Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-09-28

• woohoo. @DirecTV install today from noon-4. I can't wait to call #TWC & tell them to bite me. #
• in a word…FUN. RT @BBC_TopGear: Some actual car news… Hamann's 261bhp Abarth 500 http://bit.ly/PmIB0 #
• Finally! RT @AutoBlogNews: HD Theater to begin screening WRC in October 4 [w/VIDEO] http://bit.ly/1vNpD1 #
• too bad no flying car "you will…" RT @shane_76: AT&T's 1993 "You will" ads…remarkably accurate indeed: http://tinyurl.com/loc92b #
• FINALLY! RT @SpeedSportLife: Top Gear to go HD next series http://bit.ly/FAw7V #
• RT @infinitinews: Infiniti Fans in Dallas, the Essence Concept will be at Hotel Za Za all day Thu Sept 24 #
• RT @TeamHallnNass: Our latest #Dustball Rally 1500 recap – Chapter 17 – The Bandit … is now live on http://teamhallnnass.wordpress.com #
• You know it's close to high school reunion time when you catch your wife doing cheers in the kitchen #fb #
• Jay Leno needs to stick to cars and leave comedy to Conan & Jimmy. this show is horrible. #
• love it! RT @highmileage: RT @TheAutoGuide …great racing quote: "If your car feels like it's on rails, you're going too slow!" -R.Bentley #
• just watched Ford unveil the Figo in India. Worst live-stream ever. luckily someone posted a Youtube vid: http://bit.ly/1kUCPJ #FORDAPA #
• RT @cbaccus: Please join #carchat today for a special 3PM EST—5PM EST time, #Gm Bob #lutz to join at 3:30PM #
• Surprising it's not a sports car, but 4-wheeling in Colorado in '72 K5 Chevy Blazer tops my GM experiences #carchat #
• My dad had one. That, as a whole is my worst GM experience. RT @stradablog: …the 350 diesel in Oldsmobiles. #carchat #
• Hahaha! RT @dawescott: Worst Gm experiance: Transformers #carchat #
• haha! RT @breakingauto: BMW apologizes in advance, warns 1 series owners their cars may be going through puberty this week. #
• Think we get majority of oil from Middle East? nope. http://bit.ly/29iHtw #
• RT @cbaccus: Check out and please vote for my 335i Convertible on "Texaco Car of the Decades" http://j.mp/xJXmo #BMW #CarShow #
• Steven Dinan to be in Dallas @ Autoscope on Oct 10. http://bit.ly/4E54Bl #
• Infiniti Essence at Hotel ZaZa earlier today. Nice to meet Josh @InfinitiNews http://twitpic.com/j0aii #
• Just left Chevy Sneak Peek @ TX State Fair. Thx to @GMTexas. Great event as usual. #
• Both Infiniti Essence & Chevy Sneak Peak photos coming soon at http://www.ReflectionsOfTheDrive.com #
• It was great! Pics soon! RT @infinitinews: Would like to thank http://www.ReflectionsOfTheDrive.com for coming to see the Infiniti Essence #
• great shot! RT @SpeedSportLife: Road Atlanta Turn 10a at night http://twitpic.com/j10f2 #petitlm #roadatlanta #
• Arthur, I salute you. http://twitpic.com/j14j7 #
• Thanks to Charlie & Nick for the opportunity to contribute to @burnoutradio. I'm looking fwd to it! http://www.burnoutradio.com/about #
• Now w/ 15% more Blah! RT @AsianMartin: they're switching me from an '07 Camry Hybrid to '10 Camry Hybrid. Like there would be a difference? #
• I now have a website logo! http://www.reflectionsofthedrive.com/ New galleries coming soon! #
• Chevy Experience Sneak Peak at State Fair of Texas – http://bit.ly/ZDow1 #
• Have you seen the Infiniti Essence Concept glow at night? http://bit.ly/1kG71 #
• Another great Cars & Coffee this morning #
• At the Texas Rangers game http://twitpic.com/jeet6 #
• My company was just purchased. We're to become "…an independently run Xerox organization." http://bit.ly/9bxGz #
• Hey @GMTexas! I got my article and pics up from the #Chevy Test Drive Sneak Peak! – http://bit.ly/ZDow1 #
• RT @insideline_com: An Early Look at the 2012 BMW M1 http://bit.ly/2bseaA #

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Infiniti Essence Concept

For those who aren’t familiar, the Infiniti Essence Concept car is a gas/electric hybrid vehicle utilizing Infiniti’s “3D Motor” technology.  This electric motor provides 158 bhp and twice the torque of your run-of-the-mill unit.  Combine this with another 434 bhp from the twin-turbo 3.7 liter V6 and you’ve got a nice-sized 592 bhp and can get almost 30 mph in combined city/hwy driving.  You’ll notice plenty of intriguing things as you look through the photo gallery, including that the Essence has no mirrors.  There are 6 cameras to do that job.  One on the roof, one on each A-pillar, one in each quarter-panel vent, and one on the trunk lid.

Ever since I saw the press release on the Infiniti Essence Concept and read it would eventually come to Dallas, I was on a quest to find out the location, date, and time it would be here.  That quest ended a week or so ago when I received a response from @InfinitiNews on Twitter.  The Essence was to arrive at Hotel ZaZa on September 24.  I showed up and met Josh with Infiniti, who eloquently explained more about this hybrid beauty. A few photos were all I could take before leaving for another event, but Josh informed me there was an Infiniti owners event there later that evening. Perfect. I conveniently own an Infiniti G35 and could then get some night-time shots as well. So I swung by later on for a few minutes and then left with some more pictures and some champagne in my belly. It was a good night.

Click image to view full gallery

The Chevy Experience

Chevrolet has once again taken over a small parking lot on the south side of the State Fair of Texas. I highly recommend checking them out if you go to the fair this year. I was able to attend the Sneak Peek a couple days ago and was impressed with the “Chevy Experience”. You can even drive a Bumblebee Camaro around the course. Unfortunately, “no wheel spin” is the rule…something about not wanting mangled fenders and flattened fences. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the Chevrolet lineup.  So after you get some fried butter, stop on by.   If you’re on Twitter, follow @GMTexas and let them know you’re coming!

Click image to open photo gallery

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-09-21

• RT @richardyoo: How to speed up Firefox 3.5 http://bit.ly/2GHelp #
• Watching Hurt Locker at Autoscope w/ N TX Audi Club #
• Me too RT @SpeedSportLife: Wow, I paid $2.49/gal for 93 yesterday RT @insideline_com: Gassing up our long-term M3. Premium is $3.40 a gallon #
• Nice! That' freakin cool guys! RT @burnoutradio: I uploaded a YouTube video –Ford Fiesta Review Teaser 2 http://bit.ly/1VA8uo #
• Jimmy Fallon tonight: VW debuted it's new electric car, the E-Up. Don't confuse it with Chrysler's new car F-Up #
• RT @TeamHallnNass: Our latest #Dustball Rally 1500 recap – Chapter 12 – Snake Charmed is now live on http://teamhallnnass.wordpress.com #
• Clarkson proves w/ the Corvette ZR-1 that GM has what it takes to be world-class again. http://bit.ly/3VjpLt #
• for the DFW tweeps: RT @infinitinews: @trentor_drive Sept 24th it will be on display at the Hotel ZaZa, stop by and see us and the Essence #
• RT @shiitake: New Blogpost – Farstar – Want ad for a keyboard/synth chick http://tinyurl.com/rd8l37 #
• Finally! It's about time! RT @shane_76: @TeamHallnNass there. just for you. even though, um, i've never met you. #
• I love these! or my company thinks I do. RT @shiitake: no-motion – 1. A promotion without a raise or bonus. http://bit.ly/jP19b #
• Horrible idea. VWs are about to get ugly! RT @nytimeswheels: VW Will Design for America, Says Chief Designer http://bit.ly/4oE61v #
• Hear hear! RT @bgluckman: @michaelbanovsky @bentoboxx Saying you dislike the G37S is saying you dislike pizza and sex. #carchat #
• after seeing LaCross, pretty accurate. RT @michaelbanovsky: Maybe it should be… Buick: "Something to believe in" #carchat #
• I like @burnoutradio 's idea: Buick needs to take the Kappa platform from Solstice, re-body it as Buick. #carchat #
• what are you guys using instead of tweetgrid? it sucks tonight #carchat #
• I almost bought an S4 instead of the G35 sedan. S4's in my range were a bit higher mileage than I wanted though. #carchat #
• my G35 sedan w/ intake & borla exhaust sounds like heaven @joelfeder But boy do I love the exhaust note out of that VQ #carchat #
• yeah, good cond should be closer to 30k @mikejuergens E46 M3 for under $20k?? Must be beat to hell and have lots o' miles #carchat #
• the 1-series is a completely pointless car. a blast to drive, but pointless. #carchat #
• so for how long is @michaelbanovsky banned? #carchat #
• Now obviously if one doesn't fit comfortably in a car, it's not going to be very highly regarded. understandable. #carchat #
• Greatness. RT @AutoBlogNews: Funny Car Commercial of the Day: Fiat versus the bicycle http://bit.ly/4NYNa #
• JACKPOT! RT @TeamHallnNass: RARE Hamthrax reverse attack! :@)~ RT @SpeedSportLife Speeding Ticket Karma http://bit.ly/15rKXS #
• RT @TeamHallnNass: Our latest #Dustball Rally 1500 recap – Chapter 13 – We Really Are Hall & Nass! http://teamhallnnass.wordpress.com #
• New article online at http://www.ReflectionsOfTheDrive.com – Happy Hour with the new Buick Lacrosse #
• Great read for all photogs! RT @SpeedSportLife: RT @JThawley: pre Petit Le Mans photo zen http://bit.ly/WiXhw flash wankers need not a pply #
• about to take wife & munchkin to Addison Oktoberfest for beer and pics of German car show. hmm, that could be interpreted wrong #
• RT @breakingauto: 370Z is first all-new Nissan design since HQ relocation to Tennessee, which explains why it looks "catfish-like" #
• Automotive photography #ff – @drivingimages @JThawley @willroegge #
• 5yrs? depressing @AsianMartin Txt from my friend Jonny in NYC: "…haven't driven my G35 in 5yrs, just sits in the carpark, does gas rot?" #
• ha! Is that @Autoline's John McElroy narrating? @michaelbanovsky: I wonder if this works on people…ON THEIR FACE! http://bit.ly/VkKHQ #
• Ack! Dont scare me like that! Poor 350z! RT @shane_76: @trentor_drive just for you. http://twitpic.com/i7y6b #
• 7th inning stretch! http://twitpic.com/i8yzn #
• me want. RT @AutoBlogNews: More fodder for the Cadillac CTS-V Sportwagon rumormill http://bit.ly/3tzh2J #
• RT @TexasDPS_PIO: Arrr mateys! If ye plan to drink some grog in honorrr of Talk Like a Pirate Day, be sure to designate yer soberrr driv … #
• New article on http://www.ReflectionsOfTheDrive.com/ -Follow the Nation of Go! @NationOfGo #
• I need to stop doing Twitter searches for G35. I'm becoming embarrassed to own one. #Infiniti #
• A good night. Watching Survivorman w/ a beer & son on verge of crawling & pulling up to stand http://twitpic.com/idift #
• Some movies are harder to watch after you have kids…like Transporter 2. Still great though #
• 1st rule when entering a man's car: Respect a man's car. A man respects you." #
• 2nd rule when entering a man's car: "Greet the man." 3rd Rule: Seatbelt #
• Bumper sticker of the day: Sure Marines are a dept. of the Navy. We're the men's dept. #
• Just got around to watching Community from Thurs night. Hilarious! #
• DirecTV install scheduled tomorrow. So long & good riddance to #TWC, you giant, steaming pile of crap. I hope you go bankrupt. #
• Headed to a nighttime photography workshop. Hoping it's more than basics. Should be cool area at least #

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Do you like to drive? Be part of the Nation of Go!

For those of you who love to just get out there and drive, make sure to check out BF Goodrich’s Nation of Go.  Whether you’ve got a sports car or a 4×4, you’ll like this site.  Follow the Nation of Go’s Lancer Sportback RalliArt and Quigley GM 4×4 van as they inspire us to drive cool routes and trails across the country.

Happy Hour with the new Buick LaCrosse

2010 Buick LaCrossse

Buick. It’s not a company often discussed or highly regarded by Gen-Xers. I’d venture to say it’s regarded even less by the younger generations. Handicap tags. Walkers. 40mph in the fast lane. That is the association many have with Buick. This is about to change.

Buick recently held an event in Irving, TX to showcase the new 2010 LaCrosse. Let me be the first to say, as a card-carrying Gen-Xer, this car does not belong in an assisted-living parking lot. Honestly, I think the technology in this car will baffle even many computer literate baby-boomers. You name it, and it’s there…rear-view camera and parking assist, heads-up display, keyless start, and my personal favorite, a 40GB hard drive. Need to take a call with the Bluetooth-linked speaker phone? Well, the radio will pause the broadcast and then resume from the same spot when you end your call. The interior looks great as well. The Ice-Blue ambient lighting carries through the entire car and accentuates the quality stitching and wood panels.

As I hung around the LaCrosse outside Cool River Cafe that night, many comments were overheard such as “Wow! That looks great!” and “It looks like a Lexus.” Many would think that the LaCrosse would be a bit out of its league sitting across from the row of valeted BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus vehicles. Many would be wrong. It really does look that great. However, GM, lose the fake vents. You’re not fooling anyone by moving them from the fender to the hood. The vents are much more painful now that they’re a blemish on an otherwise outstanding design.

Now it’s just a matter of time for the public to shake the geriatric stigma of Buick. The 2010 LaCrosse is a great start. Let’s just hope it drives as well as it looks. If so, watch out Lexus.

Thanks to GM for putting on this event. It was fun and the food and drinks were great. For those of you on Twitter, make sure to follow @GMTexas for the latest and greatest of what they are doing.

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-09-14

• Team Hall & Nass need some Jalopnik love! RT @DustballRally: @jalopnik another for ZHZ Rally Vette http://bit.ly/BeZGo #
• Check out the first 3 installments by @TeamHallnNass at http://teamhallnnass.wordpress.com/. Great read! #
• Finishing up some work at the #CoolBuickSocial w/ a Buick Ice Blue drink! http://twitpic.com/h8o2n #
• At the #CoolBuickSocial @CoolRiverCafe & the Lacrosse looks great! http://twitpic.com/h9ecx #
• RT @GMTexas: #Chevy Sneak Peek @StateFairofTX exclusive to Twitter followers & Facebook fans. Info & Registration: http://bit.ly/3kiO7m #
• The more I look @ the Mercedes SLS AMG side-by-side w/ a 300SL Gullwing, the more I like it. http://twitpic.com/hchxq #
• It grows on you. http://www.twitpic.com/hchxq @AutoBlogNews: Everything you wanted to know about the Mercedes SLS AMG http://bit.ly/449isI #
• Beautimous! RT @burnoutradio: http://twitpic.com/hdaby
  do you see the "1ton" Honda now? #erta #
• Conan's In the Year 3000: Chrysler will offer PT Cruiser money back guarantee for 60days or life of car, whichever comes 1st. #
• hit 200 followers today! #
• Finally heard an Audi S5 under moderate acceleration today. I loved the S5 before, but IN love now #
• I hope so, for the vette's sake. RT @SpeedSportLife: LOL. RT @ack154 @SpeedSportLife At least it should end quickly. #
• RT @DR1665: … RT @upsidetrader: Obama's health care plan will be written by a committee whose head says he doesn't…http://tl.gd/gqpt #
• AMBERALERT: FtWorth, 94grnFordRanger 94BYL2, CHLD: 15yr W/F 5'1" heavy, E:brn H:blk, SUSP: 16yr W/M 5'7" 180lb E:brn H:blk call 817-392-3212 #
• thinking I need to organize a photo-themed road rally in the DFW area. #
• Surprised it's taken this long. unsure of the two-tone as usual. Bugatti Galibier 4-door http://bit.ly/1CRzgl #
• RT @GMblogs: Webchat w/ Bob Lutz today, 3 p.m. EDT, to discuss new mktg campaign "May the Best Car Win" http://bit.ly/3yUoAc #GM #
• Not a fan of DCT in street cars, but this is cool. via @insideline_com: Dual-Clutch Gearbox on Honda motorcycles! http://bit.ly/LbEVz #
• AMBERALERT: FtWorth, 94grnFordRanger 94BYL2, CHLD: 15yr W/F 5'1" heavy, E:brn H:blk, SUSP: 16yr W/M 5'7" 180lb E:brn H:blk call 817-392-3212 #

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-09-07

• Forms & pmt to be sent tonight after navigator @shane_76 signs. Then it’ll be official! 2010 #Dustball Rally here we come! #
• Love that SCCA has gimmick rallies. 1st practice for #Dustball Saturday w/ Johnny Hall of Team Hall & Nass fame filling in as nav! #
• Great work! RT @infinitinews: RT @yozzup: My Infiniti commercial! http://bit.ly/k2P0H #
• #Dustball Rally payment is complete! #
• Perfect! I just happen to love ridiculous. RT @DustballRally: #dustball 09 was long and dangerous, 2010 will be absolutely ridiculous #
• August 13-15, 2010 RT @burnoutradio: @trentor_drive @teamhallnnass sounds like a plan when is the next dustball anyway? #
• HA! RT @breakingauto: SURVEYED: Scale of reliability (1 = poor, 3 = less poor) — 1. Twitter 2. a Renault F1 tire installation 3. GMail #
• great cartoon depicting txt messaging while driving. from @DrivEnthusiast http://bit.ly/3oTh70 #
• The essentials. http://twitpic.com/g9el7 #
• HA!! RT @BerryLowman: Put them 2gether & u never have 2 leave the couch! RT @trentor_drive The essentials http://twitpic.com/g9el7 #
• hate that I missed #carchat tonight. I didn’t get home from work until after 8pm #
• One month online and already making the headlines. Well done guys! @PeopleOfWalmart http://bit.ly/10M7Vu #
• RT @jalopnik: 2011 Ford Mustang Gets 315 HP V6, 5.0-Liter “Coyote” V8, Six-Speed Gearbox http://jalopnik.com/5351785 #2011fordmustang #
• Do it @Ford! Dooo it! RT @cbaccus: A very sporty Focus RS in Dearborn yesterday. Please bring it here permanently! http://twitpic.com/gczs8 #
• HA! Two of the funniest things on twitter in one tweet! http://bit.ly/MLz8I #
• Stay tuned today from 10AM-2PM CDT as I run the SCCA DFW Map Rally! w/ @TeamHallnNass driver Johnny Hall as my navigator! #
• My favorite video of the week. Block vs. Dyrdek. Greatness. http://bit.ly/nZDhW #
• SCCA gimmick rally is ROUGH! #
• Good experience running SCCA Rally. Blew last leg but great lessons learned. #
• Ran my 10yr old Passport 8500 & @TeamHallnNass new Valentine 1 today side-by-side. V1 had much better range & sensitivity #
• RT @ScottMonty: @trentor_drive @TeamHazmatt The next gen Focus we’ll be making globally next year will be something special-just wait. #ford #
• 85 degrees. 65% humidity. miserable. I’d rather be in the desert where it’s 110 and dry. #
• RT @DR1665: Can we get BIO info in new follower emails? Maybe @spam button on all profiles? Tired of retard MLM spammers. Still <3 @Twitter #

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Team Hall & Nass takes on Dustball Rally

Stickers. That’s what jump-started meeting Team Hall & Nass in person.

Johnny Hall and Taylor Nass were on a multi-day streak of little to no sleep in preparation for the 2009 Dustball 1500 Rally. Johnny and I had conversed over Twitter for months and on this day I was on my way to meet him and check out the bright yellow 2009 Corvette Z51 ZHZ convertible as he prepped it for the rally. That night I met his wonderful navigator as well…the blonde beauty who would run the electronics, consult the maps, and help Johnny solve the gimmick rally challenges over the next few days.

I was able to shoot a few pictures and help out Johnny with the many decals needing applied to the car that night. They planned on getting up early the next morning to head to El Paso where the Dustball Rally begins. It was a long night, but filled with great conversation, several pitchers of tea, a late-night run to Wendy’s, and still not being done when I left around 2am. Johnny and Taylor ended up pulling an all-nighter that night before heading to El Paso.

What happened over the next few days will only fully be known by Team Hall & Nass and the other 30+ teams who traversed their way from El Paso to Las Vegas and back. The three day event was 2 full days of driving and challenges with a full day of rest in the middle. Even then, not all teams would make it to the finish line. Team Hall & Nass had quite the adventure and was often a front-runner for the win. However a series of events prevented them from a finish. The story of their rally experience in “Stickers”, as they affectionately named their Dustball Corvette ZHZ, can be read at http://teamhallnnass.wordpress.com/.  Make sure to check them out!  Also, someone is spreading a nasty rumor that some newbies might be bringing a family car to the 2010 Dustball Rally. The nerve. More to come on that. : )

After the rally, Johnny and I met a few times for a couple photo shoots to capture the Dustball Corvette ZHZ. We even attended a Men’s Steak-Out and Motor Show at Northwest Bible Church where he entered the car. Check out the Dustball Corvette as it intimidates lesser Corvettes and Bombardier luxury jets. Click each of the images below to check out the photo galleries!

New Photo Galleries!

There are four new photo galleries recently added!

Dustball Rally’s Team Hall & Nass – It’s a rally…not a race!

Princeton Car Show -Aug 09 – A great show with some photogenic cars!

Cars & Coffee – Aug 2009 - Egos flare and craziness ensues

Men’s Steak-Out & Motor Show – Can I see out of an Indy car?