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0averysillygoose0 · 14 days

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I can still make the whole place shimmer (with the skin of a killer, Bella) - Chapter one

Prologue is posted and in my master list♡

Summary:

Angelica Cullen was supposed to have died over 300 years ago, but now she gets to watch as her adoptive brother stalks some girl from Arizona.

Born in the 1600s to one Carlisle Cullen and his first wife- a woman whose name has since faded into obscurity, Angelica was never supposed to amount to much more than marriage and children. Now a perpetual sixteen-year-old who wants nothing more than to be able to paint her nails in peace to the Mama Mia soundtrack, she finds herself with little to occupy her time.

Her relationship with her family is growing more strained by the day. The cycle of high school has long since become dull and draining, and despite her desperation for something else, she's forced to stay stagnant for 'the good of the family'.

A family who's wearing her patience thin.

Then Bella Swan moves to Forks and Angelica's pressure is suddenly raised as the Cullen family is thrown into a potentially life-ending challenge every five business days. The Quillute are watching closely, as are the Volturi for any slip-ups, and in the world of the supernatural, Angelica has the grace of a baby deer.

♡ ♡ ♡

Chapter one Family feud

Forks was a rainy footnote of a town where the perpetually swollen gray clouds outnumbered the residents.

It was dotted with rickety, water stained houses, not yet old enough to be considered historical but not new enough to be considered modern and the sidewalks had a permanent shine to them despite being cracked and worn from the many paths taken.

The smell of the sea, heavy with salt, hung in the air. It mingled with drifts of damp foliage and soil from the forest. Green lay everywhere, in the moss laiden trunks, the canopy of leaves and the fern littered ground.

Angelica Cullen was growing tired of the long and winding roads that snaked around the trees. The pavement was always slick, reflecting passing headlights in the persistent puddles. She knew where each curve led, how much a section of the highway veered off to the side and how many scratches there were in the solid yellow line that separated the two lanes.

She was sitting slouched over in the passenger seat of a silver Volvo, her arms crossed over her chest. A blush pink backpack lay by her water stained uggs, with several papers on the brink of spilling out. Angelica couldn’t have been bothered to shut the bag.

Her biology homework was undoubtedly ruined, the ink already bleeding through the paper. She mourned the delicate little doodles of flowers that had been smudged away more than the lost 20 minutes it had taken her to complete the worksheet. Another assignment marked late. In the rearview mirror, the large wooden slats and warm glowing windows that made up their latest home were beginning to grow blurrier. She watched as small droplets raced themselves down the pane of glass, their trickles eventually colliding into each other. The constant downpour left everything cold in its wake. The warm lights of homes were dulled through the blur of unrelenting droplets. In the back seat of every car sat a spare jacket, with mittens and hats joining the fray when the rain turned to harsh winter snow.

The people of Forks had a habit of complaining unrelentingly about the weather, despite it being a defining feature of the place. The teenagers (especially the girls), mourned the missed opportunities of dawning proper spring and summer attire and the unkindness of the icy beaches that lay just outside of the town. The adults lamented about the expenses of heating and water damage. They shared their idyllic speculations of moving away in small coffee shops, although they never carried through with the idea.

Silence hung heavy in the stale air of the car, made muggy by the dampness outside. Angelica let out a heavy sigh. Her eyes darted over to the glove box that housed the collection of CDs.

“I’m not listening to Taylor Swift.” Came the quick and sulky reply.

Angelica couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

“ABBA then.” She tried, offering her attempt at an olive branch.

“I don’t want to listen to any meaningless pop songs, I don’t care who wrote them.”

Her lips pursed irritably. She had a stomach ache, one of her own making, but a stomach ache nonetheless. Her eyes hung heavily, but sleep evaded her.

I want a nap.

It was one of her step mother’s many attempts to make the pair of them get along better. Somehow she thought being confined to Edward’s car on the drive to and from school would force Angelica to enjoy her brother’s company. If anything it was sending her firmly away. Truthfully, Angelica wondered why Esme had thought it was even necessary. She didn’t hate Edward, and she had no problem being around him for the most part. It was only when he opened his mouth and his typical dreary and pessimistic attitude slipped out of it that she grew irritable.

“ I’m Edward, I’m quirky. I have to pretend to hate nice things because I hate myself.” Angelica twittered in a high pitched voice. She turned to glare at the boy. “That’s you, that’s what you sound like.”

Her brother glowered, his heavy brows sliding down his face. The frown seemed to be a permanent fixture on his face. Angelica couldn’t remember the last time his lips had parted into that crooked grin of his, or he’d so much as scoffed at a joke.

Had she been driving her own car she’d be able to play all the music she wanted. Unfortunately, she still had several months to go until she’d be awarded that privilege once more. Only after she gathered around a cake no one could eat, littered with unlit candles, would she be able to use her beloved license.

“I don’t know why you’re allowed to have a license in the first place.” Edward muttered. “You’re a shitty driver.” Angelica scoffed. “Three weeks ago you hit a bunny.” She pointed out in an accusatory tone.

“It was my attempt at going to a drive through.” He said dryly.

Angelica turned to face the window again. “That’s not funny.”

“You’re too sensitive.” “No, I mean it's an objectively poorly construed and constructed joke.” She muttered, before she focused her gaze back on the familiar, long stretch of highway in front of them.

The rest of the drive was silent, spare for the sound of rain and wind pelting against the car’s windshield. It seemed to stretch on the closer they grew to their destination.

Edward’s Volvo had only just cleared the thin yellow lines that defined a parking space when Angelica was flinging herself out the door, a hurried “goodbye” on her lips.

Emmett’s jeep was already sitting in its normal space, only a few meters away. The four of them, Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie were still lounging in their seats. She didn’t stop to say hi. Unlike the rest of them, she had conversations to look forward to, outside of the stilted attempts teachers made to drag out answers from her siblings.

In Angelica’s opinion, it was a miracle no one had suspected anything of the family in the first place. Emmett and Rose looked more like actors in a tv show trying to portray high schoolers than actual seniors in highschool.

Not for the first time, Angelica wondered why they didn’t just send those two to university. She knew that if it were up to her, that’s where she would be. Studying English or maybe Mythology. Of course her father would say that it was difficult for the family to stay together outside of the highschool routine, but Angelica was finding it easier and easier with each passing year to look over that downside.

“Angie!”

A mousy brunette exclaimed excitedly, practically launching herself at her friend. Her arms had already been open as she rushed down the hall.

Angelica let out a small laugh, letting her muscles go slack so the girl wouldn’t hurt herself as she crashed against her rib cage. Her friend held her as though they’d been separated for years instead of four days.

“Girl,where were you this weekend?” Lilian asked after she’d pulled away. She didn’t wait for an answer before grabbing Angelica’s hand and leading her down the hallway towards their lockers.

“Alaska. I told you, remember?” Angelica chided lightly, following the girl as she cleared a path for them. “We went to visit my cousins.”

“Wait, like your bio cousins?” Lilian frowned. Her navy blue backpack was strung over one shoulder. Her water bottle teetered dangerously from the side pocket.

“The adoptive ones.”

“Have you ever met them before?”

“Mhmm, the first time was when I was like thirteen.” She said, trying to keep track of the backstory Carlisle had forced her to memorize. “They’re chill, we mostly played board games and stuff.”

She felt the familiar tug of guilt in the pit of her stomach that arose whenever the subject of her family arose at school. Angelica knew it wasn’t a malicious lie, but the words itched as they passed from her lips. Maybe it was how earnestly the mortal girl listened, trusting her wholeheartedly.

They’d stopped in front of a dented blue locker, number 420 . Angelica had smiled when she’d first been assigned it.

“How was Anna’s beach campfire thing?” She asked quickly, forcing energy into her voice.

“It was good. But you shoulda been there. Everyone missed you.” Lilian added.

Angelica nodded, a sad smile pulling at her lips. Her absence hadn’t been for lack of effort. She had begged Carlisle to let her go, promising she’d be careful. But the weekend had been too bright for them to stay, and even with her assurance that the event was taking place at night and would be totally fine, he’d still deemed it much too risky. Angelica wondered if it was because Edward had told him the beach would be littered with drinks and boys. Drinks Angelica couldn’t get drunk off of, and boys who didn’t hold her interest outside of passing conversations.

“Yeah.” She sighed finally. “My parents were kind of on my ass to go with them though. I couldn’t get out of it.”

Lilian nodded sympathetically. “Sucks.” She mumbled.

“Yeah.” Angelica shrugged, wrestling a textbook out of the overstuffed locker shelf. It was littered with an array of posters, cosmetics. A small pink bag was tucked in the back, containing pads and tampons. Obviously they hadn’t been for her own use (the one upside of organ failure), but she kept them for others.

“Did you get that math homework done, Lil?” She asked, reaching for a tube of mascara from her small stock of cosmetics and tucking it into her tote bag for later.

Lilian paled, her eyes going wide. “Shit, shit, shit.” She whispered under her breath, dropping to her knees. The girl began rifling through her backpack desperately. She eventually tugged out five sheets of paper, wrinkled and just barely stapled together.

“Bathroom trip?” Angelica suggested. An amused grin tugged at the corner of her lips. She pulled the completed worksheet they’d been assigned for the weekend out of her tote.

Lilian nodded quickly, stuffing the homework back into her bag. Angelica threw her free arm around the girl’s shoulder, then clicked her lock shut.

“Do you want to do something tonight? I rented Mama Mia.”

“Oooh.” Angelica smiled. “Can you drive me home after?”

“Yeah, sounds good.”

She fished her papers from the bag. “Should Anna come?”

“I’ll ask her at lunch, but she might have Volleyball practice.” She took them from Angelica’s hands.

“She’d probably skip for us though.” “Yeah, probably.”

***

“I’m going to Lilly’s today, I won’t need a ride home.” She told Edward passively, her eyes still trained on the prep worksheet in front of her. There was a dull hum in their biology class as everyone bothered themselves with answering the questions.

Anna was sat up front, blonde ringlets pulled back into a ponytail. They’d been lab partners until last week when Mr Banner had decided they spent too much time gossiping and not enough time taking notes. Angelica had reluctantly joined her brother’s side.

“You can’t.” Edward finished the worksheet with ease. “Carlisle’s taking us out for dinner tonight,” He paused briefly, catching an intrigued look from the girl who sat at the table across the aisle, “In Port Angeles.” He added.

“Bring me a box back then.” She muttered, doodling a small whale on the side of her paper. Angelica hatch marked in the fin and the underbelly, her best attempt at shading with her lilac pen. The felt tip was too large for any delicacy. She couldn’t be bothered to answer the actual questions.

Dad can cope.

Angelica shrugged off her brother.

Some of us have lives outside of the family.

Edward eyed her up with contempt. “Mr Banner.” His arm was raised unnaturally straight, looking stiff as a rock. Angelica turned to stare at him.

Whatever you’re doing, stop it.

The teacher seemed startled that he’d spoken for once. The man blinked in surprise.

“Yes, Edward?” Mr Banner’s voice was hesitant.

“Angelica can’t do the dissection, the formaldehyde gives her migraines” He announced.

Her hand curled into a fist.

“I can do it.” Angelica said quickly, spewing mental curses in her brother’s direction. “I’ll be fine.”

From across the room, Anna had fixed her with a confused stare, and she could feel the eyes of others on her as well.

“You passed out during the eyeball dissection in freshman year back in Alaska.” Edward continued. He gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. A hot jolt of anger darted through her. She wanted to rip his wrist off of his body and put one of the bunsen burners to good use. “Carlisle said you have to avoid that stuff.”

The teacher shook his head. “Angelica, I can’t allow you to participate if there’s a risk of you fainting.”

“Mr Banner, really, I’ll be fine.” She insisted.

Edward had the nerve to flash a lopsided grin at her. Of course now, his humor returned. She’d have to remember that the key to pulling him out from his sullen attitude was her own suffering. “You just told me you felt dizzy.”

Angelica’s hand shook, leaving a small felt tip pockmark on her paper. Her lower lip drew upwards, pressing into a thin line.

“If you’re feeling unwell, I suggest you go to the nurse’s office.”

I hope you eat a sepsis ridden mountain lion tonight, you bloody twat.

Edward watched in satisfaction as she pulled her bag up from the chair below her, papers on the brink of spilling out as she dragged herself out the door.

Angelica scrawled out a quick note and slipped it inside Lilly’s locker as she made her way down the dreary, empty hallway. She could hear the buzz of conversation from inside the shut classroom doors.

I felt sick, and had to go home. We’ll hang out later this weekend.

-A

The office was painted a garish shade of faded teal that clashed poorly with the sickly yellow furniture. Angelica mumbled a quick hello to Ms. Cope who was sat boredly at the front desk. She nodded toward the nurse’s station, where a plump woman with wavy blonde hair was sitting in her cramped office.

“Mrs. Cooper?” Angelica asked in a bleary voice. She let her eyelids droop ever so slightly.

The nurse’s head snapped up and a smile pulled at the corners of her mouth.

“Nice to see you again.” The woman said warmly, gesturing for her to enter the tiny room. It consisted of a cramped desk and a plastic cot that was covered in a variety of elusive stains. “What’s going on?”

“I think I have a migraine.” Angelica mumbled, slurring her words together. She moved further into the room, lowering herself onto the stained cot. She made a mental note to do a deep wash of the yoga pants she was wearing. Ms. Cooper’s face contorted in sympathy. “Could you call my mom?”

“What are your symptoms, sweetheart?” She inquired, rifling through a stack of papers until she retrieved the medical report sheet.

“I felt all dizzy in bio but now I have like a pain in my temple, and when I was trying to read all the letters were turning green and moving around.” The girl supplied in a pitiful voice. “I wanna puke.” She added for good measure.

“Migraine.” Ms. Cooper confirmed with a click of her pen. “Temple pain, aura and nausea.” There was a brief scratching noise as she scribbled every detail onto the paper. “I’ll just step out and give home a ring, hon.” Angelica dipped her head. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” She smiled. “Let me just get the lights for you, the fluorescents can’t be helping.”

“Oh yeah, the fluorescents.” Angelica nodded.

The nurse flipped the switch, and a diluted darkness filled the small room. She heard the small flick of a cell phone being opened. “Hi, this is Ms. Cooper calling from the school,” There was a brief pause, followed by some nodding, “Oh, everything’s fine, but I’m afraid poor Angelica has another migraine.” She shook her head. “ Tsk.” The nurse flicked the sound out from between her teeth before darting to look over at the girl through the window in the bleak office. Angelica pretended not to notice. “Yeah, she looks pretty pale. Says she has an aura and nausea… Mhm- Oh! Perfect…. So ten minutes? Okay- yes that’s perfect… thank you, mhm... Oh, you too.” “Your Mom will be here soon, sweetheart.” She said finally, sticking her head into the dark room.

“Thanks.” She grimaced. ***

“Alice told you?” Angelica inquired drearily, slamming the passenger door behind her. She shook out her hair that had become downtrodden by the rain. Her carefully curled coils had become messy clumps that would undoubtedly frizz up throughout the car ride home.

Esme nodded, slipping the key into the ignition. The warm purr of the engine pulsed through the car’s small body.

“Edward can do that worksheet for you.” She offered, clicking her seatbelt into place. Esme glanced over her shoulder quickly. “You’re clearly too sick for that.” The woman chuckled good naturedly, quickly shifted into reverse, effortlessly gliding out of the parking spot.

Angelica nodded, curling up in her seat. “I should be fine by tomorrow, it’s just a migraine.”

Esme made a clicking sound with her tongue, shaking her head sympathetically. “I called your father, he thinks you might have that flu that's been going around.”

Rain pounded against the windshield as they pulled out onto the main road that ran straight through the town. The clouds above were swollen and dark, promising that the weather wouldn’t be quick to yield. Angelica pulled the strings of her sweater tighter, tying them into a knot. The familiar rumble of the road below them was lulling her.

The toes of her uggs touched the bottom of the glove compartment as she stretched out, leaving a mud stain. Through the side mirror, she could see the block of worn red bricks that made up Forks High School as it faded into the distance. Had it not been for the cars that littered the parking lot, the building would have looked deserted.

“You need to rest.” Her stepmother hummed, brows creasing as she studied the dark circles that lined the girl’s eyes. “Your father said he could barely get you to crawl out of bed this morning.”

Angelica’s head lolled over towards Esme, her hair covered up in the gray hood. “I’m just tired from classes. High school starts to get draining after the 100th time.”

“You’re tired because you haven’t eaten in a while.” Esme fixed her with a worried golden glance.

Angelica’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she managed to bite her tongue.

“Carlisle’s been worried about you, sweetheart." Angelica nodded, her eyes still trained on the blurred outside. Her fingertips tapped against the arm rest. “He’s always worried about me.” She muttered.

“It’s natural, you’re still so young.” Esme tutted, shaking her head. She’d said ‘still’ as though Angelica possessed the potential to change.

“I was a day away from seventeen, I’m practically the same age as Edward.” She said, fighting the edge of annoyance from seeping into her voice. She didn’t want to lash out on her step mother merely because Edward had ruined her day and left her with a seething frustration. Esme hadn’t done anything to her, Angelica knew that. But the burning irritation within her had yet to get the memo.

“It’s different with you.” Esme hummed, switching lanes. The turn signal ticked monotonously. The difference itself went unsaid as it always did with Esme. She didn’t like to acknowledge Angelica’s unique connection to Carlisle, but whenever she did, it was always to explain away her husband’s behaviors.

“I guess.” She sank further into her seat. “Can I play some music?”

♡ ♡ ♡

A/N

I ♡ family drama.

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diabolus1exmachina · 2 years

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Volvo 780 Turbo Coupe by Bertone (from the era in which cars have telephones installed!),

Italian design with Swedish sensibility - this 1991 Volvo Bertone 780 Turbo Coupe offers the best of it all.

Volvo had a partnership with the legendary design house Bertone that extended over three decades, and you're looking at the swan song. This would be the final year for the special coupes, and it's quite rare with less than 400 imported to the USA. The Red Pearl Metallic is believed to be original. But what really makes this attractive is the overall level of care. The 15-inch factory alloys are bright, the headlights are still clear, and the panels still fit like the day this left Bertone's Turin factory. When you open the door, you once again understand the level of care in this coupe. The leather seats are supple, the carpets are fresh, and colors are rich. Volvo used the Bertone coupes as their executive machine to rival the best from the other European manufacturers, and so this came loaded. It includes power seats, heated seats, power windows, power locks, cruise control, sunroof, and air conditioning. And even the era-correct cell phone is still in place just in case you want to put on your suspenders and power tie, too. But the most important part of this is that it's still a Volvo at its heart. So you get a classic car that was built with safety in mind. And you have features like a driver's airbag and anti-lock brakes.

Just like the rest of the car, the engine bay is clean, well-maintained, and quite modern. The turbocharged four-cylinder offers a nice balance between efficiency for everyday situations, and then unleashing a rush of power whenever you want to have some fun. In fact, if you enjoy driving, you want one of these later Bertone coupes like this, because it comes with a fully independent suspension. Add in a four-speed automatic transmission w/overdrive, power steering, and four-wheel disc brakes, and you soon realize this coupe is perfect for every situation.

#Volvo 780 Turbo Coupe #Bertone

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awesome-casuallyfamouscollector · 1 year

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The Corsa Electric now gets plenty of kit as standard, including a 10-inch touchscreen and a driver assistance system that provides lane departure warning and traffic sign recognition. The top-trim, £38,585 ($49,600) Corsa Ultimate gets matrix headlights and heated/massaging Alcantara seats. However, at that price point you're probably better off with a Tesla Model 3.

P.S. Looks good, but way too expensive for its class because the standard ICE Corsa will start at only £19,625 ($25,227)...! You are probably better off with a MG4 or Volvo EX30...Stellantis is not ready for equal competition against MG (SAIC) or Volvo (Geely)...

#UK #Opel Corsa Electric #Vauxhall Corsa Electric #electric vehicle #electric car #fossil fuel phase out #MG4 #competition #Volvo EX30 #demise of legacy automakers #Stellantis

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twoguysandaride · 2 years

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youtube

1957 (All Original) Chrysler 300C Convertible

The Chrysler 300 "letter series" are high-performance personal luxury cars that were built by Chrysler in the U.S. from 1955 to 1965 and were a sub-model from the Chrysler New Yorker. At its introduction, it was advertised as "America's Most Powerful Car".

The 1957 model year 300C was corporately shared with an all new appearance for Chrysler products called the "Forward Look" and featuring a "yawning" wide trapezoid-shaped front grille which was unique to the 300C, "Vista-Dome" windshield, dual headlights, and gradually rising tailfins starting from the doors similar to Chrysler-branded products. The wheel diameter changed from 15 in (381 mm) to 14 in (356 mm) while continuing to use drum brakes for all wheels, and to keep the front brakes cool a cooling duct was installed with the air intake located just below the headlights that fed air directly to the front brakes. The exterior color list was expanded to offer Jet Black, Parade Green metallic, Copper Brown metallic, Gauguin Red and Cloud White while the interior was tan leather standard and optional interior choices were available from the New Yorker list of which the 300 was based.

The Hemi engine was upgraded to 392 cu in (6.4 L) with 375 hp (280 kW), or as a limited edition 390 hp (290 kW) version (18 built). The 392 CID engine was exclusive to the 300, New Yorker and Imperials, while the dual four barrel carburetors was standard on the 300C and continued with an improved air induction system that gave each carburetor its own air cleaner to improve efficiency. A convertible model was available for the first time and was listed at US$5,359 ($51,704 in 2021 dollars) while the two-door hardtop was listed at US$4,929 ($47,556 in 2021 dollars). In comparison, a 1957 Imperial Crown Convertible was listed at US$5,598 ($51,276 in 2021 dollars). GM's Pontiac Division introduced the Pontiac Bonneville as a convertible only, offering fuel injection and a similar price tag but offered lower luxury content and a reduced price for 1958, and Mercury offered the Mercury Turnpike Cruiser for 1957 with the optional 430 cu in (7.0 L) Super Marauder V8.

The car introduced red, white, and blue '300C' circular medallions on the sides, hood, trunk, and interior and was the first model to use the color scheme. A total of 1,918 coupes and 484 convertibles were built.

#twoguysandaride #carsoftheday #CarReview #CarReviews #ClassicCar #ClassicCars #ClassicBoat #HowTo #TechHowTo #CarTech #Racing #PontoonBoat #Ford #Chevy #Honda #Toyota #Porsche #Honda #Toyota #Chevrolet #Buick #KIA #Hyundai #GMC #Volvo #Mercedes #Polestar #Ferrari #CarReview #CarReviewChannel #NewCars #Pontoon #FishingBoat #4Wheeler #OffRoad #Dirt #Snow #Sand #Water #Technology #Tech #Bentley #Jaguar #LandRover #Audi #BMW

#youtube

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dynamoe · 2 years

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BACK for the first time since March!

on AO3 | Pro | Ch 1 | Ch 2 | Ch 3 |Ch 4| Ch 5 | Ch 6 | Ch 7 ...Ch 10

“I’m not hearing any murder yet,” Pete whined, cranky, “You flubbed a spelling bee and your mom was getting some… who cares?” He sipped from his third or fourth Tsingtao. He couldn’t speak Vietnamese like Billy but he could gesture well enough to hold up and point at an empty bottle.

“Did you not hear that this motherfucker threatened me? At THE Magic Pan, it’s nearly sacrilege!” Billy wasn’t matching him beer-for-beer but was definitely sozzled enough to get fight-y.

“False memory. You can’t remember back that far. You can’t remember why you turned the oven on most days.”

“I have an eidetic memory. That’s how I’m a boy genius, dumbass. Perfect recall.”

“Your mom thought you were a genius from all the fluid in your head.”

“Yeah, well, my mother believed in a lot of things that turned out to be bullshit,” Billy spat.

The scar-faced waiter was looking cagey, staring over his shoulder as the card game was breaking up for the night.

“I think they want us to leave. Pay the bill, White”

“No way. You pay the bill.”

“I can’t carry a wallet in these short pants. The pockets are too shallow. It’ll ruin the line”

Pete rolled his eyes. “Fine. Just… look away for a second.”

“Why?”

Pete unzipped his fly and stuck his hand down the back of his jeans.

“Oh Jesus, REALLY? Why do you still have all your money up THERE?”

REVENGE Professor Peebo Putnam looked over the smoldering husk of his Jaguar XJ. The (bloody) doors – blown off. Four round headlights burst by the heat of the explosion, the chrome grill curling in on itself. He ran over the asphalt, broken glass crunching under his shoes; to pick up his leaping-cat hood ornament, charred black and blown 50 feet away by the power of the blast.

His jaw dropped, horrified. Who could have done this to such a beautiful, expensive car? He looked all around him in a panic before locking eyes with young Billy in the back of a Volvo station wagon slowly pulling away. Peering back under the shadow of long orange bangs, two emotionally-dead, cold eyes— like a doll’s eyes— telegraphed the message: Today the Jag. Tomorrow… you.

“I’m getting ahead of myself. That was a couple years after we moved, “ present-day Billy explained, trying to reassure White that carnage was coming, but he had to give a little more context.

"Tease tease tease," White mumbled, pulling up his trousers.

Billy and Pete trudged up the hill back to their hotel, just drunk enough to be testy but too tired to actually argue.

“I think there’s still water trapped inside,” Billy said, shaking his robot hand next to his ear, “I’m gonna have to put it in a box of rice overnight.”

“Get back to the revenge story, short stack,” Pete sniped, already winded by the up-and-down pitch of the Seattle streetscape, “Only 28 blocks to walk before we’re back at the hotel.”

Billy scowled, “Ok, fine. So the next couple years were more of the same. Boy Genius tournaments and publicity stunts on the weekend. I started normal kindergarten, first, second grade at the local public school. The school work was way too easy, obviously—”

“GRAPE job!” Pete gave a thumb’s up.

“— but my coordination and motor skills were crap. I even failed ‘hop on one foot’ on my kindergarten report card!”

Pete made a sad face and gave a thumb’s down, “KNOT your best work. See me.”

“And I didn’t know how to talk to other kids in a way they’d understand. ‘Poorly socialized’ they said,” Billy air-quoted with disgust, “Like I was a dog that shat on the carpet and humped the mailman.”

“I’d like to see you hump a mailman. Would you buy him dinner first?” Pete mused, ignored by Billy.

“After I got a 1600 on SAT when I was 5, my mom convinced the local community college to let me audit classes as long as I didn’t claim credit towards a degree. Then in the summers I got to drive into the City and do a full load of courses at Stuyvesant University which ruled because then I didn’t have to attend mom’s dance classes like I did the rest of the year. Professor Peebo said—”

“Hey, let’s go in there,” Pete cut him off, pointing at a glass fronted café in an industrial building across the street.

“You want coffee NOW? It’s like… 9 PM.”

“When in Rome, caffeinate as the Romans do, “ Pete shouted back as he jaywalked across four lanes of road. Billy walked up a block to the nearest crosswalk and followed at his own pace, always respectful of the rules of the road.

The name of the shop was painted in day-glo blobby, swirly kind of lettering that usually indicated a Fruitopia beverage or a Deee-Lite album:

“What the fuck is an 'internet cafe?'” Billy asked out loud before walking in.

Billy knew what a cafe was, of course. Duh. He was ahead of the curve on “internet,” they had a dial-up modem in the trailer. He was a dab hand at USENET forums and a respected commentator on several message board communities. But why bring “cafe” into it.

Billy found Pete waiting in line, studying the menu board, written in the same loopy neo-psychedelic script as the cafe sign.

“There’s a method to my madness” Pete confided “Old people universally can not stay up late. They just conk out right at 7 PM. It’s a law of nature… and thermodynamics, probably.”

“Uh huh,” Billy humored him. At least it might sober them up a little. Even though he had only nursed a couple Tsingtaos over dinner but his undersized volume meant that he was something like 10% alcohol by weight and feeling logy.

“So the later we linger the greater chance that this Strokeface von Powerchair has already turned in for the night by the time we’re back at the hotel. We can put off the confrontation until tomorrow at least.”

“Cowardly AND lazy,” Billy noted, “A perfect plan.”

“I didn’t survive this long with everyone hating me without picking up a few strategies, pally,” Pete winked.

“Coffee gives me the galloping trots, but I'm half in the bag anyway. I'm spending all night over the toilet no matter what. Might as well make it a toss-up over which way I'm facing.”

“You're tired. You always get nasty when you're tired,” Pete dismissed.

He read off the menu board, “Every coffee comes with 60 minutes of in-house internet use on our T-1 connection. Claim an email address on harsh-realm-dot-com for an additional buck.”

“Ooh, I can get my own email address!” Billy brightened.

“You already have one.”

“Yeah but that's, like, '@ prodigy' or '@ CompuServe.' So lame. So suburban.”

“Fuck it. I'll make you an email address. I know how to do that. Easy.”

“Just like you 'make us a website,' like you said you would six months ago.”

“I'm working on it. I need to... set up some permissions… on the DNS.”

“Liar. Did you even buy the domain? Do we own 'e-ConjecturalTechnologies-dot-com' like I asked you to get.”

“I started to but…” Pete struggled to remember, “I think I was mad at you for something and bought 'BillyCanEatThePeanutsOutofMyShit-dot-com' instead.”

“What the fuck! Why would you buy that?”

“I know! I wanted BillyCanEatThePeanutsOutofMyShit-dot-EDU because I'm teachin' classes in it! Up high!” Pete raised his hand for a a high five.

Billy rolled his eyes as they made their way to the front of the line.

The barista leaned over to smile at Billy, “Sweet outfit. You in a band, kid?”

Billy’s suit was barely holding together after the dunk in the fountain, the dash across town and half of his pho landed on his jacket instead in his mouth, His smooth blow-dried mushroom cut to put in "in character" of an 11-year old smarty-pants had dried into weird clumps, center parted. Maybe it gave his whole look the grungy lived-in authenticity of an ironic stage costume.

The barista had enough studs and rings in her face to set off a metal detector just like he did: nose, eyebrow, lip, a dozen rings in each ear and a click in her speech that betrayed at least one ring in the tongue. Those were just the ones from the neck up, Billy's mind boggled but he only smiled back dumbly. He’d like to give HER a pat-down at the airport some time. Before Billy could drunkenly say something to get them both arrested, Pete jumped in, “He's in a ska cover band of AC/DC. He's the Angus Young... Skangus Young.”

The barista looked instantly disgusted.

“You shook me SKAAAAlll night long,” Pete sang.

“Pick it up. Pick it up,” Billy chimed in.

The barista rolled her eyes and took their orders. Pete found them a table while Billy waited for the coffee.

The cafe room of tables, chairs and a few sofas seemed both industrial and weirdly cosy. A cement floored loft lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves overstuffed with books, but also criss-crossed with extension cords and cables. Something electronic and repetitive played at a low drone over the sound system.

“Weird place,” Billy scanned the room.

“It’s a collectively-owned community art space for media, activism, the arts and cyber education,” Pete held up a flyer, “They have a printed FAQ on every table.”

“So are they nerds or are they hippies?” Billy straining to categorize the subculture. He saw a bank of inter-wired 286s in a side room with a cluster of geeks engaged in what was either a video game or making spreadsheets.

“Hey, check out the weirdie-beardies in the back,” Pete said, gesturing to two dudes hunched over a tiny table, definitely closer to “homeless vagrant” than “hip slacker” on the spectrum. They scratched their chins in tandem and stared over a chessboard. Each move seemed to take ten minutes of deliberation, the two in their own bubble not even aware of the coffee shop around them.

“Whaddya say I challenge the winner?” Pete asked with a crooked grin, pouring a sixth packet of sugar into his Americano with five shots of espresso.

“Do you even know how to play chess?”

Pete scoffed, “I think the 10,000 logged games of Battle Chess on my 286 would testify that I do. Thank you very much.”

“How many of those games did you finish and how many were you cranking it to the pixel-boobs of the Queen-takes-Knight animation?” Billy said dryly, looking into his mocha.

Pete screwed up his face, but didn't offer a denial.

Billy laid out the situation, “There are a lot of sub-classes of boy genius—“

“— Ranger, Cleric, Mage, Bard—“

“Don't even start on that Gygax bullshit,” Billy snapped and pressed on with his analysis, “The first thing any boy genius learn up at your first Mathletics Meet-Up or Quiz Bowl Tournament is NEVER fuck with the chess guys,” Billy cautioned.

“Those guys don't look like Boy Genius alumni, Billy,” Pete said, “One of them's wearing a garbage bag as a dress.” One of the players mimed hitting an invisible time clock at the end of his turn.

“They're also using parts from a smashed game of Mousetrap as chess pieces, but this still rule applies,” Billy continued, “Chess guys take all the 'processing power' in their brains, diverting it from basic OS function, and hone it all to one point: Chess.” Billy put it in a metaphor Pete would understand.

“Overclocked,” Pete muttered in fearful admiration.

“The really good ones don't know how a doorknob works but if you enter their arena, you're toast. Worse— if you, by some fluke, you actually take a piece or, god help you, actually win a game, they will freak the fuck out.”

“So...” Pete clarified, “I shouldn't ask for a game?”

“Bold contrasting patterns is how nature says 'don't touch.' As true of the Poison Dart Frog of Guyana as it is for the black and white squares of the chessboard,” Billy mused poetically.

“Poetry slam doesn’t start for another twenty minutes,” Pete said pointing to a chalkboard schedule on the small stage in the back of the room, “I'm not giving you snaps unless you go through official channels.”

“I totally could do narration for a Nature special though, right?” Billy complimented himself, “Look out, Marty Stouffer!”

“Until they got to the episode on snakes, serpents and spotted seals of the seven seas,” Pete noted, “Finish your damn story already. And there better be carnage.”

“How I got on this old bastard’s bad side,” Billy leaned in, “My mom still was totally gaga over him and followed all of his directives about having me enter trivia contests and science fairs and pageants and shit,”

“Pageants? Boy Genius Pageants, really,” Pete smirked.

“Oh yeah. There were four local circuits and two national ones. Ones that mattered, anyway," Billy sniffed, "They all claimed it was about awarding scholarships and promoting excellence in academic achievement. Total baloney. There was a written test and a Q&A but the cutest kid always won. Oversized glasses with big sparkly eyes, bunny teeth, and perfect hair, prancing around in his adorable bowtie.” Billy grumbled at the memory.

“Sounds like some scars haven’t healed yet,” Pete noted dryly over the lip of his coffee cup.

“There was absolutely NO REASON for a swimsuit round in a so-called contest of academic achievement," Billy suddenly shouted.

Pete tried to calm him. He reached over the table to lay a hand on his shoulder, "Ssssh ssshhh. You're right, fella. You're absolutely right, but let's keep some proportion in here, pally."

“I was a big-headed fat kid— no way I can rock a speedo,” muttered Billy bitterly, “I looked like… those bad guys in Super Mario.”

“Koopa Troopas,” White pronounced totally accurately, the Nintendo localization team having preemptively removed any “R”s from the name for his accent’s convenience.

“No, those are the turtle guys you jump on. I meant the mushroom-lookin’ ones.”

“Oh, Goombahs.”

“Yeah, that was me. I was a Goombah. 90% head. Spherical body and a mushroom cap of a bowl cut on top,” Billy frowned, “Top three in the trivia, interview and evening wear, but the swimsuit round totally killed my average. I always absolutely dominated the talent competition, too."

“You have always been a man of many talents,” White observed.

“Dig the set up— you got a ton of boy geniuses playing Chopin on the violin. Bo-ring. Like we all didn’t play the violin, right? Then you got some weird ones. Like, bird calls and shadow puppets. Some kid memorized The Constitution and recited it from memory. Plays well with the Texas crowd, I guess,” Billy mused, getting lost in analyzing competition from years ago, “Recitation in general. Poems. Great speeches in History.“

“This coffee is wicked awesome,” said Pete ignoring him, wide-eyed with pupils like pinholes, “I’m gonna get another one. And a Maple Long John.”

“You’ll be bouncing off the walls,” Billy nagged, but Pete was already up from the table.

“Only a half-a-cup. I promise,” Pete reassured Billy as he nearly leapt to the barista counter.

“I never could have gotten away with just reading a poem,” Billy said to himself, “Mom always wanted me to sparkle. Mom wanted me to… DANCE.”

[INSERT: WAVY FULL-SCREEN LAP DISSOLVE TO TRANSITION TO FLASHBACK] Stage directions don’t belong in prose fiction but I’ll writing one in anyway. Deal.

“Maaaaaahhhmmmm,” Li'l Billy droned as he trudged onto stage, “The unitard is too long.” His feet were crammed into what would have been the knees of the spangly bodysuit while its floppy fabric shins and actual feet dragged behind him like a train. The neckline was stretched from Li’l Billy forcing his melon-like head through it, giving him daring décolletage for a 7-year-old, but the lacy cravat of the full costume would cover it.

“Let me see, water-baby,” his mother beckoned him over, “That's an easy fix. Just scrunch them up. See? The leg warmers will cover all this.” she said as she worked the loose spandex up into bunches at his ankles, making him look more like a clipped poodle with pom-pom feet than the cat he was supposed to be embodying.

“Dancching around like an idiot is not a good use of my tremendousch intelligencche,” Li’l Billy griped.

“What have I told you about little boy geniuses who only study science, technology engineering, and mathematics and neglect the arts and humanities?”

“They grow up to be schupervillainsch .”

“...They grow up to be supervillains,” Rose joined, saying it with him, “We need our genius to be well-rounded and be complemented by empathy. The arts teach us to FEEL.”

“I feel like a big schtupid butthead,” Li’l Billy muttered under his breath, tugging at the legs of his catsuit and getting into position.

—

“I'm a kitty,” Li’l Billy whispered to himself in the wings, an elementary school take on method acting to psyche himself up for his cue.

As the kindergarten prodigy on stage bowed after playing Chopin's Étude Op. 25, No. 6 (*snooze*) and was ushered off, the MC announced “Billy Whalen, from Washington DC,” to a round of polite applause.

His backing music started on the sound system as Billy pranced to center stage, did a couple standing leaps, squatting mid-air so his heels nearly touched his butt (a move way harder than it looked; something adult Billy would blame for his creaking joints twenty years later).

“Preschto!” Li’l Billy sang.

The black velveteen unitard and leg warmers from rehearsal now joined by a sequined tuxedo jacket and frill-fronted dickie and cravat around his neck, finished white gloves and white capezios— the Great White Way’s glitzy interpretation of a black-and-white tuxedo cat.

He is quiet and schmall He is black From the earsch to the tip of his tail He can creep through the tiniescht crack He can walk on the narrowescht rail

And you'll all schay: Oh! Well I never! Wasch there ever A cat scho clever as magical Mr. Mischtoffeleesch!

Oh! Well I never! Wasch there ever A cat scho clever as magical Mr. Mischtoffeleesch!

After the pageant organizers nixed setting up 200 feet of ramps and track for their tribute to Starlight Express, this number from Cats was the compromise Billy and his mother settled on as his talent.

Master Billy Mistoffelees pointed left and triggered the flash-pot, setting off a small explosion of light and noise and a cloud of silver glitter. He did another standing jump and pointed right— another flash-pot boomed. He removed a rainbow-colored streamer from his pocket and waved it in the air like a rhythmic gymnast as he bounded around the entire stage and into the audience, leaping and spinning: barrel rolls with a few fouetté en tournant for a touch of class.

He stopped in front of the judges' table and fanned a deck of cards. The confused judge pulled out a card, showed it to the audience, and put it back in the pack while Li’l Billy over-exaggeratedly looked away to sing another chorus of his song. Magical Master Mistoffe-Billy nodded thanks, vocalizing a little “meow,” before climbing back on the stage. He pointed to his right and set off another flash-pot, which might have been overkill as flash-pot fatigue was setting in on the audience.

The recorded music reached a crescendo. The dozens of hidden LEDs in his tuxedo jacket switched on (wiring the circuit into the fabric was Billy’s only solo contribution to the act. He burnt himself twice with the soldering iron.) , turning him into a twinkling star field on the semi-darkened stage.

The pre-recorded voice of his mother announced:

Ladies and gentlemen I give you the marvelous Magical… Mister…. Mistoffelees!

Billy ramped up into his big finish— a standing backflip into a mid-air twirl landing with his back to the crowd. In the middle of his jacket’s back, outlined in red LEDs was the card— Ace of Diamonds. The crowd exploded in thunderous applause.

(The audience was so impressed they forgot the Judge's card was actually the 11 of Spades.)

[INSERT: WAVY FULL-SCREEN LAP DISSOLVE BACK TO PRESENT]

“I still lost that year. Second-runner up," Billy remembered, "What a crock of shit! Where else are you going to see a combination of acrobatics, close-up magic and Andrew Lloyd Webber performed by a three-foot-high kid with a 178 IQ? But some precious little darling with a proportionate-sized skull got the crown. Another triumph for unrealistic beauty standards!"

Billy fumed, took a last sip of coffee,“Really, only my mom pushed me to do those live contest things; Putnam didn't care — just laser-focused on getting me on TV. I got a lot of ink in the papers and a few local news ‘And Finally’ pops, but anything less than a feature segment on segment on That’s Incredible or Real People didn’t count to him.”

Pete was still gone, had probably not heard any of the story. Billy couldn't see him in line at the counter and looked around before spotting him across the room in intense negotiation with some guy in an oversized back sweater near the stage. Pete had his “emergency cash roll” already in hand and he looked back at Billy to give a thumb’s up and pointed at the chalkboard announcing the imminent start of the Poetry Slam.

“What’s that fucking moron doing now?” Billy mumbled.

This is the first new chapter since March. I'd like to wrap this story up pretty quickly but I am staying true to my plan to not actually plan ahead and the MO is "more talk, little action."

I'm just declaring this installment #10 to match up with AO3 (which counts the prologue as 1, and splits this chapter across 9 and 10)

Tumblr crashes when I try to add color (make the whole flashback purple) so I've stopped trying fancy formatting. I've lost this post entirely! What's up, Tumblr?

The (what might possibly be) world's first "internet cafe" opened in Seattle in 1994 — Speakeasy Cafe. The name "Harsh Realm" is a different '90s Seattle in-joke.

I also failed hop on one foot in kindergarten

I saw Cats when I was 7 and I think I liked it. It was insanely popular in the early 1980s, there were Cats PSAs about smoking and car seats. Revisiting it now as an adult for research... it's kinda dumb and the songs are bad (except Mr. Mistoffelees). Weird coincidence— I did a Christmas portrait commission for a couple who met while playing Mister Mistoffelees/Rum Tum Tugger in the 1990s touring company of Cats

If I'm not careful, this could turn into an endless series of chapters of Li'l Billy's crap childhood and Rose alternately love-bombing and psychologically abusing him. I can't forget the core aim of writing this was scenes of Pete and Billy arguing and insulting each other. The fan base loves Pete and tolerates Billy, but no one likes Li'l Billy (because he looks like a Family Circus kid)

Save your eyes and read this on AO3. Your comments motivate me to keep writing.

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aquariusplan · 2 years

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Polestar, a subsidiary of Volvo, uses matter-of-fact Scandinavian style almost ironically. It's almost a joke how straightforward and literal Ikea directions are - and this Swedish company similarly prints the names and materials of various components directly... onto the components. It's not just for marketing materials - the seat, headlights, fascia, and many other parts of the car literally have the component name, materials, and/or use case directly printed onto them. Perhaps a bit over-the-top, but it's also brilliant marketing once the Polestar 3 SUV is purchased and used in the real world.

#Marketing #Design #Industrial Design

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secondhandcarpartsonline · 12 days

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The Role of Car Wrecking in Sustainable Auto Part Replacement

Car wrecking yards are vital to the community and environmentally responsible because they salvage valuable used automotive components from outdated, broken, useless cars and resale them for a profit. Replacement parts are needed when an automobile is damaged in an accident or has problems with some of its components. Auto wreckers have a large selection of old car parts that are both more affordable and better for the environment than new parts. Furthermore, since all of the automobile parts that reputable auto wreckers handle are of the highest calibre, there is no need to worry about subpar items. Utilizing used components helps you save money and the environment by reducing the demand for new manufacturing.

Prominent vehicle wreckers supply used car parts for nearly all automakers, including Audi, Volvo, Suzuki, Volkswagen, Toyota, BMW, Subaru and many more. To get assistance with the right materials or automobile components, one only needs to provide the best wreckers with precise requirements. The procedure of obtaining the correct part for the automobile also results in significant financial savings. One can be certain of the quality because only the top wreckers have a stock of parts of the highest calibre. Auto wreckers are therefore the greatest option for reasonably cost and ecologically friendly solutions, whether you're restoring a vintage vehicle or simply need a fast patch.

Possess a Ruined, Damaged, or Old Car and Want to Get Rid of it Easily?

Vintage automobiles may be removed, and reputable car wreckers will pay top dollar for them and also in many cases same day service is also offered. They specialise in the removal and disposal of vehicles that are too old, too damaged, or too dangerous to operate. Auto wreckers may tow a broad variety of vehicles, such as 4WDs, trucks, buses, commercial vehicles, and automobiles of any year, make, or model. The owner of the automobile does not have to deal with any hassles because they arrive at the location with their truck and remove the car.

The top auto wreckers provide a variety of used vehicle components for sale, such as glass parts, 4x4 parts, headlights, taillights, engine parts, etc. Reach out to the top auto wreckers by phone or email if you need a vehicle removed or want to buy used automobile components.

Source: https://carwreckersmorwell.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-role-of-car-wrecking-in-sustainable.html

#Car wrecking #used car parts

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interest-articles · 7 months

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ZKW Receives Lighting Star Award for Best Front Lighting Design

Recognition for Innovative Design of Volvo EX90's Thorhammer LED Headlights

ZKW, the Austria-based lighting systems subsidiary of LG Electronics Inc., has been honored with the prestigious Lighting Star Award for Best front lighting design. The award, presented by the industry association DVN (Driving Vision News) in Munich, Germany, acknowledges ZKW's innovative front lighting design for the animated Thorhammer LED headlights of the Volvo EX90.

The unique design of the daytime running lights (DRL) in the headlamps of the Volvo EX90 draws inspiration from Thor's Hammer. When activated in DRL mode, the hammer-shaped DRL illuminates vertically, revealing the main headlamp beneath. The EX90's headlamps boast a high resolution of 1.3 million pixels and automatically adjust the intensity and height of the light based on the traffic situation to prevent glare to pedestrians or drivers of oncoming vehicles.

youtube

ZKW's Technological Capabilities and Premium Clientele

In August 2018, LG Electronics acquired ZKW, aiming to strengthen its automotive parts business's portfolio of future growth engines. ZKW has developed differentiated technological capabilities in the headlamp field, which is a crucial component for automobiles. As a result, ZKW has secured premium manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Porsche as its clients.

The Significance of Front Lighting Design

The front lighting design of a vehicle plays a crucial role in ensuring safety and enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal. It not only illuminates the road ahead but also serves as a key element of the vehicle's design identity. With the increasing emphasis on advanced lighting technologies, automakers are constantly seeking innovative solutions to create distinctive and visually striking front lighting designs.

The Impact of ZKW's Award-Winning Design

ZKW's recognition for its front lighting design for the Volvo EX90's Thorhammer LED headlights highlights the company's commitment to pushing the boundaries of automotive lighting technology. The award not only showcases ZKW's expertise in creating visually captivating designs but also reinforces its position as a leading player in the automotive lighting industry.

Furthermore, this accolade serves as a testament to the collaboration between ZKW and Volvo, as both companies strive to deliver cutting-edge lighting solutions that enhance safety and design aesthetics for their customers.

Future Prospects for ZKW and LG Electronics

With the acquisition of ZKW, LG Electronics has expanded its presence in the automotive industry and gained a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving field of automotive lighting. The Lighting Star Award for Best front lighting design further solidifies ZKW's position as a valuable asset within LG's automotive parts business.

As the demand for advanced lighting technologies continues to grow, ZKW's expertise and innovative designs will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of automotive lighting. With the support of LG Electronics, ZKW is well-equipped to continue pushing the boundaries of lighting technology and delivering groundbreaking solutions for its clients.

ZKW's recognition with the Lighting Star Award for Best front lighting design reaffirms the company's position as a leading player in the automotive lighting industry. The innovative front lighting design developed for the Volvo EX90's Thorhammer LED headlights showcases ZKW's commitment to pushing the boundaries of automotive lighting technology.

With its differentiated technological capabilities and a portfolio of premium clients, ZKW is poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of automotive lighting. The collaboration between ZKW and LG Electronics ensures that the company will continue to deliver cutting-edge lighting solutions that enhance safety and design aesthetics for their customers.

As the automotive industry continues to evolve, ZKW's expertise and innovative designs will undoubtedly contribute to the advancement of lighting technology, further solidifying its position as a key player in this dynamic field.

#all

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martin-cambell · 7 months

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BMW iX1 India: A Paradigm Shift in Luxury Electric Vehicles

BMW, renowned for its luxury automobiles, has made a strategic foray into India's burgeoning electric vehicle (EV) market with the launch of the all-new iX1 xDrive30 SUV. Priced at Rs 66.90 lakh (ex-showroom), this EV is poised to redefine the landscape of the Indian automotive industry.

The BMW iX1 India is a compelling addition to BMW's EV portfolio, offering a seamless blend of performance, design, and cutting-edge technology. Based on the popular BMW X1 model, the iX1 retains the iconic design language while proudly displaying its electric identity with the 'i' emblem on the front grille.

Stepping inside the iX1 reveals a modern and tech-savvy cabin equipped with a 10.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system integrated with BMW's renowned iDrive operating system. The interiors boast meticulous attention to detail, with features like aluminum 'Mesheffect' accents and adjustable rear seating for enhanced comfort. Additionally, advanced features such as two-zone climate control, massage functions in the front seats, and a Harmon Kardon sound system elevate the driving experience.

Safety remains paramount in the iX1, with features including adaptive LED headlights, automatic tailgate operation, parking assist, and an artificial sound generation system to alert pedestrians. Under the hood, the iX1 packs a dual-motor setup, providing all-wheel drive capability and an impressive extended range of 440 kms on a single charge.

Charging the iX1 is convenient, with options for both standard AC charging and rapid DC charging. Furthermore, BMW's commitment to electrification extends to exploring the possibility of local assembly, which could potentially lower prices and intensify competition in the EV segment.

Competing in a segment occupied by rivals like Mercedes EQB and Volvo XC40 Recharge, the BMW iX1 stands out with its brand cachet and commitment to quality. As BMW charts its course towards sustainable mobility, the iX1 marks a significant milestone in the brand's journey, offering a compelling package for the discerning Indian consumer.

In conclusion, the BMW iX1 India represents a paradigm shift in luxury electric vehicles, symbolizing BMW's dedication to electrification and innovation while catering to the evolving needs of the Indian market.

To read more, click here.

#longest range electric car in india #BMW iX1 #EV longest range #electric vehicles

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e-carlease · 8 months

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Manufacturers like Volvo have very much been at the forefront of our transition; especially when you factor in the Polestar product too. But a smaller, and more affordable, SUV solution was lacking within the repertoire. The new EX30 is very much the answer to this with a feeling of frugality but not at the expense of design or functionality. Volvo electric customers can choose between the:

Plus - this includes air quality system, heated steering wheel, climate control, 12.3” display, adaptive cruise control, comfort chassis, auto-dimmed mirrors, BLIS, LED headlights, park assist with rear camera, rain sensor, 18” alloys, fog lamps, ambience themes, power tailgate, hill start and descent, alarm, alcohol lock, smart key card, fixed lumbar support, heated seats, Harmon Kardon premium sound and wireless phone charging; and

Ultra - this includes the 360 degree camera, panoramic roof, park pilot assist, 22kW AC upgrade, heat pump, tinted rear windows, 20” allows, powered seat and 4-way lumbar support.

But what battery options can choose from in the new EX30 SUV? There are 3 motors / configuration options to decide from including:

Single Motor - this RWD SUV will have a 49 kWh usable battery which will offer 0 – 62 times of 5.7 seconds, 112 mph top speeds and 200 kW (or 268hp). Expect a combined winter range of 145 miles with warmer weather allowing for 200 miles. On charging, the 11 kW AC max will allow 5 hour and 15 minute 0 – 100% charging times with the 134 kW DC maximum allowing 27 minute 10 – 80% times. A cargo volume of 318L is available with this car. It has a vehicle fuel equivalent of 145 mpg. This EX30 can tow 1000kg (Braked). In terms of vehicle dimensions, the vehicle is 4233mm in Length, 1549mm in Height and 2032mm in width (including mirrors). This EV has no Bidirectional charging capabilities;

Single Motor Extended Range - this RWD SUV will have a 64 kWh usable battery which will offer 0 – 62 times of 5.3 seconds, 112 mph top speeds and 200 kW (or 268hp). Expect a combined winter range of 190 miles with warmer weather allowing for 260 miles. On charging, the 11 kW AC max will allow 7 hours 0 – 100% charging times with the 153 kW DC maximum allowing 28 minute 10 – 80% times. It has a vehicle fuel equivalent of 142 mpg. This EX30 can tow 750kg (Unbraked) and 1400kg (Braked); and

Twin Motor Perfomance - this RWD SUV will have a 64 kWh usable battery which will offer 0 – 62 times of 3.6 seconds, 112 mph top speeds and 315 kW (or 422hp). Expect a combined winter range of 185 miles with warmer weather allowing for 255 miles. On charging, the 11 kW AC max will allow 7 hours 0 – 100% charging times with the 153 kW DC maximum allowing 28 minute 10 – 80% times. It has a vehicle fuel equivalent of 139 mpg. This EX30 can tow 1600kg (Braked).

#volvo #ev #volvo ex30 #electric #car lease #car leasing #leasing #volvo electric

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readingforsanity · 9 months

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Run on Red | Noelle W. Ihli | Published 2022 | *SPOILERS*

A rural country road. No cell signal for miles. A terrifying game of cat-and-mouse.

By the time Laura and Olivia notice the headlines tailing them through the hills, it's too late. What seems, at first, like a case of road rage quickly unfolds into a heart-pounding chase - and a battle for survival.

Who are the men in the truck? What do they want? And can Laura and Olivia outrun - and outsmart - them long enough to call for help, even if it means taking their chances in the hills on foot?

As their situation grows more perilous, the girls realize that the real terror has only just begun. But flight won't save them from their pursuers. If they're going to make it home alive, they'll have to fight.

Liv and Laura are driving into the hills of Idaho on their way to Coffin Creek, the location of a large bonfire party. Borrowing Laura's sisters Volvo to get there, Tish deciding to remain behind and study instead of joining them at the party, Liv begins to question whether the headlights following close to the bumper of the car have more sinister plans besides just tailgating.

Liv, a self-proclaimed true crime junkie, spends a lot of her time looking into survival. Her anxiety, both normal and the social variety, have her questioning everything and whether or not she would survive the ordeal.

When the tailgaters return, this time exiting the vehicle, Liv knew that her prior misgivings about the truck knows that those feelings were true. Both men are masked, and are attempting to remove both of the girls from the car. Liv and Laura fight until they're able to get their car back on the road.

These efforts are futile, as the truck quickly catches up to them, and pulls a pit manuever, forcing the Volvo off the road, tumbling down the side of a hill. Despite their injuries, Liv and Laura know they have to keep moving in order to maintain their survival. With no phone service and two cell phones tuckering on the point of dying, the girls continue to run.

However, the two men eventually catch up with them, and while Liv left Laura alone in order to try to get service on the phone, they capture Laura. Liv follows close behind them, as the three make it back to the truck. Liv knows that one of the voices is someone she recognizes, though she can't place the voice to the person as they're still hidden behind the mask.

However, the second man makes a comment, semper ennis, which is the Delta Phis motto, and she knows that they belong to the fraternity at their university. It also becomes apparent that the man she recognizes is Tony, the former fiance of Tish.

With only seconds to spare, Liv throws herself into the bed of the truck, so she can remain with Laura. The truck begins moving, and desperate, Liv holds on for dear life while they begin traveling to an unknown location, where the unknown man's cabin awaits them.

When they arrive, Liv has to decide quickly what to do. Locating a tire iron, she knows has a weapon at her disposal. When the second man leaves to go open up the cabin, while Tony remains with Laura at the truck, attempting to coax her out, Liv removes herself from her hiding place and hits Tony over the head, freeing Laura.

The two attempt to make it back to the main road, but the perimeter of the property is covered in 8 foot high fences, so they know their efforts are futile. The two go back to the ATV trail, where Tony and his friend, Kyle, await them. They agree to just do whatever it is they want with hopes of getting out of their situation alive.

Laura is adamant that Tony is going to help them, but Liv remains wary of this. Kyle is a sadistic person, and he places Liv inside of the crawl space of the cabin. She finally is able to check the cell phone, and she knows that the service is few and far between, but hopes she'll be able to get a call out to the police.

Eventually, Laura ends up in the crawl space after she attempts to hit Kyle with a shovel found near the fireplace. The two of them locate the body of a girl who had gone missing three years before, who had also been at Coffin Creek, and Kyle tells them that the reason they're even here is because of Tish.

he explains that the fraternity went through a period where they were accused of sexual assault, but those charges had been dropped after alibis were given. But, they were a part of a human trafficking ring. Tish ended up pregnant, and the entire ruse would have gotten them caught because if the baby didn't look like Tony, the entire campus and world would know. Tony attempted to talk Tish into an abortion, and she agreed, saying she went through with it, when she had lied. Two weeks later, she broke it off with Tony, and has since refused to talk about it.

The girls finally understand what got them in this situation. In order to make Tony understand what he has gotten himself into, Liv takes a chance and explains that Ava's body is in the crawl space, hoping that he didn't know about it. When he acts surprised quickly, she knows she was right.

With the time coming that their lives will end, the two men drag them out onto the property to the target practice area they had attempted to hide in before. Silently agreeing with each other that they will no longer run, not giving them the satisfaction, the two of them turn to face their kidnappers. But, when Tony shoots Kyle dead instead of the girls, they're in shock to know that Tony is going to attempt to help them.

Going back to the cabin to get the keys, Laura ends up faking a seizure when she remembers that Kyle's hoodie fell to the floor with the sound of keys in the pocket. While Tony goes back to Kyle's body at the range, the two of them attempt to escape but Tony returns. Knowing that they never planned to be on his side as they claimed, he begins shooting at them while they attempt to escape.

But, before they know it, a police cruiser finds them, and holds Tony at gunpoint while Laura and Liv are reunited with Tish. Liv had been able to get a text message out to Tish explaining that they were in a dire situation before the phone had died, and she knew then that they had never returned from the party and that something was amiss. The police officer drove her out to the cabin, where they were able to reunite.

In the end, Tony and several more of the Delta members were sent to prison, some of them for 25 years before parole eligibility, but Tony got life in prison. Tish decided to keep her baby, whom she named Chloe. The entire schoool, with the exception of the three friends, attempted the funeral of Ava Robles, who was buried in her hometown of Boise, Idaho.

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