India has an age old history in automobile industry. Since the first car was launched in the country, it has witnessed many advancements and innovations that have continuously changed the overall appearance of the industry in the global car market.

In the present scenario, Indian automobile landscape is showcasing a number of cars and other vehicles with a combination of technology and consumer-friendly price tags. It displays a variety of cars in different price segments ranging from a small car of Rs 1 lakh to a high-end luxury car worth Rs 5 crore. These cars with such a huge difference in price tags cater to different sections of the society.

The first and perhaps the most noteworthy example of the growing Indian car industry is the soon-to-be-launched Tata Nano. This homegrown frugal car is simply a small wonder. After the unique engine technology and price tag of Tata Nano, global car manufacturers have their eye on Indian engineers and technology. The car expected to hit in the festive season is a big threat to the small car segment in the global market.

Other than Nano, there are many other small wonders soon to be seen on Indian roads. First in line is the car manufacturing leader, Maruti Suzuki, who is all set to roll out its small car, Maruti-Suzuki A-Star. Then there is a car codenamed as ULC (ultra-low cost), proposed to be designed and produced by a joint venture between Bajaj Auto and the Renault-Nissan. Following the trend, Honda, Seil India, Hyundai Motors, Czech Skoda India, General Motors and even Toyota is planning to design an exclusive small car in the Indian car market. The trend of producing small cars with upmarket and innovative technology has itself paved a path for global car manufacturers to reach India.

The unique combination of innovations and technologies in Indian small cars has also redefined the concept of luxury cars in the country. As new technologies are banking on small cars, the differentiation line between small and luxury cars seems to fade away except the size and price. This compelled luxury car manufacturers to re-define the structure, body lines and interiors of all their car models so that a broad differentiation line always stay in between. The redefined luxury car segment is another aspect of the growing Indian car market.

Luxury car manufacturers like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Rolls Royce have introduced a number of luxury cars for sale in the Indian car market. They are still in process of rolling out more cars with better engine technology and futuristic features. With the increasing number of people showing their interest in luxury cars, these manufacturers are earning good revenues, compelling them to strengthen their footprints in India.

For those looking for sheer luxury on wheels a slew of launches will hit the Indian market. BMW will drive in its new 7 Series and its sportier M3, M5 and M6 followed by the sports utility range the BMW X6. Rolls Royce will roll out more number of Rolls Royce Phantom cars for sale whereas Porsche is ready to hit India with its exciting Porsche Cayenne GTS and the Porsche 911 new GT2. Few new Volkswagen cars, Mitsubishi cars, and Toyota cars are also on their way to India.

Experts believe that a wide assortment of options is available in India to suit different sections of people. The market is even more promising with low-cost production, highly skilled engineers and easy availability of car loans. All these factors along with the increasing number of cars on Indian roads, has become a strong reason for global car manufacturers to savour India.

Cars are among the most valuable investments made by different categories of people at different levels. Different level caters to various car segments and models available in the Indian car market. Whether it is a luxury Mercedes Benz car or a compact sedan Tata Indigo CS or Maruti 800 or BMW car, it requires proper care and maintenance to boost the durability, reliability and drivability of the car.

The most common problem encountered by all new and used car models especially when they become old is rusting. Car exteriors especially the doors, fenders and hood are made with steel, a metal that causes rust. Rust is a red or brown oxide coating formed on the metal when exposed to various external elements like sunlight, moisture, ozone, temperatures, stones, pebbles and rain acid.

Rust mainly invades through small scratches and nicks caused by stones, pebbles and rain water that intersperse the car through daily driving. If such scratches and nicks are left unnoticed, it will transform to rust in no time and once rusting starts, there is nothing that can stop that.

Rust is most commonly found in and around the car wheels and on the fenders because these are places mostly attacked by stones and pebbles kicked by the tyres. The hood of the car is also affected by falling stones, making it more prone to rusting. Apart from the car wheels and hood, the complete exterior body is also exposed to various external elements like sun radiations and deviating temperatures. These external elements greatly influence the shine and appeal of the car. If not maintained and protected, these also cause rust invasion.

Other rust-prone areas of the car are flooring under the driver’s and passenger’s seats, interior flooring under the mats and around the engine compartment.

Rust prevention is an integral aspect of car maintenance that adds years to the car life. Here are some rust preventing and protecting tips:

• If the paint chips or a scratch is seen on the car body, dab it immediately with a clear nail polish.

• The scratch can be removed using a touch up paint. Every car has a specific paint and the code is mentioned the door jam, in the glove box, in the trunk or under the carpet.

• Keep the car well washed and maintained.

• Let the car dry completely after washing.

• Do rust proofing. This is done by spraying a waxy paste on the body exteriors including the door, fenders, window edges and engine compartment.

• Clear all the drain holes in the floor and bottoms of the door.

• Clean grime present in the chips using a dampened rug and allow it to dry.

• Small dents can be fixed using paintless dent repair available in local car repair shops.

• Avoid parking in direct sunlight as it can damage the car surface.

• Wash the car at regular intervals especially the areas underneath.

• Use a cleaner that best suits the specific car model. Every model and every color have their own specifications. • Remove road grime and dirt from undercarriage of the car using a lawn sprinkle.

• Wash the carpet once a week well with rug shampoo to remove salt from the carpet fibers. Repeat the number of washing during monsoon.

It is truly said that “A Luxury becomes a Necessity when your Neighbor owns it”.  Think of the term Luxury Vehicle and image which flashes in the mind is Convertible, Sports Utility Vehicle, Crossover …which has an appeal to aging Baby Boomers and Nouveau riche alike.

Tracking the history of luxury cars of 1920 and 1930 Duesenberg, and Mercedes-Benz were the forerunners in the race. They projected a dashing image to their respective owners ( film and  music stars , kings and gangsters)  due to their distinctive style, impeccable craftsmanship, and strong performance. But they were too heavy to be a truly sports car. The Great Depression of 1930’s and Second World War cast almost a death spell on these luxury car segment. The post war period saw Ferrari quietly making the mark in this luxury car segment. Ford ‘Thuderbird’ , a two seater convertible was  compact in size yet truly a sports car.

Towards the end of the 20th century, young buyers shifted their preferences towards imported European and Japanese cars or sports utility vehicles. European marques like BMW and Mercedes, Japanese manufacturers like Lexus SC and Infiniti have made a niche in the market. Simultaneously, the very term ‘Luxury’ has undergone drastic metamorphosis. Features like air conditioning, cruise control, electric windows, remote keyless entry and even a power-sliding sunroof are considered as basic amenities necessary for basic models.

Fortunately, for the luxury car manufacturers, most of the American’s believe that small, compact yet nicely loaded cars do not make the style statement they are looking forward to.  A Limousine, would be perfect for any special need that one may have taking into  consideration the number of people who are going to ride in it. Mercedes, Lincoln, Cadillac are a few traditional luxury sedans. But, for the truly fabulous look Rolls Royce is the final word.

Buying a Used luxury car has never been so easy with ‘Certified’ market expanding at unimaginable pace. Of course, there are many advantages of Used over New ones. It is prudent to consider the following aspects for taking the final plunge.

-Extended Warranties:
Today, luxury cars are engineered so well, that buying a used luxury car is becoming an popular option amongst car buyers. If enough homework is done from the buyer’s side, used car warranties can rival out new car warranty. As a general rule, first choose the dealership then shop for the car. Dealer’s warranty speaks volumes for the quality of vehicle they offer. There are plenty fly by night car warranty companies to accept money but would not be there to back up the claim. A used luxury car dealership with a long history of satisfied customers is always preferable to yet established ones.

-Certified Used Cars:
A Used car, which has been meticulously examined and found to be of outstandingly high standards by the manufacturer of the automobile, can only be certified. As an end user, the buyer has 3 days or 3000 miles to verify if the right is right for him or else pick a better one.

-Auto recall Information:
It is a good practice to check comprehensive auto recall information to know if there have any problems that have been reported by NHTSA. If so , one can get detailed information on how and where to fix the car defect.

To sum it up, a used, well maintained  , luxury vehicle would cost much less than buying a brand new one off the showroom floor. Besides lower cost of acquisition, these cars are extremely durable. Given a good treatment and maintained regularly, a late –model luxury car should run well beyond 1,00,000 miles trouble free. Besides, premium models have classic lines that do not change over years. And hence five to ten year old luxury model still looks very much like a brand new one at a much lesser price than the original.

People across the globe have always dreamt of having one car in their lifetime, some people go for new cars each year because they just love to splurge on cars that leave more markets for used cars. There are lots of internet sites offerings you good price for used cars for sale, but that burns your pockets deeply but not any more with unlimited web space and great exposure to dealers and clients across the continent. You have to just register on this site once by paying no money and enjoy the great profits for a lifetime! Many of the sites charge you transaction costs and an extra charge if the destination is far off, but with the site you pay no transaction costs, and no destination charges for far away locations.

Here you can register, get unlimited web space for free and lists you cars for sale and if you are looking to buy something you can surely do that even after registering yourself absolutely FREE of cost. The categorized listing of the car helps you to search your car more specifically and faster without wasting your time online for hours. It’s a  massive online resource where you can review your cars, vans, accessories, etc absolutely free of cost. You can even research over here on particular car by interacting the car dealers and prospective buyers of the similar interests, the site has various used car reviews from the people who have used them, prices, various specifications regarding the vehicle, comparisons, etc.

The cars placed on the site are from big brands like BMW, Audi, Daewoo, Chevrolet, Fiat, Honda, Hindustan Motors, Ford cars, Fiat cars, Maruti, Hyundai, Mahindra, Mercedes Benz, Opel, Skoda, Sab, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Willys and many more. There are used cars for sale, mazda cars for sale, used infiniti cars for sale, used vans for sale and various car accessories which are going to definitely going to make great impression on you and even your business partners. It’s easy to get a car from market from almost anywhere, the key lies in selecting the right car for you and your family or your business requirements. It’s important to foresee the requirements from the people who are going to use the car and then finalise the car and its accessories.

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Most auto buyers are sold on the idea that hybrid cars are more environment friendly than large vehicles such as pickup trucks and SUVs. But a recent study conducted by CNW Marketing Research Inc. shows that even a Hummer is more environment friendly than hybrid cars.

The study is very complex that it took the firm two years to complete it. What the study focused on is the amount of energy required by vehicles in their entire lifetime. The company studied the energy needed to produce vehicles and during their service lives and until the disposal.

The study is so complex since a single vehicle has thousands of parts and the study gathered data regarding how much energy was spent in the manufacturing of each auto part. And the result shows that the so-called green cars are actually not as environment friendly as they appear.

For six models of pickup trucks which include Ford F-Series, the average is $2.58. The disparity between the two segments is not a surprise since larger cars needed larger auto parts thus more energy is used to produce these components.

SUVs are being bashed for their gas-guzzling abilities, they are more eco-friendly than hybrids. Aside from SUVs, luxury cars are also being frowned-at by environmentalists. But according to the study several luxury cars are greener in comparison to hybrid cars.

Compared to the $3.65 average for the ten hybrid cars, the Lincoln Town Car’s $2.66 is significantly lower. Other luxury cars greener than hybrids are the Acura RL with $2.80; Cadillac CTS with $3.19; BMW with $3.19; Mercedes-Benz with $3.48; Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Series with $3.49; Cadillac STS with $3.56; and the Cadillac DTS with $3.65.

The reason pointed out for the high energy requirement of hybrid cars is their complexity. These vehicles, aside from having internal combustion engines are also equipped with electric motors and battery packs. The batteries are actually the question mark in the case of hybrids. The current battery packs used by hybrids are nickel-metal hydride ones.

What this means is that even a large vehicle such as the Isuzu with its Isuzu Amigo radiator can be considered more environment friendly than hybrid vehicles. The result of the study will surely open the eyes of the general public as to the true nature of hybrid cars. While hybrid cars are apparently not the perfect solution, automakers are still involved in the development of other technologies which will be more eco-friendly tan hybrid technology.

When Mercedes-Benz designed the Smart car, chances are good it wasn’t thinking it would be a high-mileage freeway cruiser.

Or that it would be towing a light-duty trailer on a regular basis.This car can do a lot more than people think it can. The first Smart car rolled off the assembly line at Smartville — the nickname for the car’s factory in Hambach, France. Right now, more than 900,000 Smart cars are on the road in 37 countries.

Propulsion was an issue, and electric car, hybrid car were considered. In the end, gas-diesel variants won out, and the Smart car was shown at numerous venues.

The Smart measured in at 2.5 metres long, 1.51 metres wide and 1.52 metres tall. A three-cylinder gas engine sat in the back of the car, and safety was assured through the Tridion safety cell together with front and rear crush zones and modern restraint systems. The body consisted, and still consists, of dyed thermoplastic panels, including a front and rear clip and doors.

While Smart had launched a few other models in Europe, including ForFour and Roadster and coupe car, they never came to Canada. Production of those other models didn’t last long as Smart cancelled them and returned its attention to the ForTwo.where the car captured its share of attention. Some people were ready to buy the minute they saw the Smart sitting in the Roundup Centre. However, the local Mercedes-Benz dealers didn’t have any product.

There are now, of course, a large number of aftermarket goodies available for the Smart car. Leading the charge in Canada is Smart Car Universe, operated by Cochrane Smart car devotee Les McDonald. He bought his Smart car more than three years ago to replace a Dodge Dakota V-8 pickup truck and started looking for accessories. He ended up importing a rear body extension from Germany called the Clever End that replaces the rear hatch.The car promotes a healthier lifestyle as the tiny Smart dictates living with two seats and a small trunk.

The retail price of Hyundai Motor Co.’s new Genesis luxury sedan will be higher than that of BMW AG’s 3-Series in the United States, an executive of the South Korean carmaker said Monday. Last week, Hyundai Motor launched the Genesis in South Korea, its first foray in the high-end segment to compete with BMW’s 5-Series, Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus GS.

Hyundai Motor hasn’t yet set a price range for the new model, which will be available for sale in the U.S. in June.

In South Korea, the Genesis is selling at a price of between 40.5 million won (US$43,150) and 53.8 million won, depending on accessories and engine types.

“The prices will be set around April, but they will be higher than those of BMW’s 3-Series,” said Lee Hyun-soon, president of Hyundai Motor’s R&D division, on the sidelines of an auto industry fair here.

The Genesis with a 4.6-liter engine will retail at a price higher than that of BMW’s 5-Series, Lee said.

The Genesis is Hyundai Motor’s first luxury model, aimed at shaking off its image as a producer of cheap first cars.

Launching the new model in South Korea, Hyundai Motor said it expects to sell 55,000 of the vehicles this year, 35,000 at home and 20,000 overseas in the U.S.

Some analysts, however, remain skeptical over Hyundai Motor’s move into the luxury market, citing an expected decline in U.S. auto sales this year because of sluggish demand on the back of higher oil prices and rising defaults on subprime mortgage loans.

The all-new W221 was introduced in the autumn of 2005 at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, with export to other markets beginning in 2006. The W221 S-Class made its North American premiere at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in January. The latest S-Class is slightly larger in all dimensions than its predecessor, and it features a more luxurious, Maybach like appearance, as well as three newly developed engines with up to 26% power increase. The interior is completely new, all materials have been upgraded and make for a more luxurious ride, and the center-mounted transmission has been replaced with a column-shifter.

Models sold in North America are the S450 (2008-,SWB and Canada only), S550, S600, S63 AMG and S65 AMG; other models to be sold outside North America include the S350, S300, S420 CDI and S320 CDI. The first W221 model released in North America and Japan was the S550 (called S500 outside North America and Japan), with the S600 arriving in the following spring. Notable features on the W221 include: the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission (standard, except on V12 engines, where the 5-speed Sequentronic is used as the 7-speed cannot handle the power of the AMG V12). 4MATIC four wheel drive arrived in the fourth quarter of 2006.

The brakes continue to become more advanced with the new Brake Assist Plus system monitoring for an impending collision and increasing braking if needed, while the Distronic Plus cruise control can now bring the car to a complete stop.
This system works in outdoor conditions; a test demonstration by Mercedes-Benz in a crash-test hall resulted in embarrassment for the company when a new S-Class crashed into the back of a stationary W220 S-Class, an incident later attributed to radar-confusing steel in this hall.

In 2007, Automobile Magazine named the W221 S-Class as one of its 2007 “All-Stars” over rivals from Lexus and BMW,and Car and Driver selected the S550 as the winner in a five-way comparison test of flagship luxury sedans.The W221 S-Class was also the recipient of several other motoring awards.
Engines
The W221 S-Class features a similar number and variety of engine choices as the previous generation W220 S-Class. The current lineup of gasoline engines includes a 3.5L V6 with 268 hp in the S350, and two V8 selections: the 4.6 L, 335 hp V8 in the S450, and the 5.5, 383 hp V8 in the S500/S550. Turbo diesel V6 options include 3.0L 235 hp and 4.0L 310hp variants in the respective S320 and S420 CDI models.

The twin-turbo V12 S600 returns with the W221 generation, and features a 5.5L twin-turbo V12 with an output of 510 hp. Two high-performance S-Class AMG models are currently offered: the S63 AMG with a 6.2L, 525 hp V8, and the chart-topping S65 AMG with a 6.0L, twin-turbo V12 producing 612 hp.

Safety
Mercedes Benz has traditionally introduced its safety innovations in the S-Class. For instance, the S-Class was the first car in Europe to incorporate airbags. S-Class safety features include the following innovations in active safety (accident avoidance), passive safety (collision protection), and holistic safety (integration of both active and passive safety features):

Active safety: ABS braking in 1978 (acts to reduce braking distances and improve stopping control; co-developed with Bosche); traction control and Electronic Stability Program (ESP) in 1995 (improves driver control during difficult road conditions); and Brake Assist (provides full braking power during emergency stops). In 2005, a new infrared night vision feature was introduced (improves visibility during nighttime conditions). Despite the popular misconception, the S-Class was not the first car fitted with ABS braking technology, although some credit can be given for popularizing this now largely standard feature (ABS was initially an option on most models of the W126 S-Class).

Passive safety: crumple zones in 1957 (vehicle body structure absorbs the force of impact); three-point seatbelts in 1965 (provides additional torso/body protection); collapsible steering column (prevents the steering column from protruding into the cabin during accidents), strengthened occupant cell enhanced occupant protection during severe impacts, rollovers); pre-accident seatbelt tensioning (tightens seatbelts prior to impact), and sandwich platforms (allows the engine the slide under the occupants in a head-on collision).

PRE-SAFE, Mercedes-Benz’s holistic safety feature, was introduced on the S-Class in 2002. PRE-SAFE integrates multiple active and passive safety features for a “safety net” approach to vehicle safety by attempting to prevent accidents; if accidents do occur, PRE-SAFE aims to reduce occupant injury. In the latest version of this pre-collision system, PRE-SAFE will prime the brake assist system, lock the doors to prevent accidental opening during the accident, adjust the seats, close the windows and sunroof, and tighten seatbelts during certain types of collisions. In the event an accident results in a roll over, the “PRE-SAFE” feature unlock the doors and lower the windows approximately one half an inch to allow you to exit or safety workers to gain access easily.