Volvo's top 3 coolest (in my opinion) safety features

Volvo has always been a brand with safety as a number one priority. The amount of memes comparing Volvo's to tanks and trains is endless. No one really thinks of safety as being cool but Volvo has made some really interesting inventions that will ensure you will make it out of any trouble you happen to find yourself in.

1. RUN OFF ROAD PROTECTION- the run off road protection that is offered on the new XC90 is a really cool system that is designed to protect passengers when they are driving fatigued or tired. The system has a lane keep assist making sure the driver stays in his lane. If the driver begins to fall asleep the car will alert the driver and also show directions to the nearest rest stop. If these systems manage to fail the new XC90 can sense when the driver leaves the road and will tighten the seat belts holding the passengers in their seats. Volvo also added energy absorbing materials to the seat frame which well help reduce spinal injuries.

2. PRE -CRASH PROTECTION IN REAR IMPACTS- Volvo knows that it is hard to see a crash coming, especially one in the back. Volvo, with its use of cameras and sensors around the car, have made a system that could potentially decrease the damage done to passengers when the car is hit in the rear. When the car senses an impending collision it will automatically tighten the seat belts, apply the brakes, and begin to flash the hazard lights.

3. PEDESTRIAN AIRBAG- This is a bit of an older system that was introduced in 2012. What the system does is if a pedestrian does not look both ways and is struck by a Volvo the car will release airbags to protect the unlucky pedestrian. This system works by having airbags inside the A-pillar of the car and when the car realizes that it has hit a pedestrian and not a vehicle it will deploy the airbags on the outside.This is a really great system that can save many lives

What the Focus RS means for the competition

Ford has released its newest performance car: the Focus RS. The Focus RS is a new hatchback from Ford  that has a very powerful 350hp 2.3l turbo charged 4-cylinder. Ford has used Ken Block, a successful drifter and rally racer, to help design and tune the cars suspension and drive ability. The Focus RS, unlike it ST brother, is 4wd which means it is competing in a very small segment. With the Mitsubishi Evolution dead, the Focus' only competition is the Subaru WRX STI. The STI loses to the ford in power, fuel economy, and interior design.  A new Focus RS will cost you $35,900 while the STI will set you back $34,695. So for customers looking for cars in this segment they can either choose the STI or pay an extra $400 and receive an extra 45hp, 2 more MPG, and have a more comfy interior. Subaru has been using the same engine in the STI for a long time and now with Ford ready to steal all of their customers, I think we will be seeing a more powerful STI coming very soon. Now this is a win-win for everyone because we will be getting a newer STI (finally) and we get the new and proven Ford Focus RS. Competition is always good.

Should certain modifications on your car be illegal?

This is a question that if you ask a car enthusiast you will most likely hear a resounding no. some people will answer yes for many various reason. One of the strongest arguments for making certain modifications illegal would be that a lot of these modifications require someone to play around with the cars emissions system. Many time f someone is doing a crazy build and decides to add a turbocharger to their car they will most of the time remove catalytic converters and mufflers in order to gain as much power as possible. This of course is bad for the environment but is it so bad that it would require banning. I don't think so. For one, there are not that many car enthusiasts in the U.S. which means that it is only a small handful of cars that would be polluting the air. Also a good majority of these cars are rarely driven. I have a friend who owns an RX-7 who has no catalytic converters on it. This car only sees a few hundred miles a year because he wont drive it in the winter and he doesn't drive it everyday to school and work. The environmental damage that his car does is very slim compared to some cars that are driven everyday. So like every other car enthusiast, if you ask me should certain modifications be illegal, you will hear a resounding no.

Explaining my interest in cars

Cars have always been an interest of mine. whether it was playing with toy cars when  was 4 or driving around in my car right now at 18, it is a topic i have always enjoyed. Cars are a great way to help me deal with stress. Just going out for a drive at night on a fun road can help you clear your mind of all the troubles in life. To me and to many others cars are like a pet. Car guys take care of their cars greatly. I remember doing research on different types of gas stations to make sure that i picked the best gas for my car. I have friends who have bought what others might view as "undesirable" and but a lot of time, money, and love into their cars and now drive something that they are proud of. The car community, for the most part, is a great community that appreciates the way everyone expresses their individuality through their cars. The amount of friendships that i have built over the years through our common interest in cars has been great. So, this is why I love cars. It might be an expensive hobby but its worth it.

The blackhawks might actually survive

After the Blackhawks lost game 4 to St Louis, I was pretty sure the season was over after that I did not expect the hawks to win the next game... but they did. My father and I, both huge Blackhawks fans, were very excited after game 5 when the hawks survived the Blues in St Louis. My father seemed a little more optimistic in the Hawks being able to make it out of round 1 while I thought the Blues would finish the Hawks in game 6. Yesterday while watching game 6 I was astonished at the way the Hawks were playing. It was like watching a different team all together. Throughout the whole season and playoffs, every game between the Blues and the Hawks was a very close game. The Hawks in game 6 obliterated the Blues 6-3. With the Hawks riding on the momentum of two huge wins and the Blues morale low after two huge losses I am very excited for game 7 and the rest of the playoffs.

Why i think Koenigsegg is an important company

For those who are not as interested in cars as others might be, then you probably have never heard of Koenigsegg. Koenigsegg is a small Swedish car manufacturer who produce extremely powerful vehicles. their newest addition to the line up is the Regera. The Regera is a beast of a vehicle that produces 1500hp from a twin turbo 5.0L V8 and three electric motors. Now, hybrid super cars are nothing new, we do have the Holy Trinity of course (Ferrari LaFerrari, Porsche 918 Spyder, McLaren P1), but what makes the Koenigsegg Regera so important is the new technology that it posses. Christian von Koenigsegg, founder and owner of Koenigsegg, invented the Koenigsegg Direct Drive system(KDD). This system was invented and developed for the Regera. The KDD is a new drive system that eliminates a standard transmission. This is what makes the Regera such an interesting car. When i first heard of this system I wondered to myself how they planned on getting the power from the engine to the wheels. It is actually quite simple. The Regera features a single gear near the rear axle which will allow the car to turn it wheels with power from the engine, but the gear is to small for the engine to put any decent power down at low speeds. Well Koenigsegg has got that covered. By adding three electric motors the Regera is able to propel itself at low speeds while a hydraulic coupling, placed in between the engine and the final gear, allows the two to slip so no power is given. At 30mph the hydraulic coupling locks and the engine begins to drive the wheels. What is cool about this is that the gear size that Koenigsegg chose allows for the engine RPM to match the wheel RPM after the coupling locks. This means that the car will reach its top speed when the engine reaches its max RPM. Koenigsegg as a company are finding new ways to differentiate between a car and a hyper car. Other hybrid super cars have similar power plant layouts to plain hybrid cars that people buy to save gas, while Koenigsegg stands out among them and is changing the hyper car game.

The Importance of Duncan Keith to the Blackhawks.

Nearing the end of the season Duncan Keith, one of the NHL's best defense men, was handed a six game suspension after he intentionally high-sticked Minnesota Wild forward  Charlie Coyle. This would mean that Duncan Keith would miss the first game of the playoffs. In this game the Blackhawks were able to hold off the St. Louis Blues until overtime in which the Hawks lost. There were some plays during this game that definitely got fans of the Blackhawks wondering "What is the defense doing?". In game 2 Duncan Keith and helped the team secure a big win on the road. Keith scored one goal and also assisted on another. Keith may only be one person but he makes a huge difference when it comes to the Blackhawks offense. Keith also put out a huge amount of play time with almost 31 minutes played. St Luis Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock said that Duncan Keith was just "another player on the other team" but clearly, and gladly, Duncan Keith proved him wrong. So how important is Duncan Keith to the Blackhawks' ? To answer simply, he is very important.