Das Auto. Das W Engine.

I4. I6. V8. These are all of the engines that are in your everyday cars. Volkswagen’s W engines, although not entirely common, are supremely beautiful. Offering a W8, a W12, and even a W16, the W engines have been in use since 2001.

Volkswagen first offered the W8 in the B5.5 Passat from 2001 to 2004, producing 271 horsepower from a 4.0L engine. Having to be fitted longitudinally, Volkswagen stopped using this engine because of low sales (only about 10,000 per year). Volkswagen then used a 3.6L VR6 in the redesigned 2006 Passat (B6), which was mounted transversely.

The Volkswagen Passat W8

Volkswagen’s W16 engine is used primarily in the Bugatti Veyron hypercar. The W16 contains 4(!) turbochargers and 4 valves per cylinder. Weighing in at almost 900 pounds, the massive engine puts out 987 horsepower and 922 lb-ft of torque.

The W16 Engine used in the Bugatti Veyron

Most commonly seen today, however, is Volkswagen’s W12. Used in everything from the Audi A8L to the Volkswagen Phaeton, the W12 was first debuted in 2001 in the Volkswagen Nardo W12 Coupe Prototype. It was a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive car with the 6.0L W12 which pushed out 600 horsepower. In 2011, Volkswagen debuted a new 6.3L W12, now used in the Audi A8L which produces 500 horsepower. The W12 is also used in the Bentley Continental GT and Continental Flying Spur, as well as the Spyker C12. A limited-production Touareg had a W12, however, sales were only made in Europe and the Middle East.

The Volkswagen Nardo Prototype

Photos from: auto-types.com, Wikipedia and techeblog.com, respectively.

An Audi Light Show

Have you ever sat at a traffic light and looked at the cars turning and noticed how their turn signals don’t match up? In South Carolina, New River Auto Mall put 8 Audi A4’s and 2 Audi S4’s to the test and tried to synchronize the hazard lights so they would flash at the same time. Known as the pioneer in automotive LED lighting, these beautiful Audi’s perform a symphony matched to a dubstep-y song. Congrats on getting the lights to match up! Now, check this video out:

The Cars of “Psych”

USA Network’s Psych brings you two guys who solve crimes — “psychic” Shawn Spencer and Burton “Gus” Guster. With Shawn’s psychic ability, they help Detectives Juliet O’Hara and Carlton Lassiter solve some of Santa Barbara’s most interesting cases. One thing that people may overlook, however, is the show’s wide range of vehicles used in the show, from The Blueberry to Henry Spencer’s truck. Check out the photos below to see your favorite characters’ vehicles.

From the episode “Disco Didn’t Die. It Was Murdered!”

50 Years of German Engineering: The Porsche 911
Photo Courtesy of Drive Porsche USA

Photo Courtesy of Drive Porsche USA

In 1963, employees from Porsche presented a vision for the companies future at the International Auto Show in Frankfurt. The 911 was introduced with a 2.0 liter flat-six pushing just over 130 horses. Fast forward for a quick second to the current 911 which has a 3.4 liter 6-cylinder engine producing 350 horsepower. Porsche has a series of events planned to celebrate the 911’s 50th birthday.

Photo Courtesy of Car and Driver

Photo Courtesy of Car and Driver

With 50 years of pedigree, over 800,000 models of the 911 have been sold, as well as possessing about 20,000 race victories under its belt, the 911 certainly speaks for itself. To honor this rear-engined machine, Porsche will be taking a 911 model from 1967 and putting it on a world tour. They will also be putting on special events at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart. These celebrations are without a doubt necessary. Fifty years is a long time to keep a single car line going. The 911 remains a benchmark for Porsche, as it also represents the foundation of a company now offering five models ranging from mid-engined roadsters to turbocharged SUVs. It will be interesting to see what Porsche does this year for a 50th year anniversary limited edition. How can they not, right?

Photo Courtesy of Car Buzz

Photo Courtesy of Car Buzz

Need for Speed: Texas Style

We all wish there was a highway we can cruise on at 85 mph and not get a ticket for doing so. Oh wait, there is! In 2012, Texas galloped its way to State Highway 130 which is a 40 mile stretch between Austin and San Antonio with a legal speed limit of 85 mph.

Picture courtesy of TopMotors

Picture courtesy of TopMotors

Going 85 mph on this road does come with a price–it’s a toll road which costs just over $6 one way. This toll road was built by a private company to Texas Department of Transportation specifications. The company spokesman ensures that 85 mph on this road is safe because the road does not run through neighborhoods. The spokesman also says that they are not building a racetrack through the middle of town, but they are making sure people get to where they have to go safely and reliably.

The toll road was built to lessen congestion between the highly populated cities of Austin and San Antonio. If you do not mind paying a toll road, then this is the way to go. This highway is under constant observation to make sure drivers are as safe as possible.

If you ever make it to Texas, this is probably a treat for all you speed demons who have a need for speed!

Police Interceptors: Check Your Mirrors!

Since Ford has discontinued their Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, police departments have been scrambling to find replacements. For the last 20 years, police departments have relied on the Crown Victoria to provide them with the durability, safety and performance that they look for in a vehicle. Now, several car manufacturers, Ford included, have introduced new police vehicles and departments all over the United States have been seen driving the new ones.

Chevrolet has introduced the long-awaited Caprice PPV, but although there is no civilian model, the Caprice PPV is bound to impress. With a standard 3.6L V6 engine producing 301 hp, and an optional, albeit massive, 6.0L V8 producing 355 hp, the Caprice PPV has several configurations to suit the needs of each individual department. The Caprice PPV is able to achieve a combined 18-21 mpg (depending on the engine), which makes police department’s very happy. Other features include a best-in-class top speed of 154 mph, eight airbags (including ones for the knee) and a rollover detection system, and a 5-year/100,000 mile warranty.

Although the Charger police car has been around since 2006, Dodge offered their new Charger Pursuit model in 2011. With a 3.6L Pentastar V6 producing  292 hp and an available 5.7L HEMI V8 producing 370hp, the rear-wheel drive Charger Pursuit had the best fuel economy in Motor Trend’s police vehicle test, offering 16/25 mpg for city/highway. The Charger was awarded a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Ford now has two new police interceptors available: the Police Interceptor Sedan and the Police Interceptor Utility based off of the Taurus and Explorer models, respectively. Having passed a 75-mph rear crash test, the Ford Police Interceptors also have optional ballistic door panels to keep occupants safe. With police-tuned suspension, standard all-wheel drive and a reverse-sensing system on all models, the Police Interceptors have police work in mind! Both feature the 365hp, 3.5L EcoBoost V6 and the 2013 Police Interceptor sedan had the best 0-60 time (5.3 sec.) in Motor Trend’s police vehicle test, while still achieving 16/23 mpg.

As gearheads, we all know what the Crown Victoria’s headlights looked like in our rearview mirrors. Now, there’s a whole new set of headlights to learn.

Check out the new interceptors, here: Ford || Dodge || Chevrolet

Throwback Thursday: Ken Block’s Gymkhana 1

Today, on Throwback Thursday, we bring to you a “classic” video from November 2008. A wee freshman in college, a friend showed me Ken Block’s Gymkhana. I was amazed. My mind was blown at the intensity of the stunts and the talent of driving. We thought we might bring it back and show you guys what the definition of ‘hooning’ a car is. Check out Gymkhana 1 above, and the rest of the Gymkhana videos below. I’ve seen each video at least a dozen times and my jaw still drops when I watch them. Each one gets better and better and the imagination, creativity and hard work that go into each of them truly shows in the end product.

Gymkhana 2 || Gymkhana 3 || Gymkhana 4 || Gymkhana 5

Also, check out this awesome Gymkhana infographic.

A Good Day to Die Hard Movie Review – (CLIP: Car Chase!)

It’s Valentine’s Day. A day filled with flowers and chocolate and spending time with your loved ones. How did I elect to spend my Valentine’s Day? By seeing A Good Day to Die Hard (the fifth installment in the Die Hard series). Filled with explosions, gun fire, fist throwing and car chases (our favorite part), it’s sure to impress you. Officer John McClane is off to Russia to go and catch up with his son, but instead of chatting over lunch, they’re chatting over bullets. A car chase ensues in the earlier half of the film with Willis driving a Mercedes-Benz G500 off of a bridge and subsequently driving OVER cars to take down some bad guys. Throughout the movie, there is a lot of Mercedes-Benz product placement, however, it s tastefully done. Without giving away too much spoilers, we can say the film has a pretty good ending. The movie stars Bruce Willis and Jai Courtney with a run time of about an hour and 40 minutes. Movie rating: B+ (for explosions and car chases!). Check out a clip below from IGN and check out Die Hard on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DieHardMovies

Winter Blast

Brrr, it’s cold out there, isn’t it? Lots of snow and ice and salt trucks in your area clearing the roads? It feels good saving money on car washes because it’s winter right? WRONG! We are here to tell you a few simple things to do throughout the winter to keep your car maintained and safe when the weather gets bad.

1) Check the air pressure in your tires and the treads periodically, as well as get them rotated. This will give you optimal stability and control in bad weather.

2) Make sure to keep up with regularly scheduled services especially when it comes to fluids, filters and a tune up. Cold weather makes material on the car stiffer and more brittle, as well as thickens fluids in the car. A tune up can help you save money in the long run by detecting problems early, as well as keeping your car run longer.

3) An emergency kit is ideal during the winter. We suggest keeping a shovel, ice scraper, de-icing liquid as well as salt or kitty litter in your car. Salt or kitty litter will help you gain traction if you become stuck in snow or on ice.

4) A car wash in the winter is NOT unheard of. Not only will you have a clean car, but it will actually be doing your car good by removing road salt that can do damage over time. As seen on CBS News in Philadelphia, a driver went to hit their brakes only to learn that over time, road salt corroded his brake line, cracking them and allowing brake fluid to leak out.

With these easy to remember steps, not only will you be safe and saving money in the long run but your car will be clean in the end. We always say: “A clean car is a happy car!”

27th Annual Tri-State International Auto Show

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On January 26, we traveled to the 27th Annual Tri-State International Auto Show which was held at Rockland Community College in Suffern, New  York. Although nowhere near as large as the New York International Auto Show at the Javits Center around March and April, the show in Suffern gave us a good preview of the new 2013 cars. Check out some of our pictures!