California is on its way to taking a ride with the autonomous car. By a vote of 37-0, the State Senate approved Senate Bill 1298 (you can read it ) that begins to establish how guidelines on and oversight of self-driving vehicles will be handled.
The bill charges the Department of the California Highway Patrol and the Department of Motor Vehicles with providing recommendations to the legislature on “the safe operation of autonomous vehicles on California’s public roads” with and without a licensed driver present. However, the driverless provision can’t come into effect until the draws up federal guidelines on autonomous cars without drivers.
The bill is being championed by Senator and MIT graduate Alex Padilla, who envisions “a future that includes self-driving cars” because, “Autonomous vehicles have the potential to and injuries.” California is the second state after Nevada to make genuine progress on the road to autonomous vehicles, and four other states are considering legislation. The CA bill goes to the State Assembly next and is expected to pass.
We have to admit we’re big fans of the Storm Trooper look. Combining white paint with blacked-out trim, the treatment is one you’d typically find performed in the aftermarket. But in this case is offering it direct from the factory. Or so it is to European customers, anyway.
The treatment is being applied to a special edition of the CrossPolo, the soft-road version of the popular Polo hatchback. The Urban White edition combines a unique shade of white paint with 17-inch alloys painted either white or black, with black roof rails and dark tinted glass aft of the B-pillar. The interior features black and light gray sports seats in cloth and Alcantara, with black headliner and trim and silver top-stitching on the controls.
Overseas buyers can choose between four gasoline and three common-rail diesel engines, with prices starting at €18,975.
While there are some specialty machines that are capable of relatively high velocity, your average run-of-the-mill helicopter can’t sustain speeds much higher than 100 miles per hour. That said, because of the heli’s ability to climb high into the air with cameramen packing extreme telephoto lenses, actually managing to trick a chopper pilot into losing you – in scenes sure to be played out monthly on national news channels – is another matter entirely.
So, what would it take to actually outrun a helicopter? As demonstrated by professional racer Guy Martin in the video , a modern superbike has more than enough speed to do the trick. In the case of Martin’s modified Suzuki GSX-R1000, which boasts a terminal velocity in excess of 200 mph, all you’d need is a road straight enough to pin the throttle for a dozen seconds or so…
All of which brings us to the Isle of Man, nestled away in the Irish Sea. Every year, legions of racers and fans line the 38-mile-long Snaefell Mountain Course to watch racers like Guy Martin test the depths of insanity as they seek to outpace their rivals on what basically amounts to closed surface streets. See what it looks like as a helicopter does its best to follow the action in the video pasted .
has finally wrapped up work on its crowd-sourced project . The company put the sports car on a dyno for final tuning and wound up with somewhere around 504 horsepower. That’s not too shabby given the jump in gusto was gleaned from a few bolt-on parts.
Nissan then set about fitting the steering wheel and shift nob as chosen by the teaming internet masses. A set of custom Recaro seats also replaced factory buckets. With the interior squared away, the company turned its eye toward ironing out the exterior.
A set of lightweight forged Volk wheels took the place of the factory rollers, and a new matte grey vinyl wrap took care of the standard yellow paint. Nissan debuted its creation at Z Dayz last weekend. for a look at the video for yourself.
Moody’s upgraded Ford’s credit rating to investment grade today, the final step for the company to be able to reclaim its Blue Oval. had offered its globally recognized trademark as part of a 2006 loan package. According to the Detroit Free Press, the collateralized logo and the rest of Fod’s assets and intellectual property would not return to the automaker until it achieved an investment-grade credit rating with at least two of the three major agencies. Last month, Ford’s credit was .
At the time the loan was issued, the move was viewed as bold and risky, as Ford literally bet the farm that it could pay back the $23.5 billion. But as it turned out, the automaker’s head start on restructuring allowed it to weather the financial crisis and resultant industry downturn in 2008 without declaring bankruptcy and needing government intervention like its cross-town rivals.
The upgrade from Moody’s is said to potentially help Ford by lowering its borrowing costs, and certainly having its assets back should allow everyone in Dearborn to sleep peacefully tonight.
Anyone considering a German-built car might want to buy it now. It could be a long summer.
Europe’s largest industrial union, IG Metall, is taking a tough stance against some job rules German carmakers want to enforce, potentially creating the possibility of a strike, according to .
“Talks are resuming, but so far five rounds of negotiations have produced little movement and a round of warning strikes earlier this month at several companies, including , and Daimler, suggest that the powerful union is gearing up for a confrontation,” the Bureau reported earlier this week.
The union wants a 6.5-percent pay raise for its workers and a limit in how many temporary workers the carmakers can use. Around the world, carmakers use temporary workers as way to increase production without increasing union membership and save money.
The union was offered a 3-percent pay raise, but that offer was rejected. Currently, German auto workers are some of the highest paid in the automotive world. And while parts of Europe remain in economic turmoil, Germany has shown signs of slow growth, which might be one reason some government officials are backing IG Metall.
All of this doesn’t bode well for General Motors’ German-based Opel. GM was hoping to get some concessions from the unions representing its workers as part of its restructuring. But if other carmakers are paying more for its workers, it’s unlikely the troubled Opel would be able to squeeze much of its people.
Episode #283 of the is here, and this week, Chris, Dan and Zach chat about the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500, the Chevrolet SS, and Kia exploring diesels for the U.S. market. Your questions and comments power the end of the ‘cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our , thanks for taking the time. We’ve embedded our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #283:
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We’ve noticed that 2013 has been updated with dollar values for each of its four models, however, we’re not so sure the pricing is that black-and-white. has also updated the disclaimer at the bottom of the page, to read, “Prices and features are for survey purposes only and are subject to change and features may become unavailable at the time of vehicle introduction.” In other words, don’t get too fixated on the numbers, as they’re not locked down yet. And by playing with the configurator, you’re likely serving as a FoMoCo lab rat – after all, this is the company that never met a focus group it didn’t like.
It’s worth noting that Ford has not issued an official press release on pricing yet. But for now, it seems like the base Fusion S will start at $22,495, though we’re not sure whether that includes destination or not. Stepping up to the SE at $24,490 will upgrade the steel wheels to alloys, add heated, lighted mirrors with turn signal indicators, and get you body color rocker panels. Inside, the SE has a power driver’s seat and a better stereo, and backseat passengers get an armrest and their own HVAC ducts. The SE also allows you to order other stuff, including navigation and start/stop, or opt for a different engine than the base-spec 2.5-liter four-cylinder with automatic transmission.
The 1.6-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder is available with a manual or automatic on the SE for $25,290, while the start/stop-equipped version (automatic only) is $25,585. The 2.0-liter EcoBoost with automatic is $26,745 when ordered in SE trim. Ford lists a number of different packages and options, but they seem to be offered on a sliding scale, such that the packages are more expensive on the lower-priced models. For instance, the Luxury Package with leather and heated seats, among other equipment, is $1,505 on the 1.6-liter EcoBoost but only $1,050 on the 2.0-liter EcoBoost.
On the SE Hybrid, which starts at $27,995 and is equipped with a non-EcoBoost 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a CVT, the same Luxury Package is listed at $2,000. Apparently if you’re saving all that money on gas, you can afford to pay double the guy with the most powerful engine.
At the top of the Fusion price list, of course, rests the Titanium, which offers a lot of the optional stuff standard for $30,995. It’s also the only way to get all-wheel drive, which will set you back $32,995. Note that the Titanium is exclusively powered by the 2.0-liter EcoBoost and is not available with a manual, so you won’t be configuring your Fusion as a dual-use weekend rally car.
But then again, Ford will likely change this all tomorrow.
The day has finally arrived. cars have returned to the Forza Motorsport series on XBox 360 with the of the Porsche Expansion Pack for Forza Motorsport 4. Pony up 1600 Microsoft Points ($19.99 in real world money) and you’ll get 30 new cars, 20 new events, 10 new achievements and a Porsche-only Rivals Mode. Developer Turn 10 says that seven of the cars ( for a full list) are all-new to the Forza series, which brings the game’s fourth installment – including all of the vehicles released via downloadable content – to a grand total of 625 cars.
We know what you’re thinking. Twenty bones is a lot to drop on a single chunk of downloadable content when you’ve already paid $60 for the game itself and another $30 for the Season Pass, the latter of which has already filled your virtual garage with dozens and dozens of extra cars to drive. That’s all true, and no one would blame you for passing on this Porsche DLC, especially considering that Porsches were included with the price of the game in Forza 1, 2 and 3.
Consider this: 959, 962, 911 Sport Classic, GT2 RS … Those are just four of the thirty cars from Stuttgart that you’ll be passing up the opportunity to drive (digitally) if you say no to the Porsche Expansion Pack. So now that you’re armed with all of the info, you can make the decision that’s right for you while we go download our decision.
to check out the official gameplay trailer that shows all 30 vehicles in action, as well as the full list of all 30 vehicles included in the Porsche Expansion Pack.
According to , the is officially the fastest ever made. The sedan’s lead development engineer, Bill Rietow, and powertrain drive quality engineer, John Townsend, did their part to support the assertion when they ran the Regal GS in the . The event isn’t about all-out speed, but about a driver finishing the course in a pre-set time. It has speed-limited and wide-open sections, and during one flat-out phase the Regal GS hit 162 miles per hour.
The same pair took last year in the 120-mph class, so this year they jumped to the top-tier 135-mph class. They finished second, four-tenths shy of their 40-minute target time over the 90-mile course. to see the engineers talking about the course and the car, and for a press release on the achievement.
Last year, the took the honor of being the best-selling vehicle in the Korean automaker’s stable. That pace has slowed somewhat in 2012, as both the and the push past the CUV for sales dominance, but the company’s engineers are already hard at work on the next Sorento facelift.
Our spy photographers spotted the heavily camouflaged version of the tweaked crossover prancing around the Nürburgring. This is the second time we’ve seen the machine out in open air. As you may recall, the Sorento was last spotted romping around in the snow along with a few friends, including an and a .
With those kinds of benchmarks, there’s a good possibility the next-generation Sorento will offer significant improvements in ride and interior refinement. Word has it the next revision will also bring along a fresh fascia, complete with LED headlights, as well as a freshened rear valance with LED treatments of its own.
The fourth installment of Ken Block’s Gymkhana series was aptly subtitled We know Ken needs to sell some to pay for these lavish drifting productions, but the sales pitch stole the spotlight from the action in Gymkhana 4. Ever wonder what the video would have been like without the special effects and clothing commercials?
It took them the better part of a year, but DC Shoes has finally released a bonus edit that removes the “Hollywood” parts of the video, leaving just the gymkhana parts that we all clicked Play to watch in the first place.
Cutting out the special effects and infomercial aspects shortens the video from a weighty 9:16 to a lithe and focused 5:11. The difference between the two vids is most apparent by comparing when the Ford Racing rally Focus leaves the starting line. Original video: 1:25. New edit: 0:09. Over a minute was saved just by cutting the clip of Ken Block on fire and nixing the opening credits for his wardrobe. Another two minutes was saved at the end by leaving the Bollywood dance on the cutting room floor.
to watch the new bonus edit that lets the viewer better appreciate the skill required to perform such stunts, as well as the original version. You can also to watch a YouTube Doubler of the videos playing side-by-side.
Reimagining An Iconic Sports Car With Some Modern Parts
We first placed our hands on Singer’s “reimagined Porsche 911″ nearly three years ago when it made its world debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Shortly thereafter, we in the Los Angeles basis. While we were both intrigued and impressed with the sports car at the time, full disclosure admits that we were very skeptical about the start-up back in September 2009. Sadly, we’ve watched this industry shatter far too many dreams.
But Singer has prospered. Very well, it appears.
Rob Dickenson, the creative genius behind the vision, recently invited Autoblog to Singer’s headquarters in Southern California’s San Fernando Valley for an extended ride in the company’s latest offering. After a detailed tour of the facility where we saw other vehicles in production, we dropped into the passenger seat to see what the “Porsche 911 restored by Singer” was all about – only bummed as it was a customer car, meaning we still weren’t allowed behind the wheel.
purists, rejoice. According to F30Post.com, BMW’s North American boss, Ludwig Willisch, has confirmed that the next-generation M3 will be powered by an inline six-cylinder engine. That’s right, the V8 is dead and the have officially been squashed.
To wit, Willisch told F30Post.com that a V6 was under consideration for quite some time, and the original thought was to use a chopped version of the S65 4.0-liter V8 found in the current car. But plans for a V-configuration have indeed been ruled out, and all that’s left to speculate on is exactly how much help the new inline-six will get from forced induction.
In order to be more powerful than the current M3, no less than two turbochargers will likely be bolted to the new six-cylinder powerplant. In fact, we’ve even heard rumors of a being engineered for use in the M3. In any case, expect about 450 horsepower to be on tap.
The is officially on its way to dealerships. Outlets in California, New Jersey, and New York – 67 in all – are going to be the first to receive the electron-fueled Focus, with about six cars each winding up on lots. To help dealers build more excitement for what’s likely to be a slow-starting sales story, the dealers will hold one of the Focus EVs as a demonstrator.
Even if fewer than 5,000 Focus Electric models find buyers this year, Alan Mulally won’t be disappointed. While Ford ultimately expects electrics and hybrid vehicles to account for up to 25 percent of its sales volume by 2020, the company is moving deliberately. Rather than develop and tool an entirely new platform, Ford’s move to modify the Focus for electric propulsion is said to allow some semblance of a profit margin, but it’s going to take time for consumers to warm to the idea of a $40,000 Focus, even if a third of that price is the battery, and Ford appears to be keeping this in mind.
After the initial 350 or so cars are delivered to the pilot stores, the rest of the Ford dealers across the nation will start getting the Focus EV before spring turns into summer.
Unlike his pre-BAR Honda F1 days, Jacques Villeneuve’s NASCAR career has been strewn with potholes – and by “potholes” we mean crashes, mechanical failures and lowly finishes. But there have been a few successes, with third-place finishes at Montreal in 2010 and at Road America in 2011 – both road courses – and pole position at Montreal last year in the Nationwide Series.
Penske Racing is giving Villeneuve a chance to improve those placings, having offered the French-Canadian a drive in the #22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger for both of those races. for regular Penske team driver Brad Keselowski during those two rounds in 2011, adding a 27th in Montreal to his third at Road America.
The adventure will give Villeneuve 12 NASCAR starts in the last five years, and having taken pole position at Montreal and been on the podium twice, it’s not outrageous to figure he’s in with a chance. “I feel, after winning the pole last year at Montreal,” he said, “that we can have a lot of success. A NASCAR victory is something I want.”
If Jesus had treated Lazarus’ resurrection like Renault has treated that of its Alpine brand, Lazarus would have politely requested, “Please, leave me alone.” In 2008, the Alpine’s return was rumored to of the . In 2009 the revival was along with the co-developed . In 2010 it was back on, the new Alpine to be based on the reputation-making Alpine A110 Berlinette. In January of this year there were still rumors but still no car, with scuttlebutt at this year’s .
Finally, just this month the goat entrails predicted at the Monaco Grand Prix, which arrives in the principality this weekend. And the leaked rendering pictured above of the Renault A110-50 concept is the very Alpine purportedly to be revealed on Friday. Looking more inspired by the (right) from two years ago, with some uneven, all Renault needs to do is omit the two supplementary nostrils on the leading edge and tell us where to send a deposit. The built-up concept is loosely based on a Renault Megane with a tube-frame chassis, hiding a 400-horsepower V6 amidships.
Not that it will ever be made, but at least we have something to look at now and perhaps even to touch come this Friday. Or could it get made? One more false start we neglected to mention was just last year when Renault scrapped the Alpine brand again, opting to provide a new roadster . The car proposed for that endeavor: a production version of the DeZir. We hope to know more on Friday, so stay tuned.
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Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #283
A rally race in France ended in a tragedy this weekend, when a driver missed his turn and hit a crowd of people. Two deaths were reported, with 17 injured including a race marshall and several children, according to the BBC.
Four of the injuries were deemed “serious,” and the scope of the accident overwhelmed rescue services, according to the report. The driver was also injured, and is in the custody of the police, who have launched an investigation, according to iafrica.com.
The Pays des Maures race was being held in Southern France, with the accident occurring on Saturday afternoon near Toulon, according to the BBC.
During a meeting of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, president Akio Toyoda offered a “Chapeau!” to his fellow CEOs by listing his favorite cars from other makers. He listed just one vehicle from five makers represented on the board, in alphabetical order: the , Isuzu Bellett, Cosmo, Pajero (our ) and Skyline.
Toyoda didn’t give his reasons for choosing these car beyond each being “memorable.” Even so, going through the list any car enthusiast knows the Honda ( in the States) NSX needs no introduction nor explanation. The is probably as well known for it’s off-road excellence as it is for its name change in Spanish-speaking lands due to the word “pajero” – all the more intriguing when it’s apparently named after an Argentine cat, Leopardus pajeros. And although the “Skyline” moniker was made famous overseas by the , the Nissan Skyline that Toyoda references has a long history and is our .
The (pictured) was an Italian-esque little coupe produced from 1967 to 1995, the first series production vehicle with a two-rotor rotary engine. The was that firm’s in-house replacement for the English Hillmans it was rebranding, the first Japanese car to get GT badging (it would also get a GT-R version), and it would cover just about every segment with sedan, coupe, station wagon and pickup truck variants.
