Monday, December 31, 2012

Kareena Kapoor's Mercedes Benz W221 S350 CDI

Kareena Kapoor owns a Mercedes Benz S Class, which one of the favourite sedans of stars across all Indian languages. Priyanka Chopra and Ritesh Deshmuk also owns a similar coloured S Class. Recent news is that Kareena has booked another S class for her sis Karishma Kapoor. Seems Kareena is fully satisfied with the car.

The Mercedes-Benz W221(Chasis code) was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2005 with sales starting in autumn of 2005 and export to other markets beginning in 2006. Ever since the car has been a symbol of luxury and is regarded to be the best luxury sedan. The main competitors to this model are the German rivals Audi A8 and BMW 7 Series.
Source

Hindi Film Director / Producer / Actor Arbaaz Khan's Range Rover Vogue SE

After the success of Dabangg, Arbaz gifted a Range Rover to Salman Khan but this is his own Range Rover Vogue SE. Range Rover seems to be the favourite SUV in Bollywood after the Audi Q7.

The Range Rover (L322) (usually known simply as the Range Rover) is the third-generation Range Rover model from British car maker Land Rover. Introduced in 2002, the model moved further up-market. Planned and developed under BMW ownership the third generation was to share components and systems (electronics, core power units etc.) with the 7 Series (E38). It was designed to accommodate BMW's M62 V8 engines for future models. The manual transmission was dropped entirely, leaving only the automatic. The 7 Series electronics system was being phased out during the development of the third-generation Range Rover and being replaced with the electronics from the BMW E39 5 Series. 
Source

Sunday, December 30, 2012

A reminder of Dale and Daytona

   Now this has to rank as one of the more interesting ways to preserve the memory of one of NASCAR's all-time greats.

    Lionel NASCAR Collectables offers several pieces of the Daytona International Speedway track surface for sale, but this one is unique.

    Fans can pay tribute to the late Dale Earnhardt - who died in a last-lap wreck in the 2001 Daytona 500 - with a piece of the track carved into his car number. The track was recently repaved.


   Interested? Go here.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Are you ready for the 2013 Daytona 500?

   
Are you ready for the 2013 Daytona 500?
   
Nice job here on a NASCAR TV commercial promoting the 2013 Daytona 500 on Feb. 24. It features a collection of some of the race's biggest moments.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

What was NASCAR legend Junior Johnson doing on this day in 1957?



   He was getting out of jail!

    While getting his NASCAR career going, Junior Johnson continued to work for his father and on June 2, 1956, he was caught at the still and charged with making non-taxed whiskey. He pled guilty, paid a $5,000 fine and spent 11 months and three days of a two-year sentence in the federal prison in Chillicothe, Ohio. He was released on Dec. 27, 1957.

    However, he continued delivering illegal liquor because the money – $500 a night – was just too good to pass up. And it was not until 1960 when Johnson – who was pardoned by President Ronald Reagan in 1986 – decided to just concentrate on his race-car driving.

    And NASCAR was glad he did.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Tony Stewart is going (Chili) Bowling



   Three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart has joined the star-studded field of entrants for the 27th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals at the Tulsa (Okla.) Expo Center, which kicks off Jan. 8 and concludes Jan. 12.

   Stewart finished 10th in last year’s finale after not participating in the event for three consecutive seasons (2009-2011). This year, he returns to action in the TSR No. 14 Chevrolet Performance/Spike/Chevrolet in the most prestigious Midget race of the year.

   The annual Chili Bowl, which takes place inside the QuikTrip Center’s Tulsa Expo Raceway, will see Stewart and more than 200 drivers attempt to qualify for one of the coveted spots in Saturday’s 50-lap A-Main finale. 

   Stewart is one of five drivers to win the Chili Bowl more than once, one of 17 different drivers to win it since the inaugural event in 1987. He has a pair of Golden Drillers in his collection after scoring Chili Bowl victories in 2002 and 2007.

   Stewart's participation in the Chili Bowl may limit or prevent him from attending a scheduled Cup series test at Daytona International Speedway Jan. 10-12.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Help "undeck" the NASCAR Hall



   The NASCAR Hall of Fame invites race fans to make a stop after Christmas to help "UnDeck the Hall." Choosing from a display of festive Christmas trees in the NASCAR Hall of Fame Theater Lobby, each guest can take home one NASCAR-themed item until all are gone.

   The HALLiday trees are decorated with NASCAR-themed items including autographed souvenirs, memorabilia, ornaments, die cast cars, secret surprises and more. Among the hundreds of items available, guests can walk away with some big ticket presents including tickets to the April races in Martinsville, posters signed by all 12 Chase for the Sprint Cup drivers, or hats signed by reigning series champion Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and more.

   The event runs on Wednesday, Dec. 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hall of Fame Theater Lobby, 400 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Charlotte, N.C.

Kannada/Tamil Actress Ramya/Divya Spandana With A Porsche Carrera S


This car most probably doesnt belong to Ramya. However, the car suits an actress. It would be lovely seeing an actress drive a sports car!
The Porsche 911  is the flagship of the current line up of Porsche. It is a two-door grand tourer made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a distinctive design, rear-engined and with independent rear suspension, an evolution of the swing axle on the Porsche 356. Since its introduction in 1963,it has undergone continuous development, though the basic concept has remained little changed.

Source - Automotography Facebook Page

Saif Ali Khan And Kareena Kapoor In A Ford Mustang




 We are not sure if this is Saif's car. But this is one powerful car, in terms of performance, look or its ability to turn heads! Saif and Kareena arrived in together in this mighty car for Imran Khan's housewarming bash.Saif also owns the Audi R8.
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the platform of the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car.Introduced early on April 17, 1964,and thus dubbed as a "1964½" model by Mustang fans, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A.The Mustang has undergone several transformations to its current fifth generation.
The Mustang created the "pony car" class of American automobiles—sports car-like coupes with long hoods and short rear decks—and gave rise to competitors such as GM's Chevrolet Camaro, AMC's Javelin,as well as Chrysler's revamped Plymouth Barracuda and the first generation Dodge Challenger. The Mustang is also credited for inspiring the designs of coupés such as the Toyota Celica and Ford Capri, which were imported to the United States.
Source

Monday, December 24, 2012

Duke football team visits NASCAR Hall of Fame



   As part of the activities leading up to Thursday night's Belk Bowl in Charlotte, the Duke University football team paid a visit to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

   Check out how their visit went here.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

NASCAR champion's charity awards grant to Operation North State



   The Checkered Flag Foundation,  a charity started by reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski, has awarded a $5,000 grant to Operation North State (ONS), a non-profit organization based in Winston-Salem, N.C., that provides numerous military support services to North Carolina’s deployed troops and veterans-in-need.

    The $5,000 grant was one of four awarded by CFF this year.

    Operation North State works on a large scale to ship care packages to deployed troops from North Carolina.

    The Checkered Flag Foundation was incorporated in July 2010. The Foundation strives to support individuals who have sacrificed greatly for America, including military members, veterans, first-responders and their families, among others.

Director Shankar's Rolls Royce Ghost


Here are a couple of pics of ace director Shankar's Rolls Royce Ghost spotted in Chennai. Shankar has reportedly spent Rs.45 lakhs for the registration of the car in KK Nagar RTO of Chennai, which may or may not include the expense for getting the number -TN09 BQ 0008.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost is a luxury saloon from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The "Ghost" nameplate, named in honour of the Silver Ghost, a car first produced in 1906, was announced in April 2009 at the Auto Shanghai show. During development, the Ghost was known as the "RR04". Designed as a smaller, "more measured, more realistic car" than the Phantom, aiming for a lower price category for Rolls-Royce models, the retail price is around £170,000 (US$255,000).The production model was officially unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. The 17 cm longer option Ghost Extended Wheelbase was introduced in 2011.

Source

Friday, December 21, 2012

Mahesh Babu With His TLC and Caravan

 We have already posted a photo of Mahesh Babu's TLC. Here is another one with the actor in front. Mahesh Babu gifted this SUV to his son on his 6th birthday. Lucky kid! One among them is Mahesh Babu's caravan. The photoes of his caravan will be posted soon.

Toyota Land Cruiser facelift was burning stage in Auto Expo 2012. This super luxurious SUV in India carries a whopping price tag of Rs 88,48,093 (ex-showroom Mumbai). Such a jaw dropping price is enough to make a style statement by the owner of a Land Cruiser.  The Toyota Land Cruiser is powered by a 4.5 litre 32 valve DOHC V8 diesel engine that produces a maximum power of 195 BHP at 3400 RPM and torque 650 Nm between 1600 to 2600 RPM. The new SUV boasts of new front grille, headlamps with HID low beams and freshly designed bumpers. The Land Cruiser has a seating capacity of eight, with three-across seating in the second and third rows. Toyota Land Cruiser SUV, the costliest for wheeler of Toyota in India is essentially a four wheel drive with automatic transmission and the beast is truly dominant on any kind of Indian road conditions.

Image Courtesy : http://www.facebook.com/maheshbabufans
Source

What is the largest wreck ever in NASCAR history?


   What is the largest wreck ever in NASCAR history?
 
   The answer may surprise you - and that it was caught on video.

    During a Sportsman race at Daytona International Speedway in 1960, NASCAR saw its largest single wreck ever. From a field of 68 cars, 37 were involved in an incident that mangled plenty of sheet metal but resulted in few injuries - shocking considering the lack of safety equipment used at the time.

    Check it out.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

R Madhavan's BMW K1600 GTL - The Ultimate Touring Bike


 R Madhavan has always had a secret passion for bikes. He also owns a Yamaha V-max. The BMW K1600 GTL is the ultimate touring bike. The bike offer one of the smoothest and most comfortable rides ever imaginable. It would be the ideal bike for a multistate trip. Launched in 2010 and put for sale in 2011, the bike costs around Rs. 24 lakhs!


Source

How a NASCAR race car gets its colors


   Joe Gibbs Racing gives us a look at Kyle Busch's 2013 No. 18 Toyota Camry as well as how the paint scheme is put on the car.

    Check out JGR's time-lapse wrap video to see how this Gen-6 NASCAR Toyota Camry got its colors.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Auto racing's All-America team



   The American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Ass’n has announced its annual All America Team, which the group has done every year since the conclusion of the 1970 season.

    A unique team of special drivers representing multiple forms of professional motorsports is elected each year by AARWBA. The association’s members vote on drivers within their participating categories of racing and the top two from each discipline are elected to the first team.

The 2012 All-America first team:

Open wheel: Ryan Hunter-Reay and Will Power

Road Racing: Teams of Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas and Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr

Short Track: Bryan Clauson and Donny Schatz

Stock Car: Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson

Drag Racing: Antron Brown and Jack Beckman

Touring Series: James Buescher and team of Emil Assentato and Jeff Segal

At-Large: Johnny O’Connell and Tristan Vautier

Rising Star: Courtney Force


The 2012 All-America second team:

Open Wheel:
Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon/Helio Castroneves (tie)

Road Racing: Chris Dyson/Guy Smith (team) and Ryan Dalziel

Short Track: Bobby East and Darrell Lanigan

Stock Car: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Clint Bowyer

Drag Racing: Tony Schumacher and Ron Capps

Touring Series: Ricky Johnson and Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner (team)

At-Large: Frank Manzo and Jimmy Owens

Dale Jarrett's son to play baseball with Charlotte 49ers


   Zach Jarrett, the son of former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Dale Jarrett, was one of eight baseball players signed by UNC Charlotte during the early commitment period for the 2014 season.

    Jarrett, 17, played third base for the Hickory High (N.C.) Red Tornadoes for coach David Craft, and was a prep teammate of current 49er Tyler Barnette. He also was a participant in the State Games after an All-Northwestern Conference season and a second-round appearance in the state playoffs. He posted 15 RBI in 62 plate appearances with a .355 batting average. He was also rated as a national "high follow" by Perfect Game Crosschecker.

    A two-sport star at Hickory, Jarrett was a member of the varsity basketball team which finished as the state runners-up in the 3A classification
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Monday, December 17, 2012

Salman Khan's Mobile Studio Designed By DC





This is just one among the vanity vans designed by DC. Hrithik Roshan, Ritesh Deshmuk, Sanjay Dutt, Shah Rukh Khan are some of them who own the custom designed DC vanity van. More pictures at the source site.

Source-DC Design Facebook page

#NASCAR No. 2 sports trend on Twitter in 2012


   In 2012, NASCAR partnered with social media juggernaut Twitter, solidifying an upward trend that has seen Twitter explode across the NASCAR scene over the past two seasons. That partnership has led to the hashtag #NASCAR rating as the number two highest trending sports topics of 2012.

   Read more here: http://thespeedzine.com/2012/12/17/nascar-number-two-sports-trend-on-twitter-in-2012/

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Could GM Say Yes? The Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS! For 2014?


Well I found this image on an automotive Facebook page while car surfing - my daily, time consuming habit. I clicked on the image, and saved it to my desktop for further inspection. Upon my subsequent inspection of zooming in and panning around on the image, I came to the conclusion that rather than a rendering, it is a Photoshop job. And that's because I realized that it has old rims as well as left over lower body pieces from a previous Chevy Monte Carlo model. However, irregardless of whatever Photoshop job this is, I am really digging it, it is quite unique! I love the huge grille cut into the lower front fascia - very truck-ish! I have never seen it like that on any Chevy models to date. It adds anelement of ultra aggression and massive horsepower, which by extension, is also visualized due to the huge bulge in the hood. And further adding to this is the racing stripes on top that enforce a visualization of speed!

Furthermore, with this design of a new Chevrolet Monte Carlo, it seems that the artist combined the pre-2012 Dodge Charger body design with a Chevy Monte Carlo body. That was very clever! This Dodge Charger influence can be seen in the rear rump, the rear profile (including the spoiler), the roofline, as well as in the design of the greenhouse or windows area. The headlamps, with the rectangular prismic design, resembles that of the 1983-1986 model Monte Carlo - a car which was really cool looking - infact almost better looking than all the rest of the models that followed! Hate to say that GM, but that's just what it is! The rest of those Monte Carlo models were just bland, un-artistic garbage that is worthy of being riddled and pierced to pieces with bullets from a .50 caliber machine gun. I can just picture myself doing it too. You know, that gunners area on top of the army Hummve (hahaha) Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta!

Well anyway, let me give you a brief synopsis of the history of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo car. The Monte Carlo was developed by Chevy as a competitor for the Ford Thunderbird. It began its run in 1970 and continued for over 30 years later, until 2007. Below are pictures of the enitre model progression in resume-type chronological order. (Following this line-up is a highly detailed design analysis of some of the Monte Carlos).

6th Generation (production run 2006 - 2007)

Notice the sweeping lines on the side body panels.


6th Generation (production run: 2000 - 2005)

Notice the sweeping lines on the side body panels.


5th Generation (production run: 1995 - 1999)

Now this model is a bit interesting. Notice that this is the only Monte Carlo that doesn't have the sweeping lines on the side body panels! It looks like it veered from the pack? Right? What occurred was the then Chevy Lumina sedan was split into two models. The 4-door sedan was kept as a Chevy Lumina, and a 2-door variant or coupe was labeled as the Monte Carlo.


4th Generation (production run: 1983 - 1986)
Notice the sweeping lines on the side body panels, albeit a bit more subtle


4th Generation (production run:1984 -1988)
Notice the sweeping lines on the side body panels





3rd Generation (production run: 1979)
(Notice the sweeping lines on the side body panels, and it is outlined)



3rd Generation (production run: 1978 - 1980)
(Notice the sweeping lines on the side body panels, albeit a bit more subtle. They're almost disguised by the reflections on the surface).



2nd Generation (Production run: 1977)
(Notice the sweeping lines on the side body panels, they are more pronounced, in addition to being highlighted by an outline).




2nd Generation (production run: 1976)
(Notice the sweeping lines on the side body panels, and they are a bit more pronounced, as they bulge alot).



2nd Generation (production run 1975)
 (Notice the sweeping lines on the side body panels,  are a bit more pronounced -bulgin - here too).



2nd Generation (production run 1975)
(Notice the sweeping lines on the side body panels,  are a bit more pronounced - bulging - here too).



2nd Generation: (production run: 1972)
 (Notice how the sweeping lines on the side body panels are more dashing)!



1st Generation (1973 - 1977)
(Notice the sweeping lines on the side body panels,  are a bit more pronounced -bulgin - here too).




1st Generation (production run: 1970 - 1972)
 (Notice the sweeping lines in succeeding models are pronounced in comparison to this one).



Now let me go over a few of the Monte Carlo models which appeal to me and those which don't and why.


This model isn't too bad....but still a loser anyway!


This model is a loser period!






Look at this picture, it is just so ugly...well no fugly! It looks like "a fish outta water"!


The other two Monte Carlos that I like are the very first 1st generation version (1970), and the 3rd generation 1983 -1988 version. That 1970 version looks dashing I like how the entire body looks like it is an  animation of the sweeping sculpted effects on the sides. It looks lit just wants to take off. I can just hear the engine go "rag-a-ragga rag-a-ragga rag-a-ragga into floored-pedal oblivion!



The 1983-1986 model has that fast, dashing look to it as well. That aspect is gained primarily from the forward slant of the rear profile. It appears ready to tear off the pavement. When I was a kid, every weekend, especially on a Sunday, I used to see that car tearing down the street in front of my house at withering speed!






Another Monte Carlo that I liked alot was the 95 production run. I remember first seeing it as a kid, as I was paging through a National Geographic magazine. The thing that I liked about this car was its overall swift aesthetic - this is achieved without a rear lean-forward profile). Everything looks like it is rushing towards the front headlamps. If you observe closely, that longitudinal line right below the door handles, is a principal player in this achievement. Infact, wait a minute, it is all about this, because if I visually subtract it with my eyes, the car appears less swift! Another thing that I liked about the car was the wheel arches. They werent the usual circular design, but rather kind of squarish - kind of SUV-ish. And in addition, they didn't hug the tires, there's a little bit of space between it and the tire itself. That design lends to a cruising-at-high-speed look.






Now back to the future! Well, at least an attempt to get there!


Reference site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Monte_Carlo
- Gebre Mesquitta