Lamborghini Aventador in Matte Black

It's official! We have a cool car crush - with the Lamborghini Aventador. It looks so sick with this matte black cool car paint job. Check out these pictures!

 The following three photographs of this cool Matte Black Lamborghini Aventador were taken by Blake Simon, our favorite car photographer.

Cool Car Garage Poster - Something A Little Different!

Check out this really cool car garage poster that's unlike any you've seen before - certainly not your normal page 3 girl poster you'll find in most car garages. 

It was part of Hewlett Packard's 2009 advertising campaign for their printers.

New Honda Civic - Unveiled at Frankfurt Motorshow

This short video showcases the grand unveiling of the Honda Civic at the Frankfurt Motorshow. In order to progress, it's necessary to venture into the great unknown. After all, treading along a common path will never lead to something new or innovative. That’s why when pursuing a new, improved, Civic the Honda, engineers had to embark on a journey into ‘the unknown’. The campaign tells this story and uses interactive experiences to teach the lessons that they learnt along the way to developing the car.

Creating the new Civic demanded new ways of doing things. So Honda's engineers ventured into the unknown, trying new ideas, learning new lessons and uncovering new ways of solving problems. It wasn’t an easy journey, but it was a great one. And after four years of experimenting and 20 thousand miles of on-road testing, they finally realised their dream: the quietest, smoothest and strongest performing Civic yet.

Check it out for more information: www.honda.co.uk

Car tip of the week - Knowing when to replace the tyres on your allow wheels

From time to time your car tyres will need replacing. As they’re used they will gradually wear down – eventually they’ll reach a point where they are no longer legal for road use. It’s essential that you have your tyres replaced when they reach this point, otherwise you could be liable for prosecution, points on your license and a hefty fine if your tyres are seen by the Police.

Aside from avoiding a fine and points on your license, you should pay special attention to your tyres anyway because when they become worn they become less effective. This means that braking distances will increase, as grip decreases – therefore rendering them dangerous to anyone who travels in the car.

If you’re strapped for cash and it’s a trade off between getting a new pair of alloys, or replacing worn tyres, why not get both by finding cheap alloy wheels and opting for budget tyres? You certainly shouldn’t upgrade to alloy wheels instead of replacing worn tyres. With a bit of research you’ll find there are plenty of cheap alloy wheels and tyres available out there.


When do tyres need replacing?
Typically, tyres will last for around 15,000 to 20,000 miles. This is only a rough figure though and many variables come into play such as your driving style, and also the quality of the tyres when new. You should regularly check the condition and the tread on your tyres for signs of wear.
Sometimes your tyres may be in tiptop condition when it comes to tread, but the tyre walls may be damaged. It’s important that you have an expert look at your tyres to determine whether or not they require changing. Damage to the tyre wall can leave your car susceptible to blow outs, which can be extremely dangerous.

Which replacement tyres to go for?
There are lots of different brands of tyre out there, and many different models. Some people believe in the “cheap and cheerful” philosophy, where they buy cheap brands and replace their tyres more often. Other people may opt for more expensive tyres that last longer. It really is up to you which tyres you get, and you may well find the ones you settle for will be dictated by how much you can afford to spend on them. Some tyre fitters may even offer part-worn tyres, which can sometimes represent a really good deal. The tyres that are best for you will depend on your driving style, and the amount of miles you do.

Tyres are the unsung heroes on many cars. Lots of owners will pay a lot of attention to their shiny alloy wheels, but they’ll spare their tyres very little thought. Next time you’re buffing up your alloys, give your tyres a quick check over to ensure they’re still in good condition.

A guide to car crash testing

A guide to the new European car crash test system and how it can help you make better choices when buying your next new car. Choices that might just help to keep you alive in the event of a road traffic accident. Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) have been crash testing cars for 15 years in order to make our roads and driving safer. To keep car manufacturers on their toes, Euro NCAP have recently made changes to the way they assess the safety of new cars. Introducing the new Euro NCAP protocol.   

What Is Euro NCAP?

NCAP stands for New Car Assessment Program. It’s an independent European organisation which performs car crash tests in order to check vehicle safety. For 15 years (since 1997) they have been crash testing every new vehicle which has gone on sale in Europe! 

And Has The Scheme Worked?

Over the past 15 years, Euro NCAP has continued to evolve and tailored their crash test criteria to ensure manufacturers keep striving to make their cars as safe as possible. In 1997 car manufacturers found it almost impossible to attain the elusive 5 star crash test rating. By 2008 a total of 97% of cars tested managed to obtain either 4 or 5 stars which means everyone is safer on the roads as a result.

How Does The Scheme Operate?

Every year, all the new cars due to go on sale within Europe are subjected to a series of crash tests based on the criteria in force at the time. The image below shows the new crash test protocol for 2012.

The score for every vehicle is calculated using the results obtained from 3 different impact tests designed to measure the level of protection provided for adults, children and pedestrians in typical crash scenarios.

Adult Protection

Front ODB: Designed to test the effects of frontal impact, the cars are driven into an offset deformable barrier at 40 mph. Side MDB: The side impact test measures the damage caused to adult front seat occupants after ramming the side of the car with a mobile deformable barrier at 31 mph. Side Pole: Designed to mimic the car hitting a tree or telegraph pole, the side of the car is rammed into a pole (25 cm diameter) at 18 mph. Whiplash: The new test examines the size and positioning of the seat and head restraint during the other crash tests. The end result is this…

Using sophisticated crash test dummies, they develop a detailed understanding of how safe various parts of the adult body would be during each type of crash.

Child Protection

• 
  Front ODB
• 
  Side MDB
• 
  CRS
• 
  Vehicle

Pedestrian Protection

• 
  Adult Head
• 
  Child Head
• 
  Upper Leg
• 
  Lower Leg

For more information on all the tests and how they’re conducted, check out the Euro NCAP Test Procedures. The score for each test is expressed as a percentage. So, if a car achieves a score of 92% for child protection that means it offers a level of child safety that’s very near to the maximum possible given the current advancement of technology.

Safety Assist

Finally, the new safety assist category scores vehicles based on whether the offer safety equipment including;

• 
  Seatbelt Reminder Systems
• 
  Speed Limitation Devices
• 
  Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

Each vehicle’s final score is than assigned a rating of up to five stars. The coveted five star rating is the maximum level of safety deemed possible using today’s technology.

What Is The New Test Protocol?

In addition to adding new elements to the test, the new rules for 2012 set the pass marks higher and shift the overall weighting applied to certain tests.

New Tests: A new whiplash assessment has been added to the adult protection category while a whole new category (safety assist) has been added.

Higher Pass Marks: Today a vehicle must reach an 80% score on adult protection (before it was 70), 75% on child protection (instead of 70) and 60% on pedestrian protection (instead of 25).

New Weighting: The results of the Adult and Children passenger tests have traditionally carried more weight in the overall test results. As a result, the manufacturers became rather good at these tests. However, as recent as 2007 up to 76% of vehicles tested only managed 2 out of 4 stars (why not 5 stars?) in the pedestrian test. As a result, Euro NCAP is now turning its beady eye on pedestrian protection, providing it with a greater “weight” in the final test results.

How Will These Changes Affect Me?

The changes will ensure that road safety continues to improve for drivers, passengers and pedestrians. However, as a result of the constant criteria evolution, it’s impossible to reliably compare this year’s test results with last year’s. For example, if a five star car from 2011 was tested today under the new criteria, it would be unlikely to achieve the same score as before.

Or, as NCAP states “what is good for 5 stars today may not be good enough in 2012″ – The five star bar rises every year. So when you come to buy a new car, be careful when a company advertises a five star Euro NCAP test rating. If you want to compare test results, make sure that they were conducted in the same year. And given the increasing complexity of safety systems provided by manufacturers in the Safety Assist category, it’s more important than ever to investigate the scores obtained in each test by each car on your shortlist. For the latest safety ratings news from Euro NCAP, check out AA Crash Test News.

 

Note: Sponsored Post on behalf of Euro NCAP.

Viral video by ebuzzing

Aston Martin V12 Zagato - pics and videos

Showcasing one of the most exclusive and coolest cars from Aston Martin - the V12 Zagato. This very limited edition car will only have 150 made at a cost of £330,000. The stunning aluminum and carbon fiber coupe hides 510 horsepower and production tricks borrowed from the One-77. Deliveries will begin toward the end of 2012. Until then, here are some picture and videos to keep you drooling...

Aston Martin V12 Engine Sound

Ridiculouly cool...listen to the sound of this engine, start and rev.

Aston Martin V12 Zagato Promo Video

Highlights

• Production V12 Zagato set for European debut at Geneva Auto Show in March 2012
• Created using materials, processes and technology pioneered on the One-77
• Body panels blend hand-formed aluminum with high-tech carbon fiber
• Production to commence Q3 2012, first deliveries Q4 2012
• Strictly limited to a maximum of 150 cars
• On sale now priced at (UK Pound) £330,000 (plus local taxes)

 

For more information check out www.astonmartin.com/cars/v12-zagato

Gumpert Apollo Enraged

Pictures and video of one of the coolest cars showcased at the 2012 Geneva Motorshow - the Gumpert Apollo Enraged. It's a limited edition model described as Gumpert's most powerful street-legal car. Check this beauty out!

According to Gumpert’s founder, Roland Gumpert, increased demand, especially from Asia, has prompted the sports car manufacturer to offer a pure race car in addition to its street-legal portfolio.

"Many of our customers are driving their Apollo on the race course, usually during track days or private events. With the Apollo R, we allow ambitious drivers among them to participate in open GT events," Gumpert explained.



In building the car, numerous modifications were required to extract up to 860 horsepower from the Apollo’s regular 4.2-liter twin-turbocharged V-8. These included higher boost pressure, custom ignition and control time adjustments, optimization of the intake air ducts, and a special racing exhaust system.



Of course maximum performance depends on the use of racing fuel with correspondingly high octane levels. In view of the planned deployment in Asia and the expected temperatures, the engine and transmission cooling system was also enhanced.



Transmitting all that power to the rear wheels is a spur-toothed dog ring transmission, which is controlled by rocker switches on the steering wheel but without a clutch pedal. A central digital dashboard supplies the driver with essential information. Otherwise all frills were removed from the interior of the Apollo R as you can see in our live photos, which means the Gumpert Apollo R weighs in at just 2,425 pounds.



As for the limited edition Gumpert Apollo Enraged, only three examples are destined for production, each of them coming with 780 horsepower on tap and a curb weight of 2,590 pounds.