The Electric Sports Car Tesla Roadster

Given the current movement to 'go green' combined with the high cost of gasoline, the electric car is gaining in popularity. The Smart Car has been spotted weaving in and out of New York City traffic. However, the Smart Car is an energy efficient, practical, relatively inexpensive workhorse with a boxy shape.

The Tesla Roadster is a sports car and America loves a sports car. But due to its high price, it is oriented to a different market than the Smart Car.

The Tesla might also be dubbed an international sports car. Norway produces the chassis. The RTM carbon fiber body panels are made by SOTIRA, in St. Meloir and Pouance, France. Siemens in Germany manufactures the brakes and airbags. The motors are produced in Taiwan. And the Lotus factory in Hethel, England assembles the car.

Lotus has had considerable influence since the inception. Lotus provided design assistance and furnished the basic chassis development technology from the Lotus Elise. The styling was developed by Barney Hatt at Lotus' design studio however he did consult with Tesla engineers. It was Tesla engineers who decided to use resin transfer molded carbon fiber to construct the body panels.

The Roadster is available in two models, the Standard Model and the Sports Model. The Roadster is equipped with a 3-phase, 4-pole AC induction motor that can produce 248 hp. The Sport Model can produce 288 hp. The Standard Model can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds while the Sport model can do this in 3.7 seconds. The electronically limited top speed is 125 mph.

The Roadster's battery pack is called the Energy Storage System or ESS. It requires three and one half hours to fully recharge the battery. The battery weighs 992 pounds and in 2008, the cost of a replacement was $20,000.

From the very beginning Tesla had transmission problems, which caused several delays in production. Tesla experimented with several transmissions but none were successful. Finally, in September 2008 they decided to use a single speed Borg Warner fixed gear transmission. The Roadster is a rear wheel drive with most of the weight centered in front of the rear axle.
Weighing in at around 2,700 pounds, it is approximately 13 feet long, 6 feet wide and 4 feet high.

All Roadsters are equipped with left hand drive so at this time, Tesla cannot market in England or countries where traffic stays to the left-hand side of the road.

Paul Boutin of 'Slate' gave the Roadster an outstanding review. It also appeals to celebrities such as Jay Leno who dubbed it 'fun to drive.'

However, owning it will require a celebrity's income. To date the Roadsters have been sold on a reservation basis. Six hundred fifty were planned for 2008 and all were reserved. In 2009, Tesla plans to market 1500 vehicles. While the 2008 models were priced at $98,000 with a $950.00 destination charge, the price of the 2009 models has been raised to $109,000.

So for people who have $110,000 to $120,000 to spend, are in love with sports cars, and will accept an electric car, the Tesla is the car to buy.

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The Supercar and Cult Car

Not too many automobiles have the distinction of being both a supercar and a cult car, but the Lamborghini Countach is one. Referred to by Forbes Magazine as "the poster child for cult cars", the Countach featured the exotic design and high performance criteria for supercars. Yet it also has the 'cult car' charisma.

The word countach itself implies exotic. In the native Piedmontese language it is used by men when they encounter an amazingly beautiful woman. The word is not translatable into English but expresses the same idea as a wolf whistle.

Marcello Gandini of the Bertone Design Studio designed the Countach. The Bertone Studio was also responsible for the Lamborghini Miura. The Miura is among the first if not the first of the super cars. British motor journalist used the phrase to describe the Miura in an article in CAR Magazine published during the 1960's. CAR magazine then claimed the credit for 'coining the phrase.'

A single prototype, the LP500, painted sunflower yellow, made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 1971. However the design needed considerable modification before it could be put into production.

The first production model was the LP400. It was a 2-door sports coupe with a rear mid-engine and rear-wheel drive.

Several modifications had to be made to the prototype. The air intake valves on the prototype were found to be inadequate for cooling the engine. So large air box scoops were added on the rear shoulders and large NACA ducts were added on the sides. The original futuristic light clusters were also replaced by conventional lights.

A total of 157 LP400's were produced. The first recorded delivery was made to D. Milne of the Australian Defence Force Transport Corps.

Then in 1978, Lamborghini brought out the LP400S. This was manufactured in a series of three. While the interior modifications were limited to an upgrade in the engine, the exterior changes were extensive. Lamborghini added fiberglass arch extension and replaced the tires with Pirelli P7 units, a much wider tire than was mounted on the LP400.

In 1982, the LP500S was introduced. The engine was upgraded to a more powerful 5-liter model but no changes were made to the exterior.

In 1985 additional improvements were made to the engine. Other changes were made to conform to US federal standards so the car could now be sold in the United States. This model was priced at $99,5000.

The year 1988 marked the 25th anniversary of the company. They celebrated by introducing the 25th anniversary Countach. This model had undergone considerable changes in styling that proved to be unpopular with many Lamborghini followers.

Then in 1975, Walter Wolf, an extremely wealthy Canadian businessman and owner of the Wolf Racing Team, purchased a LP400. However, he didn't like the engine. He, therefore, contacted Lamborghini's chief engineer and requested that the company custom build a special high-powered engine.

The result was an engine capable of reaching 315 kilometers per hour and producing 447 hp/7900 rpm. This model was also equipped with the upgraded wheels, Pirelli P tires, large fender flares and rear spoilers as had been installed on the LP400S. It was painted red with black fender flares.

The company produced 2,042 cars from 1974 to 1989 when they retired the design. Although its popularity has declined somewhat, it continues to be a collectible with a loyal following.

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The Ford Shelby GT500 2009 Review

The Ford Shelby GT500 2009 ranging value to $43 to 47 thousand dollars. Ford Shelby GT500 2009 is 2 door, 4 passenger sports car. An option also for convertible spots car.

Ford Shelby GT500 2009 5.4 liter, 500 horsepower supercharged engine on the highway. Ford Shelby GT500 2009 has 6 speed manual transmission with overdrive standard.
The for color for Ford Shelby GT500 2009 is an option.

The Mazda 3 2009 Review

The Mazda3 has 4 door, 5 seaters family sedan or wagon. Ranging 4 door to the Grand Touring 5 door iSports.

Mazda3 is equipped with standard 2.0 liter, 148 horsepower engine. A 5 speed manual transmission overdrive standard and 4 speed manual transmission overdrive standard optional.

The Mazda S Grand Touring is 5 door equipped with 2.3 liter, 156 horsepower engine. 5 speed manual transmission with overdrive standard and 5 speed automatic transmission with overdrive optional.

The New Top 10 SUVs 2009

This are the New Top 10 SUVs Cars for this 2009 edition wich people can choose from. This includes 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK Class followed by 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2009 Honda CR-V, 2009 Acura MDX, 2009 Toyota RAV$, 2009 Ford Flex, BMW X^ and X5, 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL Class and 2009 Toyota Highlander.

1. Mercedes-Benz GLK Class 2010
2. Toyota FJ Cruiser 2009
3. Honda CR-V 2009
4. Acura MDX 2009
5. Toyota RAV4 2009
6. Ford Flex 2009
7. BMW X6 2009
8. BMX X5 2009
9. Mercedes-Benz GL Class 2009
10. Toyota Highlander 2009

The Hummer H3 Suv 2009

The Hummer H3 Suv 2009

This is the nea Hummer H3 SUV 2009 and its composed of 4 door 5 passenger luxury Cars, ranging from base to the H3X.

2009 Hummer H3 SUV has 239 horse power engine and 5 speed manual transmission with overdrive standard Base, 4 automatic speed transmission optional. The 2009 Hummer H3 SUV is a carryover from 2008 last year edition.

Automakers Report for January Auto Sales 2009

More bad news for the auto industry, as sales have been reported for the month of January. As expected, consumers were still skittish about venturing to car dealerships. Sales of cars and trucks in the U.S. plummeted 37% overall, creating a grim picture of the yeah ahead.

The economy is facing a long road ahead, and car dealers and the automakers are struggling to maintain momentum. Consumers don't have the spare cash on hand to afford new cars. Meanwhile, Pontiac Pittsburgh know all too well that financial institutions are simply not eager to lend money, hampering car dealers' ability to sell more cars.

General Motors sales fell 49% in the month of January, creating a terrible start for the embattled automaker as it's busy reorganizing. Additionally, Chrysler, who also is undergoing organizational changes, saw sales fall to about half the amount from what they were last January.

Japanese automakers were a little more fortunate than domestic automakers, but certainly not immune to the dearth in consumer confidence, acknowledges one Pittsburgh Honda dealer. Toyota and Nissan sales dropped by about 30% in January.

To put these sale declines into perspective, in January 2008 the automotive industry sold a total of just over a million cars. January 2009 saw that number drop to 656,976. That's a huge drop in new car sales, and as each month passes, those numbers seem to be on a slow yet steady decline. The total sales in January are the worst since June of 1982.

Although consumer spending is down, Westminster Toyota dealer says there are other areas that weighed heavily on the automotive industry. Specifically, fleet sales and rental car sales have plummeted, as businesses are cutting back, and consumers are traveling less. While fleet sales are typically low-profit, they make up a substantial chunk of overall sales. Declines in fleet purchases also means that more inventories may be sitting idle warns Orlando Chevrolet dealers. In fact General Motors saw a decline of about 80% in January - the lowest fleet sales level since the mid 1970s!

With numbers for January of 2009 already looking grim, many dealers and industry analysts are expecting it to be a bad omen, and a sign of a long and tough year ahead. Sales need to be improved to facilitate the success or reorganization plans underway at the Big Three automakers, but Newark Ford dealers and others wonder if that is possible in the near-term.

Despite the grim picture, there are plenty of dealers like Hartford Nissan dealers that remain optimistic. Regardless of low sales, January is normally a low sales month. Additionally, it is hoped by Louisville Chevy that the stimulus provided to the automakers by the federal government, and loosened credit, will give the Big Three in particular the ability to do business more effectively in the long run.

Among the ways the automakers and dealers are dealing with the sluggish sales is by offering incentives to car buyers. Specifially, car buyers can expect employee pricing at Hartford Chrysler dealers and other Chrysler stores, while dealers may be offering zero percent financing such as at Kingston Toyota dealers. Many buyers can also get their hands on cash back incentives. These are all efforts to entice consumers into showrooms, and thus far it has had a marginal effective overall.

Despite declines, there have been some automakers that have seen gains in January. Among these few instances is Hyundai, which posted a 14% sales increase. Hyundai is currently offering a unique incentive, providing new car buyers with the Hyundai Assurance Program, enabling consumers to return their vehicles should they lose their job or otherwise cannot make the payments. It is hoped that this program may help spur sales among frugal new car buyers at Hyundai Boston and elsewhere as the economy weighs heavily on consumers' minds.

Another automaker that saw gains in January was Subaru. Driven largely by its recently redesigned 2009 Subaru Forester, which saw sales gains of about 115%, Subaru has seen its second straight month of sales gains.

Other sales numbers include a 32% dip for Toyota, a 30% decline for Nissan, and a 28% drop for Honda.

About the Author

Joe Kent is a writer for TK Carsites, an automotive website design and marketing firm in Orange, CA, that specializes in working with car dealers nationwide.