Franchise opportunities are abound in the United States, where the American dream is often obtained by franchising an already successful business or product. For many automobile dealers across the United States, an opportunity to continue living the American dream was handed out this week in the form of a Fiat franchise.

Fiat is an Italian automobile company founded in 1899. The name Fiat is actually an acronym that when translated from Italian means Italian Automobile Factory of Turin. Fiat is a successful company throughout the world, with many assembly factories in countries such as Brazil, India, and Poland. Fiats have not been actively sold and marketed by United States dealerships in more than two decades, so the opportunity to have a Fiat franchise is full of promise.

Many existing dealerships submitted proposals to Chrysler asking for permission to sell Fiats several months ago and the Fiat 500, a compact car, will begin hitting showroom floors in early March 2011. Chrysler received thousands of applications from dealership owners hoping to become Fiat distributors, many who are not currently associated with Chrysler or its subsidiaries. Of the more than 2,000 Chrysler dealerships across the United States, only a little more than 600 received formal invitations from Chrysler Corporation to submit franchise proposals.

For the time being, the Fiat 500 will be the only car model produced for sale in the states from the Italian based car company. Early reports state that there will be up to four different cuts or versions of the 500. A convertible, a sport edition, a petite four door, as well as a “High Roof” style. All of the cars will have a luxurious and unique Italian style that Fiat has been known for for many decades.

There are more than 115 markets that Chrysler has chosen to give franchises in. These areas have been thoroughly researched and show great potential to be big sellers in the area of compact cars. Fiat is often compared to the Mini-Cooper, but the 500 will actually be shorter, slimmer, and more streamlined than the Mini.

Anyone looking for smooth driving, gas saving compact car will have another choice on their car buying plate just in time for spring.

Sure, everyone has heard of a superhero, Superman, Batman, or Spiderman may come to mind. But what about a Supercar? Well, Nissan is marketing their new GT-R models as just that…a Supercar. No, the car can’t fly, bring criminals to justice, or come with a tight spandex suit. So what exactly makes the Nissan GT-R super? A better question may be: What doesn’t make it super? A slightly revamped model will hit stores in early 2011, but the cars will be marketed mostly as 2012 models.

A Los Angeles auto show in November will exhibit these stylish sports cars before they go on sale to the general public, but when they are up for grabs they may go fast, even with an expensive starting price of more than $84,000. The price may be the only thing not super about the sleek import, but even the price tag is considerably less than other foreign sports cars such as Ferrari or Lamborghini. The 2012 GT-R is rumored as having more than 500 horsepower with a twin turbo engine. Despite the number of horses under the hood, the GT-R has actually received the ULEV-II emissions rating for a surprisingly clean burning engine.

Comparing the Nissan GT-R to competitors like the Porsche Boxster Roadster Spyder edition, it is easy to understand why Nissan is so excited about the sale of their newest model. The 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder, for example, only has 303 horsepower compared to the 485 in the 2011 GT-R model and more than 500 hp that will most likely be in the 2012 models. The GT-R also comes with all-wheel drive standard, a rare feature in today’s sport cars. The GT-R also offers second row bucket seats, a nice feature not offered in competitor cars like the Mustang GT, Porsche Spyder, or 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS.

A respectable competitor of the GT-R with good overall power and better pricing is the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS. The 2011 Camaro has a standard horsepower of 426 and comes with a much better price tag, starting at only $34,295.

Overall, car enthusiasts with a slightly bigger budget who want something sleek, powerful, and unique may want to pick the 2011 or 2012 Nissan GT-R, a truly super car. No spandex suit required.

An import compact pickup truck could provide some stiff competition in the United States for today’s market leaders…if it ever actually makes it to America. Mahindra, an Indian automaker has created a new line of diesel trucks that have many features U.S. consumers would drool for. The catch here is that the trucks, many of which have already been produced, do not meet many of the safety regulations set forth by U.S. laws. In addition, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has been at odds with the foreign automaker because the trucks do not meet emission requirements which are necessary in order to be sold in the United States.

The diesel trucks, which can be likened to compact pickups such as the Ford Ranger or Toyota Tacoma, were originally scheduled to hit showroom floors in late 2009. However, the India based company has been slow to respond to criticism and even slower to actually make the required changes in the affordable line of sleek trucks. Global Vehicles USA is the sole company in America who holds selling rights for the pickup trucks and has been very patient with Mahindra until late June, when the American company sued its Indian partner in hopes of getting Mahindra to the states quicker.

If Mahindra pickup trucks ever do make it to American car dealerships, consumers have many positives to consider when looking for a compact truck. The Mahindra will come in both a two door and crew cab version with a sleek body style. Mahindra trucks have nearly twice the payload of other compact trucks on the market and have a towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds. Despite the better towing capacity, the trucks actually have a very respectable fuel economy at up to 30 miles per gallon. The trucks will reportedly be offered with a four year, 60,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. Many of the features in the Mahindra pickups are both useful and cool, like the extra-long bed, Electronic Stability Control, Roll-Over Mitigation, premium audio system with AM/FM/CD/USB inputs and high quality speakers. With all of the controversy revolving around these new trucks, it is nice to know that the price is much less controversial, starting around $22,000.

Over the last year there has been an increase in the sale of caravans – especially the used campervans. Buying a campervan or a motorhome is useful for people who are always on the move and touring around the country. If you are looking to get the best out of your money, it is always better to go for a used camper van, as along with it you can get some extra features installed in it.

While checking out a campervan, make sure to ask about the maintenance report of the van from your Long Island dealer. Damp has been seen to be one of the most common problems seen with these vehicles. Go around the caravan and check whether there is any crack or if you can locate any damage on the body. Even a small crack can cause a lot of trouble later. Inspect the side panels, whether they are intact or not. An ill-fitted and puffed out side paneled caravan should always be avoided.

Sometimes you may come across caravans which look old and outdated but may be very well maintained. These are probably the best used campervans to go for. The Campervan design that you should be on the lookout for depends on your personal choices. A two berth campervan with washrooms at the end is amongst the most popular examples.

Motorhomes with twin axle are better balanced than single axle versions. However, the twin axle variety may be quite difficult to move at times. If you are not sure of what exactly you should be on the lookout for, get in touch with your nearest car dealer. You can also ask the dealer to help you with the maintaining the caravan for you. Lastly, don’t forget to get your campervan insured to stay safer and covered from mishaps at all times!