MX-5: The Best of Its Class

The Mazda MX-5, still popularly known as the Miata is a sleek and well-engineered convertible. It is a 2-door, 2-passenger convertible sports car, available in 8 trims, ranging from the SV to the Grand Touring Power Retractable Hardtop. It is released as a Special Edition MX-5 with an exclusive Saddle Brown folding top. According to the usnews.rankingsandreviews.com, this car ranks first out of ten Affordable Sports Cars.

“The SV is equipped with a standard 2.0-liter, I4, 166-horsepower engine that achieves 22-mpg in the city and 27-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard. The Grand Touring Power Retractable Hardtop is equipped with a standard 2.0-liter, I4, 166-horsepower engine that achieves 21-mpg in the city and 28-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard.” It is available with a choice of an automatic transmission with paddle shifters or a five-speed manual transmission.

Edmunds.com says that the new exterior as "a stronger face, more rakish lines and accentuated fender contours." Head and tail lamps are mounted inboard for better compactness. Great designs evolve over time but the door mirrors continue the elliptical theme used in the original MX-5 Miata.

Passenger-side airbags and standard drivers–side airbags provides safety without sacrificing the beauty of the interior. It features an ear-blasting entertainment system which is made up of a BOSE 7-speaker AM/FM/6-CD. Overall, interior quality and appearance are way better than any past MX-5 Miata. The hardtop opens or closes in 12 seconds, and consumes no luggage space.

Reviewers see its soft top and new power-folding hardtop as the best in their class.

A Hybrid for Nissan

The Altima Hybrid Electric is Nissan's first hybrid car. It is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan. Nissan have had an agreement with Toyota in using some of its hybrid technology in the new Altima for the 2007 model year.

It is a 158-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine and 40-horsepower electric assist motor. Torque-wise it’s a stump-puller, with 162 pound-feet from the gas engine and 199 from the electric motor. Its mileage reaches up to 35 miles a gallon in the city and 33 on the open road. This hybrid has a 20-gallon tank, so it must reach an approximate distance of 700 miles.

They say that it is the first hybrid that drives like Prius, this Altima hybrid is also a full hybrid, so it can be powered purely by electricity at low speeds.

Here are some features included in the new Altima; 16-inch alloy wheels, Intelligent Key with Push Button Ignition, power windows/door locks, 6-speaker AM/FM/CD system with auxiliary audio input jack, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), Traction Control System (TCS) and dual-zone automatic temperature control that includes an Altima Hybrid-specific electrically powered A/C.

The 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid ranks 20 out of 25 Affordable Midsize Cars. In the US, they are selling this only on states with strict clean-air regulations where the automaker needs near-zero-emissions cars, because they think they will have higher buyer interest. These are namely; California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.

The GT-R Concept

The Nissan GT-R is a coupe created by Nissan, and released in Japan on December 6, 2007. Nissan showed the GT-R Concept as the prospective successor to the R34. It is expected to be released internationally by early June of 2008.

“It is powered by an all-new 3.8-litre twin turbo V6 "VR38" engine, featuring plasma-sprayed bores and a special twin-turbo exhaust manifold system. The Nissan GT-R's new engine produces 480PS (353kW) at 6400rpm and maximum torque of 60kgm (588Nm) from 3200 to 5200rpm.” It can reach the top speed of 193 mph.

It has got a super lightweight forged aluminum wheels with knurled bead area, which was designed to maximize tire adhesion to the wheel under extreme condition. Its body construction consist of super silver special metallic paint, with an 8-stage process including three clear coats and hand polishing to achieve a lustrous, liquid effect.

This car also features a long list of safety and environmental features, including, for enhanced visibility inside and out of the vehicle, high-mounted LED stop lamps, bright LED rear combination taillights, "super wide beam" headlights, heated door mirrors and flat-blade wipers.

For me, it may not the best looking car in the world but who cares as long as it is incredibly fast. And in any sense, I'll reserve judgment for its looks until I see one in person. This thing is surely going to be a beast on the road. I'm sure it'll be a blast to drive. Pricing for the sports car starts at $69,850 - $71,900 for the premium edition.

BMW M1 Homage

BMW introduced the world to their M1 Homage concept at the Villa d'Este Concours d'Elegance last April 2008. The concept vehicle uses a mid-engine layout and borrows its styling from both the original M1 and the Turbo show car. The reason the car was introduced is to mark the 30th anniversary of the BMW M1, which to this day is still one of the most stunning sports cars ever created. It's been thirty years since the first BMW M1 supercar rolled out of the company’s facility in Munich, Germany.

The styling is directly influenced not only by the original M1 but also from the M1’s inspiration which is the BMW Turbo Concept. In the original M1, the body was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, an Italian automobile designer. Taking inspiration from the 1972 BMW Turbo, the M1 is remembered as a very smooth and well polished supercar in the true BMW tradition.

I've always been a fan of the old M1's looks. I thought they were outdated already but with this new vehicle, it looks like the company has just bred a new M1.

Cool features from the M1 Homage include "invisible headlamps" and a squat version of the trademark BMW grille. The new wave “cheese grater” wheels and the double roundels at the rear corners were also very noticeable and they added sophistication to the car.

I’m less convinced though that this car would be making its way to the for real as a production vehicle after seeing it at the show. I hope that they would actually produce it. I surely would want to see one at a local BMW dealer’s.

Toyota Unveils Green Sporty Car

Japanese auto making juggernaut Toyota has been the face of the green revolution in the automotive industry. Although the automaker is not the first to offer a hybrid to consumers especially in the United States, its Prius is what caught the attention of many. But Toyota is not just about green cars.

Recently, the automaker launched a sports car. When you hear the word sports car, you might think that it is one of those fast machines that guzzle gas as it rack up the miles. But this one has a Toyota badge on it so we can safely assume that this is a green car.

The automaker announced that the Future Toyota Hybrid Sports or FT-HS concept will give consumers the best of two worlds. If you want a fast car, this is the one for you. And if you want a car which produces very little emission then, this is for you too.

Doug Soden, manager of product development at Toyota said: "There is a stronger need for hybrid vehicles to be on the market, or much more fuel efficient vehicles. Whichever way you look at it, whether it is a petrol-electric or hydrogen-electric, there needs to be that hybrid interface."

I just hope that this is not a hybrid just for the sake of it being a hybrid. I mean, the FT-HS should be a hybrid not because it's what people with money want. It should be a hybrid because there is a need for vehicles to reduce their greenhouse gas emission. And if the second case is true for this sports car, then Toyota should have designed it to be fast and really "green". Also, it should be as an Acura valve cover gasket.

Volvo Launches Its 15 Millionth Car

Indeed, life in the car industry (as in all other fields of business) is such an unpredictable game. Nothing manifests it best than Ford’s luxury brand Volvo which has produced its 15 millionth car -- an all-new convertible Volvo C70, as reported by the AutoChannel yesterday.

According to Wikipedia, Volvo founder Asaar Gabrielsson, upon losing his wife in a car accident, promised to uphold the production of safe cars. On April 14, 1927, the first Volvo car, called Volvo ÖV 4, was introduced in the Swedish market. Continuing its production had been a struggle for Volvo particularly during World War II. It took the company 23 years before it produced its first 100,000 cars. At present, that is equivalent to only three months of production. See the difference?

Autounleashed.com reported that the new convertible Volvo C70, like the Volvo ÖV 4 that signifies “Open Car” with four cylinders, is also an open car -- a sports car, noted for its functionality and spaciousness. Also, it boasts of its two cars-in-one capacity, which is its ability to transform from coupe to convertible at the touch of a button via its three-piece retractable top. Hmm, it must be equipped with high-quality performance pulleys, musn't it?

However, reviews from edmunds.com said that although the new Volvo C70 has qualities that are proven to be user-friendly with its comfortable interior and safety features, it also comes with a middling acceleration and braking performance as well as an average steering feedback. It is powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine which is capable of producing 227 horsepower. Other important characteristics of the convertible Volvo C70 include a leather steering wheel and gearshift knob plus revamped air vents.

The convertible Volvo C70, produced in Volvo’s factory at Uddevalla, Sweden, was launched yesterday as Volvo celebrated its 8oth anniversary -- marking another milestone in Volvo history.

New York International Auto Show Features First-Ever Virtual Garage

“I’m a new lover of cars. I found my favorite car (the Shadow Grey Aston Martin Vanquish) was discontinued and I think my heart died a little. So I’ve begun to dedicate myself to finding my own car, one that I could tune to my personality and style and ride it into the sunset. Can you help me?”

Those were words posted by 19-year-old car enthusiast Kitsune of New Jersey at the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) Virtual Garage, accessible at autoshowny.com.

For the first time in auto show history, the NYIAS now features a Virtual Garage, an online publication of car enthusiasts’ personal garages to promote communication and friendship among present and future generation of car lovers. How? It’s simple. By logging in to the NYIAS’ Virtual Garage section, members get the chance to upload photos and videos of their cars, provide some personal information, become a “fan” of other members and discover other members’ garages while non-members can register to avail of the same privileges. Like maybe you have an Acura car that’s so much dear to you. So you go and show the world why. It may be because of the outstanding quality of its MDX bug shield. Surely, you’ll learn more from others who have mutual sentiments as yours.

At edmunds.com, Show Director Candida Romanelli said that the virtual garage is a great opportunity for all car enthusiasts around the world to keep in touch with each other and share personal stories about their cars.

Online community group was initiated by facebook.com and myspace.com. The NYIAS is the first auto show to adopt the same practical and technological system.

According to AutoChannel, this year’s NYIAS will unveil more or less 1,000 collections of innovative and top-of the-line vehicles including impressive concept cars. The NYIAS, North America’s oldest auto show, will be held at the Javits Center next month starting from March 21 to 30.