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If you happened to catch the Firestone 550 at the Texas Motor Speedway this weekend, chances are you saw one of the scariest motorsports moments in recent history. On lap 99, 21-year-old rookie Simona de Silvestro wound up hitting the wall, her car erupting into a fireball as it slid along the crash barrier before coming to a stop on the apron. While rescue crews were on the scene in moments, it took them more than 25 seconds to begin extracting de Silvestro from the flaming wreckage, and even longer to get any sort of suppression on the inferno due to some apparent equipment issues.

One safety worker managed to rescue the driver from her car, but it took some serious yanking. De Silvestro managed to walk away from the incident with only minor burns to the palm of her right hand, which is pretty amazing considering how long she was sitting in the fire.

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, de Silvestro’s car simply got a little too loose as it came out of the corner and she hit the wall as a result. Hop the jump to see some frightening video of the crash.

[Source: YouTube, Fort Worth Star-Telegram]

Continue reading Video: Simona De Silvestro’s fiery IndyCar rescue

Video: Simona De Silvestro’s fiery IndyCar rescue

Those who caught our post-race coverage of the Turkish Grand Prix last weekend may still be scratching their heads wondering what happened. With the bulk of the race behind them, Red Bull Racing looked set to sail to a 1-2 finish, with Mark Webber (left) leading virtually uninhibited from pole. But then the unthinkable happened: Sebastian Vettel (right), who had been catching up to his teammate, moved to pass for the lead, but instead crashed into his wingman’s car. Webber recuperated and took third place, but Vettel’s race was over.

The big question on everyone’s mind, however, is what exactly went wrong, and more pressingly, who was at fault. Opinions appeared divided among fans, pundits, even the team itself, and nobody was saying a thing. To observers it seemed obvious that Vettel was at fault, yet no clear attribution of guilt was issued. So what exactly happened?

Team orders, according to some speculation. The team claims it doesn’t issue its drivers such controversial directives, but some reports indicated that just before the crash, team principal Christian Horner told Webber’s race engineer Ciaron Pilbeam to instruct his driver to let Vettel by. Pilbeam reportedly refused – or simply neglected – to pass on the message, leaving Webber clueless to the plan.

If such team orders were indeed issued, Red Bull certainly isn’t about to admit it. Pilbeam could get the old heave-ho as a result, but what good is a scapegoat if you can’t place blame on him, anyway?

[Source: GrandPrix.com Image: Cristina Quicler/AFP/Getty]

Webber-Vettel crash at Turkish GP still shrouded in mystery

At a recent event at Gingerman Raceway in western Michigan, Dodge brand CEO Ralph Gilles took some time to discuss the Viper as it heads off into retirement in its current form. Unfortunately, for those hoping for clues to the future of the V10 sports car, Gilles said almost nothing of consequence. He did acknowledge that demand for the 2010s has been surprisingly robust, particularly the limited edition ACR-X. As a result, Dodge is considering building an additional batch of the track-only models. Gilles has high hopes for the Viper spec racing series that begins next month, since this will be one of the first chances for Vipers to be running unrestricted in competition.

Many of the 2010 models are being special-ordered by customers with unique finishes and interiors, and according to Gilles, all of this data is being factored into decisions about the future of the brand. He gives no other hints about the car or when (if ever) it might appear. Check out everything Gilles has to say after the jump.

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Video: Ralph Gilles talks Dodge Viper, considering track-only model

Video: Ralph Gilles talks Dodge Viper, considering track-only model

Teenagers in New Jersey feel even more singled out than their standard egocentrism engenders. New drivers in the state are required to purchase red decals for their license plates, letting other motorists and law enforcement know who’s behind the wheel. Critics of the law say it also puts a big target on the car for anyone intending to do harm to young people. The stickers making easy prey for sex offenders is a big factor in the movement against the legislation.

While opponents of the law argue about the safety of teen motorists, supporters say they are also concerned for the well-being of youngsters. Backers of the law argue that bad actors can find teenagers in places like malls and parking lots as it is, and the law makes it possible for law enforcement to uphold the restrictions on younger drivers that are intended to keep them safe. According to The Wall Street Journal, many teens and parents are refusing to follow the law, opting to pay the $100 fine that may result if caught. Opposition has been gathering on Facebook and other social media outposts, and legislation to repeal the requirement has been introduced.

[Source: The Wall Street Journal - subs. req.]

Report: Red license decals for teens has NJ motorists up in arms

Since returning to the sportscar racing scene in 2005, Aston Martin Racing has expanded its scope to cover every category of GT racing from the GT4-spec Vantage to the GT1-spec DBR9. But few were prepared for the full-on assault the British outfit launched last year in the top-tier, winner-takes-all LMP1 category.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the last Aston Martin overall victory at Le Mans, the team shoehorned the V12 engine from the victorious DBR9 into an existing Lola chassis with support from veteran LMP1 campaigners Charouz Racing System. The Aston-powered Lolas emerged among the most successful gasoline-powered entries (behind the diesel-powered Audis and Peugeots). But that was only a stop-gap measure. This year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans – set to kick off next weekend – is slated to be the last time Aston uses the Lola chassis before it launches its own.

Developed by Aston’s racing partner Prodrive – directed by Aston chairman David Richards – the ground-up Le Mans prototype is set to take to the track next year. But Aston won’t be keeping the fun all to itself. According to the latest reports, the factory works team will field two cars of its own, and sell an additional two cars to a privateer team next year and then another two in 2012. If Aston can find an edge against the longer-running diesels – this is an endurance race, after all – or if the series organizers find an effective way of equalizing the performance between the fuel types, a field of six Aston prototypes stand a good chance of topping the podium within the next couple of years.

[Source: Autosport]

Aston Martin looks set to flood Le Mans grids with new prototype

Chrysler is quietly racking up quite a few recalls so far in 2010, with a pair of 300,000 unit minivan recalls, a Dodge Caliber sticking gas pedal concern and now a brake issue with the Jeep Wrangler. The Pentastar is calling home 288,968 2006-2010 Jeep Wrangler models due to front fender liners that could make contact with the right front and left rear brake tubes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the friction caused by the fender liners could “cause wear of the tubes causing a brake fluid leak.” That leaking fluid could cause partial loss of service brakes at the affected wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.

The NHTSA website states that Jeep Wranglers build between May 15, 2006 and August 9, 2010 are affected by the recall. August 9, 2010 is still two months away, so we’re thinking NHTSA made a mistake since Chrysler will begin repairing vehicles beginning in June. If your Wrangler is covered by the recall, you can take your Go Anywhere off-roader to the local Jeep dealer for a free fix. Hit the jump to read over official NHTSA press release.

[Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]
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Continue reading Jeep recalling nearly 300k 2006-2010 Wrangler models over possible brake fluid leak

Jeep recalling nearly 300k 2006-2010 Wrangler models over possible brake fluid leak

These interwebs are full or rumor and conjecture. The juiciest tidbits we publish here for your consideration and amusement. The latest? That the upcoming roadster version of the Ferrari 458 Italia will receive a retractable hard top.

Now if you’re thinking – given the “unavoidable” extra weight – that a hard top on a performance exotic makes about as much sense as a screen door on a proverbial submarine, we dare to challenge that assumption. Maybe that was once the case, and arguably still is for most automakers, but Ferrari’s carved out a niche for itself as an expert in lightweight construction and advanced design.

Say what you will about the Ferrari California, but during its development Maranello claims to have found the use of a hard-top convertible mechanism was actually lighter in weight than an equivalent fabric roof would have been. (Not to mention that, in true Prancing Horse style, it’s the fastest in the business.) And remember the Superamerica it made out of the 575M with that innovative flip-top invented by former Pininfarina designer (and deputy Ferrari GM) Leonardo Fioravanti?

Couple those past experiences with reports that the convertible version of arch-rival McLaren’s MP4-12C could also go drop-tin-top, and suddenly a 458 Spider with a hard top doesn’t seem quite so far-fetched.

[Source: Teamspeed.com via Motor Authority]

Rumormill: Ferrari 458 Spider to go hard-top?

There’s been a long tradition of automakers giving cars to the police departments in whatever municipalities they have facilities in and Volkswagen is no different. Now that Volkswagen of America has moved its headquarters from Michigan to Virginia, the Herndon police department has received a pair of new Passats – a modified sedan and wagon for use by the local constabulary.

The standard 2.0-liter TSI (turbocharged and direct injected) inline-four has been beefed up for its new role, raising output from 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet to 250 hp and 299 lb-ft. The four-cylinder police vehicles get the larger brakes from the 3.6-liter V6 versions, as well as 18-inch wheels with Pirelli performance tires. FMS Automotive built special enclosures for the communications equipment to make it look like a standard Passat. Volkswagen has not given any indication whether it plans to get into the regular police vehicle market when the new U.S.-built Passat arrives next year, but we’re guessing that it’s going to take a pass on trying to corner the cop-car market.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading Volkswagen delivers two Passats to Herndon, VA police department

Volkswagen delivers two Passats to Herndon, VA police department

Dr. Kay Sigler, head of BMW’s M division has confirmed to no one’s surprise that the next generation M5 would indeed use a twin-turbocharged V8 in place of the current model’s V10. In fact, after last year’s debut of the X5 M and X6 M we would have been quite shocked to see anything but the V8. While the 500 horsepower V10 in today’s M5 is indeed powerful, in the years since its debut a number of even more powerful and, perhaps more importantly, torquier competitors have arrived.

The supercharged 6.2-liter V8 in the Cadillac CTS-V and the turbocharged V10 in the Audi RS6 easily thrash the output of the Munich V10. The 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 cranks out 555 hp and 500 pound-feet in the two SUVs, but we’re betting BMW will find a way to squeeze out even more for the sedan.

[Source: Auto Bild via BMW Blog]

Report: Twin-turbo V8 confirmed for 2012 BMW M5

The strike that shut down four Honda plants in China has been resolved after workers at a parts production factory accepted a wage hike proposed by the company. Some 1,850 workers at Honda Auto Parts Manufacturing, Co. left the building in attempt to win a pay raise of 1,500 yuan ($219 U.S.) per month. The lack of engine and transmission parts that they stopped making then shut down three of Honda’s vehicle assembly plants in China, a serious issue for an automaker working to raise its sales volume in the country and already operating at close to capacity.

[Source: Wall Street Journal]

Followup: Honda reportedly comes to terms with Chinese strikers

The on-again, off-again talks between Volkswagen and Proton about a potential partnership seem to be off-again, and this time it’s likely for good. The German and Malaysian automakers first began talking back in 2007 before breaking things off. Recently, however, some high-level discussions have occurred that included the possibility of Proton doing final assembly of complete-knock-down (CKD) kits in Malaysia.

Volkswagen has not made an official announcement, but Proton has issued a media release in Malaysia. It’s not clear at this time if Volkswagen still plans to produce cars from CKDs in Malaysia or it will set up its own facility.

Proton will apparently move forward on its own with engineering help from its wholly owned subsidiary at Lotus in the UK.

[Source: Paul Tan]

Report: No partnership between Volkswagen and Proton

	Nissan says majority of Leaf hand-raisers are current Prius owners Nissan thinks people “are interested in going to the next level.”		Dutch study claims that 50 mph speed limit would cut CO2 by 30% Interested?
	Report: Honda buys $13.8 million worth of plug-in credits from Tesla It’s all part of the business model.	Other news: Will electric cars be like washing machines? Stanford students unveil master’s thesis electric car, the W.E.N.G. 2011 Lincoln MKZ hybrid gets updated SmartGauge with apple blossoms

AutoblogGreen for 06.07.10

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year was one of our favorite smaller concours, the Huntington Beach Concours d’Elegance in Southern California. Not quite as prestigious as some of the other concours we cover – like Greenwich, happening on the opposite coast on the very same weekend – it’s always an eclectic show, featuring everything ranging from hot rods to supercars, pre-war classics and motorcycles. One of the things that makes this show extra special is what makes some real estate worth a lot more than others – location, location, location. Within spitting distance of some of the biggest and best automotive collections in the world, this laid-back exhibition always manages to bring out some huge surprises.

Split over two days, the Saturday show is billed as Hot Rods in the Park, and focuses mainly on American iron, while Sunday is the Concours d’Elegance proper, with more European makes represented. Sunday was the day to see Corvettes, Ferraris, Alfas, Minis, Nimbuses and Ducatis if you’re into those kinds of things. We stopped in for a spell on both days, fully prepared to be wowed, and the entrants still blew us away. Sure the muscle cars and classics were cool as usual, but check out the lead sleds, customs and bikes that turned out this year! Highlights included the vintage custom Harleys, ‘57 “Scraped” Caddy, ‘61 409 Impala SS and a ‘42 Willys Americar Coupe Altered drag car. As nice as those were, the standout vehicles of the weekend were even more impressive.

Randy Simmons brought a 1947 Hudson pickup powered by a 7.3-liter Power Stroke turbodiesel. It’s an A/DT class SCTA land speed record truck that has run over 135 miles per hour and looks like it could hold a place of honor in just about any museum in the world. Ducati got our attention when we noticed an aluminum paint job on the tank of one of its display bikes. Yep, it was the new limited-edition 1198R Corse – the updated-for-2010 1098R replacement. And then there was a streamlined red motorcycle that stopped us in our tracks. Have you seen The World’s Fastest Indian yet? If not, go rent now. The late Burt Munro’s highly-modified Indian Scout has been resurrected and brought to a level of finish that would have left him dumbfounded. The bike just emerged from a massive restoration project and was being shown in anticipation of its official coming-out party at Pebble Beach in August. That’s when the engine will be re-fired for the first time in 21 years. Even standing still, it’s a mighty impressive bike, as well as a bit of motoring and movie history.

Photos by Frank Filipponio / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

2010 Huntington Beach Concours celebrates 25th anniversary in spectacular style

It may look glamorous to outsiders, but life as a Hollywood mogul can get a little monotonous. Hence, it comes as little surprise when we hear of celebrities making all manner of crazy wagers. The most memorable is arguably the one that took place in 1932 between Zeppo Marx and agent Phil Berg. Marx bet that his 1927 Mercedes-Benz S Boattail Speedster could leave Berg’s Duesenberg in the dust, and the two put $10,000 on the table – a dizzying amount of cash at the time. Off they went to the dry lakes outside north Hollywood, along with more than a thousand spectators, to settle the bet. Berg’s Duesey took the honors and the cash, but 78 years later, the Marx Mercedes is making headlines again.

Never having left California and still bearing its original yellow license plates, the very same Boattail Speedster is now heading to the auction block courtesy of Gooding & Company at the upcoming Pebble Beach Concours. Of course, the Merc isn’t the only classic up for grabs this year. Among the other lots are a 1956 Maserati 200 SI once campaigned by Stirling Moss, which was a class winner at Amelia Island earlier this year.

A 1951 Ferrari 340 America that served as the New York Auto Show car in 1952 and has campaigned extensively in historic meets since is also among the early consignments for the event, which takes place August 14 and 15, 2010 at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center. Details are in the press release after the jump, and high-res images of these three featured lots are in the galleries below.

[Source: Gooding & Company Images: Pawel Litwinski/Gooding]

Continue reading Marx Brothers’ 1927 Mercedes-Benz S Boattail Speedster headed to auction

Marx Brothers’ 1927 Mercedes-Benz S Boattail Speedster headed to auction

Bugatti Veyron replica made from recycled cigarette packs – Click above for image gallery

Is there anything more environmentally friendly than recycling? Well, perhaps not using so much raw material in the first place, but at least recycling is a major step in the right direction. In any case, students from Xi’an University in China decided it was high time to do something constructive with all those used cigarette packs that clog the world’s trash heaps… and construct something they did.

Using a total of 10,280 empty cigarette packs, the students assembled something that kinda-sorta looks like a Bugatti Veyron. It reportedly weighs over 660 pounds and is powered by an electric motor. Though the machine doesn’t really appear to have much purpose in life, it was used to raise awareness for World No Smoking Day, which apparently came and went on May 31st. Check it out in the image gallery below… we’d say the project was – *ahem* – a smoking success!

[Source: Eco Friend]

Chinese students assemble Bugatti Veyron from used cigarette packs

For the second time in 2010, Chrysler minivans have landed on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website for a major recall. Back in February, over 312,000 2005 and 2006 model-year Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country minivans were recalled for an airbag issue. The latest recall involves 284,831 2008 and 2009 model year vehicles that “may contain an improperly routed wire harness may have a condition where the sliding door hinge bracket can make contact and wear through the wire insulation.” If the wiring insulation wears down enough, a short circuit could occur inside the door, overheating the latch and possibly causing a fire.

Owners of affected vans manufactured between February and September 2007 can take them to the nearest Chrysler dealer for a free repair. Hit the jump to read over NHTSA’s press release.

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading Chrysler recalls 285k 2008-2009 minivans over fire risk

Chrysler recalls 285k 2008-2009 minivans over fire risk

Looking for that ultimate gaming setup for playing Gran Turismo? Short of a full cockpit installed in your living room, this could very well be it.

The Ferrari Wireless GT Cockpit 430 Scuderia Edition from Thurstmaster incorporates an 11-inch steering wheel (a 70% scale replica of the 430 Scuderia’s) mounted on an adjustable metal column affixed to a base with twin metal pedals. The wireless system is compatible with the PlayStation 3 and PC (Xbox fans are left stranded by the side of the road), but if you thought the actual Scuderia was expensive, the 23-pound Thrustmaster setup will set you back $250. Follow the jump to watch a demo video and to check out the official press release.

[Source: Thrustmaster via Engadget]

Continue reading Thrustmaster’s latest gaming rig is the next best thing to a Ferrari 430 Scuderia [w/video]

Thrustmaster’s latest gaming rig is the next best thing to a Ferrari 430 Scuderia [w/video]

Car movies have been big business of late – Transformers, Death Race, The A-Team – which makes it unsurprising that the business of getting cars prepped for movies is becoming even bigger business. The upcoming Green Hornet will use 29 classic Imperials; the third film in The Fast & the Furious series needed 200 cars built and modified; and the fourth installment required 240 rebuilt rides.

The New York Times has a look at the outfit that builds the cars that make us go, “Awesome!” Run by Dennis McCarthy in a shop in Sun Valley, California, his crew of 40 teamsters will grab tens of vehicles from eBay and Craigslist and then work 17-hour days to get them ready to jump, fly, flip, explode, and engage in general badassery. For Fast & Furious, they put that Regal GNX body on its frame backwards so it would look like a high-speed chase in reverse.

And yes, they’re already at work on the fifth episode in the F&F franchise. Head on over to The New York Times for the rest of the story – it’s one of the few chop shops we’re glad to have around.

[Source: The New York Times]

NYT: The Making of Movie Cars

The IndyCar Series didn’t take much of a break after the 94th running of the Indianapolis 500. Before the celebratory milk even had a chance to curdle at the corners of 500-champ Dario Franchitti’s mouth, the whole Series was already headed to Texas Motor Speedway for the 2010 Firestone 550.

Dario was looking to become the third Indy 500 winner in a row to claim victory in Texas as well, although the flying Scot had never mounted the top step of the podium in the Lone Star state. In his favor was the fact that his Chip Ganassi team, along with Team Penske and Andretti Autosport had won every single one of the last 50 oval races in the series amongst themselves.

Qualifying was held on Friday afternoon, with 4-lap averages looking to be in the 212-215 mile per hour range. The race was going down on Saturday afternoon, but before that could happen, 26 cars needed to make it through qualifying. Follow the jump to see how it played out.

[Image Sources: Donald Miralle, Tom Pennington, Jonathan Ferrey and Robert Laberge (Getty Images)]

Continue reading IndyCar: 2010 Firestone 550 at Texas Motor Speedway [SPOILERS]

IndyCar: 2010 Firestone 550 at Texas Motor Speedway [SPOILERS]

We’ll provide a full recap of the 2010 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance later, but this morning, we wanted to share one of the cooler vehicles on display with you – and while it has gullwing doors and is as exotic as it gets, it’s not even a car. While Cold War-era American astronauts were fished out of the drink by the U.S. Navy after splashdown, Soviet cosmonauts at the time faced a different set of risks when their spacecraft returned to Earth – namely, the possibility of landing in the Siberian wilderness. As such, a recovery vehicle was needed that could traverse varied terrain, operate in sub-zero temperatures, and move fast. Enter Russian aviation legend Aleksei Tupolev. His solution is seen here: the Tupolev 007 aerosled.

The shallow-draft craft is powered by a 9-cylinder Vedenyev M14P radial aircraft engine generating 365 horsepower. Its interesting double-propeller is actually fixed, with the rear prop drafting the front blades to increase efficiency and make operation quieter. At speeds above 50 mph, the driver can engage an airfoil to lift the nose, allowing the 007 to skim the surface, meaning it can race across lakes, marshes, and snow with equal aplomb. The design reportedly won Tupolev the Diploma of Finest Engineer in the USSR (give the Soviets this: they had a flair for super-impressive-sounding awards), and you can go see it yourself if you’re within easy travel distance of Greenwich, CT.

Day 2 of the 15th Annual Greenwich Concours d’Elegance runs today from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM EDT, with foreign cars the featured element. Admission at the door is $25 (proceeds help benefit AmeriCares), and believe us, it’s money well spent. We’ll be there later today as well, and you can follow our tweets from the show by searching on the hashtag #GCDE.

Additional info on the Tupolev aerosled sourced from Gizmag, Hemmings Motor News.

Tupolev 007: Attention, cosmonauts – Your ride’s here