Painted Planes with Character

Mickey and Minnie Mouse Jet

These painted airplanes have what you might say a lot of  "character", that is cartoon characters all over them.  Some airline companies have decided to brighten the sky with airplanes completely covered with animated cartoon characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Pokemon, Woody Woodpecker, Homer and Marge Simpson, I know I would love to fly in one of these. via Dark Roasted Blend

Mickey and Minnie Mouse Jet (image credit: Simon Brooke)

Pokemon Jet All Nippon Airways, photo by Michael F. McLaughlin

Pokemon Jet Another All Nippon Airways, photo by Kota Murahashi

Pokemon Jet (image credit: Shotaro Shimizu)

Woody Woodpecker Jet (image credit: Xu Zheng)

Simpsons Jet Simpsons livery, photo by AirNikon

Audi revealed Audi A7 Sportback in Paris Motor show

Audi the German car manufacturer has revealed Audi A7 Sportback in the Paris Motor show. The cost of the car is €51,650 or $66,720.

The Audi A7 Sportback will be available in four different V6 engine system. The Audi A7 Sportback is powered with petrol engine systems 2.8L FSI with 201hp, supercharged 3.0L TFSI with 295hp, 3.0LTDI diesel engine systems with 201 hp and 241 hp.

The Audi A7 Sportback car interior has a 6.5-inch MMI display, aluminum trim and 49.1 cubic feet of cargo capacity. The car also has an optional wood trim, 1,300 watt Bang & Olufsen audio system, GPS navigation, four-zone climate control and heated steering wheel.

The Audi A7 Sportback car is designed like an ultimate luxury hatchback which features sporty styling, LED taillights and 18-inch alloy wheels whereas 19 and 20 inch alloy wheels are optional. The car will be available for sale with dealers shortly on this fall.

Lamborghini revealed full details of Lamborghini Sixth Element Concept car

Lamborghini the Italian car manufacturer has revealed the full details and high resolution pictures of Lamborghini Sixth Element Concept car.

The Lamborghini Sixth Element Concept car is powered with naturally-aspirated 5.2-L V10 engine system from the LP 570-4 Superleggera with 562 bhp and permanent all wheel drive system which renders a power-to-weight ratio of only 1.75 kilograms per horsepower. The car is accelerated to 0-100 km/h in 2.5 seconds and top speed is fine above 300 km/h.

The Lamborghini Sixth Element Concept car uses advanced carbon fiber construction technology to reduce weight of just 999 kilograms when compared to Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera dry weight of 1,340 kg. The carbon fiber is used in major suspension components, wheels and the drive shaft. The Pyrosic material which is an advanced glass-ceramic matrix composite is used in tailpipes of the car.


The Sixth Element Concept uses triangle shape as a prevailing design theme to diamond cut headlamps, deep openings in hood, door handles, side panel openings and mirror stalks. The car is painted with matt-shimmer clear coat with red tinted crystals and carbon fiber weave is evident throughout with a red glow.

The interior of Lamborghini Sixth Element Concept is the highlights of the car. The car has conventional trim panels have no place here as the composite tub forms the full interior structure including the center console, dash panel and seats. The seat cushions are fixed directly to seat structures molded into carbon fiber.

Mule With Crazy Car Stereo System

This Mule has found its self strapped down with an entirely new type of load. A brand new crazy car stereo system.

Porsche 356 Art Car painted with M.C Escher Reptiles

This Porsche 356 was painted by Author and Graphic Designer Jasper Fforde with M.C Escher's famous reptiles. This art car was based on a car driven by a character in one of his books.

Project-I website launched

BMW has launched a Project-I website to keeps folks up to date on future happenings with the project.

Infiniti revealed Infiniti Performance Line G Convertible Concept car

Infiniti the Japanese car manufacturer has revealed the Infiniti Performance Line or IPL G Convertible Concept car. The car is going to make its first debut at the Paris Motor Show.

The Infiniti IPL G Convertible Concept car is power with a 3.7-L V6 engine system with 333 hp and 374 Nm of torque. It enables the car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in under 6 seconds and strike a top speed of 270 km/h or 168 mph.

The Infiniti GCC features an aggressive body kit, sports suspension with stiffer springs and recalibrated dampers and 19-inch alloy wheels.The interior of the car is equipped with KACCHU trim, black lacquer accents and leather upholstery. Other features of the car include heated or cooled front seats, 13-speaker Bose music system and GPS navigation.

Courier services companies; how to select the best

These days people are living in such demanding lives that is been filled with deadlines and tile constraints. Whether it is at home or at work, people are running to catch up with time. When it comes to getting packages delivered safely and timely, you have to make sure that the courier service would meet the required deadlines in a responsible manner. In fact it can be said that a quality courier is essential for maintain a competitive edge in business establishments. Basically courier services include a company that delivers documents or any packages for customer who would like to have special services like door to door delivery and also on-time delivery. People depend on these services for both home and office related requirements. There are a variety of cheap courier services and hence it becomes necessary to know what to look for while choosing a particular company which would best meet your needs.

As a matter fact, most of the people want on time delivery of their goods when they ship them with the company. Nearly all delivery companies offer on time delivery service for their customers. But make sure that you ask the company if they offer guaranteed on time delivery. The guarantee service would be offered for such delivery options as overnight shipping, same day delivery and express shipping. The professionalism of the company is an important factor to be considered. Check if the courier you hire has a good reputation for providing the services that they offer and at the prices that they advertise. Their reputation should also be cross checked. This can be done by browsing through their website for the list of clients especially well known ones. There may be a list of customer testimonials even. What is essential is that the company should have a good reputation for delivering items at the scheduled time of delivery and undamaged.

Since the packages are prone to damage during transit, it is important to ask about insurance coverage. You must know what is been covered in the insurance like full or partial value and what compensation would be given if an item is lost, stolen or damaged during transit. It would be better if you could ask for the certificate of insurance. And you may also need verification of insurance in writing. The courier service company should essentially be licensed and bonded and should also have proper government license. This would ensure that the customer would be refunded if any damages occur.

The shipping prices of the packages may vary from one courier to another. Hence it becomes important to compare the shipping prices and find if they offer any special deals or discounts. There are some companies that offer discounts on bulk items and if you are a regular customer too, they would give discounts. But you need to have a proper understanding of all the services offered along with the price. Moreover the delivery price would also depend upon the size and weight of the package. You also need to know the delivery hours of the company for your convenience.

3 Amazing Art Car Drawings by Eric Carlos Bertrand

Wow Bus
These Art Car drawings were created by artist Eric Carlos Bertrand who was inspired by real Art Cars. He currently resides in Montreal and has taken the art car as a source of inspiration for researching the possibilities for viable version of the "ship of fools", a old imagery related to the tradition of the carnavalesque. Read his web site detailed info. Three of the art cars I found were posted on Art Car Central a while back so I wanted to show the world how good his art work is. Eric has some really impressive drawing skills and a hole lot of patience, personally I would rather glue stuff on my art car.
Duke Art Car
Mobile DJ Art Car

Why is BMW coming out with the Megacity vehicle?

Great article provides some background into BMW's decision to create the Megacity.

Test markets announced today.

Woo hoo...BMW announces markets for upcoming field trial.

Octapus Saab Art Car Reaching Out in Rhode Island

This Octapus 1987 Saab 900turbo art car has been seen reaching out in Rhode Island recently created by Aly of Killer Car Kustoms.

Subaru revealed third generation 2.0L 4-cylinder Boxer engine

Subaru the Japanese auto manufacturer revealed third generation 2.0L 4-cylinder Boxer engine which will be equipped into future Subaru models. The new Boxer engine will be available in the Forester model.

The 2.0-L Boxer produces 146 bhp but gets more torque which is now 196 Nm when compared to 191 Nm for the earlier version. The newly manufactured version of horizontally opposed engine system features new bore and stroke dimensions 84 x 90 mm when compared to the previous 92 x 75 mm for better ignition. The new engine attains 10% improvement in fuel efficiency when compared to its earlier versions.

The horizontally opposed engine can be assembled lower in engine bay making for a lower center of gravity for the car which advances safety and performance when compared to V-shaped or inline engine. The horizontally opposed engine balances ambiance from pistons on left and right sides of motor stop each other out and reducing noise and vibration.

Volvo revealed S60 and V60 R-Design cars

Volvo the auto manufacturer has revealed the S60 and V60 R-Design cars before the Paris Motor Show. The cost detail of the car was not announced by Volvo but the R-Design cars will be available for sale with dealers on this fall.

The S60 and V60 R-Design cars will be powered with a range of engine system including all with 1.6L D DRIVe which produces115 bhp and 3.0L T6 with 304 bhp. The R-Design cars include revised grille, modified bumpers, aggressive rear diffuser and unique 18-inch alloy wheels. The interior of the car features sport seats, aluminum pedals, and special floor mats.

Volvo engineers equipped a strut brace, shorter springs which reduce ride height by 15mm and stiffer bushings which is 20% harder than standard model to enhance the usage of car. They also added mono tube rear dampers and Corner Traction Control which applies torque vectoring to decrease under steer.

Porsche revealed details of 911 Speedster

Porsche the Germany car manufacturer revealed the details of 911 Speedster before the Paris Motor Show. The production of car will be limited to 356 units.

The Porsche 911 Speedster is powered with a 3.8L flat six engine system with 402 hp which drives power to rear wheels through a 7-speed PDK transmission and a locking rear disparity. If it is not adequate then the car also comes with active suspension management and ceramic composite brakes.

The Porsche 911 Speedster is planned to celebrate 25th anniversary of Porsche Exclusive which has adaptable features aerodynamic body kit, tinted headlights and black accents. The additional goodies of the car consist of Pure Blue paint and a double-bubble soft-top cover which hides the manual roof.

The interior of the cabin is equipped with black leather upholstery, adaptive sports seats and color-coordinated trim. The Porsche 911 Speedster is priced at €201,682.

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A guide to select reliable courier services

What is most important in selecting a courier service? It is obviously the understanding that the company that you have selected would meet your expectations and needs. You may be required to export things or to wait for imported things or may even want to know if your goods will depart at the right time, then it is absolutely necessary to know if the courier is reliable enough. There are many worldwide courier services that offer dependable and reliable services around the globe for all your import as well as export deliveries.

The companies that want to earn a notable name as the best and efficient service provider would be striving hard and specialize in offering comprehensive courier service to destinations worldwide. For an international company, there would be an extensive network of overseas specialist agents that deliver your belongings, documents and freight safely. The parcel would be transported door to door through road and air networks.

You are handing over valuable as well as expensive materials in stranger’s hands. Hence it becomes mandatory to know everything about the parcel service company. Do proper research on the company before taking services from them. While doing your research, you need to know what the company offers and the business methodologies they follow. Usually a reputed company would have a wide regional coverage along with international dealings. All the packages been sent by the customers would not be in same size. Hence the courier must have carrier vehicles in different sizes that would accommodate different sizes of packages.

A reputed company would surely provide constant service all the year around. They would also possess the capability to provide proof of the delivery. People tend to drive away from companies that would be demanding high prices and they would surely go for reasonably priced companies. Plus what you have to look out for the most is hidden charges. Generally a sensible company would not put in hidden charges.

If you have given enough thoughts to the above mentioned aspects, then you can assure that the service provider is well organized and you are absolutely in right hands. Reliability is significant as the goods need to be delivered at the desired location at the required time. The services offered by the couriers may vary in each company. They may endow a number of services like gift couriers, same day delivery, next day deliveries, import and exports transportation, online couriers and also air or travel couriers. Be aware of all the services that the company offers thus you can be guaranteed of professional as well as dedicated services.

The company that you choose should essentially have high delivery values in terms of courier and freight services around the globe. This is because it is actually a risky process to leave the goods or parcels in the hands of someone and the tension would be more if it contains some confidential documents or some goods that have to be handled with care. The service provider must ensure that the goods are safe in his hands and would be delivered within the stipulated time.

BMW unveiled images of BMW Concept 6-Series Coupe

BMW the German car manufacturer has unveiled the images of the Concept 6-Series Coupe ahead of Paris Motor Show.

BMW not revealed the details of the car but it is believed that the car is powered with a twin turbo charged 4.4L V8 engine system with 395 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. The car is designed with trendy and genuine look of enhanced sports car. The interior of the car have two-tone leather upholstery, wood trim and polished black intonations.

The additional features of the car include 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, 10.2-inch iDrive display and digital instrument cluster. The car is a two-door version of Concept Gran Coupe which features LED headlights, massive twin-kidney grille, four tailpipe exhaust system and 20-inch aluminum wheels.

Jaguar revealed Jaguar XF hybrid model in UK

Jaguar the UK car manufacturer has revealed Jaguar XF hybrid model at the little carbon car event in the UK.

The information of Jaguar XF hybrid is incomplete which features an advanced flywheel hybrid system. The car is presently enduring devolvement the FHS has a stop-start city method which allows the flywheel to gather power during braking and clash it in start-up. The fuel consumption of car should be decreased to 20% when combined with an engine stop-start system.

In addition the extra efficiency the FHS can deliver an 80 hp enhancement for seven seconds. Though it is not extremely absolute the car would arrive in handy in overtaking. The Production of the car appears realistic but Jaguar has not yet released any report.

Ford reveal Ford Focus ST concept on Paris Motor Show

Ford the US car manufacturer has announced plans to reveal 2012 Ford Focus ST concept on the Paris Motor Show.

The 2012 Ford Focus ST is powered with a 2.0-L EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine system with 247 hp. The additional features of the car are kept as strictly protected secret. The car produces an exciting mix of thrilling performance and usage which comes with a fanatic hum.

The 2012 Ford Focus ST features sleek body kit, massive air intake, coated with Tangerine Scream and a middle escalated dual exhaust system. The interior of the car is styled dynamically which takes above the interior as cockpit have 2-tone leather sport seats, contrast stitching and artificial carbon fiber trim.

The 2012 Ford Focus ST is the first high performance model which is manufactured under Ford universal Performance Vehicles strategy announced in a report by Ford. The 2012 Ford Focus ST will be available for sale in early 2012.

Mike Hill's concept vehicle art

Vehicle concepts by Mike Hill of FREEFALL GRAPHICS. Check out his ROBOTS and SHIPS.






Keywords: concept art vehicle cars military transport design by from mike hill of freefall graphics freelance designer amsterdam works for various clients mainly in the games industry always looking to take on new and exciting projects futuristic formula race car in hangar

Hyundai revealed official images of Hyundai ix20 MPV

Hyundai the South Korean car manufacturer revealed official images of Hyundai ix20 MPV which is going to making its first debut at Paris.

The Hyundai ix20 MPV is powered with 1.4L petrol and diesel engine system which producing 89 bhp. The CO2 emissions of car are 114g/km and fuel economy of the car is 4.3 l/100km for diesel engine which is top in class announced by Hyundai. Moreover a 1.6L engine system producing 125 bhp will be offered with an automatic transmission.

The Hyundai ix20 MPV is based on Kia Venga the 5-seater MPV which obtains a considerable amount of trimming to separate itself. The design of ix20 MPV car is taken from the ix35 crossover. The ix20 gets revamped front and rear ends which consist of new bumpers, fenders, grille, headlamps, hood, tail lamps and rear liftgate.

The internal of Hyundai ix20 MPV is also redesigned and contains standard features of the car such as air conditioning, side airbags, screen airbags and Bluetooth connectivity. The car also has standard driving assist such as ESP and stop-start system. The car will be available for sale in European market shortly.

Audi reveal Audi S1 in 2010 Paris Motor Show

Audi the German car manufacturer will reveal Audi S1 in 2010 Paris Motor Show which is listed in list of car debut in Audi website. The details of the car are not available yet.

The Audi S1 is powered with a 1.4-L TSI engine system which is set up in Seat Ibiza Cupra with 178 bhp. The S1 will be the first S-badged replica car which is not outfitted with Quattro all wheel drive as standard. The front wheel drive will be assisted as an alternative to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.

The Audi S1 is expected to powerfully look like S-Line package for A1 plus a lowered suspension and special 17-inch wheels. The Audi S1 is set 0-100 km/h time less than seven seconds and a peak speed over 225 km/h. The car is available for sale in Europe on 2011.

History of courier services in a nutshell

While you are searching for a courier service company, you would be bombarded with a number of company names. In these recent times, there are many parcel service companies operating around you. But this was not the situation before the industrial age as there weren’t so many choices. However people were sending parcels and messages across large distances for many years. The delivery services were present in the past even though they took different names and methods. Technological advancements have modified the courier services with motor powered vehicles and other convenient technologies making the process more sophisticated and efficient. Such perks were not enjoyed by people in the past as they resorted to alternative measures.

Based on historical evidences, it has been found that people called as ‘runners’ were used to deliver messages or parcel over a long distance in the early civilizations. As the name suggests, such people would literally run miles, carrying messages or packages from one village to another. According to historical documents, the runners were traced during civilizations like ancient Greece and some Native American communities. In the course of time, people started using horses as a major form of transportation. That system was proved to more efficient and fast and it was been used all over the world for deliver messages. For better delivery, intricate networks of messenger routes were developed through which the riders could easily get from place to place.

There was yet another popular form of transporting messages during the olden ages. Carrier pigeons which were bred specifically to fly home over long distances were widely used. Messages were written on light paper, rolled into a tube and attached to the bird’s leg. It has been recorded that Egyptians and Persians used this method as early as 3000 years ago.

The courier service of these days makes use of motor powered vehicles and advanced technologies. Parcel delivery is done through bicycles, cars, ships, trains and also airplanes. With the use of rapid transportation methods, the couriers deliver items very quickly over vast distances. These methods are more efficient and far more reliable than any of the alternatives in the past. In a delivery company, they make use of the technologies for organizing, transporting and tracking the delivery. The tracking of the items en route is done through GPS style tracking systems. Through this method, not only the delivery would be done quickly but the progress of the transportation can be tracked.

The couriers have come a long way since the days of ‘runners’. Now with internet entering all areas, it has become all the more easily to find and book the delivery services for your use. There are many comparison websites that would help you to compare and choose some of the finest courier services companies. You can get price quotes and find a cheap courier to deliver your package with just a click of mouse. Innovative technology like online tracking systems have enabled customers to receive real time updates of their parcel. The industry is growing with companies introducing new technologies with competitive price range.

Milking it at Burning Man on Milktropolis Mutant Vehicle

The Milktropolis mutant vehicle was built by Jon Zensius, Bob Dow, Natalie Zensius and Stephanie Rose for this years burning man event. This project took 9 months of hard work and was a test of their skills, friendships and marriages. It's wood and fiberglass and a wee bit of steel in the corners on a Ford Explorer body. The Cereal Bowl seats 8 and the carton accommodates 4. There are 100 hand sewn cereal shaped pillows in the bowl for comfort. It's driven from up in the carton area and the drive train is done with bike chains from steering wheel to a home brew rotor and back to steering wheel. Gas and brakes are controlled via one of the former power window motors. It also has over 5000 LED lights for night time driving, that runs on a 1000w portable generator. Passengers have the pleasure of entering Milktropolis via a "spoon" ladder and exit via a pool slide. It was a huge hit and we will returning in 2011 with a few modifications in case you missed it but my only question is 1% or 2%???