Autoblog

North Carolina trying to stop female boaters from flashing adjacent highway

Steven J. Ewing — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:30:00 EST

Here's a slightly different sort of distracted driving.

Over in North Carolina, buoys are being installed in a stretch of Lake Norman along Interstate 77 in an effort to reduce traffic slow-ups in the area. The problem? As the weather gets warmer, boaters are docking along the stretch where the water meets the highway, and local women are reportedly showing their breasts to drivers as they pass by. We don't need to tell you why that's a distraction.

According to a report by Charlotte NBC affiliate WCNC, the buoys would prevent boaters from docking in this area, thus preventing drivers from getting an eyeful and becoming distracted behind the wheel. Scroll down to watch the full safe-for-work video report.

Continue reading North Carolina trying to stop female boaters from flashing adjacent highway

North Carolina trying to stop female boaters from flashing adjacent highway originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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KKK moves to adopt Georgia highway, controversy ensues

Zach Bowman — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

Our constitutional rights are often a double-edged sword. While we're happy to live under the protection of a government that encourages our rights to assemble and free speech, it can be somewhat more difficult to accept groups who hold starkly different views from our own. Legislators in Georgia are learning that first hand. The state is currently debating whether or not to accept an application from the Ku Klux Klan to adopt a section of highway near the North Carolina state line. Other groups have already begun petitioning the state to deny the application.

But if Georgia turns down the KKK, it may face a lengthy and expensive legal battle it will likely ultimately lose. The group says it just wants to clean up the road, but a state congressman has said the move is more about rebuilding the KKK's brand image. Something tells us that will take more than picking up litter on the side of the road.

Even so, the KKK has said it will pursue legal action if denied, and that it will seek out the help of the American Civil Liberties Union to do so. The KKK recently won a similar case against the state of Missouri.

KKK moves to adopt Georgia highway, controversy ensues originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Polaris to move Indian production to Spirit Lake, Iowa

Aaron Richardson — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Motorcycle

According to The Kneeslider, Polaris is moving production of Indian Motorcycles from Kings Mountain, North Carolina, to Spirit Lake, Iowa. While it isn't an ideal situation for those who build Indians in North Carolina, it will keep the historic brand American made.

Polaris is consolidating Indian into the same plant as several of its other brands, including Victory Motorcycles. Though Indian manufacture isn't expected to create any new jobs, the plant where they will be made has added 100 new employees in the last year.

With the full backing of Polaris' vast resources, Indian looks poised to make a decent comeback after years of uncertainty, and that's great news to fans of classic American-style cruising.

[Source: The Kneeslider]

Polaris to move Indian production to Spirit Lake, Iowa originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top Gear spotted in North Carolina [UPDATE]

Jeff Glucker — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Ferrari, Celebrities

Top Gear is here in the United States. No, not the Top Gear USA team of Tanner Foust, Adam Ferrara and Rutledge Wood but the blokes from the BBC. Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond have been spotted driving a trio of excellent exotics in the Blue Ridge section of North Carolina.

If you happen to live in the area, be on the lookout for a Ferrari 458 Italia, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and a Porsche 911 GT3 RS. We imagine they'll be running three wide, engines roaring and cameras rolling.

UPDATE: Autoblog reader Jim spotted the Top Gear crew at VIR and snapped a few shots. We're guessing Hammond in the GT3 RS, Clarkson in the SLS and Captain Slow in the 458.

[Source: MotownMuscle via Jalopnik]

Top Gear spotted in North Carolina [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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North Carolina's Supercar Sensation gets you behind the wheel without breaking the bank

Noah Joseph — Sun, 17 May 2009 12:18:00 EST

Filed under: Supercars

You've seen this concept before: Most folks can neither afford to buy exotic supercars, nor do they yearn for the headaches of ownership. But hey, it sure would be nice to get behind the wheel once in a while. That's where Supercar Sensation comes in.

They own the cars, they organize the drives; you just show up, cash in hand and they'll handle the rest. Most importantly, unlike the supercar clubs that have been folding left and right, there's no five-figure membership fee. Supercar Sensation's garage includes a Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo, Porsche 911 Turbo, Nissan GT-R, Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster, BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG available to drive in autocross-style track sessions and open-road drive packages starting at $199. Piquing your interest? Follow the link to the company's website for more information.

[Source: Supercar Sensation via Motor Authority]

North Carolina's Supercar Sensation gets you behind the wheel without breaking the bank originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 May 2009 12:18:00 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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Next gen. BMW X3 to be built Stateside

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 15 May 2007 08:04:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, BMW

According to a Reuters report, BMW's Spartanburg, NC SC plant will be taking on some additional duties when the new X3 is produced in the next few years. The plant, which currently builds the X5 and Z4 roadsters, will also be building the upcoming X6 CUV.

Considering the plant has been somewhat underutilized - only rolling out 105,000 vehicles in 2006, when its capable of producing 200k units - seems like a good fit, especially since the move would negate the serious currency fluctuations that are plaguing other automakers. However, a German labor representative was none too happy about the announcement, citing that BMW's Leipzig plant in Germany, which produces the 1- and 3-series, isn't working to its full potential either.

[Source: Reuters]

Next gen. BMW X3 to be built Stateside originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 May 2007 08:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota poised to build plant number eight in US

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 07:52:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Toyota

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Toyota is in the process of scouting locations and performing feasibility studies on opening another plant in the U.S.

The addition of another manufacturing center within the States would make the total number of ToMoCo plants rise to eight, further shoring up production capacity in one of its most prosperous markets.

According to sources cited by the WSJ, Toyota has five locations in mind, all of which are in the southern U.S., and currently include Chattanooga, TN and Marion, AR. Back in mid-December, the SouthernAutoCorridor.com reported that sites in North Carolina and Southwest Virginia were being reconed as well.

There may be an announcement about Toyota's intentions later this month and according to the WSJ's sources, the plant will likely produce Highlander SUVs to the tune of about 200k per year, when the plant opens in 2009.

[Source: Drive.com.au, Wall Street Journal, SouthernAutoCorridor.com]

Toyota poised to build plant number eight in US originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Jan 2007 07:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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