Those of you readers that have been with us for a while might remember our revealing post about Ford Motor Company’s shady marketing tactics (via its media agency) to attract attention and web traffic to the brand by asking bloggers to participate in a Ford website-linking contest and win a place in the company’s 2010 Model Year Drive event.
That said, we are no strangers to the mommy-blogger-type approach from marketing companies representing major automotive brands, but we never cease to be amazed. This time we were approached by a social media agency called Knallgrau on behalf of GM’s European Opel unit. When we received the first email, we believed it was a media / press invitation but upon our request for additional information, we discovered that wasn’t the case.
In a similar fashion to the Ford incident, the agency asked if we wanted to write about the new Astra GTC and participate in a type of contest, the winners of which will be invited to the official unveiling of the three-door hatchback at Opel’s headquarters in Rüsselsheim, Germany.
They say bad things happen in threes (don't go all Tosh.0 on us now - the opening picture was a random choice that has nothing to do with our dislike of BMW's all-wheel drive turn to crossovers), and that seems to be the case for Carscoop these past couple of weeks. After Google’s cloud outage that left us offline for more than 24 hours earlier this month, this week we were faced with a new technical problem followed by a computer blackout that wiped out one of our hard disks… Well, what matters is that we’re back online now and ready to provide you with the latest auto news. Read more »Source URL: https://ashesgarrett.blogspot.com/search/label/Carscoop%20News Visit ashes garrett for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection
If you wondering why we have been dragging our feet on the news front these past few weeks, it’s because we were busy with the HTML5’s and CSS’s of our brand new template. True, the feel and the design have remained more or less the same with some subtle changes in the aesthetics and the size of our site, which is slightly more compact, but almost everything underneath is new.
Think of Carscoop Version 5.0 as something like a new Porsche; while the looks remain the same (to the previous Version 4.3), everything else is new or revamped. In our case, this should translate to a better experience on most modern browsers and more importantly, faster speeds regardless the connection.
As Professor Farnsworth would say, Good news, everyone! We’re back! For those of you that missed our rants and were wondering what in tarnation happened to us for the past 24 hours, put the blame on Google’s engineers and a supposedly regular maintenance issue that turned into a widespread outage. Here at Carscoop, we’ve “lost” about a day’s worth of posts, but Google’s people have promised to reinstate them soon. If they don’t keep their word for any reason, no worries, we’ll just do it the good ‘ol fashioned way – manually…Read more »Source URL: https://ashesgarrett.blogspot.com/search/label/Carscoop%20News Visit ashes garrett for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection
Welcome to Carscoop’s coverage of the 2011 New York International Auto Show, which we'll be covering live from the show floor thanks to the brilliance of modern technology and a little of your much appreciated patience. Like our trip to the Tokyo Auto Salon, we'll be bringing you photos of all the new models, the ladies, and live pics as we walk around the show.
For the truly live updates, simply check out the window (unlike Tokyo, uploads should be much more fluid), while higher-res "live" photos will appear as soon as we manage to peel ourselves away from the metal and get plugged back into the computer. Also like Tokyo, we'll be doing our best to keep up with comments and requests, so feel free to get involved as we take you along with us.
Just in case you hadn’t already figured it out, the Chrysler Group has no plans to offer the latest Dodge Charger with Alfa’s turbocharged four-pot nor will Gawker restore Jalopnik’s classic blog look.
Other automotive-related April Fool’s Day jokes found around the net include: Autoblog’s Honda Accord Crossdressed Cabriolet; Pickuptruck’s 2012 Cadillac DRW Platinum Heavy-Duty Pickup; BMW’s costly M3 Pickup Truck (the joke here is that it won’t enter production because the ute is real); and Jalopnik’s announcement that AOL’s new empress, Arianna Huffington, bought the site and merged it with Autoblog to create Autoblognik.
We’re seeking new writers to join our motor-head team here at Carscoop.
Here's what we are looking for: 1) you need to be passionate about cars and up to date with the latest events and models in the global auto industry, and 2) you must be fluent in English with excellent writing skills (no exceptions) and have the ability to produce well written articles that are both informative and entertaining to read.
We’re currently seeking new bloggers to join our motor-head team here at Carscoop.
Here's what we are looking for: 1) you need to be passionate about cars and up to date with the latest events and models in the global auto industry, and 2) you must be fluent in English with excellent writing skills (no exceptions) and have the ability to produce well written articles that are both informative and entertaining to read.
Ideally, we want someone that can post 2-4 articles per day throughout the week, possibly more during major car-related events like the Detroit and Geneva motor shows, and is available online sometime between 8am and 8pm EST USA.
Interested? To apply you need to send us an email with the subject line "Carscoop New Writers" to carscoop(at)gmail.com (or just click here) with three newly written sample posts (please do not link to other sites) on a freshly introduced production or concept model and/or a random automotive-related subject, between 100 and 250 words a piece, plus a few lines about yourself and a list with some of the car sites / forums you read on a regular basis.
It's really that simple, and we promise to read each and every one. If we think you're a match, we'll contact you in due time with more details about the position.
So, strap on your carpal tunnel wrist braces and rev up your intellectual engines, and let your inspiration flow!
*Please note that if we receive a high volume of applications, we may not be able to respond to each email individually.
If you've been following our news section, you'll know that Phil flew out to Japan the previous weekend to cover the 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon. While our live coverage of the event went according to plan, unfortunately, we encountered a persistent technical problem that didn't allow us to post our photographic material on our blog, but we finally found a solution. As the saying goes, better late than never. Hope you enjoy our upcoming posts from the show. Read more »Source URL: https://ashesgarrett.blogspot.com/search/label/Carscoop%20News Visit ashes garrett for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection
If you've been following our news section, you'll know that Phil flew out to Japan the previous weekend to cover the 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon. While our live coverage of the event went according to plan, unfortunately, we encountered a persistent technical problem that didn't allow us to post our photographic material on our blog, but we finally found a solution. As the saying goes, better late than never. Hope you enjoy our upcoming posts from the show.
Ok, we're here live at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon in Japan getting as many photos as possible (and maybe some videos too). Bookmark this page and keep checking back for the updates as they come rolling in through the hand-held God machine that Steve Jobs created.
We'll be getting some high-quality photos as well, but they'll be coming through a bit later as I'm currently a one-man band, out in the realm of sushi, Gundam, VIP rides, and love hotels.
Remember to take into account that I'll be 14 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, but it should be an adventure full of cars, chicks in short shorts, perverts with professional-grade photo/video equipment, and maybe even some drifting on Day 2. Stay tuned, it's gonna get busty...I mean busy. Follow the break for our live coverage.
Ok, we're here live at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon in Japan getting as many photos as possible (and maybe some videos too). Bookmark this page and keep checking back for the updates as they come rolling in through the hand-held God machine that Steve Jobs created.
We'll be getting some high-quality photos as well, but they'll be coming through a bit later as I'm currently a one-man band, out in the realm of sushi, Gundam, VIP rides, and love hotels.
Remember to take into account that I'll be 14 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, but it should be an adventure full of cars, chicks in short shorts, perverts with professional-grade photo/video equipment, and maybe even some drifting on Day 2. Stay tuned, it's gonna get busty...I mean busy. Follow the break for our live coverage.
In the time since we last posted, another year came and went. We are looking forward to having a magnificent 2011 and hope that all you gearheads stick around to see what we have in store for you this year. From all of us here at Carscoop, we wish you and your families a very happy and prosperous New Year! Read more »Source URL: https://ashesgarrett.blogspot.com/search/label/Carscoop%20News Visit ashes garrett for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection
In the time since we last posted, another year came and went. We are looking forward to having a magnificent 2011 and hope that all you gearheads stick around to see what we have in store for you this year. From all of us here at Carscoop, we wish you and your families a very happy and prosperous New Year!
Since the beginnings of hot-rodding and customization, the world of modifying cars has been a realm in which car fans could express themselves in an almost uncountable number of ways. It plays host to a broad spectrum of possibilities; ranging from minor appearance items like headlight eyelashes and spoilers to fully coach-built supercars like James Glickenhaus's Ferrari P4/5 and Michael Stoschek's recent tribute to Lancia's Stratos, it's a vast space filled with five-dollar accessories, million dollar showboats, and everything in between.
Residing in that enormous region of "in-between" is a small company called Fiberglass Freaks in Logansport, Indiana, but they're not your average car shop. In fact, you could say they're one-of-a-kind.
Owned and operated by Mark Racop (the "what guy") and Jeff Sandberg (the "how guy"), and staffed by six full-time and eight part-time employees, Fiberglass Freaks is much like Harley Davidson; they sell dreams. In the case of this unassuming small-town Indiana garage, however, they're giving people the opportunity to own a real 1966 Batmobile.
Since the beginnings of hot-rodding and customization, the world of modifying cars has been a realm in which car fans could express themselves in an almost uncountable number of ways. It plays host to a broad spectrum of possibilities; ranging from minor appearance items like headlight eyelashes and spoilers to fully coach-built supercars like James Glickenhaus's Ferrari P4/5 and Michael Stoschek's recent tribute to Lancia's Stratos, it's a vast space filled with five-dollar accessories, million dollar showboats, and everything in between.
Residing in that enormous region of "in-between" is a small company called Fiberglass Freaks in Logansport, Indiana, but they're not your average car shop. In fact, you could say they're one-of-a-kind.
Owned and operated by Mark Racop (the "what guy") and Jeff Sandberg (the "how guy"), and staffed by six full-time and eight part-time employees, Fiberglass Freaks is much like Harley Davidson; they sell dreams. In the case of this unassuming small-town Indiana garage, however, they're giving people the opportunity to own a real 1966 Batmobile.
The story behind the official re-creators of the 1966 Batmobile begins with a young Mark watching George Barris's iconic Batmobile burst from the Batcave, flying out from behind its unassuming "Danger" sign to battle evil-doers. It was then, when he was just a few years old, that Mark decided to one day build himself a Batmobile. Finally getting a chance to see an original Batmobile in person in 1975, the seed that would one day become Fiberglass Freaks began to grow.
Fast forward to Mark's college years at Ball State, and we see a young dreamer - a film student at the time - who is the proud owner of an actual, factual Batmobile. Dubbed a "proving grounds", Mark's first Batmobile was built with the help of some friends on a 1974 Monte Carlo chassis when he was just 17. After teaching himself how to do some of the necessary work himself (and calling in experienced friends for the rest), Bat 1 was complete. The fiberglass, metal, and wood car went on to appear in three short Batman films, two filmed in high school and one in college that earned Mark a David Letterman Scholarship.
Once out of college Mark pursued a variety of jobs, waiting for the day when he would be able to pursue his lifelong dream of building Batmobiles for public consumption. Ever the perfectionist, Mark realized that the Monte Carlo's wheelbase was just too short for a true-to-form Batmobile, and that his initial proportions were a bit off. Sadly, the 1955 Lincoln Futura concept that underpinned the original Batmobile concept was long gone, meaning no more donor cars. It was time for the problem solving and creative thinking to begin.
In 2004, Mark's dream had become a much more realistic possibility with the appearance of "the Futura in the woods" on Ebay. The Futura wasn't actually a car, but a buck crafted by Marty Martino in honor of Lincoln's original 1955 Futura concept. Martino, who had hopes of building Futura concept replicas, originally created the buck with help from Ford after George Barris used the original concept car for the Batmobile. With this buck, the ability to clone the original Futura body shape became a possibility. Having acquired a slew of measurements and dimensions from a variety of museum visits (including a trip to meet Barris himself), the Futura buck had become the next piece of the puzzle.
Upon acquiring the buck for $2,125, Mark and his crew reassembled the pieces in just three days...followed by three months of restoration to bring the whole unit back to 100%. Once complete, fiberglass molds were created in order to start the arduous process of recreating a Batmobile from a Futura; due to the Monte Carlo's short wheelbase, the first Fiberglass Freaks Batmobile - AKA Bat 2 - would now ride on a fourth-generation Lincoln Continental chassis.
With the molds finished, a picture of the Barris Batmobile was projected over the body in order to get the proportions just right. After molding and modifying the Futura body with its new Bat-proportions, sourcing custom windshields from an airplane company in Ohio, and working for the next 4 months, Bat 2 was complete just in time to sell for $83,500 on the auction block. Two years later the same car sold for a staggering $216,000. Seeing such potential and getting ever-increasing publicity, Mark jumped at the opportunity to make some improvements in the design and assembly processes.
A year and a half ago, two important decisions were made: cast new molds in order to reduce the need for grafting and to allow for stronger (and fewer) parts, and improve or fine-tune "minor" details found throughout the car. Some of these improvements include re-tooled tread plates, milled bezels, an improved stereo system, and even a functional Bluetooth Batphone. Mark, "forever a student of the car", says one future goal is a reproduction of the Futura concept's conical, concave speedometer. It would take about a year of development, eventually replacing the Edsel unit currently used. With a bit of humor, Mark adds, "It's only gonna cost twenty-five grand."
Mark cheerfully goes on to say that business, regardless of the world's economic climate, has "exploded" over the past few years to the tune of 17 Batmobile replicas sold. If that's the case, who in the world is buying these $150,000 Batmobiles?
According to Mark, typical customers interested in Fiberglass Freaks' 1966 Batmobile replicas are between forty and sixty years old, well-off, and are buying the car to fulfill a childhood dream (and drive their kids to school, in one case). Don't assume that only Americans would be interested in this car either; Mark has built a car for a UK customer who rents it out for special events, and says he has even received a call from an interested party in Dubai.
If anyone out there was thinking of using the car as an advertising scheme, however, forget about it. Earlier this year, after being scoped out by a DC Comics spy (or "Uncle Glenn, the phantom buyer"), Fiberglass Freaks officially became licensed by DC to build the 1966 Batmobiles. This resulted in a few new regulations being thrown into the mix, hopefully for the better. According to DC's agreement, cars built under the DC license - those after the 17 ordered so far - can't be used to promote or endorse any businesses or projects.
In addition to controlling promotional use, DC wants to ensure that the quality of the car being sold and representing the Batman is top-notch. This means eliminating the lower two trim levels and only offering the fully-loaded model, as well as stopping sales of any kits.
However, if you're interested in purchasing a proper, licensed 1966 Batmobile replica, Mark says he's happy to take your order for a suitcase with $150,000 in it. Wait time is approximately eight months, and available engines include just about anything you can imagine. Mark says the standard mill is a 383 GM crate engine with a TH350 transmission, but big block 460s are always an option.
The model we had a chance to ride in was a customer car (meaning no wheel time, sadly) that was sent in for an update and refurbishment, another service that Fiberglass Freaks offers. This means that any improvements made after one's purchase will always be available, whether they own Bat 2 or Bat 20.
Naturally, owning a Batmobile isn't for everyone; however, should something as zany, attention-grabbing, and smile-inducing as these replicas be your cup of tea, the perfectionists at Fiberglass Freaks and DC Comics want potential buyers to rest assured knowing that Mark, Jeff, and the rest of the Logansport crew are with you every step of the way.
