Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Local Motors picks first-ever winner of motorcycle design challenge [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/01/local-motors-picks-first-ever-winner-of-motorcycle-design-challe/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/01/local-motors-picks-first-ever-winner-of-motorcycle-design-challe/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/01/local-motors-picks-first-ever-winner-of-motorcycle-design-challe/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Local Motors, the company behind the Rally Fighter, briefly took its four wheels off the dirt and put two on the road for a crowd-sourced motorcycle project. Working with fellow Arizona company DP Custom Cycles, Local Motors invited its community to design a motorbike based on the Harley-Davidson Sportster. More than 200 entries from ten countries were received, and the winner has been chosen in the DP Racer by Andre Costa of Portugal. Second place was the NASCAR-inspired Talledega by Italy's well-known Oberdan Bezzi, third place went to Marc Senger of the US for his NASA-themed DP Customs Lander.

DP Custom Cycles will build Costa's Racer, but hasn't said how many of them will be produced. Serial Number 0001 is already taken, though, having been auctioned off to the Local Motors community. You can watch the selection process in the video and read about the contest and finalists in the press release below, and check out the top ten entries in the high-res gallery above.

Continue reading Local Motors picks first-ever winner of motorcycle design challenge [w/video]

Local Motors picks first-ever winner of motorcycle design challenge [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 May 2013 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crowdsourcingdp custom cycleslocal motorsmotorcyclevideoyoutubeWed, 01 May 2013 09:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20550832/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/01/local-motors-picks-first-ever-winner-of-motorcycle-design-challe/20550832/article-detail.xml 20550832 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/local-motors-dpc-contest_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/local-motors-dpc-contest.jpg <![CDATA[Local Motors Rally Fighter rolls over, refuses to play dead]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/06/local-motors-rally-fighter-rolls-over-refuses-to-play-dead/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/06/local-motors-rally-fighter-rolls-over-refuses-to-play-dead/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/06/local-motors-rally-fighter-rolls-over-refuses-to-play-dead/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Local Motors Rally Fighter desert racing flip - video screencap

We already knew that the Local Motors Rally Fighter was one of the most interesting new vehicles of the last decade - it has a compelling backstory (come-from-nowhere company with a crowdsourced design), a fascinating look all its own and off-road chops. But now we know it has something approaching genuine robustness.

How genuine? Check out Turn 2 Production's video of competitor No. 1841 as it runs in this past weekend's Best In The Desert racing series' Parker 425. The 1800-class desert entrant is shown here as its driver takes a small jump but fails to nail the landing, digging the nose in and precipitating an end-over-end flip. The Rally Fighter lands on its wheels, and then without skipping a beat, the team presses on regardless, only momentarily encumbered by a floppy hood.

The team would go on to finish the Parker, AZ race, earning a fourth-in-class place and taking 19th overall.

Continue reading Local Motors Rally Fighter rolls over, refuses to play dead

Local Motors Rally Fighter rolls over, refuses to play dead originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Feb 2013 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best in the desertcar flipendofliplocal motorsrally fighterrallyfightervideoWed, 06 Feb 2013 12:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20450421/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/02/06/local-motors-rally-fighter-rolls-over-refuses-to-play-dead/20450421/article-detail.xml 20450421 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/local-motors-rally-fighter-flip_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/local-motors-rally-fighter-flip.jpg <![CDATA[Local Motors Rally Fighter crowds into Jay Leno's Garage]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/20/local-motors-rally-fighter-crowds-into-jay-lenos-garage/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/20/local-motors-rally-fighter-crowds-into-jay-lenos-garage/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/20/local-motors-rally-fighter-crowds-into-jay-lenos-garage/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



The Local Motors Rally Fighter is a car that neither looks nor drives like anything else on the road today. Even Jay Leno, who seems to have one of just about every cool car in history, admits to not knowing much about it. Which makes for an interesting interview for Jay, and a cool video for us.

One of the neatest elements of the Local Motors product - for those that like to swing a wrench, anyway - is that all of the Rally Fighters are build in the company's facility with the help of the owners themselves. That's a way of getting these "component cars" on the road, legally, without conforming to the strict crash standards for large-scale production cars, but it also means that each owner is really invested in the car that they've just purchased. We'd guess that world-class stuff-jumping ability might be a big draw, too.

Scroll down to watch this fascinating episode of Jay Leno's Garage, and get schooled about the ins and outs of hand-made rally cars.

Continue reading Local Motors Rally Fighter crowds into Jay Leno's Garage

Local Motors Rally Fighter crowds into Jay Leno's Garage originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 Jan 2013 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>jay lenojay lenos garagelocal motorslocal motors rally fighterrally fightervideoSun, 20 Jan 2013 20:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20433283/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/20/local-motors-rally-fighter-crowds-into-jay-lenos-garage/20433283/article-detail.xml 20433283 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/jay-leno-local-motors-rallyfighter-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/jay-leno-local-motors-rallyfighter-628.jpg <![CDATA[Domino's picks winning Ultimate Delivery Vehicle design concept]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/20/dominos-picks-winning-ultimate-delivery-vehicle-design/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/20/dominos-picks-winning-ultimate-delivery-vehicle-design/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/20/dominos-picks-winning-ultimate-delivery-vehicle-design/#commentsFiled under: ,

Domino's Pack by Anej Kostrevc

Crowdsourcing has become a great tool for companies to create new products, and Domino's Pizza is using it to create a new signature delivery vehicle. Domino's teamed with Local Motors on a contest in which people from around the world were given the opportunity to help design the Ultimate Delivery Vehicle and earn some cash in the process.

The design round of the competition just wrapped, and Local Motors announced the winning entry: a vehicle concept called the Domino's Pack, designed by Anej Kostrevc of Slovenia. With a compact overall footprint (almost nine feet long, just under five feet wide, and a little more than six feet tall), the Domino's Pack is designed to maximize interior space for pizzas and beverages.

A cooled rear drawer chills up to nine two-liter bottles while other drawers and trays make it easy for the driver to store and access pizzas. The illustrations indicate that it uses automatic sliding side doors that operate in a manner similar to the 2013 Ford Escape's foot-activated liftgate system. This concept won Kostrevc $10,000, while second and third place won $5,000 and $1,500, respectively; designers of the remaining top 10 choices took home $500 each.

This is just the first of five phases that will award more than $50,000 in total prize money. From here, vehicle details (packaging, interior, surfacing, and rendering) will be finalized using a similar voting and validation process. The contest wraps on February 19, 2013. If you want to get involved, head over to the Local Motors' page here.

Be sure to check out the gallery of Kostrevc's winning concept as well as the other designs making up the top 10 entries.

Continue reading Domino's picks winning Ultimate Delivery Vehicle design concept

Domino's picks winning Ultimate Delivery Vehicle design concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Oct 2012 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dominos pizzalocal motorsultimate delivery vehicleSat, 20 Oct 2012 20:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20355277/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/20/dominos-picks-winning-ultimate-delivery-vehicle-design/20355277/article-detail.xml 20355277 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/dominos-udv_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/dominos-udv.jpg <![CDATA[BMW taps Local Motors crowd-sourcing community to design the city car of 2025]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/20/bmw-taps-local-motors-crowd-sourcing-community-to-design-the-cit/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/20/bmw-taps-local-motors-crowd-sourcing-community-to-design-the-cit/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/20/bmw-taps-local-motors-crowd-sourcing-community-to-design-the-cit/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Design-by-commitee. It is a term that we usually reserve for cars that are conceived by number-crunching product planners, rather than true designers, but this case might be different. What if that committee was every enthusiast on the planet? "Crowd-sourcing," or "open-sourcing" is a concept employed by upstart automaker Local Motors. The first spawn of this process was the insanely cool Rally Fighter, so you can't argue with the results, right?

BMW agrees, and has announced that it is teaming up with Local Motors to put on the BMW "Urban Driving Experience Challenge." It is a competition, conducted by Local Motors through its extensive crowd-sourcing community, to develop a city car for the year 2025. According to Local Motors, the competition gives its community "the opportunity to identify and design the premium vehicle features and functions that will enhance the urban driving experience of the future."

Phase One of the competition begins September 25 and runs to October 16. The second phase starts in mid-November. A total of $30,000 in prize money will be awarded in the competition, and the top winners will each travel to Munich, Germany to meet BMW's director of research and development.

There's a good bit of synergy between these two automakers. Following the Rally Fighter, Local Motors voiced its interest in crowd-sourcing a city car, which is a shared interest with BMW, given the automaker's i3 concept. Also, before the 6.2-liter GM V8 ended up under the hood of the Rally Fighter, the original powerplant was a BMW diesel 3.0-liter straight-six.

Scroll below to check out the promo video and press release.

Continue reading BMW taps Local Motors crowd-sourcing community to design the city car of 2025

BMW taps Local Motors crowd-sourcing community to design the city car of 2025 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bmwbmw i3city carcrowd sourcecrowdsourcei3local motorslocal motors rally fighteropen sourcerally fighterurban driving experience challengeThu, 20 Sep 2012 08:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20325899/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/09/20/bmw-taps-local-motors-crowd-sourcing-community-to-design-the-cit/20325899/article-detail.xml 20325899 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/bmw-urban-banner-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/bmw-urban-banner-628.jpg <![CDATA[This is how to box up a Local Motors Rally Fighter [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/30/this-is-how-to-box-up-a-local-motors-rally-fighter-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/30/this-is-how-to-box-up-a-local-motors-rally-fighter-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/30/this-is-how-to-box-up-a-local-motors-rally-fighter-w-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Local Motors boxes up a Rally Fighter

Attention Chicagoans and other Midwesterners: If you've been wondering when the Local Motors Rally Fighter might be coming to a show in your neck of the woods, the answer is Sept. 10-15. And no, the Chicago Auto Show has not been rescheduled, it will still be held next February. Rather, the Rally Fighter will be on display at something called the International Manufacturing Technology Show, which is where those few who get excited about metal cutting and forming, tooling, CAD/CAM, and other various industrial operations gather to spend a week pretending that the masses in the United States still care about manufacturing.

While you might think that Local Motors would simply haul or drive the Rally Fighter to IMTS, that's not the case. Instead, one of the cars was boxed up and trucked there, where it will be built live on the floor of the McCormick Place convention center. This demonstration is all part of the IMTS fun, and while the show is really designed for people who still build things for a living, there's likely no reason that blog-reading cubicle-dwellers (or writers...) can't pony up the $50 to attend the exposition.

Scroll down to watch a video about the IMTS Rally Fighter.

Continue reading This is how to box up a Local Motors Rally Fighter [w/video]

This is how to box up a Local Motors Rally Fighter [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>imtsInternational Manufacturing Technology Showlocal motorslocal motors rally fighterrally fighterrally fighter live buildThu, 30 Aug 2012 10:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20310088/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/08/30/this-is-how-to-box-up-a-local-motors-rally-fighter-w-video/20310088/article-detail.xml 20310088 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/boxing-up-a-local-motors-rally-fighter-07-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/boxing-up-a-local-motors-rally-fighter-07-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Domino's wants you to design the ultimate pizza delivery vehicle [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/13/dominos-wants-you-to-design-the-ultimate-pizza-delivery-vehicle/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/13/dominos-wants-you-to-design-the-ultimate-pizza-delivery-vehicle/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/13/dominos-wants-you-to-design-the-ultimate-pizza-delivery-vehicle/#commentsFiled under: ,



When you want the crowd to help you design something automotive related, Local Motors seems to have become the go-to. The Phoenix-based company that birthed the Rally Fighter has since collaborated with DARPA, Edison2 and Peterbilt among others, and now it can add Domino's Pizza to the list.

The pizza pie maker wants to create, with your input, the Ultimate Delivery Vehicle that will ease the 10 million miles per week its drivers do. A five-part design competition will begin today and end on February 19, 2013, with each phase covering a different aspect of the vehicle: design, packaging, interior, surfacing and rendering. After that will come the prototype... and eventually, better pizza. Or a better pizza experience, at least.

For insight into the needs of a pizza deliverer, the contest will be joined by a national television campaign featuring the Domino's CEO doing ride-alongs with "delivery experts" and soliciting feedback. The particulars are now available here, and there's a video and press releases from Domino's and Local Motors just below.

Continue reading Domino's wants you to design the ultimate pizza delivery vehicle [w/video]

Domino's wants you to design the ultimate pizza delivery vehicle [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car designcompetitioncontestdesigndominosdominos pizzalocal motorsultimate delivery vehicleMon, 13 Aug 2012 17:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20298484/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/08/13/dominos-wants-you-to-design-the-ultimate-pizza-delivery-vehicle/20298484/article-detail.xml 20298484 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/pixar-pizza-planet-truck_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/pixar-pizza-planet-truck.jpg <![CDATA[Local Motors wants your help designing the next Peterbilt big rig]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/15/local-motors-wants-your-help-designing-the-next-peterbilt-big-ri/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/15/local-motors-wants-your-help-designing-the-next-peterbilt-big-ri/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/15/local-motors-wants-your-help-designing-the-next-peterbilt-big-ri/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Aero Peterbilt by Nikita Kalinin

No, that's not Peterbilt's new concept for a futuristic long haul truck you're looking at. It's an entry in the company's RIG2: Road Icon Generation 2 competition, a contest being run by Local Motors to develop new ideas in aerodynamic designs for Peterbilt semis.

Contest entry is open through June 26, with design materials including CAD and Photoshop files available at the Local Motors Forge website. Prizes include $10,000 for the winning entry, and cash for anyone who finishes in the top ten. All will be selected via community voting, except for the top prize, which will be chosen by Peterbilt from the top 10 vote-getters.

The partnership with Peterbilt is just the latest effort in crowd-sourcing from Rally Fighter builder Local Motors, which launched its Forge collaboration site at SEMA last year.

Scroll down to read the full press release.

Continue reading Local Motors wants your help designing the next Peterbilt big rig

Local Motors wants your help designing the next Peterbilt big rig originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crowdsourcinglocal motorslocal motors forgepeterbiltsemi trucktractor trailertruckersFri, 15 Jun 2012 18:40:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20259329/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/06/15/local-motors-wants-your-help-designing-the-next-peterbilt-big-ri/20259329/article-detail.xml 20259329 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/aero-peterbilt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/aero-peterbilt.jpg <![CDATA[The List #0051: Build a Car]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/29/the-list-0051-build-a-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/29/the-list-0051-build-a-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/29/the-list-0051-build-a-car/#commentsFiled under: ,



Building your own car is another activity that viewers often request we cover on The List. Assembling a kit car or doing a ground-up restoration of a relic barn find seemed like obvious choices, but weren't very practical. So we donned our thinking caps and came up with a cool alternative to the normal concept of building your own car: assembling your own Local Motors Rally Fighter at the company's micro factory near Phoenix, Arizona.

Building your own Rally Fighter is part of the purchase price when you order one of these crowd-sourced off-road coupes from Local Motors. For $74,900 you get the vehicle along with the experience of helping them build it, as well as your accommodations and meals.

We've driven the Rally Fighter before, but haven't taken you behind the scenes like this to see what the process of buying one is like and how they're built. Jessi and Patrick are going to do that for us, so hit Play to see what this updated notion of building your own car is really like.

Click here to watch The List #0051: Build a Car.



Have an RSS feed? Click here to add The List.

Click here to learn more about our hosts, Jessi and Patrick.

Continue reading The List #0051: Build a Car

The List #0051: Build a Car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 May 2012 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>build a carjessi combslocal motorspatrick mcintyrerally fighterthe-listTue, 29 May 2012 12:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20246804/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/29/the-list-0051-build-a-car/20246804/article-detail.xml 20246804 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/the-list-build-a-car_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/the-list-build-a-car.jpg <![CDATA[Local Motors Rally Fighter [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/09/local-motors-rally-fighter-quick-spin-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/09/local-motors-rally-fighter-quick-spin-review/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/09/local-motors-rally-fighter-quick-spin-review/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

An Off-Road Supercar That Prefers Anything But Pavement

Local Motors Rally Fighter

I had just passed the point of no return. Actually, that's not entirely true - I hadn't just passed it, I had hurled mud, gravel and everything else that got in my way as I transitioned from a sweeping arc of pavement onto a much slipperier surface of slightly damp, hard-packed dirt.

Suddenly, what moments before had seemed like heavy but reassuringly direct steering felt more like I was only able to send gentle suggestions to the front tires as to where I wanted them pointed. I couldn't let off the gas, having been told to hit the ramp at about 40 miles per hour, and an acute lack of run-up room meant I had to keep power fed to the massive rear Goodyear MTR Kevlar-laced tires in order to make my speed.

It was at this point that I began to question my insistence that I jump the Local Motors Rally Fighter so that I could accurately describe what it's like to earn one's four-wheeled wings.

It had all seemed like such a good idea a few moments before. Despite what should have been an ominous sign - our affable host and experienced off-road racer Buddy Crisp exiting the vehicle just before the most dangerous stunt we'd attempt (gleefully offering to hold the camera), I had clicked myself into place using a three-point safety belt whose tightly knit weave of nylon appeared woefully inadequate for keeping me in the seat in the event of The Unthinkable.

Luckily for me, it didn't. The Local Motors Rally Fighter sailed 40 feet through the air with more grace and aplomb than the Wright Brothers' first flight. And, though none of us were there to witness Orville and Wilbur's Kitty Hawk triumph back in December of 1903, I'd bet our landing was far less eventful than theirs.

Continue reading Local Motors Rally Fighter [w/video]

Local Motors Rally Fighter [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011 local motors rally fighterlocal motorsquick spinquickspinrally fighterrally fighter reviewWed, 09 Nov 2011 11:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20101992/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/11/09/local-motors-rally-fighter-quick-spin-review/20101992/article-detail.xml 20101992 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/local-motors-rally-fighter-qs_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/local-motors-rally-fighter-qs.jpg <![CDATA[Local Motors updates 2012 Rally Fighter, launches The Forge]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/03/local-motors-updates-2012-rally-fighter-launches-the-forge/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/03/local-motors-updates-2012-rally-fighter-launches-the-forge/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/03/local-motors-updates-2012-rally-fighter-launches-the-forge/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Local Motors Rally Fighter

Local Motors and its team of online community members are hard at work refining the Rally Fighter for 2012, and the list of changes for the new model year have officially been announced here at SEMA.

Probably the biggest piece of news is the replacement of the older three-link (with Watt's link) rear suspension setup with a better four-link arrangement. The buyer can now choose from a stock Ford 8.8-inch rear end or opt instead for a welded-up 9-inch. Up front, a new set of billet A arms round out the suspension updates.

In addition to the new-model-year changes, the crew at Local Motors also announced The Forge, a "collaborative vehicular development platform [that] will allow OEMs, aftermarket companies, educational institutions and hobbyists to engage the Local Motors community for ideas, design, engineering development and more."

The open web-based development platform will go live on 11.11.11, as will a new CAD software program from Siemens and Local Motors. Read all about the updates to the 2012 Rally Fighter as well as The Forge in the press releases after the break... and stay tuned for some exciting Rally Fighter content right here on Autoblog in the coming weeks.

Continue reading Local Motors updates 2012 Rally Fighter, launches The Forge

Local Motors updates 2012 Rally Fighter, launches The Forge originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cadlocal forgelocal motorslocal motors forgelocal motors rally fighterrally fightersiemenssiemens cadthe fordThu, 03 Nov 2011 17:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20097176/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/11/03/local-motors-updates-2012-rally-fighter-launches-the-forge/20097176/article-detail.xml 20097176 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/local-motors-rally-fighter_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/local-motors-rally-fighter.jpg <![CDATA[Local Motors Rally Fighter gets driven by Translogic]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/28/local-motors-rally-fighter-gets-driven-by-translogic/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/28/local-motors-rally-fighter-gets-driven-by-translogic/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/28/local-motors-rally-fighter-gets-driven-by-translogic/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Local Motors Rally Fighter
Local Motors Rally Fighter takes flight - Click above to watch video after the jump

We've been itching to slide behind the wheel of the Local Motors Rally Fighter since we first got word of the off-road coupe. The $70,000 beast gets its power from a 430-horsepower, General Motors-sourced V8 engine, and it boasts enough ground clearance to tackle the Baja 1,000 on its way to the grocery store. We haven't gotten an invite to come play in the dirt with Local Motors just yet, so we'll just have to live vicariously through the crew at Translogic. The show recently spent some time in the cockpit of the Rally Fighter, took a quick tour of the Local Motors manufacturing facility and spoke with head honcho Jay Rogers.

Color us jealous.

Rogers took the time to speak about the development process behind the Rally Fighter, including the decision to use tail lamp housings from the Honda Civic Coupe, how the design came together and the huge role that crowd sourcing played in the vehicle's development. Hit the jump to check out the video for yourself.

Continue reading Local Motors Rally Fighter gets driven by Translogic

Local Motors Rally Fighter gets driven by Translogic originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>jay rogerslocal motorslocal motors rally fighterlocal motors rally fighter videorally fighterrally fighter videotranslogicvideoTue, 28 Jun 2011 18:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19978265/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/06/28/local-motors-rally-fighter-gets-driven-by-translogic/19978265/article-detail.xml 19978265 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/rally-fighter-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/rally-fighter-630.jpg <![CDATA[Local Motors builds XC2V Flypmode prototype for DARPA]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/27/local-motors-builds-xc2v-flypmode-prototype-for-darpa/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/27/local-motors-builds-xc2v-flypmode-prototype-for-darpa/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/27/local-motors-builds-xc2v-flypmode-prototype-for-darpa/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Local Motors DARPA XC2V
Local Motors DARPA XC2V - Click above to watch the video after the jump

Typically when the Pentagon puts out a tender for a new contract, it goes to to established defense contractors. Not so with the new XC2V FlypMode combat vehicle. This time, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) crowd-sourced the project, meaning that it opened up the contract to the general public to design.

The result is the vehicle you see here. Designed by the same Local Motors behind the Rally Fighter, the XC2V - shorthand for Experimental Crowd-derived Combat-support Vehicle - is, for the time being at least, a "proof of principle project," so we're not likely to see it go into production any time soon.

Whatever becomes of this impressively capable-looking vehicle, that Local Motors managed to put the whole thing together in just 14 weeks could be the most impressive part of all. Especially considering it would probably take us longer to build a kit car, and those have all the components and instructions ready to go. Follow the jump to watch the time-lapse video of the build from start to finish.

Continue reading Local Motors builds XC2V Flypmode prototype for DARPA

Local Motors builds XC2V Flypmode prototype for DARPA originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crowdsourcecrowdsourcingdarpalocal motorsmilitary vehiclexc2vxc2v flypmodeMon, 27 Jun 2011 16:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19977230/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/06/27/local-motors-builds-xc2v-flypmode-prototype-for-darpa/19977230/article-detail.xml 19977230 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/darpa-xc2v_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/darpa-xc2v.jpg <![CDATA[eBay Find of the Day: 2011 Local Motors Rally Fighter]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/01/ebay-find-of-the-day-2011-local-motors-rally-fighter/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/01/ebay-find-of-the-day-2011-local-motors-rally-fighter/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/01/ebay-find-of-the-day-2011-local-motors-rally-fighter/#commentsFiled under: , ,

local motors rally fighter
eBay Find of the Day: Local Motors Rally Fighter - Click above for image gallery

Interested in putting a Local Motors Rally Fighter in your garage but don't want to put in any of your own wrench time? Perhaps you don't mind turning wrenches but would prefer not to wait until the next build session, which starts in January of 2012? We've found the answer to your problems. A fully built Rally Fighter is for sale on eBay Motors, and you can "Buy It Now" for $84,900.

This particular Rally Fighter features a 430-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 engine that would otherwise be found under the hood of a Chevrolet Corvette. The mighty mill is paired with a four-speed automatic transmission, and each unit comes with a GM Performance Parts warranty. The Fox suspension allows for 18-inches of travel in the front and 20-inches out back. Inside the Rally Fighter, a set of Sparco seats help keep occupants in check, and the power windows, air conditioning and heat keep them comfortable.

If the asking price seems a bit steep for your tastes, the seller is also accepting offers. Head over to eBay Motors, and take a look at the only ready-to-rumble Rally Fighter we know of that's for sale right now... at least for the rest of the day.

eBay Find of the Day: 2011 Local Motors Rally Fighter originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ebayebay find of the daylm rflocal motorslocal motors rally fighterrally fighterWed, 01 Jun 2011 09:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19954098/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/06/01/ebay-find-of-the-day-2011-local-motors-rally-fighter/19954098/article-detail.xml 19954098 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/009-local-motors-rally-fighter-1306846623_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/009-local-motors-rally-fighter-1306846623.jpg <![CDATA[Local Motors announces Flypmode concept wins DARPA XC2V competition]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/22/local-motors-announces-flypmode-concept-wins-darpa-xc2v-competit/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/22/local-motors-announces-flypmode-concept-wins-darpa-xc2v-competit/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/22/local-motors-announces-flypmode-concept-wins-darpa-xc2v-competit/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

local motors flypmode darpa xc2v winner
Flypmode wins DARPA XC2V Challenge - Click above for high-res image gallery

Local Motors is all about reaching out to the crowd and sourcing the best ideas as a team. It did just that in a new design contest, in which readers were tasked with developing a vehicle for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) XC2V Challenge.

That stands for Experimental Crowd-Derived Combat-support Vehicle, and three standout entries were chosen as finalists; Victor Garcia's Flypmode, Marc Senger's Kratos and Romain Chareyre's Sentinel.

To borrow a phrase from philospher hip-hop artist Busta Rhymes, it appears that Flypmode is the greatest. Kratos designer Marc Senger took home 2nd place and $1,500 while Chareyre's Sentinal earned 3rd place and $1,000. For finishing first, Garcia will receive $7,500 and his design will become an actual DARPA prototype. Check out the Flypmode in the gallery below, and click past the jump to read the full press release.


Gallery: Local Motors DARPA XC2V Winner Flypmode Concept


[Source: Local Motors, DARPA]

Continue reading Local Motors announces Flypmode concept wins DARPA XC2V competition

Local Motors announces Flypmode concept wins DARPA XC2V competition originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>darpadarpa xc2v challengeflypmodekratoslocal motorssentinelxc2vTue, 22 Mar 2011 09:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19885185/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/03/22/local-motors-announces-flypmode-concept-wins-darpa-xc2v-competit/19885185/article-detail.xml 19885185 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/03/1st.victor-garcia.flypode_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/03/1st.victor-garcia.flypode.jpg <![CDATA[SEMA 2010: Local Motors puts five Rally Fighters on display]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/04/sema-2010-local-motors-puts-five-rally-fighters-on-display/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/04/sema-2010-local-motors-puts-five-rally-fighters-on-display/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/04/sema-2010-local-motors-puts-five-rally-fighters-on-display/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Local Motors Rally Fighters
Local Motors Rally Fighters at the 2010 SEMA Show - Click above for high-res image gallery

Just like it promised, Local Motors has come to the 2010 SEMA show with five ready-to-rock Rally Fighters. The crowd-sourced design is paying off, because LM says that another five should be done before we switch the calendar over to 2011.

On hand are the two prototype vehicles, known as Beta 1 and Beta 2, while the other three Rally Fighters represent the first vehicles going to customer homes. Jay Rogers, CEO of Local Motors, naturally scooped up the first example and he uses it as his daily driver. (Awesome.) The other two customer cars are going to face two very different lives; the one going to Jay Zuppardo and his family will be turned into a sand rail, while the other going to John Domolky will be used as a daily driver vehicle in his hometown of Boston. See them all for yourself in our high-res gallery below.


Gallery: SEMA 2010: Local Motors Rally Fighters


Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

SEMA 2010: Local Motors puts five Rally Fighters on display originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beta 1beta 2jay rogersLMLM Rally fighterlocal motorslocal motors rally fighterRally Fightersemasema 2010sema auto showsema auto show 2010sema showsema show 2010Thu, 04 Nov 2010 10:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19701771/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/11/04/sema-2010-local-motors-puts-five-rally-fighters-on-display/19701771/article-detail.xml 19701771 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/leadlocal-motors-sema-2010_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/leadlocal-motors-sema-2010.jpg <![CDATA[Video: Local Motors ups Rally Fighter fleet to 5 vehicles, all going to SEMA]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/27/video-local-motors-ups-rally-fighter-fleet-to-5-vehicles-all-g/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/27/video-local-motors-ups-rally-fighter-fleet-to-5-vehicles-all-g/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/27/video-local-motors-ups-rally-fighter-fleet-to-5-vehicles-all-g/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Local Motors Rally Fighter
Local Motors Rally Fighter in action - Click above to watch video after the jump

Local Motors, the car builder behind the idea of open-source automotive development, showed off its Rally Fighter at SEMA last year. At that time, it only had one car built. Fast forward to the 2010 SEMA show and Local Motors is bringing five of the coupes to Las Vegas.

Each vehicle wears a skin designed by someone in the Local Motors online community. The first car is known as Beta 1, and wears images of Teddy Roosevelt and Pancho Villa on its sides. Beta 2, the company's second test vehicle, wears livery inspired by Rocky. It was built alongside the three customer-built models to explore the same build process they experience.

The first non-test vehicle was purchased by Local Motors CEO Jay Rogers, which is being used as a daily driver vehicle. Its color scheme was created by a community member who had only been active for 14 days when his vote was chosen. Rally Fighter number four is going to customer Jay Zuppardo, whose family enjoys off-roading and plans to turn the red, white, blue and orange-schemed Local Motors vehicle into a sand rail.

The fifth vehicle is going to the original sales person for Local Motors, John Domolky. His simple black and white paint scheme tones down the exterior style elements of the vehicle without losing its unique appearance. This is crucial for Domolky because he is the first customer to place the vehicle into an urban environment. Rather than commuting around Arizona like the CEO, John Domolky is going to drive his Rally Fighter around the streets of Boston.

Local Motors says it should double the number of Rally Fighters on the road to 10 by the years end. Take a look at the Rally Fighter in action in the video after the jump.


Gallery: Local Motors Rally FIghter

Local Motors Rally FighterLocal Motors Rally FighterLocal Motors Rally FighterLocal Motors Rally FighterLocal Motors Rally Fighter

[Source: Local Motors, YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Local Motors ups Rally Fighter fleet to 5 vehicles, all going to SEMA

Video: Local Motors ups Rally Fighter fleet to 5 vehicles, all going to SEMA originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010 SEMA showcrowd sourcingjay rogerslocal motorslocal motors rally fighterRally FighterSEMAsema 2010videoWed, 27 Oct 2010 18:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19691432/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/10/27/video-local-motors-ups-rally-fighter-fleet-to-5-vehicles-all-g/19691432/article-detail.xml 19691432 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/10/lm-rally-fighter_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/10/lm-rally-fighter.jpg <![CDATA[Video: Local Motors Rally Fighter channels its inner General Lee]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/15/video-local-motors-rally-fighter-channels-its-inner-general-lee/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/15/video-local-motors-rally-fighter-channels-its-inner-general-lee/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/15/video-local-motors-rally-fighter-channels-its-inner-general-lee/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


2010 Local Motors Rally Fighter - Click above to see video after the jump

Local Motors hasn't generated a whole lot of publicity since it debuted its crowd-sourced Rally Fighter off-road coupe at last year's SEMA show, but that doesn't mean the small-scale, forward-thinking builder hasn't been busy. We haven't managed to convince them to hand over the keys to one of their lunar buggies just yet, so we're still patiently waiting in line to get behind the wheel. Who wouldn't want to drive a giant 3,100-pound dune buggy with a fighter-plane-inspired sports coupe body and a torquey BMW diesel under the hood?

When we finally do get to drive this fun and funky beast, we promise not to paint it orange or to put a big "01" on the doors or even a Confederate flag on the roof. We can't promise, however, that we won't try our best to replicate this Bo and Luke-worthy stunt. The company has sent along a video to show that the Rally Fighter does indeed have off-roading chops, in case you doubted it after their previous nine-minute video release. So check out the short clip after the jump and turn your sound up so you too can hear John Fogerty while it spools up and Waylon Jennings wailin' while the Rally Fighter soars.


Gallery: SEMA 2009: Local Motors Rally Fighter


Photos by Frank Filipponio / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Local Motors]

Continue reading Video: Local Motors Rally Fighter channels its inner General Lee

Video: Local Motors Rally Fighter channels its inner General Lee originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bmw dieselBmwDieselcar jumpcar jumpingCarJumpCarJumpingCenterfieldduke boysDukeBoysdukes of hazzardDukesOfHazzardFogertygeneral leeGeneralLeejohn fogertyJohnFogertylocal motorslocal motors rally fighterLocalMotorsLocalMotorsRallyFighterrally carRally FighterRallyCarRallyFightervideowaylon jenningsWaylonJenningsWayne+RooneyThu, 15 Jul 2010 16:56:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19555575/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/07/15/video-local-motors-rally-fighter-channels-its-inner-general-lee/19555575/article-detail.xml 19555575 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/localmotorsrallyfighterjump_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/localmotorsrallyfighterjump.jpg <![CDATA[Video: Local Motors Rally Fighter getting down and dirty]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/12/video-local-motors-rally-fighter-getting-down-and-dirty/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/12/video-local-motors-rally-fighter-getting-down-and-dirty/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/12/video-local-motors-rally-fighter-getting-down-and-dirty/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Rally Fighter in action - Click above to view the video after the jump

The Rally Fighter has taken to the gritty stuff in video, and we really can't help noticing a fast-paced prowess similar to the Ford Raptor. That shouldn't come as a surprise since it uses things like F-150 uprights and long-travel Fox internal-bypass shocks, and it's a win for everyone. Follow the jump to see what the thing can do, and hear from development engineers at Local Motors, Fox, Kinetic Fin (the webisode's production company) and customers. Oh, and the mystery of why Teddy Roosevelt and Pancho Villa adorn the sides of the car is also revealed...


Gallery: SEMA 2009: Local Motors Rally Fighter


[Source: Local Motors]

Continue reading Video: Local Motors Rally Fighter getting down and dirty

Video: Local Motors Rally Fighter getting down and dirty originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>local motorslocal motors rally fighterLocalMotorsLocalMotorsRallyFighteropen source carOpenSourceCarrally fighterRallyFighterFri, 12 Feb 2010 12:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19356178/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/02/12/video-local-motors-rally-fighter-getting-down-and-dirty/19356178/article-detail.xml 19356178 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/02/rallyfightervid_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/02/rallyfightervid.jpg <![CDATA[SEMA 2009: Local Motors Rally Fighter touches down in Vegas]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/04/sema-2009-local-motors-rally-fighter-touches-down-in-vegas/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/04/sema-2009-local-motors-rally-fighter-touches-down-in-vegas/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/04/sema-2009-local-motors-rally-fighter-touches-down-in-vegas/#comments
2010 Local motors Rally Fighter - Click above for high-res image gallery

It looks like the open source model can work for building new cars after all. We finally managed to track down the Local Motors Rally Fighter here at SEMA, and it is even more awesome in person than in pics. The interior on this pre-production car obviously still needs some work, but the rest is really impressive. Looking like some crazy mashup of a fighter plane and a SCORE rally truck, we hope this is the vehicle Mel Gibson picks to replace the last of the V8 Interceptors in Mad Max 4.

We spent some time around the vehicle, soaking in all of the details, listening to the reactions of passers-by, and talking to the folks from Local. The passion of the principles is obvious and it's clear that the vehicle has been well thought-out. While much of the Rally Fighter is unique, they weren't bashful about borrowing off-the-rack parts where they knew good ones already existed - Ford F-150 uprights that have been proven at Baja, a Mercedes bumper support system, Fox off-road shocks, a healthy but frugal BMW diesel from the 335d, and the list goes on and on.

Local Motors CEO, Jay Rogers, also pointed out some of the fighter plane styling cues that made it into the final Sangho Kim design. We especially like the cockpit-like greenhouse and the P-51 Mustang-inspired underbody flaring. Jay says the company has already taken 34 orders and that customers will be able to help build their cars by June of next year.

That's right, you get to spend some time with the Local Motors gang, either at their current home in Massachusetts, or at a future facility in Phoenix. They'll spend two weeks with you teaching you how to build your own Rally Fighter, never assuming too much of the owners. We like to think of it as a type of Habitat for Humanity for car people where you put some sweat equity into your new property. We look forward to getting behind the wheel of this beast soon, heck, we'd love to build one ourselves, but until then you can read the press release and view the gallery below.


Gallery: SEMA 2009: Local Motors Rally Fighter


Photos copyright (C)2009 Frank Filipponio/Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading SEMA 2009: Local Motors Rally Fighter touches down in Vegas

SEMA 2009: Local Motors Rally Fighter touches down in Vegas originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>local motorslocal motors rally fighterLocalMotorsLocalMotorsRallyFighteropen sourceopen source carOpenSourceOpenSourceCarRally FighterRallyFighterSEMAsema 2009Sema2009Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:21:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19222962/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/11/04/sema-2009-local-motors-rally-fighter-touches-down-in-vegas/19222962/article-detail.xml 19222962 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/semarallyfighter---01_opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/semarallyfighter---01_opt.jpg -1 2