Video: Autocar pits BMW 1 Series M Coupe against Porsche Cayman R

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Europe, Videos, BMW, Porsche

2011 BMW 1M Coupe vs. 2011 Porsche Cayman R

2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe vs. 2011 Porsche Cayman R – Click above to view video after the jump

The 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe has been setting hearts on fire across the automotive press since Munich started teasing the car a couple years ago. Now that it has finally arrived, Autocar decided to see if it lived up to its own hype when faced with the lithe 2011 Porsche Cayman R.

We’ll save giving away the outcome of the comparison in the video, but suffice it to say the 1M Coupe satisfies expectations. It brings back the raw, visceral driving experience characteristic of the old M cars and is relatively affordable. All things we dig. With that knowledge safely in hand, click past the jump to see how the little M rocket stacks up to the competition.

Continue reading Autocar pits BMW 1 Series M Coupe against Porsche Cayman R

Autocar pits BMW 1 Series M Coupe against Porsche Cayman R originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 May 2011 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2012 Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster is a topless beauty

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Europe, Videos, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

2012 SLS AMG Roadster

2012 SLS AMG Roadster – Click above to view video after the jump

On the heels of its official unveiling, Mercedes-Benz has dropped a video of the 2012 SLS AMG Roadster in its natural habitat. Let the ogling begin. If you were floored by the still shots of the latest confection from AMG, the video will leave you gibbering lump.

Though the Roadster loses the coupe’s iconic Gullwing doors, it keeps its performance credentials and only gains a scant 88 pounds. Power doesn’t budge, but somehow Mercedes claims the topless SLS is quicker than the coupe to 60 by one hundredth of a second. That isn’t much, but faster is faster. To see the newest SLS in action, click past the jump.

Continue reading 2012 Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster is a topless beauty

2012 Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster is a topless beauty originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 May 2011 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Innovative Hangar Home conceals garage mahal

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Design/Style

Hangar House

Hangar Home – Click above to view video after the jump

When gearheads aren’t trawling Craigslist for the next old-lady-owned Chevrolet Chevelle tucked away in a barn, they’re dreaming of cool places to put their toys.

Usually, dream garages never become reality. It’s rare to find someone with enough ambition and/or cash to make it happen, but credit one Florida couple for creating something remarkable: the Hangar Home.

Their house’s rear facade doubles as a garage door that conceals a cavernous work and storage area, complete with a set of cushy-looking armchairs for when the weekend project is over. We can’t imagine how long this place took to complete, but all the time and effort really paid off. Click past the jump for two videos of the Hangar Home in action.

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Innovative Hangar Home conceals garage mahal originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 May 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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100th Indy 500 oozes drama, takes no prisoners [spoilers, video]

Filed under: Motorsports

2011 Indy 500

2011 Indianapolis 500 – Click above for high-res image gallery

The crowd at the Brickyard for today’s Centennial running of the Indianapolis 500 certainly got their money’s worth. Once all the pre-race pageantry and fanfare was out of the way, the 100th Indy 500 provided a spectacle full of drama, lead changes, and a shocking, exciting finish. Click past the break to see how the race shook out, right up to the final corner.

Gallery: 2011 Indianapolis 500

Continue reading 100th Indy 500 oozes drama, takes no prisoners [spoilers, video]

100th Indy 500 oozes drama, takes no prisoners [spoilers, video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 May 2011 18:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Tanner Foust completes record-setting Team Hot Wheels jump at Indy 500

Team Hot Wheels
Team Hot Wheels’ “Fearless at the 500” record jump attempt – Click above for high-res image gallery

Prior to the start of today’s Indy 500, fans finally got to see the long-awaited Team Hot Wheels world-record jump attempt. The mystery “Yellow Driver” piloted specially-prepared truck down the 90-foot ramp that had been under construction in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s infield over the last several weeks. The neat gimmick behind Hot Wheels’ “Fearless at the 500” event was that the launch ramp itself was built to simulate that orange track we all grew up with, hung from a giant 10-story door. Talk about pandering to a guy’s inner child…

Anyhow, the stunt itself was a success, and fans at the Brickyard watched the truck sail, ramp-to-ramp, 332 feet through the air, setting a world record for four-wheeled vehicles in the process. Upon landing, the mystery driver doffed his helmet to reveal himself as American Top Gear host Tanner Foust. If you want to see the jump yourselves, be advised that ABC will air the stunt at 3:30 PM Eastern time today, following the conclusion of its Indy 500 race coverage. Check out the first few photos from the event below, and follow the jump for the press release.

UPDATE: Video of the jump now added after the break as well.

Gallery: Team Hot Wheels “Fearless at the 500” Jump

Continue reading Tanner Foust completes record-setting Team Hot Wheels jump at Indy 500

Tanner Foust completes record-setting Team Hot Wheels jump at Indy 500 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 May 2011 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: How not to flip a car carrier back over

Filed under: Videos

car hauler tips the wrong way

How not to flip a car carrier back over – Click above to watch the video after the jump

We’ve seen a lot of how-not-to videos over the years. How not to load your Porsche Carrera, tow your Chevrolet Corvette, rescue your truck from a frozen lake, and many more. It’s also become clear that tow trucks frequently play a big part in these matters. Today’s example is no different.

Hit the jump to see what happens when a tow truck attempts to return a tipped auto transporter to the upright position. Hint: It probably wouldn’t have been posted to YouTube if it ended well.

Continue reading How not to flip a car carrier back over

How not to flip a car carrier back over originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 May 2011 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Renault and Nissan imagine a world where gas powers everything

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, Nissan, Renault, Electric

Nissan gas-powered everything

Nissan’s “Gas Powered Everything” ad – Click above to watch the videos after the jump

What would the world be like if everything were powered by gasoline?

Renault-Nissan has kicked off a massive advertising campaign intended to highlight the advanced technology of electric vehicles with the debut of a pair of videos that bang home the point that consumers depend upon electricity to power items used everyday and that using gasoline is, in some instances, utterly ridiculous.

In one spot, a middle-aged man wakes up for work to the burning whistle of his gas-powered alarm clock and with a few fierce tugs at his coffee maker’s rip cord, manages to fire up the gas-gulping machine. That same man, while at the office, walks up to a miniature gas pump to refuel his laptop computer.

Oh, and the owner of a Chevrolet Volt, while standing at the gas pump refueling his plug-in hybrid, watches in envy as another man across the street unplugs his Nissan Leaf and drives off as onlookers watch in amazement. Yep, that’s how Nissan sees the world if “Gas Powered Everything.”

Since the videos are, in our humble opinion, absolutely hilarious, we’ll refrain from revealing too much. Hit the jump to view the clips clip. Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Continue reading Renault and Nissan imagine a world where gas powers everything

Renault and Nissan imagine a world where gas powers everything originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 May 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: BMW 1 M Coupe gets strapped to the dyno

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, BMW

2011 bmw 1 series m on dyno

Inside Line straps the BMW 1 Series M to a dyno – Click above to watch video after the jump

It’s no secret that manufacturers sometimes underrate horsepower and torque figures for certain high performance models. This practice has been going on since the muscle car wars, and we don’t see it stopping anytime soon. Inside Line wanted to find out what the 2011 BMW 1 Series M is putting down for power, so rather than rely on the manufacturer’s information, the IL crew took a trip to the local dyno.

In case you’d forgotten, the 1 Series M is rated at 335 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque under normal operation, but an “overboost” function increases turbo pressure allowing the engine to make 369 pound-feet of torque for brief periods.

What happened when Inside Line hooked the 1M up to a rolling road? Let’s just say BMW is keeping the underrated power game alive. Click past the jump to watch the clip and see what we mean.

Continue reading BMW 1 M Coupe gets strapped to the dyno

BMW 1 M Coupe gets strapped to the dyno originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 May 2011 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Stay a Hero, Stay Safe campaign for motorcycle safety hits a familiar note

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Safety, Videos, Motorcycle

sussex safer roads motorcycle safety

Stay A Hero, Stay Safe ad – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Remember the Embrace Life seatbelt advocacy ad? The spot, which was created by The Sussex Safer Roads Partnership, featured a man driving an imaginary vehicle, and when he braced for impact (in his living room), his wife and daughter rushed to form a seatbelt. The safety ad went viral almost immediately, with over 13.7 million YouTube views to date, while at the same time really driving home the fact that safety belts saves lives. A truly beautiful effort.

The Sussex team is looking to strike gold once again with a new spot, this time taking aim at motorcyclists in a new commercial about motorcycle safety. The ad, titled “Stay a Hero, Stay Safe,” doesn’t have quite the same impact as the Embrace Live commercial, but it’s still worth watching. Hit the jump to see for yourself.

Continue reading Stay a Hero, Stay Safe campaign for motorcycle safety hits a familiar note

Stay a Hero, Stay Safe campaign for motorcycle safety hits a familiar note originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 May 2011 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Pickup driver tries to run motorcyclist off the road

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Motorcycle

pickup driver road rage

Pickup driver tries to run motorcyclist off the road – Click above to watch the video after the break

What’s worse than a sportbike-mounted motorcyclist passing a slower-moving vehicle in an area where there are double-yellow lines, indicating that passing is prohibited? The answer, as you’ll see in the rather shocking video pasted after the break, is retaliation from the driver being passed.

A motorcyclist in Bracken County, Kentucky, was out for a ride with a friend on a beautiful Sunday afternoon when he came up on a red Ford F-150 with an ATV in the bed. The truck was moving at a slower speed than the motorcyclists, so the lead rider decided to pass. We’re not going to try to defend the biker crossing in what is clearly a no-passing zone, but that doesn’t excuse what happens next.

The driver of the pickup truck appears to swerve sharply in an attempt to run the motorcycle and its rider off the road. We’re not mind readers, but there’s little doubt that the driver’s intent was to cause the rider to crash, or at least to scare the living daylights out of him. For the next several minutes, the pickup driver gives chase, using both his lane and that of oncoming traffic. At about 4:20 into the video, the pickup driver nearly hits another innocent motorcyclist head-on.

Finally, after about five minutes of hopelessly reckless driving, the pickup catches up to the lead motorcycle, who had stopped and dismounted at a stop sign. Confrontation time – with what appears to be a metal pipe in the hand of the pickup driver. As you would expect, a heated argument ensues in which the pickup driver somehow claims he’s in the right and that he’s – get this – allowed to drive like a maniac because he “grew up on these roads.”

The whole sordid affair ends with a phone call to the police, but according to the local riders from R6-Forum.com, the police, for reasons completely unfathomable to us, have yet to respond. Check out the complete video after the break with your own eyes, but beware, it includes some potentially NSFW language at the very end.

Continue reading Pickup driver tries to run motorcyclist off the road

Pickup driver tries to run motorcyclist off the road originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 May 2011 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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