Motoring Jargon Jargon - D
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Locks that prevent a car door being opened without the correct device. If a criminal is intent on breaking into your deadlocked car they'll have to go in through the window.
A dealership is an authorised seller of vehicles, often those of a particular manufacturer. Dealerships, or dealers, often carry out maintenance and repair work, sell spare parts, and process warranty claims.
Usually tasteless decoration of a car, ranging from 'Dave Luvs Karen' tape across a windscreen to elaborate tattoo-like designs, as seen on many Ford Kas.
Engine that uses compression rather than spark ignition to create combustion and drive pistons. Diesel engines run on diesel - a distillation of crude oil. Burning diesel usually results in improved efficiency over petrol, lower CO2 emissions but generally higher particulate matter and sulphur pollution.
A Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) traps sooty emissions from diesel engines, reducing in a huge drop in such pollutants from diesel engines. Modern DPFs burn off the trapped emissions by burning them off or oxidising them via chemical reactions. DPFs require maintenance from time to time to clean out oil that gathers on the filters. Old diesel-engined cars without a DPF are easily identified by the billowing black soot from their exhausts
Device that rotates tyres at different speed, regardless of the amount of torque supplied. Useful when cornering, when the lack of a differential would probably make your car fall to bits.
Direct injection engines inject fuel directly into cylinders, usually under high pressure. This has the result of increasing efficiency and lowering emissions. Direct injection are controlled by an ECU which determines the amount of fuel injected.
Disc brakes stop your car going. The correct choice of brake discs is increasingly important the more powerful your car is.
DOHC stands for Double Overhead Cam Shaft, as opposed to simpler Single OVerhead Cam Shafts (SOHC). DOHCs allow for higher speeds and increased torque at the higher end of revs and also allow for more complicated valve technology such as VVT. The vast majority of cars on the road will have a DOHC configuration.
Downforce stops your car taking off and flying into a tree at high speed. Aerodynamic at to push the rear of the car closer to the ground, provide more traction, and prevent unfortunate accidents. Spoilers are often placed on the rear of cars to increase downforce.
Pioneered by drivers of Evos and Imprezas in the Far East and utilising controlled oversteer, drifting is a relatively new hobby of those with powerful cars and scant regard for safety.
A large family car, generally a large saloon such as a Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Vectra, VW Passat, Renault Laguna, Toyota Avensis, Citroen C5, Honda Accord and Mazda6. The naming convention is informal and subject to interpretation as vehicle classes become less stratified by the introduction of crossover vehicles that do not readily fit a body style.
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The ‘Tumbler’ Batmobile – as seen in The Dark Knight - is always cause for much discussion amongst Bat fans. Some though go that much further, by making their own Batmobile. These people often carry American passports. | 21/08/2008
The Trident Iceni two-seater sports car can hit 62mph in under four seconds, top out at 200mph and record 100mpg at a constant 30mph, according to its makers - Trident Performance Vehicles. | 21/08/2008
Is this the fastest MINI in the world? At 650bhp from the 1.6-litre engine we certainly hope so. | 21/08/2008
The new MINI John Cooper Works has already claimed the title of Best Hot Hatch 2008, awarded by Auto Express, despite only having been ons ale for a month. | 21/08/2008
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has been crowned Best Luxury Car at the Auto Express New Car Honours for the third consecutive year. | 21/08/2008
|18/08/2008
The new seven-seater Nissan Qashqai+2 will go on sale in mid-September, costing from £17,199.
|18/08/2008
Our third batch of Supercar exotica from the last decade comes in the futuristic form of the Lamborghini Reventon.
|18/08/2008
Peugeot has revised the 407 saloon, SW and coupe for 2009, with the new model going on sale in September with exterior and interior enhancements and new low-CO2 diesel engine.
|18/08/2008
New Dodge Journey 5+2 SUV Crossover targets families on its August launch, by adding a couple more seats, extra storage and rear conversation mirrors. All from £17K.
|18/08/2008
UK motorists risk custodial sentences for driving whilst distracted, as new powers to imprison drivers using mobiles and programming sat nav handed down to courts.
|20/11/2007
Around 400 people a day risk damaging their car by misfuelling, and filling up with gas is a mistake that could cost thousands. So what do you do if you´ve filled up your diesel car with unleaded petrol?
|06/12/2007
Fuel protests similar to those that brought the UK to a halt in 2000 are being planned by a breakaway group of disaffected hauliers, according to press reports.
|28/03/2008
Volkswagen has been forced to issue a statement on the Polo singing dog advert after complaints that the dog was mistreated. VW says the animal was not harmed.
|16/10/2007
Top Gear in hot water again over smoking ban breach after Clarkson and May spark up Porsche ´911´ pipes.
|14/07/2008
If looks alone guaranteed success for any car, the Mazda RX-8 would be a sellout. The 1.3-litre rotary engine with 229bhp is a big plus too.
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