Autoblog Etc. http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog Etc. http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/favicon-v5.png Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ Dan Roth, Zach Bowman and Jeff RossThe podcast by the people who obsessively cover the auto industry. <![CDATA[Lego Caterham Seven does Chapman proud [w/video]]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/18/lego-caterham-seven-does-chapman-proud-w-video/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/18/lego-caterham-seven-does-chapman-proud-w-video/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/18/lego-caterham-seven-does-chapman-proud-w-video/#comments Filed under: , ,



A chap who calls himself "Sheepo" has a habit of making custom creations out of Lego bits. These aren't kits, these are the expressions of his own automotive imagination using traditional Lego and Lego Technic parts. His year so far seems mostly devoted to suspension builds and a Land Rover Defender, but his latest work is a Caterham Seven.

Sheepo keeps his builds close to their inspirations, this Seven constructed with working steering, double-wishbone front suspension and Ackerman geometry in front, a three-link De Dion rear suspension in back and disc brakes. A bit of liberty has gone into the gearbox, which is a five-speed sequential unit plus reverse.

At one-seventh scale it is 45 centimeters long, has 2,500 parts and five motors. It is also a Chapman-approved lightweight at just 2.2 kilograms. Check it out in the video below and the high-res gallery of images above.

Continue reading Lego Caterham Seven does Chapman proud [w/video]

Lego Caterham Seven does Chapman proud [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 18 May 2013 19:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> caterhamcaterham 7legolego carlego technicsheepotoys Sat, 18 May 2013 19:35:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20571594/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20571594/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/18/lego-caterham-seven-does-chapman-proud-w-video/20571594/article-detail.xml 20571594 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/sheepo-lego-caterham-7-1368690170_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/sheepo-lego-caterham-7-1368690170.jpg <![CDATA[Of course, Dubai Police add Bugatti Veyron to fleet]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/18/of-course-dubai-police-add-bugatti-veyron-to-fleet/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/18/of-course-dubai-police-add-bugatti-veyron-to-fleet/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/18/of-course-dubai-police-add-bugatti-veyron-to-fleet/#comments Filed under: , , , , , ,

Dubai Police Bugatti Veyron

Well, now it's official: Nobody in Dubai is going to be able to outrun the police. You see, in addition to the Aston Martin One-77, Ferrari FF and Lamborghini Aventador that were already part of its stable of police cars, the constabulary in Dubai have most recently procured a Bugatti Veyron to add to the force. And, since the Veyron is the fastest production vehicle in the world, it'd take something truly special to evade the long arm of the law.

The image you see above was tweeted by Dubai's Chief of Police, and as you can see, it's painted up in the green and white hues we've come to expect from its ilk. We do have to wonder, though, if they drilled holes in the Bugatti's roof for the light bar or if it's held on by suction cups or something else less likely to damage the delicate carbon fiber bodywork...

Of course, Dubai Police add Bugatti Veyron to fleet originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 18 May 2013 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> bugattibugatti veyrondubai policedubai police bugatti veyronpolice Sat, 18 May 2013 13:05:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20574621/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20574621/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/18/of-course-dubai-police-add-bugatti-veyron-to-fleet/20574621/article-detail.xml 20574621 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/dubai-police-bugatti-veyron_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/dubai-police-bugatti-veyron.jpg <![CDATA[Costco offering this $115,000 full-size F1 simulator in UK]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/18/costco-offering-this-115-000-full-size-f1-simulator-in-uk/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/18/costco-offering-this-115-000-full-size-f1-simulator-in-uk/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/18/costco-offering-this-115-000-full-size-f1-simulator-in-uk/#comments Filed under: , , ,



For video game enthusiasts who can't stand the thought of playing a racing game on a single television screen, using a standard controller and (gasp!) sitting on a couch, there are plenty of realistic racing simulators out there. While better simulators usually include a trio of monitors, a racing chair and appropriate steering wheel and pedals, Costco has what could be the ultimate racing simulator for Formula One fans in the UK with deep pockets and a desire for a life-like gaming experience.

Costing a mere 90,000 British pounds (roughly $136,000), Costco UK sells a simulator mounted to a life-size F1 car that includes plenty of composite, carbon fiber and alloy. It even has full brakes, wheels and tires. The price includes set up and training, but don't expect to pick one up in addition to a 10-pound package of bacon and a 40-count package of toilet paper, since it takes about 12 to 18 weeks to deliver. All that is missing to get this thing on a real track are the engine and transmission. As for the simulation aspect, this system uses three 23-inch thin film transistor (TFT) screens, an Intel Core i7 processor and a five-speaker surround sound system.

Head over to the Costco UK website to check out what has to be the coolest and most excessive gaming device ever.

Costco offering this $115,000 full-size F1 simulator in UK originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 18 May 2013 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> costcof1formula 1formula oneracing simulatorvideo game Sat, 18 May 2013 10:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20571875/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20571875/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/18/costco-offering-this-115-000-full-size-f1-simulator-in-uk/20571875/article-detail.xml 20571875 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/f1-racing-simulator_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/f1-racing-simulator.jpg <![CDATA[Portland police pursuit quack down caught on dash cam]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/17/portland-police-pursuit-quack-up-caught-on-dash-cam/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/17/portland-police-pursuit-quack-up-caught-on-dash-cam/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/17/portland-police-pursuit-quack-up-caught-on-dash-cam/#comments Filed under: , , , ,



One driver in Portland, OR should make a hefty donation to his or her local wildlife conservation group after a family of ducks got the person out of a speeding ticket. A Portland police officer clocked a car going 52 miles per hour in a 35-mph zone, but when the officer went to pursue the speeder, a mother duck and her two ducklings ran some unintended interference.

Rather than just going around the ducks, the officer blocks the street to usher the waterfowl from the road. While the speeder got away, it's nice to see some compassion from the authorities. Besides, the gesture might've saved more than just the ducks from an unfortunate accident on the rain-slicked road. Scroll down to watch the video taken from the patrol car's dash cam.

Continue reading Portland police pursuit quack down caught on dash cam

Portland police pursuit quack down caught on dash cam originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 May 2013 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> dash camdash camedashcamduckmallard duckpolicepolice campolice chaseportland policespeeding ticketvideo Fri, 17 May 2013 16:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20573938/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20573938/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/17/portland-police-pursuit-quack-up-caught-on-dash-cam/20573938/article-detail.xml 20573938 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/police-chase-ducks_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/police-chase-ducks.jpg <![CDATA[Rolls-Royce gets into LSR game, backs Bloodhound SSC [w/video]]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/17/rolls-royce-gets-into-lsr-game-backs-bloodhound-ssc-w-video/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/17/rolls-royce-gets-into-lsr-game-backs-bloodhound-ssc-w-video/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/17/rolls-royce-gets-into-lsr-game-backs-bloodhound-ssc-w-video/#comments Filed under: , , , ,



Rolls-Royce, the "power solutions" company that makes jet engines and much more (not the luxury motorcar company) has signed on to support the Bloodhound SSC Land Speed Record attempt project. This isn't just a financial tie-up and exchange of engines and tech, though, Rolls-Royce is just as interested as the Bloodhound gang in promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics to children in the UK and around the world.

It will be providing its EJ200 jet engine that powers the Eurofighter Typhoon combat jet with 20,000 pounds of thrust. In the Bloodhound, the engine will be the first stage in the hybrid rocket system that they hope will get the SSC to 1,000 miles per hour. Coincidentally, although Rolls-Royce hasn't been officially involved with Bloodhound before, its engines have been used to break records in the Bloodhound predecessors Thrust 2 and Thrust SSC.

There's a press release below with more details and a video that animates how the hybrid rocket inside the blue streak works.

Continue reading Rolls-Royce gets into LSR game, backs Bloodhound SSC [w/video]

Rolls-Royce gets into LSR game, backs Bloodhound SSC [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> aerospacebloodhoundbloodhound sscland speed recordlsrrolls roycerolls-royce Fri, 17 May 2013 08:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20571499/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20571499/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/17/rolls-royce-gets-into-lsr-game-backs-bloodhound-ssc-w-video/20571499/article-detail.xml 20571499 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/bloodhound-rolls-royce-aero_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/bloodhound-rolls-royce-aero.jpg <![CDATA[Pedestrian fakes hilariously bad hit, foiled by Russian dash cam]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/pedestrian-fakes-hilariously-bad-hit-foiled-by-russian-dash-cam/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/pedestrian-fakes-hilariously-bad-hit-foiled-by-russian-dash-cam/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/pedestrian-fakes-hilariously-bad-hit-foiled-by-russian-dash-cam/#comments Filed under: , , ,



After the Good-Samaritan-fest that was the last Russian dash cam video, it's back to our regularly scheduled program of scamming and madness. This time, it's a woman who attempts to pretend she's been hit by a car and rendered unconscious, the same tired con-job that happens to be one of the primary reasons that Russians probably perform more surveillance on themselves than the state does.

It's a remarkably bad job of method acting on the woman's part (is she drunk?), but we'll give her credit for persistence. The worst acting job you'll see all day is on video just below.

Continue reading Pedestrian fakes hilariously bad hit, foiled by Russian dash cam

Pedestrian fakes hilariously bad hit, foiled by Russian dash cam originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 May 2013 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> dash camdashcamfraudpedestrianpedestrian failrussiarussian dash camscamvideo Wed, 15 May 2013 19:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20569268/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20569268/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/15/pedestrian-fakes-hilariously-bad-hit-foiled-by-russian-dash-cam/20569268/article-detail.xml 20569268 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/russian-dashcam-scam_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/russian-dashcam-scam.jpg <![CDATA[BMW sets Guinness record for longest drift with new M5 [w/videos]]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/bmw-sets-guinness-record-for-longest-drift-with-new-m5-w-video/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/bmw-sets-guinness-record-for-longest-drift-with-new-m5-w-video/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/bmw-sets-guinness-record-for-longest-drift-with-new-m5-w-video/#comments Filed under: , , , , ,



In September of 2011, Chinese drifter Wang Qi broke the Guinness record for the world's longest sustained drift, doing 13 laps inside the Olympic Center Stadium in Tianlin, China for 5,802.3 meters. That was broken in February of this year by Abdo Feghali in Abu Dhabi drifting a new Chevrolet Camaro around a skidpad for 11,180 meters - almost seven miles. In March, BMW decided it wanted the record "back in the US," and set up a course at its BMW Performance Driving School near Greenville, South Carolina to get the job done. On May, 11 it was Mission Accomplished when Performance Center driver Johan Schwartz drifted an M5 around a skidpad continuously for 51.3 miles.

Despite that accomplishment, we're pretty sure that professional drifter Vaughn Gittin, Jr. isn't impressed. The way Guinness defines "drifting" can also describe a donut, which is effectively the kind of drifting that's been done for these last three records. BMW went even further by watering down the surface of the track, reducing the skill required and the need to change tires during the effort. On the other hand, you can't drift a car for long in a straight line, but perhaps there should be some clarification or classifications added to the milestones.

There's a pair of videos below taken during the record-breaking run, and a press release from the company that did it.

Continue reading BMW sets Guinness record for longest drift with new M5 [w/videos]

BMW sets Guinness record for longest drift with new M5 [w/videos] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 May 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> 2013 bmw m5bmwbmw m5bmw performance driving schooldriftingdrifting recordguinnessguinness book of world recordsjohan schwartzvideoworld record Wed, 15 May 2013 13:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20569434/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20569434/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/15/bmw-sets-guinness-record-for-longest-drift-with-new-m5-w-video/20569434/article-detail.xml 20569434 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/bmw-m5-guinness-drift-record_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/bmw-m5-guinness-drift-record.jpg <![CDATA[Watch this garbage truck consume a Pontiac Grand Am]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/watch-this-garbage-truck-consume-a-pontiac-grand-am/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/watch-this-garbage-truck-consume-a-pontiac-grand-am/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/watch-this-garbage-truck-consume-a-pontiac-grand-am/#comments Filed under: , , , ,

Garbage truck crushes car - video screencap

When an old car or truck offers its dying breath in your driveway and you just don't have the financial or mechanical wherewithal to resuscitate it yet again, you traditionally have to go to the trouble of calling a flatbed or a tow truck to come haul it away. That usually helps to put a few bucks in your wallet and helps recycle some of the vehicle's parts, but the transaction doesn't seem as final or perversely satisfying as the dispatch service that this New Way Cobra Magnum garbage truck offers.

Okay, okay, so this refuse hauler isn't actually designed for this sort of thing, but it's oddly comforting to know that a sanitation truck can compact a hapless Pontiac Grand Am into oblivion. Next time, we won't feel so guilty about slipping that rusty charcoal grille onto the curb next to the cans on garbage day. Watch the carnage by scrolling below.

Continue reading Watch this garbage truck consume a Pontiac Grand Am

Watch this garbage truck consume a Pontiac Grand Am originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 May 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> garbage trucknew waynew way cobra magnumpontiacpontiac grand amrefusesanitationvideo Wed, 15 May 2013 12:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20570146/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20570146/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/15/watch-this-garbage-truck-consume-a-pontiac-grand-am/20570146/article-detail.xml 20570146 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/garbage-truck-crushes-car_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/garbage-truck-crushes-car.jpg <![CDATA[Parking lot traps uncoordinated driver [NSFW]]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/parking-lot-traps-uncoordinated-driver-nsfw/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/parking-lot-traps-uncoordinated-driver-nsfw/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/parking-lot-traps-uncoordinated-driver-nsfw/#comments Filed under: ,



We certainly have sympathy for this hapless driver who had a difficult time leaving a Wits University parking lot in Johannesburg, South Africa. The lot is overcrowded and probably beyond capacity, making the driver's efforts to turn down its lanes an exercise in futility and frustration. It doesn't help that the camera operator and his friends offer nothing but colorful (read: explicit, hence the NSFW warning) commentary. They refer to the driver as being female, but it's not possible to tell from the video's perspective which sex was responsible for bungling the dozen-plus-point turnaround. Scroll down to watch the excruciating extrication below.

Continue reading Parking lot traps uncoordinated driver [NSFW]

Parking lot traps uncoordinated driver [NSFW] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 May 2013 11:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> johannesburgparking lotsouth africatrapped parking lotvideowits university Wed, 15 May 2013 11:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20570432/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20570432/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/15/parking-lot-traps-uncoordinated-driver-nsfw/20570432/article-detail.xml 20570432 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/screen-shot-2013-05-15-at-1.08.16-pm-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/screen-shot-2013-05-15-at-1.08.16-pm-opt.jpg <![CDATA[New Hampshire town suing "Robin Hood" group for filling strangers' parking meters [w/poll]]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/new-hampshire-town-suing-robin-hood-group-for-filling-stranger/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/new-hampshire-town-suing-robin-hood-group-for-filling-stranger/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/new-hampshire-town-suing-robin-hood-group-for-filling-stranger/#comments Filed under: ,



A lawsuit in New Hampshire, a state where they take their slogan - Live Free or Die - seriously, is setting the city of Keene against a group of citizens fighting "the violent monopoly" by putting money in the about-to-expire parking meters of strangers. The action is known as "Robin Hooding in Keene," and there are various ways in which practitioners do it. The specific activity that the city has a problem with is when the Robin Hooders follow the city's parking enforcement officers and, in the city's words, taunt, interfere, harass and intimidate them. Keene officials say the situation is causing its parking officials to think about quitting.

A spokesman for the Robin Hooders argues that videoing and talking to the enforcement officers isn't harassment. The city isn't suing to get them to stop, but it is suing to establish a 50-foot safety zone around the parking meter officers in order to prevent the interactions. There are six members of the group who are named in the suit.

There are videos of Robin Hooding on YouTube which show what kinds of forms it takes. Let us know if you think it helps or hinders the city's case in the poll below.

View Poll

New Hampshire town suing "Robin Hood" group for filling strangers' parking meters [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 May 2013 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> free keenekeenekeene new hampshirelawsuitmeter maidsnew hampshireparkingparking meterrobin hoodrobin hooding Wed, 15 May 2013 10:02:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20569304/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20569304/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/15/new-hampshire-town-suing-robin-hood-group-for-filling-stranger/20569304/article-detail.xml 20569304 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/expired-parking-meter_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/expired-parking-meter.jpg <![CDATA[Domestics win majority of annual Total Quality awards]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/domestics-win-majority-of-annual-total-quality-awards/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/domestics-win-majority-of-annual-total-quality-awards/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/domestics-win-majority-of-annual-total-quality-awards/#comments Filed under:

2013 Strategic Vision Total Quality

Strategic Vision has released its annual Total Quality awards, and some of the winners may come as a surprise. To quote Alexander Edwards, President of Strategic Vision, "For the first time in over a decade our comprehensive and complete study of Quality resulted in more domestic winners than imports."

That's not to say import brands performed poorly. Volkswagen was voted the best overall corporation in Total Quality for the eighth-straight year, and Audi tied with Lexus for the best individual brand. Breaking things down on a model-by-model basis, here are some notable victories: Scroll down below for the full list of winners, both import and domestic, in each and every category.

Continue reading Domestics win majority of annual Total Quality awards

Domestics win majority of annual Total Quality awards originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 May 2013 09:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> auto qualitycar qualitystrategic visiontotal quality awards Wed, 15 May 2013 09:13:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20568470/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20568470/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/15/domestics-win-majority-of-annual-total-quality-awards/20568470/article-detail.xml 20568470 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/2013-total-quality_thumbnail.png http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/2013-total-quality.png <![CDATA[Autoblog Podcast #333 goes LIVE at 10PM Eastern!]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/14/autoblog-podcast-333-goes-live-at-10pm-eastern/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/14/autoblog-podcast-333-goes-live-at-10pm-eastern/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/14/autoblog-podcast-333-goes-live-at-10pm-eastern/#comments Filed under:

Autoblog Podcast Live

We're almost ready to record Episode #333 of the Autoblog Podcast. Check out the topics below, add your own to the Q&A and join us live via UStream, as well. Keep reading for our embedded UStream player, and thanks for listening!

Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #333

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #333 goes LIVE at 10PM Eastern!

Autoblog Podcast #333 goes LIVE at 10PM Eastern! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 May 2013 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> autoblog podcastautoblog podcast liveautoblog podcast topics Tue, 14 May 2013 21:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20569244/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20569244/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/14/autoblog-podcast-333-goes-live-at-10pm-eastern/20569244/article-detail.xml 20569244 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/podcastlivev2stamp_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/podcastlivev2stamp.jpg <![CDATA[Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #333 LIVE!]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/14/submit-your-questions-for-autoblog-podcast-333-live/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/14/submit-your-questions-for-autoblog-podcast-333-live/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/14/submit-your-questions-for-autoblog-podcast-333-live/#comments Filed under:

Autoblog Podcast graphic

We're set to record Autoblog Podcast #333 tonight, and you can drop us your questions and comments via our Q&A module below. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.

Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #333
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Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #333 LIVE! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 May 2013 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> autoblog podcast 333autoblog podcast liveautoblog podcast topicsmike manleyproject ugly horse Tue, 14 May 2013 17:35:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20568810/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20568810/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/14/submit-your-questions-for-autoblog-podcast-333-live/20568810/article-detail.xml 20568810 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/podcastlivev2stamp_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/podcastlivev2stamp.jpg <![CDATA[Lamborghini Aventador reports for taxi duty at Bologna airport]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/13/lamborghini-aventador-reports-for-taxi-duty-at-bologna-airport/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/13/lamborghini-aventador-reports-for-taxi-duty-at-bologna-airport/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/13/lamborghini-aventador-reports-for-taxi-duty-at-bologna-airport/#comments Filed under: , , , , ,

Lamborghini Aventador in airport

Lamborghini has invaded another airport as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations. In January, it took over one of the two runways at Miami-Dade International Airport so it could conduct high-speed runs and have an Aventador pose with a Boeing airliner. Across the Atlantic, the Aventador has just been made the "Follow Me" vehicle at the Aeroporto di Bologna, which is 30 minutes from the company factory in Sant' Agata Bolognese.

According to Auto Evolution, it's been done up just like the Fiat models one normally encounters on such duty - it even has a light bar in case pilots don't simply want to follow the noise. Specially trained airport staff will guide arriving flights to their gates in the Aventador from May 6 to May 19, and once passengers are deplaned, they can check out the Lamborghini exhibit inside the airport.

Lamborghini Aventador reports for taxi duty at Bologna airport originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> 2013 lamborghini aventadoraeroporto di bolognaairportairport equipmentbolognabologna airportlamborghinilamborghini aventador Mon, 13 May 2013 18:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20565863/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20565863/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/13/lamborghini-aventador-reports-for-taxi-duty-at-bologna-airport/20565863/article-detail.xml 20565863 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/lamborghini-aventador-bologna-airport_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/lamborghini-aventador-bologna-airport.jpg <![CDATA[Autoblog Podcast #333 will be slightly delayed]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/13/autoblog-podcast-333-will-happen-tuesday-may-14th/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/13/autoblog-podcast-333-will-happen-tuesday-may-14th/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/13/autoblog-podcast-333-will-happen-tuesday-may-14th/#comments Filed under:



Just a note to all of our loyal Autoblog Podcast fans, logistics this week are pushing our recording and live Ustream broadcast to tomorrow night, Tuesday, May 14. We apologize for delaying your live podcast satisfaction this week, but there's just no other way we're going to get in all 19 holes of golf before the rain arrives. Seriously, we hate to postpone, but we'll see you all tomorrow night. Thanks for your understanding!

Autoblog Podcast #333 will be slightly delayed originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> autoblog podcastpodcast Mon, 13 May 2013 18:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20567178/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20567178/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/13/autoblog-podcast-333-will-happen-tuesday-may-14th/20567178/article-detail.xml 20567178 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/podcastlivev2stamp.jpg.pagespeed.ce.aCYAeoZFGE_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/podcastlivev2stamp.jpg.pagespeed.ce.aCYAeoZFGE.jpg <![CDATA[Watch Brazilian police ram a drug plane with their car to prevent takeoff]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/13/watch-brazilian-police-ram-a-drug-plane-with-their-car-to-preven/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/13/watch-brazilian-police-ram-a-drug-plane-with-their-car-to-preven/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/13/watch-brazilian-police-ram-a-drug-plane-with-their-car-to-preven/#comments Filed under: , ,



After watching this video of Brazilian police ramming a suspected drug-smuggling plane with their car to prevent it from taking off, I've realized that Hollywood has once again lied to me. My last exposure to Brazilian law enforcement was courtesy of their portrayal in 2011's Fast Five, in which the country's police force was presented by Tinsel Town as easily corruptible and able to be defeated by a couple of Americans in Dodge Chargers towing a safe.

In reality, though, it appears not all Brazilian cops roll over that easily. The ones in this dramatic video did their own real-life stunt work when they decided to ram a suspected drug transport plane during takeoff. Appearing to take out the plane's tail section and then ram it from the side, the officers also braved some flying bullets, though it's unclear from the video who was doing the shooting. Huffington Post reports that five people were arrested and 230 kilograms of cocaine base paste were seized.

The Brazilian police aren't even newcomers to the plane-ramming business. An equally, if not more, dramatic video was captured in 2011 that showed Brazilian police using their car to shear off an entire wing of a plane while it was taking off. All of which makes me now believe that if Hollywood were more realistic, Fast Five would've been over in 20 minutes with Dom and Brian in handcuffs. Scroll down to watch this real-life car-vs-plane chase scene.

Continue reading Watch Brazilian police ram a drug plane with their car to prevent takeoff

Watch Brazilian police ram a drug plane with their car to prevent takeoff originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> brazilbrazil policebrazilian policedrug planedrug tradedrug traffickingdrugsplane rammingvideo Mon, 13 May 2013 16:56:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20566792/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20566792/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/13/watch-brazilian-police-ram-a-drug-plane-with-their-car-to-preven/20566792/article-detail.xml 20566792 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/brazil-police-ram-plane-car_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/brazil-police-ram-plane-car.jpg <![CDATA[Flying car falls from sky and crashes [w/video]]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/12/flying-car-falls-from-sky-and-crashes-w-video/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/12/flying-car-falls-from-sky-and-crashes-w-video/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/12/flying-car-falls-from-sky-and-crashes-w-video/#comments Filed under: , , ,



Flying cars aren't on their way, flying cars are here. If we're going to see more of them in the air above us, we're also going to see more images like the one above, in which a Maverick flying car has crash landed in a tree. We wrote about the Maverick in 2010 and the reverse-prop-driven buggy with the removable parasail was certified airworthy by the FAA in June of that year. In this incident the pilot, Ray Siebring, said he was coming in for a landing at the airport in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada when his flying car suddenly made a sharp left turn into three descending spirals.

By the time Siebring stopped the spiraling he was so low that all he could do was mitigate the crash. Noticing an empty school field below, he managed to power up and get the vehicle down just beyond the school ground, through some fencing and into a tree. Neither Siebring nor his passenger was seriously injured.

If you want to see how the Maverick usually works, check out the video below of it making a coffee run.

Continue reading Flying car falls from sky and crashes [w/video]

Flying car falls from sky and crashes [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 12 May 2013 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> accidentcrashflying carmaverickmaverick flying carray siebringwreck Sun, 12 May 2013 18:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20565883/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20565883/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/12/flying-car-falls-from-sky-and-crashes-w-video/20565883/article-detail.xml 20565883 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/flying-car-crash_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/flying-car-crash.jpg <![CDATA[Scanned Mercedes S-Class brochure leaks online]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/12/scanned-mercedes-s-class-brochure-leaks-online/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/12/scanned-mercedes-s-class-brochure-leaks-online/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/12/scanned-mercedes-s-class-brochure-leaks-online/#comments Filed under: , , , ,



That single image of the 2014 Mercedes S-Class that we posted two weeks ago appears to have come from this, the German-language brochure for the coming sedan. The new generation of the luxury limo that rules them all will be unveiled next week (yes, we'll be there), but it seems every week brings a new leak of what we can expect - like the die-cast toy of a few days ago. This time it was user Meilensammler who uploaded these scans to German Car Forum.

The W222 - which will not contain a single light bulb we're told, only LEDs - will come in two lengths that have the same wheelbases as the current W221 (we only get the long wheelbase in the US) but are longer, lower and wider than the current car. Inside, along with those two 12.3-inch TFT screens, are a pair of back seats in the First Class Seating package that look outstanding.

It looks like three models will come at launch. The twin-turbo V8 in the S550 goes up to 4.7 liters in capacity from 4.6 and gets 449 horsepower, a 20-hp bump over the present car, and 516 pound-feet of torque. The S350 Bluetec sticks with the 3.0-liter V6 but will get 258 horsepower, an 18-hp increase, and 457 lb-ft of torque. The 3.5-liter V6 and electric motor combo in the S400 Hybrid will get 302 hp, a jump of 27. The listed 0-60 time of the S550 is 4.8 seconds, but like it's brethren it is limited to a 155 mile-per-hour top speed.

Check out the high-res scans above, and stay tuned on May 15 when the car is revealed.

Scanned Mercedes S-Class brochure leaks online originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 12 May 2013 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> 2014 mercedes-benz s-classmercedesmercedes s-class Sun, 12 May 2013 17:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20565889/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20565889/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/12/scanned-mercedes-s-class-brochure-leaks-online/20565889/article-detail.xml 20565889 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/mercedes-s-class-brochure_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/mercedes-s-class-brochure.jpg <![CDATA[Boatpack box puts a sailing vessel on your roof]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/12/boatpack-box-puts-a-sailing-vessel-on-your-roof/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/12/boatpack-box-puts-a-sailing-vessel-on-your-roof/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/12/boatpack-box-puts-a-sailing-vessel-on-your-roof/#comments Filed under: ,



Roof-mounted carriers are perfect for adding a little extra cargo capacity when heading off on a road trip, but an Australian company has come up with an innovative way to take advantage of this device when not in use. When not needed to carry cargo, the Boatpack becomes a small, lightweight boat, which, as evidenced by the images, can create some absolutely awkward mother-son bonding time. At $1,590, the Boatpack is not cheap, but if you like spending a little time on a small lake while on vacation, this is a pretty interesting idea.

When needed to store cargo, the lockable Boatpack offers 23 cubic feet of volume, but weighing in at just 44 pounds it's also lightweight enough to be removed by just one person for use as a boat. Oars come included with the Boatpack, but it has also been designed to accommodate electric outboard drive units. And for Tommy Boy fans, we all now have a real excuse to yell "stop playing with your dinghy" at people out on the water.

Boatpack box puts a sailing vessel on your roof originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 12 May 2013 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> boatingboatpackcargo carrierdinghyportable boats Sun, 12 May 2013 11:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20564173/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20564173/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/12/boatpack-box-puts-a-sailing-vessel-on-your-roof/20564173/article-detail.xml 20564173 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/boatpack_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/boatpack.jpg <![CDATA[Sir Stirling Moss apologizes to Susie Wolff for slight against women drivers]]> http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/11/sir-stirling-moss-apologies-to-susie-wolff-for-slight-against-wo/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/11/sir-stirling-moss-apologies-to-susie-wolff-for-slight-against-wo/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/11/sir-stirling-moss-apologies-to-susie-wolff-for-slight-against-wo/#comments Filed under: , ,

Stirling Moss

Stop us if you've heard this one: public personality speaks his unfiltered mind in a public forum, one of his unfiltered comments makes people go "OMG did he really say that?!", the Internet shock-and-rehash machine goes dynamo, public personality issues an apology. You didn't stop us, but we'll assume you are familiar with the formula, and Sir Stirling Moss is the latest in the automotive world to follow the script. In April, while a guest on a BBC Radio 5 special, Moss said he believed women "have the strength, but I don't know if they've got the mental aptitude to race hard, wheel-to-wheel" and win a Formula 1 race.

People who didn't even know they had hackles got their hackles up over that one. Moss was also publicly rebuffed by Susie Wolff, a test driver for the Williams F1 team who happens to be a woman. Interestingly, Wolff apparently did say she trains harder in order to be strong enough, but she was talking about muscular, not mental, fortitude.

As for Moss, on May 9 Wolff let everyone know via Twitter that Moss called her to apologize for his comments. Wolff said it was buried, ending the tweet with the same comment she made after the BBC interview aired: "He's entitled to his opinion."

Sir Stirling Moss apologizes to Susie Wolff for slight against women drivers originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 May 2013 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> f1f1 driversfemale f1 driversformula onestirling mosssusie wolffwomen in f1 Sat, 11 May 2013 15:03:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20564734/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20564734/article-comments.html http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/11/sir-stirling-moss-apologies-to-susie-wolff-for-slight-against-wo/20564734/article-detail.xml 20564734 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/sir-stirling-moss_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/sir-stirling-moss.jpg -1 2