Grille Flasks by Nicholas Brawer – Click above for high-res image gallery
Let us go on the record once again as stating that we at Autoblog don’t condone drinking and driving. But to suggest that those who love cars can’t also enjoy the occasional adult beverage is another matter entirely. For such a crowd, craftsman Nicholas Brawer has just the thing.
Joining a collection that includes a replica mahogany wind tunnel model of an aerial bomb and a portable roulette wheel comes this unique set of collectables – a selection of ornamental decanters styled after the radiator grilles of classic , , , and automobiles. All five come in the set, each crafted to scale from chrome and glass. They assuredly don’t come cheap, but they may just do the trick for the discerning enthusiast on your shopping list.
To say that sales of alt-energy vehicles in China have been dismal would be an understatement. Despite investing million into advanced alternative fuel powertrains, the Global Times reports that many Chinese automakers are facing the tough decision to either ditch their green car plans or continue on with sales that are far below expectations.
Due to poor sales volume, Changan Auto has pulled the plug on its . According to the company, not a single Jiexun was sold during the last year. , reporting that it has sold only 54 and just 290 between January and October of this year. Even admits that sales volume, which has been at less than 4,000 for each of the past three years, is below the company’s expectations.
Many Chinese automakers have voiced concerns and are calling upon the government to help boost sales of advanced-technology vehicles. So far, however, buyers have shown little interest in purchasing the high-tech rides that often come with steep price tags.
Does a crossover make sense? If you’re , it certainly does. Speaking to Autocar, Hallmark said that Jaguar “needs a crossover and needs to stop being a saloon-based company.” We’re a bit confused as to exactly why Jaguar needs a CUV when the typical Jaguar shopper could .
Hallmark adds that a Jaguar XF wagon will appear shortly. That, we like, but with Jaguar making noise about a crossover, we find it hard to imagine an XF station wagon ever rolling into US showrooms. Hallmark goes on to say that lightweight cars will become part of the brand’s future DNA.
Wait, so how does this crossover fit in with the brand again?
Just days ago, Fiat rolled out one of several upcoming special edition models. The new 500 Bicolore, pictured above, made its debut at the Bologna Motor Show. Details are limited, but as its name implies, the Bicolore model features a two-tone paint scheme in candy-apple red and white. Fiat finishes off the changes to the Bicolore by fitting it with unique alloy wheels and trimming the interior with some chrome accents.
Fiat describes the Bicolore as “an unprecedented combination that recalls the retro world of ’50s American cars and pop art.” The automaker continues, calling the special edition 500 a model “that celebrates the car’s more eco-friendly and sporty spirits.” The Bicolore is powered by available: the turbocharged two-cylinder 0.9-liter , which cranks out 85 horsepower.
The Bicolore is just one of several special edition 500 models that Fiat plans to launch in the coming months, so stay tuned for more.
Racing across the country via Google Street View – Click above to watch the video
Driving across the United States is no simple task. As our own editors John Neff and Damon Lavrinc , it takes a few days, a lot of planning and plenty of Red Bull to successfully motor across the good ol’ U-S-of-A. However, our tech-savvy culture now allows us to virtually experience the open road through the magic of Google Street View, and two men took it upon themselves to see if you could “drive” from California to New York only using Google’s street-mapping software.
It took 90 hours and 104,619 mouse clicks, but these two gents successfully piloted their way across the United States (San Francisco to New York) all through the magic of the internet. Some 2,958 miles were covered in this webtastic task, and you can check out a full recap of the events in the video, .
The holiday season is in full swing, and that means holiday parties are in no short supply, filled with people wearing horrible sweaters. It also means booze is readily available, and the opportunity to drive after having too much to drink is at fever pitch. According to a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 30 million folks will drive drunk in an average year while another 10 million get behind the wheel under the influence of drugs. Approximately 13.2 percent of Americans over the age of 16 drove under the influence of alcohol this past year, and in some states, the amount of drunk drivers in the past year is well into the 20-percent range. A bit higher numbers than the before turning the ignition key.
f you hit the road in Wisconsin, keep a sharp eye on the cars around you because 23.7 percent of drivers drove drunk this year. The same can be said for North Dakota where 22.4 percent of the driving population should have taken a cab. Rhode Island and Vermont are high on the list of states that prefer drugs to alcohol with 7.8 and 6.6 percent of drivers impaired by illicit drugs, respectively.
On the other end of the scale sit states like Utah and Mississippi that see just 7.4 and 8.7 percent of alcohol-impaired folks getting behind the wheel. New Jersey and Iowa, at 2.9 and 3.2 percent respectively, have the lowest rate of drivers operating an automobile while under the influence of drugs. It’s not all bad news however because the nationwide figure of 13.2 percent has declined from 14.6 percent of people driving while drunk. The number of folks driving while on drugs has also fallen with a previous average of 4.8 percent to this past years nationwide average of 4.3 percent.
David Higgins joins Subaru Rally Team USA – Click above to watch video
The speculation over exactly who will be taking Travis Pastrana’s spot in the driver’s seat with Subaru Rally Team USA can officially be put to rest. David Higgins will be the new man in blue and yellow. Higgins has a résumé that’s chock full of rally wins, from championship titles in SCCA rally here in the states in 2002 and 2003 to a British National Rally Championship title in 2004. The guy also managed to walk away with a championship wins in group N in the British National Rally in 1997, 1999 and 2002.
Needless to say, the guy’s got the chops to keep the pace.
plans to campaign two cars next season, and while Higgins is the newest member of the team, the leader of the pack will BMX guru and rally beast Dave Mirra. Mirra managed to snag a Rookie of the Year award from Rally America for his efforts last season and took a slot on the podium during the Rally America Olympus event among others. for a look at a video of Higgins doing what he does best as well as the full press blast.
Charles Jordan, better known as ‘Chuck,’ was the driving force behind the modern design era at . After graduating from MIT in 1949, Jordan joined the GM design staff in the role of Junior Engineer. Throughout the years, Chuck Jordan rose through the ranks and designed some amazing vehicles. One notable design includes the .
Other vehicles that you may have heard of, which featured Jordan’s guidance, include:
-1958
-1959 Eldorado
-1968 Opel GT
-1970 Opel Manta
-1992 Cadillac STS
That is just a partial list that can be filled with the Oldsmobile Aurora, a handful of models and a lot of stylish concepts.
Chuck Jordan was just the fourth person elected to the position of Vice President of Design, a position he held from 1986 until his retirement in 1992. He passed away in the evening hours of Thursday, December 9.
It sounds like is getting ready to square off against the Opel Meriva small minivan in Europe. According to Automotive News, Ford will be bringing an all-new B-segment van to next year’s Geneva Motor Show. The Blue Oval’s European arm is keeping the details of the vehicle close to its chest, but from what we understand, the new minivan should begin production toward the end of 2012. The company has already made it clear that its Craiova, Romania facility will be tasked with constructing a new B-segment fighter sometime soon, and news has it that the vehicle will be more people mover than hatchback.
If true, that means that the new van is likely to carry the B-Max moniker to keep in line with creations like the C-Max and S-Max. In Europe, Ford has relied on its aging Fusion people mover to carry the company in the small-car segment, and the aging platform has begun to slip over the past few years. While it once held the number two slot, the Fusion has fallen to be the fifth most popular vehicle among the B-segment vans.
Regardless of whether or not the B-Max can knock the Meriva off of its throne, we aren’t likely to see it here in the states.
2011 Holden VE Series II Commodore – Click above for high-res image gallery
Since 1978, the Holden Commodore has been roaring across the land down under. It’s worn a plethora of body styles ranging from coupe and sedan to wagon and ute, brought the to American soil and sold over 44,000 units last year in Australia. During its run, the Holden Commodore has been a rear-wheel drive vehicle, but new reports state that the front-engine/rear-drive layout may not be in the cards for much longer.
The next-generation Commodore is going to appear by 2015 and it’s possible that may switch it to a front-wheel drive car. The goal is increased fuel-efficiency for GM’s large cars and the front-wheel drive platforms are the ones set up to deliver the highest fuel efficiency.
The Holden Commodore could ride on the Super Epsilon II platform, which will also make its way into the next Chevrolet Impala and the upcoming Cadillac XTS. Sure, we understand why an automaker would look to make this change but it doesn’t mean we have to like it. We prefer our Maltidas waltzing and our Commodores drifting.
Audi R18 LMP1 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Right on schedule, has pulled the sheets off its next-generation Le Mans prototype. As had been rumored before the unveil, the R18 has abandoned the open-top design of its forefathers – the R8, R10 and R15 Plus – for a closed canopy to improve aerodynamics and reduce driver fatigue. The company hasn’t worked with a clamshell since 1999, and we’re guessing is has more than a little to do with Peugeot’s 2009 Le Mans win. That victory is the only wrinkle in the Audi’s domination of the world’s most difficult motorsports race, and it’s no small coincidence that work on the R18 began in mid 2009.
The R18 gets its grunt from a 3.7-liter TDI V6 engine, and while Audi isn’t saying exactly how much horsepower or torque the oil-burner produces, we have to guess that the figures are nothing to sneeze at. Behind the engine is a new six-speed transmission, though the innovations aren’t simply chained to the drivetrain. Audi used a single-piece construction carbon fiber monocoque to keep weight down and increase stiffness, and those epic all-LED headlights are the first make their way to Le Mans.
While Audi is planning to campaign a total of three R18 racers at the 2011 Le Mans race this summer, the vehicle’s first appearance will be at the six hours of Spa on April 24. to see the full press release.
Russ Swift and MINI combat boredom – Click above to watch video
The is a fun little car that we’ve often praised for its go-kart-like handling. Put one in the capable hands of Russ Swift and it becomes a whole lot more than that. Swift and teamed up for a video to declare that the Cooper is the arch enemy of boredom. For those who are not aware of Mr. Swift’s driving skill, he is the man who holds the record for tightest parallel park, fastest J-Turn and . Saying that Russ Swift can control a car is an understatement.
In this video clip, Swift shows off his parallel parking skills, puts a Mini up on two wheels and pulls off other examples of automotive shenanigans. This video is only one minute long, so you have no excuse for not and give it a look.
That was quick. has issued a service bulletin asking its dealers to check the operation of the accelerator pedal on all-new models that are just now arriving at dealerships across the country. According to Consumer Reports, workers are to press and release the pedal 25 to 30 times to listen for noisy operation and anything that would indicate unsatisfactory pedal feel. If either problems surface, Kia will replace the pieces under warranty free of charge. As of right now, it’s unclear whether sticking pedals instigated the service bulletin or some other fault prompted the Korean automaker to issue the service bulletin.
Keep in mind that a service bulletin differs from a recall in several ways; most notably, recalls are government mandated and require automakers to alert consumers. Service bulletins are voluntary and typically just go out to dealers. Since the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration isn’t forcing Kia’s hand, we’re guessing that there isn’t any danger to consumers. Models impacted by the bulletin were built between October 16th and November 24th of this year.
Revenge of the Electric Car movie trailer – Click above to watch video
It looks like want to see the preview for the new Revenge of the Electric Car movie. That was the number of “likes” the film’s producers set for the , and now that the number has been hit, we have our first preview of what movie-going audiences will learn about when the flick hits the screen in the spring of 2011. The production team sent AutoblogGreen the following message just before the 10,000th fan clicked “like.”
Everyone on the “Revenge” team is incredibly thankful for all our wonderful fans who have spread the word to help us reach our 10,000 fan goal so quickly – we’re almost there! It also reminds us of how important people feel the electric car is to them. The fact that so many people want to see this film and spread the word proves how important it is for everyone to learn about electric vehicles as an alternative to gasoline-powered cars and to be informed about new developments in EV production and what kind of options there are out there for consumers ready to shift into an electric gear.
2011 Subaru Forester – Click above for high-res image gallery
In the years since last gave its workhorse flat four-cylinder engine a significant revision, an entire generation of customers has gone from pulling up their Huggies to donning college graduation gowns. More than two full decades have passed since the company’s engineers seriously sat down to re-examine the engine’s architecture, and in that time, there’s been an explosion of automotive technology geared toward squeezing every last bit of energy out of a drop of gasoline. With fuel economy and emissions standards growing tighter by the day, the minds at Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru’s parent company, unveiled the of their boxer engine recently.
But at first blush, the new heir to the Pleiades throne looks to be little more than a carbon copy of its predecessor. Horsepower, torque and fuel economy figures are all within a shave of the old engine’s numbers, and while the company’s competitors are investing heavily in direct-injection systems, Subaru passed on this tech all together. Where was the improvement? Judging by the specs alone, we had to wonder why Subaru went through the trouble of building an entirely new facility just to produce what looked to be the same old beating heart we’d known and loved for years. We jumped behind the wheel of the to find out just what had changed beneath the hood of its all-wheel-drive family hauler.
In mid-October, announced that its would be eligible for a $1,300 tax credit. The electrified mid-size sedan was to officially hit the market before the end of the year and the first 60,000 buyers who plopped down some coin for the Sonata Hybrid would’ve walked away with that juicy credit in their pockets. However, there’s a hitch: the Sonata Hybrid has been delayed and its release date pushed back until January, and indicates that that will dash any hopes of receiving the credit, which .
Even so, the Sonata Hybrid still remains one of only a few mid-size hybrid sedans capable of achieving great fuel economy – 36 miles per gallon city and 40 mpg highway – and many of its competitors like the , and either no longer qualify for the tax credits or aren’t available for purchase. The and one of the most compelling new vehicles in the mid-size segment, so missing out on the credit probably won’t affect sales dramatically, but its delay will mean that early adopters won’t have an extra $1,300 in their couch cushions next year.
The inaugural season of the FIA GT1 World Championship is in the history books. But after just one season, reports are already cropping up of teams looking to withdraw.
Twelve teams participated in the opening series campaigning six different cars between them: GT1-spec versions of the MC12, GT, DBR9, , and . And while all the cars look set to carry on for next season, not all of them will necessarily have two teams representing.
Reports indicate that Matech – one of the teams racing the Ford GT, having carried out much of the development work itself – and Hegersport – the second team fielding the Maserati MC12 behind Vitaphone – may be gone from the grid next season, dropping the field from twelve teams to ten.
The report cites sponsorship difficulties as the reason for their potential withdrawal, but with rumors potentially placing a , and the on the GT1 grid for next season, it may be just as likely that the organizers will be able to line up two or more new teams before the series returns in the new year.
Nissan Leaf website for kids – Click either image for high-res gallery
How do you teach children that electric cars can be fun to use and good to drive? By explaining that they work pretty much just like any other car except that you “refuel” at home. At least that’s the tactic that has taken with its “” sub-site, which features a cartoon family, backed by annoyingly peppy music enjoying their new electric car (a , natch).
The is designed to show how quiet the car is, how you can use it to go shopping, go visit grandpa, etc. It also has two “Nissan dealer representatives” who look an awful lot like a dog and a giraffe in suits. It’s also a tremendously subtle site, with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it lines like, “Electric vehicles are … a choice for a future in which cars, the earth, and our kids can co-exist in harmony.” Problem is, it also has some awkward moments, too, as seen in the screencaps above.
While we certainly applaud the educational effort, the execution is a bit cloying and occasionally overly simplistic to a fault – for instance, the cartoon parents conclude that if they care about the environment and the future, then they . That may be a suitable message for a site championing EVs, but what does this say about the buyers that choose all of Nissan’s other vehicles? Also… “Thud”? Something has gotten lost in translation…
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) plans to open a third factory in Thailand at the Laem Chabang Industrial Estate in Chonburi province about 60 miles southeast of Bangkok. The plant will eventually have a production capacity of up to 200,000 new vehicles per year and will produce a new global small car with 1.0-1.2L engines sometime in 2011 and based on a new platform that Mitsubishi promises will be affordable and deliver excellent fuel economy.
This new machine will conform to the requirements of Thailand’s government-led Eco-car Project but will also be exported to other emerging markets where inexpensive and fuel efficient machines are volume sellers. So far, only a couple tiny renderings have been released of the new machine, which you can see above. for the full details.
2011 Bugatti Veyron Super Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery
Ah, to be in college again. The enlightenment. The drinking. The promiscuity. The million-dollar supercars. Wait, what?
That’s right. is looking for a student intern at their office in Herndon, Virginia, to help coordinate their marketing and press relations activities. Like any internship, most of the job will probably come down to making coffee for and giving back rubs to your superiors. But in this case, the position entails scheduling – and crucially, transporting – the Bugatti press fleet, organizing events and the like.
You’ll need to be a college student to apply, and since the listing specifies they’ll be testing for drugs, that may narrow down the field considerably. That, and you’ll need to be located near Herndon, Virginia, which is fortunately just half an hour out of DC. So if you’re studying at Georgetown, GW, American U or any of the other campuses in or near the nation’s capital, keep your nose clean and like being around seven-figure exotics, click through below to apply.
Charles Jordan, better known as ‘Chuck,’ was the driving force behind the modern 
