cars a to z: August 2011

Saturday, August 27, 2011

honda civic line of subcompact and subsequently

The Honda Civic is a line of subcompact and subsequently compact cars made and manufactured by Honda. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded. Having gone through several generational changes, the Civic has become larger and more upmarket, and it currently slots between the Fit and Accord.
It was introduced in July 1972 as a two-door model, followed by a three-door hatchback that September. With the transverse engine mounting of its 1169 cc engine and front-wheel drive like the British Mini, the car provided good interior space despite overall small dimensions. Early models of the Civic typically included a basic AM radio, heater, foam-cushioned plastic trim, two-speed wipers, and painted steel rims with a chromed wheel nut cap. As the years went by, it has become much more upscale with options such as air conditioning, power locks, power windows, leather upholstery, satellite-linked navigation, and a six-speed manual transmission. Initially gaining a reputation for being fuel-efficient, reliable, and environmentally friendly, later iterations have become known for performance and sportiness, especially the Civic Type-R, Civic GTi and Civic SiR.
The Civic has been rebadged for international markets with such models as the Honda Ballade and Honda Domani/Acura EL. The Civic platform also served as the basis for the CR-X sport compact, the CR-X del Sol targa convertible, and the CR-V compact SUV.
As of 2006, a total of 16.5 million Civics had been sold worldwide, with 7.3 million of them in the United States. By 2010, Civic has been the top-selling car in Canada for thirteen years.With high gas prices and a weak economy in June 2008, the Civic supplanted the Ford F-Series to become the top-selling vehicle in the United States for that month.
In Japan, production of non-hybrid Civic for domestic market ended in August 2010, production of Civic hybrid for home market ended in December 2010. In recent years, customers shifted to minivans and compact cars like Honda Fit. Honda launched Fit hybrid in October in Japan. However, production of Civic and Civic hybrid for export markets will continue.

honda civic

2011 cars best auto Excellence Awards

Best 2011 Cars - 2011 Auto Excellence Awards
No brand is more deeply rooted in off-road adventure than Jeep. The new Grand Cherokee stands at the top of the lineup with not only a much more luxurious and roomy interior but also more power and, yes, enhanced on- and off-road chops. The new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 churns out 290 hp and 260 lb ft of torque, delivers 16 mpg city and 23 mpg highway and will tow 5000 pounds. But we’d choose the 360-hp V8 for its muscle-car hustle—and take the modest fuel-economy hit. For the first time, the unibody Jeep uses a four-wheel independent suspension for enhanced steering and suspension precision. Opt for the Quadra-Lift air suspension, and the Jeep will provide five distinct suspension-height levels, with up to an impressive 10.7 inches of ground clearance. During a snow-covered sortie in Moab, Utah, the Jeep rocked and rolled its way over the worst obstacles, taking the most challenging lines without so much as a whimper. Best of all, the Grand Cherokee can lower itself back down and provide a pillow-soft luxury-car ride on the way home from the trailhead.

Read more: Best 2011 Cars - 2011 Auto Excellence Awards - Popular Mechanics

2011 cars

Sunday, August 21, 2011

volvo cars 2011 wallpaper

volvo

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

ferrari president 'doesn't believe in' electric cars

Ferrari president 'doesn't believe in' electric cars
For some in Washington, electric cars are all the rage when gas prices spike, but the president of Italian automaker Ferrari is no fan.
In an interview with technology website Engadget, Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo said that his company would not join other companies like Chevrolet and Nissan because he does not believe all-electric cars are all they are often cracked up to be.
"You will never see a Ferrari electric because I don't believe in electric cars, because I don't think they represent an important step forward for pollution or CO2 or the environment," he said.
President Obama has often pushed electric cars and alternative fuel types as a way to create jobs in the stagnant U.S. economy.
He visited an advanced battery facility in Holland, Mich., last week, saying workers there were "building high-tech batteries so that we lead the world in manufacturing the best cars and the best trucks.
"Look what’s happening in Holland, Michigan," Obama said. "Every day, hundreds of people are going to work on the technologies that are helping us to fight our way out of this recession."
Montezemolo did not rule out hybrid cars, which have been popular for automakers like Ford and Toyota in recent years and have been spoken favorably of by Obama.
"We are working very, very hard on the hybrid Ferrari," Montezemolo said. "This should be the future, and I hope in a couple of years you can see it."

ferrari

sports cars.sedan turned into 2-seat sports car

1959 Chrysler Imperial sedan turned into 2-seat sports car
Some of the fastest, flashiest and funniest cars already are cruising Detroit's Woodward Avenue ahead of the annual 16-mile Dream Cruise on Saturday and a great one spotted yesterday by our friends at the Detroit Free Press: a 1959 Chrysler Imperial Speedster, which showed less is more when it comes to classics.
Here is reporter Mike Brookbank's account, along with his Mike Rides video on how the car was created:

The Imperial started as a four-door sedan, but owner Murray Pfaff had a different vision. "I saw there was a little sports car in there, we just had to cut it out of the other car," Pfaff says.

So that's what the 42-year-old Royal Oak. Mich., guy and 10 friends did in his two-car garage -- 10,000 hours of work over 3 1/2 years. "We chopped it in half five times, took 52 inches out of the whole length of the car, shortening it in five different places, then we narrowed the car 8 inches," Pfaff says.

Three inches were taken off the top of the car, turning the champagne-colored classic Chrysler into a two-seat convertible.

"(Chrysler) designed and built a lot of two-seat sports cars to take around to the auto shows, but they never brought them to production," Pfaff said. "So, this was my 'What if Chrysler had built a two-seat sports car to compete against the convertible or Thunderbird?' "

With its orange accents, the Imperial is an eyecatcher, but chances are you'll hear it car before you see it. It's a modern pro-touring car, with 425 hp., 6.1-liter Hemi, a Schwartz G-Machine chassis, Dodge Viper independent rear suspension, and NASCAR superspeedway brakes by Raybestos, says Pfaff.

Even Pfaff's dapper driving hat is a custom look, from Henry the Hatter in downtown Detroit. "I went down there with photos of the car and said I need a lid to match," Pfaff says, and the result was a fedora with a shiny Imperial logo.

Pfaff says he's ready for the Dream Cruise debut of the Speedster, which has fewer than 700 miles so far on the odometer. "I look forward to it more than Christmas itself; it's just a car guy's dream come true. Nowhere are there people more crazy for cars than Detroit."

sports cars