Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[City of Flint gives GM tax breaks for Cruze and Volt factory]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/28/city-of-flint-gives-gm-tax-breaks-for-cruze-and-volt-factory/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/28/city-of-flint-gives-gm-tax-breaks-for-cruze-and-volt-factory/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/28/city-of-flint-gives-gm-tax-breaks-for-cruze-and-volt-factory/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Giveth, and taketh away, isn't that always the story? On the taketh away side, GM has recently lost a serious chunk of change. On the giveth side, The General received a $56 milion package of tax credits and grants to keep an SUV factory open in Ohio. It has also just received another package of tax credits from the city of Flint, Michigan to aid its investment in a factory that will build engines for the new Volt and Chevy Cruze. Approved over some constituent disapproval by the Flint City Council, getting GM to build the factory there will keep 300 jobs in the city. GM is now looking to the state of Michigan for more tax incentives.

[Source: Detroit News via Green Car Congress]

 

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]]>factoriesflintflint michiganFlintMichigangmplantstax breaktax breakstax incentivetax incentivesTaxBreakTaxBreaksTaxIncentiveTaxIncentives2008-08-28T18:32:00+00:00<![CDATA[Could U.S. become net exporter of gasoline?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/28/could-u-s-become-net-exporter-of-gasoline/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/28/could-u-s-become-net-exporter-of-gasoline/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/28/could-u-s-become-net-exporter-of-gasoline/#commentsFiled under: , ,

A number of factors are conspiring to create a situation that recently would have been unthinkable: the United States as a supplier of gasoline to world markets. According to Booz & Company, those factors are the rise of biofuels in the West, the introduction of plug-in electric and other alternative fuel vehicles, and the growth of the really cheap car, like the Tata Nano.

The United States imports oil to feed its gasoline habit, but the U.S. has refining capacity that developing nations cannot match. The U.S. is also lowering its reliance on traditional gasoline due to the price, states' mandates on switching to biofuels, and the dawn of mass market alternative fuel vehicles. This adds up to the United States importing oil, and then selling it to nations like India and China to feed their larger appetites for gasoline.

In the middle of all of this are the refineries, who made predictions for today's business plans two decades ago. Sure, no one is crying for them -- they need extra pages to include the zeros on their profit statements -- but they have to start figuring out who's going to need which products and how they are going to deliver them. And, by refining company standards, they need to do it quickly, which is a method of operation they aren't well versed in.

[Source: Green Car Congress via Kicking Tires; Photo CC 2.0 - National Archives]

 

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]]>alternative fuelalternative fuelsAlternativeFuelAlternativeFuelsgasgasolineoilrefineriesrefining2008-08-28T17:32:00+00:00<![CDATA[We knew it! Heated seats boil your boys]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/28/we-knew-it-heated-seats-boil-your-boys/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/28/we-knew-it-heated-seats-boil-your-boys/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/28/we-knew-it-heated-seats-boil-your-boys/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Heated seats can be just what the doctor ordered in the middle of winter, but if you're trying to pass on your car-loving gene pool, you may be better off freezing. Scientists studying male fertility have discovered that the proliferation of heated seats raises the temperature of your junk by a full degree Fahrenheit verses sitting in the car without artificially warmed seats. That's enough to cut your chances of reproducing, and it makes us strategically point a fan at close range just thinking about it. Even without electronically warmed seat bottoms, guys that sit in the car for long periods of time raise the temperature of their man parts by a couple degrees above optimal sperm-making levels. Hmmm, just typing "above optimal sperm-making levels" makes us a bit queasy. The cure? Turn off the heated seats, wear boxers, and don't sit in the car for too long at once. OK... lets talk about something else.

[Source: Drive]

 

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]]>danger heated seatsDangerHeatedSeatsheated seatsHeatedSeatsmen heated seatsMenHeatedSeatsreproductionsperm heated seatsSpermHeatedSeats2008-08-28T10:28:00+00:00<![CDATA[Pirelli bringing 'chipped' tire to market in 2010]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/28/pirelli-bringing-chipped-tire-to-market-in-2010/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/28/pirelli-bringing-chipped-tire-to-market-in-2010/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/28/pirelli-bringing-chipped-tire-to-market-in-2010/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Pirelli has announced a further innovation in the ongoing quest to remove the driving from driving. Sensors have been stashed in tires already for the hasty implementation of TPMS, but Pirelli has taken it a step further, putting a sensor package on the tire carcass itself. One implementation of the "Cyber Tire" is the "Lean," which harnesses power from the vibrations of the vehicle and beams information including tire pressure, temperature, and load to the vehicle's computer.

Cyber Tire Lean is setting things rolling for the eventual trotting out of full-blown Cyber Tire, which will be built into the tire. The high tech rubber will be more sophisticated and capable of communicating directly with stability control and anti-lock brakes to improve the effectiveness of dynamic safety systems. Cyber Tire will also carry a three-axis accelerometer that will facilitate real-time calculations of friction coefficients, contact force, and load. Pirelli is most proud of the edge the Cyber Tire will give the nanny systems to catch and correct idiotic driving faster than ever before.

[Source: The Auto Channel via Gumball144]

 

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]]>cyber tireCyberTirepirellipirelli cyber tirepirelli tirePirelliCyberTirePirelliTiretire sensorTireSensor2008-08-28T09:29:00+00:00<![CDATA[Painful Play: Audi develops free A4 racing game for iPhone]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/28/painful-play-audi-develops-free-a4-racing-game-for-iphone/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/28/painful-play-audi-develops-free-a4-racing-game-for-iphone/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/28/painful-play-audi-develops-free-a4-racing-game-for-iphone/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Audi feels that its customer base is smart, sophisticated and tech-savvy, which is why it should love a well designed game for the iPhone that features the 2009 Audi A4. Note the well-designed bit, because that's key. Audi had Denver's Factory Design Labs whip up a driving game that uses the iPhone's accelerometer as a way to steer the new 2009 A4 through slalom courses. The German automaker boasts that development took just two weeks, though after trying the free download ourselves, we think Audi might want to keep that quiet. Game development normally takes much longer - think years - so the two-week gestation of the "Audi A4 Challenge" is rather apparent. In a word: craptacular.

The top-down graphics are boring, and controlling the vehicle might unintentionally accelerate the iPhone right out of your hands. Adding further frustration is speed control that's got two extremes; the scale equivalent of 35 mph, or stopped. While the game is free, it's not worth the time you'll waste. Perhaps they should let the MMI guys have a crack at it? Press release after the jump

Gallery: Audi A4 Challenge


[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Painful Play: Audi develops free A4 racing game for iPhone

 

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]]>audi a4 challengeaudi iphoneaudi iphone appaudi iphone gameAudiA4ChallengeAudiIphoneAudiIphoneAppAudiIphoneGame2008-08-28T07:59:00+00:00<![CDATA[Unofficial: Dodge Viper ACR laps 'Ring in record 7:22.1 [w/VIDEO]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/unofficial-dodge-viper-acr-laps-ring-in-record-7-22-1-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/unofficial-dodge-viper-acr-laps-ring-in-record-7-22-1-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/unofficial-dodge-viper-acr-laps-ring-in-record-7-22-1-w-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



We're not terribly surprised that the Dodge Viper ACR has apparently made it around the famed German racing circuit faster than pretty much anything else you'll find on a dealer's lot. After all, the ACR is a race car, as evidenced by the video that Motor Trend has posted. The most venomous Viper has done the deed in 7:22, fast enough to make grown men cry. To this blogger, the Viper is dead gorgeous, even with that yucky-but-functional rear wing on the ACR, and it definitely carries the spirit of hairy-chested cars of yore. The shifter wobbles around horrendously when the driver kisses the rev limiter a few times, and there even appears to be a flubbed shift near the end, so the ACR may have faster laps left in it. We're waiting on confirmation on whether or not this is an official lap, but it's certainly creating a stir, and the Viper wants to know, V-Spec who? Thanks for the tip, Rob.

[Source: Viper Alley]



Thanks for the tip, Rob!

video of run at MotorTrend

 

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]]>ring timeRingTimeviper acr nurburging timeviper acr nurburgringviper acr ringviper acr ring timeviper nurburgringviper nurburgring timeviper ringviper ring timeViperAcrNurburgingTimeViperAcrNurburgringViperAcrRingViperAcrRingTimeViperNurburgringViperNurburgringTimeViperRingViperRingTime2008-08-27T23:58:00+00:00<![CDATA[Hot Wheels kicks off U.S. tour to celebrate 40 years]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/hot-wheels-kicks-off-u-s-tour-to-celebrate-40-years/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/hot-wheels-kicks-off-u-s-tour-to-celebrate-40-years/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/hot-wheels-kicks-off-u-s-tour-to-celebrate-40-years/#commentsFiled under: ,



Mattel created the Hot Wheels brand back in 1968, and the lives of several Autoblog writers (and readers as well) were changed forever. We're now halfway through the toy line's 40th birthday year, and, coincidentally, halfway through its Hot Wheels 40th Anniversary Road Trip.

Fans can see life-size editions of some of the most famous Hot Wheels cars, get autographs from Hot Wheels designers and, while supplies last, get a free 40th Anniversary Edition Custom Otto. You'll also be able to see that bejeweled monstrosity we told you about a few months ago that Mattel says is the most expensive Hot Wheels car ever made.

Earlier this month, the tour made stops in El Segundo, California; Wendover, Utah (pictured above); and Speed, Kansas. But there are still three chances for fans to catch the rolling birthday party. This Saturday, the Hall of Fame Museum at Indy will play host. Next Monday, the celebration is at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan and on Sept. 5, the trip ends at the Grand Prix Festival of Watkins Glen.

[Source: Hemmings Auto Blogs]

 

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]]>custom ottoCustomOttodiecastdiecast carDiecastCarhot wheelshot wheels anniversaryhot wheels anniversary tourhot wheels road tripHotWheelsHotWheelsAnniversaryHotWheelsAnniversaryTourHotWheelsRoadTriptoy carsToyCars2008-08-27T19:01:00+00:00<![CDATA[Splinter wooden supercar in the fles... wood]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/splinter-wooden-supercar-in-the-fles-wood/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/splinter-wooden-supercar-in-the-fles-wood/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/splinter-wooden-supercar-in-the-fles-wood/#commentsFiled under: ,


Click above for high-res gallery of the Splinter Wooden Supercar

You may remember our post on the Splinter wooden supercar late last year. At the time, the grad students behind the project being led by Joe Harmon only had renderings of what the Gaia-approved exotic would look like. They deserve extra credit, however, for having the actual car ready for the International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta last week. While they've yet to reach the running prototype stage, they did marry the car's body to its all-wooden chassis. Renderings are one thing, but seeing photos of the actual car is inspiring. The body is comprised of basket-woven wood that's coated with resin in a mold, which we suppose makes it a different kind of carbon fiber altogether. Next up is actually fitting the drivetrain, which thankfully is not made of wood, and getting the Splinter moving under its own power. We may have doubted at the beginning that this project would ever be completed, let alone be this cool, but consider us converts.

Gallery: Splinter Wooden Supercar - the build


Gallery: Splinter Wooden Supercar


[Source: Building the Splinter via Jalopnik]

 

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]]>joe harmonJoeHarmonsplintersplinter wooden supercarSplinterWoodenSupercarwooden supercarWoodenSupercar2008-08-27T16:28:00+00:00<![CDATA[Put a Porsche in your driveway, well sort of...]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/put-a-porsche-in-your-driveway-well-sort-of/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/put-a-porsche-in-your-driveway-well-sort-of/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/put-a-porsche-in-your-driveway-well-sort-of/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you want to see how that new Porsche is going to look in your driveway (or you just need to impress the women who frequent your favorite online dating service), our friends in Stuttgart have given us all the tools we'll need. Well, in a sense at least. Point your favorite browser here, and click on the "picture it" link on the bottom. Upload your favorite driveway shot, and then you can put either the Cayman, Boxster, 911 Coupe, or Cayenne on your own personal pavement. Once done, you can save it as a JPEG (we had to add the file extension afterwards) to share with your friends. While Porsche is kind enough to put a sports car or SUV in your driveway without charge, they won't be sending you the keys. For that, you'll still need some serious coin.

[Source: Porsche]

 

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]]>build your ownBuildYourOwncustomizeDrivewayhomeJPEGPorscheuploadVirtual2008-08-27T15:32:00+00:00<![CDATA[Things that never were nor ever should be, Part II: the Dodge Caravan "CarCamel"]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/25/things-that-never-were-nor-ever-should-be-part-ii-the-dodge-ca/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/25/things-that-never-were-nor-ever-should-be-part-ii-the-dodge-ca/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/25/things-that-never-were-nor-ever-should-be-part-ii-the-dodge-ca/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for gallery of the Car Camel

You need something to carry a car, but you don't want just any old pickup truck or SUV because anybody could do that. And since you do have that vintage Dodge Caravan lying around... why not grab the chainsaw and make something really special?

Allow us to officially introduce the Car Camel. Apparently plying the highways of Ontario, Canada, it's a shortened minivan with a car hauler stuck to its backside. It ain't pretty, and it probably ain't too fast, but we have to admit that it is pretty neat... if you're into that kind of thing. Have a look at the gallery of images below, but if any of you get the idea to make a Car Koala... please, don't. Thanks for the tip, Zak!

UPDATE: Jackpot! Autoblog reader Paul H found the owner's personal blog on which he explains how, and more importantly why, he built the Car Camel. Also check out more pics of the Car Camel, including it actually carrying a car, in the gallery below.

Gallery: Car Camel


[Source: Photobucket]

 

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]]>canadacar camelCarCamelconversiondodge caravanDodgeCaravanminivan2008-08-25T12:58:00+00:00<![CDATA[Looks can deceive: 6.6L Duramax-powered Buick GNX clone]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/24/looks-can-deceive-6-6l-duramax-powered-buick-gnx-clone/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/24/looks-can-deceive-6-6l-duramax-powered-buick-gnx-clone/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/24/looks-can-deceive-6-6l-duramax-powered-buick-gnx-clone/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



The car you see here is not a GNX. Hell, it's not even a Buick. You'd be forgiven if you thought it was, though, and it does sport a turbocharger underhood. David Morad was so enamored with the 6.6L LB7 Duramax diesel in his truck that he wanted to put it into something lighter and more fun. He decided to build a Grand National around the engine, and started buying up whatever applicable Buick body parts he could find -- right down to legit GNX dash plates. Next, he bought an '82 Buick Regal diesel that was to be the subject of the transformation. Unfortunately, that car literally self-immolated as he drove it home, sending Morad straight back to square one.

He subsequently found and bought an '81 Olds diesel and got to work. The car was cut in half so that a Regal rear end could be welded on, and then a laundry list of major modifications followed. To retain the stock Buick exterior appearance while incorporating the new powertrain, everything under the skin is is either extensively modified or custom fabricated in order to allow for the deception. Sure, it looks like a GNX, but this is really a scratch-built machine. Wilwood brakes lurk behind some absolutely wicked deep-dish Budnik wheels (dig those steamrollers in back), which nicely compliment the menacing black bodywork. Diesel Power magazine covers all the build's specifics in detail, and it's well worth a read.

If you're gonna masquerade as a GNX, you'd better bring some punch to the costume party, and Morad's car does. As of Diesel Power's publication, it ran an 8.25-second eighth of a mile, which they figure works out to somewhere in the 12s for the quarter. He'll be gunning for the 11s next, and additional performance upgrades are in store. Best of all? This is Morad's daily driver! He reports that it gets around 28 mpg in regular use and in the mid-30s on the highway. Not a bad combination: the looks of a GNX, the grunt of a big turbodiesel, and the fuel economy of cars that are a lot more boring. This thing had to cost a fortune to make, but Morad's clearly getting his money's worth on the fun scale.

[Source: Diesel Power via Next Autos]

 

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]]>6.6buickclonecustomdieselduramaxgm lb7GmLb7gnxgrand nationalGrandNationaloldsmobile2008-08-24T09:35:00+00:00<![CDATA[Horseman of the apocalypse gets an axe: Esteban-endorsed Camaro guitar]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/22/horseman-of-the-apocalypse-gets-an-axe-esteban-endorsed-camaro/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/22/horseman-of-the-apocalypse-gets-an-axe-esteban-endorsed-camaro/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/22/horseman-of-the-apocalypse-gets-an-axe-esteban-endorsed-camaro/#commentsFiled under:



Just when we thought we'd seen the worst celebrity-endorsed product placement of the new Camaro, our new bestest friend Hernando delivers this gem: The Esteban Camaro Legend Limited Edition Guitar Package.

The self-proclaimed master of the six-stringed arts has assaulted late night viewers of the Home Shopping Network for years. And if his unnaturally coiffed hair and darkened sunglasses weren't enough to send a chill down your spine, this will. Whoever at General Motors signed off on this licensing deal needs to be drawn, quartered, fired on a spit and then served to a rabid pack of lemmings - for starters.

The kit includes the Camaro guitar coated in "Hugger Orange and twin Gun Metal sport stripes", a custom guitar strap, numbered certificate of authenticity and "is sleek, slick and ready to burn rubber with its heavy-hitting sound." Mullet sold separately.

Gallery: Esteban Camaro Guitar


[Source: HSN]

 

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]]>camarochevroletchevyestebanguitar2008-08-22T15:29:00+00:00<![CDATA[Bermudavich Triangleski: inordinate number of accidents at Moscow intersection]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/22/bermudavich-triangleski-inordinate-number-of-accidents-at-mosco/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/22/bermudavich-triangleski-inordinate-number-of-accidents-at-mosco/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/22/bermudavich-triangleski-inordinate-number-of-accidents-at-mosco/#commentsFiled under:


Click above to see 15 crashes at the Moscow intersection

Every city has at least one: a badly designed intersection with poor visibility that's prone to car accidents. But this one looks like it was laid out by Rasputin. What you see here isn't a snapshot from the set of The Bourne Ultimatum. It's a junction in the increasingly over-populated streets of Moscow where passers-by regularly observe an inordinate amount of crashes. Fortunately, the accidents look like mostly fender-benders, but we'd think that the Supreme Soviet Russian authorities would want to centrally plan a redesign of the intersection, or at least consider revising the signalization, especially since they don't so much have to worry about confounding European armies marching through their capital these days. Until then, more cars are bound to pile up at these crossroads, which you can see from the images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Crashes at Moscow intersection


[Source: English Russia via Jalopnik]

 

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]]>accidents moscow russiaAccidentsMoscowRussiabermuda triangleBermudaTrianglecar accidentsCarAccidentsmoscowmoscow crash intersectionmoscow intersectionmoscow russiaMoscowCrashIntersectionMoscowIntersectionMoscowRussiarussia2008-08-22T08:29:00+00:00<![CDATA[Concrete chicane keeps drivers on the curvy and narrow in China]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/22/concrete-chicane-keeps-drivers-on-the-curvy-and-narrow-in-china/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/22/concrete-chicane-keeps-drivers-on-the-curvy-and-narrow-in-china/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/22/concrete-chicane-keeps-drivers-on-the-curvy-and-narrow-in-china/#commentsFiled under: ,



We don't have much information on this, but apparently this theme-park looking concrete chicane is in use on a roadway in China to keep speeds down. The Not So Great Wall of China is about two-feet high and one-hundred serpentine feet long.

We can't imagine what people were doing on this road to necessitate one-way traffic slowed to a crawl. Or maybe the authorities are just trying to protect the trees and fields from pilots like the amphibious Audi R8 driver, since there doesn't seem to be a mammal anywhere in the area. Or perhaps a new Olympic sport? If you have any better (more educated) ideas, please feel free to fill us in in the comments... Thanks for the tip, Gabriel!

[Source: Nate]

 

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]]>chinachinese roadsChineseRoadssafetyspeeding2008-08-22T07:28:00+00:00<![CDATA[Strand-Craft's Spectacular Swedish Stingray Speedboat]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/21/strand-crafts-spectacular-swedish-stingray-speedboat/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/21/strand-crafts-spectacular-swedish-stingray-speedboat/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/21/strand-crafts-spectacular-swedish-stingray-speedboat/#commentsFiled under:


Click above for gallery of Strand-Craft's Stingray speedboat

The '63 Corvette Stingray split-window coupe may not have been quite as aerodynamic as GM would have us believe, but it does remain one of the most iconic designs of all time. So iconic, in fact, that one shipyard is considering taking it to the water to see if the shape is seaworthy.

Bo Zolland of Sweden's Strand-Craft shirks the minimalist design of his home country's most prolific furniture chain with the most exquisitely designed and crafted teak-decked retro runabout ever to grace the surface of water, with a little Corvette flair thrown in for good measure. The blueprints call for a carbon-fiber hull and a big block engine with competition prop drives (we see two engines powering the one above). Strand-Craft is taking orders for an untold limited number of Stingray speedboats to be made on special order according to the customer's speficifications, and we have a feeling there might be some Corvette aficionados who'd be eager to bring their passion out of land-lock and out onto the open water.

Gallery: Strand-Craft Stingray speedboat


[Source: Strand-Craft via All Cars, All the Time]

 

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]]>corvettecorvette boatCorvetteBoatstingray speedboatStingraySpeedboatstrand craftstrand-craftStrandCraft2008-08-21T18:58:00+00:00<![CDATA[eBay Find of the Day: Frank's "Million Mile" Chevy Silverado]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/21/ebay-find-of-the-day-franks-million-mile-chevy-silverado/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/21/ebay-find-of-the-day-franks-million-mile-chevy-silverado/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/21/ebay-find-of-the-day-franks-million-mile-chevy-silverado/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



You've got thirty grand and you want a pickup truck, do you A) buy new, or B) hit eBay for a million-mile Silverado. Frank, who had a mild brush with celebrity when the odometer on his truck hit seven-figures recently, would like you to buy his truck. The 1991 Chevy Silverado 1500 is still on its original 350 small-block, though it's chewed up 5 trannies. Frank raves on and on about its remarkable engine and wants it to go to a collector who will appreciate it, but still go out for a ride from time to time. It is an impressive mileage total, but really, who's going to question that a small block V8 is one of the best engines ever? Maintenance has apparently been rather thorough, which is a help keeping any car alive, though we're surprised it hasn't been ravaged by the tinworm. Frank's auction ends in three days and so far hasn't moved beyond its starting bid of $29,999.99. With Employee Pricing back, however, you can get a brand new Chevy Silverado Regular Cab with a short box and zero miles for just $19,899.

Gallery: Million Mile Silverado


[Source: eBay]

 

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]]>ebay silveradoEbaySilveradomillion mile pickupmillion mile silverado ebaymillion mile truckmillion mile truck for saleMillionMilePickupMillionMileSilveradoEbayMillionMileTruckMillionMileTruckForSale2008-08-21T11:31:00+00:00<![CDATA[<strike>Class</strike> Clown: Lamborghini smoking accessories]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/21/strike-class-strike-clown-lamborghini-smoking-accessories/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/21/strike-class-strike-clown-lamborghini-smoking-accessories/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/21/strike-class-strike-clown-lamborghini-smoking-accessories/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Smoking cigars. It conjures images of wood-lined, quilted-leather private clubs and back-room deals brokered with a hand-shake between captains of industry and diplomats. Though tobacco may be taboo in modern society, cigars still have an air of class about them. At least until Lamborghini got involved.

While we're all for automotive-themed products, especially those of the finely-crafted variety, this seems to take things too far. Made by Tonino Lamborghini (think of it as Sant'Agata's Porsche Design), this range of lighters and cigar cutters, in our view, infuses the flashy, fast-paced Lamborghini image into a realm where it doesn't belong. Maybach can get away with slapping their badge on a smoker's set. Even Porsche Design manages to carry it off with a degree of class. But as much as we like Lamborghini's fantastic sportscars, when our first-born child arrives, we'll take a pass on these.

UPDATE: The good folks at Lamborghini have informed us that, despite using the same name and logo, Tonino Lamborghini is in fact no longer affiliated with Automobili Lamborghini. Our appologies for any confusion.

[Source: eLighters via CarScoop]

 

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]]>lamborghinilamborghini cigar cutterlamborghini lighterLamborghiniCigarCutterLamborghiniLightertonino lamborghiniToninoLamborghini2008-08-21T09:32:00+00:00<![CDATA[Spy Shots: 2010 Mazda3]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/21/spy-shots-2010-mazda3/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/21/spy-shots-2010-mazda3/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/21/spy-shots-2010-mazda3/#commentsFiled under: , ,

New spy shots of the refreshed Mazda3 have surfaced, lending credence to the future-Mazda images we've seen oozing out of places like an EU harmonization office, and a Japanese toymaker. It looks like the doors remain largely unchanged, with the nose and tail receiving the bulk of the work. The front end will pick up new headlamps that mimic what big-brother 6 now wears. The black-tape ruse is not effective at disguising a C-Pillar that remains kinked forward, but the taillights are successfully obscured with adhesive applique. It won't be long before we see all the tape pulled off the refreshed 3 as the car show season heats up.

[Source: Car and Driver, Photo: Michael Cervantes/Priddy]


 

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]]>mazda 3mazda 3 leakmazda 3 renderingmazda 3 spy shotsMazda3Mazda3LeakMazda3RenderingMazda3SpyShots2008-08-21T08:29:00+00:00<![CDATA[Navistar <i>not</i> going to buy GM's medium duty truck business]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/20/navistar-i-not-i-going-to-buy-gms-medium-duty-truck-business/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/20/navistar-i-not-i-going-to-buy-gms-medium-duty-truck-business/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/20/navistar-i-not-i-going-to-buy-gms-medium-duty-truck-business/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



It's an epic poem that could have been written by Byron: you suffered a nasty breakup and met a new girl, you dated for a while, things were looking outstanding, you proposed... and then the bottom dropped out of the medium-duty truck business. We've seen it all before. And now that it's happened, Navistar has backed away from it's non-binding commitment to purchase GM's medium-duty truck operations.

GM and Navistar only had a memorandum of understanding, so there appears to be no harm, no foul in Navistar getting icy feet. The brief announcement of the dissolution presents it as a mutual affair: "Due to significant marketplace and economic changes, GM and Navistar have decided not to renew the memorandum of understanding to purchase GM's medium duty truck business," but we imagine GM standing at the altar, watching its Navistar groom bolt from the church and hop in a taxi.>

GM is still talking to Navistar and looking at other ways to dump find a good home for its medium duty truck business. A shame, because they make some fine vehicles.

[Source: GM]

 

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]]>chevy kodiakChevyKodiakgmgmc topkickGmcTopkickinternationalinternational truckInternationalTruckmedium duty truckmedium duty trucksMediumDutyTruckMediumDutyTrucksnavistarnavistar truckNavistarTruck2008-08-20T14:58:00+00:00<![CDATA[Lexus Nuaero Concept looks like Minority Report reject]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/19/lexus-nuaero-concept-looks-like-minority-report-reject/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/19/lexus-nuaero-concept-looks-like-minority-report-reject/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/19/lexus-nuaero-concept-looks-like-minority-report-reject/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The Lexus Nuaero concept would look right at home running alongside its movie star sibling that appeared in Minority Report, though that concept vehicle got all the looks. Unfortunately, that's not saying much. Jon Radbrink has penned a futuristic blade of a car that comes out looking for all the world like a Stanley Pocket Surform. The forward thinking doesn't stop with the Hobie-Cat exterior, there's plenty of future-dreaming inside the Nuaero. Pedals have been banished for a steering wheel-based setup that operates sort of like an aircraft yoke. Radbrink thinks that people's hands are better for driving than our feet - something about accuracy. Mhm. John must ride the train a lot; we see plenty of inaccuracies happening out there by people using all four extremeties. While we're all dreaming, the Nuaero is intended to be rendered in lightweight materials, so it would theoretically offer the space of a larger vehicle while only pressing the scales with the equivalent weight of a SMART ForTwo. At least we now have a design for this years Pinewood Derby. Thanks for the tip, Ian!

Gallery: Lexus Nuaero concept


[Source: Gizmodo]

 

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]]>lexus conceptlexus concept minority reportlexus nuaerolexus nuaero conceptlexus nuaero minority reportLexusConceptLexusConceptMinorityReportLexusNuaeroLexusNuaeroConceptLexusNuaeroMinorityReportnuaero conceptnuaero minority reportNuaeroConceptNuaeroMinorityReport2008-08-19T11:31:00+00:00