Malaysiaminilover

Author: Angelina Soul

World’s one and only Ferrari motorcycle fetches £85,000

World’s one and only Ferrari motorcycle sold at Bonhams auction in UK on April 29th for £85,000, that’s about $137,700. It is no surprise that motor cars or motorcycles sold through the largest auction house always fetch an astonishing price tag. All vehicles went into the auction house either had a great history or once owned by a great man before, such as the rusty Mini sold for £40,250 last week and the eBay auction for Neil Armstrong’s Corvette Sting Ray that end with a final sky-high price of $250,090.

So, what is so special about this Ferrari motorcycle besides it is the only one motorcycle that badged the prancing horse? The two-seater, roofless, a-rain-coat-is-needed motorcycle is built completely from scratch by the well-known bike-maker David Kay Engineering and officially sanctioned by Piero Ferrari in 1990, two years after his father Enzo Ferrari passed away.

The motorcycle didn’t have any big horsepower V12 engine. It has a simple 900cc non-Ferrari engine that produces 105bhp. The body did not contain any carbon fiber parts but it is made out of aluminum to reduce its weight to a mere 172kg. One reason this motorcycle is badged with Ferrari logo is because it is able to accelerate from a standstill to 60mph in under three seconds, and that’s a Ferrari!

So far this motorcycle has only one owner for the past 17 years since it was completed in 1995, a private British collector whom we believe he has kept this motorcycle in his living room as a piece of art more than a vehicle.

£85,000 may have surprised many people but if you are a big follower of Banhams, there are few motorcycles sold at higher price, these being the 1955 Vincent 998cc for £124,700, the 1939 Vincent-HRD 998cc for £225,500, and the 1934 Brough Superior 996cc for £242,300.

In a nutshell, the one-off scratch built 900cc motorcycle has a strong connection to one of the most prominent sports cars maker and it is a tribute to Enzo Ferrari. It is definitely a piece of history that we can’t see it else where. Audi paid more than €850 million for Italian bike brand Ducati and someone has just paid £85,000 for this motorcycle. What do you say? Worth or not?

May 9, 2012
Ten craziest modified exotic cars

All of us know that exotic cars aren’t cheap to own one. Some people prefer to collect them in their living room but some will spend thousands of dollars to modify them. Some people love them too much and not willing to step hard on the gas pedal but some will rape their exotics. Whatever your preference is, let’s check out these top ten craziest modified exotic cars of all time, make sure your eye don’t pop out! (more…)

May 9, 2012
Best small SUV with highest mileage

As driving increases, gas prices usually rise during the vacation season. The rising of fuel costs could kill someone who owns bad mileage cars. While you can’t control the gas prices why not think twice before buying your dream car? It is not necessary to sacrifice the hobby to own an SUV with the advance technology today. Old days in the market we had only SUVs with bad fuel economy but nowadays it is different. There are many small SUVs are giving good mileage with lots of fun. If you are into small SUV or crossover, the best small SUV listed here is definitely delicious for you.

MINI Cooper Countryman

The 2012 MINI Cooper Countryman gets triple thumbs up when mentioned about mileage. It is the best small SUV with the best mileage in small SUV and crossover segments. It drives like an appropriate MINI Cooper and it delivers the fuel economy that above many people’s imagination. The MINI Cooper Countryman did not get thirsty easily because it only drinks a gallon of gas every 27 miles for city drive; 35 miles for highway drive and 30 miles for combined. With no surprise, the handling is as sharp as the Cooper hatchback and the ride is firm. As for interior, it fits four adults comfortably including the driver. Well, this could be controversial but it is pretty much depends on you needs. If you are in need of a small SUV with best mileage and your family is only four persons, why not?

With an adjustable back seats, large items like golf equipment is no longer an issue that happens to MINI Cooper hatchback owner all the time. Power wise, the Countryman is powered by a 1.6-liter inline-4 engine that pumps 121 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque. This power is adequate to push the car from 0 to 60 mph in 9.8 seconds on the six-speed manual version and 10.9 seconds on the six-speed automatic version. One thing that some SUV fans expected aren’t found in the car is four-wheel drive option. The Countryman is only available with front-wheel drive. A list of active and passive safety features come along with the car include ABS, stability control, airbags, adjustable traction control, and the optional rear parking sensors.

Price? The MSRP is started from $22,450. Love this car but feel it is too expensive? Would like to go for a cheaper alternative that has the same or similar gas mileage? Here it is, the Kia Soul Base!

Kia Soul Base

The Korean car manufacturer always provides the automobile market with a much cheaper price tag. With MSRP $14,650, you can get a brand new front-wheel-drive Kia Soul Base that delivers 27 city/35 highway/30 combined fuel economy. This rating is exactly the same with the Countryman but it is 35% cheaper. What is more surprise is the Eco package that offers a great fuel economy of 29/36/32. It is obvious that Kia has put in a lot of efforts to target on budget-minded small SUV buyers.

The base Kia Soul is powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 138 hp and 123 pound-feet of torque. It is slightly higher than the Countryman. Transmission wise, a six-speed manual is standard but it is optional for a six-speed automatic.

Let’s move the camera to interior. It isn’t as luxury as what we had in the Countryman but it did not short on practicality. All buttons are located at where it should be. Gauges and dials are nicely design too. The boxy design helps to create extra headroom and legroom. It has no problem for tall passengers.

Conclusion

The MINI Cooper Countryman and Kia Soul is rated the best small SUV with highest mileage in 2012. If both of these small SUV doesn’t suit your taste, you may consider some of their competitors including Scion xB, Honda CR-V, Nissan JUKE SL FWD, Dodge Journey, Nissan Rogue, and Kia Sportage.

May 8, 2012
Ten girly car accessories for sexy girls

Modify a car heavily is the nature of many guys but not girls. Girls prefer to customize their cars so that it looks feminine. Stainless steel muffler, exhaust extractor, over-size piston, customized radiator or high performance engine parts are not really necessary for girls. What girls usually prefer is a Barbie car that could make them feel comfortable while driving. Check out these top ten girly car accessories that special made for sexy girls.

Lace car seat cover – it is a must for cute girls who want to decorate their car with a theme.

Cartoon style car seat cover – for those who want to build a theme with the car, you might want to choose a favorite cartoon-style seat cover. Be it Mickey Mouse, Hello Kitty, Scooby Doo, Bob Sponge, or any kind of cartoon you prefer.

Steering wheel cover – Well, this has to match with the seat cover. It has got nothing wrong to decorate a Hello Kitty seat with Spiderman steering wheel cover but doesn’t it feel likes a bit odd?

Floor Mat – Again, it is a must to look for a set of nice floor mat that match the entire design.

Sun Shade – It is useful and it is desirable. There are many sun shades suitable for girls including Angry Birds, Winnie-the-Pooh, Snoopy, Tomo, Hello Kitty, and others. It looks fantastic for girls’ car but it definitely looks GAY for guys’ car.

Car Perfume – Sometimes smell could tells.

Tissue Box Cover – A little decoration could make the car look different. It is cheap to buy and easy to put up. You may try the Hawaiian style.

Soft Toys or Stuffed Toys

Car Body Stickers/Decals – It definitely cool! It can be decorated to side mirrors and each of them cost less than a dollar. They are cute yet adorable.

Other small car accessories include: headrest, seatbelt cover, seat belt cover, gear knob cover, CD holder, and rear mirror cover are some other small things that make a car look girly.

Not enough? Click here to see more girl car accessories.

May 7, 2012
Neil Armstrong’s 1967 Corvette Sting Ray for sale – Once owned by the first man on the moon
Will you pay $250,000 for a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette that is in an ultimate “barn find” condition? If your answer is no, then we will ask again “Will you pay $250,000 for Astronaut Neil Armstrong’s 1967 Chevrolet Corvette barn find?” For collectors who are big fans of Corvette and also big fans of Armstrong may consider to buy this car if money is not an issue.

A 1967 Chevrolet Corvette is recently up for sale in eBay and the price has hit over $250,000 with 73 bids among 43 potential bidders. It was all started from ~~$100,000~~, then ~~$110,000~~, ~~$160,000~~, ~~$190,000~~, and now $250,090. The car is covered in dust and looks like never been washed for at least a decade. So, what makes this Sting Ray so unique that it could draw a substantial amount of interest from car collectors around the world?

The biggest selling point of this car is that it was once own by the first person to set foot upon the Moon, Neil Armstrong. This car was delivered to Armstrong on December 15, 1966 from Jim Rathman Chevrolet in Melbourne Florida with the intention to provide our astronaut a Corvette. According to the eBay seller, “This Corvette was bought by a NASA employee when Mr. Armstrong turned it in and was retained by the owner until I purchased the Corvette from him in February of 2012”. The seller also claims that the car has never been driven since September 1981, that’s 30 years!

From the pictures, the Corvette has some scars although it stays off road for a few decades. Four wheels wells are with damage and fender flares were added. The current owner claims that the only unoriginal parts on the car are the wheels, carburetor, water pump, and mufflers. The carburetor looks brand new under the car hood. However, with the advance internet technology we have today, it isn’t hard to source the original parts and restore it to its former glory.

Details about the car
- Car Model: 1967 Chevrolet Corvette
- VIN Number: 194377S104831
- Body Color: Blue
- Mileage: The odometer reading of the 427-engine Corvette shows 38,148 miles but it cannot be verified becuase it has stopped running since 1970s.
- Engine Power: 390 hp
- Specifications: Air-conditioning, tinted glass, electric windows, and radio. Four round taillights are in red; rectangular back-up lamps located at the center.
There are two reasons that make this car possible to fetch a price up to $300,000, one being it was once owned by the hero that first set his foot upon the moon, and another is the ultimate barn find condition. Now we are going to ask the same questions as we asked when we tell the story of the fourth oldest surviving unrestored Mini. What will you do if you stand a chance to buy this car?
1. Clean it up and just keep it in garage.
2. Not even bother to clean it. Prefer to collect it in barn find condition for another X years.
3. Source for all the missing parts and restore it to its former glory.
May 7, 2012