car Archives | Page 24 of 32

eBay Find of the Day: 1993 Lincoln Town Car Limo ready for apocalyptic prom

Filed under: Aftermarket, Auctions, Lincoln, Humor, Luxury, Off-Road

1993 Lincoln Town Car Apocalimo

1993 Lincoln Town Car Apocalimo – Click above for high-res image gallery

It really is only a matter of time before our society dissolves into nothing more than the hollowed out shell of its former self populated by roving bands of blood-thirsty cubicle drones. We’ve seen the Mad Max saga, studied Water World and meditated on The Postman. We know exactly how this shindig ends, we just don’t know when it’ll happen.

Which is exactly why you need this beauty of modern engineering. You see, while there are plenty of vehicles suited for roaming the wastes, few can roll through burnt out city centers with the kind of sophistication and comfort as this modified 1993 Lincoln Town Car Limousine. With a mere 117,000 miles on what we’re assured is a meticulously maintained drivetrain, the apocalimo offers everything you need to spar with bandits in style.

Judging from the eBay listing, the seller is more than motivated to find this machine a new home thanks to neighbors that just can’t understand the value of being prepared. The current bid is just a wide hair over $3,000 with the reserve not met and a day left on the auction.

Gallery: 1993 Lincoln Town Car Apocalimo

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: 1993 Lincoln Town Car Limo ready for apocalyptic prom originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top Gear America’s Reasonably Price Car outed as Suzuki SX4

Filed under: Budget, Etc., Hatchback, Suzuki, Celebrities

U.S. Top Gear Big Star in a Small Car Here in the good ‘ole United States of America, we like things big… and small. Over in UK, they can have their reasonably priced cars, we don’t need ’em. We’re putting a Big Star in a Small Car instead.

Naturally, the premise is the same. Take one name-brand celebrity and place them behind the wheel of a run-of-the-mill car available to the masses here in America and send them around a makeshift race track. While the British version of Top Gear currently uses a Kia Cee’d for star-shuttling duty, America’s TG spin-off will feature a Suzuki SX4.

For what it’s worth, we had a couple of guys in the audience during the taping of the U.S. show’s first episode and we had signed statements restricting us from publishing this information. Apparently, though, it’s been leaked by either someone at Top Gear or by Suzuki.

In any case, we genuinely like Suzuki’s little runabout. It’s not particularly fast, but it’s an able handler and it has the beans to pull itself around a track quickly enough. Plus, it’s pretty reasonably priced… not that we care, of course. And, as you’d expect from any show that carries the name Top Gear, there will indeed be an American Stig. Current internet rumormongering suggests that F1-ace Rubens Barrichello is the American Stig, but that hasn’t been, nor is it likely to be, officially confirmed.

In related news, some of the American stars that will be piloting the SX4 include Tim Allen, Buzz Aldrin, Ty Burrell, Tony Hawk, Bret Michaels, Dominic Monaghan, Kid Rock and Michelle Rodriguez. Suitably big stars?

[Source: Variety]

Top Gear America’s Reasonably Price Car outed as Suzuki SX4 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy Volt tagline: “More Car Than Electric”

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Chevrolet, Electric

2011 Chevrolt Volt

2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors has been advertising its “extended-range electric vehicle” since 2007, but does anyone remember the first video commercial for the Chevrolet Volt? It first aired back in late 2007 and featured a dog licking a person’s foot. The gist? You care about the environment and save water on showers by having Fido lick your feet; Chevy cares about the environment and so it’s working on the Volt (watch the 30-second spot here).

In the very near future – i.e., during the World Series – GM will begin airing a series of new commercials using the Volt’s just-revealed new tagline: “More Car Than Electric.” We got a sneak preview of these commercials during a Volt media event last week (and promised we wouldn’t reveal anything about the visuals or the voiceovers) but thought that the slogan might generate some discussion.

Is it convincing? Does it do what it needs to do? We’ll soon get an idea of how the general public reacts, but what’s your first take?

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt

[Source: GM]

Chevy Volt tagline: “More Car Than Electric” originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: White Lake Formula 1 Ring slot car track

Filed under: Etc., Toys/Games

White Lake Formula 1

White Lake F1 Ring slot car track – Click above to watch video after the jump

Ah, enthusiasts. Damn the torpedoes, time and money; when the dedicated maven decides to make something of his own, he doesn’t just do it a little. Hence, when James-Michael Gregory Harlan of Pontiac, Michigan wanted a slot car track as long as his name, he made it himself and called it the White Lake Formula 1 Ring.

An exhibit designer by trade, Harlan brought his massive skills to the endeavor by creating a track he believes “comprised many of the challenges one might encounter on a modern F1 circuit.” Hermann Tilke should take notes. The track itself is CNC routed on the AC2car system that lets two cars run on the same slot – giving racers a chance to pass each other using the lane changers.

Built in a 20-square-foot space, the ring is 1/32-scale, the lap is 145 feet long, and it features 19 turns and 2.5 feet of elevation change. Surrounding it is a hand-built and painted environment that includes pit lanes, a helipad and crane, bleachers and viewing towers, and lights for night racing. It comes as no surprise that he’s been working on it for years. You can see the fruits of his labor in the video after the jump and the gallery of high-res photos below. Once you’re done with those, be sure to check out even more pics on Flickr.

Gallery: James-Michael Harlan’s White Lake F1 slot car ring

[Source: WLF1 Ring]

Continue reading Video: White Lake Formula 1 Ring slot car track

Video: White Lake Formula 1 Ring slot car track originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 16 Oct 2010 19:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Car and Driver grades industry’s car designers [w/poll]

Filed under: Design/Style

Ferrari 458 Italia

Ferrari 458 Italia – Click above to vote in our design poll after the jump

How does one grade automakers on their design skills? Our friends at Car and Driver gave it a shot using the not-so-scientific “eyeball test,” with grades getting bumped up or down based on the use of proven design talent.

C/D graded 20 automakers in all, giving out four As, 11 Bs, two Cs, a D and two grades of incomplete. Ferrari got a top score thanks to the intensely hot-looking 458 Italia. Jaguar/Land Rover also came up big for hits like the new XJ, while more mainstream General Motors and Kia each managed an A thanks to their leaps in design quality.

Volvo and Mazda were each given an incomplete thanks to some very recent changes at the top of their respective design management teams. Toyota/Lexus came up short, receiving the only D of the group, prompting author Phil Patton to ask if there were recalls for dullness. Ouch. Head over to Car and Driver for all the design grades, and follow the jump for a poll on the best designs for a mainline manufacturer.

[Source: Car and Driver]

Continue reading Car and Driver grades industry’s car designers [w/poll]

Car and Driver grades industry’s car designers [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 16 Oct 2010 09:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Knight of the Auction: Screen-used hero car K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider up for bid

Filed under: Coupe, Auctions, Ford, Celebrities

Hero car - K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider

Hero car K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider is for sale – Click above for high-res image gallery

For sale – Celebrity car. One lightly used crime-stopper of a coupe, has go-fast looks with a fuel-efficient powertrain. If you want attention, this is the car for you. Valued between $25,000 and $35,000.

Looking to add some celebrity “muscle” to your garage? Profiles In History is hosting a Hollywood memorabilia auction and lot #122 is one of two hero cars from the modern version of Knight Rider. Surely you recall the series… our very own Alex Nunez sat through every single episode to provide you with details of what was going on.

In the updated show, which first aired in 2008, K.I.T.T. is a Ford Mustang that wears Shelby GT500KR parts. The car in this auction has all those parts, inside and out, except it falls short one kind of important aspect: there’s no supercharged V8 underhood… or any V8 at all for that matter. And it’s not even the good V6 Mustang. Inside the engine bay sits the old 4.0-liter unit and it’s paired with a five-speed automatic transmission. That’s right… this K.I.T.T. is all show and no go.

Sadly, the most interesting thing about this car is that it also includes the wooosh-wooosh signature Knight Rider sweeping red light up front. Even that would get old quickly. Buying this car does have its benefits though, as the auction proceeds are being put towards a children’s charity. The auction is a one-day affair scheduled for November 6th, 2010 at The Globe Theater in Universal Studios. David Hasselhoff sold separately.

Gallery: Hero Car K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider

Hero Car K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider

[Source: Profiles In History via Inside Line]

Knight of the Auction: Screen-used hero car K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider up for bid originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EPA says E15 is ready for prime time… and your new-ish car

Filed under: Government/Legal

oil in a corn field

A little number on your friendly local gas station pump might be about to change. Instead of 10 percent (E10), America’s national gasoline supply can now contain a blend of fuel that contains up to 15 percent ethanol (E15) following an announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency today. The caveat, for now, is that this fuel is only to be used in cars built since 2007.

So, that means that there could easily be five liquid fuels at a single gas station: ethanol-free gasoline, E10, E15, E85 and diesel – and this isn’t counting different octane blends of “standard” gas. It also means that some gas station owners are saying they’re not too interested in adding E15 pumps right now. USA Today says it is likely the EPA will approve E15 for older vehicles after more tests are conducted this month. The USDA – which cares because so much domestically grown corn is used to make the ethanol – and the ethanol industry support the EPA’s decision. The CEO of ethanol company Poet, Jeff Broin, said in a statement that:

The arguments being made right now against E15 are the same as those made about E10 back in the late 1980s, when I entered the ethanol industry. Seventy billion gallons later, we have proven those arguments false, just as research on E15 is proving critics wrong today.

For the past 18 months or so, the E10/E15 story has been hard-fought on both sides, with supporters for the increased biofuel content saying that the fuel will be fine in most any vehicles on the road today and opponents saying there needs to be more testing because of warranty concerns. The Renewable Fuels Association took a particularly strong stand. Feel free to read more from some of the parties involved after the break.

[Source: USA Today, USDA | | Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images]

Continue reading EPA says E15 is ready for prime time… and your new-ish car

EPA says E15 is ready for prime time… and your new-ish car originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 18:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Coda EV models to be available through Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Filed under: Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Technology, Electric

All-Electric Coda Sedan

All-Electric Coda Sedan – Click above for high-res image gallery

Want to drive an electric car but not ready to spend the money to own one? EV manufacturer Coda has the perfect solution for you. Coda has teamed up with Enterprise Rent-A-Car to place its all-electric sedan into the rental car company’s fleet. The plan is to introduce about 100 sedans across various Enterprise locations throughout 2011.

The Coda Sedan is the company’s first vehicle and it will be launched in the coming months. It’s a five-passenger sedan with a full-size trunk and a cruising range of between 90 and 120 miles per charge. Coda is utilizing a 6.6 kW on-board charging system which requires six hours for a full charge, however, the system can provide a 40-mile cruising range with just a two hour charging period.

In addition to the Coda Sedan models entering the Enterprise rental fleet, the rental company will serve as a loaner car system for Coda owners. If a Coda vehicle requires service, an Enterprise rental car will be made available during the time the owner’s Coda vehicle is in the shop. Read more in the official press release after the jump.

Gallery: All-Electric Coda Sedan

All-Electric Coda Sedan

[Source: Coda]

Continue reading Coda EV models to be available through Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Coda EV models to be available through Enterprise Rent-A-Car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Bumblebee accidentally T-bones a real cop car on TF3 set

Filed under: Etc., Chevrolet, GM, Celebrities, Specialty

Transformers 3 Bumblebee Camaro crash

Autobots, roll out… No, wait! – Click above to watch videos after the jump

You know how they say some movies are cursed? It seems that may just be the case for the folks working on Transformers 3. The movie has had its share of crashes, with a few of them being of the “unplanned” variety. The latest incident takes place in Washington D.C. and involves a certain yellow Camaro that Transformers fans know better as Bumblebee.

As a scene was being filmed, a real police vehicle was responding to a call and cut quickly across the set. The two cars collided and the police officer driving the SUV was taken to a nearby hospital, but it appears there are no serious injuries – except to the Camaro, which was covered up and taken away.

Earlier this year, production came to a screeching halt when Gabrielo Cedillo had to be rushed to the hospital. Cedillo, an extra, was driving a car when a cable from a camera vehicle broke loose, smashed through her windshield and hit her in the head. She underwent emergency surgery but her stint in the ICU is up, and her condition is improving.

A trio of videos of this latest accident can be seen after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Mark!

[Source: TMZ, Youtube]

Continue reading Video: Bumblebee accidentally T-bones a real cop car on TF3 set

Video: Bumblebee accidentally T-bones a real cop car on TF3 set originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Francoise Nielly does the ‘art car’ thing on Citroën’s Survolt concept

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Citroën, Design/Style, Electric

Citroën Survolt Francoise Nielly

Citroën Survolt Art Car by Francoise Nielly – Click above for high-res image gallery

As if the Citroën Survolt didn’t have creative enough a color scheme going on as it was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, the French automaker has offered up the diminutive, conceptual electric sportscar as a canvas for an even more colorful interpretation.

A collaboration between Citroën and French artist Francoise Nielly, the resprayed Survolt just may be expressive enough to give all those BMW art cars a run for their money. The one-of-a-kind vehicle is set to displayed at C42, Citroën’s flagship showroom on the Champs-Elysées in Paris, but if your Air France frequent flier miles isn’t up to the job just yet, you can take the shorter trip to our own gallery below for a closer look.

Gallery: Citroen Survolt Art Car by Francoise Nielly

[Source: OmniAuto.it]

Francoise Nielly does the ‘art car’ thing on Citroën’s Survolt concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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