At the end of World War II Ferruccio Lamborghini satisfied his desire for fast cars by running the cars made by Fiat. Mr. Lamborghini himself ran a small machine shop at the time but gradually turned to the manufacture of tractors as the major effort and occupation of his enterprise and efforts. Business went so went with the tractor trade and industrial empire that by the age of 60 Lamborghini turned his attention to his real love - building a car himself. It seemed that Lamborghini thought that with his talents he could design, develop and build a better automotive product that either Maserati or Ferrari.
The chassis was multi-tubular, the front mounted engine a 3.5 liter V12 with four overhead camshafts and six authentic Weber carburetors ; driving through the ubiquitous ZG five speed into a limited-slip rear-end it produced 360 horse power and a coil and wishbone independent suspension meant that all power was indeed usable.
The bodywork was a closed coupe designed by the famous Paolo Dallara and featuring retractable headlamps at the leading edge of the now typical flat curve of the Italian sports car. One must remember that this all occurred in 1963, 20 years before anything built in the U.S. - that is other than the Chevrolet Corvette - featured similarly clean aerodynamic lines.
But the first Lamborghini was a one-off for the men who built tractors, and although he went on to build about 200 of these cars over the next two years; it was by no means accepted as a super car, at the time. Indeed it took until 1965, at the world famous Turin Motor Show, that Lamborghini himself crossed the dividing line between the rich man's toy and the specialist motorcar maker. Originally a Dallara inspired spyder, the Miura T400 which went into production for the coming 1966model year was a mid-engined coupe with a slightly larger, four liter version of the ohc V12 slung transversely behind the two seats, driving the rear wheels by spur gears. This time Lamborghini built his own gearboxes and rear axles, the frame was a box section affair beneath the monococque body. The whole lot, in the end, weighed in at 2700 lbs.
The V12 gave a mighty 385 bhp. Top speed of this little coupe indeed coupe could top even 180 miles per hour and made it one of the fastest road cars ever - certainly enough to place along the best that wore the prancing horse of the neighboring Ferrari factory.
It was no wonder that the Lamborghini Miura was instantly accepted into the super car league and remains to be said to be one of the best looking and most attractive vehicles that Lamborghini ever gave his name to. Certainly the Miura was most uncompromising and might easily have been for designed for endurance racing at Le Mans rather than for road use. It has been said by critics of the marquee that this is reflected in the high levels of cockpit noise created as all the elegant and powerful precision machinery whirred into vibrant life virtually just inches behind the driver's ears, something which is typical of high performance mid-engine sport cars. However fans of thorough bred Italian machinery will state that they would rather listen to this wondrous purr than a cell phone or modern ipod - or even the conversation of their passenger.
Sunday, 26 February 2012
The Ferrari 458 Italia
Over the last decade Ferrari have enjoyed the best ever run of success in the Formula One Grand Prix seasonal races, with the seven times world champion "Michael Schumacher racing with the Scuderia Ferrari Team winning five of his world championship titles at Ferrari.
The Italian sports car manufacturer Ferrari is based in Maranello and was founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari. Since then the famous race team and their race sports cars have been synonymous with the motor racing world and making Ferrari the oldest Grand Prix team in the world. The recent era of Grand Prix racing has lifted the Ferrari Brand and the "Prancing Horse" motor sports car marque to new heights and seen sales of their famous car models rising with their successes.
Ferrari's latest accolade they have scooped this year is the coveted "Performance Car Of The Year" in the World Car Awards (WCA). The annual World Car Awards is a program which is initiated by, organized by, and conducted by automotive journalists from all around the world. So the 458 has had a gatifying nod by the motor industry's journalists as to what the collective feel is the best of the best available year on year.
The Ferrari 458 continues in the tradition of mid-engined V8 sports car models, whose history stretches back to the 1970's, which were truly exotic to wannabe Ferrari owners in their day. This current V8 incarnation in the guise of the 458 has a 4.5 litre power-plant, with 563bhp engine which will be more than enough to get you up to the top speed of 202 mph and the super quick 0-60mph of 3.3 seconds.
Even with its race pedigree and supercar engine the Ferrari 458 will actually potter around town in seventh gear at 30mph! Which is amazing for such a car and not normal for a £160,000 supercar. This is due to the huge torque available in the engine and features like ant-stall.
The Italian sports car manufacturer Ferrari is based in Maranello and was founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari. Since then the famous race team and their race sports cars have been synonymous with the motor racing world and making Ferrari the oldest Grand Prix team in the world. The recent era of Grand Prix racing has lifted the Ferrari Brand and the "Prancing Horse" motor sports car marque to new heights and seen sales of their famous car models rising with their successes.
Ferrari's latest accolade they have scooped this year is the coveted "Performance Car Of The Year" in the World Car Awards (WCA). The annual World Car Awards is a program which is initiated by, organized by, and conducted by automotive journalists from all around the world. So the 458 has had a gatifying nod by the motor industry's journalists as to what the collective feel is the best of the best available year on year.
The Ferrari 458 continues in the tradition of mid-engined V8 sports car models, whose history stretches back to the 1970's, which were truly exotic to wannabe Ferrari owners in their day. This current V8 incarnation in the guise of the 458 has a 4.5 litre power-plant, with 563bhp engine which will be more than enough to get you up to the top speed of 202 mph and the super quick 0-60mph of 3.3 seconds.
Even with its race pedigree and supercar engine the Ferrari 458 will actually potter around town in seventh gear at 30mph! Which is amazing for such a car and not normal for a £160,000 supercar. This is due to the huge torque available in the engine and features like ant-stall.
Saturday, 25 February 2012
Getting the Best Car Rental Deals
Rental Car services can considerably save you time and offer you flexibility and freedom when you are traveling. Getting a good rental car deal can save you money, while meeting your requirements. However, like making decisions regarding a number of other issues, the wrong choice could also cost you greatly. Car rental services also come in handy for other situations apart from when you are traveling, such as for weddings and other occasions. Here are some pointers to help you get favorable car rental deals.
Picking Your Car
The right vehicle is the vehicle that suits your needs and falls within your budget. Will you be traveling with children, friends, gear or equipment? Do you wish to save money on energy consumption rates? Will you be requiring something classy or fast? Most companies offering services related to car rentals offer various cars for various needs. From flashy models, to roomy sedans and even an eco-friendly car, if that is what you require.
Be sure to also consider other factors such as if the car has an automatic or shift gear system. In some countries, shift gear cars are very popular, so you need to sure they have a car you can drive. Other factors worthy of consideration are the extra options you may want the car to have such as a ski rack or a GPS system. Extra options and requirements may cost you a bit more. It always helps to first determine the type of car that suits your needs and taste before trying to get a good car deal.
Book the Car
Now that you know the type of car you need, you would need to make a booking in advance to make it easier for you. The internet makes this quite easy to get good rental car deals. Here again, the right choice is based on certain factors. For example, how long will you need the car? If you require the car for a short duration, like below a week, you can get a good rental car deal from major rental companies. Some major rental service providers include Avis, Alamo, Dollar, Budget, Enterprise, Thrifty, National or Hertz.
If you will need the car for a longer period, then you may get better car rental deals from local rental companies or car dealers. Take note that local rental companies and auto dealers may have limited insurance cover. When deciding on which provider to rent a car from it is advised to shop around. Compare rates, services and deals. Websites such as Kayak and Travelocity are useful to help compare rates.
Take Advantage of Promotional Codes
Many major car rental companies offer promotional codes for discounts rates. You can do a search online before booking for a car. Simply search using the name of the rental company plus the term "coupon codes". Coupon codes help you get a better car rental deal as they could save you as much as 5 to 20 %.
Better Deals for Regular Users
If you are regularly in need for car to rent, it may help you to ask for discounts from major national rental organizations. Some companies offer discounts and negotiated rates for frequent renters. You can also join a car rental frequent loyalty program for better car rental deals.
Picking Your Car
The right vehicle is the vehicle that suits your needs and falls within your budget. Will you be traveling with children, friends, gear or equipment? Do you wish to save money on energy consumption rates? Will you be requiring something classy or fast? Most companies offering services related to car rentals offer various cars for various needs. From flashy models, to roomy sedans and even an eco-friendly car, if that is what you require.
Be sure to also consider other factors such as if the car has an automatic or shift gear system. In some countries, shift gear cars are very popular, so you need to sure they have a car you can drive. Other factors worthy of consideration are the extra options you may want the car to have such as a ski rack or a GPS system. Extra options and requirements may cost you a bit more. It always helps to first determine the type of car that suits your needs and taste before trying to get a good car deal.
Book the Car
Now that you know the type of car you need, you would need to make a booking in advance to make it easier for you. The internet makes this quite easy to get good rental car deals. Here again, the right choice is based on certain factors. For example, how long will you need the car? If you require the car for a short duration, like below a week, you can get a good rental car deal from major rental companies. Some major rental service providers include Avis, Alamo, Dollar, Budget, Enterprise, Thrifty, National or Hertz.
If you will need the car for a longer period, then you may get better car rental deals from local rental companies or car dealers. Take note that local rental companies and auto dealers may have limited insurance cover. When deciding on which provider to rent a car from it is advised to shop around. Compare rates, services and deals. Websites such as Kayak and Travelocity are useful to help compare rates.
Take Advantage of Promotional Codes
Many major car rental companies offer promotional codes for discounts rates. You can do a search online before booking for a car. Simply search using the name of the rental company plus the term "coupon codes". Coupon codes help you get a better car rental deal as they could save you as much as 5 to 20 %.
Better Deals for Regular Users
If you are regularly in need for car to rent, it may help you to ask for discounts from major national rental organizations. Some companies offer discounts and negotiated rates for frequent renters. You can also join a car rental frequent loyalty program for better car rental deals.
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