BMW 1-Series update: Two-door coupe in 2008!

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• We already mentioned that BMW fully intends to bring its 1-Series sedan stateside, but more details have emerged from BMW North America CEO Tom Purves via a recent Automotive News report.

Purves confirms what we reported in the May issue of Motor Trend, that the U.S. will get a two-door coupe version (pictured) of the 1-Series first for 2008 - not the three-door hatchback variant (pictured below) that was expected by most - with a convertible version expected to follow. The German automaker currently offers the 1-Series in the European market in a variety of configurations including a five-door sedan. BMW's 265 horsepower 3.0-liter straight six will likley be the hot engine option, with 170 and 140 horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder mills to round out the range.

The falling value of the euro to the dollar, while heavily impacting profit margins on European imports, is manageable according to Purves. Nonetheless, it remains to be seen where pricing will fall on the 1-Series, generally considered to be BMW's budget model. Seems to us that BMW may choose to take a small hit on per-car profits to keep the price of the 1-Series competitive. Projections are that BMW will have a winner in the small coupe and profit may be able to be gained back with high-volume sales.

We tend to agree. After all, who doesn't love a sporty, value-priced, two-door, rear-drive coupe?

Skoda Superb

Skoda Superb is an automobile marvel. Skoda Auto India Pvt. Ltd. announced the launch of this luxury sedan in June 2004. Over the passing years, the car has bewitched its buyers with its attractive styling, exquisite interiors and superior performance. A huge cabin space is offered by the car, which gives its occupants a luxurious sense that is never felt before. Skoda Superb fits the budget of upper-middle class buyers perfectly. The automobile is available in both petrol and diesel variants.

Engine
At the heart of the petrol model of Skoda Superb lies a powerful 2.8L 30-valve V6 gasoline engine, which pumps out a mind blowing 193 bhp of power at 6000 rpm and a maximum torque of 280 Nm @ 3200 rpm. The diesel variants of the automobile are powered by 2.5 L V6 engine that churns out a power of 163 bhp and a maximum torque of 350 Nm @ 3000 rpm.

Design And Comfort
Powerful Bi-Xenon headlights, with integrated fog lamps, adorn the frontage of Skoda Superb. The stylish design of the luxurious car is accentuated by chrome detailing in the interiors as well as exteriors. Adding to the sophistication is the outside rear view mirror, with built-in turn signal lamps. Electrically operated sunroof can be slide-opened at the touch of a button. The headlamps of Superb are equipped with inbuilt power washers, for daylight visibility. The cushioned seats provide a comfortable ride for five people.

Interiors
The plush interiors of Skoda Superb truly mesmerize its occupants. The cabin is full of small storage spaces that are tucked away within easy reach. A unique climate controlled travel box is fitted into the flip-out rear seat armrest. There is a wet case for storing umbrella as well. Climatronic air conditioning system is integrated on the dash, with vents located on the front and rear portion of the cabin. The central console and gear knob look elegant with wooden finish. The instrument cluster of Skoda Superb consists of CD player, with MP3 playback.

Ride And Handling
The multi function steering wheel of Skoda Superb is height and reach adjustable, providing you great driving comfort. Adding to the driving pleasure is the four-way electrically adjustable driver's seat. Effortless driving is also facilitated by cruise control of the car.

Safety
Skoda Superb is laden with safety features that facilitate safe driving and help the driver to acquire control over the vehicle at critical situations. Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Acceleration Skid Restrain System (ASR), Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Electronic Brake Assistance (EBA) are the key safety features of Skoda Superb. The car is equipped with six airbags in order to shield the driver and co-passengers in the event of collisions.

Variants, Price And Color
Skoda Superb is available in three variants - Comfort 2.5 V6 TDi AT, Elegance 2.5 V6 TDi AT and Elegance 2.8 V6 MPI AT. The luxury sedan is priced at Rs 23.45 lakh (approx). It comes in three colors - Candy White, Black Magic and Diamond Silver.

Beauty Place Sport for Diving of Raja Ampat Island

Beauty Place Sport for Diving of Raja Ampat Island :
Located off the northwest tip of Bird’s Head Peninsula on the island of New Guinea, Raja Ampat, or the Four Kings, is an archipelago comprising over 1,500 small islands, cays and shoals. Put simply, Raja Ampat diving is the bees knees in the world of scuba. If you don’t enjoy your dives here, you may as well sell your dive gear! According to the Conservation International Rapid Assessment Bulletin, the marine life diversity for scuba diving in Irian Jaya is considerably greater than all other areas sampled in the coral triangle of Indonesia, Philippines and Papua New Guinea – the cream of the cream in world diving. Over 1,200 fish species – a world record 284 on one single dive at Kofiau Island, the benchmark figure for an excellent dive site of 200 fish species surpassed on 51% of Raja Ampat dives (another world record), 600 coral species , 699 mollusc species – again another world high. The term “Frontier Diving” seems to have been invented for Raja Ampat in Irian Jaya. To visit these waters is to feel at the edge of the earth. To gaze over crystalline seas at the beehive-shaped, largely uninhabited islands is to be as far away from it all as you can imagine. At night time in Misool you can peer out at the horizon and maybe see one or two distant specks of light.

Fly cheap between Hawaiian Islands NOW

We just island hopped virtually yesterday from Maui to the Big Island. But this is much better. Here is our Best Hawaii Vacation blog Interisland Flight Special Alert for everybody who is visiting Hawaii in September. Hawaiian Airlines offers Island Hop Hawaiian Style at $24.99 Interisland Fare One Way, which includes tax!

Hawaii Traveler Alert:

Sign-Up by 8/31/2009 + get this Hawaii Interisland
Flight Special for 9/1 - 9/30/09

- The $24.99* Interisland fare inclusive of U.S. tax is applicable to one way routing
- You'll get unlimited Interisland trips at this low fare
- Reservations must be booked via HawaiianAirlines.com from 08/24/2009 - 09/30/2009
- Travel must be completed by 09/30/2009
- The $24.99* Interisland fare inclusive of U.S. tax is good for coach class travel booking class 1
- Discount cannot be applied to tickets purchased before sign-up
- Interisland flights booked with this special promotion are eligible for HawaiianMiles Mainland Madness credits.

Read more about this Cheap Hawaii flight between Hawaiian Islands in September 2009. Hawaiian island hopping as cheap as it gets! Don't miss the deadline on 8/31/09 for your September Interisland travel for this Hawaiian Airlines flight special. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Tags: Best Interisland Hawaii flight, cheap Hawaii Island hopping

Big Island Places to Visit - City of Refuge

It's time to island hop back to the Big Island after we spend some time on Maui dealing with the current abundance of Kihei condo short sales and the question 'Is it a good time to buy a Maui condo?' Maui condos are also getting some special attention this fall because condo vacation rental rates are lower than ever for the 2009 fall season. One reason for us to share with our Best Hawaii vacation blog visitors Best Fall Airfares from Seattle to Maui. After Labor Day, flight tickets are outrageously low. It's time for a Maui Beach vacation in Kihei!

If you are not a beach bum but prefer adventure, the Big Island is right for you as we pointed out in many previous posts such as 'Which Hawaiian island is your favorite island?' My favorite saying about a Big Island vacation is this Hawaiian island offers 'adventure beyond the ordinary'! Where else can you see a live volcano or go ski in the morning on a snow covered mountain and swim in the warm waters of the Pacific in the afternoon. Those who plan their Big Island vacation now, might want to peruse our previous Big Island vacation articles.


Here is another of those special Big Island adventures, which actually allows you to combine learning more about ancient Hawaiian traditions and culture with having the best Hawaii snorkel experience. It's a visit to the City of Refuge or Pu'uhonua o Honaunau, National Historic Park. The park is located on the southern Kona Coast. Take Hwy 11 to Hwy 160 and continue downhill 4 miles to the entrance of the park.


The visitors Center is open 8am - 5:30pm. A self guiding tour takes you through the grounds: The Royal Grounds and the Place of Refuge. With Honaunau Bay offering an easy canoe landing place + the availability of drinking water, it was the perfect place for the ali'i (Roayals) to build one of their major residences there. The Royal grounds were separated from the pu'uhonua, place of refuge, by a massive stone wall built about 1550 - 10 feet high + 17 feet thick! - and still standing today. Can you believe that?!


So, what's the story behind the City of Refuge? In ancient Hawaiian life, activities were regulated by 'Kapu'. If a 'kapu' was broking, Hawaiians feared that their gods would get mad at them with an earth quake, volcano eruption or tidal wave. To 'prevent' that they tried everything to catch the kapu breaker. A kapu breaker was sentenced to death, unless he/she managed to reach pu'uhonua, which meant absolution by a priest and a safe return home. Tough times, I'd say.


See for yourselves how ancient Hawaiian ali'i lived. When you walk those ancient sacred Hawaiian grounds, you might get transported into the past and feel the spirit of old Hawaii. We did not feel any goose bumps as some visitors report when visiting ancient heiaus in Hawaii. Get back into the presence by swimming and snorkeling in the ocean waters of Honaunau Bay. Don't forget your snorkel gear, as Honaunau Bay is one of the best snorkel spots on the Big Island. It is also a great place to see the Hawaiian green sea turtles.


You want to share your personal City of Refuge experience, we'd love to hear from you. Have a wonderful time on your Big island vacation. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Tags: Best Places Hawaii, Big Island vacation, Best Things to do on Big Island

Best Flight Offers from Seattle to Maui

Aloha to everybody who loves a Maui Hawaii vacation,

Let's stay for today's Best Hawaii blog post kind of within the topic we talked about 'Is it a good time to buy a Maui condo NOW?' We heard from Maui realtors in the South Kihei condo area that the months January through April 2009 had been really slow with interested buyers in Maui condos. Summer 2009 showed a big slowdown in vacation rental requests but on the other hand, more "Mainlanders" showed up interested in buying Kihei condos at 'bargain' prices as investment and as a vacation rental and a place to stay warm during cold winter months!

For all those, who are still looking into buying a Maui condo now or are getting ready for a Maui vacation during fall season, there is great news out there for Maui travel, especially for travelers from the Pacific Northwest, from Seattle and Portland. I came across those new best flight offers from Seattle to Maui through a Maui Twitter friend whose tweet I actually retweeted for our best Maui vacation visitors yesterday:

RT @MCIMaui New Direct Alaska Airlines Flight from Portland to #Maui: Will more competition mean more affordable... http://bit.ly/17sif9

It's pretty amazing how things come and go around through social networks like twitter. Anyways, my Maui Twitter friend had picked up the good Maui travel news from the Maui Real Estate Directory Blog, which wrote on a post 'Will more competition mean more affordable flights to Maui?': "As of July 3rd, a convenient new flight via Alaska Airlines is taking passengers direct from Portland, Oregon to Maui, Hawaii. Alaska offered three flights weekly at first, but as of August 7th, service will expand to daily flights." I definitely recommend Maui visitors to read the entire post New Direct Alaska Airlines Flights from Portland to Maui.

As we all know affordable air fares to Hawaii can and will give the Hawaii Tourism Industry a big boost. That's why we were happy to see our friends from Beat of Hawaii on the same track when they are talking about Hawaii Fall Airfare predictions, referring to Hawaiian Airlines, on one of their recent posts:

"Pacific Northwest will be the hottest market. In just the past week the cost to fly from Seattle to Honolulu has dropped by 25% and is now at $298 round-trip on Hawaiian. I expect to see Seattle and Portland fares continue to drop, especially on service to Honolulu and nonstop flights to the outer islands. Likely we will again see round-trip fares for as little as $200 (plus tax of about $20), from time to time, as we saw last year." Again, we recommend to read the entire article about the best flight offers from the Pacific Northwest to Hawaii.

Here is a copy of part of my comment in case you missed that:

"Much mahalo, Jeff, for making our Hawaii visitors from the Pacific Northwest aware of those special air fares from Seattle and Portland to the islands. I've checked on Hawaiian and found the special rates you mentioned Seattle - Honolulu and Seattle Maui for RT $298.

However, I noticed with Maui, that travelers might want to leave a little more time between now and their departing flights to Maui in September. As the direct flights to Maui leave only once a day, the planes get filled up fast and then Hawaiian asks more money for their seats, whether Wednesday or weekend flying, it does not matter."

So guys check Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines for those special fall airfares from the Pacific Northwest or San Francisco to Hawaii. Find your best flight special from Seattle to Maui or Honolulu Hawaii. Hop on the plane and have a great Hawaii Vacation. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacation
p.s.
We chose beautiful Hawaiian girl Sara from WahineStyle.com as our Hawaii post girl today.

Tags: best fall airfares to maui, maui vacation, seattle to maui, best price

Enjoy The Mount Elbrus in Russia

Mount Elbrus (Russian: Эльбрус) is an inactive volcano located in the western Caucasus mountain range, in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia, near the border of Georgia. A stratovolcano that has lain dormant for about 2,000 years, it is the highest mountain in the Caucasus. Mt. Elbrus (west summit) stands at 5,642 metres (18,510 ft) and it is not only the highest mountain in Europe (depending on continental border used); it is also the highest point of Russia. The east summit is slightly lower: 5,621 metres (18,442 ft).
Read ful history of Mount Elbrus in wikipedia

2010 Chevy Camaro Pontiac Firebird Conversion

The finish product of the Pontiac brand killed off the dreams that General Motors might create a Firebird model out of the new 2010 Chevy Camaro, but fans of the car find some comfort in the Trans Am conversions that are being readied by the crew over at "Trans Am Depot". The company said that it will unveil a one-off Kevin Morgan "Trans Am" Concept at the 2009 Trans Am Nationals at the end of the month with the production version kits set to be available for order later this year...

Enjoy The Bunaken Beach : Bunaken is Beautfully Beach

Bunaken is one of Indonesia's most famous dive/snorkeling areas, and it draws scuba divers & snorkelers from all over the world. In addition to Bunaken itself, a rather featureless banana-shaped island, the National Park includes the neighboring islands of Manado Tua, a distinctive cone-shaped extinct volcano, Siladen, Montehagen, Nain, and Nain Kecil.The waters of Bunaken National Marine Park are extremely deep (1566 m in Manado Bay), clear (up to 35-40 m visibility), refreshing in temperature (27-29 C) and harbor some of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. Pick any of group of interest - corals, fish, echinoderms or sponges - and the number of families, genera or species is bound to be astonishingly high.

About half an hour by a motorized outrigger canoe from Manado, Bunaken island is a veritable paradise for snorkelers and scuba enthusiasts. The coral reef off Bunaken island is particularly good for that and shouldn't be missed while you're in this region. The drop off wall at Liang Cove is not only rare in the world, as it's described by international divers as being spectacular with caves, gullies, and caverns harbouring an immense wealth of marine life. The water averages a balmy 28 degrees C and visibility is sensational (over) 30 m. The Bunaken sea garden is rich with colourful tropical marine life

Palmetto Point : The Top of Beach

Trinity Palmetto Point is one of 14 administrative parishes that make up Saint Kitts and Nevis. It ranks 6th in terms of size of all the parishes on Saint Kitts. The parish capital is Palmetto Point.

Is it a good time to buy a Maui Condo NOW?

Aloha to all our Hawaii blog visitors, our regulars and the drop-ins,

The Sharks, Rays and Whales on the most wanted Youtube Video post took off right from the start. It was fun writing the post and sharing this spectacular video with everybody. Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors and our Hawaii friends liked it a lot. I am sure Jon got quite some extra traffic for his video from our blog, and he deserved it.

As mentioned before, visiting other Hawaii blogs and Hawaii twitter friends is a steady source and pool for new ideas. A recent post by our friend Julie from 'Maui Vacation Guide' about Short Sales of Maui Condos got my special attention this time. Reading Julie's article on low price short sale offers for Maui condos for sale, triggered my curiosity to that extend that I thought Maui condo short sales will hit a nerve and attract the attention by a lot of our Hawaii blog visitors. It seems time to talk 'Hawaii Real Estate' again. This time specifically about 'Is it a good time to buy a Maui condo NOW?'

My first action to prepare this post was a Google search for Maui condos for Sale and peruse a big number of those top search result sites for Maui condos. Bottom line, there is quite a number of Maui real estate sites which focus on Maui condo for sale real estate market trying to lure the 'Mainlanders' hungry for Hawaii sun to buy a Maui condo now.

I liked those sites which provided in addition to the basic condo info like:

- Asking price

- Maui condo resort location

- condo bedroom + bathroom number

additional detailed condo info like:

- Is the condo zoned for vacation rental?

- Condo monthly maintenance fee

- Annual Taxes

- Sales history

The prices for Maui condo short sales are really tempting but be aware of that the banks take their time to 'collect' a number of offers for a certain short sale condo and decide for the highest offer after 3 - 4 months or even longer. If you are not in a hurry, try your luck. Maybe your nice cash offer will be accepted by the bank. In any case, that's probably the lowest price for Maui condos, not just short sales, I have seen in a long time. So, is it a good time to buy now?

Believe me, not just us regular folks wonder whether the Hawaii Real Estate market has reached the bottom or will even further slow down, meaning Maui condo prices will even come down more. The following article about reaching the bottom and about current trends in Hawaii Real Estate market by Michael Gallagher shows you that Hawaii realtors can't guarantee either whether this is now the best time to buy a Maui condo. One thing is for certain though, Hawaii real estate market will recover as it always has. There is no place like Hawaii! The decision is yours. Before you buy a Maui condo, here are 3 facts you need to know when buying a Maui condo NOW.

3 Facts to know for buying a Maui Condo

1. Maui Condo Vacation rental zoned

If you don't want to move to the island of Maui permanently and consider spending 2 - 3 months on Maui in winter, you want to rent out your Maui condo for the rest of the year at the best rate you can get. Lots of things have changed recently in the Maui vacation rental scene recently. Make sure that the condo you buy is in a vacation rental zoned condo resort or complex. If the complex got 'grandfathered' in, make sure the condo complex bylaws state 'short term rental allowed'. BTW, Maui legislature is still dealing with making more vacation rentals legal.

2. Maui Vacation Rental business Slowdown

Remember the economic slowdown has a big effect on family's capability to go and spend some extra money on vacation. Hawaii vacations got postponed by many families this summer. Summer 2009 in Hawaii was one of the slowest high season summer months for vacation rentals in years. Hawaii visitors who stuck with their travel plans to the islands, received deals they had never dreamed of. Good for them. However, vacation condo rates did often not cover the expenses Maui condo owners have like high monthly maintenance and annual taxes. Good news: Winter months look much better for Maui vacation condos!

3. Maui condo Property Management

Be aware that renting your Maui condo as a vacation rental requires knowledge, business skills and means to advertise it. That's why the majority of Maui condo owners rely on property management companies. Maui property rental managements charge for booking and renting you condo fees between 20 - 25%. You might want to check and compare. I even found out that one of the biggest Maui management company charges a monthly fee whether they book your condo or not.

BTW, when you are not a permanent Hawaii resident, you need a Hawaii agent to act on your behalf which is another reason that Maui condo owners decide for a Maui property management company. Lots to think about when you want to make some money from your Maui vacation condo.

Do you think 'It's a good time to buy a Maui condo NOW?' Our Best Hawaii blog visitors and we'd love to hear from everybody, whether Hawaii realtor or lay people like us. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Hawaii Real Estate Related Articles

2009 Hawaii Real Estate Market
Best Price Hawaii House for Sale
Hawaii Real Estate Market 2008
Will falling prices in Hawaii Real Estate attract new home buyers?

Tags: condos for sale Maui, Maui condos Short sales, Hawaii real estate market, trends prices Maui condos

Beauty of British Virgin Island

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) is a British overseas territory, located in the Caribbean to the east of Puerto Rico. The islands make up part of the Virgin Islands archipelago, the remaining islands constituting the U.S. Virgin Islands. Technically the name of the Territory is simply the "Virgin Islands", but in practice since 1917 they have been almost universally referred to as the "British Virgin Islands" to distinguish the islands from the American Territory.[1] To add to the regional confusion, the Puerto Rican islands of Culebra, Vieques and surrounding islands began referring to themselves as the "Spanish Virgin Islands" as part of a tourism drive in the early 2000s. The British Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke, along with over fifty other smaller islands and cays. Approximately fifteen of the islands are inhabited. The capital, Road Town, is situated on Tortola, the largest island which is approximately 20 km (12 mi) long and 5 km (3 mi) wide. The islands have a total population of about 22,000, of whom approximately 18,000 live on Tortola.
The island has been used as a backdrop for many movies, and once you view it you can definitely see why – just the place where you would want to be shipwrecked. Needless to say, this tiny piece of paradise is a favorite island hopping spot.

A 360 degree ring of beautiful, pristine white sand encompasses island, and the beautiful aqua marine water appears to make the white sand brighter.The islands vegetation is located at the center, and there are only three rather tired looking palm trees on the entire island. The south end of the island has a pristine reef, and provides the perfect snorkeling environment. No need to go out too far to view tropical fish – many can be seen (and felt) as you wade out from shore into the crystal clear water.

This is a perfect Caribbean island picnic spot. While you dine, the graceful frigate birds circle overhead, and schools of flying fish skirt just above the water - they really don’t actually fly, but I can see why they would be easy to catch.And if one fantasy island isn’t enough, Green Cay is just yards away, and connected to Sandy Split by an extremely shallow coral shoal.Green Cay also offers great snorkeling, swimming and greats views of the beauty of BVI. And Sandy Cay is only minutes away.The British Virgin Islands is home to small, tiny pristine islands – each one with its on personality and charm.Finally British Virgin Island is so beautifully place for recreations.

Enjoy the Vatican City in Italy

Italy is a developed democracy with a modern economy. The Holy See is a sovereign entity that serves as the ecclesiastical, governmental and administrative capital of the Roman Catholic Church, physically located within the State of the Vatican City inside Rome, with a unique, non-traditional economy. San Marino is a developed, constitutional democratic republic, also independent of Italy, with a modern economy. One of the most popular destination for trips to Italy is the Vatican. Many people do not know that the city is a sovereign state. This means that it makes its own rules, and independent oversight of the Italian system. Vatican City State walls in Rome. This is the Smallest independent country in the world, if only slightly to 100 acres. It was founded in 1929 by agreement between the Kingdom of Italy and the Holy See. The Holy See refers to the central nervous system of the Catholic Church headed by Pope. The Pope is also known as the Bishop of Rome. Houses of the official residence of the Vatican and the Pope visited by millions of people each year.

Kilimanjaro : Beatiful Mount in The World

Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is an inactive stratovolcano in north-eastern Tanzania rising 4,600 m (15,100 ft) from its base (and approximately 5,100 m (16,700 ft) from the plains near Moshi), and is additionally the highest peak in Africa at 5,892 metres (19,331 ft)[4], providing a dramatic view of the surrounding plains.Ask people to think of a typical African mountain, and for many, Kilimanjaro might spring to mind. But it's far from typical, At 20,000 feet, it's the highest mountain in Africa, and one of only two to bear permanent snow (Mount Kenya is the other). Moreover, it is the largest mountain in the world that is free-standing; i.e., not part of a mountain range. To scale Mount Kilimanjaro is the ambition of many visitors to Africa. Indeed, for its height, it is a relatively easy climb relative to other mountains of a similar height. To walk up the gently sloping sides needs only stamina to withstand the thin air and long distances.