Monthly Archives: February 2012

2012 Jaguar XKR-S Springs from the Company’s Gates

Posted on by
Reply

When a car like the 2012 Jaguar XKR-S springs from the company’s gates, will it be a true Jaguar? Faced with the rest of Jaguar’s range to compare it to at a recent event in Warwickshire, England, Jaguar’s fastest car since the XJ220 supercar has a lot of grace, space and pace to live up to.

In isolation, the interior is also a pleasant space in which to spend time. The charcoal leather and piano black accents are perhaps a little dark, but it’s hard to fault the quality and all your points of contact with the car–the leather wheel, the knurled metal gear selector, the racing seats–are all great to hold or touch.

We’re not so sure about the design though. There’s nothing particularly wrong with it, but after hopping from Jaguar’s other models–the XF and XJ–the shapes now look a little dated, and it doesn’t have the same sense of occasion as Jaguar’s sedans.

We’re much keener on the XKR-S in Jaguar’s “Polaris White” paint than in the slightly more attention-grabbing blue shown at the car’s debut. It looks aggressive and modern, and dark details like the 20-inch grey wheels and carbon-fiber spoiler work well.

Graceful? That’s harder to justify. Parked next to a standard XK in silver, the XKR-S looked like it was trying just a little too hard. It’d no doubt suit the environs of a race track more than English country roads and quaint villages.

But then, you’re encouraged to consider whether, with all that weight to lug around, it would be suited to the race track either.

You May Not Get The Car You Want

Posted on by
1

When considering ordering new cars, you can’t always get the car you want. Auto makers are greatly reducing the potential combinations of trim levels and options in a trend that recently has accelerated:

1. Buick offers its new Verano compact in only 18 potential combinations of trims and options.
2. Volkswagen slashed the ways you can order a Passat midsize sedan from 148 to 15.
3. Toyota cut the ordering complexity of its current-generation Sienna minivan by 80%.

Automakers say fewer options lead to higher quality mainly because they perfect the few configurations. It prevents “creating complexity for the sake of complexity,” says Chuck Russell, General Motors director of compact cars in North America.

It also cuts costs with fewer combinations to arrange for and track on assembly lines. And it simplifies inventory planning for dealers. One way automakers cut complexity is to herd options into “packages.” Sienna’s “preferred” package, for example, bundles power side doors with satellite radio. To get a Passat with a sunroof, you also must buy the premium sound system.

But automakers say the lower costs may be passed on to buyers and that they’ve gotten better at figuring out bundles buyers want.

And even mainstream makers are going that way for key models:

Dodge Director Richard Cox says à la carte choices include “citrus peel” paint — a “vivid greeny yellow” — and push-button ignition. “They might want the 8.4-inch touch-screen but don’t want navigation. We give them the ability to get that (without having to buy) a $3,000 package.”

Chrysler Group, for example, has cut combinations on many vehicles, reducing the number of ways you can order some of its biggest-selling vehicles for 2012, like Dodge Durango crossover or the Grand Caravan minivan. It reduced trim levels to five, down from 12. but for its $15,995-to-start, all-new 2013 Dodge Dart compact, it is allowing custom factory orders in up to 100,000 combinations.

 

2012 BMW 328i onto a DynoJet dynamometer

Posted on by
Reply

As always, there’s only one way to find out, so we strapped our 2012 BMW 328i onto a DynoJet dynamometer and measured what happened.

Are the numbers high? Well yeah — this is a lot of power for a four-cylinder, especially one with minimal turbo lag. But did BMW underrate this engine at 240 hp? Nah, we don’t think so: this number is a little higher than you’d normally expect, but we’re guessing that BMW used the 240-hp number as a kind of “worst case scenario” meaning that’s the minimum power you can expect in hot conditions.

Another interesting engine to compare the N20 to is the normally aspirated straight-six it replaces. In 2007, we took an E85-chassis Z4 3.0si to the dyno. That car used one of the most powerful versions of the N52B30 3.0-liter straight six, rated at 255 hp and 225 lb-ft of torque. (The “28i” version of the N52 was rated at 230 hp and 200 lb-ft. Technically, the N20 replaces this engine, but it’s safe to say that the turbo four clobbers that variant in its output.)

Most importantly, I’ve personally spent 2000 miles behind the wheel of the 2012 BMW 328i, and I’m going to quietly take the crown from Volkswagen‘s EA888 “2.0T” four-cylinder and crown the N20 as the best turbocharged four-cylinder on the market.

Official Dorman Auto Parts Vendor

Posted on by
2

Looking for a leading supplier of original equipment parts for your car?  Then you probably know of the Dorman auto parts which stock A/C repair kits, brake parts, exhaust manifolds, door parts, fuel sending units, fluid lines and mirrors, power steering pulleys, radiator fans etc. Similarly, at carpart4u.com, an official Dorman auto parts vendor, you can purchase suspension parts, wheel, window and wiper parts as well as avail guaranteed lower prices than our competitors. You also get convenient payment options and if there is a need to return a pert, we will not bother you much. We have an absolutely hassles free policy so you are getting the best deal here!

Official Denso Auto Parts Vendor

Posted on by
Reply

Looking for excellent quality denso auto parts? Denso automotive OEM products consist mainly of engine management systems like starters, alternators and radiators. They also consist of climate control parts like air conditioners etc. At carpart4u.com, an official denso auto parts vendor, you can get a wide range of accessories for any car brand like lightweight lug nuts that are durable and add a nice touch to the car. You can shop for filter cleaning kits, car roof bike carriers for those family trips and brake and brake pads. You will be extremely satisfied you shopped from the official denso auto parts vendor!

 

You Cannot Drink And Drive

Posted on by
Reply

Your robotic vehicle won’t be your specific driver anytime soon, at least in Nevada. But you will have the ability to text, happily and openly.

The state last week published draft rules to govern self-driving vehicles, which it has accepted for testing on its public streets. The cars, generally known as autonomous car, use technologies such as radar, global positioning and computer vision to operate independently of human input. For now, though, there must be someone sitting in the driver’s seat who holds a valid license and isn’t drunk.

“Nevada is the first state to embrace what is surely the future of automobiles,” Bruce Breslow, director of the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, says in a statement. “These regulations establish requirements companies must meet to test their vehicles on Nevada’s public roadways as well as requirements for residents to legally operate them in the future.”

For the testing phase, companies putting vehicles through their paces on public roads in Nevada must post a bond of up to $3 million, depending on the number of cars they unleash, and maintain liability insurance at Nevada’s state minimum levels.

Breslow offered a peek at that future to the Associated Press: “There is no exemption for drinking and driving.” But there is for texting. The state’s newly enacted ban includes an exemption for self-driving cars operating in their autonomous mode. There must be two operators on board. One of them must be in the driver’s seat and ready to push a highly visible on/off switch to take control.

Each car must have a black box recording and storing the last 30 seconds of data before a collision. And you will be able to identify them not by their implacable resistance to intimidation and horn blasts, but by a red license plate.

Later, once cars are approved for public use, they’ll have green license plates — and won’t necessarily require a driver behind the wheel. Google, the chief proponent and deep-pocketed backer of autonomous cars, envisions driverless delivery vans and taxicabs.

If you want to know more about cars, car parts or car news, you can refer to carpart4u official blog.

Official Coverking Auto Parts Vendor

Posted on by
Reply

Coverking seat covers are durable, sleek and stylish and at carpart4u.com which is an official coverking auto parts vendor, you too can shop for water resistant and nylon laminated seats that can be easily washed. Thus you need not fear pets, and kids who are prone to spills and leaks. Other interior styling accessories include seat belt harness bars, gear consoles, titanium shift knob for better appearance and heat resistance, after market steering wheels, racing seats, and aftermarket floor mats. Give your car a stealth look by using our carbon finish arm rest consoles. We also have performance part to take the performance of your ride to a whole different level.

Official Curt Auto Parts Vendor

Posted on by
Reply

As the official curt auto parts vendor, carpart4u.com provides car gauges, exhaust parts and wheel accessories. You can shop be category like accessories, brakes, bumper lips, electronics, transmission and interior and exterior styling.
You can also shop as per the brand of car you own as we stock thousands of aftermarket car parts for several brands like Honda, Toyota, Mercedes and Volkswagen etc. You can even get low prices guaranteed. Whether you need to replace work out or damage lamps, tires and headlights, we stock everything under one roof. Simply visit our website and get the satisfaction of lowest prices as well as easy payment options.

The 5 Top Comfortable But Cheap Cars

Posted on by
Reply

1. Dodge Challenger

Price: $24,895
Even though the new Challenger isn’t a purpose-built muscle car like the competition from Ford and Chevy (in fact, the platform is a previous-generation Mercedes sedan), it’s still a sweet, powerful, comfortable ride. If you want a muscle car that actually seats four, go with the Challenger. As it turns out, being an old Mercedes sedan masquerading as a muscle car has its benefits after all.

2. Jeep Wrangler

Price: $22,045
If you want a cheap off-roader, look no further than the iconic Jeep Wrangler. People have been climbing mountains in these things for decades. Not only do you get a capable little car, but you get a pass into a pretty cool community of motoring enthusiasts.

3. Volkswagen Golf TDI

Price: $23,995
Want a car that’s easy on gas but doesn’t have a battery that produces way more carbon emissions in production than it will ever save in fuel economy? Try the VW Gold TDI. It’s comfortable, fun to drive, and efficient, and it has a thoroughly modern turbo diesel, not one of the stinky, smelly, dirty powerplants of yesteryear. Plus, you get to make a choice that’s actually good for the environment, not one that’s only marketed as such.

4. Hyundai Elantra

Price: $16,445
Hyundai seems to have gone through puberty in the last couple years. The company went from the awkward adolescent years to sophisticated adult faster than anyone could have expected. While the last Elantra and everything else it shared the showroom with was total rubbish, the new Elantra is a well-made, efficient, stylish, semi-well-equipped automobile.

5. Ford Mustang

Price: $22,310
The new V6 Mustang admirably fulfills the goals of the original 1964.5 Mustang. The first Mustang was designed to be a fun, stylish car for under $2,500. Today, inflation has taken its toll, but it’s still under $25,000. And the Mustang offers an enticing combination of 305 horsepower, surprisingly good handling, 31mpg, and sexy, retro-modern good looks.

 

Official Bosch Auto Parts Vendor

Posted on by
Reply

Bosch oxygen sensors are made with patented technology that makes these oxygen sensors withstand engine vibrations and high temperatures. These are placed right before the catalytic converter and are in place to improve engine performance and reduce harmful emissions. From the official bosch auto parts vendor carpart4u.com, you can easily shop for driver/passenger side oxygen sensors 4 wire. You can also get the cold air induction systems for compact sports cars which are guaranteed to last the lifetime of your car and fit perfectly. You can increase the large power gains to the engine using this system that is guaranteed to improve the performance of the car.