Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Leave worried, return in style: Gustav evacuee wins Mustang on the way home]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/07/leave-in-fear-return-in-style-gustav-evacuee-wins-mustang-at-c/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/07/leave-in-fear-return-in-style-gustav-evacuee-wins-mustang-at-c/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/07/leave-in-fear-return-in-style-gustav-evacuee-wins-mustang-at-c/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Norris Cadiere and his family were among the thousands who evacuated their New Orleans-area homes ahead of Hurricane Gustav last week. The Cadieres, who waited out the storm in Georgia, decided to stop at the Hollywood Casino in Bay St. Louis, MS on the way back to their home in Marrero, which is around 10 miles outside New Orleans. Norris was playing the maximum bet on one of the casino's nickel slots when he got lucky, and the slot machine started going berserk. Cadiere thought he had won himself a thousand bucks or so, but he soon learned that, in fact, he had won a $30,000 2008 Mustang convertible (we're assuming it's a GT, given that price). All too often, violent storms like this result in a loss of some kind for those affected by them. In the Cadieres' case, not only did they wind up with a brand new car, but their house escaped the storm unscathed as well. Little did they know that when they took their unplanned (and almost cretainly unwanted) road trip last week, Lady Luck would be riding shotgun the whole time.

[Source: SunHerald.com]

 

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]]>cadieregustavhollywood casinoHollywoodCasinohurricanemustang2008-09-07T18:37:00+00:00<![CDATA[First HUMMER, now Prius: Hybrids targeted by vandals, too]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/07/first-hummer-now-prius-hybrids-targeted-by-vandals/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/07/first-hummer-now-prius-hybrids-targeted-by-vandals/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/07/first-hummer-now-prius-hybrids-targeted-by-vandals/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Torched PriusVandals who mess with other people's cars are scum -- bottom-feeders who are beneath contempt. It doesn't matter what the vehicle being damaged is. Cars are a major purchase, there's often an emotional connection to them, and most importantly, they generally represent the owner's primary source of mobility -- getting him or her to work, to the store, to pick up the kids, and so on.

SUV owners know the deal, and it sucks. Stories of drivers (and dealers) finding trucks partially or completely trashed in the name of saving Mother Earth are nothing new, and now it seems that Prius owners are getting their own taste of this nonsense. Inside Line reports that a recent Los Angeles case in which one of the Toyotas was burned to the ground has been determined to be the result of arson. In Petaluma, CA, meanwhile, seven Priuses were vandalized over a two-week period in April. One poor woman had her car attacked twice, and then when it was in for repairs, the Prius rental she had also got worked over. The conventional wisdom suggests that the Prius is a juicy target because it's a poster child for the environmental movement. And seriously, is this at all surprising? Some sort of anti-eco blowback like this was probably inevitable. People get fed up, so just as the HUMMER and other SUVs are targeted by greens looking to send a message, it was only a matter of time before the anti-HUMMER started getting the same kind of attention from the other direction.

What's it all prove? Nothing, except that asshats are readily found on both sides of every issue. If you don't like a particular car or truck, feel free to talk as much trash as you want (it's practically a sport in the comments section around here). Think the HUMMER represents some sort of rolling apocalypse? Fine. Ditto if you feel that the Prius is nothing but a snob capsule for tree huggers. Just don't turn those thoughts in to actions, because when you willfully screw with another person's car or truck, you're just another stupid criminal, and whatever message you think you're advancing just falls on deaf (and angry) ears.

[Sources: Inside Line, Prius Owners Group]

 

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]]>anti-ecohummerhybridpriustoyotavandalismvandals2008-09-07T12:42:00+00:00<![CDATA[Lexus releases details on updated 2009 range]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/07/lexus-releases-details-on-updated-2009-range/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/07/lexus-releases-details-on-updated-2009-range/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/07/lexus-releases-details-on-updated-2009-range/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Lexus has some changes in store for most of its model lineup in 2009, though there doesn't appear to be anything in store for enthusiast drivers to rejoice over. Also cause for jeers instead of cheers: price increases from .8 to 1.1 percent, depending on model. The IS 250 and 350 do get revised suspension and steering tuning to go with exterior styling tweaks and the revised interior carries a new center cluster and an off switch for the VDIM stability control. The IS F über-IS also gets a new interior rendered in terra cotta and black that's termed "sporty."

The only news in the GS department is a 40% increase in trunk space for the GS 450h hybrid, which sounds fantastic but only amounts to 10.6 total cubic feet. The big LS sedans stay largely the same, though some new variants join the party. AWD versions of the LS 460 and LS 460 L tuck a Torsen differential onto the transmission's output shaft, which then marshalls torque between front and rear axles. Slick. The AWD LSes come standard with air suspension, variable-ratio steering, and adaptive suspension. Hit the jump for the full press release with detailed pricing info.

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Lexus releases details on updated 2009 range

 

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]]>2009 changes2009Changeslexuslexus 2009lexus 2009 pricelexus changeslexus priceLexus2009Lexus2009PriceLexusChangesLexusPricetoyota2008-09-07T10:49:00+00:00<![CDATA[<i>Knight Rider</i> premiering online Sept. 17th, a week before broadcast]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/06/i-knight-rider-i-premiering-online-sept-17th-a-week-before/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/06/i-knight-rider-i-premiering-online-sept-17th-a-week-before/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/06/i-knight-rider-i-premiering-online-sept-17th-a-week-before/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Hey kids, don't forget: the new, not-at-all-improved Knight Rider becomes a weekly series on Wednesday, September 24th. As was the case during the pilot that aired back in February, I'll be on my couch with my laptop, liveblogging the proceedings and adding much-needed "perspective" each week, right until the show's cancellation. Maybe you couldn't care less about the liveblog, though. Or maybe you're just a glutton for punishment. If that's the case, you're in luck -- the Peacock is posting the season premiere online at NBC.com and Hulu.com on September 17, a week before the network broadcast. I'm gonna pass on the sneak peek, because I don't want want to taint my initial reaction to KITT's new Attack Mode (above). That, I'm saving for you guys. Mark your calendars. In the meantime, I'll watch this again instead.

Gallery: The new KITT - OFFICIAL PHOTOS


[Source: Inside Line]

 

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]]>gt500 krgt500krgt500kr kittgt500krkittkittknight riderKnightRidernew knight riderNewKnightRider2008-09-06T14:41:00+00:00<![CDATA[Sony picks GT Academy winners to race in Dubai 24 Hours]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/06/sony-picks-gt-academy-winners-to-race-in-dubai-24-hours/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/06/sony-picks-gt-academy-winners-to-race-in-dubai-24-hours/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/06/sony-picks-gt-academy-winners-to-race-in-dubai-24-hours/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,



First art imitates life and now video games do the same, with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Nissan having joined forces to create the GT Academy. Over the course of eight months, the academy culled a group of wannabe racers from a field of entrants who posted the best lap times in GT5 Prologue. Then, for five days at Silverstone, the finalists competed in the game and on the actual track, watched by ex-F1 racer Johnny Herbert and a panel of five judges.

The two winners were just announced, and Top Gun status went to Lars Schlomer and Luis Ordonez. Schlomer is a taxi driver in Bonn, Germany; Ordonez is an MBA student from Spain. Now that they've won, they'll be thrown into boot camp for four months to learn to how to race for real silver: in four months, they'll have to earn their racing licenses and get ready to drive a factory-backed Nissan 350Z in the 24 Hours of Dubai this coming January.The rest of us will have to be content with GT5 Prologue for now...

[Source: Sony]

 

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]]>gt academygt5gt5 prologuegt5prologueGtAcademymotorsportsnissanplaystationplaystation 3playstation3ps3racingsony2008-09-06T12:39:00+00:00<![CDATA[Free gas promotion for video game goes awry in UK]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/06/free-gas-promotion-for-video-game-goes-awry-in-uk/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/06/free-gas-promotion-for-video-game-goes-awry-in-uk/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/06/free-gas-promotion-for-video-game-goes-awry-in-uk/#commentsFiled under: ,



Automakers and car dealerships have used the old "Free Gas" promotion to good effect, so it's not surprising that companies outside the industry might try it, too. Electronic Arts gave it a go recently to promote its new Mercenaries 2 video game in the UK by taking over a gas station in North London and giving away £20,000 ($35,000) worth of free gas. The free fuel was pumped by actors wearing military garb (with bandoliers!) in £40 increments to any who drove up. While those receiving the priceless petrol were thrilled, area residents and motorists just trying to drive by called the PR stunt "irresponsible and dangerous". Locals had their driveways blocked for hours and were forced to listen to a symphony of horns from exasperated drivers trying to negotiate the giant queue of cars. Beginning at 6:30 in the morning, the promo was supposed to go on until all £20,000 worth of gas had been pumped, but authorities shut it down just four hours later. While EA may have peeved the locals, news of its blunder has spread across the web like wildfire and given Mercs 2 more free exposure than it would've gotten otherwise.

[Source: BBC via Joystiq]

 

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]]>EAEA free gasEaFreeGaselectronic artsElectronicArtslondon free gasLondonFreeGasmercenaries 2Mercenaries22008-09-06T09:04:00+00:00<![CDATA[Mobileyes live traffic for the iPhone]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/05/mobileyes-live-traffic-for-the-iphone/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/05/mobileyes-live-traffic-for-the-iphone/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/05/mobileyes-live-traffic-for-the-iphone/#commentsFiled under:

The coding wizards at 3rd Dimension, Inc. have released an iPhone app that provides a live video stream of traffic in selected areas, allowing commuters to view conditions before they make the trek to and from work.

Currently, the application is only available for Detroit, Harford, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Knoxville, LA, New York and Washington D.C., but more cities will be added in the future.

The application is a free download through the iTunes store (search for "traffic" and you'll see the available cities), and after checking out the New York feeds, we're astounded at how many traffic cameras are available in the Big Apple.

[Source: 3rd Dimension via TCC]

 

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]]>3rd dimension3rdDimensioniphonelive traffic iphoneLiveTrafficIphone2008-09-05T16:32:00+00:00<![CDATA[If the Panamera succeeds... perhaps the Bugatti EB112 will, too?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/if-the-panamera-succeeds-perhaps-the-bugatti-eb112-will-too/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/if-the-panamera-succeeds-perhaps-the-bugatti-eb112-will-too/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/if-the-panamera-succeeds-perhaps-the-bugatti-eb112-will-too/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



What if in an alternate universe Bugatti says, "We're not going out of business, we're doing a new model in the same market as the Veyron," but it doesn't know what that model will be? There's another luxury car company in the family called Porsche that's looking to get into the 4-door game. So Bugatti says, "Hey, we did this design study of a 4-door wagon-y thing a while back, have a look," and Porsche takes a peek and says, "Hey, maybe we can work with this," and then Bugatti says, "If it all works out, maybe, you know, since you own us now we can share things and stuff and stop losing so much money on each car," and Porsche says, "Be quiet, we're working..." and, well, you get the picture.

There's no reason to think Porsche had the EB112 concept in mind when it penned the Panamera. But if Porsche did happen to be inspired by Bugatti's long gone concept, it would provide some sort of rationale for why the Panamera looks like it does. And that would be a start, no? For more of your own comparisons, EB112 vs Panamera. Thanks for the tip, Mike S.!

 

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]]>bugattibugatti eb112bugatti eb112 conceptBugattiEb112BugattiEb112Concepteb112eb112 conceptEb112Conceptpanameraporscheporsche panameraPorschePanamerasedansports carsports carsSportsCarSportsCars2008-09-04T18:59:00+00:00<![CDATA[Rent an R8 for $8,000 per day... not including the flight to Tokyo]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/rent-an-r8-for-8-000-per-day-not-including-the-flight-to-tok/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/rent-an-r8-for-8-000-per-day-not-including-the-flight-to-tok/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/rent-an-r8-for-8-000-per-day-not-including-the-flight-to-tok/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



The Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong bought 13 Rolls-Royce Phantoms for shuttling guests around the city. The Peninsula Hotel in Tokyo has purchased just one car, and will leave the guest to drive himself. That car is an R8, finished in the hotel's trademark Brewster Green, with a gold Peninsula logo outside, and cognac leather inside. To avail yourself of it -- once you've gotten to Tokyo -- you'll need to book the Peninsula Suite, which goes for the ho-hum figure of ¥850,000 per night. That $8,000 U.S. every day to burble at single-digit speeds in Tokyo traffic, although you are allowed to take it outside of Tokyo. Come to think of it, the speeds probably don't matter -- if you have that kind of money, there's a good chance you've got an R8 or better in your own garage already...

[Source: Asahi via German Car Blog]

 

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]]>audiaudi r8AudiR8hotelhotelsjapanpeninsulapeninsula hotelpeninsula tokyoPeninsulaHotelPeninsulaTokyor8r8 peninsula hotelR8PeninsulaHoteltokyo2008-09-04T18:02:00+00:00<![CDATA[Dunhill creates luggage for Bentley's lords and ladies]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/dunhill-creates-luggage-for-bentleys-lords-and-ladies/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/dunhill-creates-luggage-for-bentleys-lords-and-ladies/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/dunhill-creates-luggage-for-bentleys-lords-and-ladies/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for more images of the Bentley luggage collection by Dunhill

Dunhill, the English leather goods maker, has worked with then Bentley Design Team to create a five-piece luggage set. Huzzah! Not only does the fluting on the bags echo the fluting on your Arnage's seats, but the luggage trim is done in knurled aluminum. The entire set consists of a briefcase, large and small suitcases, a washbag, and a weekend bag. You can expect to pay £4,300, before options. But then, if you're an Arnage owner, you're probably more concerned with finding out if you can get leather to match your seats. Check out the gallery below for more photos.

Gallery: Dunhill Luggage for Bentley


[Source: Sybarites]

 

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]]>accessoriesbentleybentley accessoriesbentley collectionbentley luggageBentleyAccessoriesBentleyCollectionBentleyLuggagedunhilldunhill luggageDunhillLuggageluggagetraveltravel accessoriesTravelAccessories2008-09-04T16:59:00+00:00<![CDATA[Turbonines.com: Saab site takes forums to the next level]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/turbonines-com-steps-up-for-saab-enthusiasts-takes-forum-to-the/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/turbonines-com-steps-up-for-saab-enthusiasts-takes-forum-to-the/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/turbonines-com-steps-up-for-saab-enthusiasts-takes-forum-to-the/#commentsFiled under: ,



With TrollhattanSaab's future uncertain, Saabophiles may be looking elsewhere for their daily news and forum fix. The crew that brought you VWVortex, Fourtitude, MWerks and other make-specific sites has finally created a spin-off of Swedespeed to cater directly to Saab enthusiasts on the web.

TurboNines.com launched yesterday, taking the traditional forum template and replacing it with a cleaner, more intuitive design. Readers familiar with MotiveMag will undoubtedly see a resemblance to the online pub's format, with a news and features section, along with galleries, resources and the traditional discussion forum for users to talk smack and wax poetic on their favorite Swedish marque.

If you're already a member of Motive's other sites, you'll be able to login using your existing user name and password, and even if you're not, a quick visit to TurboNines is worthy of a few minutes of your Thursday.

 

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]]>saabturbonines2008-09-04T16:33:00+00:00<![CDATA[Finally, a Trabant that's worth something]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/finally-a-trabant-thats-worth-something/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/finally-a-trabant-thats-worth-something/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/finally-a-trabant-thats-worth-something/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Ah, the Trabant 601; endowed with a smoketacular two-stroke engine until its very last years and a body made of a toxic recycled plastic that's similar to what toilet seats are made of, though it's strangely edible. There's a lot of fondness surrounding East Germany's automotive leftovers, though maybe that's because you can't get rid of one unless you feed it to your goat. A Berlin stamp dealer has covered his Trabi with more than 3,000 pieces of postage, possibly adding a huge amount of value (i.e. some) to his hunk of Duroplast. The sticky-backed decorations have been presumably preserved with a clearcoat so that one good rainstorm doesn't wash it all away, and should Scharam Farahbakhsh ever want to travel with his car, he can ship it ahead of himself.

[Source: Spluch via oobject]

 

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]]>stamp trabantStampTrabanttrabanttrabant 601 stamptrabant stampsTrabant601StampTrabantStamps2008-09-04T11:27:00+00:00<![CDATA[Mobile Home: Motive presents a guide to in-car living]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/mobile-home-motive-presents-a-guide-to-in-car-living/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/mobile-home-motive-presents-a-guide-to-in-car-living/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/mobile-home-motive-presents-a-guide-to-in-car-living/#commentsFiled under: ,



Motive has the skinny on what you should know if you need to crash -- for a few weeks, that is -- in your car. Of course, the first advice is to get a minivan or SUV with tinted windows. However, if things have come to the point where reclining seats are your bed, you probably aren't in a position to double-down on a Vanagon. Some of the tips you might have guessed: get earplugs, don't subsist on the McDonald's dollar menu, and don't bathe in fountains. Others you might not have expected: put fabric softener sheets under the seats, park in Wal-Mart lots overnight if you need, and Panera Bread and Dunkin' Donuts have free wi-fi. And no matter what, don't try to hide your keys somewhere on the car and then think you can get blasted on two-buck-chuck inside the car. That's called Operating Under the Influence. Click the link for the other tips in a thoroughly entertaining read that you will hopefully never need to take advantage of.

[Source: Motive]

 

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]]>lifestylelifestyle changesLifestyleChangeslifestyleslivingliving in your carLivingInYourCar2008-09-04T09:58:00+00:00<![CDATA[Schumacher gets caught speeding off the track]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/schumacher-gets-caught-speeding-off-the-track/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/schumacher-gets-caught-speeding-off-the-track/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/schumacher-gets-caught-speeding-off-the-track/#commentsFiled under: , ,

More speeding in products from the Volkswagen corporate empire; only this time, the driver was smart and didn't try to run. The driver in this Italian incident, none other than Michael Schumacher, is probably capable of evading the Caribinieri -- though maybe he's not as adept at handling a real car as he is behind the wheel of a four-wheeled fighter jet. Schumi exercised fine judgement and politely accepted his 75 Euro fine, which carries a three-point penalty on his license.

The racing champ told German newspaper Bild that he was "very sorry" and that "it's out of character" because "speeding is for racetracks only." Maybe something's lost in translation, but we have this urge to say "now we know, and knowing is half the battle" after that sparely worded statement. Thanks for the tip, Ahmet!

[Source: F1-Live]

 

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]]>michael schumacher citedmichael schumacher finemichael schumacher speedingmichael schumacher traffic violationMichaelSchumacherCitedMichaelSchumacherFineMichaelSchumacherSpeedingMichaelSchumacherTrafficViolation2008-09-04T08:31:00+00:00<![CDATA[STUDY: Revving powerful engines makes women feel sexy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/03/study-revving-powerful-engines-makes-women-feel-sexy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/03/study-revving-powerful-engines-makes-women-feel-sexy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/03/study-revving-powerful-engines-makes-women-feel-sexy/#commentsFiled under:



A new study in the UK confirms that women like fast cars, but apparently it's not the sexy curves of a Lamborghini, Maserati or Ferrari that turns them on. Researchers discovered that it's actually the loud sound of their engines revving that gets a woman's motor to hum. The study was conducted with 40 participants that included both men and women who were played recordings of a Maserati, Lamborghini, Ferrari and Volkswagen Polo engine. Afterwards they got their saliva swabbed and analyzed for the presence of testosterone. A higher level of the hormone in their spit indicated that the subjects were more aroused, and the results revealed that 100% of the female participants experienced a big jump in testosterone levels after listening to the Maserati. Chances are the Maserati engine was actually sourced from Ferrari, but we don't know if the results after listening to the Maranello mill were identical. And what happened after participants heard the Polo's wheezy motor? Testosterone levels fell across the board.

[Source: Telegraph]

 

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]]>engine turned onEngineTurnedOnrevving arousedRevvingArousedwoman turned on engineWomanTurnedOnEngine2008-09-03T17:58:00+00:00<![CDATA[Heaven bound and down - "Snowman" Jerry Reed dies]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/03/heaven-bound-and-down-snowman-jerry-reed-dies/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/03/heaven-bound-and-down-snowman-jerry-reed-dies/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/03/heaven-bound-and-down-snowman-jerry-reed-dies/#commentsFiled under: , ,



"Yo Jesus, you gotcher ears on, good buddy?" Cletus Snow has made his last crackly Tx on the CB. We know Jerry Reed best as The Bandit's Coors-hauling cohort, but Jerry Reed had a long and successful career that saw him rubbing elbows with greats such as Chet Atkins, Elvis Presley, Waylon Jennings, even Dexy's Midnight Runners (the great part might be debatable on that last one.)

The star of music, film, and television passed away in Nash-Vegas on August 31st of emphysema-related complications. Tonight, we're going to break out the LPs, crack a Banquet Beer and watch all three Bandits as we lament another gone too soon. Thanks for the tip, Kyle.

[Source: MSN]

 

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]]>cletus snowCletusSnowjerry reed deadjerry reed diesjerry reed pass awayjerry reed passes awayjerry reed smokey and the banditjerry reed snowmanJerryReedDeadJerryReedDiesJerryReedPassAwayJerryReedPassesAwayJerryReedSmokeyAndTheBanditJerryReedSnowmansmokey and the bandit actor diesSmokeyAndTheBanditActorDiessnowman deadsnowman diesSnowmanDeadSnowmanDies2008-09-03T11:29:00+00:00<![CDATA[Flying Bug: driver apprehended after 100+ mph chase in a VW]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/03/flying-bug-driver-apprehended-after-100-mph-chase-in-a-vw/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/03/flying-bug-driver-apprehended-after-100-mph-chase-in-a-vw/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/03/flying-bug-driver-apprehended-after-100-mph-chase-in-a-vw/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The above image is a dramatization. Bugs don't really have jet engines.

It's being reported as the second most incredible thing next to cold fusion - a VOLKSWAGEN traveling above 100 mph? What next? We suppose a bunch of kids from England will kick Elvis off the top of the charts. Welcome to the 21st century, out of touch news-ninnies. Volkswagen Beetles - proper air-cooled medieval rollerskates - indeed have a tough time cracking 100 mph in stock trim. A New Beetle, which is really just a modern Rabbit in drag, can easily crank that speedo right around to 125 with its 5-cylinder mill.

In this case, the news media is just piling its idiocy on top of a stupid driver who tried running from the police. It rarely ends well when a driver decides to run, and the case of Nathan Hurlbirt and his gray VW are no different. Hurlbirt and a female colleague were nipping along I-25 in Littleton, Colorado when a Sheriff's deputy took issue with the pair's 115 mph speed and attempted to pull them over. Hurlbirt took off, instead, and the deputy broke off pursuit shortly before the VW crashed after exiting the highway. Hurlbirt and passenger escaped injury, but not the long arm of the law. The lack of injuries is the incredible part; try crashing an old Bug and see if there's anything left to put cuffs on.

[Source: AP]

 

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]]>volkswgen beetle chaseVolkswgenBeetleChasevw beetle chasevw chasevw chase coloradovw high speed chaseVwBeetleChaseVwChaseVwChaseColoradoVwHighSpeedChase2008-09-03T07:29:00+00:00<![CDATA[Pump it up: Titan Air Jack blows itself up with exhaust]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/02/pump-it-up-titan-air-jack-blows-itself-up-with-exhaust/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/02/pump-it-up-titan-air-jack-blows-itself-up-with-exhaust/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/02/pump-it-up-titan-air-jack-blows-itself-up-with-exhaust/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you've ever had the need to raise one side of your car, truck, RV or trailer a couple feet off the ground, the Titan Exhaust Air Jack is there to give you a lift. Quite simply, the jack is nothing more than a heavy-duty balloon inflated by the exhaust gas of your own vehicle. Once the deflated bag is placed under the vehicle, the Air Jack's inflation hose is connected to the vehicle's exhaust pipe. The engine is started and hot gasses are forced into the bag until the woven PVC-coated polyester bag lifts a vehicle a full 30 inches off the ground, which is plenty of height to get the wheels off the ground for most vehicles. With prices starting around $120, the device offers several advantages over traditional jacks. First, it can be used on soft surfaces (mud, sand, or snow) where other jacks just don't work. Second, it easily lifts one whole side of the vehicle at once, saving tons of time. Best of all, the low pressure bag doesn't require placement on normal jacking points so you more freedom to lift where you want and then place jack stands exactly where you need them. The military and emergency services have apparently been using jacks of this type for years, so the idea isn't just full of hot air.

[Source: CNET News via Crave Asia, Photo by Crave Asia]

 

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]]>Air jackair pressure jackAirJackAirPressureJackballoonexhaust balloonexhaust jackExhaustBalloonExhaustJackhot air balloonHotAirBalloonTitan Air JackTitanAirJack2008-09-02T19:28:00+00:00<![CDATA[Colin McRae tribute convoy reaches 30-miles long]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/02/colin-mcrae-tribute-convoy-reaches-30-miles-long/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/02/colin-mcrae-tribute-convoy-reaches-30-miles-long/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/02/colin-mcrae-tribute-convoy-reaches-30-miles-long/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for high-res gallery of Colin McRae's tribute

Oh, those Brits. When they're not faking making corn circles they're writing a rally legend's name using 1,086 Subaru Imprezas as pixels. This, of course, was the finale to the weekend long celebration of Colin McRae's life, which saw over 1,100 Scoobys converge on Prodrive's test track in Warwickshire. Precisely how many cars took part in the ensuing 30-mile convoy is unknown, but if you don't have anything better to do right now, you can have a go at counting them in the video after the jump (and look out for the near miss at 6:42). Even the local constabulary showed up in a WRX pursuit car.


The half-mile-long sign you see above broke the Guiness World Record for, err, writing signs with cars by a cool 800, but more importantly Colin's fans raised over $80,000 for the McRae family's chosen charities.

Gallery: Colin McRae's tribute convoy

Continue reading Colin McRae tribute convoy reaches 30-miles long

 

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]]>colin mcraecolin-mcraecolin-mcrae-convoycolin-mcrae-tributeColinMcraeconvoygatheringimprezaprodrivesubaru2008-09-02T08:29:00+00:00<![CDATA[First Australian <i>Top Gear</i> episode to air Sept 29]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/01/first-australian-i-top-gear-i-episode-to-air-sept-29/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/01/first-australian-i-top-gear-i-episode-to-air-sept-29/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/01/first-australian-i-top-gear-i-episode-to-air-sept-29/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Mark your calendars, gearheads. The Special Broadcasting Service in Australia has confirmed that the first episode of Aussie Top Gear will air on Monday, September 29. The show will apparently have a regular slot at 7:30 in the SBS Monday night line-up, featuring all manner of Holdens, Ford Falcons and Elfin roadsters crisscrossing their way across the Outback. All the while co-hosts Charlie Cox, Warren Brown and Steve Pizzati - along with their own Fosters-swilling version of The Stig - will be endeavoring to prevent the dingo from eating their babies lest the entire endeavor boomerang on them all. (Okay, enough making fun of the Aussies.) We'll be keeping an eye on FinalGear.com for their count-down before heading on over to Top Gear's YouTube channel to see the first of the eight-episode inaugural season in less than a month's time.

[Source: SBS via FinalGear]

 

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]]>aussie top gearAussieTopGearaustraliacharlie coxCharlieCoxsbs top gearSbsTopGearsteve pizzatiStevePizzatitop geartop gear australiaTopGearTopGearAustraliawarren brownWarrenBrown2008-09-01T15:56:00+00:00