Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Quem faz mais vitimas? Os acidentes... ou o jornaleirismo português?

Não é gralha! Escrevi e re-escrevo Jornaleirismo. Jornalista é aquele que relata uma noticia com rigor e precisão... enquanto o jornaleirista é aquele que quer vender jornais e por isso vomita mentiras como se estas fossem factos, desde que choquem e façam noticia.
É com tristeza que, no dia de um dos maiores (senão o maior) acidente de sempre na história do país, constato o verdadeiro jornaleirismo da TVI. Tristeza porque conheço bem alguns profissionais da TVI e sei como se dedicam e o nível de profissionalismo que têm, e custa-me que meia duzia de jornaleiristas que lá trabalham contribuam tanto para denegrir tão rápida e cabalmente a imagem da TVI.
Ao que me refiro?
Nas horas que se seguiram ao violento acidente da A25, vários canais de televisão cobriram os acontecimentos. Um deles, a TVI, colocou uma reporter que, durante o seu directo para o TVIJornal afirma "o excesso de velocidade esteve na origem do acidente".
Epahh! Lá que os iliterados dos nossos policias o digam sem raciocinar e porque são obrigados a tal pela maquina de facturação desmedida do estado, até se compreende (muito mal.. mas compreende)... o estado quer é dinheiro e por isso de tudo se serve para estorquir... agora uma jornalista?
Pergunto-me... qual terá sido o instrumento de medida que ela utilizou para chegar a essa brilhante conclusão? Radares TVI? Bandas de pressão TVI? Carro de reportagem com sistema de medição laser TVI?
MAIS, qual o tamanho da coragem e inconsequencia dos vários condutores que passam uma nuvem de nevoeiro a mais de 120km/h???
Se a jornalista tivesse dite Velocidade Excessiva, eu até comia, mas velocidade excessiva é COMPLETAMENTE diferente de excesso de velocidade.
Excesso de velocidade não é mais do que um termo para explicar que um veiculo se desloca para alem do que a lei diz ser permitido no local, e consequentemente, aplicar uma taxa arbitrária além dos impostos exagerados que já pagamos.
Velocidade excessiva, pelo contrário, significa que o veiculo vai com demasiada velocidade para, dadas as condições (do proprio veiculo, da estrada, do tempo, dos outros veiculos, do condutor... etc etc etc), se conseguir imobilizar ou evitar um obstaculo em segurança.
O Excesso de velocidade faz o estado facturar e literalmente roubar os cidadãos... ahh e também vende noticias num país de iliterados que não compreendam a diferença.... por outro lado, a muito perigosa e mortal velocidade excessiva continua a fazer vitimas.

Recomento que vejam ESTE  video sobre o assunto da velocidade e a propaganda sobre a velocidade.

A triste realidade desse acidente, é comum a todos os grandes acidentes deste país. UMA VIATURA PESADA. Sem surpresas para quem utilizar alguns neuróneos, quanto mais massa em movimento, mas espaço ocupa, mais dificil é de contrariar o movimento (inercia) e como consequencia directa maiores os estragos que provoca. Alem do mais, os veiculos pesados são altos e não têm protecção das zonas de carga para que quando um veiculos ligeiro embater neles, possam evitar danos perigosos.
É absurdo que se invista tanto dinheiro em desenvolvimento de sistemas de segurança de ligeiros, e depois de negligencie o facto de ao embatro num pesado apenas os pilares "A" contribuem para parar o carro provocando inevitavelmente fatalidades.

Também me parece que (e agora ataco quase TODAS as reportagens de TODOS os canais) deviam por em rodapé das reportagens em que insistem a dizer que um dos carros era GPL, um banner a dizer "noticia patrocinada pela GALP/REPSOL/BP". É absurdo principalmente quando na mesma reportagem se ouve o comandante dos bombeiros a dizer que a viatura é gpl mas o tanque não rebentou.

O jornaleirismo está demasiado presente! O que é feito dos nossos jornalistas?

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The Green disease continues to make victims.

I can't say I'm actually sad about the recent news "Emissions regs to kill Honda Civic Type-R in most of Europe at end of 2010". The 3rd generation Civic is crap in Europe anyway... they only produce-it with independent rear suspension in Japan, so the European version is far worse than the 1st and 2nd generation.

The reality however, is that the K20A, Honda's new B16A is about to die with it... and that, that's just catastrophic. The K20A is an engine with a huge potential... and that Green virus is just cutting it's life just too short.

If I was heading Honda Europe, I would just fit a larger catalytic converter, in a pipe with 6 EASY-TO-REMOVE screws, and then explain that it's the exact same engine. Then, just like it happens with the S2000, the owners unbolt the 6 screws and replace the pipe with a "test-pipe"... and off they go.

Green madness is really something that is stupidity everyone and making cars worse.
Open your eyes, people, here are simple facts:
   - Hybrids consume more petrol than a normal car, because they are HEAVY. And unless you drive always in it's hybrid zone (something you'l never ever do in a traffic day... or in a fast trip). Check this video and watch a Pirus that consumes MORE than a BMW M3
   - The creation of batteries and the recycling of used batteries makes a HUGE IMPACT on the environment.
   - The full electric car uses even more battery, and has even more weight, ultimately being less efficient and creating a bigger impact on the environment.
   - The Full electric car will need a full overnight charge, consuming electric energy from the power-grid, that was created...generating an even bigger carbon footprint. Ultimately it will render our days power-grid insufficient and create an even bigger investment and ultimately carbon footprint.
  - And the diesel, although much better than an hybrid or a electric car, emits not only carbon dioxide, but real carbon particles... ever wondered why our city's are getting they building dirtier and why your tissue comes with little black particles when you sneeze!?

The only really environmental friendly car, is the Hydrogen fuel cell car. And just like Jay Leno (SPOT ON) says "just like the automobile was the savior of the horse, this is the savior of our cars."

Check this excellent article.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Another Point Taken!

Everyone that knows me, also know that, to my point of view, the LAST Godzilla was the Skiline R34V-SpecII. That i don't consider the R35GTR worthy of the Godzilla Badge and so rightfully named GTR instead of Skyline GTR.
I've always said that the same car and all it's marvel tech would be best used with a real engine. And anyone that knows me, also knows I hate 99.9% of all V engines. The R35GTR should have an RB26DETT engine and be called the Skyline R35 GTR.... but then Renault brought Nissan and with it the Green disease infected the big Japanese giant. As a result, one of the glorious engines in existence was replaced by an "americanish V crap".

The following link shows just how much the RB26DETT is superior to a crappy V6.
Again, as I've always stated, the V engine is no match for an inline. And the Green disease is just killing the fun in driving cars...and producing them.

Boy I hate to be right all the time.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

The sad news of Mr Hiromu Naruso's death makes me think we are getting out of geniuses in todays car R&D

There are very few names in the Japanese Car industry that really make the R&D departments produce interesting products.

Hiromu Naruso was on of those few. He was Toyota's Master Driver. The Man responsible for Toyota's best products of all times: The 2000Gt, The AE86, The Celica, The MR2, The Supra, The Altezza ... and evidently the LFA.
Within some of it's numerous qualities was the being able to push the R&D into creating passionate products that the customer thought to be "tasty" and that he would never "try to stop tasting a bit more".

With the death of Naruso, the Japanese car industry looses one of it's drivers (as in someone driving the big R&D department and steering it way form the hybrid prius route).

This creates a similar (extremely sad) feeling in me as the death of Senna did. Senna was very involved into R&D of both Honda's racing and production cars.

There is one of those geniuses left, but seams to me that the company that he's worked all he's life for, has lost it's essence. I'm Talking of Shigeru Euhara. The man behind the NSX (together with Senna) and the Honda S2000. Guess that if Honda continues it's hybrid crap madness, Shigeru should apply for a job at Toyota and continue Hiromu's legacy... at least there they do produce cars and not just prius.

I think that TopGear may have just reduced my "Japanese recession" depression quite a bit.

I was working and as usual, I'm listening to TopGear via Minitube (yes.. I do use Linux... how could a Efficiency oriented person use windows anyway!?). Why listening? Because I need concentration and normally I listen to things... only diverting my attention to the video when something real special POP's-UP.

And it DID! I heard a very distinct whooooaaaaaaaaaaa followed by "it's called the LFA". Evidently the eyes turned away from the code and got fixed into the Minitube window.

For those of you that read my blog or know-me in person, its very clear to you that I'm suffering with this GREEN mania that is infecting the Japanese automotive industry.
Honda, a brand that meant everything to me, killed the S2000, killed the NSX and then unhappy with all this nonsense created a CivicType-r replacement heavier then the previous one and with a cheaper and ultimately worse rear suspension.
Toyota Killed the Supra.
Nissan Killed the Skyline and it's glorious in-line 6 bi-turbo engine.
Mazda re-created the Renesis and that was fine... if it was bi-turbo... but it isn't.
Subaru is making uglier cars by the minute... and stopped evolving it's car, widening the Lancer Evolution's superiority gap.
Mitsubishi... well mitsubishi at least is working right.

But now Lexus... A.K.A. Toyota shows a department that survived the GREEN disease devastation.

Now TOPGEAR... don't say that Lexus never created a supercar, Lexus is Toyota... and Toyota created the Supracar.
This LFA is very very interesting, I know, it's a V10... ok, not perfect, but it's a V10 with the size of a V8, the weight of a V6 and the lightness of an Inline 6 or 4, soooo it's actualy very OK!
And it produces 552Bhp from just 4.8 liters... that's 115Bhp/liter... well above my 100Bhp/liter minimum acceptance mark. And of course, being a proper car, redline starts at 9000rpm witch is perfect.

Go go Toyota, finally I no longer look at you as the company that used to build cars and now builds... prius!

Guess that the 115Bhp/liter of that V10 still makes me thing that the now dead Honda NSX Replacement project might have a 125Bhp/liter V10, since it's projects remainings (the Japans Super GT championship HSV-010-GT) are racing on a 3.8liter V8 producing 500Bhp...131.5Bhp/Liter
The sound, at least is very promising.
;)

The Full Video

Road & Track December 2009 Samurai Warrior Lexus LFA Japan's Newest Supercar Nissan GT-RAutomobile December 2009 Satanic Lexus LFA Unmasked

Monday, August 9, 2010

There's more to a car than just it's engine!

Why this post?
Well... 2 reasons actually:
1st - One of my friends had a fiesta (just like I used to have). But she changed to a Golf and replied to my Email stating that "I now have quite a machine... a golf 2.0".
2nd - I loved the TopGear review on the new Fiesta and was thinking on posting it anyway.

Now about the first part. Some people think that a fast car is a car with a big engine... well, it isn't. A fast car is a car with a good and lightweight chassis, and a big power to weight ratio, delivered through a linear elastic engine with high specific power.
Why I think my friend has gone from an excellent car down to an ordinary one?
Just like the old Fiesta Mk4 Vs the Golf Mk4, the new Fiesta is a more nimble car than the new Golf. One might say that the Golf should be compared to a Focus and the Polo with the Fiesta... but again, the FORDS would win chassis wise.

Nothing has changed with the new versions chassis... the golf has a good chassis, just like the mk4 golf had... but the fiesta has something of a wonderful chassis, just like it's grandpa Mk4 had.
On the engine side, however, the OLD Mk4 golf had the VERY best 4 cylinder diesel in the world. The PD115/130/150 8V 1.9 TDI was such a joy of an engine. The 2.0 16V on the other hand was never half as brilliant as that... not surprising since the 8v engines favor low end torque witch is the ONLY think you really want in a Diesel.

So, to conclude my thoughts:
Does my Friend has a car that is more comfortable? Sure!
Faster is a straight line? Sure!
BUT
Does it handle better? NO!
Does it break better (and I'm not talking about ONE 100-to-0 stop, but rather a couple of hot laps)? NO!
Is it more expensive? YEP?
AND THEN AGAIN...
Is Portugal a place with big straight Autobahns? NO
SO ULTIMATELY...
Not my choice at all.

And on that thoughts, I tell you a story of another friend that owned an Mk4 PD130 Golf, and now changed... not to the new golf, but rather a Peugeot 207 Rally... I WONDER WHY THAT WAS!?

Sure the Golf is a good car, but buying one, consider that you are buying comfort and straight line speed... never ever try to consider it better than a cheaper car with a better chassis and some very competitive engines, because if you happen to find one on a B-Road, you might just get humiliated. ;)

The Fiesta is such a joy of a car, that even Jeremy Clarkson (the man that could corrode stainless steel with a 3 word phrase) liked it. Indeed Jeremy performed one of the most brilliant tests I've ever Ever seen. It's funny, it backfires all over an idiot fan's letter, but best of all, it really test's the fiesta in a number of ways that just make a lot of sense. Handling, agility, power-to-weight & to-traction-configuration ratio... and best of all ABUSE. Way to go Jezza.
Clarkson Tests the new Fiesta Part 1
Clarkson Tests the new Fiesta Part 2

My Old Fiesta on the track part 1
My Old Fiesta on the track part 2
My Old Fiesta on the track part 3

Never Before Shigeru Euhara San's words made so much sense to me

Shigeru Uehara Was the chief engineer for the best project Honda has ever made. The NSX and The S2000.

Shigeru Uehara San – 12th April 2009 – Trentino, Italy
The Speech Video

GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY

Thank you for inviting me to this very special event.
Today I’m so excited and pleased to be here because this is the first chance for me to actually meet and speak to S2000 owners in Europe.
I can see that you all love your S2000 very much and as the
person who created the car I am really happy and feel very
much honoured about that The target for the S2000 was to realise both the dynamic performance of a ‘REAL-SPORTS’ and the relief of an ‘OPEN CAR’.

It has its roots in S600 and S800.
38 years ago – at that time I had just started at Honda – I admired the S800 and drove one myself. The high revving engine, the secure handling, the sense of freedom of an open
car, all this gave to me and my later wife great fun and pleasure.
Time has passed and for Honda’s 50th annniversary we began a project to revive the ‘S’. Of course, this was meant to be the new ‘S’, not the old ‘S’, but the legendary heritage was still present.

The concept of the S2000 was ‘Real-Open-Sports’ and we decided to refine the car under European environments. We built the ‘S’ and tested it on a different kind of roads in Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy and the UK under various conditions.
I even do remember to have been close to here, Trento, on early research stage during a test drive.

Now this is how the one and only S2000 was born.
This means, the place where you can drive an S2000 really like an S2000, rev the engine up to 9000 rpm and take full advantage of its potential, is Europe.
So in that respect you are all very lucky.

This year it is the 10th anniversary of the S2000 and it will also be its final year of production.
In those ten years, 110,000 customers around the world bought an S2000 and have shown their appreciation for ‘Real-Open-Sports’.

For these people man and machine become unified and with the high revving engine, the accurate shifting they take the challenge of winding roads with the freedom of an open roof.
Please take good care of your S2000, keep it by your side for long and enjoy it from the bottom of your heart. And share the quality and legacy of the S2000 with many friends so that the legend of the S2000 will continue for long

Today, I sincerely want to thank all of you to have gone all the way with your S2000

Ladies and gentleman thank you very much!

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The words "Please take good care of your S2000, keep it by your side for long and enjoy it from the bottom of your heart." now evidently translate to: Keep them because the idiots at the board are planning to do nothing but Hybrids from now on.

And the words "And share the quality and legacy of the S2000 with many friends so that the legend of the S2000 will continue for long" now translates to: Since they might not have one and now that they can no longer buy one, let them know how a CAR should feel like.


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