CES is the world's gathering place for all those who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for 50 years — the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace.
Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, it attracts the world's business leaders and pioneering thinkers.
Future-Focused Automakers Turning to Startups
CES 2020 cemented its role as the most important show for automotive technology, with a handful of new car introductions (and re-introductions) plus lots of standalone technologies this week. Most US auto shows other than perhaps LA don’t generate a critical mass of tech-oriented auto company people, analysts, and journalists. CES certainly did.
Automakers are preparing for the future of mobility by investing in and partnering with all sorts of technology and mobility-focused startups, which allows them to expand their knowledge, capability and expertise to remain relevant in an industry on the verge of massive transformation.
Some might snicker when Byton CEO Daniel Kircher called the M-Byte EV “the first smart device on wheels,” but not the people attending this show. Of the vehicle introductions and concept cars, all were electrified – EVs or plug-in hybrids – with no gas-engine-only vehicles introduced.
Enjoy this visual overview gathered on an overnight boomerang run from Los Angeles to Las Vegas Wednesday January 7th and Thursday January 8th, 2020. What a way to begin a year of exciting possibilities.
The Worthhouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan S15 driven by James
Deane takes the 2017 Formula DRIFT season O’Reilly Auto Parts Round
1: Streets of Long Beach win. Image Credit: @worthousedrift via
James Deane Facebook (2017)
Ireland's James Deane Makes His Return To Formula DRIFT A Beaming Success
Formula DRIFT Black Magic Pro Championship presented by BlackVue Dash Cameras
kicked off the 14th season with an exciting day of action at the O’Reilly Auto
Parts Round 1: Streets of Long Beach. Irish driver James Deane returns to
the Series and gets the win in the Worthhouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan
S15.
“What a way to start the season,” said Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of
Formula DRIFT. “With not only a capacity crowd, record numbers on the
Livestream, but proof that Formula Drift is truly an international series where
the best of the best come to compete.”
The first event of the season commenced on the Grand Prix of Long Beach Street
Course. The highly anticipated event was action packed from start to
finish and the capacity crowd witnessed many competitive battles throughout the
day. The event also introduced new drivers to the field including Georgy
Chivchyan from Russia and Piotr Wiecek from Poland and marked the return of
Irish driver, James Deane. The event broke records with the Livestream
with over 1 million viewers tuning in from around the world over the two-day
event weekend making for the largest viewership for a single event in Formula
DRIFT history.
Deane returned to Formula DRIFT after a seven year hiatus from the Series in
dramatic fashion. Deane proved to be a contender after qualifying in
second position and making his way through to the finals by defeating both
former champion Michael Essa and the reigning and 3-time champion, Chris
Forsberg.
Deane met with Ryan Tuerck in the Gumout / Nameless Performance / Hankook Toyota
86 in the semi-finals and with consistent driving all-day and a solid chase run
he was able to advance to the Finals.
On the other side of the bracket in the semi-finals, Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis in
the Falken Tire / Drifz Wheels / Ark Performance Nissan 240SX faced off against
Alex Heilbrunn in the IMR / Nitto Tire BMW M3. After a hard fought battle
that was too close to call, the drivers met in a One More Time battle and while
chasing Heilbrunn, Bakchis made an error entering the hairpin giving Heilbrunn
the win to put him in the Finals. Deane’s consistency and technical
driving was no match for Heilbrunn in the Finals and Deane won his first Formula
DRIFT victory to take the lead in the chase for the championship.
“Man, what a way to start back in Formula DRIFT after missing out on the last
seven years,” said James Deane, winner of Round 1: Streets of Long Beach.
“I owe a lot to my good friend and teammate, Piotr Wiecek, who came up
with this whole idea to come back to the Series as a two-car team. To come
out with the win is just mind blowing. What a feeling!"
For more information visit, www.formulad.com and find Formula DRIFT on Instagram
@formulad, Facebook www.facebook.com/formuladrift, Twitter @FormulaDrift, and
Snapchat - formula_drift. Tune into Formula DRIFT on CBS Sports and check your
local listings for airtimes.
Formula DRIFT 2017 Round 1 Podium - (L to R) P2 - Alex
Heilbrunn, P1 - James Deane, P3 - Ryan Tuerck. Image
Credit: Formula DRIFT (2017)
Round 1: Streets of Long Beach Event Results
1. Deane, James
Worthouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan 240
Winner
2. Heilbrunn, Alex
IMR / Nitto Tire BMW M3
2nd Place
3. Tuerck, Ryan
Gumout / Nameless Performance / Hankook Toyota 86
3rd Place
TAGS:Formula DRIFT, Round 1, Long Beach, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Falken, Nitto,
Hankook, Nexen, Achilles, Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Dodge, BMW, Infiniti, James
Deane, Alex Heilbrunn, Ryan Tuerck, The EDJE
Nissan DeltaWing on display at the LA Auto Show Press Days. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)
DeltaWing Recieves The 2012 Autosport Award For Pioneering And Innovation
The 2012 Autosport Awards, the motorsport industry's 'Oscars' held last night at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London's Park Lane, provided a night of delight for Nissan when the Nissan DeltaWing received the award for Pioneering and Innovation.
The Nissan DeltaWing is currently settling in for its close-up near
Hollywood, at the LA Auto Show which runs now through the end of this
next weekend on December 9th. One will find it on display at the Nissan
booth in the South Hall at the Los Angeles Convention Center ... of
course.
The Nissan DeltaWing has grabbed headlines, turned heads, and divided opinions wherever it has gone. For Nissan, a company known for delivering innovation that excites, this project has gathered great momentum throughout the season, providing excitement for fans of motorsport but has also caught the eye of non-motorsport fans, intrigued by the car's unique design.
The first Nissan DeltaWing driver, Marino Franchitti, presented the award to DeltaWing Designer Ben Bowlby during the star-studded evening.
Image Credit: Nissan (2012)
"While the car wasn't eligible to collect any trophies in its two races so far, it is very rewarding that the industry and the media recognize the significance of the project," Bowlby said. "I can honestly say I've never done anything so cool in my life. The Nissan DeltaWing is all about efficiency and we hope this car can play a part in shaping the future of the sport.
"There are many people who have played key roles in the development of the car but I have to say a big thanks to Don Panoz's Garage 56 consortium with DeltaWing Racing Cars, and of course the ACO. Nissan and Michelins' contributions were imperative. It took a huge leap of faith from them to really make this car possible. Both signed on at a time when we had plenty of doubters saying the car wouldn't go around corners."
The unique Nissan DeltaWing features the performance of contemporary Le Mans sportscars but consumes only half their fuel and tires, using half of their power, aerodynamic drag and weight.
"What made the car stand out from other contenders for the Pioneering and Innovation Award is traditionally the winners are for something underneath the skin of a race car which the man on the street would really struggle to see or even understand," Autosport, Editor-In-Chief, Andrew van de Burgt said.
"No matter whether you are a hard core motorsports fan, or somebody who doesn't follow the sport at all – one look at the car and you can tell that it is totally different from anything seen before. It really is a credit to everyone involved in the project. It has generated great interest amongst our readers and we look forward to seeing the car compete again in the future."
Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)
The plaudits don't stop there for the Nissan DeltaWing. The car has already won EVO magazine's Innovation Award; it was voted Automobile magazine's Racing Car of the Year and received the Popular Science Best of What's New Award. Ben Bowlby has also received the Simms Medal from the Royal Automobile Club and the Dino Toso Award for the world's top racing aerodynamicist, awarded by Race Tech magazine.
"Last night was the culmination of a lot of hard work by a lot of people who weren't scared to use their imaginations," said Nissan's Darren Cox. "The Nissan DeltaWing is clearly innovative in terms of the car's design but the entire project and the way it has engaged the interest of the fans is also innovative. We have all enjoyed the challenge."
All electric Cadillac Converj concept on display at the 2011 LA Auto Show. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)
LA Auto Show Announces A Debut Event Of 40+ Vehicles
The Los Angeles Auto Show announced today July 12, 2012 that more than 40 vehicles are anticipated to debut at the Show during the 2012 Press Days, held Nov. 28-29.
With four and a half months until the Show (beginning with Press Days - Nov. 28-29), it is noteworthy that at least 20 world debuts have already been confirmed by automakers. This breaking news, as well as other automotive trends, will be unveiled to a global audience consisting of media from more than 50 countries.
The debut lineup this year also promises a compelling mix of the hottest trends and cutting-edge innovations driving today's resurgent automotive industry, including world firsts from Chevrolet as well as European automakers such as BMW, Fiat and Volkswagen. Los Angeles attendees will also see global unveiling previews of new designs from Asian brands, including models from Acura, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan and Toyota.
The all natural gas-powered 2012 Honda Accord Green Car of the Year for 2012. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)
Green and alternative fuel technologies represented by types powered through fuel hybrid and all-electric vehicles, will be featured in several world debuts at the Show. There also will be an increasing number of high-mileage internal combustion vehicles, including clean diesel, on display.
Additionally, several automakers will unveil emerging technologies that are dramatically changing the modern driving experience and making it safer.
These technology-laden vehicles will share the media spotlight with a well-represented lineup of luxury and performance models underscoring the L.A. region's status as the largest market for these segments in the country. Of the 40 debuts slated, at least a dozen will come from these two categories, including unveilings from the likes of Acura, Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover and Porsche.
As stated by Andy Fuzesi, general manager, L.A. Auto Show - "As the first major North American show of the season, L.A. sets the tone for 2013 and we expect that automakers will pull out all the stops to excite new-car buyers. In virtually every category from the greenest electric vehicle to high-horsepower performance models, the technological advancements we are seeing today eclipse all previous automotive eras."
With California established as a global center for alternative fuel and advanced technology innovations, it should come as no surprise that the L.A. Auto Show will be a prime venue for breaking news on all the latest developments. The entirely new Automotive Technology Showcase, presented by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, is a Press Days expo designed to connect automotive technology companies with automakers, media, analysts, and other potential customers and partners. It will serve as a one-stop dedicated showcase covering advancements such as digital speech recognition, accident avoidance technology, navigation systems, real-time traffic data and solutions designed to mitigate distracted driving concerns.
Supporting the Showcase will be an expanded Ride and Drive called the Green & Advanced Technology Ride and Drive. This Press Days' event will include both "green" vehicles as well as those featuring in-car advancements such as automatic park assist, radar-based object detection systems and driver assist technologies. The Show's "green" credibility is further sustained with the Green Car Journal's annual Green Car of the Year® and Nielsen Automotive Green Marketer of the Year awards.
