Saturday, February 13, 2010

Top Luxury Cars - The Maruti Suzuki Ritz and Hyundai i10

When Maruti Suzuki launched the premium hatchback Ritz in May this year it made a huge splash in Hyundai plans. The Maruti officials openly claimed that Ritz will eat into the market share of Hyundai i10 at the base and the high end Hyundai i20. They also claimed that Mariti Ritz was better than Hyundai i10 in many ways and hence was a better buy. Hyundai officials rushed to clarify this point and let their actions speak louder than words.

The result was Hyundai sells at least 8,000 units of the i10 on an average every month. Indian small car market leader could not let such a market slip away form its finger. It launched Maruti A-star which was designed to rival the base versions of the Hyundai i10 while the Maruti Suzuki Ritz was meant to bit the share from the top end version. But Hyundai i10 has stood its ground and continues to pack all other hatchbacks to the lower ranks.

Let us take a compare the two cars Hyundai i10 and the Maruti Suzuki Ritz for what they stand.

On the performance, Hyundai i10 comes with two types of powertrains including Kappa engines and Ritz is powered by the new K12M engines. The smaller capacity 1.1Litre engines borrowed from Santro is a very capable power source. The other 1.2Litre Kappa engine is brilliant in performance and fuel economy. It delivers healthy 78.8 bhp while the Ritz with 1.2 Litre engine generates 84 bhp. Both engines offer a peak torque of 11.4 Kgm. When one compares the power to weight and torque to weight parameters, the Ritz is a big loser. The heavy body construction adds a full 170 kgs over what the i10 weights. This means the Hyundai i10 will offer quicker acceleration and sharp curves. Even when the cars are compared during the 0-60 km/h clock- the Hyundai i10 lands a few seconds earlier than Ritz. The Hyundai i10 surges comfortably ahead of the Maruti Suzuki Ritz.

On the ride and handling front, Ritz scores higher points than the i10. Built on the legendary Swift hatchback platform, Maruti Suzuki Ritz sports a taller roofline, a wider front end and a heavy rear end which helps balance the car during sharp curves. Ritz is a notch better than the i10 on agile handling parameter. The steering wheel in the Ritz offers good feel of the road and allows driver to feel in control of the vehicle. But drivers who believe that they have to zip through traffic like a cheetah, should go for the i10 as it is more agile owing it its lighter weight. At high speeds both cars display awesome stability.

On the design and interiors, Maruti Suzuki Ritz is more likely to rival the Hyundai i20. The tall and bulkier Ritz, comes with larger headlamps and wider front end, which translates to an attention grabbing exterior style. It has an utilitarian appeal complete with all the Maruti Suzuki design cues. The Hyundai i10 has a more contemporary design with pear drop shaped headlamps and grille that exudes power. It has the radical styling (like the swift) which will change the way hatches will look in the near future.

The interiors in Maruti Suzuki Ritz are spacious like the Swift. There is a tachometer integrated into the dashboard and twin dial instrument cluster is visually pleasing. Due to its tall roofline it offers an airy headroom which can accommodate adults over 6 ft tall. The rear seats offer a spacious legroom. The Hyundai i10 sports a modern feel. The controls on the dash are logically placed. The fine quality of the materials and the clean blend of dual of equipments and styles gives a feel of an upscale car. The in-car entertainment is on of the best in its class. The visibility from the driver's seat is excellent as the driver get a full forward view. The rear seat can be slightly cramped for large adults.

Overall, Hyundai i10 and the Maruti Suzuki Ritz serve as great family cars.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=V_Divya

Top Luxury Cars - The 2009 Smart Fortwo Pure

The 2009 Smart Fortwo Pure is the newest small cars for this generation. This car is so incredibely awesome! It's easy to park with, easy to change lanes, easy to get around in, and doesn't cost too much.

I have driven many different vehicles for over a million miles. This is one of the nicer ones for economy and easy driving. Also, people are fascinated by it. Plenty of room for two with 2 weeks of luggage.

The price is also not to much high and very economy and afordable. The 2009 Smart Fortwo Pure is heated leather seats and can wash it in 2 minutes.

You can chose 3 different types of 2009 Smart Fortwo the 2009 Smart Fortwo Pure, 2009 Smart Fortwo Passion, 2009 Smart Fortwo Passion Cabriolet.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Top Luxury Cars - The Last Hand Crafted Aston Martin

The Aston Martin Vanquish was created in Newport Pagnell. It was released in 2001 as a Grand Tourer vehicle. The Vanquish is the last of the series for a hand- crafted vehicle. Aston Martin spent forty- nine years making vehicles with skilled workers. To create the sporty vehicle it took a total of forty- eight, eight hour days. It is clear that care was taken in making the vehicle when one examines the bodywork and exquisite interior.

Aston Martin was initially questioned about the engine. Some thought it was the product of Ford. It was felt that the company had combined two Ford Duratec three litre engines. This proved to be incorrect, although there were some parts of that engine that were used. The 5.9 litre V12 engine, 460bhp that made up the Vanquish was definitely created differently from the Duratec.

Problems did plague the first versions of the Vanquish. The primary concerns were of the paddle shift manual gearbox and the handling of the vehicle. There was a comparison to the gearbox on the Ferrari which was extremely flawless when shifting. The performance of the Vanquish under original conditions was fine, but when the car was pushed hard the gearbox failed.

Aston Martin didn't work on the gearbox problem until the Ultimate Edition Vanquish that was produced in 2007. There were a total of forty cars in this line that finally resolved the paddle shift manual gearbox issue. In fact the company was so pleased with the new conventional manual stick shift gearbox they were willing to install them into previous Vanquish models.

While the Vanquish may have had some issues in the early days it was still a very popular vehicle. The dominance of the automobile on the road showcased the familiar Aston Martin trademarks. They began with the extended bonnet, which lead the eye to the unmistakeable front grille and the xenon headlights. The wheel arches protruded boldly and the side strakes completed the Aston Martin design.

The Vanquish S of 2005 was another effort to reduce disapproval. The S series has 520 horse power. It can reach 240 miles per hour, and go from a resting state to 60mph in 4.7 seconds.

The S series has a "Sports Dynamic Pack" on all models, rather than an extra component. The pack is designed to increase performance of steering, braking, and manoeuvrability.

In 2007 the Aston Martin Vanquish was discontinued and it was replaced with the new DBS model that was based around the more modern and highly acclaimed DB9. In 2010, Aston is rumoured to be releasing a proper Vanquish replacement, however as production has now moved to Gayden in Warwickshire it is unlikely to recreate the hand built construction of the stunning but flawed Vanquish.
Whilst we all can't all own an Aston Martin you can improve your car lights to give your vehicle a modern look. Phoenix Autobulbs are retailers of upgrade vehicle lighting products including the latest Headlight Bulbs. If you want your car to look unique and different you should fit new Xenon Bulbs for safer driving.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ethan_Melandri