World's Luxurious Sports Cars - Porsche Carrera GT

It's common practice for a well-known sports car manufacturer to take the leap and attempt to release the ultimate supercar. All the big names have done it: Lamborghini, Ferrari, Mercedes, and in 2004, Porsche did it too with their Carrera GT. Porsche's version of a supercar is a long time in the making.

They went completely outside of their comfort zone and delivered an automobile that has the body style of a Ferrari but offers the reliable performance that clearly screams Porsche. Through two years until 2006, the company produced 1,270 of these cars. Its predecessor was the GT1 - a supercar in it's own right, although built strictly for racing.

Porsche's supercar is a bit contradictory. For starters, they used some serious state-of-the-art technology in a lot of aspects of the automobile; however, in other aspects, the Carrera GT operates much like a standard Porsche.

With a pure carbon-fiber monocoque and subframe, the car is light and easy to handle. It also features inboard suspension and an extremely large radiator. However, separate from other supercar rivals, the Carrera GT features traction control instead of the latest dynamic stability control. But all in all, Porsche has over 75 technology patents for their Carrera GT alone.

The Carrera GT might be a supercar, but its sleek exterior and comfortable interior make it a sought after roadster as well. The interior is completely decked out in soft leather, and for a two-door, it boasts a lot of room inside. It also has state-of-the-art navigation system and a Bose audio system to provide entertainment.

Keeping with the Porsche tradition, the ignition of the car is found on the left-hand side, enabling the driver to simultaneously start the car and put it in gear with his or her right hand. No one needs to start out of the gate that quickly on the road, but the design feature is more of a carry-over from the days of racing.

The Porsche Carrera GT engine is no joke. It climbs to over 125mph in only 10 seconds and can achieve 0 to 60 in 3.5. Its maximum speed only takes it up to 205, but that's still faster than many competitors sharing the road.

The GT gets its speed and power from the 5.7 liter V10 engine under the hood. Putting out 612 horsepower, the Carrera is a real piece of monster machinery. The transmission isn't very detailed. The straightforward design is a basic six-speed manual gearbox.

Although Porsche's supercar can compete with other models on the road without giving up an inch of leeway, the Carrera GT does better on price than the entire lot. Of course, it's still rather expensive, coming in at around $440-thousand, but in comparison to some supercars, that's a virtual steal.

The Best Car in the World?

In 2009, BMW overtook Mercedes Benz as the best selling luxury car manufacturer in India for the first time. But Mercedes has no intention of going quietly into the night. Their line-up now features the all-new E Class, as well as the newly Introduced 7-seat GL SUV. But leading the charge is a refreshed, and lengthened, flagship 8 500L.

The wheelbase of the 8 500 has been stretched by 13 centimeters to ensure that corporate honchos and / or world leaders in the back aren't left wanting for leg room. However, BMW stretched its 7 series by one centimeter more, 14 to be precise, in the 750Li. 80 let's delve a little deeper, shall we - to see if the 8 500L can once again profess to be the 'best car in the world,' and reclaim the top spot on the sales charts for the coveted three-pointed star?

From the outside
The current generation S class was introduced in 2005-in India in 2006-and preceded the svelte W220, which, in appearance, was the epitome of understated elegance. The W221 grew to be far more aggressive and shapely, while finding a happy medium between the tank-like S class of yesteryear and the sleek Mercs of today. In 2009, Mercedes tinkered with the S Class in an effort to bring its appearance up-to-date by adding an array of now customary LED lights-both front and rear.

The front end looks more purposeful with added chrome and a redesigned bumper, as well as a more pointed edge. At the rear, this Mercedes flagship wears its S 500 badge proudly. It also has a massive set of rectangular dual exhausts that hint at the serious firepower under hood. The design, on the whole, has just the right combination of curves and creases-the end result is a car hat looks a dominant force going down the road, which of course, is the point.

From the inside
At the recent launch of the S sooL, Dr. Wilfried Aulbur, MD & CEO, Mercedes Benz India, pointed out that this particular model is the most expensive car ever made in India, as it's being carefully assembled at their new state-of-the-art facility in Pune - unlike its Bavarian compatriot, which comes in fully assembled as a CBU. And you need only set one foot inside the cabin of the S 500 to see that it is, indeed, money well spent. In fact, even as you open the doors, you notice the individual shockers in each door to ensure that you don't expend any more energy than absolutely necessary to open and close the soft-close-doors - should your chauffeur be slow to react for some godforsaken reason.

Once inside, there's acres of room in the rear, and every surface has a quality feel to it - even the buttons look decidedly decorative, and feel just as good. There was a time in the recent past, during the days of the Daimler-Chrysler merger, when you could in fact find fault with certain pieces of interior trim in a Mercedes - even in an S Class. But such asuggestion is unequivocally banished into the dusty pages of the history books by the current models.

It's eerily silent in the cabin - ideally suited, I suppose, to plan strategy for your next corporate takeover and / or military coup, depending on your line of work. This car is meant to soothe its occupants. In fact, legend has it that Mercedes actually strapped heart rate monitors onto occupants of the S Class, as well as cars made by rival manufacturers, in an attempt to prove that the heart rate of those in the S Class was, on average, roughly five beats-per-minutes less than that of people in other cars.

And it's the little touches that achieve this, such as seat massagers that truly provide the illusion that there are a team of masseurs hiding in the seatback, and head rests that are so soft and fluffy that they truly cradle your head - so that you can do your best thinking presumably. And while it was very business-like in the all-black interior of our test car, the panorama roof was brilliant, and it made the already expansive interior feel even bigger. However, if you are feelingbusinesslike, there are exquisitely moulded walnut tray tables that fold out of the seat backs. On the contrary, if you'd like some R&R, simply recline your seat, and pull out a bottle of your favourite beverage from the fridge in the back - accessed from in between the rear seats.

You can also watch a DVD on the two screens mounted on the back of the front headrests for added entertainment. In fact, even the front passenger can watch a DVD while the car's on the move - courtesy of 'Splitview' technology incorporated onto the 8-inch high-definition TFT screen in the center console, which allows the driver to view vehicle functions from his vantage point, while, at the same time, the front passenger can watch a movie from his. You also get a now customary USB input in the glove box that allows iPod connectivity quiteeasily - unlike in the 7 series, which requires a proprietary cable from BMW. The Harman Kardon Logie-r surround sound system delivers eoo-watts of absolutely astonishing sound quality from its 14 speakers for your choice of media, whichcan range from an iPod, USB stick, SD card, to CD / DVD, or even 2,500 of your favourite tunes in MP3 or WMA format saved in a 7.2 GB in-built hard disc.

And for the driver, there's the Command system that navigates through vehicle functions via a screen on the center console, as well as a multi function steering wheel that controls a myriad of other functions, including Bluetooth connectivity - all of which is displayed on the instrument cluster in direct view of the driver. In order to display all the requisite information, the S Class has a digital speedometer projected on an LCD screen - complete with faux speedo needle. The good thing is that all these various bits of technology work extremely well together to keep you both well informed and relaxed at the same time. Oh, and you can also change the colour of the mood lighting in the car to suit your present disposition - ranging from Solar (yellow), Polar (blue), To natural (white).
On the road

The S 500 doesn't feel propelled so much by an engine, as it does by an invisible force. The 5.4 litre V8 that produces 370 horsepower is sublime-as is the 7-speed automatic transmission to which it's mated. The engine really is incredible smooth-it feels exactly the same at 1500 rpm as it does at 6500. The gearbox, meanwhile, has similar qualities, as shifts are instant and indistinguishable. That being said, there's nothing subtle about how the S class thunders down the road-leaving on-lookers and passengers in absolute disbelief that something this large can move quite so swiftly.

The S 500 gives up about 40 horsepower to the BMW 745Li, and while you do feel the deficit on occasion, it's only because the motor in the BMW appeared to be stolen from a rocket launcher. Nevertheless, Mercedes claim a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of, brace yourself, 5.4 seconds! Step on the acceleration pedal, and the whole car shrinks around you in a manner that you don't quite expect. If you imagine that the current S class will feel large and lumbering to drive, you're in for either a rude shock or a pleasant surprise-depending on your point of view.

Nevertheless, the rate of progress you can achieve in this car is staggering.150km\h is achieved in the smallest of open spaces with consummate ease-in case you're running late for a board meeting that is, And, based on how far behind schedule you really are, you can choose between three driving models-comfort, sport, and manual. Comfort, as the name suggests, ensures that engine and suspension are ideally suited to waft you from place-to-place. Sport mode, on the other hand, readies the suspension for some hooliganism, and the engine revs considerably freeier as well. In manual mode, you can change gears via paddles mounted behind the steering, which means you can hold higher revs in lower gears and burn a barrel or two of oil quicker than in a jet plane. Of course, since the S Class is engineered in Germany, these different engine and chassis setting actually do work.

The Active Body control courtesy of the air suspension ensures that the car remains defiantly flat through the corners. In fact, you can even turn off the traction control and have a little fun-in a two-tone S Class! Go into a corner too fast, and the car will understeer, but not in a way that's recalcitrant. Instead, the chassis communicates what it's doing in an effort to keep the driver informed of the physics defying feat that's being attempted. And if you're a little more clever, you can use the power being driven to the rear wheels to enjoy lurid power slides-I use the term lurid loosely of course, since the traction control cuts is despite being turned off if it feels like you're having a little too much fun.

The S Class, in keeping with its pioneering spirit in terms of technology, also has a battery of technological feats, such as adaptive cruise control, which even has the ability to bring the car to a complete halt by itself, parking guidance, which is optional, but can park the car largely by itself, infrared night view assist, also optional, but useful, pre-safe, which braces for an impact if things go pear shaped, and adaptive headlights, which, of course, are fantastic. you can even manually raise the ride height if you're going over some exceptionally bad roads-of which we have plenty. The brakes and ABS are phenomenal, which goes without saying really-we did test them nonetheless.

After experiencing the S 500L,let's just say our suggestion would be to appear magnanimous, and allow the chauffeur extended paid leave.

Verdict

The competition may be treading on its toes, but you have to admit that there is something about the allure of the S Class that plays into its image of being an automotive icon, which has been carefully created over all these years. It still feels like the right car for the ruling elite. And if you're lucky enough to be able to write a check for one, you're still buying into that heritage. The 7 series BMW is by far a more serious drivers' machine - whereas the S Class does astonish you from behind the wheel, the 7 series simply blows you away.

But that also plays into the hands of the Mercedes somewhat, since being less driver oriented means that the ride comfort, and therefore rear seat comfort, in the Mercedes is unparalleled - it does seem to spoil you a little bit more than the BMW. The S Class may have become the predictable choice to demonstrate to the world that you've arrived - but it's by no means the wrong one.

Audi - New Cars For 2009

AUDI AG is a German based company with its production units in five major countries: China, Hungary, Belgium, Italy and Germany itself. It is a manufacturer of exquisite cars which are attractive, sophisticated and technically perfect in every aspect.

In fact it is one of the few leading car manufacturing companies that constantly strive to lead the way through constant innovation and setting new standards that define Vorsprung durch Technik. Starting from 1899, the company has always produced some of the best car models that gained world-wide acceptance. After traveling a long journey from its inception the company is once again set to create new milestones with new car models. Here are some of the leading and few upcoming Audi car models of 2009 that are featured with advanced technology, styling and performance-

Audi S4 - Featured with superior interior and unique exterior, this sporty car assures to provide world-class performance. This car is not for the average consumer. With the quattro four-wheel drive and V8 engine, this car has power output of 253kW. Besides this, the model also features a Manual transmission and All Wheel Drive strain on the base. Moreover, the drive select function provides the facility to adjust throttle response, shift points and steering determined by setting modes - comfort, auto or dynamic using dash-mounted buttons. Among other features of the new S4, also offer better fuel efficiency.

Audi Q5 2.0 TFSI - Attractively styled wagon built on the A4 platform and boasting some off road capability, the new Audi Q5 2.0 TFSI is a crossover that is acceptably competent for the daily grind. The New Audi Q5 2.0 TFSI combines the energy of a sports sedan with highly variable interior and offer comfort seating arrangements. There is plenty of room for four adults and still room for 540 liters of luggage, which is virtually trebled with the rear seats down.

A perfect paradigm of superior technology package it contains strong and efficient engines, quattro permanent all-wheel drive and agile running gear for both on and off-road driving. It has four-cylinder and feature single-zone climate control, aluminum decorative trim, manually-adjustable front seats and 'Leatherette' seat trim. Apart from this, standard 17-inch alloy wheels in a seven-spoke design are fitted to the two base-grade variants and are shod with 235/65 tyres.

Audi A4 2.0 TFSI - There are some cars that are known for all their 'mod cons'. Such is the case with Audi's A4 2.0 TFSI. It has a sporty look and its engine features the newest version of the patented Audi Valvelift Technology (AVS) and offers up 265 horsepower. As fare as comfort is concerned, the new addition to the A4 range comes equipped with 17-inch Alloy Wheels, Xenon Plus headlights with LED daytime running lights, electric driver and front passenger seat with lumbar support and multifunction sports steering wheel.

Audi R8 V10 - There are few car manufacturing companies in world that have the constant habit of coming up with best car models and Audi is one of those. In comparison to any other sports car the Audi R8 V10 gives you the sensation of perfect control over incredible levels of power. And it does this with such directness and intensity that you will feel completely at one with the technology.

The design of the Audi R8 V10 is definitely an extraordinary evolution of the performance principle. You can feel its enhanced power at the very first glance through its exclusive-look radiator grille along with eye-catching chrome-look lamellae that sends out a clear message of sporting dominance. Its state-of-the-art FSI® technology propels it from 0 to 62mph in just 3.9 seconds. Moreover, its broad engine-speed range is instantly on tap and a beefy 530 Nm of torque drives the Audi R8 relentlessly forward. Certainly, this model is technology equipped to face every challenge.

Audi A5/S5 Cabriolet - Audi's dazzling new A5 and S5 convertible twins are expected to launch by late 2009. Like the outgoing A4 and S4, these new models will feature retractable soft-tops instead of the newly popular retractable hardtops. However, the move allows for 11.3 cubic feet of storage volume with the top down. The major difference between the new convertibles and the coupes is the engine in the S5 Cabriolet; instead of the V-8 in the S5 coupe, the S5 Cabriolet gets a supercharged V-6 that makes 333 hp. Like every Audi, the A5 and S5 Cabriolet have an extremely rigid body. They have precise, sporty handling, better ride comfort and high crash safety. In addition to this, its ultra-high strength steels and selective reinforcements of the body further ensure high rigidity. You can barely feel any oscillations or vibrations not even at the steering wheel or on the front seats.

Audi Q7 V12 - It is the first in the series of passenger car that features twelve-cylinder diesel engine. It produces a colossal 500 PS and 1,000 Nm of torque. With this engine Audi has opened a new chapter in diesel history. The car sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.5 seconds, and has an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h.

Although the Audi Q7 V12 belongs to the Audi V-engine family, but the model features a special cylinder angle of 60° which is perfect for this engine type. The new six-speed tiptronic gearbox, which features extensive reinforcements, shifts quickly and comfortably. It transfers the enormous power to the quattro permanent four-wheel drive system. Apart from the light and highly durable crankcase, a new chain drive assembly is its new highlight.

Browse the wide range of new and used AUDI cars for sale in Australia here - Automarket.com.au. Auto Market is one of the largest automotive portals in Australia offering new cars, used cars, pre owned cars of all makes and models in Australia for buying and selling. We also offer free car advertising to the car dealers and private sellers for selling your car online for FREE.

Flat Car Modification Part 2

Flat Car Modification Part 1

LED Interior Car Lighting Offers Convenience and Style

Is the lighting in your car just not enough to provide what you are looking for? Do your dome or trunk lights still leave you trying to navigate in the dark? Are you just looking for a way to make the inside of your car as stylish and unique as the exterior? In either case, you will certainly find that LED interior car lighting can be a great choice. LED lights are easy to install and consume very little power, which means that they can offer the clear, bright lighting that you seek without the risk that they will drain your entire battery if you use them for more than a few minutes.

A few years ago, neon lights inside your car were all the rage. Of course, these lights have a tendency to drain batteries, burn out quickly, and blow fuses. They typically need to be hardwired into place, but the power requirements make them a fairly risky install. With LED interior car lighting, you can get the same clarity and visual effect with significantly less power consumption. LED strip lights still come in a wide variety of colors, they are simply safer and more energy efficient. You will also find that they are durable and quite resistant to the shocks and impacts associated with driving.

When you need a lighting solution that can be functional and stylish, LED interior car lighting is ideal. LEDs are well known for offering a superior clarity in terms of light quality, which has helped make them a top choice for homes, businesses, and even boats and campers. LEDs are a far more energy conscious option, but it is really the superior durability and quality that helps make them a top choice. Finding a solution that is greener and better in every way is surprisingly rare, but LEDs provide exactly that.

LED interior car lighting isn't just about style, it is also about function. When your dome lights or your trunk lights do not work properly, it can be hard to read a map or even to find items inside the vehicle. LED lights are perfect in these and many other locations. You will also find that they can be a great fit for glove compartments and even for the space over the back seat, where the passengers in your car may find that they have minimal visibility even with dome lights turned on.

Taking the time to choose the right lighting for your car can be surprisingly fun. Whether you need functional lights to help you see or stylish lights to give your car a glowing appeal, you will find that there are LED interior car lighting options just for you. We all have unique tastes, and LED lights are as versatile as the people who use them. There is virtually nowhere that these light strips cannot be installed, and when you choose the right colors and sizes for your needs, you can create a stylish look that really brings out the best aspects of your vehicle.

Visit led strip lighting to find out the latest LED linear lighting manufacturing solutions. Kim Zheng is a top author of solid state lighting articles, an expertised Led strip designer, engineer for 5 years in LED-Mate. He conducted broad research and study about how super bright SMD based LED lighting can bring you not only superior high brightness and top quality eco-friendly illuminations, but also provide you cost effective lighting solutions compared to traditional lamps. LED is the next generation lighting, act now to replace your traditional incandescent or fluorescent linear lighting with flexible led strip for lots of benefits at home or business.

Using Autocad to Design Car Stickers

Although there are a number of drawing programs out there. I think Autocad is one of the best for designing car stickers. One of the obvious reasons is that Autocad is a vector program and vector files are required by plotters to cut the sticker.

A vector file is a computer drawing that has been produced by vector. A vector is an engineering term that means a line of force and direction. Because computers are mathematical machines tit is easy for them to create lines and shapes. A raster file is an image file that is made up of a series of dots and these type files such as Photoshop will not work in a plotter.

There are other reasons for using Autocad for your car sticker design it is simply easier to use. There is definitely a learning curve attached to it and it will be impossible to be adept at the whole program in a weekend, but a person probably could get good at some of the elementary commands in a short time.

For drawing car stickers,Autocad is better than some of the other vector drawing programs such as Coreldraw and Illustrator in a number of areas. One of those areas are basic drawing or sketching. It will be possible to duplicate most of what Autocad does in those other programs but it can be a lot more tedious. Autocad does a better job of understanding the artists intent so that when the person using it is doing some editing it is very easy. Autocad can be a lot more precise than the other programs as well, you can tell issue commands with coordinates instead of dragging a shape and then editing it in the other programs.

There is one area where the other programs are better than Autocad and that is anything involving text. Those programs are very creative when it comes to manipulating text. Another area they shine is with color. Autocad can do some very basic things with color but it can't do shadows or gradients and it does not have the palette available that Coreldraw or Illustrator does and certainly does not have the features such as creating a custom palette.

The great thing about Coreldraw is that it imports Autocad files into its drawings effortlessly and this makes for a new way to draw. If you are designing a car sticker that is going to have both text and graphics why not use both programs. Since Autocad is better at drawing lines and shapes, why not do that drawing in Autocad and then when you are done import the file into one of the other programs if you have to do any text or any special effects with color?

Rick has worked with graphics for over twenty years and can give you some more ideas on making bigger impact with less money. Please check out this website.