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Caption Contest: NC sting operation goes horribly wrong [w/video]

Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Videos, Police/Emergency, Humor

Wake County Police Charger with bee swarm

Wake County sheriff deputy gets mobbed by bees – Click above to watch video after the jump

Alright, fine; it wasn’t a sting operation per se, but we do love our pithy headlines. A sheriff’s deputy in Wake County, North Carolina recently found himself in an odd situation when a truck carrying bee hives broke down on U.S. Highway 64. While the truck had left for its destination before dawn, it ran into mechanical trouble, and when the sun came up, the bees came out. When the deputy pulled up to investigate the situation, the bees in the hives decided that they liked the officer’s Dodge Charger better than the back of the trailer, and set about establishing a colony by swarming the cruiser.

The hoard of bees was so thick that the deputy was forced to seek refuge inside the car, where he became stuck until help could arrive from the beekeepers of North Carolina State University. The keepers managed to talk enough of the buzzers off of the car so that the deputy could then drive away, scattering the stragglers.

Of course, this brings us to the most enjoyable part of this tale – our caption contest. We’ve levied a few of our own suggestions below to get you started, but feel free to leave your own in Comments after buzzing over to the jump to check out a video of the swarm.

“Arresting Mr. Pooh for stealing honey doesn’t seem like such a great idea now, does it, rookie?”
Dodge’s early attempts at a Superbee revival meet with mixed results.
Krispy Kreme’s new honey-flavored donuts are creating quite a stir.
Wake County: All your bees are belong to us.

[Source: YouTube via WRAL]

Continue reading Caption Contest: NC sting operation goes horribly wrong [w/video]

Caption Contest: NC sting operation goes horribly wrong [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bugatti Veyron Super Sport’s top speed will be 10 mph less than record [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Bugatti, Racing

World-record breaking Bugatti Veyron Super Sport on the track – Click above for high-res image gallery

Oh what teases those Bugatti folks are. They brought the new Veyron Super Sport to Laguna Seca during classic car week here in Monterey… and did a parade lap at a pace about one-tenth of the car’s record-breaking 268-mile per hour top speed. We never expected it to take to the track in anger, but getting out of first gear would’ve been nice. Despite the slow speeds, we captured a bit of video that we think you might like.

Bugatti also announced a few details about the Super Sport that we hadn’t heard before. First, the SS will account for the final 40 Veyrons built in the car’s 300-unit run. Second, owners of the Super Sport might be saddened to learn that the car is going to be limited to just 258 miles per hour, 10 mph short of the terminal velocity it reached to set the land speed record for a production car back in early July. Bugatti was a bit tight-lipped on why, so we’re speculating it might be the tires. Actually it could be that the gas tank will now empty in 30 seconds while traveling at the car’s top speed, but who knows.

Click through and you’ll be able to see the black-and-orange SS leading the vintage Bugatti Grand Prix grid out of the pits as they form up for their Saturday race. We’ve also put together some still images of the über-Veyron during its visit to the track in the gallery below. Enjoy.

Gallery: Bugatti Veyron Super Sport at Laguna Seca

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport

Continue reading Bugatti Veyron Super Sport’s top speed will be 10 mph less than record [w/video]

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport’s top speed will be 10 mph less than record [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2010: Jaguar XJ75 Platinum concept marks 75 years of The Cat [w/Video]

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, Videos, Jaguar, Misc. Auto Shows, Design/Style, Luxury

Jaguar XJ75 Platinum Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery. Follow the jump to watch video.

The Jaguar XKR175 isn’t the only special kitty making its debut out in Monterey. Jag’s new limited-production coupe is joined by the one-off XJ75 Platinum concept created to honor of the brand’s 75th anniversary. Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance attendees will find it parked on the Concept Car Lawn.

Pearlescent white paint provides a stark contrast to the big saloon’s blacked-out grille, D-pillar, and custom 22-inch wheels. Inside, black leather seats get quilted, diamond-stitch suede inserts. The same material also adorns the headliner. Additional glitz comes courtesy of the Bremont Watch Company, which is responsible for the bespoke clock installed in the XJ75’s console.

If the 470-horsepower supercharged 5.0-liter V8 doesn’t provide enough entertainment, the XJ75 Platinum also features a 1,200-watt, 20-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system. Check out both the official photos and live pictures in high-res galleries below or follow the jump for video walkaround by Jaguar design Boss Ian Callum.

Gallery: Monterey 2010: Jaguar XJ75 Platinum Concept

Gallery: Jaguar XJ75 Platinum Concept

Live photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Jaguar]

Continue reading Monterey 2010: Jaguar XJ75 Platinum concept marks 75 years of The Cat [w/Video]

Monterey 2010: Jaguar XJ75 Platinum concept marks 75 years of The Cat [w/Video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top Gear, Clarkson blamed for Reliant Robin prank [w/video]

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Renault, UK, Humor

Click above to view the video after the jump

The Reliant Robin received some time in the spotlight recently when Top Gear superstar Jeremy Clarkson took the three-wheeled auto on a precarious 14-mile journey through the laws of physics. Clarkson managed to roll the tipsy tricycle a bunch of times during the hilarious bit, reminding us again that the instability of three-wheeled vehicles probably isn’t worth the improved fuel economy – at least for those trikes with the single wheel leading the way. The stunt may have captured the attention of some bird-brained pranksters over in the UK, as Barry Cloughton can attest.

The BBC reports that Cloughton’s Reliant Robin was overturned twice in one weekend in what the retired plumber calls a “copy-cat attack.” The motorized trike was first tipped one Friday night as it sat outside Cloughton’s house. After the Robin was returned to its proper upright stance, the vehicle was overturned a second time the following night, this time damaging the side mirror and spilling gasoline all over the driveway and into the man’s garden. Sargent Steve Reid of St. Austell Police stresses that this situation could have become deadly if the petrol were to somehow ignite, adding that pranksters have been tipping vehicles since long before Clarkson first went topsy turvy in June.

On a somewhat odd side note, Cloughton calls his Robin a “good car,” adding that he only turned over a Robin one time after hitting a slippery patch. That’s it, just the one time? Call us crazy, but even flipping one time is probably one time too many. Click past the break to watch Clarkson’s travails with the Robin.

[Source: BBC]

Continue reading Top Gear, Clarkson blamed for Reliant Robin prank [w/video]

Top Gear, Clarkson blamed for Reliant Robin prank [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford working to better integrate internet in its cars [w/video]

Filed under: Technology, Ford

Click above to watch the video after the jump

We’ve seen Internet-equipped vehicles on more than one occasion over the past few years, but most connected cars and trucks aren’t much more than a rolling hot-spot for passengers and (very) distracted drivers. That promises to change over the next decade as automakers and suppliers work to connect cars to the world around them. Ford has already begun to connect vehicles to the rest of the planet with SYNC and a smart phone, delivering information like traffic alerts, vehicle health reports, news updates and soon internet apps like Pandora (above). Senior technology leader K. Venkatesh Prasad tells CNET that the automaker plans to keep the momentum going.

Venkatesh says in a video interview (available after the jump) that in-car connectivity is currently “tuned to zero miles per hour,” adding that there is an opportunity to connect vehicles to applications that enable the Internet to work for the occupants of the vehicle. Ford has been testing Smart Intersection safety technology where vehicles communicate with traffic signals through WI-FI and GPS, and that could just be the tip of the iceberg. Electric cars, for example, could one day communicate with the electric grid and your home to find the optimal time to charge. Hit the jump to watch the Venkatech interview.

[Source: CNET]

Continue reading Ford working to better integrate internet in its cars [w/video]

Ford working to better integrate internet in its cars [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exploded view of Chevy Cruze “shutter” grille [w/video]

Filed under: Sedan, Technology, Videos, Chevrolet

Click above to watch the video after the jump

While we’d all love to see 1,000-horsepower supercars that effortlessly reach 100 miles per gallon, the pace of fuel economy improvement is far less aggressive. Automakers are scratching and clawing for every mpg they can find by doing things like downsizing and turbocharging engines, adding direct injection and variable valve timing, utilizing electric power steering and cutting weight. Another great way to save fuel is through improved aerodynamics, as evidenced by an enhancement made to the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco that helps the new C-segment sedan reach 40 mpg on the highway.

The Eco Cruze utilizes an innovative automatic air shutter system that closes the grill vents at higher speeds to reduce drag by .016 – adding .5 mpg and helping push the Cruze to the magic 40 mpg number. The shutter system is fitted to sensors that measure changes in speed or temperature. If the temperature drops or the sensors measure sufficiently high speeds, the vents will be closed by electric motors, cutting down the amount of air that enters the engine bay. Why not simply keep the grill vents closed all the time? Because added airflow is needed to help cool the engine at lower speeds. Follow the jump to read the General Motors presser and watch a minute-long video that shows how the shutter system works.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Exploded view of Chevy Cruze “shutter” grille [w/video]

Exploded view of Chevy Cruze “shutter” grille [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nation’s first public quick-charge station opens up in Portland, OR [w/video]

Filed under: Government/Legal, Electric

Quick charge station in Portland, OR – Click above to watch video after the jump

The installation of what’s being dubbed “North America’s first public quick-charge station” is now complete at the parking garage of the World Trade Center building in downtown Portland, OR. The nation’s first public charger is capable of taking most electric vehicles from zero to 80 percent charge in just 20 to 30 minutes.

The grand opening was lead by Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski, who’s seen in the video below cautiously attaching the charging cable to the Nissan Leaf. As Engadget reports, use of the quick-charge station is free of charge, but entry into the public parking garage will set you back three dollars.

Follow the jump to read more about the nation’s first public quick-charge station and don’t forget to watch the Nissan Leaf as it inches its way in for an electron fill up. Hat tip to Raymond!

[Source: Portland General Electric, Engadget]

Continue reading Nation’s first public quick-charge station opens up in Portland, OR [w/video]

Nation’s first public quick-charge station opens up in Portland, OR [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reynard Inverter gets road legal in the UK [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, UK, Racing

Reynard Inverter – Click above for high-res image gallery

One of the great things about being a gearhead in the UK is the Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) process. In short,
the IVA (formerly the Single Vehicle Type approval) is a set of rules that allows one-offs and very low volume vehicles to be approved if they meet only the most basic requirements of a road car. If it’s equipped with head- and taillights, turn signals, seat belts and doesn’t spew too much smoke or have any other obvious issues, you can get it registered. Lotus uses IVA to make UK street versions of its 2-Eleven track car and that’s how Reynard Racing Cars will now sell the Inverter – a race car barely adapted for the street – to liven up your daily commute.

Power is currently available from either a 1,000-cc Honda Fireblade or 1,340-cc Suzuki Hayabusa inline-four, but a variant powered by a 2.0-liter Ford Duratec is under development. With the road version weighing a mere 981 pounds, the 180 horsepower Fireblade should provide plenty of performance. The Inverter starts at £35,000 for a turn-key unit (that’s around $56,000 USD including Britain’s Value Added Tax) or you can get a rolling chassis and body starting at £14,900 (in the neighborhood of $24k). Check out video and specs after the jump.

Gallery: Reynard Inverter

[Source: Reynard Racing Cars]

Continue reading Reynard Inverter gets road legal in the UK [w/video]

Reynard Inverter gets road legal in the UK [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: Women, motorcycles and stunts throughout history [w/video]

Filed under: Performance, Videos, Motorcycle, Specialty

Jessica Maine, the modern stunt woman – Click above to watch the video after the break

Representing nearly ten percent of all motorcycle owners worldwide, female riders have remained the fastest growing segment in the two-wheeled marketplace for several years in a row. But being a chick on a bike has not always been quite so socially acceptable – especially when you don’t like to play by the rules!

When Margaret Gast made her first attempt at conquering the Monodrome (a.k.a. ‘The Wall of Death’) back in the early 1900s, no one would have dreamed of sporting the pink leather chaps or high-healed riding boots found in modern motorbike dealerships. In fact, it would not be until the age of disco when a women named Kerry Kleid fought for her right to race that the AMA gave out its first professional license to a female rider. It probably didn’t hurt that she had a reputation of being able to wheelie whatever she was riding…

Those pioneering women of motorcycle stunt might just say that girls like Tena “Stunt Blondie” Colbert, JoJo Farmer or Suzanne “Gixxie” Hamilton have it too easy these days. But the truth is, these girls are still raising their front wheels in a largely male dominated sport. And, at least judging by the photos, we don’t think they will be taking a back seat anytime soon. For the full chronology of stunt crazy moto-women, head on over to spotmotorcycles.com, and be sure to check out the video of Jessica Maine after the break… apparently gravity has no gender barriers. Thanks for the tip Ken!

Gallery: The women of stunt motorcycles

[Source: Spotmotorcycles]

Continue reading Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: Women, motorcycles and stunts throughout history [w/video]

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: Women, motorcycles and stunts throughout history [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai Avante captured on the roads of South Korea [w/video]

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Hyundai

Hyundai Avante – Click above for high-res image gallery or follow the jump to watch the video

The trickle becomes a stream as more materials on the Hyundai Avante sedan are released. We can now confirm that what is likely to become the 2011 Hyundai Elantra on our shores will have the presence to set itself apart in an ever-improving small-car crowd.

If the specs carry over as well, the next Elantra will be about three inches longer than the Ford Focus sedan and nearly as powerful, down by two horsepower and 15 pound-feet. On the other hand, it will get Fiesta-like gas mileage, returning 40 mpg with the manual and 39 mpg with the automatic. You can check out the pics and the specs in the high-res gallery below, and check out B-roll footage of the car after the jump. Top tip, Joseph and APJ!

Gallery: Hyundai Avante on the road

[Source: Paul Tan]

Continue reading Hyundai Avante captured on the roads of South Korea [w/video]

Hyundai Avante captured on the roads of South Korea [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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