How exciting, you are buying your first car. Now reality hits, as this is a big purchase and there are so many cars for sale. How on earth are you going to choose one? It really couldn’t be easier as there is such a choice of car dealers and car supermarkets available today. The internet is also a great resource and is full of car review sites such as Cars for sale Ireland and Car Ads.
First of all you need to put your sensible head on and decide how much you can afford. Popping down to the car shop isn’t quite the same as popping to the sweet shop. Buying a car takes a little more thought. The initial outlay may be fine but you also need to consider the running costs, such as any car repairs that may crop up, the regular MOT test, servicing costs etc.
Think about what type of car you need and what you are going to use it for. Do your research, look at reviews, speak to other owners to see what they think before you even set a foot in a dealership’s sales room. Having this background knowledge will help with any questions you may wish to ask and any negotiating you may wish to do.
Now you need to decide where you want to look for your car. There is always the Merlin option, the car auction of this world, where you will find hundreds of cars to choose from. Or you could go down the dealership route with their plush car sales rooms and knowledgeable sales team. Whichever option you go for, you are certain to find a car that suits your needs.
Once you’ve taken the plunge and made a decision to buy, your next step is to choose the best financing option for you. There are various options available, from paying outright, hire purchase schemes or car loans. It really depends on your financial circumstances and how you wish to pay for your car.
Showing posts with label first. Show all posts
Showing posts with label first. Show all posts
Monday, October 14, 2013
First Fisker Karma to be Delivered to Leo Di Caprio
The company says it has already received 3,000 pre-orders with the waiting list reaching until early 2012. Other famous customers for the $100,000 hybrid sports sedan are former US Vice President Al Gore and former National Security Advisor and Secretary of State Colin Powell.
The Karma is the work of former Aston Martin designer Henrik Fisker, who founded his own company.
It is built around a spaceframe chassis made of aluminium and it features a battery pack placed in the middle and two electric motors at the back, as well as a gasoline 260HP 2.0-liter turbo four up front which acts as a generator for the battery when it needs charging.
Production of the Karma has started at Valmet’s plant in Finland, at an initial rate of just five cars per week. This rate will rise to 300 cars per week in November, and Henrik Fisker estimates that his company’s customers “are split 50:50 between early-adopting car enthusiasts and total non-car enthusiasts who just like that we are bringing something totally new to the market”.
Fisker plans to add to Karma’s range a convertible and a shooting brake model. The latter may be unveiled as early as this fall at the Frankfurt Motor Show. If everything goes according to plan, Fisker will also launch a smaller, more affordable hybrid BMW 3-series rival, currently code-named “Project Nina”.
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Wednesday, October 9, 2013
McLaren P1 Supercar First Specs And Live Photos
We’ve seen the studio shots and guessed at all the specs, but here is the McLaren P1 supercar in all its glory, these photos coming direct from its debut just moments ago at the 2012 Paris Auto Show. This is the first auto show appearance for McLaren, the automaker, and we can’t think of a better car with which to highlight its debut.
McLaren P1
McLaren P1
McLaren P1
McLaren P1
McLaren P1
McLaren P1
McLaren P1
McLaren P1
McLaren P1
McLaren makes no secret of its primary design goal for the P1: for it to be the best driver’s car in the world--both on the road and track. Note, this means that the P1 won’t be challenging the Bugatti Veyron for the production car land speed record, but it could potentially be the world’s fastest accelerating car money can buy.
Right now, many of the car’s specifications are being kept secret. In fact, the P1 on display in Paris isn’t actually the final production version, but a concept. We hope you like the styling, however, as a leaked patent drawing as well as comments from company insiders suggest the production version will look very similar to the concept you see here today.
The McLaren P1 leverages five decades of McLaren’s motorsport skills, including inspiration from the legendary F1 supercar it will soon succeed. It was designed from the outset to prioritize aerodynamic performance and thus has spent many hours in a wind tunnel and using CFD (computational fluid dynamics) aerodynamic modeling--just like in Formula 1 racing.
So what has that achieved? Well, McLaren boasts the P1 develops in excess of 1,320 pounds of downforce before reaching its top speed, and its frontal area is smaller than any other supercar on the market. Its coefficient of drag is 0.34, which is very low considering the enormous levels of downforce.
We still don’t have the details on the powertrain, but McLaren is adamant each horsepower the P1 generates will only have to carry around 3.7 pounds or less. By comparison, each of the Bugatti Veyron’s horses have to carry around 4.5 pounds.
How the P1 will generate its power remains a mystery, though the smart money is on McLaren using an uprated version of its twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter engine found in the MP4-12C. A KERS hybrid is also expected, helping to give the car an additional boost when required. Combined output could end up being 800 horsepower or more.
As for the design, it’s strictly shaped by aerodynamics. Every panel, air intake, and air exhaust was designed to guide in air from the most efficient places and to maximize cooling.
A large rear wing is also fitted and adjusts automatically to boost downforce and optimize aerodynamics. It can extend rearwards by up to 300 millimeters on a race track, and by up to 120 millimeters on the road. The pitch of the rear wing can increase by up to 29 degrees. The double element rear wing profile has been developed using exactly the same methods and software as the current McLaren F1 car.
The McLaren P1 also has a DRS (drag reduction system) function, like an F1 car, to reduce downforce and increase straight line speed. But while a F1 racer’s has a moveable flap in the rear wing, the McLaren P1’s rear wing’s pitch is adjusted.
In addition to the adjustable rear wing, the McLaren P1’s aerodynamic performance is optimized using two flaps mounted under the body ahead of the front wheels. These are also actively controlled, and change angle automatically to optimize performance, boosting downforce and aero efficiency, increasing both speed and driver confidence. The flaps operate through a range of 0-60 degrees.
The final tidbit of information, the P1 gets a new MonoCage structure that uses the carbon fiber monocoque and roof structure to form a strong safety cage. The structure of the MonoCage, unlike the 12C’s MonoCell, also serves to guide air into the engine through an integral roof snorkel and air intake ducts, saving further weight. All the body panels are carbon fiber to reduce weight.
Speaking at today’s unveiling, McLaren chairman Ron Dennis said, “The McLaren P1 will be the result of 50 years of racing and road car heritage. Twenty years ago we raised the supercar performance bar with the McLaren F1 and our goal with the McLaren P1 is to redefine it once again.”
Sales of the P1 commence in the next 12 months. Were likely to see a reveal of the production version in the near future, most likely at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show next March. Its launch will coincide with McLarens 50th anniversary.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
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