The Associated Press reports General Motors has pulled all 11 IndyCar engines from testing after racer James Hinchcliffe blew one during testing at Sonoma. GM evidently was concerned enough about the 10 other engines having similar problems that it decided to swap them all and face the resulting sanctions.
Under IndyCar’s current rules, Hinchcliffe, driver of the GoDaddy.com will be penalized for the failure despite the fact that it had nothing to do with the driver. IndyCar prohibits engine changes until the units have reached a minimum of 1,200 miles, a figure that is set to jump to 1,850 miles after this weekend. IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard, meanwhile, maintains that the rule is meant to reduce costs for teams. He also pointed out that both and have received similar penalties this season. But that hasn’t stopped some from grumbling about the rules.
Until this point, Chevrolet has done exceedingly well this season, nabbing the first two poles and taking a victory at the season-opening race. The company currently holds the lead in the manufacturer’s title with 18 points – six points ahead of Honda.
Hinchcliffe, meanwhile, says he’s excited about the challenge that the engine swap presents. He, along with a smattering of other racers, will now start at the back of the pack, and Indycar’s rulemakers have themselves a new controversy to contend with.
If the makes its official, cars are going to be more expensive, and that’s going to shut millions of buyers out, argues the . “If the price of a vehicle goes up by the government estimate of almost $3,000,” says David Wagner, an analyst for the NADA Used Car Guide, “millions of people will no longer be able to finance a new vehicle.” The proposed standard is aiming for an average of 54.5 mpg for both cars and trucks by 2025, and is predicted to add $2,000 to the cost of a vehicle. Add to that the $1,000 or so that’s going to be added to the price of vehicles as the phase-in between now and 2016, and the $30,000 average price of a new car rises to the point where lower income buyers may not be able to qualify for financing.
If that happens, the net effect would be a reduction in the buyer pool for the more fuel efficient, cleaner cars these fuel economy regulations are intended to create. While the increased fuel efficiency is estimated to save average owners of $8,000 over the life of the vehicle (offsetting the higher monthly payments), if people can’t afford the payments or secure lending, the total ownership cost will be a moot point. “Disregarding vehicle affordability will undermine the environmental and national security benefits the administration is seeking,” says Doug Greenhaus, chief regulatory counsel for environment, health, and safety for NADA.
The government’s 2017-2025 rules aren’t yet final, and Grenhaus and NADA suggest the Obama Administration and NHTSA study the impact the rules will have on buyers before moving forward.
Occasionally, we get the impression Jeremy Clarkson is simply screwing with the rest of the world. Either that, or he has no bodily control over over the way his lips, tongue and vocal chords move.
In the past, the “Top Gear” presenter has been notoriously belligerent toward any form of transportation that doesn’t involve the burning of hydrocarbons, bicycles included. After famously railing that bikes and cars have entered into an undeclared war in London, Clarkson has come out in support of Copenhagen’s bicycle culture, calling it “fan-bleeding-tastic.” If that’s not strange enough, he claims he would live in the city in a heartbeat.
Confused? According to Clarkson, the difference is that, while bikes are forced to co-exist with cars in London, Copenhagen cyclists simply have to contend with one another. As a result, there’s no weird high-visibility clothing required and significantly less hostility toward your fellow man.
Makes sense to us, though we have a hard time envisioning Clarkson on a bike. The last time the personality took to something with less than four wheels, .
You have to love the global auto industry. will be introducing a Chinese-built version of the American , a car that’s based on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, at the on April 23. Dubbed “Viaggio,” production of the new sedan will launch in July, with sales commencing in China by the end of the year.
While Fiat isn’t saying whether the model will be exported from China, the Viaggio will be powered by Fiat’s 1.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder. Two versions will be available, one making 120 hp and the other 150, with either a five-speed manual or a dual-clutch automatic gearbox. From the teaser images Fiat released, we can see that the car basically looks like a Dart with different front and rear fascias, which give it a somewhat less sporty look. As is Fiat’s way, some tasteful application of chrome makes the Viaggio seem like a more upscale product than the budget-oriented Dodge.
The Italian-American-Chinese mutt will be produced under Fiat’s partnership with Chinese automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group. GAC also has joint ventures with , , Isuzu, and (and formerly with Peugeot), giving us cause to wonder whether GAC employs more factory workers or lawyers.
Scroll down to read the full release and be sure to check out our .
You have to love the global auto industry. will be introducing a Chinese-built version of the American , a car that’s based on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, at the on April 23. Dubbed “Viaggio,” production of the new sedan will launch in July, with sales commencing in China by the end of the year.
While Fiat isn’t saying whether the model will be exported from China, the Viaggio will be powered by Fiat’s 1.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder. Two versions will be available, one making 120 hp and the other 150, with either a five-speed manual or a dual-clutch automatic gearbox. From the teaser images Fiat released, we can see that the car basically looks like a Dart with different front and rear fascias, which give it a somewhat less sporty look. As is Fiat’s way, some tasteful application of chrome makes the Viaggio seem like a more upscale product than the budget-oriented Dodge.
The Italian-American-Chinese mutt will be produced under Fiat’s partnership with Chinese automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group. GAC also has joint ventures with , , Isuzu, and (and formerly with Peugeot), giving us cause to wonder whether GAC employs more factory workers or lawyers.
Scroll down to read the full release and be sure to check out our .
Everyone has their ultimate vehicle wish list, and ours is littered with a smattering of models both obscure and asinine. One of the more mainstream sweethearts is the original Lotus Elan. Collin Chapman’s wonderchild remains an impressive performer even today, thanks to its feathery curb weight and the impressive performance on hand. As you may recall, EVO Magazine pitted editorial director Harry Metcalfe’s 1972 Elan Sprint against vehicles like the Toyota MR-2 and back in the early 2000s. Metcalfe still has his tiny yellow convertible and was kind enough to bring a camera along for the roadster’s first run of the spring season.
Weighing in at around 1,500 pounds and packing a surprising 126 horsepower, Metcalfe says the car is still good for sprints to 60 mph in a tick past six seconds. Unburdened by pesky life-saving hardware like crumple zones, steel reinforcements, airbags or any electronic nannies, the plucky little fiberglass creation is also a pretty smart handler even though the model is now officially 50 years old. to check out the video for yourself.
Citroën has finally given the world a closer look at the company’s next DS design study. The French automaker is set to introduce the DS line to China this year, and the Numero 9 design study is set to mark the occasion. Citroën will officially unveil the concept at this month’s Beijing Auto Show, and the manufacturer says the low-slung hatchback’s design hints toward future products, namely a premium c-segment sedan, an SUV (read: crossover) and a larger D-segment four door. All we know is, it looks damn good.
The Numero 9 shooting brake is powered by a plug-in hybrid drivetrain that offers a 31-mile electric range and 295 horsepower. Not too shabby. for an artsy video of the concept as well as the full press release. Of course, you can also sink your teeth into the dizzying slew of photos in the gallery above.
So how’s this for a way to celebrate National Robotics Week? has dug up some photos and press releases from the late 1960s featuring “Freddie Ford,” a quasi-robot made out of auto parts that entertained crowds on the auto show circuit.
To our modern sensibilities, Freddie barely qualifies as an appliance, let alone an actual robot like Asimo from , MABEL from the University of Michigan, or Robonaut from General Motors and NASA. From reading the press releases, we gather that Freddie mainly responded to questions from the audience with corny answers that touted Ford’s products.
Question: “Are those oil pans really your feet?” Answer: “Yes, sir, these are 390 V-8 oil pans from the biggest V-8 that uses only regular gas.”
While Freddie is amusing enough, the real treasure here are the press releases from an era in which Ford could do no wrong. To read the casual mentions of the company’s victory at Le Mans with the GT40 and the launch of the original Cougar is a real treat.
for the vintage press releases and check out both the Freddie Ford photos in our .
General Motors has announced a recall of certain 2011 and , and models for wipers that may fail under heavy snow. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, snow or ice buildup may restrict the wiper movement, which may in turn lead to the wiper arm loosening from the vehicle. The ensuing reduced visibility could increase the risk of an accident. The recall only covers models currently registered in heavy snow states – about 50,000 units – including Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware and Idaho, among others. The full list may be found in the recall report .
GM is expected to begin notifying owners on Monday, April 16, and dealers will address the issue free of charge. In what sounds like one of the simpler and quicker recall fixes we can remember, dealer technicians will tighten the wiper arm nuts to prevent the wiper arms from becoming inoperable. Click for the full recall notice.
General Motors is pulling the plug on the . 2013 will mark the ugly duckling’s last year in production, though the model will go out with one last special edition. The 2013 Black Diamond Avalanche will arrive with body-color trim work, special badging, and most importantly, lower prices. LT trim now boasts a standard rear-view camera, while LS guise adds in rear park assist, power adjustable pedals, fog lights and remote start as standard gear. GM has cut the base vehicle’s MSRP by $2,500, which means buyers can take one home for $35,980, excluding the $995 destination fee.
GM says the lower price is a way of saying “thank you” to the truck’s fans, though we suspect it may have more to do with getting the awkward machine off dealer lots. Last month, GM moved just 2,083 Avalanche units, and while that’s nearly 26 percent more than March 2011, the number represents a fraction of the 36,491 models that rolled out the door. It’s also less than half the number of units sold. Even the wee drove away with more sales. Last year, GM sold a total of 20,088 Avalanche units, down 2.1 percent compared to 2010 despite an overall industry recovery.
Will anyone miss the Avalanche? There are those who still miss the diesel Chevette, so anything’s possible.
Production of the upcoming Maserati Kubang may be set for the Jefferson North plant where builds the on which the high-riding will be based, but that doesn’t mean that the Trident marque is giving up on production in its home country of Italy anytime soon.
According to statements made by union officials, Maserati is gearing up to produce a new four-door sedan at a facility on the outskirts of Turin – although whether that is the larger replacement for the or its upcoming baby brother remains unclear – but that’s not all. Maserati, according to reports, has also been tasked with building the 4C sportscar for sister-brand Alfa Romeo, much like it had with the higher-end 8C Competizione that came before.
Between the two new sedans, the SUV, the ongoing production of the line and the Alfa 4C, Maserati sure seems to have its hands full – with a little game of musical factories – for a brand currently represented by two model lines.
is getting religion when it comes to light-weighting its vehicles. The company has entered into a new partnership with to develop carbon fiber that can be manufactured at affordable prices for high-volume applications. That, of course, is the holy grail of weight reduction, which is why other manufacturers like General Motors are also to try and achieve the same ends.
Now before you get too excited about the carbon-fiber in the photos, understand that it was just a limited-production car shown at in 2009, and it carried a price tag of $135,000. That’s the problem with carbon fiber parts – they are expensive because they are much more difficult to manufacture in volume than steel.
But if Ford and other carmakers are going to achieve the sorts of fuel economy improvements required by new regulations, they’re going to have to either scale carbon fiber or dramatically shrink the size of most vehicles. Ford says it’s targeting a 750-pound weight reduction per vehicle by the end of the decade.
In the automotive realm, there’s nothing quite like the , which, in convertible form, is known as the Grand Sport. With more than a thousand horsepower from its sixteen-cylinder engine and a top speed of well over 200 miles per hour, the Veyron Grand Sport is the fastest and most powerful open-top production road car in the world.
Well… it was the fastest, most powerful open-top production car in the world, until went and created the . This is the topless version of the Veyron that’s been fitted with the 1,200-horsepower engine from the automaker’s Super Sport model. That means it can hit the ludicrous speed of 255 miles per hour – critically beating the regular Veyron by two mph – with nothing over your head but the open sky.
Bugatti has seen fit to honor its Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse with a new video, and we invite you to watch it by . We’ve also embedded three more new videos from Bugatti for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!
One might suppose that since Pagani came out with the Huayra, the Zonda would go the way of the dodo. But as the Modenese automaker has said all along, if someone wants to buy a Zonda, it’ll gladly make one for them. And so it has with the very latest one-off supercar.
Called the 760 RS, it’s the most powerful Zonda that Pagani has ever built. With 760 horsepower squeezed out of the AMG-built V12 engine underneath that bespoke carbon fiber rear hood, it’s got 90 more horsepower than the Zonda Cinque and 20 more than the track-bound, hardcore Zonda R. As such, it’s said to be good for a 217-mile-per-hour top end.
The Zonda 760 RS reportedly started out as the Zonda 750, ordered and then canceled by an undisclosed Arabian customer. Pagani turned it into the 760 RS and found a new buyer (said to be in either China or Chile), and while pictures and details have been scarce, this video footage has surfaced giving us a glimpse at the custom supercar. to check it out for yourself.
In as male-dominated a sport as motor racing, women drivers are still a rarity – but not without their exceptions. Danica Patrick has become a household name in IndyCar and NASCAR, Vanina Ickx (daughter of legendary F1 driver Jacky) has contested Le Mans seven times, Sabine Schmitz is rightly known as the Queen of the Ring, and has made a name for herself in Formula 3 and GT racing. But the latest announcement revolves around one Susie Wolff.
Driving for in the DTM touring car series for the past several years, Susie has now been hired as a development driver for the Williams F1 team. In her new capacity, she’ll be helping the team work out kinks in their simulator, the aerodynamics of the FW34 chassis and even undertake a full track test at an upcoming grand prix.
Now if you’re thinking “Wolff and Williams – why do those names sound familiar together,” you’ve got a keen memory. Toto Wolff is a board member and part owner of the team – and just also happens to be her husband. for the official announcement.
It was only a matter of time before pushed the out of the American nest and into the global market. According to PopularHotRodding.com and Auto-Motor-Und-Sport.de, that time has come. The German site quotes Barb Samardzich, head of development for Ford Europe, as saying the next-generation Mustang is being designed to meet European Union pedestrian safety regulations, despite the fact that no formal decision has been made on whether or not buyers in the EU will be able to get their hands on the Pony.
Then there’s Popular Hot Rodding, which has gathered news from far and wide into a lengthy composite of what the future may bring for the Mustang. Tucked among sourceless whispers of a hybrid drivetrain, an independent rear suspension and a whole new design language is the indication that the performance coupe is being prepped for sale in the UK, Australia and even Japan.
That’s good news for buyers who have been forced to content themselves with grey-market imports until now. Popular Hot Rodding also indicates the new model may shave as much as 300 pounds to increase performance while maintaining today’s power levels. How much of this is true? We’ll find out when the 2015 Ford Mustang debuts in 2014.
Ever wish your 1971 Plymouth had just a wee bit more power and the ability to negotiate curves? Got an extra $180,000 laying around? That’s what this will cost you on eBay.
Don’t think it’s just an expensive engine transplant, though. Beneath that 40-year-old, long hood, short deck ‘Cuda body is all snake. The ’s 450-hp engine, 18-inch front, 19-inch rear wheels, suspension and even the two-seat interior were modified, customized and rearrangeified to attractively fit into what was a four-seat ’70s muscle car.
The transmission is a six-speed manual Tremec mated to a heavy duty 3.07 rear. Exhaust is a custom setup with dual pipes, glasspacks and resonators exiting the rear instead of the side. Dual Aldan coilovers assist the stock Viper suspension.
The hood is electrically operated to open and tilt forward for easy viewing of that massive V10. Topping off the package are the tastefully-done, flat black snakes on the rear quarter panels. It’s an impressive build, to be sure, but is it worth its asking price?
Rally driving is so reliably mesmerizing that we never lack for viewers when we post rallying footage, especially when raw engine noises accompany the raw talent. Yet we rarely come across videos that take a deeper look at who races, the private lives of privateers and the urge to ‘run what you brung’ through quiet forests with few spectators and less money. Motorsports filmmaker wants to change that.
Johnston has started a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for Easier Said than Done, a full-length feature on what might be the dirtiest side of rallying – finding the money and staying in the game. He isn’t trying to fund the whole project itself, he says it’s going to happen anyway. What he wants is more capital to hire equipment and crew.
for the trailer and check out for a breakdown of the project.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced plans to update the agency’s current vehicle safety standards. In order to protect drivers in the event they depress both the accelerator and the brake pedal at the same time, automakers will be required to install a bake-throttle override on new vehicles moving forward. The hope is that the systems will curb instances of unintended acceleration. The new standards will apply on all cars, trucks and buses regardless of weight. NHTSA says many manufacturers are already including similar systems on their products.
The update will replace Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 124, Accelerator Control Systems. The public has 60 days to comment on the proposed change, which may be viewed in full PDF form .
Early last year, NASA engineers found no electronic cause for the claims of unintended acceleration levied at . The report prompted Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to blame the cases on “pedal misapplication.” for the full press release.
No matter how hard you try, you can’t out run the Internet. Just ask Bobby Patton. The man thought he could pull a quick one by representing a 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle as an incredibly rare, incredibly valuable Z16.
For those of us who aren’t soaked in obscure General Motors model history, Z16 models featured brakes lifted from full-size sedans of the day, a unique rear axle, a stiffer boxed frame borrowed from a convertible and a uniquely trimmed L37 396 V8. Other details like special trim work, badges, VINs and various engine and axle stampings help identify the hopped up Malibu models from their kin.
Patton missed the memo on those details, apparently, opting instead to slap some 396 badges on the fender and call it a day. While that may have been enough to fool a local car show judge, it became an issue when he listed the coupe on an auction site for $100,000. Jeff Helms, the owner of a site dedicated to nothing but Z16 models, quickly pointed out that the Chevelle boasted a fake VIN copied from a photo on his website. Patton then attempted to defend himself, saying he bought the car that way.
Patton closed the auction after four days, but not before the Ohio State Patrol got wind of the suspicious ‘65. Officers contacted the previous owner, who proved the car had been sold with 327 emblems. It didn’t take long for Patton to face charges of Tampering with Records, Possessing Criminal Tools, Telecommunications Fraud and Attempted Simulation. He pleaded guilty to the first charge and received two years of probation. Head over to for the full tale, and remember, the Internet is watching.
