Thursday, September 24, 2009

Dodge Rampage

The Dodge Rampage concept is a vehicle that was developed by the Chrysler car company. This car is designed to be a coupe utility vehicle but a very stylish one indeed. The whole concept of the Dodge Rampage car was based on a vehicle that was produced between 1982 and 1984 which was known as the Dodge Rampage and was a utility truck. The Chrysler car manufacturing company decided to bring the concept back to life and brought the Dodge Rampage back into the market in the year 2006 and it proved to be a great vehicle to drive.

The Dodge Rampage concept vehicle is equipped with a V8 internal combustion engine which is currently one of the high performance engines available in the market today. The V engines are the engines that consist of cylinders and pistons that are arranged in a way that their layout looks like the letter V. The V8 engines, just like their name suggests, have eight cylinders that are placed over the engine crankshaft and each of the cylinders is comprises of two valves. The V8 engine installed in the Dodge Rampage car has a compression ratio of about 9:6:1 which is very good.

The Dodge Rampage has a maximum engine displacement of about 345 cubic inches. Engine displacement simply means the total volume of all the eight cylinders that the V8 engine has. The V8 engine makes the Dodge Rampage a very fast and powerful vehicle because it has a maximum performance of about 5,000 revolutions per minute which produces about 340 horsepower. The vehicle has a five speed automatic transmission system. The Dodge Rampage is an all wheel drive vehicle which can function well both on roads and also off roads. The Dodge Rampage car is a great car to own and one would have the most wonderful experience with this car.

The overall weight of the Dodge Rampage concept vehicle is about 5,000 lbs. The vehicle's wheelbase measures between the mid sections of both the front and rear wheels and measures slightly over 142 inches. The Dodge Rampages' overall width is about 80 inches, its height is about 73 inches and its length is about 215 inches. The interior of the truck is not like all the other utility trucks because it is very stylish and also beautiful. All the other truck models were very shocked when they got to view the interior of the Dodge Rampage concept because there is no car manufacturer that has ever produced such a utility truck.

The rear doors of the Dodge Rampage concept slide back which is one of the great features that this vehicle has. All the other traditional utility trucks have no extra features but his truck is one of the best in the world market. It may have good looks, which is a feature usually not on the mind of any designer when designing a utility truck but it is also very powerful and should not be underestimated. The bad thing about it is that it is only a concept and many people are waiting for the day Dodge decides to manufacture this vehicle.
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Sunday, September 20, 2009

Definition Of A Classic Car

The term classic car is often used in the description of older cars, although the correct meaning is generally subjected to different opinions. There are hence a variety of applications that can be applied in defining a classic car especially when classic is applied in the form of an adjective and this is also true in the case of a dictionary definition. A certain dictionary defined the term "classic car" as "distinguished by outstanding engineering, fine workmanship and elegant styling built around 1925 to 1948 ."

The above definition sounded quite close to one given by CCCA (Classic Car Club of America) whose definition was, unusual or fine motor cares built between as well as inclusive of the years 1925-1948. These are all special cars respectively distinguished by their fine design, superior workmanship and advanced engineering standards. Classic cars were generally high-priced while in new conditions and the built quantities were limited. Certain factors including custom coachwork, engine displacement as well as luxury accessories such as power clutch, power brakes and one-shot lubrication systems assist in determining whether a car can be considered as being a Classic.

CCCA maintains an endless list of vehicles considered to be classic and although all members are permitted to petition for a preferred vehicle to be part of the list, there is careful scrutinizing of such applications and it is rare to find any admittance for new types of vehicles. This definition is rather exclusive and hardly followed universally, and while CCCA acknowledges this, it still insists that its own definition of the term classic car is true. However, to avert confusion, certain terms like CCCA Classic or Full Classic are used. Most states in the US have legal time-based rules regarding this definition for certain purposes like registration of antique vehicles.

The definition in Pennsylvania is "motor vehicle" unlike a reproduction, the manufacture date being 15 years before the present year and it has been restored and maintained in a condition that conforms with the manufacturers appearance and specifications. United Kingdom does not have a classic car definition although there are two issues on taxation that have an impact. All vehicles manufactured before 1st January 1973 are not required to pay the road tax excise duty which is paid annually. It is usually inclusive of the license disc as part of the windscreen.

There are certain insurance companies that deem any car that is 20 years and above to be eligible for a policy of classic cars, although the car must be 25 years or above to qualify for the license plate of historical vehicles in most states. In comparison to modern cars, classic cars lack the basic features of safety as they are nowadays referred to. These lacking basic features include rollover protection, crumple zones and seat belts. The handling characteristics of the vehicle especially the suspension and the steering as well as the brake performance prove to poorer in comparison to the current standards. Extra care is needed for classic cars.
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