Autoblog

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

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, UK, Celebrities

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.

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New York State hiding tax increase behind throwback license plates?

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:26:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

The great state of New York has just unveiled a new license plate design. They're calling it "Empire Gold," unlike the current drab white and blue plates that New Yorkers have been affixin' to their rides since 2001. However, 57,000 people have already filed a petition at a website called nonewplates.com. Already? While the new NY plates aren't the best looking we've ever seen (black on yellow California plates from the 1950s FTW), they aren't that bad. What gives?

You, the taxpayer, that's what. New Yorkers are required to get the new plates. And they cost $25. Want to keep your same license plate number so you don't have to call and fuss with your insurance company? Or let's say you want to hang onto an existing vanity plate? That's going to cost you an extra $20. So if you have three vehicles and are happy with your numbers, these new plates will set you back $135. Out here in the Golden State, we've tossed people from office (hello Gray Davis!) for similar antics. Just sayin'. All in all, the new plate is expected to rake in $129 million for the state of NY and they drop in April, just in time for tax season.

Gallery: New York State License Plates

[Source: News Day]

New York State hiding tax increase behind throwback license plates? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You Better Believe It: Christian license plate reportedly banned by U.S. District Court

Noah Joseph — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:40:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

The proposed South Carolina plate would have looked something like Florida's (pictured above)

Last year, the South Carolina state legislature approved a bill to establish a Christian-themed license plate depicting a cross in front of a stained-glass window and bearing the words "I Believe". The vote spurred public advocacy groups into action, decrying the move as a violation of the separation of church and state.

According to the Associated Press, a similar bill in Florida failed to pass into law, and now a U.S. district court has struck down the license plate in South Carolina as a First Amendment violation. In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie took specific aim at the state's Lt. Governor Andre Bauer, the driving force behind the initiative, calling the move "an effort to purchase political capital with religious coin."

In addition to banning the plate, Judge Currie also ordered the state to reimburse the legal expenses of Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, two groups which fought against the initiative and were, if you'll pardon the pun, decidedly cross.

[Sources: The Associated Press; The New York Times]

You Better Believe It: Christian license plate reportedly banned by U.S. District Court originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Woodward 2009: License plates - They're the original Twitter!

Sam Abuelsamid — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:54:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Misc. Auto Shows, Humor

Woodward license plates - Click above for high-res image gallery

These days, Twitter is all the rage as a means for the digitally inclined to communicate their thoughts in bursts of 140 characters or less. However, that 140 character limit is positively verbose compared to an older and more established means of short messaging. Drivers long ago realized that certain combinations of letters and numbers could be used to send messages in less than seven characters. One of this blogger's all time favorites was a classic Lamborghini Countach with the plate IXLR8.

While that particular Lambo didn't appear at this year's Woodward festivities, there were plenty of other interesting messages sent out. As far as we're concerned, the best plates are the ones that don't take too much brain power to decipher. Sometimes, the license plate phrase reinforces something about the car's behavior - such as the FASSST plate on one Cobra. Other times, drivers use onomatopoeia like the BRMBRUM plate on another Shelby snake. Still others, such as the LVNGLYF plate we saw on a Lotus Elise, are more descriptive of the car's driver. Check out our entire gallery below of interesting plates from the 2009 Woodward Dream Cruise.

Gallery: Woodward 2009: License plates ? They're the original Twitter!

Woodward 2009: License plates - They're the original Twitter! originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: One in 10 Illinois license plates may be defective

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal

Wondering what exactly constitutes as a 'defective' license plate? So were we. Apparently, roughly 1.1 million license plates were issued in Illinois between 2001 and 2003 with a reflective coating that can bubble and peel away. This causes multiple side effects, some of them worse than others - the plates can rust, which is bad... but it also makes them more difficult to read by police officers. Ticket... what ticket? Not surprisingly, the Illinois Secretary of State's office is concerned.

According to the Chicago Tribune, a million-plus letters were sent out in 2004 urging drivers to get the plates replaced but only 1,000 people responded to the free upgrade. Obviously, a more forceful tactic was required. Since March of this year, a million more letters have reportedly been sent out with the message: "in order to remain in compliance with Illinois law, it may be necessary to replace your license plate if it develops bubbles or rust around the letters.... failure to do so could result in a citation."

If you aren't one of the 211,000 people who responded to this latest letter and you've got a rusty Illinois license plate that you'd like to replace, click here.

[Source: Chicago Tribune]

PSA: One in 10 Illinois license plates may be defective originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Colorado pulling popular cancer awareness license plate over funding controversy?

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

Colorado's specialty "Committed to a Cure" license plate was rolled out in 2005. According to the women behind it, the goal was to "create broad awareness about the breast cancer crusade," and Coloradans have paid $50 to put the plates on their cars. A recently passed bill in the Colorado Legislature will add another $25 to that fee, and that extra surcharge has compelled the current plate's designers to ask for it to be retired.

The $25 will be applied to a fund that pays for treatment for uninsured women who have breast or cervical cancer. Carol Hickman, who had the original idea to create such a plate for Colorado is behind the movement to retire the current plate, says that since "there's no research component... it's not going to the overall purpose of committed to a cure." If the disease itself isn't being addressed with the surcharge, Hickman feels it's better not to allow the current plate to be used.

The uninsured women who have breast cancer and would benefit from treatment assistance would probably call that an overly strict definition of the word "cure." There is also the fact that no portion of the $50 vanity plate fee -- paid for 28,602 plates -- has gone to breast cancer research or treatment: half of that money goes to the DMV to pay for the plate and license services, the other half goes to highway maintenance.

A new plate breast-cancer-themed will be unveiled by November 1. Current plate holders have the option of trading plates when the new design arrives, or keeping theirs until 2012. The $25 surcharge will be optional until then.

[Source: 9 News | Image: Colorado House Democrats]

Continue reading Colorado pulling popular cancer awareness license plate over funding controversy?

Colorado pulling popular cancer awareness license plate over funding controversy? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zapatag lets you shame bad drivers online

Michael Harley — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:55:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Lifestyle

The next time you have a close encounter with a reckless driver, you can avoid the single finger salute and take out your frustrations online. Zapatag is a site that allows registered users (username, password, and e-mail address are all that's required) to submit the license plate information of offensive motorists for recognition or public humiliation. That's right, you can now report drunk drivers, cars that run red lights, and hybrid vehicles in the fast lane! The site has no legal connection with any jurisdiction, so your efforts will only serve to lower your blood pressure and make you feel better (and possibly avoid a bullet or two).

License plate information, incident location, and details are all stored within the site's database. A search engine is able to locate previous offenders based on full or partial plate numbers, or location. If you are a stalker, Zapatag will allow you to follow specified plate numbers as they collect comments -- or follow your own if you're a bit paranoid. One heads-up: The site doesn't appear to use any language filters (or grammar checks for that matter), so exercise caution when visiting the site at work.

[Source: Download Squad]

Zapatag lets you shame bad drivers online originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 May 2009 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ACLU throws its weight around in... battle for Colorado vanity plates?

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 11:51:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Lifestyle

If you LVTOFU, the ACLU might go to bat for your right to let the world know you love tofu. A Colorado woman was recently turned down by the state's DMV when she wanted a plate reading "ILVTOFU." The Department of Revenue said the letters "FU" are a banned combination, and cited a statute that allows rejections if plates are "offensive to the general public" or "offensive to good taste and decency." If loving tofu is wrong, we don't want to be right...

And the ACLU wants none of it. The organization has requested records from the Department of all of the rejected plates, probably with an eye to bringing a case if they find infringement of free speech. At issue is the boundary of First Amendment rights and state ownership of the license plate. An Oregon DMV rep said his state probably would have denied the plate -- Oregon turned down the plate "VINO" -- a Nevada DMV rep said his state probably would have approved it.

Even more odd is the list of banned 3-letter combinations on Colorado license plates. "Die," "gat," and "pee" we can understand. But "hot," "USB," and "moo"? Makes us think that Coloradoans have different meanings for their words than the rest of us...

[Source: Denver Post]

ACLU throws its weight around in... battle for Colorado vanity plates? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 25 Apr 2009 11:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saudi government bans "lewd" personalized license plates including: "SEX," "ASS," and... "USA"?!

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:20:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Lifestyle

Saudi Arabia recently instated a new type of license plate that is expected to be fitted to 49 million cars in the kingdom. As opposed to the old Arabic-only plates, the new plates feature Arabic and Latin letters and numbers. Drivers can even request that the three letters on the lower right form certain 3-letter English words, like "nut." But according to the BBC, authorities have published a list words that definitely cannot be placed there, and heading the list of words like "SEX" and "ASS" is this one: "USA."

Even here in America, states regularly restrict certain letter combinations on license plates. Tags like "SEXVAN" and "KSMYBT" have been given the kibosh (even though "PRNOSTR" made it through). A New York police officer who wanted a "GETOSAMA" plate was even denied. It hasn't been explained why "USA" is on the list of Saudi Arabia's banned words, but such plates and 90,000 others like it are being recalled and replaced with something more acceptable.

[Source: BBC | Photo: Saudi Jeans]

Saudi government bans "lewd" personalized license plates including: "SEX," "ASS," and... "USA"?! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Woman's love of tofu too obscene for vanity plate

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Humor

ILVTOFU. Does that seem obscene to you? If it does, you might want to apply for a job at the Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR). When mother-of-three Kelley Coffman-Lee requested this combination of letters for a vanity license plate, she was turned down.

While Kelley wanted the world to know just how much she loves tofu, the DOR saw it as a profession of love for something else entirely. "I-LV-TOFU" was deemed too risque, the DOR thinking it could be misinterpreted as "I-LV-TO-F-U."

Coffman-Lee is a vegan, and as she puts it, "I'm very expressive. I'm anti-fur, anti-rodeo, anti-circus when they come to Denver, and I thought, 'Here's a chance to be positive and say I love something.'" She even says that a friend at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animal (PETA) liked the idea so much they were willing to pay the $60 plate fee.

Alas, the Colorado Department of Revenue turned her down. While she doesn't plan to take the matter to court, she does say she'll continue to speak out about mistreating animals. Thanks for the tip, Matt!

[Source: KMGH Denver]

Woman's love of tofu too obscene for vanity plate originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yes, the rich really are different, even now: UK man buys license plate "1 D" for $513,000

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 19:57:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Government/Legal, UK

The trade in personalized license plates in the UK can be big business -- the most coveted ones aren't given away, they are auctioned off at country clubs and manor houses. And in spite of a thing called "the recession" the record price paid for a specialty plate in the UK has just been broken, with a Lebanese property developer paying £352,411 ($513,047 USD) to own "1 D." The actual winning bid was £285,000 ($414,893 USD), to which fees and taxes were added.

And this year will see four more auctions hosted, with the most important items on the block the initial run of O-series plates, from "3 O" to "6 O." The first, "1 O," was sold for £210,242 ($306,063 USD) in January. It is said that investors and businessmen are buying the plates now as investments. Oh, and that half-million-dollar plate will be going on a Bentley, and even with the recent price increases, the most expensive Bentley runs £245,000 ($356,865 USD). Let's hope that at these prices, the new owners are buying locking hardware. Check out the press release after the jump.

[Source: DVLA]

Continue reading Yes, the rich really are different, even now: UK man buys license plate "1 D" for $513,000

Yes, the rich really are different, even now: UK man buys license plate "1 D" for $513,000 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: Don't mess with Arizona...license plates

Noah Joseph — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 14:07:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal

If you live in Arizona, you might want to take a run down to the garage and check your license plate, because as of January 1, a new law has been implemented that makes it illegal to cover the word "Arizona" on your tags.

The state legislature initially passed the law way back in 2006, but delayed its implementation until now. Fines for covering the state's name on a number plate will vary from city to city, but they're expected to average around $135 plus court fees. Many aftermarket license plate frames pose the risk of turning drivers into ~~ATM machines~~ instant lawbreakers (check out the warnings/disclaimers posted with these items the ASU bookstore). While other states have similar laws in place, the proliferation of more than 60 different specialty plates available in Arizona may complicate matters, but something tells us that Arizona police will find a way to make drivers pay.

Rest assured, this debate's not over, either. State Senator Jay Tibshraeny (R-Chandler) is working on legislation that would repeal the law. Tibshraeny points out that the fines are exorbitant (the no-seat-belt fine in AZ, by contrast, is a paltry $10), and he feels that the law will simply lead to more "pretext stops" by police officers. Thanks for the tip, Robby.

[Source: azcentral.com]

PSA: Don't mess with Arizona...license plates originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 04 Jan 2009 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WTF is wrong with that plate?

Dan Roth — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:34:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Humor

From time to time, license plates wind up with unintentionally humorous alphanumeric combinations. Massachusetts had a run of plates with "POO" as the trailing characters, for example, but th North Carolina DMV's inadvertent pun takes the cake. About 10,000 plates were stamped up bearing the characters WTF before a 60 year old teacher's grandchildren whispered the internets meaning of the acronym in her ear, spurring her to raise the issue. Perhaps they need to surf the web a bit more in North Carolina's DMV offices, but at least anyone offended by his or her tag can get it replaced for free. The best part of the entire debacle? The DMV's own sample image for its website was "WTF-5505."

[Source: DriversDrive, Photo: WXII]

WTF is wrong with that plate? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lewis Hamilton spends �200k on vanity plate

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Celebrities

It is unlikely that most of us would pay for $400,000 for a personalized license plate. It is also unlikely that most of us are McLaren F1 driver Lewis Hamilton. The plate, "LEW 1S," was purchased by a real estate tycoon named Bob Lewis for under $100,000. When Lewis Hamilton decided he had to have it for his Mercedes SUV, he threw down more than four times that much to whisk it away from Bob. We have nothing against spending whatever you want on whatever you want. However, the plate purchase seems an interesting choice, since one of Hamilton's supposed reasons for leaving England for Switzerland, where he now lives, was to live a quieter, more anonymous life. Thanks for the tip, Eric!

[Source: One Stop Strategy]

Lewis Hamilton spends �200k on vanity plate originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Your oil dollars at work - $9.8 million license plate auction in the UAE

Dan Roth — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:29:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Etc., Lifestyle

While fuel prices continue to ratchet up and put a squeeze on all aspects of the world economy, times are flush within the borders of major oil producing nations. So flush, in fact, that several Emiratis found a total of 9.8 million dollars to indulge in low-number license plates at a recent auction. The fascination with distinctive tags is a world-wide phenomenon, but $926,000 for a plate that says "50G" is uniquely asinine. If that's what our last few fillups helped purchase, we're going to bike more.

[Source: Yahoo]

Your oil dollars at work - $9.8 million license plate auction in the UAE originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 May 2008 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Malaysia implements e-Plate with RFID to quell auto theft

Frank Filipponio — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Technology

Yesterday it was chipped tires, today it's chipped license plates. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is becoming more popular in everything from credit cards and passports to toll transponders and now license plates. RFID tags can simplify life by providing an automatic ID when scanned. RFID uses a microchip and antenna that stores personal data and can be installed in a device or embedded into an object (or even under the skin). Although this raises a whole 'nother debate about the Big Brother aspect of monitoring people's movements and unwanted access to personal info by hackers, RFID can be used effectively to speed things up. Or to automatically register information. Which brings us to today's use generously shared by our brothers and sisters at Engadget: license plates.

Because of the frequency of auto theft in Malaysia, their Road Transport Department (RTD) has decided to start using RFID-equipped license plates. Integrated microchips will help make scanning and identifying vehicles easier for the authorities. Authorized mechanics will install the plates with the embedded microchips storing data about the vehicle's make, model, and driver info. Known as the e-plate, naturally, it has already been used effectively in Japan and the UK, where the chips can automatically record data from another vehicle's RFID in the event of an accident. Especially in hit-and-run situations this could be a Godsend. The RTD is hoping that Kuala Lumpur will see reductions in thefts as the new plates will make things tougher on carjackers because swapped plates won't match the vehicle ID. The program will start with new registrations and gradually work its way to older models on renewals. You just know these RFID tags are going to be implanted under the skin at birth in the not-too-distant future.

[Source: Engadget]

Malaysia implements e-Plate with RFID to quell auto theft originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Dec 2006 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Bullrun special blank license plate

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 18:33:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Etc., Technology, Videos

It's often been said that racing improves the breed. Here we have video of a solution to a problem only scofflaws like the Bullrun participants would encounter. What to do when the popo spots you flying by at three times the posted limit? Give them a nice blank license to photograph or write down.

For all you criminals out there who want to race your cars, but don't want to get caught, this dynamic license plate might help. When the operator pushes a button the license plate becomes totally blank. Your results may vary. Please don't try this at home. Far from encouraging this sort of thing, we just appreciate the resourcefulness of these speed demons, and appreciate their ingenuity. Anybody know where we can get one?

[Source: Fresh Creation]

VIDEO: Bullrun special blank license plate originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Sep 2006 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford cleared in license plate lawsuit

John Neff — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 11:55:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Ford

Ford Motor Co. has been cleared in a class-action lawsuit revolving around the hardware required to attach a license plate to the front of car. Ted Strauss of Texas filed suit against the automaker after he received a $155 fine for not having a front plate on his 2002 Jaguar X-Type. Strauss sued not only Ford but also D & M Leasing, Co. claiming the two had violated Texas state motor vehicle and consumer protection laws, breached implied warranties and were negligent. While Texas is a state that requires motorists to display front license plates, U.S. District Chief Judge A. Joe Fish ruled that Ford and the leasing company had no legal duty to display front license plates, or rear ones for that matter, when a car is sold. We know the frustration Strauss must feel, as many of us live in states that require both front and rear plates. The precedent has been set, though, and by law we're all responsible now for affixing our own plates.

[Source: Automotive News]

Ford cleared in license plate lawsuit originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Aug 2006 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The license plate never lies - Platewire lets you get back at bad drivers

John Neff — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 18:48:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

We all know that particular type of concentrated anger that comes to the surface while being cut off, veered into and almost run off the road by bad drivers. Platewire is a website that lets you get back at those not deserving of a drivers license by reporting their offenses along with their plate numbers. Truly the site is more cathartic than anything, as most reports are full of creatively expressed cuss words and more exclamation points than periods.

Having just underwent an update, Platewire now also allows motorists to begin the reporting process while the wounds are still fresh. One just needs to dial the site's toll-free phone-to-web service, which will associate the entered plate number with the phone number from which the call was placed. The plate number can then be retrieved later on Platewire.com and entered with a detailed description of why, for instance, the woman driving her minivan while attempting to eat tacos should be banned from the roads.

[Source: Platewires.com via Netscape]

The license plate never lies - Platewire lets you get back at bad drivers originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Jul 2006 18:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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