Kelley Blue Book (http://www.kbb.com/) and Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research announced on June 21 the results of the ‘Driving Performance’ portion of its consumer automotive perceptions research study called ?Brand Watch?.

The latest results revealed that Toyota and BMW each claimed two number-one ranks for best driving performance: Toyota ranks in both the Minivan and Non-Luxury SUV segments, while consumers chose BMW as the best among Luxury SUVs and Luxury Sedans.

In terms of driving performance, local brands sweep the Truck segment in Brand Watch. Chevrolet, GMC and Dodge place first, second and third, respectively. Previously, domestic brands had been chosen as consumers’ top picks for Interior and Exterior Styling in the Truck segment. Foreign brands lead across most segments claiming the top three ranks in every vehicle segment except trucks and also with the exception of Ford which bested as third among Non-Luxury SUVs. In the Convertible/Sports Car segment, a category in which performance is the most desired characteristic, Porsche claimed the top spot.

Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Honda, co-maker of quality Acura muffler, each bagged three top-three spots in different categories while Nissan and Lexus garnered two top-three finishes each.

Jack R. Nerad, the Executive Editorial Director and Executive Market Analyst of Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com., said that according to the new-car buyers, the being top placer of BMW in the Luxury Sedan and Luxury SUV segments reflects the brand?s expertise on performance characteristics in the luxury category which is an instance where both the brand image and the consumer brand perception are in perfect parallelism.

He added that pickups are the last stronghold of local dominance and such leading is strong with Chevrolet, GMC and Dodge sweeping the top three spots for performance without an import brand along with them.

Rick Wainschel, the Vice-President of Marketing Research and Brand Communications for Kelley Blue Book, adheres that perceptions are the key factors to drive automobile buyers’ decisions as to which makes and models will belong on their shopping list. He added that the report can depict the manufacturers? relative position against other makes in specific vehicle segments as to which strengths to highlight and which weaknesses may need to be addressed and resolved.

Brand Watch is available to vehicle manufacturers and auto industry professionals. It concerns active new-vehicle shoppers to determine their perceptions of automotive brands within particular automotive segments. Dealing on how each manufacturer’s brand equity differs across vehicle segments, Brand Watch also compares the relative standing of each make against competitive makes, and reveals the decision factors of car-buyers within each make and segment. Collected, reported and detailed throughout Brand Watch’s comprehensive study which is available quarterly from Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research are detailed demographic and psychographic information.

There arrives a point in your control buildup where you may think adding nitrous oxide shot to your supercharged vehicle. This point classically corresponds with attaining a stage of performance that denotes amplified investment and retreating returns from your supercharger. For instance, the car arrives from the industrial unit with a fifth age group Eaton MP45 supercharger. This supercharger is restricted to concerning 230hp value of flow ranking and so regardless of what we do with bolt-on promotes on the engine, the top horsepower will not go beyond 230hp limit since that is the point upon which the supercharger turns into the bottle neckline in the system.

As we’ve discussed about in earlier pieces of writing there is even the choice of harboring the factory supercharger for a ten to fifteen percent gain in aptitude (which in this instance would be another twenty-three to thirty-five horsepower). There is as well the choice of retrofitting a large supercharger like the Eaton M62 to gain prospective up to above 300hp depending on the last selection of a supercharger.

This alteration path (replacing or porting the industrial unit supercharger) can confirm to be costly and complex, particularly if the supercharger is incorporated into the ingestion manifold (and perhaps an air to water intercooler) as the instance is with several factory-supercharged vehicles.
A probable practical solution for this circumstance is to utilize nitrous oxide shot to supplement the control delivery while racing, and being pleased with a consistent lower motorized car once the nitrous is off and we are not racing.
The cause why nitrous oxide (N2O) turns into a great control adder is dual:

1- Nitrous is inexpensive as far as horsepower for each dollar goes, and particularly in the circumstances where we are previously supercharged and so will merely be making use of it on the rare events as soon as we do hit the path.
2- Nitrous oxide is a huge ‘chiller’ as it appears of the bottle at a warmth of negative 127*F and is able to cool the overall supercharged air indict mixture by more than 100*F as stated by aficionados. This is an extra temperature decrease over the consequences of no matter what intercooler you have built-in. This in actual fact makes nitrous a vast proposition for vehicles that have by now mixed out their superchargers, where the supercharger is operating at peak rams and creating very high opening temperatures.

Since the 1980’s, criminals have been selling fraudulent high performance car accessories at a cheaper price. The dangers go beyond loss of revenue to the automotive industry. The lower price may save a few bucks in your pocketbook in an automotive world where gas prices are ballooning out of control. It’s understandable but dwell on this: most of these discount car accessories and parts sacrifice quality and safety with more inexpensive and less strong materials.

Sometimes what you see is not what you get. On the surface, an article might look like the real deal, but it turns out to be nothing but smoke and mirrors. Several years ago, CBS Evening News featured a report about counterfeit aftermarket automotive accessories. Brake pads that contained compressed grass or wood chips instead of the usual material were sold to consumers. Brakes are one part that you don’t want to mess with, and having faulty brake pad material could be costly in more ways than one. To be on the safe side with performance car accessories, you might do better to pay the extra money and go with a brand name you can trust.

How can the average consumer protect against aftermarket automotive accessories fraud? Here are some tips:

If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Seeing a popular brand of an auto body kit you’ve been eyeing for half price may not be for real. Many counterfeiters have started to counter this tact by lowering the price just enough to avoid suspicion. Do your research. Don’t settle with finding the item in one place. Shop around to see what the average price is for the accessory and make an educated decision based on what you’ve observed..

Take a look at the package. At first glance, the package may look legitimate but closer inspection may reveal some flaws that could be signs of the part being fraudulent.

Visit trusted stores or well-recommended shops. Stick to places you or someone you know trusts. This doesn’t insinuate that every small shop is deliberately being crooked by selling you discount car accessories; sometimes they are fooled just as much as you can be. Going to distributors you’ve had good service with reduces risk as distributors often buy from the same manufacturer that has never steered them wrong.

Contact the manufacturer directly. If you’re still unsure, the manufacturer can often verify if the performance car accessory is real. Most major companies have anti-fraudulent protocols to prove the authenticity of an accessory. Sometimes this is as simple as a code engraved on the part.

Cutting corners by purchasing cheap aftermarket automotive accessories to save a few dollars isn’t worth risking your life. If you feel that you have been a victim of a fraud, report the crime immediately. Many manufacturers have toll-free numbers or websites you can visit to file a report. Protect yourself and those around you, shop smart, and learn how to recognize counterfeit performance car accessories.

I read out of an automotive book that for every 1000-ft of elevation, your car loses 3% performance relative to sea level. BUT does anyone know numbers when it comes to air temperature??
(Assuming that the car does not have forced induction)

There is nothing quite like the roar of a V8 engine. Even at idle, V8s have a special quality that seems to get the adrenaline flowing through our veins, making us fantasize about smoke shows and wide open highways. While most V8s sound decent with a stock exhaust, one of the most rewarding modifications in terms of both power and pleasure that you can make to your muscle car is to add an aftermarket exhaust system.

Part of making the most horsepower out of an engine means getting the exhaust gases out as quickly as possible so that fresh air can come in. Tuning an exhaust system to increase gas flow can really help maximize the output of a V8 engine. The first thing to consider is the diameter of the piping. 2.5 inches is the absolute minimum for most V8s, while 3 inches is probably sufficient for all but the most extreme engines. Next, true dual-exhaust gives each exhaust manifold its own direct piping to individual mufflers. An X-pipe, which is a crossover pipe in the shape of an X, can help equalize pressure between the two sides of an exhaust system, as well as reduce any irritating drone that sometimes occurs in high-flow exhaust systems at highway speeds.

Now that you have got the basics installed, it is time to take care of the details. If possible, you should make the effort to replace the stock exhaust manifolds with headers. Headers are special manifolds with a better design when it comes to removing exhaust gases from the engine. They can add horsepower to the engine by making it more efficient.

Next, you will want to consider your catalytic converters. Now, if your vehicle did not come with them, as most did not in the 1960s, then you have nothing to worry about. If you do have them, and you are making upwards of 400 horsepower with your current setup, then you may wish to consider upgrading to high-flow cats. These will reduce the restriction that catalytic converters introduce into the exhaust system.

Finally, muffler choice is largely a function of personal preference when it comes to sound, and minimal restriction when it comes to power. There are a number of different muffler designs out there. Some, like the a cherry bomb style of muffler, use a straight-through design packed with fiberglass that is meant to absorb some of the noise as the exhaust gases pass through. Aside from straight pipes, this is the loudest muffler you can buy. Others use multiple chambers combined with insulation in order to slow the exhaust gases down and reduce the volume of the system. This type of muffler is more restrictive, but gives you a wider choice of tone, from raspy and wild to burbling and powerful.

There are several respected companies to chose from when it comes to performance mufflers, and some of the biggest names are Magnaflow, Borla, and Flowmaster. Many of these companies have sound clips on their websites where you can check out how their various products would sound on your vehicle. Whatever system you decide on, make sure to get it installed by a muffler shop you trust in order to make sure that your system will last you for as long as you own your car.

For the legendary Lamborghini sports car stable of fantastic ultra high performance and styled vehicles it all started with ordinary Fiat automobiles and tractors.

Mr. Lamborghini – fully named – Mr. Ferruccio Lamborghini got his start with Fiats and then went on to a large successful manufacturing concern that grew from a small manufacturing shop into a major producer of tractors. However at a certain point in every person’s life they search out to complete what their real passion is. In the case of Lamborghini was finely styled and crafted motor cars. At 60 years of age, an established manufacturer of agricultural tractors – Mr. Lamborghini – decided that he could a better job of building a high end, beautifully styled, performance racing automobiles than either of the two dominant Italian auto firms of that auto industry sector – Ferrari and Maserati.

The first product out of the door had a chassis that was multi-tubular; the engine was front mounted sporting a 3.5 liter 12 cylinder V-12 engine. The V-12 engine itself was fitted with six Weber carburetors and ran four overhead camshafts. It all clocked at 360 ultra smooth horsepower with the transmission drive being through five speed stick shift. Suspension involved a coil and wishbone independent suspension set up. In one word it was wow – both in terms of performance of the hop as well as the automotive styling.

Although the styling of those early Lamborghini models may be considered standard Italian sports car design – designs which have worked their way into the so called standard “sport scar designs “and “sport scar flair”, at the time it was new and innovative and for the most part if was twenty five years ahead of anything produced in the good old U.S.A. . The one American sports car which might be considered an exception to that point was the Chevrolet Corvette. For years to come nothing else really matched or was similar to the clean aerodynamic lines and styling of the early Lamborghini classic autos.

Even then Lamborghini had such innovative products the establishment and reputation of the Lamborghini product line was no easy road to hoe. Although the first cars were produced in 1963 it was not for two years later – at the Turin Motor Show that the car began to attract solid interest and for the reputation of the car and its studio to grow and begin to become accepted for what it should be.

The first real product of record for Lamborghini was what was marketed as Miura T 400 model automobile. Its first year of manufacture was the 1966 model year. The basic layout and design of the Miura T 400 was a mid-engined coupe with a slightly larger version of the overhead cam engine – the classic V-12 laid out transversely behind the two seats of the car. The rear wheels were then driven by this engine through” spurs gears”. Interestingly the gear boxes and rear axles were Lamborghini products all by themselves -so they shared a lineage that was unique and not the same as any other of the competitor’s models.

What was performance of this little cat? The V-12 engine could pour out a total of 385 barrel horsepower. Top speed of this little coupe was over 180 miles per hour. It could more than carry its weight with the local Italian contenders – even the famed Ferraris.

If the was one complaint from drivers or riders it was of noise levels in the car’s cockpit. It can be said that this was the price to be paid for success or in this case speed and performance. If you cannot stand the heat don’t stay in the kitchen. Certainly the buyers of Lamborghini fine motor cars who bought the product and established the revered name for its performance and advanced styling and forgo this small shortcoming or foible as the car as an assumed fact – even a luxury.

The next model in the Lamborghini stable was introduced approximately two years later. The entire life of the production run of the popular Miura model was nine years – with two cars being produced a week ( a production figure of only 100 or so cars a year). The name of this vehicle was the Espada. For the new Lamborghini model, the Espada, Lamborghini went back to a more standard front engine layout. Perhaps this was in response to concerns over noise levels in the cockpit of the Miura and the need to produce a more “standard” or “civilized “vehicle product. No one really knows what went on in the mind of the genius Ferruccio Lamborghini. However what was retained for sure were the Lamborghini basics – the four liter V-12 massive highly tuned engine with whizzy overhead cams and multiple choke carburetors all putting out massive automotive performance and handling.

In the end it can be said that the Lamborghini automotive and automotive styling and performance legends are more than unique and reek of power, thrust and acceleration.

An exhaust header is an after market automotive part designed to improve vehicle performance. The small gain in performance facilitated by an exhaust header is important to high performance drivers who often make other modifications to their vehicles in order to increase speed. These modifications include the installation of larger intake vents for the engine. An exhaust header modifies the exhaust system to prevent back pressure, meaning that the cylinders do not have to work as hard to push exhaust out as they do in a traditional system. There are different types of exhaust headers depending on the needs of the drivers, with some tuned for low performance and others aimed at high performance on the open road.

In a conventional exhaust system, after the cylinders combust, they push the exhaust out into the exhaust manifold, which routes the exhaust out of the vehicle through the exhaust pipe. However, the exhaust manifold can create a back pressure which pushes against the cylinder, meaning that it has to exert more energy to push the exhaust out and prepare for the next firing. As a result, some efficiency can be lost.

An exhaust header works differently, essentially creating a miniature exhaust pipe for each cylinder and routing the exhaust to a centralized collector which is much larger. The pipes of an exhaust header are bent to fit under the hood and cut to the same length so that the exhaust gases will arrive sequentially in the collector as each cylinder fires. This eliminates the back pressure problem and allows the cylinders to operate more effectively.

Aftermarket headers can be bolted in place of the stock cast-iron headers. Small block headers usually use 1-5/8-inch primary tubes and big-block headers use 1-3/4-inch tubes. An important consideration when choosing headers is quality of materials. Header tubing vary in thickness, but a good quality header should use between 18-gauge and 14-gauge tubing. The metal used in the header is also important. Some headers are mild-steel, which will rust and corrode over time. Headers can be coated, either with a ceramic coating or a high-temperature paint. Using 100% stainless steel construction eliminates the need for coatings, but it is usually out many buyer’s budgets. When headers are shipped, they sometimes come painted. Be aware that this coating is only for rust prevention during shipping, and the paint will not hold up to the heat once the header is installed. When headers are added along with a cat-back exhaust and high-flow catalytic converter, you can usually gain 20-30 horsepower over stock.

In some cases, an exhaust header can be tuned to pull at the exhaust valve of the next cylinder and suck the exhaust out, meaning even less work for the cylinder. Drivers who desire more power for around town driving and better acceleration under a heavy load usually opt for a low performance exhaust header, while drivers who are looking for speed on the open road prefer high performance headers.

A variety of manufacturers make exhaust headers for a dizzying assortment of vehicles, and it is important to install the exhaust header designed for your car. Because exhaust leaks can be dangerous, the exhaust header should be installed with care, or professionally if there is any uncertainty. An improperly installed header could lead to an exhaust leak which vents into the cabin of the vehicle, causing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning in the driver and passengers.

A disheveled Mr. Sweeny hurries into the Social Studies room moments after the bell rings ? late as usual. ?Happy Hump Day!? the class yells. Patrick Sweeny has been teaching Social Studies for thirteen years now. You would think he would have gotten the routine down, but tardiness is no stranger to Mr. Sweeny. He is usually found darting through the halls, in a constant state of disarray ? a pile of books under one arm, a briefcase under the other, coffee in one hand, a brown bag sack lunch in the other.

Style, on the other hand, is foreign language to him ? it went extinct with dinosaurs as far as Patrick Sweeny is concerned. One might think his wardrobe was similar to that of a superhero?s closet, consisting of multiple pairs of the same outfit, but the remnants of chalk dust and pit stains allude to a different, less exciting story.

?Hump day. I wish?? mumbles Mr. Sweeny softly under his breathe. Poor ole Sweeny boy hadn?t enjoyed the company of a woman in years, maybe decades. But can you blame him? Receding hairlines and bad hygiene aren?t exactly in style these days; well, maybe bad hygiene.

?Hey Mr. Sweeny, what are we learning about today?? asked Samantha Wilcott, a future valedictorian.

?Why don?t we start by going over last night?s homework? Everyone please take it out-?

?Sweeny, I want to see you out in the hall,? boomed Principle Harrison?s deep voice. He had the perfect voice for a principle. His vocal chords had the power to send chills down a freshman?s spine, the power to break up a fist fight, the power to sing ?Chocolate Rain.?

The kids in the classroom could hear the bass from Principle Harrison?s voice echoing, ?Sweeny, do you have any idea how many times you?ve been late this year??

Sweeny start to stammer, ?Well? I uh?Can?t recall the exact -?.

?38! 38 days. If you were a student you?d be held back. If you were my kid you?d be grounded. Heck, if this were taxes, you?d be arrested!?

Sweeny just stood there with his head hanging down, finally noticing the chalk dust covering his shirt. ?Point taken Greg.? Greg was Principal Harrison?s first name.

?I don?t mean to come down you, but you need to make it here on time. If you can?t, I will find someone who can.?

Sweeny nodded and returned to the classroom. He wasn?t in the mood for teaching anymore, or for talking at all for that matter. So he passed out a quiz and sat as his desk in silence.

The problem isn?t that he is lazy. The problem is that he is extremely disorganized. From the moment he wakes up, Mr. Sweeny is constantly playing catch up. Today he was out of toothpaste. If it?s not toothpaste he?s out of, it?s milk, or ink for his printer, or something else. He then has to drive over to the supermarket to get his supplies and ends up being late for work.

So how on earth will Sweeny be able to salvage his job, his dignity, and his life? It hit him like Babe Ruth knocking one out of the park. The problem was his car. His beat up little sedan was always having problems. He needed something, like Principle Harrison?s voice, that would let people know that he was coming and they better watch out.

He ended up attaching a growling, earth-shaking performance exhaust in combination with nice throaty air intake.