Driving: thats what its all about!

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Buy truck, get AK-47
2009-08-01 23:22:00
Ignorant, paronoid, and delusional. The people at this car dealer are in a tiny little closed off world of their own making. We could say that we have never heard anything so stupid, but unfortunately it fits right in with the parent who was found guilty in Wisconsin this week of praying for his childs healing instead of taking her to the hospital. When she was already so sick she couldn't walk, talk, or eat. What is the matter with some people in this country? It looks like all the progress that we've made in this country in the last 60 years has all been set aside. Original source here: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/vid eo/us/2009/07/17/am.muller.truck.ak47.cnn  
More About: Truck

Cops: Texting, talking tow-trucker hits car, pool
2009-07-31 13:21:00
Another dummy lost it this week - this time a tow truck driver who was texting on one phone while talking on another. And he hit somebody else before carteening into a backyard pool. The result is shown below. Follow the link to MSNBC for the complete story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32232659/ns/u s_news-crime_and_courts/  Sgt. Kevin Locicero, left, and Capt. Bruce Elliot, of the Niagra County Sheriff's Department, examine a flatbed tow truck that crashed into a swimming pool in Lockport, N.Y., on Thursday. Stephen Wallace / AP
More About: Talking , Cops , Pool , Hits

Hey stupid! Drop the cell phone and drive
2009-07-26 20:05:00
MSNBC has it right:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32106221/ns/t echnology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/ We live near both a major high school and a major college. It's amazing how many kids speed by while totallyk oblivious to other drivers, stop signs, and traffic lights. But we also spend time in rush hour every day, morning and night. It's equally amazing how many people are blabbling on the phone during the tightest and most dangerous traffic conditions. So this isn't an age thing - it's easy to blame beginning drivers who don't know any better but it's just as true to blame older drivers who should know better. Continue at the MSNBC article.
More About: Phone , Cell Phone , Drive , Cell , Stupid

Do not forget
2009-07-25 22:10:00
Jacques Brinon / AP

EcoBoost 2 liter - what happened to the power?
2009-07-25 20:14:00
A press release from Ford 's press release announcing the Explorer America concept describes the horsepower and torque the 2 liter EcoBoost was originally envisioned to produce: "A powertrain lineup that includes a 4-cylinder 2-liter engine with EcoBoost technology delivering 275 hp and 280 lb.-ft. of torque or, as a premium engine, a 3.5-liter V-6 delivering about 340 hp.  Depending on engine selection, fuel-efficiency will improve by 20 to 30 percent versus today’s V-6 Explorer " The 3.5 liter EcoBoost went up - the 2 liter EcoBoost went down to 230/240 (per last week's announcement). What happened?
More About: Power , Liter

Texting while driving
2009-07-25 20:02:00
We've had two separate incidents this past week when texting drivers slid over into our lane - completely unaware of their impending doom.  A long toot from my horn prevented them from taking us all out of the gene pool - including the baby in the back seat of one of the idiots. And they were both mad at us for honking to save ourselves. How stupid are these people? Cell phone use is bad enough - and should be outright banned - texting should be criminal.
More About: Driving

The New Camaro has a few problems!
2009-07-22 04:00:00
As reported on Camaro 5.com, the new Camaro has a couple of things you need to make sure are correct before you leave the dealer. Actually about 70 things. Major things. What a hunk of junk... a georgeous hunk of junk (at least on the outside), but still rather lousy. Follow the link to the Camaro5.com forums for more:  http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread. php?t=30865 001. Loose Bolts that hold fluid back causing leaks (ex: on oil pan, tranny fluid) 002. Trunk Locking mechanism (issues with opening w/o adding down pressure to top of trunk first and/or emergency release appears to be loose keeping the trunk from locking properly) 003. Loose plastic paneling around the 4-gauges cluster, launch control, cigarette power plug as well as Left and Right A-Pillars Trim Loose, sill trim loose, and dash pannel where doors and dash meet popping open. 004. Loose Spoiler/installed correctly (Re-torque Spoiler bolts) 005. Wiper transmission cable overheating from engine causing a shor...
More About: Problems

Ford EcoBoost 4-cylinders
2009-07-22 03:41:00
Ford also reported today that the upcoming EcoBoost 2 liter 4-cylinder engine will products at least 230 HP and 240 torque. This is strange news - it had been previously reported that this engine would produce 275 HP. What happened? In any case, the engine will be out some time in 2010 - it wasn't said whether it would be for the 2010 model year or 2011. It's also known that the EcoBoost 1.6 liter engine is a bit further out, and is targeted for 180 HP/ 180 torque. EcoBoost Summary Size  HP    Torque   HP/liter 1.6   180   180      &n bsp; 1.13 2.0    230  240      &n bsp; 1.15 3.5    355  350      &n bsp; 1.01
More About: Ford

Ford Powertrain Advances for 2010
2009-07-22 03:32:00
It's been a busy day at Ford , with multiple press releases and information on the 2010 lineup. Ford Press Release follows: GIANT LEAPS, SMALL STEPS FURTHER FORD'S GLOBAL STRATEGY 2010 Highlights EcoBoost technology combines turbocharging and direct gasoline injection to improve fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions; the first 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engines are debuting on 2010 Lincoln MKS, Lincoln MKT, Ford Taurus SHO and Ford Flex this summer Conventional powertrains continue to benefit from refinements such as Advanced Deceleration Fuel Shut-Off and Cam Torque Actuated (CTA) Intake Variable Cam Timing (iVCT) Ford's hybrid vehicle lineup expanding to include the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan; all feature smaller, more powerful battery pack, enhanced electronic throttle control and electric air-conditioning compressor to reduce engine load For 2010, Ford is introducing powertrain advancements that range from an entirely new line of powerful, efficient EcoBoost eng...

2010 Ford Global Product Plan
2009-07-22 03:25:00
Ford's annoucnement today of global product plans left little doubt that For dis on top of the world and intends to stay that way. New engines, truly global products (aka European product is the way forward, except American trucks and the antiquated muscle car), and a global strategy will ensure that Ford reaches the pinnacle and stays there. However, while Ford calls the following press release "global", it's clearly American-centric. There's a lot happening in Europe and the far east, and very little has been said about that. But, then, those regions haven't had to mortgage their factories and corporate headquarters. Ford Press Release follows: FORD'S GLOBAL PRODUCT PLAN DELIVERING EVEN MORE FUEL-EFFICIENT, HIGH-QUALITY VEHICLES TO CUSTOMERS .fmlink:link { COLOR: #003399; TEXT-DECORATION: none } .fmlink:visited { COLOR: #003399; TEXT-DECORATION: none } .fmlink:active { COLOR: #333333; TEXT-DECORATION: none } .fmlink:hover { COLOR: #333333; TEXT-DECORATION: none...
More About: Ford , Product , Global , Plan

1959 – 2009. Fifty Years of MINI
2009-07-18 20:14:00
MINI celebrates 50 years of production in 2009. The following press release is from Europe, where they have several MINI models that are not available here in North America. MINI press release follows:   1. Younger than Ever. The MINI Model Family Over the Years . The concept was always unique – and to this day the MINI remains unique in all its features, qualities, and characteristics: It was fifty years ago, to be precise on 26 August 1959, that British Motor Corporation (BMC) proudly revealed the result of their development activities in creating a new, revolutionary compact car. And indeed, the public right from the start were able to admire no less than two new models: The Morris Mini -Minor and the Austin Seven. This double premiere of two almost identical four-seaters was of course attributable at the time to the broad range of brands offered by BMC in the market, but it was also of very symbolic nature. Lots of space inside with minimum dimensions outside, seats fo...

BMW May Use 4-Cylinder Engines to Meet U.S. Fuel-Economy Rules
2009-07-18 19:53:00
Bloomberg tells us that BMW 4-cylinders are coming to North America: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20 601103&sid=ahNp0hdZXILY  The big question is what will happen to the brand image of BMW with a 4-cylinder product? BusinessWeek takes us thru that question: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/cont ent/08_42/b4104074245498.htm You can see from the specs below that BMW has not yet produced a 4-cylinder engine which would be of interest to the North Americna market. 170 HP from 2 liters is not even close to leading the market, much less demonstrating BMW technology prosess. Several manufacturers including Ford and Nissan beat that number handily in their economy cars. The long-term answer is more technology, combined with turbocharging. The engine below is a direct-injected 4-cylinder gas engine from Europe. Click on it for a super high-res image (2319x2043 pixels, 300 pixels per inch). > Specs for the BMW 320i in Britain with an in-line 4...
More About: Economy , Fuel , Fuel Economy , Meet , Rules

Fan tribute to Rallying
2009-07-14 03:13:00
If you like rallying as much as we do, you'll love this fan tribute to the sport. And if you don't know what rallying is, this will convince you to find out. Music:Rising Empire Choir #1 - Immediate MusicGears of War 2 - Heroic AssaultHans Zimmer Megamix Vol 1 - Theme from Rock (?) and Honour Him from Gladiator
More About: Rally , Tribute

Hot Version 23 - Keiichi Tsuchiya does NASCAR
2009-07-13 02:29:00
Looking thru some old Hot Version videos, I was surprised to come across a very old one that has Keiichi Tsuchiya earning his NASCAR license at Charlotte Motor Speedway, then traveling to Watkins Glen. Despite my disdain for all things NASCAR, I was very interested to see this. I noted that he does not speak English - or at least didn't in 1996. I also didn't realize that he is in his 50s - look at his birthdate below (Wikipedia incorrectly claims it as 1957). If you collect the Best Motorings and the related videos (Hot Version, BMI, BM Platinum, etc) you'll see a lot of him in his early days. The same issue, #23, also has a track comparison test of an early Evo versus an STi.
More About: Media , Nascar

New York to San Francisco in a 100-Year-Old Car
2009-07-13 01:17:00
From The New York Times: http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/1 2/new-york-to-san-francisco-in-a-100-year -old-car/   New York to San Francisco in a 100-Year-Old CarBy Robert Peele After a month of babbitts, bees and bad vibrations at least from the steering wheel — Emily Anderson and her rebuilt 1909 Maxwell DA arrived in San Francisco last Thursday, completing her re-enactment of Alice Ramsey’s groundbreaking journeya century earlier. While the first half of the trip was beset by frequent mechanical troubles, the second half went much smoother, according to Ms. Anderson. Smooth, of course, is a relative term for a vehicle running on century-old technology: transmission problems that began in Kimball, Neb., required her to drive the rest of the trip with no first gear. Mountain passes were particularly tricky, said Ms. Anderson, who called Carson Pass, near Lake Tahoe, the most difficult climb. “We got to within a half mile of the summit,” she said in a ...
More About: New-York

Follow the Bullrun on Twitter and RSS
2009-07-12 02:05:00
The 2009 Bullrun rally runs from New York City to Austin Texas. The participants left NYC this morning early and arrive in Austin next Friday. Follow their progress - and arrests - here: http://twitter.com/BullrunRally http://www.bullrun.com/rss.xml
More About: Twitter

2009 - The Way It Is
2009-07-11 15:48:00
Autoworkers Compete to Keep Jobs, Livelihoods on New Reality Show
More About: Ford

1998 - The Way It Was
2009-07-11 15:34:00
DETROIT--General Motors workers called a general strike Monday, vowing to stay off the assembly line until their demand for more acrylic novelty baseball caps is met.         "Fair is fair," said UAW Local 163 president Wayne Garber, marching with fellow workers in front of GM's Romulus Powertrain Assembly Plant. "All we want is our rightful share of mesh-backed hats emblazoned with humorous slogans about bass fishing, inebriation, spousal weight gain and other such topics of relevance to our lives."         Added Garber: "GM management treats its workers like mushrooms: They keep us in the dark and feed us shit."         Garber--who has vehemently denied recent allegations that he has a drinking problem, claiming that he drinks, gets drunk and falls down with no problem--said UAW members have not received new hats since 1993.         "We've been wearing the ...

Grills for car enthusiasts
2009-07-10 11:23:00
Its summer time, and that means grilling outdoors. This selection of grills comes from (where else?) - Australia. The first is (was?) a 1978 Holden HZ GTS Monaro:  The next are made from engine parts, not all necessarily functional any longer since there is no need for 400 or 500 lb-ft to rotate your chicken.  Presumably the NOS is not functional...! Nice touch - the name will be seared into the meat: For cook-offs, this one will impress the judges: And finally there is the low-budget approach, presumably using parts that served faithfully for 300 or 400 thousand miles.  ;-)

Style Your Garage overlays for your garage door
2009-07-10 01:36:00
German company Style Your Garage produces these highly detailed overlays for your garage door, in either single or double-door size. Prices range from 199 to 399 Euros. We can think of several of these images we'd like to have, but then we already have an F1 car and an SR-71 in our garage :-) Follow the link to their site: http://www.style-your-garage.com/
More About: Door

SHOboat to nowhere - 2010 SHO vs Infiniti G37
2009-07-08 01:27:00
Edmunds Inside Line gives us the comparison test we've all been looking forward to: the Taurus SHO against the sport package-equipped Infiniti G37 4-door. The SHO is more than badly embarrassed by the G37 - it is beat in every category except for Db on the road. Acceleration, skidpad, braking - it lost it all to the G37. And then the SHO's brakes started to smoke! Read the Edmunds comparison here: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Driv es/Comparos/articleId=151726 What's even worse is that Ford could have had a platform like that of the Infiniti. The product plans approved by Jacques Nasser in the early part of the decade called for a slightly smaller version of the Lincoln LS platform. The LS platform is very similar to that of the Infiniti - control arm front suspension (split lower arm on the more recent Jaguar updates), double A-arm rear, and heavily aluminum-intensive. Ford doesn't have the V-6 to compete with Infiniti, but it would at least of had the platform if L...

Mogwai - Auto Rock
2009-07-07 13:15:00
Song by Scottish band Mogwai . Used several times by Top Gear, and in the ending of the 2006 film version of Miami Vice. And in the new Nike commercial "Driven" featuring Lance Armstrong - our hometown hero here in Austin TX.
More About: Rock , Auto

F1 boss Ecclestone praises Hitler, Saddam
2009-07-05 00:31:00
Yet another reason why F1 is no good: everyone already knew Max Mosley is a Nazi (or at least prefers Nazi bondage), and now Ecclestone has been quoted as praising him along with Hitler as "strong leaders". It's clear Ecclestone is crazy: read the full article here: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/31734969/ns /sports-motor_sports/. And this is yet another example of exactly what's wrong with F1: the financial side of it has become so extreme, bloated, and outright obscene that nobody has (or is able to) put a permanent stop to these two. We'll stick with IndyCar racing: it's the real thing, there's plenty of passing, and it runs on regular race tracks that that normal folks can care about. Tomorrow IndyCar races at Watkins Glen, and we'll be eagerly watching. And read more from the Times Online in Britain: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/fo rmula_1/article6632991.ece 
More About: Boss , Saddam

Followup - 370Z at 24 Hours of the Nürburgring
2009-07-04 18:10:00
Probably not the most ideal launch of the 370Z in Europe that Nissan had hoped for, but given the quick preparation of the car it's not bad. Nissan Press Release follows: 2009.5.29 All-new NISSAN 370Z finishes 24-hour race debut sixth in classJapanese "Falken Z" puts up good fight to take fourth in class (11th overall) Nurburgring 24 Hour Race May 24th, Nurburgring (Germany) The new Nissan 370Z, campaigned by Nissan Germany and a local media team, and the Falken Motorsports Fairlady Z (Z33, 380RS-C) from Japan, raced in the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring on May 23rd through 24th. In this grueling event which saw 52 of the 170 participating cars (more than 30%) retire, Nissan Germany's all-new 370Z overcame a variety of troubles to finish sixth in the SP6 class (113th overall). Meanwhile, the Falken Motorsports' Fairlady Z left its own mark, finishing fourth in the SP7 class (11th overall). The 24 Hours of the Nürburgring is contested on a circuit consisting of intens...
More About: Nissan Z

Which Curb Your Enthusiasm Character Are You?
2009-06-30 13:49:00
From BuddyTV, this online poll. The answer might surprise you, but probably not your close friends. Click on the image below to go to the poll. The first question is especially pertinent! And don't miss the new season of Curb Your Enthusiasm , starting in September on HBO.
More About: Character , Curb Your Enthusiasm

Popular Mechanics - 2010 Ford Taurus SHO vs. 2009 Chrysler 300C
2009-06-28 23:43:00
If you are wondering what the ~4400-pound Taurus SHO competes against, Larry Webster (formerly of Car and Driver) of Popular Mechanics has the answer: the all wheel drive Chrysler 300C. And the SHO is actually bigger and heavier:   Chrysler 300C AWD Ford Taurus SHO Base price $39,925 $37,995 Powertrain 370 hp/398 lb-ft, 5.7-liter V8, 5A 365 hp/350 lb-ft, 3.5-liter V6, 6A Suspension (f/r) control arms/multilink strut/multilink Wheelbase (in.) 120.0 112.9 Length (in.) 196.8 202.9 Width (in.) 74.1 76.2 Axle ratio 3.07 2.77 Weight 4280 4368 Brakes (f/r) 12.6-in disc/12.6-in disc, ABS, ESC 12.8-in disc/13.0-in disc, ABS, ESC Tires (f/r) P225/60R-18 P245/45R-20 ACCELERATION (sec)     0-30 mph 2.0 2.2 0-60 mph 5.5 5.4 0-100 mph 13.9 13.3 40-70 mph 4.2 4.9 20-60 mph rolling start 4.4 4.2 Quarter-mile 13.9 @ 100.3 mph 13.7 @ 101.7 mph BRAKING (ft.)     30-0 mph 30.4 29.9 60-0 mph 126.2 117.6 EPA fuel economy (city/hwy) 16/23 17/25 PM Fuel Eco...

How not to see Japan by car
2009-06-28 19:44:00
We've been discussing a planned drive across Japan so that we can see all the best sights without the constraints of a tourist bus. Old castles, shrines, famous roads, and race tracks like Motegi included. Only problem is the language, lack of an English language GPS mapping service, and the great unknown. So we're looking for examples of how to do this - and instead we found an example of how NOT to do this. Lesson learned: take the toll roads, pay the HUGE tolls, don't get caught in the snow on backroads. The bad example that follows is of two Australians who set out to see a drifting event... and have some drifting of their own on snow and ice on the way back. It was a good idea, and the sights are scenic - but unless you're living there (which we won't be), there isn't time for >40 hours of driving for just one destination. 2007 Autumn Drift Matsuri Epic Road Trip (Part 1) from Jos on Vimeo. 2007 Autumn Drift Festival Ebisu Epic Road Trip (Part 2) from Jos on V...

Nissan Announces Pricing on 2009 NISMO 370Z
2009-06-28 15:32:00
06.17.2009 Nissan Announces Pricing on 2009 NISMO 370Z™ Franklin, Tennessee - Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) announced pricing for the all-new 2009 Nissan NISMO 370Z™, which goes on sale today at Nissan retailers nationwide.  The new, second-generation NISMO Z® continues the tradition of the original, offering unique performance and design attributes that true sports car enthusiasts are looking for – including a functional aerodynamic body design, 18 additional horsepower and a special sport-tuned suspension.The 2009 Nissan NISMO 370Z™, which is equipped with a 350-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 and close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission with SynchroRev Match, has a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price* (MSRP) of US $39,130.  Only three accessories are available on this well equipped vehicle – NISMO carpeted floor mats, illuminated kick plates and a carpeted trunk mat.“The new NISMO Z® is a tuner and Z® enthus...
More About: Nissan Z , Nismo

Nismo 370Z highlights engineering issues in the basic car
2009-06-28 14:40:00
Nissan's press launch event of the Nismo 370Z was a disaster - first the rear differential wore out and the 370Z Touring model provided for comparison had to give up it's own as a replacement. Then a journalist destroyed the car by putting it into a wall on the track.Read the full story of the differential failure here :(<right click> and <open in new tab>) http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightline/200 9/06/nismo-370z-differential-failure.html   Now Nissan has provided another Nismo to the press and testing reports have begun.Edmunds Inside Line is one of the recipients of a press fleet vehicle for testing. They found only one problem in their testing: the Nismo isn't any different from their own long-term test 370Z Touring and the handling is quote "scarier". Read the full story here: (<right click> and <open in new tab>) http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightline/200 9/06/il-track-tested-2009-nissan-nismo-37 0z-vs-2009-nissan-370z-touring.html With considerab...
More About: Engineering , Issues , Highlights , Basic , Nissan Z

Fifth Gear reviews the 370Z
2009-06-27 17:50:00
Speaking of the European launch of the 370Z, here's the first review of the car from Fifth Gear .
More About: Reviews , Nissan Z , Fifth Gear