Last Cars Reviews Blog: июля 2009

BMW 1-Series Convertible Will Be Released in the US Next April Starting Around $40K

Автор: SharaMoore | пятница, 31 июля 2009 г.

The BMW 1-Series coupe is going to start right below $30K when it is released early next year and now according to Automotive News, the convertible is going to start in the low $40K range.

Finding Low Cost Car Insurance Quotes

Автор: SharaMoore |

We all hate comparison shopping on anything in life. From buying a new car, to getting the insurance for it. This is why you never want to sign up with the first company that you talk to, because you may find out that you’re getting ripped off in the long haul.

So, how does one find great car insurance rates without picking up the phone?

Thankfully, with the Internet today, you can do all of the dirty work online. With services like Esurance, you can input all of your information, and have the insurance companies call you up. This way, you won’t have to pick out 10 companies in the phone book, and call them.

How can I get the cheapest rates?

When you look for a quote, you’re going to find that many companies are going to ask what kind of liabilities, and what kind of deductible you’ll want. Generally, the higher your deductible, the less you’re going to pay month after month. Make sure that you can afford this deductible in case something happens.

When you pick out the deductible, this is going to be the amount you’re going to have to pay up front, before the company pays you. For example, if you have a $500 deductible, you’ll have to pay the first $500 on everything, before the insurance company will re-imburse you.

When you do sign up for your car insurance, make sure that you read your policy over. Remember that your pricing will all depend on your age, your car, and a lot more. Just because you higher your deductible, it doesn’t mean you’re going ot get the best deal. Try services like Esurance, and see how much you can save with your auto insurance.

Cash for Clunkers Not Just Blog Fodder: It’s Really Happening

Автор: SharaMoore |

So the automotive community is abuzz over Cash For Clunkers. Working at a new car dealer in upstate New York I figured I’d see maybe two or three cars qualify for the program. Well, I was clearly wrong. The public is well informed about the program and cars are piling up out back, ready for the crusher. Some of the cars are pretty surprising, like the Jaguar, Land Rover and a Camper Vanagon. It’s sad to say, but this looks like it’s going to be far worse than I anticipated. More pics after the jump.

CASH

JAG
ROVER
TRUCK
VAN

Schwarzenegger: a Prius or Challenger guy?

Автор: SharaMoore |

schwarzenegger-challenger

Arnold Schwarzenegger is known for driving cars that aren’t exactly easy on the gas.

I think it’s safe to say he brought the Hummer brand to the masses, all because he just HAD to have a civilian version of the almighty H1. Now, of course, he governs the great state of California and is pushing for energy conservation and smog reduction. One might think when the time came to buy a new car, he’d play it safe and go with a Prius. Or to give him a little credit, maybe the more manly Escape Hybrid.

Right… can you picture the Terminator in a Prius? I don’t think so. Our friends at Edmunds snagged some pictures of the Governator easing into his brand-new Dodge Challenger, and not the piddly V6 version, but the king-of-the-mountain 6.1-liter, 420-horsepower SRT8.

He’ll naturally catch all kinds of flack for driving a serious gas hog while preaching about saving energy. But seriously, governor or not, he’s Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Arnold Schwarzenegger drives cool cars.

Let’s assume he’s doing his part by installing energy-efficient windows in his house and turning lights off in all his spare rooms. The man’s got an incredibly stressful job, and if he wants to have some fun in a seriously fun car, I’m behind him.

Tear it up, Governor!

What do you think of Gov. Schwarzenegger’s new ride?

-tgriffith

Fifth Gear Nissan GT-R Test Drive Video

Автор: SharaMoore |

Fifth gear gives the keys to the all new 2008 Nissan GT-R to race driver Jason Plato who takes Godzilla out for a waltz around the racetrack to display lateral cornering forces over 1G !!

2008_canadian_international_autoshow_8_of_9_34-568-426.jpg

Setting the Nissan GT-R’s settings to Triple R’s sets the Gearbox, Suspension & Traction Control to RACE MODE is as easy as flicking 3 switches.

Click HERE for the VIDEO

Four-Links – rotting J-tin, Hertz AMX, Bloody Mary, crushing a Jaguar

Автор: SharaMoore |

decomposing J-tin

* Apparently, Japan has its rednecks too. Japanese Nostalgic Car recently pointed us over to the Kusahiro Exploration Corps blog, which travels the Japanese countryside photographing old cars as they slowly rust away. I’m betting if I run the site through a translator, I’ll eventually come across some variation of “I’m gonna fix that up someday.”

Hertz AMX under restoration

* When we think of Hertz and muscle cars, we naturally think of the Shelby Mustang, but Hertz apparently also let out some AMXs, including this one, according to the owner of this 1968 AMX, currently undergoing restoration.

Bloody Mary motorcycle-engined race car

* Single-seater motorcycle-engined race cars are cool. Doubling up the number of motorcycle engines in your single-seater race car is mind-blowing. Adding two more? Achingly awesome. John Vary Bolster did just that with his Bloody Mary race special and raced it from the time he built it in 1929 until after World War II. I think I need to replicate it.

Jaguar turned in for cash for clunkers

* Cash for clunkers officially took effect this week, but dealers have been accepting so-called clunkers all month. David Clarke, over at the CarDomain blog, decided to see what people have been trading in as part of the program so far at a dealer close to him, and found the above Jaguar sedan, along with a Land Rover and a Vanagon/Westfalia. Good thing, because these vehicles would never ever be considered collectible.

Mazda Taiki Concept Unveiled...Could This Provide Hints of a New RX-7?

Автор: SharaMoore | среда, 29 июля 2009 г.

Mazda has unveiled its newest concept, the Taiki ahead of its official unveiling at this month's Tokyo Motor Show.

VW Polo GTI: Fast enough to endanger mosquitos

Backup Sensors Not Enough to Detect Children

Автор: SharaMoore |

Backupcamera

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a report to Congress on Monday saying backup sensors in many cars were "typically poor, sporadic and limited in range." Since the sensors were designed to detect other vehicles — in order to prevent parking lot accidents — this news doesn’t surprise us.

However, the report does say backup camera systems available in a number of new vehicles give “reliable assistance in identifying people in the path of the vehicle when backing.” NHTSA tested several systems for the report. There are an estimated 183 deaths a year involving cars backing over pedestrians, and about 7,400 injuries.

[NHTSA Says Vehicle Safety Sensors Need Refinement, Detroit Free Press]

Sex and the City: Spies more interested in the GLK than Kim Cattrall

Автор: SharaMoore |

Mercedes-Benz’s new 2010 GLK wasn’t scheduled to be shown until the Beijing Motor Show last month and wasn’t supposed to hit the roads in the U.S. until January of 2009....

Iron Man hits theaters, Audi sponsors premiere with fleet of R8s

Автор: SharaMoore |

Iron Man opened in theaters today and some us from eGMCarTech just got back from watching Tony Stark and his Audi R8. We thought the movie was very entertaining overall, packed with action and quite...

New Factory Track Pack For 2010 Mustang GT

Автор: SharaMoore | вторник, 28 июля 2009 г.

New Factory Track Pack For 2010 Mustang GT Car Wallpaper

Ford has unveiled a new performance package for the 2010 Mustang GT. The package is called Track Pack and is designed to improve grip and handling on the top-performing Mustang model.

Track Pack includes 19-inch rims with Pirelli P Zero P255/40ZR-19 for better grip, stabilizer bars at the front and back borrowed from the 2009 Shelby GT500, tuning of the struts and shocks to compliment the stabilizer bars and increased damping.

The improved damping helps reduce the roll gradient by 13 percent, allowing for better control of the weighty Mustang while leaning heavy into curves, keeping the car more level.

[Source: Ford]

Supra Mark III: Just Like The 2000GT, Only Better At Attracting Creepy Demon Boys [Classic Ad Watch]

Автор: SharaMoore |

The empty eyes… the evil smile… what does that satanic kid have to do with the Supra? And why is Toyota apparently so proud that the new Supra is about 15 times the size of the 2000GT?

A New Model Year - From Volvo

Автор: SharaMoore |

A New Model Year From Volvo Car Wallpapers

A new model, new engines and new engine technologies are the key additions to the Volvo range for the 2010 model year, all of which offer enhanced drivability, lower CO2 emissions and improved fuel consumption. Volvo C30, S40 and V50 The Volvo C30 SportsCoupe, S40 saloon and V50 Sportswagon DRIVe models now all feature the intelligent new Start/Stop function which brings CO2 emissions down to 104 g/km and improves fuel consumption up to 72.4 mpg.

[Source: Volvo]

Test Drive #1: Hunting for an Acura NSX

Porsche 911 GT2 Bi-Turbo: Designed by Wimmer RS

Автор: SharaMoore |

Porsche 911 GT2 Bi Turbo: Designed by Wimmer RS
Wimmer RS has recently come out with a tuning package that comes at a steep price, but if you can afford the car already, then so what? It will now come with a software modified win-turbo 3.6-liter boxer engine, redesigned cylinder heads and high performance camshafts. This will get you 680 hp and 870 Nm of torque. The outer remains mostly unchanged outside of carbon fiber rear lip spoiler, carbon fiber mirror housings, 20-inch Sportec wheels, and a lowered suspension.

eBay find of the day: Ford Ranger EV that doesn't run right now

Автор: SharaMoore |

If you're looking to get into an all-electric truck soon - and don't mind doing a bit of work - then eBay has got the Ford Ranger EV for you. The current bid on the 1998 truck is $4,000, but the reserve isn't met and there are over six days left. If you think that price if a bit low, the seller's vehicle description explains why: "The battery pack on this truck is depleted and the truck does not run. It was running perfectly until June 26th, 2008 when the battery pack wore out."

Still, for the price of some new batteries, you could be driving around in a zero-emission truck with "QUIETER" on the license plate and a iPod-ready Sony CD sound system in the clean interior. Perhaps more importantly, an HOV access lane sticker is included and you'll never need to go get a smog check if you keep the truck in California. The truck has 61,000 miles on it and is in Santa Cruz, California. The seller is throwing in two 220V 40 amp Avcon charging stations. h/t to Mike!

[Source: eBay]

VW shows the first image of 300-hp Scirocco

Автор: SharaMoore | воскресенье, 26 июля 2009 г.

Last month we told you about the new Volkswagen Scirocco taking part in the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring held on May 24 and 25. Volkswagen has now released the first official image of the car that...

Bugatti at 100: the Blue Centenaire

Автор: SharaMoore |

Last year Bugatti’s Veyron was treated to a designer makeover by Hermès, the great French fashion house, and the car was first displayed at the Geneva show. This year, to mark the centenary of the Bugatti firm, Geneva presents the car decked out in French racing blue two-tone paint, with several other cosmetic and geeky items like a rearview camera.

The car was misreported to have a power boost to 1,350 hp, but no, you’ll have to settle for the standard, sluggish 1,001-hp mill. The interior—finished in “snowbeige” quilted leather—is gorgeous.

Designers have always put their imprints on cars, and I think we once had something called the Bill Blass Thunderbird. There’s an assortment of pix of the Veyron in its many iterations here. And there have been many special editions of the car since its inception in 2005.

The company reports that 250 of the 300 to be built have been sold, though it appears that some buyers may have forfeited deposits, and a fair number of “preowned” Veyrons are on the market. At $1.5 million per, a few buyers may well be having second thoughts.

Still, beginning in April Bugatti is going to build 150 Grand Sport Roadsters (Veyron convertibles to the common herd), which may well be more sought after. For some reason, they look better, I think.

What is it about special editions that entices buyers to pay extra for what is, after all, a basic car?

—jgoods

Guinness World Record for Largest Parade of Ferraris

Audi Quattro: Comparison against Ferrari Enzo

Автор: SharaMoore |

Strange comparison here, the Audi Quattro against the Ferrari Enzo, but an interesting read. Read the full story here, Google-translated.Cool pictures as well!Related news: GermanCarBlog, P4MR, Audi QuattroSource: Fourtitude