REPORT: NASCAR seen fretting over ratings drop originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 May 2009 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

LX-Prize: 80 MPG '87 Mustang with 400 HP originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: VW CrossFox

Brazil: VW CrossFox facelifted originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 May 2007 19:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GM's publicity push for the Transformers movie -- and the Pontiac Solstice GXP -- is about to begin. Next month's Maxim magazine will feature "Killer Talent," in the person of Megan Fox, and "Killer of Decepticons," in the metallic skin of Autobot Jazz, both in the service of winning a "Killer Ride," the Pontiac Solstice GXP. For the time being, Maxim Online has exclusive content for those of you who want to win the hotted up two-seater. If you win, you will also get "VIP treatment" from Megan at the premiere of the film, which, frankly, would be just as nice as the car as far as we're concerned. We know, we know, you've probably heard more than you want to hear about the Transformers movie -- but can you really hear too much about Megan Fox? And did we mention you can win a car?

[Source: Transformer World]

Gallery: Transformers Movie Pics

GM marketing blitz for Transformers about to begin originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 May 2007 09:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Hell knows no wrath like a woman scorned" goes the old proverb. What about a woman with her car scratched up? This video is a surprisingly entertaining clip from the Fox sitcom "Malcolm in the Middle", where a simple tap of the door, fueled by downright bitchiness, devolves into a full on demolition derby between one woman in an old Tempo and another in a Mustang, all while stunned bystanders look on in amazement. The comically joyous Christmas music in the soundtrack is just the icing on the cake.

Disclaimer: No mothers were harmed during the filming of this segment. Just a couple old Fords. Awesome.

VIDEO: Demolition Derby, Soccer-Mom Style originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Jan 2007 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Broadcasting motor racing in America is a big business. Unfortunately for F1, which enjoys the biggest audiences overseas, they're not the only game in town in the good ol' US of A. NASCAR, drag racing, Indy cars and a myriad other motorsports draw racing fans while F1 coverage has been spotty.

Now Fox Sports and SPEED TV, two Newscorp channels, have inked out a new three-year deal to share the US broadcast rights of the grands prix . The deal will see four races (Indianapolis, Canada, France and Britain) carried by Fox Sports, and the other 13 races will be covered live (including practice and qualifying) by SPEED.

Hosting the program will be Bob Varsha, joined by commentary from former F1 driver David Hobbs and former F1 mechanic Steve Matchett, plus pit-lane commentary by F1 journo-extraordinaire Peter Windsor.

So, for the next three years at least, American viewers will get consistent coverage of the grand prix racing action.

[Source: GrandPrix.com]

Fox Sports & SPEED TV team up on F1 broadcasting originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 03 Dec 2006 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fox is going from reality TV to rally TV with a new series called Drive. The dramatic show focuses on a fictional cross-country rally of outlaws racing across the countryside in what the show's executive producer says is a mix of the classic "Cannonball Run and Magnolia on wheels", with elements of Michael Douglas movie The Game thrown in for good measure.

Of course, a TV drama can't just be about cars, and the show focus is on the characters portraying the drivers and support personnel. The cast includes Alan Ruck, Kristin Lehman, Melanie Lynskey, Emily Stone, Shahine Ezell and Andres Saenz-Hudson. (Yeah, we were scratching our heads too.)

After filming a pilot last summer, Fox has ordered a twelve-episode season of the one-hour drama that will hit the airwaves next spring. (We're trying to remember the last decent spring-launched TV series, and we're coming up empty. This does not bode well at all for the star-free Drive.) While we applaud Fox for stepping outside the proverbial box and trying to give us gearheads something to look forward to, we're tempering our expectations big-time.

[Source: Edmunds Inside Line]

Drive: new Fox drama premiers next spring originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Nov 2006 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In a bid to rationalize its vehicle lineup and control costs, Volkswagen's British outpost is taking a massive axe to its range, culling dozens of models and options from its order books. With in excess of 10,000 different build combinations and pressures to streamline their operations, VW has resorted to nixing entire trim levels, colors, options in an effort to simplify its offerings.

Models that have seen their final days on UK shores include the 4.2-liter V8 short-wheelbase Phaeton, the Polo in 1.4-liter TDI E, S, SE and Sport variants, and the Touran in 2.0-liter FSI 150 SE trim. Newer models like the Eos, Touareg, Jetta, and Fox have been spared.

The company promises that existing owners of discontinued models will not have any service or parts issues as a result.

While Autoblog has yet to confirm if mainland Europe is similarly affected, we would be surprised if similar measures weren't taken there as well. Will U.S. lineups receive a similar once-over? Nothing is certain, but VW's U.S. lineups have a far more abbreviated lineup of vehicles and trims on offer, particularly in areas of drivetrain options. If company officials do seek to lessen the number of build combinations, expect changes to be wrought with a far lighter hand.

[Sources: AutoExpress UK; VW-Resource.com]

Volkswagen strips vehicle lineup in UK originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 May 2006 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.