2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT tS

After a year of development, the tuning company unveiled an STI Subaru Legacy 2.5GT Limited Edition tS (as amended by ITS).

Based on the 2.5 GT S Package, GT 2.5 TS is limited to only 600 units and will be offered in both sedan and touring version, with prices starting in the $ 44,000 for the sedan and 46,000 for the Touring.

The package has no power improvements, but said that STI has improved handling and looks much better. TS models are distinguished by a front lip and rear spoiler as well tammbien some tires 18 “STi plates. You will receive an upgraded Bilstein suspension and carbon fiber details.

For the interior, STI offers a sports seats covered in Alcantara and leather, with contrasting red stitching, plus details of decoration of carbon and titanium, an STI leather steering wheel, shift knob with leather and lined with rugs STI logo.

The Legacy 2.5GT TS is powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces an output of 265 hp and a torque of 258 Nm.

Incoming Search Terms: subaru legacy 2 5 GT ts review, subaru legacy 2 5ts

Read the rest »

Rendering of the BMW M3 GTS-R

Last month, BMW announced it will celebrate the success within 24 hours of Nurburgring with a special edition GTS-R M3. And today, Left Lane News brought us the first renderings of the sporting future. The official debut is expected to be in September the Paris Motor Show.

Compared to the standard GTS M3, the R version will focus on reducing weight. to do that, BMW will use a bonnet, a roof and a carbon fiber trunk, reducing the weight of the model to 3200 lbs. On the engine, BMW plans is to get more power from the current V8 engine and associated with a DCT gearbox.

We have to admit that the matte black looks much better than the orange used in the standard GTS.

Stay tuned, soon we will bring you more information!

Read the rest »

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo: Ferrari Will Never Produce a Family Car

 

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo - Ferrari

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo - Ferrari

Super Car manufacturers, Ferrari vowed they will never make a family car. For them, Ferrari big names in the sports segment must be maintained.

 

“In the future we will sell Ferrari system, but we will never sell any family car,” said Ferrari president Luca Montezemolo on Tuesday (09/06/2010).

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, a charismatic man aged 62 said that Ferrari will still be a very exclusive car. “We will continue to produce cars smaller than the number of requests,” he added.

But that does not mean the Ferrari is not friendly to families. Due to accommodate more passengers on a car, this Italian car manufacturer also has four seats car with the 2+2 concept.

The 2+2 concept means Ferrari car has two front seats and two seats in the rear. Although the back seat is quite small.

Ferrari 612 Scaglietti can be an example of a Ferrari four-seats concept, or the latest is Ferrari California 2+2.

“When I say 2+2, I mean that this is the presence of a sports car that can accommodate two children in the back, so you can still enjoy performance of the car, “he said.

“We do not sell real cars, but we’re selling dreams,” he concluded.

Read the rest »

Can We Look to Reopen This Driving Centre?

As many Chronicle readers may be aware Theresa Villiers MP, the Minister of State for Transport and Norman Baker, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, have formally pledged to undertake a full review of the nationwide Driving Test Centre (DTC) Closure Programme.

Theresa Villiers MP stated: “A Conservative Government would review the nationwide DSA driving test centre closure programme, including the locations of car and motorbike testing centres and those that have been closed.

“We need to look again at the decisions that have been made. The Government have made a complete mess of the new motorbike testing regime and they have serious questions to answer about their handling of the whole network of driving ”.

Norman Baker MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport pledged that: “The Liberal Democrats will conduct a full review of the driving test centre closure programme”.

Considering that we now have an established coalition Government and that there is common ground on this important issue, it is hoped that a review, ideally a public enquiry, can be instigated in the imminent future.

While we appreciate that the Government is having to control expenditure we would like to point out that the DSA formally stated that Trowbridge DTC cost Pounds 29,531 (incl staff travel and subsistence) per annum to run, but it undertook 8,000 tests per annum had an income in excess of Pounds 400,000 per annum.

We are confident that, were Trowbridge DTC to reopen, more people would learn to drive in the surrounding area and that the DTC running costs would be more than outweighed by the extra revenue.

Based on DSA figures, it only requires about 477 tests per annum to cover the running costs of Trowbridge DTC and we are confident that, at the very least, this number of additional tests would result from the reopening of Trowbridge DTC; we would envisage a higher number of additional tests and a considerably higher number of test if motorbike module two tests were also undertaken at Trowbridge or Chippenham DTCs (the reopening of Trowbridge DTC would, we feel, make it more feasible to undertake motorbike module 2 tests at either Trowbridge or Chippenham DTCs).

GARY FOSSEY Campaign to Reopen Trowbridge Driving Test Centre.

Incoming Search Terms: Theresa Villiers

Read the rest »

Data from Fordham University Provide New Insights into Law Reviews

“In April 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court in Arizona v. Gant narrowed the scope of an automobile to arrest,” researchers in the United States report.

“Prior to Gant, officers were permitted to search the entire automobile passenger compartment incident to the arrest of a vehicle occupant for any offense. The Gant Court rejected this broad interpretation and limited officers’ ability to search to two circumstances: (1) when an arrestee is unsecured and within reaching distance of the vehicle or (2) when it is reasonable for officers to believe the vehicle might contain evidence related to the crime of the arrest. The Gant decision raises several new issues including the circumstances required to consider an arrestee secure. Is an arrestee considered unsecure until officers place the arrestee in a police car? Can an arrestee be considered secure if officers do not handcuff the arrestee? How many officers are required to secure an arrestee? What are the relevant factors to consider? Since the Supreme Court decided Gant, numerous lower courts have cited Gant to determine whether officers secured an arrestee prior to an automobile search incident to arrest. This Note examines how lower courts have inconsistently applied the ”secure” aspect of the holding,” wrote D.S. Chase and colleagues, Fordham University.

The researchers concluded: “Additionally, this Note offers a test for determining whether officers have ;secured an arrestee under Gant in order to clarify the inconsistency among lower courts, to ensure that defendants receive equal treatment, and to prevent confusion among law enforcement officials.”

Chase and colleagues published their study in Fordham Law Review (WHO IS SECURE?: A FRAMEWORK FOR ARIZONA v. GANT Fordham Law Review, 2010;78(5):2577-2613).

For additional information, contact D.S. Chase, Fordham University, School Law, Bronx, NY 10458, USA.

Read the rest »

Transportation Behavior that’s Good, Bad or Mysterious

Today’s column is about behavior that either pleases or annoys travelers. I’m afraid there’s a lot more of the latter. Some of the behavior — both positive and negative — is a mystery to me, and I invite you to write in with your own explanations.

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

This irritates me, and I want a reality check. At least once or twice a week I am behind a car at the Metro Kiss and Ride, dropping off my wife. The driver of the car in front of me gets out and walks to the station while the passenger gets out, walks around the car, gets back in and drives away. Please give me a reasonable explanation!

Bill Evans

Manassas

DG: It does seem inefficient. My gripes from the Kiss and Ride corral: A long goodbye in the lane of the Kiss and Ride, rather than in one of the parking spots, and a driver who idles for 10 minutes or more, awaiting the arrival of a Metro rider on the way home. Readers’ top gripe: using the spaces for long-term parking.

I haven’t seen the interesting handoff that Evans describes and can only speculate that the Metro rider doesn’t like the other person’s driving. But if I’m right about that, the control freak from the car is about to board a train operated by a complete stranger.

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

During a recent week spent in California, I noticed a definite difference in how drivers and pedestrians behave, compared with their actions in the District, so I spent the rest of the week paying closer attention to their behavior.

Overall, California drivers and pedestrians are more courteous to each other. Pedestrians are much less likely to enter a crosswalk just as the light is changing, impeding cars, or cross against the light when cars are approaching. Drivers are better at stopping for pedestrians entering a crosswalk, even when the pedestrian is standing on the curb.

Drivers also seem to be more courteous in facilitating merging traffic from on-ramps, or drivers changing lanes, even if they have to slow down a bit to do so. In contrast, D.C. drivers seem to be more concerned about not having one more car in front of them.

Might this difference simply reflect the contrast between laid- back California and hyper-competitive Washington?

Most interesting of all, I noticed a scarcity of “no right turn on red” signs. So I spent the balance of my week, with lots of driving through the city streets of Santa Barbara (including the pedestrian-heavy downtown) and surrounding area, looking for one. I failed to find one. Drivers are simply expected to look out for other cars and pedestrians, and it works. There are also many fewer four-way stop signs! It all leads to more efficient travel, saving both time and gas.

Donald E. Polk

The District

DG: I often invite readers to send along their reviews of other transportation systems. Many have returned with wondrous reports about a land of enchantment for travelers on the far coast. On trips to Northern California, I also have been unnerved by the civility of drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. The drivers there frequently defy my sense of the car culture of California by yielding not only to other drivers but also to other types of travelers seeking to use the streets.

It has reinforced my belief in reinforcement: If travelers see other travelers behaving a certain way, they start thinking it might be the right thing to do.

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

Every morning on the Orange Line from Vienna to downtown Washington, I see scores of commuters getting on the Metro with cups of beverages. I’ve also seen many people — especially at night – - get on the train with a bag of fries and a burger and just start eating. No effort is ever made to conceal the food or beverages.

Clearly, riders have discovered there’s no penalty for breaking the law that states “No eating or drinking” on Metro.

On at least three occasions, I’ve asked Metro police who were on the platform or train why they weren’t giving out tickets for these food or beverage infractions, and the responses I got ranged from “I’m too busy” (he was riding a train) to “I’m watching for terrorists.”

Now I know some people think our Metro police should be “watching for terrorists,” but I’m not sure that should exclude them from issuing tickets to riders breaking the law.

When I’ve very politely told riders they shouldn’t be bringing their beverages on the train, I get everything from a blank stare to “Mind your own business.”

Well, it is my business when these beverages spill and trash the Metro cars. Or French fries get ground into the carpet. It costs Metro money to clean the cars, and I’d rather see that money going to buy more rail cars or run eight-car trains.

I’m old enough to remember when Fawn Hall, Lt. Col. Oliver North’s secretary, got a ticket for eating a banana on the Metro platform. It made national news. [She got a $10 ticket in 1987.] So why have Metro police abandoned enforcing the rules against eating or drinking in the trains?

Metro could have a two-week crackdown, and riders would get the message.

Carol L. Burnett

Arlington County

DG: Riders often protest the misbehavior of their fellow passengers. The same day I received Burnett’s letter, I got a note from a Blue Line rider complaining about two people leisurely drinking their morning coffees and members of a family downing their breakfast.

I had occasion to ask Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn about police policy. He said officers issue citations to violators, but their first choice is to remind the rider about the rules and get the person to stop consuming.

Read the rest »

2011 Volkswagen Polo Sedan

The Russian subsidiary of Volkswagen released the images of sedan version Polo. The model will have a trunk with a capacity of 460 liters and a larger wheelbase, which reaches 2.55 meters.

After coming to light several spy photos of the model, the Russian subsidiary of Volkswagen published a series of official pictures with a bit of information. Aesthetically, it is very similar to the hatchback, but with the addition of a third volume well done giving it a personality.

The smooth back of the Polo sedan is achieved through a redesign of the back door. The engine is a 1.6-liter that generates an output of 105 hp with a five-speed manual or automatic six. Prices will range from $ 12,800 to the lowest model in the range, and will reach 18,500 dollars for the top model. Among the models with which they compete, are the Chevrolet Aveo, and Fiesta.

Incoming Search Terms: volkswagen

Read the rest »