There's nothing quite like the scream of a two stroke engine and the smell of burning engine oil is always right there with that scream. In the world of motorsports its sound is unmistakable. Dirt bikes would see the two stroke engine utilized on early models because of the smaller size. Snowmobiles would also follow suit because of the light weight. It was only a matter of time before the ATV would make use of the technology to improve response, increase speed, and reduce weight. The first two stroke quad made it to market back in 1985. The Suzuki Motor Corporation would design and release the Quad Racer, a two stroke racing quad with a 246cc powerhouse. Although two stroke engines were appearing on earlier ATC's from the big four manufacturers (Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha), this quad in particular would set off a revolution of racing and sport riding. The ATV brought more stability to the table with four wheels versus the three wheeled ATC's. Engine size and power was utilized far better on quads when riders became more apt to keeping their wheels beneath them. The ATC was considered unstable and its production would eventually be outlawed, but the two stroke quad would flourish in the coming years with all the major manufacturers contributing their own version.
The two stroke engine was first invented back in 1878 but the first patented two stroke motor, a v-twin, didn't come along until 1904. The two stroke design has certain advantages and disadvantages when compared to a four stroke engine. One stroke equals one cycle, therefore a two stroke engine completes its energy production using half the cycles of a four stroker. This is because two stroke engines have no valves. The fuel intake, fuel ignition, and exhaust emission all happen on each cycle (or revolution) of the engine. Four strokes in comparison use a camshaft and a series of valves to separate all the phases of energy production. These additional components add overall weight to the four stroke engine. The two stroke however must burn oil during its ignition phase. This accounts for the blue or grey smoke which emulates from every two stroke exhaust port. Two stroke engines require oil to be injected simultaneously with the fuel or pre-mixed in the fuel tank. Two strokes also burn more fuel versus the four stroke powerplants. Citing emissions, noise pollution, and higher fuel usage, the two stroke engine has all but been eliminated from automotive and street motorcycle market, but the lightweight simplicity and sheer horsepower per cubic centimeter of these engines allowed them to flourish in the offroad market.
In their heyday, quad manufacturers flooded the market with their own two stroke engines. Beside the big four, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha, other big players like Polaris as well as a variety of small scale Chinese manufacturers have capitalized on two stroke power for their quad ATVs. But new, lightweight, and more efficient four strokes would eventually become the accepted powerplant for the majority of production quads. The two stroke has been completely dropped from the lineup of most manufacturers in favor of reasonably quiet, fuel efficient, technologically advanced four strokes. Sport quad riding and organized racing have also, for the most part become four stroke events. As quickly as the two stroke engine entered the atv industry, it has, for the most part, fallen by the wayside even with new advances in emission technology, including reductions in odor as well as smoke.
Chet is the webmaster of Bikes Trikes and Quads, a classified ad site dedicated to serving up free ads for motorcycles and quads. BTAQ also features quad parts and accessories from popular suppliers.
At the end of World War II there was a surge of high performance, fast and sporty cars that began to emerge. The soldiers who were returning home from war were instantly attracted to these fast sports cars, many which were exported by Britain. At that time the British were building high quality sports cars at a price many could afford. The British sports cars were superbly engineered and quickly began taking the sports car world by storm. Their sleek and sporty design made them highly desirable.
The fast and sporty British cars began to really take off when the Triumph came out with the TR2 in 1953. At the time Triumph produced some of the most sought after cars in the world. The United States fell in love with it and soon began seeking other British sports cars.
Taking A Look At The Cars
The Jaguar is probably the most popular fast, sport car the British offer. Many people see the Jaguar as the top of the line automobile. The brand new Portfolio which is being unveiled in March 2007 brags of a speed of 155 mph and can reach 60 mph in only 4.9 seconds. The Portfolio features a 4.2 liter engine and the car will be offered worldwide.
BMW is also offering a new coupe and convertible in their 3 series. These are supposed to be the most appealing BMW fast and sporty cars to date. These come with aerodynamic styling and lower suspension which offers a sportier look and ride. These sport modes are offered in Silver, Black, Blue, Graphite, White, and Red.
Aston Martin is announcing improvements to their famous Vanquish S. This automobile is famous for its luxury and unique style. It was also made famous by James Bond in the movie "Die Another Day". The Vanquish S Ultimate Edition will showcase many of the features of the Vanquish s that many Britons love. With only 40 being built, these cars will be offered as a limited edition and predictions say they will all be sold in only a few weeks.
This edition will be produced in Ultimate Black and this will be the only car available in this color. The interior will be trimmed in leather and stylish black chrome. It will offer a top speed of 200 mph. This car is the result of customer research and request and contains the features most sought after by the public. It comes with a high price tag but will be considered an investment since the car will likely maintain or increase in value.
Gavin Drake is a self confessed "Petrol Head" and loves fast cars. He races in a number of championships in the U.K and runs http://www.fastcarsinfo.com where fellow petrol heads can come chat, share photo's and catch up on the latest automotive news.
Even since I was young I had a fascination with exotic sports cars. I was the little kid with all the car books and I even loved reading the "wheels" section of our local newspaper to see if I could spot an exotic car for sale.
The first time I saw an exotic sports car in real life was when I was about 8 years old. We were going to visit my Grandmother a few hours down the road. Since it was a long boring drive, I dosed off until my Dad woke me up to ask what kind of car was driving beside him. I awoke to see a Lamborghini Countach driving next to our car! What a thrill for a little boy that was infatuated with exotic sports cars.
As I got older the novelty of seeing exotic cars has somewhat diminished, but it's not gone. I live in a very wealthy community in Canada and in the summer I will see Ferrari's, Maseratis and Porches everyday. In fact just yesterday I was driving down a side street in the rain when I saw a car approaching that was incredibly low to the ground. To my amazement, it was a Charcoal Lamborghini Muircielago. I have never actually saw one on the street so this was an exciting day for me. Just to taunt me, a young man, likely in his late 20's or early 30's likes to show off his Ferrari 360 on my street quite often.
So what does an adult do with their fascination of exotic sports cars, especially if you're not in a position to take on a $5000+ per month lease payment! One option that you could choose would be to rent an exotic car. A company close to my home rents Lamborghini's and Ferrari's for around $3000 for the day, with a 100 km mileage allowance for the day. Each additional kilometer will set you back $1.99. Obviously if one can drop $3000 for a one day test run, you're still wealthier than the majority of the population. For most of us, exotic car wallpapers, exotic car key chains and posters of exotic cars are the closest that we may get to owning an exotic sports car.
Just remember, you can always dream, but lets face it; Unless you're a dotcom millionaire or your parents have more money than they know what to do with, you may never have the chance to shift the gears on an exotic sports car of your own!
ExoticAutoWarehouse.com is a website created by Blake Hygate dedicated to Diecast Cars all over the United States. Whether buying or browsing, http://www.ExoticAutoWarehouse.com brings together a large selection of NASCAR diecast and diecast exotic cars for sale.
The muscle car era of old is long gone, but in its place are a pack of "modern marvels" that can tear up any track! The Mercedes SLR McLaren, Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet, and the Nissan Z350, are all hot performers in their own right. The first two will cost you a mint, the Nissan is more in reach. Time to compare the models and let your imagination run wild.
I believe it is the Kia Rio that retails for just under 10K. If you were to buy 45 Rios you would just begin to match the price of the Mercedes SLR McLaren. With an MSRP of $452,750, even a Bentley becomes a bargain. It is quite likely, however, if you can afford this car you'll not be worrying about price. Instead, the V8 engine pushes out 671 horses, 208 mph top speed, and 3.8 seconds of zero to 60 acceleration...certain to excite you. If that is not enough, try gull wing doors, bi-Xenon headlamps, sidepipe exhaust, turbine wheels, carbon fiber bucket seats covered in leather, a 7 speaker Bose sound system, and lots more. If that still isn't enough there must be some Mercedes parts you can order!
If you want performance but you are also looking for "value" than another German automaker, Porsche, may have what you want. With an MSRP of "only" $141,200 the 911 Turbo S Cabriolet does not quite live up to the SLR, but it is a speed demon nevertheless. Horses kick out at 444, you can get to 190 mph with this baby, and reach 100 kmh [62 mph] in just 4.3 seconds. Not bad! Automatically deployed rear spoiler, awesome looking twin exhausts, digital radio with CD, telephone module, leather everywhere, and a V6 engine are some of the more notable features. Go to a Porsche parts store if you find that something you want is missing.
For the proletariat -- a/k/a the average car buying consumer -- the purchase options are much greater. Besides cars like the Chevy Corvette, Cadillac XLR, Dodge Viper, and BMW M3, Nissan is offering a competitive model under the famed "Z" nameplate. With MSRP starting at $26,800, the base V6 powered and 6 speed manual tranny throws out 287 hp and will rocket you to 60 from a dead stop in just under 6 seconds. Along with the manual tranny, the "Z" comes equipped with ABS, 3.5L 24-valve V6, CD, etc. The base model is pretty basic, but you can get more horses and more options, including a convertible for about 10 grand more. Check around for after market Nissan parts that you can get for your "Z" too.
Yes, the first two cars will only find their way into select driveways, while the "Z" is more within reach of you and me. All 3 sports car are "hot" and certain to be crowd pleasers.
Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for Car Parts Stuff, an online supplier of high quality and well priced automobile parts.
I don't know about you, but I've always wanted to drive one of those really extreme high-end sports cars. Lamborghini, Ferrari, Mazerati... the list goes on. I've never sat in one of these kinds of sports cars, let alone driven one - all that power transmitting itself from the tires all the way into the palms of my white-knuckled hands, seeing the looks of envy on the faces of everyone I pass by.
Oh What A Feeling
What a feeling that would be. I thought I'd never get to have that experience, but I found you I actually can! Turns out there are hundreds, possibly thousands, of exotic car dealerships all over the United States and all over the world. For a week, a day, or even just a few hours, that exotic, luxury sports car can be yours, along with the feelings of superiority that come with it! True, it will set you back more than the average compact car rental. But what an experience! Being behind the wheel of a sports car, a TRUE sports car that's normally only seen on the race track, is something most people will never experience. The bragging rights alone are worth the price of admission!
OK I gotta Have One. Now What?
So where do you find the sports car rental of your dreams? You'll have to look around to see who's in your local area with sports cars to rent out (or the area you plan to be visiting if you're thinking of doing a vacation sports car rental). Jump onto the internet and search for something like "sports car rental Your City" replacing "Your City" of course with... your city! Depending on what you want, you'll find it quickly or not. If you just dream of a convertible Porsche for example, that's probably not all that hard to find. But a Lamborghini Diablo might take a little more hunting. If you look around enough, you'll eventually find that almost every model of exotic sports car in existence can be had for a price. Ferrari, Viper, Alfa Romeo, Mazerati... they're all out there.
You Want HOW Much For That?
Now let's be clear - this is a serious luxury, and it's going to command a luxury premium price. You can expect to pay several times what you would pay for a "standard" rental car, though with these luxury sports cars they will often deliver them to you at your home, office, hotel, etc. When you pay this much - you get service! It's not cheap, but then how many things that are really worthwhile, are cheap? Rent an exotic sports car, live a little. It's your life - live it!
Kathy Hildebrand is a professional writer who is easily bored with her "day job" assignments. So, she researches anything and everything of interest and starts writing. Writing about an extremely wide variety of subjects keeps her skills sharp, and gives her food for thought on future paid writing assignments.
More of her research and articles can be found at http://www.lasertargeted.com/carrental and other sites around the internet.
Before we start, let's define the term 'super exotic sports cars'. Sports cars, by definition are borderline racing cars; boasting powerful performance and sleek looks. Their prestige makes them expensive, and thus the domain of a select few. With reference to sports cars, the term "exotic" refers to vehicles produced in very limited numbers. This of course increases their exclusivity and by virtue of this, their value. Exotic sports cars will, in all likelihood, be built by smaller manufacturers or perhaps the super high-end vehicles will be created by some of the better-known car companies outside of the United States, as exclusive models.
Many exotic sports cars are the stuff of legend. The world's fastest car, the McLaren F1, for instance is a well-known exotic. Although only around one hundred F1s were produced and the manufacturer is not a household name (outside of the Grand Prix circuits of course), the McLarens are coveted sports cars. All exotic sports cars are highly sought after and, as status symbols, are second to none in the sports car world.
But, assuming that you can afford it, is an exotic sports car for you?
It is easy to be seduced by the allure of owning an exotic sports car. Owning one can be very tempting. Amongst the purists, the cars themselves are often considered the pinnacle of design. Any enthusiast who has the means will tell you that when an opportunity to invest in an exotic sports car presents itself, resistance can be very difficult.
One should try and be objective about the proposition though.
Before making such a major commitment, there are three factors you should consider.
Exotic Sports Cars Are Very Expense
The cost of owning such a prestigious car, does not end when you part with the initial payment. Even if one can afford the initial asking price of an exotic (and not many can), one needs to be aware of the likely ongoing running expenses , which can be significant. The maintenance and repair of an exotic car is certain to be expensive compared to non-exotic vehicles and a buyer should attempt to discover what kind of costs he or she is likely to experience in order to keep the car in running order. There can be no cost cutting on parts for these high end vehicles.
Parts for prestige cars are likely to be in short supply, if they are available at all. The likelihood that the owners of exotic sports cars will need to have some parts custom made during their ownership of the vehicle is quite high. And the cost will be significant. This is especially true of older exotics, many of which will have been orphaned when their original manufacturer stopped making cars. Not only will this prove extremely expensive, one can also expect it to be time consuming as well. And, as time passes, the necessary investment will only become greater.
Your usual mechanic cannot be expected to be able to repair exotic sports cars. You will need specialised mechanics with specialised tools to be able to ensure that appropriate and professional repairs are carried out. Not only will such individuals be, in all probability much more expensive than your usual mechanics, you would be very fortunate if you found one in your town. You should expect to have to do a lot of traveling in order to find suitable mechanical help.
All too often a sports car buff will purchase an exotic, without though to the ongoing costs, and, as a consequence be completely unprepared to handle additional future expenses. A thorough planning of expected costs and the means to meet those costs would certainly be in order.
Reliability Of High End Vehicles
Even though an exotic sports car may represent the ultimate in performance, One cannot assume that it will also be reliable. This will hold particularly true for the older 'classic' exotic cars. As with any high performance machine, exotic sports cars can be quite delicate (temperamental) which will, in all probability, require that you, or someone close to you be regularly on hand to make the adjustments to ensure that the vehicle stays in operating order. Exotic sports cars are well known for the spectacular side of their performance when they running well. However, the other side of the coin is that they are notorious for being among the most temperamental of vehicles that one may encounter.
If you plan to run an exotic sports car on a regular basis, you should be prepared for the highs and los of motoring. The sublime feeling of driving a top car with top performance can often be forgotten if the same car stops and refuses to start many miles from any assistance.
The Drivability of Exotic Cars
Most owners of high performance cars will tell you that such vehicles take 'some getting used too'. Optimum performance comes at a price, and will depend very largely on the skill of the driver. So, if you are relatively inexperienced, then please do not expect to get the best out of your car straight away. This in itself could prove too frustrating for many potentials owners. One should also take into account the relative risk of driving a high performance cars whilst still inexperienced.
For those to whom the additional cost of time in learning to drive a prestige car optimally and safely is not an issue, an additional, problem arises in the adjustment of seats and pedals for example. Small things that are irrelevant in normal cars take on much greater significance when applied to exotic sports cars.
When considering the purchase of an exotic sports car, one must look past the romance and excitement of owning a legendary vehicle. There are real concerns and obstacles to be overcome before the full enjoyment and benefit of owning such a car can be achieved.
