ERAZ-Electro (pics)

I want to share some interesting pics related to our previous post about ERAZ.

The first prototype of electric car "ERAZ-ARMENIA" (written in Russian in the picture above). Also you can see inscription 'Testing' on the front bumper.

And the other 2 pics of ERAZ were made for 1980 Olympic games in Moscow.

 

The forgotten Technologies of the Soviet Armenia: ERAZ Electro

Nowadays, hybrid technologies are considered as one of the most promising developments in the automotive world. In this sphere, there are already clearly identified leaders among the giants of the global auto industry. Today it’s almost impossible to believe that during Soviet times, our country also undertook active efforts to develop a car powered by electricity. In different republics of the Soviet Union, thanks to the efforts of many institutions there were built challenging samples which were put to the test in various conditions. In Armenia, the first result of such works became this vehicle running on a hybrid power train. It was designed in 1978 in Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, in the research laboratory for electric vehicles.

Unfortunately, today, this car is consigned to oblivion. The fate of its designers is also unknown. I just came across this miraculously preserved photo.
By the way, the Yerevan Automobile Plant also made major efforts to create an electrically powered cars.
More about this, I will cover in the near future.

The Reliable A4 (Part 4)

Just try to enter a turn at a greater speed and slightly chop the throttle spinning back the wheel. The rear axle immediately takes up the sliding baton from the front and the car performs smooth drifts, which are controlled at any stage of difficulty.

At the breaking point the car slides with all wheels slightly throwing the back, but nothing to worry about- the skid is easily corrected with the wheel. The steady engine will allow you to drag the car from a slide with minimal efforts. Clutching the road surface with all wheels, the A4 whistles like a bullet out of the turn.
The “Quattro” of the A4 is based on the old and reliable self-locking differential “Torsen”, which cleverly distributes torque between axles.
It’s not by chance that among the great German trio, the A4 is the leader in the D segment. And it’s no wonder that there is a growing number of so many restyled modifications of this model in our streets. I enjoyed the car very much and hopefully managed to maintain objectivity in this article. One thing for sure, the A4 is a correctly balanced, fast and technologically advanced car, so you will never regret owning it.

The Reliable A4 (Part 3)

Whenever I drive an Audi, I always get fascinated by the work of power steering, which generates great feedback depending on the driving speed. In a parking lot, you can spin the wheel with your little finger, but as the speed increases, the steering wheel gets heavier and heavier allowing you to accurately control the car. Another undoubted advantage is that you don’t have to gradually change the force during fast rotations of the wheel. In addition, the steering wheel of the A4 TFSI is pleasant to the touch- the cross-section is correctly chosen. The gearshift paddles are ideally set, so you needn’t get used to them.

I pressed the brake pedal and slightly revved up the engine. As the light turned green, I fully pressed the accelerator…the car sped along the road like a bullet making my body shake with adrenaline shock. The only pity was that the turbine whistle couldn’t be heard. The engine was roaring without giving away the presence of the turbine.
The engine is quite flexible. It demonstrates excellent traction after about 4000 rpm. When the sport mode of the automatic transmission is enabled or the gas pedal is fully pressed, the gear will hang on the selected speed till the very last moment and will shift only after reaching the maximal rpm. To the credit of the tiptronic, it should be noted that it copes with the task very quickly and without delays. My friend was even convinced that it was the DSG gearbox.
Is the standard suspension capable of coping with the dynamic capacity of this powerful A4? The answer is YES. Of course, I’d like a little less swings and more composure, but let’s not forget that this is not the S4. The chassis is set up for everyday use. However, comfort keeps up with flexibility. The suspension is very power-intensive and can be broken, only if you try really hard.  Bends and turns are the natural elements of the “Quattro”.
To be continued...

The Reliable A4 (Part 2)

However, the main advantage of the car is hidden under the hood: the 2-liter turbo engine with direct fuel injection (FSI). The Audi is very proud of this technology, since it got its baptism of fire in motorsport.

So our A4 2.0T FSI, is a vivid example of a sport-civic sedan: 200 HP, a torque responsive engine, 19-inch wheels (unfortunately, the car has a standard suspension). I got slightly frustrated with the fact that this wonderful engine is supported by a 6-speed tiptronic transmission- I wish it was manual, or at least the superfast DSG. By the way, the first option is available, as for the second, we will have to forget about it.  But instead, as a compensation we get sporty flappy-paddle tiptronic gear shifters (there is a special algorithm used on powerful A4s and the S4), which makes you feel as if behind the wheel of a Formula One car. However, I never used those paddles. Luckily, I had ridden in a Land Cruiser for a few hours, before I started the test. So, it was very fun to get into a compact 200HP sedan after the huge Japanese” yacht”. 

 Firstly, I’d like to highlight the perfectionism of the interior finishing- it’s almost the same as that of the company’s flagship A8- the same stylistic techniques and the same aura of the impeccable quality. All the parts are perfectly assembled.
Everything is great with emphasized modesty. There is no pathos, but lots of grace. The ergonomics is beyond question; the visibility is also good. “Try to be perfect in everything”, this seems to be the motto of the designers from Ingolstadt.
To be continued...

The Reliable A4 (Part 1)

No matter how much objective approach one tries to provide when writing about cars, the personal taste and preference are always reflected in an article.

The fact that today’s car belongs to the Audi group, suggests that I am going to enjoy the test.
In this article I have a chance to introduce an eccentrically colored Audi A4, the driver of which willingly agreed to put it to the test. The combination of the classic black and aggressive red gives a unique attractiveness to this A4.
Now, let’s see what it’s capable of!

The A4 is not a newcomer in its class, moreover, it’s one of the recognized leaders in the D segment. Before being restyled, the car was good all the same- this is the case, when the unification of design with higher class models (primarily, with the top model A8) has a beneficial influence on lower class representatives. Although the A4 is obtained in the modest mid-size D segment, it can easily challenge some higher rank models in terms of workmanship, materials and respectability.

The restyling added some charm and emotionality to the car. The previous model was strict and kind of icy, like a steel. But our model is filled with romanticism, which is expressed in the slanted headlights with the powerful branded grill, or in the rubies of the rear lights imitating an Italian style, as well as in the light sidewalls which got stylish stampings after the restyling.  Only the black and red colors imply that our German romantic can turn into an aggressive beast, if needed.
To be continued...

The Fastest Lion: Peugeot 407 (Part 3)

The “arsenal” of the 407 also includes such pleasant things for the driver as adaptive headlights, tire pressure control system and an oil temperature gauge on the dashboard.

The driver’s seat is not much different from other cars of this family. The only thing that might attract your attention is the beautiful metallic gear stick. The running of the 6-cylinder engine is accompanied by pleasant sounds of exhaust system. The engine traction is really impressive and provokes you to nothing but acceleration. The gear change is so smooth that there is no doubt as to perfect tuning of the transmission. Strange thing: although I knew that there was a function of sequential gearshift in the manual mode, I never wanted to disturb the harmony by interfering in the perfect performance of the automatic mode.
Unlike its fellows, the top version of the 407 has laminated side windows, so the inside is very quiet and cozy. But this car with the most powerful engine is definitely not for a quiet ride. It easily crosses the line of 200km/h.

This “lion” also has super “instincts” of self-preservation: in difficult situations, the permanent ESP system will come to the rescue of the driver. However, the “instincts” of the 3.0L model not only act for prohibitions and restrictions, but also assist the (reasonable) fulfillment of the driver’s desires.