Jay Leno's Garage

I know that Jay Leno is the host of NBC television's long-running talk show "The Tonight Show".

However, I didn't know that he's an avid collector of vehicles. He's actually more than a just a collector. He writes a regular column in the American automotive magazine - Popular Mechanics and he also restores classic cars. He has 84 cars. Yes! that's correct, 84 cars at last count plus 73 motorcycles.

Leno keeps his cars in his "Big Dog Garage" located in a Burbank industrial park, Southern California. It is spread across two low-slung buildings and covers about 17,000 square feet.

Check out footage of some rare cars and motorcycles owned by Jay Leno in the NBC site Jay Leno's Garage. The site also has some how-to videos for tweaking your car. Four new videos go up every week.

The latest includes a video of Jay’s Monteverdi High Speed 375, a how-to about stopping Corvettes from overheating from fan blockage, footage of Jay’s head mechanic working on the engine of his 1924 Ace Motorcycle and a video extra of the garage’s eco-friendly ultrasonic engine part cleaner.

The Hybrid Ecojet

Tags: jay leno nbc tonight show big dog garage

The fastest production cars

Vcars.co.uk has compiled a list of the top 10 fastest cars (production) ever.

You know what they say about boys and their cars - it's true. My mouth was literally salivating looking at the pictures.

On the top of the list is the Bugatti Veyron (2004), with a max speed of 252.2 MPH with 1001 BHP. That's out of the World.

At the bottom of the list is the McLaren Mercedes SLR (2005), with a maximum speed of
207 MPH and 626 BHP. Even though it is at the bottom of the list, you will need at least £190,000 to own this car.

For your information, BHP stands for Brake horsepower. It refers to "the measure of an engine's horsepower without the loss in power caused by the gearbox, generator, differential, water pump, and other auxiliary components." (Source: Wikipedia).

They are all beautiful super cars but my favourite has to the Porsche Carrera GT (2004). It has a maximum speed of 209 MPH. It has to be the most curvaceous among all the other cars. It's 5.7 liter V10 engine generates 605 horsepower and will not be out of place on the town roads as well as on the race tracks.

Unlike other super cars which are quite bare and austere, the Carrera GT comes with smooth leather seats, air conditioning (which I would require if I were driving in a hot and humid country like Malaysia. Other options includes a navigation system and Bose audio.

Check out the list and tell me which one is your favourite.

Fraud mail

See what I received in my e-mail yesterday:

The Bonanza Department
Toyota Car Promotions
55 Mark Lane
London England

This is to inform you that you have been selected for a jackpot Cash prize of £1,000,000.00. (One million Great British Pounds)and a brand new toyota car (Toyota Prius) This International March programs promotion is been released today in the London Uk.You can view our website to view your car (http://www.toyota.com/prius).

Description Of New Toyota Car to be Shipped to you.

New Toyota Car :......................Year 2007 Model
COLOUR OF CAR:.......................Metalic Colour
MODEL:...............................Toyota Prius 2.0i ES Manual
ENGINE TYPE:.........................1973cc 4-cylinder
POWER:...............................145bhp
TRANSMISSIONS:.....................Five-speed manual
FUEL:................................29.1mpg (combined)

The selection process was carried out through random selection in our computerized email selection system(ess) from a database of over 250,000email addresses drawn from all the continents of the world. This Toyota car Lottery is approved by the British Gaming Board and also Licensed by the The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR).This promotional car lottery is the tenth of its kind and we intend to sensitize the public.

To begin the processing of your prize you are to contact your claims officer through our accredited Prize Transfer agents as stated below:

Engr James Owen.
Email: jamesowens_toyota@yahoo.com
Phone Number: +447031904774,

When contacting him, please provide him with your secret pin code TY7448500 and your reference number 799BV90.You are also advised to provide him with the under listed information as soon as possible:

CLAIMS REQURIEMENTS:
1.Full name....................................................
2.Address.........................................................
3.Nationality.....................................................
4.Age..............................................................
5.Sex..............................................................
6.Occupation........................................................
7Phone/Fax...........................................................
8.Present Country......................................................

If you do not contact your claims agent within 7 working days of this notification, your winnings would be revoked. Winners are advised to keep their winning details/information from the public to avoid fraudulent claim (IMPORTANT) pending the claim by Winner.

Accept my hearty congratulations once again!

Regards,
Mrs Doris Cole
Lottery Manager.

Porsche bidding for Volkswagen

According to a report in the International Herald Tribune, Porsche, the German sports-car maker is going to make a takeover bid for Volkswagen, Europe's largest carmaker.

In order to do this Porsche will increase it's existing stake in Volkswagen to 31% from 27.3%, because German law requires a company to own more than 30% of shares before it can make a takeover bid.

Previously, the two companies had collaborated in the making of the VW Touareg and the Porsche Cayenne.

Read the full report here.

Tags: Porsche Volkswagen Porsche Cayenne VW Touareg

Small off-roaders improve safety

Last Friday, Euro NCAP released the test results for two new small off-roaders, the Land Rover Freelander 2 and the Suzuki Grand Vitara.

The Land Rover Freelander 2 achieved the maximum award of five stars for adult occupant protection. It is the first small off-roader to achieve such a result.

On the other hand, the Suzuki Grand Vitara achieved a reasonable four star score in adult occupant protection.

However, it did better than the Freelander 2 in pedestrian protection than, becoming only the third small off-roader to be awarded three stars. This is the highest pedestrian rating so far awarded in this category.

Summary of Results

Land Rover Freelander 2
Occupant Protection: 5 stars
Child Protection: 4 stars
Pedestrian Protection: 1 star

Suzuki Grand Vitara
Occupant Protection: 4 stars
Child Protection: 3 stars
Pedestrian Protection: 3 stars

Tags: Euro NCAP Land Rover Freelander 2 Suzuki Grand Vitara

Malaysian drivers

Another forwarded mail. Really funny.

Malaysian Drivers based on location.

1. One hand on wheel, one hand on horn: IPOH driver

2. One hand on wheel, one hand out the window with cigarette: KEPONG driver.

3. One hand on wheel, one finger out window, cutting across all lanes of traffic: DOWNTOWN KUALA LUMPUR driver.

4. One hand on wheel, one hand on parang (a type of knife), foot solidly on accelerator: JOHOR driver.

5. One hand on wheel, one hand on non-fat double decaf cappuccino, cradling cell phone, brick on accelerator, hands-free on the lap: BANGSAR driver.

6. Both hands on wheel, eyes shut, both feet on brake, quivering in terror: FOREIGNER, driving in MALAYSIA.

7. One hand on 12 oz. double shot latte, one knee on wheel, talking on cell phone, foot on brake, mind on radio game, banging head on steering wheel while stuck in traffic: SUBANG JAYA DRIVER.....on the Federal Highway!!!

8. One hand on wheel, one hand on passengers head rest, alternating between both feet being on the accelerator and both feet on brake, throwing rambutans or durian shells out the window: KARAK HIGHWAY ; KUANTAN driver.

9. Four-wheel drive pick-up truck, READY-TO-KILL attitude, rear window stickers read "Make my day", beer cans on floor, wedding ribbon still attached to antenna: CONSTRUCTION SITE....PUCHONG driver!

10.One hand on the handphone, another hand picking nose, One leg on the dash board, another leg crossed on the seat with a beer can in the middle ~ turning anywhere he likes, parking anywhere he likes, in fact, driving anywhere he likes. aaahhh..... this is a heaven for drivers......welcome to PENANG!

11. Two hands gripping tightly to the wheel, eyes glued to the windscreen, alternately stepping on the accelerator and brakes every 5 seconds. WOMAN DRIVERS ANYWHERE!

Honda's hydrogen powered car

Honda put their FCX Concept on display at the North American International Auto Show at Detroit. What made this concept different from others in the show was that the FCX was fully functional.Meaning that it was not something made out of clay or wood but something that could actually be driven.

This futuristic looking car has quite a low-floor and a short-nose body but still offers a comfortably large cabin. A car based on this concept and powered by a fuel cell will begin production in 2008 in Japan and the U.S.

Read their press release here.


Joe Brown of Popular Science, who test drove the prototype puts the acceleration at around "0-60 time at about seven seconds". Read the CNN report here.

Tags: concept fcx honda prototype

Car classifieds for charity

AutoCity101.com is a free car classifieds site offering both new and Used Cars For Sale.

You might ask, "So! There are a lot of free car classifieds websites out there, what's so unique about this site?"

Well! This website was started with a noble goal in mind. While other sites are out for the big green and monetary gain, this classifieds site aims to raise funds for the building of an orphanage network. The profits from this site will be used to develop this network that will begin in Mexico and one day expand worldwide. The orphanage in Mexico called Natalia's House, is scheduled to break ground later this year.

However, that's not all the site also has links to car reviews, gas prices in different parts of the US and Canada, as well as free pictures of cars that you can use as wallpaper for your desktop.

I am more than happy to spread the news of this nice cause.

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

Magnetic signs for your car

Having your business signs on the side of your or the company vehicle can be a cheap and effective way of advertising your business.

You have either the option of painting the signs, pasting it up or using Car Magnets. I personally favour the last option, because it is easier to change the signs. The customizable magnetic signs offered by BuildASign.com are easy to design using their online design tool - you can even upload your own images. They also promise to have your sign ready and shipped to you in 1 - 2 days (using their "Expedite" option). I really like the fact that they reduce the price per item as your order quantity increases and best of all, there are no artwork or setup charges.

The signs are not limited to businesses. It can be about real estate, political and other banners. Check out the site for more details.

Proton and VW deal

Yesterday there was a report in Forbes saying that German carmaker Volkswagen AG is "close to agreeing a deal to acquire Malaysia-based Proton Holdings Bhd".

However, according to the Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Proton is only talking to VW about a strategic alliance.

Read the full report in The Edge Daily report here.

Car seat cover site

One of the most important but neglected car accessories are the seats. I have seen cars heavily modified with neon lights under them and mufflers that looked like cannons but with the old boring factory installed seats.

Even if you don't want to change the seats you can change the overall look and feel by just changing the covers. Talking about seat covers, Seat Covers Unlimited specializes in high quality seat covers. The site has a list of seat covers for almost every make or model of car from Fords to BMW's. They also have seat covers for SUVs, vans and even trucks. Even if your vehicle make is not listed, don't worry. Accordign to the site you just have to call them at 1-888-410-5050 and they

"will let you know if we have a pattern for your year, make, and model or we'll search for a vehicle to obtain a pattern for you."

Seat Covers Unlimited has designs to suit the personality and style preferences of almost everybody. For example, if you fancy yourself as a hunter living in the jungle and want a tiger or leopard print car seat cover, they have it.

I was surprised when I checked out the prices - they are so reasonable. This is amazing because the products used are not any cheap cloth but durable upholstery style fabrics. For added comfort, a 3/8 inch foam backing is added to the seats.

For your information, their manufacturing plant is located in Mesa, Arizona.

The new Mazda 2

This story is a bit old but I decided to put it up anyway.


Mazda Motor Corporation launched the World premiere of the new European spec Mazda2 (known as the Mazda Demio in Japan) at the 77th annual Geneva International Motor Show.

It is available in 1.3-litre and MZR 1.5-litre petrol engines. According to sources, there’ll also be a 1.4 litre diesel engine in the near future.


The safety features include driver and front passenger airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Emergency Brake-force Distribution and Emergency Brake Assist.

Review of Nengun Performance

The following is a paid review of the Nengun Performance website. Nengun Performance is an online reseller of after market auto performance parts. According to the information provided on the site, the company was originally from Australia but currently operating directly from Japan since April 2000.

I assume that their tagline is "the wholesale performance parts supplier on the Internet." They claim that they are able to offer really low prices on the parts because they buy in bulk from the Japanese performance parts companies with which they have direct contact.

First impression. Looking at the design of the site, I have to admit that there is an overall amateurish feel to it. Maybe it has to do with the Color Scheme. The color scheme of the site doesn't really appeal to me. Probably due to the fact that I am not a fan of sites with black backgrounds. From my experience I have found out that clean designs with white backgrounds are best for e-commerce sites. Not very exciting but it's safer.


I noticed that they have different logos on different pages and it changes everytime you reload the page. If they are interested in building a brand identity, having a unique and uniform logo should be the first step. I liked this particular logo, which I have shown here.

Moving to more serious matters, E-commerce is all about trust and I have to say that going through the site doesn't really give me that feeling of security. The first thing I look for on every e-commerce site, are their security and privacy notices. Unfortunately, the Nengun Performance site doesn't have one.

The "About page" is also not detailed enough. There are no names or contact addresses. Customers like to know who they are dealing with. The fact that there are spelling mistakes on the page doesn't help either.

In their FAQ, it is mentioned that they accept the following payment methods:
· International Direct Deposit
· Australian Direct Deposit (Westpac) and
· Paypal

However, I noticed that they do accept credit cards too. It would really boost the customer's confidence if the company provides some short of assurance that all important information (such as credit card details) sent to this site, is encrypted and is protected against disclosure to third parties.

So what did I like about the site?

I was drooling just looking at some of the products. They have an impressive collection of parts of well known brands (includes HKS, Apexi, Greddy, Mugen, Spoon, TRD and Nismo)for customers to choose from. Some of my more knowledgeable friends confirm, the prices are indeed wholesale. They also have a photo album that visitors to the site can view even without registering.

However, the question remains whether customers would be impressed enough or trust them to buy their products online.

Aston Martin back in the hands of Britishers

A lot of Britishers will be happy today.

Ford Motor has agreed to sell controlling stake in Aston Martin, the luxury marque made famous by James Bond, to a U.K. led consortium headed by Dave Richards for £479 million (US$924 million). Read the official press release here. This is part of Ford's restructuring plan.

It's not totally in British hands, as the Consortium is backed by Kuwaiti investors, namely Investment Dar and Adeem Investment. Also Ford still retains a £40 million (US$77 million) stake (approx. 13% of its value) in the Warwickshire based company.

Related link:
- Aston Martin 'has great future'
- British Reclaim Aston Martin

Honda Civic forums

The Honda Civic was introduced to the US (and the World) by Honda Motor Co., Ltd. of Japan in July 1972. This first model was a 2 door coupe. They introduced the now famous Civic CVCC (Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion) in 1974. This particular model became famous for its fuel efficiency and low emissions.

The Honda Civic became renowned for it's reliability. Another reason (related to the first) the Honda Civic is so popular is it's resale value. The depreciation of this car is very low as compared to other brands in the similar category. Finally, it has become really popular for modification and customization and a community of owners and enthusiasts of modified Civics have developed.

How did I know all of this? Well, a lot of the info came from the Honda website, Wikipedia and honda civics forums. If you are owner of a Civic (any generations) or simply a fan, join Civicforums.com to read all about the latest updates of this great car and also to share ideas with like-minded people. This forum is the largest Honda Civic forums online. It is also a great place to go if you are planning to buy the car.

Going through the forum, I realise that they have categories for each and every type of Honda Civic generation right from the first to the latest (the 8th generation).

The generations are as follows:

- First generation (1973-1979)
- Second generation (1980-1983)
- Third generation (1984-1987)
- Fourth generation (1988-1991)
- Fifth generation (1992-1995)
- Sixth generation (1996-2000)
- Seventh generation (2001-2005)
- Eighth generation (2006 to present)

The forum has loads of pictures of this car too. Check them out here. You don't even need to be a member to view them.


The latest Honda Civic, The Civic Si coupe, debuted last year and has sold in record numbers and have received awards as well. It received the North American Car of the Year and Motor Trend Car of the Year awards for 2006. With fuel prices on the increase and prices of hybrids out of my reach, this fuel efficient car is my choice.

Mitsubishi unveils Outlander and Prototype-x

Mitsubishi finally unveils the Motors European market Outlander SUV and Prototype-X 77th Geneva International Motor Show. Read my previous post here.

The company is displaying a total of 10 exhibits (16 during the general public session) at the show which runs from March 6 through 18 at the Geneva Palexpo exhibition and conference complex. It opens to the general public on March 8.

So what's different about the European market Outlander?

For a start, the on-road SUV comes with a choice of three engines : 2.0-liter turbo-diesel, a 2.2-liter turbo-diesel and a 2.4-liter Mitsubishi Innovative Valve lift and timing Electronic Control (MIVEC). Mitsubishi Motors' own variable valve lift (VVL) system.

It has the split tailgate and auto-folding function for the second row seats and Hide&Seat™" retractable third row.

It also includes a new front grille with the 3-diamond logo mounted on a Mt Fuji-motif plinth (Mitsubishi brand design identity in the European market), as well as Euro-specific chassis tuning.

With the European launch, the Outlander is now on sale in all the world's major auto markets.

As for the Prototype-X concept. It is a design study for the new Lancer Evolution due to be launched during the 2007 fiscal year.

Mechanical features include, Mitsubishi's Super All-Wheel Control, the Vehicle dynamics system that integrates control of drive torque, braking, steering and suspension at all four wheels (S-AWC) built around a 4WD driveline; a new aluminum block MIVEC turbocharged engine mated to a high-performance six-speed automated manual transmission; and the use of aluminum in some body panels to reduce body weight.

Source of contaminated fuel

If you recall, I wrote a post on contaminated petrol in the UK on Friday, March 02. Well they have finally found out that there was indeed a contamination. It sounds stupid but silicon meant for diesel fuel was added into the unleaded petrol. This occurred in four tanks at a terminal in West Thurrock, east of London, owned by Dutch company Vopak. Harvest Energy shares the facilities with Greenergy, which supplies both Tesco and Morrisons. Asda buys fuel from Harvest Energy.

The problem arose because when the unleaded petrol containing silicon burned, it formed a thin layer of silicon-dioxide on the sensor, which controlled the fuel - air mix. I can see that the immediate result is an increase in the fuel prices overnight.

Latest Euro NCAP test results

Here are the latest Euro NCAP test results of five cars: the Fiat Bravo, the Honda CR-V, the Honda Legend, the Mitsubishi Outlander and the Toyota Corolla.


SMALL FAMILY

Fiat Bravo
Occupant Protection: 5 stars
Child Protection: 3 stars
Pedestrian Protection: 2 stars


Toyota Corolla
Occupant Protection: 5 stars
Child Protection: 4 stars
Pedestrian Protection: 3 stars

SMALL OFF-ROADER

Honda CR-V
Occupant Protection: 4 stars
Child Protection: 4 stars
Pedestrian Protection: 2 stars

Mitsubishi Outlander
Occupant Protection: 4 stars
Child Protection: 3 stars
Pedestrian Protection: 2 stars

EXECUTIVE

Honda Legend
Occupant Protection: 5 stars
Child Protection: 4 stars
Pedestrian Protection: 3 stars

Tags: Euro NCAP Safety Tests

Petrol contamination in UK

Surprised to hear over the news today that contaminated fuel has affected thousands of cars in the UK - mostly in London and parts of east and south-east England.

Most of the blame has been directed at supermarkets that sell petrol. Both Tesco and Morrisons have said that their tests indicate that there is nothing wrong with their oil.

Of course it's the oil. Hundreds of drivers cannot be lying?

Asda also reported that they received several complaints.

It seems that most of the vehicles affected are those from the higher end with fuel management systems. These high tech equipment compose of sensors that are attached to the exhaust and they determine the oxygen and petrol mix supplied to the engine.

Most of the complainants say that their cars suffered from power loss and misfiring.

Several workshops have run out of replacement parts and costs range from a few hundred pounds and more than £1000 for a few.

I filled up at Tesco last week and fortunately our car is OK.

Tags: Asds Morrison Petrol Tesco