Automotive News

Elvis would have loved it. Peacock blue with matching leather; V8 with five on the floor; and more Fifties styling cues than a re-run of ‘Grease’.

Ford’s recreation of its icon, the Thunderbird roadster, uses a platform and engine sourced from the S-Type Jag/Lincoln LS.

In the metal it’s a gorgeous piece of Americana, longer and lower than it looks in photos.

Like its ’55 forebear, this new roadster is a cruiser, meant for elbow-on-the-door boulevarding. But it’s no slouch, the Lincoln underpinnings see to that. The shortened LS platform – essentially the same as the S-Type’s – was stiffened to restore some of the strength lost by lopping off the roof.

Under that curvy bonnet sits the Lincoln’s 3.9-litre V8 cranking out 188 kW and 356 Nm of torque; enough to sprint the ‘Bird from standstill to 100 kays in the low-sevens and a top speed of 225 km/h. It’s mated to the LS’s smooth-shifting five-speed auto – no T-bird ever came with a manual.

The interior is a funky mix of modern and retro. The only disappointment styling-wise is the LS centre console, which is a dull sea of black plastic.

Going topless is easy. Twist a central latch, punch a button on the centre console and the top powers back in around nine seconds. The Thunderbird is also offered with a removable hardtop, with port-hole windows, just like the original.

The ‘Bird has a dual personality. It’s a relaxed, elegant cruiser, then it’s a beefy muscle car that’ll kick down two gears and lunge past a lumbering road train.

And the sound from those twin tail pipes as the tacho needle sweeps towards its 6800 rpm red line is deep, rich and bellowy.

In the twisties there’s initial lean as the car powers into a curve, and a little dive as you nail the brakes. The well-weighted steering gives plenty of feedback, but the car still shimmies and shudders when it hits a pothole.

T-bird for Oz? Not any time soon. Ford plans to build just 25,000 a year, and demand in the nostalgia-hungry US should exceed supply.

But it hasn’t ruled out a Tickford-style conversion like the Mustang Cobra.

Find used cars for sale in Ireland is offered by used car website , so for more informations and resources just check out the directions above.

Better get this out in the open right from the start. There’s little grey when it comes to Porsche: you’re either passionately with the marque, or vehemently ag’in’ it. Automotive icon, or the world’s most expensive Volkswagen…

Your scribe’s opinion is, and I’d suggest, will always be, in line with the former. A Porschophile since my school days, I’m now approaching the age that makes me a typical Porsche customer… And I’m somehow expected to deliver an even-handed critique… Bugger.

There’s very little to fault on the latest Boxster – except maybe the fact that the price of admission is still beyond my pay grade. All but unchanged since its introduction in 1997 (there was an upgrade in engine capacity and detail items for MY’00), the new sporty gets a host of changes for 2003, and best of all packs more punch in both cooking and ‘S’ variants.

Though the car’s six-cylinder horizontally-opposed engine capacities are unchanged at 2.7 and 3.2 litres respectively, Variocam variable inlet valve timing and exhaust and engine management changes have boosted power, reduced fuel consumption and flattened the torque curves of the engines.

In its most powerful S variant, the six delivers 191kW (260hp) and 310Nm of torque. Both numbers are up. The sweet stocker offers the same amount of twist as the outgoing model (260Nm), but power is up around 6kW to just shy of the 170 mark. In a car weighing just 1275kg (manual trannie), that’s sufficient for performance on the ‘pay attention’ side of lively. The S is a downright cracker!

Rather than change for change’s sake, the Boxster has been gifted some extra equipment and refinements – in terms of accommodation, equipment and finishes, and, of course, engineering.

At the pointy end, the Boxster gets revised bodywork that’s aimed at getting more air into the front-mounted radiators, as well as making the car more aerodynamically efficient. The makeover has given the new model more aggressive lines. Overall, the look has been cleaned up with the dropping of amber indicator lenses for a new flat grey glazing.

In the cabin the changes include extra leather (all the ‘touch points’ now have natural hide says Porsche), the arrival of 911-style cupholders (I kid you not… they’re proudly proclaimed in the press kit) and a lockable glovebox. There’s also a revised security system with remote key fob et al, and the lines of the electro-hydraulically operated hood have been softened. A clear view heated glass rear light now substitutes for the soft plastic original.

The hood of the Boxster deserves a special mention. Taking just 12 seconds to operate, you’re always just a traffic light away from open-air motoring. With one central latch, it’s also a joy to use – other marques please take note.

Down back there’s a revised automated pop-up spoiler (up at 120kmh, back down at 80 – perhaps it should come with optional vinyl cut signage BOOK ME! for Victorian buyers), and the flank air intakes and rear valance have been revised too. Again, better airflow was the aim, but there’s also been more than a hint of aggression added here.

The S model’s twin round pipes look the business compared to the standard car’s siamesed oval outlet. Also pushing the right buttons with yours truly are the new 10-spoke 17-inch alloys. Porsche claim these items reduce unsprung weight by around 2kg a corner.

Opt for the optional Carrera-style 18-inch wheels and the reduction per wheel is close to 11kg! The 17s are standard on the S, but the standard Boxster is delivered with 16-inch rims. All the test Boxsters at the launch wore optional S-style wheels.

Underpinnings are largely carried over from the 2000 update, though one suspects with some unspecified fettling. Though it’s been sometime since I drove the ‘old’ Boxster (S or cooking), the new cars seem to be that touch sharper than the outgoing variants.

Indeed, turn in is great on the stocker, and stunning on the S. These are cars that make a mug lair like yours truly look almost accomplished. Need to tighten your line? Will Sir be requiring the wheel or the throttle?

Great feedback and an almost innate sense of balance will reward the talented few who regularly approach the cars’ limits. If there’s some payback for this fleetness of foot, it’s that the new cars are perhaps not quite as stable as the older Boxsters. Only back to back testing would tell you for sure.

Even at a hefty premium), there’s no doubt the S is the pick of the pair when driven back to back. The extra 40hp offers demonstrably better point to point performance, especially when combined with the standard close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox. With cigarette-paper thin gaps between third and sixth, it’s child’s play to keep the engine in exactly the right rev range… If only for utmost aural pleasure.

The five-speed Tiptronic-equipped S is no slouch either and might very well be the better pick for most drivers. In the past many aficionados have dismissed the self-shifter as less than pukka. Play to its strengths, however, (and above all read the instructions) and it’ll do just about everything you desire and then some.

That said, the wonderful tactile nature of the manual gearbox ($7000 to spend on goodies), and the fact that I am a traditionalist would see this little black duck changing my own gears. Sample the standard five-speed Boxster in isolation and you’d be forgiven for wondering what the S fuss is all about.

The cooking model Boxster might be the entry-level Porsche, but it is involving, rewarding and plenty fast enough. Indeed, by any measure this too is a great sports car.

car garages Ireland is offered by second hand cars for sale , so for more informations and resources just check out the directions above.

For many motorcycle riders, the appeal of motorcycles is in the real sense of freedom, of just you and the highway, but there may come a time when you want to be able to communicate with other riders, a passenger or just enjoy some good road music. This requires you check out wireless motorcycle headsets.

The motorcycle headset, which provides you with the communications you’ll need, in crisp, clear sound. There are many headsets that provide static free sound and reception, and some now include Bluetooth as well.

Depending on the type of headset you need and the features you want, you’ll find there are basic headsets of simple tubes all the way up to serious electronic components that enhance the sound. Older designs are usually less expensive and are not dependent on a separate battery or power source, so you won’t have to worry about losing communications before you reach your destination. These systems are very basic and include a microphone that’s placed near your mouth and an earpiece that receives transmissions; the advantages are no batteries that might die and no electronic components that might go on the fritz.

The more complex choice would be to get a wired headset that enables bike riders and passengers alike to have a connection to the bike’s central unit via its wiring. This series of wires has to be connected and unhooked whenever the rider mounts or gets off of their bike, but the audio is much crisper and will be augmented to match every person. In addition, these can be used for communicating with other bikers on the road.

The wiring goes down the arm from your earpiece and microphone, after which it is plugged into the bike’s corresponding jack. Aside from that, the belt is hooked to the sending unit, it works a lot like a cell phone case. These wires may be utilized with either closed or open helmets and ought to contain a noise canceling feature that augments the clearness of the audio.

Before you buy any system, you should try on the earpieces and system you’re considering just to be sure that it’s comfortable enough for you to wear on the road. A less expensive model may be a good buy if you will only be using it on just a few occasions during days with great weather.

However, if you are a more serious biker, and plan on using your headset often, including during inclement weather, you may decide to choose a waterproof version. There are many different models to choose from and many different options, such as headsets with two earpieces instead of one, or models that offer voice recognition and activation, with automatic shutoff during disuse.

Now, Miron has written other motorcycle related articles. Be sure to check out either beanie motorcycle helmet or motorcycle radio speakers!

You are about to go to ones first motor vehicle auction. You can feel the enjoyment in the air. There are so many cars to choose from. But do you really know what to expect at a car auction? Do you know the legalities that occur at a car auction? Most people get in way over there heads at a car auction. If this is your first automotive auction, you better come prepared.

There are a lot of things you will need to do and a whole lot of factors you must pay focus on at the car auction. 1st off, before you check out a car public sale make sure you have got sufficient bucks in your bank account. All cars obtained at a auto auction must be compensated in full. You ought to bring your drivers license and also any other form of ID to the car auction. This is needed to buy the vehicle and to do the title work and registration.

When you first get to the car auction it is best to make notes for the cars you are interested in. Then, if you can, go to kellybluebook.com and check the retail value of the automobiles you would like to purchase. This way you know what to go with when you make your bid. At a car auction, many vehicles have a reserve price. This means that the vehicle has a minimum price to be sold at. If it is too much, do not bid on it. Be certain when you do bid that you do not get into a bidding war. Never bid more than you can afford. If the bidding showdown begins, simply walk away. In a car public sale, it is every single man for himself.

Before you begin to bid on cars and trucks, you really need to see if the car is a great purchase or not. Many autos at a automobile public sale could have been previously damaged. An illustration showing this is in Texas and also Louisiana a lot of cars were severely damaged by flooding during a hurricane. These vehicles were being sent to a car public sale and the buyers more than likely had no thought the automobiles had flood damage. You can even wish to take a mechanic to the car auction. An auto technician is a good idea at a car public sale simply because can see where someone may have attempted to hide vehicle repairs and damage that the actual vehicle might have incurred. Last but not least, you can get a free Carfax vehicle history record on the particular vehicle if you get the automobiles identification number (VIN).

Bear in mind, with a auto auction cars are sold “as is” and they do not contain a guarantee. Always keep all of these suggestions in mind to protect oneself from a bad purchase. You are supposed to go to a automobile public sale to get a good deal on a car and to save money. With the correct frame of mind, this can be easily accomplished.

Finding great comedy online is easy when you know where to look. For more helpful tips visit us online at the Worlds Auto Comedy!

One thing that stops Americans from purchasing hybrid cars is the lack of options out there for them. For instance, some people just like to ride in certain models of cars, and when those models are absent from the market, people start to get upset. What the automotive industry needs to do is make sure that every consumer need is satisfied when it comes to hybrid cars. What should it do to satisfy every potential customer’s need? Just take a look at what people are buying. And hey, why isn’t there a hybrid pickup?

Half of the entire US vehicle market is based on sales of SUVs and pickups. That whole market is comprised of 16 million vehicles. And since pickup vehicles use tons of gas per year, it would be a great idea for pickup hybrids to flood the market. These types of hybrid cars would save pickup drivers tons of money on gas. The savings would make a great case for the hybrid car industry. Alone, those dollars saved would get people curious about hybrid cars. If people saw just how much money hybrid pickup drivers saved on gas, they might be led to rush and get a hybrid for themselves. The dollars saved would provide the perfect visual for potential hybrid car buyers.

But the question still is, why isn’t there a hybrid pickup truck. Hybrid car drivers all over are waiting to hear the answer to that question.

Well, actually for a short time, a hybrid pick-up truck did in fact exist. Late in the year of 2004, there was a hybrid system on the Silverado and Sierra models. This system was introduced by general motors. However, this truck was not really the market. It was developed, but no one really knew where to buy it. Then in about the year 2006, GM dropped the hybrid pickups known as the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. And that’s the last the market heard of hybrid pickups. But these hybrid cars or hybrid pickups were let go for a number of good reasons, one being the hybrid pickups created an increase in the fuel economy.

But in the near future, more hybrid pickups will be introduced to the market. And that will be approximately a year from now. So hybrid car-lovers can get ready for these great utility vehicles. Hybrid cars are already selling fast. So with a new kind of hybrid car like the hybrid pickup, hybrid car sales will take off even more. And then, auto manufacturers would need to produce more hybrid cars. The end result would be that hybrid cars would multiply on the roads because everyone would be driving a hybrid car. And that would do wonders for the environment and the general economy.

So if you want a hybrid pickup, you may just have to wait until about 2008. And that should be fine. Just purchase a different kind of hybrid car while you wait. There are plenty of other hybrid cars available.

Lastly, you got to check out the New Technology that save my petrol bill forever. After installing it, which I must say was very easy, I almost double my fuel economy.