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If you were asked what images come to mind when pondering 1960's counterculture, the VW bus would inevitably be on your short list. Known by many as simply the "hippie van," the VW was the choice of transportation for counterculturalists everywhere throughout the 1960's, and it was the top-selling auto import in the United States during that time.

But, how (and why), exactly, did the VW bus become the popular worldwide cultural icon that it is today?

Filmmaker Damon Ristau offers up the answers to those questions in his new documentary "The Bus," which recently had it's world premiere at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, North Carolina, on April 14th.

VIDEO: Watch the trailer for 'The Bus'

 

 

In "The Bus," Ristau explores the VW's history, beginning back at its birthplace in post-WWII Germany, and taking audiences on a ride through its presence at the heart of Woodstock and the countercultural movement. Then, by going on the road and interviewing VW bus owners from all over the world, Ristau paints a clearer picture of why the "hippie van" is the international symbol for freedom, love, adventure, and friendship.

Courtesy of: examiner.com

VOLKSWAGEN SPONSORS SHARK WEEK ON THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL

DRIVING with Sharks! | Volkswagen

Monday Maintenance Tip: Tire Inflation and Safety

Checking tires is quick and easy - and vital to safety

Tires are one of the most important -- and oft-overlooked -- components of our cars. Tires are the only thing that attach our cars to the road, and tire problems affect your car's ride comfort, handling and safety. Here are some simple tire safety tips to help keep you and your car's occupants safe.

Check your tire pressure regularly.

Tires tend to lose air over time. Buy a digital tire gauge and check your tires once a month and before a long trip. Proper inflation pressures can be found in your owner's manual or on a sticker on the car (usually on the driver's doorjamb or fuel-filler lid -- see photo.) Remember to check tire pressure only after the car has been sitting for several hours in order to ensure that the tires are cold -- the friction of driving heats the tires and increases pressure, which can hide an under-inflated tire.

Address under-inflated tires immediately.

An under-inflated tire has more rolling resistance, which increases fuel consumption. It also creates more heat, which can lead to tire failure.

Don't forget the spare.

Getting a flat tire and discovering that your spare is also flat is a miserable experience. Inspect your spare as you would your other tires. If you have a compact spare, the inflation pressure will usually be written on the tire. If your car comes with a compressor and/or flat repair kit in lieu of a spare, check their operation regularly.

Check for tread depth.

Check tread depth by placing the edge of a penny upside-down into the grooves of the tire's tread. If you can see all of Lincoln's head, it's time for a new set of tires. Never buy a single tire -- it's best to replace all four tires at once, but at the very least they should be bought as axle pairs (both fronts or both rears). Rotating your tires every 5,000 to 7,000 miles will help ensure that all four tires wear at the same rate.

Check for even wear.

When you check tread depth, check both the inside and outside edge of the tires. Uneven tire wear is usually a sign that your car is out of alignment. Proper alignment optimizes handling and helps prevent premature tire wear.

Look for tire damage.

When you check pressure, inspect the sides of the tires for nicks, bulges, cracks and cuts. Such damage often cannot be repaired and will require replacement of the tire.

Stay balanced.

If your car develops a shimmy (a back-and-forth vibration, usually felt through the steering wheel) at a certain speed, it's possible that one of your tires has lost its balance weight. Having your tires re-balanced is a fairly inexpensive job.

Buy the right tire for the job.

Most cars come with all-season tires, the tire equivalent of a jack-of-all-trades. If you live in the rust belt, consider a set of dedicated snow tires for the winter; they do wonders for safety. If you live where it's always warm and dry, "summer" performance tires can vastly improve your car's handling.

And most importantly:

Never hesitate to replace a worn or damaged tire.

Tires are not cheap, but they are vital to the safety of you and your car's occupants. Remember, the tires are the only things that connect your car to the road. Advanced safety features such as antilock brakes and electronic stability control can't do their life-saving jobs without four good tires. Take care of your tires -- because whether you know it or not, you're counting on them to take care of you.

 

Courtesy of About.com Cars

Shark Week!

Volkswagen is partnering with the Discovery Channel as the sponsor of the 25th Anniversary of Shark Week!

Monday Maintenance - Driving in a Tornado

When you prepare for tornado season ahead of time, you can increase your chances of protecting yourself and your property in the face of a tornado or heavy windstorm. If you’re in a tornado’s path, you don’t have much time to find shelter.

Tornado Driving Safety Tips:

• Try not drive during tornado conditions. Drive only if the tornado is far away and the traffic you will be driving in is light.
• Never try to out-drive a tornado in a vehicle. Tornadoes can change direction quickly and can lift a car or truck and toss it through the air.
• If you can see the tornado, and it is heading away from you… just sit tight. If it is heading toward you, and you have the time, drive away from it at right angles. Example, if it is heading north, travel east or west. If it is too close, find safety below ground if possible, or in the nearest depression. Do not stay in your car, as it will be tossed around with you in it.
• Do not, under any circumstance, drive over a downed electrical line.
• Get out of your vehicle immediately and seek shelter in a nearby building.
• Be prepared with a disaster kit in the car at all times. Take it, if possible, when you leave your car.
• If there is no time to get indoors, or if there is no nearby shelter, get out of the car and lie in a ditch or a low-lying area away from the vehicle. Be aware of the potential for flooding.
• Heavy rains often accompany tornadoes. Do not travel down a road submerged in water — underlying currents could carry your car away. Another likely threat: a collapsed roadway. If your vehicle stalls in water, immediately abandon it — floodwaters can rise several feet in a matter of minutes.

You should know these about tornadoes: 

• They may strike quickly, with little or no warning.
• They may appear nearly transparent until dust and debris are picked up or a cloud forms in the funnel.
• The average tornado moves Southwest to Northeast, but tornadoes have been known to move in any direction.
• The average forward speed of a tornado is 30 MPH, but may vary from stationary to 70 MPH.
• Tornadoes can accompany tropical storms and hurricanes as they move onto land.
• Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water.
• Tornadoes are most frequently reported east of the Rocky Mountains during spring and summer months.
• Peak tornado season in the southern states is March through May; in the northern states, it is late spring through early summer.
• Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., but can occur at any time.

Other Tornado Safety Tips:

What to do Before a Tornado

Be alert to changing weather conditions.

• Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or to commercial radio or television newscasts for the latest information.Look for approaching storms
• Look for the following danger signs:
  • Dark, often greenish sky
  • Large hail
  • A large, dark, low-lying cloud (particularly if rotating)
  • Loud roar, similar to a freight train.

If you see approaching storms or any of the danger signs, be prepared to take shelter immediately.

What to do During a Tornado

If you are under a tornado WARNING, seek shelter immediately!

If you are in:	Then:
A structure (e.g. residence, small building, school, nursing home, hospital, factory, shopping center, high-rise building)	Go to a pre-designated shelter area such as a safe room, basement, storm cellar, or the lowest building level. If there is no basement, go to the center of an interior room on the lowest level (closet, interior hallway) away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls. Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside. Get under a sturdy table and use your arms to protect your head and neck. Do not open windows.
A vehicle, trailer, or mobile home	Get out immediately and go to the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building or a storm shelter. Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes.
The outside with no shelter	Lie flat in a nearby ditch or depression and cover your head with your hands. Be aware of the potential for flooding. Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat location. Never try to outrun a tornado in urban or congested areas in a car or truck. Instead, leave the vehicle immediately for safe shelter. Watch out for flying debris. Flying debris from tornadoes causes most fatalities and injuries.

 

 

Courtesy of Car-Use.net

Volkswagen kicks off its sponsorship of Discovery Channel's 25th Shark Week with an exclusive teaser showing the chassis of the Beetle Shark Observation Cage.

Volkswagen ready to enter Global Rallycross arena

Volkswagen is ready to commit to building a Global Rallycross car for next season, following a recent X Games visit from motorsport director Jost Capito.

The German firm’s marketing boss, Stefan Moser, said with the format of the Global Rallycross series and the proposed European tour of the X Games (June 30-July 1), it made sense to build a 600-hp version of the Volkswagen Polo.

“What Jost saw at the X Games was nearly the perfect sport,” said Moser. “It had everything we need, including young spectators in an urban area. [Global Rallycross] is easy to cover and easy to understand.”

Global Rallycross features door-to-door racing, as opposed to a series of timed stages.

“If you were to go and ask somebody in the street: ‘How does the World Rally Championship work?’ they wouldn’t know,” Moser said. “It’s not like Formula One, people in the street don’t understand WRC.

“Next year might be pushing it to get a car up and running for the X Games and American [GRC] series, but why not? The market is growing very fast, and we are always interested in good motorsport markets.”

Car manufacturers in Global Rallycross for the 2012 season include Ford, Hyundai, Saab, Dodge and Subaru.

Courtesy of autoweek.com

Monday Maintenance: Cleaning the Interior

#1: Refer to the owner's manual before attempting to clean the interior of your vehicle. I've found that many of today's auto components are very sensitive to cleaners. Before you start, test each of the interior materials in small, out-of-the-way locations, where consequences won't be too terrible if it doesn't work out. It's better to be safe than sorry. Do you want to look at the spray pattern from a can of Super Duper Quikkie-Kleen for the rest of the life of your car?

#2: Don't vacuum hard to reach places - instead, blow it out by connecting your vacuum hose to the vacuum outlet. It is most effective to rapidly toggle the power switch on your vacuum between "on" and "off." Here's why. If you blow the debris out at full speed, it's going to fly all over the vehicle. Doing it at a reduced power, however, will move the debris just far enough so you can access it, then easily vacuum it up.

#3: Get a paint brush and a toothbrush. These are the two best tools for accessing hard-to-reach cracks, crevices and corners. The paint brush is great for reaching into deep locations. Vacuum with one hand as you brush those hard-to-reach locations, and you'll quickly clean up tricky spots. Leave both brushes in your glove compartment, so you'll have them when you stop by your local car wash and vacuum emporium.

#4: To thoroughly remove debris from carpets and mats, use a sturdy brush and run a vacuum right behind it. Don't get too aggressive with the brush. Mats and carpets are (sadly) poorly made these days, even on high-end vehicles. You can easily cause fraying or other damage by using too much force.

#5: For gum, wax and other materials use chewing gum remover. It actually freezes the gum, so that it can easily be scraped off. Use a dull paint scraper to remove the gum once it's frozen. If you can't find chewing gum remover, you can also use dry ice. Get the gum cold enough so it will crack when you apply light pressure with the scraper.

Chewing gum remover may not be available at your local automotive parts and accessories store. You may have to purchase it through an auto-detailing company or a janitorial supply company.

#6: Skip the ArmorAll on the interior. I find it actually attracts dust. If you do use it, buff it in with a moist rag.

#7: Be very cautious cleaning the transparent plastic on your vehicle's instrument cluster. A lot of these plastics are extremely soft, and will scratch easily. I use Plexus plastic cleaner.

#8: The dirtiest spots in a car's interior are the locations you touch, meaning the steering wheel, seat belt, the shifting knob and the driver's side door panel. The "V" between your legs, where your Egg McMuffin and coffee winds up, can also be very dirty. Locate these components and plan to spend a few extra minutes cleaning them.

#9: When you're cleaning seat belts, only use a diluted, mild laundry soap. This will protect the integrity of the belt fabric.

#10: Windows should be cleaned inside and out with glass cleaner and paper towels. Then, lightly buff the windows with a 100% cotton towel.

#11: The dashboard and vehicle panels should be wiped with a dampened cloth with water. To remove grime, use an all-purpose cleaner, diluted with water. As always, use the mildest soap possible.

#12: Need to get rid of smells? Vinegar works very well, and it's a whole lot cheaper than commercial products. Start with a 20:1 water-to-vinegar concentration, and scrub thoroughly. If that doesn't work, slowly increase the ratio until you have success.

#13: No matter what you're doing to your car, be gentle. Because of manufacturers' interest in saving a buck, and the desire to increase the EPA fuel economy, a lot of manufacturers are using less durable materials. So, whether you're working on the inside or the outside, be gentle, or you may permanently mar or damage your vehicle.

 

Courtesy of Car Talk

Shark Week 2012: VW Beetle Shark Cage Teaser

See marine biologist Luke Tipple team up with a group of engineers to turn a 2012 Volkswagen Beetle into an underwater vehicle. Shark Week begins August 12th, in the meantime, check out the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle:

U.S. women define word 'team'

LONDON -- There was no need for a Kerri Strug/Wheaties box cover/"SportsCenter" moment when the U.S. women won their first Olympic team gold medal since the 1996 Atlanta Games. And if Bela Karolyi was going to carry a hero to the podium Tuesday, he would have risked a hernia from carrying the whole American team.

Whether these 2012 gold medalists are the best group of American Olympic gymnasts can be debated -- though U.S. coach Marta Karolyi says they are -- but they are almost certainly the best team.

"That [1996 gold-medal squad] was a beautiful team made up from great individual athletes," Bela Karolyi said when asked to compare the two gold-medal teams. "Dominique Dawes, Shannon Miller, Amy Chow -- all these great kids; but they trained in different ways. When we got them together, it was a beautiful bouquet of individual athletes rather than a team. And that made a big difference tonight."

Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY Sports

 

After failing to qualify in the individual all-around, Jordyn Wieber rebounded and set the tone for the U.S. women's team win Tuesday.

What also made the difference was the mental and competitive edge the Americans had, an edge exemplified by Jordyn Wieber.

Wieber is the reigning all-around world champ, but she won't get a chance to win gold or any medal in the individual event later this week. A new rule restricts the number of gymnasts in the all-around final to two per country, and Wieber was edged out by Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman after finishing fourth in qualifying.

"She was hammered by a stupid rule, a stupid rule," Karolyi said. "To eliminate the best gymnast in the Olympic final? That isn't an Olympic final, that's an Olympic invitational."

Wieber put aside the qualifying loss, received a pep talk from teammate McKayla Maroney and went out determined to help her team win gold Tuesday.

"She proved she has a very strong character," Marta Karolyi said. "That she's a fighter, and if she has a situation that puts her down, she is able to fight back. She wanted to prove herself that she is one of the highest international gymnasts."

Wieber so wanted to put Sunday's disappointment behind her that she didn't even wait for the arena announcer to finish her introduction Tuesday before she started flying down the runway for her vault in the first rotation. "I was just ready to go," she said. "I just wanted to get the best start I could and ended up sticking it."

She did, receiving a score of 15.933. Then Douglas posted a 15.966. And then Maroney received a 16.233 with a jaw-dropping vault. And when the rotation was over, the Americans had a lead they would not surrender the rest of the event.

"It was definitely a confidence builder," said Douglas, who piled up a score of 61.465 in four rotations. "When [Wieber] nailed that vault, it was contagious. It was, 'OK, I'm going to nail this vault, too.' And we all nailed it. And it's contagious from there. It goes over to the bars, to the beam, to the floor."

Part of the reason the confidence continued was that mental edge again, plus intense preparation. Marta Karolyi and the staff put the team through intense rehearsals leading into Tuesday's competition, even piping in recorded crowd noise at odd moments to simulate competition conditions. "Everything was implemented in preparations," Karolyi said.

So while the other teams were slipping -- 2008 champion China finished fourth behind silver medal-winning Russia and bronze medalist Romania -- the U.S. just kept rolling, with not a single bad routine and only two with a score lower than 15. Bela Karolyi said he has rarely seen such a 12-for-12 performance and not since Soviet times.

Marta Karolyi said she was confident the Americans would win after their strong balance-beam performance in the third rotation, and the gold medal was all but guaranteed when two Russian gymnasts stumbled in their floor routines just ahead of the United States. To stay focused, the Americans were trying their best not to watch the Russians, but couldn't help but realize what happened from the crowd reaction.

"When the crowd goes, 'Uhhhh,' you just know something went wrong," Douglas said. "So we knew."

The U.S. had such a commanding 10-point lead as it started the floor routine that all it had to do was avoid tripping on the mat. The Americans did just that, performing superbly to clinch the gold by more than eight points over Russia. They hugged, they shouted, they celebrated. They were Olympic champions.

"I think this is really important just for a little redemption," Wieber said. "It definitely was a disappointment with the new rules [in the all-around] and it kind of stinks, but in the end, I wind up with a gold medal."

Where the Americans get their mental edge became obvious when the Karolyis talked about how the athletes would not let down following this gold. They will not go shopping, they will not go sightseeing, they will not lose focus until the competition is over here. And even then, they won't let down.

"It's a fantastic achievement, but at the same time, we don't need to get our noses up in the air because you are just as good as you are on your performance day," Marta Karolyi said. "This is the result of a lot of work for many, many years, and if you want to stay competitive, we have to follow with the same level. We can't think, 'Just because we're Olympic [champions], we can relax.'"

After all, the U.S. will need to defend its medal in Rio in 2016. And that's just four years away. Better get back in the gym.

 

Courtesty of ESPN.com

U.S. women define word 'team'

LONDON -- There was no need for a Kerri Strug/Wheaties box cover/"SportsCenter" moment when the U.S. women won their first Olympic team gold medal since the 1996 Atlanta Games. And if Bela Karolyi was going to carry a hero to the podium Tuesday, he would have risked a hernia from carrying the whole American team.

Whether these 2012 gold medalists are the best group of American Olympic gymnasts can be debated -- though U.S. coach Marta Karolyi says they are -- but they are almost certainly the best team.

"That [1996 gold-medal squad] was a beautiful team made up from great individual athletes," Bela Karolyi said when asked to compare the two gold-medal teams. "Dominique Dawes, Shannon Miller, Amy Chow -- all these great kids; but they trained in different ways. When we got them together, it was a beautiful bouquet of individual athletes rather than a team. And that made a big difference tonight."

Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY Sports

 

After failing to qualify in the individual all-around, Jordyn Wieber rebounded and set the tone for the U.S. women's team win Tuesday.

What also made the difference was the mental and competitive edge the Americans had, an edge exemplified by Jordyn Wieber.

Wieber is the reigning all-around world champ, but she won't get a chance to win gold or any medal in the individual event later this week. A new rule restricts the number of gymnasts in the all-around final to two per country, and Wieber was edged out by Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman after finishing fourth in qualifying.

"She was hammered by a stupid rule, a stupid rule," Karolyi said. "To eliminate the best gymnast in the Olympic final? That isn't an Olympic final, that's an Olympic invitational."

Wieber put aside the qualifying loss, received a pep talk from teammate McKayla Maroney and went out determined to help her team win gold Tuesday.

"She proved she has a very strong character," Marta Karolyi said. "That she's a fighter, and if she has a situation that puts her down, she is able to fight back. She wanted to prove herself that she is one of the highest international gymnasts."

Wieber so wanted to put Sunday's disappointment behind her that she didn't even wait for the arena announcer to finish her introduction Tuesday before she started flying down the runway for her vault in the first rotation. "I was just ready to go," she said. "I just wanted to get the best start I could and ended up sticking it."

She did, receiving a score of 15.933. Then Douglas posted a 15.966. And then Maroney received a 16.233 with a jaw-dropping vault. And when the rotation was over, the Americans had a lead they would not surrender the rest of the event.

"It was definitely a confidence builder," said Douglas, who piled up a score of 61.465 in four rotations. "When [Wieber] nailed that vault, it was contagious. It was, 'OK, I'm going to nail this vault, too.' And we all nailed it. And it's contagious from there. It goes over to the bars, to the beam, to the floor."

Part of the reason the confidence continued was that mental edge again, plus intense preparation. Marta Karolyi and the staff put the team through intense rehearsals leading into Tuesday's competition, even piping in recorded crowd noise at odd moments to simulate competition conditions. "Everything was implemented in preparations," Karolyi said.

So while the other teams were slipping -- 2008 champion China finished fourth behind silver medal-winning Russia and bronze medalist Romania -- the U.S. just kept rolling, with not a single bad routine and only two with a score lower than 15. Bela Karolyi said he has rarely seen such a 12-for-12 performance and not since Soviet times.

Marta Karolyi said she was confident the Americans would win after their strong balance-beam performance in the third rotation, and the gold medal was all but guaranteed when two Russian gymnasts stumbled in their floor routines just ahead of the United States. To stay focused, the Americans were trying their best not to watch the Russians, but couldn't help but realize what happened from the crowd reaction.

"When the crowd goes, 'Uhhhh,' you just know something went wrong," Douglas said. "So we knew."

The U.S. had such a commanding 10-point lead as it started the floor routine that all it had to do was avoid tripping on the mat. The Americans did just that, performing superbly to clinch the gold by more than eight points over Russia. They hugged, they shouted, they celebrated. They were Olympic champions.

"I think this is really important just for a little redemption," Wieber said. "It definitely was a disappointment with the new rules [in the all-around] and it kind of stinks, but in the end, I wind up with a gold medal."

Where the Americans get their mental edge became obvious when the Karolyis talked about how the athletes would not let down following this gold. They will not go shopping, they will not go sightseeing, they will not lose focus until the competition is over here. And even then, they won't let down.

"It's a fantastic achievement, but at the same time, we don't need to get our noses up in the air because you are just as good as you are on your performance day," Marta Karolyi said. "This is the result of a lot of work for many, many years, and if you want to stay competitive, we have to follow with the same level. We can't think, 'Just because we're Olympic [champions], we can relax.'"

After all, the U.S. will need to defend its medal in Rio in 2016. And that's just four years away. Better get back in the gym.

 

Courtesty of ESPN.com