Coolest VW Models this Summer

By: Allweb

There are three important Volkswagen models that will hold the spotlight this summer. Cool cruising and a sporty look becomes available with the 2007 VW Eos, off-road adventures continue with the tough Touareg and ladies will enjoy the thrilling experience of driving a New Beetle Convertible. Let’s have a look at all three models and see what they promise to offer and why they are VW’s coolest cars this summer:

VW EOS

VW Eos – an amazing coupe convertible produced by Volkswagen since 2006, the Eos got its name from the Greek goddess of wind. And you will be able to fully enjoy the wind by driving along in this sporty convertible. With some elements borrowed from the B6 Passat and the Mark 5 Golf (such as the platform and wheel base), the Volkswagen Eos does have a unique folding hardtop. While the folding roof is impressive and also offers a sunroof, it does take up most of the storage space in the trunk when folded and is also quite slow to fold up or down – it needs 27 seconds to do so. You can select one of the following engine types for the Volkswagen Eos:
- 1.6-liter, I4, 85 KW (115 hp) gasoline engine, manual-6 gearbox (Europe only)
- 2.0-liter, I4, 110 KW (150 hp) gasoline engine, manual-6 gearbox (Europe only)
- 2.0-liter, I4, 103 KW (140 hp) turbocharged diesel engine, manual-6 gearbox (Europe only)
- 2.0-liter, I4, 147 KW (200 hp) turbocharged gasoline engine, manual- or DSG-6 gearbox
- 3.2-liter, V6, 184 KW (250 hp) gasoline engine, DSG-6 gearbox

VW Touareg

VW Touareg – the Touareg was declared the best luxury SUV in 2003 by the Car and Driver magazine, a distinction that was later followed by awards from Motor Trend and the Four Wheeler magazine. The Touareg is the result of a collaboration between VW and Porsche, with the common goal of creating a luxury SUV that feels like a sports car on the road. Yes, as many people believe, the Touareg is not a proper off-roader, however it does have some excellent cross terrain capabilities. If you do want to take on the toughest terrain, you only need to fit some proper off-road tires.
3.2 L 240 PS (177 kW, 236 hp) gasoline V6
3.6 L 280 PS (206 kW, 276 hp) gasoline V6
4.2 L 310 PS (228 kW, 305 hp) gasoline V8
4.2 L 340 PS (257 kW, 340 hp) gasoline V8
6.0 L 450 hp (331 kW) gasoline W12, 599 N•m (442 ft•lbf)
2.5 L 174 PS (128 kW, 172 hp) diesel I5/R5
3.0 L 225 PS (165 kW, 225 hp) diesel V6, 500 N•m (369 ft•lbf)
5.0 L 313 PS (230 kW, 308 hp) diesel V10, 750 N•m (550 ft•lbf)

VW New Beetle

VW New Beetle – Another hit from Volkswagen, the convertible Beetle is probably the cutest choice for a cabrio for the summer of 2007. This veritable pop icon is the most popular with the 2 liter gasoline engine, and your biggest concern while selecting your new Beetle is what funky color to choose.

For more news, resources and photos of all your favorite Volkswagen models, please see the links in the author box.

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Porsche 959

Porsche 959

By: Jan Hvizdak

Porsche 959; The car with 4260 mm in length, with 335.6 kW output at 6500 rpm and torque of 501.7 nm at 5500 rpm is one of top sport cars ever manufactured.

Let’s get back into 1981 when Helmutt Bott, Porsche’s head engineer, began developing the Porsche 959. His idea was to create a sports car which was based on the 911, but took the classic model to a new level in terms of design, performance and technology. Bott’s proposal was to maintain the rear engine setup, upgrade to all-wheel drive and test the model in racing competition.

The resulting 959 was not made street legal in the US until 1999. The US Department of Transportation required four vehicles for crash testing before they would grant their approval of a model – a request which Porsche were not prepared to meet. With the removal of the ‘Show and Display’ crash test requirement in 1999, the NHTSA passed the 959 for street use, on the condition that catalytic converters be fitted and changes be made to the mirror configurations. The refusal of a number of owners to cede to these extra demands means that many examples of the 959 remain museum pieces rather than street legal cars.

Engineering and design

The Porsche 959 is constructed from an aluminium and kevlar composite, allowing the vehicle to be strong yet lightweight. The rear boasts a 2.9 litre engine which powers all four wheels. The engine was not new – instead Porsche used their existing twin-turbocharged, six-cylinder Boxster powerhouse. It produces 450 bhp, with assistance from an air-cooled block, water-cooled cylinder heads and four-valve heads, as well as the turbocharger.

This engine had already seen action in the Porsche Indy Car, the ‘Moby Dick’ racecar and, of course, the 961. The powerful engine and lightweight design propel the 959 from 0-60 mph in an astonishing 3.6 seconds, topping out at just below 200 mph. Speeds this high raise stability concerns, which Porsche answered with finely tuned aerodynamics, suspension and ride height. The result is surprising stability at the top end of the 959’s capabilities.

1988 Porsche 959

The advanced all-wheel-drive Porsche-Steuer Kupplung (PSK) system allows for variable distribution of torque between the front and rear wheels. This capability helps the weight-distribution bias to remain stable under challenging driving conditions such as wet surfaces or heavy acceleration.

A racing classic

In 1983, Porsche introduced the 961 model. It was a version prepared specifically for racing, and won the Paris-Dakar Rally twice, in 1984 and 1986. It also achieved a respectable seventh place in the challenging Le Mans 24 Hour race.

Following the success of the 961, the street version 959 was released onto the market in 1987, at a price of $225,000. Whilst this price tag may seem hefty, it was a bargain compared to the cost to Porsche for developing the model. Production of the 959 ceased in 1990 after the completion of 226 European street legal vehicles.

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The 2007 Mini Cooper S Superbug

2007 Mini Cooper

By: Craig Rad

The Mini Cooper S is a small, very friendly looking car with a traditional design but a modern engine and features. The very first Mini was launched on the market in 1961 by the British Motor Corporation (BMC), belonging to the supermini class of automobiles.
The genuine Mini is considered an emblem of the 1960s, being of great inspiration to the car makers in that time that noticed the clever space saving front-wheel-drive layout. The Mini Cooper was very popular among celebrities in the 60s and the 70s but it hasn’t lost its fame today.

The history of the Minis is long and BMC has launched a great number of successful models of Minis throughout the last decades. There are the MK I Mini the MK II Mini, variants to these, plus the Mini Cooper and the Cooper S. Mini Cooper and the Cooper S were considered two economical models, the price being affordable to almost anyone. These very sporty and speedy cars, so many people preferred them.

Mini Cooper S has made history in the rally races as well, obtaining some victories at the Monte Carlo Rallis in the 1960s. The famous Nikki Lauda, Enzo Ferrari and Steve McQueen all owned Mini Coopers. However, the Mini was voted as the second most influential car of the twentieth century, being beaten only by the Ford model T.

Unfortunately, the Cooper S was produced up till 2000, but a new Mini was introduced by BMW, the owner of the brand. This fresh mini car was called the MINI written in capital letters. The new MINI is worthy of its name, keeping many of the old characteristic features of the mini Cooper but getting some state of the art features also. The Cooper S is considered a sporty version of Mini. It two doors only and a 6 speed manual transmission.

1967 Mini Cooper

The Mini Cooper S features a multifunction steering wheel plus an up to date navigation system, glass panel sunroof, automatic air conditioning and many more. These are only the standard options to which you can add some other extras. Even if the S is a small car, it has force and is very speedy. It has strong suspensions, precise go-kart handling and great transmission.

You can be sure that the Mini will offer you great safety with the ABS, the Connecting Brake Control, Electronic Brake force distribution as well as the Brake assist feature, which are all included in the standard package onf the Mini Cooper S. you can also get the automatic stability control and traction features plus the dynamic stability control. For the Cooper S manufacturers safety comes first. All in all, the Mini S is a car with great personality and looks, speedy, inexpensive and safe. Enjoy the ride and the car as well.

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Volkswagen Brief History

By: GirlsPassion

When people talk about Volkswagen, the first thing that usually pops up in their mind is the ever-popular Type 1 or Beetle model. The German-based car manufacturing company first entered the scene during the late 1930’s when Adolf Hitler asked Ferdinand Porsche Sr. to design an automobile that would be more accessible to the common man. The result was the very first Beetle (known that time as the KdF-Wagen), which despite only having less than 200 parts, served as Volkswagen’s foundation throughout its history.

Old Volkswagen Beetle

After the Second World War, the company fell into disarray but bounced back when British Army Major Ivan Hirst took over the felled factory. This came after American forces handed control over to the British. The Beetle was once again put to production despite the damage brought on by the war, with the Wolfsburg factory producing around 1000 cars per month.

2008 Volkswagen Golf VI

As Germany started recovering from the aftermath of WWII, Volkswagen would further grow and break into foreign markets, most notably that of the US automotive industry. Volkswagen also ventured on other projects, releasing the Type 2 or Transporter, a van based on the design of the Beetle. Despite the shaky start, the Type 2 and the Beetle became the front runners for Volkswagen throughout the 1960s to the 1970s with Volkswagen releasing updated versions periodically. The mid-60s was also the time that Volkswagen started acquiring different subsidiaries, effectively making it the Volkswagen Group.

2008 Volkswagen Passat

From the 1970s and onward Volkswagen has also released several other models like the Golf, Polo and the Passat with varying degrees of success and with the Golf as its mainstay model. It wasn’t until 1998 that Volkswagen decided to go back to its roots, releasing the New Beetle, a design which was based on the Golf chassis but retained some similarities to the original, providing a huge boosts to the brand up to the present.

Much of Volkswagen’s prominence can easily be attributed to the staying power of their first model, the Beetle. Originally an economy vehicle, the classic Type 1 sported an air-cooled engine, making it easily customizable and came with durable and easily repairable parts.

2008 Volkswagen Polo

The use of VW Parts are not limited to the Beetle alone, as other companies have collaborated with Volkswagen or used Volkswagen Auto Parts and components to produce their cars, like the Porsche 914 and 914-6 and the Porsche 356.

VW Parts were also provided for a series commercial trucks under the joint venture between the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and MAN AG, whose production was from 1979 to 1993.

Finally, other industries also found use for VW Parts, specifically the Volkswagen air cooled engine, which found action on many experimental airplanes during the 60’s. In Australia, the engine was used in rather odd ways, powering a ski lift for the Thredbo ski resort in New South Wales, and also modified as an air-compressor for some remote mining communities.

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Land Rover – A true SUV

Land Rover Freelander 2

By: Lance Dixon

The Land Rovers are originally British vehicles and have a manufacturing unit at Solihull in England. The first Land Rover was made in 1948 in England itself. It was designed by Maurice Wilks. He is known to have been inspired by an American jeep that he had seen at Wales. The first car was in fact itself called the Land Rover. But as time progressed, Land Rover became a brand that took to manufacturing newer cars under it. The Land Rover has passed through many hands, from the Rover group to the Premier Automotive Group, which is a part of the Ford Motor Company, and currently owns it.

Land Rover Discovery 3

If you hear the Land Rover’s rich history, you are sure to exclaim, “The Land Rover almost sounds like best out of waste!” And the reasons are plenty. The body of the Rover is very light and is made from an alloy called ‘Birmabright’ that is made from aluminium and magnesium. This alloy is extremely rust-resistant. These vehicles were in reality, forced to be made from aluminium, as they were made in the post war periods, where there was little steel and surplus aluminium available. This alloy was also found to be softer than steel and so could bend and mould easily, requiring less number of tools. Another peculiar thing about these cars was that, the earlier vehicles were mostly of green color. This was due to the excess of green paint available after the war! The military used this color to paint the aircraft cockpits! Who would think that a world class SUV would have been made in such a way! In fact it is said that the Land Rover was designed just to keep the Rover Car Company busy during the depression period! This first model was a simple vehicle, primarily made for farm and industrial use and was made such that it could traverse all terrain. The car was highly functional and could be cleaned fully when dirtied. It was even bulletproof! The Land Rover was first showcased at the Amsterdam Motor Show and was an instant hit. It attracted the entire world and the media played an important role in this. Even the non-motor magazines gave the car lots of coverage, making the car reach beyond its target customer group.

1958 Land Rover

Many of the Land Rovers have been extensively used by the military due to their durability and sturdiness and astounding features. Endurance of these vehicles can be judged from the fact that many of the cars that were made at the time of the Land Rover’s introductory period, are still driven by people or appear at various shows or are being used after a little bit of restoration! This just shows that a Land Rover is certainly a lifetime investment. They are considered to be one of the safest cars to travel in and will never let you down.

Land Rover Defender 2007

1970s saw the dawn of the luxury Rovers that had all the features of a premium car besides the trademark ruggedness. The Range Rover (the first in this category) was so good that it is the first and only car to be kept in the Louvre museum at Paris as an exemplary form of modern sculpture. So much for the beauty of the Rover! It is simply incomparable. Range Rover was initially a two-door version but when its sales picked up it was made a four-door one. Increased demand and popularity amongst people, led the Range Rover to advance to better versions like the Land Rover Discovery, Defender, Freelander-which is a landmark by itself.

Range Rover Sports

The Land Rovers have a fan base in the film industries across the world too! They have featured in many films! Land Rover celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1998.

The various well-known models of the Land Rover are the DISCOVERY3, FREELANDER2, DEFENDER, RANGE ROVER SPORTS and RANGE ROVER VOGUE.

Range Rover Vogue

Despite being premium cars these cars have high maneuverability, are very fast, work astonishingly well for long distance travel, can withstand any kind of torture and are amazingly safe! If you want to experience what a true SUV is like, the Land Rovers are your best option.

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GM Cars in India

Chevrolet Tavera

By: Sonali Sharma

General Motors India, the wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors Corporation offers products under its flagship brand Chevrolet in the country. Introduced in India in 2003, Chevrolet has emerged as one of the fastest growing brand names in India. In the year 2006, GM India kick started the Chevrolet India Revolution as part of its largest expansion of its product line-up in its history.

Chevrolet SRV

Under the Chevrolet umbrella, GM India presently produces the Chevrolet Optra (petrol, diesel and the CNG version), Chevrolet Tavera, Chevrolet SRV, Chevrolet Aveo U-VA and the mini car Chevrolet Spark. Chevrolet Tavera, Chevrolet Optra and Aveo-Uva have between them won a number of automotive excellence awards since their launch. Chevrolet Aveo U-Va, Chevrolet Spark and the Chevrolet Optra Magnum Diesel have been rated as No.1 against competition in their respective segments by auto experts across the country. All the GM India carlines incorporate the latest technology and have been re-engineered and fine tuned to meet the specific needs of the customers as well as the local driving condition and regulations in the country.

Chevrolet Aveo

In order to increase the accessibility to the GM vehicles and better after-sales service, GM India has expanded its dealership network to 95 sales points and over 110 service centres so far. The network is still being expanded further with its entry into the mini car segment. At present, all the carlines are being manufactured in Halol, Gujarat, the capacity of which has been expanded to 85,000 units from the present 60,000 units in April 2007 to meet the increased demand of its vehicles. GM India’s second plant is fast coming up at Talegaon, near Pune in Maharashtra which will commence production by the last quarter of 2008. All the carlines of GM India have been registering a consistent surge in the monthly sales which is a clear indication of the growing demand and increasing market acceptance of the vehicles.

Chevrolet Spark

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Hybrid And Electrical Cars

The Best Electric Hybrid Car

By: Paul Roger

Government legislation is making it a priority for many countries to become more environmentally aware with regard motoring. Low carbon, cleaner vehicles are now being manufactured to meet these targets. Not only is there the issue of climate change to consider, but the ongoing unrest in the oil rich countries. Also consider the increasing gas petroleum charges.

We are still a while off to having a proper workable alternative to petrol/gas…but many car companies, notably Honda, Toyota and BMW have made great advances in their research and development of hybrid vehicles.

Toyota is aiming to have all it’s cars as hybrid vehicles by the year 2020. Currently it has the popular Prius model which was the worlds first of it’s kind when it was released in Japan. The Toyota Prius reduces emissions by around 70%.


Since then we have seen the Honda Insight and the Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight and the Honda Civic Hybrid. The 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid has received great reviews from satisfied customers. This is the way forward for sure.

The electrical specification is a 158-Volt, 5.5-Amps/Hour Nickel-Metal Hydride Battery
Fuel Type/System
Hybrid Gas/Electric / Multi-Port Fuel Injected
Standard Engine
1.3L I4Standard Transmission
VAR Speed AutomaticCylinders
4Horsepower @ RPM
110@6000Torque @ RPM
123@2500 (foot-lbs)

There can be no argument hybrid vehicles offer greater fuel efficiency than gas powered alternatives. The less fuel being used the bigger the reduction of pollution in the environment.

Solar Electric Hybrid Car

For many people living in large cities for example, the more hybrid vehicles seen on the road the less harmful emissions in the atmosphere. Less pollution means better air quality for everyone.

In years to come Hybrid cars will play a major part in combating many of the problems currently faced by gas powered vehicles…..Namely oil dependence and pollution. One can only hope that these future cars will become better and faster…providing value to the consumer, the economy and the environment. Many experts believe this mode of transport is here to stay.

In Europe gas prices are a lot higher than in the US and running a car using water as fuel represents an enormous saving. NASA has the space shuttle, which uses hydrogen fuel cells to run electrical systems. Water is the main emission here.
It is also possible to convert a gas/petrol car to run on tap water
http://www.sellwindowsmedia.com/hybrid-car/hybrid-cars.htm

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