STUFF: News, Technology, the cool and the plain weird

[MIKA27]

The 1,750HP 2020 SSC Tuatara Is The Ultimate American-Made Hypercar

Though Shelby SuperCars first announced the Tuatara — Maori for “First” — roughly a decade ago, it wasn’t until this week that the Washington-based hypercar outfit finally unveiled the first of the production, road-ready Tuataras.

Limited to only 100 units, the 2020 Tuatara continues the industry trend of developing vehicles with increasingly bonkers performance figures, with the Tuatara’s twin-turbocharged 5.9L flat-plane-crank V8 reportedly generating an absurd 1,750hp, as well as top speeds exceeding 300mph. Helping the 2,750lb American hypercar to achieve those speeds is a seven-speed CIMA transmission capable of shifting gears in under 100 milliseconds, a carbon monocoque frame, and carbon bodywork that allows for a ridiculously slippery, class-leading 0.279 drag coefficient. The car also boasts active aerodynamics and adjustable suspension geometry that raises and lowers the ride height depending on the intended purpose. The thoroughly plush interior is also said to comfortably accommodate drivers as tall as 6’5”. Reportedly starting at $1,625,000, the 2020 SSC Tuatara is poised to reclaim the title of “World’s Fastest Production Car” for the Richland firm — a title SSC’s Ultimate Aero held from 2007-2010.

[MIKA27]

Glenfiddich’s Rare USA-Only 1975 Vintage Whisky Costs $9K Per Bottle

It’s rare that the USA gets its very own exclusive release from one of whisky’s biggest names, but thanks to Scotland’s Glenfiddich scotch company, it’s finally becoming a reality. The outfit’s upcoming Rare Collection, which introduces its 1975 Vintage Cask 4706 and 5114 whiskys, is being produced in a limited run of only 200 bottles (100 each), and sports a price tag deserving of its rarity.

The 1975 Vintage Cask 4706/5114 is the third select whisky from Glenfiddich. It’s comprised of a 44-year-old scotch that’s been aged in two different casks; the first, crafted from European Oak Sherry Butt (4706), and the second, a distinct European Oak Hogshead (5114). Each rarified spirit boasts its own unique flavor, with cask 4706 taking on vibrant notes of oak, vanilla, toasted almonds, blossom, banana, and citrus. Cask 5114, on the other hand, reminisces and contrasts between the subtle flavors of caramel apple, nutmeg, spiced oak, sundried raisins, and vanilla. With both examples clocking in at above 45% ABV, Glenfiddich’s new single malt scotch is sure to appease elites and amateurs alike — but with a price tag of $9,000, its audience is likely to be skewed to the wealthy side of the spectrum.

[MIKA27]

Take In The Sights Of Africa’s Big 5 From This 39′ Luxury Solar-Powered Treehouse

The privilege of experiencing Africa’s majestic wildlife up close typically comes at the cost of leaving the majority of our creature comforts behind, though luxury travel company, &Beyond has been bucking that status quo for nearly three decades, providing guests with the best of both worlds: world-class sights and experiences; coupled with four and five-star amenities.

The multinational outfit already offers stunning Big 5-filled holidays on the 36,000 acre Ngala Private Game Reserve with its upscale Tented Camp and Ngala Safari Lodge, though &Beyond is now offering customers an even more enticing experience to supplement their stay on the reserve in the form of a swanky, 39’ “treehouse.” Located approximately 3 miles from the main Ngala Tent Camp and 100% solar-powered, the secluded four-story structure is shrouded by lush trees and foliage and offers views of a nearby riverbed from its roof deck. The building boasts accommodations for four, including a full bathroom, kitchen area, and a fully weatherproof master bedroom. Despite its remote setting, it comes fully stocked with all the top-shelf drinks and snacks one would expect from a world-class resort, plus “room” service. Rates start at $845 per night per person, (plus the cost of a room at the Tent Camp or Lodge.

[MIKA27]

Nikola Badger - Electric Pick-Up Truck

Arizona-based startup Nikola Motor Company have unveiled a spectacular new electric truck with an impressive 600-mile range.

The Nikola Badger will be offered as both a purely battery-electric vehicle and as an electric/fuel-cell hybrid that can also recharge its onboard battery from the grid. The company also claims the pickup will be able to tow up to 8,000 pounds and accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in approximately 2.9 seconds. The current list of specs, while only preliminary at this point, are about as impressive as it gets for a truck, in fact they beat the Cybertruck on power and range. Nikola has designed the truck in partnership with Heavy D from the popular TV show the Diesel Brothers, and will be documenting the whole process for TV. So stay tuned.

[MIKA27]

SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FLIP SMARTPHONE

It's not Samsung's first folding smartphone — that would be Galaxy Fold — nor is it the first to fold like an old Razr, as that would be... the new Motorola Razr. What Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip is, then, is the first in a new line of foldable gadgets. The exterior has a mirror-like finish, a 1.1-inch AMOLED display that's used for the time, date, battery status, and notifications, and both ultra-wide and wide-angle 12-megapixel cameras.

Inside sits a 6.7-inch, 21.9:9 Dynamic AMOLED display protected by bendable Ultra Thin Glass. It runs a version of Android optimized for its unique form factor, allowing apps to display content on the "top" and controls on the "bottom" when opened like a laptop, enabling hands-free video chats, better low-light photography, and other unique usage scenarios.

It will launch on February 14 in purple or black; for the fashion-minded, there will also be a Thom Browne edition that comes with custom-designed Galaxy Buds+ and Galaxy Watch Active2.

[MIKA27]

WILD KOPI LUWAK COFFEE

One of the most expensive coffees in the world is now available in individual Nespresso pods. Kopi Luwak gets its name from the Indonesian civet cat that consumes perfectly ripened berries and its natural enzymes remove any bitterness from the bean. But most Kopi Luwak disappoints because the cats which digest the coffee are almost always caged. Difference Coffee sources their Kopi Luwak from Gayo Estate where the cats roam wild and select only the ripest coffee cherries, which get depulped through natural digestion. The result is a full-bodied, delicious coffee with gentle acidity, low bitterness, and chocolate and caramel undertones. $5 per pod

[MIKA27]

The Uncertain Future of a Border-Straddling Liquor

Sotol could bring Texans and Mexicans together, or divide them.

Brent Looby of Desert Door Distillery wants to share sotol with the world. “It’s a gateway to West Texas,” he writes, “that tastes unquestionably of the Texas land.” The spirit is distilled from dasylirion, a spiky succulent that dots the arid terrain of the Chihuahuan Desert, which spans the U.S.–Mexico border. In Texas, they call it “desert spoon.” Desert Door is the first commercial sotol distillery in the United States.

The venture has some detractors.

“It’s an appropriation that should be dealt with,” says Jacob Jacquez, the sixth-generation sotolero, or sotol distiller, behind Sotol Don Celso in Janos, Mexico. The company is named for his late father, a sotolero and politician who defended the niche spirit which, for much of the 1900s, was outlawed and violently suppressed. “I think they should take a step back and respect the families that were persecuted, that fought for that word: ‘sotol.’”

This transnational debate within the craft community now has advocates in the U.S. and Mexican governments. The USMCA, a trade deal signed by President Trump last week to replace NAFTA, includes a provision that may classify sotol as distinctively Mexican. In other words, Texan sotol distillers like Looby could be—like Californians who make “sparkling wine” rather than champagne—barred from using the word.

On a deeply fraught border, a storied spirit stands to either bridge the divide or deepen it.

The dasylirion plant grows the same in Texas as it does in Mexico, but the border gives them markedly different histories.

Long Before European contact, RARÁMURI tribes of the Chihuahuan Desert fermented juice from sotol into something of a low-alcohol beer. But in the 1500s, Spanish distillation techniques presented new possibilities for the desert shrub.

“It’s a transparent plant,” says Ricardo Pico, founder of Sotol Clande, a cooperative of five vinatas, or sotol distilleries, throughout Chihuahua. “It tastes like where it comes from.” The plant’s acute terroir made it a staple of rural life among the people of Coahuila, Durango, and Chihuahua, an enduring link between Mexicans and Mexico itself—the land made liquid. “In dry areas, it’s like rain on the dessert: some earthiness, a peppery finish. In the forest region, there’s moss, eucalyptus, menthol—just like going to the forest,” says Pico.

Don Cuco, Jacquez’ grandfather, and his team of sotoleros in their clandestine vinata in the mountains of Northern Mexico.

Looby claims that the earliest known traces of human consumption of sotol, however, are found in Texas. “Indigenous people have been cooking and consuming sotol [here] for 10,000 years.” To boot, he adds, sotol was first commercially distilled in El Paso, in 1907, because it was illegal to distill sotol in Mexico until 1994.

There’s certainly some truth to that claim. Throughout the mid 1900s, Mexican police implemented a broad ban on sotol. Experts disagree on the reason—it may have been tequila producers stifling competition, or simply the Mexican government’s puritanical approach to DIY distillation, as sotol was often produced in the home. Still others claim it was the Mafia clearing the market for corn whiskey during U.S. Prohibition. Whatever the reason, while sotol led a quiet life in West Texas, Mexican police made a burnt, bloody scene of it south of the border.

Sotoleros sheering the husk off of the sotol pit in Chihuahua, Mexico

During American Prohibition, Mexican police sought to rid the country’s northern fringes of sotoleros and their vinatas. “My great-grandfather was kidnapped by the state police,” says Jacquez. For him, the perceived role of the United States isn’t easily forgotten. “My people were persecuted during your Prohibition because of the drink,” he says.

Branded as outlaws, sotoleros mobilized their distilleries by latching their copper stills to donkeys. “They couldn’t catch them all red-handed,” says Juan Pablo Carvajal, co-founder of Los Magos Sotol. “Someone would always tip them off.” Police burned down vinatas and riddled heirloom copper stills with bullets, arresting and even killing sotoleros. Jacquez says most of his uncles became teachers, farmers, or carpenters. “You couldn’t make sotol; you might get shot.” Even after Prohibition ended, the Mexican government smeared the spirit as field-worker swill fit for bandits and low-lives.

The pit, or piña, of the roasted sotol is macerated and distilled for several weeks

“That’s what we’re bouncing back from now,” says Jacquez. In the 1980s, sotoleros, including, prominently, Jacquez’s late father, petitioned local and state governments to earn their rights back. In 1994, the Mexican government officially issued licenses to distill sotol, and, in the early 2000s, the spirit earned protected status under a Denomination of Origin. “It was a victory, because we were finally on the map amongst Mexicans, at least,” says Jacquez. Today, sotol is following the path to global recognition paved by tequila and mezcal.

Twenty-seven countries recognize sotol’s protected status. The United States is not one of them.

The trio behind Desert Door are telling a side of sotol’s story they feel has been overlooked.

The United States’ first sotol distillery started when Looby and his co-founders, Judson Kauffman and Ryan Campbell, were tasked with designing a business during a “Venture Creation Course” at the University of Texas at Austin. “When Judson was young, his uncle talked about sotol being moonshined out in west Texas where he grew up,” Looby writes. “We are attempting to tell another side of the story that has been overlooked for some time.” Their theoretical distillery won first place in a class competition, and in 2017, they founded Desert Door Distillery. Today, they employ 40 people across six U.S. cities.

With access to 75,000 acres of West Texan property littered with “desert spoon,” the Texans can afford to experiment. They age a portion of their sotol in oak barrels, leaving the product tasting similar to a cognac or bourbon. They partnered with a local brewery to craft the world’s first sotol-aged beer. You can buy branded beanies, totes, and keychains on their website.

While Desert Door has faced criticism, they remain confident in their mission. “We’re a huge state with a lot of pride,” Kauffman told The Statesman. “We should have something to call our own.”

The Texas distillery offers sotol tasting and facility tours.

Texas’s second distillery took a different tack. Morgan Weber and other co-founders from Marfa Spirits crossed the border to learn from sotoleros before launching their business. “I figured if I just go into this blind, I stand a strong chance of pissing somebody off without knowing it,” he told me. He consulted with producers and distributors, and attended a sotol conference in Chihuahua hosted by sotoleros. Despite them being the only three non-Spanish speakers, their hosts hired a translator to keep them up to speed. “We all want to pay homage to the spirit,” says Weber, though he understands the backlash among hard-line never-Texans. “They’re completely in the right to feel that way, but I hope that they keep an open mind.”

South of the border, news of American sotol distilleries is met with mixed reviews, at best. Carvajal sees acceptance falling along generational lines: “All the new people who are coming into the industry see this as an opportunity to grow, but most of the old-school sotoleros don’t want the U.S. to be making sotol.”

For some, it’s the role the U.S. may have played that grates. “I see producers calling it ‘Texas sotol,’’’ says Jacquez. “I think they should change the name. Play a fair game.”

“Would I make sparkling white wine in Chihuahua and call it ‘champagne?’” says Pico. “It’s not my thing, not my heritage, not my tradition.” He suggests Texans use the name “desert spoon spirit.” “It’s not a bad name.”

With the passage of a new North American trade deal, it’s a name Texas distillers may have to learn to love. A minor provision commits the U.S. to consider classifying sotol as distinctively Mexican. Despite its vague wording, the measure found some fans in Mexico.

Mexican sotoleros feel the USMCA will protect an industry with a long history of persecution.

“It’s a good call,” says Pico. “You can’t put plans that have just been made in the same jar as hundreds of years of tradition. We’re not talking about the same thing.” He and others feel the recognition is not only a symbolic victory, but one that will bolster a regional economy and a tradition long suppressed.

Desert Door’s founders are not losing sleep. “The USMCA is under no obligation to reach a particular conclusion,” writes Looby. In short order, the company amassed a bipartisan group of 20 lawmakers willing to fight for sotol’s binational identity. Texas Senator John Cornyn raised the issue in a Senate Finance Committee hearing last month, along with a rave review. “For those members of the committee who’ve never consumed sotol, I would recommend it,” he said.

Sotol is making inroads to the U.S. market on the heels of its distant relatives, mezcal and tequila.

Carvajal appreciates the symbolism of the trade deal, but worries about missing an opportunity to broaden the sotol market. “I think the Mexican government wants to protect the citizens in this industry,” he says. “But it would grow stronger if we allowed other people to join in on the tradition, if the land that they live on allows it.”

Through its violent history, and its dogged plod into modernity, Carvajal sees, more than anything, a shot at reconciliation. What if there were a regional Chihuahuan Desert denomination of origin? “It would be a great statement to show that we share a common land,” he says, “that we share some traditions, and some ideas of what we can do with that land.”

[MIKA27]

Arnold Schwarzenegger And Jackie Chan Co-Star In A Fantasy Epic Whose Trailer Has To Be Seen To Be Believed

Here’s the best sentence you’re likely to read today: A movie exists that has dragons and magic and Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jackie Chan fighting each other. How we’re just realising that we’ll never know. But we do realise it, there’s a trailer, and holy crap you have to see it.

The film is called The Iron Mask, but it was previously titled Journey to China: The Mystery of Iron Mask. (Other previous titles include Viy-2 and Viy 2: Journey to China.) It’s a sequel to the 2014 film Viy (aka Forbidden Empire) and was released in several international markets last year. The UK gets a theatrical and digital release in April but it’s unclear if The Iron Mask will be available digitally in the United States or other parts of the world too.

Nevertheless, this trailer is a bonkers collection of action legends, high fantasy, questionable history, CGI sets, bad quips, and I love it.

Is it just me or do you get the sense that the bulk of the actual movie is the Jason Flemyng storyline—and this trailer contains 95 per cent of all the Schwarzenegger and Chan scenes? The whole thing feels like a ruse to get people to think they are going to see a lot of Arnold and Jackie but really they’re going to see lots of the guy from Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels riding in a carriage for the entire movie.

If not? Then great. But if so? Well done to the marketing team. Either way, this looks bananas and we can’t get over it.

[MIKA27]

Andy Serkis Boards The Family-Friendly Witcher Wagon In The Letter For The King Teaser

Netflix is leaning hard into this medieval fantasy thing. The first teaser is out for The Letter for the King, a series that stars Andy Serkis and His Dark Materials’ Amir Wilson in a tale about a young hero of “ancient prophecy” rising up against a warlord and uniting all the realms. Stop me if you’ve heard this one.

In the first teaser trailer, revealed by Entertainment Weekly, we hear a Dragonheart 3-esque narrator telling us of some epic war that the kingdoms of Unauwen and Dagonaut have waged on the southern lands of Eviellan for... reasons?... until a tyrannical ruler from... somewhere?... does some evil stuff that makes things worse. But luckily there’s a prophecy, because there’s always a goddamned prophecy.

Based on the novel by Dutch writer Tonke Dragt, The Letter for the King focuses on a young knight-in-training named Tiuri (Wilson) who’s tasked with delivering a secret letter to a king that’ll do...something? I’m guessing stop the war that’s been going on for thousands of years, though it’s unclear how or why, or even what side this warlord is on. Despite all the voice-over explanations in this teaser, it’s very unclear what the crap is actually going on in this fantasy world. I’m sure it makes sense if you’ve read the book!

Serkis plays the Mayor of Mistrinaut, the scheming leader of a town that’s fallen on hard times, conspiring with his equally scheming daughter Lavinia (played by Serkis’ real-life daughter Ruby Serkis). The whole thing looks pretty silly and nothing in the teaser makes sense (except for the fact that it’s trying to ride the coattails of The Witcher), but you know what: A bit of harmless family-friendly fun set in Medieval times is...fine. Stupid, but fine. This is coming from someone who saw A Kid in King Arthur’s Court in theatres.

The Letter for the King arrives on March 20.

[Jaesian]

On 2/11/2020 at 6:53 PM, MIKA27 said:

New Trailer for ‘Altered Carbon’ Season 2 Comes with a Military Upgrade

The first trailer for Season 2 of Altered Carbon arrived just last week to tease Takeshi Kovacs’ return (of sorts), but a new trailer reveals more about the upcoming season’s increasingly complex plot. However it ultimately shakes out, fans of the sci-fi series will get to enjoy twisting, turning narratives interspersed with plenty of high-stakes shoot-em-up action and mind-bending headgames. Get a good tease with the new trailer below.

Starring Anthony Mackie, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Lela Loren, Simone Missick, Chris Conner, Dina Shihabi and Torben Liebrecht, with Will Yun Lee and James Saito recurring, Altered Carbon returns for Season 2 and eight hour-long episodes on February 27th.

I binged this show around the same time as Travelers. Both were great. If you enjoy Altered Carbon, you might like Travelers as well. 

[MIKA27]

Put The Blue-Ringed Octopus Down, You Goddamn Lunatic

It's no secret that almost every living thing in Australia wants to kill you. While our snakes and spiders grab most of the headlines, there are also plenty of deadly critters in our waters. Take for example, the blue-ringed octopus - a highly venomous species that can cause death to humans within minutes.

In other words, it's probably not a good idea to pick one up for a selfie. Like this idiot here.

In 2019, a tourist in Australia went viral after posting a video holding a blue-ringed octopus. Needless to say, the unnamed YOLO lover is lucky to be alive.

The chilling video, which was originally posted to TikTok, found its way to Reddit last year, where Australians started to point out just how dangerous it was to handle a blue-ringed octopus. Commenters shared their own stories about the animal, which reportedly carries enough venom to kill 26 full grown adults in a span of minutes.

The venom of the blue-ringed octopus, which contains the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin, causes paralysis and the sting is so small that most people have no idea that they’ve been poisoned until it’s too late.

To make things even more horrifying, there’s no anti-venom available for the blue-ringed octopus. The only known treatment is to massage the victim’s heart until the venom works its way throughout a person’s body in a matter of hours.

One person on Reddit even told the story of an unnamed victim who had been paralysed on the beach with their eyes open while facing the sun.

“They survived, but nobody had really thought about the fact they’d been staring up into full midday sunlight for a couple of hours throughout the process with their eyes wide open, pupils fully dilated,” the Redditer said. “Total paralysis, easy for the first-aiders to not think to cover their eyes. Caused irreversible damage. They permanently lost their vision.”

Australia gets a bad wrap for having dangerous animals, but most locals believe that the fear is overblown. It’s not overblown when it comes to the blue-ringed octopus though. If you see one in the water, let it be.

[MIKA27]

Here's What Makes The Pikes Peak Hill Climb So Dangerous

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is a remarkable place to test athletes and vehicles, in part because it is so brutal and unpredictable. Unfortunately, the same things that make it exciting also make it incredibly dangerous.

The race has claimed seven lives, most recently motorcycle racer Carlin Dunne this past year, a four-time winner of the event. This led the organisers to suspend motorcycle competition for 2020.

Business Insider digs into the history and challenges of the event, interviewing competitors Tommy Boileau and JR Hildebrand to give an understanding of what makes it such a dangerous place to race.

A big part of the danger is the length and complexity of the course: 19 kilometres and 156 turns, and unlike a permanent race track, you can’t just show up for track days throughout the year to practice and help memorise it. There are also no braking markers or turn indicators, and several of the corners look similar at the entrance, only to be drastically different halfway through.

There are few barriers and almost no runoff room, especially at the top. The margin for error is minimal. The chance for error, on the other hand, is increased by the unpredictable wind and weather, and the occasional mountain goat on the road.

The top section has been paved for a few years which makes the track more dangerous than before in some ways. The higher grip means faster speeds. The pavement gets roughed up and deformed from freezing and thawing water, causing an uneven and unpredictable surface.

I talked to professional racing driver and current Pikes Peak Hill Climb champion Robin Shute about the dangers on the course.

Quote

“The top is absolutely savage. With the fastest cars being so physical, aerobically you’re pretty much flat out even with oxygen being plumbed into your helmet. Add to that dealing with multiple corners over 100mph (161 km/h) whilst trying to figure out which direction the wind is coming from for each turn. That’s a life or death guesstimation right there. Then there are the bumps to navigate, the road can be so rough it will spin a car in a straight line or launch you a couple of inches in the air.”

The dangers are real, but it is a unique and elevating challenge. “It’s not for everyone,” Shute added, “In fact, it’s barely for anyone. I love it.”

[Fuzz]

13 minutes ago, MIKA27 said:

Put The Blue-Ringed Octopus Down, You Goddamn Lunatic

It's no secret that almost every living thing in Australia wants to kill you. While our snakes and spiders grab most of the headlines, there are also plenty of deadly critters in our waters. Take for example, the blue-ringed octopus - a highly venomous species that can cause death to humans within minutes.

In other words, it's probably not a good idea to pick one up for a selfie. Like this idiot here.

In 2019, a tourist in Australia went viral after posting a video holding a blue-ringed octopus. Needless to say, the unnamed YOLO lover is lucky to be alive.

The chilling video, which was originally posted to TikTok, found its way to Reddit last year, where Australians started to point out just how dangerous it was to handle a blue-ringed octopus. Commenters shared their own stories about the animal, which reportedly carries enough venom to kill 26 full grown adults in a span of minutes.

The venom of the blue-ringed octopus, which contains the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin, causes paralysis and the sting is so small that most people have no idea that they’ve been poisoned until it’s too late.

To make things even more horrifying, there’s no anti-venom available for the blue-ringed octopus. The only known treatment is to massage the victim’s heart until the venom works its way throughout a person’s body in a matter of hours.

One person on Reddit even told the story of an unnamed victim who had been paralysed on the beach with their eyes open while facing the sun.

“They survived, but nobody had really thought about the fact they’d been staring up into full midday sunlight for a couple of hours throughout the process with their eyes wide open, pupils fully dilated,” the Redditer said. “Total paralysis, easy for the first-aiders to not think to cover their eyes. Caused irreversible damage. They permanently lost their vision.”

Australia gets a bad wrap for having dangerous animals, but most locals believe that the fear is overblown. It’s not overblown when it comes to the blue-ringed octopus though. If you see one in the water, let it be.

No, no, no. Please pick it up and give it a poke when taking your vid. Those little guys just love performing for a live audience.

Besides, it'd be great for your social media profile. Just imagine how viral your video would be if you cacked it live?

[MIKA27]

Aston Martin Reportedly Kills Off Valkyrie Racecar

The FIA World Endurance Championship is set to begin its 2020/21 season with the introduction of its new Hypercar class—but with one significant player missing. Aston Martin is rumoured to be pulling its Valkyrie-based hypercar out of the series, leaving Toyota as the sole competitor in the Hypercar class. Interestingly, this announcement comes soon after Aston Martin released videos of Red Bull Racing’s Formula One drivers taking their Martin out for a spin.

Racer has the scoop:

Quote

 

A major blow has been dealt to the ACO and FIA World Endurance Championship’s plans with the cancellation of Aston Martin Racing’s Hypercar program utilising its new Valkyrie road car.

RACER has learned a formal announcement is imminent. Reached Monday, a brand representative declined to comment on the topic.

Termination of the racing project for the 6.5-litre V12-powered machine comes on the heels of a major investment into the financially beleaguered British auto manufacturer led by Canadian Lawrence Stroll, who owns the Racing Point Formula 1 team, and will become Aston Martin’s executive chairman along with aligning the company with his F1 team in 2021.

 

The official announcement could come as early as Wednesday, Sportscar365 reports. Earlier today, however, Red Bull Racing released footage of its drivers Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon taking the Valkyrie out for a spin. It seems strange to promote the race car if the race program is hanging by a thread.

 

If Aston Martin were to cancel its program, that would leave one single manufacturer in the Hypercar class, thus raising questions as to the viability of the whole class itself. The whole purpose of the class was to replace LMP1 with a more viable class that would enable manufacturers to submit race-ready versions of road-going cars, thus not requiring a ton of outside development. But with only Toyota competing in the class, there’s not going to be a ton of fascinating competition.

Aston Martin was recently bought out by billionaire Lawrence Stroll, father of F1 driver Lance Stroll. Stroll has reportedly been aiming to cut the electric vehicle program proposed by Aston, and he plans to channel Aston Martin’s efforts into his son Lance’s team, not Red Bull Racing. It is not yet confirmed that the folding of the Valkyrie Hypercar program is related to Stroll’s influence, but it seems very likely.

We have reached out to Aston Martin for comment and will update if we hear back.

[MIKA27]

Czinger’s Carbon Fiber 1,233HP Hybrid Hypercar Hits 60MPH In 1.8 Seconds

The start of the year has already become rife with important automotive news, including, but not limited to, the announcement of a handful of new supercars and hypercars. The most recent in this high-strung docket is the Czinger 21C Hybrid — a sleek, sensual vehicle that looks to challenge the industry’s most prolific front runners.

Los Angeles’ Czinger is fairly new to the world of automotive superiority, but with an initial showing of the 21C slated for next month’s Geneva Motor Show, it won’t be long before news of the industry’s next big supercar will ignite the consumer base. The vehicle has already gifted the auto world with some pretty tremendous details, including a 1,233-horsepower powertrain that’s been rated to carry the car from 0-62 in just 1.9-seconds. Aside from its sub-two-second benchmark, the 21C boasts one a handsome design terminology that pays homage to the sleek, less-than-subtle curvature that we’ve seen in many contemporary models. Its shadowy silhouette houses a large aerodynamic wing at its rear, length-running LED taillights to outline its curvacious “trunk,” and an intriguing, ventilated side profile that solicits imagery of the genre’s established supercars. Keep your eyes peeled for more information on the 21C in the coming months.

[MIKA27]

Arthurian Legend Comes To Life In A24’s Unsettling ‘The Green Knight’ Trailer

Arthurian legend — that is, mythical tales of King Arthur, Camelot, and the Knights of the Round Table — is deeply ingrained in western culture. But these medieval folktales also have a darker side that often is buried in modern retellings. The folks at A24, however, appear to lean into these horror aspects with their unique adaptation of one of the most famous fables in ‘The Green Knight.’

The film is helmed by David Lowery (The Old Man & The Gun, A Ghost Story) and stars Dev Patel (Lion, Slumdog Millionaire) as Sir Gawain, King Arthur’s impulsive and audacious nephew looking to test his mettle by confronting the titular Green Knight. Of course, as is so often the case, things don’t quite go according to plan and he must face off against a bevy of dangerous foes both human and supernatural along the way. Set for a May 29th, 2020 release, this moody, knightly adventure flick is sure to drum up plenty of interest amongst lovers of the macabre and morbid.

[Fuzz]

11 hours ago, MIKA27 said:

Arthurian Legend Comes To Life In A24’s Unsettling ‘The Green Knight’ Trailer

 

But is it as good as, "Sword of the Valiant"?!

 

[MIKA27]

Watch The First Trailer For Netflix And Rooster Teeth's Transformers: War For Cybertron Trilogy: Siege

The first chapter of a three-part serialized saga, Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy: Siege sets up the stakes pretty clearly. Megatron wants the Allspark. The Autobots can’t let that happen. Time to fight.

Revealed yesterday at Toy Fair, the Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy is a three-part episodic series, each one taking place at a different critical moment in the history of the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons. The first instalment, Siege, will consist of six 22-minute episodes set on Cybertron, as Megatron pursues the Allspark and the Autobots try to stop him in a desperate series of missions that end with a terrible, unexpected choice.

The War for Cybertron Trilogy is being produced by Austin-based media company Rooster Teeth, with animation by Polygon Pictures (Knights of Sidonia). FJ DeSanto (Transformers: Titans Return, Transformers: Power of the Primes) will be showrunner. The voice cast includes Jake Foushee (Optimus Prime), Jason Marnocha (Megatron), Linsay Rousseau (Elita-1), and Joe Zieja (Bumblebee).

Siege will be premiering on Netflix at an unknown date, and will hopefully answer the question that has been burning up my brain since I saw this trailer: if they haven’t been to Earth yet, why do they still transform into Earth cars?

[MIKA27]

A New Book About Sega Includes Incredibly Detailed Pop-Up Paper Models Of Its Iconic Arcade Games

With a Sonic the Hedgehog film setting records at the box office, now’s as good a time as any to reflect on Sega’s glory days in the ‘80s and ‘90s. But instead of focusing on consoles, a new book takes a deep dive on Sega’s iconic ride-on arcade machines and includes intricate pop-up paper models of six standouts.

Besides that hyper-active blue hedgehog, Sega, which started life as a company called Service Games that sold coin-operated amusement machines to military bases in World War II, is probably best known for its consoles that went head to head with Nintendo, including the original Master System and the Genesis. Sega put up a good fight and released some memorable games, but by the time the Dreamcast arrived, it was clear that Nintendo had won the console wars up to that point.

But one corner of the video game market that Sega absolutely dominated was arcade machines. Those of you who remember what an arcade was, think back to the times you stood in line to play a machine and there’s a good chance it was one of Sega’s ride-on games.

Known officially as Sega Taiken games, which translates to “body sensation”games, these arcade machines enhanced the gaming experience with simulator-like movements and cabinets that recreated the cockpit of a fighter jet, or a racing bike players could actually climb aboard. Read-Only Memory’s new book, Sega Arcade: Pop-Up History, takes a closer look at the development of six iconic Sega arcade machines—Space Harrier, After Burner, Hang-On, Out Run, Thunder Blade, and Power Drift—complete with 3D, pop-up, papercraft replicas of each machine designed by Helen Friel and Kam Tang.

If you’re willing to shell out $67 for just the wonderfully detailed pop-ups, no one is going to judge you. Pop-up books will forever and always be the superior form of book. But that’s not all you get.

This hardcover title, written by games writer Keith Stuart, includes contributions from Sega employees like developer and engineer Yu Suzuki, who helped bring many of these games to life, and who shares new insights into how Sega was able to dominate arcades until arcades stopped being a thing.

 

[MIKA27]

The Next Planet Of The Apes Movie Will Continue 'Caesar's Legacy'

We learned late last year that the Planet of the Apes franchise would not end with 2017's War for the Planet of the Apes, something that had actually been rumoured since shortly after that acclaimed film’s release. And now, we know that the new Apes film won’t be another reboot, but rather a continuation of the saga.

This comes via the Twitter of director Wes Ball (the Maze Runner series), who is known for being a straight shooter on social media (he’s the one who shared that reel from the scrapped Mouse Guard adaptation last year, which he’d been on board to direct until it became a casualty of Disney’s Fox acquisition). In December, we learned that Disney (which now owns the Apes franchise thanks to that same Fox acquisition) had tapped Ball to work on a new Apes film, but the reports didn’t specify much more than that.

Over the weekend, however, the director (after tut-tutting “It’s never been easier for film journalists to actually get in touch with the actual people who actually know... but maybe it’s the point to NOT fact-check these days?”) confirmed that “Regardless. Don’t worry. I won’t ruin the surprises, but it’s safe to say Caesar’s legacy will continue...”

We like his style. While there’s no big reveal there—back in December, after his involvement was announced, Ball tweeted “I’ll say this about Apes... I grew up on the original and absolutely love the previous trilogy. I would only do this if I felt I could offer something special while still honouring what’s come before. We have something that’s shaping up to be an awesome chapter to this franchise”—that’s enough of a nugget to get us even more excited for another round with those incredibly well-rendered damn dirty apes.

[Fuzz]

21 minutes ago, MIKA27 said:

A New Book About Sega Includes Incredibly Detailed Pop-Up Paper Models Of Its Iconic Arcade Games

 

I have fond memories playing Out Run and After Burner in the 80s. The bowling alley where I first played them is still around, but it is in very poor condition.

[MIKA27]

Breitling Relaunches A Limited-Edition Replica Of Its 1953 Co-Pilot Chronograph

With a rich history spanning some 136 years, it’s frankly unsurprising that elite Swiss horological outfit, Breitling occasionally feels compelled to reach back in time to launch rereleased versions of some of its most iconic watches. And the latest model singled out for a revamp is the brand’s Co-Pilot Ref. 765 from 1953.

This stunning recreation retains most, if not all of the original pilot watch’s details, from the Arabic numerals, to the 15-minute and 12-hour chronograph counters, to the hand-applied Super-Luminova color, to the identical 41.1mm case, bezel, and hand-wound Caliber B09 movement. The only departures from the original design are the recreations’ water resistance rating — which has been increased to 30 meters — and the “GENEVE” is no longer present on the dial. Breitling will be launching three versions of the AVI Ref. 765 1953 Edition: an $8,600 black-faced and banded, steel-cased version; a $22,850 18k Red Gold version; and a top-shelf $39,900 bare platinum-cased variant with a blue face — of which Breitling will be producing 1,953, 253, and 153 units respectively. All three Breitling AVI 1953 Edition (and Re-Edition) chronograph watches are currently available for preorder on the manufacturer’s website.

 

[MIKA27]

7 minutes ago, Fuzz said:

I have fond memories playing Out Run and After Burner in the 80s. The bowling alley where I first played them is still around, but it is in very poor condition.

You and me both mate!!  I sincerely miss the days of the local arcade, hell, even the local Blockbuster playing TMNT etc.

[MIKA27]

Pagani Unleashes Its Most Powerful V12 Ever With The Track-Bred 827HP Imola

In early 2011 Pagani introduced the world to its current flagship mid-engine machine with the Huayra. The successor to the Zonda, the Huayra set a new benchmark in hypercar performance, promoting Top Gear Magazine to it “Hypercar Of The Year.” And as undeniably impressive as the Huayra is, the elite auto outfit has now taken it one step further with the new Imola hypercar.

Named after the iconic — and extremely technical — 17-turn race track, the Imola features an even-more massaged version of the Huayra’s AMG-sourced 6.0L 60-degree V12, now putting down 827hp and 811ft-lbs of torque. Thanks to a lightweight carbo-titanium monocoque chassis and more than 750 forged or CNC-machined components, the Imola weighs in at just 2,637 (dry). The thing also benefits Pagani’s new Acquarello Light painting system which is said to add another 11lbs of lightness. Furthering the Imola’s track-focused nature are Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, a race exhaust system from Arrow, and a seven-speed transmission with an electromechanical differential. Much of the bodywork design has been carried over, albeit the Imola also gets a roof-mounted ram-air scoop and a massive (adaptive) rear wing. Priced at £5M ($5.42M American) and limited to just 5 units worldwide, every Pagani Imola specimen has already been spoken for.

[MIKA27]

Microsoft Sheds More Light On Xbox Series X Performance And Features

While Microsoft is still keeping some info under wraps, just ahead of its expected full reveal at E3 in June, Microsoft has released some more details about its upcoming flagship console: the Xbox Series X.

Sadly, there’s still no word on its price or release date, but based on what Microsoft did share, the Xbox Series X is shaping up to be a pretty powerful machine. Without naming a specific CPU or GPU, Microsoft says the Xbox Series X will be powered by AMD’s Zen 2 and RDNA 2 architectures. This means we’re most likely looking at chips based on a 7nm process and graphics performance that’s similar to or better than what you get from current first-gen RDNA graphics cards like the AMD 5700.

All told, Microsoft claims the Xbox Series X will offer four times the processing power you get from today’s Xbox One. However, what’s even more important than raw computing power are some of the fancy rendering techniques the Xbox Series X’s hardware can deliver.

Thanks to variable rate shading (VRS), the Series X’s GPU will be able to prioritise certain special effects rather than waste time refreshing every pixel on the screen, which should improve overall performance and help boost framerates. Microsoft also says that the Series X will support hardware-accelerated raytraced graphics in Direct X, which is something that’s currently only available on PCs.

Microsoft is also touting a “next-gen” SSD that will support larger, more dynamics worlds, though this is something we’ve heard about in previous teases back when the Xbox Series X was still known only as Project Scarlett. Microsoft also mentioned new features like dynamic latency input (DLI)—which is designed to reduce the input latency of the Xbox’s wireless controllers—and could help fast-paced titles like shooters and fighting games feel more responsive.

And as we’ve seen touted on a lot of new consoles, Microsoft is teasing an improved sleep feature called Quick Resume which allows you to launch multiple games “from a suspended state almost instantly.” This is something Sony made a big deal about with the PS4, and while Sony’s implementation has become pretty decent in recent years, it’s never quite lived up to the dream of truly instant wake times, so it’ll be interesting to see how Quick Resume pans out on the Series X.

But perhaps one of the most tantalising new features for the Series X is the inclusion of HDMI 2.1 and variable refresh rates that support framerates up to 120 fps. Now technically, the current Xbox One S and Xbox One X can pump out 120 fps depending on the game, but with much beefier graphics powering the Series X and a wider range of related features and advanced rendering methods, Microsoft seems poised to usher in a new era of high-refresh gaming on consoles.

And for anyone with an older Xbox console, it’s also nice to know that the Xbox Series X will be fully backward compatible with Xbox One games and controllers, along with Microsoft’s growing catalogue of backward compatible games from the Xbox 360 and original Xbox.

Meanwhile, for anyone planning on keeping their old Xbox One around, Microsoft created a neat new feature called Smart Delivery that allows gamers to buy one copy of a game that will work across both the new Series X and older Xbox Ones, with graphics and settings optimised for whichever console you’re using at the time. Microsoft says Smart Delivery will be featured on all exclusive Xbox Game Studio games such as Halo Infinite, but it will also be an optional feature available to third-party developers if they want.

In the end, while much of the Series X’s success will depend on its price and launch titles, Microsoft’s next Xbox is looking like a pretty well-rounded console. But a lot can change between now and E3, and with recent reports claiming Sony is struggling to keep the cost of manufacturing the PS5 below $US450 ($680), the battle for next-gen console supremacy is still very much up for grabs.

MIKA: I don't understand why people complain about the cost of a games console considering even at it's worst, at $700 it is far below a gaming PC cost. Also, games consoles last their generation vs a PC which you have to upgrade throughout it's lifetime. Shut up and take my money Playstation...