I’ve seen some pretty cool RC planes on YouTube, from P-51’s to B-29’s and B-52’s that can make bombing runs, but this may be the coolest so far, an SR-71! Now it just needs to take pictures while it’s in flight.
RoundAboutShow #18 The Not What It Seem Episode
Things are not always what they seem. For instance, you might think this episode is nearly a week late. Wrong as usual, idiot. We were planning to do this episode a year from now, so technically it’s early. Why are you so offended? Clearly you are unfamiliar with the word “idiot’s” Greek roots. I was simply suggesting you were a private person unfamiliar with the vagaries of podcasting. Again, not what it seems.
So there you go. Houston, we have a theme. This week we’ve got the coolest 4×4 you never expected, a bevy of protests as the Detroit Auto Show gets going and a wrecked Yaris that is more functional than you’d think. Plus we’ve got some new fun and games this week including our Mystery Words of the Week, a new segment where we get to stereotype drivers and a couple of burnouts gone terribly wrong.
Play RoundAbout Episode 18
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2010 NAIAS Wrap Up
Canadian Kawasaki Outsourcing 2010 Racing Progam
COMPETITION SYSTEMS TO RUN KAWASAKI TEAM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORONTO, Ont. (January 13) – Canadian Kawasaki Motors has secured the
services of Toronto-based Competition Systems to handle Kawasaki’s assault
in the 2010 Parts Canada Superbike Championship. The team will consist of
one rider and focus exclusively on the Superbike feature class with
Kawasaki’s potent Ninja ZX-10R.
The new entity will be called Competition Systems Kawasaki Race
Team.
For the past several years, Canadian Kawasaki Motors has run its
national road race program in-house. Last summer the squad claimed its
fourth straight titles in the Parts Canada Superbike and Yoshimura Pro Sport
Bike divisions.
Mike Crompton of Competition Systems has been the crew chief for
the Kawasaki program through its run of success and will now take over as
team owner of the new race program. Some of the existing crew will continue
with the team and a rider and sponsors will be announced within a few days.
“Due to a number of circumstances we have decided to suspend
activities with our factory program for 2010,” said Jeff Comello of Canadian
Kawasaki Motors. “But despite this state of change we have tried to keep as
much continuity as possible and Mike Crompton and Competition Systems are
the perfect fit. We have been together now for four-plus years and have
enjoyed a great deal of success.”
Crompton has some 40 years of experience in the Canadian motorcycle
industry, supplying engines and race equipment to some of the country’s
leading competitors.
“Canadian Kawasaki Motors is a great company and I’m looking forward
to this,” Crompton said. “We already have a good team structure and
equipment. We’ve spent a number of years building this program and all we
have to do is just continue what we’ve started.”
The agreement between Canadian Kawasaki Motors and Competition Systems
is for one year and will be re-evaluated at the end of the 2010 racing
season.
“Kawasaki is committed to showcasing the Ninja brand in competition
and we feel strongly that we need to be behind the Parts Canada Superbike
Championship,” Comello said. “This is the perfect venue for us to display
our products.”
“We all have to dig deep and support the series,” Crompton added. “It
is important to do what we can to have a successful 2010 and build on that
for 2011 and beyond.”
In addition to claiming the past four Parts Canada Superbike titles
Canadian Kawasaki Motors enjoyed a string of nine straight national
championships from 1991 to 1999, and also claimed the first two Canadian
crowns in 1980 and ’81 with riders George Morin and Lang Hindle,
respectively.
The 2010 Parts Canada Superbike Championship opens May 28-30 at
Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Que.
For more series information, visit www.cdnsuperbike.com
Slideshow Day 2 North American International Auto Show
Alan Mullaly’s First Big Mistake?
Yesterday during day on of the Detroit Autoshow, Ford’s CEO Allan Mullaly announced that Australian Ford Falcon, would soon be coming to an end. Because he has focused Ford on the One Ford strategy, there is no room according to Mullaly for more than one large car platform, and that platform will be the Taurus going forward.
For 50 years the Falcon has pounded the streets and the outback of Oz, and it’s legend at The Bathurst is long and deep. To may down under killing of the Falcon would be like killing of the Mustang in the US.
Rising gas prices have put a dent into sales of the rear wheel drive car and Ute, but it’s hard to think that “The Last Of The V8’s” could be in sight.
Autoline LIVE AT THE NAIAS For Tuesday
Slide Show Day 1 North American International Auto Show
Here is a slide show of some of the sights from Day 1 of the NAIAS
Quick Morning Notes From NAIAS
We will have a much more in depth review of the day later tonight, but wanted to give you some quick thoughts so far today.
Ford had a nice production for their Focus intro of which you can see a quick blurb here on the blog below, general reaction form the jaded press corps was good.
GMC brought you the Granite, what they call an “Urban Utility Vehicle”, what also could be know as yet another Xb copy. 1.4 liter turbo motor and suicide doors. Interior looks good, this is one of those prototype not announced for production cars.
Buick showed off the new Regal and also the GS “Concept” Look for that to be announced for production shortly. Some big power numbers announced for the GS Regal, 255HP and 290TQ out of a 2 liter turbo motor.
As a side note GM needs to hire some new writers for Mark and Susan, the fake conversation they had to begin the presser was corny and awkward.
We skipped the Toyota presser and by all accounts it was a good thing, reports are people were falling asleep there, also Toyota needs some new writers as well, the jokes wouldn’t have made it at amateur night at the comedy club.
VW showed off a highbrid coupe which has been tagged as the next Jetta and Mercedes touted it’s highbrids, then showed off a Convertible E Class which has a spoiler that comes out over the windshield header to direct air over the back seat passengers. Seems like engineering for engineering sake.
We are taking a break, and will post notes later in the day, pictures to come as well.