Autoblog

VIDEOS: Need for Speed SHIFT track guides for Road America, Willow Springs and Laguna Seca

Noah Joseph — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:29:00 EST

Click above to watch the videos after the jump

Make no mistake about it: the racing games are coming. But while it may be all to easy to get lost in all the hype over the latest from Microsoft's Forza or Sony's Gran Turismo franchises, Electronic Arts has a trick of its own up its sleeve. (We're just kidding, everyone knows gamers don't wear sleeves.) And they've just given us a glimpse of what to expect. Three of them, actually.

The benchmark of any good racing game is how faithfully it reproduces some of our most favorite race tracks. And if that's the gold standard, then Need for Speed SHIFT is shaping up to be a great one. If you'll follow us after the jump, you can enjoy three new videos outlining EA's take on three of America's best circuits: Laguna Seca, Willow Springs and Road America - complete with run-downs of each track's histories and intricacies. The game launches in North America on September 15, but you can check out the videos now.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEOS: Need for Speed SHIFT track guides for Road America, Willow Springs and Laguna Seca

VIDEOS: Need for Speed SHIFT track guides for Road America, Willow Springs and Laguna Seca originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lewis Hamilton, Heikki Kovalainen moonlighting as cab drivers

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos

Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen in Vodafone's Taxi GP commercial - Click above to watch video

Vodafone has created an online game called Taxi Grand Prix that looks pretty neat. You choose a team of two actual taxi drivers on the roads in Great Britain, and when a race begins, the distance your two drivers travel whenever they have fares is added to your team's distance. Whichever team's drivers clock up 308 kilometers fastest wins.

To promote the game, the cell phone company has created a series of vids featuring McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen as boy racer black cabbies. In this intro spot, the two fight to get to a single fare in Spring Hill. Based on the amount of driving they do, it looks like the pickup is in Orkney. And while the spot is a bit of fun -- and the only time Heikki has been in front of Lewis all year -- the game itself looks a lot cooler than the commercial. Follow the jump to watch the video.

[Source: The Sun]

Continue reading Lewis Hamilton, Heikki Kovalainen moonlighting as cab drivers

Lewis Hamilton, Heikki Kovalainen moonlighting as cab drivers originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEOS: Need for Speed SHIFT includes Lexus LF-A, BMW M3 GT2, lots of awesome

Noah Joseph — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:27:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Toys/Games

Click above to watch videos after the jump

The holidays come for auto freaks several times a year, and we call those times auto shows. But with the motor show calendar on break for the summer, we got an unexpected injection of octane from this year's E3 video game expo. As if it weren't enough to catch a glimpse at such promising upcoming releases as Forza Motorosport 3, Gran Turismo 5 and Codemasters' FUEL, we've now got another one to add to our shopping lists: Need for Speed SHIFT.

Although previous installments of the NFS franchise focused on outrunning the po-po and tricking out imports, as our thumb-cramped compatriots over at Joystiq found out just this past March, SHIFT promises to deliver a pure racing simulator. EA has now released the full list of cars (including such highlights as the Lexus LF-A, Pagani Zonda R, Nissan GT-R SpecV, BMW M3 GT2 and Audi R8 LMS) and tracks (including the Nürburgring, Laguna Seca and Willow Springs) that'll be included in the game, along with a pair of videos that we've posted after the jump. Check 'em out, and prepare to lose sleep.

Gallery: Need for Speed SHIFT

Continue reading VIDEOS: Need for Speed SHIFT includes Lexus LF-A, BMW M3 GT2, lots of awesome

VIDEOS: Need for Speed SHIFT includes Lexus LF-A, BMW M3 GT2, lots of awesome originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beat some ugly Italian designs with an ugly stick

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:26:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Humor

Got some time to burn? Of course you do! iMotor Mag has created a game to punish the wayward children of esteemed Italian design houses. Where designers such as Pininfarina and Bertone have penned gems like the Ferrari F599 and the Lamborghini Miura, they have also thrust the Peugeot 1007 and Skoda Favorit on unwary car shoppers (hey, even designers have to eat...).

iMotor (the same blokes who gave us the Bail Out Chrysler game) gives you the chance to beat them, and a couple of Bertone designs to boot. You may not agree with all of them (Subaru SVX?) but the better you wield the ugly stick, the more unfortunate designs you get to eradicate from the (virtual) world. However, as with many ugly-yet-enduring designs, the cars put up a good fight, so good luck getting to Level Two.

[Source: iMotor Mag]

Beat some ugly Italian designs with an ugly stick originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Need for Speed franchise splitting into trio

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Etc.

Click above for a high-res gallery of screenshots from coming Need for Speed titles

Electronic Arts, the folks who recently brought us Need for Speed: Undercover, are now working on three (possibly four) new titles in the franchise. According to EA, they're just trying to "keep the game fresh and the players entertained." If you're a cynic, you're getting another plate of something that hasn't tasted good since Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit.

Your three options will be NFS: Shift, NFS: Nitro, and NFS: World Online. Shift is "built for racers by racers" and will "deliver a true driver's experience that reflects contemporary motorsports." Nitro is an arcade take on the game with "a fresh and unique visual style." World Online is a free web-based player that "takes the race into the largest open world in the history of Need for Speed."

And if you believe the skinny from Eurogamer, EA is working on a fourth NFS that will continue the work of "crafting different games for different audiences and their unique tastes in the driving category." As for the ones we know about, Speed and Nitro will hit shelves this fall, with World Online following in winter. For now, you can can read the press release after the jump, and check out the high-res screenshots below.

Gallery: Need for Speed Shift, Nitro, and World Online

[Source: Joystiq]

Continue reading Need for Speed franchise splitting into trio

Need for Speed franchise splitting into trio originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Takuma Sato Gets New Seat

Justin Gardiner — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Japan, Technology, Toys/Games

At first glance this could be Super Aguri's latest F1 contender. It's not like they need any bodywork for all their sponsors' stickers...

But no, it is a limited edition Takuma Sato Play Seat that can be parked in front of your TV for just 60,900 cents/Yen (around $600 USD). There goes that precious living room square footage freed up by last year's purchase of an ultra thin widescreen plasma display. Play Seats are comaptible with PS2s, 3s, Wiis and X-Boxes, and we're just aching to give one, or preferably two, a test drive. Fortunatley, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue came out yesterday and a few of us have it in hand, though we're not sure how we're going to convince AOL that a Play Seat is a required business expense for reviewing the game.

Source: Auto Gallery via Le Blog Auto

Takuma Sato Gets New Seat originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forget Gran Turismo, Bus Driver is greatest next-gen driving sim

Dan Roth — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Etc., Toys/Games, Lifestyle

Click above for more screen shots of Bus Driver

When I was in Kindergarten, I rode Bus 11. It was an oil-burning 32-passenger GMC that was ready for retirement by 1982. It was driven by Sarge. I'm not sure why she was called Sarge, but her demeanor definitely lived up to the moniker. Frequent exhortations to"SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP" kept us all in line. Nobody ever laughed when she ground the 2-3 upshift. Think you'd enjoy ruling passengers with an iron fist? You could go get the endorsement on your license and then hit the job market, or if that takes too much effort, just buy Bus Driver, the video game.

Hey, at least it's still a driving game, but it's the staid, responsible version of gaming. Rather than speed around a track or create mayhem, your mission is to follow routes in your school bus, city bus or tour bus while picking up and dropping off fares. What fun, the replays must be enthralling. It could be worse, though - it's still a wheeled conveyance you're controlling rather than some Wiimote-powered silliness. We do wish that Meridian4, the game's publisher, had included the DeLorean bus that never got off the ground.

Gallery: Bus Driver: The Video Game

[Source: Winding Road]

Forget Gran Turismo, Bus Driver is greatest next-gen driving sim originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Virtual Wheel-ality: Porsche 911 Turbo S game controller

Noah Joseph — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Marketing/Advertising, Porsche

In a perfect world, everyone who wanted a car like the Porsche 911 Turbo S would get one. In the real world, sadly, not everyone can afford the six-figure price of admission. Fortunately there's virtual reality in between, where enthusiasts can toy with cars like the Turbo S in video games. To bridge that ever-narrowing gap for game-playing Porschephiles, Stuttgart has licensed this super-realistic force-feedback gaming wheel package.

The Porsche 911 Turbo S Wheel from Fanatec is a proper replica of the wheel found in the actual car, complete with hand-stitched leather, authentic metal badge on the hub...the works. But while a real Porsche has one engine, this wheel has three belt-driven force feedback motors to perfect the feeling. The wheel is accompanied by a three-pedal set, gas, brake and clutch likewise calibrated for an ultra-realistic feel. Fanatec even provides two interchangeable gearsticks - six-speed manual H-gate and Tiptronic sequential. Two versions are available, for Playstation 3 or PC, the former with lap braces and the former with table clamps. It even comes with a special 1GB USB drive in the shape of a Porsche key.

In addition to the manufacturer's online shop, the wheel package is available through Porsche dealerships and will set you back $350, who can hook you up with the only thing more realistic for about 200 times that.

[Source: Fanatec via Motorpasion]

Virtual Wheel-ality: Porsche 911 Turbo S game controller originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Oct 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top Gear vs. F1: It's Go Time

Noah Joseph — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 13:03:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

If you're reading this from your home or office in the UK, despair not, for all is not lost. To compensate for the bland food and consistently rainy weather, we've got a game for you!

The flash-animation quiz game after the jump pits the Top Gear presenters Clarkson, Hammond and "Captain Slow" against Formula One stars present and past: Nigel Mansell, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton. Chose your player and your opponent, and test your knowledge of all things related to grand prix racing and the BBC's famous car show...er, programme. (Sorry, chaps.)

It's good for literally minutes of fun. Tens of minutes, even, if you get hooked on watching Mansell and May kick the bullocks off each other after each right or wrong answer. Jolly good fun, that.

[Source: VCars]

Top Gear vs. F1: It's Go Time originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Jul 2007 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scion's web persona gets a little deviant, and creepy

Dan Roth — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:05:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Scion

Scion's feeling that it's time for an advertising change, and they're taking the campaign dark. The Toyota offshoot, which is intended to attract young, hip, urbanites with an active lifestyle (whatever the hell that's supposed to mean), is attempting to harden the edge of its image.

We've been peppered from day one with Scion ads targeting fans of electronic music and hip hop, though we're more insulted than enticed by the pandering spreads that assault our irises in every new issue of Remix. Now the scope has widened to include rock and metal tinged customers. Scion's looking to team up with music events, bands, and record labels as a way of promoting its wares, but the real news is Scion's new website.

LittleDeviant.com has you being a "Deviant," with the mission of genocide. The city is filled with "Sheeple," beings that blindly follow (Camry purchasers?). Deviants are seriously bloodthirsty -- you need to complete various tasks such as throwing Sheeple across the city and a sicker version of whack-a-mole in which you juice the Sheeple like oranges. The site is quite well done, but the premise of the game is quite dark. In the end, gameplay is little removed from those flash-based novelties like billiards and golf, but if you're looking to waste some time on the web by bloodletting, Scion's got you covered.

[Source: Brandweek]

Scion's web persona gets a little deviant, and creepy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Don't forget the snow tires: PGR4 to feature "dynamic" weather

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 11 May 2007 14:02:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Project Gotham Racing 4 on the Xbox 360 has new AI, a revised in-car view, a career mode, better graphics, more cars... and a dynamic weather system! Thunderclouds, rain in the day, snow at night, icy roads, the perfect 4-wheel slide that suddenly turns mid-corner into a face full of Armco, it's all there -- you'll just never know when, because it's "dynamic". The quote from Bizarre, makers of PGR4: "This results in changing physics when powering around a corner on the wet or icy surface in Shanghai and St. Petersburg or any of the game's 10 other locations." You can see standard and HD movies of the ~~unpredictable~~ dynamic weather here. Get ready to get wet.

[Source: Joystiq]

Gallery: Project Gotham Racing 4 - dynamic weather

Don't forget the snow tires: PGR4 to feature "dynamic" weather originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 May 2007 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford Bold Moves: the video game

John Neff — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 10:56:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Ford

If you're a video game freak and a Mustang fan, chances are you're going to pick up Ford Bold Moves: Street Racing for the PS2, XBox 360 or PC no matter what kind of reviews it gets. Manufacturer specific driving games are not a new thing, even for Ford who is now on its third version of the Ford Racing series. Still, they can often devolve into extended digital test drives when there's only one brand to race.

Perhaps Ford Bold Moves: Street Racing is a cut above the rest, as it has some interesting features beyond the obvious draw of driving 18 of the greatest Ford vehicles of all time (see complete list of available vehicles after the jump). Gameplay is structured around short challenges, competitions and league play that takes place on 24 tracks based on the streets of L.A. Why video game makers insist on having us race the streets of the most congested city in the U.S. is beyond us, but we digress. In addition to winning cash to modify your Ford of choice, the game also goes the extra step to simulate real damage. The real hook, however, is a Maximum Team Control Racing mode in which players can control a team of up to three cars at once and can switch which car they're controlling on the fly.

With a name like Ford Bold Moves, we were hoping there'd be a management mode where we could swap out CEOs, bargain with teamsters and close plants, but it looks like game developer Razorworks is saving those features for its follow up, The Way Forward: Turnaround Xtreem.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford Bold Moves: the video game

Ford Bold Moves: the video game originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Sep 2006 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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