Autoblog

The List #0180: Work As A Professional Stunt Driver

John Neff — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:57:00 EST

Working as a professional stunt driver is one of the most popular requests we get for The List. Making it happen, however, has proven to be a challenge. It isn't as simple as crashing a Hollywood set and sticking our hosts, Jessi and Patrick, behind the wheel of a car meant for Keanu's character. Not only would that require access we don't have (not for lack of trying), but the movie studios wouldn't let us film their set or show you the scene's final cut.

In order to check this item off our list and show you the results, we needed to get creative. We decided to go into the movie-making business and produce a short film that would give Jessi and Patrick an opportunity to apply the skills they've learned so far on The List. Trading in our blogging bylines for producer credits also lets us show you how a Hollywood movie set works when there are cars, cameras, helicopters and stunts involved. Spoiler Alert: It's a little dangerous, a lotta crazy and can get very expensive.

There are two videos below for you to watch. The first is the actual episode of The List that shows what it took to produce a short film and check working as a professional stunt driver off our list. The second video is the final product, our short film called The Driver. And while, yes, we do plan on keeping our day jobs, our caps must nonetheless be doffed to the show's producer and director, Graham Suorsa, who somehow managed to pull all of this off.

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Click here to learn more about our hosts, Jessi and Patrick.

Continue reading The List #0180: Work As A Professional Stunt Driver

The List #0180: Work As A Professional Stunt Driver originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Goodyear uses the old "surprise gymkhana road test with stunt driver" routine

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 12:44:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Humor

It's a familiar tactic: if you want a customer to know what a car can do, you've got to get them in it and take them for a ride. To truly impress a customer, though, you've got to take them, *ahem,* for a ride. It works so well that NASCAR driver Carl Edwards recently did it with Ford engineers in a Taurus SHO - the very sedan those engineers worked on.

So when Goodyear wanted to show off the finer attributes of its Eagle F1 Asymmetric All-Season tire, it grabbed Ben Conrad, director of Ken Block's last two Gymkhana videos, to choreograph some shenanigans. A Goodyear tire store in California was used as bait - an actor posed as a salesman who got his fellow store helper, professional stunt driver Danny Downey, to take customers for a little demo in a BMW.

We don't know what the conversion rate was, but there were probably a few tires sold that day. Have a look below to watch the videos.

Continue reading Goodyear uses the old "surprise gymkhana road test with stunt driver" routine

Goodyear uses the old "surprise gymkhana road test with stunt driver" routine originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Jul 2012 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mini "Britalian Job" celebrates London Olympics with sendup of heist film

Zach Bowman — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 12:44:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Mini, UK, Celebrities

Mini is gearing up for the Olympics in a big way. The company has released a short film featuring a gaggle of former gold medalists, including Daley Thompson, James Cracknell, Jonathan Edwards and Matthew Pinsent. Thompson plays the ringleader of an elite driving squad sent to retrieve a set of gold medals pilfered by none other than supermodel Jodie Kidd. In the film, Kidd sets to tearing through London on a supermoto, pursued by three London 2012 Edition Mini Cooper models. The scenes feature some iconic shots lifted from the classic 1969 film The Italian Job.

Directed by Top Gear lead director Phil Churchward, the clip boasts some impressive stunt driving. There's even a close-formation jump that includes all three Mini models as they sail through the air. Check out the full show for yourself to see what we mean.

Continue reading Mini "Britalian Job" celebrates London Olympics with sendup of heist film

Mini "Britalian Job" celebrates London Olympics with sendup of heist film originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top Gear Live to attempt Deadly 720 double loop

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

Successfully piloting an automobile around a giant loop is no easy task, but it's just not spectacular enough for the crew of Top Gear Live. Billing it as a world-first event, the live show's stunt drivers will attempt to spin their way through a giant loop twice in succession during the Top Gear Festival in Durban, South Africa on June 16 and 17.

Dubbed the Deadly 720, the loops themselves stands 26 feet tall and weigh eight tons. A custom-made buggy featuring an accelerator lock that allows the driver to put all his concentration on navigation will enter the loop between 24 and 26 miles per hour. Any deviation from that predetermined speed will result in a failure by the event's calculations.

"There are absolutely no margins for error, which is probably why no one has ever been mad enough to try it before," says Top Gear Live Creative Director Rowland French. Read all about the planned stunt by scrolling down below.

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Top Gear Live to attempt Deadly 720 double loop originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch a Mazda tackle the Wall of Death, live to tell the tale

Chris Shunk — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Mazda

We love crazy promotional videos with hair-raising stunts that seem to defy gravity, and this particular spot certainly checks all those boxes. Mazda has teamed up with The Demon Drome crew to determine if its Mazda2 can successfully whirl around a motor drome.

The motor drome is essentially a cylinder about 30 feet in diameter with wooden planks that are positioned at an impossible angle. Trained men and women have traditionally used motorcycles in these stunts, but the Japanese automaker evidently thought its tiny Mazda2 would be an ideal four-wheeled replacement.

We knew the Mazda2 was nimble, but this is pretty sweet. Hit the jump to watch the video for yourself... and try not to be alarmed by the demonic-sounding backwards talk.

Continue reading Watch a Mazda tackle the Wall of Death, live to tell the tale

Watch a Mazda tackle the Wall of Death, live to tell the tale originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guinness Book of World Records spin-off shows it's time to make the donuts

Steven J. Ewing — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Videos

Ah, donuts - one of the automotive world's purest forms of hooliganism. We've all done 'em, simply because every once in a while, it's just plain fun to light up a car's back end and fling it around in a circle.

Fun as they may be, donuts aren't necessarily all that fun to watch. After all, one car spinning in circles certainly loses its charm after a while. But what about seventy cars spinning in smoke-filled circles? Now that's something.

Earlier this week, over 70 vehicles showed up at Infineon Raceway in order to break the Guinness World Record for the largest number of cars performing donuts successfully. Check out what ensued in the video after the break, complete with epic battle background music.

Continue reading Guinness Book of World Records spin-off shows it's time to make the donuts

Guinness Book of World Records spin-off shows it's time to make the donuts originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PopMech offers a video history of the automotive barrel roll

Zach Bowman — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Budget, Etc., Videos, Chevrolet

Rob Dyrdek's "kick flip" stunt in a Chevrolet Sonic effectively sealed his place in the hallowed halls of stunt driver lore. As it turns out, actually pulling off a 360-degree barrel roll in a vehicle is one of the most challenging stunts one can perform. Driving on two wheels? Cakewalk. Knocking down a series of buses stacked on their ends? As easy as sucking pea soup through a crazy straw. The barrel roll requires stacks of mathematical calculations to account for everything from the vehicle's weight to its speed and the exact rotation angle of each ramp.

But Dyrdek wasn't the first guy to successfully execute such a bit of insanity. He's one of a select few stunt drivers to do the deed, and Popular Mechanics has taken a look at those who have tackled the automotive barrel roll in the past. Dyrdek's stunt was actually an almost exact replica of the Astro Spiral Jump as performed in 1972 at the Houston Astrodome. That exercise used a significantly classier AMC Javelin, however. Head over to Popular Mechanics to check out the video series and click past the jump for a clip on the Astro Spiral Jump.

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PopMech offers a video history of the automotive barrel roll originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why yes, a garbage truck can drive on two wheels

Chris Shunk — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Humor, Middle East

Here in the U.S., garbage trucks are mainly for picking up, crushing and dumping trash. The same garbage trucks roles no doubt apply in Saudi Arabia, except when the trash hauler doubles as a crowd-pleasing stunt car.

Beyond the jump is video of a thankfully trash-less garbage truck that has a knack for driving on two wheels. That's always fun, and the enjoyment lasts for over two minutes, thanks to some very impressive Dukes of Hazzard meets Roc skills. Halfway in, a Jeep Cherokee joins in the two-wheeled fun.

It's cool and all... but we'll stick with Big Foot and his Monster Jam friends for our after-hours crazy truck coverage. Hit the jump to watch the video.

Continue reading Why yes, a garbage truck can drive on two wheels

Why yes, a garbage truck can drive on two wheels originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stunt driver attempts to play dominoes with row of busses

Zach Bowman — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos, Humor, Specialty

The Crusher at Evergreen Speedway - Click above to watch the video after the jump

This may not come as a shock, but as kids, we desperately wanted to become a stunt driver. Maybe it was one too many McQueen movies or a few too many hours soaking up Knight Rider reruns, but we were always smitten with the no-consequences glory of a good fender-to-fender bust up. That's exactly why we have the utmost respect for the man in the video after the jump.

Josh Beckel has earned a reputation for himself as a guy who's willing to do anything behind the wheel in and around Washington state, and he recently attempted to set a world record by crashing a car into not one, not two, not three, but four buses standing like dominoes.

Beckel is known as The Crusher for obvious reasons, and he more than lived up to his namesake at the Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington. How'd he do? You'll have to hit the jump to see for yourself.

Continue reading Stunt driver attempts to play dominoes with row of busses

Stunt driver attempts to play dominoes with row of busses originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Fiat 500 does 360-degree vertical loop at AutoRAI

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 14:59:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Etc., Videos, Fiat

Stunt driver Steve Truglia loops a Fiat 500 - Click above to watch the video after the break

If there's an automotive spectacle that rivals the jump in sheer visual excitement, it's got to be the classic vertical loop (aka loop-de-loop or loop-the-loop). There's just something special about seeing a car go vertical, then upside-down and back all in one swift motion that makes the crowds go bonkers... and Shell (purveyors of gasoline that they are) used such a stunt to good effect at the 2011 AutoRAI show in The Netherlands.

Waiting for you past the jump are a trio of videos that include different angles (in-car and out, plus a bonus behind-the-scenes look) of a specially prepared Fiat 500 coupe tackling the famed vertical loop, which looks like a giant spoked bicycle rim more than anything else. Most of the videos are in Dutch, but the stunt driver, Steve Truglia, speaks English... so you won't be completely lost.

Click past the break to see it all go down for yourself.

[Source: Youtube]

Continue reading Video: Fiat 500 does 360-degree vertical loop at AutoRAI

Video: Fiat 500 does 360-degree vertical loop at AutoRAI originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Apr 2011 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Sam Hubinette learns how to drive sideways all over again

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:24:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Videos

Sam Hubinette learns to drive sideways all over again - Click above to watch video after the jump

Sam Hubinette is exceptionally good at getting a car sideways and keeping it there. Now, it seems that the drift king wants to learn a new skill, and he needs just two wheels to do it. No, Mr. Hubinette is not switching to motorcycles... he's learning to drive a car on two wheels.

Someone with his level of car control should be able to pick this up relatively quickly. In fact, Sam Hubinette takes to two-wheeled action like he has been doing it his whole life, and it took preposterously few attempts for him to master the art. Hit the ramp and click past the jump to check out Hubinette learning a new skill.

Now, we're thinking we need to try our hand at two-wheeled driving too... anybody got a car we can borrow?

[Source: YouTube via MotorWorldHype]

Continue reading Video: Sam Hubinette learns how to drive sideways all over again

Video: Sam Hubinette learns how to drive sideways all over again originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Swift + Mini = Anti-Boredom

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Mini

Russ Swift and MINI combat boredom - Click above to watch video after the jump

The Mini Cooper is a fun little car that we've often praised for its go-kart-like handling. Put one in the capable hands of Russ Swift and it becomes a whole lot more than that. Swift and Mini teamed up for a video to declare that the Cooper is the arch enemy of boredom. For those who are not aware of Mr. Swift's driving skill, he is the man who holds the record for tightest parallel park, fastest J-Turn and fastest donuts. Saying that Russ Swift can control a car is an understatement.

In this video clip, Swift shows off his parallel parking skills, puts a Mini up on two wheels and pulls off other examples of automotive shenanigans. This video is only one minute long, so you have no excuse for not clicking past the jump and give it a look.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Swift + Mini = Anti-Boredom

Video: Swift + Mini = Anti-Boredom originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Conan O'Brien turns stuntman, pilots explosive '69 Dodge Dart

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Dodge, Celebrities, Humor

Conan O'Brien does his own stunts - Click above to watch video after the jump

Conan O'Brien is getting ready to launch his new late-night talk show. "Conan" premieres November 8th at 11pm on TBS. He wants to show everyone just how bad-ass this new television show will be. Ditching his beloved 1992 Ford Taurus SHO, O'Brien jumps behind the wheel of a '69 Dodge Dart that is pointed straight at a cliff. He ups the stunt-ante by packing the car with C4 explosives, fireworks from New Hampshire (which technically are not illegal if you fire them off in the Granite state) and un-popped popcorn kernels.

Having the Dart loaded with stuff that explodes and ceremoniously removing his stunt man from the equation, Conan nails the accelerator towards the cliff then Thelma and Louises it over the edge. The result is a loud, explosion-filled wreck that O'Brien walks away from while putting out his flaming hair and leather jacket. It's epic.

Are you still here? Seriously already, check it out after the jump.

[Source: Inside Line, Youtube]

Continue reading Video: Conan O'Brien turns stuntman, pilots explosive '69 Dodge Dart

Video: Conan O'Brien turns stuntman, pilots explosive '69 Dodge Dart originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Geely Panda gets to stuntin'

Zach Bowman — Wed, 19 May 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: China, Etc., Videos, Hatchback, Humor, Geely

Geely Panda strutting its stuff - Click above to watch video after the jump

We hate to say this, but until now, we didn't realize it was physically possible to do a stoppie in a subcompact car. We thought launching a vehicle onto its front rollers was generally left to the two-wheeled crowd, but a new video of the Geely Panda has officially proven otherwise. The company has let loose a video of a fleet of the tiny cutesy hatchbacks being flogged in the best way possible. Want to see a Panda do donuts in reverse? No problem. How about cruise along on two wheels? You got it.

We have no idea what the text in between the shots of the cars suffering the kind of abuse that only stunt drivers can inflict and video of the assembly line says, but that's okay. We understand the cute-as-a-button Panda paw print, and, as you all know, hooning is a universal language. Besides, it makes us think of the old Isuzu I-Mark and various Saab stunt team exhibitions, and that can't be all bad. Hop the jump to see the mad skills for yourself. Thanks for the tip, JPHyundai!

[Source: Geely via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Geely Panda gets to stuntin'

Video: Geely Panda gets to stuntin' originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 May 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Chris Paukert — Fri, 15 May 2009 12:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Performance, China, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Cadillac

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.

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10-year ban for popping a wheelie in Miami

Chris Shunk — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:04:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Motorcycle

South Florida has a motorcycle problem, and lawmakers are introducing legislation to show bikers that they'll go a long way to punish those who break the rules. Stunt riding (including wheelies), excessive speeding, and concealable license plates will get you a 10 year ban on your motorcycle license, mandatory jail time, and an impounded bike. If the punishment sounds like the medieval practice of cutting off the hand of a man for stealing, that's exactly how State Representative Carlos Lopez-Cantera wants it.

Lopez-Cantera witnessed firsthand a variety of incidents during which reckless behavior was on display, including bikers flying down the highway at 120 mph, high speed wheelies, and more. Police officers can't even run plates since bikers will often flip them up to avoid detection, and it's very difficult to catch a motorcycle on the open road with a squad car. We like motorcycles, even though our focus is on cars, and it's disappointing to see that things have apparently gotten so out of hand in South Florida that draconian enforcement policies are being seriously discussed.

[Source: Visor Down via Paultan]

10-year ban for popping a wheelie in Miami originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: World Record 16 cars get up on side wheels

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 07:25:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Renault

What better way to show you have a balanced lineup of vehicles than to have the whole line of 16 cars (and vans!) drive along on just two wheels. In a massive, record-setting effort, every Renault from the Twingo to the Trafic van was run up a ramp and driven along a runway on just their left tires. It's an amazing show of stunt driving with perfect synchronization. We'd hate to be the guy in the Megane cab or the Kangoo, but these folks are clearly professionals. Please don't try this at home, kids. Click through to see this record run, and watch the whole thing, as things take a "turn" at the end.

[Source: Mojo Flix]

Continue reading VIDEO: World Record 16 cars get up on side wheels

VIDEO: World Record 16 cars get up on side wheels originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Mar 2007 07:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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