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weirdmarioenemies · 4 years ago

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Name: Magician

Debut: Avenging Spirit

Hello! On this, the final Funky Friday of Pride Month, I would like to share my transition goals with you. It’s this. One day, I will look a little something a-like this, once they invent the ability for eyes to glow from within a void.

I love when characters have an eyes-in-a-void face, and you know that, but Magician here has become one of my favorites recently! Maybe it’s the more humanoid yet still dumpily-proportioned body type compared to some others, or the bold choice of a cat-eared hood instead of any sort of hat, or the fact that they’re fully playable, and fun to play as. Probably all three! But before I go further, I should probably explain what Avenging Spirit is in the first place!

Avenging Spirit is a 2D platformer, originally for arcades, that was also ported to Game Boy in what, strangely, may actually be the better version! You play as a Cute Ghost, whose physical body happened to have been murdered by some Goons in the intro cutscene. Constantly running out of ghost energy, you must possess other characters to survive, and in doing so use their unique abilities to succeed, like Ghost Kirby but mandatory!

If you did already know about this game, there is a good chance it is because of the box art. Avenging Spirit has one of, if not THE funniest localized box art situations of all time! The Japanese and European box arts communicate that, yes, this is a game about a Funny Ghost first and foremost, and show a variety of other characters that you will be able to play as. The American box art, on the other hand, has decided that the single most important aspect of the game is that it has Mafia Goons. If I was looking for a game with a whole lot of playable characters and saw that box, I would think, “well that game probably only lets you play as a Mafia Goon”, and move along. I honestly don’t know what prompted me to look into the game more, which led me to buy it on the 3DS eShop, so long ago! Maybe the box art was just so funny I had to see what it was all about!

And what it’s all about is playing as a funny magician being piloted by a ghost! No longer just an enemy, you can PLAY AS a funny void-faced magician as early as the second level, and never have to switch to another host if you don’t want to! With a floaty jump and a Magic Blast projectile, the Magician is quite viable, too. Basically you SHOULD play as Magician and only Magician. Now, would you believe me if I told you changed my main partway through the game?

...I switched from one Magician to another, funnier, more powerful one! Now, overall I do prefer the more versatile dot eyes of the light magician, but the dark magician’s goofy planarian eyes are DELIGHTFUL and I have no problem at all converting to them. The dark magician also has a Lightning Bolt instead of a Magic Blast, which does more damage, and they have more health as well! I legitimately think they are the best character in the game, objectively. They are absolutely the perfect choice for that honor!

The planarian eyes are actually present on both magicians in the arcade version, which means the Game Boy version blessed us with TWO distinct varieties of funny wizard face, making this a sort of enhanced demake, if you ask me. As we can see in the Burned sprite in the arcade version, the magician is actually a Girl under there! This wouldn’t be notable if not for the lack of female void-faced mages in general- this type of design is usually male if gendered, because character designers are too cowardly to make cloaked androgynous beings female. I may not be a Girl under my outer layer (I’m a skeleton), but that doesn’t change the fact that Magician is a big-time kin over here! Also, credit for ripping these sprites goes to ApraxiumRum. You probably already knew that. But just in case you didn’t.

Overall, I do prefer the Game Boy style over the arcade one. I just love big ol’ chunky sprites, I think. And the fact that it’s a Game Boy sprite just makes Magician even more awesome to me! I love those! I’m going to be 16 by 24 pixels in real life someday, too!

#magician #avenging spirit #not mario #funky friday #mod chikako

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whenthesungoesblack · 5 years ago

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@benevolentgentleman

Thanks for asking!! I love when people want to learn about Mexican cuisine! It's so extensive that you'd need to be every abuela to really get a hold of it all, but here's a brief explanation, keep in mind two things: one, my english is not very good, two, I´m speaking from experience here, so I may not be completely accurate

LONG post after the cut:

Oh boy, since I've moved four times around the country (but traveled through 80% of it), I've gotten to know many aspects about Mexican food and the crazy big differences between the different states

First of all, the basics: every single one of the 32 states has its own version of mole, sopes, a dough-dependent drink AND a fried taco-like food (be it burritos, tacos dorados, empanadas, etc) but each one adds or takes whatever may be necessary depending on what the region produces the best

Beans also change depending on the place, the best ones??

Frijoles puercos from Sinaloa, they're a combination of normal beans, but they're fried with various meats (the meats change depending on the municipio you're in!!) the most common is with chorizo and chihuahua cheese, and it's so good, too good

Then there are the normal bayo beans from the Bajío and center, sometimes they're fried with onion, they are okay, but if you've had frijoles puercos, then these are just bad

The ones from the south are black beans! These are cooked, pureed, and then left to dry and become this "maqueta", sort of like a very soft mash, I personally don't like them, in Tabasco (since is a HUGE banana producer) they fry bananas and then add black beans, cream and cheese on top

I could not get a photo of a maqueta, so have a photo of my boy Papillón 😔 RIP

Every state is VERY defensive about their food, often claiming it's the best, I've been to about 80% on the country and the best food comes from Veracruz, Sinaloa and Campeche

Regarding tortillas, flour tortillas become more common the closer you get to the USA, corn tortillas are more common the farther you get from the USA, quality is proportional to quantity, the best flour tortillas are made in the northern states (particularly Sonora) and the best corn tortillas are from southern Veracruz (Coatzacoalcos and Minatitlán)

Seafood it's only consumed in coastal states, the best ones come from the Pacific Ocean side (Baja California, Sinaloa, Nayarit and Colima have the best seafood), Sinaloa carries the best seafood dishes:

Pescado zarandeado: every northern coastal state has its version, the good one is in Sinaloa, fish fillet is marinated with butter and other things and then cooked on coal, pressed by two metal thingies (can't remember the name!)

Aguachile: best one I've ever had was in Nayarit, raw shrimp is covered in lemon juice (which "cooks" it), salsa (green, red or black depending on the chili used), onion and cucumber slices, it's very spicy and you eat it with tostadas (not totopos!! Totopos are meant to be salty! Tostadas are not salty!)

Fried fish speaks for itself

Lobster is very common and somewhat cheap in Campeche

Tabasco has pejelagarto, a river fish (it's very bad!! I hate it!! Also related to the president, whom i also fucking hate)

Tabasco and southern Veracruz carry shrimp tortilla, which is a big gordita filled with shrimp and cheese! It's very good!

Veracruz, Yucatán and Campeche consume minilla, a very meaty fish, it's very good but because it's very common many people don't like it

Marlin is cooked many ways in Sinaloa, mostly in chiles rellenos or in escabeche, best fish you'll ever have, I used to eat it raw when I was a child

Fun fact! My grandpa was a fisherman in Sinaloa, and according to him, seafood gets sent in the following order:

The best goes to Japan

Next is the USA

Then some European countries

Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara

Central states

Northern states

Southern states

Keep in mind he used to work through the 50's until late 2012, a little before he passed away, so this may have changed

Tamales also change depending on where you are, Chiapas and Tabasco carry chipilin tamales (a leaf), Sinaloa carries dried shrimp tamales, central Mexico uses mole and other meats

The "zacahuil" it's like a tamal, it's from Veracruz, it's very soft, I've eaten it once or twice so I can't say much about it, other than it's good

Tamales are cooked and covered in corn leaf on the northern and central states and banana leaf in the southern states

Michoacán carries small, triangular tamales without meat called corundas, these go covered in salsa and are also delicious!

Desserts!!

This is the best part, in the northern states there's these little empanadas filled with cajeta, they are great

Every state carries a dulce de leche soft candy, in Sinaloa they're called "jamoncillos", in Michoacán there's "huesitos" and the common dulce de leche, in Tabasco just "dulce de leche" BUT these are necessary to drink a certain type of pozol

Speaking of Tabasco, the best chocolate in the world is produced by this state, specifically on Comalcalco, it's often unheard of because Switzerland resonates far more than Tabasco, but if you can ever get your hands on a Cacep or Alteza chocolate you will never like any other kind of chocolate anymore

Hot chocolate is very different from hot cocoa, it's made with a special solid chocolate which is then melted and grounded in hot milk, it has to have cinnamon and piloncillo notes to be good and genuine, how do you differentiate between genuine chocolate caliente and hot cocoa?? Chocolate caliente is greasy and forms a thin film when cold called "nata"

Dulce de leche is not the same as cajeta

The best cajeta is produced in Guanajuato

Tabasco also uses fried banana as dessert

Estado de México carries ice cream from cremeria Chalco, which is very popular in central Veracruz, it's basically ice cream with any fruit flavor and then served on said fruit's skin!! It's delicious!!

Michoacán has a candy museum, where the most important thing is the making of ate, what is ate?? Is a fruit-based candy invented by bored nuns during colonial times, it´s crazy good when is fresh, in fact, it´s believed that Sor Juana Inés De La Cruz HERSELF used to indulge in making it! Feminist icon AND candy maker!!!!

Drinks are almost the same everywhere:

Beer is well known

Tequila can only be made in Jalisco

Torito is a sort of coffee and peanut liquor (delicious) and it's often offered as dessert in Veracruz

Pozol is made exclusively in Tabasco, it's made from corn dough dissolved in cold water, often with horchata, cacao or cinnamon, you can drink it sweet or bitter (but with dulce de leche)

Tepache is made from fermented pineapple juice and served with lemon ice cream, served in Jalisco and around it

Champurrado it's served everywhere, it's hot and delicious, corn dough with chocolate or vanilla dissolved in hot water or milk (I think)

Atole is also made from corn, but if I'm not wrong, I believe it's made from cornstarch

The well known horchata, served with strawberry in Jalisco, and coconut in Tabasco

Jamaica it's just hibiscus tea but cold

COFFEE, I will defend Mexican coffee until the day I die, also the best coffee in the world, did you know that only Latin America, Africa and Asia are able to produce coffee?? Did you know that coffee should be extremely expensive but the price is often settled by the USA and Europe because they consume it a lot but can't produce it and refuse to pay coffee-producing countries the real price?? Coffee it's a gift, it comes from a grape-like fruit that only harvests twice a year, it has 11 (yes, ELEVEN) levels of perfection, being 1 soluble coffee, 5 organic coffee you find in stores, and 11 practically impossible to get, in fact, you can only get it in Colima, Veracruz, Colombia, Costa Rica and Thailand (don't quote me on these, it may be in more places), why?? Because enterprises like Nestle have forced the price of coffee to be low regarding of its quality, so coffee producers sell level 5 coffee to get more profit, but you can get level 11 coffee in Café El Viejo, in Comala, Colima (search it, support it, your only regret will be ruining other brands of coffee for the rest of your life, because they will Not Taste The Same), also, there´s Calufe coffee, from Cordoba, Veracruz, they mostly offer the best butter-coffee cookies you´ll ever have in your life

This post is too long, way too long and I apologize, but i´ll have you know i only glazed over it, mexican cuisine is HUGE, but this is all I could think of at the moment

I hope you like it!! Thank you for having an interest in my culture! I love sharing it!

#long post #very long post i'm sorry #mexico #mexican food #i am 100% willing to talk about sor juana and the whole thing about coffee or chocolate

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cicadacreativemag · 4 years ago

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Scoring ugly babies across art history

Anna Dunn, Managing Editor

Anyone visiting an art museum or studying art history has probably encountered a weirdly shaped baby at some point in their life. These long-limbed babies, resembling a small man or wrinkly sock puppet, are a common staple of art from the Middle Ages all the way up into the Renaissance. It seems that no matter the style or medium, European artists could never quite get babies right.

These weirdly rendered babies were inspired by the concept of the “homunculus,” meaning little man. Depictions of one baby in particular, the infant Jesus, was especially prone to be depicted as a little man because it suggested he was born as a perfectly formed man rather than as a inadequate chubby baby.

In order to determine the most cursed baby, I’ll be grading them on a three-part scale.

Proportions: Is the baby like a tiny little man? Or does it, disappointingly, look like an actual baby. We’re going for the most cursed proportions here for five stars.

Attitude: Does this baby look upset? Serious? Or curious, like an actual baby? The more theatrical of an expression or pose, the more attitude stars this cursed baby gets.

Style: Does this baby have a unique flair that only this baby can pull off? Does it radiate je ne sais quoi? We’re looking for star quality here.

Albrecht Dürer, Virgin and Child. 1516.

Proportions: 0/5

Attitude: 5/5

Style: 2/5

This baby looks very normal. He’s chubby, proportioned well, but he’s got the expression of someone who just overhead someone else diss him from across the room. His alertness is a little unsettling. Final score: 2.3/5.

Hans Wechtlin, Virgin and Child. ca. 1510.

Proportions: 2/5

Attitude: 4/5

Style: 3/5

This baby features an exceptional page boy cut that suits his scholarly demeanor. I’m sure he could be more cursed, but I’d surely never like to see this sort of child in a library. Final score: 3/5

Joos van Cleve Netherlandish, Virgin and Child. ca 1525.

Proportions: 1/5

Attitude: 3/5

Style: 5/5

Maybe it’s the strangely mature reclining posture. Maybe it’s the little baby hand tightly gripping onto an orange despite the fact that this baby is very much asleep. But this baby overflows with some sort of latent psionic power that leaves me with a cold sweat. Despite his babyish body and calm face, this baby has got some great cursed energy. Final score: 3/5.

Duccio di Buoninsegna, Madonna and Child. 1290–1300 CE.

Proportions: 5/5

Attitude: 1/5

Style: 3/5

This baby has got those classic homunculus proportions, which complement his exceptionally grey skin tone. I would love to see what he’s capable of in a few years once he gains a neck and can access some foundation. Final score: 3/5.

Barnaba da Modena, Madonna With Child. 1367.

Proportions: 2/5

Attitude: 1/5

Style: 3/5

This baby is attempting some attitude, but it’s toned down by his babylike features and neutral expression. He almost looks cute. He may be a winner in his own right, but this certainly isn’t the kind of cursed baby the crowds go wild for. Final score: 3.3/5. Next!

Workshop of Dieric Bouts, Virgin and Child. 1475–99.

Proportions: 5/5

Attitude: 3/5

Style: 2/5

This baby looks like the artist only realized he should be fat after he already drew in the skinny little body. He’s got the little baby fat dimples over a skinny legend frame. However, I do appreciate his little forehead curl. Final score: 3.3/5.

Master of Guillaume Lambert, Virgin and Child. ca. 1485.

Proportions: 4/5

Attitude: 3/5

Style: 3/5

He’s blue. And maybe a bit stoned?

Final score: 3.3/5

Master of the Life of Saint John the Baptist, Madonna and Child with Angels. Not dated.

Proportions: 5/5

Attitude: 5/5

Style: 2/5

By all accounts, this baby is an upgrade of Duccio di Buoninsegna’s. He may have lost that charming grey hue, but this guy excels in cursed long limbs and enough attitude to bat away his mother’s face. What looked almost loving in Buoninsegna’s baby’s posture looks upset and almost catty in this one. He’s got the diva energy, and we love to see it. Final score: 4/5

Maerten van Heemskerck, detail of St. Luke Painting the Virgin, 1532.

Proportions: 5/5

Attitude: 5/5

Style: 4/5

I want to give this baby a perfect 5/5 cursed rating right here right now. This baby has got everything: rippling muscles, a full head of perfectly waves hair, and an obvious predisposition for bloodlust. His mother is clearly holding him back from a battle he would most surely win. However, these chiseled bodies are a dime a dozen in early Renaissance art and that doesn’t exclude babies. As frighteningly ripped as this baby is, he’s not the only one, so I’m bumping him down on the style scale. Still, I’m giving this baby a near-perfect score because I’m almost sure he started - and ended - some European war. Final score: 4.7/5

Bartolo di Fredi, The Adoration of the Magi. 1390.

Proportions: 4/5

Attitude: 5/5

Style: 5/5

Absolutely OBSESSED with what this baby’s bringing to the table. I hope he touches my forehead with his clammy little, fully articulated hand. Final score: 4.6/5

Luca Signorelli (Luca d'Egidio di Luca di Ventura), Madonna and Child. ca. 1505–7.

Proportions: 1/5

Attitude: 3/5

Style: 5/5

I genuinely feel disgusted by the energy this baby radiates. It’s not just cursed but filled with intentional malice. Please don’t stare at this baby for more than 3 seconds at a time. Final score: oh my god get it away from me i don’t care about totaling up the numbers this is a 5/5.

#anna

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jesusvasser · 7 years ago

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2017 Los Angeles Auto Show Hits, Misses, & Revelations

LOS ANGELES, California—This year’s Automobility/L.A. Auto Show was much like the last couple of years, only more so. Which is to say that on paper, there were a number of significant reveals, led by Fiat Chrysler’s very important and very profitable JL Jeep Wrangler.

Still, at the end of the day, the 2017 L.A. Auto Show left us, at best, whelmed. Perhaps it’s because more and more, the auto show plays second-fiddle to the advanced technology that is the centerpiece of Automobility, which wraps discussion of autonomy and electric-powered vehicles around reveals of the shiny new cars and trucks.

If you attend the public Los Angeles Auto Show, December 1 to 10, you might see things a bit differently. Here’s what we saw this year…

HIT: JL Jeep Wrangler

It’s lighter by 200 pounds, it’s more easily convertible, and it is extremely Jeep. The all-new two-door and four-door 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL models will please the marque’s faithful and entice four-wheeling neophytes. The four-door has a power top that removes very quickly and easily, there’s an optional open-air pass-through in the middle of each front door, and the windshield folds down for the full open-air experience.

—Kara Snow

I’m no off-road outdoorsy type, but the latest iteration of this American classic makes me want to convert. As typical for Jeep, there are so many surprise-and-delight features that I can’t guarantee my introductory news story of the debut is comprehensive. Hardcore fans will love the new Wrangler’s interior spec plate, recalling the original Willys MB’s dash plate, the fold-down windshield and the door hinges stamped with the tool number needed to remove them. The masses who bought the first-generation Wrangler Unlimited will want to trade in for easy-to-lower tops and subtle refinement that doesn’t at all diminish its hard-core image.

—Todd Lassa

MISS: JL Jeep Wrangler pricing

Although Jeep promised to give us prices for the new JL models at the show, they weren’t ready to reveal just yet. Naturally, we’re fearing a big increase.

—K.S.

HIT: BMW i8 Roadster

There wasn’t a whole lot that BMW could do to make its i8 PHEV GT coupe cooler, but converting it into a roadster by ripping out the vestigial rear seats and dispensing with the fixed roof is a great way to do it.

—Kirill Ougarov

HIT: Porsche 718 Boxster/Cayman GTS

Its 2.5-liter turbo H-4 makes 365 hp, and top speed is 180 mph.

—Robert Cumberford

HIT: 2019 Lincoln Nautilus

The name may be a bit too dramatic for a fancy Ford Edge, but not only does the arrival of the 2019 Lincoln Nautilus signal the end of the brand’s confusing MK_ naming scheme (it’s the artist formerly known as the MKX, in case you’re one of the five people out there that could keep track), the midsize crossover wears the best interpretation of Lincoln’s current design language to date, suffering none of the proportional indignities of the Continental, Navigator, and MKC.

—K.O.

MISS: 2019 Lincoln MKC

The looks for the facelifted 2019 Lincoln MKC are a bit wonky, but that’s not the miss here. The miss is the missed opportunity to do away with the MKC name, as was done with the Nautilus, née MKX. This likely means that the Ford Edge-based compact crossover will be the last Lincoln to get a proper name.

—K.O.

MISS: Volvo XC40

I just can’t warm up to the new compact Volvo SUV. It looks short, stubby, and inelegant compared with the longer, nicely proportioned XC90, which I think is still the best SUV in its class. Though the interior is appropriately premium and well-designed, with excellent fit and finish, from the outside, the Volvo looks no more upscale than the Nissan Kicks.

—T.L.

REVELATION: Subscription is the new lease

This week at the L.A. show, Volvo announced its new “Care By Volvo” plan, a “subscription” program that it is rolling out nationwide on its consumer Web site volvocars.com/us, starting with its new XC40 compact crossover. The concept is simple, you choose either a Momentum or R-Design trim XC40 that you can configure, and everything else is covered: insurance, maintenance, payment, down payment, etc., and they deliver the car to you—no dealer required. The term starts at 24 months, but you can switch cars in as little as 12 months if you like. Mileage is capped at 15,000 a year. All for $600 a month to start. There is some fine print, namely around insurance (Liberty Mutual is the partner) and it’s fun to hear Volvo Cars global CEO, Hakan Samuelsson, and newly minted Volvo Car USA CEO, Anders Gustafsson, use the word “lease” a couple of times as they did in describing the program to me.

—Mike Floyd

HIT: Reds a.k.a CHTC Redspace

Chris Bangle is thinking inside the box for a change. Reds is one of the most refreshing concepts to emerge in a long time. It’s not made for Americans and most folks will hate it, but I love its childish, Toontown looks and the idea of a car that’s designed from the inside out—definitely next level stuff. A woman at the show told Bangle it was beautiful and he was taken back—he doesn’t think it is but appreciated the comment. Beauty is obviously in the eye of the beholder.

—Ed Tahaney

MISS: CHTC Redspace

It lacks charm, beauty, grace… most of the attributes we tend to seek in cars, but the Redspace city vehicle is the most interesting device in the L.A. Auto Show, apparently all about maximizing interior volume to enhance comfort while its occupants are stuck in traffic, which is estimated to be about 90-percent of the time the thing is in operation, at least in such target-market cities as Beijing. Chris Bangle’s return to car design shows us why he should have foregone the opportunity. Dreadful object. Not a car, a street fixture. Most massive A-pillar ever.

—R.C.

REVELATION: CHTC Redspace is an appliance

It looks like a huge, rolling coffee grinder. That’s not necessarily a criticism; I love coffee.

—T.L.

HIT: Volkswagen I.D. Crozz EV Crossover Concept

Volkswagen’s autonomous I.D. concept looks like a cloud with wheels. And although it’s just a concept, it’s easy to believe a ride in this all-electric vehicle would be as silent as a fluffy altocumulus. Big points for the airy, spacious interior (although it’s 6 inches shorter than the Golf) with futuristic seats, a panoramic full-glass roof, and a steering wheel that folds forward into the dash when the driver isn’t needed. Look for it in 2020.

—K.S.

HIT: Jaguar’s show stand

Jaguar pointed its upcoming i-Pace electric SUV and related spec series electric racer, parked in parallel, straight at the Tesla Model 3 on its stand across the aisle. The Jaguar i-Pace is scheduled to go on sale late next year. Wonder, which EV will reach full production first.

—T.L.

MISS: 2018 Chrysler 300

Seems to have lost all the charm it once possessed. Too bad. This nth reskin of an ancient Mercedes chassis was costly.

—R.C.

REVELATION: The Multilink from Infiniti’s Variable Compression Engine

On the surface, Infiniti’s sculpted QX50 has been received as a design hit. But beneath the crossover’s wavy sheetmetal is a deeper story: the world’s first series production variable compression ratio engine. Christian Meunier, Infiniti’s VP Global Marketing and Sales, shared his thoughts with Automobile on the 2.0-liter VC-Turbo engine’s unique bits, which he compared to “parts of a Swiss watch” while flashing an elegant Jaeger-LeCoutre Reverso on his wrist. Case in point: the palm-sized multilink component, which serves as the lynchpin for altering piston clearance and varying the compression ratio from 8:1 to 14:1. “The manufacturing tolerance on it is greater than anything we’ve ever done,” he explains. “It’s one thing to produce it, and another to mass produce it.” While the QX50 on display drew the attention of onloookers, this small hunk of steel tells the arguably more intriguing story of the 20-year struggle to bring a variable compression ratio engine to market.

—Basem Wasef

HIT: Kia lineup

Kia is a surprise to me. Stinger is quite good looking, and Kia’s number-one rating in initial quality is excellent. Obviously European stylists have made a major contribution to the current status of the make.

—R.C.

MISS: Toyota FT-AC concept

I really wanted to like it and make it a “hit.” But I find it an overdrawn take on the new Subaru Crosstrek. Toyota’s Jack Hollis describes it as a crossover, though it has torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive with front and rear lockers. It’s a tweener, size-wise, bigger than a RAV4, but not quite a mid-size vehicle. One of its best features is a built-in rear-bumper bike rack that can accommodate just one bike, though it isn’t any different from this SUV-concept trope we’ve seen at auto shows for years. Plus, the rack is probably three-times the weight of the Specialized mountain bike attached to it. Meanwhile, there are huge, 20-inch tires mostly filling large Crosstrek-style black plastic overfenders, though these overfenders extend out from the bodywork, which doesn’t seem very aerodynamic. While Toyota hints the FT-AC is headed for production, the concept doesn’t have an interior. Toyota’s TJ Cruiser at October’s Tokyo Motor Show came with an innovative interior, and though bigger, boxier and more minivan-like, that concept was one of my hits.

—T.L.

REVELATION: Land Rover’s 1 Percenter Drafting

The likes of Bentley, Rolls-Royce, and Lamborghini are making it a lot less lonely at the top of the SUV pyramid, but you needn’t shed a tear for O.G. luxury offroad manufacturer Land Rover. “You wouldn’t have bought a Range Rover for more than £90,000 ten years ago; now, we sell quite a lot of £160,000, £170,000 Range Rovers,” Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicles Operations boss John Edwards told Automobile. “Customers are coming to us and spending another £30,000 on top of that bespoking them. We’ll do probably 250 bespoke cars this year.” Can we expect a new Super SUV from Land Rover to play with the (even bigger) boys? Edwards was mum on future product, but emphasized that competition has made business better than ever. “People always used to tell me, particularly when Bentley was going to be introducing an SUV, ‘You must be really nervous, this is terrible news.’ I’d say, ‘This is fantastic news because it’s going to grow the market; I’m very respectful of Bentley but what they’ve done is expanded the marketplace and provided us with an opportunity. Our business has benefitted massively from that marketplace growing. It is crowded and becoming more crowded, but it’s becoming stronger.”

—B.W.

HIT: Sonders electric three-wheeler

This is probably another pipe dream, but it’s really well styled, very professional, has a believable layout (unlike tandem two-seaters) and could work. But the $10,000 price? That’s a pipe dream.

—R.C.

MISS: Ampere 1 three-wheel electric sports car

A very crude prototype that should never have been presented in public. “With a range of up to 100 miles.” Yeah, sure.

—R.C.

HIT: Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

With their overwrought side surfacing, the first- and second-generation Mercedes CLS-Classes looked especially awkward where the rear haunches met the rakish four-door “coupe” profile. The new CLS, like the E-Class on which is based, has a much cleaner profile, resolving the issue. And now there’s room for three, not two, in the back seat.

—T.L.

HIT: 2019 Subaru Ascent

The last time Subaru tried to make a three-row SUV, things didn’t work out too well—but the less said about the bygone Tribeca, the better. The automaker did a good job of scaling up its current design language for the Ascent, which looks like a meatier Outback. Now, Subaru owners with growing families will no longer be forced to look elsewhere, so Subaru’s absurd streak of increasing sales for 71 months in a row is nearly certain to continue.

—K.O.

Hit? More like a home run for Subaru.

—E.T.

REVELATION – Mercedes-Benz’s (Inscrutable) 48 Volt Inline-6 Engine

Mercedes-Benz’s arc-shaped CLS has long been considered the sleeker (and less functional) cousin to the workaday E-Class. But the CLS 450 unveiled at the L.A. Auto Show packs a secret weapon that should appeal to anyone with an appreciation for mechanical elegance: Daimler’s latest, greatest, 48-volt-equipped inline-6 powerplant. I was smitten by the mild hybrid engine’s smooth power and imperceptible start/stop action during our first drive of a Europe-only S-Class. Using an integrated starter/generator, the powerplant produces a baseline of 362 hp and 369 lb-ft, adding another 21 hp and 184 lb-ft when electric assistance (aka, EQ Boost) kicks in. But how will Benz pull in non-techy, design focused consumers towards the advanced powertrain? I posed the question to Dietmar Exler, Mercedes-Benz USA’s president and CEO, who answered, “We have to find a way to communicate what the technology really does. When you ask a non-gearhead ‘What’s a Hemi engine?’ I’ll bet you 90 percent of consumers don’t know about hemispheric combustion chambers. But they all know it means more power.” Until Mercedes comes up with a one-word answer to that marketing conundrum, I’ll say this: driving is believing.

—B.W.

HIT: Ram pickup and Chevrolet Silverado High Country backup cameras

If you’ve ever towed a trailer or had a payload in the back of your truck that necessitated leaving the tailgate down, you know how that ordinary backup cameras can be useless. That’s why it was good to see on display with Ram and Chevrolet some well-developed trailering camera systems. The Silverado High Country on the show floor featured a standard three-camera trailering system by EchoMaster. Cameras on each side mirror activate with the turn signals and display on the infotainment screen. There’s also a wireless backup camera to place on the back of your trailer. Options include a front camera kit, a second wireless camera, and a third brakelight camera kit.

—K.S.

HIT: Bollinger Motors B 1

Stupidly primitive as is its styling, it’s full of interesting ideas on storage in an electric 4X4. And like the original Land Rover, it should be easy to repair.

—R.C.

REVELATION: Reports of the death of the conventional car are greatly exaggerated

For the last few years, the Los Angeles auto show had largely focused on green cars, with some self-driving car chatter thrown in for good measure. That went out the window this year despite increasing proclamations about the looming deaths of the internal combustion engine and the human-driven automobile. Instead, we were treated to hot convertibles, brawny sedans, and gas-chugging SUVs, none of which have any plans on driving themselves. Maybe we should focus on improving driver training after all.

—K.O.

HIT: JL Jeep Wrangler press kit

For at least 20 years, Chrysler/DaimlerChrysler/Chrysler Group/Fiat Chrysler has created the best traditional press kits, even as everyone else migrated to thumb drives, then to special websites. A thick booklet describing all the myriad features of the new Jeep Wrangler comes in a wood-and-brass box, with a brass-colored thumb drive and a Jeep grille-theme mini-speaker. You can probably find them offered up on eBay, but not from me. I’m keeping mine.

—T.L.

REVELATION: Mitsubishi Mirage hatch is cute

…but not too impressive on fuel mileage.

—R.C.

HIT: Dodge Durango SRT

Dodge agrees with those of us who believe SUVs can be slow, boring blah-mobiles. Just because you need a seven-seater doesn’t mean you don’t want a little power. That’s why they stuck a 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 in the new Durango SRT with 475 horsepower, 470 lb-ft of torque and—get this—a 0-60-mph time of 4.4 seconds. Pile all of your friends into the luxe interior of this beast and show them that bigger is indeed better. But where is our Durango Demon?

—K.S.

REVELATION: Car magazines can’t wait to write the first-drive headline, “Nissan Kicks Ass”

There. We’ve done it already.

—T.L.

The post 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show Hits, Misses, & Revelations appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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jonathanbelloblog · 7 years ago

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2017 Los Angeles Auto Show Hits, Misses, & Revelations

If you attend the public Los Angeles Auto Show, December 1 to 10, you might see things a bit differently. Here’s what we saw this year…

HIT: JL Jeep Wrangler

—Kara Snow

—Todd Lassa

MISS: JL Jeep Wrangler pricing

Although Jeep promised to give us prices for the new JL models at the show, they weren’t ready to reveal just yet. Naturally, we’re fearing a big increase.

—K.S.

HIT: BMW i8 Roadster

—Kirill Ougarov

HIT: Porsche 718 Boxster/Cayman GTS

Its 2.5-liter turbo H-4 makes 365 hp, and top speed is 180 mph.

—Robert Cumberford

HIT: 2019 Lincoln Nautilus

—K.O.

MISS: 2019 Lincoln MKC

—K.O.

MISS: Volvo XC40

—T.L.

REVELATION: Subscription is the new lease

—Mike Floyd

HIT: Reds a.k.a CHTC Redspace

—Ed Tahaney

MISS: CHTC Redspace

—R.C.

REVELATION: CHTC Redspace is an appliance

It looks like a huge, rolling coffee grinder. That’s not necessarily a criticism; I love coffee.

—T.L.

HIT: Volkswagen I.D. Crozz EV Crossover Concept

—K.S.

HIT: Jaguar’s show stand

—T.L.

MISS: 2018 Chrysler 300

Seems to have lost all the charm it once possessed. Too bad. This nth reskin of an ancient Mercedes chassis was costly.

—R.C.

REVELATION: The Multilink from Infiniti’s Variable Compression Engine

—Basem Wasef

HIT: Kia lineup

—R.C.

MISS: Toyota FT-AC concept

—T.L.

REVELATION: Land Rover’s 1 Percenter Drafting

—B.W.

HIT: Sonders electric three-wheeler

—R.C.

MISS: Ampere 1 three-wheel electric sports car

A very crude prototype that should never have been presented in public. “With a range of up to 100 miles.” Yeah, sure.

—R.C.

HIT: Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

—T.L.

HIT: 2019 Subaru Ascent

—K.O.

Hit? More like a home run for Subaru.

—E.T.

REVELATION – Mercedes-Benz’s (Inscrutable) 48 Volt Inline-6 Engine

—B.W.

HIT: Ram pickup and Chevrolet Silverado High Country backup cameras

—K.S.

HIT: Bollinger Motors B 1

Stupidly primitive as is its styling, it’s full of interesting ideas on storage in an electric 4X4. And like the original Land Rover, it should be easy to repair.

—R.C.

REVELATION: Reports of the death of the conventional car are greatly exaggerated

—K.O.

HIT: JL Jeep Wrangler press kit

—T.L.

REVELATION: Mitsubishi Mirage hatch is cute

…but not too impressive on fuel mileage.

—R.C.

HIT: Dodge Durango SRT

—K.S.

REVELATION: Car magazines can’t wait to write the first-drive headline, “Nissan Kicks Ass”

There. We’ve done it already.

—T.L.

The post 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show Hits, Misses, & Revelations appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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eddiejpoplar · 7 years ago

Text

2017 Los Angeles Auto Show Hits, Misses, & Revelations

If you attend the public Los Angeles Auto Show, December 1 to 10, you might see things a bit differently. Here’s what we saw this year…

HIT: JL Jeep Wrangler

—Kara Snow

—Todd Lassa

MISS: JL Jeep Wrangler pricing

Although Jeep promised to give us prices for the new JL models at the show, they weren’t ready to reveal just yet. Naturally, we’re fearing a big increase.

—K.S.

HIT: BMW i8 Roadster

—Kirill Ougarov

HIT: Porsche 718 Boxster/Cayman GTS

Its 2.5-liter turbo H-4 makes 365 hp, and top speed is 180 mph.

—Robert Cumberford

HIT: 2019 Lincoln Nautilus

—K.O.

MISS: 2019 Lincoln MKC

—K.O.

MISS: Volvo XC40

—T.L.

REVELATION: Subscription is the new lease

—Mike Floyd

HIT: Reds a.k.a CHTC Redspace

—Ed Tahaney

MISS: CHTC Redspace

—R.C.

REVELATION: CHTC Redspace is an appliance

It looks like a huge, rolling coffee grinder. That’s not necessarily a criticism; I love coffee.

—T.L.

HIT: Volkswagen I.D. Crozz EV Crossover Concept

—K.S.

HIT: Jaguar’s show stand

—T.L.

MISS: 2018 Chrysler 300

Seems to have lost all the charm it once possessed. Too bad. This nth reskin of an ancient Mercedes chassis was costly.

—R.C.

REVELATION: The Multilink from Infiniti’s Variable Compression Engine

—Basem Wasef

HIT: Kia lineup

—R.C.

MISS: Toyota FT-AC concept

—T.L.

REVELATION: Land Rover’s 1 Percenter Drafting

—B.W.

HIT: Sonders electric three-wheeler

—R.C.

MISS: Ampere 1 three-wheel electric sports car

A very crude prototype that should never have been presented in public. “With a range of up to 100 miles.” Yeah, sure.

—R.C.

HIT: Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

—T.L.

HIT: 2019 Subaru Ascent

—K.O.

Hit? More like a home run for Subaru.

—E.T.

REVELATION – Mercedes-Benz’s (Inscrutable) 48 Volt Inline-6 Engine

—B.W.

HIT: Ram pickup and Chevrolet Silverado High Country backup cameras

—K.S.

HIT: Bollinger Motors B 1

Stupidly primitive as is its styling, it’s full of interesting ideas on storage in an electric 4X4. And like the original Land Rover, it should be easy to repair.

—R.C.

REVELATION: Reports of the death of the conventional car are greatly exaggerated

—K.O.

HIT: JL Jeep Wrangler press kit

—T.L.

REVELATION: Mitsubishi Mirage hatch is cute

…but not too impressive on fuel mileage.

—R.C.

HIT: Dodge Durango SRT

—K.S.

REVELATION: Car magazines can’t wait to write the first-drive headline, “Nissan Kicks Ass”

There. We’ve done it already.

—T.L.

The post 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show Hits, Misses, & Revelations appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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allfineundandy · 7 years ago

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Demystifying the Dress Code

Often the most anxiety inducing of occasions, the dreaded moment where the invitation drops through the letter box with the ominous dress code…This is the moment gentleman, that oft separates the boys from the men, and as we always say, you can’t make a first impression twice.

So, whether it be black tie, business casual or cocktail, permit us to guide you through, so you can execute with effortless ease, the attire...whatever the occasion.

Black Tie

Although black tie might seem like the most obvious of all the dress codes, it’s actually one of the hardest because with it comes the obviousness of inappropriate details. You’ll stand out a mile if even the smallest detail is askew. Although many will rent a tux for this kind of occasion, if you can it’s absolutely worth investing in a tailored tuxedo. If the proportions are wrong on a tux, trust us, it really, really shows.

An overlooked but vital detail to get right is that the facing (and always peak) lapel should be in the same material as the trouser braiding. If you can afford to go for a silk version over a satin style you’ll win extra kudos points as well as a material that will last. The jacket should have no vents as the silhouette should be clean and elegant. Pair with a turn down collar and double cuffs, a wing collar is exclusively for white tie events. And don’t overlook technique when it comes to tying the bow tie, Youtube my friend, is your best friend. Trousers sans pleats are de riguer and always plain hemmed.

Patent and un-brogued should always be your thought when it comes to your choice of accompanying footwear, so you simply can’t go wrong with the fool proof ‘15 by James. Designed with the suavest of them all (007) in mind, this pair of hand crafted black patent dress shoes with an elegant European toe, will be a wardrobe staple for years to come. Simply slip on your tailored tux and you’ll be the man every man wants to be, and every woman wants to be with. Don’t forget, shaken and definitely not stirred.

Cocktail Soiree

Oft’ the go to dress code, this is the one that you need to absolutely nail, due to its recurring nature. Not to be confused with Black Tie, cocktail is where you can let your imagination run free. A semi-formal, cocktail affair although requires a little more refinement and dare we say it, a dash of sprezzatura is always vital in this dress code. For an evening soiree, try a three-piece suit in dark navy or grey or if you really want to push the boat out try burgundy. Patterns should be minimal, and adhere to a small windowpane check or pinstripe. Adding a pocket square will give a sartorial flourish. Your biggest trump card here is texture, play with it on ties (think wool and flannels) shirts and jackets. And with regards to the cocktail soiree shoes you should look no further than the ‘15 by Yuri Zhivago, which will keep a superior sign off on the look.

Afternoon Cocktail

Warmer climates and less formal afternoon cocktail events calls for a light cotton or linen suit in a classic palette. Keep the laidback aesthetic on point by taking a leaf out of tailoring reformist, Giorgi Armani’s unstructured approach to suiting. Of course, like pasta, art and romance, the Italians tend to do this unstructured tailoring best, using classic looking fabrics to create lighter versions of the more traditional sports jacket. This type of tailoring allows the wearer to feel smart without be too done, perfect for the afternoon or a European wedding and the unstructured jacket tends to travel better than traditional suits. Regarding your choice of footwear, the ‘15 by Gianni is your sole mate for this less formal occasion. Featuring light sand soles with a simple Oxford, these versatile shoes give off just the right amount of savoir faire.

Business

This arena of dress code should be the easiest, but in recent years it has become slightly more flamboyant. As always, we’d recommend to stick to the classics for this one. No-one wants to be the awkward one wearing a jazzy tie and shirt combo. Yes, this man will be noticed, but you can guarantee he won’t be getting that promotion. Instead as always, wow them by being conspicuously inconspicuous. Stick to neutral shades for shirts and suits. Although a tie is optional, you’re better off adding one for top marks. Although your palette may be muted express yourself with luxurious textures and sophisticated shades such as navy blue or dark grey. When prepping your shoe game for this kind of dress code, opt for dark brogue Oxfords, or if warm, a loafer, such as the ‘15 by Evan.

Business casual

Now here’s the real killer when it comes to dress code formalities. The dreaded business casual. The very definition of an oxymoron and an easy way to get caught out. But never fear, once you have cracked this code, it’s plain sailing. Have in your wardrobe a business casual look for both summer and winter months. And in our book, overdressed is always better than under. For a cooler weather business casual affair, you can beat a roll neck underneath jacket layered with an overcoat. Here naturally the informality means that you can play around a bit more with colours and patterns; camels, greys, browns, navys and burgundys all can look dashing and here is your chance to wear that tweed or check jacket. You can wear these jeans with this dress code, and naturally should you choose this make sure the jean is dark wash and slim fit, absolutely no rips or fading. Chinos are your best bet for a warmer climate.

Here your footwear can really pull together or ruin the look. An unexpected brogued chukka boot in leather or suede is always a great choice. The ‘48 by Louie works equally well with chinos or jeans.

And now that we have established the rules and best sartorial practice for these occasions, after all, one never knows the importance of a new acquaintance, you can put your best foot forward.

Here’s to good health, good principles and above all, good shoes.

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