Le Nguyen Khang’s Achilles is a stunning wooden car and finely crafted with fine quality lumber. Made of ash, xylia xylocarpa and walnut, the wooden vehicle’s exterior is adorned with amazing carvings including the logo of Khang’s company and some traditional emblems.
Posted by mithaq85 on November 5, 2012
https://nicenfunny.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/a-wooden-car-from-vietnam/
Here are 10 of the best new car sound systems available in North America. Some systems come as a standard feature in their respective cars, while others are options. Regardless, they’ve been designed more for excellent balance and clarity than outright deafening volume, which is why wattage alone didn’t sway our votes. We’ve also paired each with the preferred soundtrack to match both the characteristics of the system and personality of the car.
Some sports car purists insist a Ferrari’s sound system begins and ends with its engine. Ferrari has even hidden audio systems behind retractable covers in some cars. The 612 Scaglietti is less sports car and more really fast 2+2 GT, so even the Maranello faithful shouldn’t be too upset with the addition of the Bose Media System. It may not be pretty, but it does centralize the infotainment features and was developed with the car’s interior in mind. Because they were born in the same area and will forever be known for the notes they hit, it’s only right to enjoy this car and system with Pavarotti’s final work.
Chrysler recognizes the broad appeal of the 300C and wisely offers systems to satisfy multiple generations. If you’re more inclined to drive the mild-mannered 300C editions, you’re more likely to appreciate the optional Boston Acoustics package. Rarely do 368 Watts, seven speakers and a subwoofer produce such full sound. It’s a great system to explore the similar attention to detail demonstrated on Steely Dan’s Aja. If you don’t roll that way, but still like the car, go for the hotter 300C SRT8. Then you can play Chris Brown‘s Exclusive on a system made to handle the lows: the 13-speaker, 322-Watt Kicker surround sound system with a 100-Watt subwoofer.
Mitsubishi’s Lancer and Rockford Fosgate have each been dismissed as being more exuberant performers than precision players in their respective fields. However, this is not true, especially in this setup. The 650 Watt, nine-speaker system includes an enclosed 10-inch subwoofer in the trunk and is surprisingly adept at handling crisp highs without sounding hollow. Unlike some other factory systems, the speed-sensitive volume and equalization work very well also.
The theater experience in the Lincoln MKX crossover is based on more than just the rear-seat DVD player. The optional THX II Certified Audio System is the best auto-based representation we’ve heard of inventor Tomlinson Holman’s standard. Whereas the first Lincoln-based edition could get a bit mired in bass, the MKX package is cleaner. It now handles bass as efficiently as other ranges and requires little to no fiddling to get it right; it’s why the 14-speaker, 600 Watt system is best experienced with a soundtrack like Kanye West’s Graduation.
It doesn’t have a universally known manufacturer’s named attached, but the Volvo S80 features a setup built in collaboration with Danish firm Dynaudio for an impressive package of 12 speakers — each with its own filter — and 650 Watts (truth be told, they did work with Dolby Laboratories to fine tune the surround sound). You can’t help but be impressed by the reproduction, regardless of where you’re sitting. One thing that kept this system from a higher rank was its lack of intuitive operation. It’s an improvement over past systems, but still uncharacteristically complicated. To bring simplicity back to it all, we paired this system with a greatest-hits package from ABBA. Just be thankful we showed mercy and avoided Ace of Base as the soundtrack of choice.
Cadillac has gone from being the punching bag of the luxury car industry to a force that’s reclaiming a healthy share of its former glory. This is due, in no small part, to the revamped CTS model. There are highlights everywhere you look, but for our purposes we’ll concentrate on the Bose 5.1 Cabin Surround Sound System. Its 10 speakers may come up short of other systems in quantity, but don’t equate that to the quality. Unlike some Bose-labeled factory systems that have disappointed, this is worthy of the name, delivering the accurate fullness and range associated with the brand. It matches nicely with the diverse collection of well-mastered tracks on Synchronicity from The Police, which will barely put a dent in the 40GB hard drive onboard.
One Mercedes-Benz that clings to its old-school character is the exclusive CL-Class coupe. For the privileged few who will pilot these $100,000-plus machines, Beethoven’s beautiful, inspiring Symphony No. 5 sounds its best on an uninterrupted drive while played through the CL’s Harman/Kardon LOGIC7 Digital Surround Sound System. The precision-tuned package delivers 600 Watts and features 14, perfectly placed speakers. It produces some of the most realistic, dynamic range you’ve experienced in a car. Just remember: It’s dangerous to pretend you’re conducting while driving.
Three British icons, Bowers & Wilkins, Jaguar and Pink Floyd, come together for our No. 3 best system. Say what you will about the controversial Jaguar XF design, it is a stylish and contemporary replacement for the outdated S-Type. Anticipating XF buyers would appreciate the effort, Jaguar is offering a Bowers & Wilkins 440 Watt, surround sound system with 13 speakers, plus a subwoofer. Since B&W speakers are the reference-quality choice of serious audiophiles, and even recording studios, you’d best not waste them on any old soundtrack. Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon brings out the best in the speakers and vice versa.
With total harmonic distortion (THD) of less than 0.1%, the 19-speaker, 450-Watt Mark Levinson Reference (7.1-channel) Surround Sound Audio System is a compelling reason to let someone else drive while you close your eyes and experience the concertos of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. You’re not likely to miss a single note because the system has a range of 20 to 20,000 Hz — beyond the hearing range of some people. The 8GB hard drive is a little conspicuous in its light capacity, though we envision few LS owners will complain. In any case, it’s a minor gripe against what’s still an exceptional audio system.
It’s one thing to garner a favorable review of a system for an enthusiast publication, but winning an international award is quite another matter. Ward’s Auto World gave the Audi A8’s Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System top honors at its 2006 “Interior of the Year” awards. The impressive setup consists of 14 speakers (including a 12-inch subwoofer), each with its own amplifier. And yes, we’ll confess the pair of acoustic lens speakers atop the dash are just plain fun to watch as they extend and retract. Altogether, the remarkable system produces nearly 1,100 Watts. The car’s cool character and the system’s strengths play well with Dave Brubeck’s Time Out, here sounding as fresh as ever.
Posted by mithaq85 on October 6, 2010
https://nicenfunny.wordpress.com/2010/10/06/top-10-car-audio-systems/
Concept cars came back – with a vengeance – after World War II when America entered a golden age of prosperity and rising expectations. Nothing said “New!” like the annual GM Motorama shows, where the public caught a glimpse of radical new designs and often bizarre trends like soaring tailfins, glass bubble-tops and chrome, well, everywhere! Today, concept cars are like fixtures of the automotive world, showcasing new ideas, designs and features, but most of them never make it to the street. What if they did?11. Ford Airstream concept
Anyone old enough to remember Airstream trailers? This striking new Ford concept isn’t anything like them, don’t worry! A fixture of the 2007 auto show scene, the Airstream concept previews the crossover vehicle of the future. Look beneath the Airstream’s awesome appearance and you’ll find a new plug-in hydrogen hybrid fuel cell called HySeries Drive that provides continuous electric power without the need for fossil fuels.
10. Toyota i-Real concept
The i-Real takes “personal transportation” to the next level while blurring the line between car and scooter. Not those Razor Scooters beloved by teens, I mean those electric rolling chairs beloved by oldsters. As the Baby Boom morphs into the Elderly Explosion, a vehicle like the I-Real could find itself in great demand. It looks cool, is controlled by joysticks and it’s a Toyota – sounds like a sure winner!
9. Nissan NV200 concept
The Nissan NV200 concept is the neatest thing since sliced bread – it even features a unique pull-out storage module that slides out from the rear doors like a loaf of bread from a plastic bag. In effect, the NV200 turns storage inside out… or is that outside in? Any way – you say it, Nissan’s designers have offered a new option that could be just the thing for certain niche professions. Pictured below, is a concept fit for ocean photographers.
8. Mazda Ryuga concept
It’s not often that design and engineering complement each other without compromise, and the Mazda Ryuga concept is an exquisite expression of creative cooperation! With its flowing lines, gullwing (more like bat-wing) doors and retro-futuristic interior, the Ryuga is simply stunning any way you look at it. Are there any practical reasons for bringing the Ryuga from concept to concrete? Maybe not… but humanity’s desire to make dreams come true has to be respected. Zoom zoom? Yes please!
7. Acura NSX Advanced Sports Car concept
The Acura NSX was Honda’s interpretation of a Ferrari-esque supercar, and it sold in modest numbers from 1990 to 2005 without much in the way of appearance or engineering changes. That was then, this is now… the Acura NSX Advanced Sports Car Concept picks up where the old NSX left off – in fact, Honda’s CEO announced the new NSX’s development program within days of the previous model’s last production day. Though only a concept car at the moment, the Acura NSX Advanced Sports Car Concept should hit the streets later this year. Features include a Formula One-inspired V10 motor and the SH-AWD (Super Handling All Wheel Drive) system currently used in the Acura RL. Here’s hoping Honda follows through on their promises!
6. Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sports Car concept
Hybrids… they’re the queens of the green, clean fuel-sippin’ scene. They’re NOT mean drivin’ machines, however, but all that may change if Toyota has anything to do with it – and they do. The FT-HS Hybrid Sports Car concept is not your grandmother’s Prius though it’s still powered by a hybrid motor. The difference is, the motor in the FT-HS can push the sleek 2-door coupe to 60 mph in 4 seconds flat! If the rumors are true, the FT-HS is the forthcoming replacement for the Toyota Supra.
5. Lexus LF-A concept
As hot as the Toyota concept cars may be, some of the ideas bubbling out of Lexus are even hotter! That’s how it should be, since Lexus is Toyota’s premier brand and has a lofty image to uphold. With the LF-A concept, that image is set to fly even higher. This concept is “on track” to be produced as a 2009 model and let’s just hope the track has no obstacles. Is the LF-A going to be the next – or rather the first – Lexus supercar? A mid-engine layout with perfect weight distribution, rear-mounted radiators and a top speed of over 200 mph answers that question emphatically – YES!
4. McLaren M Eleven B concept
How do you improve upon the best? That was the question put to students of the Istituto Europeo di Design’s Transport Design course, who were asked to design an updated version of McLaren’s legendary supercar, the F1. Hailed as one of the finest iterations of the supercar class ten years ago, the F1 is still relatively unmatched in virtually every category. Students at the Turin, Italy based school were asked to design the next-gen McLaren supercar, using a mid-engine format, a 200 mph top speed and the ultimate in road-going performance. The winner of the competition was the M Eleven B. Will it be built? As long as there are those who demand the very best, the M Eleven B will find a market at any price.
3. Maybach Excelero concept
Maybach is Mercedes-Benz’s icing on the automotive cake and the Excelero, of which only a single concept has been made, is the crèm de la crème. The Excelero certainly looks formidable, and it’s got the power to back it up – though it’s hard to imagine this car ever backing up! But I digress… a twin-turbo, 5.9 litre V12 engine puts out an awe-inspiring 700 hp. Can the tires take it? Who cares – if you’re in the Excelero’s target market, tires are not your concern.
2. Toyota Volta concept
Toyota seems intent on banishing the hybrid car’s meek image for good – and the Volta hybrid sportscar concept is very, very good indeed! The Volta takes the basic hybrid engine blueprint and squeezes every bit of potential out of it. The result? A 435-mile cruising range and an, er, electric 0-60 mph time of 4 seconds flat! Most enticing, the Volta features a unique drive-by-wire control system that allows any of the three – yes, three – front seat occupants to assume control of the vehicle just by having said controls moved in front of them. Memo to Toyota… make the Volta, please!!
1. GMC Denali XT concept
Oil crisis, what oil crisis? If the radically styled GMC Denali XT concept could talk, that’s what it would likely say – and it would find a lot of ears ready to listen! Should this beautiful brute actually make it into production, an entire fleet of Hummers, Excursions and Suburbans is going to look really old, really fast. Best of all, though the Denali XT concept looks like a fuel-hog, it really isn’t – and that’s notwithstanding the 326 horsepower, 4.9 litre V8 ensconced beneath its sculptured hood. Flex-fuel capability, direct fuel injection and GM’s proven Active Fuel Management system delivers twice the fuel economy of a standard setup. The Denali XT concept is one mean, green machine!
These eleven exceptional concept cars prove beyond a doubt that the auto industry is thriving under the combined pressures of competition, regulation and market saturation. It takes a lot to get yourself noticed in this type of environment, and the world’s creative designers, engineers and marketers know it – and are doing something about it. Hey, they’ve got my attention… and if they bring these classy concepts into mass production, they just might get my order!
Posted by mithaq85 on October 5, 2010
https://nicenfunny.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/11-cool-concept-cars-that-should-be-mass-produced/
Posted by mithaq85 on October 4, 2010
https://nicenfunny.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/10-amazing-concept-lamborghini-cars/
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