Thursday, December 12, 2013
HyundaiChat sets Precedent
Twitter hashtags are a useful tool to bring together like minded people under a common banner to discuss topics important to them. Unfortunately when these events are held they are typically run by individuals on the outside of a company or institution and filled with rampant speculation.
Earlier today I took part in a Twitter event held by @Hyundai under the hashtag #hyundaichat. The centerpiece of this event was current Hyundai North American CEO John Krafcik. John is a CEO who understand the important of social media and the power of an authentic prescence by a person, "in the know".
This event was a great opportunity for concerned owners and enthusiasts like me to ask the hard hitting questions about future products and technology that are on the horizon. One of my biggest concerns was how would Hyundai stay on top of the fuel economy game. Krafcik was kind enough to give me a glimpse into their plans.
Krafcik also mentioned that Hyundai wants to bring a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle to market in or around 2015.
What made this Twitter chat stand out was the fact that participants could get answers straight from the source. This event laid to rest a lot of speculation that has been circulating the automotive journalism community.
As a public relations student I always try to look at these events with a discerning eye. An event like this is a perfect example of using two way communication to pick the brains of opinion leaders and use them to trasmit the companys data to concerned customers.
Companies especially in the automotive industry are still trying to figure out what to do with social media. I think that Hyundai has really found their niche in the social media world. Instead of just a tool for customer service or complaints Hyundai has instead embraced a sense of community. #Hyundaichat sets a new precedent for the Twitter chat. I hope to see more auto makers join in with the enthusiast community to set the record straight and give honest and factual information to consumers that crave more and more information.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Audi R8 e tron Sets Record for Electric Cars
The Audi R8 e-tron has been established on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring for the fastest production cars with electric drive. Race driver Markus Winkelhock drove the purely electric-powered high-performance sports car in 8:09,099 minutes on the challenging 20.8 km course. "The R8 e-tron has its potential on the toughest circuit in the world has impressively demonstrated," says Michael Dick, Audi Board Member for Technical Development. "The record run has confirmed to us that we are on the right track. Electric mobility means that we never use, but always emotional, sportiness and driving pleasure."
How impressive is the reaching time of 8:09,099 minutes, the comparison with the fastest lap so far stalled in production vehicles. The best value of 7:11,57 minutes was achieved with a Gumpert Apollo Sport, by a 515 kW (700 hp) Audi motor is driven.
The Audi R8 E-tron, which generated Markus Winkelhock on the Nordschleife record drive is in all details the standard model, the end of the year comes on the market. His two electric motors give off together 280 kW power and 820 Nm of torque and propel him in 4.6 seconds from zero to 100 km / h The top speed is actually limited to 200 km / h, but for the record lap was 250 km / h released.
To the relevance of the R8 e-tron series and to underline the performance of its drive technology, Audi has set up beside the best time on the Nordschleife, another record. Right after Winkelhock drove with a second to 200 km / h limited two fast laps R8 e-tron at a time. Both are 8:30,873 and 8:26,096 minutes to well below the 9-minute mark.
Michael Dick moved to the record-breaking run at the Nurburgring proud of the results: "Within a few weeks we have made major challenges and it showed that we are with all of our drive concepts at the top." In May, the Ingolstadt-based Audi R8 LMS with the ultra-have won by ten-cylinder engine, the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring. In mid-June there was the triumph at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Audi R18 e-tron quattro - the first overall victory for a hybrid vehicle in the toughest race in the world. Now came the R8 e-trons record on the Nordschleife.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
NASCAR Biffle Sets the Pace and Attempts to Tame the Lady in Black
Greg Biffle has the pole for the Bojangles Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
It was beginning to look like an all Hendrick front row with Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne ready to lead the field to the green flag, until Greg Biffle showed up. Jimmie Johnson had taken the provisional pole from his teammate Kasey Kahne but was worried that he had not done his best, that he had left some speed out there on the track. That speed was found by Greg Biffle as he grabbed the pole for the Bojangles Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
This is what a race car driver looks forward to, showing up every weekend and having a really fast car to drive, said Biffle, the Sprint Cup Series leader. Theyre making me look good so far.
It was a pretty uneventful lap. The car just had a ton of grip it stuck to the race track really, really well. I felt like I was a little bit light down in Turns 1 and 2 I should have been a little bit quicker down there but I got a lot out of it in 3 and 4, so it was a great lap.
I feel that special season already. I certainly think that were going to be tough in competition all year, said Biffle.
Johnson seemed to know that more speed could be found just not who was going to find it.
Jimmie Johnson felt he left some speed out on the track. Greg Biffle found it.
I left a little speed out there and Greg certainly found it, Johnson said. It wouldve been nice to have a Hendrick front row. But it was a very productive day.
Jimmie Johnson is looking to get the 200th win for team owner Rick Hendrick this weekend. He has help at the front with his teammate Kasey Kahne, but Kahne is also hungry for a win. And let us not forget the 9 time fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. who has been Mr Hendricks most consistent performer all season long, and is coming into Darlington with a 6 race top 10 streak under his belt.
It certainly weighs on the team, Johnson said before Fridays practice at Darlington Raceway. Im not frustrated yet. I dont want to see opportunities slip away. I certainly want to get 200 behind us as does everyone at Hendrick Motorsports because its lingering around.
Johnson and Kahne will be starting 2nde and 3rd respectively. Dale Jr looks to have his work cut out for him if he wants to break his streak and obtain the 200th win for his team. Starting back in 24th Jr has not shown a lot of speed this weekend. Running 19th in first practice and 18th in the second, the 88 car looks like it will need a lot of adjustments on the fly to get it where he wants it to be during the race.
Ryan Newman and Kyle Busch will round out the top 5 for the start of the race.
Danica Patrick makes her return to the Sprint Cup Schedule. It seems her team owner Tony Stewart used his well known sarcastic sense of humor as he chose which track Danica would be driving at this season. However you never really learn if you take the easy road, and Danica seems up to the challenge. The experience she gains at the tougher tracks in the schedule should translate to better finishes at the easier tracks in the long run.
This is a tough place and everything they said about it is true, Patrick said between practices. This Lady in Black is very intimidating. Im just trying to get comfortable with what the car needs me to do where to brake, how heavy to brake and those kinds of things. Ive got my Darlington stripes, officially. Its all the way down the right side of the car. We got that one over with.
Ive got everything in my corner, I just need time. I just need to get comfortable. Its definitely not going to be an easy, breezy night. Like Tony (Stewart) said, Im probably going to hate him by the end of the weekend. Come the future, Im going to be glad for it.
Team Owner tony Stewart agrees.
She understands the value of why we picked this as one of the races, Stewart said. I think shes keeping the big picture in mind. I think shes doing a really good job of taking it all in stride, not letting her position on the time sheet get her down, realizing that the whole weekend is a learning experience and trying to just get at that time.
I want her just to run as many laps as possible. The more time she can spend on track, the more experience that shes going to get. So the good thing is, running both divisions, shes getting a ton of track time.
That may be true, but there is a huge difference between the Nationwide cars and the Cup cars when it comes right down to it.
When you get to about half-throttle in the Cup car, thats what a Nationwide car feels like,Jimmie Johnson said with a laugh. Theres a lot left from that point down in a Cup car. As far as tracks go, this track in my opinion has the highest sensation of speed over any other track we go to. And its due to it being so narrow. But it will be an eye-opening experience. Fortunately, shes been real fast in other cars so hopefully it doesnt affect her too much. But weve all looked at this race on her schedule and know its going to be tough for her. And it certainly will. This is not an easy race track to get around, but shes going to do it and well see how it goes.
Related posts:
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- NASCAR Matt Kenseth Sets the Pace in Phoenix, Stewart Keeps Up the Trash Talk, Edwards Keeping Cool
- NASCAR Newman Sets the Pace For The Second Chase Race of 2011
- NASCAR Ryan Newman Sets the Pace For Bristol