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Video: Tour the LAPD’s new Chevrolet Caprice PPV with Translogic

Filed under: Sedan, Government/Legal, Safety, Technology, Videos, Chevrolet, Police/Emergency

Chevrolet Caprice PPV

Chevrolet Caprice PPV – Click above to watch video after the jump

By now, you’ve probably committed every detail of the new generation of police cruisers to memory. With so many potential successors to the Ford Crown Victoria throne, it pays to know exactly which models to look out for on the road, especially if you dabble in extra-legal speeds. The guys from Translogic recently got the chance to get up close and personal with the new Chevrolet Caprice PPV courtesy of a tour by the Los Angeles Police Department. Along with getting the full scoop on what the vehicle has to offer in terms of officer and criminal comfort, we’re also introduced to some of the killer tech on board the new cruiser.

Officers are now treated to an easy-to-navigate touch screen that handles everything from HVAC controls to advanced crime-fighting tech. License-plate recognition software combines two front-mounted cameras with a criminal database to alert officers of potentially threatening drivers and an additional super-sensitive infrared camera can even detect a perpetrator’s footsteps at night. Go go gadget awesome.

Hit the jump to check out the video for yourself.

Continue reading Tour the LAPD’s new Chevrolet Caprice PPV with Translogic

Tour the LAPD’s new Chevrolet Caprice PPV with Translogic originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 May 2011 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Patina’d 2010 Chevrolet Camaro headed to Power Tour

Filed under: Aftermarket, Classics, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS

Bill Rombauts and his buddy Dave Sherer have taken the patina’d rat rod look to new heights, applying the rust-first philosophy to a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS. Before going all Father Time on the paint job, the two spent close to $100,000 giving the car as much go as it has show.

Underneath all that affected rust and thinning paint lives a worked-over Kenne Bell supercharged 485-cubic-inch V8 based on a GM Performance Parts block. Before the addition of the blown 485, the Chevrolet was pumping out in the neighborhood of 650 rear-wheel-horsepower and tripping the lights in around 11 seconds through the quarter mile. Now, Sherer and Rombauts are looking for the 10-second range, and won’t say what kind of power the car makes.

Say what you will about the decision to make a brand-new Camaro look like it’s 30 years old, but you definitely can’t argue with this thing’s gusto. With prodigious power, a $100K mod list and a paint scheme some might call ugly, it’s also guaranteed to make a stir on Power Tour 2011. To make that goal a reality, Rombauts and Sherer are looking for sponsors to get their car to and from the Tour.

Patina’d 2010 Chevrolet Camaro headed to Power Tour originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Where big cats are made: A photo tour of Jaguar’s Castle Bromwich plant

Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Jaguar, UK, Luxury

Jaguar XJ at Castle Bromwich

A photo tour of Jaguar’s Castle Bromwich factory – Click above for high-res image gallery

All Jaguars, whether steel or aluminum, are fashioned in one place: Castle Bromwich in the West Midlands of England. The factory complex originally made RAF Spitfires and Lancaster bombers for World War II service, then was turned over to car production. In the way of Britain’s carmaking conglomerates, it produced bodies for brands from Riley to Austin to Morris – when our tour guide started working there in 1966 he was in charge of making Nash Metropolitans.

Jaguar has been the sole occupant since 1977, and consolidated all of its production there in 2005, when its Browns Lane plant was shut. We had a chance to tour the site’s C-Block and F-Block recently, where the XJ is assembled and finished. Along the way we came across bodyshells so light they could easily be picked up by one man, a bajillion rivets and miles of adhesive, Ford’s gift of reams of data sheets, the shiniest XJ we’ve ever seen and, of course, signs of Elvis. Have a look at the captioned gallery of high-res photos below to see what’s behind the camouflaged red brick walls of Castle Bromwich.

Where big cats are made: A photo tour of Jaguar’s Castle Bromwich plant originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 May 2011 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LaHood details new tour bus safety measures

Filed under: Truck, Government/Legal, Safety, Work

Tour bus boarding in NY

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has announced new tour bus safety measures that could make it a lot more difficult for companies to operate their fleets in an unsafe manner. Among the sweeping changes are a requirement for tour bus companies to pass a safety audit before receiving permission to operate. The audit will include a safety exam of both the drivers and vehicles, in addition to an interview with the owners of the company. Current laws permit companies to operate for up to 18 months without a safety evaluation.

The federal agency also finalized a proposal to tighten requirements for offering a commercial driver’s license. The new license can be obtained only after obtaining a learner’s permit, and all states issuing the test will need to use a federal testing system.

While the new operating and testing procedures will help ensure the safety of the estimated 700 million passengers who utilize tour buses every year, several bus safety standards have still not been announced. The Transportation Department is hoping to add requirements that new buses have seat belts and stronger roofs and windows to prevent passengers from being ejected in a roll-over accident.

The renewed interest in tour bus safety came after a string of accidents, including a March 12 crash in New York that lead to the death of 15 passengers. The bus, which was traveling at the maximum speed of 78 miles per hour, fell off an elevated highway and hit a utility pole.

LaHood details new tour bus safety measures originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 May 2011 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saab to celebrate Chinese and Russian partnerships with global tour

Filed under: Saab, Earnings/Financials

So far in 2011, Saab has been riding a ragged roller-coaster filled with major ups and downs. Just recently, however, things have been trending more positively. Saab inked a deal with Chinese automaker Hawtai that will pump in millions of dollars, and open up major inroads to the vastly expanding auto industry in China. The Swedish automaker is understandably excited by this new deal, and has decided to embark on a global tour to highlight its new partnerships.

Besides discussing its new manufacturing teammate Hawtai, Saab will also bring Russian investor Vladimir Antonov along for the ride, once his deals have gone through. Victor Muller, Saab Chairman, wants the world to meet Saab’s newest partners. All involved parties will be hitting the road to reach out to the world-wide media, once all respective deals have been finalized and approved.

Saab to celebrate Chinese and Russian partnerships with global tour originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 May 2011 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can’t make the New York Auto Show? Take a virtual tour with a hot model

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Videos

serene hosting new york auto show after dark

Serene brings us the 2011 New York Auto Show After Dark – Click above to watch video after the jump

The public portion of the 2011 New York Auto Show is in full swing, but not everyone can (or wants) to make the trip to the Big Apple. The producers of the show have come up with a solution, which allows you to check out the action from the comfort of your favorite computin’ chair.

Your host for New York Auto Show After Dark is an attractive lass named Serene. She and her crew have put together a few videos, giving you a look at a few select vehicles and events at the 2011 NYIAS. Click past the jump to view the clips and take in a bit more of the New York Auto Show.

Of course, you can also see high-res image galleries of all the new vehicles from the show right here.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Can’t make the New York Auto Show? Take a virtual tour with a hot model

Can’t make the New York Auto Show? Take a virtual tour with a hot model originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Tour the riches of Top Marques Monaco in five minutes

Filed under: Aftermarket, Concept Cars, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, SUV, Europe, Aston Martin, Specialty, Luxury, Koenigsegg

Pagani Huayra at Top Marques Monaco

Pagani Huayra at Top Marques Monaco 2011 – Click above to view video after the jump

If you missed any of the action from last week’s Top Marques Monaco show, we’ve got you covered. This five-minute clip condenses all the glitzy highlights of this year’s show into one horsepower-drenched summary. The show was a seriously drool-worthy affair, featuring a wide range of exotics; from classy, composed offerings from the likes of Aston Martin, to the delicious Pagani Huayra to the completely silly Tirrito Ayrton R.

High-end tuning companies always make a strong showing at Top Marques Monaco, and this year was no different. Gemballa’s two new offerings, the Tornado and the Mistrale, broke cover after the company’s recent troubles. Add to that a host of offerings from ABT, Koenigsegg and Marussia, and you’ve got a great way to kill five minutes. Click past the jump for all the exotic glory. Thanks for the tip, HF!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Tour the riches of Top Marques Monaco in five minutes

Video: Tour the riches of Top Marques Monaco in five minutes originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda CEO Takanobu Ito used CB1000 motorcycle to tour quake area

Filed under: Japan, Honda, Motorcycle

Honda CEO Takanobu Ito on Honda CB1000

The March 11th earthquake and tsunami in Japan hit Honda hard, as production was down for weeks and the automaker’s research and development center was badly damaged. In fact, the quake damaged the Tochigi facility so badly that one employee died and 17 others were injured after a cafeteria wall collapsed.

Due to the fact that many roads were closed or badly damaged, getting to the facility was a challenge. But that didn’t stop Honda CEO Takanobu Ito from visiting the site in person to assess the damage. The Wall Street Journal reports that Ito hopped on his stripped-down, 1,100cc Honda CB1100 and headed to the site only two days after the incident. The 57-year-old CEO and his trusty bike were able travel where few autos could go, and he made it all the way to the Tochigi facility to witness the damage for himself.

The Tochigi facilities are very important to Honda as they are the company’s main research and development centers. The automaker was forced to relocate 1,000 of its engineers to other facilities, but the damaged buildings still house another 500 workers. Ito adds that the automaker will rebuild at the site because it “is a place where all Honda’s brains are gathered.”

The fact that Ito risked his own safety to check on the welfare of his engineers has no doubt boosted his credibility among Honda employees. And it likely doesn’t hurt that he got there on the back of a Honda sport bike. Nicely done, sir.

[Source: Wall Street Journal | Image: Kazuhiro Nogi/Getty]

Honda CEO Takanobu Ito used CB1000 motorcycle to tour quake area originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cadillac officially announces sponsorship of PGA Tour

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Cadillac

Cadillac sponsors PGA Tour

General Motors, fresh out of bankruptcy and back on the open market, has announced it will resume sponsorship of the PGA Tour. The automaker’s last sponsorship in the golfing world, which famously paired star golfer Tiger Woods and Buick, ended in 2008 amidst major cutbacks just prior to filing for Chapter 11.

This time around, GM will tap its range-topping Cadillac division for hole-in-one sponsorship duties. The arrangement will make Caddy the title sponsor of the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship and an umbrella sponsor of the World Golf Championships. Sounds pretty, ahem, par for the course. For 2011, the tournament will be played at TPC Blue Monster, Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Doral, Florida.

In addition, PGA Tour commissioner Rim Finchem, the organizers are also “[looking] forward to exploring opportunities with Cadillac to bring PGA TOUR tournament golf back to Detroit.” We expect some sort of announcement of that taking place sometime before 2012. Feel free to hit the jump for the official press release. Oh, and the Caddy/caddy puns start… now.

[Source: Cadillac]

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Cadillac officially announces sponsorship of PGA Tour originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top Gear‘s Middle East tour reportedly shot for Christmas Special

Filed under: Etc., Middle East

Top Gear in Israel – Click above for high-res image gallery

Were you wondering what the Top Gear crew were doing in Israel when they were spotted there last month? Well wonder no more.

Reports from the British Isles are now stating that the tour across the Middle East was actually shot for a Christmas Special in which Clarkson, Hammond and May retrace the steps of the Three Wise Men who, according to Christian lore, visited the Virgin Mary and the Baby Jesus in the manger in Bethlehem. Only while the trio of yore did it on camel-back, two millennia later, the team of British auto journos – who may have picked up as many followers today as the Nazarene messiah did in his – rode in across Turkey and Syria in three old roadsters.

Looks like it’s going to be a Merry Christmas after all, Charlie Brown.

Gallery: Top Gear in Israel

[Source: Telegraph]

Top Gear‘s Middle East tour reportedly shot for Christmas Special originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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