Autoblog

Car vs. Jet. It's an epic battle that never seems to end, with new contenders continuously lining up on the runway. And we love it. Top Gear raced a Bugatti Veyron down the runway and back against a Eurofighter, Lamborghini pitted its jet-inspired Reventon against a Tornado, Audi raced its Le Mans-winning R10 TDI against an RAF Harrier jump-yet at Goodwood and Spyker F1 faced off against a Royal Dutch Air Force F16 fighter. (Volkswagen even pulled a 747 jumbo jet with a Touareg V10 TDI.) Now meet the latest challengers: "Black Beauty", Team New Zealand's Zytek-powered Lola A1GP race car, against an Air New Zealand Boeing 777-200ER.

The showdown took place on the runway at Auckland International Airport between Kiwi racer Jonny Reid and Air New Zealand pilot Dave Morgan as a publicity event to promote the A1GP races in Taupo, New Zealand this coming weekend. The promotional event seems a little at odds with the recent announcement that the series was switching to bio-ethanol for environmental reasons, but you know what? We don't care. (That's what AutoblogGreen is for.)

Neither did the masses of spectators, who reportedly lined up in the light rain by the terminal windows and alongside the airport perimeter to see the race. Two drag races were staged down the runway: In the first run, the A1GP car had trouble gaining traction off the line in the wet and the 777 won (with a light load and a head start, mind you), but in the second round the racing slicks gripped onto the tarmac and the car took the checkered wind-stocking ahead of the jet. A draw, then – we'll just have to wait for the next showdown.

Follow the jump for the video and press release.

[Source: A1GP]

Switching a racing series to ethanol? Smart. Shipping the ethanol around the world to show how green that racing series is? Less so.

A1GP has announced that its upcoming race in New Zealand will mark the inauguration of the series' switch to E30 Hiperflo ethanol-gasoline blend, which, as organizers point out, cuts CO2 emissions by 21% and, of course, reduces the use of fossil fuels. The mixture is specially made for use in A1GP and consists of 30% ethanol and 70% gasoline. While IndyCars and Champ Cars have run on methanol since the '60s, both series are based in the US and have to ship their fuel to fewer races abroad than A1GP.

Logistical considerations aside, overall we say it's a good thing that motorsports are shifting to more sustainable and environmentally-friendly fuel sources. At the 2008 Detroit Auto Show this week we heard all about the American Le Mans Series and its green intentions. Ferrari, which is set to begin supplying the engines for A1GP in two years, revealed its bio-ethanol-powered 430 Spider in Detroit, as well. Meanwhile, the FIA has revealed a preliminary timeline for introducing a new F1 engine formula that's anticipated to include environmental measures.

Excerpt from the press release after the jump.

[Source: A1GP via AutoblogGreen]

GM's Australian subsidiary Holden has recalled 86,000 rear-wheel-drive Zeta cars with the V6 engine to correct a potential fuel leak that could lead to fires. The CNN Money article says that the recall doesn't impact the Pontiac G8, GM's North American Zeta variant, because that car's underhood layout is different. We should also mention that the G8 is not even on sale yet, so there are none in customer hands to recall.

VE and WM Commodores in Australia and New Zealand, Chevrolet Lumina and Caprice models in the Middle East, as well as the Chevrolet Omega in Brazil are all affected. When a clip chafes on the fuel line, it can apparently cause a leak with nasty results if the gasoline ignites. The risk is low, says GM's John Lindsay, but they're calling the cars back, nearly all of the Zetas with V6 engines sold since the car's redesign, and fixing them free of charge just to be on the safe side.

[Source: CNN]

Safety campaigners and law makers in New Zealand have consistently complained about car ads showing any sense of speed and have since had them banned. Now the tables have turned with Ford reportedly unhappy over the latest anti-speeding ad from Land Transport New Zealand (LTNZ) because of the way it portrays one of its new cars.

The $2 million television ads shows a late-model Ford Falcon XR6 (pictured) sliding out of control and ending up in a ditch, and, according to a Blue Oval spokesperson, the ad breaches an agreement between the automakers and the LTNZ, which stipulates the make and model of cars in road safety ads are to be concealed.

The LTNZ is standing by its ad, claiming it doesn't breach any rules because the car's badging is gone, and expects it to air for the next 18 months. Fortunately for Ford, a new version of the Falcon is due to go on sale early next year.

[Source: The Age]

The recently launched Caparo T1 may already have met its match, and it comes from an unlikely source. New Zealand based Hulme Supercars Ltd. is planning to build an extreme race-car-for-the-road called the Hulme. Powered by a 5.0L V8 engine sourced from BMW, the Hulme develops 550 HP, but weighs in around 1175 kg, which is quite a bit more than the Caparo. The company hopes to begin production next year and claims it can build 25 cars a year. List price is an eye-watering £310,000 (US$620K).

Hulme Supercars states that the idea behind this car is to make it as close to a Formula 1 experience as possible, so the car comes with a mid-mounted engine and full carbon fiber construction. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox and the car is RWD only with a LSD.

The company and car are named after Danny Hulme, who won the Can-Am championship almost 40 years ago. There are even plans to commemorate this with a Can-Am convertible version, as well as an engine designed more for American tastes. We're not sure what they're talking about, as big V8s from BMW are universally appealing.

[Source: EVO]

Aw hell, here we go again. Hyundai is pulling its spot called "Restless" after the Advertising Standards Bureau of Australia banned it. The ad, which appeals to people's warm, gooey centers by adultifying toddlers, shows a baby snatching the keys to the Santa Fe and hitting the highway. Along the way, he picks up a girl who happens to be hitching to the beach. He surfs, she watches, world hunger and strife are nearly wiped out in the span of sixty seconds. It's a great spot and was voted the most popular ad in New Zealand last year (what a dubious distinction!)

The ASB argues that the ad shows illegal activity (and there's nothing else on TV that shows illegal stuff?), and may entice youngsters into copycat behavior. Right. Like nobody in the history of the car ever had a kid yank the controls before this ad suggested it? Kids love to pretend like they're adults, so you can be sure that if you plop your toddler in the driver's seat, they're going to have a grand old time. Not that there's much watchable content on television anymore, but these situations go beyond the ridiculous and will just lead to more whitewashed, mamby-pamby crap for us to have to sit through. What's next, banning talking animal spots because no animal really talks? Come on people! There's got to be a more fulfilling pursuit than getting all wadded up over an ad - this is one of the most harmless, charming spots we've seen in a while.

We just don't get it, but apparently there's a large contingent out there who yearns to be protected from themselves. Life is no fun if you don't collect a few bumps and scrapes. Yes, I drove mom's '68 Rambler into the garage and out into the street a couple times as a kid. I couldn't help it - that column shift was just asking for it!

Thanks for the tip, Anton!

Check out the spot after the jump

[Source: duncans.tv]

Honda announced yesterday that they would recall 270,000 vehicles throughout Japan and China. The two vehicles affected by the recall are the Odyssey minivan and Life kei car.

In the case of the Odyssey, a problematic electrical circuit in the windshield wiper unit has resulted in two minivans catching fire. Of the approximately 117,000 affected Odysseys, 85,000 are in Japan and the rest are spread throughout China, Australia and New Zealand.

The Life kei car (pictured) is also suffering from electrical maladies that can cause the engine to shut down suddenly. So far 104 cases of engine failure have been reported and Honda is expecting to recall 153,000 examples of the popular city car.

[Source: Today Online]

Rally racing is easily classified as one of the most insane forms of motorsport out there. The thought of running through a series of poorly maintained cow paths at break-neck speed, surrounded by a variety of immovable objects that don't particularly like to give on impact, may not be your idea of fun, but for others, its what they live for.

For two participants of New Zealand's Rally of Nelson, what they live for quickly changed into what they might die from. Following an off road excursion, the duo found themselves upside down in a nearby creek/river. Both the driver and co-driver escaped without injury (the STI was less fortunate), but the video at Stuff.co.nz is enough to make even the most hardened gravel thrasher cringe.

Follow the 'Read' link for all the details, along with an in-car video of the crash.

Tiger Woods is used to long, commanding drives-- in fact, one could say he's made a habit of them. But the PGA's biggest star is set to trade in his golf clubs for a dirt oval stock car -- and in New Zealand, of all places.

The Buick spokesman will dice it up with other celebrities (including professional racers and his own caddy, in a 12-lap charity race where bumping and grinding is apparently the order of the day.

Tiger will suit up and strap in next Monday at Huntly Placemakers Speedway, and the race will raise money for the Steve Williams Foundation, an organization that helps give impoverished youth the opportunity to pursue their sporting joneses.

[Sources: Seven.com.au; Buick]