3 Volvo Concept Cars to Be Unveiled at Sema Show

The Sin City, which is known for its surprises, will be sheltering three remarkable concept cars from Volvo. The revelation of said concept cars will be held at the 2006 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show. The show will run start this coming October 31 and is scheduled to end on November 3. At the SEMA show, Volvo will showcase three highly modified C30′s built by Evolve, ipd and Heico Sportiv, the latest concept cars from the renowned automaker.

Evolve, ipd and Heico Sportiv, were given modifications and enhancements to effectuate sleek, sporty and vivacious cars. Custom fabrications which include race inspired engine enhancements, powerhouse audio-visual systems, catchy interior and exterior as well as modifications to Volvo C70 parts to create eye-popping vehicles.

EVOLVE

Evolve’s design is influenced by the all-new Volvo C30. It exudes modern style and performance to satisfy the desires of the new generation of car enthusiasts around the globe. Evolve also emphasized the combination of having motorsports technology and a cutting-edge design. Amazing performance plus dramatic aesthetics make Evolve a looker.

Ipd

SEMA show will also unravel one great appetizer named ipd. Said car carries a horsepower turbocharged powertrain and manipulates it to about 400 horsepower with software upgrades and a belt-driven supercharger. ipd blends its curvaceous body with a fully adjustable coil over suspension, alloys and rubber. The brakes are also made more versatile making braking and accelerating easy. On its exterior, a wild Swedish flag themed paint is featured. The car is also equipped with leading-edge mobile electronics package by Alpine and Apple with native i-Tunes technology.

HEICO SPORTIV

Heico is a versatile and sporty version of Volvo C30. The car was designed and built to cater to the needs and whims of outdoor enthusiasts. It comes in a distinctive European styling, power and handling. Nevertheless, Heico has retained its functionality and durability that can withstand weather changes. To complete the appeal of Heico Sportiv, Heico merged with Burlington Vermont-based Burton Snowboards.

Technorati Tags: cars, Concept, Sema, Show, Unveiled, Volvo

World Leaders Bring Back Electric Cars

The fate of electric cars seems to be sparking still and not completely gone. This is primarily because soon enough, electric cars would again be on the streets and roads. Well, not exactly for every day use and for ownership, but at least, they would be used by world leaders of leading industrialized countries and democracies. Maybe there is hope, after all.

These leaders would include those who lead countries like the United States, Russia, Britain, France, Japan, Germany, Canada, as well as Italy. They would be using the electric cars during the G8 Summit. This summit would be held this summer, July 15th to the 17th in St. Petersburg, Russia. GEM electric vehicles would be the ones to be used by these country leaders. And in part of such a big event, the government of Russia under the supervision of their president, Vladimir Putin, took part of the budget to purchase thirty GEM electric vehicles which could take in four passengers inside its cabin – these vehicles are also called as e4. They also made sure that each of the vehicles is personalized. They would be putting the participating country’s official logo as well as flag on the GEM electric vehicle.

GEM and e4 vehicles are created Global Electric Motors, LLC. Rick Kasper is its president and chief operating officer. He states, “GEM electric vehicles will offer the participating leaders with an environmentally-friendly transportation option while attending the G8 summit. It is an honor for GEM to be participating in this important international event for the second time.” Indeed, the first time GEM took part in such a grand event was back in 2004 during that year’s G8 Summit which was held in Sea Island, Georgia.

What is good about GEM electric vehicles is that it has zero emissions. It also is clean and provides a ride that is quiet and very efficient. It also is affordable compared to using the usual kinds of vehicles.

These vehicles could certainly preserve the environment. On the other hand, regular vehicles could also help clean up the air as long as all the parts are in good condition. Auto Parts Discount offers quality and affordable Mercedes Benz parts such as Mercedes Benz wheels and lights for all owners.

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Technorati Tags: Back, Bring, cars, Electric, leaders, World

Volvo Recalls 360,000 Cars for Speed-control Problem

Volvo earlier released a statement that it is recalling approximately 360,000 cars due to a problem in speed-controls that can cause the vehicle to lose power without any warning. The automaker added that the defect in the electronic throttle module in Volvo cars manufactured between 1999 and 2002 could throw engines into the so-called “limp home” mode having about 15 miles per hour as the maximum speed.

Said recall, which is ordered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), applies to Volvo used parts found in the C70 and V70 models that are manufactured between 2001 and 2002. Other cars subject to recall are the S60 models manufactured between 2001 and 2002, and S70 and V70X models, which are manufactured between 1999 and 2000. Christer Gustafsson, spokesperson of the automaker said that Volvo has fixed the speed-control problem on about 165,000 vehicles of the recall total after sending out notices to owners in March.

The speed-control problem was first flagged by California’s Air Resource Board. After said problem was reported and investigated by the NHTSA, the latter ordered a mandatory recall early this month. Gustafsson added, “Volvo owners who bring their cars to dealerships will have new software reinstalled for the throttle-control unit. We’re already doing about 2,000 or 3,000 of these a week.” In addition Gustafsson noted that “limp home” setting is the safety feature in Volvo cars. Said feature is designed to avoid unintended acceleration in case of a throttle malfunction.

Separately, the NHTSA also ordered recall of 128,000 DaimlerChrysler’s Pacifica sport utility vehicles built between 2005 and 2006 due to software problem. Said software controls Chrysler car parts governing the fuel pump and powertrain control. According to NHTSA, the problem could cause the engine to stall in some cases. As part of the recall, the automaker will reprogram the powertrain controls and substitute the fuel pump on some Chrysler cars.

It can also be recalled that Toyota, a rival of GM, Ford and Chrysler, recalled 368,000 SUVs in July. The recall is all about the defective clip used in Toyota carpet. The defective carpet clip could hinder with brake usage and cause further road misfortunes.

The Auto Italia magazine Maserati Gran Cabrio on the Silver Flag hillclimb, between Castel’Arquato and Vernasca, Piacenza, Italy, as one of the ‘track openers’, June 2010

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Technorati Tags: 360000, cars, Problem, Recalls, Speedcontrol, Volvo

Checkerboard Floors and Collector Cars Look Great Together

You’ll take the checker flag every time when you show off your collector cars on a checkerboard floor.

Now the Internet can get you complete quotes with step-by-step instructions on how to put down the checkerboard floor you have always dreamed of. By being artistic, you can make concrete floors develop character and give you easy maintenance. All too often collectors fail to take full creative advantage of their facilities largest single surface, their floors. Epoxy coatings can not only give you the ease of maintenance associated with a class III laboratory floor surface but great individualized looks as well.

Your project will start by measuring your floors, length and width. Then decide on the size and color of the squares that you want. 24″ x 24″ squares will be less work than 12″ x 12″ and will not give that tile look. The color can be traditional black and white, but if you have a blue car, dark blue might be the answer. Naturally, if you’re going to do the work to achieve a custom checkerboard floor you want it to last. Just as with that glowing car finish, we all know that it is prep, prep, and prep that make the difference between a good job and a great job.

Ever notice how when you walk across concrete in your socks they get all dusty on the bottoms. That’s because concrete continuously deteriorates and breaks apart leaving the garage dusty like your socks. A few dips of oil on concrete might still be seen years later as the oil soaks into porous concrete. But if you seal the floor with an epoxy coating that adheres well to the concrete because your prep job was good, you can just wipe off oil, gas, and dirt with a rag. You can hose out and squeegee that garage floor to a clean shiny surface in minutes.

Your prep should include a high alkaline cleaner used with a rotary scrubber and a black pad or stiff Nilo grit type concrete brush. Your prep should include a high alkaline degreaser to bring the pH of the floor up to nearly 12 as it removes the left over adhesive and contaminants. Then you shock the concrete and contaminants into letting go by switching to scrubbing with an acidic cleaner containing water softeners, detergents, and rinse agents that bring the floor down to a pH of 3.5. This jump in pH will force contaminants and vulnerable cement particles to release from the floor. The acidic cleaner also opens the floor up to allow the epoxy top coats to create a strong long-lasting bond. A final scrub rinse and the floor is ready to dry and start accepting repairs and artistic coloring.

First you should coat the entire floor with two coats of your light color. You can screen between coats with your scrubber to remove any sand, bugs or contaminants that fell into the first coat. Next pull a chalk line diagonally through the widest part of your floor to set your pattern. Now lay down any size template squares side by side in two rows along the chalk line, and remove every other one. Using blue tape, place paper that is cut one inch smaller than your templates, setting them in the open squares. Tape the paper masking down with blue tape and move on. Once complete, you just walk on the paper and use a roller and brush to fill in the open squares. Note that for best results, brush from the tape towards the center to avoid getting epoxy leaking under your tape. One coat of your dark color should be sufficient. Once you have filled in all the open squares with your dark color be sure to remove the tape and masking paper. You don’t want to glue that tape to your floor.

Durall Industrial Flooring supplies kits of materials including checkerboard templates in 24″ x 24″ size that are customized to owner specification and delivered directly to the job site. Kits include full directions and 24/7 help lines staffed by seasoned flooring experts, so professionals and amateurs alike can successfully install a quality floor.

Web visitors can obtain free, job-specific quotes on materials or nationwide turnkey installations by completing a simple questionnaire at http://www.concrete-floor-coatings.com.

For high-resolution photo examples, visit: http://www.concrete-floor-coatings.com/photos/checkerboard

For more information, contact Harvey Chichester at: harvey@concrete-floor-coatings.com Phone: 1-800-466-8910 or 952-888-1488 (24/7)

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Technorati Tags: cars, Checkerboard, Collector, Floors, Great, Look, Together

Merchandise Nasar – Toy Cars or Racing Cars, Take Them All

Merchandise nascar refers to the memorabilia related to the nascar that people love to buy and collect. These merchandise nascar could be miniature car figurines or flags boasting various teams colors or maybe a jersey worn by a driver. These collectibles sell like hot cakes and are always in demand among people of all age groups. For those who enjoy racing or are fond of cars, they will definitely want a piece of merchandise NASCAR in their home or office. Some people are so crazy about racing that they go to any lengths to pick up one of these collectibles. Available at leading stores, these are worth quite a lot and are not very cheap. Only people who can indulge in a bit of fancy shopping will buy these art pieces. A Jeff Green T shirt or Mark Martin’s car would be what people would seek to help them reminisce the days when these drivers ruled the race tracks. For car race lovers, there is no end to satisfying their thirst for love for this sport. Just like basketball fan and baseball fans buy and wear the jerseys and caps, these car race enthusiasts also do the same. The only difference being the sport is different.

Some might have a checkered flag in their bedroom, others might want a flag with the team’s name written on it put up on their walls. Children who are fond of this racing, are known to invest in buying game Cd’s and books containing pictures of various drivers and their fancy cars. There are even NASCAR blankets, bed linen available which are used to decorate a room. Matching pillows or maybe a rug would complete the collection and make the room NASCAR haven. Some of the sports enthusiasts are known to have a play room which boasts all their memorabilia and souvenirs of the various races that have taken place till date. If a particular driver won a championships by a smart move, then pictures of those might be in demand.

People sometimes go to the extent of having NASCAR bean bags in their play area, where they can lounge and enjoy a race on their flat screen TV’s. Some might have wall hangings with photographs or autographed pictures of their favorite drivers. This holds true not only for men but also women who love owning a merchandise nascar. They might pick up a bracelet with the symbol of their team on it, or a watch with their racer’s picture or colors in it. For others there are board games available where each player gets to be a race car driver, and this adds to the excitement of the game. There are many other utility based merchandise nascar like a timer which can be used by athletes to practice their runs or home makers at home while cooking. It does not matter what it is, as long as it has something to do with their team or racer, that is all that matters.

Technorati Tags: cars, Merchandise, Nasar, Racing, Take, Them

Chinese Cars – a True Automobile Revolution

In 2007, the Chinese cars market is placed second on the international level, and the manufacturers of Chinese cars start to want to be established and to diffuse throughout the world. Today, there is a great number of marks and manufacturers of Chinese cars, (meadows of 1500 through the country) like FAW (first automobile works), Dongfeng, Chery, Geely, Brillance…. Some of these marks look after their image and even think of being established abroad like Chery in Turkey, which also made an agreement with the Volkswagen group to sell.

Chinese Cars in Europe

In 2006, the manufacturers sold more than 7 million Chinese cars, that is to say a rise of more than 27% compared to 2005. China thus becomes the third larger manufacturer of the world, behind the United States and Europe. Thus, this year, the company Asia car has just become the first importer of Chinese cars in France (Landwind and Brilliance), with more than 140 points of sale. But what happen does safety and quality? Today, one realizes that the results carried out at the time of the crash landing test, show that the Chinese manufacturers are still far from the European and American manufacturers. However, as it proves it in other branches of industry,

Chinese Cars Will Influence the Whole Industry

China is able to react quickly and to make in kind arrive at the same level of safety as its foreign competitors. From a qualitative point of view, the Chinese cars have to face a keen demand and the problems come as well from elements which are without danger as of elements likely to involve risks for the passengers. The living room of Shanghai which took place in 2007 was the occasion for China to show that of which it was able as regards automotive engineering. The knowledge to make, the technicality and the reliability of the foreign manufacturers will make it possible to make evolve the Chinese cars to a pledge of quality and reliability which until now was slightly lacking to him. This evolution is necessary, if the European and American manufacturers want to also make manufacture their vehicles in China.

A Short History of the Chinese Cars Industry

In 1953, the First Automotive Works (FAW) was established. In 1956, the first Chinese-made vehicle, the Jiefang truck, was rolled out. In 1958, FAW firstly developed Chinese car for passengers, the Red Flag. Shanghai VW and FAW-VW were founded in 1984 and 1990 respectively. GM, Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai entered the market from 1997 onwards, and domestic carmakers, such as Geely and Chery, were also established. The entry into the WTO in 2001 led Chinese cars industry into the global competitive age.

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Technorati Tags: Automobile, cars, Chinese, Revolution, True

let me start by saying i have no where else to turn. i have 6 kids, five being in my care (i will get to that later on in this). my family has been on a bumpy road here lately. it all started right before thanksgiving. we were staying in mcdonough ga. we were having financial troubles, stressing about trying to find ways to pay bills, lost a couple of cars, lost a couple of jobs. the only thing i could think to do was to go stay with my aunt in north carolina. while i was away, my boyfriend got the water turned on. to my knowledge it was legal, come to find out he paid someone 30 dollars, to get a meter and put it in, so i could come back home. the water company came out and took the lines out and pressed charges. we both got charged with tampering. while i was gone my oldest daughters father said he would keep my daughter until we got things straightened out. when i came back to ga, i went and picked my daughter up. my family and i was staying in a motel in mcdonough for the time being. once again my daughters father said he would help by keeping my daughter until we got a place. the day after he picked her up, my boyfriend and i got locked up in reference to the tampering charges. after we got out, i went to pick my daughter up and her father refused to release her to me. he wouldnt answer any of my calls and he wouldnt come to the door when i went to pick her up. come to find out, he took my daughter to coweta county court and requested full custody under false pretenses. he stated to the judge that i had abandoned her. he also stated that he tried to get in contact with me for three weeks and couldnt find me, even after he came to n.c. and to the hotel i was staying at to pick her up. the father and his wife also stated very numorous lie’s including "she only got one hamburger a day," "she wore the same panties to school every day," "all the clothes that they (daughters father and wife) bought her were lost and never wore," amongst other things. the judge didnt see it his way and placed my daughter in foster care. i have been to court twice since then and on the second of this month the judge found me guilty of medical neglect because i missed a few dentist appointments, and gave my daughters father temporary custody until i completed my caseplan with clayton county dfacs. like i said earlier, i have 5 other kids, all still in my care. if that doesnt throw a red flag, i dont know why. earlier today, 2/19/2010, i called my daughter to talk to her, as i do every night, and i asked to talk to her "stepmother" about my visit tomorrow. she proceeds to tell me that the court sent out papers saying that they had full custody until my daughter turns 18. i never received any papers of a new court date, change in custody, and my lawyer never contacted me to let me know of the change. i have done everything they have asked. i have a good job. i have my kids in school. i have a house with beds for every child. i am receiving foodstamps and my medicaid is pending. i am doing everything they have asked me to do, but yet i still havent got my daughter back. something about this situation is not right and i dont know what it is. i have no clue where else to turn. if you can help i would deeply appreciate it.

Technorati Tags: bumpy road, cars, clothes, false pretenses, financial troubles, full custody, hamburger, jobs, mcdonough ga, north carolina, panties, quot quot, thanksgiving, water company

Well my 18th birthday is coming up, and I’m getting a tattoo to celebrate. If you don’t mind, I’d rather not hear a lecture on how I’ll regret it later on in life, or how I shouldn’t mess up my body. I have already gotten enough of that from my parents XD

Anyway, my passion is for cars. I plan on becoming an automotive engineer, or a custom auto technician. (Yes, I am a girl haha.) So I want a tattoo relating to cars

I was thinking of getting the Corvette flag logo over a background of flames on my upper left arm (I love Corvettes, I aspire to own one one day ), it would look kinda like this: http://www.zhippo.com/VisualExpressionsHOSTED/images/gallery/corvette-logo-flames-tattoo-stretch-m.jpg
I think that it looks pretty hardcore, and would look so sick

Or just the logo without the flames, like this http://www.capitolcitycorvettes.com/corvette-tattoo-34097.jpg
I like that one too, it’s simpler but would still look awesome.

It doesn’t just have to be the Corvette though haha. I like a lot of cars. Like the Maserati GranTurismo *pokes name*, Chevy Camaro, Lamborghini, Jaguar, Audi, the list goes on and on XD

Sooooo, any ideas? Gracias, amores

Technorati Tags: 18th birthday, auto technician, automotive engineer, camaro, cars, chevy camaro, corvette, corvettes, custom auto, flag logo, flames, getting a tattoo, images gallery, jaguar, lamborghini, left arm, maserati, maserati granturismo, parents, passion

Pretend for a moment you are regan smith on the final lap of today’s race. coming off of turn 4, you are right behind tony stewart. you had held back to make your move. you make it, and it’s a great one. you had juked him from up high to down low. you get position on tony underneath him with the momentum to pass him. but now, tony being as competitive as any other driver out on that race track, is coming down to not only block you, but cut you off and crash into you if you are still in that position. so here’s where you have to make your choice:

a) you hold your line and momentum, stay in the throttle, let tony crash into you, spinning him toward the inside wall near the exit of the pits. you will probably crash as well, more than likely taking out a number of cars, angering these drivers, their owners, and fans, not including tony and his legion of fans.

b) you do whatever you can to avoid making contact with tony, including going below the line and backing out of the throttle, forfeiting any chance of victory, and possibly falling out of 2nd place as well. i’m sure nascar would appreciate this move the most, as it takes all of the burden off of them, and handing it all to you. tony probably thinks he made the greatest move, and he greatly deserves the victory.

c) or finally, you do just what regan did today…what every racer on the nascar circuit would do. you just drove 499.9 freaking miles, and you tell me you are going to just throw the chance of your very first victory in the spring cup series away? and just because tony makes a competitive, but very reckless move. a racer is not a racer if he doesn’t make that move.

nascar got this all wrong this afternoon. i fully understand the reason for having the yellow line rule. but, has nascar ever penalized someone for pushing somebody below the yellow line? i don’t believe so. i recall nascar saying in one of their drivers’ meetings that they will do this when jeff gordon asked them about it. i heard andy petree saying in the broadcast that the yellow line rule is not in effect on the last lap. i do not believe this is entirely true, but i do recall a competition director or someone of that same level saying that if you can see the checkered flag, anything goes.

i have just gotten angry over the past several years over nascar’s inconsistency with some of their rules. that is the main reason for me writing this pretty darn long post. another one of these inconsistencies i am speaking of is in the 2007 daytona 500 when they didn’t throw the yellow flag when the wreck was well underway. they instead waited for harvick and martin to cross the start/finish line. yet, in the previous year at the fall race at talladega, nascar threw the caution for a wreck that was taking place in turn 3, well behind the leaders on the last lap, rather than letting them race back to the caution. this would have given them ample time to slow down (turn 1, turn 2, the entire freakin’ backstretch) before they got to where the wreck started after the race had concluded. i believe jeff gordon won that race and that brian vickers was the one who wrecked to bring out the caution.

nascar just needs to be far more consistent with their rulings, and i would love it if they would come out and explain more of the decisions that are made in their tower during some of these races. i know, sometimes i’ve seen mike helton come on tv and give some explanations, but that is something that i would love to see more. i feel really cheated on today’s race. and let me say, i am not a tony stewart-hater, i love what nascar has been, in general, since i was in the 2nd grade. it just seems sometimes nascar plays puppet-master a little too strongly.

Technorati Tags: cars, final lap, first victory, jeff gordon, momentum, nascar, nascar circuit, pits, regan smith, spring cup, tony stewart

i cant think of gifts to get my family this year, i would love ideas. here is a little about each one:::

MOM: she is funny, and nice, and smart, kind of like a "wise a$$" (not in a bad way), umm she works at a doctors office…she likes hockey and nascar.

DAD: he has a really good heart, and he is a recovering alcoholic. he is very sentimental, and enjoys nothing more than being with the family.

BROTHER: he is a jokster, and LOVES racing more than anything. he lovessssss nascar and he actually races cars himself (not nascar tho). last year i got him a baseball cap that i got embroidered to say "walker racing" (his last name) with checkered flags, he loved it.

Technorati Tags: baseball cap, brother, cars, checkered flags, dad, doctors office, good heart, jokster, mom, nascar, tho, walker racing