Archive for the ‘Car Videos’ Category

Having driven a Skoda Superb estate (or ‘Combi’, as they tend to call them) for a week earlier this year, I can vouch that I really did think it lived up to its name. Okay, the badge may lack the cachet associated with Volkswagen or Audi, but the build quality of the Skoda Superb seemed spot-on, perfect for non-badge-snobs who want a bit of reliable luxury.

The thing is, taking a Skoda Superb estate off-road isn’t such a good idea, as it’s just based on a typical saloon car with two-wheel-drive and no chunky bumpers to stave off any knocks it might receive. So for Skoda buyers wanting to venture off the beaten track, the two choices have always been the smaller Yeti, which in 4×4 guise does a pretty good job off road (I had one of them for a week recently too) or the Octavia Scout, also with 4WD and plenty of protective mouldings and bumpers to soak up the effects of rugged terrain.

But now there’s a third choice – the Skoda Superb Outdoor. This new model really will combine the best of several worlds – luxury, immense size and practicality, and off-road ability. Protective strips on the Outdoor model will shield the Superb estate and it will run with permanent four-wheel-drive. Who knows what the weather in the UK will be like this winter, so having this extra stability and traction may be just what some buyers need, especially if they live in more rural parts.

The Skoda Superb Outdoor is based on the SE trim model and will be fitted with 18” alloy wheels as standard, along with Bluetooth, privacy glass, a tyre pressure monitoring system, hill hold, headlight washers for blasting all that grime away and maintaining safety, heated windscreen washers and a multifunction steering wheel.
Skoda Superb Combi Great Functions:

Personally I’m not keen on the white example pictured in the press images, but the new Superb Outdoor will be available in all the usual colours. I particularly like the browney colour. Pricing for this large and practical 4×4 estate will start at £26,465 for the 1.8 TSI petrol manual 160PS model, and rise upto £27,600 for the 170PS version of the 2-litre TDI diesel manual model. They will come with 60,000 miles/3 year warranties and the most efficient model will offer fuel consumption of upto 44.8mpg which is pretty good for such a heavy car with 4×4. CO2 emissions start at 165g/km. Could this be the car to get you through the oncoming winter?

Written by www.warrantywise.co.uk

If we asked you to name makes and models of cars commonly associated with the corporate car market, you would likely give us names like the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra, if you’re talking about the more mainstream segment, or BMW and Jaguar if the management end of the market comes to your mind. Would Honda also be on the tip of your tongue? Chances are, it wouldn’t. How many times have you seen a corporate-branded Civic, Accord or CR-V?

This is something Honda want to change. They are keen to poach corporate fleet sales away from more traditionally-associated brands. The UK business fleet car market is very large and in these prudent financial times, fleet managers increasingly bear economy and the environment in mind.
In a bit to gain a decent slice of the action, Honda are fitting their Civic, which is proudly made in Swindon, with their new 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel engine. Company car buyers will be impressed by the published fuel consumption figure, which claims that it can return upto 78.5mpg. What’s more, the 1.6 i-DTEC power plant is also relatively good for the environment, putting out only 94g/km of CO2 emissions. This means it costs nothing in road tax, so is another plus point for fleets.

It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the latest Honda Civic hatchback certainly looks strikingly different to most other rivals and its interior is also very cutting-edge, quirky and futuristic. Honda has long been known for producing reliable cars and this Civic should be no exception. The 1.6 diesel engine isn’t the most rapid, producing 120PS, but the 6-speed manual gearbox should keep drivers entertained, as should the DAB Digital Radio fitted to the ‘EX’ model. Top Gear reviewed the Civic with this small and economical diesel engine and said that it is the most torquey in the class, although the power comes in one narrow lump in terms of the rev’ band.

2012 Honda New 1.6 i-DTEC Engine

Mixing British-ness, Japanese quirkiness, reliability, a futuristic exterior and interior and a frugal, lightweight aluminium engine with a compact turbo, which results in zero road tax and impressive fuel economy, the Civic 1.6 i-DTEC should post a decent alternative choice in the corporate market. It’s expected to go on sale in early 2013 priced from £19,400, with the same 1.6 engine being fitted to the new CR-V later in the year.

Written BY www.carwarranty.co.uk

Honda cars are the most reliable on the road. This is according to a new infographic which has been released by Warranty Direct and MoneySupermarket.
The results are based on thousands of car warranty deals which are held through Warranty Direct. Each car manufacturer is assigned a Reliability Index (RI) score based on these policies which reflects the average number of failures and cost of repairs for all the vehicles across each manufacturer’s entire model range. For reference the average RI score is 100 and the lower the number, the more reliable a manufacturers vehicles tend to be.
Honda may produce the most reliable cars in general, but they don’t have the most reliable overall model. This honour went to the Kia Picanto which had a remarkable reliability index figure of just 3.00. This helped ensure that Kia were rated as the 5th most reliable manufacturer overall just behind Ford who were benefitted by the fact that they generally have the cheapest repair costs.

Image source: MoneySupermarket Breakdown Cover

Although sales of larger sedans are generally declining, there’s still a vibrant market for cars like the new 2013 Toyota Aurion. It’s got plenty of space and comfort, more than adequate power and class-leading safety. So is this the vehicle you step up to from the run-of-the-mill small family car, or are the Holden Commodore or Ford Falcon a better bet?

If quality is a priority, it’s always tough to beat a Toyota and the latest Aurion is no exception. From its origins as the Camry (indeed it’s still called the Toyota Camry in some markets) there’s been steady development rather than major leaps. The result is that we know everything works – and works well. It may not be packed with surprises but it does what it does with the solid composure you’d expect.

From the entry level AT-X to the flagship Presara, you also get plenty of choice in terms of spec. Seven air bags are standard (even one for driver knees), as are dual-zone air con, split folding rear seats, rear-view camera and a plethora of other electronic devices. You really need to visit your dealer for the full list of options – we’d be here all day.

See Toyota Aurion V6

Drive comes from the same quad cam V6 as before but fuel consumption has been improved and emissions are down almost eight per cent. The latest Aurion is also lighter which, combined with the improved six-speed auto gearbox, leads to notably more responsive performance. Anti-lock brakes with electronic force distribution and assistance haul everything to a stop quickly and without drama.

If you see lack of drama as a negative, the new 2013 Toyota Aurion may not be the car you’re looking for. If you want five-star ANCAP safety, competent performance and all-round great value, it’s a tough act to follow.

The Volkswagen UP has been named the 2012 car of the year in a competition voted on by online motoring experts. It is a victory which it must of course share with the Seat Mii and Skoda Citigo which are the same basic model rebadged by Volkswagen’s sister companies.

MoneySupermarket.com ran the competition, asking a select number of motoring bloggers to vote for the 10 cars released over the past 12 months that have made the biggest impression on them. Every nomination was awarded points based on its position on each judges list (10 points for 1st, 9 points for 2nd etc.) with MoneySupermarket.com collating all of the results in order to come up with a definitive top 10.

It was an incredibly tight competition, with the UP beating the impressive new BMW 320d by just two points. Like the UP, the 320d won over judges with its class leading fuel economy which has been a key focus for BMW across its range of vehicles. This helped the company become the most successful manufacturer in competition in terms of total points accumulated from judges.

This combined with Volkswagens success helped ensure that German brands obliterated the competition; picking up more than double the number of points scored by Japanese manufacturers who were the next most successful nation overall.

Fuel efficiency seemed to be an increasing large consideration for judges this year as fuel prices continue to rise; creating problems for the majority of motorists. This has prompted the majority of manufacturers to produce designs aims at combatting this problem, with the majority of these efforts being warmly received by judges. In fact, seven of the vehicles in the overall top 10 picked up points on account of their fuel efficiency.

Volkswagen UP On Youtube:

One of the few odd vehicles out as far as this is concerned was the Porsche 911 which was a strong contender; eventually finishing in 7th position on the eve of its 50th anniversary in 2013 with one judge commenting that the new version was “better than ever”.

MoneySupermarket.com has put the final results into the below infographic, along with comments from some of the judges:

Image source: MoneySupermarket Car Insurance

In next Month (September) Land Rover will introduce new Range Rover in Paris. Range Rover is popular British SUV. And in this edition Range Rover lost some weight. It lost 420kg. Reason for this is use of an All-Aluminium monocoque body. This is the first time this technology is used in one of the SUVs.

Design Is Very Luxurious But All Terrain is Still At Best

Despite this new technology on this new model of Range Rover makes you feel like this vehicle is not for off road driving you are totally wrong. Range Rover is still one of the best off road vehicles. In USA customers will have V8 engines as a choice and there is a chance for V6 Jaguar Land Rover 3.0 Liter supercharged engine. Engine horsepowers can be from 375-550HP. And this increase in power is not a numeric increase. Having less weight Range Rover with more horse power will have even better performances.

Range Rover Revealed:

Losing Weight Can Make This Model More Expensive

Using All-Aluminium monocoque body can make this model a little more expensive than the model before. But with less weight you will have a car with better performance and as well not forget that less weight means less fuel consumption. So this new model of Range Rover will sure use less fuel and will be more green to ecology.

Ford Interceptor was first time introduced at 2007. The Interceptor is a retro car just like a Ford Galaxie, classic American muscle car. Check the video below and you will see what is a powerful car.

Looks Like Mad Max Interceptor

Maybe design is not like the one in the popular movie. But Ford Interceptor have anything you need to intercept someone. This monster have 5.0L Cammer V8 engine and just by watching and hearing this big thing you will understand that this vehicle have serious power. Engine is producing 400Hp and is running on E-85 ethanol if needed. This engine is being used in motor racing.It use 6 speed manual transmission. It really looks and sound like a Ford Mustang. But not only this car is a monster on the road, but it gives some pleasure in luxury. Outside it looks like a big Sedan with plenty of room inside. And inside you can enjoy the smell of the leather. Dash, headliner, steering wheel and seats are all wrapped in leather.

See Pictures of This Beast:

Police Better Get This Interceptor

It is unknown if US Police will use this vehicle as they own Interceptor, but when this beast hits the market i know many of the car lovers will like to drive it. But if Police will like to chase Ford Interceptor drivers they will have serious problems with current Police Interceptors like Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor or short CVPI is weaker car by performance. Engine is smaller 4.6L. So i suggest that Police get this car and nobody will outrun them anymore.

Cadillac ATS is starting a production soon. Cadillac will compete with BMW and other premium cars like Mercedes Benz. ATS model is one of the luxurious Cadillac models.

Can Cadillac really compete with BMW and Mercedes Benz?

Simple answer is yes. Cadillac made a new car from all new parts. Only old part is 3.6 liter DI V-6 and 6L45E 6 speed automatic transmission. Everything else is new and that makes Cadillac very attractive to buyers.

Cheap or not Cadillac ATS?

Cost of new Cadillac ATS will be around 34 000$ for a standard model 2.5 liter 4 cylinder engine with 202 HP. Performance model will have 2.0 liter twin scroll turbocharged 4 cylinder motor which have 272 hp. And of course premium model with 321 hp and v-6 3.6 liter. To compare Cadillac ATS with BMW we must say that BMW 335i have 300 hp and 6 cylinders which give more torque at lower rpm. Same engines are in Mercedes and Audi premium models. So ATS is cheaper car but with less engine performance. New Cadillac only need 5.7 seconds to 100 km/h. Maximum speed is for sure over 250km/h but it is limited to get such high speeds.

See Cadillac ATS in video

I m really not sure if Cadillac ATS 2013 will take over BMW 3 Series and if buyers that were previously buying BMW will now buy Cadillac. Maybe USA folks will better buy Cadillac than BMW, but in Europe this is not the case. ATS model is good and cheaper, but premium car buyers are really not so much in price, they care about brand and performance. GM did a lot of advertising and a lot of videos about ATS are made and maybe this aggressive advertising will help to get more buyers all over the world.

Very Rare Car

The Infiniti G convertible is a rare sight on the roads – mostly because Nissan’s luxury division is still proving its mettle among European auto giants. It’s got a sleek folding roof that’s cleverly packaged in the sense that when it’s down there’s no hump at the back of the car, and overall the alloy wheels and refined cabin make for an attractive package.

With its eye-catching design and exclusive badge, the Infiniti convertible goes some way to matching up against convertible cars like the Audi A5 Cabriolet or the BMW 3 Series Convertible, beside which it’s competing for market share. Something of a “cruiser” rather than a sports car, it nevertheless has quite a firm chassis and nicely weighted steering, so it’s easier driving on the straight than around corners.

See Infiniti in video:

It has a comprehensive list of safety and standard driving equipment including navigation, climate control, premium sound system, steering adjustment, rear park cameras and heated and ventilated leather seats. Although the price tag may seem a little steep, you’d be hard pressed to find a rival car that is similarly equipped, and according to Autotrader, it retains value on a par with others in this segment.

Those who opt for the Infiniti G do so not because it’s the best in the luxury convertible category but because this is a unique and good-looking car, with the appeal of a handmade product over a mass-produced item. Fine for a couple or single buyer, this car is a great Sunday beach cruiser, but less of a people hauler or sports racer, but it really doesn’t pretend to be anything else…

2013 Acura ILX

The 2013 ILX is the newest model of Acura which is entirely unique despite being loosely based on the Honda Civic platform. Nonetheless, the ILX has more stylish shape with reduced interior headroom compared to the Civic model. The ILX comes in three versions; the 2.0L, 150-hp, 4-cylinder model; the 2.4L, 201-hp, 6-speed manual transmission (more performance oriented); and the 1.5L Hybrid, 91-hp, 4-cylinder engine, 23-hp electric motor (Acura’s first gas-electric model). If you are a luxury car shopper seeking a new, efficient sport sedan, the 2013 Acura ILX might just be the car for you.

Excellent Performance

Despite car manufacturers being wary of exposing shared platforms among their car models, Acura openly acknowledges the relationship between the Civic and the ILX. However, the two have numerous mechanical differences. Firstly, the ILX is much lower and about 1.5 inches wider than the Civic. The shock absorbers on the 2013 ILX are entirely different and use the two-piston system. This provides the ILX Sedan with a soft ride, in addition to sharp bump absorption, and excellent cornering performance. With a fast steering ratio and upgraded hardware, the Acura ILX offers a pretty decent riding quality.

Watch the video:

The three versions of the 2013 ILX are identical externally, except for the functional trunk spoiler and different wheel designs on the 1.5L Hybrid. The interiors of the ILX are user-friendly with a high resolution central display that features a control knob for navigation and advanced audio functions. Apart from a relatively narrow cabin compared to the Civic, the ILX features advanced materials for its interiors. The 2.0L and 1.5L Hybrid model come standard with cloth seats, Bluetooth and a moon roof. Premium versions have additional features which include, an uprated stereo, HID headlamps, heated leather seats, and a rear camera. Moreover, the Technology package that costs more has over-the-top features but is not available on the 2.4L model.

The 2013 Acura ILX is a premium sports sedan in a class of its own. If you valued the Acura RSX, the ILX is all that and much more, and with under $30,000, you will enjoy a luxury, dynamic drive in the new kid on the block from Acura.