Monday
Feb182019
FEBRUARY 20, 2019
Monday, February 18, 2019 at 12:23PM 
(GM images)
The 2020 GMC Acadia is going to look better. Much better. The lineup includes SLE, SLT, an all-new AT4 trim and the top line Denali, with available seating arrangements for five, six or seven passengers, depending on the model. The freshened exterior design is obvious, with standard LED lighting and signature GMC C-shape lighting. Other stuff? Introduction of the Acadia AT4 (shown) with more aggressive exterior styling and darkened finishes; a newly available 2.0L turbocharged engine that uses a tripower valvetrain and dual-scroll turbocharging technologies; and a new nine-speed automatic transmission. And a new Electronic Precision Shift replaces the conventional shifter with an electronic control, freeing up interior room. There are other interior refinements as well.
The 2020 GMC Acadia is going to look better. Much better. The lineup includes SLE, SLT, an all-new AT4 trim and the top line Denali, with available seating arrangements for five, six or seven passengers, depending on the model. The freshened exterior design is obvious, with standard LED lighting and signature GMC C-shape lighting. Other stuff? Introduction of the Acadia AT4 (shown) with more aggressive exterior styling and darkened finishes; a newly available 2.0L turbocharged engine that uses a tripower valvetrain and dual-scroll turbocharging technologies; and a new nine-speed automatic transmission. And a new Electronic Precision Shift replaces the conventional shifter with an electronic control, freeing up interior room. There are other interior refinements as well.
(VW)
Artist Dr. Bob Hieronimus, who painted the original "Light" bus — a Volkswagen Type 2 van made world famous after its appearance at the legendary 1969 Woodstock Art and Music Fair — unveiled a recreation of the legendary bus at the Orange Country Transporter Organization (O.C.T.O.) Winter Meet last weekend in Long Beach, California. It was the first public unveiling of the replica of the Woodstock icon and the premiere stop of its scheduled cross-country tour leading up to the music festival’s 50th anniversary. After more than 50 years, the iconic "Light" bus will ride again, thanks to help from Volkswagen of America and the greater Volkswagen community. The van is the result of a three-year endeavor with Hieronimus and Canadian documentarian John Wesley Chisholm to recover and recreate the van ahead of Woodstock’s milestone anniversary. “It’s a time machine that takes people to the past, through the present and to the future,” says Chisholm. Hieronimus had painted the original 1963 Standard Microbus in 1968, after an invitation from the van’s owner, who was using it to haul his band to the festival and wanted a "magic bus." It became a symbol of the Woodstock Art and Music Fair and greater generational call for peace, love and unity after a snapshot of the van by the Associated Press was widely circulated in newspapers and magazines across the country. The van even appeared in the liner of the official Woodstock album. While the VW bus had already been a favorite among young people seeking efficient ways to travel the country, the Light van covered with Hieronimus’s phalanx of hand-painted symbols and psychedelic shapes captured a unique moment of American culture. “The bus is really about being one people on one planet,” says Hieronimus, who is also a symbologist. “On every side of the bus is a story — many stories — and the stories all point to unification, working together and a higher consciousness, which is what Light really is all about.”
Artist Dr. Bob Hieronimus, who painted the original "Light" bus — a Volkswagen Type 2 van made world famous after its appearance at the legendary 1969 Woodstock Art and Music Fair — unveiled a recreation of the legendary bus at the Orange Country Transporter Organization (O.C.T.O.) Winter Meet last weekend in Long Beach, California. It was the first public unveiling of the replica of the Woodstock icon and the premiere stop of its scheduled cross-country tour leading up to the music festival’s 50th anniversary. After more than 50 years, the iconic "Light" bus will ride again, thanks to help from Volkswagen of America and the greater Volkswagen community. The van is the result of a three-year endeavor with Hieronimus and Canadian documentarian John Wesley Chisholm to recover and recreate the van ahead of Woodstock’s milestone anniversary. “It’s a time machine that takes people to the past, through the present and to the future,” says Chisholm. Hieronimus had painted the original 1963 Standard Microbus in 1968, after an invitation from the van’s owner, who was using it to haul his band to the festival and wanted a "magic bus." It became a symbol of the Woodstock Art and Music Fair and greater generational call for peace, love and unity after a snapshot of the van by the Associated Press was widely circulated in newspapers and magazines across the country. The van even appeared in the liner of the official Woodstock album. While the VW bus had already been a favorite among young people seeking efficient ways to travel the country, the Light van covered with Hieronimus’s phalanx of hand-painted symbols and psychedelic shapes captured a unique moment of American culture. “The bus is really about being one people on one planet,” says Hieronimus, who is also a symbologist. “On every side of the bus is a story — many stories — and the stories all point to unification, working together and a higher consciousness, which is what Light really is all about.”
(Mercedes-Benz images)
When a manufacturer runs out of ideas, they start cranking out "special" editions. Mercedes-Benz is no different; thus the SL Grand Edition. The new Grand Edition models of the SL 450 and SL 550 come with the obligatory interior and exterior tweaks designed to create "specialness." What do you get? Available in Graphite Grey with applications of high-gloss chrome and matte silver to the front end; exclusive 19-inch front and 20-inch rear high-gloss black AMG 10-spoke forged wheels, with a high-sheen rim lip and spokes; and a designo Tundra Brown Pearl leather interior with shimmering metallic surfaces and diamond quilting; piping in designo Golden Olive Pearl and an embroidered special model logo on the head restraints. The multifunction sports steering wheel is also designed in Tundra Brown Pearl leather. The Grand Edition also receives the sports suspension, which is lowered by 10 mm for firmer tuning and sportier driving dynamics. The exclusive Roadster will arrive in U.S. dealerships in 2020.
When a manufacturer runs out of ideas, they start cranking out "special" editions. Mercedes-Benz is no different; thus the SL Grand Edition. The new Grand Edition models of the SL 450 and SL 550 come with the obligatory interior and exterior tweaks designed to create "specialness." What do you get? Available in Graphite Grey with applications of high-gloss chrome and matte silver to the front end; exclusive 19-inch front and 20-inch rear high-gloss black AMG 10-spoke forged wheels, with a high-sheen rim lip and spokes; and a designo Tundra Brown Pearl leather interior with shimmering metallic surfaces and diamond quilting; piping in designo Golden Olive Pearl and an embroidered special model logo on the head restraints. The multifunction sports steering wheel is also designed in Tundra Brown Pearl leather. The Grand Edition also receives the sports suspension, which is lowered by 10 mm for firmer tuning and sportier driving dynamics. The exclusive Roadster will arrive in U.S. dealerships in 2020.
(Images courtesy of Emory Motorsports)
Emory Motorsports has unveiled its latest custom Porsche build, a novel mix of 356 and 911 technology. The result is a truly one-of-a-kind ride, pairing 911 performance with the quintessential 356 Emory Motorsports aesthetic. Commissioned by a client who wanted to drive to East Coast ski areas, the decision was made to artfully combine a 1964 Porsche 356C body with an all-wheel-drive 1990 911 (964) C4 chassis. The meticulous four-year build began by laser-scanning the 1964 body and the 1990 chassis.
Emory Motorsports has unveiled its latest custom Porsche build, a novel mix of 356 and 911 technology. The result is a truly one-of-a-kind ride, pairing 911 performance with the quintessential 356 Emory Motorsports aesthetic. Commissioned by a client who wanted to drive to East Coast ski areas, the decision was made to artfully combine a 1964 Porsche 356C body with an all-wheel-drive 1990 911 (964) C4 chassis. The meticulous four-year build began by laser-scanning the 1964 body and the 1990 chassis.
Emory Motorsports’ goal was to retain all of the original suspension pick-up points from the 911, but two challenges existed: the differences in wheelbase and rear track. The decision was made to retain the 356’s wheelbase, which required shortening the 911’s center tunnel. The 356’s steel body was then subtly widened to match the 911’s rear track. Adjustable KW coil-over shocks mate perfectly to the 911’s architecture and provide optimal ride quality and control.
For the powertrain, Emory Motorsports retained the C4’s G64 5-speed AWD manual gearbox. The driveline now incorporates a rally-style differential bias with independent front-to-rear and side-to-side manual torque control. The disc brakes are standard 964-issue. The custom 16x7 black powder-coated wheels are inspired by wheel designs from different eras. 205/60R16 Pirelli Ice Zeros give superior all-weather grip. The 356 C4S is powered by the proprietary Emory-Rothsport “Outlaw-4” engine. Rod Emory and renowned engine builder Jeff Gamroth of Rothsport Racing collaborated over the better part of a decade to create an original four-cylinder cast-aluminum block. The new engine incorporates the best features of three distinct iterations of the 911 powerplant. Dual Weber 48 IDA carburetors feed this twin-plug engine, rated at 200 horsepower. This 2.4-liter Outlaw-4 employs a crank-fire ignition, and exhaust flows through custom headers and a stainless-steel muffler.
The custom bodywork includes a widened rear section, a flattened hood with its handle deleted, a louvered deck lid, and body-colored rally lights. A competition fuel filler leads to an 18-gallon GT FuelSafe fuel cell. Body color is Graphite Blue Metallic (an OE 2016 Porsche color). Per the client’s request, the roof rack was conceived in CAD to accommodate carrying bikes, skis, or other gear. The one-off drip-rail clamps were 3-D printed in chemically pure titanium, then welded to the custom-fabricated rack by the car’s owner. His fabrication skills extend from his titanium bicycle manufacturing (Independent Fabrication, https://ifbikes.co
On the inside, the RS-style driver’s seat provides functional contrast to the Speedster-style passenger seat. A removable rollcage provides additional safety. Interior tactile interfaces include a MOMO Heritage steering wheel, a 911 shifter with Outlaw shift knob, and a Tilton pedal assembly. Total curb weight for this rally-inspired package is 2,150 pounds.
For more information on custom Porsche 356 Emory Outlaws and Emory Specials, you can go to EmoryMotorsports.com.