New York 2011: Chevrolet Sonic’s Z-Spec accessories add illusion of sportiness

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Budget, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM

2012 Chevrolet Sonic Z-Spec

2012 Chevrolet Sonic Z-Spec – Click above for high-res image gallery

Extra spoilers and lower side skirts can look cool, but if the car doesn’t have any sort of augmented performance, it all seems pointless. Still, for those who want to give the appearance of being quick, Chevrolet will offer a line of Z-Spec dealer-installed accessories for its upcoming 2012 Sonic.

Chevrolet chose to debut its dot matrix-wrapped Sonic here at this year’s New York Auto Show, sporting a set of 17-inch painted alloys and a ground effects package. Why anyone would willingly choose such a visually awkward wrap is beyond us, but remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

No performance upgrades are presently available in the Z-Spec line, but customers will be able to roll the cost of the visual accessories into their monthly car payments at purchase time. See the not-so-fast sporty Sonic for yourself in our high-res gallery below.

Gallery: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic Z-Spec: New York 2011

Gallery: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic with Z-Spec accessories

2012 Chevrolet Sonic with Z-Spec accessories

Live photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

New York 2011: Chevrolet Sonic’s Z-Spec accessories add illusion of sportiness originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vancouver using 3D optical illusion to scare motorists into safer driving?

Filed under: Safety, Canada

3D Girl safety imageSafety organizations and the District of West Vancouver, Canada are joining forces to build awareness about careful driving during the start of the school year. Thanks the work of the BCAA Traffic Safety Association, drivers motoring down 22nd Street in West Vancouver will be met with a 3D image of a girl chasing a ball across the street. No one is saying exactly how the tech works, but it’s meant to be a wakeup call for drivers who may be distracted or otherwise not paying enough attention to their surroundings while driving near school zones.

The display will be installed for just one week and cost a princely total of $14,400 (USD) to operate. According to The Globe and Mail, drivers will be able to see that there is something on the road as they approach the 3D image. Once the vehicle reaches a certain point, the image of the child and her toy will appear. According to the BCAA Traffic Safety Association, September and October are the two months with the highest child fatalities, and this exercise should go well beyond the typical awareness campaign. Here’s hoping it doesn’t trigger any panic-braking induced accidents in the process.

[Source: The Globe and Mail]

Vancouver using 3D optical illusion to scare motorists into safer driving? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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