Forza Motorsport 4 video hits the web

Filed under: Etc., Technology

Forza Motorsport 4

Forza Motorsport 4 – Click above to view video after the jump

Someone at Turn 10 Studios has apparently “leaked” (sure, guys) a fully-polished, high-quality sneak peek at its upcoming Forza Motorsport 4 to YouTube. The newest installment of Forza leverages Kinect technology, allowing players to open the doors and hoods of their cars with hand motions and fire the engine from the driver’s seat. During a race, Kinect also lets players look around corners by detecting head movement.

Turn 10 says its goal is to produce the best-looking racing sim of 2011, employing methods like image-based lighting to get as much photorealistic quality as they can out of each car and track. Turn 10 also says that Forza 4 will have the most extensive range of models to choose from, with cars from over 80 manufacturers. Plan on slipping Forza 4 into your XBOX 360 in October. In the meantime, check out the “leaked” trailer after the jump.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Forza Motorsport 4 video hits the web

Forza Motorsport 4 video hits the web originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 03 Apr 2011 16:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 27-liter, Rolls-Royce airplane-engined Rover SD1

Filed under: Aftermarket, Etc., Videos, Rolls-Royce

1981 Rover SD-1

1981 Rover SD-1 – Click above to watch video after the jump

Charlie Broomfield got bored of working on run-of-the-mill project cars. He always seemed to finish them to quickly, and was never quite satisfied with the results. Charlie needed a challenge to his engineering and fabrication skills.

That challenge came in the form of a donated 1981 Rover SD-1. The SD-1 needed some serious help to be the luxury sport sedan it was when it left British Leyland during the Thatcher era. Instead of restoring the car from top to bottom, though, Charlie purchased a 27-liter Rolls-Royce Meteor engine from a British Spitfire fighter plane. The engine cost Charlie a slim £1,000.

With 600 horsepower and 1,500 pound-feet of Nazi-stopping gusto wedged between the frame rails, the SD-1 will now break 160 mph without going over 2,000 rpm. Almost none of the original Rover parts are left, save the body panels, and Charlie’s goal is to crack 200 mph in the 24-cylinder beast before he considers the project done.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: 27-liter, Rolls-Royce airplane-engined Rover SD1

Video: 27-liter, Rolls-Royce airplane-engined Rover SD1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 Apr 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Geeky Tim Allen as Merkur pitchman

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Ford, Lincoln

Tim Allen Merkur commercial
Merkur Scorpio TV spot – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Actor and comedian Tim Allen, the former Home Improvement star and the man behind Toy Story’s Buzz Lightyear, has seen steady voiceover work of late as the pitchman for Chevrolet (and Campbell’s Soup, and Michigan tourism). Now, all the recent activity has gotten Allen plenty of attention of late, but he’s an old hand when it comes to this stuff.

If you turn the clock back to 1988 you can watch Allen, sporting glasses and a rail-thin physique, try to sell us on the Merkur Scorpio (then dubbed Road and Track’s best sedan under $27,500). German engineering at your Lincoln/Mercury dealer… what could possibly go wrong? Hit the jump to watch the 60-second spot. Just remember that operators are no longer standing by.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Geeky Tim Allen as Merkur pitchman

Video: Geeky Tim Allen as Merkur pitchman originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 Apr 2011 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Sebastian Vettel on the benefits of KERS, adjustable rear wing

Filed under: Europe, Technology, Videos, Racing

Red Bull 2011

Sebastian Vettel on KERS – Click above to view video after the jump

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, winner of last weekend’s Formula 1 opening round in Australia, has taken to YouTube to explain what the addition of KERS and and an adjustable rear wing means for drivers. Technically speaking, KERS is good for a six-second, 80-horsepower boost.

According to Vettel, that’s best used as a way to help get off the grid ahead of the pack, or sneak through a gap in traffic at the start of a race. Otherwise, it can be used to hold off an attack during the race or as an edge going for the overtake.

The adjustable rear wing is only available as an overtaking aid at certain points in a race within a specified distance of an opponent. It’s designed to reduce the increased drag when a driver steps out of the slipstream and into clean air. By reducing the wing’s pitch, the driver can lose some of the increased resistance. Click past the jump for Vettel’s explanation.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Sebastian Vettel on the benefits of KERS, adjustable rear wing

Video: Sebastian Vettel on the benefits of KERS, adjustable rear wing originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 Apr 2011 11:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Watch Son-uva Digger monster truck perform huge backflip

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos

Sonuvadigger backflip

Son-uva Digger backflip – Click above to watch video after the jump

Ryan Anderson is the son of monster truck legend and Grave Digger owner/driver Dennis Anderson, which makes him monster truck royalty. Despite his privileged place among the elites in the high court of methanol and fairgrounds, the young Anderson doesn’t spend much time riding his father’s coattails.

While Ryan may have used his father’s success as a launch pad, the Grave Digger heir apparent is eager to prove himself worthy of the crown. Anderson showed this at Monster Jam 2011 in Las Vegas, executing an awesome monster truck backflip. This may not be the first time a monster truck has ever flipped end over end, but it’s certainly the biggest one yet. Hit the jump to check it out.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Watch Son-uva Digger monster truck perform huge backflip

Video: Watch Son-uva Digger monster truck perform huge backflip originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Caparo T1 gets driven by Mika Hakkinen

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Videos, MISC

caparo t1 video screencap

Autocar rides shotgun in the Caparo T1 – Click above to watch video after the jump

The Caparo T1 is the devil on four wheels. There are widespread tales of the T1 attempting to harm anyone who tries to tame it. Autocar must’ve heard these stories and decided to leave the driving to two-time Formula One World Champion Mika Hakkinen.

The T1’s unusual layout allows for a passenger to ride slightly behind the driver. That’s the vantage point from which Autocar magazine’s Mark Tisshaw took in the action. His narrative is a bit dry, but we’re assuming that’s because Hakkinen and the Caparo fried his senses. Click past the jump to watch footage of a Caparo T1 not harming anyone. Thanks for the tip, Tim!

Gallery: Caparo T1

[Source: Autocar via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Caparo T1 gets driven by Mika Hakkinen

Video: Caparo T1 gets driven by Mika Hakkinen originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Recreating Ken Block’s Gymkhana… in a Gulf-livery semi truck

Filed under: Motorsports, Truck, Videos, Work, Racing

Mike Ryan drifting semi

Mike Ryan’s drifting Freightliner – Click above to view watch the video after the jump

Mike Ryan has won a dozen Pikes Peak Hill Climbs in his Gulf-liveried Freightliner Cascadia, so it’s no joke when we say this man has some serious talent. To raise his and the truck’s profile a little bit, Ryan has decided to show off what he does when he’s not storming mountains to stay sharp.

Aping Ken Block’s Gymkhana series, Ryan haunts abandoned airstrips, looking for cones, old hangars and dirt roads on which to slide his truck around. In fact, Ryan has gone so far as to shoot this video at El Toro, the same Marine air base where Block filmed the first installment of his epic videos. Ryan’s Freightliner packs 1,950 horsepower and more than 3,400 pound-feet of torque, so roasting the truck’s handmade custom Michelin tires isn’t a problem, even in a 10,000-pound Big Daddy Freightliner. Check out all the action in HD splendor after the jump. Top tip, Jason!

Gallery: Mike Ryan’s Freightliner Cascadia Pikes Peak Special

Mike Ryan's Freightliner Cascadia Pikes Peak SpecialMike Ryan's Freightliner Cascadia Pikes Peak SpecialMike Ryan's Freightliner Cascadia Pikes Peak SpecialMike Ryan's Freightliner Cascadia Pikes Peak SpecialMike Ryan's Freightliner Cascadia Pikes Peak Special

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Recreating Ken Block’s Gymkhana… in a Gulf-livery semi truck

Video: Recreating Ken Block’s Gymkhana… in a Gulf-livery semi truck originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Corvette racing series, Episode 3: Sebring

Filed under: Coupe, Videos, Chevrolet, Racing

Corvette Racing, Sebring 2011

Corvette Racing, Sebring 2011 – Click above to view video after the jump

Corvette Racing managed to snag third and fourth place in GT2 at the ALMS 12 Hours of Sebring, beginning a much-anticipated racing season for Chevrolet. Now the team has released the third installment in its coverage of the buildup to the season and Corvette Racing’s fortunes.

Sebring proved to be a tough test for Corvette Racing. The number 4 car went for a spin early on after a nudge from a Porsche, and car number 3 needed a new windshield during the night. Despite those hiccups, things went well for Corvette Racing, and the team says they’re confident going into the next round in Long Beach, California. Hop the jump to see the official video from this season’s race at Sebring.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Corvette racing series, Episode 3: Sebring

Video: Corvette racing series, Episode 3: Sebring originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Is Chevy readying a mid-size SUV on its new Colorado pickup?

Filed under: Spy Photos, SUV, Videos, Chevrolet, GM

Mystery Chevrolet SUV spy shot

Mystery Chevy SUV prototypes – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Crossovers have gained the lion’s share of America’s utility attention over the past few years, but the SUV is anything but dead and gone. Until gas prices began to spike, those surviving body-on-frame (br)utes were actually selling fairly well. So is General Motors kicking itself for ending Trailblazer production instead of refreshing it? New spy video from Inside Line suggests that The General may have another off-road- and tow-ready utility vehicle on the way.

The post-jump video shows a pair of mid-size SUVs that appear to be based off the 2013 Chevrolet Colorado, a prototype of which also makes a cameo in the video. Judging by the chunky-looking running boards and solid rear axles, these prototypes are definitely SUVs and not tall cars. The heavily camouflaged vehicles appear to be tall and very square in appearance, and the shape of the Chevrolet grille appears pominently despite efforts to conceal its identity. Inside Line speculates that the finished product will likely hit the world stage in the next year, with production likely for 2013, though just because these prototypes were spotted around Detroit is no guarantee that the model will find its way into U.S. showrooms.

If such a vehicle were to arrive stateside, we expect GM to improve fuel economy with small engine options and perhaps a truck version of the company’s eAssist hybrid technology. Hit the jump to watch the spy video for yourself. Top tip, Ed!

Gallery: Chevrolet Colorado Show Truck

Chevrolet Colorado Show TruckChevrolet Colorado Show TruckChevrolet Colorado Show TruckChevrolet Colorado Show TruckChevrolet Colorado Show Truck

[Source: Inside Line]

Continue reading Video: Is Chevy readying a mid-size SUV on its new Colorado pickup?

Video: Is Chevy readying a mid-size SUV on its new Colorado pickup? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Australian safety council urges you to slow down… naturally

Filed under: Government/Legal, Marketing/Advertising, Safety, Videos

“Enjoy The Ride” PSA – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Remember the Embrace Life PSA that urged auto occupants to use their safety belts? It’s a beautiful safety ad with a very powerful message. The Road Safety Council of Western Australia must have been watching, because they’ve taken their safety message to the next level of serenity.

Beyond the jump is a three-minute ad titled “Enjoy The Ride.” The first two minutes of the video explain how important it is to slow down in every day life. If you don’t, the PSA explains, you’re on the fast track to early aging, heart disease and even erectile dysfunction. You wouldn’t know this is an auto safety spot until the last minute of the PSA, when the real message reveals itself. Slow down and enjoy the ride. Hit the jump to view the video – just be prepared to breath a little deeper… you may want to join yoga after this. Hat tip to Chris!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Australian safety council urges you to slow down… naturally

Video: Australian safety council urges you to slow down… naturally originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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