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You don't really want to know how bad the first Smart was. What counts today is that its replacement--which will be sold by Roger Penske's UnitedAuto Group when it arrives in the States in early 2008--is dynamically superior in almost all respects. It rides well, it holds the road, it maneuvers as if it's controlled by a video-game joystick, and its performance is quite respectable. The U.S.-spec model we drove in Madrid is powered by a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine that produces 70 hp and 68 lb-ft of torque. That's enough to push the 1654-pound featherweight from 0 to 60 mph in about 13 seconds and on to a governed top speed of 90 mph. Smart expects the car to earn EPA combined fuel-economy ratings of about 40 mpg.
Smart significantly increased the ForTwo's trunk space, widened the rear track by 1.2 inches, stretched the wheelbase by more than two inches, and replaced approximately 90 percent of the vehicle's parts. But when you first encounter the 2008 ForTwo in the flesh, you still need to park a 2006 model alongside to spot the differences. The ForTwo has grown some 7.7 inches in length, but its proportions are as gawky as ever: this street-legal Tonka toy is again very tall, very narrow, and very short. In some European cities, it can be parked nose-in, which is a good thing until the day your fellow parkers don't leave enough space for you to open the Smart's extralong doors. Theoretically, two Smarts can share one parking spot, but that scenario rarely occurs in real life.
It doesn't take very long to get used to this hypercompact weasel on wheels. The brakes and the handling benefit from the fatter 155/60TR-15 front tires, and the five-speed semiautomatic transmission shifts much more smoothly than the previous six-speed unit. Potholes, broken pavement, and longitudinal grooves still irritate the car's front end, but unless you encounter merciless crosswinds, the directional stability has improved from frightening to acceptable. Because of its awkward layout (engine in the back, higher than normal center of gravity), the ForTwo doesn't turn in with the same spontaneity as a Mini Cooper or a Volkswagen GTI. It is nonetheless quite chuckable, and it hangs on like a slot car.
The decently equipped coupe will, Smart USA promises, cost less than $15,000, plus destination charges. We would spend a few grand extra on the cabriolet, which has a clever power-operated top that stows away neatly and can be operated at any speed. The first Smarts to land in the United States will be drafted into a six-month-long, forty-four-city tour that'll kick off this May.
Does it make sense for America? If you live in Manhattan, maybe. If you live in Manhattan, Kansas, probably not.
The local luxury segment looks set for interesting days ahead as the LS 460L and GS 300 flaunt their credentials. How will Lexus fare? We find out as we hustle the GS through the valley.
THE feel-good vibes begin at the Lexus Centre in Mutiara Damansara, an upscale enclave of Petaling Jaya. As a new player out to stamp its mark, Toyota’s luxury division is sparing no expense to woo the prospective customer - from the showroom packaging to the attentive service and amenities offered.
The buyer is treated like a king as he partakes of a send-off ritual that Lexus Malaysia puts together. Car and customer are received at a departure “runway” inside the building. Car’s notable features are highlighted, key is handed over and owner slides in. Car and customer are then ushered out sans confetti into a world beyond the Lexus kingdom.
A little theatre that’s all part of the ownership experience of a marque that’s battling in the traditional stronghold of the German titans.
Think Merc E280 or BMW 530i and let loose the mid-sized Lexus GS 300 into the arena.
Lexus GS 300 Since the first Lexus – the LS 400 – was unveiled to the world in 1989, the brand has become synonymous with luxury cars that are meticulously designed and thoroughly smooth.
Doors shut with a satisfying “thunk”; fit and finish are what one would expect from an underdog invading the turf of established players. It has to be better than usual to offer any competitive advantage.
Lexus sees artistry in its design philosophy it calls L-finesse. The concept revolves around key ideas like sculptured styling, subtle contrasts and fluidity, whilst borrowing inspiration from home culture. The curved sweeping belt line in the GS, for instance, is said to confer a slingshot look to the side windows, not unlike Japanese calligraphic strokes.
The svelte one. Elsewhere on the external side, sleek, sculpted lines lend a distinguished air to the four-door saloon as the long hood stretches back, flowing to a coupe-like roofline before ending with a short tail.
Bulging flanks taper into LED lamp clusters that’s the trend even among lower-level operatives nowadays. The xenon headlights are adaptive - predicting where the car will be seconds later and swivelling the headlights in that direction over a 15-degree angle. Twin tailpipes hint of some grunt in the V6 engine.
A hunkered down stance adds a degree of sportiness. But the GS lines are less racier and edgy than its European counterparts.
Boot volume is not the biggest we have seen in cars of this class but the GS 300 looks set to take in two golfbags and then some. The opening is somewhat narrow though.
There’s a whole barrel of technologies at work in the third-generation GS 300.
Dual-zone climate control, rear-view camera, keyless entry, push-button start, high-line audio, six-speed automatic gearbox, touchscreen controls, illuminated entry and white cabin lights are just some features that will bowl over those lapping up the gee-whiz factor. Others who couldn’t be bothered will be glad to know they are not “in your face” until noticed by their operation.
The interior offers a warm and inviting space that is at once modern and elegant.
Front-row seats are ventilated as embedded fans chase away the sweat. Seat ergonomics are faultless as cabin designers make every effort to inject luxurious comfort in both rows.
Touchscreen controls. Light leather trim adds to the impression of airiness. In fact, the interior is best appreciated from the back as the wide expanse of glass heightens the illusion of unbounded space, with adequate room to adjust ‘em legs. Back seats are not as upright as those in the BMW camp, being more laid back and accepting of torsos of varying girths and weightage.
Lexus has made a concerted effort to reduce dashboard clutter with great success through a hidden panel and a central display. Rarely used controls such as the fuel-lid opener, rear window sunshade and headlamp washers are stashed away in a drop-down panel to the right of the steering wheel.
The touchscreen display takes pride of place on the dash and is the gateway to work the air-conditioning, Bluetooth interface and the car’s vital functions. It’s also the point from which to enjoy the 14-speaker Mark Levinson audio system. A six-disc DVD changer plays DVD, CD, and MP3/WMA recorded on CD-R/RW media.
The surround effects from DVD movies were by-golly impressive and it was like being cocooned in a mobile cinema or rather an immobile one as such pleasures can only be enjoyed when the car is at standstill. It’s a safety catch built into the system.
With such an immersive experience, it stands to reason that the person at the helm ought not to be driving if he wants to know how Babel or Gladiator ended. The 330W entertainment system was, according to a reputable installer, “the best OEM system he has come across”.
Keyless entry also means keyless start in the GS 300. The 3-litre V6 engine fires up at a press of the push-start button. It’s smooth and subdued in keeping with its refined ethos. At idle, the noise is hardly noticeable above the air-cond blower at its lowest setting.
Backseat space is plush and ample. The Lexus penchant for smoothness is hard to shake even as the tacho reaches into the upper registers. Hitting 150 is akin to a leisurely cruise by the river. And the engine isn’t wailing yet. That, in a Lexus, is a good thing.
The light, over-assisted steering deprives the hands from feeling the tyre grip or slip. Still, once you get used to the isolation, the rear-wheel-driven GS handles well and body lean in swerving manoeuvres is controlled as the lively engine gets to work, producing up to 228bhp at 6,200rpm. Maximum twist of 300Nm comes in at 4,400rpm.
Getting up to speed is surprisingly brisk for a 1.6-tonner, in part because of the lowly 0.27 drag coefficient, enabling the GS to clock in at 7.5s in the 0-100kph sprint. Top speed on paper is 235kph.
Any jerkiness in gear changes are minimised through a transmission that is linked to the engine management system to momentarily reduce torque.
A stiffer suspension in the latest generation GS for better cornering stability meant a few points knocked off in ride comfort especially so when tyres connect with bumps and potholes.
Yokohama tyres wrapped around 17-inch alloy wheels deliver the grip but road noise tends to seep in at wanton speeds. It’s not disturbingly so, however, as the insulation does a pretty good job of throttling aural disaffection.
Ten airbags line the cabin with knee airbags offering extra protection to the driver and front-seat passenger. Other safety features include a stability system as well as anti-lock brakes with brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution.
It has been 17 years since Lexus leaped into the public consciousness. It took a lot longer for its Euro rivals to achieve their hallowed stature.
Superior seating positions and an elegantly rendered dash make the GS a winner, with a silky smooth engine that many will covet. It will however have to tinker with the formula if driving fun and sexiness are to figure high on the scorecard.
In retrospect, the GS is an amazingly engineered car that is a sobering reminder of Lexus’ determination to rise through the automotive aristocracy.
What needs be said in the end is that it is a very attractive option in the quest for a pampering ride in the RM400,000 bracket.
WHEN they introduced the Mazda 3 sedan and four-door hatchback-cum-wagon in 2003, the Mazda people had a spiel that went something like this: “The kids these days! They want everything! They’re paying 16 grand but they want a mini-Mercedes, so that’s what we have to give them. Even though, back in our day, entry-level cars had cardboard steering wheels, and if you wanted a sunroof you had to wait for a rust hole to form above your head — which usually took only a couple of weeks.”
The basic Mazda 3 really does offer everything you’d reasonably need in a daily driver: tasteful, high-quality interior design and materials; plenty of space; and high-end options like a Bose stereo and a navigation system.
The 3 is based on the same platform as the Volvo S40, and it drives like a more expensive car; quiet and refined on the highway, composed and willing on twisty roads. When people tell me they’ve bought a Mazda 3, I congratulate them heartily.
The stock 3, even with its wimpiest engine, is a car that encourages enthusiastic driving. In fact, a couple of years ago I was banned from the test-drive area at a Mazda Rev It Up autocross event when I got a bit too frisky with a 3 sedan and committed flagrant orange-cone-icide.
So it was with no little glee that I took the keys to a 2007 Mazdaspeed 3, which is not only the most powerful version of the 3, but, with a top speed of more than 150 m.p.h., the fastest car Mazda makes, period.
The Mazdaspeed 3 is built on the hatch/wagon version of the 3’s platform, and retains all the usefulness of that configuration. The visual signifiers of its abilities are subtle — most of the front sheet metal has been reworked to accommodate the breathing and cooling demands of the direct-injection turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, yet there’s no towering hood scoop or Airbus-sourced rear wing. (Yes, I’m talking to you, Mitsubishi Evo and Subaru WRX STi.)
The aesthetic value of the Mazdaspeed 3’s smooth underbody tray will be lost on everyone but the guys in the pit at Jiffy Lube.
The fun bits of this car are all secreted away beneath the conservative skin. The 2.3-liter turbocharged beast that lives between the front wheels puts down 263 horsepower and a fairly insane 280 pound-feet of torque. (For comparison, the uprated motor in regular Mazda 3s makes 156 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque.)
A limited-slip differential helps convert that energy to motion, and 18-inch wheels and low-profile tires, combined with a lower, stiffer suspension, ensure that the chassis can cope with higher cornering speeds.
Inside, you get heavily bolstered Mazda-speed-embroidered seats to hold you in place while you row through the six forward gears of the manual transmission. The finished product is a drastically more capable version of its former self, something like the transition from a BMW 5 Series to an M5.
But most other factory tuner cars — from BMW’s M Works, Mercedes-Benz’s AMG division, Chrysler’s SRT, Audi’s S- and RS, even Subaru’s STi — base their firebreathers on rear-drive or all-wheel-drive chassis.
That is not a coincidence. Putting a lot of horsepower into a front-drive car is like pouring Scotch bonnet pepper sauce on your corn flakes. The result may be exciting, but you’ll surely end up questioning whether it was a good idea.
Here’s what happens when you floor the gas pedal in a Mazdaspeed 3: If you’re steering anywhere except straight, the engine-control electronics withhold the full monty of thrust. Once you’re steering dead ahead, full boost comes on and whacks the front tires with furious vengeance.
New-school turbocharged engines, like BMW’s 3-liter 6, strive to disguise their forced induction with creamy linearity. The mandate is to mimic a larger, naturally aspirated engine so you can’t tell you’re driving a turbo.
The Mazdaspeed 3, on the other hand, is joyful in its turbo-ness, trading driveability for glorious, unadulterated power. When you floor the gas, the little 4-cylinder takes a beat or two to build up some revs, and then the turbo hits so suddenly that the tires start jackhammering the pavement with wheelspin — and that’s with the traction control on.
That’s how quick, and how hard, the power hits: it outruns its own electronics, which would, you’d think, know what to expect. If you nail the takeoff just right, however, 60 m.p.h. can be yours in less than six seconds.
Around town, I developed an unusual driving style with this car. I’d short-shift from first gear directly into third, then let all that torque do the work. A Mazdaspeed 3 lugging in the wrong gear is still fast enough to dice traffic, with the added bonus that you don’t have to worry about frying the front tires as you leave every stoplight.
But you can’t really sample the full potential of the engine until you reach third gear. The car’s passing power verges on silly.
Other than the tricky launch characteristics and some oddly suspect build quality in my car’s center-console area (squeaky cup holder, dead iPod jack and loose shift knob), I have only one other complaint: the exhaust noise.
Mazda saw fit to equip the Mazdaspeed 3 with a sport compact cliché: a tailpipe with the diameter of a sewer main and its attendant droning exhaust note.
Here is a challenge for manufacturers of sporting turbocharged four-cylinders: instead of giving your motor a lot of exhaust noise, how about uncorking the intake noise?
The 4-cylinder exhaust note, you see, is inevitably a flat, unmelodious blat that sounds as if it belongs on a farm coming out of either a tractor or a cow. The sound of a turbocharger, however, is a mechanical symphony. A turbo is essentially a small jet engine, and turbocharged cars with low-restriction intakes make wondrous noises — they whine as the turbo spools, building to the high-r.p.m. scree of a jet on takeoff, culminating with the heady foosh as the waste gate dumps boost when you shift. Why not have a loud intake and a quiet exhaust?
Which would you rather hear, a jet or a cow? (Assuming, of course, that you’re not going with the third option: peace and quiet).
But on the whole, the Mazdaspeed 3 might set the bar in the subjective category of bang for the buck. The base price of the Mazdaspeed 3 Sport is $22,835 and the Grand Touring version is $24,550. My GT test car had only one option, Sirius satellite radio, bringing the total to $24,980.
For that 25 grand, you get xenon headlamps, a seven-speaker Bose sound system, leather-trimmed seats, rain-sensing wipers, a stability control system, automatic climate control and, of course, enough horsepower to scare BMW 328s.
The Mazdaspeed 3 even gets a theoretical 28 m.p.g. on the highway (20 in town), albeit on premium gasoline. If dealers can resist the urge to burden the car with the proverbial $2,000 floor mats, this is one of the biggest bargains in any new-car showroom.
A Volkswagen GTI might be a better everyday car if you don’t care about outright speed, but if you embrace the idea that too much power is just about enough, then the Mazdaspeed 3 is your ride. It’s a poor man’s AMG, a limited-edition in-house tuner car with outrageous power and subtle visual signifiers of its ill intentions.
There aren’t many $25,000 cars that you can truly get excited about driving every time you put the key in the ignition, but this is one of them.
The latest iteration of Jaguar's XKR is a fantastic car to drive, but we've had a few complaints about the quality of some of the car's smaller parts and materials. The Portfolio package aims to remedy some of those issues, and add a bit of performance at the same time, albeit at a price even higher above the XKR's already-hefty window sticker.
From the outside, every XKR Portfolio will look the same. The only paint color available (unless you're in the UK or Switzerland) is celestial black paint, and each will be dressed up with polished aluminum side vents and with twenty-inch Cremona wheels. Behind the front wheels lie six-piston brake calipers badged with a large, red "R" that squeeze down on the biggest brakes in Jaguar history. At 15.7 inches at the front, the XKR Portfolio's discs are 1.7 inches in diameter larger than the regular XKR. Four piston calipers pinch 13.8 inch discs in the rear. The new system was developed at Jaguar's specialist engineering center at the Nürburgring. The XKR's 420 horsepower, 4.2-liter supercharged V-8 is unchanged (does it really need changing?)
Inside the cabin, the Portfolio option brings a new shift knob and door handles, contrast stitching, and leather-trimmed floormats. Two new veneers, engine-spun aluminum and American walnut, are offered. This is also Jaguar's first production application of a Bowers & Wilkins speaker system, following on the heels of a similar system in the C-XF concept car. The 525 watt system uses Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound and Kevlar mid-range speakers designed specifically for the XK's cabin. The XKR Porfolio is available from the end of March 2007.
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The 2007 Ford Focus not only delivers excellent fuel economy, it is also rated as a Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (PZEV).
The Honda Accord and Honda Accord Hybrid (pictured here) are almost equal in fuel mileage and emission levels; however, the hybrid is considerably more expensive.
With global warming becoming widely accepted as fact, even by the likes of Congress, environmental consciousness is moving concerns such as emissions and fuel economy up the criteria list of many new-car buyers. While hybrid prices have come down in recent years, the cost difference between gas-electrics and conventional gasoline-powered vehicles is still the great divide in the hybrid/gasoline debate. But making the green choice does not necessarily mean driving a hybrid. Auto manufacturers have developed a slew of technologies that have elevated the conventional gasoline engine to new heights in efficiency so buyers concerned with the environmental impact can go green on gasoline.
More precise engine control computers and related programming coupled with refinements in injector design that provide more efficient spray patterns empower today's gasoline engines to burn fuel more completely than ever. On the post-combustion side, improvements in catalytic converter technology ensure any byproducts still in the system are thoroughly filtered.
Mission: Emissions The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is not at the forefront of emissions ratings; California provides these benchmarks. Emissions efficiency of motor vehicles is measured at the tailpipe in particulate matter.
But there is also a secondary form of emissions: evaporative emissions that escape into the air in the form of fumes. This kind of emission usually occurs during fill-up at the gas station, but also takes place by way of venting from the fuel tank—vaporization of the fuel when the engine is running and heat soak after the car is parked. Depending on the vehicle, evaporative emissions can rival that of tailpipe emissions on hot days when the evaporation threshold is lowered.
California's Alphabet Soup California's Air Resources Board (CARB) rates its emissions with catchy acronyms while the EPA's rating system uses a zero to ten scale in its "Guide To Green Cars" that allows direct comparisons between different model groups, i.e., compact cars and light trucks. Since California has more stringent emissions criteria and the car companies sell a great deal of cars there, the catchy acronyms get all the attention.
A List of all 2007 PZEV vehicles (non-hybrids)
According to the Golden State, ZEV or Zero Emission Vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions and are 98-percent cleaner than the average new model year vehicle. Only all-electric and fuel-cell vehicles can gain entrance into the ZEV category.
AT-PZEV or Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicles meet SULEV (see below) tailpipe emission standards, carry a 15-year/150,000-mile warranty and have zero evaporative emissions. The Advanced Technology part of the term refers to components such as gas-electric hybrids or compressed natural gas vehicles, but not plain gasoline-powered vehicles.
The best a gasoline-powered car can aspire to is a PZEV or Partial Zero Emission Vehicles rating. Like AT-PZEVs these vehicles also meet SULEV tailpipe emission standards, have a 15-year/150,000-mile warranty and have zero evaporative emissions.
The difference between AT-PZEV and PZEV is PZEVs have no electric or other hybrid drive system. Many PZEV vehicles are sold in the states of California, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont and Maine as standard and required equipment and may be available as an option in bordering states.
SULEV or Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicles operate 90-percent cleaner than the average new model year vehicle. The difference between SULEV and PZEV ratings is the lack of evaporative emissions and warranty requirements.
ULEV or Ultra Low Emission Vehicles are 50-percent cleaner than the average new model year vehicle.
The last of these alphabetical tongue twisters is LEV or Low Emission Vehicles, which represent the lowest emissions standard for all new cars sold in California. Think of it as extra credit for being significantly cleaner than the EPA minimum.
The EPA's new scale shows two points of measurement; an air pollution rating and a greenhouse gas rating. Vehicles in the PZEV category mostly score 9.5 with a few 9s. The same make and model car in below-PZEV trim that are sold in states other than California, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont and Maine score 8s and 9s.
Fuel Economy The second environmental concern for the new-car buyer is fuel economy. The benefits of good fuel economy are the use of less gasoline and saving all the resources that go into creating said gasoline. The owner also pays less money for fuel over the lifetime of the car. Fuel mileage is where the biggest difference between hybrid and gasoline-powered offerings arises.
However, with wildly fluctuating gas prices it can be difficult to put a real price tag on the savings. Since hybrids run on electricity more in the city and gasoline-powered cars are less efficient in slow-and-go city traffic, hybrids show the greatest advantage when city MPG is compared.
By the Numbers Looking at the vehicle comparison, a significant trend jumps into the light—overall value. Cost-wise the average of the top three hybrids checks in at $23,658. Working the same equations with the top three gas-powered cars nets a bottom line of $13,101. The difference of $10,557 really wallops the wallet. (It should be noted that all prices are for the base model vehicle with no optional equipment added.)
So whether mileage or emissions output is the driving force behind the purchase decision the great divide tops $10,000.
From a fuel efficiency standpoint the Toyota Yaris is the standout because it delivers the best city MPG, 40 MPG on the highway (one MPG off the best score), ULEV emissions performance and does it with the lowest price on the road, $11,150.
Focusing in on emissions as the deciding factor, the Ford Focus moves to the top of the chart. It combines a SULEV engine with zero evaporative emissions and delivers 27/37 mileage, the best of the PZEVs, and does so at just over $14,000.
Gasoline Ranked By MPG Vehicle City/Hwy CARB/EPA Emissions Base MSRP Toyota Corolla 32 / 41 ULEV/7 $14,305 Toyota Yaris 34 / 40 ULEV/7 $11,150 Honda Fit 33 / 38 LEV/6 $13,850 Ford Focus 27 / 37 PZEV/9.5 $14,130 Hyundai Elantra 28 / 36 PZEV/9.5 $13,395 Mazda Mazda3 28 / 35 PZEV/9.5 $13,795
The Toyota Prius puts up the best numbers because there are far less compromises in a vehicle designed from conception as a hybrid than in an existing platform that is converted into a hybrid. In some ways examining the gasoline and hybrid versions of the same car under the same microscope better frames the hybrid/gas proposition.
Here we see the big advantage hybrids have in the city, 16 MPG more than the non-hybrid Camry. Those with freeway-dominated commutes will only see a 4 MPG bump. Again emissions is a wash as both vehicles are at the top of the scale. The price difference is $7,730.
The Honda Civic gas-versus-hybrid comparison shows the biggest gap in fuel efficiency and emissions. A PZEV rating is better than 90 percent of all cars while a ULEV rating beats only 50 percent. The price difference is $7,790.
The Bottom Line Gasoline-burning PZEV cars are a cost-effective way to drive clean. How clean? On a smoggy day, or even a not-so-smoggy day, in downtown Los Angeles the emissions coming from a PZEV tailpipe will be cleaner than the air outside. Further, grilling a hamburger on the BBQ would produce more hydrocarbon emissions than a PZEV would on a three-hour trip (180 miles). In fact, PZEVs can burn cleaner than some hybrids when the hybrids' gasoline engine does not meet SULEV standards.
The most prolific PZEV is the Ford Focus with more than 100,000 of the DURATEC 20E-powered cars on the road since 2003. Ford recently began badging PZEV Focuses with a Green Leaf Highway emblem to enhance awareness because, according to Ford, many owners may not realize the environmental significance of their car.
The Catch Geography can be conspiring against eco-conscious buyers. The PZEV's limited availability is not a result of sales volume, marketing or any other political force; it's all about fuel quality. The reformulated fuel available in what's called the California Emission States—California, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont and Maine—make PZEV possible. Take a PZEV to Kansas and the change in fuel quality will knock down its emissions performance. Many PZEVs like the Ford Focus may be available in states bordering the California Emission States but in the case of Ford the 130-hp DURATEC 20E engine is a no-cost option.
How Green For those living on the right side of the tracks the availability of gasoline cars that deliver PZEV emissions performance and outstanding fuel economy make living a green life much more affordable compared to going hybrid. Those without PZEV can still get significant emissions performance, competitive mileage and go easy on the environment while reaping 5-figure cost savings. The key is to be well informed and know what you want before waltzing into the local dealership, be it down the street or in cyber space.
Is it time for you to replace your car’s performance parts? Have you noticed rust around your muffler and tailpipe? If you answered yes to both of these questions, then consider replacing your stock exhaust system with a performance exhaust system. Up front you will pay more, but in the end a performance exhaust system just may be the last one you will ever need to purchase for your car.
The discount performance parts Nengun Performance offer are high quality and only from the most trusted and recognized auto body parts manufacturers. The aftermarket auto parts you buy from Nengun Performance are top quality, durable, and reliable. Browse their user-friendly performance parts online catalog to find the wholesale auto parts you need. Most discount mitsubishi parts orders are shipped within a 48-hour frame from the time the order was made.
Purchase aftermarket performance parts direct from Japan including Apexi, HKS, Greddy, Nismo, Blitz, Spoon, TRD and other JDM brands at wholesale prices.
So, what’s not to love about a performance exhaust system? Not much! Even if you aren’t planning to keep your car forever, the resale value of your vehicle will also increase with a performance exhaust system installed on your car. You win now with more power and better fuel economy and you can win later when it comes time to sell your car. A true win-win situation, don’t you agree?
It's well known that human growth hormone (HGH) is essential for achieving optimal health. Falling HGH levels result in premature aging, loss of lean body mass, lower levels of energy, and a whole host of other aging-related symptoms. But getting a boost in growth hormone should come from natural sources, not drug injections, say an increasing number of doctors and nutritionists. In other words: if you want the anti-aging benefits of HGH, you'll be far better off finding ways to allow your body to create the substance on its own. But how do you do that?
Interestingly, those very same doctors and critics don't think it's ridiculous at all for people to undergo radical surgical procedures, chemotherapy, radiation, and extremely toxic prescription drug therapy in order to extend their lives for a few more months. So there's a great contradiction in the minds of doctors who automatically think that anything they haven't been taught must be quackery; meanwhile, anything they prescribe to patients, no matter how bizarre or barbaric, is scientifically "proven".
Throughout our lives, our pituitary glands naturally make HGH. As the name implies, during childhood, HGH supports our continued growth. Then, even after we reach our full growth potential in adulthood, HGH continues to play an important role in keeping our metabolism efficient. However, as we get older and our bodies stop producing enough HGH, our metabolic rates decrease, leading to fatigue, weight gain, hypertension and the other ailments commonly associated with aging.
The important thing for consumers right now is to make sure that they are buying a product that contains genuine Human Growth Hormone (hgh).
American car manufacturers have long been known for their large, sluggish and beastly SUVs, so it's odd to think that the most "hyped up" American vehicles these days are small, sporty convertibles. First came the Pontiac Solstice, a critically-lauded roadster that was quickly followed up by its mechanical twin, the Saturn Sky. These two drop-top two-seaters showed the world that U.S. car builders did in fact know how to make cars that are small, stylish and enjoyable to drive. Not wanting to let the General be the only name in U.S.-built Miata fighters, Dodge has decided to throw its hat into the small roadster ring. Ladies and gentlemen: may we (and by "we", we mean "Dodge") present the Dodge Demon.
Dodge is doing everything in its power to ensure that the Demon doesn't suffer the same "chick car" stigma that its small "cute" rivals have. The car's name is the most telling sign of this; the words "Sky" and "Solstice" were no doubt chosen to appeal to the "astrology is a real science"-set, and "Miata" just sounds... well... lady-like. No matter how well those cars may perform (and they do perform well), a name like "Miata" just can't sound tough.
If you wanted to project just how manly and virile you are, would you rather be known for driving a "Sky" or a "Ram"? Exactly. Dodge recognizes this, and as such it wants to keep the "manly" image it has cultivated with vehicles like the Ram, Nitro and Viper - hence the name "Demon". Just the name "demon" invokes images of bad-assedness, heavy metal and ladies in chain-mail bikinis. There's just no way in hell (pun not intended) that anyone would think that a vehicle called the Demon is just a mere "chick's" car.
Unlike the graceful lines of roadsters like the Miata and Solstice, the Demon's exterior is about as testosterone-laden as a Miller Lite "Man Law" commercial. The Demon looks like a baby Viper, only with 100-percent more "geometric" shapes, creased lines and Bangle-inspired flame surfacing. We'll be so bold as to say that this new roadster looks tougher (and therefore better) than the V10-powered Viper itself. We can only hope that the next-gen Viper looks this good.
Though technically "just a concept" (as all cool vehicles are), the Demon looks like it could be put into production rather easily. Power for this front engine/rear drive car comes from the four-cylinder Hyundai/Mitsubishi/DCX "World Engine" - rated here at 172 horsepower and 165 lb.-ft. of torque. Gear shifting duties come courtesy of a six-speed manual. Dodge isn't saying what type of suspension this thing has, but the one thing we can be certain of is that the Demon concept's 19-inch wheels wouldn't make it to production. We'd really really like to be wrong about this though...
The Demon's cabin also looks damn-near production-ready. There is nothing exotic or high-tech to be found here; the stereo, dash and gauge binnacle look clean and decidedly average. We should add that by "average" we mean that it doesn't look like the interior of the Starship Enterprise. We love the Demon's interior design - it's just about perfect, if you ask us. That said, it does look like the seats could use a little more side bolstering.
This Demon concept is one of the most exciting concept cars we've seen in a long time. Not only does this concept look insanely fun to drive, it actually looks like it will be put into production. It's like the Demon is "just a concept" in the same way that the Prowler, Viper, Crossfire and PT Cruiser were "just concepts". Of course, the last two small roadster concepts Dodge built - the Razor and the Sling Shot - never made it to production. Will the Demon suffer the same fate as its small open-top predecessors? We certainly hope not.
We'll likely find out more about the Dodge Demon when it makes its world debut at the 2007 Geneva Auto Show. In the meantime, check out our Media Page for more images of Dodge's new roadster.
I was always amazed with wonderful Dress Up Games on The Doll Palace. These guys know how to entertain kids. My kids are spending hours looking at their cartoon dolls and new coloring pages.
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Do you know there's so many types of furniture?
This is a great years for me. After all this years of hardworking now I am able to own my own house. I’ve been working hard all this time just to get my dream house. Me and my wife has never been happier since our baby girl came to our life. At first I thought getting the house is the hardest part, yet now I have to faced a new problems already. Its how should I get the perfect furniture for my house?
We all knew that in this matter, woman always want to be in charge for it. They will be the judged in what to buy and where to put it. It’s funny when my wife and my daughter always argue about where to place the furniture. As for me, sigh! to them I am merely the source of money to buy those things. My wife specifically told me she want a pine furniture for the dining room. I have no idea that it's hard to buy furniture for the house, they seem to know all details about it. Even she told me she want an oak furniture for our bedroom. And here I was thinking that there’s only one types of furniture and that is.....…furniture.
Things are different with my daughter. She want her bedroom furniture to be pink in color. I might as well get her rooms decorate in a powerpuff girls theme. That might be fun right?
This week will be a very tiring and busy for me. With all the shopping, let us put aside all the precious time that will be wasted on window shopping. I miss my bed already.
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