Toyota Tacoma Gamer Debut

The Toyota Tacoma All-Terrain Gamer (ATG) combines outdoor sports activities and video games to create the ultimate active lifestyle vehicle for young Tacoma pickup truck owners. The special vehicle was designed to take Tacoma owners to their favorite remote locations where they can pursue their passion for outdoor sports activities and also provide a haven at the end of the day to play their favorite interactive video games. To create the Tacoma ATG Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. teamed up with a group of partners who are among the finest in their fields of expertise. The partners included The B.A.D. Company as the primary builder,along with Microsoft Xbox, Kicker, Toyota Racing Development, INNO Advanced Car Racks and Cannondale. Toyota provided a 2009 Tacoma Double Cab Long Bed PreRunner V6 five-speed automatic to The B.A.D. Company to transform it into the rugged ATG. The builders felt this Tacoma configuration provided the best combination of on-road and off-road capability, a spacious cab to haul friends and a full-size bed to carry cargo and equipment. The B.A.D. Company removed the B-Pillars and installed double gull-wing doors to increase space and create a “patio like shelter for gamers. Adjustable theater style seating was created by removing the front seats and repositioning them to the outboard rear locations. This theater seating configuration intensifies gaming action by creating a communal experience, especially effective when playing Xboxs new HALO ODST team oriented four-person video game. Large steps were created to allow easy ingress/egress and leg support for outboard chair gamers. Four interior monitors were placed on two swing arms to allow the vehicle to be easily converted from a video haven to a drivable truck. The swing arms were designed and contoured to provide each game seat optimum screen distance and angled to maximize the high definition experience. To increase storage capability an INNO Ridge Wide Cargo Box is attached to a roof mounted roll bar. Two Upright Lock Bike Racks mounted to truck base rack systems, each provided by INNO, are mated directly to the tonneau cover. The two Lock Bike Racks carry Cannondale RZ ONE Twenty and Cannondale Moto 4 high performance mountain bikes. Exterior modifications also included three base colors of a custom metallic anthracite (pulled directly from the Xbox brand guide), drilled aluminum interior panels, color-matched protective floor coating, an acrylic hood with an engine view port, a 66-inch plasma monitor with a custom roll cage enclosure, tonneau cover with Å“CrazeÂ� paint technique, blacked out front grille, sponsor logo windshield sun shade, front and rear bumpers, smoked front head and rear tail lamp treatment, and Xbox graphics. The Xbox gaming system in the Tacoma ATG is complemented by a two-channel custom Kicker audio system, providing the ultimate sound design to maximize the video game experience. The system generates a total of 2,150 watts of power from studio grade rack-mounted amps to minimize sound quality deterioration over extended use. Gamers will feel the action via the 1,500 watt 12-inch Kicker Solobaric L7-12 Subwoofer in a custom enclosure with vents at each corner directing air into the cab. Sound will rain down on gamers from eight Kicker QS65.2 6.5-inch mid-range speakers handling a combined 650 watts of power to complete the gaming experience. Additional interior modifications include four Simpson custom upholstered off-road racing seats with four-point black racing harnesses, custom three-tone upholstered interior and a mini-fridge energy drink dispenser. In addition to being the ultimate gaming vehicle the Tacoma ATG also needed to be able to transport outdoor enthusiasts to their favorite remote locations. Toyota Racing Development (TRD) contributed to the project with the installation of its 304 horsepower 4.0-liter Supercharger to increase vehicle torque and better traverse rugged landscape. TRD 16-inch bead lock wheels with BF Goodrich LT295/75R16 All-Terrain T/A tires were added to improve off-road stability and increase traction. After its debut at the 2009 SEMA Show the Tacoma ATG is scheduled to be used by Toyota, Xbox, Kicker, and INNO for a variety of consumer and industry events. Tacoma All-Terrain Gamer Accessories Partners and Sponsors Principle: Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. Builder / Fabricator: The Big American Dream Company (B.A.D. Co.) Gaming: Microsoft Xbox Audio: Stillwater Designs / Kicker Performance: Toyota Racing Development (TRD) Sports Equipment: INNO Advanced Car Racks Mountain Bikes: Cannondale Exterior - Custom three-tone paint with“Craze technique - Driver & Passenger side double gull wing doors with B-Pillar removed, custom hinge mechanism and light synchronization system - Custom steel roof mounted roll bar - Acrylic hood with view port and engine compartment lighting - Tonneau cover with Å“Craze paint technique - Custom rear monitor protective enclosure - Blacked out front grille, front & rear bumpers - Smoked front head & rear tail lamp treatment - INNO Ridge Wide Cargo Box mounted to roof mounted roll bar - INNO Upright Lock Bike Rack mounted to Tonneau cover holding two Cannondale mountain bikes. 1. Cannondale RZ ONE Twenty 2. Cannondale Moto 4 Xbox 360 graphics Interior - Custom expandable theater style rear seat gaming area with removable front seats repositioned to extend beyond the edge of the cab - Custom aluminum seat support frame with lighting treatment - Four Simpson custom upholstered off road racing seats with four-point black racing harness - Custom swing out four game monitor mounting system - Custom protective floor coating - Custom aluminum roll cage - Custom drilled aluminum headliner - Custom three-tone upholstered interior - Mini-fridge energy drink dispenser Performance - TRD 4.0L V6 Supercharger - Air to liquid intercooler - High flow fuel injectors - Cold Air Intake - TRD Stainless Steel Cat-back single outlet exhaust - 304HP & 334 lb/ft of Torque - 16X7.5 TRD Cast Bead Lock Wheels with custom finish - BF Goodrich LT295/75R16 All-Terrain T/A Tires

Audio/Visual - Four Xbox Elite Game Console Bundles - Alpine IVA-W505 touch screen head unit - Kicker KQ5 Preamp Equalizer - Behringer DCX2496 Crossover - QSC CX702 1500 Watt (8 O) Power Amplifier for subwoofer - Two QSC CX302 325 Watt (4 O) Power Amplifier for midrange - Total system produces 2150 Watts of power - Kicker Solobaric L7-12 Subwoofer with custom vented enclosure - Eight Kicker QS65.2 6.5-inch Midrange - 66-inch Sharp Aquos Plasma High Definition public viewing monitor - Four Samsung 24 High Definition flat panel game monitors.

Peugeot Hoggar reminds us of the Proton Arena!

Remember Proton’s Lira based Arena “pick-up truck”? I still see some paras traders putting the Arena to good use and it has carved out a niche for itself in Australia, where it’s called Jumble. Here’s one car with a similar concept from Peugeot, and it’s called the Hogger. The Hogger is made for the South American market, and is based on the domestic 207. However, the 207 in question is not the same car that competes in Europe’s super mini class, but a 206 with a changed cabin and redesigned to look like the “big mouthed” 207.
The Hoggar has a payload of about 742 kg. Peugeot’s small pick-up will be launched in Brazil in May and will come with two engine options: a 1.4-liter and a 1.6-liter, both with flex-fuel technology. Flex-fuel cars can run on gasoline, ethanol or a mixture of the two. In Brazil, ethanol made mostly from sugar cane makes up 25% of the E25 fuel that’s sold in pumps.

Best Eccentric

If standing out in a crowd is you’re cup o’ tea, you’re sure to be seen riding aboard the Can-Am Spyder Roadster! Although it can't lean like a motorcycle (or a Piaggio MP3), it’s got some open wheels and puts you in the wind all the same. Basically, it’s a “flipped around” three-wheeler, putting the two-wheeled part of the trike in the front. Packed full of technology as well as eye-catching appeal, the Spyder now comes in three colors and two transmission choices: standard foot-controlled shifting (SM5) or a version that is capable of being shifted by hand (SE5, a sequential electronic 5-speed). BRP has built in a lot of fun as well as safety. The coolest part of this machine is the licensing. When last we checked, if you live in California or Delaware, you don’t even need a motorcycle license to operate one on the open road. Aging and/or handicapped riders who still feel the need for speed and excitement they once received by ripping down the road on two wheels can again feel that old thrill on the Spyder, and it's also proving to be attractive to new and female riders.