A bike, a ‘ute and a truck drive into a parking lot… Click above to watch video
We may be a bit late in posting this clip, but it’s new to us… and it’s excellent. We present to you a triple-decker burnout that puts most other tire-shredding attempts to shame. On top is a motorcycle, resting in the bed of a ‘ute, sitting on the back of a truck. You see where this is going, but rather than rattle on, just and see it for yourself. Thanks for the tip, gian!
A recent workshop in Los Angeles offers something special for interested children: a class on the mechanics of car theft. Created by the non-profit organization , the workshop is entitled “The Good Kids’ Guide to Being a Bit Bad: Cars edition.” It covers the topics of hot wiring, opening a locked door and getting out of a locked trunk… and we fully support the class.
Getting kids fascinated about “how things work” is a wonderful project, and when it involves cars, well that’s just a bonus. In this modern world, it’s so easy to overlook how things work on the inside, which makes it extra important for kids to develop a basic understanding of nuts and bolts while they’re young.
The instructors for the class also didn’t simply just talk about how a car door works, they showed the children and then let them try to open a locked door themselves. The same happened when showing the kids how to escape a locked trunk. The only lesson that wasn’t hands on was the hot-wiring of a car because of the risk of being shocked, which the instructor also demonstrated by shocking himself a few times.
The kids learned about some basic mechanical functions, got a dose of humor and hopefully the class created a desire in them to learn more about how the things around them function.
Last April, the three main fuel economy regulatory players – the EPA, the DOT and the State of California – announced new CAFE targets for the 2012 through 2016 model years: . If there’s one thing U.S. automakers liked about this, it was that we had a “national standard” for fuel economy regulations. The U.S. has been shifting towards and it looks like we had avoived the that OEMs were so troubled by.
This week, the regulatory partners announced “a single timeframe for proposing fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards for model year 2017-2025 cars and light-duty trucks.” Whatever MPG number they agree to, we’ll hear about it from a singular voice by September 1 instead of an announcement from California in the spring and then a federal one in the fall, as had been expected.
Because of the Clean Air Act, California still had the authority to define its own motor vehicle emissions standards, but the feds have been working to make their own regulations strict enough to keep California happy while providing “certainty” for automakers that are building next-gen clean cars. Last fall, California “accepted compliance with these federal GHG standards,” and – for now – everyone is still playing together nicely.
The has an all new available engine under the hood. Canadian Kia fans can soon head over to dealers and pick up the which features a directly-injected 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. We’d expect the U.S. to follow suit in very short order.
Paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, the turbo mill has a relatively flat torque curve with peak power occurring between 1,800 and 3,000 rpm. When bolted into the , the 2.0T is rated at 274 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. We expect the Sportage SX to produce similar numbers, including the 30+ miles per gallon highway fuel economy figures.
The car will show up in Canadian dealer showrooms by the end of winter. Priced at $36,995, it comes loaded with standard features including the new UVO entertainment system, which is similar to Ford’s Sync. Check out the full press release .
Gallery:
Photos copyright (C)2010 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL
2011 Ford Excursion – Click above for high-res image gallery
The Ford Excursion lives, though not through any fault of . The clever craftsmen at Custom Autos by Tim can turn any 2010 or into what looks to be a factory-perfect interpretation of what the Excursion would look like if it hadn’t been axed in 2005. Buyers can get their behemoths with either four or six doors and it usually takes Tim’s crew around six weeks to turn a vehicle from a pickup to an SUV. In that time, the shop finds a 2005 Excursion from the southwest, drags it to their shop in Guthrie, Oklahoma and surgically removes the rear-end of the vehicle.
From there, the aft is grafted onto the new truck and a completely new interior is installed. The whole shebang will cost you $23,000 on top of the purchase price of your standard F-250 or F-350. Given that the F-250 starts at $29,480 without destination, chances are you’re looking at a price tag of over $53,000 by the time all is said and done. We think we’d just as soon stick with a were it our chips on the table.
Big Toe Monster Bike – Click above for high-res image gallery
Here we have another one of Speed’s Fantasy Bidding Game machines. if you’d like to test your auction pricing mettle by guessing what this monster motorcycle will end up bringing at the auction block – you could end up winning a prize, like an Apple iPad.
Tom Wilberg, the Swedish creator of this machine, named it Big Toe, and it is indeed a chip off the old block… that is to say, Bigfoot, the most famous monster truck known to man. Clever, no?
We’re not going to argue with Wilberg or The Guinness Book of World Records when they claim that Big Toe is the World’s Tallest Rideable Motorcycle, but we do have to wonder if our definition of the word rideable differs with theirs.
In any case, this larger-than-life, tractor-tired, 5.3-liter V12-powered motorcycle is getting ready to roll across the auction block here at the in Scottsdale, and you can . Check out our high-res image gallery of the machine below.
*Update: Check out the video of the Monster Bike being auctioned .
Big Toe Monster Bike – Click above for high-res image gallery
Here we have another one of Speed’s Fantasy Bidding Game machines. if you’d like to test your auction pricing mettle by guessing what this monster motorcycle will end up bringing at the auction block – you could end up winning a prize, like an Apple iPad.
Tom Wilberg, the Swedish creator of this machine, named it Big Toe, and it is indeed a chip off the old block… that is to say, Bigfoot, the most famous monster truck known to man. Clever, no?
We’re not going to argue with Wilberg or The Guinness Book of World Records when they claim that Big Toe is the World’s Tallest Rideable Motorcycle, but we do have to wonder if our definition of the word rideable differs with theirs.
In any case, this larger-than-life, tractor-tired, 5.3-liter V12-powered motorcycle is getting ready to roll across the auction block here at the in Scottsdale, and you can . Check out our high-res image gallery of the machine below.
2002 Ford F-150 Evel Knievel Gladiator – Click above for high-res image gallery
Beau Boeckmann is a huge Evel Knieval fan… he also happens to be the president of Galpin Auto Sports, which is tied to the largest dealership in the world. To honor his hero, Boeckmann commissioned a limited run of customized Ford F-150s. Coming across the stage at the 2011 Barrett-Jackson auction will be the Evel Knievel Gladiator; the prototype truck built to showcase the entire run and it’s identified as #000 of 2,000.
This 2002 F-150 wears custom Evel Knieval-themed paint complete with the blue and white stars and stripes running the length of the vehicle. Under the hood is the familiar 5.7-liter Triton V8 engine while a set of Boyd Coddington wheels outside and red, white and blue leather seats inside help set this limited-edition pickup apart.
Mr. Knieval used this has his personal vehicle . All 19,023 miles have been used to shuttle Evel to events around the country, including an appearance together on The Jimmy Kimmel Show.
Check out both the the on Barrett-Jackson, and watch . Are you playing ? If not, test your auction pricing mettle by guessing what a series of featured vehicles will end up bringing at the auction block – you could end up winning a prize, like an Apple iPad. Enjoy!
*Update: Video of the truck crossing the block is available .
Gallery:
Photos copyright Jeff Glucker and Jeremy Korzeniewski (C)2011 /AOL
Nissan NV work trucks – Click above for high-res image gallery
has kicked off production of its all-new 2012 NV commercial truck. Scheduled to go on sale this spring, the NV will be available in three variants; NV1500, NV2500 HD and NV3500 HD. Two different configurations will also be offered: a standard roof or high roof that offers more interior work and/or cargo space.
Power comes from a choice of familiar six or eight-cylinder engines. The 4.0-liter V6 produces 261 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque while the 5.6-liter V8 delivers 317 hp and 385 lb-ft of torque. Both engines drive the rear wheels via a five-speed automatic transmission.
Body-on-frame construction should help the NV go a long way in the rugged work truck category. Inside, a few trick features will help further set it apart from competitors like the . The passenger seat folds flat to offer up its backside as a workspace. The large, lockable center console offers plenty of storage and 120V outlets are installed front and rear.
The 2012 Nissan NV starts at an MSRP of $24,950. Once the NV configurator comes online, we (and tradesmen in need of a new ride) should be able to elevate that sticker price significantly.
General Motors LSX454R crate engine at Barrett-Jackson – Click above for high-res image gallery
It’s not just cars and trucks that are auctioned off each and every year at . For instance, decided to roll out its latest crate engine, the LSX454R, in front of the crowds in Scottsdale, and proceeds will be donated to the American Heart Association.
Of course, this is no ordinary motor. In fact, at 750 horsepower, the LSX454R is the most powerful engine General Motors has ever offered for sale… and that includes all the barn-storming engines of the Gods the automaker let out in the heyday of the muscle car era.
The 13:1 compression ratio of this engine means it’s meant for racing applications and 110-octane fuel, so don’t go getting any ideas of the LSX454R under the hood of a shiny new Camaro. Instead, expect to see it occupying the engine bays of 9-second bracket racers at a quarter-mile near you in no time flat.
Check out the , and to watch live streaming coverage of all the festivities.
Talk about odd hauling. The team over at PickupTrucks.com put together a rather interesting comparision: 2011 diesel vs. Delta IV Heavy rocket. One is capable of crusing down the highway with a gross combined weight rating (vehicle, passengers and trailer) of 25,400 pounds. The other is easily capable of lifting that entire load into geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles above our planet.
While the guys didn’t send the truck into space, they did use the (Vandenberg AFB along the California coast) as a camera platform. Autoblog tagged along for a ride (in the Ram, not the rocket) and took a handful of pics at the successful launch.
Oh, the comparison? Long story short, the truck is quicker to 60 mph but the rocket has a much higher top speed. The truck has dual-zone air conditioning, while the rocket chills with supercooled liquid fuel (483,500 gallons all kept below -297 degrees Fahrenheit). And, of course, the truck offers Satellite Radio while the big rocket simply becomes a satellite.
John F. Kennedy Pontiac Bonneville Ambulance – Click above for high-res image gallery
The plot seems to be thickening around the auction of a that supposedly transported the body of President John F. Kennedy’s body after his assassination. Unfortunately, a kink has arisen in the tale of how this vehicle went from a piece of national history to the auction block. Originally the seller claimed that the vehicle was sold as surplus before receiving a full restoration. The only problem with that tale is that the real vehicle was never sold at a Naval auction. Instead, the ambulance that ferried the late commander-in-chief was donated to John F. Kennedy library.
From there, the Kennedy family apparently asked that the vehicle be destroyed – a request that the library promptly obliged. On June 26, 1986, the Pontiac ambulance was loaded into the jaws of a crusher and turned into scrap. For any fan of rare or vintage vehicles, the photos of the vehicle with its doors caved in courtesy of a fork lift aren’t easy to look at. The stout of heart will have to to get a closer look.
Barrett-Jackson has decided that while the car may not (read: probably isn’t) the one that carried President Kennedy’s body, it will still be sold at auction. While the fact that the vehicle up for auction in Arizona may not be the real deal is likely to decrease its value considerably, we still think the car is cool as hell. What better way to get the family around town than in a Navy grey ‘63 Pontiac ambulance?
How about the hearse that carried JFK’s casket? The ‘64 Cadillac is also up for bid on eBay motors with a buy it now price of just $1.5 million. You can check it out .
New CEO Stefan Jacoby has stated publicly that the Swedish automaker plans to double global sales to 800,000 units per year by 2020. That’s a significant increase by any measure, and the company’s popular crossover appears to be a big part of those plans. Automobile reports that the Geely-owned automaker plans to increase production of the popular crossover to 100,000 units globally, with quite a few of those extra units reserved for the rebounding U.S. market. Volvo is reportedly optimistic that it can increase XC60 sales by eight percent over 2010 levels.
We guessing Volvo can increase production at its existing plants to nudge XC60 sales beyond the six-figure mark, but to hit 800,000 total units per year, a new plant is likely needed. It just so happens Volvo is planning a new factory in China, and Automobile cites a report by The Wall Street Journal that suggests the idea is being kicked around to build vehicles in the emerging market and ship a portion of them them to our shores.
The plan makes abundant sense from a cost standpoint, but the move would have to be approved by the Chinese government. It should help that Volvo is owned by a Chinese automaker, and we’re thinking it’s only a matter of time before “Made in China” will include cars and trucks ’round these parts before too long.
On June 15, 2009, 79-year-old Andrew Cavanaugh was t-boned on the passenger side of his 2004 Century while driving through an intersection and subsequently died from injuries he sustained in the collision. Both Cavanaugh and the driver of the 2003 that struck him, 71-year-old Jacqueline Stinson, were travelling at the posted speed limit of 25 mph at the time of the accident. The only problem was that the stoplight on Cavanaugh’s end of the intersection was timed to require a minimum speed of 30 mph for a driver to safely make it through before the light changed from green to red. Investigators found that Cavanaugh had just three seconds to make it across four lanes of traffic. To make matters worse, he wasn’t wearing his seatbelt.
Cavanaugh’s daughter, Shanon Baker, has since filed a lawsuit accusing Pinellas County, Florida as holding the blame for her father’s death. While the light is maintained by the Pinellas County Highway Department, its duration was calibrated by the Florida Department of Transportation when it was first installed in 1998. Since that time, there have been no other reported incidents as a result of the light’s timing, and Pinellas County intends to fight Baker’s lawsuit.
When an automaker is forced to issue a recall, the defective part or feature is generally the fault of the automaker or of an OEM supplier it contracted to. In the case of the – part of a 110,000-unit recall in 2009 – appears to have been traced back to the supplier. And now the supplier is forced to pay for its mistakes.
The company in question, according to reports, is Dana, the Ohio-based OEM contractor supplying (among other components) axles and driveshafts for automobiles, commercial trucks and heavy equipment. In this case, it supplied the frames for the Tacoma pickup which were found to rust when exposed to road salt.
Although in 2010 Dana sold the plant that manufactures the frame to Mexican conglomerate Grupo Porza’s Metalsa subsidiary, since the component in question was built prior to the sale (from 1995 to 2000), Dana has reportedly been forced to shell out $25 million to Toyota over the issue.
Volskwagen claims victory in the Dakar Rally – Click above for high-res image gallery
has plenty to celebrate this year in the deserts of South America. The German team claimed its second consecutive podium lock-out and its third consecutive overall victory in the brutal Dakar Rally. But if you think it was business as usual, take a look at who took the winner’s trophy – Qatari national Nasser Al-Attiyah is the first Arab to win the desert rally in its 33-year history.
All four of teams of the new not only finished the race – which is more than could be said of the new – but they took four out of the top six spots, with American driver Mark Miller coming in sixth behind two of X-Raid’s . The Star-Spangled Banner was held just as high, though, by the team of who took the OP class trophy north to the United States behind the wheel of their .
Unfortunately, this year’s rally wasn’t all fun and games, and sadly claimed a life in the process: according to , an Argentinean team struck the vehicle of non-competing motorist, killing the victim and prompting local officials to conduct an inquiry to establish the circumstances. For the full press release on this year’s Dakar events, .
Exactly , sent a couple of technicians to the show floor at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show in front of a live audience to disassemble the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine that was torture-tested for the equivalent of a few hundred thousand miles of rigorous duty on the dyno and in the engine bay of various trucks.
How’d it fair? Rather well, we’d say, and it managed to churn out 364 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque on the dyno after all the abuse it took. That matches up rather well with the factory ratings of 365 horses and 420 lb-ft.
As you might expect, there was a good amount of carbon build-up on the piston crowns and the valves – think of how much dust was surely ingested over the course of 1,062 miles of the Baja 1000 race, which this engine took part in, finishing first overall in its class – along with a 13-percent loss on one cylinder during the leak-down test. All other initial measurements were well within factory tolerances, and Ford will continue testing each individual piece from this engine to ensure its durability.
No doubt about it, this is an impressive showing for the EcoBoost engine. See plenty more pictures and a first-hand recounting of the tear-down process at .
Xplore Adventure Series FJ Cruiser – Click above for high-res image gallery
Our National Parks are American treasures, and one company wants you to get out there and explore them. We saw its first creation, , at last year’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas. That vehicle is going to be auctioned off and the proceeds donated to the National Parks Foundation. Xplore isn’t limiting itself to just the , however, and parts will soon be available for various , , , , , , , , and vehicles.
The parts are available at local dealerships and range from the basic to the burly. Stage one of the Xplore series of parts includes interior upgrades produced with the help of Katzkin. Stage two upgrades feature BFGoodrich off-road tires, aluminum wheels, Bilstein shocks and a Magnaflow stainless-steel cat-back exhaust. If you want to push further into the woods, Stage three bolts on winches, a roof rack, rock rails, a rooftop tent and upgraded lighting. There’s also a built-to-order Stage 4 for Jeep and Toyota vehicles, which brings builder TLC into the mix and adds custom paint choices as well as electronic upgrades and expedition-level equipment.
Keeping with the theme of the Xplore name, each Xplore vehicle comes with a one-year National Parks pass, membership in the Xplore club and a subscription to the Xplore Lifestyle magazine.
2010 BMW 760Li – Click above for high-res image gallery
The 2011 Detroit Auto Show is proving to be more eventful for BMW than the automaker had originally intended. As workers were preparing to load a onto a transport truck near Detroit’s Westin Book Cadillac hotel, a pair of thieves jumped in and drove off with the German luxury sedan. The car is said to be worth $140,000, and as of this writing, local police have had no luck tracking down the stolen vehicle. Thankfully, this 7 Series is equipped with BMW Assist, which locates a vehicle if it’s stolen, so it’s only a matter of time before cops close in on the BMW bandits.
If some brand new 7 Series parts wind up on Craigslist’s Detroit-area ‘for sale’ section, we’re willing to bet the sale price is too-good-to-be-true for a reason.
2011 Toyota Highlander – Click above for high-res image gallery
After more than a decade of wild growth and nearly limitless prosperity, experienced an unthinkable 2010 – the bandwagon derailed in a very ugly, very public way. Embarrassing recalls played their role in the Japanese automaker’s uncharacteristic slide, but even though that public black eye is beginning to heal, Toyota is still grappling with an aging product lineup. The and still sell in massive numbers, but they’re growing long in the tooth. Admittedly, the latter received a very mild refresh for 2011, but the competition has caught up with each in every category that counts. It’s much the same story for Toyota’s truck and SUV portfolio, where the , , FJ Cruiser and Tundra are hardly spring chickens.
Compounding the issue is the lukewarm response to some of its newly refreshed. The styling remains staid. The interiors are no longer class-leading. The powertrains and fuel economy have done little to separate them from the rest of the pack. Still, not all Toyota models are headed off the reservation. The redesigned has been well-received and is doing good work on the sales floor. The same can still be said for the and the redesigned , which is selling far better than its predecessor. The subject of Toyota’s latest refresh and the vehicle featured here, the , has been consistently successful over its lifespan. Will new tweaks to the seven-passenger crossover help this perennial top-seller stay near the top of the pack, or could the lack of a more comprehensive redesign relegate this CUV to also-ran status?
Last April, the three main fuel economy regulatory players – the EPA, the DOT and the State of California – announced new CAFE targets for the 2012 through 2016 model years: . If there’s one thing U.S. automakers liked about this, it was that we had a “national standard” for fuel economy regulations. The U.S. has been shifting towards and it looks like we had avoived the that OEMs were so troubled by.
