BERLIN: Germany's years-long run of steady growth came to a screeching halt in the third quarter, official data showed on Wednesday (Nov 14), with a widely-expected bottleneck in the vital car industry matched by broader structural concerns. Federal statistics authority Destatis reported a 0.2-per cent slump in gross domestic product (GDP) between July and September - the first fall in the...
Bosch iDisc brakes While regulations surrounding emission standards often focus on tailpipe emissions, brakes and tires actually contribute 32 percent of driving-related particulate emissions. Half of that comes from brake dust alone. On Wednesday, Bosch revealed its answer to a cleaner brake disc called the iDisc. Bosch says the iDisc offers numerous benefits over traditional cast-iron brake discs. Foremost, the iDisc's...
The Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 is a special thing, with it's flat-crank 5.2-liter V-8 engine wringing out to 8,250 rpm. For 2019, it gets a host of improvements, Ford announced on Monday, ranging from performance to daily niceties. The most important updates for GT350 fans? The performance improvements. The go upgrades start with new tires. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2...
2016 Chevrolet Camaro's Brembo brakes Braking systems have changed considerably over decades, but high-performance brake manufacturer Brembo thinks another big change is coming. Brembo’s executive director for braking systems, Giovanni Canavotto, told Car and Driver in an interview published Monday that brake-by-wire systems will become a "strong trend" over the next decade. Thus, Canavotto believes hydraulic braking systems will soon go the...
Sometimes it's tough to keep classic cars completely original, especially as parts become scarce. Porsche, specifically, Porsche Classic, wants to help its loyal owners keep things all-original with new drum brakes for the 356A and 356B models, which were Porsche's first-ever production cars. However, the re-engineered originals come at a price. A set of four drum brakes will cost owners $8,700...
Ignore the flashy, high-tech vehicle wrap, a cross between pixelated camouflage and hunting orange. The 2019 Audi e-tron is a non-event from inside, and that’s just what its maker intended. When it goes on sale next year, the e-tron electric crossover SUV will be the anti-Tesla. Its conservative crossover SUV shape will draw no more and no less attention than...
Haters love to bash the Hellcats, and already the Demon, for only going fast in a straight line. They pounce on the fact that these Mopar muscle cars weigh over two tons. While that's true, weight is only one piece of the equation. Despite being somewhat "fat," the Demon is good at more than just blasting down a dragstrip into...
No matter if you buy a new car, a pre-owned car, or lease a vehicle, maintenance is unavoidable. And at some point, the brakes will need to be replaced. Although many will let a mechanic take care of the work, it's not a terribly difficult process. Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained is here to help anyone who may want to tackle the...
You might know that there's a physical difference between race car brakes and street car brakes. The size of the rotors, the materials used in the pads, and the brake lines are all going to be upgraded to handle the rigors of motorsport. But that's only part of the story. Did you know that more is going on under the...
Although carbon-ceramic brakes will outperform cast iron rotors all day, there's a good reason why only the most high-performance cars wear them. Foremost, they cost thousands of dollars, but ever wonder why? The manufacturing process behind carbon-ceramic brakes is extravagant, to say the least. A video shows the exact process and it's not your average assembly line. The brakes start...
