The Southport brothers who built a camper van for less than a grand

TWO brothers from Southport have used their technical know-how to write a book on their bid to build a camper van on a budget.

Matthew and Stuart Ball, of Fylde Road said this week that they have used their technical skills to convert an LDV van into a camper van for less than £1,000, and detailed how they did it in a book which has just been launched by publishing firm Veloce.

Co-author Matthew Ball said: “Weve always dreamed of having our own camper. We love being able to go anywhere at the drop of a hat, and being able to afford it. The Lakes, The Cotswolds, Scotland, Cornwall - heck, the whole world is there waiting for you!

"We used to think that one day, once wed got enough money together, wed get our dream machine, but we never seemed to have the money and thats the problem - dream machines seem to cost so much. Isnt the idea of a camper van to get away, anytime you want, cheaply. That was certainly our plan anyway."

The pair, having been put off by both the prices of brand new campervans and the quality of secondhand machines available, decided to use Matts experience as a resistant materials tutor to convert a secondhand van into a campervan to keep costs down, and have chronicled the project in a book to help spur others on to follow suit.

The project, which took place over ten weeks last summer, saw the brothers convert the van into a fully-functioned camper van for a total of £996, including the cost of buying the van itself. It also marks their debut into the publishing world, with the finished title being their first book.

Stuart Ball said: "Inspiration came from Ron Champions book, Build a Sports Car for Less Than £250. I knew through converting another van into a camper that costs can easily run out of control, so a great deal of thought and preparation was required to achieve such a low cost.

“We have also developed a basic website showing pictures which didnt make it into the book, and a gallery page for fellow camper van enthusiasts to upload their camper van builds.”

The book, entitled Build Your Own Dream Camper Van For Less Than £1,000 is available to buy now both in bookstores and online, costing £19.99. For more information visit the brothers website.

Pictures courtesy of Matthew and Stuart Ball

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2012 Hyundai Tucson Owners Manual

2012 Hyundai Tucson Owners Manual – What do you know about 2012 Hyundai Tucson. Are you going here to find a free download for 2012 Hyundai Tucson owners manual? Yes, you came to the right place. Here you can download its owners manual for free.

For 2012, the Hyundai Tucson gets small changes designed to help boost fuel economy, including low-rolling-resistance tires and a new Active Eco system that modifies engine and transmission response.
2012 Hyundai Tucson Owners Manual – You need to know about this information guys. The 2012 Hyundai Tucson is a five-passenger compact crossover SUV that is offered in three trim levels: GL, GLS and Limited. The GL base model comes standard with 17-inch steel wheels, privacy glass, keyless entry, air-conditioning, cloth upholstery, a height-adjustable driver seat, tilt-only steering wheel, a 60/40-split-folding rear seat, full power accessories, a trip computer and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack and an iPod/USB interface.

Download 2012 Hyundai Tucson Owners Manual here

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Spring Event 2013 Coverage!

Our Spring Event for 2013 was a huge success, we had a great showing of vehicles! Our parking lot was packed by mid-morning and around 12:00pm it became extremely busy! We wanted to thank our customers and guests for attending and also to Gordon from Effspot Photography for the photographs. 

Please visit our Facebook page to see 50+ photographs from the event!

Click here to see more photos

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Turbo or NA Which Way Would You Go

So whats going to be for you if you were to choose just between the two. But first let me explain in detail about these two routes that you can go when youre upgrading your car for drifting.

You see most of the Formula D car these days have turbos. If you dont know what a turbo is let me explain. Its a compressor that is used to force more air unto the engine to increase the horsepower. In short its a force induction, if you want to learn more about turbo check this site. Once the turbo is installed in a car, the original power output of the car will increase dramatically. So how does a turbo benefit you when drifting? Well, you can have a faster entry and youll have a much easier time drifting. When you drift and suddenly the car understeer a bit, then you can cure the understeer with a dab of throttle and a quick steer.

Normally Aspirated car which is NA for short is the norm when you first start off getting into drifting. Not unless you purchased a car that came equipped a turbocharger. NA cars are relatively inexpensive and you can buy one for as low as $4000. NA is all motor power and such cars have a high revolution per minute. Some of the highly tune NAs are capable of reaching 10,000 RPM (revolution per minute) and is a good contender when it comes to drifting. The NA wont be as fast as the turbos but the NAs are more responsive and agile through the corners. So when you drift your highly tuned NA car; you can easily control the drift angle and speed.

The downside to both of these two are chiefly the price you pay for upgrading both of them. When it comes to boost like a turbo charger, the price for it is already astronomical, and to have it install by a professional would cost you more. Same with going to NA, if you want a high powered NA. Then you would have to fork out tuning the engine and replacing a lot of parts for your engine.

If you are upgrading for a turbo, then I suggest that you replace a lot of internal components of your engine to ensure it will handle the power of the turbo. And second know a specialist whom you can turn to and help you with the installation process. Or if youre sticking with NA, then you might as well do an engine swap to lessen the process you deal with upgrading the engine. Pick an engine that is high powered NA to start with so you all you have to worry about is the installation of the new NA engine. Just like the installing a turbo changer, youll want to find an engine swap shop specialist to help you install the engine.

Whichever way you go is up your budget, and Im not here to make you waste your money if you dont have it. Just spend some to upgrade your car to make it a little faster, the main investment that you are going to make is in tires and suspension. Ill cover this later but for right now just plan out what you want power boost youre going to with

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Hard to understand how a truck gets to the end of its brake lights both sides and instead of replacing them goes for non working tow lights

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Picture This

 IRM is a museum that never sleeps.  Even in the middle of winter, theres always somebody around, and on weekends there are usually lots of people working on various projects.  The car shop/wood shop is a beehive of activity, but there were also people working in the steam shop, the office, the silver train, B&G, working on the trucks for the dome car, and I presume over in the Diesel shop.  I could start naming names but Id surely leave several people out inadvertently.  And who needs more enemies?

Nonetheless, theres always room for more, and we could easily put several more people to work on productive activities.  It beats sitting at home watching TV!

I spent most of the day prepping and painting various parts of the ceiling in the 319, as usual. Its going well. 

In the shop, I also put a second coat of red on the outside of the 36s end window, followed by first blue on the inside. 

And I looked at the train door with Bob Kutella and Victor Humphreys.  We talked about how to patch in the new wood, and Victor picked out some spare pieces of poplar left over from the snowplow project.  Since the pieces we needed are fairly small, I was confident that wed have some stock already available.  Thanks, Victor!

Bob and I are probably both in the market for new digital cameras.  Im still using an antique (= 10 years old) Nikon model which works OK.  Bobs no longer focuses properly, so he ordered a newer model on line.  It has all sorts of problems, and he was telling us about his phone conversation with the sales rep.  The funniest part was that he complained that if youre shooting near the sun, you cant see anything in the display to help you frame the picture.  So the rep suggested that he just turn around.  Turn around?  Now how am I supposed to take a picture of what I want?  Anyhow, wed appreciate any positive recommendations from real people who have bought cameras recently for railfan purposes.  In particular, its important to download easily to a computer for blogging.  So let us know what you recommend.  Thanks!

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BMW i3 Autobahn Video

Car Acceleration TV posted a YouTube video of an i3 cruising along the Autobahn and at one point it was traveling at the i3s electronically-governed top speed of 93mph. Its only a minute and a half, but hey thats all we get for now! One thing thats clear is the car has an open sunroof so if anyone was wondering if that will be an available option, heres your answer. Enjoy!

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The new Audi R8 V10

Sneak preview of the new Audi R8 V10.

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BMW i3 Concept Coupe Revealed

BMW i manager Oliver Walter introduces the concept i3 coupe at the LA Auto Show

BMW surprised a lot of people at the LA Auto Show and introduced a new variation of the i3, a 2 door coupe to compliment the 4 door hatchback that will launch towards the end of 2013. This new coupe is currently only a concept, but if BMW feels enough people would buy this variant, it could easily go into production.

It shares the same drive platform as the 4 door i3, so most of the engineering is already done. All BMW would have to do is make the different passenger cell and attach it to the same drive platform that the 4 door will be using. Now Im sure its not exactly that simple, but I am also confident most of the drive platform would be exactly the same.

The i3s life-drive platform

In fact, Oliver Walter referred to the "i3 family of vehicles" when addressing the crowd of ActiveE drivers at the LA Auto Show. I interpreted this as a sign BMW may use the i3s drive platform to make multiple different offerings.  Since the CFRP passenger cell is literally glued to the aluminum frame which houses the entire drivetrain and batteries, it wouldnt seem to be very difficult at all to offer multiple passenger configurations, provided there was a demand for different offerings.


Many of the people I spoke to were very excited about the coupe, even more so than for the 4 door which is going to be the initial i3 offering. While I liked the look of the coupe, Personally Im more interested in the utility of the 4 door. The access to the rear seating area is so much better with the coach(suicide) doors on the 4 door. Getting in and out as well as loading and unloading cargo from the rear seats will be infinitely easier with the coach doors and I dont think it takes away from the styling at all, especially since there are no outside door handles for the rear doors. I also think another reason why many others were so excited about the coupe was because looked closer to a production car than the four door i3 does. Lets face it, the 4 door concept car is getting a little long in the tooth and people are getting tired of looking at the glass doors and roof. It was introduced about a year and a half ago and other than a different color interior there has been no changes to it. I get a lot of inquiries about when will BMW show us the production version. The concept coupe has a new, refreshed interior that quite honestly looks stunning and ready for production. I suspect this is very close to what the production i3 interior will look like and I hope BMW doesnt change much because it looks awesome as it currently is.

BMW North American manager of sales and strategy Jacob Harb was also at the event and he spoke for a while and then fielded questions from the ActiveE group. There really wasnt any new news offered. We talked a lot about the range extender option as well as DC quick charge. There was also a lot of discussion on the tires BMW seem to be using on the i3. They are tall and thin and dont look like they would be good for aggressive driving. The concept coupe at the show had 175/60 R20s on the rear wheels and 155/60 R20s on the front. No doubt the different tire sizes were a concept-only feature but the tall and thin nature of them had people wondering if too much road holding will be sacrificed in the name of efficiency. We also talked a lot about the use of run-flat tires. I can say with certainty the ActiveE drivers there, and many others that I have spoken to do not want run flat tires on the i3. I hope BMW got the message and decides not to use them. They are loud, harsh and heavy and we do not want them. Can I be any clearer?

The openness of the i3 is hard to capture in pictures. Although it is a small car, the interior is spacious. During the presentation Walter said the i3 will have roughly the same interior volume as a three series. Thats considerably more space than our ActiveEs have now even though the i3 is much smaller. Because of the life-drive architecture and the elimination of the transmission tunnel needed on front engine internal combustion engine cars, the i3s passenger compartment is much more spacious than a comparable gas car of its size would be.

So while Im really happy to see BMW thinking about expanding the i3s line to offer different variations, what Im really looking forward to is finally seeing what the production i3 will look like. We are tantalizingly close now after nearly four years of waiting. Im figuring Ill get my wish in about three months in Geneva? Anyone else care to guess when and where BMW will show off the real i3?

Heres some more pictures from the LA Auto show:

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New MINI Paceman ads

Here are the ads of the new MINI Paceman.



Here are the 2 exclusive alternate endings which have not been released to the general public.

Alternate ending 1.



Alternate ending 2.

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Fire up the Land Rover Defender X Tech

NEVER meet your heroes, the saying goes. Thats why I approached the latest version of whats an off-roading icon with just more than a touch of trepidation.

The Land Rover Defender needs little introduction because everyone in Britain is familiar with its boxy shape; it has, after all, been with us since the days of Spandau Ballet and Michael Foot vying to be Prime Minister.

Despite a series of calls to replace it with something a bit more modern and friendlier to the environment its soldiered on regardless, doing useful duties for people like farmers and the British Army. Its also at this point I have to declare an interest; not only am I faithful follower of all things Solihull and a longstanding 4X4 fan, but my parents, for the best part of a decade, owned a Defender.

This X-Tech is Land Rovers attempt to give that old recipe a bit of 2012 street cred, which explains the snazzy silver paintwork, the black alloy wheels and the mean grille. Its not a paintjob youd particularly want to scratch if you actually went off road, but I suspect most of the X-Techs buyers will be more swayed by the style than a burning desire to utilise its reputation as motorings mountain goat. Which I can understand because the X-Tech is a seriously mean looking bit of kit.

I know that not venturing into the undergrowth in a Defender is a bit like slipping on a set of stout walking boots to pop to the shops but I did get to try the X-Tech in its more likely natural environment; on the road, where its rubbish. I know its a high rise off-roader thats been around for nearly 30 years but if youre more used to modern 4X4s then youll find the roly-poly handling, the wind noise, the noisy but not especially fast performance, the lack of elbow room and the dated switchgear hard work. Its also, at £27,000, not especially cheap either.

But without venturing off-road to see how the X-Tech performs as Land Rover intended this is only the half the story - consider it unfinished business. If, however, youre like most 4X4 owners and dont intend on scaling anything tougher than a kerb in a supermarket car park then its a bit of a mixed bag. Its a seriously cool, no-nonsense machine that doesnt pretend to be anything it isnt, but its not for everyone.

The X-Techs far from perfect but I couldnt help but enjoy it.

As published in The Champion on November 14, 2012

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2013 Ford Explorer Sport Price Starts at 40 720

From September, the 2013 Ford Explorer Sport is available at U.S. dealerships, its exercise price is $40,720.

The sporty and luxurious top model of Explorer - series uses a 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engine, which has an output of 365 hp. Compared to the V8 engines of the competition, the new Ford engine consumes substantially less for the same driving pleasure.

In addition to the lively engine, the Explorer Sport also extensive standard equipment from the factory, which includes, among other things, a 2-zone climate control, electrically adjustable front seats with heating, a rearview camera and a Sony premium audio system with HD radio and 12 speakers.

At the request of the Ford Explorer Sport can also still with BLIS, front seat cooling, Remote Start System, Keyless Entry & Drive, a panoramic sunroof and a navigation system are equipped. The first models of the Ford Explorer sport will be on display from September in U.S. showrooms.

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2014 Cadillac ELR

2014 Cadillac ELR

So pretty, so tame.

Cadillac’s new 2014 ELR looks astonishing. Low, chiseled, aggressive, provocative, and uncompromised by any concession to practicality, it seems to have been time-warped out of some Gene Roddenberry–spec, 23rd-century future onto today’s roads. It’s the most ambitious application of Caddy’s “Art & Science” design theme yet—razor sharp art and science transmogrified into science fiction.

But underneath that sculptural brilliance and the $75,995 base price lies a platform based on the humble bones of the Chevrolet Volt. Like the Chevy, the Caddy runs on electricity virtually all the time and has a conventional internal-combustion engine aboard that churns a generator to keep the car’s lithium-ion battery pack charged up. And that means, like the Volt, that the ELR is eligible for a federal bribe—er, tax credit—of up to $7500.

Based on the Converj concept car that debuted at the 2009 Detroit auto show, the production ELR manages the neat trick of looking better than the showpiece that inspired it. The ELR’s aluminum-hooded nose tapers down more dramatically than the Converj’s, reducing the impression of bulk. Meanwhile, the rear window is less radically raked, giving the ELR a more elegant roofline. The leading edges of the ELR’s headlights are more precisely crafted. Moving aft, the rear deck is more dramatically faceted than the Converj’s, and the ELR’s hockey stick-shaped LED taillights lightly suggest that greatest of all Cadillac styling fillips, the fin. Throw in a closed front grille—making it more of an ironic comment on the nature of grilles rather than a grille itself—and the ELR is mesmerizingly beautiful.Mesmerizing Flanks

While the ELR’s 106.1-inch wheelbase is a slight 0.4-inch longer than the Volt’s, this is a coupe and proportioned as such. The front passengers, although afforded generous legroom and perfectly shaped, well-crafted seats, sit in relatively narrow channels between the outside rockers and the thick center tunnel that houses the forward section of the huge lithium-ion battery pack. But the tiny rear seats are more suitable for handbags, lapdogs, and discarded pistachio shells than actual human beings with legs and such. In classic muscle-car terms, the ELR plays Camaro to the Volt’s Nova.

Spatial Delivery

Cadillac has fitted superlative materials throughout the cockpit, including a rich-looking micro-fiber headliner, hand-stitched leather elements, real matte-finished wood, brushed metal, and high-quality “piano black” plastics. But some of us feel that the interior design—as in other recent Cadillacs like the CTS and XTS—could benefit from some simpler shapes and fewer differing materials along the dash and door panels.

Settling into the ELR coupe, it’s easy to be comfortable. The spacial stuff takes some getting used to, however, as the base of the windshield seems to be about a block and a half away, and there’s a thick blind spot looking back at the five and seven o’clock positions.

After almost three years, the Chevy Volt’s mix of electric operation and extended range thanks to the small four-cylinder engine it also carries seems less magical. Some of that comes from the sheer familiarity of the system, but it’s also a result of newer products such as the all-electricTesla Model S that have advanced the art of zap-tastic motoring in ways that would have seemed farfetched in 2010.

Voltaic Efficiency

In fact, the Volt’s mechanical soul carries over mostly unchanged to the ELR. That includes an electric drive motor that propels the car’s front wheels with the equivalent of 157 horsepower in EV mode and 181 horses in extended-range mode, the large T-shaped battery array that runs down the car’s spine and across its rump, and the 84-hp, 1.4-liter internal-combustion four-banger. Updated programming for the electric-motor controller nets the ELR 58 more total system horsepower and 22 lb-ft of extra torque compared to the Volt, for a system total of 207 horsepower and 295 lb-ft.

Specifications>

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe

BASE PRICE: $75,995

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve 1.4-liter inline-4, 86 hp, 94 lb-ft; AC permanent magnet synchronous electric drive motor, 181 hp*, 295 lb-ft; combined power rating, 217 hp, 295 lb-ft; 16.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack *157 hp in EV mode

TRANSMISSION: continuously variable automatic

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 106.1 in
Length: 186.0 in
Width: 72.7 in Height: 55.9 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 4050 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph (EV mode/Extended-range mode): 9.1/8.2 sec
Standing ¼-mile (EV mode/Extended-range mode): 17.1/16.6 sec
Top speed: 107 mph

FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city/highway driving: 34/38 mpg

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Fiat Cinquecento Sporting by Luciano Bove

Dear friends,

I know it is not as sexy as the new Fiat 500...but this version of the old Fiat Nuova Cinquecento Sporting has been my first project as exterior designer and team project leader. 1994 I was working for Fiat Design Center in Turin Italy and I was asked to manage the first Sporting Version Fiat car a : Nuova Cinquecento designed by Arch. Ermanno Cressoni some years earlier.

It was a restyling with a strong sporty identity (later used for Abarth version, too), very popular in England so true that a Sporting Club was born around the car, the orders were higher than expected.

So here one of the final rendering done on Vincent Vellum paper with markers chalk and white guache...the classical Art Center Pasadena technique.

Hope you like it!

- 

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2012 Nissan Pathfinder Owners Manual

2012 Nissan Pathfinder Owners Manual - Welcome to PDF blog. You are able to download all pdf file, both free or paid. It all depends on which kind of manual book that you are going to download. Enjoy all our services and do not hesitate to leave the comment for every single thing that you see in this blog. Here, we provide few review about 2012 Nissan Pathfinder  before you download its manual book.

The 2012 Nissan Pathfinder owners manual guide is providing some essential info regarding the techniques for the use and servicing for your 2012 Nissan Pathfinder. such as information information regarding operate and key functions of your cars.

I study some opinions that said owners are fulfilled to have it. The only elements I never like from 2012 Nissan Pathfinder is  did not come with cross-bars for the baggage tray and they are difficult to find. The receiver management is difficult to arrive at if you are generating. Really like the 3rd row chairs, but they are just big enough for kids. but the energy of 2012 Nissan Pathfinder is amazing, the trip for such a big great automobile with off-road kind revocation is very good.

Download 2012 Nissan Pathfinder Owners Manual

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Gumpert Tornante by Touring

When selecting the partner for the new model’s body design, Gumpert recognised that elegance is part of the genetic code of Touring Superleggera’s creations. Even more remarkably, the paradigm of elegance was applied by Touring to the race cars too. This distinctive approach was at the basis of many masterpieces, like the 1940 Mille Miglia winner BMW 328 Berlinetta, the Ferrari 166 and 340 and the inspiring Alfa Romeo 8C2900. They all were redoubtable race machines with singular grace.

The Gumpert Tornante has the genes of the Gumpert apollo and inherits its impressive V8 biturbo engine. Weighing only 196 kg, the engine plays a major role in ensuring the ideal weight and the fascinating driving dynamics of the Tornante. An angle of 90° between the two cylinder banks is a sign of a classic 8-cylinder engine.

Starting from the pure block from Audi, the engine is a complete in-house development. Thus, the manufacturing process contains among others all the moving parts, air and fuel management, turbo chargers, charge air-duct and dry sump lubrication. In the basic version this engine delivers 700 HP. In comparison to the apollo, the configuration will be optimized for the Fast Touring mission. This means more comfort and more suitability for daily use.

Alongside the V8 power unit, an alternative powered Gumpert Tornante is also planned for 2012.
Gumpert Tornante by Touring features 2-seater sports car with a mid-engine arrangement, chrome-molybdenum steel chassis with an integrated safety cell, doors and the boot lid open with gull-wings, carbon body, 100 l stainless steel tank behind the passenger cell with integrated catch tank, long and pushrod-operated double transverse control arm suspension with fully adjustable dampers (front and rear) and anti roll bar in front, ground clearance adjustable between 60 and 140 mm, two circuit ABS brake system with six piston callipers, inside ventilated discs (378 x 32 mm) at front and rear.

The Gumpert Tornante by Touring powered by V8 cylinder biturbo engine with 90° cylinder angle, closed-deck light metal crankcase, light metal cylinder heads with five valves per cylinder, four overhead camshafts, variable time of ignition (Vario Cam direct) on the intake, hydraulic valve clearance compensation, dry sump lubrication, double-flow exhaust system with 3-way catalytic converter, four Lambda probes for gas mixture and diagnostics, on-board diagnostic system, two Intercoolers, electronic ignition with a rested ignition distribution (eight ignition coils), sequential multipoint fuel injection, electronic accelerator system (drive-by-wire)

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Super Tires 210xR Series Now Available

Slot Car Corner is proud to announce two (2) additional "R" series 1/32 Super Tires.  The Super Tires 210xR Series is aimed at 1/32 racers who are looking for high-performance 10mm wide tires that can be used on different sized wheels.  The first 2 Super Tires in the Series, designated 2102R and 2104R respectively, are designed to fit our popular C.B. Design 15x10mm and C.B. Design 17x10mm wheels (and many of our competitors 17x10mm wheels).  Shown below mounted on our C.B. Design 15x10mm and 17x10mm Insert Wheels, the Super Tires 210xR Series offers racers and car builders a great deal of flexibility when selecting a wheel/tire combination.

Like all "R" Series Super Tires, the 210xR Series feature a rounded outer sidewall which enhances the appearance of any car running these tires.  The Super Tires 210xR Series is available now in the "Classic" (silicone) compound and will be available in the "Yellow Dog" (urethane) compound in the not-too-distant future.

For more information or to order, please visit the Slot Car Corner or Slot Car Corner Canada website.

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2013 Renault Symbol

Renault points to the Istanbul motor show for the first time the new 2013 Renault Symbol designed only for the East and Asia.

The Renault symbol enjoys since 1999 in the East of great popularity. It is sold under the name Renault Thalia. In Istanbul, Renault now shows the latest generation of symbol.

The basis for the symbol came so far from the Renault Clio, the new generation has many similarities with the Dacia Logan.

However, the Symbol is a pure-bred Renault and also proudly carries the new face of the brand with the big logo in the grille.

The small car with saloon to convince customers with a good space and economical engines. For the first time there is the Renault symbol with a 7 "touch screen navigation device type.

The motorization, the new TCe 90 customers can choose petrol engine or the dCi 75 or dCi 90 diesel engine. The gasoline engine has an output of 90 HP and consumes just 5.3 litres per 100 km.

The two diesel engines with a capacity of 75 and 90 HP are still economical, both engines settle 3.9 liters per 100 km, CO2 emissions 103 g / km is.

The launch of the New Renault symbol is planned for early 2013.

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2014 Mercedes Benz E63 AMG and CLS 63 AMG 4Matic

As part of the facelift of the E-Class was also the AMG version revised and is now available with all-wheel drive. The Mercedes CLS also benefits from the changes.

For many years, the AMG models are available as top version of the respective Mercedes-Series is available with the new E-Class has now also the first time the 4Matic all-wheel drive entry into the E63 AMG and the Meredes-Benz CLS 63 AMG. A sharp S version with even more power also joins the novelties.

The new Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG can be equipped as a sedan and wagon as the S model and with 4Matic all-wheel drive, both for the CLS AMG version are available for the four-door coupe as well as the shooting brake available.

The performance of the 5.5-liter V8 biturbo engine was already in the serial version of 525 hp (386 kW) to 557 hp (410 kW) will be increased, as the S model the engines achieve even a peak power of 585 hp (430 kW).

That the enormous performance is best combined with a four-wheel drive on the road, also show the acceleration values. While the E-Class Sedan 4Matic without for the parade sprint from 0 to 100 km / h in 4.2 seconds, the same strength with all-wheel drive model creates the same discipline in just 3.7 seconds. Combined with the 3.8 seconds needed only slightly longer.

Again 0.1 seconds faster then the whole thing is, if you opt for the S model with 585 hp, this requires the sedan 3.6 seconds and the Estate 3.8 seconds. The same acceleration values ​​create the two CLS models, the Shooting Brake obtained the values ​​of the E-Class Estate and the 4-door coupe that of the E-Class sedan.

The speed limit on all models electronically limited to 250 km / h. The consumption per 100 km varies between different models from 9.8 to 10.6 liters, the targeted buyers should also be not much care.

Connected in all versions is the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission, which through its four driving modes ("C" for Controlled Efficiency, "S" for sport, "S +" for Sport Plus and "M" for manual), a customized dynamic provides for any occasion.

The AMG models also include a limited slip differential on the rear axle, which improves traction. The 4Matic all-wheel drive is also designed for maximum dynamics. On request there is also a ceramic high-performance composite braking system that provides the best deceleration values​​.

Visually, the AMG models raise again noticeable, quite discreet from the other models, the S models also differ again from the normal AMG models. The so-called "A-Wing" on the front is designed in glossy black, the front splitter in silver chrome. For powerful rear end then also make trim in silver chrome, and the tailpipes of the AMG sports exhaust system.

Usual sporty and exclusive at the same time the interior of the AMG models are designed so that even with all the options from the normal lines, such as the Command Navigation System or the Bang & Olufsen sound system can be expanded.

The launch of the AMG models of Mercedes-Benz E-Class and CLS with rear-wheel drive was launched in April, the S models and 4Matic versions will be available in June 2013. Prices not yet been announced.

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