Hyundai's Sonata is one of several models chasing Camry.

The Toyota Camry was the best-selling car model again in 2011, selling about 308,000 units. That figure is 40,000 units more than its nearest competitor, the Nissan Altima. For the 14th time in 15 years, the Camry has been the No. 1 selling car in America. The one year it finished second, it was beaten out by the Honda Accord. Last year, Accord sales fell to 221,000 units as the automaker recovered from a decimating March 2011 earthquake in Japan.

The Camry is all-new for 2012 or at least it represents the next generation model. The platform is the same, but the current model gets new sheetmetal and a new interior. Its engines are the same, but its hybrid edition was upgraded. Across the line, all 2012 Toyota Camry models get best in segment fuel economy or close to it.

Stronger Competition

While Toyota played it safe by bringing forth a new Camry that looks a lot like the old Camry, its competitors have taken to shake up the midsize sedan segment. Once dominated by appliance-looking vehicles that were built well and sold for a price families could afford, today’s midsize sedans are sportier, better equipped and more fuel efficient than ever before.

Nissan has been quietly creeping up on Toyota as its Altima is now the second best selling model in the segment, selling 20,000 more models than the Ford Fusion. The Fusion, along with the Hyundai Sonata and Chevrolet Malibu, each are selling more than 200,000 units annually. All three automakers in addition to Volkswagen with its Passat and Kia with its Optima, are expanding production in 2012 to respond to customer demand.

Falling Sales

Camry sells fell by 6 percent in 2011, largely due to the same reason that Accord sales fell: problems with suppliers and distribution in Japan following its devasting earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Toyota is targetting 360,000 Camry sales for 2012 as production has returned to year ago levels and as the market continues to rebound. Some Camry owners went to competitors in 2011 while others have been waiting to buy as dealer supplies are replenished. Like every other automaker with a new model on hand, sales should rise accordingly.

And that is where Toyota is likely to see more challenges coming forth. Both the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima were recently redesigned. The Korean cousins are cranking up production and taking a bigger slice of the market. The Volkswagen Passat is now built in Tennessee and that factory is being maxed out to handle demand. Talk that the factory will be expanded from its current 150,000 production limit to 300,000 cars have surfaced regularly of late.

Stronger Competition

The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu is already out, or at least the mild-hybrid version of this car, the next generation of this five-passenger sedan. Ford introduced its all-new Fusion, a sedan that rolls out its the brand’s EVOS design language. Nissan has kept its Altima redo tightly under wraps, but we should see this new model make its debut at the New York International Auto Show in April before going on sale in late summer.

All this spells trouble for Toyota as its competitors have learned to thrive in a segment it once dominated. Not too long ago, Toyota was gearing up to produce more than 500,000 Camrys per year. Even as the economy recovers, it will find that customers are taking a look at competiting models, finding some of these to offer better styling, more standard content and even better fuel economy.

Consumers Win

Toyota’s loss will be the consumer’s gain as customers flock to competiting brands selling cars on par with if not better than the Camry. Oh, did we say that a redesigned Honda Accord will be hitting the market later this year too?

The U.S. auto industry continues to recover with 2011 sales approaching 12.8 million units, up from the 10.4 million sold in 2009, which was at the lowest part of the Great Recession. The forecast for 2012 is a bright one despite persistent bad news on the job front and economic problems in Europe. Credit pent-up demand with fueling at least some of the renewed interest in new cars with analysts forecasting about 14 million new cars to be sold for the year.

Sales are still off of the pace seen just five years ago when 16 million units were sold annually in most years. However, the industry has since shed much of its fat and cars that are being sold today are much better than what have eve seen.

The following are some of the hot auto trends for 2012:

Dodge Dart — Chrysler hasn’t had a compact sedan in the mix since the Dodge Neon was discontinued in 2005. Chrysler has ended production of the Dodge Caliber, a crossover-like model that was conceived when DaimlerChrysler ruled. The new Dodge Dart looks promising, offering three Fiat-derived engine choices, advanced transmissions including an 8-speed automatic and a style that could help propel this model to the top of the compact car pack.

Cadillac Revival — GM’s luxury brand has slipped of late as two of its aged models, the DTS and STS sedans, have been retired. Coming this spring will be its XTS full-size sedan, available in front- and all-wheel-drive. That model should help revive its lost large car sales. Perhaps most interesting will be the late summer arrival of the ATS sedan, a compact Cadillac like none other. This model is being aimed squarely at the BMW 3-Series, the perennial benchmark model. Both cars could very well make Cadillac a world-contending luxury marque once again.

Ford Crossovers — Make no mistake about it: Ford’s leadership in the crossover segment is evident through the variety of vehicles it has available for sale. The Explorer, Edge and Flex give buyers quite different choices, but the bottom end of the segment will soon have two new vehicles that should advance sales further. A remade Escape hits the market this spring followed by a multi-purpose C-Max, the first dedicated hybrid and plug-in hybrid models in the Ford fleet. From top to bottom Ford offers numerous people moving and high storage capacity vehicles. Its Expedition SUV and Transit Connect van also offer distinctives that appeal to buyers.

Volkswagen Advances — If 2011 didn’t put Volkswagen in position as the top global seller, we should see the German automaker leapfrog GM to win the crown this year. Sales in the U.S. are surging, with its eponymous Volkswagen brand and its luxury Audi marque leading the way. People are rediscovering Volkswagen and finding that its cars offer a better value than before with improved quality. Witness the demand for the Passat midsize sedan and continued interest in its Jetta line. Audi is a solid alternative to BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Toyota Comeback — Toyota is poised to regain some of the sales it lost in 2011 as a result of a devastating March 2011 Japanese earthquake that eviscerated its supply chain and manufacturing base. Its best-selling Camry is new for 2012 and facing stiffer than ever competition. However, its Prius line has been greatly expanded and should fuel sales, particularly from buyers looking for value-oriented transportation with exceptional fuel economy.

Mazda SkyActiv — Improved engine and transmission technology by Mazda will help this lagging Japanese brand stand out in a crowded field. Mazda SkyActiv extends to platforms that make use of lightweight and rigid materials. Combined with its advanced powertrains, SkyActiv demonstrates that exceptional fuel savings can take place without employing costly hybrid technologies.

Storm Warnings

There are some dark clouds on the horizon, however. Both Hyundai and Kia are now facing limits to U.S. production capacity which means that its growth forecasts will be lower than the pace for 2011. Until the two Korean automakers decide to expand capacity, growth will be restricted.

Honda, like Toyota, is recovering from its production losses of 2011. However, the automaker has been blind-sided by criticism of its all-new Civic and tepid reception for its CR-V crossover. The competition is building nicer looking vehicles and matching Honda in quality and reliability.

Other automakers that should continue to experience growth include Nissan, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The auto trends for all three companies has been positive and should only improve as the year marches on.

Photo: Pedja Mi

A new question is fueling a debate lately, “Why are domestic cars so expensive?” Some people argue that a large part of the expense comes from all the safety equipment that is mandated by the federal government. Things like safety glass are more expensive to manufacture, add weight to the vehicle and eventually drive up the price tag. While many advancements, like seat belts and crumple zones, obviously save lives and are worthy of being required in cars, others are seen as nothing more than Big Brother run amok. Critics also point out that these new features are creating more lax drivers.

Here are some of the more controversial inventions, and why they’re going to make cars more expensive:

Noisemakers on Hybrids and Electrics — Part of the reason people buy hybrids and electrics is because they are so wonderfully quiet. Barely audible at low speeds, they’re a true pleasure to drive. Currently the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration is proposing that noisemaking parts be added to cars like the Toyota Prius (Note: No one is selling noisemaking Prius parts online…yet).

The thought is that when adding noise makers it will make the cars safer for the visually-impaired who rely on hearing to detect if a vehicle is near. This alert would be built into all hybrid and electric cars, adding to the price tag and detracting from the appeal. While the NHTSA is really trying to make us all safer, one could wonder about the lack of personal responsibility for the driver of a Hybrid or Electric car.

Back-Up Cameras — Over the last several years, backup cameras have been introduced in vehicles. The thought is that it is easier to check the rear of the vehicle via a camera rather than turning around and looking. Allowing a full view of the space behind you, they will help you avoid people in parking lots or children’s toys at home.

However, is it really necessary for the NHTSA to mandate their use? The cameras are expensive, hence why they’re usually found on high-end cars. Adding them to all cars will do nothing more than drive up the sticker price. The increased price is bad enough, but another deterrent should be the fact that we are actually making ourselves less capable drivers. By depending more and more on technology, we start to lose the valuable skills that are needed to drive safely. Skills like remembering to check behind the car before we hop in and actually looking over our shoulder to back up are lost, creating a truly dangerous situation when that backup camera stops working.

Blind Spot Detection — A wonderful option and invention that is available on some models, blind spot detection will alert you if you start to drift into a lane when there’s a car in your blind spot. This is a problem that many of us have been guilty of doing this at some point. The sensor will alert you when you are drifting or changing lanes and someone is in your blind spot.

Often when you or another driver are in this type of situation a feeling of embarrassment sets in and you tend to overreact when returning to your lane. These alarms eliminate the problem that occurs when we get lax and fail to actually turn our heads to check. However, the question remains are we again turning ourselves into less competent drivers? The argument can be made that, in addition to driving up prices, we will actually become more lax on the roads. After all, why watch for a driver to drift over on top of you when you know they have blind spot detection? Will we confidently stay in our lanes, positive that the electronic system will alert that driver and they’ll stop?

With all these types of technological systems, critics wonder what will happen when the system fails. Are we creating a society of drivers that will be unprepared to handle these types of situations manually?

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Jason Lancaster sees both sides of this discussion and hopes that we can find a happy medium. He writes for Olathe Parts and Accessories that offers genuine Toyota parts for cheap.

Year to date, auto sales are up by 11 percent.

July 2011 auto sales showed the slightest uptick, with sales rising by just under 1 percent over July2010. The increase is certainly small as it is telling — car manufacturers have to fight for every sale because the market is not strong enough yet for everyone to exhale. Let your guard down for a moment and your competitor will swoop in and snag a buyer. Brand loyalty? Ha! More like consumers looking out for themselves and buying cars based on value, quality and fuel efficiency alone.

Revived Industry

None of this is a bad thing, but it does show us how the auto industry has changed in the past few years. If you go back to 2007, when sales were still relatively healthy, consumers were buying larger vehicles and paying a premium for them. America’s automakers, however, were losing billions of dollars annually.

Today, America’s automakers are selling fewer cars, but are profitable. The bankruptcies and restructurings of GM and Chrysler helped these companies, while Ford has learned to operate with leanness, with nary a hint of marketing meanness. Not filing for bankruptcy has proven to be a huge advantage for Henry Ford’s creation – there is no need for Ford to gloat.

Japan’s Market

There is a big market beyond America’s Big Three and the changes we have seen in the past four years are striking – Toyota and Honda have been hamstrung this year as these companies seek to recover from a devastating earthquake and tsunami which ravaged the Japanese auto supply structure in March. Other Japanese automakers have been affected as well, but none to the degree as these two.

Nissan is recovering fast and Mitsubishi, Mazda and Suzuki have managed, if not thrived. Subaru has taken a hit, but once its supply network is restored, it’ll likely resume its place as the darling of the Japanese brands with sales returning to double digit increases.

Korean Capers

The disturbing factor in all of this is South Korea’s two largest automakers, Hyundai and Kia, a pair of companies joined at the hip and bringing rapid change to the revived auto industry. Neither manufacturer is big on hybrids and you won’t see an electric vehicle like the Nissan LEAF anytime soon. This kind of car is simply not needed.

The Korean companies know that a vehicle like the LEAF would be a major distraction and have opted to continue the internal combustion engine course for now. That’s paying off because with gasoline direct injection, most new Hyundai and Kia models are at the top of each segment, delivering best in class fuel economy. Indeed, the Kia Optima gets the same highway fuel mileage as the Toyota Camry Hybrid – 35 mpg, without the price premium.

Consumers have taken notice of Hyundai and Kia, recognizing that both companies offer vehicles with top quality, more content and excellent value. Both makes are leading the industry in sales increases and have been doing so consistently since 2007. And that’s where the industry has to keep its focus – delivering what consumers want even as the sales pie has shrunk by about 30 percent.

Consumer Demands

Despite troubling and persistent economic problems, consumers are buying. But, this means that manufacturers must fight for every sale and demonstrate why its products should be considered. For those car shoppers able to make a purchase, their expectations are high and they won’t hesitate to make a switch to a competing brand, if the “Brand X” demonstrates that its products is superior.

Such shoppers may realize that the car they buy today is the one they’ll own for many years, perhaps a decade a longer. When they’ll be ready to buy again, you can be certain that the industry will be far different, with consolidation likely having taken hold. Chinese and Indian manufacturers will be part of the landscape, perhaps even owning some of the traditional manufacturers outright.

The auto industry is ready, delivering smaller and more fuel efficient cars, many of which use advanced powertrain technologies to serve up excellent fuel economy. Consumers are ready too and could lead the economic charge if Washington ever figures out how to spend less and empower Americans more. When that time arrives, the auto industry should find millions more happy shoppers leading to billions more in profits. But, only if such manufacturers don’t suddenly become stupid, returning to old, unprofitable ways.

On a Tuesday night in Central Park, people had the opportunity to get a look at part of New York’s budding fleet of electric cars. For three hours, the area in front of the park’s band shell became quite the unique car showroom area, with jugglers, shirtless roller-skaters, and a churro vendor providing entertainment and snacks, followed by a free viewing of the documentary ‘Revenge of the Electric Car.’

Electric Fleet

Mayor Bloomberg announced earlier that day that there would be 70 electric vehicles added to the fleet, making for a grand total of 430. This is more than any other city in the nation. The departments receiving these new vehicles include the Fire Department, Police Department, Department of Sanitationand the Department of Parks and Recreation. The yellow cab herd will also get a blessed addition – six completely electric Nissan Leaf models, beginning a pilot program for electric cabs next year. If this pilot program is a great success, the Nissan NV2000 fully electric model may just end up the future of New York City’s taxis.

Samples of each of the new vehicles being added were lining the park’s band shell concourse, including all-electric utility trucks, cargo vans and a Chevy Volt hybrid. There were representatives available to answer any questions that people had about these additions to the city’s fleet and the public was allowed to inspect the Department of Transportation’s Volt.

Public Interest

People of all backgrounds remarked upon the electric car program. From military veterans to environmental science students and thousands of people in between, the public was interested and encouraging in regards to the program. Energy independence was a big subject. Some feel that our society is enslaved by oil – which is a valid and increasingly popular point in the electric car debates.

Some people also felt that the change to electric vehicles is a lateral one and not that much better than the use of petroleum products because it simply uses another energy source. Because the current models being added to the fleet must be plugged into electricity to recharge, and electricity is produced through the consumption of coal, some feel that current electric cars are no better than gas guzzlers.

Solar Charging

However, according to the Parks Department’s deputy director of operations, Jonathan Ellis, the city wants to eventually go over to solar powered charging for their electric vehicles. The current use of electric cars is removing a good portion of polluting emissions from the city for the time being, though. On the city’s Drive Electric website, there are around 30 public electric car charging locations. Many of these are area garages, which decide on the charges for plugging into their station individually. The electric vehicles that are in the city’s service have charging stations of their own.

There are many people who are still hesitant about buying an electric car, though. While more and more electric vehicles are coming onto the automobile market, some still feel that the economics of owning one are a bit uncertain. As more public charging stations are erected around the country, however, it seems that this hesitance may just disappear.

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John Smith advises going online to compare automobile insurance quotes through a comparison service can save a tremendous amount of time and money. Visit Kanetix today to spend a couple of minutes to do a quote comparison and save up to $600 on auto insurance.

Some cars just can't handle the Outback.

So you think you can handle extreme vehicles and take on nature? If you’re unprepared with the following vehicles, it’s more of a friendly match between the vehicle and nature to see who will come out on top, with the silly human being the ball.

The Tomcat Range:

The Tomcat is a 4×4 vehicle which is built using the original chassis from a Land Rover, Discovery or Range Rover. Tomcats were originally designed by Drew Bowler but Tomcat Motorsport took over their production in 2001 as Bowler decided to concentrate on the Bowler Wildcat. There are five models of Tomcat. The 80” Tomcat is useful for situations which require a low vehicle weight and short wheelbase. The 88” is designed for ARC regulations and is good for racing, trailing and use as a green lane vehicle. The 93” is designed for use in challenge events but is also good for trialling and racing. The 100” was originally designed as a competition vehicle but many are also used as road vehicles with standard suspension. The 106” Tomcat is designed for use in high speed competitive events and can have either a front, middle or rear engine. You’re sure to be the top cat in this range of versatile and quick vehicles.

The Argo 8×8 750 HDi Special Edition:

This 8-wheel buoyant beast takes to amphibious and off-road challenges like a duck to water, though the duck resemblances definitely end there. This vehicle is road capable but not road approved, though if you’re looking for road use are you sure you should be reading this? Oh you’re looking to surge forth into new frontiers at high altitudes? Now that’s more like it. The vehicle starts reliably in cold weather, which is pretty useful since you’ll probably want to plough into the nearest snow drift you can find and come out as a human-sized snowman on the other side. Along with heavy duty front and rear axle hubs and self-adjusting hydraulic vented disk brakes, the ARGO 8×8 750 HDi Special Edition has a 31 horsepower Kohler Aegis LH 775 electronic fuel-injected engine. Up to six passengers can be carried by the vehicle (that’s a whole family of snowmen right there who you will have to take on a sunny lake cruise to make up for freezing them). The vehicle’s load capacity is 1000 pounds on land and 850 pounds on water.

The Bowler Nemesis:

Ah, all the glory of desert racing without turning into a sun-scorched lobster complete with sand in your teeth and other unmentionable areas. Apart from these marvellous benefits provided by the Bowler Nemesis, useful design features include independent adjustable suspension, a long wheelbase, a low centre of gravity and wide track for excellent traction and stability. The roll cage and main braces utilize strong steel tubing which keeps the upper body weight as light as possible. Protective aspects include shields underneath to protect things such as the steering, fuel cell and differentials. The load bay can accommodate everything you might need for traversing rough terrain, including three spare wheels, shovels, sand ladders, water, personal items, a high lift jack and a fuel cell.

The Arctic Cat M800 Range:

Whoever said cats didn’t like snow hadn’t encountered Arctic Cat’s feisty M800 range. The 2011 models include the Standard, Sno Pro and HCR. Each comes with an 800cc high output motor and electronic reverse, Fox Float rear skid and Arctic Cat’s Power Claw track. Additional features of the Sno Pro over the Standard include telescoping handlebars and an enhanced instrument cluster which includes an altitude display. One of the main differences between the HCR and the Standard and Sno Pro is the HCR’s harder 90-durometer track, which allows the HCR to travel faster up slopes with hard or slightly set snow compared to the other models. Now all you have to do is work on those back flips…

Extreme vehicles can be an absolute blast but remember by the very nature of the activity you can encounter serious safety threats. Always treat extreme vehicles and nature with due respect and these models will give you the ride of your life.

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Daniel Butler is with Pitchup – enjoy the outdoors and find the best campsites in the UK.

Photo: MorgueFile

Cute cars are "born this way."

Some cars can’t help it — they’re just plain cute! These cars don’t want to be sexy or sleek. They like to be the cars that make people smile. They’re the cars that inspire kids to make up games about them. A cute car is usually as much fun to drive, as it is fun to look at. Cute cars usually beg for decorations like headlight eyelashes to make them even cuter. It’s tough to take a normal car and make it cute, though. If a car is cute, it was probably born that way.

1. Tiny is Always Cute

Some cars are incredibly adorable just because they’re so darn small. Their almost toy-like quality catches your attention right away and makes you want to ride in the car to see if it really can operate on the highway like normal cars. Classic tiny cute cars include the Nash Rambler and the original Mini Cooper. MG and Fiat have always made adorable tiny roadsters, as well. The Kia Soul is cute, looking like a dryer-shrunk big SUV. Some of these guys wanted to be real race cars, but the extra engine power only adds to their ferocious cute factor. It’s like a kitten hiding a lion’s roar.

2. Big Eyes and Wide Smiles

Cars with faces are irresistible. Look at the grill of any car and you can see a slight resemblance to a human face. The headlights are the eyes, the grill or the bumpers are mouths, and the car’s insignia usually makes a great nose. Cars with the most distinct facial expressions are too cute to pass up. The Fiat 500 has big round eyes that are a little too far apart, giving it an open and honest look. The Mazda MX-5 Miata has a huge puppy dog grin and seems anxious to go somewhere all the time.

3. Curves and Boxes

One of the most enduring cute cars is the Volkswagen Beetle. Back in the early days, this was the first car made up almost entirely of rounded surfaces. The rolling egg design has carried into the future with the current Beetle. Straight lines can be just as appealing as curves, though. The boxy Nissan Cube looks squeezed from a huge ice tray straight onto the road. Since boxes are the opposite of aerodynamic principles, they are non-threatening and downright cuddly on the road.

4. Cute is not Just for the Girls

Guys can enjoy cute cars just as much as the girls can. Shrunken muscle cars and roadsters are cute and tough at the same time. A guy can have the horsepower he needs in a car like the Miata while his cute car catches the eye of all the girls. Smart cars are like little motorcycles with four wheels, and they don’t have a feminine air at all. In fact, many of the cutest European designs are distinctly masculine with their strong lines and boxy looks.

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Jessica Bosari likes cars, especially cute ones. When not helping car owners find auto insurance discounts at CarInsuranceQuotesComparison.com, she’s pining for a Mini Cooper to fulfill her cute car dreams.

Photo: MorgueFile

Understanding current DUI laws can help drivers avoid being arrested and charged with this serious infraction. Arizona, for example, boasts some of the strictest DUI laws and toughest penalties in the United States and enforces these laws actively to ensure the safety of other drivers.

For example, in smaller communities like Glendale, towns are often able to devote a larger percentage of overall police time to the problems of drunk and impaired driving. As a result, drivers charged with first-time DUI may face prison time, substantial fines, community service and suspension of their driver’s license. Further, many drivers fail to protect their legal rights during the arrest process, and, as a result, damage their chances of beating the charge in court. Below are three of the most common mistakes drivers make when they are stopped by the police on suspicion of DUI:

1. Failure to Call an Attorney

In many cases, failing to call an attorney immediately upon arrest can result in conviction and application of the maximum penalties. However, a Glendale DUI lawyer can often provide valuable advice to help drivers avoid the worst fines and jail sentences.

2. Taking a Field Sobriety Test

Police officers often ask drivers suspected of DUI offenses to demonstrate their sobriety by engaging in field tests intended to gauge their equilibrium and mental state. These tests typically include touching one’s nose, walking along a straight line, or managing other feats of manual dexterity. Drivers cannot be legally compelled to engage in these tests and should politely decline them. Field sobriety tests are not used by police officers to establish innocence, but rather as a method of collecting evidence of guilt. There is no advantage for drivers in taking these tests. Typically, by the time the officer asks a driver to step out of the car, the decision on whether or not to arrest has likely already been made. The results of field sobriety tests probably have no bearing on that decision.

3. Pleading Guilty Just to Get it Over With

In most cases, a competent Arizona DUI lawyer can resolve DUI cases without jail time or license suspensions. The fine amounts can also be reduced, offering significant benefits for drivers who enlist the help of a professional DUI lawyer to handle their cases.

Legal Representation

Drivers can often avoid the worst penalties associated with DUI arrests by seeking representation from a competent attorney who specializes in DUI cases. By remaining calm, refusing to incriminate oneself and relying on the counsel of a qualified attorney, drivers can possibly prevent serious felony charges and reduce fines and sentences for DUI offenses.

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Jessica Lane writes about a wide variety of topics.  She especially enjoys writing about attorneys. You can learn more about Arizona DUI Lawyer at http://www.arizonaDUI.com/

See if you can dream of owning any one of the five most expensive cars, below:

1. Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. Most reviewers agree this car is the most expensive, with price estimates of $2.2 million. Built by Bugatti Automobiles SAS (a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG) its V-16 engine packs more than 1,000 horsepower to produce the exhilirating top clocked speed of 267 mph and acceleration of 0-60 kilometers in only 2.50 seconds. The Veyron Super Sport is no doubt the top car when it comes to both price and performance.
2. Koenigsegg Trevita at about $2.2 million. With only three edition cars built, it is also the rarest. This car eclipsed the Veyron in terms of styling, being built of carbon fiber composite material that sparkles like a diamond when hit by sunlight. It mounts an engine that can run on ethanol fuel as well as 98-octane gasoline, and produces 1,087 hp. With top amenities not usually found in other cars, it is difficult not to consider the Trevita as a jewel of a car.
3. Aston-Martin One-77, suggested price of $1.87 million. This special car has an hand-built aluminium body and carbon fiber monocoque chassis, a rarity in automobile engineering and design, which –as proof– won the Concorzo d’Eleganza Award. The V-12 of 7.3-liter capacity engine is front mid-mounted, and delivers more than 700 horsepower and top speed of plus 200 mph. It can run to 60 mph from a standstill in 3.5 seconds. If you have the money, it can win your heart quite easily.
4. Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster, $1.8 million.  Engine: Mercedes AMG V-12. Output: 678 horsepower. Top speed: 217 mph. 0-60 mph acceleration: 3.4 seconds. Body material: carbon fiber. Suspension: magnesium/titanium. Only five units were manufactured in the edition, so it is an extremely rare automobile.
5. Lamborghini Reventon Roadster, at $1.6 milion. Lamborghinis are very well-known anywhere for their speed and styling, and this one is no exception. Its 650-horsepower V-12 engine puts out 205 mph top speed and 60mph acceleration is within just 3.4 seconds. In terms of styling, the roadster is aviation-inspired, shown in the dashboard instrumentation and the over-all shape. In fact, its picture might remind you of the F-117 Nighthawk Stealth fighter, with the car’s body design angles.

People may argue that such luxury cars are a waste of good money which can be better used elsewhere more beneficial to society; while others may see the cars not as commodities of high price, but more as manifestations of human ingenuity, engineering research and design, and drive to create beautiful objects that are functional as well as aesthetically superlative.

For their lucky owners, these cars may just be that.

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This is a post by Sam from Fozmula, an international manufacturer and supplier of liquid level sensors and temperature sensors.

No matter how long your journey, a road trip is always better if you have some uplifting driving anthems playing in the background. Rock tends to reign supreme when it comes to favourite driving songs but you can create your own eclectic mix.

You can make a special CD or add a playlist to your MP3, whatever method suits, make sure you have access to some of the best driving tunes whilst on the road. Take a look at some of the most popular driving anthems to help you find your own favourites.

AC/DC – “Highway To Hell”

AC/DC’s well known hit is an ideal driving song, with Angus and his band members singing about no stops signs and no speed limit. Make sure you remain wary of both!

Steppenwolf – “Born To Be Wild”

Some say it works best when fishtailing on a long stretch of empty road. There’s something about gunning the engine as John Kay growls that he’s up for “whatever comes our way.”

The Beatles – “Drive My Car”

A track on the Beatles’ Rubber Soul album, this song is perfect to enjoy on a drive and the lyrics are quite fitting: “Beep beep, beep beep, yeah!”

Bruce Springsteen – “Born to Run”

If the lyrics of this classic rock song don’t inspire you to jump behind the wheel and take to the road then nothing will!

Stealers Wheel – “Stuck In the Middle With You”

This classic track from Stealers Wheel makes it to the top of many top driving song lists! Scottish rockers Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty have created a song that is almost perfect for cruising in your car!

The Clash – “Should I Stay Or Should I Go”

This well known melody from The Clash just screams to be sung along to. Perfect to pound you fists on the steering wheel and sing along to!

Lenny Kravitz – “Are You Gonna Go My Way”

Lenny Kravitz may not know where he is going but hopefully this popular driving song will help to get you along the road safely.

Sheryl Crow – “Every Day is a Winding Road”

Perfect lyrics, catchy, blues sounds and a philosophical message to get you thinking, Sheryl Crow’s  offering ticks all the boxes, making it a popular driving anthem.

The Cars – “Drive”

With lyrics just made for the road, Drive was released in 1984 and still remains at the top of driving anthem lists today!

No matter what sort of trip you are going on, or whether you are travelling near or far, make sure you always take your MP3 player or other music playing equipment out of your car when you leave it. Your car insurance policy will most likely not cover moveable items so make sure you don’t get caught out!

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Jennifer Adams is a part of the digital blogging team at cashzilla.co.uk who work with a growing number of finance brands. For more information Jennifer, or to keep up to date with the latest in finance news, check out her posts at cashzilla.co.uk or visit her Twitter account, @cashzilla.

Photo: Billy Frank Alexander