G. David Felt

Furyians are awesome!!!

So why is this in direct contrast to what the media is publishing on how GM and Chrysler had great month of gains and low incentives and Ford has spent crazy on incentives but flat sales in comparison to last year.

YES YES YES, Way to go GM, keep executing and controlling cost to drive profits. This is a win win for everyone.

Due to rising demand, Katech designed and manufactured an innovative, highly efficient, high power density, compact and configurable V4 engine to power your auto-sport, aviation, marine, ATV and industrial applications. The V4 draws on the legendary architecture of the Corvette LS series V8. The engine is very light and because of its’ compact design can be retro-fitted into almost any application.</p> KV4 Street Specs Displacement: 1.6L (100 CID) Power: 160bhp @6,600 rpm Torque: 127 lb-ft @5800rpm Redline: 7,800 rpm Dry Weight: 140 lbs Induction: Naturally aspirated Intake System: Individual runner or plenum Oiling System: Wet Sump Fuel System: Port Fuel injection KV4-R Motorsport Spec Displacement: 2.0L (122 CID) Power: 280bhp @9,500rpm Torque: 180 ft-lbs @7,200rpm Redline: 9,500rpm Dry Weight: 138 lbs Induction: Naturally Aspirated Intake System: Individual runner or plenum Oiling System: Wet sump/Dry sump Fuel System: Port fuel injection KV4-RR Motorsport Spec Displacement: 2.4L (147 CID) Power: 462bhp @7,200rpm Torque: 360lb-ft @3800rpm Redline: 8,000 Dry Weight: 162 lbs Induction: Forced Induction Intake System: Individual runner or plenum Oiling System: Dry sump Fuel System: Port fuel injection/ Direct injection http://www.katecheng...tech-v4/</a><br /> This company rocks, the new KV4-RR is a freakin amazing engine and only 162lbs of weight. I see no reason why GM could not use this style of design for a V8.

Why not just import the Opel Adam, far superior car to a Mini or Smart.

Yep... Actually I can totally understand the reason for not selling it here, most people like their comfort you find in a CUV over a wagon and the marketing has built a market segment that generates millions of dollars in profits. The cost alone will not justify the tooling to build this auto.

T-Rex

We'll written, I really enjoyed it and look forward to the next chapter.

Sweet looking ride, way to go, I think the only thing I would want done on this car is Tinted windows. Just seems they should be black out and then the look is perfect.

How about a write up of how you would change a specific auto to be best in class. Example: Contest competitors, use the Chevy Cruze and do a write up on how you would change this car to be best in class. Be specific on what you would change out and why. That would be a fun competition.

WOW, I cannot believe someone would want to buy this rusted out bucket of bolts. Sad as from a distance it is a sharp looking truck.

Ok, let me try to explain it a bit better... (1) A SOHC I4 with 2-valves per cylinder has all the frictional benefits over a Pushrod I4 with 2-valves per cylinders. In fact, it has two additional benefits -- the valves can more easily be made opposed as opposed to side-by-side and the absence of pushrods makes the sprung mass lower allowing slightly higher revs although this is probably not useful. (2) The SOHC head is taller than the pushrod head. However, it is not any wider unlike a DOHC head. The additional height is traditionally handled by slanting the I4 to one side in RWD applications or reclining it in FWD applications. This allows the engine to be no taller than a Pushrod I4 while the addition in width is also essentially zero because the exhaust manifold would have projected sideways by approximately the same amount had the engine been upright anyway. To put some numbers into the discussion, if GM ditched the 1.4 litter turbocharged DOHC-16v Inline-4 for a 2.3 liter SOHC-6v line-3 running on an Atkinson intake cam, the Cruze would have have superior MPG numbers while delivering approximately the same output of 140 hp. Specific output should not matter. That 2.3 liter engine would only make 140 hp should not be embarrassing, if one understands that it weighs about the same as the 1.4 turbo (with its forced induction hardware), while delivering better fuel economy and a similar output. Have you checked out the Katech V4? This engine puts the SOHC or DOHC to shame in a very tiny package with awesome power outputs. I think this engine shows that you do not need the complexity of the SOHC or DOHC to get the Mileage or power out of an engine.

Wonder if we would ever see anything like this incorporated in a modern take on a Chevy or Buick since Pontiac is a dead line. How would people respond to it?

Beautiful restored Model A Ford at the local car group meeting this morning on my way to the park and ride. Always love it when they get together for breakfast at the local Denny's and you have a who's who of American Steel. A couple of old Chevy Belairs in various stages of restoration, a very hot 69 Corvette. A lovingly cared for mint El Camino and Ranchero side by side. You could tell the owners clearly loved their car/truck auto.

:sign0072: :sign0072: Have an AWESOME DAY!!!

While I love the drive train and the crazy high Gas mileage, I find this body style of the XL1 to be a total failure. Reminds me of the first Insight Hybrid that Honda did, butt ugly in my personal opinion.

Na, if anything more gears allows for less overall torque. I would normally agree with you except that I have experianced auto's that went into limp home mode and if they have more gears like this and if the tranny is not able to go into the bottom gears for a solid limp home mode, then your left with an auto that really will not move due to the lack of torque and yet the crazy gearing. I might be one of the rare exceptions to have this happen to, but I have had it happen enough to have decided I would rather give up gas mileage and have more power and especially Torque.

I always found NAPA to have quality rebuilt parts for things like this.

No No No, Electric cars are a commuter inner city auto only. They cannot work in the real world of the suburbans or as a travel trip car. Pushrod V4, 6 & 8 have us well covered with some amazing advances with our computer capability that will allow us to have some amazing engines.

I think there are some great mid size sedan choices, just wish they would give these mid size sedans the ability to get a torque monster diesel besides the Passat TDI unless I have missed some others in our US market.

I agree, waiting 4-8 weeks for your custom ordered auto is nothing compared to the years you will live with it. I think more people need to stop thinking instant gratification and order up what they really want. Far better way to go for an auto purchase.

Sweet looking little ride.

I wonder how a 9 or 12 speed tranny will do with the smaller engines that have high horsepower but pathetic Torque much like the asian auto makers or european makers that build the pathetic DOHC Revers. I would think that the 9-12 gears would be optimized for fuel mileage and yet you would want a torque monster engine to allow those gears to really do their job.

Very cool, reminds me of the 1976 Olds Delta 88 station wagon with the third seat that I grew up in. Loved that ride. It was totally awesome.

Too bad Seattle does not have more quality auto shows / car clubs that put things on like this.