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There was good news and bad news out of the Aptera camp last month. The good: The company raised another $2.25 million. The bad: Reservations are now no longer being accepted.

We just got word that the bad news is stacking up: Aptera is refunding deposits for the ultra-aerodynamic, three-wheeled electric vehicle (or planned hybrid version). In an e-mail to supporters, Aptera says it is returning every deposit made thus far, according to Green Car Reports. The e-mail reads, in part:

Our path to production has been longer than anticipated, which has complicated our reservation administration to the point that we have decided to return your deposit. … [Our credit-card processing system] is designed for transactions to be completed in a six-month window. Since most of Aptera’s deposits have been in reserve for more than six months, maintenance of the account has become problematic for our credit card processor and administratively cumbersome for Aptera.

Apparently, anyone who put in a deposit will now be added to a “newly created VIP database” and that, “As our production date approaches, we will use the database to direct you to your local retailer so you can be among the first to own an Aptera vehicle.” The Aptera website doesn’t have any of this news update, but it does still say “Reserve yours today!” without a working link. So…

Aptera refunding all deposits for its ultra efficient three-wheeler

The upcoming 2013 BMW i3, the Bavarians’ all-new rear-wheel-drive EV hatchback, was out in Chicago recently, evidently for a promotional video. The car was fully undisguised, rolling silently down Chicago’s Wacker Drive.

The i3 will be the first model of the new BMW i brand when it arrives in 2012, and will be powered by a 170-horsepower, all-electric motor mounted over the rear axle. Juice comes from a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack, also mounted beneath the floor.

The drive set up gives the car a flat floor, meaning there’s more than enough room in the small package for passengers and cargo. There are bench seats front and rear, which each accommodate four people. There’s also room for just over seven cubic feet of cargo. Click past the jump to see the i3 in motion.

Continue reading BMW i3 snapped rolling through downtown Chicago

BMW i3 snapped rolling through downtown Chicago

Sometimes we lament the loss of four-door convertible “parade cars.” Then we see something like this and we don’t miss ‘em one bit. Woof.

Based on the Jaguar XJ (the long-wheelbase XJ L, to be specific), Newport Convertible Engineering has produced this four-door cabriolet to some questionable results. Sure, the divisive rear quarters of the sedan have been minimized, if not eliminated, but cutting off the roof in favor of folding soft top is hardly an aesthetic improvement.

Inside Line recently tested one and seemed to have enjoyed the experience, but while NCE’s transformation was reportedly the most difficult they’ve pulled off to date, we’d just as soon keep the roof on and take our iced tea in a Bentley Continental GTC. Especially when the XJ convertible starts out around $130,000.

Newport Convertible Engineering chops the top off the Jaguar XJ

Though its product range these days is restricted to automobiles and motorcycles, BMW is no stranger to aviation. After all, that’s how it got its start. But that was a long time ago.

More recently, however, the Bavarian automaker’s design consultancy division has gotten its parent company back into the air, styling the cabins on Embraer and Falcon business jets. So what’s the next step? Well, we might not have seen it coming, but the answer is the aviation headset you see here.

DesignWorksUSA designed the S1 headset for Sennheiser, placing an emphasis on safety and quality of sound. Pilots can easily adjust the fit, the ear cushions are designed to accommodate sunglasses (Top Gun-style mirrored aviators or otherwise), it packs active noise cancellation and Bluetooth connectivity, and the whole thing is controlled with an LED interface.

All in all a slick unit with details that pilots will undoubtedly appreciate. And if the performance from BMW’s own M cars gets any more astronomic, drivers just might come to appreciate them as well. Details in the press release after the jump.

Continue reading BMW takes to the skies with Sennheiser aviation headset

BMW takes to the skies with Sennheiser aviation headset

Our friends at PickupTrucks.com have just completed their “HD Hurt Locker” comparison test, in which the GMC Sierra 3500HD, Ford F-350 and Ram 3500 were put through quite a series of tests. PickupTrucks.com editor Mike Levine called it a “grueling showdown among industry heavyweights that included towing 19,000-pound fifth-wheel trailers up and over some of the most demanding grades in the United States.”

After seven days of testing, Levine and the rest of the PickupTrucks.com crew found that General Motors‘ offering, the Sierra HD, was the most capable in this test, outperforming the Ford and Ram trucks.

At 23,000 pounds, the Sierra 3500HD boasts the maximum fifth-wheel towing capacity in the group, as well as the greatest conventional towing capacity at 18,000 pounds. Follow the jump for GM’s official statement about the results, and head over to PickupTrucks.com to read the full test.

Continue reading GMC Sierra 3500HD wins PickupTrucks.com “HD Hurt Locker” comparison test

GMC Sierra 3500HD wins PickupTrucks.com “HD Hurt Locker” comparison test

Lego will pay tribute to the Volkswagen Westfalia camper with a new kit that goes on sale in October. The model is based on a 1962 Volkswagen Bus with the sought-after pop-top camper option. The interior even features a sink and dinette, along with the all important bench seat-cum-double bed.

Lego’s hippie hooptie features the classic tri-color V paint scheme up front, a lava lamp inside, and a “Make LEGO models not war” T-shirt hanging in the window. In back, there’s even a replica of the the van’s flat four engine wedged between the rear axle and the floor.

According to the model’s designer, the hardest thing was translating the VW’s curves to brick form, but it looks like they got as close as possible, given the medium. Hop the jump to check out a video of Lego’s assembly-required homage to the Volkswagen Bus. Brick builders can pick it up for $99.99 when it hits U.S. toy shelves.

Continue reading Lego to release VW Westfalia camper van model this fall

Lego to release VW Westfalia camper van model this fall

Having a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS stuffed with a 426-horsepower V8, six gears and the rear wheels doing the pushing is reason enough for anyone to want to get a little sideways. Trouble is, letting the tail hang in your 5th-gen Camaro could get pretty uncomfortable.

During a drifting session in a parking lot at Michigan’s Milan Raceway, Paul Beiswenger of Lopez Tire and A&D Autosport managed to deploy the car’s side curtain airbags, apparently spontaneously. Beiswenger was fine, but his female passenger suffered minor burns on her right arm. The solution? Cut the airbags down and keep going. We love it.

General Motors’ take? The incident is an indication that the system is working as it should. GM spokesman Alan Adler said the car is designed to “predict” an imminent rollover and deploy the curtain airbags proactively. That’s a brilliant feature if you’re indeed on your way through the spin cycle, but as you can see, it isn’t exactly conducive to hooning. Video’s posted after the jump.

Continue reading Camaro airbag spontaneously deploys while drifting

Camaro airbag spontaneously deploys while drifting

In 1988, Citation Motors, a BMW Dealership in Ontario, shut its doors with little explanation. The simple answer seems to be that the dealership had its concession license revoked, but nobody seems to be able to track down why exactly. Endras BMW, another Toronto-based Bimmer peddler, did some digging, but didn’t come up with too much.

Whatever the case, the dealership moved to Toronto, switched its name to Downtown BMW, and went under in 2002. The owner of both places seems to be eccentric at best, as he left Citation where it sat, untouched, with a then-brand new 635csi and E28 5 Series abandoned inside. The business is reportedly well cared for, and the cars have not succumbed to the elements the way they would have were they truly left to rot.

The owner of the establishment apparently has little interest in selling the business or his wares. To make things more interesting, there’s apparently an as-yet unopened underground storage facility and a back lot packed with junked Bimmers.

Why was this BMW dealership abandoned in 1988 with cars still inside?

New pictures of the 2012 BMW 3 Series have surfaced, showing the car without camouflage. There is possibly no more important sedan for BMW than the 3 Series. It’s the car with a burnished reputation, and the 2012 3 Series will be here soon. Because of its monumental importance to both BMW and every other manufacturer that benchmarks it, an entire corner of the automotive industry is on tenterhooks waiting to see what comes out of the Black Forest.

And here it (apparently) is. Not surprisingly, the 2012 3 Series looks a lot like the 2011 5 Series, only smaller. The resemblance is especially strong in the taillights, the shape of the hood and the strong character line down the flanks. These new pictures, from Spanish site bmwfaq.com, are the clearest view we’ve yet gotten of the new 3 Series, and while it may not be any more surprising, it’s still a lot more interesting than the 2012 Toyota Camry that’s been leaking out.

2012 BMW 3 Series spied sans all camouflage

It’s one thing to quietly anticipate the arrival of something exciting. It’s quite another when you can actually see it coming, so here’s a batch of spy shots showing the next-generation Dodge Viper under development.

Don’t get too excited, though, because there’s little to see from this early test mule. It’s largely wearing the bodywork from the last Viper, and what’s new is heavily disguised. What we can tell is that the headlights stretch back farther over the hood than the previous model, above the updated crosshair grille now in use across the Dodge model range. The placement of the air scoops and hood louvers appear different, and from what we can see at least, the front end seems to be more refined than its brutish predecessors.

Of course, it’s what’s behind that new front end that counts. It may be too early to say if the V10 will return of whether regulatory restrictions will force Chrysler to go with something slightly more “responsible,” but you can bet it’ll have more electronic nannies in place, and if the rapidly-integrating Fiat/Chrysler empire plays its cards right, Dodge’s Italian sisters could bring some experience to bear. And that can’t be a bad thing.

Next-gen Dodge Viper mule caught wearing new front end

West Virginia has more NASCAR fans per capita than any other state in the nation.

Fitting, then, that The Mountain State was chosen by the Journal of Applied Social Psychology for a study on what connection, if any, exists between watching crash-filled races on television and how viewers then drive in the real world.

The study’s conclusion? Five days after a televised NASCAR race, aggressive driving-related accidents in West Virginia, a state with no NASCAR tracks of its own, rose significantly, with over 23 accidents recorded versus 19 on other days, according to The Wall Street Journal, reporting on the findings.

The study, which covered years 2003 to 2006, noted that bad weather had an effect on the number of wrecks, but maintains that the 156 televised NASCAR events in that time span also correlated with an uptick in crashes.

West VA traffic accidents rise after NASCAR races

West Virginia has more NASCAR fans per capita than any other state in the nation.

Fitting, then, that The Mountain State was chosen by the Journal of Applied Social Psychology for a study on that what connection, if any, exists between watching crash-filled races on television and how viewers then drive in the real world.

The study’s conclusion? Five days after a televised NASCAR race, aggressive driving-related accidents in West Virginia, a state with no NASCAR tracks of its own, rose sharply. The study, which covered years 2003 to 2006, noted that bad weather had an effect on the number of wrecks, but maintains that the 156 televised NASCAR events in that time span also correlated with an uptick in crashes.

West VA traffic accidents spike precipitously after NASCAR race

What’s the best way for BMW to highlight its ConnectedDrive system? Thievery, of course.

BMW’s latest online spot features the ConnectedDrive Vision roadster from this year’s Geneva Motor Show and details how the system’s connected functionality can help out in your next jewelry heist. It’s easier to highlight in motion, so hit the jump to check it out.

Continue reading BMW shows you how to steal jewelry in 10 steps

BMW shows you how to steal jewelry in 10 steps

Plug your ears and keep your eyes glued to the screen. What we present here is rare footage of a Tesla Model S and a Tesla Roadster side-by-side on a picturesque, chicane-filled road. The music, in typical Tesla fashion, drowns out any automotive noise, including the wondrous whirring that emanates from these magnificent machines as they whiz on down the road.

So, here’s what we’d suggest: plug your ears and imagine those sounds echoing off the nearby hills as the Roadster and Model S strut their electric stuff. Realize, too, that these electric machines are pricey and that the cost of owning one, at least for most of us, is beyond reach. At least the video if free (if, perhaps, not yet supposed to be viewable, says Green Car Reports). Hit the jump to check out the dreamy duo of Teslas in their side-by-side brilliance out on the open road.

Continue reading Together at last – Tesla Model S and Roadster hit the road

Together at last – Tesla Model S and Roadster hit the road

Honda’s achingly slow striptease of the Euro-spec Civic continues with another spate of photos and some details on the diesel mill set to power the 2012 model.

An updated version of the 2.2-liter i-DTEC four-cylinder will be available when the new Civic goes on sale in early 2012. With around 147 horsepower and upwards of 184 pound-feet of torque, the revised mill – combined with the Civic’s improved aerodynamics – will bring CO2 emissions down to 110g/km and should boost fuel economy by around 15 percent.

Those might sound like incremental improvements, but compared to the U.S. market version, it’s a significant change – one we wish Honda would adopt Stateside. Check out our previous post on the 2012 Euro Civic and make the jump for the dirty details on the oil-burner before the big reveal in Frankfurt.

Continue reading Honda releases more details about European Civic [w/video]

Honda releases more details about European Civic [w/video]

BMW’s product portfolio has expanded far beyond the sports sedans and cabriolets of old to include all manner of vehicles. But a subway train? You betcha.

As we initially reported a couple of weeks ago, San Francisco’s transit authority has commissioned the BMW Group’s DesignworksUSA studio to revamp the Bay Area Rapid Transit system – the city’s subterranean railway, also known as BART for short. The project entails facelifting both the interior and exterior of the existing trains, as well as sprucing up the 44 stations that they service.

It’s not the first time the automaker’s design consultancy has been brought on board on a subway project, having performed a similar task in Warsaw, Poland, but we’ve now got our first glimpse at what those Bangle disciples have got in store for the bayside public transit system. Follow the jump to watch the video.

Continue reading BMW DesignworksUSA previews updated San Francisco subway

BMW DesignworksUSA previews updated San Francisco subway

If Land Rover – or for that matter, any automaker that specializes in making vehicles that aren’t particularly efficient – has any hopes of meeting strict future standards for fuel mileage and emissions, it’s going to have to take some drastic measures.

Sure, hybrids are one potential option that we’re sure the automaker is working on, as are more diesels, but these high-tech powertrains are expensive. And, though often overlooked, diesels and hybrids are also heavy, which is one issue Land Rover would have problems with overcoming since its SUVs are already big, bulky and, well… pleasantly plump.

And so it comes as little surprise that the British bred (and Indian owned) automaker has decided to introduce a smaller, friendlier model called the Evoque. But that’s just the start of Land Rover’s apparent plans. The Detroit Bureau reports that the automaker is planning to shed as much as 1,100 pounds from its ‘utes over the next decade using materials like aluminum and carbon fiber in place of conventional steel, without actually altering the size of its vehicle’s footprints.

The first sign of Land Rover’s far-reaching goals will reportedly be seen in the form of a new Defender concept that’s set to debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. We’ll be paying close attention to this machine, as the company claims it is designing the next Defender to meet U.S. regulations.

Land Rovers could lose 1,100 pounds over next decade

We already know that Fiat plans to bring a hotter version of the 500 sometime next year, with the 175-horsepower Abarth variant likely to come in both coupe and cabrio flavors. Now comes word that two other 500-branded models are on their way and one of them will be squarely aimed at families.

According to AutoWeek, we can expect to see a fully electric version of the 500 next year, packing a lithium-ion battery pack and carrying a sticker of around $30,000. Development mules are currently testing at Chrysler’s Technical Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and it’s assumed that the 500 EV will have a range of around 100 miles.

More interestingly, the previously confirmed Fiat crossover will be branded as a 500 and will come equipped with four doors, five seats and a new four-cylinder. The platform, however, will not be based on the current 500’s underpinnings and instead use a new compact architecture that will underpin the Compass replacement, two other Jeeps and a new pint-sized crossover from Chrysler. Expect the mini ‘ute to debut at next year’s Geneva Motor Show, with sales beginning in Europe late next year with the U.S. version arriving in 2013.

Fiat bringing three new 500s to the U.S.

When there’s a woman at the wheel…

Say what you will about political correctness, women’s rights, stereotypes and preconceived ideas. None of that matters. What’s really important are the tires you choose to mount on your car.

Not that Goodyear was the only company so long ago capitalizing on a man’s desire to keep his woman safe, but we have to give the company’s advertising agency credit for creating an almost Hitchcockian commercial where the cool platinum blonde is also the protagonist.

Pay special attention to the following: the only setting used in the video is the inside of a car; the tension created by frequently changing camera angles plus the increasing beat of the music and the darkness of the night compounding the act of driving. Impressive stuff, all wrapped up in one 54-second package.

No, she may not be Grace Kelly (but then again, who is?), but we’re concerned about her safety all the same. Because she is a woman, and she is driving. Thankfully, her husband had the good sense to equip her car with Goodyear Polyglass tires – otherwise, she may have been in for some serious trouble. See for yourself in the video after the break.

Continue reading Is this the most sexist ad of all time?

Is this the most sexist ad of all time?

Ask any of the competitors for the Spectre 341 Challenge what the goal of the event is, and you’re likely to get a different answer every time. Lou Gigliotti, ALMS driver and owner of LG Motorsports, will tell you that it’s to break the course record of 3:10.53 set by event organizer and Spectre Performance owner Amir Roseenbaum back in 2002. Gigliotti bested his time from last year by seven seconds with a modified Corvette ZR1, but fell a few seconds short of the overall record with a time of 3:14. Others, like Kevin Wesley, say it’s about breaking into the 3:41 club. Wesley did just that, managing to get a 3:39.9 in a completely stock Dodge Challenger SRT8 392. For many, though, it’s simply about having a fun weekend and being able to go home in one piece.

The event, held on a 5.2-mile stretch of twisty mountain road near Virginia City, Nevada, allows anyone with a street legal car, a fresh set of tires, $341 dollars for an entry fee, and an unhealthy amount of bravery to run the course as many times as they want in two days. And that’s the beauty of the 341 Challenge. The event is pretty much open to whoever wants to enter, no matter the budget. RJ Gottlieb arrived with his famous “Big Red” Camaro along with an entire crew and a helicopter to film the whole thing. Then there’s guys like local Jeremy Kappus, who brought out his daily driver Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX, or Thomas Berndt, who competed with a Toyota MR2 he modified himself.

The affordability of the event essentially makes the 341 Challenge an inexpensive two-day track event, albeit a dangerous one with no run-off areas and very few guardrails to protect against the numerous drop-offs and cliffs. Beforehand, drivers are warned about the dangers of off-camber turns, slippery painted lines, and not cutting corners into loose gravel on the side of the roads. Most heeded the warnings, and there was only one incident the entire weekend with the driver walking away unharmed.

Overall, the this year’s Spectre 341 Challenge was a resounding success. No less than 48 drivers completed 391 runs up the hill, logging over 2,000 miles at speed, and five new drivers were inducted into the Spectre 3:41 club. Most importantly, everyone went home safe. Next year’s event has already been scheduled for June 15-17.

You can view photos from the event in the gallery above, or follow the jump to see videos from the event including Lou Gigliotti’s run up the hill in his Corvette ZR1.

Continue reading Spectre 341 Challenge returns for 2011 with more competitors, faster times [w/video]

Spectre 341 Challenge returns for 2011 with more competitors, faster times [w/video]