The Ferrari Scaglietti 612 Grand Touring Coupe

The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is Ferrari's four seat, two door coupe Grand Tourer. Made for long road trips, while still designed for stylish good looks and packed full of the high performance you would expect from Ferrari.

The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is the top of the line, high performance luxury car with all the comfort and luxury Ferrari could pack into the Spaghetti's 116.1 inch wheelbase. Power and performance is no problem with the Ferrari 612. Powered by the 5.7 liter Ferrari Dino Tipo F116B, V12 engine, producing an amazing 530hp and a top speed of 196mph.

The gearbox is either a manual 6 speed transmission, or the 6 speed F1a semi-automatic transmission, with the paddle shift system which is attached to the steering column and accessed easily as it is located just behind the steering wheel.

Both gear boxes deliver excellent performance and the high performance that Ferrari is known for. Combined with the V12, it delivers an amazing high performance output, and in a four passenger vehicle weighing in at just over 3,800 lbs.

The interior is beautifully appointed with fine leather seating, and sleek, aircraft styled instrumentation. It also provided ample headroom for the two front passengers, and seats two adults quite comfortably in the rear seats.

Finding a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti for sale is difficult as most owners would find parting with this special vehicle difficult at best, but if you are indeed fortunate enough to find one a true high performance car lover will be in heaven.

Ferrari has been producing the 612 Scaglietti since 2004, and has had a few special editions produced such as the 2007 60th Anniversary edition of which only 60 were produced, a special 20 unit production commemorating the 30th anniversary of Cornes & Company importing the Ferrari brand into Japan, and even a Police Unit produced in 2007.

If you look for a Ferrari Scaglietti 612 for sale, you will also be equally impressed by the fact that the Ferrari Scaglietti is an all aluminum vehicle.

Classic Ferrari styling, including large scallops on the side of the vehicle, are reminiscent of Ferrari's legendary past. A luxury interior and classic instrumentation panel let you know immediately you are in a high performance vehicle that is also styled and appointed for pure luxury. And a power plant and gearbox that were created for performance. This is what sums up the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti.

A beautiful, classic car that makes the Ferrari legend continue on. If you are a true high performance car purist, then you should find a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti 612 for sale near you and think seriously about owning a legend.

The Hot Ferrari

Most men will agree that Italy has the coolest and sleekest car in the world in the form of the Ferrari. Famous for its logo with the charismatic prancing horse on a yellow background and the colors of green, white and red on top, signifying the Italian flag, the sophisticated designed Ferrari car is a sure hit on the road and a real crowd-getter.

Its founder, Enzo Ferrari, started as the team leader of Scuderia Ferrari which was a racing team assigned to represent the cars produced by Alfa Romeo in racing events through the years of 1927 to 1938. However, in 1938, the Alfa group decided to enter the competition using its own name which made Enzo Ferrari leave the company.

In 1939, the first Ferrari cars produced were actually called Tipo815 and designed by an Italian automotive engineer named Albert Massimino who studied in Switzerland. Due to the onset of the World War II in the years 1939 to 1945, racing events were also stopped and the 815 model was not able to enter many competitions to showcase its craft.

In 1947, Enzo Ferrari then founded in Maranello, Italy the Ferrari S.p.A, company which dealt in producing sophisticated sports cars under his own surname. Admiration for its chic design can be seen by the alarming figures and records set that up to this day, four of its models are included in world's 10 most expensive cars sold at an auction, namely: the 1957 Ferrari 250 Tessa Rossa (First - for 12.2 million dollars), the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder (Second- for 10.9 million dollars), the 1962 Ferrari 330 TRI/LM Testa Rossa (Fourth- 9.2 million dollars) and the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO (Tenth- 6.2 million dollars).

In its 60 years of existence, the company has produced over 40 models, and, until this day, continues to earn the respect of sports car enthusiasts.

Drive a Ferrari 360 Modena With a Ferrari Driving Experience Gift

With a price tag well out of the reach of most, the dream of driving a Ferrari is exactly that, a dream. There are however, ways to make that dream come true. If you really want to drive a Ferrari without having to take out a second mortgage you could always take a look at a Ferrari driving experience. Driving experience gifts give you or your loved one the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the awesome Ferrari 360 Modena, on a real racetrack, with a qualified instructor by your side.

The Car

Built as a replacement to the awesome Ferrari F355 - regarded as one of the most beautiful and usable Ferrari's ever made - the Ferrari 360 Modena certainly had a lot to live up to, it couldn't just be good, it needed to be fantastic and in most opinions, it's exactly that, fantastic. With an all new, all aluminium chassis, the drive in the Ferrari 360 Modena was appreciably stiffer than the 355 and with the weight savings made, a good bit quicker. Power comes from Ferrari's most powerful normally aspirated V8, 3586 cc's produce 400 brake horsepower. Drive the 360 to its limit and it will accelerate from 0 - 60 miles per hour in just 4.5 seconds, keep your foot firmly planted to the floor and you will top out at a staggering 183 miles per hour. But it's not just the speed, when you drive a Ferrari, it's the noise as well, drive the V8 above 4000 revs and the engine note changes from a growling crackle to a full blown wail, a noise that makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.

Drive on a race track or drive on an aerodrome

Ferrari driving experiences are generally held on two types of venues, you either drive on a real racetrack or drive on an aerodrome. Whilst the aerodrome offers the opportunity to drive a Ferrari fast, most feel that the place to drive a Ferrari is on the track. On the track, the Ferrari really comes to life, you experience not only the awesome acceleration, but you also get to feel how the Ferrari drives in the environment it was built for.

The Drive Experience

Upon arrival at the circuit you will have a 15 minute briefing on what your Ferrari driving experience will involve including all aspects of your safety. After that it's off to the track where a qualified racing driver will accompany you for four miles in a Mini Cooper S, teaching you the racing lines of the circuit and showing you how to get the best out of your Ferrari drive. After the familiarisation it's time to climb into the Ferrari for the drive of your life. With six miles in the unforgettable Ferrari 360 Modena in front of you, the instructor will be by your side to ensure you get the most out of your drive. This experience will leave you grinning from ear to ear for hours after.

Driving experience companies offer a wide range of supercars for you to drive, although most people choose to drive a Ferrari, you can drive a Lamborghini, drive an Audi R8, drive a V8 Touring car, in fact you can drive just about any supercar you choose.

Enzo Ferrari - Owner of Ferrari Motors

Born in Emilia-Romagna, and raised in Modena, Italy, Enzo Ferrari grew up with tiny formal education but an intense desire to race vehicles. During World War I he used to be a mule-skinner in the Italian military. His grandfather, Alfredo, died in 1916 as a result of a widespread Italian flu outbreak. Enzo became sick himself and was therefore discharged from Italian service. On coming back home he discovered that the family firm had collapsed. Having no other job prospects he sought unsuccessfully to find work at Fiat and at last settled for a smaller automobile company called CMN redesigning used van bodies into small, passenger automobiles. He took up racing in 1919 on the CMN team, but had tiny 1st success.

He left CMN in 1920 to work at Alfa Romeo and racing their autos in local races he had more success. In 1923, racing in Ravenna, he bought the Prancing Horse badge which decorated the fuselage of Francesco Baracca's (Italy's leading ace of WWI) SPAD fighter, given from his ma, taken from the wreckage of the airplane after his confusing death. This icon would need to wait till plastered on a racing vehicle. In 1924 he won the Coppa Acerbo at Pescara. His successes in local races inspired Alfa to offer him an opportunity of much more celebrated competition and he was lauded by Mussolini. Ferrari turned this opportunity down and in a funk he did not race again until 1927 and even then his racing career was often over. He continued to work without delay for Alfa Romeo until 1929 before beginning Scuderia Ferrari as the racing team for Alfa.

Ferrari managed the development of the factory Alfa cars, and built up a gang of over forty drivers, including Giuseppe Campari and Tazio Nuvolari. Ferrari himself continued racing until the birth of his first child in 1932 (Alfredo Ferrari, known as Dino, who died in 1956).

The support of Alfa Romeo lasted until 1933 when finance restrictions made Alfa withdraw. Only at the intervention of Pirelli did Ferrari receive any automobiles at all. Despite the standard of the Scuderia drivers the company won few victories ( 1935 in Germany by Nuvolari was a notable exception). Auto Union and Mercedes controlled the era.

In 1937 Alfa took control of its racing efforts again, reducing Ferrari to Director of Sports under Alfa's engineering director. Ferrari shortly left, but a contract clause prohibited him from racing or planning for 4 years.

He set up Auto-Avio Costruzioni, a company supplying parts to other racing teams. But in the Mille Miglia of 1940 the company manufactured 2 automobiles cars to compete, driven by Alberto Ascari and Lotario Rangoni. During WW2 his firm was involved in war production and following bombing moved from Modena to Maranello. It wasn't until after World War II that Ferrari tried to shed his nazi reputation and make autos bearing his name, founding today's Ferrari S.p. A. In 1945.

The 1st open-wheeled race was in Turin in 1948 and the 1st victory came later in the year in Lago di Garda. Ferrari participated in the Formula 1 World Championship since its introduction in 1950 but the 1st victory was not until the UK Grand Prix of 1951. The first championship came in 1952-53, when the Formula One season was raced with Formula 2 autos. The company also sold production sports cars to to finance the racing endeavours not only in Grand Prix but also in events like the Mille Miglia and Le Mans. Indeed plenty of the firm's greatest victories came at Le Mans ( fourteen victories, including six in a row 1960-65 ) instead of in Grand Prix, actually the company was more concerned there than in Formula One during the 1950s and 1960s regardless of the successes of Juan-Manuel Fangio ( 1956 ), Mike Hawthorn ( 1958 ), Phil Hill (1961) and John Surtees ( 1964 ).

In the 1960s the issues of reduced demand and insufficient financing forced Ferrari to allow Fiat to take a position in the company. Ford had tried to buy the firm in 1963 for US$18 million but had been declined. The company became joint-stock and Fiat took a tiny share in 1965 and then in 1969 they increased their holding to 50% of the company. (In 1988 Fiat's holding was increased to 90%).

Ferrari remained managing director until 1971. Despite stepping down he remained an influence over the firm till his death. The input of Fiat took some time to have effect. It was not till 1975 with Niki Lauda the firm won any championships with Niki Lauda that the talent of the driver and the the ability of the engine conquering the inadequacies of the chassis and aerodynamics. But after those successes and the promise of Jody Scheckter title and the corporation's Formula One championship hopes dropped into the doldrums. 1982 opened with a strong fell into the 126C2, world-class drivers, and promising results robust vehicle, the early races.

However, Gilles Villeneuve was finished in the 126C2 in May, and teammate Didier Pironi had his career cut short in a violent end over end flip on the foggy backstraight at Hockenheim in August. Pironi was leading the driver's flip on the time; he would lose the lead as he sat out the leftover races. The team would not see championship glory again during Ferrari's lifetime.

Enzo Ferrari died in Modena in 1988 at the age of 90 at the beginning of the dominance of the McLaren Honda combination. The sole race which McLaren did the start of the Italian Grand Prix - this was held just weeks after Enzo's death, and, suitably, the result was a 1-2 finish for Ferrari, with Gerhard Berger leading home Michele Alboreto. After Enzo's death, thee Scuderia Ferrari team has had further success, notably with Michael Schumacher from 1996-2005.

Made a Cavaliere del Lavoro in 1952, to add to his honours of Cavaliere and Commendatore in the 1920s, Enzo also received a number of honorary degrees, the Hammarskjld Cavaliere del Lavoro in 1962, the Columbus Prize in 1965, and the De Gasperi Award in 1987. In 1994, he was posthumously inducted into the Global Motorsports Hall of Fame. Enzo famously used purple ink in his fountain pen, though the reason posthumously inducted into this remains unclear.

After the passing of his child, Alfredo "Dino" Ferrari, Enzo wore sunglasses just about every day to laud his son.

Delonghi 3300 - The Ferrari of Coffee Machines

If you want to be a bit of a show off and have nothing but the best of kitchen appliances then you best add the Delonghi 3300 to your list. This is a machine for the serious coffee lover, and not the faint of heart when it comes to price tags! When it comes to functionality you are very hard pushed to find a better machine from a brand you can trust like Delonghi.

Because it is an Italian designed appliance you know that it is going to be sleek and stylish with all the functionality of a Ferrari. This stainless steel machine will make any kitchen look great and it will not take up a great amount of counter space, either. It's not a lightweight when it comes to the sturdiness and weighing in a t 27 pounds, you couldn't accuse it of being flimsy. This is a handsome machine that makes coffee better than the best of the coffee houses.

Set the timer for your coffee to be ready to be brewed first thing in the morning, or when you walk in the door after a hard day at work. The Delonghi 3300 comes with a timer that will even turn itself off after sitting idle for three hours. Although, I cant imagine that the machine would sit for so long without someone taking advantage of the fresh, rich brews that the Delonghi 3300 will produce.

Coming with its own coffee grinder you are guaranteed the freshest coffee each time. Other coffee machines will grind the coffee and it will sit and spoil throughout the day until you are ready to use them. Not the Delonghi 3300. You will have nothing but that freshly ground taste every time you are ready to indulge in a cup.

The Delonghi 3300 is certainly an expensive machine but when it comes to a superior product from a world leader in brands, the Delonghi 3300 is more of an investment in good taste.

The All New Porsche Carrera GT 2007

The Porsche Carrera GT with its streamlined complete bodywork speeds up like a world-class runner on the road. This high-performance Carrera GT with technology of the future sports a V10 engine allowing for more than 600 horsepower and a lay out of burning edge technologies letting in a ceramic composite clutch and brakes below its carbon-reinforced body. Porsche claims that the Carrera GT can skip from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.9 seconds. This is not just your ordinary racing car, yet it is amazingly quick as lightning. Second gear stints to an suggested 82 mph, third gear is adept at 113 mph, and fourth speeds up to 143 mph. But with the Carrera GT, and an ameliorated shift to Fifth gear revs at 170 mph. And maximum yet very satisfying sixth gear quickly runs to 7000 rpm. The Porsche Carrera GT 2007 takes you from zero to gone.

The quickest and the most expensive A-one car ( approx. $484,000) is the Porsche Carrera GT 2007. Amidst the super cars, its unparalleled features are its 5.7-liter, 605-horsepower V10 engine, and its monocoque chassis with Porsche-patented engine and transmission mounts cleared of carbon-reinforced plastic and the foremost use of a ceramic composite clutch. To lower the car's center of gravity, the clutch diameter was belittled. Its race-bred suspension and aerodynamic package plies secure and unchanging move at speeds of up to 205 mph (330 km/h). The Carrera GT sports the panoptic use of lightweight materials, such as magnesium for its significant wheels and the frames of its exceptional sport seats. The Carrera GT is a perfect; Porsche has done something spectacular in designing a new transversally mounted transmission.

Porsche Carrera GT 's chassis and suspension is based on the engineering of the Porsche GT1, the automobile that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1998. Porsche engineers did not forget to consider the driving comfort when they accommodated such racing-bred systems for this super car. The Carrera GT uses pushrod suspension with double-track control arms at all four corners to give the Carrera refined response & behavior of racing cars.

Interior; the Porsche Carrera GT 2007 was made with more service ambience and the encompassing usage of high-tech materials. Hence, not excluding its racing quality and performance. Magnesium, carbon, and leather are abundant inside with complex components either in their innate position or painted to correspond with the magnesium pieces. The Carrera GT features the chassis number imprinted on the surface. The car's center console has galvanized magnesium and the shift lever is laid around halfway up the console immediately next to the steering wheel.

Air conditioning is modified for weight with a standard air filter system. To help cut wind buffeting, a glass screen is hopped on between the supplementary security bars.
Carrera GT is a serious racing car it still has extravagant navigation system and Bose audio. These 2007 Porsche Carrera GT is be beaconed with many comfort features with extensive fast & reliable speed.

What Makes Porsche Cars Extraordinary

In the automobile industry and among many of the world's car enthusiasts, Porsche is greatly associated with superiority and excellence. The car brand is almost synonymous to high quality in automobiles, which has been resulted by years of outstanding experience in the car industry. If you have been thinking about purchasing a new car, why not choose Porsche? Here are a few justifications why Porsche is the best:

Porsche is popularly known as among the best cars in the world. The popularity of Porsche car remains to be in its stable stand as it remains to be in the hallmark of the world's best car brands. This has been proven and verified just recently in 2006 when it was awarded by the Luxury Institute as the most prestigious of all car brands.

The ingenuity of the Porsche Company is recognized even by other car brands. The leadership of Porsche in the car industry is not only recognized by car dealers, and enthusiasts. The ingenuity and workmanship of Porsche is also acknowledged by several of other car manufacturers which have sought the service of the Porsche Company to assist them in the development of their products and services. Daewoo and Subaru, among others for example, have been given the consultancy service of Porsche in car and engine engineering. Even world famous car brands such as Harley-Davidson has been accommodated by Porsche in designing new engines for its new products such as the V-Rod motorcycle.

Porsche engineering is tested under tough usages. The popularity of Porsche is highly boosted by its reputation in the field of car racing where it is being considered as the world's leader in the production and manufacturing of racing cars. In 2006, 195 cars built for various racing events have been produced by Porsche. The company takes the opportunity to develop its engineering through racing where it is reported that Porsche racing cars very rarely go through consecutive races having similar and unchanged specifications.

It is a pride to be a Porsche owner. Because of the quality, reputation and novelty of Porsche cars, a number of personalities are known to be collectors of the car brand including computer wonder and world's richest Bill Gates. The passion for Porsche cars is also evidenced by many others who are proud about describing their Porsche in websites, blogs and online forums. The desirability of having a Porsche car has also made the company a stable institution reportedly being the world's most profitable car brand seconded only by Toyota.

If you have been thinking about purchasing a car, you may therefore consider buying yourself a Porsche. A Porsche car, as herein described, is known for its quality and excellence. A Porsche is therefore a good buy for your money and an investment for you.

Guide to Buying a Porsche 944

You will have to search hard to find the words cheap and Porsche in the same paragraph or sentence! But when buying a Porsche 944 this can be the case with prices for a well travelled model starting at $3000 and rising to $16,000 for a low mileage late model, you could be driving a well arranged and powerful Porsche 944 for the price of a breakers yard ready 911!

As with the purchase of any older or classic vehicle the usual advice applies to buy the best you can afford with your budget and remember to include ongoing running costs for maintaining an ageing, if modern classic. Be prepared to spend up to $3000 annually on repairs - remember when buying a Porsche 944 these cars were in excess of $70,000 when new and parts can be pricey!

The first model released was the 944 Lux and you should be able to find them with several of the optional extras installed by the original owner due to the savings made in not buying a 911! These included leather trim and air conditioning, as well as alloy wheels, electric windows and mirrors, low profile tyres and headlamp washers that came as standard on the Lux. The engine area had to do overtime on the Lux as it only came with a 164BHP unit and the Porsche 944 is a heavy car.

If you have a need for speed then the Porsche 944 Turbo should fit the bill nicely! Initial models came supplied with 225BHP before evolving to 250BHP as standard making this the ideal car for heading down the highway at warp speed in the 1980's, and still looking the part today. The Porsche 944S and S2 had slightly more grunt and the later model Lux gained a little in the later models with the addition of four valves per cylinder.

When buying a Porsche 944 please check the engine and suspension for a hard driven car. Also look out for crash damage, full service history and worn interiors.

In summary Buying a Porsche 944 was and is an inexpensive entry into Porsche ownership. The purist Porsche owners and fans will always claim it is not a proper Porsche due to its front mounted, water cooled engine but it is rear wheel drive and the transmission is mounted behind and compared to the VW powered 924 it has a Porsche engine. It is also worth bearing in mind that if track days are your passion then most of the 968CS suspension can be grafted onto the 944 making a great car for handling the track!

Author Andrew Whitehead - a self confessed petrol head has owned numerous classic cars from fully restored to basket cases! He now has a website to fuel his passion in all things auto and if you're looking to buy a Porsche 944 please visit http://www.americanautobid.com/blog

Porsche Boxster Parts For Common Problems

The Porsche Boxster was introduced in 1996 as a new type of car for the storied manufacturer. A smaller more efficient mix of boxer (referring to the horizontal engine design) and roadster (thus we get Boxster) promised a new driving experience for a more affordable price. However, like any new product, the first models to roll off of the line had its share of issues making Porsche Boxster parts a valuable commodity. Nonetheless, this exceptional sports car has come a long way from its earlier days and the company continues to invest in the brand while making improvements from year to year.

Mid-Engine Layout
The Boxster ushered in a new era of engine placement unlike what the company had developed in the past. The car had a new redesigned mid-engine layout. All this means is that the engine is actually placed between the front and rear axles of the vehicle thus distributing the weight evenly. With the engine in the middle of the vehicle, this allows for stability, traction, and a ride quality unmatched to vehicles with a more traditional engine layout. Turning, braking and accelerating become much improved giving the driver a race car experience.

A new Boxster can be an expensive purchase as I'm sure one would expect. The better option is to shop for a used one. Before you make the purchase there are a few things to keep in mind.

Common Problems
No doubt, this new engine layout and overall new model took a few years to work out some of the kinks. However, even in today's models, there are common issues that arise which require attention and have replacement costs associated with each issue.

Oil leakage is a problem that affects most vehicles not just this one but is worth noting however. Also, through natural wear and tear, you can expect to replace the A/C compressor, alternator, brakes, clutch and pressure plate as well as the starter. These parts can be found online or at your local Porsche dealer.

If you are about to buy a Boxster you'll want to take it for a test drive first. Verify that the engine runs smoothly without misfiring. As a convertible, there is a tendency for the top to begin to incur gaps in areas where it should hold tight to the body. You'll notice an unusual amount of wind noise if there is a problem with the top.

A used Porsche Boxster is an economical way to go when buying this nicely designed roadster. Like any vehicle, you will need to have it serviced and knowing common problems as well as where to get Porsche Boxster parts, will help you keep the vehicle on the road and out of the garage.

Porsche Carrera GT - The Story of an Iconic Supercar

Porsche has since its inception by Ferdinand Porsche been a maker of high performance sports cars. Most notably the iconic 911 model which has continually evolved throughout the years to become a benchmark against which many other sports cars are measured. The 911 in all its iterations has been Porsche's bread and butter, along with the Boxster and Cayman in more recent years. Every decade or so however, Porsche brings something special out of it's factories. A supercar!

Porsche's first two supercars were produced to satisfy FIA homologation standards. This required that 200 road legal cars had to be made and sold to the public in order for the car to qualify for racing in FIA sanctioned races. The first car was the 959 which was introduced in 1986. Looking like a heavily modified 964, the 959 however was so much more. It sported a 2.8L twin-sequential-turbocharged flat-six engine that put out 444 HP. This was put to the ground with an innovative 4-wheel drive system. A first for Porsche, which worked so well, a similar system was later adapted for use on the 993 turbo, and has been a staple of Porsche's 911 turbo models ever since. In its day, the 959 was actually the fastest production car in the world, with a top speed of 200 mph and a 0-62 time of 3.7 sec. Impressive even today. The 959 continued in production through 1989.

The second Porsche supercar was the 911 GT1, which was based on a heavily modified 993 platform. Like the 959, it was produced and made available to the public for homologation purposes so that it could be raced by Porsche at Le Mans. The 911 GT1 was produced from 1996-1999. It has a water cooled twin-turbo flat-six engine that produced 700 bhp. With a 2400lb curb weight, the 911 GT1 was extremely fast. It had a 0-62 time of 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 235 mph.

In 1999, Porsche was looking to produce a new Le Mans racecar. It was originally slated to have a flat-six engine as their previous racers had. Later though, a 5.5L V10 engine was designed, however this delayed the project until 2000. The engine was then increased in displacement to 5.7L. Shortly afterward, the Le Mans project was canceled. At the same time, some of the Porsche management had been wanting to produce a new supercar for the public. Something that would bring Porsche a great deal of attention from the world. A new supercar was green lighted by management, with no restrictions that it share parts with any of their regular production cars. This freedom to build whatever they wanted opened the design team up to build a clean sheet car. Since the Le Mans project had been canceled, the newly designed V10 engine was waiting to be used in some way. It turned out to be just what the design team was looking for. With some tweaking to make it more driver friendly, Porsche now had a 5.7 Liter V10 that output 612 HP at 8400 rpm. This engine needed a car to propel still. A new carbon fiber composite chassis was designed, which was coupled with aluminum subframes. Carbon composite body panels were also crafted.

Instead of using an automated manual transmission with paddle shifting as was becoming popular in the supercar world, a six speed manual was decided upon to provide a more involved driving experience. However, it was desired by the design team to keep the engine mounted as low as possible in the middle of the car to lower the center of gravity, and thus better the handling of the car. To do so, the engineers designed the smallest clutch that's been used in production car, a 6 inch diameter twin plate carbon fiber clutch. The small size of the clutch gave it very low inertia, which let the engine rev very quickly. Some have said the clutch is tricky to get a hang of when first driving the car. It has been said however that the way to drive it is to first let the clutch out, then once rolling apply the throttle. Stalling should be a non-issue then. The Carrera GT for a while held the record time for a production car on the Nurburgring of 7:28, set by Porsche driver Walter Rorhl. The Carrera GT had a 0-62 speed of 3.9 seconds, and a top speed of 205 mph. It sold for a base sticker price of $440,000. The Carrera GT was produced from 2003-2006.

It is expected that a new supercar is in development by Porsche and will be released in 2011 or 2012.

Eric H.W. is an avid car enthusiast and also likes to create sites about home appliances and fixtures including automatic can openers like the One Touch Can Opener and the Gizmo Can Opener. You can check these out at automatic can opener. He also is a huge fan of red appliances, furniture and kitchen fixtures such as red trash cans. To find these, such brands like OXO and more can be found at red trash can.

The Introduction of the Porsche Type 356

The Porsche 356 was a two-seater based on the Volkswagen, code-named Type 356 after its design office number. With Fiat-based Cisitalia sports cars as an inspiration, the first Type 356 had a tubular frame; and its body, designed by Erwin Kommenda, was the first to bear the legendary name Porsche, cast in a logotype that is almost unaltered to this day.

The Type 356 cars that followed had a platform chassis like the Volkswagen, but retained the same basic mechanical lay-out and Kommenda's distinctive body. Why change the chassis so soon? That is a question that might be asked about the myriad changes to Porsches ever since. The reason is simple; Porsche people are perfectionists and, because the cars have always been produced in relatively small quantities, it has been easy to change things in detail. Wherever the technical wizards could see a way of improving a component they would, usually after testing it on a racing Porsche.

The result has been a stream of fascinating, complex and confusing cars, each one almost invariably a little better than the one before. But as their logo remained unaltered, so did their basic lay-out for 27 years: with only a brief flirtation with open-wheeled racers, they have all been rear-engined, air-cooled, all independently sprung sports cars. Only since 1975 have there been more conventional front-engined, water-cooled Porsches, and they are still true sporting cars.

By 1951, high-performance versions of the 356 were racing at Le Mans as a result of a plea by the race's organizer, Charles Faroux, who had helped free the professor from prison. Ferdinand Porsche lived long enough to see his 356 coupes win their class in the French race and establish themselves as a great force in Continental rallying. He had a stroke in the autumn and died the following year, leaving his company in the hands of his son, Ferry, with the Piech family for support. Hardly anything changed at Porsches. Production was transferred to Zuffephausen, near Stuttgart, West Germany but the cars were the same, constantly developing versions of their creator's original work.

By 1952, the Porsche company was deeply involved in racing as a way of promoting its cars and it was apparent that they needed a new engine for more power. One of Porsche's younger designers, Dr Ernst Fuhrmann, was given his head and produced an advanced four-overhead-camshaft flat four-cylinder unit with Ferry Porsche and chief engineer Karl Raabe who was one of the old professor Porsche's first employees, looking over his shoulder.

This high-revving engine was installed in a racing Porsche with spyder, or skimpy open, body and the car given a new type number, 550.

Porsche's American agents encouraged the production of these highly specialized vehicles which, in ever-improving form, took the German firm through top-class competition in the 1950s; and as the Spyders spent their time racing, the 356, in continually developing form, provided the production backbone and competed in classes for more standard cars.

As the Spyders developed, they became more like open-wheeled racing cars in concept and little modification was needed to enter them in Formula 2 events from 1957. These cars were an immediate success and when the capacity of Formula 1 cars was limited to 1.5 liters - Porsche size - in 1961, the men from Zuffenhausen plunged into grand prix racing with great enthusiasm.

This ultimate form of competition proved to be too expensive for them, however, and Porsche retired after two seasons with only one victory of note - in the 1962 French Grand Prix - despite spending a fortune on developing a new flat-eight engine.

The sports-racing and production cars were stilt very successful so they decided to concentrate on them. Ultra-lightweight Spyders made the European Mountain Championship their own, as befitted cars with an Austrian origin. High performance road and rally cars were produced bearing the name Carrera to commemorate their class win in the Carrera Panamericana, a gruelling Mexican road race with an especially emotive appeal to their biggest market on the west coast of America. They backed up the Spyders, winning such classics as the Targa Florio road race in Sicily.

The world of Porsches is steeped in history and traditional values, but not even the Porsche manufacturing plants would be the same without the humble fork lift truck. The introduction of the electric fork lift improved the efficiency of manufacturing plants the world over.

Advice and Tips For Buying a Used Porsche

Looking at buying a used Porsche? A used Porsche can be a fantastic purchase and give you years of pleasure but if you buy a complete turkey it can lead to problem after problem. Buying a used car rather than a new one can save you a serious amount of money and if you are careful and know what to look for, the difference in new and used can be nominal. Here are a few handy tips if you are considering splashing out on a used Porsche.

Don't get hung up on used Porsche original bodywork. A lot of people will consider a vehicle having all original bodywork to be a highlight however the older the car gets the more likely it is to have required new parts either due to simple wear and tear or minor scrapes. As long as the work has been carried out to high standards then there should be no problem in this area, it doesn't mean that the car hasn't been well looked after and cared for. If however it has had major surgery then it may have been involved in a serious collision and this can cause underlying problems to axles and other major areas so it may be best to avoid.

Don't be dissuaded by colours that are not popular today. If you are buying a 20 year old used Porsche then its colour may have been the height of fashion in 1980 but may not be popular today. If you are open minded about colour then you are more likely to find a good car as it widens your options. At the end of the day, it's a Porsche, if it's in good condition - it's going to look great!

If you know nothing about cars then it can help to take along a friend who knows a bit about them however don't rely on this too much as most problems can be hidden from a basic inspection if the dealer is determined enough to deceive buyers. Somebody with knowledge of cars probably won't be able to tell if there are major engine problems around the corner or if the car is likely to break down in the near future so trust your instincts when dealing with the seller. If something doesn't add up or you have a bad feeling then walk away. The main benefit of buying from a private used Porsche seller is that the price is likely to be cheaper than buying from a used Porsche dealer however there is likely to be no comeback if problems with the car appear a week after the purchase. Buying from a used Porsche dealer you should be able to negotiate a warranty, the longer the better.

There are a wide range of car dealers around and if looking to purchase a used Porsche try to buy from an established and reputable used Porsche specialist. Doing so could save you a lot of money in the long run.

3 Tips to Buying a Porsche 911 From Government Auctions

Buying a Porsche 911 at Government auction can be an exciting experience. This article is going to share with you 3 essential tips to help you get the best deal on the Porsche that you want.

Before you can apply these tips you will want to take the time to find where your local Government auctions are happening and keep a special eye on local car trade papers, keeping a special watch for any Porsche listings.

Now for my top tips for buying a Porsche 911 at Government auction.

Tip 1: Inspect the Porsche 911

If you have been longing to purchase a Porsche, you may find yourself ready to make a purchase based on your heart. You need to spend some time checking the car. Look for any imperfections.

The last thing you want to do is make a snap purchase as big as buying a Porsche, only to get the car home and find faults that could end up being very costly to fix.

Tip 2: Read the Documentation

The car of your dreams is sitting right in front of you. You need to make sure you are going to bid with your head and not your heart. It will be easier to keep your head in an auction when you have taken the time to read the cars documentation (where applicable). You will want to know the history of the car to ensure that you are not getting a previous wreak.

Tip 3: Stick To Your Budget

Of all the tips I can share with you this is the most important. Stick to your budget! You will find it much easier to stick to your limit if you take a friend with you and tell them to pull you away if the bidding goes over your set amount.

Keep your head and beware of getting involved in a bidding war where you start to bid with your emotions and not your head.

Conclusion

Buying your dream Porsche 911 at Government auction can be an exciting and extremely rewarding experience. To get the most out of your auction you should take the time to inspect the car.

Take your inspection of the Porsche just that step further and give any documentation a thorough going-over. Be sure to inspect the cars history.

Finally, never exceed your budget, it may be your dream car but you will grow to resent it if you put yourself in financial difficulty to get it.

Super Tip: If you are looking to buy a used Porsche 911 at Government auction then you can find a killer resource here: http://www.porschebuyersguide.com/buy-used-porsche-911-at-government-auction/.

For more great tips on buying Porsches visit Karl's Porsche Buyers Guide website.

New Porsche Concept Car

Who would have thought that you could have a mean looking, fast racing, good looking sports car that also has impressive green credentials? Well, that's exactly what Porsche are proposing with their latest concept car: the Porsche 918 Spyder. Let's take a closer look.

Unveiled on the eve of the famous Geneva Auto Show, the Stuttgart based company, Porsche, lifted the lid on their new concept car which happens to be a mid engine, two seater sports cars with hybrid and electric drive technology. It certainly looks mean, but what are the stats like? Remarkably impressive when looked at. Nought to Sixty in less than 3.2 seconds with a top speed of 198mph and it happens to be faster than the Carrera GT, as proven by successfully finishing the Nurburgring lap in less than 7 minutes 30 seconds.

So, how can a car have all this power and claim to be green? The 918 Spyder has electric motors at the front and rear axles. The drive to the front wheels is purely electric via a fixed ratio. The liquid cooled lithium ion battery pack sits behind the cockpit and can be ideally charged at home or by brake regeneration.

This sports car is a high revving V-8 related, 3.4 litre racing car. It produces more than 500 brake horse power with engine revs of up to 9200 rpm. Yet, it does an incredible 78mpg, driven the right way, plus the emissions level sit at just 70 grams of CO2 per kilometre.

The chassis is made from CFP (Carbon fiber reinforced plastic), along with the use of a lot of magnesium and aluminium to keep the frame as light as possible. The stylish interior is designed to be driver orientated with touch screens and intuitive controls.

The Porsche 918 Spyder whilst still a concept car at this stage is a sports car that looks exactly how a sports car should look and drives exactly how a sports car should drive along with boosting very impressive green credentials. It promises to be a car of the future holding real production possibilities which could set a new standard for the next generation of sports cars.

This article was written by Tom Sangers on behalf of Romans International who are a Porsche Dealership and an reputable Porsche Dealer based in the UK.

Why Get a Xbox Porsche Wheel

Have you ever drive a Porsche car before? For those Gran Turismo fanatics like you who have always wondered what would it feel like to drive a Porsche without having to acquire the vehicle itself, which of course is too much expensive, will be very glad to know that you can now enjoy such great experience even through your very own Xbox console.

This is definitely good news for those car racing enthusiasts who are sick and tired of using old joysticks and their computer's keypad just to enjoy a very exciting game like this. Since technology has paved way to building more innovative ideas when it comes to gaming, one can enjoy car racing with a Porsche through the use of your Xbox360, PC or even PS3 by acquiring a Porsche 911 Carrera Wheel to maneuver it properly.

Of course you do not want to stick with just imagining that you are driving a car and not steering it at all. If you want to bring your car racing game into another level, driving as if you were really racing on a race track, you must get access to such console-compatible steering wheels to get you going. You should also consider that when you get hold of a steering wheel, you may want to add other accessories such as gears and pedals to make your driving experience more realistic.

Now we all know that a Porsche is on of those cars that you would definitely want to drive and show off to your friends. Just imagine driving a Porsche by just working on a joystick, isn't this seem to feel a bit boring? With a Porsche wheel, you will not only be able to steer the car as if you were riding and driving it on your own, but you will also be able to test your driving skills and take it from one level to another.

So, don't waste your time keeping up with something that will only waste your time. Try looking for ways on how to make your XBox car racing games a bit more exciting by adding a more realistic twist on how you play it. All you have to do is to make sure that you get access to the right gear that fits your gaming console, and you'll definitely enjoy car racing at your very own home from time to time.

Fanatec wheel fansite is a great source of information an reviews on Fanatec PC and console racing products such as the Fanatec GT3 RS. We also have forums, where you can join discussions.

Porsche Logos and Badges - The Image of a Brand

How often do you notice a beautiful car, stop to stare, notice the badge on its bonnet... and take a moment to bask in its glory?

You may be a maniacal lover of cars, able to recognize a good car at a glance and even name its make, model and specifications just by hearing the engine note. But for many people, the sticker is what lends the final confirmation to an identification. When the Porsche is named as a Porsche, it gains an extra bit of value.

For owners who identify themselves with their cars, there is no substitute for that branded badge on the coat lapel, unless it is the branded sticker adorning the main door.

While some people leave just the badge on the bonnet as a subtle reminder of a car's legacy, there are others who prefer a giant sticker all over the rear window. Sometimes, the statement being made depends on the car itself. While some models lend themselves to a laid-back, sophisticated decoration, others exude as much brashness as charisma - demanding to be seen, heard and admired.

Badges can be used on many key points of a car. The bonnet badges are the most common among these. They may have precious metal finishes, as well as embossing or engravings. True bonnet badges come with a rubber gasket and two nuts, and are nailed onto the bonnet.

Stick-on badges are also easily available, for use either on the bonnet, on the sides or dashboard... or anywhere in the interior or outer surface of the car that strikes the owner's fancy. Even the number plate can be decorated with tiny stickers, proclaiming the fact that this Porsche's identity far transcends its registration number.

Not all badges or stickers are the crest-shaped, old-world articles that you would associate with a branded badge. From satin aluminum to chrome, badges are available in many different finishes, from which you can select one based on your preference and your car's decor. Matching one's lapel badge or sew-on badge with a bonnet logo can create a style statement that people won't forget in a hurry.

Side decals and interior badges should never be left out of the consideration when thinking about car decorations. Available in a multitude of colours - though most often in black, silver and white - they are an eye-catching ornament to your wheeled beauty. The glove compartment, dashboard, side panel and bonnet are some popular sites to place creative or branded decals on.

With stickers, badges, crests, decals and logos, you can decorate a Porsche to make it turn heads everywhere it goes. Just don't lose your head in the bargain - make sensible decisions, and don't go on visual overload.