'08 Dodge Viper SRT10
It's got 90 more horses. It has a redesigned hood and interior. And it has . . . um, new colors. Did we mention the extra ponies? Following a year of nothing-new carryover, the '08 Viper SRT10 gets enough of a refreshening to make the car worth talking about again. The V-10 has an updated block, bumping the displacement from 8.3L to 8.4L and increasing the horsepower and torque to 600 and 560, respectively. There was extra attention given to cooling (improved water jackets) and strength (cross-bolted main bearing caps), and new cylinder heads and an updated air-cleaner box were also on tap. A new smaller-diameter twin-disc clutch was used to improve pedal feel, and the transmission is now a modern version of the Tremec T56 six-speed (TR6060). There's also a new shifter system.
DaimlerChrysler's Chery Deal
DaimlerChrysler and China's Chery Sales Co. have shaken hands on a plan for Chery to build B-segment small cars for the USA and beyond. The cars would be sold under Chrysler Group brands. It's not the first venture with Chery; the Tritec 1.6L engines have been exported since 2004 for use in the Chery A15 and Fengyun. What's it all mean? "Being able to partner with Chery represents a long-term solution to the challenges of how to profitably compete in the small-vehicles segment," said Chrysler group president and CEO Tom LaSorda.
MotorMapUSA
Car crafters are always looking for that next big project. The Internet and eBay have made that search a little easier, but until now, you still had to wade through dozens of listings to find the car you want. The latest trick of the Internet is a site called motormapusa.com that compiles all eBay listings and allows you to search for a particular body style within a given radius from your home. Here's how it works.
Log on to motormapusa.com and plug in the make and model of the car you're looking for along with how many miles you want to search in a radius from the zip code you enter. The system will immediately spit out a photo of the car and the current bid price while also giving you its location on an accompanying map. To get more information on the car, merely click on the car on the map, then click on the "more information" button, and the eBay listing will appear on your screen. The rest is up to you.
Students Building And Managing A Drag-Race Team
Who says generation XYZQW09 (or whatever the kids are these days) is composed of lazy bastards? Indiana State University has a brand-new venture that begs to differ. Team Sycamore Racing is a student organization that will operate, manage, and drive a dragster at local speedways. Students will handle all facets of drag racing, from car maintenance to seat time.
But don't think it's just gearheads behind the team. Finance, business, graphic design, marketing, accounting, and sport management are a few of the backgrounds of the students. "We'll actually be focusing on a lot of the management, sponsorship, and finance," said Kyle Neisen, a sophomore automotive technology management and business administration major. "An actual NHRA team calls itself an advertising firm. The team is advertising for its sponsors through the interesting outlet of drag racing. Using the car and winning with the car will be the best way we have to get our sponsors' names out."
General Motors is already on board, donating 28 engines to the university. Coincidentally, ISU started a new motorsports management minor this semester.