Automotive

Choosing the Best Car Rental Service

There are many different reasons why people choose to rent a car. It could be because they are on an out-of town or out-of-country trip and need a means of transportation for a certain period of time. It could also be because their cars are being repaired and need another car replacement for short period of time. Whatever the reasons are for hiring or renting a vehicle, often the a main concern for these users is how to select the best car rental company among the numerous agencies available.

In leasing for a vehicle, one always try to get the best possible car at a great price. Start by outlining the budget on car rental. It is best to allot a certain amount that may be slightly over than what is actually needed to be prepared for whatever may come up. Then set out and determine the kind of car is needed. An in-depth information about the car to be rented is very important. Good gas mileage is also a key element in choosing the right car. Be sure to know and remember that trucks, sport utility vehicles and other large cars may be appealing for their capacity or appearance but these car types eat a lot of fuel on the road. The number of passengers needed for the car may also play an important role in deciding which car to rent as to its seating capacity. The make of the car must also be taken into consideration in choosing a car. A sleek car may have a higher chance of breaking down if taken to a rough road or area when it is only suitable in a smooth road or freeway drive. Various cars should be examined for quality to choose the best possible car.

Next step is to look for is the car rental company. This part may prove to be hard as one may search the yellow pages and internet and be lost with the abundant number of companies offering car rental services. It is a must, especially for first time users of car rental agencies, to pick a reputable if not large rental company to assure the user there are no tricks in the deal and that the cars are in good running condition. In an online shopping for car rentals, the user or shopper may find coupons on a particular size and kind of car. These coupons may be printed out or used directly online to avail a slightly bigger vehicle of the same price. The user may also compare the rates provided by various companies. One company may offer a lower cost than the others but the vehicles are in not so good working condition so one must choose the best practical deal available.

The policy and rental agreement of the company must be read and understood carefully prior to rental to be aware of the rules and their implications. If the rental company and car are already chosen, before leaving the lot or location where the rented car is parked, identify if there are already present scratches or clings. If there are part of the car such as the wind shield wipers, which do not work properly, it would be wise to ask for a replacement.

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Volvo Leads New Research To Improve Road Safety For Cyclists

Volvo Leads New Research To Improve Road Safety For Cyclists A new body of research is looking at ways to keep cyclists safer on the road.
Current data shows that fatal accidents involving a bicycle are on the rise.
The study is based on regulatory procedures for pedestrian head protection.
Swedish carmaker Volvo and top Swedish sports and safety brand POC are forming a partnership. We all know Volvo is a stickler for safety, so this comes as no surprise. However, their latest research focuses on protecting cyclists and improving road safety for all. So, how do they do it?
By developing the world’s first car-bike helmet crash test.
The new crash tests are based on current regulatory test procedures for pedestrian head protection. The tests are ongoing at Volvo’s renowned safety research facility in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Setting The Stage
I must admit, I’m not fond of cyclists on the actual road itself because of the safety risk. And I only loathe cyclists who lack discipline or those with no discernible idea about road safety. Otherwise, I have no beef sharing the tarmac with bicycle riders. Our two-wheeled, pedal-powered friends are working for a living just like you and I. They pay their fair share of taxes, and they have every right to hog the bicycle lane. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same warm feelings – I’m looking at you, Clarkson.
If you combine traffic gridlock, deadlines, and a grumbling stomach on the way to work on a cold and drizzly morning, we all know the result is utter chaos. And when you think about it, cyclists are the most vulnerable. A bicycle, for example, doesn’t have bumpers, airbags, or a steel body and chassis to protect the rider.
The latest Volvo and POC research project will benefit both drivers and riders, and will inevitably benefit all consumers in the end. This study will help POC make safer helmets and safety gear. On the other side of the spectrum, the research allows Volvo to develop a new array of vehicle safety features to protect cyclists and pedestrians alike.
“This project with POC is a good example of our pioneering spirit in safety,” said Malin Ekholm, head of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre and one of the company’s leading safety engineers. “We often develop new testing methods for challenging traffic scenarios.”
Volvo’s Cyclist Detection uses cameras and radar to warn the driver of an imminent collision with a cyclist. Photo: Volvo Cars.
Related: A brief history of the safety features in your car.
Road Safety For Cyclists: The Grim Reality
This latest study by Volvo and POC couldn’t have arrived at a better time. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 1,000 bicyclists died in 2015, and there were 467,000 bicycle-related injuries in the same timeframe. More troubling are the results of a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the same year. The data shows a declining number in overall bicycle accidents, but there’s a catch: the number of fatal accidents increased by 12 percent.
However, it’s not rosy in other countries like the United Kingdom either. The results of a road casualties report by the UK Department for Transport in 2016 shows cyclists are 15 times more likely to be killed or fatally injured on Britain’s roads than motorists. Considering there are an average of 1.7 million people that cycle to work every day in the UK as of 2017, it’s only timely for Volvo and POC to conduct these deeper studies. One of these is to make a direct comparison between wearing a helmet and not when riding a bike.
Partners In Safety
To date, POC has sixty international awards for safety, innovation, and design. KTH Royal Institute of Technology, MIPS, and Autoliv are also participating in the project, which is partially financed by Vinnova. The results will be made publicly available in time.
“Much like Volvo Cars, safety is at the very center of our mission and drives all our ideas and innovations,” said Oscar Huss, Head of Product Development at POC. “By working closely with scientific leaders in the POC Lab we strive to lead the way in introducing new safety ideas.”
Specially-designed crash tests are ongoing at Volvo’s research facilities in Gothenburg, Sweden. The effort is part of a wider research project to understand the types of long-term injuries sustained by cyclists. Photo: Volvo Car Group.
Related: Keeping man’s best friend safe: the science behind pet safety in your car.
The Silver Lining
If you’re a cyclist, then what Volvo and POC are doing will benefit you in the future. In an effort to reduce fatalities and injuries, Volvo will use crash dummy heads wearing POC bike helmets. The dummy is mounted on a testing rig, then launched on different areas of the hood of a stationary Volvo car. The dummy head is thrown at different angles and speeds to gather any necessary and essential data.
“Certification standards are essential,” Huss said. “But they should never limit our willingness to look beyond their parameters to find better and more innovative ways to reduce the consequences of accidents.”
If you compare this with existing bike helmet testing procedures, the old method is as primitive as making tools out of stones and pieces of wood. Manufacturers test bicycle helmets by simply dropping the helmets from differing heights on a flat or angled surface, and that’s it. What’s interesting is how previous test procedures didn’t take into account potential accidents between cars and bicycles, which can exist on the road at any given moment.
During the tests, a technician mounts POC bike helmets worn by crash dummy heads on a rig. They are then launched towards different areas of the hood of a static Volvo car. Photo: Volvo Car Group.
Volvo Safety Technologies: Yesterday & Today
Using data from the bicycle helmet crash tests, Volvo can further develop its array of active safety technologies. Chief among those is Cyclist Detection. The system uses the vehicle’s camera and radar to detect cyclists, warning the driver of an imminent collision, and engaging the brakes if necessary. Inevitably, new safety technologies like this will (or should) trickle down to future cars in the interest of public safety. It was, after all, from Volvo that we receive the single greatest passive safety device in history.
Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin developed the three-point safety belt in 1958 after then Volvo president Gunnar Engellau lost a loved one in an accident. Bohlin’s groundbreaking design formed a “V” with the peak facing down to better secure a driver’s upper and lower body. It’s estimated that over one million lives have been saved as a result of Volvo waiving its patent rights.
“Our aim is not only to meet legal requirements or pass rating tests,” Ekholm said. “Instead, we go beyond ratings, using real traffic situations to develop technology that further improves safety.”
Alvin Reyes is the Associate Editor of Automoblog. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.

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Letter From The UK: A Breed Apart

Letter From The UK: A Breed Apart

A small green jewel of an island in the middle of the Irish Sea is home to one of the most exciting and nerve-shredding Motorsports events anywhere on the planet. Although it is part of the United Kingdom, the Isle Of Man has its own parliament and government which have competence over all domestic matters.
This makes a difference.
The Race
As long ago as 1907, a group of enthusiasts decided they would stage an “auto-cycle” race around the island and thus, the Tourist Trophy was born. Today, Tourist Trophy Week attracts riders and supporters from all over the world. Handily, TT also stands for Time Trial which is what this race is.
It is a two-wheeled spectacular; motorbike rider and machine pitting themselves against the clock on an island circuit comprised entirely of closed public roads. Competitors encounter stone walls, hedgerows, drain covers, and high curbs all of which are hard, unyielding, and deadly. The Snaefell Mountain Course is 37.73 miles long and races can comprise one to six laps, so the Senior TT bikes will cover 226 miles in one race and – I can’t stress this enough – the record for the average speed per 37.73 mile lap, AVERAGE, is currently 133.962mph. The men and women who wrestle these mighty machines around the lumpy, bumpy streets of the Isle of Man are truly a breed apart.
Death Ever Present
Tragically, scarcely a year goes by without someone getting killed in often a horrendous accident. One slip, one brush against a curb and all is lost. During this year’s TT competition which finished last week, it is sad to report that three riders died in crashes and a couple were injured and this is the point. In the UK generally the great gods of health & safety rule. They have their humorless clipboard-toting acolytes who go around preventing people from doing the things they enjoy. To say our nation is risk-averse is to put it mildly. If the authorities could make us all wear personal safety roll cages whenever we left the house they would.
The Isle of Man does it differently. They believe that, all reasonable safety precautions being taken, if riders want to put themselves at hazard then they should be allowed to do so. This is a mature and sensible attitude. Furthermore, the competitors and their families know the risks. It stares them in the face. If someone is killed there is usually a moment of reflection for other riders before their machine is pushed up to the start line. Over 200 motorcycle stalwarts have died over the years and yet still they come in their droves. The race week has never been so well supported.
The trouble is, if you like to go fast then it is in your blood. Many competitors crave the excitement and, yes, the fear, as a starving man would crave a piece of bread. The fact is that here on the cracked and broken mainlands of Britain and elsewhere in the world, much motor racing on two or four wheels has to an extent been slightly muted by rules and regulations. Nobody wants to bear witness to death but, in my view, racing has become, if not dull, at least a little pedestrian at times.
Isle Of Man TT. Photo: Creative Commons.
Racing Relics
Obviously, there’s still plenty of exciting motor racing around. The last race of this weekend’s British Touring Car Championship demonstrated that but, like an insidious disease, I worry slowly but surely the rot will set in. I can’t speak for the rules in the USA but to me it seems that American Motorsport appears less afflicted by the excesses of health and safety. I for one love to watch any NASCAR or IndyCar racing I can find on the television, but I can’t say the same about Formula One. Increasingly, the bloated and money-obsessed F1 circus is staged on brand new circuits that are like giant car parks with huge run-off areas and a boring track design that leaves spectators remote from the action.
Many of the grand old circuits of the past hardly get a look in now. Monaco survives, thanks to the glamour, but the days of seeing Grand Prix cars sweeping up the corkscrew that is Eau Rouge at Spa are long gone. Accidents by their very nature are just that. No one can predict the unknowable. Essentially what I am saying is that if we insist on yet another safety precaution every time someone dies, where does it end? How safe does Motorsport have to become before it turns into a parade?
Eau Rouge & Raidillon, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, October 1997. Photo: Creative Commons.

Good Old Days On Film
This writer recently watch a current documentary film about the New Zealand racer, Bruce McLaren. What struck me most was just how exciting the racing was in those gung-ho days. No track-side barriers, no run-off gravel areas, just man and machine dicing with the devil. History shows these racers were at the edge of the abyss yet they still pushed the limits. Technology has made our race cars safe for drivers which is good, but has it taken away the spirit of derring-do?
Need For Speed
The need for speed is in us, but eroded by society. The need to take risks is an urge laying dormant just below the veneer of our daily humdrum lives. This other breed embraces that urge fully. If you ask them why, they probably could not give a fully coherent answer. It’s the buzz, they say. It’s the charge. It’s the blast. Two wheels aren’t enough for me personally, but give me four and I get it.
Geoff Maxted is a motoring writer, photographer, and author of our Letter From The UK series. Follow his work on Twitter: @DriveWrite
Cover Photo: A. G. Lloyd-Jones.

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General Motors Assembles First Round of Driverless Test Vehicles

General Motors Assembles First Round of Driverless Test Vehicles

General Motors recently announced the completed production of 130 self-driving Chevrolet Bolt EV test vehicles. The fleet is equipped with GM’s latest autonomous technology, and will join the more than 50 other Bolt EV test vehicles already in service.
Currently, GM is conducting testing in San Francisco, Scottsdale, and Detroit.
Future Goals
GM became the first automaker to assemble driverless test vehicles in a mass-production facility when the fleet of self-driving Chevrolet Bolt EV test vehicles began coming down the line at Orion Township Assembly in January.
“This production milestone brings us one step closer to making our vision of personal mobility a reality,” said GM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra.
Each Bolt EV test vehicle is equipped with LIDAR, cameras, sensors, and other components necessary for automated driving. GM will leverage the technology to further develop a safe and reliable fully automated vehicle.
“Expansion of our real-world test fleet will help ensure that our self-driving vehicles meet the same strict standards for safety and quality that we build into all of our vehicles,” Barra explained.
Partnership Approach
In March of last year, GM acquired Cruise Automation, a San Francisco company focused on autonomous driving programs and software. Chief Executive Officer Kyle Vogt believes the forthcoming fleet of Bolt EVs are essential.
“To achieve what we want from self-driving cars, we must deploy them at scale,” he said. “By developing the next-generation self-driving platform in San Francisco and manufacturing these cars in Michigan, we are creating the safest and most consistent conditions to bring our cars to the most challenging urban roads that we can find.”
GM and Cruise Automation have been testing driverless Bolt EVs on public roads in San Francisco and Scottsdale since June 2016. In January, the two companies began testing vehicles on public roads in Warren, Michigan. According to Cruise Automation’s website, the company is hiring additional engineers who are passionate about the field of automated driving.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
Photo: General Motors.
Photos & Source: General Motors, Cruise Automation.

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Audi Demonstrates Piloted Driving Technology In New York

Audi Demonstrates Piloted Driving Technology In New York

Audi became the first automaker to showcase an automated vehicle in New York during an event near the state’s capital in Albany earlier today. The company demonstrated what they call Audi Highway Pilot technology, a Level 3 designation with regard to autonomous driving from the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Those in attendance, including legislators, media, stakeholders, and their respective staffs received rides and in-depth demonstrations on the technology.
Currently, no vehicle on the road today surpasses Level 2 automation. Level 3, known as Conditional Automation, is a another step forward for proponents of automated driving.
“Audi, with the partnership of forward-thinking states like New York, are at the forefront of defining the future of transportation,” said Scott Keogh, President of Audi of America.
Sensor Fusion
Audi Highway Pilot technology is capable of sending a given vehicle to highway speeds when conditions allow. The system meets rigorous safety standards with its advanced sensors, cameras, lasers, and artificial intelligence. This “sensor fusion” approach allows the vehicle to control the acceleration, braking, and steering, while responding to road inputs without driver intervention. During the demonstrations, two Audi engineers were in the vehicle to monitor the system, ensure safety, and answer questions. The vehicle Audi used for the event has already recorded thousands of miles on limited access roads and highways across the United States.
Photo: Audi of America, Inc.
New Legislation
New York recently approved Audi to conduct autonomous testing within the state. Audi is the first automaker to receive approval since Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the state was accepting applications from companies interested in testing their autonomous vehicles on public roads. Furthermore, new legislation included in New York’s fiscal year 2018 budget accounts for testing driverless technology via a year-long pilot program. Proponents of automated driving point to a range of benefits: improved infrastructure, reduced emissions, and accident-free roads chief among them.
“That kind of innovation only happens with industry and government working hand-in-hand toward a shared goal of safer roads,” Keogh said.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
Levels of automated driving as defined by SAE:
Level 0 – No Automation: The full-time performance by the human driver of all aspects of the dynamic driving task, even when enhanced by warning or intervention systems.
Level 1 – Driver Assistance: The driving mode-specific execution by a driver assistance system of either steering or acceleration/deceleration using information about the driving environment and with the expectation that the human driver performs all remaining aspects of the dynamic driving task.
Level 2 – Partial Automation: The driving mode-specific execution by one or more driver assistance systems of both steering and acceleration/deceleration using information about the driving environment and with the expectation that the human driver performs all remaining aspects of the dynamic driving task.
Level 3 – Conditional Automation: The driving mode-specific performance by an Automated Driving System of all aspects of the dynamic driving task with the expectation that the human driver will respond appropriately to a request to intervene.
Level 4 – High Automation: The driving mode-specific performance by an Automated Driving System of all aspects of the dynamic driving task, even if a human driver does not respond appropriately to a request to intervene.
Level 5 – Full Automation: The full-time performance by an Automated Driving System of all aspects of the dynamic driving task under all roadway and environmental conditions that can be managed by a human driver.
Photo & Source: Audi of America, Inc, Society of Automotive Engineers.

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McLaren 600LT: One Rare Bird

McLaren 600LT: One Rare Bird The new McLaren 600LT is here. The LT stands for “Longtail” and McLaren is making a bit of a fetish of what it means. What it all comes down to though is that the new 600LT is the fastest, most powerful and most track-focused, but still road legal, Sports Series McLaren yet.
Still road legal?
Music to my ears.
Longer & Lighter
This longtail stuff (one word in the preferred nomenclature) all started with the F1 GTR Longtail, a racing permutation of the fantastic F1 three-seater. It later showed up in a variant of the 675, the McLaren 675LT, and now the McLaren 600LT. From the outside, the most notable features of the 600LT are the extra, 2.9 inches added to the back end, the extended front splitter, lengthened rear diffuser (of course), and fixed rear wing.
You can’t see all the weight saving they did on this beast, but Woking was able to trim a substantial 211.6 lbs. off the 570S Coupé and its base measurements. The chassis is a lightweight carbon fiber “monocoque” (of course) and there’s also new carbon fiber bodywork to lower weight and optimize aero performance.
McLaren has also added top-exit exhausts for the new LT model, and I’m sure there’s sound engineering reasons for that – in the 600LT’s case, that would be a “substantial weight savings” – but it also seems like these top-exit exhausts are turning into some sort of fashion statement since Porsche first used them on their sublime 918 Spyder.
The top-exit exhaust system of the new McLaren 600LT helps reduce back pressure. Photo: McLaren Automotive.
Less Is More
The interior of the track-focused but still road legal 600LT is pretty minimalist. There are carbon fiber racing seats that were first seen on the McLaren P1 and lightweight Alcantara trim throughout. If the P1-sourced seats aren’t enough, you can opt for super-lightweight carbon fiber seats developed for the McLaren Senna. And if you want even more, other weight saving options include a carbon fiber roof and cantrails and vented carbon fiber front fenders.
If you tick every lightweight option box, the lightest dry weight of the new McLaren 600LT is as low as 2,749.2 lbs.
Power & Performance
Motive force for the 600LT is supplied by a twin-turbocharged, 3.8-liter V8 with an uprated cooling system for 592 horsepower and a maximum torque output of 457 lb-ft. The power-to-weight ratio of the McLaren 600LT is an inspiring 474 horsepower per ton.
The McLaren 600LT rides on the forged aluminum double-wishbone suspension and the braking system from the second-generation McLaren Super Series. The tires are (what else?) Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires; the steering is quicker, and the throttle and brake pedal responses have been sharpened. And along with mounting the exhausts virtually behind the driver’s shoulder, the significantly firmer engine mounts should bring incredible sounds from the powertrain into the cabin.
Yum!
McLaren 600LT in Chicane Grey. This new variant is only the fourth “Longtail” McLaren in more than twenty years. Photo: McLaren Automotive.
Manufacturing & Availability
Production of the hand-assembled 600LT Coupé will begin this October at the McLaren Production Centre in Woking, Surrey and should last a year, but no word on the total number McLaren will make. The company only says that volume will be “strictly limited.”
You might want to head down to your McLaren dealer and check, however, since the 600LT is still available to order. Sadly, no word on price, but whatever it turns out to be, purchasing your new 600LT Coupé also includes the tuition for the Pure McLaren Road Owner Track Day.
Nice!
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. His forthcoming new book The Future In Front of Me, The Past Behind Me will be available soon. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz
McLaren 600LT Gallery

Photos & Source: McLaren Automotive.

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Volvo Launches Stand-Alone Personal Mobility Service

Volvo Launches Stand-Alone Personal Mobility Service Volvo Cars has launched a new, stand-alone brand simply titled “M” that will provide on-demand access to cars and other mobility services through an app. M will also learn the preferences and habits of each individual user in an effort to create a more personalized experience.
“Volvo Cars is becoming more than just a car company,” explained Håkan Samuelsson, Volvo Cars President and Chief Executive. “We recognize that urban consumers are rethinking traditional car ownership. M is part of our answer.”
Personalized Service
M will go beyond merely informing users where they can pick up their car. A proprietary learning technology, currently under development, can ask users what their needs are.
“We are evolving to become a direct-to-consumer services provider under our new mission ‘Freedom to Move’,” Samuelsson continued. “The launch of M creates new sources of revenue for Volvo Cars and will be integral to the company’s ambition to build more than 5 million direct consumer relationships by the middle of the next decade.”
“The services currently available mainly offer alternatives to a taxi or public transit,” said Bodil Eriksson, CEO of Volvo Car Mobility. “We’re focused on the way people use the cars they own, which sets us apart. We aim to provide a real alternative to that experience. It should enable us to live life on our terms, getting things done and maximizing precious time.”
Markets & Locations
Volvo Car Group has also partnered with Sunfleet, a top car sharing company in Sweden where M will first be put into service. The company will be fully integrated into M next year, making the service available to all existing Sunfleet members. Further information will be released later this year, although M is slated to debut in the United States next spring.
“Stockholm, Sweden, will serve as M’s base of development and where we already conduct extensive testing,” Eriksson added. “A broader Beta test will take place this autumn.”
The Automoblog Staff contributed to this report and can be reached anytime.
Photos & Source: Volvo Car Group.

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Shipping Your Car Across The Country? What You Need To Know To Save Money

Shipping Your Car Across The Country? What You Need To Know To Save Money Cheap does not necessarily mean cheerful. This is the biggest problem in choosing the best car shipping service. In order to save money on car shipping costs, there are a lot of things to keep in mind. We’re here to shed light on the various ins and outs of shipping a car with some insight from our friends at Car Shipping Carriers (CSC), who have been in the business since 2011.
Did you recently buy a car from an online seller across the state? Looking for an efficient way to transport your vintage automobile to a show 800 to 1,000 miles away? Here are a few helpful tips on how to save money on car shipping costs.
1. Driving Versus Shipping: Which Is Better?
Here’s everyone’s favorite answer: It depends. There are many things that determine the costs of shipping a car from state to state, so let’s take a look at some of the many factors involved. If you bought a car from another state and you are planning to drive the vehicle home, you might want to consider the following expenses, which could drive (pun intended) up costs unexpectedly:
Plane tickets, cab fares, and fuel cost to fly to the next city, pick up the car, and drive the vehicle home.
Wear and tear. Driving for long distances might negatively affect the longevity of the engine, transmission, brakes, and tires. This holds especially true for vintage or classic automobiles. There is also a risk of breaking down along the way and the necessary repair costs (and time) needed to get the car running again.
Hotel or lodging expenses. Unless you’re He-Man and fortified with the powers of Castle Grayskull, it is dangerous to drive for more than eight hours a day. Studies have shown that 20 percent of accidents on major roads can be attributed to driving fatigue and tiredness. Sleeping in a cramped car will only make you feel cranky in the morning.
But if you decide to ship the car, you can get an express delivery at a fully competitive rate. Considering the fact current gas prices are hovering around $3.60 to $3.80 per gallon, and replacing a flat tire may cost upwards of $100.00 (or more), shipping a car might save you more money than you can imagine, not to mention saving you time and the potential headaches associated with driving a vehicle over long distances.

2. Consider The Variables
In order to determine the cost of shipping a car, you also need to ponder on four main variables:
Shipping distance. Fuel costs and labor expenses will rise in relation to the total distance of the shipment. This is the main factor that will determine the final shipping price of your vehicle.
Size, weight, and condition. It will be less expensive to ship a VW Golf or Ford Fiesta from New York to Miami compared to shipping a Cadillac Escalade or GMC Yukon over the same distance. The vehicle will be classified as a sedan, truck, SUV, or van and will be further categorized as small, medium, or large prior to shipping. It is also less expensive to ship a working car versus one that doesn’t run at all. The car shipping company takes longer to ship an inoperable vehicle. It will also require a special truck with a winch to safely load the vehicle.
The destination and route. It is more affordable to ship a vehicle close to interstates and highways. You can expect to pay more if the shipping address is located hundreds of miles from the nearest town or interstate. If you belong to the latter, you can arrange to pick-up the vehicle or meet the driver at the nearest exit to save on shipping costs. Although distance will primarily determine the cost, don’t be surprised to pay less money on long-distance “hot routes.”
Time frame and season. It is better to ship a car in the spring and winter than in the summer and fall. Shipping activity in the south will rise during the fall while people up north prefer to do most of their shipping in the spring. If you live in California, for example, the cost of shipping a car to Los Angeles is better in the winter since fewer clients are shipping cars to this particular area during that time.
Shipping an exotic, classic, or collectible car will likely cost more. Photo: Toby Parsons.
3. Type & Means of Transport
Door-to-door transport is the most common and least expensive way to ship a car. What this simply means is the driver will load the vehicle and drop it off as close to your home as possible. Transport trucks may be prohibited to roam on certain residential areas and are restricted by the presence of speed bumps, tight turns, narrow streets, and even low-hanging tree branches along the way.
The simplest way to save money on door-to-door car shipping is to meet the driver at the most convenient location with a large parking lot.
Another consideration is “open air versus enclosed” transport. Open car shipping is the cheapest way to ship a car and is the most common method. However, the car will be exposed to harmful elements such as sun, sand, rain, dust, or snow. If you choose open car shipping, make sure to tick the Top Load option to prevent paint damage caused by road debris if the car is placed in the lower section of the hauler.
If you are dealing with a high-priced customized sports car, supercar, hyper car, or vintage automobile, it is best to choose enclosed transport, albeit at a higher price. Enclosed transport will ensure the vehicle is protected against the elements.
You can eliminate most of the hassles associated with shipping a car by simply asking for a free and no obligation quote from Car Shipping Carriers, who can help facilitate the process.
Alvin Reyes is the Associate Editor of Automoblog. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.

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2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon: All About The Engine

2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon: All About The Engine

Let’s get down to brass tacks here: The long awaited, much anticipated 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is all about that engine. Sure, the suspension and braking have been worked over as much as they could, and although the new Demon handles and stops better than it has a right to, this car exists for one reason.
It’s all about that Hemi engine.
Straight Line Power
Look, I love Mopar products. Always have and, failing some huge metaphysical test in the future, I always will. They have a sort of American style akin to a World War II fighter plane. They get to the end of that quarter mile like nothing else on the planet. The handling and braking are . . . well, let me put it this way: Remember the first time you ever nailed the brakes on a B-Body for the third time? Put a little grey in your hair, didn’t it? To be 100 percent frank, Mopar is about going, not about stopping. Or handling all that much if you get right down to it. Sure, sure, you can tweak them here and there, but they’re never going to out-sprint a GTI around an AutoX course or be winning any rally stages. Shoot, even a wizard like Dan Gurney couldn’t make the things work as Trans Am cars.
Ah, but that engine, any Mopar engine. What a plant! What a mill! What a lump! It’s the engineering equivalent of a Claymore mine: Brutal, simple, reliable, and everso effective. Nurse, hand me the scalpel, my socket set, and that big pry bar. It’s time for some analytical biology.
More than 1 ton (2,500 pounds) is transferred from the Challenger SRT Demon’s front wheels to the rear ones at launch. The upgraded torque converter for the TorqueFlite 8HP90 eight-speed automatic transmission increases torque multiplication by 18 percent. Meanwhile, Nitto drag radial tires achieve up to 40 percent more launch force. Photo: FCA US LLC.
New Hemi Era
The particulars of the engine situated ‘neath that huge, be-scooped hood are well known by now: A supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 with a deep-skirt cast iron block, aluminum alloy heads, and hemispherical combustion chambers. This is good for 840 horsepower (6,300 rpm) and 770 lb-ft. of torque (4,500 rpm) running on unleaded 100 octane fuel. Sure, it’s a little less if you can only get 91 octane juice (a measly 808 horsepower and 717 lb-ft. of torque and who can live with that little?) but still, any of those figures are outputs more associated with ocean-going tugs than something land-dwelling.
Versus the Hellcat Hemi plant, 62 percent of the Demon engine is new. The engine block, crankshaft, pistons, connecting rods, and supercharger are all new. The heads are manufactured and machined on dedicated Demon/Hellcat CNC machines. The deck plate for the block is honed to minimize bore distortion (natch) and every Demon engine is dyno tested for 42 minutes under load up to 5,200 rpm before being shipped to the assembly plant in Brampton, Ontario. Yeah, Canada. Who’d a thought, eh?
The triple-inlet air box for the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon (right) is larger when compared to the 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. 800 feet into a quarter-mile run, the Demon can empty the equivalent of all the available air in the cabin of the car, about 105 cubic feet. Likewise, during a quarter-mile run, the Demon ingests the lung capacity of 816 humans. Photo: FCA US LLC.

Massive Lungs
The new Hemi lump breaths like a marathon runner, thanks to the world’s largest functional hood scoop with an opening of 45.2 square inches. This triple-inlet air box (903.1 cubic inches total) provides higher flow and less restriction for the inlet system, feeding cool air into the supercharger at an air-flow rate of 1,150 cubic feet per minute. That’s approximately the volume of a 26-foot moving truck every 60 seconds.
All this air gets passed over the SRT Power Chiller which redirects air conditioning refrigerant from the cabin to the chiller unit, dropping the charge temperature by 18 degrees Fahrenheit. Clever! From there, the incoming air gets fed into the supercharger, a twin screw unit good for 2.7 liters per revolution or about 50% more displacement than a Miata engine. And that’s just the blower remember. Maximum boost pressure is 14.5 psi, up from 11.6 psi when compared to the Hellcat.
Valves for the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon use single-groove collets for improved stability during higher engine demands, along with redesigned valve springs and top retainers. Photo: FCA US LLC.
Beefing Up
That much boost puts an amazing level of strain on the engine internals, so everything within the mill has been seen to as well. The crankshaft, with a 90.9-millimeter stroke and revised balancing, is forged alloy steel with induction-hardened crank bearing surfaces. The individual journals have optimized main bearing clearances and the high-strength alloy pistons are forged as well. There’s been a 30-micron increase to the piston bore clearance. The connecting rods have been powder forged with upgraded shanks and bigger ends. The flow has been doubled on piston cooling oil jets and even the fasteners (y’know, the nuts and bolts and stuff) are revised ultra-high tensile bits.
Speaking of revised, the valve springs get a 33 percent increase in oiling for the springs themselves along with the rocker tips for increased lubrication and cooling. There are single-groove collets on the valve stems for improved stability. The fuel injector pressure has increased 27 percent because this thing drinks like a sailor on leave and, like all good drag racing motors, the oil pan and windage tray have been optimized for high acceleration, good for proper oiling up to 1.8 gs.
Street Legal Insanity
This all seems normal and fine and good to me. And then I realize: “This is for a street engine!!” This all seems normal and fine and good if your name is Keith Black and you’re standing next to the strip late one Saturday afternoon. But noooooooooooo, this engine was dropped in a street car. And they’ll sell it to anyone with the motor skills to write a fiscally solvent check. Anyone. Even people like (Heaven forefend), me!
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.
Photo: FCA US LLC.
Photos & Source: FCA US LLC.

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