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[Royal Scam? UK license plate "D1ANA" expected to fetch £100,000 at COYS auction]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/royal-scam-uk-license-plate-d1ana-expected-to-fetch-100-000/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/royal-scam-uk-license-plate-d1ana-expected-to-fetch-100-000/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/royal-scam-uk-license-plate-d1ana-expected-to-fetch-100-000/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Coys of Kensington will be hosting a True Greats auction on December 1, and among the items for sale will be an MG service manual (Lot 1), a Corvette poster (Lot 61), and some pre-WWII driving gauntlets (Lot 81). Oh, and there'll also be the matter of Lot 142, a number plate reading "D1ANA" expected to pull down £100,000. That's $164,174 to us here in the American system.

That's no small beer, certainly, yet while it might appear to be impressive, other less obviously impressive number plates have recently been fetching ridiculous amounts: aside from the UK tuner who bought the "F 1" plate for $870,000, earlier this year a gent - also in the UK - bought "1 D" for $513,000. And it's not just our British pals in that game: "D1ANA" is far less fetching than the number "6," which was bought by a Delaware man for $675,000. So there.

The preliminary viewing was today, but it's not too late to get in on the auction. Follow the jump for the press release, and get your pounds and pence ready.

[Source: Coys]

Continue reading Royal Scam? UK license plate "D1ANA" expected to fetch £100,000 at COYS auction

Royal Scam? UK license plate "D1ANA" expected to fetch £100,000 at COYS auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>englandeuropelicense platelicense plate auctionLicensePlateLicensePlateAuctionnumber plateNumberPlateprincess dianaPrincessDianaukTue, 01 Dec 2009 18:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Platoon: GPS-based road trains set to test on European roads?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/13/platoon-gps-based-road-trains-set-to-test-on-european-roads/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/13/platoon-gps-based-road-trains-set-to-test-on-european-roads/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/13/platoon-gps-based-road-trains-set-to-test-on-european-roads/#commentsFiled under: ,


GPS-based road train - Click above for gallery

It goes by the name "Sartre," but it has nothing to do with existentialism and just a little bit to do with exits. The Safe Road Trains for the Environment program is a three-year European study centering on the creation of 'platoons' of drivers behind a lead vehicle on the highway. It involves wiring cars to speak to each other, and to a lead vehicle - the platoon commander - behind which up to eight cars could follow in automated bliss.

One of the keys to the study is finding a way to make travel more efficient and lower gas usage without spending the treasury on putting sensors in roads, or creating an entirely new standard of equipment. Also, using a lead vehicle that could take control of the vehicles behind - cars, trucks or buses - makes Sartre much more flexible since it can travel on any highway.

So say you need to get to the Alhambra in a hurry. You see a Sartre platoon on the highway ahead, and if there's room, you signal your wish to join. The lead vehicle takes control of your car, and it is pulled into the formation, leaving you free to do whatever you want to do. When you want to get out, you signal your intention, a gap is made and you get control of your car again. The study will be conducted on test tracks in Spain, Sweden and the UK, with additional trials on public road in Spain. Gentlemen, mount up... Hat tip to Ben!


Gallery: "Sartre" GPS-based road trains


[Source: BBC]

Platoon: GPS-based road trains set to test on European roads? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>automateddrivingeuroperoad trainroadsRoadTrainsartretechtechnologyFri, 13 Nov 2009 16:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Parts Imitating Life: Sculptor uses car parts to make cars... and animals]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/13/parts-imitating-life-sculptor-uses-car-parts-to-make-cars-an/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/13/parts-imitating-life-sculptor-uses-car-parts-to-make-cars-an/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/13/parts-imitating-life-sculptor-uses-car-parts-to-make-cars-an/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

James Corbett's car parts art - Click above for image gallery

One man's junk is... well, you know. Watching the shiny metal grommets roll through his auto recycling plant in Brisbane, Australia, James Corbett doesn't appear to know the word "junk" when it comes to cars. He takes all of those leftover bits and makes superbly detailed sculptures of mostly vintage racers and, of all things, animals. None of the parts are bent or altered to help make the pieces, either. Corbett even built a full-size car out of parts and stuck a flathead V8 in it, and he still takes it racing.

Corbett has an exhibit coming up in London this month and then takes his show to Palm Desert, CA next year. If you don't get a chance to see the real things, we suggest you have a well-worth-it look at the images in our gallery below.


Gallery: James Corbett's Car Parts Art


[Source: James Corbett via Pistonheads]

Parts Imitating Life: Sculptor uses car parts to make cars... and animals originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artaustraliaautomotive sculptureAutomotiveSculptureeuropeexhbitionjames corbettJamesCorbettlondonsculpturesculpturesukFri, 13 Nov 2009 13:29:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: Germany wants GM's plan for Opel - and a billion dollars - "quickly"]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/12/report-germany-wants-gms-plan-for-opel-and-a-billion-dollars/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/12/report-germany-wants-gms-plan-for-opel-and-a-billion-dollars/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/12/report-germany-wants-gms-plan-for-opel-and-a-billion-dollars/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



General Motors' bouleversement on the sale of its Opel brand has caused the European head of Opel vacate his office, the head of Opel labor to gulp "a bottle of wine" to get over the shock, the German head of state to request "GM to present a reliable plan for Opel quickly," and Germany's economic minister to prod GM to pay back the rest of the €1.5 billion ($2.25B U.S.) bridge loan.

GM's response has been for CEO Fritz Henderson to Germany on an "Opel charm tour," to pay back a portion of the borrowed fund and promise the remaining €600 million by the end of the month, and to declare that it will only need €3.5 billion ($4.5B U.S.) to restructure Opel. GM crows that the amount is "significantly lower than all bids submitted as part of the investor solicitation" and how, in fact, it's less than the €4.5 billion the German government pledged to give Magna in aid (much less Magna's anticipated restructuring costs).

The gap in this scenario: Where did GM get that number? It was rumored that Belgian investment bank RHJ was only looking to hold on to Opel for a turnaround sale to GM, which would seem to indicate they weren't going to spend a ton of money on restructuring, and even its final bid was more than €3.5 billion. Moody's predicts GM will actually need €5.8 billion ($8.5B USD) to turn Opel fully around. Nevertheless, some see this as a good thing. For us, the only conclusion we can come to is the same one we've been held at for six months: a lot of questions still need answering.

[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd | Source Image: Warner Bros.]

REPORT: Germany wants GM's plan for Opel - and a billion dollars - "quickly" originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>europefritz hendersonFritzHendersongeneral motorsGeneralMotorsgmGM Europegm opelGmEuropeGmOpelThu, 12 Nov 2009 11:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Brilliance importer for Europe goes belly up]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/11/brilliance-importer-for-europe-goes-belly-up/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/11/brilliance-importer-for-europe-goes-belly-up/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/11/brilliance-importer-for-europe-goes-belly-up/#commentsFiled under: , ,



When Chinese automaker Brilliance wanted to invade The Continent, it chose Germany-based importer HSO Motors to introduce models like its BS4. Brilliance kept up its end of the agreement, shipping cars to HSO; HSO, however, couldn't get the cars sold, and a little more than a year into the partnership HSO has gone bankrupt.

Three reasons are blamed for the flame-out: the crash test videos for the BS4 and BS6, along with pricing. If you'll remember, when the German ADAC tested the Brilliance BS6, the result was a horror film that would have frightened Freddy Krueger with an official rating of zero stars. After a great deal of improvements and added equipment were put on the BS4, tested two years later, the results were much more palatable -- yet the car still received just three stars. The ADAC's had raised its testing standards, so what would have earned the BS4 a three-star rating under the old methods was only good for zero this time around. That didn't make German buyers comfortable.

The ADAC's testing methods have been labeled unfair, and it's been noted that the ADAC is not a regulatory body. Yet other cars tested under the new methods, like the Skoda Yeti and Honda Jazz, earned five stars. Beyond that, the BS4 is priced at about €16,000 ($24,000 U.S.). Even though it's larger, it's priced against cars like the Focus and Golf, and well above a Skoda Octavia. As a maker trying to earn its way into the field of German car offerings, Brilliance will need to go well beyond the norm to to make its case. For now, Brilliance has taken over HSO Motors' role as importer.

[Source: Euro Car Blog]

Brilliance importer for Europe goes belly up originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adacBrilliancebrilliance bs4BrillianceBs4chinaeuropegermanyhso motorsHsoMotorsWed, 11 Nov 2009 08:02:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Bewerp Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS actually takes to the <s>road</s> sidewalk]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/09/video-bewerp-savage-rivale-roadyacht-gts-actually-takes-to-the/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/09/video-bewerp-savage-rivale-roadyacht-gts-actually-takes-to-the/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/09/video-bewerp-savage-rivale-roadyacht-gts-actually-takes-to-the/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Bewerp Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS -- Click above to watch the video after the break

Fittingly, it appears that the Bewerp Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS went for a cruise on Halloween night, which would give passers-by the perfect opportunity to ask the driver, "What kind of costume is that?" He could've replied, "I'm dressed up as the driver of the only 600-horsepower, €257,000, four-door convertible designed and built in Holland." Or he tell them the car's name, which is nearly as long.

The $385,000 car in the video sticks to the sidewalks so there aren't any shenanigans, but it's not a bad looker, and we salute the two gents who've made it real. Follow the jump to see the vid. Hat tip to Emile!


Gallery: Bewerp Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS


[Source: AutoGespot via YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Bewerp Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS actually takes to the road sidewalk

VIDEO: Bewerp Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS actually takes to the road sidewalk originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BewerpBewerp Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTSBewerpSavageRivaleRoadyachtGtsconvertibledutcheuropehollandluxuryperformancevideoMon, 09 Nov 2009 15:33:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: 700-HP Saab 99 Quattro Turbo is like missing Koenigsegg ancestor]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/05/video-700-hp-saab-99-quattro-turbo-is-like-missing-koenigsegg-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/05/video-700-hp-saab-99-quattro-turbo-is-like-missing-koenigsegg-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/05/video-700-hp-saab-99-quattro-turbo-is-like-missing-koenigsegg-a/#commentsFiled under: , ,

700-hp 1969 Saab 99 Quattro Turbo - Click above to watch video

Sweden has just over nine million people - that's an entire country whose population is just a little bigger than New York City - and we'd believe it if someone told us they exclusively devoted their time to blessing the world with peculiar automotive concoctions. We'd file this latest one under "quirky," but it's far too powerful: a 1969 Saab 99 given the Audi Quattro treatment and a turbocharging to the tune of 700 horsepower. And then left to look rather stock.

The brainchild of a man named Gustav, it's development is recorded on Savar Turbo for those of you who speak Swedish (translated, if you don't). It runs sub-10-second quarter-miles with ease, which includes a few tenths lost for wheelspin and manually shifting gears. And we like it. We like it a lot. And we want whatever he's been drinking - we're guessing drums of aquavit. Follow the jump for videos of this stealthy Swede's quarter-mile runs and have a look at what's under the hood in the gallery of high-res images below.


Gallery: 700-HP Saab 99 Quattro Turbo


[Source: Savar Turbo via Car Throttle]

Continue reading VIDEO: 700-HP Saab 99 Quattro Turbo is like missing Koenigsegg ancestor

VIDEO: 700-HP Saab 99 Quattro Turbo is like missing Koenigsegg ancestor originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audi quattroAudiQuattrodrag cardrag racingDragCarDragRacingdragstereuropeKoenigseggquattrosaabsaab 99saab 99 turboSaab99Saab99TurbosleeperswedenvideoThu, 05 Nov 2009 12:20:00 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[Volkswagen prices UK Scirocco R and Golf R, debuts new ad [w/VIDEO]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/volkswagen-prices-uk-scirocco-r-and-golf-r-debuts-new-ad-w-vid/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/volkswagen-prices-uk-scirocco-r-and-golf-r-debuts-new-ad-w-vid/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/volkswagen-prices-uk-scirocco-r-and-golf-r-debuts-new-ad-w-vid/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

VW Golf R and Scirocco R - Click above for high-res image gallery

For those of you in the U.K., the R-line versions of the Golf and Scirocco have been priced and can now be ordered. The Scirocco is the bargain of the two, going for £26,945 ($44,257 U.S.), while the Golf takes you slightly higher up the currency chart, priced at £28,930 ($47,518 U.S. -- nota bene: U.S. prices don't directly translate). They both come standard with a 6-speed manual, but if you want the car to shift for you, the DSG transmission option adds £1,300 ($2,135 U.S.) to either car.

They're the fastest and most powerful versions yet in their respective models: the 261-hp, front-wheel-drive Scirocco runs to 62 in 6 seconds; the 266-hp, 4MOTION-equipped Golf in 5.7. If you get the manual you can add 0.2 seconds to those times. The cars will make it to U.K. showrooms in February of next year, but in the meantime follow the jump to read all the specs and watch the video, and check out the gallery of high-res photos below.


Gallery: Volkswagen UK Golf R and Scirocco R


[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading Volkswagen prices UK Scirocco R and Golf R, debuts new ad [w/VIDEO]

Volkswagen prices UK Scirocco R and Golf R, debuts new ad [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010 golf r2010 scirocco r2010 volkswagen golf r2010 volkswagen scirocco r2010GolfR2010SciroccoR2010VolkswagenGolfR2010VolkswagenSciroccoReuropegolf rGolfRscirocco rSciroccoRukvideovolkswagenvolkswagen golfvolkswagen sciroccoVolkswagenGolfVolkswagenSciroccovw golfVW SciroccoVW Scirocco RVwGolfVwSciroccoVwSciroccoRMon, 02 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Finnish Him: Nordic authorities' harpoon chase-ender amazingly never approved]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/27/video-finnish-him-nordic-authorities-harpoon-chase-ender-amaz/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/27/video-finnish-him-nordic-authorities-harpoon-chase-ender-amaz/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/27/video-finnish-him-nordic-authorities-harpoon-chase-ender-amaz/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Finnish police car chase harpoon -- Click above to watch video

The place is Finland. The car is a Mercedes 300 wagon. The place is Finland. The protrusion, like the figurehead adorning Ahab's Pequod, is a harpoon. Instead of catching whales, however, this harpoon was reportedly to be used to catch cars leading police on high-speed chases.

We won't even spoil it for you by telling you if or how it worked, or tell you about the extra prize for miscreants hidden inside the harpoon. Follow the jump to check it out. And then, even though the lance was apparently never adopted, we remind you: Don't get any funny ideas in Finland.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Finnish Him: Nordic authorities' harpoon chase-ender amazingly never approved

VIDEO: Finnish Him: Nordic authorities' harpoon chase-ender amazingly never approved originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car chaseCarChaseeuropefinlandgovernmentharpoonhigh speed chaseHighSpeedChasepolicepolice chasePoliceChasevideoyoutubeTue, 27 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: VW bids to save Karmann but coachbuilder holding out for more money]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/26/report-vw-bids-to-save-karmann-but-coachbuilder-holding-out-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/26/report-vw-bids-to-save-karmann-but-coachbuilder-holding-out-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/26/report-vw-bids-to-save-karmann-but-coachbuilder-holding-out-for/#commentsFiled under: ,



German coachbuilder Karmann has been in trouble since before the global economy caught its version of the swine flu, and from a workforce of 5,000 the company is down to 1,800. A huge order for VW electric vehicles was meant to keep the company going while it sorted out its issues, but even that won't be enough, so now VW is looking at buying the entire company.

Reports out of Germany say VW has offered a rather low amount for Karmann, something in the minimal double digits. But the three families behind Karmann want more. A lot more. Like, €65 million. That's nearly $100 million and probably far more than VW will pay, if for no other reason that Karmann's only other option, according to one of its own administrators, is liquidation.

Although it's possible that Karmann's owners could choose to disappear rather than accept VW's offer, we'd be surprised if that happened. What we think more likely is that VW, in the way it has had recently, gets its way. If things keep up like this, though, by the time the auto economy picks up again Volkswagen will own everything that isn't bolted down.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

REPORT: VW bids to save Karmann but coachbuilder holding out for more money originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitioneuropeKarmannkarmann volkswagenKarmannVolkswagenvolkswagenMon, 26 Oct 2009 08:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Opel sale on hold, GM asked to have a word with EU Commission]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/26/opel-sale-on-hold-gm-asked-to-have-a-word-with-eu-commission/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/26/opel-sale-on-hold-gm-asked-to-have-a-word-with-eu-commission/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/26/opel-sale-on-hold-gm-asked-to-have-a-word-with-eu-commission/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The EU's Directorate-General for Competition (EUDGC) is looking at the Opel deal that should have been concluded already, and is asking questions of Germany and GM. Principally it is trying to resolve the issue of state aid; it was reported before that if Opel was purchased by Magna then the German government would provide financial assistance. However, if the bidder GM is said to have preferred, Belgian investment fund RHJ, won, then there would be no money coming from the German authorities.

The EUDGC wants to ensure that Magna was chosen for sound business reasons that had nothing to do with politics. It also wants to make sure that money promised to Magna was also clearly made available to other bidders. Lead GM negotiator John Smith said "The German Government was asked by DG Competition to communicate its position on financing availability to GM and the Opel Trust Board." And Germany's Economic Minister has asked GM to also tell the EU that it chose Magna based on reason and logic.

Meanwhile, GM continues to work with Magna on finalizing issues relating to the sale. No matter what happens with the EU, GM has to work with Magna right now because Magna is making decisions for Opel, such as whether to close down an Opel plant in Zaragoza, Spain. The EUDGC will want to complete its investigation in a timely manner, since having to unwind -- or redo -- what has taken six painful months to put together would be a massive blow to all involved.

[Source: GM Fastlane Blog via Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Opel sale on hold, GM asked to have a word with EU Commission originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eu commissioneu competition commissionEuCommissionEuCompetitionCommissioneuropeEuropean CommissionEuropeanCommissiongeneral motorsGeneralMotorsgermanygmgm opelGmOpelopelMon, 26 Oct 2009 07:26:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Fun Theory Part 3 - VW's bottle bank arcade finds plenty of players]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/19/fun-theory-part-3-vws-bottle-bank-arcade-finds-plenty-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/19/fun-theory-part-3-vws-bottle-bank-arcade-finds-plenty-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/19/fun-theory-part-3-vws-bottle-bank-arcade-finds-plenty-video/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

VW Fun Theory Part 3, Bottle Bank Arcade -- Click above to watch video

VW's Fun Theory project, with its European ad agency DDB, takes on a third task to show that you can get more people to do the right thing if you make it fun. This time it's bottle recycling, and the tool used is a bin fitted with an arcade scoreboard. After a "player" presses start, lights flash above any of the six holes in the bin and the recycler collects points for putting a bottle in the correct opening. It's the same theory as whack-a-mole but with glass bottles.

Just as the other Fun Theory demonstrations with the bottomless garbage can and the piano steps, people flocked to the Bottle Bank Arcade: it was used 50 times more than the plain green bin sitting nearby. Put a scoreboard on something and all of a sudden people will celebrate doing anything - when's the last time you saw a grown man shaking his fist over throwing away a bottle? Follow the jump to see for yourself.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Fun Theory Part 3 - VW's bottle bank arcade finds plenty of players

VIDEO: Fun Theory Part 3 - VW's bottle bank arcade finds plenty of players originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ddbeuropefun theoryFunTheorymarketingvideovolkswagenvwMon, 19 Oct 2009 11:31:00 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[REPORT: All of Europe's 15 most fuel-efficient cars get better than 56 mpg]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/02/report-all-of-europes-15-most-fuel-efficient-cars-get-better-t/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/02/report-all-of-europes-15-most-fuel-efficient-cars-get-better-t/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/02/report-all-of-europes-15-most-fuel-efficient-cars-get-better-t/#comments
2009 Smart ForTwo Cabriolet - Click above for high-res image gallery

There are many European cars that can be considered very fuel efficient. However, have you ever tried to put them on a list and finding out how efficient they really are? If you follow us after the jump, you will find that list, which shows Europe's 15 most fuel-efficient vehicles.

Interestingly, the list doesn't include just city cars, either. On it, you'll find subcompacts as well as compacts. Unsurprisingly, the truth is that you'll find that most of them are diesels which, thanks to the upcoming Euro V rules, now include DPF (diesel particulate filters) as standard. Perhaps even more unsurprisingly, the Smart CDI came out on top.


Gallery: Review: 2009 Smart ForTwo


Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sebastian Blanco / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Auto News]

Continue reading REPORT: All of Europe's 15 most fuel-efficient cars get better than 56 mpg

REPORT: All of Europe's 15 most fuel-efficient cars get better than 56 mpg originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>europeeuropean carseuropean fuel saversEuropeanCarsEuropeanFuelSaversfuel sippingFuelSippingmpg europempg europeansMpgEuropeMpgEuropeansFri, 02 Oct 2009 13:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Spy Shots: Citroen C-Cactus leaked]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/01/spy-shots-citroen-c-cactus-leaked/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/01/spy-shots-citroen-c-cactus-leaked/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/01/spy-shots-citroen-c-cactus-leaked/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Images assumed to be the final take on the Citroen C-Cactus have found their way online, and there is a whole lotta ugly going on up front. When we heard Citroen was actually going to make a production car based on the concept we wrote "let's just hope they don't keep too much of the melted-candle look." Thankfully, they didn't.

But what they did was squash the front end of the Citroen GT, add some Nissan-esque headlights and enough curvy shut lines to confuse a protractor, then topped it off with some Klingon forehead bulges running from hood to fenders. Then they gave it a tiny body and rested the package on little wheels. If nothing else, it is arresting.

Touted as a city car, the C-Cactus -- about the size of a Sandero -- would offer three powerplants: a 1.0-liter, 3-cylinder gas engine with 90 hp; a 1.4-liter diesel hybrid; and an electric car. This car could also be the first in Citroen's Essentielle sub-brand of Eco cars which are, according to latest reports, due to roll out in 2012.

[Source: Auto Internationaal via Euro Car Blog]

Spy Shots: Citroen C-Cactus leaked originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>budgetc-cactuscitroencitroen c-cactuscitroen c-cactus conceptcitroen c-cactus productionCitroenC-cactusCitroenC-cactusConceptCitroenC-cactusProductiondieselelectricessentielleeuropefalsehatchbackhybridThu, 01 Oct 2009 08:01:00 EST<![CDATA[NYT straps on its helmet and wades into the brain bucket controversy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/28/nyt-straps-on-its-helmet-and-wades-into-the-brain-bucket-controv/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/28/nyt-straps-on-its-helmet-and-wades-into-the-brain-bucket-controv/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/28/nyt-straps-on-its-helmet-and-wades-into-the-brain-bucket-controv/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



There's a bit of controversy going on in the helmet world, and it has a direct impact - pun intended - on every motorcycle rider trying to protect his or her head while looking for the best helmet to buy. All helmets approved for sale in the United States are tested and approved by the Department of Transportation, and wear a DOT sticker to certify the fact. The issue is with the additional SNELL Memorial Foundation certification that some helmets have.

According to The New York Times, in order to attain the SNELL M2005 certification, a helmet needs to be able to withstand that impact of a small steel sphere, twice, with the headform inside the helmet experiencing less than 300 times the force of gravity (300 g's). That's a huge amount of force, and it has led to SNELL M2005 helmets being so exceptionally rigid that some head injury researchers believe riders are suffering brain damage because of it. Also, SNELL doesn't use headforms of different weights, so riders with small heads can especially disadvantaged because of the disproportionate forces they'll encounter in such a firm helmet.

Some helmet companies and doctors and the U.S. and European helmet certification authorities believe that the SNELL M2005 test is obsolete, and that helmets should be "softer, softer, softer." SNELL has admitted to the need to update its test, and will be unveiling the M2010 standard shortly. The problem is that the M2005 standard helmets will continue to be sold in America until 2012. They won't be able to be sold in Europe until SNELL re-engineers its test to allow for more forgiving headgear. For you riders out there, do your homework, ask around, and make sure to buy the helmet that's right for you. A cranium is a terrible thing to waste.

[Source: The New York Times | Image: SNELL Memorial Foundation]

NYT straps on its helmet and wades into the brain bucket controversy originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>department of transportationDepartmentOfTransportationdoteuropegovernmenthelmetmotorcyclesafetysnellsnell memorial foundationSnellMemorialFoundationMon, 28 Sep 2009 16:00:00 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[Porsche to pull Boxster production from Magna over Opel stake?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/28/porsche-to-pull-boxster-production-from-magna-over-opel-stake/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/28/porsche-to-pull-boxster-production-from-magna-over-opel-stake/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/28/porsche-to-pull-boxster-production-from-magna-over-opel-stake/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


2009 Porsche Boxster S - Click above for high-res image gallery

After a great deal of international haggling, Magna ended up winning the competition for Opel. One of the many questions to be answered now is: How will the deal affect Magna's engineering and assembly business? Even as companies like VW and BMW have said they would be looking closely at working with Magna if it owned Opel, Magna head Frank Stronach must have been convinced he could keep his clients happy.

That hasn't happened yet, and now Porsche is saying it might take future production away from Magna. The Stuttgart firm contracted Magna to build the next Boxster and Cayman in 2013 in Austria, but now it's worried that its costs and engineering might end up in the wrong hands if left with Magna.

Porsche's alternatives would be to keep Boxster production in-house at Zuffenhausen, where the cars are currently made, or to contract with Karmann, which just earned a chunk of VW's electric car business. The alternatives for Magna, though, aren't so clear - with BMW and VW also casting wary eyes, does it continue with the carmaker adventure at the risk of losing the business that got it to the top in the first place?


Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Porsche Boxster S PDK


[Source: Autoweek]

Porsche to pull Boxster production from Magna over Opel stake? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bmwboxstercaymaneuropemagnamagna internationalmagna porscheMagnaInternationalMagnaPorschemanufacturingporscheporsche boxsterporsche caymanPorscheBoxsterPorscheCaymanvolkswagenvwMon, 28 Sep 2009 09:29:00 EST