Future of Cars?

The question I see that keeps coming up is the future of cars, and what there uses will be in the future.  The technological revolution for cars is coming, and you would have to be ignorant to see otherwise.  Many leading experts in the field of self driving cars say that the process in making a completely automated car system is under way and expected to appear in the next 20 years.  The other question that is being asked is the future fuel source for these automobiles.  Since the green revolution is starting to appear I believe that the main fuel source for these vehicles will be electricity.  Electricity is a clean and cheap fuel source that is becoming more readily available everyday.  These two innovations will change the human perception of the car as we know it.  These changes will be met with great challenges, but as most great innovations, will progress over time and eventually be at a completed state.  Self-Driving cars have the biggest obstacle to face as the technology is still being fleshed out and developed even as we speak.  Although technology is exponential, so a few more leaps and bounds later, this idea of a completely computerized car becomes much more feasible.   

Regardless of what happens, these opinions are my own, and my opinions are made from what I see happening in science, technology and speculation of the path of the car industry.  

BMW DYNO RUN

Just some info on horsepower on my friends BMW 135i

Trucks In America

In today’s car market in America there are several big names that produce pickup trucks.  Pickup trucks are most popular in America, and see little use overseas compared to the vast quantity of them here.  With so many options from so many companies the question of which truck is superior could become a very daunting question.  In this week’s blog post I will highlight some of my personal favorite pickup trucks that are currently on the road.  As a man that already drives a Ford vehicle, I’ll start with Fords most famous entry into the full size truck category.  The Ford-150 has been a pinnacle of Ford trucks for quite some time now, mostly for the last two decades.  The new Ford – 150 is very impressive from its V6 ecofriendly engine, which takes the fuel efficiency of a V6, but you receive the power of a V8.  It also has one of the highest towing abilities ever in a truck and is made mostly out of aluminum to help save gas, and promote style.  A good comparison to this truck is another American made one, the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500.  Again, the numbers pretty much are meaningless, but that’s how the trucks are defined by companies today.  The Silverado excels with having a quiet, smooth ride and seems to focus on more of the riders experience than towing large amounts of goods.  This makes it seem like both of the companies are looking for a different target audience when creating and marketing these trucks. The thing is, if you buy a truck to get dirty and use for work, the Ford is seemingly the better option.  The first foreign made truck is made by the Japanese company Toyota.  Toyota, which excels in efficiency and lean management, makes its trucks with very little waste.  The Tundra excels in with having a very spacious and roomy interior.  The car also utilizes a number of smart features and is considered the most technically advanced car in the market currently.  It is also one of the safest trucks available, but it doesn’t give it the edge over its domestic rivals.  The transmission is already having known issues and is told to be not very smooth when shifting into another gear.  The truck also gets low fuel mileage compared to the other two models.  The Tundra gets about 16/20 mpg and this is considered quite low in the full size trucking category.  Finally the last truck I will cover is the Ram 1500.  The Ram is made by Dodge, another American car manufacturer and the number is also seemingly meaningless.  The Dodge is very good at two things especially, fuel economy and a very nice, premium interior.  The interior is quite the upgrade from last years from what most of the cars critics say.  The Ram though suffers from a sluggish V6 engine that struggles once the truck reaches highway speeds.  The cabin in the truck is considered best in class and is tricky to maneuver in tight areas.  I hope this little review helped you guys decide which truck you like best!       

Ford Escape

Personally I drive a 2003 Ford Escape XLT sport edition.  I purchased with the help of my parents at the age of 17.  It has served me quite well for the past 5 years,and it has no known current mechanical problems.  My favorite thing about the escape is that though it is a road SUV it has 4X4 and can go off roads with ease.  It has gotten me through water, mud, and layers upon layers of snow.  Before I had this car, getting out of my drive way at home was always a hassle.  When we got the escape I never got stuck in the drive way again.  At least not yet anyway.  The escape has a solid frame and the only accident was from me clipping a guy this summer.  That is driver fault rather than mechanical issues.  Even with that the body and paint held up well and most of the dents popped out with ease.  The escape is now 11 years old and counting and it is still running fine, with only minor electrical fixes so far.  If anyone you know is looking for a semi-cheap reliable car, from personal experience, the Ford Escape is a fine choice.

Frank Interview

Grand Cherokee

I have always been a big fan of jeeps so here is one of my good friends.  It is to a jacked up Jeep Grand Cherokee.  Jeeps are not typically seen on the race tracks, and would seldom take a sharp turn one. They are very durable vehicles, with outstanding off road capabilities though.  I have rode personally several times with my friend in very bad conditions and have come out unscathed from the ability of the jeep to climb out of obstacles.  The jeep also has a 2 inch lift on 20 inch mudding tires giving it even more grip and control.  The jeep can either be in front wheel drive or 4 wheel drive, and it is changed by a lever that the driver controls.  It also being a Grand Cherokee has a very luxurious interior consisting of a nice leather and with heated seats and all the other luxuries of modern cars.  It can be seen as the best of both worlds if you afford to fill the gas tank, which in reality drains rather quickly.  My friend pays a pretty penny to fill the gas tank of the car and says that it is one of the cars few downfalls.  He has purchased a small Chevrolet Cavalier to fix this problem.  Another great thing about this vehicle is the styling of it as it has nice trim, and is in great condition both aesthetically and mechanically.  Overall, if you are into fun vehicles, with a moderate price tag, this is a good one.     

The 300zx

Mercedes

First Post!

The first thing that got me truly into the concept of the world of cars was my father’s Pontiac GXP.  This car had the body of a boat, but the engine of a train.  He would always give it a little gas giving myself a temporary adrenaline boost.  Growing up in central Pennsylvania most people either have a cool jeep or car, just furthering my love of the auto mechanical trade.  One of my favorite television shows growing up was the show Top Gear, it stars three knowledgeable British hosts as they test and review all types of cars from Ferraris to Ford.  This show has a huge cult following, and is known as one of the most popular shows globally today.  The cinematography on that show is also one of the craziest I ever seen, they go through the world’s most visually appealing roads, taking BBC funded cameras recording at probably the highest quality available today.  My good friend Zach owns my dream car, a Nissan 1992 300zx.  This car is the car that one day after I graduate after this year (knock on wood) to purchase and build up from maybe an old clunker back to its former glory.  The process could take several years, but the journey is just as good as the reward.  Almost at least.  Next, let me tell you why I think the 300zx is a great vehicle. 

First off the 300zx is a very visually appealing car, with its more laid back for a twin turbo’d car.  With a wide wheel base it can take curves at a very high speed with almost no chance of loss of control, a virtually no chance in rolling.  Another great thing about taking a curve with a “Fairlady Z” is that some models in the Z32 series had an active rear wheel steering system nicknamed “Super HICAS”.  This rear wheel steering is activated by a sensor telling on how sharp the front wheels are moving, gradually moving the rear wheels a few degrees, this adds stability and safety in those corners.  The 300zx had a few iterations over its life span with several features added on it.  They had both automatic, manual, single turbo and dual turbo.  The rarest of the cars sold was the twin turbo, the twin turbo typically sold about 2000-20000 units and the prices can be higher for this matter of rarity.  The 300zx later went on to become the 350z, then later into the current 375z model.  These are a few of Nissans most popular cars in America and abroad spanning multiple generations. 

Next post I plan on writing about a Jeep maybe, as another good friend owned a lifted one, several years ago.  I will continue to post pictures and the occasional text post discussing cars or even vehicles in general.  Also if anyone has any cool vehicles to post, please don’t be hesitant to send me yours!  Once again thank you for taking your time and reading this, and please follow and discuss!

Welcome!

Hello, my name is Charlie and I am currently a senior at a small private Christian college in western Pennsylvania.  For a class I have to complete a blog on something that I consider my passion.  The Race Track is a blog aimed at showing my passion for cars and other motor vehicles.  I have had this passion for quite some time and have always been interested in mechanical and electrical aspects of cars.  Cars to me are the thing to me that puts fire in my heart, as I've always dreamed of building a car since a very young age.   This page will be updated frequently with pictures and posts of cars doing what they do best, going fast.  I will try my best to continue to keep up with this blog, and will try to only give the highest quality material. 

              

  Other than pictures of cars, there will be posts explaining how certain car parts work, reviews of cars that pique my interest and sometimes the process of modification can be explained.  Most of the posts will focus on my personal favorite type of cars, imports, and sometimes luxury or muscle.  If you are also a car enthusiast, please feel free to contact me on how I can continue to make this blog grow, and continue to escalate in quality.  Also, if you would like to promote or in any ways collaborate with this blog do not hesitate to contact me.  Thanks for your taking your time reading this and I hope you follow my blog!