Where Do Porsches Come From?

Porsche is a German automotive company, named after its founder, Ferdinand Porsche. Ferdinand Porsche got his official start in 1933 when he developed and created a Grand Prix racecar. This car was developed for another company and at that time did not bear the now-famous Porsche name. This particular car stood out because of the rear-engine design and was ordered by Volkswagen, who wanted to place it in its Beetle. The Porsche family went on to successfully create other racecars built for endurance and speed. The Berlin-Rom-Wagen went on become the prototype for all the later Porsche sports cars.

It was not until 1948 that the first official Porsche car was released. It was called "No. 1" and won first prize at the Innsbruck Stadtrennen racing competition. Porsche continued to produce award-winning sports cars for the next 25 years. It produced its 10,000th car in 1956 and showed no signs of stopping. It seemed the sky was the limit for this family-owned business.

By 1970, Porsche had 9 out of all 10 possible major racing championships under its belt. It had proven itself time and time again as the car to beat in the sports and racing arena. It then moved into the commercial market with the Porsche 911 Carerra. The car was still impressive, but more practical for non-professional drivers. It took more safety precautions (for example, the installation of "safety bumpers"). Always leaders in the car safety industry, Porsche cars were the first ever in Germany to produce cars with driver and passenger-side airbags. Thankfully for drivers, many other car manufacturers followed Porsche's example.

By 1995, the one millionth Porsche was assembled, and the company added to its list of accolades the right to call itself the producer of the world's lowest-emission car. Demand grew so high that they started producing them in Finland as well.

Today, Porsche is still a top ranking manufacturer because of its dedication to quality and innovation in the automotive industry. It continues to move the industry forward by creating new features that are better for the environment and more pleasing to the driver. Because of this, Porsche often paints the footprints for other manufacturers to walk in. Porsche automobiles have been a worldwide frontrunner for decades and, thanks to great management by the Porsche family, will likely continue to lead the way in the luxury and sports car scene for the foreseeable future.

Enid Glasgow and an travel and automobile junkie. She love Porsche automobiles and Porshe accessories.

Original article

EMPI: The Beginning of VW Performance Parts

Since the early days of Volkswagen, one company has always remained on top, EMPI.

EMPI began in Riverside, California by Joe Vittone when he opened a Volkswagen dealership in 1954 with his business partner Holt Haughey. The agency was named Economotors and specialized in selling Volkswagen beetles and buses, and service parts.

Soon after Economotors opened shop, Joe realized the valve guides wore out at an excess rate and he had a hard time finding replacement valve guides. After contacting Volkswagen, he was told it was best to discard the entire valve heads and replace them with new heads.

As a result, Joe decided to manufacture his own valve guides. This allowed old or worn cylinder heads to be repaired instead of being scraped, saving the Volkswagen owner a large amount of money in replacement parts and service.

Economotors saw a surge in customers who wanted to buy the new valve guides, so Joe founded EMPI (European Motor Products Inc) in 1956. At this time in Germany, performance equipment company Okrasa was well-known and Joe decided to add Okrasa to the EMPI line of products, and thus introduced the Volkswagen owner to high performance parts.

However, Joe learned many Volkswagen owners did not think they needed high performance parts and were happy with the 36hp engine that was standard in Volkswagens coming off the assembly line. Relucently Joe added the Austrian company, Denzel, and their high performance VW parts to EMPI as well.

In 1959 Joe designed an anti-sway bar for Volkswagens, and a rear stabilizer that prevented the rear wheels from tucking underneath the wheel well during corners. It was to be known as the camber compensator.

The company EMPI has now changed its name to Engineered Motor Products Inc to place emphasis on the engineering design and product development of its parts.

Speedwell designed a few products exclusively for EMPI, one being a dual-Stromberg carburetor kit. BRM started manufacturing the famous BRM magnesium wheel.

In 1966 Joe began offering a new line of Volkswagen that were outfitted with EMPI performance parts. These cars were known as EMPI GTVs and available in four levels, depending on how many EMPI parts were included.

EMPI grew to 28 distributors throughout the United States, most of these were also Volkswagen dealerships. Volkswagen of America was not pleased with these new performance parts and threatened to cut their supply of new cars to any dealership that did not cease dealing with EMPI.

In 1971, EMPI was sold to Filter Dynamics so Joe could focus more attention on Economotors. At its peak, EMPI sold more than 6 million dollars worth of VW performance parts a year.

Blaine is an avid air-cooled Volkswagen enthusiast, having owned many vintage Volkswagens over the years, he loves to share his passion with others.

Visit OldeSkool Vintage VW for more vintage Volkswagen information.

Original article

Detroit's Fabulous Dream Cruise

What started as a small exhibit of custom and classic cars a few years ago has grown into the largest parade and exhibition of classic cars in the world. These old beauties, carefully restored or maintained are paraded along Woodward Avenue, throughout the northern Detroit suburbs of Royal Oak, Birmingham, Bloomfield and Pontiac.

Over the course of time, the event attracts over 1,000,000 people who line both sides of Woodward to view and drool over these absolutely incredible oldies. It is estimated that somewhere well over 30,000 classics tour up and down the avenue, putting on a grand display for the appreciative audience. Officially, the Woodward Cruise is a two-day event, but participants begin arriving on Woodward a week in advance to "practice" so to speak their tour.

All the towns along the route are in a frenzy. Every restaurant along the way is packed to the hilt with eager car afficionados who turn out and make this a lively festival of the auto industry's best, and worst efforts. Corporate Sponsors representing all of Detroit's nameplate car builders are here to show off new concepts and talk to gear-heads along the way. There are also a few foreign auto makers here, but this is really about Detroit. Every available parking lot or Woodward frontage has been rented or otherwise spoken for.

Locals arrive to favorite spots along the 7 mile long route and set up tents, tables, chairs and refreshments along the way. Street hawkers are out in force selling T shirts, hats and other custom logo Woodward Cruise merchandise. As the event grows, more out-of-state and out-of-country visitors are evident. Compared to this event, sliced bread is nothing.

When cars are not cruising, they are in their reserved spots, hoods up, inviting passers-by to take a peek under the hood. The roar of old Chevy and Ford V8's fill the air waves and Classic Dodge Chargers, GTO's and Mustangs lay tracks along the asphalt.

If you like cars, you will absolutely love the sight and sounds of the assembled and parading wave of muscle cars, glass-pack mufflers and fun people. Detroit area has much to offer for car people in particular. This week in August is an opportunity to put away the troubles and trials of Detroit's bad times and celebrate with its proud residents from MoTown itself and from the nearby Suburbs where this event is staged.

Come on down for an unforgettable experience. Who knows, you might just spot Kid Rock and a host of other celebrities on the streets checking out the cars.After all, that's what it's all about, the cars.

Original article

Honda's VCM: Power at No Extra Cost of Fuel

Honda established another benchmark in fuel saving technologies by re-inventing the internal combustion engine design and implementing the Variable Cylinder Management technology to deliver the most outstanding power without actually affecting the fuel economy. Combined with the brilliant i-VTEC Engine, this technology can save fuel considerably while reducing the CO2 emissions and particularly most useful during long distance traveling.

This technology works according to the driving habits and conditions. VCM automatically deactivates 1 out of 3 or 1 out of 2 cylinders in case of 6 cylinder engine. The technology closes the valves in two or three cylinders as per the need and stops the fuel supply so that these cylinders do not involve in combustion process. Technically, this makes the engine smaller, producing required output and reducing the CO2 emissions. The technology operates based on seven different driving conditions and in three stages. Normally for city cruising, when the power requirements are not much, combustion from three cylinders out of six is enough to fulfil the required speed. Even while braking, the effect remains the same keeping three of the cylinders inactive.

However, as soon as the driver presses the accelerator for better speed requirements, VCM allows all the cylinders to operate normally providing ample power. Generally on a highway, acceleration is required only for an instance to overcome the friction. Later on the vehicle requires only a power to maintain the cruising speed which the VCM knows very well and as such it deactivates three cylinders instantly. The third stage of VCM comes into action when the cruising speed needs a little more acceleration in case of overtaking which activates one more cylinder making total of four out of six cylinders active and satisfies the driver's acceleration needs. Right after the acceleration is achieved, the engine runs back on three cylinders again. By switching between the cylinders, power is made available just when there is a need while keeping a close eye on fuel consumption.

An engine with VCM Technology also helps in eliminating pumping losses in the engine cylinders by preventing the formation of air resistance during the pumping of intake and exhaust gases from the cylinder. As claimed by Honda, this technology also reduces loss generated due to friction from valve cams and springs. But Honda needed expert engineering skills to implement this technology. The rocker shafts were needed to have hydraulic pathways to allow the pin to slide and stop the valves from operating and thereby deactivating the required cylinders. The VCM technology was first featured on 3.0L V6 engine with two stages of switching between three and six cylinders but later on developed on a 3.5L V6 with three stages combined with VTEC technology.

Saving a fuel always had to compromise with power before this technology evolved but Honda's VCM certainly proved that impossible is nothing!

John, an automotive fellow, having keen interest in automotive industry, writing articles regarding Honda and Honda parts during these days. He likes to share his knowledge of interest with people with great enthusiasm.

Original article

Antique Car Values - Tips And Advice For Selecting The Right Car

Being familiar with antique car values is extremely important if you are on the hunt for an old car to restore, or if you're in the market to purchase a collectible car which is fully restored. Not only do you have to be familiar with the resources which are at your disposal to determine the value of an antique car, there are additional factors about the car you're considering which will also have to be evaluated as well.

The following is a list of publications which will serve you well for determining antique car values:

1. Kelly Blue Book: Early Model Guide 1946 to 1986. It's important note that Kelly Blue Book does not publish its results online for these particular car as it does for later model automobiles.

2. The Old Car Buyer's Guide

3. The Gold Book - This is a free website which is considered by many to be the best authority for antique car values.

4. NADA which is the abbreviation for the National Automobile Dealers Association.

5. Kruse International Auctioneers

Each of these publications uses a numerical system to rate the condition of a particular car which ranges from one to six. One being the best possible condition and six obviously being the worst.

In order to rate the car you're considering to be able to compare its condition to the criteria which is presented in these publications you'll have to do a "bumper to bumper" inspection of the car in question.

Your inspection should begin with the body of the car. The most important issue you should be looking for are signs of rust, and your inspection should include looking in unlikely places such as the trunk and rear wheel wells. By standing in front of the car you'll be able to look down both sides of the car which will allow you to see surface irregularities which are a sure sign of previous body work.

Of equal importance is the need to inspect the trim, glass, and condition of the existing paint. What condition is the bright metal trim in? For any restoration project this is a part of the process which you'll want to address early on because any parts that are in need of re-plating should be sent out as early as possible. Re-plating can take many months to accomplish. Also, finding replacement trim for antique cars can be extremely challenging and time-consuming at the very least.

Checking the glass has three points of importance and they include looking for factory markings which authenticates the originality of the car. Imperfections in the glass such as chips or discoloration which will have to be corrected. Lastly, it is important to evaluate how well the window seals have held up over the years to evaluate if there is water leakage.

What you should be most interested when checking the paint is in determining if the paint is original, or if in fact the body has been painted over at some point in the past history of the car.

The next step in your inspection should be the interior, and this involves looking at the condition of the headliner, door panels, seats, and dashboard.

Finally, no "bumper to bumper inspection is complete until the mechanics of the car have been evaluated. In order to get a feel for how the drive train is functioning, it would be highly advisable to take the car out for a test drive. During the drive, you'll get a feel for how the engine is working and what condition the clutch is in if the car has a manual transmission. Most older cars do, so the drive is important in that respect. Furthermore, during the drive it would be a good idea to stop occasionally, and write down a few notes about your observations. Also, check the oil pressure, which will give you a good idea about the state of the engine. If the car will not start, this is a strong indication of worse things to come especially in regard to your budget.

By following the above mentioned suggestions, the process of selecting the right car for your restoration process should go much smoother.

John Burgess I has been involved in vintage car restoration for over two decades, and enjoys sharing the knowledge he has acquired about this amazing pastime with others. For more information about antique car values you can visit his newest website at http://www.vintagecarrestorationinfo.com/.

Original article

Vintage Cars - Top Five Reasons Why They Are Still In Demand Today

While modern car sales continue to fall, vintage cars are getting hotter these days. According to research, there is a huge demand for them all over the world. Hundreds and thousands of vintage cars are sold each year and each car is worth millions of dollars. Indeed, these classic cars are now soaring not just in the US but to other Eastern countries despite the reports of the economic downturn.

But why do people love these cars? Why are they are so popular? Following are some of the best reasons why these cars are still in demand today:

Passion For Collecting Excellent Finds
People are fond of collecting all sorts of stuff from jewelry to gold coins, silverwares, potteries, porcelain and even cars. By and large, people who collect cars are mostly men. Their passion is not limited to modern and brand new cars but vintage cars as well. Just like Jay Leno, the famous host of the Tonight Show in NBC. He now owns 300 vehicles excluding his 60 motorcycles. Included in his car collection are several Stanley Steamers from the early 1900s, muscle cars from the 1950s and '60s, and a 1932 Packard Twin Six 12-cylinder coupe. It only shows that people will do anything just to add a good piece to their collection, even spending millions of dollars.

Vintage Cars As An Investment
Financial experts believe that people should start investing in order to protect their wealth against inflation. However, a lot of people did not know that selling these cars are very lucrative. Classic cars are considered as excellent investment mediums. Those that are for restoration are very cheap to buy but after a few modifications and repairs, they can be sold twice or thrice higher than the original value. Surely, this type of investment is profitable. However, aside from having a million dollar worth of bank account, interested investors need to be well verse with the car industry and the different types of vintage car in order to maximize the profit and not to be ripped off the car's actual value.

Some of the important things one should note before investing in this venture are the best car manufacturers, the types of vintage cars, the manufacturing year of the chosen car, the car's general condition, functions and different features and the market price of cars.

Restoring Vintage Cars Can Serve As A Trophy Of Honor
Since they went through so much history, people are keen to add them in their collection. They take pride and glory for owning them. Also, it gives one a great achievement to restore a car to its former condition and splendor.

Vintage Cars Have Upscale Designs
They are very stylish. Their lines and overall body was artistically made. Their chic and classy design can make every head turn.

Nostalgic Appeal
Truly we cannot go back in time. But driving a classic car can give the owner the opportunity to reminisce and to relive what was long been gone. It can bring back good and bad memories. Since these cars had stood the test of time, some of them were survivors of war and tragic times in the early 1900s.

Indeed, classic cars or vintage cars are still in demand nowadays. Despite the economic crisis that the whole world is facing, still many people are willing to spend money for exquisite classic cars. The next time we see a vintage car passed by, hopefully our perception has changed and we think of them not just as a piece of metal but a great artwork that survived time.

At truegoodlove, learn how love can mean so many things - from love of cars, to how love can be incorporated in education and history. Love indeed is all around us. To learn more about love visit the links today.

Original article

Some Things to Consider When Buying a Classic Car

Many of us dream of cruising down the road in a classic sports car or maybe a something a little more elegant and luxurious. Whatever our dreams may tempt us with, when it comes to reality of buying and owning a classic car, sometimes it a long way from our dreams.

When considering a purchase of a classic car there are many common mistakes made by naïve people when buying for the first time. Unless you have mechanical knowledge or expertise, it's well worth doing some homework before you jump in to that all important purchase.

Researching online, through books and magazines is a good start, but it would be advisable to speak with some experts too. Whether it's a motoring organisation or local car club members, as the more information you are armed with when you start to look around at what is on offer to you, the better it will be for making informed decisions about a purchase.

Next, make a short list of the make or models you are particularly interested in and set a realistic budget. Because unlike new or nearly new cars, older classical or sports cars will need annual care and attention mechanically. It depends on what car you are looking to buy, how much you intend to spend, plus the age and condition of the vehicle you eventually purchase.

Don't purchase the first car you see, try not to be impulsive, get a second opinion, even better take a friend or pay a mechanic for impartial buying advice and try to get the vehicle inspected mechanically. This will defiantly save you time and money in the long run, as weeding out the problem cars at this stage will be an asset.

While you are having the car inspected, make sure both you and the mechanic take the car for a drive, this will help make sure there are no negative aspects to the way the vehicle drives & the performance is as it should be for that vehicle of the given age and mileage. Make sure you check all the paperwork and any bills that are present at time of sale, this will give you a glimpse into how the car has been cared for and potentially what the annual running or servicing costs are likely to be.

This could also be useful for a bargaining chip when making a purchase, as if your designated mechanic or vehicle inspection specialist finds any issues or potential problems and there is work that needs to be carried before or straight after a potential purchase, this could be something to use for negotiation of the car's price.

Gregory Greene is writing on behalf of Romans International, the best choice for a Porsche Dealership or when choosing a Bentley Dealers for your next luxury sports car.

Original article

2011 Ford Mustang Vs 2010 Chevrolet Camaro: A Mom's Review

One of the challenges of being the sole female in a houseful of males is being able to relate to my sons and husband collectively when it comes to favorite hobbies and pastimes. While I enjoy fishing, camping and now even golfing with my husband and kids, I have a hard time sitting still for some of the other things that the males in the household enjoy; take Bear Grylls devouring a rotting sheep on Man Vs. Wild, for example. There is one thing in our family that seems to bring all of us together, however; weekend drives in our Mustang.

My husband drives cars the way that old men drive them. Although I'm a woman and the usual stereotypes should apply, they don't. During one last solo trip to visit my mother in MN, after I had driven our 5 year-old Pontiac Grand Prix as though it were in a Grand Prix, it came home dripping steering fluid and had transmission issues. Like a horse that's been ridden hard and put up wet, the workhorse engine in it was almost dead. Simply put, I'm hard on a car.

My husband, unhappy that another car was being forced into early retirement because of my double life as a race car driver, decided to look into several options for our next vehicle. Ideally, he was looking for a larger American model with great reviews, good gas mileage, and a sturdy engine that could handle abuse yet had overall curb appeal. A great sound system option was a plus too, after all, we're not dead yet. The new, redesigned version of the Ford Taurus was one of the cars that we were impressed with because it met all of our criteria.

Then we got sidetracked.

Remembering how our whole family enjoyed drives in the 2011 Ford Mustang convertible rental that we had for a few months last fall, we decided to consider a sportier car in lieu of a sedan. Needless to say, our 6 and 9-year old sons were all in, delighted at the prospect of owning their very own 'Lightening McQueen'.

My husband, not unlike many family men ripe for the picking by automobile industry marketers, had long been enticed by the new breed of sports coupes available and more specifically, he liked the refreshed pony cars. The pony car models of today are geared toward the middle-aged family man who has other, more practical vehicles in his fleet, but longs for the days of his youth when muscle cars were king. Marketing companies are quite savvy when it comes to knowing who has a little expendable income lying around these days, and they realize that for the most part, it isn't anyone under the age of 30.

Enter my man at stage left.

Frothing at the possibility of trading our 4-door Grand Prix workhorse for a shiny new bauble soon became almost more than my husband could bear. Knowing that we already owned the obligatory kid-hauling minivan and that he was eventually going to invest in a sturdy 4x4 for winter, the idea of buying a sports coupe started to seem all the more reasonable. While there are many, probably more "true" sports cars out there, he lusted after the 5th generation Chevrolet Camaro and had loved driving the Mustang last fall.

Countering Lee's interest in the Camaros, and reminding him that it was my driving that had served as the original impetus for our search, I implored him to consider a Mustang. I loved the classic feel of the 2011 rental last fall and reveled in how much power there was under the hood. A battle ensued.

To humor me, my husband agreed to research both cars. Having already driven a Mustang, I humored him by agreeing to test drive one of the 2010 Camaros. While overall Lee liked it, especially the slick new body-styling and overall approach to the engine redesign, I was less excited about it. While the Camaro is undeniably a sharp looking vehicle to some, I just didn't care for the overall design of the vehicle, both inside and out. The interior felt too cheap and confining and the overworked and contrived body style outside had too much of a caricature muscle feel for my taste; it reminded me too much of Lightening McQueen.

There were other issues as well. The Camaro's windshield visibility was abysmal as far as I was concerned-it was like trying to look out of a mailbox slot or tank window-not what I envisioned for Sunday drives with the kids. After all, our intent was that all four of us would be riding in this vehicle-the whole point behind getting a sports coupe was to have something that would feel like a vacation for all of us, even when we weren't on one, and the Camaro simply didn't cut it.

Camaros have always been known for having blind spots and poor driver visibility, but the visibility in the 5th generation model was nothing short of ridiculous. The pillars all around were too thick and the rear-view mirror seemed huge in proportion to the windshield. The front seats felt low and claustrophobic and the windshield was so tiny that when looking out of it, the massive hood scoop took up most of the view. While it's an impressive view, it seems like it's the only view, and ended up being a detail that I just couldn't get past. In the back seats, the boys could barely see out of the side windows. It's true that a Camaro convertible would have had a different feel, but the practicality of driving one with the top down all of the time simply wasn't realistic.

While I appreciated that the Camaro was designed for true pony car enthusiasts, it wasn't the least bit practical for a family of four. I know that statement is hilarious-after all, what sports coupe is really designed with a family in mind? But for us, we needed to keep that at the forefront of why we were getting it-we intended it as a fun, sporty get-away-from-it-all vehicle that all of us could enjoy, kids included.

The 2011 Mustang, by comparison, had a cleaner looking outer-body design that was classic and strong in feel, but not overdone. It had a similar hood scoop that the Camaro maintained, but visibility in the Mustang was better because the seats are set up higher in the vehicle. The back-seat windows were larger and the boys were able to see out of them easily. The retro feel of the interior was well-done and tasteful.

Like my husband, I went online to research the two models and was impressed when I came across a video by Consumer Reports. I also looked up other reviews and repeatedly, the Mustang seemed to be the preferred choice. Many of the reviews cited the fact that Ford has had over 30 years to perfect the design, and it shows.

By comparison, Chevrolet stopped making the Camaro in 2002 and finally resumed production in 2010. Besides all of the refinement issues, the Mustang is 300 pounds lighter than the Camaro and has better handling, giving it an edge when it comes to speed and maneuverability. The powerful V-6 is excellent on gas mileage at 24/30 MPG considering that the engine boasts 305 HP (which is almost as powerful as previous models of the V8).

In short, I felt that the Mustang was the better choice and was relentless about passing that opinion on to my husband. This was, after all, a battle.

After having a difficult time finding a Mustang in a package that we both could agree on, Lee finally found one after a month of searching. On the Saturday of Mother's Day weekend we went to check it out, Lee warning me that if we didn't opt for this one he was resorting to a Camaro.

Thankfully, it had everything we wanted: V-6 engine, convertible, heavy-duty Shaker stereo system, and leather seats-in a shade of red that practically rips your eyeballs out of your head. In other words, what we looked at was a 2011, V-6 California Premium Package, Mustang Club of America car minus the black stripes (which we didn't care for anyway), a combination that's difficult to find in Wisconsin in the color that we wanted. Mmmmmm.

After I reminded my husband that it was Mother's Day weekend and that against the 2010 Camaro, the 2011 Mustang was the car to beat, my husband resigned himself to the Mustang, his heart still panging for the Camaro. With around 10K miles, the soon-to-be-ours Mustang had been the car of a Ford exec in Michigan. With our trade-in, the final price was a steal at 23K, tax, title and license included. Had we bought it brand new, the price would have been around 35K.

"You're lucky it's Mother's Day" he quipped, vowing that as the Camaro continues to be refined over the next few years, it will be his turn come one Father's Day.

We'll see.

After all, Ford will have had that much longer to perfect the Mustang too, and I have a pretty good feeling that they will; they sure did a good job on this one.

Where motherhood, tenacity and advocacy meet. Alphamomfia.com is a blog written by Julie Harris, who left a successful career in sales to advocate on behalf of one of her sons, who battles with anxiety. She muses about life, children and gardening and also provides a resource for parents wanting to advocate on behalf of their own children. Funny, insightful and irreverent, Alphamomfia is worth checking out! Alphamomfia represents a whole new breed of Alpha Mom.

Original article

Porsce Coupe - New Porsche Carrera 911 - 991

 Porsche has officially launched a new addition to its family of iconic coupes, the Porsche 911 (991) Carrera. It introduces a completely new generation to the iconic coupes Porsche is widely known and commended for since its launch in 1963.

The new Porsche 911 (991) exudes the power, elegance and sophistication unique to the Porsche 911 family. The distinctive silhouette is still very eye catching with the integration of new exciting contours and specifically designed details; a 100mm longer wheelbase for enhanced stability and bigger interior space; front and rear overhangs are shorter, maintaining the compact footprint that has been a longstanding 911 attribute; the sporting stance is accentuated by the lower roof line and a wider front track increases on-road presence further still while raising the renowned chassis dynamics.

The rear-mounted, flat six cylinder engine is an equally symbolic component of the 911 identity; and behind the rear axle of the new car lies an up rated range of powerful, efficient and evocative 'boxer' engines. The Porsche 911 Carrera is powered by a new 3.4-litre engine developing 350 hp, and the Carrera S features a 400 hp version of the familiar 3.8-litre. The engines have been enhances to an all new engine which offers improved performance for both models. The 3.4-litre Carrera with PDK accelerates from 0-62mph in 4.6 sec, 0.1 sec quicker than the prior model. Pressing the Sport Plus button on the optional Sport Chrono Pack cuts that to 4.4 sec. The 3.8-litre Carrera S with PDK can accelerate from 0- 62 mph in 4.3 sec (Sport Plus 4.1 sec), 0.2sec quicker than its predecessor.

The new Porsche 911 Carrera will be available from 17 December 2011; standard equipment on all models is leather interior, sports seats, automatic climate control, Bi-Xenon headlights, 7-inch colour touch-screen Porsche Communication Management with satellite navigation, a universal audio interface offering MP3 connectivity, Porsche Stability Management (PSM) and a three year warranty. The Carrera S adds 20-inch alloy wheels, Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) with rear limited slip differential, in addition to the power advantage of the larger 3.8-litre engine.

Every Porsche 911 comes fitted with Vehicle Tracking System (VTS), a sophisticated vehicle security package approved to Thatcham Category 5 standard and Porsche will be giving their customers the opportunity to discover the potential of their new car by taking part in a complimentary course at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone.

For car aficionados who are excited about this latest addition to the Porsche Family, information about the leasing rates for the new Porsche 911 Carrera is now available at here.

Original article

Car Collector Cliches And Contradictions

The following are some common, and irritating, classic car clichés that are repeated by collector car luminaries over and over.

Clichés always have a ring of truth to them but there are some inconsistencies and contradictions in these five clichés.

1) It is original only once.

This is a truism but time takes it toll on all things and original cars eventually turn into original cars in bad condition. If they are properly cared for and stored properly they can remain in good condition for many many years. But eventually they will deteriorate to the point of well, bad condition.

2) Do not restore an original car - this always follows number 1.

At what point does this philosophy no longer make sense? The great paintings hanging in the museums of Europe are periodically restored as are the old buildings. If they are not then they would eventually fall into an unrecoverable state. The period between restorations may be a a long time but it is still done.

Cars also will reach a point where they will deteriorate to a point of non-functionality. Will this philosophy toward classic cars change then?

3) It is being driven and used like it was meant to be.

Eventually this will wear out the car - maybe 50 years from now but these cars will deteriorate to the point that they can only be placed in a museum and looked at by future generations. Especially race cars that are driven and used like they were meant to be. Some will also be destroyed in the process.

It can be driven and used like it was meant to be only for so long, especially if it is to be kept original at all costs.

The car that is being driven and used like it was meant to be will never win a best in show at a Pebble Beach like event.

4) Every nut and bolt has been removed and this car has been restored to a condition that is better than when it left the factory new.

We praise these cars because they are better than new and beautiful to look at. It takes a restoration like this to win a major award at a Concours d'Elegance. Yet this is inconsistent with clichés 1 and 2 above. And if this car is then driven and used like it was meant to be it will deteriorate rapidly so that it will never win a Concours.

5) The car is over restored.

This is a bad thing but it is the only way to win best in show at a Concours d'Elegance like Pebble Beach. We worship these winners but then at other moments we criticize the over restored car and we criticize the trailer queen that does not get driven and "used like it was meant to be". But it is the trailer queen that wins best in show.

If these Pebble Beach winning cars were used like they were meant to be then they would not win Pebble Beach.

Read Mike Gulett's blog, My Car Quest, at this link.

Original article

Audi A6 Avant - The Most Successful Business Wagon in Europe Gets a Makeover

The Audi A6 Avant has never been short of success. Aside from being the most successful business class estate in Europe, it has also enjoyed countless positive reviews and praise. Carrying that theme across to a new model is always going to be difficult with so much weight bearing down on its shoulders. That said, the 2012 Avant is once again looking to be something of a winner with the Business and consumer crowd alike.

On its exterior, the Avant has become more refined since its last outing with a number of subtle adjustments being just enough to satisfy the worthwhile change. For an estate, it looks amazingly agile and sleek despite its length - its proportions are perfectly sporty and the low roof line flows perfectly into the flat D-pillars. The one piece grille returns along with somewhat edgier LED assisted lights and the whole car measures in at about 16.17ft in length. Thanks to more use of aluminium on this year's model you can also expect it to weigh around 154.32lbs less than the previous model; a pretty heavy crash diet in comparison to last years.

Inside you can expect the usual lavish Audi luxury, with a wrap around interior adding yet more to the sleek, agile feel of the car. Dashboard trim is available in either aluminium or one of three different types of wood, which compliments an all leather interior. Colour choices are also available should you want to go for a classy crème interior rather than an understated black. For top end models, the seats feature ventilation and massage functions. On the centre console you can expect a wash of techy gadgets available via the onboard computer, which is handily controlled via a main rotary knob used to cycle through the various menus. This can all be seen clearly on the screen in the centre console. Audi have partnered with Google to provide online services including news and weather information directly to your car while on the move. These can be setup from a home computer and then downloaded wirelessly to the Avant's centre console command unit. Audi and Google say this would be beneficial for somebody who wants to plan their journey before they actually set off, giving you more time to assess the traffic scenarios and available routes.

In terms of engine choices the Avant will be offering several forms at launch - six to be exact. At the bottom is a 2.0 litre TDI option with 177bhp and an impressive fuel economy of approximately 47 miles to the gallon. Heading up the list is a twin turbo 3.0 litre diesel offered in three different horsepower variants of 204bhp, 245bhp and 313bhp. Expect the latter to get you from 0-60 in 5.4 seconds. With the four diesels out of the way there are then a further two petrol engines to choose from that finish the range nicely. A 2.8 and 3.0 litre will be offered each producing 204bhp and 300bhp respectively.

As if being content with that many engine choices wasn't enough, they're also giving you the choice of a further four transmission options as well to further enhance the customisation options available. Aside from the usual six speed manual, you can also choose from their Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), a seven speed S-Tronic, or for 3.0 litre TDI versions only, an 8 speed Tiptronic.

With all the engine and transmission options available, the quality of the interior and their partnerships with big corporate players such as Google, Audi is once again onto a winner with this year's Avant. It's scheduled to go on sale in Europe sometime in the summer with a quoted price of ?40,850 - or approximately £35,955 with the current exchange rate at the time of writing. It's a very respectable price considering what you're getting and it stands up well against the other German competition. This is definitely one to check out if you're after a business class mover with more space than a typical saloon.

Thinking the price seems unaffordable for you at the moment? Why don't you do business and personal contract hire?

Original article

Audi A3 Tuning

Let's imagine you purchased a brand new Audi A3 car. Are you fully satisfied with it? This car is solid and all the extra options are included. But there is still a strange feeling as if something is forgotten, something is missing or Audi navigation system is malfunctioning, Audi Webasto cannot cope with its task and as a result the joy from the purchase is some sort of incomplete. In this case, the various tuning companies are offering us not just a car restyling but also Audi A3 chip tuning.

On a subconscious level there exists a vague desire that it is necessary to refine and reequip this car. Audi navigation should receive new maps, your language support, Audi Webasto should be reconfigured, Bluetooth is to be installed and in a whole a complete car tuning is preferred to be made.

Tuning companies are offering car tuning of the world's leading affiliate producers of Audi cars. Some of them perform with Audi cars such much needed work like tuning of Audi MMI 2G or of more contemporary Audi MMI 3G, Audi Webasto installation, installation of brake pads, alloy wheels, body kit for Audi and an additional equipment for Audi, tinting, DVD installation, cameras, LED, aerodynamic body kits and genuine branded spare parts. Believe, there exists so many hidden features in your Audi A3 car that you'll be amazed.

Audi tuning - there is no limit to perfection

There is no doubt that Audi is on the top of technological progress while taking advantage of innovative technology of the automotive industry in its car models. If not anything else Audi navigation system is praiseworthy. What else can be improved in these already perfect vehicles?

Tuning stands for not only stylish skirts, low-profile tires and empowered engines but this concept also means improving of your car appearance and performance, applying such settings that would suit only your needs to its original features. This can be achieved by the installation of additional options.

What we include in the concept of tuning? By tuning we mean the works like the installation of the original branded accessories, spare parts and anti-theft systems that are not covered by your chosen bundle as well as the installation of additional original Audi equipment (a sort of Audi re-equipment). Some options cannot be offered by the Audi official dealers, simply because they do not have them.

A short list of options

A short list of options includes for example, TV unlock while driving, after which you and your passengers can watch TV while driving the car. It does not matter which version of MMI entertainment system (Audi MMI 2G or Audi MMI 3G) is installed in your car.

For a more comfortable work you can think in advance what you are not satisfied with in the car assembly and in the meantime order additional Audi equipment or order Audi restyling. Maybe Audi optics is not shining well or you want the branded Audi discs or maybe you need a setting of the rear view cameras in your car or to install Bluetooth for Audi.

For easy selection there is a list of services and equipment that is offered for Audi tuning and re-equipment by various tuning companies today:

1. TV, DVD, VIM MMI 2G and MMI 3G
2. Audi Concert Bluetooth connection, Symphony, MMI 2G and MMI 3G (Audi Bluetooth)
3. Original Audi navigation system with its installation
4. Rear-view camera for Audi A3
5. Webasto (heater) for all models of Audi
6. Audi A3 tuning that also includes closing the trunk lid with the ignition key in its options

Audi navigation function should be mentioned separately. Various tuning companies offer additional features that will endow the basic Audi navigation with the new capabilities. For example, with such features as screen split and an image zoom you will be more comfortable in an unfamiliar place.

Mostly Audi A3 tuning is performed by excellent professionals, experts in their field, almost all of them have gained the work experience by working with Audi official dealers.

If you want to find out more about new Audi A3 models and Audi A3 tuning visit this interesting article I found online.

Original article

Classic Jaguar Cars - The E Type

In the 1960's Steve McQueen may have enjoyed riding motorcycles, but his passion for classic Jaguar cars was undeniable. In particular, his love for the Jaguar E type resulted in an affair with this fine automobile which became and was a part of his collection until his death. Most recently, as many people may know, this very car was offered at the Mecum Auction, and sadly enough the car wasn't sold because the reserve was not met. One can confidently assume that this car will be purchased at some future date, and it's owner will cherish this amazing car as much as it's original owner did.

The Jaguar E Type has been from the moment it was first introduced to the general public an inspiring automobile, and has certainly motivated many an admirer to purchase it the instant they saw this finely crafted car. First presented at the Geneva Auto Show in 1961, it was originally meant to be a replacement for the Coventry, which was England's D-Type racer car. An irrefutable fact is that from the initial presentation of this fine automobile it immediately became a hit.

For those who are not familiar with the E-Type Jaguar there is further good news, because it comes available in more than one version. They are commonly referred to as "Series 1, "Series 2, and "Series 3". The collector will most likely be drawn to the "Series 1" version because of it's rarity, and if a decision is made to sell the car, it will bring more money at an auction or in a private sale than the other versions. The increase in value relates directly to the fact that a very small number of this particular model of Jaguar was manufactured. This Jaguar sports a 3.8 liter 6 cylinder engine and also features independent coil spring rear suspension.

The "Series 2" was manufactured from 1969 to 1971 and featured a number of improvements. This Jaguar offered a better cooling system, upgraded brakes, a redesigned interior which included seats that were much more comfortable, and air conditioning and power steering which were available as factory options.

The "Series 3" which was manufactured from 1971 to 1974 presented future buyers with a larger engine which presented 5.3 liters of unbridled power for the sports car enthusiast. Another significant change included power steering as a standard part of the car. During this period a small number of 4.2 liter "Series 3" Jaguars were made and it is believed that these are and were the most valuable of this series of Jaguars.

The E-Type Jaguar has regularly been ranked by designers as one of the most beautiful cars ever manufactured, and The Museum Of Modern Art in New York further endorsed this car by including one of it's model's in their designer collection in 1996. Throughout the years the interest in various types of fine automobiles has vacillated, but this has not been the case with the Jaguar. In fact, the beauty and uniqueness of this car was confirmed once again in 2008 by the Daily Telegraph, who place the Jaguar E-Type at the top of their most beautiful cars in the world list.

John Burgess I has been involved in vintage car restoration for over two decades, and enjoys sharing the knowledge he has acquired about this amazing pastime with others. For more information about classic jaguar cars you can visit his newest website at http://www.vintagecarrestorationinfo.com/

Original article

Vintage Volkswagen Racing: The Beginning of Deano Dyno-Soar

Dean Lowry joined Joe Vittone and his VW dealership Economotors in Riverside, California in 1955. After realizing how easy it was to repair and service Volkswagen Dean learned all he could and increased his skill level. He decided to make a career of Volkswagens and increasing their performance on the drag strip.

While working for Century Motors in Alhambra, California, Dean helped to build a racing VW beetle that he raced regularly for five months. He then built a dragster with a Porsche engine and began campaigning it in several local drag racing events.

Joe asked Dean to return to Economotors in 1963 and began once again to work with EMPI performance parts. He developed exhaust systems, carburetor kits and valve kits. At this time, Dean built the famous Inch Pincher race VW, one of the most famous race cars.

In 1968 Dean left Economotors again and partnered up with his brother Ken to start their own VW repair and service shop in Santa Ana, California. The brothers wanted to focus solely on building and repairing VW engines full time. This new business was called Deano Dyno-Soars, after Dean's nickname of Deano or Dino.

The Lowry brothers stuck with the dinosaur theme throughout their business, and took up the color purple. They created the Purple Dyno-Soar engine, which was painted purple. The racecars and even their service shop was also colored purple. It became their trademark color.

The Lowrys often went drag racing with Dean's daily driver, a 1954 VW sedan with a 2180cc engine. The car had been lightened to reduce the weight. Custom lightweight spun-aluminum wheels were designed specifically for drag racing VWs and made their debut on the Dyno-Soar racing vehicle. It's best time was 11.62 sec and was the car to beat in the NHRA H/Gas class.

One major advancement Deano Dyno-Soar made in the VW racing world was developing an aftermarket crankcase that allowed VW engines up to the size of 3 liters to be built and housed in the rear engine compartment. It was known as the Ultra Case. Deano Dyno-Soar also designed and developed the first set of aftermarket cylinder heads for VW drag racing. They allowed larger valves to be used than a regular VW head.

After winning numerous races and trophies, they decided to retire the drag racing VW in 1972. The business also called its doors in 1972 and the brothers went their separate ways.

Blaine is an avid air-cooled Volkswagen enthusiast, having owned many vintage Volkswagens over the years, he loves to share his passion with others.

Visit OldeSkool Vintage VW for more vintage Volkswagen information.

Original article

Where Do BMWs Come From?

The BMW, which stands for Bavarian Motor Works, comes from Munich, Germany. BMW actually started as an aircraft engine manufacturer. In fact, the blue and white logo comes from the head-on view of spinning airplane propellers. The company then moved into motorcycle production and, later, to car production. Even from the early years, it became known as a high-quality vehicle manufacturer. The various motorcycle and car editions BMW came out with were entered into many contests and often took first prize. It quickly began to build a name for itself in the German sports vehicle contest arena.

BMW continued to make airplane engines despite its success in the production of personal vehicles. In 1943, it worked on the first ever mass-produced jet engine. This was groundbreaking news and kept BMW in the forefront of the automobile and aircraft production pack. In 1945, it got its first license to repair US Army automobiles in Germany.

BMW experienced some setbacks because of World War I and was not able to produce cars for a few years. The company was discouraged, but did not give up. It had to discontinue production for some years, but came back in 1949 with another successful motorcycle release. BMW went on to become the World Motorcycle Sidecar champion in the '50s and held the prestigious title for 20 years. It was not until the late '60s and early '70s that BMW began to experience significant commercial success with its cars. It continued to produce newer and better cars that rivaled its biggest peer, Mercedes-Benz.

BMW prided itself on dedication to furthering the advancement of car technology. It invested in research until it was able to come out with an on-board microcomputer that improved fuel economy and engine performance. This made BMW a leader in the automobile technology race.

As it grew and began to build and solidify worldwide demand, BMW built additional plants in South Africa, Japan, and, lastly, the US, but its headquarters remained in Munich, Germany. It is still there. Many of the amazing BMW cars and motorcycles are still produced in Germany, but shipped all over the world for luxury car enthusiasts to enjoy. BMW of America, the American division, started in 1975 and continues to operate today. The current American headquarters is located in New Jersey, but the manufacturing plant is in North Carolina. It is the exclusive manufacturers for all X5 and X6 Sports Activity Vehicles.

Enid Glasgow and an travel and automobile junkie. She love BMW's and BMW accessories and Merchandise.

Original article

Classic Sports Cars - The Triumph TR4

Launched at the 1961 Motor Show in London the Triumph TR4 two-seater British roadster met all the design challenges of the 1960's with an impressively stylish designed body from Michelotti that survived for fifteen years until its descendent the TR6 was discontinued in 1976.

Two year earlier Triumph had launched the classic Herald saloon whose bodylines designed by Italian Giovanni Michelotti led to great sales success that lasted in the 1970s.

With this in mind Triumph, which had just been bought by Leyland Motors, had asked Michelotti to come up with a new sports car to replace the aging TR3 whose shape dated back to 1953 and the earlier TR2.

Distinguished by its curvaceous bodywork and bonnet hooded headlights attached to the chrome grill, mechanically the new car was similar to the TR3, however the new technology of an all synchromesh four speed manual gearbox with optional overdrive was installed.

This meant that although the TR4 had essentially the same four cylinder overhead valve 2138cc engine as its predecessor, it was a foot longer and had a wider wheelbase. The TR4 produced 100 bhp at 4600 rpm and was capable of a top speed of 102 mph. There was an option to buy the car with the old 1991cc engine for racing in sports car classes under 2000cc.

The car had a good performance for its time and could accelerate from 0 to 60 in 11 seconds and averaged around 25 miles per gallon.

In 1965 after selling 40,000 cars, the TR4 was upgraded to the TR4A.

Although outwardly similar in appearance with the exception of a walnut veneer dashboard, the TR4A was mechanically much different with the arrival of semi trailing arm independent rear suspension incorporating a new rear axle, which had been tested on the Triumph 2000 saloon since 1962. The aging pushrod engine was also upgraded with the addition of a new camshaft design which increased the car's top speed to 110 mph.

The TR4A produced 104 bhp at 4700 rpm and was not as efficient on fuel consumption. The TR4A also included the famous Michelotti 'Surrey top', a semi-convertible roof with a rear roll bar window and was also the last Triumph model to carry the original Triumph Globe badge on the bonnet.

The Triumph TR4 and TR4A were manufactured at the firms Canley works in Coventry from 1961 until 1967. In all 68,718 units were produced mostly for the US and European markets. Not cheap in relation to its domestic competitors such as the MGB the car was priced at £1,106 on the road.

Fifty years on the sleek little sports car has survived the test of time. There are just under 2000 TR4s remaining in the UK today, the majority of them still on the road!

If you own a Triumph TR4 you should cover it under specialist car insurance policy preferably from a broker that deals specifically with classic sports car insurance. You can make further savings on covering your classic TR4 if you join a recognised triumph owners group or association

Original article

How to Value a Classic Car

Most, if not all people would love to own a classic car. The Classic Car Club of America states that for a car to be considered a classic, it must be between 20 to 40 years old. Anything over 45 years is considered an antique. If you have been in the market for some time, but were not sure how to properly value one, please keep reading and just maybe you will find the following information useful.

If and when you first starting looking for an automobile of this kind you really have two options that are available to you. First, you can purchase a fully restored car. Second, you can get one that needs to have some work done to it to get it looking as nice as you would like it to.

Of course, unless you are good with your hands, or know of a shop that can fully repair a car of this kind, it will be much easier and less worrisome to buy one that looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor. In order to accomplish this while getting a good deal on the car, all you will need to do is a little research.

The first thing you should do is to find out what the car you are considering purchasing is presently selling for. You need to know the make, model, year, rather it has all original parts or not, and be able to accurately approximate its present condition. Next, you should check out the internet for the websites that specialize in providing the estimated value of the car you are considering obtaining. If the numbers work for you, then this is defiantly the easiest and safest way to drive away with the car of your dreams.

The next avenue you can attempt to pursue when you are looking for a classic car; is to buy one that needs a great deal of work done to it in order to have it look like it is showroom new. This really is not as difficult as it seems, even for somebody that knows nothing about cars.

Before you start this process though, it is recommended that you find a shop that specializes in rebuilding classic cars. Once that is done, you can start looking around for your new ride. The sales price to purchase one of these types of cars, is usually nothing compared to the work and cost required to get it fully restored.

After you find a few that you are interested in, please be sure to take detailed pictures and videos of the car so that the shop you will be using can review them thoroughly. If you do your job, and get great shots of the car, they should be able to provide you a very accurate estimate.

You are almost done now; simply add up the purchase price and the restoration estimate to get your total cost. Next, use the same types of websites we mentioned above to find out what a car like this is presently selling for. Once again, if your figures come out in your favor, you will soon be driving a new stunning classic car.

If you want to learn about all the latest and greatest news happening in the car industry, please be sure to click the following link Automotive.

For one of the most comprehensive websites anywhere that keeps you up to date on everything about cars, please click on the following link to visit us Motorsports.

Original article

Purchasing Your First Classic Car

Purchasing a classic car can be a fun experience, but a little scary if it's your first. Car? Truck? Original? Modified? Already finished? Project? Where do you start?

Being a car person, I have a deep appreciation for all types of vehicles. When I was looking to purchase my first classic car, I looked for months before I decided on what I wanted. My first thought was to find something that was already finished, a pristine automobile that I could immediately take to local car shows. Unfortunately, I had a budget that wasn't quite enough to afford such a vehicle, so I opted for something less expensive with a little work needing to be done. I don't necessarily mind, as I enjoy working on vehicles and always like to throw in a little of my personal touch to anything I own.

I've done the homework and I'm leaving you with the results of my research. The top 10 things to consider (in my personal opinion) when purchasing your first classic car:

1. Involve your significant other in your decision! This is important and I shouldn't even need to explain why!

2. Budget - You can literally spend as little or as much as you'd like when purchasing a classic. If you've never watched the auctions on TV or done any searches online, you may be unpleasantly surprised to see vehicles go for tens of thousands of dollars. Unless you have an unlimited amount of cash on hand and don't mind putting it towards something you'll only drive a few hundred miles per year, you may want to start with a conservative budget and stick to it. If you've been saving for a while and have $10,000 to spend on a classic, look for vehicles $10,000 and under. I say this because it's easy to start looking at $10,500 with the thought that you can always offer less. The problem with that thinking is that you may get a vehicle for your $10,000 but you now have no more money for things like insurance, plates, title transfer, and service/repair that may need to be done.

3. What kind of vehicle? - This obviously depends on you, but think hard about this first. If you have a family and would like to use your new classic for evening family cruises, a truck may not be the best solution. Also, many older vehicles may only have lap belts instead of shoulder belts. That is, of course, if they have seat belts at all.

4. Original or custom? - Originals are nice, but could be tricky when trying to fix something that breaks. I'm more of a custom guy, but try to keep my modifications mild and easy to switch back. For instance, I built a custom removable console to house my CD player and gauges, rather than modifying the dash. This way, if I decide to sell, the prospective buyer won't be turned off if looking for an original vehicle. If you change to aftermarket wheels, keep the originals, too.

5. Project or already finished? - If you have no mechanical experience or have a lack of tools, you may opt for the finished option. If you decide on a project, make sure you know what you're getting into! Do some research on the vehicle you're buying to see how expensive parts are and if you can even get them. Some vehicles, like Camaros and Mustangs have specialty catalogs that you can get almost any part you need to totally rebuild. With some vehicles, however, you may be limited to junk yards and online forums to track down what you need. Certain engines are the same way. We have a Buick 350 engine that only has one aftermarket 4barrel intake available and it's pretty expensive. If it was for a Chevy 350, we'd have an unlimited supply to choose from, most for half the cost. Also think about garage space when rebuilding a project.

6. Where to look? - Once you've decided what you want, the fun begins! With the internet, possibilities are endless. I prefer buying local, as I like to see things up close and test drive before giving thousands of dollars to someone I've never met. If you purchase something across country, remember to add in costs for delivery or gas and lodging if you decide to go pick up.

7. What to look for? - If you're looking for a project, figure out what needs to be done first, and add up the cost of parts and labor to finish. Don't be surprised if you spend $2000 on a project, but need to spend another $8000 to get it road worthy. Only to find out that it's only worth $5000 even after you've invested $10,000. If you want a finished product with minimal work, make sure to look into some of the hidden things. For instance, it may look great, but the frame might be rotten, making it an unsafe vehicle. The engine could look good with some chrome, but the insides could be tired and in need of a rebuild. If you don't know much about vehicles, bring a friend with or ask about taking it to your local mechanic for a thorough check.

8. Collector plates or regular? - Laws vary by state, but check into the advantages and disadvantages for both. You may find that collector plates are inexpensive, but have limitations to use.

9. Insurance - As with collector plates, collector insurance policies have certain limitations. Check with your agent to see what's best for you. If you're using the vehicle for shows, parades, hobby, you may be able to get into a policy that's very inexpensive, has a $0 deductible, and pays you an agreed value in the event of a total loss.

10. Storage - If you don't have an extra garage or shed for winter storage (especially in areas of snowy, cold winters) you may want to figure in storage costs when budgeting. I wouldn't suggest just parking it in the yard and covering it with a tarp. You could find yourself very upset in the spring when you unveil your baby, only to see rust forming and tires sunk into the ground. Classic cars are, in my mind, an investment and should be protected if possible.

Once you have your purchase, join a local club. This will help you meet others that share your passion. This is invaluable when trying to find parts, needing help with repairs, and just having someone to share ideas with.

Patrick Cooke is an insurance agent for Farmers Insurance in Cloquet, Minnesota, specializing in classic car insurance, as well as all other types of insurance.

http://www.farmersagent.com/pcooke

http://www.cookeagency.com/

Original article

Ford-Lincoln 1930's K-Series V12 Fine Luxury Automobiles

The Lincoln K-Series V12, often referred to simply as "Ford's K Series", were a line of high end luxury cars built by Lincoln Division of the Ford Motor Company during the economic depression of the 1930's. Specifically Lincoln K-Series vehicles were built between 1932 & 1939. It was a case of an ultra-deluxe premium product being delivered and marketing to the automotive market at the wrong time. Perhaps it could be said that there are "always people with money" and its important to have a flagship for your brand - in this case the competition was against the V12 Cadillac road cars - yet still Ford and its Lincoln division struggled valiantly to keep the sales price under the $ 4,000 mark.

The history of the Lincoln K-Series V12 model line goes as such. Mr. Henry Leland had resigned from Cadillac in 1917, just after WW1 ended, and evolved a new car for 1921 which he branded and named "Lincoln". Lincoln was not a part of the Ford empire yet - it was its own entity. This time period in terms of the automotive industry in the US and worldwide was one of "consolidation" where smaller more entrepreneurial auto making firms where gobbled up by larger concerns with more financial, marketing and sales resources. Lincoln was one such entity being acquired by Ford in 1922.

Mr. Henry Ford himself was happy to let the Lincoln division of his company to carry on making small numbers of exclusive for over ten years before the first "Ford-Lincoln" (the Zephyr) was designed. The new management carried on building "Lincoln V8s" for ten years, but in 1932 they announced the splendid and rather exclusive K-Series cars one of which, (specifically the KB model), was given a V12 engine of 7.3 liters.

These cars were beautifully made and were downright impressive rather than just attractive to look at and admire as fixtures of the road. Their quantity-production precision engineering was obvious, but they were simply just one of seven "V12's" on the US auto market in 1932. Hence sales figures were low. Just over 2,000 were sold in the 1933 automotive marketing and sales year. Even though the KA, which had been V8 powered, acquired a smaller edition 6.2 liter V12 in 1933, it alone had a retail sticker price of $ 2,700, which thus put it into the luxury end of the auto market out of reach of what was then considered "rich" ( but impoverished) Americans. Even so there was much interest in the technical details overall.

The chassis and suspension were entirely conventional, but the engine was a mixture of both old and new. Among its technical details were a 65-degree angle between banks (60 degrees was then the norm and would of given perfect balance), side valves and detachable cylinder blocks on a light-alloy crankcase. There was synchromesh in the gearbox (all America was following GM's 1928 example), and a freewheel feature into the setup. Surprisingly brakes were mechanically operated, but they had a vacuum "servo" to assist the driver or chauffeur.

A new model Lincoln was announced in 1934 to replace the original KAs and KBs; this had a slightly smaller engine of 6.8 liters (414 cubic inches), aluminum cylinder heads and a maximum top speed of 100 miles per hour mph. There was yet important restyling a year of two later down the road. Yet sales continued to decline and grind down with the last of the K-Series Lincoln V12s being built and rolling out of Ford-Lincoln production facilities in 1939.

Yet the Lincoln name and exclusive marquee had been established by this product. The Ford designed Lincoln-Zephyr, which carried this prestige brand name which both, was an ultra fast vehicle and filled a lower auto market price niche hit the roads. It began to sell as if were the Ford Mustang of its time. Hence although the Ford-Lincoln K-Series V12 was a case of a magnificent product which emerged against staunch competition and a higher price than most potential customers in its market arena could afford. Yet the Ford-Lincoln K12 V12's set the stage for the foundation and success of the Lincoln division of the giant Ford Motor Company - which served as Ford's high end prestige premium faceplate.

Original article

Americas Top Three Muscle Cars

The muscle cars wars are back in full force, now that all three of the major American manufacturers are producing one. In most cases, it comes down to personal preference when deciding which one you like the best, and which one you want to own. Below we will discuss the Camaro from General Motors, the Challenger from Dodge, and the Mustang from Ford.

When you start a debate on muscle cars, many enthusiasts believe that all discussions should start and end with the Mustang. After all, it has been around for a very long time, and it is certainly the most popular model in this highly distinguished class of cars that has ever been produced.

Ford, recently was very proud to announce that its new 2011 model is selling at a record pace. It first months orders exceeded over 11,000 units from the previous year. They attribute this to its new V6 engine which substantially improved its performance, while at the same time vastly increasing it gas mileage. In fact, they are stating it is now getting 25% more miles to the gallon, as compared to the 2010 model, which is no small achievement.

When Dodge brought back the Challenger in 2008, there were many fans all over the county that were extremely happy that this iconic model was finally going to be available again. For the first year, it was only available in the SRT8 Trim style, which produced a tremendous amount of horsepower, but at the expense of gas mileage.

In 2009 they made a few small adjustments to their line and introduced the V6 and R/T engine options. They also realized that to get more consumers to purchase the car, a manual transmissions option would help in the process.

In April of 2009 the Camaro got back into the competition with the 2010MY car. It had a pair of excellent engine options, which were the V8 that could produce as much as 422 horsepower. The other option was the V6, which generated a very respectable 304 horsepower, while allowing drivers to achieve a staggering 29 miles per gallon while driving it on the highway.

It appears that both Ford and General Motors are so happy with their efforts that they are going to see how these exceptional cars will do in the international markets. Both companies plan on releasing them in Europe. It remains to be seen how well they will be accepted though. Europeans are notoriously finicky when it comes to their cars, and are known to value performance over speed. In addition, gas prices in Europe can be two to three times as much as America, which certainly could put a damper on their sales.

Most if not all muscle admirers are extremely pleased that the Camaro, Mustang, and Challenger are all back in action testing each other once again. Only time will tell with gas prices increasing seemingly daily, if the producers will be able to continue to sell enough of them to make a profit, and justify their long-term existence.

If you want to learn about all the latest and greatest news happening in the car industry, please be sure to click the following link Automotive.

For one of the most comprehensive websites anywhere that keeps you up to date on everything about cars, please click on the following link to visit us Motorsports.

Original article

Porsche Car's Most Wanted, a Brief Guide to The Air Cooled Models

The Porsche sports car company has come along way since its early beginnings, the company was founded as Dr. Ferdinand Porsche in 1931 who was an Austrian engineer born in "Maffersdorf", at the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Porsche GmbH initially offered motor vehicle development work and consultancy for the then German Government and the first major project was to develop a car for the people, this was later called the Volkswagen Käfer (or VW Beetle as it became known to the English). It wasn't until 1939 that Dr. Ferdinand Porsche developed the first car the bore his name, the "Porsche 64", it was developed using many components from the Beetle. The first road certified Porsche that was available to the public to buy was the Porsche 356; it went on general sale in 1948.

The Porsche 356 is still an iconic sports car, and in with today's prices, commands a very high price if you can find an original early example or a rare Porsche 356 "Carrera" model, as these are always in demand by serious car collectors or Porsche fan's who want to drive some motoring history. As back in 1951, the little known Porsche 356 SL took a class victory at the Le Mans 24 Hour Race, which placed it firmly on the sports car map.

Next on the Porsche most wanted list would have to be the Porsche 550 Spyder, which was a roof-less out-and-out light weight developed race car, in 1956 the 550 Spyder took its first overall victory, at the Targa Florio, Italy. The 550 Spyder was immortalised with a one of its most famous owners and movie legend James Dean, who died behind the wheel of his 550 Spyder in a road traffic accident.

The 911 was first debuted in 1964 and went into production. This was another air-cooled, rear-engined sports car, this time sporting a flat six-cylinder "boxer" style engine. Because of the successes of both the 356 and the 550 Spyder, the Porsche 911 attracted immediate attention from around the world and today is what typifies the Porsche name and brand. In a recent international poll for the award of "Car of the Century", the 911 came fifth, so it just shows the car's popularity.

Also from the 911 stable is the Porsche 911 RS Carrera which was first produced in 1973 this was the Porsche to own on the 70's and was handed down technology and many parts from the factory Porsche Race Team, which was due to their many racing victories around the world. The 911 body styling influence can still be seen in most of the current Porsche water-cooled models.

Gregory Greene is writing on behalf of Romans International, the best choice for a Porsche Dealership Surrey or when choosing a Pre owned Porsche for your next luxury sports car.

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Legendary Are the Volk Racing TE37 Wheels

Rays Engineering is a high-end Japanese wheel manufacturer for both motorsport and street use which is mostly known for its Volk Racing flagship brand of wheels. These wheels continue to be the choice of today's car enthusiasts. The best in today is the Volk Racing TE37 Wheel! The Volk Racing TE37 Wheel is a flagship design from the flagship wheel brand. This wheel features a 1 pc forged wheel 6 spoke design that has become a cult hit among JDM tuners and track racers alike. This wheel comes in different sizes with offset recommended by the manufacturer. And not only are this there many custom sizes available in the Volk TE37 Racing Wheel. Like for example:

Volk Racing TE37 Wheel 13x5, 4x100.

Volk Racing TE37 Wheel 14x5, 4x100.

Volk Racing TE37 Wheel 14x6.5, 4x100 and there are more in series.

These Classic Racing Wheels form Rays has forged monoblock construction and is lightweight and strong. All the wheels come with different sizes for different brands and cars! Available in bronze, Rays wheels makes your car look more sporty and forged with aluminum, they provide an extra eye catching shape, design and looks to your car. The Rays Wheels are made up of 6061 aluminum. 

These wheels are available in most common offsets and PCD's to fit models of almost every brand. Volk Racing has a unique 1 piece forged wheel design that has been proven in competitive racing worldwide. Through its successes in road racing, rally, drifting, and other motorsports, These wheels continue to be the choice of enthusiasts for their extreme quality, lightweight design, and strength. Volk has many popular applications for most Japanese and European vehicles. These wheels will enhance your vehicle to the next level.

Rays Wheels are now a day easily available on the internet market. Rays is set apart as a premium wheel manufacturer in both racing and street tuning genres due to their light weight and maximal strength! Rays engineering manufactures these Wheels which have been used by several factory race items including Nissan, Honda, Toyota and Mazda. Rays engineering has also supplied products for several high end racing series like for example- Super GT, British Touring Car Championship, Formula Nippon and Formula One. Rays Wheels feature high-tech forging and casting process that are exclusive to Rays engineering. Rays Engineering products have also been featured predominantly in the Fast and the Furious series.

James Allen is the author of this article. For more information about Volk racing wheels and te37 please visit http://www.vividracing.com/

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