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Alternative Fuel

Escape From Berkeley, By Any Non-Petroleum Means Necessary!

This morning, I headed over to Shipyard Labs in the Berkeley flatlands (not very coincidentally, located just a few blocks from the 24 Hours Of LeMons HQ in Emeryville) to witness preparations for the start of the Escape From Berkeley race to Las Vegas. The rules are pretty simple: vehicles can't run on any form of petroleum fuel, they can only bring 10KWH equivalent of fuel to start with, and the teams must obtain all further fuel for free along the race route. Otherwise, anything goes- and they've managed to get permits to stage this madness on public roads! Make the jump to see some of the machines that will be competing for the $5,000 first prize.


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Feature

7:45 PM on Sat Oct 11 2008
By Murilee Martin
2,527 views, 71 comments

Latest by bozoerrebbe: Murilee, I lived in Ann Arbor for 9 years. I think there should be reciprocity when it comes to joking about more »

General Mopar

NYT: Chrysler In Merger Talks With GM

According to a report by Bill Vlasic and Andrew Ross Sorkin that just went live on the New York Times website, Chrysler and GM have been in merger talks for the last month. As of today, it's a "50-50" shot that it'll happen. While we've been talking about talks between the two companies for over a year — specifically on trucks — this is something entirely different. Just think, we may finally see the all-vinyl body we've been asking American automakers for all these years. We'll have more shortly — CNBC just called and asked us to jump on the phone for a moment to discuss on air.
UPDATE: According to Sorkin on CNBC moments ago, the terms of the deal currently being worked out would have Cerberus end up owning a major stake in the combined firm. So sorry Cerberus, you won't be getting your fat fully out of the automotive fire just yet!
UPDATE #2: We just realized this will make NASCAR irrelevant to the auto industry.
UPDATE #3: Check out the CNBC republish of the NYT story here with my quick comments on the air with Sorkin and CNBC's Phil LeBeau.
UPDATE #4: We officially dub this new fantasy corporation "General Mopar." Remember folks, you heard it here first.
UPDATE #5: Lori McTavish, Executive Director, Communications, Chrysler LLC has put out a non-statement in response to questions regarding a potential merger between Chrysler and GM. Hit the jump for it. More »

10:33 PM on Fri Oct 10 2008
By Ray Wert
7,899 views, 173 comments

Latest by mwc5446: This is rediculous.....I just don't know what to say except somebody at GM better wake up. more »

Commenter Of The Day

Commenter Of The Day: Wild Ride Edition

Anyone watching the Dow Jones Industrial Average go up and down today has seen that it's been quite a ride. One could even call it a wild one. If you're one of those people who didn't jump off of something, that is. The day started down about 700 points and then, without much in the way of impetus, it shot up almost 300. It looks like the day will end up down, but no more than around 100 points. Why is the market so crazy? Because nobody knows anything. Just to be clear: no one knows anything. Why did it happen? Jim Cramer? No. It's because people bought houses they couldn't afford. It's because of Wall Street greed. Main Street Greed. It's because we had a system built on exotic securitizations. Who knows? Nobody knows. If you don't like a wild ride, don't watch. Speaking of wild rides, Benji shared some pictures of Tamara Ecclestone baring all for PETA and, after all the jokes, Dwhite summed up for us the other harsh reality of the week. More »

5:40 PM on Fri Oct 10 2008
By Matt Hardigree
1,979 views, 31 comments

Latest by wheels OF satan!: shit, you think that is bad... get in your LADA and cruise on over to the RTS... they do 20 PERCENT down more »

Project Car Hell

PCH, Invasion Of The Hell Projects Edition: Three Alfas or Four Citroens?

Welcome to Project Car Hell, where you choose your eternity by selecting the project that's the coolest... and the most hellish! Yesterday, we had the chance to choose between two potential moonshine runners, with either of which one might keep bread on the table during the coming Financiapocalypse, and the Mercury Maruader beat the BMW 850i like Junior Johnson beat the North Carolina Highway Patrol's '53 Ford Mainlines back in the day. However, some of you- I'm not going to use the word "whiners," though it did occur to me- complained that those two cars didn't rate high enough readings on the Hell-O-Meter™. In other words, Hell isn't hot enough for you! We aim to please here, so let's flood the garage with chlorine triflouride, park some more challenging projects inside, and slam the door on you… for eternity!
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5:20 PM on Fri Oct 10 2008
By Murilee Martin
2,691 views, 60 comments

Latest by Accordforall: HmmmI think the Citroens now running are nicer to look at than any 1 Alfa. Besides...If the dude is trying to more »

2011 Toyota Prius

2011 Toyota Prius Stalking San Francisco Streets

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Spy Photos

Around The Ring

Maserati Claims Fastest Production Nürburgring Lap In MC12, Pretends Viper Doesn't Exist

Joining the "we're faster than you and we can prove it in a completely unscientific way by racing around the same racetrack in a production car under various conditions and providing our own timing" club is the Maserati MC12, which now claims they've made the fastest production lap around the Nürburgring of 7:24.29, besting the feuding claims of Porsche and Nissan, which claim 7:34 and 7:29, respectively, for the 911 GT2 and Nissan GT-R, respectively. Although the MC12's still behind the Dodge Viper ACR, let's not ruin their day by pointing that out. More »

4:40 PM on Fri Oct 10 2008
By Matt Hardigree
3,960 views, 32 comments

Latest by ccc40821: "Nürnbürgring", with three n's in it. BTW, Thriborough is right, only record times set by Sabine count. more »

Alternative Fuel

Fuel Up Only With Free Stuff You Find Along The Route: Berkeley To Vegas, No Petroleum!

The City of Berkeley is now a maximum security statist dystopia… Cars are illegal… Petroleum is a controlled substance… Now, geeks and gearheads unite to escape from Berkeley by any non-petroleum means necessary! That's right, a 600-mile race in vehicles not only prohibited from burning petroleum-based fuel but prohibited from buying any fuel whatsoever along the way- it's all got to be obtained free along the route. Steam-powered cars burning wood chips left behind by tree-cutting crews! Gasifiers converting dead possums and heaps of fast-food wrappers into go-go-gas! Batteries charged by sweet-talking locals into allowing power-outlet access! Mules eating grass! Whatever it takes! The race starts tomorrow morning and I'll be making the jaunt from nearby Alameda to check it out- come back tomorrow and you'll see some of these dystopia-fleeing machines. More »

4:20 PM on Fri Oct 10 2008
By Murilee Martin
1,568 views, 34 comments

Latest by stoneman: I need advice on dealing with tailgaters. They drive me nuts and their actions are unsafe. You know my website more »

Flying Cars

Reality-Defying Futurama Flying Car For Sale On Amazon For A Mere $50,000!

Good news everyone! A recently-launched merchant on Amazon — named Jetson — is offering the "Futurama Flying Car" for the bargain price of only $50,000. Although the seller makes no promises or claims, other than an artfully updated image of the Guigiaro B.A.T. 5, the reviews on this product offer stunning insight into the performance of this revolutionary, yet totally fictional, vehicle. More »

4:00 PM on Fri Oct 10 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
4,728 views, 33 comments

Latest by Mister Cow Pnoy: do you think we could gather $1 from all the readers of the gawker media blogs and purchase one? more »

Transporter 3

New Transporter 3 Trailer Offers Up Tasty Audi A8 Footage

We've already told you that Transporter 3 is headed for theaters at the end of November. Today a new trailer's been released that opens up a little more on the plot and provides some solid stunt-driving action. Back again is the Audi A8 with Jason Statham behind the wheel not performing a number of the stunts we see. Among them are a two-wheeled drive between a couple of tractor-trailers, ramping onto a moving train and a swan dive off a bridge. Considering the action can take place no further than 75 feet from the car, we expect the latest iteration of the franchise to bring the chase scene magic yet again. [Filmofilia]

3:40 PM on Fri Oct 10 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
4,059 views, 26 comments

Latest by Bazza: the a8's outdated more »

I Feel Gassy

Financiapocalypse Is The New Gaspocalypse

If you haven't been paying attention lately, the price of a barrel of crude oil has dropped over the last month, trading today at a 13-month low of $78.61 in mid-day trading. Analysts are pointing toward the continued disintegration of the financial markets which could lead to drops in global productivity and thus fuel consumption. The gaspocalypse is indeed easing as we've seen such craziness as above, regular on sale for under the $2.99 figure right at our corner fuel stop. Sure is a far cry from that trade-halting $120-a-barrel price spike three weeks ago. [CNN Money]
Check out Gawker Media's full Financiapocalypse coverage at Economy.Consumerist.com!

3:20 PM on Fri Oct 10 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
1,241 views, 61 comments

Latest by Jesda: I bought ten H2s. more »

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