super cars of 2010

Today is officially the last day of 2010, which means it is that time of year again when people tend to rank things. Naturally, there would be lists for best songs, best movies, best youtube clips, best clothing, best gadgets and just about any other "best" list you can think of. So, to commemorate this tradition, I shall make a list of the four most desirable cars of this year. Ranking these four cars was no easy task because of just how similar they were in almost every aspect. All of these cars are easily over the $150,000 mark and some nearing the quarter million price tag. These super cars accelerate from 0 to 60 mph faster than you can introduce yourself and they turn more heads than Olivia Wilde in a swimsuit. At the end of the day though, you realize that it is not very peculiar for these cars to do things other types of cars cannot dream of doing. For these exotics, their engineers had one thing in mind. To exceed expectation.

FOUR: Porsche 911 GT2 RS

Price: $245,000
Top track Speed 205 mph
Acceleration 0 to 60: 3.4 seconds
620 hp

I know this looks just like any other 911 model with the exception of the huge spoiler and air intake, but this car is so much more than you'd expect from other 911's. Porsche says this is their fastest ever production vehicle and that alone is an amazing feat. That's because Porsche is already well-known for their superior handling on the track, speed in the straights, and just sheer excitement in the driving experience. This is also the fastest car on this list but the reason this is not first is because speed alone is not what makes a car desirable. 

Sure this car is can go around the track very quickly, but it is just not as balanced as other super cars. The engine is in the back, so the car can very easily flip around back first due to the faulty engineering. Another thing is the way it looks. Ever since the first Porsche, not much has changed on the exterior and I guess that can be both good and bad. Some people like it, others do not. But the thing I have most trouble grasping about this car is the fact that it just looks way too similar to the base 911 Carrera, which costs almost $170,000 less. If a person buys a super car, they want it to be recognized as a super car, not to be mistaken for inferior specimen.

THREE: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

Price: $183,000
Top Track Speed: 197 mph
Acceleration 0 to 60: 3.7 seconds
563 hp

The SLS can be considered a lucky child with amazing parents. Its gull wing doors and distinctive looks were directly inherited from the 1954 Mercedes 300SL, a revolutionary car of its time. Although those features were seen more than 50 years ago, this super car can still be considered one good looking machine. However, the doors seem to be a hazard if there be a rollover, but seeing how low to the ground this car is, that seems unlikely. The SLS is supposedly mid engined, which means it handles better than its front and rear engined counterparts. From the looks of its proportions, the engine is probably directly in front of the driver and the rest of the hood is empty space. But who cares? It's so nice.

This car is amazingly fast considering the stats and a very desirable car overall.  The only reason this car is not the best is because the looks just don't seem as revolutionary as it did on the 300SL. IMHO, this car is just not as handsome as its more futuristic looking rivals of the modern era. I just feel that the Mclaren SLR, predecessor of the SLS, was just too good to be beat in terms of looks, performance, and class. So no one can really blame the SLS for not being better than its older brother, can they?

TWO: Ferrari 458 Italia

Price: $245,000
Top Track Speed: 201 mph
Acceleration 0 to 60: 3.4 seconds
562 hp

This mid-engined beast of a machine is unmistakably a mighty Ferrari. In the past, Ferrari's have been known to take on the function over form mentality, where every component played a role in improving the engineering of the car, but focusing less on the way it looks. However, with the 458 Italia, you can see that every single detail contributes to its overwhelmingly elegant design as well as serving a purpose. The best part is that this is perhaps one of the fastest, best handling mid-entry Ferrari you can find, and one that is comparable to the flagship 599.

The reason I love Ferrari so much is the fact that they've been so dedicated to building such a great machine and staying true to their roots. Their super cars have passed the test of time and remains one of the best brands around. The reason why the 458 Italia beats out the other two super cars is the fact that there is a certain presence to it that the other two do not have. There is so much history to this car that makes the symbol on the Ferrari grille unmistakably majestic.

BEST: Audi R8 V10

Price: $147,500
Top Track Speed: 196 mph
Acceleration 0 to 60: 3.7 seconds
525 hp

This is Audi's first entry into the super car world and surprisingly, the R8 is one of the best in the industry. From the last decade up until the first half of this decade, Audi has struggled to keep themselves relevant as a company in the competitive automotive world. It is actually the launch of this car that jump started a complete turn around of Audi that made them one of the leading companies in 2010 and for many years to come. The reason why the R8 is first on this list is not only its magnificent technological success, but the fact that it had the ability to singlehandedly bring about so much success to a dying company. That alone has earned my respect. The R8's LED daytime running lights and many other technological advances has traveled their way down to the entire Audi lineup, so any new Audi has a little piece of this engineered perfection.

So, this car has great symbolic meaning, but what makes it so good as a car? Well, the V10 model of the R8 contains a Lamborghini engine within its light aluminium frame. Like the Ferrari, the engine is in the middle, which creates a great balancing, good handling car. It is also one of the few super cars that you can drive everyday. It has a trunk for groceries and it has a suspension that actually works to make the ride more comfortable (who would have thought of that??). Yes, super cars are known to be uncomfortable. But who am I kidding? The best part is not any of those things. What makes this car so desirable has to be the way it looks. I mean, if you saw this car driving down the street, could you resist staring? I wouldn't.

The bottom line is, if I had an extra quarter million dollars in my bank account, and I wanted to buy a super car, the Audi R8 V10 is the one for me. There is no doubt that the other three cars are very, very good, but none of them combines the usability, beauty, glamour, and speed as well as our winner. Thank you for reading folks. If there are any cars not on this list that you would like to be mentioned, feel free to comment. All questions, suggestions, comments are welcome.

Have a happy new year everyone!

why? because the earth is melting.

OK you got me, the earth is not going to melt... but the polar ice caps might. Reading a New York Times article today about global warming made me think of all the horrible things that could happen if we, the human race, do not begin to change the way we live on this planet. But don't take this the wrong way. This post will not consist of me bashing everyone who does not hug trees or don't drive Toyota Prius' (which isn't actually very eco-friendly), but it is rather a discussion about what else is really out there. And which of those are actually practical alternatives to burning fossil fuels for our cars? 

Yes, I do love big SUVs as much as the next guy, along with gas guzzling high-luxury sedans and of course my personal favorite, voraciously hungry super cars. Nonetheless, as scholarly men and women, we must be open to new ideas, because that's what scholarly people do. Now, I understand there are many alternatives already in the market, such as the aforementioned hybrid Prius, or natural gas vehicles like the Honda Civic GX, or fully electric like the Nissan Leaf. So why are 98% of Americans still using regular gasoline engines? 

Here, we'll go over a few alternatives and what they're about.

Battery-electric

On paper, hybrids like the Prius are great: >50 miles to the gallon, zero smog and carbon dioxide emissions, and even a solar panel that helps conserve the car's electricity when parked. Everything an environmentalist can ask for, right? Wrong. A hybrid, in actuality, is a contradiction on wheels. Apparently, as I am told, the amount of energy it takes and the amount of toxic waste emitted while making this car is so tremendous, you are better off buying a 1 mpg Hummer. Surprisingly, this is not the reason why hybrids are not as popular as regular gasoline cars. It is because some designers of hybrids think that just because you want a high mpg car, you also want an ugly one. Look at this.

Electric

Now, I do like the idea of an electric car. It sounds so futuristic and who knows, maybe all cars will be electric one day. What is great is that it uses absolutely no gasoline, which means good for the environment and your wallet. I've read that it does not even increase your electric bills very much and best of all, you'll feel so awesome knowing that you are driving a ridiculously cool car. Downsides? Unfortunately, there are some. Gas engines refill in about 2 to 3 minutes. Electric cars charge for 6-8 hours, only to be in need of another charge after a few drives. For me however, a bigger downside is the fact that electric cars just don't make enough grunt. When I step on that gas pedal, I want the car to respond with a "rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" sound, you know what I mean? I could go on about the cons, but it's just easier to say that I would not buy one before a huge revolutionary improvement in electric cars is implemented.

And last but not least...

Natural Gas
No, natural gas is not the thing you get after eating a burrito. It is actually an inexpensive gas consisting of saturated hydrocarbons such as methane or ethane. I see so much potential here because it is a renewable resource that is just so abundant in many parts of the world. There are some inconveniences though, which prevent it from achieving worldwide domination. Nonetheless, natural gas vehicles (NGV) are actually pretty popular nowadays. Though it is quite scary if you think about it. NGV's carry around an extremely compressed, high pressure tank to carry their fuel. Basically, if anything goes wrong, the car explodes. No biggie though.

So, these are some of the more well known alternatives to the gasoline engine. We'll cover different ones at a later time, but if you have any comments, suggestions, questions... keep me in the loop! What is your take on helping the environment? And what do you think will be the main energy source for our cars in the future?
Just click the comment button down below.

automobile passion

A few weeks ago, if someone were to ask me what my favorite show was, it would be hard for me to say. There are just so many choices and so many different genres that make it hard to choose just one.

It would really depend on what mood I am in to watch things that make me laugh, cry, fear, ponder, etc. However, after stumbling upon a British show on BBC called Top Gear, that question is no longer open-ended. This show is basically about these guys who drive cars of all sorts ranging from a Dacia Sandero, which is pretty low end, to a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, which is absolutely breathtaking. The fun part is that they get to do these ridiculous challenges that really test the cars to their limits, as well as bringing about a fantastic adventure for the audience to enjoy. Top Gear does such a good job of combining all the elements of a great show by being funny and exciting, but having the nicest cars money could buy helps also.

If any of you reading this loves cars as much as I do, I am pretty sure you have heard of this show before. However, if you haven't, I highly recommend giving it a try. The episode that really caught my interest was actually the Bolivia Special, where they drove three off-road vehicles through a span of 1,000 miles across the country of Bolivia. What is awesome is the fact that as they drive through the thick rain forests, up the rocky mountains, across the murky waters, in my mind, I am there with them. But honestly, why is it that interesting? Well, to some people it is not, but ever since I was a boy, I dreamt of going on a untamed, uncontrolled, and downright dangerous adventure, just me, my car, and perhaps a couple of friends. Just the idea of being able to go anywhere I wanted and seeing things that few people have seen before is just so exciting. I think it is the idea of pushing ourselves and our cars to the limits that really appeals to me. Of course, we can't forget the part where we get all muddied up and smelly, because that only adds to the fun.  Sadly, not everyone can actually go out and do things like that, so we must resort to watching others do so. Hopefully, one day, I am able to go on that adventure. Watching the trials that those three cars had endured makes me want to buy a 4x4.