MINI-why not?

Apparently, the best thing to buy these days is a Mini. Why is that, I hear you ask? Well, very simple. The Mini is the most popular car on the social networking site Facebook. I guess they found that out through one of their scientific surveys of course. Well, there’s 24,000 members of Mini Cooper related Facebook groups, the next being Honda Civic fans.
There aren’t too many cars that have as much of a reputation, or indeed a history, as the Mini. Going to a quick history lesson, the BMC (British Motor Corporation) produced the car and its successors from 1959 - so this car has a long shadow. The first variant is considered a style icon of the sixties, as nothing else quite matched it for profile or indeed fun driving.
One of the most amazing things about the Mini is the small form factor. It’s pretty damn tiny on the inside, but due to the way in which the design maximises space, it is actually reasonably roomy on the inside. This gives enough space (just about) for five people. There have been numerous parodies on this, with a record being set back in 2000 when 18 women fit into the car. I’d imagine they were all of one sex as it could lead to some compromising positions, even in the new, larger Mini One.
Driving forward (pardon the pun), Mini was given a facelift by the newest owner, BMW. This MINI (capital letters, or Mini One) is bigger than the original, in height, weight and breadth. It also weighs almost double the original style icon. The biggest change perhaps it the addition of modern configurations to the car.
Of course, as the MINI is a modern car, it had to be updated for safety and expectation reasons. Has it lost its charm though? Well if you ask me, it never really had that much. A product of the time it was made, it seems now a dinosaur. A relic. Would I have an original? Frankly no, I prefer bigger cars, and more to the point, I’d hate to see how it fared in a NCAP safety test. What with some of the monster-sized vehicles we have on the road these days that could end up messy.
What of the new cars’ driving ability though? Well, it is interesting. It comes in a variety of formats such as the MINI Clubman (insane - why do you need a small car in an estate version?), the Mini One (hatchback, very reasonable), the MINI Convertible (yeah, okay, I’ll admit this is actually cool) and the Mini Cooper S (or the newest version of the sport, the John Cooper Works) - the sports variant.
Let’s look at the Cooper S - it’s the car I’d be most likely to own, if I were ever to own a Mini (or MINI). The 7.1 seconds to 60 is actually quite quick, and it has the superb handling characteristics you’d expect from a smaller, road-hugging vehicle. The turbo kicks in nicely and creates an engine that is a little peakier than the supercharged variant.
The car handles well, being both agile and responsive through turns. You’ll also find that it is quite grippy too, so it should do you quite nicely whether you’re journeying through the city or those B-roads we all know and love. Overall, the MINI is extremely good - if not personally to my taste. I think it’s the faux-retro that annoys me actually - you’ll see what I mean when you step inside one. The huge oversized speedo might get to you. Or maybe how the MINI isn’t actually mini anymore.
Whatever your opinion on the MINI, you’ll find it reliable, a good driving experience and something that other people will respect you for driving. I’ll be one of them. I’d just never have one myself. But then, that’s the beauty of cars right?

The Cobra V8 Venom Concept

Here in the UK, we don’t tend to do muscle cars. They really were born in the US, out of good times in Detroit and even earlier. So, is this a bizarrely-timed April fools’ joke? Not a chance. James Martin (not the famous chef) has to my mind at least created something very special indeed. Just look at the thing! It is clearly based on the 1960’s Shelby Cobra, but brought right into the 21st century with more style than you can get from your Prada handbag.

Let’s talk about the original Cobra for a moment. It was designed by British firm AC and US company Shelby – providing something of a rather manic and definitely unique motoring icon to the times. There’s also a rumour that this is the very car that managed to scare the hell out of the police and government – so much so that it led to the 70mph speed limit. Whether that’s true or not, the AC Shelby Cobra is iconic in every sense.

This new car (the Venom) has a 4.6 litre supercharged V8 churning out a whopping 524bhp. This will be enough to do the old 0-60 sprint in around 3.4 seconds, which should certainly be enough to put hairs on your chest (or remove them if that’s your thing). This is a serious machine – not choice in the looks department either, where it appears to be an amalgamation between an original AC Cobra and a BMW Z4.

Naturally, you get the usual toys for a car that has so much power it becomes unwieldy (unless you drive a TVR every day, in which case ridiculous power, no extra controls and super danger come as standard. These toys include ABS, traction control and an auto brake system that stops you piling into a brick wall if you aren’t used to being able to hit 214mph and how your brakes handle at that speed. Naturally, you’re also investing in an F1 style carbon fibre safety cell to make sure you aren’t picked up in bits should the worst happen.This isn’t a car that will carry you in luxury – if you want that buy an Aston Martin or a Bentley.

This is a car however that harks to a bygone age. A car where we weren’t worrying about peak oil and it didn’t cost zillions per barrel. This is, in a short, an essential purchase if it comes out the concept phase unscathed and you have the requisite fat-ass wallet.
N.B. There’s no word yet on whether it’ll be built or not.

when car go wrong!

Cars are great things and larger cars allow you to store all manner of ‘stuff’ in them without worry. What I’m interested in here though are five things that you should have in your car, regardless of the size of the vehicle. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the list:A Spare TyreNo, that goop that you can use to re-inflate a tyre is not a good or adequate alternative. You should have, if at all possible, a good quality spare tyre in your car. You never know when you may need it. Consider buying one if there isn’t one snugly nestled in your boot.A Pen/NotepadShould the worst ever happen and you’re in an accident, then you might need this. Alternatively, if there are ever any incidents that you’re indirectly involved in (say you aren’t in an accident but others are) then these two items could become very important.Your Car ManualNot a lot of people actually know their tyre pressures off by heart, so to encourage you to actually inflate them to the correct pressure, keep the booklet that actually tells you what they should be close to hand. This may also come in useful when buying accessories or if your car needs work done.

The Tools To Remove A WheelSome wheels are secured by specialist nuts, to make sure that they can’t be removed by just anyone. If you ever need to get the wheel off (say to put on that spare we mentioned earlier) then you’ll need these to hand. It’s especially important to have them if you are going to buy a set of new tyres. The garage will thank you for bringing them.
A First Aid KitAgain, this is one that you hope you’d never need – but it’s very much just-in-case. Whether you have first aid skills or not, you just might need this, even if for the kids when you go for a day out. They’ll always pick up a graze somewhere.

So there you go, there’s the five items that you should have in your car. You should be pretty well served by these and I’ll cover what you need for a long trip some other time. With reference to what you shouldn’t have in your car, the first is rubbish. Your motor is not a mobile rubbish tip, so don’t treat it like one. What would your other half say, or even worse, potential other half? Not a good look.

The second thing to NOT have in your car is extremely strong smelling air freshener. Your car should more than adequately take care of this by having its own in-built air con – and being regularly cleaned by you. If this isn’t the case, then you’re either driving quite an old motor or you need more house training.

The final thing I’d recommend not having in your car is any kind of car magazine, particularly of the ‘classic’ variety. Unless you happen to be James May. In that case, I’d of course let you off.

Fast Cars.The American Muscle

In the 1960s there was a class of cars introduced to the world known as muscle cars. These cars were sleek and sporty and contained a powerful engine. Most of these cars boasted a V8 engine which was geared for speed. As these cars were produced the manufacturers were in stiff competition with each other. As each manufacturer tried to out do the other, we were led into an era of some of the fastest cars of our time. With no thought to gas and fuel efficiency, Americans seemed to be having the time of their lives. Their cars were fast and eye-catching, both on the road and on the race track. Racing stripes and flashy decals made a statement about both the car and the driver. It seemed the flashier the car the more desirable.

At a time when the luxury automobile was the king of the road for the married set, the younger crowd wanted something smaller, faster, and sportier. The Shelby Mustang and the 440 Roadrunner are two of the fast cars which were built to satisfy the desire for high performance and speed. There were many more fast cars to come. Camaros, Chargers, GTOs, and Firebirds all tried to pack as much punch under the hood as was possible. Corvettes offered speed and sleek style, but they also had a high price tag. Most of the other high performance cars offered a price that was affordable to the average working class people.

The Fuel Effect

During the 1960s and 70s auto manufacturers were riding high on a wave of speed and performance. Then we entered an era where we were told gas was in short supply and we were destroying the ozone with our extravagant auto emissions. We reluctantly let go of our fast and sporty cars and took to the streets with a V6 and even a V4. Gas mileage and cheaper insurance costs forced the fast cars onto the race track and off the roadways.

The desire for speed will be with us always. We will probably never again see a time when speed and high performance engines are sold for the every day street car but we can get a glimpse of these cars at the raceway or at vintage car shows. The baby boomers were around to see these cars at their inception and they still carry a torch for them today. Many will spend a small fortune to restore one of these original fast cars back to their former splendor.

Tips to save your money and gases

Gas prices are on the rise. Here are some tips to help you conserve gas and save money as we approach summer gas prices.

1. Keep your car tuned up. Cars in poor running condition use more gasoline.

2. Plan trips well to avoid unnecessary driving.

3. When you run your air conditioner you get much worse gas mileage. Use your air conditioner sparingly. If you have a lower setting, use it. Turn it on until the car gets cool, then turn it off and let the fan circulate the cool air. Never run your air conditioner with your windows open!

4. Keep your windows closed when traveling at high speeds. Open windows cause additional drag and lower your gas mileage. At high speeds, an open window can use more gas than many air conditioners (especially if they are on a low setting).

5. Check your tire pressure. Over-inflated tires can actually reduce your fuel efficiency, so don't overfill.

6. If at all possible, change your work start time to avoid gridlock. Stop and go traffic hurts your gas mileage.

7. Take unneeded items out of the car. You don't need to carry snow chains around with you in the summertime. Just make sure to put them back in when winter comes around.

8. Try not to idle your engine for long periods of time. If you are stuck in traffic and you don't think you are going to go anywhere in the next five minutes, you may want to turn your car off.

9. You no longer need to warm your car up for long periods of time, especially new cars. New cars are made to run when cold.

10. Don't travel at fast speeds in low gears unless you need the compression to slow down.

11. Try to drive the speed limit.

12. Try to accelerate slowly when leaving the stop light. It's not a competition with the driver in the lane next to you. The fastest person through the intersection just gets to spend more on gas.

13. No need to buy the highest priced gasoline. Most cars are built to run on regular unleaded. Check you owners manual or consult a mechanic. I have had many tell me that the more expensive gas is a waste of money.

14. Revving the engine needlessly wastes gas. There is no need to rev before you turn your vehicle off.

15. If at all possible, try to arrange car pools with co-workers to share the cost of commuting to work.

16. Walk, bike or run to your intended location whenever possible.

17. When the price is sky high, don't fill up. Wait for the price to go down before you fill up your tank. Filling up your tank when the price is peaking lets gas companies know that you are willing to pay ridiculous prices for gasoline.

18. And last, the biggest and most important step towards saving money on gas is always try to purchase vehicles that get good gas mileage. The difference between 20 miles-per-gallon and 40 miles-per-gallon is huge.

Top fuel dragsters accelerate at up to 5g from standing start. The nitromethane injection produces 6000 BHP.
The fastest time for removing a car engine, and replacing it is 42 seconds for a Ford escort, on 21 November 1985.
An Airbag moves up to 4500 mph within a second when triggered. A force of 200g is generated. They are designed to explode at an impact speed of 19 mph. The bag inflates within 40 milliseconds of a crash.
The Ferrari Formula 1 team is unique in the fact that it produces both chassis and engines for its cars.
Ferrari makes a maximum of 14 cars every day.
There were only 107 models of the Ford GT40 made of which only 7 were road cars.
The Worlds longest traffic hold-up was 110 miles long, between Paris and Lyon on the French Autoroute in 1980. A more recent contender for the title was a 100 mile long traffic Jam, near Hamburg in Germany in 1993.
The first known automobile was built in 1668, it was a two foot long steam powered model constructed by Ferdinand Verbiest, a Belgian Jesuit preist.
Luxembourg has the most crowded roads in Europe with 570 cars per 1,000 people.
The first car race ever seen in the United States was held in Chicago in 1895. The track ran from Chicago to Evanston. The winner was J. Frank Duryea, whose average speed was 71.5 miles per hour.
In 1924 a ford automobile cost $265.
The first auto insurance policy is purchased in Westfield, MA, in 1897.

smart car

A smart car is an automobile with artificial intelligence (or "AI") functionality. As automation technology has progressed, especially in the decades after the invention of the integrated circuit, more and more functions have been added to automobiles, relieving the driver of much of the mundane moment-to-moment decision making that may be regarded as having made driving tedious.