Archive for May, 2010
Toyota Aims To Overtake Bmw
As the current Formula 1 season unfolds Toyota has set its eye to overtake BMW and become the third fastest team. The team is currently competing in a tight race against teams such as Renault Red Bull and Williams. Team President John Howett is confident that his team has what it takes to pull away from the said teams and compete with the German team.
The announcement came as the Barcelona Grand Prix approaches. To date the team has had considerable successes but needs podium finishes to become a strong contender to BMW. Howett maintained that their goal for the season is to continue what they have been doing in order to maintain their current standing as one of the top teams in the second group. He also pointed out that they have to be able to prevent slipping down the rankings.
Howett said that the team has gone a long distance since they have joined the F1 melee. It’s clear from last year that we can make major improvements in performance over a season after we moved from a pretty slow start to a competitive position at the end of the year he said. Howett expressed his confidence on his team to perform well for the remainder of the season although he maintained that they will be up against some strong teams. We are intending to do exactly the same this year but we are acutely aware there are another four five or six teams out there trying to do exactly the same said Howett. It is a motivating challenge for the people here to do it again and to show we are an emerging and serious challenger on the F1 grid he added further.
Meanwhile Toyota’s Senior General Manager Pascal Vasselon talks about his expectations for the team at the upcoming Barcelona Grand Prix. Vasselon also reflected on team Toyota’s accomplishment at the Bahrain Grand Prix. He explained how the race has gone for the team. On the one hand it was a better race for us than expected he says. People may remember that in Bahrain testing we were not looking so good. In fact there were some obvious explanations the first one being that we had quite a few small reliability issues that just prevented us from running. When you dont get a lot of mileage you end up in a vicious circle you dont develop the car you dont evolve a setup and so it goes on.
He also compared the Bahrain race to the Malaysian Grand Prix saying: One consequence was that we were unable to run low levels of downforce. From that point of view quite a lot changed at the race and in terms of performance with one car we were another step closer to the top even compared to Malaysia. With Ralf Schumacher we were not as quick as we would have liked and we clearly have to review some of the setup guidelines. At some places such as Bahrain some of those recent guidelines are simply not working.
Currently Jarno Trulli one of Toyota’s drivers is number eight on the drivers championship with four points to his credit. Ralf Schumacher another Toyota driver sits at the eleventh spot with a single point to his credit. As a team Toyota sits on fifth with five points to their credit as the team they are trying to overtake; BMW Sauber is occupying the third spot. Currently leading the field in the constructors championship is the team of McLarenMercedes with 44 points. Ferrari sits at second with 39 points. BMW Sauber has 18 points and Renault sits at fourth with nine points.
Aside from these five teams the only other team to have gained points for the season is WilliamsToyota with two points and is currently owning the sixth place.
The next race this season will be in Barcelona and that race will show if Toyota can be a strong contender for BMW Sauber which fields cars with high performance that one can see in a BMW car equipped with high performance engines and reliable auto parts such as BMW alternators starting motor spark plugs and the like. Vasselon explained what their team will do as they go to Barcelona for the next race. Having time after the first race gave us the opportunity to prepare quite a large aerodynamic upgrade. We will come to Barcelona with a new engine cover a new floor and new rear crash area. It was quite a lot of work and we went through another homologation of the rear crash site says Vasselon. Barcelona for us does correspond to a significant upgrade of our aero package he added further.
As far as challenging BMW for the third spot Vasselon has this to say: There is a trend developing for us. We have been progressing in terms of qualifying speed for the first three races and in Bahrain we were clearly the fourth fastest team with Jarno. In the second qualifying session when all cars were in optimum low fuel configuration Jarno was seventh quickest and with a 0.4s gap to Williams which was comfortable. The next target is to catch BMW Sauber. Ferrari and McLaren is another step again but we like a challenge!
About the writer: Anthony Fontanelle is a 35yearold automotive.buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.
Top Ten Tips On Car Finance
Along with buying a house another major investment that many people face today is purchasing a vehicle. Certainly with the cost of fuel on the increase buying a car that provides everything that one needs but is also economical is crucial today. In this article we offer the top ten tips on car finance so that you get the best deal possible when purchasing a new or used vehicle.
Tip 1 Set a Budget Once you have decided just how much you are willing to spend on your dream vehicle then you need to make sure that you stick with it. It is important when setting your budget you make a list of the features that you want your car to have. Do you want one with a large boot? Do you want one that provides ample room for all the family to be seated in it comfortably and safely? Are you after a diesel petrol or a hybrid car?
Tip 2 Do Some Research The internet is the best place to look for information on the kinds of cars you are considering buying including what sort of price you can expect to pay for them. This information can also be found in magazines but by going online you can do it for free and it can all be done in the comfort of your own home. As you do carry out your research look for information relating to any manufacturers recalls on a vehicle. Plus check out when certain tasks need to be carried out such as the changing of the cam belt as this can prove to be a very expensive repair.
Tip 3 Speak to Friends If your friends or someone else you know has the car that you are considering buying then ask them for their opinion on it. Ask them not just how well it does in relation to fuel consumption but how reliable the car is also.
Tip 4 Compare The Prices Along with looking through local newspapers search online so that you can compare the prices of the cars you are interested in. If you are going to be purchasing a used car then avoid those which have high mileage on the clock as they tend to need a lot more time being spent on maintaining them. Plus if the vehicle is no longer in production then it may well prove difficult to get replacement parts for it. Another way of comparing prices if you have time is to spend time going around a few local car dealers close to where you live.
Tip 5 Getting Your Car Finance Arranged It is important that you spend time checking out several different sources for obtaining the finance you need to purchase your car. If you are purchasing a brand new vehicle it is not always ideal to go with the financing that the dealer can offer sometimes through arranging your own you can actually haggle with them to get the price you actually pay for the vehicle brought down.
Although you may look at several different places to obtain your financing for the car from it is important that you dont apply to them all as this will end up damaging your credit rating. A poor credit rating and you may well find that you cannot get the sum of money you want in order to purchase the car of your dreams.
Tip 6 Take The Car for a Test Drive Although you may think you dont need to it is sensible to take the car you are considering purchasing whether brand new or used for at least a 20 minute test drive. This way you can not only be sure that you will feel comfortable when driving it but will also be able to handle it as well. Plus it gives you a chance to see if there are any problems especially with used cars that may well end up costing you more to get repaired in the future.
However before you take it for a test drive then get the bonnet up and check the engine when cold. It is also crucial that you test drive the car from cold as this will help you to clearly identify any future mechanical issues. Plus after testing it and you have returned to the starting point make sure that you test that all components within the car such as electric windows heated seats radio etc. are working.
Tip 7 Buying a Car Online If you intend to purchase a car through an online auction site then make sure that you ask the seller for as much information on the vehicle as you possibly. If they state they have a complete service history then ask them to provide you with proof of such. Most will be able to email or fax the information that you want to you. Also carry out some research into the seller also. Look closely at the feedback they have received previously.
Tip 8 Warranties If you are purchasing a new or used vehicle from a dealer then see what warranties it comes with. It is crucial that you actually look at the documentation relating to the warranty so you know exactly what and what isnt covered under it.
If you are buying a used car and the dealer offers just a basic warranty package for the vehicle see if for paying a little more that they can upgrade it to something a little more substantial. Although you may have to pay an extra few dollars for such it may well save you money in the future.
Tip 9 Getting Everything Documented It is crucial when buying any car that you get everything put in writing in relation to the warranty agreement and any work that needs to be carried out prior to you getting the keys. Otherwise if you dont you wont have any recourse should you find that what was meant to be done hasnt been.
Tip 10 Getting The Keys The majority of modern cars today will come with central locking that is operated by an electronic remote control or key. When you finally do take possession of your vehicle then make sure that you get both sets of keys for it. Remember to keep the second set safe and secure at home.
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Adflyer is a free classifieds and shopping website aimed at both the general public and business users to promote sales within the UK initially.
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Toddler Car Seat Covers
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About the writer: Peta Harrison is a Fulltime writer http://www.customcovers.com with extensive experience in journalism and also worked as a freelance journalist. His articles appeared in the Business Political Observer. He has also worked for 3 years as a Senior CorrespondentSenior SubEditor with a prominent Economic English daily being published from USA. Feel Free to Visit http://www.customcovers.com if you required any suggestion on your vehicles protection.