Video: Bugatti Veyron SS takes on Top Gear test track at hands of the Stig

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Bugatti

The Stig takes on the Bugatti Veyron SS – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Recently, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport made headlines by setting a new land speed record, hitting 267.81 miles per hour out on Volkswagen’s Ehra-Lessien test track. It may be the fastest production car ever built, but straight-line speed isn’t everything, you know. Just ask the Top Gear boys – the standard-spec Bugatti Veyron may be an insanely fast machine, but out on the test track, it failed to earn first (or even second or third) place honors.

Naturally, it didn’t take long for Top Gear to get the new Veyron SS in the hands of its tame racing driver, The Stig. Captain Slow may have managed the top-rung Bugatti up to 259.11 mph, but how does it fare on the track? Does it take the first place spot, or merely fall somewhere near the top? Hit the jump to watch the video of Stiggy’s power lap and find out for yourself.

Gallery: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sports land speed record

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Bugatti Veyron SS takes on Top Gear test track at hands of the Stig

Video: Bugatti Veyron SS takes on Top Gear test track at hands of the Stig originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: The ridiculous heights automakers like VW go to launch a new car

Filed under: Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Volkswagen

2011 Volkswagen Jetta being hoisted into launch position – Click above to watch video after the jump

It’s said, by America’s postmen at least, that nothing will stop them from delivering your mail. Comparable dedication is found in carmakers, who will do everything that time, city permits and bagfuls of money will allow in order to put on a good show for the press.

Case in point: The 2011 Jetta launch is still going on in San Francisco right now, and to create the right impact, Volkswagen put a Jetta on the fourth floor of the St. Regis hotel. It took halting a few lanes of traffic and a ol’ big crane to make it happen, but nothing succeeds like excess, right? Maybe next time the can do like Porsche did with the Panamera and just use the elevator… Follow the jump for the video.

Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta: First Drive

Photos by Damon Lavrinc / Copyright (C)2010 AOL

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: The ridiculous heights automakers like VW go to launch a new car

Video: The ridiculous heights automakers like VW go to launch a new car originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz channel their inner Stig on Top Gear

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Kia, UK, Celebrities

Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz on Top Gear – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz have been all over the world pushing their not-so-blockbuster movie Knight and Day, and while moviegoers haven’t exactly filled local theaters, enthusiasts should most definitely witness the Hollywood A-listers on the latest episode of Top Gear. The two stars appeared on our favorite BBC show to compete against other celebrities in “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car,” and their performance far outshines their recent box office receipts.

Hit the jump to watch as the two push hard around the Top Gear track in a KIA Cee’d. We won’t ruin the results for you, but we will reveal that Diaz shows that she can swear like a trucker while looking good with a helmet on, and Cruise proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is a very competitive guy. Seriously, the man literally finishes the race on two wheels, nearly giving Clarkson a heart attack in the process. Who got the better part of their co-star? You’ll have to watch to find out.

[Source: Top Gear via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz channel their inner Stig on Top Gear

Video: Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz channel their inner Stig on Top Gear originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Corvette Racing Episode 7 – Le Mans pre-race activities

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Chevrolet

Corvette Racing drivers in the Le Mans parade – Click above to watch video after the jump

After reviewing this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans in the previous episode of the Corvette Racing video series, the latest installment looks at the off-track activities that preceded the race. Once the cars and drivers have established their place on the starting grid, they’re able to take a short break from competition to interact with the fans – especially the rabid Danish crowd that showed up to cheer on Jan Magnussen. Judging from the narration, you’d think that eight overall victories at the Circuit de la Sarthe aren’t enough for Tom Kristensen to gain any attention from his countrymen. (If you’ve seen Truth in 24, however, you know full well that the Danes treat TK like a rock star, too.)

Apparently the narrator missed the memo from the marketing department about referring to Chevrolet as Chevy. Rather than vuvuzelas, Le Mans fans prefer to express their enthusiasm using air horns, so the Corvette crew brought a very special one of their own this year. Wanna see? Then check out video after the jump.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Corvette Racing Episode 7 – Le Mans pre-race activities

Video: Corvette Racing Episode 7 – Le Mans pre-race activities originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Fifth Gear Follies – Tiff puts a scare into Jason aboard Porsche 911 Turbo

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Videos, Porsche, UK, Humor

Tiff Needell scares the life out of Jason Plato – Click above to watch video after the jump

We revel in watching someone get their wits scared out of them in the passenger seat of a car. It’s why we take the time to watch Subaru’s slew of new ads for the 2011 WRX STI sedan any time we’re feeling down. It would appear that we’re in good company. During filming of a somewhat recent episode of the UK’s Fifth Gear, Tiff Needell was charged with scooting the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet around the show’s test course with Jason Plato in the passenger seat. Based on the outtakes, it looks as if it took a few tries to get Plato around the course without a profusion of expletives.

It’s no secret that Needell is one of the hottest shoes around when it comes to coaxing big speed from a vehicle. With a racing resume packed with references to the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Formula One, the guy could run the wheels off a shopping cart. Hit the jump to see Tiff make Plato hold on for dear life. Thanks for the tip, Brad!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Fifth Gear Follies – Tiff puts a scare into Jason aboard Porsche 911 Turbo

Video: Fifth Gear Follies – Tiff puts a scare into Jason aboard Porsche 911 Turbo originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Mikko Hirvonen tests WRC Ford Focus, enters low orbit

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Europe, Videos, Hatchback, Ford, Racing

Mikko Hirvonen and his 2010 Ford Focus RS WRC – Click above to watch video after the jump

Our collective blogging heart goes out to Mikko Hirvonen. It’s a shame to see a driver with galaxies worth of talent constantly banished to the lower rungs of the podium by the likes of Sebastien Loeb. Perpetually optimistic, the Finnish hoon seems to be a rarity among the racing driver species. Even in the face of repeated defeat, the guy typically keeps his cool and hopes for the best. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’s content to sit back and watch Citroën continue to dominate the WRC and Hirvonen has been beating the life out of his Focus RS racer in preparation for the upcoming Finland Rally.

Fortunately for us, a video of the testing action has made its way to the YouTubes, complete with plenty of shots of the mean Blue Oval in defiance of the laws of gravity. At some point, if we’re very lucky, we just might figure out how the guy manages to get that hatch to pivot mid-air. Click past the jump to waste a little time in the best way possible.

[Source: YouTube via WebRidesTV]

Continue reading Video: Mikko Hirvonen tests WRC Ford Focus, enters low orbit

Video: Mikko Hirvonen tests WRC Ford Focus, enters low orbit originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Fifth Gear rips it up in Chevrolet Camaro SS

Filed under: Coupe, Videos, Chevrolet, UK


Fifth Gear hangs out with the Chevrolet Camaro SS – Click above to watch after the jump

The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro has been in U.S. dealerships for over a year now, and demand for Chevy’s newest pony car has been strong from the get-go. And though the Camaro is based off the Australian Zeta platform and built in Oshawa, Canada, it still rocks a Bowtie badge and carries a 6.2-liter small block V8 under the hood. That makes the Camaro an American pony car in our book; one that will (finally) officially go on sale in England early next year.

But before our allies to the east get a chance to pick up a Camaro of their own, Fifth Gear host Jason Plato took the reins of a Bumblebee-flavored Camaro out on the track. Hit the jump to watch Plato show no mercy to the 3,860-pound coupe. In typical UK-reviewer-on-American-car-ese, we definitely hear words like “lazy” and “heavy,” but Plato still looks like a very happy man behind the wheel. If you like smoking tires, oversteer and burnouts you’ll definitely like this video.

Gallery: 2010 Chevy Camaro SS

[Source: Fifth Gear via Camaro5]

Continue reading Video: Fifth Gear rips it up in Chevrolet Camaro SS

Video: Fifth Gear rips it up in Chevrolet Camaro SS originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Crazy Kiwi skateboarders draw ire for passing trucks at high speed on busy road

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Videos, Australia

Longboarding at 56+ mph – Click above to watch video after the jump

There’s crazy, and then there’s this level of all-out insanity. A group of longboarders in New Zealand have taken to hopping onto the local highway and coasting down a sizable hill while overtaking local traffic. The speed limit? A heady 56 mph. Police first became aware of the daredevils via a video posted on YouTube. Apparently Canadian Andrew Chapman first posted the quick film on Facebook. From there, it didn’t take long for the exploits to make their way to the rest of the internet – and the law.

According to The Daily Telegraph, the boarders cover about 1.5 miles of State Highway 1 before pulling off the roadway and coming to a stop. If that’s not bat guano enough for you, one of the characters in the video is clearly seen riding barefoot. Interestingly enough, the crew isn’t forbidden from using their boards on the road. Since it changes from a motorway to an expressway at the top of the hills, though, law enforcement could technically charge the longboarders with failing to keep left or reckless driving. Hit the jump to see the video.

[Source: The Daily Telegraph]

Continue reading Video: Crazy Kiwi skateboarders draw ire for passing trucks at high speed on busy road

Video: Crazy Kiwi skateboarders draw ire for passing trucks at high speed on busy road originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Ezra Dyer tackles the Spectre 341 Challenge in a Porsche 911 Turbo

Filed under: Coupe, Videos, Porsche

Click above to view the video after the jump

We didn’t make it out to this year’s Spectre 341 Challenge as time just wasn’t on our side. Fortunately, we can live vicariously through a few of the participants, including Automobile scribe Ezra Dyer.

If you’re not familiar with the event, it has roots dating back to the early seventies, when then-president of the Ferrari Owners Club of Southern California, Hans Tanner, organized a hill climb up Nevada Highway 341.

In the years since, the event has waxed and waned, but the purpose has remained the same: run up the 5.2-mile hill, tackle over 20 turns and scrape just north of 6,200 feet in a time of 3:41 – or less. Can Dyer do it in a Porsche 911 Turbo? Make the jump to find out and read more about the event here.

Continue reading Video: Ezra Dyer tackles the Spectre 341 Challenge in a Porsche 911 Turbo

Video: Ezra Dyer tackles the Spectre 341 Challenge in a Porsche 911 Turbo originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Fisker dealer says Karma test drives and ordering start in November

Filed under: Car Buying, LA Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Videos, Fisker, Luxury

Fisker dealer Mike Sullivan discusses the sales timeline – Click above to watch video after the jump

When Fisker received $189 million in funding, the company gave a production target date for its long-awaited Karma of February of 2011. That release date has been delayed more than once, so Fisker held a second coming-out party at its Santa Monica dealership to stoke the fires, during which dealer principal Mike Sullivan began to color in some details of the run-up to February.

Sullivan said that at the LA Auto Show this November the upstart automaker will have full-sized Karma mockups on the floor to show off color and interior combinations. Immediately after the show, prospective customers can go to the dealer and take the new plug-in sedan on test drives, and with production beginning in Q1 of 2011, the deliveries would begin in March and April. Get all the details in the video after the jump.

Gallery: Fisker Karma

[Source: WebRides]

Continue reading Video: Fisker dealer says Karma test drives and ordering start in November

Video: Fisker dealer says Karma test drives and ordering start in November originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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