#it just... feels like exhaustion packaged around a genuinely brilliant feature

[rawliverandgoronspice]

still a hardcore believer in the "totk was absolute development hell" theory btw, even if I know it will never be confirmed or denied, but all the signs are there honestly

[nathankerce]

Best Local Releases of 2017

10. Murk Daddy Flex - Bring on the Major Leagues Unbelievably talented producer temporarily opens up the Disney Vault just enough to leak out his first major release in three years.  9. Tunabunny - PCP Presents Alice In Wonderland Jr This double album from Athens’ best experimental pop band is a grab-bag of brief but memorable tunes.  8. Isaac Pancake - DRUMS OLO Athens (now Philly-based I think) producer Garrett Burke makes heavy electronic noise fun again.  Imagine a collab album between DJ Rashad and Scott Walker. 7. Art Contest - Two Songs Another project from Garrett Burke who plays drums in this math rock duo with Cole Monroe on guitar. Very good math rock record, actually way more than two songs on the album. 6. Five Eight - Songs for St. Jude A formative band in Athens initial independent music boom, the discussion around Five Eight has always centered on how underrated they are compared to the mega-stars to rise from that era. Their new album shows that not only are they not defined by being the ones who “didn’t make it” they are damn-near the only band left from that time still kicking ass today. 5. VHS Collectors Club - Sweet Sleep Sleepy bedroom electronic tailor-made for Adult Swim bumper cards. Doesn’t break a ton of new ground sonically but producer Conor Lacey already shows immense promise for someone who is relatively brand new to the game. A notable step-up over last year’s Amateur Hour. 4. Lingua Franca - Lingua Franca Revelatory hip-hop from Mariah Parker who has quickly become one of the most recognizable and active faces in Athens music today while putting a lot of work into blurring the imaginary bullshit line that certain venues and tastemakers put up to try and separate Athens hip-hop from the rest of the Athens music scene. This self-titled debut features socially aware and deeply confessional tracks that also happen to have hooks and melodies that are catchy as fuck. If you can, try to pick up the album at a live show, Parker’s stage banter and energy makes most of the other bands in this town seem catatonic by comparison.  3. Under a Sky So Blue - The Spectacle Provides Heavy screamo music with a progressive bent, Under a Sky So Blue’s wall of noise presentation will probably scare a few people away but those willing to dive in will be handsomely rewarded. Anyone who spent their youth as a bleeding heart, bleeding ears hardcore kid should find something to love in an EP that responds to a frightening political climate with an unfettered and unafraid act of musical aggression. 2. Harlot Party - I Want To Be Recalcitrant, I Am Just Exhausted Deeply personal rock from self-described “friends and lovers” KyKy Renee Knight and Garrett Knighton. The one-two punch of “Whop” and “Preemptive Apologist” (a scathing epic about Knight’s strained relationship with her father followed by a real voicemail from him with some ambient noise underneath) carries an emotional punch that is simply unmatched by another record to come out of Athens this year. Knight’s honest and brutal navigation of difficulties in her life and in American society as a whole makes this a necessary listen. 1. Double Ferrari - Double Ferrari Long overdue debut release from guitarist Jace Bartet’s instrumental metal-ish band. Double Ferrari takes all the best remnants of the hair metal genre and repurposes them into a joyful modern-day package that calls to mind the likes of positive rock icons like Andrew W.K. and former indie-blog rock darlings Fang Island. Though the album is completely devoid of lyrics, Double Ferrari is a downright emotional and often genuinely healing experience. With some material on this album being in the works in some form for more than half a decade, at some points it feels like you can literally hear the weight being lifted off Bartet’s shoulders as he releases his brilliant rock to the masses. No other local album this year will put a bigger smile on your face.

[privateplates4u]

Aston Martin Vanquish S review

For  Undisputed style, old-school V12, sense of occasion Our Rating  4 Against  Expensive to buy, fuel economy, dated interior 2017 The Aston Martin Vanquish S is a fitting last hurrah for the naturally aspirated V12 It isn’t the quickest or most sophisticated luxury GT on the market, and at £200,000 before options, it isn’t the cheapest, either. But in terms of pure theatre and brutish performance, the Aston Martin Vanquish S makes for a fitting swansong for what has become a British institution. This is a landmark car: the curtain-call for the naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12, with Aston embarking on a new Mercedes-influenced future: starting with the DB11. For an additional £12,000, Aston will lower the roof to create the Vanquish Volante S, giving even greater access to that howling 12-cylinder soundtrack. The Vanquish S is far from perfect, but this is brilliant take on a now old-school super-GT formula. 30 Oct, 2017 3.3 Looks are subjective, but few cars offer as much theatre as Aston Martin’s flagship GT car. But there’s no doubt that the Vanquish is beginning to show its age, especially in light of the latest DB11. Image 6 of 29 Image 6 of 29 The Vanquish S is distinguished from the standard Vanquish by an aerodynamic package comprising exposed carbon fibre front splitter and rear diffuser. Combined with the quad exhaust outlets, the overall effect is one of more aggression and a sharper exterior. Not that they’re simply there for show: the aerodynamic upgrades help to reduce lift, which will be comforting if you’re nudging 200mph on a German autobahn. The results are less successful on the inside, with a cabin that’s beginning to show its age and switchgear that has no right to be included in a £200,000 supercar. The indicator and wiper stalks, for example, feel cheap and a bit nasty. You can, of course, festoon the interior with any number of upgrades, with everything from coloured seatbelts, contrast stitching, leather headlining, carbon fibre paddle tips and piano black fascia available as options. But these features will fail to mask what looks and feels like a cabin from another age, especially when viewed alongside the Mercedes-enriched DB11, which will be sharing showroom space with the Vanquish S. Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment  You’ll find better sat-nav and infotainment systems in a supermini costing less than £15,000, which isn’t great in a car selling for more than £200,000. Sure, the Aston’s talents lie elsewhere, but tech and connectivity and becoming increasingly important to today’s new car buyers. Image 27 of 29 Image 27 of 29 The 6.5-inch screen is too small, while the resolution isn’t sharp enough and the system lacks the usability of more modern systems. On the plus side, the Vanquish S gets Apple CarPlay, while the 1,000-watt Bang & Olufsen audio system is one of the best in the business.  4.1 Few cars deliver a greater sense of theatre than an Aston Martin V12. Insert the key fob into the centre console and the 12-cylinder engine bursts into life with a metallic howl, before settling down to a burbling idle. Only the soulless will be able to resist blipping the throttle once or twice. On the move, it soon becomes clear that the Vanquish S is set up to be more soft-focus than hardcore. It pulls away smoothly: the re-calibrated transmission changing up at the earliest opportunity thanks to its huge torque reserves. Aston Martin might speak of faster shift times, but it’s the low-speed refinement that shines to the fore. Attempt anything other than a relaxed acceleration and the transmission shifts through the gears like a heavyweight boxer landing punches. It feels outmoded, especially in light of modern McLaren and Ferrari systems. Right now, the Ferrari 812 Superfast is the best in the business, and the Vanquish S doesn’t come close. But away from the flawed transmission, the Vanquish S offers almost unrivalled GT cruising capabilities. The suspension is smooth and supple, while the steering is accurate and consistently weighted. The S seems to flow over Britain’s less than perfect roads. Image 4 of 29 Image 4 of 29 And yet, the latest upgrades have given the S a little more focus. Stick it in Sport or Track mode, and the ride becomes noticeably firmer – arguably too firm in the latter setting. There’s no getting away from the fact that it’s more of a GT than a sports car, but to criticise it for that would be to miss the point. As you’d expect, there’s a small amount of wobble through the structure of the Volante, but the advantage of lowering the roof is the chance to enjoy the symphony created by the V12 engine and four-exit exhaust. The three-layer fabric roof is operated electrically and can be lowered on the move, completing the task in just 14 seconds. Once down, refinement remains in tact, with very little in the way of buffeting – even at high speeds. Roof up, there’s just a small amount of wind noise from around the tops of the doors. Truth be told, neither car is going to offer razor-sharp dynamics or lightning-quick responses. So it all comes down to whether you choose hardtop or convertible. Oh, and the small matter of the additional £12,000 for the Volante. Engines  The 6.0-litre V12 engine might be old one, but it’s still a piece of engineering brilliance. Hats off to Aston Martin for leveraging a little more life from this ageing motor, which has roots in a pair of Ford V6s. The power delivery is smooth and linear, past 4,000rpm the engine feels alive, with maximum power at 7,000rpm. It comes alive in the mid-range, bellowing and snarling its way to the redline. Strangely, it never feels as quick as the 3.5 seconds 0-62mph time suggests, but with such a ferocious soundtrack, it hardly seems to matter. Both the Coupe and Volante offer the same sprint time and an identical 201mph top speed. Image 25 of 29 Image 25 of 29 3.5 For a luxury brand, Aston Martin doesn’t have the best reputation for reliability, but things are improving. That said, the Vanquish S is an older product and doesn’t benefit from Aston’s recent relationship with Mercedes. On the plus side, each Vanquish is handbuilt, taking 250 to 300 hours to complete, which provides some reassurance of quality. The Vanquish S will not be crash tested by Euro NCAP and doesn’t feature the latest range of active and passive safety features. Standard equipment includes front seats with side airbags, curtain side head airbags, dual-stage front airbags, rear camera and ventilated CCM disc brakes. Image 12 of 29 Image 12 of 29 Warranty In common with the rest of the Aston Martin range, the Vanquish S is covered by a standard three-year warranty, which can be extended for a further 12 or 24 months. On the Vanquish, the cover is for unlimited mileage and an unlimited amount, up to the value of the car. Servicing A Vanquish will require a service every year or 10,000 miles, with prices starting from £761. 3 The Vanquish S is described as a 2+2, but only small children will find space in back seats. If you’re after a genuine four-seater GT, take a look at the Bentley Continental GT. On the flipside, the availability of rear seats does give the Vanquish the edge over a two-seat supercar, even if you only ever use the back bench for additional storage. Size The Vanquish S measures 4,730mm end-to-end, and 1,910mm wide (2,067mm including door mirrors), which should make threading this GT through narrow city streets and country lanes a daunting experience. Leg room, head room & passenger space Front legroom is perfectly adequate, but the high-mounted seats mean that headroom is restricted. It creates a snug cabin, feeling more intimate a Continental GT. Image 28 of 29 Image 28 of 29 Boot In true grand tourer style, the Vanquish S offers enough practicality for a quick weekend away or a trip to the south of France. The Coupe’s 368-litre boot is large enough for two sets of golf clubs, while the Volante offers 279 litres, whether the roof is up or down. If the rear seats aren’t required, they can be removed as a no-cost option.  2 Aston Martin claims the Vanquish S will return 21.6mpg on a combined cycle, but you’ll be hard-pressed to achieve this if you explore the V12’s true potential. But you’re hardly going to drive like Miss Daisy in a Vanquish. High list prices and CO2 emissions of 302g/km equate to the top rate of VED, meaning a first-year rate of £2,000, followed by five years of £450. In the sixth year, the Vanquish S drops to £140. Insurance groups Unsurprisingly, both the Vanquish S and Vanquish S Volante sit in insurance group 50 – the highest group possible. Depreciation The list price of a Vanquish S is more than £200k, while the Volante adds another £12k, but Aston Martin owners rarely settle for standard specification. You can bank on a Vanquish leaving a showroom loaded with some choice options and possibly some dubious personalisation ‘upgrades’ courtesy of Q by Aston Martin. The non-S model lost around 55 per cent of its value after three years and 30,000 miles, which is a hefty chunk of cash, even if you can afford the initial outlay. We’d expect the S and S Volante to follow suit. 

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/aston-martin/vanquish/101547/s-coupe

[numberplates4u-blog]

Aston Martin Vanquish S review

For  Undisputed style, old-school V12, sense of occasion Our Rating  4 Against  Expensive to buy, fuel economy, dated interior 2017 The Aston Martin Vanquish S is a fitting last hurrah for the naturally aspirated V12 It isn’t the quickest or most sophisticated luxury GT on the market, and at £200,000 before options, it isn’t the cheapest, either. But in terms of pure theatre and brutish performance, the Aston Martin Vanquish S makes for a fitting swansong for what has become a British institution. This is a landmark car: the curtain-call for the naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12, with Aston embarking on a new Mercedes-influenced future: starting with the DB11. For an additional £12,000, Aston will lower the roof to create the Vanquish Volante S, giving even greater access to that howling 12-cylinder soundtrack. The Vanquish S is far from perfect, but this is brilliant take on a now old-school super-GT formula. 30 Oct, 2017 3.3 Looks are subjective, but few cars offer as much theatre as Aston Martin’s flagship GT car. But there’s no doubt that the Vanquish is beginning to show its age, especially in light of the latest DB11. Image 6 of 29 Image 6 of 29 The Vanquish S is distinguished from the standard Vanquish by an aerodynamic package comprising exposed carbon fibre front splitter and rear diffuser. Combined with the quad exhaust outlets, the overall effect is one of more aggression and a sharper exterior. Not that they’re simply there for show: the aerodynamic upgrades help to reduce lift, which will be comforting if you’re nudging 200mph on a German autobahn. The results are less successful on the inside, with a cabin that’s beginning to show its age and switchgear that has no right to be included in a £200,000 supercar. The indicator and wiper stalks, for example, feel cheap and a bit nasty. You can, of course, festoon the interior with any number of upgrades, with everything from coloured seatbelts, contrast stitching, leather headlining, carbon fibre paddle tips and piano black fascia available as options. But these features will fail to mask what looks and feels like a cabin from another age, especially when viewed alongside the Mercedes-enriched DB11, which will be sharing showroom space with the Vanquish S. Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment  You’ll find better sat-nav and infotainment systems in a supermini costing less than £15,000, which isn’t great in a car selling for more than £200,000. Sure, the Aston’s talents lie elsewhere, but tech and connectivity and becoming increasingly important to today’s new car buyers. Image 27 of 29 Image 27 of 29 The 6.5-inch screen is too small, while the resolution isn’t sharp enough and the system lacks the usability of more modern systems. On the plus side, the Vanquish S gets Apple CarPlay, while the 1,000-watt Bang & Olufsen audio system is one of the best in the business.  4.1 Few cars deliver a greater sense of theatre than an Aston Martin V12. Insert the key fob into the centre console and the 12-cylinder engine bursts into life with a metallic howl, before settling down to a burbling idle. Only the soulless will be able to resist blipping the throttle once or twice. On the move, it soon becomes clear that the Vanquish S is set up to be more soft-focus than hardcore. It pulls away smoothly: the re-calibrated transmission changing up at the earliest opportunity thanks to its huge torque reserves. Aston Martin might speak of faster shift times, but it’s the low-speed refinement that shines to the fore. Attempt anything other than a relaxed acceleration and the transmission shifts through the gears like a heavyweight boxer landing punches. It feels outmoded, especially in light of modern McLaren and Ferrari systems. Right now, the Ferrari 812 Superfast is the best in the business, and the Vanquish S doesn’t come close. But away from the flawed transmission, the Vanquish S offers almost unrivalled GT cruising capabilities. The suspension is smooth and supple, while the steering is accurate and consistently weighted. The S seems to flow over Britain’s less than perfect roads. Image 4 of 29 Image 4 of 29 And yet, the latest upgrades have given the S a little more focus. Stick it in Sport or Track mode, and the ride becomes noticeably firmer – arguably too firm in the latter setting. There’s no getting away from the fact that it’s more of a GT than a sports car, but to criticise it for that would be to miss the point. As you’d expect, there’s a small amount of wobble through the structure of the Volante, but the advantage of lowering the roof is the chance to enjoy the symphony created by the V12 engine and four-exit exhaust. The three-layer fabric roof is operated electrically and can be lowered on the move, completing the task in just 14 seconds. Once down, refinement remains in tact, with very little in the way of buffeting – even at high speeds. Roof up, there’s just a small amount of wind noise from around the tops of the doors. Truth be told, neither car is going to offer razor-sharp dynamics or lightning-quick responses. So it all comes down to whether you choose hardtop or convertible. Oh, and the small matter of the additional £12,000 for the Volante. Engines  The 6.0-litre V12 engine might be old one, but it’s still a piece of engineering brilliance. Hats off to Aston Martin for leveraging a little more life from this ageing motor, which has roots in a pair of Ford V6s. The power delivery is smooth and linear, past 4,000rpm the engine feels alive, with maximum power at 7,000rpm. It comes alive in the mid-range, bellowing and snarling its way to the redline. Strangely, it never feels as quick as the 3.5 seconds 0-62mph time suggests, but with such a ferocious soundtrack, it hardly seems to matter. Both the Coupe and Volante offer the same sprint time and an identical 201mph top speed. Image 25 of 29 Image 25 of 29 3.5 For a luxury brand, Aston Martin doesn’t have the best reputation for reliability, but things are improving. That said, the Vanquish S is an older product and doesn’t benefit from Aston’s recent relationship with Mercedes. On the plus side, each Vanquish is handbuilt, taking 250 to 300 hours to complete, which provides some reassurance of quality. The Vanquish S will not be crash tested by Euro NCAP and doesn’t feature the latest range of active and passive safety features. Standard equipment includes front seats with side airbags, curtain side head airbags, dual-stage front airbags, rear camera and ventilated CCM disc brakes. Image 12 of 29 Image 12 of 29 Warranty In common with the rest of the Aston Martin range, the Vanquish S is covered by a standard three-year warranty, which can be extended for a further 12 or 24 months. On the Vanquish, the cover is for unlimited mileage and an unlimited amount, up to the value of the car. Servicing A Vanquish will require a service every year or 10,000 miles, with prices starting from £761. 3 The Vanquish S is described as a 2+2, but only small children will find space in back seats. If you’re after a genuine four-seater GT, take a look at the Bentley Continental GT. On the flipside, the availability of rear seats does give the Vanquish the edge over a two-seat supercar, even if you only ever use the back bench for additional storage. Size The Vanquish S measures 4,730mm end-to-end, and 1,910mm wide (2,067mm including door mirrors), which should make threading this GT through narrow city streets and country lanes a daunting experience. Leg room, head room & passenger space Front legroom is perfectly adequate, but the high-mounted seats mean that headroom is restricted. It creates a snug cabin, feeling more intimate a Continental GT. Image 28 of 29 Image 28 of 29 Boot In true grand tourer style, the Vanquish S offers enough practicality for a quick weekend away or a trip to the south of France. The Coupe’s 368-litre boot is large enough for two sets of golf clubs, while the Volante offers 279 litres, whether the roof is up or down. If the rear seats aren’t required, they can be removed as a no-cost option.  2 Aston Martin claims the Vanquish S will return 21.6mpg on a combined cycle, but you’ll be hard-pressed to achieve this if you explore the V12’s true potential. But you’re hardly going to drive like Miss Daisy in a Vanquish. High list prices and CO2 emissions of 302g/km equate to the top rate of VED, meaning a first-year rate of £2,000, followed by five years of £450. In the sixth year, the Vanquish S drops to £140. Insurance groups Unsurprisingly, both the Vanquish S and Vanquish S Volante sit in insurance group 50 – the highest group possible. Depreciation The list price of a Vanquish S is more than £200k, while the Volante adds another £12k, but Aston Martin owners rarely settle for standard specification. You can bank on a Vanquish leaving a showroom loaded with some choice options and possibly some dubious personalisation ‘upgrades’ courtesy of Q by Aston Martin. The non-S model lost around 55 per cent of its value after three years and 30,000 miles, which is a hefty chunk of cash, even if you can afford the initial outlay. We’d expect the S and S Volante to follow suit. 

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/aston-martin/vanquish/101547/s-coupe

[thaddeuswatson]

Luminous Eyes Cast Into The Night || Rosie & Thaddeus

It was Thaddeus’ job to know the people that he was spending time wit. Unfortunately, he could not just be open with people without there being some level of investigation in to their lives. He had made it a habit of passing a name along and getting a clear or not clear because, in truth, he was sick of his job taking a toll on his personal life. Rosie was no exception, he looked at her ID when she was in another room, taking note of her full name and birthday, turned that in to his boss, and got the all clear. He was be no means a genius, but he never forgot people’s general information… maybe from fear that he would need to recall it for a rap sheet later on. The more he got to know this brilliant woman the less likely he thought that would ever be but he still remembered what he’d read.

When November 14th rolled around he found himself asking for the day off work, shuffling a couple of things around to make it happen. His place was nice but oftentimes a mess, so he spent the night before picking it up and racking his brain for what exactly he could do to for her- unsure if she would even be willing to come spend some time with him. A simple text read: Ros! Busy tomorrow? Films and fluffies? -TKW. He never thought he’d had a way with words and that only solidified that belief. Running his hand over his quickly growing No Shave November beard, he moved to the kitchen. The man wasn’t half bad at grilling or making some English staples but when it came to something that the public deemed romantic he was at a loss. So, that was how the night went, this continuation of racking his brain, like he had for weeks, about what to do. It was ultimately left to the last minute because of his indecisiveness and his job.

Always just happy to spend time with her, he knew he did not want whatever they were to eachother to just become something physical. He had a guard up at all points in time but now it was slowly coming down and he was a bit nervous and excited about that. When she showed up at his door he had to vie for her attention, the dogs all bouncing at her as if they knew it was her birthday too. “‘ello, gorgeous.” He would smile as he’d reach over and take her bag, which was always heavier than it looked from it having at least one book- something he found almost unbearably adorable. As he set it down, on the couch he would pull her slender form against him and kiss her temple to whisper into her ear, “Happy Birthday, Rose Verity Winston.”

It wasn’t a night fully planned out, but as he moved to the side there was evidence of his attempt at making her feel special on her birthday. The table was set with a salad, rice, and grilled chicken cleanly placed and waiting for her. Then, instead of a centerpiece or candles, there was a chocolate pancake cake with a flower on top. It was a little something his father had taught the boys, a tradition they’d kept up for mothers day for ages. The 'icing’ was the hard part and he’d spent a while on it because the consistency was supposed to be between Cool Whip and cake icing.

After they’d eaten and he moved her back to the living room, letting her pick whatever she wanted from his massive collection. Though he wasn’t sure if she had seen it before or not, under the coffee table was a small bouquet of lavender flowers on top of a simply wrapped package. Inside was a small gift, nothing to fancy but something he hoped she would appreciate. As soon as she turned around it was on top of the table waiting for her. It was a first edition of Pablo Neruda’s La Barcarola and as she opened it he found himself apologizing. “I know you have a lot of books already and…I mean, if you have it then we could find another.”

The man popped out off of the couch and took her movie. His fingers nervously playing with his beard. Not looking back at her as he placed it in the DVD player. “Would you like some wine or coffee, love?” He should have known she’d be right there, she’d always been like a cat, silently sneaking up on him- and not just physically either. A boyish smile spread across his lips. “Should I be ducking? Come to smack me with the book for figuring out what your birthday is?”

Thaddeus had to be that way with her, teasing and playful, more making fun of himself than of her bookishness. It was how he coped with becoming attracted to brilliant women. The women he came in contact with at his job were grimy and often prostitutes, but still beautiful and too often well aware of that fact. He loved that there was more to Rosie than her glowing eyes and soft features but it also terrified him. At work he never let his fears get the best of him and Adele had encouraged him to start applying that to his personal life. So, with very little thought, he pulled her against him, shut his eyes and kissed her. His lips softly pressed to her own, the tips of his fingers pressed harder to her back as if she could be any closer to him.

They never watched the movie. At some point in that kiss his fingers had found her skin and in some sort of laughing chase they left a trail of clothes across his place until they found his bedroom. Everything was quiet, even their breathing, to the point that he’d have sworn he could hear the soft buzz of electricity moving to his bedside lamp. In the dim room of his light he would worship her until the sun came up and she fell asleep from exhaustion. Every inch of her would be kissed, those kisses washed away in sweat or rubbed away by bed sheets only to be given new ones. The silence would give way to bated breath and gentle whimpers.

If she was the queen for just a day he fell asleep satisfied in knowing he’d given her all he had, let her see the sentimental parts of him, and that she knew the door was open for her. It was terrifying but as he placed a goodnight kiss to the top of her head as it rested on his chest he did not think about the fiasco that ensued every time he’d done this before. No, the man fell asleep with a genuine smile on his face, something about her put him at ease, that she wasn’t the type to trample a heart.

[jeffrey2garner]

New to the Used Market: 2018 MINI

There was an awful lot that could’ve gone wrong when, almost 20 years ago, BMW relaunched MINI. Yet from the retro-inspired styling to the UK-based Plant Oxford production facility, the modern MINI has in fact been a complete triumph, serving as a masterclass in how to make an old brand relevant to new consumers.

Admittedly, the modern MINI in its many forms does not appeal to everybody. Some, for example, point out that even the smallest MINI these days is anything but mini. However, all cars have their critics, and anyway, it’s not like sales have suffered as a result.

So to the car that is the subject of today’s column, the recently facelifted 2018 MINI hatchback, the first examples of which have now arrived on the used market. They are easy to spot, too: just look at the LED rear lights and if they feature a Union Jack emblem you know you’re in business.

Other, less obvious, changes, include that every model features a full infotainment system measuring either 6.5 or 8.8 inches depending on whether you opt for a car with the optional Technology Plus pack, and you might even find a car with personalised extras such as 3D printed puddle lights and indicator inserts (don’t worry, if they say ‘ Welcome Dave’ you can pay to change them).

Another technological highlight, albeit optional, is the availability of LED headlights with adaptive Matrix technology. These can alter their beam according to what kind of road you are driving on so that, for example, in country and urban environments they use a wider beam to light up more of the side of the road. Additionally, they will blank off parts of the high beam that would otherwise dazzle oncoming traffic, all the while keeping the rest of your path fully illuminated. 

THE DRIVE When it comes to the driving experience there’s not a great deal that’s changed about this 2018 MINI compared with a pre-facelift example, but that’s no bad thing because what we have here remains a terrifically entertaining car.

The fun starts with the interior, which with its high dashboard and quirky toggle switches leaves you in no doubt you’re in a MINI product. That the height-adjustable driver’s seat can drop you right down on to the floor only enhances the connection with a classic Mini, too.

Then there’s the ride and handling, which with its firm, darty nature, and weighty steering makes even the more basic versions of the MINI feel distinctly sporty. By the time you’ve worked your way up to a Cooper S with its near 200 horsepower turbocharged 2.0-litre engine you’re moving into hot hatch territory, with so much grip that you’ll be able to keep up with much more expensive cars so long as the road in question has a few twists and turns.

What really impresses about the modern MINI though is that it combines this agility with a really grown-up side that allows you to complete longer journeys with ease. For aside from a bit of wind noise around the windscreen it’s actually an accomplished motorway companion, and thanks to the use of upmarket materials never feels anything less than a premium product.

THE RANGE Things kick off with the MINI One, which from the 2018 facelift uses a 1.5-litre engine delivering 102hp and a 0-62mph time of 10.1 seconds. The next step up is the Cooper, which has the same engine with 136hp and 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds, followed by the 192hp Cooper S with its 0-62mph time of just 6.8 seconds. For high-mileage drivers MINI also offers diesel engines, including a Cooper D that averaged more than 70mpg in EU fuel tests and yet can still get from 0-62mph in a respectable 9.2 seconds.

And then there’s the true performance model in the shape of the John Cooper Works, which upgrades the already quick Cooper S to produce 231hp, not to mention a wicked exhaust note that pops and bangs when the car is driven hard. Thus equipped you’ll be able to get from 0-62mph in just 6.3 seconds, as well as truly make the most of the MINI’s brilliant chassis.

Don’t forget either that nowadays the MINI is available not only as a three-door hatch but also with five doors, complete with a longer wheelbase to create more space for passengers in the rear, and a bigger boot. The result is anything but mini, but what you do get is a car that can genuinely rival the likes of the Volkswagen Polo and Ford Fiesta when it comes to practicality.

WHY BUY USED RATHER THAN NEW The obvious answer is that buying used can save you thousands of pounds, although if you’re going to run the car using a PCP finance deal it’s still worth closely comparing prices because dealers will generally save their best rates for new cars. 

There’s also the fact you won’t be made to wait to drive away in your new MINI, and all the while you’ll still have the balance of the original three-year, unlimited mileage warranty to fall back on if there’s a problem (do check this is transferable, however). Additionally all approved used MINIs come with the reassurance of having gone through a full inspection, plus a year of roadside assistance and MOT cover, meaning that if the car fails its first MOT MINI will pick up the bill for whatever needs rectifying (as ever, be sure to read the small print).

It’s also worth bearing in mind that many MINIs will have been ordered originally with a transferrable TLC servicing package, which for a fixed cost covers all servicing for up to the first five years of the car’s life. You can find out if the car you’re interested in buying is covered under a TLC package by visiting the MINI website.

As ever, searching for a used MINI via CarGurus will allow you to easily find great deals from top-rated dealers, whether you want to search locally or nationally. In doing so CarGurus helps to cut out the uncertainty from the traditionally tricky process of buying a used car – all you need to do is decide if those Union Jack rear lights are cool or corny.

Find Used Cars in your area at CarGurus.

Shopping for a new vehicle?

Bring along CarGurus’ mobile app to help check prices, find good deals, and research cars on your smartphone.

The content above is for informational purposes only and should be independently verified. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

  from The CarGurus Blog http://blog.cargurus.com/2018/06/08/new-to-the-used-market-2018-mini via Car Gurus from Blogger http://jeffrey2garner.blogspot.com/2018/06/new-to-used-market-2018-mini.html via IFTTT

[patentlawyer05]

I have a Great Idea?…So now what? 3 Steps to Take Before Getting a Patent

If you’ve just had your stroke of genius moment, or are trying to protect or advance the IP within your startup or small business the tips in this article should help you increase your chances of success. My hope is that by the end you’ll be as prepared as you can be for the realities that are going to face any new idea when you it hits the market.

I’ve talked with hundreds of successful and nascent inventors. It’s hard to point to one determining factor that unites them all, but one common theme I see time and time again is that most inventors get tripped up when it comes time to actually determining if there is a market out there for their products.

The biggest mistake that people make is relying too much on their gut. Sure yo have to have a dream ands tick to it. But sitting around thinking that you’ll know where the market is going when you could just go out and ask people is a dangerous strategy.

Look at the example of Quirky, a company that tried to crowd source innovation by having people vote on inventions they like. There biggest failure was an $800,000 development project for a kit that could turn anything into an RC car, that never even saw store shelves. The biggest issue wasn’t that they didn’t have good or interesting ideas. The problem was that the people voting weren’t buyers. And as a whole the company had no idea who any of their buyers would be.

If you’re like most engineers, entrepreneurs, or first time inventors you’re overflowing with a tons of great ideas. Big dreams you’d love to see come to be. But deciding which ideas to pursue, and which ideas are the best to build out and test, and then further on, which ideas are worth even thinking about patenting is a big task. Taking too many of the wrong shots can exhaust a new enterprise and any inventor.

As a fun little exercise work through this flow chart

 Source: Popular Science, “Inventor’s Handbook” package , Illustrations by Doublenaut

Now a patent alone can be a huge part of a smart growth strategy, but I don’t want people to come away from this with any level of naiveté, a great patent can’t save or create a business. You might be able to effectively license a patent, but make sure you can really build a business around an idea by following the steps below before trying to get a patent.

  How to Test An Idea Before You Try to Launch a Business, or Think about Patenting It

Step 1: Solidify Your Idea for an Invention

Hover boards. We all want hover boards.

It’s a great idea…but that’s all, it’s just an idea.

Let’s say you wanted to build as hover board. And you figured out how to make it work and power it without hassle. Now you could patent it here, but your work is still not done. How are you going to sell it? How will it charge? Will it fly or just hover?

I recommend that all inventors, and many of my friends, work through Peter Theil’s 7 Questions for Product Innovation framework. Before you get to excited. Ask yourself?:

Can we build something 10X better than what is already there? i.e. will my new hover board be 10x better for consumers than existing skateboards? How about walking or biking, will it really be more convenient in a real way? Are there dangers I’m not thinking of?

Is it the right time? Can my idea actually thrive in this market?

Will I be able to “own” my market? If it’s easy for another billion dollar company in my market to make some minor changes, it’s probably not worth building

Am I the right person to build this? and If not, do I know the people who can and would they?

Can I distribute this? Do I know how I could actually sell this and get it to market.

How durable is my idea? What will happen in 10 years when there could be hundreds of people selling something similar to my idea? Will customers still want to buy from me?

Is there some secret magic here? Does your innovation uncover a secret, which solves a fundamental problem for the customer?

Peter Theil’s winner take all ideology might be too much for you, but a t a basic level think through your idea, and keep a list of your notes.

The gaol at this point is to just have a basic business plan or elevator pitch. Can you describe your product/idea in one sentence to your target customer? Would your grandma get it?

Some Further Questions:

What’s your purpose? does this idea fulfill a dream you have a strong feeling towards? Being an entrepreneur is hard. It’s brutal and lonely.

 Source: John Saddington

That big old chasm in the middle there, what is often referred to as the “Startup Valley of Death,” will take a lot of passion to get through.

    Source: Osawa and Miyazaki, 2006

 Be prepared for the reality that your idea might change as you progress through the steps outlined above.

Are you solving a real problem? If customers don’t know they have the problem you think they do, or they don’t quickly grasp why they want it, it’s probably not going to be an easy sell.

If there are people that have the problem, can you find them and talk to them?

Hopefully you had answers for all of the above questions. And that’s good, next, we need to check out the market.

Research the Market

The biggest hurdle will be if an invention already exists. Just because you haven’t heard of something it doesn’t mean that people aren’t already selling, or haven’t tried to sell it before. If it didn’t work for them there may be a good reason. I recommend doing a patent search and going through the “un-official” patent search method I’ve outlined in this how to for patent searches. Trying to locate similar products on the market can let you know what sorts of challenges might face your new invention.

Try to consider who would actually buy your product. Say you were inventing a new kind of water, well it’s hard to find any one person that really really wants it since we all need. But maybe you sell something that’s sports specific. Well, then like Gatorade, you know that you need to target athletes. go through the process of who would ultimately “buy” your idea and start to understand what and how those people shop.

Next, take some time.

Yeah really, take a bit of time. Process what’s out there. as Greg Isenberg, a venture capitalist and serial entrepreneur, said in a 2014 interview, After I’ve gone through the process of writing down a bunch of ideas, I don’t like to rush into building a business plan or recruiting the team,” Isenberg stated. “I like to wait a few weeks, [to] see which ideas really stick with me.” Taking this time before you jump head over heals will let you genuinely evaluate on a personal level if you’re still interested in the idea after the initial luster has faded.

Finally, start small. Create a Prototype or Build a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).

This is “the simplest form of your idea that you can actually sell as product,” said Eric Ries, a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur and the author of “The Lean Startup” (Crown Business, 2011). Or as Reid Hoffman has put it:

 If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.

Getting something simple out will let you gauge what other hurdles you might face, and actually have something tangible to show people.

Step 2 Get Validation

Don’t fear feedback. Good feedback will make your idea better.

The big thing witch gauging an ideas possibility of success is to always be open to feedback and to seek validation for your ideas. You need constant feedback to succeed. 

Now that we have an MVP we can actually test it on the market. There are multiple ways to do this, but basically you can test out your idea in a small way out in the wild and see how people would react.

Create a simple landing page, and send Ads to it. There are multiple routes you could take here, but I’ll just shoot your over to the brilliant Product Creation Masterclass from ConvertKit. It’s relatively easy to set up Facebook Ads, Reddit Ads, or plain old Adwords to get people looking at your “idea” in it’s final form. 

You could even get more intense and create a website and social media presence, building on the strategy outlined above. This is something you could show to friends, colleagues, and potential customers to gauge interest, heck, you could even take preorders.

Expose people to your site or landing page on User experience sites like Usability Hub. Do they get it?

Present your  MVP to friends and family. They may have heard your original idea, but what do they think of the “product” that creates. You can also look for Facebook Groups, or SubReddits that might be interested and try to show them your product.

Don’t forget to ask for help, or ask people for favors! If there are one or two individuals or communities you think would be perfect for your idea, consider “pitching” it to them. See if you can get them to use it and if it will stick. If they get excited and ask for more features than you probably have a great idea.

Meet people you don’t know! Now it’s important to be careful in more competative industries, but if you have an idea that you’re burning to get out there, theres nothing stopping you from reaching out to your potential customers in person. You’ll have to do it eventually no matter what, you might as well start early.

You could also run a Survey to see if people want or understand your thinking behind the product.

Step 3 Refine

Be ready to change. Any idea is going to get reinvented many times until it’s a successful invention. So long as you have done step 1 and 2 properly you should know how good in a position you are to monetize your invention, wether it can be a business, and when you should patent your idea.

Best of luck inventing!

Some ideas for being smart about sharing ideas!

You have to understand the risks. The above tactics are almost always necessary to test out how good an idea is, unless you’re already steeped in an industry. But people can copy ideas quick. There are horror stories out there like the selfie-stick KickStarter campaign that was copied and being sold before it even finished being funded. But risks are always going to be part of the challenge of inventing.

There are two strategies you can use to mitigate dangers, but at the end of the day you really can’t  protect yourself completely against bad actors, there are cheaters and scammers out there. That said nondisclosure or confidentiality agreements can be a good strategy to protect yourself from potential partners, investors, or distributors who might take your invention for their own.

Another option is to just file a provisional patent, until you have your idea and business model 100% dialed in.

Neither of the above two options are full-proof, but will offer you a bit more protection while your idea is developing in the wild.

    The post I have a Great Idea?…So now what? 3 Steps to Take Before Getting a Patent appeared first on Amir Adibi Patent Lawyer.

from https://www.patentlawyer.io/great-idea-now-build-a-business/