The History of Ferrari

By William Berg


When Enzo Ferrari created his company Scuderia Ferrari in Italy in 1929 his intentions was to sponsor amateur race car drivers and invent racing cars, and it would take more than 15 years before Ferrari began to create their own road cars in 1946. Ferrari is still devoted to the creation of racing cars and high performance sports cars and do not create other types of cars. Scuderia Ferrari is still the widespread name for Gestione Sportiva, the part of the Ferrari company that works with racing. Scuderia is an Italian word and means "stable", but Scuderia Ferrari is sometime also translated as Team Ferrari.
During the early years, Scuderia Ferrari sponsored race car drivers that were driving Alfa Romeo cars. Scuderia Ferrari would prepare Alfa Romeo cars before the race, and in 1938 Enzo Ferrari became officially employed by Alfa Romeo's racing department. Two years later Enzo Ferrari found out that Alfa Romeo was planning to absorb Scuderia Ferrari, a plan which Enzo Ferrari strongly opposed. He instantly left his job at Alfa Romeo, but his contract restricted him from being involved with racing for several years. He changed Scuderia Ferrari into "Auto Avio Costruzioni Ferrari" and officially manufactured aircraft accessories for a few years. Enzo Ferrari did however create a race car during this restricted period. The Tipo 815 debuted at the Mille Miglia race in 1940, but the race was hampered due to World War II and Tipo 815 encountered no real competition. In 1943 Enzo Ferrari moved his factory to Maranello in Italy and one year later the factory was bombed. After the end of World War II, Enzo Ferrari rebuilt his factory and now the Ferrari factory was capable of construction road cars as well.
Ferrari constructed its first road car in 1947. The 1947 125 S Ferrari had a 1.5 L V12 engine and the whole car was considered very beautiful and well designed. Enzo Ferrari was still more interested in race cars and the Ferrari road cars was merely a way for him to fund his work with the Scuderia Ferrari. His distaste for the road car customers became famous and he even accused them of buying Ferrari cars only as status symbols. It is true that the Ferrari road cars grow to fame not only due to excellent performance but also thanks to their stylish elegance. Pininfarina, Bertone, Ghia, Scagliette, Touring and Vignale are all examples of design houses that have worked with Ferrari.
In November 1961 a dispute between Enzo Ferrari and his sales manager, Girolamo Gardini, turned into a crisis. Girolamo Gardini threatened to leave the company. Enzo Ferrari responded to the threat by throwing out Girolamo Gardini, and several employees who agreed with Girolamo Gardini were also ousted. Among them were Romolo Tavoni, manager for Scuderia Ferrari, Giotto Bizzarrini, the chief of the experimental sports car development, and Carlo Chiti, the chief engineer. This was naturally a huge loss for the Ferrari company and the crisis deepened when those who had been thrown out formed their own company - Automobili Turismo e Sport (ATS). ATS even managed to take over Scuderia Serenissima, a very successful racing team, from Ferrari.
A younger engineer, Mauro Forghieri, and an experienced racing bodyman, Sergio Scaglietti, assumed responsibility and tried to finish the projects that the leaving employees had left behind. One of the most important tasks was to finish the development of 250 GTO; a new 250-based model that could compete with the Jaguar E-type. The 250 GTO was finished in time to participate in the Sebring race and place itself first in class, driven by Phil Hill. Throughout 1962, the 250 GTO continued to win the races and it is still one of the most well known race cars in history. The crisis turned out to be something good for Ferrari and the 1960s became a very good decade for the company.
Until the 1980s when Ferrari began to use fuel injection in the road cars, the Ferraris were known as rather temperamental cars. They could be very unreliable, but would still attract a large group of dedicated fans that viewed this unpredictability as "character" rather than a problem. Today, FIAT controls 56 percent of the Ferrari stocks. The rest of stocks owned by Enzo's con Piero Ferrari and by Commerzbank, Mediobanca and the Lehman Brothers. Maranello is still the home town for Ferrari.
Another dream car for many is the Hummer. The History of the Hummer is much shorter than the history of Ferrari and GM is just releasing their third Hummer model, the Hummer 3. A new more family friendly Hummer that will be very customizable just like the other hummer models with the help of a Hummer accessory [http://www.hummer-accessory.info] or two.

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Previewed: 2012 Battery Electric Ford Focus

By Matthew Keegan


One of the advantages of running a successful online publication like Auto Trends Magazine is that I get to preview and drive numerous vehicles before or just as they hit the market. A recent call from the Ford Motor Company arranged for my drive of the 2012 battery electric version of the Ford Focus, a compact car slated to go on sale summer 2011.
It's Electric!
This vehicle will be important for two big reasons: it will replace the current American spec model with the European derived one, offering a better-looking, more fuel efficient and updated package. It will also allow customers to buy an electric car if they choose to do so, though the gas version producing 40 mpg on the highway may be sufficient for most drivers.
What was so special about the 2012 Focus BEV? Well, it was the same car produced for the Jay Leno Show as part of the TV personality's bid to showcase green cars. This specially developed prototype is based on the Focus SVT, a car sold in Europe and considered by some to be the sportiest and fastest compact car on the market.
But, that was just the exterior of the vehicle -- underneath the Focus BEV featured an honest to goodness lithium-ion battery pack, exactly like the one that will be found in production versions of this car. This particular prototype functioned just as well as a production car, with none of the customary squeaks, rattles and unfinished compartments apparent.
Recaro Seats
Opening up the door and sliding into the driver's seat was a thrill. Recaro seats were standard although Ford hasn't said whether production models will offer this option or the beautiful exterior paint scheme. Remember, this was a "show" car meant to appear on Leno's show and nothing more. Still, the seats were fabulous, setting the tone for my drive.
The Ford Focus BEV has a push button start which means all you have to do is press on a button and the car comes to life. No roar of the engine to tell you that the car is running, but the dashboard lights up, telling you to go ahead and shift into gear.
Quietly, I pulled out of the parking space at North Carolina State University and proceeded to wind my way through the parking lot and onto local roads. This was a limited drive -- covering two huge blocks, with the total trip less than a mile long. Yet, it was long enough for me to gain an appreciation for quiet driving. Making no noise seemed odd at first -- even the tires were among the quietest I've ever ridden upon.
Raw Power
Heading back into the lot got me thinking -- electric cars offer plenty of torque. Naturally, I stepped on the accelerator pedal and the car suddenly zoomed forward without hesitation. Yes, this car has power and plenty of it -- I didn't miss the internal combustion engine one bit.
A preview of a car is just that -- a short introduction to a particular model. Certainly, a longer drive over several hours, preferably days would be best and that time will come next year. Meanwhile, the Focus BEV is a promising vehicle, one of many all new electric cars hitting the market in 2011.
Matthew C. Keegan is a freelance writer who resides in North Carolina. Matt is a contributing writer for Andy's Auto Sport an aftermarket supplier of quality parts including tail lamps and cold air intakes.

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Nissan Leaf Is The Car Of The 2011 Year In Europe

By Eugen Ili


Nissan Leaf is a one hundred percent electric car that will appear on the market from December 2010. According to Wikipedia the name Leaf comes from "Leading, Environmentally friendly, Affordable, Family car."
The model is a compact 5-door hatchback that runs only on electric motor. According to the specifications, we can go with this car a distance of between 130-175 kilometers before you need to reload the batteries. The time you can spend in front of the steering wheel of this car depends on various factors such as temperature, speed, driving style and load. But do not worry because the manufacturers have introduced to this model of Nissan a regenerative braking system (regenerative breaking) that uses the energy, that results from braking, to charge car batteries, extending the autonomy of running.
The car has an electric motor output of 80 kW, a couple of 280 Nm motors and speed that can reach almost 150 kilometers per hour.
The official Nissan site, have not specified exactly the life time of batteries, but they said that they reported this time to the average miles made by an urban environment person, so the batteries can be used for years. It all depends on how the car is used and maintained.
This is the first time in history when a one hundred percentage electric car, Nissan leaf, gets the distinction of "The Car of the Year." It's amazing that Nissan Leaf reached to the final with Alfa Romeo Giulietta, Opel Meriva, Ford C-Max, Citroen C3, Volvo S60 and Dacia Duster. Even more, it surpassed the Giulietta model from Alfa Romeo with nine points and with thirteen points the Meriva model of the Opel.
The participating cars were voted by a jury of 59 members from 23 countries. Among the jury had participated Steve Cropley, representatives of Autocar.co.uk, who said that he supported very much the electric model of Nissan, so it was his first option on the voting list, and the second option was the Dacia Duster model.
Other awards of this amazing car are: Popular Mechanics 2010 Breakthrough Award, the 2010 Green Car of the Year by "The Green Car Website", 2011 European Car of the Year, one of the five finalists for the 2011 Green Car of the Year awarded by the Green Car Journal, and one of the 50 best inventions of 2009 named so by Time magazine.
The Nissan Leaf Awards is a clear sign that there is a very good future for the green car industry.
Eugen writes articles about environmental problems and its effects on human health. You can also check out his latest website showplateschoice.com where you will find out all that you need to know about show plates.

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Learn the Basics: Introduction to Car Auctions

By Anjo Bacarisas


There is no doubt that the best place to get a used car is through auto car auctions. From those flashy sports cars to classic cars, you may find one on these types of auctions. There are also instances where you can see cars from other countries that are auctioned. But before discussing on where to find the location of these auctions, let us first discuss the process of these auto car auctions.
When we talk about auctions, one thing that could come in our minds is that the cars available are impounded cars. Also, there are plenty of reasons why these cars are repossessed: they are used by syndicates in committing a crime, and some of these cars are taken due to their owners' failure to pay the tax.
On the other hand, if these cars are not claimed by the owner's, it will remain at the hands of the police. And sure the maintenance will be a huge expense of money for the government. For that reason, they need to put these cars into auctions as quickly as possible. That is why they must hold auctions every now and then to get rid of these vehicles. Other items are also available aside from cars - boats, homes, and any items that are seized by the police.
Because of that fact, it confirms our hypothesis that car auctions are the best place to find the best deals regarding vehicle purchase. You will surely see wide types of vehicles, and a wide variety of people as well as young and new drivers who wish to drives their first car. There are also businessmen who buy at these auctions and sell it on a higher rate for profit.
Also, when you are already in the auction, you have to make sure that you get the one that is desired, and have no problems. You must see if the car has dents, and any other damages that could affect the appearance and performance of the vehicle. If you find one, make sure that the repairs would only cost less. After checking the car, there is no reason that you won't bid.
Anjo Bacarisas is a writer who is also a car enthusiast. Aside from his writing career, he managed to be a consultant regarding car insurance issues. He's been working as a consultant for five years and has a lot of experience on car insurance claim disputes. Visit our website: http://www.dmv.com/dmv/all-about/buying-selling-vehicle.

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Outstanding Role of Carbon Fiber in Automotive Production

By Wes Collins


According to the recent survey made regarding the consumption of each country to carbon fiber, the United States of America consumes sixty percent of the world's production of this material. Near on its trail is followed by Japan which uses around fifty percent of the production. From the production of this material, almost every market has beneficial use in it. But the market which has the top use is the Transportation. It showed that 31.6% of its total volume consumption of the product. This is followed by construction with 20.8% use; and Corrosion-resistant at 11.8% use; among the top three markets. What does this indicate? That this metal is quintessential and that it has proven to be vital especially to the production and manufacture of Transportation.
Studies show that these fibers' two main applications are in specialized technology and transportation and general engineering. This is predominantly true since we have seen the vast grow of the manufactures of engineering components like automobile bodies, fan blades, gears and bearings. But what made this material so special and liked a lot especially by those in production of cars?
In a nut shell, carbon fiber, alternately called as graphite fiber, is made up of very thin fibers, major part of which is made up of carbon atoms. These intensely thin fibers have only a diameter of about 0.005-0.010 mm. However, this material proved itself greater than its size. For one, it is made of carbon, and for the other thing, these fibers are spun together with the help of crystal alignment that made it even stronger. It is no wonder then that with its size, it has produced a dynamic strength-to-weight ratio. The density of this metal proved to be much lower compared to other metals like steel. It is conceivable then to think that many fields prefer this material as a better option when it comes to applications that require low weight. Other properties of this metal like having low thermal expansion, high tensile strength, and of course its low weight, are also beneficial to motor sports, among many other fields.
Magnificent properties of this metal wonder were being applied effectively to different transportation production most especially with sports car. Since it features physical strength, among its many other profound characteristics, as well as its electrical conductivity, its application to automobile hoods proved to be efficient. With tested qualities, other parts of automobile become carbon fiber-applied like novel tooling, built-in electronic equipment inside the cars, and even EMI and RF shielding.
In automotive styling and racing, this metal proved to be the new boon companion. We see different parts of a car that are made of graphite like the hood, bonnet, trunk, boot, lip and fender. According to many who already experienced at least driving such cars, they are totally impressed about the extensive packaging. These racing devils are in perfect condition!
So long as men will be engagingly enthusiastic about sports car, that long will carbon fiber be a significant part or their passion.
Wes Collins has been a carbon fibers enthusiast for more than a decade, exploring other possibilities to make life to the fullest with the use of this material.

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Modified cars and Car tuning – certainly the latest trends

By: mod car

Modified cars are getting really popular and car tuning can be a DIY job or you can use a specialist in the car tuning industry. The aim is to modify your car so as to improve its performance for better handling and style. Car tuning is a feature to personalize your showroom car to your personal expectations and match your driving style. Modified cars are tuned such that they get more economical and/or  produce more than average power increasing RPM and comfort of the ride while providing better handling. Car tuning is certainly one way to improve the performance for car racing or style. Tuning also improves the exterior feature of your modified cars. Tuning the body with aftermarket parts improves aerodynamic features of your car by making use of side skirts, rear and front bumpers, splitters, spoilers, light wheels and air vents.
Modified cars are endowed with enhanced engine tuning so it increases the power of your engine output. This can vary from chip tuning to engine exhaust wrap and nitrous injection. Traditionally only engine timing were adjusted providing better fuel ratio, but presently people add vents, turbo chargers, exhaust systems or a number of other parts that makes your modified cars much more faster in performance for tracks and on road. Car tuning improves your intake charge whilst maintaining the fuel to air ratio of your showroom car and reliability of your engine and upgrades your engine increasing forced injection using nitrous along with engine compression. People add car parts to increase its horse power output providing better torque along with a number of other physical modifications.
Suspension tuning for modified cars improves its shock absorbers and springs making is better shock absorbent reducing the car body roll such that you can drive your bets vehicle under any circumstances or tracks. In most overload vehicles car tuning increases clearance by lengthening suspensions. Most people may also try making use of hydraulic and adjustable suspension upgrades for better outcome. People may also create Modified cars by tuning or adding kits and spoilers to the body. This is a feature that improves the aerodynamics of your modified cars. These are the types of car tuning that are generally performed to improve the physical appearance of your modified cars. People might also try modifying the interiors of the showroom cars by upgrading most factory installations. They may upgrade the seats for a more comfortable ride and make it look more stylish.
Some may also try adding a number of other features like lava lamps so your car might in fact get a much classier appearance from outside and inside. There are also a number of people who might in fact add a number of multimedia devices known as ICE (In Car Entertainment), audio amplifiers, woofers, televisions and DVD players. Exterior modified cars might have features like xenon lights, carbon body equipments, Alloy wheel base and HID. This is one feature that makes your modified cars more aerodynamic and stylish. Some of the showroom cars are considered as more expensive mods by adding vinyl stickers and lights. These types are generally also termed as pimped modified cars. Most people like modifying cars and car tuning just because they consider showroom cars as being tasteless. Before modifying your car you certainly have to check with the legal requirements in your state and country.

About the Author
For more information on Modified cars and car tuning you can visit our websites at www.torquecars.com and www.torquecars.com/tuning.

(ArticlesBase SC #1746796)

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2011 Audi Q7 Review

By Jhon Kenndy


This model is 110 pounds heavier than its predecessor and available with 21 inch alloy wheel with titanium effect and metallic shades. Audi Q7 may face some tough competition from BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne. National base price of 2011 Audi Q7 is around $ 45, 700 which excludes destination charges.
Styles and Trim Level:
2011 Audi Q7 is a full size crossover Sports Utility vehicle which is capable of accommodating seven individuals. This sedan is available with three trim levels which include Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige trim levels.
2011 Audi Q7 Premium trim is offered with 18 inch alloy wheels, roof rails, rear parking sensors, dual zone automatic climate control, power lift gates which include programmable opening angle, automatic wipers, heated eight way power front seats with lumbar adjustment and leather upholstery. Some of the additional features offered with this sedan are split second row seats, tilt and telescopic steering column, auto dimming rear view mirrors, Audi's Multi media Interface, Bluetooth connectivity and audio system with 11 speakers, console mounted sic CD chargers, satellite radio, single CD player, I-Pod interface and satellite radio. TDI premium model is offered with additional chrome trim and 19 inch wheels.
Audi Q7 Premium Plus trim is offered with xenon headlights, panoramic sunroof, LED running lights, power folding mirrors, auto dimming rear view mirrors, driver seat with memory function, driver seat with memory function, Bose Premium audio system with DVD capability and HD radio and navigation system. This model can also be armored with Warm Weather Package which includes four zone automatic climate control, deep tint panoramic sunroof and manual sunshade for tail gate and rear doors.
2011 Audi Q7 TDI Prestige trim is added with 20 inch wheels, keyless ignition and entry, blind spot warning system, adaptive headlights, power tilt and telescopic steering column, warm weather package and ventilated front seats. Audi Q7 3.0T S line Prestige trim is added with some extra features which include 20 inch wheels, super charged V6 engine, head light washers and S line exterior trim and styles. S line accessories are also available with TDI Prestige trim as an optional feature. Some of the optional features available with Prestige trim include adaptive air suspension, adaptive cruise control, 21 inch wheels, Bang and Olufsen Sound system with 14 speakers and S Line package with special interior trim.
Some of the optional features on Audi Q7 are cold weather package, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats and Towing Package.
Engine and Performance:
2011 Audi Q7 3.0T Premium and Premium Plus trim is armored with 3.0 L capacity Supercharged V6 engine and Audi Q7 3.0T S line trim is armored with more powerful engine which is capable of generating 333 HP of power and 325 lb-ft of torque. Both powertrain is mated with all wheel drive channel and eight speed automatic gear transmission.
Specifications:
* Base Number of Cylinders: 6
* Base Engine Size: 3 liters
* Base Engine Type: V6
* Horsepower: 272 HP
* Max Horsepower: 4750 RPM
* Torque: 295 ft-lbs.
* Max Torque: 2250 RPM
* Maximum Towing Capacity: 6600 Pounds
* Drive Type: AWD
* Turning Circle: 39.4 feet
Mileage:
* City: 16 MPG
* Highway: 22 MPG
* Combined: 18 MPG
Audi Q7 TDI is armored with 3.0 L capacity V6 turbocharged diesel engine which generates 225 HP of power and 405 lb-ft of power. Under test conditions this model accelerated from zero to 60 MPH in 8.6 seconds.
Mileage:
* City: 17 MPG
* Highway: 25 MPG
* Combined: 20 MPG
Design and Features:
Audi Q7 scores maximum marks for its interior. Dash is perfectly driver oriented which houses Multi Media Interface which is easy to use. Front seat of this sedan offers maximum head and legroom and rear seat is little cramped which can easily accommodate average individual and third seat is comfortable only for small kids. When both second and third row seats are folded then this sedan offers 72.5 cubic feet of cargo space which is sub-par when compared to its competitors.
Dimensions:
* Wheelbase: 118.2 inch
* Length, Overall: 200.3 inch
* Width, Max without mirrors: 78.1 inch
* Height overall: 68.4 inch
* Track Width Front: 65.0 inch
* Track Width Rear: 66.0 inch
* Min Ground Clearance: 8.1 inch
* Min Ground Clearance: 9.4 inch
* Lift over Height: 32.9 inch
* Cargo Volume to Seat 1: 72.5 Cubic Feet
* Cargo Volume to Seat 2: 42.0 Cubic Feet
* Cargo Volume to Seat 3: 10.9 Cubic Feet
* Passenger Capacity: 7
* Passenger Volume: 133.2 Cubic Feet
* Front Head Room: 40.0 inch
* Front Leg Room: 41.3 inch
* Front Shoulder Room: 58.7 inch
* Second Head Room: 37.2 inch
* Second Leg Room: 37.1 inch
* Second Shoulder Room: 58.1 inch
Safety:
2011 Audi Q7 is armored with some standard safety accessories which include stability control, antilock brakes, traction control, full length side curtain airbags, parking sensors and front seat side airbags. Audi Q7 is also offered with rear view camera which is available only with Premium Plus and Prestige Trim levels. All the trim levels are offered with optional second row side airbags.
Braking Distance (from 60 MPH to 0 MPH): 132 feet
In government crash test Audi Q7 received five stars for side and frontal crash protection. This vehicle has also received GOOD rating for side and frontal offset crash protection from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Other Specifications:
* Suspension Type Front: Independent with Adaptive Air
* Suspension Type Rear: Independent with Adaptive Air
* Brake Type: Power
* Brake ABS System: 4 Wheel
* Front Brake Rotor Diameter: 13.8 x 1.34 Inch
* Rear Brake Rotor Diameter: 13.0 x 1.10 Inch
* Front Tire Size: 255/ 55R18
* Rear Tire Size: 255/ 55 R 18
* Spare Tire Size Compact
* Front Wheel Size: 18 x 8.0 inch
* Rear Wheel Size: 18 x 8.0 inch
* Spare Wheel Size: Compact inch
* Front Wheel Material: Aluminum
* Rear Wheel Material: Aluminum
* Spare Wheel Material: Steel
* Steering Type: Power Rack and Pinion
* Steering Ratio Overall: 16.5:1
2011 Audi Q7
Pros:
Available with diesel variant
Top safety scores
Well crafted interior
Cons:
Limited cargo space
Lacks DVD entertainment system
Cramped third row seats.
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Best Online Websites for Car Shopping

By Saira V


There are a majority of online companies which offer cars of every model. It is becoming an increasing trend to shop online even for cars as well. eBay offers you the possibility to be part of auctions to purchase anything you want. In fact, eBay devotes a whole section for cars and their accessories called eBay Motors. The auction method is a very unique and attractive way to shop for cars online. The procedure is simple; you first search, locate the car you want, determine the price limit and make your bid but not exceed your limit. Your goal should not be to win the bid; this way you will save more money in these auctions. The best thing you can do in auctions is to join government ones. You can easily bid very cheap prices and save a lot of money. Auctions are really the best choice you can make.
There is no doubt in it that the majority of sold cars are the one which are seized by banks for nonpayment that have little mileage and good warranty. This way the bank will minimize the loss instead of paying storage for it. You have the opportunity to check the cars yourself one day earlier so that you can make a choice and have an idea about cost. It is a better way how car dealers acquire their stock of cars. You don't have to be worried about the bids made by the dealers because their goal is to make money, which is not dependent on the car you want. To participate in these auctions you need to gather information about where and when to go, which will require some money investment. Moreover, you can find such auctions on the Internet for more ease.
Craigslist.org and Autotrader.com are very good sites to use for online car shopping. The auctions on net either on eBay Motors or held by the government are even better than any ordinary way to get the lowest prices. Therefore, you can now choose the most suitable way that meets your needs for shopping a car on the Internet.
For searching cars, visit Online Car websites.

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