Autoblog

GM auctioning off Military Tribute Camaro to benefit wounded veterans [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:15:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Etc., Chevrolet, GM, Design/Style

General Motors is set to auction off a special Chevrolet Camaro airbrushed by Mickey Harris as a tribute to the nation's armed forces. The design pays homage to all five branches of the country's military with a unique mural, and the vehicle is headed to the Barrett-Jackson classic car auction in Scottsdale, Arizona next month.

Proceeds from the auction will go toward the Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans. The organization helps wounded vets overcome their disabilities by participating in mainstream athletics and has doubled in size since 2010. GM has supported the charity with various donations in the past, including the contribution of 20 hand cycles.

GM will show off the Harris Camaro during this weekend's Army Navy game, with CBS Sports devoting some time to speak with GM CEO and U.S. Naval Academy graduate Dan Akerson as well as members of the Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans. Click past the jump for the full press release as well as an excellent new spot on GM's involvement with the charity.

Continue reading GM auctioning off Military Tribute Camaro to benefit wounded veterans [w/video]

GM auctioning off Military Tribute Camaro to benefit wounded veterans [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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U.S. military considers replacing Humvee with diesel hybrid L-ATV

Autoblog Staff — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, SUV, Truck, Etc., Government/Legal, Military, Diesel, Off-Road

The battle-tested AM General Hummer is on its way out and it's time to bid farewell to the aging military vet.

In the Humvee's place could step the L-ATV. The Wisconsin-built Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle is built by Oshkosh Defense. Powered by a diesel-electric hybrid powertrain, the The L-ATV appears capable of traversing nearly any type of terrain.

The L-ATV is highly armored, can accept multiple armor configurations and has nearly unmatched off-road capabilities. Oshkosh's proprietary TAK-4i independent suspension system offers an impressive 20 inches of suspension travel at each wheel, which Oshkosh says is 25 percent more than any vehicle currently in use by the U.S. military.

While drivers of the L-ATV probably have more pressing issues to consider than the vehicle's carbon emissions, they no doubt don't want to be stranded by a vehicle that runs out of fuel deep in enemy territory. That's one reason why the L-ATV's diesel hybrid powertrain make sense (there are others). So, as the aging Humvee retires from active duty, do you think it will be the diesel hybrid L-ATV that takes over?

U.S. military considers replacing Humvee with diesel hybrid L-ATV originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Army wins fight to keep spending money on NASCAR sponsorship [w/poll]

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:24:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Government/Legal, Marketing/Advertising

Minnesota Congresswoman Betty McCollum is a Democrat looking at areas where the budget can be cut. Her current target is military spending. More specifically, she is focused on banning the military from spending money advertising in NASCAR. She introduced a measure to this effect, and it was shot down by a vote of 241-148.

The US Army spent $7 million in 2010 to sponsor a car in NASCAR and has a signed contract with Stewart-Haas racing to put its logo on a car for 2011. In contrast, the Marines, Navy and Coast Guard all ended NASCAR sponsorships back in 2006.

McCollum feels that spending money in this arena is an inappropriate use of military funds. Ramsey Poston, NASCAR's Managing Director for Corporate Communications, sees things a little differently. According to 2009 data gathered by Experian, one in five NASCAR fans have served in the military, while one in three active service members are fans of the sport. Also, the Army states that it received 46,000 recruiting leads in 2010 thanks to the racing team.

And so, we ask you: Should the United States Army sponsor a NASCAR team?

View Poll

[Source: The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Inside Line | Image: John Harrelson/Getty]

Report: Army wins fight to keep spending money on NASCAR sponsorship [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Dana Point Concours: Don "The Snake" Prudhomme tribute

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:19:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Celebrities

Don Prudhomme's 1974 Army sponsored Chevrolet Vega funny car - Click above for high-res image gallery

The 28th Annual Dana Point Concours d'Elegance took place this past Sunday and once again found the Monarch Beach Golf Links at the St. Regis Resort to be a perfect venue. As beautiful as the resort is, though, we were a bit perplexed to hear visitors talking so openly and enthusiastically about all of the snakes they had been seeing there.

"Did you see The Snake? There are four snakes up on the hill! The Snake was riding around in a golf cart a few minutes ago, make sure you go see him."

The well-traveled Reptilia was none other than Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, the honorary chairman of this year's concours. "The Snake" didn't come empty-handed to this party either. No, he brought with him a quartet of his funky funny cars from the 1970s, including the sole remaining Mattel Hot Wheels 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Funny Car that became famous during the "Snake vs. Mongoose" match races between Prudhomme and Tom "The Mongoose" McEwen. Back in the day, these two warriors famously squared off in match races across the country while also making countless appearances at toy stores, retail outlets and other locations.

The Barracuda was parked atop the same 1967 Dodge D-700 crew cab Hot Wheels Ramp Truck that was used to transport the race car on that promotional tour. The gorgeous yellow duo emerged from frame-off restorations just in time for SEMA last year, and seeing it there instantly transported us back to our youths, when our Hot Wheels checklist included not only this screaming yellow Plymouth, but Prudhomme's red, white and blue Hot Wheels and ARMY cars as well. Imagine our delight, then, when we saw some of those cars parked right alongside the Baracuda and transport in Dana Point on Sunday.

Front and center sat the white 1972 Hot Wheels sponsored Plymouth 'Cuda funny car, to its left the 1974 Army sponsored Chevrolet Vega funny car and to the right the 1978 Army Plymouth Arrow funny car which proudly carries the "Number 1," reflecting Prudhomme's fourth consecutive NHRA World Championship season. The Snake himself was also part of the attraction on Sunday, recounting old racing tales and signing autographs for the masses. He even took a few minutes to visit with the Cagahys, a couple who happened to bring their own Prudhomme car to the event - a 2009 Shelby Mustang Prudhomme Edition. We took lots of pics, which you can check out in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2010 Dana Point Concours – Don Prudhomme

2010 Dana Point Concours: Don "The Snake" Prudhomme tribute originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Custom Chevrolet Camaro is ultimate tribute to fallen servicemen

Zach Bowman — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Budget, Performance, Chevrolet, Design/Style

Tribute 2010 Chevrolet Camaro - Click above for high-res image gallery

On Christmas day, 2007, Constandina Tutten was informed that her husband, Army Sergeant Joseph Tutten had been killed in the line of duty in Iraq. Sgt. Tutten was a squad leader with the 82nd Airborne, and had fallen to an IED while helping to clear Tikrit of insurgents. After hearing Tutten's story, Camaro5 member TheSpyMaster enlisted the help of a few others to help create a tribute 2010 Chevorlet Camaro in honor of anyone who has given their lives in service to this country.

What started as a simple customization with aftermarket wheels and smoked taillight lenses grew into an all-out show car. New scissor doors and a wild body kit helped nab the Camaro top honors at a few local car shows, but that wasn't enough for TheSpyMaster. The guy topped the whole thing off with a complete American-themed vinyl wrap.

While the look won't be for everyone, you have to respect TheSpyMaster's dedication in his efforts to get America's service men and women the respect and honor they deserve. Check out a smattering of images in our gallery below, but be sure to head on over to Camaro5 for the fully monty.

Gallery: Tribute 2010 Chevrolet Camaro

[Source: Camaro5]

Custom Chevrolet Camaro is ultimate tribute to fallen servicemen originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Humvee orders about to end, have you met the MRAP?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 17:27:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Truck, Government/Legal, Military, Off-Road

United States Army HMMWV (Humvee) - Click above for high-res image gallery

We never really thought of the HMMWV (aka the Humvee) as a military vehicle with a "flat bottom, low weight, low ground clearance and aluminum body," but to American soldiers using the heavily-armored machines as their main source of transportation, those descriptors apparently apply all too well. In fact, the Humvee is downright dangerous in certain situations, namely when facing a roadside explosion from a remotely-detonated Improvised Explosive Device, or IED, which are the number one killer of soldiers in Iraq.

As such, the military went looking for a vehicle more appropriate for modern warfare, and what it found is called the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, or MRAP for short. These heavily armored machines are raised high up off the ground and sport a V-shaped hull underneath to help divert blasts away from the passenger compartment.

The result: "Commanders consistently report that MRAPs, with their V-shaped hulls and added armored protection, are saving lives and reducing casualties," reports Major General Thomas Spoehr in testimony he recently submitted to Congress. The Pentagon expects there to be 5,250 MRAPs in use in Afghanistan by September.

So, 2010 marks the end of an era in military Humvee use. The Army will reportedly purchase about 2,600 more Humvees in 2010, which will be added to the current fleet, rounding the total number of units to 150,000. The last new Humvee will be ordered sometime in April. These remaining Humvees will be used primarily in non-combat situations and in parts of the world where IED use isn't an established battle tactic.

Interestingly, though, USA Today reports that Marine Corps Commandant James Conway has said the Marines are investigating ways to retrofit a V-shaped hull to the classic Humvee. Might there still be life left in the old bird?

Gallery: U.S. Army HMMWV (Humvee)

[Source: USA Today]

Humvee orders about to end, have you met the MRAP? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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U.S. Army to give long-serving Humvee honorable discharge?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:31:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Hummer, Military, Specialty, Off-Road

United States Army HMMWV (Humvee) - Click above for high-res image gallery

The military-spec High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV, or Humvee) has had a long and honorable lifespan, for sure. But there's no arguing that American troops in Iraq, Afghanistan or anywhere else the U.S. military is active need a new vehicle that's been designed and built to counter modern warfare tactics.

This being the case, it's not terribly surprising to hear that the final 2,620 Humvees have been ordered from Mishawaka, Indiana-based AM General by the U.S. Army. In total, AM General has produced 240,000 Humvees since 1985.

Just as the Humvee replaced the original military Jeep some 25 years ago, today's replacement is seen as a response to a revised set of needs in the battlefield, not the least of which is adequate protection from improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. More than 1,700 U.S. troops have died in Iraq alone from IEDs as of last month, and the military is responding by switching to Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, or MRAPs, and the M-ATV from Oshkosh.

The Humvee story isn't yet over, however, as the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force still have many of them in service. What's more, the Army's latest budget includes nearly a billion dollars to maintain its existing fleet of Humvees. Also keep in mind that the Humvees used for military purposes are not the same as those sold under the civilian Hummer brand, which General Motors is still working to sell to Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery of China. For more Humvee goodness, check out the high-res gallery below. All photos are courtesy U.S. Army.

Gallery: U.S. Army HMMWV (Humvee)

[Source: The Canadian Press via Google | Image: U.S. Army]

U.S. Army to give long-serving Humvee honorable discharge? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Archival footage reveals Preston Tucker's novel military Combat Car

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:55:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Classics, Videos, Military

Tucker Combat Car - Click above to watch video after the jump

Preston Tucker was nothing if not an innovator. While best known for the failed automaker that bore his name and the 51 iconoclastic Tucker Torpedo sedans his venture managed to push out before shutting its doors for good in 1948, that company was not the entrepreneur's first foray into the transportation sector. Way back in the mid 1930s, Tucker and famed engine builder Harry Miller began designing race cars for the Indianapolis 500 before Miller's death in 1943.

Upon returning back home to Michigan, Preston Tucker commenced designing an armored Combat Car for the U.S. military. Though the design was ultimately rejected, the vehicle featured a number of innovations and eventually led to the successful manufacturing contract to produce Tucker Turrets for the U.S. Navy.

Hit the jump for some awesome archival footage of Tucker's Combat Car in action along with such innovations as same-size swappable bulletproof windows, separately adjustable headlights (not unlike those slated for the Torpedo), a bulletproof and multi-chambered radiator, individually-braked wheels and the ability to traverse rough terrain with a top speed of 115 mph.

[Source: YouTube | Photo: US Army via Warwheels.net]

Continue reading VIDEO: Archival footage reveals Preston Tucker's novel military Combat Car

VIDEO: Archival footage reveals Preston Tucker's novel military Combat Car originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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U.S. Army declares Arizona car dealer a no-go zone

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Government/Legal

If you believe the Johnston family, owners of Wildcat Mitsubishi in Tucson and Ideal Automotive in Sierra Vista, Arizona, they have a little communication and paperwork problem. If you believe the soldiers at the Army base in Fort Huachuca, the Better Business Bureau, the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions, the Arizona Transportation Department, the police department, and at least one civilian customer, the Johnstons have a much larger number of far more serious problems.

The Army base has banned personnel from patronizing the dealerships, alleging its soldiers have been abused. Soldier James Tuman traded in an SUV and a motorcycle and got financing from Ideal Automotive to buy a used car. When he tried to return the car because of mechanical issues, the Johnston's wouldn't give him his money back, instead saying he could buy another car on the lot. When he threatened to complain, they said they'd declare the car repossessed, which could hurt Tuman's security clearance. Tuman ended up with no money and no car.

Other complaints against Johnstons range from financing auto loans without a license and issuing temporary tags with the wrong VIN numbers. The Johnstons say they are sorting things out... but until the Army et al sort things out with the Johnstons, you might want to give Wildcat and Ideal a wide berth.

[Source: Auto News, sub req'd]

U.S. Army declares Arizona car dealer a no-go zone originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Military makes stronger Humvee from balsa wood and foam

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:31:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Hummer, Military

TPI Composites has built a Hummer for the Army that is made of composite materials. The Hummer loses 900 pounds of metal body panels and parts, which are then replaced with parts fabricated of fiberglass, balsa wood, foam, and carbon, with resin as a bonding agent.

That 900 pounds is then put back in the vehicle in the form of extra armor where the truck most needs it: in areas that will protect it from roadside bombs. The composite truck has some quirks -- like a body that feels like sandpaper, and the fact that the fenders bend and some other panels are pliable. Yet even though it weighs the same as a traditional Humvee, the point is that it's better built to withstand the threat that kills more soldiers than any other.

AM General and the Army spent 18 months doing R&D on the vehicle. No tests have been carried out yet and the Army hasn't committed to buying any. But if substituting metal for composites and additional armor is shown to save lives, then the vehicle -- which costs more than a standard Humvee -- could make a lot of friends in dangerous places.

[Source: Gizmodo]

Military makes stronger Humvee from balsa wood and foam originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The US military may get its own hybrid bruiser

Eric Bryant — Mon, 15 May 2006 17:28:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Work

The primary job of the US military's ground forces isn't to haul fuel, but you wouldn't know that by looking at the mix of cargo that it lugs around the battlefield. Approximately 70% of military vehicle cargo is fuel, which is no surprise considering that a large off-road truck may only get 2-4 MPG. Add everything up, and cost of getting that fuel to the front lines can top $600/gallon.

Oshkosh has a solution, however - the Heavy Expanded Mobility Technical Truck, or HEMTT, fitted with the company's ProPulse hybrid drive system. The system uses a diesel motor to spin a generator in a series hybrid configuration, where no mechanical connection exists between the IC engine and the drive axles. Ultracapacitors are used instead of batteries to store energy. The ProPulse system packs 300 kilowatts (just over 400 HP) of electrical power - enough to lug 13 tons of cargo around, over, or through just about any terrain. Used as a stationary generator, the HEMTT can power several houses in event of a power outage.

The packaging of the hybrid drivetrain leads to better operator comfort, vastly improved serviceability, and a center of gravity that's lowered by over a foot when compared to a conventional drivetrain.

The system is currently in the prototype phase, and there is no definitive date for the system to enter active duty. The cost of the system is also unknown at this time. We just want to know when we can pick one up at a surplus auction.

[Source: AP via Yahoo!]

The US military may get its own hybrid bruiser originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 May 2006 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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