Daily Archives: May 10, 2012

Tata compressed air car getting closer

May 10, 2012   Ian

Tata Motors, the company responsible for the world’s cheapest car (and the owner of Jaguar Land Rover, as an aside), is developing a car that runs on compressed air. Imagine that. Tata owns the licence to develop a compressed air engine created by Motor Development International (MDI), a company formed in 1991 in Luxembourg.

The MDI engine has been in development for years, and had originally been scheduled for public release in a Tata air car in 2010 – Tata bought the licence for the engine five years ago.

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Video: DIY Transformer is probably the coolest toy ever made

May 10, 2012   Ian

This, everyone, is the Transformer Version 8. It’s the surprise-and-delight work of a Japanese genius whose place in the pantheon of great thinkers and inventors is now assured. It’s built using a common-as-muck remote controlled car and 22 electric motors, so that it transforms as all Transformers should, but never actually do.

According to Engadget, Version 8 was built by Kenji Ishida and a team from JS Robotics.

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Jaguar releases faster XJ Speed Pack

May 10, 2012   Ian

Jaguar has lifted the limiter of the XJ and in doing so uncorked 174mph from the big British limo. To celebrate, the company has had world record hurdle-meister Colin Jackson hit top speed in the thing on a proving ground. It’s an epic(ish) photo opportunity. The link is that Jackson is an ambassador for Jaguar’s Academy of Sport, which provides funding to promising young athletes.The Speed Pack is an extension of a new Sport Pack for the XJ Supercharged, allowing the 503bhp 5.0-litre V8 engine to take the car to 174mph instead of the usual 155mph. It’s done by altering the car’s software, and nothing more.
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Ferrari in worldwide supercar recall

May 10, 2012   Ian

Ferrari  has been forced to order a worldwide recall of two of its models due to a mechanical problem. Yes, a massive…erm…16 cars in the UK are affected. Oh. The recall affects the 458 Italia and the California – 206 cars worldwide, specifically, of a total of 13,000 built. It relates to the crankshaft, which has been incorrectly manufactured and fitted. The excessive vibration it causes could, says Ferrari, damage the engine.
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