Funplaneta: 2009

The Yamaha YZF-R1, introduced in 1998, is a sport bike manufactured by Yamaha
Motor Company.

Contents
1 1998–1999
2 2000–2001
3 2002–2003
4 2004–2005
5 2006
6 2007–2008
7 2009
8 Specifications
9 References
10 External links

1998–1999

Yamaha launched the YZF-R1 after redesigning the Genesis engine to offset the
crankshaft, gearbox input and output shafts. This "compacting" of the engine
yielded a huge dividend in that the total engine length was now much shorter.
This allowed the wheelbase to be shortened significantly which resulted in much
quicker handling and an optimized center of gravity. The bike had a compression
ratio of 11.8:1. with a 6-speed multi-plate clutch transmission.
The launch model Yamaha YZF-R1 was available in white/red or blue. Early models
were subject to a worldwide recall for a clutch problem. Yamaha today describes
the launch of the R1 as the true value of "Kando".

2005 YZF-R1 instrumentation The 1999 R1 saw only minor changes apart from paint
and graphics. Notable improvements were a redesigned gear change linkage and the
gear change shaft length which was increased for better gear shifting. Fuel tank
reserve capacity was reduced from 5.5 l (1.2 imp gal; 1.5 US gal) to 4.0 l (0.88
imp gal; 1.1 US gal), while the total fuel tank capacity was unchanged at 18 l
(4.0 imp gal; 4.8 US gal). A second worldwide recall was issued for 1998 and
early 1999 models to change a coolant hose clamp under the fuel tank which
could, under hard use, come adrift.

2001 YZF-R1 2000–2001

In 2000, Yamaha introduced a series of changes to improve the bike, plus minor
changes to the body work to allow for better long duration ride handling. The R1
was an excellent bike to live with on short runs, but due to its quick handling
was not a favorite longer run bike. Yamaha's main design goal was to sharpen the
pre-existing bike and not redesign it. Even so they instituted over 150 changes
in hopes of making an already light, sleek and mean motorcycle even lighter,
sleeker and meaner. For example, even with the addition of the new Air Induction
System, which weighs four pounds, the overall weight of the bike is down five
pounds to 414 lb (188 kg) dry. At 127.8 bhp (95.3 kW) at the rear wheel,
top-end output remains the same but changes to the engine management system are
supposed to result in a smoother, broader distribution of power.The bodywork is
still unmistakably R1 although a few changes were made resulting in a 3%
reduction in the drag coefficient. The headlight housing has a sharper profile,
the side panels are more aerodynamic and slippery and the windscreen has been
reshaped for better rider protection. In fact the bodywork changed so much that
bodywork from previous R1s will not fit the Y2K edition. Also updated is the
seating area. The fuel tank is reshaped with a more relaxed rear angle and
deeper leg recesses to provide for better rider feel. The seat extends further
towards the front of the tank and the new, steeper seating position puts
additional weight on the front end. All of this is aimed at improving weight
bias and offering sharper cornering and more stability. Again, the resounding
theme here is to sharpen what was already a very sharp package. The carburetors
have been rejetted in an effort to improve throttle response—especially in the
low end—all the way up to the bike's 11,750 rpm redline. The redesigned
camshafts are lighter and use internal oil ways to lubricate journals that, when
combined with reduced tappet clearance, provide less friction and create less
engine noise. Also changed within the crankcase is the gearbox featuring a
taller first gear, a hollow chrome-moly shift-shaft with an additional bearing
and a completely redesigned shift linkage and foot pedal. These changes are
aimed at nixing last year's transmission complaints as well as helping to
transfer as seamlessly as possible the R1's prodigious power to the pavement.

2002–2003

2002 YZF-R1 with aftermarket high-mount exhaustA new fuel injection system was
introduced for the 2002 year, which worked like a carburetor by employing a CV
carburetor slide controlled by vacuum created by the engine. With a similar
power output to the 2000-2001 bike, the engine was remained largely the same.
One notable improvement was the use of new cylinder sleeves of a high silicon
content alloy containing magnesium that minimized heat induced distortion,
reducing oil consumption. Also in 2002, Yamaha released the newly developed
"Deltabox III" frame,[3] which, with its hydro formed construction, dramatically
reduced the total number of frame welds. These changes improved the frame's
rigidity by 30%. The cooling system was redesigned for better performance and
compactness. The exhaust system was changed from a 4-into-1 to a new titanium
4-into-2-into-1 design. The rear end of the motorcycle was updated and
streamlined with a LED taillight. This allowed for very clean rear body lines
when choosing one of several common after market modifications, such as removal
of the turn signal stalks and stock license plate bracket; and replacing them
with assorted available replacements that "hug" the body or frame. Also, front
end lighting was improved in 2002, between the higher definition headlights and
also side "parking" lights within the twin-headlight panel, giving a more
angular appearance. This also gave additional after market possibilities, such
as to remove the front blinkers and utilize these front lights as directional or
hazard markers while stopped. For 2003, the only change was the choice of
colors, fitted hazard warning lights and dipped headlights, which stay on all
the the time the engine is running. The previous years all had a "Red" option,
but this was replaced by a black with red flames "Special Edition" which cost an
extra $100.

2004–2005

2004 YZF-R1With the competition advancing, Yamaha took to a major development.
This included style updates like an under seat twin exhaust, and performance
upgrades including radial brakes and for the first time on an R1 Ram-air intake.
Furthermore, the wheelie-tendency known from earlier productions is drastically
reduced by changing frame geometry and weight properties. The all new engine (no
longer used as a stressed member of the chassis) featured a separate top
crankcase and cylinder block. The 2004 R1 produces a stated 172 hp (128 kW) at
the crankshaft (excluding ram air,180 hp (130 kW) with ram air) and also weighs
172 kilograms (dry). The conventional front brake calipers were replaced by
radially-mounted calipers, activated by a radial master cylinder. Also newly
added for this year was a factory installed steering damper. Combined with the
changes to the frame, it helped to eliminate the tendency of the handlebars to
shake violently during rapid acceleration or more so during deceleration on
downgrade and less-than-perfect surfaces (aka "tank slapping").

2006 YZF-R1 2006

In 06, Yamaha is now rated with 180 hp (130 kW) at the flywheel. In addition,
the swingarm was extended 20 mm longer due to acceleration instability. Also, in
2006 the 50th anniversary of Yamaha racing in America, Yamaha released the
limited edition version in original Yamaha racing colors. The model (LE/SP)
featured a Kenny Roberts replica paint pattern with yellow and black paint, and
front and rear custom Öhlins suspension units developed by the people who work
on the YZR-M1 MotoGP bike. Custom forged aluminum Marchesini wheels specifically
designed for the LE shaved nearly a pound of unsprung weight. And a back
torque-limiting slipper clutch, and an integrated lap timer rounded out the
package making the LE more of a production racer. It had an MSRP of $17,999 and
only 500 units were made for the United States.

2007-2008 YZF-R1

2007 Yamaha YZF-R1 used by Noriyuki Haga in the Superbike World Championship.An
all-new YZF-R1 for the 2007 model year was announced on 8 October, 2006. Key
features include an all-new inline four-cylinder engine; going back to a more
conventional 4-valve per cylinder rather than Yamaha's trade mark 5-valve
genesis layout. Other new features are the Yamaha Chip Control Intake (YCC-I)
electronic variable-length intake funnel system, Yamaha Chip Control Throttle
(YCC-T) fly-by-wire throttle system, slipper-type clutch, all-new aluminum
Deltabox frame and swingarm, six-piston radial-mount front brake calipers with
310 mm discs, a wider radiator, and M1 styling on the new large ram-air ports in
the front fairing. 2008 brought BNG and the ability to buy limited edition Fiat
plastics.

2009

In late 2008 Yamaha announced they would release an all new R1 for 2009. The new
R1 takes engine technology from the M1 Motogp bike with its cross plane
crankshaft, the first ever production motorcycle to do so. Crossplane
technology, puts each connecting rod 90° from the next, with an uneven firing
interval of 270°- 180°- 90°- 180°. The idea of this technology is to reduce
internal crankshaft torque, thus giving the new R1 a more linear power delivery.
Yamaha claims the bike would give the rider 'two engines in one', the low torque
of a twin and the pace of an inline four. As with previous incarnations of the
R1 the 2009 model keeps its YCC-T (Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle). The R1 is
now rated at 182 PS @ 12,500rpm at the crankshaft (without ram-air).
Another advancement included on the 09 model is D-Mode Throttle Control Valve
Mapping which allows a rider to choose between 3 distinct maps depending on the
rider’s environment. Each mode of operation controls YCC-T characteristics
changing how the R1 reacts to driver input. The first mode is Standard Mode,
which delivers performance for a wide variety of driving conditions. The second
mode is "A" mode which will give a rider more available power in the lower to
middle RPM range. The 3rd mode is "B" mode, which is a dial back of the previous
mode, designed to soften throttle response in inclement weather and heavy
traffic. D-Mode throttle control is controlled via the rider through a forward
mode button near the throttle. The instrument panel is more comprehensive than
previous models and the '09/'10 Yamaha YZF-R1 model now features a gear
indicator as standard

Overall handling of the R1 was improved through several changes to frame and
suspension. A new sub frame was designed for the 09 R1 which is magnesium cast
in a carbon fiber mold. This new sub frame offers a superior strength to weight
ratio, while helping keep mass closer to the center of gravity and subsequently
gives the bike greater handling performance. The rear shock on the 09 offers
variable speed damping as well as an easy to tweak preload via a screw
adjustment. The rear shock now connects underneath the swing arm through
different linkage; a change from previous years models. Front suspension takes
its cues from the M1 as the left fork handles compression damping while the
right controls the rebound duties. As an added bonus to overall handling and
safety, this is the first year Yamaha developers included an electronic steering
damper on a production R1.

The overall look of the R1 has changed drastically. In a side by side comparison
between last year’s model and the 09; to the eye, the 09 looks much more compact
and could be compared to the size of the R6r. The center up exhaust on the 09
seems significantly larger compared to previous years, due in some respects to
changes in emissions controls. The front has the same classic R1 shape, though
the air intake location and headlamp design have been revamped on the 09 model;
utilizing only projector lamps and using the new found design space within the
nose cone to reroute ram air tubes next to the lights. Four color schemes have
been released for the 09 Model: Blue/Black; Red/black; White/Red; Yellow/Black.

Coordinated blasts hit Baghdad; kill at least 118

BAGHDAD – A series of coordinated attacks struck Baghdad Tuesday, including two suicide car bombers and another vehicle that blew up near government sites. At least 118 were killed and hundreds wounded in the worst wave of violence in the capital in more than a month, authorities said.

A total of five attacks, which also included a suicide car bomb on a police patrol, showed the ability of insurgents to strike high-profile targets in the heart of Baghdad and marked the third time since August that government buildings were targeted with multiple blasts that brought massive bloodshed.

The bombings reinforced concerns about shortcomings in Iraqi security as U.S. forces plan their withdrawal, and parliament held an emergency session with many lawmakers demanding answers for apparent security lapses.

Iraq's military spokesman blamed the carnage on an alliance of al-Qaida in Iraq and members of Saddam Hussein's banned Baath Party.

The U.S. military has sent some troops and forensic equipment to assist the Iraqis in the aftermath, said Army Master Sgt. Nicholas Conner, a military spokesman.

Overall violence has dropped sharply around Iraq in the past year, though insurgents have stepped up attacks at government sites in recent months. The bombings marked the most serious spate of violence in Baghdad since twin car bombs on Oct. 25 struck outside government offices, killing at least 155. In August, suicide bombers hit the finance and foreign ministries, killing more than 100.

Iraqi officials blamed the August and October attacks on al-Qaida in Iraq and loyalists of the Baath Party — even bringing out three suspects on national television who gave what officials termed confessions.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Tuesday's attacks, though al-Qaida in Iraq had said it was behind the last two massive bombings against government buildings in Baghdad in August and October.

But there are questions whether Iraq's leaders are trying to shift attention away from a possible resurgence of Sunni insurgents led by al-Qaida in Iraq. A rise in insurgent power could be a serious blow to the government's credibility before national elections, which were set Tuesday for March 6 — a more than seven-week delay from the original mid-January date because of political bickering on the voting rules.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs condemned the attacks, saying Iraqi leaders who recently passed an elections law were moving the country in the right direction and that "there are clearly those who are threatened by that."

Again, Iraq's military spokesman, Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, appeared Tuesday to spread the blame between Baath loyalists and al-Qaida-linked extremists.

"The same hands that implemented the August and October attacks have carried out today's terrorist attacks against innocent civilians," he told The Associated Press.

Security forces worry the lead-up to the election date could bring an escalation in attacks seeking to discredit the pro-Western government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

The core of the attacks hit central Baghdad with three blasts in the span of a few minutes.

The targets were the latest assaults directed at Iraqi authorities: near a compound with the Labor Ministry building, a court complex near the Iraqi-protected Green Zone and near the new site of the Finance Ministryafter its previous building was destroyed in major attacks in August.

Police and hospital officials said at least 114 people were killed in those three car bombs and at least 192 injured. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give information to media.

About an hour before the blasts, a suicide car bomber struck a police patrol in the mostly Sunni district of Dora in southern Baghdad, killing at least three policemen and one civilian and injuring five people, said a police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media.

In eastern Baghdad, a roadside bomb exploded near the Technology University in eastern Baghdad, missing a passing police patrol but killing one civilian passer-by and wounding four others, Baghdad police said.

Iraq's Health Ministry said as many as 513 people were injured.

Iraqi police said at least two of the Baghdad blasts were suicide bombers — one driving a bomb-rigged ambulance heading for the Finance Ministry and the other plowing through a barrier near the Appeals Court building and exploding the car as guards opened fire.

"The (court) building is severely damaged," said the spokesman of Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council, Abdul-Sattar.

The third explosion may have been bomb-rigged cars detonated by a timer or a trigger.

"What crime have we committed? Children and women were buried under debris. Why did they (Iraqi troops) let this car bomb pass!" cried Ahmed Jabbar as he staggered through the debris near the new Finance Ministry building — an area where all cars pass through checkpoints manned by Iraqi forces.

A Kurdish parliament member, Mohammed Shareef Ahmed, was among several lawmakers demanding a full-scale inquiry.

"The parliament today is so angry toward the security services which we feel have failed to prevent these attacks ... We all feel — and all the world feels — that the Iraqi people are fed up of sufferings and something should be done to stop this."

The blast tore through a nearby market and toppled at least one building nearby. Rescue teams — some using construction cranes — tried to pull away the rubble to look for survivors.

The breakdown of casualties among the sites was not immediately clear, but the most serious bloodshed had been reported outside the new Finance Ministry building and the court complex, where at least one building was almost completely leveled.

Rescue workers climbed through twisted steel bars and crushed concrete at the flattened court building. Dozens of cars and trucks were burned and crushed.

Firefighters pulled survivors from behind huge slabs of toppled concrete. U.S. soldiers helped provide security and assisted the Iraqis with the collection of evidence from the rubble.

Martin Margiela to Leave Fashion House He Founded

PARIS — The avant-garde Belgian designer Martin Margiela has quietly left the fashion house he built — and he will not be replaced at the company, which has been majority owned by the Italian group Diesel since 2002.

Taking an attitude that may become a 21st-century template for other brands, Giovanni Pungetti, chief executive of Maison Martin Margiela, said Tuesday that the fashion house would continue to operate with the creative staff that its reclusive founder had developed over 20 years but that there would be no new appointment of a creative director.

Ever since Karl Lagerfeld was tapped by Chanel in 1983, followed by John Galliano at Christian Dior in 1997, other storied houses have tried to fill the shoes of a deceased or departed creator. But as the design appointments become a revolving door at houses like Nina Ricci or Emanuel Ungaro, the replacement mechanism seems to have broken down.

“It would have been very simple to hire someone else, and we evaluated that option, but in the end, what is important is the taste of designer,” Mr. Pungetti said Tuesday in an interview in Paris.

Insiders had known for months that Mr. Margiela had left the company in all but name. The designer’s particular vision, which had focused on the authenticity of the vintage artisan fused with modern photo prints depicting wrinkles or handwork, were missing from recent shows.

But Mr. Pungetti insisted that fashion gossip, which held that Mr. Margiela had fallen out with Renzo Rosso, the colorful founder of Diesel, was far from the truth. Mr. Margiela decided after 20 years to walk away, Mr. Pungetti said, and the fact that the designer had made himself the Greta Garbo of the fashion world by never showing his face made it easier for his absence to be covered up.

During its seven-year period of control, Diesel, which has also taken majority stakes in other edgy labels like that of the Dutch design duo Viktor & Rolf, has increased revenue at Maison Martin Margiela to a predicted €70 million, or about $105 million, for the current financial year from €15 million in 2002.

The sporadic appearance at the studio by the founding designer over the last two years has not held back developments. Margiela-branded stores have been opened across the globe from Hong Kong to Moscow to Munich, with a pop-up store at the Art Basel Miami Beach art fair this week.

The first Margiela fragrance will be introduced early next year by L’Oréal, and a spa hotel opens in Bordeaux on Friday.

“Creating ambience is a very important development area,” Mr Pungetti said.

If the Margiela brand remains vibrant and vital without one creative force — and only time will tell if the image is fading — the Margiela initiative will be studied by the many historic brands trying to stay relevant in the 21st century. Other chief executives have suggested that “difficult” designers can impede innovation, although that view would not be shared by most fashion experts, who consider creativity paramount.

The question is whether a dedicated team — at Margiela, 28 creative personnel — could operate without a name designer whose annual compensation to produce six to eight collections would be conservatively estimated at €5 million. If the answer is yes, then the departure of Mr. Margiela, whose personal image has so rarely been seen, may leave a lasting imprint on the business.

Martin Margiela to Leave Fashion House He Founded

The first Margiela fragrance will be introduced early next year by L’Oréal, and a spa hotel opens in Bordeaux on Friday.

“Creating ambience is a very important development area,” Mr Pungetti said.

Woods’ mother-in-law in hospital with stomach pain

OCOEE, Fla. (AP)—Tiger Woods’ mother-in-law was admitted to a hospital with stomach pains early Tuesday, a hospital spokesman said.

Someone called 911 from the golfer’s Orlando-area mansion about 2:35 a.m.

Barbro Holmberg was taken by ambulance to Health Central Hospital, where she was in stable condition later Tuesday, hospital spokesman Dan Yates said. He said her condition was not serious but he could not be more specific because of privacy laws.

Health Central is the same hospital where Woods was treated after he crashed his sport utility vehicle outside his home last month.Holmberg, who arrived in the U.S. a few days ago, lives in Sweden and is the mother of Woods’ wife, Elin.

Yates said Holmberg was in a private room and the family has hired additional security to keep the media away. He said family members have visited her, but he would say who.

“She’s in a wing that helps protect her privacy,” Yates said.

Media attention has been focused on the world’s No. 1 golfer since he hit a hydrant and a tree around 2:25 a.m. on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

The Florida Highway Patrol last week cited Woods for careless driving and fined him $164.

The accident—and Woods’ refusal to answer questions about it—fueled speculation about a possible dispute between him and Elin.

Just days before the crash, a National Enquirer story alleged Woods had been seeing a New York nightclub hostess, Rachel Uchitel, who has denied it. After the crash, Us Weekly reported that a Los Angeles cocktail waitress named Jaimee Grubbs claims she had a 31-month affair with Woods.

Last week, Woods issued a statement saying he had let his family down with unspecified “transgressions” that he regrets with “all of my heart.” He did not elaborate.

A police report on the crash released Monday showed that a Florida trooper who suspected Woods was driving under the influence sought a subpoena for the golfer’s blood results from the hospital he was taken to after the crash, but prosecutors rejected the petition for insufficient information.

A witness, who wasn’t identified in the report, told trooper Joshua Evans that Woods had been drinking alcohol earlier. The same witness also said Woods had been prescribed two drugs, Ambien and Vicodin.

The report did not say who the witness was but added it was the same person who pulled Woods from the vehicle after the accident. Woods’ wife, Elin, has told police that she used a golf club to smash the back windows of the Cadillac Escalade to help her husband out. His injuries were minor.

The sister of a neighbor who called 911 after the crash told troopers that Holmberg and Woods’ mother, were also at the scene, but the AP has not been able to confirm that.

Eva Malmborg, a spokeswoman for Holmberg, said she could not comment on Tuesday’s reports.

Malmborg confirmed Holmberg had taken a week’s leave from her job as Gavleborg county governor in central-east Sweden, but said she did not know where Holmberg had gone.

There was no sign of emergency workers later Tuesday morning at the Woods’ gated community, where luxury SUVs and cars drove in and out as a few reporters and television news trucks milled around outside.

Associated Press Writers Mike Schneider in Orlando, Antonio Gonzalez in Windermere and Louise Nordstrom in Stockholm contributed to this report.

Lincon President Cars

History

The company was founded in August 1917 by Henry M. Leland, one of the founders of Cadillac (originally the Henry Ford Company). He left the Cadillac division of General Motors during World War I and formed the Lincoln Motor Company to build Liberty aircraft engines with his son Wilfred. After the war, the company's factories were retooled to manufacture luxury automobiles.

Lincoln Zephyr

The sportier Zephyr gave Gregorie his chance. Introduced for the 1936 model year, it featured a 267in³ (4.4 liter) V12, and was so successful it almost became a brand name, rather than just a model. Its first year increased Lincoln sales almost ninefold.Gregorie simply sectioned a 1938 Zephyr Coupé 10 cm (4"), allowing most of the existing dies and tooling to be retained, adding the hallmark vertically-mounted spare tire.

Continental

The result became the Continental, eventually the most important car made by Lincoln; by the time it ended production in 1948, 5322 were built, almost entirely by hand. The Zephyr, on which it was based, stopped production in early 1942 when Ford converted to war work, and was not revived.The Continental's spare tire mount was so distinctive, those who work on custom cars still call adding a similar mount a "Continental kit".

Continental Mark II

The Continental Mark II revived the concept. It was produced by the short-lived Continental division from April 1955 to July 1957 before it was turned over to the Lincoln marque. The Mark II had a basic list price of $10,000, the same as a Rolls-Royce that year. The Continental division merged with Lincoln in 1958.

Town Car

The Continental became Lincoln's flagship model until 1981 when the Town Car, previously the Continental's top trim level, became its own model and took over that role.

Navigator

In 1998 Lincoln was the best-selling luxury brand in the United States, helped by the massive success of the Navigator SUV, and a redesign of the Town Car as well as the Continental.
Renaissance as global brand
Lincoln was one of the Premier Automotive Group brands from 1998 to 2002, but was pulled out due to Ford's new marketing strategy of separating its import brands from its domestic marques. In recent years the company had fallen behind Japanese, European, and American competitors for a lack of new models. The company has reacted to remedy this, however, by sharing parts and platforms with other Ford divisions worldwide in an attempt to bring more new models to market faster. The result is the introduction of several new models, starting with the 2006 Mark LT pickup (later replaced by the Platinum trim version of the Ford F-150), Zephyr (upgraded and renamed Lincoln MKZ for the 2007 model year) and the MKX Crossover SUV. Subsequent model launches were the MKS sedan in 2009 and the MKT "Touring" crossover for the 2010 model year.
These recent and rapid changes in model line up have only served to confused brand identity further. For example, the product positioning of the MKZ, LS, MKX, Zephyr, Aviator, and Navigator is not obvious.
Lincoln vehicles are currently officially available in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, South Korea, and the Middle East.

Presidential cars

Lincoln MKT (2010-)
Lincoln MKS (2009-)
Lincoln MKX (2007— )
Lincoln MKZ (2007— )
Lincoln Navigator (1998— )
Lincoln Town Car (1981— )
Concept cars
Lincoln Continental 1950-X (1952)
Lincoln Anniversary (1953)
Lincoln Maharaja (1953)
Lincoln XL-500 (1953)
Lincoln Mardi Gras (1954)
Lincoln Premiere (1955)
Lincoln Futura (1955)
Lincoln Indianapolis(1955)
Lincoln Continental Town Sedan (1965, 1969)
Lincoln Coronation Coupe (1966)
Lincoln Coronation II (1967)
Lincoln Mark III Dual Cowl Phaeton (1970)
Lincoln Continental Concept 90 (1982)
Lincoln Continental Concept (1983)
Lincoln Quicksilver (1985-1986)
Lincoln Continental Next Generation

Mark (1986-1987)
Lincoln Vignale (1987)
Lincoln Machete (1988)
Lincoln Marque X (1992)
Lincoln L2K (1995)
Lincoln Sentinel (1996)
Lincoln Special LS (1999)
Lincoln Mark 9 (2001)
Lincoln Continental Concept (2002)
Lincoln Navicross (2003)
Lincoln Aviator concept (2004)
Lincoln Mark LT concept (2004)
Lincoln MK9 concept (2004)
Lincoln Mark X concept (2004)
Lincoln MKS concept (2006)
Lincoln MKR concept (2007)
Lincoln MKT concept (2008)
Lincoln C concept (2009)

Ferari

Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929 as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles in 1947 as Ferrari S.p.A.. Throughout its history, the company has been noted for its continued participation in racing, especially in Formula One, where it has enjoyed great success.

History

Enzo Ferrari never intended to produce road cars when he had formed Scuderia Ferrari (literally "Ferrari Stable", and usually used to mean "Team Ferrari", it is correctly pronounced "skoo deh REE ah") in 1929 as a sponsor for amateur drivers headquartered in Modena. Ferrari prepared and successfully raced various drivers in Alfa Romeo cars until 1938, when he was hired by Alfa Romeo to head their motor racing department.
In 1941, Alfa Romeo was confiscated by the Fascist government of Benito Mussolini as part of the Axis Powers' war effort. Enzo Ferrari's division was small enough to be unaffected by this. Because he was prohibited by contract from racing for four years, the Scuderia briefly became Auto Avio Costruzioni Ferrari, which ostensibly produced machine tools and aircraft accessories. Also known as SEFAC (Scuderia Enzo Ferrari Auto Corse), Ferrari did in fact produce one race car, the Tipo 815, in the non-competition period. It was the first actual Ferrari car (it debuted at the 1940 Mille Miglia), but due to World War II it saw little competition. In 1943 the Ferrari factory moved to Maranello, where it has remained ever since. The factory was bombed by the Allies in 1944 and rebuilt in 1946, after the war ended, and included a works for road car production. Until Il Commendatore's death, this would remain little more than a source of funding for his first love, racing.

Motorsport

Since the company's beginnings, Ferrari has been involved in motorsport, competing in a range of categories including Formula One and Sports car racing through its Scuderia Ferrari sporting division as well as supplying cars and engines to other teams.
The 1940 AAC 815 was the first racing car to be designed by Enzo Ferrari, although it was not badged as a Ferrari model. Currently, the Ferrari works team only compete in Formula One, and is the only team to have competed in the World Championship since its inception in 1950.

Sports car racing

In 1949, Luigi Chinetti drove a 166 M to Ferrari's first win in motorsports, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ferrari went on to dominate the early years of the World Sportscar Championship which was created in 1953, winning the title seven out of its first nine years.
When the championship format changed in 1962, Ferrari earned titles in at least one class each year through to 1965 and then again in 1967.) Ferrari would win one final title, the 1972 World Championship of Makes before Enzo decided to leave sports car racing after 1973 and allow Scuderia Ferrari to concentrate solely on Formula One.
During Ferrari's seasons of the World Sportscars Championship, they also gained more wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with the factory team earning their first in 1954. Another win would come in 1958, followed by five consecutive wins from 1960 to 1964. Luigi Chinetti's North American Racing Team (NART) would take Ferrari's final victory at Le Mans in 1965.
Although Scuderia Ferrari no longer participated in sports cars after 1973, they have occasionally built various successful sports cars for privateers. These include the BB 512 LM in the 1970s, the 333 SP which won the IMSA GT Championship in the 1990s, and currently the F430 GT2 and GT3 which are currently winning championships in their respective classes.

Formula One

Scuderia Ferrari joined the Formula One World Championship in the first year of its existence,in 1950. José Froilán González gave the team its first victory at the 1951 British Grand Prix.
Alberto Ascari gave Ferrari its first Drivers Championship a year later. Ferrari is the oldest team in the championship, and the most successful: the team holds nearly every Formula One record. As of 2008[update], the team's records include 15 World Drivers Championship titles (1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1964, 1975, 1977, 1979, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2007) 16 World Constructors Championship titles (1961, 1964, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2008), 209 Grand Prix victories, 4925.27 points, 622 podium finishes, 203 pole positions, and 218 fastest laps in 776 Grands Prix contested.
Notable Ferrari drivers include Tazio Nuvolari, José Froilán González, Juan Manuel Fangio, Luigi Chinetti, Alberto Ascari, Wolfgang von Trips, Phil Hill, Olivier Gendebien, Mike Hawthorn, Peter Collins, Giancarlo Baghetti, John Surtees, Lorenzo Bandini, Ludovico Scarfiotti, Jacky Ickx, Mario Andretti, Clay Regazzoni, Niki Lauda, Carlos Reutemann, Jody Scheckter, Gilles Villeneuve, Didier Pironi, Patrick Tambay, René Arnoux, Michele Alboreto, Gerhard Berger, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Jean Alesi, Eddie Irvine, Rubens Barrichello, Michael Schumacher, Kimi Räikkönen and Felipe Massa.
At the end of the 2006 season, the team courted controversy by continuing to allow Marlboro to sponsor them after they, along with the other F1 teams, made a promise to end sponsorship deals with tobacco manufacturers. A five year deal was agreed and although this is not due to end until 2011, in April 2008 Marlboro dropped their on-car branding on Ferrari.
The drivers competing for 2009 were Felipe Massa and defending champion Kimi Räikkönen. Massa was injured by a 1 kg suspension spring from the car of Rubens Barrichello after second qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix, ending his season. Upon being released from his contract at Force India, Giancarlo Fisichella was announced as the driver deputising for Massa for the rest of the 2009 season after Luca Badoer deputised for the injured driver at the European and the Belgian Grand Prix. In 2010 Fernando Alonso will start racing for Ferrari after racing for Renault and Mclaren, filling Kimi Räikkönen's former seat.

Supercars

The company's loftiest efforts have been in the supercar market. The 1962 250 GTO may be considered the first in the line of Ferrari supercars, which extends to the recent Enzo Ferrari and FXX models.
Concept cars and specials
Ferrari has produced a number of concept cars, such as the Ferrari Mythos. While some of these were quite radical (such as the Ferrari Modulo) and never intended for production, others such as the Ferrari Mythos have shown styling elements which were later incorporated into production models.
The most recent concept car to be produced by Ferrari themselves was the 2005 Ferrari Ascari.
A number of one-off special versions of Ferrari road cars have also been produced, some of which have been commissioned by wealthy owners.
Bio-fuel cars
Ferrari has considered making hybrids. A F430 Spider that runs on ethanol was displayed at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. Ferrari has announced that a hybrid will be in production by 2015.

Contra

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AC Cobra

The AC Cobra was a British built and designed sports car that was produced during the 1960s.

History and development

Peter Brock's Daytona Sportscar on the day before his fatal accident
In an effort to improve top speed along the legendary Mulsanne Straight at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, a number of enclosed, coupe variations were constructed using the leafspring chassis and running gear of the AC/Shelby Cobra Mark II. The most famous and numerous of these were the official works Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupes. Six were constructed in total, each being subtly different from the rest. AC also produced a Le Mans coupe. The car was a one-off and was nearly destroyed after a high-speed tire blow-out at the 1964 Le Mans race. It has now been completely rebuilt and now sits in private hands in England. The third significant Cobra-based coupe was the Willment Cobra Coupe built by the JWA racing team. A road-going Shelby Daytona Cobra replica is being manufactured by Superformance and Factory Five Racing, a well known kit car company. These cars use Peter Brock's bodywork designs, scaled up to increase room inside, and a newly designed spaceframe chassis, they are powered by Roush-built Ford Windsor (Sportsman) engines. The Superformance Shelby Daytona Coupe is the only modern-day vehicle recognized by Shelby as a successor to the original Coupes. Peter Brock's Australian namesake, the race car driver, was killed while driving a GM-powered replica of a Shelby Daytona Coupe in competition in Australia in 2006.

Continuation cars

From the late 1980s onwards, Carroll Shelby and associated companies have built what are known in the hobby as "Continuation Cars", Shelby authorized continuations of the original AC bodied Shelby Cobra series. Initially the car everyone wanted in a Continuation was a 427 S/C model which was represented in the CSX4000 series. This was meant to continue where the last 427 S/C production left off, at approximately serial number CSX3560 in the 1960s.
The initial CSX4000 series cars were completed from new old stock as well as newly manufactured parts. Gradually as the vintage parts supply ran low, newly constructed frames and body panels were obtained from a variety of suppliers. The production of chassis numbers CSX4001 to CSX4999 took roughly 20 years and many different business relationships to complete.
All models of Cobra produced are available now as continuations. In 2009, CSX4999 was produced, concluding the 4000 series. Production has continued with the CSX6000 serial numbers, featuring "coil over" suspension. The 289 FIA "leaf spring" race version of the car is reproduced as CSX7000, and the original "slab side" leaf spring street car is the CSX8000 series.
To date most continuations are produced in fiberglass, with some ordering cars with aluminum or carbon fibre bodywork.

Super Snake

Shelby Motors built 22 427 competition roadsters. In 1965, one was selected and converted into a special model called the 427 "Cobra to End All Cobras." The first one of these (number CSX3015) was originally part of a European promotional tour before its conversion. This conversion called for making the original racing model street legal with mufflers, a windshield and bumpers amongst other modifications. But some things were not modified, including the racing rear end, brakes and headers. The most notable modification is the addition of Twin Paxton Superchargers. This gave the car an alleged 800 brake horsepower (bhp) and 462 Ft pounds of torque at an astounding low of 3000 rpm. Officially rated at 0-to-60 at 4.5 seconds, legend and lore have it as doing that in a little over 3 seconds as one must lay off the throttle heavily just to get traction off the line.
Another non-competition 427 roadster, CSX3303, was converted and given to Shelby's close friend, Bill Cosby. Cosby attempted to drive the super-fast Cobra, but had issues with keeping it under control. This was humorously documented in Cosby's album titled "Bill Cosby, 200 M.P.H." Cosby gave the car back to Shelby, who then shipped it out to one of their dealers in San Francisco, S&C Ford on Van Ness Avenue. S&C Ford then sold it to customer Tony Maxey. Maxey, suffering the same issues as Cosby did with the car, lost control and drove it off of a cliff, landing in the Pacific Ocean waters. It is to be noted that Maxey's accident was largely speculated as suicide. It was eventually recovered and the wreckage was bought by Brian Angliss of AC/Autokraft. Since CSX3303 was so badly damaged in the Maxey accident, it is doubtful that much of the original car will surface in the restored version.
Shelby's original model, CSX3015, was kept by Carroll Shelby himself over the years as a personal car, sometimes entering it into local races like the Turismos Visitadores Cannonball-Run race in Nevada, where he was "waking [up] whole towns, blowing out windows, throwing belts and catching fire a couple of times, but finishing." CSX3015 was auctioned off on 22 January 2007 at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event in Scottsdale, Arizona for $5 million plus commission (a record for Cobras, as well as for a Barrett-Jackson sell price)

The 50 Biggest Movies of 2009

Our selection of the fifty most exciting blockbuster films for the year ahead

2008 was something of a vintage year for popcorn-munchers. But is there a 2009 film that can equal the colossal success of The Dark Knight? Which hot franchises will step up to fill the spaces left by Batman, Bond and Indy?

We’ve taken a look through the studio schedules and picked out the most promising prospects for the coming year. History tells us that when times are tough, box office takings boom. Here’s our selection of the best films Hollywood has to offer us in 2009.

Click on the links to discover movie trailers, stills, official sites and more.

Do you agree with our selection? What have we missed? Have your say in the comments.

50: The Pink Panther 2 (February 2009)

Moviegoers might well be tempted by the impressive cast lining up for this wholly unnecessary sequel to a completely superfluous continuation of the once mighty comedy franchise. Steve Martin, Jean Reno, John Cleese and Andy Garcia may be acting greats, but for signing up to this they should hang their heads in shame.

49: Friday the 13th (February)

Back to Camp Crystal Lake again. The twelfth (couldn’t they have made it 13?) Friday the 13th movie is apparently a remake of the first film in the venerable teen slasher series, so long-time fans will have a fair idea what to expect. Probably not the ideal date movie for February 14.

48: Red Sonja (No release date announced)

Despite months of rumour about a new Conan movie, it’s his female counterpart Red Sonja who seems to be returning to the big screen first. There's some confusion about a release date for this film although the generally reliable IMDB has it hitting screens in late 2009. Planet Terror and Sin City director Robert Rodriguez re-teams with Grindhouse alumna Rose McGowan, who seems a somewhat unlikely choice as the Xena-type who fights her way across a sword-and-sorcery Hyborian landscape wearing as little as the censors will allow.

47: Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian (May)

A repeat of 2006’s ‘museum comes to life’ cameo jamboree with more or less everyone except Robin Williams back at the end of May to ham it up for the entertainment of young and undemanding cinemagoers. The film will need something very special in terms of advance reviews to give it any commercial visibility in what promises to be a very busy month at the movies. Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson and Ricky Gervais are already crossing their fingers.

46: Fast & Furious (June)

Fourth in the franchise but (and pay attention, there will be a test) occupying the number three slot in the series narrative, the movie will take the story back to its very beginnings. Paul Walker and Vin Diesel reunite in the franchise that inspired a million minor motoring offences.

45: Spy Hunter (no release date announced)

Video game adaptations are rarely beloved of the cinema cognoscenti and there’s little likelihood that Spy Hunter will break that honourable tradition. The game is a fairly routine ‘heavily armed spy and supercar’ adventure distinguished only by a voice and motion capture contribution from Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson who, one imagines, must be favourite to play the lead in what we can safely assume will be an undemanding popcorner. Englishman Paul WS Anderson, of Alien vs Predator and Resident Evil fame, is slated to direct.

44: Nine (December)

In a year packed with remakes, this is perhaps the bravest of all: taking on Fellini’s hugely influential 8½ but going just that little bit further, it’s the behind-the-scenes story of an Italian movie director featuring a stellar cast (Including Nicole Kidman, Daniel Day-Lewis, Sophia Loren, Penelope Cruz and Dame Judi Dench), some of whom will be singing. The purists will be furious, the rest of us merely sceptical. Mamma Mia it isn’t.

43: Knowing (March)

A teacher (Nicolas Cage) opens a time capsule that has been dug up at his son's elementary school; in it are some chilling predictions -- some of events that have already occurred and others that are about to -- that lead him to believe his family plays a role in the events that are due to unfold

42: Them (no release date announced)

Them, a recently announced feature to be directed by Sean of the Dead and Hot Fuzz’s Edgar Wright, is not, as far as we can tell, an update of the hoary old giant ant chiller but a fictionalised adaptation of Jon Ronson’s investigative book about the shadowy conspiracies that operate behind our notional governments. Unless it turns out that the Illuminati and the Bilderberg Group actually are all enormous ants.

41: Ninja Assassin (no release date announced)

Few star names – unless you remember Korean pop star Rain from the Wachowskis hallucinogenic Speed Racer – feature in this standard ‘assassin rebels against his masters’ tale. The title alone though promises to give Ninja Assassin that internet-friendly Snakes on a Plane appeal that should ensure a decent performance at the box office.
40: The Proposal (August)
A rom-com based on the morally rather questionable premise of a book editor (hence the title) forcing one of her subordinates to marry her so that she can gain US citizenship. Sandra Bullock is probably due another hit, and Malin Akerman still be surfing on the huge wave of excitement about Watchmen will but whether audiences will buy this rather dubious plot (remember Green Card?) remains to be seen.
39: Planet 51 (November)
A classic 1950s B-Movie plot – alien lands among the white picket fences of a fearful, simple small-town community. The twist is that the alien is an Earthly astronaut and the small town folk are little green men. A promising CG-animated caper for younger cinemagoers in the 2009 Christmas holiday.
38: The Box (March)
Set, apparently, in the Seventies, The Box is the story of a young married couple who are given a mysterious box that has uncanny, deadly powers. Somehow connecting time travel, the 1976 Viking Mars lander, teleportation and kipper ties. With former X-Man James Marsden, the always watchable Cameron Diaz and the sinister presence of Frank Langella it’s an intriguing prospect indeed.
37: Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (January)
ona Mitra takes over from Kate Beckinsale as the female lead in the third instalment of the Vampires versus Werewolves saga. A prequel, it’s set before the birth of Beckinsale’s character, neatly sidestepping complaints about the regrettable absence of her PVC clad form. Unlikely to attract quite as many cinemagoers as its predecessor, it might still fill a dull winter’s evening.
36: Creature from the Black Lagoon (no release date announced)
Little is known so far of this planned remake of the classic 1954 creature feature which is to be helmed by Sahara director Breck Eisner. Bill Paxton is rumoured to be leading the team, which discovers a hitherto undocumented amphibious humanoid in the depths of the South American jungle. In keeping with the current remake mania, Eisners next project is expected to be a new version of Flash Gordon.
35: G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra (August)
G.I Joe is a bigger name in the US: the toy line that we called Action Man gave rise to a popular 1980s cartoon series and long-running comics franchise. Without the solid bed of nostalgia that will give it a running start in its homeland, the movie’s appeal over here stands or falls on its star director – Stephen Sommers from the enjoyably silly Mummy films - and stellar cast, including Christopher Eccleston and Sienna Miller as well as Sommers’s old Mummy pals Brendan Fraser and Arnold Vosloo. If August 2009 is as much of a washout as 2008’s, summer legions of staycationers will be flocking to cinemas looking for some easygoing escapism, and this might just be it.
34: Fanboys (February)
The long-delayed comedy which sees a group of rabid Star Wars fanatics attempting to steal an early print of The Phantom Menace for their dying pal finally gets a release early in 2009. A version of the movie with the cancer-stricken fan removed nearly made it to cinemas in 2008 but was met with a vast internet campaign that demonstrated the awesome power of the fanboy. We’re assured that the movie will finally be released in early 2009
33: Inkheart (January)
Brendan Fraser, fast becoming Hollywood’s go-to guy whenever kiddie-friendly action is required, joins with Andy Serkis, the man behind Gollum and King Kong, in this umpteenth attempt at the now-traditional ‘storybook miraculously comes to life’ plot. A little early for the half term crowd, but Fraser’s undeniable charm should bring in a few viewers.
32: The Surrogates (December)
A promisingly thoughtful sci-fi concept. Humanity is housebound and relies on remote-controlled drones to handle all the outdoors work. Bruce Willis stars as a futuristic detective investigating the apparent murder of these ‘surrogates’alongside former Bond Girl Rosamund Pike and charismatic bruiser Ving Rhames.
31: The International (February)
What could be more timely than a drama about the international banking system? Clearly, the producers didn’t appreciate the serendipity because it was delayed while additional, more action-packed, scenes were added. Will the world be tired of hearing about bankers by February? Naomi Watts and the thinking woman’s action man Clive Owen rather hope not.
30: The Wolf Man (April)
We’ve had modern takes on Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster and The Mummy, so it was only a matter of time before The Wolfman was disinterred for another howl around the moors. More important than star Benicio Del Toro will be the inclusion of everybody’s favourite wolfman, makeup supremo Rick Baker who provided the eye-popping transformations in American Werewolf in London and The Howling. Anthony Hopkins turns up as the unfortunate lycanthrope’s father. Art Malik and Hugo Weaving will also be along for what promises to be a dark and disturbing ride.
29: The Spirit (January)
Will Eisner was one of the first comics writers to achieve personal fame and his best known creation, The Spirit, is considered by aficionados to be one of the great heroes of comics’ Golden Age. It’s surprising that we’ve had to wait this long to see the lighthearted Noir detective on the big screen. The director who has brought The Spirit to life is Frank Miller, himself a star comics writer (he wrote 300 and completely reinvigorated the industry in the 1980s with his Dark Knight Batman miniseries). Featuring Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson and Eva Mendes the movie is shot in the same stylised hyper-realistic way that characterized Miller’s previous movie, Sin City. The Spirit is unlikely to break out of the fanboy demographic, but should provide undemanding comic book thrills in the long, cold weeks before Watchmen appears
28: A Perfect Getaway (March)
A complex twisty-turny chase thriller filmed in Puerto Rico but set in Hawaii and starring Milla Jovovich and, in a rare lead role, Hitman star Timothy Olyphant. Ideal for movie fans who like to be kept guessing until the final scene, it’s about a honeymooning couple pursued across the picturesque island by a pair of relentless killers. Expect the unexpected.
27: The Birds (no release date announced)
Few details are available about this re-make of Hitchcock’s strangest movie. Naomi Watts is reputedly playing Melanie Daniels, the mischievous socialite portrayed byTippi Hedren in the 1963 film, and there’s talk of George Clooney for the role of Mitch Brenner, the smoothly irresistible lawyer who draws her to the doomed township of Bodega Bay.
26: S. Darko (no release date announced)
An unexpected sequel to 2001’s hallucinatory time loop brain-teaser Donnie Darko, which already has fans of the original film near-apoplectic at its superfluity. Curiosity value alone guarantees S. Darko a strong opening weekend. Word of mouth will determine whether it can survive in theatres for more than a week, but it could equally become a cult smash.
25: Hannah Montana (May)
Dolly Parton, Tyra Banks, Heather Locklear and of course Billy Ray Cyrus help Destiny 'Miley' Cyrus bring the massively popular tween pop character to the big screen. In the wake of the vast box office for High School Musical 3, Hannah Montana looks like a safe bet for the big cinema smash of the Easter school break.Disney site
24: Dorian Gray (November)
The classic Oscar Wilde fable retold by an impressive collection of British thespian eye-candy including Colin Firth and Emilia Fox. Ben Barnes, little known outside the Narnia cognoscenti or the few remaining fans of doomed boyband Hyrise, plays the dissipated fop with the magical portrait.
23: Sherlock Holmes (November)
Some extraordinary casting distinguishes the umpteenth Holmes movie with Robert Downey Jr. as a tough, sword-flourishing Holmes and Jude Law as an even tougher, no-nonsense Watson in Guy Ritchie’s ‘reimagining’ of the ultimate sleuth. Based on Lionel Wigram’s comic book about the consulting detective rather than directly upon Conan Doyle’s books, the film also features Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler, the captivating femme fatale introduced in an 1891 Holmes story A Scandal in Bohemia
22: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (July)
Playing fast and loose with the accepted chronology of the age of the dinosaurs this third instalment of the CGI school holiday favourite has the primitive mammal heroes of the first two films somehow getting mixed up with a ‘lost world’ of surviving dinosaurs trapped beneath a glacier. John Leguizamo, Queen Latifah, and Denis Leary provide voices for the computer created critters. Certain to both entertain undemanding under-fives and infuriate palaeontologists in equal measure, this has the air of being the last film in the series.
21: Nottingham (November)
Russell Crowe plays dual roles in this revision of the Robin Hood legend. If you can trust anyone, it’s a bona fide cinema genius like director Ridley Scott but Hood and Nottingham with the same face sounds like a recipe for chuckles rather than thrills.
20: Bride Wars (January)
Bride Wars is evidence that blockbuster movies aren’t always for the boys. With a near-unbeatable chick flick cast (Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Candice Bergen), it’s an implausible tale of best friends clashing over a wedding day scheduling conflict. With the release date close enough to Valentine’s Day to warrant inclusion on the schedule of a fair percentage of early February dinner dates, it stands a reasonable chance of a strong mid-table performance on the box-office charts for the year.
19: 2012 (July)
Master of disaster Roland Emmerich (The Day after Tomorrow, Godzilla, Independence Day) assembles an impressive cast including John Cusack, Thandie Newton, Woody Harrelson and Danny Glover for an apocalyptic epic based on a 7th Century Mayan prophecy. Never one to do things by halves, Emmerich will apparently open the film with the end of the world as we know it and let things escalate from there.
18: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (January)
rad Pitt leads the cast of this fable taken from an F.Scott Fitzgerald story about a man who is born in his seventies and ages in reverse. Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton feature in a story that spans a lifetime.
17: The Lovely Bones (March)
Saoirse Ronan narrates from beyond the grave in this brave adaptation of Alice Sebold’s practically unfilmable novel. A fine cast (not only Rachel Weisz and Susan Sarandon but also Stanley Tucci, former Soprano and now Life on Mars star Michael Imperioli and winner of the ‘most unpredictable career choices’ award Mark Wahlberg) added to Lord of the Rings (and more importantly Heavenly Creatures) director Peter Jackson’s formidable talent promise a thoughtful, thought-provoking gem.
16: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (no release date announced)
A Terry Gilliam film is always something of a curiosity: ploughing his own off-kilter furrow away from the calcified strictures of Hollywood cliché, he has made films that, while differing wildly in subject matter (Brazil, The Fisher King, Baron Munchausen), share a distinctively baroque surrealism. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a curiosity even among Gilliam films, containing as it does the final performance of Heath Ledger. Because Ledger did not survive to complete the movie, Gilliam has enlisted Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law to share the lead role with the departed star. Adding an extra surreal twist to the Faustian fantasy, this is sure to be one of the most talked-about films of 2009.
15: Coraline (May)
Cult author Neil Gaiman’s dark fairytale gets a faithful adaptation which will entrance anyone who enjoyed Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas or, indeed, anyone who has ever escaped through a secret door in their bedroom that leads to a mysterious parallel version of their own home.
14: They Came from Upstairs (July)
Ashley Tisdale, the delightfully pushy blonde Sharpay from High School Musical, leads a group of teens fighting an alien invasion in this light-hearted family adventure. Closer to Gremlins or Critters than War of the Worlds, They Came from Upstairs will be one of those guilty movie gems films you might take a young relative along to, but secretly quite enjoy.
13: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June)
The inevitable sequel to last year’s surprise hit features more action, more laughs, and more shape-shifting robots. Michael Bay and Shia LeBoef return as director and star respectively with the astoundingly attractive Megan Fox as Shia’s love interest, a more international battleground and the eagerly anticipated introduction of fan favourite Soundwave.
12: The Taking of Pelham 123 (August)
If there’s a unifying trend to 2009 it’s the classic remake, and The Taking of Pelham 123 is nothing if not a classic. A major influence on new genre filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino (note the colour-coded names for the main characters) the 1970s original doesn’t seem in much need of an update. Nevertheless director Tony Scott, who’s been a little quiet for the last few years, has recruited old pal Denzel Washington as well as John Travolta and James Gandolfini to revisit the brilliantly improbable tube train hijack caper. Purists who are wincing at the thought should probably know now that Scott plans to start work on a retread of The Warriors next.
1: The Informant (September)
Matt Damon and Scott Bakula star in Steven Soderbergh’s promising black comedy based on a true story about the ostensibly dull world of agribusiness price fixing. If you enjoyed The Insider and would like to see much the same film again, but this time laced with some mordant humour and featuring a bipolar hero, this might be just the movie for you.
10: Inglourious Basterds (June)
Quentin Tarantino returns with an eclectic cast (Brad Pitt, Mike Myers and star of Hitcock's The Birds Rod Taylor) and another one of his playful reinventions of 1970s genre cinema. This time he moves from the American underworld to World War 2, with a team of Jewish-American special forces operating behind German lines, terminating Nazi commanders with extreme prejudice. Anyone who likes Tarantino, war movies in the vein of The Dirty Dozen or Nazis getting their comeuppance will undoubtedly love this movie. Fans of correct spelling may be less thrilled.
9: Terminator Salvation (June
The long-awaited ‘future war’ segment of the Terminator saga, previously only hinted at in the first three movies, dominates proceedings in Charlie’s Angels director McG’s bold reawakening of the killer robot franchise. Christian Bale, fresh from his spectacular triumph as one fanboy hero in Dark Knight essays another - John Connor, charismatic leader of the anti-Skynet forces who the Terminators have been trying to eliminate for the last three films. Roland Kickinger will be the principal Terminator this because Arnold Schwarzenegger is said to be too busy running California to appear as the iconic cyborg killing machine and Anton Yelchin, Sam Worthington and Helena Bonham-Carter are along for the ride.
8: Monsters vs. Aliens (April)
A CGI mock-B-movie with a distinctly eclectic cast list - Kiefer Sutherland, Hugh Laurie, and Stephen Colbert lend their voices., Monsters v Aliens will go some of the way towards sating the enormous demand for a second Incredibles movie. Reese Witherspoon provides the voice of a young Californian woman who grows to gigantic size, after a freak meteorite encounter, and is recruited into a secret agency of super-freaks who are sent to battle a gigantic alien robot.
7: Avatar (December)
James Cameron’s long-awaited high-technology blockbuster shares some basic ideas with The Surrogates (Humans use humanoid remote drones, in this case to explore an alien planet) and some with Planet 51 (we are the invaders). In terms of technological ambition and cinematic reach though, this movie should be without equal. Sigourney Weaver, who combined so well for Cameron in the past reunites with her Aliens director As long as Cameron doesn’t allow the story to become too cerebral for mainstream audiences Avatar stands a fair chance of being the biggest movie of the year.
6: Angels & Demons (May)
In the wake of the Da Vinci Code, another recklessly improbable Dan Brown adventure gets the Tom Hanks treatment. Ewan McGregor comes on board this time for a breakneck chase around Vatican City in search of some antimatter, the Illuminati and a decent haircut. The critics will snigger, and Dan Brown fans (of whom there are many) will ignore them and make May one of the busiest months at the box office.
5: X-Men Origins: Wolverine (May)
Hugh Jackman’s back for an X-Men prequel set 17 years before the action of the first movie.The film traces the early career of Logan, the indestructible mutant who will one day be X-Man Wolverine. Cameos from future X-Men and the chance to see how Logan acquired his deadly claws and curious hairdo give the film a geek power that will set the internet buzzing ahead of the premiere. It will be interesting to see how this performs after thethird X-Men movie was seen by many to be something of a mis-step in the X-franchise.
4: Watchmen (March)
Alan Moore’s superlative comic book finally, against the author’s will, reaches the big screen. There’s little doubt for anyone who’s read the original comic that this movie will be a huge triumph. We know the ending has been amended but every scene that’s been seen so far is slavishly faithful to Dave Gibbons’s original drawings, with just a few costume tweaks to make Nite Owl look a little less ridiculous and Silk Spectre a little bit sexier. How Watchmen will play to audiences who haven’t already been seduced by Moore’s vision of a parallel universe Cold War showdown between the members of a disbanded hero team remains to be seen. You can be sure, however, that every comic geek in the western world will see this film, and either rave about it or rail against it on the internet for evermore.
3: Star Trek (May)
J.J. Abrams attempts to reinvigorate the slightly tired Star Trek franchise with a story set immediately before the action of the first TV series. Winona Ryder looks set for a return to the big leagues as Amanda Grayson – Spock’s mum. British geek god Simon Pegg turns up as Scotty, and Zachary Quinto the dark presence at the heart of TV’s Heroes certainly looks the part as a young Spock. Expect tricksy time travel shenanigans, freak transporter accidents and a clever, ubiquitous and ultimately slightly annoying viral marketing campaign
2: Public Enemies (July)
Creator of Miami Vice Michael Mann guides the apparently tireless Christian Bale (who appears to be in every movie of any note these days) and Johnny Depp in a period gangster romp about the FBI’s search for John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd that is perfectly timed to chime with the new Great Depression
1: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (July)
Harry Potter fans will already have a fairly good idea of what happens in this, the sixth film in the hugely popular boy wizard film adapted from JK Rowling’s all-conquering books. It was an early script draft of this film that prompted Rowling to ‘out’ Dumbledore while promoting the final Potter book

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The 50 Biggest Movies of 2009

Our selection of the fifty most exciting blockbuster films for the year ahead

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