I just love this car…

See similar:

Other Posts That May Interest You:

• Porsche Press Release: 2010 911 GT3 RS

Press Release From Porsche:

Delivering even more engine power, lower weight and shorter transmission ratios, as well as upgraded body and suspension components than all previous GT3s, the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS sets the foundation for homologating the race version of the 911 GT3 and will be introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show September 17-27, 2009.

The heart of the new, uncompromising GT3 RS is the power unit. Like the engine featured in the 911 GT3, the naturally-aspirated RS power unit now displaces 3.8 liters and delivers even more power, while revving up even faster to its 8500 rpm redline. It now delivers 450 horsepower, 15 more horsepower than its 911 GT3 counterpart. Even with a specific output of more than 118 hp per liter from the six-cylinder boxer engine, the power unit in the new GT3 RS remains fully suitable for everyday use.

The new 911 GT3 RS comes exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox optimized for short gearshift travel, low weight and high efficiency. To enhance the level of performance throughout the entire range of engine and road speed, the transmission comes with shorter ratios than found in the 911 GT3, deliberately conceding an even higher potential top track speed.

Dynamic engine mounts are standard and serve to improve the car’s handling to an even higher level. Depending on driving conditions, the mounts change in their stiffness and damping effect, improving the connection between the engine and the body when driving under very lively conditions, yet allow for more comfortable conditions during everyday street use.

Porsche is also introducing another new option in 2010 for the GT3 RS, a lithium-ion battery. Delivered with the car and, when replacing the conventional lead-acid battery, it reduces the weight by more than 10 kg or 22 lb and is mainly intended for the track.

To further improve its sporting behavior, the new 911 GT3 RS comes with a purpose-built and specially set up PASM suspension, a wider front and rear track and corresponding bodywork.

The front axle comes with nine-inch-wide wheels running on 245/35 ZR 19 sports tires while the rear axle features twelve-inch-wide wheels incorporating 325/30 ZR 19 sports tires.

The new 911 GT3 RS shows its close connection to motorsport through its dynamic looks, in particular by its low ride height, the new, extra large carbon-fiber rear wing and titanium exhaust system.

The 2010 911 GT3 RS goes on sale in the U.S. in early spring of 2010 and will be priced at $132,800.

Photo Gallery

See similar:

Other Posts That May Interest You:

• Video of 2010 Porsche 911 GTR RS

We’ve all seen the insanity of Ken Block’s YouTube videos where he’s blasting his car sideways through an airfield obstacle course coming to near collisions with random objects.  Most can’t believe what they are seeing is real.  The truth is even with great movie editing; Ken Block has amazing car control skills.

As a road racer, my experience with car control has been on wet skid pads and scary situations on track, which usually ends with a mild heart attack.    “Happens to everyone”, I’m told, “that’s how you learn”, but that didn’t seem right.  How do you learn to fix a problem that isn’t experienced often?  Being obsessed with perfecting my own driving ability, I reached out to seasoned race veterans and other weekend track warriors for the answer to my car control problem.

After a week’s worth of researching, the solution was simple, go to rally school.  No other racing school on earth can provide an environment of changing grip levels and encouragement to go as fast as possible, while maintaining some level of control.  Mud drifting as some rally enthusiasts called it, was the solution to the car control issue.  The best place to learn? Team O’Neal Rally School.   If it’s good enough for Ken Block, then it’s good enough for me!

Nestled in the middle of nowhere aka Dalton, New Hampshire, is where you’ll find Team O’Neal Rally School.   Almost like finding a tiny needle in a large haystack, the school is buried within a maze of gravel roads and heavy tree cover on top a mountain.  In fact the school is so difficult to find that one of their instructors, Wyatt, had to meet us at the Hampton Inn located within town to guide us to campus on the very first day.

Once on school grounds, you are thrown back at the enormous size of the property.   A majestic site containing beat up Audi Quattros, VW Jettas, VW GTI’s, and Subaru’s that litter one side of the property while on the other side are the various courses chiseled through the tall thick trees.

To greet our very enthusiastic class is our lead instructor, Chuck.  With a direct no BS approach, Chuck our ex-military tobacco-chewing bear of a lead instructor, gives the class the 411 on what to expect during the next 4 days.  The best phrase to sum it all up, “Pay Attention”.  Obvious right?  That’s what I thought too…

Day 1 – Steering With Brake
On day 1 we kicked off the day with a morning classroom followed by in-car time.  The school tries to minimize classroom sessions, so students spend majority of the day in-car.   Classroom discussions during the first day were about vehicle dynamics, the principles of left foot braking, and any questions we had during our in-car time. Our in-car sessions were in FWD VW Jettas and GTI’s, with the purpose to learn left foot braking while coordinating steering and throttle to control the car through a slalom of mud and orange cones.  And if that wasn’t enough, improving reaction times and looking ahead to keep the car out of the ditch.  With each in-car session the instructors put us through various drills (late apexing, threshold braking, and brake & avoid) to help burn in the techniques learned in class.   With majority of the student cars spinning around or needing a tow rescue, day 1 was proving to be challenging for everyone.  Luckily we had an abundance of time to get enough runs in.  By the end of the day, I was left foot braking subconsciously all the way back to my hotel.

Day 2 – Steering with Throttle & Brake Anticipation, Compensation, and Timing

Highlight of Day 2, learning how to Pendulum Turn.  Honestly who wouldn’t want to learn how to use the “Scandinavian Flick” in a car?   Unfortunately we had to wait towards the end of the day to start learning how to pendulum turn a car.  The bulk of the day was spent more on mastering lessons taught to us the day before, which was learning to use left foot braking to rotate the car and steer into the direction of the skid.  Only this time we had to do it at a faster pace.  This all led up to my favorite drill of the day.

A cone setup on muddy ground was the foundation for the pendulum turn exercise.  “All you have to do is carry enough speed, look ahead to where you want to brake, lift off the gas, turn right, blip the throttle while looking at the apex, blip the brake while looking at the exit, throttle out” explained our instructor Wyatt.

One of the most difficult challenges on Day 2 was getting the timing right for the “flick” exercise.  Knowing when to brake to start rotation, when to apply the right amount of steering input to control slide, and knowing where you wanted the car to end up was challenging.   The good news is we ran this drill enough times to get consistently good.  At the end of the day, I felt comfortable making right or left hand turns using the notorious “flick”.

Day – 3 – Perfecting Techniques
Day 3 was filled with more in-car practice time, which led to the most challenging portion thus far, the school’s basic rally course.   This was exciting and nerve racking at the same time.  Unforgiving thick trees and unusually deep rocky ditches on certain corners meant making a mistake could hurt a little.   To get us prepared, the instructors setup drills that got us prepared for course.   Drills included our normal drills we ran through on previous days and our newest one, drifting through a blind corner.  Didn’t seem too hard to do, but the instructors had a little surprise up their sleeve.

Trying to test our reflexes, the instructors would place a barrel (“random cow” in the middle road is what instructors called it) on different locations on the blind corner leaving just enough room to go around without hitting it.   The challenge was to find the open path through as quickly as possible in order to rotate the car into position.  Sounds more complicated then it really is but during the drill everything seemed to be second nature.  With that said, out of the 4 -6 runs I went through, I managed to hit the barrel/cow a number of times.

Day 4 – Mastering Techniques
Day 4 focused more daytime in-car.  With fewer students, the five remaining students (including myself) got to choose the preferred car of choice (Audi Quattro) and run continual drills for long periods of time with and without an instructor.    This of course improved our ability as a class and allowed the instructors to confidently allow us to run on the advanced course.

The advance course is longer in distance compared to what we were on prior and most importantly has a portion that goes uphill with a drop at the top that could hurt if a car should go over.   This is all followed by a steep downhill that merges into the original basic course we practiced on the day prior.  The advance course allows the car to carry more speed and heavily relies on all techniques learned over the past 3 days.  Now was the time to show how well you were paying attention.

With a couple of instruction laps done it was time to get behind the wheel.  Going through the course during the first bit was business as usual since it was part of the basic course we practiced on earlier, it was the up hill portion that got the heart rate going.  Going uphill as fast as you can in a bouncy beat-up Audi wasn’t the issue, it was the fact that I was building enough speed in order to drift at the top of what felt like Mount Everest with a 1000 foot drop (it really wasn’t that bad) and making sure the timing was good enough to make it through alive.  Luckily I managed to go through without a scratch.  Coming downhill required more concentration with steering inputs and being gentle with the brake.  Towards the bottom we came down to familiar territory, taking us through what I thought was the fastest lap time the school has ever seen.  Later the instructors were quick to dub me slower then their grandmothers, which meant they were very jealous of my school speed record.

All kidding aside, the day ended with big smiles on everyone’s faces.  There was a tremendous amount to learn from this school and I was amazed how they were able to teach us with the amount of time available.

Conclusion
The skills learned from this school really boosted up my car control confidence.  What used to be scary situations on track now have become great opportunities to use tools from my new car control toolbox.  Lap times on average came down by 2 seconds and my conformability within the car has risen to a new high.  The trick is to balance all of this to make sure overconfidence doesn’t enter the picture.

If car control is lacking for you, then you will be surprised by the results after attending Team O’Neal.

Video:

Photo Gallery:

See similar:

Other Posts That May Interest You:

• BoostLabs.com New Website Redesign is Launched
• “Ski Town USA” Hosting Upcoming Rally America Race
• A Day With The Nissan GTR
• Leading Investment Manager Announces New Website and Professionally Managed Portfolios for the Average Investor
• Cosworth Mitsubishi 4G63 94mm (2.2L) Billet racing Crankshaft

Article From “The Costco Connection”

——————————————————————-

In a distressed economy, business owners wisely search for ways to cut expenses.  But according to Boca Raton, Florida, Costco member MaryEllen Tribby, publisher and chief executive office of the online newsletter Early to Rise (www.earlytorise.com), “Many business owners have a knee jerk reaction to cut marketing budgets without evaluation the harm that will cause their business.”

Tribby advises, “You should be marketing more, but finding lower-cost and more effective ways.”  She offers these suggestions.

Email Marketing. Direct e-mail is cheaper then direct mail.

Pay-per-click (PPC).  PPC is an online advertising payment model in which the advertiser pays a predetermined price every time an ad is clicked.  Accounts can be set up in five minutes, with immediate results.  If the ad fails, it can be replaced just as quickly.  Start with the minimum amount and see how the search engine performs in terms of the traffic it delivers and how well the traffic converts into paying customers.  PPC advertising is entirely trackable, so you can see your return on investment.

Remnant Space.  Try to purchase remnant space – space in a magazine or newspaper (as well as time slots on radio and TV) that has not been sold in time and is left over.  If space is available and time is tight, the publication will more likely negotiate.

Social Media.  Social media take many forms: online forums; message boards; blogs; video-, photo- and music-sharing sites; social networks and comment sections on Web sites.

Teleseminars. Teleseminars are inexpensive to produce, and a teleconferencing channel for your business can be established in a matter of weeks.

Public Relations. Of the many channels of marketing, public relations is one no business should ignore.  It’s nearly free, and it can go local to regional to national – and even international – audiences faster then it takes to write up a marketing plan for a conventional advertising campaign.

Tribby cautions, “Regardless of which you use, you should always strive to create strong customer relationships. Never promise anything you aren’t going to be able to deliver, and deliver more then you promise.  Integrity is the key.”

——————————————————————-

About Boost Labs (www.boostlabs.com):
Boost Labs, LLC is an Internet Marketing Company based in Gaithersburg, Maryland (Washington DC Metro Area) serving Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC area customers. For more than eight years we have fine-tuned our services based on Internet properties we have developed for ourselves and have applied the same techniques for our clients to achieve success. As a small company we are constantly evolving our services to stay ahead of the curve. What does this means for you (the client)? It means that our services are proven methods and have produced results. All of our work translates to more success for you and if it doesn’t then we don’t get paid for our work, hence our mission statement: “Driven By Results”.

See similar:

Other Posts That May Interest You:

• New Internet Marketing Consulting Company, Boost Labs, Is Open For Business
• Web Marketing Firm, Boost Labs, Signs on GURU, Inc as a New Client
• Mishimoto Radiator and Hose Kit Review

An inspirational story for those in the automotive industry.
——————————————————

By T. Foster Jones
Try to picture the swoosh before the shoe, the apple before the, well, Apple.

This is the story of a business that began as a logo. There was no building. There was no merchandise. Heck, there was no idea of what kind of merchandise there would be if there was merchandise. Just a logo, a name and a man with an entrepreneurial dream.

The man is Costco member Warren Tracy. The logo is a wrench-wielding hand with a bandage on the index finger. The name is The Busted Knuckle Garage. And the dream? To run a business he could call his own. In sort of a “design it and they will come” approach, he created a successful business, backwards.

But, we’re getting ahead of ourselves, just as Tracy did. Let’s dial back 13 or so years, to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, a place accessible only by foot, by raft or on the back of
a mule. It’s hardly the place you would expect automotive inspiration to strike. Yet it did, and, as long as we’re using automotive terms, the inspiration that struck Tracy came in reverse.

In 1996, Tracy had been living on and working as manager of the Phantom Ranch guest ranch for about 10 years. A selfdescribed “gear head,” who had started twisting wrenches as a teen, he woke up one night with a vision. He made a quick sketch of an injured hand holding a wrench and then went back to sleep.

For someone with an entrepreneurial itch, someone who understood the power of branding from his experience marketing Phantom Ranch, the doodle presented something of a conundrum. What did it represent? It haunted him, nagged at him. He eventually trademarked it, but a year later the logo was still dangling there, its meaning just out of reach.

It was in 1997 that Tracy, whose career path has also included mortgage banking, delivering yachts and operating a bicycle shop, met a man making faux-antique distressed
wooden signs. He decided to commission some featuring his design, along with the name “The Busted Knuckle Garage,” and posted an ad in an auto magazine.

“We sold 100 the first month,” Tracy says. Encouraged, Tracy struck a deal shortly thereafter with an herbologist, a regular ranch patron. She had developed a muscle-easing salve she was looking to sell, something that Tracy thought would be perfect for an aching mechanic. They marketed it under the Busted Knuckle brand, and “it just took off,”Tracy says. “We knew we were on to something.” What the logo was and what the logo meant were beginning to come together.

Tracy quit his job at Phantom Ranch. He mortgaged his house, ran his credit cards to the limit. He sold the cars and motorcycles he had built and collected. He marketed more skin-care products. The logo made its appearance on signs and T-shirts and hats. Tracy began attending car shows and automotive supply stores across the country, hawking the brand and the growing line of products.

Combining the marketing and smallbusiness lessons he’d learned from his various occupations, over the past 10 years Tracy has built The Busted Knuckle Garage into a lifestyle
brand that sells more than 250 different items—from clothing, garage and home décor and gifts to collectibles and car-care products—to fellow wrench twisters.

Through direct sales at the Busted Knuckle Web site (www.bustedknucklegarage.com), automotive catalogs and national chain stores, Tracy, who finally opened an actual brick-and-mortar retail location in 2005 in Prescott, Arizona, has created something unique.

While the logo and the brand became a business for Tracy, they represent myriad things to his customers, resonating with everyone from hard-core mechanics to wannabes. He built the business around what the logo meant, rather than the other way around.

And in a final twist, guys aren’t the only ones buying Busted Knuckle products. Tracy says that 70 percent of retail sales come from women buying gifts for men. “Who is my market?” he asks. He’s still at a loss to explain. “We let customers define it, as it relates to their experience.”

See similar:

Other Posts That May Interest You:

• 1998 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS: Project TrackWhore – The Beginning
• Porsche Press Release: 2010 911 GT3 RS
• A Small Car with a Big Impression—Carlsson Tuning for the Smart Fortwo
• Lamborghini Reventon
• 1998 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS: Project TrackWhore :: Part 4 : Paint

Starting a new business again after your last one sold is part of the MO for any entrepreneur.  This time around, I believe will be more of a challenge, especially with the state of the economy.  Nevertheless, new challenges are what I live for and this will really put my ability to the test.  What is the new business?  An internet marketing consulting firm.  Marketing has always been second nature to me and this time around I can really focus all of my energy to be one of the best around.  Web 2.0 is nothing new to most folks but I believe it is still in its infancy and needs further development to be fully understood by the masses.  One of the factors that makes Web 2.0 difficult to understand is the fact it is ever evolving.  What was once popular today will not be so tomorrow.  The “nothing lasts forever” statement holds true when it comes to Web 2.0.

So why am I getting into a Web 2.0 rant? The answer is that internet marketing plays a valuable role.  In the wild jungle that we call the “Internet”, many sites with loads of advanced features get lost in the sea of other websites, while some are ahead of the pack.  What makes one more special then the other?  Many believed that the answer to be successful is to be the first.  In my experience that doesn’t hold true anymore.  Sites like Facebook have come out of left field and is competing head to head with Myspace.  Knowing the Internet Marketing process is one thing, but being creative to develop new methods not used before is the key to success.  Internet marketing is a foreign concept to many website owners and unfortunately has been related to only “SEO”.  There is so much more to it, which is a great thing in my opinion.

Anyways many of you may not know me and are probably getting bored with this post.   I’ll wrap it up by getting on my pedestal with a harp and say: ” I hope with this new company, I will have a chance to educate others about Internet Marketing and to motivate website owners to get much more out of their site then they think.”  So in closing, if you have any internet marketing needs, shoot me an email and I will be glad to help you out.

What a sneaky way to make a plug….

See similar:

Other Posts That May Interest You:

• Mitsubishi Receives “Best New Technology” Award for its Super All-Wheel Control System
• Logitech G25 Steering Wheel with PlayStation 3
• GSC S1 Cam Review
• 2000 Civic Si Part 1 (Really Long Time Ago)
• Audi R8 V10

The following is an article that is a must read for any exisiting company onwers or those looking to start a new company:

“Buck The Recession”

By: Rich Sloan (www.StartupNation.com)

There are a substantial number of businesses that will get beaten up by these trying times. In fact, they’ll thrive.
Here’s what you can do to become a recession buster, too.

Get Searched (check out www.boostlabs.com for more info).
Small businesses are crating Web Sites in ever greater numbers. With a little effort, it becomes very easy to get search engines such as Google to send you traffic. It’s all a matter of deliberately designing your website and content so that the search engines are attracted to your site and give it priority over other sites with similar content. It’s up to you to then convert those visitors into paying customers.

Add Meaning
Customers have a harder time pulling the trigger on purchases in a down economy. To give them impetus to spend their money with you, add meaning to your business by standing for something. Find a cause that you would like to associate with and share a portion of your proceeds with that cause. Let your customer know you and your company volunteer for a cause with your time to conduct your business sustainably. The respect you gain will broaden the purchasing decision tree from strictly monetary to ideological and emotional considerations as well.

Create Systems
The more predictable, repeatable, and reliable your business activities are, the more efficient you become. By studying, streamlining and then documenting a systemized approach to customer service, financial management, team communication, marketing, etc., you’ll be able to free your mind of the procedural aspects of your business and focus more time on creative and innovative ways to be valuable to your customers.

Spark Word of Mouth
Stop spending on advertising as a first priority. Start figuring out ways to give people something to talk about. Add to the that tools that make it easy for word of mouth to spread. For example, instead of just sending an e-newsletter featuring products (ho-hum), take it to a new level of buzz-worthiness by including a juicy personal commentary, heart string pulling story or perhaps an outrageously funny photograph that makes people want to pass the e-newsletter along to someone else. Before you know it, your advertising budget will be zero and your inbound traffic will balloon.

See similar:

Other Posts That May Interest You:

• GURU Offers Business Owners in the DC Metro Area an IT Project JumpStart Program
• Rally Stars Battle for X Games Wildcard Spot at NEFR
• New Internet Marketing Consulting Company, Boost Labs, Is Open For Business
• Investor Myth #3: Market Timing is Impossible
• D1 Grand Prix Update

Audi is launching the next variant of its top-of-the-line model. With the R8, the brand has established itself at the forefront of high-end sports cars from the very start – and now comes the R8 V10. Its 5.2-liter, ten-cylinder engine churns out 386 kW (525 hp) and 530 Nm (390.91 lb-ft) of torque, which makes for breathtaking performance. With superior Audi technologies such as quattro all-wheel drive, the lightweight aluminum body, the innovative all-LED headlights, and its striking design, the R8 V10 takes pole position against the competition.

The R8 V10 is the result of cumulative know-how from Audi’s string of Le Mans victories. Its naturally aspirated engine combines racing technology such as dry sump lubrication with FSI gasoline direct injection. The ten-cylinder design is the perfect synthesis for impressive top performance, mighty pulling power, and low weight. Starting in 2009, this engine will also prove its potential on the world’s racetracks – in the new R8 racing car Audi is developing for customer teams in conformance with the GT3 rules.

The V10 engine in the production sports car will be almost identical in construction to the one in the racing version. Its displacement is 5,204 cc, at 6,500 rpm it delivers 530 Nm (390.91 lb-ft) of torque, at 8,000 rpm its power tops out at 386 kW (525 hp).

The specific power output is 100.9 hp per liter of displacement – and each hp has to propel only 3.09 kilograms (6.91 lb) of weight, because the Audi R8 V10 in the version with the six-speed manual gearshift weighs only 1,620 kilograms (3571 lb). The engine accounts for 258 of these kilograms (569 lb) – that’s only 31 kilos (68 lb) more than the V8.

The Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro rockets from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 3.9 seconds. In the version with the sequentially shifting R tronic it reaches 200 km/h (124.27 mph) in another 8.1 seconds. Even then its propulsive power hardly lessens: it’s sufficient to reach a top speed of 316 km/h (196.35 mph). The immense force, the spontaneity and the thrust of the acceleration, plus the sound of the engine – all these impressions coalesce into a breathtaking sports car experience. The V10 plays a concert with growling bass tones and powerful high notes, which grows into a grandiose fortissimo as the engine revs up. This sonorous acceleration doesn’t reach its limit until 8,700 rpm.

The 5.2-liter powerplant uses direct injection according to the FSI principle developed by Audi. A common rail system injects the fuel into the combustion chambers with up to 120 bar of pressure. Direct injection reduces the susceptibility to knocking and provides a certain amount of cooling through the evaporation of the fuel, which in turn supports a high compression ratio of 12.5:1. This in turn contributes to superior performance and improves fuel economy. The R8 V10 with R tronic gets by on an average of 13.7 liters per 100 km (17.17 US mpg).

For maximum dynamics: low center of gravity engine

The technical refinements of the long-stroke ten-cylinder engine include dry sump lubrication, which allows the engine to be mounted low within the chassis. The wide cylinder angle of 90 degrees also makes for a low center of gravity. The crankcase is a high-strength aluminum-alloy casting produced in a complex process. The connecting rods are made of forged steel, the pistons of aluminum. The four camshafts are chain-driven and each is adjustable through 42 degrees. This provides great latitude in controlling the valve timing. In combination with the straight, flow-optimized ducts of the intake manifold, this improves the charge throughout the entire speed range.

The R8 5.2 FSI quattro has a six-speed transmission. A precise and smooth-shifting manual transmission comes as standard equipment. The sequential R tronic is available as an option. The high-tech gearshift conveys an authentic racing feel – with the rocker switches at the steering wheel and the short shifting times of usually less than one-tenth of a second. When the driver actuates the Launch Control program by pressing a button, the R8 V10 takes off in a vehement quick-start with electronically controlled tire slip – both with the R tronic and with the manual transmission.

A contributing factor to the wide lead in traction and driving safety of the Audi R8 V10 over the competition is quattro all-wheel drive – it’s the superior technology especially for a high-performance sports car. Four powered wheels get more grip than two. They enable the driver to step on the gas sooner when coming out of a curve. It’s not only the traction that benefits, but also the transverse dynamics and the stability.
44 to 56 percent – the ideal axle load distribution

The Audi R8 chassis offers both dynamic performance and astonishing levels of comfort on long distances. This high-performance sports car from Audi eagerly responds to any steering action with instant ease, achieves lateral acceleration of up to 1.2 g, and handles any situation with superb driving safety. Its mid-engine design provides an ideal axle load distribution of 44 to
56 percent.

The wheel suspensions on dual aluminum wishbones front and rear – a classic racing technology – are optimized for neutral self-steering characteristics. Even more than in the eight-cylinder R8, this setup is designed for maximum performance. 19-inch wheels equipped with tire pressure monitoring display are standard equipment. Their 10-spoke Y design is exclusive to the R8 V10. Tire sizes are 235/35 front and 295/30 rear.

The car features a high-end damper technology as standard: Audi magnetic ride adapts the characteristics of the suspension in milliseconds to the nature of the road surface and to the driving style. Suspended in the oil of the shock absorbers are tiny magnetic particles which, when a voltage is applied, rearrange themselves so as to slow down the flow of oil through the valves.

In the R8 V10, deceleration is provided by an extremely muscular braking system – eight brake pistons at the front and four at the rear grasp the brake disks, which are ventilated and perforated to ensure unimpeded heat transfer. The brake disks on the front axle have a diameter of 380 millimeters (15 in); the rear discs span 356 millimeters (14 in).

The R8 5.2 FSI quattro is optionally available with a ceramic brake system whose disks are made of a composite material containing high-strength carbon fibers and abrasion-resistant silicon carbide. These are especially light: their combined weight is nine kilograms (19.84 lb) less than the weight of equivalent steel disks. The ceramic brakes can easily cope with the harsher requirements of racing, won’t corrode, and have a typical service life of 300,000 kilometers (186,400 miles). Their calipers are painted charcoal gray and emblazoned with the inscription “Audi ceramic”.

Typically Audi: Sharp lines and an elegantly curved roof

The wide, full shape of the R8 5.2 FSI quattro seems to hug the road. The brawny proportions and prominent wheel wells underscore its potential. The high-precision styling of the lines and the elegant curve of the roof are typical Audi features. A continuous contour optically connects the front, the wheel wells, the sides and the rear. Located well forward, the cab visually expresses the mid-engine design. The vertical air scoops (sideblades) on the sides are also indicative of the engine location. The massive aluminum gas cap is mounted flush within the right sideblade.

The design of the Audi R8 has already impressed experts, as evidenced by the double victory in the “World Car of the Year Awards 2008″. In the ten-cylinder model, the styling has been sharpened up even more.

The front air inlets, which feed air to the coolers, and the lip of the front apron are painted in high-gloss black. The number of cross-braces has been reduced from four to two. The vanes of the single-frame grille have a striking chrome finish.

A very distinctive highlight of the R8 V10 are the all-LED headlights as standard equipment. Audi is the world’s first automaker to use LEDs for the high beam, low beam, daytime running lights, and turn signals. Each headlight integrates 54 of these high-tech light sources. With a color temperature of 6,000 Kelvin the LED light closely resembles daylight, which is less tiring to the eyes in night driving. Further advantages of the LEDs include brilliant illumination, low energy consumption, and a virtually unlimited service life.

Special details also distinguish the body of the R8 V10. Its sideblades are more accentuated than in the eight-cylinder version. The side sills are more striking and wider; the exhaust grilles at the rear windows have a matt aluminum look. Through the large rear window, the ten-cylinder engine is clearly visible in its consummate technical beauty.

When in motion, this Audi high-performance sports car creates a downforce that keeps it in firm contact with the road – thanks to a rear spoiler which deploys automatically at 100 km/h and the fully enclosed underbody, which terminates in a sharply upward-curved diffuser. The dominant color at the rear end is high-gloss black, including the settings of the LED tail lights. The air outlets at the rear end also have only two cross-braces, and the exhaust system terminates in two large oval tailpipes.
Audi sets the example – in body weight and rigidity

The body of a sports car must be especially lightweight and rigid. Audi meets these requirements with the technology of the Audi Space Frame (ASF) and its high-tech aluminum construction. The body-in-white of the R8 V10, which includes an engine frame made of ultra-light magnesium, weighs only 210 kilograms (463 lb), and the quality of its lightweight design – the relation of weight to torsional rigidity – is the best in the sports car segment. The body is composed of profile extrusions, sheet aluminum and very complex gusset castings, all held together by 99 meters (325 ft) of welding seams, 782 rivets, and 308 special screws.

The interior of the R8 V10 provides a unique racing ambience at the luxury level. Its dominant element is the so-called monoposto – a wide arc that contains the steering wheel and the cockpit. As always in an Audi, the workmanship is of the highest quality. The surfaces of the dashboard and doors are lined with fine materials and adorned with precisely stitched decorative seams. Many customizing solutions are available: Audi supplies leather in a wide range of colors, packages with a carbon and piano-lacquer finish, or a made-to-measure luggage set. quattro GmbH, which has developed and is producing the R8 V10, also provides solutions for unconventional requirements.

The great everyday utility of the Audi R8 V10 is based in part on its spacious interior made possible by the long wheelbase of 2.65 meters (8.69 ft). Drivers and passengers of any size will always find a perfect sitting position. Visibility too is surprisingly good. Slender hinge pillars optimize the obliquely forward field of view. Another advantage for convenient everyday use is the luggage space: 100 liters (3.53 cu ft) fit under the front hood, another 90 liters (3.18 cu ft) can be stowed behind the seats. There is also room for two golf bags.

The Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro combines its colossal performance with a generous complement of standard equipment. Highlights include heatable seat covers made of Fine Nappa leather, a driver information system, the navigation system plus and the Bang & Olufsen sound system along with deluxe automatic air conditioning and an alarm system. The instruments and the gearshift knob are decorated with red rings; the footrests and the rocker switches of the R tronic have an aluminum finish.

The list of options includes other highly attractive features – such as the Audi parking system advanced with its integrated rearview camera or numerous Audi exclusive customization options. Various leather packages provide a luxurious touch, while the bucket seats from the Audi exclusive program bring a highly concentrated racing atmosphere into the R8 V10.

The Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro will be rolled out in Germany in the second quarter of 2009 at a basic price of EUR 142,400.

Video

Photo Gallery:

See similar:

Other Posts That May Interest You:

• EvolutionM Project Evo @ VIR
• Mitsubishi i-MiEV Named World Green Car of the Year Finalist
• Cosworth EVO X Valve Spring Upgrade (4B11)
• 1998 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS: Project TrackWhore :: Part 2
• Sarah Palin Appears on Saturday Night Live

After the sale of the communities, I decided to take Boost Labs towards a new direction, Internet Marketing. Internet Marketing has always been a passion of mine. Next to cars it was something that always grabbed my attention. It was only logical for me to pursue my passion by refocusing the company to specialize in the field.

Starting from scratch again is always exciting for me and I can’t think of anything better to do then to help others build high traffic quality sites.

Official Press Release:

BoostLabs.com New Website Redesign.

Gaithersburg, Maryland, December 22nd, 2008 – After four years of maintaining the same website look, BoostLabs.com has launched a new website redesign. The founder, Ali Allage, redesigned BoostLabs.com after a decision to change the company’s focus to Internet Marketing Consulting. “After the sale of our community forums, I was surprised to see how many companies were asking for our help to grow their website traffic the same way we did for ourselves. Many didn’t really understand what was completely involved in our internet marketing efforts, so I decided to setup our new company website showing what specifically we have to offer”, said Allage.

The website was created to help visitors understand what Internet Marketing is and how Boost Labs can help. “Internet Marketing or Online Marketing is a general term that often gets mistaken for SEO services only. There are many other aspects behind Internet Marketing and with our new website redesign I hope it makes it easier for visitors to understand what it is all about”, said Allage.

Questions or comments, please let us know by contacting us: click here to contact us.

See similar:

Other Posts That May Interest You:

• A Small Car with a Big Impression—Carlsson Tuning for the Smart Fortwo
• Mitsubishi i-MiEV Named World Green Car of the Year Finalist
• Mitsubishi Motors Corporation Appoints New President and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America
• ATI Super Damper for Nissan SR20 FWD Engines
• Rally battle set for Missouri at Rally America’s Round 2

Government Bail Out, a phrase that sends chills down my spine. Why? Simple really. I think the government is wasting our hard earn money by giving it to companies who really don’t deserve it and the only reason why they are getting it is because they hold something over all of our heads… the economy self destruct button.

With the latest bail out headline involving the automobile industry, it really started to put things in perspective for me. Why is it that a small company owner, when applying for a loan from a bank, is required to provide a personal guarantor in order secure the loan (as well as list all available company and personal assets as collateral), but the companies receiving the bail out money are not required to provide any sort of personal guarantor/collateral to secure the bail out loan (other then company percentage)? I could be wrong but from the articles I’ve read so far, I haven’t really seen any sort of statement that proves me wrong or really secures a plan B for getting the tax payers money back if the company should fall on its face.

I think if you want to save our economy, stop giving money to the companies that have failed and continue to fail in a system designed to only benefit upper management. I can promise you that if you some how made the company decision makers personally liable for the company’s financial health you would see a difference in how the company is run. In my opinion, most of these large companies really don’t have that motivation or drive to really do what is needed to make the company truly successful. I believe the CEO’s (and upper management) get too comfortable with their big financial benefits and are not motivated by much to make the company as good as it should be.

Throwing money at the situation doesn’t change things. There has to be something that really makes these CEO’s motivated to better their company to pay us back faster and bring their company out of the financial red. If we continue to give money out like this, I’m afraid that it will only delay the inevitable. Make the CEO (or decision maker(s)) financially responsible for the well being of the company or else we will probably see more companies like Citibank come back asking for more money, which won’t be good for anyone.

If you have a opinon about this or you think I’m full of it, then let me know by posting your opinion.

See similar:

Other Posts That May Interest You:

• Irish PWRC Champ McShea Takes New England Win
• Ken Block wins again at 100 Acre Wood
• Buck The Recession
• Nitto Invo Review
• Project Evo: GSC Harness Bar Review