If you are in the LA area this Wednesday, make sure to stop by the DC Store on Melrose between 5 and 7 PM. Rally driver Ken Block will be there signing posters and giving away other free swag. DC will also be promoting Block’s new team gear.
Source: Facebook
The Force was strong in Hollywood last weekend when G4TV’s Attack of the Show joined forces with Playmate Sara Jean Underwood and the 501st Legion to host a Star Wars car wash to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation®. Han Solo, Obi Wan, Darth Vader, Boba Fett, several Storm Troopers, a Red Guard, a Tusken Raider and pair of Jawas were on hand to stand watch as a bevy of slave Leias soaped up customers’ cars.
SOURCE: G4tv.com
Yesterday I went up to Knott’s Berry Farm for the Fabulous Fords Forever; however the find of the day was not a Ford, instead upon pulling into the parking lot adjacent to the show I instantly spotted a Mercedes SLS AMG! It had distributor plates on it and it appeared to have been put through the ringer: it hadn’t been washed, looked like it had been driven in the rain and the front wheels had a thick coat of brake dust; someone sure had been having fun.
Below are the pics I took, for more information, pics and videos check out our FORUM
Here are some basic stats:
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
ESTIMATED BASE PRICE: $200,000
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 379 cu in, 6208cc
Power (SAE net): 563 bhp @ 6800 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 479 lb-ft @ 4750 rpmTRANSMISSION: 7-speed dual-clutch automated manual
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 105.5 in Length: 182.6 in
Width: 76.3 in Height: 49.7 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 3600 lbPERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 3.5 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 11.7 sec @ 125 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 196 mphPROJECTED FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city/highway driving: 13/20 mpg
After wrapping up Rally Turkey, where Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino finished 24th overall, and taking the long way back to the states due to the volcano erupting in Iceland, Block is heading to San Fran instead of the Olympus Rally in Washington to debut “Gymkhana THREE Ford Fiesta.” The debut will take place at Taverna Aventine, ironically on Washington St., at 8pm tonight. Here is a little hint of what’s to come; the footage was taken at a top secret testing facility.
SOURCE: Facebook PhotoCredit: MonsterWorldRallyteam.com
Last weekend the 2010 Formula Drift season kicked off in Long Beach on turns 9, 10, and 11 of the Grand Prix course. When it was all said and done Vaughn Gittin Jr. took first place in his new 2011 Mustang sponsored by Falken Tire and Monster Energy Drink, with Rhys Millen (Hyundai Genesis Coupe) and Tanner Foust (NASCAR V8-powered Scion tC) taking second and third respectively. Gittin’s last win came at Irwindale in 2008.
SOURCE: VaughnGittin.com and Vimeo
Oxnard, Calif. (2010) – The Mullin Automotive Museum, a facility that will pay homage to the art deco and machine age design eras (1918-1941) that produced exquisite art and magnificent automobiles, will officially open its doors for the first time in the beach community of Oxnard, Calif., Spring 2010.
The dramatic facility will be a three-dimensional celebration of the pre-World War II Belgian/French decorative arts movement, long described as Art Deco. Sharing the more than 50-thousand square-feet of exhibit space will be one of the finest collections of coach-built automobiles, furniture and art from the Deco era.
A display of more than 100 historic French cars is planned to include examples from Delahaye, Delage, Talbot-Lago, Voisin, Hispano-Suiza and of course, Bugatti, wrapped in voluptuous forms from the iconic coachbuilding ateliers of Chapron, Figoni et Falaschi, Gangloff, Vanvooren, Labourdette, Letourneur et Marchand and Saoutchik, among others. And, while his work was exclusive to the cars created by his father, Jean Bugatti was among the best designers of his time and will also be well represented, along with the art of his sister, uncle, father and grandfather.
Next to the Pebble Beach Concours winning automobile restorations will be displayed 30 automotive treasures in as-found condition before a 90-foot diorama of the barn in which they were discovered. These cars are the core of the Schlumpf ?Reserve Collection.? It includes many cars, purchased by the Schlumpf brothers in the early 60s from American sportsman John Shakespeare. This remarkable juxtaposition will also illustrate the work required to make a barn-find car into an award-winning showpiece. The Schlumpfs were industrialists of the Alsace region of France. Their goal was to bring all the Bugattis back to where they had been created. What became an enormous collection is now called “Musée National – Collection Schlumpf” in Mulhouse, France. It includes dozens of Bugattis among many other important French classics.
On the nearly 11-thousand square foot mezzanine is planned another exhibit of French classics from the less sensual Grand Prix and Le Mans sports-racing school of design including Gabriel Voisin’s incredible ?Laboratoire? experimental racer. They will be shown in a pre-WWII Le Mans track and racing pit diorama to give viewers a sense of the casual atmosphere once enjoyed by the racing elite.
“Club Bugatti” will share the second floor. Here we will be encouraged by Mr. Mullin to remember that the Bugatti name and its creative gene predated and paralleled the famous Ettore, so reverently chronicled in the automotive world. The family art exhibit will include priceless furniture created by Ettore’s father Carlo near the beginning of the last century, bronze sculptures by Ettore’s brother Rembrandt and elegant pastels and charcoal drawings by Ettore’s daughter, Lidia. The entrance to the Club will be around a freestanding wall containing a set of Carlo Bugatti’s splendid doors.
The science of the Twenty-first Century will protect the art of the Twentieth. A well-integrated green power supply and supporting insulation will create an interior climate carefully tuned for preservation. In that atmosphere, the priceless restorations and fine art pieces will cease measurable age.
An elevator will rise from the main floor through the mezzanine to a roof deck and garden. Art deco waveform grilles surround the elevator mechanism. The elevator tower includes a staircase and will double as a photo gallery illustrating Parisian life during the ?Belle Époque.? The rooftop view will include the green discipline of the 21st century facility. The roof itself is sealed in thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) with heat-welded seams. The surface is so white and smooth, its manufacturer states it will reflect 20% of the solar heat away from the interior. An array of photovoltaic panels collects the area’s nearly uninterrupted daytime access to solar power and a set of ducted-turbine generators makes use of the steady ocean breeze. Their design will actually advance the deco theme above the museum’s entrance. Below them, the entrance is shaded by an Eiffelesque iron portico supporting dozens of tinted windshields that looks both period correct and apropos collections within.
Mr. Mullin would like the collection to be known as a museum of the art deco period. The mature forms of that new design language were established by ?l’Exposition International des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes? (1925); dubbed Art Moderne for many years then Art Deco by a journalist in 1960. That concise description has survived half a century. In spite of the best efforts of a devoted connoisseur of Arts Décoratifs Modernes, it will likely be the Arts Industriels that will raise emotions and make memories - it will be the cars.
Swiss sculptor Max Bill described the convergence of fine and industrial art of the period; ?Whether he like it or not, those who create new forms succumb to the influence of modern art…Comparison between an automobile and the sculpture of its time will show how close the relationship is between works of art and the forms of useful objects.? Contemporary designer Philippe Charbonneaux describing Figoni’s work said, “…very much an artist…a master of curves and elegant lines.” Even the connoisseurs in Britain could not resist colorful commentary. As auto enthusiast and noted aficionado Sir Peter Ustionov suggested: “One drives, of course, an Alfa Romeo; one is driven in a Rolls Royce; but one gives only a Delage to one’s favorite mistress.” Sir William Lyons, father of the sweeping forms of SS and Jaguar cars, described the classic French work as, “positively indecent.”
SOURCE: Autoblog PhotoCredit: Drew Phillips
Universal City Nissan would like to invite you to its 40th anniversary birthday party on April 17th, 2010.
The day will start around 8:00am at the Datsun Heritage Museum (41610 Date St, Suite 103, Murrieta, CA). A fun and informative tour of this historic museum will be provided along with complimentary doughnuts and coffee. Then at 10:30 am, the group will depart in caravan for Universal City Nissan in Los Angeles.
Upon Arrival at Universal City Nissan, participants will be greeted by a free lunch by world famous Kogi BBQ Tacos, courtesy of Universal City Nissan. A local radio station will be broadcasting the latest tunes along with giving away 40th Anniversary prizes and giveaways.
The grand finale will be the unveiling of both the Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition and the number one 2010 Nismo Edition 370Z.
SOURCE: UniversalCityNissan
When Ken Block threw his flat-brimmed hat into the World Rally Championship ring earlier this year, expectations were mixed. But three weeks ago, at Rally Mexico-Monster World Rally Team?s inaugural WRC race-Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino proved that they have what it takes to become a competitive force on the world stage.
“We even surprised ourselves, when, after the first few stages, we were not only not dead last, but we were keeping pace with a few veteran WRC drivers, and even ahead of F1 World Champion Kimi Ra?ikko?nen,” says Ken Block.
By the end of the first leg, on Friday, Block and Gelsomino had secured a position on the leaderboard for the American flag to fly. Unfortunately, an off on the first stage of Day 2, left the Monster Energy Ford Focus RS WRC unable to continue. “It was a rookie mistake,” says Block. “We should have noted the change in surface, the section went from a grippy dirt road to very loose gravel and there was just no traction at all, especially for the speed we were trying to carry into the next turn.”
Thanks to SuperRally rules, which allow competitors to return to the stages the following day along with some heavy time penalties, Block and Gelsomino were at it again on Sunday morning. The two put on a repeat performance of Day 1, finishing stage 19, eighth fastest, with a 13.7 second gap between them and ninth place. Then, on stage 21, the Monster World Rally Team shocked naysayers once more, being second fastest on the road after the first split. But, a puncture caused by an unfortunate meeting of rim and rock later on this stage, robbed Block and Gelsomino of over a minute.
“In the WRC, we had heard of Ken Block, but more for his stunts than his driving, but after his performance in Mexico, I think it is very clear to everyone that he has the potential to become a competitive WRC driver,” says M-Sport Managing Director Malcolm Wilson. “For his first WRC event, he did extremely well.”
“Ken is shining a bright light on what we at Ford have always known…that Ford makes the best fun-to-drive small cars in the world,” says Ford Racing Director Jamie Allison. “Ken’s rally efforts globally with Fiesta and Focus help us to tell that story to a new generation of car enthusiasts and it’s great to see Ken, as the lone American, competing at the highest level in WRC and showcasing his great rally talent. All of which will help expand the appeal of the sport in the U.S.”
The next WRC round for MWRT will be Rally Turkey, on April 16-18. Until then, stay tuned here for team updates and some behind the scenes.
Source: Monster World Rally Team
The storm we’ve been experiencing here in SoCal has moved its way into Arizona causing governor Jan Brewer to declare a state of emergency Thursday night. Strong winds in Scottsdale have blown over two tents at the Russo-Steele Auto Auction fortunately sparing the large tent in which as many as 10,000 people were attending the auction. After spending an hour searching the entire site for anyone in need of assistance, firefighters reported no injuries. Unfortunately many of the cars that the two tents were covering are figured to have also been damaged, although owners are being kept out of the area at least until morning.
Video recorded live during the auction when the announcement was made in the main tent to evacuate (at 21 minutes in); kudos to the staff of Russo-Steele for getting everyone out so quickly and orderly!
Video of the south tent going down, WW for some F-bombs in the background:
SOURCE: www.azfamily.com, UStream.tv
On New Year’s Eve, action sports icon Travis Pastrana made history in Long Beach, ringing in 2010 with a bang. The four-time Rally America Champion and nine-time X Games Gold Medalist broke boundaries and accelerated himself into the history books by accomplishing an amazing feat of skill and calculated risk at Red Bull: New Year. No Limits.
At approximately 9:00 p.m. local time (midnight ET), Pastrana launched his Subaru Impreza STI rally car off the Pine Avenue Pier in Long Beach at 91 miles per hour, soaring 269 feet over Rainbow Harbor and successfully landing on a floating barge. The jump put Pastrana almost 100 feet over the former record, which stood at 171 feet. Red Bull: New Year. No Limits. was telecast live on ESPN/ESPN HD to a worldwide audience and was witnessed live in Long Beach by more than 75,000 fans, according to authorities.
“I was really nervous all day long, but when I got in the car I felt really calm,” said Pastrana. “It was definitely a lot more fun than any of my practice runs, and when I landed, man did that retaining wall come up fast! I’m just happy the car and I didn’t end up in the drink. What a way to head into 2010!”
Pastrana is a pioneer in his sport – he completed the first ever double back flip on a motorcycle, has jumped out of an airplane without a parachute, and now officially holds the world record for the longest jump in a rally car. After successfully completing the record jump, Pastrana celebrated by performing a back flip off the landing ramp into Rainbow Harbor.
Pastrana’s successful feat follows in the footsteps of fellow motorsports athletes Robbie Maddison and Rhys Millen, who rang in the last two New Year’s Eve celebrations by pushing their physical, mental and technical limits to break boundaries and records, in front of thousands of fans in Las Vegas and millions of viewers on ESPN.
Watch the practice jump here –> Pastrana Crashes in Practice
SOURCE: Redbull PHOTO CREDIT: Garth Milan