SCREAMING CARS

Written by Alan Parker, an active blogger out of New York City whose writing covers green technology, the environment, and the great outdoors.  You can follow him on Twitter @AGreenParker.

With the rise of fuel prices and the ebb of the oil supply, searching for effective back up sources to power the automobile industry has become essential. Fortunately, green power supporters have put together some incredible achievements that highlight the use and effectiveness of renewable energy. From shattering speed records and spanning continents, these particularly constructed vehicles show that by using alternative energy, it can productively harness and relieve the penchant on oil used for transportation and better the environment by eliminating noxious carbon emissions.

Breaking Speed Records
The growing demand of popular vehicles like the Toyota Prius and the Chevy Volt has helped integrate using electricity to run cars as we go about our everyday lives. Most automobiles are not entirely electric, but are hybrids that depend on an internal combustion engine as their fuel source. Students from Brigham Young University took on the task of designing a vehicle that not only runs solely by electric, but would put to rest the typecast that electric cars all are feeble and slow. Their designed car, Electric Blue, could reach top speeds of 175 miles per hour and when it performed at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, the average top speed reached was 155.8 mph. This feat was high enough to set the world land speed record in its class. Hopefully, with the success of this project, it will help guide production on helping electric automobiles become faster, powerful and more appealing to be driven for residential use.

Cross-Continent by Biofuel
The Bio-inspired Ice Vehicle (BIV), funded by Winston Wong, recently completed the first ever land–based transantarctic expedition run entirely by bio-fuel at the end of 2010. Not only was this expedition created to illustrate the power of alternative energy, but also forged to counter the bitter conditions known to Antarctica, all accomplished while navigating a team of researchers across the entire continent.

Cross-Continent by Wind
To prove their point of using the power of wind as an energy source, a German team navigated the whole Australian continent using a vehicle that solely ran on wind in only 18 days. A mobile wind turbine was set up by the German team nightly where it would recharge the automobile’s battery to ensure it had plenty of power for the next day’s journey. Once the winds were powerful enough, a kite was attached to the vehicle which sent it down the road all while conserving power to the battery. With the success of the 3000+ mile trip under completion, the team had high hopes that the use of wind power would become an efficient way of land vehicle strength in the not too distant future.

Winston Wong’s reasoning behind the BIV’s daunting task to cross Antarctica was  “to do something that people can take notice [of] and say this is the future, the future of human endeavor” to preserve the planet. It’s clear that all the teams had a similar goal in mind when choosing testing their different alternative energy sources. By putting together all these evolving ideas, the concept of biofuel or hybrid, electric, and maybe even wind powered cars is much more viable.

Most men, and quite a few women now a days, love to drive a real head-turner that forces everybody to stop and admire their car. If you feel the same way, then you certainly should greatly appreciate our list of the top 5 sexiest cars for 2011.

#5 Sexiest Rated Car for 2011 – Chevy Corvette – The Corvette is Americas very own premium sports car. It might not possess the handling of some of the European models that are designed to be driven on roads built 500 years ago, but then again, the US was not even a country back then.

However, if you want to do a little drag racing with it, the Corvette will blow away most of the European models that come close to being in its price range. For a meager $48,950, you can drive one of the fastest and sexiest cars presently being manufactured in the US. It lines are outstanding, and both the front and back ends are spectacular creations.

#4 Sexiest Rated Car for 2011 – Maserati Granturismo– This little beauty is a 4 seat coupe that is produced by one of the most famous and respected car manufacturers in the world. When you compare its price to some of its competition, it does very well, selling for only $118,900.

It comes with a stunning red interior made of leather, and its body’s design is everything that you would expect a Maserati to look like. Its V8 produces a very respectable 405 horsepower. Men read this sentence very carefully, 100% of the women that were asked if they would date somebody who owned one of these cars answered “YES”.

#3 Sexiest Rated Car for 2011 – Tesla Model S – Who says that you cannot build a car that not only looks tremendous, but is also great for the planet and the environment. It was certainly not the people that designed and produce the Tesla Model S. It is a full-sized battery electric sedan that not only handles superbly, but it also goes from 0 to 60 in less than 6 seconds, which is not so shabby.

They range in price from $60,000 to $109,000 and it can travel up to 300 miles after only having its batteries charged up for 45 minutes. This is a very smart car, with incredible lines that forces everybody close to it to take a second and third look.

#2 Sexiest Rated Car for 2011 – Mercedes Benz SLS AMG – This one of a kind creation sells for approximately $200,000 and comes with 10 spoke forged wheels, a V-8 that produces 563 horsepower, carbon fiber trim, and an out of this world Bang & Olufsen stereo. Not only does it look marvelous, it performs superbly as well.

#1 Sexiest Rated Car for 2011 – Aston Martin DDS Volante – Nothing in the world is better than driving down the road in a convertible that is so astonishing that everybody just stops to watch you go by. If you want to own one of these gems it is going to cost you $284,000, and it comes with a V-12 engine that generates 510 horsepower that goes from 0 to 60 in a mere 4.3 seconds.

There you have it, the top 5 sexiest cars for 2011. So, please explain what are you waiting for, it is time to run to the nearest dealer and drive away with the car of your dreams.

#1 – Bugatti Veyron Super Sport: 267 MPH, 0-60 in 2.4 Seconds – Priced between $1,700,000and $2,400,000. – Well the next time you need to go 267 miles an hour because you are late for a meeting, you will know what it will cost you.

#2 – Hennessey Venom GT: 260 MPH, 0-60 in 2.5 Seconds – Priced at only $950,000 – The Hennessey is a real bargain if you only need to be able to get up to 260 miles an hour, since you can get it for almost half the cost of the Bugatti Veyron. It is said that with a few modifications, it can even reach 275 miles an hour.

#3 – SSC Ultimate Aero: 257 MPH, 0-60 in 2.7 Seconds – Priced at $654,400 – If you are sick and tired of losing all of your drag races to the kids driving a Ford Mustang, this little beauty will certainly show them a thing or two.

#4 – Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo: 248 MPH, 0-60 in 2.8 Seconds – Priced at $555,000 – Many automobile buffs consider this the nicest looking of the fast cars in this price range. Of course, the owners of any of the other cars would never admit to that.

#5 – Koenigsegg CCX: 245 MPH, 0-60 in 3.2 Seconds – Priced at $545,568 – This jewel is manufactured in Sweden and many Germans like testing it out on the autobahn.

#6 – McLaren F1: 240 MPH, 0-60 in 3.2 Seconds – Priced at $970,000 – You would think that with a price tag like this, McLaren could get it to go just a little bit faster.

#7 – Gumpert Apollo: 224 MPH, 0-60 in 3.0 Seconds – Priced at $450,000 – Just think, if you were a mechanic, you could tinker with the Gumpert Apollo engine a little bit, then you could beat the McLaren F1 and save $520,000 in the process.

#8 – Noble M600: 223 MPH, 0-60 in 3.7 Seconds – Priced at $330,000 – Not only is the Noble M600 a real good deal priced at only $330,000, you can still do 223 MPH, which is not too shabby.

#9 – Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster: 217 MPH, 0-60 in 3.4 Seconds – Priced at $1,850,000 – With the Pagani it is not all about speed, but style, grace, and luxury. But, for $1,850,000 most people would still like to be able to hit 250 MPH.

# 10 – Ferrari Enzo: 217 mph, 0-60 in 3.4 Seconds – Priced at $1,5000,000 – It is a Ferrari after all, so you would expect to pay more for it.

Muscle cars wars are back in full force, now that all three of the major American manufacturers are producing one. In most cases, it comes down to personal preference when deciding which one you like the best, and which one you want to own. Below we will discuss the Camaro from General Motors, the Challenger from Dodge, and the Mustang from Ford.

When you start a debate on muscle cars, many enthusiasts believe that all discussions should begin and end with the Mustang. After all, it has been around for a very long time, and it is certainly the most popular model in this highly distinguished class of cars that has ever been produced.

Ford recently was very proud to announce that its new 2011 model is selling at a record pace. It first months orders exceeded over 11,000 units from the previous year. They attribute this to its new V6 engine which substantially improved its performance, while at the same time vastly increasing its gas mileage. In fact, they are stating it is now getting 25% more miles to the gallon, as compared to the 2010 model, which is no small achievement.

When Dodge brought back the Challenger in 2008, there were many fans all over the county that were extremely happy that this iconic model was finally going to be available again. For the first year, it was only available in the SRT8 Trim style, which produced a tremendous amount of horsepower, but at the expense of gas mileage.

In 2009 they made a few adjustments to their line and introduced the V6 and R/T engine options. They also realized that to get more consumers to purchase the car, a manual transmissions option would.

In April of 2009 the Camaro got back into the competition with the 2010MY car. It had a pair of excellent engine options, which were the V8 that could produce as much as 422 horsepower. The other option was the V6, which generated a very respectable 304 horsepower, while allowing drivers to achieve a staggering 29 miles per gallon while driving it on the highway.

It appears that both Ford and General Motors are so happy with their efforts that they are going to see how these exceptional cars will do in the international markets. Both companies plan on releasing them in Europe. It remains to be seen how well they will be accepted though. Europeans are notoriously finicky when it comes to their cars, and are known to value performance over speed. In addition, gas prices in Europe can be two to three times as much as America, which certainly could put a damper on their sales.

Most if not all muscle admirers are extremely pleased that the Camaro, Mustang, and Challenger are all back in action testing each other once again. Only time will tell with gas prices increasing seemingly daily, if the producers will be able to continue to sell enough of them to make a profit, and justify their long-term existence.

Traveling in style is a necessity on certain special occasions. Nowadays, various quality services have come around that can offer great transportation options to people in need of a luxury ride. The need to travel in a Toronto limo might arise if it’s a birthday, wedding or a special occasion that would require some leisure and luxury. A limo Toronto service can offer aid in various areas like airport pickup and drop services, corporate transportation needs, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, parties, etc. A timely service that helps people travel in luxury and style is offered by a Limo service in Toronto.

Special events come often and they have to be made extra special with a lavish ride. This is where a Toronto limo comes in the picture as it can ensure that the transportation offered on the special day makes the event all the more memorable. Alternatively, people often desire to have a luxurious pick up at the airport where the task of catching an airport can is cumbersome. In such a scenario, the best option that could be considered for a quality airport pickup that will transport the tired traveler from the airport to the residence or a hotel and vice versa is a Limo service in Toronto.

If you own a classic car or are looking at buying one inspecting for body and or frame rust is something you need to do in order to know what you really have. Many owners drive their cars and trucks around with rust problems and are unaware that their pride and joy has major structural problems. This is particularly true in the snow and salt areas of the upper states.

We start off with the trunk as we inspect the floor for holes. If the trunk metal is thin more then likely the water that rusted it came from the rear window channel leaking under the rear glass lower molding and in to the trunk. This is particularly true on Chevy Truck Restoration projects at the bottom of the bed where wood inserts were installed.

In addition to the rear molding if the car or truck came with a vinyl top the rusting process could of been sped up even more as the vinyl holds moisture under it against the metal.

Next on the inspection list we move on to the front windshield area where the bottom glass surround molding again is a regular problem and the usual culprit to rusting the channels. If you have a GM car that came with a 4 inch wide stainless channel molding covering the entire bottom section of the windshield, this held dirt over the years and as moisture from rain and washing soaked the dirt it stayed damp rusting out the channel over time.

We go on to the doors and looking at the bottom of the door where the inner and outer panels are seamed together we check to see if there are any bubbles or scaly areas. On each end of the door there is a channel inside that holds moisture against the outer panel and this usually rust out the door within the first 10- 15 years if exposed to regular moisture. The quarter panels tend to rust out around the wheel edges due to where the inner wheel house attaches to the quarter. The bottom rear section of the front fenders on most Chevy restoration vehicles are prone to this problem which comes from the brace reinforcement and is attached behind most fenders attracting dirt buildup which retains moisture.

One area that is often overlooked is the main floor where your feet go. Leave a window down once during rain and let the carpet get soaked and you will have a damp rug holding moisture against raw metal. The bottom line is to check these areas and be sure to find any problems before it costs major money to repair.

The Lexus CT 200h is the one and only full hybrid vehicle to
the core of the premium compact segment. Having started production at
the beginning of 2011, the CT 200h serves as a new gateway to Lexus and
is created for the customers who desire to raise their standards yet
lowering the emissions. The new Lexus CT 200h brings together the unique
stylish synthesis of sophistication, highest standard technology and
unparalleled quality to the best C segment for the very first time.

The Lexus CT 200h combines the new realisation of L-finesse design
philosophy with the revolutionary, full hybrid drive and the convenience
and comfort, along with discreet hospitality and cautiously considered
driver interaction, which lie at the bottom of the ownership experience
of the Lexus.

The Lexus CT 200h has been designed and constructed while keeping the
European market in mind, and this luxury vehicle is the first ever
compact, five-door car of Lexus brand. Its packaging, size, full hybrid
technology and the ultra-low emissions are just ideal to meet the
requirements of the particular environmentally-conscientious and highly
discerning customers in the key compact market of Europe. This luxury
vehicle offers no compromise on the driving pleasure, refinement and
quality standard, which hallmarks the progressing luxury inheritance in
every Lexus car.

The new Lexus CT 200h has been designed while combining glamour and
refined charm with ultra dynamic sportiness, thus forming a unique
masterpiece of serenity. Styled for optimum aerodynamic efficiency, the
interior of the Lexus CT 200h offers exceptional level of refinement in
this segment. Elegant and efficient, the new Lexus CT 200h comes with a
powerful simplicity of form, combining superior ergonomics with metallic
finishes and soft touch materials that create an outstanding environment
of premium hand-crafted quality, ideal for driving.

A 1.8 litre VVT-i petrol engine, along with a powerful electric motor,
and the full hybrid drive system of a Lexus CT 200h brings quite a
revolution to the largest premium segment in the market. Featuring an
entirely new platform, the Lexus CT 200h has been particularly designed
to combine the expected comfort of any Lexus, along with superior
handling agility and driving involvement.

Lexus has an experience of more than a decade in full hybrid powertrain
technology; whereas, the rival manufacturers are yet to produce a first
generation hybrid. Introducing the Lexus second generation hybrid
technology for the very first time, the new Lexus CT 200h not only
supports the clear leadership of the company in the development of
hybrid drive systems but also the unmatched breadth of Lexus full hybrid
models available.

The full hybrid system of the new Lexus CT 200h features a powerful
electric motor, a 1.8 litre VVT-i petrol engine, a generator, a power
control unit, a high performance battery, a power split device that
employs a gear set for combining and re-allocating power from the motor,
and the engine and the generator according to the operational
requirements. The power generator and the electric motor along with the
power split device have been housed in one compact casing of the size of
a gearbox. Drive to the front wheels is provided by a Shift-by-Wire,
seamless E-CVT (electric continuously variable transmission) of the full
Hybrid Cars system of the new CT 200h.

How do I buy a muscle car? It may look simple for some experts but for others it is tough task to choose and make a decision. For this reason I thought it would make sense to answer this question in this article. This article is for a person who is new to muscle car world. If you want to own one muscle car but have no idea on how to go about.

Buying a muscle car go thorough a series of steps like

• Determining the make and model of the muscle car you want
• Determining how to use the car
• Determining the price range and payment method
• Purchase insurance, evaluate the car and drive home.

First, decide how you want to use the car. This is critical one that you need to analyse before you go out for purchasing. Based on this you can determine other aspects like make, model, price etc. it is important because until and unless you determine the purpose of the car purchase how can you go out and choose the specification of it.

Here are common uses of the car. See which one suits for you.

• For racing purpose
• Investment
• Car show winner
• Drive anywhere
• Weekend drive

Racing purpose is quite straight forward but must be determined before you buy because it must be specifically designed to run. You can make any type of car to run but one that is specifically designed will run free flowing, have hopped up engine and transmission and sparse interior.

Investment purpose: this is the car brought strictly for its potential growth in value. The purpose of this purchase is to sell latter for higher price.

Car show winner: the purpose of this purchase is to participate in car shows. As a general rule of thumb, only cars that are popular in model will fit this purpose.

Weekend drive: the purpose of this buy is to drive in weekends. For this it does not require to have high performance engine nor does it require having $20k paint work. Its real goal is to comfortably run.

Second, determine the make and model of the car. Once you have arrived at the purpose for which you are looking to buy a muscle car, start looking at different makes of the car. There are many manufacturers that are specialized in muscle cars. For example: ford and GM.

Try to locate a car that fits your purpose of purchase. Try to do enough research before you arrive at particular choice. Jot down all the make and models that you think suits your purpose. With having a list of makes and models, start doing specific research and comparison regarding the performance, reliability and effectiveness of the car.

Once you have arrived at car that fits you purpose, start taking a look at the price ranges and payment methods from different dealers. Confirm everything in writing with dealers before you make a final agreement. If the price is within your range and dealer accepts your payment methods, do not delay as the offers do not last long. Get the car out of showroom and drive to your home.

For some it is easy to choose the muscle car, but to make it a best buy one needs to follow methodical steps. There are many steps that one must take care when buying a muscle car but for this article we will confine ourselves to about determining the make and model of the muscle car that you want.

For this article we’ll assume that you are a newbie and decided to buy a muscle car for investment purpose or as a hobby. Be it for any purpose, not having knowledge or experience of the muscle car and its features, will lead to many consequences like wrong investments etc…

Best method for determining the make and model of the muscle car you want is to start looking at different options you have. There are many manufacturers of muscle car like ford, GM and Chrysler who make some incredible muscle cars since 1960’s.

As each manufacturer has its own style for their cars, follow the steps mentioned below to fulfil your dreams for muscle car.

While buying a muscle car, the decision about which make is an extremely important decision because each make has its own style and performance features. For this reason it is important to choose the best make.

Begin looking at different places for classifieds listings of muscle cars online on different sites. There are many sites that list muscle cars classifieds. Hence search for listing as much as possible because the more you see, it is better for you. Make a note of the shape of the make one that you like first. See if the make grabs your attention or not in first site, if so jot it down first. Make note of every make you like. The more number you have jotted down is the best. Make sure to look at it from every angle of the car and know what kind of look of the car you want. For example, do you like the car with bulging fenders or with a little straighter? Do you want a car something like race car or a street car?

Take a note of all the factor of your preferences and also the features of a particular model improvements from year to year. At this point don’t put your time in deciding the color of the car because almost every make comes with fantastic colors with different paint schemes.

Next after jotting down the different make and feature that you like, it is time to do a little more research before arriving at a decision. See what combination of features is available with make and model of the muscle car. For this information visit local shopping centre or go through magazines in library or online.

After knowing all this information, it is the best time to start looking at only that cars which you had done the research in the last step more specifically. After doing such research, you may be down to one model that you all your requirements meet then go out and ask for the price and payments methods and get the car.

There are many manufacturers in the market who build muscle cars, but there some people who want to build muscle car on their own. This article is intended for those people.

A muscle car is made up of lightweight chassis and it is preferably a two door with rear wheel in late 1960’s but started to rebuild with massive engines thereafter.

Well here are the steps that demonstrate the process of building a muscle car for any reason.

First, planning is foremost activity to be performed in any kind of activity whether it is building a car or home. To start building a muscle car, hire a reputable automotive designer that creates a rendering of the car according to your specification. The purpose of this task to have an idea about how the end product will look like, such as paint scheme, interior, wheels, tires and colour. If you feel there are any modifications, then you can make them as the work progresses.

Second, have a budget on paper for building muscle car. This can be done with a hard copy of rendering. With rendering copy, figure out how much are you willing to spend on your muscle car.

For estimation of the budget, start researching prices for the parts you may feel required according to rendering copy. First do rough estimation for all the parts required during the process of building muscle car. Remember to have funds in hand a little higher than your estimated amount, say 10 percent to cover the miscellaneous expenses.

Third, start finding a car chassis to begin with. To make the process little easier find a car with little rust, holes etc. These sort of vehicles are found at scarp yards. Make sure to research about the vehicle before you purchase because there are chances that vehicle that you are going to buy is stolen. Ask for the VLN number of the car. With VLN number you can find out the make, model, colour, and year of the car.

After finding a car for building or rebuilding a muscle car, it is important to be careful when you are unwinding all the parts of the car. Make sure to keep the parts in area where you can easily accessible.

After unwinding all the parts of the car, start stripping. There are several methods to strip a car and it varies in price from company to company that is performing the task. The most common method is to do by media blasting, where the particles of walnuts and plastic are used. Soda method is other method, where baking soda is used at high pressure that leaves the car with a clean, shiny look.

The engine is most important part of the car that you are going to build. The engine you buy must suit the horsepower you would like your car to have. Call different manufacturer for prices and find a best deal on your motor.

Suspension and breaks should also be selected within the time before the car comes back after painting process. Call some competitors and find out best deal.

Wheels and tires are also most important part to pay your attention towards them. When buying tires and wheels, keep in mind that muscle cars are built keeping driver in mind, meaning the front of the car in lower than back. Make sure to choose the wheel and tires that are compatible to muscle cars.

Once your car is back form paint, you are almost to finish because you are done by gathering all the parts of the car and that only needs to be bolted on. Take enough time to fit them accurately before you bring the car on road.