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One family’s remarkable 11-year road trip

Filed under: Etc.

national lampoon's vacation screenshot

Road trips are fun. We recently spent a weekend with the 2011 Airstream Avenue and had a great time running up the California coast. That was three days of adventure. The Zapp family of Argentina also enjoys a good road trip, and they’ve been on their current journey for the last 11 years.

Herman and Candelaria Zapp set off on a trip back in 2000. The couple left Argentina in their 1928 Graham-Paige Model 610 and headed north towards Alaska. Eleven years and 145,000 miles later, the Zapp family has grown by four. Pampa was born in the United States, Tehue in Argentina, Paloma in Canada and Wallaby in Australia. The children are “home-schooled” out on the road, and that allows the Zapps to keep on exploring.

Though the Model 610 can’t go over 40 miles per hour, the Zapps have taken it throughout North America, to parts of Asia and down to Australia. It’s a truly amazing journey and you can read more about it at MSNBC.com.

[Source: MSNBC]

One family’s remarkable 11-year road trip originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Chrysler to have short 2011 model year thanks to bankruptcy

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep

chrysler 300

2011 Chrysler 300 – Click above for high-res image gallery

When Chrysler entered bankruptcy protection, its product lineup was decidedly barren. Team Pentastar has addressed that issue in the months since it sought government protection, and the fruits of all that labor have begun to pay off with the launch of 16 new and dramatically refreshed vehicles for 2011.

New products like the 2011 Chrysler 300 and the Jeep Grand Cherokee have no doubt helped improve Chrysler’s portfolio, but AutoWeek reports that the sheer scope of the overhaul may have truncated the 2011 model year. Many of the 2011 models in dealerships now didn’t arrive until the first quarter of 2011, while others, like the 300 and Dodge Durango are just now trickling into showroom floors across America.

The late roll-out of 2011 models won’t be repeated for 2012, as Chrysler spokesperson Ralph Kisiel reportedly told AW “most of our 2012s go into production during the month of July.” Dealers will begin ordering 2012 models as early as May.

Chrysler’s shortened run of 2011 models isn’t exactly normal, but we’re guessing that it won’t matter much to dealers. After all, if 2012 models are arriving this summer, then the 2011s will just be getting in the way.

Gallery: 2011 Chrysler 300: First Drive

2011 Chrysler 300

[Source: AutoWeek]

Report: Chrysler to have short 2011 model year thanks to bankruptcy originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Win an autographed Audi flag from this year’s Twelve Hours of Sebring

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Racing

2011 59th Annual Twelve Hours of Sebring – Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi invited us to warm and sunny Florida for the 59th annual Twelve Hours of Sebring, the opening round of the 2011 American Le Mans Series that was held this past weekend. While the French racing team Oreca took the surprise win in the LMP1 class (beating the factory Peugeot 908 HDi team in their older first-generation Peugeot 908 HDi-FAP), Audi held on through punctured tires and collisions to deliver both the fourth and fifth spot in matching R15++ diesel-powered prototypes (Audi will run its brand-new R18 prototype at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June). In the GT class, BMW proudly nailed first and second place with its hot M3 GT.

Spending time behind-the-scenes with a race team offers a completely different perspective, especially when it comes to an endurance event. While huge crowds of spectators down cold beer and blister from sunburn at Sebring’s huge infield and midway (with some seriously creative camping accommodations), dozens of Audi Sport Team Joest crew sweat out the long hours working on the minute details – everything from track concrete composition to atmospheric barometric pressure is taken into account. During our glimpse into a whirlwind 48-hour period (encompassing qualifying and the race), the pace was maddening whether the drivers were attending signing events or the crew was rehearsing pit stops.

Check out our extensive photo gallery with coverage of the 56-car field. Note the amount of race telemetry delivered in real-time to the team engineers in the hot pits, and the exhaustion of the crew in the 85-degree ambient temperatures (who capture shut-eye only while the car is running well). A special shout-out to Xander Walker, who we bumped into hanging with the folks in Turn 10 – see you guys next year!

Audi’s Sebring drivers (Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish, Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Mike Rockenfeller) signed a flag for us before the race. While it looks great on our wall, we’re going to give it to one of you (official rules). Leave a comment on this post to enter (only one comment or else you’re disqualified), and we’ll choose one lucky recipient for the win.

How to Enter:

Leave a single comment on this post (if you leave two or more, all of your comments will be disqualified)
You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec)
Limit 1 entry per person during entry period
This entry period begins 7:30 PM EST on Friday, March 25 and ends at 7:30 PM EST on Saturday, March 26. We’ll randomly select 1 winner at that time to receive an Audi flag signed by the team’s 2011 Sebring drivers.
For a list of complete rules, click here

Gallery: 2011 59th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring

The 2011 59th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring

Win an autographed Audi flag from this year’s Twelve Hours of Sebring originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Hennessey pits Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon against last year’s Nissan GT-R

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Wagon, Cadillac, Nissan, UAW/Unions

hennessey cts-v sport wagon versus nissan gt-r

Hennessey Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon versus 2011 Nissan GT-R – Click above to watch video after the jump

Hennessey is once again bringing its super station wagon out to the drag strip. The Texas tuner has taken Cadillac’s 556-horsepower fast family-hauler and tweaked it so that the 6.2-liter V8 now produces 650 hp. We previously showed you how it fared against an (outdated) Porsche 911 Turbo, and now Hennessey has brought the CTS-V Sport Wagon back to the track, and this time, the opponent in the other line is driving a Nissan GT-R.

A 2011 Nissan GT-R to be more precise. The model that produces 485 horsepower and runs down Hennessey’s track in 11.8-seconds. That’s a hair slower than the 11.7-second run ripped off by the Sport Wagon – an amazing time for the 4,398-pound American muscle machine.

However, the 2012 Nissan GT-R pumps out 530 horsepower, runs from 0-60 miles per hour in less than three seconds and will cover a quarter-mile in about 11.6 seconds. Now, you can take that to mean Hennessey should’ve run against the newer GT-R… or that they’ve built one hell of a station wagon. Click past the jump to watch the two cars run down the strip.

[Source: YouTube via Jalopnik]

Continue reading Video: Hennessey pits Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon against last year’s Nissan GT-R

Video: Hennessey pits Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon against last year’s Nissan GT-R originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why Geneva has evolved into the must-see motor show of the year

Filed under: Geneva Motor Show

Geneva Motor Show 2011

A recent study anointed Geneva the most livable city in the world. Sitting where Lake Geneva flows into the Rhone River, the old city has a surprisingly small town feel and probably wouldn’t even be on the global map were it not for the presence of the United Nations – and the annual Geneva Motor Show.

The Geneva Motor Show takes place on neutral ground. Switzerland has no car industry.

There are plenty of international auto shows in cities across Europe, yet with the exception of those in Paris and Frankfurt, which occur in alternating autumns, none bears the significance of Geneva. The 81st “salon,” which just opened to the public, will see 100s of thousands squeeze through the turnstiles at PALExpo, and for good reason considering the scores of new products unleashed during the two media days – which included 64 separate press conferences on the first day alone.

Why has the Geneva Motor Show become so important – so much so that industry leaders and media alike struggle to find $1,000 rooms, often staying an hour away and driving in during the pre-dawn chill? Organizers have taken to heart the very central tenet of Swiss existence – in a word, “neutrality.”

Paul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of TheDetroitBureau.com, and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.

[Image: Martial Trezzini/AP]

Continue reading Why Geneva has evolved into the must-see motor show of the year

Why Geneva has evolved into the must-see motor show of the year originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick sales beating up on Lexus, may be this year’s most popular luxury brand

Filed under: Car Buying, Buick, Earnings/Financials, Luxury

There are a number of simple, reliable truths in the world. The Earth is round. A compass points north. Nobody but the Chinese buy Buicks and Lexus is the best-selling luxury brand in the United States. Well, hold on to your horses. Lowly old Buick, long seen as the doorstop of the luxury segment, has outsold Lexus two months straight and shows no signs of slowing down.

Our friends at Kicking Tires ground through the sales figures and found that Buick also sold more luxury cars in February than Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Acura. In fact, the only luxury brand that sold more cars in the States in February was BMW, and even then only by 800 units.

What makes Buick’s meteoric rise to the top of its segment even more impressive is the fact that it has done so with just four nameplates: Enclave, LaCrosse, Lucerne and Regal. By way of comparison, Lexus offers nine models in the States.

And lest you think that buyers are choosing Buicks solely because of a value proposition, Kicking Tires notes that average Buick transaction prices have increased by $11,113 since 2003, according to Buick spokesman Nick Richards. Sounds like Buick deserves some real kudos, no?

We suggest you scan over the whole article from Kicking Tires, it’s a very interesting read.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Buick sales beating up on Lexus, may be this year’s most popular luxury brand originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Americans racked up 3,000,000,000,000 miles traveled last year

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

American drivers logged 3 trillion miles traveled in 2010

The Department of Transportation has released data revealing that American drivers clocked over 2.9 trillion miles traveled in 2010. According to DOT, that’s a .7 percent, or 20.5 billion-mile) increase over 2009, and the highest rate since 2007.

The area between Texas and Kentucky saw the biggest increase in miles traveled at 1.4 percent, with motorists travelling 46.6 billion miles in that area in 2010. The area from Delaware to Florida saw a .4 percent decrease in miles traveled, shaving 214 million miles off that locale’s annual total.

Despite the increase in miles traveled, traffic fatalities in 2010 were at their lowest since 1950. We wouldn’t expect the same increase in miles driven for next year, as gas prices are expected to climb to $4 a gallon over the summer, but we’ll see… Americans love road trips, no?

[Source: Consumer Reports | Image: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty]

Americans racked up 3,000,000,000,000 miles traveled last year originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2011: World Car of the Year finalists shortlisted

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Geneva Motor Show, Etc.

world car of the year award The list of finalists for World Car of the Year has been whittled down from 39 entries to just three, and the finalists were announced yesterday at a press conference hosted by Bridgestone at the Geneva Motor Show.

The finalists for overall Car of the Year are the 2011 Audi A8, the BMW 5 Series and the Nissan Leaf. The performance category is occupied by the the Ferrari 458 Italia, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and the Porsche 911 Turbo.

Representing the green catergory are the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt and the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Edition. The green car of the year will be decided by votes from three of the world’s top green technology experts.

The final category in the World Car of the Year competition is design. In that category is the Aston Martin Rapide, Alfa Romeo Giulietta and the Ferrari 458 Italia.

The winner of the World Car of the Year award has to represent some aspects of each category in the competition and will be decided, along with the winners in from the other categories, at the New York Auto Show on April 21.

[Source: World Car of the Year]

Continue reading Geneva 2011: World Car of the Year finalists shortlisted

Geneva 2011: World Car of the Year finalists shortlisted originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Edge named Canadian Car and Utility of the Year

Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Crossover, Chevrolet, Ford, Canada

2011 Chevrolet Cruze

2011 Chevrolet Cruze – Click above for high-res image gallery

Both Chevrolet and Ford have something to brag about at the 2011 Canadian International Auto Show. The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada named the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze the Canadian Car of the Year; the 2011 Ford Edge took Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year honors. According to General Motors, AJAC members cited the compact sedan’s efficiency, refinement, and price as the key factors, and that added bonuses like 10 standard air bags helped seal the award for the Cruze.

The 2011 Ford Edge crossover, won over journos with its extensive redesign and came out ahead following both road and track tests. Additionally, the Edge’s onboard technology features helped drive home the win. Hit the jump for both press releases.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze 1LT: Review

2011 Chevrolet Cruze 1LT

Gallery: Review: 2011 Ford Edge

[Sources: General Motors, Ford]

Continue reading 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Edge named Canadian Car and Utility of the Year

2011 Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Edge named Canadian Car and Utility of the Year originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR marks 10-year anniversary of Dale Earnhardt’s death at Daytona 500

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Celebrities

Dale Earnhardt Senior

It was 10 years ago today that racing legend Dale Earnhardt Senior died while competing at the Daytona 500. It’s no secret that not every motorsports afficianado is a fan of the NASCAR scene, but there’s no denying the outright skill and presence that racers bring to the game both on and off the track. Nowhere was that more evident than with Earnhardt, who sprang from a long-line of circle track racers. Even if series fans rooted for a different driver, they respected Earnhardt for his down-to-earth nature and old-school approach to racing. When Earnhardt was behind the wheel, it was clear he wasn’t there to make friends or play nice. He was there to win.

While Earnhardt’s death was a tragedy on many levels, we can’t help but feel that NASCAR lost more than an icon when he passed. Today’s field is populated by overly polished, nameless media machines that lack the heart and human emotion that the old-timers brought to the table. Maybe that’s why we just can’t bring ourselves to flop down in front of the TV for 500 laps anymore.

For an excellent (and tear-jerking) retrospective on The Intimidator’s fatal accident, check out Dale Earnhardt’s Last Ride from ESPN.

[Sources: Yahoo Sports, Kansas City Star, USA Today | Image: Bruce Ackerman/AP]

NASCAR marks 10-year anniversary of Dale Earnhardt’s death at Daytona 500 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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