Spring is Here!

Okay, so it's not exactly warmed up yet, but the snow is off the roads.  Which means biking is a lot more fun again.  I actually like this time of year, because cool temps are more comfortable for riding.  Though in Boston, the wind can really get stirred up in the spring time--today, riding up Commonwealth Avenue, up Beacon Hill, the wind was definitely not my friend.  Nor are the potholes, which can get pretty serious after a long winter like we just had.

Oddly, the main challenge for me in biking isn't from winter, it's from spring gardening.  I just can't effectively carry some of the more serious loads of compost, soil, or long poles/trellises with my bike.

I'm also looking at a farm business training class that starts next fall, up in Lowell.  The good news is that I can get there by commuter rail, and I can ride my bike to the train station, and bring my bike on the train, so I can get to my destination at the end.  But the trip is still going to eat up a lot more time (probably) than it would if I had a car.  Luckily, it's not that long of a class, about six weeks, so I can swing it.

If, however, in the following year, I wanted to rent one of their incubator fields, to set up a mini-farm, I'm not sure if I could manage it.  It might be possible to do it without a car, but it'll take some serious planning.

I've got to see if I can find any blogs about farmers who aren't Amish and who manage to do without a car, if that's even possible.   I think the guy who writes the Tiny Farm blog didn't have a car for a while (but he has a tractor, or borrows one).  Or I just need to find ways to keep farming close to home (like I have been, but land in Boston is very hard to scrounge).

2009 Alfa Romeo 159 Autodelta J4

A year passed since Autodelta J4 2.2 C was released, but the tuning company didn’t stop with this model. Now they announce J4 3.2 C based on 3.2-litre V6 version to complete the range upgrades for the Alfa 159.

Autodelta has more than 25 years experience in developing and applying forced induction principles to Alfa Romeos.The result of supercharging the 3.2 V6 engine is just breath stopping. The power unit now delivers 352 bhp and 435 Nm of torque. These figures will satisfy even the most extreme needs of the fans.

The tuning package for J4 3.2 C doesn’t include only engine modifications. The tuning company Autodelta added bigger brake system, some chasis and electronics upgrades, stiffened suspension, which includes adjustable coilovers. It is everything about the performance of the car.

Alfa Romeo 159 Autodelta J4 3.2 C combines spirit and cutting-edge technology. The main goal of tuners from Autodelta is to improve the driving experience behind the steering wheel and obviously they achieved it.

J4 3.2 is a flamboyant and in the same time stylish four-door sedan with clearly expressed sporty character.

SPESIFIKASI Proton Neo S2000 Versi Rally

Latest Neo Proton has the same exterior design with S2000 cars Proton Rally Team had a decrease in the arena of APRC and IRC.
You can change the look of Neo CPS rally cars like these. Let's review what sophisticated features in a car peg Proton S2000 mainstay in the event that Rally.

Proton Neo S2000 name implies is a super letter S, while the 2000 is the engine capacity is already a 2000 cc.

This rally car using a capacity of 2000cc four-cylinder engine based on the Proton Waja 1.8. This machine can produce power at 278 hp at 7600 rpm. The great thing is that big power can be achieved without the help of the turbo.

While the standard capacity Neo CPS engine is 1600 cc with power output of 125 hp.

Engine with an output power that big four-wheel coupled with the transmission system specially designed by Xtrac for S2000, which uses a six-speed sequential gearbox with three-plate limited slip differential.

Big machines will be useless if it is not necessarily balanced with good suspesnsi. Proton uses MacPherson strut and wishbone suspension designed by MEM and using dynamic Dampers, and anti-roll bars front and rear.

Change the body design on a more aerodynamic with a larger rear spoiler to increase downforce while eating trajectory rally. Overall, the original design still feels Neo CPS, only difference lies in the fenders that appear more extreme.

While brake system, Neo S2000 is using materials alloys 4 pot calipers and ventilated brake appendix, thus any extreme maneuvers could be controlled by the maximum.

Fun, along with the launch of the Proton Neo CPS, the Proton distribution Indonesian journalists and invited guests to sample the rally cars it.

Lamborghini Reventon

Lamborghini showed off it’s new car at the Frankfurt auto show this week. The new car is called Reventon and the sticker price is a cool $1,000,000.00. 20 will be released in 2008, they sold out in no time, most of them to US buyers.

Ferrari FXX Evolution (2008)

Ferrari FXX Evolution (2008)

Seven-times Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher also joined the ranks of the client test drivers and gave the programme the benefit of his vast experience on several occasions. Thanks to readings taken over the 16,500 kilometres of tests carried out in 2006 and the 18,500 kilometres covered in 2007, the modifications made to the car have focused on honing its aerodynamics, running gear and electronics. In fact, the Ferrari FXX prototype is designed exclusively for track driving as part of a specific R&D programme agreed with a selected group of just over 20 clients involving 14 group test sessions and 14 private ones in the last two years.

 The Ferrari FXX is not homologated for road use and there are no plans to compete with it either. The FXXs equipped with this package will also sport a new livery in addition to new rear wing profiles. The package was developed as a result of Ferrari's collaboration with its Client Test Drivers and with the invaluable support of Michael Schumacher. The Ferrari FXX, which is the most advanced GT ever created at Maranello, has been updated with an evolution package aimed at further improving its handling and performance.  The innovative FXX programme, based on the eponymous prototype car and launched by Ferrari in June 2005, is being extended to 2008/2009.

Ferrari FXX Evolution (2008)

Ferrari FXX Evolution (2008)

Ferrari FXX Evolution (2008)

Ferrari FXX Evolution (2008)

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano China Limited Edition

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano China (2009)

 Lu Hao has blended traditional design elements with Ferrari's innovative styling to create a truly unique vehicle using a 'cracked' glaze pattern which is elegantly coloured, with clearly defined cracks etched at different depths. This one-off model represents an even more exclusive version, thanks to a very special exterior finish which draws inspiration from Ge Kiln porcelain of the Song Dynasty. The one-off incorporates a number of the features of the China Limited Edition cars, a very limited series of less than a dozen cars finished in two-tone Rosso Fuoco with silver roof and characterized by unique Chinese design elements.

 This exclusive car follows the announcement in September of a small series of specially-designed Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano China Limited Edition models which won wide acclaim.  Ferrari announces the creation of a unique one-off Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano China Limited Edition, signed by Chinese artist Lu Hao, which will be auctioned on the 3rd of November, 2009 at a special Gala Auction Event hosted by Ferrari in Beijing.

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano China (2009)

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano China (2009)

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano China (2009)

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano China (2009)

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano One-to-One (2009)

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano One-to-One (2009)

Not only will they have a vast range of special content to choose from but they will also be assisted by specially trained Ferrari consultants. Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano One-to-One clients will now be able to visit the dedicated Atelier in Maranello to create their own truly bespoke car. Thanks to the success it has enjoyed over the last few months, the service is beeing extended to the most powerful 12-cylinder in the current range.

 But this is not the only piece of good news to come from the Prancing Horse at the Paris Show as they will also be announcing the extension of the One To One Personalisation Programme, debuted in March 2008 solely for the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, to the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.  The Ferrari stand at the 2008 Paris Auto Show will host the official unveiling of the new Ferrari California, the stunning coupé-cabriolet that has created such expectation amongst both those in the industry and the public at large.

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano One-to-One (2009)

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano One-to-One (2009)

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE (2010)

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE (2010)

The F1 gearbox's shifts are now even faster in high-performance settings, while a new engine software strategy has improved accelerator response. The car's electronics have also evolved to ensure even more prompt response to driver commands. The package also includes specifically optimised tyres featuring a compound that offers even better grip.

 This combined with the new set-up helps improve body control. The ride height has also been lowered which in turn lowers the car's centre of gravity. The package includes a modified set-up with stiffer springs and rear anti-roll bar as well as new calibration settings for the magnetorheological shock absorbers when the manettino is at its sportier settings. Now Ferrari is introducing the new Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE (Handling Gran Turismo Evoluzione) package for the model to further underscore its sportiness and handling.  When it first debuted, the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano set a new standard in terms of performance that remains a benchmark for new sports car development to this day.

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE (2010)

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE (2010)

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE (2010)

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE (2010)