Author Archive for Tim Esterdahl
Associate Editor Tim Esterdahl is a married father of three who enjoys all things automotive including wrenching on his collection of old pickups. He also plays an absurd amount of golf. Like really absurd.
Scion Unveils Drift Ready Sports Car, FR-S
Scion has developed a new sports car, the Scion FR-S. This super-charged drift-ready sports car is modeled after other successful sports car and is turning a lot of heads.

The Scion FR-S is a sleek looking, powerful sports car that is causing a lot of excitement.
Consumer Reports: Toyota Top Consumer Brand
Consumer Reports has released the results of their 2012 Car-Brand Perception Survey, and it’s good news for Toyota. As in years past, the highly rated Tundra and Tacoma pickup trucks tops the list in consumer brand perception, earning Toyota a winning streak that likely leaves runners up Ford, Chevrolet and Honda scratching their heads.

Toyota was once again ranked by Consumer Reports as the top consumer brand continuing a dominant streak of placing first.
Funny Friday – Camping IN your Prius, What’s Next?
Another installment of our occasional Funny Friday series.
While there are plenty of good reasons to pick a Prius, space for sleeping is not usually one of them. Thanks to a new device that resembles a marshmallow stuck onto the back of the car, outdoor enthusiasts may soon be trekking into the wilderness in Toyota’s eco-friendly sub compact. However, there is no guarantee that a hungry bear will not attempt to eat the puffy white contraption on the back of your car.

Hey look! A sporty camper Prius with a big marshmallow on its back.
Bosch Engineers Push Forward with HCCI Engine
Bosch Engineers have begun work on a new engine that could combine the efficiency and reliability of diesel engines with the lower emissions of gasoline. This new engine called the HCCI engine, Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition, could be the future of automotive engine development.

The graphic shows the difference between HCCI, diesel and gasoline engines. Graphic courtesy of the Robert Bosch Corporation.
Gas Subsidy Ends Could Cause Fuel Prices To Rise
Fuel efficiency and the cost of filling up the tank in E85 vehicles has been a topic of discussion for a while now and it seems that it may get more expensive to drive them. There’s a chance that price of gas is going to be higher at the pump due to the U.S. government ending the 30-year subsidies they have on ethanol.

This sign may not be that far off with current gas subsidies coming to an end.