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Video: Need For Speed movie offers first sneak peek

Filed under: Videos, Toys/Games, TV/Movies

The live-action movie version of the cops-versus-cars Need For Speed video game series is set to hit the big screen next February, and Dreamworks Studios has released a video taking us behind the scenes of its upcoming flick. Director Scott Waugh shows off some of the movie’s early stages of production, which include plenty of car chases and crashes.

Aside from the wrecks of a McLaren P1 and Saleen S7, this short teaser video also showcases plenty of other supercars (real or fake) as well as the star car: a specially built Ford Mustang. Scroll down to watch the video, and let us know in the comments if this movie is on your “must-see” list.

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Need For Speed movie offers first sneak peek originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Jun 2013 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Next-gen Porsche 911 to get seven-speed manual transmission?

Filed under: Porsche, Rumormill

spy shots next generation porsche 911

Spy Shots: Next-generation Porsche 911 – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you were thinking about buying the next-generation Porsche 911, you’d better start working out your shifting arm. Car and Driver has managed to extract a bit of information about the upcoming German sports car, and it appears a seven-speed manual transmission will be offered. You will be able to row-row-row-row-row-row-row your own ~~boat~~ gears.

Why the additional cog? Porsche reportedly wanted to supply the next 911 with a taller final gear in order to improve fuel efficiency. Hopefully we’ll get to see the all-new shift pattern in the flesh when we head to Europe for the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Next-gen Porsche 911 to get seven-speed manual transmission? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: More Jeep Wrangler Pentastar rumors, five-speed auto promised

Filed under: SUV, Chrysler, Jeep, Off-Road

2011 Jeep Wrangler

2011 Jeep Wrangler – Click above for high-res image gallery

According to The Toledo Blade, citing ordering guides sourced from Chrysler dealerships, the Jeep Wrangler will finally get the automaker’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 for the 2012 model year. Since 2007, the Wrangler has been fitted with a 3.8-liter V6 engine (which replaced the venerable 4.0-liter inline six) that has met with less than stellar reviews. The new engine may have been a foregone conclusion, but it’s a welcome one nonetheless.

Equally as important is news that the Jurassic-age four-speed automatic will be replaced with a five-speed unit. That’s nice and all… but why go with a five-speeder when six (or more) is the current standard?

In any case, the report claims that the 2012 Wrangler’s powertrain will be identical to the units in the 2011 Grand Cherokee. That means we should expect 290 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Those are much-needed improvements of the old 3.8, which offered up 202 horses and 237 lb-ft. Fuel mileage will reportedly improve to 16 city, 23 highway from 15/19.

In other Jeep news, Allpar.com reports that the 2012 Grand Cherokee will get a six-speed automatic to replace the five-speed unit in the 2011 model. (Guess we know where those older gearboxes are headed, eh?) In a further bid to improve fuel economy, the Pentastar-equipped Grand Cherokee will also be getting electrically driven power steering in place of the current hydraulic unit.

More Jeep Wrangler Pentastar rumors, five-speed auto promised originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2012 BMW M5 teased again during Nardo high-speed testing

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Videos, BMW

2012 BMW M5 Video

2012 BMW M5 undergoing high-speed testing – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Seriously, BMW, enough with the 2012 M5 teasers. In addition to the buffet of spy shots that we’ve published, BMW debuted the production-looking M5 Concept in Shanghai and has released quite a few videos teasing the new M flagship sedan doing what it does best. Almost nothing has been left to the imagination at this point.

Who are we kidding? We can’t get enough of this car.

This time around, we see the lightly camouflaged M5 doing high-speed testing at Italy’s massive Nardo Ring – an important part of any M car development. As you can see by the driver’s expressions, hitting the highest numbers on the speedometer is a piece of cake for the twin-turbocharged M5.

BMWBlog.com reports that the M5 will officially debut at the automaker’s M Festival, held from June 23 to 26 to celebrate the 24 Hours of Nürburgring race. The car will make its grand auto show debut in Frankfurt this fall. Hit the jump to watch and hear the latest teaser.

Continue reading 2012 BMW M5 teased again during Nardo high-speed testing

2012 BMW M5 teased again during Nardo high-speed testing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Airplane/train hybrid could replace high-speed trains [w/video]

Filed under: Etc., Japan, Technology

Japanese flying train concept

Hovering Aero Train – Click above to watch video after the jump

A Japanese research team led by Yusuke Sugahara at Tohoku University has built a robotic prototype of a free-flying, ground-effects vehicle that floats within inches of the road. Called Aero Train, this ground-effects vehicle will be used to test an autonomous three-axis stabilization system.

Packing electric motors, the Aero Train hovers inches above the tarmac, eliminating any rolling resistance and allowing it to hit a top speed of 124 miles per hour. A U-shaped concrete channel controls air flow and provides the Aero Train’s robotic controls with a makeshift road to follow. On-board computers control pitch, roll and yaw of the prototype.

In the future – get this – the developers envision the Aero Train traveling within a tunnel capped with solar panels that send juice directly to the vehicle’s batteries. Hit the jump to catch video of the prototype Aero Train floating down the road.

Continue reading Airplane/train hybrid could replace high-speed trains [w/video]

Airplane/train hybrid could replace high-speed trains [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 May 2011 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: New Yorkers get spooky LED skeleton reminder to obey speed limits

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety

Skeleton Speed Board Drivers in New York City can expect to be met with a new reminder of the local 30-mile-per-hour speed limit this summer. According to The New York Times, the Big Apple’s transportation department will unveil a speed board that will flash a custom skeleton animation toward drivers who are over the limit. You’ve likely seen the technology employed before with slightly less morbid effects.

Municipalities routinely use mobile, radar-based speed boards to make drivers aware of just how fast they’re traveling in low-speed zones. Typically, the onboard LED screen simply flashes an offending vehicle’s speed in big red numerals. NYC is taking it one step further.

The transportation department already employs skeletons in its “That’s why its 30” advertising campaign, which underscores just how much more lethal a vehicle traveling 40 mph can be over its slower counterpart. The new speed boards are intentionally attention-grabbing, though since traffic slugs along at an average of 9.3 mph in most parts of the city, we don’t think anyone will have a hard time obeying the law.

New Yorkers get spooky LED skeleton reminder to obey speed limits originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 May 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A.J. Foyt to replace Donald Trump as Scott Speed and Ho-Pin Tung debut at 100th Indy 500

Filed under: Motorsports, Celebrities

Donald Trump in the Indy 500 pace car

It’ll be a landmark running for the Indianapolis 500 later this month, as the event celebrates its 100th anniversary as the premier open-wheel racing event in America. All of which only gave some fans more reason to be ticked off when Donald Trump was announced as this year’s pace car driver.

Annoyed by political implications detracting from the spirit of racing, many fans were up in arms when Trump was announced as the official pace car driver, evidently prompting the celebrity businessman and possible presidential candidate to change his plans. In his place, organizers at the Speedway have invited none other than A.J. Foyt to drive the Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible that will serve as the official pace car. As a four-time Indy 500 winner, Foyt is among the most decorated drivers ever to lap the Brickyard, and his nomination will surely come as more welcome news to the legions of open-wheel devotees.

In related news, two drivers better known for their formula racing activities overseas will make their Indy debuts at the 500 this year. One of them is Scott Speed, the last American to race in Formula One. Speed shifted over the NASCAR after things didn’t pan out in F1, until Red Bull dropped his sponsorship last year. Given his experience in open wheels and oval tracks, Speed may find a new home at Indy.

Also making his Indy debut will be Ho-Pin Tung, who will become the first Chinese driver to contest the Indianapolis 500. Tung is a reserve/test driver for Renault F1 this season and has contested such feeder series as GP2, A1GP and Superleague Formula. Both he and Speed will be driving for Jay Penske’s Dragon Racing team and will be eligible for the $5 million bonus available to drivers from outside the series should they overcome the insurmountable odds to claim the checkered flag and drink milk in victory lane.

A.J. Foyt to replace Donald Trump as Scott Speed and Ho-Pin Tung debut at 100th Indy 500 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 May 2011 18:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York 2011: Chrysler 300S first to get new eight-speed transmission

Filed under: Sedan, Chrysler, Luxury

2012 Chrysler 300S

2012 Chrysler 300S – Click above for high-res image gallery

Chrysler has officially announced that the company’s 2012 300S model will be the first of its products to carry a new eight-speed ZF transmission. We’ve been waiting to see the gearbox show up in a production vehicle since the smallest of the Big Three first made news about the transmission’s development last year, and it looks like the wait is finally over.

At first, the eight-speed will only be found in the new 300S with the company’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V6. Check the boxes for all-wheel drive or the more impressive 5.7-liter V8 and it’ll be all five-speed, all the time for you.

Chrysler is currently in the midst of retooling its transmission facility in Kokomo, Indiana to build the new gearbox here in the States. Until that happens, each of the new cog-swappers will be purchased directly from ZF in Germany. Hence the limited availability.

In addition to the new transmission, the 300S packs a Beats by Dr. Dre ten-speaker stereo system and unique piano-black interior accents along with the standard goodies found in the Luxury Package. That means Nappa leather, a rear-view camera, rain-sensing wipers and a power tilt and telescoping steering column are all part of the deal. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

Gallery: 2012 Chrysler 300S: New York 2011

Gallery: 2012 Chrysler 300S

[Source: Chrysler]

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New York 2011: Chrysler 300S first to get new eight-speed transmission originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: 2012 Cadillac CTS with 3.6L won’t get six-speed manual, V models safe

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Wagon, Cadillac

cadillac cts wagon

Cadillac CTS Sportwagon – Click above for high-res image gallery

The list of vehicles with an available manual transmission may become a bit smaller for 2012, as Inside Line is reporting that certain 2012 Cadillac CTS models will lose the ability to specify a third pedal. IL cites sources from within General Motors who say that models equipped with the 3.6-liter V6 will only be offered with an automatic transmission next year. The high-performance CTS-V sedan, coupe and wagon will still be offered with a manual transmission, as will CTS variants equipped with the torque-deprived 3.0-liter V6.

The General wouldn’t specify why the 3.6-liter-equipped models would lose the manual option, but we’re thinking that a low take rate at the dealership had something to do with the decision. And while we never like to see that owners lose out on the manual-equipped version of any vehicle, at least the CTS-V will retain row-your-own ability.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Cadillac CTS Sportwagon

[Source: Inside Line]

Report: 2012 Cadillac CTS with 3.6L won’t get six-speed manual, V models safe originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Opinion: Time to raise the speed limit, how does 150 MPH sound?

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Autoline on Autoblog

Ever since automobiles first appeared over 100 years ago, every automaker has tried to make them go faster. And they succeeded. Nearly every year, cars became more powerful with higher top-end speeds. But then, in the mid-1950s, we hit a plateau. The national speed limit was set at 70 miles per hour, and we’ve been stuck at that rate ever since. As a result, the automobile has made absolutely no progress as a transportation device in over half a century.

Speed itself is not a safety hazard. It’s the difference in speeds between cars that lead to accidents.

Actually, in 1974, it got worse. The national speed limit was lowered to 55 mph, ostensibly to save fuel and lives (it did neither). Such an agonizingly slow rate of travel proved too much to take for most Americans. We demanded that the limit be raised, and we got it back to 70 mph. Now it’s time to demand another raise.

I’m not talking about some sort of modest increase to, say, 85 mph. We need to put a comprehensive plan in place to gradually move the limit up, over the next couple of decades, to 150 miles an hour. And we need to do that with no sacrifice in fuel economy or safety.

Continue reading Opinion: Time to raise the speed limit, how does 150 MPH sound?…

[Image: Getty]

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Opinion: Time to raise the speed limit, how does 150 MPH sound? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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