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Toyota has seen more than its fair share of negative press over the past year and a half, but is the Japanese automaker willing to pay “mommy bloggers” to spread positive news? Mom site Dear Crissy reports that it received an email offering a $10 Amazon gift card in exchange for a post that highlights the fact that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found no software issues that led to the company’s unintended acceleration woes.

The email, which reportedly came from a company called Mommy Networks, cited Toyota’s damaged reputation, adding “we’re helping to spread the positive news.” The email asked for a blog post about NHTSA’s release with links to a few articles, some love on social networking sites and “thumbs up” votes for YouTube videos.

For its part, Toyota denies having anything to do with the offer, adding that the company “adheres to the highest standards when working with media, journalists and blogger and we find any sort of payment for editorials or blogs unethical and illegal according to FCC guidelines.”

Dear Crissy has since published an update indicating that the site has been contacted by both Mommy Networks and Toyota, both of which claim no affiliation with each other. Mommy Networks has since gone on to post a mea culpa on its website to both Crissy and Toyota.

[Sources: Dear Crissy via The Consumerist, MommyNetworks.org Image: Toyota]

Mommy blogger makes trouble for Toyota

Remember the sexy sumo wrestlers that starred in a Canadian Subaru Forester commercial in 2008? They’re back, and, uh, hotter than ever?

In this new ad spot for the updated 2011 Subaru Forester, the sumos are once again put front and center, striking poses at the gas station, the beach and – of course – the car wash. Subaru says that with the Forester, sexy comes standard, and if this is the automaker’s definition of what’s attractive, then, well, so be it. Still, these Japanese wrestlers don’t hold a candle to Tawny Kitaen.

Follow the jump to see the 60-second ad spot for yourself.

Gallery photos copyright (C)2011 Zach Bowman / AOL

[Source: Subaru of Canada via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Subaru of Canada brings back the sexy sumo wrestlers in new Forester ad

Video: Subaru of Canada brings back the sexy sumo wrestlers in new Forester ad

If you’re a billet aluminum fetishist, then today is your lucky day. Kirkham Motorsports loves aluminum and it uses the metal to build the bodies of its Cobra replicas and engine blocks. The engine blocks are billet pieces machined from a single block of aluminum – a 386-pound chuck of aluminum.

That piece of heavy metal is placed into a CNC machine where it’s eventually whittled down to a 64-pound billet aluminum 427 engine block. The process requires 30 hours of CAD work, 50 hours of programming and finally 30 hours of machining. Put on your safety glasses and click past the jump to watch a replica Cobra heart born.

[Source: Youtube via The Knee Slider]

Continue reading Video: Giant aluminum chunk gets CNC’d down to 64-pound engine block

Video: Giant aluminum chunk gets CNC’d down to 64-pound engine block

Rémi Gaillard is at it again. You might remember the last time the Frenchman took to his local streets in a go-kart, because he did it while dressed as the Nintendo character Mario. Gaillard has stocked up on more bananas and turtle shells in a new video where he gives the real world a taste of Mario Kart.

Since the banana is such an important tool on both the offensive and defensive side of Mario Kart driving tactics, Gaillard needs to keep a few of them handy. When he runs out he simply heads to the nearest grocery store… and proceeds to drive to the produce section.

His original video, posted after the jump, has been watched over 35 million times, and the sequel is already climbing into multiple millions of views as well. Click past the jump and keep an eye out for green shells and banana peels while watching both clips of Rémi Gaillard bringing Mario Kart to life.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Rémi’s real-life Mario Kart is back!

Video: Rémi’s real-life Mario Kart is back!

Helmut Deimel has been involved in the sport of rallying since the Seventies. During that time he has participated and interacted with some of the all-time greatest drivers to ever click into a racing harness. Deimel’s involvment has also allowed him to cultivate a vast archive that spans 50 years of rallying history. He’s put it all together into one amazing 90-minute video called Evolution of the Drifting Angle (Half a Century Sideways).

Black-and-white footage gives way to color just as rear-wheel-drive yields to all-wheel-drive. Deimel’s film traces the history of a sport where drivers often find themselves driving through the side window. It’s a rather long video to watch over the internet, but it’s worth sitting through every second. You know you already wasted plenty of time on the Internet so click past the jump, let the video load and spend the next hour-and-a-half watching an excellent video showing the evolution of one of the most exciting forms of motorsports.

[Source: YouTube via ColdTrackDays]

Continue reading Video: Helmut Deimel packs 50 years of rallying into 90 beautiful minutes

Video: Helmut Deimel packs 50 years of rallying into 90 beautiful minutes

Nissan may choose to use its Juke to square off with swimsuit-clad supermodels but Lexus takes a different route to interact with the pretty ladies… a circular one. Photographer Yu Tsai wanted a shot of a Lexus LFA performing a donut around model Rianne Ten Haken. He could’ve simply spent some time playing in Photoshop, but instead decided to capture the real thing.

Performing a perfect donut without bumping into the scanitly clad star of the photo shoot requires serious skill. Rhys Millen, son of Rod and nephew of Steve, lends his talented hands and feet so this stunt goes off without a hitch. You can tell that Millen has serious skills because they say a car will follow your eyes… and somehow Rhys was able to avert his gaze from Ten Haken. You, on the other hand, can stare wherever you like when you watch the clip posted after the jump.

Of course, we should also mention you can view the super-sized version of the pic above right here. Do the right thing.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips/AOL

[Source: YouTube via 0-60]

Continue reading Video: Lexus uses the LFA to teach a swimsuit supermodel about donuts

Video: Lexus uses the LFA to teach a swimsuit supermodel about donuts

We’d bet that most Dukes of Hazzard fans figured out by age 10 that no 1969 Dodge Charger could take the abuse dished out by the Duke boys. And even if you thought the General Lee could really nail all those jumps, you probably didn’t feel so confident about “Crazy” Cooter Davenport’s ability to do the same in his 1968 Chevrolet pickup.

If only everyone had this much common sense. Beyond the jump is video proof that all would-be stunt drivers should befriend a mathematician and a physicist before attempting any stupid jumps. The beginning of the video looks promising enough, as the beat-up old Silverado approaches the dirt ramp, but it doesn’t take long for the epic fail to unfold. Good thing the driver was wearing a helmet, because this does not look like a minor collision. Hit the jump to watch and cringe for yourself.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Wince-inducing Chevy Silverado jump attempt

Video: Wince-inducing Chevy Silverado jump attempt

If our review of the McLaren MP4-12C only sparked your appetite for the super-rare mid-engine fighter, don’t fret. Thanks the wonder of YouTube, we can all hop in the cockpit for a few quick hotlaps in the cabin of the 592-horsepower machine with none other than Jenson Button behind the wheel. McLaren has released a trio of videos to show off exactly what the MP4-12C can accomplish with the limitless talent of an F1 champion behind the wheel.

The first video follows the world’s auto journos around as they were introduced to the vehicle for the first time. The second clip, meanwhile, is all about introducing exactly what kind of figures the car can produce on a proper track. McLaren says that 0-62 mph can be clicked off in as little as 3.1 seconds when the MP4-12C is fitted with the optional Pirelli tires and that the quarter-mile dash takes just 10.9 seconds.

If that’s not enough to wet your supercar whistle, the final clip focuses on a quick look at the company’s advanced simulator. Prepare to geek out in grand fashion. Hit the jump to see the videos.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Videos: 2012 McLaren MP4-12C gets flogged

Videos: 2012 McLaren MP4-12C gets flogged

It’s only February but we already have something to add to our holiday wish list: an R/C drift car. We may never be as good as the folks in the video, which you can watch after the jump, but that doesn’t mean we can’t spend countless weekend hours practicing. Still, our mad skills won’t come close to this crew of RC drift addicts, whose sideways sliding skills are on display for spectators in both human and action-figure form.

Regardless of your stance on drifting, the post-jump video shows people having a good time playing with remote control cars, and that’s something we can all get behind. Slap the tagline “Fun for ages 1-100″ on your computer and click past the jump to watch the down-sized drifting action.

[Source: YouTube via CarScoop]

Continue reading Video: R/C car drifting in a land of giants

Video: R/C car drifting in a land of giants

We’ve seen video of James Glickenhaus’ “daily driver” Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina on the track and the street, and we already know that his race-prepared P4/5 Competizione is progressing nicely. While photos show the Ferrari P4/5 Competizione to be just as sexy as the Enzo-based road car that inspired it, nothing shows off a racing car’s chops like actual footage of it in action.

That’s now available via just-released in-car video of the Ferrari P4/5 Competizione lapping Italy’s Vallelunga circuit. It’s the latest exidence that Jim Glickenhaus’ new machine is indeed the business. Sounds as good as it looks, too. Follow the jump to watch. Thanks to Don for the tip!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Ferrari P4/5 Competizione laps Vallelunga during test session

Video: Ferrari P4/5 Competizione laps Vallelunga during test session

Hot Rod was recently busy filming its Shelby Cobra versus Super Snake video, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t some downtime. That break in the action… resulted in more action, because someone at Shelby handed the Hot Rod crew keys to a 2011 GT350.

Did they take a few casual runs up and down the road to get some basic footage? No, they lined up the car on a desert side street and attempted to ruin the rear rubber. On their way back to the original film shoot, they threw in a quick power slide for good measure. Drop the clutch and click past the jump to check out the clip.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: 2011 Shelby GT350 coupe smokes some meats with Hot Rod

Video: 2011 Shelby GT350 coupe smokes some meats with Hot Rod

The Pontiac Fiero was produced from 1984 through 1988 and the “fired-up” GT version was introduced in 1985. Just one year before the car’s demise, Pontiac slightly updated the Fiero front and rear, greatly improving its appearance to most late-’80s buyers in the process.

A video sales aid was produced to help dealers learn more about the Pontiac Fiero GT and the clip is pure, uncut 1987 packed into 6 minutes and 38 seconds. We won’t spoil the entire clip but it features a nerdy Fiero owner, an 80’s tough guy neighbor and that tough guy’s jean-jacketed significant other.

“Just like a Ferrari? Pretty close.”

Put on your acid wash jeans then click past the jump and take a trip back to a time when people confused Pontiacs for Ferraris. Poor guy in the Mazda RX-7 just didn’t stand a chance… And now you know why hunting down dealer training materials is one of our favorite guilty pleasures.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: 1987 Pontiac Fiero GT looks like a Ferrari, helps you steal your neighbor’s wife

Video: 1987 Pontiac Fiero GT looks like a Ferrari, helps you steal your neighbor’s wife

The hit single Lose Yourself is the most successful song from Eminem’s career to date. It’s gone platinum four times over and was the first rap single ever to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Countless ad agencies and companies have tried to license it for use in commercials, yet none received permission… that is, until Chrysler’s Super Bowl ad hit TV screens around the world.

Eminem and Chrysler both call Detroit home, so getting a real local hero on board for a Chrysler ad is quite a big deal. Oliver Francois, Chief Marketing Officer for Chrysler, met with Eminem and Lose Yourself co-writer Joel Martin to discuss the idea of using the song in an ad.

Martin and Eminem had turned down countless offers and millions of dollars to lend their song out for advertising efforts. Francois, however, approached Slim Shady from an angle that hit home: Chrysler is trying to rise from the ashes, as is Detroit and even Eminem himself.

Around the time when Chrysler declared bankruptcy, Eminem released an album called Relapse that sold poorly. Chrysler cars weren’t selling, Detroit was an undesirable place to call home and Eminem had a weak album flopping on the charts. That was 2009, yet a couple of years later, Eminem finds himself nominated for 11 Grammy awards and Chrysler has a refreshed lineup hitting dealer showrooms.

Eminem decided to let Chrysler use Lose Yourself and also appeared in the Super Bowl spot, which garnered a lot of positive attention. Internet searches for the Chrysler 200 were way up shortly after the spot aired and the commercial is closing in on five million views on YouTube.

With a critical reception like that, it’s no surprise that TheDetroitBureau.com is reporting that Francois and Eminem’s posse are set to meet today in a closed-door session to discuss possible future collaborations, and the discussion is likely to center around a followup ad to the Super Bowl “Born of Fire” spot. Click past the jump for a quick refresher on the epic two-minute commercial.

[Sources: AOL Autos, TheDetroitBureau.com, Chrysler via YouTube]

Continue reading Chrysler’s Eminem ad almost didn’t happen, pair meeting today to discuss sequel

Chrysler’s Eminem ad almost didn’t happen, pair meeting today to discuss sequel

Anybody who’s seen the security cam footage of the Minneapolis Metrodome roof collapse knows how powerful snow can be. It was amazing footage, something that rarely gets captured on camera. But in the age of the mobile phone camera, amazing videos are becoming less rare, as this video clearly illustrates.

The driver-turned amateur videographer was cruising down the road when a semi truck saddled with several cubic yards of snow atop the cargo box caught his or her eye. In spite of the inherent danger of driving while videotaping, the motorist couldn’t resist snagging some footage of the oddly tall snow snack. Lucky for us that moment was precisely when an overpass morphed a bad idea (distracted driving sucks) into some amazing footage. As you can see from the screen cap above, the overpass won the battle, but the exploding snow makes the video worth watching. Hit the jump to see for yourself.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Semi Truck + Overpass = Snowpocalypse on the Interstate

Video: Semi Truck + Overpass = Snowpocalypse on the Interstate

We love modern day supercars – the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Nissan GT-R, Audi R8 and so on. But nothing gets our motors running like classic supercars – the original performance machines that created the horsepower and speed wars. Case in point: the Lamborghini Countach. This Italian Stallion from the 1970s and 1980s is perhaps one of the most iconic supercars of all time, and having the chance to drive one these days is very, very rare.

Not so for EVO magazine’s Harry Metcalfe. Recently, he was given the task of driving his Countach QV 1,200 miles from the French Riviera back to the United Kingdom. How does the classic supercar handle on such a long drive? Metcalfe videotaped the whole experience, and we encourage you to see for yourself in the just-under-10-minute video clip, after the jump.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: EVO takes 1,200-mile road trip in Lamborghini Countach QV

Video: EVO takes 1,200-mile road trip in Lamborghini Countach QV

Transformers fans saw a little treat get tucked amongst the slew of high-dollar ads during last night’s Super Bowl. Michael Bay and company unleashed another solid glimpse at the next film in the mighty morphing machine saga with a trailer for Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon. Judging by the quick clip, we can look forward to more of what made the first two flicks so enjoyable to begin with: intense CG fight scenes, massive destruction and more than a few slow-motion moments.

Shia Labeouf also makes a return appearance.

Labeouf’s new co-star, Rosie Huntington-Whitley, also makes a brief appearance during the trailer. We’ll reserve judgment on whether or not she’s a suitable replacement for Megan Fox until we actually see the movie. Just don’t blink during the trailer or you’ll miss Huntington-Whitley entirely. You can hit the jump to check out the video for yourself. Also be sure to take a look at a slew of production stills courtesy of AB pal CEOFR. Thanks for the video tip, Ace!

[Sources: YouTube, Flickr - images reproduced with permission]

Continue reading Video: Transformers 3 shares new scenes during Super Bowl commercial

Video: Transformers 3 shares new scenes during Super Bowl commercial

It took guts on many levels. Chrysler created a two-minute ad for the Super Bowl in just the last couple of weeks to promote its new 200 sedan. Cost: About $10 million give or take.

The ad, starring Eminem and showing scenes and sites of Detroit that many outside Southeast Michigan won’t even recognize, is a love-letter to the city of Detroit as much as an introduction of a new risky ad tagline for the brand: “Imported from Detroit.”

It’s unlikely that any car company has ever used “Detroit” in an ad slogan. It is even more unlikely that any company would think about it now given the awful image the city has not only in the rest of the country, but even within the state of Michigan.

The ad and the strategy is the work, ironically, of Portland, Oregon-based ad agency Wieden & Kennedy, whicb is perhaps best known for its long-running Nike work, as well as work for Coca-Cola. It is also the brainchild of Chrysler chief marketing officer Olivier Francois, who also holds the title of CEO of Chrysler brand.

Click through the jump to watch the video and to continue reading…

Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Chrysler via YouTube]

Continue reading Opinion: Chrysler advertises Detroit with Eminem during Super Bowl, chooses wrong car [w/video]

Opinion: Chrysler advertises Detroit with Eminem during Super Bowl, chooses wrong car [w/video]

Porsche and Daytona have a long history dating back to 1968, when the automaker won its first 24 Hours at Daytona. Porsche has spent the last 43 years dominating the event, leading all other manufacturers with 22 overall wins (38 victories total, when you add in class wins). Its closest competitor is Ferrari, which has managed five.

Hurley Haywood knows a thing or two about driving Porsche racing cars. He’s responsible for putting five of the company’s 22 overall Daytona wins on the board (as well as a class win, to boot). Before the 2011 Rolex 24 Hours at Dayona, Haywood discussed the long history between the racetrack and Porsche’s sports cars. Click past the jump to watch the clip.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Hurley Haywood details Porsche’s fond relationship with Daytona

Video: Hurley Haywood details Porsche’s fond relationship with Daytona

It started with politically incorrect commentary from Jerermy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May; the hosting trio of the BBC’s Top Gear. When discussing the Mexican-built Mastretta MXT, the three quickly turned to jokes relating the car to stereotypical viewpoints on Mexican citizens.

Shortly thereafter, the Mexican Ambassador didn’t find the spot humorous and complained to the BBC, which in turn has issued an apology (kind of). Now this entire affair has reached the modern pinnacle of worldwide attention… it’s been (That’s right, you guessed it!) turned into a cartoon by Next Media Animation. Finally!

Click past the jump to view Taiwan’s take on the the show’s falling out with Mexico. And remember, Top Gear can suck it!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Top Gear Mexico remarks get the animated dramatization treatment

Video: Top Gear Mexico remarks get the animated dramatization treatment

We know the 2011 Kia Optima is an excellent sedan, but apparently it’s so desirable that anyone and everything across time and space are clamoring to get it.

In the Korean automaker’s new Super Bowl ad, a police officer playing ‘bad cop’ decides to take the car off the hands of a couple, now cuffed to his parked motorcycle. The constable, in turn, is no match for a super villain, his slick helicopter and a waiting mega-yacht. The Optima nearly falls into the villain’s hands, but by then, the all-new sedan has piqued the interest of the gods (we would have pegged Poseidon as a Maserati guy), and that’s when things get really interesting.

Click past the jump to watch the elaborate and visually impressive journey unfold.

[Source: Kia via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Epic Kia Optima Super Bowl ad stars Poseidon, aliens

Video: Epic Kia Optima Super Bowl ad stars Poseidon, aliens