by Michael | May 17, 2020 | Best of
1. Invicto VR6 Plus ERV Mission
Source: https://www.brabus-automotive.de/
Brabus entered the armored car market, selling under the name Invicto, vehicles raised to a new level of safety.
They started with a Mercedes-Benz G-Class: the special steel plates and protection elements made by 3D printing protect passengers from both bullets and explosions.
The maximum power of 800 hp is welcome if we consider the extra 1000 KG of armor.
The top of the range is represented by the Mision version proposed as an escort vehicle and equipped, among others, with roof headlights, 20-inch off-road tires and Nightvision equipment.
2. G-Power G5M Hurricane RS
Source: https://www.carscoops.com/
The G-Power company, with a history of almost 40 years, has thought of those who are not satisfied with the maximum power of 625 hp of a BMW M5 Competition.
Through electronic reprogramming, respectively through the use of new turbochargers and a sport exhaust system, the 4.4 L V8 engine is now developing 840 hp.
The black-orange limousine accelerates in 2.5 s to 100 KM/H and the maximum speed is electrically adjusted to 350 KM/H – up to this speed the special 21-inch wheels can withstand.
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by Michael | May 16, 2020 | News
For a second time in less than 40 years, Nissan could phase out its Datsun brand as a part of its restructuring plan, Bloomberg reports. The automaker was facing strong financial headwinds even before the coronavirus pandemic, ones that worsened immediately following the dramatic ouster of Renault-Nissan president Carlos Ghosn. The cost-cutting efforts are part of a three-year turnaround plan scheduled to be revealed on May 28, along with the company’s financial results.
The plan will reportedly include reductions in marketing and research, and will also phase out the Datsun brand, Bloomberg notes, which itself was reanimated in 2013 as a budget brand for India, Russia and several other developing markets. Instead, the plan will see a greater focus on the Infiniti brand, which had taken some damage over the past several years, including a withdrawal from Europe and a shortage of new models.
Datsun experienced solid growth during the first two years of its reboot but was unseen in North America, of course—and thus difficult to get a sense of from here. The volume strategy actually worked, up until it ran out of steam around 2017.
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by Michael | May 15, 2020 | News
The most expensive part of an electric car is the battery. The giant slab of expensive and difficult-to-obtain elements powering the motors is what makes an EV more expensive than its gasoline equivalent.
But it looks like Tesla and battery partner Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL) of China may have figured out how to make an electric car cost the same as a gas car.
Reuters reports that Tesla and CATL have been working on and will announce a new low-cost battery. This battery is expected to be officially unveiled at Tesla’s Battery Day event, which CEO Elon Musk has announced will happen at the end of May in either California or Texas. The new batteries are supposed to last for one million miles and make it possible for Tesla to sell cars at the same cost as gasoline-powered counterparts.
The Model 3 in China will be the first vehicle to receive the battery technology. Eventually, the higher density, lower-cost battery will make its way into other Tesla vehicles in other markets including the United States, according to sources cited by Reuters.
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by Michael | May 15, 2020 | News
Source: autohome.com.cn
The pre-series prototype of the new Volkswagen Tiguan Coupe appeared on public roads with a tiny amount of camouflaged body parts. Interestingly, Volkswagen would plan to launch it after the presentation of the facelift model, which should take place soon, instead of with the new generation.
Source: autohome.com.cn
The body of the car is partially unified with that of the crossover we know: common will be the wings, the hood, the front doors and the windshield. But, starting from the elements on the central uprights and everything in the second half of the car, everything will be completely original.
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by Michael | May 14, 2020 | Cool Stuff
What is the winch?
A winch is a mechanical machine that is used for winding of any object. Winches have many different applications, whether it’s getting yourself out of a sticky situation in your vehicle, moving materials, retrieval of an object or out on the water. There are two types of winches available, the electric and hand winch. Both hand and electric winches are durable and very handy to have.
An electric winch is driven by an external power supply with a rotating crank. If you are looking for dynamic and efficient winching, you must pick the electric winch. If you are willing to do small load work, you should choose the hand winch. Whichever you select, you must ensure the security.
Manual Winches
Hand winches are a great option where electrical power is not easy to access or cost effective to install. Most hand winches require some of your own strength to operate the mechanism. Don’t worry as most types of hand winches have brake and mechanical assists to make them easier to operate. Brake mechanisms are often fully automatic and the load remains in position anytime the handle is released.
There are lots of types of hand winch for off-road recovery that you can purchase on the market. Some of them are light duty and made only for low to medium jobs. On the other hand, you can buy commercial use with high towing capacity so that you can finish the most demanding situations.
Pro’s:
- Can be used any where;
- Can pull from any direction (that’s the big one);
- Can be used for more applications eg (if you roll it you can put yourself back over);
- You can put it in any car;
- Last longer;
- D
ont need a special front bar.
Con’s:
- Their hard work (realy hard);
- You have to remember to take it;
- Very slow movements when using it;
- Hard to use by yourself;
- Takes up room in the car (not much but some);
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Electric Winch
Electric Winches are a much quicker and a simpler option for moving loads. Although you will require a power source which is not always an option in some areas that you might use the hoist. An electric winch enables you to stand back from the operation, which ensures a safer working environment. The electric winch takes the pressure off having to rely on manpower. If you keep your car’s engine on, it will prevent the battery drainage. Of course, your vehicles battery life will decrease after frequent use.
Pro’s:
- They look nice;
- Are quick to use;
- Always ready to go (on the car);
- Easy to use with 1 person.
Con’s:
- Extra wieght on the front;
- Only recover yourself forward;
- Dont work if battery dies;
- Don’t work if the car is under water;
- Spend more time helping others than helping yourself;
- Need a winch compatible front bar;
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What to Consider When Buying Best Winch for Vehicle Recovery
- Alternator and Battery – Of course, everything depends whether you want to purchase electric system or not. But if you choose the electronic type, you should check the kind of battery. Therefore, we recommend you to upgrade battery such as marine battery or deep-cycle. They come with more significant capacity, and that will not cause too many harmful effects on your vehicle powering.
- Capacity – This particular specification is relevant because it will provide you enough power to finish all your work. You should calculate size by adding 1.5 times more than gross weight of your vehicle. That way if you are driving 2.500 KG truck, you will need a winch with at least 3.750 KG capacity.
- Rope – The standard type of cable is steel cable, but recently synthetic materials became more popular because they are lightweight and with the same power and capacity as steel ones. Of course, artificial materials are more expensive, so you should determine which one you should use based on the work you want to with it. As a guide for each layer of wire rope on the drum deduct 10% off the rated line pull. e.g. A winch with a line pull of say 6,000 lbs.. will have a line pull of 5,400lbs.. on the second layer, 4,860 lbs.. on the third layer and 4,374 lbs.. on the fourth layer, etc. So if you need to pull 6,000 lbs.. for any distance, you will need a winch with a greater rated line pull to start with.
Both of this device is suitable for its purpose. If you are looking for a cheap, simple and a medium capacity winch, I will suggest you pick the best hand winch of the market.
If you want your work more efficient with less time, you need to choose the electric one from the market. Always keep in mind that, safety first. It’s because winching is a dangerous task.
For the Duster, which has an aproximate weight of 1.5 tones, the best choice would be an 4500 lbs electric winch. This one in the pictures belongs to a fellow Duster owner. Check its Facebook Profile for more pictures.
