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Moderately obese people, who have a body mass index greater than 30, typically shave three years off of their lives, just by being overweight. (Morbidly obese people lose 10 years, according to one study.) And then there’s that long list of potential health problems obese people face in America ranging from asthma and diabetes to heart disease and cancer – as well as scorn and ridicule from skinny judgmental people. So it only makes sense that obese people are statistically less likely to survive a severe automobile accident.

A study of fatal accidents by the University of Buffalo suggests that the bigger you are, the more likely you’ll die from injuries sustained in an accident.

In a severe accident, moderately obese people face a 21 percent greater risk of death and morbidly obese people are 56 percent more likely to die than those of lesser weight.

“The severity and patterns of crash injuries depend on a complex interaction of biomechanical factors, including deceleration velocity at impact, seat belt and air bag use, vehicle type and weight, and type of impact,” says Dr. Dietrick Jehle, professor of emergency medicine at University of Buffalo School of Medicine.

With nearly one-third of the American population now considered obese, Jehle suggests carmakers begin testing safety equipment with big boned dummies and devise other means to help obese people better survive accidents.

“The rate of obesity is continuing to rise, so it is imperative that car designs are modified to protect the obese population, and that crash tests are done using a full range of dummy sizes,” Jehle states.

Dieting and exercise were never mentioned.

Obese drivers more likely to die in car crashes

Europe’s financial situation is, well, bad. So no one was surprised to see analysts’ low expectations for German carmakers. But the numbers are out, and whaddya know? Three German auto companies have reported better results than predicted.

BMW reported this week that its first quarter profit rose 19 percent. BMW said 1-Series sales jumped 20 percent, which helped the company deliver a record total of 425,528 vehicles in the first quarter.

Last week, Daimler and Volkswagen blew past analysts’ expectations with VW increasing profit 10 percent and Daimler making 4.9 percent more that last year’s first quarter.

Much of the profit and sales boost is due to growing popularity of German models in U.S. and China. A couple of analysts quoted in a Bloomberg report are split on what the future holds. One says he expects BMW and VW to raise their second quarter forecasts. Another sees China’s market cooling off and gives BMW a neutral rating while rating VW and Daimler as good buys. So far this year automotive companies (including suppliers) are the best performing stocks in Europe.

German automakers defy analyst predictions by earning huge profits

Nissan has already begun spinning wrenches on the company’s crowd-sourced project 370Z, and the automaker has been kind enough to craft a well-made video documenting the build. Fans of the brand chose a GReddy twin turbo kit, which should crank up the 3.7-liter V6 to the tune of around 500 horsepower. The Stage One clip follows the build as technicians dismantle the front of the sports car, yank the engine and bolt on the aftermarket goods. Fans also chose a GReddy Ti-C catback exhaust to help the engine breathe a little easier while hustling down the track, so the pipes go on next.

Nissan plans on documenting the full build before unveiling the project at the upcoming ZDayz 2012. If you’re curious about the creation, you can follow along on the Nissan Performance Facebook page. In the mean time, scroll down to check out the video for yourself.

Continue reading Getting to know the crowd-sourced Nissan 370Z

Getting to know the crowd-sourced Nissan 370Z

Audi is rapidly expanding its crossover range, with the Q3 recently joining the Q5 and Q7, not to mention the BMW X6-rivaling Q6 that’s in the pipeline. But now, according to Auto Express, Audi is working on an entry-level Q2 crossover that would take on the likes of the Nissan Juke and Mini Countryman.

Auto Express has come up with a rendering of the Q2 (pictured right, click to see the full deal), which we’ll reportedly see in concept form sometime in the next 12 months, and – surprise, surprise – it looks like a sportier Q3 or, more to the point, a high-riding A1. Because of its small size, powertrains will likely be plucked out of the A1 range, meaning a 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-four and a 1.6-liter diesel four will be offered.

Audi will also reportedly take a cue from Mini with the Q2 launch, encouraging owners to personalize their small CUVs in a number of ways. According to the report, buyers will be able to opt for contrasting roof and mirror colors, as well as different-colored major interior trim bits, including the seats and steering wheel.

The Q2 will ride on the same MQB architecture that is set to underpin the full range of Volkswagen Group small cars. That said, Auto Express reports that the Q2 will launch before the rest of the small cars are facelifted in 2014.

Audi Q2 to take on Nissan Juke?

AutoWeek reports Bentley is slowly building a team for the brand’s return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The automaker has hired Graham Humphrys as a consultant. Humphrys penned the BMW V12 LMR that took the win at the 1999 Le Mans, and he’s now tasked with heading up a feasibility study for the British luxury manufacturer.

According to Brian Gush, chassis and powertrain director for Bentley, the automaker is currently exploring which class would best suit the company. Humphrys’ 30 years of racing experience, including roles on vehicles like the March 82G Group C car, and with companies like Aston Martin and Spice Engineering, should prove instrumental in narrowing down the field.

In the past, Gush has hinted that Bentley would be at home in the GT class, speciffically in the GT3 category. If true, the company will likely campaign a version of the current Continental Supersports, though the automaker could just as easily wait for the next-generation Continental before jumping into the Le Mans fray. AutoWeek says there’s no time table for the manufacturer’s return at the moment.

Bentley returning to 24 Hours of Le Mans

We’ve taken the bone-stock 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 down the quarter-mile drag strip at Bondurant in Arizona several times. The very first pass we made netted us a time slip in the mid-12-second range. That’s an impressive performance for a car wearing road-legal radial tires with zero preparation and a driver familiarizing himself with the car.

We instantly knew this car was capable of more, and wondered how long it would take before we saw our first elapsed time in the 11s. Turns out the wait is over.

General Motors itself is the perpetrator of the blazing-fast quarter mile. Chevrolet engineers took two completely stock ZL1 coupes to Milan Dragway in Michigan – one automatic and one manual – and recorded a best pass of 11.93 seconds at 116 miles per hour. That was with the automatic; the row-your-own model managed 11.96 at 117 mph.

Those looking to drag their new Camaro ZL1 ought to be pleased with this news. But even if your race track aspirations lean more toward a curvy strip of asphalt, the baddest production Camaro ever made has you covered. Consider its Nürburgring lap time of seven minutes and 41 seconds as proof of its prowess.

Likely sensing that there would be plenty of Ford fans skeptics demanding proof of its quarter mile performance, Chevrolet has released a video showing off its drag strip exploits at Milan. Scroll down below for the video, along with the related press release… and join us in waiting for a response from Ford.

*UPDATE: We’ve placed a call to Chevrolet inquiring whether these times were recorded on stock tires, as the press release indicates, or on drag radials. We’ll add another update as soon as we hear back.

Continue reading 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 runs quarter mile in 11.93 seconds [UPDATE]

2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 runs quarter mile in 11.93 seconds [UPDATE]

We’ve taken the bone-stock 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 down the quarter-mile drag strip at Bondurant in Arizona several times. The very first pass we made netted us a time slip in the mid-12-second range. That’s an impressive performance for a car wearing road-legal radial tires with zero preparation and a driver familiarizing himself with the car.

We instantly knew this car was capable of more, and wondered how long it would take before we saw our first elapsed time in the 11s. Turns out the wait is over.

General Motors itself is the perpetrator of the blazing-fast quarter mile. Chevrolet engineers took two completely stock ZL1 coupes to Milan Dragway in Michigan – one automatic and one manual – and recorded a best pass of 11.93 seconds at 116 miles per hour. That was with the automatic; the row-your-own model managed 11.96 at 117 mph.

Those looking to drag their new Camaro ZL1 ought to be pleased with this news. But even if your race track aspirations lean more toward a curvy strip of asphalt, the baddest production Camaro ever made has you covered. Consider its Nürburgring lap time of seven minutes and 41 seconds as proof of its prowess.

Likely sensing that there would be plenty of Ford fans skeptics demanding proof of its quarter mile performance, Chevrolet has released a video showing off its drag strip exploits at Milan. Scroll down below for the video, along with the related press release… and join us in waiting for a response from Ford.

Continue reading 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 runs quarter mile in 11.93 seconds

2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 runs quarter mile in 11.93 seconds

Motor Trend reports Toyota may have plans to resurrect the Supra name, or at least a new sports coupe to fill the role of the long-dead two door. Hot on the heels of sports cars like the Lexus LFA and Scion FR-S, designers are reportedly working on dusting off the 2007 FT-HS Concept for another go at life. Paired with the company’s GRMN MRS prototype chassis, the vehicle will likely deliver up to 400 horsepower from a 3.5-liter V6 engine and an electric motor.

If the notion of a hybrid Supra is enough to ruffle your feathers, you may want to stop reading right now. Unlike the previous sports coupe, the new model will make use of an all-wheel-drive system. Still reading? MT reports the machine will put power to all four wheels via a CVT pulled from the Lexus RX.

That noise? It’s the sound of a lonely sad trombone echoing down the halls of the internet.

Of course, all of this seems to be little more than a few educated guesses stuck together. Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda has voiced his support for a Supra successor in the past, and if green-lit, the model could see production by 2015. Early guesses say the car would bow with a $60,000 price tag, which would make for a perfect argument against sticking a new NSX in your garage.

Toyota Supra successor back in the cards?

We Americans sure do love the freedom of owning our own automobile, but the price of that freedom is climbing. AAA has released its 62nd annual “Your Driving Costs” study, which shows a 1.9-percent year-over-year increase in the cost of auto ownership. That’s an average of $8,946 per year per car, with costs including monthly payment, fuel, maintenance and insurance.

Given the sharp rise in the cost of a gallon of petrol, it’s no surprise that prices at the pump are up 14.8 percent, or an average of 14.2 cents per mile. Tire prices are up 4.2 percent, in part because material prices have skyrocketed. The average insurance policy jumped by $33 versus 2010 numbers, with an average rate of $1,001 per year.

Interestingly, used cars are worth more than they were a year ago, with a depreciation drop of 4.9 percent, which means a new car purchase may hold its value a little better than before.

If $8,946 is too rich for your blood, AAA shows that the best bet could be a smaller sedan. Compact models average $6,735 per vehicle, while 4WD SUVs top the charts at $11,360. Large sedans are close to the SUV numbers, with an average of $11,324. AAA based its findings on a driving cycle of 15,000 miles per year. Scroll down below to read the AAA press release.

Continue reading Average cost of car ownership rises to $8,946 per year

Average cost of car ownership rises to $8,946 per year

There’s good reason this Mini more than doubled it’s pre-sale estimate, and it’s not because Neil Armstrong once drove it. No, Lot 307 at Bonhams’ Hendon, U.K., sale was bid up to $65,100 because it’s an exceptionally rare early Mini, just the eighth of the iconic cars ever manufactured, according to the auction company.

The seller was clearly able to capitalize on the current collector car trend of finding unrestored survivor cars – those gems that have somehow escaped not only the ravages of time and oxidation, but five decades of enthusiastic collectors armed with an attitude that tearing it down to the base metal and building it back up, “better than new,” is the only way to enjoy vintage iron. The auction company advertised this 1959 Austin Seven (the Mini name wasn’t applied to the Austin version until 1961) as the oldest unrestored Mini, saying that only three earlier cars are known to exist, one of which is in the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust museum.

Unrestored cars have achieved their recent popularity in part because they serve as records of how the cars originally came from the factory. Production standards in the ’50s and ’60s were much more lax than they are now, and written records can be hard to come by, hence the need for cars like this to direct historians and restorers alike.

The Mini, of course, is one of the most popular cars of all time, remaining in production with few changes from 1959 through 2000. Over 5.3 million of the cars were produced over that period, before BMW shut down production to launch its modern version of the car.

Scroll down to read Bonhams full catalog description.

Continue reading Why did this Mini sell for over $65,000?

Why did this Mini sell for over $65,000?

Renault-Nissan aims to increase its stake in Avtovaz, giving the alliance majority control over Russia’s largest automaker. The deal will likely see Renault and Nissan vehicles manufactured beside Lada models in the near future. Avtovaz recently finished a new production facility in Togliatti where the three brands plan to produce up to 1.6 million units per year. That move would make the Togliatti plant one of the largest automotive manufacturing facilities in the world. The companies expect the agreement to become final by 2014.

Technically, the deal is structured under a joint venture between Renault-Nissan and Russian Technologies, a state-owned corporation. Under a recently-signed memorandum of understanding, Renault-Nissan will own 67.13 percent of the venture, which will own 74.5 percent of Avtovaz. The alliance already holds a 25 percent stake in Avtovaz.

Under the MOU, Renault will invest around $300 million in the joint venture, while Nissan will put in $450 million.

Renault-Nissan moves to take control of Russia’s largest automaker

We are currently barreling toward the end of the week, which means there’s a good chance you’re looking for ways to chip away at the time card. Allow us to lend you a hand. Chris Harris recently took it up on himself to line up a three very expensive, very powerful German track-bred machines for a little showdown. With names like the Porsche GT3 RS 4.0, BMW M3 GTS and the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series, the half-hour clip all but guarantees some giggles. Since these are all coupes that are supposed to be able to pull double duty on the street and on track, Harris puts one and all through a two-day drive.

Day One features plenty of time on the street, where things like how quickly the dual-clutch transmission in the M3 GTS don’t matter nearly as much as a functional Bluetooth phone pairing system. Of course, Day Two is the fun stuff. That’s when all three sports cars are pressed around a track to see which can return the best lap time. How does it turn out? We won’t spoil it for you. You’ve got time to waste. Scroll down to check out the clip for yourself.

Continue reading Chris Harris pits C63 AMG Black Series against 911 GT3 RS 4.0 and M3 GTS

Chris Harris pits C63 AMG Black Series against 911 GT3 RS 4.0 and M3 GTS

Cadillac Racing just wrapped up competition at Miller Motorsports Park as part of the Pirelli World Challenge. Before the race kicked off, the crew spent a few hard laps getting the CTS-V Coupe Race Cars sorted and was kind enough to strap a few cameras to the machines while they were on track. If you’re looking for a professional view at what it’s like to take a lap while behind the wheel of the fire-breathing Caddy, look no further than the clip after the jump.

Drivers Andy Pilgrim and Johnny O’Connell both take the time to talk us through the apexes, brake points and subtle nuances of the track surface at race speed. Very cool.

O’Connell walked away with a second-place finish just behind Patrick Long in his Porsche 911 GT3, while Pilgrim was nudged off the podium by Mike Skeen in third place with his Corvette Z06. Scroll down to check out the video for yourself.

Continue reading Cadillac gives guided tour of Miller Motorsports Park in CTS-V Race Car

Cadillac gives guided tour of Miller Motorsports Park in CTS-V Race Car

If the idea of building a four-seat hard-top convertible supercar in Holland strikes you as off-the-wall, then its racing counterpart should blow your mind. We’re talking about Savage Rivale, the markers of the Roadyacht GTS and the competition-spec GTR model it just unveiled at the Top Marques show in Monaco.

Packing upwards of 700 horsepower from a turbocharged 6.2-liter V8, the Savage Rivale GTR is said to be good for 2.8-second sprint to 62 miles per hour and a 360-km/h (234-mph) top speed. With those capabilities, the race-ready Savage is earmarked to tackle the Nürburgring Norschleife lap record for four-door automobiles, a distinction which (to the best of our understanding, anyway) currently belongs to a Subaru Impreza WRX STI driven by rally ace Tommi Mäkinen for Car and Driver in 2010 to a 7:55 lap time, edging out Pikes Peak legend Walter Röhrl in the Porsche Panamera Turbo at 7:56 the previous year.

Only 69 examples are slated for production. We’re still waiting on final specifications to be released, but in the meantime you can check out the gallery of high-resolution images from its unveiling in Monte Carlo in the gallery above.

Savage Rivale GTR earns Top Marques in Monaco

With BMW readying a refreshed X1 crossover for the U.S. this fall, Mercedes-Benz is looking to play Burger King to the Bavarian automaker’s McDonald’s, launching its own kiddie-sized crossover next year. According to Car, the new model, formerly known as BLK, is now called GLA, thanks to the marque’s new nomenclature.

The GLA will share a platform with the new A-Class and B-Class, riding on what Mercedes refers to as its MFA architecture. Car says the GLA will be about the same size as the B-Class pictured above, at 174.8 inches long, 70.9 inches wide, and 59 inches tall, with a 106.2-inch wheelbase – just slightly smaller than the X1. The magazine doesn’t have any specific information about what might be powering the new crossover, but says it will share powertrains with its platform-mates. This means we can probably expect the turbocharged, 208-horsepwoer, 2.0-liter four-cylinder with direct injection that we saw in the Concept Style Coupe at Beijing to be fitted underhood once the GLA arrives Stateside.

New entry-level Mercedes crossover to be dubbed GLA

Having a ruff day on the road? Don’t take it out on other drivers, do what dogs do when they’re out for a ride. Director Keith Hopkin takes to California’s highways and byways and films eight dogs “doing what they love to do,” he says on his Vimeo channel.

The video captures that pure enjoyment of a dog’s nose in the wind, the sun on his fur and not having a care in the world. There’s even a slow motion montage where each dog closes his eyes, smiles and dreams of bacon.

Perhaps one of the best moments is at 1:04 when Beans the dog rides past a Bugatti Veyron and checks it out. Dogs may not know cars, but they do know a good breeze.

Of course, it doesn’t appear any of the dogs are strapped in to their seats, which is illegal in California. The Golden State requires pets be buckled up on in a cage when riding in a car. Then again, the unharnessed pooches won’t get a ticket, their owners will. Scroll down to watch the video, and click here for the creator’s Facebook page if you want to become a fan.

Continue reading “Dogs in Cars” will cheer you up

“Dogs in Cars” will cheer you up

Sometimes it seems that the rest of the country takes some sort of not-so-secret delight from Detroit’s slow but steady decay. The truth is, the sprawling municipality faces a swath of unique challenges that are only compounded by a dearth of resources.

Look no further than the city’s transportation infrastructure to see what we mean. Built as the ultimate temple for the car, Detroit’s planners could hardly conceive of a time when residents would prefer to take public transportation. As a result, it’s nearly impossible to get from the city center to the outlying suburbs without a vehicle.

But that may change sometime soon. The attitude has shifted in The D, and urban planners and business leaders are working together with a grassroots surge to get help people get where they need to go in a safe, timely and economical manner.

From light-rail proposals to efforts like the private Detroit Bus Company, Detroit is on the verge of re-imagining its public transportation infrastructure. Translogic took the time to get a feel for where Detroit is now and where it’s headed in the near future. Watch the video below to check it out for yourself.

Continue reading Translogic looks at Detroit’s transportation infrastructure

Translogic looks at Detroit’s transportation infrastructure

Mini will launch its seventh model – a two-door version of the Countryman crossover – at the Paris Motor Show later this year, and our trusty spy photographers recently spotted this prototype out testing. Many sources have stated that the car will be dubbed Countryman Coupe when it hits the market, but we’ve also heard rumors that the vehicle will wear the Paceman name that was given to the original concept that debuted at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show.

Whatever it ends up being called, the two-door Countryman formula is pretty simple. The rear doors have been removed, allowing for a more swept-back roofline that integrates into an updated rear fascia. The rear end design – as previewed in these spy shots, anyway – is immediately reminiscent of the Land Rover Evoque, the Countryman’s main competitor.

Mum’s the word on powertrain choices, though we’d expect the four-door Countryman’s range of naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines to carry over largely unchanged, mated to both front- and all-wheel drive. Stay tuned for the car’s official unveiling in Paris later this year.

Mini Paceman Countryman Coupe spotted testing

Subaru has been trying to figure out the direction for its three-headed monster, as the Impreza and its WRX and WRX STI variants have grown increasingly at odds over the past two generations. Now this gets thrown into the mix: When the new WRX gets released in late 2013, it may ditch the traditional exhaust-gas powered turbocharger for a new, electric design.

That’s right, according to The Sydney Morning Herald, Subaru is working on an electric turbo, shades of those computer-fan-sourced “power adders” you used to see advertised in the back pages of Sport Compact Car a decade ago. Except we would assume Subie-parent Fuji Heavy Industries is developing a design that actually works. According to the report, heat from the exhaust would be captured, but instead of using the exhaust pressure to turn the turbocharger’s turbine, the heat energy would be converted to electricity, which would then spin the impellers. This could be more efficient, as well as eliminating the piping and turbo lag.

While that sounds neat and all, we’re not so sure we want to see an unproven technology like this applied to one of our favorite affordable performance cars. Unless, of course, it allows for BMW M3-like performance in a $30,000 car.

Next Subaru WRX to use electric turbocharger?

The General wants more rear-wheel drive vehicles in its lineup and has plans to bring a few more to America, including a sedan and possibly a wagon and sport utility, according to Car and Driver.

GM already sells a rear-wheel-drive Chevrolet sedan in the U.S., but only sworn law enforcement officers are allowed to drive it: The Chevrolet Caprice PPV.

Now, GM will reportedly build a civilian offshoot of the the PPV and market it as the SuperSport sedan, as we reported last week. Under the hood would be GM’s 6.2-liter V-8 creating more than 400 horsepower. That SuperSport badge will also go onto Chevrolet’s NASCAR entry next year.

Car and Driver reports that after the V8 SuperSport launches, a milder 300-plus-horsepower 3.6-liter V-6 model will follow. By 2015, when the rear-wheel-drive Zeta platform is improved, production of this vehicle (as well as the PPV) will come to America, thus opening up the market for more police car sales, as some local governments can only buy American-made cruisers.

Furthermore, GM is considering building a rear-wheel-drive wagon as well as a sport-utility (read: ute) model. The updated Zeta II platform can handle both vehicles, especially since the next-generation Camaro will be shifting to the new Alpha platform that will underpin the Cadillac ATS and next-gen CTS.

Really, all of these vehicles are derivatives of the Pontiac G8, which is still on sale as the Holden Commodore in other markets. It was, arguably, the best Pontiac ever made. Bringing cars, wagons and utes like that to America, under any name or brand, is an immigration policy we can fully endorse.

GM considering RWD wagon and ute for U.S. market