Connect with us

Published

2 years ago

on

>

 

A tiny red drawing of a Willys MB is hidden on the wheels of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon – just one of many “Easter eggs” found in the automotive world.

 

It’s usually gone in an instant: A quippy bit of dialogue or visual reference that teases the audience, ever so slightly breaking the fourth wall. “Did you see that? Did you hear that?” the eagle-eyed will exclaim. These days it’s hard to watch or read anything without someone pointing out one of these covert tidbits, better known as “Easter eggs.” They populate nearly every medium, providing a way for creators to share an inside joke or subtle reference with their audience, from spotting the Pizza Planet truck in a Pixar film to finding the “Dirty Harry” reference in your favorite video game. Easter eggs have become a mainstay of popular culture – so much so that several automakers have taken note. From nods to a marque’s heritage, clever digs at rival manufacturers and hidden graphics, these secret surprises share the fun of automotive design. Here are just a few of our favorites – go check them out at your local dealership and see if you can find them!

 

The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX Launch Edition features a number of cheeky hidden messages.

2021 RAM TRX

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: The TRX (pronounced T-Rex) name is a lighthearted poke at Ford’s Baja-conquering F-150 Raptor. But, beyond the name, the TRX goes a step further. Hidden under the hood and beneath a removable plastic cover, the TRX features a graphic of its Late Cretaceous namesake quite literally chomping down on a Velociraptor. It’s an image straight from the ending of Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park” film, one that’s sure to reveal a toothy grin on all who find it. But wait – there’s more! Tucked away in the Tyrant Pickup King’s center console you’ll find yet another poke at Ford’s Raptor. A size comparison chart, complete with man, the TRX, its namesake – the Tyrant Lizard King – and a velociraptor, all drawn to “correct scale.” Ram surely knew its target audience and, with 702hp on tap, we can’t wait to see how Ford’s Raptor answers the challenge of the Ram TRX.

 

A Willys MB Jeep climbs the corner of the windshield on some models.

JEEP

The Jeep brand has become known in the automotive industry for its quirky “Easter eggs” hidden throughout its vehicle portfolio, maintaining that the hidden images add more fun to the ownership experience. The company started the tradition with the 2011 Grand Cherokee, when they added small Jeep grilles inside the headlamp bulb shields. A refresh on the Wrangler saw the addition of a small side profile of a Jeep climbing up from the corner of the windshield. On the 2017

Read More

—————-

By: Barrett-Jackson
Title: PLAYFUL DESIGN: Fun Hidden Messages and Treasures on Modern Vehicles
Sourced From: www.barrett-jackson.com/Media/Home/Reader/easter-eggs-in-the-automotive-world/
Published Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2021 16:54:38 +0000

Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Share 0
Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Motor

2023 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP

Published

7 hours ago

on

September 27, 2023

By

PJN4B2BYMVEBPA3RMUNHV2E6BI

2023 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP.
2023 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP. (Honda/)

Ups

The CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is Honda’s single-minded pursuit of production-class racing gloryThe engine uses the same bore and stroke (81.0 x 48.5mm) as the RC213V MotoGP racebike, emphasizing the depth of HRC’s involvementDripping with ‘Blade nostalgia, the striking paint scheme was designed by Hiroaki Tsukui who was also responsible for the original 1992 design.

Downs

The US-spec model’s output is limited to 186 hp at the crank. Who wants to spend top dollar and not get all the goods?Uncompromising seating positionWhere’s a rider supposed to put the key fob when wearing one-piece leathers?

Verdict

The pinnacle of Honda’s CB lineage, the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is an HRC-developed, uncompromising race replica with significantly more performance than the CBR1000RR that American Honda continues to sell. For a production Honda motorcycle, it’s as rarefied as they come. The only problem? In the US, output is limited to 186 hp at the crank, and less when measured at the rear wheel.

The CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP’s anniversary livery is about as good as it gets.
The CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP’s anniversary livery is about as good as it gets. (Honda/)

Overview

The 1992 Honda CBR900RR is easily one of the most significant motorcycles of its day. As CW’s first prescient analysis said back in 1991: “It is a motorcycle that promises to change forever the way big-bore sportbikes are conceived and built.”

Its first comparison test—against the Yamaha FZR1000 and Suzuki GSX-R1100—confirmed the veracity of that statement. On the CW scales, the CBR weighed 76 pounds less than the FZR and 94 pounds less than the GSX-R. That first ‘Blade was the shot heard round the world, transforming the economy of two-wheeled performance in much the same way the Honda Interceptor and the original Suzuki GSX-R750 did the decade before.

Thirty years later, it’s difficult to conceive of a motorcycle so technically beyond the competition that it inspires such a sea change. Still, the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is a credit to Tadao Baba’s legacy.

At $28,900, the Triple R is as expensive as the European competition with performance to match. From the highest-spec electronic suspension to integrated aero and a screaming inline-four powerplant, the CBR is Honda’s purest performance weapon. Undoubtedly, the latest CBR was built to win. While the World SBK crown has thus far evaded capture, Honda won the 2022 and 2023 Suzuka 8 Hours.

The fly in the ointment, however, is that the US-spec Triple R comes stateside with output limited to 186 hp. In a highly competitive field, coming to the fray with one hand tied behind its back is very unfortunate.

Related: Fastest Bikes You Can Buy in 2023

While American Honda still sells the base-model CBR1000RR, the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is recognized as its top-tier, track-focused offering. This is one of those bikes that makes the most sense when being pushed around a racetrack.
While American Honda still sells the base-model CBR1000RR, the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is recognized as its top-tier, track-focused offering. This is one of those bikes that makes the most sense when being pushed around a racetrack. (Honda/)

Updates for 2023

The Fireblade SP is unchanged for 2023. For 2022, however, the engine was tweaked with revised intake ports, narrower than before to increase the air velocity into the combustion chambers and bump up torque, along with an increased compression ratio of 13.4:1, up from 13.2:1. A new airbox, modified to improve flow, feeds revised intake funnels, with the center pair shorter by 15mm, and all four getting new, slash-cut shapes.

On the other side of the engine, the exhaust was modified with a new center section and redesigned catalytic converter, both intended to improve gas flow. Elsewhere, the throttle was modified to make it easier on the wrist, no doubt further emphasizing the impression of improved response. More notably, the rear sprocket gained three teeth, rising to 43 in total, reducing the final drive gearing for better acceleration. That sprocket change, and the longer chain that comes with it,

Read More

—————-

By: Cycle World Staff
Title: 2023 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP
Sourced From: www.motorcyclistonline.com/honda/cbr1000rr-r-fireblade-sp/
Published Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2023 20:46:06 +0000

Continue Reading

Motor

Klassischer Charme: The new BMW R nineT 100 Years

Published

9 hours ago

on

September 27, 2023

By

bmw r ninet 100 years 745x497 1

BMW R nineT 100 Years edition
The iconic BMW boxer engine has been around a little longer than some folks realize: a hundred years, to be exact. It powered the very first BMW motorcycle, which broke cover in 1923.

That was the shaft-driven R 32, designed by Max Friz. It featured the familiar opposed cylinder engine layout, although the internals bear little resemblance to the modern-day powerplant.

BMW R nineT and R 18 100 Years edition

A 100th anniversary always calls for a celebration, so BMW Motorrad has created a pair of ‘100 Years’ special editions for its Heritage range: the R nineT Roadster and the R 18 Cruiser. And very appropriately, both models are limited to 1,923 units each.

We’re especially smitten with the charming BMW R nineT 100 Year shown here, which harks back to the monochrome aesthetic of classic BMW oldtimers.

BMW R nineT 100 Years editionRead More

—————-

By: Chris Hunter
Title: Klassischer Charme: The new BMW R nineT 100 Years
Sourced From: www.bikeexif.com/bmw-r-ninet-100-years
Published Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2023 17:01:31 +0000

Continue Reading

Motor

Prizefighter: A custom Ducati Monster 600 built for a Turkish actor

Published

19 hours ago

on

September 27, 2023

By

custom ducati monster 600 1 745x497 1

Custom Ducati Monster 600 by Bunker Custom Cycles
The Ducati Monster is widely credited with saving the Italian marque in the 90s. Part of its success lies in its minimalist brawler aesthetic—and part of it lies in the fact that Ducati has always offered the Monster in myriad engine sizes at varying price points. If you couldn’t quite spring for an M900 back in 1994, the Ducati Monster 600 looked just as cool, cost less, and still made adequate power.

Decades on, the Monster is a very different beast and has even shed its trademark trellis frame. But the mid-90s Monster still has appeal—and it’s got tons of custom bike potential, as evidenced by this custom Ducati Monster 600 from Turkey’s Bunker Custom Cycles.

Custom Ducati Monster 600 by Bunker Custom Cycles

The 1998-model Monster 600 belongs to the Turkish actor Kadir Doğulu, who went through considerable effort to obtain it. The story goes that the bike was one of four imported to Turkey in the late 90s as show bikes for a major local 4×4 event. Kadir spotted it in the corner of a parking garage gathering dust and hassled the owner for ten years before he finally agreed to sell it.

By then, the Monster 600 was desperately in need of rescue. A decade of being parked had given the elements time to work, leaving the chassis, fuel tank, and a whole whack of alloy parts covered in rust. Kadir held onto the bike for a while, then called in the brothers at Bunker Custom Cycles, Mert and Can Uzer, to revive it.

Custom Ducati Monster 600 by Bunker Custom CyclesRead More

—————-

By: Wesley Reyneke
Title: Prizefighter: A custom Ducati Monster 600 built for a Turkish actor
Sourced From: www.bikeexif.com/custom-ducati-monster-600
Published Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2023 18:57:09 +0000

Continue Reading

Trending