Are you concerned about the environment and the effect of pollution to the earth’s eco system? There are many ways in which you can help. You can take big steps by driving an electric car or even a small one such as by adjusting your driving habits. Even small steps can make a big difference.

One easy way that you can conserve gas is by monitoring your driving habits. Driving fast and accelerating often burns and wastes a lot of gas. Drive at a steady speed whenever possible in order to conserve fuel. Avoid accelerating really fast and aggressively. Try to anticipate the flow of traffic and slow down or speed up accordingly.

If you want to make a huge step towards saving the environment, why not consider an electric car? An EV is completely clean meaning that it emits zero emissions period. If you live in a very urban area and drive occasionally you may want to consider an electric car. EV’s are more suitable for those who have short commutes due to their limited mileage range which hovers around 100 miles per charge. The most popular EV on the market currently is the Nissan Leaf.

A more low maintenance car that is more practical for most people is a hybrid vehicle. These cars are propelled by the dual use of a traditional and electric motor. One advantage with hybrid cars is that they don’t have the same range limitations that electric cars do. The most popular hybrid on the market currently is the Toyota Prius. Efficiency for the Prius stands at around 50 mpg.

If you want a traditional car; that’s fine too. Just pick one that has good mileage. Many of Ford’s cars come with Ecoboost engines which are designed to perform well while still being efficient. Ford Motor Company has a few cars in their lineup that near the 40 mpg mark.

Another idea to incorporate is that of carpooling. Why not carpool with a few of your office friends if you happen to live in nearby? You will also save on gas costs since the bill is generally split. You also get to drive in the fast lane which means you will get to work even faster.

Another option is to take public transportation once in a while. Some urban cities such as NY and L.A offer great transit systems. Another option is to walk if you are just running errands around your house. An added bonus is that you won’t have to battle traffic or look for a parking spot. Plus walking is great.

You may find yourself making revving noises in front of a fan, imagining the feel of a hot and grumbling exhaust pipe next to your leg. You may have been wearing a leather jacket around the house, even on hot summer days. Inexplicable behavior to some, but to those in the know, these are signs that you’re saving up to buy your first 2000cc motorcycle.

Harley, Honda, or Suzuki. Whichever ride you choose, do you homework before you fork over all that cash. For instance, you’ll need training on how to ride one of those bad boys. In fact, many states require motorcycle licenses in order to operate one. That means Driver’s Ed all over again. Everything from braking, to arm turn signals, all the way up to avoiding wipe outs.

You’re not quite in the realm of being a Hell’s Angel just because you’re good at the simulations in the arcade. To even qualify as a beginner, you will need to build up some real-world experience on a closed driving circuit. This isn’t a problem though as many local community centers and colleges offer motorcycle lessons. These courses can be a few days or a few weeks in length. Those that take the longer courses are generally better riders before they hit the road for real.

If you’re confident about your ability to learn quickly, look into the riding courses from bike manufacturers. Most big name manufacturers will offer courses designed to teach you a lot in a short space of time. Remember though that they will be focused on getting you prepared to ride quickly so you can quickly become one of their customers. If you feel like you may need another couple of lessons after the manufacturer’s course, don’t fret. Many college courses also provide the motorcycles, so you don’t have to worry about wrecking your brand new toy.

Another thing to think about before investing in your motorcycle is your equipment. Your clothing, boots, gloves and helmets are not simply accessories. If you are unfortunate enough to have an accident, and you’re not wearing the proper attire, you’ll be suffering from a very painful case of road rash at best, or being fed through a tube in your stomach (or worse). Although some states don’t require you to wear a helmet, wear one anyway. Worrying about looking dumb is really immature, and helmets come in so many cool colors and styles nowadays. So suit up properly before you get on your ride.

You probably should also face up to the fact that life expectancy does fall once you’ve purchased your motorcycle. In fact, it falls considerably. Automobile drivers are easily distracted by many other activities not pertinent to keeping their eye on the road, and motorcycle riders can be the victims of this inattention. Unfortunately, the injuries that motorcycle riders tend to sustain in road accidents can often be critical, even life-threatening. Make sure that you’ve discussed your decision to ride a bike with your loved ones. It’s also a good plan to make sure your life insurance and will are up-to-date.

That being said, motorcycles can be fun and cheap modes of transportation. 65 miles to the gallon seems rather incredible, right? But it is possible on the back of your motorcycle. Most bikes are extremely fuel-efficient. One main reason is that the engine is carrying less weight than a car’s. Also, you’re driving around with just you most of the time.

Whether your motorcycle is fuel-efficient also depends on the type of bike you choose. Pause for a brief second before rushing out to get that 2000+ CC monster of a bike. You need to make sure that you can cope with the heat and speed of your motorcycle, whether it’s a speed bike or built for cruising. You need confidence when it comes to twisting that throttle. Visit a range of local dealers to get a feel for the right kind of bike for you. It may be wise to start out with a small engine bike initially to get some experience in riding.

Got the gear? Got the training? Made peace with your family and friends by convincing them you will be a conscientious biker? Picked out your chariot? Then all that is left is to turn the key, step on that clutch, and let the engine do the revving for you.

In the summer of 1986, Vauxhall acquired the cult British sports car company, Lotus, and the motoring world wondered what on earth the maker of the Viva and Cavalier family saloons was going to do with the high performance car maker. They had to wait three years to find out.

Take a normal family saloon car and stick a 3.6 litre Lotus Engine in it and what do you get?

The Vauxhall Lotus Carlton which in 1990 became the fastest saloon car in the world capable of speeds up to 176 mph.

Vauxhall Motors had been owned by US automobile giant General Motors (GM) since 1925 and since 1962 when GM acquired German manufacturer Opel, both companies had regularly shared the same designs, engines, components and cars under different badges for their respective markets.

The early Carlton’s were modest relations of what was to come.

The first Vauxhall Carlton or Omega as it later became known in Europe and the US, was the British version of the Opel Rekord from Germany.

The Mark 1 Carlton was a typical 1.8 or 2.0 litre petrol four door large family car aimed at the middle market to compete with the Ford Cortina and Granada. A spacious and comfortable real wheel drive motor with reasonable performance, it was also available as an estate car.

Yet despite many interior design upgrades and a diesel version, sales were not spectacular.

The Mark 1 Carlton was mostly built in Germany and assembled at the Vauxhall Luton plant from 1978 until 1986 when it was replaced by the Mark 2, which was to become the basis of the Vauxhall Lotus supercar.

The new Carlton was a totally different beast to its predecessor. Designed to take on both Ford and BMW for the British executive saloon market, at the end of its launch year of 1986, the Carlton / Omega range earned itself the industry accolade of European Car of the Year.

The Mark 2 Carlton was powered by a straight-6 engine with a 2.6 and 3.0 litre choice. In 1986 the engine had 12-valves, but later models offered a much more powerful 24-valve version in the Carlton GSi which became the basis of the Lotus production car.

Although it was unveiled at the 1989 Geneva Motor Show, it wasn’t until 1990 that the Vauxhall Lotus Carlton entered production. Apart from an obvious rear spoiler, low profile body kit and a couple of air intakes under the bonnet, there was little to tell the car apart from the family model. However it was what was under the bonnet that made this the worlds fastest four door production car ever!

The 3615 cc V6 Lotus engine was built with a four valve cylinder aluminium head with twin overhead camshafts. Fitted with twin Garrett T25 water-cooled turbochargers the car developed 377 bhp at 5200 rpm, with an incredible 419lb per foot of torque.

The drive was taken via a six speed gearbox taken from the GM Chevrolet corvette to a strengthened rear wheel differential. This enabled the Lotus Carlton to reach an amazing speed of 176 mph when tested at the high speed Nardo track in Southern Italy.

GM planned producing 1100 cars initially over three years, however due to the recession that hit at that time and the high price tag of £48000, sales were slower than expected and only 950 cars were eventually built when Lotus made the last Carlton in 1992.

The Lotus Carlton will probably go down in history as the world’s fastest saloon car that nobody knew about! The fact that the car was so fast caused so much controversy that the corporate advertising of the day did not mention this fact, only that it could accelerate from 0 to 60 in 5.2 seconds! Had they sold the car on its amazing capabilities, the Vauxhall Lotus Carlton may have had a much different story.