Autoblog

Chrysler recalls nearly 35,000 vehicles for sticking accelator pedals —

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep

After one month of investigation, Chrysler has decided to initiate a voluntary recall of 34,631 Dodge Caliber and 90 Jeep Compass vehicles from the 2007 model year in order to address a potential issue with sticking gas pedals. While the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has been investigating the problem for over a month, Chrysler reports that no accidents, injuries or property damage linked to vehicles equipped with these pedal assemblies have been reported.

The pedal assemblies are supplied by CTS and are similar to those that triggered a recall of 2.3 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles earlier this year. The actual issue does not appear to be the same problem that afflicted the Toyota vehicles, although the end result of unintended acceleration can be similar. The Detroit Free Press reports that the issue is caused by a bearing housing that was made too large.

CTS experienced a manufacturing issue for five weeks during March through May of 2006 that affected some of the first Calibers and Compasses built. According to Chrysler, only about one-third of the recalled cars are expected to actually have an issue with their pedal assemblies. Since announcing there was an investigation in early May, Chrysler has allowed customers to bring their cars in for a free inspection. If a pedal assembly is found to be defective, Chrysler will replace the entire pedal assembly for any of the recalled vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

[Source: Detroit Free Press, Chrysler]

Continue reading Chrysler recalls nearly 35,000 vehicles for sticking accelator pedals

Chrysler recalls nearly 35,000 vehicles for sticking accelator pedals originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Tesla

Diving into an extremely competitive and capital-intensive business in which customers generally don't appreciate having access to beta products is not a good way to enhance your personal fortune. In fact, if Elon Musk is being honest in the latest court filings related to his divorce proceedings, it looks like a great way to vaporize a fortune.

After selling Paypal to eBay in 2002, Musk and his partners netted $1.5 billion. An unknown portion of that went to Musk, who promptly turned around and invested several hundred million into not one, but three enterprises: Tesla, SpaceX and SolarCity. Neither Tesla nor SpaceX are generating enough revenue yet to be self-sustaining. The last we heard from someone inside Tesla, the company was selling about 20-30 Roadsters a month for likely revenue of under $4 million, plus whatever it's getting from Daimler for Smart ED battery packs.

Apparently Musk isn't personally self-sustaining either, claiming that he has $200,000 per month in expenses and $8,255 in income, presumably from his CEO salaries at Tesla and SpaceX. Musk's filings also list only $650,000 in liquid assets. Given that disparity, it seems like there might be at least a bit of leeway to cut back a bit. At any rate, Musk claims that he has had to start taking personal loans from friends to make ends meet.

Needless to say, Musk's estranged wife Justine sees the family finances a bit differently, and the reality is likely somewhere in between. If Musk's financial position is, in fact, as strained as he says, he'll want to complete the Tesla IPO as soon as possible just so that he can cash out some of his position.

[Source: CNN Money, Forbes]

Tesla's Elon Musk says he's broke originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 May 2010 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Subaru

Have you seen those Subaru commercials that feature mud-covered Outbacks? You know, the ones where they talk about the thick layer of terra firma as a badge of honor? Well, if you don't like your Subie to stay filthy for long, Subaru has another way to showcase your honor and brand loyalty. We're talking real badges, baby.

As shown at right, the main, circular badge tells the world how many Subarus you've owned, followed by your choice of over a dozen badges that show what sports or hobbies you engage in. As you can see in the main image above, merit badges include the 100,000 mile club, mechanical prowess, gardening, biking and winter sports. The badges have an adhesive backing so they can be easily affixed to any metal surface. And if you don't have a Subaru but think you can buy the badges because they look cool, think again. Proof of ownership via Vehicle Identification Number is required to score your free stick-on schwag. Head over to the Subaru Badge of Ownership site to peruse the options. Thanks for the tip, Keye!

[Source: Subaru]

Subaru letting owners show loyalty, hobbies with free badge program originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 May 2010 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., Videos, Canada

Google may have grounded its Street View fleet, but that doesn't mean there isn't still plenty to see on the search engine giant's most immersive of online tools. We've recently brought you news of the Street View team taking to the Woodward Dream Cruise, the Lotus test track and Laguna Seca, to name just a few. But as the proprietors of countless unsecured networks can tell you, Google's reach extends far beyond pavement.

In the ramp-up to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, just a few months ago, Google strapped its cameras to snowmobiles to map out the extensive winter sport playground at Whistler. Still feeling the Olympic fever? Planning a trip to Canada's West Coast? Just plain curious? Check it out in the video after the jump.

[Source: Google]

Continue reading Google Street View takes to the slopes of Whistler [w/video + map]

Google Street View takes to the slopes of Whistler [w/video + map] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 May 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massive Gallardo crash in Super Trofeo leaves Bartocc in intensive care —

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Lamborghini, Racing

The Lamborghini Super Trofeo Cup saw a massive accident during Round 4 of the season. From what we can tell, the number 22 Gallardo LP560-4 driven by Giorgio Bartocci got off into the gravel on the last turn before the front straight. It's unclear whether Bartocci was nudged by another racer or whether a mechanical failure caused the slide, but either way, the car hit the wall at considerable speed and nearly disintegrated on impact.

The driver's side door sprung open as the car slid down the tarmac, and Bartocci could be seen flailing outside the vehicle. When it finally came to a stop, the Raging Bull turned into a raging fireball. Fire crews initially took longer than expected to pull the driver from the wreckage and were seen using underpowered fire extinguishers to battle the blaze. The FIA is expected to investigate the incident. Amazingly, Bartocci survived the ordeal and is currently in intensive care.

Lamborghini canceled the remainder of the event and rounds six and seven have been indefinitely nixed as well. Hit the jump for a video of the incident.



[Source: Foltyn.cz via Jon Sibal]

Continue reading Massive Gallardo crash in Super Trofeo leaves Bartocc in intensive care

Massive Gallardo crash in Super Trofeo leaves Bartocc in intensive care originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 May 2010 21:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Cold chilling in the Toyota Sienna Swagger Wagon —

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Toyota

Click above to watch the video after the jump

Minivan commercials are typically a vanilla affair. You see kids running to the van after the soccer game with the remote-controlled sliding doors seemingly opening as if by magic while the smooth-talking voice-over guy tells you about warranties and five-Star crash test ratings. Boring but effective.

Toyota appears to be taking a delightfully different tactic to marketing the all-new 2011 Sienna. The advertising folks at Toyota are trying the novel approach of using humor to tout their sharp-looking people hauler, and the automaker is going as far as busting a rhyme in search for a good laugh. Hit the jump to watch actors Brian Huskey and Rachel Drummond go gangsta rap with the made-for-the-Internet "Swagger Wagon." There's no "mother-father swearin" in this video, but It's fresh and funny anyway. It still doesn't make us want to buy a minivan, though.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Cold chilling in the Toyota Sienna Swagger Wagon

Video: Cold chilling in the Toyota Sienna Swagger Wagon originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 May 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., Videos, Celebrities

It could very well be the ultimate car-obsessed/Star Wars fanboy fantasy. What is this latest object of our geekery? How about a car wash carried out by a gaggle of Princess Leias? And not just any Princess Leia, mind you, but slave Leia. We told you already: Ultimate car-obsessed Star Wars fanboy fantasy.

Not surprisingly, the fertile minds over at G4TV's Attack of the Show were behind the stunt, and proceeds from the Star Wars Charity Car Wash went to the Make A Wish Foundation. And if you're worried it was all just a horrible example of male chauvinism (yeah, it probably was), Han Solo, Darth Vader, Obi Wan, a slew of Storm Troopers and even a Tusken Raider and pair of Jawas were also present and accounted for. What, no Olivia Munn?

Video? Of course, four of them in total. See it all go down after the break.

[Source: Attack of the Show]

Continue reading Video: Princess Leia. Car wash. No, we're not kidding

Video: Princess Leia. Car wash. No, we're not kidding originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Car and Driver on iPad : A stopgap for the future of online mags —

Filed under: Etc.

Despite my better judgement, I had an iPad delivered to my house last weekend. The reasons for the purchase varied from the inexplicable to the absurd, but one of my primary interests was how magazines would adopt/adapt to the new format. Like it or not, Apple's a leader in mobile content delivery and any publishing house is going to want to be on the "it" platform, just as developers downloaded the iPhone SDK in hoards and the App store became the dominant force for mobile applications.

I've checked out some of the general interest pubs (NYT, Time, etc.), which are obviously still getting their sea-legs (and falling on their faces, in many cases), but for gearheads the pickings are non-existent - save Zinio (iTunes link).

Continue reading Car and Driver on iPad : A stopgap for the future of online mags

Car and Driver on iPad : A stopgap for the future of online mags originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: The coolest R/C footage we've seen in a long time stars... a Nissan Sentra SE-R? —

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Nissan, Toys/Games, Canada

If you're like us, chances are you spend just as much time drooling over the latest automotive toys as you do the real deal. Nissan has embraced its inner child with a new spot for the 2010 Sentra SE-R, filming the entire commercial in 1/10th scale with the help of a fleet of radio-controlled vehicles. There's even a R/C helicopter in on the action.

As the story goes, this ad was worked up by TBWA\Toronto for Nissan Canada, and the crew has been kind enough to provide the world with a "making of" video, too. Us? We're just happy to see Nissan spend some money promoting the SE-R at all. Now, if you'll excuse us, we'll be in the parking lot perfecting our R/C drifts. Hop the jump for a look at the full spot, and don't forget to catch the behind-the-scenes video, too. Hat tip to Lindsey!

[Source: Nissan Canada via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: The coolest R/C footage we've seen in a long time stars... a Nissan Sentra SE-R?

Video: The coolest R/C footage we've seen in a long time stars... a Nissan Sentra SE-R? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford to save $1.2M/year just by turning off its computers at night —

Filed under: Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Ford

When a corporation as large as Ford decides to do something as simple as shutting down its computers at night, the savings can be astronomical. In the case of Ford, powering down computers can save the company $1.2 million each year.

The new program, called PC Power Management, utilizes energy saving settings provided by Microsoft Windows. The energy settings will be used on company laptops and desktops to reduce energy waste. A managed shutdown will occur each night and during the weekend period. Additionally, computers will be awake to receive updates during pre-selected non-business hours, freeing up time previously used for updates throughout the working day.

According to Ford, an estimated 60 percent of the company's computer remained on after business hours resulting in wasted energy. The new managed shutdown will eliminate waste to the tune of over a million dollars in savings for the company and reduce its carbon footprint by an estimated 16,000-25,000 metric tons per year. Hit the jump for the full details on the program.

Continue reading Ford to save $1.2M/year just by turning off its computers at night

Ford to save $1.2M/year just by turning off its computers at night originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 06:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: NASA will study sudden unintended acceleration problem —

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Toyota

Who do you call when automobiles are rocketing (intentional pun) out of control? As it turns out, the answer is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, aka NASA.

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has enlisted the help of NASA to solve the unintended acceleration conundrum that's led to the recall of nearly 10 million Toyota vehicles. A statement by the DoT says it is calling on NASA's expertise in "electronics, hardware, software, hazard analysis and complex problem solving" to help solve a problem for which many credentialed experts have no acceptable answer. In short, NASA will be looking for any defects that could lead to an investigation, and its study should be completed by late summer.

The National Academy of Sciences will also conduct a second, more broad investigation that will tackle unwanted acceleration and electronic vehicle controls. The study will last up to 15 months, and the total bill for the two studies will cost American tax payers a relatively reasonable (if there are results) $3 million dollars.

The announcement of the two independent federal investigations comes one month after Congress demanded answers from Toyota and the DoT that would put Americans at ease. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood apparently senses the urgency to get this daunting problem resolved, adding "for the safety of the American driving public, we must do everything possible to understand what is happening." So to infinity and beyond we go.

[Source: The Los Angeles Times, Business Week | Image: Bill Ingalls/AFP/Getty]

Report: NASA will study sudden unintended acceleration problem originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: New York Auto Show, Performance, Wagon, Cadillac

Here in America, drivers who prefer station wagons to crossovers and SUVs are in a distinctly fringe minority. In spite of that, Cadillac has heard the cries from the wilderness and delivered the car we've been clamoring for. The CTS-V Sport Wagon is now finally official and production starts later this year.

Ever since AMG built a handful of Hammer station wagons back in the late 1980s, the idea of a family hauler with ludicrous power and torque has held a strange and twisted appeal for us. The V-wagon takes all the traits we love about the 556-horsepower sedan and adds the expanded cargo body style.

Aside from the tailgate, everything else is carried over, including the magnetic ride damping system, Brembo brakes, 19-inch wheels shod in Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s, and the asymmetrical half-shaft rear end to avoid axle tramp. Add in 25.4 cubic feet behind the back seats and 58 cubic feet with them folded and we may well have the perfect performance car. Did we mention the 551 pound-feet of torque?



[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Officially Official: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon unleashed!

Officially Official: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon unleashed! originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spills, chills and thrills at the 2010 Australian Grand Prix [SPOILER ALERT] —

Filed under: Motorsports

You asked for it, you got it. After what was widely received as a rather dry (if intriguing) start to the season two weeks ago in the sand dunes of Bahrain, many were left clamoring for more exciting race action. And that's exactly what we got this weekend in Melbourne.

The 2010 Australian Grand Prix entered the history books today packed with spins and crashes, rain and dry, wheel-to-wheel action and leapfrog passes. By the end, a good third of the grid had spun out, and the order had been completely shaken up. Click past the fold to see how it unfolded.

Continue reading Spills, chills and thrills at the 2010 Australian Grand Prix [SPOILER ALERT]

Spills, chills and thrills at the 2010 Australian Grand Prix [SPOILER ALERT] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 28 Mar 2010 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roewe 350: The first car to run on Android —

Filed under: China, Technology, Roewe

Google and the Chinese government are having a little row right now, but that hasn't stopped China's love for Google goods. The production lines for the Roewe 350 have started rolling out sedans, and the little four-door, designed as a sign of SAIC's automotive futur,e is certainly headed for hundreds of thousands of Chinese homes. In the process, it will employ Google's Android operating system, up until now only seen primarily on mobile phones and a handful of cheap PCs.

Android was developed from Linux, and is a highly customizable OS with a huge range of adaptability. In the Roewe 350, the Android interface running through the DVD system will give occupants web access and even online chatting, in addition to mundane things like real-time traffic. It's a neat choice to make, and with Android's app possibilities it might mean you could share information from car to car and skip the step of reading directions and other information from your phone. And if there's a virus... well, we won't worry about that just yet...

[Source: China Car Times]

Roewe 350: The first car to run on Android originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Jersey drivers under 21 required to affix red sticker to cars —

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety

Should other drivers be aware that the vehicle they're tailing is piloted by someone under the age of 21? New Jersey thinks so and has become the first state to enact a law requiring drivers under 21 to affix a red sticker to both their front and rear license plates.

The law, called Kyleigh's Law in memory of a young driver killed by another young driver, will go into effect beginning in May, and the stickers can be purchased from the local motor vehicle department for $4.00.

The sticker program is not without its challengers. Some believe that it will call out undue attention to teenage drivers while others believe that teenage drivers could become the target of criminals or even sex offenders.

According to the state, the stickers will help local police to enforce the state's 11 o'clock curfew for young drivers and to enforce other laws specific to restricted license drivers.

Similar systems have been instituted around the globe - from the UK to Japan - for years, with varying levels of effectiveness. Whether the sticker solution will be widely adopted across the U.S. remains to be seen, but feel free to posit your own opinion in the comments below.

[Source: New Jersey Online , My Central Jersey]

New Jersey drivers under 21 required to affix red sticker to cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

Omar Ramos-Lopez' retaliation on his former employers' customers might be something we conjure up while lying sleepless in bed, but we've got the power of self-restraint. Omar? Not so much. Ignoring his locus of control, Ramos-Lopez retaliated against Texas Auto Center after he was fired from by activating the GPS-enabled immobilizer systems the dealer fits to some of its cars. Some customers missed work, others had horns that kept honking and many had to pay for towing and repair.

In all, more than 100 people were impacted by the actions of Ramos-Lopez, a 20-year-old now facing charges for breach of computer security. Austin police say Ramos-Lopez accessed the computer system in an attempt to block the dealership's access to its own Pay Technologies account. Customer names were changed to things like "Tupac," and it took a couple days to figure out who the culprit was. Ramos-Lopez had been fired a month before the incident, and he's now facing between four months and two years in state prison if convicted.

[Source: wishtv.com | Image: Travis County Jail/AP]

Report: Disgruntled hacker disables 100 cars in Texas remotely originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2010 Honda Element with Dog Friendly package leaves tails wagging —

Filed under: SUV, Crossover, Honda, Specialty, Reviews

How does an automaker take a model that's been largely unchanged since inception and give it a little juice seven years into its life cycle? If you're Honda, you go to the dogs. Literally. After unveiling it as a "concept" at the 2009 New York Auto Show, the Dog Friendly Honda Element accessory package has made the transition to production accessory. The theory is that if you are a dog lover, you might consider buying an Element geared specifically toward your needs.

The Big H has plenty of experience in this department. As we showed you earlier today, in Japan there's a dedicated Honda Dog website (it's incredible, really) loaded with info about transporting pups in basically every JDM Honda offering. Naturally, there are "Travel Dog" accessories that drivers can purchase for each car as well. In fact, in Japan, there's also a dedicated model, the Vamos Travel Dog, which is specifically outfitted with dog owners in mind - much like the Stateside-market Elements kitted out with the new Dog Friendly package. As luck would have it, I have two dogs. Hence, I, and they, will be your humble 2010 Honda Element (Dog Friendly!) evaluators. Get your paws over to the jump to read more.



Photos by Alex Núñez / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Review: 2010 Honda Element with Dog Friendly package leaves tails wagging

Review: 2010 Honda Element with Dog Friendly package leaves tails wagging originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Dodge

It's like déjà vu all over again. Fact: Dude wins an eBay auction for a 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 with 250 miles on the odometer. Fact: Usually a new (or in this case, new-ish) SRT8 sells for about $41,000. Fact: Winning bid was $29,100. Opinion: Sweet deal, bro!

Of course there's the small matter of the people selling it not wanting to let it go for that price. The seller, Glenn E Thomas Dodge Chrysler Jeep in Signal Hill, CA near Long Beach, has apparently made the same mistake that Glenn Hyundai of Lexington, KY made with the Genesis Coupe. Meaning that somebody at Glenn E Thomas forgot to set a reserve on the auction, and they just sold a car for much less than they'd planned.

There's a 20+ page "discussion," raging over at Challengertalk.com. Opinions are slightly mixed, but it seems that the overriding sentiment is that the buyer (named Hitman) won the auction fair and square and that once again, a novice dealer has wandered into the minefield that is selling a new car for less than they intended via eBay. Last we heard, Hyundai of America stepped in and helped settle the Genesis Coupe debacle. Good luck to Hitman, that (possibly) lucky SOB.

[Source: Challengertalk]

Yet Again: Dealer accused of failing to honor eBay deal for new car and this time it's a Dodge Challenger originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Performance, Videos, BMW, Motorcycle, Humor

Ah yes, the good ol' pull-the-tablecloth-off-the-table-without-sending-dishes-flying routine. The oldest trick in the book? Possibly, but BMW has taken it upon themselves to update the classic demonstration in a major way. How 'bout upping the ante with 24 complete place settings around a giant rectangular table? Yeah, that'd do it.

Just how is BMW planning to remove said tablecloth? Using a new S 1000 RR superbike, that's how. Will it work? Well, it's really a question of physics, right? Take 193 horsepower and a 0 to 60 time that's just shy of 2.9 seconds. Add in one rider with a quick set of wrists and shake well. Garnish with celebratory wheelie.

We highly recommend that you click past the break to see it all go down on video. It's very much worth your time.

[Source: BMW via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: BMW S 1000 RR pulls off the old tablecloth trick

Video: BMW S 1000 RR pulls off the old tablecloth trick originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Toyota

Late last month we wrote a lengthy post about problems with an ABC News report that purported to show a Toyota Avalon racing out of control without setting a diagnostic fault code. While we primarily focused on the technical side and analyzed whether the problem was realistic, the crew at Gawker took a hard look at the video in question and noticed something fishy.

It appears that an editor or producer at ABC felt they could pull a fast one on the audience and used some B-roll in the report showing the tachometer needle sweeping rapidly from near idle to over 6,000 rpm. That clip was injected at the precise moment when David Gilbert triggered his simulated sudden acceleration. As you can see from the screen cap above, the shot of the tachometer clearly shows the warning lights for the parking brake on, the doors open and the transmission indicator in park. The camera operator shot this segment separately so it could be used to illustrate a point in the report, and ABC claims that getting a steady shot during the test would've been both difficult and dangerous.

The B-roll shot doesn't indicate anything conclusive one way or the other about the validity of the test and certainly doesn't stand as proof of anything being rigged. However, the lack of transparency by ABC and Mr. Gilbert regarding the specific procedure doesn't add to the credibility of either the claims or the report, and the lack of clarity by Toyota in its response to Gilbert's assertions doesn't do the automaker any favors, either.

[Source: Gawker]



Tired of Toyota recall news? Try out the recall-free version of Autoblog.

Report: ABC News faked at least one part of runaway Toyota report originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While Chip Foose's bread and butter is rodding, building and customizing cars - often models that have distinct and fervent followings, like Camaros and Mustangs - it would appear that he's more than happy to tackle projects outside that comfort zone as well. Foose has just completed a special project for John Deere (a brand whose followers are as dedicated as any Ford or Chevy might have), and the result is going to be given away.

The tractor you see above spent decades as a workhorse like any other John Deere 4020 (a trendsetting model manufactured from 1963 to '72), before it underwent transformation in Foose's shop. Frankly, we think it's beautiful. Now, Lord knows we wouldn't know what to do with it if we were to win it, but we're enamored enough that we actually Googled to see where our local Deere dealer is, so that we might actually enter the sweepstakes. (You can do so through June 30, 2010. The drawing takes place a month later.) Follow the jump for a series of making-of videos.

[Source: MachineFinder.com, John Deere]

Continue reading Video: Chip Foose gets agricultural, hot rods a John Deere 4020

Video: Chip Foose gets agricultural, hot rods a John Deere 4020 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Motorcycle, Electric

You may have read our latest report regarding the future of recently canned Buell Motorcycles. Everyone's favorite American sportbike company hit the chopping block a few months back at the hand of industry giant Harley-Davidson, and its cropping of the division has led Erik Buell to forge ahead with his competitively obsessed Erik Buell Racing brand. However, a key player in the now defunct company may have sparked a bright future with another American motorcycle company.

Zero Motorcycles, the little electric motorcycle manufacturer that could, has announced the hiring of former Buell Vice President of Engineering Abe Askenazi. Coming off of a 14-year stretch with Buell, Askenazi will no doubt bring a level of experience and insight to Zero beyond its years. With funding at an all time high and the obvious future in electric vehicles, the transition from combustion to current should be rewarding for both Askenazi and Zero. Click past the break to view the complete press release.



[Source: Asphalt & Rubber]

Continue reading Zero Charges Forward: Electric motorcycle company hires top talent from Buell

Zero Charges Forward: Electric motorcycle company hires top talent from Buell originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Videos

If you watched the Winter Olympics over the past few weeks, you likely witnessed some amazing flips and tricks by skiers and snowboarders alike. Pretty impressive, right? We think so, but if you're a monster truck fan you might be even more awestruck by what we have post-jump.

You may remember last year when Travis Pastrana tried unsuccessfully to do a backflip in the Nitro Circus monster truck. Fast forward one year and Pastrana's buddy Cam McQueen has succeeded where the famous daredevil has failed. Hit the jump to watch video proof of McQueen's accomplishment. The video is only 18 seconds long and it's short on production skills, but it ends with a bang as the multi-ton truck nails a near perfect backflip in front of thousands of monster truck fans.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Monster truck backflip a first for the sport

Video: Monster truck backflip a first for the sport originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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