Northern California is an odd place – and that’s just the cars. For every -driving eco-yuppie, you’ll find a diehard Datsun 510 enthusiast. And you can’t toss a bushel of puntarelle without hitting a grease-powered in the East Bay. But here’s a better case in point: A few weeks back, I was driving an arrest-me-red and it barely turned a head. One week later, there was a parked in my driveway and I couldn’t stop fielding questions.
Like I said, odd.
So when I snagged the keys to a , I wasn’t sure how it would be received by the mismatched masses of the Bay Area. Less than 10 miles later, I lost count of the number of thumbs-up and double-takes I got while crossing the San Mateo Bridge. Surprising? Not really.
After all, this is the coast that seared the original into the national consciousness and took to budget compacts years before Detroit had a clue. But while we’ve driven the 500 in all its guises, one question remained: Could you really live with something this damned cute?
is urging its dealers to ratchet up a new online buying system, according to Automotive News. The program borrows elements from the Amazon retail experience to allow car buyers to configure their vehicle as they see fit, find it at local dealership, secure financing and make the buy at a no-haggle price. Scion even wants the cars to be able to be delivered to the consumer’s home, though that doesn’t mean that physical dealerships are going anywhere any time soon. The report says that Scion won’t force its dealers to operate exclusively online. Right now, the projects is merely in its concept phase.
According to Jack Hollis, Scion vice president, the idea sprung from the fact that consumers already shop and purchase everything from homes to boats online. The VP says that cars are simply the next logical step, especially given the brand’s “Gen Y” demographic. That’s despite the fact that most studies indicate that the large majority of car shoppers aren’t into electronically interacting with dealers. Automotive News reports that 65-70 percent of car shoppers never contact the dealer they purchase from before walking through the doors.
The only thing the car crowd loves more than a good heist movie is a good flick about getaway drivers. It’s a simple formula that mixes one troubled soul running from his past to try and live the straight and narrow with a damsel in distress and one last job. It’s what made ’s The Hire series so compelling and the franchise so addicting. Now Ryan Gosling, along with the beautiful Christina Hendricks and Carey Mulligan have teamed up with director Nicholas Winding Refn for their own spin on the Hollywood staple: Drive.
The movie casts Gosling as a wheel-man turned race car driver who opts to help his neighbors settle some old debts. A double-cross ensues and before you know it, there’s a being chased down a freeway backwards by a , Gosling threatening to shove a bullet in some guys head via a carpenter’s hammer and Hendricks looking, well, like only she can look.
We’re sold, even if it means having to watch a ChevroletNova meet its untimely end. for the Drive red-band trailer.
Red Bull must’ve recently invested in slow-motion cameras. First, the company showed us at 1,000 frames per second. Now, that expensive lens has been trained on Andrea Dovizioso.
The rider describes his impression of a perfect lap, while footage of Dovizioso is slowed to a beautiful crawl. At 1,000 frames per second, Dovizioso and his MotoGP bike are quite literally shown at full tilt. The contact patch is tiny, but the action is excellent. for the clip.
Barton, Vermont is a small town with big ambitions. The tiny burg just so happens to be the birthplace of Henry Leland: the man behind both and . As such, the municipality intends to honor Leland by attempting to nab the honor of the world’s longest Cadillac parade from a car club in the Netherlands. In order to make it happen, the city of 2,800 people is inviting Caddy owners from around the country to join up at the Orleans County Fair.
General Motors decided to pitch in on the effort by spreading the word throughout its social media empire and dealer network as well as paying the Guinness Book of World Records adjudication fee of £4,000, or around $6,513.
If all goes well, the fair will have more than 102 cars on hand. That’s the number of vehicles required to best the standing record. Barton has even worked up a sepia-toned YouTube video inviting Cadillac owners near and far to the event, including the famed Bruce Springsteen. The parade is set to get going on August 17. to check out the video for yourself.
This past weekend, the Formula One circus rolled into Eifel for the German Grand Prix. And though it was campaigned once again at the Nürburgring, the race was held on the GP-Strecke. The infamous Nordschleife hasn’t been used for F1 racing since the early 80s, when it was deemed too dangerous for modern open-wheelers. But while they were on site, championship leaders Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber and their sponsor didn’t miss the opportunity for a little wheel-to-wheel action around the Green Hell.
The Renault- Alliance’s premium marque that powers Seb’s and Mark’s Red Bull race cars put the duo on the Norschleife in a pair of , but here’s the kicker: while Webber got the keys to the M37s sport sedan, Vettel climbed into the M35h hybrid.
So which driver had the advantage? Considering that Infiniti claims that the M35h is the world’s quickest hybrid sedan and its most powerful car on the market – hitting 62 mph from a standstill in 5.5 seconds versus the conventional M37s’ 6.2 – it looks like Vettel was set to get the jump on his elder wingman once again. to watch the video footage to find out.
is giving the company’s a mild refresh for 2012. The SUV will ditch its bulky front fascia for a slightly more restrained nose with a three-bar grille replacing the thick-chrome grin of the . In addition, Honda plans to squeeze a little more fuel efficiency out of the SUV with a new transmission, saying it will boast the highest EPA-estimated mileage of any three-row crossover. The old five-speed automatic gearbox has been replaced with six-speed unit for 2012.
Honda is throwing in a few interior updates as well. Buyers will be able to enjoy a slightly massaged cabin, complete with an updated navigation system and stereo to match. Finally, new paint colors and wheel options will round out the changes.
In addition to the revised Pilot, Honda has also added a new Sport model to its familiar for 2012. Above the Ridgeline RT standard features, the Sport will get exclusive black 18-inch alloy wheels, black honeycomb grille, standard fog lights, black headlight and brake light housings, and black mirrors and door handles. The 2012 Ridgeline goes on sale November 2011; the Pilot a few months earlier.
See the brief blurbs from Honda for each model . You can also click on either image for an enlarged view.
Social media allows for news to travel fast. Case in point, just sent out word minutes ago confirming that its U.S. spec 500 Abarth performance model will debut at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show in November.
We recently had the chance to , but this news allows us to commence being impatient for the day we can drive the ‘murican trim – especially since we hear it will feature a more powerful 1.4-liter turbo with Multiair technology than the model currently filling up Mini Cooper mirrors in the EU. We hear it should produce around 175 horsepower – a handsome number for such a small, lightweight hatchback.
Being Ken Block has got to be a lot of fun, but like any other life, it has its share of problems. In Ken’s case, he’s actively involved in a number of rally disciplines, each of which has its own parameters and requires its own type of car. Solution: the HFHV.
The initials stand for Hybrid Function Hoon Vehicle, but don’t let that first H fool you: there’s nothing about this car. It’s the new beast which and Block have developed for adaptable use in each of three types of rally competition: stage rallies, rallycross and Gymkhana.
The car is based on Block’s Ford Fiesta RS WRC, albeit with a 2.0-liter turbo four capable of producing as much as 600 horsepower and 665 pound-feet of torque, depending on configuration. And configurability is what this car’s all about. By swapping the wheels and tires and adjusting everything from the suspension to the engine mapping, the HFHV can be quickly set up for any of these three functions. Believe it or not, Block’s Monster crew says it can even be street-legal, depending on the setup.
Bottom line: expect to see this car wherever you see Block pop up, whether it’s on a rally stage, a closed parking lot or a film set – starting with the X Games this weekend in Los Angeles. to watch the video footage and read the full press release.
Make no mistake about it, ladies and gents: The South is NASCAR country. It just also happens to run clean through the Bible Belt. And if we had a nickel for every time we saw racin’ and Jesus crossing paths, well… we’d have ourselves a whole bunch of nickels!
NASCAR races often start with a little prayer delivered by a local pastor, thanking the Good Lord for this, that and the other. But this pastor is something else. Joining a color guard from the U.S. Army recruiting battalion at the Nashville Superspeedway for the Federated Autoparts 300 this past weekend, Pastor Joe Nelms of Family Baptist Church in Lebanon, Tennessee, thanked our Creator for everything good in NASCAR… and a few more things, while he was at it.
Trust us, watch this video and you’ll be a believer.
With popping up on our radar at least in the past few months, we’ve been anticipating the arrival of a new . And now the solitary image above has been circulating around these interwebs, reportedly giving us an advance look at the show car that will preview the new production model.
In typical Honda fashion, the purported concept vehicle pictured above appears to be a slightly jazzed-up version of the production CR-V expected to debut shortly. When it does enter production in Ohio and Ontario, it will likely lose the showy jumbo wheels, smoked headlamps, tinted windows and high-gloss lower body cladding, but otherwise, what you see is likely what you’ll get.
Mechanically, the new crossover is expected to pick up largely where the outgoing model leaves off, but with a few important changes. Though the 2.4-liter engine – driving either the front wheels or optionally all four – could get a slight adjustment in output and efficiency, it is tipped to ditch its five-speed mate for a new six-speed automatic. The longer form also looks ready to adopt an extra pair of jump-seats in the back for seven-person capacity, but thus far, that’s just a rumor.
We’ll have to wait for further information from Honda to know for sure, but if the shot above turns out to be legit, we could be looking at a very stylish new CR-V indeed.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received 17 complaints about an errant oil line in the , and thus, has opened an investigation. The issue concerns the line on the front right cooler, which, having got loose, sprays oil either on the wheel or inside the engine bay.
This investigation pertains to around 4,400 of the little track-day wonders sold in the 2005 and 2006 model years. There have been no injuries, but one car did leave the road and catch on fire. A NHTSA investigation doesn’t mean a full recall has been issued, just that your friends in the fed are looking into the matter.
Luc Donckerwolke, the man who brought us the Lamborghini , and Diablo VT 6.0 (hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah) has been promoted to head of advanced design at the Group.
He leaves his position as director of design at Spain’s SEAT and will answer directly to VW Group Design Chief, Walter de Silva.
Donckerwolke’s most recent concept car was the electric hatchback, which was introduced at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. for the press release detailing the org-chart shuffle at VW Group.
In the 1930s, the Type 57 was, apart from its grand prix racers, the only vehicle offered by Molsheim. It gave rise to several body types, the most famous of which was the iconic , but those represented only a handful of the 710 Type 57s that were built over its seven years of production.
Relying primarily on third-party coachbuilders, most of Type 57s were bodied as coupes, a handful as sedans, but a few were fitted with open-top coachwork. RM Auctions is offering one such at Pebble Beach this year, and has now released details of a second convertible 57 set to join it on the auction block.
This Stelvio Cabriolet with coachwork by Gangloff of Colmar was believed to have been commissioned by the Pernod family (of aperitif distillation fame), and has a fully documented history from its 74 years of ownership since. Well cared for and properly maintained, this Stelvio has its original 3.2-liter inline-eight and four-speed gearbox and is expected to fetch between $700,000 and $800,000. Follow the jump for the full details.
The repo business is tough, therefore America needs a bunch of unwatchable TV “reality” shows about it. Spike’s trying to put an intriguing spin on this unfortunate genre with its new game show, Repo Games, in which .
It’s not without its risks. As production wrapped on a recent episode, a nearby resident decided he was sick of waiting for the crew to move a vehicle. He told them move along, using a few more colorful words. Apparently, the crew didn’t act quickly enough.
A gun was pulled, shots were fired, and fortunately, no one was hurt. To the likely delight of the producers, however, the incident was caught on tape. Check out the clip by clicking .
Renault’s handling of its Gordini revival has been disappointing. After starting off with Gordini appearance packages on the Renaultsport Clio and Twingo performance cars, Renault has elected to just dilute the Gordini moniker by applying it to the base and , budget vehicles with no more sporting pretension than the stripes slapped on ‘em. Now the base Clio is getting an all-show, no-go Gordini package as well.
It replaces the GT model and includes offset racing stripes, contrasting white trim, 16-inch wheels, Gordini-specific interior accents, and the requisite special badges. Engine choices for the three- or five-door hatchback are a 128-horsepower gasoline-burning four or a 105-hp diesel.
It’s a far cry from the Gordini models of yore, or from the Clio RS Gordini that at least does the name some justice. See for yourselves in the attached image gallery and the press release after the jump.
We’re quickly becoming big fans of Josh Clason and his Depth of Speed video series. We when his lenses trained on . Clason then , and from there he switched to German steel in .
Now, he’s sticking with Germany but trading the roundel for VW. More specifically, Clason caught up with enthusiast Craig Johnson to capture the beauty of his T1 Transporter.
What We Like: Going to back when Toyota launched its very amusing campaign for its “” TV ad and Youtube videos, the Japanese automaker has been looking for ways to engage consumers by not taking its very practical models so damn seriously. The Prius is an unabashed market success. It defines the hybrid segment. And it is the market leader in fuel economy. It does everything but run on actual crunchy granola in the gas tank. Prius ads do not need to play up the fact that they are super fuel efficient. Everyone knows. So, , turning to this approach of having NBA star Steve Nash talk about how driven he is, as if it was a Nike ad, is a creative homerun. His deadpan monologue about how competitive he is, talking about making constant adjustments and improvements to his game, while driving a Prius and finally edging out a grandma for a parking space is a way to stand out from the usual hybrid ad that merely screams the highway fuel economy rating. Gotta love Nash’s trash-talk dance at the end too.
What We Don’t Like: Tough one here. The agency nailed it.
Strategy: Prius has owned the hybrid market. But it is undeniable that and the Dearborn, MI automaker’s coming all hybrid brand will begin to cut into Prius’s perceived leadership. If there is a weakness in the Prius brand at all, it is that it is widely viewed as a car for celery eaters. Honestly, the current Prius is a bit bloodless to drive. Pumping some hemoglobin into it via clever advertising that doesn’t take the car so deadly serious seems like a decent idea for a brand that is this mature.
Insiders say the jockeying for Mulally’s position has already begun.
There was a time when some folks in Detroit were convinced Lee Iacocca’s last name was really an acronym for: I Am Chairman of Corp. Always. Indeed, it took a shove from an increasingly frustrated board to finally get Lido to name his successor.
If anything, those on the Motor Co. board of directors are putting CEO in a bear hug, Chairman suggesting he’d keep the chief executive firmly planted in his office at Glass House until he was 80. For his part, the still-boyish former Boeing executive has said on more than one occasion that despite turning 65, he’s not rushing to leave as long as he’s having “fun.” But as his fifth anniversary in Dearborn approaches it is no surprise that there’s about who might eventually replace Mullaly, if not when.
In decades past, Ford was land of the long knives, where power trumped all, and doing away with your rivals was only slightly less bloody than when the Borgias ruled in Rome. Mulally has made much of instilling a sort of “greater-good” mindset and one of the reasons for the maker’s recent success has been that the highly political nature has been toned down a number of notches. Nonetheless, insiders say the jockeying for position has already begun.
Paul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of , and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.
One of the last remaining General Motors Futurliner busses failed to live up to expectations at auction. Bidding on the restored machine started at $500,000, but after a week on , bidders had only managed to turn the volume up to $505,600. That’s a tall stack of cash, but still well below the owners’ reserve and under the estimates that said the Futurliner would fetch of dollars. Of the 12 original busses, only a handful remain, and one example recently brought home $4.1 million at Barrett-Jackson.
This auction was supposed to break all previous eBay Motors records.
What kept this particular piece of history from drawing similar money? It’s difficult to tell. Maybe the previous auction was over-inflated or maybe there are only so many collectors out there with the means to care for a 33-foot long, 12-foot-tall beast of this nature. Perhaps part of the high-stakes bidding fun is being there live with the cameras rolling.
At this point, it’s unclear whether the owners will hold onto their Futurliner for a little longer or if we’ll see it under the gavel one more time.
Luc Donckerwolke, the man who brought us the Lamborghini , and Diablo VT 6.0 (hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah) has been promoted to head of advanced 
Paul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of , and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.
