Sports Cars 2008-2009

Sports Cars Articles : Brooke Double R: sports car that looks like a racer   by John Hartley

Sneaking into the group of small but incredibly fast sports cars is the Brooke Double R. It was launched a while ago, but has been updated and improved by a couple of experienced engineers, and this lovely and tiny car is now in production. You get tremendous acceleration and cornering for your money.

Performance is sensational, and depends how much power you want. The most powerful Brooke Double R - 300 bhp - has a claimed 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds, while 260 bhp will get you to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds, and all the excitement that goes with that performance. To match it you will need a Noble M400 or Porsche 911 Turbo.

Clearly, the Brooke Double R is a real firecracker. The fact that the top speed is only about 155 mph - the same speed that many a supercar is limited to electronically - is not what it’s about. It is acceleration, braking and cornering that gives the real thrill of driving fast, and you will get it here.

Most of these open wheelers have front engines, but the Brooke Double R has a mid-mounted 2.3 liter Cosworth Ford engine, which develops 190, 260 or 300 bhp according to your choice. It is just like a mini version of a mid-engined racing car, just made a bit wider to get two people in.

Optimum weight distribution

To get near ideal weight distribution, the engine is mounted fore and aft instead of crosswise. With the engine mounted across the frame in unit with its transaxle, you get at bit too much weight at the back. On the other hand, with the engine in front of the transaxle, you get better weight distribution and a slimmer body - which is what the guys that designed the Brook Double R wanted.

Five-speed transaxle

To make this work, they had to find a good transaxle at a realistic price. Brooke has opted for a Renault five-speed unit, as a six-speeder would have cost a lot more. You might think a six-speed box was obligatory these days, but this is not the case for road use. With five well-chosen ratios you can get the same performance as with six-speeds, which often have too high gearing on the top two or even three ratios.

The car is clothed in an elegant and simple body with a tiny wraparound windshield, and cycle-type fenders - it looks just like a racing car for the sixties. The headlamps are concealed, and you raise them up manually. All nice and simple.

Cockpit like a racer, too

The cockpit is also simplicity itself - absolutely not a frill in site! You sit behind a small Momo steering wheel, with a flattened bottom rim section, and a big rev-counter set in an instrument binnacle off to one side. The gear lever is on the opposite side to normal - like on those old racing cars - which is to the right on right-hand drive cars and vice versa.

There is a neat pedal box with floor mounted pedals - as on the best cars - and a simple moulded seat.

You can have either a very low windscreen, or a slightly taller one. Both are still low with no room for wipers - they are really wind deflectors which you look over. Choose the lower one, and you will want a helmet on at speeds over 75 mph, despite the twin headrests.

Cosworth-Ford up to 300 bhp

In choosing a Cosworth- Ford engine Brooke has gone for quality and ease of obtaining parts needed for servicing. Cosworth provides a range of tuned Ford engines, modified to give the necessary durability for the power output, and as they are four-cylinder in-line units they are compact.

The base model comes with 190 bhp, then you can go to 260 bhp at 7,500 rpm with 200 lb ft (271 lb ft) torque at 6,100 rpm, or you can go for all-out power with the 300 bhp unit.

Suspension and steering are on classic lines, with double wishbones front and rear, of airfoil section because they need to slip through the air, with aluminum alloy suspension uprights. Coil springs and adjustable dampers are fitted front and rear.

Buy a Brooke Double R with 190 bhp and you will spend about $50,000 (£27,995) but if you want a manic, likely-to-lose-your-licence 300 bhp version you will need to fork out around $70,000 (£36,995). It will help if you live where there is plenty of sunshine and not much rain!

John Hartley is editor of http://www.fast-autos.com, an online magazine devoted to fast cars and supercars. He has written from many of the world’s top auto magazines, and has written many books about cars and the auto industry, including ‘Suspension and Steering Q&A’ and ‘The Electronics Revolution in the Motor Industry’.

About the Author

Sports Car

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=402666

Sports Cars Articles : The Eagle Talon Base Model: A Sports Car for Special Buyers   by Correy Putton

Different drivers look for different cars. Some might look at speed while others for the power the car packs or how sturdy the structure is. There are numerous ways a person can choose his car.

In search of their perfect cars, they may have to spend a lot of time thinking about what to choose and spend their hard earned money on. While some may find their dream car sooner than later, there are those who take so much time and goes through different choices. In one of these searches, one may find the Eagle Talon. While the brand has been an underrated member of the Chrysler family since its inception in 1987, their Base model of the Talon has more than held on its own against other sports car with bigger names.

The car is suitable for first time buyers of sports car; it has the look and feel of a sports car even though its brand name may not be that famous. It possesses that aura that can turn heads as it passes by. It has that aggressive look common on all sports car out in our roads today. After all, how a car looks is one of the aspects buyers are looking for especially when opting to buy a sports car. Who would not want a flashy car when it comes to sports cars?

The Base model is not just all about looks though it has a decent acceleration with 140 horsepower coming from the 2.0 liter twin-cam four cylinder Chrysler engine which can generate torque of up to 130 lb/ft. It may not sound much but add to that the entire design of the car and the power of the engine can propel this car to a very fast speed.

Users have the choice of either a manual transmission or an automatic one. But users who opt to go for the manual transmission find it hard to master and may take some time to getting used to. So, the safest bet is to go for the automatic four speed transmission. While that may be the case, performance enthusiasts may still go for the manual transmission for the added thrill and excitement to the whole driving experience. The steering of this car is above par for it gives you an experiencing of racing with precision. Everything all adds up to the whole sports car feel that the car promises to give to its potential driver.

To achieve the full potential of the engine, the car is designed to have a low drag coefficient thereby increasing savings on fuel consumption and further enhance the full potential of the engine, making the car go even faster. Add to that the savings on service maintenance for the Eagle parts used in the entire automobile is of high quality. The performance of such parts is vital to the lifespan of the car, and we all know how important that is in the long run.

Added to the whole package of the car is its comfortable driver’s seat. It boasts of having a good side and back support to keep the driver comfortable even on long distance travels. It also gives the driver that tight feel common on performance racing cars. The tachometer and the speedometer are easily visible to the driver and the rest of the controls are conveniently located on the control panel right into the center of the console.

All in all, this Base model of the Eagle Talon gives the user the feel of driving a sports car. It comes with the looks and the performance to back it up.

About the Author

Correy Putton is a 28-year old bachelor from Pittsburgh, PA who has been around cars for the better part of his life. He now works online and writes all about his passion: cars. He is also a certified mechanic.

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=376792

Sports Cars Articles : Reasons To Rent A Luxury Exotic Sports Car   by Jon Arnold

Face it, you need some excitement in your life. You work hard so indulge yourself a little bit, it’s time to play hard too. It’s going to be a long year with a lot of business to get done, and now you need to reward yourself. But how?

Rent yourself an exotic sports car. No, really! It’s not as expensive as you might think. Maybe you’re just not quite in a position to go out and purchase that hot little European sports car that you’ve been looking at longingly since you were old enough to drive, but why not treat yourself to it for just a few days, maybe a week, maybe an entire week of vacation.

Or just maybe you have a new client coming into your office sometime in the near future and you need to impress them. You just want to go that extra mile with something they’re not expecting, and even if they don’t remember your sales pitch or your presentation, they are sure to remember that car you were driving when you picked them up at the airport.

Don’t be boring! Yes, a late model Toyota or Chevy, or even up to the next level of a Cadillac or Lincoln Town Car makes a statement, whether for business or pleasure, but make sure the statement you make has an exclamation point at the end of it - drive up in a Hummer, a BMW, a Jaguar, or maybe even a Porsche or a Lamborghini. Even your biggest business clients are likely to have never taken a ride in one of those babies.

On your next business or vacation trip, just try it. Rent a luxury or sports car instead. Many of the shops that rent these types of vehicles will be able to provide exactly what you are looking for, whether you are trying to impress your spouse, your significant other, or that very special business client where you need to make a great lasting impression. If they don’t have the vehicle that you have your heart set on, they are in this business, so can very likely refer you to a place that does have that vehicle.

Many of these shops understand that your rental of this luxury car or sports car is for a very special occasion, and can make arrangements to have flowers or a box of chocolates in the car when you are ready for it to make that iimpression.

Renting an exotic sports car is a good idea every now and then for a variety of reasons. Outside of the statement you are making for yourself, outside of maybe impressing your neighbors when they see that car parked in your driveway, outside of impressing that new business client, you are also rewarding yourself. It is amazing to find the amount of stress relief that renting a sports car can provide for many people. It makes them feel young again, especially if they lower the top on a convertible model and drive down the road with the sun shining and the breeze blowing through their hair.

Doing a sports car rental can be done at more places than you probably think. There are locations near most major airports that will do luxury car rentals and sports car rentals, and the pricing for your use of this 5 or 6-figure vehicle is probably less than you think.

Indulge yourself, you deserve it!

About the Author

Jon is a computer engineer who maintains web sites on a variety of topics based on his knowledge and experience. You can read more about luxury and exotic sports car rentals at his web site at http://www.sports-car-rental.com/

 Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=368820