Tag: Diesel

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Cars

I Drove It: Mercedes CLS 350 CDi

For the first time, I want to share my opinions on a car, which I drove recently. Usually I don’t write about test drives but sometimes it is worth to share with you. Recently, I drove the Mercedes CLS 350 CDI. CDI means diesel in Mercedes language. As usual, I was expecting a senseless driving experience with the CLS. Most of the Mercedes vehicles I drove for last five years did not give the same pleasure like BMW. I mean the sportiveness!
But this time, things have changed. CLS was not acting like a traditional conservative Mercedes, it was offering a real driving pleasure. Unlike other models, new CLS was a like a magnet. Trying to grab you more and more!
Actually, it was very agile and nimble for a Mercedes on its size. The steering wheel was not like a Porsche 911 but it was much better than many other Mercedes. Diesel engine did not have any turbo lag during the acceleration and offers a very smooth ride. Additionally, the 7g Tronic plus auto gearbox had some reluctance for kick downs but that’s acceptable (Actually many cars have this problem). Suspension was the standard steel springs, which are set to be sportive but also offer comfort. Don’t expect the BMW style suspension settings from a Mercedes.
Unfortunately, interior had some plastic bits and they annoyed me. The plastic parts of steering wheel were below the Mercedes standards but the dashboard was covered with leather. A good trade off! The CLS I drove had the Distronic Plus function. This system is a radar guided cruise control and enables the vehicle to stop and go without the driver’s interference on any pedals. Basically, you set the cruise control speed and just hold the steering wheel. The car slows down, accelerates and stops by its own. This function also offers the BAS Plus brake technology. This system detects a possible front impact and brakes the car autonomously, if the driver does not wish to brake!
Only one thing, I didn’t like! That was the ESP button. Actually, there is no existing ESP button on dashboard. Mercedes engineers decided to remove the button and place it on board computer. This made is very hard to turn off and find inside the menu labyrinth!
For me, it is the only four-door Mercedes offers fun to drive function. Worth to buy? Yes! And you must have the Distronic Plus function, it is the most entertaining function in a car, I have ever seen :) And I love Formula 1 style rear fog light
Technical data can be found in this address:
http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/unitedkingdom/mpc/mpc_unitedkingdom_website/en/home_mpc/passengercars/home/new_cars/models/cls-class/_c218/facts/technicaldata.html

Published at: http://uygarr.blogspot.com https://carsandlife.net

Categories
Cars

Tractor Pulling: The Most Pointless Motor Sport

I don’t like to mention negative criticism in my blog but after watching this video, I couldn’t help myself! Some people on this planet still think that truck or tractor pulling is something cool and considered as a motor sport. Unfortunately, pulling a heavy weight in a straight line and making black smoke is not cool and does not match with the modern world. Why? In modern world, where we live, there is something called emissions levels. And all car manufacturers pay very high attention to emission levels and try their best to reduce it. In addition to this, Formula 1 is focused on reducing emission levels to develop more efficient engines for automotive industry. In summary, automotive world is associated with emission levels and low levels are appreciated!
Unfortunately, pulling a weight in a straight line and showing off your diesel engine with pre-historic technology through huge black smoke cannot be considered as either a motor sport or something cool! Moreover, I have never heard of any technology transfer from weight pulling to automotive industry. I am sorry for my comment but this is what I think about pulling weights!

Published at: http://uygarr.blogspot.com https://carsandlife.net

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Cars

Sex Sells with MiTo Diesel

Travelling with plane in economic class is one of the unpleasant ways of transportation. It is just offering enough space for people who do not exist, you cannot sleep, you cannot feel comfortable. Also you have to arrange your luggage limit to 23 kilos and you have to drive to airport which is in the middle of nowhere and land to an airport which is in the middle somewhere. Basically if you are not travelling with first class, this is the usual way for travelling long distances.
However today I discovered another way ;) I drove Alfa Romeo MiTo diesel. That’s a diesel powered Alfa Romeo, but it is not like ordinary diesels. As I mentioned before, it is offering 320 newton metres of torque which is enough to tow moon from 1,6 litre engine. And it produces 120 horsepower. But the torque turns the travel into first class pleasure.
MiTo is a small car to compete with snob Mini. I don’t like Mini because all snobs are driving it, therefore I always ignored. And also it is too much German for a British! But the MiTo is totally something else. With this enormously powered diesel engine you ignore all the annoying details.
I really don’t like manual gearbox. I know many people are saying “I can control the car with manual, automatic is blab la”. Sorry I have never ever agree with you, the best automatic for me especially double clutch ones. But MiTo diesel does not offer automatic with diesel. Does it annoy me? Of course no! It is the best manual car to buy and to drive! And this lunatic diesel revs up to 5000 rpm. I cannot realize how it reaches to 5000 rpm so quickly. First gear 5000 rpm, second gear 5000 rpm and I couldn’t realize how it happened some quickly. This engine is lunatic :)
After my journey with MiTo, I found the alternative way to travel long distance. Diesel MiTo! With MiTo, you don’t have to worry about ticket prices, luggage limitations, you can eat whatever you wish to eat, you can choose whom to seat next to you and it will be enjoying. If I had a MiTo diesel, I would definitely travel to Birmingham with it.
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Cars

Secret of Diesel

Diesel engine became popular and eye catching like the contemporary designers in a department store. Nearly every car and many brands are offering diesel engine even in their cabrio models, actually Porsche has a diesel SUV! Life without diesel is nearly impossible and hopefully they don’t make black smoke and annoying noise anymore :)

However diesel engines have a secret! Diesel engine has a different principle than the petrol engine. Diesel doesn’t need to have a sparkplug to make combustion. In petrol engines, sparkplug is exploding the petrol and rotates the cranks shaft. But in diesel, just a high compression is enough to make that explosion. Why I am telling all these thing? Because, diesel has a really unknown disadvantage!

Diesel engine can run without diesel fuel! Yes, that’s true. Even the engine oil is enough to run diesel engine. Actually, many people knew this. However the critical point is; any mistake made while filling the engine oil ends up cracking down the engine. If the engine oil is more than necessary, engine will start to run by itself and you cannot control the engine. Unless you put into gear and screw gearbox or until the engine oil finishes! Therefore, diesel engine should have a emergency button to release engine oil in these conditions. Don’t think that, this does not happen that often but it happens and when it happens you really don’t want to see that! Also, worn out diesel engines have that risk. As the engine oil is involved in combustion, after sometime engine can run by engine oil, you can watch it on video below.
Recently Volvo announced that, some of their diesel engine is accelerating without throttle response. This means, engine oil is on the game! I think Volvo knew this also. Believe this is worse than Toyota’s throttle problem. Once the engine starts to run with oil, that’s game over!

Pictures are taken from;
Volvo Website
Categories
Fashion

Sex sells but we sell cars

A few days ago I saw Sex Sells on one of the store. Yes, without any censor! They are not changed their business from striptease club to organic vegetable store. Actually they are selling jeans. This slogan and jeans can be considered together, as jeans classified as an attractive cloth. However, Diesel is not my favourite brand. The main reason sounds ridiculous but Diesel reminds me the dirty, sound making, smoke creator machine. I do know that, those are decades ago for diesel but the remaining notions are common rail and small city cars. In both ways, Diesel brand have never been caught my attention. But they are right at saying sex sells!
This basic but the most common slogan can be observed in automotive industry also. Ferrari, Lamborghini, BMW M Series, Mercedes AMG Models, Audi RS Models and many more. They have the same principle like a jean, sex sells. Very few people are buying these cars for their handling or to utilize their enormous amount of power. They find an attractive point and they buy it. Like people buy jeans. Especially jeans like Diesel! They have chance to buy Paul Smith jean but that is not associated with Sex Sells! That’s just a jean. People can buy a more normal car for the same price with they want to buy an aggressive one!
Pictures are taken from;
Diesel and Ferrari Websites
Categories
Cars

Athens in diesel ? Impossible !

Today I visited MAN Hellas in Athens. And found out something really unbelievable!!!

If you ever visited Athens you will notice something, everyone is rich!?! Why? Because, you don’t hear any diesel engine noise. Exactly, in Athens there is no diesel car except commercial cars and taxis. Every SUV is powered by petrol. No, they did not explored petrol next to Syntagma Square.
Don’t think that, every Greek won the lottery. Actually driving a diesel is verboten (forbidden) by government. Yes; the best tree hugger, the most environmental engine is forbid by the law. As I found out, nearly forty years ago, Greek government does not allow the diesel powered passenger cars in Athens to sustain the quality of air. However; world has changed, even the world has changed but the law did not change! Even if you want to buy a super ultra efficient German car with diesel engine, it is not allowed!
So, if you wish to see any kind of petrol powered SUVs in Europe, just go around Athens ;) Actually north of Athens is the best place to spot superb cars.
Pictures are from;
Mercedes Website
Wikipedia Website
Categories
Cars

Future of luxury cars!

Automotive industry started to downsize the engines to reduce emissions levels and offer more fuel economy. Ten year ago, a Mercedes S Class with 2,2lt diesel engine would sound funny and there would not be any demand to it. Also a BMW 3 Series with 1,3lt engine would also sound interesting! Or 1,4lt engine produces 170 horsepower would be impossible. Now all of these things are possible and in near future we will have chance to buy 3 Series with 1,3lt turbo engine, 2,2lt diesel S Class and smaller engines will be revealed.
A few days ago Volvo announced the revised 1,6lt diesel engine for S80 and V70. For those of you who don’t know what S80 and V70 are; S80 is the flagship of Volvo and trying to be a competitor for Mercedes E Class, BMW 5 Series and Audi A6. I know it is quite hard to play in that market but Volvo is positioned as cheap and reliable alternative! However, this new 1,6lt diesel engine might be an opportunity for Volvo. This new diesel engine produced 109 horsepower and 240 nm of torque. These figures are the same figures which can found in other Volvo models. I guess, Volvo revised the transmission ratios to use this engine. However, this weak engine would struggle to move Volvo S80 even the revised transmission won’t avoid being very slow.
Highway driving consumption will be 4,0lt of diesel as Volvo announced and this car will have a range of 1750km. Sounds interesting but without automatic transmission, there won’t be a huge rush to this car. However, in emerging markets with high import taxes this car will be loved!
Future of E and F segment cars will be combination of; Small and Powerful Diesel Engine or Petrol Engine and Automatic Gearbox. E Segment is Mercedes E Class, BMW 5 Series and competitors. F Segment is Mercedes S Class, BMW7 Series and competitors. The one who offers the pocket size engine first will catch the most!
Don’t be shocked when you see a BMW 7 Series with 1,3lt turbo petrol engine :)
Pictures are from;
Volvo Website
BMW Website
Categories
Cars

MAN !

MAN is the oldest automotive company, most of us never heard of this. However, MAN is doing business for 251 years. And they are the inventor of diesel engine. Yes, today’s the most popular engine is invented by German company MAN. Last 251 years, MAN was like u-boat (submarine in German) and they just manufactured trucks, buses, diesel engine, turbos and many more thingsthings but nobody knows MAN. Also most of the ships, trains, yachts, generators are powered by MAN. Actually, MAN is always taking a part in our lifes but we don’t notice it.
Despite all these advantages, MAN does not focus on marketing activity to inform society about their impact on their life. Twenty years ago, there was no need to do these kinds of activities, because there were not too many competitors and markets were not complicated like nowadays. However, things have changed and even the Chinese are offering diesels. And MAN still does not act any marketing activity to inform that “we invented the diesel”. If any other company had this advantage, they will say it all the time! Diesel invention is not the only thing, diesel engines are also offering very low emissions. Or we can say green peace lover, tree huger.
MAN has a great potential in today’s marketing made branding age. MAN has the every kind of material to strength its brand image and increase its competitive advantage but they don’t want to do it!

In general; everyone knows that electricity is invented by Edison. Electricity is inseparable from our lives. Also the diesel engine is in the same position! Without diesel engine, we cannot survive in contemporary world. Diesel engine is sustaining our life, from deliveries from oversees to generators. Rudolf Diesel deserves to be known like Edison.

Categories
Cars

If you enjoy your life, don’t buy an Audi!

Enjoyment and Audi, they are very close with each other; if you are planning to buy RS4 or RS5 or R8. But this is not related with any of them. Actually it is related with Audi’s clean diesel engines!
Diesel and enjoyment sound contridiction but they are not anymore! Audi’s new commercial for US market is showing something very unusual with diesels. They are giving this message; “if you want to commit suicide, try something else”. Yes, driver of A5 is so depressed and so idiot, he places a hose inside the car from exhaust and starts the engine. We can see that, car’s tank is full of diesel but when the tank is empty, he is still alive. What are we learning? Audi loves you more than others brands :) Audi has the lowest emission level.
This commercial is relased to inform US customers about low emission levels of diesel engine and increase the competitive advantage over hybrid cars. As the US turn into hybrid land from pick up land, now German car companies are trying to inform their customers about how the diesel is efficient and clean. As the German car companies are expert diesel technology and they use this advantage in US market over hybrid cars. However, I am not sure is it a good way to educate about diesel by this commercial !Alternative link for video: http://adland.tv/commercials/audi-a5-suicide-krass-2009-60-spec

Picture is from;
Audi Website
Categories
Cars

Realistic Dream! Grand Cherokee 1,3 lt Diesel

Grand Cherokee is one of the icons of SUV segment. End of 1990s and in the beginning of 2000, it was one of the most competitive vehicle on market despite its huge V8 petrol engine. However, as the petrol prices rised and new SUV introduced to market, Grand Cherokee’s power diminished and turn into a inferior SUV. More basicly, people tend to prefer Grand Cherokee, because it was cheaper than its rivals. They were not choosing it, because people willing to drive a big SUV and they don’t want to pay too much money to Mercedes or Range Rover. And they preferred Grand Cherokee!
Grand Cherokee lost its market power very dramatically! As Chrysler could not keep up with customers demand and they could not developed vehicles which is good enough for market. And everything collapsed. However they still have chance, but how?
Now, Chrysler and Fiat started to work together and soon we will see Fiat’s diesel and small petrol engines in Chrysler range. And we could see something very interesting ;) Like; Fiat powered Grand Cherokee !!!
As we all know that Fiat is very good at small diesel engines. Also during last decade, diesel engine became nearly forty percentage more powerful. So; in following years Chrysler could come up with Grand Cherokee 1,3lt Diesel. I know 1,3lt Fiat diesel is only producing 95 horsepower but when we consider the sudden increase in diesel engines, Fiat could introduce 150 horsepower version of the same engine. Or, they could offer this small diesel in small Cherokee and introduce 2,0lt diesel in Grand Cherokee.
All of these are just predictions, however there is something very obvious about Cherokee’s future; it will have very small diesel engine to survive! Sorry Cherokee, you have to get use to small diesels ;)
Picture; Grand Cherokke, Jeep Website