Aston Martin V12 Zagato hits the racetrack for the first time

Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, Coupe, Europe, Aston Martin, Racing

Aston Martin V12 Zagato

It’s the oldest journalism adage in the book. Dog bites man, not news. Man bites dog, now that’s news. So what does this have to do with cars? We’ll tell you.

Whereas most sports racers are converted for the purpose from existing, commercially available road cars, once in a while we see a car going the opposite way. Take the Lexus LFA, for example, which was first unveiled in concept form, then went racing at the Nürburgring, and only afterwards hit the market.

Now Aston Martin is following the same path with the V12 Zagato. The show car was first unveiled at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, and was fielded in the VLN race at the ‘Ring this weekend – while the Indy 500 and Monaco Grand Prix were under way elsewhere – before the final street version is released.

How the V12 Zagato actually performed hardly matters, as this initial outing was strictly for developmental purposes. But we’ll tell you anyway. It finished just five laps before it kicked the bucket. But that’s alright, because other works entries from Gaydon fared better (including a second-in-class finish for one of the factory’s V8 Vantages), and the Zagato racer will be back next month, in tandem, for a full-on assault. We’ll be watching.

Unfortunately Aston Martin has yet to release any high-res photos of the Zagato doing its thing, but we’ll keep an eye out and update you if and when it does. In the meantime you can follow the jump for the official factory release and check out the existing images in the gallery below.

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Aston Martin V12 Zagato hits the racetrack for the first time originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 May 2011 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motor Trend crowns new compact sedan king in eight-way comparo [w/poll]

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Sedan, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Toyota, Volkswagen, Reviews

2012 Hyundai Elantra

2012 Hyundai Elantra – Click above for high-res image gallery

With a raft of newly redesigned compact sedans hitting the streets this year, Motor Trend decided it was high time to crown a new king among the diminutive four-door masses. The editors gathered eight of the most popular models in the segment and pitted them against each other, battle royale style.

The magazine started by selecting the three best-selling Japanese compact sedans, the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Mazda3, which, combined, accounted for 700,000 sales last year amid fears fostered by a weakened economy. Those were joined by America’s two best sellers, the Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cruze. Korea added the Kia Forte and the Hyundai Elantra, and the Volkswagen Jetta TDI from Germany rounded out the list.

MT tried to get the cars as closely matched as possible; all the cars were front-drive, four-cylinder automatics with alloy wheels and stability control, all stickering somewhere in the low-$20,000 range. Still, despite its efforts, there wound up being a fair amount of variance among each of the cars, which helped shape the results of the test.

In the end, the 2011 Hyundai Elantra came out on top, thanks to radical new styling, a raft of standard features and a new found sense of sophistication. The 2012 Honda Civic EX brought up the next spot in the line, followed by the 2011 Mazda3 Touring. The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI snagged fourth, followed by the 2012 Ford Focus Titanium and the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze LTZ RS. The 2011 Kia Forte EX edged out the 2011 Toyota Corolla to take seventh place.

Which one would take your top honors? Let us know in the poll, and head over to Motor Trend to read the full results.

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Motor Trend crowns new compact sedan king in eight-way comparo [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 May 2011 11:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In observance of Memorial Day…

Filed under: Etc.

Chevrolet Camaro

Tribute 2010 Chevrolet Camaro – Click above for high-res image gallery

To some, Memorial Day is the first real kick-off to summer. Swimming pools open, the grill is fired up for burger and hot dog duty and we all take a day to kick back and enjoy the warmth. (Especially up here in the northern half of the country where the winter seemed to drag on forever.)

But the real purpose of Memorial Day is to pay tribute to the men and women of our armed forces who have died serving our country. So, while you may be enjoying a Monday off from the work-week grind, make sure you take a moment to honor the fallen, and salute those who voluntarily fight to keep our country free.

And if you didn’t see it last year, be sure to scroll through our attached image gallery for the most American Chevrolet Camaro we’ve ever come across. It practically screams, “Born in the USA!”

In observance of Memorial Day… originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 May 2011 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Italian beauty and absurdity extend to gas stations in Cuneo, Italy

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Design/Style

Italian gas station by Damilano Studio Architects – Click above for high-res image gallery

When luxury becomes a commodity, there’s little left but to make commodities luxurious. This is a newly constructed gas station in Cuneo, Piemonte, Italy, designed by Damilano Studio Architects, and it’s rather pleasant to look at if modern architecture is your thing. Reinforced concrete enclosing a glass wall creates staggered, latitudinal forms that are sliced by aluminum canopies front and back, with blood red fuel pumps.

We have no idea if a beautiful station sells more fuel or makes the Skittles taste better, but a little more pulchritude in one’s day never hurt, did it? As to that absurdity, around back is a red steel block bearing a work of art that looks like a long armed, dog-headed man on a toilet. It is actually “a wolf howling, illuminated at night, draw[ing] attention to the urgent needs.” Now that will definitely make the Skittles taste better. Thanks for the tip, John!

Italian beauty and absurdity extend to gas stations in Cuneo, Italy originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 May 2011 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Innovative Hangar Home conceals garage mahal

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Design/Style

Hangar House

Hangar Home – Click above to view video after the jump

When gearheads aren’t trawling Craigslist for the next old-lady-owned Chevrolet Chevelle tucked away in a barn, they’re dreaming of cool places to put their toys.

Usually, dream garages never become reality. It’s rare to find someone with enough ambition and/or cash to make it happen, but credit one Florida couple for creating something remarkable: the Hangar Home.

Their house’s rear facade doubles as a garage door that conceals a cavernous work and storage area, complete with a set of cushy-looking armchairs for when the weekend project is over. We can’t imagine how long this place took to complete, but all the time and effort really paid off. Click past the jump for two videos of the Hangar Home in action.

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Innovative Hangar Home conceals garage mahal originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 May 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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100th Indy 500 oozes drama, takes no prisoners [spoilers, video]

Filed under: Motorsports

2011 Indy 500

2011 Indianapolis 500 – Click above for high-res image gallery

The crowd at the Brickyard for today’s Centennial running of the Indianapolis 500 certainly got their money’s worth. Once all the pre-race pageantry and fanfare was out of the way, the 100th Indy 500 provided a spectacle full of drama, lead changes, and a shocking, exciting finish. Click past the break to see how the race shook out, right up to the final corner.

Gallery: 2011 Indianapolis 500

Continue reading 100th Indy 500 oozes drama, takes no prisoners [spoilers, video]

100th Indy 500 oozes drama, takes no prisoners [spoilers, video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 May 2011 18:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Recycled street-sign furniture is uncomfortably cool

Boris Bally transit chairs

Boris Bally Transit Chairs – Click above for high-res image gallery

Industrial designer and artist Boris Bally has taken the urban decay aesthetic to a new level, crafting tables and chairs from worn-out street signs. Bally cranks out everything from high-backed dining-table chairs, to coffee tables, to armchairs.

Bally has been working with metal in one sense or another since he was just 13 years old. Rumor even has it that he cut his teeth in metalworking by building himself throwing stars and brass knuckles.

By using recycled materials, Bally isn’t only doing the environment a good turn, he’s ensuring uniqueness in each piece of furniture. Bally leaves the source material’s patina alone-and makes sure it’s visible. Such individualism comes at a price, naturally; chairs start at $1,100 and tables range from $900 to $4500. Have a closer look in the gallery below.

Recycled street-sign furniture is uncomfortably cool originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 May 2011 18:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VW New Beetle Convertible gets stickerbombed

Filed under: Aftermarket, Convertible, Europe, Volkswagen, Design/Style

2011 Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible

2010 Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible by CFC – Click above for image gallery

German company Car Film Components decided to add a little style to the outgoing Volkswagen New Beetle. It seems strange to supply radical appearance modifications to a car that’s leaving the marketplace soon, but CFC hopes its sticker package can add some much-needed love to the New Beetle’s appearance.

The foil-wrap aesthetic upgrade covers the fenders, bumpers and side skirts. Some interior bits get the treatment as well. Setting off the look of the busybody sticker package is a set of 19-inch Oxigin wheels wrapped in Kumho rubber. Buyers can also specify a coilover suspension kit.

The bad part? Customers should expect to pay around €5,000 to achieve the look. That’s a lot of coin to stickerbomb your Volkswagen. To hear more, check out the CFC press release after the jump.

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VW New Beetle Convertible gets stickerbombed originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 May 2011 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Tanner Foust completes record-setting Team Hot Wheels jump at Indy 500

Team Hot Wheels
Team Hot Wheels’ “Fearless at the 500” record jump attempt – Click above for high-res image gallery

Prior to the start of today’s Indy 500, fans finally got to see the long-awaited Team Hot Wheels world-record jump attempt. The mystery “Yellow Driver” piloted specially-prepared truck down the 90-foot ramp that had been under construction in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s infield over the last several weeks. The neat gimmick behind Hot Wheels’ “Fearless at the 500” event was that the launch ramp itself was built to simulate that orange track we all grew up with, hung from a giant 10-story door. Talk about pandering to a guy’s inner child…

Anyhow, the stunt itself was a success, and fans at the Brickyard watched the truck sail, ramp-to-ramp, 332 feet through the air, setting a world record for four-wheeled vehicles in the process. Upon landing, the mystery driver doffed his helmet to reveal himself as American Top Gear host Tanner Foust. If you want to see the jump yourselves, be advised that ABC will air the stunt at 3:30 PM Eastern time today, following the conclusion of its Indy 500 race coverage. Check out the first few photos from the event below, and follow the jump for the press release.

UPDATE: Video of the jump now added after the break as well.

Gallery: Team Hot Wheels “Fearless at the 500” Jump

Continue reading Tanner Foust completes record-setting Team Hot Wheels jump at Indy 500

Tanner Foust completes record-setting Team Hot Wheels jump at Indy 500 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 May 2011 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cars.com performs ultimate minivan shootout. Guess who won…

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Chrysler, Dodge, Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen

Cars.com rounded up the year’s crop of new minivans for a comparison, the rare thrill being that minivans from every major maker are completely fresh for 2011. The entrants were the Nissan Quest (pictured), Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town & Country, Volkswagen Routan and Dodge Grand Caravan.

The testing format was also novel, in that Cars.com paired its own editors with reviewers from USA Today and the MotorWeek television show, plus the Weatherby family, an ‘average’ family of five – husband, wife and three kids.

After three days of testing and the tallying of numerous criteria, there was, of course, one 7-seater to rule them all. We won’t tell you which one it is, but its reviews included both “It doesn’t look like such a mommy car” and “Distressingly ugly in profile.” The Cars.com video review is after the jump, or head over to the link for the long-form skinny.

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Continue reading Cars.com performs ultimate minivan shootout. Guess who won…

Cars.com performs ultimate minivan shootout. Guess who won… originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 May 2011 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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