A HG Action 1 or a Bugatti Veyron?

[rjpb]

 

Chevrolet Kodiak C4500

 

 

 

Sorry man, but that is one MFU truck!

[TheShadowKnows]

 

Chevrolet Kodiak C4500

 

 

 

Sorry man, but that is one MFU truck!

Classic or is it rare?

[TheShadowKnows]

So how long will Carolina comics last after you comes back from his vacation?

[tth2]

Sorry man, but that is one MFU truck!

For god's sake, please stop reviving that horrible picture!

[MutantKeys]

Sorry man, but that is one MFU truck!

For god's sake, please stop reviving that horrible picture!

 

Saw QOS yesterday and this car is so purty to watch

 

[COI]

Sorry man, but that is one MFU truck!

For god's sake, please stop reviving that horrible picture!

 

Saw QOS yesterday and this car is so purty to watch

 

 

[delekkerste]

November 30, 2008

 

Behind the Wheel | 2009 Aston Martin DBS

Just Think ‘007’ and Add $269,993

 

By LAWRENCE ULRICH

 

STARTING in 1965 with the DB5 in “Goldfinger,” Aston Martin has been linked at the tuxedoed hip with James Bond; gadget-packed Astons have been driven by Connery, Lazenby, Dalton, Brosnan and Craig.

 

But given the economy, anyone who can still afford a $270,000 Aston Martin DBS might inspire a real-world film, with enough supervillains and world domination to make 007 quiver. Call it “The Man with the Golden Parachute.”

 

Wafting above the crowd is certainly the point. With 510 burbling horsepower from the V-12 power plant, angry stockholders vanish in the mirror. Seething mobs of the unemployed are drowned out by the 1,000-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system.

 

C.E.O.-envy aside, the roughly 300 Americans who will drive home a DBS this year need to know the score. First, ignore the self-appointed accountants who have questioned why the DBS costs $100,000 more than the Aston DB9. I mean, these people drive Hondas.

 

The DBS and DB9 share a lightweight aluminum chassis and the 5.9-liter engine block under their stretched hoods. But the DB9 has been around six years, a virtual eternity for people who want the latest and greatest. Second, the lovely DB9 — designed by Ian Callum before he cribbed from himself to create the Jaguar XK — looks even more Jaglike next to this muscled-up Adonis.

 

The DBS isn’t just one of the world’s prettiest cars. It pulls off the tricky feat of looking insanely fast and expensive without rubbing everyone’s nose in it. For all its power — a 4.2-second eruption gets you to 60 m.p.h.; top speed is 191 — the Aston is a classic GT, a proper Brit with a noblesse oblige you won’t find in a flaming yellow Lamborghini.

 

That Aston heritage dates to 1914, but it took Ford to revitalize the moribund company. After 13 years of full ownership, Ford sold out last year to a consortium backed by Kuwaiti oil investors and led by David Richards, a British motorsports entrepreneur.

 

I spent my first day with the DBS balancing euphoria with skepticism. I figured it would drive like any traditional Aston: a buttery high-speed cruiser with a concert-hall V-12, but too soft and gentlemanly to sully itself on twisty roads.

 

Instead, after a warm-up, the Aston sliced through the countryside like an English football hooligan, but with a better singing voice.

 

A dashboard switch maxes out the computer-controlled shocks for high-speed duty, keeping the Aston’s body pinned to the ground like a manhole cover. The standard ceramic composite brakes — which can cost up to $15,000 extra on other exotic cars — could stand a bit more initial bite, but were triple-espresso strong.

 

An honest-to-God manual shifter — increasingly rare in cars of this caliber — amplified the fun. The lever is placed a bit too far rearward for ideal shifting, and the clutch’s iffy take-up requires practice for smooth starts. But the lever itself is easy and precise, topped with a slab of cool metal. A paddle-shifted automatic is an option.

 

Then there’s that engine, which sounds like money being torn in two. A valve in the exhaust system open under heavy throttle to release the battle cry of the V-12. On that note, the DBS got a dismal 12 m.p.g.

 

On this car, pretty much everything that isn’t lightweight aluminum is even more expensive carbon fiber, from the featherweight hood and interior door trim to the angry-looking aerodynamic diffuser at the rear. It adds up to a relatively svelte 3,737 pounds, about 100 fewer than the main competitor, the $310,000 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.

 

Swan doors swing open on a slightly upward angle, clearing curbs that would gouge the typical low-slung sports car. High sills make for body-scrunching entry and exit, but it’s worth it once you’re inside. Semi-aniline leather and a suede headliner were a perfectly matched deep red, making the cabin look like a boutique bordello.

 

Gauges look as fine as a Swiss chronograph. But while I’ve gotten used to the strange tachometer that spins counter-clockwise, there’s still no red line to show peak engine speed. How much could it cost to paint a red stripe on that thing?

 

Other nitpicks, just to make clear that I’m not a total sucker for beauty: lumbar controls are buried between the seats and console in a “Where’s Waldo?” arrangement. A cheap-looking navigation screen rises from the dash like a ghoul from the crypt of Kia. And the key is called the Emotion Control Unit, which is appropriate since it forced me to keep my temper in check. This fiddly chunk of genuine sapphire and stainless steel must be inserted into a slot just right or the car won’t start.

 

There’s a small parcel shelf in the rear but owners can opt for a tiny back seat instead — for children who haven’t been sent to boarding school.

 

Buyers seeking unrivaled GT performance may choose the 612-horse Ferrari. The 599 GTB is decisively faster than the Aston and its handling is a bit purer. But in my view, the 599 GTB — which even zealots wouldn’t cite as an all-time great Ferrari design — can’t beat the Aston’s looks.

 

Such fantastical comparisons tend to embarrass me anyway; it’s like asking which superhero would make the best and fastest sushi chef. (My money’s on Aquaman.)

 

Still, most car fans, including auto writers, keep a fantasy list of cars we imagine we’d buy if we struck it rich. For what it’s worth, the DBS is the first Aston GT to make it onto my mental bedroom wall. Surely there’s no harm in wondering how much a used DBS will fetch in 10 years.

 

 

[delekkerste]

And, on the flip side...

 

Aston Martin laying off 600 employees

December 1, 2008

 

LONDON (AP) - Aston Martin, maker of James Bond's luxury sports car, said Monday that it is laying off as much as a third of its work force because of falling sales during the economic slump.

 

The cuts involve a mix of full-time and temporary jobs at its plant in Gaydon in western England.

 

"It is hoped to do this by minimizing the impact on employees as far as possible, but the possibility of up to 300 permanent and a similar number of temporary job losses cannot be ruled out," the company said in a statement. It now employs 1,700 people in Britain.

 

Aston Martin sold 110 cars in Britain in October compared with 164 in the same month last year. Total annual sales are expected to drop to 6,500 this year compared to 7,300 this year.

 

The company's sticker price for its cheapest Vantage model is 83,000 pounds ($128,000) and prices run as high as 162,500 pounds ($250,000) for the DBS, the car featured in the latest James Bond film, "Quantum of Solace."

 

"Like other premium car brands, Aston Martin has been forced to take action to respond to the unprecedented downturn in the global economy. These are regrettable but necessary measures in the extraordinary market conditions we all now face," said chief executive Ulrich Bez.

 

"Overall, we remain confident that the Aston Martin brand is the strongest it has ever been: with dedicated design, engineering and manufacturing facilities and an award-winning product range, we remain well positioned for the upturn in the economy."

 

The Unite union said it would oppose compulsory layoffs but would work with the company to achieve voluntary departures.

 

"In the current climate, this is not surprising but we are extremely disappointed" said Dave Osborne, a national officer for the union.

 

 

[MutantKeys]

So when are you going to upgrade?

[Fireboy]

Action 1?

[COI]

Hey Gene, do you think the DBS is really worth the extra 100K?

[delekkerste]

Hey Gene, do you think the DBS is really worth the extra 100K?

 

Based on performance, probably not, but it's like Clarkson said: one day, you're going to be at a stoplight in your DB9 and a DBS will come up beside you. You will feel hopelessly inadequate and want to kill yourself. Most of the extra $100K is for cachet, no doubt!

 

I've heard that Aston may close the price gap between the DBS and DB9 and Vantage - probably when the successors to the DB9 and Vantage come out, with the goal being to produce fewer cars at a higher price point. Get your "cheap" Astons while you still can!

 

Don't remember if I posted this or not - I was out driving with Marek Reichmann (head designer for Aston, who designed the DBS and the upcoming One-77, Rapide and V12 Vantage) and some local owners a couple of months ago. Here's a pic from a rest stop on Long Island - Marek is the tall, lanky guy in black crossing the road in the photo.

[delekkerste]

Oh dear...

 

Ferrari denies trouble despite layoffs this week

by Frank Filipponio on Dec 8th, 2008 at 2:31PM

 

This may come as a surprise, but Ferrari is apparently mortal. Although it has denied being affected by the global economic crisis, the Italian supercar maker has announced plans to lay off up to 10 percent of its workforce this week. This comes on the heels of announcing in November that sales had dropped from around 600 units per month to a miniscule 92 sales worldwide. As many as 300 workers could be idled after negotiations with Italy's trade unions. So much for thinking it might be recession-proof.

 

For now the Maranello company has announced an unprecedented 20-day holiday shutdown this year to ward off huge stockpiles of parts and inventory. Even with the new California launching and the recently announced Scuderia Spider 16M on the way, and despite a two-year waiting list for its product globally, distributors around the world are apparently sitting on too much inventory. Sales of the V12 models have reportedly stalled and F430 sales have slowed to a trickle since the California was announced.

 

We now seriously doubt the company will be able to reach its goal of 10,000 sales by 2010, which Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo had been promising as recently as the Paris Motor Show back in October. For its part, Ferrari is saying that this is traditionally a slow time of year, that F430 sales were naturally affected by the announcement of the 16M and California, and that the extended holiday break has more to do with the calendar than the economy. We simply like the thought that this might one day mean lower prices for Enzo's finest. Thanks for the tip, Richard!

 

[source: Autocar]

[delekkerste]

A Bugatti Veyron pulled up to the valet just as I was leaving Prime 112 steakhouse in Miami tonight. Out of the passenger side stepped a beautiful hardbody blonde in her late 20s or early 30s. Out of the driver side stepped a paunchy, shaggy, white-haired guy in his 60s. HG Action 1 or Bugatti Veyron? Game, set and match to the Veyron.

[comics-rock]

Hey Gene, do you think the DBS is really worth the extra 100K?

 

Based on performance, probably not, but it's like Clarkson said: one day, you're going to be at a stoplight in your DB9 and a DBS will come up beside you. You will feel hopelessly inadequate and want to kill yourself. Most of the extra $100K is for cachet, no doubt!

 

I've heard that Aston may close the price gap between the DBS and DB9 and Vantage - probably when the successors to the DB9 and Vantage come out, with the goal being to produce fewer cars at a higher price point. Get your "cheap" Astons while you still can!

 

Don't remember if I posted this or not - I was out driving with Marek Reichmann (head designer for Aston, who designed the DBS and the upcoming One-77, Rapide and V12 Vantage) and some local owners a couple of months ago. Here's a pic from a rest stop on Long Island - Marek is the tall, lanky guy in black crossing the road in the photo.

 

 

Don't usually get excited about cars...but this beaut....

[COI]

A Bugatti Veyron pulled up to the valet just as I was leaving Prime 112 steakhouse in Miami tonight. Out of the passenger side stepped a beautiful hardbody blonde in her late 20s or early 30s. Out of the driver side stepped a paunchy, shaggy, white-haired guy in his 60s. HG Action 1 or Bugatti Veyron? Game, set and match to the Veyron.

 

Hold on a sec; women are attracted to money? So if I focus on making a lot of money, I can keep dating young, hot blondes LONG after I pass my prime? So I don't have to settle down after all? Is that what you're telling me?

 

 

 

[VintageComics]

A Bugatti Veyron pulled up to the valet just as I was leaving Prime 112 steakhouse in Miami tonight. Out of the passenger side stepped a beautiful hardbody blonde in her late 20s or early 30s. Out of the driver side stepped a paunchy, shaggy, white-haired guy in his 60s. HG Action 1 or Bugatti Veyron? Game, set and match to the Veyron.

 

Hold on a sec; women are attracted to money? So if I focus on making a lot of money, I can keep dating young, hot blondes LONG after I pass my prime? So I don't have to settle down after all? Is that what you're telling me?

 

 

 

 

The money is not the problem. The problem is that you're attracted to blondes. Fundamental flaw.

 

[VintageComics]

By the way....I have a 2009 SL 65 V-12 Twin Turbo waiting for a test drive when I get to the shop tomorrow....hope the snow storm waits until I'm done. Almost 600 HP and 1000 NM of torque just ain't a lot of fun in the white stuff.

 

[VintageComics]

By the way....I have a 2009 SL 65 V-12 Twin Turbo waiting for a test drive when I get to the shop tomorrow....hope the snow storm waits until I'm done. Almost 600 HP and 1000 NM of torque just ain't a lot of fun in the white stuff.

 

 

Well, I just got back from driving the fastest car I've ever driven. The snow has not hit Toronto yet (it was tickling Kitchener just as I left this morning at 7 am).

 

This car left me shaking.

 

It went from 180 km/h to 190 and 190 to 200 in about 2-3 seconds each.

The tires broke loose when I was doing 130 km/h (about 80 mph) and tromped it.

 

Holy this thing is scary!

 

[COI]

Next time, swing it by my place so I can get a turn.