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forgiatowheels · 5 years

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Lamborgini Huracan for Forgiato Tecnica Series Wheels

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diabolus1exmachina · 2 years

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All 3 Alfa Romeo BAT Concept Cars

There are few, if any, concept car series as famous as the Alfa Romeo BAT trifecta – three one-off cars penned by the legendary Franco Scaglione and built by Carrozzeria Bertone between 1953 and 1955. The “BAT” acronym stands for “Berlina Aerodinamica Tecnica”, in Italian the word “Berlina” is used to described a sedan with a fixed roof, so the full translation for the name would be something akin to “Technical Aerodynamic Sedan”.

One of his earliest designs to be made real was the Scaglione-designed and Bertone-built Abarth 1500 Biposto in 1952, it would be this car that would lead to Alfa Romeo commissioning the BAT cars – each of which would be built on the Alfa Romeo 1900 platform.

The first to be built would be the BAT 5 of 1953 (black). Scaglione threw himself into his work, he disregarded established concepts of automobile design and focussed instead on the minimization of drag of shaping laminar airflow.

In 1954 Scaglione and Bertone got to work on the second car in the series, the BAT 7 (blue). For this car Scaglione was given free-reign to further develop the preceding car which is exactly what he did.

The design of the Berlina Aerodinamica Tecnica 7 was both more extravagant and more aerodynamic than the earlier car, with a coefficient of drag of just 0.19. This compares favourably with modern aerodynamic cars like the Toyota Prius with its coefficient of drag of 0.24 Cd.

The final car in the series would be the BAT 9d (grey), Alfa Romeo’s mandate for this concept was to “make it more practical for road use”. It’s important to note that all three of the BAT vehicles is road legal, but Alfa Romeo wanted a design study that could potentially be daily driven. he Berlina Aerodinamica Tecnica 9d would feature fixed headlights, smaller fins for better rearward visibility, the rear wheel skirts were eliminated, the passenger compartment was wider and more spacious, and the car featured a more traditional Alfa Romeo grille up front.

Each of these three cars caused a sensation upon their release but as was often the case with concept cars of the era they were all sold into private hands shortly after their show circuit was completed. As it happened all three ended up in the United States and all were used on the road to varying degrees – BAT 9d was bought by a young medical student who used it as his daily transportation while attending medical school.

#alfa romeo #bat #concept #toyota prius #Scaglione #Bertone #alfa romeo 1900

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diceriadelluntore · 5 years

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Storia Di Musica #59 - Blood, Sweat & Tears - Blood, Sweat & Tears, 1968

Al Kooper è uno dei grandi maghi della musica rock. Se volete degli esempi a conferma della mia affermazione, vi dico solo di ricordare l’organo Hammond di Like A Rolling Stone di Dylan e altre meraviglie sparse in quelle leggende che furono Highway 61 Revisited (1965) e Blonde On Blonde (1966). Kooper aveva da tempo una sua idea in testa, cioè creare una rock band che partisse dal blues ma avesse, cosa all’epoca ancora inesplorata, una sezione fiati. Eppure Kooper dopo l’esperienza con Dylan (di cui va detto diventerà fido e ciclico collaboratore fino agli anni ‘90) nel 1966 si unisce ai The Blues Project, uno dei primi grandi gruppi americani di blues elettrico, insieme a Danny Kalb (chitarra), Steve Katz (chitarra), Tommy Flanders (voce), Andy Kulberg (basso e flauto) e Roy Blumenfeld (batteria). Il gruppo grazie anche alla bravura dei musicisti e alla azzeccata scelta di unire vertiginose versioni dei classici blues a piccoli momenti delicati con i primi due dischi, Live At The Cafè Au Go Go (1966) e il leggendario Projections (1966), diviene famosissimo e una vera e propria band di culto a New York. Ma nel momento più bello Kooper se ne va, sempre con in mente l’idea di una big band rock che gli possa dare mano libera nella sua ricerca musicale. Con lui si unisce Steve Katz, ed inizia una serie infinita di telefonate, appuntamenti, appostamenti a musicisti per convincerli nel progetto. Il lavoro dura oltre un anno, e Kooper grazie alla sua amicizia con Dylan ottiene persino un contratto con la Columbia. Per rimarcare la fatica di questa gestazione, Kooper sceglie come nome alla band un passaggio dello storico discorso che Winston Churchill tenne alla camera dei Comuni nel 1943 appena ricevuto l’incarico dal Re come primo ministro, nei momenti più drammatici della guerra mondiale: Blood Sweat & Tears (Sangue, Sudore e Lacrime). In questa avventura oltre a Katz, Fred Lipsius (tromba e sassofono). Randy Brecker (tromba, tra i più grandi di sempre) e Jerry Weiss. Kooper punta a fondere il rock blues tanto caro con il jazz e il R’n’B puntando sulla classe e la tecnica dei suoi compari, creando di fatto il primo nucleo di quell’ecclettismo che proprio in quegli anni stava diventando il jazz-rock e la musica fusion. Nel primo disco, Child Is The Father To The Man (1968), la magia si compie attraverso un repertorio che tra brani autografi, tra cui la magica e meravigliosa I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know di Kooper, include Morning Glory di Tim Buckley, Without Her di Harry Nilsson, Just One Smile di Randy Newman. Il disco ebbe critiche favorevolissime e fu un successo di vendite, ma Kooper non è del tutto soddisfatto e clamorosamente se ne va mentre si sta registrando il nuovo disco con Weiss e Brecker: lo attenderà Mike Bloomfield per Super Sessions, altra pietra miliare del rock di tutti i tempi. Il resto della truppa non si scompone e imparata la lezione chiama un nuovo cantante, David Clayton-Thomas, dalla voce potente e soul e sforna uno di quei dischi manifesto che, anche se con il tempo un po’ dimenticati (in maniera del tutto immeritata) colgono appieno i fermenti e le idee del periodo. Blood Sweat & Tears esce nel dicembre 1968 e le aspettative sono alte. La band mira alto e lo dimostrano le due delicate citazioni dalle Gymnopedies di Erik Satie e la stupenda cover di Smiling Phases dei Traffic (da Mr. Fantasy). Le altre cover diventeranno pezzi clou del loro repertorio: God Bless The Child di Billie Holiday, When I Die di Laura Nyro, eccellente, You Made Me So Very Happy di scuola Motown. Ma due pezzi a firma BST diventeranno il loro biglietto da visita: Blues - Part II, che in 11 minuti cita anche Sunshine Of Your Love dei Cream, Spoonfull di Willie Dixon e Somenthin’ Goin’ On di Kooper dal primo album ma soprattutto Spinning Wheel, una delle canzoni degli anni ‘60, così famosa che Miles Davis, arrabbiato sul fatto che la Columbia, sua stessa casa discografica, spendesse così tanti soldi in promozione per questi qui, ne citerà la melodia in Bitches Brew. Il disco divenne il loro più grande successo, primo in classifica negli Stati Uniti, con 4 singoli nella top 5, di cui 3 al numero uno. Nel 1970, Blood, Sweat & Tears vince come miglior album ai Grammy Awards. Il momento caldo continuerà con Blood, Sweat & Tears 3, altro numero 1, con la famosa Lucretia McEvil ma lo spirito creativo andrà via via esaurendosi nel corso degli anni ‘70: la loro scintilla sarà determinante per il jazz rock che di lì a poco vedrà la luce, con buona pace del grande Miles, che grazie alle milioni di copie vendute da dischi come questo continuerà la sua cavalcata nel jazz essendo pagato dalla Columbia anche nei momenti più bui.

#blood sweat & tears #blood sweat & tears (album)#1968 #recensione

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butlertire · 6 years

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@keyshiakaoir @laflare1017 🙌 | @forgiato | Brand new Forgiato Tecnica Series | #butlertire #bestof2017 #rollsroyce #wraith #forgiato (at Butler Tires and Wheels)

#rollsroyce #butlertire #forgiato #wraith #bestof2017

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perksofwifi · 4 years

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2019 Subaru WRX STI S209 First Test: What Makes You So Special?

Subaru stans rejoice: A mythical S-model has finally landed on American soil. Subaru Tecnica International’s motorsport-inspired, limited-production creations were previously reserved for Japan, but now the Pleiades have aligned, and we get our own. Building off the WRX STI Type RA, Subaru’s speed-obsessed engineers proceeded to widen, stiffen, lower, and boost, resulting in the S209. It is, quite simply, the most powerful and performant factory-built Subaru ever.

As a week of hammering the S209 revealed, it represents peak STI. The car delivers a visceral, engaging driving experience that’s ever rarer in this increasingly digitized and electrified world. It demands and rewards your focus, goading you to dig deeper and work harder. If you want this analog thrill before it’s lost to kilowatts and computers, act immediately: Only 209 S209s will ever be built.

There’s a problem, however. Whereas the standard STI offers good performance value, the S209, well, doesn’t. The one we tested cost—sitting down?—$64,880. That’s approximately $27,000 more than a stock STI, a difference equivalent to a brand-new 2020 Outback.

Price is the S209’s curse, for as good it is, it’s the factor upon which it will be endlessly compared. Would you rather have it, or a mildly optioned BMW M2 Competition, or Audi RS3, or Porsche 718 Cayman? Or a stock STI, and a stack of cash with which to modify the hell out of it? Or, perhaps, a two-car garage of the aforementioned Outback and STI? Here even the most steadfast Subie bro must do some soul searching, and decide whether this ultra-exclusive super-roo is worth it.

The S209 looks like someone already dropped some coin to add street style to an STI. Those looks work, too: Every vent, scoop, and strake is functional. Gold rims under bulging arches look like they were swiped from a rally team garage. The regular STI’s infamous wing is replaced with a smaller adjustable unit, which, like the roof, is crafted from carbon fiber. Quad exhaust outlets are an STI trademark, here with a bespoke exhaust system behind them. Inside, the only clues that this isn’t a standard STI are the faux suede steering wheel and numbered dedication plate behind the shifter.

Subaru wrung everything it could from its EJ-series 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four, resulting in 341 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque. How that power is delivered is as old school as the engine itself (its lineage traces back to the 2003 STI). Low in the rev range you can keep the throttle floored and not worry about breaking speed limits. After about an hour of lag the car lunges forward, commanding decisive gear changes and thoughtful planning to keep the engine on boost. Riding that surge gives the S209 dimension, and fun.

One S209 trick is the intercooler water spray, activated by paddles behind the steering wheel. Tug one and a mist hits the heat exchanger, cooling the charged air and feeding a more oxygen-dense, fuel-rich mixture to the cylinders—basically, extra power on demand. It’s not much and the effect is subtle, but it works. The higher the revs, the more you’ll feel it.

Where does the S209’s 31 hp, 40 lb-ft boost over the regular STI come from? Read our technical deep dive here.

Still, “this is not a drag racer—it hates launching,” said road test editor Chris Walton. Conspiring against it are that peaky engine and a driveline-protecting clutch damper which forces slow shifts. Walton found launching “requires more than 4,000 rpm to be in the torque, and major clutch slippage.” Despite his best efforts, “it bogs bigly,” and the S209’s quickest 0-60 mph time disappointed at 5.9 seconds—two tenths behind the standard STI. The much-less-expensive Honda Civic Type R did it in 5.0 seconds flat, while the similarly priced Audi RS3 did the sprint in just 3.6. Through the quarter mile it barely beats the regular STI, tying at 14.1 seconds, but ahead at 101.2 mph against 98.5 mph.

Walton thinks the S209 could borrow something from the aforementioned Audi, calling it the “number one candidate for a dual-clutch transmission (with launch control) ever.”

For better or worse, like the standard STI, it’s solely available with a six-speed manual transmission. Dastardly damper aside, it’s a pretty sweet setup. Shifter throws are short, tight, and require some shoulder. The lever itself feels very stiff, but there’s some softness in the gates. Consistent takeup starts just off the floor for the hefty clutch, and there’s a nice interplay between left foot and right hand. Short gearing benefits windy roads, not highways: Revs hold around 3,000 rpm at 70 mph.

Contrasting the S209’s drivetrain delays is its braking immediacy. Brembo six-piston front and two-piston rear calipers carry over from the STI but now hold high-friction pads. Typically soft-spoken testing director Kim Reynolds abandoned form, calling the brakes “Eh, so-so… That is, so, so amazing!” Brushing or stomping on the extremely firm pedal results in “instant bite, zero dive, and straight, steady stops,” according to Walton. He found the fade-free stoppers “extremely effective and trustworthy.” The S209 halted from 60 mph in 103 feet, improved over the regular STI’s 109 feet, and ahead of the M2 Competition’s 106 feet. Don’t worry about the squeaking and scraping noises—that’s just the track-spec pads working.

How much grip does the S209 have? It actually has more than that. Handling is where the S209 shines. During our First Drive, technical director Frank Markus called the car’s hydraulically assisted steering “a revelation,” praising its direct and lively feel. Supporting that is Subaru’s intrinsic all-wheel-drive system and the STI’s central limited-slip differential, plus specific Dunlop Sport Maxx tires and firm Bilstein dampers. It lapped the figure eight in 24.6 seconds at 0.78 g, a shade better than the Volkswagen Golf R’s 24.8 seconds at 0.77 g, but not quite as good as the 718 Cayman’s run of 24.0 seconds at 0.81 g. Nonetheless, at the end of the lap Reynolds beamed, “Holy moly what fun.” High praise from a guy who drives everything.

Much like what we found with the standard STI, the S209 impresses more on the road than by the numbers. As if to help prove the efficacy of Subaru all-wheel drive, rain dumped in Los Angeles for most of our review period. That didn’t stop us from venturing out to canyon roads at every opportunity. Through gritted teeth and furrowed brow it stuck and stuck, gobbling up twisties and begging for more. Every drive was a sensory delight, each to be remembered in the coming epoch of rechargeable cars and computerized steering.

But at what cost? With its preposterous price tag, the S209 forces a hard think. It’s hardly better than a regular STI. There are higher-performing cars at the same price. A robust aftermarket exists to build standard STIs a million different ways—is the S209 how you would craft yours? Exclusivity, perhaps, is the S209’s most notable selling point, and there may be buyers who take the investment approach, only to sequester it in a garage. Those who buy an S209 to drive, however, will always get a kick out of it. We sure did.

2019 Subaru WRX STI S209 BASE PRICE $64,880 PRICE AS TESTED $64,880 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 2.5L/341-hp/330-lb-ft turbo DOHC 16-valve flat-4 TRANSMISSION 6-speed manual CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3,449 lb (60/40%) WHEELBASE 104.3 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 181.9 x 72.4 x 58.1 in 0-60 MPH 5.9 sec QUARTER MILE 14.1 sec @ 101.2 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 103 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 1.00 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 24.6 sec @ 0.78 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 15/21/17 mpg ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY 225/160 kW-hrs/100 miles CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 1.13 lb/mile

The post 2019 Subaru WRX STI S209 First Test: What Makes You So Special? appeared first on MotorTrend.

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/subaru/wrx/2019/2019-subaru-wrx-sti-s209-first-test-makes-special/ visto antes em https://www.motortrend.com

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adriansmithcarslove · 4 years