Tag: fan

Lego approves fan-made Mars Rover Curiosity set for production [w/video]

Filed under: Toys/Games

Lego has announced that the Mars Rover Curiosity will become the Danish company’s next user-designed Cuusoo set to reach store shelves. The company’s Cuusoo program allows anyone to submit an idea for a Lego set that could make it to production. After having been among a small group of sets to receive at least 10,000 votes – the minimum required – in the 2012 Fall Review on the Lego Cuusoo site, the Mars Rover Curiosity then survived an exhaustive review process, which not all sets do (sorry, UCS Sandcrawler), before receiving final approval from the company. While it got the nod, pricing and availability is yet to be determined as the set continues being developed for mass production. Scroll down to watch Lego make the announcement on video.

The Mars Rover Curiosity Lego set actually has an interesting back story. Its designer, listed as Perijove on the set’s official Cuusoo page, is a mechanical engineer who worked on the real Mars Rover Curiosity at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which means his recreation of the rover is highly accurate, not only in how it looks, but also in the details and all of its moving parts. Perijove states that the purpose of his model is “to continue the educational outreach for this incredible mission.” The timing couldn’t have been better, as the set became popular on the Lego Cuusoo site in late Summer 2012 when the real Curiosity rover touched down and began rolling around on the surface of Mars.

The last set to make it all of the way through Lego’s Cuusoo program was the Lego Back to the Future DeLorean, which received approval for production last December. Other autos-related Cuusoo sets that received 10,000+ votes and are scheduled for production review include an incredibly detailed Land Rover Defender 110 and minifig-scale Batman Tumblr.

Continue reading Lego approves fan-made Mars Rover Curiosity set for production [w/video]

Lego approves fan-made Mars Rover Curiosity set for production [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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100-year-old NASCAR fan tackles the track, lives to see 101

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos

rachel gilbert toyota camry new hampshire motor speedway

100-year-old NASCAR fan drives NHMS – Click above to watch the video after the jump

We’re not the biggest NASCAR fans in the world, but we can’t think of a much better way to celebrate a 100th birthday than with a few laps around New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Rachel Gilbert, a NASCAR follower since the 1960s, took five live laps around the speedway in a Toyota Camry pace car. Ms. Gilbert, we salute you.

The great grandmother of nine never passed 50 miles per hour, but she seemed pretty darn pleased with her shot at NASCAR glory. The good people at the speedway also gave Gilbert VIP tickets to the July Spring Cup and a shirt signed by Carl Edwards. Hit the jump to watch video of Gilbert as she cruises around NHMS.

[Source: The Daily What]

Continue reading 100-year-old NASCAR fan tackles the track, lives to see 101

100-year-old NASCAR fan tackles the track, lives to see 101 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche celebrates millionth Facebook fan with special 911 GT3 R Hybrid

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Porsche, Racing

Facebook Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid

Facebook Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery

Porsche is celebrating a unique social media milestone with a custom 911 GT3 R Hybrid. The company recently surpassed 1 million fans on Facebook, and to mark the occasion, designers have churned out the hybrid 911 racer with the signatures of over 27,000 Porsche fans. The vehicle is set to be on display at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart for all to see.

The German automaker says that it chose the 911 GT3 R Hybrid for the Facebook celebration because Porsche believes that the car is the future of racing. The machine packs 480 horsepower from a 4.0-liter flat six-cylinder engine and two electric motors capable of 80 horsepower each. Unlike most hybrids, Porsche has opted to store the vehicle’s energy in a flywheel accumulator that gets a boost during braking instead of a traditional battery pack. The technology recently proved itself as competition-capable during last year’s 24 Hours of Nürburgring.

Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: Facebook Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche celebrates millionth Facebook fan with special 911 GT3 R Hybrid

Porsche celebrates millionth Facebook fan with special 911 GT3 R Hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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