Demers World Class Car Collection in Quebec

Right Under My Nose

1937 Bugatti

Jaguar XK120

Count the day lost if you do not learn something new every day! Today is a good day... because, by chance, a show on local TV featured an interview with one of the 3 Demers brothers who hail from Thetford mines, a small town in southern Quebec (Canada.) With a population less than 30 thousand, you wouldn't expect it to be the home of one of the finest private car collections on the planet, BUT IT IS!

It is such a fine collection that the Sultan of Brunei is expected to make a visit in January to take a look a what they've got. This is the same Sultan who possesses another of the finest private car collections on the planet.


Brothers Roger, Michel and Serge Demers are third generation car collectors; their father and grandfather bought cars and stored them to the point that the collection has reached 500. You can't go see these cars, it's by invitation only. And you can't take pictures either. Occasionally a few are brought out for exhibition and photos go public. 3 are included here as car-brain candy. Enjoy.

The good news here is that the Demers family is actively searching for a partner to build a museum and open the collection to the public.  It includes Michael Jackson's Vector, Elton John's Jaguar, a Bugatti that belonged to Jean-Paul Riopel  and.. AND the first Lamborghini ever made. They family does not want to sell (that might be a disappointment for the Sultan of Brunei.)

For years the family negotiated with the city of Thetford Mines and nothing was ever settled. Consequently, they are entertaining locating the collection elsewhere. We'll follow this fascinating little bit of news and if they build a museum, we'll let you know where it is, so you can plan a visit. I'm hoping Quebec City (already a world heritage site) is the place it finds a permanent home.

Beetle Styling by Volkswagen

JE DESIGN  and the VW Beetle - Shameless Plug

When the "New Beetle" made its comeback in 1998, it was at the top of a nostalgia chain and an absolute hit for the generation that had driven air-cooled "bugs" across all geographies and through all seasons. It was easy on gas, super-reliable and could be painted with flowers to look really cool. What?


The "New Beetle" found a willing consumer heavily skewed towards women - intentional or not. Can't say it was meant to be cute because the very first iteration (circa 1949 - 2 were sold that year) in North America was considered downright ugly and sounded like a large lawnmower.  Besides, American cars were big and powerful and the VW bug was small and had as much horsepower as a giant lawnmower.   However it went from scorn to cultural icon in the 1970s, and it does retain special status as the best-selling car of all time. The 2011 "Beetle" was totally made over inside and out. See an interview with VW designers Marco Pavone & Jan Haacke here.



This version of the Beetle has a 2 litre turbo under the hood (oh yeah - the engine used to be in the rear.)  Find a do-it-yourself plug and play chip tuning upgrade that will pump the horsepower up from 200 to 250 on the same page as what LLTeK offers from the mind of designer Jochen Eckelt -  see pictures and pricing of simple body kit styling for the 2012 Beetle here.

Beauty, Desire, Art and Valuation

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

Last year, the Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 car driven by Juan Manuel Fangio (W-196R) was sold at auction for the fantastic sum of $29,650,095.00 - thats almost 30 BIG ONES! It's not the record though; that belongs to a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO. You could probably purchase this year's alottment of Audi RS7's in North America for that amount of money, fer cryin' out loud.

Availability, authenticity, rarity and history will decide what any one very wealthy individual is willing to pay, but surely, possessing a unique (aka only one on the planet) object can help explain the big numbers when stuff goes to auction. So it is with the W196 that sold at Goodwood, it is the only version of the racer in private hands. The owner might as well be Tony Stark, and who can blame the real owner for wanting anonimity and protecting his/her privacy. Who wants to bet that Pepper Potts bought the car?

Switch speeds for a second now and take a look at the Warhol silkscreen (commissioned by Mercedes) up above. This piece of art sold two weeks ago at auction  for $13,045,00.00 - it is entitled "Mercedes-Benz W196R Grand Prix Car (Steamlined Version,1954)". It measures about 13' x 15' and like the entirely real racing car - it is rare. Andy Warhol passed away before the project was completed. So there you have it - a piece of art that, in the simplest of  terms, was sold for $450.00 per square inch tells us nothing about why we want beautiful unique things. Give me an RS7 and I'll tell you why in about 3.7 seconds.

Gifts for the Audi Guy

Can't Go Wrong with This Stuff

Trying to find some interesting gift ideas for the guy that drives an Audi? Found it on the intertoobz... The images below are just a sampling of what they're offering. The link to the gift section of the site "Cool Hunting" can be found here.  Take a look around if you've got a minute - the site is all about design - pop culture - interesting stuff. They even have a review on the RS7. Enjoy!

Tool Helps Buy Used Audi Cars

Would You Buy a Used Car from...

Not many used car purchase decisions are this easy

Buying or selling for yourself can be a bumpy road. If you're selling your car, the only really important rule to state here is: DO NOT SELL YOUR CAR TO A RELATIVE - EVER - NOT EVEN A DISTANT RELATIVE.  NOT even if the car is a winter beater that you're gonna take a loss on because your sister's husband's nephew needed transport and you wanted to do him a favor - forget it.  If you're foolish enough to be reminded (for the rest of your life) about the piece of cr@p little Jimmy forgot to put oil in, you deserve whatever you get.

Give the car away! and then only with six pages of disclaimers in dense legalese because it may be the only way you won't suffer recriminating looks at all future family gatherings.

If you are buying a car and you want to put in the time to save some cash - a private sale is the only way to go. Decide what vehicle you want with the budget you have and check the listings every day. Your car will come up sooner or later and all your efforts will be made worthwhile. Ideally, you will be purchasing the car from an older couple who live in a nice burb  and who will soon be moving to Arizona. Do not let your enthusiasm for that 2 year old Audi A3 at an incredible price get the better of you. EVER! CHECK OUT THE HISTORY OF THAT CAR!

Now it's easier than ever to run a history on a car. We don't know anybody in this company; we're not being compensated in any way for mentioning this company - but what a great tool when you're kicking some tires and you know that if you don't close the deal - somebody may pull up and scoop that little bundle of road joy right out from under you.

Rieger RS Modification for the Audi A4 B8

2013 Audi A4 B8 Images in from Trinidad today.

It's a right hand drive! Our thanks to Brad for sending these project pix along.

From Trinidad & Tobago: This must be the best-looking Audi A4 B8 on the island. Without stretching, it may very well  be the best in the Caribbean (all the dutch boys in Aruba are going to be jealous.) The body kit conversion is out of Germany, manufactured by Rieger; and Brad opted for the wise choice of German parts for his German car. Bumper, grille, corner intake grilles, skirts, and Rieger's exclusive carbon look rear insert with custom stainless tips put the car in hyper-drive.

The wheels are brand spanking new also. The white-on-white with stainless steel accents come via eta beta. The wheels are Italian - designed in Italy - manufactured in Italy. No substitutes - no reasonable facsimiles - all top drawer modifications. You can bet on a good sound system and what would life be like in hot climes without air?  Well done?  Yes, but more likely and to the point - just like the car - hot hot hot! Impeccable.

Bitten by the Tuning Bug

Toni Rieger Interview

Image of Toni Rieger from Rieger's 25th anniversary catalog

LLTeK has been importing Rieger parts for Audi since 1996,  and yesterday I was lucky enough to stumble across a Dutch tuner's magazine (auto & tuning)  that featured an interview with Toni Rieger - owner, founder and driving  force (no pun intended) behind Rieger Tuning.  He's a talented businessman and designer who got to where he is because of a passion for cars (in Bavaria I think that means BMW); but these days it's all the big German names plus a bit of Ford and Fiat.

Rather than transpose the article in its entirety here's a rough summary:

He is a "self-taught" tuner from the school of "Necessity is the mother of invention."
He grew up on his parents' farm with four brothers and a sister.
He is unassuming and avoids the spotlight.
His first car was a wrecked 40hp Polo. He repaired and sold it to get a second with 50hp.
His third car was a Golf GTI.
His work ethic is fully functional - in the office in the morning and then out on the factory floor in overalls.
He employs almost 50 individuals on a campus with buildings occupying some 65,000 sq. ft.
For his 50th birthday he bought himself an Audi R8.
He doesn't believe in outsourcing to China.  In 2007 alone, eighty lawsuits were launched against counterfeiters cloning his designs. American knock-offs are currently in his sights.
He doesn't think electric cars are very efficient - (I think he's being polite here).
Every body kit / spoiler produced by Rieger is fit to a car the company buys and tested.
He drives every modification package he produces in order to "feel" what the customer will get.
There are currently some 40 cars in the Rieger showroom.
When he was a kid and starting out, he would store wheels in his bedroom.
He purchases a new pair of shoes at the outset of the trade show season.
He likes running shoes and his work is the feature - not a bug.

I've never met Herr Rieger, never even spoken to him over the phone, but the more I hear about this guy - the more I like him. Maybe the next time I'm in Germany, I'll make an effort to get to Eggenfeld and see if I can get an interview.

Audi A5 DTM Special Edition

Audi A5 - Rott "Rocky" Rocket

Special DTM Edition of the Audi A5 in Misano red - Get the V6T.

Audi will start taking orders next week for a limited series A5 in recognition of eight wins in the DTM race series - Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (or in English "German Touring Car Masters".) Bearing the moniker Rocky, it is the nickname for Mike Rockenfeller, who as Audi's DTM racer, just took home his first DTM champion's title.

The car will sell at a premium with 20" alu wheels, badging everywhere and a fixed wing trunk spoiler. There is no guarantee the machine will be available in North America; however, in related DTM news, there is a rumour that The United Sports Car Racing group could host a DTM event in the US. Keep your fingers crossed because if that happens - you'd get to see the car directly below. Eat your heart out Tony Stark.

To see LLTEK body kit offerings for the Audi A5 - click here

old school vw golf mkii in pieces

Why Parts Books Will Give You A Hernia...

Click and enlarge - free LLTeK Badge for anyone who guesses the correct number of parts.

Nowadays it's all database. It used to be paper (tons of it) on the counter at the parts shop and I asked myself how anyone could find anything. Yeah I know it doesn't take much to impress me, but I admired the guys who could answer the phone, hold the phone between their shoulder and ear while blabbing away about some exception for a filter on particular engine AND still be leafing through one of the two or three giant tomes looking for the number of the part you needed to get your beetle (they were called "bugs" back then) back on the road.

Then (while still talking) - reach for a pen and without missing a beat, transcribe the info onto the back of some already beat up piece of triplicate purchase order and just as you thought the phone conversation would never end - crack a joke about an old girlfriend to the guy at the other end of the line and hang up with such surefired ease that it made you glad you came to the right place. Without a word or pause, this person was off and headed directly to the spot in the warehouse where you knew he would find that magic part.

I don't miss the paper or the giant parts books - it's the guy who took your money and smiled because he knew you heard the joke and knew that you got it. See VW Golf styling parts here.

airless tire comes closer to reality

Hankook's i-Flex showcased in Frankfurt

South Korean tire manufacturer Hankook is the latest to take a whack at the airless tire - it's light (made of polyurethane) and never goes flat. I think that beyond the attraction of innovative technology, most people want to know if it will last longer, hold the road better, get you better mileage and does it cost less?

Back in June of 2005 - LLTek released an article on the "tweel" (similar to the iFlex) when it was rumored that Audi was making tests with the concept from Michelin. I'll take a dozen if it does all of things listed above. Read the LLTeK story on the tweel here.

Eadweard Muybridge and Sallie Gardner revisited

Photo taken September 1,  2013 at the Big Brome Fair - Click for detail

135 years ago photographer Eadweard Muybridge proved scientifically (through a series of photographs) that when horses run - all four feet are at times off the ground. It was an unanswered question at the time because the human eye couldn't isolate the event with a horse moving at 35 - 40 mph (58 km/h).

Leland Stanford, that nasty 1% capitalist guy, who funded the creation of - you guessed it ~ with his very own money - Stanford University, raised horses and wanted an answer to the question. He commissioned Muybridge to get it and Muybridge got it. The photo above is my take on it!


I've been taking pictures forever and knocked off the image above with a Fuji pocket model - I have given up on lugging the big Nikons around for my snapshots. You can use the image if you want - I release it to public domain. If you want to see the truly original stuff (copies of the original preserved images) you need to click through here for the wiki link.

Here's a picture of 240 horses off the ground at the same time;
if you were there you wouldn't need a camera to know what was happening!
picture copyright eta beta wheels

Citroën Auto-levelling Suspension from 1955

CBI Consultant Jane Should Have One of These

A concept illustration of the Citroen DS as it might appear in the near future.

"The Mentalist" is a popular tv crime series - and the protagonist Patrick Jane (played by Simon Baker) drives a vintage Citroën DS - enhancing his quirky not-middle-of-the-road personality. We don't see a lot of them on this side of the Atlantic but a fair number did get here - 38,000 over 18 years (especially popular here in Quebec). I have never driven one, but I was lucky enough to ride in two of them many years ago and I can vouch that the suspension (hydropneumatic self-levelling) was everything it was cracked up to be.

According to wikipedia, "The DS came in third in the 1999 Car of the Century competition, recognizing the world's most influential auto designs, and was named the most beautiful car of all time by Classic & Sports Car magazine." If it does get a second life because retro resurrections are still going strong (it was discontinued in 1975) it's going to need some extra horses; it topped out at 83 hp. I guess that would mean 0-60 in 23 seconds. What the heck - some want speed and some want style - at LLTeK we say "Why not have both?"

Audi A4 B7 badgeless grille

No Rings, No Badge, No Problem

quantum B7 ninja grille

Brian sent these images of his Audi A4 with a spanking new Quantum B7 grille installed and we want to say thanks because it's one thing to see an image of a grille on a website and something completely different to see the same thing (in context) on a car.

He tells us the stealthy look was a bit of a glitch and not completely by choice. Apparently,  the whereabouts of the ring mount went AWOL at the installers; but  "aesthetics" are subjective unless one posseses master of the universe wisdom and powers. Adding insult to injury, after Brian posted the install pix at an Audi forum (which shall remain anonymous) a forum commentator suggested that a grille without the rings is a faux pas of galactic dimensions. I don't think the presence or absence of rings is anything anyone should get their shorts in a knot about - but I do know another ring mount is on its way; and if Brian puts the rings on we'd be happy to get a photo of that too.

We've never hung out at the forums, not because it's annoying to have someone frequently jump out of the closet at you, but because as Karl Popper once said, "No rational argument will have a rational effect on a man who does not want to adopt a rational attitude."

Lots more 2014 Audi diesels in North America

The Diesels are Coming - The Diesels are Coming

LLTeK offers plug 'n play chip tuning that increases this engine's output by 38HP (27%)  clik-clik

If you've travelled in Europe, you'll know that diesel rules. Now, Audi will be providing Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI)  diesel options  for the 2014 A6, A7, A8, and Q5 in North America in large numbers. The Q7 SUV, Cayenne from Porsche, and Touareg from VW (all kissing cousins) have had the option on this side of the Atlantic for a number of years because the higher torque (also good for towing) on these heavier machines is an innate diesel feature.

Audi believes these machines will do well because consumers will recognise the economy (30% more efficient), because the the technology behind them is cleaner (emissions are lower) and because these new diesels are not the smelly, loud slugs they used to be. The TDI's have won at Le Mans!

However... these new diesels are probably not going to be bought by "tuning" enthusiasts, and we don't think these changes are going to affect us in any significant way. Despite the improvements, i.e. the acceptable (0-60) acceleration times that get commuters through the merge lane on the way to work, LLTeK's customers tend to lean towards track & speed sensibilities - and this rather rare group of individuals want machine that perform as good as they look.

If anything, LLTeK will  expand the information on our Audi chip tuning page to include the TDI diesels! Click on the picture above and see how you can make your car go faster.

Sabre Bumper for the Facelift Audi A8 D3

Take Your 2006 - 2010 Audi A8 S8 D3 Downtown

This 2007 A8 D3 (SWB) looking good after installation - black RS grilles available also

Busy as bees last week with the completion of the Sabre ii facelift prototype and fitment trial - it went well. We have posted a 16-photo slideshow featuring both the black and silver 2012 "square shoulder"  grilles. The car lost 5 years as soon as the bumper / grille upgrade went on and it is exclusive to LLTeK.

The lower lip was painted in a flat racing silver and LED's were included in some of the photos - the LED's come with each and every bumper - installation is your option. To see the slideshow and get more info on this outstanding replacement bumper - click here now!

Chuck You, Farley - Take it to the Track!

No Place for Racing on Public Roads - verboten - nyet - you will be sanctioned. And try not to do this at the track.

Just got  back from 7 days in b-b-q land, reading, and the lake. Life is good. Hardly moved for a week except for when "she who must be obeyed" (h/t maggie's farm) wanted something. On the way back home, which starts out on dirt/gravel and ends up 4 lanes in both directions - driving conditions were ideal - dry, sunny and hardly enough traffic to get your shorts in a knot. But I saw him coming!

A '96 Golf sitting low on white hand-painted rims with way-too-big spacers (so that the rear wheels were splayed) came screaming up the merge and cut across every lane I could see in the rearview, cut across again in front of the car in front of me ( it wasn't so bad - I already had the foot off the gas and hovering on the binders) and then mr. i'm-so-impressive stitched over to the passing lane scaring the bejessus out of everyone in sight.

This happens all the time and some things never change - particularly with young men who have more testosterone than brains. So what? Real drivers take it to the track.
Take it easy now, enjoy your roadtrips, and the rest of summer - I'm going back to work .

Next Level Track and Speed Styling

Speed Cat Driving Shoes - Design Your Own

The Puma factory has an online design tool for your perfect pair of car-go-fast shoes

Here's the fun way to go shopping before you get to Lime Rock, Arroyo Seco, Eagles Canyon, or Spokane Raceway. I know women are ga-ga for shoes, but I can't count any one track guy I know who likes to go shopping, unless it's got something to do with THE car.

Shoe shopping? Who in their right mind would want to give up on the shoes that have taken until now to break in and get so comfy anyway? But these shoes are CAR shoes and you don't need to wander around the mall looking for the ones you want. You choose exactly how these will look. And you don't need to worry that someone is going to show up at the  track with the same pair - n'yuk n'yuk n'yuk. Click the picture and have a look!

Goofy Pictures of Man's Best Friend

Click Click on Space Ranger Above and See 8 More Different Car Dogs in Space

Dogs Love Riding in Cars

If you own a dog -  you know how much they love to hang out the window - and feel the open road. This series of altered images come from Benjamin Grelle in a series called "Warp Dogs."  The last image on the page is animated but every last one has its own charm. Enjoy.  

E15 Did you know about this?

Eyes on the Road and Hands on the Wheel

  1 year later: e-15 ethanol fuel & warranties

Last month in Maine, legislators approved a bill by more than a 3-to-1 margin that would ban ethanol blends in Maine – as long as two other nearby states do the same. A year ago in June (2012) the EPA officially approved the sale of E15. Robert L. Darbelnet - president and CEO of AAA says the Environmental Protection Agency and gasoline retailers should halt the sale of E15, a new ethanol blend that could damage millions of vehicles and void car warranties.

The warning was issued in November of 2012 and says just 12 million of more than 240 million cars, trucks and SUVs now in use have manufacturers’ approval for E15. Flex-fuel vehicles, 2012 and newer General Motors vehicles, 2013 Fords and 2001 and later model Porsches are the exceptions, according to AAA, the nation’s largest motorist group, with 53.5 million members.
 

“It is clear that millions of Americans are unfamiliar with E15, which means there is a strong possibility that many may improperly fill up using this gasoline and damage their vehicle... bringing E15 to the market without adequate safeguards does not responsibly meet the needs of consumers.”

BMW, Chrysler, Nissan, Toyota and VW said their warranties will not cover fuel-related claims caused by E15. Ford, Honda, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo said E15 use will void warranties, says, citing potential corrosive damage to fuel lines, gaskets and other engine components.

Audi A8 D3 "saloon" Project Completed in NY

Cruising Time in Upper State NY

The project (and the man behind it) that started more that a year ago - in top shape.

Stanley sent a ton of pictures taken recently of his long wheelbase A8 D3 (it's a pre-facelift) in Albany. We have posted them in an album at the LLTeK facebook page. If you have an FB account, click the link and leave a thumbs-up or encouraging comment.

The change from OEM to big-time street styling took long-term dedication & persistence. At a time when most of our clients were going for the large grille conversion, Stanley stayed with the OEM grill style - it's probably the only thing he didn't change. The package is German from JE DESIGN - but it should be mentioned that the vented quarter panels up front (also German) come from Hofele. Altogether outstanding and well done. LLTeK likes.

You can see the project in its early stages here.

Quantum RS Grille for 2013 A4 S4 B8

 

 

 

Aftermarket styling grille upgrades just in from Quantum.

After some minor paperwork hurdles in the port, the new Quantum grilles for the facelifted A4 B8 are finally in and set to go. This much-anticipated tuning option for A4 S4 enthusiasts is an eye-popper - the quality of manufacture is 10 for 10 and will fit well in the LLTeK lineup.

Available in 2 finishes - glossy piano black and matte silver - Audi owners can contrast it up: i.e. matte silver on a black car or alternatively, glossy black grille on a white machine. Less dramatic, but equally appealing - owners can opt for the complimentary color scheme.

Either way is OK for us - LLTeK is not in the business of dictating how or when clients should do something - LLTeK provides choice so that clients' feel good about their cars. Go stealthy or go big, but don't miss out on the limited numbers here now. Find links to pricing and details at this press release.

RCMP Celebrates 140th Anniversary

Canadian banknote commemorating the 100th anniversary of the RCMP.

It is 140 years since the founding of the North-West Mounted Police -  now known as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. You're looking at the back of an older $50 banknote and it features a depiction of the RCMP's "Musical Ride" - an impressive display of choreographed horsemanship.

When the note was originally circulated - a joke went around with it suggesting that the image was a depiction of a "newfie firing squad" - an affectionate slur on the residents of Newfoundland (a rock island on the Northeastern tip of North America.)  In the real world, residents of Newfoundland & Labrador are actually reknowned for their sense of humour, warmth, and generousity.

If you don't believe that - then check it out for yourself at the next edition of Canada’s longest and toughest motorsport event in September of 2013. From the - Targa Newfoundland website:

"Owned and operated by Newfoundland International Motorsports Limited, Targa Newfoundland is one of three internationally recognized Targa motorsports events in the world. The 12th annual rally will cover more than 2,000 kilometres of the challenging, twisty roads of the central and eastern portion of Newfoundland, including up to 450 kilometres of closed-road, flat-out Targa stages."

As usual, genuine car enthusiasts (racing rally types) will need a healthy supply of banknotes just to get to the Targa. Easy to get there in style! LLTeK has body kits and accesories for your German car.

There's Stuff Everywhere!

Finding a Reliable Source is Everything...

Wolfgang Seidel (Cooper-Climax T43) leading a Ferrari Dino 246 at the Nürburgring, 1958 German Grand Prix

Yahoo just dropped $1 billion acquiring Tumblr - an interesting intertoobz concept in the sharing department.  Don't know if it's worth that much money but I visit Damian Penny on Tumblr as often as i can (that's where i stoled this picture). Click on the link and get over to a treasure chest of stuff - LLTeK recommends it  because it's decent stuff and he seems to be a car guy in the bargain.

Fascinating.

A Little Humour Goes a Long Way

Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto react to a driverless Audi TT

Almost 3 minutes of fun as Audi puts Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto together in an ad for the Audi S7. Packed with "inside" jokes and generational stuff - the really big message is that the "old" Mr.Spock drives a Mercedes-Benz, while the "new" Mr.Spock drives an S7.  Click on the image above and go youtube - Cheers.

Spring is Sprung - the Grass is Riz

I Wonder Where the Tuners Iz...

Rieger's facelift styling for the 2013 Audi A4 / S4  - always on the mark.

After the second coldest spring in recorded continental US weather history - it appears we have turned the corner on the spring of 2013. We are greatful for small mercies. As the weather warms up, tuners north of the Mason-Dixon and coast-to-coast get itchy and come out of hibernation. Scratch this and see how Germans like their Audi B8's. These guys in Bavaria have been doing it for more than 25 years. Jah, das ist gut!

web marks 20 years today

WOW

Sir Tim Bernors-Lee has always been a hero for me. He's the guy from CERN who got the whole ball rolling. Well, I got an email form a close friend reminding me of how long it's been (thanks bob). Here's the link he sent along: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2418330,00.asp

You can follow the link there to the world's 1st web site that has been restored just for this occassion!

The Case Against Electric Cars - Nicht Schparky Autos

Despite the benefits  and claims for the environment, electric cars (including hybrids like the Fisker above), are experiencing genuine resistance in the marketplace; not just here in North America but worldwide. In a column for the National Post recently, Bjorn Lomborg takes a run at why this is happening. Read about why electric cars are failing and companies like Fisker are in serious trouble.

We haven't spoken with any customers driving hybrid German cars - but the parts from Germany will fit just as well as they do on gas or diesel-driven machines.

<Satire> turbo encabultor</satire>

Take a good set, add a couple of credible actors and a script from outer space and PRESTO!  - a ridiculous little video that only a tuning enthusisat could sit through. This little tech talk is complete fiction but lots of fun. Enjoy.

If you drive a German car - you can find real tuning and styling products off the LLTeK Home Page.

Click here and watch this funny piece on Youtube.

Audi's Illegal Headlights?

Tucker Torpedo at Blackhawk Automotive Museum - Danville, California -  Photo by Sean O'Flaherty

No need to go apoplectic or apocalyptic about this story but apparently "vorsprung durch technik"  has lost something in the translation. David Worthington makes the connection over at smartplanet.com. "Car headlights have long been equipped with just two settings: high or low. German luxury automaker Audi wants to break that tradition by introducing variable settings..." --- you can find our improvements for Audi cars here.

4 Rings plus Pepper Potts

The third Iron Man movie opens on the big screen in just a few weeks. Can't wait. Can't wait. Imagine Tony Stark says, "Jarvis, ask Ms.Potts if she can meet me in the pool this evening (yes, the one that overlooks the Pacific) and could you see that there's a tray of refreshments - say a pitcher of vodka and V8 on the side?"

If you close your eyes & let your imagination off the leash, you'll be able to see Gwyneth Paltrow (pictured fully clothed at left) just a few minutes later as she goes coastal in a brand new Audi A7 on her way to the mansion. If you like Audis (and who doesn't),  that's gotta be just as good as seeing Robert whats-his-name in an R8.

Hey wake up! and don't hold your breath waiting for the pool scene either - cause it's just not going to happen. Characters like Pepper Potts do not show up on You Tube whoo-wooing after the pitcher of vodka is done. But the A7 is real and the R8 is back again also. The real rumor is that Pepper Potts ends up taking it for a spin - not the R8 - the Iron Man suit. Oh Yeah! Can't Wait.

btw - we're waiting on our first german bodykits for the Audi A7 /S7 and will post them up here when it happens; in the meantime we are offering two tuning devices for the A7 from german engineers - an audi air suspension lowering device and a DIY plug 'n play chip tuner which is just about as hot as Pepper Potts..