SALEEN MUSTANG EXTREME as DECEPTICON POLICE CAR IN TRANSFORMERS

The cars are the stars in DreamWorks' new hit movie "Transformers," and the Saleen S281 Extreme is receiving rave reviews as everyone's favorite bad guy. Appearing in various scenes, the Extreme -- disguised as a deceptive police car code-named "Barricade" -- pursues lead character Sam Witwicky, played by Shia LaBeouf, and ultimately battles his "Autobot" protector, a 1976Chevrolet Camaro named "Bumblebee."



Saleen delivered multiple S281 Extremes to the "Transformers" set for filming, but none were equipped with the new Saleen-supercharged 302 cubic- inch engine of the soon to be released 2008 model. Debuting in late-summer 2007, the new Extreme is expected to set a new benchmark for performance vehicles in its class. Designed by the same engineering team as the SaleenS7, the new Extreme will be the first vehicle to deliver true super car performance in a production sports car.




"Fans of the movie can see the Extreme police car on display at The SaleenStore in Irvine, California," said Mike Simmons, chief marketing and sales officer of Saleen Inc. "What's even more exciting is they can actually purchase the production model from their local Saleen certified dealership, without the police badging and vicious alter-ego, of course. The 2008 Extreme is a limited production vehicle of only 200 units and a waiting list is already starting. However, we have two more attainable S281 models that have the same body style as the "Barricade" car. They might not destroy 'Autobots' as easily, but they are plenty fast and fun to drive."
About the 2008 Saleen S302 Extreme
As the headliner of Saleen's "S" model line, the 2008 S302 Extreme will boast a redesigned and supercharged version of the company's highly acclaimed and potent 302 engine introduced in 2007. Although official specifications are still under wraps, the new powerplant will produce well in excess of 600 horsepower.
This new Extreme model will replace the current 550 horsepower model. The S281/S302 model line also includes the 335 horsepower S281 3-Valve, as well as the 465 horsepower S281 Supercharged. All three S281/S302 vehicles share like styling cues, but each maintains its own personality, driving dynamics and performance elements.
Exact specifications and performance ratings for the new 2008 S302 Extreme will be released at the time of the launch in late summer 2007. As true with allSaleen vehicles, the 2008 Extreme will be fully certified to meet federal safety and emissions standards.
Individuals can go to www.saleen.com/transformers.htm to find more information regarding Saleen's involvement in "Transformers" and to learn about the Saleen Extreme and other Saleen models.

2010 LOTUS ETERNE

 The Lotus Eterne concept – another 4-door supersedan similar to the likes of the Aston Martin Rapide, the Porsche Panamera, the Fisker Karma, the Tesla Model S, the Maserati Quattroporte, and etc. The Eterne will be powered by a similar engine as the one found in the Esprit – a 5.0 liter force inducted V8 making 620 PS, but it will be mounted in a front-mid position instead of at the rear like the Esprit.

The plan is for a Spring 2015 launch so this car has quite some way to go. An Eterne equipped with just the internal combustion engine will be rear wheel drive, but the spec sheet lists optional hybrid drive via a “hybrid gearbox with integrated electric motors and KERS”. This is likely a gearbox that has the electric motor sandwiched between it and the combustion engine, somewhat like a motor assist system.

Lotus has put an indicative price of £120,000. That’s about £20,000 cheaper than the four door Aston Martin Rapide’s £139,950 starting price tag, but much more expensive than a Porsche Panamera.

2010 Toyota Tacoma Gamer Debut

The Toyota Tacoma All-Terrain Gamer (ATG) combines outdoor sports activities and video games to create the ultimate active lifestyle vehicle for young Tacoma pickup truck owners. The special vehicle was designed to take Tacoma owners to their favorite remote locations where they can pursue their passion for outdoor sports activities and also provide a haven at the end of the day to play their favorite interactive video games. 

To create the Tacoma ATG Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. teamed up with a group of partners who are among the finest in their fields of expertise. The partners included The B.A.D. Company as the primary builder,along with Microsoft Xbox, Kicker, Toyota Racing Development, INNO Advanced Car Racks and Cannondale. 

Toyota provided a 2009 Tacoma Double Cab Long Bed PreRunner V6 five-speed automatic to The B.A.D. Company to transform it into the rugged ATG. The builders felt this Tacoma configuration provided the best combination of on-road and off-road capability, a spacious cab to haul friends and a full-size bed to carry cargo and equipment. 

The B.A.D. Company removed the B-Pillars and installed double gull-wing doors to increase space and create a œpatio like shelter for gamers. Adjustable theater style seating was created by removing the front seats and repositioning them to the outboard rear locations. This theater seating configuration intensifies gaming action by creating a communal experience, especially effective when playing Xboxs new HALO ODST team oriented four-person video game. Large steps were created to allow easy ingress/egress and leg support for outboard chair



gamers. 

Four interior monitors were placed on two swing arms to allow the vehicle to be easily converted from a video haven to a drivable truck. The swing arms were designed and contoured to provide each game seat optimum screen distance and angled to maximize the high definition experience. 

To increase storage capability an INNO Ridge Wide Cargo Box is attached to a roof mounted roll bar. Two Upright Lock Bike Racks mounted to truck base rack systems, each provided by INNO, are mated directly to the tonneau cover. The two Lock Bike Racks carry Cannondale RZ ONE Twenty and Cannondale Moto 4 high performance mountain bikes. 

Exterior modifications also included three base colors of a custom metallic anthracite (pulled directly from the Xbox brand guide), drilled aluminum interior panels, color-matched protective floor coating, an acrylic hood with an engine view port, a 66-inch plasma monitor with a custom roll cage enclosure, tonneau cover with Å“Craze paint technique, blacked out front grille, sponsor logo windshield sun shade, front and rear bumpers, smoked front head and rear tail lamp treatment, and Xbox graphics. 

The Xbox gaming system in the Tacoma ATG is complemented by a two-channel custom Kicker audio system, providing the ultimate sound design to maximize the video game experience. The system generates a total of 2,150 watts of power from studio grade rack-mounted amps to minimize sound quality deterioration over extended use. Gamers will feel the action via the 1,500 watt 12-inch Kicker Solobaric L7-12 Subwoofer in a custom enclosure with vents at each corner directing air into the cab. Sound will rain down on gamers from eight Kicker QS65.2 6.5-inch mid-range speakers handling a combined 650 watts of power to complete the gaming experience. 

Additional interior modifications include four Simpson custom upholstered off-road racing seats with four-point black racing harnesses, custom three-tone upholstered interior and a mini-fridge energy drink dispenser. 

In addition to being the ultimate gaming vehicle the Tacoma ATG also needed to be able to transport outdoor enthusiasts to their favorite remote locations. Toyota Racing Development (TRD) contributed to the project with the installation of its 304 horsepower 4.0-liter Supercharger to increase vehicle torque and better traverse rugged landscape. TRD 16-inch bead lock wheels with BF Goodrich LT295/75R16 All-Terrain T/A tires were added to improve off-road stability and increase traction. 

After its debut at the 2009 SEMA Show the Tacoma ATG is scheduled to be used by Toyota, Xbox, Kicker, and INNO for a variety of consumer and industry events. 

Tacoma All-Terrain Gamer Accessories 
Partners and Sponsors 
Principle: Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. 
Builder / Fabricator: The Big American Dream Company (B.A.D. Co.) 
Gaming: Microsoft Xbox 
Audio: Stillwater Designs / Kicker 
Performance: Toyota Racing Development (TRD) 
Sports Equipment: INNO Advanced Car Racks 
Mountain Bikes: Cannondale 

Exterior 
- Custom three-tone paint with Å“Craze technique 
- Driver & Passenger side double gull wing doors with B-Pillar removed, custom hinge mechanism and light synchronization system 
- Custom steel roof mounted roll bar 
- Acrylic hood with view port and engine compartment lighting 
- Tonneau cover with Å“Craze paint technique 
- Custom rear monitor protective enclosure 
- Blacked out front grille, front & rear bumpers 
- Smoked front head & rear tail lamp treatment 
- INNO Ridge Wide Cargo Box mounted to roof mounted roll bar 
- INNO Upright Lock Bike Rack mounted to Tonneau cover holding two Cannondale mountain bikes. 
1. Cannondale RZ ONE Twenty 
2. Cannondale Moto 4 
Xbox 360 graphics 

Interior 
- Custom expandable theater style rear seat gaming area with removable front seats repositioned to extend beyond the edge of the cab 
- Custom aluminum seat support frame with lighting treatment 
- Four Simpson custom upholstered off road racing seats with four-point black racing harness 
- Custom swing out four game monitor mounting system 
- Custom protective floor coating 
- Custom aluminum roll cage 
- Custom drilled aluminum headliner 
- Custom three-tone upholstered interior 
- Mini-fridge energy drink dispenser 

Performance 
- TRD 4.0L V6 Supercharger 
- Air to liquid intercooler 
- High flow fuel injectors 
- Cold Air Intake 
- TRD Stainless Steel Cat-back single outlet exhaust 
- 304HP & 334 lb/ft of Torque 
- 16X7.5 TRD Cast Bead Lock Wheels with custom finish 
- BF Goodrich LT295/75R16 All-Terrain T/A Tires 



Audio/Visual 
- Four Xbox Elite Game Console Bundles 
- Alpine IVA-W505 touch screen head unit 
- Kicker KQ5 Preamp Equalizer 
- Behringer DCX2496 Crossover 
- QSC CX702 1500 Watt (8 O) Power Amplifier for subwoofer 
- Two QSC CX302 325 Watt (4 O) Power Amplifier for midrange 
- Total system produces 2150 Watts of power 
- Kicker Solobaric L7-12 Subwoofer with custom vented enclosure 
- Eight Kicker QS65.2 6.5-inch Midrange 
- 66-inch Sharp Aquos Plasma High Definition public viewing monitor 
- Four Samsung 24 High Definition flat panel game monitors. 

2010 Maserati GranTurismo S MC Sports

Maserati has announced the limited edition GranTurismo S MC Sport Line exclusively for the Middle Eastern market. Only 12 will be produced, all with a matte white "ICE" finish, which should help keep things cool in the hot desert sun. Eleven similar cars will be built for Italy, but sporting a different color, "Matt Bianco Fuji". 

Carbon fiber plays a prominent role with both aerodynamics and cosmetics. Whereas the less-special GranTurismo versions are more mature in personality, the MC Sport uses black and carbon fiber to ratchet up its sporty attitude. 

On the inside you'll find lightweight and grippy cloth/leather seats, a carbon fiber console and MC badging throughout. 

For existing GranTurismo owners, many of the parts that make this special edition special can be ordered from your friendly Maserati dealer. 

The limited-edition Maserati GranTurismo S MC Sport Line with Matt White "ICE" finishing was unveiled last week in the futuristic surroundings of the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, in a dedicated event for a selected number of Maserati customers of the Middle East. 

Only twelve of these limited-edition GranTurismos will be produced in Modena, all for Middle Eastern markets. The same number - twelve - are the world titles which make up the prestigious palmares of the MC12 in the FIA GT International Championship since 2005: two Constructors' Cups (2005 and 2007), four Drivers' Titles (Michael Bartels - Andrea Bertolini in 2006, Thomas Biagi in 2007, Michael Bartels - Andrea Bertolini in 2008 and 2009); five Teams' Titles (from 2005 onwards uninterruptedly with the Vitaphone Racing Team); one Citation Cup in 2007 with gentleman driver Ben Aucott. 

Twelve are also the Middle Eastern cities where Maserati is present with a dedicated showroom: each car will feature a plaque with the name of the city to which it is committed. 

A limited and numbered edition of the GranTurismo S MC Sport Line, finished in "Matt Bianco Fuji" with eye-catching pearlescent nuances, will be dedicated to the Italian market. Only eleven customers in Italy will be able to sit behind the wheel of this exclusive car. 

Designed to enhance the sporty DNA of the Trident, the "MC Sport Line" options, available to Maserati clients worldwide, sum up the experience acquired on the track by the Maserati Corse racing department, whose contribution to the design of the functional components has been invaluable. The world of motor racing also inspired Maserati's designers when it came to styling, hence the extensive use of carbon fibre. 

An Aerodynamic Package is available within the "MC Sport Line" for the GranTurismo range and it includes double front winglets, rear lip spoiler, door sill inserts, black window surrounds, black exhaust pipes and body coloured door handles. Carbon fibre door mirrors and carbon finish door handles are also available as part of the Aerodynamic Package. These modifications, developed in the wind tunnel and tested at various circuits with the Maserati GranTurismo MC race car concept, increase the vertical load (Cz is reduced by 30%), allowing faster cornering and further improved traction coming out of the corner. 

Several aesthetic features are available from the MC Sport Line option list, some of which can also be ordered for Quattroporte S and Sport GTS, including gloss black alloy wheels, interior carbon finishing and MC design aluminium racing pedals. 

A single rate sports suspension system is available on the Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic, whilst for the GranTurismo S, the highest performing model in the Maserati range, the MC suspension set up can be ordered. This includes lower ride height (by 10mm), stiffer dampers, larger-diameter anti-roll bars which minimise lateral load shifts (roll angle is reduced by 20%). Overall the car's rigidity is increased by 16% at the front and 32% at the rear. 

The "MC Sport Line" suspension is combined with drilled, slotted front and rear disc brakes providing a more predictable and a more immediate braking action, meeting all the expectations of those in search of peak handling. Compared to the standard units, the Sport Line discs are drilled with 4 slots and 16 blind holes around their perimeter: the slots keep the brake pad clean, preventing loss of performance due to material detached by friction, while in case of rain their mechanical action helps to break up the film of water. Blind holes have been added on the inside and outside of the braking surface for more uniform wear of the brake pad and disc surfaces, keeping braking efficiency constant over time. 

The Maserati Stability Programme (MSP) has also been re-calibrated for the MC suspension, allowing the driver greater freedom of action.