Autoblog

We're punchy for this one (just check out our outtakes at the end, even better than last time!). We start off with a lively debate over Hyundai's rumored full-size RWD truck on the BH platform and whether it will be good or bad. No consenus was reached, but it will be exciting to see if Hyundai can morph the concept of the Honda Ridgeline into something a little more haul-friendly.

We segue from unibody pick 'em ups into the exciting story of the 2nd most expensive car ever auctioned. That is, if the buyer doesn't fink out (Too late, already did! - Ed.) when it comes time to hit the old PayPal. John Schneider's personal "General Lee" Charger with history (if you can call 80's TV camp real history) was sold on eBay for 9.95 million dollars. The cash isn't going to fund some humanitarian effort, rather, it will be used to finance a sequel to Mr. Scheider/Duke/Kent's Collier & Co. - Hot Pursuit movie. We're sure it's the next Citizen Kane. Speaking of movies, we also touch on the despicably obvious product placement in the Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, which is essentially a popcorn-bucket-length Dodge spot.

Wrapping it all up, we ring the bell on the "duh" category a couple times for the Lutz. The Zeta is back on, not that we really thought it was dead. B.L. has decided that it's likely wiser to tweak powerplants than to toss away an entire product renaissance worth of engineering. Whew, and we thought he might actually do it. Speaking of questions, we had no question about GM's committment to developing the Volt's battery technology. It will require an infusion of hundreds of millions of dollars, which seems like a good deal to us. Someone somewhere will have to put some time, money and effort into working out the batteries, so why not GM? It beats just sitting around and waiting. We just hope that when Chevy drops the series hybrid on us, it's wrapped in a prettier shell than the Prius. That's it for this week, enjoy!

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Click for hi-res Fantasticar

Product placement and movies are inextricably tied together now, and as a result, films -- even good ones -- have moments that take on an infomercial quality because the branding is so in-your-face. The Ford-only Bahamian parking lot scene in Casino Royale comes immediately to mind (even more than the Ford Mondeo glamour sequence) as one of the more egregious examples of the last year. This Summer's multiplex slate is not lacking either. We're itching to see Transformers, but the heavy GM product placement on the Autobot side will clearly distract car geeks like us, and the final trailer for Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is a mite Dodge-heavy.

Back in March, we posted on how Dodge had scored placement in FF with the HEMI-powered Fantasticar, which flies, goes 550 mph, and can cruise at 30,000 feet (this is the commuter car we've all been waiting for). It also comes complete with Ram logos on the nose and seats, and even rocks a crosshair grille (you can't make this up). Well, the last line of the press release issued at the time (it's pasted after the jump) notes, "Also getting some screen time in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer are the Ram Mega Cab® and Durango."

Which is why the trailer had us laughing, as we'll show you.

The Fantastic Four will be counting on Hemi power in their fight against evil this June 15th. That's right, the crime-fighting quartet will be battling the Silver Surfer on movie screens around the globe with a 550 MPH Dodge with some serious Hemi horsepower. Chrysler designer Trevor Creed helped out with the design of the super duper supercar, and you can see Dodge emblems on the seat-backs and front grille. The crazy cool Fantastic Four mobile will also be able to reach 30,000 feet and split into three sections. We looked around, and there is no SRT badging anywhere to be found, but there's a rumor that Stow-N-Go seating is standard. In an unusual twist, the "Fantasticar" is rumored to be on eBay, with Dr. Doom as the highest bidder.

We'd read an article recently in the Detroit News that stated that Chrysler needed a home run vehicle to pull the company through their latest rough patch. We think this will do just fine. We just hope they get rid of the gold paint job in time for production.

[Source: The Car Connection]

In what can only be described as an unconventional auto theft, a Suisun City, California man was beaten and carjacked by four formally-dressed women while parking at a 7-Eleven Sunday night.

The gang of four females, estimated to be in their early 20s represented having a gun to the victim's back, and forced him to follow another vehicle to a different location, where he was beaten via hands, feet and an "unknown object." The villainous vixens thereafter relieved the driver of his gold-colored 1997 Volvo 850.

The car hasn't been seen since.

[Sources: Bay City News via SFGate; FilmFanzine.com]