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Porsche based GT9: details and pricing

I was one of those who thought that the Bugatti Veyron would always be the ultimate supercar, but I was mistaken as the Porsche-based GT9 will have enough power to make the Veyron seem slow.

Not only does the GT9 have the power but it also has the looks, this is thanks to the work by German tuner 9ff.

The tuner has been developing the GT9 for many years, but this is the first time that we have been able to give you details and pricing of the supercar.

The front of the car looks much like a 911 GT3, but the chassis used is very different as it has been constructed from carbon and kevlar fibre, this is lightweight but very strong.

The GT9 sits low at just 1.18 metres tall; the bodykit makes the car look low to the ground. Both of these features help the car achieve a top speed of 254mph, that’s just 1mph more than the Bugatti Veyron.

The engine used is a from the 996-generation Porsche 911 Turbo however; this powerplant has seen an upgrade. The turbos have been reworked; there is a gold-finished induction plate as well as dry sump lubrication.

All of this helps the engine push out 973bhp and a 0-60mph time of 3.4 seconds.

There will only be 20 of these GT9’s made, with a price tag of £394,000.

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Motorists beating credit crunch by repairing old cars

Motorists are fighting the credit crunch by deciding not to purchase new vehicles, instead they decide to repair their existing vehicles.

Halfords have said that they have noticed an increase in sales in this current credit crunch, Nick Wharton, the retailer’s joint managing director has said that motorists are now holding on to their older cars for longer.

Mr. Wharton told Times Online that although other retailers are in a vulnerable situation with the current credit crunch, Halfords are less vulnerable.

Consumers are now spending less as food and fuel bills have increased, so they are now less likely to spend a huge sum of money on a new car. Halfords have said that car owners are now choosing to purchase more new stereos or Sat-Navs for the cars that they already own.

Halfords have also noticed an increase in bike sales, a direct result of high petrol costs.

Aviation-themed Mustang to be auctioned off

The numbers tied to the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture Oshkosh are impressive, if not overwhelming - but there’s one statistic especially worth eyeing.

Some 2,500 show aircraft and 650,000 visitors are expected at this year’s meet, which runs from Monday - Aug. 3. An estimated 10,000 airplanes are expected to fly in to the airport in east-central Wisconsin. And here’s the kicker: The event will feature one cool Ford Mustang.

A special one-of-a-kind AirVenture Mustang, the Mustang AV8R, will be unveiled on Sunday. The classic American car was named after the famous P-51 Mustang fighter, which played a key role in World War II as a bomber escort. Several P-51s are slated to be at Oshkosh, according to the show’s web site, www.airventure.org.

The team at Ford Racing helped develop the aviation-inspired Mustang AV8R. Special features on the 2009 Mustang GT include a glass roof, which is a new option on Mustangs this year; special front and rear fascias; integrated spoiler; and Shelby GT500 wheels. Ford Racing’s contributions include a handling pack (dampers, lowering springs, anti-roll bar kit and strut tower brace), supercharger and tuned exhaust that will generate 400 horsepower from the aluminum block 4.6-liter, 24-valve V-8 engine.

The Mustang AV8R is painted in Satin Silver matte paint with Black Gloss accents. The interior features distressed “bomber jacket” leather inserts and trim panels along with a “Bullitt” aluminum instrument panel appliqué and shift knob. It also has an appliqué autograph area for the aviation legends and notable enthusiasts scheduled to be in attendance, who include Edsel B. Ford II, Chuck Yeager, Jack Roush, Harrison Ford, John Travolta, Morgan Freeman and Jim Lovell.

Douglas Gaffka, the chief designer for the Mustang, took a restrained, modern approach for the Mustang AV8R.

“We chose anodized silver for the body sides and high-gloss black for the hood, which flows through the glass roof - it was almost like having a canopy,” Gaffka said. “We also embedded the Air Force star in the glass.”

Collectors can bid on the car. Perspective owners should contact Matt Miller at 1-800-236-1025 for details about the July 31 auction. Auction proceeds will benefit the EAA’s Gathering of Eagles program, which helps provide scholarships for young people interested in aviation careers.

Donating the Mustang AV8R is the latest example of Ford’s continuing commitment to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Last year, Ford donated two tickets to the finals of “American Idol,” which sold for $16,500. Ford and Shelby Automobiles donated a Mustang Shelby GT-H in 2006, which sold for $250,000.

“The Mustang AV8R is the latest commitment from Ford in support of EAA’s effort to build the future of aviation,” said Tom Poberezny, EAA president. “This stunning, one-of-a-kind automobile will be a very special addition to our Gathering of Eagles fund-raiser, which supports EAA’s aviation education and preservation work throughout the year.”

Source - Press Release

Unique Ford Racing Mustang Challenge Promotion

When the concept for the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup was devised, it was a given that the series would produce razor-close racing in new Mustang FR500S units. The real challenge was how to deliver a unique, cutting-edge approach for the launch and promotion of a new racing entity in today’s crowded market place.

Taking some of the new series’ attributes to heart, Ford Racing and Miller Motorsports Park began discussions with Dublin, Ohio-based Barbasol Shaving Cream Read more

10 examples of Ford successes already achieved

Ford continues to make great strides toward achieving its goal of best-in-class quality. The following ten examples show some of the successes already achieved along the way.

1. Now shoulder-to-shoulder with industry leaders in initial quality - The quality of Ford brand vehicles soared to the top of the charts equaling that of Toyota and Honda, according to the second quarter 2008 U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS) study conducted by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich. The study showed Ford brand improved 6.5 percent versus last year with a combined average of 1343 things-gone-wrong (TGW) per 1,000 vehicles during the first three months of ownership. This performance is statistically equivalent at the 95% confidence level to the TGW levels of Honda and Toyota Read more

Ford third Flex shift cancelled: 350 jobs at risk

Ford workers who were due to start the third Flex shift have had their orientation cancelled, Ford decided to hold of on the third shift as vehicle sales have been much lower than expected.

According to Read more

X-TRAIL fuel cell does Nürburgring in under 12 minutes

Lap runs on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany’s Eifel region are often cancelled due to rain. But the wet weather didn’t stop Nissan from taking its X-TRAIL fuel cell vehicle for a spin on the course recently, making Nissan the first automaker to record an FCV lap on the famous race track. Read more

2010 Lotus Evora: information and photos

Lotus has finally released the full information and a gallery of pictures for their latest sports car. The 2010 Lotus Evora was given the codename of Eagle, but the car has now been revealed at the British auto show. Read more

New V-Rod Muscle in 2009 Harley Davidson Line-Up

It looks as though there is a new line-up in the Harley Davidson family, the new 2009 V-Rod Muscle; this is part of the V-Rod family. The look of this bike is a new one; this is a result of the angular bodywork and exhaust pipes which exit from both sides of the Hog.

The engine used is the Revolution; this is an excellent powerplant, and Harley Davidson hope that this will be enough to attract more buyers, as The Motor Company has been having a hard time of late.

Harley Davidson hope that the new 2009 V-Rod Muscle will be able to ride their way onto the Power Cruiser scene, the huge rear tire spinning under a clean, clipped fender, sweeping side-pipe exhaust and gapping air scoops might well be a winning formula this time.

The 1250cc Revolution V-Twin engine is liquid-cooled and has Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection, four-valve heads and dual overhead cams. The engine is mounted to a five-speed transmission. The engine produces 125hp and will rev up to 8250 rpm

Could Harley Davidson finally have hit gold with the new 2009 V-Rod Muscle, only time will tell?

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Supermarkets begin petrol price war

I am getting a little exited just thinking about this piece of new, it looks as though the UK’s top supermarkets have started a petrol price war. This will bring a huge relief to millions of motorists in the UK.

Asda have cut the cost of a litre of unleaded and diesel by 3p, Morrisons then reacted by reducing theirs by 4p. Both supermarkets have said that the reason for reducing the price of fuel is a direct result of the price of a barrel of oil going down.

Sainsbury’s have announced a new promotion, if you spend £50 in store; you will receive a voucher for 5p of a litre. That is the same deal that Tesco has on at the moment.

Tesco have also announced that they are reducing the price of a litre of diesel and unleaded by 4p.

BP are only lowering their prices by 1p, well at least it is better than nothing.

According to The Guardian, the AA president, Edmund King has said that this current price cuts show that the fuel spike has now reached a plateau. Hopefully if the price of oil drops further, then we could see even more reduction in the price of fuel.

Full-electric version of 2008 smart fortwo pure coming

With the current crisis on fuel it seems that more of us are now choosing to purchase smaller cars, and none are more popular than the 2008 smart fortwo pure. Do not think for one moment that just because it is a small car you are compromising your safety. Read more

2009 Harley Davidson: Touring’s new chassis, VRSC new model

Harley Davidson fans have been looking for information all day today about the new 2009 Harley Davidson line of motorcycles; we can confirm that in the last few hours the news has broke.

When we looked at Harley Davidson’s site around 12 hours ago, there was no mention of 2009 models, just the 2008 range.

If you visit this page on the USA version of HD’s site then you will see the complete 2009 line-up and it includes and a new addition to its VRSC line and a new chassis for the seven Touring models.

The 2009 Touring bikes have been radically changed, you could say that they are new motorcycles thanks to the new engine mounting and exhaust, different wheels, a new frame and swingarm.

All these changes to the 2009 Harley Davidson Touring bikes have resulted in some nice improvements, these include better luggage capacity, heat management and maneuverability.

If you visit the 2009 motorcycles page on Harley Davidson’s site you will also see the new V-Rod Muscle, this addition to the VRSC street motorcycles features a sweeping side-pipe exhaust and five-spoke aluminum wheels.

Have a look at the new line-up and let us know what you think, also see other Harley Davidson news here.

Beijing’s New Nissan Teana with STAR WINGS

Beijing Transportation Information Center (BTIC) and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. announced today the first commercial application of the STAR WINGS project. The new Nissan Teana sedan offers a smart route-guidance navigation system as a standard feature on the 3.5L model and as an optional feature on the 2.5L model for customers in Beijing.

This navigation system enables the driver to avoid congested roads by plotting the shortest possible route to a destination based on real time probe date collected from Beijing taxis Read more

Ford’s New ECO Cars: Cut UK CO2 emissions by over 80,000 tonnes

Ford’s new range of super frugal ECOnetic models showcased at this year’s British International Motor Show is leading the company’s bid to cut UK CO2 emissions by over 80,000 tonnes.

Independent industry analysis shows that if customers continue their move into lower CO2 and higher mpg Ford models, 83,818 tonnes of CO2 a year would be avoided Read more

76.3mpg Ford Fiesta ECOnetic at British International Motor Show

Ford’s new ultra-frugal Fiesta was unveiled at the British International Motor Show today, completing the company’s small, medium and large car ECOnetic line-up.

The wraps came off the 76.3mpg Ford Fiesta ECOnetic – Britain’s greenest family car with CO2 emissions of 98g/km. On sale from £11,800 by the end of this year, Ford Fiesta ECOnetic joins existing Mondeo and Focus ECOnetic models Read more

Nice MyCar showing Smart Car a thing or two

When it comes to small cars in the UK they have always been a little boring, but now things are set to get exiting with the launch of the MyCar from Nice. The price for this cool looking car will be $18,000 USD.

The MyCar is an all-electric city run about and looks all set to show the Smart Car a thing or two about fun. The environmentally friendly car has been designed by Giugiaro of Italdesign and was made in Hong Kong.

This green car is estimated to have a range of 40 miles, that’s 64 kilometers. All though this car is only small it still has some cool standard features from remote central locking, electric windows and mirrors, 14” Alloy wheels, Hi/lo and boost button, Radio/MP3 player and LCD multifunction display.

There will be a number of optional extras from 15” Alloy wheels, cooled and heated seats, glass roof or removable fiberglass version and glass roof or removable fiberglass version.

So the question is does the Nice MyCar have what it takes to go head to head with the Smart Car.

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Elevated Gas Prices: Ford helps you save money on fuel

Ford calls it EcoDriving – ECOnomical because it saves money and ECOlogical because it is better for the environment. Following are simple tips from Ford that any driver can use:

Consolidate trips – Plan ahead to consolidate your trips. This will enable you to bypass congested routes, lead to less idling, fewer start-ups and less stop-and-go traffic. Whenever feasible, share a ride and/or carpool.

Choose the right oil – Use good quality, energy-conserving EC oils with the viscosity grade recommended in the Owner’s Manual Read more

Project Eagle in 2009: New Lotus Roadster

This is Project Eagle, a new Lotus Roadster that’s coming in 2009 and will also be the first new model from the car company since its popular 1995 Lotus Elise.

Currently we only know it as “Project Eagle” but the real name for the 2009 Lotus Roadster will be announced at next weeks British Motor Show.

Traditional sports cars normally seat two people but the new Lotus will have four seats, go from 0-60mph in under five seconds, has a 3.5 litre engine, a top speed of 160mph and this should be faster than the Lotus Elise.

If you are interested in getting the new Project Eagle Lotus then you may find it hard, as only 2,000 cars will be made each year.

The chief executive of Lotus, Mike Kimberley said that the British carmaker has started a 5-year model plan that aims to broaden the appeal of the Lotus brand; he went on to say, “This car represents the first exciting step”.

Celebrities have already applied to test-drive the new Lotus; these include Gavin Henson, Jay Kay and Jay Leno.

Source: Read

GM News Announcement: survival in economic crisis

The current economic crisis is bad the world over and while its hitting some companies hard, GM shows just how bad with numbers.

Today we are hearing from a GM CEO news announcement that the automaker is making some massive cut backs just in order to survival the economic crisis, Rick Wagoner has shown in this press release just how bad things are.

General Motors are taking drastic measures that include cutting 20% of salaried workforce, selling off $4 to $7 billion in assets and halting its quarterly dividend payout.

This may seem harsh but it’s also a decision that will enable GM to take some control in the current economic crisis and maintain operating liquidity.

The current oil prices have continued to increase and it’s anyone’s guess where they will go from now, this fact has hit GM hard on its truck and SUV lines.

Rising gas prices have not just affected GM, we expect others in the American auto industry to make similar announcements in the coming weeks that will show how bad the auto industry has been hit by the price of oil.

GM is now hoping to replace its experienced and expensive workers with cheaper labor by offering them all buyouts. Do you think GM has made the right choices?

Source: Read

Toyota plans solar-powered air conditioning in Prius hybrid

Back in May we reported that the Toyota Prius Hybrid had achieved over one million car sales, this was great news for global warming and today we have heard some more news about Toyota’s efforts in this area.

Toyota are planning to put solar-powered air conditioning in high-end Prius hybrid models, this new feature will show that the Prius is a car that wants to be good for the environment.

The third-generation Toyota Prius will launch in 2009 and Kyocera solar panels will be used to generate between two and five kilowatts of electricity.

While Toyota has not commented officially on this news, it is believed to be a solid rumor.

With oil prices rising we will all have to look towards cars that use less oil and give more kilometers per gallon, this is one reason why the sales of Prius have been increasing.

How have oil prices affected you and will you be looking towards hybrid cars in the near future?

Source: Read