Strax över 100 gäster kom till oss för att fira en 100 åring som bara blir finare med åren. Under kvällen kunde man titta på fina bilar - allt från underbart välpolerade DKW till grymma R8an. Det bjöds på tal från Vd Börje Svedlund, rallyhistora genom Susanne Kottulinsky och kvällens höjdpunkt, avtäckning av nya A5 Sportback, presenterat av försäljningschef Andreas Öst. Lite mat och vin på detta gjorde att kvällen var mycket uppskattad av gästerna. Här är lite bilder från kvällen, fotade av Ebbe Johansson (tack). Nu ska jag leta tester och artiklar om A5 SB…
Kanadyjscy dilerzy Audi wpadli na genialny pomysł zarobienia na naiwnych fanach modelu R8. Jeżeli mieszkacie w Kanadzie, macie swój garaż i chcecie pozbyć się 469 dolarów to wystarczy udać się do jednego z salonów Audi i zakupić super oryginalną naklejkę na drzwi od garażu z podobizną R8 i to w wersji z V10-ką. Niestety ów plakat nie wydaj z siebie ryku tego silnika, ale ja wygląda. A dla takiego wyglądu naprawdę warto kupić tą ogromną nalepkę. No może mnie trochę poniosło z tą krytyką i przyznaję, że jest to na prawdę ciekawy pomysł, ale nie za tą cenę. Nie za prawie 500 dolarów!!!
Con la imagen y esencia del S5, ante ti tienes un nuevo prototipo espía del Audi RS5, que sigue estando muy bien escondido bajo una carrocería modificada.
El Audi RS5 montará un V8 de 4.2 l y 450 CV, como siempre dificultando el camino al BMW M3, su principal rival.
Del RS5 podemos esperar un mayor ancho de vías una aerodinámica más radical, con unos pasos de rueda anchos (similares a los del RS6) y también las famosas salidas de escape ovaladas, que no aparecen en este prototipo de pruebas.
La presentación del RS5 sigue predeterminada para el próximo salón de Ginebra.
Well where did we get to then… Last time we updated this project we were wheeling the Audi out of Chris at Kustom Kolors booth after achieving the matt finish we were looking for! This was the Friday before the Players show where the car was to be debuted. Then it all kind of went wrong for a while!
I had this crazy idea that 20’s would work on the car after selling a set of 19″s the same style that week.. How wrong could i of been. Whilst an awesome wheel we just couldn’t get the car down low enough on these wheels once the tyres were mounted ( A story in itself but lets save that one!)
The wheels (20″ Rs4’s with Yoko S-drive’s.)
When test fitted before the tyres we were feeling very smug with ourselves and though we had it nailed oh well you cant win them all, It did look nice though at this stage.
But it wasn’t to be so with a few hours before leaving for the Players show in Essex it was stressful times (For which i apoligise for my grumpyness to everyone). Chris had an Idea…. What about them wheels of Ollies S4… Humm they couldn’t work could they…? At this stage i was stressed and couldn’t even be botherd anymore but after a call to Ollie we pulled one off to give it a try and damm i think we could be out of the shit! Game on for tomorrow we will go to the ball! (I Have to say a HUGE thankyou to Ollie for helping us out!). Getting to the show was stress free with a carfull we arrived at the show to be greated with this!
The car was greeted with mixed feelings alot of people enjoyed it but a few didn’t…Cant win them all i guess. At this point I stood back and felt so proud of everybody (G-werks Boys – Chris) that made this happen in just over 1 week.. (See previous post). I also need to thank my wife Claire for putting up with me and the late nights…
Anyway once home the car had to go back on it crappy stock wheels so the S4 could be driven again, The hunt was on for somthing to fill the gaps! In steps friend and customer Rob who we are in the process of upgrading some parts on his A4. It was decided that the Auto Coultures no longer suited his needs so …Can you see where this is going ?……
We needed to get the paint out on these to suit the car but as these were specced for a A6 when i imported them a few years ago they fit like a glove!
The wheels are Auto Coulture Cresents and the only set in the UK
Approval from the Boss
My attempt at showing off how the car now sits in a slightly Arty way….
Jeremy Cato has posted a great review in the Globe and Mail of the new 2010 Audi R8 V10 - not that it should be hard to love the R8 with a 525-hp engine in it. The article also touches on Audi chasing BMW and Mercedes on its path to becoming to number one automotive luxury brand in the world. Cato calls it bold, and it certainly is. Attainable? Audi is the leading luxury manufacturer in Europe so far this year (as measured in sales). In Canada? We’re not there yet, but we’re certainly on the move.
I wonder if some sites ever went through usability testing. The Audi e-tron concept website definitely suffers from some significant design issues. First of all it contains no obvious cues about what one gets when clicking on the icon based navigation elements.
There are four key video content elements in the right-hand navigation featuring futurist diagrams and computer-generated imagery (CGI). Navigation includes design, technology, the intelligent automobile, and interior concept all visually demonstrating the e-tron’s features. The problem is each link is a tilted image not easily showing what the image is or what one sees when it is clicked on. In fact, the titled image navigation doesn’t even seem like a navigation, you only know because your mouse changes its icon.
One demonstration is a nod to a future interior concept that seems very close to what might happen in the next few years. For example, a “Streets of Tomorrow” demonstration shows how the navigation of the future will tell us when we need milk as we are passing a grocery store. I think I heard this idea in 1998, but hey it still has never been done and people keep suggesting it. Telling me it is an idea no one wants, but keeps coming up in brainstorming or there is some technical barrier, I’m guessing the former. Another example is the car diagnostic system showing actual psi ratings of the tires is far more advanced than the Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) of today.
The footer of the site features a share on Facebook, a 360 view and a film of the product unveiling at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Another link shows the conversation that is ongoing across multiple social network properties featuring a count of YouTube, Flickr, Twitter and blogs covering the vehicle. The conversation section is very well executed and makes for an interesting way to showcase social dialog. This technique is becoming a standard approach as it was recently featured on the TDI site Audi recently launched.
When a social conversation is selected, Audi returns a very nice card that shows the social media content and allows the user to view it on its source site or one can Tweet the content if they so wish. The execution is very nice and one of the best implementations of social media content integration and sharing I have seen. Audi truly is on to showing all sites a very effective to show buzz and allow further sharing through a clean, well-designed interface.
It’s too bad that the Audi e-tron site suffers from some difficult navigation. Some proper usability testing would have corrected many of the apparent issues here. Of course, I haven’t put the site through testing, but having done testing on many sites in my decade plus experience, I’m sure the site would have some major hurdles for all but the technically adept or ultra-patient.
The big message here is the electric engine in an Audi R8 and whether Audi will really ever build an electric super car, especially after Audi President of North America Johan de Nysschen recently called anyone who buys a Chevy Volt a car for idiots.
Where the Audi campaign really shines isn’t this site. The really great work are the viral videos that were created to promote the electricityuntamed.com site. There is a YouTube Channel housing three videos produced to launch the e-tron concept. All three are performing very well for a concept launch. The videos are getting over around 200,000 views each, which may sound low, but relative to most automotive content of similar nature the numbers are pretty good.
It’s great having this amount of content for a concept vehicle. Few concept vehicles get this much attention and I’m sure the agency, Venables Bell & Partners, had a great time concepting the effort. We had a similar effort done for our Lincoln C Concept car at the 2009 International Auto Show and it was very well received. I think car companies can benefit by extending the concept experience to a digital space, especially when the vehicle showcases some compelling exterior and interior design elements and technology advancements. The only caution with all of this futuristic design is that website navigation is still constrained to the usability best practices of today and designers should consider the aggravation complex site navigation can cause the average visitor.
When the new Audi R8 went on sale in Canada this year, it sold out fast.
Appropriate, since everything about this car is fast.
For those of us who missed out on taking one of these bad boys home, however, there is a solution: a giant sticker you can throw on your [closed] garage door to make it look like a[n open] garage door with an Audi R8 inside.
Clever, eh? (One commenter at Creativity Online mentions that Toyota did this back in 2007, but we’re guessing it didn’t generate the same neighbor-envy among those who got them…)
But here’s the rub: the cost for this little trinket is a whopping $469.99.
Oh, sure, that’s in Canadian dollars, but it’s still a chunk of change for a novelty item.
Then again, it is Audi, and their parts never were cheap, were they?
Here’s a clip to get the auto fans’ hearts racing…
Neste final de semana teremos um duelo especial na Petit Le Mans Series, uma das provas mais badaladas do campeonato da American Le Mans Series. A prova acontece no circuito Road Atlanta e terá a participação dos brasileiros Jaime Melo, vice lider do campeonato na classe GT2, e Gil de Ferran, vice lider na classe LMP1.
Mas não são os brasileiros que me fizeram escrever o post, e sim a participação confirmada da Peugeot e da Audi, reeditando o duelo que aconteceu na 24 Horas de Le Mans neste ano, quando a Peugeot levou a melhor. Além disso, as duas equipes encaram o desafio como uma preparação para as 24 Horas do ano que vem.
A Audi comenta ainda que a prova servirá também para a equipe conhecer melhor todo o carro, que foi lançado neste ano e que perdeu a hegemonia da Audi em Le Mans.
“A corrida em Road Atlanta marca a primeira parte da nossa preparação para as 24 Horas de Le Mans de 2010. Queremos usá-la como oportunidade para os nossos engenheiros aprenderem mais sobre o novo Audi R15 TDI através de competição direta com os nossos rivais mais fortes. Muitas coisas podem ser simuladas em bancos de testes e em testes de pista. Mas nada consegue substituir a experiência recolhida em corridas.” , afirmou o diretor de competição da Audi, Dr Wolfgang Ullrich.
Já no primeiro dia de treino, a dupla da Audi, Dindo Capello/Allan McNish foi a mais rápida do dia, ficando 0.169s na frente dos homens da Peugeot, Stephane Sarrazin e Franck Montagny, no Peugeot 908 HDI com o número oito. Em terceiro ficou o trio formado pelo brasileiro de Ferran/Pagenaud/Dixon, com o Acura ARX-02a.
The current Audi A8 has been on sale since 2003 and since that time has only received a minor facelift to keep it fresh alongside the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Lexus LS and even the all-new BMW 7-series. The minor styling changes implemented during that facelift will have to soldier on for a few more months as the next-generation ‘D4’ A8 isn’t expected to arrive until 2010.
A prototype for the car has already been spotted undergoing cold weather testing, hidden beneath the current D3 body – but here we have the real machine undergoing heat-tests in southern Europe.
Under the new sheet metal will be an extended version of the modular platform used in the A4, but expect to see more exotic materials such as aluminium and magnesium employed to help save weight and improve dynamics.
The engine lineup will likely mirror the current range, starting with a 2.8-litre petrol V6 and topping out 4.2-litre V8 FSI and possibly the manufacturer’s new 6.0-litre V12 TDI.
There will also be more supercharged units as well as increased application of Audi’s latest valve-lift system. The 6.0-litre W12 engine is reportedly being phased out due to its high costs and emissions.
The base model will remain FWD but AWD variants will feature the latest quattro torque vectoring systems, which distribute drive individually between each axle and between the rear wheels for improved traction and stability.
Inte helt oväntat så är det alternativa drivmedel som det läggs mycket fokus på då biltilverkarna ska visa upp sina nyheter. Med bara ett eller två år till beräknad lansering är det många små elbilar som drar uppmärksamhet till sig på bilsalongen i Frankfurt. Många är nu på gång med elbilar, som verkar vara årets huvudtrend vid sidan av olika hybridvarianter. Jag har kikat lite på de märken inom VW-koncernen som vi har under vårt tak på Lecab för att se vad som är på gång…
Volkswagen presenterar en elbil med namnet E-Up. Den 135 km/h snabba 3+1-sitsiga bilen drivs på framhjulen av en elektrisk motor med en toppeffekt på 60 kW. Bilen har ett vridmoment på 210 Newtonmeter från start. Det finns bara fram- och bakväxel, och de aktiveras med en vridknapp. 2013 är E-up verklighet. Detta verkar vara en storsatsning för Volkswagen så vi ser fram emot mer info om denna lilla goding.
Små shoppingbilar i all ära, men eldrivna bilar kan också vara sportiga. Audi visar en modifierad R8 med fyra elmotorer som ger 4 500 newtonmeters vridmoment och tävlar med renodlade sportvagnar som Tesla och Karma. R8-cabben i original med V10-motor på 525 hästkrafter och 530 Nm vid 6 500 r/min klarar 0 – 100 på 4,1 sekunder och kommer upp i 313 km/h. Den eldrivna varianten R8 e-tron har fyra elmotorer på totalt 313 hästkrafter, men maximala vridmomentet från stillastående är 4 500 newtonmeter. Nästan ljudlöst sprintar e-tron 0- 100 på 4,8 sekunder, vilket är bara marginellt långsammare än V10-originalet. Toppfarten är begränsad till 200 km/h, men vid omkörningsacceleration lär R8 få se sig slagen: 60 till 120 km/h klarar e-tron på 4,1 sekunder. För mig personligen känns detta alternativ helt ok för att stilla miljösamvetet, bara att börja spara ;-)
Nya Skoda Superb Combi är en verklig herrgårdsvagn, 4 838 mm lång, 1 817 bred och 1 481 mm hög. Om Octavia-kombin börjar kännas trång finns det alltså möjlighet att upppgradera sig, och dessutom lär modellen bli en farlig konkurrent till många andra klassiska kombimärken som Volvo och Mercedes (en benämning vi föredrar är V70-killer, he he).Kanske får till och med vår egna favorit Passat Variant se upp..?
Att hålla ögonen på, ur konkurrenssynpunkt, är bl.a att Saab efter 12 år presenterar en efterträdare till gamla 9-5. Opel Astra i helt ny version är en av de viktigare folkbilarna på salongen. Konceptet är mera innerutrymmen, effektivare motorer och lägre förbrukning. Designen har lånat drag av årets bil Insignia. Volvo satsar just nu på snålare konventionell teknik. Nya Volvo C30 drar i sin DRIVe-version med start/stop enligt fabrikanten 3,8 liter diesel/100 km och släpper ut 99 gram CO2/km.
Mr Was Right is around this morning looking super-grumpy and super-tired which explains why the kids are trying desperately to get his attention. “Dad, Dad, can you do this?” says Sid. “Hold your willy in one hand, point your gun in the air and go ‘whooooo, whooooo’.” Mr Was Right attempts a smile, “Sid. That is just what every man would like to do when he wakes up. I’ll definitely try it tomorrow morning.”
He helps get our two dressed before chucking a man’s idea of kids’ breakfast down them. 2 Kit Kats, 2 fruit shoots and a shared pack of Twiglets before they head off into the misty morning. I wave them off dressed rather decadently in my silk pjs and thank the Lord I don’t have to deal with the additive and sugar-fuelled fireworks that will go off in the Audi in approximately 5 minutes. This morning was tough enough. Mr Was Right dropped the bombshell I’ve been dreading for the last 2 months. He told me to – GET A JOB. And, well, I kind of had to agree with him. The blog is hardly paying for itself, the kids are at school most of the day and I am starting to feel RSI nerve twinges thanks to my social media addiction. I need to get out more. Text goes out.
I need work. Any inspired suggestions?
Brrrrr Forget anything child-related, seeing how you lost Jamie the last time I asked you to watch him for 5 minutes in Ikea;)) x Vag
Brrr Given up on the dating site idea then? Xx Janey
Brrrrr With your heels and Dominatrix disposition, you’d make a great door bitch, Ms Tight. Oh and what happened to the pole-dancing? x G
I knew I shouldn’t have told G about the lessons I have been doing on and off for the past 6 months. I know what you are thinking. You need a job. You can poledance. Go figure? Believe me, I’ve tossed that idea around but, while I’ve got nothing against poledancers, doing it for a living would jar with my Goddess principles. Dancing provocatively in front of leery blokes would do little for my self-esteem and would probably put me off the male of the species. Besides, who wants a 30 something when there are all those beautiful teenage Croatians, Latvians and Hungarians doing their do in the clubs?
I had better add a few normal jobs to my CV. Not sure former model, kiss n tell blogger, tarot reader, twitterer, jolly good friend, reiki practitioner, pole dancing practitioner and rambunctious raconteur will go down too well in the current job marketplace. Or would it? Can you think of a career that embraces all my finer qualities. Hell, why stop there? Offer me a job, why don’t you?
If you need a large SUV that carries seven passengers your best bet is going to be one with a diesel engine. There are three reasons for this. First, it gets much better fuel mileage. Secondly, it can tow more. And finally, the resale is higher.
That being said, the Audi Q7 TDI is one of your few choices in this regard. Indeed it is a study in abundance. Everything you look from the huge snowplow bow to the numerous controls for the radio, heating, air conditioning, even the fan speed selection are in excess. It appears that Audi wanted this flagship to carry everything possible into the battles for sales. What they created was an extremely luxurious SUV that weighs nearly three tons and yet sips diesel fuel and provides potent acceleration thanks to a V6 diesel that creates 225 horsepower and an enormous 406 pound-feet of torque. When the turbocharged engine comes online, around 2000 rpm, the big Audi is breathtakingly fast for what it is, especially considering its bulk. You are also going to find yourself going well over the speed limit during highway merging and passing. This Audi hauls. Period, and it gets over 22 mpg to boot. It does need low sulfur fuel but we didn’t have any trouble finding it. Add to this the Audi’s 26 gallon fuel tank and you have an easy 500 mile plus cruising range.
We have tested both the gas version and the diesel option and there simply is no question that the extra dollars for the latter is superior is every way. It is quiet, swift, and starts automatically. Audi labels its diesel the cleanest SUV in the world and it is more efficient than the other German competition from Mercedes and Volkswagen as the Q7 has a ULEV-II or ultra-low emission rating.
Driving the large Audi is a pleasant experience, but there is no question this is a very heavy vehicle. Despite this parking was very easy. When making a U turn you are never going to need to worry about having to stop and put this vehicle in reverse. It is a pleasure to park even in tight mall spots and the rearview camera, a must for such a high vehicle with restricted rearward vision, is second only to Nissan’s in clarity. Exceptional.
The exterior look is massive and intimating. The rear lift over is extremely high making loading heavy objects a chore. The rear hatch has an available motorized open and closing motor and you need to have this if you are of average height or shorter. It is quite difficult to close otherwise.
The interior is very posh in keeping with its plus $50,000 price tag, but the government offers a tax incentive to diesel buyers of $1150. Check http://fueleconomy.gov/feg/taxLeanBurn.shtml for the latest data on this. The seats have leather surfaces and the dash and headliner are rich looking and feeling as it should be for such an expensive vehicle. The rear seats folds reasonably flat once the second seat headrests have been removed. The front seats are heated with 12-way adjustments, however, they are quite high and the roofline is low so be prepared to duck down if you don’t adjust the seats to a lower position.
Mom’s view: I found the step up difficult when wearing a dress as it is very high. I also found the big Audi felt nearly cumbersome at low speeds. It never feels nimble except, ironically, when parking it. The pure size of it commands a certain amount of respect, especially in white. Driving around town the diesel feels a little choppy, but on the highway it is pure elegance. Once those 5000 pound plus get motivated the V6 delivers enough torque to keep you smiling. Very potent. The main competition is the Mercedes R Bluetec and Volkswagen Touareg 2. Interestingly, the Mercedes interior is austere and stiff, but is roomier more and easier to use. If you live where you need the extra ground clearance go for the Audi. The bottom line for me is that the Q7 never won me over despite its many attributes. I found the fuel mileage exemplary and admired the beautiful interior, but it was too over the top for my daily commute and too difficult to feel comfortable in for long hauls.
Dad’s view: Great engine, no doubt, but the transmission needs to be kept in sports mode to get the most out of the Audi. The steering is excellent, almost too direct at times, and the handling unexpectedly obedient. The brakes are adequate, but this rig is really one for the highway. I didn’t care for the 20-inch wheels as they were noisy and not all that off-road oriented.
The interior has a great many quirks that can be easily overcome, but why weren’t they thought through better. The cruise control is difficult to find and complicated and the console mounted controls require you to take your eyes off of the road to operate. Audi’s Multi Media Interface (MMI) isn’t as difficult as the Mercedes and BMW units, but it still takes time to master its logic.
Because of the small window area of the Q7 those sitting in the backseat feel don’t have the feeling of spaciousness that you get in the competition. The rear seat is very small, and when you use it you must find a place to put the cargo cover. Again, not major problems, but a concern anyway.
Audi has years of experience in racing diesel engines and its shows. It the 3.0 liter engine is eager to please. Interestingly, I believe this is the same engine as in the Volkswagen Touareg 2, which costs thousands less, but isn’t nearly as luxurious. The Q7 also does not offer the convenience of the more station wagon like Mercedes R in terms of loading and unloading.
Young working male’s view: This Audi diesel does not smoke, is almost perfectly quiet, and runs clean enough to qualify as a environmentally friendly people mover. Mercedes uses a the water-based urea injection to remove clean air damaging elements. Audi has decided to make the “burn” more efficient and thus better fuel injectors were designed. The Audi’s computers also monitor the quality of the diesel fuel being burned. We have owned a diesel for 30 years and know important this is having fueled up with bad diesel numerous times. Those who live in the colder climates should note that the glowplugs that light off the Audi fire almost instantly even in cold weather. For me the result was a very user friendly diesel engine that provides that famous diesel torque and fuel mileage as well as unexpected frisky acceleration.
Our test car had the optional panoramic sunroof, but it has an opaque covering that lets in some heat. On the other hand, without it the interior would be rather dark. We didn’t get a chance to test Audi’s famous Quattro all-wheel-drive system, but there is no doubt that it should handle anything people spending $50,000 or more would take their vehicle. The test vehicle had the 3.0 TDI and it felt very potent at all speeds, but especially in the mid-range. The night lighting is fantastic. When you hit the remote key fob you get puddle lights, a great interior light, and even red flowing dash lights. As I work for http://www.eracks.com making open software servers and computers I can expertly say that the Multi Media Interface took even my some time to master.
When on the highway you get excellent visibility to the front, but the high rear tailgate and large C pillars create some blindspots. The Audi does offer a system that flashes a orange light it you signal for a turn and there is a vehicle in that position. I loved that option. For me the Audi was too much vehicle for my needs. However, it has a great feel and the interior is first class.
Young working woman’s view: The Audi is impressive and comes with a pleasant cabin, albeit very uncomfortable controls even with the auxiliary steering wheel mounted ones available. The exterior is a love it or hate it visual, but no one is going to argue that it does make its presence known. The Audi was too large for me to feel comfortable in daily driving. I much prefer the Audi A5 anyway, and with the possibility of a smaller Audi SUV having the diesel engine option I think waiting would be my choice. But I dearly love that diesel.
Family conference: An expensive luxury SUV with an abundance of features, the decision to buy the Q7 comes down to wanting to enjoy the numerous benefits of its diesel powerplant. You get a lot for the money, but it costs a lot of money and so we would look for three things before deciding. First, do you travel or tow enough to make the diesel viable? Secondly, do you need the all wheel drive system? Finally, do you like its bold look? If you answer yes to these there is really one the Audi. Add to this the excellent crash scores and you have a proper SUV. Make sure you order the Side Assist which indicates when a vehicle is in your blind spot, and also the rearview camera. Big car, big personality.
For vehicle websites go to http://www.reacheverychild.com/business/index.html
Présentée au Salon de Francfort actuel, l’Audi R8 Spyder s’offre un V10 Lamborghini de 525 ch, de quoi passer les 100km/h en 4,1 s. Tout de même raisonnable sachant qu’elle est pèse 1 720 kg soit 100 kg de plus qu’une Audi R8 standard. Compté 160 000 € pour vous la procurez, dès le premier trimestre 2010.
On notera la qualité de la vidéo, et une importante utilisation de la 3D pour sa réalisation.
Los Angeles, CA, September 16, 2009—AFI FEST 2009 presented by Audi announces 12 films that will screen at this year’s Festival (October 30-November 7) including Lee Daniels’ PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE, Werner Herzog’s THE BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS and Bong Joon-ho’s MOTHER.
The film festival, which will debut it’s groundbreaking “See a Film on Us” initiative featuring complimentary tickets to all films including a limited number of seats at each Gala Presentation, will be headquartered at the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel between October 30 and November 5. AFI FEST will then move to Santa Monica for the final two days of screenings presented in association with the American Film Market (AFM).
Lee Daniels’ PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE is the first announced Gala Presentation at this year’s AFI FEST. Set in 1980’s Harlem, the film tells a story of salvation through education against all odds as it follows the hopeful trajectory of ‘Claireece Precious Jones (played by newcomer Gabourey Sidibe), an overweight and illiterate teen pregnant with her second child and abused by her poisonously angry mother. The film also stars Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sheri Shepherd and Lenny Kravitz. PRECIOUS will be released by Lionsgate on November 6.
AFI FEST 2009 will also mark the return of Werner Herzog to the Festival after Herzog’s celebrated panel appearance two years ago. Herzog’s THE BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS is a loosely interpreted re-imagining of Abel Ferrara’s gritty classic starring Nicolas Cage as a rogue detective who is as devoted to his job as he is to scoring drugs. Complicating his tumultuous life is the prostitute he loves (played by Eva Mendes). The film also stars Val Kilmer.
The Festival also welcomes back Bong Joon-ho (following the screening of THE HOST in 2006). The South Korean entry for the Academy Awards, Bong’s MOTHER is an inventive thriller that follows a woman’s personal investigation into a murder in order to clear the name of the accused – her son.
Two French/Italian co-productions, A PROPHET and VINCERE will also be presented to Los Angeles audiences for the first time. Jacques Audiard’s A PROPHET traces the journey of a young Arab man, who becomes a mafia kingpin after he is sent to a French prison. Marco Bellocchio’s VINCERE is a biographical drama that tells the story of Mussolini’s secret lover, Ida Dalser and their son Albino.
Also included in the list of film titles announced today are the latest work by such noted auteurs as acclaimed French New Wave director Claude Chabrol (BELLAMY), Ken Loach (LOOKING FOR ERIC) and Harmony Korine (TRASH HUMPERS).
“These first dozen titles offer a wonderful preview to our lineup which is a survey of the year’s significant films. They represent a diversity of voices and we take great pride in being able to bring them to Los Angeles audiences for the first time,” said Rose Kuo, AFI FEST Artistic Director.
The twelve official selections include:
THE BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL, NEW ORLEANS (USA)
Director: Werner Herzog
Set in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Nicolas Cage plays a rogue detective who is as devoted to his job as he is to scoring drugs — while playing fast and loose with the law. With the prostitute he loves, the couple descends into a world marked by desire, compulsion and conscience. The film also stars Eva Mendes and Val Kilmer.
BELLAMY (France)
Director: Claude Chabrol
A famous French detective (played by Gerard Depardieu) on vacation in Languedoc investigates a mystery man who approaches him claiming to have killed someone. The film also stars Clovis Cornillac and Jacques Gamblin.
EVERYONE ELSE (Germany)
Director: Maren Ade
Drama follows the volatile relationship resulting from the psychological and emotional ties between two young lovers.
THE LAST STATION (UK/Germany)
Director: Michael Hoffman
A historical drama that illustrates Russian author Leo Tolstoy’s struggle to balance fame and wealth with his commitment to a life devoid of material things. The film stars Helen Mirren, James McAvoy, Christopher Plummer and Paul Giamatti.
LOOKING FOR ERIC (UK)
Director: Ken Loach
Eric, a football fanatic postman whose life is descending into crisis, receives some life-coaching from a poster of the famously philosophical footballer, Eric Cantona.
MOTHER (Madeo) (South Korea)
Director: Bong Joon-ho
This thriller follows the investigation of a murder by a mother desperate to find the killer who framed her son for the crime.
POLICE, ADJECTIVE (Romania)
Director: Corneliu Porumboiu
This drama follows the impact on a young policeman’s life after he refuses to arrest another man for offering drugs to his friends.
PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE (USA)
Director: Lee Daniels
In Harlem, an overweight and illiterate teen pregnant with her second child and abused by her domineering mother is invited to enroll in an alternative school with the dream to move her life in a new direction. The film stars Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz, and introducing Gabourey Sidibe.
A PROPHET (France/Italy)
Director: Jacques Audiard
A young Arab man is sent to a French prison where he becomes a mafia kingpin.
RED RIDING (UK)
Directors: Julian Jarrold, James Marsh, Anand Tucker
Three inter-connected films set in the years 1974, 1980 and 1983 trace the crime and corruption in West Yorkshire, England. The films star Mark Addy, Sean Bean, Paddy Considine, Andrew Garfield and Rebecca Hall.
TRASH HUMPERS (USA)
Director: Harmony Korine
A cinema verite look at a fringe cult-freak collective with a penchant for anti-social behavior and activities.
VINCERE (Italy/France)
Director: Marco Bellocchio
This drama tells the story of Mussolini’s secret lover, Ida Dalser and their son, Albino.
Free tickets are available to all festival screenings – in advance at AFI.com, at the Mann Theatres (6925 Hollywood Blvd.) on October 26, or on the day of scheduled screenings via rush lines. Reserved seating can be secured by becoming a patron of the film festival and purchasing an AFI FEST Patron Pass. For more details, visit AFI.com.
A Audi revelou os números do conceito E-Tron, o esportivo elétrico baseado no R8. O modelo tem nada menos que 459,2 kgfm de torque, o dobro do DAF XF105, o trator mais poderoso deste fabricante de máquinas agrícolas. Toda essa força é gerada por quatro motores movidos a eletricidade, sem qualquer emissão de poluentes.
Os quatro propulsores movem apenas 1,6 tonelada de peso, mas aparentam não ter tanta força em termos práticos. A aceleração de 0 a 100 km/h, por exemplo, é feita em 4,8 segundos. Especula-se que o motivo seja a falta de tração nos arranques. Eles são alimetados por um pacote de baterias de íons de lítio – que pesam um terço da massa total do modelo -, que geram 53 kWh (sendo 42,4 deles aproveitáveis). A potência é de 313 cv.
A autonomia total do sistema é de 248 quilômetros, de acordo com a Audi.
Last week I posted about Audi’s Electricity Untamed microsite, which was rumored to be a teaser for a new electric vehicle from Audi. Although Audi planned to unveil the vehicle at the Frankfurt Motor Show this morning, details have leaked ahead of schedule.
The e-Tron appears to be based off the R8, though it features an updated rear end and a redesigned grille, while losing the iconic side blades of the original R8. Inside, the e-Tron features a driver-focused interior, with the controls and displays confined to the driver’s side of the dash.
While the design of the car is interesting, the real news will come from the powertrain Audi has developed for the vehicle. At this point, there is no information available regarding the electric capabilities of the e-Tron. Fortunately, Audi’s press conference is scheduled for early afternoon today in Frankfurt. Follow the jump for more images.
Σύμφωνα με το Ευρωπαϊκό PlayStation blog, η Sony σχεδιάζει να προσθέσει στις 24 Σεπτεμβρίου ακόμη έναν χώρο στο PlayStation Home, ο οποίος θα είναι αφιερωμένος στο SingStar. Στα SingStar Rooms, θα υπάρχει μία διαδραστική πίστα χορού, κάτι το οποίο σημαίνει πως η μουσική θα αλλάζει ανάλογα με το τί χορεύουν τα avatars.[next]
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Audi has created a global microsite to build excitement for the unveiling of it’s electric concept vehicle at the Frankfurt Auto Show on September 15th. The site will be updated with further details once the vehicle is revealed next Tuesday. As everyone knows, VW and Audi can be late to the party sometimes when it comes to following automotive trends, but usually when they do show up its something special. Plus they have a good history of building production vehicles from past concept cars - so who knows, maybe an electric Audi will be showing up at our lot sooner rather than later. Check out the website at www.electricityuntamed.com.
