Convertible Cars

Convertible Cars

Convertible cars are an evolution from the phaeton cars which were open vehicles without glass side windows, sometimes with removable panels for weather protection. The first retractable hardtop system was invented in 1922, and the first power operated retractable roof was produced by Peugeot in 1934.

The biggest benefit to driving a convertible car is obviously the roof. When the sun peeks out from behind the clouds there is no better way to travel the open road with the wind in your hair and sun on your shoulders. Without any window panels to block your vision you have almost no blind spots, and visibility all around is vastly improved. For taller passengers, there are no headroom limitations, and this also allows you to carry large objects without the interference of a roof, much larger than you could in a standard hard top car.

Other benefits include multiple entry options and, if parked with the roof down, the ability to eliminate the risk of locking your keys inside the car (with reduced security). With the option of also having the roof up, you can protect yourself against the elements and can adapt your vehicle to almost all weather conditions.

There are several disadvantages to owning a convertible. Firstly, the prices tend to be between $5000 USD and $30000 USD higher on average than comparable sedans and coupes. Soft top convertibles are often very noisy from the inside, even with the roof up, and produce more wind resistance which results in higher fuel consumption and slower speeds. It is also very difficult to talk to fellow passengers above the noise of the wind when travelling at substantial speeds.

While improvements are always being made, a watertight convertible is harder to find than a watertight hardtop, and snow and rain can create very expensive leaks in your automobile. Also, if you happen to be out enjoying the road with the roof down and you get caught unsuspected by some flash weather, between the time it takes to pull over to the side of the road to stop and to put up the roof, you can easily have damaged electrical and personal items inside the car, as well damaging your mood as you spend the rest of your journey drying off. Exposing the interior to the elements also means that it ages quicker, although careful maintenance can minimise this effect.

Convertibles also have compromised security as it is much easier to break through a soft fabric than a hard metal, and have become easy targets for thieves.

Although they come with a number of disadvantages, it is hard not to have a huge smile on your face when driving on convertible with the roof down, which arguably compensates for the lack of security, the risk of leaks and the higher prices associated with the cars. Most convertible owners are enthusiastic about the classic retro style of their cars and the sporty feel. It is hard to think of a greater place to be than behind the wheel of a classic convertible car on a warm summer afternoon.

Drifting

Drifting

Drifting is a technique where the driver will intentionally oversteer the car to lose traction in the rear wheels or even all the tired, while maintaining control and driving the car through the entirety of the corner. It occurs when the front wheels are pointing in the opposite direction to the corner as the rear slip angle is greater than the front slip angle. The slip angle is when angle between a rolling wheel's direction ofd travel and the direction towards where it is pointing. This is also known as opposite lock or counter steering.

Drifting has become a competitive sports, first popular in Japan in the 70s and expanding worldwide ever since. The technique has become more popular as people have become more aware of it due to exposure in the media in films such as The Taste and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Initial D (which is a Japanese Anime series) and even in the 2006 Disney Pixar movie Cars during the race in the Desert. There also have been multiple computer games that have heavily featured the driving technique from as early as Sega Rally and Ridge Racer to more modern games such as Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport. It heavily features in the Need for Speed franchise and the Juiced franchise. One could also argue that the power sliding technique in the Mario Kart games is also a form of drifting.

Competitions are not so much just races between competitors, but also a judgement of their technique. Drivers are awarded for driving line, angle, speed, style and show factor which can include factors such as smoke, risky manoeuvres such as driving close to walls or designated clipping points and also the crowd's reaction. Judging usually only takes part on a very small section of the circuit on a series of interlocking corners that provide good viewing, and the rest of the track is almost irrelevant except for maintaining tire temperatures and setting up the vehicle for the first judged corner.

Cars set up for drifting are more often than not light weight rear wheel drive coupes and sedans operating on a large range of different power levels. Occasionally, four wheel drive vehicles have been modified so that they become rear wheel drive - a good example of this is the Suburu WRX which has featured in several drifting competitions. There are a lot of Japanese imported cars used in drifting competitions, although the trend these days is to use vehicles local to the country of the competition or the competitor.

To perform a drift you have to combine two primary driving techniques; clutching and braking. A common technique is when approaching a corner the driver will push in the clutch and drop to second gear before revving the engine to around 4500 rpm. As the clutch is then released there is a large surge in power to the wheels as the engine is spinning too quickly which makes the back wheels spin quickly and lose traction, swinging the back of the car into the turn. The driver can also use the emergency brake (also known as the handbrake) when entering a turn which causes the back wheels to lock up and lose traction. This can actually also be performed in a front wheel drive. To control the drift without spinning the car is the hardest part of the manoeuvre and requires a lot of practice to pull off using a combination of throttle and steering motions.

Driving economically

Driving economically

Driving a car seems to be becoming one of the most expensive things to do these days, but there are a number of ways you can limit the amount you spend in doing so. Initially, when purchasing your car, you can look into things like fuel consumption, value for money, maintenance costs and which insurance bracket the vehicle lands in (depending on what country you intend to drive it in), however even after this there are methods to cut the cost of your daily commute. Depending on your vehicle and dedication, the following techniques could save you an average of 10% of your driving costs, and potentially up to 30% according to the AA.

You should always have your car checked regularly to ensure that your engine is performing to the top standards. By checking you are using the correct grade of oil and that your tyre pressure is sufficient, you will also get more miles to the gallon of fuel.

There's also preparation you can do your vehicle before you even turn it on. By cleaning out your car regularly and ensuring there is no extra weight that you will be pointlessly transporting, you will be saving on fuel. You can better streamline your car by removing roof racks and accessories to reduce the air resistance and drag created by your vehicle. You can de-ice your car in the winter with a scraper instead of heating up the car, although this is sometimes inefficient, and visibility and safety should always come first. Also, careful planning of your trip will ensure that you don't get lost and waste fuel trying to get to your destination.

Something else worth considering is the distance. If it's only a short trip into town, is it even worth using the car? Most vehicles use the most fuel when stopping and starting around cities and by taking a walk or using your bike instead you will not only be doing your wallet a favour, but also the environment.

When it comes to actually driving your car, there are a few techniques that reduce consumption. Ensure your ride is overall smooth and gentle - accelerate and brake gradually where possible. Carefully reading the road and staying alert is key to braking slowly and safely, and also a general good driving practice. Deceleration while in gear is much better than braking sharply.

If you can avoid stopping and starting by keeping your car moving at slow distance, this will cut your consumption dramatically. By slowing early for traffic lights or traffic build up you may eliminate the need to stop altogether.

Air conditioning and other electrics use a lot of fuel. When travelling slowly it is much more efficient to open the window, and even more efficient to remove those extra layers that your'e wearing. You can turn off the heating systems, radios and fans when you don't need them to make your fuel last longer.

By driving to the speed limit you will also reduce your consumption. The difference in fuel consumption between 60mp/h and 70 mp/h is on 9% on average, and up to a further 25% between 70 mp/h and 80 mp/h.

Whatever you do, ensure that you put your safety and safety of everybody around you before your economic savings, however by following some simple and easy changes to your driving routines, you can save yourself substantial amounts of cash.

Damon Hill

Damon Hill

Damon Hill is a former Formula One Grand Prix racing driver from Great Britain. He started his racing career on motorbikes in 1981 before moving onto single seater racing cars in 1985 at the age of 25, after some small successes. By 1989 he was racing in the International Formula 3000 championship, although he never won a race at that level.

At the start of his career, he would prepare his racing bikes himself before personally towing them to and from the races that he competed in, sleeping in a tent in between events. He joined Formula Ford racing in 1985 but didn't have too much success despite showing a lot of promise. He started racing in Formula Three, and, although he didn't produce many victories, his personality attracted the likes of Sir Francis Owen Garbett “Frank” Williams, the founder and team principal of the Williams Formula One racing team. Williams made Damon a Formula One driver, and has since said that it was because of his fierce determination and because he was a “tough b***ard”. Damon attributes these qualities to his parents, especially his father Graham Hill who was also a racing driver, and feels he needed them to endure and overcome the hardships of his racing career and life.

His first year in Formula One was not too successful. Driving a rather uncompetitive car on an improvised team, Hill only qualified twice in eight races. At the same time he was working a testing role with Williams, and a car that he helped to develop driven by Nigel Mansell won the 1992 driving title. This lead to Hill replacing Mansell in Formula One when Mansell left to race IndyCars in America.

in 1993 Damon's Formula One career really picked up. He won three races and finished third overall to his teammate Alain Prost who then retired. Prost's replacement was Ayrton Senna who was unfortunately killed in his third race with Williams, which then meant that Williams had to step in as the team leader which he did successfully, rebuilding morale and pushing the team forwards in the wake of the tragedy.

Damon's biggest rival was Michael Schumacher, and in the 1994 championship they collided during the final race. This has been a somewhat controversial moment in Formula One history as some people think that Schumacher crashed on purpose to eliminate the competition, allowing him to take the championship by a single point.

In 1996 he won the driving title after winning eight out of sixteen of the races. In 1998 he moved to the Jordan Racing team and won their first title. He finished his racing career in 1999 with Jordan. He currently works for the Sky Sports Formula One broadcasting team.

During his rollercoaster career for Formula One, Damon Hill has undeniably left a huge impact in the racing community and has been a role model for many drivers in the competition since. The Williams' name is well regarded thanks to his humble attitude and unrivalled contribution to the sport.