Automotive Academy

The ‘man in a van’ tradition has long stood as a representation of self-employment.  They provide transportation, storage and even advertising in one compact unit.  However, as increasing pressure is exerted on individual business people, and threats of big business loom, where does the white van sit now?

A recent survey by a large automobile service provider shows that 75% of commercial vans are still used by self-employed drivers.  The survey consulted around 65,000 van drivers and was conducted over a number of months.  The survey also found that 97% of drivers were male, and that the average age for van drivers was thirty seven.

The Vans themselves are used for vital stalwart trades, primarily comprising builders (with 17% use), but also including joiners, plumbers, electricians and decorators.  Steve Chelton, one of the survey’s instigators, said that “as builders, painters, plasterers, and other tradesmen, commercial vehicle drivers play a vital role in our economy and we should celebrate the work they do every day”.

Keen to fend off economic hardships, freelance tradesmen prefer the Ford Transit.  As well as carrying a reasonable showroom pricetag, the Transit has excellent fuel economy, keeping its running costs to a minimum.  Its latest models reach fuel efficiency of almost forty miles per gallon (although this might be slightly different once the tools are loaded!)

In fact, Ford covers about a third of the commercial vehicle market – they are truly the backbone of our trade force. This trend is no new occurrence, though.  Ford has dominated the commercial vehicle market for many years.  Drivers are clearly brand loyal when it comes to their business transportation.

One noticeable effect of tougher financial times is that tradesmen are having to travel further for work.  Distances travelled to clients are far greater now than ever before.  Fuel economy has therefore gained importance as a financial consideration, and manufacturers are adapting their marketing efforts to reflect this requirement.  Poor fuel economy also incurs higher taxes, so it makes sense on every level to choose a vehicle which will look good on the bank statement.

Further distances travelled also means that tradesmen are spending more time in their vans.  The average white van now, as a result of its wider travels, carries a satellite navigation system, and many come equipped with mini-desks to provide makeshift offices when drivers are working away.

Many larger businesses own or hire vast fleets of commercial vehicles, all of which come impeccably branded.  Sole-traders, though, also have a wide range of options when it comes to branding their vehicle.  In a fierce marketplace, often there is little to initially differentiate one tradesmen from another.  One large motoring insurer suggests that the best strategy is to become recognisable in the local community.  They suggest that short, punchy names and memorable slogans are by far the best way to adorn a trade van.

Big business may well be pushing the boundaries of fleet efficiency, but the classic use of commercial vehicles for freelance purposes is not beaten yet.  Even more than ever before, vans work as hard as their drivers to ply their trade, therefore you should not forget to get van insurance.

All the preparations have been done-dresses, food, bridesmaid, and even the photographs have been settled. There’s one more thing that you need to attend to– wedding cars. Every Bride or wedding, at that, would not be complete without the wedding car. The transportation is as important as the bride herself.

In choosing a wedding car, brides have the option to use one of their own transportation or contact wedding cars for hire. Both way, they choose the wedding car that best suits their taste, color and not to mention, the wedding car that fits their budget.

wedding cars come in different forms and variety:
•    Carriages
When you choose to create that fairytale-like wedding atmosphere, carriages are the best wedding car hire you could get. Brides will come out as princesses in these fabulous wedding cars.
•    Sports cars
If you are one of those sport enthusiasts, you could definitely go for the sports car fantasy. Sports cars as wedding cars are now being used in all parts of the world, the pricier the sports car the better. Most affluent couples will choose to showcase what they have during these special dates.
•    Limousines
If you are one who wishes to have a contemporary and sophisticated wedding car, limousines is the perfect choice. Most wedding car hire provide this type of vehicle on a great value. Sometimes, they even include chauffeur in most wedding car hire agencies.
•    Vintage cars
Vintage cars emphasize elegance and classic beauty when used as wedding cars. Brides will evoke that sophisticated taste if they choose this kind of wedding car. Most wedding car hire have limited edition vintage car that they offer to couples at a higher price.

Lexus IS 250c a Luxury Convertible
The IS 250c displays Lexus quality and attention to detail in every aspect of its construction and is designed to exceed customer expectations with its fusion of top-down driving pleasure and uncompromised dynamic performance. It also boasts the fastest opening time for a three-part roof design, with its lightweight aluminum structure folding away in just 20 seconds to make it a luxury convertible.
The Lexus IS 250c is a Luxury Convertible in many ways, it shares its smooth 205bhp (208 DIN hp) 2.5-litre petrol V6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission with the IS 250 saloon. It has been styled to offer minimal wind turbulence when driving with the top down and extensive revisions to the body structure and suspension provide the right degree of torsional stiffness to ensure a level of ride comfort appropriate for a Lexus. In coupe trim, the car’s low NVH performance is on a par with that of the IS saloon.
Thanks to the remarkably compact packaging of the three-part roof mechanism, the Lexus IS 250c has a large boot space, together with easy rear seat access and generous accommodation for rear passengers.
The new coupe / convertible is the third model in the Lexus IS range, joining the Lexus IS petrol and diesel-powered sports saloon and the ultra-high performance 5.0-litre V8-powered Lexus IS F, which introduced the F Sports designation to the line-up earlier this year.

Getting your first Cheap Car Insurance

In today’s world everything needs to be insured, regardless of if you can afford it or not. Houses, vehicles, paintings and even lives need to be insured in order to protect your investments from the unseen harms of the future. Insurance can legally protect you when something turns awry and it will also protect the investments (the insured items) that you have made. Hopefully, this article will help car owners get the most out of their money with the least amount of frustration and hair loss!

When getting your car insurance quotes, you should always take the time to search for the best provider. The best car insurance, comfortable and cheapest way to do this is by utilizing the internet. But before you can begin this process, you need to sit down and check your finances. Find out how much you can afford to pay monthly so that you will be able to make these payments. You will also need to know what is on your driving record as a clean driving record is always better than a colorful one. You can get this info from your local DMV office or it might be available online. Make sure you have a clear picture about the deductibles you can afford and coverage that you want including any additional coverage that you might need. Once you have all these info, you can begin your search.

Check all the cheap car insurance quotes that you have and make sure that the companies offering these services are reliable and trustworthy. This can be done simply be checking the car insurance companies profile online. Before settling on your preferred choice, make sure that the coverage is what you need and afford. If you need further clarification, call them up and ask questions. By doing this, you can also gage their service level and if you will feel comfortable dealing with them. Sometimes, it is worth paying a little extra just to get the best service when the worst has happened to you.

Once you have determined that you found the coverage that you will need, you sign on the dotted line and leave everything to your agent. They will create the policy for you and will send it over as soon as possible. You will need to have your agent’s contact details just in case you have more questions once you receive the policy. However, you will also need some proof of the insurance with you before you get the original policy. Make sure your agent can provide you with a temporary note for this time and bring it along in your car as you would a proper insurance.

These are the basic steps that you can take when deciding on your first car insurance. For more info and detail explanations on how to get your cheap car insurance quotes, please visit the experts at www.How2BuyInsurance.com where they can also assist you with obtaining cheap car insurance quotes.

There is a new champion is the world of mega-horsepower saloons, and it comes in the shape of a 750BHP BMW M5. The BMW was recently timed recently at 367.4km/h 228.3mph, the G-Power Hurricane RS has stolen the record from established speed junky and former record holder Brabus. The Merc tuner has a long history of building silly horsepower record breakers, its 227.2mph CLS-based being most recent in a line of super quick Mercede’s.  

After months of speculation GM has pulled the plug on Saab, which has left the loss-making Swedish car company no option but to file for ‘Chapter 11’-style bankruptcy. The move means a Swedish court-appointed administrator will oversee efforts by Saab to reorganise itself once more into a fully independent entity, while offering short-term legal protection from its creditors, which will give the car firm the opportunity to try and get itself back on its feet and get protected against bankruptcy. 

However the company has reiterated it can only survive as in independent in the future with significant external funding, it has been reported that last year the company lost nearly £250 million.

‘We explored and will continue to explore all available options for funding and/or selling Saab and it was determined a formal reorganisation would be the best way to create a truly independent entity that is ready for investment,’ said Jan Ake Jonsson, Managing Director for Saab Automobile.

‘With an all new 9-5, 9-3X and 9-4X all ready for launch over the next year and a half, Saab has an excellent foundation for strong growth, assuming we can get the funding to complete engineering, tooling and manage launch costs. Reorganisation will give us the time and means that help get these products to market while minimising the liquidity impact of Saab on GM.’

The company produced a press release today putting on a brave face in regards to the situation, stating Saab’s intention to re-concentrate the marque’s design, engineering and manufacturing operations in Sweden over a three month period, assuming the administrator agrees to the plans. But in the meanwhile the GM decision which was made to cut Saab loose has put the Swedish government under increasing pressure to stump up a taxpayer bailout.

Honda’s attempt to right-size its development schedule and cope with the economic downturn apparently extends beyond the cancellation of the next NSX. Honda changing its plans for the next two years, and that includes rethinking the development of a range of rear-wheel-drive Acuras, a new V8 and the S2000’s successor.  

Acura seems to be carrying the weight of the bad news, with its RWD 7-series rival, originally due out in 2015, cancelled indefinitely, along with development of a V8 engine that would allow the brand to compete with the best and brightest from Germany. 

Unfortunately, the cancellation of development also extends to Honda’s smaller offerings, Honda planned to release a drop-top version of its CR-Z after the hybrid goes on sale next year, but that model has been axed too.

Even more disturbingly, 2009 will be the last year of production for the S2000, with no new model waiting in the wings. This will be very disappointing for Honda as these were exciting plans and it is very unfortunate that it is hitting them so hard.

The production of the SLR McLaren is due to end in May and Mercedes have come up with a spectacular farewell edition. The last SLR leaves the Woking production line this year, and work will then start on a strictly limited run of the SLR Stirling Moss.

Stripped of roof, windows and doors this is the most extreme SLR yet  and harks back to the 300SLR racing car in which Stirling Moss famously  won the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio and other sportscar races back in 1955.

The car will have 650BHP and a top speed of 217mph, just 75 will be  made and only what Mercedes describes as ‘the most loyal SLR  customers’ will be given the opportunity to buy one, at a cost of £600,000. A totally revised interior including a numbered plaque with an engraved signature by Moss himself underlines the car’s exclusivity, this special edition being Mercedes’ farewell to the SLR.

The Nissan GT-R has had such an impact over the last 12 months it would be impossible to ignore and the scale of Nissan’s achievement deserves to be recognised.

Even the most hardened roadtesters have struggled to get to grips with just how fast the GT-R actually is. Put simply the mighty Nissan offers 911 Turbo pace for M3 money and deploys an incredible array of technology in its single-minded pursuit of redefining what a modern performance car is all about. 

It’s one of the most talked about cars of recent times and it’s easy to see why there is such a fuss about Nissan’s new GT-R. It’s certainly one of the most dramatic looking cars of recent years. And while carrying various classic GT-R styling cues it’s resolutely futuristic, the origami-style creases and detail distinctively Japanese in flavour. The super aggressive styling certainly shouts loud about the car’s potential. 

At every step of its development the GT-R has been benchmarked against the 911 Turbo. But while the 911 is devoted to the past, the GT-R looks only to the future, ripping up the supercar rule book.

The Nissan has already lapped the Nurburgring in 7min 29sec, three seconds faster than the 911 GT2. And while the Porsche retails at £131,000 Nissan is asking just £55,900 for the GT-R.

Watch the video below of the GT-R reaching a top speed of 190 MPH

There is no doubt there has been some huge upheavals in the car industry over the last year of 2008. And there is also no doubt there is likely plenty more to come too, but for now we should put that aside and look at and celebrate some of the best cars of 2008.

Obvious highlights include a brave new start from Jaguar and Nissan’s GT-R – by any stretch one of the most exciting cars of recent years. It wasn’t all about fancy sports cars and supercars though, more everyday family hatches and superminis from the likes of Vauxhall and Ford have also shown that class isn’t confined to the upper names in the car market.

Ford Fiesta

As household budgets shrink this causes many drivers to reconsider their options, it’s nice to know the Fiesta – for many the benchmark of accessible, everyday transport – proves budget motoring needn’t feel cheap. Excitingly styled and brilliant to drive, the all-new Fiesta deserves every one of its glowing reviews. Ford are masters of building cheap to run, efficient, good-looking and fun to drive mass-market cars like the Fiesta. 

Audi Q5

It appears that Audi can do no wrong when it comes to designing cars. The firm continues to dominate the premium sector with hit after hit. And though both its key rivals have faltered in the mid-sized SUV field Audi has inevitablycome up trumps with the sleek Q5. The Q5 is a more sensible, usable size and its A4-derived running gear means it’s decent to drive too. 

BMW X6

The polar opposite of the discreetly luxurious Q5, the X6 takes in your face SUV style and ramps it up to a whole new level. The result is a segment-busting luxury four-seat ‘coupé’, with looks best described as unapologetic and running gear derived from the superb X5, suitably upgraded to suit the X6’s sporty aspirations. The X6 is available in both the hard-hitting 286 BHP Diesel and 408 BHP Turbocharged Petrol V8. 

Jaguar XF

2008 has been a tough year for Jaguar and, 2009 doesn’t look like it’s going to get any easier. The reinvention of the product range, symbolised by the XF could be a positive for the company in 2009 though. Jaguar desperately needed to get with the times and this sleek, sporty saloon commands the best of the firm’s traditional strengths with a new, forward-looking attitude. 

Volkswagen Scirocco

Some people have claimed the Scirocco, is just a Golf in fancy, far less useful clothes. The Scirocco has proved how performance and practicality don’t have to be mutually exclusive and debuting a discreetly sporty, aggressive new look carried over into the new Golf, also unveiled this year. The Scirocco is available in Turbocharged petrol and diesel and has smooth shifting gearboxes and adjustable damping systems.

Toyota is to delay its rear-wheel drive coupe collaboration with Subaru until 2012, it has been reported. The collaboration was first announced in February this year and it was originally pencilled in to arrive some time this year – 2009.  

Sadly dwindling sales and the global economic crisis have claimed another victim and the compact rear-drive two-door has been delayed for at least three years. The coupe was expected to be branded the next-generation Scion tC in the US and if it is to be delayed the company will be forced to make substantial updates before its release to keep it fresh, which will mean more work in the factory, including even more tp be spent on the model than was first planned. 

No word yet on a delay for the Subaru version of the car but considering the carmaker has just been forced to pull out of WRC rest assured that it won’t be arriving any time soon, these current times are seeing so many amazing plans for new cars being scrapped, which is such a shame for both us as potential buyers and the industry itself as we are slowly starting to see the development of new and improved cars grinding to a halt.