Archive for March, 2009
Porsche Or Ferrari – What You Need To Know.
Porsche and Ferrari are German and Italian sides of the same coin interpretations of the sports car idea. Both founded by a dominant patriarch both honed in racing both more than 50 years old both with engineering and styling integrity. Whether on the track of Le Mains or on the streets the two have always been put headtohead and compared. Even the most naive motorist associates these two names with both performance and style.
We’ve decided to compare the methodical Porsche 911 Carrera 4S and the passionate Ferrari F430 because both of them astonish with their performance while attempting to maintain a reasonable amount of practicality but do not pretend to be anything other than sports cars.
A modern sports car should feature these characteristics: it should be started easily maneuvered around town blasted on a couple of country roads it looks and performs the part on a racetrack but at the same time it is very safe.
The easier way to separate the two cars is by measuring figures since both of them have mastered the modern sports car requirements and basically there’s no other way to choose between these two phenomenal cars.
What initially impresses is Ferrari’s lightning fast 4second 0100km/h acceleration and thrilling exhaust tone. As the occupants are pinned to the seats the new generation 4.3litre V8 pushes out 368 snarling kilowatts. Porsche’s acceleration also offers that kick in the pants a super car should deliver although it is 0.8 seconds slower at the 100 km/k mark.
With such acceleration performance it comes natural for both cars to excel in the braking department. The two cars offer optional ceramic discs for impressive stopping.
Porsche’s engine gets the upper hand as it is more refined and on the economy rank leaps ahead Ferrari with a 11.8 liters per 100 km as opposed to 18.3 liters. Both cars deliver the power through impressive 6speed gearboxes and offer top rate handling performance.
Both F430 and Carrera4S offer great interior comfort and even if the space is limited the occupants don’t feel claustrophobic and flustered. Although an impressive mix of suede carbon fiber and aluminum abound in the Ferrari the Italians stand no chance when it comes to the high finish level attained by the Germans.
Speed and silence are key elements for any super car. The look and appearance is the biggest draw card. The Carrera 4S is a typical Porsche despite the new proportions. It is a great looking car like any other 911 but somehow the styling no longer creates the jaw dropping reaction that the Ferrari does. Indeed traditionalists may say that Porsche pays homage to its roots but the truth is that Ferrari F430 simply draws the attention.
However even if Ferrari F430 takes your breath away with its appearance the super car title goes to the Porsche Carrera 4S with a more complete all round package.
About the writer: This article is written by Anna josephs writer of the website Automobile Dealer . This article is published only for the educational and information purpose.
Pimp My 4×4! But Start With The Tyres!
Fourwheel drive 4WD or 4×4 is a term used to describe a fourwheeled vehicle with a drive train that allows all four wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously. The term has traditionally been linked to sports utility vehicles or SUVs which have been very popular in the United States and are now becoming popular across Europe. The benefit of a car with fourwheel drive is that it allows for normal twowheel drive on normal roads and superior fourwheel mode for low traction conditions such as snow ice slippery surfaces mud or loose gravel.
In response to criticism by civic groups against using larger SUVs for daily urban trips car manufacturers are now trying to position the smaller versions as green vehicles with levels of CO2 emissions much closer to their conventional car equivalents than larger models. For example Citroen recently launched the CCrosser only available with a particulate filter and frugal diesel engines.
These newer models are likely to be popular in Europe where smaller SUVs have been more successful than larger models and are likely to be a bigger driving force for sales of 4WD vehicles in the near future. Other examples include the Nissan Qashqai and the Renault Koleos both combining fourbyfour drive and limited offroad capabilities with the handling of a passenger car.
J.D. Power Automotive Forecasting estimated SUVs comprise 1.5 million out of 18.3 million vehicles or 8 of the car market in Europe in 2007. Of this quotient 0.6 are small SUVs 2.4 are large ones and 5.3 are mediumsized. By 2010 the SUV segment is estimated to grow to 10.1 with medium growing to 7 and large slipping to 2.2. By 2014 the SUV market is expected to increase to 11.2 with mediumsized cars responsible for 7.6 and large cars for 2. The total European new car market is then expected to be 21.9 million vehicles.
This is of course good news for car workshops. In recent years TV shows such as MTVs Pimp My Ride have increased the popularity of overhauling or if you will customising cars with things like game consoles chrome wheels and faster engines. But before 4×4 owners go off trying to similarly overhaul their own vehicles it might be best to invest in a new set of 4×4 tyres.
Donald Cheach editor of Top Gear Malaysia recently told the Malaysia Star: The first thing I would recommend is definitely a set of better tyres. There is nothing wrong with gofast upgrades as long as there is an equal effort to improve the safety aspect of the vehicle. The wheels represent the unsprung weight of the vehicle. Generally the lighter this is the more efficient the performance. Suspension should be looked at next followed by engine upgrades.
Ultimately those looking to buy a new SUV in order to take advantage of its 4×4 capabilities yet stay environmentally conscious will find their needs wellmet by upcoming medium and small sized SUVs should they decide to pimp them or not.
About the writer: Andrew Regan is an online freelance author from Scotland. He is a keen rugby player and enjoys travelling.
Motorhome Hire The Key To A Happy Journey
Well the butterflies in your stomach are quite natural. And if you stick to some golden rules while choosing and booking your motorhome hire you would not find yourself in a spot during the journey. Here are some of the things that you should take care of before going for motorhome hire.
Number of travellers:
The first thing that you ought to decide is the number of people who would be travelling in the same motorhome. Accordingly you decide the kind of motorhome with a particular number of beds. There are motorhomes that have 2 to 3 beds and there are motorhomes that have 4 to 5 beds also. Some may have even 6 beds. So this way you take care of the first thing while availing a motorhome.
Facilities:
The next thing you need to decide concerns the facilities that you might need in your journey. You have a kitchen a bathroom and sleeping space in any standard motorhome hire. But what would you need to do inside them to sustain yourself in the trip. You might need a gas heating inside your kitchen to cook; or you might want a shower inside the bathroom. You have to think very carefully about the journey and then decide on the facilities you would need inside the vehicle.
Time:
Another very important thing to consider is how long would you be journeying. For journeys of longer duration it would be better to go for a bigger motorhome for it would not require servicing as frequently as smaller vehicles. A big motorhome would be ideal for weeklong journeys.
These are some of the things that you should think about while booking motorhome hire. You should also keep your budget in mind. A well thought out decision would help you enjoy your journey in more ways than you can think of.
About the writer: About The Author: Allan Elvin is a travel guide and has a rich experience of globe trotting. He is currently associated with Freeline motorhome hire and campervan hire and working as consultant with them.
