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Japo Nissan Skyline R34 GTR

Japo Nissan Skyline R34 GTR

Japo Nissan Skyline R34 GTR

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Hang on; yes, this is a real car, on a real platform. It’s the L1 Concept, and while it may look very very weird, it’s under that body what defines it. First off, that ‘squeezy’ body, which hides the rear-wheels and has somewhat in-line seat design, is actually fully-made of carbon-fiber, and therefore, it’s ultra-light, weighing just 380 kilograms. Then there’s the world-wonder drive-train; it’s a full-on hybrid. Volkswagen say that when the L1 Concept comes out as a showroom car, it will crack as the world’s most efficient hybrid! How? Well, the basic recipe for this is a 0.8L TDI turbo-diesel, and a battery-powered electric-motor, making a total power of 53 hp and roughly 100 lb-ft of torque. However, because both the diesel engine and electric motor are placed at the rear, and the electric-motor specially is located between the engine and the transmission, VW were able to fit their 7-speed DSG transmission, allowing for excessive fuel-economy numbers. Add that, plus a start-stop technology, the L1 Concept can crack a combined fuel-economy rating of 157 mpg! That easily makes it the most fuel-efficient hybrid, but it surely doesn’t make it the fastest. When it comes in a production form in 2013, a 1.6L TDI engine will be offered as an option. via: [Volkswagen]

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If all goes according to plan, the latest lightweight sports car employing a turbocharged power plant will come courtesy of Malaysian automaker Bufori. Called the Bufori CS, it’s said to run with the best in the segment, touting superb performance, comfort, and craftsmanship.

The “compact sports” shape is undoubtedly modern, albeit proportioned a little mysteriously. Hidden by the carbon fiber and kevlar body panels is a 2.0L turbo four-cylinder and a lightweight spaceframe chassis. Everything has been completely designed in-house, Bufori says, and will be built in Malaysia early next year.

To quell any doubt of its legitimacy as a sports car, Bufori already has a CS racing version completed that’s set to debut at next week’s Macau Grand Prix. It’s been constructed under the stringent FIA GT3 rule book.

In addition to domestic sales, product planners hope to export the CS primarily to China, India, the Middle East, and other Asian nations. No word on if they plan on entering the U.S. market, but more information, including full specs, should be arriving shortly.

Based on the photos below, what do you think, should the Bufori stay in Asia? via: Motor Trend

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Everyone loves a car that has a great body. Whether it is a boxy classic style, or the smooth rounded body that people love to run their hands over. It is the very reason that people call cars a “she.” When looking at the VW Polo, there are a lot of different body’s that have evolved through the years.

There are a few different body styles that have been generated by Volkswagen. There is the basic 3 Door Hatchback which all variations had this style. The 2-door saloon, the 4-door saloon, 5-door hatchback, 5-door estate and the 5-door crossover SUV style hatchback. All of these are variations that were created based on what the consumers needs were at the time.

The VW Polo is ideally the best car for a new driver. It is easy to maintain, has longevity and is easy on the wallet. It is also small and carries a couple of people but for the most part is just for the driver. When people that had families saw how amazing this car was and just how functional it could be, the designers decided to placate them and design a car that was more geared to the family lifestyle. Allowing for more space and more doors to accommodate the growth of families. It created a totally different style of car but still had all the other things that made the Polo unique.

For a long time, the VW Polo was not thought about. It was put on the proverbial shelf to make way for many other styles that have been created. As it sat there, the dust collecting on its classic style, other cars with different quirks or trendy look were being introduced. They were fun to purchase but lacked what the VW Polo had. The economic roller coaster had people popping out to buy these trend driven designs but that petered out when the longevity was tested and found failing. So yet again the VW Polo was carefully pulled of the shelf and dusted off with love to introduce the balance between beauty and effectiveness that everyone enjoyed at one time.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pete_Ridgard

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In the mid 1960′s, AC Cobra 427 captured the heart and imagination of the world. It happened because Cobra had been following the recipe for the performance car to be successful.

AC Cobra 427

AC Cobra 427

The recipe was simply squeezing the biggest and most powerful engine into a small frame that could carry out the power. The makers of Cobra also made it come with an elegant design and attractive body with a car roof that can be opened to make your cruise more fun.

The AC caught everybody’s attention in 1953 at London Motor Show. The fact that it was one of post war sport cars in Britain with supporting chassis and attractive body made it much admired by everyone.

In 1962, Carol Shelby was impressed by AC’s performance and saw a potential in it, so that he talked AC to fit the Ford V-8 engine into the AC body. Fitting the 260 Cu in 4.4 lt lightweight engine was no problem at all, but the makers found difficulty in doubling up power output.

Later on, Shelby put a Ford 7-liter engine and revamped the chassis and suspension. The 4.7 version in 1964 is based on the this version. Cobra then won its first championship on the race track in 1965. The AC Cobra did not join international racing, but it was successful in American SCCA events. Shelby had found the very car that can beat Chevrolet Corvette.

It has been said as a rumor that Cobra was the reason of national speed limit regulation in UK. It was known that in 1964, Jack Sears and Peter Bolton reached 185 mph while testing Cobra on the M1 motorway in anticipation of 24th Le Mans race. However, the officials from UK denied this rumor, claiming that the main reason they created the regulation to limit the speed in highway is because of increasing death rate.
Laquanda Martin is an avid fan of and routinely writes reviews on hot rods and classic cars.

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It’s a fact that whether used or new a Porsche 911 will be one of the most expensive purchases you will ever make. Buying a Porsche 911 is not like buying any old car, a lot of thought and research will need to go into it, do you know what to look out for in a test drive? Or maybe you need advice on how to pinpoint small damages that may go unnoticed, the buyer may not even know themselves?

Porsche

Porsche

Top ten tips for buying a used Porsche;

1. Always run a data check for finance, damage, theft e.t.c
2. Always check the V.I.N. number is correct in all the places and has no signs of tampering.
3. Follow your instincts. Never assume a shiny Porsche is a good one.
4. Avoid buying with emotion.
5. If you don’t like the seller then don’t buy.
6. Nice Porsche usually come from nice people.
7. Gain as much knowledge as you can beforehand.
8. When you find the right example have the confidence to go for it.
9. Take your time to buy the right Porsche in the right condition, it will pay.
10. Not so much a buying tip but an ownership tip. Find a friendly, honest and careful place or person to look after your Porsche. If it is beyond the warranty period consider using an Independent Porsche Specialist to care for your car

These tips are really just scratching the surface of what goes into Porsche buying. There are many other technical aspects also such as; the test drive, checking to see if corrosion has been covered up (underneath the beautiful colours could be some very serious rust that could cost you thousands), and the deal (you need to find reasons to haggle a better price).
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Luke_Williams

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Even in our gilded age of $5 coffee libations and $10,000 plasma TVs, the price shocks like a hornet sting: a Toyota that costs… nearly $400,000.

2009 Acura TL

2012 Lexus LF-A

True, the limited-edition, two-seat, rear-drive LFA supercar, due to appear here in early 2011, will hide its Toyota roots behind the velvet rope of its maker’s Lexus brand, but the sticker is staggering nonetheless. The most expensive model in the current Lexus portfolio, the LS 600h hybrid luxury sedan, starts at $106,910.

2012 Lexus LF-A

2012 Lexus LF-A

“The LFA is a halo car for the F marque,” says national manager for Lexus Advanced Business Development Paul Rohovsky, referring to the Lexus F performance division (think “AMG Mercedes”) behind the IS F sport sedan. Indeed, Rohovsky is candid: “The LFA will raise passion for the brand, an admitted Lexus shortcoming,” he says.

How do you inject “passion” into a lineup encompassing supremely competent but generally narcotic offerings like the RX 350 sport/ute and even the vaunted LS 460 premium sedan? To Toyota’s way of thinking, you do a cannonball right into the pool currently occupied by the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, and Porsche.

Mind you, Toyota isn’t diving in naked. “I have spent one-third of my career working on this single car,” says LFA chief engineer Haruhiko Tanahashi, evidence not only of Tanahashi’s tenacity but also of the LFA’s unusually long gestation. Born of a clean-sheet concept etched in 2000, the first teaser car (then named LF-A) appeared at the 2005 Detroit show. Two years later came a revised concept; by then, camouflaged LF-A prototypes were making regular blitzes around the Nürburgring. Shadowy details emerged: Toyota was building a monster.

As inspiration, Tanahashi turned to Toyota’s Formula 1 racing program, then playing to 3.0-liter V-10 regulations. So it was that the team sculpted an all-new, naturally aspirated V-10, this one a 4.8-liter with a 72-degree bank angle (optimal for smooth firing with a five-throw crank), dry-sump lubrication to lower the center of gravity (no giant under-engine oil pan), and an individual throttle body for each cylinder. Though it can’t match an F1 car for revs, the LFA V-10 still spins like Karl Rove on a Tilt-A-Whirl: Redline is 9000 rpm. And while relatively compact and light, the engine screams with 552 horsepower at 8700 rpm. via: Motor Trend