This blog is not primarily a music blog, but music is a huge part of my life as it is so many others....and it IS summer, so I wont worry about how many music related posts I've done recently.

last night Van Morrison came to the Fox Theater as part of a 6 date North American jaunt.  Van's father, a working class music collector and appreciator, lived and worked in Detroit and collected some of the music here that would end up sparking what they sparked in his son.

I've never seen him before though I have always wanted to. Some of Van's music has sat with me for many years.  I've had relationships the soundtracks of which were Van Morrison songs.  Intimacy and Morrison's music are entwined to me.

Van has made well over thirty albums and some of them are, well, not quite great though often with a great song or two.  His new one follows the same pattern so I didn't know what to expect from the show. I needn't have worried.

I have also heard horror stories about some of his live shows that make the Dylan stories seem quaint.  There is also a certain Georgie-Fame-inspired sound of his that I am not particularly fond of. When I heard he was playing with a nine piece band I thought there might be a bank of horns or something.  Not so.  The sound was rich not lush.

Van Morrison played an amazing show.  The set seemed to be one long piece of music.  My highlight was "And the Healing Has Begun" from 1979's Into the Music, but truth be told the entire 90 minutes was strong. During Burning Ground Van was moved to punch the air singing "and with the Joot, we'll take the motherfucker to the burning ground."  Now I have no idea what he's talking about but it seemed entirely appropriate at the time. St. Dominic's Preview was lilting and hymn-like, slower and more contemplative than I've heard it.  Moving.

He even laughed and joked on occasion as his muse led him to add lyrics from one song into another the music and hugely emotional crowd response pushing him in all kinds of directions.  And before you knew it he had walked off the stage even before the Gloria was half over.  The band just cooked through it to the end.  Van had nothing more to say, he had said so much.

Wild Night
Tupelo Honey/Why Must I Always Explain?
St. Dominick's Preview
Keep It Simple
That's Entrainment
Wavelength
Comfortably Numb
Behind the Ritual
In the Afternoon/Ancient Highway/Raincheck
Domino
Rough God
Ballerina
Help Me
The Burning Ground
And the Healing Has Begun
Gloria

As we were heading back to the car on a beautiful summer evening we happened to be by the back door just when Van was coing out to get into his car ten feet or so away.  The dozen or so of us just clapped for him and he waved back.  Perfect end.

The hydrogen fuel-cell-powered Cadillac Provoq concept. GM chairman Bob Lutz said in a press conference that it could cover approximately 300 miles with the six kilograms of compressed hydrogen the Provoq could store on board. A lithium ion battery can pitch in power as needed.

Dodge eco-Voyager Side

One of three far-out concepts shown by Dodge at the Detroit show, the eco-Voyager concept would be an electric car running on a lithium ion battery with a hydrogen "range extender" that gives it a total range of 300 miles.

Dodge Renegade

Another Dodge concept, the Jeep Renegade, a two-seater that would run the first 40 miles on a lithium ion battery before a BLUETEC diesel engine kicks in to carry it as far as an additional 360 miles.

Ferrari BioFuel

No automaker is immune from the green act, not even Ferrari. What you see here is the ethanol powered Ferrari F430 Spider concept, and the ladies who get paid to fawn over it.

Mazda Furai Front

Is this the Batmobile? No—it's the Mazda Furai racecar, a 450 hp monster powered by a three-rotor rotary engine.

And more cars at Detroit Auto Show 2008.

Basically, Farley says that if people want to understand what kinds of B Car Ford will be bringing out in 2010, checking out the Verve is a great way to see into the future. This concept isn't exactly like the car that will be released in a few years, but it is a 70 to 90 percent accurate preview of what's coming.

[Source: Ford]

SOUNDBITES: FORD VERVE CONCEPT

The Ford Verve Sedan Concept was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show today. It is one in a trio of global small car concept introductions that demonstrate how Ford is leveraging its global scale to deliver more products people want worldwide. Ford Motor Company Group Vice President Jim Farley says the European-based Verve is an import Ford entry into the growing small-car market.

"The verve is a significant product introduction for us at the motor show and concept reveal for the sole reason, it captures what makes Ford different and that is competent small cars that are really well done."

Farley says the Verve is a connection between Europe and the U.S., it is the future of Ford.

"Verve is a critical reveal for us as a concept car because it hints at our B Car introduction in 2010, and as many people know, but many consumers don't know, Ford of Europe is the leading producer of premium small cars, from Mondeo and Focus to Fiesta, and Ka, Ford Europe has a tremendous customer following on differentiates small cars that are really fun to drive and are great to look at, great design."

According to Farley, the concept Verve further demonstrates Ford's commitment to play big in the growing small car segment with a dynamic sedan, tailored for North American customers, that represents competence.

"As we export that idea of competency here in North America to a ever increasing market for small cars, the Verve is a hint, a connection."

The car will be in Europe a couple of years before it gets to the U.S. Farley says it's important the American consumer knows it's on the way.

"It takes time for customers to get excited about shifts in product strategy, Verve is a diffinently a significant shift for a company here in S.E. Michigan. This is what Ford is going to stand for in the future." .

Farley also says, the Verve Concept illustrates the 'One Ford' global product development vision. But will the hot looking B car Concept at this North American International Auto Show, with lots of bling, look like the production car?

"The Verve is a great example of what we will ultimately execute, in our small B Car...It is all captured in that concept car and on a scale of one to ten, and being the won't change at all and one being it won't look anything like, we're talking about a 7,8,9."

The Ford Verve concept sedan being unveiled at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit represents Ford's vision for a future North American small Car.

Articolul este preluat de pe www.automarket.ro (Mircea Mester)
Dupa ce timp de cateva saptamani ne-a tinut in priza prin teaser-uri oficiale care nu ne spuneau mare lucru, Volkswagen a publicat astazi, in ziua deschiderii salonului auto de la Detroit, fotografiile si informatiile oficiale ale modelului care ne intereseaza cel mai mult de la salonul de peste Ocean: Passat coupe.

Denumit oficial Volkswagen Passat CC, modelul este de fapt o berlina cu linie posterioara tipica versiunilor coupe, putand fi inclus usor in segmentul ad-hoc infiintat "coupe cu patru usi". Diferentele fata de versiunea berlina a lui Passat incep inca de la dimensiuni, cand aflam ca Passat CC este mai lung si mai lat decat varianta clasica cu 31, respectiv 36 de milimetri. Pentru a fluidiza liniile, inaltimea a coborat insa drastic, Passat CC fiind cu 5 centimetri mai scund decat varianta sedan.

Urmeaza schimbarile de look, Passat CC fiind o versiune ceva mai fluida a modelului pe care il putem admira pe strazi in acest moment. Blocurile optice anterioare si posterioare au fost alungite pentru a se integra perfect in peisaj, spatele coboara lin dinspre montantul 3 inspre portbagaj, linia usilor spate fiind singura care dezamageste oarecum, inginerii de design Volkswagen fiind nevoiti sa "taie" usa in conditiile unui spatiu mult mai restrans decat in cazul variantei berlina. Cu toate acestea, spatiul destinat bagajelor nu a avut de suferit, fiind disponibili 535 de litri pentru incarcarea diferitelor obiecte in portbagaj. Trebuie sa aducem in discutie si existenta plafonului panoramic retractabil care acopera intregul acoperis de la pilonul A la pilonul B.

In ceea ce priveste motorizarile, Volkswagen a optat pentru doua unitati turbodiesel de 2.0 litri (140 si 170 CP) si pentru alte trei motoare pe benzina cu injectie directa (1.8 litri TSI/160 CP si 250 Nm, 2.0 litri TSI/200 CP si 280 Nm sau V6 3.6 FSI/300 CP si 350 Nm). Acesta din urma este cel mai puternic motor al gamei, accelerand de la 0 la 100 km/h in 5.6 secunde. Normal, viteza maxima este limitata electronic la 250 km/h, in virtutea intelegerii intre constructorii germani, .

Motoarele turbo pe motorina reusesc si ele sa se descurce bine la capitolul performante: 9.8 secunde 0-100 pentru versiunea TDI de 140 de cai si 8.6 secunde 0-100 pentru varianta de 170 de cai.

La capitolul confort interior, Volkswagen combina sportivitatea cu tusele elegante si rafinate, cum ar fi volanul si scaunele sportive imbracate in piele in paralel cu insertiile din lemn si aluminiu. Mai mult, germanii le ofera fanilor posibilitatea de a alege intre trei variante de volan sportiv, toate cu trei brate. (www.automarket.ro)

In ceea ce priveste interiorul, tindem sa ii dam dreptate. Pilot Concept vine cu opt locuri si cu spatiu suficient pentru toti cei opt ocupanti ai habitaclului. In plus, solutiile tehnologice a caror inserare care au demarat odata cu redesenarea completa a platformei de constructie determina o tinuta de drum mult imbunatatita si caracteristici off-road peste medie.

La capitolul motorizare, vorbim de un V6 care beneficiaza de ultima generatie a sistemului de gestiune a cilindrilor VCM(MC), care ii permite modelului sa apeleze la toti cei 6 cilindri la nevoie sau la doar 3 sau 4 in conditiile in care scopul este economia si eficacitatea energetica.

Pilot 2009 va aparea, in versiune de serie, la sfarsitul acestei primaveri, intregul proces de dezvoltare apartinandu-i biroului Honda de peste Ocean. Noul SUV Honda va fi asamblat, la fel ca generatia pe care o inlocuieste, la uzina Honda din Alabama.

Katsuaki Watanabe, boss-ul Toyota, a anuntat la Detroit ca grupul pe care il conduce (marcile Toyota & Lexus) va lansa o adevarata ofensiva verde in urmatoarea perioada. Mai precis, Watanabe a declarat ca Toyota va lansa cateva modele noi hibride, primul dintre ele urmand sa apara pe piata in 2009.
„Anul viitor la Detroit ne vom extinde linia hibrizilor prin doua premiere mondiale, una dedicata Toyota si una pentru Lexus”, a spus Watanabe. Se pare ca aceste doua noi modele hibride vor avea la baza o tehnologie similara cu cea existenta pe Prius.
Boss-ul nipon a promis ca pana la sfarsitul acestei decade Toyota si Lexus isi vor imbunatati semnificativ flota de modele hibride.

La doar doi ani de la lansarea sa mondiala, R-Klasse i-a deceptionat pe sefii Mercedes. Motivul: vanzari la un nivel foarte scazut in raport cu asteptarile companiei.

"Este clar ca nu s-a ridicat la asteptarile companiei. Suntem in faza in care gandim un nou concept pentru R-Klasse. Ar putea fi un succesor pe aceeasi linie al actualului model sau ar putea fi ceva cu totul si cu totul diferit", spune Dieter Zetsche, presedintele Mercedes.

In momentul lansarii sale, R-Klasse era vazut ca un model de semi-volum al celor de la Mercedes, previziunile aratand circa 50.000 de exemplare vandute anual in toata lumea, din care jumatate in SUA. Evident, modelul nu s-a apropiat niciodata de aceste cifre, chiar daca strategia de vanzare de peste Ocean a facut ca pretul sau sa fie redus cu 5000 de dolari. Cu toate acestea, R-Klasse a reusit o suma de doar 18.168 de unitati vandute din 25.000 target, in scadere cu 28% fata de anul trecut.

Sursa | Automotive News

R8 TDi are sub capota motorul V12 (twin-turbo) diesel de 5.9 litri care produce 500 CP si un cuplu de 1000 Nm. Astfel, R8 va ajunge la prima suta in 4.2 secunde, cu aproape o jumatate de secunda mai rapid decat versiunea pe benzina. Masina atinge o viteza maxima de peste peste 300 km/h, potrivit oficialilor Audi. Din aceleasi surse am aflat ca masina este putin poluanta, filtrele ajuta dieselul sa indeplinineasca chiar si conditiile Euro 6 din 2014.

R8 V12 TDi va fi cu aproximativ 15 procente mai usor decat versiunea pe benzina gratie unor modificari din structura caroseriei. Desi in linii generale masina este aceeasi cu R8-ul de serie, TDi-ul a primit cateva imbunatatiri de imagine cum ar fi plafonul de sticla sau tevile de esapament mai mari. Interiorul cabinei primeste si el ceva nou si consistent – o cutie manuala de viteze cu sase trepte.

R8 V12 TDI va fi disponibil in aproximativ doi ani, dupa lansarea noului Lamborghini Gallardo si are puterea sa devina modelul cel mai tentant al marcii Audi. Propulsorul V12 este primul diesel care a reusit sa castige cursa de 24 de ore de la Le Mans sub capota unui bolid Audi. Din 2008 propulsorul va impinge care prima suta in aproximativ 5 secunde si SUV-ul Audi Q7.

sursa: www.topgear.com