These days social media has created some wildly humorous viral video moments. The most recent one was a person caught parking their Porsche Cayanne into their garage and looked to be having quite the fight with the garage. Funny enough the garage seems to be a pretty typical home detached parking space with plenty of space left and right of the door to allow entry, but that didn’t deter this driver from greeting every one of his body panels with the garage walls.
What’s not so funny is that the vehicle was also involved in a hit and run not long before the embarrassing video was shot. The driver, a teenage, was tracked down by Vancouver police after his terrible parking job was filmed and put up on social media for all to see. Thankfully, the video also identified the vehicle matching the one involved in the hit and run, and soon police were knocking on the front door.
Vancouver police has laid several charges against the 16 year old driver who also did not have a drivers license. Apparently, the boy’s mother was away so he decided to take the Porsche Cayenne out for a drive. The actual hit and run was described to be minor where both cars sustained some damage. The teen has been charged with driving without due care, hit and run, police said.
Last week BMW showed off the new third-generation BMW X5 to Canadian media in Vancouver for the International media launch just after it officially debuted at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. If you haven’t seen the pictures of the new X5 that were released earlier this year, we’ve included a set of official pictures from BMW in a gallery at the end of this post.
We first caught a glimpse of the new X5 still wearing a bit of camo cruising the streets of NYC during the New York Auto Show back in March, but we’ll start to see them on the streets soon. New for the first time will be a rear-wheel drive model dubbed the sDrive35i (Sideways Drive?) that will accompany the xDrive35i and xDrive50i all-wheel drive models. A xDrive35d diesel model will also be available but sadly the bad ass M50d tri-turbo diesel model will not be available in North America. It’s a brilliant move on BMW’s part to introduce a rear-wheel drive option really since no X5 owner actually takes their vehicle offroad. I imagine it may also help lower the fleet average fuel economy.
The DTP Auto Show has returned to Vancouver for 2013 at the Vancouver Convention Center today. We were there shooting as many cars and models as we could and we’ll post up our coverage over the next few days. The show is still on for a few more hours so get down there to check it out if you have some time. Arianny Celeste is on hand selling signed calendars for $20, but you’ll want to head down there ASAP for that as the lineup to see her is pretty intense!
A group of drivers taking a spirited run up the Sea to Sky highway in BC had to find a new set of wheels to get home as all their vehicles were impounded by police for excessive speeding. The group was reported to police for their excessive speeding but police weren’t able to respond immediately. With the RCMP Air One hovering above, the West Vancouver Police Department setup a roadblock up the road and were able to stop all eight vehicles. Five of the vehicles are Nissan 240SX models ranging from 1989 to 1997 model years. Police also impounded a 1989 Nissan Skyline, a 1992 Toyota MKII and a 2000 Acura Integra.
This is sure a nice change of pace from the convoy of speeding Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches on that highway. Just last summer a group of 911 drivers had their vehicles impounded so it seems that drivers just don’t seem to be deterred by the strict penalties for speeding.
If you were wondering if it was still possible to kick out that tail on the crazy wide 345 Michelin Pilot Sport tires on the back of the first Canadian RAUH-Welt Porsche build then wonder no more. Nakai San, who was in Vancouver building the RWB993 was spotted having a little fun while testing out the car on the streets.
The first Canadian Rauh Welt was just completed at a North Vancouver shop, Scan Automotive by the legendary Porsche builder Nakai-san of RAUH-Welt. One of the design philosophies of all RWB built Porsches is that they not only need to look good, but also be very driveable. This is evident with the huge rubber like front lip that hangs down to absorb all the impacts the rough Vancouver roads will deliver.
Sharon Hiemstra (@shearbear4) tweeted this picture of the damage
The new Port Mann bridge opened to much fanfare earlier this month when it became the world’s widest bridge but reports are coming in today that all lanes on the bridge have been closed by RCMP as falling ice has smashed into over 40 vehicles.
The lower mainland has been in the path of a storm system that many described as “snowpocalypse” (it was just a few inches of snow) but this mix of wet snow and freezing rain had built up on the hundreds of steel cables that hold up the Port Mann bridge deck. Earlier today the ice began falling smashing into the cars below.
The original orange arched Port Mann bridge is overshadowed, literally, by the new twin tower silver steel cabled bridge. The new Port Mann bridge opened this morning with 8 lanes but when construction is fully completed in the spring of 2014 two more lanes will be added. The bridge is a long overdue solution for congestion in the area which was already bad over four years ago when construction started. To put it into perspective for those that are not familiar with the area, there is traffic congestion for roughly 12-14 hours per day and during the peak times up to 125,000 vehicles cross the Port Mann.
“We are eliminating one of the worst traffic bottlenecks in British Columbia. After years of waiting, drivers get to enjoy a faster, more efficient commute and will have more time to spend with their family instead of sitting in an idling car.” Premier Christy Clark told the crowd at the Grand Opening.
While it will ease traffic along the highway 1 corridor the new bridge will also make life easier for local commuters. When the 10 lanes are fully open, 2 lanes in each direction will be dedicated to traffic between Surrey and Coquitlam. With the three remaining lanes, one will be utilized as a HOV lane and all commuters over the bridge will pay a toll of $1.50 per trip which doubles in March to $3.00.
The new Port Mann is the widest bridge in the world and the second longest in North America at 2,020 metres long – you could fit 34 hockey rinks along the bridge and still have space to hold the Stanley Cup Victory Parade according to the project website. Now, the only thing the Vancouver Canucks have to do is actually win one. ;)
Auger thinks Burrows should consider the Olympic Diving Team
The Canucks’ Alex Burrows received a slap on the wrist and a $2500 fine for speaking out against NHL referee Stephane Auger.
Burrows claimed Auger skated next to him before the anthems to express his dismay over the December 8th incident that saw Nashville’s Jerred Smithson take a 5 minute major and a game misconduct for his hit on Burrows.
The league later revoked the misconduct, in a rarely seen move, claiming the video reply shows Burrows “selling” an injury. According to Burrows, Auger took exception to this and in their pre-game discussion, told him he would get him back making him look bad.
Auger did just that. Calling Burrows out in the third period for diving and then again for an (imo, total phantom) interference call, effectively costing Vancouver the game on a powerplay goal by Shea Weber.
No, I am not a green-laser-toting Canucks fan. I don’t give a shit about the team nor anyone on it. But I do like hockey – fair hockey. So in my unbiased opinion, the NHL is doing what the NHL always does; handing out retaliation penalties. The initial offender goes Scott-free, while Burrows gets in shit for pointing out the obvious (albeit through the media where he should have went to the coach or NHL execs first, but the obvious nonetheless).
From the video replay, Burrow’s story definitely fits the obvious and documented story he gave the media. A conversation clearly occurred, just as described, and those penalties were total horseshit. The glove fits.
However, from the NHL’s perspective, there is no hard evidence tying Auger to actually saying anything that Burrow’s claims he said. Yes, YouTubers everywhere are commenting balls out, saying that a conversation clearly did happen – agreed. However Auger could have been asking Burrows about his scoring streak, his French-Canadian upbringing, or his favorite color underwear. In a 110db arena during a pre-game skate, I doubt we’ll ever hear a clear audio recording of that conversation.
The NHL has no ground to stand on in suspending Auger, other than what could be an upset player’s word, moments after his penalty cost his team the game. Shit happens.
Footnote: No idea why SportsNet was so determined in getting multiple opinions from members of the Flames. Craig Conroy quoted, “Nobody likes a tattletale”, in regards to Burrows calling out Auger to the media. I’m sorry, Conroy, but I would much rather learn the truth of the matter from Burrows than listen to a (biased) 38 year old man call another man a “tattletale”.
Fans of the Vancouver Canucks can sleep soundly now as Roberto Luongo finally put pen to paper on a 12 year contract extension that will take him right through until the 2021-22 NHL season. The contract itself is reported to be worth an astonishing $64M and will be broken down over the course of the next 12 years.
Next season the goaltender will earn $10M and then $6.7M up to 2018. In 2018-19 Luongo will pocket $3.3M and then an estimated $1M for each of his 3 remaining years.
It will come as a welcome relief to the Montreal-born player as he admitted to pondering his options in the off season; however it always seemed as though the Canucks were forever going to hold onto him.
“Once the season was over, I took a few weeks and it was a clear decision for me and my family,” Luongo said. “We love Vancouver and I think the organization has handled us really well and given us a chance to win.
“So we’re really ecstatic and I was really thankful that Canucks management and (General Manager) Mike Gillis had the confidence in me to give me this contract.”
Since his arrival in 2006, Luongo has very much been the centre piece of the team and has recorded 30 or more wins in each of the last 4 seasons. Not content with just domestic hockey, Luongo has represented Canada and won gold at both the 2003 and 2004 World Championships.
The 30 year old is also a hot favorite to make one of the goalie spots as Canada prepares for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. After 544 NHL games it seems that Luongo will be around for some time yet.
