05 Feb 07
When the steering wheel is rotated, a gear on the end of the steering column moves a toothed rack left and right to change the angle of the front wheels. Favoured by sports car makers for better steering feel and used in most road cars these days - even by Mercedes, which clung onto the old recirculating ball system for many years.
The maximum number of revolutions the engine can make per second, indicated by a red section on the rev counter. In simple terms, racing cars tend to have high redlines, budget economy cars very low ones; the further away from the redline you stay, the less fuel you will consume and the less your engine risks wear and tear.
Capturing the energy that would otherwise be lost under deceleration and braking, storing it in batteries and then using to power ancillary systems such as air conditioning, electrical gadgets and non-essential functions. In a hybrid, this is how the batteries are recharged; will increasingly appear in non-hybrid cars to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
A device designed to limit an engine's rpm in order to protect it from damage. Not necessarily the same as the redline.
The resale value of a used car. A car is said to have strong residuals if it holds its value well. Most cars lose value steeply in the first year they are on the road, with more heavy losses for the next couple of years. The strength of residuals varies between brands and type of vehicle: typically, the German manufacturers' cars enjoy strong residuals, but cars with large petrol engines lose their value the most quickly, especially saloons.
Often listed in spec sheets for convertibles, but we hope that you never get to see them. They spring up - usually from behind the seats - if sensors predict that you're about to turn turtle, so that they hit the ground before your head does. Not to be confused with anti-roll bars, which are stabilising bars across your car's suspension. Or roo bars, which Aussies fit to the front of their utes.
The number of times the engine's crankshaft rotates in a single minute. The harder you press the throttle, the higher the rpm, depending on which gear you're in. The rpm rate is usually governed by a rev limiter so you can't push your car over the redline and blow its engine up.
Tyres with a strengthened sidewall and structure that enable you to keep going after a puncture or blow-out without ruining your wheel. Usually fitted to free up boot space otherwise taken by a spare wheel.
