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Category: Cars

It’s all about Cars

This is how you bring a car into your room

Don’t you think only people who crazy about cars will keep their cars in their living room? The MG Midget in the photos is obviously well pampered by its owner. It has a special room and the owner put it inside the house. The car will definitely clean because it stays away from any dust and the room probably equipped with air-conditioning. In order to bring the car into the room, there is a huge price to pay. The room is located at second floor in a building that doesn’t have a huge entrance. The car has to go through some really hardcore ways to go into its room through the extremely slim window without scratching the car body. See how these professionals do their job, you will feel amazing!

Can you believe they are bringing the car through this window?

Notice that the engine has been removed from the car to reduce its weight?

Well, it has to go in “Sleep Way”.

Ready to go!

Most people have their cars kept in garage when they are not in use. Car collectors who collect unique and special cars often have special place to store them and preserve them just like the world’s most desirable garage.

June 3, 2012
Goodbye Carroll Shelby, we will be missing you

If you are a huge fan of AC Shelby Cobra, Ford Mustang Shelby GT350, Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and some other great muscle cars, you have got to know the gentleman behind these cars, Carroll Shelby. The legendary car designer and world-champion racing driver died on Thursday at the age of 89. Shelby’s spirit and the cars he built will be will be with us forever.

Carroll Shelby is a winner at 24 Hours of Le Mansin 1959. He was driving for Aston Martin during that time and teamed with Roy Salvadori. From Le Mans driver to Formula One driver, Shelby has participated in a total of eight World Championship races and several non-championship races. He was awarded driver of the year in 1956 and 1957 by Sports Illustrated.

Carroll Shelby stand in between two Shelby Cobra

Other than championship races, the legendary car builder is well-known for his lifelong dedication to a few great cars he built, namely the Shelby Cobra 427 that used to beat Ferrari in Europe and the tuned Ford Mustang. Now you know the reason why there are so many cars bored with “Shelby” name.

Shelby was born in 1923 in Leesburg, Texas, he was a son of the rural mail carrier. At the age of 7, Shelby suffered heart valve leakage problems and he has been fighting with his health problems. After his health improved, he fell in love with cars and that decided his life journey.

Carroll Shelby pose with three AC Cobras

How many people actually know that the man who built the powerful and cool muscle car is sweet? Shelby used to write letters, put them into flying boots and drop them on his fiancée’s farm during World War II when he served as a flight instructor and test pilot. What today’s lovers do? Email, WhatsApp, LINE, and Facebook.

1950s is the most colorful decade for Shelby to be a racer. He then retired from driving in Octorber 1959 due to health reasons and shifted his passion to build race cars. Shelby obtained a license and imported the AC Cobra from England to America and he replaced the original Bristol engine with Ford’s V8 engine, later known as Shelby Cobra. The Shelby Cobra eventually won the international Grand Touring championships in 1965. Shelby continued to be the key person to help Ford to develop several hot cars including the Daytona Coupe, GT350, GT500, and the GT40 that beats Ferrari at LeMans.

One thing we love this fascinating man so much is his philosophy in making great cars. When he was asked what was the best car he ever built, his answer is always “The next one.” Now we know the next one is not going to come. Goodbye Carroll Shelby, we will be missing you.

Carroll Shelby and Ford Shelby GR-1 Concept, RIP.

May 11, 2012
Fahrradi Farfalla FFX – Ferrari look-alike bicycle

An Australian artist built a Ferrari look-alike bicycle – the Fahrradi Farfalla FFX, where FF stands for its power option, Fred Flintstone. This homemade Ferrari Fahrradi Farfalla FFX did not powered by anything above 500hp but it is equipped with pedals, crank arm, chain rings, handle, absorber, brakes, gear, four wheels, and some basic things you may find on a typical bicycle. In other words, power from driver’s leg is the source to move the car.

Guess what? The car has side mirror, glass look-alike sunroof, two seats, and gullwing doors! Headlight is built from 200 LEDs and the front view of the 220-lb Fahrradi Farfalla FFX is a combination of Ferrari Enzo and Ferrari 458 Italia. As for the rear view, phew, it’s one of a kind but kind of futuristic. If you view the car from far away, you may think that the car is fitted with some kind of 20-inch hot exotic wheels but it is actually bicycle wheels with less than three inches wide.

A cool car can’t without a cool name. The Australian artist Johannes Langeder named his vehicle Fahrradi Farfalla FFX not just because Fahrradi sounds like Ferrari. It’s because Fahrrad means bicycle in German and Farfalla means butterfly in Italian. Inside the car, there is no luxury dashboard or a set of nice audio system. There is an angle gear attached to the rear axle and it moves the gullwing doors while driving, resulting in wing beat similar to that of a butterfly – Farfalla.

The question now is if the Fahrradi Farfalla FFX is going for an auction, how much you willing to pay for the zero-emission, tax-free, maintenance-free exotic car? Hmm, yes we consider it as a car because it is four-wheeled, covered, and has a cool exterior.

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