Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Strategies & Market Trends : 2026 TeoTwawKi ... 2032 Darkest Interregnum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TobagoJack who wrote (49103)	4/24/2009 10:22:13 AM
From: Metacomet	1 Recommendation Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 220061

i have often stated my premise, that the Financial Collapse of 2001 is not about a cyclical event but to do with a once in several hundred years structural process, and so it is on that basis i do my watch n brief, as long as the script holds true, and, comet, the script is so far, since 2000, holding true. I don't disagree with the premise. And verily the Financial Collapse of 2001 has indeed occurred and is still in the process of unwinding. It was facilitated and accelerated by a focused, protected group of nominal "capitalists" who used a corrupt regime in the most powerful country on Earth to effect the greatest transfer of wealth in the history of mankind to the smallest group of connected pigs ever assembled. That was then. Where we differ is that you have no next act. The China miracle is another of those epic stories that will take several more decades to reach truly critical mass. To underestimate the potential of the current leadership is ill advised. There will be missteps as the degree of destruction is so great. Where we differ is you deny the ability of the US to right itself at this juncture. I believe that we have a chance to do it.

To: TobagoJack who wrote (49103)	4/25/2009 7:04:17 AM
From: Golconda	1 Recommendation Respond to of 220061

there is a use for GM engines after all! Ferrari beater? 230mph green supercar By James Ruppert, contributor November 15 2006 Here it is, the answer to our automotive prayers, the environmentally friendly supercar. Finally we can tell the anti-car lobby groups to get stuffed. That’s because the Trident Iceni not only runs on vegetable oil but will also do over 200mph and get to 60mph in 3.9 seconds. We can laugh as we tell the greenies that our supercar isn’t greedy either and will sip biodiesel at up to 60mpg and cover 1,000 miles on a tank. Not only that, the bodywork and chassis will last a lifetime, possibly more, and there is a 100,000 mile engine service interval. So what exactly is the Trident Iceni and most importantly is it for real? Racing Pedigree Click on images to enlarge. More below The last time I saw it was almost a year ago when the new shape Trident Iceni was taking shape. Since 2005 though the radical concept had been honed on the racetrack in preparation to compete in the national GT race series. For chief designer Phil Bevan this was crucial. He said: “It was the only way to show to customers that we can build reliable performance cars. It also helped us to perfect the design and achieve the ideal 50/50 weight distribution by siting the engine well back towards the cabin.” Revolutionary And what an engine it is: a 6.6-litre V8 turbodiesel built by General Motors and normally fitted to trucks. In racing tune the engine produces 450bhp or rather 800lb/ft of pulling power, which is virtually three times more than the Ferraris they race against, and is geared to reach 230mph. By contrast the road cars will ‘only’ do 170mph, but getting to 60mph takes the same amount of time, under four seconds. The key to its performance and economy is the fact that diesel engine does not have to work so hard which is most noticeable on the race track, as Bevan explains. Driven: Ferrari F430 Driven: Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 “On the main straight the Ferrari will be doing 7,000 revs and it will scream past. When the Iceni passes the engine revolutions are about 4,000rpm yet it will be doing the same speed, 140mph. The difference is it sounds like it is purring along at 50mph.” Trident also went for a diesel because it will be cheaper to build and run. “A GT race lasts two hours which uses 100 litres of petrol in the first 45 minutes and then when there is a driver change another 100 litres is added. With our car we race with 45 litres and never need to fill up.” We try endurance racing On the road and at a legal average speed the fuel capacity of 100 litres gives a range of approximately 1,000 miles. Top gear So what’s the real secret of the remarkable performance? That would be the eight-speed automatic gearbox, which is located in the rear of the car. It was designed by Bevan and built in America. “We are using the cogs in the gearbox in a different way. The gear change severity is based on a cruise mode, which means there are seamless changes. When we go racing there are manual paddle shifts, but on a day to day basis that would be tiring so it is better to be fully automatic,” Bevan explains. This enables the car to make full use of its huge torque by keeping the engine operating within its peak performance band. Computer calculations have been made suggesting a top speed of 230mph, 0-60mph in under four seconds and, at 56 mph, fuel consumption in excess of 50 mpg. Built to last It isn’t just the mechanicals that are clever as the Iceni is hand built to the highest possible standards with unique construction techniques. The fully folded stainless steel chassis forms a complete safety cell around the occupants against front and side impact. With its unique central spine rollover protection, it has been tested and proven to have the highest torsional rigidity of any car tested. It is also guaranteed for life against corrosion. Further innovations include a fixed seat position with electrically adjustable pedal box and steering column and four oculight removable roof panels. 60mpg for £60K And considering that the specification list includes all the must have kit including leather, air-con and traction control, plus rear view cameras rather than mirrors, surely the price is a significant six figure one? Apparently not. Trident are selling the Iceni for just £60,000, which will just about get you a basic Porsche 911, a Jaguar XK, or half a Ferrari F430. It looks and sounds too good to be true. Most worryingly this is a tiny British company based in Norfolk working out of what is a large industrial shed (although they are poised to move to a purpose built factory unit). Aston Martin V8 Vantage vs Porsche 911 CS Such companies don’t have an impressive survival rate, but maybe the Trident Iceni will be different. It’s the supercar you don’t have to feel remotely guilty about owning, plus it was designed and built in Britain and that’s something we can be proud of. Watch the Iceni being built over the coming weeks at www.trident-vehicles.co.uk Trident Iceni specification Price: £60,000 Engine: V8 6.6-litre Power/torque: 375bhp @ 3,100rpm/520lb ft @ 1,800rpm Performance: 0-60mph 3.9 seconds Standing quarter mile: 12.0 seconds (est) Top Speed (limited): 170 mph Fuel consumption: 60 mpg (at 56mph) Style: two-seater sportscar with part-glass roof Transmission: front engine, rear-wheel-drive, eight-speed sequential gearbox Kerb weight: 1,220kg A-Z of green motoring Green supercar Click on an image to enlarge it