A pre-histroic car in New York

Flash news from Volkswagen for US market! Actually the news release is for Europe but the content should be explained to Americans. Volkswagen’s boring family sedan Jetta is quite common in US like in Europe. If you have two children, a wife and most probably you are young and you could not afford to buy a larger car. Anyway, family cars suppose to offer more comfort than coupes! This means suspension should be “a bit” more comfortable without compromising the handling.

Unfortunately, two generations ago Jetta (Bora) and Golf models were offering a catastrophic rear suspension system called torsion bar. Actually some Toyota models and French cars still have this. What’s wrong with that? Very simply; torsion bar is not a suspension, it is just a cheaper replacement for a proper suspension. Many of you will think, so what! When you have a car with a torsion bar, your handling will be worse and people in the back seat will feel the every single pothole inside their spine! It is offering neither better handling nor comfort but it is cheaper!

VW was using this with Bora (Old Jetta) and Golf, later on understood what they done wrong and replace the rear suspension with multi-link independent rear suspension. Multi-link independent rear suspension is a proper suspension, you don’t need to worry about anything but it is expensive for car companies. For that reason, Ford Focus always had worse interior and great handling. Ford Focus has the best rear suspension on its segment.

The current Jetta sold in US market is offered with torsion bar. This means, Americans have a pre-historic suspension system in a European car, hopefully in Europe VW did not risk its reputation and offers the Jetta with proper multi-link independent suspension. Anyway, Jetta is available with micro size engine 1,2lt TSi with 105 horses inside :)

European Jetta 

Pictures' Copyrights

Ford, VW

Limits of art: Ford Kuga

Last week I received an email about Ford Kuga’s artistic event. Kuga is the new mid-size SUV from Ford. It is based on Ford Focus chassis but looks much better than a Focus. Actually after Mondeo, it is the best looking Ford on market, I am including American Ford also. Kuga’s design is beyond Ford’s limit. If it was badged with BMW, it will be the most selling SUV on market.

Unfortunately I did not have chance to drive it. Actually I was not invited to this event, I just received an email. I hope that I can attend to next event. And have chance to try it, but I want to try its limit on off road. It is the new generation artificial four wheel drive cars, they are just designed to park comfortably over the pavement. That’s main reason why many people are buying them :) Therefore nobody is expecting these vehicles to cross Amazon forest. But I still want to see its capabilities.

The interesting fact with Kuga is the transmission. Ford woke up and realized that automotive world has changed and started to offer double clutch automatic gearbox (PowerShift). But in a Ford way! VW also offers the same technology with DSG brand. Basically they are the same but no! I don’t know why but Ford added a torque convertor to PowerShift gearbox. Torque converter is mechanical part between in traditional automatic gearbox and the engine. It is transferring power from engine to gearbox. But in double clutch technology, there are two clutches for this job and Ford added something extra.

I don’t think that engineers in Ford got crazy and added extra weight to gearbox. It should be either patent limitation or comfort reasons. Anyway, I cannot say it is good or bad until I drove one.

The Ford Kuga’s artistic event was amazing also. Ian Cook known as Popbang Colour, painted a Ford Kuga picture with tyres and remote control cars. I think there are no ways a picture can be more related with cars! This is the limit engagement of art with cars. By the way, controlling a remote control car is much more harder than driving a real car, keep in mind ;)

Pictures' Copyrights

Ford