Honda civic Mugen 2008

Article - www.superstreetonline.com








If there's one thing that Mugen has always done right, it's honda. Mention that one word in any conversation when you're discussing the intricacies of honda performance and you get the proverbial nodding of heads in unison. They are a pairing that is as timeless as bread and butter, Luke and the Force, nigo and Pharrell, so on and so forth. Mugen doesn't just take the good and make it better; well, they do, but it's a tradition of theirs-a skill, so to speak-of executing a finely tuned vehicle and having a keen understanding of how good a honda is from the factory before they decide on which areas they feel need improvement.

Take this very special Civic Type-R, for example, or as Mugen has renamed it, Mugen RR [pronounced "moogen (not moo-jen) double R"]. It's a very limited edition CTR that you can order only through Mugen that comes with equipment developed by Mugen. As cool as the US edition Mugen Si is, sadly it just can't compare to the JDM version. The K20A in this chassis pushes out 240 ps (243 hp) at 8,000 rpm with 22.2kgm (160 lb-ft) at 7,000 rpm while a standard Civic Type-R does 225ps (228 hp) at 8,000 rpm with 21.9 kgm at 6,100 rpm (158 lb-ft). Mugen was able to extract more power out of the K20 by giving it new camshafts, stiffer valve springs, a ram air intake that comes straight from the front grille and into a larger capacity intake box, a 4-2-1 exhaust manifold, higher flowing catalytic converter and a dual exhaust system. Mugen RR also goes two seconds quicker around the Tsukuba circuit than the Civic Type-R with a lap time of 1:00.600.

The Mugen RR gets more than a faster engine. Mugen takes what was once a mild-mannered sedan and adds on a carbon composite front bumper and grille, a lighter aluminum hood, fog lights, side skirts, a carbon rear wing, rear under spoiler with a diffuser and even rear fog lights; they even repaint it a classic favorite honda color: Milano Red. Mugen also gives you a five-way adjustable suspension, 18-inch Mugen wheels with stickier Bridgestone tires, slotted rotors, stainless brake lines and carbon cooling ducts to help cool down the front brakes. All the other factory CTR components, like Brembo brakes and limited slip differential, remain untouched. Inside, Mugen provides you with carbon Recaro reclining seats, a new shifter and shift knob, as well as a Mugen instrument panel and meter gauges. Yep, the Mugen RR is the Mugen Civic we wish honda would sell here in the States.

Tetsu says, "The parts for Mugen RR are special parts for Japanese market. Mugen is not selling any Mugen RR parts for Civic Type-R now." This means you can't call a Mugen distributor for these parts, even if you've swapped the JDM front and rear end pieces onto your U.S. Civic; the only way you're going to get these is if you buy the hong Kong knock-offs or are one of the lucky 300 in Japan who can actually order one at nearly $50K USD. As if things couldn't get any worse, we should let you know now that the Mugen RR sold out in 10 minutes.

Ferrari F430 Spider 2007

article - www.edmunds.com








The F430 features a new cast-aluminum transmission casing that houses the gearbox in unit with the electronic differential and bevel type final drive, as well as the engine oil tank. The 6-speed gearbox incorporates multicone synchronizers, while both the 6th gear and the final drive have been lengthened to make the most of the greater power and torque of the new engine. The F430 is available with either the classic Ferrari open-gate manual gearbox or with the F1 paddle shift that Ferrari has continuously developed and refined over recent years for its road-going berlinettas. Thanks to that ongoing development, Ferrari’s F1 gearbox for the F430 is state of the art, introducing a number of important modifications: thanks to inputs from the engineers on the Gestione Sportiva racing side, the F1 gearbox management incorporates a new control strategy which further perfects gearchange speed and smoothness under hard use. Changing gear takes just 150 milliseconds, as measured by the ‘hole’ in acceleration during the change (intended as the overall time from declutching, changing gear to releasing the clutch).

Interior

The F430’s interior has been re-designed for improved driver ergonomics. The instruments are housed in a new binnacle, and this design together with the layout of the dashboard underlines the care that has gone into grouping all the major controls in front of the driver within easy reach. In the driver’s direct line of sight are the rev counter, which features new graphics with a choice of either a red or yellow background and a new metal surround, the digital readout of the gear ratio selected (F1 version) and a multi-function display. The same uncompromising approach to driver control was the inspiration behind mounting the starter button and manettino on the steering wheel. The wheel itself is new with the upper rim flattened to improve visibility in the straight ahead position, and the horn pushes are integrated into the inner rim where they can be easily actioned. The interior reflects the advanced technology and materials employed in the car’s construction, and can be personalized with carbon-fiber or aluminum inserts. The cockpit is noticeably bigger and the already excellent passenger comfort is subsequently increased thanks to a slimmer central tunnel which houses the gear lever turret on the manual version and the F1 console on the paddle-shift version. There is plenty of space behind the rear seats, with a new electrically operated compartment for oddments storage and catch netting to the rear fire wall. The seats have been redesigned for greater lateral containment and the standard electric seats can be substituted by more sporting items with four-point harnesses to order (depending on markets).

2007 Ferrari F430 Base Coupe Performance & Efficiency Standard Features

- 4,308 cc 4.3 liters V 8 mid engine with 92 mm bore, 81 mm stroke, 11.3 compression ratio, double overhead cam, variable valve timing/camshaft and four valves per cylinder
- Premium unleaded fuel 91
- Fuel economy EPA highway (mpg): 17 and EPA city (mpg): 11
- Multi-point injection fuel system
- Main premium unleaded fuel tank
- Power: 360 kW , 490 HP SAE @ 8,500 rpm; 343 ft lb , 465 Nm @ 5,250 rpm