The Physics of Cars:

http://i.wheelsage.org/pictures/ferrari/550/autowp.ru_ferrari_550_gts_maranello_12.jpg

Modern cars have evolved over 100 years of market pressures.  Things like technological progress, aesthetic sense, safety laws, world oil price fluctuations, and even women's liberation have all had their effect on cars.  Through it all, the physics behind our wheeled wonders have been the same, providing the "rules" for how an automobile interacts with the world around it.  It doesn't matter if you're driving a Ferrari like the one picture above or a solar racer like the one pictured below, the laws of physics prevail.  In this brief look at some of the science behind cars, we'll be focusing on three areas: the powertrain, the wheels and the body.  As this is a scientific undertaking, the units of measurement involved will be metric units unless otherwise specified.