2011 Nissan Electric Sports Cars ESFLOW Concept

2011 Nissan Electric Sports Cars ESFLOW Concept

The ESFLOW concept cars will be unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show (3-13 March) where it will share the Nissan stand with a number of other innovative and exciting newcomers - but with one major difference: these are production ready.

The 2011 Nissan Electric Sports Cars ESFLOW Concept isn’t scheduled to be unveiled until the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in just a couple of weeks. Nissan plans to reveal its new electric concept, called Esflow, at the Chicago Auto Show this year. The car will make its world debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show from March.

2011 Nissan Electric Sports Cars ESFLOW Concept

Nissan has a reputation for creating some of the most exhilarating sports cars on the market. Nissan has also developed the world's first practical Zero Emission family car, the Nissan LEAF. Now Nissan has put that expertise together. It has captured the excitement of a sports car and the environmental benefits of an electric vehicle and blended them into one dramatic two-seater concept: ESFLOW.

It may be a concept, but the Nissan ESFLOW electric sports cars proves it's possible to remain environmentally sympathetic without having to give up the joy of driving. It looks like a sports car, handles like a sports car and performs like one too. But Nissan ESFLOW Concept cars is different to every other sports car yet built: it's electric. Using technology pioneered in the award-winning Nissan LEAF, the EV concept shows that driving can still be as much fun tomorrow as it is today.

2011 Nissan Electric Sports Cars ESFLOW Concept

Ecological minimalism need not come at the expense of luxury. The cabin of the 2011 Nissan Electric Sports Cars ESFLOW Concept is clean and open and weight saving has been a priority throughout its design, but it is still a comfortable and pleasant place to sit. By far the heaviest components in modern cars' interiors are the steel framed, thickly upholstered and increasingly motorized seats. In 2011 Nissan Electric Sports Cars ESFLOW Concept the seats are sculpted into the rear bulkhead of the car, negating the need for a heavy frame. This of course means that they are immobile, but this is of no consequence as the fly-by-wire steering and pedals adjust electrically to the best spot to suit each individual driver's size and preferred driving position.

Nissan ESFLOW Concept is rear-wheel drive and it runs on two motors. The car's graceful proportions allow the twin electric motors to be placed above the axis of the rear wheels, in a mid-ship position,. These motors independently control the left and right wheels, and so the torque is optimized to ensure outstanding vehicle stability and control as well as efficient power regeneration. The motors produce enough torque in an instant for it to reach a 100kph in under 5 seconds.

2011 Nissan Electric Sports Cars ESFLOW Concept

Power for the motors comes from the same laminated lithium-ion battery packs used in the Nissan LEAF, but in ESFLOW the packs are located along the axis of the front and rear wheels. This centralizes the mass of the car, and thus its rotation point, close to the driver's hips. These cleverly positioned batteries enable the car to travel over 240km on one charge.

2011 Nissan Electric Sports Cars ESFLOW Concept

The colors of this Esflow are inspired from glaciers, with highly reflective blue-tinted solidified liquid shapes. Even if this concept will not hit the production line too soon, it could be a great source of inspiration for Nissan’s future sports cars.

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (about mortgage law)

Dreaming Dead

You may have read about these guys on City of Devils (here and here) or maybe you remember something Cosmo wrote over at his Pulitzer worthy fanzine (maybe here or here). Or if you don't read, maybe you have a bro who's lookin out and dropped some DreamyD into a flash drive when you guys were exchanging four gigs of obscure blackened death metal the other day. Or, maybe I'm that bro.






Dreaming Dead evolved out of a band called Manslaughter (terrible name, right?) and shares members with Exhausted Prayer (an LA based NWOABM band you will learn more about in a future post). Guitars and vocals are handled by Elizabeth Schall and the band just added another female guitar shredder to the line up which is a totally unfair monopoly on local talent. They have a new album coming out this year and I'm expecting some extra tasty blackened death metal with a lot of melody, a lot of absurd blasting and a ton of harmonized leads. And even though I know they just added the second guitar in order to keep up with another certain female fronted LA metal band I wont name (cough, cough) I can't stay mad at them. Dreaming Dead is easily one of my favorite bands to share a stage with and I'm genuinely stoked about their new record. Here's the first one, it'll keep you warm till the new one gets here.



HERE

2011 Rolls-Royce Sports Apparition Concept Cars by Jeremy Westerlund

2011 Rolls-Royce Sports Apparition Concept Cars by Jeremy Westerlund

Here is a personal limousine that, Rolls-Royce Apparition concept was designed by Jeremy Westerlund, who designed it as an independent project while studying at the Art Center. 2011 Jeremy Westerlund  Rolls Royce Apparition has Clever design features abound, like the spare wheel secreted into the bodywork at the front like 1930s Rollers, an open cockpit for the driver and the twin rear windows that mirror the shape of the headlights. It’s like something out of a science fiction film, and a heck of a lot more interesting than some of the so-called concept cars Rolls-Royce has show in the past five years.

2011 Rolls-Royce Sports Apparition Concept Cars by Jeremy Westerlund

The idea blends classic design elements with futuristic ones, with mahogany wheel inserts and a shape that places the chauffeur out in the open like in vintage motor carriages, with the occupants coddled inside.

2011 Rolls-Royce Sports Apparition Concept Cars by Jeremy Westerlund is a personal limousine that, if it were built, would be 23 feet long. The 2011 Rolls-Royce Sports Apparition Concept Cars by Jeremy Westerlund that features yacht-like styling and mahogany inserts on the wheels. This created by a student designer like Jeremy Westerlund comes along with a design as interesting and unique as the Rolls Royce Apparition.

2011 Rolls-Royce Sports Apparition Concept Cars by Jeremy Westerlund

Design of the 2011 Rolls-Royce Sports Apparition Concept Cars by Jeremy Westerlund is based around the old motor carriages that had a chauffeur sitting up front, exposed to the elements, with the passengers coddled inside. Like most contemporary Rolls models, the front is utterly dominated by the prominent grille and hood ornament.

2011 Rolls-Royce Sports Apparition Concept Cars by Jeremy Westerlund, it features unique touches like real mahogany inserts in the wheels, and the imposing overall shape is long and low: the designer took his cues from sailing yachts, and even though the model is built to 1:4 scale, it’s still nearly six feet long. If such an extreme example of fantasy ever became reality, it would measure 279 inches overall – that’s over 23 feet, or about four feet longer than the Phantom.

2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R by Tommy Kaira

2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R by Tommy Kaira

They have been teasing this car 2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R by Tommy Kaira for a long time, but now just in time for 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon it is ready to be unveiled. This is one of the finest body kits we’ve seen for the mighty GT-R so far. We know that Japanese tuner’s Tommy Kaira finished the early stage of their Nissan GT-R plan for the launch at the 2010 Tokyo AutoSalon. This Kyoto based tuner, who is known to have  started out by modifying Mercedes car is now all focused on GT-R as it brings out the Silver Wolf Nissan GT-R from its stable.

2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R by Tommy Kaira

Called the Silver Wolf, this 2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R by Tommy Kaira comes with a full body kit, plus new rolling stock, brakes, exhaust and suspension components. The carbon fiber widebody package gives the GT-R a serious attitude adjustment. Two kit choices are available, the first being a very comprehensive one while the second just works on the front end.

2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R by Tommy Kaira

With no change to GT-R’s twin-turbo V6 engine, 2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R by Tommy Kaira has just got some fabulous interior work and upgraded breaks, exhaust and suspension systems. Carbon and red leather interior will give it’s driver a very luxuries feel while the carbon fiber widebody of the silver wolf still keep it  decent and stylish. Tommy Kaira has well managed to keep its name in the auto industry and it is expected that the Japanese icon will not compromise on the performance of their new GT-R project. So until there is some final testing on the Fuji Speedway, check out the greatest performance car more closely in the pictures below.

The 2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R by Tommy Kaira full kit consists of, among others, a wet carbon front bumper, a front grille cover, lip spoiler, under diffuser, side ducts and side skirts. The rear also features wet carbon in the form of a racing diffuser, a rear wing and rear fender extensions. The AVS Model F15 Platinum black wheels are shod with Pirelli P-Zero 255/40R20 and 285/35R20 front and rear tyres respectively.

2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R by Tommy Kaira

TEST PATTERN

Apologies to the faithful, but a slew of technical difficulties--paired with an imminent trip to internet-free mountain regions--forced me to abandon ICHQ, Mubarak-style, and put posting on hold until at least the beginning of next week. Get out and enjoy some sunlight, you pasty fuck.

2011 New BMW Sports Cars Vision ConnectedDrive Concept

2011 New BMW Sports Cars Vision ConnectedDrive Concept

BMW officials has announced that a new Vision ConnectedDrive Concept Vehicle will be showing up at the Geneva Motor Show and that it will “revolutionize driving in terms of comfort, infotainment and safety. The two-door roadster’s "layered" appearance evokes the EfficientDynamics concept from 2009, while its asymmetrical layout brings back memories of 2001’s X Coupe concept. Just as the former previewed a wild, forthcoming production car and the latter ushered in the Bangle design era, the 2011 New BMW Sports Cars Vision ConnectedDrive Concept provides a glimpse of BMWs to come.

2011 New BMW Sports Cars Vision ConnectedDrive Concept

” BMW is only offering up a few details on this concept, but judging by its name, we expect a vehicle that will include the latest car-to-car communication features. It is an efficient and technologically advanced roadster, not sacrificing anything in terms of driving pleasure. It is unclear whether the model is related in some way with rumors of a future BMW roadster, smaller than Z4, or is a natural development of the GINA concept, but the new model is said to predict the future appearance of the BMW series vehicles.

Official BMW representatives said: “In 2011 the automobile industry is celebrating the anniversary “125 yeas of the automobile,” reason enough to not only look back, but also to look forward. Connectivity is one of the key fields of tomorrow’s world. And of course, we at BMW are proud to be among the pioneers of connected driving: for example, with the first on-board internet access in 2008, the first iPod integration in 2004, or the first ultrasound-based park distance control PDC in 1991.”

2011 New BMW Sports Cars Vision ConnectedDrive Concept

“2011 is also the year in which we are setting course for the future. Initial insights are already available to you now in the Future Lab from BMW Vision ConnectedDrive. Or soon right here, with an extraordinary vehicle concept, which will once again revolutionize driving in terms of comfort, infotainment and safety. Exactly as you have come to expect from BMW.”

Some rumors suggest that the model will have a “3D interface” that will relate to the driver, with a futuristic design. The second feature is visible and will go in the direction of future BMW models. Instead, it is unclear how much influence the future creation of the BMW model, since the differences between the current range and the concept presented in Geneva 2011 are quite large, which hampers a rapid transition.

2011 New BMW Sports Cars Vision ConnectedDrive Concept

The layered surfaces are enhanced with fiber-optic lighting effects that highlight the different functions and sections of the 2011 New BMW Sports Cars Vision ConnectedDrive Concept car. It certainly isn't possible to design a car like this with just a few pen strokes. And it is a remarkable and potentially trend-setting approach that is every bit as daring as the one taken by BMW design ten years ago with the X Coupe.

The windshield acts as the medium for a three-dimensional head-up display, and additional information is shown on the monitor behind the steering wheel. Tellingly, the layer that displays relevant driving information is christened the "safety layer," and it is fed by plenty of watchful sensors. A larger zone that also encompasses the passengers is called the "infotainment layer," and it offers movies, music, and internet access. Passengers also get their own display with nav and music info, which can then be sent to the driver’s attention at the press of a finger.

The 2011 New BMW Sports Cars Vision ConnectedDrive Concept design and technology of this spectacular roadster are aimed at making the vehicle an integral part of a networked world. Comfort, safety and the infotainment experience in the vehicle can be precisely optimized by the innovative functionality, individually tailored to suit the requirements of both the driver and passenger. New technologies and design concepts are employed to add even more facets to the unmistakable BMW driving pleasure.

 2011 New BMW Sports Cars Vision ConnectedDrive Concept

2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R FIA GT1

2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R FIA GT1

Nissan Motorsports International announced that NISMO just signed the official partnership agreements for the FIA GT1 World Championship with Sumo Power GT (UK) and Swiss Racing Team (CH). Both teams will run two NISSAN GT-Rs respectively in the inaugural World Championship. Two teams for the FIA GT1 World Championship series in which the R35 GT-R will compete in 2010.

2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R FIA GT1

The R35 Nissan GT-R will be raced by the Sumo Power GT team from the UK as well as the Swiss Racing Team. Further details, such as the driver lineup, will be released later on. NISMO will provide technical support to its new racing partners.

2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R FIA GT1

The prospect of a new world championship, run under fresh regulations was appealing enough for Nissan Sports Cars to develop the highly acclaimed GT-R Sports Cars into a GT racer. It was going to be the first time since 1996 that the (Skyline) GT-R would compete in international GT events. While the FIA GT1 World Championship will not kick off until the spring of 2010, the cars built to the new regulations could already compete from 2009 onwards. Nissan Motorsport (Nismo) opted to use the extra year and worked had to get the new car ready for the official pre-season test at Paul Ricard.

The 2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R FIA GT1 is a rear-wheel drive GT1 racer and comes with a naturally aspirated 5.6-liter VK56DE V8 engine tuned to 600 hp and 650 Nm of torque. It is fitted with a 6-speed transmission from Ricardo by way of a carbon triple-plate clutch and grips the ground with 18-inch x 13-inch forged wheels by Rays.

Nissan’s participation in FIA GT1 racing has been in the works for some time. Last year it tested the 2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R FIA GT1 in several GT1 races. Now, they seem ready for the real competition.

To be eligible for the 2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R FIA GT1 World Championship a manufacturer has to field at least four cars. Gigawave was expected to continue with the GT-R but unexpectedly the team closed its shop late in 2009. At that point Nissan had already signed a deal with Swiss Racing Team for the other two cars. In January Nissan announced that Sumo Power GT would fill the void left by Gigawave.

2010 Nissan Sports Cars GT-R FIA GT1

At the same time Nissan released the first details of the 2010 version of the car. The specifications were left unaltered but numerous aero tweaks were made for improved performance. Drivers and other details will be announced at a later time.

Written in Blood Volume 5

HERE

I Would Rather Be the Devil - Skip James

There is something profoundly true but not immediately obvious in Kurt Cobain's lyric "I miss the comfort in being sad" (Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle). The sense of being victimized, of being the wronged party is very validating because it is self-vindicating. But the sadness of commercial pop-music stems from the narcissistic self-pity of a people who are used to getting what they want, an expression of loss from the privileged. I don't mean to discredit anyone's feelings here, but for more profound and immediate content, I find that there is no better place to look than the Blues, especially from the Pre-War period (after all, it is called the Great Depression) before the genre became commercially viable.

I'll save you the long history of Skip James because I'm not a music historian and I would just be repeating a lot of what you can find at the Skip Wiki, but here is an abridged version to pique your interest. Even non-fans of the Blues have frequently heard of Robert Johnson whom, while amazing to hear and incredibly influential, was predated by Skip. Johnson even got some of his licks from his predecessor, adapting some of the latter's songs for his own use.

These early recordings are entirely unique. Skip plays both guitar and piano and sings in a voice almost unnatural, unlike anything you've ever heard. Easily my top Pre-War Blues album of all time.

The Complete Early Recordings

Like many of the early bluesmen, Skip recorded a few songs when he was young and then disappeared for several decades until he was "re-discovered" in the 1960's by a bunch of white kids who were making some racket called rock "music". Although he generally disdained attention and publicity, he was in financial need, and recorded a number of albums in the late 60's just before his death. While cleaner production-wise for obvious reasons, they feature the same trademark Skip sound as before, only with a little more God thrown in.

 
Devil Got My Woman 
1968

Studio Sessions
1967

Between 1962 and 1966 as Skip was dying of cancer he toured Europe with the American Folk Blues Festival to play shows with other now legendary Blues and Jazz performers. A number of the performances in Germany have been compiled onto a DVD set which features some amazing performances both on and "off" stage by Skip and other greats. Above Skip performs for Howlin' Wolf (far right foreground) and Son House among others. Below is an onstage performance of Crow Jane.



You're welcome.

GRANICUS - SELF-TITLED (1973)

You may or may not be aware of my extreme dislike for Led Zeppelin at this point, but I actually have nothing against early 70's Zeppelin clones. Like Cleveland, Ohio's Granicus, for instance.
Granicus belts out the bell-bottom arena rock with a fury, custom-wizard-van style. Long story short, dude's doing a pretty decent Robert Plant impersonation, and the band rocks really hard, then goes all outer-space-acoustic for like 20 minutes, then rocks really hard again. This was their only album.
I dunno. Look at the band photo.

I mean, come on.

dl: LET ME DROP MY LOAD ON YOU, AMERICA


Manslaughter has a HUGE boner right now

Granicus/Last.FM

Written in Blood Volume 4

HERE

$cientology Space Jazz - SUN RA THIS AIN'T

Everyone is going bonkers over The New Yorkers' epic 26 page expose of The Church of Scientology this week. A sordid tale of slaves building magic motorcycles for Tom Cruise, brainwashing, multiple beatings by the president of the church himself and a game of bloody musical chairs (really). It's totally worth the read if you haven't dug in yet. A lot of the material isn't new for those of us that grew up around the church and their influence in Hollywood, but for the uninitated it's pretty shocking stuff. Now here is something that is pretty rare and weird, even with those way too familiar with the Scienos and their bull crap.

By the mid Seventies Scientology was in full effect and gaining power. Dianetics was on the NYT Best Sellers list and the myth (lies) that made the bulk of L Ron Hubbard's legend were still being created. This dude was said to be a war hero, an amazing chef, a master scientist, accomplished physicist, inventor of the Les Paul guitar, creator of sexting, etc. YOU NAME IT HE DID IT, and according to the church, WAS THE BEST!

One of the things he claimed to be incredible at was the art of music and sound. Just check out this page on his musical accomplishments. Wow! You would think he was a regular Miles Davis or something! No seriously.. go look at that page for a second. They claim his album "Scientology: The Road To Freedom" actually made gold status. I don't even...

Aaaanyway... there is no mention anywhere on that page or on any official Scientology page of the abomination in audio that I'm about to drop upon you. Here's a little background I found on The Ex-Scientologists Message Board from someone that actually worked on the album. The story goes like this: L. Ron put together a group of young freaky jazz musicians to get his message out. He also wanted to record them himself with a custom made mixing board that was THE FUTURE OF SOUND. The album was to be called THE POWER OF SOURCE by THE APOLLO STARS. From the guy that actually worked on the album (please excuse the Scino jargon):

" EL Ron was in the midst of making another “Technical Breakthrough” regarding sound recording! El Ron knew better than anyone! El Ron was certain! El Ron was giving Earth (within the limits of the woeful, inept and SP/DB Earthlings and their extant technology) a “new and brilliant” sound that, upon the hearing of, all civilization would piss its’ Thetan Pants!"

L. Ron Hubbard & The Apollo Stars

I guess the recording session was a complete disaster full of Hubbard's temper tantrums due to his unwillingness to take advice from actual sound engineers that knew how to work the equipment. Once it was released everyone in the church was told to pr the hell out of it. Amazing stories on the Ex-Scientologists thread if you want to read further.

The album came out to hilarious critical results. Hubbard claimed "The vinyl technology couldn't do justice to the advanced sound." From the same poster (please excuse more Scino jargon):

"The reason “the vinyl didn’t do justice to their sound” is not because they had some incredible sound that couldn’t be captured on vinyl…it was because El Ron was:
1. Incompetent as a sound engineer
2. Borderline tone deaf
3. Musically sophomoric
4. Artistically juvenile
5. Intellectually and emotionally disingenuous
6. "Victimized" by the "willful incompetence" and "ev purps" of others
7. Unable to listen to sincere advice from professionals and bona fide experts
8. Unwilling to accept help Hisself did not select, direct or control
9. Always riding one of Hisself’s hobbyhorses
10. Never uncertain, knew everything and was never ultimately wrong.

I knew the man; I had “face time” with the man. "

The music itself is seriously some of the corniest shit I've ever heard. The Power Of Source being abbreviated to POS is totally appropriate. And just look at the excitement going on in this cover art:

WOOOO ARE Y'ALL READY FOR SOME BIO-DIGITAL JAZZ, MAN?!

Download Here

There's a million more wacky things we can write about the church. Hopefully Cobras can delve into the pre-Scino black majik sex parties L. Ron had with Jack Parsons! (A boy can dream, right?) BUT.. here is a bonus Scientology music video starring Frank Stallone, Chick Corea, Karen Black and Leif Garrett. A MUST SEE BY ALL MEANS. ENJOY!