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[12-cylinder 'LS12' will blow your mind, doors off [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/10/12-cylinder-ls12-will-blow-your-mind-doors-off/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/10/12-cylinder-ls12-will-blow-your-mind-doors-off/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/10/12-cylinder-ls12-will-blow-your-mind-doors-off/#commentsFiled under: ,



So there you are on May 1 minding your own business on the internet when a forum user called "V12Baker" uploads a picture of the engine block above. But you're on the LS1 forum, a site devoted to the legendary V8s made by General Motors, and that's a V12. V12Baker explains that he sliced two LS1 engines and used the pieces to not only make an LS12, but also a V4 with the leftovers. That is probably when, like user "3.8redbird," you write "April Fools day is April 1st not May 1st."

But the engine is real, built by a guy named Ray and his partners in a shop in Seattle, WA. Ray said they wanted to make a V12 engine for a plane, and after experimenting with Buick 215 engine blocks they got around to the LS. With a stock stroke and a 4.4-inch sleeve, the result is a 545 cubic inch motor (8.9 liters) that fires like a V16 short of four cylinders. Their first two LS12 builds went into a 3/4-scale P51 Mustang, and a Chevrolet Tahoe two years ago. The Tahoe engine, only the second build, was said to get around 525 horsepower.

They now have the parts to make five more LS12s and are refining their technique, working on simpler solutions for the crankshafts - they machined the first crankshafts from a solid piece of steel, but that's crazy expensive. One of the engines is already slated to receive a massive Littlefield supercharger and "might find its way into a long-nosed 240Z." That Z, mind you, will also be getting its own chassis since the decades-old original item couldn't begin to handle the power.

Check out EngineLabs.com for more on the build, and a brief walkaround of the engine in the video below. For the long story, the link to LS1 forums is where the story begins - and where you'll discover that the V4 is apparently the perfect size for a Harley-Davidson.

Continue reading 12-cylinder 'LS12' will blow your mind, doors off [w/video]

12-cylinder 'LS12' will blow your mind, doors off [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 May 2013 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>enginegmls v12ls1ls12v12videovimeoFri, 10 May 2013 11:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20563736/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/10/12-cylinder-ls12-will-blow-your-mind-doors-off/20563736/article-detail.xml 20563736 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/ls12-build_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/ls12-build.jpg <![CDATA['Born of a Blue Sky' brings the Amelia Island Concours to you]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/03/born-of-a-blue-sky-brings-the-amelia-island-concours-to-you/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/03/born-of-a-blue-sky-brings-the-amelia-island-concours-to-you/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/03/born-of-a-blue-sky-brings-the-amelia-island-concours-to-you/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance has more clout every year and is getting a reputation as Pebble Beach minus the madness. Held in March this year, it celebrated Ducati and the 50-year anniversaries of Lamborghini, the Corvette Sting Ray, Porsche 911 and the Ford GT40.

Justin Lapriore was there, and seemingly everywhere, getting footage of the various wares on display on the lawns and the sand and the runway. The resulting video, Born of a Blue Sky, is a 16-minute survey of some of the finer sights and plenty of engine sounds. Check it out below.

Continue reading 'Born of a Blue Sky' brings the Amelia Island Concours to you

'Born of a Blue Sky' brings the Amelia Island Concours to you originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 May 2013 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amelia islandborn of a blue skyducatifordford gt40lamborghiniporscheporsche 911videovimeoFri, 03 May 2013 12:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20557121/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/03/born-of-a-blue-sky-brings-the-amelia-island-concours-to-you/20557121/article-detail.xml 20557121 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/amelia-island-concours-overview_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/amelia-island-concours-overview.jpg <![CDATA[Lapping Le Mans with 1956's version of a dash cam]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/01/lapping-le-mans-with-1956s-version-of-a-dash-cam/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/01/lapping-le-mans-with-1956s-version-of-a-dash-cam/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/01/lapping-le-mans-with-1956s-version-of-a-dash-cam/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

1956 Le Mans footage

Mike Hawthorne and Ivor Bueb won The 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1955 driving a Jaguar D-Type. The following year, a few days before the race, a British broadcaster put cameras on Hawthorne's car, hung a mic from a plate on his race suit and had him narrate a lap of the Circuit de la Sarthe.

It is compelling viewing. A new pit complex was built after the massive accident on the front straight in 1955, but this was still a time when crews prepped for the race on roads that were open to the public. Hawthorne's lap includes maneuvers to avoid bicyclists and cars, and gems like letting us know that doing 185 miles per hour down the Mulsanne Straight was where you could "relax a little, recover your energy." Watch him work it like the men of old in the video below.

Continue reading Lapping Le Mans with 1956's version of a dash cam

Lapping Le Mans with 1956's version of a dash cam originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 May 2013 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>d-typedash camjaguarjaguar d-typele mansmike hawthornevideovimeoWed, 01 May 2013 12:46:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20552160/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/01/lapping-le-mans-with-1956s-version-of-a-dash-cam/20552160/article-detail.xml 20552160 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/jaguar-hawthorne-le-mans-lap_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/jaguar-hawthorne-le-mans-lap.jpg <![CDATA[Mitsubishi Evo snow frolic caught by aerial camera]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/30/mitsubishi-evo-snow-frolic-caught-by-aerial-camera/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/30/mitsubishi-evo-snow-frolic-caught-by-aerial-camera/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/30/mitsubishi-evo-snow-frolic-caught-by-aerial-camera/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Guido Tschugg is a professional mountain biker and a Red Bull-sponsored athlete in downhill and four-cross. He's also a fan of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and drifting in the snow, and with the help of filmmaker Mario Feil and drone videographers airv8, the rally car and the powder are combined to glorious effect.

We could continue talking about it, but that would delay you from enjoying the two minutes of frosty beauty in the video below.

Continue reading Mitsubishi Evo snow frolic caught by aerial camera

Mitsubishi Evo snow frolic caught by aerial camera originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>driftingguido tschuggmitsubishimitsubishi lancer evolutionsnowvideovimeoTue, 30 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20550830/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/30/mitsubishi-evo-snow-frolic-caught-by-aerial-camera/20550830/article-detail.xml 20550830 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/guido-tschugg-evo-video_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/guido-tschugg-evo-video.jpg <![CDATA[Drifting on a frozen lake with a studded Lexus looks like fun]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/15/drifting-on-a-frozen-lake-with-a-studded-lexus-looks-like-fun/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/15/drifting-on-a-frozen-lake-with-a-studded-lexus-looks-like-fun/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/15/drifting-on-a-frozen-lake-with-a-studded-lexus-looks-like-fun/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Sometimes you come across a list of ingredients and you don't even need to know what's being made, you just know you need to be there when it's done. So if you saw a recipe for a Vimeo video that was one snow-covered frozen lake, one Lexus IS, four studded tires, two ice fisherman and one guy lounging on a couch, do you think you'd have any questions?

We didn't. The dish was cooked up by the Wide Open Drift Team and KSP Productions, and it's exactly what you'd think it is. Right down to the guy on the couch. We're glad we got to partake, and you can too in the video below.

Continue reading Drifting on a frozen lake with a studded Lexus looks like fun

Drifting on a frozen lake with a studded Lexus looks like fun originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>driftingisksp productionslexussnow driftingsnow drivingvideovideosvimeowide open drift teamFri, 15 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20463522/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/02/15/drifting-on-a-frozen-lake-with-a-studded-lexus-looks-like-fun/20463522/article-detail.xml 20463522 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/lexussnowdrifting_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/lexussnowdrifting.jpg <![CDATA[Jack Olsen built one Porsche to do it all]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/23/jack-olsen-built-one-porsche-to-do-it-all/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/23/jack-olsen-built-one-porsche-to-do-it-all/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/23/jack-olsen-built-one-porsche-to-do-it-all/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Jack Olsen has built himself a lair called the 12-Gauge Garage, and inside that garage he built a lairy Porsche 911 nicknamed Black Beauty II. Although it looks like one of Stuttgart's models from the sixties or seventies, it is actually four decades of 911 gubbins from 1965 to 2000 thrown under one shell: the lightweight body is from 1972, the transaxle from 1977, the brakes from a 1986 Turbo, the engine from 1995, for example. It weighs 2,400 pounds and it's got 272 horsepower to get it going, but it's still a pure Porsche, Olsen saying, "If you stop thinking about what you're doing, it will remind you in very abrupt ways."

Olsen said the real point has been to have one car that does it all, so he does everything in his 911 from neighborhood runs to 7-11 to track racing - he loads the aero bits in the car and bolts them on trackside. And he says he'll never stop tweaking the suspension.

You can watch and hear the rest in Olsen's words in the video below.

Continue reading Jack Olsen built one Porsche to do it all

Jack Olsen built one Porsche to do it all originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Jan 2013 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12 gauge garage12-gauge garage911911 rsrblack beauty iijack olsonpetroliciousporschevideovideosvimeoWed, 23 Jan 2013 19:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20436475/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/23/jack-olsen-built-one-porsche-to-do-it-all/20436475/article-detail.xml 20436475 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/blackbeautyrsr_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/blackbeautyrsr.jpg <![CDATA[<i>Petrolicious</i> highlights Andy Greene's love of Ferrari in "The Caretaker"]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/09/petrolicious-highlights-andy-greenes-love-of-ferrari-in-the-ca/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/09/petrolicious-highlights-andy-greenes-love-of-ferrari-in-the-ca/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/09/petrolicious-highlights-andy-greenes-love-of-ferrari-in-the-ca/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



The next stop on the Petrolicious tour of the nation's car stories is Savannah, Georgia. The crew sat down with restorer Andy Greene of Andy Greene's Sports and Vintage Race Cars, and he waxed poetic about his love of Ferraris. See, the shop will work on vintage models and classic road racing cars from other brands, but when it comes to Ferrari, any model from any year can find a place in Greene's garage.

And we'll admit that the yellow Ferrari 250 SWB helps make Greene's case. You can see for yourself what he's talking about in the video below.

Continue reading Petrolicious highlights Andy Greene's love of Ferrari in "The Caretaker"

Petrolicious highlights Andy Greene's love of Ferrari in "The Caretaker" originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jan 2013 17:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>250 swbandy greeneclassicsferrariferrari 250 swbgeorgiapetroliciousrestorationvideovideosvimeovintageWed, 09 Jan 2013 17:13:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20422864/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/09/petrolicious-highlights-andy-greenes-love-of-ferrari-in-the-ca/20422864/article-detail.xml 20422864 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/ferrariandygreene2_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/ferrariandygreene2.jpg <![CDATA[<i>eGarage</i> sits in with Richard Griot]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/24/egarage-sits-in-with-richard-griot/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/24/egarage-sits-in-with-richard-griot/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/24/egarage-sits-in-with-richard-griot/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Next stop on the eGarage video tour is Richard Griot, eponymous founder of Griot's Garage. His company makes car care products and sells all manner of accessories for the "garage lifestyle," and the company motto is "Have fun in your garage." That can't be a hard thing to do judging by what's in Griot's own workspace, with a Ferrari Formula One car driven by Michael Schumacher sharing space with McLarens, Cobras, Mustangs, BMWs, Porsches, and at least one vintage Lamborghini.

Griot says that "At the end of the day, I sell fun." It looks like he has a lot, too. You can hear him talk about his passion for collecting in the video below.

Continue reading eGarage sits in with Richard Griot

eGarage sits in with Richard Griot originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Dec 2012 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>egaragerichard griotvideovideosvimeoMon, 24 Dec 2012 14:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20409245/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/12/24/egarage-sits-in-with-richard-griot/20409245/article-detail.xml 20409245 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/griote-garage_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/griote-garage.jpg <![CDATA[The story of <em>Bring A Trailer</em>, as told by Petrolicious]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/27/the-story-of-bring-a-trailer-as-told-by-petrolicious/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/27/the-story-of-bring-a-trailer-as-told-by-petrolicious/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/27/the-story-of-bring-a-trailer-as-told-by-petrolicious/#commentsFiled under: , ,



We've featured the cars of Bring a Trailer, and not so long ago Jay Leno's Garage added a car found on the classics-focused site. Four-wheeled filmmakers Petrolicious have gone behind the web page with a seven-minute piece on the co-founders of BringATrailer.com, Randy Nonnenberg and Gentry Underwood.

Both gentlemen get screen time, but it's Nonnenberg that tells the tale of how his early interest in vintage machinery turned into him becoming The Oracle among his friends when they wanted to buy. Eventually, Underwood's friend spoke up to say 'People want to read about what you know,' and a web site - one of the finest time wasters in all the cyber world, we might add - was born.

You can hear how it all began in the video below.

Continue reading The story of Bring A Trailer, as told by Petrolicious

The story of Bring A Trailer, as told by Petrolicious originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Nov 2012 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bring a trailerbringatrailer.comgentry underwoodpetroliciousrandy nonnenbergvideovideosvimeoTue, 27 Nov 2012 19:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20389588/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/27/the-story-of-bring-a-trailer-as-told-by-petrolicious/20389588/article-detail.xml 20389588 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/batpetrolicious_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/batpetrolicious.jpg <![CDATA[Watch a modified Ford GT go 283 mph in a standing mile]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/31/watch-a-modified-ford-gt-go-283-mph-in-a-standing-mile/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/31/watch-a-modified-ford-gt-go-283-mph-in-a-standing-mile/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/31/watch-a-modified-ford-gt-go-283-mph-in-a-standing-mile/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



The BADD Ford GT built by Performance Power Racing - with the help of its two whirlygigs hanging out back and a fancy new metal called "Pandalloy" - set two records last week at Florida's Kennedy Space Center. From a standstill, the twin-turbo powerhouse got up to 283.232 miles per hour in just 5,280 feet, as measured by Tag Heuer timekeeping.

That meant a new record in the standing mile as well as a Guinness World Record for top speed in a street-legal car. And that means the engineers in Molsheim, home to Bugatti, just might spend this evening getting to work on something even faster.

Check out a video of the PPR GT at work below.

Continue reading Watch a modified Ford GT go 283 mph in a standing mile

Watch a modified Ford GT go 283 mph in a standing mile originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fordford gtguinness book of world recordspandalloypower performance racingstanding milevideovideosvimeoWed, 31 Oct 2012 14:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20365945/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/31/watch-a-modified-ford-gt-go-283-mph-in-a-standing-mile/20365945/article-detail.xml 20365945 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/screen-shot-2012-10-31-at-1.51-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/screen-shot-2012-10-31-at-1.51-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Highly modified Honda CBR1000RR hits 265 mph at Bonneville]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/18/highly-modified-honda-cbr1000rr-hits-265-mph-at-bonneville/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/18/highly-modified-honda-cbr1000rr-hits-265-mph-at-bonneville/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/18/highly-modified-honda-cbr1000rr-hits-265-mph-at-bonneville/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



While James Hoegh was running his Confederate X132 Hellcat Combat prototype to a record-setting 172.211 miles per hour at the BUB Motorcycle Trials on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Honda moto tuner Al Lamb was preparing his own attempt on a very different bike. His 400-horsepower Honda CBR1000 is a sit-on - as opposed to lie-down or fully streamlined in which the rider is hidden - but otherwise is about as faired as Hoegh's Confederate is naked.

Lamb ran a timed mile across the salt at an average of 265 mph, entering the mile at 264.647 mph and exiting at 265.795 mph. If that speed is ratified by the FIM oversight body, it would be a record for a sit-on bike. And even if it isn't, it's a serious chunk of wind-in-your-face speed no matter how much fairing is involved. The video proof is below, with fly-by shots that can only be classified as "ridiculous."

Continue reading Highly modified Honda CBR1000RR hits 265 mph at Bonneville

Highly modified Honda CBR1000RR hits 265 mph at Bonneville originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>al lambBUB Motorcycle Speed Trialscbr1000rrfimhondavideovideosvimeoworld recordThu, 18 Oct 2012 12:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20352170/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/18/highly-modified-honda-cbr1000rr-hits-265-mph-at-bonneville/20352170/article-detail.xml 20352170 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/allambrecord_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/allambrecord.jpg <![CDATA[eGarage makes kids and karting look epic]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/22/egarage-makes-kids-and-karting-look-epic/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/22/egarage-makes-kids-and-karting-look-epic/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/22/egarage-makes-kids-and-karting-look-epic/#commentsFiled under: ,



Meet Curtis. Curtis karts. Curtis has fun karting. Through the work of Christopher Kippengerger, Curtis karting looks kind of epic.

An installment from eGarage, a self-proclaimed automotive storyteller website, "Kart Kids" uses slow motion and high production values to make the youngsters racing look like F1 drivers. F1 drivers... whose parents work on their karts shirtless, and have the checkered flag waived by an overweight man in a tank top. Good stuff all around.

Curtis, who is nine years old and has been karting for two years, provides a very succinct explanation of grip. In his words "The way grip works is when its hot, the wheels melt a little bit, and you go into the curve it will be a little softer, and it sticks on the ground and then you have grip."

We could not have explained it any better ourselves. Scroll below to see all of the through-the-roof production values that make karting look like the most important thing to ever happen.

Oh yeah, and in explaining traction, Curtis leaves us with his own bit of commentary; "It's easy..."

Continue reading eGarage makes kids and karting look epic

eGarage makes kids and karting look epic originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>egaragego kartgo kartsgokartshigh speed gokartskartkartingkartskids kartingvimeoWed, 22 Aug 2012 16:56:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20306550/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/08/22/egarage-makes-kids-and-karting-look-epic/20306550/article-detail.xml 20306550 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/kart-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/kart-628.jpg <![CDATA[Formula Cross YFC 450 ATV-based kart priced at $7,500* [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/07/formula-cross-yfc-450-atv-based-kart-priced-at-7-500-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/07/formula-cross-yfc-450-atv-based-kart-priced-at-7-500-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/07/formula-cross-yfc-450-atv-based-kart-priced-at-7-500-w-video/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The Formula Cross YFC 450, a rally kart based on the Yamaha YFZ 450 ATV from 2002-2013, has been priced at $7,500, but that's for the build-it-yourself kit and doesn't include taxes or shipping. If you want Formula Cross to put it together for you, something you might want to consider since the kit includes 40 items plus hardware, that will be an extra $1,350 after you've delivered it to their facility.

However, Formula Cross touts that every bit of their creation is customizable, so if you've got time you could have some fun wrenching your own creation - and we're told there's no welding required. The wet weight has gone up since the initial announcement, from 495 pounds to 620 pounds "on certain models," but that shouldn't stop the fun.

To get in line with a pre-order will run you $2,500, and the first deliveries are scheduled to leave the building in November. This being a completely new animal, however, we wouldn't be surprised if specs, dates and prices come in for revision before then. For a reminder of the still-potent promise of the YFC 450, check out the video below.

Continue reading Formula Cross YFC 450 ATV-based kart priced at $7,500* [w/video]

Formula Cross YFC 450 ATV-based kart priced at $7,500* [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atvformula crossmotorsportsrallycrossrallyingvideovideosvimeoyamahayfc 450yfz 450Tue, 07 Aug 2012 16:56:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20295005/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/08/07/formula-cross-yfc-450-atv-based-kart-priced-at-7-500-w-video/20295005/article-detail.xml 20295005 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/formulacrossatvbuggy_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/formulacrossatvbuggy.jpg <![CDATA[Formula Cross seeks to turn ATVs into mini racers]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/24/formula-cross-seeks-to-turn-atvs-into-mini-racers/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/24/formula-cross-seeks-to-turn-atvs-into-mini-racers/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/24/formula-cross-seeks-to-turn-atvs-into-mini-racers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Although the vehicle sliding through the image above looks something like a cartoonified World Rally Championship Ford Focus, it is actually an ATV - the Yamaha YZF 450 Raptor, at right - turned into a miniature rally car. The transformation comes courtesy of Formula Cross, a company that wants to create an entry series into motorsports or weekend-warrioring that's more open, and kinder on the body, than karting. From what we can tell, the brains behind the machine is none other than RMR.

The resulting YFC 450 has equipment like a tubular chassis and "build it" roll cage, a racing steering wheel, and 12 inches of wheel travel with an adjustable sway bar and a wider track. The Formula Cross site announces its creation is coming this fall, so there's not a lot of information to really figure out exactly how they've completed the metamorphosis or how much it will cost. The whole thing is said to weigh 495 pounds wet; there's an asterisk after that, though, and back to that lack of info, we have no idea what the numerous asterisks on the equipment and specs lists represent.

We can say without any asterisks that we're intrigued. There's a video below to watch the Formula Cross in dirty action.

Continue reading Formula Cross seeks to turn ATVs into mini racers

Formula Cross seeks to turn ATVs into mini racers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Jul 2012 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atvformula crossmotorsportsrallycrossrallyingvideovideosvimeoyamahayfc 450yzf 450 raptorTue, 24 Jul 2012 16:56:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20282983/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/07/24/formula-cross-seeks-to-turn-atvs-into-mini-racers/20282983/article-detail.xml 20282983 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/formula-crossyfc450_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/formula-crossyfc450.jpg <![CDATA[NOS energy drink presents the mini-doc <i>Keep Drifting Fun</i>]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/17/nos-energy-drink-presents-the-mini-doc-keep-drifting-fun/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/17/nos-energy-drink-presents-the-mini-doc-keep-drifting-fun/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/17/nos-energy-drink-presents-the-mini-doc-keep-drifting-fun/#commentsFiled under:



Drifting's been off the front pages for a while, the latest reports having more to do with turmoil than tire shredding. As with most things, though, just because it's not headlining doesn't mean it's disappeared. NOS energy drink sent one of our favorite filmic chroniclers, Will Roegge, across the country to survey the drifting world. The result is a mini-documentary called Keep Drifting Fun.

And we do mean the word "documentary" - it's 30 minutes long. Although there's plenty of smoke and wall-kissing, its length gives us an opportunity to hear from drifters and organizers to find out what's behind the sport, as well as their own motivations, where drifters come from and why they drift. It looks at venues beyond the track, like tree-lined back roads in Houston and alleys in late-night El Paso, and we dig that it starts off with the protagonists themselves admitting, "Drifitng is so stupid," "It's pointless," and "When you boil it all down it's pretty silly."

The movie, on the other hand, isn't. Scroll down to check it out.

Continue reading NOS energy drink presents the mini-doc Keep Drifting Fun

NOS energy drink presents the mini-doc Keep Drifting Fun originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 May 2012 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>driftingkeep drifting funnosnos energy drinkvideovideosvimeowill roeggeThu, 17 May 2012 19:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20239932/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/17/nos-energy-drink-presents-the-mini-doc-keep-drifting-fun/20239932/article-detail.xml 20239932 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/keepdriftingfun_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/keepdriftingfun.jpg <![CDATA[Watch a vintage Lamborghini Cheetah SUV promo]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/28/watch-a-vintage-lamborghini-cheetah-suv-promo/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/28/watch-a-vintage-lamborghini-cheetah-suv-promo/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/28/watch-a-vintage-lamborghini-cheetah-suv-promo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Lamborghini Cheetah

Lamborghini was in the off-road business before the cult classic LM002, cooperating with MTI on a military vehicle concept dubbed Cheetah in the mid-seventies that it hoped to sell to the U.S. armed forces. The 4,500-pound, fiberglass-bodied troop carrier used a 5.9-liter, 180-horsepower Chrysler engine mounted in back. Hardly Cheetah-like, the vehicle delivered lackluster performance and didn't handle well.

Even worse, it was a badly translated copy of a vehicle already made by another firm, which landed MTI and Lamborghini in court when the Cheetah was revealed at the 1977 Geneva Motor Show. The U.S. military tested the sole prototype and totaled it.

Perhaps this is the worst part: the Cheetah was such an expensive failure for Lamborghini that it was one of the reasons the company was unable to follow through on its commitment to BMW for the M1 project.

And with that history lesson digested, you'll get even more wry satisfaction from the narrator's dialogue in the Cheetah promo video, which you'll find just below.

Continue reading Watch a vintage Lamborghini Cheetah SUV promo

Watch a vintage Lamborghini Cheetah SUV promo originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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