REPORT: Ford preparing cops for life after Crown Vic, has police sample Taurus originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We've run across plenty of custom motorcycles in our time, and the goal of many of them is to combine the best features of both sportbikes and cruisers into one machine. The Suzuki Hayabusa is arguably the king of the sportbike, and there is no arguing that Harley-Davidson is the owner of both the custom and cruising crowns. We can imagine combining the two to make a laid-back, yet super-fast custom, but the thought of torturing yourself with the feet-back, forward-lean position forced by a sportbike with clip-ons, combined with the shaky, grunty lump of American V-Twin underneath had eluded us... that is, until we saw the Barley. We kind of like the name "Harley-Busa" better, but nobody asked us for our opinion. If they had, we might have questioned the wisdom of taking this particular route in the ongoing effort of making motorcycle bliss, but now that it's done, it's really not half bad. The original plans for this unholy union called for a turbo, and we think that its inclusion could only improve this machine.

If you want to replicate this offbeat creation, you can get the frame from Maximum Motorcycles, and soon, the body-work in carbon fiber from Tricky Air & Billet. If this doesn't strike you as a marriage worth consummating, though, might we suggest the alternate possibility of owning both a Hayabusa and a Harley? Just a thought.

[Source: Cyril Huze Blog]

Ever ridden a Barley? How 'bout a Harley Busa? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There were no eulogies. No bagpipes were played or honor-guard gunshots fired. Few paid any notice, but on December 21, the Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible passed quietly into the night and was buried. And we doubt many will miss it.

The axing of the ragtop PT is part of the phasing-out of several Chrysler LLC products devised by its new owners in order to cut costs. Earlier we brought you the news that the Chrysler Crossfire ceased production in Germany. Before that, the Chrysler Pacifica ended its lifecycle in November. Although originally only the convertible version of the PT Cruiser was scheduled for execution, reports later suggested that the regular hard-top wagon version could also be discontinued.

While those Chryslers likewise won't be terribly missed, except by small pockets of devoted enthusiasts, the next to lie under the Chrysler LLC guillotine will be the Dodge Magnum, which is being discontinued in March. The gonzo wagon dropped 25% in sales in 2007 over the previous year. As Inside Line points out, however, if you're still keen on getting a Magnum (or a PT convertible, for that matter), some good deals are likely to be had from local dealers eager to sell the last remnants of a dying breed.

[Source: Inside Line]

Buh-bye: Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible ends production originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Jan 2008 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Chrysler said to be planning wake for Magnum, Pacifica, PT Cruiser originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Oct 2007 08:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Carbon Motors E7 police car

Continue reading Calling all cars: Carbon Motors purpose-built police car

Calling all cars: Carbon Motors purpose-built police car originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Sep 2007 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Toledo cops begin selling ads on police cruisers originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Jul 2007 10:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Over the past decade or so, Toyota has built up an SUV empire, ranging from the RAV4 to the Sequoia and the FJ Cruiser to the Lexus RX450h, with everything in between. But its flagship sport-ute has been on the market - all but completely untouched - for nine years now. And even for trucks that's a long life-cycle. While the Land Cruiser (and its luxury sister the Lexus LX) still won't be getting the top-to-bottom overhaul it so richly deserves, it is getting what will probably amount to a stop-gap update in 2008.

The biggest change is tipped to come under the hood. In foreign markets the Japanese-produced Land Cruiser is offered with a wide range of engines, but in the United States there's only one powerplant offered in both the Toyota and Lexus versions. That 4.7-liter V8 is expected to be ditched for the new 5.7-liter VVT-I V8 from the new Toyota Tundra pick-up truck, complete with Toyota's new six-speed automatic.

Following random shots here and there, more mules were spotted while testing in southern Europe. It'd be fairly safe to say that the styling won't be a radical departure by any stretch of the imagination, just an update on the theme people have come to recognize as the Land Cruiser. That shouldn't stop Toyota from significantly upgrading the interior, though.

With so many SUVs on offer, we can't imagine Toyota sells that many Land Cruisers worldwide, certainly not in the American market. But like other rugged, iconic SUVs (the Mercedes G-Wagon and Land Rover Defender come to mind), they continue to produce it for those who demand nothing less - and nothing more.

[Source: Truck Trend via eGM CarTech]

Spy Shots: Toyota Land Cruiser/Lexus LX 570 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Jan 2007 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Alfa Romeo 159 new Italian "Pantera" originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 13 May 2006 14:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Texas law enforcement issued 700 HP Hummer originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 May 2006 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Detroit fuzz first with hydrogen fuel cell cop car originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 09 Apr 2006 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.