torque Archives | AutoDepot

Exclusive: Meet Rod “Torque” Redline from CARS 2

Filed under: Toys/Games, Celebrities

Rod

Rod “Torque” Redline from Pixar’s CARS 2 – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’re pretty big fans of the Pixar film CARS and have been following closely the gestation of its sequel, CARS 2, due in theaters on June 24. To that end, we’ve already introduced you to a dozen brand new characters who’ll be rubbing bumpers with Lightning McQueen and Mater in the new movie. The folks at Pixar picked up on our enthusiasm and offered what is, to us, a very big honor: revealing a new character from CARS 2 exclusively on Autoblog!

So here he is. Meet Rod “Torque” Redline, described by the boys and girls at Pixar as “the greatest American spy in the world” and voiced by legendary Army of Darkness star Bruce Campbell. Clearly inspired by the best Made-in-the-USA muscle machines on the market today, Rod’s shape appears to be most heavily influenced by the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger, with just enough cues from both to keep his shape ambiguous enough to avoid the lawyers. Sorry Camaro, your influence seems AWOL on Mr. Redline, but you’re already the star of a little independant film franchise called Transformers. Regardless, Rod looks ready for action in what’s shaping up to be a much farther reaching story than the stuck-in-Radiator-Springs plot of the first film.

Check out Rod “Torque” Redline’s official description and turntable video after the jump, as well as our ongoing gallery of new CARS 2 character below.

Gallery: Cars 2 Characters

Grem Acer Shu Todoroki Raoul aRoule Carla Veloso

Continue reading Exclusive: Meet Rod “Torque” Redline from CARS 2

Exclusive: Meet Rod “Torque” Redline from CARS 2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Exclusive: Meet Rod “Torque” Redline from CARS 2″

Chicago 2011: 2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output takes the torque war nuclear

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Truck, Work, Chrysler

2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output

2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output – Click above for high-res image gallery

The minds at Chrysler have set out to make sure that buyers who need to tow small planetary bodies on occasion are taken care of with its new high-output 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel engine. The oil-burning mill churns out 23 percent more torque than the old engine, and the final figure now sits at an astronomical 800 pound-feet. There’s also 390 horsepower on hand, and combined, those numbers are good enough to help the 3500 HD tow up to 22,700 pounds. The big-daddy Ram also packs a ridiculous gross vehicle rating of 30,000 pounds when equipped with the optional Max Tow package.

Those impressive ratings are partially thanks to the truck’s braking system. Chrysler’s engineers folded in the largest brakes of any full-size pickup with 14.17-inch rotors up front and 14.09-inch discs out back, and the 3500 HD wears what Chrysler calls the strongest exhaust brake available on any heavy-duty pickup.

Additionally, that meaty Cummins block is said to be good for over 350,000 miles before requiring a major overhaul, and unlike competitors from Ford and General Motors, this beast requires no diesel exhaust fluid to pass emissions. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

Gallery: 2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output

Gallery: 2011 Ram 3500 High Output

2011 Ram 3500 High Output

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Chicago 2011: 2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output takes the torque war nuclear

Chicago 2011: 2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output takes the torque war nuclear originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Chicago 2011: 2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output takes the torque war nuclear”

Report: Torque-tastic Mini Cooper SD diesel to debut in Geneva

The expansion of the Mini family marches forward relentlessly, but while the range typically grows with more bodystyles, the latest addition stands to transcend configurations with a new engine.

Although it likely won’t be offered Stateside, rumor has it that Mini is preparing to launch a new high-performance diesel engine at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March. The cars fitted with it are reportedly set to carry the SD designation (combining the S from the top-spec gasoline engine with the D from the existing diesel).

Details have yet to be announced, but reports indicate it could be a 2.0-liter turbodiesel with 143 horsepower and as much as 225 lb-ft of torque. That torque number would emphatically surpass the torque figures produced by any of the existing Mini engines – even the JCW on overboost.

[Source: MotoringFile]

Report: Torque-tastic Mini Cooper SD diesel to debut in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Jan 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Torque-tastic Mini Cooper SD diesel to debut in Geneva”

Detroit 2011: 2012 Mercedes-Benz S350 Bluetec is one torque-tastic S-Class

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Sedan, Mercedes-Benz, Diesel

2012 Mercedes-Benz S350 Bluetec

2012 Mercedes-Benz S350 Bluetec – Click above for high-res image gallery

During the festivities here at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz quietly rolled out the 2012 S350 Bluetec, a diesel-powered S-Class that’s destined for consumption here in the United States. The big news is that M-B will now offer the only diesel-powered flagship luxury sedan here in the States – Audi, BMW and Jaguar don’t offer an oil-burning version of their high-rollers here in the U.S.

Mercedes-Benz neglected to release any technical specifications about the new S350 Bluetec, but as its nomenclature would suggest, it’s powered by the same 3.5-liter Bluetec V6 found in the E-, ML- and GL-Class vehicles. Mercedes has clearly proven that the business case for Bluetec here in the United States is indeed valid, and we’d much rather opt for a diesel S-Class as opposed to the S400 Hybrid.

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz S350 Bluetec: Detroit 2011

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz S350 Bluetec

2012 Mercedes-Benz S350 Bluetec

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Detroit 2011: 2012 Mercedes-Benz S350 Bluetec is one torque-tastic S-Class

Detroit 2011: 2012 Mercedes-Benz S350 Bluetec is one torque-tastic S-Class originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Detroit 2011: 2012 Mercedes-Benz S350 Bluetec is one torque-tastic S-Class”

2012 Ford Focus equipped with brake-based torque vectoring

Filed under: Sedan, Wagon, Hatchback, Ford

2012 Ford Focus

2012 Ford Focus – Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2012 Ford Focus is set to hit dealers early next year, and in addition to a cadre of standard and optional features, Ford is equipping every new Focus with its new breed of “torque vectoring control.”

For the uninitiated, torque vectoring systems actively split power between the two driven wheels to maximize traction and increase performance. Some higher-end systems manipulate the output to each wheel through a set of electronically controlled gears, while others apply a subtle amount of braking to the inside wheel, causing more power to be sent to the outside wheel, thus helping rotate the vehicle through a turn. Ford is using the latter on the 2012 Focus, the first implementation of its kind on a Blue Oval model in North America.

Thanks to the continued implementation of standard traction control systems, these torque vectoring setups are becoming more common and have finally reached the compact segment. While the benefits generally outweigh the negatives, we’ve found other brake-based systems have a tendency to overheat the pads, rotors and fluid when flogged long and hard enough (ahem, GTI). We’ll be able to test it out for ourselves soon, so look for a full driving report in just over a month. In the meantime, get the full details in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: 2012 Ford Focus

2012 Ford Focus hatchback

Continue reading 2012 Ford Focus equipped with brake-based torque vectoring

2012 Ford Focus equipped with brake-based torque vectoring originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “2012 Ford Focus equipped with brake-based torque vectoring”

Report: Ford 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel to churn out 800 lb-ft of torque

Filed under: Truck, Work, Ford, GM

In February, the specs on Ford’s 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbo-diesel V8 were announced: 390 horsepower and 735 pound-feet of torque. A month later, General Motors laid out the specs on its 6.6-liter Duramax turbo-diesel: 397 hp and 765 lb-ft. According to PickupTrucks.com, the Duramax could be shoved to the corner again later this year, when a high-output Super Duty blows out the footlights with 400 hp and 800 – or more – lb-ft of twisting gumption.

According to the unknown source within the Blue Oval, Ford’s new 6R140 TorqShift six-speed transmission has strong enough guts that Ford can open up the taps on that engine a bit. And give GM something to think about. If this absurdly powerful dream does come true, the behemoth motor will be seen in the second wave of 2011 Super Duty pickups that begin production in a few months. No word on whether early adopters of the 6.7-liter will get a free upgrade.

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Report: Ford 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel to churn out 800 lb-ft of torque originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Ford 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel to churn out 800 lb-ft of torque”