Video: Rush gets the Lego trailer treatment

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Toys/Games, TV/Movies

What is it with reenacting real life and movies in Lego? It is now practically its own form of cinema, with so many spoofs of so many events that there are Top Ten lists highlighting excellent pieces of work like this Lego trailer for Cars 2, the 2012 London Olympics, a hilarious Star Wars trilogy recap and a comedy bit of Darth Vader in the Death Star canteen.

Next, the overlords of the brightly colored little jarheaded fellows have turned their attention to the movie Rush, making a stop-motion version of the latest trailer for Ron Howard’s Formula One thriller. It’s everything you’ve seen before, only smaller, and made of plastic, and you can watch it below.

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Rush gets the Lego trailer treatment originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Sep 2013 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Rush gets the Lego trailer treatment

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Toys/Games, TV/Movies

What is it with reenacting real life and movies in Lego? It is now practically its own form of cinema, with so many spoofs of so many events that there are Top Ten lists highlighting excellent pieces of work like this Lego trailer for Cars 2, the 2012 London Olympics, a hilarious Star Wars trilogy recap and a comedy bit of Darth Vader in the Death Star canteen.

Next, the overlords of the brightly colored little jarheaded fellows have turned their attention to the movie Rush, making a stop-motion version of the latest trailer for Ron Howard’s Formula One thriller. It’s everything you’ve seen before, only smaller, and made of plastic, and you can watch it below.

Continue reading Rush gets the Lego trailer treatment

Rush gets the Lego trailer treatment originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Sep 2013 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Corvette Z06 to be renamed Z07, come with twin-turbo V8?

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, Luxury

According to a report in Car and Driver, the new C7 Corvette version of the Corvette Z06 will pick up practically where the ZR1 left off. First, they predict it will graduate to being called the Z07; if so, it will be the next General Motors Regular Production Code (RPO), like Z28 and, yes, Z06, to become a model name.

And if you thought a hybrid Corvette was a sharp point of discussion, how about a production version of the small-block V8 with a displacement of “significantly less than 6.2 liters” aided by twin-turbos? That’s what CD believes will rest under the hood of the Z07, citing the ever-present concern for fuel economy and the fact that bitumen burners from Cadillac have given up supercharging for turbocharging. The horsepower number is predicted to be an even 600, which would be a 95-hp jump over the current Z06 and just 38 less than the late, great ZR1. Helping to keep control of all that truculent muscle will be larger tires encircling carbon-ceramic stoppers, but CD is mum on other specific changes.

The mooted price: $100,000. This might be the most fabulous new spec of all, seeing as it would represent a $24,400 increase over the Z06 and just a $12,600 undercut of the ZR1. Compare and contrast: in 2001, the first year of the Z06, the MSRP of a 350-hp Corvette coupe was $40,725, the MSRP of the 385-horsepower Z06 was $48,500; if CD is correct, the 2014 Corvette’s sea level will be established by the 455-hp Stingray that costs $51,995 and in 2015 we’ll be staring down the twin, forced-induction barrels of a 600-hp, twin-turbo Z07 that starts at six figures and that could still be leaving room for a new ZR1 late in the model’s lifetime.

Corvette Z06 to be renamed Z07, come with twin-turbo V8? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Sep 2013 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading “Report: Corvette Z06 to be renamed Z07, come with twin-turbo V8?”

Report: Corvette Z06 to be renamed Z07, come with twin-turbo V8?

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, Luxury

According to a report in Car and Driver, the new C7 Corvette version of the Corvette Z06 will pick up practically where the ZR1 left off. First, they predict it will graduate to being called the Z07; if so, it will be the next General Motors Regular Production Code (RPO), like Z28 and, yes, Z06, to become a model name.

And if you thought a hybrid Corvette was a sharp point of discussion, how about a production version of the small-block V8 with a displacement of “significantly less than 6.2 liters” aided by twin-turbos? That’s what CD believes will rest under the hood of the Z07, citing the ever-present concern for fuel economy and the fact that bitumen burners from Cadillac have given up supercharging for turbocharging. The horsepower number is predicted to be an even 600, which would be a 95-hp jump over the current Z06 and just 38 less than the late, great ZR1. Helping to keep control of all that truculent muscle will be larger tires encircling carbon-ceramic stoppers, but CD is mum on other specific changes.

The mooted price: $100,000. This might be the most fabulous new spec of all, seeing as it would represent a $24,400 increase over the Z06 and just a $12,600 undercut of the ZR1. Compare and contrast: in 2001, the first year of the Z06, the MSRP of a 350-hp Corvette coupe was $40,725, the MSRP of the 385-horsepower Z06 was $48,500; if CD is correct, the 2014 Corvette’s sea level will be established by the 455-hp Stingray that costs $51,995 and in 2015 we’ll be staring down the twin, forced-induction barrels of a 600-hp, twin-turbo Z07 that starts at six figures and that could still be leaving room for a new ZR1 late in the model’s lifetime.

Corvette Z06 to be renamed Z07, come with twin-turbo V8? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Sep 2013 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Toyota mulling Cummins diesel for Tundra?

Filed under: Hybrid, Truck, Toyota, Diesel

When Bloomberg spoke to Toyota USA Sales CEO Kazua Ohara recently, we highlighted his comments on the possible return of the Toyota Supra. However, the interview started with Ohara discussing the Tundra, and how it would take time to pinpoint and hone the pickup truck’s brand image in the minds of consumers. That effort could get a boost, with a report in Edmunds saying that Toyota is “evaluating” the addition of a Cummins turbodiesel to the Tundra’s engine options.

The Cummins powerplant is one of two options for the moment, the other being a hybrid powertrain. If the oil-burner got the thumbs-up, Toyota would follow the recent example of Nissan, which announced it would put a Cummins turbodiesel into its 2015 Titan. While the two Japanese companies make a closer comparison since they’re both talking about Cummins applications in light-duty trucks, if it happens, it could be seen as further diluting the once-exclusive tie-up that Ram trucks has had with Cummins even though Ram has used Cummins in its heavy-duty truck.

Toyota hasn’t said when it will decide on which direction to take, but either will be a move for the better in the view of segment watchers; PickupTrucks.com said the first of its top-five fixes for the Tundra would be a better engine, perhaps a diesel-electric hybrid from Toyota’s Hino unit. Cummins told Edmunds it can supply a second manufacturer with the 5.0-liter diesel that Nissan will be using, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see it end up in a Toyota or somewhere else.

Toyota mulling Cummins diesel for Tundra? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Sep 2013 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Toyota mulling Cummins diesel for Tundra?

Filed under: Hybrid, Truck, Toyota, Diesel

When Bloomberg spoke to Toyota USA Sales CEO Kazua Ohara recently, we highlighted his comments on the possible return of the Toyota Supra. However, the interview started with Ohara discussing the Tundra, and how it would take time to pinpoint and hone the pickup truck’s brand image in the minds of consumers. That effort could get a boost, with a report in Edmunds saying that Toyota is “evaluating” the addition of a Cummins turbodiesel to the Tundra’s engine options.

The Cummins powerplant is one of two options for the moment, the other being a hybrid powertrain. If the oil-burner got the thumbs-up, Toyota would follow the recent example of Nissan, which announced it would put a Cummins turbodiesel into its 2015 Titan. While the two Japanese companies make a closer comparison since they’re both talking about Cummins applications in light-duty trucks, if it happens, it could be seen as further diluting the once-exclusive tie-up that Ram trucks has had with Cummins even though Ram has used Cummins in its heavy-duty truck.

Toyota hasn’t said when it will decide on which direction to take, but either will be a move for the better in the view of segment watchers; PickupTrucks.com said the first of its top-five fixes for the Tundra would be a better engine, perhaps a diesel-electric hybrid from Toyota’s Hino unit. Cummins told Edmunds it can supply a second manufacturer with the 5.0-liter diesel that Nissan will be using, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see it end up in a Toyota or somewhere else.

Toyota mulling Cummins diesel for Tundra? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Sep 2013 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2014 Mercedes S65 AMG caught undisguised at video shoot

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Videos, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

Spy screenshot of the 2014 Merecedes-Benz S65 AMG

Hot on the heels of a video showing Mercedes-Benz testing its 2014 S65 AMG sedan around the Nürburgring, here’s yet another glimpse of the German automaker’s luxury flagship sedan, which is set to go on sale in March of 2014. Though the new S65 AMG won’t be officially unveiled until this November’s LA Auto Show, eagle-eyed Gnepiah caught it naked on camera during a recent commercial shoot in the Netherlands.

The video shows a few exterior modifications as compared to the outgoing model, including more chrome on the front grille, shiny mesh on the front bumper, and new multi-spoke alloy wheels. But the most exciting change is one we can’t see: the S65 AMG’s 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 engine, which is expected to produce more than the current model’s 621 horsepower and will certainly make for a quicker ride (as we previously noted, we could be looking at a run as quick as 3.6 seconds).

Watch the video below to see the new S65 AMG for yourself – and don’t miss the cameo of the 2014 S63 AMG at the end.

Continue reading 2014 Mercedes S65 AMG caught undisguised at video shoot

2014 Mercedes S65 AMG caught undisguised at video shoot originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Sep 2013 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2014 Mercedes S65 AMG caught undisguised at video shoot

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Videos, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

Spy screenshot of the 2014 Merecedes-Benz S65 AMG

Hot on the heels of a video showing Mercedes-Benz testing its 2014 S65 AMG sedan around the Nürburgring, here’s yet another glimpse of the German automaker’s luxury flagship sedan, which is set to go on sale in March of 2014. Though the new S65 AMG won’t be officially unveiled until this November’s LA Auto Show, eagle-eyed Gnepiah caught it naked on camera during a recent commercial shoot in the Netherlands.

The video shows a few exterior modifications as compared to the outgoing model, including more chrome on the front grille, shiny mesh on the front bumper, and new multi-spoke alloy wheels. But the most exciting change is one we can’t see: the S65 AMG’s 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 engine, which is expected to produce more than the current model’s 621 horsepower and will certainly make for a quicker ride (as we previously noted, we could be looking at a run as quick as 3.6 seconds).

Watch the video below to see the new S65 AMG for yourself – and don’t miss the cameo of the 2014 S63 AMG at the end.

Continue reading 2014 Mercedes S65 AMG caught undisguised at video shoot

2014 Mercedes S65 AMG caught undisguised at video shoot originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Sep 2013 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Nokia wants in on in-dash navigation with Here Auto

Filed under: Technology, Infotainment

Nokia is working on a cloud-based in-car navigation system with smartphone connectivity called Here Auto.

Last November, Nokia introduced a cloud-based mapping service called Here for smartphones. Now the company wants to integrate Here Auto into your car’s navigation system, and it has some features that could make it a legitimate alternative to other navigation options.

According to Nokia’s blog, the service consists of a navigation program that can be embedded into a car’s navigation system, the smartphone companion app and a cloud service. Here Auto is best used with the smartphone companion app – Nokia designed it with smartphone connectivity in mind. The service features a trip planner accessed via the companion app or the website; voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation in 95 countries; traffic rerouting; fuel price listings; street-level images; parking availability and indoor maps when approaching a destination.

Perhaps the slickest feature of the system is that it can give users voice-guided directions whether there’s mobile coverage or not, but the system needs it to give real-time map updates such as traffic and weather.

Nokia is teaming with Continental, a parts supplier that works with Google and IBM, to shop around for automakers that want to integrate it into their vehicles’ navigation systems. Nokia says Here Auto already is integrated into Continental’s next-generation Open Infotainment Platform. For right now, however, the companion app is only offered on Android and Windows Phone.

Nokia wants in on in-dash navigation with Here Auto originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Sep 2013 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Nokia wants in on in-dash navigation with Here Auto

Filed under: Technology, Infotainment

Nokia is working on a cloud-based in-car navigation system with smartphone connectivity called Here Auto.

Last November, Nokia introduced a cloud-based mapping service called Here for smartphones. Now the company wants to integrate Here Auto into your car’s navigation system, and it has some features that could make it a legitimate alternative to other navigation options.

According to Nokia’s blog, the service consists of a navigation program that can be embedded into a car’s navigation system, the smartphone companion app and a cloud service. Here Auto is best used with the smartphone companion app – Nokia designed it with smartphone connectivity in mind. The service features a trip planner accessed via the companion app or the website; voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation in 95 countries; traffic rerouting; fuel price listings; street-level images; parking availability and indoor maps when approaching a destination.

Perhaps the slickest feature of the system is that it can give users voice-guided directions whether there’s mobile coverage or not, but the system needs it to give real-time map updates such as traffic and weather.

Nokia is teaming with Continental, a parts supplier that works with Google and IBM, to shop around for automakers that want to integrate it into their vehicles’ navigation systems. Nokia says Here Auto already is integrated into Continental’s next-generation Open Infotainment Platform. For right now, however, the companion app is only offered on Android and Windows Phone.

Nokia wants in on in-dash navigation with Here Auto originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Sep 2013 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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