car Archives | Page 16 of 32

Video: Jay Leno throws his Corvette Z06 on the Real Car Simulator

Filed under: Coupe, Etc., Technology, Videos, Chevrolet

Jay Leno tries the Tag simulator

Jay Leno takes his Corvette Z06 out for a virtual spin – Click above to watch video after the jump

A few years back, we wrote about the Drag Tag simulator setup in Australia. It allows you to use your own car in a virtual environment that simulates hundreds of locations. Time of day and weather conditions can change and the whole experience sounds like a fun way to waste a few hours. Jay Leno was recently paid a visit by the Tag simulator crew and they brought an example of their setup into Leno’s garage.

With his yellow Chevrolet Corvette Z06 strapped into the dyno, Jay takes a tour of the simulators various tracks and driving conditions. The rolling road allows Leno to push the car as hard as he pleases with no legal or safety repercussions.

A machine makes sure air is blowing into the front of the car while an extractor pulls gases from the rear. It’s a slick setup that would look great bolted into the floor of the Autoblog garage. Click past the jump to watch Jay take his Vette for a virtual spin, and join us in dreaming of owning such a setup.

[Source: Jay Leno’s Garage]

Continue reading Video: Jay Leno throws his Corvette Z06 on the Real Car Simulator

Video: Jay Leno throws his Corvette Z06 on the Real Car Simulator originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lincoln debuts new MKT Town Car and Limousine

Filed under: Crossover, Ford, Lincoln, Specialty

Lincoln MKT Town Car interior

Lincoln MKT Town Car – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Lincoln Town Car is a the ride of choice for limousine companies and car services around the world. One problem, we’re rapidly approaching the official death knell of the panther platform, and that means that soon enough no more new Town Cars are going to be built. Lincoln is ready to fill that upcoming void and is using the 2011 Internation Limousine, Charter and Tour Show as a platform to debut its MKT Town Car and Limousine.

Comfort is the name of the game with livery operators, so Lincoln has pushed the rear seats of the MKT further back to add 1.5-inches of legroom. The rear seats can also recline and the right rear can access even more legroom by controlling the front passenger seat.

Cargo room is improved compared to the outgoing Town Car. The MKT Town Car offers 39.6 cubic feet of space, which means passengers can cram in more luggage, golf clubs or cases of cheap beer for post prom-night activities.

In addition to the MKT Town Car, Lincoln has an MKT ready to do serious limo duty thanks to a a heavy-duty chassis that can be streched up to an additional 10 feet in length. The MKT Town Car is available with either front or all-wheel drive while all-wheel drive comes standard on the MKT Limo.

Read more about both versions in the full press release after the jump. You can also check out photos of the MKT Town Car’s interior in the gallery below.

Gallery: Lincoln MKT Town Car

Lincoln MKT Town Car

[Source: Lincoln]

Continue reading Lincoln debuts new MKT Town Car and Limousine

Lincoln debuts new MKT Town Car and Limousine originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: R/C car drifting in a land of giants

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos

RC Drift Car

R/C drift car slides past fans of all sizes – Click above to watch video after the jump

It’s only February but we already have something to add to our holiday wish list: an R/C drift car. We may never be as good as the folks in the video, which you can watch after the jump, but that doesn’t mean we can’t spend countless weekend hours practicing. Still, our mad skills won’t come close to this crew of RC drift addicts, whose sideways sliding skills are on display for spectators in both human and action-figure form.

Regardless of your stance on drifting, the post-jump video shows people having a good time playing with remote control cars, and that’s something we can all get behind. Slap the tagline “Fun for ages 1-100” on your computer and click past the jump to watch the down-sized drifting action.

[Source: YouTube via CarScoop]

Continue reading Video: R/C car drifting in a land of giants

Video: R/C car drifting in a land of giants originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: Average lifetime car insurance costs estimated at $84,000

Filed under: Etc., Safety

Iggy Pop car insurance bus ad

Unless you live in New Hampshire, here in the States, you’re required to have some form of car insurance covering your vehicle. The annual cost to insure a car depends on an array of factors ranging from the type of vehicle to where you live to your driving record. You undoubtedly know what you pay for insurance on an annual or monthly basis, but do you know how much you will end up paying over the course of your driving life? According to Insurance.com, the average person will spend $84,388.

What does ‘average’ mean in the context of this study? In this case, researchers assume that you first insure your own vehicle at 21 years old, get married at 27, insure two teenagers for a few years and then stop driving when you turn 75. That passage of time is filled with a variety of claims, including accidents and other incidents that get sent across your insurance agent’s desk.

Predictably, Insurance.com offers up a few suggestions for cutting your overall coverage expenses. Some are easier said than done (avoid traffic tickets) while others might actually be fun (defensive driving course). Check out the company’s press release for the full details after the jump.

[Source: Insurance.com | Image: Flickr/jcrakow via CC2.0]

Continue reading Study: Average lifetime car insurance costs estimated at $84,000

Study: Average lifetime car insurance costs estimated at $84,000 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago 2011: Kia Optima Turbo SX Kinetic Race Car

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Concept Cars, Motorsports, Sedan, Kia, Racing

Kia Optima Turbo SX Kinetic Race Car

Kia Optima Turbo SX Kinetic Race Car – Click above for high-res image gallery

Is Kia considering following the lead set by Toyota in crafting an entry into NASCAR? No – at least not that we know of. But the Korean automaker is proving it has an interest in racing nonetheless, as you can see from the 2011 Kia Optima Turbo SX built by Kinetic Motorsports seen above.

According to Kia, this race car was built as a prototype to showcase the performance and racing capabilites of the Optima. Performance aside, this machine, which is being shown off at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show, certainly looks the part of a credible racer.

It’s worth noting that the Kia Forte race car, also built by Kia racing partner Kinetic, finished second in the Grand-Am race at Daytona a few weeks ago. Will the Optima be following suit? It certainly wouldn’t be a complete surprise…

Gallery: Kia Optima Turbo SX Kinetic Race Car

Kia Optima Turbo SX Kinetic Race Car

Chicago 2011: Kia Optima Turbo SX Kinetic Race Car originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top 10 finalists announced for World Car of the Year

Filed under: Etc.

It’s that time of the year again, kiddies, to name the best car in the world. The selections for the World Car Awards awarded granted by an international panel of 66 automotive journalists, who have now announced their ten finalists.

Included on the shortlist are the Audi A1 and A8, the BMW 5 Series and X3, Jaguar XJ, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Nissan Leaf, Porsche Cayenne and Volvo S60/V70. The selections were made based on the jurists’ experience with each car through the course of their professional work, and each will be tasked with reevaluating the ten finalists before casting their final ballots to be tabulated by KPMG.

Intriguingly, although the Leaf EV was short-listed, the Chevrolet Volt didn’t make the cut. For an idea of the jurists’ tastes, consider the winners from years past: the Volkswagen Polo (2010), Volkswagen Golf in (2009), Mazda2 (2008), Lexus LS460 (2007), BMW 3-Series (2006), and the Audi A6 in 2005, the first time the prize was awarded.

The shortlist will be whittled down to three finalists to be announced at the Geneva Motor Show next month, followed by the awards to be given out at the New York Auto Show in April. Follow the jump for the official announcement, and check out our image gallery of the ten finalists below.

Gallery: 2011 World Car finalists

Audi A1 Audi A8 BMW 5 Series BMW X3 Jaguar XJ

[Source: World Car Awards]

Continue reading Top 10 finalists announced for World Car of the Year

Top 10 finalists announced for World Car of the Year originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago 2011: Hyundai Veloster Rally Car is ready to duel in U.S. Rallycross

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Hyundai

Hyundai Veloster Rally Car

Hyundai Veloster Rally Car – Click above for high-res image gallery

Rhys Millen drove his new Hyundai Veloster Rally Car into the spotlight at the Chicago Auto Show this morning. The purpose-built racer is fitted with a hand-built Hyundai 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine boosted by a HKS ball bearing turbocharger. As expected, the beast makes some serious power. According to Hyundai, the four-banger spits out out 500 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque. An Xtrac six-speed sequential gearbox sends the power to an Xtrac permanent four-wheel drive system. The suspension is comprised of Proflex jumbo coilovers that help give this competition Veloster generous travel. Hidden inside the 18-inch HRE alloy wheels (wrapped in 245/40-18 Hankook racing tires) are 14-inch Alcon rotors up front and 12-inch Alcon rotors in the rear (six-piston calipers sit at all four corners). With a curb weight of just 2,656 pounds, the Veloster Rally Car’s acceleration ought to be… um, sick fast.

Check out the Veloster Rally Car this year, as it competes in the 2011 U.S. Rallycross Championship driven by Millen, Robby Maddison and Marcus Dodd. Millen and Maddison will also drive the Veloster rally cars at Summer X Games, where it will compete against Ken Block and Tanner Foust in their Ford Fiesta racecars, among others. Should be fun.

Gallery: Hyundai Veloster Rally Car: Chicago 2011

Hyundai Veloster Rally Car: Chicago 2011

Chicago 2011: Hyundai Veloster Rally Car is ready to duel in U.S. Rallycross originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Poll: Which car commercial won the Super Bowl?

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising

Super Bowl car commercials

Congratulations, Packers fans, your team just won Super Bowl XLV. And fret not, Steelers fans, your team mounted a thrilling comeback and turned the game from a would-be snooze-fest into a down-to-the-wire fourth-quarter nail-biter. Nicely done all around.

That out of the way, our notoriously short attention spans turn to the commercials. Our own David Kiley shared his well-informed opinions on what his favorites were and weren’t, and you can read more about his picks here. As a refresher, here are some of the choices from Chevrolet, Chrysler, BMW, Mini, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Audi, Hyundai, Kia, Suzuki and Bridgestone.

We’re curious… Who do you think had the best automotive ad from the Big Game? Was it Volkswagen, for either its impossibly cute ‘The Force’ ad or its imaginative ‘Black Beetle’ ad? Or did Chrysler steal the show with its two-minute-long plug introducing the Imported From Detroit tagline? Neither?

Take part in our completely unscientific poll below and let your voice be heard.

View Poll

[Source Image: Ronald Martinez/Getty]

Poll: Which car commercial won the Super Bowl? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infiniti bringing new entry-level car concept to Geneva

Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Infiniti

Infiniti sketch

Infiniti is on track to have a new entry-level model that slots below the G, and the automaker has announced that it’s bringing a concept that previews this new small(er) car to the Geneva Motor Show next month. With vehicles like the Audi A1 and A3, BMW 1 Series, Lexus CT and the Mercedes-Benz A- and B-Class on the market, Infiniti would likely do well to have a contender in the small luxury car segment.

The only information we have as of this writing is the official teaser sketch you see here, previewing what could possibly be a hatchback rather than a traditional sedan or coupe. Infiniti says that the new entry-level car will be “completely different to anything currently offered by our rivals.” We’ve heard that line before, but nonetheless, we’ll see what the Japanese automaker has up its sleeve in just a few weeks. Hit the jump for Infiniti’s very brief press release.

[Source: Infiniti]

Continue reading Infiniti bringing new entry-level car concept to Geneva

Infiniti bringing new entry-level car concept to Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Williams FW33 Formula 1 car unveiled, IPO confirmed

Filed under: Motorsports, Racing

2011 Williams-Cosworth FW33

2011 Williams-Cosworth FW33 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Williams joined the cadre of Formula 1 teams testing and revealing their 2011 challengers at the Valencia test session, pulling the wraps off the new FW33.

Unlike rival team Lotus Renault GP, which unveiled its new livery before rolling out the new F1 car, Williams opted once again to run its new car at the test sessions in plain dark blue paint with minimal sponsor logos. The independent racing team is sticking with Cosworth power for 2011, but despite having developed a flywheel-based KERS apparatus for 2009 (which it never actually ran, but was supplied to Porsche’s hybrid GT3), Williams F1 switched to a new battery-based system that it ran for the first time at Valencia.

Otherwise, the Williams-Cosworth FW33 follows the same general idea as most of its Formula 1 rivals: a high nose with a sculpted engine cover and side pods. Rubens Barrichello returns to the wheel alongside newcomer (and reigning GP2 champion) Pastor Maldonado.

In a related development, Williams announced its plans to proceed with the previously reported IPO on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, floating a little over a quarter of the shares while ensuring that Frank Williams remains controlling shareholder and team principal for years to come. Follow the jump for more details on the new FW33 Formula 1 racer and check out the high-resolution images of the car on track in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2011 Williams-Cosworth FW33

[Source: Williams F1]

Continue reading Williams FW33 Formula 1 car unveiled, IPO confirmed

Williams FW33 Formula 1 car unveiled, IPO confirmed originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Feb 2011 14:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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