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Extra Z: 2007 Nissan Nismo 350Z
As we?ve seen in The Great Car Faceoff, the Nissan 350Z has some serious fans. Those fans are being addressed with the new Nismo 350Z, a race-inspired version of the sports coupe. Nismo is the brand of high-performance parts for…

2007 New York Auto Show: Infiniti EX Concept
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It Really Needed a V-8: 2008 Hummer H3 Alpha
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Extra Z: 2007 Nissan Nismo 350Z
As we?ve seen in The Great Car Faceoff, the Nissan 350Z has some serious fans. Those fans are being addressed with the new Nismo 350Z, a race-inspired version of the sports coupe. Nismo is the brand of high-performance parts for…

It Really Needed a V-8: 2008 Hummer H3 Alpha
In one of those rare instances of automotive journalism harmony, almost every story ever written about the Hummer H3 has pointed to its somewhat anemic powertrain. For 2007, the H3?s base five-cylinder engine got a slight power bump, but today…

2008 Hummer H2 Gets Nicer Interior, Badder Engine
The H2 brought the Hummer brand to the masses, but today it seems a little outdated on the road. Even so, it still has fans out there, and the company has treated them with a dramatically improved interior and new…

2007 New York Auto Show: Infiniti EX Concept
Infiniti is calling this new compact crossover a concept, but the EX will reach production this year and the final product will look remarkably like this when it arrives at dealerships before the end of 2007. Infiniti isn?t revealing much…

Great Car Faceoff: Final 16 Day 1 Winners
Despite a valiant effort by Porsche Cayman fans, the 350Z and its contingent of diehards kept it alive another round. Will it be able to take on the BMW 335? Bimmer-philes watch out. You can check out all the winners…

In Your Grille: New 2008 Cadillac STS Gets Braces
The lead-up to the New York Auto Show is heating up. After all the action yesterday and last night, Cadillac just released the first images of and information on the 2008 Cadillac STS. In most ways, it?s not that different…

The U.S. car selling market seems as if it is dominated by SUVs, pick up trucks, and minivans. Certainly, together, these types of vehicles do account for more than half of all new vehicles sold year in and year out. When it comes to car sales, the crowded mid-size market leads the way with dozens of models competing. We ll explore three popular mid-size performers currently making an impact on U.S. highways.

For years, the Ford Taurus was the industry leader in car sales. After years of dominance, this mid-sized offering began to lose its grip on the #1 spot, finally ceding the lead to Toyota s popular Camry during the mid 1990s. Ever since then the Camry has led U.S. car sales followed closely by the Honda Accord.

For its part, the Camry is not a remarkable looking car. It is, however, very dependable and a strong performer in the resale market. You can find quality Toyota parts online. Standard equipment for the sedan is a 2.4L DOHC 16-valve 4 cylinder engine; 5 speed manual transmission; variable assist rack and pinion steering; ABS; power windows & locks; tilt wheel/cruise control; air conditioning; AM/FM/CD player. Base model MSRP is $18,445.

The Honda Accord is the chief competitor to the Camry. Similarly, the Accord is not radical in design, but Honda fans love the car as it is dependable and it depreciates slowly. You can find quality Honda auto parts online. Standard equipment is a 2.3L DOHC 16-valve 4 cylinder engine; 5 speed manual transmission; variable rack and pinion steering; ABS; and tilt wheel. Base model MSRP is $16,295 with notable extras missing including air conditioning, CD, and cruise control.

Further up in the luxury category is the Volvo S40, the lowest priced offering from the Swedish-American automaker. Espousing typical Volvo design, the S40 is somewhat more sleek than its Japanese rivals. Standard equipment for the S40 is a 2.5-liter, 5-cylinder turbocharged engine; 5 speed manual transmission; traction control; power windows & locks; tilt wheel/cruise control; air conditioning; AM/FM/CD player. MSRP for the base S40 will run you $23,755. You can keep your S40 in tip top shape by using quality Volvo parts in your car.

Clearly, the Camry and Accord are the value and sales leaders while the S40 is meant to appeal to those desiring a little bit of European luxury, but at a reasonable price. Alternately, Toyota s luxury division, Lexus, and Honda s luxury division, Acura, offer models for those seeking a level of comfort comparable to the Volvo, with top reliablity.

About the Author

Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for Car Parts Stuff, an online supplier of high quality and well priced automobile parts.

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