Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Monterey 2008: Leno's Tank Car storms Pebble Beach]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/18/monterey-2008-lenos-tank-car-storms-pebble-beach/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/18/monterey-2008-lenos-tank-car-storms-pebble-beach/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/18/monterey-2008-lenos-tank-car-storms-pebble-beach/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Click above for high-res gallery of Jay's Tank Car in Monterey

We were as surprised as anyone to see Jay Leno's name on the entry list for this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Then we saw that he would be arriving in a 1953 Chrysler. As nice as 1953 Chryslers may be, Jay's is pretty special. It's an imposing custom hot rod that is powered by a 28.4-liter Chrysler built tank engine. Most people call it the Tank Car, and last year this time it was on display across the country at the Woodward Dream Cruise. The heart of the Tank Car is the 1792 cid V-12 Continental-designed, Chrsyler-built tank engine that in turbocharged form puts out something like 1,600 hp and 3,000 ft-lbs. of torque. The engine alone weighs 2,000 lbs and easily qualifies Jay's car in this year's featured 20+ liter class.

While performance isn't this car's main goal, it can scoot along pretty well with all of that power being routed through an Allison 6-speed transmission. Switching from the original 3-speed trans doubled Leno's gas mileage, which now stands at around 5 mpg. As bad as that might seem, it comes across as almost reasonable when you hear it guzzles 80 quarts of oil every time Jay swings through a Jiffy Lube. We have to admit that we were among the many fans who rushed to see the car as Jay entered the Pebble Beach fairway. It's really a spectacular sight, even at an event that is known to stop even seasoned auto afficianados in their tracks every few seconds.

Gallery: Jay Leno's Tank Car at Pebble


Photos Copyright (C)2008 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

 

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]]>jay lenoJayLenopebble beachpebble beach 2008PebbleBeachPebbleBeach2008tank carTankCar2008-08-18T16:29:00+00:00<![CDATA[Monterey 2008: Saturday's Monterey Historic Automobile Races]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/17/monterey-2008-saturdays-monterey-historic-automobile-races/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/17/monterey-2008-saturdays-monterey-historic-automobile-races/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/17/monterey-2008-saturdays-monterey-historic-automobile-races/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click image above for huge high-res gallery of the AB team's pics from the track

The 35th Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races presented by Toyota at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a long title for a spectacular event. Saturday was actually day two of the Historics, which will conclude on Sunday. While the races are exciting and the action very real, the results are slightly less important here than just witnessing the spectacle. The sounds alone are worth a trip to Laguna Seca in August. Saturday's action featured the Toyota Race of Legends, with several other classes having their day in the sun as well.

We had photographers all around the track capturing glimpses of the action, so make sure to click through the gallery to see what you are missing. After witnessing Mario Andretti throw the checkered flag for the Legends and then completing what seemed like dozens of "demo" laps in his old Lotus F1 car, we thought we knew what makes this event so special. And then we saw Patrick Dempsey getting some demo laps in an old Chrysler, and we had to rethink our theory. Okay, Dempsey is probably a bit more maligned here than he deserves, but he does seem to be featured here a lot lately. Personally we were happy to see the Keno twins of Antiques Roadshow fame just as much.

Look through the gallery and you will see some of these encounters and dozenz of pics of the great cars you practically trip over in the open paddock. It's just sick how many of the greatest cars from throughout automotive history are here and being driven as they should be. Saturday's classes included the finals for Pre-1940 Sports and Touring Cars, 1925-1950 Racing Cars and Indy Roadsters, 1950-1960 Sports Racing Cars, 1966-1972 Historic Trans-Am Cars, 1966-1974 Historic Can-Am Cars and 1964-1975 FIA Sports Racing Cars. We also got to see some of the cars that will be running Sunday as their owners tweaked them for the final day of competition. If you make it out to the track on Sunday you'll likely catch the featured Alfa Romeos as well as 1955-1966 Production Sports Cars, 1967-1978 Historic F-1 Cars, and 1972-1983 Historic IMSA Cars. If you can't find something you like in those groups, you're not trying.

Press release after the jump with results and quotes from Saturday.

Gallery: 2008 Monterey Historics


Photos Copyright (C)2008 Drew Phillips / Frank Filipponio / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Monterey 2008: Saturday's Monterey Historic Automobile Races

 

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]]>laguna secaLagunaSecamontereymonterey 2008monterey historicsMonterey2008MontereyHistoricspebble beachpebble beach 2008pebble beach week 2007PebbleBeachPebbleBeach2008PebbleBeachWeek20072008-08-17T13:01:00+00:00<![CDATA[eBay Find of the Day: Uncle Rico's Van]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/07/ebay-find-of-the-day-uncle-ricos-van/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/07/ebay-find-of-the-day-uncle-ricos-van/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/07/ebay-find-of-the-day-uncle-ricos-van/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for more sweet pictures of Uncle Rico's van

In the market for a sweet ride? Consider Uncle Rico's van, which is currently on eBay and located in Columbus, Ohio. The van in question is an orange 1975 Dodge Santana Camper van, which isn't all that noteworthy by itself... but this one was featured in the 2004 cult-classic Napoleon Dynamite, making its new owner an especially lucky fellow. It's got a couple of beds, a stove, a refrigerator and a sink, though a Liger is not included. Take a good look at all the pics in our gallery below and remember to Vote Pedro for President.

Gallery: Uncle Rico's Van


[Source: eBay Motors via Jalopnik]

 

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]]>dodge santanadodge santana vanDodgeSantanaDodgeSantanaVannapoleon dynamiteNapoleonDynamiteuncle ricouncle ricos vanUncleRicoUncleRicosVan2008-08-07T18:29:00+00:00<![CDATA[Shaq buys smart fortwo, wears as shoe]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/05/shaq-buys-smart-fortwo-wears-as-shoe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/05/shaq-buys-smart-fortwo-wears-as-shoe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/05/shaq-buys-smart-fortwo-wears-as-shoe/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Standing seven feet and one inches tall and weighing in at 375 pounds, Shaquille O'Neal is one big dude. Must drive a big 'ol car then, right? Umm, not exactly. The Phoenix Suns star center has recently been spotted in his newest automotive purchase, a smart fortwo. Seriously. And, surprisingly enough, he fits! Don't believe us? See above for photo proof. Well, so he sorta fits. It's a good thing that Shaq opted for the convertible, as his head comes up several inches over the top of the windshield. Oh, and we can find no real proof that the door has ever completely shut with Shaq inside. Just sayin'.

[Sources: TMZ via MyRide.com]

 

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]]>shaqshaquille onealShaquilleOnealsmartsmart fortwoSmartFortwo2008-08-05T16:57:00+00:00<![CDATA[The thinking (or lack thereof) behind KITT F-150]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/30/the-thinking-or-lack-thereof-behind-kitt-f-150/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/30/the-thinking-or-lack-thereof-behind-kitt-f-150/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/30/the-thinking-or-lack-thereof-behind-kitt-f-150/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for high-res pic of the actual KITT F-150

Mike Levine from Pickuptrucks.com recently spoke with Knight Rider Executive Producer Gary Scott Thompson and got the skinny on KITT's new ability to transform himself (seriously, I just called it a "him") from a 2008 Shelby GT500KR to a 2009 Ford F-150 FX-4. The idea for having KITT morph into a truck came to Thompson when he needed his main character and that week's damsel in distress to make a quick getaway without KITT having to stop for them to get in, so he imagined the car as a pickup. This way the characters could hop right in its bed (we see this happen in the new clip that was released by NBC), though we're unsure how they survive the metal origami that turns KITT back into a car. We also disagree with Thompson when he alludes to the GT500KR being "about the same mass" as the F-150, but he feels justified in taking this direction with KITT after consulting with "futurists" at Microsoft who predict that vehicles will change their shape to suit our needs by 2030. We don't know what being a futurist entails, but we're not inclined to believe ones employed by Microsoft who failed to predict the backlash against Vista, how bad the Zune would sell or that the entire first batch of XBox 360s would fail. Clairvoyants they are not.

Though the rendering at right reveals KITT F-150 was originally designed to bear a bigger resemblance to the GT500KR on which the car is based, it's ended up being just a blacked-out F-150 FX-4 with KITT's signature red light bar above and behind the top bar of the grille. That should make it easy for fanboys to recreate with their own 2009 F-150s though, because we just know sales of the truck are going to skyrocket after the new season of Knight Rider begins.

Gallery: The new KITT - OFFICIAL PHOTOS


[Source: Pickuptrucks.com]

 

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]]>gary scott thompsonGaryScottThompsonkittkitt f-150kitt pickupkitt truckKittF-150KittPickupKittTruckknight riderKnightRidermichael knightMichaelKnight2008-07-30T10:58:00+00:00<![CDATA[Don't hassle the Hoff in his Reasonably Priced Car]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/29/dont-hassle-the-hoff-in-his-reasonably-priced-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/29/dont-hassle-the-hoff-in-his-reasonably-priced-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/29/dont-hassle-the-hoff-in-his-reasonably-priced-car/#commentsFiled under:

Just two days after taping the pilot episode of Top Gear USA, Adam Carolla took the proactive approach of revealing who the first Star in a Reasonably Priced Car is before the blogosphere could get those in attendance who signed NDAs to spill the beans. On his radio show Monday morning, Carolla got a caller to cough up the name, and it's none other than auto icon and generally icky dude David Hasselfhoff. Reports from people who attended the taping say that the Hoff was actually a great live guest and even had autographed photos of himself to pass out to the crowd who had been standing in place for seven hours. We haven't heard how Hasselhoff did running a Kia Rio around Top Gear USA's test track, but being the first will ensure his time gets placed atop the leader board.

Who else would you like to see be a Star in a Reasonably Priced Car on Top Gear USA? We can think of a whole red carpet's worth of B- and C-list celebrities, and yes, that includes Kathy Griffin. Click the source link below to make your way to an audio clip of Adam Carolla's radio show on Monday morning.

[Source: Final Gear, Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty]

 

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]]>adam carollaAdamCarollabreakingdavid hasselhoffDavidHasselhofftop geartop gear usaTopGearTopGearUsa2008-07-29T11:28:00+00:00<![CDATA[VIDEO: KITT morphing into F-150 FX4]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/28/video-kitt-morphing-into-f-150-fx4/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/28/video-kitt-morphing-into-f-150-fx4/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/28/video-kitt-morphing-into-f-150-fx4/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Click above to view video after the jump

News coming out of Comic Con last week revealed that KITT would be able to transform into a pickup in the new Knight Rider series set to debut this fall on NBC. We thought perhaps the show and Ford, its biggest sponsor, would take the high road and have KITT's Shelby GT500 KR just grow a bed behind the B-pillar. Of course, we were wrong and this video proves that KITT will indeed transform into a full-size Ford F-150 FX-4. Never mind the fact that a Mustang just doesn't contain enough raw material to make up an F-150 truck, what really turns us off is Ford using a TV show that's already pimping one of its vehicles to push another one with sales falling faster than Goliath over a cliff. By this logic we expect that KITT will eventually encounter a resurrected KARR that's been stuffed into a Mercury Grand Marquis and the Knight Industries tractor trailer will be replaced by a fleet of Ford Transit Connects. Don't forget to watch the video for yourself after the jump.

Gallery: The new KITT - OFFICIAL PHOTOS


[Source: NBC]

Continue reading VIDEO: KITT morphing into F-150 FX4

 

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]]>breakingford knight riderFordKnightRiderKITTKITT F-150KITT F150KITT truckKittF-150KittF150KittTruckknight riderKnightRider2008-07-28T13:01:00+00:00<![CDATA[Tr2n (a.k.a. Tron 2), complete with Light Cycles, headed to theaters]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/26/coming-to-a-theater-near-you-tr2n-complete-with-light-cycles/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/26/coming-to-a-theater-near-you-tr2n-complete-with-light-cycles/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/26/coming-to-a-theater-near-you-tr2n-complete-with-light-cycles/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Follow the jump to watch a video of Tr2n teaser footage

Disney is planning a sequel to its cult classic, Tron. Jeff Bridges reprises his role as Flynn, though the character may take on a more menacing tone in part two. Teaser footage was unveiled just yesterday at the San Diego Comic Con. While Tron was just moderately successful at the box office, the film's legend has grown along with its 80s-era fans, enough to earn itself a sequel over two decades later. The Light Cycles starred in what was perhaps the original film's most iconic scene, and they make a grand comeback in Tr2n, the tentative (and very unfortunate) name of the sequel.

Seriously, watch the crappy, clandestinely-obtained footage from the convention panel after the break. Color us super excited based on this early teaser. When we see a proper copy of this, we'll likely be even more stoked. Seriously, how cool are the new Light Cycles? We think they look awesome in their new uncovered form, and the updated graphics make us hope that the new story, said to be written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz from Lost, lives up to our childhood Tron memories.

[Source: Slashfilm]

Continue reading Tr2n (a.k.a. Tron 2), complete with Light Cycles, headed to theaters

 

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]]>comic conComicConjeff bridgesJeffBridgeslight cyclelight cyclesLightCycleLightCyclestr2ntrontron 2tron movietron2TronMovie2008-07-26T18:13:00+00:00<![CDATA[Top Gear USA: Howie Mandel, Melanie B to flog Kia Rio]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/25/top-gear-usa-howie-mandel-melanie-b-to-flog-kia-rio/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/25/top-gear-usa-howie-mandel-melanie-b-to-flog-kia-rio/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/25/top-gear-usa-howie-mandel-melanie-b-to-flog-kia-rio/#commentsFiled under: ,



What would Top Gear be without a star in a reasonably priced car? Well... better, for one thing. But that hasn't stopped NBC from porting over the red-headed step-child of Top Gear segments to the imported version of the show. According to Jalopnik, during tomorrow's taping, B-listers C-listers D-listers Howie Mandel and Melanie B (former Spice Girl) will be piloting the U.S.'s own version of a reasonably-priced car - a Kia Rio - around the newly minted Top Gear test track. What can we expect? Nothing good, we thinks. Nor does it bode well that both pseudo-celebs are part of the NBC franchise. Depressed? We thought so. But the taping is tomorrow, so we'll try to remain upbeat until the first reports from inside the studio surface.

[Source: Jalopnik]

 

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]]>howie mandelHowieMandelkia rioKiaRiomelanie bMelanieBtop gearTopGear2008-07-25T18:56:00+00:00<![CDATA[New KITT Attack Mode revealed at Comic Con]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/25/new-kitt-attack-mode-revealed-at-comic-con/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/25/new-kitt-attack-mode-revealed-at-comic-con/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/25/new-kitt-attack-mode-revealed-at-comic-con/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click above to view live pics at ShadowyFlight.com

 NBC is unveiling the new Attack Mode for KITT today at the very large Comic Con convention in San Diego. ShadowyFlight.com is covering the reveal of the car live in its forums, but this image has already made its way on the web and confirms that KITT has had his wings sheared. Gone are the various spoilers that cluttered the first version and what remains is a cleaner car with dual side exhausts, a deep chin spoiler that looks pretty heavy duty, an equally strong looking mesh grille, what appears to be rocket launchers where a shaker scoop would go, a still-very-big rear wing, rear air diffuser and new spokeless wheels that were stolen right off of a Bonneville Salt Flats racer. The rear tires are extremely oversized and still manage to poke out from the newly flared fenders. Is it better than the first Attack Mode version of KITT? Yes. That doesn't mean we necessarily like it, though. The Knight Rider fan community seems split as well. Make up your mind in the comments after visiting ShadowyFlight.com for over 20 more additional high-res pics of the new Attack Mode KITT.

UPDATE: New live shots on KRO reveal Attack Mode KITT has lambo doors.
UPDATE 2: ShadowyFlight.com returned with a big gallery of live images.

Gallery: The new KITT - OFFICIAL PHOTOS


[Source: ShadowyFlight.com, via Knight Rider Online]

 

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]]>breakingcomic conComicConkittkitt attack modeKittAttackModeknight riderKnightRider2008-07-25T16:26:00+00:00<![CDATA[Knight Rider News: KITT can transform into a pickup!]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/25/knight-rider-news-kitt-can-transform-into-a-pickup/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/25/knight-rider-news-kitt-can-transform-into-a-pickup/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/25/knight-rider-news-kitt-can-transform-into-a-pickup/#commentsFiled under: ,



We were encouraged by the last bit of news on the upcoming return of Knight Rider as a series this fall from an interview with the show's producer Gary Scott Thompson. In it Thompson revealed that Turbo Boost would be back and KITT's Attack Mode de-winged. Unfortunately, the news is not so good out of San Diego today where the cast of the Knight Rider series held court at a Comic Con panel. According to io9, they were late because they were stuck in traffic (oh, the delicious irony) and what they had to show were boob-driven clips of impossibly attractive people acting badly. And Val Kilmer, the voice of KITT, has apparently develop a lisp. Sigh. A new side of KITT was gleaned from clips seen at the panel discussion where the autonomous talking car actually transforms into a pickup! We can tell you exactly why this has happened. Ford wants to promote pickups because nobody is buying them right now, so what better way to do so than have KITT grow a bed. We also learn that KITT will have a nemesis in another evil car of some sort, possibly another version of KITT himself or a 1987 Camaro IROC-Z (we kid). Any way you parse it, the news coming out of Comic Con for the return of Knight Rider is not encouraging, though we still plan on tying Alex to a couch and forcing him to liveblog every episode. Thanks for the tip, Brett!

Gallery: The new KITT - OFFICIAL PHOTOS


[Source: io9.com]

 

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]]>comic conComicConKITTknight riderKnightRider2008-07-25T14:29:00+00:00<![CDATA[Schumacher fine-tunes the Ferrari California (w/VIDEO)]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/24/schumacher-fine-tunes-the-ferrari-california-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/24/schumacher-fine-tunes-the-ferrari-california-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/24/schumacher-fine-tunes-the-ferrari-california-w-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Click above for high-res gallery of Schumacher and the California

Michael Schumacher may have departed the Formula One grid, but he has most definitely not left Ferrari. The seven-time world champion, widely credited with building Ferrari into the power house it is today, still comes around the paddock at various tracks around the world to give the Prancing Horse's latest creations - whether racing cars or road vehicles - a healthy dose of Schuey-trademarked punishment.

After having been intimately involved with the development of the 430 Scuderia - proclaimed as the fastest road-going Ferrari ever to lap the company's private circuit - Schumacher returned to Fiorano to give his input on Maranello's newest offering, the California. And while his opinion is hardly impartial, he certainly knows what he's talking about and his impressions were glowing. Speaking to the conference of Ferrari dealers assembled at the factory, Schumacher proclaimed that "the Ferrari California is very much a Grand Tourer in terms of its usability and high level of interior comfort, it is still surprisingly sporty and fun to drive under any kind of conditions." You could try arguing with him, but you'd probably end up losing - like most of the drivers that have ever tried to go wheel-to-wheel with the most decorated driver in history. Click below to view the images in our high-resolution gallery, and follow the jump to view the video and press release.

Gallery: Schumacher and the Ferrari California


[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Schumacher fine-tunes the Ferrari California (w/VIDEO)

 

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]]>californiaferrariferrari californiaFerrariCaliforniamichael schumachermichael schumacher ferrari californiaMichaelSchumacherMichaelSchumacherFerrariCaliforniaschumacherschumacher californiaschumacher ferrarischumacher test ferrariSchumacherCaliforniaSchumacherFerrariSchumacherTestFerrarivideo schumacher californiavideo schumacher ferrariVideoSchumacherCaliforniaVideoSchumacherFerrari2008-07-24T11:30:00+00:00<![CDATA[Top Gear USA casting audience members for pilot]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/21/top-gear-usa-casting-audience-members-for-pilot/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/21/top-gear-usa-casting-audience-members-for-pilot/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/21/top-gear-usa-casting-audience-members-for-pilot/#commentsFiled under:



While Top Gear obsessives in the UK have to wait 21 years for a chance to share the hanger with Clarkson, Hammond and May, those of us in the U.S. have an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the imported version of everyone's favorite motoring show. One of the scribes at Autofiends came across the application page for audience members to attend the taping of Top Gear USA's pilot episode, and if you're in the Los Angeles area and free this Saturday, July 26th, you can sign up here.

Adam Carolla is in the host seat, accompanied by rally racer and drifter extraordinaire, Tanner Foust, and -- God help us -- "TV construction guru Eric Stromer." According to the site, "Top Gear will feature irreverent humor and camaraderie, epic races, outrageous stunts and challenges, unique celebrity guest participation and eccentric methods of testing cars." Sounds like the proven formula is on its way.

[Source: OCATV via Autofiends]

 

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]]>top geartop gear ustop gear usaTopGearTopGearUsTopGearUsa2008-07-21T17:32:00+00:00<![CDATA[Best shot yet of the <i>Transformers 2</i> mystery Vette]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/16/best-shot-yet-of-the-transformers-2-mystery-vette/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/16/best-shot-yet-of-the-transformers-2-mystery-vette/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/16/best-shot-yet-of-the-transformers-2-mystery-vette/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Click image for photo gallery

This much we know. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will have some sort of Corvette concept portraying one of the Autobots (well, we assume it's an Autobot). We also now know that there are at least two movie cars, as you can see in the shot above. Do we officially know that these are Corvettes of some sort? No, but the fender shapes, split rear window, and the port aft of the front wheel are familial styling cues that seal the deal. We're dying to know if this is just a movie creation or a concept that's in the pipeline to be revealed publicly at some future time. And if this forecasts what we should expect in terms of a C7, well, we're okay with that, too.

Also snagged in this photo set: the Chevy Beat and Trax, a military-style dune buggy, a pair of Can-Am Spyders, Optimus Prime, and Ratchet. Thanks, Andrew!

Gallery: Transformers 2 Corvette on-set


[Source: Seibertron]

 

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]]>breakingchevroletchevycorvettetransformerstransformers corvetteTransformersCorvettevette2008-07-16T14:51:00+00:00<![CDATA[VIDEO: Jay Leno drives the SSC Ultimate Aero, lives]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/15/video-jay-leno-drives-the-ssc-ultimate-aero-lives/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/15/video-jay-leno-drives-the-ssc-ultimate-aero-lives/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/15/video-jay-leno-drives-the-ssc-ultimate-aero-lives/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click above to watch Leno drive the Ultimate Aero

We have a lot of respect for Jay Leno. Not only because he owns some seriously impressive cars, but because he actually drives them. Sure, we're a bit jealous, but even more so after watching him drive the SSC Ultimate Aero, the Guinness-certified fastest production car in the world. As you might expect, Leno was initially skeptical of the American-built supercar, but after close inspection and a stint behind the wheel he was truly impressed. The video also has some interesting info, including the news that SSC plans to build more cars -- a 220 mph four-door sedan as well as the world's fastest "green" supercar. Considering what SSC did with the Ultimate Aero, we wouldn't put it past them, but we're skeptical nonetheless. Follow the jump to watch the video.

[Source: Jay Leno's Garage]

Continue reading VIDEO: Jay Leno drives the SSC Ultimate Aero, lives

 

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]]>Jay LenoJay Lenos GarageJayLenoJayLenosGarageShelby SupercarsShelbySupercarsSSCSSC Ultimate AeroSscUltimateAeroUltimate AeroUltimateAero2008-07-15T12:59:00+00:00<![CDATA['08 Goodwood Festival of Speed: The highlights]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/14/08-goodwood-festival-of-speed-the-highlights/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/14/08-goodwood-festival-of-speed-the-highlights/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/14/08-goodwood-festival-of-speed-the-highlights/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click above for high-res gallery from Goodwood

The Goodwood Festival of Speed wrapped up on Sunday after three days of pure motorsports Heaven. While we would have liked to have posted a gallery or two a day from the event, internet issues kept us from sharing anything else after firing off our initial couple of posts. To make up for it we have a few massive galleries of goodness from Goodwood planned. We start today with some highlights, but will try to show some of the special categories individually too in later posts. After all, it isn't really a race in the strictest sense of the word and the pics will keep you just as entertained now as if they come next week. So hopefully you'll appreciate what we have to offer and if it isn't your thing, feel free to move onto something else you like better.

For those who want to stick around you can expect to see coverage of everything from the Cartier Style et Luxe concours to the Airbus A380 flyover. We'll also include some shots of the people and sights from around the grounds of Lord March's estate. Although the racing is what brings people here, it is truly the ambiance that keeps them coming back year after year. The photos are captioned as much as possible for your convenience, but look for supercars, celebrity drivers, vintage racers, classic cars, movie cars, wild track action and much more. We hope you enjoy our expanded coverage of the 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed as much as we enjoyed being there and sharing it with you.

All images copyright (C) 2008 Frank Filipponio/Weblogs, Inc.

Gallery: '08 Goodwood Festival of Speed: The highlights

Alfa Romeo 8CsMorgan LifecarParajet SkycarToyota iSwingVintage Dragster Display on Cricket Pitch

 

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]]>festival of speedFestivalOfSpeedgoodwoodgoodwood festival of...GoodwoodFestivalOf...2008-07-14T13:02:00+00:00<![CDATA[Top Gear: GT-R vs. Bullet train]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/14/top-gear-gt-r-vs-bullet-train/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/14/top-gear-gt-r-vs-bullet-train/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/14/top-gear-gt-r-vs-bullet-train/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Top Gear has turned its stellar production values loose on the GT-R. In the interest of compelling television, it's not just a review. In pursuit of hilariousness, May and Hamster set off on a bullet train to see if they can beat Clarkson to the final destination. It takes about the duration of the ride for Clarkson to figure out what half the buttons in the GT-R do, and May and Hammond don't have it any easier trying to communicate in Japanese to do simple things like figure out the train system and buy tickets. Hilarity follows, with part 1&2 after the jump.

[Source: GTR Blog]


Continue reading Top Gear: GT-R vs. Bullet train

 

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]]>bullet trainBulletTraingt-rgt-r vs bullet trainGt-rVsBulletTraingtrgtr versus bullet trainGtrVersusBulletTraintop geartop gear gtr vs bullet traintop gear season 11TopGearTopGearGtrVsBulletTrainTopGearSeason112008-07-14T12:32:00+00:00<![CDATA[Win the lottery? Have Stig take you for a spin]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/12/win-the-lottery-have-stig-take-you-for-a-spin/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/12/win-the-lottery-have-stig-take-you-for-a-spin/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/12/win-the-lottery-have-stig-take-you-for-a-spin/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Lottery winners can often have subhuman tendencies, so it's only natural that you'd want to hang out with equally awful subset of humanity, racing drivers. The Stig is a perfect representation of those with abnormally high levels of octane in their blood, and his/its services around Silverstone were purchased for £35,000 at a charity auction buy a lottery winner recently in reciept of £5 million. The Stig's passenger got three rain-soaked laps for a price of £11,666 per, and the Stig's performance, even on rain tires, was enough to impress Fernando Alonso. For the same price, you might be able to hire a passel of goons to abduct the esteemed Stigginator and pop that darn helmet off, though that particular scenario might be as creepy as the Darth Vader death scene in Return Of The Jedi.

[Source: Top Gear]

 

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]]>lottery winnerLotteryWinnersilverstonestigstig lapsStigLapsthe stigTheStigtop gearTopGear2008-07-12T18:37:00+00:00<![CDATA[Takuma Sato back on Track]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/11/takuma-sato-back-on-track/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/11/takuma-sato-back-on-track/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/11/takuma-sato-back-on-track/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Takuma Sato's fans had pretty much given up on seeing their idol on track this past weekend at the British Grand Prix. Many of them had bought plane and/or GP tickets well in advance, only to be disappointed when Super Aguri followed Minardi, and Arrows in to the annals of Formula 1 history just two months ago.

So what did Taku do? Rent a kart track and invite his fans, plus a few select journalists, to race him in a 30-minute endurance race. Some fans, who had flown in from across Europe and of course Japan, were new to karting, so Taku graciously took them out for a few practice laps and providing one-on-one instruction. How many people get to have their first racing lesson from an F1 racer?

Takuma and his team mate won outright (of course), but then were disqualified for "speeding". Autoblog's team was in second right up to the final pitstop when we were penalized for over taking on a yellow flag, but we still made the podium.

As Formula 1's silly season kicks in to high gear, rumors around the paddock have Takuma moving back to Honda's F1 team next year (at the expense of Rubens Barrichello or Jensen Button), driving for Team Force India should the F1 newbies switch from Ferrari to Honda power next year, heading up team Japan in A1 GP or even leading an all new Team Honda USA (which should be called Team Acura surely) with Danica Patrick as his team mate. Unfortunately, Takuma wouldn't confirm or deny any such gossip.

Thanks to Taku management for the invite, to Apex Dream Drives for the pics (and speed) and to Takuma for a great day out.

 

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]]>fanskartingTakuma SatoTakumaSato2008-07-11T19:03:00+00:00<![CDATA[Click and Clack cartoon debuts tonight on PBS]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/09/click-and-clack-cartoon-debuts-tonight-on-pbs/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/09/click-and-clack-cartoon-debuts-tonight-on-pbs/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/09/click-and-clack-cartoon-debuts-tonight-on-pbs/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



If you've been dying to see animated versions of Click and Clack -- aliases Tom and Ray Magliozzi -- then you'll want to tune into your local PBS station tonight. Their new series, As the Wrench Turns, starts off with their presidential campaign, with one of the platforms being "America needs a lube job!" We're all for it. Big Bird and the Cookie Monster will also make a cameo, though we're not sure if it's tonight. Check your PBS site for local times, or check out the show's site for a preview of the mechanical mayhem.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

 

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]]>car talkcartalkcartooncartoonsclick and clackClickAndClackpbstom and ray magliozziTomAndRayMagliozzi2008-07-09T17:32:00+00:00