Cool Blog

Prince of Persia HD trailer

2009-11-04T08:56:00.000-08:00

From the team that brought the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy to the big screen, Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films present Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, an epic action-adventure set in the mystical lands of Persia. A rogue prince (Jake Gyllenhaal) reluctantly joins forces with a mysterious princess (Gemma Arterton) and together, they race against dark forces to safeguard an ancient dagger capable of releasing the Sands of Time—a gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world.

2009-05-04T06:41:00.000-07:00

Starting with the newest Autobots v/s Decepticons

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

This is the coolest sequel of the decade. Its gonna blow your senses.

District 9

Aliens as refugees on Earth

This looks like independence day in South Africa.

G.I. Joe

Childhood cartoon series on big screen.

Looks like an awesome action fair.

Star Trek

Reboot looks cool.

Space fair after years.

Public Enemies

n the action-thriller "Public Enemies," acclaimed filmmaker Michael Mann directs Johnny Depp, Christian Bale and Academy Award® winner Marion Cotillard in the story of legendary Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger (Depp)—the charismatic bank robber whose lightning raids made him the number one target of J. Edgar Hoover's fledgling FBI and its top agent, Melvin Purvis (Bale), and a folk hero to much of the downtrodden public.

Terminator Salvation

In the highly anticipated new installment of The Terminator film franchise, set in post-apocalyptic 2018, Christian Bale stars as John Connor, the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet's operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind.

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Detroit Auto Shows: Top 10

2009-01-18T11:19:00.000-08:00

200C EV

The Chrysler 200C EV Concept is a rolling test bed for Chrysler’s future uconnect in-car computer and communication device. It also connects directly to an iPhone, allowing you to preprogram the temperature, lock the doors, allow you to view an in-car camera remotely (pervy parents rejoice) and track the car’s location live via GPS – all straight from the iPhone.

Underneath the hood, Chrysler says the 200C could use either the ENVI EV extended range powertrain or the new Phoenix V6. the concept is rear wheel drive, but they say it could easily be adapted to a front wheel drive production car, which seems a more likely prospect. Of all the Chrysler products revealed at the show, this is the most likely to reach production. Whether or not it’ll have an extended range EV powertrain remains to be seen.

Volkswagen Bluesport Concept

The VW Bluesport Roadster may only be a concept, but it's sure to pique the interest of drivers looking for top-down fun and diesel power on the same chassis.

As we mentioned last night, the Volkswagen Bluesport concept is powered by a 180 HP turbodiesel motor mounted amidship. Despite its concept status, VW is promising fairly realistic performance. This includes a 0-60 MPH time of 6.2 seconds and a top speed of 140 MPH. Though not Prius-killing, the 42 MPG combined mileage (we're guessing in the European cycle) is impressive for a sports car and would surely top any known competitors.

2010 BMW Z4 Live

The new Z4 can best be described as an evolution of the current design, not a departure. Still, it's hard to ignore the sleekness of the new profile up close. The somewhat stubby feel of the previous generation has been toned down thanks to the swooping beltine and more thoughtfully-designed trunk and rear fenders. We'll have more information when the BMW execs move out from in front of the new roadster and up to the podium.

2010 Jaguar XKR

Built in tradition of great and tourers, with state-of-the-art engineering, aerospace-inspired construction and outstanding driving dynamics, the new XK is the latest in a long line of legendary performance Jaguars.” Mike O’Driscoll, Managing Director, Jaguar Cars.

The Jaguar sports car experience moves on to a new level in 2009 with the introduction of a new generation of the XK Coupe and Convertible.

With all-new engines, even more dramatic looks, a new interior, an advanced lightweight aluminum body structure and a wider range of models, the new XK builds on 60 years of legendary performance to deliver the best of everything Jaguar.

Designated 2010 model year but available summer 2009, the new XK range not only stands out from the crowd, it stands apart. The combined efforts of Jaguar's designers and engineers have produced a car that utilizes advanced technologies at a higher level than ever before.

The benefits of the XK's lightweight but incredibly stiff and strong chassis are already acknowledged. Not only does this architecture bring dynamic benefits thanks to its torsional rigidity, it also offers excellent safety and crash repair features – and provides the ideal base to optimize performance across the board, including fuel economy and CO2 emissions.

"The philosophy at Jaguar is for our designers and engineers to work together with all areas of the Jaguar business to develop elegant, inspired solutions to complex technical challenges. The result is great products – and the new XK is a perfect example." Mike O'Driscoll, Managing Director, Jaguar Cars

The all-new AJ-V8 Gen III engines are the most efficient Jaguar has ever produced. They deliver significantly more power and torque than the previous generation of engines: 510bhp and 461lb-ft of torque in the new supercharged XKR and 385bhp and 380lb-ft in the XK Portfolio.

With the introduction of these all-new 5.0-liter direct-injection V8 engines comes a new level of performance for the XK, with improved acceleration from standstill and stunning in-gear acceleration times. All models are electronically limited to a maximum speed of 155mph, but the 0-60mph sprint for naturally aspirated coupe models falls from 5.9 to 5.2 seconds, while for the supercharged XKR Coupe, 0-60mph is reduced from 4.9 to 4.6 seconds.

And yet thanks to a combination of excellent powertrain efficiency and the XK's advanced lightweight body architecture, all XKs offer strong fuel economy and impressive CO2 emissions ratings. Fuel economy is comparable to the previous generation of XK – despite the significant increases in performance – and CO2 emissions from each engine are better than the out-going versions, with the naturally aspirated version improving on that of the 4.2-liter V8 by two percent, while the supercharged engine produces one percent less CO2 than its predecessor. Indeed, the new generation XK is among the very best in both fuel economy and emissions for any V8-engined sports car.

"With an all-new, supercharged AJ-V8 engine and dramatic new looks, the new XKR has all the performance, power and panache that you expect in the ultimate sporting Jaguar." Mike O'Driscoll, Managing Director, Jaguar Cars

Allowing the engines to optimize their power is one of the most sophisticated transmissions available. Jaguar’s acclaimed electronically controlled, six-speed ZF 6HP28 transmission offers an unparalleled combination of driver control matched to virtually undetectable gearshifts. With control either from steering wheel-mounted paddles or full automatic mode via the JaguarDrive SelectorTM, which is new for the 10 Model Year XK, the transmission is now paired with an advanced electronic differential on the XKR model to ensure it accelerates even faster, handles more precisely and sets new standards of dynamic control and excellence.

There are two core models in the new XK range: the highly equipped XK Portfolio and the XKR, each with its own sporting character. In addition to the many changes under the skin, the new XKs are visually different to the previous generation. Each still looks just like a Jaguar should look – seductive, powerful and elegant – but all models, coupe and convertible, introduce revised exterior styling that underlines Jaguar’s contemporary thinking on design.

Inside, quality levels are raised even further with new interior trim and finishes that demonstrate Jaguar’s renowned craftsmanship, plus even more comprehensive specification. The driver is the center of attention, with exciting new ideas, including the acclaimed JaguarDrive Selector™, Adaptive Dynamics with Active Differential Control and comfort features such as heated and cooled seats – taking the driving experience of the new XK range to even higher levels of luxury alongside the improved performance.
“The new XK delivers more power, more performance and more technology – without compromise. It moves the Jaguar sports car experience on to a whole new level.” Mick Mohan, Director, Jaguar Programmes

The new XK range at a glance

– New generation of Jaguar XK sports coupe and convertible
– Exterior styling revised on all models
– Advanced aluminum body architecture is strong and lightweight and the key to optimizing performance, dynamic agility and competitive CO2 emissions and fuel economy
– All-new AJ-V8 Gen III direct-injection engines are the most powerful and efficient engines Jaguar has ever produced:
• 5.0-liter supercharged V8 delivers 510bhp, 461lb-ft of torque and propels XKR Coupe to 60mph in just 4.6 seconds.
• 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine delivers 385bhp, 380lb-ft of torque and propels XK Portfolio Coupe to 60mph in just 5.2 seconds.
– Improved CO2 emissions performance and comparable fuel economy to the smaller capacity and less powerful engines they replace
– New generation of XK is true to the heritage of Jaguar’s legendary performance and offers class-leading refinement and advanced technologies
– State-of-the-art six-speed automatic transmission has seamless gearshifts, plus for the first time on the XKR model an electronic differential to optimize traction and dynamic performance
– New design features, including exciting customer-friendly technologies such as the JaguarDrive SelectorTM first seen on the XF, further enhance performance, driving dynamics and the XK range’s unique luxury sporting character.
– Now two models in the range: XK Portfolio and XKR. Styling revisions include a new front bumper, new side mirrors with integrated LED side repeater, rear bumper spoiler, rear LED lights and color-coded side power vents for both coupe and convertible versions
– First customer deliveries in summer 2009.

All performance figures are manufacturer’s estimates.

THE NEW XK RANGE IN DETAIL

The new XK is a sophisticated grand tourer with the heart of a true sports car, combining effortless high-performance and state-of-the-art V8 powertrains with a new layer of advanced technologies, intuitive control, and Jaguar’s superbly crafted, new-fashioned luxury interiors. The range will continue to include both naturally aspirated XK and supercharged XKR, available in 2+2 coupe or convertible body styles.

All-new AJ-V8 Gen III 5.0-liter direct-injection engines bring significant improvements in power and torque and they do so with no compromise in terms of fuel economy and emissions. In both respects, every car in the new XK range, in spite of such large performance and flexibility gains, is comparable to their predecessors.

The impressive fuel economy is directly attributable to the combination of the XK range’s lowest-in-class weight and the all-new AJ-V8 Gen III engines. As well as the intrinsic advantages of the engines’ exceptionally light weight and compact dimensions, these technically advanced all-aluminum four-cam power units offer a number of features that deliver power with very high efficiency, including spray-guided direct injection (SGDI), which improves performance and economy, and dual independent variable cam timing (DIVCT), which benefits performance and economy and also reduces emissions.

The simplified and logical model range for the new XK essentially comprises just two clear choices – XK Portfolio and XKR. Each has its own specific choices of trim, color and fine detail, but every one has the same underlying sporting character and clear emphasis on efficient performance, luxury and craftsmanship. Beyond that, the XK vehicle personalization program also offers an extensive range of accessories that allow the customer to add further bespoke touches – inside and out.

Stunning performance increases

In naturally aspirated form, the new AJ-V8 Gen III 5.0-liter engine delivers 385bhp and 380lb-ft of torque – respectively 26 and 23 percent more than its 4.2-liter predecessor. The XKR’s supercharged 5.0-liter AJ-V8 Gen III R delivers a mighty 510bhp and 461lb-ft of torque – improvements of 23 and 12 percent respectively over the supercharged 4.2-liter engine.

On the road, while maximum speed remains under electronic control at 155mph, these power and torque gains allied to the lightweight aluminum body architecture of the
XK dramatically reduce acceleration times. For the naturally aspirated XK Portfolio, 0-60mph is reduced from 5.9 to 5.2 seconds; for the supercharged XKR, 0-60mph is reduced from 4.9 to 4.6 seconds.

The supercharged XKR is also impressively efficient, with an average consumption of 23.0mpg and a CO2 rating of 292g/km – an improvement over the previous XKR – and a remarkable 16 and 17 percent better, respectively, than the equivalent figures for the BMW M6.

Crucially, however, the XK also continues to better its closest rivals on economy and CO2 ratings, with an average consumption of 25.2mpg and a CO2 figure of 264g/km – a seven percent improvement on the equivalent figures for the Mercedes-Benz SL500.

The Looks – exterior styling

Visible changes on the new XK Portfolio and XKR reflect the significant changes under the skin. Carefully revised exteriors take the seductive, powerful, elegant lines that define Jaguar’s new design language and interpret them for a dramatically beautiful 2+2 sports car whose shape is even more taut, powerful and athletic. Evoking the essence of performance long before it moves, the new XK family shape is unmistakably ‘new-school’ sporting Jaguar: wholly contemporary, finely sculpted, efficiently packaged and precisely detailed.

Design Director Ian Callum outlines the new design features on the XK range:

“The current XK was the first car to signify a new generation of Jaguars – cars that have honed our image every bit as successfully as the original XK120 or E-type. Now the new XK range reinforces that message. The cars’ visual agility and beautiful lines have been enhanced with a distinctive new front end, rear lights and revised body styling that gives every model even more presence.”

The exterior changes for both the naturally aspirated XK Portfolio and the supercharged XKR are highlighted by a distinctive and purposeful new front bumper design, new LED rear lights and a new lower rear bumper spoiler. New LED rear light clusters incorporating fog lamps plus twin reversing lamps (rather than the previous single units) give every car in the new XK range a unique ‘night time signature’, while LED technology is also included in the integrated side repeater and approach lamps in the new exterior mirrors. Every car in the new XK range also features new engine covers and revised, body-colored side power vents.

Beyond the shared changes, subtle differences in detail distinguish each of the three models in the new XK range. Both the naturally aspirated XK Portfolio and the supercharged XKR display purposeful front bumper features with stylish, chrome-detailed inserts and further chrome detailing to the upper mesh grille. The XKR is set apart by also featuring chrome on its lower mesh grille - which is finished in black on the XK Portfolio model. All models now feature chrome detailing on window surrounds and rear signature blade, and in addition the XKR comes with a new rear bumper spoiler that is finished in body color and a revised tailpipe design further emphasizing its sporting performance.

The Looks – interior styling

Contemporary, sporting luxury, exceptional quality of craftsmanship and Jaguar’s renowned attention to detail are the keynotes of the new XK range’s enhanced interiors. The cabin is clean, elegant, spacious and remains entirely in harmony with the sporty character of the revised exterior.

The luxury character of the new XK range, however, is guaranteed, regardless of the customer’s choice of body style – hard-topped coupe or fabric-roofed convertible. Both benefit from the inherent strength of Jaguar’s lightweight aluminum architecture, which means that as well as being the lightest body structure in its class, the XK Portfolio and XKR’s shells also have the highest torsional strength. And that exceptional rigidity, with or without a fixed roof, means creak and rattle-free refinement on virtually any surface, however unforgiving.

Beyond that, the convertible’s triple-lined fabric roof gives a level of fit and stability even at very high speeds that minimizes wind noise and other road noise and includes a luxurious interior finish almost indistinguishable from a fixed roof. In addition, XK Portfolio and XKR models feature luxurious Jaguar Suedecloth headlining as standard.

It can, however, be powered up or down at the touch of a button in less than 18 seconds. And when it is lowered, the convertible’s flush-folding roof retracts completely into the bodywork behind the rear seats, under a smooth cover that retains the elegant, sporty lines of the car.

Nor does the convertible compromise the new XK range’s safety, for its roll-over protection system, which remains hidden unless it is needed, deploys instantaneously as necessary to provide occupants with the highest levels of protection.

For both coupe and convertible, the latest trim and feature enhancements are highlighted by the JaguarDrive Selector™, which is very neatly and elegantly packaged in the center console. The welcome to the car is also enhanced by new, bright treadplate inserts. Many of the other changes emphasize very high levels of Jaguar craftsmanship with new jewel-like touches. The three-spoke steering wheel now has a leather-wrapped lower spoke and Jaguar’s striking ‘growler’ badge. The new XKR’s instruments now further emphasize its performance character with red pointers, while all models adopt a new white illumination for their instruments.

New heated and cooled front seats are standard equipment on the new XK Portfolio and available on XKR with the optional R Performance interior. The XKR features 10-way seat adjustability for both driver and passenger seats, with heating and memory functions as standard and unique R seat style. The XK Portfolio and XKR with the optional R Performance interior have 16-way adjustable seats with heating and memory functions, adjustable side bolsters and new cooled seats as standard.

The door casings are even more luxuriously crafted than before, with saddle-stitched lines and a new interlayer to give a softer touch to the top shoulder of the casing. The leather door pulls also introduce twin-needle stitching and a soft-feel interlayer. In each door, the modified seat switch pack now includes single-piece chrome ‘highlight’ switches.

There is a wide choice of interior color options, including a new combination of Ivory seating with Oyster upper cabin trim and Oyster carpets. Soft-grain leather with contrast stitching is standard in the new XK Portfolio and in the new R Performance XKR.

Real wood veneers remain an important part of Jaguar craftsmanship and now include a new Rich Oak veneer option for the XK alongside the classic Burr Walnut for both models. The new XK range also offers the choice of Ebony uniquely for the new XK Portfolio, while the new XKR offers its own unique alternative in Dark Oak. A Knurled Aluminum veneer is also available on XK Portfolio, while Dark Mesh Aluminum is available on XKR.

Body architecture

Globally recognized as one of the key elements in Jaguar’s intelligent use of advanced technology, the XK’s industry-leading lightweight architecture constructs the entire body shell (the internal chassis structure and external body panels) from a combination of pressed, cast and extruded aluminum alloy components. These are riveted and bonded together using techniques originally developed in the aerospace industry and adapted for automotive use by Jaguar.

The result is a body shell with a depth of quality that is rooted in the highest structural integrity. It is also the lightest shell in its class by a significant margin and the most torsionally stiff. That all-round strength, remarkable rigidity and exceptional lightness underpin many aspects of the XK’s excellence, from fuel-efficient performance to its inherent safety, durability and refinement – and, of course, its precise chassis dynamics.

Mike Cross, Vehicle Integrity Chief Engineer, explains the benefits of this advanced body architecture:

“Lightness benefits agility, and agility with high performance defines the exhilarating yet refined nature of the Jaguar XK. It accelerates harder, stops more quickly and handles with true precision – setting new standards of dynamic excellence.”

All-new XK Powertrain Technology

• New AJ-V8 Gen III engines are more compact, more efficient and much more powerful
• 385bhp, 380lb-ft, 264g/km CO2, 25.2mpg combined fuel economy (naturally aspirated)
• 510bhp, 461lb-ft, 292g/km CO2, 23.0mpg combined fuel economy (supercharged – the Gen III R)
• Conforms to US ULEV II emissions regulations
• High efficiency, sixth-generation twin vortex supercharger on Gen III R engine
• Central spray-guided direct-injection increases efficiency and torque
• Torque-actuated variable camshaft timing on all four camshafts for improved response and efficiency
• Cam profile switching in naturally aspirated engine
• Variable-geometry inlet manifold on naturally aspirated engine further increases low and high-end torque
• Low-friction design optimizes fuel consumption
• 15,000-mile service intervals compared to 10,000-mile intervals on 4.2-liter models

Since the first XK was launched in 1948, generations of powerful yet refined engines have played a crucial role in establishing the unique character and pedigree of Jaguar cars. Now, the new 5.0-liter direct-injection engines continue that tradition, delivering increased power and torque with reduced emissions and impressive fuel economy. Available in two versions, the 510bhp supercharged V8 and the naturally aspirated 385bhp version, the new AJ-V8 Gen III engines exemplify Jaguar’s reputation for innovation and engineering excellence.

Commenting on the new engine range, Ron Lee, Powertrain Group Chief Engineer, said:

“We set ourselves the challenge of developing an all-new V8 engine series that improved on the performance and the refinement of the excellent 4.2-liter, with comparable fuel economy and improved emissions. We have achieved that with the AJ-V8 Gen III – a superbly responsive power unit of unsurpassed efficiency.”

Jaguar’s all-new V8s have been designed in-house, using the expertise of powertrain engineers at Jaguar’s advanced research and development centre at Whitley, Coventry, UK.

Malcolm Sandford, Engine Group Chief Engineer, explains the concept behind the project:

“The emphasis was on delivering efficiency, superior dynamic response and highly accessible low-end torque suited to real-world driving, without compromising power at higher engine speeds.”

The results are clear to see. Performance has been increased by 29 percent and 23 percent (87 and 94bhp) on both naturally aspirated and supercharged engines yet both the naturally aspirated and supercharged engines meet US ULEV II emissions regulations. Despite the significant increases in power, CO2 emissions of the naturally aspirated engine improve on that of the outgoing 4.2-liter V8, while the supercharged engine also produces less CO2 than its predecessor.

Top of the class in more ways than one

Both new AJ-V8 Gen III engines are state-of-the-art in every sense. The technical features have been engineered to deliver unparalleled efficiency, refinement, power and torque for which Jaguar is famous, combined with the lowest possible emissions. Low-speed torque characteristics and throttle response is world-class, while the supercharged version is the most economical 510bhp engine in the market to date.

Summarizing this achievement, Jaguar Programme Director, Mick Mohan, said:

“These engines have been designed by our Powertrain team of over 800 people for the next generation of Jaguar cars. They deliver fantastic straight-line performance and response which is second to none. The combination of power, refinement and driveability is what our customers expect of Jaguar. They are smooth around town, but when you want to drive quickly, the engines are hugely responsive and deliver that classic, Jaguar sound quality.”

Light, robust and very strong

The new V8 engines are built around a stiff, all-new, aluminum block with cast-in iron liners and cross-bolted main bearing caps to reduce noise, vibration and harshness. For the first time at Jaguar the blocks are high pressure die-cast, providing a superior finish and greater dimensional accuracy. The engines use aluminum heads, with four valves per cylinder and strong, spheroidal-graphite cast-iron crankshafts and forged steel connecting rods. The cylinder heads for the first time are specified with a secondary (recycled) aluminum alloy thus reducing the environmental impact of manufacturing the new engine.

The new 5.0-liter direct injection engines are more compact than their predecessors. Overall engine length has been reduced by 0.94-in. by relocation of the oil pump within the engine architecture. This length reduction improves engine bay packaging in support of enhanced safety cell performance while ensuring overall engine weight is virtually unchanged.

New supercharger – more for less

A sixth-generation, twin vortex system (TVS) supercharger is fitted to the XKR’s 510bhp engine. It is a compact Roots-type unit, feeding air through twin intercoolers, which in turn are water-cooled by their own discreet cooling circuit. The high helix rotor design improves the supercharger thermodynamic efficiency by 16 percent over its predecessor. It also improves noise quality to the point where the unit is now virtually inaudible (making supercharger whine a thing of the past). The intercoolers reduce the temperature of the pressurized intake-air and so optimize power and efficiency.

The new air intake has been radically redesigned compared to the previous V8. The intake air path is a direct feed to the supercharger inlet from the centrally mounted front throttle body. Air is delivered through twin air boxes, which reduce flow loss and further increase efficiency.

Mechanically, the new supercharger and its intercoolers are efficiently packaged in the ‘V‘ of the engine to deliver a low overall engine height in support of pedestrian safety requirements.

Industry-first direct injection - power with economy

One of the key features of the new engines is an industry-first, centrally-mounted, multi-hole, spray-guided fuel injection system, delivering fuel at a pressure of up to 150bar directly to the cylinder. This substantially contributes to improved low-speed, dynamic response. The positioning of the injectors ensures fuel is precisely delivered to the center of the combustion chamber, maximizing air-fuel mixing, and improving combustion control. Fuel is delivered via twin, high-pressure fuel pumps that are driven via auxiliary shaft in the all-new engine block.

The charge cooling effects of the direct-injection fuel system have allowed the compression ratio of the naturally aspirated engine to be raised to 11.5:1, further improving the engine economy. The supercharged engine also benefits from an increase from 9.0:1 in the previous 4.2-liter to 9.5:1.

During the engine warm-up phase, the combustion system employs multiple injection mode strategies to deliver 50 percent more heat for fast catalyst warm-up and substantially reduced emissions.

Torque-actuated variable-camshaft timing improves efficiency

A new type of variable camshaft timing system (VCT) introduces another new technology. The four VCT units are activated by the positive and negative torques generated by opening and closing the intake and exhaust valves, instead of by oil pressure. This has allowed the engine oil pump to be reduced in size, saving energy and reducing fuel consumption.
VCT units work independently on all four camshafts with 62 degrees of authority on the inlet cams and 50 degrees of authority on the exhaust cams. Timing is optimized by the engine control unit for torque, power and economy at every point in the engine’s speed range.

The new VCT units are capable of a response rate up to three times faster than before, with actuation rates in excess of 150 degrees per second. This delivers a more immediate engine response to the driver’s demand.

The naturally aspirated engine is also equipped with camshaft profile switching (CPS) on the inlet camshaft. Depending on the engine’s running conditions and the demands of the driver, the CPS will switch between a profile that is ideal for low-speed driving and another which gives increased valve lift for high performance.

Hydraulically-actuated two-piece tappets switch between profiles on the tri-lobe camshaft altering both the lift and duration. The cam lobe profile selected for lower engine speeds has a duration of 214° and lifts the valves 0.22-in. This optimizes gas velocity for improved low-speed torque and reduces valvetrain friction for improved fuel economy. For high-speed driving, CPS switches to a cam lobe with a duration of 250° and valve-lift of 0.41-in., allowing greater air flow into the engine for high power. Switching is activated at 2800rpm at high load, ranging to 4500rpm at light load conditions.

Variable Inlet Manifold optimizes torque through the rev range

A new variable inlet manifold (VIM) can vary the length of its eight inlet tracts to optimize power and torque throughout the rev range on the naturally aspirated engine. Vacuum-operated actuators open valves to select a longer, 27-in., inlet tract at low revs, increasing the rate of both the airflow and the engine torque. As the revs climb beyond 4700rpm, the actuators select a shorter, 14-in. path allowing a greater volume of air into the engine to optimize engine power. The actuator position is optimized by the engine control unit for improved torque throughout the engine speed range.

Reverse cooling turns up the heat

Every component in both V8 engines has been optimized for efficiency, performance, low-end torque and reliability. An innovative reverse-flow cooling system design has been employed to deliver thermodynamic and friction improvements. The reverse-flow cooling system pumps coolant through the cylinder heads before flowing through the block and returning to the radiator. The resulting cooler cylinder heads allow more optimum, knock-free, ignition timings to be used to improve efficiency.

In addition, the 22kW oil-to-water heat exchanger, packaged at the core of the engine, transfers heat from the coolant to the lubricating oil during warm up, bringing the oil up to operating temperature 14 percent faster than the previous cooling system. This improves fuel consumption in the crucial engine warm-up period by approximately 1%.

Reducing friction – something for nothing

Minimizing internal friction is key to improving fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, and as such was a key aim when it came to the design of the engines. As a result, the new Jaguar AJ-V8 Gen III engines achieve another best in class, setting a new industry benchmark for cranktrain efficiency.

All engine bearings were the subject of an extensive optimization program, reducing friction without compromising reliability. Diamond-Like Carbon Coating (DLC) has been used to reduce friction on the fuel pump tappets and a solid film lubricant has been used to coat the piston skirts. New engine oil has a lower viscosity, contributing to an extension in service intervals from 10,000 miles to 15,000 miles or 12 months. Both V8 engines are now fitted with an electronic dipstick feature for added peace of mind.

Unique, Jaguar sound quality

Sound quality is a key characteristic of all Jaguars and is one particular aspect that customers relish. With that in mind, Jaguar engineers have accentuated the acoustic feedback into the cabin in order to further enhance the driving pleasure.

The XK's exhaust sound track has been enhanced to provide a deeper and more powerful character that matches the increase in torque at low revs from the new engine. At higher engine speeds the intake acoustic feedback system combines with the exhaust system to provide more of that unique Jaguar sound quality character.

In addition to the fully active exhaust system in which valves open to provide a more rewarding note, the new XKR has been engineered to provide an intake feedback system to enhance the V8 sound character commonly absent on supercharged engines. Intake manifold pressure pulsations are fed into an acoustic filter at the rear of the engine that is tuned to provide an edgy sports car crescendo at high revs. The filter is controlled by the engine management system, which only allows the sound to enter the cabin under the appropriate driving conditions.

The new intake feedback system combined with the fully active exhaust system provides the most exhilarating sound track yet delivered on a Jaguar.

New, integrated transmission completes the package

Any transmission is a major factor in delivering the performance that drivers’ desire, while integrating with the engine to optimize emissions and fuel consumption. Jaguar’s acclaimed electronically controlled, six-speed ZF 6HP28 transmission offers an unparalleled combination of driver control matched to virtually undetectable gearshifts. With control either from steering wheel-mounted paddles or full automatic mode via the JaguarDrive SelectorTM, the new XK range delivers exhilarating performance.

The supercharged V8 engine with 510bhp and 461lb-ft of torque transmits power through an uprated version of the ZF 6HP28, additional clutch plates and an uprated torque converter having been added to the transmission to accommodate the extra power.

The transmission has a fully-adaptive shift system which delivers seamless gearshifts and optimizes performance and economy at all times. It also continually adapts to suit driving style, which can vary from sporting to more economical. The ‘mechatronic’ control module incorporated inside the transmission includes the software for the semi-automatic Jaguar Sequential Shift function, selected when the driver operates either of the two steering-wheel paddles.

The high levels of torque produced by the new engines make it possible for the torque converter lock-up feature of the transmission to be used even at low speeds, without slip. This approach provides an additional fuel consumption benefit, contributing to the official combined fuel economy of 23.0mpg in the XKR. The advanced design of the transmission also includes a torsional damper to absorb firing impulses from the engine, further smoothing the driveline. The transmission is designed to be maintenance-free and the fluid is ‘filled-for-life.’

Another first for Jaguar is the new Active Differential Control (ADC), the final stage of the supercharged V8 driveline, which is designed to give improved traction and dynamic stability. The electronically controlled differential continuously adapts to both the driver’s demands and the amount of grip available at each individual wheel. Operated by an internal electric motor and ‘ball-and-ramp’ mechanism, the differential contains a multi-plate clutch which transmits or ‘vectors’ torque to the wheel with most grip and therefore maximizes the car’s traction. The multi-plate clutch assembly is designed to prevent excessive differential slip, but differs fundamentally from a conventional traction control system, which uses the brakes to counteract differential slip, after it has occurred.

For the first time, the new XK range introduces the innovative JaguarDrive Selector™ as its transmission control interface. First seen on the Jaguar XF sedan, the JaguarDrive Selector™ features a rotary shift control which rises into the driver’s hand as the car is started, to give intuitive, ergonomically efficient transmission control from an extremely neat, space-efficient interface.

The selector is, in fact, much more than just an unobtrusive yet completely practical solution to selecting an automatic gear mode. For it also imbues the car with a strong driver 'handshake'. Get into an XK and the start button in front of the JaguarDrive SelectorTM pulses red, like a heartbeat. Press this button to start the engine and the cast alloy JaguarDrive SelectorTM rises into the palm of your hand.

From there, automatic transmission functions are selected simply by turning the control with the fingertips. As an example, Drive to Drive Sport selection is accomplished with a simple push and turn action. Returning from S to D, the rotary control operates with spring-assistance, which eliminates the need to pull the Selector. It couldn’t be simpler. And when the engine is stopped, the JaguarDrive Selector™ returns automatically to its Park position.

Driving Dynamics

“The XK has always been an exceptional sports GT, now it has evolved into something even more exhilarating in the form of the XKR. With huge reserves of power and torque it sets new standards of dynamic balance, succeeding in being both very potent and rewarding yet balanced and accessible at the same time.”
Mike Cross, Vehicle Integrity Chief Engineer.

The new ‘handshake’ of the JaguarDrive Control is a subtle reminder of the new XK range’s further enhanced sporting character and superb dynamics, that make the driving experience exceptionally exciting and rewarding, as expected of a true sports car and a classic grand tourer. The latest generation of Adaptive Dynamics replaces Jaguar’s proven Computer Active Technology Suspension (CATS) with an even more sophisticated solution. Active damper tuning systems remove many of the compromises of a passive damping system - which must make a single choice between softer damping for a comfortable ride and firmer damping for more tautly controlled handling. CATS overcame that compromise with automatically switchable damping modes, adapting to the road and how the car was driven. But where CATS only offered two settings: 'soft' and 'firm', the new Adaptive Damping System in effect provides a continuously variable damping strategy between wide extremes, benefitting ride comfort, ultimate control handling and grip.

Its three primary functions are to control body vertical movement, roll rate and pitch rate. One hundred times a second, Adaptive Damping analyzes induced body motions and sets each damper to an appropriate level in order to maintain a constant and level body attitude – optimizing control without compromising ride. Also one hundred times a second, it predicts the roll rate due to steering inputs and selectively increases damping forces to reduce the roll rate – improving handling feel and driver confidence. And one hundred times a second, Adaptive Damping analyzes fore and aft pitch rate due to throttle and braking inputs and again varies damping forces to reduce pitch – further improving comfort and control.

Additionally, Adaptive Dynamics improves ride quality by monitoring wheel position five hundred times a second and automatically increasing damping rate as the suspension approaches the limits of its travel. Similarly it controls wheel hop on uneven roads by varying damping to move any wheel out of its natural bouncing frequency.

From the cabin, the JaguarDrive Control™ interface allows the driver to interact with Adaptive Dynamics by selecting modes for different driving conditions and moods. In Dynamic Mode, Adaptive Dynamics increases body control for a sportier feel. Dynamic Mode also interacts with the management electronics to give a more responsive accelerator pedal reaction and quicker gearshift responses.

Winter Mode was introduced on the XF and makes its first appearance in the XK range here, adding another element of dynamic subtlety. Where Dynamic Mode offers a more sporty feel, Winter Mode offers a more damped accelerator pedal response for progressive control in slippery conditions, with bespoke shift settings that delay and soften gearshifts, again for better control with low grip.

In keeping with its additional power and performance, the new XKR offers the most sophisticated dynamic control of all, with Active Differential Control and Adaptive Dynamics operating in tandem to offer JaguarDrive Optimization™. This fully integrates the functions of JaguarDrive Control™ and Adaptive Dynamics with the new Active Differential Control (ADC) – an electronically controlled alternative to the traditional mechanical limited-slip differential, with far more subtle control strategies.

ADC is fully automatic and can vary its locking torque (and therefore the proportion of torque sent to each driven wheel) depending on surface conditions and power applied. Its subtle control strategies optimize traction at each wheel, improving acceleration on low-grip surfaces but also potentially improving stability when required.

Working with other systems such as traction control and the ABS braking function, ADC can significantly improve overall vehicle performance, and provide more precise driving feel.

While the less powerful XK Portfolio does not adopt the Active Differential Control of the XKR, they do still utilize a new upgraded mechanical differential, which delivers outstanding levels of grip and stability under power.

The Dynamic Stability Control system for the new XK range has bespoke tuning and offers four driver-selectable modes, Normal, Winter, Trac DSC and DSC OFF, for all models. Normal mode is ideal for everyday driving and is the default setting activated automatically on starting. The Winter mode – introduced for the first time on the XK range – is designed to improve drivability and confidence in more slippery conditions. Trac DSC mode is a sportier setting allowing the experienced driver to fully exploit the car’s performance and enjoy greater involvement in controlling it. DSC OFF allows the driver (where circumstances are appropriate) to switch the system’s electronic protection off completely, by pushing the DSC control button for ten seconds.

Technology and driving aids

The new XK Portfolio and XKR, in both coupe and convertible form, offer a number of other driver aids that exploit the latest advanced technology. Staying faithful to its well-established principles, Jaguar uses these technologies to empower, not to overpower the user – enhancing driver and passenger enjoyment rather than risking high-technology overkill.

Among the new XK range’s practical features are intelligent front lighting incorporating bi-xenon automatic headlamps with power wash; dynamic headlamp leveling; corner lights that are activated by the direction indicators to improve visibility while cornering; and the option of Active Front Lighting. Standard equipment across the new XK range also includes air sensors to optimize cabin air quality through the climate control system, keyless start, cruise control, electro-chromatic fold-back exterior mirrors, and front and rear Park Assist.

Safety

Jaguar’s Emergency Brake Assist is standard on the new XK and Advanced Emergency Brake Assist is fitted to all models with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). Advanced Emergency Brake Assist uses the ACC radar to calculate distance from and speed of approach to the vehicle ahead and pre-charges the brake-line pressure to minimize impact speed if a collision is predicted – with an audible warning to the driver.

For the occupant, every car in the new XK range includes front, side and thorax airbags, incorporating new technology which reduces the load on the occupant’s body if the front airbag is deployed. Jaguar’s Adaptive Restraint Technology System checks for seat occupation, seatbelt use, seat position, and the direction and severity of any impact, and uses all that information to determine the appropriate level of airbag deployment in any incident. Additionally, Jaguar’s Protec front head restraint system protects against whiplash in the event of a rear impact.

Stylish new wheels

The new XK range introduces five new alloy wheel designs, some of them replacing earlier designs, some introducing completely new additional choices. Together, they bring the total number of alloy wheel options on the new XK range to six.

The new 19-inch ten-‘V’-spoke Caravela wheel is now standard on XK Portfolio. The all-new 19-inch 10-fan-spoke Artura design is available in painted or chromed finishes and in conventional or run-flat types. These Artura wheels are offered as options on XK Portfolio and (in run-flat form) on XKR. Another all-new wheel, the 19-inch ten-spoke Tamana design, becomes standard equipment on XKR and is unique to the model.
A new 19-inch mini-spare is introduced as standard equipment for the XKR, while the weight and space-saving Instant Mobility System still takes the place of a spare wheel on the XK Portfolio.

Distinctive 20-inch wheels continue as a very sporty option across the new XK range - emphasizing the cars’ sporting dynamics and assertive, muscular looks. The new designs include two 20-inch wheels: the twin-five-spoke Kalimnos is optional for XK Portfolio and XKR while the twin-seven-spoke R Performance Nevis design is a unique option for the XKR, and an addition to the wheel range.

With the recent addition of new options Claret, Spectrum Blue, and Kyanite Blue, the stunning exterior color range for the new XK Portfolio and XKR is extended to 15 colors; two of which - Salsa and Kyanite Blue - are reserved exclusively for XKR.

Equipment

In true, contemporary Jaguar fashion, a great deal of useful and intuitive technology is controlled by the clear and elegant seven-inch Touch-screen in the center console – which is standard on all models. On the new XK Portfolio and XKR, the Touch-screen provides access and control for the Climate Control and Audio systems, for the Satellite Navigation System, for Bluetooth mobile connectivity and for Jaguar’s Portable Audio Interface – which are all standard equipment. The satellite navigation system offers DVD mapping, postcode entry and a traffic message channel. The Portable Audio Interface offers iPod connectivity, and the connection of other storage devices through a USB port, to the in-car sound system, with full Touch-screen control.

The audio system options for the new XK range include available HD Radio, single-slot or multi-disc CD changers and either Jaguar Premium Sound or the ultimate, high-end Bowers & Wilkins system. The Bowers & Wilkins option is a 525-watt system with Dolby® ProLogic®II Surround Sound, three-channel stereo with unique amplifier, Kevlar mid-range speakers with high output and low distortion and specially designed aluminum tweeters.

For the North American market, Digital Radio options are available such as HD radio in the States, and SDARS satellite radio in both the States and Canada.

Ease of ownership

For all their performance and luxury, the new XK Portfolio and XKR are designed to be totally dependable cars to live with. Both naturally aspirated and supercharged versions of the new 5.0-liter AJ-V8 Gen III engine offer extended service intervals – now at one year or 15,000 miles rather than 10,000. All new XKs now feature oil quality and brake pad wear indicators, allowing those critical areas to be easily monitored on a regular basis by the driver. And in the event of an accident, bolt-on front and rear sections to help minimize repair costs.

“The XK has always been an exceptional sports car. Now, it has evolved into something even more exhilarating, combining Jaguar’s legendary performance, new advanced technologies and crafted luxury to create a sports car without parallel.” Russ Varney, Chief Programme Engineer, XK Series

2010 Buick LaCrosse

The brand-image smashing 2010 Buick LaCrosse has debuted out on the floor of the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, cut crystal platters of rock candy, and old Werther's Original were nowhere to be found. Say what you will about Buick as a brand for old people, but the new 2010 Buick LaCrosse does it up with styling designed to attract a younger crowd (in their 50's), a comfortable, well appointed interior and enough gadgets to make technogeeks happy. Add to it direct injection V6's and a six speed transmission with optional all wheel drive and an active suspension and you have a proposition for decidedly un-Buick-like performance.

BUICK TRANSFORMATION CONTINUES WITH THE 2010 LACROSSE LUXURY SEDAN
* Sculpted styling defines Buick’s modern global design

* Luxurious interior crafted of premium materials with cool blue ambient lighting

* Intelligent personal technologies enhance the driving experience

* Responsive performance via efficient direct injection dual overhead cam engines paired with six-speed automatic transmissions

DETROIT – Redesigned from the ground up, the 2010 Buick LaCrosse luxury sedan makes its world debut at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Jan. 12. The LaCrosse offers all-wheel-drive, a suite of advanced intelligent personal technologies and safety features, and a choice of two fuel-saving V-6 engines.

“The new LaCrosse was created with great attention to detail, craftsmanship and advanced technology,” said Susan Docherty, Buick-Pontiac-GMC vice president. “It builds on the success of Enclave as the next step in Buick’s transformation. And, as with Enclave, our goal is to attract a whole new buyer to our dealerships for LaCrosse.”

Sculpted design

Buick’s long heritage of leading designs, such as the Y-Job Concept, the Roadmaster and the Riviera, helped define American automobile design through the years, according to Ed Welburn, vice president of GM Global Design. Today, Buick design is a product of a global team and resources. Creative collaboration between designers in the United States and China, in partnership with the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) as well as chassis and body engineers in Europe resulted in the first General Motors vehicle to be created on three continents.

“The new LaCrosse is intended to represent modern elegance,” said Welburn. “Throughout the design, you experience a balance of contrasts. Both the interior and exterior have been designed with harmony in mind. The exterior balances taut, sculpted lines with sensuous accents and surfaces. Inside, smoked chrome accents, warm wood, first-class leather and materials combine with cool blue ambient lighting to create an inviting environment.”

The exterior design is faithful to the Buick Invicta show car introduced at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show.

“It is instantly recognizable as a Buick, with its signature ‘sweep spear’ body-side styling, portholes inside the character line on the hood, and waterfall grille,” added Welburn.

Luxurious interior experience

Inside, the two-tone interior is defined by a flowing, uninterrupted design theme that wraps around the instrument and door panels. Attention to detail is evident throughout the interior, including the analog instrument cluster, chrome offset by dark wood accents, and the contrasting thread and French stitching on the instrument panel.

Buick’s signature QuietTuning – an engineering process to reduce, block and absorb interior noise – provides a distraction-free passenger environment.

An unexpected, inviting touch is the cool blue ambient lighting throughout the cabin from the center console, instrument panel and door panels.

Intelligent personal technologies

The contemporary atmosphere of the cabin includes the digital connectivity and personal technology offered in the new LaCrosse. That includes features such as in-dash navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, an auxiliary audio input and a USB port. For rear-seat passengers, a power rear-window sunshade and a DVD entertainment system, with two display screens integrated into the seatbacks, is available.

LaCrosse’s intelligent technologies also work to deliver a 360-degree field of vision behind the steering wheel, for a greater feeling of comfort, security, and safety. It starts with the available heads-up display in the windshield, allowing the driver to monitor speed without taking his or her eyes off the road. At night, the available adaptive lighting package can direct the high-intensity discharge headlight beams up to 15 degrees for enhanced illumination of the road and its curves.

LaCrosse offers Side Blind Zone alert that notifies the driver if a vehicle in adjacent lanes is traveling in the driver’s blind spot. The LaCrosse is also available with a rear-view camera, with the display integrated into the navigation-system screen.

The technology available on LaCrosse enhances a suite of standard safety features that is designed to meet the criteria for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 20 Star Safety Rating. Highlights include front-, side-, and roof-mounted head-curtain air bags, StabiliTrak stability- and traction-control system. The safety and security of OnStar is also included for the first year of ownership.

Responsive performance

LaCrosse’s stiff body structure serves as the foundation for precise suspension tuning, safety and a quiet ride. Buyers can choose from a family of efficient, direct-injection six-cylinder engines and a fuel-conserving six-speed automatic transmission with tap-up/tap-down control.

The direct injection engines in the LaCrosse create more power with less fuel and reduce vehicle emissions through greater combustion control – particularly cold-start emissions that are reduced by up to 25-percent.

The 2010 LaCrosse will be offered in three models - CX, CXL and CXS:

* CX – equipped with a new 3.0L direct injection V-6, premium cloth seats and 17-inch wheels. The 3.0L engine generates an estimated of 255 horsepower (190 kW) and 211 lb.-ft. torque (286 Nm) and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

* CXL – also equipped with the new 3.0L direct injection V6, adds leather-appointed heated seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, fog lamps, outside rearview mirror with LED turn indicators and puddle lamps, and 18-inch wheels. Intelligent AWD is available.

* CXS – equipped with a 3.6L direct injection V-6; real-time active-dampening suspension; perforated, leather-appointed, heated and cooled seats, and chrome-plated 18-inch wheels (19-inch optional). The 3.6L engine, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, generates an estimated 280 horsepower (209 kW) and 261 lb.-ft. of torque (354 Nm).

LaCrosse production will begin this summer at the Fairfax Assembly facility in Kansas City, Kan.

Detroit Auto Show

2008-01-24T19:39:00.000-08:00

Toyota A-BAT Concept

Toyota's hybrid drive with a four-cylinder gasoline engine. Everything in the concept is built-in, including a first-aid kit and flashlight that fit flush into the tailgate. The concept is full of nifty features, such as a pull-out rear storage drawer and a hard cab top that partially opens to let tall cargo ride in the extended bed.

How much, how soon? The concept isn't scheduled for production.
How's it look? Tightly wrapped in a neat package, the A-BAT should be a hit with the modern-day equivalent of people who once fancied the El Camino.

Chrysler Attempting (Kind of) to Go Green

Lou Rhodes, the president of ENVI, acknowledged in an interview that his group was still working on these bits and pieces and doesn't yet have the system found in the egoVoyager. Sorry. Make that ecoVoyager.

Nothing, actually. Chrysler claimed it would be powered by a 268-horsepower electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. For longer trips it would use a hydrogen fuel cell.

Chrysler said it would be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. Chrysler won't sell its first hybrids until this fall, when the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid and Dodge Durango Hybrid go on sale. Those will be based on a system used on the Chevrolet Tahoe, hardly a big engineering accomplishment on Chrysler's part. So, the ecoVoyager is every bit as real as the Starship Enterprise.

Jeep Renegade Concept

Jeep officials said the Renegade was aimed at the "stylish green," buyer, who wants an eco-conscious, innovative and high-performance car.

One electric motor for each axle, allowing 40 miles of electric-only operation with a 1.3-liter Bluetec diesel engine to extend the driving range. The doors and the seats are soy-based and there's a selection of "lids" for the cargo area designed to accommodate sports gear, from mountain bikes to a matching pair of water scooters.
How much, how soon? This Jeep demonstrates the latest fuel-saving technology, but it's not coming to dealerships

Like the Green Hornet's dune buggy – the coolest Jeep concept in some time, from a brand that used to churn 'em out with regularity.

2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

Simply put, the ZR1 is “the most powerful and fastest automobile ever produced by General Motors,” said Rick Wagoner, G.M.’s chairman. It evolved from Mr. Wagoner’s seemingly innocuous question to a group of Corvette engineers: “I wonder what this team could do for $100,000?”

An all-new supercharged 6.2-liter V-8, capable of producing at least 100 horsepower per liter (do the math) and about 595 pound-feet of torque, good for 200-plus miles an hour. It’s got a 220 m.p.h. speedometer, for heaven’s sake.

What’s the point? Some days, you know, you just get fed up with designing fleet vehicles and econoboxes. The ZR1 is a showcase for every go-fast, weight-saving, out-there technology known to G.M.’s high-performance black ops guys. There’s even a secret ingredient in the clear-coat for the carbon fiber body panels that costs $60,000 a gallon, G.M. said. Caution: Use sparingly – that works out to $900 worth on each car.

How much, how soon? Appearing in a showroom near you this summer for about $100,000.

How’s it look? Like Clark Kent, right before he rips off his pinstripe suit.

Dodge Zeo concept

What they said: Zeo stands for zero emissions vehicle, and Chrysler described it as a four-passenger sports car with a 250-mile range thanks to an electric motor driving the rear wheels. The Zeo is aimed at consumers "who want to be environmentally responsible, but they have a need for speed," said Trevor Creed, Chrysler's senior vice president of design.

What makes it tick? It is a bit longer than a PT Cruiser and weighs 2,650 pounds. It would be powered by a 268-horsepower electric motor using advanced lithium-ion batteries.

How much, how soon? Lou Rhodes, the president of ENVI, which is responsible for developing Chrysler's electric vehicles, said in an interview that the automaker has yet to develop a powertrain for the Zeo. Shocking

Ledger No more!!

2008-01-23T09:20:00.000-08:00

The death of this young star is a shock to most of his fans and movie afficandos. For the most times this charming youngster has had dark shades we loved this charming young man. He was an exceptional actor and surely Hollywood lost its tomorrows big star.

I wish " may his soul rest in peace".

We"ll remember the talent in times to come.

Wow i-Phone Recorder

2008-01-19T17:00:00.000-08:00

Numarks TTi

Numark, the world’s leading manufacturer of products for the DJ market, announces the TTi turntable. This new turntable includes a Universal Dock for iPod, USB audio interface, a metal platter and pitch control, making it one of the most versatile turntables ever produced.Legendary Numark turntable performance, USB connectivity and the convenience of the iPod are fused together for the first time in the Numark TTi so users can easily transfer old vinyl collections to an iPod. The included software bundle archives records directly to the user’s iTunes Library for transfer to CD or any MP3 player. The software also reduces noisy pops and clicks inherent on some old vinyl recordings. Owners of iPod (Classic or 5th generation) and iPod nano (2nd or 3rd generation) can record from vinyl directly to an iPod without a computer. People with other iPod models can transfer captured vinyl recordings to their iPod by using iTunes to transfer the tracks after recording. TTi's integrated Line-level output allows quick, easy connection and instant playback from an iPod or vinyl record. Included ±10 percent pitch control enables adjustment of playback speed. 33 and 45 RPM playback speeds are supported, and 78 RPM recording is possible using the included software. Line-level outputs also enable easy connection to home AV Receivers, without the need for a Phono input on the receiver, making TTi a great match for home stereo setups or a home office.The TTi includes EZ Vinyl Converter 2 (PC) and EZ Audio Converter (Mac), the simplest way to record and convert vinyl directly to iTunes. This amazing new software features Gracenote® MusicID technology, which analyzes your vinyl recordings and automatically retrieves album, artist and song information from the Internet. EZ Audio Converter also enables easy entering of track information. EZ Vinyl Converter 2 and EZ Audio Converter software help anyone digitally archive their record collection with just a few mouse clicks.Numark’s TTi turntable will be available Q2 - 2008 from most musical instrument retailers with an MSRP of $449.

What a Box

2008-01-19T16:54:00.000-08:00

DLO's iBoom JukeBox mildly resembles an igloo

Yeah, the whole igloo comparison loses some steam once you peek this thing from the side, but when glancing it head-on, we can't help but be overcome with imagery of our childhood days spent in the plains of Greenland. Unfortunately, this thing's ability to conjure up said memories is probably its standout feature -- well, aside from the RF remote that enables users to browse iPod content right on its screen (shown after the break). Outside of that, you'll find a totally average speaker setup consisting of twin one-inch tweeters and three-inch woofers along with a set of touch-sensitive controls atop the device itself. Reportedly, the iBoom JukeBox is slated to further saturate the iPod speaker system market this Spring for $199.99.

Top 10 Movies of 2007

2008-01-19T16:11:00.000-08:00

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Peter Parker has finally managed to strike a balance between his devotion to M.J. and his duties as a superhero. But there is a storm brewing on the horizon. When his suit suddenly changes, turning jet-black and enhancing his powers, it transforms Peter as well, bringing out the dark, vengeful side of his personality that he is struggling to control. Under the influence of the suit, Peter becomes overconfident and starts to neglect the people who care for him most. Forced to choose between the seductive power of the new suit and the compassionate hero he used to be, Peter must overcome his personal demons as two of the most-feared villains yet, Sandman and Venom, gather unparalleled power and a thirst for retribution to threaten Peter and everyone he loves.
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Adaptation and Sequel
Running Time:
2 hr. 20 min.
Release Date:
May 4th, 2007 (wide)

U.S. Box Office:
$336,530,303

Shrek the Third (2007)

Being king isn't for everyone--especially if you're a prickly ogre who smells like the shallow end of a swamp. When Shrek married Fiona, the last thing he wanted was to rule Far Far Away, but when his frogger-in-law, King Harold, suddenly croaks, Shrek is quickly fitted for the crown. Now, unless the reluctant would-be king can find a suitable replacement, he'll be royally screwed for the rest of his days. As if Shrek didn't have enough on his plate, Princess Fiona has another little surprise on the way. With his head spinning and his belly in knots, Shrek sets off on a quest to find the only other possible heir to the throne, Fiona's long-lost cousin Artie, an underachieving medieval high schooler. While the ogre is away, his old nemesis Prince Charming rears his handsome head and returns to the kingdom of Far Far Away with redemption on his shallow little mind. Even with Donkey and the ever-so-suave Puss in Boots by their side, it's going to take an ogre-sized effort--and a whole lot of help from Fiona and her band of princesses--for Shrek and Artie to save the day and find their own "Happily Ever After."
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Comedy, Kids/Family, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Animation and Sequel
Running Time:
1 hr. 33 min.
Release Date:
May 18th, 2007 (wide)
MPAA Rating:
PG for some crude humor, suggestive content and swashbuckling action.

U.S. Box Office:
$320,706,665
Produced in:
United States

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Transformers (2007)

The Earth is caught in the middle of an intergalactic war between two races of robots, the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, which are able to change into a variety of objects, including cars, trucks, planes and other technological creations.
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Adaptation
Running Time:
2 hrs. 20 min.
Release Date:
July 3rd, 2007 (wide)
MPAA Rating:
PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, brief sexual humor and language.
U.S. Box Office:
$319,014,499

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)

Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) are allied with Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) in a desperate quest to free Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) from his mind-bending trap in Davy Jones' locker, while the terrifying ghost ship, The Flying Dutchman and Davy Jones, under the control of the East India Trading Company, wreaks havoc across the Seven Seas. Navigating through treachery, betrayal and wild waters, they must forge their way to exotic Singapore and confront the cunning Chinese Pirate Sao Feng (Chow Yun-Fat). Now headed beyond the very ends of the earth, each must ultimately choose a side in a final, titanic battle, as not only their lives and fortunes, but the entire future of the freedom-loving Pirate way, hangs in the balance.

Logline:
Elizabeth is captured by the notorious pirate Sao-Feng as Captain Barbossa and Will Turner alliance for one last decisive battle.
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Adaptation and Sequel
Running Time:
2 hr. 45 min.
Release Date:
May 24th (select theaters), May 25th, 2007 (wide)
MPAA Rating:
PG-13 for intense sequences of action/adventure violence and some frightening images.
U.S. Box Office:
$309,404,152

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

As his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry approaches, 15-year-old Harry Potter is in full-blown adolescence, complete with regular outbursts of rage, a nearly debilitating crush, and the blooming of a powerful sense of rebellion. It's been yet another infuriating and boring summer with the despicable Dursleys, this time with minimal contact from our hero's non-Muggle friends from school. Harry is feeling especially edgy at the lack of news from the magic world, wondering when the freshly revived evil Lord Voldemort will strike. Returning to Hogwarts will be a relief--or will it?
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Kids/Family, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Adaptation and Sequel
Running Time:
2 hr. 18 min.
Release Date:
July 11th, 2007 (wide)
U.S. Box Office:
$292,000,866

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

All he wanted was to disappear; instead, Jason Bourne is now hunted by the people who made him what he is--legendary assassin. Having lost his memory and the one person he loved, he is undeterred by the barrage of bullets and a new generation of highly-trained killers. Bourne has only one objective: to go back to the beginning and find out who he was. Now, in the new chapter of this espionage series, Bourne will hunt down his past in order to find a future. He must travel from Moscow, Paris and London to Tangier and New York City as he continues his quest to find the real Jason Bourne--all the while trying to outmaneuver the scores of cops, federal officers and Interpol agents with him in their crosshairs.
Production Status:
Released
Logline:
Legendary assassin Jason Bourne uncovers mysteries of his past, which puts him in the cross-hairs of a superkiller.
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Thriller, Adaptation and Sequel
Running Time:
1 hr. 51 min.
Release Date:
August 3rd, 2007 (wide)
U.S. Box Office:
$227,437,090

300 (2007)

In the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, King Leonidas and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Facing insurmountable odds, their valor and sacrifice inspire all of Greece to unite against their Persian enemy, drawing a line in the sand for democracy.
Production Status:
Released
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Drama, Adaptation and War
Running Time:
1 hr. 56 min.

U.S. Box Office:
$210,592,590

Ratatouille (2007)

A rat named Remy dreams of becoming a great French chef despite his family's wishes and the obvious problem of being a rat in a decidedly rodent-phobic profession. When fate places Remy in the sewers of Paris, he finds himself ideally situated beneath a restaurant made famous by his culinary hero, Auguste Gusteau. Despite the apparent dangers of being an unlikely - and certainly unwanted - visitor in the kitchen of a fine French restaurant, Remy's passion for cooking soon sets into motion a hilarious and exciting rat race that turns the culinary world of Paris upside down.

Logline:
Adventures of a rodent in an upscale restaurant.
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Comedy, Kids/Family and Animation
Running Time:
1 hr. 51 min.
Release Date:
June 29th, 2007 (wide)

U.S. Box Office:
$206,435,493

The Simpsons Movie (2007)

Homer Simpson must save Springfield from a catastrophe he himself created.

Genres:
Comedy, Animation and Adaptation
Running Time:
1 hr. 26 min.
Release Date:
July 27th, 2007 (wide)

U.S. Box Office:
$183,132,370

Wild Hogs (2007)

A group of middle-aged friends decide to rev up their routine suburban lives with a freewheeling motorcycle trip. Taking a long dreamed-of breather from their stressful jobs and family responsibilities, they can't wait to feel the freedom of the open road. When this mis-matched foursome - who have grown far more used to the couch than the saddle - set out for this once-in-a-lifetime experience, they encounter a world that holds far more than they ever bargained for. The trip begins to challenge their wits and their luck, especially during a chance run-in with the Del Fuegos, a real-life biker gang who are less than amused with their novice approach. As they go looking for adventure, they soon find that they've embarked on a journey they will never forget.
Production Status:Released
Logline:
A comedy-adventure about a group of suburban, middle-aged friends who decide hit the road with a freewheeling motorcycle trip. When this mis-matched, couch-potato foursome set out for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, they encounter an unexpected world.
Genres:
Action/Adventure and Comedy

Running Time
1 hr. 39 min.

Release Date:
March 2nd, 2007 (wide)

Studios: Touchstone Pictures
U.S. Box Office: $168,213,584

Detroit Auto Show

2008-01-19T06:36:00.000-08:00

Audi R8

Toyota quietly unveils FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Edition

While walking around the Toyota display during the last day of the NAIAS press preview, we encountered an FJ Cruiser we'd never seen before tucked iaway in the corner. Finished in white with a white roof along with black wheels and accents, it featured "Trail Teams" badging on the IP and bodywork and "PROTOTYPE" lettering on the rear window. We rang up Toyota to get the skinny, and found out that this vehicle is coming in February.A limited edition truck in the vein of the all-black FJ Cruiser TRD Special Edition that was offered last year, 3,200 FJ Trail Teams will be built, each with the white-and-black motif you see here. In addition to the exclusive color combo, the FJ Trail Teams' standard equipment list includes 16" TRD wheels, a TRD exhaust, rock rails, skid plates, auxiliary lamps, all-weather floormats, and the contents the Off Road Package that's optional on regular FJs. Inside, white body-color inserts can be found in the door panels and on the stereo surround, and the knobs for the shifter and transfer case are metallic. Pricing for this spiffy-looking new FJ variant hasn't been announced yet, but we should know more before its launch next month.

HUMMER HX Design Managers talk about their new concept

Much to the consternation of the communications staff at General Motors the press photos and story on the new HUMMER HX concept got published a few days earlier than planned last week. Thankfully for us the company didn't rescind their invitation to come down to the Design Dome at the Warren Tech Center to see the new vehicle and talk to the design managers before the chaos of the scrum after the official reveal at Cobo Hall for the Detroit Auto Show.

Chamco

Laugh if you must, the wares that CHAMCO were showing off at the Detroit Auto Show were certainly a lot more humble than what you'd find at Lexus. China America Cooperative Automotive is seriously considering bringing pickup truck to the United States that they've retained the services of Steve Saleen to help guide them through the federalization process. The goal is to have the vehicle on sale here by 2009. Styling-wise, CHAMCO's un-named truck isn't going to win any EyesOn awards, but at $13,500, who cares? Besides, it could have looked a lot more grotesque, but it's not entirely a toad.The equipment levels will meet market expectations, with power steering, windows, locks, and mirrors. Not a cupholder in sight, though. Materials inside the Anony-Truck will have you reliving the glory days of 1985, when truck interiors were seemingly blow-molded on the same production line as 2-liter soda bottles. Power comes from a 2.7-liter four cylinder serving up 150 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque through either a five speed manual or four speed automatic. Chortle now, but keep in mind another automaker from Asia that got its start with cheap little un-named pickups -- Toyota. For CHAMCO, it could be a smarter entry point than cars, anyway. The Ranger can only carry on for so long, and everyone else has pushed up the size and price of their once-small trucks.

Details remain scarce on Toyota's new inline-four

When Toyota unveiled the Venza in Detroit, the only details about what would motivate the CUV/wagon/Camry-on-stilts were two possible powerplants. The first was the range-topping 268-hp 3.5-liter V6, while details about an "all-new" 2.7-liter four-cylinder were scarce. KickingTires tapped CSM Worldwide who made an educated guess on the new engine's output and pegged it at 188 hp, a predictable though sizable bump in power over the 157-hp, 2.4-liter four currently used throughout Toyota's lineup.The new engine will not only power the base Venza, but will also find a home in the engine bay of the Camry and Highlander. The only concern is how fuel economy will be affected by the extra .3-liters of displacement, but Toyota assures that "excellent fuel economy" will be achieved when mated to the Venza's six-speed automatic.

Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept proves 2 doors is better than 4

The grand finale of GM's Cadillac press conference was the moment everyone had been waiting for. After a brief introduction from Bob Lutz, who ziplined in from his secret lair in the RenCen, the hotly anticipated Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept rolled onstage, with design head Ed Welburn riding 'gun. The Coupe blends the CTS sedan's face with a new, wedge-shaped 2-door body that finishes off with what Ed described as a "hint of Cadillac fin" in the arrangement of the taillamps. The concept's rear had a single central exhaust outlet whose shape is a nod to the chevrons used to dress up the current CTS interior. Speaking of the interior, the CTS was dressed in black with maize-colored sueded accents and contrast stitching. In another departure from the sedan, the 2-door CTS has sportier, deeper seats. Welburn was intentionally vague abour powertrains, saying it could be powered by a number of existing ones (i.e. the ones in the CTS sedan) as well as a diesel. The car, according to him, was born out of the extra efforts of his design team, who penned the Coupe for fun after the sedan was finished and never stopped refining it. It got to a point where the a concept was approved, and though no mention of a production version was made, this looks like a sure thing in our opinion. Video of the live reveal is available after the jump, as well as Cadillac's official press release.

2009 Ford F-150 looks to keep its crown

The full-size pickup market may be shrinking in sales, but it's more competitive than ever. With the introduction of the 2009 Dodge Ram and this truck, the 2009 Ford F-150, the segment is filled to the brim with modern, next-gen pickups. The best-selling F-150, however, is looking to keep its crown with the introduction of the 2009 model. Like any next-gen truck worth its salt, the '09 F-150 is pretty much better in every way.

Styling is always subjective, and fortunately there are many styles of the new F-150 from which to choose. The XL, STX, FX4, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and new premium Platinum trims all have their own look to varying degrees. Having seen all the different variations, we actually think the new F-150 gets uglier the more you pay for it. That's probably not what Ford designers intended, but the Platinum model's 20-inch aluminum wheels and bright chrome grille with mesh inserts just don't say "Built Ford Tough" to us. We'll take one of the less expensive models with its black bumpers and Super Duty-inspired three-bar grille instead. Follow the jump for more on the 2009 Ford F-150, including Ford's official press release. Check out all the pics we have so far (more will be added) in the gallery below.

A Wonder of nature

2007-11-24T04:39:00.000-08:00

8-Foot Giant Catfish Caught in Cambodia

November 19, 2007—Captured just before midnight on November 13 by fishers in Cambodia, this Mekong giant catfish is 8 feet long (2.4 meters long) ands weighs 450 pounds (204 kilograms)."This is the only giant catfish that has been caught this year so far, making it the worst year on record for catch of giant fish species," said Zeb Hogan (far right), a fisheries biologist at the University of Reno in Nevada.After collecting data on the fish, Hogan released it unharmed. Giant catfish were once plentiful throughout Southeast Asia's Mekong River watershed, including the Tonle Sap River—home of the fish in these exclusive pictures taken near Phnom Penh. But in the last century the Mekong giant catfish population has declined by 95 to 99 percent, scientists say. Only a few hundred adult giant catfish may remain. Since 2000 five to ten fish have been caught by accident each year throughout the Mekong area. Earlier this year Hogan, a National Geographic "emerging explorer," launched the three-year Megafishes Project to document the world's giant freshwater fish.The project is funded in part by the National Geographic Conservation Trust and Expeditions Council. (National Geographic News is owned by the National Geographic Society.)

A Look at ancient Rome

2007-11-24T04:34:00.000-08:00

Photo in the News: Grotto of Rome's Founders Revealed

November 20, 2007—Colorful mosaics spiral across the vaulted ceiling of a grotto that was unveiled today as the likely place where ancient Romans believed that a she-wolf suckled their city's legendary founders.
In January archaeologists announced that the sacred cave, known as the Lupercale, had been found during excavations of Emperor Augustus' palace on the Palatine, a 230-foot-tall (70-meter-tall) hill in the center of Rome.
According to Roman myth, a female wolf nursed the abandoned twins Romulus and Remus in the Lupercale. The grown brothers are said to have founded the Eternal City at the site on April 21, 753 B.C.
Since the grotto's discovery, experts have been examining it with remote sensing devices, because they fear that a full dig might cause the already fragile cave to collapse, the Associated Press reported. So far the team estimates that the domed sanctuary is 26 feet (8 meters) high with a 24-foot (7-meter) diameter.
At a news conference today the team released images of the grotto—including the undated photo above—taken with a probe. The images show the cave's richly detailed mosaics made of marble and seashells.
The center of the ceiling features a depiction of a white eagle, the symbol of the Roman Empire during the reign of Augustus. The first-century-B.C. emperor is thought to have restored the sacred site in a bid to improve his power by linking himself with Rome's mystical founders.
"The Lupercale must have had an important role in Augustus' policies," Irene Iacopi, the archaeologist in charge of the site, told the AP. "He saw himself as a new Romulus."
Archaeologists also announced that teams would soon start to search for the grotto's original entrance, believed to be at the bottom of the Palatine, in the hopes of safely accessing the cave.

Lotus Badass Concept

2007-11-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

Lotus and hotwheels create badass concept

Lotus makes a sexy car on their own, but teaming up with die-cast maker Hot Wheels they've really outdone themselves. A 1:5 scale model created for SEMA, one of its most distinctive characteristics is the exposed center spine which incorporates switches and gear linkages while supporting that massive wing you see sticking out the back. Mostly men want nice cars to attract women and get them sex. This car is so hot it can skip the finding a woman part. Hit the jump for a mega sized pic.

Flash from Tokyo

2007-11-23T23:48:00.000-08:00

Tokyo Flash from Oberon has a name, look straight From Kubricks 2001

Thanks to companies like Tokyo Flash (and Nooka, among others), I'm starting to care about watches again.

The rise of cellphones many years ago made me see watches as pointless and boring, as they were all Rolex clones, or wanted to include a million pointless meters on the face. But watches like the Oberon get a second glance from me.

Minimal, attractive and creative, the contrast between the watch and its display makes me want to stare at it forever.

And in case you're wondering, dots on the outer ring are hours, dots on the second ring are single minutes and dots on the inner ring are blocks of 10 minutes.

Sema 2007

2007-11-09T15:37:00.000-08:00

Top Extreme Cars
Cool Camry

The Camry may not be the first car that comes to mind when you think of a lowrider, but the Camryder in Toyota’s booth could change that. The rear doors of the Camry are molded into the body of the car, while the front doors are lengthened and modified to open suicide style. The center of the roof is cut out and the door handles and mirrors are shaved. The colorful exterior is courtesy of Kolor Kings of Pomona, California, while the murals were done by famed lowrider artist OG Abel. The custom fiberglass interior features hand-stitched seats and a Pioneer sound system that’s perfect for blasting Santana.

Donk Daddy

Several crazy “donks” could be spotted over in the South Hall among the wheel manufacturer booths, but the most outrageous among them was an ’88 Caprice lifted to fit 30-inch Asanti 143 wheels. All of the car’s suspension parts are chromed or painted to match the House of Kolor Violet Kandy body color, while the interior is wrapped in white Coach leather, white ostrich skin and purple suede. Rearing its head out of the engine compartment is a massive blower crowning the 400-ci small block engine, which is further fortified with a Weiland supercharger and fed by two chromed Holley Dominator carburetors.

Audio Extreme

Every year Alpine’s Advanced Application R&D team comes up with a one-of-a-kind vehicle, and every year they outdo themselves. This year’s model is a Mercedes R500 dubbed the Imprint RLS to show off Alpine’s latest signal processing technology. But it also showcases the abilities of Alpine’s best installers. The vehicle’s suicide doors are attached to the front seats, which swivel outward for driver and passenger ingress and egress. Motorization is also used on an amplifier rack that holds six Alpine PDX amplifiers and rotates out of the back of the vehicle. And those wheels? They’re custom 26 and 30 inchers from TIS.

Trick Truck

Across the aisle from Asanti’s Caprice donk was Rolling Big Power’s giant ’05 Ford F-250 Super Duty truck owned by Jeff Jansen of Diamond Bar, California. The truck is lifted 40 inches and rides on massive RBP 902 20 x 12 RBP wheels wrapped with 54 inches of rubber. Added to the 6.8-liter V10 engine is an RBP air intake and a RBP power programmer. Out front is an RBP two-tone, black-trim grille with a chrome center, while an RBP turbo-back dual exhaust brings up the rear.

Down Under Merc

Cool hot rods are a dime a dozen at SEMA, but the “Mercules” in the House of Kolor booth was the coolest, and not just because it came all the way from Australia. Owned by Aussie Bruno Gianoncelli and built on the chassis of a ’50 Mercury, the cool blue rod saw 175 body mods including a 4-inch roof chop. And its 6.8-liter V10 supercharged powerplant ensures it can literally leave other rods in the dust.

Dazzling SL 600

While the D.A.D. Mercedes SL 600 didn’t make its debut at SEMA ’07, it’s still a showstopper, as the constant crowds snapping pictures around it attest. There are over 300,000 reasons it’s so popular, which is the approximate number of Swarovski crystals attached to the vehicle’s body to give it its sparkle. The crystals not only cover every inch of the car’s exterior, but also parts of the interior, including the center console, door trim and rearview mirror. Sunglasses are recommended for drivers, as well as for passers-by.

Sleek Solstice

Something about the Pontiac Solstice SD-290 concept car invites climbing in, strapping into the four-point harness racing seat and hitting the track. The sleek Solstice has a covered passenger cockpit, no windshield, a built-in roll bar and custom front fascia, grille inserts, front fenders and rear spoiler. It’s coated in candy-apple red paint and shod with custom 19-inch wheels and Hoosier Racing tires. Under the custom hood is an Ecotec 2.0 liter turbocharged engine that produces 290 horsepower.

One Hot Vette

There’s no shortage of hot Corvettes at SEMA, but Rod Saboury’s ’63 Twin Turbo Vette parked in the Moroso booth was the hottest—as well as the world’s fastest street-legal car, according to Saboury. The elongated engine bay houses a 2200-horsepower 400-ci small block engine, while the back end has a sheet metal “floater.” The exterior is covered with wild graphics on the sides and hood. But even with all of this customization and speed, the car is still street-legal—and still has factory roll-up headlights, power windows and even cupholders.

Dream Car

Michael Leeds and Randy Grubb, a.k.a. the Blastolene Brothers, have earned a rep for building custom vehicles (such as Jay Leno’s “Tank Car”) for an elite clientele, and the B-702 that was on display at SEMA before being auctioned at Barrett-Jackson in January shows why. At 19.5 feet long and 94 inches wide, and with fat front and rear fenders and flowing silver headers, the B-702 looks like something out of every car guy’s dreams. Under its immense hood is a 702-ci V12, and the car’s handmade aluminum body rides on a custom frame. Add to this glass grille bars, hand-blown glass taillights and maroon leather interior, and you have the most elegant and unique ride at SEMA ’07.

Pop Art Scion

Pop artist Ron English is known for subverting billboard advertisements to attract attention, and there’s no way that the Scion tC he tweaked couldn’t attract a crowd in the foyer of the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Central Hall. The car is covered with dozens of decals featuring English’s ying-yang artwork that light up in random patterns using electroluminescence, while a hologram covering on the windows makes it appear as if the interior is filled with goblins and other creatures. The tricked out tC is also lowered 1¾ inches with Eibach springs and rolls on 19-inch custom Coddington billet wheels.

Tokyo Motor Show-2

2007-11-05T03:13:00.000-08:00

Lotus Gets Charged Up

Getting a boost in the Lotus lineup is the superlight Elise sports car. Called the Elise SC, it is fitted with a supercharged version of the Toyota 1.8-liter engine, that was displayed for the first time.

A newly developed unit for the Elise, this isn’t simply a duplicate of the supercharged powerplant in the Exige. Much of the supercharger design is new, but the biggest difference is the lack of an intercooler, for which there was no space in the Elise’s small engine compartment. Despite that, at 220PS (217 hp), it’s only 20PS (19 hp) short of the Exige unit’s output, and can still get the 903-kg (1987 lbs) Elise to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. Thanks to that typical Lotus lightness, it’s also capable of 31 mpg.

Externally, the Elise SC is distinguished from standard Elises by its new trunk spoiler and unique alloy wheels. Other aspects of the car, such as the throttle response and suspension set-up are optimized to make the Elise SC more pleasant to drive on the open road.

But if what you really want is not a road car but a supreme track car, then Lotus has the answer in form of the 2-Eleven, which also makes its Japanese premiere. This no-frills racer is more demanding and rewarding for the track-day enthusiast. In this installation, the supercharged Toyota engine gets 252PS (248 hp) for a 0-60 mph time of 3.8 seconds.

Also on display was the Europa S LX, the Lotus for customers who need just a touch more practicality that the Elise, with its lunchbox-size luggage compartment, can manage.

A simplification of the option packages range, new instrument panels, and standard airbags are among other upgrades and revisions for the company’s 2008 model year range.

Meanwhile, for the more well-heeled client, Lotus plans to add an upscale supercar-class model as a successor to the temperamental but much lusted-after Esprit of the 1970s and 1980s. Expect to see it in around 12-18 months from now.

Sizing Up Its 'Competizione'

It was a case of déjà vu at the Alfa Romeo stand when the Italian company’s CEO, Antonio Baravalle introduced the black 8C Competizione that has toured the world’s auto shows.

The presentation was identical to that delivered in Frankfurt a month or so ago, to the point that English speaking journalists were told to download a press pack from the Frankfurt show Web site.

However, there was one difference in that Baravalle made an interesting announcement about future developments that shows the company is changing strategy by entering two new model segments.

Saying the Competizione is the “source of inspiration” for future Alfa cars, he went on to outline five new models to be launched between now and 2010. The company is aiming to sell 300,000 units by 2010 through a strategy of new launches and opportunities for customers to personalize their cars.

In the second half of 2008 the company will launch a compact car, entering a totally new segment for Alfa. The car, said Baravalle, will offer a combination of “image and cutting-edge performance.”

In 2009 consumers will see two new models; the replacement for the 147 and a limited-edition Spider (convertible) version of the Competizione. The company will enter a further new segment in 2010 with the launch of a crossover vehicle that will be a mixture of SUV and Coupe. This will be followed by the launch of a new flagship 169 sports sedan offered with V6 diesel and gasoline engines.

The Mitsuoka Mystery

I guess you could call it art, but we left the launch of the Orochi supercar by obscure Japanese manufacturer Mitsuoka with more questions than answers. . .and then we opened the press pack.

The concept by designer Takanori Aoki was unveiled in a ceremony that would only make any sense to a Japanese national. The veiled sports car was serenaded by two excessively trendy musicians — one playing a violin and the other a selection of flutes to a heavy base background.

The performance became increasingly wild and ended with the equivalent of a musical orgasm when the veil was whipped off by two extremely attractive young women in what can only be described as designer-traditional dress.

The marsh brown sports car beneath sneered out with a face that looks like it had been sucking lemons. It could have come straight off the set of the “Cars” movie — and we wouldn’t have been at all surprised if it had started talking.

If possible, the presentation became even more bizarre when Takanori came on stage to explain his concept. He was the splitting image of a thin Elvis, with wild gelled hair and a velvet black suit. His presentation delivery was equally unorthodox — short sentences shouted in a machine gun like staccato bursts with gaps of several minutes in between.

We were unable to gleam a single fact about the car from the press release — but it did provide us with a lot of entertainment. Here are a few quotes from four pages that read exactly like this all the way through.

Nissan GT-R Is Back !!

Car enthusiasts may have already known about the Nissan Skyline GT-R but its popularity really took off after starring in Sony’s Gran Turismo driving game in the late 1990s.

With all-around excellent performance and all-wheel drive, it really was a Japanese muscle car. Many American sports car enthusiasts have lusted over the Skyline and wished it would come to the States. The wish has finally came true with the debut of the all-new GT-R in Tokyo.

Based on the crush of journalists that packed into the Nissan stand, it's not just America that's excited about the new GT-R.

But before the GT-R was driven on stage by Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn, a video was shown on the big screen for 7:38.54. This is how long it took to show footage of the new GT-R completing one lap of the famed Nürburgring circuit in Germany. This is slightly faster than the Porsche Carrera GT, placing the it squarely into supercar territory.

And the specs and stats further reinforce the new GT-R's supercar status. Under the long hood is a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine that was specially developed for the GT-R. With 480 horses on tap, this sleek sports car can reach 62 mph in just 3.6 seconds on its way to a top speed approaching 200 mph.

Teamed with the potent powerplant is a new paddle-shift twin-clutch 6-speed transmission. Similar to Audi's DSG, there is a separate clutch for gears 1,3,5 and 2,4,6, making shifts extremely quick.

Of course, all that power is no good if the car can't handle it. We haven't had a chance to take a test drive yet, but on paper, it appears the GT-R can handle its power just fine.

Power is sent to the pavement via what Nissan calls the "most advanced four-wheel drive system on a road car ever used." That's quite a claim, but the ATTESA E-TS system does constantly vary the torque from rear to front based on various sensors reporting speed, lateral and transverse acceleration, steering angles, tire slip and yaw rate. An additional sensor measures the difference between the target yaw rate calculated from the steering angle, the actual yaw rate detected by the yaw-rate sensor and G sensor.

The all-wheel-drive system also incorporates Nissan's Vehicle Dynamic Control to further stabilize the car's operation. And with any supercar, braking is almost as important as acceleration. Capable of stopping from 62 mph in just 121 feet (37 meters), the GT-R is shod with huge front and rear Brembo brakes with ventilated discs and six-piston calipers in front, four piston calipers in the rear.

Three different suspension settings are available: R (high performance), Sports (the normal setting) and Comfort (for city driving to absorb road bumps).

As the car was driven onto the stage, the lineage from the GT-R Proto shown on the same stand two years ago was quite obvious. Looking unlike anything else on the road, the GT-R has both sharp edges and smooth curves with a wide stance and large fender flares. With a Cd of just 0.27, the GT-R is one of the most aerodynamic cars on the road.

On sale in Japan shortly, the GT-R comes to America next June, and the rest of the world shortly after that. Pricing outside of Japan has not yet been announced, but based on the price in Yen, the GT-R could likely be priced below $80,000. Not bad for a supercar.

Lexus LF-Xh Concept

The Lexus LF-Xh SUV concept takes the L-finesse design language with a powerful and dynamic exterior design, combined with an elegant interior and the latest hybrid technology for outstanding performance — both driving performance and environmental performance.

Powered a V6 gasoline engine and a high-output electric motor hybrid system with all-wheel drive, the LF-Xh provides what Lexus calls "a sophisticated fusion of superior environmental and power performance" to achieve quiet operation, high fuel efficiency and low emissions.

Earlier in 2007 the automaker launched the LS 600h and LS 600hL in Japan as the top of the line Lexus brand and shows the direction for future premium vehicles. With the LF-Xh, it offers a look at the future of other premium SUVs from Lexus.

With obvious ties to current Lexus SUVs, the L-finesse design gives the LF-Xh a very dramatic and aggressive look that is still elegant and refined. The shoulder line is high and combined with the long, sweeping roofline that leads to a narrow and long side glass. The C-pillar flows to the edge of the liftgate and the roofline ends with a spoiler above the steeply raked rear glass. The headlights and the taillights both add dramatic design elements and the upper edges of the grille flare into the headlights.

It's interesting to compare the design of the LF-Xh with the latest version of the LF-A, the two-seat sports car concept from Lexus that was also displayed in Tokyo. While the LF-Xh looks like an SUV, you see design elements from the LF-A sports car and recognize the LF-Xh as a different type of vehicle from the same family. Powered by a potent V10 engine, the LF-A promises a level of performance and driving excitement that has never been offered by Lexus.

The first Lexus "F" premium sports car is the IS F, launched for the Japanese market at the Tokyo Motor Show. A high-performance version of the IS series, the IS F is powered by a 5.0-liter V8 engine that produces 417 horsepower with an 8-speed Sport Direct Shift transmission.

ToKyo Motor Show

2007-11-04T06:54:00.000-08:00

TOKYO MOTOR SHOW

Nissan Pivo2
Nissan introduced the first PIVO concept two years ago here in Tokyo, and perhaps what's most surprising is that they decided to build a second one. The PIVO2 looks like it’d be a perfect mascot car for a baseball team, with its spherical passenger compartment sitting on a 4-wheeled platform. The wheels can be turned in any direction and the passenger compartment itself can spin 360 degrees. Each wheel is fitted with an electric motor with power coming from advanced lithium-ion batteries. Not only is PIVO2 friendly to the environment, it also takes care of its driver. A "Robotic Agent" is fitted into the dashboard that recognizes the facial images of the driver, providing not only useful information for vehicle operation, but also "speaks to you to cheer you up or to soothe you accordingly." Don't look for this car driving down public roads anytime soon, but its quite popular here in Japan.

Honda PUYO
Staying with the environmentally friendly theme that flows through this show, the PUYO concept is a small, four-passenger zero-emission electric car powered by Honda's proven fuel-cell system. The fuel-cell stack fits into the floor, allowing for a roomy interior. But while the fuel-cell technology is quite advanced, that aspect was the most mainstream part of the PUYO. What makes this car unlike anything else we've seen is that it is designed to be a "seamless soft box." And it is soft — the outer surface of the PUYO is made from silicon gel, which is not only more protective of any pedestrians that may get in the PUYO's way, but it is meant to be touched, providing a "warm, friendly impression." The PUYO's skin is also luminescent, so lights can be hidden from sight until turned on. The interior features a similar material, allowing dashboard instruments to stay hidden until needed.

Daihatsu Mud Master-C
The Mud Master-C is a small, tough transporter that is compact and lightweight but is designed with body-on-frame construction for durability and cargo capability. Outfitted as a mountain bike support vehicle, Mud Master-C was co-developed with Raita Suzuki, a leading professional cyclist. With large cargo doors on three sides, Mud Master-C offers excellent convenience and versatility for loading cargo or other uses. A hub reduction system driveshaft to the wheels and large off-road tires achieves exceptional ride height and approach angles. The interior features a simple instrument panel with a large LCD multi-display and the seats are water-repellent for rugged use

Suzuki BiPlane
This modern take on a ‘70s drag bike aims to capture the sensation shared by airplanes and bikes. The aerodynamic concept is inspired by the elevating feel riders get when accelerating through a long straightway — like an aircraft taking off. Biplane is powered by a 1,000cc, liquid cooled, 4-stroke DOHC, V-four engine, and it will certainly turn heads.

Mitsubishi i-MIEV Sport
This baby electric car concept from Mitsubishi is designed to show that a zero-emission car can look great and have a sporty feel. It has three electric motors, two of which are built into the wheels, and a convenient wireless charging system that uses microwaves. A limited number of (non-sporty) i-MIEV experimental cars are already on the road (even Mitsubishi’s company president uses one) and Mitsubishi thinks the technology may be ready for series production as soon as 2010. The microwaves sound a bit ambitious, but otherwise we think it looks like a credible idea for a city car that’s practical, fun, environmentally friendly, and, perhaps, available in the not-too-distant future.

Nissan NV200
Designed as a work van of the future, the NV200 doesn't look all that unusual in it’s standard configuration until you notice the "Attention: Pod Opens" stencil on the side panel. The pod in question is a large storage unit that slides out of the rear of the NV200, and is designed to be configured to whatever commercial or personal need necessary. Once the Pod has been extended, it provides easy access to tools, equipment, or whatever else the owner would like. The NV200 example on display featured all the gear one might need for underwater exploration and photography. The NV200 is rather advanced, but there are parts of this idea that we could see making it to production even eventually.

Mazda Taiki
Look closely enough and Mazda’s Takai just about bridges the gap between fantasy and reality, and that alone puts it pretty close to the top of our concepts list. The latest in the evolutionary scale of Mazda concepts got started with the Nagare in Los Angeles and follows the theme of “flow” (which is what the Japanese word Nagare means). Takai looks like the kind of car that a superhero comic illustrator might draw in a 25th century cityscape — yet at the same time it looks as though it just might work. It’s all about line rather than technology, although there’s bound to be some of that under the swoopy skin, too. It unequivocally gets our vote because any car that takes inspiration from the flow of a celestial maiden’s robes and whose design process included leaving resin-impregnated strips of gauze literally to take on the shape of the wind deserves to be appreciated. Yes, it has an astonishing Cd of only 0.25, and zero aerodynamic lift all round, but in the end it just looks stunning.

Gargoyles ??????

2007-10-03T01:55:00.000-07:00

English villagers scratch heads over mysterious gargoyles

LONDON (AFP) - Villagers in northern England were left scratching their heads Tuesday after a series of mysterious gargoyle-style stone blocks were left on their doorsteps, with cryptic messages attached.

The sculptures, which all have a carved symbol which apparently spells "paradox" and a riddle, have been left overnight outside homes and businesses across the northern county of Yorkshire over the last few weeks.

Security camera footage caught a man leaving three of the heads outside a post office, but detectives have so far drawn a blank over who is behind the bizarre nocturnal activity.

"It's very weird. They're a bit like gargoyles really, obviously somebody has taken a lot of trouble if they have been carved," said Valerie Hoyes, who runs the post office in Braithwell where a trio of heads were abandoned.

"On the back it looks like an occult thing, it does actually spell paradox, but we don't know what any of it means."

In all 12 of the heads have been left in the villages of Goathland and Kilburn in north Yorkshire, four in Arthington in west Yorkshire, and three in Braithwell, south Yorkshire.

They are accompanied by a riddle, which reads: "Twinkle twinkle like a star does love blaze less from afar?"

George Griffiths, an artist from Arthington, has so far received two of the statues, the first one on August 23.

"I thought somebody had just dumped it, that it had fallen off the back of a lorry. But then I read the message and thought 'it's queer is this'."

"I think it's a publicity stunt -- I can't see anything else. They're not sinister or anything like that. It's just a puzzle. We're all just waiting and wondering to find out more."

Valerie Hoyes added: "We're just a bit nonplussed really, didn't know what it was all about. We just moved them away from the front of the shop and more or less forgot about them.

"It's just a bit of a quandary."

Ancient World Rediscovered

2007-09-29T23:18:00.000-07:00

Ancient Pharaoh Temple Discovered Inside Egypt Mosque

Parts of a temple dating to the reign of pharaoh Ramses II have been discovered inside a mosque in Luxor, Egypt, officials report (see map).

Experts restoring the historic mosque uncovered sections of columns, capitals, and elaborately inscribed reliefs from one of the ancient temple's courtyards built around 1250 B.C.

The previously concealed architectural elements reveal well-preserved hieroglyphics and unique scenes depicting the powerful pharaoh.

The discovery is likely to touch a nerve among religious leaders, because the newly exposed reliefs contain representations of humans and animals, which are forbidden inside mosques, the experts said.

The mosque was erected as a shrine to Muslim saint Abul Haggag in the 13th century A.D. on the site of an earlier Christian church, which was itself built on top of the ancient temple, the archaeologists explained.

The discovery was made during repair work on the mosque after a fire damaged part of the structure in June.

"To do this project of restoration, [workers] had to reclean and reopen many things, and this is when the scenes were found, and they are really unique," said Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities.

(Hawass is also a National Geographic Society explorer-in-residence. National Geographic News is a division of the National Geographic Society.)

Encryptions and Glyphs

Christians, and later Muslims, frequently built their shrines on top of ancient Egyptian holy sites, said W. Raymond Johnson, an Egyptologist at the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago who has seen the newly exposed temple sections.

Builders of both faiths usually erased or defaced ancient artwork in the temples, he said, but the newfound reliefs remain virtually untouched.

"We are very lucky that these have been so well preserved," Johnson said.

Rather than destroying the reliefs, the mosques builders carefully hid them away with a protective layer of straw-reinforced plaster, shielding them from the elements.

"We didn't know we would find the reliefs and the inscriptions in such good condition," said Mansour Boraik, general supervisor of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Luxor.

"The people who built the mosque for Haggag … actually saved the inscriptions and reliefs."

More images and inscriptions will likely be discovered as the restoration continues, he said.

The reliefs are thought to depict the temple's dedication. (Read related story: "Giant Ancient Egyptian Sun Temple Discovered in Cairo" [March 1, 2006].)

Among the most important scenes are those that feature Ramses II offering the sun god Amun Re two obelisks to be installed at the temple's front facade. One of those obelisks still stands at the temple, and the other is now at the Place de la Concorde in Paris.

Another relief shows three statues of Ramses II wearing his traditional white crown.

Experts say the carved inscriptions provide some of best examples of cryptographic or enigmatic writing, an unusual form of hieroglyphic text in which each glyph could stand for an entire word, phrase, or concept.

"Moral Quandary"

Now that the depictions have been uncovered, archaeologists will likely have to negotiate with local religious leaders who see the exposed renderings in their mosque as a violation of Islamic law.

"There is no damage to the mosque whatsoever, but its a moral quandary because you have these two places of worship, one still alive and one from the past," said Johnson, of the Oriental Institute.

"It's a living sacred space."

Boraik said that his team is in talks with mosque leaders about how to proceed.

"I think all of them understand the importance of these things," he said.

The researchers expect to reach a compromise, they said, which might include retractable coverings or screens over the inscriptions. Removing the ancient features entirely would likely cause damage to the mosque.

"One has to be very sensitive about the restoration work and make sure the people know you are doing something good," said Salima Ikram, a professor of Egyptology at the American University of Cairo.

She added that such issues are common in a country with such a rich religious heritage.

"In a way the mosque is part of the history of the temple—both are significant monuments of antiquity."

Franfurt Auto Show:2

2007-09-17T03:34:00.000-07:00

FRANK FURT AUTO SHOW PICS

Seat Tribu

This hatchack is SEAT's attempt at making both a city car and one that could head off-road, if needed. The hatchback operates via an electrical motor with two openings; one for small items, one for larger ones. Riding on 20-inch rims, each wheel features double spring shock absorbers. The interior and exterior are painted the same colors, and it has all the electronic connections available, including MP3, USB, iPod, and of course, is internet ready.

Opel Agila

Opel's second-generation Agila minivan has a less boxy design than its predecessor. Its lower roofline makes it sleeker and more aerodynamic. The car will be positioned further upmarket than its predecessor, which sold 12,826 units in the first half, down from 15,768 the year before.

Suzuki Splash

Suzuki's Swift-based Splash small minivan will go on sale starting next spring, a few months after its predecessor, the Wagon R+, is discontinued. The car like Splash will be positioned higher than the Wagon R+. It will be built in Suzuki's factory in Esztergom, Hungary, alongside its sister model, the Opel/Vauxhall Agila. Suzuki aims to sell 60,000 units of the Splash in Europe.

Suzuki Kizashi

Opel Flextreme

The Opel Flextreme wagon mates General Motors' E-Flex powertrain electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack to a 1.3-liter diesel engine. The diesel turns a generator for electricity when the battery pack is drained. The battery, which has a range of 55 kilometers, can also be recharged by plugging into an electric outlet. GM claims the powertrain in the E-Flex cuts CO2 emissions to 40 grams per kilometer, well under the European Union's proposed standard of 120 g/km.

Alfa Romeo 8C

Ferrari F430 Scuderia

Ferrari's 430 Scuderia coupe will be the carmaker's first car to have standard ceramic brake discs. The 430 Scuderia is a lighter and more powerful variant of the F430, Ferrari's bestselling model. Ferrari will announce in Frankfurt that it will be the first carmaker to fit ceramic brake discs as standard throughout its range. Photos 1-9 by Motor Forecast

Kia Pro cee'd

Kia's Pro Cee'd is its third model in its new Cee'd lower-medium range. The three-door Pro Cee'd has a sportier design than the five-door Cee'd hatchback that launched in the spring. The Pro Cee'd goes on sale starting January. A Cee'd station wagon is due in showrooms in November.

Renault Laguna

Renault says the new Laguna is the first step in repositioning the carmaker at the higher end of the market. About €600 million of the Laguna's €1.52 billion development costs were spent to make sure that the third-generation Laguna is significantly more reliable than its predecessors. The new car is bigger and roomier than the current model, but is the first Renault to be lighter than its predecessor. The Laguna's weight was cut by an average of 15kg. The Laguna in Frankfurt is a five-door hatchback model that will cost between €21,500 and €35,000 in France when it goes on sale shortly after the IAA.

Cadillac BLS wagon

Vehicle type: Wagon
Seats: 5 to 6
Base engine: 1.9-liter, 180-hp high-tech turbo diesel
On Sale: November
Base price: $26,690 euros
What's cool: It's the first wagon in Cadillac's 104 year history. The turbo diesel engine is all new as well as the option for a 2.0-liter Flexpower engine that runs on environmentally-friendly E85 bioethanol fuel

Frankfurt: Auto Show

2007-09-12T21:51:00.000-07:00

Major Mojo: First look at the fourth-gen BMW M3

Thanks to the aluminum block, magnesium cam covers and aluminum-silicon alloy for the crankcase, the V8 weighs just 445 pounds—about 30 pounds less than the inline-six it replaces. With 420 hp at 8300 rpm, the new V8 delivers 77 hp more than its predecessor, while torque is up 26 lb-ft to 295 lb-ft at 3900 rpm.

The M3 is also a techno-marvel. BMW’s recently unveiled brake energy regeneration system stores power generated on a trailing throttle and under braking, using it to top up the battery when required rather than drawing precious power from the engine to spin the alternator. The new engine’s ability to rev to a stratospheric 8400 rpm is the real defining element, however. “It is what sets our cars apart,” says Richter.

Having experienced the raucous bark of the new V8 up close, we can confidently say it should possess the characteristic sharp throttle response and rev-driven attitude of the six-cylinder engine it replaces, combined with the added low-end punch and high-end heroics that come with the extra two cylinders and increased capacity.

The new car gets a six-speed manual gearbox with a revised 3.82:1 final drive, dumping power through a hydraulic differential providing 100 percent lockup to the rear wheels. The result, according to Richter, is a car that has lost none of its renowned traction qualities yet can be pushed into lurid powerslides despite the addition of nearly every driving aid in BMW’s new catalog—ABS, ASC, CBC and DSC for those keeping tabs. A double-clutch gearbox might be closer to introduction than first thought, since there will be no sequential-manual gearbox option.

e suspect it might be something special, this new fourth-generation BMW M3. A car that takes the sonorous engine note, rabid performance, superb chassis balance, impressive build quality and pure technical brilliance of its predecessor and hauls every last nuance of it to a whole new plane. A car not so much to admire but to lust after. A car to thrust BMW’s M division ahead of Mercedes-Benz’s AMG and give the engineers at Audi Sport more than a few sleepless nights.

And special it is. Four weeks after BMW unveiled its M3 concept at the Geneva motor show, the German automaker is now revealing the production version of the 2009 M3 due to go on sale in North America in mid-2008.

As electrifying as the third-generation M3 was to drive, there was no way a mere upgrade would do for the fourth-gen model—not with heavy-hitting competition such as the Mercedes-Benz CLK63 Black Series and the Audi RS5 ready to join the party. Although BMW’s M division hasn’t deviated from the front-engine, rear-wheel-drive format that has underpinned every model, the new M3 appears to have evolved into something more grown-up. It’s still astonishingly quick from point to point and no doubt utterly decisive in its actions but perhaps a little more grand tourer and practicality than the out-and-out racer this time.

Ferrari F430 Scuderia

Ferrari took the wraps off its third F430 model, the 430 Scuderia. It joins the F430 Coupé and Spider.

The Scuderia is based on the F430 and is aimed at customers who will use it for track days. (Those who remember the 430’s predecessor, the 360 Modena will remember Ferrari showed that model’s gentleman racer version, dubbed 360 Challenge Stradale. This 430 Scuderia is that car’s spiritual successor.)

And it looks damned mean: Front air intakes are big; a front aerodynamic splitter will help keep it planted at speed.

Development focused on shedding weight to benefit high performance. To that end, the standard seats are gone, as is carpet, stereo and rear windscreen; floor panels are bare, there are lightweight buckets and a plexiglass rear windscreen. The diet sheds roughly 200 pounds from the garden variety 430.

The Scuderia’s 4.3-liter V8 produces 510 hp—up from 483—at 8500 rpm. The F1 Superfast auto-manual paddle-shift transmission reduces gear-change times to 60 milliseconds. A new traction-control system combines the E-Diff electronic differential and the F1-Trac traction and stability control in a single integrated system. The car should hit 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. Top speed is estimated at 200 mph.

None other than Michael Schumacher will unveil the car at the Frankfurt show in September.

Ford Verve Concept for Frankfurt: Automaker unveils idea for Fiesta replacement

HANAU, Germany -- Ford Motor today unveiled a design concept for its Fiesta replacement here.

The concept is a "significant hint” at how the US carmaker's new global small-car family will look, Ford said.

Called the Verve, the two-door concept will debut at next month's IAA in Frankfurt.

Ford will sell a production version of the concept in North America, Asia and Europe.

Shared global vehicles are a centerpiece of Ford CEO Alan Mulally's strategy to turn around the carmaker.

Ford earlier this year created a new global engineering team for its next-generation small-car family by merging regional teams in Europe, North America and Asia. The team is based in Cologne, Germany.

The Fiesta replacement will debut in Europe late next year. Versions for North America and Asia will go on sale sometime between 2008 and 2010.

Ford plans to make at least 1 million units of the Ford-branded small car and its platform sibling, the Mazda2, Joe Bakaj, Ford of Europe's head of product development told Automotive News Europe at the Verve's unveiling today.

Ford of Europe CEO John Fleming said the carmaker gave its designers a free hand to create an exciting concept for the future small-car family.

He said Ford will test public reaction at next month's IAA.

Martin Smith, Ford of Europe's design director, said the concept's chic, modern styling will appeal to a "demanding and fashion-conscious" generation.

Ford designers in Dunton, England, and Cologne, Germany created the concept.

The Verve is the first of three concepts for a new small car that Ford will show over the next few months at auto shows in Germany, China and Detroit.

It is not yet known if Ford will keep the Fiesta name for the production car.

i-Blue Crossover: Hyundai readies hydrogen concept for Frankfurt

Hyundai Motor Co. plans to introduce an all-new hydrogen-powered crossover concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month.

The i-Blue runs on Hyundai's third-generation hydrogen cell technology. The concept sits on a new car-based crossover platform as opposed to past hydrogen experiments based on SUV platforms.

The crossover was developed at a Hyundai technical center in Chiba, Japan.

At the IAA, Hyundai also plans to display the wagon version of its i30 hatchback and the Veloster roadster concept. Both appeared earlier this year at the Seoul auto show.

Kia Kee Concept: Going for the sporty crowd

Kia wants consumers to look at it for styling excitement as well as value pricing -- and staked out that position today with the unveiling of its Kee coupe concept at the IAA in Frankfurt.

The Kee seats four, and is distinctive for its long greenhouse. The car measures 4.3 meters (169.3 inches) long. Power comes from a 2.0-liter version of Kia’s next generation V-6 engine, rated at 200 horsepower, which is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

“The new Kia Kee is a clear and emphatic statement that the future of the Kia brand is set to be one that will excite and surprise an entirely new audience of consumers,” said Peter Schreyer, Kia’s design chief, in a statement. “Our sports coupe concept is not simply a flight of fancy but represents an affordable dream for sports car lovers.”

The Mercedes plan: Diesel hybrids, fuel cell by 2010

Mercedes-Benz plans to roll out a wide range of diesel- and hybrid-powertrain models over the next three years to cut fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, and plans to put a B-class wagon powered by a fuel cell into production in 2010.

Mercedes-Benz plans to have Bluetec diesel-hybrid models in its lineup, beginning in 2010, as it seeks to produce and sell the world’s cleanest sedans.

The German automaker laid out its “Road to the Future” today at the IAA in Frankfurt.

Among its plans:

A diesel engine for the United States in 2008 that will meet emissions regulations in all 50 states. The engine will be offered in the R-class wagon, and ML- and GL-class SUVs.

A hybrid version of the ML-class SUV in 2009. The powertrain mates at 4.6-liter V-6 engine with the Two Mode rear-drive hybrid system that DaimlerChrysler has developed in conjunction with BMW and General Motors.

A hybrid version of the S-class sedan will also be introduced in 2009. This S 400 hybrid will mate a V-6 gasoline engine with an integrated starter-generator. The starter-generator provides stop-start function, and can power the car on only electricity for short distances. It also adds an electric boost to the gasoline engine under heavy loads.

Mercedes says the hybrid powertrain is rated at 299 hp, can accelerate the large sedan from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 7.3 seconds, yet burns only 7.9 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (20.9 miles per gallon).

A fuel cell version of the B-class small wagon will go into limited production in 2010. Mercedes said the car will be powered by a new generation of its fuel cell stack that is smaller, yet puts out more power.

Versions of the E-class and S-class sedans powered by Bluetec diesel hybrid powertrains are due in 2010. The powertrains will include a four-cylinder diesel engine and seven-speed automatic transmission. The E-class hybrid will burn 5.1 liters (1.3 gallons) of fuel per 100 kilometers, or about 47.6 miles per gallon.

A version of the C class with the Bluetec diesel hybrid is due after 2010, Mercedes said.

Mercedes-Benz F700: A hint to what the next S-Class might be

A dramatically styled Mercedes-Benz research vehicle unveiled at Frankfurt showcases a series of high-end features the company plans to incorporate into future production models.

Dubbed the F700, the large luxury sedan plots a direct path to the next-generation S-Class due in 2012, with state-of-the-art engine and suspension technology, as well as an advanced avatar-based controller system and radical new styling developed by the German automaker’s U.S.-based design studio in California.

Mercedes describes the F700 as a “futuristic interpretation of the classic sedan” and predicts much of the technology it previews will begin appearing on production models within the next decade as emissions regulations become more stringent and buyer expectations grow with advances in fields such as consumer electronics.

While officials are quick to downplay the relevance of the new four-door’s styling, Mercedes sources suggest that various themes explored within its body are likely to be developed further before being committed to production, including a bold front-end treatment said to preface the look of its future lineup, as well as individual elements such as prominent wheel arches and flowing C-pillars.

In a novel approach, Mercedes has provided the F700 with three conventionally hinged doors and a fourth rear-hinged door at the rear on the right, designed to facilitate entry and exit for those seated in the right rear, which can be either set in the direction of travel or turned 180 degrees.

More than its radically styled exterior, however, it is the one-off sedan’s compact variable-compression, twin-turbocharged, 1.8-liter four-cylinder DiesOtto gasoline engine that Mercedes promises will have the biggest bearing on its future model range. Claimed to offer the power, smoothness and low emissions of a gasoline engine in combination with the torque, flexibility and frugal properties of a diesel, the new unit is capable of switching between spark and compression ignition, depending on the driving conditions.

Despite its relatively meager capacity by luxury-car standards, the F700’s advanced engine punches well above its weight, with a 238-hp output that compares favorably with Mercedes’ existing four-valve-per-cylinder 3.5-liter V6 gasoline and 3.0-liter V6 common-rail diesel units. With an electric motor designed to provide an additional burst of output under acceleration, the F700’s peak power tops out at a competitive 258 hp in hybrid mode. Torque is rated at 295 lb-ft—prodigious by four-cylinder gasoline engine standards.

Mercedes says it’s enough to propel the F700 from 0 to 62 mph in 7.5 seconds. But even more impressive are its environmental credentials, estimated at more than 50 mpg with an extremely low carbon-dioxide output.

Another feature Mercedes is touting for possible inclusion on future production models with the F700 is a highly sophisticated Pre-Scan suspension system. The system reads the road via two headlamp-mounted sensors, which constantly send out infrared beams to detect unevenness in the roadway and driving conditions. Information is then relayed to the suspension and associated driving aids so they can react before you’ve even hit an imperfection or wet section of blacktop.

Nu Volkswagen

Volkswagen has taken inspiration from its past in creating a compact new supermini that will go into production by the end of the decade as a replacement for its slow-selling Brazilian-built Fox.

Previewed at the Frankfurt show, the contemporary-looking Up! four-seater concept follows the formula for the German automaker’s original Beetle: a rear-engine layout intended to keep production costs low and provide packaging advantages over today’s crop of front-engined minis.

Styled by a team of in-house designers working under VW design boss Walter de’ Silva, the compact three-door hatchback is said to preview closely the appearance of the future entry-level model, with a clean and unadorned look that appears to have taken its inspiration from Apple’s iconic iPod and is clearly aimed at providing the new three-door hatchback with the same sort of timeless appeal as the Beetle.

Details remain scarce,

but VW chairman Martin Winterkorn indicates the production version of the Up! will come in two distinct forms: a contemporary city car along the lines of the concept being shown in Frankfurt, carrying all of today’s usual creature comforts for established markets, and a more basic low-cost version for emerging markets.

At the upcoming Tokyo and Los Angeles shows, VW plans to reveal two more superminis based on the same rear-engine layout in what is known internally as the “New Small Family.”

By forging links with the original Beetle and mounting its engine and ancillaries down low in the rear, VW claims to have created class-leading

levels of interior space with accommodation for four adults, while providing a good deal of luggage space, both up front and over the engine at the rear.

VW isn’t revealing much about the Up! powertrain, but AutoWeek has confirmed the company is working on a new range of ultrafrugal direct-injection gasoline engines, including a turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder and an even smaller-displacement

turbocharged two-cylinder. Both are slated to go into production by the end of the decade. A 1.4-liter common-rail diesel also is expected to find its way into a future entry-level model.

This article was last updated on: 09/11/07, 12:14 et
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From toyz 2 Movie

2007-07-29T19:45:00.000-07:00

Awesome FX 4 Transformers

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About the Movie :

The Earth is caught in the middle of an intergalactic war between two races of robots, the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, which are able to change into a variety of objects, including cars, trucks, planes and other technological creations.

My Views
I love this one coz 4 a summer this waz real cool. just take a look @ the fx n its Michael Bay .... Thank God hes better 4 this genre coz look what Ang Lee did to Hulk so i say Way 2 go Michael Bay n the box office results support my sayin.

Ancient Fish: Still Ancient

2007-07-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

China's Giant River Fish, the World's Largest, Feared Extinct

This is the second installment in a series on the Megafishes Project. Join National Geographic News on the trail with project scientists as they track down the world's largest freshwater fishes.

If the world's largest freshwater fish still exists, Wei Qiwei will be there to save it.

"I believe it's out there," said Wei, as he scanned the murky Yangtze River from his sleek, 63-foot (19-meter) rescue vessel.

Wei is one of China's foremost experts on the Chinese paddlefish, a leviathan that reportedly can grow 23 feet (7 meters) long and weigh half a ton.

But the odds of finding even a single one of the aquatic giants may be steadily diminishing.

No adult Chinese paddlefish have been caught in the Yangtze River by fishers since 2003. Even more worrisome, no young paddlefish have been seen since 1995.

"When you don't see juveniles, we think maybe there's no spawning," said Wei, who heads a research laboratory at the Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute in Jingzhou (see China map).

He and other experts fear that even if individual paddlefish are found in the Yangtze, the species itself, if unable to reproduce, could be on an irreversible path to extinction.

Spawning Ground

The Chinese paddlefish is also known as the elephant fish, because its long snout resembles an elephant's trunk.

The predators feed on other fish, as well as small amounts of crab and crayfish.

Prized for their rich, plentiful meat, the giant animals are said to have been commonly offered as gifts to the Chi

In the 1970s hundreds of paddlefish were caught each year by fishers on the Yangtze River.

Then, in the 1980s, the population dropped dramatically, Wei said.

The culprit for that loss can be found by taking a 20-minute boat ride up the river from the city of Yichang to the giant Gehzouba hydroelectric dam.

The dam, completed in 1983, divided the Yangtze River into two sections, cutting off the migratory route of the paddlefish.

"The paddlefish travel long distances, from their forage grounds in the middle and lower part of the Yangtze River—and sometimes the coastal waters—to their spawning grounds in the upper river," Wei said.

"The dam separated the feeding area from the spawning ground."

The spawning process for paddlefish is particularly sensitive because females do not become sexually mature until they are seven or eight years old, he added.

The newly built Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, which sits 30 miles (48 kilometers) upriver from the Gezhouba Dam, has further reduced paddlefish habitat, Wei said.

Two more dams are now being planned for the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

Last Animal Caught

Fisheries biologist Zeb Hogan was also aboard Wei's boat on his recent ride up the Yangtze.

Hogan heads the National Geographic Society's Megafishes Project, a three-year program to assess the conservation status of the world's largest freshwater fishes.

The plight of the Chinese paddlefish underscores the urgent need to protect the river giants, said Hogan, who is a National Geographic Emerging Explorer.

"Here is what is perhaps the world's largest freshwater fish, and it's close to extinction," he said.

An 11-foot (3.3-meter) paddlefish was caught by fishers in December 2002, Wei pointed out. It died after 29 days in captivity.

The following month, a 12-foot (3.5-meter) paddlefish was caught in Yibin in the upper Yangtze.

Fisheries law enforcement officials immediately contacted Wei. During the eight hours it took him and his crew to travel to Yibin, Wei gave suggestions to officials on how to handle the fish, which survived.

Before it was released back into the river, Wei planted a location transmitter on the paddlefish.

Wei has since lost the signal, but he believes this fish is still alive.

"These fish can live for maybe 50 years," he said. "I'm sure it's still there."

Underwater Caves

Wei and Hogan have agreed to embark on a joint expedition next year to look for Chinese paddlefish.

Wei believes the upper Yangtze provides a possible last refuge for the fish and that there might be up to a dozen individuals left.

"That area has many deep pools and underwater caves where the fish can hide," he said.

Wei vowed not to retire until he finds a paddlefish.

"I have another 20 years to go," he said. "I'm not giving up that easily."

nese emperor during imperial times.

Earth2

2007-04-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

First Habitable Earthlike Planet Found, Experts Say

The first known planet beyond the solar system that could harbor life as we know it has been discovered, scientists report.
The most Earthlike planet yet found, it orbits a red dwarf star and likely contains liquid water, said the European astronomers who made the discovery.

The planet is estimated to be only 50 percent larger than Earth, making it the smallest planet yet found outside the solar system, according to a team led by Stephane Udry of the Geneva Observatory in Switzerland.
Known as Gliese 581 c, the newfound world is located in the constellation Libra, some 20.5 light-years away.
The planet is named after the red dwarf star it orbits, Gliese 581, which is among the hundred closest stars to Earth.
Because the planet is 14 times nearer to its star than Earth is to the sun, a year there lasts just 13 days. Gravity on the planet's surface, though, may be twice as strong as Earth's gravity.
Despite the close proximity to its parent star, however, Gliese 581 c lies within the relatively cool habitable zone of its solar system. That's because red dwarfs are relatively small and dim, and are cooler than our sun, the team explained.
The scientists estimated the planet's surface temperature at between 32 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit (0 and 40 degrees Celsius).
"This means water can exist in liquid form," Udry said. "If you want life like our own, then you need water."
The team reports its findings in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

Rock or Oceans
The new world could feature familiar, rocky terrains or be completely covered with oceans, the researchers said.

In either case, Gliese 581 c will likely become a target for missions in search of extraterrestrial life, they added.
"We still have a long way to go before reaching that point. But for sure it's the best candidate we know of right now," Udry commented.

"The planet is really close to us," he said. Still, it would take 20 years to get there if traveling at the speed of light, and another 20 to return.
Gliese 581 c is better suited to life than larger planets like Jupiter, which tend to be dense masses of gas, Udry explained.

"You need a rocky planet to find life—the big giants are not the best places for that," he said.
More precise instruments have recently enabled astronomers to detect small "exoplanets"—worlds found outside our solar system.
"We started to find them two or three years ago," Udry said. Thirteen exoplanets that have less than 20 times the weight of Earth have been discovered so far, he noted.
"We found them very easily, so it looks like they are much more numerous than the giant planets we were finding before," the astronomer said.
Planet Hunter
The new planet was detected using an instrument called a spectrograph at the European Southern Observatory at La Silla, Chile.
Known as the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planetary Searcher (HARPS), the device is described by the team as a "unique planet-hunting machine."
It works by detecting the pull of an unseen exoplanet on the star it orbits. An orbiting planet causes its star to wobble slightly, and this effect can be measured by instruments such as HARPS.
Advanced spectrographs are enabling astronomers to detect ever smaller planets, said Michael Perryman of the European Space Agency's Astrophysics Missions Division in the Netherlands.
"The wobble for these planets that they are detecting now is very, very tiny—about three meters [nine feet] per second, which is about the speed you run at," Perryman said.
"New planets are being discovered every few weeks or so," he added. "The interesting development is when you start getting these lower-mass planets closer to [the weight] of the Earth."
The newfound planet is especially noteworthy, Perryman said.
"As soon as you find a planet at the right distance [from its star] such that liquid water might exist, then you're saying this is the kind of environment in which one might start looking for life," he added.
Udry, of the Geneva Observatory, said the goal of future programs is to find a planet and star pairing to match that of Earth and the sun.
"We are now developing instruments which will allow us to find those," Udry said
"We hope, and even expect, to have these habitable planets all over the place."

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Jurassic Revisited

2007-04-06T18:25:00.000-07:00

Jurassic "Crocodile" Found in Oregon

It endured a rocky ride—literally—but this ancient "sea monster" from Asia has found a place in the United States to call home.

The fossil remains of a crocodile-like reptile called Thalattosuchia have been discovered in rocks in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon—about 5,000 miles (8,050 kilometers) from where it most likely died, researchers announced on Monday. So far about 50 percent of the animal, including the upper leg bone and rib fragments seen here (bottom), have been unearthed.

"This creature lived in Jurassic times, so it's 150 to 180 million years old," retired University of Oregon geologist William Orr said in a press release. Orr provided expert advice to the excavation team.

"It probably lived in an area from Japan to East Timor, somewhere in the western Pacific in a tropical estuarine environment."

The reptile, the oldest ever found in Oregon, is a rare discovery in North America. But similar fossils have been found throughout Southeast Asia, so experts believe that the remains were carried to the U.S. by plate tectonics. As the section of Earth's crust containing the fossils moved eastward, the Pacific plate collided with the North American plate, pushing the bones into the mountains.

The 6- to 8-foot-long (1.8- to 2.4-meter-long) creature, shown in an artist's conception (top), is part of a group that scientists think represents an evolutionary transition for this line of crocodilians. Features from related fossils suggest that the animals were evolving from being semiaquatic to entirely ocean dwelling.

The newfound fossils will go to the University of Iowa for further study before going on display at an Oregon museum.

—Victoria Jaggard

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Age old fish found

2007-04-06T18:19:00.000-07:00

Century-Old Fish Caught in Alaska

April 6, 2007—A handful of Christians preparing rockfish as part of their traditional fish dinner this Good Friday might be feasting on one of the oldest creatures ever to live in Alaskan waters.

Commercial fishers in the Bering Sea recently hauled in the female shortraker rockfish seen above, which scientists say was between 90 and 115 years old. Researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) used growth rings in the fish's ear bone, or otolith, to make their age estimate.

NOAA scientists also found that the fish's advanced years had yet to take a toll on its reproductive abilities.

"The belly was large," NOAA researcher Paul Spencer told the Associated Press. "The ovaries were full of developing embryos."

A Seattle, Washington-based ship caught the 44-inch-long (112-centimenter-long), 60-pound (27-kilogram) fish while trawling for pollock at about 2,100 feet (640 meters) below the surface. The massive mama was among ten shortrakers pulled from the depths along with roughly 75 tons of the smaller commercially fished species.

The fish's age and size both approach the maximum known limits for shortrakers. The largest on record measured 47 inches (119 centimeters) long, and the oldest ever caught was 157 years.

—Victoria Jaggard

The 3rd Most Expensive 3D Animation Film

2007-03-19T04:20:00.000-07:00

Dinosaur(2000)A three-ton Iguanodon named Aladar, who is raised from the egg by a clan of lemurs and eventually reunited with his own kind, finds himself and the other dinosaurs in trouble when flaming meteors devastate the landscape and the water supply diminishes. In a race against time, the dinosaurs attempt to reach the safety of their nesting grounds.

Dinosaur used live action backgrounds combined with computer animated effects, with spectacular results. The opening two minutes of the film are particularly impressive. The movie was supposed to have no dialogue at all (just a narrator), but Disney head Michael Eisner insisted on dialogue to make the movie more commercially viable. It was the highest-budgeted movie of 2000, with a reported cost of $128 million USD (some unnoficial estimates go as high as 200 million).
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First shot Geneva Motor Show:2007

2007-03-18T04:34:00.000-07:00

Guigiaro Vad-Ho

Italdesign Giugiaro, who wowed last year's L.A. showgoers with its eye-popping Mustang Prototype, is looking to 'spur discussion,' as they put it, once again at a major international auto show with the dispay of its latest concept, called Vadhò. Consider the discussion spurred.

Powered by the same V-12 that powers the BMW Hydrogen 7 and mated to BMW's seven-speed SMG, the Vadho is a also an exercise in alternative fuel technology. The powertrain is positioned on the center right of the car adjacent to the passengers. In addition, the chassis was custom-designed by Italdesign technicians and the vehicle sports a new 'G' logo that will serve as the firm's new signature logo on its future creations.

Venturi_ev_x

The Astrolab's ultra-lightweight monocoque chassis is built of carbon fiber and functions as a safety cell protecting the two inline occupants. Photovoltaic cells are covered by a unique nano-prismic film that is designed to concentrate solar energy. A 21-horsepower electric motor is all that is required to drive the 617-pound vehicle.

Venturi says the vehicle can recharge itself while in motion and can store solar energy in its nickel-metal-hydride batteries. With a top speed of 75 mph and a range of 68 miles, the Astrolab is intended primarily as an inter-city commuter — albeit a fairly expensive one.

Hyundai I30

GENEVA - March 7, 2007: At the 2007 Geneva Motor Show yesterday, Hyundai introduces a new car, the i30 and a new naming philosophy with model lines bearing the i prefix. The i stands for inspiration, a key force driving all vehicle development at Hyundai. But i also stands for intelligence and integrity, and that is what customers have come to expect from Hyundai. In all these forms i lies at the core of any Hyundai brand promise. From this premise the "i" badge is a natural development.

Morgan aeromax

Just 100 AeroMaxes are to be built from early 2008, and only 29 of them remain unsold.

The first Gran Turismo coupe from the Malvern factory since the unique Plus Four Plus in the 1960s, the new car was styled by Matthew Humphries in response to a special request from Swiss Morgan owner and enthusiast, Eric I Sturdza. The AeroMax uses the aluminium chassis from the Aero Eight but is coachbuilt in the traditional Morgan fashion using a laminated ash wood skeleton skinned in "A class" superformed lightweight aluminium panels.

The engine is BMW's 4.8 litre all-alloy V8 with valvetronic technology. The combination of Morgan's lightweight construction and BMW's motor leads to low CO2 emissions as well as high performance. This will be the first Morgan to use Canbus technology to control not only the engine functions but also the body technology such as lighting, wipers and instrumentation.

The all-up weight minus driver and fuel is expected to be under 1,200Kg.

Russo-Baltique

The Russo-Baltique car brand’s history begins in 1907 when a domestic autocar manufacturing was established by one of the largest industrial concerns in the Russian Empire. Two years had passed before the first car was built – a 30-hp open two-seater Russo-Baltique 24-30. First years of its existence were marked by outstanding performance in automotive sport competitions building up the reputation of a reliable, ideal and elegant model producer. In 1912, a special sport model, Russo-Baltique C24-50, won two first awards in the Monte-Carlo Rally, and the second award in the rally in San-Sebastian a year after that.

While in the 20th century the dominant feature of Russo-Baltique cars was the Russian heritage of all their parts and their unique adaptation to Russian bad roads, in the 21st century the priority has shifted to innovations, perfection, and high technology of the car design and materials. The car quality, as it was before, will be a match to its unique title of the Court’s supplier reinforced today by new technological capabilities.

Mazda Hazake

HIROSHIMA, Japan — Mazda Motor Corporation will showcase the world premiere of the new Hakaze design concept at the 77th annual Geneva International Motor Show to be held from Tuesday, March 6 through Sunday, March 18, 2007

The Mazda Hakaze is a four-seat coupe-style compact crossover SUV designed at Mazda’s European Design Centre and aimed at people in their thirties and forties who lead active, adventurous lifestyles.

KTM Xbow

The X-Bow is the first four-wheeled machine from bike manufacturer KTM. It looks like a track day car, but KTM says the X-Bow is homologated for street use. Most intriguing is the fact that KTM sourced the engine from Audi. This is the same highly tractable, direct-injected 2.0T power plant used in the A4, although it has been tuned for 220 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque in the X-Bow. A six-speed manual gearbox with a limited slip is standard, and KTM plans to offer Audi's six-speed autobox as an option.

Thanks to its carbon-fiber monocoque construction, the X-Bow weighs in at just 1,543 pounds -- which means that the standard drivetrain delivers it to 60 mph in under 4 seconds. KTM is studying the possibility of producing a 300-hp variant.

Dodge Demon

The Chrysler Group's touch-and-go financial status brought down the mood at the Dodge-Chrysler press conference this afternoon at the Palexpo. After a trio of European-market debuts for the Sebring convertible, Jeep Patriot and Dodge Avenger, none of which will set the world afire, an actual fire was lit in honor of the Dodge Demon concept, which does seem to merit the attention. But much like on a beef fajita special, the flames extinguished almost immediately. It was kind of cool, but lacked the funk and randomness typical of previous Chrysler press conferences. Last year in Geneva, the not-feasible-to-build Dodge Hornet hatchback arrived on stage amidst a torrent of pipe-cleaner, googly-eyed bees.

Dodge Avenger

Dodge finally unveiled the production version of the new Avenger mid-sized sedan here at Cobo Hall today. A concept version was shown at the Paris Motor Show last fall, and the new production version has slightly more subdued fenders but is otherwise the same. The Avenger will have three engine options topping out with a 3.5L V-6.

Dodge Avenger R/T brings all-wheel drive, a sport suspension and performance steering to mid-size segment
Three engine options give Dodge Avenger buyers exhilarating performance with excellent fuel efficiency of 30 mpg and Flexible Fuel (FFV) engine availability

Audi R8

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The 2nd Most Expensive 3D Animation Film Ever

2007-03-16T23:11:00.000-07:00

Final Fantasy:The Spirits Within

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was the first film to attempt photo-realistic computer generated human characters. The movie was promoted agressively by its distributor, Sony Pictures. Despite the promotion, the film went on to become the second biggest flop in animated film history (Treasure Planet is #1), nearly bankrupting its creator, Square Pictures. Many speculate that the failure was due to the fact that the movie was nothing like the video game it was supposed to be based on, alienating many of the movie's potential fan base.

The year is 2065 and Earth is under siege. A meteor has crashed onto the planet, unleashing millions of alien creatures which roam the Earth. Decimating field and city alike, these predators are threatening to extinguish all life on the planet. The survivors of the initial onslaught have retreated to barrier cities built to protect the inhabitants of Earth from the marauding invaders.

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A Grand Walk

2007-03-11T06:48:00.000-07:00

Photo in the News: Grand Canyon Glass Bridge Rolled Out

March 8, 2006—Don Havatone (top), of the Hualapai tribe, watches the rollout of the Skywalk on the Hualapai Indian Reservation at Grand Canyon West, Arizona, on March 7. When it opens later this month—with a $25 admission fee—the U-shaped glass walkway should look somewhat closer to the concept illustration (bottom).

Extending 70 feet (21 meters) from the canyon wall, the 30-million-dollar Skywalk will put a few scant inches of glass between visitors and a 4,000-foot (1,220-meter) plunge to the Colorado River.

As it was inched out by an industrial-strength pulley system yesterday, the glass bridge was balanced by half-million-pound (227,000-kilogram) steel weights on its back end. Once in place, the Skywalk was welded to four-story steel poles inserted into the canyon wall.

Prone to erosion, the porous limestone cliff is the wild card that could determine how long the walkway holds, one of the project's architects told National Geographic News in December. (See "Grand Canyon's Glass Walkway to Open Next March" [December 15, 2006].)

Hualapai elder Delores Honta, 70, gave the bridge "15 or 20 years," and sees it as something of a desecration. "It's very sacred ground to us," she said.

But, said tribe member Robert Bravo, also speaking in December, "This is what's going to feed our tribe."

—Ted Chamberlain

Natures cruel Creation

2007-03-11T06:11:00.000-07:00

Photo in the News: Colossal Squid Caught off Antarctica

February 22, 2007—In Antarctica's Ross Sea, a fishing boat has caught what is likely the world's biggest known colossal squid (yes, that's the species' name), New Zealand officials announced today.

Heavier than even giant squid, colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) have eyes as wide as dinner plates and sharp hooks on some of their suckers. The new specimen weighs in at an estimated 990 pounds (450 kilograms).

The sea monster had become entangled while feeding on Patagonian toothfish (toothfish photos) caught on long lines of hooks. The crew then maneuvered the squid into a net and painstakingly hauled it aboard—a two-hour process.

The animal was frozen and placed in a massive freezer below decks. Now in New Zealand, the carcass awaits scientific analysis.

"Even basic questions such as how large does this species grow to and how long does it live for are not yet known," said New Zealand Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton in a statement.

The deep-sea species was first discovered in 1925, though the only evidence was two tentacles found in a sperm whale's stomach. Since then there have been only a scattering of sightings, including a colossal squid caught in 2003 in the same region as the recent find.

The new specimen is likely the first intact male ever recovered, Anderton said.

Squid expert Steve O'Shea told local press, "I can assure you that this is going to draw phenomenal interest."

For one thing, added the Auckland University of Technology professor, the squid would yield calamari rings the size of tractor tires.

—Ted Chamberlain

Predators erupt from volcanic sands, and delicate pygmy seahorses hide in plain sight in the strange world of Indonesia's Lembeh Strait.

Think of a coral reef as Las Vegas: a glowing city of sexy fish flitting down boulevards of neon corals. Then imagine an undersea neighborhood that's more like the gritty desert beyond Vegas, where you run into quirky characters like the guy running the one-pump gas station, or the bar where people wait for aliens. That's Indonesia's Lembeh Strait. Lying off the northeast tip of the island of Sulawesi, sheltered from the open ocean, the strait is at first glance an unwelcoming moonscape—plains of silt and black and gray volcanic sands stretching into murky gloom. Some divers call it the muck. There are no grand vistas, no teeming corals. But any place you put your hand, there is life, veiled in the sand or hiding in plain sight. You have to look closely, for many things are not what they seem. I stared for minutes at a sea fan before finding pygmy seahorses the size of my thumbnail clinging to the branches, their skin matching the color and texture of the sea fan's polyps. Another night a rare visitor drifted into the cove of Kungkungan Bay, camouflaged in a floating mass of sargassum weed. As the seaweed slowly broke apart, a golden sargassum frogfish emerged in mirror image under the lights of a pier.

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The Most expensive 3D Animation Ever

2007-03-10T22:50:00.000-08:00

The Polar Express
This 2004 feature film was based on the children's book of the same name, by Chris Van Allsburg. The actual book can be read in about 5 minutes, but the film was 90 minutes long. The film enjoyed modest box office success, but the results for the film's 3D Imax version were incredible. Financially, the 3D version outperformed the 2D version by 14 to 1! There are now plans to release the movie in its Imax format every year during the holiday season, so expect even higher revenue for the film in the future. Production Costs: $170 Million (USD) U.S. Box Office: $173 Million (USD) Worldwide Box Office: $297 Million (USD)

A young boy lies awake in his room one snowy Christmas Eve, excited and alert. Breathing silently. Hardly moving. Waiting.He's listening for a sound he's afraid that he might never hear--the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh. The time is five minutes to midnight. Suddenly, the boy is startled by a thunderous roar. Clearing the mist from his window he sees the most amazing sight--a gleaming black train... See Full Description Below

This till date happens to be the most expensive animated features of all time i wish it were made with real people and a star cat as well. Link

Jurassic Park Revisited

2007-03-06T02:54:00.000-08:00

Photo in the News: Triceratops' "Granddaddy" Discovered in Canada

March 5, 2007—Its forehead sprouted horns as large as human arms, and its skull was frilled with spikes the size of sharks' teeth.

Even to the scientists who discovered this new species of dinosaur, the fearsome-looking creature was a bizarre sight.

But its weird appearance is what helped experts peg the dino as a missing link, a never-before-seen member from the family tree of Triceratops.

Dubbed Albertaceratops nesmoi, the 78-million-year-old dinosaur was unearthed in 2001 by paleontologist Michel Ryan and a colleague in the badlands of southern Alberta, Canada.

Ryan was initially puzzled by the animal's skull, he said, because it had the familiar giant horns of Triceratops but the ornate frill of another kind of ceratops called a centrosaur.

"We knew that we had something special that we had never seen before," said Ryan, now a curator at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, in a statement.

"It meant that while Triceratops had giant horns, some centrosaurs did, too."

This odd combination of features suggests that Albertaceratops is the most primitive of the centrosaurs, Ryan explained, dating back to before centrosaurs split with the family that includes Triceratops.

"Unquestionably, it's an important find," Peter Dodson, a University of Pennsylvania paleontologist, told the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

"It was sort of the grandfather or great-uncle of the really diverse horned dinosaurs that came after it."

—Blake de Pastino

Cool Sci-Fis

2007-03-03T20:03:00.000-08:00

Hi All i am now trying to find out are all the critics justified always to judge and to deliver or to declare a movie a hit or a miss,here are a few of ones that suffered critics.

Chronicles Of the Riddick(2004)

The USP XXX Vin Diesel is here in a space flick and the SFX loked quite promising.

Synopsis:It is a dark time in the universe. Planet after planet is falling to an unholy army of Necromongers--conquering warriors who offer ravaged worlds a simple choice--convert or die. Those who refuse their rule hope in vain for someone or something that will slow the spread of Necromongers. But rebels are short-lived and saviors, it seems, are in short supply. When things get bad, weary survivors turn on.
Box Office:$57,637,485

My Take: I loved it as it is a strange saga in the space over and above Vin Diesels in it.Go Ahead watch it again and again.

The Time Machine(2002)The USP Steven Speilberg in the role of the producer over and above Guy Pearce as the lead and cool SFX Synopsis:Scientist and inventor Alexander Hartdegen is determined to prove that time travel is possible. His determination is turned to desperation by a personal tragedy that now drives him to want to change the past. Testing his theories with a time machine of his own invention, Hartdegen is hurtled 800,000 years into the future. There he finds a post-apocalyptic world where he discovers that mankind has been enslaved.
Box Office:$56,684,819

My Take: I loved this one; and at the same time I would personally like to ask the critics hey guys Do you really have a problem.I loved it and any Sci-Fi fan would love it as well

Star Trek:Nemesis(2002)

The USP: The cool franchise of the very long ongoing series,set in space well what else.
Synopsis:After years of traveling the universe preserving tranquility and promoting goodwill towards humans and aliens alike, the intrepid Starship crew that Captain Jean-Luc Picard has long thought of as his family is breaking up. Officer William Riker has married Counselor Deanna Troi and now Riker will assume the capataincy of the U.S.S. Titan. As the U.S.S. Enterprise travels from Riker's wedding in Alaska they discover a lot has changed.

Box Office Collection:$43,119,879

My take: It is a good movie to be viewed on home videos not on the big screen so go ahead rent a copy today.

The Red Planet(2000)

The movie did not have any specific usp but it was the publicity of the special fx and the cast and crew that made people to go into the multiplexes.

Synopsis:In the near future, Earth is dying. A new colony on Mars could be humanity's only hope. A team of American astronauts, each a specialist in a different field, is making the first manned expedition to the red planet and must struggle to overcome the differences in their personalities, backgrounds and ideologies for the overall good of the mission. When their equipment suffers life threatening damage then it turns out to be the survival of the fittest.

Box Office Collection:$17,473,245

My Take: As a sci -fi movie fan i wouldnt say do not rent it but there is something good which gives me a feeling of calling it not sooo bad an affair.Had this been released in the nineties they would have called it a saga to remember.

Total Recall(1990)

The movies USP, Arnold Schwarzengger goes to space.
Synopsis:Set in the year 2084,a man goes to mars via a memory implant and discovers the truth about himself.

Box-office collection:117,778,754

My take; you wont see it in theatres now but as summers approaching check it out on the DVDs.Good action, what i like is the vision of the future portrayed in the nineties.

jokes

Best war films since 2000

2007-02-10T23:52:00.000-08:00

Black Hawk Down(2001)

Synopsis:The true story of the United States' involvement in Somalia during an ill-fated humanitarian mission. On October 3, 1993, U.S. soldiers entered Somalia on an exercise that was supposed to take less than an hour. The mission turned into a nightlong battle against thousands of heavily armed Somalians. Eighteen U.S. soldiers and more than 500 Somalians were killed as a result of this conflict.

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Tears of the sun (2003) Synopsis:Navy SEAL Lieutenant A.K. Waters and his elite squadron of tactical specialists are forced to choose between their duty and their humanity, between following orders by ignoring the conflict that surrounds them, or finding the courage to follow their conscience and protect a group of innocent refugees.When the democratic government of Nigeria collapses and the country is taken over by a ruthless military general.

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Jarhead 2005

Synopsis:Set during the Gulf War, the episodic tale follows Anthony Swofford (a.k.a. "Swoff"), a third-generation enlistee, from his sobering stint in boot camp to active duty, where he's sporting a sniper's rifle and a hundred-pound ruck sack on his back, while moving through Middle East deserts with no cover from the intolerable heat. As well, he advances with no protection from the Iraqi soldiers--and there's hellava bloodshed.

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Ancient Civilization Revisited

2007-01-31T17:04:00.000-08:00

Stonehenge Settlement Found: Builders' Homes, "Cult Houses"
A major prehistoric village has been unearthed near Stonehenge in southern England.
The settlement likely housed the builders of the famous monument, archaeologists say, and was an important ceremonial site in its own right, hosting great "feasts and parties"

Excavations also offer new evidence that a timber circle and a vast earthwork where the village once stood were linked to Stonehenge—via road, river, and ritual. Together, the sites were part of a much larger religious complex, the archaeologists suggest.

"Stonehenge isn't a monument in isolation. It is actually one of a pair—one in stone, one in timber said Mike Parker Pearson, leader of the Stonehenge Riverside Project, a joint initiative run by six English universities and partially funded by the National Geographic Society. (National Geographic News is part of the National Geographic Society.)

The Late Stone Age village—the largest ever found in Britain—was excavated in September 2006 at Durrington Walls, the world's largest known "henge," a type of circular earthwork. A giant timber circle once stood at Durrington, which is 1.75 miles (2.8 kilometers) from the celebrated circle of standing stones on Salisbury Plain.
At Durrington the archaeologists discovered foundations of houses dating back to 4,600 years ago around the time construction began on Stonehenge.
Excavations revealed the remains of eight wooden buildings. Surveys of the landscape have identified up to 30 more dwellings, Parker Pearson said.
"We could have many hundreds of houses here," he added.
The initial stone circle at Stonehenge—the so-called sarsen stones—has been radiocarbon-dated to between 2600 and 2500 B.C.
The dates for the village are "exactly the same time, in radiocarbon terms, as for the building of the sarsens," Parker Pearson said.
Six of the houses so far unearthed measured about 250 square feet (23 square meters) each and had wooden walls and clay floors. Fireplaces and furniture—such as cupboards and beds—could be discerned from their outlines in the earth, Parker Pearson said.

FLYING BEASTS

2007-01-05T14:28:00.000-08:00

Ancient Gliding Beast

To paraphrase a killer-rabbit-afflicted enchanter in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, that's no ordinary squirrel. "He's got huge, sharp … er. … He can leap about. Look at the bones!"
Looking at the bones is exactly what paleontologist Jin Meng, of New York City's American Museum of Natural History, did. Fossils from eastern Mongolia told him and colleagues they'd discovered a completely new order of mammals.
Volaticotherium antiquus—"ancient gliding beast"—is what they named the only known species of the new order (shown above in an artist's conception released today by the journal Nature, along with Meng and company's study).
Weighing in at less than a pound (half a kilogram), the squirrel-like creature boasted beastly teeth that give it away as an insect-eater, like most mammals of its time, according to the study.
More important, though, are fossil impressions of an airfoil-like skin-membrane fold—as well as elongated limbs needed to support such a "sail"—which identify the animal as a glider, the researchers say. And its backbones suggest it had a long tail that served as a stabilizing rudder.
The team says it all adds up to a mammal that glided 70 million years before any other—and possibly even before birds took to the air.
Now that's something completely different.

Rock from the Space

2007-01-05T14:16:00.000-08:00

January 5, 2007—It looks like a shiny lump of fool's gold, and it certainly has authorities fooled as to just what it is.
This metallic rocklike object crashed through the roof of a New Jersey home on January 2, ripping through the ceiling and ricocheting off a tiled bathroom floor before lodging in a wall.
No one was hurt by the impact, but local detectives trying to identify the mysterious debris may have their professional egos a little bruised.
"I've never seen anything like it in my career," Lt. Robert Brightman of the Freehold Township Police Department told the Associated Press at a press conference yesterday.
Experts from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration have already inspected the 13-ounce (0.4 kilogram) lump and determined that it is not a stray airplane part.
Another test found that the object is not radioactive, although it does appear to be magnetic.
Some astronomers have speculated that that the object could be a meteorite, since the Quadrantid meteor shower occurs annually in early January.
But meteor showers typically involve small particles of icy rock, not big metal chunks, so if the mass is a meteorite, it's likely an unusual one.
Other theories have suggested that the lump is a tool lost by an astronaut or flotsam from an orbiting satellite that melted as it entered Earth's atmosphere.

The man in action back again

2006-12-29T16:22:00.000-08:00

Die harder willis jumps back in action.

same as before:infact is better stronger and more matured than before.

The real men back in action

2006-12-29T12:41:00.000-08:00

Oh my God hes back again "Rocky Ballaboa".

He has finally geared up to show the new kids what men are made up of.

Stallone bounces back in the ring ,

The final offering Rocky Ballaboa

2006-12-28T15:57:00.000-08:00

Technorati Profile

Mysterious Dark Energy Has Existed For Most of Time, Scientists Say

2006-11-18T11:30:00.000-08:00

Peeling back both space and time, scientists using the Hubble Space Telescope have found that the strange force known as dark energy appears to have existed for at least the past two-thirds of the universe's history.
Dark energy is a mysterious repulsive force that opposes gravity, causing the universe to expand. Albert Einstein posited that a form of the force existed nearly a century ago by, but it was not discovered until 1998.

Scientists believe dark energy makes up about 70 percent of the substance of the universe.
Scientists can measure the strength of dark energy by looking at distant galaxies for a type of exploding star known as a Type 1A supernova. (Related: "Galaxy Hunters" in National Geographic Magazine.)
Because these supernovae release known amounts of energy, measuring the amount of light arriving on Earth serves as a convenient distance marker to any galaxy in which one is observed.
"[It's] much like judging the distance of a faraway lighthouse by its apparent brightness," said Louis-Gregory Strolger, an astronomer at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, in a press conference yesterday.
Other instruments allow astronomers to determine how quickly distant stars are moving, giving hints to the forces acting on the galaxies they belong to.
The farther away the supernovae are, the longer their light has been traveling and the further back in time the explosion occurred.
To date astronomers have detected 23 such explosions from about 9 billion years ago, announced a team led by Adam Reiss, an astrophysicist at Baltimore, Maryland's Space Telescope Science Institute, yesterday afternoon.
Information garnered from these supernovae indicates that dark energy not only existed back then, but that it was about as strong then as today.

Dragon comes to life;potter gets challenged as Eragon comes to life

2006-11-18T11:20:00.000-08:00

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Cool Hybrids

2006-11-11T10:16:00.000-08:00

Honda Civic Hybrid

Most expensive Micra meant for Barbie

A British car dealer has what it believes will become the most expensive Nissan Micra ever sold. Yes, even more expensive than the Conran designer version we told you about earlier this year. The Micra C + C (coupe and cabriolet) in question is one of 275 special edition pink Micras made to support Breakthrough Breast Cancer, a breast cancer charity. Although the normal asking price on this diminutive cab is only £14,750 (that's about 28 grand, US), the ace in the hole for this particular C + C is the license plate. Newreg.com is hoping that some Barbie lover will also want this personalized number plate as part of the deal. And apparently, the 'BAR81E' plate is worth more than the car! If the Micra is sold with the number plate, it might bring as much as £36,250! That's almost $70,000, folks. A lot of cash for the car, but its limited edition nature and the unique plate will surely attract a buyer. And with at least £250 pledged to Breakthrough Breast Cancer, the buyer will be able to feel good about themselves too.Seems like a golden, erm, pink opportunity for some Barbie wannabe. Full release after the jump.

KTM's Audi-powered Crossbow

More information on the Audi/KTM collaboration has shown up in Auto Motor Und Sport that finally puts a name to lightweight roadster and gives us some definitive power figures. The Crossbow as it will be called shall be powered by a two-liter, turbocharged inline-four producing 220 HP in the base model and 320 HP in range-topping trim. Weight is expected to be below 700 kilograms, or approximately 1,500 pounds.As seen in the above rendering, similar to the one we posted recently, there will be no roof and it's been rumored that contrary to the image, there may not be a windscreen. That possiblity may limited the chances of the roadster coming stateside as it would require operators to wear a helmet. The Crossbow is expected to make its debut in Geneva next year and will likely carry a price tag of 40,000 euros. Production will likely be limited to around 500 vehicles per year and importation to the U.S. is up in the air.

Mitsubishi i by DAMD

DAMD, the tuners who have recently shown a penchant for Aston Martinizing Nissan products, have turned their attention to what is perhaps Japan's quirkiest kei car, the Mitsubishi i. The newest member of DAMD's enormous lineup, this particular i looks like it'd be right at home seeing duty as Darth Vader's runabout if he were forced to ditch his SS for more economical fare. The diminutive Mitsubishi is drenched in black paint, and benefits from the installation of new side skirts and spoilers front and rear. The parts are available seperately or as a 3-piece set (the two side skirts count as one "piece"). A billet insert spruces up the car's grille opening, and an extra panel dresses up flat black plastic area immediately below the windshield where the wipers live. Finally, 15" black DAMD DS-6 wheels ( the "6" indicates the number of spokes) complete the visual refresh.It looks great, and it gives us just another reason to be bummed at the fact that Mitsubishi's slick little kei is for Japanese fans only. If there's a market for the Smart here, there's got to be a way to make a business case for something like the i.

A first look at 300

2006-10-27T04:34:00.000-07:00

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300 slated for 2007 March release

2006-10-27T04:13:00.000-07:00

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Set in the midst of the Persian-Greco war during the Battle of Thermopylae, where Spartan king Leonidas led his army of 300 soldiers into battle against the invading Persian army. According to legend, their valor and sacrifice inspired all of Greece to unite against their Persian foe, leading to the origins of democracy.
Production Status:
In Production/Awaiting Release
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Drama, Adaptation and War
Release Date:
March 9th, 2007 (wide)

2006-10-27T03:54:00.000-07:00

Just in time for Halloween, paleontologists have dug up a truly scary creature—Big Bird's bad, buff brother.
The real-life fossils belong to a new species of phorusrhacid, giant predators also known as terror birds that once dominated South America.

Terror birds were the biggest birds the world has ever seen, and the new species is by far the largest terror bird yet, says paleontologist Luis Chiappe, director of the Dinosaur Institute at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, California.
"Some of these birds had skulls that were two and a half feet [almost a meter] in length. [They] were colossal animals," he said.
The new, currently unnamed species stood about ten feet (three meters) tall and had a head as big as that of a horse.
The largest terror birds could likely swallow dog-size prey in a single gulp, experts say.
The bird's most striking feature—literally—was its giant nose, a roughly 18-inch (46-centimeter) beak with a sharp, curving hook shaped like an eagle's beak.
Whether the flightless birds used their beaks to impale or bludgeon their prey is unknown, Chiappe says. But a single hit from their "massive skull[s] would have killed anything immediately."

Bizzare Creatures

2006-10-27T03:47:00.000-07:00

So new to science that it hasn't even been named yet, this African pterosaur lived alongside dinosaurs about 110 million years ago in the Cretaceous period.Nail-like teeth and a 16-foot (5-meter) wingspan likely helped the flyer catch—and hold onto—fish from African rivers, according to University of Chicago paleontologist Paul Sereno, whose team discovered the species in the Sahara of Niger."This find puts African pterosaurs on the map," said Sereno, who is also an explorer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society.

coil of teeth caps the lower jaw of a sculpture of a 13-foot (4-meter) whorl-tooth shark, or Helicoprion, a fish genus that lived about 250 million years ago.
Artist Gary Staab depicts the animal's jaw as something of a spiral conveyor belt, in which new teeth would advance to replace old ones (concealed here by skin). But the true arrangement and purpose of the teeth remains a mystery. Some scientists suggest that it may have operated like a spiked whip, possibly curled underneath the lower jaw like a weaponized elephant trunk.
The shark adds bite to "Bizarre Beasts, Past and Present," a new exhibition of Staab's sculptures at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C. (through February 2, 2007). The animals depicted are, or were, all real—testaments to the twists, turns, and blind alleys of evolution.
(Both National Geographic News and the National Geographic Museum are parts of the National Geographic Society.)

2006-10-27T03:43:00.000-07:00

Traces of ancient horse manure have been found in a remote 5,600-year-old Kazakh village—a discovery that could be the earliest known evidence of horse domestication.
A team of archaeologists and geologists discovered the traces inside a circular array of postholes in the village. While no actual smelly remains were present, the researchers did find that the level of nutrients called phosphates was ten times higher in the soil within the array than in soil adjacent to it.
Animal manure is high in nutrients, including phosphates, so the find is a strong indication that the enclosure used to be a corral.
The village, called Krasnyi Yar, was inhabited at the time by the Botai culture of the Eurasian steppes (map of Kazakhstan).
These people are believed to have relied heavily on horses for meat, tools, and transport.

Andrew Stiff, a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, presented the findings this week at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Harry Potter movie showing him putting on an invisibility cloak and actually disappearing a reality now it is!

2006-10-20T00:18:00.000-07:00

First Invisibility Cloak Tested Successfully, Scientists Say

Researchers announced today that they've built the world's first invisibility cloak, although the fine print may disappoint science-fiction fans.
The device works only in two dimensions and only on microwaves.
Still, the experiment proves that a theoretical blueprint for building invisibility cloaks unveiled by the same team just five months ago works.

A Species of a different kind

2006-10-20T00:16:00.000-07:00

Ancient Fish Fossil May Rewrite Story of Animal Evolution

A fish that swam on an ancient barrier reef in Australia 380 million years ago had fins and nostrils remarkably similar to the limbs and ears of the first four-limbed creatures to walk on land, according to a new study.

Four-limbed land animals, also known as tetrapods, such as modern amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, evolved from lobed-finned fish. That transition from water to land has long fascinated scientists, but the fossil record of how it occurred is still incomplete.
The new finding suggests that certain aspects of tetrapod ears and limbs can be traced much further back in "fishy looking" fish than had been previously known, says John Long, head of sciences at Museum Victoria in Melbourne, Australia.
"They were just cunningly disguised in the fossil record by their more fishlike overall features," he said in an email interview.
"They tell us that evolution progresses steadily but often hides the evidence until a really well preserved fossil like this turns up."
Long and colleagues report their findings in tomorrow's issue of the science journal Nature.

Paris Motor show complete photos

2006-10-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Opel Antara

The five-seat Antara is expected to attract a higher percentage of single, male customers than the family-oriented Captiva, which can seat up to seven with an optional third row. The Antara includes a standard four-wheel-drive system and more upscale interior materials than the Captiva. “Anyone who wants a very sophisticated SUV with a lot of the latest electronics technology is going to buy the Opel,” Robert Lutz, GM vice chairman of product development, told Automotive News Europe. “People who don’t want to spend too much, but still [want to] have an excellent vehicle will probably buy the Chevrolet.” The Antara goes on sale starting next month with the same powerplant choices as the Captiva: 3.2-liter V6 and 2.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engines and a 2.0-liter common-rail turbodiesel. Antara prices start at $30,050

BEST CONCEPT - Peugeot 908 RC

Not to be outdone by its cross-town sibling Citroen, Peugeot rocked Paris with a four-door, mid-engined V12-powered luxury sedan concept. No kidding. Think of the 908RC as an Aston Martin Rapide or Porsche Panamera for the masses. In reality the RC is helping Peugeot home-in on the styling of the next-generation 607, Peugeot’s flagship sedan that’s best known as the limo-of-choice for French politicians. But it’s also a bit of fun, linking a road car design with the Peugeot 908 sports racer, destined for the Le Mans 24 Hours next year. Both share the same 100degree vee, 700bhp, 1100Nm V12 turbo-diesel. In the concept it’s mounted transversely, in the race car in-line. Despite the exotic powertrain, the 908RC is designed around the roomy cabin package of the 607, a Ford 500-sized four-door. Also significant is the race-car look wraparound windscreen and cranked A-pillar, both attempts at combining good visibility with strong crash protection in future production cars.

Renault Nepta concept
At the Paris show later this month Renault will pull the wraps off the Nepta concept, a car the French automaker says has a low-slung body shape that is an expression of “elegance and movement, while the spacious and comfortable interior has all the hallmarks of a top-end model.” The four-seat cabriolet powered by a 3.5-liter V6 producing 420 hp and mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission. Renault says in theory the car should be able to hit 60 mph in 4.9 seconds.

Volkswagen Iroc concept
The basic ingredients look right. The New Beetle notwithstanding, Wolfsburg has consciously steered away from throwback design cues for Iroc. The prominent brushed-aluminum single-frame grille won’t win any beauty contests, but the angular headlamps, distinctive clamshell hood and heavily flared front-wheel arches imbue Iroc with plenty of presence. Other distinctive features include a heavily raked windshield, pronounced shoulder line, shallow side glass and plunging roof-line. About the only weak point is the hatchback rear, which lacks the flair and imagination of the rest of the exterior. Iroc is similar in length to a Golf GTI, but is 1.5 inches wider and fully 3.3 inches lower.

Lancia Delta HPE

The Delta HPE near-production concept will be a crucial model to help revive Fiat Auto's upscale brand. Lancia's future was in doubt during Fiat's recent financial crisis, but an ambitious new business plan aims to boost the brand's annual unit sales to 300,000 in 2010 from 118,000 units last year. Lancia aims to sell 60,000 Deltas annually after the five-door hatchback's mid-2008 launch.

BEST IN SHOW - Citroen C-Metisse
As if to prove that chaotic Parisien traffic isn’t the only motoring theatre in town, Citroen pulled the silk from the magnifique C-Metisse. A genuine show car with no pretence of production, the C-Metisse wowed with its dramatic proportions, long hood and super low roofline. Add in the drama of its elegantly curved rear screen, gaping air intake below the chromed Citroen chevron nose décor and four scissor-hinged doors and the C-Metisse lived-up to its name — metisse is French for mixture. It’s also the closest the French can get to a word for hybrid, which conveniently ties in with the show car’s diesel/electric powertrain, destined for production some time next decade. Conventional power comes from a 208bhp V6 turbo-diesel, co-developed with Ford for Jaguar and Land Rover, and built in a Ford factory in London’s east end, while two electric motors in the rear wheels add a further 20bhp/400Nm to boost performance up to a theoretical 155mph and 0-62mph in 6.2secs.

Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione

Production will be limited to as few as 500 cars, priced at an estimated $140,000. The car is powered by a 4.7-liter V8 developing 450 hp at 7000rpm and 346 lb ft of torque through a six-speed gearbox with paddles. The car should hit 60 mph in about 4 seconds. The body is carbon fiber over a spaceframe chassis. Customers cars should be ready next summer.

Nissan Qashqai

A cross between a hatchback and an SUV, the Qashqai embodies Nissan Europe's new strategy of targeting high-margin niches instead of competing head-on with traditional hatchbacks and sedans. The Qashqai is the first production car from Nissan's new design center in London and was developed at the carmaker's European technical center in Cranfield, England. The Qashqai production car takes styling cues from Nissan's Murano medium SUV rather than the quirky Qashqai concept shown at the Geneva auto show in 2004.

Kia C'eed

The Cee’d was designed at Kia’s new styling center in Rüsselsheim and will be built at the company’s $1.5 billion, 300,000-unit-a-year plant in Zilina, Slovakia, due to open in December. The car will go on sale starting in January.

Ford iosis X

While the iosis shown a year ago at Frankfurt was a large four-door coupe in the Mercedes-Benz CLS style, iosis X applies the Euro-Ford kinetic design philosophy to a sporty crossover. The result is a small Infiniti FX lookalike that we’re told is certain to form the basis of a future Focus-based small sport/utility vehicle, possibly as soon as two years from now, and very possibly for the U.S. market as well as Europe.

Chevrolet WTCC Ultra concept

Chevrolet Europe will launch its vision of the next-generation World Touring Car Championship contender at the Paris Motor Show on September 30. GM says the car was designed to celebrate the brand’s motor sport heritage and push Chevy’s styling language to the extreme. The concept is truly a global effort: Ewan Kingsbury, a designer at GM in Australia did the exterior, while development work on the concept was carried out in the UK, Germany and Switzerland. The Ultra’s engine was built in Korea, and the prototype was assembled in Japan.
Porsche 911 Targa

In Paris, Porsche introduced the eleventh and twelfth evolutions of the so-called 997 911 models: the Targa 4 and 4S. Like its 996 predecessor, this Targa features a full-area glass roof that retracts behind the backlight, though together the glass and operating mechanism are roughly 10 pounds lighter. The rear glass still opens, hatch-style, to expose storage space behind the seats (more than the space available in a 911 coupe). The big news, however, is that for the first time the Targa will be offered only in all-wheel drive. Both the Targa 4 (325-hp, 3.6-liter six) and 4S (355-hp, 3.8-liter six) will be available Nov. 18 at Porsche dealer near you Nov. 18, retailing at $85,700 and $95,900 respectively.

Toyota Auris concept

The Auris concept is the successor to the Corolla hatchback. Details are sketchy, but it seemed likely that the Auris will be more upscale and will have styling similar to the Yaris small car. With a fresh design and up-market features, Toyota aims to position the Auris at the higher end of the lower-medium segment to lure buyers from the Volkswagen Golf and the Alfa Romeo 147. Despite being the world’s best-selling car, the Corolla has not been a top seller in Europe.

Lamborghini Gallardo Nera

Lamborghini will use its Paris show stage to reveal the Gallardo Nera, an exclusive model based on the 2007 Gallardo. Limited to 185 cars, Nera is a showcase for personalized options available through Lamborghini’s ad personam service. Standard, however, is the Gallardo’s 5.0-liter, 520-hp V10 mid-mounted engine and permanent all-wheel drive.

Daihatsu Materia

Daihatsu will also add the Materia, a quirky looking small minivan, to its European lineup. The boxy Materia is a version of parent Toyota’s US-market Scion xB with a new front grille and different bumpers. It was shown as the D-Compact Wagon concept at the Geneva auto show in March.

The third-generation 3-series coupe gets a sleeker design and more technology than the regular 3-series four-door sedan. The coupe also is 10kg lighter than the sedan because of its plastic front fenders, the first use of plastic body panels on a 3-series model. The 335i coupe variant will be the first BMW to feature the carmaker's new twin-turbo direct-injection gasoline engine, which will be introduced across BMW's range. The 3-series coupe goes on sale shortly after the Paris show.

2006-10-15T00:57:00.000-07:00

Photo in the News: Dog Mummies Found in Ancient Peru Pet Cemetery

Just as modern dog lovers pamper their pets with morsels from the table and space on the bed, it seems that ancient Peruvians also treated their dogs like members of the family.
That's the conclusion archaeologists have reached after uncovering more than 40 mummified dogs in a thousand-year-old pet cemetery south of Lima, Peru.
Peruvian anthropologist Sonia Guillen and her team made the find while excavating a human cemetery of the Chiribaya culture, an agricultural society that thrived from A.D. 900 to 1350, before the rise of the Inca.
The researchers found 43 dogs buried in separate plots alongside their human owners, naturally preserved by the desert sands and ensconced with treats for the afterlife.
"We have found that in all the cemeteries, always, in between the human tombs there are others dedicated to the dogs, full-grown and puppies," Guillen told the Associated Press.
"They have their own grave, and in some cases they are buried with blankets and food."
The discovery speaks volumes about the high status the Chiribaya culture placed on the dogs, which Guillen says were prized for their skill in herding llamas.
But the find also raises questions about what, if any, claim Peru's modern-day dogs might have to these ancient, celebrated canines.
Guillen's team is currently trying to prove that the Chiribaya shepherds have descendants still living today, and that the dogs constitute a unique breed.
"We have found very similar animals with the same characteristics in Peru's southern valleys," she said.
"This shepherd is still among us."

A Brand new species

2006-10-15T00:54:00.000-07:00

Meet the Cypriot mouse—the first new mammal species to be discovered in Europe in more than a century.
The scientists who announced the find yesterday think the previously unknown creature is confined to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus (map of Cyprus).
The mouse differs from other European mice by having a bigger head, bigger ears, bigger eyes, and bigger teeth, says its discoverer, French zoologist Thomas Cucchi.
Cucchi, who is based at Durham University in England, noticed the small gray rodent while studying mice teeth from the Stone Age and comparing them with those of species still living on Cyprus. Genetic tests later confirmed it as a new species, now named Mus cypriacus.
New discoveries of mammal species are considered rare events, and most tend to occur in remote rain forests in hot spots of species diversity such as Southeast Asia. (Related photo: "New Mammal Discovered in Borneo?" [December 6, 2005].)
"It was generally believed that every species of mammal in Europe had been identified," Cucchi said. This is why the discovery was "so unexpected and exciting."
Also highly unusual was finding an island mammal that had survived the arrival of humans—and the domesticated animals and stowaway rodents that came with them—Cucchi says.
Most other mammal species known only from Mediterranean islands went extinct after being eaten or outcompeted by alien animals.
Cucchi says his research suggests the Cypriot mouse colonized and adapted to the island more than 9,000 years ago, several thousand years before human habitation.
The mouse is the only native Mediterranean rodent still alive, he added, and as such can be considered a "living fossil."
—James Owen

Cena will try out his luck at the box office

2006-10-15T00:36:00.000-07:00

The Champ is here The Marine is here.

Cena as The Marine debuting in theaters

Cena winning the WWE Championship

Paris Motor Show-2

2006-10-15T00:15:00.000-07:00

French debut for the front-engine stunner; plans for 60th anniversary celebrations in 2007.

Fine-looking concept will be basis of new rival for Focus and Astra. Hyundai has confirmed that it will sell a car developed from the concept shown here next year.

An all-new Sebring, a concept from Dodge, and a new 4-door Wrangler.

The C4 Picasso is not just a work of art and the C-Métisse shows a sportier side of the automaker

The LS 600h is the world's first production car with full-hybrid V8 powertrain that has the performance of a V12.

The Japanese automaker introduces the CX-7 crossover SUV, MX-5 Roadster Coupe and BT-50 pickup.

Subarus SUV Tribbeca
The 2007 Outback and Legacy will be offered in Europe this autumn and the B9 Tribeca will join them as the flagship

Opel debuts a new SUV and van concept, while Chevy unveils a muscle car.

Audi kicks off the show with the introduction of the all-new R8 supercar

Suzuki debuts Project Splash Concept and Swift Sport.

The showcase of high-performance cars includes models from AMG and McLaren

Bonds through the ages

2006-10-06T23:54:00.000-07:00

The most stylish ,most sauve agents at her Majestys service have been handsome cool looking and undoubtedly every womans fantasy,every kids hero,moreover every mans dream.

Sean Connery made his debut as James Bond in the 1962 film Dr No. He reprised the role in a further six films, though his final outing - 1983's Never Say Never Again - was not an "official" Bond movie.

His last "official" Bond movie was Diamonds Are Forever in 1971 alongside Jill St John who played Bond girl Tiffany Case

Australian-born George Lazenby was cast as James Bond in 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service but would only play the role once.

Roger Moore became synonymous with Bond in the 1970s, playing the role in seven films beginning with Live and Let Die in 1973 and ending with A View To A Kill in 1985

Classically trained Welsh actor Timothy Dalton became the fourth 007 in the 1987 film The Living Daylights. But he only made one more Bond movie, 1989's Licence to Kill.

In 1995, Irish-born actor Pierce Brosnan starred in Goldeneye. He went on to play 007 in a further three films, the last being Die Another Day in 2002.

His Bond girl co-stars included Denise Richards and Sophie Marceau in The World Is Not Enough, and Halle Berry in Die Another Day.

Straight from Mars-2

2006-10-06T23:46:00.000-07:00

Straight from Mars-2

2006-10-06T23:42:00.000-07:00

Mars orbiter looks down on rover

The Opportunity rover was pictured at the edge of the crater
More detailsNasa's new orbiter at Mars has taken a spectacular picture of the Opportunity rover sitting on a crater's rim.
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter arrived at the Red Planet in March and has only recently moved into a prime position to begin science investigations.
Its view of Victoria Crater will help US space agency researchers decide where to send Opportunity to make ground observations.
Imaged from a height of 297km, the 2.3m-wide rover appears as a tiny dot.
"This is a tremendous example of how our Mars missions in orbit and on the surface are designed to reinforce each other and expand our ability to explore and discover," said Doug McCuistion, the director of Nasa's Mars exploration programme in Washington.
Opportunity has been making its way to Victoria Crater for the past 21 Earth months - about half the length of time the robot has spent on the Red Planet.
The crater has high walls with layers of exposed rock that should reveal significant new information about the planet's geological past.

Geologists are keen to get close to the crater's walls
Opportunity has already found strong evidence that the rocks in its region of Mars - Meridiani Planum - were in contact with liquid water many millions of years ago. The investigation of rocks at Victoria is expected to fill out the story still further.
The principal investigator on the rover programme, Steve Squyres, said Opportunity would spend a short time conducting a recce of the rim before any decision was made to go inside the crater.
"We are trying to find a safe place to go in and to come out. I'm not interested in making a suicide dive into this crater," said Professor Squyres, who is based at Cornell University.
"With this enormous hole in the ground, we have the capability to see what lies beneath - to see down into the sub-surface of Mars, to look at a thicker stack of rocks than we are ever going to see anywhere else; and from that see a bigger slice of Martian geologic time."
And he added: "We have a suite of instruments on the end of the rover's arm and I hope to take that arm and put it right up to some of those layered rocks."
Opportunity arrived on Mars in January 2004.
Its "twin", the Spirit rover, continues to explore Gusev Crater on the other side of the Red Planet.

Paris Motor Show first clips

2006-10-06T23:33:00.000-07:00

Peugeot is one of the carmakers moving into muscle territory

Peugeot is taking a bold step into muscle car territory with its aggressive looking 908 RC, powered by a 700bhp diesel engine that aims to showcase its diesel technology

A million people will visit the Paris Motor Show this year. The Peugeot 908 model is one of 65 making their debut

Jaguar's owners Ford are hoping that the recently launched XK R can help turnaround the legendary carmaker's fortunes.

The new Audi R8 sports car made its world public debut at the show. Fans can order the £77,000 car from later this year.

Ford's new Mondeo range was unveiled in its estate form. The company plans to build up to 200,000 at its plant in Belgium

Mercedes chairman Dieter Zetsche introduces the CL63 AMG model. The firm says the luxury coupe is "thrilling to drive".

Renault boss Carlos Ghosn unveils the firm's new Twingo concept car. Mr Ghosn has been busy holding talks with GM

Citroen's new C-Metisse concept car boasts striking "gull wing" front and rear doors. It can hit a top speed of 155mph.

Chinese

Chinese firms are making their presence felt at the event. The Great Wall Motor firm exported 20,000 vehicles last year

The Hot Red Car

This ones a Ferrari

John Cena is the new action star

2006-09-30T01:20:00.000-07:00

The Marine

Your times up my times now ,oh Yeah there he is the cool new action star hot from wwe he takes on the baddies in this new flick by 20th Century Fox.

Hey Rock you ve got Competition,prepare.

The movies story--

John Triton is a heroic Marine who returns home after being discharged--against his will--from the Iraq War. Stateside, he finds himself back in action, when his wife is kidnapped by a murderous gang led by a merciless criminal named Rome. With everything on the line, the Marine will stop at nothing to carry out his toughest and most important mission.
Production Status:
In Production/Awaiting Release
Logline:
A Marine reunites with his wife, but finds himself back in action when she is kidnapped.
Genres:
Action/Adventure and Drama
Release Date:
October 13th, 2006

Coolest SUVs

2006-09-30T00:38:00.000-07:00

Mercedes-Benz M-Class
$39,750 - $48,500
Midsize Luxury SUV: The second-generation M-Class represents a significant modernization for Mercedes-Benz's midsize SUV, which had grown a bit dated since its 1998 debut. Sleek and well proportioned, the new M-Class is powered by either a V-6 or V-8 engine. The sole transmission is a seven-speed-automatic unit that's shifted into gear via a turn-signal-style stalk on the steering column and includes buttons on the back of the steering wheel for driver control of shifts. The M-Class' maximum seating capacity is five; three-pointed star fans in need of a seven-person SUV will have to wait until mid-2006 when the new 2007 GL-Class hits dealerships.
Dodge Durango Dodge's full-size sport utility vehicle was substantially redesigned for 2004. Basic Durango styling cues continued, but the current model is 7 inches longer and more than 3 inches taller than its predecessor.A V-6 and two Magnum V-8 engines are offered, topped by the famed 5.7-liter Hemi. The Hemi V-8 now features a Multi-Displacement System that suspends half the cylinders when they're not needed, which Dodge says improves gas mileage by up to 20 percent.For 2006, a new Electronic Stability Program and roll-sensing side curtain-type airbags are available. A power rear liftgate is now standard on the Limited. A three-passenger third-row seat can replace the optional two-place bench, and a remote starter is available. ExteriorDodge promotes the Durango's "broad-shouldered presence," starting with a familiar crosshair grille. Single headlight covers conceal dual lights. The SUV's silhouette features short front and rear overhangs, a dramatically sloped windshield and what Dodge calls "powerful" wheel arches. "Satin silver" tubular side steps go on the Adventurer. Standard 17-inch tires (18-inchers on the Limited) are mounted on aluminum or chrome wheels. InteriorDurangos can hold up to eight occupants when equipped with three rows of seats. A five-passenger configuration is also offered. Cargo volume behind the third row is 19 cubic feet; that space grows to 102.4 cubic feet when both rear seats are folded down. Second-row occupants get reclining seats, and an optional DVD entertainment system is available. Reversible slush mats are included in the Adventurer model, which has a rubberized washable cargo liner.
Lexus RX 400h
$44,660 - $46,060
Luxury Hybrid SUV: With the launch of the RX 400h, Lexus brings the wonders of the gasoline/electric hybrid powertrain to luxury SUV buyers. Unlike the Prius hybrid passenger car marketed by Lexus' parent, Toyota, the RX 400h is not solely designed to deliver frugal fuel economy estimates. The combination of a 3.3-liter V-6 engine and a high-torque electric motor/generator driving the front wheels (and in all-wheel-drive models, another electric motor/generator for the rear wheels) results in a claimed zero-to-60-mph acceleration time of 7.3 seconds for the all-wheel-drive model. Available luxury accoutrements include a navigation system with a rearview camera, rear-seat DVD entertainment and a Mark Levinson stereo.
Subaru B9 Tribeca
$30,695 - $33,895
Midsize SUV: Subaru has dallied on the fringes of the SUV segment for a number of years with its Outback and Forester models. For 2006, the automaker takes a bigger step into the fray with its B9 Tribeca. Although it's based on the Legacy platform, the B9 Tribeca has significantly different styling and wears Subaru's new corporate grille design. Seating for five is standard, but the B9 Tribeca can be equipped with a small third-row seat that ups occupant capacity to seven. The standard engine is a 250-hp horizontally opposed six-cylinder that drives a five-speed-automatic transmission. .

Coolest phone ever

2006-09-23T00:44:00.000-07:00

As it was expected today Palm introduced its communicator Treo 750v. This is the first Treo for Vodafone UMTS network and the first Treo powered by Windows Mobile 5.0 in Europe.

The device will come with Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC Phone with MSFP supporting Direct Push technology and some additional software developed by Palm. For example, extended Today screen has extra icons and opportunities, you can ignore the call and quickly make a reply message, like “I can’t talk”. Besides there is a special application for SMS and MMS messages.
The main specs of Treo 750v:
GSM (quad band), GPRS, EDGE, UMTS
Touchscreen TFT LCD, 240x240 pixels, 65K colors
1.3-megapixel camera with video capture opportunity
QWERTY-keyboard
128 MB of memory plus 60 MB of user available flash memory
Bluetooth (supporting stereo headset)
Slot for miniSD cards
At first the Treo 750v will be available from Vodafone operator in Austria, France, Germany, the UK, Ireland, Italy, Holland, Spain, Switzerland, and then in other regions by the end of this year.

the hottest couple

2006-09-23T00:24:00.000-07:00

Hi this happens to be my first blog .

Now Angelina Jolie is coming to pune with Bradd Pitt and shes gonna stay for a month or so for filming the real life massacre of a Christian missionary,whats more she is gonna be here for one full month.

Cool isnt it.

Now she is an Oscar winner for her performance in Girl Interrupted,hope another one of great performances is underway.

Also Bradd Pitt is gonna finish shooting for 2007 slated Oceans Thirteen.

There it is one hell of a couple Brngelina the name is justified

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