The 1910 Adler Tourer

In 1900, Mr. Adler started a company in Frankfurt, Germany to produce bicycles, which lead to motorcycles, cars, and typewriters.

By the time the company produced their first car, "A Renault influenced, De Dion powered Voiturette in 1900," it wasn't long before the company was up and running making their own engines that were single or two cylinder. However, by 1910, that was increased to four cylinders. At that point, some of the engines were enormous; they went as large as seven point four liters. Six and the straight eight cylinder engines were added shortly afterwards. However, the 1910 Alder Tourer was best known as the "Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost". In those days, automobiles were still considered unreliable and were looked on as noisy, smelly, and dirty. Many people still preferred the horse and buggy. Only the rich had cars at that time.

The company continued to work on this car and had entered it in the Scottish Reliability Races in 1907. The reason it was called the "Silver Ghost" was the Managing Director Claude Johnson decided to fit a silver colored 40/50 horse powered chassis that had silver plated details with a matching tourer body. The engine is located in the front with a manual transmission. It has a wheelbase of 102.5 inches with four doors. The Scottish Reliability Race was a race that took forty days and the distance was fourteen thousand miles nonstop. And that was before it was in need of service. This was unheard of at the time so it caused quite a stir worldwide. This also caused the British magazine Autocar, considered the best-known magazine, to write in an article that the Silver Ghost was "the best car in the world". This is still the motto of Rolls-Royce. There were 8,416 of this car made. The one that was in the race was the only true "Silver Ghost"; all of the cars of the 40/50 chassis were referred as "Silver Ghosts".

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The Ford Streetka

This week's article requires an area of expertise I'm not sure I possess - writing about a car for girls. Due to the fact that I've actually seen sun by March this year, I'm hoping for a long, hot summer and therefore a convertible seemed a good choice to concentrate on. Obviously as soon as you drop the roof of any car, you're instantly into the realms of being a hairdresser or female or both. So what car did I settle on reviewing? A used Ford Streetka.

That's right, you can't even buy a new Streetka anymore since Ford only made them between 2003 and 2006 but despite this short selling period, the company most definitely produced the most feminine of cars ever. If you don't believe me, let's start with a few facts. It was launched by Kylie Minogue, a special pink version was used to promote the Thunderbirds movie and a dress to match the car was made and sold at a charity auction. Even Elton John would find all this a bit camp.

I don't want to come across as a bloke trapped in the chauvinistic thinkings of a male from the 1950s but the simple fact is that the vast majority of women really don't obsess about cars like men. Ford knew that by launching a cute little convertible with Kylie's help, women would be attracted to the lifestyle choice and cute styling rather than the new 94bhp engine it contained.

A note on the styling then. First things first; I could never get away with driving one without being ridiculed by my mates, but I'll admit that the styling is very cool. Recently I've been reviewing a lot of saloons that have all been much the same in the looks department, but the Streetka is funky and sleek, whilst maintaining the Ka brand look.

The two distinctive wheel arches remain, but the back end is elongated to accommodate the roof, while the front end has been subtly tweaked with more angular headlights the key change. Six-spoke alloy wheels adorn the car to help enhance its sporting image, along with a very subtle boot spoiler that is not too dissimilar to an Audi TT's. Crucially, the car's styling doesn't suffer when the roof is up or down - something the majority of convertibles fail to achieve a healthy balance on. The far more expensive Porsche Boxster for example looks gorgeous with the top down, but pram-like when the rain is falling.

All this impressive styling perhaps shouldn't come as much of surprise when you realise that Ford commissioned Pininfarina to draw lots of lines on paper prior to building the car. Pininfarina of course are the Italian designers who most notably come up with the curves for Ferrari and thus you get a lot of style and prestige for your money.

As I alluded to earlier, the Streetka comes with an upgraded engine to the standard 1.3 litre Duratec found in the rest of the Ka range. The 1.6 litre is obviously more powerful, but at only 94bhp it's still not earth-shattering by any means - something a 0-60mph time of 12 seconds and a top speed of 108mph evidences.

Of course all this doesn't matter when you're driving at 30mph through the city with the top down. Unsurprisingly the Streetka is just as competent around town as the standard Ka. Ford say that the Streetka has 12.5% stiffer front springs and a wider track at both front and back compared to the hatchback to improve handling further. This of course will be of 0% interest to the demographic Ford aimed the Streetka at.

When it was launched, Ford said 80% of the buying public would be female, but I can honestly report that since 2003, I have seen exactly no men driving one. It's certainly not because of the price when they were new. A new Streetka would've set you back £12,495 for the base model and a maximum of £13,745 for the luxury version. Combine this price with the Pininfarina styling and driving experience and it's no wonder the Streetka found favour. Better still it undercut its main rival the Peugeot 206cc by up to £2000.

Of course it's used examples we need to consider now and £4000 will get you a low mileage example from 2003, with the last 2006 versions costing nearer £7000. Presumably all will have only had lady owners so you needn't worry about boy racers having had their mucky hands on them.

So there you have it. The Ford Streetka - suitable for women written about by a man.

Mark Creese is a writer and a car enthusiast. Here he writes about the Ford Streetka.

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Pictures of New Cars today

One of my favorite past times is looking at pictures of cars on the internet. A picture of cars has truly developed since the 1950's when it was just a picture of a car with a sunset. They have really developed over the years. It is amazing to see how people have let their imagination run wild, and create these works of art. I have seen some interesting things over the years, like a casket car, to just a really cool paint job on a Ferrari.

My favorite pictures of a cars was a 1978 Pontiac Trans Am, this picture showed elaborate detail. It had a new design of the Firebird on the hood, bringing out sharper details and allowing the beauty to just pop. It was neon green, with very sharp edges, giving the idea that the bird was flying through the air. This Trans Am has neon lights on the inside and the outside of the car giving the impression that it glowed especially in the middle of the night. It was not like your typical car picture with neon lights that just showed a glow on the street, the lights brought it to life.

Not only has pictures of cars become more popular just on the creative side, it has also become even more popular because of the World Wide Web. People are now able to show pictures of their car to help their chances of selling. It is has become very popular and now you can reach more people then ever before. So keep looking at these fine pictures, whether for the art, or simply looking to buy a new car.

Well pictures of cars gives you the excitement of imagination, of a car you plan on driving. Its always great to visualize something before you actually get it. I have a picture in my mind of a hummer i would like to get in the future. I believe if you want the car bad, you will do whatever it takes to get it.

Visualizing Pictures Of Cars helps you paint a picture of your future car.

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The History of Lincoln Cars

Most do not realize that Lincoln actually had its beginnings as a company separate from Ford Motor Company. The company was started by Henry Leland in 1917 and named for one of Leland's heroes, President Abraham Lincoln. Henry Leland had actually been one of the founders of the Cadillac Car Company, which had been the Henry Ford Company. The Lincoln Motor Company was created to build Liberty aircraft engines for the United Stated during World War One. With the end of the war, Leland had the factories retooled to produce automobiles. Ford Motor Company was able to acquire Lincoln in 1922 when the luxury automobile manufacturer encountered severe financial difficulties. Henry Ford was quite pleased to be able to acquire the company from Leland. He viewed it as retribution as Leland had led investors to force Ford out of the Detroit Automobile Company, a company that Ford had founded.

Once Ford acquired the company, body style changes were introduced and the price was lowered. These changes resulted in increased sales to 5,512 vehicles sold in 1922. Up from the previous 150 models sold the previous year, which had led to the hardship that had forced the company into bankruptcy.

In 1923, several different body styles were introduced including a two-passenger roadster and a seven-passenger limousine.

A specially designed police model, known as the Police Flyer was marketed to law enforcement divisions around the country. A special draw was Ford's willingness to modify the vehicles to suit the needs of police officers in the field. Bulletproof windows were added, spotlights were placed on the sides of the vehicle and gun racks were mounted to the interior section of cars. The cars were also fitted with four-wheel brakes a full two years before they were offered on vehicles meant for private sale. These police cruisers coupled with the success of the four door private sedans allowed the Lincoln division to show a profit margin by the end of 1924 just two years after the company had been pulled from the jaws of bankruptcy.

The bestselling car in Lincoln's history was developed by a designer named Eugene T. "Bob" Gregorie. Gregorie was designing a car for Edsel Ford who wanted a sleeker vehicle more in line with European style cars. The Lincoln Zephyr was the result and was offered for the 1936 model year. Sales skyrocketed its first year on market and sales for Ford increased by 9 times what it had done the previous year. This was the car that would eventually become the Lincoln Continental, one of the most important cars in the history of Lincoln. The car was so successful that it was nearly used as a brand name by itself. The advent of World War Two ended production of the popular Zephyr when Ford converted many of its factories to war work. The Continental which would go on to become so famous was based on mostly completely of the Zephyr.

Lincoln has also occupied a prominent place in history by providing many of the vehicles that would be used as official state vehicles for presidents of the United States. The first Lincoln vehicle to be used in this capacity was a 1939 Lincoln V12 used by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The limousine in use on that fateful day in Dallas in November 1963 was also a Lincoln. It is currently on display at the Henry Ford Museum. Lincoln vehicles have also been used by Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan and Bush.

Beginning in 2007, Lincoln made a change to its marketing strategy and began giving three-letter names to all new models with the exception of the Navigator and the Town Car. In 2009, Lincoln is expected to make the MKS its new flagship model, replacing the Town Car, which has had that position in the Ford line up since 1981.

Ronnie Tanner has been in the used engine industry now for over 5 years specializing in the sale of Chevy Engines, Ford Engines and Used Honda Engines.

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Installing perfect Car Speakers

Purchasing a great set of new speakers to make a car's audio system perform like a rolling concert is only the first step in enjoying the sound quality desired. To really make music, those speakers have to be installed. This is a job that many do-it-yourselfers can handle if they follow some basic instructions carefully. The task does require some patience and the right set of tools.

Getting Started

Before diving into installation of any type of car speaker, it's a good idea to round up the right tools for the job. While installations can vary somewhat, the following tools are generally required:

-Screwdrivers, including Phillips head, magnetic and flat-blade; -A drill and bits; -Socket wrenches; -Allen wrenches; -Wire cutters; -Soldering iron; -Crimping tools; -Door panel removal tool; -Connectors; -A file; -Electrical tape; -Torx drivers and bits.

Other tools may also be required, but the above will cover most basic installations.

Getting Down To Work

While other mounting positions may be desired, the most common do-it-yourself job involves putting in door speakers. This is one of the easiest jobs to tackle without calling in professional installation assistance.

For a door installation, make sure to collect the tools first and, of course, buy the speakers. Once these things are done, be absolutely certain to read the instructions that are packaged with the speakers. They should spell out everything that needs to be done to properly install the speakers at home.

While some of the steps might differ based on manufacturer recommendations and how much wiring work is required, these steps are common:

Removal of the door panel - This will be required for speakers that are door mounts, which is the most common scenario. The door panel will need to be completely removed in order to access the speaker cavity and perform the job.

Speaker removal - If old speakers are in place, they will need to come out before the new speakers go in. If a new wiring harness will be used, unplug the factory harness at this time. Otherwise, leave it in place. Glue preparation - Prepare the gluing or mounting material provided for the speakers per manufacturer instructions. If an adhesive doesn't come with the speakers, a Super Glue type adhesive is a common choice. Once this is done, put the mounting materials into the speaker hole in the door.

Mounting - Place the speaker into mounting and make certain to carefully screw it into place.

Wiring - If the factory wiring harness is being reused, make sure to plug the positive wire into the positive opening in the new speaker. Do the same with the negative wiring. Also, make sure the positive and negative wires are properly plugged into the receiver or head unit. If a new harness will be used, this is the time to put it into place and hook it up to both the speakers and the receiver.

Clean up - Make sure all exposed wires are properly covered with electrical tape.

Finishing the job - Put the door panels back into place. For dash speakers, the major step that varies involves the removal of the grilles instead of the door panels. For other types of speaker installation jobs, carefully read manufacturer instructions before proceeding.

About the Author

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The Mitsubishi Lancer Family

Mitsubishi dealers around the world will be no doubt showing off their latest addition - the Lancer Sportback. You've no doubt seen the advert on television where a little boy asks his dad "where did I come from?" Unlike my dad, the on-screen one has the Sportback to help him explain the birds and the bees in graphic detail whilst showing off the curves of the car. "That's so cool" replies his son. "My friend Tommy only comes from Scotland". Oh the hilarity.

Yet the Sportback is most definitely part of the Lancer family and I reckon it sits somewhere in the middle. The Mitsubishi Lancer has been around the longest and has seen it all. It is subtly styled, drives sensibly and is reliable. It knows exactly what a customer that doesn't agonise over torque steer and turbo-lag wants and delivers it impressively whilst being, well, unimpressive and unassuming. Without doubt it is the granddad of the family.

Next up is the Sportback. Fittingly in the commercial a father is driving it and this is the role the car takes within the Lancer family. Everything is a bit sleeker, performance punchier and the ride sportier without ever being uncomfortable. Crucially it still retains the practicality of the Lancer and still does everything a family saloon should. Finally there's the snarling, raucous, fire-eating Lancer Evolution. Currently in its tenth incarnation, this car takes fuel economy, soft suspension and subtle styling and runs them over, reverses and dos it again just to make sure. This is the car that is worshiped by anyone will a large wallet and the inability to grow facial hair. Unfortunately I only fall into the second category. With 0-60mph coming up in 4.1 seconds, many a Ferrari has been left embarrassed and this is despite the Evolution having four doors and the same boot as its granddad. Yep, you've guessed it; the Evolution is the son that ran away from home, has some scrapes with the police for speeding and ended up mixing with the wrong crowd on the rally circuit. No wonder there's no mother in my Mitsubishi Lancer family tree.

So the Sportback is aimed squarely at 'cool' dads who would consider the basic Lancer 'boring' and the Evolution 'thirsty'. Why's it cool then? Well for a start Mitsubishi dealers' will have been told to say the front end is styled on that of a fighter jet. After all who hasn't wanted to be a fighter pilot at some stage? I certainly wouldn't get into the Sportback by mistake, rather than my F16 parked next to it, but you can see where they're coming from. Think of it more like the new front end of the Audi range and you'd be closer. The rest of the car is sensibly styled but found favour with me, even though I love more vents than a skyscraper on my cars. The interior is typically Japanese so what it lacks in flair, it more than makes up for in usability and the quality of materials used. That said, the Sportback certainly takes things forward from previous incarnations with the dials neatly housed in pods, and an on-board computer within easy reach (and one that's much easier to use than BMW's infernal i-Drive system). Rear legroom is good as is the boot which thanks to the Sportback being a hatchback rather than saloon like its other family members helps add far more capacity for your shopping.

On the performance front it's not going to give you whiplash but is more than ample for the school run or motorway cruising. The 1.5 litre diesel takes you from standing to 60mph in 11.8 seconds and onto a top speed of 114mph. One thing that did worry me is that despite this sensible performance, fuel consumption isn't great - 29.7mpg. Far more than an Evolution X I grant you, but only 4.7mpg better than the combined return a Mazda RX-8 gives you and that gives you whiplash AND rips your eyeballs out on acceleration.

Yes it's not anywhere near as practical so let's move on. If you have read this and are thinking "the Sportback is for me" then great, you'll be pleasantly surprised with what you receive. If on the other hand you really like the Sportback, secretly want an Evolution but can't afford it (that'll be me definitely) then never fear as Mitsubishi are launching the Sportback Ralliart. Even sillier name, but it'll essentially be a Sportback with rally pedigree that'll fall nicely into the family between the Sportback and Evolution - step son? Cool uncle? Answers on a postcard please.

Mark Creese is a writer and a car enthusiast. Here he discusses the Mitsubishi Lancer

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The New Shelby Cobra

A Little Bit Of Cobra History

I've been a fan of the Shelby Cobra for years, but I never really knew or understood the history of these cars.

There were 3 different models of the Shelby Cobra made. They're known as the Mk I, Mk II and the Mk III. The three models were in production beginning from 1962 through 1967.

There was a brief production run of "new" Cobras in early 2003-2004, but I choose to ignore those cars since they're not part of the original run.

The original cars, named AC Cobras, started off with a 2.6 Litre Ford Zephyr engine. I don't know if you've ever seen a Ford Zephyr, but believe me, there's a good reason that you haven't seen one.

Despite having that engine, the Cobra met with some racing success.

The success of the car, caught the attention of Carroll Shelby, who needed and wanted a car with a V8 engine in it. Long story short, Shelby and the original manufacturer worked out a deal, AC shoehorned a V8 engine into their Cobra chassis and the Shelby Cobra came to life.

Shelby Cobra Special Models

There were a couple of limited production versions of the Cobra. One of the limited editions was the Super Snake.

The Super Snake had Twin Paxton superchargers, racing headers, racing rear end and racing breaks. The Super Snake was fast as all get out and was not for the faint of heart. Shelby's personal Super Snake sold at auction in 2007 for $5.5 million. The super snake is one of the rarest of the Cobra Models.

There was a Coupe model made. 6 total chassis were made for improved aerodynamics down the Mulsanne straight in the 24 hours of LeMans. They were known as Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupes. 1 of these cars was at a recent Cobra owners club meeting in San Marcos TX. I had no idea what I was looking at when I saw it.

Customizations

There were a lot of different models at the Cobra owners club meeting in San Marcos TX. Some of them were more interesting than others, but I think that a green car, with fangs and snake eyes for the headlights was my favorite car.

I don't know enough to know or tell which if any of the cars at the show were originals or a replicas, but I think they look cool nonetheless.

I usually write about social media and internet advertising at my site BigSexyMedia.com. I decided to take a break and share the pictures that I took at the show. I feel that when you talk about cars, you have to have pictures of the cars. Here's my free flickr picture slideshow http://www.flickr.com/photos/25874505@N05/sets/72157616134758898/show/ Please let me know if you enjoyed the pictures.

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