Your nitro-fueled R/C racer may look all badass and be really fast, but it’s got its limitations. Namely, walls. The Sand Flea robot shown above, developed by Boston Dynamics, won’t win any races or beauty contests, but it laughs at walls. More precisely, it just leaps over them.
The little bot, which scoots around like a regular all-terrain R/C car, is equipped with a CO2-powered piston that gives it the ability to leap 30 feet in the air. When presented with a challenge, the Sand Flea stops, tilts, and launches up and over the obstacle in front of it. The video showing it in action, , is simultaneously astonishing and hilarious (especially when you to each leap). On a full charge, the Flea can make 25 jumps. A gyroscope keeps it stabilized while airborne, and its wheels act as the cushion upon landing.
Funding for the project comes from , the , and the Army’s , and it’s meant to bolster the military’s ever-expanding arsenal of reconnaissance tools. As such, that the Sand Flea is headed to the for safety certification, after which several examples will head to Afghanistan for some real field testing.
took the NFL Films crew to the 2008 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and with the footage gathered created the rather excellent documentary (it’s still free to view on and ). It turns out Audi took a crew to last year’s race as well, and soon we’ll be treated to the sequel, Truth in 24 II.
We’ll assume Audi had no idea how that race would end up being, with Allan McNish in one of three R18 Ultras out – literally – just two hours in, and a second Audi out six hours later. After a battle of fuel, tires and pit stops the fight with the Peugeot 908s went to the last lap, making the 2011 race the fourth closest Le Mans run in 79 editions.
A forum member at Ten-Tenths said “The film should be finalised over the next 8 weeks” and that it will deal much more with the race than the backstory. If that timing is correct, it should come just in time to get us ready for this year’s running.
A local television news report on a so-called “death wobble” has led two members of the House of Representatives to write a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requesting more information about the situation, which they describe as a “serious safety issue.” The three-page letter does not demand an investigation or recall, but asks the agency numerous questions regarding the problem and what is known about it. The original report aired on KGO-TV in San Francisco in February.
The two members of Congress describe the problem as “a powerful shaking of the steering wheel and front wheels after a driver hits road bumps at speed,” affecting 2005-2010 model year . The news report says NHTSA has received over 600 complaints about wobbling and vibrating in Jeep vehicles since 1995, “mostly Wranglers.” Indeed, YouTube is rife with videos of shaking Wranglers, some of which we’ve gathered .
issued the following statement regarding the accusations:
Chrysler Group vehicles meet or exceed every applicable government safety standard and have excellent safety records. All manufacturer vehicles equipped with a solid axle are susceptible to vibration and, if experienced, it can be corrected by performing minor maintenance items, such as properly balancing or changing the tires, or a front end alignment, installing a new steering dampener, or by tightening or replacing other loose or worn parts. In fact, most reported incidents – in all manufacturer vehicles equipped with or without a solid axle – are often linked to poorly installed or maintained after-market equipment, such as lift kits, oversized tires, etc. This is not a safety issue, and there are no injuries involving Chrysler Group vehicles related to this allegation. Indeed, the name you’ve given to this condition has no basis in fact.
While we’re not so sure blaming the customer for improper maintenance is the right response, we will say that Wranglers and their antecedents are unique beasts, what with their solid axles and high centers of gravity. This is why they’re so wonderful off road, and why those that choose to use them as daily drivers shouldn’t expect them to behave exactly like every other vehicle they encounter on their commute. And of course if there is, indeed, a “serious safety issue” with the Wrangler, we would expect Chrysler to address it.
Click to read the full letter, watch the most recent news report, and see videos of Jeeps exhibiting the symptoms.
Like Elvis and Tupac before him, Apple icon Steve Jobs is showing up in all kinds of unexpected places after his passing. This latest sighting comes in a commercial for a SCR 110 scooter that channels The Jobs himself. Up close, the male actor isn’t a ringer, but the black turtleneck and design theme leave no doubt about his inspiration.
The Chinese-language tag for this commercial says “Wuyang Honda Motorcycle.” We don’t know if they made it, but a post house called CN Post Production takes credit for some of the work on it. to check out the bizarre advertisement, and for thie other side of strange, you can check out their .
What do you do to celebrate the ‘Vette’s 60th? Well, if you’re , you crank out one more model year of the C6 before showing off your . And apparently, you make cute YouTube videos.
This one features the special blowing out its candles in a fashion that’s entirely apropos. And while we’re making wishes, here’s to hoping the next Corvette gets the interior overhaul it’s deserved for about 15 years.
The mantra of the builder of this R/C DeLorean replica from is: “куда мы идем,нам не нужныдороги.” According to Google Translate, that’s Russian for, “.” Appropriate, eh?
With a painted foamcore body and blue LEDs, this Mr. Fusion-equipped DMC-12 sits on a quadrotor platform and is powered by a distinctly non-nuclear lithium-polymer battery juicing four motors, a speed controller and stabilizer. While no plutonium is required, this homebuilt’s cool is practically radioactive. Check it out .
The curtain’s been lifted on the ad campaign for the , and it’s all about the game of life via the boardgame The Game of Life. The first spot is called Malti-poo and in it’s ad-speaky way it targets “city-dwelling millennials” as it “demonstrates key vehicle attributes in a fun and approachable way.” It “embodies the youthful spirit of the vehicle and offers creative content that integrates this iconic childhood game” while it also “offers visual tools and easy ways to share digestible information and collect opinions.”
In English: it’s trying to hook first-time car buyers on the notable features of the Prius C in inventive ways. Case in point: the Malti-poo spot will be followed by one called “Dolphin Tattoo,” and platforms will include broadcast television, print, consumer experience and a YouTube channel that provides car buying and financial advice.
for the ad and the press release describing the campaign.
Please excuse us while we banish thoughts of – Magna; MILA… Uma; Oprah – and instead focus on what this concept car brings to the table. This is , the Austrian arm of Canadian auto parts giant Magna International, and it’s meant to showcase the capabilities of the supplier.
First and foremost, the MILA Coupic’s two-door crossover shape can convert into a convertible or a pickup truck, depending on the configuration of the rear seat. There’s seating for as many as five occupants in full CUV mode, and the two glass roof elements can be opened or closed independently.
The MILA Coupic is an impressive engineering exercise, and, since Magna builds such production machines as the , Fiat 500C and , it’s one that could potentially see a roadway near you at some point in the not-too-distant future. See for yourself in our image gallery above, and read more in the official press release .
Apparently, a video featuring a heavily modified Graves Motorsports Yamaha R1 ridden by stunt rider Bill Dixon isn’t enough of a draw to attract the easily wandering eyes of the YouTube crowd. So, in addition to the blacked-out bike, which Dixon describes as “the epitome of badass,” the film crew also brought along a couple cars, all of them black, including a Stillen-modified and some sort of supercharged-Hemi-powered police car.
Not enough? Fine. How about aerial shots from a helicopter and a couple of leggy models named Angela and Destiny, dressed in both impossibly skimpy (NSFW!) bikinis and Holloween-ready police girl outfits?
Yep, this video’s got all the chichéd stereotype boxes checked. All that’s left to do is watch. You’ll find it … and remember, it’s probably best not to do so at work.
With the one month away, ’tis the season to tease the next big thing. For , that “big thing” is the . The Altima is by far Nissan’s best selling vehicle here in the U.S., and the long-running sedan is in dire need for a fresh new face.
To tease the Altima, the creative types at Nissan decided to eschew the darkened or obscured photograph in favor of, well, a darkened and obscured video. Oh, and the video last all of eight seconds, and four of those ticks are reserved for the Nissan logo. The brief glimpse reveals a sky shot of the Altima that shows off some elegant curves and pronounced headlight fixtures.
The YouTube description adds that the new sedan boasts “a low, wide stance and sculpted profile that makes for quite a dynamic appearance.” That’s not a lot to go on, but Nissan hopes you’ll and watch the video anyway.
When collectors like Bob and Paul Milhous sell off their entire collection, you know it’s going to be a momentous occasion. And that’s just what it was when RM Auctions dropped the hammer on a staggering array of classic automobiles, mechanical musical instruments and various other collectibles in Boca Raton over the weekend.
We brought you and its imminent sale a couple of weeks ago, but now the results are in, and the numbers are staggering. Every last item in the collection was successfully sold, bringing in a whopping $38.3 million all told. The top seller in the auction and collection was the headline 1912 Oldsmobile Limited Five-Passenger Touring – the last remaining example of its kind and fitted with unique coachwork – which sold for $3.3 million. Just a touch more than that used Alero you saw sitting at the local lot, and a considerable premium over the $1.5 million it was projected to fetch, setting a world record in the process for the most expensive Oldsmobile ever sold.
A 1939 Lagonda V-12 Rapide also more than doubled its pre-sale estimate at $990k (itself setting a record for the most expensive roadgoing Lagonda). Other big ticket items included a custom-made 46-foot carousel that sold for $1.2 million, similar to the prices paid for each of a pair of vintage organs. , and you can check it out in further detail in the .
Stay with us on this, because the scene above is one big misunderstanding. It’s a little hard to make out in the YouTube video , but Norman Nowling is backing his Ford Econoline monster van over the top of a Toyota Corolla. When he finished his brutal work, the Corolla wouldn’t be going anywhere that didn’t involve the words “flatbed” and “chains.” So imagine the shock when the Toyota’s 16-year-old owner returned to it in the wee hours, noticeably flatter than we she left it.
The incident happened at the , a mudding and swamp trails park in Punta Gorda, Florida. The teen attended a concert at the park during “Swamp Cabbage Weekend” and apparently left her car parked near “the mud hole,” a park location that obviously attracts monster trucks. She went mudding elsewhere in the park, didn’t return to her car right after the concert, and at some point the assembled group of monster truckers decided they were going to run over it.
Nowling’s taken the heat because it’s him on the video, but he’s not the bad guy everyone’s made him out to be. See, Nowling was the last guy to the mud hole party, and before he got there at least two other trucks had tried to run over the Corolla and failed. Folks cheered Norman on to do the honors, but before he did he repeatedly asked security if it was all right, and according to his police statement, security told him it was fine, that the Toyota was abandoned. Also, according to Nowling, the fire department and the police were there as he was doing it. And as you can see in the video, Norman didn’t act alone: Another truck holds the Corolla in place while Nowling prepares to back over it.
Nowling was eventually arrested for felony Criminal Mischief and released on bond. Then he held a press conference to tell his side of what happened, and during the conference handed the teen’s stepfather a check for $6,500 to replace her car. Why? “I have a daughter, and it is the right thing to do,” he said. “I need to go to sleep every night with a clear conscience.” He’s apparently been banned from the RYC, but he’s hoping the other truck owners involved will also come forward.
for video of the incident, as well as a press conference held by the crusher and an interview with the teenage crushee.
It looks as if may have inadvertently revealed part of the ahead of its debut. The keen-eyed crew over at Inside Line spotted a completely undisguised version of the four door in a promotional video on NissanJapan’s YouTube channel. While we’ve seen test vehicles in various for a few months now, this is the clearest view yet of the next-generation Altima. We can clearly see the vehicle’s -inspired headlights and the hint of a more pronounced grille as well as more emotive bodywork.
You may recognize that character line as the similar to the one found on the . Were we the betting types, we’d say we can expect to see that detail crop up on other Nissan offerings soon as well.
Will the new lines be enough to help the Altima keep its momentum up in the family sedan marketplace? We’re going to hold off judgement until we see the final product in the flesh, but we will say the vehicle will find itself nose to nose with some increasingly threatening competition. With redesigned versions of the , and intent on carving out larger slices of the mid-sized pie, the 2013 Altima will have its work cut out for it.
As you might expect, Nissan has since nixed the video with the Altima in it, but Inside Line was quick enough to grab a few screen shots. Head for a closer look.
Seventeen days after the Super Bowl and we’re still talking about the commercials. Crazy, we know, but that’s how significant these ads are, and why the $3.5 million price tag for airtime during the game seems almost justified… almost.
Yesterday we reported that YouTube had crowned Chrysler’s “Halftime in America” as the most watched car commercial from the Super Bowl (an M&M’s ad nabbed the #1 most viewed overall spot). But YouTube views don’t mean much to automakers that are trying to sell cars. They want to know if their multi-million dollar Super Bowl ad directly increased interest in the vehicles they’re selling.
To answer that question we have this infographic from car-shopping website . While we wouldn’t blame you for guessing that and Clint Eastwood drummed up the most car-shopper interest, you’d be wrong. According to the numbers crunched by CarWoo!, received the highest lift in consideration after the big game at 61 percent. Chrysler was second with a 26-percent lift and third at 25 percent. Brands with big ads like , and , however, saw no lift in interest after the Super Bowl.
Chevrolet’s performance here can be partially attributed to the volume of ads it ran before, during and after the Super Bowl. It was by far the most prolific auto advertiser. But not all of its ads were winners. While commercials for the , and contributed positive lift, the ad for the did nothing to help raise the bottom line of consumer interest.
Also interesting to note is the back-of-the-pack performance of , which, despite boasting that its ad for the was the , only saw a six-percent lift in interest.
Looks like Newt Gingrich is getting into the , “-on-the-” bandwagon.
During a campaign stop at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK, the trailing Republican candidate said, “Let me start from a simple premise that Oklahomans will understand: you cannot put a gun rack in a Volt,” Talking Points Memo reports. It appears that Gingrich is trying out a new attack line, as Raw Story is reporting that he used a similar line at an event in Suwanee, GA. There, he continued, “There is no reason not to believe that we couldn’t stabilize with American production by drowning demand in supply the old-fashioned, free market way. There’s no reason we couldn’t have a stable price around $2 or $2.50 [per gallon].”
As you might imagine, it didn’t take long for a Volt owner to take Mr. Gingrich’s words as a challenge… you can see the predictable YouTube results .
It’s been seen by millions of viewers on television and the internet, it’s been on both sides of the aisle and it’s been . And, according to YouTube, staring Clint Eastwood has been named the top Super Bowl car commercial of 2012.
For those keeping track of such things, Chrysler’s commercial has over 10.5 million views on YouTube, though we do feel the need to remind everyone that the video was , which we’d imagine is one of the highest traffic times for such advertisements.
The only other commercial from an automotive company that made YouTube’s top five Super Bowl commercials was – itself controversial due to before it aired on the worldwide stage.
The number one ad, you ask? That would be M&M’s “Just My Shell” commercial. Guess there really is no accounting for taste… we prefer our M&Ms to be green, just like everyone else. Feel free to watch Chrysler’s winning ad one more time .
Seasons may change, time may pass, but the internet never forgets. It’s been since then-14-year-old Joey drove his father’s brand-new through the back wall of the family’s garage. Video of the event and the ensuing carnage has racked up an astonishing 3.6 million views on YouTube on one account alone, and the clip remains a perennial classic. Now it looks like Joey is finally ready for a little redemption courtesy of the good people at Tosh.0. The show routinely features people who are internet stars for all the wrong reasons in the “web redemption” segment.
Daniel Tosh, the show’s host, allows those maligned by the power of the internet one more shot at infamy while reenacting the event that made them infamous to begin with. Joey will explain his side of the GT500 calamity on the newest episode of Tosh.0 airing on February 21. Click to see the crash one more time. Trust us, it never gets old.
Ken Block might not be the world’s best World Rally Championship driver, but he might be the sport’s best entertainer. The superstar knows how to rack up YouTube views with jaw-dropping stunts and a panache that most of us can only dream of.
Beyond the jump is the latest Ken Block production, but instead of the real KB, we get funnyman Nick Swardson dressed up in full Block gear. Swardson pokes fun of Block just about every way imaginable, and the real Block sits in disguised as the interviewer.
It’s hilarious, and you can watch it . We’d watch it again, but we’re too busy looking for Ken-chantment cologne on Amazon.
There are a few car photographers out there that we count among our favorites. Our own is at the top of the list for obvious reasons (have you seen his recent ?), but close behind is Jordan Shiraki. We’ve shown you his work before, including a where the came face to face with the supercar that’s replacing it.
Jordan mainly shoots Lambos, rare ones at that, and he shoots them well. Recently, however, he decided to do something extra special for a shoot with an ultra rare . Only 12 of these special edition Gallardos were made; this one is #11. So to set this shoot apart, Jordan decided to try his hand at producing video, and the result is .
The three and a half minute video is every bit as beautiful as his still photography, if not more so. We suggest setting the YouTube player to 720p and turning up the sound. Oh, and he didn’t forget to pull out his DSLR during the shoot either, so check out the gallery below.
A video surfaced on YouTube last week that purported to show a being driven at near top speed on public roads. Mind you, “near top speed” for a Veyron still means well above 200 miles per hour. The YouTube account owner who uploaded the video claims that the car made seven runs and reached speeds in the range of 215-225 mph. That’s well short of 253 mph, the Bug’s terminal velocity in Top Speed mode, but the Veyron was reportedly left in Handling Mode to accommodate the public road’s uneven surface.
The video has attracted over 1,200,000 views after just one week on YouTube, and at least one of those views was the authorities in Arizona. Despite text in the video claiming that the high speed runs were shot “south of the border,” police in Arizona were still none too thrilled with what Arizona Department of Public Spokesman Bart Graves called “a criminal act.” The act in question is said to have occurred in late 2009, and since the driver’s identity is never fully revealed, there’s not much the authorities are likely going to do about it now. There’s also no know way to know for certain where the video was shot, though Arizona police say the driver would be thrown in jail if he were caught trying to repeat the act in their jurisdiction.
The ironic thing is that the police did apparently have an opportunity to bust the driver, though they didn’t know it at the time. The end of the video shows the Veyron pulled over on the side of the road by the Arizona Highway Patrol, but the video’s description claims the driver wasn’t cited because he was only going 80 mph at the time and the “officer stopped the car to take a look at it.”
to get a look at the Bugatti going all out on public roads for yourself.
