![]() The immediate effects of the housing crunch are generally well-understood: productivity suffers when people aren’t able to live near the jobs they want.īut there are other, less-explored effects of the crunch: an increase in obesity (as folks become more sedentary due to longer commutes and a lack of walkable suburbs), a decrease in birth rates (as housing is often the biggest expense for families, making it difficult to realize their ideal family size), climate change, and inequity. In Ireland, prices have risen by about 800% in that period, driven by increases in Dublin in particular. Average New York City metropolitan area house prices are up 706% since 1980 (or 376% more than US consumer prices, and 326% more than US wages). The price of housing in major cities has, over the past few decades, far outpaced the cost of construction. Originally published in 1970, this updated edition includes a foreword from Ben Reinhardt that contextualizes the lessons Pieces of the Action can offer to contemporary readers: that change depends both on heroic individuals and effective organizations that a leader’s job is one of coordination and that the path from idea to innovation is a long and winding one, inextricably bound to those involved-those enduring figures who have a piece of the action. Pieces of the Action offers his hard-won lessons on how to operate and manage effectively within complex organizations, build bridges between people and disciplines, and drive ambitious, unprecedented programs to fruition. As the architect and administrator of an R&D pipeline that efficiently coordinated the work of civilian scientists and the military during World War II, he was central to catalyzing the development of radar and the proximity fuze, the mass production of penicillin, and the initiation of the Manhattan Project. But even with this hardware, the Alltrack doesn’t drive much like the Golf R thanks to a 122-hp deficit.In Pieces of the Action, Vannevar Bush-engineer, inventor, educator, and public face of government-funded science-offers an inside account of one of the most innovative research and development ecosystems of the 20th century. The computer can apply the brakes individually to direct torque to the left- or right-side wheels on either axle. As in the R, an electronically controlled clutch manages the front-to-rear torque split. While this DSG is no longer the groundbreaking transmission it was in 2003, it still provides more-consistent shifting and delivers a sportier character than a conventional automatic. That means the Alltrack gets Volkswagen’s six-speed dual-clutch automatic instead of a conventional automatic transmission. Of more importance is an upgraded powertrain, which marries the base Golf’s 1.8-liter turbocharged four with the Golf R’s driveline. VW compensated for the diminished fuel economy by increasing the tank size in the Alltrack by 1.3 gallons. Fuel economy is about the only other measurable area in which the Alltrack comes up short, with our observed mileage of just 25 mpg trailing the 26 we achieved in the last front-drive SportWagen we tested. The braking performance was worse than the SportWagen’s by six feet, with the Alltrack stopping in 172 feet from 70 mph. Slightly wider rubber helped the Alltrack pull a respectable 0.84 g on the skidpad, beating the SportWagen’s 0.82. Launch control and the extra set of drive wheels helped the Alltrack nip the standard SportWagen by three-tenths of a second in the zero-to-60-mph sprint, at 7.5 seconds, though we measured both cars at 15.9 through the quarter-mile. But the additional mass made little difference at the test track. Our test vehicle weighed 3497 pounds, 260 more than the last front-drive SportWagen to cross our scales. The same is true for the clean styling, solid build quality, and tasteful interior, none of which were changed in any fashion deserving further comment. The light and accurate steering, the excellent body control, and the way the car flows from one curve to the next all survived this crossover-ication just fine. What we didn’t feel-thankfully-was any other significant difference from any other regular Golf. And yes, we could appreciate the Alltrack’s higher tolerance for rutted roads, commensurate with its increased ground clearance. Its selectable off-road drive mode (one of four: normal, sport, custom, and off-road) engages hill-descent control and futzes with the throttle and transmission calibrations, yet it’s meant mostly for bouncing along two-tracks, which we did. The lift amounts to just 1.4 inches, most of it coming from taller wheels and tires, though VW says the Alltrack does have longer springs and dampers. Without a hike in the seating position or a raised roof, the Alltrack feels not even a little like a crossover. HIGHS: Drives like a Golf, delivers AWD for less money than an R.
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