BMW has successfully set the benchmark for prestige motoring as one of the greatest automobile manufacturers since 1913 when Karl Friedrich Rapp, a Bavarian who had been a well-known engineer in a German aircraft company, formed Rapp Motoren Werke in a suburb of Munich. The company specialized in airplane engines however Rapp found that they were problematic and suffered from excessive vibration. Nearby, Gustav Otto, also an airplane specialist, set up his own shop, Gustav Flugmaschinefabrik, building small aircraft.
Today you can find any information you need related to cars including car prices and dealer quotes, auto reviews, safety ratings, pictures, specs and more. All what you need is to make a right choice.
Automotive market, BMW February 23rd 2012
According to Popular Mechanics the list of best 10 cars of 2011 year includes follow ones:
1. Jeep Grand Cherokee – OFF-ROAD ABILITY, Price: $30,215
2.Lotus Evora – FUN TO DRIVE, Price: $74,675
3. Hyundai Sonata – VALUE, Price: $19,195
4.Toyota Sienna – VERSATILITY, Price: $25,270
5.Ford Mustang – PERFORMANCE, Price: $22,145
6.Ford F-250 Super Duty – WORKHORSE, Price: $28,020
7.Ford Fiesta – FUEL EFFICIENCY, Price: $13,320
8.Cadillac CTS Coupe – DESIGN, Price: $38,165
9.Infiniti M37/M56 – LUXURY, Price: $47,125
10.Chevrolet Volt – TECHNICAL INNOVATION, Price: $41,000
All prices are indicated as a bace
Sergio Scaglietti, a sports car designer, whos name is associated with some of the most beautiful and famous Ferraris of the past 60 years, died Sunday at age 91 at his home in Modena.
Sergio Scaglietti was born Jan. 9, 1920, in Modena, Italy. He was forced to drop out of school at 13 after his father died. To support his family, he went to work in a local garage, where he learned to repair by hand the bent and dented bodies of cars banged up in accidents.
When Sergio was 17, his older brother and another employee formed their own coachbuilding company and took young Sergio with them. They set up shop in downtown Modena across the street from Enzo Ferrari’s Scuderia Ferrari, and in a short time they were repairing the Scuderia’s cars.
In the early 1950s, a gentleman racer from Bologna commissioned Sergio to rebody his damaged Touring Barchetta. “Enzo Ferrari saw this and said ‘That is not bad,’” Scaglietti remembered. “From this, he entrusted me with a new chassis.”
In 1954, Mr. Scaglietti was commissioned by Italian movie director Roberto Rossellini to design a custom Ferrari 375 MM for his then-wife, actress Ingrid Bergman.
In the mid 1950s, Scaglietti became the Carrozzeria of choice for Ferrari’s racing efforts. Many sports racing prototypes were designed and manufactured at their facility. All those exclusively designed by Scaglietti carried the Scaglietti & C. badge while cars built to outside designs didn’t. Several of Ferrari’s most coveted models such as the 250 California, 250 GTO and 250 Tour de France were built by Scaglietti to a Pinin Farina design.
As you know pretty well till now Japan has been second largest automobile market in the world. An automotive and electronic industries are the most prominent industries, the base of the Japanese economy. Such autos as Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi and Mazda have recommended themselves in the world as quality and trustworthy ones.
But now, in the light of Japan’s tragedy that is unfortunately still continuing it’s becoming also obviously that the earthquake has affected on all exports, including cars and probably customers will get the deficit of automotives and electronic components very soon. Japan’s top three auto makers, Toyota, Honda and Nissan, have closed already their plants in the quake-hit areas in Japan.
It’s pity becouse I’ve loved Nissan Micra which is both beautiful as economic auto. Nissan Micra comes in a single engine variant – 1.2 litre petrol with 3 in-line cylinders. The powerful engine can churn out a maximum power of 75 bhp @ 6000 RPM and will give you a maximum torque of 104 Nm @ 4000 RPM. Paired with the engine is a five speed manual transmission.
Micra boasts of optimum performance, ride and handling combined with agility and refinement.Mounted on the Nissan’s new signature V-platform, the suspension minimizes intrusion and takes on well to US or European roads. The suspension set up comprises of McPherson Strut at the front and torsion beam at the rear. The cute looking hatchback also offers a great fuel economy of 18.06 kmpl.
However, we have to hope and many analysts believe that the impact of Japan’s quake would not last long on the global market. A Moody’s economist even thinks that Japan’s reconstruction efforts after the earthquake could boost global trade.
