Leasing a car for personal use is becoming quite popular these days. It actually saves an individual from taking the hassle of owning a particular car, maintaining it for it estimated life cycle and then trying to get rid of it at a value which they perceive to be an ideal resale value of their car. There might be situations or circumstances that the price that an individual may be getting for selling their car would be lower than what they would have expected or assumed. There is always this risk factor which is involved when it comes to dealing for your own car. More...

In the recent times, because of the global economic meltdown, there has been a wide spread decrease in the income levels of the individuals world over. Most of the companies no matter how large or small in size are resorting to measures to decrease their operational costs, stalling their future investment plans and strategizing to come up with solutions, by adopting which they can run the business of their respective companies in cost effective way. There have been slews of cost cutting measures which have been initiated, not just limited to the ones cited earlier but also going to the extent of downsizing their manpower strength to make their businesses operationally viable. More...

Audi cars are one of the most preferred travel partners for people across the globe. The German car manufacturer “Audi” is famous for producing one of the best technologically sound cars, which are an epitome of luxury setting benchmarks in the field of safety standards. With every new model that the company comes up with, ‘Audi’ has been credited with raising the bar in terms of customer offerings and an over all package, which are quite difficult for other competitors to match.

Every model is equipped with latest technology innovations and constant up gradations and enhancements are carried out to make the earlier released models, more attractive to the prospective buyers. The German car maker is also very famous for the strong build quality that each and every car of theirs has. All the Audi cars have immaculate styling and comfort for the travellers is assured with top of the line luxury offerings keeping in mind each and every requirement that the traveller might have from the car. More...

In news that will surprise almost nobody, Audi has announced that it will be swapping the S5’s 4.2L V8 engine in favour of a lighter, almost as powerful, and much more fuel-efficient supercharged V6. Just as it did with the S4 range. The charged six will pump out 245kWs and a healthy 440Nms, meaning that only the power figure has dropped - down 15kWs - so Audi fans needn’t worry about performance.

It’s unlikely that the 4.2L V8 will disappear from Audi specifications lists just yet, as there’s every chance a twin-turbo version could see duty in new iterations of the S6 and S8. Both of which are currently powered by a de-tuned version of Lamborghini’s 5.0L V10 and could benefit from the improved handling and fuel efficiency the V8 could potentially provide. More...

Drivers can save by up to 40% on fuel costs

A local vehicle leasing company has claimed that drivers could be cutting back on their fuel consumption by up to 40%.

BestCarFinder have issued a list of small changes that can have a big impact for people looking to combat rising fuel costs and the credit crunch. The tips are all simple measures that drivers can implement to reap the benefits in the long term and include:

• Aggressive braking increases toxic emissions by more than five times and fuel consumption by as much as 40%. The best way to drive is to accelerate slowly and smoothly, then get into a high gear as quickly as possible. In city driving, nearly 50% of the energy needed to power your car goes to acceleration.
• Increasing your motorway cruising speed from 55mph to 75mph can raise fuel consumption as much as 20%. You can improve your gas mileage 10 - 15% by driving at 55mph rather than 65mph.

• Choose the right gear. Change up through the gears and into top gear as soon as possible without accelerating harder than necessary. Driving in a gear lower than you need wastes fuel; so does letting the engine labour in top gear on hills and corners.
• Under-inflated tyres can cause fuel consumption to increase by as much as 6%. Check tyre pressure at least once a month, when the tyres are 'cold' (i.e. when the vehicle has not been driven for at least three hours or for more than 2 miles)
• Using a vehicle’s air conditioner on a hot summer day can increase fuel consumption as much as 10% in city driving – so use it sparingly. If it’s cool enough, use the flow-through ventilation on your car instead of the air conditioner. At low speeds, opening the window will also save reduce fuel consumption by reducing A/C use. At higher speeds however, using the A/C may be more efficient than the wind resistance from open windows and sunroof.
• Choose the octane fuel which best suits your car. Premium, high-octane fuels aren't necessarily the best choice for your car; higher price doesn't guarantee better performance. In fact, such fuels don't provide any greater fuel efficiency. Many cars are designed to use regular low-octane fuel. Check your owner's manual to see what your car requires.
• Remove bicycle and ski racks when not in use. Excess weight also uses more fuel. Remove unnecessary items from inside the vehicle, trunk or truck bed. An extra 100lbs (48 kg) of weight can increase your fuel bill by 2%.
• Dirty air filters can also cause your engine to run at less than peak efficiency. Regular visual checks of the air filter will tell you if it needs replacing and your owner's manual will also recommend appropriate replacement intervals. Clogged filters can cause up to a 10% increase in fuel consumption.

A Spokesperson said:

“The news at the moment is full of the rising fuel costs. Several supermarkets have recently dropped their prices– costs are still at their highest for some time.

“However, people still need to use their cars and fortunately, there are lots that can be done to help people cut back on fuel consumption.

“By following our tips, people will be able to make a real difference to their weekly petrol bill.”

Consumer research firm Strategic Vision's Total Value Index is a measuring tool that combines what consumers have to say about their vehicles with various ownership measures calculated by Strategic Vision. Variables incorporated into the index include a consumer's expected reliability, expected fuel economy, price paid, and expected resale value. The Value Index has determined consumers are looking for the best pricing along with quality cues that indicate a vehicle's long-term value.

In the Total Value Index for luxury SUVs, the Q7 managed to beat out such strong competitors as the Mercedes-Benz GL and ML models, the Lexus GX 470, and the BMW X5. Standard equipment, technical innovations, and affordability in class were all used as vehicle measuring points in the Total Value Index. More...

Channel 4 have a great review of the new Mercedes .... on their site - Here is some of their findings, but you can read the full review on the link below

Overview

Facelift is too strong a word for the revised Mercedes M-Class. The big 4x4 is making do with the mildest of aesthetic revisions and a minor tweak for the V6 diesel models.

The biggest change is that the Sport trim has been set further apart from the SE trim, with more aggressive styling and huge 20" wheels, plenty of shiny metal work and a razor-effect front grille.

Four engines carry over, a 187bhp and 221bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel, a 302bhp twin turbo V8 diesel and two petrol's, a 5.5-litre and 6.2-litre V8. The old 3.5-litre V6 has been dropped.

Equipment increase across the range, but so does the price. The SE is now £250 more expensive while the Sport trim rockets by £2,500, but Mercedes says this more than covers the cost of the new kit.

The big ML news comes next year with the arrival of Mercedes' all-new hybrid power train, but for now is this 'facelift' enough in a struggling segment to take the battle to the BMW X5? More...

At Best Car we always try to be the first to provide industry changing deals, and this week we have done just that!  To help businesses who are suffering with this 'supposed' credit crunch, we are putting out these great headline deals which should perk up those credit crunch blues

First up...

How about a fantastic Audi A4 2.0 TDI 143 SE 4dr on a 24 Month Contract with 10,000 miles p/a FOR JUST £197.34 a month

Next... More...

BMW is back with another rendition of its ActiveHybrid system—this time in its flagship 7-series—with the world debut of the BMW Concept 7-series ActiveHybrid in October at the 2008 Paris auto show.

The automaker pairs the car’s twin-turbo, direction-injection, 4.4-liter V-8 engine with an electric drive for what is known as a mild hybrid—meaning the car cannot operate on electricity alone. Rather, the electric motors reduce fuel consumption and emissions—BMW claims by 15 percent—through such means as an automatic start-stop function that turns the vehicle off when it otherwise would be idling.

The idea is to make the car more efficient without compromising performance. The conventional version of the new 2009 7-series with the V-8 offers 400 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque and BMW says that is not diminished—in fact, the 20-hp electric motor will boost acceleration. Combining the two powertrains should produce about 415 hp and 605 lb-ft of torque, we are told. Channeling the power is an eight-speed automatic transmission. More...

Porsche has continued its tradition of only implementing minimal changes to the styling of its iconic 911 range for the current model’s midlife facelift, but at the same time engineers have introduced a wide range of new technologies to keep the car up to date and competitive as the world's favourite luxury sports car.

Highlights of the update include all-new flat-six power units displacing 3.6 and 3.8-litres featuring direct-injection, and the option of the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) dual-clutch transmission, both of which inprove performance and fuel economy.

At the moment the only models in the 911 range to receive the updates are the Carrera and Carrera S, both available in either coupe or cabriolet body styles. Updates for the other models, including the 911 Turbo, 911 GT3, and 911 GT3 RS , as well as the respective 911 Targa models, will come in the near future. More...