The big story in the ongoing battle over the Taxi of Tomorrow is that the Comptroller of NYC is blocking the contract. While there is a lot of beef regarding the Nissan NV200’s takeover of all NYC taxi services, the handicap-access issue has been quiet for a while; now it’s flaring up again. Originally there appeared to be no consideration about the handicap access for the NV200 but as the cab’s unavailing drew closer, the NYC Mayor Bloomberg  appealed for more money which was allocated to retrofitting 200 of the Nissan cabs for handicap accessibility.

While the extra price of $12K per retrofit raised initial alarms, this new objection is much more dangerous to the contract.

Is separate but equal fair when it comes to handicap accessibility? The comptroller says “no” and sites the American with Disabilities Act in saying that unless the fleet is 100 percent wheel chair accessible, he won’t approve the contract.

The head of the Taxi and Limo Commission and a rep from the City Law Department have responded publicly that this nor any other issue with the NV200 should hold up approval of the contract.

[From Automobile Mag’s coverage]
Currently, Braun is working out plans to convert some NV200 taxis to be wheelchair-accessible. A design shown at the 2012 New York auto show would allow the wheelchair passenger access through the rear hatch using a 7-degree ramp, latching the chair in the passenger side middle-row seat area.
Only 2 percent of the more than 13,000 yellow cabs in New York City are now wheelchair accessible. Ironically, the NV200 beat out the Ford Transit Connect and Turkish Karsan V1—a fleet of taxis that would be 100-percent wheelchair accessible and be built in Brooklyn with union labor.

The NY Daily News noted some very important objections:

[From NY Daily News]
THE “Taxi of Tomorrow” retrofit designed for disabled passengers is a wreck, wheelchair users say.

After shuffling the NV200 interior around to make it handicap accessible, only enough space was found for one wheel chair and one able-bodied person per ride.

Much more concerning is the fact that, unlike most handicap-accessible public transportation, the EV200’s design calls for ramp access from the back—not the side. At first this doesn’t sound like a big deal, especially if you’ve never experienced NYC traffic. The problem is that getting a wheelchair into the street—safely—requires a ramp down from the curb and if one isn’t located where the taxi pulls over, the disable passenger needs to miracle themselves down to street level to access the rear ramp.

That could be a hassle anywhere but in the particular chaos that is NYC traffic this could easily be a routinely dangerous operation for those confined to a wheel chair.

The most exciting coverage regarding the NV200 debate is also the most obscure. On the YellowCab website there is a pretty standard article rehashing the unveiling of the Taxi of Tomorrow, however there is collection of lively objections located within the comments.

My guess is these are all people from within the industry. I’m sure there are a lot of creatures of habit that would hate anything new, some people (myself included) probably object to the whole one-size-fits-all approach of the Taxi of Tomorrow project. Regardless there does seem to be some interesting objections here that I’ve not heard in other places

[Weekly Driver writes]
The large skylight roof will be the cabdrivers headaches, because all the bird droplets. And you know how easy to clean that.

[Mario write]
Low MPG with that bulky van size, air resistant height, heavier weight plus it looks like passenger space windows are sealed and that means constant AC operation just to breath. I am afraid Taxi of tomorrow maybe gas guzzling like CV, bad for environment and extra expenses[…]

[Steve Crowell writes]
Dr. Rahul Sharma, – has worked in several city emergency rooms, is all too familiar with the damage the anti-crime partitions, required since 1994, can cause.
“Ask any ER doc in Manhattan, and they will tell you they see it very frequently,” he said. “People have a false sense of security in the backseat of a cab.”
Dr. Gary Sbordone – Massachusetts Chiropracter
“Could cause complex spinal injuries.”
Dr. Geoffrey Doughlin – E.R. Director, Jamaica Hospital, Queens, NY
Since the partitions act as a second windshield, back seat passengers fall victim to the same type of injuries as people in the front passenger position, the “suicide seat,”
Dr. Gregory Husk – Chairman of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Medical Center
“You can’t do this kind of work (Emergency Medicine) without being impressed that the taxicab partition breaks a lot of noses, a lot of lips, a lot of chins.”

[First Prius Cabbie write]
If I buy a Prius in Sept. 2013 does that mean I have to get rid of it by Oct 2018? That is only 5 years. I get 7 now. The Prius without a partition is the most comfortable ride there is. Lots of leg room and easy for seniors to get in and out because it is low to the ground. Seniors will have trouble with the new cab of the future. But they will be able to charge their cell phone. I dont know how riders survived all these years without a cell charge. First we all had to have hybrids now no one can.

[Anonymous writes]
Airport transits have mobile charging station & yet they cannot maintain it. Most don’t work or are broken. It just adds up extra battery power & those ports will be a pothole inside taxi within few months but who cares coz like it or not it will be the drivers responsibility to fix it for the inspection.
Tourists walk if they want to see certain places. Taxicabs arent horsecarts where people expect easy go sightseeing. So skyroof is a bad idea

The New 2013 Jaguar XKR-S, 550hp of supercharged power.>

Jaguar’s current line-up of luxury cars isn’t exactly news but recently the British luxury car maker is making a round of special test drive events across the country that is catching attention of Jaguar enthusiasts and the public. Jaguar had hopes that by the end of these events, America would then understand the new direction Jaguar is taking its design and engineering. The ultimate goal is to change the common perception of “old man’s car” into a much more rejuvenated brand image, and they may just have succeeded this past weekend.

To change the public’s perception of Jaguar is no small feat and here is why:

Tata Motors, the maker of $3000 Tata Nano cars (coined the cheapest car in the world) is often not well known in the North American market and definitely unknown to many of the people looking to purchase a new luxury sedan. In 2008, Tata purchased from Ford and became the new owner of two iconic British brands, Jaguar and Land Rover. With the $3000 Tata Nano and the $132,000 Jaguar XKR-S in its portfolio, it seemed polarizing and suspicions that the luxury brands may see its quality diluted to pursue a lower segment of the market. That (old) news may bring discomfort for some but that is why Jaguar brought about this massive marketing campaign including the Jaguar Alive Driving Experience Event to change all of that thinking.

The XKR-S and XF-R make over 1000hp combined!

This past weekend, the selected public had a chance to drive all of the cars in Jaguar’s portfolio, it ranged from the big and plush XJ Supercharged (470hp) to the fearsome XF-R (510hp) and the endangered (limited to about one hundred 2013 models in the United States) XKR-S (550hp). The event included four main driving events for all the guests and media to experience what Jaguar is all about these days.

The classic and unmistakably beautiful Jaguar E-Type.

The Drive: There is no truer test than taking the big long wheel-base XJL with 470hp to the streets seeing how this big cat roams in the urban jungle of Orange County.
This is where the new all aluminum body shows its stride in making the big executive sedan feel like a little mid-size performance sedan. The apparent and mean exhaust notes from the supercharged 5.0L V8 power plant is an indication that the XJ is no longer to be only driven by gentlemen in suits with a smoking pipe in their mouths that have pictures of the Queen hung on their walls at home. (James May?)

The Refinement: A track with real world simulation of poorly maintained roads. Rubber strips, steel cables and speed bumps placed on a slalom course is a good replica of what the California debt-ridden roads are like these days.
XJL feels the most refined out of the whole group with its weight and comfortable rear air suspension.
XF-R is amazingly poised on such a road condition with its performance pedigree. It ate up the bumps quite well so roughness of the road didn’t fully transfer to the passengers.
XK-R being the obvious one out of the bunch to send the bumps up to your spine being a sports coupe but all-in-all, it handled itself a lot better than the likes of Porsche 911 and other more firmly planted.

A whole range of Jaguars being put through their paces driving over the worst roads in Irvine, CA

The Technology:A skid pad with soapy water to demonstrate the cars’ Winter Mode, and how traction control keeps the 510hp under the reign of the driver’s right foot regardless of the road condition. In addition, the highlight was a 0-60mph demo of the XKR-S, a demonic, angry 550hp hunter dressed in elegant lines and with chrome accents and aluminum veneer on the inside. In a mere 4.x seconds, I took it to 60 mph and then applied the brakes in a careful yet precise manner. At that point, my brain was close to being mashed into a pancake with the G force the car was generating. That was an experience more exhilarating than most of the old Jaguar drivers you see on the road can handle. What this ultimately means is that Jaguar is definitely going after the performance market and is fairly determined to excel in it, evident of this XKR-S.

0 to 60mph in 4.2 seconds, undeniably fun technology this supercharged engine is!

The Performance: Driving dynamics is showcased on an autocross track setup that favors the XF-R and XK-R of the Jaguar’s new portfolio. With an average lap of 31 seconds, this track has its straight-aways and slaloms to really put the cars through their paces.

Just going down the straight in a fast 0-60 fashion can be commonly achieved by strapping a giant V8 to the front of just about any car these days. Heck, even the new Toyota Camry is no slouch, making over 260hp, a near-super car figure in 1990’s standards. Seeing and feeling how the new Jags handle the curves is a new experience and this is the true test that gave me a whole new appreciation for what they are trying to do here.

Taking the XF-R through the track with poor pavements, it really was about how much the feedback the driver can get from the car itself. No longer is Jaguar made of marshmallow suspensions and a soft, compromised chassis. The aluminum unibody with solidly mounted front is a big step forward in being a real contender in the sports car arena.

Indy Car veteran Roberto Guerrero showing how much technology is in a modern Jaguar these days.

Race instructor giving attendants a run down on how to maximize the XF-R’s performance on this tight little autocross track

By joining the 500hp club and taking the classical British car design to a whole new daring level, Jaguar is getting a lot more attention than it used to. It is not enough though, with such a willingness to win over the performance customers and new segments it is not known for, it really deserve a look by those considering the Mercedes S-Class or the BMW 7-Series. At this point, a comparable Jaguar XJ is priced at least $5000 USD below that of its direct competition, making it an amazing buy. With a 5 year worry-free warranty that includes maintenance, it makes it a pretty guilt free purchase. (Remember the old days when you had to buy two Jaguars; one to drive, one for parts? Those days are gone.)

At the end of the day, the event answered two questions that no one dared to ask aloud:
Q: Is Tata’s ownership going to ruin the prestige and respect of Jaguar?
A: Not at all. Think of Tata Motors as the perfect dad. It lets Jaguar play all it wants as long as it produces straight A’s in its exams. It pays for its expenses, no questions asked, as long as Jaguar is profitable and lets Jaguar walk its own line, live up to its own dreams.

The $3000 Tata Nano

Q: Is Jaguar here to stay or just going to be passed on again to the next investor with its future being uncertain?
A: What we see today is a glimpse of the promise Jaguar can bring to the lucky drivers of tomorrow. With the way the new XJ is designed, engineered, and produced under Tata’s ownership, it is a good sign where the direction is going and how good of a chance Jaguar has in retaking its much deserved market share in the market. The recent unveiling of the F-Type (to be released in 2013) is also a telltale of the major transformation Jaguar has come through to be a modern contender in tomorrow’s luxury performance segment.

In summary, for those who are looking to purchase an executive sedan, the Jaguar XJ should easily make it to your list as it is not only a smart buy but also a winner in many aspects (Bowers & Wilkins 1200W audio system for example). And for those who are looking for a more affordable sports 2-seater, keep your eyes tuned on Jaguar for the next year as much more exciting news are about to come.

The new F-type to be released in 2013

For this job, we used the following tools:

• Socket and wrench set (metric)
• Brake Cleaner
• Brake Grease
• Medium length Flathead Screwdriver
• C-Clamp
• New Brake Pads

In the end, a late 80s BMW 318—with the four cylinder E30 engine—won the event by five laps. Perhaps an equally interesting story is how a team using a Saturn SC1 lost a differential pin during Saturdays racing. The logical course of action is to seal the hole with the bottom of an aluminum beer can and a JB Weld. Bravo.

Full highlights of the racing can be found here.

I understand that gas prices are high. I get the same pain in the pit of my stomach as I watch the gas pump rob me of my hard earned dollars as you all do.

But no matter the situation, never underestimate how stupid people can be.

In Jenkins, Kentucky, 20 year old Michael Baker needed to get gas. So he did. By syphoning it from a police cruiser’s gas tank.

And taking a photo of it and posting it on Facebook.

And guess what? He was arrested. Wow, that story got kind of dark at the end.

As far as mass produced cardboard with sauce on it goes, Domino’s Pizza is tolerable. Though I have to admit that their marketing campaigns are pretty ingenious.

Most recently, Domino’s has fitted their delivery scooters in the Netherlands with a “Safe Sound” system to alert people to the delivery man’s presence. Instead of the normal “put put” of a scooter’s two stroke engine or electric drive system, this Safe Sound system screams things such as “Domino’s” and “Pizza” like a bad techno song which is partly cool… and partly creepy.

Photo by Charles Cieri

Yesterday, we showcased some of the highlights from the Long Beach Grand Prix, today we have some scattered but personal images from Saturday’s American Lemans Series Race at the LBGP.

The extent of my previous race experience was limited to quarter mile tracks. Going from the quarter mile strip to any track-race is a pretty jarring experience; enter a huge and storied event like the LBGP and the rush of new stimuli becomes overwhelming.

The first thing that caught my attention was the stratification in the ticket options. The luxury options available were far beyond any other sporting event I’ve experienced. Indy Racing offers luxury accommodations similar to other sports but instead of being far removed from the field, you get to sit a couple feet from the players. The luxury boxes are right above Pitt Row. Pretty amazing level of penetration- you get all the vantage of being up close and all the refinement of being far removed.

In contrast to this, public access is surprisingly limited for a race that commandeers huge sways of public road. I went to the race assuming you could catch a peak of the action without actually paying to get in. No go—no ticky, no luck.The barricades are erected almost seamlessly and far off of the actual race track to minimize any incidental glances.

Once inside, the interaction is still governed by fairly complicated zoning restrictions—access depends on the color and insignia of the pass on your lanyard. Beyond that the place is a big melting pot. Race fans of every level interact with rookies like myself and people are are even less interested in the race and more attracted by the street-fair feel of the festivities.

Photo by Charles Cieri

The actual action on the track is bonkers, seeing the different levels and designs of cars all competing at the same time creates a chaos that is constant and leaves your eyes hopelessly overwhelmed.

Photo by Charles Cieri

In the process of taking all this in (and tweeting out what I could from @AutoShepherd) I took some flics and short video clips of the race. Here is a little montage Matt Clark (the evil genius behind the Sector 111 videos, the Cayman Conspiracy, and lots of other fun videos) put together with that footage. This video is shot from two vantages: the hair-pin turn on the southern tip of the track and the North-South running straight away.

LONG BEACH GRAND PRIX- ALMS from AutoShepherd on Vimeo.

Here is the full gallery from the Long Beach Grand Prix American Lemans Series Race

[Show as slideshow]

While Suzuki is renowned for its motorcycles and ATVs, they never found the same success with their cars in America. The bad news for the company continued last week when Automotive News gathered a list of evidence of why the company will probably close US operations soon.

First of all, most of their cars in recent history have been met with near-disastrous reviews from critics. Car and Driver has used words like “dorky looking” and “appliance-like” to describe some of Suzuki’s recent attempts.

Secondly, and this is a more critical note, Suzuki closed 32 more dealerships in the US this past year leaving only 246 Suzuki dealers left, 150 of which sell less than five cars a month. For comparison, Ford has over 5,000 dealerships currently operating in the US.

These surviving Suzuki dealerships only managed to sell 26,618 cars in the US last year.

Automotive News reports also cites Suzuki’s decision to skip the Detroit and Los Angeles auto shows as well as no longer providing J.D. Power customer satisfaction data as signs that the company won’t be around much longer.

Photo by Charles Cieri

The Long Beach Grand Prix is done and in the books and the process of clearing ridiculous amounts of pillions, caging, and concrete barricades is well underway. Soon the downtown streets of Long Beach will yield back to the drivers of Southern California (who are considerably more reckless than the professionals who ripped it up Saturday and Sunday).

We have some highlights from the weekend and we’ll be updating with commentary, pictures and video from American Lemans Series race.:

Ace Carolla and his steady wheel-hand

Adam Carolla won the celeb portion of the festivities after starting in the second position behind Sons of Anarchy star Kim Coats. His car came through pretty clean, only slightly marred up by a bumper dimple that might possibly have happened while fending off late challenger Hill Harper of CSI:NY.

We were super excited to see the podcast host and Vegas favorite-to-win cross first on Saturday (if only we could have found a bookie to take our bets). We must admit a mild disappointment for the lack of damage on his Scion after he admitted last week that beating the hell out of someone else’s car was one of the best aspects of the charity event.

In the big race Sunday, Australian and shoe-in to be the most obnoxiously named motivational speaker in history—Will Power—held off Simon Pagenaud for the win. Things got hairy in the last few laps as Power (who’s brother Max Power was named after a blow-dryer setting) was running low on fuel and had to slow his speed to conserve. Pagenaud was able to cut the lead to about a second but couldn’t maneuver around Power.

With five laps left in the 85-lap race on Long Beach’s seaside streets, Power was about five seconds ahead of Pagenaud. But Power was running low on fuel, and as he slowed slightly in the final laps to conserve fuel Pagenaud slashed his lead to less than one second.

But Power had enough to win the Long Beach race for the second time; he also won in 2008.

Power also overcame a penalized starting position. As we reported last week, all Chevys in the race were docked 10 spots from where their qualifying time would have placed them. An issue in James Hinchcliffe’s Chevy engine was deemed dangerous enough to warrant swapping out all the Chevy engines which meant the entire lot would eat the penalty.

All of this leads to a plethora of low-hanging-fruit jokes about Mr. Will Power’s ability to triumph in the face of adversity but we’ll leave those to you.

For out German readers, here is Homer Simpson explaining Max Power in your beautifully delicate and elegant language.

Check back a little later to see some pictures and video highlights from @AutoShepherd’s trip down to the Long Beach GrandPrix to see the American Lemans Series race.

We all knew Saab was in trouble. From when they were first bought by GM around the turn of the century to the recent round of musical buyers, the history of the company has never included making big money. In fact, Saab lost money on many cars due to the level of engineering and safety features that came as standard in each one. 

No one really knew how deep that hole was until this week when a report from the Detroit News came out saying that what remains of Saab is worth less than one third of its debts. Between what it owes to former employees, General Motors, and the Swedish government, the company is in debt $1.9 billion with it’s assets only totaling around $532 million.

Saab says that only those who hold securities will see any of their money back. Those who worked for Saab’s Automotive division will probably not see their owed dues while those who work for Saab Automobile Powertrain may see some of that money.

Saab insists that there are several suitors looking to revive the indebted brand, though the odds of one of those investors pulling through remains to be seen.

trackpedia.com

We have some updates from the opening of the Grand Prix of Long Beach which kicked off today with the rain or shine activities going down as planned on a rare rainy Southern California day.

Heading into Sunday when the actual race goes down, Chevy finds itself 10 spots back across the board.

Chevy had to change an engine in James Hinchcliffe’s car after testing on Monday. Race rules demand all engines are required to push al least 1,200 miles before being changed and since Hinchcliff’s engine required the early swap out, he was hit with a penalty. After qualifying on Saturday, he will have 10 spaces tacked onto his position.

A setback for Hinchcliffe’s team no doubt but then contagion set in. Fear that the breakdown could reappear in any one of the other 11 Chevy powered cars resulted in all the engines being swapped out. Since no one had hit that 1,200 mile mark, all are being hit with the 10 spot penalty.

[From LA Daily News]

“We are still learning the limitations of the new engine controls calibration,” said Chris Berube, Chevrolet Racing program manager. “Through our testing in Sonoma, as indicated by an engine issue, we uncovered a problem that we believe could affect all engines. So, as a result, we feel it is prudent to change all engines prior to the start of the on-track activities this weekend.”

LA Daily News covers the reactions well, getting quotes from Micheal Andretti and Ryan Hunter of Andretti AutoSport.

***

If you find yourself in the neighborhood for the activities this weekend, there’s a lot to do. Here’s the schedule and race map from the LBGP website.

Friday, April 13

2:15 p.m. – IndyCar Practice

3:30 p.m. – Toyota Pro/Celebrity Qualifying

4 p.m. – IZOD IndyCar Series Autograph Session (IndyCar Paddock – FREE to all race ticket holders)

4:15 p.m. – Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) Practice

5 p.m. – ALMS Qualifying

6:30 p.m. – Tecate Light Fiesta Friday Concert Starring Belanova

Saturday, April 14

7 a.m. – Gates open

7:15 a.m. – PWC Practice

8 a.m. – FIL Practice

8:55 a.m. – Team Drifting Challenge

10:25 a.m. – IndyCar Practice

11:40 a.m. – Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race

12:30 p.m. – ALMS Driver Autograph Session in Lifestyle Expo

12:55 p.m. – FIL Qualifying

2 p.m. – IndyCar Qualifying and Firestone Fast Six

3:55 p.m. – ALMS Pre-Race

4:30 p.m. – Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series Race (2 hours)

6:45 p.m. – Tecate Light Rock-N-Roar Concert Starring Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

Sunday, April 15

7 a.m. – Gates open

8 a.m. – FIL Practice

8:25 a.m. – PWC Qualifying

9:15 a.m. – IndyCar Practice

10:45 a.m. – Firestone Indy Lights Race

12:30 p.m. – IndyCar Pre-Race Ceremonies

1:15 p.m. (Approx.) – Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach IZOD IndyCar Series Race (85 laps)

3:40 p.m. – Team Drifting Challenge

4:15 p.m. – Pirelli World Challenge Race (1 hour)

The Press Telegraph is also putting the word out on surrounding activities, like:

• The Go-Kart Charity Race, going down from 2-9PM on Friday.
• The Roar in Belmont Shore, which is a car show with music and Indy drivers signing autographs, happening between 6-8:30PM on Friday.
• Tecate Light Rock and Roll Concert featuring Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (who I’m sure is thrilled about headlining a “light” rock concert (of course we know it’s a “light beer” concert not “light rock and roll” but really what’s the difference?)). It starts at 6:30PM on Friday.

Check the full list at the Press Telegraph site.

**

Before the Indycar race and intermittently throughout the weekend there are some drifting competitions sliding through the LBGP street course.

Here is a pretty wild video from the passenger seat of one of these drifters:

In LA and all over Southern California, excitement is building for the Long Beach Grand Prix which takes place, along with a host of associated activities, April 13-15. 

It’s the longest running major “street” race in North America, dating back to the 1970s. It has changed affiliation a few times, starting as a Formula 500 event and ending up in the Izod Indycar Series. Toyota became the main sponsor 34 years ago and has maintained that position ever since.

The “street” aspect is the most exciting part of the event. Long Beach’s downtown yields a 1.97 mile track that circles the convention center and cuts in and around the aquarium and Shoreline Drive. The downtown backdrop and palm tree lined straightaways make for a scenic race-day experience.

Last week, the Press Telegraph, a local Long Beach paper, took a closer look at one of the most popular opening events: The 36^th annual charity race. The offering this year features Adam Carolla, among some other notables:

Carolla joins stars Adrien Brody, Eddie Cibrian, Kim Coates, Kate del Castillo, William Fichtner, Hill Harper and Brody Jenner for the 36th annual charity race benefiting Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach and Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

Check out the PT coverage to see a three minute video clip of Carolla riffing on the event, associating it to sex, softball and deciding in the end that the race is much more exciting.

Cain Valasquez, a heavyweight mixed martial arts fighter from the Ultimate Fighting Championship, will also be competing in the race. The PT also got a hold of him and recorded his surprise at the lack of preparation given to the drivers before they hit the track.

“It was something different than what I thought,” he said. “I thought they were going to kind of take the whole day, kind of talk to us about the cars and everything and the track itself. Man, we had a morning session where they just talked to us for about 10 or 15 minutes, and then they had us in the car already.”

Check out the LBPG’s website for more details and maps.