The Pontiac GTO has been cancelled, again. But, before this revival departs, a special Goat is chewing its way through the stereotypes of the drifting scene. Professional slide-guru Rhys Millen entered the Formula Drift competitions of late with a drift-spec GTO. Millen, along with Samuel Hubinette and Ken Gushi, have made a strong statement for domestic manufacturers in a previously Japanese-dominated event. In fact, last year Rhys became the 2005 champion. However, with the demise of the GTO, GM Racing needed a new entry.

At a recent media event and unveiling, Miller and the GM Racing staff put an end to the wide-spread speculation of their next vehicle. The official Red Bull Pontiac Solstice GXP Drift stood before an eager crowd of industry personnel and drifting magnates with automotive implications for the specialty-equipment industry.

The unveiling of the new Pontiac Solstice GXP has caught the attention of enthusiasts, and it should come as no surprise that this new replacement could refuel the demand for real-wheel-drive sports cars. Every single 2006 Solstice has been nabbed and a waiting list for the 2007 model is growing. Supported by the potent 2.0L ECOtec engine, this new platform needs little justification as a perfect racing candidate. With a RWD layout, feather light curb weight, and balanced proportions this vehicle can be tossed around while maintaining control.

What's mystifying about this car is that it will run on E85-the fuel mixture comprised of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. Furthermore, this corn-based energy source has been proven to produce more power than similar gasoline applications, especially in engines designed to use high octane fuels. This signals monumental ramifications for the racing industry, and several organizations are conducting research into the viability of adopting this fuel as an alternative.

The National Street Car Association, the National Hot Rod Association, the Indy Racing League and NASCAR are all looking into E85 as a future fuel alternative, some as early as the 2007 season. Engine builders are seeing the possibility of a booming market developing on the notion of combining fuel efficiency with power increases. To promote this concept, the Engine Rebuilders Association established an E85-based competition to meet such goals.

Millen's Solstice has been massaged to the tune of 550hp (450 lb-ft), lightened with extensive carbon fiber body panels, stiffened with four-way adjustable shocks and coilovers and upgraded in typical OEM fashion. The ECOtec's engine has been upgraded with iron cylinder liners, a ported cylinder head, tubular stainless steel exhaust headers, a performance camshaft, a FAST engine management system, billet steel crankshafts and rods, a ball-bearing turbo, and a water-to-air intercooler. Similar ECOtec project cars have been capable of squeezing out in excess of 1,400hp.

Not only does this example illustrate the capability of this car and its platform, but it creates a precedent for future manufacturers to develop alternative-fuel-based performance parts. Millen will attempt to prove the value of this approach in the Formula Drift Round 3 event at Chicago's Soldier Field on June 10.

Sources:
"De La Solstice: Rhys drifts to a new 4-cyl beat for '06" www.urbanracer.com
"Pontiac unveils red Bull Solstice GXP Drifter to Replace GTO" www.autoblog.com
"Power Output and Usage in Racing." www.en.wikipedia.org

A recently released Strategy Analytics report, "Automotive Displays-Position and Information Content Are the Key Issues Not Screen Size," indicates the decreasing costs of LCDs coupled with the increased availability of new features on in-vehicle navigation, entertainment and driver information systems will be "key factors that will drive automotive display shipments to 32 million units by 2012."

The biggest challenge for automotive companies is the display location in the vehicle cockpit, along with what information should be shown and easily accessed on the display. Driver distraction is a key concern for car makers, regulators and consumers. Unanswered questions remain over the role of displays and instrumentation clusters, as opposed to the use of voice technology and haptic/touch button controls.

Companies such as Toyota, Nissan and Alpine have adopted touch screens, while BMW, GM and Siemens VDO have adopted Head-Up Displays (HUDs). These products have been designed to address safety, design aesthetics, customer appeal and driver information issues. Joan Blight, Director, Automotive Practice, says "Lower display costs, together with increasing availability of new features on in-vehicle infotainment systems, will result in a strong market for full color displays".

For the "Automotive Displays Market-OE and Aftermarket," see www.strategyanalytics.com/press/PR00287.htm

Source: "Strategy Analytics: Automotive Market for Color Displays To Triple Over Next 5 Years; Decreasing LCD Costs and Increasing In-car Features Drive a $3 Billion Opportunity," www.tmcnet.com.

Rust had always been a problem for aging automobiles, particularly for those built in the 1960's and 1970's. As automakers tried to reduce the weight of automobiles, the problem seemed to get worse, due to the thinner steel being used. Today, improved body metals that resist rust, along with rust-discouraging vehicle designs and better primers, have helped to virtually eliminate rust altogether. Improved corrosion-fighting in cooling and exhaust systems have helped as well.

The improvements add roughly $200 to the cost of new cars, but this cost is worth it. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 1977 half of all U.S. passenger cars lasted 10.5 years, with a travel lifetime of 107,000 miles. By 2001, which is the latest year studied, the median lifetime for passenger cars reached 13 years, with a travel lifetime of 152,000 miles. Better rust resistance slows depreciation and helps to keep resale values up.

In order to combat the rust problems, automakers started to coat their steel with metals such as aluminum and zinc or their alloys. Although these metals oxidize, the resulting corrosion products are white and less noticeable. When aluminum and zinc are present, they oxidize while the steel does not. Automakers found that metals coated with zinc were hard to paint, and the paint tended to flake off. This problem was solved by dunking the car's body in a phosphate bath, creating a thin, paintable layer of phosphate crystals on the metal surface. Ensuring that primers and anti-rust waxes got into the hard-to-reach crevices and inner surfaces like rocker panels, is important as well. Automakers also found that vehicle design had been contributing to rust problems as well, and have worked to eliminate joints and pockets in which "muddy, wet wads of leaves and debris soaked with road salt" would collect.

Source: Frank Greve, "Cars last longer with rust on the run," www.freep.com, April 13, 2006.

Submissions for the first-ever SEMA Idol are still being accepted. The industry competition is looking to discover a hidden star, whether it's someone who can sing, dance, tell jokes, juggle... any and all talents are welcomed!

To enter, send your home videos, preferably in DVD format, to Susan Alfonso at susana@sema.org. Three contestants (SEMA members) will be chosen and flown to Las Vegas where they will take center stage and perform for a packed house during the SEMA Industry Awards Banquet. The winner will be chosen by the audience and announced live during the annual gala.

WRESTLIN', OR RACIN': The New York City Council Department of Planning's environmental scope meeting regarding the proposed International Speedway Corp. race track on Staten Island turned into a shouting match last week. Police broke up the meeting and emptied the building after the crowd of supporters and detractors became unruly. It appears it will be a long process if the $600-million plan is to be seen to fruition.

SEMA-supported legislation to provide for a one-time registration fee of $50.00 for vehicles at least 60 years old was passed by the Maryland State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Bob Ehrlich. Under the measure, the one-time registration is not transferable to a subsequent owner.

Two upcoming summer movies are being readied to entertain the car lover in us all-"Cars" and "Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift." Not only will these movies entertain audiences but each could lead to potential sales boosts for specialty-equipment companies.

The industry witnessed a spike in product interest and sales with previous movie releases such as "American Graffiti," "Gone in 60 Seconds" and "The Fast and the Furious."

"Cars" is a computer-animated film set to release on June 9. It will feature several popular vehicles in animated form, such as the 1959 Impala and the 1975 Cadillac Coupe de Ville. The film is geared to create some nostalgia about old cars and the American road trips of the past.

"Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift," which will be released on June 16, will feature the motorsport of drifting, something relatively new to mainstream America. The original "The Fast and the Furious" movie became widely popular among youth buyers and was the first movie to highlight sport-compact drag racing.

According to a new survey by Nationwide Mutual Insurance, gas prices is one of the main factors behind the increased desire to ride motorcycles. In fact, 35% of motorcyclists surveyed said that they will ride their bikes more over the next year as a result of fuel prices. Enthusiasts have turned their hobby into an everyday form of transportation.

Survey respondents said that they spent 26% of their total riding time last year commuting to work. Most riders do have insurance, but one in three indicated they are unsure if they have adequate coverage. The motorcyclists surveyed said that they would pay $3 or $4 more per gallon before they stop riding, because their bikes are so fuel efficient.

The survey was conducted by Brandware, and included 2,544 motorcycle, power boat, bass boat and ATV owners. Both male and female motorcyclists expect to ride their bikes for approximately 22 more hours than they did in the past year. Male motorcyclists expect to ride 172 hours over the next year, while female motorcyclists expect to ride 146 hours. Both male and female riders indicated that over half of their total money spent on leisure activities went toward accessories and improvements for their motorcycle over the past five years.

One of the concerns as motorcyclists invest more financial resources, and rely more heavily on motorcycles as a primary form of transportation, is proper insurance. More than one in ten motorcyclists surveyed indicate they are not insured; one in five said they are not covered for liability; one-third are not covered for collision or medical payments.

Pirelli Tire North America and Twenty Inches Strong Wheels have introduced the world's first 30-inch wheel and tire combo geared for the light-truck and SUV market. With the 315/30R30 Scorpion Zero Asimmetrico, Pirelli is the first tire maker to supply this tire size in full production.

Twenty Inches Strong Wheels' new eight-spoke, three-piece wheel becomes the first in the company's new Thirty Inches Strong Line.

The first set of this wheel and tire combo was sold to MTV's Bam Margera from "Viva La Bam" valued at just under $150,000.

Source: "Fuel Prices Drive Increased Motorcycling," www.prnewswire.com.

SEMA-supported Virginia legislation to exempt newer motor vehicles from the state's mandatory biennial emissions inspection program was passed by the Virginia Legislature and signed into law. Under the new law, a motor vehicle will not be subject to emissions inspection until it is four-years-old or older.