Audi R8 GT is the top model (flagship) from the ranks of the Audi R8. Audi R8 GT is lighter and more powerful than the Audi R8 2.5 FSI Quattro predecessor. Cars that produce maximum power 552 HP was sold for £ 142,585.

Audi R8 GT gets an extra power 27 HP and 10 Nm of torque if it is compared with its predecessor.  The weighs is also 100 pounds less. With the 552 HP maximum power and maximum torque 540 Nm produced by 5.2-liter engine capacity (5,204 cc), 10 cylinders in V configuration (V10), Audi R8 GT capable racing with speeds of 100 miles per hour from the stop position within 6.3 seconds.

That means the Audi R8 GT can accelerate from 0-100 kilometers per hour, 0.3 seconds faster than the Audi R8 2.5 FSI Quattro. It makes the Audi R8 GT is the fastest of highway vehicle. Its maximum speed is 318 kilometers per hour.

The engine capacity of 2.5 liter and V10 that Audi R8 GT had, was taken and modified from the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4. With the addition of energy and reduction in weight, the Audi R8 GT accelerates from 0-100 kilometers per hour, 0.1 seconds faster than the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4. Unlike the Audi R8 2.5 FSI Quattro that uses wings that can be removed or inserted at the rear to increase stability in high speeds, the Audi R8 GT uses a permanent wing from carbon material at the back.

Audi R8 GT is equipped with electronic stability program (ESP) which will prevent the car from the possibility of oversteer or understeer when cornering at high speed. By activating the sport mode, the rider can feel the sensation of oversteer in a controlled manner. If you drive the Audi R8 GT on a special path or circuit, the ESP can be deactivated.

In an advertising supplement – Natural Gas Trucks – Proven, Reliable Performance, Using Our Abundant, Economical Resource for a Cleaner, Stronger America the organization declares its theme of waste management transportation — “Natural gas-powered refuse and recycling trucks are on the job every day in more than 100 communities all across North America with nearly 3500 in service as of January 2009 and over a thousand more expected to hit the streets in the coming year. The waste industry is just one of several sectors that are embracing natural gas as a motor fuel.”

Kolodziej also pointed to the current practice of flaring biomethane erupting from decomposing landfills as a wasted resource that could be harnessed for vehicle fuel. Although conceding that biomethane remains expensive because of purification costs, Kolodziej observes costs are dropping, and the little-known renewable fuel will likely benefit many vehicle operators in the years to come. “At the head of that line are the trash truck operators,” Kolodziej says. n g v g l o b a l   .   c o m

Get Financing First :
Pre-approved auto loans have a number of advantages. First, you find out what you qualify to borrow before you get stuck in a contract. You can also play around with loan terms to find a reasonable monthly payment. And sellers are eager to close a deal with a buyer that has secure financing.Used cars loans often require a slightly higher rate, usually .6 or more, than new car loans. However, rates vary widely between lending companies, so it pays to shop around. Processing your loan before your car purchase relieves you from the pressure of signing with the first lender you find. It also saves you money in lower rates.

Plan On 10% Down :
10% is most often required for a used car loan. It signals to the lender that you are investing in this purchase and are willing to make payments. A larger down payment can improve rates and offset low credit scores.Another way to save money is to choose a short term loan. Since a used car probably won’t last as long as a new car, five and three year loans make the most financial sense. You save on interest costs and can start saving for your next car.

Shopping With A Dealer :
Some lenders also offer better rates when you purchase through a car dealership, even with used cars. You should weigh all your options when applying for this type of car loan.Dealerships usually provide a partial warranty for their used cars; they also charge more. You may be able to find an excellent deal in the classifieds, but there is a level of risk with that purchase. However, the difference in interest rates between these types of loans is more than 1%.

By: Terje Brooks Ellingse

“In 2030, this could be over 5 million. By 2050, traffic in towns and cities could be predominantly without fossil fuels,” the National Electric Mobility Plan reads.

It includes $712 million for sustainable mobility research and development, including programs to develop the charging station infrastructure and boost battery technology, an area of expertise that has long belonged to Asia.

“It is our goal to make Germany into the market leader for electric mobility,” Economy Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said after the Cabinet approved the plan.

The plan also mulls a $7,000 rebate for Germans buying an electric car starting in 2012, and it earmarks money for eight model regions aimed at learning about driving patterns and how to best integrate electric mobility into the German electricity grid. The scheme also supports research and development into fuel cells and biofuels.

Berlin hopes to introduce the first 100,000 electric cars onto the German auto market by 2012, at a time when German car giants including Daimler and BMW are due to have EVs market-ready. Volkswagen, Europe’s largest carmaker, won’t introduce a fully electric vehicle until 2013, and it took Daimler until this June to launch its first hybrid vehicle — roughly a decade after Toyota introduced its Prius. The German car market today includes roughly 40 million vehicles.

Elsewhere, companies are faster. Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors Corp. earlier this year launched its electric vehicle, the $48,000 i-MiEV. Competitor Nissan in August unveiled a mass-market battery-powered car called the Leaf, which the firm said will be in showrooms in Japan, the United States and Europe by the end of 2010. The Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid that relies on its motor only for electricity generation, is to be sold by early 2011.

Germany’s politicians are nevertheless optimistic that the German industry, famous for its successes when it comes to gasoline and diesel engine efficiency, can meet the growing global competition.

“We are very confident that we in Germany can provide enough of an impulse to compete with the United States and Asia,” Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee said Wednesday at a news conference in Berlin.

Germany supports sustainable mobility to help meet the country’s ambitious climate protection targets and reduce dependency on oil imports, the minister said.

Critics warned that many of the model regions may see cars driving with “dirty electricity” generated in coal-fired or nuclear power plants.

“Electric cars only drive environmentally friendly if they are charged with power from renewable sources,” Hermann Albers, the head of the German Wind Energy Association, said in a statement. “That’s why the pilot projects the big utilities are involved in harbor the danger that traditional electricity is used. But we need concepts with renewable power.” (steven nicola)

Potential winners range from established suppliers such as BorgWarner Inc, Honeywell International Inc and Johnson Controls Inc to battery makers such as start-up A123 Systems, Continental AG and LG Chem Ltd, analysts say.

To improve fuel efficiency by as much as 40 percent, major automakers will need to order a lot more turbochargers, more advanced lithium-ion batteries and more electric motors for cars and trucks already under development.

“There are a lot of suppliers out there with credentials that are lining up to get into this gold rush,” said Larry Rinek, an expert in fuel efficiency at consulting firm Frost & Sullivan. “This is going to be a drama to watch.”

Other analysts expect steel to be swapped for lighter aluminum and plastics. Copper demand could grow as electric motors are rolled out to meet the rising production of hybrids.

The hitch: analysts expect American consumers will pay more than projected and face sharply limited choices.

With General Motors Corp and Chrysler LLC operating under government funding, analysts also expect demands for large new subsidies to automakers and incentives to get consumers into greener and smaller cars.

S&P equity analyst Efraim Levy said he was keeping his “hold” recommendation on shares of Ford Motor Co, the only U.S. automaker to have steered clear of a bailout.

“We do think it will burden an already struggling industry,” Levy said in a note for clients.

Barclay’s Capital analyst Brian Johnson, meanwhile, said the new policy reinforced his view that BorgWarner and Johnson Controls could benefit from increased demand for turbochargers and lithium-ion batteries.

BorgWarner and Johnson Controls shares each closed around 3 percent higher at $29.82 and $19.95, respectively, while Honeywell was up less than 1 percent at $33.09.

SEND FOR MORE LITHIUM AND ALUMINUM

The bump in demand for those advanced batteries, now widely used to power everything from cell phones to power tools, reflects the view that more automakers will be pushed into the market for hybrids now dominated by Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co Ltd.

“The new regulations will ensure that manufacturers immediately reconsider conventional hybrids, plug-in hybrids, electrically powered vehicles and battery electrics to have a variety of them ready for consumer purchase in the next decade,” Kelley Blue Book analyst Jack Nerad said.

Analyst Charles Bradford of Affiliated Research Group expected the steel content in vehicles to drop, while aluminum and plastic usage would rise.

That is bad news for some because the auto industry is the second biggest user of steel, behind construction. ArcelorMittal SA , United States Steel Corp and AK Steel Holding Corp are the three steelmakers with the biggest exposure to the car industry, he said.

Bradford also expected a boom in demand for lithium that has to be imported from markets such as China, Chile and Bolivia and could be in short supply.

Frost & Sullivan’s Rinek expects hybrid vehicles to make up 7 percent of U.S. vehicle sales by 2015, up from under 3 percent currently, but is reviewing that projection.

“Now that looks conservative. We would probably nudge that up,” he said.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

Sandy Stojkovski, an engineering and fuel economy expert at auto industry consulting firm Ricardo, estimated it could cost consumers between $5,000 and $12,000 more per vehicle under the federal fuel economy targets.

The Obama administration has said the efficiency upgrade could cost just $1,300 per vehicle and consumers could look to recoup much of that by spending less on fuel. If that estimate proves low, evidence suggests American consumers will balk.

A poll conducted for Johnson Controls in March found an overwhelming 88 percent of adults surveyed said the United States should become a leader in hybrid vehicles. But an almost equal margin — 80 percent — said the extra cost of a hybrid would prevent people from buying one.

“The technology isn’t the hard part here. It’s aligning consumer demand with the technology that is going to be the hard part,” Stojkovski said.

Erich Merkle, an independent auto analyst, said the new standards threaten to cut into margins on the big trucks where GM, Chrysler and Ford have dominated in recent years.

Merkle also expected Congress would have to double the amount budgeted for taxpayer-backed loans to offset the cost of producing a new generation of greener cars.

“We’re going to have to start at $50 billion and work from there,” he added.

(Reporting by Kevin Krolicki and David Bailey in Detroit and Steve James in New York; Editing by Andre Grenon)

Here are a few easy ways to get hybrid-like fuel economy without buying a new car or even changing your lifestyle.

• Simply follow the maintenance recommendations in your owner’s manual. An out-of-tune engine can increase fuel consumption by as much as 15 percent. Always follow your car manufacturer’s suggested tune-up schedule.
• Upgrade your motor oil. You can save gas and improve performance by switching to high performance synthetic motor oil. According to independent tests, upgrading to Royal Purple motor oil improved fuel economy by as much as five percent and produced notable increases in horsepower and torque. You can find a fuel savings calculator at RoyalPurple.com that shows you how much money you can save annually just by upgrading lubricants.
• Regularly replace your air filter. A clogged air filter can increase fuel consumption by as much as 10 percent. Air filters keep impurities from damaging the interior of the engine, so replacing dirty filters will save gas and protect your engine.
• Keep the tires of your vehicle properly inflated. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that under-inflated tires can increase fuel consumption by up to six percent. One study estimates that 50 to 80 percent of the tires rolling on U.S. roads are under inflated. Astonishingly, we could save up to two billion gallons of gas each year simply by properly inflating our tires.
• Keep your gas cap on. About 17 percent of the vehicles on the road have gas caps that are either damaged, loose or are missing altogether, causing 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year according to “Auto Service Operator” magazine. A quick visual inspection of your gas cap every time you fill up is an easy, painless way to make sure your fuel (and your money) is not vanishing into thin air.

Once you have found a few good choices, compare what each one is offering and then get whoever is offering the best deal.  If you have only purchased an airline ticket and have not found yet a place to stay, look at the local phone book and then make inquiries the moment you land. Unlike the first option, this is going to be quite challenging especially if you are looking for a place and calling from a public phone.

When you are talking to someone from the hotel, ask if they offer any discounts. It is possible that one of your credit cards you have may entitle you to a 10% discount and you will never know until you ask.  But what if you don’t have to ride a plane but travel by car? You can still find ways to save money for a hotel by visiting the local gas station, restaurant, rest area or visitor’s center that usually give out free coupons or even brochures. Such discounts could save you $10 to $20 per night so you can use the money on something else.

If there are no promos and no coupons, try your luck and see if you can negotiate a reasonable price for staying in the hotel. There is a chance you could get it if you happen to be a member of the military, a club, a certain school, part of a union or part of a professional organization. Should the hotel be unable to give you a discount, don’t waste your time there and consider other places which you may have not considered before. This could mean the rooms may be smaller and the service they give may not be equal to what you have experienced in the past but there could be other things which may surprise and even impress you during your stay.

But the best way to save money on a hotel is still to book in advance.  Most hotels give good rates when you book 6 months or longer in advance compared to booking a reservation a week or two before your actual arrival. Things are far more different though when you are part of a contingent and you are booking for a large number of people for the next few days. This is because even if hotels give you a discounted rate, they still make money because the guests will not only sleep in the rooms but also use some of the amenities the hotel offers including eating in the restaurants.

There are ways to save money when staying in a hotel. You can look for good deals online, calling them once you get there or simply by using your charm so good luck when you are looking for a place to stay.

• Totaled in an accident/Salvaged
• Flood damage
• Odometer rollbacks
• Lemon histories
• Junked Titles
• State emissions inspection results
• Lien activity, and/or
• Vehicle use (taxi, rental, lease, etc.)
• Service and repair history
• The good thing, CARFAX works in Canada as well.

Why do you think the body shop keeps that rear piece of the car? Because when they find the same vehicle with rear end damage, they will just weld one car from two pieces, paint it nicely and sell it through the auction somewhere in a different state or province. Soon it may appear in a used car dealer lot as “Immaculate condition with low mileage”. The car may look clean and shiny, but if you check the car history report, you may find that the vehicle was salvaged.
Another example: I received a message from the person who recently bought privately a “low mileage” car. He even had it inspected by a dealer and had been told that the car is OK. Few days later he found out that CARFAX report shows much higher previous mileage. Very unfortunate situation. By the way, when you bring the car to a dealer for inspection, have a look at items covered in the inspection checklist – usually it does not include things like previous accident check or odometer fraud check. Thus, even if you have a car inspected by a dealer, check history records BEFORE buying a car.