Linkpost: 07/13/08
- Cancer's Unexpected Blessings (Tony Snow, Christianity Today) I admire his grace, but it’s hard to think of the C word as a blessing.
- Lady Thatcher to be honoured with State funeral (Katie Nicholl & Simon Walter, Daily Mail) But of course!
- U.S. Aid Was a Key to the Hostage Rescue (Simon Romero, NY Times)
- Colombia Trade Deal Is Threatened (Steven Weisman, NY Times)
- Open outer continental shelf (Kenneth B. Medlock III, Houston Chronicle)
- Shell’s U.S. chief sees need for ‘full basket’ of sources (Kristen Hays, Houston Chronicle) Some people inexplicably call such talk that includes drilling “moronic.” (Tourette’s perhaps?)
- Toyota Scales Back Production of Big Vehicles (Bill Vlasic & Nick Bunkley, NY Times)
- Demystifying the Dreaded End-of-Lease Inspection (Cheryl Jensen, NY Times)
- 2009 Subaru Forester: A Small Hauler Crosses the Line (Christopher Jensen, NY Times) I’m surprised no CVT for this guy.
- In House, Tweets Fly Over Web Plan (Michael Falcone, NY Times)
- Democrats, the military, and McCain (Jeff Jacoby, Boston Globe)
- Obama’s No-Brainer on Education (Jonathan Alter, Newsweek) Is Alter on crack? Because what else could possibly explain his notion that Obama might take on teacher’s unions, one of the most important Dem interest groups?
- Obama backers on the left are doing the wincing now (John Kass, Chicago Tribune)
- Making It: How Chicago shaped Obama (Ryan Lizza, The New Yorker)
- Bombardier launches jet to challenge Boeing, Airbus (Tim Hepher, Reuters)
- What are the Packers thinking? (Tim Cowlishaw, DMN)
- Sooners' line an offensive bunch (John Hensley, Daily Oklahoman)
3 comments On Linkpost: 07/13/08
Re: the Forester
Don’t CVTs have some problems if you try to force too much power through them? Seems like the successful CVT-equipped automobiles have been small cars with small engines, like the Dutch DAF cars from the early 1970s, some small Hondas, and the Subaru Justy.
On the other hand, my friend’s 2003 or so Forester with the 4- or maybe 5-speed automatic works very well, with predictably seamless shifts.
The R Man
I love the CVT concept, really, and know that even in things like the old Carl Heald ATVs (kits you could make youself, using 8 HP-usually-Briggs & Stratton engines) they did fine-heck, the John Deere Gators use them, and they’re "mil-spec" good, I guess. Actually, with regards to the Ford 500 (Taurus, as of this year, I guess), they can probably handle more like 260 horsepower with the more potent engine, so that’s pretty good-don’t know how they’ll hold up long-term, though, and I’m a pessimist about such things, like the fellow knocking the sidewinding SOBs-Uncle B. or Tom Boone Pickens or some such. Good luck with the test-driving-keep we rabid fans apprised of all this stuff!
The R Man
From my poking around on CVTs, it seems that in the past, they couldn’t handle too much power — even though they made lots of sense in theory.
I’m not sure who produces the CVT used in Nissans, but I think they’ve really pushed the concept forward in both the Altima and the Murano, which mate up decent HP with the thing. And I guess the Ford 500s actually deliver about 200 hp with theirs.
I did finally test drive a Jeep Patriot, and was pretty impressed with the power and takeoff. It certainly feels different, but the power curve felt very steady (and should, by design). Unfortunately, Jeep seems to have realized they have a popular vehicle, and have boosted prices and cut incentives. Boo.
So I think the next vehicle to test will be a Nissan Rogue (which, like the Pat, also mates a 4 banger with a CVT).
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