http://carbloggin.com automotive passion Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:14:53 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://carbloggin.com/supercars/aston-martin-dbs/ http://carbloggin.com/supercars/aston-martin-dbs/#comments Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:14:53 +0000 Carblogger http://carbloggin.com/?p=162 Continue reading →]]>

Aston Martin DBS

The Aston Martin DBS took over from the Aston Martin Vanquish as the top of the range car in the Aston Martin portfolio, unless of course you count the limited edition (77 of them) Aston Martin One-77? No, neither do we. The DBS was unveiled to critical acclaim on 16th August 2007 at the councours d’elegance at Pebble Beach. The first customer cars were delivered as soon as early 2008.   The Aston Martin DBS is based on the Aston Martin DB9 but looks more aggressive while still managing to keep the beautiful lines of it’s (slightly) little brother. Looks are not the only thing the DBS shares with the DB9. Under the bonnet is an orchestra of 12 cylinders in a V measuring in at 5.9 litres. This is the same unit as in the DB9, and in the DBS cracks out an ear splitting 510 bhp. When the DBS starts up it is simply one of the most impressive sounds in the production car world.   Make no mistake, the Aston DBS is a true supercar with lots of power and torque flooding from the front arriving at the rear, which if you’re not ready for it will lead to lots of sideways fun, fun that is had while sitting in one of the most luxurious interiors in a performance car.   If you get chance to climb inside one of these monsters and take it for a spin, don’t turn it down as your experience will be truly memorable.   Manufacturer: Aston Martin Body Style: 2 door coupe Layout: Front engined, rear wheel drive Engine: 5.9 litre 48 valve V12 Transmission: 6 Speed manual (6 Speed auto optional) Power: 510 bhp @ 6500 rpm Torque: 420 lb ft @ 5750 rpm Economy: 18 mpg 0-62: 4.3 seconds Top Speed: 191 mph Price: £180,182 Merchandise: Wallpaper | Win an Aston Martin DBS ]]> http://carbloggin.com/supercars/aston-martin-dbs/feed/ 0 http://carbloggin.com/sports-cars/all-new-porsche-boxster/ http://carbloggin.com/sports-cars/all-new-porsche-boxster/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:36:57 +0000 Carblogger http://carbloggin.com/?p=152 Continue reading →]]>

Porsche Boxster

The all new Porsche Boxster for 2013 has arrived and Porsche have revealed that it is the most advanced entry level Porsche ever. There’s more power and less weight which should mean better performance but as more and more car manufacturers seem to be devloping technology to make their products greener, perhaps most significantly is the fact that the two new engines under the Boxster’s sexy new body are of the cleaner, direct injection type.   As is the case with most Porsche development since the first 911 hit the streets, the new Boxster is a step forward on an evolutionary path rather than a giant leap and so you will notice that the look of the car is not a radical departure from the outgoing model. Having said that, there are a number of styling cues and design details which aim to set the new car apart from its brothers and sisters and indeed from the Boxsters that went before it. For example, there are new, larger headlamps, and daytime LED running lights which seem to be de rigeur these days and these are not too far removed from the style of the new Porsche 911. However, one new styling cue is the huge air scoop in the side panel which looks a lot more meaningful than the air intakes it replaces in the old Boxster. The rear popup spoiler is also more involved with the look of the car as it cuts into the tail lamp clusters forming part of the overall appearance and aerodynamic performance. There are larger wheels available; 18′s on the standard car and 19′s on the Boxster S with even an option for 20′s if you so desire.   One of the things that you might have expected to see on the new Boxster is a folding hard top. Not so. The car still has a folding fabric roof, although now it is completely automatic, so no more unclipping the front before pressing the button. The roof folds away neatly behind the cabin but remains exposed – gone is the aluminium tonneau cover, which saves a little weight. Even though the car is slightly larger than the outgoing model, giving the same roominess inside as the new 911, 40kg has been shaved off the kerb weight.   So, what about those two new engines I mentioned? Well, the Boxster gets a 2.7 litre flat six and although this is smaller than the outgoing 2.9, it is 10bhp more powerful at 261bhp. The Boxster S however sticks with the 3.4 litre flat six although power is slightly up by 5bhp to 311bhp. Both engines are direct injection and feature stop-start to aid in the quest for more range from the fuel tank. Both cars go on sale in the UK in April 2012.   Manufacturer: Porsche Body Style: 2 door convertible Layout: Rear engine, rear wheel drive. Engine: 2.7 litre flat six (Boxster), 3.4 litre flat six (Boxster S) Power: 261bhp (Boxster), 311bhp (Boxster S) Economy: 36.7mpg (Boxster), 35.3mpg (Boxster S) 0-60: 5.7 seconds (Boxster), 5.0 Seconds (Boxster S) Price: £37,589 (Boxster), £45,384 (Boxster S) Merchandise: Wallpaper ]]> http://carbloggin.com/sports-cars/all-new-porsche-boxster/feed/ 0 http://carbloggin.com/suv/range-rover-evoque/ http://carbloggin.com/suv/range-rover-evoque/#comments Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:13:52 +0000 Carblogger http://carbloggin.com/?p=144 Continue reading →]]>

Range Rover Evoque

For years now, indeed decades, Land Rover’s luxury sidekick, Range Rover have relied on a single model to bring in the cash. In 2010 though, that all changed, with the introduction of a completely new model to the Range Rover lineup. In much the same way as the Land Rover Freelander allowed wannabe Land Rover owners to opt for a smaller car when compared to the Landrover Discovery, the brand new Range Rover Evoque which debuted at the 2010 Paris Auto Show allows wannabe Range Rover owners the option of something…. just a little smaller.   The Evoque manages to stay true to it’s big brother’s image, that of a luxury SUV, renowned for it’s style and craftsmanship. It just all fits into a smaller package. The Evoque is also the lightest and most fuel efficient Range Rover ever produced which makes it ever more desirable in the 160 plus countries in which it will be sold. The Evoque is also the first Range Rover to offer the customer a choice between the standard full time, intelligent four wheel drive system, and a new two wheel drive version for even greater fuel economy and emissions performance. Even the four wheel drive version though can offer up to 50mpg when couple with the 150ps version of the 2.2 turbo-diesel engine, which is landmark performance for a vehicle of this type. Manufacturer: Land Rover (Range Rover) Body Style: 4×4, SUV Layout: front engine, rear wheel drive or 4×4 Engine: 2.0 litre 240ps petrol, 2.2 litre turbo-diesel (150ps & 190ps versions) Power: 150ps – 240ps MPG: 50.2 (2.2 SD4 190 Pure 4×4) 0-60: 9.5 seconds (2.2 SD4 190 Pure 4×4) Top Speed: 124mph (2.2 SD4 190 Pure 4×4) Merchandise: Wallpaper ]]> http://carbloggin.com/suv/range-rover-evoque/feed/ 0 http://carbloggin.com/saloons/hyundai-elantra-steals-the-show-at-the-north-american-international-auto-show/ http://carbloggin.com/saloons/hyundai-elantra-steals-the-show-at-the-north-american-international-auto-show/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:52:50 +0000 Carblogger http://carbloggin.com/?p=140 Continue reading →]]> The results of the North American International Auto Show are in, and the Hyundai Elantra is the official 2012 winner of the North American car of the year title. It was a close race between the Ford Focus and the Volkswagen Passat, but the Elantra won the judges over. The judges were 50 car journalists from the U.S. and Canada, each with several years of experience keeping up with the car industry. A week ago, few people would have expected the Elantra to be the showstopper at the competition. However, the Elantra proved to be the highly fuel-efficient sedan we’ve all been waiting for The Elantra, created at Hyundai’s studio in California, gets 40 miles to the gallon on the highway. 200,000 models of the new, fuel-efficient Elantra have been sold in North America since the car’s release in December 2011. And the international car transport industry has shipped a pretty impressive number of 2012 Elantras overseas. Reviewers have been buzzing about the Elantra since June of 2011, when Hyundai first started releasing details about the car. Since that time, reviewers have seemed to unanimously agree that the Elantra is one impressive and attractive car. The Elantra’s sleek body and gentle curves perfectly complement its incredibly efficient and subtly powerful 148-hp 1.8-liter engine Entry-level, manual models of the Elantra cost $15,195, and upgrades like leather seating and automatic transmission will cost buyers a little more. The price of the Elantra puts it in direct competition with the comparably priced Honda Civic. According to those who have driven the Elantra, the car feels about as light as the Civic does on the road. The Elantra’s appearance of luxury and utility prowess, however, seems to put it in a whole other clas ]]> http://carbloggin.com/saloons/hyundai-elantra-steals-the-show-at-the-north-american-international-auto-show/feed/ 0 http://carbloggin.com/special/is-this-the-ugliest-ferrari-ever/ http://carbloggin.com/special/is-this-the-ugliest-ferrari-ever/#comments Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:26:40 +0000 Carblogger http://carbloggin.com/?p=130 Continue reading →]]> This may just have taken the title of the ugliest Ferrari ever to be imagined – thankfully though, it isn’t a Ferrari from the Maranello production lines. This is GWA Tuning’s ‘tribute’ to the fantastic Ferrari 340 Mexico Berlinetta which was built by Ferrari specifically for the 1952 Carrera Panamericana. Only three were ever built, and one of them, driven by Luigi Chinetti crossed the finish line in third place behind two Mercedes 300SL Gullwings. Incidentally, one of the three Ferrari 340 Mexico’s recently sold at RM Auctions for a cool $3.4 million. Who says there is no money around? Anyway, it is Chinetti’s car that GWA have decided to honor with their creation. Although I think it is grossly ugly, it is still real Ferrari underneath, being based on a Ferrari 456 chassis, albeit with some major modifications. After the Australian coachbuilder Mark Nungent had done his stuff with the main body, the car was given a new diffuser, new rear spoiler, new side vents, and new front splitter, all of which came from other modern Ferraris. The interior has been brought up to date with modern materials, including carbon fibre, but actually manages to retain the looks of the original Ferrari 340 Mexico. The original Ferrari 340 Mexico was powered by a 4.1 litre V12 which produced about 280hp. This one though is powered by a 5.4 litre V12 which pumps out 476hp at 6300rpm. It’s an ambitious and impressive project but to be honest, I wouldn’t want it sat on my drive. It would probably reduce the house prices. There’s not much chance of that happening anyway though as the car is a one off ]]> http://carbloggin.com/special/is-this-the-ugliest-ferrari-ever/feed/ 0