Matt Hardigree

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Stories By Matt Hardigree

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    Cadillac Debuting Provoq Alternative Energy Concept Tomorrow At CES

    GM announced today that they would be debuting the Cadillac Provoq at the CES show in Las Vegas. According to the company the Provoq "continues Cadillac's remarkable heritage of landmark concept vehicles, this time in a vehicle free from petroleum fuel and emissions, the ultimate luxury." Translation: electric car. While we don't have details we do know that we'll be there to bring it to you as soon as it bows (if not sooner). The car will then reappear at the Detroit Auto Show. Since we have

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    The Rinspeed "X-Treme" Is A Swiss Extravaganza

    The mad Swiss at Rinspeed, known for both Porsche tuning and underwater Lotus tuning have set their sights on the Porsche 957 Cayenne and the results are extreme X-treme. The Rinspeed X-treme is much wider and lower than the stock Cayenne thanks to the bulging arches and matching side skirts. The whole package is also lower thanks to an electric air suspension that lets the driver adjust the car by 35 mm. More power comes courtesy of a new sport exhaust system that brings the X-treme up to 600 h

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    Rules Of The Road: Jalopnik's Guide To Speed Limit Enforcement

    [Who knew the 10th amendment to the US Constitution would create the state-by-state patchwork quilt of driving laws we've got? Well, the founders did — despite their lack of cars. Fear not, interstate drivers, we here at Jalopnik have sorted through the red tape to bring you detailed guides to driving rules; everything from teenage driving, cell phone use, open containers, dehorsing and lemon laws. These are the Rules of the Road.] Previously, we provided a list of the maximum speed limit laws

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    The Big Ass Airbag May Save Your Life, Cost You Your Dignity

    We're not really sure what more there is to add to this photo of what claims to be a revolutionary airbag, but is quite... er... kallipygian. While we guess the design helps prevent you from snapping your neck or being guided into the pillar, there's no getting around the fact that it looks like you've just gone nose first into a gigantic pair of pink butt cheeks. In fact, we'd be a bit nervous that the paramedics might be too busy making jokes about us giving the car a rim job to actually help

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    How K.I.T.T. Became A Mustang

    Confirming our suspicions about the Ford-NBC-Knight Rider Deal, AdAge is reporting how GM dropped the ball on picking up the Knight Rider tie-in and how Ford lunged at the opportunity. According to the article, Ford took note of the success of the Transformers film in pimping out the full line of GM vehicles and decided to buy its way in by making an offer NBC Universal couldn't refuse. Though there's no solid number on how much advertising Ford promised NBC if it used the Mustang, the co-chair

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    Honda Sales Up For 2007... Acura Not So Much

    Honda recorded it's 14th consecutive year-over-year sales increase after selling 1.55 million vehicles in 2007, up 2.5% over 2006. For the month of December, Honda's sales were up by 14 vehicles to 131,972 compared to 131,778 cars in the previous year. "We sold 14 more Fits, break out the bubbly!" The Accord saw a year-over-year sales increase of 10.3%, the Civic 4.2%, the CR-V 28.5% and the Fit 101.4% to 56,432 vehicles. Acura saw a year-over-year decrease of 10.8%, due in part to aging models

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    Chrysler Sales Also Down In 2007, Completes The Domestic Hat Trick

    Unlike GM and Ford, Chrysler saw an increase of 1% in sales for December 2007 compared the previous December. That's what they'd like you to focus on, please. They'd rather you ignore the fact that for 2007 total sales were 2.08 million vehicles, a decrease of 3% from 2006. The Chrysler brand saw a year-over-year decrease of 10% due to decreasing sales from the 300, PT Cruiser and Pacifica, as well as a decrease in Town & Country sales as customers waited for the new model. Jeep saw an increase

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    GM Sales Decrease In 2007, But People Love The Aveo

    GM was able to find customers for 3.87 million vehicles in 2007, which is a decrease of 6% compared with 2006. Overall, GM predicts market share will be flat as there's much less daily rental share (as planned, they'll remind you). The two brands that did well in 2007 compared to last year were GMC (up 5.1%) and Saturn (up 6.1%). For December, GM was only down 5% compared with a year ago, though Aveo sales were up 82%. Hummer continues to slide with a decrease of 23.0% in December 2007 compared

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    Toyota Sales 2007 Sales Up, Up & Away In 2007

    Toyota continued to muscle its way into more market share with best ever year-end sales of 2.6 million vehicles, up 2.7% over 2006. If you're paying attention, that's slightly more than Ford... thus putting Toyota as the #2 automaker. All hail our new hybrid overlords. For the month of December the automaker was down 1.7% from December 2006, which seems to be a theme with most large volume automakers. For 2007 the Toyota Division reported sales up 2.7% from 2006, with Lexus reporting an increase

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    Have You Driven A Ford Lately? Probably Not. Ford Sales Down In December, 2007

    First, the bad news: sales for Ford were 212,094 for December, down 9% from the previous December. Ford's total 2007 sales were 2.57 million, down 12% compared with 2006. But there's a silver lining on that blue cloud as Lincoln posted a 9% increase in sales in 2007 after a significant realignment of their product and the success of the MKX. Land Rover also realized a 3.7% increase in sales for 2007, though this fact is overshadowed by the 24.2% decrease for India-bound Jaguar. The Ford F-Series

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    Would The ZAP Xebra Pay For Itself In London?

    We previously mentioned that the Zap Xebra Electric Dorkmobile was headed to England. With congestion pricing in effect in London, electric cars are exempt and get drastically cheaper parking. Further, there are free charging stations located around London that theoretically provide free fuel. Assuming a 260 day work year at $55 a day parking plus a $16 a day congestion toll and $12 per day on fuel, you get $21,580 a year for a petrol-powered auto. With no congestion toll, free fuel and just a $

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    Winnebago Salesman Goes Crazy Shooting Commercial, NSFW

    This is definitely NSFW, unless your fellow employees like constant profanity. We've all had bad days at work and maybe let a few F-bombs drop. This star of a Winnebago video brochure, who admits to writing the script for the commercial, is suddenly unable to finish a complete scene without suddenly collapsing into profanity. He even admits to not believing the crap he's spreading about the Mini Winnie. Seriously, everyone. NO YELLING! Or else the "shit is going to hit the fan."

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    Use Your AmEx, Win A Lamborghini Gallardo

    Plan on spending some cash in India this winter? Try applying for an Indian American Express Platinum card (not an Indian-American Express Platinum card, that doesn't exist) and you could be the proud owner of a new Lamborhgini Gallardo. For each 10,000 Rupees you spend, you get one entry in the contest and one chance to win the Lambo or be one of the five cardmembers to win a trip to the Ultimate Lamborghini Expeirence in Rome. That means for approximately $250, or about 50 hours of work as a D

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    The Citroen Berlingo And Peugeot Partner, More Salvos In The Euro-MPV War

    The Renault Kangoo better watch its back, as Citroen and Peugeot are on the scene with their new diesel-powered MPV's: the Berlingo and Partner, respectively. Both get power courtesy of a 110 horsepower Hdi Diesel engine, which features a particulate filter that keeps the exhaust cleaner-than-nornal. Each model also comes with its own Light Commercial Van (LCV) version and fussy European child. Press releases below the jump:

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    Ford SYNC-Ed Up With Customers, Selling Twice As Many SYNC Models

    According to Ford, the company sold Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models equipped with the SYNC system more than twice as fast as those same models without SYNC. While there's probably more to this than just the popularity of SYNC system (how many non-SYNC MKZ's get built?), it can't be ignored that people have to be motivated to fork over the $395 premium it takes to get one on non-standard models. Until other automakers step up, Ford will continue to benefit from the system. Press release below th

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    Chevy Celebrates 50 Years Of The Impala (Minus 10 Years)

    The first Impala appeared as a special edition 1958 Bel Air. In 1959, after the popularity of the original Impala, Chevy introduced it as a stand alone model with a 335 horsepower 5.7L V8. To celebrate 50 years as a range topper, Chevy is introducing a new 50th Anniversary Impala with a 211 horsepower 3.5L V6. Progress! This fully loaded Impala comes with the FE3 Sport Suspension, ABS, 18 inch alloy wheels and enough 50th Anniversary badges to fill an HHR. Full press release and a history of the

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    The V8-Powered Snowblower Owns Frosty's Ass

    What do you do when you have a 454 c.i. chevy big block V8 and a massive amount of winter precipitation? While there are those among us that would rather toss it in a LeCar, Kai Grundt decided a six-year journey to create the world's greatest V8-powered snowblower was the way to go. Remember: engine displacement = snow displacement. There's no price on this monster, though the company claims that it'll build one. Either way, it's fun to look at. Full details below the jump:

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    Nissan Announces Yearly Price Increases, Trying To Scrape Another $80 For A Versa

    It's this time of year, after the Christmas rush, when automakers try to quietly drop price increases into the news cycle without anyone noticing. Even better, do it on a Friday and it won't go into the news until Saturday when no one reads the news. But we're ever vigilant and have seen through the bull shit to let you know that Nissan will be raising prices from between $80 for a Versa/Sentra to $170 for a 350Z Roadster. But in 2008 coffee will cost $200 a cup and a shoe shine a cool $1,000 &m

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    Unique Performance Owner Finally Speaks, More Details Emerge

    There's a great article in The Dallas Morning News today regarding the ongoing saga of custom Mustang builder Unique Performance, which includes important details regarding the current state of the investigation and the first real comments from CEO Doug Hasty. There's a lot of blame to go around, and no one seems content to take any, but as a former Unique Performance spokesman told us:

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    Rules Of The Road: Jalopnik Guide To Cell Phone Usage Laws

    (The 10th amendment of the US Constitution created a patchwork quilt of state laws related to driving, which is why Jalopnik sorts through the red tape to bring you detailed guides to driving topics such as teenage driving, speed limits, open containers, dehorsing and lemon laws.) We we're tempted to just limit this guide to stating that, unless necessary, you shouldn't use your cell phone while driving (A CB Radio is much cooler anyways). But that would make some of us (ahem, Wert) serious hyp

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    More Fun With Ford Engineering Press Shots

    Ford engineers and designers continue to revolutionize the process of creating automobiles and Ford's press photographers continue to make the weirdest choices for the press releases about said process. Last time we brought you a photo of tiny engineers working on a giant car and you brought us the funny. Today we've got photos of the 3D product visualization center in Dearborn that Ford uses to work on cars simultaneously on two continents. It would be great technology if only they didn't look

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    Homemade Boattail Aerocivic Gets 50 Miles Per Stare

    If we learned anything from An Inconvenient Truth, it was that environmentalism starts at home. It's in that spirit that we present the Aerocivic, a 1992 Civic CX with a super low coefficient of drag courtesy of extensive aeromodding. After about 250 hours of work and $400 in supplies, this boattailed Civic achieved a 90-day average of 67.5 MPG (US).

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    Commenter Of The Day: Out To Pasture Edition

    I'll be handling the COTD for the rest of the week while Jonny and Murilee are out planning mischief I'm sure you're all going to love (Steve Gutenberg better get that restraining order renewed real quick). There was a lot of passion in today's discussion of manual versus automatic that rivals the Kitchen Debate for a passionate defense of a beloved system. Though there was much Nixonian reasoned oratory, it was the Khrushchevian fervor that caught our eye.

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    Ford's Tests Out Eco-Friendly Paint On U-Haul Vans

    Proving that saving the environment isn't all about mating electric motors to gas engines, Ford has been working on reforming the painting process to find ways to lessen our impact on our world. If you don't believe that painting trucks creates an environmental hazard, check out the paint shop at your local transit authority's bus barn. According to Ford, the new system "combines an advanced chemical formulation of high-solids, solvent-borne paint with an innovative three-wet application process

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    New Lancia Phedra Minivan Provides Family Italian Style

    While the Italians are known for making cars that match their passion for life, the cars they're most famous for aren't exactly known for being amenable to enjoying life's other greatest passion. While an F430 Spyder may edge una bella donna towards amore, the mechanics of making that happen in transit would baffle an F1 engineer. That's where the Lancia Phedra comes in. It's not as attractive as your average Pininfarina-designed roadster, but it's got swiveling seats, lots of room and a 170 hp

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    Celebrate The New Year With A New Auris

    Those crazy folks at Toyota sure now how to party. This new year they're going to be debuting a new top-o-the-line Auris SR180 (the Auris being the hatch version of the European Corolla Hatch, and a social disease common in the West Indies). This range topper comes with a 175 horsepower 2.2 liter diesel that scoots the little hatch to 62 mph in a respectable 8.1 seconds while still producing 45.6 MPG in combined cylce driving. Oh, and of course you can get it in the Pure White paint job, which t

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    The 2009 Mercedes SLK 55 AMG

    We've already shown you the vanilla Mercedes SLK, and now we have photos of the facelifted AMG-tuned SLK 55. As we've already mentioned, the new SLK is fitted with the current model's 5.5-liter V8, which is good for 360 horsepower and will be mated to the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed auto transmission. With the exception of the exterior enhancements, the Mercedes engineers consider the AMG SLK 55 close to perfection. And why mess with perfection? Well, why mess with perfection until the next generation

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