The Best Sports Car in the World?

The Best Sports Car in the World

With the return of the legendary 'GTO' badge to a Ferrari for 2010, the question being asked by most people familiar with sports cars and Ferrari in particular is, 'is this the best sports car in the world?'

The model lucky enough to get the GTO treatment and wear the badge is Ferrari's two seat flagship the 599 GTB Fiorano. The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano was introduced in 2006 to replace the 575 Maranello. In it's first year the 599 won the Evo car of the year, Evo being the premiere Magazine in Britain focusing on driver oriented cars and a global authority on performance cars.

So the 599 GTB was already a great supercar when it first appeared in 2006, featuring a 5999cc V12 positioned at the front of the car longitudinally. It develops 611bhp and 448lb ft of torque and all of that power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a 6 speed manual transmission or Ferrari's 6 speed 'F1 Superfast' automated manual transmission with paddle shifters.

The 599 GTB also features magnetorheological dampers which are dampers filled with magnetorheological fluid and controlled by a magnetic field. So by varying the strength of the electromagnet emitting the magnetic field you can adapt individual dampers to continuously altering conditions. This semi active suspension is critical on the 599 GTB in compensating for the basic physics of having the engine out in front of you feeding the driving wheels behind you.

The 599 GTB Fiorano is capable of reaching 60mph from rest in 3.5 seconds and can go on to reach 100mph 2.9 secs later, so from 0 to 100mph in 7.4 secs. It also has a top speed of 205mph.

The only 2 other cars to wear the GTO badge were the race bred 250 GTO in 1962 band the 288 GTO in 1984, both of which are rare and extremely sought after these days. GTO stands for Gran Turismo Omologata and derives from the 2 previous models which were built as homologation specials to allow Ferrari to race them.

The 599 GTO gets the detuned version of the race car spec 599XX 722bhp engine but still produces 670bhp with 457 lb ft of torque. The transmission is a 6 speed paddle shift auto manual with an uprated 60 millisecond gear change time. This will allow the car to hit 60mph in 3.35 secs and will probably be able to hit 100mph from standstill in 6.5 secs and will go on to hit 208mph.

The 599 GTO has a bespoke 6 into 1 exhaust manifold and no doubt will sound fantastic. The underside of the car has also seen some changes to allow the maximum amount of down force to be generated with the minimum amount of drag, so there are no overt or obvious racetrack addenda such as a high rear wing but still the car can generate 144kg of down force at 120mph.

In order to extract the maximum performance from all areas of the car, the Ferrari relies heavily on its VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) system and it's F1-Trac traction control to exploit the chassis's razor sharp responses. The car relies on the constant adjustments being made its electronic systems to keep everything in check and pointing forward (or sideways if you are a particularly talented driver).

The result of all of this refinement is a lap time set by the 599 GTO around the Ferrari test track of Fiorano that is 0.9 secs faster than that of the Ferrari Enzo which is a proper mid engined hypercar. So the performance of the 599 GTO is astounding but the real test will be whether that performance can be translated into a truly great driving experience given that there is so much electronic wizardry going on. Only time will tell.

The 599 GTO does however deliver breathtaking performance both on and off of the track but is it enough to become the best sports car in the world?

Dan Rainey has been involved in the motor industry and motor sport for over 20 years. He specializes in sourcing, appraising and supplying classic cars and sports cars to the public. For more contenders for the best sports car in the world then visit http://www.classicallycoolcars.com

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How to Modify Your Car?

Car Modifications

Modifying your car will provide you an opportunity to make your vehicle unique from others. However, there are different types of modifications you can do to your vehicle these days. There are mainly two types of automotive modifications, interior modifications and exterior modifications. The interior modification involves fixing of high quality leather seat covers, upgraded music system, LCD monitors etc. and the exterior modifications include replacing you normal rims with alloys, fitting projector headlights, skirts etc. People make such common modifications these days.

Modifying a car has become very cheap nowadays when compared with the past. In the past, customizing a vehicle was considered a luxury statement. However, today majority of the people prefer to do some modifications in their car according to their whims and fancies. Several companies are specially launched to provide car modification parts for the people.

There are even racing kits provided for the cars these days. This is mainly because most of the people will not be able to afford racing cars. Therefore, racing kits are produced for those people who want to feel more power in their vehicles. Fitting skirts for your automobile will provide a sporty look for them. This will allow you to get the look of your favorite sports car by only spending a less amount of money. Therefore, you can also make these car modifications to give your car the desired look. Are you modifying your car very soon? You better modify your car soon with all custom parts, equipments and accessories to make everyone to wonder at your car. This is the best thing that one can do for his car modification.

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2011 BMW 5 Series Saloon

The brand name BMW has always brought forth the image of quality and luxury. Everything from their sedans to their race cars have maintained an element of grace and beauty that is hard to match in the auto industry. BMW was founded in 1916 and is the parent company of Rolls Royce. The company has enjoyed a long history of automotive development and continues to keep its place on the cutting edge of technology.

Nothing epitomizes this better then the BMW 5 series. The 5 series has been in production since the mid 70's and fills the category of mid size executive car. Currently the series is entering its sixth generation with new advancements in technology and materials. Currently it is sold in sedan and touring car models.

The series has done so well that many European nations use cars in this class as police cars and government vehicles. Make no mistake the cars not only look nice but their performance matches their appeal. Add to the fact that they are durable and very comfortable and you have a winning combination. All of these features justify the price tag that is asked for each and every model.

Of course this has been true of the early models as well. With each update in the series the cars in the lineup have received overhauls, upgrades, modifications, and redesigns to make them more appealing. Add to the mix that BMW is constantly upgrading its engine lineup to be more powerful yet more fuel efficient at the same time and you have a very reliable series.

Another statistic that's constantly under revision between series upgrades is the size of the vehicles themselves. Sometimes adding half an inch here and two inches here can make all the difference in a car. This applies to all cars not just luxury or sports models. BMW has taken this into consideration, especially since its cars are so readily available to so many.

People of different ethnic backgrounds usually have different body proportions as well. That being said the constant upgrade and redesign of the size and the interior is designed to be a one size fits all. This is for the short and skinny to the tall and rotund. Safety is another feature that's constantly upgraded and the 2011 series is no slouch in this area either.

Aerodynamics are reworked with each generation to give newer models a sleeker and more modern appearance. This of course affects more than just appearance and increases the handling of the cars themselves. It can also improve fuel economy as better aerodynamics means less resistance to the car which equals less work for the engine to do. This is something that every car manufacture tries to accomplish but BMW manages to outperform the rest as usual.

BMW's 5 series is one of the most prominent car lineups in the world. As they begin to bring in the six series cars many car fans can't help but be overtaken with a feeling of glee. After all inside every man or woman that admires cars is a driver that wants to get behind the wheel and see what it can do.

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Car Performance Parts

Car performance parts are designed specifically to improve the performance of your car's engine. Since they release the power of your car's engine, car performance parts are a must have for car enthusiasts. Car performance parts also help various parts of your car including but not limited to exhaust, spark plugs, power module, and intakes to perform optimally improving the overall performance. There is a wide range of car performance parts available in the market.

Another important consideration for buying car performance parts is whether to buy original equipment manufacturer parts or the aftermarket parts. As evident by the name, original equipment manufacturer parts are specially crafted for your car by the manufacturer. On the other hand, aftermarket parts are manufactured by companies other than your car's manufacturer. Despite the significant difference in price, experts suggest investing in original equipment manufacturer parts since the performance of aftermarket parts is inconsistent at best.

Three Types of Car Performance Parts

As mentioned above, there is a wide variety of car performance parts available in the market. However, they can be classified into three broad categories which are as follows;

• Brakes - As brakes perform a critical function, they can be termed as the most important part of a car after the engine. An upgraded brake system will allow you to have better control over your car even while driving at very high speed. Having said that, experts recommend (choosing and) buying an upgraded brakes system very carefully since wrongly chosen parts will detract from the performance of your car rather than improving it. For example, in a brakes system not suitable for your car can raise the operating temperature making it difficult, and in extreme cases impossible to slow down causing (possibly fatal) accidents.

• Suspension - Suspension system, another important part of the car's engine is also used for improving the overall performance. The most important benefit of upgrading your car's suspension system is that it allows you to take advantage of the tyre's contact patch which positively impacts suspension geometry, dampening, and rebound of your car increasing the limit and (steering) precision of your car by allowing you to push the brakes harder, and turn corners and gain speed faster. Apart from the above mentioned benefits, installing the correct upgraded suspension system will allow you more control over your car (specially) in dangerous situations such as while driving on slopes, slippery roads etc.

• Engine - As mentioned above, the engine is the single most important part of a car. There are many car performance parts available in the markets that allow you to improve the performance of your car's engine. Experts recommend tuning the engine's exhaust based on diameter, backpressure, crossovers, and header/manifold for optimal performance.

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