Video: Hot Rod pits Shelby Cobra against Super Snake, baddest crowned

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Ford

Shelby Cobra and Super Snake

Shelby Cobra vs. Super Snake – Click above to watch the video after the break

We submit to the record that the Shelby Cobra is the coolest American car ever to go into production. Whether or not you agree, there’s no denying the fact that the car that Carroll built is a legend in both street and racing circles, and it was the first car from waving the Stars and Stripes to truly upset the German and Italian motorsports hierarchy. Impressive credentials, then.

But is the Cobra the fastest car ever to wear the Shelby badge? Ah, now that’s an entirely different matter altogether, and one the boys from Hot Rod decided to put to the test. In one corner we have the incumbent 427 SC Cobra. Its challenger, bringing 750 supercharged horsepower to the ring, is none other than the 2011 Shelby GT500 Super Snake.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall… which is the baddest of them all? To find out, Hot Rod lined the two track-tuned beasts against each other for two separate tests: a road course and the drag strip. And the winner is? See for yourself in the video after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Jason!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Hot Rod pits Shelby Cobra against Super Snake, baddest crowned

Video: Hot Rod pits Shelby Cobra against Super Snake, baddest crowned originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IIHS crowned 66 Top Safety Picks in 2011

Filed under: Car Buying, Safety

2011 Buick Regal Crash Test

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released its list of vehicles with the highest crash ratings for 2011. A total of 66 vehicles were awarded the honor of becoming an IIHS Top Safety Pick, with 40 cars, 25 SUVs and one minivan making the cut. As you may recall, the organization awards its Top Safety Pick designation to vehicles that achieve the highest possible rating in front, side, rollover and rear crashes. They also must come equipped with traction control as standard equipment.

This year, Hyundai/Kia and VW/Audi both tied as manufacturers with the highest number of Top Safety Picks with a total of nine winning models. Ford/Lincoln, General Motors and Toyota/Lexus/Scion all took second place with a total of eight Top Safety Picks each. Subaru has managed to retain its title as the only automaker to have a Top Safety Pick designation for every vehicle it sells, too.

Interestingly enough, The Volkswagen Touareg became the only large SUV to take home a Top Safety Pick for 2011, and the 2011 Ford Explorer managed to make its way onto the Top Safety Pick list for the first time in the vehicle’s history. Hit the jump for the full press release.

[Source: IIHS]

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IIHS crowned 66 Top Safety Picks in 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 19:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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1952 356 Cabriolet crowned as America’s oldest Porsche

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Classics, Convertible, Porsche

The oldest Porsche in the U.S., a 1952 356 Cabriolet in Oklahoma – Click above for high-res image gallery

This is Porsche’s 60th anniversary in America, and the automaker began a search in August for the oldest model in the country. Today, it announced the winner: Dr. Robert Wilson’s restored 1952 Strawberry Red 356 Cabriolet and its 1.5-liter, 60-horsepower tail-mounted engine. It was brought into the country by the man who brought Porsche to the country in 1950, Max Hoffman.

Turns out there’s an even older Porsche here as well, although it was brought here, not sold here. Richard Brumme has a blue 1950 356 Cabriolet, one of the first produced, according to Porsche. The company also sought the oldest models from each of its twelve other lines, and incredibly, almost all of them are on the East Coast. Only two are west of the Mississippi, and one of them is in Texas. A 2006 Cayman is left alone to represent California.

A press release on the search is after the jump. Wilson’s 1952 Cab will be on display at the LA Auto Show next month, and you can check out the others in the gallery of photos below and at www.Porsche60years.com.

Gallery: The oldest Porsches in the U.S.

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading 1952 356 Cabriolet crowned as America’s oldest Porsche

1952 356 Cabriolet crowned as America’s oldest Porsche originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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