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Video: Lady Camaro driver has bad day, tries to escape police, succeeds in burnout

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Chevrolet, GM, Mercedes-Benz, Humor

Camaro Cop Car Burnout

This is the last place you want to do a burnout – Click above to watch video after the jump

When Johnny Law has you and your fourth-generation Chevrolet Camaro convertible cornered, your best bet is to turn off the engine and put your hands where they’re clearly visible. While that may be the smart play, not everyone enjoys taking the easy route. One woman apparently decided to put on a show for the officer boxing her in – by ramming his car and allowing her tires to put on one heck of a smoke show.

Amusingly, the display of rear-wheel drive shenanigans was apparently enough to completely frazzle a nearby Mercedes-Benz E-Class. When you watch the video, note that the passing Benz driver couldn’t flee the scene fast enough, yet they were also seemingly paralyzed by fear – or at least indecision. Click past the jump to watch this train-wreck of a traffic stop. Thanks for the tip, Syed!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Lady Camaro driver has bad day, tries to escape police, succeeds in burnout

Video: Lady Camaro driver has bad day, tries to escape police, succeeds in burnout originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: New Year’s Day still worst for car thefts

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

car thief Christmas day is not just for giving, it’s also for not stealing. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, December 25th is the day many thieves take a break from stealing cars. Very kind of them, no? But here’s the bad news: those thieves are just postponing their nefarious ways for a week. That’s right, New Year’s Day is the worst holiday for car thefts.

Here’s some raw data: 2,760 vehicles were reported stolen in the United States on January 1st, 2009, and 2,189 were stolen on New Year’s Eve. Naturally, this year is expected to pretty much follow suit, though the actual number of stolen vehicles is expected to fall for the seventh straight year.

What can you do to combat the problem? Mostly just exercise some common sense. The NCIB recommends the following: parking in well-lit areas, keeping packages in the trunk or out of sight, and making sure your vehicle is locked while it’s parked. Or you could just drive an unstealable car… Check out the complete press release after the break.

[Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau | Image: Peter Dazeley/Getty]

Continue reading PSA: New Year’s Day still worst for car thefts

PSA: New Year’s Day still worst for car thefts originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Volkswagen New Beetle Limo

Filed under: Auctions, Etc., Work, Volkswagen, Humor, Luxury

New Beetle Limousine

New Beetle Limousine – Click above for high-res image gallery

We all may be up to our eyebrows in holiday cheer at the moment, but prom season is right around the corner. Thanks to the wonder of the Internet, now you can be ready to rake in the cold, hard cash of parents desperate to please their teenage daughters. Behold, the Volkswagen New Beetle limousine. This fine piece of machinery is up for bid right now from New Jersey’s Route 22 Limousines. Inside, this stretcher has everything you’d expect from an engorged Beetle, including a grey leather interior, television, minibar and trippy mood lighting.

Miraculously enough, this machine gets its power from the Beetle’s stock 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine bolted to the same four-speed automatic gearbox that it used from the factory. Loaded with screaming teens, we have to imagine that this thing gets to 60 mph in about the same time frame as our grandmother. On foot.

Still, a limo as unique as the one above could be a genuine money-maker. Or at least it would be if it didn’t have a $45,000 Buy It Now price. Check it out on eBay.

Gallery: New Beetle Limousine

[Sources: Carscoop, eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Volkswagen New Beetle Limo originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Dec 2010 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: 1991 GMC Syclone Marlboro is period smokin’

Filed under: Classics, Performance, Truck, Auctions, GM, GMC

1991 GMC Marlboro Syclone

eBay Find of the Day: 1991 GMC Marlboro Syclone – Click above for image gallery

In 1991, General Motors decided it wanted to build a truck not for utility but for speed. The GMC Syclone, with its 4.3-liter turbocharged V6 engine and all-wheel-drive setup, became the fastest truck on the planet and was able to shock many sportscars and exotics of its time. Ferrari 348ts? The Syclone was quicker down the quarter-mile dragstrip. Porsche 911 Turbo? The GMC bullet train was quicker to 60 miles per hour.

Production of the Syclone lasted one full year and 2,995 examples were produced. Three did come off the line for the 1992 model year, but good luck finding one of those. During its production run, there were two special-edition trucks produced by third parties; an Indy Syclone and the Marlboro Syclone.

Finding an example of either is quite rare, seeing as how just three Indy and 10 Marlboro examples were produced. That doesn’t mean you’ll never see one, however, as there’s a 1991 GMC Marlboro Syclone is sitting on eBay Motors waiting for a new home.

In 1992, Marlboro Racing held a contest and 10 winners were chosen and given the keys to a special-edition Syclone. The trucks were sent to Shinoda Design after getting a haircut from American Sunroof Corporation (the t-top roof panels are removable and easily stored in the bed). The custom wheels were designed by Boyd Coddington. The Hot Lick Red paint was devised by PPG and the side graphics were created by Graphik Concepts. Inside, the Marlboro Syclone features a Simpson five-point harness belt setup draped over Recaro seats, a custom Momo steering wheel and a Sony head unit. This particular Syclone is also chipped, dropped and has a Borla exhaust system. Better yet, it shows just 976 miles on the odometer.

Needless to say, this is a very rare, very fast truck. It currently stands with four bids at $26,300 and an unmet reserve. Head on over to eBay Motors and check out this red rocketship.

Gallery: eBay Find of the Day: 1991 GMC Marlboro Syclone

1991 GMC Marlboro Syclone

[Sources: eBay Motors, SyTy.org]

eBay Find of the Day: 1991 GMC Syclone Marlboro is period smokin’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Dec 2010 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: 2008 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500KR (golf cart)

Filed under: Auctions, Etc., Ford, Electric

eBay Find of the Day: Shelby GT500KR golf cart – Click above for image gallery

Don’t worry folks… this one is fully licensed, so expect no unwanted lawsuits. What you see before you is said to be one example of three Shelby Mustang GT500KR golf carts produced, and this one happens to be Numero Uno. This particular electric transportation device is modeled after the 2008 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500KR, which is itself an homage to the 1968 original, and it can be yours if the price is right.

Of the three produced, this is the only one with a more powerful engine capable of pushing the golf cart to 60 miles per hour. According to the sell,er it was created for Amy Bolan, former president of Shelby Automobiles. The stitching on the driver’s seat reads “Mustang Amy” and the seller advises keeping it that way to preserve the “collector’s value.” However, they will stitch something else in that spot if desired.

The auction listing states that this GT500KR golf cart cost more than $50,000 to build. Currently there are 18 bids, with the top dollar offering sitting $9,900 and an unmet reserve. There’s not much time left on this auction, so interested ~~golfers~~ buyers are advised to bid soon.

Gallery: eBay Find of the Day: Shelby GT500KR golf cart

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: 2008 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500KR (golf cart) originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The coolest wildlife highway overpasses you’ll see all day

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Design/Style

The Olin Studio Wildlife Crossing

Wildlife Crossing design competition finalists – Click above for high-res image gallery

The five designs for animal bridges you see here are finalists from over 100 entries for the ARC Wildlife Crossing Infrastructure Design competition sponsored by the Western Transportation Institute at Montana State. The competition is looking for “next generation” wildlife crossing designs, something that ups the ante over the tunnels, underpasses and bridges already in use by Canada to give back some migratory to our quad-pedal cousins. The organizers even picked a real stretch of Interstate 70 in Colorado called the Vail Pass as its theoretical location.

We won’t belabor you with descriptions of each finalist’s design, as all are basically a similar take on an interstate-spanning bridge topped by the topography and flora of the surrounding Rocky Mountains. Our vote, however, goes to The Olin Studio’s entry (above) that sharply curves up the edges of the crossing to allow more light under the bridge as well as shield animals from the sights and sounds of traffic passing underneath.

Regardless of your favorite, don’t expect to see any of these designs crossing Colorado’s I-70 anytime soon, as the winner of the competition, which will be announced January 23, wins nothing but bragging rights. The Colorado Department of Transportation doesn’t have the money to build a wildlife crossing here, but promises to pre-qualify the winning design for consideration if it ever does. Even so, the high-res gallery below is certainly worth a look, if only to check out some really interesting infrastructure design.

Gallery: Vail Pass Wildlife Crossing Proposals

The Olin Studio: Wildlife Crossing Balmori Associates: Wildlife Crossing

[Sources: Vail Daily, ARC Competition]

The coolest wildlife highway overpasses you’ll see all day originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: 1915 van Blerck Special Speedster is 18′ long with 17-liter engine

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Auctions

1915 van Blerck Special Speedster

1915 van Blerck Special Speedster – Click above for high-res image gallery

Make room on your holiday list, boys and girls; here’s something we definitely want to see under ye olde yuletide pine tree this year. On second thought, you’d better make it a redwood.Tucked away in the Other Makes section of eBay Motors is a custom racer with a fire engine chassis and a 17-liter engine borrowed from one of the most famous racing boat manufacturers of the early 20th century. Called the 1915 van Blerck Special Speedster, this awesome ground-pounder is over six feet tall and nearly 18 feet long. All 17-liters of displacement from the vehicle’s engine is soaked up by just six cylinders, each of which has three spark plugs all to itself.

The engine was created by none other than Joseph van Blerck – an engineer who crafted record-setting engines for speed boats in the early part of the last century. According to the seller, the engine produces well over 200 horsepower and is more than capable of scooting the big machine to speeds of over 100 mph. That is, if you’re brave enough to lean on the vehicle’s chain-drive system. You can buy it now for the low price of $199,000, though the seller says that trading is always an option, too. Us? We think it’d make a bitchin’ new sleigh for Santa.

Gallery: 1915 van Blerck Special Speedster

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: 1915 van Blerck Special Speedster is 18′ long with 17-liter engine originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Today is the best day all year to buy a new car

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Earnings/Financials

Car Shopping

If you’re in the market for a new car, today just might be your day. According to both Time and TrueCar.com, a perfect storm of factors have collided to make this the best day all year for consumers to get the greatest deal possible on a new hunk of sheetmetal. With a perfect mix of dealer incentives and manufacturer rebates mingling with the fact that dealers are now staring down the barrel of end-of-the-month sales targets and a stack of 2011 models coming down the pike, savvy buyers should be able to call the shots.

Time reports that some models are seeing discounts of 19-37 percent off of their retail MSRP. If you’re clever, you just might be able to snag the keys to a 2010 Mazda3 for a hair over $10,000(!) or a 2010 Hyundai Accent for just $7,341 – a savings of around 31 percent off of the Korean’s sticker price. Head over to TrueCar.com for a look at other big savers.

[Sources: Time, TrueCar | Image: Joe Raedle / Getty Images]

Report: Today is the best day all year to buy a new car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s Turkey Day, and Autoblog is thankful for…

Click above to find out what the Autoblog team is thankful for

We here at Autoblog are a mighty thankful bunch, and we really shouldn’t need just one day to sit down and consider what it is that we are truly just pleased as pumpkin pie for. But, in case you hadn’t noticed, today is, in fact, Thanksgiving here in the good ol’ United States of America, and so we’ve put together this list of what team Autoblog is most grateful for this year – check it out by clicking on the big inflatable bird above.

Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list by any means. For instance, we’re all rather grateful that there’s still an automotive industry – and perhaps more specifically an American automobile industry – for us to be obsessive about. Most of us are also happy that Top Gear USA has finally gotten off the ground, and we’re hopeful that it proves entertaining over the long haul.

Sure, there’s more. But we’re also interested in knowing what you are most thankful for in 2010. Go ahead, leave us all a note in ‘Comments.’

[Image: Eschipul via CC 2.0]

It’s Turkey Day, and Autoblog is thankful for… originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leave a Facebook comment, win a Top Gear prize pack: Day 2

It’s time to give away another prize pack as we tick off the days on our calendar to the premier of Top Gear USA (10PM EST/9C this Sunday on the HISTORY Channel). Thanks to all who entered yesterday’s giveaway and became new fans of the Autoblog Facebook page. Let’s add some more Likes today by giving away another prize pack that’s worth $200 and includes a Top Gear-branded remote-controlled car, Top Gear-branded Auto Roadside Kit and History Channel fleece.

In order to enter, simply “Like” the Autoblog Facebook page (if you already have, thanks), then check the FB page in a few minutes for this post to appear on our Wall (It’s live now!). Once it’s live, leave a comment on that Facebook post (here’s the link again) to enter the giveaway. Feel free to “Like” the post itself so your Facebook friends can see the giveaway, and remember to allow direct messages in your Facebook privacy settings. And again, so no one gets confused, we’ve turned off commenting on this post since only a comment on the Facebook post will earn you an entry.

To enter giveaway #2:

“Like” the Autoblog Facebook page. Leave a comment on the Facebook entry titled “Leave a Facebook comment, win a Top Gear prize pack: Day 2”.
You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the U.S. only.
Limit 1 entry per person.
The entry period ends at 2:30PM ET on Saturday, November 20.
At that time, we’ll select 1 winner from the eligible commenters to receive a Top Gear USA prize pack valued at $200 that includes a Top Gear-branded remote-controlled car, Top Gear-branded Auto Roadside Kit and History Channel fleece.
Make sure your Facebook privacy settings allow for direct messages to receive notification in the event you win.
Standard giveaway rules apply.

Continue reading Leave a Facebook comment, win a Top Gear prize pack: Day 2

Leave a Facebook comment, win a Top Gear prize pack: Day 2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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