Autoblog

Another crazy custom Jeep Wrangler spotted in Morocco

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 19:57:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Videos, Jeep, Specialty, Design/Style

What in the world is the vehicle you see above? Well, um... yeah. We have no idea. According to the video description from YouTube, however, it's a modified Jeep Wrangler, and it comes from the same person who created the equally insane side-by-side merged Wrangler you saw here.

We can clearly make out the Wrangler-shaped passenger compartment up top, but as for the other bits and pieces that make up this rather amazing machine, your guess is as good as ours. At the very least, it seems to us that the car's wheelbase has been given a significant stretch, and the grille may have come from an International LoneStar Harley-Davidson Special Edition semi truck.

What other components are sourced from the massive International hauler? No idea. We suggest you check out the video below and draw your own conclusions. Oh, and if you've got any other ideas, feel free to let us know in the Comments.

Continue reading Another crazy custom Jeep Wrangler spotted in Morocco

Another crazy custom Jeep Wrangler spotted in Morocco originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 03 Mar 2013 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeep Wrangler gets the wide-track treatment

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Jeep, Specialty, Middle East

When we read the tip about a Gulf-state diplomat in Rabat, Morocco who had supposedly "merged two Jeep Wranglers," we figured the two off-roaders were somehow linked front-to-back. Oh no. As you can see in the image above, taken from video of that vehicle actually traveling down the road and needing more than one lane to do it, the two Jeeps were put together side-by-side.

The seriously widebody truck is said to have six wheels, one at each corner and two in the middle. That's about all anyone seems to know about it at the moment, and that's probably enough - in these situations you know better than to ask why, just watch the video below.

Continue reading Jeep Wrangler gets the wide-track treatment

Jeep Wrangler gets the wide-track treatment originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Jan 2013 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cadillac kicks off ATS marketing with new global video series

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 19:13:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Cadillac, Luxury

We don't want to say much about this, because you really should just watch the introductory videos for Cadillac ATS vs. The World, a seriously intense videographic effort for the new entry-level luxury challenger. Racer Derek Hill, son of Formula One World Champion Phil Hill, drives the ATS into some of the planet's most taxing conditions, television actor and anthropology buff Ross Thomas rides shotgun, and Jeff Zwart steps out from behind the wheel of his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup to lead the film crew.

Know beforehand, though, that this is about more than a Cadillac - this is National Geographic meets a really long-form Super Bowl commercial with a ladle full of Top Gear thrown in. And these are only some of the highlights. You can check out this big global video series below, with the launch films from Patagonia and Morocco.

Continue reading Cadillac kicks off ATS marketing with new global video series

Cadillac kicks off ATS marketing with new global video series originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 19:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dacia rolls out Dokker vanlet in Casablanca

Noah Joseph — Thu, 24 May 2012 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Minivan/Van, Misc. Auto Shows, Renault

Morocco may not be a place that often pops up on the radar of the international automotive industry, unless it's about al-Qaeda threats on the route of the Dakar rally. So you'd be forgiven for discounting the Casablanca Auto Show as largely irrelevant, but that's the location Renault chose to unveil its latest utilitarian model.

Built in nearby Tangiers, the Dokker joins the Dacia brand as its fifth model line, alongside the Logan, Sandero, Duster and the most recently released Lodgy van. The Dokker is a van also, but a bit smaller, and comes in two flavors: five-seat passenger van or slab-sided panel wagon. Little in the way of details were revealed in the press release below, joined by the trio of high-resolution images, but you can bet that as a Dacia, it'll be cheap and to the point.

Continue reading Dacia rolls out Dokker vanlet in Casablanca

Dacia rolls out Dokker vanlet in Casablanca originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 May 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles looking for a few good adventurous women

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos

Scenes from the 2010 Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles - Click above for high-res image gallery

Preparations have begun for the next Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles, and that means adventurous women might want to think about getting to Morocco next March. Next year will be the 21st edition of the all-female rally through the North African sands, a nine-day quest over dunes of quartz that allows no digital navigation aids - it's compass and plotting time on on paper maps.

Registration for two-woman teams is open until February 19, 2011. If you're Stateside and you don't want to represent alone, fear not: Emily Miller and another team from the U.S. are confirmed for the 21st edition, just two of the 110 teams that will be competing. For more info and a closer look at what you won't want to miss, check the press release and vid after the jump and the gallery of high-res photos below.

Gallery: Scenes from the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles

[Source: Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles]

Continue reading Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles looking for a few ~~good~~ adventurous women

Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles looking for a few ~~good~~ adventurous women originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Formula 2's Ricardo Teixeira goes airborne in Morocco

Noah Joseph — Mon, 03 May 2010 20:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos

Ricardo Teixei crashes at Formula Two Marrakech - Click above to watch the video after the jump

As a rule of thumb, crashes aren't as big a deal when you're on track in a professional race as they would be on public roads. But once in a while, the world of motorsports suffers a crash so spectacular that it eclipses convention.

The latest involved a driver by the name of Ricardo Teixeira. After working his way up through Formula BMW, Formula 3 and GP2, the Portugese-Angolan driver now races in the new Formula Two championship.

This past weekend the series went to Marrakech, Morocco, for a double-header. Teixeira scored a career-best fifth place in the first race, but in the second, he hit the back of another F2 car, sending him airborne. He landed (fortunately) right-side up, only to hit a concrete wall, and was lucky enough to walk away from the shunt relatively unscathed. Follow the jump to watch the footage from rival Paul Rees' car, where you can see Teixeira's car doing an impeccable Superman impression.

[Source: Autosport]

Continue reading Video: Formula 2's Ricardo Teixeira goes airborne in Morocco

Video: Formula 2's Ricardo Teixeira goes airborne in Morocco originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 May 2010 20:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Team Miller Fisher finishes the 20th Anniversary Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 07:41:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hummer, Off-Road

Team Miller Fisher finishes the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles - Click above for high-res image gallery

Team Miller Fisher has crossed the finish line of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles - in a Hummer H3 driven off a Parisian dealer's lot - and battled from 51st to 12th out of 98 teams after a mistake on the first leg. The Rallye Aïcha, a six-stage trek through the desert, allows no use of GPS, no pace notes, no cell phones, and no binoculars. Pilots and co-pilots find their way between checkpoints with maps, compasses and pencils, and whoever completes the journey in the shortest distance, wins.

The race was made even harder this year by using not the 1:100,000-scale maps of years past, but scraps of paper with increasingly less route information as the race went on. Olympic skier and co-pilot Wendy Fisher wrote to say, "This continues to be the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. An unbelievably tough event. Days were SO long, almost impossible to get all of the checkpoints."

Emily Miller noted, "We are happy with where we finished but we really would have love to end up in the top 10 and we lost that on our first day with navigation errors. The H3 did GREAT! Everybody loved the truck, it was the best stock truck we could have asked for and are grateful to HUMMER France for giving us the opportunity to drive it." To Team Miller Fisher and all of the winners and competitors in the three classes we say: Way. To. Go.

Gallery: Team Miller Fisher in the 2010 Rallye Aicha des Gazelles

[Source: Hummer]
Photos courtesy of Dan Campell-Lloyd

Team Miller Fisher finishes the 20th Anniversary Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 07:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Emily Miller and Wendy Fisher gear up for the Rally Aïcha des Gazelles (w/video)

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos

Team Miller Fisher prepares for the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles - Click above to watch the video after the break

The Dakar Rally just ended, but there's always another one to get ready for. Off-road racer Emily Miller, of Rod Hall Racing, Baja 1000 and Ironman fame, will be doing the 20th Anniversary Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles in March with extreme-skier-and-navigator Wendy Fisher.

The Rallye Aïcha has a few key differences to traditional races like the Dakar. In the manner of orienteering, drivers can't use GPS or pace notes; instead, navigators find their way with a compass and a 1:100,000-scale map. Like, the paper kind. And no binoculars or cell phones are allowed. Stages aren't won on time, but by getting to the finish in the shortest driven distance compared to as-the-crow-flies. The race is carbon neutral. There is no prize money for winners; proceeds from the race go to support a team of doctors that care for locals throughout the year. Oh, and the race is for women only.

The race runs from March 13-27, and Team Miller Fisher will be one of more than 120 teams competing. Follow the jump for a video look at the race, and to Emily and Wendy and their Hummer H3, best of luck.

[Source: Team Miller Fisher]

Continue reading Emily Miller and Wendy Fisher gear up for the Rally Aïcha des Gazelles (w/video)

Emily Miller and Wendy Fisher gear up for the Rally Aïcha des Gazelles (w/video) originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cruze Contol: New Chevy WTCC car takes first pole, double victories in Morocco

Noah Joseph — Mon, 04 May 2009 10:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Chevrolet

Chevrolet Cruze at WTCC Marrakech - Click above for a high-res image gallery

While a set of races in the World Touring Car Championship might not ordinarily be something we'd cover here at Autoblog - we doubt you'll mind the spoiler - this weekend's rounds in Marrakech, Morocco, held a series of firsts for the international racing series. Not only was this the first time the championship headed into Africa, but the new Chevy Cruze scored its first pole position and followed up by taking first place in both races, with Nicola Larini taking his first race victory in the series.

The former grand prix driver raced for Ligier-Ford, Modena-Lamborghini and Scuderia Ferrari, scoring a career-best second-place finish with the latter at San Marino in 1994 after taking the DTM title in Germany the year before. The veteran Italian racer has been with the Chevy team in the WTCC since 2005, and scored his first race victory in the series in the second round of the double-header in Marrakech after his team-mate Rob Huff turned the first pole position for the new Chevrolet Cruze racer into the car's maiden victory in the first race. Huff's domination from start to finish was only compounded by the fastest laps that the Cruze claimed en route to the checkered flag in both races. The duo faced tough opposition from a field composed primarily of Seat Leon TSFI and BMW 320si touring cars, but the new Chevy, which was unveiled last October before receiving its official livery in December, ultimately prevailed at the new North African track. Details in the press release after the jump, high-res photos in the gallery below.

Gallery: Chevrolet Cruze at Marrakech WTCC

[Source: Chevrolet and Autosport]

Continue reading Cruze Contol: New Chevy WTCC car takes first pole, double victories in Morocco

Cruze Contol: New Chevy WTCC car takes first pole, double victories in Morocco originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 May 2009 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motor racing returns to Morocco after 50 years

Noah Joseph — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan

Imagine all the exotic locals where international motor racing has taken place over the course of modern history and Morocco might not show up on your radar. But back in the era of Casablanca, the North African country, just across the Straight of Gibraltar from Europe, hosted the Moroccan Grand Prix, starting with a touring car race in 1925 and culminating with an F1 grand prix in 1958 won by (spoiler alert!) Stirling Moss. Now, after fifty years have passed, the racing scene is set to return to Morocco for a World Touring Car Championship race in Marrakech.

Instead of using the old Ain-Diab circuit, construction of the new street circuit is scheduled to begin later this month. Race organizers expect to draw a crowd of 100,000 fans when the race kicks off on May 1, 2009, but after the cancellation of the nearby Dakar Rally due to terrorist threats from Al-Qaeda, we would hope that race organizers will take serious security precautions.

[Source: autosport, WTCC]

Motor racing returns to Morocco after 50 years originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ghosn on Middle East tour: Electric cars in Israel, factory in Morocco

Noah Joseph — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 10:21:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Green, Plants/Manufacturing, Nissan, Renault

Renault-Nissan president Carlos Ghosn is arguably one of the most effective automotive industry executives, and having just embarked upon a tour of the Middle East, may prove to be more effective than the endless stream of government and military envoys parading in and out of sand-swept capitals.

Ghosn flew to Israel, where he met with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and President Shimon Peres and announced a project to launch an electric vehicle network in the country's burgeoning and overcrowded Mediterranean metropolis of Tel Aviv. The project, called "Better Place", is being led by former SAP executive Shai Agassi (seen shaking hands with Ghosn above), and is financially supported by Israel Corp, the holding company that controls shipping giant Zim and recently embarked upon an automotive joint venture in China. (The Knesset, Israel's parliament that usually has to support any such ventures itself financially, has paved the way by preparing supportive legislation.) Renault will develop the vehicles, which are projected to have a 160-km range on the highway, or 100 in the city, hit 100km/h (62mph) in 13 seconds and top out at 110 km/h. The cars are expected to hit the shuk (that's "market" in Hebrew and Arabic) in 2011.

While he was at it, Ghosn hopped over to Morocco to announce the construction of a new plant for Renault and Nissan. (Yes, we know Morocco is not technically part of the Middle East, but Northern Africa is often grouped together with it. So please don't shoot us.) The new factory in Tangiers will have a capacity of 400,000 vehicles per year and will employ 6,000 directly and 30,000 indirectly. Renault will use the facility to build cars on the cost-effective Dacia Logan platform, while Nissan will manufacture light commercial vehicles there, as well.

[Source: Reuters, Photo by DAVID FURST/AFP/Getty]

Ghosn on Middle East tour: Electric cars in Israel, factory in Morocco originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Jan 2008 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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