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Archive for May, 2011

The History Of The Iconic German Sports Saloon

The 3 series was brought into production in the mid 70′s and it had the task of replacing the older 2002 model that was ageing very fast and needed a big improvement. BMW however had a big problem because the 2002 model was a car that brought out the spirit of BMW and the new 3 series would somehow have to follow that same spirit. In 1975 the first BMW 3 series rolled out of the factory in Milbertshofen. BMW then waited for the public’s opinion on the new car and to their surprise the public took very well to it. The car also had to compete with other performance cars such as the Mercedes Benz W124.

Many of the cars before the 3 series were relatively small and BMW were afraid that members of the public would find the car too big and expensive. Many people were attracted to the 3 series sleek looks and good craftsmanship and from then on the opinion has never changed. After the first year of sales around 221298 3 series had been sold around Europe and then the following year when the car hit the North American shores BMW reported sales of up to 290000. The BMW 3 series has had many evolutions over its 30 year life time. They include:

From 1977 to 1983 the E21 entered the world and sold over 320000 examples around Europe and North America. From 1984 1991 the E30 was the next generation of the 3 series and the big difference was the price tag it also had to compete with the Audi 80. The E30 was priced at 18210 and that was more than double that of the E21. The public found nothing new other than a sleeker body and an updated engine that pushed out 101hp. There were also convertible versions released in 1987. In 1988 the M3 was released sparking the start of the M3 generation with a 2.3 litre four cylinder engine that produced 192hp; it was primarily built to take on the Mercedes 190E Cosworth in the FIA Group A racing series.

From 1992 1998 the E36 was introduced and many new variants were made including a sedan compact coupes and convertibles. It was slightly larger than its predecessor and this led to more legroom and a much stiffer chassis giving 50/50 weight distribution. New engines were released including the 24 valve straight six that produced 189hp! At the time this was very good. A 060 time of 6.9 seconds meant that the new 3 series was as fast as the last generation E30 M3. The new M3 featured a new 3.0 litre straight six that was coupled to the faultless 3 series chassis. The new engine produced 282hp that propelled the car to a 060mph time of 5.6 seconds; the public loved the car due to it being so quick and so accessible in a 4 door sedan. An evolution M3 was also available pushing the 060 time down to 5.5 seconds!

The E46 was the newest generation that restyled the look of the 3 series. It featured a new look body and a new rounded front end that made it more appealing to customers. It also inherited large wheel arches bulking out the body making it look more intimidating. It also grew larger than the previous E36. Even though it was larger it was just as comfortable and smaller than most other saloons.

The new E46 used an aluminium chassis which made it 70 percent stiffer than the E36 and it still maintained the 50/50 weight distribution. Due to the larger body the new car was roomier and to make it safer new airbags were added. New engines were also introduced with 2.5 2.8 and 3.0 litre variants installed in the model range producing around 184hp 193hp whilst the new 3.0 litre produced about 225hp.

The next M3 was truly magnificent with a 3.2 litre engine producing an amazing 333hp. It ran the 060 time in just 5 seconds dead. The E90 model on sale now has redefined the looks of the 3 series again making a much sleeker and styled version of the body giving it more curves. The engineers have said this new body is 25 stiffer than the previous generation.

The 3.0 litre engine has been modified to produce 255hp and placed in much of the range. The new M3 will have a new 400hp V8 engine from the previous M5 and it has a claimed 060 time of 4.8 seconds raising the bar once again. With competition like the Mercedes SLK and Audi R8 the M3 has its work cut out to be a leader in the packed German performance saloon market.

About the writer:  Motoring expert Thomas Pretty looks into the history of BMW and how a used 3 series BMW can be considered a worthwhile investment.

The Good Old Days Of A VW Bus

When they found the door to be sufficiently tall they bought a bright red VW bus with an air cooled engine in the back and about a quarter of an inch of metal between the driver and the next car should there be a collision. It was a four cylinder car but the size of the interior fooled us. As a result we consistently overloaded it with people and things.

One time in the untroubled days before seatbelt laws we had fourteen high school kids in it from a field trip sitting on the seats and on the floor and screaming out the windows. When you got to a hill everyone in the car would hunch forward to ‘help’ the van make it. You had to get a good running start at the bottom of a hill if you wanted to be going faster than about 15 miles an hour at the top.

This was also the vehicle in which I learned to drive. Or attempted to. Standard shift eluded me at the time so the bus and I spent many an hour lurching forward about ten feet and dying. I couldn’t make it around the block! That might have been one reason why it had to have at least two clutch jobs during its tenure at our house.

Then there was the time we went to Maine from Kentucky. Oh it’s a big car so throw in everything you want to take. But it died in Massachusetts and needed about a week for repairs which necessitated renting a car. A small one. Our family was crammed in and difficult decisions had to be made about precious stuff. And winter an aircooled engine doesn’t warm up very fast and a van has a lot of interior space. You had to bundle up.

Despite all the problems with the VW bus I loved that car. It had that wonderful sound of the German airplane engine that VW used in its rearengine cars. That was a great engine. It had plenty of space for three kids a middle seat a back seat and the way back space over the engine. There was no arguing about whose elbow was hitting whose side. And it’s really fun going on a trip with all your friends in the same vehicle and a tolerant parent.

Also it had a cool factor that our previous station wagons and later Dodge Kcars most definitely lacked. They make better cars now and nicer vehicles and safer vehicles. But no vehicle that is cooler than a VW bus.

About the writer:  Chris Jensen is a contributing author of Jetfly Blog. For more related articles and views visit Jetfly Automotive Blog now. Also for the best uptodate related online products check out Jetfly Electric Scooter Shop for todays current online deals.

Tail Lights: The Missing Spark To Liven Up Your Car

Many people remember the first glimpse of the car that would become their own. However often it comes with an unrelenting sense that something crucial is missing the right tail lights. Tail lights are very popular these days especially custom and euro versions.

For those looking to spice up the style and ambiance aside from the color most options avail themselves in the car’s interior. Nonetheless on the outside there are few but potentially powerful possibilities most notably the tail light. This is often the most neglected car part because most people often fix up the body the hood or maybe even the doors. Tail lights however can be a great mod to your car especially if it’s a sports car.

Without changing anything of the car’s overall feel it can get an entirely new vibrancy and radiance. Although nearly all cars come with tail lights in place the addition of a custom light can be the perfectly subtle but substantive amendment desired.

As with all purchases related to cars and the road there are some policies one must heed to ensure compliance with the law. Custom lights just like all others signal to other drivers and warn of an emergency. The extra attention the tail lights tend to draw can be an added safety bonus since their flashy appeal makes it hard for other drivers to miss them on the road.

Custom tail lights can be found in any car shop in all colors and designs. They often come even in irregular shapes and sizes. The Internet is also a great source of information and merchants that can save a lot of time.

All websites that sell custom lights will typically deliver them to your door. Of course however use of the Internet always warrants caution with financial transactions and it is always prudent to find out as much as possible about a dealer before buying.

Car experts and mechanics can of course install them personally. For everyone else professionals are available in every area to perform the installation.
With all the money people spend on the aesthetic elements of their cars alone it is a wonder that the simple and relatively cheap addition of custom tail lights have not become more popular already.

Delivering a cutting and swift punch to anyone who sees them custom tail lights offer a touch of elegance variety and safety all in one. Don’t miss this chance to upgrade your tail lights a slight mod can dramatically improve the look and feel of your car both for you and others.

About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Andy’s Auto Sport Euro Tail Lights: The leading resource for Quality Euro Tail Lights. For expert Advice Tips and Quality parts it’s all here:http://www.andysautosport.com/euro_tail_lights.html