Everybody Can Own The Legendary Prewar Auburn Speedster Sports-Car

I guess everybody knows the Auburn Speedster, but let me give you a brief history about this vintage car to those unlucky people who have no idea about this world-class sports-car!

Ok, let’s start these refreshers by dropping your Subaru Baja parts or your Land Rover radiator and lend me your attention first! I know you’re too busy doing some auto parts stuff but this won’t take a lot of your time at all. Ok, let’s start from the Auburn Speedster’s birth. It was produced from 1929 to 1937. The production of the Speedster gained from E.L Cord wherein Duesenberg, Lycoming and Cord’s talented designers were responsible for the excellent design of the Auburn. Speedster models are powered by a V12 engine from Lycoming until 1935.

The Auburn Speedster is one of the few prewar American sports cars. It was a powerful, affordable and elegant vehicle. One of the best attributes of this vehicle is the boat tail body and a supercharged engine, the pioneering trendsetter of large proportions and straight line performance in America!

Original Details and Specs of the First Auburn Speedster:

• Price $2,245 USD
  
• Engine Water Cooled, Inline-8 position Front Longitudinal aspiration Schweitzer-Cummins Supercharger valvetrain 2 Valves per Cylinder. displacement 4589 cc / 280.0 cu in bore 77.78 mm / 3.06 in stroke 120.6 mm / 4.75 in compression 6.5:1 power 111.9 kw/150.1 bhp @ 4000 rpm hp per liter 32.71bhp per liter bhp/weight torque 311.8 nm/230.0 ft lbs @ 2750 rpm drive wheels
  
• RWD body / frame Steel Body on Steel Cross-Braced Chassis
  
• Front brakes Lockheed Drums w/Hydraulic Assist rear brakes Lockheed Drums w/Hydraulic Assist front tire size 6.5x15 rear tire size 6.5x15 steering Worm & Peg
  
• Suspension Non-Independant w/ Semi-Elliptic Leaf Springs, Hydraulic Dampers r suspension Live Axle w/ Semi-Elliptic Leaf Springs, Hydraulic Dampers
  
• Weight 1699 kg / 3746 lbs
  
• Wheelbase 3226 mm / 127.0 in front track 1488 mm / 58.6 in rear track 1575 mm / 62.0 in length 4938 mm / 194.4 in width 1816 mm / 71.5 in height 1473 mm / 58.0 in
  
• Transmission 3-Speed Manual gear ratios 2.86:1, 1.68:1, 1.00:1 final drive 3.1:1 or 4.5:1 selected ratio
  
• Top speed 167.4 kph / 104.0 mph 0 - 60 mph 15.0 seconds 0 - 1/4 mile 19.5 seconds

To pay acknowledgment to this marvelous sports car, Speedster Motorcars of Florida with the guidance of Ron Clark, for over 25 years, they have been building its 1936 Auburn Boattail Speedster in Florida. Their deep desire and passion for the Speedster drove them to develop a "new" Auburn Speedster in the exact likeness of the pre-war models! And of course, advanced technology will be included as standard. The replica of the legendary Auburn Speedster sports car is now available in world markets for everyone to enjoy!

Ford Shed 600 Geelong Workers but Needs More Workers on its Campbellfield Facility in Melbourne

The Ford Motor Company is planning to close their Geelong assembly plant but is looking for more workers for its Campbellfield facility in Melbourne, Australia. The Geelong assembly plant will be closing this coming 2010 but Ford is planning to manufacture 40,000 new four-cylinder vehicles which are all planned to be sold in the Australian car market as well as in New Zealand and South Africa.

These new cars are planned to go on production in 2011 which is why Ford is looking for more facility workers to work in their Campbellfield facility in Melbourne. In connection with the closure of its Geelong assembly plant, Ford is hoping to acquire all 600 workers for the plant to work on its new facility plant in Melbourne. Tom Gorman, the head person for the facility, is also hoping that these workers could be transported to its Aussie plant. He said, "Employees that are interested in that opportunity, we'll make that available to them."

The US auto manufacturer is still hoping to employ all the 600 workers of the Aussie plant but they still have to decide on this particular matter.

Ford was reported to have been acquiring the Daewoo facility plant in Romania. The failure to sell in the US car market may be one among the reasons why Ford is venturing into other car markets namely China and Europe. Well, at least Ford still has different options aside from its US market.

Last week, the Ford Focus was also reported to sell in Europe. So, this means that the Big Three member will still remain in the market even though they have been noted to have poor sales in the US car market.

Everybody Loves The Mariner!

Tons of compliments flooded the net when I took the opportunity to visit autos.yahoo.com/, edmunds.com/ and autos.msn.com/ to inquire for some VW taillights. And the comments were all because of something that really made their heads spin and their hearts thump-thump like crazy. It was a frenzy of crazed online shoppers shouting their hearts out! I was like, “What’s going on here? Did I miss something?!” They were talking about only one thing - and this stuff is hot, definitely! Yep, they were crazy in love with the 2008 Mercury Mariner!

The 2008 Mercury Mariner is creating a surprising review among consumers as it enjoys a rapid sales tempo! Oh yes, the 2008 Mariner is the biggest hit so far with a record of a colossal 97 percent sales last month! With these overwhelming feedbacks from customers, it also helped its relative crossovers from Ford, Lincoln and Mercury which experienced a sales record of 83 percent on the month of June. It was the segment’s largest sales so far! With the help of the 2008 Mariner, a lot of new customers are easily paying attention to Ford and Lincoln Mercury models as well. A job well-done once again for the Mariner!

From the three automotive research sites which I mentioned above, I gathered some of the customer’s feedbacks about the 2008 Mercury Mariner. Let’s all find out how crazy they are for this all-new designed ride:

My Mariner - “I love the stylish look of this SUV. For 2 months we shopped for small to mid-size SUVs and we narrowed it down to three choices: this vehicle, Honda CRV and Jeep Liberty. The ride of this vehicle had it all over the other two options. I actually see peoples’ heads turn when I drive by to look at my ride. I originally opted to get this vehicle in black – but once I saw the vivid red it was all over. It is also spacious and roomy and I like the placement of all the controls, too.” [posted by Judi in Ohio on autos.msn.com/]

Great Small SUV - “The handling is quick and responsive. The interior noise is very low, even at highway speeds. The leather/suede seats are very comfortable and cooler/warmer than all leather. The dashboard is very easy to read with the ice blue lighting and the controls are easy to reach. The center console has as much room as larger SUVs. The Mercury Mariner Premier is very comfortable and easy to drive. I would recommend buying it to anyone.” [posted by David from Mesa, Ariz., on autos.msn.com/]

Wow - “This hybrid is awesome. I bought it for my wife. I find that I am trying to find ways to get the keys from her hands. This Mariner is just fun to drive and well appointed. Everything about it is just wow; definitely pleased! Plus the tax incentive will definitely help offset the cost. Must go drive and try out. If you can afford to spend a little more, it’s worth it!” [posted by Darwin on edmunds.com/]

Honda gives China More of its Original Cars

The Honda Motor Corporation made an announcement that it would be the world’s first foreign automaker to make and to market vehicles under its original brand in China. The name of the new Honda brand in China was never revealed yet.

According to its President Takeo Fukui, they did not identify the new brand at present but it will be under Honda and would be holding a new name. This new brand of Honda will start to operate in 2010, as Honda president told the Tokyo News.

Honda has a joint venture with another car brand in China. The venture is the Guangzhou Honda Automobile Corporation. The company has established with more than $246 million in research and development subsidiary in Guangzhou City in China which is also known as the Canton. The news came out from the Kyodo News service.

Fukui revealed that its R&D subsidiary which is to be located at the same compound will be covering more than two square miles and will also have a scale test course. He also added that as soon as China approved the joint venture, the new brand will start producing engines for the company.

Other Honda production plants in China still has car parts made for the Japanese auto maker. Car parts includes various vehicle odds and ends like the brake pad.

The World Awaits For The Coming Of The New Rossion Q1

What on earth is going on? What’s this fuss all about anyway? It seems like everybody’s getting ready for the second coming… Oh I see, it’s the return of the Noble M400 as the all-new Rossion Q1 that’s why. Now that really makes a lot of sense! The production of the outgoing M400 was allowed to continue. The Q1 does 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds and can finish a distance of a quarter mile in just 11.4 seconds with an ultimate top speed of 185mph. Now that is super - to the max! The manually manufactured car will be on sale in restricted numbers with a starting price of $90,700. Later this year, the first distribution of the Q1 will begin.

Dean Rosen, the VP of Rossion, said, “The Q1 is about achieving the very highest possible levels of performance and blending them with luxurious touches". It basically comes down to the following: 450hp with 400ft lbs torque weighing in at 2500lbs combined with satellite navigation, hand stitched interior and high grade sound system amongst others.

The worldwide debut of the new supercar Rossion Q1 was proudly announced by Rossion Automotive. The move into production for this exceptional ride commenced after 1G Racing obtained both the intellectual and design rights earlier this February for the Noble M400 and M12 stands. On the other hand, extra stressing the performance areas that made Noble platforms an electrifying success, the new Rossion Q1 comes along with dramatic design and a comfortably sophisticated interior. This was packed to the Q1 to create a all-around supercar that could easily captivate people on the road as effortlessly as it can work its way on the race tracks.

“We are extremely proud to launch the Rossion brand with the introduction of the new Q1,” says Rossion Automotive Vice President Dean Rosen. “The Q1 is about achieving the very highest possible levels of performance and blending them with luxurious touches traditionally absent from cars of this caliber. The Rossion Q1 is for the enthusiast looking for a refined road car that pushes the limits of performance in every way.”

Mercedes Benz Internet TV

What’s the latest and hottest stuff today? Can you give me one? Is it those Ford Ranger parts, the Subaru WRX parts or what? I know these auto parts are cool but there’s more interesting stuff that we should all be discussing right now. It’s the Mercedes Benz internet TV!

The Mercedes-Benz owned internet television broadcasting service will formally launch this coming July 12, 2007 and it will be integrated with the most colorful happening in Berlin - a live report from the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week! Broadcast of the “Mercedes-Benz TV” will be aired in German and English and the people behind this plans to set brand new standards for online brand communication. There are a lot of services rendered by the Internet TV. One the services feature is a weekly news magazine that will be hosted by a society reporter from RTL television network - Tanja Butler. The launching will include a program which will last for only twenty minutes and will feature news, facts, background information from the magnificent world of Mercedes-Benz. The site will cater on internet viewers with a selection of five Web channels which includes sports, lifestyle, engines, cars, history and legends and innovation.

“Mercedes-Benz TV opens up a new and very emotional communication channel for our customers and anyone interested in the brand,” says Dr. Olaf Goettgens, the Vice President for Brand Communications of Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars. “Our Internet television service sets new standards in terms of content and design, while using video images to convey the fascination and legends that surround the brand with the star.”

Mercedes-Benz Internet TV will go along with the launching of the weekly magazine at eight in the evening on July 12 as well. It will be presented with a special primetime live presentation from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin entitled “Power Meets Passion”. The major highlight of the evening is the appearance and participation of celebrities and race car drivers Lewis Hamilton and Klaus Ludwig. The two racing superstars will take a spin on both vintage and brand-new Mercedes-Benz vehicles in a course set up between Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column.

Cars.com released their 2007 Top Ten Car Movies

We are all used to receiving yearly information about the top ten car movies as it is released annually by cars.com. Now, the top ten car movies of 2007 are released on the theautochannel.com once again.

All the favorites cars whether old or new which appeared on the big screen are included on the top ten car movies list of 2007. As usual, the previous year’s number one still remains to be on top. Yes, I am referring to the Back to the Future’s DeLorean DMC-12. There are three new car entries this year but the six car movies from lists past are still on the list.

"When we came up with our list of Top 10 Movie Cars last summer, we had no idea our readers would be so passionate about their favorite car films. With 'Transformers' arriving on the big screen, we revisited our list - listening to last year's reader feedback - and determined once again which cars deserved to make the top 10. Some cars were able to hold on to their spots, while others were shuffled to make room for more-worthy contenders. With 'Speed Racer' hitting the big screen next year, expect another round of evaluation,” the managing editor of the Cars.com, Patrick Olsen, informs.

Here are the Car Movies with the Car models included on the Top Ten list of Car Movies in 2007.

No. 1: 1981 DeLorean DMC-12, (Back to the Future)
No. 2: 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, (Smokey and the Bandit)

No. 3: 1961 Ferrari 250 GT, (Ferris Bueller's Day Off)

No. 4: 1964 Aston Martin DB5, (Goldfinger)

No. 5: 1968 Ford Mustang GT 390, (Bullitt)

No. 6: 1976 AMC Pacer, (Wayne's World)

No. 7: 1932 Ford coupe, (American Graffiti)

No. 8: 1974 Dodge Monaco, (The Blues Brothers)

No. 9: 1959 Cadillac Ambulance, (Ghostbusters)

No. 10: 2003 Mini Cooper S, (The Italian Job)

The 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 of “Back to the Future” remained to be on top this year. It was followed by the 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, "Smokey and the Bandit" which is new on the Car Movies list. On the third rank was the last years number two, the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT, "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" while the fourth spot was snitched by the non-mover 1964 Aston Martin DB5, "Goldfinger" also last years number four. While the last year's sixth 1968 Ford Mustang GT 390, "Bullitt" owns the fifth position this year.

Ferrari 430 Challenge Stradale Back to Black

Okay fine. You have seen the black Ferrari 430 Challenge Stradale already and so what? I am only excited about its revelation. Hmmm… I can smell the black paint on its exterior from here. No just kidding. I am only excited on the new features that the new black car will have, well of course, as promised by the auto maker. We all knew about the upgrades done to the previous F430 which was enhanced by the availability of the 360 Modena. However, the new model has a stripped weight and added with a few more horses before it is finally revealed to get that real time hotter ride.

If you can recall, the new Ferrari 430 Challenge Stradale will be stripping off an additional 100 kg. This means that the auto makers will carve off some non-essential car parts and replace it with a sheet-metal with carbon-fiber body panels. Aside from these retunes, the car will also receive more horses this time. A huge 20 units of horsepower will be given to the new car as well as a new exhaust system placed on the tips which is higher than the rear panel - something that looks like the current 360 CS.

The pictures that are now circulating the net feature the latest tune up that the new 430 CS test mule has. The test mule was spotted on the Nurburgring showing a new skin with a revised front end that basically looks like flared nostrils with a track that has obviously been given a more wide body over the F430’s broad-shoulders. The new Ferrari will be seen on the upcoming Frankfurt auto show this September. Although only a few parts of its exterior have been altered, the Italian car maker promises a better fine tuning car to come.

Meanwhile, if you are looking for the best quality Subaru auto parts, Subaru aftermarket parts and Subaru Baja parts, online stores are just on the net so you could easily purchase these car parts you need.