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Toyota Prius – A Review on the All New Hybrid Car

According to latest hybrid car reviews and environmentally-friendly car news, a lot of icons and regular individuals alike have publicized that the new Toyota Prius is just what the doctor ordered for Green car fanatics. This green car is seen as a considerable step towards controlling global warming and issues related to pollution. No wonders the car has very soon become an object of desire for folks around the world. Let us go through some car information in this car blog green, on how well the Toyota Prius shapes up as an ideal green car.

Firstly, Toyota has created a pioneering power train, which merges a (gasoline) internal combustion engine with the electric motor; thus improving fuel economy and lowering emissions to a big extent. According to natural car info sources, it is possible to swap between the car’s dual power sources; on occasion it runs on battery alone. The car’s braking system recycles the energy – which typically goes waste as heat – into electricity.

The Prius also has some unique features, like the space age type control panel and constantly variable transmission. Nickel-metal hydride battery is used – which prevents the need for disposing deadly toxins. Instead of cadmium, a hydrogen-absorbing alloy is used for the negative electrode, while the positive electrode is of nickel oxyhydroxide; this improves the battery capacity to three times that of a usual battery.

A major disadvantage in this car – apart from the high cost – is that most autonomous mechanics wouldn’t know how to service a hybrid. However, there are some benefits too. For example, you can avail tax exemptions and financial incentives for buying hybrid cars. Other advantages include super mileage (as with most electric cars), lesser pollution, and a less toxic battery. However, it would be much better if the cost is reduced by a good level. The engine too can be trimmed down in size; to make it more affordable for everyday consumers.

Vital Car Detailing Products and Accessories

Maintaining your car is a lot more than just pouring some water on it and wiping clean with a towel. You need to do something extra – such as car detailing – if you want to take your car to the next level. However, many people falter here by choosing useless car detailing products that achieve nothing other than emptying the wallet. Following is some

car detailing information that you can use for making your car shine delightfully.

Some of the basic car detailing products that you would need include micro fiber towels, a first-class wash bucket, a good car wash brush, and a high-quality car wash mitt. Luckily, fresh alternatives for detailing accessories keep appearing all the time.

Car Wash Mitt – Individual preferences plays a considerable role in the choice of car wash mitt. It is preferable to use a car wash mitt made of genuine woolen material. Such Wash Mitts give a better experience and can grasp plenty of soap water for a scratch less wash.

Polishing Towels – These should be specially made for glass clean-up and paint buffing.  It is better to have polishing towels that has no noticeable edge binding; as such a design thwarts any possibility of paint disfigurement from the toweling. The detailing towels should be particularly designed for the car’s surface, as this assures improved outcomes with less work.

Car Wash Brush – See that you get one that is safe on all surfaces and fits comfortably in your hand. It should be able to give a meticulous yet soft cleansing.

Car Duster – This can be used to get rid of light dust on the surface just before the wipe. Having a soft mop head is good for all kinds of paint colors. It is also better to go for a superior quality Micro fiber Dusting Wand.

While good accessories enhance the detailing results; crappy accessories only increase the work for you. So see that you buy your car detailing accessories from a reputed seller; you can use internet car detailing reviews for this.

Porsche 977

A new Porsche 911 is always fascinating because it’s interesting to see how after more than 40 years of development the Porsche team still manages to bring changes and improvements to this icon model.

The new 997 bodyshell combines the sleek modern looks of the 996 series with the popular retro styling cues from older 911s. The front end is completed with round lights and separate parking/fog/indicator lights. This change, combined with wider hips echoes the last of the air-cooled 911s, the 993. Other changes in the bodyshell are the new door handles, wing mirrors and the stylish cut of the rear wings into the bumper/lights.

Even if the 997 looks a lot like the previous model, the 996, the new car is actually 38mm wider which creates a more aggressive appearance. With each new model introduced, Porsche has aimed to reduce the drag co-efficient helping the 911 slide through the air more effectively, and so aiding performance. The same thing has been done with the new car, and if we compare the 993 Cd of 0.34 to the 997`s 0.28 we can see how far the aerodynamic game has moved on. The latest body shell and rear wing combine with new underbody paneling to also offer increased levels of down force for this latest evolution of Porsche’s finest.

The latest Porsche model is the best handling 911 ever. Improving a car’s rigidity helps ensure the suspension can work more effectively and while not making such a quantum leap as the team did with the 996. Porsche improved torsional rigidity by 8% and added as much as 40% more flexural strength.

For the new car, Porsche wanted to improve crash safety so they added two new air bags located in the side of each front seat back-rest, designed to protect the thorax. They kept the previous two front and two side airbags, which means that now there are six in total. For the same reason, crash safety, the reinforced body shell features further protection such as a more extensive use of super high strength steel.

The latest model is also 50 kg heavier than the 996. The reason is that modern crash safety regulations kind of force the new cars to come with increased weight, despite the usage of a large range of weight saving measures, including an aluminum bonnet.

Aside from the crash safety improvements, much of the additional weight can be attributed to the higher standard specification of the new cars. Power to weight is similar with the latest car offering 233 bhp per tone against it’s predecessors 238 and the new models improved aerodynamics must help it post Porsches claimed performance figures, which are identical to the 996.

Fiat 500

Fiat debuted the 500 city-car in Brazil as it was presented to the media prior to the market release later this month. Before December 2009, the 500 will spread throughout Latin American, as it will be

launched in Colombia, Barbados, Panama and Jamaica. The car is already sold in Argentina, Chile, Curacao, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Saint Martin and Paraguay. For the Brazilian market, the 500 will be available in two trim levels, Sport and Lounge. There will be only one engine available, the 1.4 litre, 100bhp 16v petrol mated to either a 6 speed manual or a 5 speed Dualogic semi-automatic transmission. To adapt the car for the country’s requirements, the 500 was revised and received new suspension with increased flexibility of both the spring and the shock absorber. On the safety front, 500 comes with twin front, side and a driver knee airbag, ABS with EBD, ESP and hydraulic brake assistance.

BMW 320D

I really did feel like a ten year old. It’s that time in your life when you do not bother about a Yana Gupta passing by but ogle at some of the cars zooming past. And the ogle gets complimented by a salivating mouth if that car reads BMW
on its bonnet. Days spent with the 320d were reminiscent of my childhood years. I was instantly smitten by the looks of this car. Oozing individuality, the BMW helps you make an impact where-ever you go in it. It makes you stand apart. Even in a fast-moving city like Mumbai, where nobody has time for anything, the BMW 320d turned more heads than I had anticipated. It felt good. Damn good.
First look and a person’s eye gets hooked, such is the aesthetic quotient of the BMW 320d. That characteristic kidney grille dominates the front end of the car which is helped by the double round headlamps to make it appear very in-yer-face. One Bangle adopted the bold and controversial design philosophy for which a lot of criticisms were raised. contribution to the design world? Terms like ‘flame surfacing’ and ‘opposing curves’. Then came along a bloke by the name of Adrian van Hooydonk. He took the stylus and did some critical changes to the original design. What resulted were lines and curves of a gorgeous looking machine which shouts “I AM MEAN” from all sides.

BMW 320d Side I wanted to absorb everything about her, so I parked the car, climbed out and walked around it. Noticed every curve, every line. Walked around it again. Then moved away from the car. Then I observed. The shape of the car is very coupe-like, which is a darn good thing! It is characterized by the long bonnet and the C pillar which merges with the small-looking boot. As is typical of BMWs, the short overhangs do their bit to add to the coupe-like styling. The shoulder-line and waist-line are pronounced and make the car look elegant and lustrous
The run-flat R16s are housed neatly in the wheel-arches and lend an aggressive look to the Bimmer with some help from the neat and massive five-spoked alloy wheels. The rear is as smart and taut as it can get. I even liked the outside rear-view mirror design. But, like the famous saying goes – nothing’s perfect – even the BMW 3 Series isn’t. That chrome bit on the hood above the grille looks a little odd and could have been better carried out. Perhaps could have been a bit more slender. Argh, now this is nitpicking really! The bottom line is, this is a damn good-looking example of an automobile.

So we know that the BMW 320d looks fine. Good that. And it is bloody solid too! The sheet metal exudes strength while the shut lines add to the feel of fit and finish. The doors shut with a reassuring ‘thud’ and the overall stance makes it look very balanced and sturdy.
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Koenigsegg CC

The CCX is the latest of the Koenigsegg CC family.CCX stands for Competition Coupe X. The CCX commemorates the 10th anniversary of the completion and test drive of the first CC maiden prototype, which rolled out from the R&D Department in 1996. The CCX – literally, Competition Coupe X (the X is for the 10th anniversary of Koenigsegg’s first test vehicle, the CC – features a 4.7 liter V8 based Ford’s popular modular V8, twin-supercharged Koenigsegg motor with a six-speed manual transmission.

The CCX can accelerate from 0–62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.2 seconds and from 0–124 mph (200 km/h) in 9.8 seconds. According to Koenigsegg it has a top speed of 259 mph (417 km/h), although this has not been officially verified. On 15th June 2008, a standard fully equipped CCX was independently timed by SportAuto in achieving a record 0-186-0 mph (0-300-0 km/h) in 29.2 seconds, beating SLR McLaren 722, Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, Porsche 997 GT2, Alpina B6 S, Corvette Z06.

Lamborghini Murcielago LP640

The Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT Race Car is said to be successor of Diablo, a super car with full drive and is one of the fastest car in the world which made its first appearance in Frankfurt, 2001.

The Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT was Lambo’s first variation on the popular V12 supercar first released in 2001. It boosts around 590 hp and still holds the same V12 engine as the standard car. Be sure to check out the Bugatti Veyron aswell, it is very impressive

Model Specs:

6.2 V12 48V – 580 HP Injection of gasoline
Body: Coupe , Spider ; 2 doors.; 2 places
Weight: Coupe – 1650 kg , Spider – 1665 kg
Engine: V12 , 6192 cm3 , gasoline 98
Transmission: 6 st. gear box , full drive gear
Wheels: Front – 245/35 ZR 18 , Back – 335/30 ZR 18
Fuel tank: 100 L
Size: Length : 458 cm , Width : 204,5 cm , Height : 114 cm , Road gleam : 9 cm

Lightning GT

Lightning GT is an electric powered sports car from the Lightning Car Company based in united kingdom. The Lightning GT mixes British sports car styling with racing car technology and state of the art NanoSafe™ battery power and Hi-Pa Drive™ electric motors.
The stylish body is crafted from carbon fibre/Kevlar.

Advantages of electric vehicles is that they offer maximum available power to the wheels at any speed, unlike a petrol engine where maximum power is only obtained high up in the rev range. To help effectively deliver this power to the road the Lightning GT uses electronically controlled traction control which negates wheel spin and unbalance in the power being applied

2010 Ferrari 458 Italia

2010 Ferrari 458 Italia is trendy sports car . The new bodykit features a fusion of Italian exotics and Japanese tuning to produce the same aerodynamic performance while weighing several pounds less than the stock vehicle. One of the body modifications is a new front bumper that features new air intakes. No word yet on performance upgrades but judging on ASI’s previous work there is sure to be a boost in power. Some other mods to look for is a dry carbon rear wing set as well as a front rake system. Soon to be available will be diffuser fins and as ASI center tip exhaust system and 19-inch forged custom alloy wheels.

2009 Ford FPV GS Falcon

ford fpv gs falcon

Not many of our readers will recall the old GS series Ford Falcon, those of you who don’t soon will as Ford have just released their new line up of Ford FPV (Ford Performance Vehicle) the latest addition to the line-up is the GS performance model (pictured above).

The latest FORD GS FPV is aimed at performance and it surely lives up to all the hype that’s been going around lately, the FPV GS has a new re-calibrated FPV 5.4 litre V8, using the famous GT engine from the FG model which contains a high 302kW, that can produce 551Nm of torque (Ford statement, no independent tests have been run yet) the FPV has a standard six speed manual transmission.

The FORD Falcon FPV GS sedan and also the new FORD Falcon FPV Ute gets a new chassis makeover awesome new GS graphics and designs, the latest model FORD also focuses on driver comfort ford have made a numerous amount of changes to improve driver comfort.

Quick Specs:

• 19-inch Graphite rims
• 302kW engine
• Six exterior colour/stripe combination’s
• Turbocharged F6 at 310kW / full GT-spec V8 at 315kW
• Leather seats
• Satellite  navigation

This was just a quick / brief look into Fords new line-up, we will be posting an in-depth article as soon as Ford respond to our requests for a full features/specs list. Again please bookmark our site and check back soon.

Be sure to swing by AmericanTrucks.com and check out their large selection of Ford F250 Tonneau Covers.