Autos Car Design: Offbeat News

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Minggu, 09 Oktober 2011

Roll like an F1 Champ with Schumacher's Scuderia Ferrari Motorhome

Vehicle auctions usually make headlines for automobiles sold for ridiculous amounts of money, for being very rare or very famous. At the very least, they must have been owned at some point by a rock star, an F1 driver or some other kind of celebrity in order to attract attention.

Can you imagine a bus making it in that list? Probably not unless of course, we’re talking about an original Iveco Domino Ferrari Formula 1 driver’s coach that will hit the auction block on October 26 by RM Auctions.

What makes the Iveco coach even more special is that is was used by Scuderia Ferrari during the Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichelo era from 2001 to 2005. As befitting the seven times Formula 1 world champion, it was highly customized.

Posted on 07.28 / 0 comments / Read More

Sabtu, 08 Oktober 2011

The Ghost of Chuck Norris Approves This Video [VW Polo Content]

Why did the Volkswagen Polo hatchback cross the road? [Insert joke/answer here]. But seriously now, we don't know.

What we can tell you is that we see is a sliver Polo 5d parked in what is probably a dealership (or perhaps a rental car office) seemingly somewhere in Europe and then, all of a sudden; the Polo begins to roll out the shop.

The German supermini drives through the entrance and falls down onto a busy road full of cars, and then, as if ~~Chuck Norris~~ a guardian angel was looking over the shoulders of anyone involved in this clip, the car goes straight through the traffic without causing any trouble.

Posted on 14.02 / 0 comments / Read More

POLL: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Which is the Most Beautiful of All?

The results of a collaborative project between two or more automotive partners can vary deeply, depending on how far the participating companies are willing to take the rebadging process.

For example, the differences between the original Fiat Doblo and GM's Opel Combo spinoff (a RAM variant will also be introduced in early 2013) are more or less limited to the design of their front bumpers.

The French PSA Peugeot Citroën group on the other hand, gave its designers a little more breathing room when it came to the development of its new compact SUVs / crossovers, the Peugeot 4008 and the Citroën C4 AIRCROSS.

Posted on 08.00 / 0 comments / Read More

Jumat, 07 Oktober 2011

Video: Man Hoses Down Interior of Brand-New Mercedes-Benz CLS350…

Using a high-pressure hose to clean the interior of let's say, a rugged off-road model like a Land Rover Defender or a battered down passenger car such as an old Lada Riva, wouldn't even raise an eyebrow.

But what if we told you about a man who did precisely that to a…brand new (second generation) 2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS 350? But wait, you haven't heard the best part yet: the perpetrator is the actual owner of the luxury sports sedan! Hard to believe, but we have video proof right after the break.

Posted on 17.53 / 0 comments / Read More

Vauxhall's VXR8 Sport Saloon Wins MPG Marathon Award, No Really

In an eco-marathon, you normally expect the winner to be a hybrid, a diesel or some other super-frugal -and usually underpowered- car. Well, in the Fleet World MPG Marathon the champion had no less than 431-horses kicking and screaming to be unleashed under its bonnet.

You read that correctly: the LS3 6.2-liter V8-powered VXR8 - essentially a Holden HSV rebadged as a Vauxhall for the UK market- won the two-day, 350-mile economy trial.

How did this happen? There's a simple explanation: this award wasn't given to the most fuel efficient vehicle in absolute numbers, but to the one that recorded the highest percent improvement over the official fuel consumption figures.

Posted on 17.22 / 0 comments / Read More

New Raunchy Volkswagen Passat Ad shows us the "Naked Truth"

Volkswagen is trying its best to associate the new U.S. built 2012 Passat with both the big (cinema) and small (television) screen.

Following up on its mini Darth Vader parody, das Germans have now joined forces with FX and its sitcom, "The League", for a sketch-like ad called "Win At All Costs: Naked Truth".

The spot, which is more than two minutes long, shows Stephen Rannazzisi as Kevin and Katie Aselton as Jenny playing out a humorous sketch about winning and losing bets. Hit the jump to check it out.

Posted on 16.46 / 0 comments / Read More

Ay Ay Ay! How to Rattle the Nerves of Even the Calmest of Drivers

If there's one thing that's sure to grind the gears of any driver in the world, that would be a fellow driver that does not know what he or she is doing causing a traffic jam in the process.

The following video seems to have been filmed from an apartment balcony somewhere in Spain. It shows a female driver in a three-door Audi A3 first talking to a lady on the road (perhaps she was asking directions to the parking on the side of the road) , then constantly going back and forth in an attempt to enter the garage.

Funny to watch, but towards the end of the clip it gets a bit more serious as another driver –apparently frustrated from the wait- approaches the Audi and starts yelling to the woman while also bashing her car.

Posted on 13.29 / 0 comments / Read More

This is how Ferrari Introduced its New FF GT in South Korea

Premium automakers like Ferrari that sell some of the most expensive automobiles money can buy in this world, have the opportunity to present their cars in ways other makers only dream of.

To mark the beginning of sales of the brand-new FF gran turismo in South Korea, the Italian brand held a unique launch event at the Tree Club & Spa, which a luxurious five-star resort located in downtown Seoul.

Posted on 07.14 / 0 comments / Read More

Awesom-O: TomTom Navigation Launches Top Gear Voice Pack with Jeremy Clarkson [Video]

Gone are the days when you're navigation voice choices were limited to Tom, Dick and ~~Harry~~ Sally. Now we get all sort of options ranging from cartoon and movie characters such as Homer Simpson and Master Yoda to Top Gear presenters like Jeremy Clarkson who loaned his voice to the new TomTom GO LIVE Top Gear edition satnav.

The new navigation package combines Jeremy Clarkson's directions with a Stig-mode and Top Gear selected points of interest such as race track and raceway locations related to the long-running TV series.

Posted on 06.04 / 0 comments / Read More

Judge Rules in Favor of BMW Dealer who Fired Employee Over Facebook Posts

Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are a boon as long as you make judicious use of them. Apparently, Robert Becker, an employee at a Lake Bluff BMW dealership crossed the line and the consequences were dire.

Becker posted comments and pictures on Facebook about a sales event organized by the dealership he was working for, Karl Knauz BMW, criticizing the cheap food that was offered to guests.

Posted on 05.35 / 0 comments / Read More

Kamis, 06 Oktober 2011

Barely Used, 2012 Lexus LFA Looking for a New Home on eBay

Have you been eyeing the new Lexus LFA ever since it was first revealed to the world exactly two years ago but for whatever reasons, couldn't get a hold of one? We feel your deep pocket pain. But no need to worry, we just spotted one of the 500 cars produced listed for sale on eBay.

This pure white example of Lexus' V10-powered supercar is located in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina and according to the owner; it has barely been used with only 66 miles (106 kilometers) on the odometer.

At the time we wrote this article, seventeen people had placed a bid for the 2012 LFA, the highest being $169,300. Given that its MRSP is/was $375,000, it's not surprising that the reserve has "not yet been met".

Posted on 17.44 / 0 comments / Read More

Video: Yep, that Looks Perfectly Comfortable and Absolutely Safe

Did you ever wonder where the idiom "packed like sardines" comes from? Well, let's put it this way; we've seen sardines packed more loosely than the poor people you're about to watch struggling to fit inside the bus in the video below, which was purportedly shot somewhere in mother Russia. And let's not start talking about safety...

Posted on 16.57 / 0 comments / Read More

Blind Man Fully Restores 1968 Camaro and Takes it for a Spin Around NASCAR Track [Video]

In one of those awe-inspiring moments where we witness the willpower of some people, Ronnie Presnell took his fully restored 1968 Chevrolet Camaro coupe for a lap around the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Now, what makes this story amazing is that the 62-year old retired Mecklenburg County sheriff’s deputy is blind as he lost his eyesight in a severe car accident in 1998.

Posted on 14.22 / 0 comments / Read More

1955 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing Special Edition Abandoned in Santa Monica Garage for 40 Years!

The Mercedes 300SL Gullwing is most certainly one of the most coveted and valuable classics, and the inspiration behind the modern-day SLS AMG. In its time, it was considered as one of the best sports cars in the world.

Thus, if you lived in the 1970s and your parents gave you a 1955 Gullwing as a graduation present, you’d probably cherish every moment behind its wheel. And that’s what Tom Wellmer did in 1971 – until the transmission went haywire. Instead of taking it for service, Wellmer just left it in a Santa Monica garage – and it remained parked there for the next four decades!

Posted on 13.42 / 0 comments / Read More

What a Joyride: Cops Try to Stop Stolen JCB Forklift

So how exactly do you stop a 10-tonne forklift on a rampage? Well, unless you're willing to accept collateral damages, you either wait for it to run out of fuel or pray that something goes wrong and use it to your advantage.

The police at Nottinghamshire village in in the East Midlands of England were faced with such a situation back in July when Steven Regan stole a JCB forklift and went on a wrecking spree. The incident was captured on film by a police helicopter.

Posted on 11.05 / 0 comments / Read More

Batman's New Wheels: Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Captured During Filming

Despite what you might think, it's actually quite difficult to snag pictures or videos during filming of a big blockbuster like the next Batman flick called the "Dark Knight Rises", as studios hire people simply to obstruct the view of anyone trying to capture the moment on camera.

Nevertheless, VW Vortex member VadGTi overcame these problems and was able to take a few good shots of Bruce Wayne's new rich-boy toy, the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4, which replaces the Murcielago seen in the previous installments of the Dark Knight franchise.

Posted on 10.06 / 0 comments / Read More

2012 Honda Pilot Commercial Taps on Ozzy Osbourne's Crazy Train Song

The Honda Pilot is not exactly the kind of vehicle you would associate with a rock icon like Ozzy Osbourne, nevertheless, the Japanese automaker has used of one his most well-known songs in a commercial for the mildly updated crossover.

The "Road Trip" ad for the 2012MY Pilot shows two grownups at the front and six kids at the back attempting to sing Ozzy Osbourne's 1980 debut solo single, "Crazy Train", a capella.

We're not sure the ad works but you can check it out for yourself after the break and tell us what you think.

Posted on 08.35 / 0 comments / Read More

Rabu, 05 Oktober 2011

Video: Can You Guess What will Happen Next?

Simply put, there are some things you just shouldn't do with a motorcycle - i.e. attempt a wheelie on the move with three people on board. You can add to that over-loading your bike with products as if it were a two-wheel commercial vehicle.

If you're still wondering what we're talking about, click over the jump to find out what happens next in the short clip that follows.

Posted on 16.38 / 0 comments / Read More

Overtaking Czech-Mate: Audi Driver Crashes Head on with Police Car

Continuing our "You really did it this time" series, the protagonist of this video is a Czech driver of a black Audi model who wanted to overtake a large truck, despite the solid line that forbids crossing over to the other side of the road.

The result? He ended up crashing head on with an oncoming patrol car… Buckle up and follow the break to watch the incident through dashboard camera mounted on the police vehicle.

Posted on 14.13 / 0 comments / Read More

Nürburgring Sports Car Pileup: In-Board Camera Captures the Second Crash on Film

It was only a matter of time before the first video concerning last weekend's much talked about Nürburgring crash popped-up on the internet.

The 15-minute long clip comes from an in-board camera mounted to look out the rear window. The driver of the car passed through the construction section moments after the first crash happened, but just before the BMW M3 Sedan 'Ring Taxi came smashing into the cars in front of it.

You'll have to speed up the video to around 9:50 to see the damaged cars and wait until about the clock shows 10:20ish to watch the BMW 'Ring Taxi collide in your upper right-hand corner.

Posted on 12.03 / 0 comments / Read More

Autos Car Design