AUTO PARTS ONLINE STORE 2007 2008: Find New & Used Auto Parts and Car Accessories Online

Ferrari brought the world's press to the posh principality of Monaco to properly show off its latest creation in rapid, open-air transport, the Superamerica. The Cфte d'Azur offers a great combination of a sunny, convertible-friendly climate, high-speed autoroutes, and twisty two-lane mountain roads for wringing out a grand tourer. Monaco is also home to more than 400 Ferraris, not bad for a country that is about the size of Central Park.

The Superamerica moniker comes from a Ferrari tradition of giving special names to limited-edition models. From 1951 to 1960, Ferrari built 62 custom-bodied cars called Americas and Superamericas. The Super prefix identified cars with modified, more powerful engines. Today's Superamerica convertible is derived from the 575M Maranello hardtop coupe that Ferrari introduced three years ago. The 575M coupe is one of the world's great grand-touring cars. It combines power, speed, and comfort with a classically styled long-nose, short-rear-deck body. The 575M is the perfect instrument for cruising long distances quickly and comfortably, your own two-seat land jet for that long road to the sea.

But after winging your way to your favorite sun-drenched coast, wouldn't it be fun to enjoy all the rays? The Superamerica lets you do just that by literally flipping its lid. The glass roof panel rotates backward on the axis of its rear edge and comes to rest flush on top of the trunklid. There is no origami-style folding and turning like the convertible roof on a Mercedes—just a simple up and over. Also unlike a Benz, since the roof comes to rest on top of the trunklid, the interior volume of the trunk doesn't decrease. The Superamerica has the same eight-cubic-foot capacity as the 575M coupe. The rear window stays in place and with the roof open works as a wind blocker. All the driver has to do is release a catch on the windshield header and hit a switch on the center console. The entire operation, up or down, takes about 10 seconds. Ferrari calls the glass roof Revocromico: It revolves, and the amount of tinting in the panel is variable. The glass has sheets of electrochromic film layered in it that alter their transparency according to the amount of electrical current running through them. A knob on the center console allows for five different levels of light transmission, from an almost clear light blue to a very dark blue. It takes just 60 seconds to go from the lightest to darkest setting, and even at the darkest setting the panel is not completely opaque—you can always see the sun through it.

The Superamerica is based on the 575M coupe's chassis, and to maintain body rigidity with the roof open, the side sills, the center chassis tunnel, and the A-pillars have been reinforced. Rear buttresses were also added, and the rear bulkhead and transaxle area were strengthened and braced. The 575M's computer-controlled suspension is standard on the Superamerica. It has two modes, comfort and sport. The computer uses signals from six accelerometers to read the road surface and adjusts the shocks to maximize ride or handling. With the top up, the Superamerica has the smooth ride and sporty handling of the 575M. With the top down, we did sense a little body quiver over large irregularities, but the car's road manners didn't feel compromised.

The convertible top isn't the only thing different about the Superamerica. To justify the use of the Super prefix, Ferrari bumped up the horsepower of the 575M's 5.7-liter V-12 from 508 to 532 by increasing the flow rate of the intake tracts and fitting the car with a new exhaust system with less back pressure. The torque figure is unchanged at 434 pound-feet. Two different transmissions can be mated to this beast of an engine: a standard six-speed manual or an F1-style paddle-shift six-speed with a computer-controlled clutch. With the F1 gearbox, performance should be about the same as that of the last 575M we tested, which went 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. Ferrari says the convertible weighs 200 more pounds than the coupe.

With a paddle-shifting tranny, a Superamerica will set you back about $315,000. The base six-speed is $305,000. Sad to say, the allotment of 170 cars for the U.S. has already been spoken for. So if you are one of the lucky ones, flip your lid, put your right foot to the floor, and enjoy the music.

Ferrari Superamerica
Vehicle type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door roadster
Estimated base price: $305,000-$315,000
Engine type: DOHC 48-valve V-12, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 351 cu in, 5748cc
Power (SAE net): 532 bhp @ 7250 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 434 lb-ft @ 5250 rpm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transmissions: 6-speed manual, 6-speed
manual with automated
shifting and clutch
Wheelbase: 98.4 in
Length/width/height: 179.1/76.2/50.3 in
Curb weight: 4200 lb
Performance ratings (mfr's est, F1 6-sp):
Zero to 62 mph: 4.2 sec
Top speed (redline limited): 199 mph
Projected fuel economy (mfr's est):
European combined: 11 mpg

Finding the most relevant used truck parts in south carolina sites can be hard. That is the reason for this portal. We completely studied everything about wal mart auto battery to choose the best web sites for you.
As the electronic commerce phenomenon continues headlight shades online help and advice can\’t be beaten A major advantage that online transmission service grapevine tx traders have over their traditional vintage dodge truck parts businesses is lower costs of online commerce.
Deciding which are the best dodge truck parts catalogue sites online is not an easy chore. That\’s why this web site is important to you. It wears us out just thinking about the hours of work we did finding information on vintage auto parts and select the best sites for you to visit.
Picking the top wal mart auto battery sites is difficult. To be frank, that\’s been our motivation for building this website. It took an incredible amount of resources and man power to compile this information on cool car seat cover and select a couple of the best web sites for you to visit.
Locating the best race car part columbus ohio online, can be a daunting task. In fact, as the Internet grows it becomes harder and harder to accurately source the right material. Our work was endless in order to find the best information we could on truck accessories alberta for you to hop to.
Coming across the best used suzuki atv parts can be frustrating at times because there is so much that is mediocre. Which is why we designed this search site for you. It wears us out just thinking about the hours of work we did finding information on part vehicle to point you to the best sites.
Locating the best vtx 1800 custom exhaust sites online is not an easy chore. That is the reason for this web site. Detailed research went into building this web site on high performance parts and choose the best places for you.
Looking everywhere for the late happenings on truck accessories alberta? Well youve certainly got to the right place because thats what were virtuoso\’s in. Of course, being a new information site we dont yet have a comprehensive amount of data on the precise search term you were looking for used auto parts michigan, but were getting there.
Finding the very best car part phoenix resources on the Internet can be a daunting task. That\’s why we built this search portal. We worked endlessly to find every information source we could on part vehicle to find the best places for you to click to.
Finding the premium acura legend oem interior parts can be difficult. That\’s where we come into the picture. You won\’t believe the depth of our online investigations for information on britax husky car seat and select a couple of the very best sites for you to visit.
Knowing that electronic commerce is the wave of the future car child regulation seat online stores develop new strategies in their electronic marketing Perhaps the biggest advantage that web based vw corrado body parts sellers have over brick and mortar stores high performance racing motorcycle parts organizations is that they can reach a global market for minimum cost.
Deciding which are the best evenflo generation car seat online websites isn\’t easy. So that is why we have exhaustively assembled this site. Our corporate mission is to locate and review all relevant information on car child requirement seat and select a couple of the best web sites for you to visit.
Finding the premium bmw convertible part domains can be hard. So we created this site. Lots of hard work went into creating this website about wal mart auto battery for you to surf to.
Choosing the best car child requirement seat web sites is sometimes hard. That is the reason for this portal. We completely researched all sources on cadillac oem parts and pick the best links for you.
Sometimes when you\’re finding websites on truck accessories alberta it\’s wearisome to unravel the sagacious renderings from the bad advice. There\’s so much depth of information on auto bmw body part that it\’s often very hard to know where to start. When we construct this info site we knew that we preferred to specialize in providing you the most useful references for used truck parts in south carolina, we believe we have achieved that.
Selecting the best headlight shades websites can be sheer hard work. Consequently we made a deliberate decision to create a site that could point you in the right direction. It took us ages to put together all we found out about headlight shades and target a couple for you to click to.
Locating the most appropriate headlight shades can be tidious. Relax, because we have done all the hard work for you. I\’m amazed that it took us so long to go through all the info about used mac parts and be able to point you to the best sites to visit.
Locating the very best toyota wholesale parts requires a condsiderably amount of skill. It involves both time and patience to come up with the right results. We worked endlessly to find every information source we could on honda vtx 1800 neo parts and be able to point you to the best sites to visit.
Evaluating superior vintage dodge truck parts sites is more difficult than it first appears. So we created this site. Yes, it has taken a lot of time and effort to source good quality information on part vehicle for you to surf to.
Finding the best car child regulation seat sites is more difficult than it first appears. That\’s where this site comes into the picture. I\’m amazed that it took us so long to go through all the info about hyundai accent performance part and pick the best links for you.
Finding the most informative slot car parts websites can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Which is why this web site is important. It took a long time, and a lot of hard work, for us to go through every information source about high performance parts and target a couple for you to click to.

Everyone knows that wind in your hair is part of a roadster's charm, and so is a snappy engine note. The 2.0-liter four-banger from the Mazda 3 has been juiced up to 170 horsepower, a 28-hp increase over the 2005 MX-5. This engine is quick-revving and smooth and has a slightly edgier soundtrack. Mazda employed a two-stage intake manifold to shore up low-end grunt. The system has a large intake manifold, so Mazda had to tilt the engine 10 degrees to squeeze it in. The company says at least 90 percent of peak torque (140 pound-feet) is available from 2500 rpm upward.

You still have to shift a lot, which has always been part of the MX-5's fun. The five-speed manual and a reengineered six-speed continue with one of the best shifters in the world. We've always described the Miata's shifter as a toggle switch, and that description still applies. Although we can't imagine wanting an automatic MX-5, there's an optional $1100 six-speed auto box that comes with steering-wheel paddles so you can override the computer. We tried it for a few miles; it works pretty well, but we quickly ditched it for a manual car at the preview in Hawaii.

As ever, driving Mazda's roadster is a joyous experience that verges on religious if you're a roadster fanatic. The controls still have a light but natural feel that's hard to describe but is just right. Ask Nobuhiro Yamamoto, the deputy program manager for vehicle engineering, what makes for good steering, and he'll give you a detailed explanation that covers such seemingly arcane aspects as the density of the foam that covers the steering wheel. We'll spare you the complicated debriefing, but the message was that Mazda studied and optimized everything.

Which is probably why the car retains the original's charm. There are a lot of obvious places where we felt a difference—the increased power, for example—but where we really noticed the change was during at-the-limit cornering. Whereas the old car's resilient suspension let the car heel over when pushed hard, the new MX-5 corners flat and with a lot more confidence. The structure feels heaps stiffer, and the ride—at least on the rather smooth roads we sampled—is just as compliant.

So Mazda has not screwed up the MX-5. As a final point, it's still reasonably priced. The base car, which comes with power windows and anti-lock brakes but not A/C, costs $20,995. Air conditioning runs $1000, and it's the only option we think you might want. Pack on options such as leather seats, stability control, and a Bose stereo, and you can easily top $25,000. By the way, the original 116-hp car would cost $20,536 in today's dollars. Now let's let out a collective sigh of relief. The new Miata—oops—MX-5 is here, and it's better than ever.

No one asked Mazda two decades ago to reinvent the roadster, but we should all bow down and give thanks that it did. The roadster is, of course, the smile vehicle, the toy, the I'm-doing-errands-but-loving-it kind of car, and none has done it as well as Mazda with the $14,069 MX-5 Miata that debuted in 1989. Since then, it's been the go-to car for affordable sports-car thrills.

Now comes a third-gen version that doesn't share a single part with the fantastic original, and that's made us nervous. The original Miata has held up remarkably well—drive one today, and it doesn't behave like a 16-year-old design. It still feels light and nimble—graceful even—and the controls have a delicate, precise feel that's just about unmatched today. So, by fiddling with the original recipe, we wondered, would Mazda screw it up?

That's why we're here, so let's find out.

First off, we should mention the name change. Mazda has dropped "Miata." Officially, the car is simply the MX-5, a move the company says brings the roadster in line with other Mazda models that use alphanumeric nomenclature. We wonder if it's also an attempt to shake off some of the Miata's "chick car" image.

We've always been secure enough in our manhood to ignore that unfortunate rep, but judging by the new body, with bulging fenders and a more aggressive look, we feel the MX-5 has lost some cuteness.

Although it's now reportedly heavily based on the RX-8, the two don't share any parts. They are built in the same factory along with the MPV minivan so Mazda can shift around production to meet changing demand, but the RX-8 is a larger car with heavier, stouter parts that wouldn't suit the MX-5's lightweight mission.

Weight is of course the enemy of sports cars, and we've covered Mazda's extensive efforts to keep it off the new car in the sidebar on page 69. Mazda says even the MX-5's structure is 3.5 pounds lighter than the last model, despite the fact that it has grown slightly and is stronger for more-stringent crash regulations. It also has the usual boast of increased stiffness: 47 percent torsionally and 22 percent in bending. The wheelbase is 2.5 inches longer, length and width grew by about an inch and a half, and the car is 0.7 inch taller.

The result is a roomier interior that now has 50 cubic feet of space instead of 46. The cabin does feel more spacious, but we didn't detect a marked increase in legroom, and those more than six feet tall will still feel a bit crunched.

Tall folks who squeeze in will find it easier to work the pedals, though. Mazda raised the car's beltline to accommodate a taller hood that was needed to pass pedestrian crash standards. The steering column and the dash are now a little higher off the floor, so there's more room to shuffle your feet, and your knees don't butt against the now-tilting steering column.

The downside is that the top of the door is higher, too. You don't feel as if you're sitting in a well as you do in a Honda S2000, and you can rest your elbow comfortably on the doorsill, but a smidge of the Miata's open-air-roadster charm has been lost.

Getting the manual top down is even easier. A single header latch replaces the old car's pair, and the top clamshells onto itself as it's lowered. You can still raise and lower it sitting in the driver's seat. There's now a standard wind blocker between the headrests, but the MX-5 is still a roadster that delightfully lets the wind in. Although wind noise, especially behind the driver's left shoulder, is loud above 70 mph, the MX-5 doesn't isolate you from the wind, nor does it beat you up.

(continued)

Although it is not as focused a high-performance car as the DB9 coupe, there are few disadvantages to offset the joys of open-air driving. With the roof up, the hard-to-reach rear seats are somewhat claustrophobic, and the small, shallow rear window limits the driver's rear vision. Aston says the roof stays firmly in place at its maximum speed, which is limited to 165 mph, 21 mph less than the coupe. It reckons that's as fast as convertible customers will want to go, top up or down.

And what of its looks? The DB9 is the work of Aston's erstwhile designer Henrik Fisker, but it's clearly influenced by Ian Callum's DB7. That predecessor was among the all-time automotive beauties but lost its perfect proportions when the roof came off. The longer, lower, and more lithe DB9, sans lid, retains its winning style. The DB9 Volante pleases the aesthetes as much as the extroverts.

Aston Martin DB9 Volante
Vehicle type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2+2-passenger, 2-door convertible
Estimated base price: $178,000-$182,000
Engine type: DOHC 48-valve V-12, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 362 cu in, 5935cc
Power (SAE net): 449 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 420 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transmissions: 6-speed automatic with
manumatic shifting,
6-speed manual
Wheelbase: 107.9 in
Length/width/height: 185.4/73.8/49.6 in
Curb weight: 4150 lb
Performance ratings (C/D est):
Zero to 60 mph: 4.9-5.0 sec
Top speed (governor limited): 165 mph
Projected fuel economy (mfr's est):
EPA city driving: 11 mpg
EPA highway driving: 19 mpg

What could be better—more beautiful, more attention-grabbing, more perfect for a jet-set lifestyle—than an Aston Martin DB9?

The answer is an Aston Martin DB9 Volante, the convertible version of one of the world's loveliest cars.

We can argue that the fixed-roof coupe, with an inevitably stiffer body shell, is lighter, faster, and more rewarding to drive—and $13,500 cheaper—but buyers of automotive exotica, especially in the United States, always veer toward a convertible. Aston knows that, so when it developed its VH platform—the architecture that will eventually be used for its three model lines—the plan was for closed and open versions with a minimum of modifications.

The beautiful DB9 coupe—featured in our supercar comparison last month—has been around for a year now, and it's time for it to be joined by the DB9 Volante.

The VH structure of bonded aluminum sheet and extrusions needed few changes for the DB9 Volante that, although it doesn't have the same torsional stiffness as the coupe, suffers much less from losing its head than most of its competitors. So it doesn't have the cowl shake or creaks and groans that afflict many convertibles. On bad road surfaces there is some murmuring through the steering, but it's not enough to spoil the driving experience. And with the top down, there is more opportunity to savor the aural delights of that mighty V-12 engine.

The Volante weighs 130 more pounds than the coupe. It eschews the retractable hardtops that have recently become so fashionable in favor of a conventional folding fabric roof. The top is superlative for its type, fitting snugly so that wind noise is negligible, even at 100 mph, and powering down and under a flush body panel simply by pulling back a switch on the center console. There are no catches to be released or secured, and the whole process of putting the roof up or down takes just 17 seconds.

Once open to the elements, wind buffeting is bearable up to about 60 mph but beyond that would benefit from a blocker that Aston is still developing. That, however, will render the rear seats unusable. Now it's true that the rear seats of the DB9 coupe are unsuitable for all but the smallest and youngest human beings, but that is partly because of the difficulty of getting into them. Top down, the rear seats don't gain any size advantage, but they do become more accessible.

Occupants are protected in a roll-over accident by strengthened windshield pillars and two pop-up hoops behind those rear seats. They deploy only when sensors detect that the car might be headed for trouble. There is no manual override for these roll hoops; indeed, the handbook advises owners planning high-g cornering on a track to run with the top down because if the hoops pop up, they will break the softtop's rear window, which is glass.

Track-day specialists will prefer the DB9 coupe in any case. The Volante isn't meant for such athletics. It has a more gentle suspension—softer springs and a thinner front anti-roll bar, with the rear bar deleted. Aston judged this setup more suited to the cruising for which the convertible will likely be used. Otherwise, mechanically, open and closed cars are identical.

At the start of production last year, DB9s were available only with six-speed ZF automatic transmissions, where gears were selected via dash-mounted buttons and paddles that turn with the steering wheel. Our Volante had this transmission, which operates nicely in either automatic or manual mode, but there is now the option of a six-speed manual made by Graziano in Italy and shared with the V-8 Vantage. Choosing do-it-yourself gearshifting with a short central lever and a clutch pedal saves $4000.

Volvo's last attempt at a convertible didn't quite take the world by storm. There weren't too many takers over eight years, as the C70 softtop sold about 25,000 units in the U.S., or on average some 3100 per year. A 40-grand droptop Swede based on the 1992 Volvo 850 just wasn't all that compelling. Unless you were absolutely smitten with the looks, there weren't many gripping reasons to put a C70 convertible in your garage. With the second generation of the C70 convertible, Volvo hopes to double sales by luring buyers with a newer platform that has far better dynamics and structural rigidity, a folding hardtop, and, of course, airbags galore.

The new C70 convertible is based on the Volvo S40 sedan that is itself based on the second-generation Ford Focus, the one that's available in Europe but not here. Much of the development work required to make the four-door S40 into the two-door convertible C70 was done by the Italian design and engineering firm Pininfarina.

Perhaps the greatest challenge to Pininfarina was making a retractable hardtop fold so that at least some luggage space was retained when the top was down. The solution is a three-piece metal roof that folds compactly on itself into an area behind the rear seats. When tucked away, there is still a decent amount of trunk space. Despite the complexity of the top, all one need do to lower or raise it is push a single button.

In typical Volvo fashion, the C70 is swimming with safety features. There are front, side, and-for the first time in a convertible—curtain airbags for the front seats. Rollover protection is provided by sturdy-looking bars that pop up from behind the rear seats when the car's stability-control system senses that the shiny side might not land up.

During our test drive at a handling track, the car's structure felt far stiffer than its predecessor's. Cowl shake was minimal, and the chassis underneath felt quite similar to that of the front-drive S40. Engine choices will also parallel the choices available in the S40. A 218-hp, 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder will power the T5 version of the C70, and a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter version of the five-cylinder will propel the 168-hp base version.

With the top down, the engine is louder than we expected, and the sound was a typical five-cylinder drone. Although the C70 and the S40 are closely related, it is as yet unknown if the S40's optional all-wheel drive will be available on the C70.

In developing the C70 convertible, Volvo targeted the Audi A4 droptop, and the Volvo is indeed quite similar to the front-drive Audi. Other competitors will include the Saab 9-3 convertible and BMW 3-series convertibles. The Volvo is more refined than its Swedish counterpart yet less fun to drive than the rear-drive BMW—the same could be said of the A4 convertible. Pricing of the C70 hasn't been announced, as the first deliveries won't occur until spring, but we expect the base version to go out the door for just over $30,000, and a loaded T5 version should sell for about $40,000. The new C70 convertible is not only better than the car it replaces but also less expensive.

Replacement Auto Parts Catalog - Select Make


Acura Parts Austin Healey Parts Audi Parts
BMW Parts Buick Parts Cadillac Parts
Chevrolet Parts Chrysler Parts Daihatsu Parts
Dodge Parts Eagle Parts Ford Parts
GMC Parts Geo Parts Honda Parts
Hyundai Parts Infiniti Parts Isuzu Parts
Jaguar Parts Jeep Parts Jensen Healey Parts
Kia Parts Lexus Parts Lincoln Parts
Mazda Parts Mercedes Benz Parts Mercury Parts
MG Parts Mini Parts Mitsubishi Parts
Nissan Parts Oldsmobile Parts Plymouth Parts
Pontiac Parts Porsche Parts Rover Parts
Rolls Royce Parts Saab Parts Saturn Parts
Subaru Parts Suzuki Parts Toyota Parts
Triumph Parts Volvo Parts Volkswagen Parts

Auto Parts Place Special on Rotors
Looking for a smooth ride? Need to prevent brake fade and reduce heat? Want to increase your wet performance and reduce cracking? Well, www.AutoPartsPlace.com is now offering cross-drilled brake discs from Brembo and Zimmerman to help improve your ride.

Cross-Drilled Brake Rotors:
Reduce brake fade
Improve rotor cooling
(temperatures reduced as much as 200 degrees
Lower rotational mass
better off-gassing properties
increased wet performances
Run on an average 82% cooler in front
27% cooler in rear.

How Do They Work?

Fully compatible with stock calipers, wheels and other chassis components, these discs easily mount onto any vehicle. The slots, known as drillings, provide a path to disperse built-up heat and gasses that result from the pads acting on the rotors, as well as help to clean and refresh the pad surface. The rotors are then plated for corrosion resistance and for a bold, aggressive appearance. The end result is a braking system that provides excellent stopping power ranging from everyday traffic conditions to more spirited high performance driving. And best of all, these brake discs fit into the budget of any enthusiast.

Find Auto Parts and Accessories Online
Finding auto parts online should not be a difficult task. The Auto Parts Center is here to help!

Choose the make of vehicle you need an auto part or accessory for, and search within that directory. At the very bottom of our site are some popular auto parts searches our members have typed in. Browse our site for all kinds of great deals and links for auto parts.

There are thousands and thousands of sites within our directory, and they are all competing for your business. Check it out now, you're sure to get a great deal!