail trapped in an enormous steel chassis. That’s how far technology has come in today’s world with supercars capable of running over 250 mph on a good day.</div></div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">But if you take away a car’s engine - the heart and soul of any vehicle – then you’re pretty much stuck with a car that can only go as fast as how hard you push it. That is, unless you rely on another understated energy source, one that, ironically, is the most powerful form of energy in the universe: the sun.</div></div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Over the past few years, numerous people have built solar-powered cars with the intention of setting the land-speed record for such a vehicle. Entering the year, the world record for the fastest solar-powered car belonged to the General Motors Sunraycer, a car that clocked in a top speed of 79 km/h while being powered by silicon solar cells back in 1988.</div></div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Two weeks into 2011, a team from the University of New South Wales in Australia broke the 22-year old record with the Sunswift Ivy.</div></div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Continued after the jump.</i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Designed by a team of students from the Engineering department of the University of New South Wales, the Sunswift Ivy weighed only a tenth of what an average car would weigh and came with a 98% efficient Brushless CSIRO 3-phase DC motor and an array of 400 silicon cells. To achieve the team’s target speed of 85 km/h, they would only need to generate 1,300 watts of solar generated power. In layman’s parlance, that’s about the same amount of energy as a lot of counter microwaves being sold in department stores have.</div></div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">When the car was ran at the HMAS Albatross navy base airstrip in Nowra, Australia, the Sunswift Ivy clocked in a top speed of 88.8 km/h (55.2 mph), a little under nine km/h faster than the previous record.</div></div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Piloting the Sunswift Ivy during its Guiness-certified record-setting run included Barton Mawer and Craig Davis, both of whom are racing drivers from Tesla.</div></div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">As with all other records of this magnitude, the attempt to chase and surpass a record comes with a steep price. In this case, that involves the amount of money spent on the whole project, which, was estimated to be around AUD $280,000, or about $284,000 based on current exchange rates.</div></div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Seeing as the previous record lasted 22 years without the advantages of technological advancements, it’s highly unlikely that the Sunswift Ivy’s record as the fastest solar-powered car in the world won’t last as long as it’s predecessor. Who knows, we might even see a solar-powered car break the 100 km/h barrier pretty soon.</div></div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">In the meantime, though, the record belongs to the Sunswift Ivy after earning each and every source of speed it’s solar-powered-ness could handle.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><script type="text/javascript">var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true};</script> <script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=snakenoise" type="text/javascript"></script> Read more In <strong><a href="http://carsandtec.blogspot.com/" target="_new" title="cars">Cars</a></strong></div></div>

Topspeed Hall Of Fame: World’s Fastest Solar-Powered Vehicle

Topspeed Hall Of Fame: World’s Fastest Solar-Powered Vehicle By most engine-powered automotive standards, a car than can run 88.8 km/h (...

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Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Confirmed For Race Of Champions 2010

<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/201011/porsche-911-gt3-cup-_460x0w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/201011/porsche-911-gt3-cup-_460x0w.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;">The most successful race car of all time is set to meet some of the most successful race drivers of all time at this years’ Race of Champions. The event is an absolute riot of fun and includes cars and bikes from all forms of FIA Motorsport. At the end of every year, newly crowned Champions of their respective disciplines are pitted against each other in head to head battle. Drivers are asked to step out of their comfort zone by performing on a make-shift course in cars they don’t usually drive – which makes for interesting and entertaining racing. Not to mention the fact that all around driving skill is absolutely pivotal to success. Ever wondered how Sébastien Loeb would fare against Michael Schumacher, both driving Porsche GT3 Cup cars? Well come November 27th-28th in Dusseldorf we’ll find out.</div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;">The 3.8 liter 450 hp 911 GT3 Cup will be one of many uber cool cars being used at this years’ event and American Le Mans winner and ROC newbie, Jeroen Bleekemolen, will hope that he can drive as many heats as possible behind the wheel of his Porsche to gain an advantage over the superstar lineup. Drivers will experience superb handling and 8500RPMs of aural pleasure that is rivaled by few other cars. Traditionally, the course is tight and will allow the GT3’s handling ability to come to the fore. We look forward to all the action.</div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><i>Hit the jump for the ROC 2010 trailer video </i></b></div><object height="385" width="440"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LJlTuV4i0LM?fs=1&hl=ar_EG"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LJlTuV4i0LM?fs=1&hl=ar_EG" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="440" height="385"></embed></object><br /><div class="spip" style="margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div></div>

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Confirmed For Race Of Champions 2010

The most successful race car of all time is set to meet some of the most successful race drivers of all time at this years’ Race of Champion...

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Akrapovic Adds Some Growl To The Mitubishi Evo X

<a href="http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/akrapovic-adds-some-growl-to-the-mitubishi-evo-x-ar100214/picture382540.html" style="clear: left; color: #ff6600; display: inline !important; float: left; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: underline;" title="akrapovic adds some growl to the mitubishi evo x"><img alt="akrapovic adds some growl to the mitubishi evo x" border="0" height="266" src="http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/201011/mitubishi-evo-x-gets-1_460x0w.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="400" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"></span><br /><br /><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;">A few days ago we brought news of a <b>Ferrari 458 Italia</b> that got an extra 11hp just by getting an Akrapovic exhaust system put in, and now we bring you another model that has received the same treatment. The <b>Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X</b> has had its output bumped with the use of a lighter exhaust system from Akrapovic.</div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;">A standard Evo X is powered by a 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder unit that delivers 295 hp at 6,500 rpm and 366 Nm of torque at 3,500 rpm. That’s not bad for a sports sedan, but with the new entry level slip-on exhaust system, which is 5 kilos lighter than the stock one, that output has been increased by 11 HP and 9 NM. Move up to the Evolution system, which is 16 kilos lighter than the stock, and the car finds itself with an extra 31hp and 26Nm of torque.</div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;">The new slipon exhaust system features a dual “split muffler” design that incorporates a unique cast titanium Y-shaped collector and flange assembly. The casting allows for a higher-flow and is more intricate than using cut and welded tubing. The</div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;">The new Evolution System includes the same two titanium mufflers, but adds a high-flow link pipe that bolts directly to the factory down pipe.</div><div><br /></div>

Akrapovic Adds Some Growl To The Mitubishi Evo X

A few days ago we brought news of a  Ferrari 458 Italia  that got an extra 11hp just by getting an Akrapovic exhaust system put in, and now ...

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Kia Proport Concept

<a href="http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/kia-proport-concept-ar99713/picture380756.html" style="clear: left; color: #ff6600; float: left; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: underline;" title="kia proport concept"><img alt="kia proport concept" border="0" height="225" src="http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/201011/kia-proport-concept-1_460x0w.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="400" /></a><br /><h2><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px;">Sometimes, it’s just about letting our imaginations run wild. Without the restrictions of real world regulations, there’s no telling what kind of concept car lurks in the deep recesses of our minds. For designers like Mohammad R. Shojaie, channeling those thoughts and putting ink on them is easier compared to the less-capable designers out there like us.</span></h2><div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;">In this instance, Shojaie takes a brand that’s not known for being sporty and gives them a concept car that’s got edge and aggression written all over it. Calling it the Kia Proport – it’s an amalgamation of Pro plus Sport without the “S” – Shojale’s concept is a completely different take from the current design language Kia is doing these days. Translation: you won’t mistake this concept for a family car.</div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;">The swooping lines and aggressive treatment define Shojale’s work of art. The artist didn’t mention any technical specifications, but he did come out with something that all of us would want Kia to make someday. And since, the brand is looking into building a sports car in the near future, let’s all hope that they take a look at what MR. Shojaie has done for them.</div></div>

Kia Proport Concept

Sometimes, it’s just about letting our imaginations run wild. Without the restrictions of real world regulations, there’s no telling what ki...

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ADV.1 Wheels ensures that the Ferrari F430 rolls deep

<div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/201011/ferrari-f430-by-adv-_460x0w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/201011/ferrari-f430-by-adv-_460x0w.jpg" width="320" /></a>Some cars are just so inherently awesome that there’s no need to do any added work on them. Don’t get us wrong, adding tuning packages to these types of vehicles doesn’t hurt, but they don’t really need them. It’s kind of like giving a genius a book on something he hasn’t quite mastered yet; not knowing doesn’t make him less of a genius, but knowing makes him that much smarter. The Ferrari F430 fits that bill to a tee. You may have a perfectly spectacular Ferrari in your garage, but that doesn’t mean you can’t improve on it.</div><div class="spip" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-top: 0px;">That brings us, of course, to ADV.1 Wheels, one of the best after market rims suppliers this side of the galaxy. Known for their performance, reliability, elegance, and uniqueness, ADV.1’s latest line of Super Deep Concave rims is the perfect cherry on the sundae on your Ferrari 430. The three-piece forged wheels come in four sizes – 19”, 20”, 21” and 22” and are available in two finishes: Brushed gunmetal lip with glass clear and Matte brushed titanium center. You can check out how it fits with the Ferrari F430 through the photo gallery. Be sure to wipe the drool off your faces when you’re done.</div>

ADV.1 Wheels ensures that the Ferrari F430 rolls deep

Some cars are just so inherently awesome that there’s no need to do any added work on them. Don’t get us wrong, adding tuning packages to th...

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