May 22, 2013

Nowadays, traveling by car is a common thing and it is no longer getting anyone nervous. Over a hundred years ago, however, this was an adventure. Here is the story of the first crossing of the North American continent at the steering wheel of a car. The year is 1908. The car was a new invention, a mechanical curiosity, and those who could afford to purchase this wonder of technology were regarded as celebrities and their photos appeared in the local newspapers. Besides the fact that cars were a rarity, a hundred years ago the roads were a problem as well. For most of the time they did not exist, or were in very poor condition. And asphalt was out of the question. In addition, no one knew exactly which road was the right one. Maps were few and imprecise, and most of the times you had to rely on the guidelines of the local people. In these circumstances, a family from Los Angeles had the courage to take the first trip from West to East in a car. Where did the idea come from? Jacob...

May 21, 2013

The Front Small Overlap Test (safety test from IIHS – Crash Testing & Highway Safety), simulating an impact with a tree, makes that big names from the compact SUVs family to fail: BMW X1, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Volkswagen Tiguan, Kia Sportage and Hyundai ix35 – behaving poorly, while Subaru Forester and Mitsubishi ASX have passed the test with flying colors. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) the North American equivalent of the European EuroNCAP organization, made a stir in the automotive world last fall, after in a completely new safety test managed to get some safety awarded models like Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class or Lexus IS, to behave very poorly. Front Small Overlap Test We are talking about the so-called Small Overlap Test (SOT), which simulates an impact at 40 mph (64 km/h) with a rigid barrier overlapping only 25% of the front of the car, on the driver’s side. This test simulates an impact with a tree, or another vehicle, or with a pole, a...

May 20, 2013

For years the diesel engine has lived in the shadow of its cleaner-cut petrol cousin. While diesel boasts the more fuel efficient engine, it has had to bear the image of being a dirtier, noisier and higher polluting technology. However, with gradual development, diesel engines continue to make their mark on the passenger car market. Fuel efficiency and technological development With a higher energy density and lower refining requirements than petrol fuel, diesel engines are more efficient by 15%-20%; allowing motorists to generate significant cost savings over time. Although diesel engines are typically £1000-£2000 more expensive than petrol engines, improved fuel efficiency provides significant payback for regular, long-distance motorists (upwards of approximately 11,000 miles a year). Asian manufacturers Honda and Hyundai are also seeing value in smaller diesel engines, suggesting there is a market for lower level use. While petrol models are traditionally faster, smoother and...

May 16, 2013

Car accidents are unfortunate, but they do happen. The cause of the accident could be anything from bad tire maintenance to driving negligence. If you happen to be involved in a road accident, it’s important that you know what steps to take in the aftermath of a collision. The way you react to the accident will help in preventing any further injuries, bringing down costs and boosting up the repair process. So in case you get into a car accident, try to keep your calm and follow these important steps: Think Safety First See to it that nobody is injured and in case there are injuries, call 911 right away. If the accident is minor and there are no injuries then move the vehicles involved to the side. However, if there is major damage done with serious injuries then don’t move the vehicles even if you’re able to – wait for the police to arrive. Also, if there’s a question of who was the cause of the accident then leave the vehicles where they are so the come police can come...

May 15, 2013

Honda unveiled the 2014 Acura ILX – MY2014, coming with a small number of improvements, and being a little more expensive than the MY2013 model. Among the 2014 Acura ILX standard features are leather upholstery, electronic driver’s seat with eight settings, heated front seats, 17-inch alloy wheels, a multi-angle rearview camera, a new audio system and active noise cancellation technology. 2014 Acura ILX – Engine & Price Mechanically, 2014 Acura ILX is equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine, delivering as performance of 150 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque (190 Nm), and the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, capable of delivering 201 hp and 170 pound-feet of torque (230 Nm). The latter comes exclusively with a 6-speed manual transmission. Sales have started in North America with an original price of $27,795 (including the $895 destination fee), $1,000 more expensive than the MY2013 model . MY 2014 Acura ILX price list: 2014 ILX automatic:...

May 15, 2013

2014 SsangYong Korando Sports – Design & Engine  SsangYong unveiled the restyled version of Korando Sports on the South Korean market – 2014 SsangYong Korando Sports. The facelift Korando Sports borrows some design elements from the 2013 Ssangyong Rodius that we have seen at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, and is available in new colors, new wheels, new ornaments and larger windscreen wipers. 2014 SsangYong Korando Sports interior was also modified: smaller headrests, new decorations, heated steering wheel, new color combinations, leather interior, front-back heated seats, rear parking sensors and automatic air conditioning. Mechanically, 2014 SsangYong Korando Sports is equipped with a 2.0-liter e-XDi diesel engine, capable of delivering 153 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque (360 Nm). The diesel engine is matted with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission, the all-wheel drive system is found the optional equipment list. 2014 SsangYong Korando...