Auto car world

Celebrity Cars

2011-05-24T09:23:00.000-07:00

Celebrity Cars are just like any other car except a Celebrity is driving! You night think this sounds crazy but attaching a celebrity's name to a car can do wonders. At auctions such as Barrett Jackson, Celebrity Cars can fetch premiums of $10,000 - $50,000 above and beyond the market price of the car just because of celebrity ownership.
So what cars are most celebrities driving? Well, Mercedes and Range Rovers are often piloted by celebrities but we also see Lexus and Bentley becoming popular Celebrity Cars in the recent years. On the high end of things Aston Martin, Ferrari and Rolls Royce have also carved their area out in the Celebrity Cars market and have been attracting the likes of Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, Ashton Kutcher, 50 Cent, and Jay-Z just to name a few.
So sit back and enjoy some images that we've selected to show off the distinct nature of these famous celebrity cars.
Britney Spears choice for her Celebrity Cars is the Maserati Gran Turismo.

Lindsay Lohan getting out of her Porsche 911 Cabriolet. A nice choice for her Celebrity Cars!

Ashton Kutcher in his Ferrari California. How about that for a Celebrity Car.

Zac Efron picked this Audi S5 for his new ride. Pretty popular celebrity car these days.

This is easily one of my favorite celebrity cars of all time. Here Paul Walker is seen leaning on his Nissan Skyline GTR that he actually owns and used in the movie Fast and Furious.

Check out Kim Kardashian and her sick black Bentley! Bentleys seem to be well liked as celebrity cars.

50 Cent with his custom Lamborghini Murcielago by Unique Whips who do lots of celebrity cars.

Alessandra Ambrosio looks great getting out of her Range Rover! Is the one of the most popular celebrity cars?

Even though Amy Winehouse prefers the grungy look, she still likes to ride in style. Sometimes even we get surprised by celebrity cars.

The ex Governor of California and Action movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger just got a sick new Bentley Supersports convertable. This is one of the celebrity cars we are most jealous of.

Say what you want about Birdman but this will probably be the most driven Veyron in history. This is one of the sickest celebrity cars out there.

I don't know if I have ever seen a photo of Brad Pitt driving a car. He seems to only be interested in motorcycles. I guess motorcycles are the new celebrity cars.

Celebrity Cars aren't always super expensive. Bradley Cooper rocks this fuel efficient Toyota Prius.

Whats up with crazy celebrity cars these days? Look at Chris Brown's jet fighter looking Lamborghini Gallardo.

A Mercedes Benz seems to one of the most popular celebrity cars. Even James Bond himself, Daniel Craig, drives one!

Out of all the celebrity cars, the Cadillac Escalade has to be the most common. Denise Richards has no problem getting around in hers.

Celebrity cars come in all makes and models but in this case Gerard Butler is driving a sleek BMW Z8

Not all celebrity cars are run of the mill Mercedes, Audis or even Ferraris. Apparently Greta Butler rolls in the Bat Mobile!

One of the surprisingly more uncommon celebrity cars is the Ferrari California. "Actress" Heidi Montag of The Hills though drives one around town.

This Ford Galaxy is one of the most fitting celebrity cars I have seen. Doesn't Hugh Laurie of house look so natural in it?

Jason Statham always has the coolest of the celebrity cars. Check out this super sick Aston Martin Volante that he drives around on a daily basis.

Jay-Z knows how to pick some of the best celebrity cars. Check out this Maybach he was seen leaving.

I think the Bentley is one of the most common choices for celebrity cars because of how comfortable the ride is and the status the brand represents. Jennifer Love Hewitt obvious loves hers!

Kanye West has been seen in many cars including this Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Don't sometimes wish celebrity cars were more creative?

This has to be one interesting celebrity cars ever. Seeing Kim Kardashian driving the super limited Lamborghini Reventon would be quite the sight.

This is a surprising choice in celebrity cars. As out there as Lady Gaga is, I am surprised she drives around in something as simple as a Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Lets get more creative with the celebrity cars people. Lindsay Lohan has plenty of money, she can afford something cooler than a Mercedes Benz SL550.

Now here is a responsible choice in celebrity cars. Matt Damon is seen here driving his 100% electric Tesla roadster.

Check out Michael C Hall adding some air to his Audi S4. This is one of my favorite celebrity cars so far and it's cool to see a celebrity doing the work themselves!

Most of the photos of celebrity cars so far have the star trying to get out of the shot but here Mily Cyrus is happy to pose with her Mercedes Benz SL550

Nick Mason may have one of the best celebrity cars collections of all time. Along with this Ferrari 458, he has some priceless vintage Ferrari race cars worth millions that he still races!

What is it about the Mercedes-Benz S-Class that makes it the most popular of celebrity cars? Nicole Richie, like many other celebs, chose this black Mercedes-Benz as her ride of choice.

Whats up with P-Diddy driving an older model Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder? Aren't celebrity cars usually the latest and greatest model?

OUCH! I wish stars were nicer to celebrity cars. Look at Pierce Brosnan aka James Bond scratching the front lip on his beautiful Aston Martin Vanquish.

What is the most common of celebrity cars? It has to be the Mercedes Benz S-Class. Check out the all black wearing Reese Witherspoon getting into hers.

Apparently the new must have whip for successful rappers like Rick Ross these days is the million dollar Bugatti Veyron. Since when did celebrity cars get so expensive?

Man why are stars to careless with their celebrity cars? Here you can see Simon Cowell of American Idol leaving his million dollar Bugatti Veyron for a valet to drive! Would you ever do that?

There goes the neighborhood. Can you believe The Situation of The Jersey Shore can afford a Ferrari F430 Spyder, one of the most expensive celebrity cars?

This may be one of the more classy celebrity cars I have seen. Check out Tyrese Gibson of Fast and the Furious with his Maserati Gran Turismo.

Check out Verne Troyer's custom Mercedes Benz CLK that has been customized to accommodate him. This isn't modified like most celebrity cars but is still very cool.

source: celebritycarz.com

Volkswagen to produce a range of plug-ins in 2013

2011-05-06T20:30:00.000-07:00

Volkswagen jumped on the plug-in bandwagon and will produce a range of plug-in hybrid vehicles starting in 2013. Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn made the announcement at the Vienna Motor Symposium this week, but he didn't specify which vehicles will get the plug-in power-train.

"The plug-in hybrid offers precisely what many customers expect: unlimited internal combustion engine performance combined with attractive electric mobility ranges in everyday driving," Winterkorn said. The company acknowledges that electric vehicles will play a large role in the automotive future, but finds plug-ins to be a happy medium until infrastructure, technology, and consumers make pure EVs a viable option.

Earlier this year, the German auto manufacturer debuted the XL1 concept plug-in car at an auto show in Qatar. Based on the L1 concept, the gullwinged tandem two-seater has a carbon fiber chassis and is powered by a 48-horsepower two-cylinder TDI engine and an electric motor that produces 27 hp. The lightweight aerodynamic vehicle reportedly achieves up to 260 mpg.

VW will begin limited series production of 100 XL1s in 2013, said Winterkorn in an interview with Automotive New Europe. Germany will be the first country to receive the XL1, followed by the U.S. and China at a later date.
Source: cnet.com

How to Fix a Leaking Roof Rack

2011-05-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

A leaking roof rack will cause damage to the interior of your vehicle. Over time, a leak will ruin the head liner, carpets, and seats. Fix a leak in the roof of a vehicle immediately after you notice itto avoid permanent damage. Holes drilled for mounting a roof rack should be waterproofed to prevent or fix a leak.Automobile adhesives and sealants are made for waterproofing and securing bolt and screw holes typical in a roof rack installation.

1. Remove all mounting hardware, including bolts and screws, from the cross-rails and stanchions, using a ratchet and screwdriver. Place all hardware in a can or bucket so you don't lose the pieces. Having the assembly instructions on hand will help with this process.

2. Wrap each bolt and screw with thread seal tape. This tape makes the bolts thicker while keeping the exact thread pattern of the hardware. Do not overwrap the threads or use tape that's damaged and wrinkled.

3. Clean the roof to remove dust and debris, using a rag. Dirt and grit will prevent a good seal on the mounting hardware.

4. Place a small amount of clear automotive silicone sealant on top of each mounting hole on the roof. A dime-size dollop or less will provide adequate waterproofing.

5. Replace the mounting brackets, and stanchions. Apply a bead of clear sealant to the underside of each bolt and screw head.

6. Place the bolts or screws in the proper holes and tighten them until they are hand-tight. To tighten all bolts and screws, turn them clockwise. Do not overtighten as this will damage the threads.

7. Reinstall the cross-rails, following the manufacturer's installation instructions.

Source: ehow.com

Justin Bieber drives Ferrari F430

2011-05-06T20:16:00.000-07:00

I don't know about his singing, but Justin Bieber's flat black Ferrari F430 is just badass!

Source: celebuzz.com

2011 Ferrari FF

2011-05-06T19:57:00.000-07:00

Source: youtube.com

REVIEWS: First Drive: Mosler Photon

2011-05-06T19:49:00.000-07:00

Hovering one notch above Lamborghini and Ferrari on the automotive specialness chart is a gaggle of companies whose exotic names could just as easily be typos. Koenigsegg. Pagani. Gumpert. Spyker. Donkervoort. They come from faraway places like Sweden, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands and produce all-conquering, supercar-slaying hyperexotics that generate far more horsepower, carbon dioxide, and attention than they do sales.

Concerned with show as much as they are with go, hyperexotics are a braggart's dream come true, and they act as high-octane patriotic fuel for their country of origin. So who's representing the good ol' U.S. of A.? Well, there's SSC, which likely infuriated half of Germany and France when its Ultimate Aero proved even faster than the world-champ Bugatti Veyron. And then there's Mosler -- the other American supercar company without a crazy, unpronounceable name. If you don't recognize the Mosler moniker, it might be because some of their past products weren't exactly sexy. The Consulier was a visual train wreck, and the twin-engine, long-wheelbase Cadillac Eldorado, as cool as it was, was also pretty. Pretty flippin' ugly, that is.

When you hear the name Mosler, you should instead immediately think of the MT900S, the supercar that the company began selling here at the end of 2006. The MT900S is indeed quite nice to look at, but this car's ace in the hole lies hidden on a spreadsheet. Buried in the specifications for the track-focused but street-legal variant of the MT900S, the Photon, is one astonishing measurement: its curb weight is a scant 2394 pounds. This is a car as long as a Toyota Camry and as wide as a 4Runner, but it weighs about 50 pounds less than a Mazda Miata -- and that's despite having a 7.0-liter V-8 engine.

While mainstream exoticar makers (now there's an oxymoron!) like Lamborghini are just now starting to get serious about lightweight construction methods, Mosler has been quietly building featherweight monsters crafted from carbon fiber and Kevlar for years. This kind of cutting-edge engineering isn't what you'd normally expect from a tiny, low-volume manufacturer from Florida, but it's the result of founder Warren Mosler's clear mission: to build amazing cars, not to sell them. Mosler doesn't seem to care if people buy his cars. "I want to do something great because I can," he says. "If we sell some, great. There will be some happy owners." And during a recent visit to Palm Beach International Raceway, Mosler Automotive made sure there was at least one happy journalist.

Director of engineering J. Todd Wagner surprised us by showing up and handing over the keys to a $394,500 Photon. At the time, we knew basically nothing about the car. As we were strapping ourselves in, every eye in the paddock was on the orange thing with the exhaust note so violent it could set off air-raid alarms. Wagner yelled over the exhaust, rattling off a ludicrous horsepower number (550), that ridiculous curb weight, and explaining that the Photon -- which has a custom Hewland sequential-manual racing gearbox -- uses a flywheel with about as much rotational inertia as a spinning, dying housefly. It'll stall if you look at it sideways. No pressure.

Having never once been around PBIR's track, and not even knowing if the Photon had antilock brakes (it doesn't, we would learn), we begged for a pace car. When a volunteer stepped forward, he hopped into his track-prepped Porsche 911 GT3 on slicks. When we were told that he was the local Porsche club's fastest instructor, we asked him to take it easy.

He didn't bother -- and we're glad he didn't. The Mosler's vast, curved windshield provided a first-class, front-row view of the rear-engine Porsche scrambling its way around corners, oversteering, understeering, and countersteering. The Photon followed along happily, nowhere near its limits, with a big-block scream from the General Motors LS7 easily drowning out the 911's flat-six wail -- but only for a second at a time. Any longer wide-open-throttle blasts and the Porsche would have had a whole car shoved up its engine-filled arse. In steady-state corners, the Photon might understeer and its steering might not transmit much information about what the front tires are doing, but at the g-forces it generates, your author's spinal cord wasn't transmitting much useful information, either.

We had time for only a few laps, but the Photon's speed, cornering, and composure is dramatic. The Photon is clearly more than a big engine strapped into a light car -- indeed, a decade-long relationship with Siemens has given Mosler access to supercomputers for seriously advanced engineering. Mosler has just announced a new partnership with Santa Fe Digital Media that will allow it to perform computational fluid dynamics and structural engineering on an ORCA supercomputer capable of five petaflops. That's computer-geek-speak for five quadrillion calculations per second -- or the computing power of something like a billion and a half iPhone 4s.

"Just wait until you see the 2012 Raptor," says a giddy Wagner. "It's going to blow your mind. It gets a massive injection of sex appeal -- in fact, I designed the nose after the face of the most beautiful, exotic woman I've ever seen. The powerplant adds another level of exotic to the surface, featuring twin Garrett turbos as an integral part of the exterior design. With 100 more horses and weighing 500 pounds less [than the Photon], the Raptor is going to whip the Pagani Huayra. And with the turbos just inches from the atmosphere, it sounds like you're driving a fighter jet."

And here we were, not even done being excited about the Photon yet. Stay tuned.

What (and who) is Mosler?

You know the adage about joining them if you can't beat them? In Warren Mosler's case, his defeated -- and disgruntled -- rivals got together to ban him instead.

Mosler got started in racing with his Consulier GTP. In 1991, after successes in SCCA club racing, Mosler moved up to the professional ranks. In the inaugural race of the IMSA Supercar series, Consuliers finished first and fourth. But IMSA didn't want to see such a weirdly angular (read: incredibly ugly) car embarrassing exotic Porsche 911 Turbos and Lotus Esprits, and weight penalties eventually rendered the car uncompetitive.

A radically reworked Consulier called the Intruder won the One Lap of America in 1996, and a rebodied version dubbed the Raptor prevailed in 1997 before being "absent by popular demand," in the felicitous phrasing of Car and Driver's Tony Swan, the following year. After a Raptor won again in 1999, it was "disinvited"-car scribe Dan Neil's description-by race organizer Brock Yates. Starting to see a trend here?

The lightning-quick carbon-fiber MT900R qualified on the class pole for the 24 Hours of Daytona three consecutive years and scored a GTS win in 2003. The reward for this achievement? The car was essentially banned by Grand-Am, and it no longer races in the United States. But the MT900R and the MT900GT3 continue to win GT races and championships in Europe, Asia, and Australia. Ironically, the chassis of these all-American cars are assembled at Rollcentre Racing in England. At last report, no fewer than twenty-five cars were being campaigned worldwide.

-- Preston Lerner
Source: Automobile Magazine

2011 Edo Competition Mercedes-Benz SLR Black Arrow

2011-05-06T19:38:00.000-07:00

It’s a Mercedes. It’s a McLaren. What more can you ask from the mobile gods? Thanks to Edo Competition we are now graced by the existence of this magnificent supercar. It’s got style, power and speed. It will surely etch a mark not just on racing tracks, but in car history as well.

The 2011 Edo Competition Mercedes-Benz SLR Black Arrow was modeled after the McLaren SLR Coupe and the 2006 Mercedes-Benz SLR 722 Edition. The components are coated with durable carbon fiber. The seats and steering wheel are covered with Alcantara skins. The interior is further decorated with with a custom info-tainment system complete with GPS, phone, iPod dock, mini-TV and camera. The car also comes with a new high-performance exhaust system made from stainless steel.

The car’s engine is as wicked awesome as its black-on-black appearance. The supercharged V8 engine installed on the 2011 Edo Competition Mercedes-Benz SLR Black Arrow gives it a staggering 722 horsepower. With this baby, the car can accelerate from 0 km/h to 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds. Its maximum speed is limited to 345 km/h.

The car has yet to be officially launched in the market. But with hype surrounding its predecessor, the 2011 Edo Competition Mercedes-Benz SLR Black Arrow is another sure fire hit waiting to happen.

Source: thesupercars.org

Simon Cowell and his Bugatti Veyron

2011-03-30T02:01:00.000-07:00

Simon Cowell was spotted valeting his Bugatti Veyron in Beverly Hills over the weekend. Even if you hate the guy it's pretty hard to say you don't like his taste in cars!

Source: celebritycarsblog.com

5 Auto Repairs You Don't Need

2011-03-30T01:56:00.000-07:00

There's a sucker born every minute, and possibly a new automotive related scam to go along with it. Everything from fuel line magnets to tornado air intake systems to protoplasmic generators have been pushed upon the hapless driving public at large since the birth of the automobile. Henry Ford himself became rich, but also enabled thousands of others to do the same selling worthless car products. For anyone other than an engineer or automotive mechanic, a vehicle is an inherently complex machine that's full of mysterious parts and systems. Let's walk through a few common types of auto repair that you probably don't need on your car.

-Gas Savers:

Unfortunately, scientists have actually NOT discovered a secret device that will save you hundreds of dollars in gas every year. This is one of the areas that not only will offer zero benefit, it may actually cause gas mileage to become WORSE. Magnetic devices actually have no ability to re-arrange gas molecules into a more combustible substance. Tornado vortex air intake systems that mix gas into a powerful cyclone also offer nothing. Due to increasingly stringent government regulations, vehicle manufacturers spend millions of dollars in research every year to improve fuel economy. If sticking a 25 cent fridge magnet to your fuel line actually worked, they would have been installed on every car years ago. If you're really interested in substantially increasing your fuel economy, Google search the term "Hypermiling" for legitimate ways.

- Oil Additives

Many people may remember a popular infomercial from the 1990's touting the benefits of a product called 'Prolong'. Among the highlights of this infomercial was a vehicle being driven around Los Angeles with (supposedly) no motor oil in the engine. Many oil additive products will make similar claims or boasts to extreme performance. Although some motor oil additives do offer a small performance increase, most are nothing more than glorified motor oil. Changing your oil as recommended by the manufacturer will keep your engine working perfectly with no need for expensive additives.

-Engine Flushes

A popular upsell at drive-thru oil change facilities. After opening the hood and doing the initial inspection they claim that the engine is full of sludge and deposits that they can see built up underneath the oil cap. They inform you that it can be fixed while you wait, for only $89.95. Unfortunately, these products often cause more harm than good. The can of quick engine flush is actually a strong solvent that sometimes loosens large chunks of engine gunk that can clog critical internal engine orifices. Even if the engine hasn't had frequent oil changes, it's better to stay away from flushes.

-Fuel Injection Cleaning

An expensive service often sold at the dealership level. Although this service can sometimes be helpful for dirty fuel injectors that are causing the engine to run poorly, it's best to skip it if the engine is running OK. Many dealerships tout this as something that needs to be performed annually, often at a cost of hundreds of dollars. Save yourself the money and pour a bottle of $5 fuel system cleaner in the tank once a year.

-Transmission Flushes

Modern transmissions are filled with hundreds of small components, sensors, and orifices. Running transmission fluid at abnormal pressure levels through the transmission to "clean it out" can actually cause more harm than good. It's important for the inside of the transmission to stay clean to perform correctly, but it's better to keep it that way by making sure to change the transmission fluid every few years. Also, many transmission flush machines use a "one brand fits all" generic transmission fluid that may not perform up to manufacturers specifications. When it comes to auto repairs, choose wisely!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5347147

How to Choose Brake Pads

2011-03-30T01:52:00.000-07:00

Let’s face it: the brake pad is arguably the most important safety feature of your car. The brake pad rubbing against the brake rotor is what provides the friction that slows your car to a stop. Most often nobody ever gives them a second thought unless the car isn’t stopping well or some sort of crazy noise is happening when stopping the vehicle. The type of materials that the brake pad is formulated from will directly affect stopping distance, rate of wear, noise level, and how much dust is created. It will also directly determine how often you will need to take your vehicle in for auto repair.

Lets look at each type of brake pad materials in depth:
Asbestos Brake Pads: The original brake pad material, due to asbestos ability to resist heat and making noise. Unfortunately, asbestos causes health issues (namely a form of lung cancer called mesotheliomia) and has been mostly fazed out over the last 30 years. Keep in mind though, brake pads containing asbestos are NOT banned in the US. Some brake pads still contain asbestos, so treat ALL brake dust with caution. Some brake manufacturers still sell brake pads made with asbestos, and the box will usually be labeled accordingly. Just remember, there are no labeling laws or restrictions.
Organic Brake Pads: Made from organic materials such as glass, rubber, resins, and Kevlar. Low to moderately priced. Often softer than other brake pad materials which provides a quieter stop. Because of the softer material, these brake pads often wear faster and create higher amounts of brake dust. The materials that these are made of are more benign and don’t pollute the environment as much as other brake pads. Because of the design, organic pads aren’t suitable for heavier vehicles like trucks or high performance vehicles. Best suited for smaller vehicles that are driven modestly.
Semi-Metallic Brake Pads: The most common type of brake pad found on vehicles sold in the US. Made of materials blended with small strands of metal, hence the name. Low to moderately priced. High durability - lasts longer than organic pads. Since metal is highly conductive of heat, the metal strands in the brake pad help pull heat away from the brake rotor and fiction surface, helping to keep the rotor from overheating. Unfortunately, because of the metal particles, the pad can wear away at the brake rotor more quickly than other types. Not the best choice for high performance vehicles, but suitable for most passenger cars and OK for heavier vehicles such as trucks.
Ceramic Brake Pads: Good braking performance, wears well, and lightweight. Increasingly found on new cars sold in the US. So what's not to love? These pads are often expensive. Made from ceramic fibers with small amounts of metal filler. Good at dissipating heat even after repeated hard stops. Produces less dust so you don’t have as much wheel staining. Good for high performance cars that require frequent hard stops. However, for most drivers, the performance of ceramic brake pads isn’t worth the extra cost.
Summary: Regular brake pads will offer a sufficient compromise between stopping performance, brake dust, and noise for most drivers. Spending over a $100 on a set of brake pads for a family sedan is probably a waste of money on needless auto repairs.
Source:car-repaironline.com