Koenigsegg rolls out with speed and green

Koenigsegg has always been associated with very powerful and equally expensive sport cars. The recent release, the Koenigsegg CCXR boasts of an impressive 4.8 liter, V8 engine. The engine has been engineered to bring out 1004 horse power which will surely blow you away in no time. Floor the gas pedal and in less than three seconds you’ll already be running 60mps (2.9 seconds to be exact). These numbers could only be compared to a highly popular also expensive car, Bugatti Veyron. In fact, the data is even better. Koenigsegg could have a maximum speed of 254 mph while the Veyron could only reach 253mph. Yes, it’s just a mere mile but this will mean that the CCXR could beat Veyron.

But with all these features, the CCXR wants to go out with a message: you don’t have to be a polluter just to experience the thrill of speed. The CCXR’s engine could be used with a mix of ethanol and gasoline. It’s an environment move which is also great for the driver as this will greatly reduce emissions. No one will even smell your smoke when you pass them by at 250mph.

The Koenigsegg hopes to appeal to those who are not only speed crazy but also a nature lover. As we have already said, this is a highly expensive car and will cost no less than £1.5 million (around $2.25 Million). At least its earth-friendly.

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Lotus Evora Unveiled in US

Lotus Evora was recently unveiled for the first time in US soil during the LA Auto Show. The mid-sized version of Evora was shown to the public with a little less flare compared to the Evora that was in Europe in one of the auto shows. But that doesn't mean it's a lesser because it could stand on its own without lights in the side markers.

The Evora is a mid-sized sports car with an impressive 30mpg but has an engine that could have as much as 276 horse power. 60mph could be achieved in 5 seconds flat with a top speed of 160 while running with 3.5L V6 from Toyota.

But if the numbers don't appeal to you, maybe the insides will do. The sports car is roomy enough for two passengers in front but also has a room at the back for two kids. The interior is all leather and the dashboard has a powerful GPS. Entertainment could never be better which features multi-touch interface - because you just can't get off your hands on the screen. The best part is that you'll never have to be awkward in getting into this car as it doesn't have any fancy doors that will only make you uncomfortable.

The Evora is expected to be available in the US market from November to December. A convertible is also set to be sold later. Automatic shifting features will be available second quarter next year. So if you're looking for a sports car this Christmas, give everyone in your family the thrill of the ride with Lotus Evora.

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Nissan 2009 370Z Unveiled in LA Auto Show

Nissan has unveiled their latest sports car during the LA Auto Show. The Nissan 2009 370Z was presented to the public and has generated a buzz because of the previous reception of the 350Z. Although the previous version did had a lot to be proud of, owners have been expressing concerns over the 350Z as there are obvious things that could be improved in the Nissan sports car.

Luckily, Nissan has heard the complaints of its customers and willfully obliged. The 370Z is basically an upgraded version of 350Z with some features were made based on the reviews of the previews 350Z. Clearly, Nissan is aiming for customer satisfaction by establishing features from customer suggestions. But these suggestions are actually feasible, the engineers of Nissan just have to work a little bit harder to achieve them.

The key feature of the 2009 370Z is the reduction of weight. More than 100 pounds were taken from the sports car. The 370Z is now at 3,232 lbs - relatively lighter when compared to its predecessor which was at 3,350 lbs. The weight is based on the manual shifter version of 370Z.

Aside from its weight, the chassis was improved significantly. Although they opted to for the traditional look of a sports car, the chassis were improved in strength. which will naturally improve the performance of the car. The expected base price for the latest Toyota sports car is within the $30,000 range. The Nissan 2009 370Z will be available early next year.

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Can the electric car save General Motors?

General Motors is not the only automotive company having problems at the moment but for one reason or another it is the one that has dominated the news despite the fact that all of the Detroit based automobile manufacturing companies are having serious problems when it comes to their bottom line. However, there is something in the works that might be able to save GM and similar companies that decide to do the same thing and it is the electric car.

GM has had many meetings regarding the creation of electric automobiles and at the current moment in time it does appear as though the electric car is going to become real before the start of the next decade in 2011. This is very interesting indeed because not only is the GM electric car going to be completely devoid of anything in terms of a traditional gasoline powered engine, but the small conventional engine that works as a backup in case the electrical engine were to fail has been fine-tuned so that it has an overall fuel efficiency that is on par with the scooters that people have been purchasing as replacements for their cars.

Considering the technological advancement required for such a thing, that is a statistic that is sure to make people sit up and take notice. At the moment we only have GM's word to go on as to the veracity of that statement but the car will be released into the market soon enough and when that does happen everyone will know whether they were exaggerating, bloviating or telling the truth.

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Price of gas plummets

One trend that appears to be continuing strongly at the current moment in time is the falling price of oil. After peaking around the $150 per barrel mark this year, the price of a barrel of oil has come down around 65%.

This to some people is a validation of the theory that speculation was the only real thing driving the price of oil whereas to other people it is just an indication that the people controlling the world's oil supplies know exactly when to press the issue and when exactly to back off. While the latter is a bit of a conspiracy theory, the fact that oil increases seem to coincide with maximum complacency in the market combined with the fact that it seems to decrease in price coincidentally with the maximum desire for change in the marketplace has made many people into proverbial UFO believers on this particular issue.

Whatever the reason for this happens to be however, the truth of the matter at this point is that the likeliest future pathway is that nothing is going to happen as a result of this sudden sharp decrease in the price of oil.

People will have an easier time making their purchases at the gas stations and their monthly financial statements will look a lot better as a result, but ultimately the desire for the marketplace to move past gasoline at least in the area of personal automotive transportation has already taken hold in the free markets of the world. Many of the world's top automotive companies already have plans to come out with fully electric cars by 2010 and of course fully electric cars have no reliance on gasoline whatsoever.

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Future auto trends: hybrid cars

The craze at the moment as far as the purchase of automobiles is concerned is the purchasing of hybrid automobiles. The Prius is the most obvious and celebrated example of this but the fact of the matter is that everywhere you look people are turning to hybrid automobiles as an answer for their current fuel problems. However, looking at the long term, are they really that good?

Hybrid automobiles are cars that have a conventional combustion engine while at the same time having an electric engine that can share the load some of the time. The usual end result is that fuel efficiency is doubled and therefore gas prices for a person are effectively cut in half. This is a very elegant solution at the current moment in time since it has the practical effect over the course of a month's worth of buying gas of restoring the cost to its location a few years ago.

That having been said, what happens in the future when gas prices double? When gas prices double, people that have purchased hybrid automobiles will be in the exact same boat they were in just before purchasing the hybrid to begin with. Of course one would hope that technology would progress in the time and that the person would have enough cash to unload their hybrid and switch to something else when the time comes, but if we are unlucky enough to see gas prices double in the next year that does not seem like a financial reality for most people.

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2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe revealed

Hyundai has opted to release the specs for the 2010 Genesis Coupe. So far, the data is pretty impressive as the soon to be released coupe has the fuel efficiency of 30mpg.

Genesis Coupe will come in two models: Track and GT models. The latter model will have more features compared to Track models. The GT model will feature powerful 360-watt speakers, sunroof, GPS and power adjuster in driver’s seat. The less slick Track will not have the flashy chrome design of GT but will feature classic leather seats with powerful 13.4 and 13.0-inch breaks in front and rear disks respectively.

Available also are the turbocharged, standard and premium model. Turbocharged are geared towards speed as it features six speed option. Weighing considerably less compared to other coupes (3,303 lbs compared to 3,402 lbs for standard), it could reach 220hp when used with premium fuel.

The standard edition of 2010 Genesis Coupe on the other hand is geared towards leisure or daily comfort drivers. The car features the standard brakes in front and rear while featuring a decent entertainment system such as docks for iPod and other MP3 players, six speaker sound system, as well as Bluetooth capability.

The premium model upgrades the entertainment experience of the standard edition as it comes with a more powerful 10-speaker 360-watt sound system. There is also an integrated Homelink and navigation system.

Although the specs are impressive, the 2010 Genesis Coupe will be pushed as a two-door car. Apparently the lightweight cars of Hyundai have to sacrifice space to ensure fuel efficiency.

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