Truck suspensions have gone a long way since Bob Chandler decided to level some junk cars with his Ford F250 in the late seventies. What he started became an obsession to many, transforming trucks into vehicles that can take on any surface. As wheels grew, so did the trucks suspensions.
Click here to see more positions you never thought they can be in.
I have always been a fan of car concepts. Every year we see cars designed by designers who want to take them to the next level. With functionality and being environment friendly, a common trend in recent concepts one would think that there is no way designers can make mistakes. Enter the BMW Lovos.
Designed by 24 year old Pforzheim University graduate Anne Forschner, the name of the car means Lifestyle of Voluntary Simplicity. This name is derived from the 260 scale like photovoltaic cells that recurs at the car’s exterior. Each of these move and follow the sun possibly to power the car in a way.
Early this week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, just announced that Facebook has just crossed the 300 million mark with its subscribers. With this announcement, the number 1 social networking site, also turned its first profit since its inception.
Drivers are doing crazy things all across Asia. They back into oncoming traffic and stop on busy roads to chat with friends on the sidewalk. They eat pork buns and fill in business reports behind the wheel. They speed. They drive drunk, and they fall asleep at the wheel.
Here are the five countries with the worst vehicular horrors:
No.5: Thailand
Many cars in Thailand have an amulet on their rear view mirrors or dashboards with an image of Buddha and a verse intended to protect driver and passengers from harm. Two-thirds of Thailand’s registered vehicles are motorcycles, and many of their riders ignore the country’s helmet law. Automobile seat belts weren’t required until October 1997. Just 1773 people were arrested in all of Thailand for drunk driving in 1996. The figure was so embarrassingly low in a country with 11.8 million licensed drivers that authorities launched a full-scale anti-drunk driving campaign in late 1997.
Some Thai drivers never think twice about stopping in the middle of a road, whether it’s an expressway or a narrow side street.
Reckless driving is common, particularly among long-haul truck drivers who work long hours. The U.S. Embassy warns in its country report on Thailand that visitors should be aware that "consumption of amphetamines or other stimulants by commercial drivers is common. It follows that warning with a bit of scary advice: " Congested roads and a scarcity of ambulances can make it difficult for accident victims to receive timely medical attention."
This video of the Citroën GT is getting a lot of views lately on Youtube.
Set to become one of the most expensive production cars sold today, this vehicle is a true scene stealer with its stylish exterior and drool worthy interior. Originally designed for the game Gran Turismo, the car is set to be launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show this coming September at a whopping $1.8 Million U.S. dollars.
When I first saw the Aptera 2e, I was quick in classifying it as another great looking vehicle concept that will never really have any real world use. With number of wild vehicle designs coming out every year it is very rare to find any revolutionary design that actually gets into mass production. When I heard that the vehicle will come out this fall, however, I felt that the car needs some looking into.
The Aptera is actually classified as a motorcycle with its three wheel and two seat capacity. The most amazing feature this car offers, however, is its battery pack which boasts of more than 200mpg and a 100-mile range between charges.
All eyes are on General Motors today, as the nation’s biggest car manufacturer stands on the brink of filing for bankruptcy. This weekend, news on GM, filing a petition at 8 am today has surfaced from a source that is said to have direct knowledge of the proceedings.
Though this is a really sad time in the history of the company, many are hopeful, calling this de facto government take over a new beginning for General Motors. The President is slated to address the nation before noon to discuss the rationale for the filing.
Chapter 11
GM is said to file for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy which aims to keep only aspects of the operation which are profitable while leaving all else behind. This means that many of the company’s models, plants and dealerships which are not making as much will have to be left behind. Many people are already familiar with this type of bankruptcy as Chrysler filed for the same at the end of April.
Totaled- An insurance term that describes the condition of a damaged car when the cost to repair the damage exceeds the actual appraised value of the vehicle.
Urban Dictionary
For many buyers having a car “totaled” may be good as it will provide for them a replacement vehicle. Overall, however, this occurrence in vehicles results to higher insurance rates for drivers. Because of this, car manufacturers and insurance companies are working hard to try and reduce the chances that cars will be “totaled”. A look into the recent developments and innovations that car companies are coming out with, are just amazing. Presently, these developments have successfully lowered the cost of various auto parts and components and may further offer cost savings in the coming years.
I have just seen the leaked Wolverine DVD and I am afraid I have made a mistake of seeing the unfinished product and spoiling some of the surprises the plot has to offer. I still did enjoy the movie and think that the final release on theaters on May 1 is worth seeing. Here are ten reasons why you should NOT search for the leaked movie anymore and why you should wait and watch the official release when it comes out on May.
1. It is yet unfinished. Marvel movies are effects movies and they won’t be complete nor would be as awesome without the eye popping computer generated effects in them. The leaked movie still lacks a lot of the major effects and even shows unrendered 3D in gray on many of the scenes. There are also parts of the movie where one will see the use of green screen and suspension wires.
This week, Tata Motors from India just released what a lot are saying is a breakthrough in motoring. Priced at just $2000, the Tata Nano is now considered to be the world’s cheapest car. For this reason, the Tata is now also dubbed as the People’s car. The car currently has three variants with the basic not having air-conditioner, power steering, passenger side mirror nor an extra windscreen wiper.
The Nano has already won the Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Award in the Transportation category in a ceremony last October with the judges falling in love with its design. According to Ratan Tata, the chairman of Tata Motors,, this car hopes to “revolutionize the lives of millions of Indians, most of whom live in rural areas many miles from the nearest bus stop. Even with its low price, the Nano is built to meet safety requirement, is fuel efficient and is low on emissions. So far the car is compared to the Volkswagen Beetle which also was an icon in the German Motoring industry.
