Posts Tagged ‘ford’
6 Pocket Rockets!
October 31st, 2010 | 
Author: Just because your car is small, doesn’t mean that it has to be slow. In fact, some of the fastest cars on the road today are subcompacts. How so? Because their owners have modified them to the point where they can squeeze out additional horsepower and acceleration. Let’s take a look at six cars that qualify as genuine “pocket rockets.”
For the sake of argument, here are some ground rules for a pocket rocket:
The following six cars all qualify as pocket rockets when each of the above stipulations has been met:
Dodge Neon; Ford Focus; Honda Civic; Scion tC; Subaru Impreza; and Volkswagen Golf.
Unfortunately, the Mitsubishi Eclipse retails for just above $20,000 so it does not qualify. Besides, it looks too much like a sports car; we are only examining those vehicles that are somewhat plain before being transformed by aftermarket parts.
Dodge Neon – Technically, the Neon is no longer in production as 2005 was its last model year. Still, with a 2.0L 132hp engine, the Neon remains an affordable favorite of the youth set who enjoy customizing their vehicles
Ford Focus – A lemon no more! Earlier models of the Focus were problem plagued, but the car has made significant strides in the past few years and has received Consumer Report’s recommended buy label too. The stubby ZX3 produces 136 horses with its 2.0L engine
Honda Civic – Redesigned for 2006, the Civic has been a fan favorite for over thirty years. Its teeny 1.8L engine pushes out an impressive 140 horses. The new Civic is a far cry from the “pregnant roller” skate look of the first Civics. Owners are grateful.
Scion tC- Unlike its two boxy brethren, the tC is sleek looking and has a rocket demeanor. With a 2.3L under its hood, the tC has the second largest engine of any car in this class. You net 160 horses with the Scion.
Subaru Impreza – The biggest car in this class has the most powerful engine, a 2.5L boxter engine producing 173 horses. Very competitive with larger and more powerful cars, but a favorite among “pocket rocket” fans nevertheless.
VW Golf – A 2.0L 115hp drives the Golf, but the car’s light weight allows for it to buzz down the highway at a fairly good clip.
Favorite ways of squeezing out additional power for pocket rocket owners include installing the following aftermarket parts:
Performance level increases are measured in horsepower, thrust, and acceleration. Depending on the parts installed and model selected, improvements can range from slight to significant. Regardless, all six models have the potential of becoming true pocket rockets and that is part of the thrill in owning one.
3 Advantages Of Hybrid Cars Over Conventional Cars
Due to the rising cost of fuel and the environmental damage it causes to our planet, many car owners or buyers are looking for an alternative way to save money. Let’s face it, fuel supply is finite and the prices of gas is only going to rise higher and higher. That is where a hybrid car has its advantages
Hybrid cars have been gaining in popularity in recent years. With lower cost of production and new hybrid car technology being developed, owning a hybrid car is becoming affordable to everyone.
Hybrid Cars Saves Gas
The obvious advantage of using hybrid cars is that it saves gas. Combining the cleaner energy of an electric motor with the long range capacity of a gasoline engine allows a hybrid car to save as much as 30 miles a gallon. One feature of hybrid cars is that the gasoline engine is shut off automatically when the car stops. This also helps in saving fuel. That is also the reason why hybrid cars are so quiet why it is stationary. The gasoline engine is automatically turned on when you step on the accelerator pedal.
Hybrid Cars Are Environment Friendly
Hybrid cars emit lower toxic emissions compared to conventional gasoline-powered cars due to less gasoline being burned. It is environmentally friendly, causes less pollution and releases less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. If you do not know, carbon dioxide is one of the primary reasons for rising global warming. For example, the Toyota Prius can reduce tailpipe emissions by up to ninety percent and the greenhouse gas emissions by as much as fifty percent.
Tax Incentives For Hybrid Cars
Due to world political pressures around the world to reduce greenhouse emissions, President Bush signed an agreement in 2005 to provide huge tax relief to hybrid car buyers. The tax incentive varies by model and are based on two factors
1. How fuel efficient the hybrid car is compared to a conventional car in 2002 with the same weight class.
2. How much gasoline the hybrid car can save in its lifetime compared with an equivalent conventional car
For example, a Honda Accord hybrid car have reduced tax credits of $600 while a Toyota Prius has a tax credit of $3150. Do note that the tax credits do expire after 2010 for most hybrid cars.
Hybrid car manufacturers are continually researching for more ways to reduce fuel consumption and better fuel efficiency. Also as more hybrid cars are being adopted, the cost of hybrid cars will reduce making it more affordable for everyone.
Posted in Cars | 
Tags: car battery, car manufacturers, car tax, electric cars, ford, honda, hybrid, hybrid car battery, hybrid car technology, hybrid cars, toyota | 
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3 Advantages Of Hybrid Cars Over Conventional Cars
Due to the rising cost of fuel and the environmental damage it causes to our planet, many car owners or buyers are looking for an alternative way to save money. Let’s face it, fuel supply is finite and the prices of gas is only going to rise higher and higher. That is where a hybrid car has its advantages
Hybrid cars have been gaining in popularity in recent years. With lower cost of production and new hybrid car technology being developed, owning a hybrid car is becoming affordable to everyone.
Hybrid Cars Saves Gas
The obvious advantage of using hybrid cars is that it saves gas. Combining the cleaner energy of an electric motor with the long range capacity of a gasoline engine allows a hybrid car to save as much as 30 miles a gallon. One feature of hybrid cars is that the gasoline engine is shut off automatically when the car stops. This also helps in saving fuel. That is also the reason why hybrid cars are so quiet why it is stationary. The gasoline engine is automatically turned on when you step on the accelerator pedal.
Hybrid Cars Are Environment Friendly
Hybrid cars emit lower toxic emissions compared to conventional gasoline-powered cars due to less gasoline being burned. It is environmentally friendly, causes less pollution and releases less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. If you do not know, carbon dioxide is one of the primary reasons for rising global warming. For example, the Toyota Prius can reduce tailpipe emissions by up to ninety percent and the greenhouse gas emissions by as much as fifty percent.
Tax Incentives For Hybrid Cars
Due to world political pressures around the world to reduce greenhouse emissions, President Bush signed an agreement in 2005 to provide huge tax relief to hybrid car buyers. The tax incentive varies by model and are based on two factors
1. How fuel efficient the hybrid car is compared to a conventional car in 2002 with the same weight class.
2. How much gasoline the hybrid car can save in its lifetime compared with an equivalent conventional car
For example, a Honda Accord hybrid car have reduced tax credits of $600 while a Toyota Prius has a tax credit of $3150. Do note that the tax credits do expire after 2010 for most hybrid cars.
Hybrid car manufacturers are continually researching for more ways to reduce fuel consumption and better fuel efficiency. Also as more hybrid cars are being adopted, the cost of hybrid cars will reduce making it more affordable for everyone.
Posted in Uncategorized |
Tags: car battery, car manufacturers, car tax, electric cars, ford, honda, hybrid, hybrid car battery, hybrid car technology, hybrid cars, toyota |
No Comments »