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[Nissan GT-R goes 183 mph on ice in Russia]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/06/nissan-gt-r-goes-183-mph-on-ice-in-russia/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/06/nissan-gt-r-goes-183-mph-on-ice-in-russia/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/06/nissan-gt-r-goes-183-mph-on-ice-in-russia/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



When a pair of Russian pilots wanted to set a local ice-speed record, they chose a stock Nissan GT-R for the task. Roman Rusinov, a Russian race car driver, and Andrey Leontjev, a Russian auto journalist, took Godzilla to Lake Baikal and ran it up to 294.8 kilometers per hour (182.8 miles per hour) across frozen stuff estimated to be 1.4 meters thick.

While the worldwide record of 205.48 mph was set by Juha Kankkunen in a Bentley Supersports Convertible, the mark achieved by Rusinov and Leontjev establishes a new Russian record. Well done, boys. You can watch it all go down in the video below.

Continue reading Nissan GT-R goes 183 mph on ice in Russia

Nissan GT-R goes 183 mph on ice in Russia originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 06 Apr 2013 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ice speed recordlake baikalnissannissan gt-rrecordrussiavideovideosyoutubeSat, 06 Apr 2013 19:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20532197/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/06/nissan-gt-r-goes-183-mph-on-ice-in-russia/20532197/article-detail.xml 20532197 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/nissan-gt-r-ice-record_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/nissan-gt-r-ice-record.jpg <![CDATA[Watch the Hennessey Ford GT makes its record run at Texas Mile]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/27/watch-the-hennessey-ford-gt-makes-its-record-run-at-texas-mile/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/27/watch-the-hennessey-ford-gt-makes-its-record-run-at-texas-mile/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/27/watch-the-hennessey-ford-gt-makes-its-record-run-at-texas-mile/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



We said they'd probably be out with an official video, we did not lie. The Hennessey-powered camouflage Ford GT sat at one end of the runway at the Texas Mile sitting still. At the other end of the runway it had broken its own speed record, the twin-turbo 5.7-liter V8 pushing the aerodynamic supercar up to 267.6 miles per hour, a 4.3-mph improvement over the old mark.

There's not much in the video you haven't already seen, this just makes it official. That said, who doesn't want to see a twin-turbo Ford GT set an incredible speed record? You can watch it below.

Continue reading Watch the Hennessey Ford GT makes its record run at Texas Mile

Watch the Hennessey Ford GT makes its record run at Texas Mile originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fordford gthennesseyhennessey ford gtrecordspeed recordstanding miletexas miletexas mile recordvideoWed, 27 Mar 2013 21:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20518295/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/27/watch-the-hennessey-ford-gt-makes-its-record-run-at-texas-mile/20518295/article-detail.xml 20518295 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/hennesseyford-gtrecord_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/hennesseyford-gtrecord.jpg <![CDATA[Hennessey Ford GT sets 267.6-MPH record at Texas Mile [w/videos]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/25/hennessey-ford-gt-sets-267-6-mph-record-at-texas-mile-w-videos/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/25/hennessey-ford-gt-sets-267-6-mph-record-at-texas-mile-w-videos/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/25/hennessey-ford-gt-sets-267-6-mph-record-at-texas-mile-w-videos/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Hennessey Ford GT before record-setting 267.6-mph run at Texas Mile

The record-setting Hennessey-powered camouflage Ford GT we showed you at this time last year headed back to the Texas Mile and managed to bring home yet another record. As you may recollect, last year saw Mark Heidraker's machine sprint to a record 257.7 mph thanks to propulsion from its twin-turbo 5.7-liter V8. The big mill sucks down race gas, and this year the creation pulled off a 267.6-mph run over the weekend. That feat set a new record for the event. Something tells us neither Heidraker nor Hennessey are done squeezing more thrust from this machine.

This particular Ford GT has already gone through a number of permutations. Hennessey started by tweaking the factory supercharger set up before abandoning the blower in favor of two turbos. Since then, the crew has poked and prodded it to coerce as much grunt as possible out of the car. We expect Hennessey will probably come out with a video of the record-setting run shortly, but in the meantime, you can see a couple of videos of the car's runs in Texas below (one of which actually captures the record run). Enjoy.

Continue reading Hennessey Ford GT sets 267.6-MPH record at Texas Mile [w/videos]

Hennessey Ford GT sets 267.6-MPH record at Texas Mile [w/videos] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fordford gthennesseyhennessey ford gtrecordtexas miletexas mile recordvideoMon, 25 Mar 2013 13:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20516519/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/25/hennessey-ford-gt-sets-267-6-mph-record-at-texas-mile-w-videos/20516519/article-detail.xml 20516519 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/hennessey-ford-gt-before-texas-mile-record_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/hennessey-ford-gt-before-texas-mile-record.jpg <![CDATA[Tesla Model S sets quarter-mile record for quickest production EV [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/28/tesla-model-s-sets-quarter-mile-record-for-quickest-production-e/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/28/tesla-model-s-sets-quarter-mile-record-for-quickest-production-e/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/28/tesla-model-s-sets-quarter-mile-record-for-quickest-production-e/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Tesla Model S

It looks as if the Tesla Model S has a new feather to stick in its cap. DragTimes.com took the five-door down to Palm Beach International Raceway for a few sprints down the quarter mile, and the EV managed to run a best time of 12.371 seconds at 110.84 miles per hour with a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds. Those numbers were good enough for the Model S to take the crown as the world's quickest production EV according to the National Electric Drag Racing Association. NEDRA was on hand for the organization's Winter EV Nationals, and verified the new world record.

Near as we can tell, the previous record stood at 12.582 at 104.58 mph. That feat was accomplished with a Tesla Roadster owned by Zachary Vex and driven by Stella Kostolna at the Speedworld Dragstrip in Arizona. You can watch the Model S dust a Dodge Viper SRT10 in the video below. Who says you can't have any fun without internal combustion?

Continue reading Tesla Model S sets quarter-mile record for quickest production EV [w/video]

Tesla Model S sets quarter-mile record for quickest production EV [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jan 2013 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>drag racemodel smodel s drag racequarter milerecordteslatesla model sworld recordMon, 28 Jan 2013 16:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20440673/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/28/tesla-model-s-sets-quarter-mile-record-for-quickest-production-e/20440673/article-detail.xml 20440673 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/tesla-model-s-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/tesla-model-s-628.jpg <![CDATA[Michael Schumacher has driven around the Earth twice in an F1 car]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/21/michael-schumacher-has-driven-around-the-earth-twice-in-an-f1-ca/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/21/michael-schumacher-has-driven-around-the-earth-twice-in-an-f1-ca/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/21/michael-schumacher-has-driven-around-the-earth-twice-in-an-f1-ca/#commentsFiled under: ,



In Texas, during what will go down as one of the absolute best inaugural Grand Prix weekends in series history, there was yet another Formula One record set by his lordship, the soon to retire Michael Schumacher of the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 squad. And, no, it wasn't his finishing in 16th place and lapped by the leaders that got the attention. Nor was it his recent purchase of a 500-acre horse ranch in Texas.

While watching the broadcast television coverage, the chief commentator announced that, upon the completion of Lap 10 of the 3.4-mile Circuit of the Americas, Schumacher became the most traveled Formula One pilot in history. That lap saw him clock 80,000 kilometers - or 49,710 miles - in competition in an F1 car over 19 seasons. By the time he finishes the 2012 F1 season finale on November 25th in Brazil, that'll be over two-times the 24,901-mile circumference of planet Earth driven in a Formula One car.

This feat outdistanced the record set by his former Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello, though it is not known if Barrichello came to the Mercedes trailer after the race to congratulate the seven-time F1 champ. Rubens was, after all, a guest of honor over at the Ferrari compound.

Michael Schumacher has driven around the Earth twice in an F1 car originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Nov 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>circuit of the americascotadistancef1formula onemercedesmichael schumacherrecordschumachertexasusgpWed, 21 Nov 2012 15:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20383096/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/21/michael-schumacher-has-driven-around-the-earth-twice-in-an-f1-ca/20383096/article-detail.xml 20383096 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/michael-schumaker-usgp-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/michael-schumaker-usgp-628.jpg <![CDATA[NY Volvo owner closing in on 3 million miles in P1800S [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/09/ny-volvo-owner-closing-in-on-3-million-miles-in-p1800s-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/09/ny-volvo-owner-closing-in-on-3-million-miles-in-p1800s-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/09/ny-volvo-owner-closing-in-on-3-million-miles-in-p1800s-w-video/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Three Million Mile Volvo P1800 with owner Irv Gordon

If you've been following these pages for a while, you may remember Irv Gordon and his 1966 Volvo P1800. The duo have found their way onto these pages twice before: first back in 2007 when the machine cruised past 2.6 million miles and then again in 2011 when the machine picked up an additional 300,000. Now Gordon has just 34,000 miles to go before rolling past the three million mile mark. He bought the coupe brand-new in 1966, and while the engine has been rebuilt twice in the intervening 46 years, the lump is still factory original.

Gordon attributes the vehicle's longevity to good design and proper maintenance, though keeping the coupe to himself has gone a long way too. The retired teacher doesn't let anyone else drive his beloved P1800. On average, he clocks around 100,000 miles per year traveling to car shows and visiting various states just for the fun of it. We can't wait to see this pair roll past the next milestone. Check out a new Associated Press interview with Gordon below (warning: video is set to auto-play).

Continue reading NY Volvo owner closing in on 3 million miles in P1800S [w/video]

NY Volvo owner closing in on 3 million miles in P1800S [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Jul 2012 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3 million mile volvoirv gordonmileagep1800recordvideovolvovolvo p1800world recordMon, 09 Jul 2012 16:56:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20274208/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/07/09/ny-volvo-owner-closing-in-on-3-million-miles-in-p1800s-w-video/20274208/article-detail.xml 20274208 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/volvo-p1800-s-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/volvo-p1800-s-628.jpg <![CDATA[Caterham SP/300.R claims new record at Cholmondeley [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/21/caterham-sp-300-r-claims-new-record-at-cholmondeley-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/21/caterham-sp-300-r-claims-new-record-at-cholmondeley-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/21/caterham-sp-300-r-claims-new-record-at-cholmondeley-w-video/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Caterham SP300.R at 2012 Cholmondeley Pageant of Power

We don't envy the British for many things - certainly little in the dental or gastronomical fields - but they do know how to put on a car show, we'll give them that. While the conventional London Auto Show may not be at the same level as the shows in Frankfurt, Paris or Geneva, the English take things one step further with moving expositions that put any other to shame. Forget Top Gear Live, we're talking about the Goodwood Festival of Speed that's coming up soon, and the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power that just concluded.

Dubbed the Goodwood of the North, Cholmondeley is built around a similar idea: take some drool-enducing supercars and race them up the hill on the grounds of an old castle. This year's event included Astons Martin, Bentleys, Bugattis and Lamborghinis aplenty. But the fastest vehicle there was a Caterham.

Beating the 62.68 lap record set by Lamborghini in 2010, the Caterham SP/300.R set a new record at 61.89 seconds. Granted, it's not worth quite the same in bragging rights as, say, a Nurburgring or Laguna Seca lap record, but all things being equal, it shows just what Caterham and Lola's new track car is capable of.

In case your unfamiliar with Cholmondeley, scroll down to watch a video of the hill climb from this year's event being run in a Radical SR3 SL.

Continue reading Caterham SP/300.R claims new record at Cholmondeley [w/video]

Caterham SP/300.R claims new record at Cholmondeley [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>caterhamcaterham sp300.rcaterham sp300rcholmondeleycholmondeley pageant of powerlap recordlolapageantpageant of powerrecordsp300.rThu, 21 Jun 2012 10:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20261484/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/06/21/caterham-sp-300-r-claims-new-record-at-cholmondeley-w-video/20261484/article-detail.xml 20261484 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/caterham-chol_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/caterham-chol.jpg <![CDATA[Ferrari aims to set record at Silverstone with thousand-car parade]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/19/ferrari-aims-to-set-record-at-silverstone-with-thousand-car-para/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/19/ferrari-aims-to-set-record-at-silverstone-with-thousand-car-para/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/19/ferrari-aims-to-set-record-at-silverstone-with-thousand-car-para/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ferrari parade at Silverstone

The record for the longest parade of Ferrari models was set back in 2007 when 385 examples lapped Silverstone at the same time. That record was broken with 490 cars sometime thereafter, but the Maranello automaker's London-based unit is gearing up to shatter the record once again.

So far, Ferrrari North Europe has registered a whopping 600 cars to participate in the event during the Ferrari Racing Days event at Silverstone. That would be enough to take back the record on its own, but the organizers are hopping to attract another 400 participants over the next few months to make it a nice, round 1000 vehicles.

That'll set the bar high enough when the event takes place on September 15, but to see what the previous run of 385 cars looks like, take a stroll through the high-resolution image gallery above.

Continue reading Ferrari aims to set record at Silverstone with thousand-car parade

Ferrari aims to set record at Silverstone with thousand-car parade originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Jun 2012 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ferrariferrari north europeferrari northern europeferrari paradegreat britainguinnessparaderecordsilverstoneukunited kingdomworld recordTue, 19 Jun 2012 17:44:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20261463/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/06/19/ferrari-aims-to-set-record-at-silverstone-with-thousand-car-para/20261463/article-detail.xml 20261463 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/ferrari-silverstone-record_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/ferrari-silverstone-record.jpg <![CDATA[David Coulthard catches speeding golf ball at 120 mph in Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/02/david-coulthard-catches-speeding-golf-ball-at-120-mph-in-mercede/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/02/david-coulthard-catches-speeding-golf-ball-at-120-mph-in-mercede/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/02/david-coulthard-catches-speeding-golf-ball-at-120-mph-in-mercede/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Mercedes-Benz golf-drive stunt

Golf and driving are things that many men would rather be doing than working, so automakers are always keen to find an association between the two. The latest publicity stunt, however, drives the point home in more ways than one.

The undertaking involved pro golfer Jake Shepherd, Formula 1 veteran David Coulthard, and the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster. Jake teed off at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in England and hit the ball at an astonishing 178 mph. Coulthard sped off after it in the SLS and caught it in the open cockpit some 900 feet afield - that's over three football fields in distance - at 120 mph.

The feat was enough to put Shepherd, Coulthard and the SLS in the Guiness Book of World Records on only the second attempt. Mercedes-Benz will debut the video footage in early July, but for now we've got a handful of photos and the official announcement below.

Continue reading David Coulthard catches speeding golf ball at 120 mph in Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

David Coulthard catches speeding golf ball at 120 mph in Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 Jun 2012 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>coultharddavid coulthardgolfguinessguiness book of world recordsjake shepherdmercedes-benzmercedes-benz sls amgmercedes-benz sls amg roadsterrecordshepherdworld recordSat, 02 Jun 2012 13:03:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20248942/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/06/02/david-coulthard-catches-speeding-golf-ball-at-120-mph-in-mercede/20248942/article-detail.xml 20248942 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/sls-golf1web_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/sls-golf1web.jpg <![CDATA[Toyota Ku:Rin snags compressed air top speed record with 80.3 mph run]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/23/toyota-ku-rin-snags-compressed-air-top-speed-record-with-80-3-mp/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/23/toyota-ku-rin-snags-compressed-air-top-speed-record-with-80-3-mp/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/23/toyota-ku-rin-snags-compressed-air-top-speed-record-with-80-3-mp/#commentsFiled under: , ,

KU:RIN

Developed by a subsidiary of Toyota Motors called Toyota Industries Corp., the arrow you see above is the three-wheeled Ku:Rin. Powered by compressed air, the Ku:Rin showcases Toyota's expertise in developing compressors for automotive air conditioning systems.

Recently, the Ku:Rin prototype hit the track at Japan Automobile Research Institute's test facility in search of a speed record for compressed air vehicles. The Ku:Rin's posted top speed of 80.3 miles per hour should be enough to rocket it into the record books, and Toyota says it will submit the results to Guinness World Records.

Power for the Ku:Rin comes from a reversed A/C compressor that generates energy from the expansion of compressed air, while the vehicle's on-board compressed air tanks serve as "fuel." Though 80 mph seems reasonable, the Ku:Rin's two-mile total range is laughable. This thing may be fast, but talk about range anxiety.

Toyota Ku:Rin snags compressed air top speed record with 80.3 mph run originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>compresed air recordcompressed aircompressed air carcompressed air vehicleku:rinkurinrecordtoyotaFri, 23 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20050751/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/09/23/toyota-ku-rin-snags-compressed-air-top-speed-record-with-80-3-mp/20050751/article-detail.xml 20050751 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/09/ku-rin-129km-h-record-breaking-compressed-air-powered-car_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/09/ku-rin-129km-h-record-breaking-compressed-air-powered-car.jpg <![CDATA[Modified motorcycle burns vegetable oil in record-setting run]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/18/modified-motorcycle-burns-vegetable-oil-in-record-setting-run/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/18/modified-motorcycle-burns-vegetable-oil-in-record-setting-run/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/18/modified-motorcycle-burns-vegetable-oil-in-record-setting-run/#commentsJohn Petsche with record-setting motorcycle

At the Loring Timing Association in Maine, John Petsche drove a highly modified motorcycle into the record books.

Powered by a six-horsepower industrial diesel engine and fueled by store-bought vegetable oil, Petsche's two-wheeler hit a top speed of 56.535 miles per hour, sufficient to set a record in the the 350-cc Alternate Fuel class.

The donor bike uses a single-speed drive with a centrifugal clutch, which limits its performance, but Petsche plans to upgrade the drivetrain to improve acceleration and surpass his record-setting top speed next year.

Petsche says he built his motorcycle to demonstrate the potential of off-the-shelf technology (and, literally, off-the-shelf fuel). By combining preexisting components from generators, go-karts and junked vehicles, Petsche built a low-cost bike that he says gets 100 miles to the vegetable oil gallon.

Modified motorcycle burns vegetable oil in record-setting run originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alternative fuelalternative fuel recordjohn petscheland speed recordloring timing associationpetscherecordvegetable oilSun, 18 Sep 2011 13:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20045729/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/09/18/modified-motorcycle-burns-vegetable-oil-in-record-setting-run/20045729/article-detail.xml 20045729 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/09/johnbike-l_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/09/johnbike-l.jpg <![CDATA[<i>Senna</i> races to the top with best documentary debut of the year]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/17/senna-races-to-the-top-with-best-documentary-debut-of-the/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/17/senna-races-to-the-top-with-best-documentary-debut-of-the/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/17/senna-races-to-the-top-with-best-documentary-debut-of-the/#commentsFiled under:

Senna

Still haven't managed to see Senna? Then you are, first of all, missing out, because it's one of the all-time great racing films in the history of cinema. You're also part of a narrowing group of outsiders, as moviegoers flock to see Asif Kapadia's masterpiece in greater numbers than any other documentary this year.

According to Indiewire, Senna, which opened at just two theaters (one in New York and one in Los Angeles) brought in a whopping $73,497 on opening weekend. That's split between $40,713 in LA and $32,784 in New York, according to reports, for a handsome average of $36,749 per theater.

Those are numbers worthy of the greatest driver in the greatest era of the greatest spectacle in motor racing the world has ever known. And as befits the late, great Ayrton Senna whom the film depicts, it doesn't look like it'll be slowing down any time soon.

Senna races to the top with best documentary debut of the year originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asif kapadiaayrton sennadocumentaryopening weekendrecordsennasenna documentarysenna movieWed, 17 Aug 2011 08:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20019170/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/08/17/senna-races-to-the-top-with-best-documentary-debut-of-the/20019170/article-detail.xml 20019170 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/sennamovieposter-630op_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/sennamovieposter-630op.jpg <![CDATA[Volvo's iconic P1800 turns 50 as record-holding owner passes 2.9 million miles]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/17/volvos-iconic-p1800-turns-50-as-record-holding-owner-passes-2-9/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/17/volvos-iconic-p1800-turns-50-as-record-holding-owner-passes-2-9/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/17/volvos-iconic-p1800-turns-50-as-record-holding-owner-passes-2-9/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Irv Gordon's 1966 Volvo P1800S
Irv Gordon's 1966 Volvo P1800S - Click above for high-res image gallery

Think of Volvos and you're likely to picture a station wagon carrying kids home from soccer practice. But 50 years ago, the Swedish automaker produced one of the most curvaceous sportscars on the market.

It was called the P1800, and it still stands as an icon in the company's history and a cult favorite among collectors. Conceived in Sweden, designed in Italy and built in England, the P1800 gained fame on the screen as Roger Moore's car in The Saint, and served as a precursor of today's halo cars, envisioned to draw customers into the showroom.

The P1800 offered customers Ferrari-like styling with Volvo levels of dependability. That last part has certainly proven true for one owner, who holds the world record for most miles traveled in a non-commercial vehicle, and continues to beat his own record every time he pulls out of the driveway.

Irv Gordon - a retired science teacher from Patchogue, New York - racked up 1,500 miles in the first 48 hours after buying his P1800 in 1966. Within ten years of ownership, he had put on 500,000 miles. He reached the Guinness Book of World Records with 1.69 million miles in 1998, and hit the big two-million mark arriving in Manhattan's Times Square in 2002. As of this writing, his odometer reads 2.9 million, and he's not about to stop short of the three-million mark, touring classic car events around the world on Volvo's behalf.

Follow the jump for a related press release and check out the images of Irv's P1800 in the high-res gallery.

Continue reading Volvo's iconic P1800 turns 50 as record-holding owner passes 2.9 million miles

Volvo's iconic P1800 turns 50 as record-holding owner passes 2.9 million miles originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>guinessguiness book of world recordsirv gordonmileagep1800recordvolvovolvo p1800world recordFri, 17 Jun 2011 09:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19968558/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/06/17/volvos-iconic-p1800-turns-50-as-record-holding-owner-passes-2-9/19968558/article-detail.xml 19968558 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/webirv-p1800_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/webirv-p1800.jpg <![CDATA[New record set for world's fastest furniture]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/09/new-record-set-for-worlds-fastest-furniture/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/09/new-record-set-for-worlds-fastest-furniture/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/09/new-record-set-for-worlds-fastest-furniture/#commentsFiled under: ,

Fast Food World's Fastest Furniture

Englishman Perry Watkins has already built the world's smallest car, at just over 39 inches high, and the Flatmobile (pictured), that's 30 inches high. Adding to that list of palmares, Watkins took the record for the fastest "piece of furniture," placing a dinner table with settings for four - including chairs - on top of a nitrous-boosted Reliant Scimitar engine. Over two runs on a 500-meter track in Nottinghamshire, he averaged almost 114 miles per hour. The name of his record-setting dining table: Fast Food, natch. He displaces a sofa that only went 92 mph three years ago.

[Source: Telegraph, WorldsFastestFurniture.co.uk]

New record set for world's fastest furniture originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fast foodFastFoodperry watkinsPerryWatkinsrecordThu, 09 Sep 2010 09:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19625536/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/09/09/new-record-set-for-worlds-fastest-furniture/19625536/article-detail.xml 19625536 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/thumbs-upopt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/thumbs-upopt.jpg <![CDATA[Followup: Bad Habit monster truck breaks longest jump record]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/09/followup-bad-habit-monster-truck-breaks-longest-jump-record/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/09/followup-bad-habit-monster-truck-breaks-longest-jump-record/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/09/followup-bad-habit-monster-truck-breaks-longest-jump-record/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Bad Habit World Record Jump
Bad Habit breaks a world record - Click above for image gallery

You know what they say; if at first you crash your monster truck in the pursuit of a world record, try, try again. Joe Sylvester, the owner and driver of the Bad Habit monster truck, has officially nabbed the world record for flying contraptions of that variety, sailing 208 feet through the stratosphere before touching ground on the other side. After the truck went nose first into the dirt during a test jump, Sylvester and his team put in 17 hours worth of work a day until the rig was back together and operational.

On his second attempt, Sylvester hit the home-built ramp at 75 mph and landed 197 feet down range. On his second attempt, the Bad Habit truck made a pass at 79 mph and touched down after flying 208 feet through the air. The jump officially surpasses the former world record of 202 feet set by the infamous Big Foot. Hit the gallery for a look at the high-flying action.


Gallery: Bad Habit World Record Jump

Bad Habit World Record JumpBad Habit World Record JumpBad Habit World Record JumpBad Habit World Record JumpBad Habit World Record Jump

[Source: Bad Habit]

Followup: Bad Habit monster truck breaks longest jump record originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bad HabitBad HabitsBadHabitBadHabitsBig FootBigFootJumpMonster TruckMonster TrucksMonsterTruckMonsterTrucksRecordWorld RecordWorld Record JumpWorldRecordWorldRecordJumpThu, 09 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19625604/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/09/09/followup-bad-habit-monster-truck-breaks-longest-jump-record/19625604/article-detail.xml 19625604 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/01-bad-habits-1283969471_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/01-bad-habits-1283969471.jpg <![CDATA[Video: Spectre Performance Speedliner takes to the salt]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/02/video-spectre-performance-speedliner-takes-to-the-salt/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/02/video-spectre-performance-speedliner-takes-to-the-salt/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/02/video-spectre-performance-speedliner-takes-to-the-salt/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Spectre Perfromance Speedliner hits 366 mph - Click above to watch video after the jump

Spectre Performance has been busy. The team made impressive progress toward its goal of toppling the 400 mph barrier in a four-wheel, gasoline-powered vehicle during this year's Bonneville Speed Week. Their weapon of choice? A twin-engined speedliner with a combined displacement of 1,026 cubic inches and a total output of somewhere between 3,200 and 4,000 horsepower thanks to twin turbo systems on each engine. A single forced-induction 529 cubic-inch Cadillac V8 with over 2,000 horsepower. In 2009, that contraption walked all the way up to 330.569 mph - good enough to set a world record at the SCTA World Finals, but still well short of the team's goal.

This year, they headed to the salt flats with driver Amir Rosenbaum at the tiller. Rosenbaum managed to squeeze quite a bit more speed out of the machine, pushing it all the way to 366 mph and breaking three records in two classes in the process. If you're like us, you're probably wondering just what it feels like to fly at those speeds with the seat of your pants mere inches from the Earth. Fortunately for all of us curious types, Spectre has put out an excellent video detailing the experience. Find it and the full press release after the jump.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Spectre Performance Speedliner takes to the salt

Video: Spectre Performance Speedliner takes to the salt originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Land Speed RecordLandSpeedRecordRecordSpectre PerformanceSpectre Performance SpeedlinerSpectrePerformanceSpectrePerformanceSpeedlinerSpeedlinerVideoThu, 02 Sep 2010 19:25:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19617873/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/09/02/video-spectre-performance-speedliner-takes-to-the-salt/19617873/article-detail.xml 19617873 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/spectre-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/spectre-630.jpg <![CDATA[Pagani Zonda R reportedly sets new Nürburgring record]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/30/pagani-zonda-r-reportedly-sets-new-nurburgring-record/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/30/pagani-zonda-r-reportedly-sets-new-nurburgring-record/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/30/pagani-zonda-r-reportedly-sets-new-nurburgring-record/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Pagani Zonda R - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you were blown away a couple of months ago when Ferrari broke the 7-minute barrier at the Nürburgring, then hold on to your hat, dear friend, because the Prancing Horse has just been bested by its own next-door neighbor.

Reports from the Old World indicate that a new Nordschleife record has been taken by the Pagani Zonda R. And by some margin, too: After Ferrari lapped the ring in 6:58, its cross-town rival reportedly scrubbed over ten seconds off that time with a 6:47.

Now before you protest that the Zonda R isn't road legal, we'll point out that the 599XX with which Ferrari scored its time isn't, either. Both these Modenese supercars belong to a new category of vehicle known as the track car, bridging the gap between street-legal and race cars with production-based forms. And the Zonda R, it would seem, is the new king.


Gallery: SEMA 2009: Pagani Zonda R


[Source: PistonHeads]

Pagani Zonda R reportedly sets new Nürburgring record originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lap recordlap timeLapRecordLapTimeNürburgringNürburgring nordschleifeNürburgringNordschleifeNurburgringNurburgring nordschleifeNurburgringNordschleifepaganipagani zondapagani zonda rPaganiZondaPaganiZondaRrecordzondazonda rZondaRWed, 30 Jun 2010 16:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19537175/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/06/30/pagani-zonda-r-reportedly-sets-new-nurburgring-record/19537175/article-detail.xml 19537175 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/zondar-sema_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/zondar-sema.jpg <![CDATA[Volvo semi-truck sets land speed record]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/24/volvo-semi-truck-sets-land-speed-record/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/24/volvo-semi-truck-sets-land-speed-record/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/24/volvo-semi-truck-sets-land-speed-record/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The Bugatti Veyron, a passenger car, will exceed 250 miles-per-hour whenever you feel like it. A decent number of other cars will break 200 without concern. In the picture above, however, is a warp speed mountain of metal that Boije Overbrink used to break the semi-truck land speed record, doing so at all of 155 mph.

And in fact, the Volvo semi with the 2,000 horsepower and 3,687 lb-ft didn't even go 155 mph - it only got up to 103.84 mph at the end of a kilometer. But instead of running a truck at a course long enough to truly test top speed, its speed is averaged over the length of the course. Voila, FIA certification at 155 mph and the fastest Good Buddy in all the land. Congratulations Mr. Overbrink.

[Source: Motobullet]

Volvo semi-truck sets land speed record originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boije overbrinkBoijeOverbrinkland speed recordLandSpeedRecordoverbrinkrecordsemi land speed recordSemiLandSpeedRecordvolvo semivolvo trucksVolvoSemiVolvoTrucksThu, 24 Jun 2010 18:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19526996/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/06/24/volvo-semi-truck-sets-land-speed-record/19526996/article-detail.xml 19526996 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/semispeedrecord_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/semispeedrecord.jpg <![CDATA[$3.8M 1962 Ferrari Superamerica boosts record $45 Million at RM Auctions in Monaco]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/05/3-8m-1962-ferrari-superamerica-boosts-record-45-million-at-rm/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/05/3-8m-1962-ferrari-superamerica-boosts-record-45-million-at-rm/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/05/3-8m-1962-ferrari-superamerica-boosts-record-45-million-at-rm/#commentsFiled under: , ,

1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Cabriolet Pininfarina SWB - Click above for high-res image gallery

Call it a sign that the recession is abating, or count it as an indicator that, for the extremely wealthy, the recession hardly ever crossed their minds. But any way you cut it, classic Ferraris continue to fetch record prices at auction. And exceptional though it was, this past weekend's Sporting Classics of Monaco event, held by Canadian firm RM Auctions, was no exception.

The event marked the first time that the venerable auction house - a growing force to be reckoned with on the classic car scene - held an event during the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique. Yet RM still managed to rake in a mind-blowing €33,235,917 ($45 million), matching the all-time record for single-day auction results, which RM itself set in Maranello in May 2007.

The headline results were boosted by the sale of a rare 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Cabriolet Pininfarina SWB, which went for a high bid of €2,800,000 ($3.8 million), exceeding its estimate and fetching the highest price ever paid for such an example. Several other Ferraris went for seven-figure prices as well, including a 1957 250 GT Tour de France ($3.2M), a 1959 250 GT California Spyder ($2.8M), and a pair of mid-60s-era 275 GTBs that each fetched a million and change.

The rare Prancing Horses were joined by such other notable examples as a 1960 Maserati Birdcage ($3.3M), a 1930 Alfa Romeo 6C Zagato Spider ($1.2M), a Le Mans-spec '63 Shelby Cobra 289 ($1M) and a whole slew of Rolls-Royce classics. Follow the jump to delve further into the auction results, and check out the high-resolution images of the headline Superamerica in the gallery below.


Gallery: 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Cabriolet Pininfarina SWB, s/n 3309 SA


[Source: RM Auctions]

Continue reading $3.8M 1962 Ferrari Superamerica boosts record $45 Million at RM Auctions in Monaco

$3.8M 1962 Ferrari Superamerica boosts record $45 Million at RM Auctions in Monaco originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 May 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Cabriolet Pininfarina SWB1962Ferrari400SuperamericaCabrioletPininfarinaSwbauctionferrariferrari 400 superamericaferrari superamericaFerrari400SuperamericaFerrariSuperamericagrand prix de monaco historiqueGrandPrixDeMonacoHistoriquemonacomonte carloMonteCarlorecordrm auctionsRmAuctionssporting classics of monacoSportingClassicsOfMonacosuperamericaWed, 05 May 2010 14:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19463698/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/05/05/3-8m-1962-ferrari-superamerica-boosts-record-45-million-at-rm/19463698/article-detail.xml 19463698 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/05/rm-superamerica-web630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/05/rm-superamerica-web630.jpg <![CDATA[Shanghai Surprise: Cadillac CTS stunt team dazzles in China, Heinricy sets F1 track record [*UPDATED w/VIDEO]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/15/shanghai-surprise-cadillac-cts-stunt-team-dazzles-in-china-hei/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/15/shanghai-surprise-cadillac-cts-stunt-team-dazzles-in-china-hei/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/15/shanghai-surprise-cadillac-cts-stunt-team-dazzles-in-china-hei/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Cadillac's V-Day stunt driving exhibition - Click above to watch the video

Although things are understandably more than bit somber in General Motors' U.S. operations as of late, over in China, the mood is a bit more upbeat. The evidence? Check out this CTS stunt-driving exhibition held last weekend on Shanghai's Formula One circuit.

According to GM's Cadillac Notes blog, some 19,000 fans gathered to watch the show and celebrate the arrival of the CTS-V in China last weekend - this, despite the heat (with temperatures at around 86°, it was reportedly the hottest May 9 in over a century).

In any case, the professional Hollywood stunt team delighted the masses, as did GM test engineer supremo John Heinricy, who (aside from apparently not being all-the-way retired), marked the occasion by setting a record in the CTS-V for the quickest-ever lap (2:32.80) of the course in a production sedan. Heck, even Spider-Man showed up! Check out the high-res hijinks in our below. Thanks for the tip, Scot!

UPDATE: YouTube video of V-Day added after the jump.


Gallery: Cadillac V-Day in Shanghai


[Sources: Cadillac Notes; YouTube]

Continue reading Shanghai Surprise: Cadillac CTS stunt team dazzles in China, Heinricy sets F1 track record [*UPDATED w/VIDEO]

Shanghai Surprise: Cadillac CTS stunt team dazzles in China, Heinricy sets F1 track record [*UPDATED w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 May 2009 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CaddyCadillacCTSCTS-VF1Formula 1Formula OneFormula1FormulaOneGeneral MotorsGeneralMotorsGMHeinricylap recordLapRecordrecordShanghaiSpider manSpider-ManSpidermanstunt driversstunt drivingStuntDriversStuntDrivingtrack recordTrackRecordV-DayXLRXLR-VFri, 15 May 2009 12:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1547263/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/05/15/shanghai-surprise-cadillac-cts-stunt-team-dazzles-in-china-hei/1547263/article-detail.xml 1547263 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/lead-v-day-caddy-pic-580_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/lead-v-day-caddy-pic-580.jpg -1 2