April 2006
You are currently browsing the articles from Super Car Blog written in the month of April 2006.
by: Matthew C. Keegan
General Motors???????? Saturn division is one of the few bright spots for the troubled U.S. automaker. As of this writing, the parent company is in the midst of plant closings, massive layoffs, and big losses. Bankruptcy may be the ultimate ???????out??????? for GM, but even if the company doesn????????t choose that route, big changes are coming nevertheless. Fortunately, the Saturn division is one of the few bright spots for the legendary automaker as are Cadillac, GMC, and select models including the Corvette and the company????????s big trucks. For Saturn, there is a certain ???????AURA??????? about the division both in model name as well as in sensation.
Step back two decades and General Motors is all abuzz over a new car company in the process of being created: Saturn. As a wholly owned subsidiary of GM, Saturn was designed to take on Japanese rivals Toyota and Honda by building compact cars that American drivers really wanted and could rely upon. It worked. For most of the 1990s, the ???????S Series??????? was the sole model for Saturn; available in coupe, sedan, and wagon, the S Series achieved cult status and had a loyal following of owners who regularly congregated for meets at Spring Hill, TN where the cars were built. Even when the vehicles???????? design aged, the S Series maintained its high status with Saturn aficionados.
By the late 1990s, two new lines of vehicles were added to the Saturn brand. The VUE, became the company????????s sport utility vehicle while the ???????L Series??????? was the first large Saturn. In reality, the ???????L??????? was a midsize car as it was heavily derived from a model sold by GM????????s European division, Opel. With the latter model, Saturn hoped to provide the larger vehicle that S Series owners desired. Unfortunately, sales figures barely exceeded half of the quota anticipated by Saturn, so after a few years the model was retired.
Today, Saturn is no longer a separate company. With the demise of Oldsmobile, Saturn is now a full fledged division of General Motors. While some see this move as a bad thing, it has resulted in new products for the brand.
Soon after the L Series was retired, the RELAY was introduced. As the first Saturn model built on a U.S. G.M. platform, the 7 passenger people mover was a far cry from previous models. Still, the vehicle has filled a gaping hole in the Saturn line up.
Just this past Spring the SKY was introduced, an upscale limited production convertible. To say that the car has been received with gladness is an understatement. Quite frankly, the SKY is the ???????halo??????? car needed by Saturn, but fortunately the division isn????????t stopping there.
Although the L Series was a flop, GM is once again turning to its Opel division to produce a car. Combining Opel styling with a U.S. G.M. platform, the AURA sedan will be rolling into a showroom near you very soon.
So, what is so special about the AURA? Its good looks! Although it is nearly impossible to describe the vehicle without showing you a picture, the AURA is simply one imposing car. Although a sedan, the AURA is sporty looking with a grille that is not too far removed from the new SKY. With a 3.6L V6 engine mated to a six speed automatic transmission, the 250 h.p. AURA will definitely compete with the Camry, Accord, and Maxima for sales as well as for performance leadership. Throw in 19 inch wheels, a sporty interior, and responsive handling and the AURA just begs to be driven.
The best part of the AURA is that it isn????????t the L Series, a car criticized for being too bland and uninspiring. One look at the AURA and you can see that Saturn got it right this time.
Prices for the AURA haven????????t been announced yet, but you can expect fully loaded models to retail below $25,000 well within the range of its competition.
Will the AURA succeed? Well, it has too! Look for Saturn to do all that it can to make sure that the model is marketed to those who would buy one: the cross section of the North American populace. Yes, Saturn has turned a corner and hopefully the same came be said for the entire company.
About The Author
Copyright 2006 ???????? Matt Keegan is a freelance writer covering upcoming models as well as the current favorites. To keep your Saturn looking its best without paying through the nose for replacement parts, shop Discount OEM Car Parts for what you need today: http://www.auto-parts-wholesale.com.
Written by admin on April 30th, 2006 with no comments.
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by: Pamela HewittFor four whole model years, the Lincoln Mark VI lived fully. It was in production starting from the year 1980. Its time to shine on the roads and on the streets was cut short come 1983. The Lincoln Mark VI has been made available in two body styles that comprise of a coupe and a sedan. The coupe held two doors while on the other hand, the sedan held two doors more. The power source for this vehicle was a choice between two capable engines which were the 5.0 liter V8 engine and the 5.9 liter V8 engine. The Lincoln Mark VI was considered to be a part of the whole Lincoln Mark line of vehicles from the Ford Motor Company????????s luxurious Lincoln division. In truth, this vehicle is more or less a carryover or a reskinned Lincoln Mark V.
Upon the introduction of the Lincoln Mark VI, the vehicle contained only very few changes as compared to its predecessor which was the Lincoln Mark V. In fact, most people noticed that the changes were only small and minor revisions in the design and style. Although people also noticed that the Lincoln Mark VI was crafted and manufactured to be slightly smaller than the vehicle which came before it. The most noticeable among all minor changes were the new headlight covers that the Lincoln Mark VI sported around. The vehicle also was a proud owner of a new steering wheel design. The hallmark opera windows that the Lincoln Mark V had were still continued in the Lincoln Mark VI. Along with these windows were the grille that held a Rolls Royce styling and design; and also the rear tire hump.
The changes made the Lincoln Mark VI look kind of awkward provide not much appeal, and thus it held not much appeal. However, this kind of styling and design has made Lincoln think of a project that would bring the vehicle in the limelight. What it did was it asked four designers to individually design and style a Lincoln Mark VI their way. This brought about popularity to the car. And along with that popularity came the reputation of being one of the most sought after vehicles for vehicle and car collectors.
At http://www.partsship.com, one can find the store????????s offering of a great selection of Lincoln auto parts, accessories, tools, and maintenance supplies like Lincoln Mark VI parts. Interesting parties, Lincoln owners, and aficionados could simply visit Lincoln Parts and Car Parts and they could easily access the huge selection and collection of Lincoln parts and accessories that include a/c condensers, catalytic converters, engine parts, exhaust manifold parts, fuel tanks, mirrors, and radiators among many others. The parts offered at Lincoln Parts and Car Parts are guaranteed to perfectly fit Lincoln vehicles. At Lincoln Parts and Car Parts, the Lincoln products have been manufactured from durable and quality materials.
About The Author
Pamela Hewitt is marketing consultant of a successful auto body shop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This 39 year old is also a prolific writer, contributing automotive related articles to various publications. She is also an offroad enthusiast.
Lincoln Parts and Car Parts http://www.partsship.com/auto-body-parts/lincoln-mark-vi-parts.html
pamela@partsship.com
Written by admin on April 29th, 2006 with no comments.
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by: Jason Moore
The Ford Crown Victoria is also popularly known as the Crown Vic. This vehicle is a vehicle manufactured by the Ford Motor Company and it has been in production since 1955 up until the present. It is a full size vehicle. It has been made in one body style only and that is a sedan. The Ford Crown Victoria holds four doors and it has been built on the Ford Motor Company????????s FR Panther platform, thus making this sedan a relative of the Mercury Grand Marquis, the Mercury Marauder, as well as the Lincoln Town Car. The competitions for this vehicle include the Buick Lucerne, and the Toyota Avalon.
Despite the very fact that the Ford Crown Victoria has been in the rounds for many years already, decades in fact, this vehicle has not quite got the attention of the general public. However, the sales for this vehicle are quite high among fleets as well as rental car companies. This vehicle also has a twin which is the Mercury Grand Marquis. The Ford Crown Victoria shares some of its components with the Lincoln Town Car, however as per the exterior parts, everything on the Ford Crown Victoria is original.
At present, this classic sedan has been made available with many choices available for interested parties and for Ford Crown Victoria owners. As per the seats, only one material is used though and this is leather. However, there is a variety of available colors which comprise of Charcoal Black Leather, Light Camel Leather, and Medium Light Stone Leather. On the other hand, the exterior has a much wider array of color choices. These choices comprise of Dark Toreador Red, Silver Birch, Black, Tungsten Clearcoat Metallic, Arizona Beige, Light Tundra, Dark Blue Pearl, Vibrant White, Smokestone, and Light Ice Blue Clearcoat Metallic. By giving interested parties the chance to choose what color they would like the Ford Crown Victoria gives these people the chance to customize the sedan.
Preserving the history, and the performance as well as the sustained mobility of vehicles are just a few of the goals and targets that dominate of every automobile manufacturer at present. That is the very reason why http://www.premiumcarparts.com continually offers superior Ford auto body parts so as to assist vehicle maintain their capacities and perform well. And this action by Ford Parts and Ford Auto Parts is very much in support of the previously mentioned goals of auto makers.
This online store has a huge collection of quality and durable Ford Crown Victoria parts as well as Ford vehicles parts and accessories. The list of these include accessories, air intake, body parts, brakes, climate control, clutch parts, cooling system parts, diesel fuel injection parts, drive belts, driveshaft and axle, electrical parts, mechanical parts, service tools, steering, suspension parts, and transmission parts among many others. Ford Parts and Ford Auto Parts have proven reliability for genuine and quality Ford auto parts that has kept customer loyalty for years.
About The Author
Jason Moore, a 35 year old freelance writer from Austin, Texas. He also works as a marketing analyst for an established auto parts store in the country.
Ford Parts and Ford Auto Parts http://www.premiumcarparts.com/ford-crown-victoria-parts.html
Jason@premiumcarparts.com
Written by admin on April 29th, 2006 with no comments.
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by: Joe Ratzkin
The Saturn Relay is another vehicle that is running under the great big umbrella of General Motors, one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, and comes from the corporation????????s Saturn division. This vehicle, the Saturn Relay has been in production since last year, 2005, and is still being produced presently. When this vehicle was introduced, it actually took the spot and the niche which the Oldsmobile Silhouette (also known as the Buick Terraza) left blank. The Saturn Relay is a minivan and has been made available in one body style only which is a van holding four doors.
The Saturn Relay has been built and mounted on the FF/AWD U body platform. Upon its introduction, it has been equipped with a 3.5 liter LX9 V6 engine. It has been said that its major competition in the world of automobiles include the Chevrolet Uplander, and the Pontiac Montana SV6. Also a competition for this minivan is the Buick GL8 despite the fact that the latter is sold only in China.
The present version of the Saturn Relay holds a wheelbase of 121.1 inches, has a length of 205 inches, 72 inches for its width, stands 72.1 inches tall, and holds a curb weight of 4426 pounds. The minivan also gives interested parties the chance to choose the type of material for its interior which could be a choice between cloth and leather. The exterior colors???????? choices are Forest Green, Black Cherry, Bronzed Pewter, Coastal Gray, Golden Cashmere, Midnight Blue, Polar White, and Silver Pearl. The 2006 Saturn Relay has the capacity to take in seven passengers in its interior. It has also been made available in three trim levels which range from the FWD 2 to the AWD 3.
A great and secure way to maintain a vehicle is by installing only excellent quality parts purchased from reputable auto parts stores. In the past, looking for trusted parts suppliers takes more time and effort. It is a good thing though for at present, the World Wide Web has made shopping for auto parts and auto parts a lot easier. There are dozens of sites that offer Saturn parts. However, a buyer must be cautious when choosing where to buy Saturn parts. It is best if they stick with a trusted and reputable auto parts store like Car Parts Rush.
http://www.rushcarparts.com has a huge array of Saturn parts and Saturn accessories on its online collection found at its site. Their collection includes Saturn auto body parts, auto parts, body kits, performance parts, and Saturn Vue accessories among many others. These Saturn products are guaranteed to be made from durable and quality material that would maintain and keep your car????????s performance and delivery intact.
About The Author
Joe Ratzkin is an avid fan of anything automotive. This 34-year old bachelor wanted to be a mechanic when he was a kid but changed his mind and became a freelance writer and researcher instead. He is currently based in Chicago, Illinois.
Car Parts Rush http://www.rushcarparts.com/saturnparts.html
joe@rushcarparts.com
Written by admin on April 28th, 2006 with no comments.
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by: Matthew C. KeeganThe jury is in regarding the recently released big SUVs from General Motors: they are an overwhelming success story. The Chevy Tahoe along with its GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade siblings are bringing in big gains for GM. Just in time too as the automaker pares excess capacity, closes plants, and lays off tens of thousands of workers. So, what is it about the Tahoe that is stimulating sales? Everything!
Just what is it about the new Tahoe that is bringing in the customers? With sales up nearly 50% over the previous year????????s model there has to be something that sets the big SUV apart from its predecessor. In fact, everything has changed with the Tahoe as it is an all new model:
New body ???????? The size of the Tahoe remains about the same: it is big. Yet, the body has been restyled with fresh sheet metal giving the truck a thoroughly modern and imposing look. The Tahoe is much more aerodynamic than the preceding model with a wind drag that is lower than the smaller Porsche Cayenne SUV according to Chevrolet.
New engine technology ???????? Back during the 1980s, GM experimented and failed when it launched Cadillac vehicles that could shut down unneeded cylinders at various times during the engine cycle. Two decades later, the company has perfected the technology and its ???????displacement on demand??????? engines are some of the most economical motors sold today. In fact, car critics have noted that the Tahoe????????s fuel mileage is comparable to the much smaller Kia Sorento.
New interior features ???????? GM squeezed extra room out of the already roomy Tahoe interior by sculpting out more space from seat backs, doors, and the headliner. The result is an even roomier feel for passengers. In addition, Chevrolet is reporting that the new Tahoe is 20% quieter than its predecessor thanks to acoustic dampening materials and the improvements in aerodynamics.
Rallying cry — Besides the progress over the previous model, there is one other thing that is stimulating sales: owner loyalty. GM????????s misfortunes haven????????t gone completely unnoticed by loyalists who enjoy the big SUV and insist on supporting the brand. Typically, when any popular model is redone, sales do surge. However, in the face of high fuel prices the lift that Chevrolet is getting is much higher than had been expected. This is good news for GM as the SUVs carry a high per unit profit margin to them; money the ???????general??????? needs as it attempts to right its listing ship.
Of course, not everyone wants a vehicle the size of the Tahoe. Instead, they will have to wait a few more months before the even bigger Suburban joins the line up. And you thought I was about to mention some sort of compact SUV, right? Not for Chevy owners who are loyal to their big trucks, vans, and SUVs!
About The Author
Copyright 2006 ???????? Matt Keegan is a full time writer covering the classic cars and future models. To keep your vehicle performing great, shop the Cool Air Intake shop for the best selection of performance parts: http://www.coldairintakeshop.com.
Written by admin on April 28th, 2006 with no comments.
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