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Local Motors Rally Fighter rolls over, refuses to play dead

Chris Paukert — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Off-Road

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.

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Video: Local Motors Rally Fighter channels its inner General Lee

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, BMW, Specialty, Diesel, Off-Road

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.

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Video: Local Motors Rally Fighter getting down and dirty

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Off-Road

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.

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SEMA 2009: Local Motors Rally Fighter touches down in Vegas

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:21:00 EST

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

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.

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Vroom for Everyone: Local Motors unveiling crowdsourced Rally Fighter at SEMA [w/VIDEO]

Sebastian Blanco — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: SEMA Show, Coupe, Off-Road

Local Motors Rally Fighter - Click above for high-res image gallery

The wild things have left the movie theaters and are headed toward Las Vegas. Destination? SEMA. Case in point, the Rally Fighter. Local Motors, the company that plans to build the offroadster, is attempting an industry first: dipping into the collective wisdom of the Internet (we're not sure if "wisdom" is the right word there, but whatever) to crowdsource the design and specifications of their first vehicle. Intended to be an eco-minded Baja-capable daily driver, the Rally Fighter uses a BMW 335d powerplant to achieve 36 mpg on the highway and 30 mpg off-road. Why is decent fuel economy important? Local Motors' CEO Jay Rogers fought in the Iraq war as a Marine and "saw the oil problem with his own eyes," says the company's PR.

According to company officials, the Rally Fighter left Wareham, Massachusetts yesterday in order to make it to SEMA for its unveiling on November 3. For more on Local Motors' microfactory and crowdsourcing processes, you can check out a video of Rogers after the jump. You don't often hear an automotive CEO compare his company to Build-A-Bear, but you can in this case.

Gallery: Local Motors Rally Fighter

[Source: Local Motors]

Continue reading Vroom for Everyone: Local Motors unveiling crowdsourced Rally Fighter at SEMA [w/VIDEO]

Vroom for Everyone: Local Motors unveiling crowdsourced Rally Fighter at SEMA [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Local Motors begins deposit-taking for Internet-designed diesel Rally Fighter [w/VIDEO]

Chris Paukert — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Truck, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Crossover, Diesel

Local Motors Rally Fighter - click above to watch the videos after the jump

Would-be automakers Local Motors have announced that they are now taking reservations for their madcap Rally Fighter, purportedly the world's first vehicle designed by Internet committee ("crowdsourcing"). Penned by contest-winner Sangho Kim, the Rally Fighter looks unlike any other street vehicle we can recall, taking the off-road coupe aesthetic shown in offerings like the BMW X6M and putting it on a crash course through Baja, or a Bowler Nemesis on a budget.

Your spot in line for the high-powered four-seater can be secured with a refundable $99 deposit, which will get you a place in line. At some point in the future, you, a number-holder, will be contacted to lock in your build date with a $5,000 deposit against the estimated $50,000 build price. Then, if all goes well, the folks at Local Motors and you will sit down to design your own Rally Fighter, a vehicle that is promised to have 20-inches of suspension travel, be road legal, and achieve 36 miles-per-gallon on the highway (30 mpg off-road!).

In order to get the tube-framed, fiberglass-and-carbon bodied Rally Fighter to meet those goals, the off-roadster will feature the twin-turbo inline-six out of the BMW 335d, an engine that should get them the 265 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque without fiddling, though we can't imagine this is an inexpensive proposition.

This looks like a neat bit of kit, but we'll reserve a large dose of skepticism for the folks at Local Motors until we can learn more. In the meantime, check out the press release and a couple of videos of LM's crew making the initial order announcement and talking about the vehicle's construction, all of which is available after the jump. Hat tip to Mike!

[Source: Local Motors]

Continue reading Local Motors begins deposit-taking for Internet-designed diesel Rally Fighter [w/VIDEO]

Local Motors begins deposit-taking for Internet-designed diesel Rally Fighter [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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