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21-year-old driver survives 200-foot plunge into Grand Canyon

Filed under: Etc.

grand canyon

Veering off the road is a scary event. Veering off the road that runs around the rim of the Grand Canyon is downright terrifying. Typically, a scenario that involves the terms “Grand Canyon,” “automobile” and “plunge” usually end with the phrase “the fat lady has sung.” For one particular 21-year-old man, that luckily doesn’t seem to be the case.

Stating that he “accidentally drove over the rim,” the driver and his vehicle dropped 200 feet before winding up snagged in some trees. The man climbed back to the top of the canyon’s rim, flagged down help and was treated at an area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. This leads us to believe the vehicle in question was either a Canyonero or the driver’s bones are made up of a mixture of horseshoes and rabbit’s feet. In any case, we’re glad he made it out alive.

[Source: AZ Daily Sun | Image: kasyhap_hc/Flickr CC 2.0]

21-year-old driver survives 200-foot plunge into Grand Canyon originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: F1 driver Kubica released from hospital

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Celebrities, Skoda, Racing

Robert Kubica

Robert Kubica has finally been released from hospital following his terrifying February rally crash. In case you forgot, Kubica hit an Armco barrier, which punctured the cockpit of his Skoda Fabia S2000, nearly severing off his hand and casting doubt on the future of his driving career.

Kubica’s release is an important step in his overall recovery, but hardly means the Polish Formula One ace will be back in the cockpit any time soon. According to doctors, his recovery is moving along apace, but he still has seriously limited use of the injured appendage. The main concern is the extensive nerve damage Kubica’s crash caused in the affected limb. How long the nerves will take to right themselves is anyone’s guess.

For now, Kubica will spend some time at home in Monaco before going back to Italy to start a long and extensive rehab program. It may be months or even years before the full implications of the crash on the 26-year-old Pole’s F1 driving career are known, but we’re glad to hear he’s out of the hospital and on to the next stage in his recovery.

[Source: Crash.net]

Report: F1 driver Kubica released from hospital originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Driver of shocking road debris accident interviewed by NBC’s Today Show

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Kia

Motorist Wendy Cobb on NBC's Today Show

Wendy Cobb NBC Today Show interview – Click above to watch video after the jump

The driver who very nearly filmed her own death has been interviewed by NBC’s Today Show after video of her shocking road debris accident went viral. Wendy Cobb of Shelby, North Carolina was driving on April 1 when the accident happened.

Cobb says she was using her cameraphone to film two trucks who were holding up traffic so she could report the incident. As Cobb turned her phone toward the road in front of her, the truck and trailer in front of her kicked up a 2×4 lying in the road that shattered the windshield of her Kia Sedona minivan and very nearly impaled her. Luckily, Ms. Cobb’s children weren’t with her when the accident happened, or the results may have been far more tragic. According Cobb, the only injury she received was a tiny glass cut. Damage to her car was limited to the hood and windshield.

Cobb says she hasn’t watched the video since the day of the accident, but has received plenty of emails from people who still think it was an April Fool’s prank – check out the video after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Adam!

[Source: NBC]

Continue reading Video: Driver of shocking road debris accident interviewed by NBC’s Today Show

Video: Driver of shocking road debris accident interviewed by NBC’s Today Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Angry Chinese driver tows Range Rover back to dealer with donkeys

Filed under: SUV, China, Etc., Land Rover, Luxury

Range Rover towed by Donkeys

A man in Shenyang, China was reportedly so frustrated with his 2010 Land Rover Range Rover breaking down that he towed it back to the dealer and asked for a full refund. To add a little insult to his heady request, the spurned owner towed the stricken SUV with a pair of donkeys.

Apparently the guy paid ¥2 million (about $304,000) for the English SUV in 2010. Since the purchase, the car reportedly broke down six times and eventually needed a new engine. When it died a seventh time, the owner was apparently at wit’s end. The stunt managed to hammer the point home in a much less destructive manner than a certain Lamborghini owner recently chose. According to Asian auto news outlet TheTycho, the doubtlessly dumbfounded dealer refused to give the customer a refund.

[Source: TheTycho]

Report: Angry Chinese driver tows Range Rover back to dealer with donkeys originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota FT-86 II restyling happened because of driver feedback

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Toyota, Design/Style

Toyota FT-86 Concept

Toyota FT-86 Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Toyota showed off yet another version of the FT-86 concept at last week’s Geneva Motor Show, one they say is closer to production than any of the others. That’s right, the FT-86 has been around long enough to warrant a facelift even before it goes on sale.

According to Akihiro Nagaya, manager of Toyota’s design department, the changes are in response to driver feedback on the original FT-86 concept. Along with a redesign for the front end, necessitated by Europe’s strict pedestrian impact rules, the A-pillar has been pushed back by around four inches to produce a more upright windshield.

Autocar says the redesigned windscreen apparently makes the driving experience closer to the original AE-86, and alleviates a tunnel-vision effect the old concept produced.

Gallery: Toyota FT-86 II Concept: Geneva 2011

Toyota FT-86 II Concept: Geneva 2011

[Source: Autocar]

Toyota FT-86 II restyling happened because of driver feedback originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari reportedly developing biometric driver aids

Filed under: Technology, Ferrari

Ferrari 599 GTO cockpit

A true driver’s car can seem to know exactly what the driver’s thinking, but that’s really not the case. Right?

According to the latest reports, Ferrari is developing a series of systems that will actually read a driver’s mind and body to bring the relationship between man and machine that much closer. The reports stem from a patent application wherein Ferrari describes a network of technologies that will aim to read a driver’s respiration, perspiration, blink rate, heart rate, blood pressure, cranial activity and other parameters, adjusting the vehicle’s dynamics accordingly.

The hopefully non-invasive gizmos would be placed in the cabin ceiling, dashboard, steering wheel and seat, and are being developed in response to one simple conclusion: drivers think their abilities are beyond what they actually are. But is this one step too far in the development of electronic nannies?

[Source: Autocar]

Ferrari reportedly developing biometric driver aids originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Ohio police use Tazer seven times on driver in diabetic shock, dislocate his shoulder

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Videos

Ohio police use Tazer on diabetic driver – Click above to watch video after the jump

According to the Cincinnatti Enquirer, motorist John Harmon was on his way home from work when his blood-sugar got too low. As a diabetic, this meant trouble, and Harmon’s vehicle veered into another lane. A nearby Hamilton, Ohio sheriff’s deputy spotted the unintentional maneuver and pulled him over. The officer then approached the car with his gun drawn and screamed at Harmon before smashing his window open. Harmon, 52, was then cut out of his seatbelt and dragged him to the ground. On the way down, his elbow was severely dislocated but the pain didn’t end there. During this process he received seven shocks from a Tazer and kicked in the head… all while cowering on the ground in pain. According to the account, an Ohio Highway Patrol Officer arrived on the scene and was shocked to find Harmon being treated in this manner. He separated the officers from Harmon, only to discover Harmon’s diabetics.

Harmon is currently suing the sheriff’s office, but the officers are all still working. In fact, the original officer on the scene filed felony charges against Harmon and his boss signed off on them.

The Highway Patrol video of the incident is available after the jump. A word of warning, however: While you can’t see the commotion, you can hear Mr. Harmon’s anguished voice.

[Source: Cincinnati.com]

Continue reading Video: Ohio police use Tazer seven times on driver in diabetic shock, dislocate his shoulder

Video: Ohio police use Tazer seven times on driver in diabetic shock, dislocate his shoulder originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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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Video: Urine trouble now, Audi driver

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Videos, Audi, Humor

Something ’round yonder bend is waiting – Click above to watch video after the jump

When you gotta go, you gotta go. We’re not talking about dying, we’re talking about answering nature’s clarion call. However, the individual seen in this video very nearly combined the two. While the side of a seemingly empty road might provide an ample spot for an emergency bathroom, you should be sure it is, in fact, empty. This one is not.

An Audi driver was on the road, apparently enjoying his German sedan con brio when he lost control. Did he succumb to oversteer because he spied a man relieving himself, or because of the camera man filming the his buddy? Perhaps he saw both – or perhaps he saw neither. In fact, perhaps the video isn’t even real, but it certainly looks it. If it’s the real deal, we wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn than more than one person soiled themselves in the making of this video.

Hop the jump to view the clip and tell us what you think in Comments. Top tip, Marshall!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Urine trouble now, Audi driver

Video: Urine trouble now, Audi driver originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 31 Dec 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru pegs David Higgins as new Rally Team USA driver [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Subaru, Racing

David Higgins

David Higgins joins Subaru Rally Team USA – Click above to watch video after the jump

The speculation over exactly who will be taking Travis Pastrana’s spot in the driver’s seat with Subaru Rally Team USA can officially be put to rest. David Higgins will be the new man in blue and yellow. Higgins has a résumé that’s chock full of rally wins, from championship titles in SCCA rally here in the states in 2002 and 2003 to a British National Rally Championship title in 2004. The guy also managed to walk away with a championship wins in group N in the British National Rally in 1997, 1999 and 2002.

Needless to say, the guy’s got the chops to keep the pace.

Subaru plans to campaign two cars next season, and while Higgins is the newest member of the team, the leader of the pack will BMX guru and rally beast Dave Mirra. Mirra managed to snag a Rookie of the Year award from Rally America for his efforts last season and took a slot on the podium during the Rally America Olympus event among others. Hit the jump for a look at a video of Higgins doing what he does best as well as the full press blast.

[Source: Subaru]

Continue reading Subaru pegs David Higgins as new Rally Team USA driver [w/video]

Subaru pegs David Higgins as new Rally Team USA driver [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Dec 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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