Latest news with #SteveMorris
Motor 1
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Listen to This 10-Liter V-8 Rev to the Moon on a Dyno
Huge, big-block V-8 are usually reserved for drag racing. Anywhere else, they're overkill. One pro drifter thinks a proper big block is the way forward for the sport, so he's going all in on an enormous 10.3-liter V-8 for his BMW M2 drift build. And it sounds incredible. Adam LZ published a video to his YouTube channel last week documenting the powertrain set to reside in his carbon-kevlar-bodied M2. He paid a visit to Steve Morris of Steve Morris Engines, learning about the build and getting a few clips of the engine on a dyno. Morris is the go-to builder for reliable drag engines, so building this 10.3-liter motor for Adam was a piece of cake. It's loosely based on a Chevy's big-block platform, but basically everything, including the aluminum block, is new. There's a lightweight camshaft, RaceTech pistons, AFR heads, a billet oil pan, a dry-sump oiling system, a custom intake, and more. The lightweight internals were important for Adam, as he wanted an engine that could rev quickly and reach a relatively high redline—the type of stuff you need for drifting. On the dyno, the engine is able to throw down a monstrous 1,125 horsepower and 931 pound-feet of torque at 7,000 rpm, all without the use of forced induction. There's no replacement for displacement, after all. The most important part of this engine is the low-end torque. Whereas the turbo motors Adam is used to can't be lugged at low rpm, this engine will happily post huge torque numbers from idle. On the dyno, this engine was pushing over 700 lb-ft of torque at just 3,000 rpm. And if Adam needs some extra revs, this V-8 can rev out all the way to 8,000 rpm while maintaining most of its power. Now all Adam needs to do is get the engine in his car. More Incredible Dyno Pulls V-10-Swapped Lincoln Continental Sounds Incredible on a Dyno Listen to Rob Dahm's Mind-Melting 12-Rotor Engine on the Dyno Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
The Drive
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
The Devel Sixteen May Have Been Vaporware, But Its 5,000-HP V16 Was Legit
I haven't thought about the Devel Sixteen in years, and chances are, you haven't either. But if you were into supercars seven or eight years ago, you undoubtedly heard the buzz. It was supposed to be a Bugatti slayer out of Dubai with not 1,000 horsepower, not 2,000 hp, but 5,000 hp from a quad-turbo V16 engine. That seemed like the most unrealistic of all the mighty claims, but as it turns out, Steve Morris Engines in Michigan had the powerplant ready to go with dyno numbers to prove it. Morris posted an hour-long tell-all to his YouTube channel late last week, diving deep into his experience with Devel Motors. The company, whose website you can still visit, was started by three brothers in Dubai who wanted to create something beyond what Bugatti or Koenigsegg could. You can only imagine how tough that might be, considering the former had full backing from the VW Group while the latter… well, it has Christian Von Koenigsegg, a force of nature unto himself. 'They contacted me and said, 'Can you build a 5,000-horsepower V16?'' Morris recalls. 'Friggin' right I can,' he responded. The Devel Sixteen made a lot of noise at the 2017 Dubai Motor Show with a claimed 300+ mph top speed, but there hasn't been much news since then. Devel Motors He didn't believe they were serious until they flew him and a coworker to Dubai to talk business in 2014. They reached an agreement, and Morris went home with the task of developing an incredibly high-horsepower V16. Most importantly, it had to be repeatable, which Morris says it was—he still has what he needs to build one today, but don't expect to buy one for a measly sum like $100,000. The video includes tons of details, and if you want the whole story, I'll leave it to Morris to explain. What I found especially insane was what it took to make the engine work as one, because it consisted of two LS3 crate V8s with lots of custom parts. Obviously, there's all the necessary machining and fabrication, but SME also tuned each LS3 to run on different firing orders using two ECUs. This was done to smooth out the V16's operation so it wouldn't rattle and shake apart at high rpm. I might be reading this graph wrong, but it looks like peak torque comes on around 6,500 rpm. If so, that's crazy high. Steve Morris Engines via YouTube SME included the engine dyno run in its storytime video, and since that clip was uploaded on its own nearly 10 years ago, it's gathered more than six million views. I understand why, given that it resulted in a massive 5,007 hp at the crank. The graph showed peak horsepower coming on right at 7,000 rpm, while peak torque was around 3,700 lb-ft. Who knows what that would feel like at full-tilt? The only running videos I've found of the Sixteen are super low-speed. Maybe one of you can fork over enough money to buy one from SME and try it for yourself. Like he says, though, you probably can't afford one if you have to ask how much it costs. Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@ From running point on new car launch coverage to editing long-form features and reviews, Caleb does some of everything at The Drive. And he really, really loves trucks.
Scoop
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Tauranga Councillor Slams Congestion Charge As ‘Dirty Cash Grab'
Article – Alisha Evans – Local Democracy Reporter Tauranga City councillor Steve Morris said he was not convinced supporting time-of-use charging was in the best interest of residents. Congestion charging is a 'dirty cash grab from central government', a Tauranga City councillor claims. Steve Morris made the comment on Monday as the council discussed its submission on the Government's Land Transport Management (Time of Use Charging) Amendment Bill. The bill would enable local authorities to work with the New Zealand Transport Agency to design schemes charging motorists to use roads in high-congestion zones in peak hours, for transport minister approval. It is before Parliament's Transport and Infrastructure Committee for public submissions, with the Government intending to pass the legislation this year. The council's draft submission said it supported the general intent of the bill, but some councillors opposed this position. Morris said he was not convinced supporting time-of-use charging was in the best interest of residents. 'People are living week to week, pay cheque to pay cheque, we are in a cost-of-living crisis, and paying for time-of-use charging is just another naked, dirty cash grab from central government, in my view.' Morris said this was because it was not clear in the bill if the revenue from congestion charges on local roads would be used locally or elsewhere. 'This bill enables money to go into Government coffers from our residents, some of whom are struggling.' Councillor Glen Crowther said the council should take a neutral position on congestion charging. He said if it were introduced, alternative transport options had to be provided, meaning Government funding for public transport would be needed. Councillor Rick Curach said congestion charging would be a 'real burden' for people who did not have easy access to public transport. He was concerned the Government could impose time-of-use charges focused on revenue generation rather than congestion reduction. Curach wanted assurances congestion reduction would be quantified by a percentage and that the charges would be removed if the target was not met. Council principal strategic transport planner Sarah Dove said the bill was silent on congestion reduction targets, but this was probably because these would vary hugely between regions. The bill was clear that the charges were to encourage better use of existing networks through congestion reduction, she said. Councillor Rod Taylor said the council was only submitting on the legislation, and any discussion on whether Tauranga should implement congestion charging would come in the future. The council's submission requested local authorities be involved in any decision to proceed with a charging scheme, rather than a minister directing the New Zealand Transport Agency to make and implement that decision. It asked that all revenue from the scheme be managed by the relevant local authority and used in the area of charging. The submission was adopted by the councillors after the wording was changed to say the council acknowledges, rather than supports, the bill's intent. The submission said projections showed without substantial investment in transport infrastructure, congestion in Tauranga could significantly worsen in the next decade. The funding required for transport infrastructure over the next 20 years was estimated at $10 billion, with current funding estimates at $3.5b, leaving a $6.5b gap. This shortfall has previously led to discussions about alternative funding mechanisms. In March last year, the commission running Tauranga City Council scrapped its plans to investigate congestion charging options after strong community opposition. Of 1099 submissions in consultation, 81% had opposed congestion charging. When the Government bill passed its first reading in Parliament in March, Transport Minister Chris Bishop said it would reduce travel times, increase efficiency and help boost economic growth and productivity. 'Modelling shows that successful time-of-use charging — charging motorists to travel on certain roads at peak times — will encourage people to change the time or mode of travel, and could reduce congestion by up to 8-12% at peak times.' He said it required the transport agency to lead the design of schemes in partnership with councils — 'enabling local solutions within a nationally consistent framework'. 'The legislation is not about raising revenue but maximising the efficiency of the roading network. Any revenue that is collected will first be used to pay for the scheme's costs and then reinvested to improve transport in the region.' – LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Scoop
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Tauranga Councillor Slams Congestion Charge As ‘Dirty Cash Grab'
Congestion charging is a 'dirty cash grab from central government', a Tauranga City councillor claims. Steve Morris made the comment on Monday as the council discussed its submission on the Government's Land Transport Management (Time of Use Charging) Amendment Bill. The bill would enable local authorities to work with the New Zealand Transport Agency to design schemes charging motorists to use roads in high-congestion zones in peak hours, for transport minister approval. It is before Parliament's Transport and Infrastructure Committee for public submissions, with the Government intending to pass the legislation this year. The council's draft submission said it supported the general intent of the bill, but some councillors opposed this position. Morris said he was not convinced supporting time-of-use charging was in the best interest of residents. 'People are living week to week, pay cheque to pay cheque, we are in a cost-of-living crisis, and paying for time-of-use charging is just another naked, dirty cash grab from central government, in my view.' Morris said this was because it was not clear in the bill if the revenue from congestion charges on local roads would be used locally or elsewhere. 'This bill enables money to go into Government coffers from our residents, some of whom are struggling.' Councillor Glen Crowther said the council should take a neutral position on congestion charging. He said if it were introduced, alternative transport options had to be provided, meaning Government funding for public transport would be needed. Councillor Rick Curach said congestion charging would be a 'real burden' for people who did not have easy access to public transport. He was concerned the Government could impose time-of-use charges focused on revenue generation rather than congestion reduction. Curach wanted assurances congestion reduction would be quantified by a percentage and that the charges would be removed if the target was not met. Council principal strategic transport planner Sarah Dove said the bill was silent on congestion reduction targets, but this was probably because these would vary hugely between regions. The bill was clear that the charges were to encourage better use of existing networks through congestion reduction, she said. Councillor Rod Taylor said the council was only submitting on the legislation, and any discussion on whether Tauranga should implement congestion charging would come in the future. The council's submission requested local authorities be involved in any decision to proceed with a charging scheme, rather than a minister directing the New Zealand Transport Agency to make and implement that decision. It asked that all revenue from the scheme be managed by the relevant local authority and used in the area of charging. The submission was adopted by the councillors after the wording was changed to say the council acknowledges, rather than supports, the bill's intent. The submission said projections showed without substantial investment in transport infrastructure, congestion in Tauranga could significantly worsen in the next decade. The funding required for transport infrastructure over the next 20 years was estimated at $10 billion, with current funding estimates at $3.5b, leaving a $6.5b gap. This shortfall has previously led to discussions about alternative funding mechanisms. In March last year, the commission running Tauranga City Council scrapped its plans to investigate congestion charging options after strong community opposition. Of 1099 submissions in consultation, 81% had opposed congestion charging. When the Government bill passed its first reading in Parliament in March, Transport Minister Chris Bishop said it would reduce travel times, increase efficiency and help boost economic growth and productivity. 'Modelling shows that successful time-of-use charging — charging motorists to travel on certain roads at peak times — will encourage people to change the time or mode of travel, and could reduce congestion by up to 8-12% at peak times." He said it required the transport agency to lead the design of schemes in partnership with councils — 'enabling local solutions within a nationally consistent framework'. 'The legislation is not about raising revenue but maximising the efficiency of the roading network. Any revenue that is collected will first be used to pay for the scheme's costs and then reinvested to improve transport in the region.' - LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Fox News
27-04-2025
- Fox News
Multiple deputies shot, at least 1 dead during Georgia traffic stop
One Columbia County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) deputy was shot and another is dead following a fatal traffic stop on Saturday afternoon in Evans, Georgia. CCSO Maj. Steve Morris told Fox News Digital two deputies were shot and one has died, but they have not yet released the names of the deputies involved. Morris said the suspect has been identified as James Blake Montgomery. No arrests had been made as of 8:15 p.m. Saturday. Evans, Georgia is about 10 miles northwest of Augusta — home to the Augusta National Golf Club and the annual Masters Tournament. Georgia State Patrol and the Richmond County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
