NICK LIDSTROM - CORVETTE Z06

by Fancy Hockey Cars

CORVETTE ZO6

The red, white and blue Corvette Z06 pace car that Lidstrom was piloted is Chevrolet’s flagship performance car. The Z06 has a top speed of 198 mph and will go from 0-60 in 3.7 seconds. ...
"I'm really excited about driving the pace car," Lidstrom said. "I've never done anything like this before so I'm really looking forward to it. I actually haven't driven the Z06 before but I am a fan of sports cars and I've heard a lot of great things about this particular Corvette so I know it will be a lot of fun."


"In looking for a pace car driver for this event, we wanted somebody who really represents the city of Detroit," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. "Nick Lidstrom, a local hockey hero, fit the bill perfectly, especially with his love of cars. We're proud to have him behind the wheel of a Corvette Z06, Chevy's flagship performance car, pacing an event that we're so gladly welcoming back to the city."


NICK LIDSTROM. DETROIT RED WINGS

AND JUST IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW:

Corvette Z06 refers to a high-performance version of the Chevrolet Corvette. There are two iterations of the Z06:

C5 Z06 - Based on the C5 Platform from 2001 - 2004
C6 Z06 - Based on the C6 Platform from 2006 - Present
The Z06 was on a one year hiatus in 2005

MERCEDES. HISTORIA MOBILIS.

Historia Mobilis supports the staff and retirees of Daimler in their passion for historical vehicles. This passion for classic cars forms the basis for joint undertakings, an exchange of knowledge, charitable activities and PR for the company.

Professor Jürgen Hubbert about Historia Mobilis

“Historia Mobilis is an expression of the passion of Daimler staff for the history of the automobile. This passion is as strong as ever, as evidenced by some 2,300 members of staff and retirees who already are members of Historia Mobilis and who own over 3,000 classic vehicles between them.
To provide these people with a suitable platform for an exchange of interests, the Classic unit founded Historia Mobilis. Committed to the virtues and traditions of Daimler, this organization is to provide a hands-on experience of the fascination emanating from classics and classics-to-be, as well as winning over new fans and ambassadors for the traditional brands of the company.”

by http://www.mercedes-benz-classic.com

2009 Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion First Impressions

by auto123.com

Transport Canada recently showcased its ecoTECHNOLOGY for Vehicles (eTV) fleet and I personally had the privilege of driving a 2009 Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion. The goal of this demonstration by the federal government was to display and put to the test various new technologies and alternative powertrains, meaning different from what we’re generally used to.



The little VW Polo BlueMotion, unknown to most North Americans, is a really fascinating car in terms of advancements and environmental friendliness. It brilliantly helps drivers rediscover the joys of fuel economy.

Our tester, a three-door hatchback model, was powered by a tiny 1.4-litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged engine featuring direct fuel injection. Output is a meager 80 horsepower but, more importantly, the available torque amounts to 144 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm.

The main purpose of this Volks obviously lies in its incredible fuel efficiency, which is rated at 4.9 L/100 km in the city and a ridiculously-low 3.2 L/100 km on the highway. These numbers easily best any hybrid currently sold in Canada.

Simple solutions, big results
In order to maximize the thriftiness of the engine, the German automaker is using simple techniques and technologies that deliver impressive results.

Of course, it goes without saying that a 1,422-cc powerplant is not a gas-guzzling V8, but there are many more features that make the Polo so efficient. The variable-geometry turbocharger works like a charm to maximize torque distribution across the entire rev range. The lower the revs, the smaller the opening in the turbine.

Mated to a 5-speed manual transmission with extended 3rd, 4th and 5th gear ratios, the engine of the Polo BlueMotion improves cruising characteristics, saves a considerable amount of fuel and, as a direct result, produces much fewer greenhouse gases.

Mercedes-Benz - Start of Legend

Tell me, which brand is the most popular among the NHLers? You right - It's Mercedes. Lets take a quick look at the "Start of this Legend"


1886 BENZ PATENT MOTOR CAR

Any attempt to document the towering achievements of past centuries will at some point inevitably have to deal with that piece of technology that changed the world: the motor car. Theirs is a story that has captured the public imagination for over 120 years. The first automobile, the first omnibus, the first heavy-duty truck, the first diesel engine, the first vehicles fitted with ABS and ESP … Mercedes has enjoyed a tradition of writing motorsport history for the past 120 years. Mercedes has been the world’s most innovative automotive brand for more than 100 years. When Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) delivered its first Mercedes on December 22, 1900, this was the start of a development which led to the formation of DaimlerChrysler AG towards the end of the 20th century.

Today Mercedes-Benz is regarded as the world’s most successful automotive brand. Its level of technical perfection, quality standards, innovative strength and numerous automotive legends such as the 300 SL Gullwing are unrivalled. The Mercedes star became the most famous automotive symbol of all, and is one of the world’s best-known trademarks.
The name Mercedes stands for one of the world’s most innovative motor manufacturers. No other technological leader has had a greater influence over the development of the automobile. The company’s success is directly linked to Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler. The two men lived completely different lives, but they invented one and the same thing: the automobile.
Gottlieb Daimler was born in Schorndorf on March 17, 1834. In addition to the Latin School he attended technical drawing classes on Sundays.


1896 MOTORIZED DAIMLER TAXI

In 1848 Gottlieb Daimler began an apprenticeship as a gunmaker in Schorndorf, presumably with Master Wilke. In 1852 he completed this with his journeyman’s project, a double-barreled pistol. After a stay in France, where he gained practical experience in mechanical engineering, Daimler attended the Polytechnic College in Stuttgart from 1857 to 1859. After various technical activities in France and England, he took a position as a technical draughtsman in Geislingen. At the end of 1863 he became the workshop inspector at the engineering factory of Bruderhaus Reutlingen, a Christian institution founded to give homes and work to the socially disadvantaged, where he also made the acquaintance of Wilhelm Maybach in 1865.
On November 9, 1867 he married Emma Kurtz of Maulbronn. In 1869 he left Reutlingen and became head foreman at Maschinenbau-Gesellschaft in Karlsruhe. Three years later he moved to Otto und Langen as Technical Manager of Gasmotorenfabrik Deutz, where he became familiar with Otto’s four-stroke principle. Following differences of opinion with the management, he left this employment in mid-1882.

Ovie - Fancy on Ice, Fancy with Cars...

Alex Ovechkin's collection of sweet rides just got even sweeter.
Surrounded by a small crowd of fans and teammates outside KCI this morning was Ovechkin's newest toy: a brand-new, 200-mph Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series. Its price tag is about $250,000, and only 350 are expected to be produced worldwide.
Ovechkin now owns three AMGs (one of which is modded), a Porsche Cayenne GTS and a souped-up BMW M6 (it's in Russia).



While the overdone SLR McLaren is finally going out of production, Mercedes-Benz is putting out the SL65 AMG Black Edition to take its place for a while. Powered by a twin-turbo 6.0-litre V12, it is one serious performance machine, even if it only comes with an automatic transmission.
The turbo V12 makes 661 hp at 5400 rpm, while torque is limited to 999 Nm. Weight has been reduced by adding a carbon-fibre bonnet, fenders and trunk, along with deleting the retractable hard-top in favour of a fixed carbon-fibre roof with an integrated roll cage. Weighing in at 1874 kg, the car can do the 0-100 kph run in 4 seconds, with a top speed of 318 kph.



A total of seven vents spread about the front end are used as air intakes for V12. The standard gearbox is a 5-speed automatic with AMG Speedshift software. The car also comes with a retractable rear spoiler for high-speed stability.
The interior is largely similar to the standard SL65 AMG, with the most noticeable differences being the heavily-bolstered racing seats.
Priced at US$ 320,000 in the United States, expect local prices to be closer to Dhs 1.3 million. The car is debuting at the upcoming 2008 Paris Auto Show.


Ovie - Fancy on Ice, Fancy with Cars...

Mike "Greenie" Falls in Love - Lamborghini

Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., commonly referred to as Lamborghini, is an Italian manufacturer of sports cars, based in the small Italian village of Sant'Agata Bolognese, near Bologna. The company was founded in 1963 by businessman Ferruccio Lamborghini, who owned a successful tractor factory, Lamborghini Trattori.

In 1998, Lamborghini became a subsidiary of the German car manufacturer Audi AG, a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group.

As a prominent manufacturer of tractors and heating units after World War II, Lamborghini was an enthusiastic owner of sports cars. After owning and driving a Mercedes-Benz 300SL, a Jaguar E-Type, and a Maserati 3500GT, he bought his first Ferrari, a 250GT. He became a Ferrari enthusiast, eventually owning three. However, he had recurring clutch problems with the car, and eventually brought his complaints to Enzo Ferrari.



Ferrari insulted Mr. Lamborghini, effectively stating that a tractor manufacturer was not qualified to criticize his Ferraris. Insulted by Ferrari's reaction, Lamborghini began to repair his clutch himself, at which point he noticed that some of the clutch components were the same as the ones he used on his tractors. Encouraged by the discovery, Ferruccio Lamborghini called upon the talents of Giotto Bizzarrini, Gian Paolo Dallara, Franco Scaglione and Bob Wallace, who worked on what Ferruccio envisioned as his grand tourer to rival Ferrari. The result would eventually become the Lamborghini 350GT and the founding of Lamborghini.


Capitals Mike Green Likes Fast Game and Cars