MITSUBLISHI have taken a huge gamble with their replacement for the
much-loved Colt.Instead of designing a model that will make a bold
statement the Japanese car giant opted instead to simply give the
customer what they want.So, just what is that magic ingredient punters
crave?There is three in fact; fuel economy, space, reliability – and all
tied together with a reasonable price tag.But more about that later.We
offer solar photovoltaic system
and commercial incentives to encourage our customers to install solar
energy systems.Now, looks-wise the all-new Space Star is not going to
blow your socks off and could be described at worst as bland and best
as, well ... bland.
Designers have obviously steered clear of
the retro look that worked so well for Fiat (500) and MINI probably
because they don't have an iconic model to rework.The safe, almost
generic lines mimics those of other Japanese marques and one could
easily confuse the front with that of a Nissan Micra and the rear with
the Toyota Aygo.Open the door and things begin to improve.Climb on-board
and the space (hence the name) begins to manifest itself.For a little
car the head, leg and elbow room is remarkable even in the rear pews
where most adults will struggle with longer limbs.In the boot there is a
decent 235 litres of luggage space but they could have pushed that a
little more considering the absence of a spare wheel.
There's
decent level of standard equipment on the two trims.The entry level
Invite comes with Daytime running lights, air con, rear spoiler,
electric front windows, electric mirrors, keyless entry,A solar lamp is a portable light fixture composed of an LED lamp,
a photovoltaic solar panel, and a rechargeable battery. stability
control and USB connectivity.Opt for the Intense spec ($3,000 more) and
you get the bigger 1.2 litre engine, alloys, Bluetooth front fog lights
and leather steering.But less (weight) is more with the Space Star
thanks to the use of high-tensile steel, the little imp tips the scales
at an astonishing 845kgs.Couple that with two new light-weight
3-cylinder engines returning an eye-watering 70mpg and you've pretty
much cracked it.
They are ultra green too as the 1.0 litre has
CO2 emissions of just 92g/km while the bigger 1.2 litre has a count of
100g/km – meaning the third lowest road tax of $180.We tested the bigger
engine with the peppy 80bhp powerplant which proved perfect for a mix
of motorway and city driving.The engine is naturally high revving and at
first sounds a little gruff but soon settles down as you familiarise
yourself.
In fact, as the week-long test wore on one became
mesmerised with the colour coded eco read out flashing beside the
speedo.Setting a challenge to stay in the green a slight lift on the
accelerator made all difference – especially when the reserve fuel light
came on.We averaged 52mpg, clocking up 450kms on a 35 litre tank which
in any man's currency is mega.With figures like that, I think that
gamble has well and truly paid off.
All in all the new Space
Star is an excellent all-rounder and ticking all the right boxes
especially for beginners, empty nesters and city dwellers.The only fault
I could find was the location of the phone controls which were below
the steering to the right instead of on the steering wheel which was
filled with a blank panel.Still though, an awkwardly fitted Bluetooth is
better than none.Another huge bonus is the unrivalled 8-year/150,000km
warranty which comes with the car not the owner.I'm not sure how led downlight fit into that equation if they are left on. Prices start at $11,995.To read it in full at www.hmhid.com.
2013年8月15日 星期四
2013年8月13日 星期二
A team of astronomers
Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have solved a 40-year
mystery on the origin of the Magellanic Stream, a long ribbon of gas
stretching nearly halfway around our Milky Way galaxy. The Large and
Small Magellanic Clouds, two dwarf galaxies orbiting the Milky Way, are
at the head of the gaseous stream. Since the stream's discovery by radio
telescopes in the early 1970s, astronomers have wondered whether the
gas comes from one or both of the satellite galaxies. New Hubble
observations reveal most of the gas was stripped from the Small
Magellanic Cloud about 2 billion years ago, and a second region of the
stream originated more recently from the Large Magellanic Cloud.
A team of astronomers, led by Andrew J. Fox of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, MD, determined the source of the gas filament by using Hubble's Cosmic Origins Spectrograph to measure the amount of heavy elements, such as oxygen and sulfur, at six locations along the Magellanic Stream. They observed faraway quasars--the brilliant cores of active galaxies--that emit light that passes through the stream. They detected the heavy elements from the way the elements absorb ultraviolet light.
Fox's team found a low amount of oxygen and sulfur along most of the stream, matching the levels in the Small Magellanic Cloud about 2 billion years ago, when the gaseous ribbon is thought to have formed. In a surprising twist, the team discovered a much higher level of sulfur in a region of the stream that is closer to the Magellanic Clouds. "We're finding a consistent amount of heavy elements in the stream until we get very close to the Magellanic Clouds, and then the heavy element levels go up," said Fox. "This inner region is very similar in composition to the Large Magellanic Cloud, suggesting it was ripped out of that galaxy more recently."
"Only Hubble can measure these abundances," Fox explained. "These abundances can only be measured in ultraviolet light, which Earth's atmosphere absorbs, and so the observations can only be done from a telescope in space."
Unlike other satellite galaxies of the Milky Way the Magellanic Clouds have been able to retain their gas and still are forming stars because they're more massive than the other satellites. However, as they're now approaching the Milky Way, they're feeling its gravity more and also encountering its halo of hot gas, which pushes their own gas out. That process, together with the gravitational tug-of-war between the Magellanic Clouds,Xenon HID Worlds make hid lighting affordable to everyone and for all your vehicle needs. leads to the production of a stream.
Ultimately, the gaseous stream may rain down onto the Milky Way's disk, fueling the birth of new stars. This infusion of fresh gas is part of a process that triggers star formation in a galaxy. Astronomers want to know the origin of that wayward gas in order to more fully understand how galaxies make new stars.
"We want to understand how galaxies like the Milky Way strip the gas from small galaxies that fall into them and then use it to form new stars," Fox explained. "This seems like it's an episodic process. It's not a smooth process where a slow stream of gas comes in continuously. Instead, once in a while a large gas cloud falls in. We have a way of testing that here, where two galaxies are coming in. We've shown which of them is producing the gas that ultimately will fall into the Milky Way."
The team reported its results in two papers that appeared in the Aug. 1 issue of The Astrophysical Journal.
The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD manages the telescope.
Philips hue, an LED light bulb containing ZigBee wireless electronics and controlled by an app,Thank you for providing us with information to help us maintain street light. turned out to be pretty popular when it became available not too long ago. Popular enough, it seems, to where Philips decided they would take the ball and run with it. Their new Friends of hue product line will work alongside that same app, this time offering more complementary light.
The two products, LivingColor Bloom and LightStrips, bring the atmosphere to the room. Unlike the hue bulbs, which just offer regular yellow or white light, LivingColor Bloom and LightStrips can project 16 million different hues of color each. The LivingColor Bloom is actually an older product (you can still find the previous model on Amazon) that has been updated with ZigBee electronics, pairing it with the hue app system. That’s the only thing different, though – it’s still putting out only 120 lumens, so don’t expect to light a room with it.Choose your favorite street lamp paintings from thousands of available designs. Do expect to give your room a cool colored lighting effect at your next party, though.
LightStrips are thin strips of LED lights producing the same amount of light as the LivingColor Bloom. You can bend and twist them however you want, to use as borders around furniture or paintings you might have at home. Philips says you can also trim any extra off the end, but that would probably mean the trimmed off parts would become useless, unless you’re particularly good at tinkering with spare parts.
Read the full story at www.streetlights-solar.com!
A team of astronomers, led by Andrew J. Fox of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, MD, determined the source of the gas filament by using Hubble's Cosmic Origins Spectrograph to measure the amount of heavy elements, such as oxygen and sulfur, at six locations along the Magellanic Stream. They observed faraway quasars--the brilliant cores of active galaxies--that emit light that passes through the stream. They detected the heavy elements from the way the elements absorb ultraviolet light.
Fox's team found a low amount of oxygen and sulfur along most of the stream, matching the levels in the Small Magellanic Cloud about 2 billion years ago, when the gaseous ribbon is thought to have formed. In a surprising twist, the team discovered a much higher level of sulfur in a region of the stream that is closer to the Magellanic Clouds. "We're finding a consistent amount of heavy elements in the stream until we get very close to the Magellanic Clouds, and then the heavy element levels go up," said Fox. "This inner region is very similar in composition to the Large Magellanic Cloud, suggesting it was ripped out of that galaxy more recently."
"Only Hubble can measure these abundances," Fox explained. "These abundances can only be measured in ultraviolet light, which Earth's atmosphere absorbs, and so the observations can only be done from a telescope in space."
Unlike other satellite galaxies of the Milky Way the Magellanic Clouds have been able to retain their gas and still are forming stars because they're more massive than the other satellites. However, as they're now approaching the Milky Way, they're feeling its gravity more and also encountering its halo of hot gas, which pushes their own gas out. That process, together with the gravitational tug-of-war between the Magellanic Clouds,Xenon HID Worlds make hid lighting affordable to everyone and for all your vehicle needs. leads to the production of a stream.
Ultimately, the gaseous stream may rain down onto the Milky Way's disk, fueling the birth of new stars. This infusion of fresh gas is part of a process that triggers star formation in a galaxy. Astronomers want to know the origin of that wayward gas in order to more fully understand how galaxies make new stars.
"We want to understand how galaxies like the Milky Way strip the gas from small galaxies that fall into them and then use it to form new stars," Fox explained. "This seems like it's an episodic process. It's not a smooth process where a slow stream of gas comes in continuously. Instead, once in a while a large gas cloud falls in. We have a way of testing that here, where two galaxies are coming in. We've shown which of them is producing the gas that ultimately will fall into the Milky Way."
The team reported its results in two papers that appeared in the Aug. 1 issue of The Astrophysical Journal.
The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD manages the telescope.
Philips hue, an LED light bulb containing ZigBee wireless electronics and controlled by an app,Thank you for providing us with information to help us maintain street light. turned out to be pretty popular when it became available not too long ago. Popular enough, it seems, to where Philips decided they would take the ball and run with it. Their new Friends of hue product line will work alongside that same app, this time offering more complementary light.
The two products, LivingColor Bloom and LightStrips, bring the atmosphere to the room. Unlike the hue bulbs, which just offer regular yellow or white light, LivingColor Bloom and LightStrips can project 16 million different hues of color each. The LivingColor Bloom is actually an older product (you can still find the previous model on Amazon) that has been updated with ZigBee electronics, pairing it with the hue app system. That’s the only thing different, though – it’s still putting out only 120 lumens, so don’t expect to light a room with it.Choose your favorite street lamp paintings from thousands of available designs. Do expect to give your room a cool colored lighting effect at your next party, though.
LightStrips are thin strips of LED lights producing the same amount of light as the LivingColor Bloom. You can bend and twist them however you want, to use as borders around furniture or paintings you might have at home. Philips says you can also trim any extra off the end, but that would probably mean the trimmed off parts would become useless, unless you’re particularly good at tinkering with spare parts.
Read the full story at www.streetlights-solar.com!
While holed up in a Washington
Like most of Juicy J's best ideas, "Bandz A Make Her Dance" was hatched in the bathroom.
While holed up in a Washington, D.C., hotel room in early 2012, the Memphis rapper was sifting through a collection of beats from rising Atlanta producer Mike Will Made It when he stumbled upon a track with an ominous bass thump and twinkling key line. At first, Juicy J thought it was the foundation of a love song. "The beat reminded me of some Quiet Storm shit… it starts so slow, and it's really melodic," he says. And then, in the hotel bathroom, he realized that the five-word hook that had been rolling around in his brain for a while might work on the track, if it was partnered with a more uptempo rhythm. Hours later, the beginnings of a love song had become the stripper anthem of 2012.
"A lot of times when I'm recording, I smoke weed, I freestyle, and if I'm trying to get that last bar or that ending of the song, I'll go to the bathroom, because I always come up with shit in the bathroom," Juicy J says. His face lights up when he recognizes the unintentional pun, and quickly adds, "I mean, I've written many, many songs in the bathroom."
Most successful hip-hop artists maintain a tireless work ethic, but Juicy J's dedication to his music -- bathroom breaks and all -- is almost inhuman. The MC (real name: Jordan Houston) boasts about turning down vacation time and working through Christmas to get songs completed. His manager, Will Dzombak, professes that "Juicy records anywhere, anytime -- in his hotel room, on a tour bus, backstage right before he goes onstage, in between interviews."
Juicy J doesn't necessarily need to be this unyielding. His days as a member of Memphis rap crew Three 6 Mafia, which produced two million-sellers (2000's "When the Smoke Clears" and 2005's "Most Known Unknown") and one Academy Award for best original song ("It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp"), have secured his legacy and kept his bank account flush. But the rapper also recalls growing up in a two-bedroom Memphis apartment with six people, wondering whether there'd be food in the refrigerator each day, and uses that experience as motivation.
"I come from nothing," he says. "When I got a chance to make some money, I was like, 'Man, I'm not ever going back.'"
During a mid-July stop in Manhattan, however, Juicy J is letting himself unwind a bit. Wearing a red camouflage collared T-shirt and a matching hat, Juicy J clutches a half-empty bottle of Champagne in his left hand and take swigs in between answering questions about "Stay Trippy," his new solo album due Aug. 27.Xenon HID Worlds make hid lighting affordable to everyone and for all your vehicle needs. The rapper certainly has reason to celebrate: "Bandz A Make Her Dance" was an out-of-nowhere career resuscitation for the 38-year-old MC, cracking the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 five years after Three 6 Mafia effectively fizzled out. A joint deal with Kemosabe Records (the imprint headed by pop maestro Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald) and Columbia Records soon followed, as did a slot on a tour last fall opening for Wiz Khalifa, whose Taylor Gang Records brought in Juicy J as a partner/A&R rep in 2011.
"Stay Trippy" is a long, bruising rap opus with a star-studded guest list (Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown, Big Sean, Wale), and Dr. Luke and Khalifa signed on as executive producers. It's an album that has conjured opportunities with big-box retailers and likely sponsorship deals. It's also an album that wouldn't exist if "Bandz A Make Her Dance" didn't take off last year, shaking awake the label that had indefinitely shelved Three 6 Mafia's last album.
The rap crew's downfall unexpectedly followed the most fruitful phase of its career, which began in 1995 with "Mystic Stylez" and led to a deal with Columbia in 2003. The brainchild of Juicy J and rapper/producer DJ Paul with a rotating cast of other members, Three 6 Mafia's brand of gritty hip-hop spilled into the mainstream in 2005, with the bombastic crossover single "Stay Fly" (961,000 downloads sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan) and a surprise Oscar win for "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp,Choose your favorite street lamp paintings from thousands of available designs.Thank you for providing us with information to help us maintain street light." from the Memphis-set film "Hustle & Flow."
Read the full story at www.streetlights-solar.com!
While holed up in a Washington, D.C., hotel room in early 2012, the Memphis rapper was sifting through a collection of beats from rising Atlanta producer Mike Will Made It when he stumbled upon a track with an ominous bass thump and twinkling key line. At first, Juicy J thought it was the foundation of a love song. "The beat reminded me of some Quiet Storm shit… it starts so slow, and it's really melodic," he says. And then, in the hotel bathroom, he realized that the five-word hook that had been rolling around in his brain for a while might work on the track, if it was partnered with a more uptempo rhythm. Hours later, the beginnings of a love song had become the stripper anthem of 2012.
"A lot of times when I'm recording, I smoke weed, I freestyle, and if I'm trying to get that last bar or that ending of the song, I'll go to the bathroom, because I always come up with shit in the bathroom," Juicy J says. His face lights up when he recognizes the unintentional pun, and quickly adds, "I mean, I've written many, many songs in the bathroom."
Most successful hip-hop artists maintain a tireless work ethic, but Juicy J's dedication to his music -- bathroom breaks and all -- is almost inhuman. The MC (real name: Jordan Houston) boasts about turning down vacation time and working through Christmas to get songs completed. His manager, Will Dzombak, professes that "Juicy records anywhere, anytime -- in his hotel room, on a tour bus, backstage right before he goes onstage, in between interviews."
Juicy J doesn't necessarily need to be this unyielding. His days as a member of Memphis rap crew Three 6 Mafia, which produced two million-sellers (2000's "When the Smoke Clears" and 2005's "Most Known Unknown") and one Academy Award for best original song ("It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp"), have secured his legacy and kept his bank account flush. But the rapper also recalls growing up in a two-bedroom Memphis apartment with six people, wondering whether there'd be food in the refrigerator each day, and uses that experience as motivation.
"I come from nothing," he says. "When I got a chance to make some money, I was like, 'Man, I'm not ever going back.'"
During a mid-July stop in Manhattan, however, Juicy J is letting himself unwind a bit. Wearing a red camouflage collared T-shirt and a matching hat, Juicy J clutches a half-empty bottle of Champagne in his left hand and take swigs in between answering questions about "Stay Trippy," his new solo album due Aug. 27.Xenon HID Worlds make hid lighting affordable to everyone and for all your vehicle needs. The rapper certainly has reason to celebrate: "Bandz A Make Her Dance" was an out-of-nowhere career resuscitation for the 38-year-old MC, cracking the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 five years after Three 6 Mafia effectively fizzled out. A joint deal with Kemosabe Records (the imprint headed by pop maestro Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald) and Columbia Records soon followed, as did a slot on a tour last fall opening for Wiz Khalifa, whose Taylor Gang Records brought in Juicy J as a partner/A&R rep in 2011.
"Stay Trippy" is a long, bruising rap opus with a star-studded guest list (Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown, Big Sean, Wale), and Dr. Luke and Khalifa signed on as executive producers. It's an album that has conjured opportunities with big-box retailers and likely sponsorship deals. It's also an album that wouldn't exist if "Bandz A Make Her Dance" didn't take off last year, shaking awake the label that had indefinitely shelved Three 6 Mafia's last album.
The rap crew's downfall unexpectedly followed the most fruitful phase of its career, which began in 1995 with "Mystic Stylez" and led to a deal with Columbia in 2003. The brainchild of Juicy J and rapper/producer DJ Paul with a rotating cast of other members, Three 6 Mafia's brand of gritty hip-hop spilled into the mainstream in 2005, with the bombastic crossover single "Stay Fly" (961,000 downloads sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan) and a surprise Oscar win for "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp,Choose your favorite street lamp paintings from thousands of available designs.Thank you for providing us with information to help us maintain street light." from the Memphis-set film "Hustle & Flow."
Read the full story at www.streetlights-solar.com!
The rock flavour was on the menu
Thurs. - Sat. Hendrickson Field and Loggers Sports Grounds (Squamish)
If Friday had seen triumph in feel-good party vibes at the Squamish Valley Music Festival, Saturday's main purpose was to rock your socks off.
The rap, electro and dance explosion led by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis,They are called "solar" panels or solar module because most of the time, the most powerful source of light available is the Sun.Know about led high bay conversion kit and Bi-xenon HID kit. Jurassic 5 (and augmented by latenight sets by DJ whiz kid Madeon and Polaris nominees and powwow step trailblazers A Tribe Called Red) gave way to a more grizzled, hair of the dog celebration with Josh Homme and Queens of the Stone Age at the helm.
The rock flavour was on the menu early in the afternoon on the windswept Hendrickson Field in front of the Stawamus stage, with Vancouver indie rockers Yukon Blonde handing out a pulsating set of angular hooks. A jammy Everything In Every Way and set closer Stairway, where singer Jeff Innes bellowed, "I hear you calling out!" beckoned festivalgoers, many a tank-top sporting dude and dudette still haggard from the night before, through the main gates.
Even the hip hop and electro stuff on the schedule had a grittier edge, with British soul rockers The Heavy almost blowing the house down with a set that was completely bonkers, a crazed fan at one point quite literally standing atop a sea of hands, screaming every word with his arms outstretched. He made such an impression that singer Kelvin Swaby had to reach for his cellphone to snap a shot of the moment.
"How you like me now?" Swaby bellowed, closing the set with the band's signature single, the front of the stage a mass of tangled, jumping bodies.
If you were smart (and quick on your feet), you immediately ran over to the Market Square stage where Vancouver's Ballantynes were surprising more than a few with a double-drum, Hammond organ-heavy soul/gospel rock afternoon jam.
Of the many Vancouver acts to grace the smaller stages throughout the weekend (the Squamish Fest once again earned a badge of honour in its support for local artists), they really got your feet moving.
They certainly had more swing than Toronto's Diamond Rings, whose turn on the Garibaldi stage was flashy but ultimately too mechanical. Main man John O. is a solid glam/new-wave influenced songwriter, but in concert the click factor (yet again) wasn't really there. Too bad.
Divine Fits, a band regrouping members of indie rockers Spoon and defunct Canadian favourites Wolf Parade, gave a solid but drowsy performance that somehow acted as a short respite before Saturday's final stretch consisting of a series of runs between Fitz and the Tantrums, Childish Gambino (Community's Donald Glover, in a girl crazy turn) and a latenight set by electro act Pretty Lights on the Garibaldi stage; and Gogol Bordello, Band of Horses and QOTSA on the main Stawamus stage.
New York City's Gypsy party band Gogol Bordello have always had a certain celebratory festival flavour, which made them a natural fit to kick off the evening portion of Saturday's lineup.
Eugene Hutz and his pals stormed the stage for a solid hour with barely a break in between fiddle-and-guitar attacks blending klezmer, punk and old fashioned rock 'n' roll. No wonder each stop in Vancouver turns into three sold-out nights of pure insanity.
If one had to pick between Fitz and the Tantrums' derivative indie pop and Dear Rouge's transformative performance on the smaller Market Square stage,The world's largest independent online retailer for solar lighting, street lights & outdoor lighting fixtures. you had to go with the latter.
The Peak Performance Project alumni, who raised a few eyebrows when they won the music competition last year, clearly had the upper hand over Fitz's '80s-tinged pop rock, which owed its sound to much better acts like Hall & Oates and Eurythmics (which they covered in the form of Sweet Dreams).
Seattle indie rockers Band of Horses offered a solid set including an epic Is There A Ghost played in the gathering gloom, setting the stage for Queens of the Stone Age's big finale on the Stawamus stage, a merciful breeze cooling down the crowd.
Back from the brink after frontman Josh Homme almost died while having knee surgery a few years ago, QOTSA nailed a tremendous set that included old monster cuts from landmark 2003 album Songs for the Deaf (No One Knows) and excellent new album Like Clockwork (the road trip worthy My God Is The Sun), putting the final nail in the coffin of the biggest and arguably best edition of the Squamish Valley Music Festival to date.
Click on their website www.soli-lite.com for more information.
If Friday had seen triumph in feel-good party vibes at the Squamish Valley Music Festival, Saturday's main purpose was to rock your socks off.
The rap, electro and dance explosion led by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis,They are called "solar" panels or solar module because most of the time, the most powerful source of light available is the Sun.Know about led high bay conversion kit and Bi-xenon HID kit. Jurassic 5 (and augmented by latenight sets by DJ whiz kid Madeon and Polaris nominees and powwow step trailblazers A Tribe Called Red) gave way to a more grizzled, hair of the dog celebration with Josh Homme and Queens of the Stone Age at the helm.
The rock flavour was on the menu early in the afternoon on the windswept Hendrickson Field in front of the Stawamus stage, with Vancouver indie rockers Yukon Blonde handing out a pulsating set of angular hooks. A jammy Everything In Every Way and set closer Stairway, where singer Jeff Innes bellowed, "I hear you calling out!" beckoned festivalgoers, many a tank-top sporting dude and dudette still haggard from the night before, through the main gates.
Even the hip hop and electro stuff on the schedule had a grittier edge, with British soul rockers The Heavy almost blowing the house down with a set that was completely bonkers, a crazed fan at one point quite literally standing atop a sea of hands, screaming every word with his arms outstretched. He made such an impression that singer Kelvin Swaby had to reach for his cellphone to snap a shot of the moment.
"How you like me now?" Swaby bellowed, closing the set with the band's signature single, the front of the stage a mass of tangled, jumping bodies.
If you were smart (and quick on your feet), you immediately ran over to the Market Square stage where Vancouver's Ballantynes were surprising more than a few with a double-drum, Hammond organ-heavy soul/gospel rock afternoon jam.
Of the many Vancouver acts to grace the smaller stages throughout the weekend (the Squamish Fest once again earned a badge of honour in its support for local artists), they really got your feet moving.
They certainly had more swing than Toronto's Diamond Rings, whose turn on the Garibaldi stage was flashy but ultimately too mechanical. Main man John O. is a solid glam/new-wave influenced songwriter, but in concert the click factor (yet again) wasn't really there. Too bad.
Divine Fits, a band regrouping members of indie rockers Spoon and defunct Canadian favourites Wolf Parade, gave a solid but drowsy performance that somehow acted as a short respite before Saturday's final stretch consisting of a series of runs between Fitz and the Tantrums, Childish Gambino (Community's Donald Glover, in a girl crazy turn) and a latenight set by electro act Pretty Lights on the Garibaldi stage; and Gogol Bordello, Band of Horses and QOTSA on the main Stawamus stage.
New York City's Gypsy party band Gogol Bordello have always had a certain celebratory festival flavour, which made them a natural fit to kick off the evening portion of Saturday's lineup.
Eugene Hutz and his pals stormed the stage for a solid hour with barely a break in between fiddle-and-guitar attacks blending klezmer, punk and old fashioned rock 'n' roll. No wonder each stop in Vancouver turns into three sold-out nights of pure insanity.
If one had to pick between Fitz and the Tantrums' derivative indie pop and Dear Rouge's transformative performance on the smaller Market Square stage,The world's largest independent online retailer for solar lighting, street lights & outdoor lighting fixtures. you had to go with the latter.
The Peak Performance Project alumni, who raised a few eyebrows when they won the music competition last year, clearly had the upper hand over Fitz's '80s-tinged pop rock, which owed its sound to much better acts like Hall & Oates and Eurythmics (which they covered in the form of Sweet Dreams).
Seattle indie rockers Band of Horses offered a solid set including an epic Is There A Ghost played in the gathering gloom, setting the stage for Queens of the Stone Age's big finale on the Stawamus stage, a merciful breeze cooling down the crowd.
Back from the brink after frontman Josh Homme almost died while having knee surgery a few years ago, QOTSA nailed a tremendous set that included old monster cuts from landmark 2003 album Songs for the Deaf (No One Knows) and excellent new album Like Clockwork (the road trip worthy My God Is The Sun), putting the final nail in the coffin of the biggest and arguably best edition of the Squamish Valley Music Festival to date.
Click on their website www.soli-lite.com for more information.
2013年8月8日 星期四
Just when it seemed Toyota
Just when it seemed Toyota had the Avalon’s sleepy, old-person-friendly image shook with a zesty redesign for 2013, along comes this hybrid variant to codger it right back up, right? But, lo, the Avalon hybrid doesn’t negate the cool points earned by the latest gas model. It is just as stylish as that version, and it is easily the belle of the big-sedan ball next to its only gas-electric competitor, Buick’s LaCrosse eAssist mild hybrid, and only asks that you sacrifice some acceleration and a little extra coin relative to the comparison-test-winning V-6 Avalon.
In place of the regular Avalon’s 268-hp, 3.5-liter V-6, the hybrid gets the 156-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder and 141-hp electric motor combination employed by the Camry hybrid. A CVT-like planetary gearbox transfers the system’s combined 200 horsepower to the front wheels, and a 1.6-kWh nickel-metal-hydride battery pack provides juice while only eating two cubic feet of trunk space. As you’d expect, the less-powerful hybrid’s 8.4-second 0-to-60 time is 2.3 seconds slower than the V-6 model, but it feels adequate in normal traffic.
In exchange for being slightly slower than the V-6, the Avalon hybrid gives much better fuel economy. The EPA estimates the hybrid will return 40 mpg in the city and 39 mpg on the highway—19 and 8 mpg higher than the gas model’s 21/31 ratings.
The fuel-economy story’s happy ending is partially provided by the hybrid’s EV-only mode. This locks the Avalon into electric-only operation up to around 20 mph for up to 1 mile, according to Toyota. With a fully charged battery (confirmed by the dashboard screen’s power flow display), we managed 2.6 dizzy, fossil-fuel-less miles circling our office parking lot on electric power. There are three other manually selectable drive modes: Normal is the default, Sport summons sharper throttle tuning and heavier steering effort for friskier moments, and Eco dulls throttle inputs and meters the A/C compressor to enhance efficiency.
Staying in EV mode—especially from a stop—demands a gentle right foot and a heaping helping of patience. We found that the Avalon could maintain up to 45 mph on electric power alone, but the engine is required to reach that speed. Lift off the accelerator while at a steady, sub-50-mph cruise on level ground or down a hill, and the electric motor takes over; gently step back onto the gas and you can sail along on electrons alone. A low battery, a grade, or abrupt throttle changes will reawaken the engine.
Abandon the eco-conscious agenda, and the hybrid won’t bore you silly. Like the V-6 Avalon, the hybrid is far more engaging to drive than Avalons of yore, as well as every other hybrid Toyota offers, thanks to a less willowy structure, beefed-up suspension uprights, and increased roll stiffness. But even as the car is more reactive, it still maintains a comfortable and quiet ride. The well-built, Lexus-like interior is stylish, and the capacitive-touch dashboard controls are nicely executed and respond quickly.
Our top-of-the-line, $42,210 Limited test model included HID headlights, a power sunroof, three-zone automatic climate control, a seven-inch Entune infotainment screen, a backup camera, a 10-way power driver’s seat, an eight-way passenger seat, perforated leather seating surfaces (heated and ventilated in front; heated in back), pushbutton start, and a power rear sunshade.More information about the program is available on the web site at www.hmhid.com.
In place of the regular Avalon’s 268-hp, 3.5-liter V-6, the hybrid gets the 156-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder and 141-hp electric motor combination employed by the Camry hybrid. A CVT-like planetary gearbox transfers the system’s combined 200 horsepower to the front wheels, and a 1.6-kWh nickel-metal-hydride battery pack provides juice while only eating two cubic feet of trunk space. As you’d expect, the less-powerful hybrid’s 8.4-second 0-to-60 time is 2.3 seconds slower than the V-6 model, but it feels adequate in normal traffic.
In exchange for being slightly slower than the V-6, the Avalon hybrid gives much better fuel economy. The EPA estimates the hybrid will return 40 mpg in the city and 39 mpg on the highway—19 and 8 mpg higher than the gas model’s 21/31 ratings.
The fuel-economy story’s happy ending is partially provided by the hybrid’s EV-only mode. This locks the Avalon into electric-only operation up to around 20 mph for up to 1 mile, according to Toyota. With a fully charged battery (confirmed by the dashboard screen’s power flow display), we managed 2.6 dizzy, fossil-fuel-less miles circling our office parking lot on electric power. There are three other manually selectable drive modes: Normal is the default, Sport summons sharper throttle tuning and heavier steering effort for friskier moments, and Eco dulls throttle inputs and meters the A/C compressor to enhance efficiency.
Staying in EV mode—especially from a stop—demands a gentle right foot and a heaping helping of patience. We found that the Avalon could maintain up to 45 mph on electric power alone, but the engine is required to reach that speed. Lift off the accelerator while at a steady, sub-50-mph cruise on level ground or down a hill, and the electric motor takes over; gently step back onto the gas and you can sail along on electrons alone. A low battery, a grade, or abrupt throttle changes will reawaken the engine.
Abandon the eco-conscious agenda, and the hybrid won’t bore you silly. Like the V-6 Avalon, the hybrid is far more engaging to drive than Avalons of yore, as well as every other hybrid Toyota offers, thanks to a less willowy structure, beefed-up suspension uprights, and increased roll stiffness. But even as the car is more reactive, it still maintains a comfortable and quiet ride. The well-built, Lexus-like interior is stylish, and the capacitive-touch dashboard controls are nicely executed and respond quickly.
Our top-of-the-line, $42,210 Limited test model included HID headlights, a power sunroof, three-zone automatic climate control, a seven-inch Entune infotainment screen, a backup camera, a 10-way power driver’s seat, an eight-way passenger seat, perforated leather seating surfaces (heated and ventilated in front; heated in back), pushbutton start, and a power rear sunshade.More information about the program is available on the web site at www.hmhid.com.
The character remains true
The character remains true
I remember when Jeep launched its Commander and the PR told us all about how the company’s customers wanted to see a return to the rugged looks that complemented the go-anywhere ability of the vehicles. I thought of all those people who have no idea of the inherent ability of their Jeep, an ability I discovered a couple of years ago while tackling the legendary Rubicon Trail in the US in the iconic Wrangler.
Then my mind wandered to the statistics and figures. According to Barcroft, Jeep sales have risen 100% over the past three years and last year was its best year yet, selling 701,626 units.
Sales have risen in South Africa too, up 65% between 2011 and 2012 with our local market now the sixth biggest worldwide. Impressive, but then so is the new, or, if you like, the new new, Grand Cherokee.
Looking back on the drive, I have to admit that times have changed and vehicles like the Grand Cherokee, Range Rover, Toyota Land Cruiser and others tend to spend most of their time cruising along motorways and through urban arteries.
Occasionally, as we did on the launch, they might traverse a gravel track through a field to a nice picnic spot where the occupants can get out and admire the view, but they tend to live their lives on tarmac.
It is a shame, because the Grand Cherokee is a true Jeep at heart. In its latest iteration it features a refined Quadralift air suspension system as well as that seemingly bullet-proof four-wheel drive setup.
There is a new Selec-Terrain system that allows the driver to select anything from sport mode to rock, mud or sand. There is also a snow setting but unfortunately winter had not hit the Berg when we got there.
The drivetrain also features a new 8-speed gearbox, although it is perhaps not that new because it is the same box from ZF that BMW, Lexus and others use. Scott Seed, product strategy manager at Chrysler SA, did advise me that the box has been adapted by Chrysler for the diesel and SRT models.
It is a great gearbox, though, and while on occasion it felt the weight of the car, it provided smooth and relaxing shifts on the freeway while also offering some involvement through the paddle shifts when we found a bit of twisty tarmac.
Most of the changes to the vehicle are cosmetic and the list is actually more extensive than I first realised. There are the now seemingly compulsory LED daytime driving lights in the revised headlight clusters, although the SRT gets an extra set in the lower part of the front bumper, too.
The bumpers themselves have been revised front and rear and different models have different grilles to differentiate them. At the rear are new light clusters and a revised roof spoiler.
The biggest changes, though, are inside the cabin where there are all-new materials, redesigned seats and a host of trim options, most of which reflected the new attitude of the brand to the global village with materials from around the world.
The instrument cluster is now a very upmarket digital affair and Seed advised that there are more than 100 display options, again something that proved useful to know on the long drive back to Jozi.
There is a new U-Connect touchscreen infotainment system and you also get proper USB ports up front and fast-charging USB ports for the rear-seat occupants. On that note, the rear seats are now heated in some models and have a reclining function, too.For more information, please visit www.hmhid.com.
2013年8月6日 星期二
Lexus RX 350 F Sport
The new F SPORT is available only in all-wheel drive and features an eight-speed automatic transmission with razor-sharp responding paddle shifters, an F SPORT-tuned suspension to keep the exclusive 19X8 inch split five-spoke wheels in a Dark Graphic finish solidly planted on the ground. In the front are an aggressive front bumper, HID headlamp clusters, and a deep mesh grille with the new signature chrome spindle design. Down below is a splitter and foglamps at the sides. Inside are a host of exclusive sporty cues making it even more fun to be piloting the new RX 350 F SPORT.
The new RX 350 F SPORT combines the standard 3.5 liter, DOHC, 24-valve, all-alloy V6 engine that generates 270hp at 6,200rpm and 248lb.ft. of torque at 4,700rpm. Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) is used to control both intake and exhaust camshafts independently; optimizing engine performance at many speeds and loads. I would have liked to see a significantly increase in horsepower to really make the F SPORT go faster off the line. It only got to 60mph from a standstill in just under 7 seconds, which is about the same for the regular RX 350.
The RX SPORT’s eight-speed automatic is only available in the new F SPORT and comes with fun-to-use paddle shifters. It gave me quicker shifting response with help from miniature high-flow linear solenoids that allowed for more precise clutch operation. The torque converter uses a low-speed lockup damper to enable lock-up from first to eighth gear to help fuel economy.
All of the torque is transferred to all four wheels with an electronically controlled Active Torque Control AWD system. Active Torque Control AWD uses an electronically controlled coupling ahead of the rear differential to vary torque distribution anywhere from 100:0 to 50:50 front to rear, depending on driving dynamics and road conditions. When accelerating, or at launch on a low-grip surface, torque is quickly provided to all four wheels. At steady speeds, torque is sent to the front wheels, enhancing fuel efficiency.
Adding to the more aggressive handling prowess are the meaty Dunlop 235/55VR19 inch Grand Trek Touring A/S performance tires. The wrap around aggressive 19X7.5 inch split-five spoke Dark Graphite finished alloy wheels.
The new exterior styling shows that this RX 350 F SPORT is more aggressive on the road. The new distinctive and contemporary front fascia is highlighted with Lexus’ signature chrome spindle grille and a bolder sport bumper, featuring an F SPORT exclusive mesh grille. The upper edge of the grille is set lower than the upper edge of the HID headlight assembly to establish a more aggressive look. Standard LED daytime running lights and combination rear LED lamps reflect the ‘L’ design motif.
Foglamps are integrated into the sculpted lower front bumper fascia that also includes a centered splitter. Pronounced front fenders flow into the doors, and integrated rear fender flares neatly sweep around to pull together the taut rear corners of the vehicle. The lower bodykit emphasizes the standard 19 inch wheels and tires. Distinctive F SPORT exterior badges are seen on the top of the front fenders. The profile shows steeply raked windshield A-pillars, a full perimeter chrome strip around the greenhouse, a chrome strip below the doors, aero-styled heated/self-dimming/power-folding rearview mirrors, pull-out door handles and an aluminum roof rack.
The rear fascia features a spoiler on top of the power opening/closing liftgate, a step-up bumper with a rubber pad. Down below is a diffuser to help better manage the airflow out the rear underside. There is one exhaust tip hidden under the bumper to give it a cleaner look but I would have liked to see dual exhaust pipes spaced at each end for a more aggressive look from behind.
The new RX 350 F SPORT combines the standard 3.5 liter, DOHC, 24-valve, all-alloy V6 engine that generates 270hp at 6,200rpm and 248lb.ft. of torque at 4,700rpm. Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) is used to control both intake and exhaust camshafts independently; optimizing engine performance at many speeds and loads. I would have liked to see a significantly increase in horsepower to really make the F SPORT go faster off the line. It only got to 60mph from a standstill in just under 7 seconds, which is about the same for the regular RX 350.
The RX SPORT’s eight-speed automatic is only available in the new F SPORT and comes with fun-to-use paddle shifters. It gave me quicker shifting response with help from miniature high-flow linear solenoids that allowed for more precise clutch operation. The torque converter uses a low-speed lockup damper to enable lock-up from first to eighth gear to help fuel economy.
All of the torque is transferred to all four wheels with an electronically controlled Active Torque Control AWD system. Active Torque Control AWD uses an electronically controlled coupling ahead of the rear differential to vary torque distribution anywhere from 100:0 to 50:50 front to rear, depending on driving dynamics and road conditions. When accelerating, or at launch on a low-grip surface, torque is quickly provided to all four wheels. At steady speeds, torque is sent to the front wheels, enhancing fuel efficiency.
Adding to the more aggressive handling prowess are the meaty Dunlop 235/55VR19 inch Grand Trek Touring A/S performance tires. The wrap around aggressive 19X7.5 inch split-five spoke Dark Graphite finished alloy wheels.
The new exterior styling shows that this RX 350 F SPORT is more aggressive on the road. The new distinctive and contemporary front fascia is highlighted with Lexus’ signature chrome spindle grille and a bolder sport bumper, featuring an F SPORT exclusive mesh grille. The upper edge of the grille is set lower than the upper edge of the HID headlight assembly to establish a more aggressive look. Standard LED daytime running lights and combination rear LED lamps reflect the ‘L’ design motif.
Foglamps are integrated into the sculpted lower front bumper fascia that also includes a centered splitter. Pronounced front fenders flow into the doors, and integrated rear fender flares neatly sweep around to pull together the taut rear corners of the vehicle. The lower bodykit emphasizes the standard 19 inch wheels and tires. Distinctive F SPORT exterior badges are seen on the top of the front fenders. The profile shows steeply raked windshield A-pillars, a full perimeter chrome strip around the greenhouse, a chrome strip below the doors, aero-styled heated/self-dimming/power-folding rearview mirrors, pull-out door handles and an aluminum roof rack.
The rear fascia features a spoiler on top of the power opening/closing liftgate, a step-up bumper with a rubber pad. Down below is a diffuser to help better manage the airflow out the rear underside. There is one exhaust tip hidden under the bumper to give it a cleaner look but I would have liked to see dual exhaust pipes spaced at each end for a more aggressive look from behind.
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