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DirtFish Rally School draws the ire of neighbors

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Government/Legal

DirtFish Rally School helmet on a Subaru

Unless you suffer from the kind of neurological defect that causes you to turn into a grinning fool every time you hear an engine bounce off of its limiter, you might not be entirely happy to have a rally school set up shop next door. DirtFish Rally School in Snoqualmie, Washington has made a name for itself as one of the best venues in the country to learn your way around a steering wheel, but according to The Sno Valley Star, not everyone’s thrilled with the institution’s success.

Local residents have complained of noise from both cars and the school’s PA system after DirtFish recently hosted the Global RallyCross for ESPN. The school obtained a special two-day permit from local authorities for the event.

DirtFish president Ross Bentley said that the event was within the county’s noise limits, and that all operations had ceased by 6 p.m. the evening of the RallyCross. Most days, events wrap up at 5 p.m. or earlier. Legitimate problem or much ado about nothing? Feel free to sound off (pun sadly intended…) in the Comments.

[Source: Sno Valley Star]

DirtFish Rally School draws the ire of neighbors originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Ahmadinejad’s tired 1977 Peugeot 504 draws $1M bid

Filed under: Auctions, Etc., Peugeot, Middle East

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's 1977 Peugeot 504

Peugeot 504 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently put his 1977 Peugeot 504 on the auction block. The original price for a ’77 504 was in the neighborhood of $9,000, and a used one like Ahmadinejad’s could fetch $2,000 in its local market. The bidding just got a massive shot in the arm, however, because someone thinks the car is worth a million bucks.

The million-dollar bid came from an Arab country but further details have not been released. Proceeds from the sale of the 504 will be used to build a low-income housing project.

Gallery: 1968-1983 Peugeot 504

[Source: CNN]

Report: Ahmadinejad’s tired 1977 Peugeot 504 draws $1M bid originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 08 Jan 2011 12:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top Gear holiday special draws religious firestorm over burkha scene

Filed under: Etc., Celebrities

Top Gear Christmas Episode

The three amigos of Top Gear have once again gotten themselves into hot water over a stunt they pulled during a recent holiday special. Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May were attempting to recreate the trek of the three wise men from Iraq through Turkey, Syria and Jordan before winding up in Bethlehem. The gimmick seems innocuous enough until you hear that during various portions of the drive, all three hosts donned a traditional piece of headwear typically worn by Muslim women – the niqāb. The plan was to use the burkhas to disguise the three hosts during their run through the deserts, though rather predictably, it seems that the trio have offended more than a few of the show’s 6.6 million viewers.

According to The Daily Mail, watchers found issue with what many perceived to be hosts making a mockery of the world’s second largest religion. So far, neither Top Gear nor any of the hosts have come out to speak about the dust-up one way or the other. To see the entire hour-and-fifteen minute special, check it out by clicking here.

[Sources: The Daily Express, The Daily Mail]

Top Gear holiday special draws religious firestorm over burkha scene originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: 2012 Chevrolet Malibu draws closer

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Chevrolet, GM

2012 Chevrolet Malibu spy shot

2012 Chevrolet Malibu spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

It’s been a while since we’ve heard about the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu. In its current form, the aging ‘Bu is a competent aging dog in need of some new tricks, but General Motors is hoping to put its mid-sizer back at the top of the segment with the all-new model. Early predictions lead us to believe that the 2012 Malibu would show its face at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show in January, but we’re now thinking that a New York debut is in order.

For 2012, the Malibu will be shortened, riding on the smaller Epsilon II platform that underpins the Buick Regal. Sources who have seen the finished product tell us that while the exterior dimensions have shrunk, there’s no shortage of space inside the car, and we expect the interior to be a giant leap forward from the cabin found in the current model.

Earlier reports have suggested that the 2012 Malibu will only be offered with four-cylinder powertrains (like the Regal), meaning GM’s 2.4-liter direct-injected inline-four is a safe bet for the base engine, and the more powerful 2.0-liter Ecotec turbo-four will likely replace the V6 option. A hybrid powerplant is also understood to be in the works. All engines will come with six-speed transmissions, and we’ve even heard rumblings about optional all-wheel drive for the Malibu. Currently, only the Ford Fusion and Subaru Legacy mid-size sedans are available with all-wheel drive.

Production of the new Malibu is slated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2011, though rumors have been circulating about an even earlier start date. Initial production will begin in China and Korea several months before the North American-spec version, as GM is prepping its Fairfax and Detroit Hamtramck plants for 2012 Malibu duty. While you’re waiting, check out the latest set of high-res spy shots in our gallery.

Gallery: Spy Shots: 2012 Chevrolet Malibu

Spy Shots: 2012 Chevrolet Malibu

[Source: Brenda Priddy & Company]

Spy Shots: 2012 Chevrolet Malibu draws closer originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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