100 Years at the Morris Car Plant

Find out about Oxford's century old Morris car plant and the vehicles it has put on Britain's roads throughout its history. Two world wars, four monarchs and countless Prime Ministers - Britain has changed dramatically throughout the Morris car plant's century long history.

The iconic site is one of the most significant in British motoring and is renowned throughout the country and around the world for the vehicles it has produced. Still affectionately known by its Morris moniker, the plant is now owned by BMW and continues to produce the hugely popular modern MINI range of vehicles.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about the Morris car plant's rich past and what the future holds for the Cowley site. 
History
William Morris opened the factory in 1913 on the site of the former Military College. The entrepreneur previously worked as a mechanic on Long wall Street, where he repaired cars and carried out windscreen replacement.

On the new site the car designer was able to adopt mass production techniques from the US to build his 'bullnose' Morris, an early staple of British motoring. Throughout his stewardship Morris, a renowned philanthropist, funded the expansion in the area surrounding the plant to improve the lives and opportunities of his workers.

After being used for making munitions and then aircraft salvage in respective world wars, the plant continued to prosper and was employing 20,000 people by the 1970s. During these years Morris' company went through a series of amalgamations, eventually having joined with Jaguar, Leland and Rover before being purchased by British Aerospace in 1988 and then BMW six years later. 
Famous cars

Whoever its owner, the Morris car plant continued to produce iconic British cars throughout its history. The Cowley plant's history is intertwined with that of the MINI, which was first produced in Oxford in 1959.
Dripping in cutting-edge style whilst remaining affordable to the masses, the compact car helped redefine motoring in Britain.

From Club man to the Countryman World Rally Car, the MINI has remained hugely popular throughout its five decades-and-counting history. The economic Morris Minor is another of the Cowley plant's famous alumni. Showcasing elegant British lines, more than 1.3 million of the classic-looking cars were made during the quarter of a century it remained in production.

The Morris factory was also where many Rover vehicles were assembled, including both the successful 75 and 600 series.
Bright future…
The Morris car plant might be a hundred years young but it's still an integral part of BMW's global manufacturing network. Over 190,000 cars were produced at the site in 2011, creeping back towards the pre-downturn highs of the mid-noughties. And with the next generation of MINI Paceman launched earlier this year, the workers in Cowley will be building the iconic car for many years to come.

Importance of Car maintenance plans

Many of the car owners will get a common question in their mind that “how do I maintain my car?” and “how do I reduce the maintenance cost?”. Well the answer for these questions will be simple by following a regular maintenance plan. It is very essential to have a car maintenance plan as it will help reducing the cost of maintenance and will improve the reliability and safety of the car. It will also prove helpful to cut down the running cost of the vehicle by enhancing the fuel efficiency. So, what exactly that you need to do to prepare a perfect maintenance plan? It is very simply, as you must first start by reading the user manual of the vehicle. It is perhaps the best place to start with. This is the place where you will be able to find the car maker's maintenance schedules and recommendations that are completely based on your driving habits and patterns. Reading the manual will help you to obtain knowledge about changing engine oil, about the level of pressure in the tyres, and about several other things that helps to cut down the maintenance cost. These are the basic things that you can follow to maintain your beloved car and to improve its life. 

If you are not interested in maintaining your car on your own then you may have to find a reliable car service center that is connected to your new car dealers. You will also have to check whether it is a part of national chain or independent service. One of the most important thing is that you need to make sure whether the service center is equipped with certified technicians or not. This will ensure you that your vehicle will get a proper service at a reasonable price. While dealing with the technicians, it is very important for you to maintain proper communication with them and you need to be able to explain your problem so as to avoid misunderstandings. Today, auto services go high-tech, which indeed provide a better service and reduce the cost of maintenance. It is important for you to find the reliable dealer who is well equipped with high tech maintenance tools and kits. This will also reduce the time and hence prove very economical. 

There are lots of car care centers present across your regions but you'll have to find the most reliable service center. Many individuals face troubles with their car on the day when they have planed an holiday. For this you need to check for the condition of the car before the day of your are leaving to the holiday destination. This will help reducing the risks and help you to make perfect holiday plan. You must always check for the pressure in the tyre so as to avoid punctures and flat tyres. It will be helpful for you to obtain car care tips from the certified technician, which will help you to avoid rushing towards service centers for basic needs. One of the most important thing that every car owner needs to remember is that they need to maintain the car's speed levels under the manufacturer specified levels so as to enhance the fuel efficiency. If these tips are followed regularly then there is no doubt that your vehicle will last for a long time offering best of performance.

4 Keys To A Happy Car

1. Drive Responsibly

Maintaining a happy car means driving in a way that does not place unnecessary strain on the different parts of the vehicle. Actions such as frequent and hard breaking and sudden acceleration will both start to wear down components like the brakes and the transmission. Drivers need to handle the car in a way that allows the engine, transmission and other parts to operate as intended. This will keep the car happy while also reducing the need for repairs and extending the life of the vehicle.

2. Maintain Fluids

The different fluids that are used by the various parts of the car need to be checked and refilled as necessary even between scheduled service visits. Oil is very important. The levels should be checked regularly since levels could drop suddenly if a problem occurs. Transmission fluid keeps the system from overheating. The fluids might need to be completely replaced between service visits. This is because the heat of the car and time will eventually change the basic properties of the fluids and make them less effective.

3. Regular Professional Maintenance

A happy car is a vehicle that is well maintained. This means taking the vehicle in for professional service according to the manufacturer recommendations. This could be after a certain amount of time or after a certain number of miles. Regular maintenance includes replacing important items like air filters or brake pads when necessary. Maintenance technicians will also replace damaged parts like leaking hoses, worn spark plugs and frayed electrical wires. This regular maintenance will keep the car happy and working as efficiently as possible.

4. Tire Care

Tire care is essential for a happy car. The first step is to use a tire size calculator to determine the optimal size of the tires for the car. Changing the tire size can improve safety and fuel efficiency. The tires need to be inflated to the correct level for the season. Tires need to be aligned regularly to prevent unnecessary strain on the transmission and brakes. Tire rotation improves handling and traction. Tires also need to be changed according to the season in order to get the best performance possible.

Maintaining a happy car means paying attention to some of the small signs that a problem might be developing. This includes unusual noises and smells as well as inconsistent performance. Taking care of these small problems will keep the car running happily for a long time.

The Secrets Of High Octane Powered Engine Speeds

High octane” is a term many might get a headache thinking about. And when throwing "physics" into the same sentence, one might quickly turn and run the other way. However, one need not worry in this case—here, brought to you by Greenball Tires, the physics of high octane power will be basic enough for any layman to understand.

We’ll start with the term “octane” first. Octane has to do with volatility, or, when speaking of fuel, the tendency to explode. It’s a general rule that the lower the octane number of fuel, such as 87, the easier the fuel combustion under pressure. Conversely, the higher the octane number, the harder it is for combustion. This is why high octane fuel is more expensive—high octane fuel’s trait of combustion less easily has been shown to extend the life of high-performance engines, and many of these engines require use of this higher octane fuel to function correctly.

When many people think ‘high octane fuel,’ they think ‘fuel that’s more explosive than regular fuel.’ Well, believe it or not, high octane fuel is less explosive than the fuels with lower octane levels, which is optimal for high-performance engines. The reason for this has to do with how an engine compresses gas. All car and truck engines have motors that compress fuel.

As many know, high-performance oftentimes means more horsepower. And higher horsepower means greater forces throughout the engine (where, then, more force throughout the engine means more force to the wheels, where the driver feels the resulting horsepower).

The forces we’re concerned with here have to do with the force of an engine’s pistons plunging into its cylinders. When an engine pushes a piston into a cylinder, fuel beneath it gets compressed. If the fuel has a low octane level, it combusts easier during this compression. With a high-performance engine, it is not good for fuel to easily combust as the crankshaft turns at higher-than-normal revolution per minutes. The pistons in these types of engines move so fast that if they don’t have a pocket, so to speak, of fuel that is harder to combust, the piston may hit the bottom of the cylinder, which can cause major engine problems. Keep in mind that with lower-powered engines, fuel that combusts easily is innocuous to the engine—because the pistons are cranked into the cylinder with less force, they are unable to slam against the bottom of the cylinder. So, ultimately, high octane fuel keeps a high revving engine healthy.

Yet Another Pimped Out Ferrari - This Ones Called 2010 Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M .

Ferrari releases a new and really pimped out convertible model which has been given a name as 2010 Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M. Presented in front of the world in Formula one Constructor's World Championship in Mugello, the purpose was to celebrate the 16th Constructor's title in 2008 by the "prancing horse".

Bearing the very best Ferrari's latest mid-rear engine 8-cylinder technology, this model was released as a successor of the popular Ferrari F430 Spider. This time Ferrari has been able to shed some load off the wheels, almost 80 Kg. This one can be regarded as the fastest convertible ever produced by the Ferrari. In fact Scuderia Spider 16M was able to complete the Fiorano circuit faster than any other open top Ferrari.

Scuderia Spider is available in two signature colors and these are easy to guess which are Ferrari's standard Black and Red. Initially 499 units will be produced. However no further intentions have yet been expressed by the Ferrari representatives so far.

Coming to its features and specifications, Scuderia has a top speed of 193 mph or 315 Km/hr and can rush from 0 to 100 Km/hr in just 3.7 seconds. Making a quick review, it has a weight of 1640 Kg powered by 510 hp, V8 engine. Transmission type is 6-speed plus reverse F1 gearbox and 19 inches 5-spoke split rims. Interactive features include a roll bar with a carbon fiber outer shell with an exclusive new generation audio system which can be combined with the removable customized Ferrari 16 Gb ipod touch with a central dock just in front of the dashboard.