Autoblog

Model street unveiled, goal to limit crashes

Dan Roth — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 08:27:00 EST

"Accidents happen." It's the oft-quoted mantra of anyone who spends time behind the wheel. Sooner or later, you'll witness or partake in a vehicular mishap. The Japan Automobile Research Institute aims to take a less stoic attitude about accidents and have set up a model street to evaluate accident prevention systems and practices.

The model street, which is larger than three football fields, includes straight and curved sections and will offer Institute researchers better insight into the conditions that cause accidents. We can't speak for what causes fender benders in Japan, but in the US, the number one cause has got to be drivers with absolutely no training paying limited attention to the task at hand. Who can blame them? The allure of text messaging is so much more enticing than piloting a 3500-pound projectile rendered in metal, composite and glass. Familiarize yourself with good car-brandishing skills and then observe the idiots that surround you. There's no institute needed to discern that inattention and ineptitude often play roles, but there are often plenty of other factors. That's what the model street has been developed to study. Here's to safer travels for drivers and pedestrians alike -- and let's hope they export the stuff that actually works at reducing incidents.

[Source: MSN - Mainichi]

Model street unveiled, goal to limit crashes originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Jun 2007 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Giant pothole forms spontaneously in Chinese province

John Neff — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Having lived in Detroit for a period of time, I can attest to the damage that potholes can inflict on a car's suspension. One particularly bad crator nearly threw me and my little Mazda Protege off a stretch of I-75 just south of the city one time. Still, despite the crumbling roads of Michigan caused by overweight semis running back and forth, I've never encountered a pot hole like the one that recently formed in Nanchang in the Jiangxi Province of China. The giant hole apparently opened up on its own this week, taking 72 square meters of road surface with it. It's depth is seven meters, which would easily swallow a Protege bearing myself as cargo and a half dozen other cars, as well. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, but if the Jiangxi Department of Transportation is anything like MDOT, we expect a road crew, some orange barrels and one serious order of asphalt to be on the scene by June.

[Source: Sina via Carscoop]

Giant pothole forms spontaneously in Chinese province originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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That's So Money: Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 ends at Wall Street

Noah Joseph — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 12:57:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Supercars, Ferrari

Ferrari's continent-crushing rally across the Americas has finally come to its conclusion, having started in Brazil, crossing the Andes through Argentina, through Central America, across Mexico, criss-crossing the United States, passing through Canada and finally reaching its destination in New York. Considering Ferrari's last such journey passed the Great Wall, ending this one at Wall Street made for the perfect conclusion to the Panamerican escapade. (As if the Ferrari name weren't already synonymous with money, power and success.)

The front of the New York Stock Exchange was decorated with a Ferrari banner and flew the prancing horse on yellow next to the Italian and US flags to mark the occasion that saw Ferrari's newest gran turismo complete the king of all publicity tours. The 599 GTB Fiorano featured only mild modifications in order to cope with the rough terrain, with an aluminum undercarriage protection plate to replace the standard aerodynamic underbody tray and a heightened ride height - an interesting contrast to the dropped suspension that usually features on modified sportscars.

Surely Ferrari's forthcoming all-wheel-drive system would have come in handy, though... don't be surprised if Ferrari stages another one of these epic adventures when the four wheels hit the road on the facelifted 612.

[Source: Ferrari via Italiaspeed]

That's So Money: Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 ends at Wall Street originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Nov 2006 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Legends racecar for the street

Eric Bryant — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 15:28:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Etc.

Give Lincoln Brier credit for doing something out of the ordinary when he came upon the idea to convert his used Legends racecar into a single-seat street machine. The task was relatively simple, with the addition of turn signals, lights, a full exhaust system with muffler, and a horn pretty much being the extent of the modifications required to register the pint-sized '34 Ford replica as a homebuilt vehicle. The laws on this vary dramatically by state, so as they say, check with your local authorities before proceeding. To make life a bit more tolerable, Brier also added rear windows and a radio, and swapped out the rear gearing for something a bit taller. Even with the ratio swap, the top speed is a meager 90 MPH, but I'm sure that it's an entertaining experience topping out the miniature car. Oh, and there's no Reverse gear. Would that stop us from having more fun than should (or would) be legal with this thing? Hell no. We'd just choose our parking carefully.

For those not familiar with the Legend circle-track cars, they're pocket-sized tube-framed racers, draped with fiberglass bodies resembling a variety of American classics from the '30s, that are typically powered by Yamaha 1200cc air-cooled motorcycle engines. The majority of the parts are tightly controlled by the rules in an effort to create a level playing field and keep costs relatively low. More info is available from 600 Racing, Legendsforce, and Legends Cars.

[Source: Kneeslider]

A Legends racecar for the street originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Aug 2006 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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G-Force Cuda takes home Goodguys trophy

Eric Bryant — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 17:59:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Etc.

Bob Johnson's 1971 Plymouth Barracuda, dubbed G-Force, created quite a stir when it was unveiled earlier in the year, and now the groundbreaking g-machine has earned itself the prestigious Goodguys' 2006 Street Machine of the Year award. Johnson's evil fish took the crown last month - yeah, we're a bit late on this one - by beating out four machines from the Bowtie camp.

Built by Johnson's Rod Shop (supposedly no relation) in Alabama, the award caps a challenging three years of fabrication. The project was motivated by Bob's desire to capture the top spot in the judging after a Top 5 finish with his Camaro back in 2002. This ground-breaking machine makes liberal use of high-tech materials stretched around a huge Hemi to provide a stunning 3.2 lb/HP power-to-weight ratio. With that sort of power, the high-tech independent suspension at each corner, huge brakes, and even bigger wheels and tires, we're pretty sure that this would excel at any sort of on-pavement use - if indeed the desire existed to thrash what's likely a seven-figure piece of art.

[Source: Goodguys]

G-Force Cuda takes home Goodguys trophy originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Aug 2006 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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