Further down rankings are Volkswagen Golf, Citroen C5 and Alfa Romeo MiTo. It is interesting to note that no BWM model has ever one car of the year while Mercedes Benz only managed on win way back in 1974. Models winning this award are to meet a number of criteria such as higher than average safety levels, technical innovation and fresh styling.

It seems to have a good chance of winning the award a car maker must enter a model with is relatively affordable and packed with new features. The BMW is a manufacturer that highlights pricing as a soft spot for jurors. In the recent years the Bavarians have scooped a number of engine awards and also produced serious high tech innovations but just not affordable to the average buyer.

Not to say the Insignia is very cheap but more like the sensible buyer’s alternative to the entry luxury sedans(C Class, New Audi A4). And this means the car is competing against the Honda Accord, Mazda 6, Citroen C5, Ford Mondeo and any car of the category.Definately the best Opel to date and complements the more affordable Opel Astra for sale in terms of market reach.

The car has 7 different engine options 4 petrol and three diesel with power outputs ranging from 85kW/113hp from the 1.6 litre and top of the range 2.8 V6 producing 191kW/256hp. Conservative looks that borrow a lot from other cars but sill manage to appear fresh. Opel took a very carful aproach with the interior to make it elegant at the same time lovable.

Just how did Opel pip Ford for the hounours with a single point? Difficult to pin point any one aspect as Opel work hard to provide quality at a fair price. The car has some respectable talking points

FlexiRide System

Not really classified as innovation, the FlexiRide sytem allows the drive to set chassis configuration as sport or for a normal drive. The System also has sensors that make the drive as smooth as possible by continuously auto adjusting. For instance the system can react to a rough bump so quickly the driver will not feel any discomfort. FlexiRide is very familiar in expensive saloons and sports cars and for the Insignia this will only feature in the high end models.

Adaptive 4X4

Sophisticated dynamic traction control that works to provide the most efficient torque to the wheels. Just as with the FlexiRide system Opel goes into details how this feature is “ground breaking”. But from a driver’s point of it really is just smart electronic assists that are getting better.     

Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

By using smart light cameras couple with microprocessors the Insignia takes another step into the futuristic realm of cars that will one day drive themselves.  With TSR the driver is alerted to react to approaching road sign for instance, reducing speed in a limited zone. The driver is also alerted when veering off the lane by mistake by the LDW

Efficient lights    

Adaptive Forward Lighting system (AFL) is the head lamps that have nine different light settings that automatically adjust themselves according to the luminosity needed. Opel claims that Insignia’s headlamps are super efficient to the extend of producing 0 emission compared to 6g/km in the predecessor. 

Looking at the car a couple of times does not make it look better but rather like any of the modern design one would expect. In other words the cars looks might looks normal in a few months time and just fail to make the all time icons. Surely the competition will follow soon with their own traffic sign readers and dynamic chassis electronics.Still the Insignia is one of the hot cars for sale in 2009.

Does the Opel Insignia deserve the award? Yes partly because it is not a Porsche, BWM, or Mercedes as these models seem destined not to win. But mostly because it serves as a symbolic reminder that elegance, quality and innovation need not cost a fortune.

By:  M.E Bapela

www.CarSeller.co.za

It’s been a great year.
Richard and I have depended on our 1965 Shelby now for almost eight years. Truth be told we’ve been content with the car. The condo is in northern Georgia, near Bowdon, and we enjoy touring in the car during the summer months. Our opinion is I’d say it’s a stunning vehicle for the money.

From the day we picked up the Shelby we’ve been enjoying it heartily. We took it out for a spin to see our uncle in Montana several times without any issues. The Shelby does poorly on gas and has not given us alot problems in terms of maintenance.

The Shelby is in pristine condition, having been restored in the last two years. The previous owners seem to have taken good care of it over the past twenty years. Our previous car, a Xiali, had plenty of problems and we weren’t depressed to sell it off.

It was made clear to me to insure the vehicle. For our specialty car insurance we went with a company called Hagerty. We signed up for the policy completely online, using their excellent web site. We found the company by reviewing the information on old cars. It’s an authority site for finding the best offer on custom car insurance. We insured the Shelby for 50% of what Progressive wanted.

It was a good investment purchasing our Shelby. While 1965 was a long time ago, our car helps us relive those days.

Other 1965 Shelby Cars

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Below are just a few benefits many are enjoying with gas saving devices:

Benefit number 1:  A staggering increase in gas mileage by up to 60 percent.  If you were to poll individuals who affixed one of these devices to their car, you would find an average of 20 to 60 percent increase in gas mileage.  The variation in gas mileage simply relates to the type of car you own or drive.

Benefit number 2:  You’ll begin to notice a much smoother ride.  Upon installation of one of these devices, you car will run in a more efficient manner.  This will cut back on engine drag enabling the car to run in a more smooth manner.

Benefit number 3: You will see an increase in the performance of your cars engine.  The nice thing about this technology is that it utilizes Brown’s Gas which produces more power than regular gasoline.  The Brown’s gas is a result of the combination of hydrogen and oxygen gas.

Benefit number 4:  Engine parts that last longer.  It’s not rocket science to figure out that if your engine runs smoother and has less drag, the parts will last longer.

Benefit number 5: You can rest easy knowing that your car is a much cleaner burning machine.  With one of these gas saving devices on your car, the engine will run much cleaner leading to lower car emissions.  As talk of global warming continues, you can feel secure knowing that you are cutting back on your contribution.

It may be running through your head that such gas saving devices will cost you a substantial amount of money.  I am here to inform you that this is simply not the case.  The parts will run you less than a hundred bucks in most cases.What's even better is that you can locate all the parts need at your neighborhood parts store.Now that you know it's pretty cheap to put together on of these devices, a guide to show you how to put on of them together is all you need.  Well all that’s left is to do some research so you can start saving some cash at the pump.

Well after a nineteen year or so absence the Scirocco is back some say by popular demand others say that car manufacturers’ attempts at recycling has started with just the names! Whatever your view on the matter I think the consensus of opinion is that the return of this sporty hatchback is all together a welcome one.

The origins of the Scirocco go back to the early seventies when VW realised they would have to replace the beautiful but rather ageing Karmann Ghia. For this they enlisted the help of the Italian styling guru Giorgetto Giugiaro and so the Scirocco or Type 53 as it was affectionately referred to internally was born.

First appearing in 1974 the Scirocco was a three door sports hatch and was fairly popular selling around 500,000 units by 1981. A few subtle changes were made during the first years of production but it was not until the second generation model arrived in 1982 that the car improved significantly with engine power output and torque up rated and a revised interior. The unique at the time spoiler mounted to the rear window became synonymous with the Scirocco appearance.

Production continued until around 1989 by which time a further 290,000 were produced whilst sales continued to around 1992 until the Scirocco had been replaced by the Corrado. Many Scirocco enthusiasts remain however and there is a thriving owner’s network especially in the UK.

After much press speculation in 2006 VW unveiled the concept version of the Scirocco known as the Iroc at the 2006 Paris Motor Show and it attracted a huge amount of attention.

The Scirocco went on sale in March 2008 and has already divided opinion but it is too early to say whether the lovers of the old Scirocco will embrace the new model.

The Scirocco GT is a three door sports coupe with a 2 litre turbocharged petrol engine developing 200 PS. Acceleration from 0-62 is 7.5 seconds with a top speed of 146mph for the manual version although the automatic is only a second slower. A six-speed auto or manual gearbox is available.

The Scirocco comes with ACC (Adaptive Chassis Control) this allows the driver to adjust the suspension settings to suit conditions and ESP (Electronic Stability Programme). Safety features include all-round disc brakes with ABS and a multi-point airbag system including driver and passenger plus front seats and also curtain airbags.

Options include cruise control and hill hold control. The Scirocco comes with 18” Alloys as standard but 19” are an available extra should you want to really look the business.

Early reviews of the GT have proclaimed that the handling of the car is exceptional especially at higher speeds with low wind noise and precise cornering. The interior has a high quality feel as you would expect from VW. Fuel economy is better than expected unless you drive the car really hard. 2009 should see the arrival of a less potent 1.4 petrol version together with a diesel.   

Apparently the Vice-President of VW USA announced that he did not want the Scirocco to go on sale in America as it would clash with sales of the Golf GTI a claim that was later disputed by the CEO of VW who said the final decision rested with him!

Overall residual value should be maintained due to the interest in the Scirocco so it just remains to be seen if the new Scirocco is as popular as its predecessor but I have a more than sneaky feeling that it will.             

I am freaked out by journalists.

Serious, journalists smell awful.

We’ve had fun this year.
Trudy and I have relied on our 1971 Buick now for just about 8 years. In that time we’ve been happy with the car. Our condo is in urban Mississippi, near Greenwood, and we love touring in the car during the hotter months. Our opinion is I’d say it’s a great toy for the money.

From the day we picked up the Buick we’ve been enjoying it heartily. My whole family made a weekend out of visiting our sister in California numerous times with no problems whatsoever. The Buick does Ok on gas and has not given us many problems in terms of service.

The Buick is in good condition, having been restored in the last two years. The previous owners seem to have taken excellent care of the car over the past several years. Our previous car, a Aston Martin, had plenty of problems and we weren’t sad to unload it.

The first order of the day was to insure the vehicle. For our classic car auto insurance we went with a company called American Hobbyist Insurance. We signed up for the policy completely online, using their excellent web site. We found the company by reviewing the information on antique car insurance. It’s an authority site for finding the best offer on classic car insurance. We insured the Buick for 30% of what our regular insurance company wanted.

The insurance reviews was just in time because within a month of getting it we were involved in a horrible accident with a Acura. The accident totalled both cars. Our American Hobbyist Insurance insurance agent got ahold of us and let us know the car would be completely restored! It was a relief because of our fondness to the car.

The price of the car has gone up a lot over the past three years to our surprise. It’s hard to believe we paid $12,000 for the car back in 1998. Now it’s worth at least $35,000! We’ve been offered this much several times this year. My girlfriend is very excited!

Now is the time to find a car you enjoy! Go out and don’t hesitate, there’s a world of excellent Buicks out there. Buy a Buick now before the price goes up! You won’t be sorry.

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An electric hybrid car is a vehicle that runs relying on two system: the conventional one everyone knows using propulsion and the new technology one using energy that is stored and that can be recharged. The goal of such a vehicle is to save as much gas as possible. The energy storage of the electric hybrid car is superior because more energy can be generated and captured either relying on an electrical generator or using the regenerative braking device. The energy thus saved gets stored in the battery or is used by the electric motor when in motion. The motor of such a car is reduced in size than that of a regular fuel vehicle and thus, the car is more efficient.

Many car owners vouch for the electric hybrid car along with its manufacturers as it is most efficient especially urban use when there are lots of stops and gos. The fuel consume is very much reduced if we were to compare this car with a regular model and this is due to three important systems that are activated. A first function or element in the system is responsible for the reduction of the waste. A second process captures the breaking kinetic force and sends it to the battery. The third aspect that makes the electric hybrid car more convenient is that it depends on a smaller internal combustion engine while increasing power from the electric motor to compensate.

A lower noise level is another major achievement of the electric hybrid car. The electric motor is more silent than the internal combustion one which works great for both us and the environment. However some people do not like this aspect concerning noise reduction believing that it is responsible for more accidents especially among the visually impaired who rely on noise in order to cross a street.

Finally, the electric hybrid car models contribute to reducing gas emissions that ruin our cities’ atmosphere. The less pollution, the less numerous the cases of lung disease. Going green is a major topic of conversation, but the car industry is far from maximizing its production potential in this respect. The electric hybrid car should be ruling our industry and should in time be replaced by even more advanced technologies that eliminate the use of fuel and the release of toxic fumes into our atmosphere. We should begin considering the electric hybrid car as the more recent forefather of what the near future should bring.