Tag: official

Official: 2013 GTA V Bravado Banshee is life imitating video-game art

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Toys/Games, SRT

2013 GTAV Bravado Banshee

Bravado BansheeEven though our first response was something along the lines of “It should have been the Cheetah,” we will admit that building a real-life version of a Grand Theft Auto V car is a pretty meta, pretty cool promotion.

Details on the Banshee’s mechanicals are pretty scarce, but the car has obviously been crafted using a Viper as its base (a fourth- or fifth-generation car seems likely). Created by the West Coast Customs shop of reality TV fame, the body panels of the Banshee were designed and cut to form a “screen accurate” replica of the in-game car (which is pictured in the inset photo). Even the interior of the vehicle has been customized to be gamer-friendly, with reconfigured dashboard, door panels and center console, as well as the Banshee name and insignia stitched on the seats.

Best of all, video game retailer GameStop is giving away the car as part of the promotion for GTA’s September 17 release. As if the title needed more publicity, right? Get a bit more info about the car in the press release below.

Continue reading 2013 GTA V Bravado Banshee is life imitating video-game art

2013 GTA V Bravado Banshee is life imitating video-game art originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Sep 2013 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: 2013 GTA V Bravado Banshee is life imitating video-game art

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Toys/Games, SRT

2013 GTAV Bravado Banshee

Bravado BansheeEven though our first response was something along the lines of “It should have been the Cheetah,” we will admit that building a real-life version of a Grand Theft Auto V car is a pretty meta, pretty cool promotion.

Details on the Banshee’s mechanicals are pretty scarce, but the car has obviously been crafted using a Viper as its base (a fourth- or fifth-generation car seems likely). Created by the West Coast Customs shop of reality TV fame, the body panels of the Banshee were designed and cut to form a “screen accurate” replica of the in-game car (which is pictured in the inset photo). Even the interior of the vehicle has been customized to be gamer-friendly, with reconfigured dashboard, door panels and center console, as well as the Banshee name and insignia stitched on the seats.

Best of all, video game retailer GameStop is giving away the car as part of the promotion for GTA’s September 17 release. As if the title needed more publicity, right? Get a bit more info about the car in the press release below.

Continue reading 2013 GTA V Bravado Banshee is life imitating video-game art

2013 GTA V Bravado Banshee is life imitating video-game art originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Sep 2013 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading “Official: 2013 GTA V Bravado Banshee is life imitating video-game art”

Teased: BMW i8 official images leak ahead of Frankfurt [w/video]

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, BMW, Design/Style, Electric, Luxury

BMW i8 Profile Shot

The new BMW i8 plug-in electric supercar isn’t set to make its official debut until September 10, when it will glide onto the Frankfurt Motor Show stage amidst a sea of flash photography. Of course, that isn’t so true in today’s world, where debuts are always preceded (often carefully) by “leaks.”

Take this trio of images of the BMW i8 – there’s just enough of the exterior on display in the profile shot to draw attention, without showing important styling points that might be present on the front or back of the car. The same goes for the video attached below. The cabin shot is cool, but isn’t particularly earth-shattering when it comes to BMW interiors. As for the skeletal shot, we can see the 1.5-liter, turbocharged engine positioned between the rear axles, the battery pack found in what would be the transmission tunnel and the front-mounted electric motors.

We’ll have a full set of live images when the BMW i8 makes its debut in Frankfurt next week. Until then, have a look in the gallery and at the video below, and let us know what you think of BMW’s next big thing.

Continue reading BMW i8 official images leak ahead of Frankfurt [w/video]

BMW i8 official images leak ahead of Frankfurt [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Sep 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Teased: BMW i8 official images leak ahead of Frankfurt [w/video]

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, BMW, Design/Style, Electric, Luxury

BMW i8 Profile Shot

The new BMW i8 plug-in electric supercar isn’t set to make its official debut until September 10, when it will glide onto the Frankfurt Motor Show stage amidst a sea of flash photography. Of course, that isn’t so true in today’s world, where debuts are always preceded (often carefully) by “leaks.”

Take this trio of images of the BMW i8 – there’s just enough of the exterior on display in the profile shot to draw attention, without showing important styling points that might be present on the front or back of the car. The same goes for the video attached below. The cabin shot is cool, but isn’t particularly earth-shattering when it comes to BMW interiors. As for the skeletal shot, we can see the 1.5-liter, turbocharged engine positioned between the rear axles, the battery pack found in what would be the transmission tunnel and the front-mounted electric motors.

We’ll have a full set of live images when the BMW i8 makes its debut in Frankfurt next week. Until then, have a look in the gallery and at the video below, and let us know what you think of BMW’s next big thing.

Continue reading BMW i8 official images leak ahead of Frankfurt [w/video]

BMW i8 official images leak ahead of Frankfurt [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Sep 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Chrysler celebrates 30 years of minivans with special editions

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Chrysler, Dodge

2014 Dodge Grand Caravan 30th Anniversary Edition

It’s been known by many names: the Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, Chrysler Voyager, Lancia Voyager, Volkswagen Routan, Ram Cargo Van… but the bottom line is that Chrysler’s minivans have defined the segment for 30 years now. In fact, Chrysler says it has sold 13 million of them since 1983, helped along by the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan that accounted for nearly half of all minivans sold in the United States just last year. So to celebrate this three-decade milestone, the Auburn Hills auto has announced a pair of new special editions.

2014 Chrysler Town & Country 30th Anniversary EditionThe 2014 Chrysler Town & Country 30th Anniversary Edition starts the Touring-L trim and includes such special touches as 17-inch wheels, unique badging, available Granite Crystal Pearl paint and an interior decked out in black Alcantara and Nappa leather, piano black trim and all the optional bells and whistles bundled in.

The 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan 30th Anniversary Edition, meanwhile, starts off with either the SE or SXT trims and also upgrades with 17-inch alloys as well as color-keyed mirrors and an interior with silver stitching, piano black trim, power everything, and of course, those special badges.

Both versions are powered by the same 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with 283 horsepower and a six-speed automatic transmission. Scope out the press release below and our full image galleries for a closer look at what sets these celebratory specials apart.

Continue reading Chrysler celebrates 30 years of minivans with special editions

Chrysler celebrates 30 years of minivans with special editions originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Sep 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Chrysler celebrates 30 years of minivans with special editions

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Chrysler, Dodge

2014 Dodge Grand Caravan 30th Anniversary Edition

It’s been known by many names: the Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, Chrysler Voyager, Lancia Voyager, Volkswagen Routan, Ram Cargo Van… but the bottom line is that Chrysler’s minivans have defined the segment for 30 years now. In fact, Chrysler says it has sold 13 million of them since 1983, helped along by the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan that accounted for nearly half of all minivans sold in the United States just last year. So to celebrate this three-decade milestone, the Auburn Hills auto has announced a pair of new special editions.

2014 Chrysler Town & Country 30th Anniversary EditionThe 2014 Chrysler Town & Country 30th Anniversary Edition starts the Touring-L trim and includes such special touches as 17-inch wheels, unique badging, available Granite Crystal Pearl paint and an interior decked out in black Alcantara and Nappa leather, piano black trim and all the optional bells and whistles bundled in.

The 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan 30th Anniversary Edition, meanwhile, starts off with either the SE or SXT trims and also upgrades with 17-inch alloys as well as color-keyed mirrors and an interior with silver stitching, piano black trim, power everything, and of course, those special badges.

Both versions are powered by the same 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with 283 horsepower and a six-speed automatic transmission. Scope out the press release below and our full image galleries for a closer look at what sets these celebratory specials apart.

Continue reading Chrysler celebrates 30 years of minivans with special editions

Chrysler celebrates 30 years of minivans with special editions originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Sep 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Nokia wants in on in-dash navigation with Here Auto

Filed under: Technology, Infotainment

Nokia is working on a cloud-based in-car navigation system with smartphone connectivity called Here Auto.

Last November, Nokia introduced a cloud-based mapping service called Here for smartphones. Now the company wants to integrate Here Auto into your car’s navigation system, and it has some features that could make it a legitimate alternative to other navigation options.

According to Nokia’s blog, the service consists of a navigation program that can be embedded into a car’s navigation system, the smartphone companion app and a cloud service. Here Auto is best used with the smartphone companion app – Nokia designed it with smartphone connectivity in mind. The service features a trip planner accessed via the companion app or the website; voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation in 95 countries; traffic rerouting; fuel price listings; street-level images; parking availability and indoor maps when approaching a destination.

Perhaps the slickest feature of the system is that it can give users voice-guided directions whether there’s mobile coverage or not, but the system needs it to give real-time map updates such as traffic and weather.

Nokia is teaming with Continental, a parts supplier that works with Google and IBM, to shop around for automakers that want to integrate it into their vehicles’ navigation systems. Nokia says Here Auto already is integrated into Continental’s next-generation Open Infotainment Platform. For right now, however, the companion app is only offered on Android and Windows Phone.

Nokia wants in on in-dash navigation with Here Auto originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Sep 2013 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Nokia wants in on in-dash navigation with Here Auto

Filed under: Technology, Infotainment

Nokia is working on a cloud-based in-car navigation system with smartphone connectivity called Here Auto.

Last November, Nokia introduced a cloud-based mapping service called Here for smartphones. Now the company wants to integrate Here Auto into your car’s navigation system, and it has some features that could make it a legitimate alternative to other navigation options.

According to Nokia’s blog, the service consists of a navigation program that can be embedded into a car’s navigation system, the smartphone companion app and a cloud service. Here Auto is best used with the smartphone companion app – Nokia designed it with smartphone connectivity in mind. The service features a trip planner accessed via the companion app or the website; voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation in 95 countries; traffic rerouting; fuel price listings; street-level images; parking availability and indoor maps when approaching a destination.

Perhaps the slickest feature of the system is that it can give users voice-guided directions whether there’s mobile coverage or not, but the system needs it to give real-time map updates such as traffic and weather.

Nokia is teaming with Continental, a parts supplier that works with Google and IBM, to shop around for automakers that want to integrate it into their vehicles’ navigation systems. Nokia says Here Auto already is integrated into Continental’s next-generation Open Infotainment Platform. For right now, however, the companion app is only offered on Android and Windows Phone.

Nokia wants in on in-dash navigation with Here Auto originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Sep 2013 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Nissan’s Le Mans-bound ZEOD RC electric racecar nearing completion [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Hybrid, Technology, Nissan, UK, Electric, Racing

Nissan ZEOD RC Electric Race Car Assembly

Nissan is working away on its ZEOD RC (Zero Emission On Demand Racing Car) which is still on pace for a Le Mans arrival in 2014. As of right now, the DeltaWing-shaped car’s carbon-fiber tub and chassis have been completed. The next step will be installing the twin electric motors and fitting the seat of driver and GT Academy winner Lucas Ordóñez. If the current schedule sticks, the zero-emissions racer will hit a UK track for test laps in September.

But while those initial shakedown laps will be under full electric power, it’s unclear whether the setup fielded in the UK will survive until Le Mans. Nissan itself says that it will be testing a number of “electrified” drivetrains ahead of the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is a significant departure from race car design – usually, the teams know what’s powering their car before they start building it.

“Just developing a single powertrain option in only 12 months would be a mammoth task but we’re looking to carefully examine a number of options to ascertain which will be best suited for Le Mans,” said Darren Cox, Nissan’s global motorsport director. Take a look below for a video and press release from Nissan documenting the ZEOD RC’s build process.

Continue reading Nissan’s Le Mans-bound ZEOD RC electric racecar nearing completion [w/video]

Nissan’s Le Mans-bound ZEOD RC electric racecar nearing completion [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 Sep 2013 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Nissan’s Le Mans-bound ZEOD RC electric racecar nearing completion [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Hybrid, Technology, Nissan, UK, Electric, Racing

Nissan ZEOD RC Electric Race Car Assembly

Nissan is working away on its ZEOD RC (Zero Emission On Demand Racing Car) which is still on pace for a Le Mans arrival in 2014. As of right now, the DeltaWing-shaped car’s carbon-fiber tub and chassis have been completed. The next step will be installing the twin electric motors and fitting the seat of driver and GT Academy winner Lucas Ordóñez. If the current schedule sticks, the zero-emissions racer will hit a UK track for test laps in September.

But while those initial shakedown laps will be under full electric power, it’s unclear whether the setup fielded in the UK will survive until Le Mans. Nissan itself says that it will be testing a number of “electrified” drivetrains ahead of the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is a significant departure from race car design – usually, the teams know what’s powering their car before they start building it.

“Just developing a single powertrain option in only 12 months would be a mammoth task but we’re looking to carefully examine a number of options to ascertain which will be best suited for Le Mans,” said Darren Cox, Nissan’s global motorsport director. Take a look below for a video and press release from Nissan documenting the ZEOD RC’s build process.

Continue reading Nissan’s Le Mans-bound ZEOD RC electric racecar nearing completion [w/video]

Nissan’s Le Mans-bound ZEOD RC electric racecar nearing completion [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 Sep 2013 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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