Porsche 997 Speedster

Very low-slung, very sporty, and very rare: The Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, launches a small edition of a new 911 Speedster. Paying homage to the first Porsche model that bore the name Speedster - the 356 Speedster -, the production run for the new model is limited to 356 cars. The two-seater is significantly different from the other members of the 911 family. In the best tradition, the 60 millimetre lower, more raked windscreen, the flat contour of the sporty-look manual hood, and the characteristic double-bubble hardcover for the soft top define the striking profile of the new 911 Speedster. This makes the body of this rear-wheel drive with its 44 millimetre wider rear stand out even more. The new Porsche 911 Speedster will celebrate its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in early October.

The new 911 Speedster combines the classic features of this type of Porsche sports car with further improved performance of the current 911 generation: The 3.8-litre flat six delivers 408 hp (300 kW), 23 hp more in comparison with the 911 Carrera S. With its average consumption of 10.3 litres/100 km (27.43 mpg imp) (NEDC), the new Speedster is no less efficient than the 911 Carrera S Cabriolet without Powerkit - an effect of Porsche Intelligent Performance. The seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) is in charge of transmitting power to the rear axle fitted with a standard differential lock. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) are standard, too. Add to that exemplary protection for driver and passengers in the new 911 Speedster. Especially for this model, the Porsche engineers further improved the rollover protection system which is standard in all open-top Porsche cars.

The conception of the current Speedster comes from Porsche Exclusive - the company-owned "enhancer" specialising in individualisation of Porsche cars and small series. The 911 Speedster heralds the 25th anniversary of Porsche Exclusive which will be celebrated in 2011, and once again, demonstrates the small-series competence of Porsche Exclusive after the big success of the 911 Sport Classic.

Living up to the Porsche Exclusive standard, the 911 Speedster features almost all optional equipment of the 911 series and its appeal also comes from its meticulously hand-finished interior in black smooth-finish leather with numerous exterior colour painted details exclusive to the Speedster. These include decorative designs with checkerboard patterns in the seat centre section of the adaptive sports seats reminiscent of a chequered flag, and the leather side bolsters in the exterior colour.

The sporty flavour is further enhanced by the exterior colour "Pure Blue" that has been developed exclusively for the Speedster, providing an intriguing contrast with the tinted front lights, black headlight rings, black windscreen surround and other black decorative designs. Upon request, the Speedster is available in Carrara White, at no extra cost. It also features a special front apron, specific sideskirts and a distinct rear apron.

In 1953, the Speedster series was launched with a puristic sports car based on the Porsche 356, which had two sports bucket seats, doors with slide-in plastic side windows, and a shortened, elegantly curved windscreen. In 1988, the Speedster based on the 911 Carrera celebrated its revival with an added feature. For the first time, the hood compartment lid had the characteristic double bubbles. In 1993/1994, the next evolutionary stage of the 911 Carrera was ushered in with yet another Speedster.

Honda S2000

The Honda S2000 is a two-door sports car manufactured by the Japanese automobile manufacturer, Honda, between 1999 and 2009. The S2000 was created to celebrate the manufacturers 50th anniversary. This article provides some information about the Honda S2000, its history, changes to specification and why you might want to buy one.

At the heart of all Honda automobiles are their engines and the engine designed for the Honda S2000 is a very special one indeed. Created using lightweight materials, the engine in the early S2000 sport scars are capable of revving up to 9000rpm, producing around 240hp. The early cars used a 1997cc engine mounted front-mid for optimum weight distribution. The VTEC unit in the Honda S2000 means that below 6000rpm the car is quite docile while driving through town but once you get above 6k the car springs to life with an eagerness to head to the red line as quick as possible. In S2000 terms this means a 0-60 sprint in around 6 seconds! The engine is mated to a manual gearbox with no option for automatic.

The Honda S2000 sports cars are available with two designs. The AP1 chassis was introduced in 1999 and ran until 2004 when the AP2 design started manufacture.

The AP1 Honda S2000 had remote central locking, airbags, cassette radio entertainment system and an immobilizer. From 2002 the model benefited from a heated rear screen and 2004 models were available in GT spec with hard top. From 2004 the car has heated mirrors, LED tail lights and an upgraded alarm system.

The AP2 Honda S2000 has remote central locking, airbags, electronic brake force distribution and ABS as standard on the later models.

Options:
If you buy a S2000 then you'll be pleased with the array options which come as standard on a S2000. The S2000 has leather seats available in a variety of colours including some two-tone shades.

From 2004 the GT specification comes with a hardtop as well as the folding roof to help keep you warm in the winter months. The hardtop has a glass heated rear screen.

Of course, all manufacturers produce a list of optional extras for your car and the S2000 benefits from an optional spoiler for extra racy looks, front and rear protectors and extra speakers for the hifi.

Colours:
The Honda S2000 is available in Berlina Black, Moon rock metallic grey, Silverstone Metallic Silver, Lime Green Metallic; Royal Navy Blue Pearl; Neuburgring Blue Metallic; New Formula Red; Monza Red Pearl; Imola Orange Pearl and New Indy Yellow Pearl. Popular colours for the Honda S2000 are the Neuburgring Blue, Moon rock and Silverstone metallic silver colours. Inside the cockpit, the leather seats are available in Red, Black and Tan, or blue for the Neuburgring coloured cars. Two-tone red-black seats are also available.

Size:
The Honda S2000 is approximately 4100mm long by 1750mm wide.

Running costs:
If your looking for a low cost runabout then you probably should be looking elsewhere. That nippy engine earns the Honda S2000 an insurance group 20 quote! Take it steady on the motorway and you could get upto 35mpg though combined cycle will get more like 28mpg. Also road tax could quite easily be between £200-£400 at time of writing. Servicing costs aren't too bad

Prices
The Honda S2000 has been around for quite a long time now and there are many higher mileage cars around the £5k area. A good well cared for model can be had for around £8-10K for an AP1 spec or £12k plus for an AP2. Prices are representative at the time of writing. Honda has an excellent reputation for reliability so buying an older car shouldn't represent too much of a risk when compared with other options.

Alternatives:
Around at the same time as the S2000 was the Mazda MX5 and Porsche Boxster 2-door open top sports cars. The little Mazda is a fun car to drive with an almost classical style and look dating back to cars of the 60's. The Porsche boxster is a highly accomplished sports car at the lower end of the Porsche range.

Chrysler Firepower

The aerodynamic design as well as the computational fluid technique incorporated in the 2010 Chrysler Firepower make it dashing sports car. For proper engine cooling, a low mounted Chrysler grille is also equipped in it. The regular lights have been put instead of the LED lights, while the bonnet is designed with a clean and neat look.

The aluminum wheels of the car are measured to be 19 x 12 inches in the front and 20 x 12 inches on the rear end. The wheels are also decreased in the size with the above-mentioned dimension. The chassis of the car is similar to that of the Viper cars.

The front brake of the car is equipped with the Brembo vented discs with the 14 inches large and 4 pot calipers. The same system is observed in the rear break, but it is 12 inches large. The Chrysler Firepower comes with the A580 5 speed automatic transmission system.

But, the fuel economy won't be too high as expected. But, the vehicle is estimated to feature the fuel economy of 14/19 mpg (city/highways). The output of the vehicle is quite high and the 2008 Chrysler firepower was considered to be the highest output engine in its class.

The torque of the car is about 420 lb - ft, while Chrysler has also put forth the new high flow cylinder heads, performance oriented camshaft, reinforced engine block, calibrated Auto stick and much more in the latest Chrysler Firepower. It is expected to come with the oyster leather, ocean deep blue and Behr maple accents.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage is a breathtaking stunner of a sports car displaying the best auto engineering, exclusive performance and modern design. There is no doubt about it; you will be the center of attention and other fellow automotive enthusiasts will undoubtedly turn green with envy when you arrive in style at the trendiest hot spot in town in this sophisticated car. Sleek and powerful at the same time, the V8 Vantage has it all. The Vantage features an aesthetically pleasing C-pillar look that is simply stunning and the interior seats are crafted with high quality leather and detailed contrast stitching. This sports car was designed to weigh as little as possible while maximizing performance.

This incredible car offers superior performance; this auto can reach a remarkable sixty two miles per hour in just 4.9 seconds and can reach speed limits of up to one hundred and eighty miles per hour. The Vantage is a car that is built for speed and it would be the thrill of a lifetime to test this high performance vehicle out on the open road. The Vantage's V8 engine is actually built by hand at Aston Martin's exclusive engine factory in Germany. The hand built engine produces 450 hp at 7,000 RPM.

The sleek sports car offers loads of safety features such as the inclusion of front and rear crumple zones engineered to absorb energy during a high-impact car accident and dual airbags which can actually be set off in two separate stages depending on the impact, plus side airbags as well. Further safety features in the V8 Vantage include Traction Control and ABS, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Dynamic Stability Control and Positive Torque Control. In depth testing has been performed on the Vantage in such strenuous and rigorous locations such as the Nardo racing track in Italy, the Nurburgring in Germany and in Dubai where degrees regularly hit 118 degrees Fahrenheit and the the exterior of cars an even reach intense degrees of 188 F.

One very nifty feature that comes standard on the V8 Vantage is that of the integration of all versions of the iPod music player including the iPod Nano, iPod Touch, iPod Classic etc. You can easily control your entire iPod library from the Vantage's in-dash display including play lists, albums and artists. In addition, the V8 also comes with a 160-watts audio system and 6 disc cd changer, which will enable you to savor the sweet sounds of your favorite tunes as you cruise down the highway in opulent style.

The V8 Vantage is Aston Martin's most affordable and best selling vehicle available on the market. This is an stunning automobile that will certainly provide you with lots of envious glances as you drive her at full speed on the road. Check out the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and get ready for a taste of luxury, elegance and excellent performance.