Tag: video

Video: Watch Marc Gené hit the track in an Alfa Romeo 4C, then get the girl

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Alfa Romeo

Watch the Alfa Romeo get driven on track by Marc Gené.

Alfa Romeo has turned up the heat on its 4C ad campaign, and we can’t tell if it’s from the hot laps Formula 1 test driver and Le Mans racer Marc Gené did in the car or the hot woman waiting for him and his passenger when they pull off the track. It seems yet another trend has started, as seen in a recent video starring the KTM X-Bow.

In the commercial (the first video), Gené picks up who we are supposed to believe is a complete stranger in a lightly camouflaged 4C, then mysteriously drives to a race track. Upon arrival, they strip off the camo, then Gené takes a lap at wide-open-throttle with the passenger on board. Afterwards, the duo is greeted in the pits by a blonde sweetheart.

In the second video (which has an in-car view of one lap), Gené is happy to indulge in one, screeching powerslide, and the car reaches almost 132 miles per hour on the straightaway. Unfortunately, at the end of the straight, Gené says, “It breaks a lot. It really breaks…”

But don’t worry, there’s no crash to be seen here, and no broken-down Alfas, either – just some badly translated subtitles. (Of course! It brakes a lot…) See for yourself in the video below.

Continue reading Watch Marc Gené hit the track in an Alfa Romeo 4C, then get the girl

Watch Marc Gené hit the track in an Alfa Romeo 4C, then get the girl originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Aug 2013 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Acura releases yet another NSX track teaser vid

Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Acura

On Sunday, August 4th (yep, that’s tomorrow), a prototype version of the all-new Acura NSX will make its public track debut ahead of the Honda 200 IndyCar race. Acura has already given us a short video snippet to enjoy, but now it’s added one more to get our hearts racing just a little more.

Before you watch it, make sure your speakers or headphones are turned up, because what the low-resolution video lacks in visual quality, it more than makes up for with its audio of the NSX’s exhaust screaming as the car tackles Mid-Ohio. And at the end of the video, the caption reads “watch the NSX racing prototype take a lap.”

Acura isn’t joking either. From what we hear, the car is expected to take one lap before the race and then disappear for the weekend. Scroll down to see and hear the NSX in action.

Continue reading Acura releases yet another NSX track teaser vid

Acura releases yet another NSX track teaser vid originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Aug 2013 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: High-speed bicycle inspired by land-speed-record cars

Filed under: Etc., Videos, UK

Land-speed-record bicycle

Inspired by the backyard engineering of land-speed racers who built 600+miles-per-hour rockets on wheels, bicycle frame builder Tom Donhou built a bike intended to exceed 100 mph under pedal power alone. As the mini-documentary video below attests, Donhou was able to reach about 80 mph behind his aerodynamically optimized Ford Zephyr 6 draft car (complete with column-mounted manual shifter), but he’ll need a draft car with a higher top speed if he wants to top 100 mph.

To pedal the bicycle to such a high speed, Donhou also needs the correct gearing to get him there. The huge 104-tooth chain ring connected to a 13-tooth sprocket should suffice, as he proved with a run to 102 mph on rollers. Don’t expect to see him riding up any hills, though you may soon spot him testing the bike on public roads behind his next draft car: a friend’s more capable Ford Capri Cosworth.

We hope the Capri’s much higher top speed will allow Donhou to go even faster on his next run, but until then, watch his first experiment in speed in the nicely produced video below.

Continue reading High-speed bicycle inspired by land-speed-record cars

High-speed bicycle inspired by land-speed-record cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Aug 2013 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Discover the meaning of bike control with this crazy rotary-mounted helmet cam

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos, Motorcycle

Motorcycle Fairy View - video screencap of gymkhana run using helmet-mounted camera

This is the unnamed winner of the third round of the 2013 Dunlop Autoby Cup Motorcycle Gymkhana, and the video of their run is mind-boggling for two different reasons. First, the motorcycle control on display here is extremely impressive, with excellent precision throughout.

Secondly, the videography is great. The rider attached a counterbalanced rotary video rig to the top of his helmet, allowing a free-spinning, constantly changing point of view, that the title of the video calls “Fairy View.” We call it “Trippy View.” Either way, it looks outstanding, and is a far cry from the dime-a-dozen GoPro videos that can be found all over the internet. Now, if we could just figure out how to adapt one of these for a car. Take a look at the full video below, and just try to keep your head on straight.

Continue reading Discover the meaning of bike control with this crazy rotary-mounted helmet cam

Discover the meaning of bike control with this crazy rotary-mounted helmet cam originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Nissan had to re-edit this commercial two times to placate Aussie ad watchdog [w/poll]

Filed under: Budget, Marketing/Advertising, Safety, Videos, Hatchback, Nissan, Australia

Nissan Australia was required to re-edit its Nissan Pulsar SSS commercial three times before it satisfied the government.

Nissan recently aired a commercial in Australia for its Pulsar SSS hatchback – think of it as a five-door relative of our Sentra – in which a couple is seen hastily making their way to the hospital ahead of giving birth. But the ad you can watch now isn’t the same ad that aired originally – in fact, Nissan had to re-edit the commercial twice before the Australian Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) would accept it.

According to Go Auto, the original ad received complaints that it depicted unsafe and reckless driving, including speeding, following cars too closely and screeching to a halt upon arriving at the hospital. One of the complaints reportedly read: “The advertisement promotes driving behavior (rapid acceleration/deceleration/changes of direction) that is counter to sound medical advice regarding the carriage of heavily pregnant women in motor vehicles.”

In the first edit, Nissan lowered the vehicle’s engine noise, removed the woman’s speech urging the man to drive faster (“Go, go, go!”) and inserted a disclaimer that read “Filmed under controlled conditions,” according to Go Auto, but all of that still wasn’t enough to appease the ASB.

Nissan went back for some more editing, which resulted in the tamer commercial that’s airing in Oz today. Nissan even removed extra shots to fit in slightly slow-motion video of the Pulsar driving, to be sure viewers don’t think it’s speeding. Even so, there’s still an enjoyable hook to the ad – watch it by scrolling below.

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Continue reading Nissan had to re-edit this commercial two times to placate Aussie ad watchdog [w/poll]

Nissan had to re-edit this commercial two times to placate Aussie ad watchdog [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: This is what F1 racing will sound like in 2014

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Mercedes-Benz, Racing

Mercedes-AMG Petronas V6

Formula One is making a switch from the current naturally aspirated 2.4-liter V8 found in the back of every car, to a new, 1.6-liter turbocharged V6. Suffice it to say, things are going to change. The new engines are having such an impact on the teams of F1, that at least one manufacturer, Ferrari, is reportedly thinking of branching out to Le Mans.

For spectators, though, the concern over the new turbocharged mills isn’t so much one of power. We know the things will still be ridiculously powerful. What we’re worried about is just what these new engines will sound like, which is arguably the most defining characteristic of any era of F1. Changes in cylinder counts and the addition of forced induction can result in dramatically different exhaust notes.

We’ve now gotten our first chance to hear the new engine that will be fielded by Mercedes AMG Petronoas and Williams next year. The engine used in the video below is a development powerplant at AMG’s High Performance Powertrains facility in the UK. Set to debut for the 2014 season, it sounds, um, different? Now we know why Bernie Ecclestone mentioned augmented sound. It’s certainly a big departure from the current V8s. Take a listen as it laps a virtual Monza circuit below, and let us know what you think of the new sound in Comments.

Continue reading This is what F1 racing will sound like in 2014

This is what F1 racing will sound like in 2014 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Watch this bad parker get what’s coming to him

Filed under: Videos, Jaguar, Humor

Jaguar XK driver is taught a lesson

If you’re lucky enough to have a nice vehicle, do your fellow gearheads a favor and don’t park like a clown. Seriously. Not only will you anger everyone who is trying to find a place to park, but your nice car is a billboard reinforcing the stereotype that car people are self-important and inconsiderate.

Take this gentleman for example. He has a Jaguar XK, and understandably wants to take care of it. Rather than parking it far, far away from any other cars and getting a bit of exercise by walking to his building, he takes up two spots (albeit barely) close to the structure. From the cameraman’s narration, we can tell his coworkers are less than thrilled about his inability to stay between the lines.

Naturally, they wanted to teach him a lesson, so they parked a bigger vehicle as close to his driver’s door as possible. Mr. XK’s attempts to enter his vehicle are rather amusing, culminating in his climbing through the passenger side and scooching over to the driver’s seat. While we can debate this sort of treatment all day long, it was effective. The video includes a follow up at the end showing where the XK driver parked the next day, and as you might guess, it wasn’t in the same spot.

Take a look at the full video below, and remember, be a considerate car person.

Continue reading Watch this bad parker get what’s coming to him

Watch this bad parker get what’s coming to him originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Chris Harris pits Fiesta ST against Mercedes G63 AMG in 0-60 battle… sort of

Filed under: Performance, Videos, Ford, Mercedes-Benz

Chris Harris on Drive screencap

Vehicle performance tests are serious business, with reputations made or broken by things like braking distance, top speed, and lateral g-forces. King of the metrics, though, is the 0-60 run, which for unknown reasons has become the benchmark for what truly makes a car a performance machine.

Now, Chris Harris from Drive has turned the whole idea behind the sprint to 60 on its ear. Taking a new Ford Fiesta ST, Harris asks a simple question: would the ST be quicker to 60 on its own, or on a trailer being towed by a Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG?

It’s a fair question, really. The Fiesta Harris tested hit 60 in 7.2 seconds on a slightly uphill section of runway. It should be noted that Harris quotes his ST at 182 horsepower, which is about 15 ponies less than what we’re getting in the US, so these numbers might not hold up all that well against an American model. The G63 AMG, meanwhile, is a 536-horsepower monster, powered by a twin-turbo V8 that, able to propel the big SUV to 60 mph in just 5.2 seconds without towing a Fiesta.

So, is the Fiesta ST quicker with or without some AMG aid? Have a look below to find out.

Continue reading Chris Harris pits Fiesta ST against Mercedes G63 AMG in 0-60 battle… sort of

Chris Harris pits Fiesta ST against Mercedes G63 AMG in 0-60 battle… sort of originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Petrolicious gets super Seventies in a Ferrari Dino 208 GT4

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Ferrari, Luxury

Petrolicious highlights Bradley Price's Ferrari Dino 208 GT4

The Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 was the automaker’s first sports car with a V8 mounted amidships, and that formula quickly became the Italian automaker’s bread and butter. The 308 in the name denotes a 3.0-liter V8, but for the Italian market, where a tax was imposed on cars with engines larger than two liters, Ferrari decided to de-bore the V8 to avoid the tax. Thus the 2.0-liter Dino 208 GT4 was born, and New York resident Bradley Price likes his 1976 model just the way it is.

Price initially was attracted to the Bertone-styled wedge because it “fit into the whole aesthetic of the space age and of the boundless possibility of [the late 1960s and 1970s],” he says in the Petrolicious video, adding that the opening scene of the original The Italian Job struck a chord with him, and the feeling never left. With 170 horsepower on tap, the 208 isn’t very quick, but, in his opinion, it has a sweeter song than the bigger V8 and the driver-centric interior is one of his favorites.

Watch Price snake the original wedge through some East Coast back roads in the video below, and, just for kicks, we’ve also included the opening sequence of The Italian Job.

Continue reading Petrolicious gets super Seventies in a Ferrari Dino 208 GT4

Petrolicious gets super Seventies in a Ferrari Dino 208 GT4 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: LaFerrari design secrets explored at Ferrari museum

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Ferrari, Design/Style

For every finished vehicle design we see, there are probably hundreds of drawings and models that have long since been discarded. Housed in its own room inside the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, the LaFerrari has a unique exhibit that shows off some of the car’s design evolution, and Autocar caught up with Ferrari design director Flavio Manzoni for an even deeper look at what went into creating this hybrid supercar.

In addition to the final product, the LaFerrari exhibit also reveals some of the designs that didn’t make the cut – two of which made it to the full-size scale model phase, though. The display shows off five different designs (three from Ferrari and two from Pininfarina) that were in the running to become the final LaFerrari.

The interview with Manzoni even adds in some juicy bits of info, including news that one of the potential LaFerrari designs has been locked away and could resurface as a special, one-off model. Manzoni gets in a couple of good quotes while voicing his opposition of the current retro design language currently being used by some automakers, as well. Check it all out in the video below.

Continue reading LaFerrari design secrets explored at Ferrari museum

LaFerrari design secrets explored at Ferrari museum originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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