Gizmodo: suv

SUV Sculpture Unintentionally Sends the Wrong Message

Mark Wilson — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:24:00 EDT

Constructed of 3500 parts, connected by 4,900 bolts and standing 112 feet in the air, this sculpture commissioned by Land Rover is certainly an idolatrous addition to the Festival of Speed. But, uhh, does anyone else see the piece as less a triumph and more an indicator of our inevitable future—one where SUVs are good for little else than standing proudly/uselessly on a scrapheap? [Gerry Judah via Core77]

Ford's Self-Driving Hybrid DARPA Car Now Available for $89,000

Jesus Diaz — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EDT

If you are looking for a self-driving car, now you can buy the ByWire XGV, the modified Ford Escape that got third place at the DARPA Urban Challenge. Torc Technologies—who collaborated with Virginia Tech to develop this smartypants SUV hybrid—is going to sell the car for just $89,000 as a "research platform," so other researchers can tune and add new contraptions to make it work better and look even more menacing than the current version. The specs are loaded with ports, sensors, and even optional accessories, like vibration isolators. Whatever that is, we want it.

Vehicle Interface

Relay: (16) 5A SPST
Digital IO: 24 Channels, 3.3V and 5V compatible
Analog Input: 32 Single-ended/16 Differential, 16-Bit Resolution, +/- 10V Range, 250 Khz Max Sample Rate
Analog Outputs: (4) 12-bit resolution, +/- 10V Range
Timer/Counter: Variable reluctance speed sensor
Serial: (2) RS-232, (2) RS-232/422/485 (2 optional), Ethernet (1) Gigabit, USB (2) Version 2.0, CAN (2) Version 2.0B (optional)
Electrical: BW-100 Input Voltage 10-32 VDC
Power Consumption: 25 Watts

Environmental
Dust / Water Resistance: IP65
Operating Temperature: -20°C - 70°C
Operational Shock Rating: 10g

Optional Accessories
BW-100-VBI Vibration Isolators
BW-100-41P 41-pin cable harness
BW-100-79P 79-pin cable harness
BW-100-ETC Ethernet cable harness
BW-100-GPS GPS Receiver Module

[Torc Tech via CNET—Thanks HawkSkater]

Armet Gurkha Armored Vehicle Kicks Hummvee Ass

Brian Lam — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 21:01:41 EDT

The ultra rich have sportscars to spend hundreds on thousands of dollars on, if not millions. What do the SUV crowd do when they win the lottery? Buy a Gurka by Armet. Cousin site Jalopnik, who we have constant toy-envy of, says it best:

The squat and hedgehog-lookin' 19,000 lb beast-of-an-armored-vehicle ain't just built to shrug off a roadside bomb with its high strength ballistic aluminum armor, or stop a bullet from an AK-47 with its ballistic glass. No, it's also pretty fast for its size — with a top speed of 93 mph.

At 93 MPH, you're not winning any races, but it doesn't matter when you can plow through the opposition. A steal at only $200,000.– Brian Lam

Armet Gurkha [Jalopnik]

Nano + Aluminum = MUSIC4EVER

johnb — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 17:17:38 EDT

Rainy Day Magazine decided to roll over an iPod nano encased in an A-1 Quality Product aircraft aluminum case AKA the iKeychain... with an SUV. The result? iPod 1 SUV 0. They even filmed the festivities, leading us to thing that they have too much time on their hands.

A-1 Quality Products iKeychain [RainyDayMagazine]