Cares Cars Blog: October 2010

Sunday, October 31, 2010

2011 Honda Civic Type R Euro Launched in Japan, Limited to 1,500 Units

Honda has introduced a new model year version of its British-built Civic Type R Euro in Japan. The 2011MY batch will be the last of this model series to make its way to Japan as production of the current generation three-door Civic Type R has been terminated in Europe because its 2.0-litre VTEC engine does not meet the Euro V emissions regulations.

Having few things to do this weekend, I decided to crash a Toyota event. It was the 2010 Toyota Experience, which will eventually cover 17 Romanian cities and is meant to promote the Japanese manufacturer's European line-up, from the cute-and-cuddly iQ to the rough-and-tough Hilux truck and the more stylish Land Cruiser. Video after break.

Honda to Debut Electric Concept Model and New Plug-in Hybrid Platform at LA Show

Last week, we told you about some of the new cars and concept models heading to the LA Auto Show in mid-November. Now we have news of Honda's plans for the motor show. The Japanese automaker said it will host the world premiere of an all-new electric vehicle concept as well as a plug-in hybrid platform showcasing the next-generation of Honda hybrid technology.

Supercars are nice, no doubt about it, but few people can really afford them. The price is high, upkeep is high, taxes are high and any mistake, even one that ends in a mild fender-bender is still going to cost you an arm and a leg. A bit too much then, for some weekend fun.

Fortunately, there is a cheaper alternative and, might I add, at least as fun as owning a supercar. A kart. This is driving at its purest form and if you ever saw a kart race with Ayrton Senna or Michael Schumacher in it you'll know what I'm talking about.

Hitting the SEMA Show floors next week will be an array of customized Lexus hybrid models. The Japanese firm's lineup in Las Vegas will include the RX 450h SUV tuned by Paul Tolson, a race-spec GS 450h sedan, the VIP Auto Salon-prepped HS 250h sedan and two modified LS 600h L limos.

Lexus will also show off the CT 200h F-Sport concept fitted with 18-inch wheels shod in Pirelli P-Zero Nero 225/40 tires, a big brake kit with cross drilled rotors and an adjustable sport suspension. Full details and pictures after the break.

Classic car ads are always nice, because they were made in times when people weren't so wound up and actually had the time to read something. So, there's plenty of information in them, some of which is quite entertaining today, almost thirty years later.

This here ad depicts the E28 BMW 5-Series, built between 1981 and 1988, claiming that it's both a sports car and luxury sedan.

Here we go again: Bulgarian Vilner luxifies the Camaro with impressive results

Vilner, who recently took it upon themselves to redo the interior of a Hennessey SRT600 Grand Cherokee, has now unleashed their interior-modifying skills on the new Camaro. Thank God, because it most definitely needs some fancy-pants stuff like this on the inside in order to take on the Mustang.

For this project, Vilner took a Silver Ice V6 Camaro and then added its own special magic to the seats, dash, ceiling, and all the rest. Instead of the common black plastic and leather found in most Camaros, Vilner's pony car wears "nubuck, aged nappa, and chrome" in its passenger compartment.

There's a redesigned steering wheel with better grips, too. Yeah, that's nice, but I'm still staring at all the leather. Why? Because it looks like a million bucks.

If we are to believe a report from Britain's Car magazine, Audi is planning to introduce a mid-engined sports car called the R5. Said to be positioned between the more mainstream TT and the flagship R8, the R5 is believed to be based on the VW Group's forthcoming MiMo (as in "MittelMotor") mid-engine sports car platform, which will also be used on future Porsche and VW models.

Are you (1) a white man with an afro, (2) wear flared trousers or (3) would say your favorite band is Jefferson Starship? If you answered, "Yes," to any of these questions then boy do we have the car for you.

Built by Glenn Legrand over a five year period and presumably completed in 1970, the Legrand Electric Car is a one-of-a-kind electric car for the '70s obsessive. According to the seller, Mr. Legrand got the plans from Popular Mechanics Magazine, back in the days when the magazine did that sort of thing.

Underneath that Johnny Cab body are the simple, reliable mechanicals of a Volkswagen Beetle, though the Legrand is three feet longer and two feet wider. The body is made out of a combination of polyurethane foam and fibreglass.

Mercedes has released a larger-than-life gallery with 101 high resolution photos of the F800 Style, a concept sports saloon we first laid eyes on at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show. The compact-sized F800 was created to preview the German manufacturer's new design language, as seen later on the new CLS, which made its world debut in Paris last month.

To say that Demitrios Bisbelis from Melbourne, Australia, is lucky, is an enormous understatement. The 31-year old man escaped almost certain death - or serious injuries at best, when he decided to get out of bed briefly at 2 am to check his computer in another room. A few minutes later, a Hyundai Excel [also know as the Pony] ploughed into his house and onto the bed he was lying on moments ago!

The Red Bull X1 will be the fastest car in Sony's forthcoming Gran Turismo 5 - that is, if the game ever comes out… To prove this, Sebastian Vettel was asked to do a lap of the Nürburgring race track. As you'd expect, it was done in record time and you can witness it by watching the video after the break.

This is all fine and dandy, but the X1 doesn't exist in real life. However, the science behind it is very real, so, if it were to be built, it would be the fastest vehicle on Earth. Let's check out some [virtual] facts and numbers.

On paper, the X1 measures 0.98 m (38.58 inches) tall, 2.18 m (85.82 inches) wide and 4.75m (187 inches) long - or about the same length as an average family sedan.

The standard Camry isn't exactly what you'd call an exciting car - well, unless the gas pedal and floor mats decide to do their thing and kick in, that is... But as you might imagine, this here SEMA-bound example is a totally different beast from your everyday Camry. First of all, it's only got two doors. And then there's that massive V8 engine lurking under the hood.

The special two-door Toyota Camry NASCAR Edition was developed by RK Collection (RKC) in cooperation with the Japanese firm's in-house Toyota Racing Development (TRD) division. The goal was to create a high-performance but completely street legal Camry with a NASCAR engine to demonstrate the connection between Toyota's production vehicles and its NASCAR program.

Mercedes-Benz has published a bevy of pictures of its next-generation SLK hardtop roadster during endurance testing in the heat of Death Valley to show off the upcoming model's panoramic glass-roof with Magic Sky Control [MSC].

Driving with the top down is not always an option. There might be clear blue skies, but temperatures could be also very low. Other times the car's interior gets way too hot if it has a panoramic glass roof. Either way, your drive is ruined.

And this is where the Magic Sky Control system comes into the picture. A roughly 2,000 euro (US $2,772) option for the next generation SLK, the MSC is, in essence, a panoramic roof that can be made either transparent or darkened, just by pushing a button.

For a company that builds the wildly popular in the tuning scene WRX and STI models, Subaru appears to be taking it easy at this year's edition of the SEMA Show.

According to the official announcement, Subaru's offerings on the Las Vegas Convention Center floor will be highlighted by the "fastest STI ever"; a pre-production test model that lapped the Ring in 7:55:00 in the hands of four-time World Rally Champion, Tommi Mäkinen this past summer (see video here).

A while back, Dr. Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, said that "the One-77 is approaching a production reality and… the next steps are all about details and refinement to complete the composition."

Well, it seems that engineers and test drivers are indeed refining this 750-horsepower beast these days, as a prototype model has been caught on video while frantically lapping the Nürburgring race track.

Highlighting Scion's presence at next week's SEMA Show will be five customized examples of the Japanese firm's all-new 2011 tC Coupe. When it leaves the factory, the tC is motivated by a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine pushing out 185-horsepower.

As you'd expect, most tuners chose the turbocharging route to increase the tC's performance under the hood, with GReddy being the only company to announce output figures (340hp and 325 lb-ft of peak torque). Scroll down for photos and full details (in the spec sheets) for all five tCs.

With the annual SEMA Show near the world's most famous Strip almost upon us (November 2 to 5), automakers and tuners alike are rushing in to give us an early preview of their custom proposals. The most recent case-in-point: the "All Stretched Out Cartel xB".

The name says it all, but just to clarify, Cartel [King] is the nickname of one of the tuners involved in the creation of the VIP themed, super-long Scion xB, Jeremy Lookofsky. Though, we could see this customized xB being a hit with certain other cartels... Gallery after the jump.

Further twisting the knife on American buyers who can't get the Scirocco R on this side of the pond, Volkswagen today announced the introduction of race car-like bucket seats for the driver and front passenger.

When you see "world record" and "Lamborghini Murcielago" in the same sentence, in a tuner's press release, usually something extreme follows, with out-of-this-world power and speed being pretty safe bets.

But that's not how Unicate does things. The German tuner pushed the envelope in a different way with this Yeniceri Edition Murcielago. This here example of Sant' Agata's supercar has the biggest tires ever fitted to a Murcielago.

David Cardoso wants Renault to do the Twist with New Design Concept

David Cardoso, whose work includes the water-bound Audi Hydron concept and Cobalt coupe, has created a new car concept to take on Mitsubishi's i-Miev. Envisioned as a Renault, the Twist would be a small electric city vehicle to slot between the baby Twingo and larger Modus MPV.

From the looks of it, the Twist's design is awkward enough to be Renault (and I say that in a good way). Its nose is nothing to blow people away style-wise, but it certainly looks the part of an i-Miev competitor. Luckily, that means it can win people over with cuteness.

Besides the apparently tall and spine-straightening seating area designed by chiropractors, the Twist looks ready to go. Even the wheels are a realistic size, unlike a lot of renderings put out there.

A defect in the ignition system that can cause an engine to stall while running has prompted a massive recall of some 2.1 million Nissan and Infiniti cars and trucks worldwide.

In the U.S. and Canada, the recall involves the 2004-2006MY Nissan Armada and Titan, 2005-2006MY Infiniti QX56, as well as the 2003-2006MY Nissan Frontier, Pathfinder and Xterra models. Other models in the global recall list include the Cube, March/Micra and Tiida.

The Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid will go on sale in the U.S. this November, with prices starting from $67,700, excluding destination charges. Rated by the EPA at 21 mpg in the city (11.2 lt/100 km) and 25 mpg on the highway (9.4 lt/100 km), the Cayenne S Hybrid will not be subject to a gas-guzzler tax, as is the case with all other 2011 Cayenne models.

The first ever theme park dedicated to Ferrari and the largest of its kind, opened its doors to the international press on Wednesday. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi's much-anticipated public opening was also scheduled for the same day, however it was postponed due to the death of 92-year-old Sheik Saqr bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi, the ruler of emirate Ras Al Khaimah.

Ferrari World's officials are said to have been expecting up to 10,000 people on the first day of its opening. Today, it was announced that the 40-acre theme park on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, will open to the public on November 4.

Just today, we learned that Skoda delivered a record number of vehicles in the first nine months of 2010, increasing its operating profit by a whopping 64%. This is what most people know about the Czech automaker; that it has been a wild success since Volkswagen took over the reins of the company. But there are others -myself included- who think the real glory of Skoda lies in its past.

We've known for a while that Cadillac plans to expand its line-up with new models including a smaller than the CTS entry-level sedan, and by doing so, target the likes of the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes C-Class.

Today, General Motors announced the new small Cadillac will be built at the Lansing Grand River assembly plant. The company said it plans to invest $190 million for this purpose, which will result in the creation of 600 jobs and the addition of a second shift.

The last time we heard from Heide Performance Products (HPP), the Michigan-based tuner showcased a Daytona conversion for Dodge's Challenger. Keeping with the vintage theme, HPP is now ready to show its next pony car conversion - a Camaro-based Trans-Am kit - at this year's SEMA show in Vegas.

As with all the other Firebird body kits out there (Lingenfelter's, ASC's, etc), HPP's version does its best to bring back the good-ol' days of the screaming chicken. The results, as with any "we're selling you memories" conversion, vary.

Regarding the proposition of selling this conversion (for anything other than the collectability factor), I don't see a point. Pontiac is D-E-A-D, it's not coming back, and that means anyone's "new" Trans-Am will forever be a Chevy wearing a costume. It's similar to having a Plymouth nameplate on a modern Chrysler or Dodge; the vintage naming works for the Daytona, but not for the Superbird.

Being that the Mexican economy is on the rise for a select few [...], Lamborghini has opened not one, but two dealerships in the country. The first to open on October 26 was the "Lamborghini Mexico City" dealership, located on one of the city's most important avenues on Insurgentes Sur. It was followed by "Lamborghini Monterrey" on 27 October, situated in the so-called "Beverly Hills of Latin America" in the municipality of San Pedro, Nuevo León.

After tossing out the facelifted 2011 Avenger earlier today, Dodge has now unveiled the revised 2011 Grand Caravan. If you have been following the news on the Chrysler Group's 2011MY products, you won't be surprised to know that the changes on the Grand Caravan can be summed up in the following points: Pentastar V6; overhauled interior; re-tuned suspension and subtle exterior mods.

For the new model year, Citroën has updated the range of its UK market C3 Picasso with the addition of a limited edition version called the "BLACKCHERRY " and the introduction of a new Euro 5 HDi 110 diesel engine matched to a 6-speed transmission.

Another day, another new or in this case, refreshed Chrysler Group product. Enter the 2011 Dodge Avenger that has been overhauled with a completely new interior, better powertrain options, a revised suspension and a barely noticeable exterior facelift.

Unlike its Chrysler 200 brethren, the 2011 Avenger receives only a few minor exterior tweaks and in particular, the new signature Dodge Brand "split crosshair" grille and a redesigned bumper up front, plus new LED tail lamps at the back.

The big styling changes are found inside where the Avenger gets a brand new interior with a far more contemporary design and higher-grade materials that Dodge claims are "more pleasing to the touch but also to the eye".

In addition to being one of Fiat's most important markets, the Italian automaker is also getting ready to celebrate its 35 years in Brazil next year, so it comes to no surprise that the company is exhibiting a total of 30 vehicles at this week's Sao Paulo Auto Show. The Uno Cabrio and Mio [or FCC 111] concept models and the new Uno Sporting and Bravo production models, are among the highlights of Fiat's display.

Beginning with the Uno Cabrio, this concept study is a two-seater drop top variant of the South American market Uno supermini. In addition to losing the Uno's top and rear seats, the quirky looking roadster model also sports an aggressive bodykit with newly designed front and rear bumpers and a set of 17-inch alloy wheels.

The engine of choice is the same one as of Punto T-Jet, a 152HP 1.4-liter turbo which is capable of carrying the Cabrio to a top speed close to 200 km/h [124mph].

Hyundai's all-new ix20 will carry a starting price of £11,595 when it goes on sale in the UK on November 18. The South Korean firm's small MPV, which made its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show earlier this month, will be available with three drivetrain options and three trim levels (Classic, Active and Style.

DAMD goes Low-Key with Mitsubishi Outlander Sport [RVR / ASX]

In what could be one of the most subtle proposals to come out of the DAMD tuning shop yet, the Japanese aftermarket company presented a rather tasty styling kit for the new Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, which as you probably already know, is called ASX in Europe and RVR in Japan.

Recreated crime scene

Once upon a time, a long time ago, our friends Ronnie and Earl had three cats. We had three cats too, and we often cared for each others' cats during vacations. Ronnie's cats were Siamese, and the male, Tico, was madly, crazily, in love with her. His intense devotion was, at times, kind of creepy. One evening when Ronnie and Earl were out of town, I headed to their apartment to give the cats food, water and attention, and change the litter box. When I opened the apartment door, my heart kind of stopped, and I froze, taking in a strange, dimly lit scene. The furniture was haphazardly draped with bras and panties, and I was paralyzed with the thought that a pervert had broken in, and might still be lurking in one of the rooms. It was eerily quiet, with no sign of the cats.

Then Tico, tail high and flicking back and forth, sauntered in with a deep Siamese mrrroouuww. "Tico," I said quietly, "did YOU do this?" "Mrrroouuw," he said, rubbing against my leg. "Where's Ronnie?"

Next, squat, clutzy Mei Ping shyly entered the room. "This has nothing to do with me," she said, avoiding the furniture. Finally, tiny, delicate Hampton bounded in on her teeny little paws. "Play with me," she mewed. Now surrounded by cats and feeling slighter calmer, but still unnerved, I cautiously entered the apartment and headed towards the other rooms, ready to flee at any moment, if necessary. The cats and I checked all the rooms and closets, and found them empty. In the bathroom, one lacy bra still hung on a drying rack. "You're a bad boy, Tico," I said. "I love you," he answered, with great sincerity.

I left the living room as I'd found it, furniture backs and seats bizarrely covered with underwear, for Ronnie to enjoy on her return. But I did warn her when she called to ask how the cats were, that Tico had been doing some redecorating. I didn't want her to be alarmed when she entered the room.

The weather over the past couple of days made me remember this cat story — you know, as in "raining cats and dogs." And since it's been rainy and cold, just like you I've been thinking about, and eating soup.

I've been wanting to make parsnip soup ever since I had it for lunch at Café Flora, a local vegetarian restaurant. It was so creamy and warming, every bite was a treat. To make my version, I used a pressure cooker because it's fast, and I love the way it seems to intensify flavors, but you could use a regular soup pot instead.

Mellow parsnip soup (serves four generously)

1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander
scant 1 teaspoon coarse salt
7 (or so) parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
2 organic potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small pieces
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 to 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
4 cups water
1 tablespoon tahini (more if you really like tahini)
1 to 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
fresh ground pepper
garnish

In a five quart pressure cooker, warm the oil a little and add the cumin seeds. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the seeds become fragrant and start to sizzle, about four minutes.
Add the coriander and stir.
Add the salt and stir.
Add the parsnips, potatoes, celery and garlic, and stir to coat the vegetables.
Add the water. Bring to pressure. Cook five minutes. Bring the pressure down and open the pot. (In a conventional pot, cut the veggies into small pieces and cook in the water until tender.)
Add the tahini. With an immersion blender, blend until completely smooth and creamy, adding vegetable broth as needed to achieve your preferred texture. The soup should be fairly thick and creamy. (To use a regular blender, blend a small amount at a time, until all the soup is blended.)
Grind in black pepper. Taste for seasonings.
Place in bowls and add a green garnish of your choice. (I used shredded bitter greens, but parsley, coriander or green onions would all be good choices.

I could never have made a soup like this when my children were growing up — all three boys had an aversion to what they called, "white things." White things included mainly parsnips, turnips and celery root, all three of which I love. I used to try to sneak small amounts of these flavorful foods into soups by cutting them up really small or by making judicious use of the blender, but I could never fool the boys. "ARE THERE WHITE THINGS IN HERE?" one of them would always ask, in a voice filled with angst.

Well, hell yes, this soup is filled with white things, and it tastes great! And if I'd had celery root in the house, I definitely would have added some to the soup. Next time.

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Bake sale success

Bethany and me at Sidecar Vegan Store, before the sale started.

Thanks to Bethany's refined organizational skills, the bake sale for Pig's Peace Animal Sanctuary was a huge success. A shocking amount of baked goods were donated to the sale, and at the end, only four pieces remained unsold! The grand total raised was $1,299. This was Bethany's last sale as organizer, and she deserves an award for all the hard work she's put into making these events successful. But I know she doesn't like awards so a big THANK YOU will have to suffice.

Bethany took photos of all the donated goods, and here's the one that shows some of my puffed rice bars. They were sitting on the same plate as filled chocolate whoopie pies, which was a little intimidating. It's kind of like choosing a brussels sprout instead of a fresh, ripe peach. Not that I don't like brussels sprouts ...

Here you can see my personal stash of purchased bake sale goods. Everything from gluten-free zucchini muffins to cinnamon buns. One of the coolest things about the sale was I got to meet some Seattle vegan bloggers — the writers of Bitt of Raw, and The Discerning Kitchen.

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Farm Sanctuary Reveals 10 Fascinating Facts About Turkeys
Just in Time for Thanksgiving, Nation’s Leading Farm Animal Protection Organization Shares Little-Known Facts About America’s Favorite Holiday Bird

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – October 26, 2010 – Did you know that turkeys communicate their emotions by way of color changes in the skin on their necks, faces and snoods (the flap of skin that hangs over the turkey's beak)? And that a turkey’s snood turns bright red when he is upset or during courtship? This is just one of the fascinating facts about America’s favorite holiday bird being revealed by Farm Sanctuary, the nation’s leading farm animal protection organization, just in time for Thanksgiving. Having rescued more than 1,000 turkeys since 1986 and provided lifelong care for hundreds at their two world-renowned shelters located in Watkins Glen, New York and Orland, California, the organization is recognized as a foremost expert on these sensitive, intelligent and thoroughly fascinating birds. Those who don’t know a snood from a wattle (the flap of skin under the turkey's chin) are sure to be intrigued by the following little-known turkey facts:

Turkeys recognize each other by their unique voices.
Researchers have identified more than 20 distinct vocalizations in wild turkeys.
Turkeys have excellent geography skills and can learn the specific details of an area of more than 1,000 acres.
Like cats and dogs, turkeys are intelligent and sensitive animals who form strong social bonds and show great affection to others.
On factory farms, turkeys frequently have the ends of their beaks and toes cut off without anesthesia — practices know as debeaking and detoeing — to prevent them from injuring one another as they are crowded by the thousands into dark, filthy warehouses.
Between 1965 and 2000, the weight of the average turkey raised commercially in the U.S. increased by 57 percent, from an average of 18 pounds to an average of 28.2 pounds, causing commercially-bred turkeys to suffer from crippling foot and leg problems.
Completely unlike their wild ancestors not only in terms of physique but also in hue, most commercial turkeys are totally white — the natural bronze color selectively bred out of them to eliminate uneven pigment colorations — because of consumer preference for even flesh tones. Also catering to consumer preferences for “white meat,” the industry has selectively bred turkeys to have abnormally large breasts. This anatomical manipulation makes it difficult for male turkeys to mount the females, eliminating these birds’ ability to reproduce naturally. As a result, artificial insemination is now the sole means of reproduction on factory farms, where breeder birds are confined for months on end.
Turkeys, along with other poultry, are not protected by the federal Humane Slaughter Act, and are frequently killed without first being stunned.
Every year, more than 46 million turkeys are killed for Thanksgiving holiday dinners, but it doesn’t have to be this way. If you think these birds are as incredible as we do, you can join talk show host and animal advocate Ellen DeGeneres, Farm Sanctuary’s 2010 Adopt-A-Turkey Project spokesperson, in starting a new tradition this year by adopting a turkey instead of eating. Visit adoptaturkey.org for details or call the Turkey Adoption Hotline at 1-888-SPONSOR.

To learn more about these fascinating birds, be sure to check out the new Turkey Talk episode of Farm Sanctuary’s Reel Life at Farm Sanctuary video series. In this short, entertaining video, National Shelter Director Susie Coston introduces viewers to some special birds in the organization’s New York Shelter flock and talks a whole lot of turkey!

Sunday, October 31, 2010

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