Autoblog

Click above for gallery of photos released by Clearwater, Florida police

Today in Clearwater, Florida, a judge sentenced Nick Bollea, son of famous WWE wrestler Hulk Hogan, to eight months in jail for reckless driving. Last August Bollea crashed his father's yellow modified Toyota Supra into a palm tree while street racing. Not only did he total the car, but his friend John Graziano who was riding shotgun that night will now require lifetime medical care for his critical injuries. The young Hogan was reportedly led off to serve his sentence immediately after it was handed down by the judge. In addition to the jail time, Bollea will also be on probation for five years and lose his drivers license for three. After all the hoopla that's led us to this point in Nick Bollea's tragic story, the only thing we can say is that the roads are probably safer tonight.


[Source: USA Today]

Click on the image to see more high-res shots of this '78 SE Trans Am

Mid-to-late 70's Pontiac Trans Ams have really been picking up steam on the collector car market. While not nearly as powerful as their more muscular 1969-1974 forebears, the later TAs certainly have a unique and gaudy manly-quality about them, helped in no small part by their association with '70s icon Burt Reynolds and, of course, the Smokey and the Bandit movie franchise. The vehicle you see in this auction is a particularly nice example of the breed. As a 1978 Special Edition Y/82 Trans Am equipped with the desirable Pontiac 400 engine with 4-speed manual tranny, this is already a collectible vehicle. The original Hurst Hatches and AM/FM/8-track player and CB radio along with the rare rear-console add to this bird's rarity.

For real Burt Reynolds aficionados, though, this fire-breathing Poncho offers something truly special: his signature on the dash. Not only that, Burt drove the vehicle around while he was in Georgia helping to develop Year One's Bandit Edition replica car and it has been on television numerous times. With all it has going for it, don't expect this car to come cheap. In fact, it's already past $46 grand with days still to go in the auction.


[Source: eBay Motors]

When you growl out lyrics like "we all just wanna be big rock stars," even satirically, as Chad Kroeger did when he laid down the vocal for Nickelback's "Rockstar," there's bound to be an overtone of schadenfreude when you get busted for acting like a rockstar. Kroeger was pinched in 2006 for driving his Lamborghini too fast and too drunk (amusingly chronicled here). The wheels of justice don't turn as fast as a lead-singer-piloted Lambo, apparently, so Kroeger's (née Turton) sentence was just recently meted out in Vancouver. Twice the legal blood alcohol level and 80 miles per hour will net you a fine of 600 Loonies (like $2,000 now that the US dollar is all Caspar Milquetoast) and a driving suspension for the rest of the year. Oh darn. I think we'd be inclined to consider ourselves lucky if we received such a light tap on the wrist, but the indignity of it all will see Kroeger appealing. When he eventually loses the second appeal, we suggest he be sentenced to writing a truly new song.

[Source: BBC]

"Retirement" is a relative term when you're the fastest driver in the world. Since stepping back from his Formula One career, seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher has remained a high-profile celebrity, often despite his best attempts to stay out of the limelight. When he's not under investigation for commandeering a taxi or dedicating buildings, he's competing ad-hoc in motorcycle races and coaching his son on a developing racing career of his own. Reports now suggest that Hollywood is offering Schumi a film on his life and career.

According to reports, Schumacher himself could star in the film, while Bruce Willis has also been attached to the project to play race commentator Murray Walker. It wouldn't be Schumacher's first foray into film, following his cameos in kids' movies like Asterix and Pixar's Cars. Although Schumacher has yet to accept the offer, his longtime manager Willi Weber has confirmed that it's under consideration. If the project gets the green light, it could turn out to be the biggest racing film since Steve McQueen's Le Mans.

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport, Photo by Doug Benc/Getty]

Click either image for gallery of Dwight's Nissan Xterra

Fact: A new episode of The Office aired last night in which Andy sells his Nissan Xterra to Dwight, who then puts it up for sale on eBay Motors.

Fact: the guy who owns the Xterra in real life works for the show and has put it up for sale on eBay Motors along with a script signed by the cast and props used during filming.

Question: how much is owning Dwight Schrute's Xterra worth to you?

The current bid is $15,300 (Kelley Blue Book says one in excellent condition is worth only $9,715) and no, your money will not go to an obscure charity. It will help this guy trade his SUV for a hybrid. That's so Hollywood. Thanks for the tip, Bojac!

UPDATE: Link to eBay Motors auction added, doh!


[Source: eBay Motors]

If you've been repetitively clicking the Top Gear website and reading the Sunday Times while you wait for the new season of Top Gear, your hour of deliverance is nearly at hand. Jeremy Clarkson (Jezza), Richard Hammond (Hamster), and James May (Captain Slow) will be returning June 15 with brand new episodes that will deliver more of the same-old same-old: automotive praise and abuse with English wit, absurd car challenges, and general hilarity. Ready, set, Tivo... Thanks for the tip, MIke!

[Source: Final Gear]

Click above for photo gallery. Follow the jump for the music video.

The music video for the updated Speed Racer theme, "Go Speed Racer Go", has hit the web, and while the song itself gets annoying after a couple of verses (how many times can you listen to that refrain before going insane?), the actual video is mesmerizing. There's a lot of footage that hasn't been seen in the trailers and ads so far, and the cartoon come-to-life visuals are simply eye-popping. In that respect, anyone who ponies up ten bucks for a ticket is going to get his or her money's worth. Hopefully, the strength of the story can match the undeniable visual power the Wachowski's onscreen kaleidoscope is set to deliver. At least one early review indicates that may not be the case, unfortunately. We'll wait 'till we see it ourselves next weekend to pass final judgement. In the meantime, feast your eyes on the new video after the jump.


[Source: Ain't It Cool News]

America's two most popular spectator sports – football and stock-car racing – are about to cross paths as the New England Patriots' star wide receiver Randy Moss has announced plans to launch his own NASCAR team. Perhaps after losing Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants back in January, Moss is really starting to think about what to do with his time after this whole football thing runs its course.

His new team named Moss Motorsports will begin competing at select races in this year's Craftsman Truck series in preparation for a full-on assault in the 2009 season at the same level. Details like drivers, sponsors and an engine supplier have yet to be announced, but Moss, who has long been involved with urban youth programs, plans to incorporate his racing team into his social projects.

[Source: AutoWeek, Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty]

Click on the image for more shots of Indiana's Harley-Davidson

It seems that the marketing folks at Harley-Davidson have managed to get a bit of product placement for themselves, following the likes of Audi with Iron Man, Volkswagen with The Bourne Ultimatum and GM with Transformers. The new Indiana Jones movie, titled 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Crystal Skull' features both Harrison Ford and Shia The Le Beouf riding what appears at first glance to be an old Harley. Upon closer inspection, the bike is actually a new model, complete with fuel injection and Harley's new six-speed transmission. The movie-crew manages to make the bike look much older by using parts from older machines, such as the old Sportster tank and pre-war "beehive" tail light. Look real close and you may even notice the fake kick-starter which must just be welded to the frame.

As a celebration of the upcoming movie's use of the bike, every Harley dealership will reportedly get the chance to order 30 pairs of free tickets to the movie to be given away as a promotion to customers.


[Source: Cyril Huze Blog, Harrison Ford Web]

We all know what a disaster the 2-hour Knight Rider movie was (click here for a refresher). Regardless, the return of the series has been green lit for the Fall and Shadowy Flight recently sat down for an interview with Gary Scott Thompson, Executive Producer and Showrunner of the series. Thompson's credentials include creating the show Las Vegas and the original Fast and the Furious movie, and he also points out that he had nothing to do with the 2-hour Knight Rider movie that aired in February. The show's new EP revealed that he and his writers are leaving the 2-hour movie in the past. His new writing staff, which includes writers from Lost, Prison Break and Smallville, but also Walker, Texas Ranger and Charmed, is dealing with some of those plot points introduced in the movie that now can't be ignored, but are basically going to start all over again with the first episode.

You can check out the two-part interview by hitting the source link below, but the major bit of news revealed is that Turbo Boost will again be part of KITT's arsenal, though the technology will be reinvented for this era where fast cars that jump aren't all that mind blowing. Thompson also told Shadowy Flight that the overly winged Attack Mode KITT is being redone and will be different than the one seen in the movie. Finally, Thompson compares his Knight Rider series that's still in gestation to one of our favorite shows on TV, Battlestar Galactica. Both are reinventions of older TV shows, but BG is currently the shining light of modern television, while Knight Rider has gotten off to an extremely rough start. We hope it compares to the weekly trials of Admiral Adama and the crew of Galactica, but we're not holding our breath. Thanks for the tip, Neil!


[Source: Shadowy Flight]