All-Electric Luxury Car INZIO

The Li-Ion Motors new electric "supercar" INZIO looks like a cross between a V8 Jaguar and a Ferrari and can cruise at 170mph. It also has a range of 250 miles. This thing can get from 0 to 60mph in 3.4 seconds. INZIO is a two-seater sports model, and the design isn't exactly bashful. INZIO is a machine that looks like it means business. It looks so good you might even get discounts on your car insurance  if you let your insurance guys look it over.


INZIO has successfully trashed quite a few of the common conceptions of electric cars. If you're a car designer, the performance figures all add up to one thing – Power. Electric sports cars have been a sort of novelty in recent years, with some grunt but not much sustained performance to achieve the "Wow" effect. INZIO is very obviously a very different beast, and a competitive beast.

INZIO is expected to be coming out in 2011, with a price tag of $139,000. For a high-performance sports car, that's actually about average. This car has "classic" written all over it, and could actually be the Mustang of its generation.

The power factor has produced some very interesting statistics. Battery power output is over 40kW, with an upgrade to 96.7kW also available. The electric motor produces 145kW. This is no slot car, and those power figures would be respectable for a racing car. From available publicity, the manufacturer seems to be being a little coy about providing specification details, but to achieve that speed involves a very high level of power to weight efficiency, and let's face it, very good design.

The Green side of INZIO

INZIO doesn't produce emissions. If you want to be strictly tourist/purist about it, the high-power electric engine may generate a carbon footprint, but electricity can be sourced from anywhere these days, so that's a slightly specious way at best of looking at the car as a Green product.

As a matter of fact, the Greenest part of the INZIO concept is that it is very likely to encourage a lot of other car designers to start looking seriously at producing very good quality electric car designs. The seemingly endless struggle to get electric cars on the road in the face of petrol-based primitivism hasn't exactly encouraged innovation over the years, and INZIO has now provided irrefutable proof of high-power viability in electric vehicles.


A watered-down version of INZIO on a conventional frame would make a good family sedan, and probably make a positive difference to car insurance quotes as well, because they'd be very reliable vehicles. Mainstream vehicles don't need this sort of grunt, in fact they could probably make do with about half the performance of this car.

A further very Green aspect of this design is that finally it's looking like electric power for heavy vehicles is a real possibility. That's been a major issue, but this level of grunt could easily drive a range of basic freight vehicles without much difficulty, and it's fairly easy to see how extra power could operate the
big rigs.

At this rate, Li-Ion Motors may be the first car manufacturer to start winning environmental prizes. If so, they've earned them.

5 Tips for Using an Ipod in Your Car

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Music storage has gone through a transition from cassette to compact disc to MP3 file. While portable MP3 players are great and easy to use, one may come across difficulties when trying to use them in the car. We look at how to overcome the challenges to enjoying MP3 music through your car stereo. It's also worth checking that your car insurance has a contents allowance, if your MP3 player is left in your vehicle.


The Apple Ipod is arguably the most popular, and certainly the most globally recognised MP3 player brand. While this article may refer to the Ipod, these tips apply equally for any type of MP3 player.

Standard Connectivity in New Cars

MP3 players have been around for years now, so most car makers really should be up to speed. MP3 players are the standard means for portable music, so any self respecting car manufacturer should have some sort of way to connect an MP3 player into a car stereo. Just how easy this is, and how well an MP3 player integrates with a car stereo is the test of car maker's efforts with sound system advancement.

Full Integration

This is the ultimate. Many new cars now have stereos that are ready to accept MP3 player plug ins, and allow full operability on the part of the driver. Stereo controls on the steering wheel allow the driver to scan through tracks and albums on an MP3 player and select songs. On some systems, the track names will even appear on the car stereo.

Audio Jack

Having just an audio jack on a car stereo is a passable but sub-standard solution. A non integrated solution means that one needs to handle the MP3 player in order to skip tracks and the like. This can be a little dangerous if the driver is doing this and taking his or her eyes off the road. The shuffle option is useful in providing continuous music, but if the driver gets an incoming phone call or other interruption, it's harder to pause the music quickly and safely.

Cassette Adaptor

If your car has a cassette player, a cassette adapter can be used to link an MP3 player to a car stereo. Again, one can't operate the MP3 player remotely, and there will be some loss of sound to the adapter's analogue format, but it's a pretty cheap solution.

New Stereo

A new stereo is much cheaper than a new car. If you are planning on a new stereo, then it's worth looking for one that offers remote operation. If you are buying a new car, and music is important to you, take your MP3 player and cords into the car showroom, and see how easy it is to hook up.


MP3 players have revolutionised music. It is now possible to carry literally thousands of songs around with you in your pocket. With many of us spending considerable time in our cars, it's important to be able to also enjoy music libraries through car stereos. Taking heed of the points above will make this not only possible, but easy. When comparing car insurance quotes, make sure that installed accessories, like MP3 compatible stereos are covered under your insurance.

5 Tips For Car Window Tinting

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Having your car's windows tinted can provide several benefits. These include reducing the amount of piercing light entering the car and limiting ultra-violet rays. Selecting the right mechanics or auto industry professionals to do the job is an important decision. Take time to ponder the process and requirements, in order to make the right choice.

Light Reduction

Having the bright sun shining right into a driver's line of vision is not only irritating, but can also be dangerous. One of the main benefits of car window tinting is substantially reducing this amount of light. Not only can this assist with vision issues, it also helps reduce infrared light and ultra-violet radiation, sometimes almost totally. Some window tinting professionals will have figures on just how much UV rays and the like can be reduced, so it's worth investigating.


Privacy

Window tinting also brings privacy benefits to a car. While the driver and any passengers can see clearly out of the car, those on the outside have great difficulty looking in. This can help reduce theft, by keeping internal contents pretty well hidden. With different gradients of darkness, it is imperative to ensure that the level you choose meets local standards. Law enforcement want to ensure that drivers can see clearly through window tinting at night, when visibility may be impaired. Police officers may also want to identify those in a vehicle themselves.


Installation

While it is possible to apply window tinting by oneself, unless you are absolutely sure what you are doing, you could end up with a sub-standard result. The reason being is that the work can be a bit tricky, particularly with the glass of car windows which is curved and needs special application. Cutting and sizing window tinting film to match properly can be a challenge. Applying window tinting film to car windows poorly can result in bubbled film, or tinting that separates from the glass. Specialised tools are also needed for this type of work, so embark on any do it yourself venture with caution.


Warranty

Should you choose to use the experts, check what sort of warranty window tinting installation comes with. Employing those that install window tinting daily should give a consumer extra confidence that the job will be done right. Some good operators offer lifetime warranties on their work, giving extra peace of mind. This is important, as one doesn't want to be left with a home type job, without any recourse.


Removal

Hopefully most customers are happy with the results of having their car windows tinted, and would never want or need to have it removed. If for some reason it does need to be removed, a few words of caution are required. Just like installation, removal on your own can get quite messy if you are not careful with what you are doing. Some window tinters remove whole plates of glass in order to put on the window film, so removing this at home may be a challenge. One can sometimes remove tinting with a hair dryer and some ammonia, but for a worry free removal, consult the experts.

Window tinting has some clear benefits, and the result looks pretty cool too. Be familiar with the options and regulations before shopping around. Just like with your regular car service, award the job to a reputable operator.

A Mercedes utility van? It happened.

If you’re a tradesman, and you own a Mercedes 3C, what do you do with it? You turn it into a working car. In this case a utility van, complete with original panels. A work of art, no less, and a work of art with a real lesson for Mercedes owners. We’re not too sure how he handled the car insurance, but the job was superb.


The tale of the Mercedes


A 3C is an old Mercedes, but a good one. This was one of the last versions of the traditional Mercedes sedans, the classic model from which the modern Mercedes are derived. Finding parts for the 3Cs isn’t easy. It takes time, but being Mercedes parts, they don’t get thrown out. It’s usually possible, if you have the patience, to restore a Mercedes from about 1960 onwards.

This tradesman must have had the patience of God, or better. Even the upholstery was immaculate. It was all leather, the sort a hardworking tradesman can truly appreciate. Green leather, and good quality, heavy duty, stitched like the Mercedes grew it itself. It was absolutely immaculate in the easily recognizable front cabin. The dashboard was also fully authentic, the true classic Mercedes interior to the last detail, all in brilliant condition.

The notable difference, however, was an oversize radiator. It looked a little odd at first, but even the radiator was a very good effort at an authentic Mercedes radiator. A bit of investigation located the reason. Being a working car, the 3C had had its engine up-gunned. A reasonable precaution, because being a tradesman, the revamped Mercedes was carrying a tradesman’s load. The thing purred. Even the little suburban lawnmower cars around the neighborhood made more noise than it did.

What was interesting was that the car’s engine housing and the body wasn’t modified for this obviously much more powerful engine. This was our first clue to how well the conversion to a utility had been managed. The replacement was seamless. No body work, no resizing, just a new engine under the original cream yellow

The suspension was also reworked to deal with a back load. Tools, materials and heavy equipment can take a working truck apart over time, let alone a Mercedes. If you’re now getting the impression that this guy knows a bit about cars, you’d be right.

The piece de resistance, without a doubt, was the body work. The tradesman managed, somehow, to find a complete panel to join the large tray to the Mercedes body. This was a customized piece, and it was identical to the unmistakable original Mercedes body and doors. A perfect color match, too, absolutely authentic. 
The sheer visual impact of this car, sitting majestically in the car park outside a local village retirement home, where the tradesman was working, was astonishing. A Rolls Royce couldn’t have got more attention from the local car aficionados. Wherever this guy gets his car insurance quotes, he must have to talk for hours to the insurance people.

TRU Spoke Wire Wheels

It's been long since many classic cars were used to mounted with TRU spoke wire wheels. They were darling wheels of the masses. Many American  GM  cars and old models of BMW and Mercedes use to have them but now they are extinct. Many classic car lovers have not forgot 1953 Corvette (Recreation), 1983 DUESENBERG II SJ LA GRANDE, 1929 MERCEDES-BENZ BEAR CAT REPLICA e.t.c and many other classic roadsters all having Wire Wheels on them. But now no more car manufacturers fit TRU spoke wire wheels in their cars. The inspirations these kind of wheels should have been spoked cart wheels. Ever seen the wheels on the cart?

Wire wheels are the wheels in which it's spoke. That is a rod attaches from the center of a rim's hub to the outer rim. It appears as a whole dense network of spokes on a wheel. Numerous spokes provided a great structural strength to the whole wheel.

However these wheels are still used in bicycles and motor cycles but their role in the car wheel is not any more unless a vintage car enthusiast customize them on their wheels.

The reason for these kind of wheels getting out of fashion is of course the change of taste. Like any other thing, fashion or trend also has its life. These were popular specially in the decade of 60's and they lived until 90's. In 1960's even the sports cars have these wheels mounted over them.

The advantage of wired wheels was that the damaged wheel could be repaired without the need of getting it dismantled from the car. Bring the wheel into shape and then re lace additional spokes in to the wheel thus giving back the wheel whole new look. Since as spokes steel, copper or other metal used was in the form of thick wires, they used to be lighter than other wheels.

TRU spoke wire rims were not without any disadvantage like any other thing. They were very difficult to get cleaned as navigation through the whole dense network of wires was difficult. I guess that was the only demerit of it.

However if you are really a fan of these wheels don't get disappointed. As the history repeats itself, so does any trend. Spoke wire wheels on cars are very trendy in hip hop videos now a days. A hit movie where the hero drives with these wheels on his car can really do the trick in favor of these rims. Who knows!!!

Different Tire Tread Patterns and Their Implications.

Ever wonder why there are different patterns on the car tire? Are these designs or patterns only to quench our aesthetic thirst or do they have some stability purpose too? Definitely these tire tread patterns play a great role in car's stability and tire traction while driving at different terrain. Not one type of tire tread pattern is suggested for all types of roads in all weather conditions. Some are best for wet conditions, some for winters and some for summers. Similarly different tires are advised when driving for different purposes. Drag racing tires or street racing tires are different for driving on a smooth track or for domestic purposes. You use a non compatible tread pattern and the tire traction will be lost which may result in severe results.

Below I will discuss some types of tread patterns you may find on different tires along with their appropriate use and their good and bad points. You may find following patterns on a normal tire.

1). Asymmetric Tread Pattern
The tread pattern differs from both sides of the tire. It also means that a tire features two patterns along its whole circumference.With this type of pattern, the manufacturers ensure that majority of the possible terrains are dealt with a single set of tires so the drivers do not need to change their tires in different conditions.

Since the tire with this type of pattern provides a higher contact area, it is considered good for high speed cornering. More than one type of tread pattern means that the inboard and outboard halves have two sizes of groove blocks. The grooves on the inward halve (smaller blocks) help retain tire traction on wet surface while the larger blocks on outward halve, helps great in cornering.

Because of these features they are proposed for high performance and motor sports needs. However you need to position them right way around to make them perform well.

2). Symmetric Tread Pattern
As the name suggest, the there is a single tread pattern on the entire tire. Therefore the inboard and outboard halves represent the same patterns. Hence the name, Symmetrical. Tires with such tread patterns emit high noise than other tires. They allow using multiple tire rotation patterns.


3). Directional Tread Pattern
A.K.A unidirectional tread, the whole pattern along with lateral grooves, roll around in one direction along the entire tire's circumference. These lateral grooves allow water to eject more efficiently (hydroplaning) hence prevents the car to skit on wet surface. These are also considered effective as street racing tires however there is one disadvantage of them.

When rotating tires with unidirectional treads, the tire on the front axle should be shifted to the rear axle, and vice verca. If different tire sizes are used on the front vs. rear axle, the tires become location-specific and prohibit tire rotation unless remounted.

4). Asymmetric And Directional Tread Pattern
These have V-shaped lateral grooves on them. Hence they are also known as V groove tires.They are much near to directional tread pattern tires hence they should be treated like them. Disadvantage is as same as directional pattern tread pattern tires.

Car Performance Upgrades With Cat Back Exhaust Systems

Replacing your stock exhausts with new and upgraded, aftermarket cat back exhaust systems has been a popular form of car upgrades now a days. Cat Back system really allows your car to perform well with some power upgrades and increased efficiency. Pimping your ride with a new cat back exhaust kit has been popular because the whole system is easily available with being too much onus on your pockets. Secondly, installing cat back is lot easier and considered by many people, a DIY job.

What Is A Cat Back Exhaust System?

Many people who are interested in car mods but yet they are not so good in technical terminologies. For them I would explain the meaning of a cat back system. "Cat Back" is the whole part of the exhaust system installed from  the catalytic converter to the tailpipes. Therefore the exhaust manifold is excluded when we speak of a "Cat Back System"

The entire system can be categorized in to three parts. First is a straight pipe which goes to straight to the axle. The second are the exhaust tubes looping around the axle and the third part is a set of tailpipes ending on the mufflers.


Since the cat back exhaust gives a more efficient performance hence they are seen as a replacement of the OEM stock exhausts with low power. Adding these definitely adds into your car's horsepower. Furthermore, the sound which is created by the cat back exhaust (the famous growling and roaring), is adored by the car enthusiast, hence another reason to get their old stock replaced.

Legal Issue:

Amendments in your emission system does not leave you without some legal implications. We suggest you read our post, Lawful Car Modification, to assess your legal position after you tamper with your emission system. Additionally, some countries may have maximum sound restrictions regarding car modification. So we would advise to have a good knowledge of the local road laws and regulations. However if you believe to modify the parts of the exhaust system which will not have any implications on your car emissions and you are able to prove as well, then definitely you will not be charged for it.