Sunday, October 31, 2010

Saturday, October 30, 2010

2008 Jaguar XF

The new XF has gone through an extensive design and development phase at Jaguar’s Product Development Centre at Whitley in Coventry, UK whilst the actual production will take place at Jaguar’s Advanced Manufacturing Centre at Castle Bromwich in Birmingham, UK.

Jaguar XF

Jaguar XF – Elegant Sports Sedan

For our first post, let’s kick it off with one of the most beautiful Jaguars ever made — the new Jaguar XF Sports Sedan. Replacing the S-type, this XF is a real looker, while at the same time having excellent performance, especially in the 4.2 litre V8 petrol version…

There is a V6 2.7 litre diesel versiona available too — which should allow the Jaguar XF to be used as an alternative car fuels driven sports sedan by using biodiesel, for example…







Top New Cars Of The Year 2009

Some High end technology cars have made their entry into the market in the year 2009. These are the prestigious models from their makers. All of them look extremely good and they are designed with high technical values.
new lamborghini cars 2009 wallpapers

The Best New Cars of 2009

The Best New Cars of 2009


From budget-minded family haulers and luxury cars to pickup trucks, the best 2009 cars are smarter, better-made and greener than ever

How to modify or restore your car, for beginners.

The Plan
So you've decided you want to make some custom modifications to your car, or attempt a restoration project. This series of articles can help anyone who is intent on modifying, customising, or tailoring their car to their own tastes.

This information is intended for a complete beginner to automotive bodywork.Throughout I will try to explain everything clearly with pictures and examples so even if you have never touched a spanner you can get some decent results for little price.

First of all, and this is very important, you need a plan. I have worked on many varying projects and learnt the hard way that plans are essential. Oh, yeah you will make mistakes. Here is what you need to figure out for your plan.



Is it worth it?
There is nothing more depressing than seeing some clapped out rust heap 1.0 litre shopping cart come screeching around a corner with a ridiculous rear spoiler and comical paint job being driven by some 18 year old freak of nature. Don't do it.



What do I want?
Do you want a piece of automotive art with immaculate gold dipped exhausts and a million dollar paint job? If so, don't do it yourself, at least not yet. If you try to do something like this first you will inevitably end up disappointed, think small.
If however you are looking to really improve your car and have something you can be proud of, and also learn a new rewarding and valuable skill, this is a good start.



What is realistic?
Most people are going to be constrained by a budget of some sort. However with a bit of lateral thinking and common sense you can get a long way on relatively little. I'll try and tell you all the tips I have learnt. If you know of any more please e-mail them to me and I will add them to this article, and credit you with the information.
Another common constraint is time and skill. If you need to drive your project daily as you work on it you're going to have to keep the jobs bite sized.
Ideally you need a fully enclosed garage with room to move around the car, something to think about when your buying a project car is: How big is my garage?
If you do have the luxury of a large garage and another mode of transport you can tackle some of the serious stuff and really get your hands dirty.



What are my goals?
Do you want a custom interior, exterior, or both. Do you want to stop rust, or do a simple restoration? Decide what your goals are for the project, while remembering the other steps to a plan.

Budget
As I said before, most people are going to be working to some sort of budget. Budgets are a relative term when it comes to vehicle customising, for these articles I'm going to keep the budget as low as possible. Only because there is so much information already out there for high budget builds, obviously, there's more money in it.
I will try and give price estimates in both US dollars and Pound Sterling just so you have a rough guide which can help you with your budget.

One of the most important thing to remember about your budget is: You will go over budget. Unless you set your budget stupidly high you will almost definitely go over budget.

Write out your goals and plan clearly and neatly and put them up in your garage ready to work to and then go look for a project. You may need to alter your plan once you get the car home, but it does act as a guide.

IBHERDESIGN BODY KITS


Ibherdesign car body kits, front bumpers, rear bumpers and side skirts.

Ibherdesign car body kits. Great design for all of the latest cars. Ibherdesign kits are available complete or in part. With front bumpers, rear bumpers, side skirts and arch extension for wide arch body kits. Ibherdesign Automotive Styling's combination of modern unique styling, extensive range and high quality fibreglass products make them easily one of the worlds top body styling manufacturers. With a body kit to keep nearly every car modification enthusiast happy, Ibherdesign meet the needs of young drivers looking for a better, more aggressive ride and body shops looking for ease of fitment and quality. With Ibherdesign you can completely transform or subtly improve hundreds of cars.

New Body kits

Information on body kits: What are our parts made out of

Our car body kits, front bumpers, rear bumpers and side skirts are made out of FRP Composite (DuraFlex), Carbon Fiber or Poly-Urethane for strong but flexible finishes. The FRP Composite is reinforced with fiberglass fabric or matte and consists of plastic resin.

front bumper graphic

Differences in body kit material: Urethane versus FRP Composite

The FRP Composite material is weather proof. It will not reduce in size or bulge during weather changes. A Urethane body kit does not withstand severe weather as well as FRP Composite. Urethane can expand and soften on hot days causing paint to crack or peel. FRP Composite is easy to paint because paint works well with this material if properly prepped. Painting can be difficult with Urethane because paint does not stick well to the material. Urethane is also around 3 times heavier than that of FRP Composite. Poly-Urethane material is practically unbreakable, whereas FRP Composite can crack or chip due to wear.

FRP Composite is extremely light and is very strong according to its weight/strength ratio. The more pieces weigh the slower the speed of your car. Also, FRP Composite material is easily fixable, if such is needed. Whereas, Urethane is unfixable; if parts are damaged they cannot be fixed, but damage rarely happens. Both FRP Composite (DuraFlex) and Poly-Urethane materials are highly recommended and have great qualities for your aftermarket body kit needs.

bumpers image

Vinyl Ester Resin - This gives superior flexibility and strength than that of polyester resin.
Multi-Layer Fiberglass - Our pieces have 4 oz. layers of hand-laminated fiberglass with a plastic gel coat finish.
Strong Gel Coat Finish - This results in a SMOOTH finish and adds extra strength to the part! Please be careful because other manufactured finished body kit parts will have orange peel rumples.
Fitment - Our pieces have a much BETTER QUALITY fit when compared to competitor products.

1969 Volkswagen Beetle

CC-34078: 1969 Volkswagen Beetle
Custom Stereo, Suicide Doors, Shaved Door Handles, Custom Lights and Interior. Vehicle is in excellent overall condition, having been customized from frame up. The interior seats, dash and headliner, along with body modification, and custom lighting, all professionally done, award winning show car

Car's Body Kit Modification

Car body kits for primary purposes are used as cosmetic tools for your car, yet they have a potential of implicating a radical change in the appearance of the car. However applying just a body kit and assuming that car modification job has been performed very well is a misconception many armature car modifiers bear. One should always choose a body kit best aligning with the lines of your car.One should always choose a body kit best aligning with the lines of their cars. Kits requiring spray and paint should be properly sprayed or one should be prepared to spend extra bucks once the kit starts to peel off.

2011 Honda CBR 250

Honda have released the first official pics and specs for the 2011 CBR250R. With the demise of two-strokes and the disappearance of great little machines like the Aprilia RS250, Suzuki RGV250, Yamaha TZR250, Kawasaki KR-1 and Honda NSR250, the 250cc class was more or less finished. Only Kawasaki and Hyosung soldiered on, with the Ninja 250R and GTR250 respectively. But now, with the 2011 CBR250R, Honda look all set to bring some new vim and vigour to the 250cc sportsbike segment.

2010 Tesla Roadster

2010 Tesla Roadster

2010 Tesla S5

Mitsubishi Galant Car

Mitsubishi Galant Car

5 Tips for Using an Ipod in Your Car

Body:

Music storage has gone through a transition from cassette to compact disc to MP3 file. While portable MP3 players are great and easy to use, one may come across difficulties when trying to use them in the car. We look at how to overcome the challenges to enjoying MP3 music through your car stereo. It's also worth checking that your car insurance has a contents allowance, if your MP3 player is left in your vehicle.
The Apple Ipod is arguably the most popular, and certainly the most globally recognised MP3 player brand. While this article may refer to the Ipod, these tips apply equally for any type of MP3 player.

Standard Connectivity in New Cars

MP3 players have been around for years now, so most car makers really should be up to speed. MP3 players are the standard means for portable music, so any self respecting car manufacturer should have some sort of way to connect an MP3 player into a car stereo. Just how easy this is, and how well an MP3 player integrates with a car stereo is the test of car maker's efforts with sound system advancement.

Full IntegrationThis is the ultimate.

Many new cars now have stereos that are ready to accept MP3 player plug ins, and allow full operability on the part of the driver. Stereo controls on the steering wheel allow the driver to scan through tracks and albums on an MP3 player and select songs. On some systems, the track names will even appear on the car stereo.

Audio Jack

Having just an audio jack on a car stereo is a passable but sub-standard solution. A non integrated solution means that one needs to handle the MP3 player in order to skip tracks and the like. This can be a little dangerous if the driver is doing this and taking his or her eyes off the road. The shuffle option is useful in providing continuous music, but if the driver gets an incoming phone call or other interruption, it's harder to pause the music quickly and safely.

Cassette Adaptor

If your car has a cassette player, a cassette adapter can be used to link an MP3 player to a car stereo. Again, one can't operate the MP3 player remotely, and there will be some loss of sound to the adapter's analogue format, but it's a pretty cheap solution.

New Stereo

A new stereo is much cheaper than a new car. If you are planning on a new stereo, then it's worth looking for one that offers remote operation. If you are buying a new car, and music is important to you, take your MP3 player and cords into the car showroom, and see how easy it is to hook up.
MP3 players have revolutionised music. It is now possible to carry literally thousands of songs around with you in your pocket. With many of us spending considerable time in our cars, it's important to be able to also enjoy music libraries through car stereos. Taking heed of the points above will make this not only possible, but easy. When comparing car insurance quotes, make sure that installed accessories, like MP3 compatible stereos are covered under your insurance.

Cool Car Modification

Cool Car Modification

Car Modification Pig

So, if after seeing the Race-ist, you are inspired to get involved in car modification, be sure that what you are intending to do is fully legal as well as safe as any alterations to your car could mean a bigger change that you are prepared for. Car modification may not be for all of us though, as a majority of us drivers who wish to use their cars for commuting purposes only, will be satisfied by hanging an ornament on our review mirror just to give our car that extra kick!

2011 Lexus CT200h Hybrid - First Drive Review





In Europe, where the price of gasoline roughly mirrors that of champagne, compact luxury cars are one of the biggest segments of the market. In the U.S., however, the Audi A3, the BMW 1-series, and the Volvo C30 will be lucky to break 23,000 combined sales in 2010. Lexus’s goal in the U.S. is to move 1000 CT200h’s a month, thereby increasing sales in the compact luxury segment by more than half.

The CT200h is based on the MC platform, which also underpins the Lexus HS250h hybrid, the Scion tC, and the Toyota Corolla. Like the HS, this car has a trailing-arm multilink rear suspension—instead of the torsion beam used by the Corolla—to better package the nickel-metal hydride battery pack and allow a lower load floor. Struts are used upfront. Lexus uses so-called performance dampers—braces that have a damper within them—between the front strut towers and spanning the trailing edges of the body to stiffen the structure and reduce vibration.

The CT has a version of the Prius powertrain underhood that mates a 1.8-liter four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine that produces 98 hp with an 80-hp electric motor for a combined output of 134. The only transmission available is a CVT; it directs the push to the front wheels. This lowly amount of power has to haul roughly 3200 pounds, so this vehicle is slow. Figure on the amble to 60 mph taking 10 seconds flat, or a tick and a half slower than we recorded in an A3 TDI. The trade-off is excellent mileage, with EPA ratings of 42 mpg city/41 highway compared with the Audi’s 30/42 figures.

Safety in Number (of Airbags)

The car’s interior is nicely appointed, although we don’t care for the standard NuLuxe faux-leather upholstery. And—as is the norm in this size class—rear-seat space is tight for six-footers. But the controls are cleanly laid out, and amenities such as dual-zone automatic climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, Bluetooth phone and audio, and pushbutton start are standard. There are eight standard airbags, including knee bags for the driver and front passenger.

Radar cruise control with a pre-collision system is among the options, along with a power sunroof, LED headlights, heated front seats, and a backup camera that sends images to a monitor in the rearview mirror. There are four options packages: a premium audio system bundled with the sunroof and a garage-door opener; the same grouping plus the backup camera or a navigation system; and a leather-seating package that incorporates driver-seat memory and rain-sensing wipers.

Low Expectations Fulfilled

Like the Prius, the CT200h has an electric-only operating mode, EV, but it is pure gimmick. EV operation is theoretically possible for up to one mile at speeds up to 28 mph, but anything more than the lightest pedal pressure refires the gas engine. In the real world, the CT200h offers three driving modes: Eco has a very lazy throttle map, normal is slightly less lethargic, and sport is, well, still sluggish. The steering effort is higher in sport mode, which is good, because it’s light and inert in the other settings. We think the CT has a nicely balanced chassis, although it is difficult to tell because the stability control kills the fun before any mirth has a chance to materialize, and there’s little power with which to modulate the car’s cornering attitude.

The CT’s strengths are those associated with Lexuses and hybrids in general: a well-controlled ride, a quiet powertrain (provided you’re not caning it), muted wind and road noise, and excellent gas mileage. Plus, the CT200h is very nicely screwed together. However, when the CT goes on sale in February, its base price is likely to be around $31,500, higher than those of its three main rivals. Given the Lexus’s sloth and dull personality, we’d take one of the European cars—or even the much cheaper, mechanically similar, and more efficient Prius—instead.

Car Mod

Car modification is a way of life for some, a scene of sorts that only some are integrated into. Once your car is pimped up to the extreme, it seems that you are accepted into a secret society, a type of inner circle that only spinning mags and a glittering paint job can enter into.

Car modification enthusiasts feel that they are a misunderstood niche and are commonly portrayed as degenerates with nothing better to do. The featuring of car modification on television and internet has made some individuals understand that this is more than a hobby – it’s a lifestyle choice. Industry experts say that customizing is becoming more popular, especially with high net worth individuals who are keen to make their cars stand out from the rest.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Car Modification Orange

Car modification enthusiasts have had their fair share of problems as they feel that police target in on them owing to the appearance of their custom cars. Individuals who conduct car modification properly and who do not modify their car illegally or drag race illegally feel as if they are being targeted unnecessarily. The truth is that there are a fair number of illegal drag races taken place daily and some of these so called fun escapades can end badly, as we have seen in the famous Jub Jub case. Illegal races continue to race because they know that they can get away with it regardless.

New Modification

This modification is very nice to be made an example for car enthusiasts and so reduce the bags of money but with a modification like this would be satisfied to see it.

Subaru Impreza STI with Charge Speed Body Kit



PPI tuning program for Audi Q7

2007 PPI Audi Q7
PPI Automotive Design Audi Q7 gallery: 8 photos >>

The Q7 is the latest addition to the Audi family and PPI Automotive Design from Stuttgart, Germany has been hard at work redesigning this vehicle for it’s customers. The result is the PPI PS Q7

2007 World Automotive Design Competition

This year’s original brief was to "design a car for an aging population that equally appeals to the young - the car must be desirable to a 60 year-old and to a 16 year-old."

Additionally, the entries had to take into account the society in which the target market lives and should reflect the environmental realities of the twenty-first century while preserving the freedom a personal vehicle represents.

The competition saw the participation of eighteen schools representing 61 students, for a total of 49 entries


2012 Audi A6 Spy Photos - Future Cars





Based as it is on the same architecture as the 2012 A6, the recently unveiled Audi A7 luxo-hatch previewed how the next A6 will drive. Now, we also know how Audi’s next midliner will look, thanks to spy photographers who caught this right-hand-drive prototype running wild with hardly any camouflage.

The photos more or less confirm what we stated—and illustrated quite accurately, we gotta say—back in our April story on the upcoming A6: that it will elegantly split the difference between the two-year-old A4 and the all-new 2011 A8 flagship. Notable styling features include its more laid-back stance, the upswept lower-body contour, taillights that extend onto the trunk (like those of the rest of the Audi line), and LED running lights with a checkmark graphic that is somewhat softer than the menacing diodes of the new A8. We’d like to see a sportier edge to the mainstream sedan’s appearance, but it appears that Audi will reserve the styling flourishes for the S6 and RS6 models, which will follow in subsequent model years.

We expect the next-gen A6’s engine lineup to include VW’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, with the majority of cars powered by a supercharged V-6 in one of two strengths, as seen in the Q7. Although we’re not sure if we’ll actually get the RS6 in the U.S., the legendary twin-turbo V-10 powering the current car will give way to a twin-turbo V-8 pumping out something near the 10’s 580 hp. We also stand behind our dour prediction that we won’t see the Avant wagon version of the next A6—at least for a while. If Audi’s recent models are any indication, we are optimistic that the 2012 A6 will not only look good, but drive well, too. We should find out for ourselves within a year.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

2011 Mercedes-Benz E350 BlueTec Diesel - Short Take Road Test





The Mercedes-Benz diesel-powered mid-size sedan is as durable a notion as you’ll find in autodom. Mercedes created the world’s first production diesel-powered passenger car in 1935 and began putting oil burners in its mid-sizers (a.k.a. Pontons) in 1955. The very words “Mercedes diesel” conjure all kinds of associations, from college professors who have forsaken their Peugeots, to wiry German mechanics, to cab drivers in Kabul. It’s an archetype; a 911 Turbo for meerschaum-smoking squares, a Shelby Mustang for people who got beat up in high school. Let’s see how this newest one, the E350 BlueTec, stacks up, shall we?

Stirring Diesel into the E-class Formula

In every regard save for its powerplant, the E350 BlueTec is a regular E350. It shares the mainstream sedan’s body, seven-speed manumatic transmission, coil-spring and multilink suspension, long-haul seats, and no-BS interior. But the car’s 3.0-liter diesel engine drastically alters the nature of the beast.

Unlike the gas-powered E-class’s 3.5-liter, 90-degree V-6, the diesel mill is smaller by half a liter and keeps just 72 degrees between the banks. This engine first came to the U.S. under the hood of the 2006 E320 diesel, but it’s now fitted with Mercedes’ urea-injection system that scrubs the exhaust clean of almost all its NOx emissions and makes the car 50-state legal. Producing just 210 hp, the diesel V-6 packs a 400-lb-ft wallop; that’s more torque than the E550 sedan’s 391 lb-ft rating.

Acceleration isn’t nearly as astounding as those torque figures might suggest. Our test car posted a tepid 7.2-second 0-to-60 time, nearly a second off the 258-pound-footed, gas-powered E350’s 6.3 seconds. We attribute some of this laggardlyness to our diesel’s 300 extra pounds, most of it exhaust-scrubbing hardware, but also to the fact that the engine tops out, in diesel fashion, at a low 4500 rpm. And so, predictably, the BlueTec ran out of thrust before its gas-powered sibling, the disparity approaching almost a full second as the diesel went through the 30-to-50-mph, 50-to-70-mph, and quarter-mile drills.

The character of the engine, however, is perfectly matched to that of the car—solid, firm, unbreakable. It’s less coarse and clattering than you’d imagine a diesel to be, even bettering the sound-level readings we took from the regular E350 at wide-open throttle and 70-mph cruise. The steering is slow, a bit numb, and not very linear; it gets more faithful with g-loads in the tires. Stopping the car in an unspectacular 172 feet, the brakes are nevertheless deliberate and predictable. The ride is absolutely stable, and the car tracks with locomotive determination. Responses are stout; this is a linebacker, not a wide receiver.

Aside from torque, the other great advantage of diesel engines is their range. The higher energy density of the fuel compared with gas means that cars like the E350 BlueTec burn juice at a slower rate. The EPA pegs the BlueTec at 22 mpg city/33 highway/26 combined versus the regular E350’s 17/24/19—that’s roughly 30 percent higher across the board. We came up far, far short of that in our testing, with a combined 21 mpg. This particular car’s economy suffered because we used it as part of our 10Best drive, whereupon the tar was fairly beaten out of the thing. We’ve enjoyed 35-mpg highway cruises in other contemporary E-class diesels.

Purely a Luxury Car

At $51,775, the E350 BlueTec runs $1500 more than its gas-powered sibling. Our test car added $6450 via the Premium Package 2 with its navigation, Harman/Kardon audio, HID headlamps, and heated seats, among much else (the Sport package on our car is a no-cost option). But nothing approaching the full cost of the BlueTec system’s hardware appears to be passed along to the consumer, and fuel savings promise to be significant if diesel prices remain close to those of gasoline. About that urea, though: If you’re not planning on harvesting and refining it yourself, expect to spend about $1500 on the stuff for every 100,000 miles you drive, thereby negating a large chunk of the fuel savings. Note that we said every 100,000 miles. The E-class diesel may be more expensive to buy and just as expensive to run overall, but it will keep going until you croak. For this reason, Mercedes diesel loyalists tend toward the evangelical, and the diesel version traditionally holds its value better than any other E-class.

There’s another, subtler rationale for their allegiance. Over the past quarter-century, the definition of a luxury car has expanded to include a high degree of sportiness. Not everyone wants that, especially the aforesaid nerds. So it’s refreshing and even a bit nostalgic to be confronted with a high-end sedan such as the E350 BlueTec, a car that defines luxury as the reduction of stress.

2011 Simbol Design Sports Cars Lavazza GTX-R The New Super Sports Cars

Italian brands The Lavazza GT-R unveiled, Simbol Design has some pictures and specifications for the new super sports car. Simbol Design has created this impressive new V12 supercar producing 620 hp while weighing a mere 2380 lbs. This gives the car an exceptional power to weight ratio of 3.8 lb.
2011 Simbol Design Sports Cars Lavazza GTX-R The New Super Sports Cars
Simbol Design's Lavazza GTX-R body made of carbon-Kevlar built atop a tubular steel frame. And since German powerplants have emerged as the new crate engine of choice for niche manufacturers from Spyker and Wiesmann to Gumpert and Pagani, the Lavazza packs a BMW-sourced 5.4-liter V12, picking up Lamborghini's tractor-origins mantle with an electro-pneumatic transmission reportedly sourced from a bus. Sources differ on the engine's output – alternately claiming 489 horsepower or 620 – but either way, 0-60 mph times quoted around the four-and-a-half second sound conservative.
The 2011 Simbol Design Sports Cars Lavazza GTX-R The New Super Sports Cars will be offered in both coupe and roadster versions and will be built in carbon kevlar. This will help the car get its weight down to about 2381 lbs. On the exterior, the 2011 Simbol Design Sports Cars Lavazza GTX-R will get fixed front diverters and rear venturi intakes with adjustable side diverters, an adjustable rear wing, and a roof scoop.
The front of the car may look a little like a Pagani Zonda (or a Zonda on drugs), but the price tag shouldn’t as this car is definitely not fitting into the ranks of the Italian supercars of today. Both coupe and roadster bodystyles are apparently in the works, though there's no word on availability or pricing just yet, but are exclusive to models such as this, you can not expect that the cheap.
 2011 Simbol Design Sports Cars Lavazza GTX-R The New Super Sports Cars