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Video: Friends videotape man “trapped” inside C6 Corvette with dead battery

Filed under: Coupe, Etc., Videos, Chevrolet, GM, Humor

trapped inside a c6 corvette

How NOT to get out of a C6 Corvette – Click above to watch video after the jump

Are sixth-generation Chevrolet Corvette coupes attempting to take out their owners? After one man recently became “trapped” inside his ZR1, another driver, captured above, also believed he was stuck inside his ‘Vette. The real issue here, however, isn’t folks being outsmarted by their cars; it’s that vehicle owners don’t even bother learning how their cars work.

When the battery dies on a C6 Corvette, the door-release buttons stop working. General Motors isn’t in the business of creating sports cars that turn into traps, so it installs (very obviously marked) levers on the floor that, when pulled, manually open the doors. Not rocket science, guys. No need to panic. But hey, when you do freak out, and your friends are kind enough to find it hilarious and videotape it, well, we’re happy to share.

Click past the jump to watch. Just be advised: the language is not safe for work.

Continue reading Friends videotape man “trapped” inside C6 Corvette with dead battery

Friends videotape man “trapped” inside C6 Corvette with dead battery originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 May 2011 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Charge documents the first-ever Isle of Man TTGXP

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos, Motorcycle, UK, Electric

Charge documentary screen capture

Charge Isle of Man TTXGP documentary – Click above to watch video after the jump

Back in 2009, something a little different happened at the Isle of Man TT. Race fans had been gathering in the English countryside for over a century to watch the world’s fastest motorcycle racers fling themselves down public streets, but two years ago, a whole new class of bike took the course. You see, that’s when the Isle of Man TTXGP kicked off – a race just for all-electric motorcycles. Needless to say, the event saw some resistance from patrons who had grown accustomed to the scream of high-revving internal combustion engines.

Now, Mark Neale is set to unveil a documentary on that historic race. Charge follows in the footsteps of Faster – a film about the switch in bike racing from two-stroke to four-stroke machines – and promised to give us a glimpse into both the technology of the competing bikes and what the new EV machines bring to racing as a whole. The crew at Asphalt and Rubber have been so fortunate as to score a copy of the film for a world premiere in the greater San Francisco Bay area. Head over to A&R for the full details and click past the jump for a look at the Charge trailer.

Continue reading Charge documents the first-ever Isle of Man TTGXP

Charge documents the first-ever Isle of Man TTGXP originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 May 2011 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Closer to the Edge is Isle of Man insanity

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Motorcycle, UK

Closer to the Edge trailer at the Isle of Man

Closer to the Edge trailer – Click above to watch video after the jump

Regardless of where you stand on the two wheels versus four debate, chances are that you respect the Isle of Man TT. The race is a living relic of motorsport that can trace its roots all the way back to 1907, and while most other racing venues have seen their essence diluted by ever evolving technology, regulations and commercialization, the Isle of Man continues to be an event dominated by one pursuit above all else: go faster. The course is a twisting loop of public roads that snake through open country side and dense village centers, meaning that nearly any mistake translates into immediate disaster.

Guy Martin has famously podiumed at the race eight times now but has yet to take top honors. Closer to the Edge, a new documentary, has been worked up to take a look inside both Martin’s two-wheeled exploits and what makes the Isle of Man TT so special. The film is set to be released on April 22nd, but in the meantime, we highly suggest you hit the jump to check out the trailer.

[Source: Two Wheels Blog]

Continue reading Video: Closer to the Edge is Isle of Man insanity

Video: Closer to the Edge is Isle of Man insanity originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Isle of Man considering TT World Series

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Motorcycle

The Isle of Man TT Races could become an international series as soon as 2014, according to the British island’s government. The Isle of Man’s Department of Economic Development is considering expanding its most-recognized brand into a multi-national racing series.

The idea here is to expand the global profile of the island itself, and build a revenue stream for racers and the Isle of Man alike. Right now the idea is in its infancy, and it remains to be seen whether the the Isle of Man will go through with it.

Details like where additional races would be held are yet to be worked out. Expansion of the TT, which started in 1907, is certainly an exiting thought, so we’ll keep our fingers crossed.

[Source: AllAboutBikes]

Isle of Man considering TT World Series originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 Mar 2011 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Australian man brings SoCal hot-rodding to Oz

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Ford, Australia

rancho deluxe roadster

Ben Thomas and his Rancho Deluxe Roadster – Click above to watch video after the jump

Australia’s obsession with automobiles is as strong as the passion we feel for them here in the states. Bandit Films recently brought us a clip showing one man’s love for his Ford Falcon Squire. Now it’s produced a new film showing one man’s ode to the dry lakes racers from a bygone era in California’s automotive history.

Dubbed the Rancho Deluxe Roadster by its owner Ben Thomas, this 1932 Ford Model B is powered by a flathead V8 and just drips with classic hot rod cool. Thomas parks the car at his shop, Rancho Deluxe, which specializes in working on American cars from World War II through the sixties. It’s also a place for folks to hang out, have cake and coffee, then talk about cars. Click past the jump to see Ben Thomas talk about his roadster and his passion for cars.

[Source: Vimeo]

Continue reading Video: Australian man brings SoCal hot-rodding to Oz

Video: Australian man brings SoCal hot-rodding to Oz originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Australian man discusses his affair with The Squire

Filed under: Wagon, Videos, Ford, Australia

the squire

The Squire – Click above to watch video after the jump

A person’s love for his or her car is a beautiful thing. Some people realize that an automobile can be more than just a means of transportation. Kyle from Australia, the man behind this video, is one such person, and his 1963 Ford Falcon Squire is one such beautiful thing.

Filmmaker Tom Broadhurst sat down with Kyle to talk about the car and resulting work is a visual treat. Kyle knows that, unless serious financial troubles pop up in the future, the Squire is now part of the family. There’s no news here or information to digest, this post is about the basic admiration that a true enthusiast has for his machine. Click past the jump and enjoy The Squire.

[Source: Hemmings]

Continue reading Video: Australian man discusses his affair with The Squire

Video: Australian man discusses his affair with The Squire originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Mar 2011 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Creative man turns Ford Taurus Wagon into reverse snowplow

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Humor

Ford Taurus Wagon snow plow

2000 Ford Taurus Wagon snow plow – Click above to watch the video after the break

Some may call it lazy; we call it resourceful. Tired of shoveling snow and apparently unable (or unwilling) to purchase a truck-mounted plow or walk-behind snow blower, Jeff Schneider of Minnesota did the only logical thing he could: mount a blade to the back bumper of his Ford Taurus Wagon. Ingenuity – It’s the American way, no?

It seems that the little modification did the trick… mostly. In heavy, wet snow, the two-wheel drive (we’d say front-wheel drive, but it is backwards, after all) Taurus just can’t generate the kind of traction needed to push a few hundred pounds of the fluffy white stuff any real distance. But if the snow is the soft and powdery stuff, well, look out, snow plows.

See Schneider’s ingenious solution to the Minnesota winter in the video after the break.

[Source: Associated Press]

Continue reading Video: Creative man turns Ford Taurus Wagon into reverse snowplow

Video: Creative man turns Ford Taurus Wagon into reverse snowplow originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Man celebrates Lexus LFA arrival with donuts

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Videos, Lexus

Lexus LFA donuts

Javier Quirós takes his new Lexus LFA for a spin – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Lucky Lexus owners across the globe are eager to receive their new LFA supercars. Javier Quirós of Costa Rica is one such person, and decided to celebrate the delivery of his red LFA in a manner befitting such a vehicle… by doing a few donuts.

Don’t worry about Javier losing control of the 552-horsepower, 10-cylinder two-door. Quirós is a race driver with Gazoo Racing and president of Purdy Motor, the Costa Rican distributor for Toyota products. Javier has competed around the globe at tracks like Daytona and the Nürburgring.

You can’t see it in the video but we imagine Mr. Quirós’ smile is wider than the grille on the front of his new LFA. This is LFA #0014, which Quirós specially requested from Akio Toyoda because 14 is his usual racing number. Click past the jump for the clip.

[Source: YouTube via LexusEnthusiast]

Continue reading Video: Man celebrates Lexus LFA arrival with donuts

Video: Man celebrates Lexus LFA arrival with donuts originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blind man tackles the road course at Daytona on his own

Filed under: SUV, Etc., Technology, Ford

Mark Riccobono's blind lap of Daytona

Mark Riccobono’s blind lap of Daytona – Click above for high-res image gallery

Another year, another Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona champion. Something interesting happened before the prototypes took to the track, though, when a Ford Escape Hybrid took on the 1.5-mile road course. The driver, Mark Anthony Riccobono, didn’t break any speed records… but he did successfully maneuver the Escape without the help of a very crucial driving aid – vision.

Riccobono is blind, and with the help of non-visual technology, he completed the Daytona road course. Beyond simply making lefts and rights, Riccobono also had to avoid a variety of obstacles. Some were stationary while others were thrown randomly from the back of a van. Riccobono avoided them all, and then he passed the van before crossing the finish line.

The event marks the first time a blind person has driven a vehicle around a course without the aid of a sighted person. It was a major milestone for the Blind Driver Challenge, which aims to improve blind-interface technology. Check out the press release after the break.

Gallery: Mark Anthony Riccobono’s blind lap of Daytona

Mark Anthony Riccobono's blind lap of Daytona

[Source: National Federation of the Blind | Images: Terry Renna and John Raoux/AP]

Continue reading Blind man tackles the road course at Daytona on his own

Blind man tackles the road course at Daytona on his own originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Speed Read: The Man in the White Suit by Ben Collins (The Stig)

Filed under: Celebrities

The Man in the White Suit by Ben Collins

It’s been over four months since racer Ben Collins officially outed himself as the skill behind The Stig’s otherworldly driving talent. And, despite the bellyaching of fans and critics all around the globe, both Top Gear and life itself have continued to trundle on as if nothing ever happened. Sure, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have been forced to visit a Stig farm to find a new tame racing driver, and yes, they’ve even taken to gunning down cardboard cutouts of their former compatriot, but by and large, Top Gear itself is no worse off for no longer having the white suit on board.

Readers are given the best explanation as to why Collins turned his back on Top Gear.

Despite controlling our news cycle for what felt like seven eternities, Collins has rather quietly picked up a gig with rival UK car show Fifth Gear, leaving plenty of us to wonder what could possibly cause someone to give up a life of driving the world’s quickest cars in some of the most amazing scenery our planet has to offer. Fortunately, the former Stig worked up The Man in the White Suit ($26.95 on Amazon)- a quick memoir that includes everything from his stint as an army reservist to his trials on the world’s various race circuits. There’s even a good bit on the man’s time on Top Gear as the silent wheelman we all know and love.

Now that the dust has settled around the whole Stiggate fiasco, we settled in to give The Man in the White Suit a full read. Tucked between stories of training Tom Cruise to beat the life out of a reasonably priced car and vaporizing a Koenigsegg while attempting to put the supercar around Dunsfold in the quickest time possible, readers are given the best explanation as to why Collins turned his back on Top Gear for good.

Continue reading Speed Read: The Man in the White Suit by Ben Collins (The Stig)

Speed Read: The Man in the White Suit by Ben Collins (The Stig) originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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