Tattoo Deviant Art: 2011

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

SCOOP: 2012 Mercedes-Benz B-Class MPV Caught…White-Handed

Our team of spy photographers have snagged the production version of the upcoming 2012 Mercedes-Benz B-Class dressed in a see-through plastic wrap as the car was being loaded off the transportation truck.

Clearly descended from the current-generation of Stuttgart’s mini-MPV model, the new B-Class follows a more conservative styling language than its smaller sibling, the 2012 A-Class, official patent images of which we showed you in May (see here).

The five-seat 2012 B-Class is based on an all-new front-wheel drive platform, dubbed MFA, which features a conventional unibody and replaces the sandwich structure used on the current A and B-Class models.

We’ve already shared initial information and a video on the Mugen-fettled CR-Z that Honda is about to launch at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, but today, the Japanese carmaker came out with all the juicy details, as well as more photos of the sporty hybrid concept.

According to company’s European division, the CR-Z Mugen sets out to prove that hybrid cars can be exciting to drive, with the one-off special producing “Civic Type R-like performance” while also remaining true to the original, eco-friendly character of the run-of-the-mill CR-Z.

Colin Whittamore from Mugen Euro explains the philosophy behind the creation of the CR-Z Mugen:

I want to live in a world designed by Beau Reid. The Floridian futurist and designer makes today’s cutting edge technology look old fashioned. Moreover, his name sounds like the alter ego of a Golden Age superhero. His latest automotive-themed creation is the GK2G (Go Kart 2 Go): a Formula 1-inspired, fold-able kart racer.

Weighing in at a lithe 65 pounds (30 kilograms) thanks to its all carbon fibre construction and lightweight lithium-ion batteries, the all electric concept has a theoretical top speed of 60 mph (100 km/h).

We can think of many things going wrong during a run in a dragster but having the steering wheel fall off together with the column after launch on such a powerful vehicle is perhaps one of the worst possible scenarios imaginable.

Yet, that is exactly what happened to Russ Parker during a race at an Oregon dragrstip last weekend. “I must say that we are laughing at it now, though at the time it was not so funny,” Parker wrote on his Youtube page.

Follow the break to watch the incident unfold from the in-car video footage.

From the moment BMW introduced the new 1 M Coupe, it was more than evident that the smallest member of the Bavarian firm’s M family would be compared with the brand’s most illustrious product, the M3 Coupe.

Automobile Magazine’s West Coast Editor Jason Cammisa voiced his thoughts on the 1 M Coupe versus M3 debate in a rather amusing way during his first drive of the sports car in California.

The skinny? “If you want an M badge, go ahead and buy an M3. If you want what an M3 could be, buy one of these things [the 1 M Coupe]”. Follow the break to watch the full video.

Not even Ferrari’s most recent models are exempt from the manic hands of tuners. What we have here are preliminary renderings of what could be the very first tuning job on the freshly revealed, all-wheel drive Ferrari FF supercar. Read more »

Multiple 2011MY Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep Vehicles Recalled to Fix Steering Columns

A dozen vehicles from the three core Chrysler brands covering more than half of the company’s 2011 models are being recalled in the United States to fix a potential problem with the steering column.

The recall covers 11,351 vehicles and affects certain 2011 model year Dodge Journey crossovers, Jeep Wranglers, Chrysler 200s, Chrysler 200 Convertibles, Dodge Avengers, Dodge Nitros, Jeep Liberty SUVs, Dodge Calibers, Jeep Compass crossovers, Jeep Patriots, Dodge Grand Caravans and Chrysler Town & Country minivans.

Say what you want about the Panamera, but fact is the sports saloon model has proved to be a hit for Porsche with the company having delivered close to 10,000 units in the first five months of the year alone.

The Panamera’s success has of course caught the attention of the aftermarket industry with more and more companies jumping on the tuning bandwagon. This here proposal comes courtesy of Afzal Kahn and his crew.

A pair of security cameras mounted inside and outside of a store allegedly located in Mexico (according to the Youtube poster), caught an accident involving a dangerously careless driver of a BMW 1-Series hatchback on film.

The video captured the middle-aged man in the BMW as he slowly entered the parking lot. For some unknown reason, he didn’t come to a stop and continued his way as if there was nothing in front of him.

Once inside the store, the reckless driver (20 seconds into the video) –get this- adjusts his exterior mirror as he puts the car in reverse to exit the shop and almost hits the cashier in the process! Amazingly, no one appears to have been injured. Watch the video footage after the jump.

Seems like the recession isn’t hitting just common people, but is also affecting the market for $200,000-plus supercars. One such example is the Rapide, Aston Martin’s sports sedan, whose sales are falling way off initial expectations.

According to media reports, the British carmaker is cutting back production of the Rapide to 25 cars per week, which translates to 1,250 per year, or 750 less than initial estimates.

The scent is in the air! The full and official schedule for this year's SDCC hasn't been released yet, but TVLine compiled all the hearsay from different outlets and we took the liberty of sussing out the Whedonverse ones. So where are we going to be from July 20th on, you ask? Read on, dear Whedonite:

FRIDAY, JULY 22
10 am Torchwood: Miracle Day | Cast: John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Bill Pullman, Mekhi Phifer, Alexa Havins, Lauren Ambrose; Producers: Jane Espenson

5:45 pm Spartacus: Vengeance | Cast: Liam McIntyre, Lucy Lawless, Dustin Clare, Manu Bennett, Katrina Lawand; Producers: Steven S. DeKnight

Bones | Cast: David Boreanaz, Emily Deschanel, plus cast members of The Finder; Producers: Hart Hanson, Stephen Nathan

SATURDAY, JULY 23
Terra Nova | Cast: Stephen Lang; Producers: Rene Echevarria, Brannon Braga, Jose Molina

SUNDAY, JULY 24
11:45 am Castle - Nathan Fillion.

End of day - And of course the whole event is once again closing with the "Once More, With Feeling" sing-a-long, this time in Hall H! Hosted by Whedonopolis.

NO DATE ANNOUNCED YET but scheduled to appear:
Chuck - Adam Baldwin
Grimm - Executive producers David Greenwalt (Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Jim Kouf (Angel)
Ringer - Sarah Michelle Gellar!

And even though they're not Whedonverse related, I'm sure we'll be at Fringe, Walking Dead, The Hobbit, True Blood and/or The Vampire Diaries panels as well. Come on Joss Whedon....you know you can't resist! Make an announcement already, Marvel!

SCOOP: Early Prototype of 2013 BMW 7-Series Facelift

With the fifth-generation of the BMW 7-Series limousine codenamed F01 entering its third year in production, it’s time for the Bavarian company to begin readying a mid-life facelift for its flagship model.

Our spies snagged a lightly camouflaged prototype of the 7-Series bearing the ActiveHybrid 7 badges while testing in Germany. Judging by the parts of the car hidden under masking tape, there should be some minor styling changes to the front and rear bumpers as well as to the headlamps and tail light graphics.

Sure, the new MINI Coupe is all the talk now and everyone is buzzing in his or her opinion on the two-seater model. However, if you really want a sporty coupe model that stands out from the crowd look no further than this creation from mother Russia.

Meet the ultimate Audi Coupe that blends an alarmingly shortened chassis and body from an Audi 80 with the front end of an A4 and the wider buttocks of a previous generation A6 sedan.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance is gradually expanding the availability of its Duster small SUV, originally branded as a Dacia, to more international markets. Following the recent presentation of the Renault Duster for the South American region at the Buenos Aires Motor Show, today, the French firm confirmed its launch in India.

To be sold under the Renault marque, the right-hand drive [RHD] version of the Duster will be fully produced at the Renault-Nissan Chennai plant in India and rolled out across the local market in the second half of 2012. The RHD Duster will also be available in the UK starting from next year.

The new two-seat Coupé from MINI has just landed on the internet, but the British firm is already pushing out its new marketing campaign with the release of the first promo clip.

The campaign builds around a new slogan titled “Another Day. Another Adventure.” with the film shot in the style of a movie trailer showcasing the Coupé in exotic locations, such as Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Iceland and Hong Kong.

Yesterday, we told you about a recent Las Vegas incident involving the drivers of a Ferrari F430 Spider and a yellow taxicab. In our original story, we wrote that the cabbie “allegedly rear-ended” the Italian exotic. It turns out though that there was no collision between the two cars with the Ferrari driver exploding simply because the cabbie cut him off.

Patrick Fritz, the person who filmed the video outside of Fry's Electronics, came in contact with Carscoop and detailed the events that eventually led to the Ferrari driver punching the cabbie.

Here’s what Patrick told Carscoop:

“I saw this altercation from the very beginning. The Ferrari was trying to leave the Fry's Electronics parking lot as the Taxi driver pulled in front of him, cutting him off. The Ferrari driver was pissed that he got cut off. There was NO collision.
The Ferrari driver then peeled out as he drove up past the cab and stopped in front of him and began yelling at him for "driving like an a$$hole". Then the Ferrari driver got out of his vehicle and approached the cab driver. That's the beginning of the video.”

This first official promo of the new F10 BMW M5 attempts to give us a more dynamic view of the Bavarian sports saloon with scenes from the track. For some reason though, BMW has masked most of the video with a dramatic but redundant music soundtrack since most of us are interested in hearing the sounds of the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine. Read more »

Nissan Working on New Hybrid System for Front-Wheel Drive Models

Earlier this month, we reported on Nissan’s plans to drop the Altima Hybrid from its lineup at the end of the 2011 model year because of poor sales in the States as well as the fact that it uses a hybrid system borrowed from its chief Japanese rival, Toyota.

On Monday, Japanese business daily Nikkan Kogyo said that Nissan has already began work on a new hybrid system for front-wheel drive cars that will be based on the firm’s rear-wheel-drive hybrid drivetrain that launched in the 2012 Infiniti M Hybrid.

WONDER WOMAN News flash 2011

Fashionable mom-to-be Jessica Alba hit the Fitness Factory gym in West Hollywood today (February 25) with a big Wonder Woman handbag in tow.

Looks like the Hollywood beauty wants to keep her fine figure as long as possible by working out on a regular basis.

Meanwhile, it appears that Jessica has a new stylist — Rachel Zoe’s former right hand man.

While in NYC for Fashion Week participating in the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Force and styling the Kate Spade show, Brad was eager to see Jessica rock the red carpet at the BAFTAs. The expectant star looked stunning in gorgeous blue Versace gown.

hot issue: Megan Fox For Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Excess

Ladies, if your lashes have been lacking and your flutter's failing to impress, then April is set to be the month for you. Giorgio Armani is releasing its Eyes to Kill Excess mascara ($55). The super dark, super volumising formula will totes be a hit with everyone who needs a little extra va va voom on a Saturday night. Complete with an oversized brush that's patented, a blend of hard and soft waxes that allow the formula to easily glide and coat each individual lash and the deepest, darkest, blackest pigments, it's the ultimate trifecta.

A jet black volumising master. Don't believe us? Watch Megan Fox in behind-the-scenes footage for the commercial and check out the ad campaign. Now, where did we put our Wish Lists

Rihanna to perform for $5 Million an hour in 2011

Grammy winning singer Rihanna will reportedly be paid 500,000 dollars for an hour long performance at an exclusive charity event in Florida.

The 'What's My Name' star will perform at a charity gala in front of just 600 guests, in aid of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, reports the Telegraph .

The VIP guests have shelled out up to 200,000 dollars for a table of 10 at the glitzy event, which takes place at Donald Trump's 58-bedroom mansion in Palm Beach.

Even the cheapest seats cost 2,000 dollars each.

New MINI Coupe Debuts in Production Trim: 65 High Res Photos and Pricing

No more hiding under conceptual suits and swirly camouflage for MINI’s all-new 2012 Coupé as the firm’s parent company, the BMW Group, officially lifted the veil off the production model on Monday. The sportiest-looking MINI to date is a coupe-flavored version of the hatchback with seating strictly for two.

The Coupé’s appearance was previewed by the 2009 concept car of the same name and is distinguished by the backwards “helmet roof” design and the more sharply raked A-pillars.

The first “three-box” MINI also sits 52mm or 2.05-inches lower than its three-door hatchback counterpart. Notably, it also features an active rear spoiler that extends automatically at 80 km/h (50 mph) to optimize airflow at highway speeds.

As time goes by, more and more people are uploading videos from the recent Vancouver riots. Perhaps one of the most shocking and appalling incidents was the one that involved the three young females defending their BMW M5 from the mob, and which we showed you earlier in the day.

However, we discovered yet another film of a woman trying to save her vehicle (it looks like an Audi, but we’re not sure). The only difference here is that unlike the BMW incident, some men actually intervened when one of the hooligans tried to take a swipe at her.

And they weren’t the only ones to take a stance against some of the more violent and foolish hockey fans; if you follow the jump, we have a few more clips of men trying to knock some sense (literally…) into the Vancouver rioters.

Last week, Renault upped the ante for front-wheel drive models by setting a new lap record at the Nurburgring Nordschleife with its more powerful Mégane Renaultsport Trophy.

The 265-horsepower strong special edition posted a lap time of 8 minutes and 7.97 seconds in the hands of Renault test driver Laurent Hurgon, smashing the previous record for a front-wheel drive model held by the older generation Mégane RS R26.R by nine seconds. Buckle up, sit tight and enjoy the record run in the video after the break.

Audi will double the number of SUVs in its range, which currently includes the recently announced Q3 (pictured in the above sketch), plus the Q5 and Q7, with the addition of three new models by 2016, according to a company insider cited by Autocar magazine. The new models will be named Q2, Q4 and Q6, and according to the magazine’s source, will enable the Ingolstadt-based carmaker to cover every niche of the popular SUV segment.

The first addition to Audi’s SUV line-up is said to be the Q4, which will be a sportier version of the existing Q5 designed to compete against Range Rover’s Evoque and to a lesser degree, sister company Porsche’s upcoming Cajun. It is expected to launch sometime in 2014 or 2015.

Argentina’s exports for imports saga continues, with South Korean carmaker Hyundai agreeing to export peanuts, wine, biodiesel and soy flour to offset the US$91 million (€64 million) it added to Argentina’s growing trade deficit in 2010. Partner company / subsidiary Kia has agreed export white goods and plastics for their contribution.

The South American nation’s US$6 billion (€4.19 billion) trade deficit has already led to one Porsche distributor agreeing to export wine and olive products, while similar deals have been struck with carmakers Chery, GM, Peugeot-Citroen, Alfa Romeo, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Fiat and Ford.

British fans are getting ready for their National Motorsport Week, and two UK-based Formula 1 teams are each giving two members of the public the unique opportunity to join their pit crews for a day.

Mercedes Petronas GP will randomly select two winners from those who will enter an online competition. The window of opportunity opens today, Monday 20 June, and will close at midnight on Thursday 23 June.

An updated version of the Audi A1 1.6 TDI with increased fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions has been introduced into the British market. The Ingolstadt firm’s engineers optimized the 1.6-liter turbo diesel’s fuel system and engine management software, and as a result, reduced CO2 output from 105g/km to 99g/km, and boosted its combined economy figure from 70.6mpg UK to 74.3mpg UK (equal to 3.8 lt/100 km and 61.9mpg US).

Make no mistake; you can find hooligans in every country and in all sports. The colors and language may change, but there’s a common denominator that crosses all cultural lines: idiocy of the utmost degree and the complete lack of compassion towards fellow human beings.

The huge riots in Vancouver, Canada, after the Canucks' loss last week to the Boston Bruins for the Stanley Cup, are a prime example of this kind of ill mentality.

We saw several people injured, shops looted and properties destroyed, but this particular incident involving three young women and their BMW M5 sedan, stood out for a great number of reasons. The three women were hopelessly trying to fend off an army of male individuals from kicking, jumping, breaking and throwing whatever they could find on the previous-generation M5 saloon.

It’s one thing describing the incident and another watching these men (if you can call them that…) turning into animals just for the fun of it. And what is even more disturbing is the fact that from all these people surrounding the vehicle, not one person tried to intervene to help these women. Unbelievable…

At a recent event called “Charged 2011 – EV Symposium Silicon Valley”, General Motors’ western region group manager for environment and energy communications, Dave Barthmuss, told Brad Berman from Plugincars that the company may surprise us at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show with a new model, hinting at a plug-in hybrid crossover. Read more »

Saab Production on Hold for at least Two More Weeks

Ailing Swedish car manufacturer Saab will not be producing new vehicles for at least two more weeks until it resolves the problems with its suppliers, the company said on Monday.

"There will be no normal production during weeks 25 and 26 (June 20th-July 3rd)," Saab spokeswoman Gunilla Gustavs told Reuters. "We are still negotiating with all suppliers and we need to get everyone on board at the same time. The weeks of 27-29 (July 4th-24th) are planned to be normal working weeks".

Buffyfest Interviews Slay-a-thon's Kelly Creamer!

Slay-a-thon is an annual Whedonverse charity event running since 2003 in Chicago. The event raises money for the Make-A-Wish foundation by viewing a 12-hour marathon of Joss Whedon's work. Can't think of a better way to do it! This year's event will be this coming Saturday, June 25th. If you're in the Chicago area, definitely stop by. It's free and if you get a someone to sponsor your Buffy viewing, you'll be helping an amazing cause.

We had the great opportunity to chat with organizer Kelly Creamer about the event, the Whedonverse and other things. Check it out:

Buffyfest: You've helped raise over $110,000 for Make-A-Wish Foundation and granted 18 wishes to children with health problems. What made you choose this cause?

Kelly Creamer: I chose the MAW Foundation because the instant reward coming from it. We generally know exactly which kids will be getting there wishes prior to the event. Sometimes we even get to pick the children. It is one of the great rewards to see the kids get the wishes and usually we have a family come speak about their experience which makes most of us cry!

Buffyfest: Why Buffy?

KC: The world of Buffy & Angel along with Dr. Horrible has such a huge devotion that since I already had the devotion myself why not use it for the good of the world.

Buffyfest: How has your experience been with the many Whedonverse stars who have donated items for auction?

KC: Every one on all the shows including Firefly has been nothing but a dream to work with and some I have developed friendships with as a result. You could not ask for better people! Joss has been especially supportive and donates amazing things for our auctions.

Buffyfest: Now, since the Slay-a-thon event is based mostly on the pure joy of watching Buffy episodes, it sounds a lot like our own Buffyfest parties, but for a great cause. We're wondering if like our Buffyfest, no one actually watches the episodes but instead loudly and annoyingly discuss Willow's sweaters or argue about the minutia of how Angel/Spike's soul works over the entirety of the thing, thus missing the whole episode?

KC: Actually everyone who attends are fans and very respectful of the new fans attending. The only time people really sound out is during the musicals which they sing like crazy.

Buffyfest: Oh, it's just us then? Well, how do you decide which episodes to watch?

KC: We actually post on our website slayathon.org a voting section to let the attendees decide but we have some that just are in no matter what!

Buffyfest: Cool. Finally, who is your favorite Whedonverse character and why?

KC: Buffy is truly my fave as she stands for so much to me. I think she is equal to being a human struggling in a world that is not always what you would hope it to be. She gives me hope and strength to get through the bad times! I tattooed her on my shoulder along with the logo, our logo and the hardest thing in this world is to live in it! I miss her everyday and can't wait for more comics and goodies to come out!

The deets:
This year's 9th Annual Slay-A-Thon and Make-A-Wish Foundation Benefit
Saturday, June 25, 2011
11:30 AM - Midnight

Dave & Buster's Gold Coast - Showroom
1030 N. Clark Street (Clark at Oak)
Chicago, Illinois

BMW to Debut New 2012 M5 Saloon at The Goodwood Festival of Speed

The all-new 2012 BMW M5 sports sedan will be making its first public appearance at The Goodwood Festival of Speed, which takes place in the UK between July 1 and 3, the German automaker announced today.

The most powerful production version of the M5 series to date comes with a high-revving 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 pumping out 560hp from 5,750-7,000rpm and 680Nm [501.5 lb-ft] of torque from 1,500rpm. It goes on sale this fall.

A sad tale of road rage between the driver of a red Ferrari F430 Spider and a Taxi Cab driver took place in front of the parking lot of an electronics store in Las Vegas recently.

Story has it that the cabbie allegedly rear-ended the Italian supercar, but did not cause any significant damage to the vehicle – or at least non that can be seen in this amateur video that was filmed after the two cars parked on the side of the road.

Unfortunately, instead of exchanging information, the driver of the Ferrari was in the mood for some talking with his…fists. We can’t hear all that was said between the two men, but it looks like the only person going overboard here was the F430 driver. Watch the video right after the break.

The future of the ailing Maybach brand will be decided, according to reports, until the end of July. Up until now, the German firm’s parent company, Daimler, was faced with two options: either axe the brand entirely, or work with another carmaker, preferably Aston Martin, to share the development and manufacturing costs to the successors of to its not-so-well received uber-sedans.

Now, according to Automotive News, it seems that a third option is on the table: that Maybach will become a sub-brand of Mercedes-Benz.

Be Back Tomorrow Night with Updates!

Hey everyone!

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! Mine was pretty busy with a father's day celebration (Happy belated Father's Day to all you dads out there!!) and two graduation parties for my cousins (congrats to grads out there too!!) so I wasn't on my computer at all. I just wanted to give you all a heads up because I won't be online today either. My sister is having minor surgery today and I will be with her at the hospital. I'm going straight from work and I'm not sure when I'll be home. I will be back tomorrow with updates though as I'm off and will have plenty of time to post some news!

Have a great Monday! See you tomorrow!

PS: My eBay auctions are ending today. I received emails from a few of you wondering about international shipping. I will be re-listing items that didn't sell on Friday and will include international rates. I didn't the first time and I apologize but I definitely will next time around. I'll post all info as soon as it's up! Thanks everybody!!

Va Va Vooom: Renault 4 to Attempt Record Breaking Run at Bonneville Speed Week

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Renault’s iconic 4, the French firm’s first front-wheel drive family car that was introduced in 1961 and remained in production until 1992. Not surprisingly, the automaker and enthusiasts of the car alike are planning several events over the year to commemorate the Renault 4’s golden birthday.

Aside from launching a design competition for the creation of a modern-day Renault 4, the automaker is also lending a helping hand to a team of four French enthusiasts who will attempt to set a new record at the Bonneville Speed Week, which takes place in northwestern Utah from August 13 to 20.

A Mercedes-Benz driver has smashed the world record for the longest car drift at a company event in Surrey, UK. Mauro Calo, who works at the Mercedes-Benz World venue providing driving experiences to guests and entertaining crowds with precision driving skills, powerslided a C63 AMG sports sedan for a distance of 2,308 metres or 1.44 miles, beating the previous record by 394 metres or a quarter of a mile. Read more »

McLaren Opens Flagship Showroom in London, 19 Countries to Follow

McLaren Automotive will inaugurate a new flagship showroom at One Hyde Park, London, on June 21. And this is just the first of a network of 35 dealerships in 19 countries: Birmingham, London and Manchester in the UK, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Munich in Germany, Brussels in Benelux, Monaco and Paris in France, Milan in Italy, Madrid in Spain and Zurich in Switzerland. Read more »

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Megan Fox has one of her nine tattoos removed?

Hollywood actress Megan Fox has done many things in the past year in an effort to clean up her image: she married longtime love Brian Austin Green, stopped bad-mouthing her directors to the press, and now it seems she has taken the final step in her transformation to good girl by removing her some of her body ink.

At a Jaguar event in New York this past week, Fox showed up with the iconic Marilyn Monroe portrait on her right forearm looking conspicuously faded. Fox, who has vocally professed her love for Ms Monroe in the past, has said the tattoo was a tribute to the fallen star and not her attempt to copy her career: "I really admire Marilyn Monroe, but I would never try to emulate her. I got the tattoo as a warning. It warns me not to let myself be treated so badly by the film industry so that it breaks me down."

One person who Fox has been accused of emulating is Angelina Jolie, who also has multiple tattoos and an enviable career, not to mention Brad Pitt. Though Fox has not publicly commented on whether or not she is planning on lasering away Marilyn from her body for good, she has other tattoos to remind her of her (former?) wild child ways.

How Rihanna Learned to "Actually Like" Her Body

16 March, 2011 - It's hardly debatable that Rihanna, 23, is one of the most beautiful women in music -- but like any woman, she's far too hard on her own looks. In the new Shape Issue of Vogue, the pop diva from Barbados says that she's finally learning to love the body she was born with.

"Over the holidays...I realized that I actually like my body, even if it’s not perfect according to the book," says Rihanna (who must have a different book than we do). "I just feel sexy. For the first time, I don’t want to get rid of the curves. I just want to tone it up. My body is comfortable, and it’s not unhealthy, so I’m going to rock with it."

And here's that last sentence again, in case you want to tape it over your mirror: My body is comfortable, and it's not unhealthy, so I'm going to rock with it. What a fantastic way to look at things.

Part of Rihanna's new appreciation for her body comes from testing its limitations on the set of her upcoming feature film, Battleship. The singer's trainer gave her a varied but tough routine of weight-lifting, core-strengthening and endurance exercises, until she was in the best shape of her life -- and comfortable firing a machine gun in an inflatable raft, amid seven-foot waves and sharks! ("I loved it," says the singer.)

On her first Vogue cover, Rihanna looks gorgeous in a sheer lace dress that floats from her body. With her curves and the sea in the background, she looks like a mermaid -- more specifically, sporting her current flame-red curls, she looks like Disney's Ariel. But she knows how hard it is for the average woman to feel like a cover girl.

"For a woman to accept her body the way it is, is almost impossible," says Rihanna in a behind-the-scenes video from the photo shoot.

"The grass is always greener. I think it's really important that Vogue decided to team up with me and Annie (Leibovitz) on an issue like this, that promotes loving your body the way it is, all different shapes, sizes, curves...I'm very big on dressing to my body type."

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Monday, June 20, 2011

Saturday, June 18, 2011

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