Archive for November 2007

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Buying (8)

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Audi R8, Part 1

Yes, folks, you read that right: Audi, well, they got a little funny in the head, and they went and handed me the keys to a shiny new R8. I, the least likely Jalop to ever buy any sort of new car- or, in fact, any used car new enough that I can't find plenty of parts for it in my local self-service junkyard- shall be reviewing Audi's new supercar for you today! [Maybe they mistook you for me. Wait, that's just me making myself feel better and trying not to believe Audi is reveling in my pain. -
By Murilee Martin Read More
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2008 Chevrolet Aveo Sedan, Part 3

Why you should buy this car: Money doesn't grow on trees, you can only live in mom's basement for so long and you live in fear of $5/gallon gas. Why you should not buy this car: You care about acceleration, handling and looking cool.
By tingwall Read More
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2008 Chevrolet Aveo Sedan, Part 2

Exterior Design: ** Call it the anti-Scion, with the Aveo trading avant-garde fashion for mature, predictable styling cues. Of course, that also means it trades the "I'm on my way to a rave" hipster-mobile image for the "I'm on my way to a mediocre job" commuter-mobile image. It's wholly unoffensive, and equally uninspiring.
By tingwall Read More
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2008 Chevrolet Aveo Sedan, Part 1

[In many ways Jalopnik is like a fraternity and as one of our newest members of the fraternal order also happens to be our youngest, we're hazing giving our college-enrolled "new guy" a task to complete before he graduates that's as simple as A-to-Z. Or to spell it out — 26 auto reviews corresponding in alphabetical order, and upon completion, we'll allow him to "graduate." Follow along at our special Tingwall tag as he goes from Aveo to Z06 and from auto journalist childhood to manhood. —Ed.]
By tingwall Read More
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Lexus IS-F, Part 4

Why You Should Buy This Car: Lightning-fast acceleration, massive globs of handling and most likely the finest brakes we've ever stomped. World-class performance from an unlikely source, and that equals stealth. The eight-speed transmission means even with performance on par with the competition, you 'll get better fuel efficiency. The (expected) price will undercut the competition, big time. In certain situations, when the road is just right, the paddle shifters are outstanding. White leather s
By Jonny Lieberman Read More
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Lexus IS-F, Part 3

Exterior Design: *** Among the people to whom I showed the IS-F, reaction was mixed. Some absolutely loved it. Others, not so much. I'm right in the middle. Not counting the fab-looking wheels there are three major differences between the steroidal F model and a regular IS. 1) Front end. The brake-cooling inlets both look good and work. The power bulge on the hood however, looks like a dolphin's skull. 2) The brake-cooling vents just aft of the front wheels are my favorite part of the design. 3)
By Jonny Lieberman Read More
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Lexus IS-F, Part 2

The night following our first day with the Lexus IS-F, after our own Wes Siler managed to procure two trashcans full of beer, a bunch of us auto-journo types sat around telling war stories involving crochet mallets (don't ask). After we'd laughed most of the oxygen out of the room, I asked the question, "So, what do you guys think of the IS-F?" For a moment the room went quiet. People began blinking then looked to the person next to them. The towering Brian Scotto, editor-in-chief of 0-60, was f
By Jonny Lieberman Read More
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Lexus IS-F, Part 1

Remember back 20 years when Mercedes and BMW scoffed at the idea of a Japanese luxury competitor? They weren't alone; basically everyone did. Well, we guarantee those companies are doing anything but scoffing now. This time around, with Lexus going after the Germans' most profitable niche - hottie factory tuners - those old hands and relative newcomer Audi are doing everything but scoffing. We bet they're wishing they've been doing what we've been up to for the past week. That is, driving the ho
By Jonny Lieberman Read More

News (253)

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Commenter Of The Day: Postfather Edition

Man... Mike took a chance on me when I was just a wee blogger and has been regretting that decision ever since. I'll miss his threatening emails ("Don't fuck with me, Lieberman!") and Ed McMahon impressions over IM. Oh, Jesus Christ — he's not dead. Look at me being all dramatic. Actually, I was talking to the Spin just today and he may actually make out to Los Angeles after he chews up and spits out Italy. Great timing as I just traded my Colt Python .357 Magnum for $300 worth of Scotch and bou
By Jonny Lieberman Read More
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The Z06 Corvette Speed Boat

Since GM continues to ignore our online petitions for an amphibious Corvette, we guess we could get along in a speedboat meant to mimic one. That's where Malibu Boats comes with it's LS7-powered monster. Every detail from the car was lifted for this hot-rodded boat, including actual Corvette seats, dash, tail-lamps and even Corvette wheels for the custom-built trailer. This marina hot rod comes in 400 horsepower coupe form and 505 horsepower Z06 form. The ultimate gift for the Corvette owner t
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Welcome To Canada: Land Rover 101 Forward Control

We might tend to think of Windsor, Ontario, as the home of the Ford 351 Windsor engine, but it's also home to a fine example of the British answer to the Pinzgauer. Eagle-eyed reader Schweppes spotted this Land Rover 101 Forward Control being used as an advertising platform at the University of Windsor, and had the presence of mind to produce camera and proceed with the snapping. Make the jump to hear Schweppes' take on this highly practical urban commuter and view the gallery...
By Murilee Martin Read More
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Between The Lines: ESPN Columnist Blows Jeff Gordon Journalistically

We try not to read ESPN columns too often because it most often ends with someone having to restrain us so before we can bash our iBook against the wall. Don't get us wrong, we love Bill Simmons and all of that, but a recent column about Jeff Gordon's identity crisis represents both the worst in writing and the worst aspects of celebrity culture in racing (since no one hosts dogfights, apparently).
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Rules Of The Road: Understanding Emissions Laws

It's probably safe to assume by looking at the writing staff and reading the comments from this site that more than a few Jalopniks are driving some slightly used vehicles of various vintages in various forms of disrepair. It's in this spirit that we take a deeper look at how emissions laws work, why the exist and what exemptions your fuel-leaking, smoke-spewing vintage DeSoto might qualify for.
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Nissan Cubes In NYC With CA Plates

Pssst. You want to know why we love our readers?
By Jonny Lieberman Read More
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Citroën Nemo Concetto Van Swims Into Bologna

What better way to show off the maneuverability and spirit of your mini-minivan than painting it like a clown fish? This Nemo-ized and Disney-fied version of the Fiat/Peugeot-Citroën compact van will be enticing eight-year-olds in the market for a new van at the Bologna Motor Show this year with its aquatic interior. While it's a bit cheesy, it's hard to not appreciate any vehicle that comes with its own portholes. At the very least, we hope this will make up for any primate-theme Aztech nightma
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Editor's Letter: Changing-Of-The-Guard Edition

For the past couple of weeks I've been boarding at my friends' non-working farm. It's a typical southern-Tuscan spread set between the cliffs of Monte Amiata and the Mediterranean Sea. I've just taken Zoe, a Labrador mix, for a run in the vineyards and my faithful sneaks are caked in thick, red clay. As existences go, rural Italian life is an order of magnitude less frenzied than standard. There's no rush to get out of bed before eight, and good luck buying an aspirin or a jar of mayo between on
By Mike Spinelli Read More
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Fuel Economy Rules Near Completion, Automakers Shift To Bicycle Production?

It looks like automakers will have to meet the dreaded 35-mpg fuel economy standard despite the gazillion dollars they claim it will take to get their cars sipping gasoline like it's Dom Pérignon. Senate and House members are working out the final details of a bill that will likely have a significant impact on what we drive over the next decade and then some. Automakers had been lobbying against the initial bill, expressing specific concern over wording that would require cars and light trucks
By tingwall Read More
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Roger B. Smith, Former GM Chairman And CEO, Dies At 82

Roger B. Smith, who led General Motors in the 1980s through a period of significant change, passed away in Detroit yesterday after a brief illness. He was 82. Smith was appointed chairman and CEO on January 1, 1981, and led the world's largest automaker until his retirement on July 31, 1990. During Smith's tenure as chairman and CEO, GM introduced its first front-wheel-drive midsize cars, formed NUMMI, a joint venture with Toyota to manufacture cars in California, created Saturn, and acquired
By Ray Wert Read More
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1957 Cadillac Sedan De Ville

Since it's been nearly a month since we last saw a 1950s Detroit DOTS car, and even longer since our most recent DOTS Cadillac, today we're going to look at two-and-a-half tons of Cadillac style: a 1957 Sedan de Ville. This car lives on the island's east side, quite close to the '72 Mercedes 280SEL, and it's parked on a busy street every day. No garage for this survivor!
By Murilee Martin Read More
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Audi A3 Cabriolet

Audi seems to think good things come in three as they've just revealed the third body style of their A3 — the Audi A3 Cabriolet. The new A3 'vert features a fabric dropping top, and four engines available at the European launch — two gas engines and two diesel, with a range of power running from 105 bhp to 200 bhp. On the outside, the A3's getting the same new front features as the rest of the Audi lineup — and don't forget the always popular with the kiddies LED daytime running lamps, which co
By Ray Wert Read More
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Commenter Of The Day: Back To School Edition

There must be something in the air that's given the otherwise sparkling clean minds of our commenters a slightly more prurient bent. What could possibly explain the suggestion of ménage à trois in multiple posts today? Either way, there was a lot of action in the Beer Poll worthy of nomination (which reminds us to remind you about Open Container Laws), but only one reached the mixture of high school nostalgia, sexual deviance and alcoholism worthy of Dazed and Confused and our day's affection.
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Project Car Hell, Fat Bankroll Edition: Stutz Or Pantera?

The appeal of a couple of right-hand-drive woody wagons was almost, but not quite, enough to beat out the pair of MGB-GTs plus supercharged Toyota engine in yesterday's Choose Your Eternity poll. However, both of those choices, painful as they were, were on the inexpensive side. How can a project truly be Hell if you can just walk away from it a little poorer and a lot wiser? That's why we're going to look at a couple of "no turning back now" high-ticket machines today. Each is a car that will
By Murilee Martin Read More
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Sheep Follow The Audi RS8

The automotive industry is controlled by a bunch of old grey-haired men sitting around board room tables in Germany or begging on a Detroit street corner because their homes are worth the same as a cardboard box. Oh yea...let's not forget Japan (that's for you Wert). These elderly men are the authorities in the major car corporations and when they say something, albeit important or not, every car blog and magazine not only runs with it but pimps it out until the next guy says something differe
By Ray Wert Read More
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2009 Hummer H3T Spotted At Baja 1000

Looks like the 2009 Hummer H3T is a step closer to production, ditching the mule-bed it was sporting out at the General's Proving Grounds and stepping into the quasi-light of day. Also taking one step forward was the General's PR arm, making the smart move of showing off the new quasi-pickup at the Baja 1000. But we digress — the pickup "bed," if you can call it that, will offer a cargo area of roughly 4-feet wide by 4½ to 5-feet long and the H3T will supposedly have a front locker and drivetr
By Ray Wert Read More
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Unique Performance Files For Bankruptcy

We sort of wish we hadn't called this, but AutoWeek is reporting that Unique Performance filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection on November 12th, less than a week after being raided by the fuzz for title-washing and other crimes. This means the company has no plans to rebuild itself and, worse, owes between $1 and $100 million dollars with no listed assets!
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Jalopnik Holiday Gift Guide: Meguiar's Ultimate Car Care Kit

If there's someone in your life that has a show car, or even just treats their 2001 Focus ZX3 like it's a show car, you might try getting them them the "Ultimate Car Care Kit" from Meguiar's. When it comes to car prep products, Meguiar's is no joke and for about $40.00 you get a nice mix of waxes, tire gels, scratch removers, a cleaning cloth and a carrying case. It's not the most original gift, but it beats the hell out of using an old wadded up t-shirt. Product info below the jump:
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Or McLaren F1?

Both cars are indisputably awesome. Hell, both are in our Fantasy Garage. One has a BMW V12 that in standard tune is good for 627 hp, with other more bat guano iterations easily hitting 680 hp and 244 mph. Of course the other has an 8.0-liter VW mill with 16 cylinders and 4 turbochargers and I-can't-count-that-high many intercoolers and radiators. Seriously dude, the hand brake has a cooler. Bottom line: more than 1,000 hp. Each vehicle represents one man's vision of the very best car in the wor
By Jonny Lieberman Read More
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Exclusive First Pictures Of KITT From The New Knight Rider TV Series: Yes, It's A Shelby GT500KR

UPDATE: Sources with the involved companies tell us this is the real car — the actual car to be used in the show. But, because "it wasn't working at the effects studio yesterday," someone did photoshop the red light. UPDATE #2: We now have the official first images from the folks at NBC and Ford here, and the exclusive first video of the new KITT available here. Our detective work's paid off on yesterday's rumor on the new KITT. Now not only do we have off the record confirmation from the "inv
By Ray Wert Read More
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Kobe Announces His Hummer Auction To Middle Schoolers

While we think the best place to announce you're selling a Hummer H3 would be the parking lot of a Ralph's Fresh Fare around 11:00 am to take advantage of the MILF crowd, Kobe decided to take his message straight to the underprivileged youth that can probably neither drive nor buy the vehicle. If you weren't aware, Kobe Bryant is auctioning off an autographed Hummer for some program benefiting kids. It must be working, as the bidding is already up to $60,000 with 29 bids. Whether he ends his car
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Limo Drivers Beg Celeb Handlers To Keep Clients From Driving Themselves

In one of the odder press releases to come across our desk lately, the National Limo Association (NLA) is pleading with celebrity handlers to spare their clients the embarrassment of a DUI mug shot this holiday season by hiring a limo driver. And while we agree with the sentiment (no one wants to be remembered as the person killed by an old pop star's illegitimate offspring in a drunk driving accident), we question the sincerity of a Limo org that claims they just want to remind the uber rich th
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Many Spy Photographers Died To Bring Us This Picture Of The Taillight Of The New Opel Insignia

Much as we expected when we noticed some very Insignia concept car-like testers out this summer, Opel's just announced that Insignia will be the Vectra's replacement name for the new version of the mid-size set to debut at the 2008 London Motor Show. Opel revealed the name — and a taillight — by taking a page right from Hyundai's playbook, revealing a humorous video that reveals nothing but the driver's side taillight of the new Opel Insignia. Well, we guess we'll just add that shot to the othe
By Ray Wert Read More
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Ni Hao! OnStar Coming To China

If you thought only American celebs like Jimmy Kimmel and Tiger Woods locked themselves out of their GM products, you'd be sorely mistaken. There are all sorts of Chinese celebs that need OnStar, too! Not to mention China has approximately 1.3 billion prospective customers. GM and the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation Group (SAIC) are planning to provide almost the full range of OnStar features to China, including crash notification, roadside assistance, door unlock, handsfree calling and
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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1988 Renault Medallion

You want rare cars in this series? How about this '88 Renault Medallion? After purchasing the wreckage of AMC in 1987, Chrysler decided to rebrand the Medallion as an Eagle partway through the '88 model year, so surviving Renault-branded examples are probably rarer than Hemi Superbirds (or '53 Packards, like the one that lives on the same block as this car). Based on that paragon of automotive build quality, the Renault 21, and tainted with the smell of death from obviously-doomed American Moto
By Murilee Martin Read More
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The Muscle Car Wars Are On! Dodge Reveals Commercial, Challenger SRT8 Pricing To Start At $37,995

Oh yeah baby, the Muscle Car Wars (patent pending) are totally on now and Dodge is showing it — revealing both a new commercial for the new muscle car that declares simply "It's On!" and then by dropping a pricing of $37,995 on the limited-edition, top of the line and 6.1-liter Hemi-powered 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8. The new pony car from the brand with the horns will come in three colors, black, silver or Hemi orange and they'll begin taking orders on the new Hemi hotness starting December 3
By Ray Wert Read More
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AC Schnitzer Takes On The 1-Series With The ACS1 3.5i

The tuners of all things BMW and Land Rover have taken on the new BMW 1-series coupe? with what they're calling the ACS1 3.5i. AC Schnitzer's tunage is highlighted by — a "Turbo logo on the front spoiler." OK, they've done much more than that, but that's what the release starts out with so we couldn't just leave it alone. Some of the many enhancements include dropping a full bodykit on the new two-door along with aluminum struts and some enhanced torsional stiffness. For the 1.8d and the 2.0d
By Ray Wert Read More
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2009 BMW X3

Here it is, the first prototype we've seen for the new 2009 BMW X3 on the streets (and above at the BMW test facility) of Munich. Even with all of the plastic and tape in the shots below you can tell how much sleeker the new X3's going to look in comparison to the current model. Which makes sense as the new X3 is reportedly based on stretched and widened 3-series platform. It even appears like some of the strange look of the BMW X6 is crossing over — especially from the A-pillar to the C-pillar.
By Ray Wert Read More
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PCH, British One-Two Punch Edition: Travellers Or MGB-GTs?

Well, we can all go ahead and change our names to Ettore now, because the 'Bugatti' triumphed over the 'MG TD' in yesterday's Choose Your Eternity poll by a pretty healthy margin. Perhaps the faux MG wasn't really British enough, what with its German underpinnings (and the Fauxgatti, lacking any underpinnings, was undeniably the more hellish of the two choices). Still, the phony MG TD reminded us that there's just no Project Car Hell quite like British Project Car Hell; as William Gibson puts i
By Murilee Martin Read More
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Fiat Fiorino Van Revealed

Fiat has released details on its new Fiorino compact transport van, an important vehicle for the company because the Europeans have to get their crepes and bagels from the bakery to the restaurant somehow. Designed in cahoots with Peugeot-Citroen, the Fiorino will scoot about courtesy of a 1.4L gas engine producing 73 horsepower or a 75 horsepower 1.3L Multijet Turbodiesel. So that delivery drivers and maintenance crews stay comfortable on their long trips, the vehicle will include a climate con
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Al Navarro Does Detroit: What Kind Of Commercial Does Three-And-A-Half Enzos Buy You?

Al Navarro is a co-founder of Mint Advertising, an independent advertising agency in New Jersey. He also drives a Caterham Superlight R, so don't front. I apologize in advance that this first in a series is on the long side. I use the extra words to explain some things here and there, including the overall format I'd like these reviews to take. Future posts will be shorter. Regular Jalopnik readers should already know me from my trail of Caterham parts, or perhaps the infamous Slut Machine QO
By Ray Wert Read More
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McLaren F1

For the last several weeks we've been sticking with the classics. Cars like the Facel Vega HK500, Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and the all-conquering Bugatti Royale — vehicles that aren't so much pure fantasy as they are automotive high water marks. This week we're turning our attention to a modern classic, and the more things change... Back when Farago first launched our little Fantasy Garage, there was no question than an F1 would (someday) grace our car hole. The McLaren F1 should actually be synonym
By Jonny Lieberman Read More
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GMC Terrain Revealed In Kuwait

Not content to have their spotlight stolen by a bunch of lousy Pats fans at the New England International Auto Show, the Kuwait auto show has unveiled the new-for-them GMC Terrain. If it looks to you exactly like a rebadged Saturn Vue, that's because that's what it is. While this does mark the first compact SUV entry into the Middle Eastern market by GM, the company sells almost every other SUV in their line in the region. Built in the South Korean Daewoo plant, the model will be available in SL
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Volvo To Make HD Standard In All Almost All Models

Because their customers really want to listen to Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me in High Definition Hybrid Digital, Volvo is going to make HD standard and almost every model. And if you think we're joking about that, we'd note they made the announcement in Boston. The list includes S40 T5, V50 T5, C30, C70, S80, V70, SC70 and XC90 models, which is a nice way of saying every model except the standard-issue S40 and V50. HD offers an interesting alternative to satellite radio, with many stations offering
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Saab Turbo X Gets North American Debut At... Boston Auto Show?

Who knew Boston even had an auto show? Well, for whatever reason, the General decided to unveil the 2008 SAAB Turbo X, their speedy new little Swedish meatball in Boston at the New England International Auto Show. What's that you say — read the press release? OK, so there's something about "paying tribute to the Northeast region where Saab originally started its U.S. business more than half a century ago" and — well, we got bored because we've already seen the Turbo X — but if you haven't, fee
By Ray Wert Read More
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Porsche 914

When we had the Is the 914 DOTS-worthy? poll a while back, 85% of you answered in the affirmative. That means it's about time we saw one of Alameda's 914s... which have turned out to be really hard for me to catch in photographable circumstances. I see them in parking lots, driveways, parallel-parked snout-to-tail with other cars that block the shot angles. Finally, I found this somewhat rough example, which lives near the '69 Fairlady.
By Murilee Martin Read More
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KITT To Be Cast As A Ford Mustang In New Knight Rider Series?

UPDATE:It's a Mustang! We've got exclusive first pictures of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR playing KITT!That's what we're hearing anyway. Although this may seem as rumortastic as they come, we feel our source is solid — he's a loyal Jalopnik reader with a validated connection to an LA FX studio working on the pilot for the new Knight Rider TV show. Our source is claiming he's got it on good authority that KITT's gonna be a Ford Mustang. Hey, maybe that takes care of that whole Mustang varian
By Ray Wert Read More
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Commenter(s) Of The Day: Beer And A Shot Edition

I'm a total beer geek. In my wallet I have a card proving that I'm a "Certified" beer judge. I had to take a 3-hour essay exam where among other things I compared and contrasted four beer styles with starting gravities above 1.080 and provided example recipes for each. I actually make money lecturing about hombrewing — which I've been doing since I was 18 — at universities around Southern California. I have over 800 bottles of beer in my cellar including what many consider to be the holy grail o
By Jonny Lieberman Read More
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Project Car Hell, VW Kit Car Edition: MG TD Or Bugatti?

Nearly two-thirds of readers surveyed felt that the Wright Cyclone 1820-powered Mercury Cyclone was the way to go in yesterday's Choose Your Eternity poll, no doubt because, like, pistons rule! Today we're going to take a look at Kit Car Hell, which last scorched our hides in the Fieroborghini versus Bradley GT matchup. Inspired by the stylish lines of the Classic Motor Coaches Gazelle we saw in a recent DOTS, today we're going to look at a couple of classy machines built on Volkswagen pans. Th
By Murilee Martin Read More
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Jaguar XFR

If these prototypes running around jolly old England are what we and spy photographers think they are — it would appear those test mules we saw in September were right — there's a Jaguar XFR on the way as a high-po follow-up to the new XF sedan. There doesn't appear to be a lot of visual differences between the already-revealed XF and this lightly camo-ed XFR, but the quad-pipe exhaust and the huge cross-drilled rotors give away the R-aging 4.2-liter V8 beast within, capable of producing about
By Ray Wert Read More
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Bollywood Actress Prefers F1 Car To "Hot Hunk"

Something you might not know about Bollywood actress and former Miss India Gul Panag, assuming you know anything about her, is that she's a self-proclaimed car nut and contributor to Auto India. And as an enthusiast, she couldn't pass on an opportunity to pilot the ING Renault F1 car. She enjoyed the experience so much she told the Times of India "I'd choose an F1 car to a hot hunk any day, again and again and again!" A woman after our own heart, though we can't claim to be either.
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Sketches Of Mitsubishi Concept-RA Revealed

As if there wasn't enough to look forward to at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show, Mitsubishi teases us with these sketches of thew Concept-RA, which we can only hope is indicative of the reincarnation of a new Eclipse as a vehicle worthy of the old Eclipse. The aggressive shoulders and sloping beltline are your first hints of the second generation Eclipse, while the nose makes it a very obvious nod to the new EVO.
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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OK: Is NASCAR A Sport?

Just letting you know that you all got yesterday's QOTD wrong, sorta. Drifting is not a sport because the crowds are completely sober. Typically, I'm genetically predisposed to flee for my life from any gathering of motorsport fans. Drifting on the other hand, seems to attract tomorrow's doctors, software programmers and accountants, all of whom are hopped up out of their minds on energy drinks. We did spot a lone vendor hawking booze, and their was never a line. Though, the line for kinda salty
By Jonny Lieberman Read More
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Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder Limited Edition

The kiddos from Stuttgart have something special in mind for the Bologna Auto Show. Unlike some automakers we could think of, Porsche doesn't come out with special editions every other day so it's kind of special when they do. Inspired by Porsche's victory at the 1960 12 Hours of Sebring, the Boxster RS 60 Spyder Limited Edition pays homage to the winning Type 718 RS in a number of ways. The Silver Metallic paint and Carrera Red interior is your most obvious hint, unless you're sitting in the pa
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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2009 Corvette Blue Devil Or 2009 Corvette ZR1?

We heard an interesting comment from a PR staffer from the General last week that made us kind of wonder about whether GM's Chevy brand would be sticking to the ZR1 name reported by MotorTrend's Todd "Motor City Blogman" Lassa a couple of months ago. After I mentioned how I'm eagerly anticipating the ZR1's debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January I heard a quickly silenced laugh and the comment "If they ever end up sticking to one name." That suspicious comment combined with the very blue-col
By Ray Wert Read More
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1965 Rambler American 220

How long has it been since we last saw an Alameda Rambler? Since July, that's how long... and that's just too long to be deprived of pre-AMC-nameplate Kenosha machinery! So here's a pretty clean '65 American to start our day. This car parks next to the '61, so we have to assume they're owned by the same person.
By Murilee Martin Read More
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This Is The 2009 Corvette ZR1 LS9 Engine And Yes, We're Probably In Serious Trouble

This is it. Thanks to an anonymous tipster we have what appear to be the very first and clearest shots yet procured of the 2009 LS9 6.2-liter V8 engine powering the 2009 Corvette ZR1 — something we weren't expecting to see until the Detroit Auto Show in January. But, since information yearns to be free — and whoa, nelly, do these shots show off some serious information on what will be the most serious piece of weaponry in the General's quiver come next year — here they are and here's what we k
By Ray Wert Read More
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PCH, Aircraft Engine Edition: Cyclone-Powered Cyclone Or Jet-Powered Jetfire?

It looks like the Matador once again triumphs over the Maverick in our Choose Your Eternity version of What To Drive In '75, showing that if only AMC had stayed in business... well, maybe not. However, those two cars were pretty un-hellish choices; since today is a post-holiday-weekend Monday, we're going to get back into true Project Car Hell with a couple of projects any sane gearhead would fear and revere in equal measure. Cars with airplane engines!
By Murilee Martin Read More
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Examiner Abandons Student During Driver's Test

As if having to drive around town in a very worn Neon or Vauxhall with the words "STUDENT DRIVER" pasted on the windshield isn't bad enough, a student driver in Reading, England was left on the side of the road halfway through her driving test. It all started when the handbrake on the car failed while on a hill, causing the the examiner to get out of the car and go for help.
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Carlsson Mercedes C-Class Estate

The teutonic tuners at Carlsson managed to get their hands on the new C-Class Estate before it hit showroom floors, and the result is sehr gut. Available both in oil-burning and gas form, visual tweaks include new aerodynamically superior aprons and side moldings, as well as Brilliant edition 19-inch one-piece wheels. The CDI diesels put out 204 hp to 269 hp for the C220 and C320, respectively. The 3.5-liter V6 gets a boost to 295 hp for those less concerned with the mileage. The interior is als
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Today is "Cyber Monday" — the internet's "Black Friday." So, if you're looking for what to buy your auto-obsessed love one, may we suggest our very own Jalopnik Holiday Gift Guide? Or, if you're looking for what not to buy said auto-obsessive, may we also suggest our very own Jalopnik Holiday Re-Gift Guide?
By Ray Wert Read More
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We were disappointed — we totally thought Jerry Garrett of the New York Times would mention the potential for blizzards in Detroit during the LA Auto Show. [NYT]
By Ray Wert Read More
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1965 GMC Pickup

Since we had the Do Pickups Belong On DOTS vote (in which the overwhelming response was "Hail yes!"), I've been trying to avoid a situation in which machinery made by The General totally dominates the DOTS truck entries. However, the reality is that I find several old GMCs or Chevrolets for every old Ford, Dodge, or Japanese truck (and yes, International Harvester fans, I'm doing my best to find a Scout). That's OK with me, since I'm a big fan of the styling of 60s GM pickups, but I'll do my be
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Koenigsegg CCXR Special Edition: Biofueled For Your Pleasure

The Dutch Blog on all things Auto has acquired themselves what appear to be the first renderings of the brand-new special edition Koenigsegg CCX-R. So what makes the already announced but as-of-yet unrevealed Koenigsegg-egg-egg-gg so special? Well — this here CCX is biofuel-powered. That's right — so that means this red-on-black Special Edition model featuring a cast-aluminium V8 engine with sequential multipoint fuel injection and twin rotrex centrifugal superchargers is not only pretending t
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NY Times Reports On Unique Performance... Finally

The Gray Lady finally catches on to something we've been reporting for more than two weeks and we learn absolutely nothing new. One thing the author focuses on is that the likelihood that the value of these cars, which was probably not going to increase anyways, could seriously decrease. What we know and what all of this means after the jump.
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D1 Grand Prix: Team Orange And The Winning EVO IX

As we mentioned, Team Orange and Nobushige Kumakubo won Saturday's international drift event at the D1 Grand Prix at Irwindale. They did so in an insanely hopped up Mitsubishi EVO IX. That cold intake pipe looks to be 4". Never mind what's happening on the hot side (i.e. bigger). We would just like to point out that drifting rocks because 20-year-old 1600 cc Corollas compete with 8.3-liter V10 Vipers. Not only compete, the Toyota (which was running nitrous) beat the Viper and about two thirds of
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PCH, What To Drive In '75 Edition: Matador Or Grabber Maverick?

It goes without saying- well, hell, maybe it doesn't, but that won't stop us- that, after the first installment of What To Drive In '75, we'd want to do a Choose Your Eternity matchup featuring the two selected cars. Unfortunately, we couldn't find an Oleg Cassini Matador at any price, and the cheap Grabber we found was a '74, but we've attempted to capture the spirit of the thing here. Now, the Matador won the WTDI75 poll by a pretty solid 2/3 majority, but that was make-believe... and this is
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Commenter Of The Day: Anti-Black Friday Edition

Flipping through the LA Times at breakfast this morning we noticed that Fry's Electronics is selling a Samsung 42" LCD HD for $899. Today only. It took every ounce of self control garnered from years of iconoclasticism and general "I Hate Holidays" curmudgeoness not to spit out our hash browns and book on down to the assured and utter Hell that would be Fry's the day after Thanksgiving. We'd rather staple cactus to our testicles. For reals. Still, that is a mondo a deal, and a pretty slick trans
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Rules Of The Road: How Not To Get Dehorsed When Buying A Car

The purchase of an automobile is one of the major financial decisions you'll make in your life. And if you're a reader of this site, it's probably one of the major decisions you make in your life, period. Unfortunately, unscrupulous car dealers are waiting to prey on ambitious consumers. The most insidious way this happens is through a process called "dehorsing" in which a customer loses both their new and used vehicle. And it's not illegal.
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Jeep JT Concept Vs 2008 Corvette Z06: What Should Wert Drive To His High School Reunion?

I was the fat kid in high school. There, I said it. In fact, I was what you'd call "unpopular" — I'd never get invited to the parties, never got the date with the cheerleader and most certainly never drove the cool car. But all that pent-up pain and angst finally has the opportunity to release itself this Saturday with my high school reunion at Como's in Ferndale, MI. You see, a reunion's the perfect place to finally get one's comeuppance on the "cool kids" — whether it's through losing weight
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Heads Up! Mid-Engined Vegamino Alert!

Putting a truck bed on a Chevrolet Vega has been done many times, so spotting a Vegamino for sale is something of a ho-hum event. However, when we see a Vegamino with a Chevy 350 mounted just behind the cab (thanks to Corvair components and a "Saginol" 4-speed transmission), it gets our attention. Thanks to Junkman (owner of the Honda Coupe 9) for the tip! [eBay Motors]
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1978 Dodge Colt Station Wagon

It's been several months since the last time we saw a Colt down on Alameda's street, so I was happy to discover this '78 Colt wagon parked on the same block as the '66 Volvo Amazon. These rebadged Mitsubishis used to be just as common as Corollas, Chevettes, Pintos, or any other Malaise Era economy car. These days, though, almost all of them have gone to The Crusher.
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Jalopnik Has Too Much Turkey, Going On Half-Day Schedule Today

Well loyal readers, if you're like us you may have had too much turkey last night (and spent too much time watching the evil Green Bay Packers put the beat down on our hapless Detroit Lions) and you're looking to spend today vegging out or having a blast out at some Black Friday sales. We'll be doing some of that today as Jalopnik will be running at half-speed today. But we've got a treat for you today — instead of spending the day out busting through the crowds, spend the day with us as we ru
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Project Car Hell, Malaise Import Edition: Scirocco Or 280Z?

We've talked a lot about the Malaise Era recently, with the hyper-Malaise '76 Mustang DOTS car earlier in the week and everything, so it's only right that we do a couple of performance-oriented imports of the era. Specifically, from 1977, the year of Never Mind The Bollocks. You'll be able to choose between the cars of the two toughest Axis powers, front- or rear-wheel-drive, four or six cylinders, and "running but not drivable" versus "running when parked years ago" in today's Choose Your Eter
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Volvo Wants Bloody Drivers!

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Smell Fresh For The Crusher: Junkyard Little Tree Gallery

It's Thanksgiving Day, and that means it's Half Price Day at most major self-service junkyard chains! Yes, after a hard day pulling parts (and, in my case, wielding a camera), you'll be able to scarf down that turkey with extra gusto. And so, in honor of holiday junkyarding, I'm sharing a sampling of some of my Little Trees In Junked Cars series of photographs, each image radiating meaning the way a polonium/beryllium fissile-core initiator radiates neutrons. You really will find one in every c
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1950 Ford Pickup

Since our last DOTS pickup was a Dodge, and the one before that was a Mazda wearing Ford emblems, it's about time we saw a genuine Dearborn truck in this series. And you can't get much more genuine that this 1950 Ford F-1 pickup, which I spotted surrounded by high-end German iron in an upscale East End neighborhood.
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Commenter Of The Day: Toughest Decision Yet Edition

We can't tell you how pleased we are with the response to that trollop Murilee's comparo test between the Audi R8 and '92 Honda Civic. Cause he's not an automotive journalist, he's a doctor of automotive journalism. And as his attorney, I'm advising my client to do it again! Do it again! We also advise reading through the comments. However, while great, none of them win. No, today's winner invoked one of our favorite all time quotes from Mr. Groucho Marx, "I don't care to belong to any club that
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PCH, Yankenwagen Me, Krankenwagen Me Edition

We've got a virtual tie in the Playboy Jimmy Versus Heap-O-Triumphs Choose Your Eternity poll, and that's just how we like it. To get such a split, we need to pick two vehicles that trigger roughly equivalent "I must have that!" and "get thee behind me, Satan!" reactions, and today we're shooting for that split with another episode of Ambulance Project Hell. We've had a pair of Project Car Hell Poster Children who achieved that lofty status via, respectively, a '66 Pontiac Ambulance and a '58 P
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Renault Reveals Next Generation Kangoo

Renault has released pictures of its new Kangoo, which is sort of the European version of the Honda Element but without the pretense of ruggedness. Since its introduction in 1997, Renault has sold 2.3 million of the mini-MPVs. The Kangoo will be available with a range of small diesel engines, including two bio-ethanol setups by the summer of 2008. The interior features very greatly from one trim level to the next, but all will come equipped with a handbrake designed to resemble the brake levers
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On-Roading: How To Keep Your Car Out Of The Snowy Ditch

With wintry weather a real possibility for those traveling tomorrow, we thought we'd share some safe winter driving tips. Those of you in the north are probably better prepared for snowy conditions, but the chance of snow and slush in Texas can only mean a lot more of this. Anybody have any special tricks?
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Jalopnik Holiday Gift Guide: Matchbox 50th Anniversary Commemorative Edition Book

Whether you're merely a novice Matchbox collector with a Rubbermaid container full of well-worn cars, or you're a pro carefully dusting your mint condition 1966 Open Diplomat, we think you'll enjoy this tome dedicated to the die-cast toys that filled our dreams. Filled with more pictures than details, the Matchbox 50th Anniversary Commemorative Edition Book will take you back to a time when your garage included a Porsche 914 and could fit under your bed. Product details below.
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Don't Get Stuffed: Turkey Day List Of Worst Speed Traps

In honor of Thanksgiving Day, the National Motorists Association has issued a revised list of speed traps. Some of the smaller town information is helpful (be wary of Uniontown, Alabama), though we're not sure how you're supposed to avoid all of Houston when traveling. With the weather turning south, we're guessing a lot of you won't get the chance to get to top speed anyways. Full list of speed traps below the jump:
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Bugatti Type 41 Royale

To many a pistonhead, the ultimate in Bugattiness is the Type 57 Atlantic. You'll hardly get an argument out of us: ultra dope automobile. However, after intense deliberations with the Postfather we decided that the pre-War Bug demanded by our merry old Garage has to be the Royale. Designed at the height of the jazz age by Etorre Bugatti to be the most magnificent car ever created, the Type 41 was a beast of a machine specifically intended to humble the Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, Hispano-Suizas and
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What To Drive In '75: Oleg Cassini Matador Or Grabber Maverick?

Years ago in a grimy Santa Ana thrift store, I spotted it: the Edmund's Car Prices Buyer's Guide for 1975. The year that may have been the rock-bottom nadir for American car buyers since World War II (when you couldn't buy new cars at all). This yellowed paperback immediately became one of my favorite possessions- the humor value of seeing the dollar figure for every crappy tape-stripe trim option, every emissions-strangled low-po engine, and so on couldn't be beat. Soon I developed a game I'd
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Worst. Spy Photo. Ever. And no, it's not just because it's the Porsche Panamera. Seriously — they need to outlaw sub-one-megapixel cameras on phones. (Hat tip to Ronán) [Irish Times]
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1972 Mercedes-Benz 280SEL 4.5

Last time we saw a Mercedes-Benz in this series, 86% of readers polled indicated they'd like to see some 70s Benzes down on Alameda's street (and speaking of The Island City That Forgot To Kill All Its Old Cars, congrats to fellow Alamedan Jimmy Rollins for winning the National League MVP award). I would have gone with this car regardless of poll results, since it represents the end of the W108 era and is in such nice shape. However, as is so often the case with older German cars, I can't figur
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Commenter Of The Day: Power Of Christ Compels Edition

When I was a freshman in high school I was totally obsessed with Stephen King's novel, The Tommyknockers. Little did I know that the seeming sci-fi/horror tale was actually a metaphor for cocaine psychosis. I loved it regardless. Or maybe because of. Anyhow, Gard, the hard drinking main character has a nemesis he calls, "Ted the Power Man." Coincidently, I had a nemesis of my own (also named Ted) who walked around school not only with the most outrageous mullet humanly possible (and we're talkin
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A Guide To Valet Parking Your Ride

[This guide was put together by valet parking expert/Jalopnik commentator M0L0TOV for your edification - ed. note] Once again, the holidays are upon us, parties, shopping, and other social events loom overhead. Some of us that are impatient or don't have the time will see the signs for "valet" and cough up the money to save us parking stress. However, if proper steps aren't taken, the convenience can be more of a headache than its worth.
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What To Do If You Put Gas In Your Diesel Tank

At one point we were switching between driving a gas-powered Taurus and an older diesel Mercedes sedan, which provided very different driving experiences. Because the Benz sounded like a tractor, it was rare that we got even close to putting regular gas in the tank. Though modern diesel sedans aren't common over here, the advancement in technology means that you could accidentally put premium in your oil-burner. What to do?
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Neil Young To Convert Classic Lincoln To Bio-Diesel Hybrid

Somewhere on a desert highway, she rides a Harley Davidson 1959 Lincoln Continental Bio-Diesel-Eletric Hybrid. Neil Young is taking a look at his life and realizing that his classic Lincoln is just burning too much fuel, so he's taken it to H-Line Conversions to get it converted to a hybrid that he claims will get 100 MPG. With a length near 20 feet, the only bigger hybrid on the road is likely to be an articulated bus. Press release about the car and his appearance on CNN below the jump:
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Marshall Lucky Has The Solution To Inflation!

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Chrysler Reveals Detroit Auto Show Concept Sketches Via Semi-Hilarious Web Comedy Routine

We give Chrysler PR main man Jason Vines a lot of credit — probably way too much — but it's because once in a while he's able to deliver from his ADD-adled mind some truly amazing attempts to break through the clutter and cacophony of noise that is automotive public relations. Whether it's fueling the fire of the "Muscle Car Wars" (coming soon to a Woodward Avenue near you!) or coming to work dressed as his favorite sexual fantasy, Vines certainly doesn't act like other auto PR bosses. The newe
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ZAP Gets UK Approval For Four-Door Electric Dork-Mobile

The Brits have approved Zap's little Xebra four-door electric car, opening the door for public sales. Though awkward by American standards, the Xebra could be considered "handsome" on the British scale, which is why it may be a small success across the pond. Oh, that and the fact that driver's don't have to pay congestion tolls or have to fill it up at a cost of £5,000 a litre. Press release below the jump:
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Identify These Parts, Win More Little Tree Schwag!

Our last Mystery Car/Little Tree Schwag contest had a winner in the first .006 seconds, in spite of only 337 examples of the Toyota 2000GT ever being manufactured. Oh yes, our readers know their cars, no doubt about it. But how about car innards? How about taking a shot at identifying a car using a blurry photograph of its innards scattered across a sheet of plywood? We're not fooling ourselves here- one of you is already jumping up and down and yelling "Ooooh! Oooh!" at this point, but at leas
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2009 Ford F-150 Uncovered!

UPDATE:The 2009 Ford F-150 officially revealed at the Detroit Auto Show! While we've already given you what you should expect from the new 2009 Ford F-150, and we've already even showed you a heavily cloaked new Toby Keith-powered truck, we've now got a real treat — an opportunity to peel some more layers off the exterior. We must say that having an engineer or marketing maven driving around town in an almost completely undisguised 2009 Ford F-150's one way of getting yourself canned from the
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1976 Ford Mustang

Nothing seems more emblematic of Malaise Era cars than what happened to the Mustang as the 70s progressed. First Ford went into Bloat Mode, piling on gingerbread and ever-larger bodywork on the once-sleek Mustang, then ditched the platform completely and produced the Pinto-based Mustang II starting in 1974. The Mustang II was actually a more sophisticated machine than its predecessor, but it was underpowered, suffered from crappy build quality, and (perhaps worst of all) looked like a cruel kil
By Murilee Martin Read More
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MT Names Cadillac CTS Car Of The Year, Needs Help Paying For Gas

Motor Trend has chosen the Cadillac CTS as its 2008 Car of the Year, attributing the win to sharp styling, great driving dynamics and luxury value — pretty much, the car rocked every category. For the General, it marks the first time in ten years that the company has taken home MT's top award. The Corvette won the Golden Calipers in 1998. Cadillac also has a special place in COTY history: Motor Trend's very first Car of the Year award went to Cadillac in 1949 when the award was given to an enti
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Brabus-Tuned Maybach 57 Hits 205 Mph In Nardo

There's a record for everything, though not every one gets equal weight among the record watchers. Take, for example, the title of Fastest and Most Exclusive Luxury Sedan. Show up at the Guinness doorstep with that belt, and they'll send you packing along with the guy sporting the world's largest buttocks-region carbuncle. Nonetheless, Mercedes tuning shop Brabus is still proud of its latest Maybach tweaker, a 57 that hit 205.2 mph on Italy's Nardo test track this week. Under the long, Maybachia
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Project Car Hell: Playboy Jimmy Or Two Triumphs?

After tipster Pixel hipped us to Tiny Trucks Hell (in which, incidentally, the Cony beat the Simcamino by a statistically insignificant eyelash), we knew our readers would keep sending in truly nightmarish, yet compelling, PCH suggestions. And we were right! Today we award another Project Car Hell Tipster T-shirt to tipster Phillip, who has dredged up a pair of projects that don't need a common theme to knock us out with their awesomeness.
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Hot Rodder To Build 500 MPH Motorcycle

Because there's no such thing as too fast or too dangerous, Mike Charlton of Eastlake, Ohio is intending to break 500 mph in a hand-built, jet-powered motorcycle. Already known for his 200 mph bike QuasiMoto and his 180 mph truck (pictured), this will be a 26-foot beast using a revamped U.S. navy fighter jet engine.
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Users Guide To Jalopnik: New Comments Features Addition

The editors here at Jalopnik dot com supply the posts, but your comments are what make us a family (and we mean that in the massive scotch-and-tryptophan-fueled argument after Thanksgiving dinner kind of way). That's why we've now made it even easier for you to keep track of your favorite commenters right from the front page.
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Petrole De Gens! Renault Concept Sets Emissions Record

Renault's Logan Renault eco² concept, a biodiesel eco-cruiser, set a new record at the Michelin Challenge Bibendum in Shanghai for traveling 107 miles on just 1.42 gallons of fuel with emissions of only 71g/km. Though part of the fuel conservation challenge involves driving at a slow rate of speed to maximize distance, it's important to point out that the little Logan-that-could ended up in second place out of 74 vehicles in the performance category. Full press release below the jump.
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300 MPG Electric Vehicle & Plug-In Hybrid For Under $30K

Aptera announced today that it would be producing both an all-electric and hybrid version of the 300 MPG prototype we told you about in July. The Aptera Typ-1 plug-in hybrid uses an all-electric drive train coupled to a small diesel gas engine and will achieve 300 MPG, while the all-electric version has a total range of 120 miles. The company claims that the car (categorized as a motorcycle by the Dept. of Transportation) in either form will be available for under $30,000! Aptera is Greek for "W
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Autoblog's John Neff just finished his stint in the 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe. Frankly, his picture atop the review sums it up. [Autoblog]
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Honda FCX Clarity

The most remarkable thing about driving Honda's FCX Clarity prototype isn't how it emits nothing but water, its torquey, 13,500 rpm electric motor, the hydrogen equivalent of 68 miles per gallon or the perverse pleasure that goes with driving a multimillion-dollar automobile. It's the air-conditioned seats. Notice I said driving, because other than the whirring buzz of the motor, the Clarity goes, brakes and turns just like any other car. I had to keep reminding myself I was indeed behind the wh
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Guangzhou International Auto Show: Ford Reveals Verve Sedan Concept

The Guangzhou International Auto Show is a Fiesta for small cars from Ford, highlighted by the introduction of the Ford Verve Concept sedan (actually, a four-door notchback) to compliment the Verve Concept hatch shown at Frankfurt. This vehicles shows off the bold move Ford is making towards bold mouths globally, including the S-Max and new Mondeo. A gallery of the hacthback below, as well as the press release:
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2008 Infiniti EX35 Pricing Announced

You can find yourself the proud owner of a 2008 Infiniti EX35 next month for just over $30,000. The standard EX comes in at $31,300 for the RWD with the 297 horsepower VQ, with a bump to $34,850 for the "Journey" package, which includes a power moonroof, leather-appointed surfaces, front and rear sonar and torpedos. If you insist on AWD, you'll have to shell out $32,700 for the basic privilege and $36,250 for the "Journey." You can easily clear $40K with the addition of technology such as the Ar
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Supercar Hypermiling Day 1: Ford GT

As if we didn't already know Zac Moseley from the Manhattan Classic Car Club has the best job in the world, he's driving it home this week with what we thought was an interesting class project: Five cars, five days, 250 miles and 7.5 gallons of gas. Is hypermiling more fun in a supercar than a Prius? We'll be running the show-and-tell all this week. — ed. For the next three weeks, my apartment is being gutted and I'm staying in Englewood, New Jersey with the in-laws. That means I'm a commuter. I
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TechArt Porsche Turbo Cabriolet

TechArt's again gone futzing with the latest Porsche models. This time it's the new, 997-model Turbo Cab, and as per usual, horsepower is way up. From the base cab's 3.6-liter flat six, TechArt's wrung 630 horsepower — 150 more than stock and up to 604 foot pounds of torque. Two versions of the wind-tunnel-tested body kit, for street or track duties, meet the ground-effects quota, and a TechArt add-on lowering kit, brakes and an range of interior finishings complete the tuner package. It'll all
By Mike Spinelli Read More
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OK, kids — real quick now, what's funny about this eBay listing for the rear seat to a late model GMC Yukon? If you guessed the "current bid" at $99,999,999.00 — you're only half way there. That's actually just people dicking with the seller. No, the real hilarity is why he's being dicked with. [eBay]
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1965 Ford Mustang

After we saw the beat-to-shit '68 Mustang last month, I promised we'd also see some nicer examples of Ford's hot-selling Falcon sibling. Well, Alameda has quite a few rough, Bondo-laden 60s Mustangs, but it's been tough to find pretty ones; I suspect what little garage space exists on the island is full of show-quality California Specials and the like. This '65 parks on the street every day, however, and it's in decent shape.
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There Is A God! Automotive News Reports Pontiac To Get G8 Ute, Wagon

It would seem that although GM product czar "Maximum" Bob Lutz may be the #2 man at GM and the #1 man in our hearts, it appears he may have lost the battle for making a new GM ute a GMC. While we're disappointed we won't be able to continue hearing his excited desire for a "Caballero," we're excited about news this morning from Automotive News that is quite possibly the most important piece of news we'll see on these pages this year. Here's the scoop — as we've already reported — we won't be g
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Hennessey Reveals 1000 HP Venom GT Concept Car

Looks like Hennessey Performance Engineering — the tuners of all things Mopar and SRT — are not going to sit back and kick up their heels with their twin-turboed Viper — the Venom 1000 SRT. No, they've just revealed their suspected new concept super car, the Venom GT — and yes, it's mid-engined. The Steve Everitt-penned light wight chassis Venom GT will incorporate Hennessey's massive Venom 1000 Twin Turbo Viper V10 powerplant and all thousand of it's snake-spookin' horses and still tip the sc
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2009 Mercedes CLC-Class

One of Brenda Priddy's spy shooters found themselves face to tri-bladed face with what appears to be a very lightly disguised 2010 Mercedes C Sportcoupé — which we're told will be called the "CLC-Class." Although this replacement for the C-Class will be getting a few new letters added to the name to go along with the pretty new look, we're told it'll still be based on the chassis of the outgoing C?class. We're also told that just like the chassis, the engine choices for the CLC will be the sam
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Detroit Gas War Turns Deadly, Station Owner Killed Over 3 Cent Price Bump

So there's these two stations over on Fort Street near Springwells in Detroit. One's a BP and the other's a Marathon station. Both are known for offering pretty decent gas prices downtown and we've bought gas at both stations depending on which station seemed to have the daily price leverage over the other. But apparently the penny price war between the two stations we'd always taken advantage of has now gone deadly. Last night BP station owner Jawad Bazzi got a bullet to the head over a 3-c
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But...Indiana Jones never rides bitch. [theaterhopper]
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2007 LA Auto Show

UPDATED AT 11/16 9:00 AM EST Here's your official at-a-glance cheat sheet for the 2007 LA Auto Show. Stop by this post here at the top of the page throughout the show to see what the team in town is seeing and...
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Preview: Jalopnik Drives The Honda FCX Clarity

You're looking at Honda's new hydrogen fuel cell powered FCX Clarity parked in front of the Malibu Presbyterian Church that was destroyed in the recent fires. As the Clarity emits water and achieves the gasoline consumption equivalent of 68 mpg, we thought it only fitting to shoot it parked in front of one of Global Warming's victims. The Clarity, of course, is supposed to help with all that — although we're still not real clear on the clarity of the environmental benefits of hydrogen created
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Project Car Hell, Tiny Truck Edition: Simcamino Or Cony?

Today we've got our first Project Car Hell Tipster T-shirt winner! Pixel unearthed these fine truck projects for us, and look how cute they are! How could such happy little haulers ever cause you to writhe in the flesh-searing flames of the damned? Not only that, but either one of them would be incredibly useful when it came time to haul parts for your next Hell Project- just figure on taking a weekend or two and a couple hundred bucks to get your Tiny Hell Truck into shape, then you'll be read
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The Best Way To Refuel Your FCX Clarity

You're going to want a Honda Home Energy Station IV if you're going to be tooling around town in your new Clarity fuel cell vehicle, lest you should have to fill up at a community hydrogen station like a commoner. This trick station hooks up to your home's natural gas supply and not only produces hydrogen for your FCV, but also heating and electricity for your home. The system provides a reduction in emissions and energy use by utilizing gas purification and power generation in one unit. Like al
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Down On The Tokyo Street: Nissan Gloria Woody

We've been getting quite a few DOTSBE photos from readers lately, with the Denver 944 Cabrio and New Orleans Rusty Impala being a couple of recent examples. Today we head across the water to Tokyo, where intrepid British globetrotter Rust-MyEnemy had his camera ready for action when he spotted this fugitive from the always-hungry Japanese Crusher...
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American Le Mans Series 2008 Season Preview

Let's face it: working for the entirety of the daylight hours and commuting only in darkness sucks. Daylight Savings Time can bite me. But here's a bright spot: it looks like the American Le Mans Series 2008 season is going to rule like the Wyld Stallyns. Click to find out why. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images.)
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Rules Of The Road: Safety Belt Laws

Stickshifts and Safety belts, Bucket seats have all got to go. When we're driving in the car it makes my baby seem so far. - Cake
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LA Auto Show: Suzuki SX4 Makai Concept

Though it may never see the light of production, this SX4 hatchback-based convertible would be an excellent beach car (though maybe not as nice as an old Brat). The Suzuki SX4 Makai Concept is all about fun, and fun means no roof, smaller windshield and a roll bar. Also surfboards. You can't have fun without surfboards. In addition to the obvious exterior changes, the car also gets a set of four ventilated seats, lotos of music power, a Momo Sport steering wheel and color-keyed accent lighting.
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LA Auto Show: Spykers

You know what's hard? Having just one favorite supercar maker. Go ahead, say Ferrari and I'll park my Murcielago next to your 599 GTB, making the latter look like nothing but a shiny red Corvette with yellow horse stickers pasted all over it. Luckily we write about cars for a living, guaranteeing that not only will we soon be able to afford all the hot Italian metal we want, but our yacht will totally be able to handle a helicopter. Wow. We just went insane for a full minute. Well, a little ment
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LA Auto Show: Kia KND-4 Concept

Nothing says green and sexy like a little Kia turbodiesel action. What you see here is the KIA KND-4 compact SUV concept, meant to show off that Kia can make a sharp mini-ute for the urban crowd that never actually wants to get off the road. More interesting than the outside is what's under the hood. This baby is powered by a 2.2-liter Variable Geometry Turbocharger diesel engine with Active Torque Transfer, which helps keep you moving forward in slippery conditions. While not as hip as the giga
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Saab's New "Cross Wheel Drive" In Detail

This week, Saab announced it would give the world of car watchers something unexpected — rear wheel drive. Well, in a sense. It's Saab's new Cross Wheel Drive system, by Sweden's Haldex, and it offers up to 100-percent rear torque transfer. Of course, the front wheels get the same consideration. It's the first US buyers will see of the latest-generation Haldex AWD platform, which will also find its way into cars from VW/Audi and Ford. Saab's contribution to the system is an active, yaw-damping l
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1969 Volkswagen Beetle

Since 78% of you voted pro-Beetle a while back, it's time for us to look at a few of the numerous late-60s/early-70s examples I've photographed on the island. This one doesn't look so different from the '59 Beetle we saw a week ago, but plenty of changes took place under that 30s-style skin during the decade. Most important, the old rollover-friendly swingaxle rear suspension was replaced with a proper IRS unit for '69.
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LA Auto Show: 1981 Mitsubishi Lancer EX 2000 Turbo Group 4 Rally Car

Here it is children, the primeval Japanese street-fighter. Mitsubishi has it at their display to help showcase all ten generations of Lancer Evolutions. The EX 2000 Rally Car packed 280 hp. In 1981. We friggin' heart it. Look at the fog lights, all four of them. Look at the riveted on rear rubber fender flares. Even the trunk latch rules. We're thinking we have little else to say. So, enjoy the gallery.
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General Motors To Send Hybrids To Middle East

The General is very happy to announce that it'll be exporting some of its two-mode Tahoes and Malibu to the Middle East; the Middle East is happy to announce that it doesn't want them and is sending them back (j/k). The Dubai Roads & Transit Authority will be taking possession of the vehicles to use as fleet cars and cabs as part of a test program. The great thing about hybrids is they only slow our dependence on oil in the Middle East, making sure we'll care about them forever. We're actually n
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PCH, Turbodiesel Edition: Peugeot 505 Or Toyota Camry?

We see the Omni GLH has pulled ahead of the Porsche 924 Turbo by a 60-40 margin in yesterday's Choose Your Eternity poll, but what we aren't seeing is the big picture. As in, holy crap, the oil is running out! Yes, the wells were pumping, pumping, all thatcha like, but now we need to start thinking about what we'll be driving in a post-global-socio-econo-nihilo no-more-cheap-oil sorta world. We don't want to give up on internal combustion, and we just gotta have forced induction, so it would se
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LA Auto Show: Faurecia Press Kit

Who do we love? Faurecia! Why do we love them? Because they are French and they took a 1972 Tatra, gutted the innards, ripped the engine out of the butt and created one of the most striking vehicles here at the LA Auto Show. Both inside and out. And of course, Davey and I are convinced that Faurecia's been listening in on our phone calls. Yesterday we snapped some exterior shots of their design study which were very nice indeed. However, the fine folks at Faurecia handed us a press kit with even
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A Tale Of Two Chargers

I met Randy in the 90s, back when both of us worked at a certain musclecar-parts company with the same name as an X song, and since then he's been helping me out with the scoop on all things Mopar. He's also a pretty good writer and has quite a story to tell about a pair of '69 Chargers he's owned since the 80s...
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Enterprise Opens First Ethanol Branch

Because there aren't enough things for rental car companies to screw up, Enterprise is now opening an all flexfuel branch in Kirkwood, Missouri (a suburb of St. Louis). This is another salvo in the war to seem the greenest, with other companies offering carbon offsets and hybrids and the like. The new location will be adjacent to the city's first E85 pump, so that drivers can actually put ethanol in their rentals. GM makes a fairly large fleet of ethanol vehicles, so you should still be able to
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We Hear From The Toronado Limowagon's Owner!

Remember the Six-Wheeled Olds Toronado Limowagon we saw here a while back? We were all in awe of its majesty, of course, and now its owner has seen fit to let us know the story behind this fine machine. Jump like the guests of a drunken bachelorette party discovering a case of free champagne in the Limowagon to read owner Curtis' story in his own words:
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IIHS Announces Top Safety Pick Awards For 2008

They of the smashed bumper over at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have announced their 2008 Top Safety Pick awards, and this year it comes in large pickup flavor! There were 34 top safety picks overall, including 11 new additions to the lineup. The first truck to make the list was the Toyota Tundra, which was beefed up with every safety feature Toyota could throw at it. Other notable additions include the Audi A3, Honda Element and Hyundai Veracruz. The full list and press release be
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LA Auto Show: 2009 Nissan Murano

The re-styled Nissan Murano also bowed at the auto show this week, though it was slightly overshadowed by its world eating cousin. The new Murano has styling that we're told "imparts a "modern art" feel, but still maintains its "Murano-ness." Are they saying it like that's a good thing? The new Murano gets its motivation from a revised version of everyone's favorite 3.5L VQ V6, this time putting out 265 horsepower and connected to a new Xtronic CVT transmission. The theme of this new car is "mob
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LA Auto Show: 2008 Toyota Sequoia

Toyota's new 2008 Sequoia looks like it's been hitting the 'roids (I swear, it was flaxseed oil), with a new, bulkier front-end that looks like it was grafted directly from the Tundra, with a little more heft added around the fenders. And what's the point of taking steroids without getting a performance enhancement? The Sequoia will now be available with a DOHC 5.7-liter V8 producing 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque. Tie that to a new six-speed transmission and you'll get a little more for
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1988 CMC Gazelle

You've always wanted a 1929 Mercedes-Benz SSK roadster, but felt the price was a bit high and the technology on the outdated side? Many felt that way in the 70s and 80s, and felt strongly enough to purchase the Classic Motor Carriages Gazelle. Available in kit or assembled form (until CMC was forced out of business in 1994), the Gazelle has a devoted following of enthusiasts to this day. Like an original SSK with stories to tell this example has quite a story, too, being the source of much neig
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LA Auto Show: Vector WX-8 In The Flesh

When I stop and reflect about why I spend more time thinking about cars than I do, well, anything, one of the defining, transcendental moments has to be when I was around 12-years-old with my father at the LA Auto Show. In one hall they had the "other" makes including the Lamborghini LM002 and my absolute favorite, the Vector W2. And they were next to each other. And I was 12. And nothing in the entire world could have been any better. In any way. Well friends, fast forward two decades and her
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First Finishers Hit Cabo In Baja 1000

Despite our best laid plans conceived in March, we never quite make it to the Baja Peninsula in November for the most testis-outward off-road race on this continent. It's the Baja 1000, a thousand-mile-plus jaunt from Ensenada, Mexico down to the rich-gringo playground of Cabo San Lucas. It's largely an affair of the unlimited-class trucks, buggies and motorcycles into which most corporate dollars pour, though anyone with a Volkswagen and a dream can attempt the combination of searing heat, talc
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Inside Chrysler's Two-Mode HEMI Hybrid System

On the outside, a hybrid is usually just a badge and a smug driver. On the inside is where all the fun happens. In that spirit we bring you the internals of the Chrysler version of the two-mode hybrid system (after a long day of previews and reveals we thought you deserved a little mechanical pr0n). This system is considered "two-mode" because it utilizes a continuously variable transmission with two modes. When going slow and not carrying much the hybrid can use electric power, engine power or
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LA Auto Show: Hyundai RWD Coupe

UPDATE: First shots are live! Brian Lam and I are here on the floor of the LA Convention Center waiting for the Hyundai Genesis Coupe to...oh there it goes. Once my eyes adjusted to the metal-flake, nuclear-sunrise orange initial impressions were RSX headlights on a Lexus IS wedge. Of course, the special thing is that Hyundai promises the coupe to be the cheapest 300HP RWD sports car ever, not just out of Seoul — we'll see if it'll beat a Mustang in pricing. The Viper-esque hood vents and carb
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Project Car Hell, Cheap Turbo Edition: 924 Or Omni GLH?

In many ways, the 80s were the heyday of turbocharging. Sure, present-day force-fed engines make way more power, run cleaner, and suffer from less turbo lag than their 80s counterparts, but there's something so right about an 80s machine covered with TURBO emblems. So put on your Members Only jackets and/or leg warmers, tune in some Reagan campaign ads, and crack open your wallet just wide enough to pay the toll into HELL!
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PPI-Tuned R8 To Bow At Essen Motor Show

For those who find the stock Audi R8 to be a little on the heavy and slow side, Audi tuners PPI have stepped up to create the PPI R8, which is set to debut at the Essen Motor Show this December according to the folks at World Car Fans. Exterior enhancements come in the form of a new carbon fiber aerodynamics kit with a larger and meaner looking front air dam and a set of magnesium wheels that lower weight. On the inside, the car comes with a new exhaust system, air filter and engine management s
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Send In Project Car Hell Tips, Get A T-Shirt!

Some of our favorite Project Car Hell cars have been those that we heard about from readers who emailed us tips, and we want to encourage even more of you to become PCH Tipsters. That's why I've spent next to nothing spared no expense to make these fine handcrafted T-shirts for our beloved Tipster Crew. Yes, starting with the crappiest thrift-store shirts imaginable the highest-quality shirts I could obtain, each color of clearance sale spray paint garment-grade dye was applied using only the m
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Jalopnik Holiday Gift Guide: Lego Ferrari F1 Racer

Though you don't quite get the low wind resistance of the real thing, this gorgeous 1:8 scale Ferrari F1 model from LEGO is a lot more than just a toy. Or maybe it's just a toy, but it's a fantastic one. Over two feet in length, this great clone features a working steering wheel, suspension and moving pistons. Having toyed around with one of these, I can tell you that you'll have as much fun putting it together as you will showing it off to friends. Product details below:
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LA Auto Show: 2009 Toyota Matrix Rally Sport

Supercharged? Check. Intercooled? Big time. 19" Wheels and beefier brakes? You know it. Diffuser? Apparently. Hood scoop? Yeah. Roof scoop? Hell yeah. Why, it's the new Toyota Matrix Rally Sport. Get 'em while they're hot! Make the jump to read the press release.
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LA Auto Show: Honda FCX Clarity

[Update: Full first drive road test here] Honda's hydrogen powered family sedan has a new name — Clarity. Following a decades old corporate mandate, "Blue Skies For Our Children," the mid-size Clarity will (supposedly) return an EPA-certified 68 MPG. The Clarity also will pass federal safety standards, start in minus 22 degree weather and survive trips out to Las Vegas (high heat). Refueling is still a pain as you either need a getting-smaller-but-still-bulky natural gas fired home unit, or live
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UAW Approves Labor Deal With Ford, Still Stuck Watching Reruns Of The Office

Ford announced today that its approximately 54,000 UAW-reprsented employees in the US have accepted the four-year national labor agreement that was tentatively approved on November 3rd. Alan Mullaly said "This agreement is proof that by working together with our UAW partners, it is possible to find solutions that collectively benefit our employees, retirees and the company... specifically the ones we haven't already bought out." This will, unfortunately, have no impact whatsoever on the Hollywoo
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LA Auto Show: Lincoln MKS Revealed Live

We showed the press shots of the new 2009 Lincoln MKS late last night — and now here it is — the car Ford CEO Alan Mulally just called the "Caddy-killer" has just been revealed live here at the LA Auto Show. Look at that boldly designed "double winged split grille" signifying the "new design language of the Lincoln brand" as explained to the press folks by Mark "the Mullet" Fields and Peter "Hi I'm Dave" Horbury. It's a look we're affectionately calling the "Horbury hangnail." Next look at tha
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The Top Traffic Ticket Myths Challenged!

I once had a friend who claims to have belched her way out of a speeding ticket. Whether true or not, a local TV station in Fresno, California decided to challenge some myths about traffic tickets by interviewing a local police officer. Though specifically for the Fresno area, most of these are fairly applicable to other situations. Are you more likely to get pulled over near a police station? How much over the speed limit can you drive before getting pulled over? Can you get a ticket for going
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LA Auto Show Preview: 2009 Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid

It's Chrysler's other first production hybrid... and it's got a HEMI... it's got the same HEMI! The 2009 Durango HEMI Hybrid is maybe the cooler, rougher, slightly less-suburban brother of the Aspen HEMI Hybrid. Other than the big cross-hair grille and other cosmetic touches it's basically the same vehicle. This model also gets the two-mode 5.7-liter HEMI setup, the LED headlights, MyGIG entertainment system and other stock goodies such as a rear park assist camera, electronic roll mitigation an
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LA Auto Show Preview: 2009 Chrysler Aspen HEMI Hybrid

That's right, it's Chrysler's first production hybrid... and it's their biggest SUV... and it's gotta HEMI! The 2009 Aspen HEMI hybrid comes with the hybrid two-mode system (developed with GM, Mercedes-Benz and BMW) mated to a 5.7-liter HEMI tuned for 385 horsepower. The setup is good for more than a 25-percent overall increase in fuel economy and almost a 40-percent increase in city driving. The model you see here is set to hit driveways somewhere around mid-2008. When it arrives, standard equi
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1984 Porsche 928S

We'e seen a Porsche 912 and a couple of 911s in this series, but it's taken me until now to find a 928 parked down on Alameda's street. So here we go- a Fantasy Garage/DOTS combo!
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LA Auto Show Preview: Volkswagen Space Up! Blue Plug-In Hybrid

For the Los Angeles show, Volkswagen's ubiquitous new minicar concept, dubbed Up!, alights the hybrid bandwagon (bandwagen?). It's a version of the more spacious Space Up! from the Tokyo auto show, powered by a novel fuel-cell hybrid drive system with solar support. The system's an outgrowth of VW's research in gas cells that operate at a higher temperature than traditional ones. VW engineers say the cells, which can reach temperatures of 248 degrees Fahrenheit, stand to be lighter, more compa
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LA Auto Show Preview: Audi Cross Cabriolet Quattro

No, wait — it's not Shanghai redux, it's actually something new. Audi's re-revealing the Cross quattro concept car from the Shanghai Auto Show earlier this year except they've done something "dramatic." That's right — they've dropped the top to now reveal it as the Audi Cross Cabriolet quattro concept car. Can anyone say Chevy Camaro drop-top? Also — we feel like we're just being teased for today's main event — the reveal of the new Audi Q5. Well, all the new deets on the convertible concept b
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LA Auto Show Preview: 2009 Lincoln MKS

So I'm sitting here with Phil Floraday from the Road that is ever-Winding and we're here at the Mini party trying to figure out what to say about Batman's new whip, the 2009 Lincoln MKS. Here's our convo:
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LA Auto Show Preview: 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Dual-Mode Hybrid

Tomorrow here at the LA Auto Show, an automaker will finally be announcing they've built themselves a dual-mode hybrid pickup truck. But who knew the automaker that'd get 'er done would be GM? That's right the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado hybrid will be the industry's most fuel-efficient full-size pickup truck with a GM-claimed 40% increase in city fuel economy and 25% increase in overall fuel economy. Supposedly the new electric towing sled from the General will even be able to stay in electric-o
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LA Auto Show Preview: 2009 Chevrolet Aveo5

The 2009 Aveo5 is out, looking fairly similar to the European Aveo that we caught debuting at the Frankfurt Auto Show a couple of months ago, including the same gaping overbite and unnecessary vents near the A-pillar. While not the sportiest looking vehicle on the road, the new Aveo5 does come with a new 1.6L DOHC Ecotec engine that sports variable valve timing and is good for 107 horsepower and 26/34 mpg. The updated "tall car" interior has the stomach to match its mouth, swallowing 42 cubic
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Commenter Of The Day: KISS Edition

We had the unfortunate experience of watching Gene Simmons: Family Jewels for the first time this weekend. Trust us, there was nothing we could do. Besides what we can only assume to be the show's ordinary crapulence, this particular episode featured both Danny Bonaduce and Carrot Top. On a side note, if you ever want to make yourself violently nauseous, do an image search for Carrot Top. Back to Chaim Witz Gene Simmons, in this particular episode he managed to crazy glue one of Carrot Top's dil
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Project Car Hell, Bad Photo Edition: Midget Or Sonett?

So we had another near-tie in yesterday's DKW-versus-Fairlady Choose Your Eternity poll, which may be partially attributable to the hard-to-decipher photos in each vehicle's listing. If you can't see the whole car, you can't tell how hellish and/or cool it really is, right? However, those photos were bad just because the sellers were too lazy to move the crap that's blocking the camera. How about the seller who can't seem to operate the camera at all? What does that tell you about the sort of h
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Satisfaction With Renting Cars Declines, You No Like Taurus?

Proving there's nothing about the traveling experience that's enjoyable to anyone anymore, J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Rental Car Satisfaction Study has found that people have a worse experience renting cars this year compared to last. Based on a completely made-up scale, overall satisfaction dropped 17 points to 750 in 2007, from 767 in 2006 (which is high?). Enterprise tops the list at 777 on the 1,000-point scale, compared to 762 for Hertz and a low 731 for Dollar. The findings are below t
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Ford Follows Fashion: Mercury Launches VOGA Series Cars

As if there was any remaining question Mercury's become Ford's chick brand (Jill Wagner, call the front desk) it's gone the way of the tube dress. That message's been strengthened by the introduction of Mercury's new VOGA-edition vehicles. It's the latest in a long line of Ford's designer-edition models, starting with the Bill Blass, Cartier, Givenchy and Pucci edition Lincolns of the mid-1970s. Like its siblings, the 2008 VOGA edition Mariner is the product of the Italian design house, not repr
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Step Livery: The Mercury Mariner Livery Package

If you're one seriously fly mofo looking for a special limo that doesn't gulp unleaded like that blond from Omaha put away bottles of Krug Grand Cuvée, you might consider putting Mercury on your list. At least, that's what the company's beseeching. Ford's promoting a new livery package for the Mercury Mariner Hybrid, dubbed fittingly, the Mercury Mariner Hybrid Livery Package. Exactly what constitutes the livery package, however, Ford failed to mention in the press release (jump). All we know is
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BMW 7 Series Spotted Entering GM's Milford Proving Grounds

Tomorrow at the LA Auto Show we'll be seeing the product of BMW's continued work with GM and the two divorced sides of what was once the German-American hybrid, Daimler and Chrysler — the Hemi Hybrids from Chrysler and GM's full-size GMT-900 hybrid SUV's. BMW's full-size SUV powered by the joint research between all of them knights of Teuton and the 'merican revolution of GM will be coming soon, but not expected to be revealed here in LA. But notice how I used the word "continued" — because an
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A Honda Element Camper For The Elements

There's nothing quite like the moment you first see the top pop off of a VW Westfalia for the first time. It's like the world and the roof open up at the same time. For those who want that same experience in a new vehicle, there's the Ursa Minor ECAMPER, which uses the Honda Element instead of a Vanagon. This sharp modification includes a 7' x 4' mattress, low-current LED lighting and panoramic views. It'll set you back $4,300 to camper-ize your Element (a little more if you want it to match the
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Jalopnik Holiday Gift Guide: Encyclopedia Of American Cars

Though the Internet has mostly limited the need for printed materials, there's just something appealing about five pounds of inky paper dedicated to the American automotive experiment (j/k, keep reading blogs). There are many great resources out there for the car fan, but the "Encyclopedia of America Cars" is one of our favorites. Compiled by the auto editors of Consumer Guide, this beauty weighs in at nearly 900 pages and includes detailed descriptions of every car by every major American brand
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Rapper Common To Sell Out For 2008 Lincoln Navigator

Common is the latest in a long line of rising or falling (ahem Flex) hip-hop stars to endorse an SUV, in this case the 2008 Lincoln Navigator. There's generally nothing wrong with a rapper, even a conscious rapper, marketing an SUV. Mos Def once marketed a Denali and, you know what, the world didn't end. But there's something about this that bugs us. Common constantly shills for PETA and is now marketing a product that's more cow than steel? Let's hope he selects the faux-leather option. Full pr
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2008 BMW 3 Series Sedan, Sport Wagon Launched And Now Priced

Fear not! BMWgasm PR day continues with new pricing for the 2008 BMW 3 Series Sedan and Sport Wagon, which is all but indiscernible from the 2007 model. You'll have to fork over $33,175 for the entry-level 328i Sedan, $39,675 for the entry-level 335i Sedan and $34,975 for the 328i Sports Wagon. The most expensive of all 3 series (non-M) is the 335xi AWD model, topping out at $41,575 before you start throwing on all of the fun options like paddle shifters and cheese sorters. All the PR you can ha
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LA Auto Show Preview: 2008 Cadillac Escalade Platinum

We're going to attempt the impossible by writing about the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Platinum without using the B-word. Let's just say that with its 22-inch wheels, humongo-LED headlights, magnetic ride control, and three LCD screens it makes the base Escalade look like a Saturn Vue. The premium guzzler comes in either regular or extra large (ESV) and includes the pedestrian 6.2L V8, which is still good for the 403 horsepower you're going to need to haul that massive, CTS-inspired grille. As if
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2008 BMW 6 Series Coupe, Convertible Revealed, Launched And Now Priced

We kid you not — the press release for the new 2008 BMW 6 Series is 25 pages long. Seriously. We've no idea why on God's green earth you'd need 25 pages to describe the new hardtop and drop-top versions of the 650i when we already all knew the facelift would be "mild." Heck, in the release lede, BMW calls this four-year-old model merely "A fresher look, new standard and optional equipment give the 650i Coupe and Convertible even more appeal for 2008." If you're just looking for the basics on t
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1965 Dodge D100 Pickup

We've seen a couple of GMC trucks recently in this series, plus a Ford-badged Mazda and a Datsun, but we haven't seen a Dodge truck for months. Here's a work truck that parks in my neighborhood; usually it's full of ladders and lumber, but I managed to catch it in an unladen state.
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Blasting From The Past: Vector Avtech WX8

Somewhere at the Los Angeles auto show, while the world's automakers are splaying their latest show ponies under million-dollar lighting kits, a revival of sorts is quietly taking place. Car freaks of a certain age remember the trials and triumphs of Vector as they might the rise and fall of a forgotten Hollywood starlet. Once America's answer to the Lamborghini Countach, the Vector began life as a design study at the 1971 LA show, and blossomed after some fits and starts into a full-blown, if s
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Commenter Of The Day: ATV Nightmare Edition

Once again, Signore Loverman is off-duty for COTD today, and since he bought his first shotgun at the age of three, we won't inquire too closely about the reasons why he asked me to sub for him this fine Monday evening. Sometimes we give this award to the commenter who lasers straight to the core of a topic with his or her pithy one-liner, and sometimes the award goes to a commenter who writes a lengthy essay full of numerous hyperlinks to handy references, all done on the timeclock at The Man'
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Project Car Hell: Fairlady Or DKW?

Last week, we learned that 63% of you prefer eternity with a basket-case American kit car to eternity with a rattletrap French beach car. What lessons to be learned from that remain unclear, but what is clear is that today's Classic Ad Watch post dictates that we include a DKW in today's Choose Your Eternity competition.
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Diesel Tops Hybrids, E85 In RAND Study

Those funky number crunchers at the RAND Corp have found that owning a diesel is slightly more cost efficient for the buyer than a hybrid, but that owning either contributes to the betterment of society. The study also found that E85 kind of blows, relative to the other options. Diesel was the overall winner as it provided the highest savings over the life of the vehicle ($460 for cars, $1,249 for SUV's and $2,289 for trucks), compared to hybrids ($198 for cars, $505 for trucks and $1,066 for SU
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2009 Cadillac BRX

We just received the following spy shots from the enterprising cloak n' dagger shooters at KGP of the new Cadillac BRX. The BRX crossover is set to replace the slow-selling SRX as early as next fall. The long-wheelbase Theta II-platformed Car-UV would be the longer kissin' cousin of the Saturn Vue — which it was just seen testing alongside of in these shots. We'll let KGP take it from here:
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2018 Mazda3 Concept To Be Modeled Live At LA Auto Show

Mallory McMorrow will be living the dream at the LA Auto Show as a full-scale model of her 2018 Mazda3 concept will be carved out of clay, LIVE! This is all part of the "Mazda Design Challenge," which invited contestants to describe and draw their ideal 2018 Mazda3. The finalists were paired with Mazda designers to have their concept sketched professionally before being put to a vote on Facebook. In addition to seeing her model formed out of the clay, she'll get $1,000 in cash, a trip to the aut
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Foose Cuts All Ties With Unique Performance

The ongoing Unique Performance saga continues, with Chip Foose and Foose Design joining Shelby as ex-partners. Not only is the company jumping ship, it's also considering legal action against Unique Performance. No one has gone to jail yet, but property has been seized and it looks like it's heading that way. Calls to Unique Performance Owner Doug Hasty (pictured here with Foose) have not been returned. Full release after the jump.
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Aussie Hoons' Rides To Be Crushed Under New "YouTube Law"

The New South Wales Government is fed up with illegal street racing and has decided to implement the "YouTube Law," wherein confiscated cars will be crushed in "crash test experiments" and then shown on YouTube for hoons to watch. Prompted by the deaths of two citizens in August in an alleged street racing accident, the police have confiscated nearly 300 cars for their little experiments.
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1973 Pontiac Grand Am Colonnade, With Bonus Malaise Era Rant

1973: The Malaise Era was just kicking off, with the Arab oil embargo and Nixon's Saturday Night Massacre letting everyone know that pessimism would be the order of the day for quite a while. The Vietnam War was clearly not going to result in another hide for Uncle Sam to nail onto the barn, and- perhaps worst of all- engine compression ratios were getting smaller and car bumpers were getting bigger. Into this quagmire slogged the '73 Pontiac Grand Am Colonnade, with wild styling that showed th
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Proton Building An Islamic Car?

Who knew cars could be religious? Apparently Proton's making a car they plan to build in Malaysia, Iran and Turkey — highlighted by an order to supply 5000 taxis to Teheran. Proton's claiming the car they'll be using to fill the order will be an "Islamic car." What makes it so religiously tag-lined? How about that it's fitted with a compass pointing to Mecca and a compartment to store prayer scarves and a Koran. Jeez, if that's what determines whether a car is Islamic, methinks any car with a
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Commenter Of The Day: Viking Senior Citizens Edition

Once again, Doctor Loverman is busy (no doubt performing a heart massage using a dirty toilet plunger), and so the duty of selecting the COTD falls to me. Today we had a chorus of huzzahs for this commenter's observation about Teutonic methods of keeping the elderly from slowing society down, and we're giving the latest Commenter of the Day award in accordance with the will of the mob.
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Workhorse Engine Of The Day: Porsche Flat Six

We weren't so sure about this engine's qualifications for WEOTD status, not because it doesn't measure up in the awesomeness department but because it's damn near impossible to figure out whether those perfectionist Porsche engineers have completely blank-sheet-of-paper redesigned the thing repeatedly (keeping only the general layout, mounting hardware, and the bore centers). If we agree that the boxer six-banger from Stuttgart has been essentially the same engine with a constant series of upgr
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All Aboard The Amtrak Auto Train

One of the biggest complaints people have about taking Amtrak is that they don't have their car when they get where they're going (that and the delays/long trips). Since the 1970's there's been a solution in the form of the Auto Train, which allows passengers to take their cars with them. The train only operates from near Washington, D.C. (Lorton, VA) to near Orlando (Sanford, FL), making it popular amongst those headed to Disney World.
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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A Guide To Open Container Laws

[Knowing your rights as a motorist is as important as knowing which pedal to hit when a tree looms. In a new, weekly feature called "Rules of the Road," Jalopnik's own political and legal wonk Matt Hardigree will cover the auto-related statutes that govern operation, registration and ownership of our cars. Read it. In addition to preventing minor inconveniences, it could determine whether or not you'll become roommates with a guy named "Ashcan" who has a penchant for frottage. — ed.] No one on t
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Ford Mustang Bullitt Timeline Drive

The 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt edition doesn't have quad camshafts or forty-eight valves in the cylinder heads. There is no turbocharger under the hood. The Mustang doesn't pack an eight speed twin-clutch super sequential transmission. The Mustang needs not even one of these things to be exactly what it is - a purely American machine that's a blast to drive.
By Mike Bumbeck Read More
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Engine Swap Of The Day: Fiat DOHC Into A Lada 2101

Say you're a young hoon in a former Iron Curtain nation chock full of old Russian cars, and you want to do a low-buck engine upgrade. What to do? Well, one easy route is to start with an old rear-wheel-drive Lada and then stuff a readily-available Fiat Twin-Cam engine in it. Since the Lada is based on the Fiat 124, it's reasonably close to a bolt-in deal (though a certain amount of bash-to-fit engineering is needed, due to the whole "based on" business). This Hungarian site has the swap pretty
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What Data? Renault Denies Using McLaren Info

Renault has issued a sort-of-denial, claiming that they had McLaren data but it didn't end up in their car. As we mentioned yesterday, Renault was accused of having stolen McLaren F1 data (which might have originally been stolen from Ferrari). The best part is where they admit that engineers may have seen some "reduced scale" drawings but that they didn't influence the Renault's design... right. The statement, in all its hilarious glory, below the jump:
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Supplies! Brembo Buys Hayez Lemmerz' Brake Division

Brembo North America, maker of the car parts that stop bad rich drivers from killing themselves in their Porches, has just purchased the Automotive Brake Components division of Hayes Lemmerz (the largest maker of commercial wheels in the world). The move should make Brembo brakes better, faster and (hopefully) cheaper as the company inherits more production facilities here in the U.S.A. Full press release below the jump.
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2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid Revealed

That's right, the largest and most luxurious of all domestic SUV's has gone green-ish, for those whose consumption isn't conspicuous or self-gratifying enough. This big green monster comes with GM's 2-Mode Hybrid system, consisting of a 300-volt battery with motors tied to the standard 6.0L V-8 through an electrically variable transmission (good for 18MPG!). This embargo was destroyed by the scary men at TTAC, who care not for your media regulations. One would expect to see the GMT-900's hybrid
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The LeMons People's Curse Award: Doomed 7-Series

One of the traditions of the 24 Hours of LeMons race is the People's Curse award, in which participants vote for their least favorite car. The "winner" of this vote is then destroyed early in Day Two, and let that be a lesson to jerky drivers and/or cheating teams who spend far over the $500 limit on their cars! At the Altamont LeMons race a couple weeks back, the People's Curse award was bestowed upon this silver '97 BMW 7-series. The story was that the car was abandoned at the Orange County B
By Murilee Martin Read More
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1987 Merkur XR4Ti

Does a 20-year-old car qualify for this series? In the case of the Merkur XR4Ti, I think it does- these things were pretty rare to begin with, and time has not been kind to the few that Ford did manage to sell. Sure, it was actually an Americanized Ford Sierra- common as hell in Europe at the time- but there were Dearborn dreams of the thing seeming exotic enough to swipe sales from the Germans and Japanese on these shores. This example, spotted in Alameda's East End, is in excellent shape- cou
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Le Mans Classics: Nissan R390 In Zama Collection

It's accepted knowledge that Nissan guards its Zama collection in Japan closely. Some say it employs a secret ninja squad trained to reach into an errant digital camera, rip out its CCD chip and show it to it before it dies. But a few enterprising Nissan fans did manage to score a tour of the warehouse, which holds acres of cars from Nissan's storied past. Possibly the crown jewel in the collection is the road-going R390 GT. It's a one of a kind homologation attempt based on the company's R390 G
By Mike Spinelli Read More
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Governator And California Sue EPA Over Car Emissions

Things are about to get exciting if you love hot, government-on-government litigious action. The State of California today sued the Environmental Protection Agency in order to get permission to impose stricter auto emissions standards. This all goes back to a law passed in California two years ago that would require 2009 models to meet higher guidelines, which has yet to get an enforcement waiver from the EPA. If they're denied, Governor Schwarzenegger told reporters "We sue again, and sue again
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PCH, Fiberglass Itch Edition: Kellison Astra Or Renault Plein Air?

Now that we've established that 70% of you would prefer to hook up at the Beelzebub Acres Mobile Estates Park with a 1951 Cadillac-based motorhome, you'll need a lightweight machine to tow behind the rig (since it's likely that your V8 Vega or Pinto will end up on fire in a ditch and thus be unavailable for transportation). But there will be no sensible Samurai or mundane Metro for you. Oh no, not in Project Car hell- you'll need something agonizingly cool yet coolly agonizing to go with your C
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Hello Brooklyn: 1971 Ford LTD Convertible

We had a look at this beautiful Impala in New Orleans on Monday, and now we're going to take a look at an LTD survivor of the mean streets of Brooklyn. WannabeWannabe has sent in some great photos and description for our enjoyment, so make the jump and take a look...
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2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR

It's a track car! No, it's street legal! Wait, it's both — it's the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR and it'll be making its debut in just under a week at the LA Auto Show. We were going to wait until midnight tonight to show off the lighter Viper package — a package not seen for the Viper since 1999. Seriously, we were going to hold off on showing off the details on the 600 horses and 560 lb-ft of torque coming from the gigantic 8.4-liter V10 engine in this purpose-built, street-legal track car. Bu
By Ray Wert Read More
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Formula One Brake Regeneration System Gets Award

We all know how vocal FIA boss Max Mosley has been about bringing more real-world fuel efficiency to Formula One. Doing that, the theory holds, will allow F1 to regain the top of production-car technology development. In fact, the FIA has already defined the amount of energy recovery it will allow for the 2009 season, which is 400 kilojoules per lap, translating into an extra 80 hp over a period of 6.67 seconds. Now, several companies' worth of prop heads who've been futzing with brake regenerat
By Mike Spinelli Read More
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Ford Only Loses $380 Million, Happy Days Are Here Again

This time last year we were telling you about how Ford lost a whopping $5.7 billion in the third quarter of 2006. We've got good news: Ford only lost $380 million in the third quarter of 2007. Mission Accomplished! Break out the fizzy wine and caviar! Revenue was up to $41.1 billion for the quarter, compared to just $37.1 billion in 3Q06. The improvement is tied to "higher net pricing, changes in currency exchange rates and improved product mix." By improved product mix we totally hope they're t
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Saabs Gone Wild At The 24 Hours Of LeMons!

It turns out a fair number of Jalopnik readers are members of 24 Hours of LeMons racing teams, and today it's Saab-o-phile LTDScott's turn to tell the story of a heroic racing effort. You see, Team Saabs Gone Wild fielded three cars at the Altamont LeMons race last month, taking home the coveted Most Heroic Fix trophy in the process.
By Murilee Martin Read More
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2008 Ford F-Series Super Duty

It's difficult to imagine any of you Jalops needing to haul 20,000 pounds. We also doubt many of you are in the market for a truck whose price tag easily hits $40,000 to take off-roading. But what if you came across a half-dozen utes sitting in the middle of California's Rubicon Trail, each adorned with a sign reading "Take me"? Sure, that's totally plausible. So, when Ford invited us to put its 2008 Super Duty through some of the more rigorous tasks a vehicle will ever face, we struggled to co
By tingwall Read More
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Who Gets On The Jalopnik Endurance Racing Team?

Al Navarro week marches on! In truth, we're still in recovery mode as his Slut Machine Question nearly broke our hit counter. As many of you know, Murilee and I are hard at AIM work on an entry for next year's 24 Hours of LeMons. And no, we are still not ready to tell you what we're working on. We will say that it involves death metal. Lots of death metal. Moving forward, here's what Al asks today:
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Now You Can Have Your Own Bluesmobile!

This exact replica of the car from "The Blues Brothers" has served its purpose well, touring with "the top Jake and Elwood Blues impersonators in the country" for 15 years, and now it's time for Steve "Jake" Ronken and Bob "Elwood" Masewicz to move on. A $19,500 starting bid for what's essentially a '74 Dodge Monaco with Mount Prospect PD emblems on the doors and a big PA speaker on the roof seems a bit steep, does it? You gotta consider the car's history before you scoff at the price- this fin
By Murilee Martin Read More
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Daimler, Ford Teaming Up On Fuel Cells

As quickly as the Teutonic knights of Daimler shed one relationship with a dirty 'merican auto company, they've now just signed up to partner with another one. This time instead of a merger of equals, it's merely a joint stake with Ford and Ballard Power Systems in a new company the two automakers (and one supplier!) are calling "Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation," which we're assuming can also be called by it's partial acronym, "AutoFuCC." (Pause for laughter) The new, privately-held company w
By Ray Wert Read More
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Michael Schumacher Rides Ducati At Valencia, Throws Down Stellar Lap Time

Schumi's got to have one of the busiest retirements we've ever seen. When the seven-time Formula One winner's not testing the 599 GTB on the Nordschleife, or spending time as the consigliere to the Ferrari F1 team, he's apparently having a go at other forms of racing. Like this past weekend when the legend of the prancing stallion brand took off two of his wheels to take some laps during a special guest ride on Casey Stoner's world championship-winning Ducati in Valencia. Although Schumacher's
By Ray Wert Read More
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1971 Plymouth Valiant

A while back, I promised we'd see more Chrysler A-bodies... but it's been over a month since we saw our last one. Poor Darts and Valiants, the wallflowers of their era, slogging along tirelessly for decades with their super-indestructo slant sixes and 318s, yet constantly overlooked in favor of flashier iron. So today we're all going to admire one of Alameda's numerous surviving Valiants.
By Murilee Martin Read More
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Ford Launches Focus Special Edition ST500 In The UK

Playing the grass-is-greener game whenever Ford Europe puts out a new, high-performance variant of the Euro Focus is getting tedious. Perhaps Brits do the same thing when Ford North America sends out yet another Mustang derivative. Ah, screw it; here goes one more. It's the Ford Focus ST500, a spec'd-up Focus to be built in extremely limited number. Pick up your jaw from the floor; the ST500 has not a thing in common with the Mustang GT500, save a set of racing stripes (this, in 1966 LeMans live
By Mike Spinelli Read More
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Project Car Hell: You Could Live In It Edition

With yesterday's Choose Your Eternity poll, most of the commenters seemed to prefer the Pinto, yet 55% of voters went with the Vega. What does that mean? It means that you'll need the appropriate mobile domicile to go with your little V8-powered deathtrap, since you'll want to adopt the life of a ramblin' man (or woman). See, when that open road starts to calling you, and there's something o'er that hill that you've got to see, you need to start shopping for motorhomes! And, since this is Hell,
By Murilee Martin Read More
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Carroll Shelby's Personal GT-500 To Be Auctioned Off

With Shelby-mania still at a fever pitch, we can imagine it's getting harder and harder for the uber-wealthy car collector to show up fellow affluent auto aficionados. Thus, we present Carroll Shelby's own 1969 Shelby GT500 convertible. Mr. Shelby apparently drove it extensively, putting nearly 69,725 miles on the 428 Cobra Jet-powered beauty. The car was recently renovated and even comes with an AM-FM stereo radio! The car goes up at the Scottsdale Barrett-Jackson event next January with no res
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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The Li-Ion In Winter: Companies To Attempt Lower Cost Hybrid Battery

One of the major costs associated with hybrid vehicles is the Lithium-Ion battery pack that powers the electric motor. In that spirit, Ricardo and QinetiQ are teaming up with the UK's Department for Transport to create a dramatically cheaper battery. The project, cleverly called RED-LION (REDuced cost LIthium-iON), aims to lower costs by two thirds while providing power for vehicles capable of delivering sub-100g/km CO2 emissions. The breakthrough comes in the new chemistry of the battery, which
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Workhorse Engine Of The Day: Fiat Twin-Cam

What's this? A Fiat engine clattering its way into this series, no doubt leaving splotches of oil and bits of metal on your monitors? Yes indeed, folks, back away from those Fiat stereotypes here; this engine is a true workhorse and a serious race winner as well. It was manufactured in one form or another for more than 40 years, powering everything from Fiat 124s to ungodly numbers of Lancia rally winners over the years. Thanks to Biminitwist for the tip! [Wikipedia]
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Project 1964 Lincoln Continental: Fuel Line Funhouse

Nothing says I love you like a puddle of gasoline on the floor in the morning. A couple of days after fiddling with the inner fender business mentioned earlier, I walked into the garage to the overwhelming smell of dino juice emanating from a spot directly under the inner fender. That'll show me. Taking the panel back off as well as a secondary inner panel, revealed a sweaty, smelly, series of tubes rusting away. Among them were the fuel delivery line, fuel return line, and brake line. The bra
By bwojdyla Read More
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Voisin C28 Aerosport

Sadly, most people know next to nothing about the 1935 Voisin C28 Aerosport other than the painfully obvious: it looks fantastic. As much a design study as it is a glimpse into the future, the C28 Aerosport was nonetheless actually built and driven. Eight vehicles in fact (some claim only 3-4), though only one blue example remains today. Equally sad, the 1935 Aerosport was the very last vehicle designed personally by Gabriel Voisin even though he lived until 1973. Luckily the C28 Aerosport is no
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Alright, Alright, Alright! Matthew McConaughey's Longhorn Bike On eBay

As a proud Texas Longhorn, we're wishing we could dig up the $25,000 minimum needed to buy this burnt orange beauty, or at least force the bidding upward. The bike was designed to commemorate the Texas Longhorn National Championship in 2005. It's icing-on-the-cake that it was owned by fellow proud Texas Ex Matthew McConaughey (tied with me for the sexiest Matt to attend UT). Think of it as the closest thing to being able to ride Vince Young... or don't. All proceeds from the bike will be shared
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Nick Hogan Arrested For Racing, Crashing His "P***y Magnet"

The strange panties-dropping saga of Nick Hogan continues. We've just learned the son of Hulk was arrested today in Clearwater, Florida on "felony charges of reckless driving involving serious bodily injury." Clearwater police claim the crash the young Hogan (also known as Bollea) was involved in back in late August that left his passenger, John Graziano, critically injured was caused by — wait for it — street racing. Yup, Hogan was supposedly racing a silver Dodge Viper when he lost control o
By Ray Wert Read More
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Ecurie Ecrappe Shows LeMons Flag At The Concorso Italiano

One of the coolest cars at the 24 Hours of LeMons race at Altamont was #99, the 1971 Alfa Romeo Spider built and operated by Team Ecurie Ecrappe. This aerodynamically optimized Italian machine did very well at first, leading the pack for a while on the first day, but mechanical woes put it in 52nd place by the time the race ended. But that's not all there is to the story- it turns out Ecurie Ecrappe entered the car in the prestigious Concorso Italiano car show, where (we hope) it scandalized th
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1976 AMC Pacer X

I'd been keeping my eyes open for one of these on the street in Alameda for quite a while (we see one in a driveway behind the '50 Pontiac Chieftan, but driveway cars aren't, like, on the street), so I had the camera out and shooting before you could say "defunct automobile manufacturer" when I saw this '76 on Alameda's main drag. Not only is it a Pacer, it's the coveted X model! And in great condition to boot.
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Don't Mesa With Kia: New "Borrego" SUV Revealed

It's been a long time coming, from spy photos to teaser shots. And what happens? Kia goes ahead and changes the name from one that's broadly geological to one referring to the location of an annual grapefruit festival. We mean, of course, California's Borrego Springs, which may have given its name to Kia's new midsize SUV. Sharing underpinnings with parent Hyundai's Hyundai Santa Fe, the Borrego will slot into a lower price range, but keep the three seating rows and thus room for a Chuck E. Chee
By Mike Spinelli Read More
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GM Reports $39 Billion One-Time Net Loss For Third Quarter, $1.6 Billion Adjusted Net Loss

GM reported last night a $39 billion (yes, that's "billion" with a "b") loss or $68.85 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2007, compared with a reported net loss of $147 million, or $.26 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. The majority of that number was due to special charges of $37.4 billion related largely to a previously announced valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets. But, regardless of the one-time charge, the General showed some serious losses in the third
By Ray Wert Read More
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2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt Revealed, Officially

Well, never mind all the hints and leaks as the 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt edition's officially revealed. Ford's got a press release and we've got it below the jump. We've also got the press photos below. But consider it the appetizer with the main course coming sometime soon from the mighty Mike Bumbeck, who's already given us a taste of what's to come. Trust us, it'll taste a whole lot better than this warmed-over press pomp n' circumstance. But we've provided it for you super-fans of Ford an
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PCH, Unibody Twisting Edition: V8 Vega Or V8 Pinto?

We now find that nearly seven out of ten Jalopnik readers surveyed prefer a '66 Datsun pickup to a '62 Toyota Stout. And that's great, though we can't fathom why the Stout's name- which could be the Best Pickup Truck Name Ever- didn't garner it more votes. Still, there's something inherently un-hellish about a pickup truck project, no matter how difficult. You see, if you ever manage to finish a Japanese pickup truck project, you'll be able to, like, do useful stuff with it. Not only that, it w
By Murilee Martin Read More
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Team Fish Out Of Water Tells Their LeMons Story

It turns out quite a few of our readers were participants in the most recent 24 Hours of LeMons race at Altamont, and their stories keep coming in. Today we're going to hear from regular reader A.U.B.I.E., who was a member of Team Fish Out Of Water. Fish Out Of Water's Porsche 944 finished in 32nd place, and we'll let A.U.B.I.E. tell the rest of the story in his own words after the jump.
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2009 Pontiac Vibe Revealed On Video

Despite still being a few hours away from the official reveal, the folks at the General have graciously dropped some video clips of the new 2009 Pontiac Vibe onto a public web site, so we've decided to go ahead and run them. The video gives us a bit more of a look at the new Vibe-rator than the one press shot we've already been handed. The arrow-headed brand's newly redesigned 2009 Pontiac Vibe comes on the heels of the SEMA reveals of its two NUMMI-platform stable mates, the Toyota Corolla and
By Ray Wert Read More
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Shelby's Terlingua Racing Team Returns

Don't call it a Jackalope, or a mutant lion with a thyroid problem. We're of course talking about the barking rabbit on the crest of Terlingua Racing. To those unaware, Terlingua was a team named after a rogue Texas border town founded by a friend of Carroll Shelby's. In fact, the first Shelby Mustang GT 350 ever raced wore the black-and-yellow crest when it hit the Texas tarmac piloted by Ken Miles. Later, it adorned Parnelli Jones's King Cobra at the 1964 LA Times Grand Prix, four Indy 500 win
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Toyota Appoints Jim Lentz To Run US Sales Operation

Toyota's just promoted Jim Lentz to the job of president of the US sales arm of the super number one best automaker from the land of the rising sun. Prior to his appointment, Lentz had been executive vice president of Toyota Motor Sales USA. In addition to the Lentz appointment, Toyota also announced Dian Ogilvie, currently TMS senior vice president, general counsel and chief environmental officer, has been appointed senior vice president and secretary of Toyota Motor North America. Full press
By Ray Wert Read More
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Noble M15 To Get Twin-Turbo V8

The vehicular pride of Lee Noble is getting an infusion of artificially aspirated gumption. We're talking about the new Noble M15, which the car's Italian import shop UK Garage says will soon have up to 650 horsepower on tap. That by way of a 4.4-liter Volvo V8 fitted with twin turbines. That, they say, will be good for zero-to-60 times in the three-second range. But word is only 50 cars will be accessorized such, which includes a lightweight but more rigid carbon-fiber and aluminum undercarriag
By Mike Spinelli Read More
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1966 Mercedes-Benz 200D, Plus Bonus 70s Mercedes Poll

It's been quite a while since we last saw a Mercedes-Benz down on Alameda's streets, and that's partly because I've set a cutoff year of 1970 for these cars to make the DOTS grade. See, back in the days before M-B's quality control department went straight to hell recognized economic reality, you could count on your Benz to keep going for interstellar numbers of miles. This means that you still see plenty of 1970s examples on the road, so they just don't seem all that special. But maybe I'm wro
By Murilee Martin Read More
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Ferrari Theme Park Breaks Ground In Abu Dhabi

If you're planning a trip to the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, you'll run right into the Ferrari Theme Park. At least, that's the plan. Ferrari is breaking ground on the park we told you about nearly two years ago. Truly the happiest place on earth for tifosi and related prancing-horse devotees, the park will feature driving-instruction courses for children and adults, a full-on Six Flags style amusement joint, high-tech theatres and a racing circuit that'll host the coming F1 addenda. The park is
By Mike Spinelli Read More
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Oh No Eleanor! Unique Performance Accused Of Title Washing

The walls are coming down around Dallas-based Unique Performance, maker of the Shelby-sort-of-endorsed Mustang GT500E Super Snake replicas and other specialty vehicles. Apparently, people have been fronting extensive chunks of change for their pricey Eleanors and not getting them for years. But that isn't why the cops raided the place. It gets worse (unless you're out $250K) after the jump.
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Happy 30th Champ! Champ Car 2008 Schedules Out

Open-wheel racing fans rejoice! The 2008 Champ Car schedules are out, and include a new European track. The Atlantic Series will include seven races in the US, three in Canada as part of the Canadian Triple Crown and one in Mexico. The Atlantic series kicks off on April 20th in Long Beach and April 27 in Houston. The Champ Car World Series sees the addition of Jerez, Spain and the track originally built to host the 1986 Spanish Formula One Grand Prix. Full release and schedule after the jump...
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PCH, Japanese Pickup Edition: 1966 Toyota Or 1962 Datsun?

The net-worth-eliminating cost of Porsche parts trumps the inherent unreliability of the Triumph V8, according to the readers who participated in Friday's Choose Your Eternity poll (though the margin was as thin as the cylinder walls in the Triumph's engine, with a 54% to 46% margin of victory for the German). If it had been based entirely on engine sound, there's no way even a Porsche six could have won, of course. But that was then! This is now! And now means we get to dive into Ancient Japan
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Don't Shoot! Man Shot After Crashing Car

Note-to-self, knock before trying to get help if ever in an accident in Southbury, Connecticut. The details are a little hazy, but it appears that a man drove his car down a river bank and broke into the home of John Nagy down the road. We assume the crash victim was looking for a phone or help when he startled Nagy, who then pulled out a gun and shot him. To his credit, Nagy called the police and the victim is currently in stable but serious condition in a local hospital. There are a number of
By Matt Hardigree Read More
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Pratt & Miller Confirm Corvette C6RS Production

The kids over at the Road that is ever-Winding got themselves the scoop straight from the press release of Pratt & Miller Engineering on the Corvette C6RS. Yes, the rumors are true, you too can own Jay Leno's ride — or at least one of a limited-edition run of the E85-powered sub-ZR1 modeled off Leno's car shown at the SEMA show in Vegas last week. We're waiting until we can get one in red. Full press release after the jump.
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Down On The New Orleans Street: 1964 Impala

A few readers have sent in photos of interesting cars parked down on their local streets, and I'm going to try to post a few of them this week. Today we're going to look at a very, very weathered 1964 Chevrolet Impala that New Orleans-based reader Jim G has been kind enough to photograph for us. Rust, mildew, even a bullet hole, yet the old Chevy keeps on going. Gallery and Jim's description after the jump...
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DARPA Grand Challenge: Wrap-Up

After criticizing MIT's bot for overtaking Cornell's car when it got confused by a barrier and causing a minor bumper brushing, it's come to my attention no points were deducted from either team. In fact, no teams were penalized for traffic infractions of any sort, and the final scoring came down to finish times. MIT managed to come in first place of the teams that didn't win spots on the podium, and that's pretty impressive for a squad conspicuously absent from previous races. MIT's bot, with i
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Project 1964 Lincoln Continental : The Saga Begins

It's been almost a month since the announcement of the '64 Lincoln Continental Personal Project Car. The madness of preparing for, traveling to, partaking of, and returning from the Tokyo Motor Show consumed all of our blogging powers and there have been exactly zero progress-update posts. This is not to say there has been no progress. Indeed, to the contrary, big, rusty things are happening.
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Do You Hate The Honda Del Sol?

As we have been for a few weeks now, Murilee and I were discussing exactly what car we're going to run and win with at next year's 24 Hours of LeMons. We're going to keep our current top choice secret for now (no, you won't be able to figure it out — stop trying) but I can tell you that our back up is an early 90s police Crown Vic. However, Murilee keeps yammering on and on about how great the CRXs did at LeMons. Then the del Sol came up and he mentioned how much he hated it because it replaced
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Junkman Has The Honda Coupe 9!

First we drool over the amazing Honda Coupe 9 in the Fantasy Garage. Then we spot one on eBay and we figure, well, that's the last we'll see of that car. But wait! Now we hear from Junkman (the madman behind the Pontiac 400-powered Deutsch-Bonnet and the Chevy 400-powered Porsche 356) that he has obtained that very same 1971 Honda Coupe 9! We're hoping to get more photos soon, but make the jump to hear what he has to say about the car.
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How Heico Sportiv "Chrome-Plated" The Volvo S80

Amidst all of the glitz and chrome of the SEMA show in Vegas, there was one concept car that stood out — mostly because the paint reflected so much light in the Las Vegas Convention Center you couldn't ignore it. This seemingly chrome-plated beast is the Heico Sportiv-tuned S80 T6 "High Performance Concept." To begin with, it's a Volvo S80 powered not by the high-powered 4.4-liter Yamaha V8 that's in the engine bay of the up-model version — an engine that generates 311 HP, mind you. Instead, it
By Ray Wert Read More
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Down On The Street...in Tokyo: The Chevy MW Is The Opel Agila

As we continue to clean out our CompactFlash cards, we've found another piece of metal from the Tokyo streets. Here's the perfect example of a city car produced by the General that they just don't build or sell over in this here part of the globe. This five-door 'merican Revolution is the Chevy MW, and it's a re-badged Vauxhall Agila which is a re-badged Opel Agila which in turn is a re-badged Suzuki Wagon R. As a Suzuki, the MW was first built in Japan, but now in all forms is built at GM's G
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Tokyo Motor Show: The Mitsuoka Orochi Is Still The Ugliest "Super Car" Ever

As we get ready for next week's LA Auto Show, we're working on cleaning our SEMA and Tokyo Motor Show pictures off our camera. The first ones from Tokyo we need to get rid of — for fear we'll break our shiny black DSLR due to accidentally dropping it while retching — are our newest shots of the Orochi, a mid-engined "super car" from the folks at Mitsuoka. While it's certainly exotic-looking (and by exotic, we mean "fugly") Mitsuoka's contention of "super car" status is probably more wishful th
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1973 Ford Courier

Since I'm now trying to include a pickup truck in this series every week or so, today seemed like a good time to go with the '73 Ford Courier. The Courier was Ford's desperate ingenious response to the popularity of the small Datsun and Toyota pickups that were starting to show up in large numbers starting in the late 1960s; built by Mazda and styled to look something like a Ford F-series truck, the Courier was a fairly dependable little truck and sold well.
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Nissan Reveals Racing GT-R For Japan's Super GT Championship

Amid all the talk on Nissan's Porsche-baiting GT-R hitting pavements this year, Nissan's racing arm NISMO quietly revealed the racetrack model. It's the GT-R NISMO's readying to compete in the racing series formerly known as JGTC; that is, Japan's "Super GT Championship" series, in the top GT500 class. And by reveal, we mean there's nary a stitch of spec information forthcoming. For that, they say, we'll have to wait until February 2008. The GT-R replaces the Fairlady Z (350Z) in competition, wh
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Ford And UAW Reach Tentative Agreement

With all the excitment of a new Ford Focus (sans Sync, of course), it looks like the Ford-UAW contract negotiations have come and gone. The two organizations have announced they have reached a tentative agreement, all without even a strike deadline to speed things along. Details of the contract haven't been released yet and the agreement still must be ratified by the UAW membership. Ford press release after the jump.
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DARPA Grand Challenge: Update From The Course

Out here on the urban challenge course in Victorville, California, it's UPenn, MIT, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, Virginia Tech and Cornell out of the original 11 left in the DARPA Grand Challenge. Of these, all said teams' autonomous vehicles have completed mission two as of 1:05 pm PT, with Cornell the final team to finish. All the cars are racing on the same course, but each has a unique mission plugged into it, meaning they have to interface with each other as well as a team professional driver
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Commenter Of The Day: Fighting Absurdity With Absurdity Edition

I was chatting up with the Postfather today about the quality of our readers versus the quality of readers on another car-themed site that is going to remain oh so nameless. Spin thought the other site wasn't so bad, to which I replied, "Our guys look like a Wittgenstein forum stacked side by side." Our conversation then devolved into:
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Project Car Hell: Stag Or 911?

After the $600 pair of Alfettas beat the $800 Fiat by a decisive margin in yesterday's Cheap Italian Edition Choose Your Eternity poll, we figure it's time to set the price of admission in the four-figure range for today's cars. But not very far into four figures, because this is Hell, where wallets are thin and Bondo is thick! Today we've got a couple of incredible steals on fast European machines that would be great fun to drive... if you could get either one to drive, that is. Welcome to Pro
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Eva Mendes Admits Wrecking Two Cars Multiple Times

Though we'd probably let her do awful, terrible things to our own personal automobiles, actress Eva Mendes seems content to isolate the damage to her cars and any cars that might be in her way. It's one of those stories that's just too embarrassing to be promotional at all. The first car was a Lexus Hybrid she had just purchased that day, and the second was the rental car she had while her Lexus was in the shop. There is also more than one moving truck involved, which makes us think that her nei
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Engine Swap Of The Day: Lightning-Engined Crown Vic

Now that we've seen a couple of Ford Crown Victorias getting into the 13s with a little nitrous oxide assistance, how about a 2000 civilian-spec Vic with the supercharged Triton 5.4 out of the Ford Lightning truck? Oh yes, and don't forget the Tremec 5-speed and 4.10 rear gears. Make the jump to see some burnout footage. [SuperMotors]
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Over The Back Fence: BMW Talk From South Carolina

A bit of advice to automakers' test engineers. Don't go blabbing top-secret info to the neighbors at your kids' soccer games. The Jalopnik readership encompasses many covert types, who are quick with an e-mail to the tips line. Today's back fence comes from a reader in South Carolina, who says he has some insider dish on the coming BMW X6. Following are are the gossipy points, bulleted for your subjection:
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Mario Andretti And A PR Flim-Flam At Las Vegas Speedway

For weeks since we received the invitation, we'd been looking forward to riding along on a few hot laps with Mario Andretti at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It was part of a promotion for the Mario Andretti racing school, coinciding with this year's SEMA show. Unfortunately, like a comped buffet, it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Here's what happened.
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What's Up With Booth Babes?

Today's Question comes from the apparently born again, fundamental, puritanical Al Navarro. Yeah, we know, right? Still, as it is our most-of-the-time policy to ask the questions you send in, we're asking Al's. Here's what the self-described Sevangelist sent us:
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Maybach 62 Landaulet Design Study

Take one underperforming super-luxury car brand, create an eye-catching design study with historical significance, and watch the world's ultra-rich flock to its contracting sales network. It's not as easy as that, but Maybach's not giving up without a fight. Thus, the Daimler brand's designers have created this one-off Landaulet concept as an homage to landaulets past. That means the roof over the passenger compartment slides back, revealing the sky to the beluga-addled captain of industry withi
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1959 Volkswagen Beetle

Because the Germans didn't like to make styling changes for their own sake, we now have another Teutonic machine for which I cannot provide an exact year of manufacture. The door handles indicate that it's pre-1960 (unless, of course, someone has swapped early doors on a later Beetle), and the size of the rear window means it's post-1957. Any VW expert who can tell the difference between a '58 and '59 from these photos, please enlighten us; until that point I'm going to take a 50/50 shot at acc
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Commenter Of The Day: Hell Edition

That saucy tomato Murilee tends to run her his Project Car Hell so late in the day that the comments are never around to be considered for COTD status. We find that a shame since some of the best comments tend to come from the minds of people trying to pick between a Fuego and a Bitiurbo. However, we found a loophole!
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PCH, Cheap Italian Edition: One X-1/9 Or Two Alfettas?

Since so many of you backed away in confusion from the unknown torments of Australian Hell Projects yesterday, we'll return to good ol' stick-to-your-ribs familiar machinery. Cars that we trust like old friends... old friends who borrow money and squander it on Night Train and cheap hookers, that is. Yes indeed, there are no flames quite as hot as those that await you in Italian Car Hell!
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GM Products Selling Like Cakes Slightly Hotter Than Last Year's Cakes

The General managed to move 310,008 vehicles this last October (more than 100K over Ford), representing the third month of year-over-year growth. This also represents the fourth month where GM market share was above 24%. But maybe these numbers don't make sense to you, maybe you need some energized corporate-speak to clarify the situation: "Our strong market share performance and our ability to outpace industry trends on volume demonstrates the consumer acceptance of our new products," said Mark
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Ford Loses Less Money Than Otherwise Could Have!

Ford reported today that sales this October were only 9.5% lower than sales last October, which is actually not as bad as some thought it could have been. For the month Ford sold 195,462 vehicles, with a 0.9% increase in truck models (which include crossovers), but a 26% decrease in car sales. High on this list of things Ford is going to blame for this is the downturn in home building, which has resulted in a downturn in sales of the F-series pickups to contractors and builders. Press release af
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Ferrari 599 GTB By Edo Competition

What color was Enzo's white horse? It was the same color as this here 599 GTB tuned by Germany's Edo Competition. The company's released new information on the prancing tuner, including a top ECU tweak to 750 horsepower. Purists may balk, but Edo knows what he's doing. In a sense. [World Car Fans]
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1954 Chevrolet 210 Coupe

Since it seems that just about every '55-57 Chevy coupe ever made is still on the road (well, if you can call cruise nights and car shows "the road," that is), we tend to forget that The General sold plenty of Chevrolet coupes during the years immediately prior to the Small-Block Era. They were lookers, too- even after 53 years, this unrestored '54 really ads some style to its West End neighborhood.
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