Things to know about free auto insurance quotes

Seeking insurance cover for your auto? Read on to find what certain things you should keep in mind, before settling on an insurance cover. Following are the methods in which you can discover free auto insurance quotes.
Liberate yourself from traditional mode of purchasing insurance:
Earlier obtaining insurance for your vehicle was a struggle both in terms of money and time. People would travel for hours trying to find a perfect fit for their insurance requirements. However, there was no guarantee that the insured would receive the best insurance deals.
The advent of Internet has considerably improved the way we shop today and that includes free insurance quotes as well. Extracting the benefits of the Internet you no longer need to drive around and in the comfort of your home or office you can easily obtain free insurance quotes and compare them.
What is the process?
The procedure for obtaining auto insurance quotes free of cost is via the Web. It is a simple process and can be executed with a few clicks:
You require a computer with a high-speed Internet connection. Alternatively, if you are a proud owner of a smartphone you can use the Internet capabilities on it. Numerous insurance companies provide auto insurance quotes for free over the Internet. All you need to do is browse them by state or area on popular search engines like Google, Yahoo! or Bing.
Upon reaching a certain conclusion you can sign up for the newsletter and mailing list of your selected insurance companies. It will take only a few minutes to register for important piece of information. Upon registering you will constantly receive updates and notifications regarding the latest offerings on the auto insurance plans. Perhaps, at a later point in time you would like to switch your current policy to a better deal.
Extract the valuable information from the newsletters and emails, and settle upon the best interest rates, payment modes and coverage. Typically, the rates you receive are competitively priced because of cut-throat competition existing in the insurance market.
Upon making up your mind, contact the firm either in person or write them an email. Depending on the insurer’s work policy you can become a policyholder by signing an agreement online or receiving a letter in your mailbox.
Hence, Internet is an effortless way to receive free insurance quotes and sign up attractive deals. Online quotes save you both money and time, tremendously.

The best things in a car’s life are free

 

Auto insurance is a risk management system procured for various types of vehicles. It is chiefly utilized to offer security against a loss brought upon by motor accidents and against legal responsibility met with an unfortunate event.
For certain car insurances they cover particular or each and every point related to motor mishaps; some of the items are medical compensation for the insured individual or group, payments for the physical impairment of the insured automobile, harm or destruction to assets and physical injury or other vehicles and persons considered a third party or in relation to the third group, fire and burglary. In some territories, inclusion for injury to individuals inside the insured motor vehicle is obtainable without taking into account fault in the misfortune.
Various laws identify the conditions in which a concern is covered. In this time and age of modern roadways influencing a fast traffic, having car insurance is of the essence especially in these dire straits due to the economic downturn. Aside from these aforementioned reasons, auto insurance is a legal requisite by the states which can monetarily guard the driver and the car as well as the passengers.
Fortunately in the United States of America, there is a free auto insurance helping clients acquire a fitting kind of insurance that matches customer’s budgets. If a person has insured his or her motor vehicle already, some insurance providers suggest an improved agreement; comparison of fees and packages available to satisfy one’s financial resources. Free auto insurance can be obtained by basically entering one’s name and zip code for the vehicle, personal information and other data being protected by providers.
There is a misconception regarding auto insurance that cars are funded on credit via a credit association or financial institution and are entailed to have a complete coverage so that the bank can cover the client’s losses in time there is an unwanted circumstance. Motor vehicles purchased on cash or were paid by the owner are in general obliged to just bear liability. At certain instances, cars financed using car deals where a client with bad credit funds the vehicle and compensates the dealer straightaway in the absence of a financial institution; they too need liability coverage.
Again, for free auto insurance, searching online for trusted sources of such service is as easy as pie by entering one’s name and the vehicle’s zip code to receive a costless estimate of how much a client may have.

Picking the right insurance provider for your vehicle

When you are purchasing auto insurance, there are certain things you have to be careful about. A stitch in time saves nine, they say. In case of auto insurance, you will benefit a lot if you are careful right from the first day. Auto insurance is mandatory in most states, although the coverage limits and the types of coverage mandated might be different. In most cases, you must have third party liability insurance, but for the sake of your own safety, it is important to also purchase, total car insurance if you can afford it. Even before you go ahead and purchase your insurance, you have to take certain steps to pick the right auto insurance provider. Here are some tips that can help you pick the right auto insurance provider.
Track record is always important
Never ignore the track record of an auto insurance provider. Before you purchase insurance, you must go to sites which rate the best auto insurance providers based on a wide variety of factors like rates, add-on services and due reimbursement. It is important to find out which auto insurance is highly rated and which one isn’t before you start your research on the insurance policies you will purchase. You should also go to consumer forums to see if there are any complaints or grievances against the insurance provider of your choice. Finding out about issues and how customers found themselves in a soup with the auto insurance provider, will help you avoid similar mistakes yourself.
Check customer service
The most important thing about an auto insurance provider is not the rates they offer on different types of coverage. It is the customer service that they provide when you seek answers to your questions or when you have concerns. There is no point in going for cheap rates, when you are worried if you will get any reimbursement at the first place for damage repair costs after you eventually claim for them. Right from addressing your concerns to answering questions in a relevant manner, to expediting the process of filing for claims and reimbursing at the earliest, customer service of an auto insurance provider proves to be an important factor. You should take recommendations from friends and family members as to which auto insurance company responded better in case of claims.
Pick the company that pays back quickly

There are some auto insurance providers who cite hundred different fine print points you are not aware of, reducing the claim benefits to much less than what you would expect. It is important to pick the auto insurance provider who has the best record in terms of paying back the claims of their customers. Even if they charge slightly higher premiums than other companies, they are worth pursuing for the sheer peace of mind when you deal with them. An easy claim process helps you a lot especially after a collision, car theft or accident when there are other problems to deal with simultaneously.

Save on insurance cost instead of compromising on coverage

It is extremely easy to save on your auto insurance costs. However, it could be tough dealing with the repercussions of not having sufficient auto insurance coverage. A lot of times it could leave you with a very big hole in your pocket. On the other hand, there are plenty of valid reasons for which you will get discounts on your auto insurance premium. There are many ways to save on the premium as well even if you don’t get a direct discount. In such a scenario, it is important to lower your premium instead of doing away with the coverage altogether.
Pick a reliable insurance provider

A lot of people do it mechanically. But picking the right provider could be a great first step to saving money on your auto insurance. It is important to pick a provider who offers good customer service and who responds immediately towards your claims instead of citing fine print rules that negate your claims. Picking a service provider based on customer feedback, recommendations from family members and colleagues and ratings offered by auto insurance sites online will always help you take a good decision.
Once you pick an insurance provider who is highly rated, you shouldn’t be worried purchasing multiple insurance policies. That will definitely get you far better rates than what the individual policies will cost. Combining your life insurance, health insurance, house insurance or auto insurance will help you save a lot. Similarly, you can combine your auto insurance coverage with that of your parents, spouse or siblings, if they too have cars that they drive. This is a very easy way to save big on auto insurance instead of not taking any coverage for accidents and personal injury at all.
Pick a good car

There is lot of information available on what is a good car in terms of safety features as well as repair costs. When you pick a car that is easier and cheaper to repair, your auto insurance costs will definitely go down. Therefore, if you have a tight budget as far as insurance is concerned, then you should go away from fancy cars, SUVs or vintage models which can cost a lot in damage repairs. It is once again a better step to purchase a safer car to save money than to purchase a more expensive car and do away with the insurance.
Build a reliable profile

When people talk about savings on auto insurance they do not talk about how important your profile is for getting good discounts. You can save a lot when your profile is very good and you come out as a person who drives safely and is very mature behind the wheels. To deduce that information insurance providers look at your driving records of at least the last 3 years and your credit history too. Excellent grades at college and good credit scores will always help you save on auto insurance premium, especially if you have a record of paying all your bills on time.

Review: 2007 Rolls-Royce Phantom

The Rolls-Royce Phantom is one of those things that breathes air so rarefied, one's imagination runs wild. It's not hard to envision a factory perched atop Mount Olympus that's staffed by gods turning solid blocks of unobtanium into these individualized rolling spectacles. Remarkably, the Phantom is actually the work of mere mortals. Some are in Germany, the rest in England at Rolls-Royce's Goodwood factory where these cars are hand-assembled with an incomprehensible attention to detail. Massive in form, decadently appointed, stratospherically priced and absolutely, positively unmistakable, each Rolls-Royce exiting this facility is an event in and of itself. The experience is reserved for the select few who can cover the significant cost of entry, but sometimes there are exceptions. Like me, for example. The Car Gods (and the good people at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars North America) saw fit to place a two-tone silver Phantom in my care for a weekend. When it pulled into my driveway, I couldn't help thinking my life had turned into a rap video.

Okay, maybe an otherwise very boring rap video. After all, I have no entourage of yes-men and bikini-clad dancers, no motorcade of Escalades and G-Wagens on standby, and no paparazzi giving chase. Nor are any of those things required. The Phantom transfers instant demi-celeb status to its driver and passengers. A car longer than a Chevy Suburban with a sticker price equal to a substantial mortgage tends to have that effect. Plus, the Phantom is awesome to behold, carrying with it a unique road presence, to say the least. If someone were to say that it had its own gravitational pull, we'd simply nod and avoid driving near shopping carts. Then, for kicks, we'd head to the seashore and investigate whether we could alter tidal patterns with a few drive-bys.

As mentioned earlier, ours was decked out in a classy two-tone silver finish -- dark on the bottom, lighter on top, with subtle contrasting pinstripes running along the coachwork's upper swage line. The car's mammoth physical proportions are best appreciated in profile. Despite a hood that looks expansive enough to support naval flight operations, the car's front overhang itself is actually very short. A rakish windscreen climbs up to a roofline that's taller than the angled side glass would suggest, and it arcs back down into the Phantom's signature, ultra-thick C-pillar. A longer rear overhang accommodates a spacious trunk, which RR says will swallow four golf bags. There are no unsightly antennae marring the Roller's bodywork -- they're all hidden beneath the radio-transparent composite front wings (that's "fenders" to you, my fellow Americans). The chrome 21-inch wheels' always-upright "RR" center caps are spaced 140 inches apart. Let that sink in for a moment, and then realize that this is the "short" wheelbase Phantom.

Moving forward, the car's expressive front end coolly sizes you up through its narrowed "eyes," which actually house the high-beams and turn signals. The round, low-mounted lamps are the Phantom's Xenon headlights, and they flank the iconic, Pantheon-shaped radiator grille. That highly-polished edifice is topped, as always, by the Spirit of Ecstasy, and when the sun hits it straight on, playing off the vertical slats and that flying lady, we're pretty sure it's visible from the International Space Station. The car's uncluttered rear is the only area that can be accused of coming up short in terms of visual drama. Aside from a substantial chrome trim plate on the bootlid, there's little flash to be seen back there, and the subtly detailed taillamps look small against the rest of the package. That stated, it doesn't matter. There are cars that make an impression when they arrive, and then there's this. This, dear friends, causes a commotion. And if the outside isn't impressive enough, opening the doors to the cabin introduces you to new, absurdly fabulous levels of luxury.

If you're the driver, a pull on the front door's chrome handle grants you entry into a cockpit that is a visual and tactile feast. Sliding into the the Consort Red leather seat, the first thing to cross my mind was, "so this is what 'no expense spared' looks like." How else can one react to the ambiance Rolls-Royce has created? Before you, the instrument panel is finished in splendid, warm Elm, which also dresses up the wide spokes on the thin-rimmed multifunction steering wheel and the lid to the front seat cupholders. Three round white-on-black gauges tell you what you need to know. In lieu of a tach, Rolls-Royce uses a Power Reserve % gauge. At idle, the needle sits at 100%. Give the car gas, and it creeps leftward as the engine uses more of its available power. You quickly learn that the Phantom always has a healthy power reserve available. It never breaks a sweat.

A 160-mph speedometer sits front and center, and to its right is a combination fuel/temperature gauge. A pair of small rectangular displays house the warning light cluster and the digital multifunction readout (fuel consumption, trip odo, etc.), completing the set of primary instrumentation. A handsome analog clock takes up the middle space, and tumbles out of sight to reveal the main LCD screen if the hidden iDrive controller is popped open (a nice touch) or if the "organ pull" located to its left is pressed. More often than not, I kept the LCD screen tucked away, preferring the classic look the clock bestows. The nav display isn't the only thing that's hidden, either. The power seat controls are placed out of view under a front-hinged leather lid in the center console.

While iDrive is required for a number of the car's myriad techno features like the navigation system and Tomahawk missile launcher, the things you're most likely to adjust while underway can be set with old-fashioned dash-mounted controls. (We're kidding about the TLAM, by the way. It's not standard, but we're sure Rolls can accommodate you via the Bespoke program.) The controls at hand (or on the steering wheel) let you tune the radio, change audio sources and manage the HVAC system without delving into a menu. Oh, and all that switchgear is high quality, too. Everything from the little "violin key" nubs used to control a variety of different functions (window lifts, radio presets, sunroof -- the list goes on), to the fan-control dials and HVAC temperature selectors have a robust feel. The same goes for the round air vents, which are heavy to the touch and, like everything else in this rolling salon, simply ooze sybaritic quality.

Now that we've established that the front seat's a nice place to be if you're driving, let's head to the back. Entering the rear passenger cabin is inherently dramatic. Tug the handle and the rear-hinged coach door opens wide. Light spills into the compartment and exposes the gorgeous, curved rear lounge. If you know to look for it, the "RR"-embossed handle of the Phantom's standard-issue umbrella sparkles at you from its in-door holster (there's one for each side). The contrasting black leather trim on the door panel itself accentuates the red primary leather beautifully, and a chromed lid hides a substantial ashtray. In a Rolls-Royce, your vice is accommodated without having to check an option box and give up a cupholder.

The reasoning for the "suicide" doors in back is obvious the moment you step into the car. That's because you really do just step into the cabin. There's no need to maneuver around the door once you open it, so entry is easy. After your tush is planted on the rear seat, you can take a moment to appreciate your surroundings. Your feet rest on an impossibly thick lambswool rug. It's so lush, in fact, that friends and passengers instinctively kick off their shoes to better appreciate it. It's easy to get lost in the moment at this point, when you realize that you forgot to close the door. From the rear lounge, this would be a long and inelegant reach, massive door pulls notwithstanding, as you're positioned behind the doorframe when seated comfortably. No worries. There's a button on the window pillar beside you. Hold it down and the motorized door glides shut with a satisfying thud. This is usually followed by surprised laughter and exclamations of "No %$#@ing way!" from the rear occupants.

Pulling up on the front seatback reveals an exquisitely detailed snack tray. When it's stowed, the part facing the passengers is the same red leather as the seat. When opened, it's presented in the same veneered wood finish as the rest of the interior trim, and it's held up by sturdy, highly-polished hinged supports. The pièce de résistance, however, comes when you then lift the front edge of the snack tray and it slides up, revealing a 12" LCD display (one of a pair -- each seatback has one). This impresses folks as much as the power rear doors. The screen automatically blinks to life, briefly displaying "Rolls-Royce - Goodwood" and then defaulting to the onscreen menu and currently-selected entertainment source. An iDrive controller built into the hideaway center armrest lets the passengers choose what they want to watch or listen to. Those options include AM, FM, Sirius, TV (there's an OTA antenna built-in), CD or DVD. The audio is delivered through the fabulous fourteen-speaker Lexicon audio system, which makes the opening theme from "Shaft in Africa" sound particularly awesome with the volume cranked.

With the interior tour complete, lets talk about how the Phantom drives. Dock the Bimmer-style fob in its slot to the left of the steering wheel, apply the brakes, press the white Start/Stop button above it, and the 6.75L V12 awakens with a muted thrush then instantly settles into a quiet idle. Pop the car into gear via the column-mounted shifter and you're off. The first thing you notice when underway is the almost total silence that envelops you. Rolls-Royce didn't play around, and the occupants are ensconced behind double-pane glass in a compartment surrounded by sound-deadening materials. The attention to detail here shouldn't be overlooked. The wheel wells, for example, are fully-carpeted. Preserving the serenity of the cabin environment was clearly a top priority, and the Rolls-Royce engineers did a predictably good job. Around town, all you'll hear inside is the occasional thump from a pronounced road imperfection. What you won't do is feel it, as the Roller's suspension sucks up just about everything thrown at it. Get out on the highway, and the car remains quiet despite its blocky shape. You do get some wind noise around the rearview mirrors when you get the car's speed up, and it's probably exaggerated by the fact that everything else is so damned quiet. A flick of the stereo volume will blot it out entirely, and the rear seat passengers won't even notice it to begin with.

The car's 450 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of torque conspire to make driving at any speed a completely relaxed endeavour. Most of that torque is available at 1000 rpm, and unless you drop the hammer from a stop, the Phantom will launch in second gear, floating away gently, leaving its passengers unruffled. If you're cruising on the highway and dig into the throttle to put some space between yourself and the unwashed masses, the V12 responds instantly and effectively. Don't pay attention, and you'll find yourself humming along at speeds where the explanation, "Seriously officer, it only felt like I was going around 70" will likely be met with great skepticism and a hefty fine -- one the local constabulary will assume you'll have no trouble swallowing, at that. (Fortunately, I don't report this from experience.) Oh, and fuel economy? Not that the Phantom owner cares, but we observed between 9 and 10 mpg over the 4 days it was with us.

Behind the wheel, the 50/50 weight distribution lends a real sense of balance, the steering effort is light but never feels overassisted, and the big Roller goes where you tell it to with no unwanted drama. Comparisons to Aladdin's magic carpet are apt, only the Phantom's a lot better-equipped. The tradeoff for this almost complete lack of road-induced cabin turbulence is some notable body roll if you try and fling it into a turn too aggressively. Of course, if you expect the handling of an Elise in a 19-foot-long, 5,500-lb car appointed like the Queen Mary 2, you're really not being a very reasonable person. At a relaxed clip, the Phantom glides through those corners in the dignified manner an owner would expect. Brakes that could halt a locomotive corral the Phantom with ease and complete the overall dynamic package.

Forward visibility is good, but getting used to the long hood might take a little time for some. Rear visibility is obviously impacted by the massive c-pillars, but if you use your mirrors like they taught you to in driver's ed, you won't encounter any problems. Still, the car's length can create situations that are initially vexing. For instance, while taking my Dad for a ride, I came to a stop sign where the quiet local road I was on intersected with a busier, more-trafficked route. Even though I had the car's nose lined up with the sign, I was set so far back, I couldn't get a clear read on what was coming from either direction. This was slightly unnerving, as blindly driving a car that cost more than my house into oncoming traffic didn't seem like such a hot idea. My dad, riding shotgun and thinking he had discovered a weak spot, weighed in with, "Aww, come on. You can't see the road."

"Watch this," I replied, knowing something he didn't. I flipped the clock back, bringing the LCD display into view. Then I pulled back on the short stalk poking out of the steering column's left side -- the same one used to flash the high-beams. In this case, however, that action activated a little dual-lensed camera mounted in the center of the front bumper. A split-screen image showing me views up the intersecting road in both directions popped onto the display. With this extra assistance, I was able to easily judge when it was safe to pull out of the side street. My Dad's jaw has yet to return to a fully-closed position. It's the littlest details that blow people away.

Dropping jaws are a common sight outside the Rolls, too. You see, in-the-wild sightings of Phantoms are kind of rare for the average Joe, and while you might be able to slip by quietly if no one's looking, the Rolls is a commotion-in-waiting for those whose field of vision it does cross. It's not something you miss when it comes into view, and be prepared to host impromptu Q&A sessions if you're ever fortunate enough to have one for a spell. A routine trip to Starbucks became a lengthy affair, as it took me an extra 10 minutes just to walk into the shop while I chatted with folks sitting at the outdoor tables. As this went on, a steady stream of people in the shopping center approached the parked Roller, peering into the windows and giving it a thorough walkaround. I think the entire kitchen staff of the local pizzeria came out before it was over. A nighttime trip to Dairy Queen saw several local kids' eyes turn into saucers as they comprehended what just cruised into their hangout. And after a trip to pick up some sushi, the denizens of a local cruise night -- and these were people with some seriously nice cars themselves -- all tracked the Rolls as it drove out of the shared parking lot, heads on swivels. Everywhere the car went, it became the focus of attention. People stopped me. They asked questions. I let them check things out. They smiled at the peek-a-boo hood ornament when she ducked into the grille on command, and walked away happy. Sometimes astonished. Mostly delighted.

There's a reason for that. The Rolls-Royce Phantom is rare and special. There are, at this moment, around 1500 of them in the United States. In most neighborhoods, you'll never eyeball one. You cannot buy one (a new one) without spending upwards of $330,000. That figure, gaudy though it may be, is perhaps its most irrelevant statistic. For the shopper considering a Phantom, our tester's $372,600 sticker might as well read $3,726. The Phantom shopper has the money -- it isn't even a consideration. For example, I had a Phantom for a weekend, but there are plenty of Phantom owners who keep a spare one at their weekend homes. Now, I now know why. The Rolls-Royce Phantom is one of the best cars in the world -- some would say it's the best. Exquisite detail, an effortless but rewarding drive, and an unparalleled, magnetic street presence make the Phantom unique, giving credence to that point of view. People often asked if I was intimidated by it. The answer is no. I embraced it for what it is and drove it everywhere I would drive my own car.

Four days later, I wasn't intimidated. I was impressed.

2011 Lexus CT 200h

Armchair quarterbacks have been quick to charge Toyota with losing its engineering nerve, labeling it a brand content to churn out safe, middle-of-the-road milquetoast offerings for every segment in which it competes. Admittedly, this isn't the same company that once marketed a supercharged, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive minivan shaped like a suppository, nor is it the same company that sold homologated rally specials alongside its workaday iron. But to say that there are no bold spirits in Toyota City just ain't so – just look at the bonkers LFA supercar, for goodness' sake.

But you needn't have a millionaire's bankbook to see that the Japanese automaker still has cheek to spare – just check out the 2011 Lexus CT 200h. Not only is Toyota's premium marque dipping its toes into America's compact luxury market – a segment that nobody but Mini has figured out how to make big dollars on – it's doing so with a hybrid, an expensive powertrain configuration that, Prius aside, only sells in marginal volumes.

Admittedly, Lexus has made no bones about the fact that it's squarely targeting Europe with the CT (a market where hatchbacks consistently do big business and "small premium" is not an oxymoron), but make no mistake, this is a brave bet. Lexus says it's gunning for 1,000 units a month – a small number in the grand scheme of things – but it's expecting the moon when compared to competitors like the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Volvo C30, which typically sell in the hundreds per month. Yet this bold bet is showing early signs of paying off. Thanks in part to heavy advanced marketing, Lexus cleared its decks of over twice that many units in March – 2,199 – the CT's first month on sale.

Continue reading 2011 Lexus CT 200h...

"Toyota" and "hybrid" may go together like Starbucks and Apple, but adding a meaningful dose of driving entertainment to the gas-electric formula has proven to be elusive. Despite this, the CT aspires to a higher level of driver engagement, with the Japanese automaker's marketing efforts touting a sporty, youthful experience. In short, with the CT, Lexus is suggesting it isn't ready to throw in the organic cotton towel on performance just yet.

Looking a bit like a premiumized Mazda3, the CT is certainly more aggressive and visually appealing than Lexus' other stand-alone hybrid model, the hapless HS 250h. Combining a broad stance with an assertive lower fascia that effectively masks a long front overhang, Lexus' least costly offering (hybrid or otherwise) looks smart, with a visage livened up by LED eyeliners and a thin fillet of chrome bridging the grill. The profile is pure hatchback, with a high beltline, tapering greenhouse, attractive 17-inch alloys and a dynamic C-pillar that artfully segues into a small rear spoiler over the narrow band of rear glass. There isn't a single element here that stands out as earth-shattering design, but the whole package gels nicely into a form that is at once attractive, utile and wind-cheating, with a drag coefficient of 0.29.



From the off, the interior outs itself as a tech-rich experience, with the instrument panel in our tester topped off by an available motorized sat-nav screen and a broad center console between the seats that houses everything from the oddly sculptural chrome drive selector to the stereo controls and a rotary drive mode selector.

Everything within reach is nicely padded and grained, with fluid actions to all of the major controls. The trio of analog gauges are concise and handsomely backlit, and the leather-wrapped wheel is right-sized, although the three spokes seem annoyingly and needlessly thick. Optional leather chairs cosset and support in equal measure (convincing synthetic hides are standard), and the close-to-the-floor seating position quietly reinforces the CT's sporting intent. Rear seat ingress and egress is a bit tight, and adults won't want to ride back there forever, but it's just fine for around-town duty. As with nearly every hybrid we can think of, cargo room takes a hit thanks to the encroaching 168-cell battery pack, but it's still not bad, offering 14.3 cubic feet with the seats up.

Our tester's optional hard drive-based navigation system utilizes the same unusual Remote Touch haptic-feedback 'mouse' system that we've experienced on other Lexus vehicles like the RX and HS. While getting used to its button arrangement takes some time, it's intuitive enough to use that you won't find yourself reaching into the glove box in search of the instruction manual. It would be nice if Lexus still bundled Remote Touch with their touchscreen expertise as a supplementary way to interact with the system, but that isn't part of the program. Additionally, we'd still like to see hard buttons for the stereo presets for improved ease-of-use.

As you'd expect, there's also plenty of tech underhood, where a 98-horsepower 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder is augmented by an electric motor whirring up 80 more ponies and 152 pound-feet of torque with juice from a Ni-MH battery. Combined system output is rated at 134 horsepower, certainly an adequate sum to pull around the CT's 3,100+ pound frame, but nothing to cinch up your Pilotis over. Lexus quotes a leisurely 0-60 mph time of 9.8 seconds and a top whack of 113 mph.



Yet Lexus plainly promises a sporty driving experience with a European flair... what gives?

Back to the drive mode controller. Lexus' intent to appeal to Continental buyers is evident throughout the CT, from its footprint and body style to its driving dynamics (the brand remains a niche player, but parent Toyota has big aspirations). An integral part of Lexus' play to appeal to Europe is a sportier driving experience, and to that end, they're making a big to-do about the three-position rotary knob. Utilizing a trio of drive modes (Normal, Eco and Sport), everything from the throttle mapping to the power steering weight to the stability and traction control systems is influenced in the name of enthusiastic or parsimonious driving.

Moving from Normal to Sport mode won't actually make the CT any faster, but it does open the drivetrain's taps earlier, firms up steering effort and give a bit more leeway before the electronic nannies dig their heels in and curb your fun on a winding road. As we show you in the Short Cuts video below, the drive mode selector brings with it some well-done visual changes in the gauge cluster, and it does make it more fun to drive, with the whole experience coming off as slightly quicker than it actually is. Still, given this front-driver's athletic intentions, we're curious as to why Lexus didn't go the extra mile by fitting paddle shifters. We've experienced plenty of similar setups paired with continuously variable transmission units like that of the CT, and they add a needed dollop of driver involvement.



Eco mode, as you might expect, will only be entertaining to those who find joy in hypermiling their lawnmower and composting their own table scraps. The throttle response is just too torpid, the steering is finger-light and we didn't notice a huge improvement in fuel economy. Finally, there's a pure EV Mode button adjacent to the jog drive mode selector, and pushing it will give you around a mile of electric-only propulsion.

If there's a clear forte in the CT's portfolio, it's the well-sorted handling. Combining a conventional MacPherson strut architecture up front with a double wishbone array in the rear is a good start, and Lexus has gone a step further with unusual lateral dampers front and rear that reduce vibrations, in turn delivering improved steering feel from the quick electric rack-and-pinion setup (just 2.7 turns lock-to-lock). Lexus says the costlier damper system is more effective than using conventional shock tower braces, and they may have a point – the CT tracks faithfully and grips with a conviction not generally found with low rolling-resistance tires. Ride quality is much firmer than we've come to expect from Lexus, but not objectionably so – even on Detroit's post-apocalyptic road surfaces.



Brake progression and pedal feel issued by the discs (10-inch vented in front, 11-inch solid out back) is good by hybrid standards, though at very low speeds – say, 0-3 mph when you're negotiating a tight parking space – it's got a bit of the binary 'on/off' nonlinearity that plagues other regenerative braking system. Even so, you'll have more fun staying off the binders and trying to preserve momentum wherever you can.

At the end of the day, the CT is more entertaining to drive than most other hybrids (save much costlier models like the Infiniti M35h and Porsche Panamera), but it isn't as engaging as some less expensive hatchbacks offering similar space – the aforementioned Mazda3 and Ford's 2012 Focus come to mind. The CT 200h's trump card is its handsome 43 miles per gallon city/40 highway EPA rating, figures that are easy to replicate if you don't cane it around in Sport mode all day. Yes, Mazda's new SkyActiv 3 promises the big four-oh and the Blue Oval can be had with a special high-mpg model that manages the same, but neither will touch the CT for urban economy, and the Lex has nicer materials inside. But at an as-tested price of $38,239 for our Premium model, it ought to. (The CT starts at $29,995 with destination, while our CT Premium tester begins a little higher at $31,775 with destination but before options.)



Lexus' latest isn't perfect, but we think Toyota is onto something here, if for no other reason that it's better to drive than most everything else the marque offers, and helps that it's the cheapest way to park an L-badge in your driveway. The CT 200h is handsome, well screwed together, and while it doesn't shout about it, it's one of Toyota's boldest offerings in years.

First Drive: 2012 Fisker Karma

Business partners Henrik Fisker and Bernhard Koehler are visibly on edge. While they want to dedicate every ounce of their focus on this all-important launch of their first baby, the 2012 Fisker Karma, their attentions are being constantly pulled away from it by big conference calls regarding the money and logistics of launching the whole Fisker Automotive franchise. Are they really and truly answering a $95,900-$108,900 question with this bold effort that enough people are asking? It's clear they just want us to fall in love with their lux'd up plug-in extended-range electric sedan.

We've been helicoptered into the infield handling circuit at California Speedway in Fontana to have a brisk go at one of Fisker Automotive's first completed verification prototypes of the Karma, built by Valmet Automotive in Uusikaupunki, Finland. We are already assuming that the build quality and finish of all the pretty parts will be fine, as Valmet has learned a lot about these things while building cars for Porsche to strict Stuttgart standards. We also already know that the car is indeed pretty inside and out, albeit particular to some out there, seeing as Fisker has designed such lovely lady lumps as the Aston Martin DB9 and V8 Vantage, not to mention the BMW Z8 roadster.

Fisker Coachbuild started back in 2005 after both Henrik and COO Bernhard Koehler had had enough of slow project cycles at Ford's Orange County advanced design studio. But they liked the area's year-round weather and the plushness surrounding them, so they stayed put in the OC.

Coachbuild work all by itself was pretty boring, so the two set their active minds to building an entire car company instead. As the story goes, one day, Fisker saw materials showing an abandoned U.S. military project for special ops called "Aggressor," which was a high-performance stealth hybrid-electric vehicle built by Quantum Technologies Worldwide. Not long thereafter, Fisker Automotive was born when Quantum and Fisker hooked up in 2007. And then, as quickly as January 2008 at the Detroit Auto Show, we saw the Fisker Karma concept car.



The Karma's initial reception was much warmer than luke, but the design frankly needed a little tweaking and most didn't give the Karma a serious chance at making any difference in our automotive lives. That was just before all of planet Earth became obsessed with greenery and eco and feeling badly about having destroyed nature to further our bipedal needs and desires. And then, of course, the world economy melted like a Dali clock and we all reassessed our capitalistic selfishness and whatnot. Basically, the timing was ideal for Fisker Automotive to try and cash in on the several innovative green and generally smart thoughts it was having. We, the guilty, are drawn to this stuff like yuppies to mesquite.

By late 2009, Fisker Automotive was coming out of essentially a nine-month hiatus during which Lucifer rose from Hell and swallowed mankind whole. Or so we thought. But investors finally felt like investing again, and just short of half a billion bucks had been promised to our heroes, much of this attracted by the imminent huge loan being talked about from the Department of Energy. Everything rode on that razor edge – not just for the Karma itself, but also for any future plans. That $529 million loan from you and me came through in September 2009 and Fisker Automotive went directly from vaporware to a $1 billion, fully-funded company with big cigar-chomping (but from sustainable tobacco farms) plans.

So, here we are in Fontana.



The first noteworthy item is that the design tweaks carried out after the January 2008 debut remain, and they still look good. These had to do mostly with the face and grille, which were not in keeping with the rest of the car's melody. We still don't care for the door handles that look to our eyes like something off a cute little Daihatsu – they're too small and size matters. But all the rest is fine and well within the developing Fisker DNA.

You want wheelbase? By golly, we got some. 124.4 inches of some, to be precise. So, we have a Porsche Panamera- or Jaguar XF-length vehicle with the wheelbase of a 2012 long-wheelbase Jaguar XJ. This was needed primarily to fit all the plug-in EV with extended-range motor paraphernalia within the space between the two axles. Between the long-legged profile, wide tracks, and low 52.4-inch height, the Karma does look the business. Toss in standard 22-inch fair-weather wheels – called "Fisker Circuit Blade" for boldness points – and the whole package looks more showcar bodacious than the actual original concept. A rarity in this world.

When we suggested that maybe 20-inch Goodyear Eagle 1 tires and Fisker wheels might deliver more everyday comfort, rather than just scoffing at our practical ways, Fisker said, "If we went anywhere below 21 inches, the center part of the steering assembly would come dangerously close to the ground." We looked under there, and he's right. The winter tire set is 21 inches, by the way. As we look at the Karma, it hits us a bit like the Panamera in the sense that any wheel less than 21 inches starts to look perilously like 14-inch steelies on a Toyota Camry.



And we sit in it, press the brake pedal, and press the ignition button. Of course, seemingly nothing happens, but everything does light up nicely. Primary sight stealers are the driver instrument cluster and standard 10.2-inch haptic touchscreen of the Fisker Command Center onboard diagnostics/climate/entertainment/navigation unit created with Visteon.

The default mode is Stealth – in honor of the dropped special ops project Quantum was banking on (and sort of still is) through Fisker – and it can take us for a range of 50 miles on pure electric propulsion at speeds up to 95 mph. Acceleration to 60 mph can happen in this ninja-killer state in 7.9 seconds, which is not bad considering the Karma weighs just over two tons, not unlike a Panamera 4S. (Exact curb weight has not yet been revealed and, as any society lady knows, such questions are not to be asked if it can be helped.)



Stealth mode includes a soundtrack that's being called the "signature Fisker external sound," which all can hear up to 30 mph when it cuts out. The idea is that, for around-town driving, the car makes enough noise as it approaches so as to warn everyone in the vicinity who isn't also sitting in a car. It's an appropriate audio track, right from the semi-successful recent remake of Tron. It sounds more like an electric hovering sound with no internal-combustion simulation at all, which was unexpected and a pleasant surprise.

One basic driving fact about the Fisker Karma is that it is, at the very least, the first upper-premium four-door purely electrically driven car in this current electric tidal wave that we're living in. You could call it a plug-in electric and leave it at that, but, like the Chevrolet Volt, it's more interesting than that due to the range-extending engine. Unlike the Volt, however, the Karma is a pure series EV – the ICE up front does not in any way directly power the forward progress of the driven axle.



The 255-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-injected GM Ecotec four-cylinder engine is cradled in a front mid-engine layout, and it powers the 175-kW generator while in Sport mode, which then pumps the 315-cell 606-pound lithium-ion battery pack full of kilowatt energy. It's the 20-kW battery pack that finally feeds the two 201-hp, electric motors placed fore and aft of the single-speed rear differential. Combined, the whole works is good for a stonking 981 pound-feet of torque. Thus spinneth the rear axle and hence the forward thrust. In this Sport or, may we suggest, extended-range mode, top speed is let out to 125 mph and acceleration to 60 mph now happens in just 5.9 seconds whether we like it or not. We'll come back to that.

Claimed maximum range in Sport mode is 300 miles. The fuel tank for the ER engine holds just 9.5 gallons, thus saving lots of sloshy pounds. Claimed possible autonomy per gallon in this longest range mode is 100+ miles, because you'll definitely be recharging the batteries two or three times overnight before you burn through all the liquid fuel. Fisker predicts "people will stay in Stealth mode for over 80 percent of the time they're driving." A noble forecast, O, Danish wise man.



There we were, still in Pomona, yes, and we had polished off two spirited Stealth laps, grabbing the overly stylized steering wheel through several tight curves. We already were blown away by the dynamics of the all-new very stiff Karma chassis. Shall we risk a shower of disbelief from commentators by saying the Karma is the best handling large premium car in this entire segment? Why, yes, we shall. The steering itself could always be more communicative for us, but here it is still among the best of the biggies. The gaping wheelbase of the all-aluminum chassis and large wheels attached had us wondering however could this be, but it was so.

Suspension structure on all four corners is by forged aluminum double-wishbone, while front dampers are straightforward units and rear dampers are fancy self-leveling. This arrangement takes the consequent dynamics of the 47/53 fore/aft weight distribution to new heights. We were even shorting curves over the rumble strips and sliding the tail around slightly whenever needed. Certainly, the big Goodyear Eagle 1 tires helped a bunch – 255/35 WR22 (99W) front, 285/35 WR22 (102W) rear – as did the ironclad vented Brembo performance brakes that stopped us consistently all day. We were hauling butt and racing around in a battery-energized car and not complaining about the cornering dynamics! Ka-loo ka-lay, wake the entire village!

We really appreciated the interior as well throughout all of this action. Fisker is not immune to designing great premium sports car interiors, and he's done a winning job of the grand tourer variety here. The trim to get is the mid-range $103,900 EcoSport, as it includes all the base EcoStandard abundance plus Scottish hides all around (sourced from a self-sustaining establishment in the Scottish Highlands where cows roam freely and are fed well until they are slain and skinned). The final and top trim is the $108,900 EcoChic, which uses faux leathers of the best quality so you can have nothing on your conscious food-chain-wise. All woods seen are harvested from already fallen or sunken timbers in the upper Midwest and feel very nice. If there's a chink in the Karma's packaging, it's that luggage space totals just 7.1 cubic feet, meaning that despite the car's generous footprint, you'd better ring NetJet for longer trips.

We'll risk another pronouncement that leaves us open to thrown darts of criticism. As good as Audi's MMI and BMW's latest iDrive interfaces may be, they have a real competitor in the first-generation Visteon-Fisker Command Center. The touchscreen is terrific work and handles its several clever menus and graphics intuitively and attractively. If it only gets better from here, Fisker may be in the onboard computer functionality and interface business before long.

Oh, but wait, there's one big, sad note to report besides the one about there being no right-hand-drive cars for people who still drive on the wrong side of the road (all 70-plus countries of you). It has to do with Sport mode as it is inserted with a pull of the left steering wheel shift paddle. If we are switching to Sport while at a stop or at low speeds prior to accelerating, it functions well enough. The Ecotec ignites and the cabin gets a pretty decent new atmosphere with bass and baritone notes, though the notes should still be lower so as to hide the fact that it's a four-cylinder mill at our feet.



But then when we squish the throttle pedal to try and experience all the promised added oomph of Sport, the range-extending engine chimes in sonically wayyyyyy too much and with an unpleasant sound to boot. See, the exhaust pipes exit right at the back of the molded composite front fender panels mounted way down low, and there are the corresponding nicely designed heat extractors, too. This is aesthetically beautiful, to be sure, but functionally and packaging-wise, it's a real headache, quite literally. With the 6,300-rpm max revs of the 2.0T motor revving at will under throttle, the sound becomes completely uncharacteristic of a $100,000 four-door anything. This, friends, must be addressed. Fisker COO Koehler assured us that "we are aware of what you say and a new muffler has been ordered that should solve the issue." We hope so.

The bottom line is that the Fisker Karma is a rolling dream machine for anyone who wants something very different that works and drives exceptionally well for any company's first go at it all. If Fisker Automotive in SoCal and Valmet in Finland can just eliminate any hint of this anomalous Sport racket, the car can and should be an unqualified hit. There are 3,000-plus pre-orders of intent and deliveries are due to begin in late May of this year. Full-scale production of 1,500 units per month should be reached in October, they say, and in 2012, volume should already be at its 15,000/year maximum, a total comprised of three Karma body variants – the sedan, the convertible two-door Karma S, and a third model to be revealed at this September's Frankfurt Motor Show.

We love you, Fontana!