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: TN Senator Corker's daughter carjacked, suspects apprehended via OnStar]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/video-tn-senator-corkers-daughter-carjacked-suspects-apprehen/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/video-tn-senator-corkers-daughter-carjacked-suspects-apprehen/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/video-tn-senator-corkers-daughter-carjacked-suspects-apprehen/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Senator Corker praises OnStar -- Click above to watch the video

Tennessee Senator Bob Corker had this opinion of OnStar a month ago: "Each month I get the bill for OnStar and [I think], 'I don't want to pay this again.'" Then his daughter Julia was carjacked in Washington D.C. last week driving his Chevrolet Tahoe, and having been yanked out of the car by her throat, she was left lying in the street.

Thankfully, Corker's daughter was all right, and she was able to call her father who was nearby. She also remembered that the vehicle as equipped with General Motors' OnStar system, and within an hour, the service had notified the D.C. police that the Tahoe was parked at a Taco Bell seven miles away in Maryland. Corker said that the carjacking happened about 9:15 pm, and by midnight the suspects had been identified and he was headed back home with his daughter.

His opinion of OnStar now: "this is an incredible service." Follow through to the jump to hear about the ordeal in Corker's words (the OnStar talk begins at about 2:15), or check out CNN for the nitty gritty details. And for proof of the extent of Southern politesse, Corker begins the tale with "A gentleman appeared, opened the door, grabbed her by the neck... and he threw her on the pavement and drove away." A "gentleman?" Hat tip to Berto!

[Sources: Politico; CNN]

Continue reading VIDEO: TN Senator Corker's daughter carjacked, suspects apprehended via OnStar

VIDEO: TN Senator Corker's daughter carjacked, suspects apprehended via OnStar originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bob corkerBobCorkercarjackcarjackingcorkeretcgovernmentonstarsenator bob corkersenator corkerSenatorBobCorkerSenatorCorkervideoMon, 07 Dec 2009 09:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Ricardo develops airplane taxi bot to reduce emissions, noise]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/21/ricardo-develops-airplane-taxi-bot-to-reduce-emissions-noise/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/21/ricardo-develops-airplane-taxi-bot-to-reduce-emissions-noise/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/21/ricardo-develops-airplane-taxi-bot-to-reduce-emissions-noise/#commentsFiled under: ,

Ricardo TaxiBot -- Click above for high-res image gallery

It's certainly good to see some other wheeled vehicles doing their part for the environment, even if it is an airplane -- especially if it's an airplane. Actually this news isn't about the plane itself, but a "pilot-controlled towing vehicle" for an airplane called a "TaxiBot."

Ricardo -- the same folks that make car components -- have engineered the TaxiBot to allow a plane to turn off its main engines when taxiing to the gate and around the concourse. The trick is an automated clamper placed within a standard tug; once the pilot guides the nosewheel into the clamp, the pilot steers, turns, and brakes the tug with the airplane controls. Instead of motive force coming from giant Pratt & Whitneys, the tug's two 500-hp V8s can pull planes up to 747s and A340s.

If adopted widely, the TaxiBot could save airports and airlines millions of dollars in gas and debris damage as well as sparing the world tons of CO2 emissions. You can get the details on the taxibot and its implementation in the press release after the jump.


Gallery: Ricardo TaxiBot


[Source: Ricardo]

Continue reading Ricardo develops airplane taxi bot to reduce emissions, noise

Ricardo develops airplane taxi bot to reduce emissions, noise originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airplaneairportetcricardoricardo taxibotRicardoTaxibottechtechnologySat, 21 Nov 2009 17:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Rendered Speculation: Camaro, Le Mans-style]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/10/rendered-speculation-camaro-le-mans-style/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/10/rendered-speculation-camaro-le-mans-style/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/10/rendered-speculation-camaro-le-mans-style/#commentsFiled under:


Concept Le Mans Camaros rendered by Vizualtech -- Click above for image gallery

Ah, it's the Swedes again. Never content to sit around when there's a perfectly good car you could mod, a gent named Bo Zolland at Viztech has rendered what he thinks a Le Mans or ALMS Camaro could look like, and there are a couple of no-good drifters in there as well. Of course this doesn't mean that there will be a Camaro in either series, but it's fun to play, no? However, if any of these cars did come to life, we'd take the red SS with the white stripes and front-side-exit exhaust. Sideways. Have a look at Zolland's work in the gallery of photos below.


Gallery: Vizualtech Rendered Le Mans Camaros


[Source: Vizualtech]

Rendered Speculation: Camaro, Le Mans-style originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bo zollandBoZollandcamaroetcrenderingvizualtechTue, 10 Nov 2009 09:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Turn the Dodge Viper logo upside down and guess who appears...]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/09/turn-the-dodge-viper-logo-upside-down-and-guess-who-appears/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/09/turn-the-dodge-viper-logo-upside-down-and-guess-who-appears/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/09/turn-the-dodge-viper-logo-upside-down-and-guess-who-appears/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Stonehenge, Rosebud, The Wizard of Oz and Pink Floyd - all have confounded us with their hidden meanings. And to that list we now add the logo for the Dodge Viper. Somehow it has eluded us for years that, when turned upside down, the Viper logo turns into what appears to be... Daffy Duck. Or, as some other folks have mentioned, perhaps it's Duck Dodgers, or Darkwing Duck. Someone else thought it was "a gator with a volcano in the background," but we have no idea how that happened...

Regardless of which name that foul goes by, it's quite a revelation to make this late into the Viper game. If there were any meaning intended from the inversion, we'd expect it to be a swan, not a duck. But what does it all mean? History might know. For now, it's just another one of those quirks that is the Dodge Viper, and yet another reason we'll miss it when it departs in 2011. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

[Source: Bits & Pieces via Boing Boing | Image: Micihi1308 via Wikimedia Commons]

Continue reading Turn the Dodge Viper logo upside down and guess who appears...

Turn the Dodge Viper logo upside down and guess who appears... originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Daffy DuckDaffyDuckdarkwing duckDarkwingDuckdodgedodge viperdodge viper logoDodgeViperDodgeViperLogoduck dodgerDuck DodgersDuckDodgerDuckDodgersetcSRT-10SRT10viperviper logoViperLogoMon, 09 Nov 2009 18:38:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: More celebrating as Mini marks 50th Anniversary with <i>Wash Me</i>]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/05/video-more-celebrating-as-mini-marks-50th-anniversary-with-w/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/05/video-more-celebrating-as-mini-marks-50th-anniversary-with-w/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/05/video-more-celebrating-as-mini-marks-50th-anniversary-with-w/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Mini 50th anniversary project Wash Me -- Click above for high-res photo gallery

You didn't really think it was going to stop with Krink, did you? Oh no. Mini and art have combined again on a limited-edition book and art project called "Wash Me." Starting with the idea of the "Wash me!" imperative scrawled into dirty cars the world over, ten artists that have never used a car as a canvas have "transformed [a Mini] into a transient work of art."

What does that mean? It means they painted a bunch of Minis lots of different colors and wrote (ironic?) things on them. And there were gorillas involved. Two, in fact. Or maybe it was one gorilla and Sasquatch. You can see for yourself in the video and press release after the jump, and the high-res gallery of images below. Take that, art world.


Gallery: Mini Wash Me Anniversary Project


[Source: Mini]

Continue reading VIDEO: More celebrating as Mini marks 50th Anniversary with Wash Me

VIDEO: More celebrating as Mini marks 50th Anniversary with Wash Me originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artetcminiwash meWashMeThu, 05 Nov 2009 18:59:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: Bored Bulgarians engaging in Russian Road Roulette]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/report-bored-bulgarians-engaging-in-russian-road-roulette/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/report-bored-bulgarians-engaging-in-russian-road-roulette/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/report-bored-bulgarians-engaging-in-russian-road-roulette/#commentsFiled under: ,



One of Russia's most popular exports has been its version of roulette - you know, the kind where the player usually closes his eyes during the game and someone has a good chance of ending up dead. In this case it's being played in Sofia, Bulgaria, and the jouers are drivers and motorcyclists running red lights.

The point of the game is to get through a red light at high speed without hitting another car or pedestrian. Bets are said to have climbed as high as €5,000 ($7,370 U.S.), and even folks on the street are said to have placed bets and then watched the intersection to see if anyone bought the farm.

The first fatalities came in June, when a motorcyclist hit an onlooker. The Bulgarian police have been trying to stop the action, but it's hard to stay ahead of text messages among all those intersections in the capital. Be careful on the streets in Bulgaria, folks, and watch out for anyone yelling "Di di mao!" Hat tip to Andrew!

[Source: Reuters via RPMGo | Image credit: Emil Manolov via CC2.0]

REPORT: Bored Bulgarians engaging in Russian Road Roulette originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bulgariaetceuroperoad rouletteRoadRouletterouletterussian rouletteRussianRoulettesofiaMon, 02 Nov 2009 18:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Porsche releases limited edition "Designed 4 Ambition" calendar]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/30/porsche-releases-limited-edition-designed-4-ambition-calendar/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/30/porsche-releases-limited-edition-designed-4-ambition-calendar/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/30/porsche-releases-limited-edition-designed-4-ambition-calendar/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2010 Porsche calendars and diary -- Click above for high-res image gallery

Porsche has released info and images on its three calendars and diary that will be happy to keep you company throughout 2010. Two of them are especially focused on the Panamera, because damn it, you're going to like that car whether you like it or not...

The Driver's Perspective calendar provides images of various models, highlighting the Panamera, and comes with a collector's coin "which shows the motto and the year." The Designed 4 Ambition Calendar was hatched by the designers at the Development Centre in Weissach and is focused on "extraordinary sporting performance and individual exclusivity," taking its subject as -- you guessed it -- the Panamera. It comes with a CD-ROM that also holds a short film and a screensaver, and there will only be 4,000 made.

Finally, the One of a Kind calendar take behind-the-scenes peeks at classic cars, like the Martini Racing car pictured above, of which only one was ever built. You can find out more about the calendars and the diary in the release after the jump, and check out some of the images in the high-res gallery below.


Gallery: Porsche 2010 Calendars


[Source: Porsche via Car Body Design]

Continue reading Porsche releases limited edition "Designed 4 Ambition" calendar

Porsche releases limited edition "Designed 4 Ambition" calendar originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessoriescalendardesigndiaryetcpanameraporscheporsche panameraPorschePanameraFri, 30 Oct 2009 07:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Mini uses spare art for new 2010 calendar]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/21/mini-uses-spare-art-for-new-2010-calendar/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/21/mini-uses-spare-art-for-new-2010-calendar/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/21/mini-uses-spare-art-for-new-2010-calendar/#commentsFiled under: ,

Minimalism Calendar -- Click above for high-res image gallery

Mini made a calendar. Or rather, Mini assembled a calendar with artworks chosen from among thousands submitted from around the globe. The calendar's theme is Minimalism, and the only rule for submissions was to include a silhouette of the car in the piece. For car calendar fans, there are no topless women - nor topless Minis, for that matter - slathered in oil...

The calendar presents the 12 works chosen by a team of judges that included Mini design head Gert Hildebrand. The works tend toward the funky and, of course, the modern, but if you're a Mini owner they'll probably make you happy just looking at them. You can check out three of the pieces in the high-res gallery below. For the rest of you who don't want a Mini but just want the art, you can find out more about the calendar at the Minimalism site and buy it for €21 ($31 U.S.) at the Mini shop.


Gallery: Mini Minimalism Calendar


[Source: Mini]

Mini uses spare art for new 2010 calendar originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artcalendaretclifestyleminimini calendarmini cooperMiniCalendarMiniCooperminimalismminimalism calendarMinimalismCalendarWed, 21 Oct 2009 14:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Travis Pastrana reportedly plans to jump from bridge to barge on New Year's Eve]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/19/report-travis-pastrana-to-jump-from-bridge-to-barge-on-new-year/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/19/report-travis-pastrana-to-jump-from-bridge-to-barge-on-new-year/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/19/report-travis-pastrana-to-jump-from-bridge-to-barge-on-new-year/#commentsFiled under: , ,



In the same way that just about anything under Sir Richard Branson's "Virgin" umbrella has come to mean hip and edgy, things affixed with the "Red Bull" stamp are coming to mean "That's frickin' crazy!" Last year for New Year's Eve Robbie Maddison took his motorbike and leaped on to the 96-foot Arc de Triomphe replica in Las Vegas, then jumped the 96 feet back down to the ground.

This year for Red Bull's New Year, No Limits stunt, Travis Pastrana wants to break the record for the longest jump in his rallying Subaru. He'll be launching from the Pine Street Pier in Long Beach and hoping to make it onto a landing ramp more than 270 feet away. In between the pier and the ramp: 250 feet of water.

Pastrana's going for an old school jump, opting not to use a specially prepared car for the trick. Pastrana says he wants to drive out of the stunt and get back to the party, but also mentions Spanky Spangler as inspiration. Spangler did a 225-foot jump in a Chevy Nova, but he landed in the water -- on purpose. From 270 feet away, flying through the air, Pastrana's attempt to land on a barge will be like trying to alight on a pencil. If nothing else, it should make some excellent TV, and if he makes it unhurt a great start to the New Year.

[Source: AP | Image credit: TravisPastrana.com]

Travis Pastrana reportedly plans to jump from bridge to barge on New Year's Eve originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>etcholidayjumpnew years eveNewYearsEvenyered bullRedBullstuntsubarutravis pastranaTravisPastranatrickMon, 19 Oct 2009 08:57:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: "Lesser luxury" is the new black]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/14/report-lesser-luxury-is-the-new-black/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/14/report-lesser-luxury-is-the-new-black/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/14/report-lesser-luxury-is-the-new-black/#commentsFiled under: ,



Up until very recently, the reason that you bought a BMW 3 Series or a Mercedes-Benz C-Class was to prepare you to buy a 5 or an E in a few years. You know, ladders to climb, blowing up to do, de-luxe apartments in the sky to own. These days, according to a new study, that is less and less the case: fewer premium buyers are moving up and more buyers are actually moving down.

According to numbers compiled by the Power Information Network, in 2006, nearly 16% of new car buyers moved from a compact to a mid-sized car, but through the first half of this year, only about 11% did so. And compared to 2006, this year two other categories showed 4% gains: people moving from large to mid-sized cars, and those moving from mid-sized to compact cars.

Gas prices have a bit to do with that, as does the democratization of high-end features, but the real story appears to be that unless David Stern signs your paychecks, being a baller is out. Customers don't want to look like they're flaunting their money, or they simply don't want to spend it. Even brand-loyal buyers are either keeping their cars, or instead of buying new ones they're going for pre-owned certified or an off-lease deal. Even Acura and Lexus are seeing their customers turn their aspirations downward.

According to Automotive News, brands that appear to be poised to benefit from this trend include Hyundai and Audi. The Korean firm's Genesis sedan is an all-the-luxury-you-want option for $10,000 less than most comparable brands. Less flashiness and an engineering-led message could also be the catalyst for Audi, whose sales declines are a third of the luxury market's overall. Said Scott Keogh, Audi's chief marketing officer, "There is affluence, and consumers have means, but frivolousness has gone away."

[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd]

REPORT: "Lesser luxury" is the new black originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto buyingAutoBuyingcar buyingcar buying trendsCarBuyingCarBuyingTrendsetclifestyleluxuryluxury carsluxury goodsLuxuryCarsLuxuryGoodsnear luxuryNearLuxurypremiumWed, 14 Oct 2009 13:59:00 EST<![CDATA[<i>Top Gear</i> faces mounting criticism over costly new stunts. Again.]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/13/top-gear-faces-mounting-criticism-over-costly-new-stunts/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/13/top-gear-faces-mounting-criticism-over-costly-new-stunts/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/13/top-gear-faces-mounting-criticism-over-costly-new-stunts/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Top Gear fans greet each new season with more eager glee. Top Gear critics have taken to welcoming each new run with more criticism. According to the Belfast Telegraph, the latest "How dare they!" comes from a Minister of Parliament (MP) and Friends of the Earth, who want to run TG up the flagpole for "extravagant costs" and 'wanton destruction" -- those two things coincidentally being two of the things that fans love most.

The show went to Belfast, Ireland to film a few segments that included lofting a car to the top of a gigantic crane, launching a Renault Twingo into the sea, as well as a bit of garden variety drag racing. The MP, Gregory Campbell, is aghast at the apparent cost of such stunts, and even more aghast at the fact that the BBC won't reveal exactly how much the stunts cost. The supposed tally is £200,000 ($315,150 U.S.) for Belfast segments that might make up 10 minutes of the show.

Joining Campbell in outrage is Declan Allison from Friends of the Earth, who said: "The wanton destruction of tens of thousands of pounds worth of machinery impresses no-one. It's a wasteful extravagance and, in the middle of a global recession, in very poor taste."

So there. The complaints will probably have as much effect on the show as previous complaints, which is to say, pffffft. We're far more interested in finding out what Clarkson meant when he said that show heads want "black Muslim lesbian" presenters.

[Source: Belfast Telegraph]

Top Gear faces mounting criticism over costly new stunts. Again. originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcbbc americaBbcAmericabelfastetceuropefriends of the earthFriendsOfTheEarthirelandjames mayJamesMayjeremy clarksonJeremyClarksonrichard hammondRichardHammondtelevisiontop gearTopGearTue, 13 Oct 2009 12:35:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Citroën remixes its 90-year history for celebratory commercial]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/06/video-citroen-remixes-its-90-year-history-for-celebratory-comme/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/06/video-citroen-remixes-its-90-year-history-for-celebratory-comme/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/06/video-citroen-remixes-its-90-year-history-for-celebratory-comme/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Citroën celebrates 90 years -- Click above to watch video

Citroën is perhaps the wackiest mass-market auto manufacturer still in business (have you seen the 2CV, C-Cactus, and that dancing robot?), and this year, the company celebrates 90 years of mercantilism.

In celebration of that achievement, they have put together a 90-second video flyover of some of the most memorable - or just plain intriguing - pieces of company lore. From using the Eiffel tower as a billboard for a decade, to de Gaulle, the Pope, the WRC, and the Playstation, there's been a lot of it. Follow the jump to watch the video.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Citroën remixes its 90-year history for celebratory commercial

VIDEO: Citroën remixes its 90-year history for celebratory commercial originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversarycitroenetceuropefrancevideoTue, 06 Oct 2009 14:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Trunk Zoo: Italian police reportedly find 1,700 animals stuffed in car's boot]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/28/trunk-zoo-italian-police-reportedly-find-1-700-animals-stuffed/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/28/trunk-zoo-italian-police-reportedly-find-1-700-animals-stuffed/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/28/trunk-zoo-italian-police-reportedly-find-1-700-animals-stuffed/#commentsFiled under: ,



A driver in Bari, Italy was stopped for a routine inspection of his car. When police got to the trunk, they found it filled with mammals, reptiles, and birds. We have no idea how he got them all in there or, better yet, what kind of car he was driving, but authorities reportedly found the following hiding out in the boot: 216 parakeets, 300 white mice, 150 hamsters, 30 Japanese squirrels, six chameleons and over 1,000 terrapins.

The police say the man was going to sell the terrapins for €20 apiece ($29 U.S.), and although they didn't say it, we imagine he was going to sell the other animals as well. Instead, the animals have gone to local zoos while the police investigate and the man will get to sell cigarettes and phone privileges in the local hoosegow.

[Source: MyABC50 | Image: marfis75 via CC2.0]

Trunk Zoo: Italian police reportedly find 1,700 animals stuffed in car's boot originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animalsanimals trunkAnimalsTrunkbarietceuropeitalypoliceMon, 28 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[<i>Top Gear</i> posse spotted filming with bevy of exotics in Romania]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/27/i-top-gear-i-posse-spotted-filming-with-bevy-of-exotics-in-ro/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/27/i-top-gear-i-posse-spotted-filming-with-bevy-of-exotics-in-ro/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/27/i-top-gear-i-posse-spotted-filming-with-bevy-of-exotics-in-ro/#commentsFiled under: ,



The Top Gear crew is preparing the show's 14th season and they've gone to the home of Vlad the Impaler for some help. Piloting a Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder, Aston Martin DBS Volante, and Ferrari California, the production closed down the Transfagarasan Road that climbs over Romania's Carpathian Mountains.

And as if the road itself, the area's scenery, and connection to Dracula weren't enough, it is said that the Transfagarasan has more tunnels and viaducts than any other road in Romania. It should make this particular TG episode a pump-up-the-volume affair.

Naturally, there are TG side stories to go with the news. When they weren't driving -- and putting scratches on the Gallardo and DBS -- they were drinking local "nectar" and relieving themselves in the woods. Ah, Top Gear, bring on season #14.

[Source: Romanian Times | Image: bortescristian via CC2.0]

Top Gear posse spotted filming with bevy of exotics in Romania originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcclarksonetceuropehammondjames mayJamesMayjeremy clarksonJeremyClarksonmayrichard hammondRichardHammondromaniatelevisiontgtop gearTopGearSun, 27 Sep 2009 14:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Hidden Porsche Turbo configurator discovered - play with it while you can...]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/11/hidden-porsche-turbo-configurator-discovered-play-with-it-whi/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/11/hidden-porsche-turbo-configurator-discovered-play-with-it-whi/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/11/hidden-porsche-turbo-configurator-discovered-play-with-it-whi/#commentsFiled under: ,



If you simply log onto Porsche's website, you aren't given the opportunity to customize the new-for-2010 911 Turbo. However, thanks to the arcane keystrokes of AB reader Matt, the Turbo configurator has been discovered, and you can play with it... at least until Porsche disables it.

To play: go to the 911 C4S configurator and click "Models," then "From Scratch," then choose the 911, and then choose any one of the 13 variants offered. A pre-configured car will come up, choose "View Configuration," then "Customize," then "Accept Changes," and voilà! a Porsche Turbo canvas awaits your tasteful palette. You can't change the red interior color, however.

It's a little work, sure, but it's a Porsche Turbo of your very own - and besides, what else were you really going to do with your Friday night?


Gallery: 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo


[Source: Porsche]

Hidden Porsche Turbo configurator discovered - play with it while you can... originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fifty-two-year-old Briton Roy Locock decided to drive around the world to benefit charity. A circumnavigating spin behind the wheel is almost passe these days, but Locock's choice of wheels certainly isn't: a 1977 MG Midget. He bought the car -- named Bridget -- in 2006, and after taking it on a tour of Spain and Italy, began a restoration. Not long afterward he figured Bridget needed to get out and see some things.

He's been on the road now for well over a year, going from Oxford, England to Chennai, India, then taking a boat down to Australia for a drive entirely around that country, then hopping a boat to Argentina and driving due north, and now he's in Canada. His company all this time has been himself, five-days of emergency rations, two 20-liter gas cans, and a car with 3.5 inches of ground clearance. Oh, and fortitude. Lots of that.

Locock's driving to benefit UNICEF, and you can read all about the adventures on the blog he is still updating. Bridget does like to provide her own mechanical adventures -- she is an MG, after all -- but the fact that she has covered almost 30,000 miles so far has to count for something. Good luck on the rest of your trip, Mr. Locock.

[Source: Bridget the Midget via Google]

Man driving around the globe in Bridget the Midget for charity originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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File this under "No Cool, Wacky Deed Shall Go Unlitigated." John Schnatter, Papa John of Papa John's Pizza, put out a $250,000 A.P.B. to find his long lost 1971 1/2 Camaro Z28. According to the folks at Papa John, the person who won the money was the one whose name was on the title of the car - that is, the owner of the car was paid the dosh for selling the car back to Schnatter. Kentuckian Jeff Robinson came forth with the car and took home the cash.

The Papa John's folks say the rules never said anything about finder's fees. But when the Sloanes of Indiana helped point Schnatter to Robinson, Schnatter offered them $25,000 for the assist. How did the Sloanes know about the car? They had owned it previously and sold it to Robinson.

Now the Sloanes aren't happy about "only" getting $25,000. Billie Sloane wants more of that quarter million, and will sue Papa John if he doesn't pony up the cake. Her evidence is "advertisements and a press release that promised the money to whomever could 'reveal the car's whereabouts.'" Jeff Robinson chimes in, though, and says Sloane came to him and said the original owner would buy the car from him for $125,000, and says that she didn't mention the contest nor the full amount of the reward.

No matter. Now it's between Sloane, Papa, and potentially the courts. If only Papa John had listened to the late M.J. about another famous Billie: "So take my strong advice, just remember to always think twice..." Um, yeah, never saw this one coming. Good luck, Papa John...

[Source: WLKY News]

Papa John's Camaro reward situation turns salty, ex-owners looking for bigger slice of the pie originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Society of Automotive Engineers has decided to apply the same forward thinking to its web site it has to its information. Borrowing ideas from the iTunes Store and Amazon, the SAE has revamped its bookstore for easier navigation and added an eBook store for engineers on the go.

Navigation is broken down by subject on the left, and you can scroll through, album style, on the main page. Electronic books are searchable and compatible with PCs, hand-helds, and proprietary readers like the Kindle, Sony Reader, and iPhone. Best of all, SAE archives your eBook library for your own virtual library. That way you can always download Brake Design and Safety, Second Edition when you need to impress the gal in the seat next to you on the subway.

[Source: SAE via The Auto Channel]

SAE launches new bookstore and e-Books for on-the-go engineers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A restaurant that has a few hot cars gathered round is one thing -- but a car dealership that opens a restaurant, where does that rank on the scale of ambiance? With recent trends, you could soon get a chance to decide sooner than you thought.

As our friends at The Detroit Bureau point out, California's Bistro33 at Rocklin Mercedes will be the next dining experience in a dealership. The cars don't mingle in the restaurant -- this isn't some trendy Vegas amusement. And this isn't just about having something to do while you wait for the mechanics to finish with your car. You actually go to a dealership to have your dinner. That means you can discuss APR after appetizers and sort out your warranty with a nice Napa red.

There isn't any reason a dealership can't also make a decent dinner. Galpin's Horseless Carriage has been open for 43 years for a menu full of good reasons. And if you have an Aston Martin, the fare in Galpin's Aston Martin club is worthy of both brands. It remains to be seen this trend catches on in more than a few niche markets, but until car sales rebound. this could be a way to get more foot traffic and a bit more income. And besides, there's nothing like an aged strip steak to make you hungry for a car.

[Source: The Detroit Bureau]

"I'll have the 10W-30 burger, please" - Examining the car dealers as eatery trend originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Old concepts don't die, they just get thrown in a heap and stacked atop one another in some dank lot out back. Actually, we don't know where the lot is located, but we do know it appears to be holding the Suzuki Kizashi, Kizashi 2, and Kizashi 3 - important concepts that the Japanese automaker unveiled over the past two years.

We hope these aren't the final show car versions. If so, we would have thought that the car that led to the production Kizashi - a big deal for Suzuki - would have been accorded a better spot in the afterlife, like maybe a place in a museum. Or, hell, at least an auction house listing. But that's the great circle of life for you. Tip your 40 to the Kizashis that once were...


Gallery: Suzuki Kizashi 3 Concept - Live Reveal


[Source: 7Tune | Image: New Model Magazine X]

Respect Your Elders: Suzuki's Kizashi concepts spotted stacked and awaiting crusher? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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