Ford Fiesta

Despite recent requests from two of the two people that read this blog, I decided to take this one in a much different direction. By that I mean about $75,000 worth of difference, that is the very affordable, very comfortable, and extremely efficient, Ford Fiesta.





The Ford Fiesta is one of, if not my absolute favorite, affordable and small vehicles. Most things about it are wonderful; size, efficiency, comfort, cost, and just the overall everyday uses for this vehicle.

Lets start with size, practicality, and comfort.



The Ford Fiesta comes in a reasonably small hatch-back that comes in at a 160.1 inches long which is almost a foot shorter than its older brother the Ford Focus at 171.6 inches long. The Fiesta is also 3.3 inches less width wise than the Focus. Making it more compact but not drastically enough to the point of it being a completely useless hatch-back.






Practicality wise you can see that the Fiesta does indeed have a good amount of space being a small hatch-back at only 170.1 inches long.





I have sat in the drivers, passengers and rear seats of this vehicle, and I fit comfortably in all (despite being 6' 2").




Looks wise, I love it. The Ford Fiesta is a good looking car with a reasonable price tag and practical enough for everyday use. Ford has an option for a "Sport Appearance Package" with front, side, and rear skirts and a elongated spoiler. (Note: ignore the hideous graffic, and by graffic I mean cheap sticker, on the side of the Fiesta featured above). The interior center dash is simple, but doesn't look like the past Focus center dash which both looked and felt cheap.

The Ford Fiesta has much more capabilities than most drivers realize. The Fiesta, although lacking in the engine department (for now), has good handling and is just overall a good drive

And of course this is always an option for a Fiesta owner...




Ken Block's new Ford Fiesta Hybrid Function Hoon Vehicle (H.F.H.V.)  is equip for Gymkhana, Rallycross, and Stage Rally. The H.F.H.V. is equip for all three with easy interchangeable, well, everything.

Heres a video that shows the part changes between Gymkhana, Rallycross, and Stage Rally.



Also, watch Ken Block drive the H.F.H.V. in the new Gymkhana 4 video.




Also, for the few of you that read this blog, suggest it to your friends! Pass the link on! Much appreciated.

Sincerely,

The Advertising Cowboy

Nissan Juke

For those very few of you who actually read this blog that I write on almost a weekly basis, you probably know that all of the blogs thus far have been almost completely positive. So I figured it was about time to be an equal opportunity writer and provide a negative review on one car that I absolutely despise...the 2011 Nissan Juke.



Some reading this might think the same as I do and thing "Good God! What was the idiot designing this possibly thinking!" While others may say "Oh look at that cute little car!"

This vehicle is just God aweful in pretty much every single way I can think of, but as I do with the other vehicles I write about I will give this one the detail and description as I should.



The Nissan Juke is what Nissan calls a "mini-crossover", meaning clearly it is smaller than the normal crossover such as the Ford Edge, Nissan Murano, and Chevrolet Equinox. This can be clearly noticeable by the matchbox car look with the Juke gives off and the obnoxiously tiny doors. While I haven't sat inside a Nissan Juke I can only reasonably assume that due to the fact that the car is extremely small that I could not sit in it comfortable.



Aside from the most likely uncomfortable interior for people over the height of 4' 11", the interior is obnoxiously overdone. It is clear to me that Nissan tried very hard to make this car successful and give it a sporty edge. The use of the exterior paint center console and the exterior paint color on the interior door handles is simply disgusting. Aside from this, its just plain and boring, nothing that stands out, and nothing unique. The Navigation screen is about the size of a Tom Tom; personally if I am going to have a navigation system in my vehicle I would like it to be larger than one which I could take with me and use anywhere and in any vehicle.

The engine in this vehicle is about the only thing that could be considered "decent." The Nissan Juke features a 1.6L Direct Injection Gasoline Double Overhead Cam 16 valve Turbo Charged 5-cylinder Engine. Phew, that was a mouthful.



The Juke has 188bhp and does 0-60mph in 6.8 seconds with a top speed of 125mph. So I guess I could be said that this is indeed somewhat fast for a mini-crossover, but why do you need to get to 60mph in 6.8 seconds in a crossover, nonetheless, a Nissan Juke.

Looks wise this vehicle is absolutely hideous, it  looks like a matchbox car that was modeled after a bug.



Those sliver headlights, mounted on the hood and not the front bumper, then the over sized circle headlights AND smaller fog lights below. Wow. Headlight overload. It has the same "smile" shaped grill as its big brother, the Nissan Murano. However, the grill on the Murano looks incredibly better due to the fact that on the Murano the head lights are at the end of the grill, and the fog lights slightly below them. Besides the headlights, take a look below the license plate. There are three enormous ovals side by side, with no grill behind it or anything, just three holes. Idiotic. Maybe take some of the same material used to make the main grill and set it back behind those three ovals, OR JUST GET RID OF THEM! I just don't get it. There may be some reasoning for these that I don't know about, and frankly I don't care if this reason exists. Because I could think of about 1,001 different ways to make this concept look better.

Practicality of the Nissan Juke...non-existent.



I dont have anything else to say, this car was made by babies for babies. You could put your Ninja Turtle backpack in the trunk and nothing else, and that is with the seats down. But then you couldn't take your children to school because you cant drive it comfortably so it is up to your child to drive him or herself  and their brothers and sisters to elementary school safely. "Good Luck Jimmy! Make sure you lock it before going into your first day of 3rd grade!"



Overall, I would recommend this car to no one. In fact I would recommend if you own one to trade it in to the dealership and get something better. Buy the Murano or the Rogue, it may still be a Nissan, but at least it doesn't look like a toy you used to play with in your childhood. The Rogue keeps you on the smaller side and starts at only $2,000 more than the Juke. The Murano is a little bit pricier but it is WAY more practical.

BMW X6

The BMW X6, a crossover vehicle with BMW flare.

Basically, the BMW X6 is an X5 with a chop-top to give it a crossover look and more stylish and aerodynamics. 

The BMW X6 does a lot of things well, in my opinion; however, it also does some things not so well. 

First, it is comfortable, very comfortable. I am 6' 2" and I fit comfortably in the front and back of this vehicle. 

The seats are comfy, and although the top of the vehicle is significantly lower than the X5 I do not find my self hitting my head getting in, out, or moving around the car. 

Appearance wise, I like the X6, I think it took the less exciting X5 dropped the roof with some rear sloping and made a sportier X5 for those who want it. 

While the X6 looses a lot of space by doing this, we must keep in mind that the people purchasing this vehicle are aware of this fact. Visually the X5 and the X6 look similar, as they do use the same chassis. From the side of both of these vehicles a loss of space is evident, and what some do not realize is that an crossover vehicle is just that a CROSS OVER. It sits higher than a sedan for those who like a higher ride, and smaller than a SUV for those who do not like driving large SUV's because of various reasons. Not everyone needs to fit a large amount of extraneous items in their car every time they leave the house. This car is designed for them.

Engine is simply fantastic, the X6 uses a 3.0L DOHC engine with Twin Turbo's. It can function in manual and automatic transmission with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters.  The xDrive 35i model features 23mpg, 306bhp, and does 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds. Thats pretty darn fast. It tops out at just under 150 mph, while the X6 M version of this vehicle features an enormous 555bhp. Wow.

The BMW X6 xDrive35i starts at $58,900, which is indeed, quite pricey. And like most car companies this almost 60K doesn't include all the fun do-dads and knick-knacks. But if your in the market for a BMW already, than $60,000+ shouldn't be too much of a problem for you. While the Ford Edge has an MSRP of nearly half that of the BMW, it will not be a BMW. 

While the Ford Edge Sport (note: the italics as on the back of the vehicle ohhhhhh ahhhhhhh) is a good looking car and costs $20,000 less than the BMW X6 base trim it also lacks the quality german engineering we all know and love. 

Price wise I would go with the Ford Edge Sport as it still provides a  sporty, "edgy", crossover look for 2/3 the price and provides the same horsepower. 

However, if I was even in the market for a crossover in the first place, and I had $70,000 to spend, I would have to go with the X6. Its better quality, performs better despite the consistency in horse power, and you will feel less bad when you own an X6 and Ford releases a redesigned Edge the following year making yours look outdated. 

And frankly, this just looks fricken cool...

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport

I present to you, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport...

At first glance the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport appears to be no different than the Bugatti Veyron 16.4. Yet the Super Sport packs 199hp more than the regular 16.4. 

Here is the Super Sport engine 16 cylinders and 1,200bhp of pure magic.

In order to boost the original 16 cylinder engine from 1,001bhp to 1,200bhp Bugatti loaded this engine with four enlarged turbochargers and larger intercoolers. Bugatti also, due to the extreme possibilities in this vehicle, redesigned the chassis of the vehicle to help maintain stability at high speeds. Thanks Bugatti, we could do 267 mph comfortably without you. I couldn't phrase this any better than Bugatti themselves so I will leave it to them.

"Thanks to slightly raised main-spring-rate, stronger stiffer Anti-Roll-bars, and new shock absorbers with a complex architecture originally developed for racing cars. This gives noticeably more precise control of the wheels and the car as a whole. With lateral acceleration of up to 1.4 G and improved interaction between the tyres and the intelligent all-wheel drive system, the Super Sport offers perfect handling and even more powerful acceleration of 1.500 Newton metres on corner exits." (http://www.bugatti.com/en/super-sport/technology.html)

As we can see Bugatti redesigned a lot of this vehicle so you could drive at 267mph "comfortably."

Bugatti also redesigned the exterior, you find the differences!

Hopefully, unless you are making stuff up, you don't notice much of anything. However, Bugatti did put a good amount of exterior work into the Super Sport. They have gone through and fine-tuned the body to improve aerodynamics and help maintain "perfect balance in all situations" said Bugatti, and by this they mean at 267mph. The skin is made of completely carbon fiber to lighten the body immensely, and for a price you can expose the carbon underlay which actually looks quite nice. 

Although it can be reasonably assumed from the 1,200bhp, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport is the fastest production car available. It does 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds, thats bloody fast. The Super Sport has an immense amount of options and add on's to make it personalized enough that you can just about guarantee no other Super Sport will look the same as yours. That is assuming there are many other people in your are who can afford a $1.6 million dollar exotic sports car. 

While the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport holds the record for the world's fastest production car, it doesn't hold much else than that. While I will admit I wouldn't necessarily mind owning one, giving I had the money, it would not be my first choice. Far from it actually. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport has a lot to offer, yet it is missing a lot too. The Super Sport looks rather simple, while I don't want a car that looks like a concept I would like some flare. The Super Sport looks, well, simple. Yes, its sleek. Yes, it looks like a sports car. Yes, it does 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds. Yet, it has looked this way for over seven years. Other than the differences in the engine and body, the car has remained virtually the same. As a good friend recently put it "it's fast but it has no soul." I don't think I could put it any better, while the Bugatti is fast as ever, it simple feels empty. 

As a final parting gift I leave you with the rear end of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport with the spoiler extended. 

Definitely my favorite statistic about this vehicle, the spoiler alone provides the same amount of stoping power as a small hatch back. That doesn't even include the enormous disk brakes beneath those bright orange rims. 

Sorry Bugatti, I am still going to have to pick the Ferrari 458 Italia, not as fast, half the horse power, triple the soul. 

Ferrari 458 Italia

First and foremost I want to say that this review of the Ferrari 458 Italia is going to be 100% biased. I have been  in love with this beautiful peace of art since the first day I laid eyes on it. I was also a fan of the Ferrari F430, the 458 predecessor, and I think the 458 improves the F430 in quite literally every aspect. Here is a picture for those of you who aren't quite familiar with the 458 Italia, although you should be.



As you can see it truly is gorgeous, Ferrari has done extraordinary work on this car. Simply great in every aspect, all of which will be discussed.
First off, the Ferrari 458 Italia is a mid-rear engine mount, which features a mean 4.5L V8 engine. It has around 562bhp which is 79 more horse power than the previous 4.3L V8 483bhp F430 which the 458 Italia succeeded.



Design wise, the Ferrari 458 Italia is in my opinion not quite "revolutionary" but it utilizes many simple aspects of exotic sports cars which other car manufactures such as Lamborghini simply does not do. On the front end,  the Ferrari 458 Italia features two black winglets which produce more down force at high speeds. Also on the front end above the wheel wells are two vents which allow the build up of air within the wheel well to escape as opposed to being trapped and causing friction.



The rear end of the Ferrari 458 Italia remains very similar to that of its predecessor, as opposed to four exhaust pipes Ferrari cut it down to three. Ferrari also moved the exhaust to the center of the rear end as opposed to opposite ends of the bumper. Also Ferrari used the same round circle tail lights but removed the two inside tail lights which were truly unnecessary. Lastly Ferrari moved the rear grill next to the tail lights making room for the infamous Italian Stallion to sit dead center of the trunk lid.



 Ferrari has also managed to do something to fix what I absolutely despise on the Lamboghini Murcielago, the VACS Wings.



VACS stands for Variable Airflow Cooling System, this system is used to cool the enormous V12 which the Murcielago uses. However, these VACS have been designed with aerodynamics in mind, they are simply hideous. The wings emerge manually or automatically when the huge V12 needs to be cooled while driving the high speeds, and do not compromise the aerodynamics of the car. Yet in my opinion the wings make the Lamborghini look simple idiotic, and quite frankly is a deal breaker for me.



Ferrari managed to fix this problem with people like me in mind, you can see on the side of the vehicle behind the drivers side door there is a slight indent. This is the Ferrari 458 Italia VACS, it provides the same solution to the problem of a large engine overheating at highspeeds, and manages to remove the wings which could ruin a car.



As a final view of the Ferrari 458 Italia we can its gorgeous contours and the vibrant Ferrari red. This car is fantastic in every aspect, including paint color. A Ferrari in any color but red would be disrespectful. Now the only thing left to do to make sure this car is truly fantastic is to test drive it, that will be a little more challenging than writing a review.