Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Honda CR-Z Wheels Car of the Time 2011

It’s a hybrid with strength, and the 2011 Wheels Car of the Year. Proficiently engineered, imposingly resourceful, and with muscular security credentials, the Honda CR-Z is also a genuine joy to drive. The little petrol-electric car may not be blindingly speedy, but it is eye-opening nimble. Endowed with the kind of handling and navigation that invites connection, the Honda puts a smile on the face of any driver who accepts the summons.

It’s hard to quarrel the Honda’s competence, nor the excellent security qualifications. Prepared customary with six airbags, the Honda already had an Australian NCAP five-star security rating in the bag at launch.



Particularly in town, the CR-Z’s hybrid drive train makes excellent sense. That thin electric motor sandwiched between engine and diffusion adds noticeable low-end torque, accurately where the 1.5-litre engine is weakest. Working together this way, the engine-motor combo is amazingly expandable and flexible. The fuel-saving Auto Stop structure works well in stop-start traffic too.

The 1.5-litre four seems to raise the roof in hard work, and sounds, well, happy, to be run to its 6500rpm redline. The CR-Z’s six-speed physical is a beautiful thing to use, so recurrent shifting is a real pleasure.

Either the CR-Z’s skeleton hardware or its line of crash contains any hint of surprise and pleasure. But the Honda is exactly a joy to drive. The company’s skeleton tuners – this time – have made a gem from the most necessary resources. It even rides well, at least in part for the reason that it has wisely sized tires. Cars that drive similar to this never occur by disaster.

Having set out to create a fun-to-drive car with superior competence, Honda bulls eyed its target. And it was this that lifted the CR-Z over the quantity, earning it the votes for COTY victory. Honda may be going throughout tough times right now, with an erratic model range and declining sales. But while it can still create a car akin to the CR-Z it deserves esteem and the special award.


Monday, February 27, 2012

THE SUV NAME GAME


 Next occasion a TV mark for an SUV comes on, watch closely. You'll become aware of that it's pretty much the same as SUV commercial of a decade ago. Images of a vehicle splash through a creek? Check. Images of mud splatter the body panels? Check. A forest setting, some boulders, some rocks? Check, check and check.

This is what SUVs are all concerning and forever have been about.



But in 2012, things have distorted. Fewer vehicles are strictly SUVs -- a designation for cabin vehicles built on truck frames. In its place, they are supplementary than likely crossovers, built on more refined unibody architecture. But automakers aren't trumpeting the vary in their marketing.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Olden Cars in Stage



Model Motorcars at Amelia Island will bring together 30 to 40 of the finest large-scale (1/12-scale or larger) automobile replicas in the world, in both show and sjudge classes, according to the organizers. “Antique, Classic, Vintage, Muscle and contemporary sport car models are welcome to be part of the event.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Exposed: 2012 Bentley Continental GTC



The masses presence the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show witnessed the presentation of the new 2012 Bentley Continental GTC. This second-generation model takes the magnificence found in the first GTC and sprinkles in a strong dose of sportiness.

The latest Continental GTC’s power plant is a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W-12 engine producing 567 bhp at 6000 rpm and 516 lb.-ft. of torque at a humble 1700 rpm. A new 6-speed automatic ZF diffusion prepared with Quick shift helps cut shift times by up to 50 percent and enables orchestrated downshifts. Continental GTC is said to drag from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, and from 0-100 mph in 10.9 sec.

Boasting wider front and rear tracks, grippy 275/40ZR-20 Pirelli P Zero tires, sharper navigation, a retuned double-wishbone front and trapezoidal multilink rear suspension and a rear-biased awd system splitting power 40/60 front/rear, the 2012 Bentley Continental GTC promises less under steer and an exciting driving experience. EPA fuel economy figures for the new GTC have it burning 11 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the main road, amazingly decent considering its boosted 12-cylinder transportation close to 3 tons.

In the cabin, a neck radiator system makes top-down driving contented during evenings and cooler weather. Slim and sympathetic “Cobra Style” front seats provide additional comfort, while also providing more freedom and easier access for the rear. Premium soft-touch leather adorns the cockpit and comes existing in 17 colors with six split color combinations and a choice of seven veneers. The GTC’s tailored multi-layered cloth roof, auditory glass and insulated underbody panel provide optimal sound insulation, perfect for the new touch screen 30-GB infotainment system prepared with the latest wide-frequency Balance Mode Radiator speakers. The infotainment system introduces highly developed satellite navigation with Google Maps compatibility and dynamic direction guidance.