Special Cars

All too often, advertising is better than the product. The advertising is great. I love the whole "Swagger Wagon", "Mommy Like" and "Daddy Like" thing. The product is better. You see, to me, minivan haters have it wrong. At least from a standpoint of timing. 15 years ago, minivans were dreadful. The original Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth vans were expanding...and not gracefully. GM and Ford didnt have a clue and the Japanese were trying to be unique...and succeeding all too well. That would have been the time to rebel against them. But now? There are some very, very good minivans out there. And the new Sienna is at the top of the list. I had three different trim levels of Sienna over the summer. There are five. But the Swagger Wagons on loan to TireKicker were the one-step-up-from-base LE, the next-step SE and the top-of-the-line Limited. The Limited? Well, lets just say that exposure to it caused one die-hard minivan-hater I know to go into a spasm of ...

2012 Acura RL is the report that Honda would axe the 2012 Acura RL, and then came the official word that it wouldn’t, although here is the first symbol that the 2012 Acura RL continues to bring on still if the car has happen to extraneous. 2012 Acura RL is a variety of other to upgrades and trim changes for the Acura RL is prepared for 2012, plus it gets a unique new design for the 2012 Acura RL in a wheel silencer that is intended to take up road limitation. Honda in Japan has announced that the Acura RL “still sold as the Legend there” will get a refresh for the 2012 Acura RL model year that includes a new 6-speed automatic transmission. This may help the 2012 Acura RL pick up a few extra buyers as the added gear should help improve both fuel economy and acceleration. Then again, perhaps its just a bigger sign of how irrelevant the 2012 Acura RL is when the supposed luxury car is only now getting a 6-speed transmission.

PRIOR Design has released a customized body kit for the latest generation Mercedes E Class Coupe. The PRIOR Mercedes E Class Coupe kit offers mostly styling updates, however, depending on the engine, the tuners can raise the power of your Merc by up to 55 kW / 75 bhp. The exterior upgrades include a new front bumper with side vents and a spoiler blade, set of side sills, a rear bumper extension with three fins, a spoiler lip for the boot, and a roof edge spoiler. All components are also available in carbon fibre as an option. The interior with a range of carbon fiber trimmings. Rounding off the tuning kit is a choice of either a tail pipe on the left or a complete sports 4-pipe exhaust system in stainless steel. This option, plus some ECU modifications, can raise the output by up to 75hp, depending on the version of the car. The tuner has gone for the PRIOR GT wheels for this car and they come in size 8.5 x 20-inch wheels at the front and 9.5 x 20-inch wheels at the rear. They’re avail...

Determining Your Turbo Type 1. Research the type of vehicle you own and the turbocharger it is equipped with. Turbochargers and boost management systems vary by model. Determine the maximum safe amount of boost for your engine, per the manufacturers recommendation. 2. Establish a way to monitor the boost produced by your turbocharger. Purchase and install a boost gauge to monitor the performance of your turbocharger and ensure that you do not produce more boost than recommended by your vehicle manufacturer. Boost is measured in pounds per square inch (PSI) and gauges which read up to 60 PSI are available from various automotive performance companies. 3. Stock tachometers will indicate unsafe operating ranges with red markings. Locate the RPM gauge, also called a tachometer, on your dashboard. As a stock feature on vehicles, this gauge is normally located on the dash panel near the speedometer. 4. Press down on the accelerator and monitor the tachometer. As the revolutions per ...

1. Drive the 325is to your garage or a parking lot. Turn the fan on and feel for any air coming out the vents. If there is no air, then the blower motor needs to be replaced. Put the 325is into Park, then engage the parking brake so there is no danger of gear slippage during the repair. Make sure you have room to maneuver around the front of the BMW for the removal process. Turn the BMW off and open the hood and trunk. 2. Go into the trunk of the BMW and disconnect the negative battery cable from the cars battery. The battery is located in the trunk of the 325is for better weight allocation. Go around to the front of the 325is and prop the hood up with the hood prop stick. The blower motor assembly will be mounted with six screws against the rear firewall. Remove the screws with a Phillips-head screwdriver and pull the blow motor assembly off the firewall. 3. Press the pressure clips on either side of the motor and pull the motor from the blower assembly. If the blower motor has...

The 2013 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Extended Wheelbase is one of the latest version of 2013 Rolls-Royce. The 2013 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Extended Wheelbase takes centre stage in the companys largest market, where the majority of Phantom buyers commission this ultimate expression of a Rolls-Royce. A 2013 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Extended Wheelbase has new 8-speed automatic gearbox and rear differential enhance already exemplary driving dynamics, perfectly complementing the V12 direct injection engine. The 2013 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Extended Wheelbase Price of $429,295. The 2013 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Extended Wheelbase fuel consumption improves by 10 per cent on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions for the Extended Wheelbase fall from 388 to 349 g/km as a consequence. The 2013 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Extended Wheelbase revisions include a refreshed front end with new bumpers and adaptable LED headlamps, the latest in infotainment systems and a new eight-speed automatic transmission to help...

BMWs DriveNow carsharing arm now turning a profit Carsharing venture DriveNow GmbH, owned by BMW and European rental company Sixt AG, is expected to be profitable this year, the first time that will happen since starting up two years ago. BMW hopes to overtake German rival Daimler (with Car2go) in this growing space as urban consumers become more interested in transportation alternatives like carsharing. BMWs DriveNow carsharing arm now turning a profit BMWs DriveNow carsharing arm now turning a profit BMWs DriveNow carsharing arm now turning a profit Since starting in May 2011, DriveNow has taken root in four German cities, and any further expansions will be limited to where the project can make money, said Andreas Schaaf, the partnerships managing director. This is certainly possible, since two more locations are on schedule to be added, one in Germany and another elsewhere in Europe, sometime this year. "We could expand quicker, but we want to prove that the business can be pr...

The 2012 Hyundai Veloster made its debut this year at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show. Hyundai seems to think so which is why they have decided to turbo it up with the Hyundai Veloster Turbo edition. Adding some turbo to the existing equipment will get the power out put up to 208 HP at 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of 195 lbs-ft available from 1,600 rpm to 5,000 rpm. The new engine will be available in late 2012. Upcoming Hyundai Veloster Turbo variant is expected to come with a 1.6 liter turbocharged GDI unit with 210 PS (155 kW / 207 bhp) and 265 Nm (195 lb-ft) of torque Here are the latest spy shots of the upcoming 2012 Hyundai Veloster Turbo. One of our sleuth spy photographers has caught the upcoming turbocharged version of the Hyundai Veloster sports coupe undergoing hot weather testing in the harsh conditions of California’s Death Valley. A turbocharged version of the standard Veloster 1.6-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine should deliver upwards of 208 horsepower and 195 pound...

Scion has revealed details and pricing for the 2013 Scion tC Release Series 8.0 will start at $21,815 plus $730 for destination charges for the six-speed manual version, with the auto tranny costing an extra $1,050. The 2013 tC RS 8.0 is decked out in Absolutely Red exterior paint, accented by gloss black sideview mirrors and black 18-inch alloy wheels. It also gets a five-piece body kit inspired by Troy Sumitomo of customizer Five Axis. The kit includes front and rear lower valences, side skirts and a rear spoiler. Inside, seats are covered in a black, textured fabric trimmed with red stitching. The leather-wrapped steering wheel gets red stitching, too, and each of the 2,000 Release Series 8.0 tCs comes with a number plaque commemorating the build. The Release Series 8.0 continues with the same 2.5-liter inline-four-cylinder engine as before, which sends 180 hp and 173 lb-ft to the front wheels through either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. All of this will co...

More and more goods are traded over the internet and Suzuki plays now with the Alto Online . Ordering this special model directly from the importer and from your own office. The choice is limited, though. Since option lists proportional in length seem to grow with the size of the car, on the supermini often little choice. There are hooks Suzuki in the Suzuki Alto Online . Buyers of this special version need only to worry about the color. A main breaker does not that also be because the palette consists of white, gray and black. Each Alto Online is equipped with air conditioning, radio-/CD-player, six airbags and a manual gearbox. Cost factor for this pre-populated wish list? For € 9.750, - he stands on the sidewalk, including all the usual ancillary charges (curb to make, badges, etc.), 2 years maintenance and a full tank. Online and there is more to the Online-name only a low promotional price. We are talking here about buying a new Suzuki Alto where no dealers to only have to come. ...

Between all the hp-violence by Detroit we have the facelift of the Opel Insignia again in sight. Our spy photographer came against the Insignia in very cold regions. The model is still quite covered with the necessary labels and covers. It has been previously obtained image, but it is the first time that we are so close Opel facelifted D-Segment can come. Moreover, now have a look at the custom interior of the Insignia. We see a big screen on the center console and the buttons work is a piece moves down. The whole gives the interior of the Insignia a quieter atmosphere. The front and rear are well equipped paste job, and that has a reason. Both front and rear light units seem to get a makeover. How are they going? We have to wait and see. Meanwhile Opel again some time around carts with gefaclife Insignia. It will take a while for the German brand Insignia explained will do. At an event for German dealers is the second half of 2013 as being the period in which the new Insignia market r...

35 years ago, Volkswagen revolutionized the concept of the small car with the original Golf (sold here for many years as the Rabbit). The basic shape and proportions are still recognizable, but the changes have been evolutionary, and its easy to write off each generation as not having changed that much from the one before. Big mistake. Its impossible to overstate the refinements the 2010 Golf brings to the game....the leap forward it represents from last years model, and how much better it is than virtually everything in its size and price class.                         The first impression of change comes when you sit behind the wheel. VW has upped its game for the Golfs interior. Even in basic black rather than the contrasting tones shown above, its a nicer place to do business...switchgear now more elegant, yet still purposeful and feeling built to last. The 2.5 liter, 5...

Since its appearance in 2011 the Genesis Coupe came stomping with a fresh and bold, obtaining a remarkable reception from consumers. It was obvious at that time that it was more fun Hyundai model range and therefore your best bet to continue the conquest of the American market. the Genesis Coupe continues to increase his popularity by adding some improvements over the previous model. Since its aesthetic presentation are noted in the vehicle a more aggressive and sharp lines that give it a more sporty touch, to continue to feed the appetite of their enthusiastic buyers. When you come face him with the new type xenon lights fit perfectly with the grill and hood, in turn complemented by LED lights at both ends. Depending on the version you choose, the 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe can be equipped with wheels 18 or 19 inches. The unit we got to try this week was the R-Spec version of six-speed manual transmission, which comes with 2.0T engine and twin turbo. The dynamics of its management r...