Tag: video

Video: Watch how hackers can take control of your car

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Technology, Videos

Forbes video shows how it is possible to hack into someone else's car and take control - video screencap

When meeting a duo of computer hackers for the very first time, we imagine hearing the words “We want to convince you that we can hurt you – without hurting you,” is bound to release the hounds of anxiety upon your mental makeup. At least, it would ours. And it’s those words, uttered by Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek to Forbes staff reporter Andy Greenberg, that introduce us to the reality that modern-day cars can indeed be hacked.

The next frightening step down the rabbit hole, which is outlined in the video below, involves entering into a Toyota Prius that looks like a science project gone wrong – missing dash, wires hanging down and a laptop computer hiding in the back seat. It’s kind of like being a human marionette puppet with the strings held high above by Dr. Frankenstein’s tech-geeky grandson. In other words, “Are you guys both buckled up?” is no longer a friendly safety-minded reminder, it’s a scared-for-my-life requirement.

See how these two hackers earned a bunch of money from the US government trying to hack into a couple of cars in the video below. And keep your tinfoil hats close by.

Continue reading Watch how hackers can take control of your car

Watch how hackers can take control of your car originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Father’s ultra-rare Ferrari to leave family for a good cause

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

1967 275 GTB/4*S N.A.R.T. Spyder - video screencap - front three-quarter view, top down

It isn’t every day that the rarest of Ferrari models change hands. In fact, you can count your fingers to get the number of 275 GTB/4*S N.A.R.T. Spyders that ever existed. The 1967 Ferrari you see here is one of those ten Spyders, and it has stayed in the same family since it was bought new.

The car was bought through Luigi Chinetti, Ferrari’s US importer at the time, by the late Eddie Smith Sr., a Ferrari collector and businessman from North Carolina. Smith kept it – and kept driving it – until the day he died six years ago. Since then, this remarkable machine has been collecting dust. Smith’s son, Eddie Smith Jr., spent some time with Petrolicious to give a history of the car and explain why he and his family are going to do the one thing his father never could: sell it. The catch? All of the money it earns on the auction block will be donated to charity.

“It’ll be a bittersweet thing, because we know the fact that all the money is going to charities that he would approve of,” Smith Jr. said about his father, and it “will really make him smile, because he loved to give back.”

Look for the car at this year’s RM Auction in Monterey next month, where it should net millions of dollars before it gets a new owner. In the meantime, be sure to watch the video below. (And if it doesn’t yank at your heartstrings, please check your pulse or watch more Petrolicious videos.)

Continue reading Father’s ultra-rare Ferrari to leave family for a good cause

Father’s ultra-rare Ferrari to leave family for a good cause originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 14:58:00 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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Video: Is TrueCar’s new female car shopper ad sexist? [w/poll]

Filed under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising, Videos

Controversial Truecar commercial with female car shopper - screencap

TrueCar is getting bashed in both traditional and social media venues over a 30-second ad that’s gone viral due to what some perceive as sexist overtones. The ad features a number of women talking about using TrueCar for their latest vehicular purchase, and how the website takes the “anxiety” out of buying a car. It ends with the line, “I don’t need to bring a dude with me.”

The backlash, particularly on TrueCar’s Facebook page has been pretty severe, with angry women firing away at the service over the spot. In response to the bad press it’s been getting on sites like BuzzFeed and AdWeek, TrueCar’s PR agency, PGCCampbell, and the company’s founder and CEO, Scott Painter, issued the following statement:

“Regardless of race or gender, being a more informed car buyer benefits consumers. TrueCar supplies a hassle-free experience for both men and women by providing car-buying information the public can’t get elsewhere.

This particular ad is pro-consumer and pro-women. It was developed by our creative director, who is a woman, and it addresses a real consumer issue in the marketplace.”

Judge for yourself by screening the video below. Then vote in our poll and leave your thoughts in Comments. Has TrueCar been watching a bit too much Mad Men, or are people overreacting?

View Poll

Continue reading Is TrueCar’s new female car shopper ad sexist? [w/poll]

Is TrueCar’s new female car shopper ad sexist? [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Jul 2013 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Watch Sabine Schmitz race Ron Simons at Spa in a BAC Mono throwdown

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Videos

Last month, RSR Nürburgring put the Queen of the Nürburgring, Sabine Schmitz, up against Ron Simons, an instructor at the Ring (which we suppose makes him one of Sabine’s subjects). In that video, the two tangled on the Ring, with the German in her personal Porsche 911 GT3 RS and the Belgian in the excellent Ferrari 458 Italia. The Queen was victorious.

The next challenge saw Schmitz and Simons on the Belgian’s home turf, at Spa-Francorchamps. The cars, this time around, would be equal – two BAC Monos – meaning Schmitz didn’t have the luxury of using her personal vehicle. Factor in that the track was, rather appropriately for Spa, soaked, and that Simons claimed he’d never lost a race at Spa in the wet, and you’d be forgiven for think Sabine’s goose was cooked.

Take a look at video below. You might be surprised by the result.

Continue reading Watch Sabine Schmitz race Ron Simons at Spa in a BAC Mono throwdown

Watch Sabine Schmitz race Ron Simons at Spa in a BAC Mono throwdown originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Jul 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Hear the C7 Corvette’s three-mode exhaust

Filed under: Performance, Videos, Chevrolet

Chevrolet’s new, seventh-generation Corvette Stingray is quite easily one of the most highly anticipated vehicles of the year. And as details of the new car trickle out ahead of our first drive of it (coming soon!), we’re getting more and more excited.

Perhaps the question most on our mind as this new Chevy marches towards production is, what will it sound like? That’s not a simple question, though, as the Stingray will sound different depending on whether or not you spec the optional performance exhaust, which can radically change the car’s acoustic character.

Here, we have video of three different modes for the four-piped exhaust. Unfortunately, though, the car is just idling, which isn’t ideal. It’s interesting to hear that there are three distinct settings, which contrasts with the information that this was a dual-mode exhaust. Of course, it’s possible that one of the modes is what the car sounds like with a few cylinders shut down. All Corvettes feature cylinder deactivation for their 6.2-liter V8s, with a unique exhaust mode to limit four-pot clatter. It just seems odd that it could readily be engaged at idle.

We’re going to hold off judgment until we’re behind the wheel, but right now, the performance exhaust seems like a worthwhile way to spend $1,195. Take a listen in the video below, and let us know what you think.

Continue reading Hear the C7 Corvette’s three-mode exhaust

Hear the C7 Corvette’s three-mode exhaust originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Jul 2013 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Low-rider Lamborghinis, motorcycle gangs and Yakuza make Underground Hero a must watch

Filed under: Japan, Videos, Lamborghini

Lamborghini video with Japan's Yakuza - video screencap

Japan’s Yakuza are some of the most dangerous and feared criminals on the planet, known for a disturbing level of commitment and honor. Just do some research on yubitsume to see what we mean.

Underground Hero: Love To Hate Me is a video from Luke Huxham, that takes a look inside Yakuza car culture, showing that these dangerous criminals aren’t all that different from normal enthusiasts when it comes to their cars. Focusing on Shinichi Moroboshi, owner of a modified Lamborghini Diablo and someone we wouldn’t be interested in angering, it focuses both on his life in the Yakuza and just what drew him towards the Diablo.

There’s also an interesting look at Japan’s modding culture, where neon chassis lighting is still alive and well. The effect it has on these cars, mostly from Lamborghini, is actually pretty dramatic, almost classy. The video also focuses on Bosozoku, in this case, Japanese motorcycle gangs. These aren’t your Harley-Davidson riding Hell’s Angels, rather, these riders lean toward tricked out Hondas and Suzukis (heavily modified cars are also a staple of Bosozoku culture).

Moroboshi-san’s story is a lot like ours, falling in love with a car during a chance encounter. At 17, the young Bosozoku was passed on the street by a Countach. The car and the sound it made left an impression on him that blossomed into a strong desire to own one of Italy’s finest products.

Take a look at the video below, and then head over to Jalopnik for an interesting commentary from the film’s director about just what it was like to work with the Yakuza.

Continue reading Low-rider Lamborghinis, motorcycle gangs and Yakuza make Underground Hero a must watch

Low-rider Lamborghinis, motorcycle gangs and Yakuza make Underground Hero a must watch originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Jul 2013 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Next-gen Mercedes C-Class caught in motion

Filed under: Spy Photos, Videos, Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Spy Video

The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class has already been spied on this site, but we’ve yet to have a look at the new compact sedan in motion. Thanks to an intrepid YouTuber, though, we have five videos of the new C on the road.

The car(s) in question have a bit more cladding than in our previous spy shots, but several of the new MB familial traits are evident, particularly the S-Class inspired taillights.

Notably, the third video is the first time we’ve heard the C-Class at speed. It’s difficult to tell from the brief snippet of exhaust, but we certainly hear some V6 notes in there, meaning this could be the new C300/C350. We’ve posted all five videos below, so be sure to check them out and let us know what you think.

Continue reading Next-gen Mercedes C-Class caught in motion

Next-gen Mercedes C-Class caught in motion originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Jul 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Campagna T-Rex roars into Jay Leno’s Garage

Filed under: Performance, Videos, Motorcycle, Celebrities, Specialty

The three-wheeled Campagna T-Rex has been in production since 1995, featuring a variety of motorcycle engines to power it along the way, but Canada-based Campagna has never been able to sell it in the US as a street-legal vehicle. All that changed with the company’s new owners. The T-Rex recently was certified here to be sold and registered for the street as a motorcycle, and we were able to test the latest model, the BMW-powered T-Rex 16S, around Southern California in May. We found it to be particularly entertaining on a twisty road, if not a replacement for a daily driver, and now Jay Leno’s Garage has captured the fun on video.

Previous Campagnas have used motorcycle engines from Kawasaki, such as in the T-Rex 14R, and Harley-Davidson, in the V13R, but the newest model uses a BMW Motorrad-supplied 1600cc six-cylinder engine and six-speed sequential transmission (modified by Campagna to house a reverse gear) from its K1600 motorcycle, which, with 160 horsepower and 129 pound-feet of torque, pairs nicely with the three-wheeler’s 1,150-pound weight. Believe it or not, Campagna’s vice president of sales, Michel Paukette, says the 16S is wider than a Corvette ZR1 by two inches and, thanks to the wide front stance and low weight, is able to pull 1.1 g around a skidpad on performance-oriented street tires. 0-60 miles per hour comes in about four seconds, making it quick by any standard. If that, and the $62,000 price tag, is too much of a handful, then customers can still order the less-expensive 14R or V13R.

But Leno’s favorite T-Rex engine is the BMW mill in the 16S, which is a step up from the V13R and 14R both in performance and refinement. Amenities that are found in the K1600, such as satellite radio, Bluetooth and USB ports, can be found in the 16S, though Leno makes a good point that the stereo system might be useless with the engine sitting directly behind the cockpit. Watch the video below for more information on the 16S and, more importantly, to see Leno wring out that beautiful-sounding engine.

Continue reading Campagna T-Rex roars into Jay Leno’s Garage

Campagna T-Rex roars into Jay Leno’s Garage originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Lexus IS commercial made with Instagram photos

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Lexus, Luxury

Facebook was so 2010, so it’s no surprise that automakers are taking advantage of newer social media applications for their marketing purposes. Most recently, Lexus invited more than 200 followers on Instagram (“Instagrammers”), along with their smartphones, to make a commercial of the 2014 Lexus IS using hundreds of their photos of the car strung together into a video.

Instagram, taking advantage of smartphone cameras, is an application that allows users to shoot, edit and share photos or video online with friends and strangers alike. Lexus’s stop-motion Insta-commercial is unique as far as commercials go, with each photo in the sequence sporting a personal touch thanks to the app’s photo editor. But, even more impressive is the ability of social media to bring people together for, and involve them in, a commercial shoot. All of which you can watch below. Stay tuned after the commercial to get a look behind the scenes at the making of it all.

Continue reading Lexus IS commercial made with Instagram photos

Lexus IS commercial made with Instagram photos originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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