My Autos

2010 Volvo Xc60
As we roll inexorably toward the parked “car” in front of us at just over 20 km/h, every instinct I have screams out: “Hit the brakes!!” Habits deeply ingrained in a 40-year driving career are hard to break But I’ve been told to keep my foot off the brake pedal, no matter what, and let the car handle everything So onward we glide, with a low-speed impact seemingly a foregone conclusion Hope the airbags work . .But at the last possible moment, less than a metre away from an imminent fender-bender, the brakes are applied automatically - and kind of abruptly - and the car stops itself in its tracks No accident, no drama . . .This is Volvo’s newest fail-safe feature - City Safety - in action, and the idea is to prevent or mitigate accidents occurring at speeds of 30 km/h or less In a nutshell, a laser sensor located in the rearview mirror monitors the distance between you and the vehicle in front, and if you get too close, it will apply the brakes automatically It can be disabled, but is otherwise in operating mode all the time According to Volvo, 75 per cent of all collisions take place at or under this speed, and half of the time, the brakes aren’t applied at all, for various reasons including driver distraction However, it is important to understand that City Safety does not relieve the driver of the responsibility of maintaining a safe distance to avoid a collision, cautions Volvo’s manager of preventative safety, Jonas Ekmark “The automatic braking function does not react until it considers that a collision is imminent ” . .Standard equipment in the new 2010 XC60, City Safety also works in concert with other protective features, including the airbags and seat belts, to further reduce the possibility of injury It works equally well during the day or night (although the windscreen must be kept clear), and functions independently of Volvo’s Adaptive Cruise Control system, which is a sonar-based technology designed to keep a safe distance between you and the car in front during highway driving . .Needless to say, City Safety is just one of a myriad of protective features found in the XC60 Other reassurances include lane departure warning, rear park assist camera, collision warning, a blind spot information system, and my personal favourite, driver alert control This last feature notifies the driver if he/she is straying from their lane or not paying attention on the highway, and sounds an audible warning as well as displaying a cute little coffee cup graphic on the information display monitor All these items are in addition to other active safety features that include a traction control system, hill descent control, a vehicle stability system, brake fade support, and the usual roster of airbags and ABS Sweden is obviously full of deranged drivers crashing into each other at every turn because Volvo has gone above and beyond in the pursuit of accident prevention, and is pretty much synonomous with safety these days The XC60 must surely be the most driver-insulating SUV on the market . .The XC60 is powered by a 281-horsepower turbocharged in-line six cylinder engine and comes with one transmission: a six-speed automatic mated to a fourth-generation Haldex full-time all-wheel-drive system Parts of this drivetrain and various other components are used elsewhere in Volvo’s line-up, including the S80 and V70, and it has 231 mm of ground clearance for those who may feel compelled to take this $50,000 ute into the boondocks . .Volvo is also hoping current owners of the diminutive C30 coupe will move upward into the XC60 and its competition includes the likes of the Mercedes GLK, Lexus RX350, and, especially, BMW’s X3 It is, in all respects, an upscale vehicle Standard equipment includes leather interior, dual-zone climate control, heated outside mirrors, power seats, hands-free bluetooth interface, Sirius satellite radio, and a fold-flat rear floor area with 40/20/40 split rear seats “Ideal for carrying Ikea boxes,” quips project director, Lars Blenwall . .Effortless to drive too On a 350-kilometre run up the Pacific Coat Highway and through California wine country, the XC60 handled the endless switchbacks and tight corners with aplomb and ease You can actually adjust the power steering boost while you’re driving, and it’s sometimes easy to forget that you’re piloting a sport utility vehicle and not a sports sedan Turbo boost, which can be an issue, is completely under control and virtually unobtrusive . .Designed at Volvo’s California studios and built in Ghent, Belgium, the XC60 features what exterior design chief, Doug Frasher, describes as a “holistic” body style “When we got to work on the XC60, we were mindful of the Swedish love for the outdoors and wildlife One of the big questions we asked ourselves was: ‘what kind of animal should it be?’” That question remains unanswered, but at least it wasn’t tagged as a bionic cheetah, as was the case with the Infiniti FX35 . .The XC60 is expected to hit Canadian showrooms by April and will carry a projected base price in the high $40,000 to low $50,000 neighbourhood .
Source: www.rsstnx.com

Cars For Sale
With the continuous oil price hike all around the globe, cars are deemed unnecessary nowadays due to its high rates and maintenance With the expenses getting bigger every year, and the budget getting tighter each day, would it be possible that ordinary people can buy their own car for practical purposes? Buying a brand new car may really stripe you off the money you have From time to time, car manufacturers are releasing different models to suit the changing time But the prices of these newly released car models are way too expensive . .But it is not always good to buy these brand new cars For a start, consider your budget in buying a new model car If it is for home and family use only, it is not necessary to buy a brand new car You can opt to get a used car which can perform just like a new car model released Used cars have almost the same functionality with a brand new one You just have to clean the parts thoroughly and tune it up regularly in order for it to perform at its highest standard There are thousands of used cars available for you to choose from Bear in mind that the older the model, the higher its tendency of being sold at a cheaper price; but with the same motors and batteries performing quite well The convenience of buying a second hand car aside form the cheaper price is the opportunity of putting different machine parts which in a normal brand new car cannot be done But buying yourself a car will eventually go down to the fact of whether or not you badly need it or on what your budget will dictate you to buy- a brand new one or a second hand car . . .With your limited budget, used cars can offer you a wide range to choose from A second hand car are sometimes equipped with larger parts and loaded with some stuff that a brand new car lacks The price of a brand new car can eventually give your two or three used cars that you can take home The technique here is you must know where to look for the right second hand car to buy at an affordable price The fact still remains that if you buy an old car, it was being handed down to you by the former owner which you don’t know how it was used and how it was taken care of As a buyer of a second hand car, you need to thoroughly inspect the spare parts and the vital machine parts of the car to give you an estimate of its life line . .Used cars are popularly known to buyers who want to buy a car at the least possible cost The idea of buying a used car can be advantageous in some ways The greater durability and reliability of used cars makes it a perfect option in reducing the risks of buying an old car, thus, make buying an old car least of a gamble .
Source: www.rsstnx.com