Autoblog

Pixar licenses Cars 2 AMC villains for a song thanks to Chrysler bankruptcy

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Chrysler, Celebrities, MISC

Joe Mantegna and Peter Jacobson from Pixar's CARS 2 - Click above for high-res gallery

Earlier this week, we spent the day at Pixar to get a sneak peak at Cars 2. And before you ask, here's what you want to know: The sequel is an order of magnitude more awesome than the original and chief creative honcho John Lasseter drives a Mercedes-Benz SL65. So with that out of the way...

While interviewing one of the feature's principles, we asked about vehicle licensing. When the flick hits theaters June 24, you'll see "Carified" (their term, not ours) versions of everything from Audi to Opel models, but the villains in the film are made up of what the Pixar team contends are the world's worst cars. So there's an assortment of unloved Eastern European metal mixed in with two main antagonists: an AMC Pacer ("Acer" - voiced by Peter Jacobson) and a Gremlin ("Grem" - voiced by Joe Mantegna).

Obviously, it would be a tough sell to go to an automaker and say "We need villains, and your cars are perfect representations for the most loathsome creations on wheels," but the Pixar people came to AMC's owners - Chrysler - at precisely the right time.

When Pixar approached the automaker about licensing the names and likenesses of two vehicles for the film, Chrysler was in the throes of bankruptcy, it was divorcing itself of Cerberus, and it wasn't sure who its next parent would be... if indeed it was to have one at all. Pixar - knowingly or otherwise - took advantage of the situation and managed to snag usage rights to the vehicles for the film just when the automaker was in turmoil and strapped for cash. The results are spectacular, but you'll have to wait for our full story and the animated feature to come to your local cineplex to find out why.

Gallery: CARS 2

Gallery: CARS 2 Characters

[Images: Pixar]

Pixar licenses Cars 2 AMC villains for a song thanks to Chrysler bankruptcy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Chevy Vega development film yields priceless look at 1970s auto design

Dan Roth — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Etc., Videos, Chevrolet

Chevrolet Vega Car & Track segment - Click above to view the video after the jump

"The goal is to be nifty." Quite a gem of a quote from Car & Track's look into the work behind bringing the Chevrolet Vega to market. C&T was among the first national television shows that covered both auto racing and road tested the cars of its day, and their videos remain fun to watch and offer a glimpse into the past to see cars that have become both famous and infamous in their original context.

Looking at the Vega's design, testing, engineering and construction, C&T calls it "the most precisely engineered car built in America." Uh-huh. Thankfully, 'precisely engineered' means something rather different today, and even if we don't lust after the Vega like other cars from its era, we can still enjoy a glimpse inside some of General Motors' vehicle development and testing methods from some forty years ago. Check out the video after the jump - and be sure to scroll down to see what C&T has to say about the one-and-only 1971 AMC Gremlin, too! Top tip, Tom!

[Source: Car & Track via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Chevy Vega development film yields priceless look at 1970s auto design

Video: Chevy Vega development film yields priceless look at 1970s auto design originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Hydrogen-powered 1972 AMC Gremlin by George Barris

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 27 May 2010 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Etc., Technology, Hatchback

1972 hydrogen-powered AMC Gremlin - Click above for high-res image gallery

When one thinks of advanced technology, the AMC Gremlin rarely (if ever) pops to mind. In fact, these days, unless you happen to be watching re-runs of the first season of True Blood you likely wouldn't think of the Gremlin under any circumstances. Today's eBay Motors find is a very special hydrogen-powered Gremlin that we've never heard of before.

As the story goes, back in the early 1970s, 64 university teams built cars to compete in the Urban Vehicle Design Challenge, with this machine coming out of the labs at the University of California - Los Angeles. The Gremlin was donated to UCLA by American Motors and Ford provided a 351 Cleveland V8. The UCLA team worked with suppliers such as Hooker, Edelbrock, Union Carbide and none other than Kustom Kar King George Barris to get the supplies needed to convert the V8 to run on hydrogen and get the car competition ready. The Impco-provided hydrogen tanks in the back only gave the Gremlin a 68-mile range, but considering the lack of fuel injection and sophisticated electronics, that's not bad.

The wanton nostalgics among us aren't just drawn to the car's eccentric powertrain, but also to its period-appropriate mustard yellow paint, tire-tread bumpers, vintage Polyglas tires, and a couple of racing buckets that we'd like to mount on swivels and have in the Autoblog Living Room.

Incidentally, the Gremlin ultimately won the competition based on the fact that the steam emanating the from the tailpipe was cleaner than the air going into the carburetor. At this point, there are no bids on the car and it's not clear if it runs, but we'd stand we-hell back before firing it up for the first time.

Gallery: eBay find of the day: 1972 hydrogen AMC Gremlin

[Sources: eBay Motors, Wired]

eBay Find of the Day: Hydrogen-powered 1972 AMC Gremlin by George Barris originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 May 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 24 Hours of LeMons Ford Escort ZX2 flips out

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Ford

Rubbing is Racing - click above to watch the video

One of the common, angry refrains that veteran 24 Hours of LeMons teams voice is the fact that the $500 junker series keeps increasing the safety requirements, especially when it comes to roll cages. After all, their cage passed the tech inspection last time, no problem. Why the hassle, man?

It can be safely assumed however, that the driver of the Ford Escort ZX2 sees no problem with tighter, tougher (and yes, safer) LeMons roll cage requirements. First and foremost, the driver walked away from the wreck (it took place at last weekend's Gator-O-Rama 2010 race near Houston, TX) with zero injuries. Second of all, the following video is a very good lesson in why your wheels shouldn't stick out past your car's fenders. Sadly, the AMC Gremlin that the Escort climbed up isn't visible. However, you can see a little piece of its side wing airborne in the image above. Watch the video, after the jump. Thanks to DrWife for capturing the footage!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: 24 Hours of LeMons Ford Escort ZX2 flips out

Video: 24 Hours of LeMons Ford Escort ZX2 flips out originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Don't let it eat after midnight - AMC Gremlin reimagined

Dan Roth — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Hatchback, Rendered Speculation

Click above for high-res image gallery of Jeff Teague's AMC Gremlin

Jeff Teague is the son of former AMC design chief Dick Teague, and his father's work at the scrappy independent automaker created some of the most memorable designs ever. Jeff Teague is a designer himself, and not too long ago his reimagining of the AMX musclecar caught our eye. That exercise left Teague so inspired that he fleshed out what a modern-day Gremlin might look like. Being fond of the original helps us like this new take on the car, even if it's pretty far removed looks-wise. We like that it's not blatantly retro; the only real concession to the past is the C-Pillar shape, and hey, the Infiniti FX already swiped that. The proportions and overall look bring to mind several current vehicles from other manufacturers, making us think that the Gremlin was about 35 years ahead of its time.

Gallery: AMC Gremlin by Jeff Teague

[Source: socalamc.com via Hemmings]

Don't let it eat after midnight - AMC Gremlin reimagined originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hong Kong company revives Mustang II, Pacer

Chris Tutor — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 16:11:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

And the Gremlin and the Pinto. Yeah, all scale models, but didn't your jaw drop just a little after reading the headline? Mine did after spotting these at a major discount retailer's toy department last week. Available in 1:60, 1:24 and as a remote control 1:16 scale, these bad-rep rods of the 70s are part of the Fresh Cherries lineup from Motormax.

Surrounded by other, more respectable models like a Bugatti Veyron, the 2006 Camaro Concept, and a Ferrari F40, the 1:60-sized Gremlin on my work desk has sparked many conversations. The kitsch factor of these small mechanical monsters goes to 11. At less than $4 for the smallest versions, you can afford to have your very own ignoble garage, or recreate an 80s-era used car lot. For even more realism, set the Pinto on fire, and leave the Mustang II next to the Gremlin in the yard to build up some nice rust. We imagine the remote control Mustang II might cost more than a 1:1 scale version, though it would probably hold its value better.

We can't wait for the next round. What should be on that list? Hmm. Vega, Citation, maybe a Le Car.

Check the jump for a larger promotional photo from Motormax.

Continue reading Hong Kong company revives Mustang II, Pacer

Hong Kong company revives Mustang II, Pacer originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Jan 2007 16:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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