Land Rover - a True Suv

The Land Rovers are originally British vehicles and have a manufacturing unit at Solihull in England. The first Land Rover was made in 1948 in England itself. It was designed by Maurice Wilks. He is known to have been inspired by an American jeep that he had seen at Wales. The first car was in fact itself called the Land Rover. But as time progressed, Land Rover became a brand that took to manufacturing newer cars under it. The Land Rover has passed through many hands, from the Rover group to the Premier Automotive Group, which is a part of the Ford Motor Company, and currently owns it.

If you hear the Land Rover’s rich history, you are sure to exclaim, “The Land Rover almost sounds like best out of waste!” And the reasons are plenty. The body of the Rover is very light and is made from an alloy called ‘Birmabright’ that is made from aluminium and magnesium. This alloy is extremely rust-resistant. These vehicles were in reality, forced to be made from aluminium, as they were made in the post war periods, where there was little steel and surplus aluminium available. This alloy was also found to be softer than steel and so could bend and mould easily, requiring less number of tools. Another peculiar thing about these cars was that, the earlier vehicles were mostly of green color. This was due to the excess of green paint available after the war! The military used this color to paint the aircraft cockpits! Who would think that a world class SUV would have been made in such a way! In fact it is said that the Land Rover was designed just to keep the Rover Car Company busy during the depression period! This first model was a simple vehicle, primarily made for farm and industrial use and was made such that it could traverse all terrain. The car was highly functional and could be cleaned fully when dirtied. It was even bulletproof! The Land Rover was first showcased at the Amsterdam Motor Show and was an instant hit. It attracted the entire world and the media played an important role in this. Even the non-motor magazines gave the car lots of coverage, making the car reach beyond its target customer group.

Many of the Land Rovers have been extensively used by the military due to their durability and sturdiness and astounding features. Endurance of these vehicles can be judged from the fact that many of the cars that were made at the time of the Land Rover’s introductory period, are still driven by people or appear at various shows or are being used after a little bit of restoration! This just shows that a Land Rover is certainly a lifetime investment. They are considered to be one of the safest cars to travel in and will never let you down.

1970s saw the dawn of the luxury Rovers that had all the features of a premium car besides the trademark ruggedness. The Range Rover (the first in this category) was so good that it is the first and only car to be kept in the Louvre museum at Paris as an exemplary form of modern sculpture. So much for the beauty of the Rover! It is simply incomparable. Range Rover was initially a two-door version but when its sales picked up it was made a four-door one. Increased demand and popularity amongst people, led the Range Rover to advance to better versions like the Land Rover Discovery, Defender, Freelander-which is a landmark by itself.

The Land Rovers have a fan base in the film industries across the world too! They have featured in many films! Land Rover celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1998.

The various well-known models of the Land Rover are the DISCOVERY3, FREELANDER2, DEFENDER, RANGE ROVER SPORT and RANGE ROVER VOGUE.

Despite being premium cars these cars have high maneuverability, are very fast, work astonishingly well for long distance travel, can withstand any kind of torture and are amazingly safe! If you want to experience what a true SUV is like, the Land Rovers are your best option.

How to find a new car?

Your car may be the second largest purchase you make in your lifetime. You must take your time and not let it become an impulse decision. Before you go out browsing dealer lots consider the following:

• How will I use my new car, truck or sport utility vehicle? A mini-van will fit fine in a large family but might be out of place in a singles life. Do you go off-road a lot but still like to carry more than 2 passengers, go for the SUV. Trucks have come along way with most comforts available in today's truck rivaling luxury cars. But do you really need that to carry construction equipment to the job site? If you do not go off-road, do not buy a 4 wheel drive truck. The extra weight will only decrease gas mileage and increase maintenance costs. Afraid of the snow? Look to the variety of AWD vehicles on the market which provide excellent traction in the snow and also more economical operation. Take a serious look at your life and find the vehicle that most compliments your lifestyle.

• Color choices. This is a personal preference but rational can come into play. In warmer climates, a lighter colored car will stay cooler. Certain cars are easier to keep clean. White and black are the worst while tan, silver, and brown hide dirt quite well.

• Interior options. Do you need the heated seats? Well that depends on where you live and how much winter driving you do. Leather seats can be unbearable in the summer months and generally harder to maintain. Do you listen to music often? The premium sound system might be a great idea if you do, however if you only listen to talk radio then the standard system will be more than enough.

• Insurance rates. Take into consideration the insurance rates before you start you car buying quest. A Honda may be significantly cheaper to insure than the Ferrari that caught your eye last week. Talk with your insurance agent to find out about how cars are classified. Sports cars generally raise premiums while family cars tend to lower them.

• Who will service the vehicle? Having a dealership close by can be a blessing. If there are no dealerships nearby, buy a domestic car which most mechanics can work on. It is also important to examine the warranty offered before making a decision.

I hope the few comments and suggestions above have given you some things to think about. Never rush into a new or used car purchase. Always take some time to think it over. If it helps, get out a piece of paper and write down the pros and cons of all the vehicle you are considering. Writing down this information is often all you need to get you thinking practically and on your way to making a good selection.

Good luck!!!

The Most Popular Car in America

To be the most popular car in America, a model has to posses a wealth of features- reliability, safety, inoffensive yet attractive styling, power, and good gas mileage. Considering these design features, what is the most popular car? These desirable traits come together in the Toyota Camry, making it the highest selling and most popular car in America since 2002.

Launched in limited numbers in America in 1982, the first Camry was compact cars available in hatchback and sedan body styles. A second generation model followed in 1987, upgrading available engine power and offering new safety features such as anti-lock breaks and all-wheel drive. The hatchback model would vanish, replaced by the wagon body style. First sold in America in 1992, the third generation of the Toyota Camry ditched its compact roots to become a mid-size family sedan. 1997 saw the debut of the restyled fourth generation Camry, followed by the introduction of the Camry Solara coupe in 1999. Available as both a hardtop and a convertible, the Solara was built with more graceful and youth-oriented styling than the Camry. In 2000, the Camry became the highest selling car in America for the first time in its history, with reported figures of 422,930 sold. The next timely iteration to the Camry occurred in 2001, when America’s most popular car became much taller and roomier. The wagon body style was dumped for the fifth generation Camry. The sixth generation, launching in 2006, marked a decided change in the Camry’s styling. The aggressive front fascia compliments the available 3.5L V6, giving the new Camry much more power than any of the previous versions. America’s most popular car is now also available as a hybrid, using Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive technology.

Toyota Camry Hybrid

The Toyota Camry classically performs well in crash safety tests, with all models since 1997 receiving a “Good” frontal crash rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Strangely, the fifth generation Camry receives a “Poor” rating in side impact tests from the IIHS when not equipped with side-impact airbags. The side airbag option, introduced in 2004, improves the side impact rating to “Good”.

Sales of the Camry in America peaked in 2006, with the nation’s most popular family sedan selling 448,445 units. The Camry’s future includes a foray into the increasingly popular NASCAR Nextel Cup, making it the first non-domestic car to compete in NASCAR in recent years. 2007 also expects to see the Camry produced in America for the first time, finally bringing America’s most popular car a little closer to home.

credit:most-popula