15 of the Raddest Factory Custom and Small-Batch Production Vans of the 1970s

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Model T to Modern Mercedes: Testing the Evolution of Headlights from 1916 to 2018

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December 29, 2017 at 3:34 pm by Eric Tingwall | Photography by Andi Hedrick

From the December 2017 issue

From the moment electric headlights snuffed out kerosene and acetylene lamps in the 1910s, automakers have struggled to illuminate the road without blinding oncoming drivers. The industry’s first unified effort to rein in glare was led by the carmakers themselves before the automobile was federally regulated. In the span of just two model years, 1940 and 1941, every new car in the United States adopted standardized seven-inch round headlights. These sealed-beam assemblies, combining the bulb, lens, and reflector into one unit, eventually expanded to include additional sizes and rectangular shapes, but the original seven-incher was still popping up in vehicles such as the 1990–1997 first-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata well after NHTSA had approved replaceable-bulb and nonstandard-shaped headlights in 1983.

Today’s lighting regulations primarily dictate performance, allowing manufacturers to choose from a handful of technologies. High-intensity discharge (HID) lamps produce light with an electric arc in a gas-filled bulb rather than the filament used in conventional halogen bulbs. The latest trends favor energy-efficient light-emitting diodes (LED) and lasers. Both allow for precise control and placement of the beam, to the extent that some “smart” headlights can carve out a dark spot around an oncoming car.

Our test revealed that technology isn’t the only factor in determining headlight performance. NHTSA allows headlights to be located between 22 and 54 inches from the ground yet also calls for a horizontally oriented cutoff to block the beam from angling upward into the eyes of approaching drivers. Mounting the headlights higher, then, is the only way to elevate the beam. That’s exactly why the 1916 Ford Model T Touring we tested did such an admirable job exposing the body of our decoy deer at a distance of 100 feet [see top right] while several of our modern cars threw their light at the deer’s feet. However, the T’s crude reflectors created a narrow spot beam, barely wider than the car itself, and intensity fell off rapidly beyond 100 feet.

The 2018 Honda Fit’s halogen bulbs are hardly an improvement on a 1997 Miata’s sealed-beam lights. And at just 50 feet out from the car, the bright center of the Mercedes E400’s beam passed below our light meter positioned 24 inches off the ground. The 305-hp Dodge Challenger GT AWD can’t spin its own tires, but it was the Hellcat of headlights in our test. Its HID lamps flooded our testing field with the brightest light in each of the eight measurement locations. It helps that the all-wheel-drive Challenger has an SUV’s stance.

Lux quantifies the intensity of light as perceived by the human eye. City streets are typically illuminated to about 10 lux at night while the lights in a living room are roughly equivalent to 50 lux. An overcast day is usually around 1000 lux.

Click to view full-size.

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BMW Cranks Out 3-series, M3, and M4 Limited Editions for Japan

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December 29, 2017 at 2:41 pm by Tony Markovich | Photography by Alex Conley, Chris Doane Automotive, and the Manufacturer

There might be sub-zero temperatures here at our headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, but in Japan, BMW is turning up the heat. The Bavarians are treating the Japanese to an extra dose of exclusivity with limited runs of specially equipped M3 and M4 Competition models called the Heat Editions.

Following the release of the X5 M and X6 M Black Fire Editions, these latest cars were again created using a bevy of BMW M Performance parts. Each sports carbon-fiber mirror covers, a carbon front splitter on an M Performance fascia, and a carbon-fiber rear diffuser. Inside is an M Performance steering wheel wrapped in microsuede, and carbon fiber is applied to the iDrive knob, the center console, the dashboard, and the steering wheel. Stainless-steel pedals and Heat Edition badging also are fitted. While red might be an appropriate color for something called the Heat Edition, both of the special M3 and M4 cars are draped in Tanzanite Blue Metallic, a BMW Individual paint color that’s contrasted here with black 20-inch forged aluminum wheels. Only 30 examples—split evenly between M3s and M4s—will be built for Japan, with deliveries slated to start in February.

In other BMW of Japan news, the company also announced that it will expand the availability of its 3-series M Sport Edition Shadow in that country. Now available on the 318i, the 320i, the 320i xDrive, the 320d, and the 330e plug-in hybrid, the package features 19-inch M Performance wheels, blacked-out kidney grilles, and darkened lenses for the LED head- and taillamps. The Shadow cars also get black dakota leather seats and carbon-fiber interior trim, and wear an exclusive orange exterior hue.

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BMW Cranks Out 3-series, M3, and M4 Limited Editions for Japan

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301-hp 2018 Toyota Camry XSE V-6 Tested!

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Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE AS TESTED: $38,059 (base price: $35,845)

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve Atkinson-capable V-6, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injection

Displacement: 210 cu in, 3456 cc
Power: 301 hp @ 6600 rpm
Torque: 267 lb-ft @ 4700 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 111.2 in
Length: 192.7 in
Width: 72.4 in Height: 56.9 in
Passenger volume: 100 cu ft
Trunk volume: 15 cu ft
Curb weight: 3665 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 5.8 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 14.4 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 26.3 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 6.2 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 3.4 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 4.6 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.4 sec @ 100 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 136 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 167 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.87 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMY:
Observed: 24 mpg
75-mph highway driving: 29 mpg
Highway range: 460 miles

EPA FUEL ECONOMY:
Combined/city/highway: 26/22/32 mpg

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2018 Toyota Camry XSE V-6 – Instrumented Test

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