Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[VIDEO: Being "That Guy" in Romania]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/14/video-being-that-guy-in-romania/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/14/video-being-that-guy-in-romania/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/14/video-being-that-guy-in-romania/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Have you ever been "that guy?" We're talking about that motorist who causes a massive traffic jam on account of a flat tire, blown engine or other unfortunate event out of his control. Most of the time it's not as if "that guy" sets out to break down and snarl the afternoon rush.

But then there's the advanced-level "That Guy." That Guy has generally done something completely stupid, which ultimately causes this whole mess. Based on this video clip sent in by a reader, That Guy was recently seen in Romania. A traffic cam caught him driving his SUV on the train tracks (always a good idea) that split a Bucharest highway. A little fishtailing action is seen, and then... he's stopped. Trains can only pass in one direction, and you can watch as the crowd around him grows over time. At one point, it looks as if the passengers from a train he's blocking are all let off, as a swarm of people walk past him and continue up the tracks. Full "That Guyness" is achieved when a flatbed shows up to pull him out of his predicament, which manages to stop both train and road traffic. There was probably a lot of cursing in Romanian. The video's after the jump. Thanks, Mircea!

UPDATE: The vehicle in question is a Hyundai Santa Fe, photos of which can be seen at Autolatest.com. Its soft-roading abilities apparently do not include railroad tracks. Thanks to Lucian for the heads-up!

[Source: Automarket.ro]

Continue reading VIDEO: Being "That Guy" in Romania

VIDEO: Being "That Guy" in Romania originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blocking trolleyBlockingTrolleybucharestdriving on train tracksdriving on trolley tracksDrivingOnTrainTracksDrivingOnTrolleyTracksthat guyThatGuyFri, 14 Mar 2008 13:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Golden Oldie: 18-karat Vee-Dub in Bucharest]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/10/golden-oldie-18-karat-vee-dub-in-bucharest/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/10/golden-oldie-18-karat-vee-dub-in-bucharest/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/10/golden-oldie-18-karat-vee-dub-in-bucharest/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This isn't exactly what the recording industry had in mind when The Beatles went gold for the first time. But then, who would have predicted back then that the Iron Curtain would fall and that Eastern Europe would grow into one of the world's largest markets for tasteless luxury items.

This 1968 Volkswagen Beetle, unveiled at this year's Luxury Show in Bucharest, Romania, is covered in tiles made of glass and 18-karat gold. We'd say if you have to ask, you can't afford it, but it strikes us that the whole point of building or buying something this perversely ostentatious is to flaunt to the world just how much it's worth. In this case, the figure is actually just $88,000.

If you're thinking that eighty-eight grand will buy you a well-equipped Porsche 911, we're not far behind you. But then, whoever would even consider buying something this ridiculous probably has a couple of "ordinary" Porsches lying around the grounds already.

[Source: Luxurylaunches.com]

Golden Oldie: 18-karat Vee-Dub in Bucharest originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beetlebucharestbuggoldluxuryromaniashowvolkswagenvwMon, 10 Dec 2007 19:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Matech Ford GT wins its first race in FIA GT3]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/23/matech-ford-gt-wins-its-first-race-in-fia-gt3/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/23/matech-ford-gt-wins-its-first-race-in-fia-gt3/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/23/matech-ford-gt-wins-its-first-race-in-fia-gt3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


click above image for 45 more desktop wallpaper-size pics

No doubt followers of FIA GT3 racing were surprised at how well the Ford GTs from Matech ran in the first two races at Silverstone earlier this month. No one, however, was prepared for the can of whoop ass they opened up in Bucarest last weekend. Despite heavy rain at times, the two Matech Ford GTs were dominant, though not both at the same time.

The first GT3 race of the weekend was won by the #34 JMB Racing Ferrari F430, but the #43 Matech Ford GT driven by Thomas Mutsch and Martin Bartek finished second, the best result in the first three races of the season for a Ford GT. The second race of the weekend, however, concluded with the #44 Matech Ford GT driven by Stefan van Campenhoudt and Romain Bera crossing the finish line first, ahead of no less than three Porsche GT3s that were chasing it down. Romain Bera was driving the Ford GT at the race's conclusion and didn't realize until after the race that one of his rear tires had gone flat near the end. Despite that and the heavy rain, Matech left Bucharest with its first win and a solid second-place finish - an amazing result considering their program is about four months old.

We've got a gallery full of gorgeous shots from the Bucharest street race, and we threw in a lot of extra pics taken of the headlining FIA GT race, as well. We wish it were easier to follow the FIA GT series from the U.S., as watching such varied marques battling on the same track would be a dream come true, or at least better than watching NASCAR's CoT turning left all day long.

[Source: FIA GT3]

Gallery: 2007 FIA GT and GT3 race in Bucharest

Matech Ford GT wins its first race in FIA GT3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 May 2007 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bucharestfia gtfia gt3FiaGtFiaGt3ford gtFordGtgt3matech ford gtMatechFordGtWed, 23 May 2007 20:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Bucharest Ring race track circles Romanian Parliament]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/26/bucharest-ring-circles-romanian-parliament/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/26/bucharest-ring-circles-romanian-parliament/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/26/bucharest-ring-circles-romanian-parliament/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Getting around Capitol Hill in Washington, DC can be a tricky venture, but getting around the Parliament Palace in Bucharest, Romania, has gotten considerably easier. Not because the local politics are any less entangled, but because the Romanian legislature is being surrounded by a race track.

The Bucharest Ring, as it's being called, runs some three kilometers around the government building, and the plan is to include 70,000 grandstand seats around the circuit, designed by prolific track architect Herman Tilke.

Racing events are already being lined up for the new track, including the FIA GT Championship, FIA GT3 European Championship, British Formula 3 International Series and the domestic Logan Cup. The GP Masters series, which features over-the-hill legends reliving the glory days in open-wheels, was scheduled to race in Bucharest, but the fate of the entire series remains in jeopardy.

An FIA GT car should lap the track in 1 min 15.3 sec at an average speed of 148.6 km/h. Maybe the legislators will draw some inspiration and speed up the political process.

[Source: Bucharest Ring and GrandPrix.com]

Bucharest Ring race track circles Romanian Parliament originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Apr 2007 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bucharestfiagthermanparliamentringromaniatilkeThu, 26 Apr 2007 18:27:00 EST