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As our mommas used to say, “There’s something not quite right about that one.” At some point in history, someone looked at their 1983 Chevrolet Corvette and figured the car needed a little more Dodge Viper. Rather than snagging the delicious, snarling V10 from the nose of the Viper and plopping it into the Corvette, the owner of this particular piece of work simply pulled the body from a 2000 Viper and bolted it to the Corvette Chassis. The original 350 ci V8 and four-speed manual transmission are still in place, and interestingly enough, the builder chose to keep the Corvette interior. All of the seating surfaces have been swaddled in Viper color-coded leather, though.

If you like what you see, you can lay your hands on this one-of-a-kind creation for the low-low price of $12,250. We won’t judge. The half-breed is located in Troy Michigan, and if you want more information, head over to Hemmings for a more detailed look-see.

[Source: Hemmings Blog]

Find of the Day: The 1986 ViperVette

The whole ‘Batmobile’ comparison gets thrown around an awful lot on websites like this one. And this car’s not even black, so we’ll wave off of that this time. But consider the following: in the most recent Batman movie, Bruce Wayne drove a Lamborghini Murciélago. Into a truck, unfortunately. His alter-ego’s drive, meanwhile, was on the other side of the more extreme Reventón. Now along comes JB Car Design with a kit to bridge the gap. And they call it the Bat, suitably enough.

The German tuner’s retrofitted Murci LP 640 can be had with 710 or 750 horsepower (a not-inconsequential improvement on the stock 640) through the installation of new cats and exhaust. But in this case, the defining factor is the car’s styling. A new front bumper and splitter, side skirts, and rear bumper with diffuser give the LP640 a more Reventón-style look, with a two-piece carbon fiber rear wing, LED lights and 20-inch modular alloys rounding out the package.

Meanwhile, the interior been re-trimmed in different leather, Alcantara and carbon fiber, along with a new steering wheel and sound system. Each of these components for engine, body and cabin can be purchased separately or as a comprehensive package, but JB says it will only make 75 examples of the body kit. Check out the photos in the gallery below and the press release after the jump for more.

[Source: JB Car Design]

Continue reading Lamborghini Murciélago tweaked into JB Car Design’s LP 640 ‘Bat’

Lamborghini Murciélago tweaked into JB Car Design’s LP 640 ‘Bat’

The cars aren’t the only thing that move fast in Formula One; everything’s on an accelerated scale, even the calendar. It seems every new season in the modern era of F1 demands a new race. In 2004, Bahrain and Shanghai were added. Turkey joined the calendar in 2005. Things went backward in 2006 and 2007 with the elimination of Belgium (temporarily) followed by San Marino and Hockenheim, respectively. Singapore was added in 2008, followed by Abu Dhabi in 2009. India is set to join next year, the United States the year after and Russia by 2014. This year, however, the new slot belonged to Korea.

Ambitious plans were laid down by ubiquitous track architect Hermann Tilke, who’s firm is responsible for every one of the aforementioned new circuits and then some. But as recently as a couple of weeks ago, there were serious doubts over whether the site would be ready for this weekend’s inaugural grand prix. Fortunately, the hosts managed to get it all together in the end, putting on a race that would enter the books as one of the most exciting christenings in motor sport history. Follow the jump to see how it went down.

[Images: Mark Thompson, Paul Gilham, Clive Mason/Getty Andy Wong, Mark Baker, Greg Baker/AP]

Continue reading 2010 Korean Grand Prix: Yeongam begins its Rain of Terror [Spoilers]

2010 Korean Grand Prix: Yeongam begins its Rain of Terror [Spoilers]

Pasadena, CA can get particularly hot during the summer, so we thought it was an excellent idea when the Art Center College of Design moved its annual car show from July to the middle of October. While the event, which happened last weekend, did escape the heat, it still couldn’t catch a break from Mother Nature. The inaugural autumn edition of the show was hampered by rain throughout the day.

Still, the Art Center managed to put on an excellent event to celebrate this year’s theme, “Freedom of Motion.” The best part of the show has always been the eclectic selection of cars on display, and this year was no disappointment. Everything from the 2010 X-Prize winning Peraves X-Tracer to the new 2011 McLaren MP4-12C could be seen on the grass. The Mullin Museum was gracious enough to bring out the famous 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic, and the Petersen brought out a few of its cars as well. You can see all of our photos from the event in the high-res gallery below.

Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

2010 Art Center Car Classic celebrates Freedom of Motion

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, there are around 8.4 million recalled Ford vehicles on the road right now that have never been serviced for a potential fire risk. The vehicles are the remainder of a 14 million-unit recall that covered 1993-2003 F-Series pickups, 1995-2003 Windstars, 1995-2002 Explorers and 1995-2003 Rangers that were built with faulty cruise control units. The units could leak onto the vehicles’ anti-lock brake system and cause a fire even if the vehicle is off.

Ford says that it has done its best to notify owners of the problem multiple times and NHTSA agrees that the company’s efforts have been adequate. Unfortunately, many of the current owners may have bought the recalled vehicles used and thus may not even know that there’s a potential problem.

The recall is the largest in the history of the automotive industry, so it should come as no surprise that there are still some loose ends to be tied up. Owners can search to see if there are outstanding recalls on their vehicles at the NHTSA website. If that’s the case, NHTSA urges owners to take their vehicle to the dealer as soon as possible.

[Source: Automotive News]

Report: 8.4M recalled Ford models still on the road without fixes

The Autoextremist, Peter De Lorenzo, has done his best for “the minions, the gamers, the coddled and the entitled” who want an update on the auto industry but don’t want to bother actually reading about it. You know the folks – the ones who write “summarize plz” or “Cliffs Notes?” in a comment thread because they can’t be bothered taking the time to figure out what happened.

Done something like Abrose Bierce’s Devil’s Dictionary but in the space of a tweet – that being no more than 140 characters, and 32 tweets in total – De Lorenzo covers just about every major carmaker and a few other subjects to boot. General Motors’ marketing, but not the company itself, gets two tweets, and electric cars also get a double-dip. Not one for restraint, tweets include “Electric Cars: A niche wrapped in an enigma in search of decent batteries and a sustainable infrastructure. Other than that, it’s all good.” Click the link for more… Hat tip to Chris

[Source: Autoextremist]

Peter De Lorenzo takes on auto industry in 140 characters or less

Surprise, surprise. An entire high-resolution image gallery of the 2011 Triumph Tiger 800 and 800 XC has found its way online, and everything is exactly as we suspected. The Tiger is also (surprise, surprise) very reminiscent of the BMW F 800 GS, which will be Triumph’s main competition in this particular segment niche.

Triumph’s hopeful ace in the hole will be its trademark triple engine, measuring 800cc in this case. According to leaked documentation, this mill is a stroked version of the much-loved 675cc inline-three used in Triumph’s small-bore sport bikes. Figure around 100 horsepower and a nice, flat torque curve peaking at about 70 pound-feet.

With an expected weight in the 440-pound range, the Tiger’s power-to-weight ratio should crucially be just a bit better than the aforementioned Beemer. Check out our high-res image gallery below.

[Source: MotorInfo.hu via Asphalt & Rubber]

2011 Triumph Tiger 800 completely leaked

Karun Chandhok was the first driver to lap the track that will be used for this month’s Korean Grand Prix. Now Sebastian Vettel has gotten his turn. On this go-round, it sounds like the track is still so slippery that revs were a bigger issue than anything else.

With the same camera angle as Chandhok’s run, there isn’t much more to see. The track is further along than a month ago, but it’s still not going to be pretty for the folks who make the journey into the South Korean bush to watch it live. While we figure out how to say “cat fight” and “ghost town” in Korean, you can entertain yourselves with the video after the jump.

[Source: Red Bull]

Continue reading Video: Sebastian Vettel’s virtual tour of the Korean Grand Prix

Video: Sebastian Vettel’s virtual tour of the Korean Grand Prix

Racing and random sponsorships go together like corn dogs and beer, but even so, we’re amazed by some of the partnerships that the marketing gurus of the world cook up. Allow us to introduce you the newest fragrance from Avon: Turn 4XT. The new cologne is being promoted by none other than NASCAR wonder Carl Edwards, and Avon says that the scent is packed full of manly traits like strength, determination, dedication and real bits of panther.

Fine, that last part’s not true.

If you know someone who’s itching to smell like a winning NASCAR driver, you’re in luck. Turn 4XT hits the shelves next month. Hit the jump for the full press release, but be warned: the term “exude” is used with maximum seriousness.

[Source: Avon]

Continue reading Avon and Carl Edwards team up on Turn 4XT cologne

Avon and Carl Edwards team up on Turn 4XT cologne

The Smart ForTwo and Hello Kitty… who thought it would’ve taken this long for those two to get together? Someone’s prayers have been answered with this, the two-seater wrapped in a vinyl flag of Sanrio’s 35-year-old Kitty that never stops being cute. This is just another addition to the 22 wraps already available via Smart’s Expressions program, and if it gets your attention, it comes in three flavors of its own. It’s certainly not for everyone, but if it’s for you, then follow the jump for all the info.

[Source: Sanrio]

Continue reading Hello Kitty wraps available for the Smart ForTwo

Hello Kitty wraps available for the Smart ForTwo

The car that almost destroyed General Motors? That’s the title of a story recently published by Popular Mechanics all about the Chevrolet Vega. To be honest, there are a number of vehicles to which we could assign that ignominious title, but it’s hard to argue with the disaster that was the Vega.

2010 marks the 40th anniversary of the Chevy Vega (and, incidentally, the AMC Gremlin and Ford Pinto). Unlike other American subcompacts of the day, the Vega was actually a pretty decent-looking little car, and its front-engine, rear-wheel-drive architecture was something Americans were comfortable with, so it sold rather well. All was not well in Vega Land, however.

You’d think a few Vegas would still be running around, considering that nearly two million were sold before GM halted production after the 1972 1977 model year. That’s just not the case, for two big reasons. First, the Vega’s bodies were stamped from almost impossibly thin steel to save weight and costs, and they rusted very badly because of it. Second, and perhaps most damning, the car’s innovative-for-the-time aluminum engine, which went without cylinder liners in favor of coated bores, failed at an alarming rate due in part to a cooling system that was inadequately designed. In any case, blown engines common, as were high oil usage and blown head gaskets.

Was the Chevy Vega the car that most directly sent General Motors into the downward spiral that ultimately culminated in its recent bankruptcy? For an interesting take on that story, head over to Popular Mechanics for the entire article.

[Source: Popular Mechanics]

Remembering the Chevy Vega as it turns 40

Of all the phrases in the English language, few are likely to as accurately describe what it’s like to drop the hammer on the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport as “absolutely crackers.” That is if you’re trying to keep things PG, at least. The crew from Autocar managed to beg, borrow and steal their way into the cockpit of what is perhaps our era’s pinnacle of production automotive engineering for a quick blast through the European countryside. Fortunately enough for all of you, they were also kind enough to video the whole shebang.

With a total of 1,200 horsepower and 1,100 lb-ft of torque, the Super Sport is the standard Veyron on amphetamines. If you’re brave enough, this horse will theoretically gallop all the way to 268 mph. Of course, you’d need a stretch of highway long enough to not only hit those speeds, but to come back down from them as well. There’s no need to worry, they’re not driving that black-and-orange one again, so hit the jump to see Autocar’s take on the Veyron Super Sport.

[Source: Autocar via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is ‘Absolutely Crackers!’

Video: Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is ‘Absolutely Crackers!’

Which automaker do you think is the most “American”? Some might say Chevrolet, since they’re the self-proclaimed Heartbeat of America. Others might say Ford since the Mustang is as iconic an American image as baseball and apple pie. What if we told you the answer might just be Hyundai? As of next year, 80 percent of the vehicles that Hyundai sells in the United States will be made here as well.

That number puts Hyundai above all other automakers in the United States. Ford and Chrysler don’t have exact figures, but estimates for the two manufacturers puts them both below 80 percent as those two automakers assemble many of their popular vehicles in Canada and Mexico. General Motors says between 60 and 70 percent of vehicles sold in the United States are built here.

The numbers may be quite interesting, but of course they don’t tell the whole story. The Big Three domestic automakers produce a much greater volume of vehicles in the United States when compared to Hyundai. For example, if GM built 66 percent of the vehicles it sold here in the states in 2009, it would triple Hyundai’s projected U.S. output for next year.

These figures are also based solely on final assembly. This is important to note because the U.S.-based automakers routinely manufacturer portions of the car in the United States, but the final product might be assembled outside the country. Hyundai, on the other hand, does final assembly on 80 percent of its models, like the millionth vehicle built at its plant in Alabama seen above, right here in the U. S. of A.

[Source: CNN Money]

Hyundai to be most American automaker by next year?

Review: 2011 Nissan Rogue

It’s no secret CUVs are popular, and Nissan has rolled out a mildly updated version of its Rogue for 2011. Can it compete in a crowded segment? We spent a week with it to find out.

Video: Subaru goes all A-Ha on us with new WRX STI commercial

A new ad for the 2011 Subaru WRX STI pits car versus robot spider in sketchbook form. 305 horsepower and symmetrical AWD are clearly useful in fleeing a fate of mechanized death.

Video: Ariel Atom dices it up on the track against… an Epson printer?!

Epson Inkjet vs. Ariel Atom. Can the printer produce a track faster than the Atom can make it around one? You’ll just have to watch to find out.

Also of interest:

• Is the New GM a Buy?
• First look at Disney’s new Cars-themed adventure park ride
• Rumormill: BMW to replace M3 sedan with M3 Gran Turismo?!
• 2010 Green Car of the Year finalists announced
• Report: New Ford Ranger to spawn SUV variant

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Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 10.22.10

Back in May, CBS Evening News reported that the Nissan Leaf could sprint to 60 miles per hour in five seconds. We knew that their report missed the mark, but by how much? Estimates from nine to as much as 12 seconds began to surface, but those seemed a bit out-of-line as well.

Now, thanks to John O’Dell of Green Car Advisor who timed a 0-60 mph dash during a recent drive in the Leaf, we have at least one unofficial result: 0-60 mph in seven seconds flat. To put that number in perspective, 0-60 mph runs in the Chevrolet Volt have been clocked at 8.8 seconds, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV takes nearly 12 seconds and the Tesla Roadster accomplishes the feat in a mere 3.7 seconds. Okay, so the Leaf is reasonably quick, but how fast does it really go?

O’Dell, the senior editor of Green Car Advisor, writes:

On an 82-degree Tennessee afternoon, with another writer in the passenger seat, I hit 92 mph on the highway, going up a slight hill all the way. I still felt as though there was a little bit more to go, but lifted my foot at 92 because I thought I spied a state trooper’s patrol car way back down the road.

Mark Perry, Nissan’s director of product planning, confirmed that an undisclosed journalist who recently drove the Leaf in Michigan, hit an even more impressive 94 miles per hour, but as far as we know, these are just indicated speeds, not independently verified and repeated. Still, for the sake of comparison, the Smart ED apparently tops out at about 62.5 mph, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV calls it quits at 81 mph and the Volt hits the century mark. So, the Leaf is emissions free, accelerates with (relative) vigor and closes in on 100 before returning to more sane, everyday speeds. Sounds like it can offer livable everyday performance – provided the pure EV’s range isn’t an issue.

Photos copyright (C)2010 Damon Lavrinc / AOL

[Source: Green Car Advisor via Nissan-Leaf]

Unofficial: Nissan Leaf does 0-60 mph in 7 seconds, tops out at 94 mph?

The National Automobile Dealers Association has joined the ranks of those opposed to upping Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards to 60 mpg by 2025. The dealer group says that with fuel prices still low, consumers are more interested in horsepower and style than they are super-efficient vehicles. That means that if the federal government starts mandating ever more efficient vehicles that are significantly costlier to manufacture, dealers are likely to see sales falter as automakers have to elevate MSRPs to keep from losing their shirts. That’s the fear of NADA chairman Ed Tonkin and his constituents. Tonkin should know – he himself owns a mutli-brand dealership in Portland.

Of course, Tonkin’s argument hinges against further upping CAFE numbers hinges upon fuel prices staying at their current levels — something that even the most optimistic minds are hesitant to believe. The federal government is expected to unveil its plan for increasing fuel economy standards early next year. So far, word has it that the Obama Administration is looking to impose an average of 35 mpg by 2016 and as much as 60 mpg by 2025.

[Source: The Detroit News Image: NADA]

Report: NADA president urges Fed to reconsider fuel rules

Great Britain is a relatively small island with a lot of people and therefore a lot of cars. So it’s fairly important that motorists on crowded roads are as civilized as possible… Naturally, though, not all Brits are pleasant drivers. Gocompare.com decided to poll 3,000 motorists to see, by vehicle make, which drivers are the meanest of the bunch.

In the UK there is a phenomenon called “white van drivers,” which consists of mostly self-employed males who use vans for everything from delivery to carpentry work – pretty much how Americans use pickup trucks. In short, the Brits can’t stand these drivers because they’re always in a hurry and don’t want anyone in their way. The “white van” finished second overall, showing just how despised number one really is. That distinction goes to BMW owners, who were deemed the most likely to tailgate, speed or flip the bird on public roads, lending some credence to Audi’s hillarious “Meet the Beckers” commercials of a while back. Of course Audi drivers didn’t fare much better, landing at number three on the list of ticked off drivers. Ford managed a number four ranking, followed by Land Rover owners.

Other fascinating data from the survey includes the fact that nearly one in 10 British drivers claim that they’ve had an accident as a result of road rage. And of all the bad driving habits of others, the thing Brits hate most is tailgating, as 58 percent call the practice frightening. 37 percent find the practice of flashing one’s lights as a gesture for the driver in front of them to get out of the way offensive, and 32 percent have been flipped the bird. For more on the survey, including the rest of the makes that managed to make the top 10, head over to the Telegraph.

[Source: Telegraph]

Study: BMW drivers are UK’s angriest motorists

The current law in Canada allows for right-hand drive vehicles older than 15 years to be imported into the country, a loophole that allows for the importation of neat foreign iron that includes Japanese kei cars like the Suzuki Cappuccino as well as larger enthusiast cars like the Nissan Skyline. But the Canadian Automotive Dealer Association appears eager to stop the influx of these elderly RHD vehicles. The CADA claims that the cars and trucks, which the group claims are imported from Asian countries, are “dirty and unsafe.” The CADA goes further by saying that the vehicles are often used for “street racing and other reckless acts,” and it claims that the vehicles are 40 percent more likely to be involved in an accident. The proposed solution for these right-drive nuisances is for the Canadian government to change the antique designation to 25 years to reflect the changes made by the U.S. and Australia.

Critics suggest that the real reason these vehicles are so unpopular with the 3,300 dealers associated with the CADA is that the imported vehicles are nibbling away at their car sales. As the reasoning goes, the older RHD vehicles aren’t as safe or as environmentally friendly as newer vehicles, but neither are the left-hand drive vehicles on used car lots all over the country to our north. Hit the jump to read over the CADA’s official press release.

[Source: Canadian Automotive Dealer Association]

Continue reading Canadian dealer association looks to ban right-hand drive cars

Canadian dealer association looks to ban right-hand drive cars

There are plenty of reasons to love Fall. Perfect driving weather, turning leaves, a host of excellent holidays and, of course, pumpkin carving all help to make the passing of Summer all the less painful. But what happens when you get bored with cutting scary faces into unsuspecting gourds? What then? With a little engineering ingenuity and sense of reckless abandon, you could always subject your pumpkins to the destructive force of, say, an airbag from a 1995 Ford Escort.

Hey, some people juggle geese.

Between the rapid expansion of gasses into a synthetic bag and the always hilarious popping properties of pumpkins, you’re all but guaranteed instant YouTube success. Just remember not to try this kind of shenanigans at home. Or, if you do decide to make your own airbag vs. pumpkin video, don’t tell the authorities where you got the idea. Deal? Hit the jump to check a duo of pumpkin popping videos. Thanks for the tip, Coop!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: ‘Tis the season for pumpkin vs. airbag

Video: ‘Tis the season for pumpkin vs. airbag

Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat and Chrysler, has reportedly indicated that the Italian automaker is interested in raising its stake in the Auburn Hills automaker. Currently, Fiat owns 20 percent of Chrysler and it wants to raise that figure to 35 percent by the end of 2011. Fiat has had a strong third quarter, earning around $236 million.

According to the Detroit Free Press, in order to increase its ownership stake by 15 percent, Fiat has to hit three specific targets that are worth five percent apiece. The first goal is to launch the 1.4-liter MultiAir engine being built at Chrysler’s plant in Dundee, Michigan. That engine is slated to go into the upcoming Fiat 500.

Second on the task list is for Chrysler to produce a car that achieves 40 miles per gallon. Marchionne believes this vehicle will enter production towards the end of 2011. It will be a compact hatchback branded as a Dodge.

The final five percent will be earned when Chrysler increases its sales outside of the US. Specifically, it will focus sales efforts to increase volume in South America. Per Marchionne, this last objective will prove the most difficult because of the way Brazil regulates its dealer networks. In fact, Fiat is looking for alternative ways to earn the final five percent stake it seeks from Chrysler.

Thirty-five percent is a hefty piece of the Chrysler pie, but much more can be made available in the not-too-distant future. Once Chrysler is able to repay both the Canadian and U.S. governments for the $8 billion in loans it received, the Italian automaker will be able to raise its stake to 51 percent.

[Source: Detroit Free Press Image: Massimo Pinca/AP]

Fiat reportedly set to raise stake in Chrysler