Posts made in March 2019

WATCH LIVE × ASTON MARTIN

WATCH LIVE: ASTON MARTIN FROM THE GENEVA MOTOR SHOW

British luxury car brand reveals its Lagonda All-Terrain Concept from this year’s show

Aston Martin is poised to take the 89th Geneva International Motor Show by storm with the global debut of the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept.

The luxury brand’s first all-electric SUV concept will also be joined by additional ground-breaking unveilings in Geneva.

Join us with TV and Radio Presenter Maya Jama, for the worldwide live reveal here on Tuesday 5th March 2019, from 11:00am CET (10am GMT).

McLaren Beverly Hills Donation

McLaren Beverly Hills to Donate 570S Spider for Auction at Cirque Du Soleil’s One Night for One Drop

McLaren Beverly Hills is partnering with One Night for One Drop to auction a special “Racing Through the Ages Collection” 570S Spider in Muriwai White on March 8th in Las Vegas at the “O” Theatre in the Bellagio Resort & Casino.

The bespoke vehicle was designed in the UK by McLaren Special Operations (MSO) and features a special MSO rear wing, a GT4 inspired racing stripe, a retractable hardtop, and carbon-fiber racing seats. The car is further complemented by the MSO defined “Black Pack” featuring the 10-spoke super lightweight forged wheels in gloss black and an MSO defined titanium SuperSports exhaust, guaranteeing a power-fused, soul-stirring drive. The estimated value is $300,000 USD.

One Night for One Drop is an annual philanthropic event in which the Cirque du Soleil cast and crew donate their time and talent to create a spectacular theatrical show in support of One Drop, an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing long term access to safe water. This year, the event features Academy-Award winning film score composer Hans Zimmer as well as the iconic Blue Man Group and renowned choreographers, Andrew Winghart and Alexander Ekman. In addition to providing water to communities in need all over the globe and working towards a more sustainable future, a portion of the proceeds remains local going towards Las Vegas Water initiatives.

“McLaren Beverly Hills is extremely happy to be able to partner with an organization like One Drop. Providing sustainable access to safe water throughout the world is essential to ending poverty facilitating community development. It’s fantastic to know the funds raised from the auction of our Racing Through The Ages 570S Spider will go to such a noble and well-respected cause. We look forward to an ongoing partnership and supporting One Drop whenever possible in the future.” – Chris Blank, Brand Manager at McLaren Beverly Hills

“It is our duty as a worldwide recognized brand to promote a charity organization such as One Drop. The Muriwai White 570S is a car inspired by the ocean and seemed like the perfect nexus to represent our support to the people who, globally, still need access to water. We are very happy to contribute to the live auction with such an exciting item that will hopefully raise awareness, raise funds and help make the world a better place.” – Letizia Silvestri, Events Director at McLaren Beverly Hills

Additional donations include a limited edition Audemars Piguet timepiece, a private jet to a Turks & Caicos villa, Serengeti safari-living experience in Tanzania, and more.

 

About McLaren Beverly Hills

McLaren Beverly Hills, an O’Gara Coach Company, is dedicated to providing authentic knowledge, expertise, and service for all McLaren models past and present.  McLaren Beverly Hills is a factory-authorized dealer of services, sales, and parts. McLaren Beverly Hills was the number one McLaren dealership in the world in 2018, offering a world-class buying experience in Beverly Hills.

 

Petersen Automotive Museum

Everyone else uses transporters, but not Petersen founding chairman Bruce Meyer. Watch as Bruce and friends take to the streets of Beverly Hills to personally deliver some of his winningest cars to the Petersen Automotive Museum ahead of the opening of “Winning Numbers: The First, The Fastest, The Famous.”

On Saturday, February 23, 2019, the Petersen Automotive Museum opened its newest exhibit featuring 10 groundbreaking race cars, each with a unique story of triumph and victory. Titled “Winning Numbers: The First, The Fastest, The Famous,” the exhibit is comprised of Le Mans winners, land speed record setters, dragsters and road racers from the personal garage of Petersen Founding Chairman Bruce Meyer.

Key vehicles on display include the winningest Ferrari road racer of all time, the 1957 Ferrari 625/250 Testa Rossa, which claimed first prize in more than half of the 50 competitions in which it was raced; the first production 1962 Shelby Cobra, CSX2001; the 1962 Greer Black Prudhomme, which was raced by drag racing legend Don Prudhomme who won 237 of the 241 races in which he piloted the car; the renowned 1952 So-Cal Speed Shop Belly Tank Racer, which was fashioned from a P-38 Lightning fighter belly tank from World War II by hot rod racing icon Alex Xydias; the 1979 Kremer Porsche 935 K3 that took first place overall at Le Mans; and the 1929 Ford “747” Bonneville Racer that Meyer ran 204 mph at Bonneville Salt Flats.

“Affectionately called ‘the car guy’s car guy,’ Bruce Meyer epitomizes true automotive passion,” said Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director Terry L. Karges. “The charisma with which Bruce shares his passion is what sets him apart. ‘Winning Numbers’ reflects his discerning tastes as a collector and motorsports enthusiast, and we’re proud to share his fervor for the hobby with the community.”

The exhibit’s public opening was preceded by an evening reception and media preview on February 22, 2019. Guests of the exclusive event were treated to passed appetizers by the Petersen’s exclusive catering partner Drago, a full cocktail bar and a Fireside Chat discussion between Meyer and Karges.

“Winning Numbers” will run through January 19, 2020. For more information about the Petersen Automotive Museum exhibits, visit www.Petersen.org.

 

ABOUT THE PETERSEN

The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The Museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Boulevard (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles, California, 90036. Admission prices are $16 for general admission adults, $14 for seniors, $11 for children ages 4 to 17. Active military with ID, personal care attendants and children under four are admitted free. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For general information, call 323-930-CARS or visit www.Petersen.org.

YFL Kelvin New Video

YFL KELVIN RELEASES NEW VIDEO “BANDS ON TOP OF BANDS”

WATCH HERE

YFL KELVIN FEATURED IN DEF JAM’S UNDISPUTED COMPILATION, OUT MARCH 8TH

READ “HOW DEF JAM PLANS TO RECLAIM ITS HIP-HOP CROWN” ON BILLBOARD.COM

“Cleveland is on the map in a big way… YFL Kelvin is certainly in the conversation of one of the most refined sound behind his ability to channel his come-up story.”

“YFL Kelvin is an Cleveland based emcee who has been battling adversities his whole life but his musical talent is about to change everything for him.”

ABOUT YFL KELVIN

For YFL Kelvin, hip-hop is the soundtrack to his struggle. “My story is rags to riches,” the 21-year-old explains. The Cleveland native has found solace in music since his father was gunned down—in an accidental shooting—when he was just five. Kelvin began recording out of his home studio, but music was secondary to the lure of the streets, taking his rap name from his biological father and the aspirational acronym “Young, Flashy, Lifestyle.”  

The street life landed him behind bars on three occasions, “My little brother is in jail. Like, everybody who I used to be with is in jail.” No matter the tribulation, it doubled as a sonic inspiration. In 2016, his beef with a former friend sparked his first major release, “Mayweather Freestyle.” “I knew I was destined then. Something good was going to play out from all the tragedy that I’ve been through.”

2018’s “NASDAQ” would be the rocket that’d catapult Kelvin beyond Cleveland, released on YouTube the hit song has generated over 300k views. The remix with Moneybagg Yo will lead Kelvin’s first project, Out of Here.

FOLLOW YFL KELVIN:

INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

Collector Cars Auction in Paris

Based in Neuilly-sur-Seine for 25 years and well established in fourth place among the auction houses in France, Aguttes will this year organise three sales of classic cars in Paris.

Taking place at 4PM on Sunday 17 March at the Espace Champerret, the Spring Sale will give enthusiasts and collectors the opportunity to acquire one of the 69 cars chosen by the Aguttes on Wheels team. Covering the years 1927 to 2012, a wide range of different cars with a colourful past will be offered for sale; you can already admire them by consulting the online catalogue

 

Among this selection of 69 cars, the presence of several first-class collections should be noted. To mark the firm’s centenary, no fewer than 21 Citroëns are presented in the catalogue, including one of the most amazing European collections, featuring no fewer than 11 Traction Avants with unique or unusual specifications, produced in the factory at the quai de Javel or at Slough and Hammersmith in England. 

Comprising three delightful Italian models, the collection ‘Il Fascino Italiano’ will be sold at auction; it will bring together an iconic trio made up of the Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600 SS, Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2 and Fiat Dino 2.4 Spider. A keen collector of Maseratis, their owner decided to diversify his collection by acquiring these three models several years ago.

Unusually, Aguttes will also offer a collection of three Honda motorbikes for sale. One is an RC45 VFR750 in road trim, while the other two had a proud history in competition. The Honda RS 250 R SPL in Rothmans livery is one of the rare competition models built for private customers in 1992, while the RC45 Endurance competed in the 1999 Bol d’Or and finished 5th at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2000.

For many years now, Aguttes has regularly turned the spotlight on motorsport in the pages of its catalogues. On this occasion too, you can marvel at some splendid cars which have contributed to the history of the sport. Among them, a Group 4 Audi Quattro which is a perfect replica of the car driven by Michèle Mouton when she became the first woman to win the San Remo Rally in the World Rally Championship. Another era and another champion: in 2002 Jutta Kleinschmidt finished second on the Paris-Dakar driving a Mitsubishi Pajero MPR9, with which Stéphane Peterhansel won the Rally of Tunisia that same year. Fully reconditioned today, it will be sold with a large stock of spare parts. Finally, one of the four Fiat 508 CS Balilla Aerodinamica Mille Miglias still in running order today will be one of the stars of this auction. Estimated at 200,000 – 300,000 €, this stylish little car with its very clean and innovative lines has been in the same ownership for 49 years and is now in very good condition with an elegant patina. 

Shelly Ibach Named Sleep Editor-At-Large For Thrive Global

Arianna Huffington, Founder and CEO of Thrive Global, today announced that Shelly Ibach, President & CEO of Sleep Number, has been named Sleep Editor-at-Large for Thrive Global, the behavior change media and technology company founded in November 2016. Ibach debuts in this additional role by launching “Sleep Well,” a Special Section on Thrive Global, in advance of National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep Awareness Week® 2019. Ibach will share perspectives from opinion leaders, personal experiences, and advice and insights to create a dialogue around the importance of quality sleep. Individuals will learn how to turn awareness of the importance of sleep into personal action – changing their lives for the better.

Huffington has championed the sleep revolution since collapsing from sleep deprivation and burnout in 2007. Her appointment of Ibach accelerates the vital culture shift the world needs: to recognize quality sleep as the foundation to overall well-being. Ibach, as President and CEO of Sleep Number, is a recognized leader in sleep innovation and believes that quality sleep has the power to move society forward.

“Shelly is a passionate advocate for the power of sleep to transform our society and has been a pioneer in using science, technology and data to improve people’s sleep,” says Arianna Huffington, Founder and CEO of Thrive Global. “With Shelly’s leadership and vision as our Sleep Editor-at-Large, our new “Sleep Well” section will become the global hub for the conversation around sleep, health and performance, and give our growing community the tools they need to transform their lives one night at a time.”

“Quality sleep is the center of a healthy lifestyle – I believe it is the single most effective way to renew your mind, body and soul. My goal is to create a community where people learn how to achieve better quality sleep and therefore improve their overall well-being,” said Shelly Ibach, President & CEO of Sleep Number, and newly named Sleep Editor-at-Large for Thrive Global. “I believe sleep can and will change the world by making society kinder. Quality sleep needs to be viewed as a badge of honor; at Sleep Number we share our SleepIQ® scores every day, which keeps the importance of sleep top-of-mind and a pride point. My motto is ‘Sleep Well, Dream Big’ – this means sleeping well at night so you can be your best self during the day.”

As Ibach shares in the first editorial feature, Good Morning, “Through sleep, we can impact society with greater compassion, more connection, more kindness and more courage. No matter what your defining ideals are, or what your goals and ambitions might be, sleep will help you reach them.”

Sleep Number is the official sleep and well-being partner of Thrive Global. The companies are united in a singular mission – to help people unlock their greatest potential, improve their well-being and be the best they can be. Sleep Number has already improved more than 11.5 million lives. Together, with Thrive, we will amplify the conversation around the importance and impact of quality sleep on physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

AUTOMATED CAR DANGERS

Warning: Automated cars and their operators fail to detect dangers

Automated cars are becoming more common, but they still require drivers to react to dangers that aren’t detected by an automated system. New research from Rice University and Texas Tech University has found that drivers often fail to spot hazards missed by automated vehicles, and it only gets worse the longer drivers ride in them.

 

The study, “Driver Vigilance in Automated Vehicles: Effects of Demands on Hazard Detection Performance,” will appear in an upcoming edition of Human Factors. 

 

The researchers examined the behavior of 60 licensed drivers operating an automated car in a simulator. Participants were told that due to the automation, they would not need to operate the steering wheel, brake pedal or accelerator pedal. They were instructed to monitor the roadway for vehicles that were stopped dangerously at intersections and intruding into the driver’s lane, which constituted a hazard that automated vehicles could not detect. Participants also had to distinguish between vehicles that were safely stopped and dangerously stopped at intersections.
 

The drivers’ accuracy dropped between 7 and 21 percent over the 40-minute simulation. Even in the first 10 minutes the success rate was, at best, close to 88 percent, suggesting that all drivers missed at least some hazards.

 

So why did this happen?

 

Pat DeLucia, a professor of psychological sciences at Rice and the study’s co-author, said that one possibility is that people get used to cars doing the driving and become complacent. Coupled with previous research that indicated people are terrible at monitoring for hazards that only happen every once in a while, and that over time their ability to respond decreases, the new study “suggests that this phenomenon of difficulty monitoring effectively over time extends to monitoring an automated car,” DeLucia said. 

 

“The bottom line is, until automated driving systems are completely reliable and can respond in all situations, the driver must stay alert and be prepared to take over,” said Eric Greenlee, an assistant professor of psychological sciences at Texas Tech and the study’s lead author. “And this research clearly shows that is not happening, and gets worse as time passes.” 

 

The researchers hope this work will add to the growing body of research about the safety of automated cars. 

 

“These vehicles have a lot to offer, but we’re a long way from being able to detect everything going on,” the researchers wrote. “Until that day comes, we hope this research will raise awareness about the limitations of automated cars and their operators.” 

 

The study was co-authored by David Newton, a graduate student at Texas Tech.

Mat Kerekes Releases “Ruby” Music Video

Toledo, OH singer-songwriter Mat Kerekes has released a music video for “Ruby”, the lead single off his forthcoming solo album, expected later this year. The music video, which sees Kerekes perform the song alongside his newly assembled live band, is out now HERE.

Ruby” was released last December alongside the announcement that Kerekes had signed to producer Will Yip’s Elektra Music Group sub-label Black Cement Records. His forthcoming album will follow Tiger Jaw’s heralded 2017 album Spin as the label’s second release. Earlier this month, Kerekes treated fans to an early listen of the album’s second single “Diamonds” and shared a surreal accompanying music video. Watch it HERE.

Best known as lead vocalist of celebrated alt rock band Citizen, Kerekes presents his softer side and showcases his versatility as a singer-songwriter on his new solo material. Incorporating elements of pop and alternative, his upcoming album boasts massive choruses, dynamic arrangements, and infectious melodies.

This evening, Kerekes will kick off a month-long North American tour in Cleveland, OH. Jetty Bones and Jacob Sigman will provide support. Tickets for the tour are available now. A complete list of upcoming live dates and ticket information can be found HERE.

Noah Kahan “Mess”

Today, Noah Kahan debuts his new single, “Mess,” from his highly anticipated debut album set for release this spring. Listen to “Mess” HERE!

Produced by Kahan’s frequent collaborator Joel Little (Lorde, Khalid), Noah wrote “Mess” last fall while he was home in Vermont in between sold out tours. Of the song, Noah explains, “My life has taken a 180° turn. I’m on a very different path than what I thought I would do. I get nostalgic for the locale where I grew up because the scenery is so beautiful. Going from this to bigger cities and tours is crazy for me. The truth is—regardless of where I’ve gone—my parents still yell at me to pick up the dogs’ shit when I’m back home.”

 He continues, “‘Mess’ is a song I wrote during a very overwhelming and generally sad time in my life. Being able to work on this song and bring these feelings to light was a lifeline for me, and I hope it provides you with similar comfort.”

 “Mess” follows the global success of Kahan’s breakout singles, “Hurt Somebody” and “False Confidence.” With over 200 million global streams to date, “Hurt Somebody” is triple platinum in Australia and gold in Canada, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Switzerland and New Zealand; and it peaked at #1 on the Top 40 radio charts in Australia for three weeks, making it the third most played song on the Australian airwaves in all of 2018 where Noah has become one of the most buzzworthy new acts. “False Confidence” continues to grow with over 15 million streams to date and is currently sitting in the top 5 at Triple A radio in the U.S.

 Noah Kahan will be hitting the road with James Bay this month on his North American tour, performing at New York’s iconic Beacon Theatre for two nights on March 12 and 13 and at Los Angeles’ The Wiltern on March 25. He will also be joining Dean Lewis on his headline tour in Europe and the U.K. in April. See the full list of upcoming dates below. Tickets are available now at www.NoahKahan.com/tour.

 In two short years, music quite literally carried 22-year-old singer, songwriter and artist Noah Kahan around the world—a long way from his native Strafford, VT (pop. 1,045) and the 133-acre tree farm where he resides. On the trip, the alternative troubadour notched an international hit in the form of “Hurt Somebody” [feat. Julia Michaels], while his singles “Young Blood” and “False Confidence” also racked up millions of streams and he sold out headline tours in North America, Europe, and the UK and hit the road with artists like George Ezra and Leon Bridges. Not to mention, he has garnered critical acclaim from Billboard, Stereogum, Clash, Idolator, and more. In the midst of this whirlwind, he assembled his upcoming full-length debut album. The first single “Mess” illuminates his marked growth as a songwriter and storyteller by way of its biting lyrics and undeniable sing-a-long, underscoring a heartwarming and often hilarious portrait of hometown longing.