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[Scion's newest ad campaign puts reader's rides on billboards]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/31/scions-newest-ad-campaign-puts-readers-rides-on-billboards/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/31/scions-newest-ad-campaign-puts-readers-rides-on-billboards/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/31/scions-newest-ad-campaign-puts-readers-rides-on-billboards/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Scion owners recently submitted pics of their personalized vehicles, including tC, xA, xB, and xD models, to the company for evaluation. The loyal owners were participating in Scion's "United by Individuality" brand campaign, designed to put individuals' modified vehicles in magazines, on billboards, even projected onto movie screens. More than 300 cars made the cut, and they soon found themselves in the Nevada desert for a photo shoot that included racing, tuning events, and even music performances. Shown above is a stunning aerial shot of more than 200 cars parked - very well we might add - at the event. The ad campaign launches in movie theaters July 21, while the other media won't go live until August 4th.

[Source: Edmunds Inside Line]

 

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]]>AdvertisingCampaignContestDesertSciontCUnited by IndividualityUnitedByIndividualityxAxBxD2008-07-31T17:32:00+00:00<![CDATA[The fate of a Range Rover is in your hands, people]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/25/the-fate-of-a-range-rover-is-in-your-hands-people/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/25/the-fate-of-a-range-rover-is-in-your-hands-people/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/25/the-fate-of-a-range-rover-is-in-your-hands-people/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Click above to watch Ryan's call to action

Ryan Mickle, seen above and apparently afraid of no ghosts, has had a change of heart since purchasing his Range Rover Sport new in 2006. Since then, gas prices have shot through the roof and fighting climate change has become a favorite global pastime. Seeing that his SUV gets about 13 mpg, Ryan doesn't want to drive it, doesn't want to sell it and doesn't want anyone else to get behind the wheel -- ever. Trouble is, he's not quite sure how to go about it just yet. So, he wants you to help him decide the fate of his SUV. A few initial ideas: catapult it into the Pacific Ocean, blow it up or convert it to a run on either electrons or biodiesel.

We're hoping that common sense wins out here and the vehicle is somehow saved from such an inauspicious fate as being merely blown to shreds -- after all, that's not very eco-friendly either. While a biodiesel conversion might be fun, we'll put our official vote on the EV idea. Yank the engine, drop in a nice electric motor and some decent batteries in the rear cargo area... presto-chango, problem solved. Well, maybe it's a bit more complicated than that. Watch Ryan's video after the break. Thanks for the tip, everyone!

[Source: One Fewer]

 

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]]>one fewerOneFeweronefewer.comrange roverrange rover sportRangeRoverRangeRoverSportryan mickleRyanMicklesuvsuvs2008-07-25T19:27:00+00:00<![CDATA[Grease Me Up: Lube sweepstakes giving away a '57 T-Bird]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/03/grease-me-up-lube-sweepstakes-giving-away-a-57-t-bird/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/03/grease-me-up-lube-sweepstakes-giving-away-a-57-t-bird/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/03/grease-me-up-lube-sweepstakes-giving-away-a-57-t-bird/#commentsFiled under: ,

Spend a couple of minutes surfing the net and you'll find all sorts of contests giving away all sorts of prizes. The best of them - ahem, like the Autoblog Relaunch Celebration Sweepstakes we ran a year back - give away a new car. But how about an old car? We mean, like a classic... a classic among classics, even, like the 1957 Ford Thunderbird.

That's exactly what Blaster chemicals - makers of a variety of lubricants and rust inhibitors - is giving away to mark its 50th anniversary. Residents of the lower 48 can enter the sweepstakes online until the end of July. The grand prize consists of the T-Bird and a trip for two to Cleveland - home of Rock & Roll and our own John Neff - to pick it up at the awards ceremony. They're also giving away five classic pedal cars, five leather jackets and Blaster-branded apparel. Follow the jump to enter.

[Source: Blaster Corporation via All Cars, All the Time]

 

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]]>1957 ford thunderbird1957FordThunderbird57 t-bird57T-birdblasterblaster contestblaster sweepstakesblaster t-birdBlasterContestBlasterSweepstakesBlasterT-birdford thunderbirdFordThunderbirdthunderbird2008-07-03T08:31:00+00:00<![CDATA[End of Autoblog's Father's Day Sweepstakes, congrats to the winners!]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/21/end-of-autoblogs-fathers-day-sweepstakes-congrats-to-the-winn/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/21/end-of-autoblogs-fathers-day-sweepstakes-congrats-to-the-winn/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/21/end-of-autoblogs-fathers-day-sweepstakes-congrats-to-the-winn/#commentsFiled under:



Our week long string of sweepstakes to celebrate Father's Day has concluded with DJohnson being randomly chosen as the winner of our final sweepstake's prize, a TomTom ONE 3rd Edition GPS navigation system. All of the winners have been contacted and we'll be sending the prizes out next week. Thanks to everyone who entered, and also thanks to Wholesalekeychains.com, Doubleday, Automoblox, Sony Computer Entertainment and TomTom for supplying the prizes. We love doing sweepstakes and plan on doing more in the future as we come across cool prizes.

 

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]]>2008-06-21T17:10:00+00:00<![CDATA[Father's Day Sweepstakes, Day 5: TomTom ONE 3rd Edition]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/20/fathers-day-sweepstakes-day-5-tomtom/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/20/fathers-day-sweepstakes-day-5-tomtom/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/20/fathers-day-sweepstakes-day-5-tomtom/#commentsFiled under:

We've reached the end of our week-long marathon of Father's Day sweepstakes, and we think you'll agree, we've saved the best for last. Our final sweepstakes is for a TomTom ONE 3rd Edition portable navigation system. Valued at $199, the ONE 3rd Edition is TomTom's entry-level model but features a large 3.5-inch touchscreen, preloaded maps and 1GB of internal memory (Father's Day tie not included). You can check out full specs for the ONE 3rd Edition on TomTom's website by clicking here. And all you need to do to enter is...

  • Leave a comment on this post telling us what you got or gave someone for Father's Day this year.
  • The comment must be left before 12:00 PM EST, Saturday, June 21st.
  • We'll randomly select one winner at that time (please check your email!).
  • Prize courtesy of TomTom valued at $199.
  • Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day (comment more than once on this post and you'll be disqualified, but enter again for tomorrow's sweepstakes)
  • Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
  • Click Here for complete Official Rules.
Congrats to GeoSB8K who won a copy of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue and a DualShock 3 controller for the Playstation 3 in yesterday's sweepstakes.

 

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]]>breakingfathers dayfathers day sweepstakesFathersDayFathersDaySweepstakessweepstakestomtomtomtom one 3rd editionTomtomOne3rdEdition2008-06-20T13:00:00+00:00<![CDATA[Father's Day Sweepstakes, Day 4: Gran Turismo 5 Prologue and Dual Shock Controller]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/19/fathers-day-sweepstakes-day-4-gran-turismo-5-and-dual-shock-c/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/19/fathers-day-sweepstakes-day-4-gran-turismo-5-and-dual-shock-c/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/19/fathers-day-sweepstakes-day-4-gran-turismo-5-and-dual-shock-c/#commentsFiled under:



I had preordered Gran Turismo 5 and a new Dualshock 3 controller for myself before they were available, but Sony sent us a copy of the game and a controller to try out before my own stuff arrived (Our review of the game is pending as we're still working on getting as far into the game as possible). What we're giving away today is technically courtesy of Sony Computer Entertainment America, but in reality this unopened copy of GT5 Prologue and Dualshock 3 controller are really my birthday presents that arrived a bit too late, so happy birthday (and Father's Day) to you instead. They are today's prizes for our Father's Day Sweepstakes, Day 4, and one lucky winner will get both. Unfortunately a Sony Playstation 3 is not part of the prize package, but what better reason is there for getting one than winning this sweepstakes?

All you need to do to enter is...
  • Leave a comment on this post telling us which car in Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is your favorite.
  • The comment must be left before 12:00 PM EST, Friday, June 20th.
  • We'll randomly select one winner at that time (please check your email!).
  • Prizes courtesy of Sony Computer Entertainment America valued at $39.99 (game) and $54.99 (controller).
  • Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day (comment more than once on this post and you'll be disqualified, but enter again for tomorrow's sweepstakes)
  • Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
  • Click Here for complete Official Rules.
Congrats to judd who won an Automoblox C9R and S9R in yesterday's sweepstakes. Come back tomorrow for our Father Day Sweepstakes, Day 4 as the prizes get bigger and better.

 

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]]>autoblogbreakingfathers day sweepstakesFathersDaySweepstakes2008-06-19T13:00:00+00:00<![CDATA[Father's Day Sweepstakes, Day 3: Automoblox, of course]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/18/fathers-day-sweepstakes-day-3-automoblox-of-course/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/18/fathers-day-sweepstakes-day-3-automoblox-of-course/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/18/fathers-day-sweepstakes-day-3-automoblox-of-course/#commentsFiled under:



What's a sweepstakes on Autoblog without some Automoblox cars as prizes? Not much, so we rang Patrick Calello, the designer who dreams up these heirloom-quality toys, and he's graciously provided both a C9R sportscar ($39.99) and S9R sports sedan ($39.99) for us to give away. Unlike the last two days, both prizes will be going to one winner to help them start their collection of Automoblox cars. I have six myself, and the out-of-the-box C9R you see above is mine. The prizes for this sweepstakes, however, are still in their original boxes and unopened. We're also including an Automoblox T-shirt and decals courtesy of Patrick Calello with the prize.

All you need to do to enter is...
  • Leave a comment on this post telling us which Automoblox car is your favorite.
  • The comment must be left before 12:00 PM EST, Thursday, June 19th.
  • We'll randomly select one winner at that time (please check your email!).
  • Prizes courtesy of Automoblox valued at $39.99 apiece.
  • Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day (comment more than once on this post and you'll be disqualified, but enter again for tomorrow's sweepstakes)
  • Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
  • Click Here for complete Official Rules.
Congrats to Nick Dasko, Gunbust3r, Chris D., Wes, Brendan, HERRICK, Matt, sendmecrapola, 2fic, bencox88, BrokenMonkey and QuayRyanCheck who each won a copy of Devil May Care from yesterday's sweepstakes. Come back tomorrow for our Father Day Sweepstakes, Day 4 as the prizes get bigger and better.

 

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]]>automobloxbreakingC9Rfathers dayfathers day sweepstakesFathersDayFathersDaySweepstakesS9Rsweepstakes2008-06-18T13:00:00+00:00<![CDATA[Father's Day Sweepstakes, Day 2: Bentley and Bond in <i>Devil May Care</i>]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/17/fathers-day-sweepstakes-day-2-bentley-and-bond-in-i-devil-ma/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/17/fathers-day-sweepstakes-day-2-bentley-and-bond-in-i-devil-ma/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/17/fathers-day-sweepstakes-day-2-bentley-and-bond-in-i-devil-ma/#commentsFiled under:



Congratulations to the winners of yesterday's sweepstakes prizes who include bfaukner, policyvote, Shortt Sirket, Ralph M and Nora Scott-Platt. As for which won the mind-numbingly bitchin' Chevy Astro keychain, they'll all have to check their mailboxes to find out. As promised, the prizes get bigger and better each day this week, and today we've got a dozen copies of Devil May Care, Sebastian Faulks' new James Bond novel. This is the classic, Cold War-era Bond. He smokes, he drinks, he drives his Bentley, and he faces down a supervillain who threatens to unleash chaos upon the free world. Oh, and there's a girl. Always a girl. I've read the book, and it's one of those engrossing, exciting page-turners you'll tear through in a single sitting if you're not careful. We'll randomly select twelve winners, each of whom will take home a copy.

All you need to do to enter is...
  • Leave a comment on this post telling us which James Bond film is your favorite.
  • The comment must be left before 12:00 PM EST, Wednesday, June 18th.
  • We'll randomly select twelve winners at that time (please check your email!) and distribute one prize per each.
  • Prizes courtesy of Doubleday (www.doubleday.com) include Devil May Care ($24.95), the new James Bond novel by Sebastian Faulks.
  • Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day (comment more than once on this post and you'll be disqualified, but enter again for tomorrow's sweepstakes)
  • Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
  • Click Here for complete Official Rules.
Check back tomorrow for our Father Day Sweepstakes, Day 3 as the prizes get bigger and better.

 

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]]>2008-06-17T13:00:00+00:00<![CDATA[Father's Day Sweepstakes, Day 1: Wholesalekeychain.com Keychains!]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/16/fathers-day-sweepstakes-day-1-wholesalekeychain-com-keychains/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/16/fathers-day-sweepstakes-day-1-wholesalekeychain-com-keychains/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/16/fathers-day-sweepstakes-day-1-wholesalekeychain-com-keychains/#commentsFiled under:



Yesterday was Father's Day and we decided that a series of sweepstakes was in order to celebrate the modern day patriarch. We'll be hosting one sweepstakes per day this week in honor of dear old Dad, so whether you are one or just have one, we hope you enter for a chance to win some fun stuff. We're kicking off Day 1 with five prizes courtesy of Wholesalekeychain.com, which sells officially licensed keychains for nearly all of the major car brands. While there are hundreds to choose from, all made from high quality materials like steel and leather, we chose five fun ones:
Uh, that last one just shows you how large the selection is on Wholesalekeychain.com, and one lucky person's gonna win it. We'll randomly choose five winners who'll each be given one of the above keychains according to the order in which they're chosen (first chosen winner receives BMW M Series Keychain and so on).

All you need to do to enter is...
UPDATE: Please pick the car key you like best in your comment, not which prize you'd like.

 Check back tomorrow for our Father Day Sweepstakes, Day 2 as the prizes get bigger and better.

 

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]]>fathers day sweepstakesFathersDaySweepstakessweepstakeswhosesalekeychain.com2008-06-16T13:00:00+00:00<![CDATA[Automobile Mag hands out Funky Ergonomics Awards]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/09/automobile-mag-hands-out-funky-ergonomics-awards/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/09/automobile-mag-hands-out-funky-ergonomics-awards/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/09/automobile-mag-hands-out-funky-ergonomics-awards/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The scholars over at Automobile magazine have handed out their "Funky Ergonomics Awards" this year. As expected, BMW's iDrive and 7 Series interior (shown above) remains their favorite pincushion. Rightly so. Their list includes convenience keys that are downright inconvenient, window switches that are out of reach, touchscreens that are dangerously slow to respond, all center-of-the-dashboard mounted instrument clusters, complicated navigation systems, reverse-action manu-matic transmissions, and dimly lit interiors.

While we generally agree with their list, our own ergonomic pet peeves include spinning seat adjusters mounted inaccessibly outboard (yeah, by the doors), cruise control stalks hidden out-of-sight by the wheel itself, and manual modes for old-fashioned "slushbox" automatic trannies. Oh yeah, the list goes on and on...

[Source: Automobile]

 

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]]>Automobile MagazineAutomobileMagazineErgonomicFunky Egonomic AwardsFunkyEgonomicAwardsPet PeevesPetPeeves2008-06-09T17:57:00+00:00<![CDATA[Anna Kournikova can always fall back on car washing]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/27/anna-kournikova-can-always-fall-back-on-car-washing/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/27/anna-kournikova-can-always-fall-back-on-car-washing/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/27/anna-kournikova-can-always-fall-back-on-car-washing/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Honestly, who cares if Anna Kournikova never won a Grand Slam title in single play? She seems to be doing just fine these days, buoyed by her budding modeling career. So, while certain statistics may cast a shadow over her professional tennis career, there is no doubting her physical beauty. According to a new survey by Motorpoint, men in the U.K. voted Kournikova 'Car Wash Belle,' making her the number one person that men would like to see washing their cars. We wouldn't argue with these results. Number two on the list is Cristina Aguilera, followed in the three-spot by Scarlet Johansson -- a fine choice indeed.

So, what about the guys? They weren't left out, as Johnny Depp got the official nod as 'Car Wash Hunk,' followed by George Clooney and Ewan McGregor. We've pasted both top ten lists after the break. Feel free to nominate your personal choices in the comments section, and remember to keep it clean... sorry, too easy.

[Source: Motorpoint, Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty]

Continue reading Anna Kournikova can always fall back on car washing

 

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]]>anna kournikovaanna-kournikovaAnnaKournikovacar washcar-washCarWashjohnny deppjohnny-deppJohnnyDepp2008-05-27T15:29:00+00:00<![CDATA[Tata to enter two vehicles in Automotive X Prize]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/15/tata-to-enter-two-vehicles-in-automotive-x-prize/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/15/tata-to-enter-two-vehicles-in-automotive-x-prize/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/15/tata-to-enter-two-vehicles-in-automotive-x-prize/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for a high-res gallery of the Tata Nano.

Up until today, there were no major automobile manufacturers taking part in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize. That changes with Tata Motors signing a letter of intent to compete in both the Alternative and Mainstream classes. The Alternative Class allows for the use of fewer than four wheels, though Tata's intention is "to enter a pure e-drive micro car" in that class. The more relevant Mainstream Class requires four wheels, a two-hundred mile range and the equivalent of at least 100 miles per gallon from a package capable of carrying four passengers. For this class, Tata indicates that it will enter a Dominant Electric Hybrid vehicle. We're rather anxious to see what Tata is able to cook up for this eco-friendly competition, considering that whatever engineering goes into the development of its X Prize challengers can easily be applied to the production Nano, as well as Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles.

Gallery: Tato Nano - Live from Geneva


[Source: AutoblogGreen]

Continue reading Tata to enter two vehicles in Automotive X Prize

 

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]]>automotive x-prizeautomotive-x-prizeautomotivex-prizetatatata motorstata nanotata-motorstata-nanoTataMotorsTataNano2008-05-15T15:55:00+00:00<![CDATA[Design students envision a modern Model-T]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/02/design-students-envision-a-modern-model-t/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/02/design-students-envision-a-modern-model-t/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/02/design-students-envision-a-modern-model-t/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Photo: KEVIN A. WILSON, Autoweek

Recently, Ford Motor Company sponsored a contest with the goal of modernizing the iconic Model T, a car which revolutionized motorized transportation the world over. The winner of the competition, a 24-year-old junior at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit named Dong Trang, came up with an electric crossover of sorts. That's fitting, according to Peter Horbury, head of design for Ford in the Americas, because Henry Ford's original Model T sat high off the ground and had a modular design, capable of hauling people and their stuff at the same time.

What the modern-day designs don't share with their forebear is retro looks. Each of the modern T adaptations features fairly sleek styling and alternative power that goes along with our modern-day energy and emissions problems.

Trang's design is rather unique, featuring solar panels on the vehicle along with an energy-capturing suspension design that would help recharge the on-board batteries. Those batteries are also removable to provide power outside the vehicle. The seating arrangement is modular, allowing for up to four occupants or offering increased storage capacity. The rear hatch is also capable of folding away to offer a small pickup bed. Click past the break for some videos of Trang talking about his design.

[Source: Detroit Free Press, Autoweek]

Continue reading Design students envision a modern Model-T

 

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]]>dong trangdong-trangDongTrangelectric model telectric-model-tElectricModelTfordford model tford-model-tFordModelTmodel tmodel-tModelTmodern model tmodern-model-tModernModelT2008-05-02T16:02:00+00:00<![CDATA[In India, Kama Sutra inspires young car designer]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/30/in-india-kama-sutra-inspires-young-car-designer/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/30/in-india-kama-sutra-inspires-young-car-designer/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/30/in-india-kama-sutra-inspires-young-car-designer/#commentsFiled under: ,

We've heard the styling of some Italian cars being referred to as sensual before, so it comes as little surprise that the Italian styling firm Pininfarina's interest was piqued when it heard that a young Indian's car designs were inspired by the ancient love-making guide Kama Sutra. Ramesh Gound, a student of the National Institute of design in India says, "When I thought of what the world associates with India, it is Kama Sutra that came to my mind. After studying Kama Sutra, I realized its essence and my theme emerged -- two objects coming together and moving in one direction with a force of passion." He adds, "the exteriors of the body curve and become part of the interiors of the car." Yeah... so it sounds like his studies into Kama Sutra proved useful. For all of his hard work, Gound was rewarded with an internship at the famous Italian design house.

[Source: Times of India]

 

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]]>indiakamakama sutrakama-sutrakamasutrapininfarinaramesh goundramesh-goundRameshGound2008-04-30T18:34:00+00:00<![CDATA[VIDEO: Six records broken at Crusty Demons Night of World Records]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/06/video-six-records-broken-at-crusty-demons-night-of-world-record/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/06/video-six-records-broken-at-crusty-demons-night-of-world-record/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/06/video-six-records-broken-at-crusty-demons-night-of-world-record/#commentsFiled under: , ,



After a three-way jump-off between Robbie Maddison, Ryan Capes and Seth Enslow at Calder Park on March 28 in Melbourne, Australia, a new world record for the longest distance jump from ramp to ramp on a motorcycle was set at over 351 feet by Robbie Maddison. In fact, the record was beaten twice that night, with Ryan Capes briefly holding the record at 324 feet, which was two feet more than Maddison's previous record.

In other news, five other world records were set that same night:
  • Longest backflip ramp to ramp: Cameron Sinclair, existing record: 125-feet; new world record: 129 feet and 7 inches
  • Longest mini bike distance jump: Brent Brady broke the world record with a jump of 104 feet and 7 inches
  • Longest distance jump ramp to ramp by a quad motorcycle: John Guetter, existing record: 148.9 feet; the new record: 176 feet 11 inches
  • Most swords swallowed: Chayne Hultgren, existing record: 14; new world record: 17
  • Heaviest weight lifted while swallowing a sword: Cheyne Hultgren, existing record: 20.1kg; new world record: 22.4kg
Judging by the records that were broken in one night, we think the world is begging for a new category. How about longest distance jump on a motorcycle while swallowing a sword. Any takers?

Watch a video of both long distance motorcycle record jumps after the break!

[Source: Crusty.com]

Continue reading VIDEO: Six records broken at Crusty Demons Night of World Records

 

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]]>crusty demonscrusty-demonsCrustyDemonsmotorcycle jumpmotorcycle-jumpMotorcycleJumprobbie maddisonrobbie-maddisonRobbieMaddisonsword swallowingsword-swallowingSwordSwallowingworld recordworld-recordWorldRecord2008-04-06T09:01:00+00:00<![CDATA[Anybody want to win a Mario themed VW Beetle?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/28/anybody-want-to-win-a-mario-themed-vw-beetle/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/28/anybody-want-to-win-a-mario-themed-vw-beetle/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/28/anybody-want-to-win-a-mario-themed-vw-beetle/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Earlier this month, it was revealed that Mario Kart would continue its succession up the ranks of Nintendo gaming systems with the Wii version appearing on April 27. As we said before, we're more interested in realistic driving simulators, but when we found out that a real car would be given away during the promotional run-up to the game's release, we were slightly intrigued. That's until we found out what the vehicle actually is: a custom Mario themed Volkswagen Beetle. At least it's a convertible; albeit one with a horribly tacky paint job.

Winning any car is pretty darn cool, and after paying the requisite taxes on your winnings and paying for a new paint job (face it: it's a necessity), you could still sell the car for a profit. Or, if there really is somebody out there who actually wants to drive a brand-new VeeDub draped in Mario's clothing... well, you can just have fun with that.

[Source: Game via German Car Blog]

 

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]]>mario kartmario themed beetlemario-kartmario-themed-beetleMarioKartMarioThemedBeetlenintendo wiinintendo-wiiNintendoWiivolkswagenvolkswagen beetlevolkswagen-beetleVolkswagenBeetlevwwii2008-03-28T07:58:00+00:00<![CDATA[Grand Prix: Renault F1 opens internship program]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/21/grand-prix-renault-f1-opens-internship-program/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/21/grand-prix-renault-f1-opens-internship-program/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/21/grand-prix-renault-f1-opens-internship-program/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click the image above to view in high resolution

If you're a recently graduated or soon to graduate student in a technical or scientific field, listen up, because this could very well be the internship that could jump-start your career. Every year for the past five, the Renault F1 team has picked the top entry in a contest for a six-month internship. The competition is run by the Altran Engineering Academy, the technological manpower agency that consults for the team. Entries are accepted in eight F1-related fields based on 500-word summaries of innovative ideas that could help the Renault cars beat the competition.

The winner is chosen from among nine finalists who present their proposals this summer to a jury chaired by the Renault F1 team's head of R&D at its headquarters in Enstone, England. Applications are due by May 15, and having observed the results of last year's selection, the competition is fierce, so if you want a shot at working with the best, better get crackin'. More information is available in the press release and video after the jump, and a whole mess of snappy pictures can be found in the gallery below.

Gallery: Renault F1 internship program


[Source: Altran Engineering Academy]

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]]>altran engineering academyAltranEngineeringAcademyf1 stageF1Stageinternship programInternshipProgramrenault f1 internshipRenaultF1Internship2008-03-21T18:29:00+00:00<![CDATA[VIDEO: News van drivers go drag racing (legally)]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/14/video-news-van-drivers-go-drag-racing-legally/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/14/video-news-van-drivers-go-drag-racing-legally/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/14/video-news-van-drivers-go-drag-racing-legally/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above to view video after the jump

Driving a news van can be a real drag. Evidently so, as news crews from KDBC-TV and KVIA-TV in El Paso, Texas took it literally during their coverage of opening night at El Paso Motorplex. In response to the crowd's wishes, both overweight vans -- packing a full assortment of electronic equipment and sporting satellite dishes on the roof -- staged at the tree. Reaction times were slow as both lumbered off the line, sans wheelspin, and hobbled down the quarter-mile strip. Neither news station posted slips, but the driver from KDBC-TV was let go for his performance (one has to assume the only thing he broke were the station rules). Lucky for us, video cameras caught all of the action.

CNN's Anderson Cooper reported the event in the video after the jump with this cynical lead-in: "What were they thinking?" His follow-up crack of, "...seriously, the folks in the van should have known better..." was only topped by the comment from his female co-host who blurted out, "I didn't realize it was legal anywhere to drag race... shows you I don't get out much." Doh! Turns out they thought the media face-off was in pour taste because a person had died in that area the previous night in what may have been an illegal street-racing incident.

It is, however, still legal to drag race on quarter- and eighth-mile tracks all over the country, and we think the impromptu event was a pretty cool publicity stunt for EP Motorplex. In fact, next time let's turn it up a notch with some big names going head-to-head for pinks. Are you listening CNN and FOX News? Thanks for the tip, Nick!

[Source: SouthWestDrags]

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]]>Anderson CooperAndersonCooperDrag RaceDragRaceEl Paso MotorplexElPasoMotorplexKDBC-TVKVIA-TVNews VanNewsVan2008-03-14T17:57:00+00:00<![CDATA[Yee-haw! Toyota Tundra named TOTY by... farmers?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/28/yee-haw-toyota-tundra-named-toty-by-farmers/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/28/yee-haw-toyota-tundra-named-toty-by-farmers/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/28/yee-haw-toyota-tundra-named-toty-by-farmers/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Click above to view more high-res shots of the Toyota Tundra


Congrats to the Toyota Tundra. It has just been named "Truck of the Year" by Farm Industry News, a leading product and technology magazine for "high-income, Midwestern farmers" (their words, not ours). Though an accolade from FIM doesn't carry as much weight with normal shoppers as does a pair of golden calipers from Motor Trend, the award is still significant. As automakers watch buyers turn away from trucks as lifestyle vehicles, the endorsement of a magazine read by people who actually use a truck for its intended purpose has its own gravitas.

Then again, just how does a farm magazine determine the truck of the year? In the case of Farm Industry News, you simply add up all of the reader responses to product information (you know, those tear-out cards) and determine which is most popular. Considering the Toyota Tundra was all-new last year, it probably goes without saying that it was going to make the biggest splash!

Gallery: 2007 Toyota Tundra Limited


[Source: Farm Industry News]

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]]>Farm Industry NewsFarmIndustryNewsToyota TundraToyotaTundraTruck of the YearTruckOfTheYear2008-02-28T08:29:00+00:00<![CDATA[New York '08 Preview: World Car of the Year finalists announced]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/26/new-york-08-preview-world-car-of-the-year-finalists-announced/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/26/new-york-08-preview-world-car-of-the-year-finalists-announced/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/26/new-york-08-preview-world-car-of-the-year-finalists-announced/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,



With the New York Auto Show just around the corner in late March, the organization behind the "World Car of the Year" Awards has revealed its top three finalists. The top vehicles in each of four categories were chosen by an international panel of 47 automotive journalists reportedly committed to carrying out the process with the "...utmost objectivity, credibility, and integrity." Regardless of how spotless the chosen journalist's driving record is, it's still a subjective vote, so don't be dismayed if your favorite chunk of steel didn't make the list this year. Instead, be pleased that the majority of the vehicles are actually available in the States.

Last month, the list included ten vehicles in each category. This week, the distinguished panel whittled it down to three finalists in each category. Check out the finalists in Design, Performance Car and Green Car after the jump.
2008 World Car of the Year Finalists

Ford Mondeo
Mazda2 / Mazda Demio
Mercedes-Benz C-Class

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]]>FinalistsWCOTYWorld Car of the YearWorldCarOfTheYear2008-02-26T17:29:00+00:00