The Ferrari Enzo Supercar

by: Bradley George Lindemann

One of the world’s top sports car manufacturers is Ferrari, whose symbol of a black prancing horse on a yellow shield-shaped background is perhaps one of the most easily recognizable car logos in the world. Based in Maranello, Italy, this Italian sports car manufacturer is responsible for the existence of some of the most powerful and at the same time most elegant sports cars the world has ever seen.


Every single Ferrari ever manufactured, from the 250 GTO to the 206/246 Dino, is a feat of engineering and design. One such Ferrari is the Enzo Ferrari Supercar, which was named one of the top sports cars of the new millennium by Sports Car International magazine in 2004. Named in honor of Enzo Ferrari, who founded the company in 1929, the Enzo Ferrari supercar is indeed super in many respects.

Built in 2003, the Enzo Ferrari supercar was designed using Formula One technology. Its body is made of carbon-fiber, its brake discs are carbon-ceramic, and it has an F1-style sequential shift transmission. It has 6.0-liter, 660-horsepower V-12 engine, the first Ferrari motor to have continuously variable exhaust valve timing. The Enzo engine has four valves per cylinder and a variable-length induction system.

As befitting the “supercar” tag, the Enzo Ferrari boasts of extremely quick acceleration. The Enzo Ferrari is capable of reaching 62.5 mph in 3.30 seconds and can accelerate to 100 mph in 6.60 seconds. This particular breed of Ferrari can also complete the quarter mile from a stop in approximately 11.1 seconds at 133 mph. Its estimated top speed of 217 mph is further proof of its Formula 1 heritage. So unless you’re an active driver in the Formula 1 circuit, there’s no way you can hit the top speed on a regular road and get away with it.


So far, the Enzo has proven to be stable when cornering. Its powerful engine, however, sometimes makes the car a bit difficult to control. Fortunately, it has rack-and-pinion power steering, pushrod actuated coil-shock units, a four-wheel independent suspension stabilized by front and rear anti-roll bars, and four Bridgestone Scuderia tires, which have been designed and tuned specifically for the Enzo Ferrari supercar.

So far, Ferrari has only produced 400 of these supercars, and only a select few have managed to acquire one. As a matter of fact, just being able to afford its US$643,330 price tag is not enough to get your hands on one. Propsective owners still have to send applications to Ferrari for the privilege of purchasing one of these supercars.

A number of famous people are or have been proud owners of an Enzo Ferarri supercar, including Nicolas Cage, Eric Clapton, Tommy Hilfiger, Rod Stewart, and of course, Michael Schumacher, the man responsible for bringing virtually countless honor for the company as the most famous Formula 1 driver for Scuderia Ferrari, Ferrari’s racing division. 

British Number Plates

By Timothy Wheeler

Car number plates have been a feature of British motoring since 1903 when the first ever vehicle registration number was issued. This car number plate was A 1 issued in London. At this time it was the role of councils to issue vehicle registration numbers the alpha characters were used to represent the issuing office, the numerical characters 0-9 being the random component.
The vehicle registration index in England, Wales and Scotland excluded the I & Z's characters. The I & Z characters were used in Northern Ireland who had their own unique system for car registration numbers. G, S & V and their double letter combination characters were originally to be used exc
lusively for Scotland. This had to be abandoned due to increased demand although I and Z were only used in Ireland.
Dateless Number Plates
The term dateless referrers to registrations that have no age indicator. The earlier car registration numbers were all dateless. There are still thousands of dateless registration numbers on the road today in the United Kingdom. These however are now private number plates. They are a great way for there owners to make a statement about themselves and their personality. Some dateless registrations are used to display the owners initials others reflect a name, hobby, football team, company, qualification, children, grand children or whatever is personal to the owner.
Suffix Number Plates.
The dateless registration number was limited to the amount of possible combinations could be issued. As popularity of the motor vehicle increased the DVLA had to come up with a new scheme to accommodate the volume of new vehicles being registered. Hence the suffix registration was born in 1963. The Format of the registration was three letters excluding I,Q & Z, this represented the issued office. Followed by three numerical characters 0-9, this was the random part or the registration number. The final component was the Suffix character, a single alpha character to represent the first year the vehicle was registered. Each year a new suffix letter was issued reflecting vehicles first registered. This worked really well for many years with motorists seeing who could be first to get a new vehicle on August the 1st, the first day of the registration year. Today private number plates in the suffix style are increasing in popularity.
Prefix Number Plates
By 1983 the Suffix registration number system was exhausted and the DVLA yet again have to rethink the vehicle indexing system. Having had this problem previously they were well equipped with what to do.
As with dateless numbers when the need to increase the available numbers they had reversed them. Essentially that is what happened to suffix DVLA number plates, introducing the prefix car registration numbers. The first Character was an alpha character, representing the vehicle age. Followed by three numbers, 0-9, this was the random component in the vehicle registration number. Then the alpha block, three letters excluding I,Q & Z that reflected the registering office.
The motor trade were delighted in August when there sales rocketed as motorists rushed to get a new registered car, for 12 months everyone would know that had a brand new car quiet a status symbol.
The problem for them was this huge peak in their selling calendar and for years the motor traded lobbied for a change. In 2001 they got their way and since then there has been two registration number changes a year March 1st & September 1st.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6286419

How Does A Power Inverter Work? Power Inverters Explained

By Iain K

A power inverter converts your car's direct current (DC) battery power into conventional alternating current (AC) power which can then run a range of household products such as microwaves, power tools, TVs, radios, computers etc when an AC outlet is not available. Particularly useful for camping or long road trips.
Just connect the inverter to your car battery, and plug your AC devices into the inverter and you've got power on the go. (Smaller inverters will connect directly via the car's cigarette lighter)

The Technical Bit...
Two factors determine how a power inverter works: wave output and wattage output. Wave output describes the physical appearance of electrical signals as they move across an oscilloscope. Square waves appear exactly as their name specifies: like squares on a grid. Pure sine waves, also called true sine waves, appear as visible waves on the screen.
How do I know which Inverter to choose?
The first step in selecting a power inverter is to match the inverter to the voltage of the battery you'll be using for power. In the majority of cases, you'll be using a standard 12-volt car battery, so you would want to select a 12-volt inverter.
The next step is to identify which devices you plan to power with the inverter. Each device should carry a label which that tells you the wattage it requires to operate. The wattage rating of your inverter must surpass the wattage of the highest wattage device or the total wattage of all the devices you plan to run simultaneously, or of the largest device.
Some devices draw a higher wattage than their normal operating wattage rating when they first start up. This is known as peak or surge, and this information should also be listed on the device's label. Most power inverters also have a peak rating, so make sure the inverter's peak rating is higher than the peak wattage of the device you intend to power. Microwaves are a special case. As an example, you may know that your microwave is a 400-watt microwave. This is actually the cooking wattage. The power wattage might be twice that amount. Again, check the label on the device to make sure.
Power inverters which run through your car cigarette lighter are designed for lower wattage devices - laptops, phone chargers etc. In fact, if you try to pass more than about 400 watts through a cigarette lighter connection, it will fail -- and it might even start a fire in your vehicle.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6280292

2012 Honda CR-Z Mugen

Honda has released the first pictures of the CR-Z Mugen, ahead of its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

2012 Honda CR Z Mugen Rear View 495x355 2012 Honda CR Z Mugen
After a further 15 per cent increase in power over this ‘stage 1′ engine and with over 50 kg reduced from the chassis, overall performance is set to meet Mugen’s original targets.

That achieved 0-60mph in 6.6 seconds, and the team says the test version has already passed that, thanks to a hike in power to 200bhp and 245Nm of torque.

The regular 1.5 i-VTEC engine develops 113bhp, while Mugen's bolting on a supercharger and fettling the IMA hybrid system for nearer 200bhp and 181lb ft. And Mugen's dieticians have stripped out 50kg of unnecessary heft, to make the CR-Z more agile. The bonnet is made from carbonfibre while the wheels are lightweight Mugen alloys.

Mugen also has upgraded handling and performance, fitting adjustable shocks and large disc brakes, increasing track and reducing weight. Mugen GP 17-inch forged alloy wheels are part of an exterior package that includes front and rear airdams, side skirts and a rear wing.

2011 Nissan Qazana signals a New Design Direction for the Japanese

Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today announced U.S. pricing for the 2011 Nissan GT-R supercar, which is on sale now at select Nissan dealers.

 

 

For 2011, its third year of availability in the North American market, the Nissan GT-R features a number of enhancements and a simplified model lineup. The previous GT-R base model has been eliminated, leaving the GT-R Premium as the only available 2011 model. Other changes include slightly darker wheel center caps, double clear coat on the front and rear fascias and the addition of rear cooling ducts to improve cooling performance around the rear floor area.

The suspension has been retuned and the rear bushing strengthened to enhance ride comfort while still maintaining the GT-R's outstanding handling. In addition, auto on/off headlights and speed-sensitive windshield wipers are now standard, along with a USB iPod® interface, Streaming Audio via Bluetooth® and DVD playback. The navigation system now includes XM NavTraffic® and NavWeatherTM capability.

The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)* for the 2011 Nissan GT-R equipped with standard 485-horsepower 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 engine and high-performance, 6-speed, dual-clutch transmission is:

* Nissan GT-R Premium: $84,060 USD

Three options and one accessory are available for the 2011 GT-R: Cold Weather Package (no charge); special Super Silver paint ($3,000); Ultra-High Performance Tire Package (no charge); and carpeted GT-R logo floor mats ($280).

Nissan March

The Nissan March, or also known as the Micra in the UK, was designed to be a fuel efficient and space efficient in the streets of Tokyo and London. Jaski Auto Gallery brings you that efficiency to the Philippines. Nissan is known around the world for the quality and coolness of their air conditioning systems. This Nissan March is no exception to that. Equipped with a 1300cc engine, the Micra  promises less money spent when driving into a gas station. In addition, the March takes advantage of a full 4-Speed (with Overdrive) Automatic Transmission. This only means that driving in heavy traffic becomes more com
fortable. Built as an everyday vehicle, the Nissan March/Micra is no stranger to harsh weather. The rear wiper assures you, even during the heaviest of rain fall, you’ll still be able to back out of the driveway with no visibility problems. You’ll feel safe and unique when driving this used car in the busy streets of Cebu City or Manila, or just cruising around Iloilo or Dumaguete. Jaski Auto Gallery currently has this pre owned unit  in stock. Jaski delivers to any port in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.  Jaski is the car dealer that delivers and cares.

Crutchlow: Not Fall, I Can Finish 6th

Le Mans - The look on the disappointment is still clearly visible on his face after diving Cal Crutchlow French Grand Prix on Sunday (05/15/2011). Tech 3 Yamaha Monster racer very disappointed, because in fact he believes can achieve maximum results at Le Mans.

Crutchlow performance during practice sessions ahead of qualifying until the race was pretty good. Rookie this season, it even managed to start the race from sixth, his best achievement in this season.


Unfortunately, apiknya achievement in qualifying race to end a bitter moment. The British rider was dropped from his motorcycle on lap six, while the middle fight with Ben Spies to compete for eight positions. Failure to touch the finish line for the first time this had made ​​him very disappointed.

"I am quite disappointed because, if you saw my appearance, I feel sure I can finish in the top six. Unfortunately, I fell in the middle of fun duel with Ben. I am quite able to keep up (Ben Spies) and had thought could achieve good results, until suddenly I did stupid mistake at turn 6, "complained MCN Crutchlow was quoted as saying on Tuesday (17/05/2011).


"I touched the curb to make me lose control on the front of the motor. After falling, I try to wake the motor and return to the track. But, there is a problem in the gas, so, it is impossible for me to continue racing. I am disappointed with this outcome, but, this is something that usually happens when you push yourself too, especially in highly competitive classes such as MotoGP, "he said.


Despite the bad result at Le Mans, Crutchlow began his first season in MotoGP with the fairly good. Won three races passed with quite good results (finish the 11, 8 and 8). In total, the drivers 25 is to collect 21 points and sits at number 11 of the standings. Not a bad achievement for a Rookie.