Hybrid Horsepower And The Motoring Enthusiast

Love them or hate ’em, hybrids are here to stay. But what’s an enthusiast to do about it? While early generations of hybrids like the Prius were indeed geared toward operating economy, the newer generations of hybrids are making motor heads sit up and take notice. There is of course Porsche’s 918 that, despite having 800 horsepower on tap, promises to return 78 miles to the gallon. To a motor head, that’s automotive nirvana. But at $900,000 dollars, it’s not a car that every Tom, Dick and Harry can afford. Ferrari has also announced a 900 horsepower hybrid that will be launched very soon, but in terms of affordability, we’re not holding our breath on this one too. At the opposite end of the spectrum, there’s the Honda CR-Z. Designed as the replacement for the popular CR-X, it has gotten a lukewarm reception from most enthusiasts because of its anemic power output. For a generation that was brought up on giant-killing VTEC engines, the CR-Z’s power train package leaves much to be desired. As a technology demonstrator though, it proves that it’s possible to build frugal yet spirited cars. And spirited it is, because most people who have driven the car agree that a few choice aftermarket upgrades like a coil over suspension would make the car a blast to drive, given more power.

Compounding the CR-Z’s low power is the fact that hybrid systems weigh more. Even though a hybrid’s electric motor delivers practically instant off-the-torque, the added mass cannot but affect a small hybrid’s acceleration and handling. With 800 horsepower hybrid exotics, this would not be as evident a drawback as in a car whose 120 horsepower engine has to move 2,700 pounds. From the makers of the most successful hybrid though comes the Lexus LF-LC, a hybrid concept car first shown to the world in Sydney, but which was also shown at the recently concluded LA Motor Show. With 500 combined horsepower from its twin electric motors and gasoline V8, this car’s drive train is supposedly carrying the prototype for a high performance Lexus hybrid that will make its appearance in 2014. This segment of the market will perhaps be the most active in the near future because it’s a niche that Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes have taken a serious interest in, in terms of hybrid offerings. So, to those motoring enthusiasts who thought that the popularity of the Toyota Prius was a harbinger of doom, take heart. There’s a lot of interesting tech, and cars, on the way.

An Overview Of Car Auctions

Car auctions are a good place to get good a bargain on cars. But buying cars from auctions can be very complicated. This is particularly true for the uninitiated. Of course the cars in auctions are generally cheaper. But they are cheap because they lack the guarantees that come with cars bought from dealers. The rules in auctions are simple, you bid an item, you pay for it, and you own it.

It is therefore not advisable for persons without much experience in motor vehicles to just go to an auction and buy a car.

What you’ll need if you’re planning to buy a car in an auction is a good eye, good observation skills and a willingness to learn the car auction process.

You can even make it a business by buying cars at auction and then selling them at a profit. There are several people who have made huge profits by buying and selling cars at auction.

There are basically two kinds of car auctions, local car auctions and online car auctions. Each of the auctions works differently. Each has a different set of rules so you must study them very carefully if you are planning to buy a car from either kind of auction.

If you want to buy a vehicle in a car auction you must first pre-register with the local auction you want to join. The pre-registration process won’t take much of your time and will provide you all the essential information that you will need in order to buy a car. An auction site will often have an auction staff who will explain to you the rules of their auction site and the procedures and instruction on how to participate and bid on the cars.

It is wise to inspect the cars before the actual bidding begins. Ask the auction organizer or staff if they can allow you to take a closer look at the cars before the start of the actual auction. Another wise decision is to set your payment limit before the actual sale. This way, you won’t fall victim to the trap of overbidding.

As in other auctions, it is very important that you signal your bids carefully to the car auctioneer to avoid confusion. Settle your transaction as soon as the auction ends. Look for the block clerk and settle your accounts with him. A car auction staff will usually be available to assist you when you are ready to pay for the vehicle you have won. He should also be able to guarantee you a good title for the vehicle.

You must also check the vehicle after you have won and settling your account. Take the vehicle for a test drive and make sure that it conforms to the guarantee and representation made during the auction.

Most auction sites would accept check or credit card if you cannot pay the car with cash. An auction staff will also usually give you a third party financing offer. It is advisable though to have your own finances ready before entering a car auction. Outside financing is usually cheaper than most in-house financing of auction sites.

Ask for an invoice copy from the auction staff. This will enable you to drive or ship your newly bought car to your location. Most car auction managers will give you good deals on shipping arrangements so inquire about this.

There really are no significant differences between a local auction and an online auction. Online car auctions work more or less the same way as local ones. The only disadvantage of online auction sites is that you won’t be able to inspect the car as you would in an actual car auction. In participating in online car auctions be sure that you will be provided with all the necessary information about the car upfront and that there is an actual photograph of the vehicle.

Cars bought from an online auction are usually shipped to the buyer for a minimal fee. Inspect the car immediately upon arrival at your location to minimize risks.

You are now ready for your first car auction. Happy bidding!

Tata To Enter Global Auto Market

Indian automaker Tata Motors Ltd. intends to enter the global auto market in the near future. To increase its visibility, the automaker is expected to buy Jaguar and Land Rover which both belong to the Ford Motor Corp.?s Premier Automotive Group (PAG).

Experts in the industry said that the potential Indian takeover of European brands Jaguar and Land Rover would be a boost to local pride. The acquisition is a clear-cut sign of India?s economic progress. This is an effort of the Indian automaker to step on Active Brakes Direct to put a halt to global market uncertainty.

But a number of industry analysts and investors question whether a bid by Tata Motors, a manufacturer of workhorse trucks and low-end mass market cars, for the two luxury brands of Ford would make much business sense.

Chairman Ratan Tata confirmed last month that he is clearly interested in entering the competition for the iconic Britain-based auto makers, which have been put on the auction block by the struggling Dearborn-based automaker. Several private equity firms in the United States are also expected to submit bids.

Tata said that such an acquisition would help bring global visibility to his group, a conglomerate that makes everything from automobiles to steel and software, and a name that until recently was esoteric outside the Indian soil.

Tata Steel made a splash in January when it won a bidding war to buy Anglo-Dutch steel maker Corus Group PLC for $12.1 billion, the Detroit News reported. That said deal is deemed to be India’s biggest foreign acquisition. It stresses the country’s recent outward expansion into the global economy.

But while the Corus acquisition was widely seen as a good match, and appears to be paying off, experts do not see similar synergies in a Tata Motors takeover of Jaguar and Land Rover, the report added.

Jaguar and Land Rover are luxury brands that cater to a small percentage of customers and have a limited distribution network. What Tata needs more, if it wants to reduce its dependence on Indian buyers, is a large overseas sales network that targets the mass market, experts say.

“It makes no sense at all,” said S. Ramnath, an auto analyst at SSK Securities Ltd., Mumbai-based brokerage firm. “It’s passion that is behind this move.” Still, people tracking the matter say Tata Motors has a good chance of bagging the bundled sale of Jaguar and Land Rover brands.

A possible bid from the Indian automaker puts it in competition with American private equity firms, including One Equity Partners LLC and Ripplewood Holdings LLC that each have partnered with former Ford executives.

Long an iconic player in truck and bus manufacturing, Tata has only about ten years of experience selling cars, and most recently, has grabbed headlines with its plan to make an ultracheap car. The automaker has been successful selling into the mushrooming Indian market.

The Indian automaker, headquartered in Mumbai, is developing a car which will be up for sale next year for about $2,500. The car will be considered the most affordable vehicle ever made in real terms.

Tata Motors, formerly known as TATA Engineering and Locomotive Company or TELCO, is India’s largest passenger automobile and commercial auto manufacturing company. It is also the world’s fifth biggest commercial auto manufacturer.