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Can’t make the New York Auto Show? Take a virtual tour with a hot model

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Videos

serene hosting new york auto show after dark

Serene brings us the 2011 New York Auto Show After Dark – Click above to watch video after the jump

The public portion of the 2011 New York Auto Show is in full swing, but not everyone can (or wants) to make the trip to the Big Apple. The producers of the show have come up with a solution, which allows you to check out the action from the comfort of your favorite computin’ chair.

Your host for New York Auto Show After Dark is an attractive lass named Serene. She and her crew have put together a few videos, giving you a look at a few select vehicles and events at the 2011 NYIAS. Click past the jump to view the clips and take in a bit more of the New York Auto Show.

Of course, you can also see high-res image galleries of all the new vehicles from the show right here.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Can’t make the New York Auto Show? Take a virtual tour with a hot model

Can’t make the New York Auto Show? Take a virtual tour with a hot model originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Hyundai Sonata Hybrid delay due to modifications of virtual engine sound

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Government/Legal, Hyundai

2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery

In mid-October, Hyundai announced that its 2011 Sonata Hybrid would be eligible for a $1,300 tax credit. The electrified midsize sedan was scheduled to hit dealerships in late 2010 and the first 60,000 buyers in line to plop down some cash for the Sonata Hybrid would’ve pocketed that credit. However, there was a hitch: the Sonata Hybrid was delayed, dashing any chance of snagging the $1,300 credit.

What caused the delay? Well, according to Hyundai chief executive officer John Krafcik, a last-minute modification to the vehicle’s “virtual engine sound” system, made “amazingly late in the process” was the culprit. The automaker initially developed the Sonata Hybrid with a feature that would allow drivers to disable the vehicle’s pedestrian warning system, but after the Senate and House voted to approve a measure requiring hybrids and plug-in vehicles to automatically emit audible sounds at low speeds, Hyundai’s manual disable functionality had to be axed.

According to Green Car Reports, that modification required changes to the vehicle’s wiring harnesses, user-interface software and owner’s manual, which caused the lengthy delay. Hyundai delivered the first 2011 Sonata Hybrid in January.

Gallery: 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid: Second Drive

2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

[Source: Green Car Reports]

Report: Hyundai Sonata Hybrid delay due to modifications of virtual engine sound originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Test Drive Unlimited welcomes virtual characters

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Toys/Games

Test Drive Unlimited 2

Test Drive Unlimited 2 features character customization – Click above to watch video after the jump

Can you think of something missing from the current crop of automotive video games? If you said cosmetic surgery then you must work for Atari. The upcoming Test Drive Unlimited 2 is going to let you customize more than you car. Your on-screen avatar can appear exactly how you want it to thanks to numerous facial and clothing options. Click past the jump to see what we’re talking about.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Test Drive Unlimited welcomes virtual characters

Video: Test Drive Unlimited welcomes virtual characters originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 23 Jan 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DriveMeCrazy app provides outlet for virtual tattle-tales

Filed under: Safety, Technology

DriveMeCrazy iPhone app

We all see bad drivers. Now, one company has developed an iPhone app called DriveMeCrazy, which allows you to digitally jot down a license plate and deem someone a “bad driver.” This information isn’t then simply posted to some lame social network, it’s reported to the DMV and your insurance company.

While the idea of being able to report someone for driving like a jackass sounds great, there’s little question that this will lead to abuse. What if someone were out to get you and reported you simply because they felt like it? Perhaps the person who didn’t get that parking spot you ended up with is feeling particularly angry. Maybe the other driver didn’t see your blinker even though you had it on for the last 15 minutes. This is DrivemeCrazy’s inherent flaw.

In addition to empowering virtual snitches, DriveMeCrazy also lets users reward good driving, as well as “flirt” with other DrivemeCrazy users. We now await the first report of a DriveMeCrazy user getting a real ticket for using a mobile device to serve up a cheesy virtual ticket while driving.

[Source: DriveMeCrazy via Wired]

DriveMeCrazy app provides outlet for virtual tattle-tales originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 18 Dec 2010 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Sebastian Vettel’s virtual tour of the Korean Grand Prix

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, South Korea

Sebastian Vettel laps the Korean F1 circuit – Click above to watch video after the jump

Karun Chandhok was the first driver to lap the track that will be used for this month’s Korean Grand Prix. Now Sebastian Vettel has gotten his turn. On this go-round, it sounds like the track is still so slippery that revs were a bigger issue than anything else.

With the same camera angle as Chandhok’s run, there isn’t much more to see. The track is further along than a month ago, but it’s still not going to be pretty for the folks who make the journey into the South Korean bush to watch it live. While we figure out how to say “cat fight” and “ghost town” in Korean, you can entertain yourselves with the video after the jump.

[Source: Red Bull]

Continue reading Video: Sebastian Vettel’s virtual tour of the Korean Grand Prix

Video: Sebastian Vettel’s virtual tour of the Korean Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 23 Oct 2010 14:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gran Turismo 5 reveals virtual X1 prototype racecar to warp minds and stretch imagination [w/video]

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Toys/Games, Specialty

Gran Turismo 5 X1 Prototype teaser

Gran Turismo 5 X1 Prototype – Click above to watch video after the jump

At some point in the future, Gran Turismo 5 will be available for purchase. And yes, it’s taken too damn long. But making the wait that much more painful is news fresh out of Tokyo that a special vehicle will be available for thumb-thrashing fun.

It’s not some uber-exotic that you pine for while staring longingly at photos on the web, nor is it some championship racecar from today or a bygone era. It’s nothing you’ve seen or heard about before – its called the X1 Prototype.

Digital Polyphony has teamed up with Adrian Newey from Red Bull Racing to ask: What would happen if a top-tier racecar was freed from any and all technical regulations? What speeds could it achieve, what would it look like and what automotive records could it devour? The answer to those questions, and possibly many others, could be found with the X1 (virtual) prototype vehicle.

The team who produces Gran Turismo is known for their attention to detail and the realistic tracks, while cars and driving dynamics are a major part of the popularity behind this series. So it’s safe to assume that the drivable concept sticks to the laws of physics while pushing technology to the limit. Think of it as a return to the turbocharged 80s-era F1 cars, with some Group B rally monsters thrown in along with a heaping helping of cutting edge technology.

Our interest in the return of GT5 has been waning after the dozens of delays, but the X1 has our interest seriously piqued, and the crew from Joystiq has snagged video of it in action. We also have a trailer video which shows off lots of the cool (real) cars, the amazing tracks and the dynamic weather we can look forward to. Take a look at both clips after the jump.

[Source: Joystiq]

Continue reading Gran Turismo 5 reveals virtual X1 prototype racecar to warp minds and stretch imagination [w/video]

Gran Turismo 5 reveals virtual X1 prototype racecar to warp minds and stretch imagination [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari officially launches Virtual Racing Academy

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Technology, Ferrari, Toys/Games, Racing

Ferrari Virtual Academy

Ferrari Virtual Racing Academy – Click above for high-res image gallery

Earlier this month, we mentioned that Ferrari was getting ready to release an online simulator. It’s time for Scuderia fans to brush up on their virtual F1 skills, because the Ferrari Virtual Academy is now available for download. The racing sim took 12,000 hours to develop and utilized the input of Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella.

The first course available for purchase is the Fiorano circuit. It costs €14.90 (about $18.97 USD) and allows players from around the globe to compete against each other in Ferrari F10 Formula One race cars. Lap times are already up on the Ferrari Virtual Academy website and the competition will continue to heat up as more tracks are released. Next up is Mugello, and then players will get their shot at taming the Nürburgring. The two extra tracks will run €9.90 (about $12.60 USD) each, with all three tracks painstakingly reproduced down to the tiniest details.

All drivers will be able to record and post their lap times as part of an international competition and each week, Ferrari will send out prizes for the top times. At the end of the competition, the five fastest drivers will win a trip to Maranello and take part in a Ferrari Driver Academy course.

Time to stretch those gaming thumbs and take on the world.

Gallery: Ferrari Virtual Academy

Ferrari Virtual Academy

[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Ferrari officially launches Virtual Racing Academy

Ferrari officially launches Virtual Racing Academy originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Sep 2010 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari to release Virtual Academy online driving simulator [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Ferrari, Toys/Games

Ferrari Driving Academy Trailer – Click above to watch the video after the jump

There are a handful of F1 driving simulators out in the market today, ranging from Codemaster’s F1 2010 to the $191,000 Cruden Hexatech simulator. Ferrari has decided to try their hand at their own version called Ferrari Virtual Academy 2010.

The simulation racing game will benefit from much of Ferrari’s own expertise in Formula One. The team’s engineers were consulted to provide realistic driving dynamics and each of the tracks were digitally recreated with Laser Scan and Motion Capture. Ferrari’s current competitor, the F10, is the vehicle of choice, and Fiorano, Mugello and the Nürburgring are the current tracks available. There’s no word as to whether historic cars or additional tracks will be offered.

The game will be available for download on September 9 with a price tag of 15 Euros (around $19 USD), although to tantalize potential users, Ferrari has said that there will be “exclusive Scuderia gadgets and further surprises” for the drivers. We don’t know what that means, but we can’t imagine a Ferrari gadget that we wouldn’t like. Need to see more? You can watch the game’s official trailer after the jump.

[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Ferrari to release Virtual Academy online driving simulator [w/video]

Ferrari to release Virtual Academy online driving simulator [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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