November 2008
Pretty Pretty Machines -2008 Chicago Auto Show
The Forgotten Road Warrior -Ford Focus SVT
New and Improved -New Honda Civic Si
Editorial
Editor At Large - Carolyn Pavelkis Editor In Chief - Paul Burdette
Art Direction and Design
Art Director - Carolyn Pavelkis Creative Director - Paul Burdette
Publication
Robert Morris College 401 S. State St. Chicago, IL 60605
Pretty Pretty Machines
- 2008 Chicago Auto Show ... 4
New and Improved
On The Cover
6speed shift knob in the new Honda Civic Si 4door
-Honda Civic Si ... 6
The Forgotten Road Warrior -Ford Focus SVT ... 9
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Pretty Pretty Machines
a look back at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show Possibly a new Honda CRX. We would hope so. This is the Honda CR-Z concept, and since it has some resemblance to the old CRX, we are all giddy inside. Ah, long live the ‘80s.
The battle of the rally cars continues with the next generation of these two arch enemies. Displayed on the top is the new Mitsubishi EVO X. Looking quite aggressive, it packs quite the aggressive punch with its 296hp and 311ft/lbs of torque. On the other hand, Subaru went for a more refined look. The new Impreza STI, displayed at the bottom, may have a more refined look, but it definately it anything but refined underneath the hood According to Subaru, the new STI will keep itsinfamous horizontally opposed turbocharged four cylinder engine, but it will be beefed up to 305hp and 296ft/ lbs of torque. Both will be on sale in the US market soon.
The Saab Aero X concept was partially modeled after fighter jet and an attack helicopter. All we know is that in order to get in to the car, the side panels and roof all lift up on hinges like the cockpit to a fighter jet. So, Maverick and Goose, eat your hearts out.
Excuse me, Hyundai? Thank you for finally growing some balls and making something that with MOVE! This Genesis Coupe Concept is the lastest and greatest thing to ever come out of the minds of the people at Hyundai. With its 310hp V6 and rear wheel drive platform, maybe we could have some fun in this car. The best part though, is that it will be going into production.Welcome to the car world Hyundai.
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One Sick Little Car
Do you remember the first time you watched “The Fast and the Furious?” Twenty bucks says that after the movie you went home, got on the internet, and started to look at some streetcars. Now I’m positive that the first modified car you came across was the Honda Civic Si and its B16A2 Vtec engine. Drool? I think we all did, but now, the Si is back and it has some new tricks up its sleeve. For starters, the new Civic Si has a whole new design. I know, we all miss the hatch back of a couple of years ago, but the new Si does have some good qualities. The best part is the fact that the boy racer look has been taken out of the design. I know there will be plenty of aftermarket companies that will have a slue of parts available for it by the time I am finished with this article, but let’s just focus on the way it looks when it comes off the lot. Its subtle yet sexy curves are designed to give it a little bit of down force when going around the corners at high speeds. The rear spoiler is not a big monstrosity that screams “look at me, I go fast,” but rather a shorter and smaller accent that’s adds to its sportiness. The car just looks great, and that is not all. It can get up and move too. It may have four doors and a
Above: Snug, yet comfortable sport seats. The racing seats of the Si’s interior Below: Sexy little curves. The side view of the new Si. The best part... 4 doors.
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interior of the new Civic Si, I thought I was going to need to put on my space suit and be ready to go into zero-g, but after spending some time in it, I love it. Everything from the crazy looking 1980’s digital speedometer to he funky space age steering wheel, works for this car. So, no space suit needed, just the navigation system does not want to shut up when you want it to. In all, the new Honda Civic Si is a fun car that should be proud of its heritage. There was one problem I had with the car, and that is the battery. With the navigation system drawing so much power, it has a rough time starting. So, Honda, if you are listening, a bigger battery is needed. Let’s just hope that they get the message. Oh, and one more message to all the boy racers out there. Please, please, please, leave this Civic Si alone. Keep your dirty modifying paws off of it.
Forgotten Road Warrior
Above: The Si has some aggressive features, like its slanted headlights and blood red Si badge.
decent sized trunk, but the new Civic Si goes like stink. With a whole new engine platform, the 2.0L K20Z3 i-Vtec engine, the Si is the most powerful one yet. It is boasting a very respectable 197hp and 139ft/lbs of torque that allows the Civic to post a 0-60 time of 6.3 seconds. This new engine screams like a banshee with a rev limit of just under 8500rpms. That is the highest rev limit of any Honda engine before it with the possible exception of the NSX. As for the way the car handles, it is a dream come true. With the new Si’s suspension being forty percent stiffer than its predecessor, the car hugs the road. Along with the stiffer suspension, the sway bars have been modified to add to the rigidity of the chassis. With a 0.90g of lateral acceleration in the corners, this Si will attack the best of the best when it comes to apex’s. Finally to add to the cars newly overhauled look, the interior got a touch of NASA and a throwback to the 1980’s. I know you are thinking, “what the hell are they talking about,” but just trust us. The first time I saw the Full-Synthetic
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Below: Gotta love those 1980’s throw back digital gauges in the Si’s futuristic interior.
The Ford Focus SVT, Special Vehicles Team. Econo-box car or maybe a speed demon in sheep’s clothing? I choose the speed demon. This little two door hatchback is like the European Focus that America never received. It has the power of the European Focus RS, just without the turbo. It has the subtly aggressive looks of the Focus RS that take it to the next level. Stiffer suspension, leather interior with sport seats, and a 6speed gearbox make this car the Ford that every car enthusiast should love, that isn’t a mustang. For starters, the looks of the car, compared to a standard hatchback Focus, are not much different. The addition of a slower body stance with the sport front bumper and lip give the car a more aggressive look and stance. The side skirts of the SVT add to the aggressive look of the car, but they are not over the top like a little boy racer would like them to be. The rear bumper has been changed out as well. With an added lower stance and a black inset of honeycomb grill make the read of this car look like it could rival a Porsche. As for the wing, well wait, what wing. OH 9
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MY GOD! NO WING! That’s right you Fast and Furious lovers. All they added for a little sportier spoiler is a slightly lengthened rear hatch lip. It adds that subtle look that makes it sexy without making it look clownish. Now for the guts and stats. The 2.0 liter, dual over-head cam, variable vale timing, and variable intake manifold runners is an entirely new engine from Ford. It creates around 176hp and approximately 130ft/lbs of torque. I know what you are thinking though and that is, “what the hell is variable intake manifold runners?” What this system does is allows for the Focus SVT to have a greater amount of low-end torque without giving the car a lot of torque steer. The intake runners are in a long position in low RPM’s, then
Above: The Ford Focus SVT in all its Silver Surfer glory. Below: The honeycomb grill adds to an already sportier look of an econobox car.
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shift to a short runner position after the car reaches higher RPM’s. It’s a nice little application that I feel more companies should be looking into, hint hint Subaru. As for the brakes, wheels, and suspension, the people at Ford’s SVT shop didn’t really have to do much to make this car better than it’s older brother the Focus ZX3. They gave the car bigger brakes in the front and caliper brakes in the rear. These bigger brakes allow the car to stop in a very short distance. Let’s put it this way, this cars stopping power will rival that of a sports car that is twice the cost of this car. The suspension was left virtually the same, but was given some stiffer shocks and springs. The wheels and tires were the one area of the drive train that SVT really worked on. They gave the Focus light alloy seventeen inch wheels that are wrapped in a specially design Continental tire called the ContiSportCompact tire. This tire gives you GRIP! You stick to the road like glue when going around corners, but they do have a tendency to wear out fast. This car unfortunately has been dropped from the Ford SVT line and has been replaced with a crappy modified Ford Lightning. This Ford Focus SVT is the car that we never received from Europe. As I see it, this car was the first street legal rally car to hit the wonderful shores of the US, before the WRX and the EVO. Thank you SVT Focus, we will miss you.
Above: Along with the grill, Ford added honeycomb accents next to the sport exhaust, along with a bigger hatch spoiler. Below: I bet you’d like to play footsy with these sport pedals.
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play footsy with your car your girlfriend won’t mind
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