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Video: Leno steals Porsche 918 from The Quail for latest Garage episode

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Videos, Porsche, Misc. Auto Shows, Celebrities

Jay Leno's Garage drives the 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder

Just because he’s a famous celebrity doesn’t mean Jay Leno got to take it easy at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance earlier this month. Having already spent some time with the gorgeous Cadillac Elmiraj Concept and Ed Welburn for a recent episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, the late night talk show host also got to put a few miles on a prototype version of the Porsche 918 Spyder.

Like a usual episode of JLG, Leno first goes over the details of the car with Frank Walliser, head of the 918 Spyder’s development, before taking it out for spin. Check out the full episode, which is posted below, to hear what Walliser has to say about the car. More importantly, though, crank up your computer’s volume and let the car’s high-revving engine and amazing exhaust note do plenty of talking for itself.

Continue reading Leno steals Porsche 918 from The Quail for latest Garage episode

Leno steals Porsche 918 from The Quail for latest Garage episode originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 31 Aug 2013 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Latest Rush trailer reminds us that James Hunt was awesome

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, TV/Movies

Rush The Movie - trailer screencap of F1 field in the rain

Rush, the upcoming Ron Howard flick that focuses on the intense rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda during the 1976 Formula One World Championship, is looking better and better with each trailer.

The most recent spot focuses on Hunt, playing up his reputation as a notorious womanizer and playboy. You get a glimpse of the transformation that Chris Hemsworth’s character goes through as the movie proceeds, from the free spirit shown in the beginning of the trailer to the intense competitor eager to best Lauda.

Take a look at the trailer below and be sure to check out the previous clips here and here. Rush hits theaters on September 27. Don’t plan on much from Autoblog that day – we’ll all be at the theater.

Continue reading Latest Rush trailer reminds us that James Hunt was awesome

Latest Rush trailer reminds us that James Hunt was awesome originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Jul 2013 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Seinfeld drives David Letterman’s V8 Volvo wagon in latest CiCGC

Filed under: Performance, Wagon, Videos, Volvo, Celebrities, Humor

David Letterman's V8-powered Volvo wagon drops soccer balls and groceries - video screencap

Paul Newman once talked David Letterman into repowering a then-new Volvo 960 station wagon with a supercharged Ford 5.0-liter V8. No, that’s not the setup to a joke. Letterman recently handed over the keys to his 380-horsepower family hauler to Jerry Seinfeld for the latest episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. The two talk about how the machine nearly barbecued Letterman while he was on his way to a cardiologist appointment, then they sit down for a more lengthy discussion on the comedy business of today and yesteryear.

As a bonus, we get plenty of clips of the V8 Volvo doing what it does best: hauling groceries and doing smokey burnouts. If you need a refresher on exactly how this creation came to be, check out George Achorn’s recounting of the car’s birth over at SwedeSpeed.com. It’ll be worth your time. You can also take a peek at the latest Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee below.

Continue reading Seinfeld drives David Letterman’s V8 Volvo wagon in latest CiCGC

Seinfeld drives David Letterman’s V8 Volvo wagon in latest CiCGC originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Jun 2013 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Read This: PickupTrucks.com’s latest test results in a familiar winner [w/video]

Filed under: Car Buying, Truck, Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Nissan, Toyota, Ram

2013 PickupTrucks.com Light Duty Challenge

PickupTrucks.com has gone and thrown the latest batch of half-ton pickups into a cage match to see who would come out on top. The site put the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2013 Ford F-150, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan through a battery of tests. Those included 0-60 miles per hour acceleration, 60-0 mph deceleration, fuel economy, a hill climb, and payload and towing. They even threw the rigs on an autocross course to evaluate overall handling. Each truck was given points based on how it scored in each evaluation.

Who came out on top? Somewhat surprisingly, the 2013 Ford F-150 walked away with the gold, though fewer than 50 points separated first and fourth place. Head over to PickupTrucks.com to read the full evaluation and the final results. You may be shocked to see exactly where some of the segment’s newest additions placed. You can also watch a video on the test below.

Continue reading PickupTrucks.com’s latest test results in a familiar winner [w/video]

PickupTrucks.com’s latest test results in a familiar winner [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge updates Attitude for Mexico with latest Hyundai Accent, forgets badges *UPDATE

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Dodge, Hyundai

2012 Dodge Attitude

What you’re looking at is not the 2012 Hyundai Accent, it’s the 2012 Dodge Attitude. Yes, we see the Hyundai badge. No, we aren’t kidding.

Dodge has, for quite some time now, sold a rebadged version of the Hyundai Accent in Mexico under the Attitude moniker. (Hyundai, as an automaker, is otherwise absent from the Mexican market). And while the previous-generation Attitude was simply a rebadged version of the old Accent sedan, it appears that the 2012 model doesn’t even go that far.

We got our first glimpse at the U.S.-spec Accent at the 2011 New York Auto Show earlier this year, and while our market will benefit from the functionality of the five-door hatchback configuration, the Dodge Attitude will only be available as a sedan. A 1.4-liter gasoline engine is standard, with a 1.6-liter powerplant available as an option.

UPDATE: Looks like the Accent isn’t the only Hyundai vehicle being given the Pentastar treatment in Mexico. The Korean automaker’s Starex van (known as the iLoad and iMax – seriously – in Australia) also wears a Dodge nameplate in Mexico, though like the Attitude, the Hyundai badges have remained intact. The Dodge H100 is available in both cargo van and passenger van configurations. (Hat tip to owenrec!)

Dodge updates Attitude for Mexico with latest Hyundai Accent, forgets badges *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 May 2011 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Stranded Canadian couple latest victims of “Death by GPS”

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Technology

“Death by GPS” – Click above to watch video after the jump

Recently, we learned that sixth-generation Chevrolet Corvettes are out to get us, and now it seems that our beloved GPS has turned on us. Consumer Reports calls it “Death by GPS”, and it’s a term that refers to folks who wind up in dangerous or fatal situations because they blindly follow the directions provided by their electronic navigational aid.

A Canadian couple was recently in the news when their GPS led them astray and into a remote part of Northern Nevada. The husband set out for help while the wife remained with their vehicle for seven weeks until being discovered (still alive) by a group of hunters.

We live in an age where we rely quite heavily on the technology around us. It’s no surprise then that we put blind faith in our personal devices, yet we should take a step back to see them for what they really are. The GPS is a tool to aid with navigation, yet it’s not an infallible machine. Data (and a clear line of sight to orbiting satellites) is a major requirement for a navigation unit to function at its best. More remote areas have less data because of the infrequent amount of traffic they receive, thus a navigation unit would have less information with which to provide feedback.

If you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle, and you’re heading into unfamiliar territory, it’s a good idea to remember that your navigation system is part of a team. Your brain should also be part of that team. Click past the jump to watch a CBS News clip discussing the “Death by GPS” phenomenon.

Continue reading Stranded Canadian couple latest victims of “Death by GPS”

Stranded Canadian couple latest victims of “Death by GPS” originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 May 2011 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen gets cute with the Piñata in latest Tiguan spot

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Crossover, Volkswagen, Humor

volkswagen tiguan pinata commercial

2011 Volkswagen Tiguan commercial – Click above to watch the video after the jump

The guys and gals in Volkswagen advertising have proven to be a clever bunch, as commercials like the Darth Vader Super Bowl spot have garnered as many copycats as any spot in recent memory. The Das Auto team appears to have pulled off more cleverness with a spanking new spot for the 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan, and we can see the spoofs in our heads already.

Hit the jump to watch as a young man with some serious anger management issues takes out his angst on an SUV-shaped Piñata. The little guy hammering away is funny enough (we wonder how many times the bat ricocheted off the Piñata and onto his head), but then the candy-packing vault turns to reveal… you’ll have to hit the jump to see for yourself. Very clever, VW ad team.

Continue reading Volkswagen gets cute with the Piñata in latest Tiguan spot

Volkswagen gets cute with the Piñata in latest Tiguan spot originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 May 2011 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Latest Mini Coupe photos suggest production nearly afoot

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Mini

Mini Coupe Spy Shots

Mini Coupe Spy Shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’re inching ever closer to seeing the Mini Coupe in showrooms. The clipped Cooper is set to land on dealer lots as soon as this Autumn, and it looks like the company’s engineers are hard at work ironing out the very last wrinkles in the platform. Our spy photographer commandos managed to click off a few photos of the most recent tester out and about wearing what must be nearly production-ready sheetmetal. If we were the betting types, we’d lay a shiny nickel on the vehicle you see here being all but identical to the final iteration.

In these photos, we can clearly see that the vehicle’s retractable spoiler tucks cleanly into the trunk when not in use, though the somewhat awkward roof aero treatment is still sticking around. Up front, the Coupe wears the same corporate clothing as the Cooper line, and buyer should expect to find the same line of four-cylinder engines under the hood as well.

Gallery: Mini Coupe Spy Shots

[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: Latest Mini Coupe photos suggest production nearly afoot originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Latest look at Porsche’s upcoming 911 Turbo

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Porsche

Porsche 911 Turbo Spy Shots

Porsche 911 Turbo spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

Thanks to our crafty team of spy photographers, we now have a clear look at the next-generation Porsche 911 Turbo undergoing its development. It doesn’t exactly take a keen eye to notice those two massive air intakes situated on the flanks of the vehicle, and a set of flared rear fenders do their best to hide some serious rubber.

Around the rear of the vehicle, it’s clear that the new 911 Turbo will wear exhaust outlets that are integrated into the back valance. Interestingly enough, there’s no massive whale tail lurking around, so the engineers must have found a way to package the potent flat-six without needing the extra space.

Speaking of the engine, word has it that Porsche has managed to milk anywhere from 500 to 600 horsepower out of the six-pot, and all of that grunt will likely dump onto the pavement via an all-wheel-drive system. Porsche is slated to pull back the sheets on the base 911 at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this year. That leaves room for the Turbo to bow at the Geneva Motor Show in 2012.

Gallery: Porsche 911 Turbo Spy Shots

[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: Latest look at Porsche’s upcoming 911 Turbo originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Latest Cadillac XTS prototype caught inside and out

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Cadillac, Luxury

2013 Cadillac XTS spy shots

Cadillac XTS spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’ve seen spy photos of Cadillac’s upcoming XTS before, but only from far away. Now, our intrepid spy photographers have managed to get up-close and personal with the new Caddy flagship, giving us a sneak peak at the sedan’s interior in the process.

Based on the XTS Platinum concept shown at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, this new Cadillac sedan will replace both the STS and DTS within the automaker’s lineup. This way, the current entry-level CTS can move slightly upmarket to allow for a new, smaller ATS sedan (alphabet soup, we know) that is slated to arrive in the summer of 2012. The XTS is expected to use the same Epsilon II platform that underpins the Buick LaCrosse, and we expect both front- and all-wheel-drive variants to be available.

A quick glimpse at this prototype’s interior shows that it will be very similarly designed to the CTS, though we certainly hope that higher-quality materials will be in place. (Let’s be honest – the CTS’ interior was fine for 2008, but it’s ready for an update). Other new details spotted on this test car include a set of Brembo brakes up front (is an XTS-V in the works?) and large, 19-ish-inch wheels. See the full slate of photos in our high-res image gallery below.

Gallery: Cadillac XTS: Spy Shots

Cadillac XTS: Spy Shots

[Sources: Jeremy Kupfer/Brenda Priddy & Company]

Spy Shots: Latest Cadillac XTS prototype caught inside and out originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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