Blizzard Entertainment Begins Closed Beta Test for World of Warcraft(R): Cataclysm(TM)

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Jul 012010
 

IRVINE, Calif., Jun 30, 2010 — Blizzard Entertainment announced today that the closed beta test for Cataclysm  , its highly anticipated new expansion for World of Warcraft , has begun. The company has started issuing invitations to participate in the testing process to a wide range of players from around the world who signed up via their Battle.net  accounts. While enjoying an early look at the game, beta testers will provide valuable feedback to help Blizzard Entertainment find bugs, address balance issues, and polish the new content.

“Our focus with Cataclysm has been to build on the knowledge we’ve gained through the previous expansions to deliver the best, most compelling World of Warcraft content for our players to date,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “Gathering focused feedback during the beta test will go a long way in helping us reach that goal when we launch Cataclysm later this year.”

Cataclysm is the third expansion for World of Warcraft, the most popular subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game in the world. The first two expansions, The Burning Crusade  and Wrath of the Lich King  , each shattered PC game sales records upon their release. In Cataclysm, the face of Azeroth will be forever altered by the return of the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing. Players will explore once-familiar areas of the world that have now been reshaped by the devastation and filled with new adventures. In an effort to survive the planet-shattering cataclysm, two new playable races — worgen and goblins — will join the struggle between the Alliance and the Horde. As players journey to the new level cap of 85, they’ll discover newly revealed locations, acquire new levels of power, and come face to face with Deathwing in a battle to determine the fate of the world.

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Tesla Unveils Roadster 2.5 at Newest Stores in Europe and North America

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Jul 012010
 

New Roadster Demonstrates Tesla’s Commitment to Innovation
Thursday, July 1, 2010

Palo Alto, CA — Tesla Motors today announced Roadster 2.5, the latest version of its revolutionary electric sports car. It will debut simultaneously with the opening of Tesla’s two new stores in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Newport Beach, California.

The Roadster 2.5 reflects Tesla’s commitment to innovation and the company’s close feedback loop with its customers. The new Roadster includes improvements in both design and technology, including a new front fascia, rear diffuser, improved seat comfort & internal finishes, sound dampening and a large touch screen navigation system.
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Video: 2011 Audi R8 V10

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Jul 012010
 

EXCLUSIVE NEW C-CLASS DR 520 COMBINES POTENT PERFORMANCE AND STEALTH

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Jul 012010
 

Mercedes-Benz UK has launched an exclusive new model, the C-Class DR 520 with more power and performance than any other C-Class. Only 20 units of this car will be available, and it is sold exclusively through the company’s Specialist Products division at Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands, Surrey.

Based on the high-performance C 63 AMG, the DR 520 has a performance upgrade and boasts 520 hp and 650 Nm of torque, a 60 hp and 50 Nm advantage over than the standard C 63 AMG. The DR 520 Saloon can reach 0-62 mph in just 4.1 seconds with the Estate achieving the same in 4.2 seconds, and both are electronically limited to a top speed of 187 mph.

The AMG Performance Pack Plus is fitted to the DR 520 as standard and features AMG’s high-performance braking system with red calipers, with the addition of engine upgrades in the form of forged pistons, newly-developed connecting rods and a revised crankshaft, as well as an AMG Carbon Fibre rear spoiler for the Saloon.

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PIT CRUZE!

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Jul 012010
 

  • New performance styling pack available for Chevrolet Cruze
  • Lowering kit, spoiler and wheels
  • Available as £1,595 option on all models

Now you can look cooler than ever when you’re out for a Cruze!

Chevrolet has pulled the wraps off a race-inspired option pack to further bring out the dynamic styling and handling of the Cruze saloon – the car favoured by the Silverline Chevrolet team in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

The ‘CS’ styling kit consists of smart 18-inch white multi-spoke alloy wheels, lowered suspension, a boot spoiler, unique CS graphics and matching tailored carpet mats.
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ALL-NEW RANGE ROVER EVOQUE MAKES GUEST APPEARANCE AT 40 YEAR CELEBRATION OF THE BRAND

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Jul 012010
 

  • First image of all-new Range Rover released
  • Officially named Range Rover Evoque
  • Design stays true to LRX concept car
  • Lightest, most fuel efficient Range Rover ever
  • Third Range Rover model to compete in fuel-efficient 4WD Luxury Compact SUV segment in North America
  • Official public debut at Paris Motor Show: 30 September
  • On sale in North America Fall 2011

    • Mahwah, New Jersey, July 1, 2010 – The first official picture of the all-new addition to the Range Rover family is released today, following an exclusive preview in London for guests attending a 40th birthday celebration of Range Rover held with long time U.K. Range Rover partner, VOGUE magazine*.

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    FERRARI CELEBRATES THE GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED WITH THE FERRARI CALIFORNIA, 458 ITALIA, 599 GTO AND THE 2009 F1 CAR

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    Jul 012010
     

    Two of Ferrari’s latest supercars will be making their UK public debuts at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed: the beautifully-styled and innovative mid-engined 458 Italia and a technologically-advanced V12 flagship which carries one of the most evocative name badges in automotive history, the 599 GTO. Also appearing in the Sunday Times Supercar Run will be a very special Ferrari California with a unique “bi-colore” roof and a personalised interior, while the Scuderia Ferrari will be represented by the 2009 F1 car which will be driven by Marc Gene throughout the weekend.

    The Ferrari 458 Italia represents a genuine evolution of Maranello’s mid-rear engined V8 sports cars and it has won a host of international awards, including BBC Top Gear’s “Supercar of the Year” and even more coveted “Car of the Year”, GQ Magazine’s “Supercar of the Year” and MSN Cars UK’s “Supercar of the Year”.

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    Sport-Wheels GmbH & Co. KG – THE BULL – Golf VI R with 330 HP from Sport-Wheels

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    Jul 012010
     

    Sport-Wheels from Hürth near cologne presents racing atmosphere in XXL-format.

    The tuner gives to the Golf R a strongpower increase and performance without delimitations. After the increase in efficiency the two-litre engine TSI with DSG transmission supplies 330 HP and 450 Nm instead of standard 270 HP and 350 Nm.

    Responsible for this are the optimized control electronics (799 euros), connected with a special and hand-made exhaust system (starting from 1,950 euros) equipped with Downpipe starting from turbo inclusive 200 cells Kats with final pipes in 83 mm in diameter, which are covered up with carbon.

    As chassis solution Sport-Wheels offers springs for lower setting and high-grade steel thread chassis (variant 3 Inox LINE starting from 1,549 euros) of KW, which are steplessly adjustable in course and compression phase.

    The road is contacted now by extremely easy 20 inch tires. Despite the blocked OZ-rims Ultraleggera HLT in 8,5×20 inch with high speed tires of size 235/30 20 is those wheel/tire combination altogether 12 kilograms easier than the series (19 inch).

    There is the complete wheel set with Sport-Wheels depending upon tire mark in flat black or silver starting from 2.849 euro as shown with special lacquer finish in red and front surface in car color starting from 4.039 euros.

    The Tuning program is rounded off from Sport-Wheels with a special reflex foil of the partner company CoverEFX from Erftstadt, which can be bought for 350 euros.

    Video: ALSA X6 M on dyno makes 724 HP

     Cars and Motorcycles  1 Response »
    Jul 012010
     

    ALSA Automotive Engineering, a state of the art tuning facility located in Abu Dhabi, UAE has created what it believes to be is the worlds first tuned X6 M with modified turbo’s (works for X5 M). This modification consists of modifying the stock turbo’s compressor wheels allowing boost pressure to increase to 1.8 bar, installing high flow catalytic converters or straight pipes and modifying the ECU.

    ALSA Automotive Engineering has been able to boost the cars power from 555 PS (408 kW / 547 bhp) up to 700+PS. During initial testing, ALSA found out that the car has a tremendous amount of drive train loss, which they calculated to be more than 30%. Power has increased from stock 555 PS to 724 PS. ALSA arrive at this number by adding the 30% drive train loss to the 557 whp and torque is increased to 945 Nm (697 ft. lb.). That is an increase of 169 horsepower to the wheels and next is stage II with modified headers! Looking at the pictures provided, the upgraded compressor wheels are on the inducer and exducer, each side around 2mm larger in diameter then stock wheels, along with a completely different blade design. In the picture from the side, you can see how different the blade angles are. All our improvements on the upgraded turbochargers will develop around 35% more airflow than the originals and are good for up to 2 bar of boost.

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    3,500 BHP MINI – FROM CUMMINS! GOODWOOD’S ODDEST EXHIBIT UNVEILED

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    Jul 012010
     

    Visitors to this week’s Goodwood Festival of Speed will have some amazing machinery on which to feast their eyes but none more unusual than the exhibit which greets them on the stand of Cummins, the world’s largest independent maker of diesel engines.

    The Cummins centrepiece emerged after a previous show when the company showed off its largest engine (and the largest diesel engine made in the UK). The QSK78 engine weighs in at over 11 tonnes and some wag asked if it could be fitted to his Mini.

    Steve Nendick, Cummins’ Communications Director – Europe, Middle East, Africa and CIS, takes up the story: “We never like to let a challenge go by unanswered so we got to thinking maybe we could fit the QSK78 into an original Austin Mini. It proved to be a bit tricky to fit under the bonnet but our engineers came up with a more creative solution. “We’re certain that the Goodwood crowd will have difficulty believing what they are seeing”, he said.

    The QSK78, which is used to power mining industry dump trucks capable of carrying 360 tonnes, is a V18 monster with a capacity of 78 litres and uses no less than 12 turbochargers to develop 3,500 bhp and getting on for 14,000 Nm of torque (the original Mini made do with just 80!).

    Video: Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren crypt

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    Jul 012010
     

    The mighty Italian – Fiat 500 FERRARI DEALERS EDITION with 268 PS (264 HP)

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    Jul 012010
     

    When there is a new project at Pogea Racing, one can be absolutely sure that everything is well studied to the smallest detail.

    The hardest part of the development process was to avoid using a separate Tuning Box Unit. Unlike other “tuners”, Pogea Racing starts with the OEM ECU of the Fiat 500 Abarth, instead of relying on a separate controller unit. Pogea Racing develops the software data to work directly with the vehicle’s ECU. This assures that instructions that are sent from the ECU direct all normal functions of the car properly. An auxiliary unit cannot control all functions, and will ignore the vehicle’s ECU’s commands. Herein lies the principal difference between Pogea Racing’s development and other Tuners.

    Pogea Racing chose a very rare model, the Fiat 500 FERRARI DEALERS EDITION of Abarth. The standard engine is already relatively strong, coming with 165PS and 230Nm. Pogea Racing increases the performance of the small Italian model by adding 100hp on top of the standard engine, producing 268PS and 330 Nm total power. The Pogea Racing model was also measured and developed on one of the most modern all-wheel drive dynamometers. To get this power out of the mighty Italian car, they changed the exhaust system and replaced it with a larger stainless steel exhaust system, modified downpipe, and a new catalytic converter. The tailpipes can be chosen by the customer from many available Designs.

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    Video: Pikes Peak 2010 – Jeff Zwart Qualifying

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    Jul 012010
     

    Driver Jeff Zwart in a Porsche GT3 Cup runs the bottom part of Pikes Peak and sets a new record qualifying run for the Time Attack 2WD class.

    Pikes Peak 2010 – Jeff Zwart Qualifying from Will Roegge on Vimeo.