Motorsports: New NASCAR tire tech to debut in Atlanta this weekend

Filed under: Motorsports, Safety, Technology, Racing

Goodyear Eagle Multi-Zone Racing Tire for NASCARAside from the antics of the Busch brothers and Tony Stewart’s uncensored comments, some of the biggest controversies in NASCAR are directed at the tires used on the cars. Goodyear can’t do anything about Kurt, Kyle or Tony, but it is looking improve the quality of its rubber by introducing a new type of racing tires for this weekend’s event at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Developed from the same technology behind Goodyear’s Assurance TripleTred passenger tire, the new Multi-Zone Tread Technology debuting in NASCAR uses multiple rubber compounds in the hopes of optimizing performance, safety and durability. Goodyear says that Atlanta is a good test track for the new technology since it has an abrasive surface, long race length and high vehicle speeds. The new compound will only be used on the right-side tires only (click on the image for a larger view of what’s a work here).

Scroll down for the official press release about the new tires, and check out how they perform this weekend at the Nationwide Great Clips-Grit Chips 300 tomorrow and the Sprint Cup Advocare 500 on Sunday.

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New NASCAR tire tech to debut in Atlanta this weekend originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Aug 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Tire-carrying pedestrian gets a lucky bounce

Filed under: Safety, Videos

Dash cam videos out of Russia and Eastern Europe always manage to crank the pucker factor up to surprising levels, but this might be one of the closest calls we’ve seen yet. As a man was casually crossing the street with a pair of tires in hand, a Lada Niva driver hit the brakes a little too late and a little too hard causing this spectacular incident.

Lots of luck was involved here, and it is impressive how calm the pedestrian remained during and after the incident (he might even be luckier than this pedestrian who narrowly avoided being hit by a car carrier earlier in the year). The whole ordeal seemed to be over just as fast as it happened, and you can check it out in the grainy video posted below.

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Tire-carrying pedestrian gets a lucky bounce originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jul 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: NHTSA gives okay for three automakers to skirt tire-related recalls

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Acura, BMW, Mercedes-Benz

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class front three-quarter action

BMW, Honda, and Mercedes-Benz are all going to avoid small recalls, after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued petitions for “findings of inconsequential noncompliance” to the three manufacturers, according to Tire Business. Basically, the petitions allow the brands to avoid recalls for some very, very minor issues.

BMW had tire placards on 364 X6 M CUVs that stated the car could only handle four passengers, when in reality it had room for three in the back. Actual plausibility of fitting three real humans in the slope-roofed Bimmer aside, the Munich-based manufacturer argued it was inconsequential, as the placards were correct regardless of the number of passengers.

Honda’s case focused on 212 2011 and 2012 Acura TSX sedans equipped with 18-inch wheels. The TPMS systems on these cars were set for 17-inch wheels, rather than the larger hoops, but even with the lower settings, the tires maintain adequate load capacity.

Finally, Mercedes-Benz was the luckiest to get off, as it faced recalling 1,479 C-Class sedans built from March 2011 to August of the same year. While this affected the most cars, it’s far and away the least consequential for the German brand – the tire placards identify the spare tire size incorrectly. As the inflation levels were correct, there was no point in issuing a recall.

NHTSA gives okay for three automakers to skirt tire-related recalls originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Jul 2013 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Toyota Prius owners targeted by tire-slashing VA vandal

Filed under: Hybrid, Videos, Toyota

News report on Prius tire slasher in Arlington, VA - video screencap

Toyota Prius owners aren’t bad folks. With a few exceptions, they’re just normal people who appreciate the comfortable, high-mileage hybrid. Someone in Arlington, Virginia doesn’t see it that way, though, as 14 examples (and one Smart) had at least one tire slashed last Sunday night.

The serial tire-slasher didn’t swipe any items from the vehicles, but he or she has left owners with substantial bills and sour dispositions. According to a report from ABC affiliate WJLA, some citizens are considering the matter a hate crime.

Despite the targeting of Toyota hybrids and the acquisition of one fingerprint, police have been unable to make any arrests, as the slasher has targeted vehicles across the county. Take a look at the local news report from WJLA below.

Continue reading Toyota Prius owners targeted by tire-slashing VA vandal

Toyota Prius owners targeted by tire-slashing VA vandal originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota recalls 2007-11 Tundra for faulty tire pressure monitors

Filed under: Truck, Recalls, Toyota

2011 toyota tundra

2011 Toyota Tundra – Click above for high-res image gallery

It’s important to make sure your tires are adequately filled, but for some Toyota Tundra owners, that may be a problem. A recall notice has been issued for some 2007-2011 Tundras because they may be afflicted with faulty tire pressure monitoring systems. Approximately 1,629 pickups are affected by this recall, as it is limited to vehicles handled by Southeast Toyota Distributors.

The TPMS were incorrectly calibrated, which means the warning lamp will not light up despite a tire being under-inflated. Owners of potentially affected trucks are being notified, and dealers will recalibrate the systems free of charge.

Continue reading Toyota recalls 2007-11 Tundra for faulty tire pressure monitors

Toyota recalls 2007-11 Tundra for faulty tire pressure monitors originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Yes, you can change a tire on a moving car

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Middle East

moving car tire change in saudi arabia

Changing tires while moving – Click above to watch video after the jump

Can you change a tire quickly? It doesn’t matter, because your skills fail to impress this crew of suicidal Saudi stunt drivers. No need for a jackstand when you have three friends, a long stretch of road and the ability to pilot a vehicle like one of the Duke boys.

While this stunt takes a lot of skill, and cojones far outweighing the curb weight of the vehicle involved, we checked the stupidity meter and it exploded in our hands. Click past the jump to see the most thrilling tire change you may ever witness.

[Source: Youtube via Jalopnik]

Continue reading Video: Yes, you can change a tire on a moving car

Video: Yes, you can change a tire on a moving car originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Feb 2011 10:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Rubber is the story of a homicidal tire named Robert

Filed under: Etc., Humor

Rubber movie

Quentin Dupieux’s Rubber – Click above to watch video after the jump

Rubber movieWe’ll let you all in on a little secret: when we aren’t furiously rowing away out our keyboards, snapping photos of our review vehicles or splitting knuckles on the world’s worst project vehicles, we’re stuck in front of Netflix sucking up a deluge of horrible B movies. We just can’t help ourselves. Bad acting and worse editing dipped in the sugary coating of a strange premise is the perfect concoction for shutting off your brain for awhile, which is exactly why we first got excited when we heard about director Quntin Dupieux’s new film, Rubber.

The movie centers on an old tire by the name of Robert that somehow comes to life, acquires telepathic powers and sets out on a murderous rampage. If that doesn’t sound like B-movie gold, we don’t know what does. But after watching the trailer for the flick, we can’t help but think this is a legitimate film that just happens to be slumming it alongside flicks like Death Bed – The Bed that Eats.

Even setting our questionable cinematic tastes aside, we can’t help but want to see this movie when it hits theaters on April 1. Hit the jump to check the video for yourself.

[Sources: YouTube, Bloody Disgusting]

Continue reading Video: Rubber is the story of a homicidal tire named Robert

Video: Rubber is the story of a homicidal tire named Robert originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Creative carpentry – tree branch used as spare tire

Filed under: Aftermarket, Etc., Videos, Humor

tree trunk spare

A greener kind of spare tire – Click above to watch video after the jump

Man’s indomitable spirit and ingenuity are wonderful things – they allow for man to persevere in the most trying of situations. Aron Ralston hacked off his own arm and survived after a boulder trapped him in Blue John Canyon, for example. In this case, one man was tasked with a problem and a need to solve it at any cost. His trailer was missing a wheel – or maybe a wheel and an axle – and a spare was apparently nowhere in sight.

Rather than succumb to the pressure and admit defeat, he did what anyone entering survival mode would do – improvise. Finding a sturdy tree branch, he fashioned it into a support device and set off down the road. Disaster averted.

Hop the jump to see the human spirit in action (or to watch a clever idiot put his and other vehicles at risk – we’re really talking about one and the same here).

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Creative carpentry – tree branch used as spare tire

Video: Creative carpentry – tree branch used as spare tire originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: The Smoking Tire drives Stasis’ 710-hp Audi R8 Spyder

Filed under: Aftermarket, Convertible, Performance, Videos, Audi

Matt Farah The Smoking Tire Stasis Audi R8

The Smoking Tire’s Matt Farah spends some time with the 710 hp Stasis R8 – Click above to watch video after the jump

Matt Farah gets his mitts on tons of great rides, and we’re thankful that he puts them on camera for us all to enjoy. This time around, Matt was handed the keys to Stasis’ Audi R8 Spyder. The crew at Stasis set to work on the 5.2-liter roadster, adding a supercharger, suspension upgrades, larger wheels and an exhaust that breathes a little easier. The result is a 710-horsepower ragtop rocketship. The car seems to be so much fun to drive that Farah is often reduced to uncontrollable giggles. But seriously, who can blame him? We’d likely have the same reaction.

Hop the jump to watch Matt Farah have some canyon-carving fun courtesy of the Stasis Audi R8.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: The Smoking Tire drives Stasis’ 710-hp Audi R8 Spyder

Video: The Smoking Tire drives Stasis’ 710-hp Audi R8 Spyder originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Michelin uses truly disturbing puppets to talk about importance of tire pressure

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Safety, Videos

Creepy puppet Michelin tire pressure video

Michelin uses puppets to explain tire pressure – Click above to watch the video after the jump

We’re all about supporting PSAs that spread the good word about proper automobile maintenance, but this is just creepy. Michelin UK has tapped the Puppet Broadcasting Company to create a video that addresses many of the important know-hows of tire pressure, including how often you should check your rubber and the negative effects of having tires that are too low.

These are important facts that every driver should know, but when it comes to this video, we just can’t get past the puppets. They’re just… creepy. See what we mean by watching the video after the jump.

[Source: YouTube via Michelin]

Continue reading Video: Michelin uses truly disturbing puppets to talk about importance of tire pressure

Video: Michelin uses truly disturbing puppets to talk about importance of tire pressure originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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