Identify your car body style

When buying a car one just looks at the price, Fuel efficiency, power, looks and the brand image. But cars have been infact divided in groups based on their designs by car gurus. Push Start!

1. Hatchback: The hatchback cars have a full door opening into the boot. Hatches can be either 3 door (two front and a hatch door) or 5 doors (four front and a hatch door). Hatchbacks need not only be small cars only as per the usual interpretation. Another concept called the nothcback is a car where the c box is less pronounced or less distinguished then the rest of the design cues on the car.

2. Convertible: If you haven't heard this word before it time you stepped off your computer and gushed in a breath of fresh outside air. A cabriolet is a car with folding roof. It can be hard-top or soft top depending on the configuration. Convertibles have also been synonymous with Fun to drive cars providing wind in your hair experience. Also known as Cabriolets.

3. Coupe: Take the car and remove 2 doors. Car gurus gave it a name rhyming with couple. Coupes are cars with only two doors. The car can be either 2 seater or 4 seater. I like it.  A roadster is just the wilder version of a coupe where the car has minimal wind protection and has two seats with only fun to drive as its target.

4. Crossover: A drastic example of what fashion designers can do to the world. Mixing two platoforms makes a crossover. Mostly a fusion of a sedan and crossover. The newer designs have evolved a lot and are appealing. Thank you art.

5. Fastback: I would want to merge it with hatchback but that would totally kill the essence of hatchbacks. A Fastback is a car where the roof merges into the tail. Movie buffs will certainly remember the 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback from Gone in sixty seconds.

6.  Station Wagon/ Estate:  You drive one of these. You are a Mother of two who needs lots of space for things that dont fit in the purse and for groceries. You drive one of these. An extended Hatchback with enough space to fit your labrador in there. Recent developments also cater to couples who love Biking and boating. Single might need these for those after party times.

7. Limousine: Ever hated those long cars blocking the streets while taking the turns? Those with belly so big they might pass off as a driving bridge? Car gurus names them Limousine. There's a this particular Indian ad for Mirinda where the statement goes 'stretched Limo hai.' All billionaires have one. Start saving.

8.  Minivan: Canada's favouraite vehicle and the only reason why Chrysler exists, the Minivan is the family hauler. Stuck between an estate and a UV. Boxy design, lots of space and bad driving dynamics sums this one up. It would be a sin to not mention the VW minivan and finish the write up on Minivan.

9. Sedan: The defacto car that we see everyday. A normal four door car with boot in the usual design. Needs the least description. Also known as saloon in many markets.

10. Supermini: No Dumb. It is not an antonym for Micromini. When the streets got crowded, car designers took the role as demi gods and created cars with smaller lengths liberating as much space as possible. Mostly hatchbacks in design, the superminis have given sedans a run for their money worldwide. Supermini Fiat 500 anyone?

11. UV: Short for Utility vehicles this kind of platforms include two vehicles. The SUV (sports Utes) for the well heeled and the MUV ( multi Utes) for the everyday populace. Also includes MPV's which are a fusion of Minivan's and MUv's.What began as a design reject example turned into a part of the earths life with many UV's going places where no other cars dare. off-roading is their ace in the pack skill. I want to take one to Mount Everest and then deep into the Mariana trench. If you still did not get it, go google for Mahindra Thar.

Personal Water Crafts (Because its safe, sexy and fun)

Driving has been one of the most favouraite sport amongst adrenaline junkies this side of alien killing. But while offering similar levels of fun (more if you push yourself to similar levels of risk) Riding a Personal Water Craft (PWC) is still not that commong yet. For those who have just been born a PWC is a recreational water vehicle which can be ridden on water in a standing or sitting position.

A crazy adrenaline junkie by the name of John Moffatt set a world record by travelling 11525 miles on a PWC in 2007(http://www.wikipedia.com/).

For those who really wish to know how Fun and adventurous it can be riding a PWC, Lake Havasu offers a feast for the eyes like no other place during IJSBA world event.

Personal watercrafts are also known by other names such as Water scooter, Waterbike, jet ski etc.

PWC's are made by a limited but reputed number of companies.

1. Kawasaki Jet Ski:

2. Yamaha WaveRunner:

3. HSR-Benelli:

4. Bombardier Sea-Doo:

5. Honda Aquatrax:

Ending the post with a video from ISJBA

Honda Jazz delivers

Got a Honda Jazz (Fit) recently and this is what came up on my last trip. A fuel efficiency of 21.2 kmpl is more than what I asked for. I am more than satisfied for going the Honda Way. :)

7 racing games because it is fun and safe.

It is always safe to not race on the road. And what better way to make it entertaining by getting to race on the videogame? Here are some of the best racing games you need to try.

1. Need for Speed Underground 2
Publisher- EA games
Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, GBA, DS, Mobile phone, PlayStation Portable.
Best parts: Lots of customization possible for a huge selection of cars which are unlocked as one passes higher levels

2.  Moto GP 09/10
Publisher: Capcom
Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Best parts: A career mode to let you continue playing years over years. Number of upgrades possible for the motorcycle (can be improved).

3. Midnight Club: Los Angeles
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable
Best Parts: Fluctuating traffic levels and free roaming possibility gives the game lots of adventure factor.

4. Colin Mcrae: Dirt 2
Publisher: Codemasters
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable
Best parts: Features Ken Block, Travis Pastrana, Tanner Foust, and Dave Mirra

5. SBK-08: Superbike World Championship
Publisher: Milestone S.R.L
Plaform: PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, PC
Best parts: features 21 official riders and the 12 official race tracks

6. Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony
Publisher: Rockstar North
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Best parts: ability to replay previously passed missions with scoring

7. Nascar 09
Publisher: EA Sports
Platform: PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox
Best part: Best video action at high speeds. Can you handle it?

Five stunts you can learn to do on your motorcycle

Based on my previous articles on motorcycles.

http://boyracer.blogspot.com/2010/04/twelve-scooters-to-spoil-your-choice.html

I have come up with another Article. Please do not try this at home and certainly not without proper safety gear and supervision. Proper helmet, jacket and shoes are a must.

PS: I wont be teaching you how to do the stunts as I dont want to be responsible for any injury or fatal accidents. There are numerous pages on the internet to learn stunts anyways. Happy and safe biking to all.

1. Wheelie: The most common of all stunts but not necessarily the easiest. Most rookies learn wheelies with their inability to control the clutch systems on their powerful bikes. Wheelies can be fun when under control and the front tyre can be airborne whenever you wish for however long you wish.

2. Stoppie: While an airborne Front tyre is defined as a Wheelie, an airborne rear tyre is defined as a stoppie. When the powerful front disc brakes are jammed, physics come into play and the bike lurches forward on the suspension bring the bike up in the air. This can be more dangerous than the wheelies and one needs good strength to hold the bike still with both hands holding the steering tight.

3. Skitching: Special boots with skid plates are needed for this one. Risk level also increases along with the wow factor. These special boots come fitted with metal bases which blow sparks on the road when a feet burnout is carried out.

4. Chainsaw/donuts Burnout: Risk level increases to a higher level. With the rider on the ground holding the bikes steering. The Rider Holds the front tyres grip and skidding the rear tyre with his leg as a radius creates a circle around him.

5. Jesus christ : This one makes you feel like god. With the bike at full speed you stand on the fuel tank with your hands spread out. One of the most dangerous stunt out there and should not be carried out on roads.(stern warning)

Please do not endanger the lives of those driving on the road or your own. Most other stunts are variations of these. I will finish off with a wonderful video for you

Five interesting automotive technologies

Twincharger: Those you drive a turbo charged car (mostly diesels) know how the power band lacks power below and above the turbo range. The same is the case with Supercharged engines. What started as an experiment with Lancia has caught on with various manufacturers trying the concept in various forms. The best implementation can be seen on the Volkswagen Golf MK6 and Scirocco. The 1.4 litre engine makes 170 Brake horses while producing 240nm of torque.

Mazda Renesis: The Wankel engine has a sketchy history. Invented by German engineer Felix Wankel for NSU ( Audi of today, owned by VW). After experiments by Rolls-Royce, Norton (motorcycles), Citroen and Mercedez-Benz the technology got at home at Mazda. Mazda has made complete use of this technology since implementation in the 1967 Cosmo. This pistonless engine has since found place in the heart of Mazda tuners due to the high brake horse power capacity produced from a small capacity engine. A 1300cc Renesis engine in the uber succesful Mazda Rx-7 produced 280 horses.

Ram Air-  The result of the intelligence of a genius ,Ram air intake is a simple concept where the blowing air on the vehicle is used to produce more power. Pioneering this technology is Kawasaki resulting in upto 20bhp more power on some motorcycles.

Ford SHO Yamaha: Many have succesfully used car engines to produce powerful motorcycles. But why would one use Motorcycle engines in Cars? Ask Ford and they will show you how Yamaha's high revving engines helped them bring SHO Taurus to life in late 90's. The SHO nameplate has been brought back by FORD on the Taurus line up in 2009.

Michelin Tweel : You invent the product of the century. Others start beating you at your own game. What do you do? 'Reinvent the wheel'. Micheling has just gone ahead and literally followed the saying. Michelin the tyres inventors have now come up with a new technology called Tweel. The tyre uses no air, and therefore cannot burst or become flat. Instead, the Tweel's hub connects to flexible polyurethane spokes which are used to support an outer rim and assume the shock-absorbing role of a traditional tyre's pneumatic properties.