Tag: video

Video: Honda engines and giant killing in the classic Mini Cooper

Filed under: Performance, Videos, Hatchback, Mini

Original Mini Cooper in green with white roof - video screencap

Electric Federal has taken a fresh look back at the enduring legacy of original Mini with a video interview with Heritage Garage’s Graham Reid, one of the foremost experts on classic Minis. As Electric Federal points out, it’s important to remember that the Mini did not start out as a performance car. It was built in response to the Suez Canal crisis of the mid-50s, which had a similar effect on British gas prices as OPEC did on American prices in the 1970s – rationing and rapid price jumps.

Through the years, Minis have grown from their budget roots to become seriously competent performance machines. As Reid says, a 150-horsepower Mini on the right track should have no problem outpacing a contemporary Porsche 911.

For some time now, classic Mini owners have been dropping Honda engines under the tiny hoods of their classics. With up to 250 horsepower pulling a car that tips the scales at barely 1,200 pounds, the upgraded Mini is “a real sleeper,” Reid says. Interestingly, Reid doesn’t mention another increasingly common swap in the Mini community – Suzuki Hayabusa-powered Coopers.

Modern Mini owners, you haven’t been entirely left out – we’re glad to see that Reid isn’t a Mini enthusiast that discounts the newer models launched under BMW. In the video, a Chili Red R53 Cooper S sits right alongside a classic model in a similar color. Check out all the fun in the video below.

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Honda engines and giant killing in the classic Mini Cooper originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: New Ford Police Interceptor tech protects cops’ backsides

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

Ford Police Interceptors are to gain a surveillance mode, which uses park-assist technology to protect police officers.

It was only a matter of time before law enforcement agencies would realize the potential of driver-assist technology for use in their Ford Police Interceptors, and, now that they have, those back-up cameras and radar systems won’t be used just for parking, but for security, as well.

The surveillance mode system works when the camera or radar detects movement from behind the vehicle, and if it does when it’s activated, an alarm will alert the officer inside the car, the driver’s side window will roll up and the doors will lock, protecting the officer from an unwanted intrusion. The officer, of course, has the option to turn surveillance mode off, mainly in urban areas where pedestrians would constantly set the alarm off, and it can only be activated when the police car is in park.

Randy Freiburger, Ford’s police and ambulance fleet supervisor, came up with the patent-pending idea when researching the needs of police officers and riding along with them, during which time he realized officers would be safer with an extra set of eyes watching the area behind their cars, especially at night or when they’re completing paperwork, using the in-car computer or handling a radar gun. “Unfortunately, there are people with bad intentions who sneak up on police officers,” he says.

Ford and Intermotive Inc. are developing the surveillance mode system together, and it can be installed at Crown, the facility near Ford’s plant in Chicago where police car accessories are installed, or it can be upfitted locally by working directly with Intermotive. We’re glad police officers have an extra layer of protection courtesy of everyday automobile technologies – it’s a rough world out there! Scroll down to glean more details in the press release.

Continue reading New Ford Police Interceptor tech protects cops’ backsides

New Ford Police Interceptor tech protects cops’ backsides originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: F1 driver underestimates talent needed for wet-weather burnout

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Ferrari, Humor, Russia, Racing

Whoops. That’s a word nobody wants to hear in racing, and that’s especially true in Formula 1, where the cars cost untold millions to design, develop, build and operate. In other words, just about any ‘whoops’ is an expensive ‘whoops.’

Kamui Kobayashi, who made his F1 debut in 2009 driving for Toyota, has always been known as a bit of a wild card in the sport. He is notoriously difficult to pass, driving as he does with seemingly reckless abandon, and he’s not afraid to get tangled up with the world’s best drivers in the world’s fastest race cars.

That brash attitude sometimes serves him well. Other times… well, not so much. See what happens with Kobayashi tries to show off in a Ferrari F1 car for fans on a wet track in Moscow in the twin videos below.

Continue reading F1 driver underestimates talent needed for wet-weather burnout

F1 driver underestimates talent needed for wet-weather burnout originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Jul 2013 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Malcolm Bricklin documentary The Entrepreneur gets official trailer

Filed under: Videos, TV/Movies

Subaru 360s, Fiat X1/9s, and even an electric bicycle – Malcolm Bricklin has been involved in the sale of each of them. You can even thank him for the loathed Yugo, which he brought to the US.

Bricklin’s most recent adventure of note was bringing Cherys to the US market. That deal, which should have seen Chinese cars on US shores by 2007 fell through. Bricklin sued, claiming he lost money on start-up costs and for expected profits.

Now, there’s a documentary, five years in the making, on the Chery business. Directed and filmed by Bricklin’s son, Jonathan, The Entrepreneur follows the jet-setting executive to various meetings as he tries to secure funding and manufacturing contracts along with the internal discussions about the business itself.

The Entrepreneur is available on on-demand cable, iTunes, Hulu, and SnagFilms. Check out the trailer below.

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Malcolm Bricklin documentary The Entrepreneur gets official trailer originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Jul 2013 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Snake and Mongoose is this summer’s other motorsports movie

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, TV/Movies

Dragster on a run in Snake & Mongoose.

Rush is the Formula One epic that everyone in the auto industry is talking about, thanks to its A-list director and star actor (Ron Howard and Chris Hemsowrth, respectively). But just because Rush has Opie Taylor and Thor involved, doesn’t mean it’ll be the only racing movie of the year.

There’s another flick, and we’ve covered it before. It’s called Snake & Mongoose, and it’s about as far removed from F1 as possible. It’s theatrical trailer has just hit the internet, and we thought you’d like a look.

Starring Jesse Williams and Richard Blake, Snake & Mongoose tells the story of a pair of southern California drag racers that revolutionized the sport, both in terms of their rivalry and the way they marketed themselves. See that Hot Wheels dragster sitting on your desk? You can thank these two guys for it.

The production value doesn’t look quite as impressive as Rush, but the story looks every bit as gripping. Snake & Mongoose hits theaters on September 6. Click below for the full trailer.

Continue reading Snake and Mongoose is this summer’s other motorsports movie

Snake and Mongoose is this summer’s other motorsports movie originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Jul 2013 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Watch this mobility scooter drag race a Nissan Skyline with surprising results

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Nissan, Humor

Mobility scooter races Nissan Skyline - video screencap

Okay, so we may not be talking about a classic, all-conquering Nissan Skyline GT-R here. But the sub-Godzilla-trim Nissan Skyline GTS-T is still a car, after all. And, as a car, if someone asked you to lay a bet on it versus a mobility scooter (Hoveround, Rascal, you know the type) in a drag race, you’d probably take that action.

Unless, of course, that drag race were happening on YouTube, in which case you’d put your money away and open up your laptop. On the Internet it’s best to never bet against the wild underdog.

We don’t mean to spoil the following video for you, but come on. When you saw Skyline vs. Scooter in that headline, you had a pretty good idea of what was to come, didn’t you. Needless to say, mobility scooters fitted with Suzuki GSX-600F engines are pretty quick. Strap in and scroll down.

Continue reading Watch this mobility scooter drag race a Nissan Skyline with surprising results

Watch this mobility scooter drag race a Nissan Skyline with surprising results originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Jul 2013 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: BMW M135i vs. Mercedes A45 AMG in Euro small-lux throwdown

Filed under: Performance, Videos, Hatchback, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, UK

BMW and Mercedes-Benz – please, please, please bring the M135i and A45 AMG hatchbacks to North America. For as long as we can remember, buyers in the New World have been forced to look longingly at Europe and Great Britain and the excellent super hatches that are so routinely offered there. And while we’re quite content with the Ford Focus ST and Volkswagen GTI, having a 360-horse five-door with a premium, content-rich interior sounds quite nice.

Our envy for Europe has grown after watching the latest video from Drive, which stars Chris Harris, the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG and the BMW M135i. This latest battle between MB and BMW takes place on both road and track, with Harris providing a running commentary. If you’re interested in the upcoming Mercedes CLA45 AMG, you should pay special attention to the section on the A45, as the two are essentially fraternal twins. While the video is a bit on the long side, it provides a comprehensive rundown of both cars, giving those of us in North America just a small taste of what we’re missing. Check it out by scrolling below.

Continue reading BMW M135i vs. Mercedes A45 AMG in Euro small-lux throwdown

BMW M135i vs. Mercedes A45 AMG in Euro small-lux throwdown originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Jul 2013 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Seinfeld and Chris Rock laugh it up in a Lamborghini Miura

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Lamborghini, Celebrities, Humor

Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock get pulled over by police officer in Lamborghini Miura - video screencap

Jerry Seinfeld has featured many beautiful cars and hilarious comedians in his Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee web series, but this latest episode might top them all. (To his credit, it feels like we’ve been saying that a lot lately). In this video, Seinfeld snags the keys to a 1969 Lamborghini Miura and picks up funnyman Chris Rock.

Not surprisingly, Seinfeld says the Miura is “the most beautiful car ever designed,” and he shows how fast it can be, too. After stopping for lunch and a conversation with Rock, Seinfeld gets an unexpected chat with one of New Jersey’s Finest. There are plenty of laughs, but the Lamborghini and its long eyelashes steal the light in this episode. Check it out below.

Continue reading Seinfeld and Chris Rock laugh it up in a Lamborghini Miura

Seinfeld and Chris Rock laugh it up in a Lamborghini Miura originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Jul 2013 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: See why one man’s passion for Porsche’s 911 is a German thing

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

Restorer John Willhoit's Porsche 911 gets the Petrolicious video treatment - screencap

You’ll often hear Porsche 911 owners say the same thing about how they ended up buying one: They could never forget the feeling they experienced during their first ride. Top-flight Porsche restorer John Willhoit will comment on how the rear-engine layout gives the 911 its unique handling and plenty of room in the interior, but he’ll also tell you that, after his first ride in one, he was hooked.

Willhoit’s 1971 Pastel Blue 911T wasn’t his first Porsche; it was a one-owner basketcase parked outside his sister’s neighbor’s garage when he found it 20 years ago. Rain water had been draining onto and into it for years, so it was clear to him when he saw it in person that it would be a labor of love to bring it back to life. Of all the things we would expect in a restoration done to this level, it would be a paint job, but, amazingly, the paint is original! Everything else, however, isn’t.

Scroll below to watch this new video from Petrolicious, where you’ll find out what Willhoit did to restore his personal 911 hotrod and stuff 300 horsepower into it. Just don’t think he’ll do the same for your Porsche – unless you don’t mind waiting a year to get your car into his shop and have a cool $300,000 to spend on the restoration. Enjoy!

Continue reading See why one man’s passion for Porsche’s 911 is a German thing

See why one man’s passion for Porsche’s 911 is a German thing originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Jul 2013 19:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Chevy ad compares Spark EV with Ferrari 458 Italia

Filed under: Budget, Technology, Videos, Hatchback, Chevrolet, Specialty, Electric

2014 Chevy Spark EV - front three-quarter view

Chevrolet’s new commercial for the 2014 Spark EV emphasizes the little hatchback’s performance over pretty much everything else, and it even goes as far as to compare it to a Ferrari 458 Italia. That’s right, the electric bubble is pitched in the commercial as having a higher torque figure than the Ferrari – and it does, with a massive 400 pound-feet ready to be unleashed.

That doesn’t translate into a quicker car, however, as the 458’s V8 with 570 horsepower and not-exactly-quaint 398 lb-ft gives it a 0-60 time of 3.0 seconds compared to the Spark EV’s 7.6-second run.

“We think the fun-to-drive element is an area for us to differentiate ourselves,” Sam Basile, executive chief engineer for GM’s global minicars and emerging-market vehicles, told Automotive News.

EV makers who aren’t Tesla might want to take note of the Chevrolet ad, because, as the novelty of clean electric propulsion wears off, the Spark EV has planted something else in our minds: quick electric propulsion for the masses. That is, if its sales weren’t limited to California and Oregon.

Watch Chevy’s refreshing commercial below.

Continue reading Chevy ad compares Spark EV with Ferrari 458 Italia

Chevy ad compares Spark EV with Ferrari 458 Italia originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Jul 2013 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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