Autoblog

New Bright creating exclusive 1:8 scale radio-controlled C7 Corvette

Zach Bowman — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:45:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, Toys/Games, Electric

If you want a new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette but can't quite save up enough pennies for the monthly payment, we have good news for you. Toymaker New Bright has pulled the covers off of its 1:8 scale remote-controlled version of the American sports car. Complete with a very detailed interior and LED headlights, this large-scale R/C is as close as most of us will ever come to having one of the menacing Chevrolet models to call our very own. New Bright still hasn't released pricing or availability, but word has it the coupe should hit the market soon.

Right now, it appears as if the C7 will hit shelves in Torch Red, though we don't know if other colors are planned as well. The good news is that New Bright isn't exactly turning its back on the old C6 - representatives say the company will continue to make its popular C6R racecar for those who prefer round taillights.

New Bright creating exclusive 1:8 scale radio-controlled C7 Corvette originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Corvette Z06 bed upgrades your childhood

Noah Joseph — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Chevrolet, Toys/Games

We've reported plenty on items we'd like to place in our automotive-themed dream house, from engine-block coffee tables and Pininfarina desks to Aston Martin loveseats and Porsche sofas - but most of them are for the living room. We'd be remised, however, to forget the one part of the house where the fascination all began: our childhood bedroom.

We all had the posters up on the walls, the models on the shelves and maybe the sheets on the bed, but the luckiest kids among us had beds shaped like cars, similar - but probably not as awesome - as this latest release from toy company Step2. Released this week at the New York Toy Fair, it isn't just a bed: it's a whole bedroom set, all modeled on the Chevrolet Corvette Z06.

The set includes a $299 bed capable of holding a toddler's mattress but expandable to accommodate a twin (extending its usability from ages 2 to 10) with optional working headlights for an extra $30, a $110 dresser that looks like dad's tool box, a $65 storage chest and a $40 wheeled storage box to make clean-up time quick. It's all made of molded plastic from one of the biggest in the business, and is sure to make for some very sweet dreams indeed.

If NASCAR is more to your kid's speed, Step2 has got a stock-car bedroom available too, but it's the Vette set that has us (a) wishing we were little again, and (b) second-guessing the grown-up's bed we just ordered for ourselves.

Corvette Z06 bed upgrades your childhood originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ken Block gets own line of Hot Wheels in time for holiday season

Zach Bowman — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Hatchback, Ford, Toys/Games, Celebrities, Specialty, Racing

Like floods, wildfires and tsunamis, the Ken Block marketing machine is a force of nature. The exhibition driver has partnered up with Mattel for a special line of Hot Wheels toys that include 1:64-scale die cast versions of Block's WRC Ford Fiesta in either black or white liveries. As with most Hot Wheels toys, the cars are priced at $1, which means that just about everyone can afford to find one of these in their stocking this year.

Mattel has also unveiled two different remote controlled Ken Block cars, starting with the radio-controlled Nitro Speedsters Ford Fiesta. The pint-sized R/C car is a self-contained controller and racer unit, perfect for stuffing in your pocket. We imagine the tiny wireless car would be ideal for disrupting class or the occasional office meeting. The whole kit will set you back $25.99.

Those of us who demand a slightly larger R/C experience may opt for the Ken Block R/C Fiesta Stunt Car. The toy allows just about anyone to execute either wide or tight drifts with little more than a press of a button, and with a scale speed of 0-80 mph in two seconds, the toy should be plenty of fun for $45. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Ken Block gets own line of Hot Wheels in time for holiday season

Ken Block gets own line of Hot Wheels in time for holiday season originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch this R/C tank tow a real Toyota SUV

Jeff Sabatini — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Humor

It's no Ford F-150, but this toy tank earns our respect for its towing prowess nonetheless. That second-generation Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Model 90 weighs over two tons, but the not-so-little remote control tank seems to have no problem pulling it through a parking lot to the amusement of quite a few onlookers.

Like any YouTube video, we wonder what - if anything - we are not seeing. In the first shot, it does appear that the passenger door is open. Could someone be pushing to help the SUV overcome inertia?

Click through the jump to see the tank towing video, plus a little bonus footage of that late-90's Land Cruiser Prado.

Continue reading Watch this R/C tank tow a real Toyota SUV

Watch this R/C tank tow a real Toyota SUV originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: James May to build life-sized Lego house. But what's in the garage?

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., UK, Celebrities

James May, a.k.a. Captain Slow on Top Gear, has a BBC show called James May's Toy Stories. After building an award-winning Plasticine garden and the world's largest model airplane, the next thing on May's list is a house built of Legos. A two-storey house. And he intends to live in it for a weekend.

The house will be built in Dorking, England and everything that can be made out of Legos will be made out of Lego. Said May, "I've got a man working on a flushing Lego lavatory. We think it's possible." Seeing that Legoland doesn't even have a house made of Lego - and certainly not Lego toilets - this should indeed be a "pioneering Lego cause." So far, three million Lego bricks have been contributed to the build, but May is looking for more in case you have any lying around.

[Source: BBC]

REPORT: James May to build life-sized Lego house. But what's in the garage? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forget Gran Turismo, Bus Driver is greatest next-gen driving sim

Dan Roth — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Etc., Toys/Games, Lifestyle

Click above for more screen shots of Bus Driver

When I was in Kindergarten, I rode Bus 11. It was an oil-burning 32-passenger GMC that was ready for retirement by 1982. It was driven by Sarge. I'm not sure why she was called Sarge, but her demeanor definitely lived up to the moniker. Frequent exhortations to"SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP" kept us all in line. Nobody ever laughed when she ground the 2-3 upshift. Think you'd enjoy ruling passengers with an iron fist? You could go get the endorsement on your license and then hit the job market, or if that takes too much effort, just buy Bus Driver, the video game.

Hey, at least it's still a driving game, but it's the staid, responsible version of gaming. Rather than speed around a track or create mayhem, your mission is to follow routes in your school bus, city bus or tour bus while picking up and dropping off fares. What fun, the replays must be enthralling. It could be worse, though - it's still a wheeled conveyance you're controlling rather than some Wiimote-powered silliness. We do wish that Meridian4, the game's publisher, had included the DeLorean bus that never got off the ground.

Gallery: Bus Driver: The Video Game

[Source: Winding Road]

Forget Gran Turismo, Bus Driver is greatest next-gen driving sim originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Make it up to the kid with an Alfa Spider

Noah Joseph — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 20:02:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Alfa Romeo

Uh-oh. The big day came and went and you forgot a present for that pint-size kiddie on your shopping list. This is gonna cost ya. We'd charge you for information on the ultimate "stop crying, let me make it up to you" gift, but our lawyers insist it's legally questionable and our life coach says it's "wrong", whatever that means.

So here's what you want to get to make the kid forget the conspicuous and disappointing void under the tree: an Alfa Romeo. Okay, not a real one, but everything is relative and to a child, this will seem just as cool - trust us. These downsized rideable Alfa Spiders are available with a choice of body-styles - 8C Competizione or Brera - and powertrain. A hair under three bills will get pedal-power, or an extra two hundred nets the 6-volt electric version. Shipping's extra if you live outside the UK, and the roadsters are made for kids ages 2-5. Oh, and they're available only in red.

If your kid's passion lies elsewhere than with Alfa Romeo, we'd recommend a better education. In the meantime, don't fret: Turbo Toys has a variety of similar ride-ons, including a Maserati, Audi TT, Jag XK, Porsche, and several Ferraris.

You can thank us later.

[Source: Turbo Toys via Carscoop]

Make it up to the kid with an Alfa Spider originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Dec 2007 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get your Flux Capacitors right here!

Dan Roth — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Classics, Etc., Toys/Games

Okay, let's get this straight. Back to the Future movies: cool. Making your DeLorean into a replica of the movie car: incredibly lame. Halfway between would be a reproduction flux capacitor. If you did buy this thing, you could certainly attain full lameness by installing in in your non-DeLorean.

There were talented people working in the entertainment industry to dream up those iconic vehicles of the 1980s like KITT, the BTF DeLorean and the A-Team van. Those cars have staying power with a generation of enthusiasts, but dressing up your car to match a prop is akin to putting on your C-3PO finery to go see Episode III. If you must have it for your '96 Neon, climb the stairs from your basement lair and ask your mom for $220 for what equates to a couple of lights in a box. Hey, Christmas is coming, if you jump up and down and stomp like you did in '85, you'll find this thing under the tree.

[Source: Engadget]

Get your Flux Capacitors right here! originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Project Edsel part 2 - Paint, round one

Dan Roth — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, Classics, Etc., Ford, Toys/Games

Yeah, so that didn't work out so well. At least I'll get more practice painting. Project Edsel's time for primer had come, so I thinned some Tamiya X21 into the reservoir and fired up the compressor. It took a while to figure out the proper flow and pressure setting (a pressure gauge would be helpful to adjust the compressor's regulator), but once everything was connected up and filled, I was ready to shoot some paint.

Gallery: Autoblog Project Edsel Part 2

Continue reading Autoblog Project Edsel part 2 - Paint, round one

Autoblog Project Edsel part 2 - Paint, round one originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Sep 2007 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Race in a Briefcase

John Neff — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 11:14:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe

As each of us gets older and has a harder time remembering when all we wanted for Christmas were toys, it's healthy to find a way to dive back in the past and relive those simpler times. That's a tough exercise to pull off with TPS reports that need copying and a 9-5 that doesn't allow for play time. Enter the "Race in a Briefcase", which is our name for this German-engineered executive toy that marries a very serious looking stainless steel briefcase with a 2-meter long toy car track on which two racers can compete. The track is slotted, and unlike the kiddy kind of yesteryear that only called for a trigger finger strong enough to last ten laps, the "Race in a Briefcase" requires deft throttle control to stay on course and not send your car flying off the boardroom table. The track uses a standard 9 volt battery that powers the fun for five hours, and a stopwatch is even included to officially time your runs. It looks like a sweet toy that can be easily slipped by your boss for hours of on-the-clock fun. Be prepared to cough up a paycheck for the privelage, however, as the "Race in a Briefcase" costs €598.00 (about $766).

[Source: Pro Idee via WindingRoad]

Race in a Briefcase originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 19 Nov 2006 11:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Repairing childhood trauma with Power Wheels Jeep Hurricane

John Neff — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 18:25:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Gadgets, Etc., Jeep

As a child who was a car geek since he was a knee-high to a back bumper, I coveted a Power Wheels electric vehicle over all the other toys in the JC Penny Christmas Catalogue. Power Wheels were magically self-propelled by something called ewectwicitee and cost hundreds of dollars ($8 bajillion in kid money). I never got one and am emotionally scarred because of it, but am waiting for the day I have my own mini-me and can spoil him on his fifth birthday with his very first car.

Power Wheels have come a long way since I was a tike, however. Case in point is the new Jeep Hurricane produced by the Fisher Price division that features Ultimate Terrain Traction. Yeah, you're reading that right. The newest Power Wheels has traction control. The PR language says it all about this "high performance drive system" though skimps on the details:

"It powers through places where other battery-powered ride-ons need a push"
"Through lush lawns, wet grass, mud, gravel, rough terrain and more"
"It's there when you need it - even when you think you don't"

We're not sure what comprises the Jeep Hurricane's Ultimate Terrain Traction, though it's probably not a complicated mess of electronic nannies varying power output to each individual wheel based on tire slip. It could be the simple fact that this Power Wheels has rubber tires instead of slippery plastic ones, but we won't tell the kids that.

The Jeep Hurricane also fixes some proportion issues of past Power Wheels by riding on a much longer wheelbase than past models. If that's not enough, there's also an on-board cup holder (sippy cup approved) and real working FM radio (what, no iPod jack?). The base MSRP for the Ultiamte Terrain Traction Jeep Hurricane is $400.00. There are no options to inflate the price further, but there's also no financing and certainly no incentives. That's a pretty steep price for a child's toy, but it's so cool we think dipping into junior's college fund for this is perfectly warranted.

[Source: Fisher-Price]

Repairing childhood trauma with Power Wheels Jeep Hurricane originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Nov 2006 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VW Microbus record player

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 16:33:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc.

If you own a classic VeeDub, chances are you might have some old vinyl LPs lying around as well. Classic tunes just seem to sound better with a little scratch and pop. Without going the full DJ route with mixers and turntables taking up half your room, playing them can be a hassle... until now. This nifty little Japanese wonder will roll around your record and broadcast the sounds of the "road" through a built-in speaker. Flower children rejoice.

Found a snazzy chrome model on eBay for 85 bucks. I wonder how many records you'll be able to play before having to rebuild the motor.

[Source: Motorpasion via CarScoop]

VW Microbus record player originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Aug 2006 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Le Mans goes Lego on cover of Winding Road

John Neff — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Audi

Online auto mag Winding Road has always been an interesting read, but one area in which the digital rag's been lacking is graphic design, particularly when it comes to covers. The most recent issue eclipses all others by foregoing the expense of more talented graphic designers and putting the mag's face in the hands of Todd Osborn, an Ypsilanti, Michigan resident and apparent Lego god.

The cover features a dead-on shot of Audi's R10 diesel Le Mans racer composed entirely of Legos. Osborn used a little less than 20,000 blocks to create the work of art, and requested Winding Road return them all when the photo shoot was finished. At the end of this "Making Of" video we see the Winding Road staff unceremoniously dismantling the work brick by handful of bricks.

[Source: Winding Road via Nestcape]

Le Mans goes Lego on cover of Winding Road originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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