Urban Road Ramblings

Bentley Aero-Ace Project

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:48:25 -0500

The Bentley Aero-Ace Project, a collaborative design effort championed by Bentley and the Royal College of Art, challenged students at RCA in London to create an automotive design concept that married forward-thinking aerodynamic styling with Bentley’s traditional old-world aesthetic. The collaboration yielded several stunning concepts. I have highlighted a few of my favorite renderings below (photos via wallpaper.com).

concept by Anand Krishnan of India, age 29

concept by David Seesing of Germany, age 26

concept by Miika Heikkinen of Finland, age 26

concept by Philipp Siebourg of Germany, age 30

Sighting: The Rambo Lambo

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:17:00 -0500

Winter’s three-day weekends are for skiing, fire lighting, and runs to the general store to pick up provisions. This past MLK weekend was no exception, except that Friday’s typical Seven Eleven stop in Stratton, VT resulted in much more than the usual gasoline, Clif Bars, and beer. Walking out of the store, toting my recently purchased breakfast items, my ears became overwhelmed by the sound of a booming 12-cyllinder engine. Over the automotive music came the familiar voice of my friend, Eric, who motioned for me to turn around and said “Rach, check it out…a Lambo truck.” It was that moment that set off an education when I immediately whipped out my cell phone to do some research on the Lamborghini LM002.

The LM002 is, by all accounts, ugly. But then again, I’ve never found Lamborghinis to be particularly stylish or aesthetically pleasing. Lamborghinis are rarely sexy. Ominous and imposing are adjectives better suited to describing these Italian exotics. The LM002 is thoroughly menacing and not in the slightest bit polished. But the foreboding LM002 was originally conceived as an army vehicle, so its harsh and boxy architecture is not surprising.

Lamborghini’s departure from sportscars was well received and the LM002 became a big success among the public. Civilian models were outfitted with luxury accouterments. Military models were equipped with machine gun mounting points and other army-amenable features. Though, only 301 of the brute vehicles were produced between 1986 and 1993, the car was popular in Saudi Arabia. The civilian model was marketed toward wealthy Saudis as the car and its Pirelli Scorpion tires offered superior performance in the desert. Saudi Arabia and Libya ordered several of the LM002 for use in the countries respective armies.

photo available here

Man About Town

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:33:00 -0500

Well, here’s a new way of getting around…strap on one of these aeordynamic wheel-covered suits and let the good times roll (pun definitely intended). Founded by master body blader Jean-Yves Blondeau, body blading (which is also commonly known as “buggy rollin”), is an extreme sport that came into existence in the early 1990s when Blondeau created the 31 wheel suit for an art project in school. Body blading is NOT for the faint of heart. Becoming “one” with the road requires a high tolerance for risk and a low regard for what I would deem “good sense”. That said, there’s no question that watching those who fit the risk-phillic good sense-phobic bill is of the utmost entertainment value. (photo via LIFE)

Watch this (the whole thing), to see what I’m talking about:

There's A New A8 In Town...

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:00:00 -0500

And Lucy Liu, of Charlie’s Angels’ fame, is unveiling it in Miami? Hmm. We’re not sure what that’s about, but we are sure that the 2011 Audi A8 is a stunner. No pricing stats have been released yet, but we do know that the latest incarnation of Audi’s luxury sedan will feature a 0-62 time of 5.6 seconds (supported by an additional 24 horsepower over the model that preceded it) as well as some pretty cool technological advancements, including seats with optional massage capabilities, a patented Audi accident avoidance system, and a night vision assistant with pedestrian marking functionality (very cool stuff).

Here are a few photos (via Car Scoop) to wet your palate:

One of Life's Great Injustices

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:24:23 -0500

I suppose there are a lot of things in life that just aren’t fair. That said, you can add this to the list of life’s injustices: Spencer Pratt drives a 1968 fully-refurbished red and white Camaro SS that his wife, Heidi, gifted to him just before their nuptials earlier this year.

Just under 28,000 of the Camaro SS were made in 1968 and all came standard with 350 horsepower V8 engines. Spencer’s red beauty appears to be in mint condition.

I spotted the iconic muscle car last week while watching an episode of the riveting “reality” show, The Hills. During a scene when Spencer and his ever-so-slightly creepy friend, Charlie, were standing outside of the car wash having a rather serious discussion about picking up on signs that a woman may be pregnant, the only thing this viewer could focus on was the sight of pure American muscle, gleaming in the sunlight.

Ed: In previous seasons of the Hills, I had remarked at Spencer’s BMW 6-series, a car whose M edition has had me lusting since it came onto the scene in 2006.

Photos via Just Jared:

Fordlândia: Failure in the Amazon

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:14:08 -0500

Deep in the Brazilian rain forest, Henry Ford, the revolutionary who crafted the Model T automobile and created the modern assembly line, attempted to bring his brand of industrial utopia to the Amazon. Fordlândia, as the plantation that Ford established in 1920s South America came to be known, was intended to provide Ford’s North American operations with a direct supply of a critical vehicular component that had erstwhile come from British colonial Malaya: rubber.

This somewhat grounded and logical vision did not, however, account for the majority of the motivation behind Fordlândia (at least according to Greg Grandin, the preeminent author on the subject). Instead, much of the thrust behind the project lay in Ford’s perception of Fordlândia as an enchanting opportunity to carve out raw land and build an infrastructure from scratch; the great 20th century industrialist had designs on creating a glorified version of small-town USA in the Amazon. Ford worked with the Brazilian government to procure a tract of land approximately the size of Connecticut.

In a post WWI era, a disillusioned Ford yearned for the simple times of his childhood, but he underestimated the implausibility of his grandiose vision to construct Main Street USA in the Brazilian rain-forest. While Ford successfully managed to create a village that looked and felt a bit like the small town America of his youth (complete with Cape Cod-style homes and ice cream shoppes), the industry that he hoped would keep the town thriving proved problematic; so, too, did the conservative/Christian rules that he tried to impose (including a prohibition of alcohol and tobacco).

The plan to harvest rubber proved to be ill-conceived. In the first place, the land was hilly, rocky, and largely infertile. Furthermore, the rubber trees were situated too close together, enabling predators to infiltrate and cause severe damage to the crops. Finally, the rules that Ford imposed together with the unfamiliar culture that he had exported from America and forced upon the indigenous workers resulted in a very disgruntled workforce.

When 1945 yielded synthetic rubber, thereby ending the need for naturally harvested rubber from trees, Fordlândia officially became defunct. Ford sold the land at a tremendous loss and the project went down in history as one of Ford’s most disastrous ventures.

NOTE: Photo via Damn Interesting

For more information on Fordlândia, please check out the following: NPR, Wikipedia, Damn Interesting

$2 Million Bugatti Veyron Lands in Texas Lagoon (Paris Hilton NOT Responsible)

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:02:00 -0500

photo via USA TODAY:

You probably heard back in May about the $1.4 Million Bugatti that was keyed and egged outside of a party thrown by Paris Hilton at her home in Los Angeles…

But how about this? A man (a wealthy man) is driving his $2 Million Bugatti I-45 near Galveston, TX and when he is distracted by a low-flying pelican and jerks the wheel, only to find himself, moments later floating (well, sinking) in a saltwater lagoon. According to the Daily News of Galveston County, “The Veyron’s powerful engine gurgled like an outboard motor for about 15 minutes before it died.” Guess that takes care of that curiosity: 16-cylinder engines can last for about 15 minutes in water.

Wow.

The 10 Most Sinister Car Faces

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:35:45 -0500

It has long been the opinion of this author that some autos ooze with personality and that the choice of a particular car is an enormous reflection of the personality of its eventual driver. Haven’t you ever noticed that Mercury Marquis drivers tend to be stodgy and boring? Or that BMW Z8 drivers tend to be a little (if not very) full of themselves? Or that Toyota Prius drivers tend to be do-gooder elitists? To that end, what does the choice of any of the ten cars named “Most Sinister” say about their drivers?

photos via the LA Times:

#3: Cadillac CTS

#10: Lamborghini Reventon Roadster

To see the others, check out the slideshow at LATimes.com.

"Baby when I saw you turning at the end of the street, I knew a time was gone and it took me like..."

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:00:00 -0400

“Baby when I saw you turning at the end of the street, I knew a time was gone and it took me like ages just to understand that I was afraid to be a simple guy.”

- Phoenix (United), 2000

The R8 Spyder: YES PLEASE

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:00:00 -0400

image via uncrate.com

I’ve been told that people in LA would sooner go into default on their mortgages than be seen around town in anything less than a hot car, but I don’t know if I really ever believed that until I was in LA a few weeks ago. There are an inordinate number of fancy cars in that city. And it’s really not like Miami where cars are seen as an opportunity to tastelessly display one’s money. I would actually want to drive any one of the plethora of expensive cars I saw cruising on Melrose.

That said, the car I was most surprised to see in such abundance was the Audi R8 (a regular on this blog). In Manhattan, I’ve seen two or three of these rare $120K+ supercars coursing through the city blocks over a very extended period of time (since I first became acquainted with the car during Superbowl XLII). But in LA, they seemed to be everywhere (I could feel the silent “okay, enough already” vibes coming from Gabby, my traveling, partner after I pointed the 8th or 9th R8 out during the course of our trip).

Just as my enthusiasm for the R8 had begun to wane, my trip to LA served to get me revved about Audi’s super coupe all over again. And then I read this on Uncrate a little while ago: “What do you add to the fastest, sexiest Audi ever made? Open air.”

Um, hello. What are my four favorite car things? 1) Luxurious/Tech-Savvy interior. 2) Speed. 3) German. 4) Convertible. Check, check, check, and check. The all new Audi R8 Spyder will feature a 5.2 liter V10 engine that will generate a whopping 525 horsepower (I don’t even know where I would be able to use all of that unless I was driving on the Autobahn). Unfortunately it will also feature a price tag that’s beyond my reach, but maybe if I move to LA, that won’t stop me.

"Mister driver, take me where the music play."

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 08:00:00 -0400

“Mister driver, take me where the music play.”

- Steely Dan (The Royal Scam), 1976

"Watch, you're moving in elliptical patterns"

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 10:28:49 -0400

Kudos to Cadillac for featuring one of my favorite songs (“1901” by Phoenix) in their latest commercial.

Carbon Motors: The Future of the Po-Po

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 09:41:00 -0400

It’s hard to command respect when your ride is a Crown Victoria (or, at best, a Chevy Impala). Such has been the plight of police officers across this great nation whose vehicles have been relegated to souped-up taxi cab status for the last several decades.

This is about to change. A start-up, conceived in Los Angeles and currently operating out of Connersville, IN, called Carbon Motors has been hard at work for the last six years working to produce the first purpose-built police car.

The firm’s first product, the E7, will launch in 2012 with a 3.0 liter diesel engine, rear-wheel drive, a top speed of 155 mph (0-60 time of 6.5 seconds), and a host of safety-centric features including 75 mph rear impact crash capability and an option for ballistic protection panels.

The car will have other Kitt (Knight Rider)-like equipment: (i) 360-degree surveillance, (ii) remote start capability, (iii) integrated shotgun and rifle mounts, (iv) a rear seat compartment designed to accommodate cuffed passengers.

What’s more is that Carbon aims to produce the E7 as a cost-effective alternative to the modified second-rate cars that have ruled the police fleets since the beginning of time.

Why did it take this long to come up with this idea?

All Photos via CarbonMotors.com

AND WE'RE BACK...

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:18:00 -0400

PHOTOS via freshnessmag.com

…and what a way to return. The 2010 Mercedes SLS AMG has summoned me back to the keyboard from my late-summer/early-fall hibernation. One look at the SLS AMG’s ground-hugging stance and brawny side vents was enough to entice me, but the real aesthetic hook is the car’s simplistic and flawlessly-designed grill which calls to mind a long-nosed ground-dwelling animal sniffing out the road that lies ahead. Inevitably, some will be lured by the car’s sexy retro-futuristic gull-wing doors, undoubtedly a source of endless wonderment.

I’m inclined to be seduced by the red and black leather in which Mercedes has chosen to show the interior cabin; however, the cockpit looks a bit cramped and uncomfortable, a feature which is keeping my enthusiasm at bay. But this car isn’t about its interior, it’s all about its engine…an edited version of AMG’s 6.2 liter 32-valve V-8. Performance metrics will be top-notch with the engine generating horsepower to the tune of 563 hp at 6800 rpm. The car will have a very low center of gravity owed primarily to the car’s dry-slump system, a newly developed method for engine lubrication that will allow the engine to sit lower than typical. The engine will sit behind the front axle line, further contributing to the car’s very low center of gravity.

Production will start next year and sales will ensue thereafter; and word on the street is that the SLS AMG will succeed the McLaren SLR in the Mercedes lineup (an unfortunate loss to the streets of Palm Beach and Beverly Hills, if you ask me).

Celebrate Tuesday, Submit a Caption!

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:00:00 -0400

photo via ffffound.com

Captionize...It's Tuesday

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 07:00:00 -0400

photo via www.image-archeology.com/

Create-a-Caption Tuesday

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:00:00 -0400

photo via Getty via Zimbio

EIGHT GREAT CAR-IN-MOVIE SCENES: Part I

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:49:13 -0400

(in no particular order)

1) 1962 Ferrari GTO in Vanilla Sky

2) Saudi Arabian Freeway Explosion in The Kingdom

3) Porsche 928 in Risky Business

4) Mini Cooper in The Italian Job

5) 1950 Ferrari 250 GT California in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

6) Audi Q7 in Ironman

AND

Audi R8 in Ironman

7) Gone in 60 Seconds

8) H2 Hummer in Bad Boys II

A Maserati With Under 20K Mile Deemed a "Clunker"

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:00:00 -0400

Embedded video from CNN Video

Volkswagen and Porsche to Embark on Gradual Merger

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:56:12 -0400

Article via Bloomberg, Photos via porschepedia.com and themotorreport.com:

Volkswagen to Pay 3.3 Billion Euros for Porsche Stake (Update1)

Chad Thomas and Cornelius Aug. 13 (Bloomberg) — Volkswagen AG, Europe’s largest carmaker, will pay about 3.3 billion euros ($4.7 billion) for a 42 percent stake in Porsche SE’s automotive unit as it executes a gradual merger of the two manufacturers.

Volkswagen will fully integrate the maker of the 911 sports car in 2011 as long as all merger requirements are met, the companies said today in separate statements. Volkswagen plans to issue new preferred shares in the first half of next year to help pay for the purchase, which values Stuttgart, Germany-based Porsche’s car division at 12.4 billion euros.

Volkswagen Chief Executive Officer Martin Winterkorn said today that the merged carmaker’s operating profit will increase by 700 million euros annually. Winterkorn will be CEO of the Porsche SE holding company as of Sept. 15 and VW’s chief financial officer, Hans Dieter Poetsch, will take the same role at the company.

“This merger implies huge synergies,” Stefan Bratzel, head of the Center for Automotive Research Institute in Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany, said before the announcement. “Together, Volkswagen and Porsche can carve up the world’s car markets.”

The manufacturers announced plans in July for a transaction that would include a state-owned Qatari investment fund buying 17 percent of Wolfsburg, Germany-based Volkswagen and a possible holding in Porsche. Winterkorn said today that Qatar will be a “strong partner” for VW.

Beating Toyota

Executives have said the combined company will eventually overtake Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s biggest automaker, in sales and profitability. Winterkorn set a target in early 2008 of beating Toyota in sales and profit margins as the Toyota City, Japan-based competitor was poised to overtake General Motors Co. as the industry’s biggest carmaker by deliveries.

Winterkorn said the combined carmaker will have sales of 6.4 million vehicles and more than 400,000 employees. Porsche will become the 10th brand in the Volkswagen stable and will continue to have all of its production sites, Winterkorn said. Volkswagen brands include the Audi luxury division and the cheaper Seat and Skoda marques.

“As a group with now 10 strong, independent brands, we will further expand our unique global position,” Winterkorn said in a statement. “We now have what it takes to become the automotive industry’s No. 1.”

Management Changes

Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking and CFO Holger Haerter stepped down on July 23 and the company named Michael Macht, its personnel chief, to succeed Wiedeking as the head of the automotive business, called Porsche AG, which will remain based in Stuttgart. Macht will represent the Porsche brand at Volkswagen as the companies combine, Porsche said today.

The founding Porsche and Piech families will remain the largest VW shareholders and the German state of Lower Saxony will be the second-biggest investor, VW said today.

The family owners will sell an automotive trading company in Austria to Volkswagen as part of the deal. Porsche Holding Salzburg has an enterprise value of 3.55 billion euros and sells 474,000 vehicles a year, Volkswagen said. The trading business will be sold starting in 2011.

Proceeds from the sale of the Austrian business will be used to improve Porsche’s financial condition through the issuance of common shares, the company said. Porsche also plans to sell new preferred shares.

Debt Spiral

The planned combination ends a four-year feud for control that led to Porsche amassing at least 10 billion euros in debt as it accumulated 51 percent of Volkswagen’s stock in a failed takeover attempt.

Wiedeking left a job he had held for 16 years after his company’s board committed to selling the automotive operations to VW and seeking as much as 5 billion euros in capital, with Qatar as a possible investor. The Persian Gulf state would be the first shareholder outside the Porsche and Piech families to hold voting rights in the 78-year-old company’s history.

Porsche’s target stake in Volkswagen was 75 percent, a holding that could have given it access to VW’s cash. The sports-car maker held options for 20 percent of Volkswagen’s stock as part of the takeover effort.

Porsche is in “advanced” talks to sell most of the options it holds in VW to Qatar, which will result in the emirate becoming VW’s third-largest shareholder, Volkswagen said today. Porsche said on July 29 that it aimed to sell options to Qatar and that writedowns on the derivatives would cause a pretax loss of as much as 5 billion euros for the year ended July 31.

Lower Saxony will receive two seats on the VW supervisory board and will continue to hold a blocking minority on key decisions, VW said.

To contact the reporters on this story: Chad Thomas in Helsinki at cthomas16@bloomberg.net; Cornelius Rahn in Wolfsburg, Germany, via crahn2@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: August 13, 2009 15:34 EDT