by Michael | May 6, 2020 | Cool Stuff
Photo comparison between 500 KM and 43000 KM
In this post you will see how my Duster looks after an year and a half of usage. Today marks 1 year and six months since I first started my 2018 Dacia Duster. Right now I’m at 43.300 km and I’m very happy with my choice. I don’t have any mecanichal problems with the components that are shown in these pictures. Just want you to see how it looked at 500 KM and how they look after 43.000 km.
Left rear wheel mecanichal parts.
Exhaust, rear differential… Big difference?
The pictures above I just happened to have in my smartphone and were made a few days after I got the car, when I changed the tires from the factory with winter tires. Now here are some pictures with the engine.
I never cleaned it, never washed it and the last few weeks very dusty.
The brake pads are looking good, I think they will do another 30.000 km with easily.
On the other hand, I wish this problem with the sealing of the doors would be fixed. My model was made in October 2018 and the probem was not fixed by Dacia.
I think the rust will start to show in these places because of the constant contact of the door and the harder rubber part from the end of the sealing. Dacia should change the material to a softer rubber so the paint would not be scratched.
Besides these small isuess with the sealing of the doors, the car is running perfect, didn’t have any major problems, just a minor issue with the Ad-Blue system that you can read about in one of my posts.
by Michael | May 5, 2020 | News
Here are some important news from the auto industry for today
Mercedes goes big on the next EVs
Mercedes-Benz won’t build an electric hatchback, instead focusing on SUV or crossover EVs, said R&D boss Markus Schäfer. Its next EV, the EQA, has almost finished testing and is a compact SUV. Schäfer said: “We have to watch customer demand and, at the moment, SUVs and crossovers are the absolute favourites. Those are our first priorities.”
Source: Autocar UK
More car brands extend warranties
Vehicle manufacturers around the globe are doing what they can to ease the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to see most Australians working from home and, in many cases, confined to their homes except for ‘essential’ purposes.
That means many cars sitting around not being used while their new-vehicle warranty continues to count down, leading some car-makers to extend the warranty period of some vehicles in certain circumstances.This week, Volkswagen announced it would extend its new-vehicle warranties by three months worldwide – but only for vehicles produced in Europe, therefore excluding a range of models including the Amarok.
Source: Motoring AU
Nissan plans to switch focus to US, China, Japan and Australia
Nissan is planning to refocus its resources on succeeding in the United States, China, Japan and Australia under new radical plans to save the car-maker. According to insiders speaking to Reuters, the new plan — set to be announced on May 28 — will attempt to curb the aggressive expansion drive that its ousted leader Carlos Ghosn had set in motion.
Source: Motoring AU
2021 Audi Q4 e-tron Will Be the Cheapest Electric Audi
The Q4 e-tron was initially previewed by a concept car (pictured) shown at the 2019 Geneva auto show. It will be the fourth electric Audi to come stateside but the first to use VW’s MEB architecture designed exclusively for electric vehicles. VW claims that the platform will host 27 different models sold by four brands by 2022. It’ll be powered by an electric motor on each axle backed by an 82.0-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Total output should be around 300 horsepower.
While the current e-tron delivers competitive real-world range, Audi needs to figure out how to boost its EPA figures or buyers may ignore the vehicles no matter how good they are to drive. The Q4 e-tron will compete against the likes of the BMW iNext, Jaguar I-Pace, Mercedes-Benz EQC, and Tesla Model Y.
Source: Car And Driver
Band of Children Somehow Steal 46 Cars Worth $1.1 Million
Since March 17, car dealerships in the Winston-Salem and Kernersville areas of North Carolina have been haunted by a string of break-ins that have resulted in the loss of dozens of vehicles reportedly worth a combined $1,138,718. Authorities believe to have identified the culprits behind the thefts, but are running into a series of troubles bringing them to justice–because the majority of the car thieves are underage, and even as young as nine years old.
Source: MSN News
Chinese EV manufacturer starts selling to Europe this summer
Byd Auto, the largest electric vehicle manufacturer in China and the second largest in the world (after Tesla), has announced that it will debut on the European market this year. The first country in which it will sell its models is Norway – the country with the most electricity demand on the continent. The first model that Byd Auto will sell here is a mid-class SUV called the Tang EV600. It boasts all-wheel drive and an electric range of 520 kilometers, calculated according to the NEDC standard. The manufacturer has not yet published the prices for Tang EV600 when it will debut commercially in Europe. The all-wheel drive version available in China has an 82.8 kWh battery that powers two electric motors, each with a power of 245 hp.
Source: Carscoops
Utah Cops Pull Over 5-Year Old Driving To California To Buy A Lamborghini
After arguing with his mother, the child managed to grab the keys to the family SUV, and left for California in order to buy a Lamborghini with just $3 in his pocket. Thankfully, a Utah Highway Patrol trooper spotted him on Interstate 15 and pulled him over. The vehicle was doing a little over 30 mph (48 km/h) at that time, which is suspiciously slow for an interstate. In the end, nobody was hurt and no property was believed to be damaged. However, the Weber County attorney’s office could still file charges against the parents if deemed appropriate.
People Bought More Trucks Than Passenger Cars In The U.S. Last Month
New data shows that pickup trucks have overtaken passenger cars in overall sales in the U.S. for the first time ever. According to Bloomberg, using sales statistics gathered by Autodata Corp., consumers went out and bought more than 186,000 pickup trucks in the U.S. last month versus just over 169,000 passenger cars in the same timeframe. That’s a noticeable 17,000 vehicle difference. The same data suggests that full-size trucks made up more than 40 percent of General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler’s sales in April.
UK New Vehicle Sales Fall To 1946 Post World War II Levels
New car sales in the UK were down by around 97 percent for the month of April, hitting the lowest level of any month since February of 1946. Back then, a few months after the end of World War II, only 4,044 new cars were sold in Britain, which was still undergoing rationing and trying to rebuild its infrastructure following the destruction. In comparison, last month’s figure stood at about 4,000 cars, with most new car sales being business fleet purchases.
Source: Carscoops
Renault Will Electrify Next-Gen Kadjar
Renault is set to replace the current Kadjar crossover (a model that is mechanically very similar to the Nissan Qashqai which is known as the Rouge in North America) with an all new model in 2021. And as it has done with the rest of its range, the French automaker has plans to offer the new Kadjar with a series of electrified powertrains.
Source: Insideev
by Michael | May 5, 2020 | News
Mercedes-Benz GLS 600 Maybach – Roll Royce Cullinan Opponent
https://www.netcarshow.com/
The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 4MATIC represents a new form of luxury in the SUV segment. It extends the portfolio of the Mercedes-Maybach brand by combining the body design and technical basis of the GLS with the luxury of a top-class sedan. Its spacious interior with the highest-grade materials and extremely effective noise insulation creates a stylish and luxurious atmosphere.
https://www.netcarshow.com/
The V8 engine with a displacement of four liters, which can develop 550 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque, is an engine variant developed exclusively for Maybach and moves the car discreetly and powerfully. The engine is combined with the 48-volt system EQ Boost. The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 4MATIC will enter the market in the second half of 2020.
https://www.netcarshow.com/
The new Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 4MATIC is driven exclusively by the powerful and discreet M 177 – a new, electrified variant of the V8 petrol engine with a displacement of 3982 cc, 48-volt on-board electrical system and integrated starter-alternator (ISG). ISG is responsible for hybrid functions such as EQ Boost or energy recovery, while allowing fuel savings that were previously reserved for high-voltage hybrid technology. As a result, the engine produces an output of 410 kW (558 hp) and 730 Nm of torque. An additional 250 Nm of torque and 16 kW/22 hp output are available temporarily via EQ Boost. Power is transmitted by the 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission.
https://www.netcarshow.com/
The standard appointments of the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 4MATIC are already decidedly luxurious. The two outer rear seats can be electronically converted into reclining seats. Padded areas and the dashboard are finished in fine Nappa leather, with a range of further cushions and leather interior linings available on request. An electronic panoramic sliding/tilting sunroof with an opaque roller blind is standard, as are heated and ventilated massaging seats. Available on special request, the fixed center console transforms the car into a spacious four-seater whose rear is just as suitable for working as it is for relaxing.
More Info and Pictures HERE!
by Michael | May 4, 2020 | News
Eighth Model of the Line-up
https://www.netcarshow.com/
This is the latest GLA from Mercedes- Benz. A compact but very powerful SUV. 4MATIC models have the Off-Road Engineering Package as standard, meaning an additional driving program, a downhill driving assist function and an off-road animation in the media display, in combination with MULTIBEAM LED headlamps, a special light function for better off-road driving in low light conditions.
https://www.netcarshow.com/
This sporty all-wheel drive configuration allows the driver to use the DYNAMIC SELECT switch to influence the characteristics of 4MATIC. Three characteristic maps are available to control the all-wheel drive clutch, though the system responds flexibly to the current driving situation in any mode. In regular driving operation, the drive program “Eco/Comfort” is based on an 80:20 distribution (front axle:rear axle), while in “Sport” it is 70:30. In off-road mode, the all-wheel drive clutch acts as an inter-axle differential lock, with the basic distribution a balanced 50:50.
https://www.netcarshow.com/
As the first model in its class to do so, the GLA features a car wash function With just one command, the exterior mirrors are folded in and the side windows and sliding roof closed. The information from the rain sensor is suppressed so that the windscreen wipers remain switched off in the car wash. The climate control switches to air-recirculation mode and, after a few seconds, the front image from the 360° camera (if fitted) is displayed in order to assist the driver when driving into the car wash.
https://www.netcarshow.com/
The new Mercedes-Benz GLA has over 16 cm more in height than the previous model, more headroom in the first row and offroad design like upright front section, short overhangs at the front and rear, and protective cladding all round.
More Pictures and Informations HERE!
by Michael | May 4, 2020 | Best of
You probably never heard of these models
When you think of, Mercedes, BMW, Audi or Toyota, you think of production series with houndreds of thousands of cars for every model. From various reasons, some of their models were made smaller numbers. Here is my top 10:
10. Mercedes-Benz: W188 (760 built, 1951-1958)
Source: https://www.autocar.co.uk/
The W188 was the most expensive Mercedes money could buy in the 1950s. 760 units were built between 1951 and 1958, including 314 coupes and 446 convertibles. Prince in 2020 ~ 700.000 Euro.
9. BMW: 507 (252 built, 1956-1959)
Source: https://www.autocar.co.uk/
BMW canceled the 507 after making 252 examples between 1956 and 1959. It then turned its attention to designing high-volume cars like the 700 and barely avoided running out of money. 453 examples of it were made, including 399 street-legal cars. Price in 2020 ~ $2.000.000.
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8. Ford: Durango (about 212 built, 1979-1982)
Source: https://www.autocar.co.uk/
Los Angeles-based National Coach Works converted it into a pickup by chopping off the back half and adding a tailgate before sending it back to Ford, which injected it into its sales network. It was sold by Ford dealerships in the United States and covered by the same warranty as a Fairmont. Price in 2020 ~ $.5000.
7. Citroën: Bijou (207 built, 1959-1964)
Source: https://www.autocar.co.uk/
The elegant Bijou is a true automotive oddball. Citroën developed it for (and manufactured it in) England using a platform that underpinned millions of cars for decades. The glassfibre body hid a frame, an air-cooled flat-twin engine and other components shared with the 2CV.
6. Toyota: BXD20 Mega Cruiser (149 built, 1996-2001)
Source: https://www.autocar.co.uk/
The Toyota Mega Cruiser is a large, heavy-duty four wheel drive vehicle introduced by Toyota in 1995. The largest 4WD ever built by Toyota, it resembles the Hummer H1, and like the Hummer, was designed primarily for military use with the Mega Cruiser seeing duty as infantry transport, a light prime mover for heavy mortars, and mobile Type 93 surface-to-air missiles in the Japan Self Defense Forces.
5. Fiat: 8V (114 built, 1952-1954)
Source: https://www.autocar.co.uk/
Nothing about this curvaceous GT suggests it was born under the same roof (and created by the same man: Dante Giacosa) as the Fiat 600. And yet, the Italian firm positioned the 8V at the very top of its range between 1952 and 1954. Its 2.0 V8 fell on the right side of Italian regulations that taxed large-displacement engines and put 104bhp under the driver’s right foot in its most basic state of tune.
4. Volvo: P1900 (67 built, 1956-1957)
Source: https://www.autocar.co.uk/
Volvo’s first sports car, the P1900, was so unsuccessful that we’re frankly surprised it wasn’t its last. Its development was commissioned by then-CEO Assar Gabrielsson (1891-1962) after he visited the United States in 1953 and noticed the rising popularity of glassfibre-bodied cars.
3. Lamborghini: Silhouette (54 built, 1976-1979)
Source: https://www.autocar.co.uk/
Italian design house Bertone helped Lamborghini transform the Urraco into the targa-topped Silhouette introduced in 1976. 54 units were built, a figure which makes it little more than a foot note in the company’s history, but it’s significant as the first open-top Lamborghini sold to the public. The Silhouette is consequently rarer than some of Lamborghini’s limited-edition models. Price in 2020 ~ $700.000.
2. Alfa Romeo: 33 Stradale (18 built, 1967-1969)
Source: https://www.autocar.co.uk/
The 33 Stradale introduced in 1967 took performance to an entirely new level, even for a company like Alfa Romeo that’s firmly rooted in racing. Closely related to the race-winning Tipo 33, it was one of the first supercars thanks in part to a 227bhp V8 engine that lowered its 0-60mph time to under 6 sec.
1. Saab: Sonett (6 built, 1955-1957)
Source: https://www.autocar.co.uk/
Saab engineer Rolf Mellde built the first Sonett in a barn. He wanted to create a light, simple sports car the Swedish company could race across Europe. Five additional examples were built before Saab canceled the project after new regulations allowed it to compete with a modified production car.
