This weekend, Audi marked the of its latest R18 race cars at the World Endurance Championships at Spa Francorchamps. Yet the most spectacular race car running on any track this weekend was thousands of miles away at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, in the 24 Hours of Lemons “Loudon Annoying” event taking place at the very same time.
Yes, that’s a camper trailer that’s been converted into a race car. And there’s . Now, before you click, see if you can guess what the car underneath is. (Hint, there’s another photo in the gallery that makes it very clear.) That answer is also posted , and it makes the whole rig even more fantastic.
Thanks to our friend (and ) Jake Fisher for the on-site photos!
With a couple of high-level U.S. defectors from the RallyCross series into other motorsport disciplines there was a domestic vacuum at the top, and we know what nature thinks about that. Enter German shoe/sportswear Puma, which is throwing its sponsor dollars behind the factory-backed PUMA Rallycross Team.
Dave Mirra heads up the trio of drivers, joined by Bucky Lasek and Sverre Isachsen, and they’ll run all six RallyCross rounds this year in 2012 STi’s. Of course, you can’t properly launch a team without some smoke and sliding action, so you’ll find that in the video . And make sure to peep the “Zombie Cat” Puma skeletons on the cars while you’re at it…
What has six legs, gas, weighs more than a ton and can walk over cars? , that’s what. Stompy is a project envisioned by the Robotics Intensive class at in Boston, and with your help, it could become a reality.
Stompy’s six hydraulic legs are powered by a 135-hp, propane-fueled forklift engine and can carry two passengers high above the terrain.
What are the chances of this thing coming to life? Pretty good, actually. The president of Artisan’s Asylum and leader of this project is Gui Cavalcanti, who has workd with DARPA on a to help soldiers with heavy loads.
Also on the team are Adam Bercu, two-time collegiate Battle Bots champ, robotic engineers Dan Cody and James Whong, and several others with backgrounds in open-source software and robotics.
The biggest obstacle looks to be funding, of course. After the team works up a list of stuff it will need to build Stompy, they plan to launch a Kickstarter campaign sometime around August.
Always looking for ways to one-up its Japanese competitors, has announced that a brake override system will be standard equipment on its full line of vehicles, starting this month.
Truth be told, every 2012 Hyundai model save for the already had a brake override system fitted. So why the announcement, and why now? Well, other than just tweaking , whose unintended acceleration problems led to widespread recalls, a , and prompted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to , the announcement likely has more to do with the end of Elantra Touring production than it does with anything else.
The old Hyundai i30, on which the Elantra Touring was based, has been redesigned, and reviews of the new model have already started showing up . We won’t get our version of the i30, dubbed here in the U.S., until later in the summer.
We’ll be driving the GT in June and we promise to issue a full report, though we’re going to try to avoid testing this new technology.
Yes, it’s spring time in Indiana, and although ahead of the drop of the green flag, it’s time for another One Lap of America.
Having been part of the timing and scoring team for well over a decade, we tend to see a lot of the same faces and sheetmetal year in and year out, though there’s always a steady stream of newcomers. Every few races, however, there seems to be a bumper crop of new cars that show up as old ones get tired and drivers find something different to play with. This is clearly one of those times, perhaps brought about by the dominance of the over the last several years. As a result, there are a glut of the Japanese supercars in the fold, along with other noteworthy new models including an , a and , not to mention a factory-prepped . As ever, there’s a brace of and models of various vintages, along with a or two and a 430. There’s even an and an incredible sounding , also running with factory support.
Unfortunately, one key classic will be notably absent from the paddock this year: Brock Yates. Father of One Lap Of America and the legendary Cannonball Run that spawned it, Yates’ health has been deteriorating due to Alzheimer’s. Yates’ son, Brock Jr. has been ably running the event for many years, but this is the first time that .
As has become the usual, this year’s event kicks off in South Bend, Indiana at title sponsor Tire Rack’s massive headquarters with a wet skidpad event. The motley crew of madmen and their motors will then jog down the road a few miles to the South Bend Motor Speedway (a paved oval) before hoofing it over to Autobahn Country Club’s road course in Illinois. After that, it’s off to a string of road courses starting with scenic Pacific Junction, Iowa, for the Mid America Motorplex, then on to Oklahoma’s Hallett Motor Racing Circuit before heading to High Plains Raceway in Colorado. After that, it’s off to Motorsports Park Hastings in Nebraska followed by a northwestern jog to Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota. Then it’s over to Wisconsin’s legendary Road America before the sleepless and bedraggled horde stumble back into South Bend next Saturday, April 14 for a final dry skidpad event. Got all that? If you don’t, you can check out a map .
As we’ll be working the event, we won’t have the ability to give you daily updates on the rally’s progress, but if you’re interested in keeping tabs on the action, check out and , both of which figure to have live updates as the race gets underway this morning. In the meantime, you can check out our massive gallery above. It doesn’t have every one of the roughly 75 that are scheduled to race, but if you are new to One Lap, it’ll give you a good idea of the automotive diversity on display.
Moderately obese people, who have a greater than 30, typically shave three years off of their lives, just by being overweight. (Morbidly obese people lose 10 years, according to .) 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 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.
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.
reported this week that its first quarter profit rose 19 percent. BMW said sales jumped 20 percent, which helped the company deliver a record total of 425,528 vehicles in the first quarter.
Last week, and 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.
It’s hard to believe that the has been on the market since 2003. That’s 10 model years ago, predating our own existence as a website. Even the XC90 mid-cycle refresh that happened in 2007 seems like an eternity ago. So it stands to reason that for 2013 would introduce… yet another year of the same old thing.
Well, not exactly. The 2013 XC90 has been “delightfully refreshed,” though we’re pretty sure that the color-coordinated exterior and LED daytime running lights were actually . But hey, don’t fix it if it ain’t broke.
Volvo has also rejiggered the trim packages on the XC90, which now starts at $39,500 plus $895 delivery. And that Yamaha-built V8 that disappeared this year? Still gone.
While you wait with us for the , go ahead and to read the full press release and check out the images in our . Then do it again. And again…
John Liu, New York City comptroller, has said he won’t register the contract for a fleet of new taxis until every last one is made . There are currently just 231 cabs with wheelchair ramps in the city, though that number will jump by another 2,000 units next year. Even so, Liu said the current cab system is “separate and unequal.” The city comptroller signs off on every contract the city makes, but Liu doesn’t technically have the authority to block the contract unless there’s evidence of corruption. While speaking at his press conference, Liu admitted as much during questioning from reporters.
According to The New York Post, Liu may be attempting to draw attention away from a federal probe into his campaign finances as he vies to be a mayoral candidate in the next election. While he says he takes the federal investigation seriously, he also plans to continue with the work of his office and his blossoming campaign for mayor.
We’ve taken the bone-stock down the quarter-mile drag strip at Bondurant in Arizona . 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.
itself is the perpetrator of the blazing-fast quarter mile. 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 ever made has you covered. Consider its 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. for the video, along with the related press release… and join us in waiting for a from .
*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.
Motor Trend reports 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 and , 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 .
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.
General Motors is having a hard time nailing down its European operations. The automaker reported its first-quarter earnings slid by $1 billion, down from $3.2 billion in the first quarter of last year. The drop was partially attributable to a one-time loss that included changes in accounting for the automaker’s European pensions.
While GM earned $1.69 billion in North American before taxes, Opel lost $246 million in the first quarter. Surprisingly, that marks the second best quarter for the automaker in a year. Even so, GM CEO Dan Akerson said that the manufacturer’s European operations are headed for substantial revision.
Akerson said the situation is a “four-alarm fire” while speaking during a public radio interview. The executive declined to elaborate on any plans to help stem Opel’s losses beyond saying “We’re going to have to restructure again.”
In 2011, GM lost $747 million on its European operations, and with the looming debt crisis continuing to undermine consumer confidence in the EU, the company is desperate to ward off a repeat performance. Analysts believe that yet another restructuring will be a lengthy, drawn-out process, but likely won’t result in any actual plant closings.
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 .
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. to watch the video, and for the creator’s Facebook page if you want to become a fan.
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 .
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 . 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 and next-gen .
Really, all of these vehicles are derivatives of the , 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.
A Small-Scripted S Delivers Power, Performance And Pomposity
offers its to North American buyers in no fewer than eight models with six different engine choices, including a hybrid. There’s even an oil-burning available across the Pond. At one end of the spectrum is the with a very capable 300-horsepower V6. At the other end, and at the top of the pecking order, is the , boasting a 550-horsepower twin-turbocharged V8. Not only is it the most powerful street-legal Porsche on offer, but it is the world’s quickest four-door sedan. Err… hatchback.
So others are aware of the Panamera’s potential, Porsche reserves its coveted ‘Turbo’ script only for its most capable vehicles. It is indeed a badge of honor. However, the ante is upped even further when a small scripted ‘S’ is adhered as a suffix. Its addition indicates to all others that the overall performance has been boosted to flagship levels – it is a tiny yet bold badge of bravado.
To help us solve the riddle of whether or not the Panamera Turbo S is more than just an exercise in demonstrating masculine superiority within ones social circle, Porsche deposited a stunning Aqua Blue Metallic example in our driveway for a week. It was our job to put the $195,000, four-passenger neck-snapper to the test and somehow avoid filling its glovebox with citations in the process.
If you were one of the world’s richest human beings, what kind of car would you own? The richest man in the world, (worth about $69 billion), drives himself to work in a . MSRP: $300K.
On the other hand, if you were , founder of Ikea, you’d drive something more humble like a 1993 240. We wonder if he had to put it together himself.
Then there’s Bill Gates. Another of the world’s wealthiest people, Mr. Gates showed a at the 2008 CES keynote of him driving away from his last day at work at Microsoft in a While that may or may not be his daily driver, one of his cars has been well documented.
In 1999, President Clinton signed into law the “” rule that exempted certain collectible cars from government emission and crash worthiness rules. Bill Gates and several other very rich motor nuts were instrumental in getting the law passed. The exemption allowed Gates to break his Porsche 959 free from the customs impound lot after more than a decade.
Check out the other 11 gajillionaires and their rides .
The emergence of the V40 is arguably the biggest news to come out of since sold it to . Just as with any new car – European hatchbacks especially – the aftermarket will follow shortly with modifications, and in the case of Volvo, that means Heico Sportiv.
The German tuning house specializes in Gothenburg’s finest. The firm already has a new ECU module for the T5 engine in the V40 that brings output up from 237 horsepower to 266 and from 236 pound-feet of torque to 269. Heico has released a pair of renderings previewing what it plans to do with the outside of the slick new sport-wagon.
From the teaser renderings, we can see a new set of lightweight seven-spoke alloys, new bumpers front and rear, side skirt extensions, a relatively low-key diffuser and quad ovoid exhaust tips. In other words, the V40, only slightly more so. Unfortunately, since the V40 isn’t earmarked for American showrooms, this may be as close as we’ll get.
We can’t tell you how many times we’ve asked an automotive executive about future product plans only to be given the default, “We’re investigating new options,” or, “Anything is possible,” write-offs. So, to that end, here’s another bit of grease for the ever-spinning rumormill.
Auto Express reports that could possibly launch a sportier version of its entry-level , dubbed – wait for it – Evoque Sport. The news comes after the British magazine sat down with Gerry McGovern, Land Rover’s design director, at the recent . When pressed about plans to expand the Evoque range, McGovern stated, “For the moment, we’re looking at the and – we could do a more overtly sporty one, for example.”
A suggestion, Land Rover: Move the Evoque Sport above the cabriolet on your to-do list.
McGovern didn’t spill any more beans about what a Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Sport (what a mouthful) would be powered by, but Auto Express suggests it would likely be a boosted version of the 2.0-liter turbocharged four found in the current model. Of course, more visual aggression would be added in the way of larger wheels, a body kit and a lowered suspension. Beefier chassis and brake components would likely be added to enhance the drive experience, as well.
Assuming the Evoque Sport does come to fruition, we likely wouldn’t see it until the end of next year since the current vehicle is still a newborn in the market. So, for now, rumormill, keep on spinning.
The folks over at Saabs United have been a fixture on the Swedish automobile scene for some time now, cementing themselves as the hub for all manner of news and gossip as the fight to keep the brand alive has ebbed and flowed over the past couple of years. So significant was SU’s bond with the automaker that its principle, Steven Wade, had the ear of buyer Victor Muller throughout the General Motors extrication process, and eventually Wade , leaving others to run the website.
With Saab having slipped into bankruptcy and the company’s Trollhättan plant idled, Saabs United now finds itself at the center of a new fight – an effort to preserve the final – possibly the final Saab ever. An Arctic White Griffin sedan, the 9-3 exists in a state of partial build but is scheduled for final assembly at the end of this month. The car is part of a special batch of about 50 partially finished cars and a cache of spares that Trollhättan dealership group ANA , and it will be for sale. Saabs United has taken it upon itself to rally the faithful in an attempt to purchase the car for donation to the Saab Cars Museum, which was itself .
It seems only fitting that the 9-3 Griffin would join other final examples of various models in Saab’s history at the Museum, but even then, the car’s fate might not be entirely secure. According to SU, “A number of cars at the museum from the history of Saab that was written in the last two years are NOT secured. They are either borrowed to the museum or are still missing.”
As of this writing, the funding effort is well on its way, with Saabs United faithful and various clubs and investors having raised over 15,000 Euros (around $19,750 USD), with a goal of 28,500 Euros ($37,500) within the next 18 days. If the total amount needed is not reached, fundraiser proceeds will still go to the Saab museum, and if extra money is raised, it’ll be donated, too. If you’re interested in learning more or making a donation, .
As much as we love games like Forza and Gran Turismo, these driving simulators are hobbled by one glaring omission: peripheral vision. Driving requires a view from more than just the windshield, and while Forza 4 and Gran Turismo 5 have made steps toward giving players a better a better look at the track around them, the nature of a flat screen is cursed with limitations. Of course, if you have the cash, Motion Simulation has a solution for you. The company’s new TL1 simulator was built in cooperation with none other than the minds at Ariel. You know, the folks responsible for the mighty Atom.
The system uses three high-definition projectors to give the view a complete view of the virtual track ahead. What’s more, the simulator is compatible with consoles like the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Unfortunately, the kit is prohibitively large and expensive. If you want one, you’ll have to fork over $18,600 at current conversion rates, along with a big portion of your living room. Considering that kind of cash will buy you a very nice used sports car, we’ll have to take a pass on this one.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a video of the actual Atom simulator available just yet, so for the moment, you’ll have to content yourself with footage of the company’s great-sounding Touring Car simulator. Check it out by .
Always looking for ways to one-up its Japanese competitors, has announced that a brake override system will be standard equipment on its full line of vehicles, starting this month.
