Tune Up your Car Insurance as Well as your Car

If you’re a motoring enthusiast, a new piece of kit for your much-loved vehicle is difficult to resist – however, unless you’re careful it could invalidate your car insurance claims.

In January this year, Ford’s RS tuning firm announced it had teamed up with Mountune Performance to offer two new exciting pieces of kit for the Fiesta ST.

The Stage 1 kit (priced at £1,435 plus fitting) includes an engine tweak to produce 162bhp, a new air-induction and exhaust. Stage 2 meanwhile (priced at £1,838 plus fitting) includes the same upgrades but takes the power to 182bhp and includes new camshafts and valve springs.

The only downside is that on top of the price for the kit, these optional extras could bump up the price of your car insurance.

Your chances of gaining cheap car insurance if your car has ‘go-faster stripes’ are greatly reduced because insurers look unfavourably on vehicle modifications seeing them as a hallmark of ‘boy racers’ rather than safe and considerate drivers.

The solution is not to keep your insurer out of the loop, either. If you’ve made a modification to your car and not informed your insurer, then, should an accident occur, your claim could be invalidated.

Insurers demand honesty – your premiums are based on risk factors such as where you live, your driving record and the type of car you drive.

Altering your car alters your insurance. However, that doesn’t mean you have to sit on an inflated quote.

By shopping around for cheap car insurance using a car insurance comparison tool you can make significant savings. So if, after modifications, you’re not happy with what your insurer offers, look for a better deal. Search by manufacturer, such as Ford car insurance, and your savings could be enough to afford a new piece of kit!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/

All-new Mazda6 and Mazda3 MPS Extreme

Proudly taking centre stage at the Mazda stand this year was the all-new Mazda6 mid-sized sedan.

The new Mazda6 is the second Mazda new generation product to evolve to the next stage, further deepening the emotional connection between man and machine - Mazda calls it "Kizuna"

Mazda Australia also sprung a massive surprise by unveiling a concept version of the Mazda3 MPS hot-hatch in the form of the Mazda3 MPS Extreme.

Tuned in-house by Mazda's Australia Motorsport manager Allan Horsley, the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) has been re-programmed to increase the 2.3-litre DISI turbo engine's power to 210 kW at 5300 rpm and 425 Nm of torque at 4400 rpm.

The Mazda3 MPS Extreme is equipped with a free-flowing two-inch exhaust system, a sports muffler and a 25 mm lower suspension tuned by Murray Coote.

Mazda3 MPS Extreme sits on 19-inch BBS Motorsport rims with Dunlop Sports (225/35ZR19) complete with a MPS monogram on the wheel centerpiece.

Tokyo Auto Show 2007 : Stand Ferrari Girls

The 2007 Tokyo Auto Show has been open officially for four hours. So far Ferrari wins.

2009 Maserati GranTurismo S unveiled

Maserati has officially revealed its performance-oriented GranTurismo S, following the leak of two images online. The GranTurismo debuted a year earlier at the European show, so it seems fitting this sportier variant will break cover at the same venue.

The GranTurismo S is powered by a 4.7 liter V8 in place of the regular GT's 4.2 liter unit. Output is 440 horsepower — a nice boost from the standard 405 horses.

An advanced MC-Shift dual-clutch transmission will replace the ZF six-speed automatic.

New high-power Brembo brakes will improve stopping distance. The system features front brake discs made with dual-cast technology — a dual casting of cast iron and aluminum, paired with aluminum mono-bloc 6-piston brake calipers

The exterior has some subtle visual enhancements, and the interior is upholstered in Poltrona Frau leather and Alcantara for increased luxury.

2009 Maserati GranTurismo

AIMS: Hyundai Veloster Concept

Making its debut at the Seoul Motor Show back in April this year, the Hyundai Veloster Concept made its way down under for the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney.

Styled at Hyundai's Design and Technical Center at Namyang, the Veloster (codenamed HND-3) coupe is the third in a series of daring concept cars to be developed by the central styling studio in Korea. The Veloster name, a compound of velocity and roadster evokes the sporty characteristics of a classic two-plus-two. A panoramic glass roof and other futuristic styling cues help project a high-tech image.

Designed to cater to the tastes of the Y-generation, Veloster combines simple, iconic design with good value and robust construction.

Technical Specifications:

Veloster / HND-3
Length: 4,100
Width: 1,790
Height: 1,450
Wheelbase: 2,600
Tyres: 245/35 R 20
Powertrain: FWD 2.0-litre DOHC Theta inline 4-cylinder w/ 5-speed automatic

Hyunday Veloster

Toyota RAV4

With as many soccer moms as you see driving tank-like SUVs down the road, you’d think picking a girl-SUV would have been easier than I found it to be. Since Marge Simpson’s Canyonero isn’t a real car, I picked the small SUV that I’ve never known to have been bought by a guy for himself (including the one I looked to buy - not for myself): The Toyota RAV4. Just look at it. If it were smaller, you could totally picture it in a woman’s closet, couldn’t you?

Mazda Miata

When the Mazda Miata was introduced in 1989 as a 1990 model, it was meant to herald the second coming of convertible sports cars that were small, handled great, and were sparse on conveniences. Sports car guys were giddy, especially the editors at car magazines like Car and Driver and Road and Track, who saw the Miata as a return to cars like the Lotus Elan and the MGB of the mid 1900s. Unfortunately, they were really cute and affordable and became the epitome of a top-down-at-the-mall girl car. The Miata is pretty far down the list due to a seriously fanatic group of supporters at places like Miata.net, a pretty hardcore racing series, and the awesomely badass Monster Miata conversions.

Ford Mustang

Despite what it looks like, this is not an Aston Martin V12 Vanquish.

Instead, it’s a Ford Mustang with one of the best body replica kits I’ve ever seen.

Made by Exclusive Motor Cars, the replication process includes stretching the wheelbase, widening the track, lowering the ride height, adding 34 extra body panels to the outside, custom upholstering the inside, and then adding the small details like the lights, emblems and grills to get things just right.

What you’re left with after all of that is over is a car that is almost indistinguishable from the real thing. (Except for the price.) They even include a Spy Package that adds on grille-mounted rocket launchers and hood-mounted machine guns for extra fun. (Apparently, “Even the original James Bond car from Die Another Day was equipted with Mustang running gear.”)

Hummer’s HX looks like a winner

The Hummer HX concept is one truck that I would love to see make it to the showroom floor without getting smoothed over by the penny pinchers at GM.

Designed to be a Jeep Wrangler competitor, the HX features a 3.6-liter SIDI E85 FlexFuel engine, four wheel drive, a six-speed automatic transmission, and a modular roof that can be opened convertible style.

Considering the fact that the styling isn’t too far off when compared to the current H2 and H3, I can only hope that this is a nearly-there preview of the H4 to come.

KITT this a Mustang

It’s official: The car that will play KITT in the upcoming Knight Rider series is going to be a Shelby Mustang GT500KR, complete with a wing kit, blackout treatment, and the dancing red grill lights.

Dodge’s Challenger SRT-8 is no slouch

The new Dodge Challenger is the heavy artillery of the modern muscle car war.

It’s big, it’s powerful, it’s only offered in the high-performance SRT-8 trim level, and you can have it in any color you want, as long as it’s Hemi orange, silver, or black.

Unfortunately, the interior suffers from a severe case of rental-car-itis, but when it’ll do this all day:

Who’s really going to look closely at the seats anyways?

For a full rundown, driving impressions, and big, bold and beautiful pics, check out Motive’s coverage of the new beast.

Fuel Girls are doing the Gumball 3000

Apparently a few of the Fuel Girls (The automotive world’s SuicideGirls) are going to accompany Team Fuel and their Mansory tuned Bentley Continental GT during this year’s Gumball 3000. Though I’m assuming they’re there to entertain everyone, a disastrous distraction is what will most likely occur as other drivers do anything they can to keep up with the hottie filled flier.

Geneva motor show : stand Girls

Tokyo Auto Salon 2007

Get Online Insurance Quote

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Top 15 Auto Insurance Companies Listing

Top 10 Auto Insurance Companies Listing

1. 21st Century Auto Insurance
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3. Allstate Auto Insurance
4. American Family Auto Insurance
5. Eastwood Auto Insurance
6. Farmers Auto Insurance
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9. Infinity Auto Insurance
10. Mercury Auto Insurance
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14. Travelers Auto Insurance
15. USAA Auto Insurance

Mustang Camaro review

It features trans am type fender flares, custom spoiler, corvette rear lights, mustang front end, chevy nova front bumper, custom hand made rear bumper, custom hood scoop and leather 4 point harness seats.

Peugeot 308 2.0 HDi 136 GT

New Peugeot 308 family hatchback hits UK dealers in time for September rush
By Oliver Marriage September 2007

When it comes to competing for a slice of the UK family car market, there are no half measures. And that is exactly why Peugeot has pulled out all the stops to get its new challenger here in record time.Only last week we carried a world first drive of the new 308, and now we’ve tried a right-hand-drive model in Britain. How come it’s here so soon?

You don’t need us to tell you that September is a key month for new car sales, and Peugeot didn’t want to miss out on a large chunk of business, so bosses decided to bring production of right-hookers forward.

The new family hatchback is the first Peugeot of the ‘8’ generation, and while it doesn’t represent a massive departure from the 307, it’s reasonably attractive, with a redefined front end and curvier shape at the rear. As with Mercedes’ latest C-Class, the nose and tail get different treatments dep-ending on which model you go for.

Under the skin, the 308 uses the same platform as its predecessor, so the car’s overall dimensions haven’t changed a great deal. In fact, boot space has risen by only seven litres and rear legroom remains modest.

Yet the Peugeot feels deceptively large inside – and that’s all thanks to the Cielo glass roof, a feature that’s standard on the top two of the five trim levels and optional on the rest.

The French firm desperately wanted to enhance interior quality on its fam-ily hatchback, and has succeeded. The one-piece dash moulding, which has five chrome-ringed air vents set into it, looks and feels great, and is better designed and more tactile than the effort in the 307. There are a couple of black marks against the newcomer, though: the right-hand-drive version has no footrest for the driver’s clutch leg, while the glovebox is tiny.

Buyers have six engines to choose from. We drove the top-of-the-range 136bhp 2.0 HDi, which is currently the only model to feature a six-speed gearbox. The diesel engine is refined, but could have done with being updated, because it lacks real grunt, with the power tailing off too early in the rev range. It doesn’t help that, despite the modest size gains, the 308 tips the scales by at least an additional 60kg across the board.

Still, that extra weight has not dented the car’s road manners too badly. While it’s far from sporty, the Peugeot is very capable, with a fine balance of ride quality and handling, plus excellent cruising ability.

It’s a strong vehicle, too, and has already earned itself a five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests. Prices start at £12,595 for the five-door 308, with three-door versions costing £600 less when they arrive here in December.

RIVAL: VW GOLF 2.0 TDI GT

While it’s not as well equipped, the equivalent Golf – the 2.0 TDI GT Sport – is considerably cheaper than the Peugeot, at £18,887. We still think the VW has the edge for build quality, too, and it’s a great car to own, thanks in no small part to its superb resale values. But the diesel engine isn’t the smoothest around and the car doesn’t have the 308’s polished road manners.

Renault Laguna Coup'e tested

it’s the super-coupé that’s got added Va Va Voom! And it proves that Ren­ault is swapping safe for sexy.

Reaching UK dealers at the end of next year, the sensational new Lag­una Coupé shows the French brand is returning to flamboyant design – building on the legacy of the Avan­time MPV and the luxury Vel Satis.

However, unlike those models, it will be no sales flop. The newcomer is set to mark the revival of the affordable coupé, and will join the reborn Volkswagen Scirocco and the forthcoming Hyundai Coupé in a market sector where style and head-turning looks don’t have to come at a huge price. Tipped to cost around £20,000 when it arrives in the UK in Decem­ber 2008, the two-door is certain to sell like hot croissants – so we caught up with it at Renault’s test track in northern France to see what buyers can expect.

Revealed at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show, the Coupé looks every bit as amazing on the road as it did on the stand. It’s part of Renault’s plan to challenge the likes of BMW and Audi, and bosses know that improving reliability and quality alone isn’t enough – the car needs style, too.

To this end, the Coupé is everything its hatch brother isn’t: daring, dynamic and desirable, with shades of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage from the rear. You could park it next to a BMW 3-Series Coupé and plenty of people would prefer the Renault on looks. Stephane Janin, the man in charge of Renault’s concept car des­ign, is pleased with the results.

He told us: “We wanted to produce a car that people would desire and want to buy. The Coupé is a sexy model with a lot of drama that should appeal to a much wider audience.”



At the front, piercing headlights stretch back into the bonnet. They’re accompanied by two slim-line LED foglamps that light up the ground-hugging grille. The side profile is particularly striking, and is distinguished by its steeply raked roofline and shal­low windows, which give the newcomer a racy and athletic stance.

Sadly, the show car’s exotic scissor doors are too costly to put into production, while the glamorous cabin – with its minimalist layout, intricate dials and spade-shaped auto selector – will be replaced by an upmarket version of the standard Laguna design.

In fact, the interior will be a real strength – high on quality and comfort – and our drive showed Renault has got the basics right. The driving position is low, the seats hug you and small glass areas provide a cocooned feel.

Although we weren’t able to put the priceless show car fully to the test, the signs look good, with finished versions set to get the same four-wheel steering as the GT hatch, plus a sporty suspension set-up.

There will also be plenty of engine choices. Driving the front wheels via a six-speed manual or automatic box will be a 168bhp 2.0-litre petrol turbo or a 2.0 dCi turbodiesel. Flagship cars get a powerful new 3.5-litre petrol V6 shared with the Coupé’s Nissan 350Z stablemate or Renault’s fresh 180bhp 3.0 V6 diesel. The latter combines a 0-60mph time of seven seconds with economy of around 45mpg. Add it all up and, if bosses get the price right, they’ll have a winner on their hands.

Rival: Volkswagen SciroccoReviving one of VW’s most famous badges, the reborn Scirocco takes a new approach with a hatch body and radical styling. It promises a sporty driving experience – thanks to underpinnings shared with the latest Golf GTI – and is the car the Laguna Coupé has to beat.

FIRST OPINION
If you were disappointed by the styling of the brand new Laguna, then the Coupé version will blow you away. Renault has pulled out all the stops with the latest addition to its line-up. It’s fantastic to look at, with a sleek and dramatic shape that demonstrates French flair at its very best. We have no doubt that the newcomer will turn heads when it arrives here in December next year – and with a winning range of engines plus a hi-tech chassis, it should drive as well as it looks. We can’t wait!

AT A GLANCE
Price: £20,000 (est)
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel
Power: 180bhp
Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Top speed: 140mph (est)
0-62mph: 7.0 seconds (est)
Economy: 45mpg (est)
Equipment: Leather upholstery, climate control, cruise control, Bluetooth, iPod-compatible CD
stereo, alloy wheels
On sale: December 2008

Acura 2008 Mercury Mariner

Ford today announced the 2008 Mercury Mariner, which will go on sale in early 2007. The crossover features a revised exterior and an all-new interior. Ford says it has also improved handling, added a slew of new safety features (curtain air bags and AdvanceTrac with RSC), and made the ride quieter Chassis upgrades and new Electric Power Steering (EPS) are designed to give the Mariner car-like ride and handling.

"The 2008 Mariner is the first product to truly deliver 100 percent of the design DNA for Mercury as a brand" says Kim Irwin, Mercury brand manager. "It looks good and drives well, it has sophisticated style, and it's not like anything else out there."

The standard engine is a 2.3-liter, 16-valve Duratec 23 four-cylinder that produces 153 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 152 lb.-ft of torque at 4,250 rpm. An optional 3.0-liter, 24-valve V6 Duratec 30 engine produces 200 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 193 lb.-ft of torque at 4,850 rpm. Both engines come with a standard four-speed-automatic transaxle.

On the outside, the 2008 Mariner’s all-new sheet metal includes significant design changes to the front/rear fascias, liftgate, headlamps and taillamps, a raised beltline, new hood and B-pillar blackout molding. Inside, Satin Pewter finishes and chrome accents give the vehicle an upscale look. There are new seats, door trim panels, A- and B-pillar trims, center console and a new floor-mounted shifter. The seats are monochromatic or two-tone with Alcantara Suede inserts.

Side glass thickness has increased from 3.8 to 4.7 mm and helps prevent outside noise from entering the passenger cabin. On V6-equipped models, engineers moved the alternator from the right to left side of the engine. Because the engine is transversely mounted, the noise is now located farther away from the passenger cabin. A new, quieter cooling fan reduces idle noise.

All-wheel drive models have a new rear differential that is quieter and smoother.New windshield molding and low profile wipers help improve airflow around the vehicle and reduce wind noise.Redesigned recessed channels on top of Mariner are staggered and shorter to reduce boom as air flows over the top.Outside mirrors are larger and careful attention was given to their design to minimize wind noise.

Additional sound deadening material has been added throughout the vehicle to reduce noise throughout the interior.

Mariner Hybrid continues to be a "full" hybrid. This means that, unlike other "mild" hybrid vehicles, Mariner Hybrid can run on 100 percent electric power up to about 30 mph, maximizing in-city fuel economy. Mariner Hybrid automatically switches between pure electric power, pure gasoline engine power or combined operation of the two to maximize efficiency and performance.

Toyota considers A-BAT

Toyota wants to add two more small vehicles to its American model lineup in response to rising fuel economy standards, said Jim Lentz, president of Toyota USA. He said a production version of the small A-BAT pickup concept, plus Europe's new Urban Cruiser were both under consideration.

Toyota is aiming for a 35 mpg fleetwide fuel economy average by 2020, Lentz told Automotive News in a recent interview.

The A-BAT pickup was shown in concept form at the Detroit auto show in January. Riding on a unibody platform, it features a four-foot bed, but overall storage space can grow to as much as eight feet when the midgate is folded down. Power comes from a four-cylinder gas-electric hybrid setup.

Unlike the A-BAT — which is just a concept car at this stage — the Urban Cruiser is already headed for production in Europe. If the mini-SUV looks familiar, it's because the Urban Cruiser is essentially a jacked-up version of the Scion xD. Whether there is enough of a difference between the Cruiser and the xD to warrant the sale of both models remains to be seen.

Lentz said either model could be badged as a Toyota or a Scion. "It doesn't matter," he said. "As long as we are keeping customers."

2008 Scion tC pricing announced

Scion has announced the pricing for its new 2008 Scion tC. The 2008 Scion tC Spec, which lets tuners take a blank tC and modify it, starts at $15,300 for a manual and $16,100 for an automatic. The core 2008 Scion tC model starts at $17,000 for the manual and $17,800 for the automatic.

The 2008 Scion tC receives new styling with a new upper mesh grille, lattice lower grille, projector-type low beam headlights with black trim, and rear tail lights similar in style to the tC’s headlights with round combination lamps.

Apple iPod connectivity becomes standard on all 2008 Scion models with a Scion’s standard 160-watt maximum output Pioneer AM/FM/CD audio system featuring a head unit with iPod control.

chevrolet Trax to be the basis of a new small SUV?

GM’s Opel marketing team in Europe is studying the market for a plan to enter the small SUV market. The new model will give Opel a rival against the Fiat Sedici and Suzuki SX4. Chevrolet is also expected to follow Opel’s move.

“There is a need for small SUVs and our marketing team has been working on this. First we need to develop a concept,” Opel Managing Director Hans Demant told Automotive News Europe.

Like the UAW releasing some GM rear-wheel drive vehicle development this weekend, Rudi Kennes, a senior official at Belgium’s ABVV union, said that the GM has already signed an agreement that a small SUV for two GM brands will go into production in the second half of 2010. Both models will be built in GM’s Antwerp, Belgium, factory.

Kennes added that the plant would produce about 120,000 units of the new model per year.

Analysts are saying that Chevrolet’s small SUV may be very close to the Trax concept we saw at the 2007 New York Auto Show in April. No word on if this small SUV is going to make it to the U.S. shores but we feel it may definitely pop-up on our roads after 2010.

HUMMER wants to be seen as a ‘built tbrands

GM wants consumers to start looking at Hummers as trucks and SUVs that are built to do a job, instead of gas-guzzling SUVs made for the rich and hated by environmentalists everywhere. Ever since GM rolled out the Hummer H2, owners have complained of getting mean looks from their peers and finding their giant vehicles keyed in parking lots.

A survey conducted by J.D. Power and Associates last year said SUV buyers are avoiding the Hummer brand more and more mostly because they believe they are gas-guzzling vehicles.

“Hummer has an image of being the big, ponderous vehicles,” says Jon Osborn, research director at J.D. Power. “Really, it gets about the same or as good gas mileage as several others. … The name Hummer connotes a much more gas-guzzling vehicle than really is on the road today.”

Hoping to get rid of some criticism, Hummer stopped production of its five-ton H1 vehicle and started offering the H2 and H3 making them lighter and a little more fuel-efficient. The EPA rates the Hummer H3 at 14mpg, comparable to the Chevrolet Suburban which gets 16mpg and is powered by the same 5.3 liter engine. Future Hummer commercials will now pitch a more ‘Built Ford Tough’ style campaign where GM will try to persuade buyers that a Hummer to can be a friendly vehicle.

Mark LaNeve, vice president of sales, service and marketing for GM says he’d love for consumers to begin thinking of the Hummer vehicles as tools to get a job done. “No one criticizes a bulldozer for its gas mileage. That’s because it’s built to do a job.”

Hummer also showed the HX concept at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. The HX Concept is an open-air, two-door off-road vehicle along with a convertible body via a pair of removable panels. Power comes from an E85 FlexFuel 3.6L SIDI V6 that produces 204 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque.

Just out of curiosity - do you guys think of Hummer as the first truck when you think of getting a tough job done or the first when you want to show off some bling-bling?

43rd production 2008 Challenger SRT8 sells for $228k

Bidding for the 43rd production 2008 Dodge Challenger ended two days ago after going on the auction block on Feb 12 with a starting bid of $25k. Winner rmartin175 won the bid for a total of $228,143.43. The B5 blue paint Dodge Challenger SRT8 had a total of 116 bids.

The number 43 pays a tribute to Richard Petty, who is famous for driving Mopar stock cars. A VIP race package to the Dodge Challenger 500 NASCAR race at the historic Darlington Raceway was also included.