(CarThrottle.com)
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
So My Question Is, Who Do They Blame?
Senate fails to pass law to hold auto execs accountable for safety defects
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee pushed through some major amendments in an attempt to improve auto safety in the recent transportation renewal bill. However, several members wanted to see the revisions go even further. These stricter rules weren't accepted into the legislation, though.
Among the provisions that didn't go into the bill was the adoption of criminal penalties for auto execs who hide safety issues. All of the Republicans on the committee and three Democrats voted against it, according to The New York Times. An amendment to force used car dealers to repair recalls before a vehicle could be sold also failed. In addition, other motions by Democrats were retracted before a ballot could be cast. "Hiding these deadly defects with near impunity is what the industry has succeeded in doing," Senator Richard Blumenthal (pictured above) said about the revisions not being accepted, according to The New York Times.
What the committee did accept was an amendment to force rental car companies to repair recalls on their vehicles before handing the keys over to consumers. The members also increased funding for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and doubled the maximum punishments for automakers' violations. However, none of these changes are official, yet, and it's possible for amendments to still be added. According to The New York Times, the transportation bill is expected to get a vote from the whole Senate around the beginning of August. The legislation is considered a major opportunity to improve auto safety in the US.
(AutoBlog.com)
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee pushed through some major amendments in an attempt to improve auto safety in the recent transportation renewal bill. However, several members wanted to see the revisions go even further. These stricter rules weren't accepted into the legislation, though.
Among the provisions that didn't go into the bill was the adoption of criminal penalties for auto execs who hide safety issues. All of the Republicans on the committee and three Democrats voted against it, according to The New York Times. An amendment to force used car dealers to repair recalls before a vehicle could be sold also failed. In addition, other motions by Democrats were retracted before a ballot could be cast. "Hiding these deadly defects with near impunity is what the industry has succeeded in doing," Senator Richard Blumenthal (pictured above) said about the revisions not being accepted, according to The New York Times.
What the committee did accept was an amendment to force rental car companies to repair recalls on their vehicles before handing the keys over to consumers. The members also increased funding for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and doubled the maximum punishments for automakers' violations. However, none of these changes are official, yet, and it's possible for amendments to still be added. According to The New York Times, the transportation bill is expected to get a vote from the whole Senate around the beginning of August. The legislation is considered a major opportunity to improve auto safety in the US.
(AutoBlog.com)
Monday, July 20, 2015
The Public Still Has Love For Charlie Hustle
“Let me tell you something about Las Vegas. A million and a half people live in Las Vegas, and Las Vegas is the only town in the world where my gig works … Every three or four days half a million people leave, and half a million people come in. Last year 40 million people visitded Las Vegas. And what do most of them have in common? They have money to spend—and they want to see a celebrity.”
—Pete Rose in Tom Verducci’s excellent profile of the 74-year-old Rose in this week’s Sports Illustrated.
Pete Rose Stat of the Week, via Verducci: Rose signed autographs for money on 113 of the first 181 days of 2015. What a country.
(MMQB.SI.com)
—Pete Rose in Tom Verducci’s excellent profile of the 74-year-old Rose in this week’s Sports Illustrated.
Pete Rose Stat of the Week, via Verducci: Rose signed autographs for money on 113 of the first 181 days of 2015. What a country.
(MMQB.SI.com)
Did You Know - Porsche Carrera GT Edition
Eight Things You Didn't Know About the Porsche Carrera GT
2. The Carrera GT has one of the most notoriously difficult clutches of any production car. Search YouTube and you will have no trouble finding videos of valet drivers and owners alike stalling their Carrera GTs. Much of the blame lands on the world’s first production ceramic clutch or PCCC (Porsche Carbon Ceramic Clutch). There is, however, a trick to avoid stalling. Porsche built the Carrera GT with auto-throttle to aid in starts. Though counterintuitive, drivers should not apply throttle during starts. Rather, they should slowly release the clutch and only apply throttle when rolling with the clutch fully released.
6. Carrera GT maintenance costs are steep. An oil change will run around $1,200. A new alternator costs $2,400. New tires, recommended to be replaced at least every four years, run roughly $2,500. A new windshield is $9,000. A new clutch costs just over $20,000. The 30,000 mile service is the real killer at around $30,000. I guess it could be worse. At least Carrera GT owners don’t have to deal with $300,000 annual maintenance costs like Veyron owners.
Complete list (Jalopnik.com)
2. The Carrera GT has one of the most notoriously difficult clutches of any production car. Search YouTube and you will have no trouble finding videos of valet drivers and owners alike stalling their Carrera GTs. Much of the blame lands on the world’s first production ceramic clutch or PCCC (Porsche Carbon Ceramic Clutch). There is, however, a trick to avoid stalling. Porsche built the Carrera GT with auto-throttle to aid in starts. Though counterintuitive, drivers should not apply throttle during starts. Rather, they should slowly release the clutch and only apply throttle when rolling with the clutch fully released.
6. Carrera GT maintenance costs are steep. An oil change will run around $1,200. A new alternator costs $2,400. New tires, recommended to be replaced at least every four years, run roughly $2,500. A new windshield is $9,000. A new clutch costs just over $20,000. The 30,000 mile service is the real killer at around $30,000. I guess it could be worse. At least Carrera GT owners don’t have to deal with $300,000 annual maintenance costs like Veyron owners.
Complete list (Jalopnik.com)
The Champion Golfer Of 2015 Is
Zach Johnson Wins British Open at St. Andrews in Playoff
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland—The 144th Open Championship at St. Andrews needed an extra day and extra holes, but Zach Johnson finally emerged from a three-way aggregate playoff with the claret jug in hand.
The 39-year-old Tour veteran defeated South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen and Australia’s Marc Leishman to win his second major title.
(Golf.com)
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland—The 144th Open Championship at St. Andrews needed an extra day and extra holes, but Zach Johnson finally emerged from a three-way aggregate playoff with the claret jug in hand.
The 39-year-old Tour veteran defeated South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen and Australia’s Marc Leishman to win his second major title.
(Golf.com)
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