After a full week with the 2010 BMW 335i sedan, we’ve come to understand why the bastions of auto-journodom have spent the last 10 years drinking the BMW Kool-Aid.
Hiromu Naruse has died in a crash on highway 410 near the Nürburgring in Germany. Reports say he veered into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with two others test drivers in a BMW, one of whom is reportedly in critical condition.
From the instantly recognizable styling to its raspy inline-four exhaust note, the 2010 MV Agusta Brutale is every bit the sense-tingling naked bike that its predecessor was. But is it too much like its predecessor? If so, is that such a bad thing?
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Mazda offers a good reason to choose an automatic – Click above to watch the video
Generally speaking, all of us at Autoblog prefer to drive a manual. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. For instance, driving a supremely sedate luxury car with anything other than a sit-back-and-relax automatic gearbox doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Also, when stuck in gridlock traffic, who wants to deal with a clutch pedal?
And then there’s the odd situation presented in our Funny Car Commercial of the Day. We’ll set the scene: There’s a young man driving an old station wagon with a manual transmission. Add one beautiful Italian blonde with long legs and a short skirt who just happens to need a ride. And she apparently wants some attention.
The moral of the story? Sometimes, having an automatic transmission is a very, very good thing. For what it’s worth, the just so happens to offer one. Check out the video and check out for more funny car commercials.
Justin Timberlake flogging the Audi A1 in The Next Big Thing – Click above to watch videos
made an episodic series of short films for the A1 called The Next Big Thing, and it was apparently so big that it didn’t fall off the radar, it swallowed the radar whole. For those of you who missed the last four episodes, we’re here for you. We’re not sure that this was the intended effect of getting Justin Timberlake to promote the A1, nevertheless the A1 is selling so well that Audi is upping production.
Episode three – wherein JT ends up in a bare-chested cage match and a sleeper hold applied by co-star Dania Ramirez – is titled “What was that for?” Coincidence? Return to to refresh, or head and episodes three through six. There’s even a making-of video as a bonus. If that’s what you call that…
We don’t have much in the way of details yet, but according to a report out of Germany, ’s chief test driver has died in a crash on highway 410 near the Nurburgring after veering into the oncoming lane and colliding with two others test drivers driving a BMW.
While the two BMW test drivers survived the crash, the yet-unnamed Toyota driver died behind the wheel of the he was driving.
The report says that the driver of the LF-A was 67 years old and Toyota’s chief test driver, which leads us to believe that he is Hiromu Naruse, In addition to being the company’s chief test driver, Naruse is also Akio Toyoda’s personal driver and the Godfather of the LFA.
More information should be forthcoming.
UPDATE: The two test drivers in the BMW sustained life-threatening injuries and one is in critical condition. UPDATE 2: Video of the scene added . UPDATE 3: is confirming that Naruse was the driver.
Gallery:
[Source: , , ]
: Toyota’s chief test driver dies behind wheel of LFA in Germany
Hennessey VelociRaptor 600 – Click above to watch the video
Well of course they did. If is known for anything, it’s strictly adhering to the “Needs more power!” motif. This guy could watch a shuttle launch and return to his lab plotting a third booster. So yes, Hennessey has slapped two turbochargers onto Ford’s batty-yet-burly F150-mutant and produced the VelociRaptor 600 and 800, two products that will nicely compliment the existing , a supercharged version of the Raptor 5.4.
Through the magic of forced induction, power grows from the 6.2-liter V8 Raptor’s stock 411 horsepower and 434 pound-feet of torque to a slightly-goofy 602 hp and 622 lb-ft of twist in the V-Rap 600. Not enough for you? Hennessey either, which is why he’s also selling the VelociRaptor 800. Get all the liquids out of your mouth now, as the engine stonks it up to the Texas-sized tune of 810 hp and 745 lb-ft of torque. Can we borrow an exclamation point?
We know what you’re thinking — the twin-turbo V8 makes 752 pound-feet of torque, besting the Hennessey 800 by seven pounds of twisting force. However, the Hennessey VelociRaptor 800 makes 305 more ponies than the British thoroughbred, weighs less (what doesn’t?) and can keep up with the hounds no matter the fox hunt. That said, the Muslanne has a nicer interior. Think we’re being silly? We are, because engines like this bend our minds a bit. Remember, 810 hp is nearly 100 hp more than a Ferrari 599XX.
But what if you already have a Raptor 6.2, want more power but don’t want two turbochargers? Again, no problem, as Hennessey is also announcing the VelociRaptor 475, that through better breathing and some reprogramming, ups the big V8’s output to 475 hp and 485 lb-ft of torque. Dang. Watch the video .
2011 Buick Regal – Click above for high-res image gallery
In its ongoing quest to reinvent the brand as something other than the official car of the AARP, has launched a new social media marketing campaign complete with swanky parties in cities like Miami, Chicago and Philadelphia. There will be no shuffle board. The move is part of The General’s new “Buick’s Moment of Truth” campaign, where party attendees are given flip cameras to record their impressions – positive or negative – of the brand’s products. The videos will then be posted to a site for all to see.
According to Brand Week, the Remix parties are designed to help people become aware of exactly what the Buick brand means in post bankruptcy trim, and the shindigs dovetail with an aggressive internet marketing campaign targeted to 35-40 year-olds. That’s a smart move, considering that most consumers hold opinions on the brand that range from apathetic to downright negative.
Automotive News says that while West Coast buyers have little idea of what Buick means as a brand, mid-westerners remember the malaise days of Tri-Shield engineering better than most. Buick’s new campaign should kick off later this month with the launch of the Moment of Truth site.
Gallery:
Photos by Michael Harley / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: , ]
Aprilia takes on the tablecloth trick – Click above to watch the video
How do you win by failing? Satire, naturally. And that’s exactly the tactic that Italian motorcycle manufacturer is using against World Superbike rival . Both European manufacturers released brand new literbikes in the same year and have been doing battle both on the sales floor and the race track ever since.
BMW has proven that it knows how to build a proper sportbike with its S 1000 RR, coming out of the gates swinging with a 193-horsepower wallop and the most sophisticated electronics package available on the street. The Bavarian company has also shown its marketing chops, most memorably with the we featured a few months back.
But it’s Aprilia that has the greater racing experience, and that’s coming to the fore this season in competition. At present, the Italian marque is leading the Superbike manufacturer’s championship with its RSV4 while BMW is, ahem… second to last. Check out the video and see how Aprilia can win while failing.
Mini vs. Porsche at the starting line – Click above to watch the video
The race is over, the hype can now officially simmer down… right? Not so much, apparently. has uploaded yet another video from its challenge event, complete with a guest appearance from Joe Rogan.
Since we’ve brought you all the updates up to this point, why not conclude with this bookend video. Here you’ll see each driver give a pre-race interview, followed by the course designer, who gives a kinda-sorta-ridiculous explanation as to why the track was set up in a certain way (hint: it wasn’t to favor Porsche).
There are the obligatory cheerleaders rooting for Mini and a suitably buxom flag girl… and finally a full video of the race. Oh, and a congratulatory note from Mini to Porsche, along with an ending that leaves the event open for a sequel. You saw that one coming, didn’t you? Full video .
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This week’s podcast team is Sam Abuelsamid, Alex Nunez and Dan Roth. We dive right in after a quick garage overview and take on the 2011 Honda Odyssey, JD Power’s Initial Quality Study results, action suggested by the new United Auto Workers president, and a whole bunch of first drives. The 2011 Grand Cherokee, Honda CR-Z and Cadillac CTS Coupe were all sampled by our wheelmen, and we discuss. We work in your feedback and wrap up with a question at the 80-minute mark. See you next week!
Autoblog Podcast #183 – Odyssey, IQS, UAW, CR-Z, CTS Coupe and Grand Cherokee
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Runtime: 54:32
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Just a couple of years ago American-made corn ethanol was vilified in the media. It was blamed for soaring food prices, and for causing food riots in Mexico. The UN even accused the U.S. of depriving the world of food.
What a difference a couple of years makes!
Today food production is soaring, especially corn. In fact, it’s up so much that farmers now worry about a price crash. And all this happened despite the fact that ethanol production is booming.
Back in 2007 when criticism of ethanol started to reach a fever pitch, the U.S. produced 5.5 billion gallons of ethanol at 110 refineries. This year the U.S. is on track to produce 13 billion gallons from 187 refineries located in 26 states. In other words, ethanol production more than doubled at the same time that food prices declined. Too bad the media doesn’t follow up on these things.
John McElroy is host of the TV program and daily web video . Every week he brings his unique insights as a Detroit insider to Autoblog readers.
We got our at the E-Cell prototype yesterday and now we can see it in motion. The German magazine Bild has a video of their first drive in the electric supercar. Unfortunately, our conversational German isn’t up to snuff, so it’s hard to decipher the commentary and driving impressions. However, we do get a good look under the hood, where the 6.2-liter V8 has been replaced by a several cubic feet of electronics, motors and high-voltage cabling. Inside, we get a glimpse of the new instrument cluster, including a display that can toggle between the battery’s state of charge and power flow or the navigation information.
If and when Mercedes-Benz let’s us have a crack at the prototype, sunglasses will be a necessity. Check out the retina-searing .
2010 Mini Cooper 50 Camden Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery
It’s hard to believe, but the brand just turned 50. Nevermind the huge gap in new model production until bought the pint-sized automaker in the early 2000s, but the name Mini as we know it has been around for half a century. It’s over the hill, though still looking good for its age.
To celebrate, Mini created two special edition packages for the hatchback – the – named after two of London’s trendiest boroughs. And while the extra kit doesn’t provide a performance boost or driving enhancements, they do add some extra cheekiness to the already-cute Cooper.
We recently spent some time with the Camden package fitted to a base Cooper hatchback. The most notably addition is the talking , and while we always enjoy spending time with special editions of our favorite cars, our test run in this Cooper did more than provide us with a few gee-whiz features to show our friends. You see, we hadn’t driven a base, non-turbocharged Cooper in a very long time, and while we certainly love the S and John Cooper Works models, there’s a lot to be said about the bottom-rung of the Cooper range. Follow the jump to find out what.
Gallery:
Photos by Steven J. Ewing / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
: 2010 Mini Cooper 50 Camden Edition speaks to us – literally
Fischer Motorcycles MRX – Click above to watch the video
Television’s Original Automotive Magazine, MotorWeek, recently took some time out to sit down with Dan Fischer, former AMA motorcycle racer and the man responsible for . In the and corresponding video (see it ), Fischer stakes a claim as the only affordable American sportbike manufacturer in existence, now that .
While the Fischer MRX is indeed designed and built in the United States, its heart actually comes from South Korea. We’re fine with that, as this 650cc powerplant is what allows Fischer to sell its wares at an attractive $7,995 asking price. What’s more, the claimed 80 horsepower and 52 pound-feet of torque coupled with a fine six-speed gearbox means you won’t really be hurting for more power on the street.
Also included in the base asking price are an adjustable Ohlins rear shock, 43mm USD fork adjustable for compression and rebound and a made-in-the-USA one-piece frame. Options are plentiful as well, with full Brembo front brake package, carbon fiber bodywork and forged aluminum wheels acting as stand-out items. Want more? to watch the video.
A close look at the trailer for Atari’s Test Drive Unlimited 2 trailer – Click above to watch video
Gamervision has saved you the trouble of going on a frame-by-frame clue hunt through Atari’s Test Drive Unlimited 2 trailer. Among its findings, a bunch of hot new cars, jet-setting between stages, day-to-night transitions appear to happen in-game, not just in the trailer, and SUVs are included in a rally mode, but motorcycles and non-player road traffic have been left out. However, we’re thoroughly confused about the possible inclusion of the 2011 Shelby GT350 or the previously unheard of “Aston DB9S…” to see the breakdown and decide for yourself.
In the between the and the , a victor has been crowned, and as you’d expect, the blokes from had their bumpers handed to them.
Despite designed to maximize the potential and neuter the high-speed prowess of the , the Cooper still lost the battle by a full two seconds. Naturally, Mini likes to point out that the difference was $38,000 a second, but to anyone paying attention, the additional $76k is money well spent… particularly on a real track. Maybe Mini should’ve reconsidered …
for the race and two introductory videos, including a thoroughly comical explanation about why Mini opted for an autocross track and not the full course at Road Atlanta.
Lamborghini meet in St. Mortiz, Switzerland – Click above for high-res image gallery
We have an internet-sized soft spot for seeing being driven. We mean really driven – slugging it out with the elements, risking door dings and stone chips and racking up mile after mile of unadulterated driving bliss. Yes, there’s a place in this world for museum-quality autos, but by and large, supercars are built to be enjoyed, which is exactly why we’re so smitten by the pics from our friend David Kaiser. You see, Kaiser happened to be lurking around St. Mortiz Switzerland for a massive meet up this past weekend and he’s provides us scads of shots from the event.
By massive, we mean 110 Raging Bulls all ready to rack up mile after mile of some of the best driving roads on the face of the planet. The infamous even showed up as escort, working to shepherd the droves of Countach, Murcielago and Miura models through the Swiss Alps. The man himself, , was also on hand to enjoy the occasion. The best part? Photos of Sant’Agata’s finest slushing through the Alpine snow. Perfection.
2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R teaser – Click above to enlarge
In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s a new crop of superbikes terrorizing the roadways and racetracks of the United States. And more than any other point in recent history, the Big Four Japanese brands aren’t leading the way. Instead, it’s the European brands – Specifically , BMW, and – that are encroaching on , Kawasaki, and Yamaha’s territory.
Team Green isn’t likely to let the newest challengers turn its flagship Ninja into an also-ran, and the latest evidence of such can be seen in a new teaser of the 2011 ZX-10R. Expect a completely new motorcycle for next year, including a new engine, frame and suspension package. In order to compete with the latest from Europe, we’d also imagine the literbike to get an upgraded electronics package.
While we don’t have any details on those hard bits, we do have one rendering that shows an aggressive new look with a gaping ram air scoop front and center. Want more? Check out an enlarged version of the teaser image above and be sure to for the accompanying video.
Russians selling tires – Click above to watch video
We’re not exactly positive what have to do with women, but Russian manufacturer Atlay Tire Company has rolled out an ad to rival . We’re guessing the majority of you are already well and halfway through the video by now, but for the rare soul who’s managed to stick around, here’s the skinny: The spot features a dance troupe of barely-dressed ladies prancing around in front of a virtual stack of tires. Treadwear rating? What’s a treadwear rating?
We’ll just go ahead and say the spot is slightly NSFW just in case you find yourself strapped to a cubical with your boss looming over you. to enjoy.
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Yep, that’s right. It’s time once again to ask our podcast crew anything you want to know. Don’t forget to vote on which questions deserve our attention the most, though we’ll try to get to as many as we can. Discussion topics for Autoblog Podcast #183, which we’ll record tonight, can be found below. Finally, subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast if you haven’t already to hear your question answered.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #181
redefines the Tipping Point
prepares to rock your sippy cups [w/video]
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